It's not just paper...

HAPPY KIND YEAR !!!!

2012-01-29T15:05:00.000-08:00

Yeah, that's right!!

This is my first post of 2012, so I'm wishing you a belated HAPPY one.

And a year filled with kindness to ourselves.

It's about time I gave this blog some attention!

I wanted to post this canvas collage that I started at Brave Girls Camp, and finally finished.

I wanted the message to stand out clearly, and be supported by soft happy images and textures. Using colors and florals that are positive and make me happy.

I was experimenting with using different techniques and textures: painting, drawing, distressing, texture medium, glazing, glitter, fabric.

The flowers are all painted with acrylic paint, and then I gave them definition by drawing over them with a black superfine Sharpie.

The "KIND" letters are made of chipboard that I punched with images using chip art tools, then painted, distressed with different inks and glazed...all with the intent of making them look like leather. After all that abuse, they even feel like leather!

Then I wanted soft lace to go over the flowers (perhaps like a window's curtain in the breeze, floating over the view of a flower garden), so I used a clear gel medium and some neat-o vintage plastic doilies to make the lace. After that dried overnight, I held my breath as I rubbed on the white-washing because I didn't want to totally obscure the flowers. There was a lot of pouncing on and then wiping off, to get just the right effect.

The gingham trim is real cotton trim that I soaked in modpodge, which both adhered it and made it stiff. Some glittery red letters and the turquoise birdy balance out the design.

This message is important to me, as a reminder to myself to be kind not only in deeds, but in thoughts.

And not just to others, but to myself, which is often the most difficult person to be kind to.

Does that resonate with you too?

It's hung over our back door, so that it might also serve as a gentle reminder to my family as they go out into the world.

"in the end, only KINDNESS matters......"

I don't know if anyone looks at this blog anymore, since I haven't posted for months. But if you do, and you'd like to share your thoughts, I'd love to get your comments!!! TFL!!!

Hoops and Babies

2011-11-23T12:39:00.001-08:00

Gift giving season has started already!

I have loads of friends and relatives with November and December birthdays,

and this month I also had a friend's baby shower to attend.

I'm not really inspired to shop for gifts anymore - the commercialism, the long waiting lines, the coupon/sale games, the not-having-the-right-size dilemmas, etc. etc. etc.

Plus, the lack of the PERSONAL in those kinds of gifts.

The older I get, the more important it is for me to do things that have meaning to me,

and hopefully, to the recipient.

So HANDMADE is my preferred way to go.

(plus, having a TON of crafting supplies spurs me on too!!!)

OK, blah, blah, blah.

I've had these embroidery hoops laying around for way too long, plus I love to collect lovely scraps of leftover fabric from my favorite charity shop, The Legacy, in Sebastopol.

Time to put them together........

This hoop was made for my friend Kelli's birthday gift.

Who doesn't like their initial?

Kelli's a hip dame with a sophisticated artistic style, hence this classy color scheme.

The monogram K was made by using a large stamp on scratch paper,

then pinning it to the fabric and cutting it out like a sewing pattern,

and layering it over a canvas scrap that was cut as if it were a matte.

The way to make the flower on the left was taught to us at Brave Girls Camp,

by Kathy Wilkins' 12-year-old daughter (!!!) - hint: much hot glue was used.

The flower on the upper right is layered from a leather die-cut, a hand-cut canvas circle and a button.

The embelly on the bottom was purchased.

This next hoop was made for my friend Jenny's baby shower.

Jenny had POSTED how she made her hoops to decorate the baby's room,

so I followed her lead, for baby Isabel.

This beautiful fabric is from Stampin' Up.

The monogram "I" was clip art I googled and enlarged, and again cut from the fabric like a sewing pattern.

The pink plastic doily is a vintage find from Etsy (ka-yoot!).

The flower embellies are all layered bits and die cuts from my stash.

Again, who doesn't like their initial?

Below is the card I made for Jenny.

The scallops are all die cut from decorative paper and fabric, all by Stampin' Up.

I love the fresh lavender-yellow-pink color combo!

I made the card extra large (5"X8" I think) because I wanted to fill it with a lot of scallop layers.

Why not? More is MORE, right?

TFL!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving collage

2011-11-13T20:48:00.001-08:00

OK, I am totally inspired by my friend Jenny (see her BLOG).

Actually, I love stealing ideas from her...because she has such FUN ideas!

She has this shadow box in her entry hall in which she displays a variety of

seasonal or holiday collages, on a rotating basis.

Her house is new and clean and beautifully decorated, in what I would call a chic country style.

My house is old and worn and contains the possessions of the three generations who have inhabited it. I would call our "style" ranch eclectic, with an emphasis on the ranch part - lots of mismatched stuff from different eras and places, and lots of art and "collectibles".

To liven things up, I purchased my own (black) shadow box, and have so far made three seasonal collages.

This one I made yesterday while attending a crop with a bunch of my friends.

Yes, the theme is Thanksgiving, which is only 12 days away (!!!).

Better late than never.....

Here are some close-ups of the details.....

.....this is a great way to use up lots of random embellishments that you may have lying around.

I used lots of different techniques: stamping, embossing, watercoloring, paper piecing, distressing....

...plus using lots of different textures, like fabric, felt, paper, metal, buttons, etc., gives it lots of interest.....

The little rusty house is so cute! Its from RED LEAD PAPERWORKS, which carries lots of yummy vintage-y stuff, plus lots of inspiration.

The sticker next to the house is a sweet Irish blessing:

"May your troubles be less,

and you blessings be more,

and nothing but happiness,

come through your door"

This is just a fun way to play with all the little bits we collect or have left over.

Now that Jenny has inspired me, I hope that I have inspired you!

Happy Halloween!!! (a week late...)

2011-11-07T13:16:00.000-08:00

Some of my crafting friends and I have a new monthly ATC club, which started in October.

After some discussion and many laughs, we decreed ourselves the HOT FLASH HOTTIES!

Being of, or approaching, a "certain" age - ya gotta laugh!!!!!

So our first month's theme was "HALLOWEEN", and here are the artistic results:

something bright and fun, by Kelli

profound and mysterious, by Deborah

something delightfully dyslexic, by Marcia

some interactive ghostly fun, by Diane

a scary spooky witch, by Berta (check out her lovely blog HERE)

some neat-o fall textures, by Mahria

an exquisite scary cat on a fence, by Helen

some bats having a party, by Kate

and a little witch with her spider friend, by me

Here's a shot of the group. Creative and fun, eh?

Stay tuned for November's creations.......

Brave Girls Trip - the conclusion

2011-10-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

I apologize profusely for having taken so long to post this conclusion to our trip!

We've been having frustrating internet connection problems, out here in the country,

so now we are attempting to go wireless. Setting this up has occupied WAY too much of my time......

but now I'm back and - hopefully - online and carefree!!!!

So the last full day of the camp was capped off by a wonderful party.

We all wore white shirts and beautiful necklaces - and we were all BEAUTIFUL!!!

All us women are beautiful, inside and out, aren't we?

Isn't this group shop fantastic? Can you find Michelle, Kelli and I?

I love each and every one of these girls, truly.

The festivities included music and singing and dancing (natch!), along with our own gallery of all the art we had created, plus dinner and goodies and photo ops and hugs and love and laughter.

Here is one of my favorite collage's by Melody.

Her words and images always reinforce each other. And they're BEAUTIFUL!

We displayed the projects we had done, all of which were the outcomes of the lessons Melody had taught us. We made truth books, truth cards, art journaling, collages, books, canvas' and we even learned how to tool leather (thanks to Melody's swell husband, Marq, using her Chip Art tools).

Above is the cover of my Truth Book. Due to my unfamiliarity with all the potions and glazes and mediums that were available, I experimented and played and my cover has at least 12 layers of stuff on it - never to be re-created again, that's for sure!

Below is are 2 of the truth cards inside the book.

Truth cards are messages to ourselves.

Here is my tooled leather bracelet. It was so much fun to make! I've worn it every day since my return.

The message is "LISTEN" and that's one I need to constantly work on - to really listen to others, without my own ego getting in the way - and to really listen to my own heart and soul - and to my TT.

I believe that is what gives me an authentic loving peaceful life.

Listening is an art which must be practiced to be successful.

The funny thing about making this bracelet, for me, was that it brought back long-forgotten memories of one of my hippie summer jobs while in college. I was living in Isla Vista, going to UCSB, and found a job tooling leather belts in a studio run by a French artist. And we sold them at craft fairs. It was fun to do and fun to work in a studio with others, making art and making a living at it.

I'm so thrilled that Melody has brought these tools and techniques into the crafting world with her Chip Art line. Besides leather, these tools can be used on chipboard, metal, and more.

Definitely something new to invest time and $$ into!!!!!

Below is a group photo of the staff at BGC - yes, all those girls!

Can you now see why we were so pampered?

The next morning, it was up for breakfast, packing and goodbyes.

Here I am with the AWESOME & AMAZING Kathy Wilkins - den mother extraordinaire.

Kathy is always calm, full of grace and good cheer. The definition of a "centered" person.

I want to be like Kathy when I grow up!

Here are just a few of the handmade gifts we received: tote and portfolio and journal and books and personal messages and nametags and clip art and cute little things, plus a BG hoodie (now wearing), treats, etc., etc., etc.

And our parting gift was my favorite thing of all (well, OK, besides the tote bag and the journal).

It's a beautiful wall plaque, with a collage by Melody, under beveled glass, and it reads:

"courage is not a lack of fear, it is moving forward in spite of fear"

Wise words from a wise lady.

So we said our sad goodbyes to all the staff, hopped on the bus for an exciting ride back down the hill to Boise, and then said our even sadder goodbyes to our fellow campers.

But I know its not goodbye, it's see you later. Because many real friendships were forged in these 4 days.

So Kelli and Michelle and I hopped into the Brave Girls-mobile and headed out to Winnemucca, through Oregon and Nevada.

And you know what, the dreary ride we experienced on the way up turned out to be a

glorious gorgeous ride on the way back. Clear and beautiful scenery and sky.

Could our new-found good moods have anything to do with that?

Of the many beautiful songs we learned and sang and listened to, the one that became the theme of the camp was "Life Uncommon" by Jewel. I had never heard it before, but now it plays constantly in my head, even after all this time. The words are so powerful and true. I can barely stand to hear it on my iphone, without crying! And coming back home, to our home, our California, reminded us of how blessed we are to be living right here, right now.

A LIFE UNCOMMON!!!!!!

Brave Girls Trip, continued !!!!

2011-10-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

I didn't think it would be such a long time until my next post,

but I must tell you that the Brave Girls Camp experience was so profound, that it has taken a long time

for me to process all that I experienced.

Add to that the usual disorientation of coming back from a week of vacation,

and being faced with a myriad of family/work/ranch stuff to take care of, well, you know what I mean......

I want to give the full flavor of the rest of our trip,

and so because there is so much to share, I'm going to divide it into 2 posts.

First, I want to finish up our time in Boise,

because it is such a pretty place and the people are soooooooo friendly!!!! I could definitely live there.

We spent the rest of Tuesday exploring the charming old downtown......

Michelle and I playing tourists in the rain

Kelli having a "EUREKA!" moment

Michelle enjoying the heavenly croquetas at Bar Gernika (a Basque restaurant)

Super-friendly Idahoan's at the Basque Museum

and now it begins........

Then it was off to Eagle to the Hilton Hotel, where we met the rest of the Brave Girls Campers, received handmade tote bags containing handmade journals, snacks and many other thoughtful goodies (like earphones, much-appreciated !), and boarded the bus....

for the 2-hour ride up along the beautiful Payette River, up into the mountains, to McCall (a town that just begs to be returned to and explored). During this ride, we started to get to know the other 20 ladies - we'd all become life-long friends by the end of the camp.

We were met by Melody and a couple of her friends and had a moment of peace by the lake, before heading to the lodge.

We arrived at dusk to a twinkling magical beautifully-decorated huge gorgeous mountain lodge, with a welcome/reception/hugging line of all the people who helped to create this camp.

The love was overwhelming!

Inside, the huge great room was decorated with lots of lights and banners and streamers and parasols and Melody's art - and photos of our loved ones all around. It was breathtaking.......

....to be pampered with so much love and beauty. The photo above is of Kathy and Melody welcoming us right after we arrived.

The next day...............

We awoke to a serene light snowfall, making the lodge feel all cozy and comfy. We were greeted by beautiful music, a fabulous hot beverage bar and homemade food (to die for!). This was continuous throughout our entire camp.

The most thrilling part of all was our ART ROOM!!!! Oh my goodness, it had every art supply and tool you could imagine and more - like having your own private store from which to pick whatever you wanted. AND we got MORE handmade lovely things. AND it was decorated so fun and girly - just like everything else. I've never felt so pampered!!!!

Much better than any spa or candy or clothing store.

Art-music-beauty-food = PERFECTION!!!!

Here's the beautifully decorated dining and cooking area where we spent lots of time visiting, and eating!

The lunch crew, headed by wonderful Kathy

One of my favorite pieces of Melody's art (do you think she'll mind if I copy it????)

And here's Miss Melody Ross herself - such a sweet, giving, loving, intelligent soul.

Our teacher and inspiration and guide......

I want to be free and dress like Melody when I grow up.......I LOVE HER!!!!!!

And the day after that.............

To be honest, I wasn't taking many pictures. There was just so much going on: gatherings, lessons, music, sharing, arts and crafts, making new friends (i.e., lots of conversations), restoring our souls. This girl's paradise....

Melody, filming the creation of a beautiful collage which was then given out as a contest prize on the Brave Girls blog. (see the video HERE )

Kelli stylishly making art. And if you look to the right, you can see Michelle in action too....

My new BFF Kathleen, who was going to adopt me, but then we discovered she's only 12 years older than me, so I guess I have to settle for big sister.....

A much-needed and -appreciated group walk to the lake in the crisp mountain air.

Posing with my roommates, Coreena from Canada and Kam from San Diego. These are two amazing women - I miss them!!!!

Photo ops with Melody.....

Left to right: Kam, Sarah, Jayne, Heidi, Kathy and one of her darling twins, and the fabulous Miss Barbara (another sartorial artist who makes me smile!).

It was so wonderful to be surrounded by so many inspiring generous artists.

Below is sweet Kelly-with-a-'y', posing with her buddy and the beautiful painting she did of Kathy and Melody.

I'll post the rest of the trip very soon - it gets even better! So stay tuned..................................

Until we meet again......

2011-10-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

Today it's the weather that's bleak, not the place.

This is the view outside our hotel window, of the Boise airport.

Can you tell its raining?

Surprisingly to us, Boise is a lot bigger than we thought it would be.

Much bigger than Santa Rosa, with a nice mixture of rural and urban areas.

And the people are SO FRIENDLY!

Definitely a place that I'd love to come back and explore further.

But for now, we're checking out and have a few hours to walk around downtown before we catch the shuttle to Brave Girls Camp.

We're going to seek out a famous gourmet spud place called the

Boise Fry Company

where its the burgers that are "on the side" (what's not to love about that?),

and which I've heard is a favorite of foodies across the nation.

We'll let you know. Mmmmmmm.................................

So since I'm told there's no internet access up at the lodge at Brave Girls Camp,

we'll bid you adieu for now!

and please come and check back here on Saturday night,

when we'll be back in civilization and I'll be able to post about our adventure.

BRAVE GIRLS RULE!

Brave Girls Road Trip - Day 2

2011-10-03T22:30:00.000-07:00

Sunrise over Reno, and the day, the very long day, begins...

So just 421 miles to Boise, right?

It started out fun and giggly.

Taking turns driving.

After an hour or so, though, we all sort of realized at the same time that this is a very

BLEAK ROAD....

Clear, hot, and dry with long long views of long stretches of flatness and distant rocky hills.

Not a place one would want to break down in.

Services and rest stops were very few and far between.

And when we did make a pit stop, it was, well, really the pits!

We decided to title this day, "The Brave Girls Brave Nevada Restrooms".

This was a very depressing monument (one of many) and I'm sorry that I appear to be laughing.

I wasn't being callous, I was really just caught up in understanding first hand that this

Forty Mile Desert really still is a "barren waterless wasteland"!

The pioneers really were the BRAVE ones - we have it so easy in our modern life.

Honestly, we just spent most of the day in the car,

and we all took lots of shots of the wide vistas that we were seeing,

but photos just don't capture the expansiveness, the endlessness.

Part of the drive takes you through the southeastern tip of Oregon - but it looks just like Nevada.

We did take a Brave Girl moment and got off the beaten track to go check out this historic monument

It is the grave of Sacagawea's son, the youngest member of the Lewis & Clark expedition.

Touchingly, there are tribal artifacts still being put on his grave.

There's Kelli and I taking a "rest" at a picturesque stop in eastern Oregon. When in Rome....

This next photo is my fave so far. This really is "big sky" country.

And our dear Michelley just had to stop and climb the round hay bales,

or at least attempt it. We got some good videos of her in action.

Finally, after crossing over into Mountain Time (and losing an hour), we got to

the Idaho border....

and from that moment on, the ride, the terrain, the feelings start to lift.

We checked into our hotel in Boise finally (after Heather led us astray).

We CAN NOT wait until tomorrow and the start of the Brave Girls Camp!!!!

Brave Girls Road Trip - Day 1

2011-10-02T20:47:00.001-07:00

The adventure begins!

We've finally started our long-planned road trip to the Brave Girls Camp in McCall, Idaho!!!

"We" are Michelle, Kelli and I.

18 months in the planning.

We are restoring ourselves.

The only requirement is to have FUN and BE FUN.

We started out by picking up Kelli at the SR Fairgrounds, right after she completed the Harvest Fair 5K run.

Michelle kicked off the fun by bringing paint daubers for us to use to decorate the windows of her truck.

Of course, we jumped right in and wrote loud slogans to proclaim our adventure - yes, dorks R Us!

We drove straight up through Sacramento and Truckee, enjoying the nice weather (while it lasts), as well as the delightfully quirky directions of "Heather", our vaguely Korean-sounding gps virtual guide.

Once we crossed the border into Nevada, we finally started to feel that we were gone.

Then, suddenly, behold!

CABELA'S!

In the "flesh", so to speak. Since Kelli and Michelle had never been there before, we just had to stop.

And of course, take the requisite photos in front, aided by kindly fellow tourists.

It really is an amazing experience, Cabela's. Sort of like Disneyland for outdoorsy people.

Kelli was captivated by the taxidermy.

After a few quick purchases, we were anxious to get in the car and get to our hotel in Reno.

We were tired and a little cranky, after skipping lunch and being in the car all day.

Alas, our room was not ready, so we had to cool our heels in the lobby for a few minutes.

And then the muzak started to play.....

And we started to boogie and get silly.

Enjoying the freedom to totally embarrass ourselves, without our kids being there to roll their eyes at us.

Something tells me there will be lots more self-embarassing moments to come.

Finally, they gave us our suite and its pure luxury, really a 2 bedroom apartment...

Now Kelli had prepared a surprise for us.

Being a surprise, we had no idea what she had planned.

I figured it would have something to do with a casino or a show or something.

No, being the BRAVE GIRL that she is, she had found online the most

fabulous local scrapbook store, Scrapbook Paradise

and had set up a private class for us with the proprietress, Laura...

Kelli had arranged for Laura to use some BRAVE GIRL stamps (created by our own heroine,

Melody Ross) and to design NAME TAGS for us to make for ourselves to wear to the camp!!!

Goosebumps!

How absolutely thoughtful and creative and wonderful was that?

And we completely fell in love with darling Laura. She's a hardworking young woman who took over this business and its thriving - its the last LSS in Reno. She really knows her stuff and loves this crafting as much as we do! She's hoping to get Tim Holtz to come and teach at her store - and we'll definitely come back for that. We want to support her and promote her to our friends (consider yourself notified).

We wanted to pack her up and bring her with us to BRAVE GIRLS CAMP.

After all that excitement - and a "little" shopping - and still, no real food all day,

we were famished.

We jumped back in the BRAVE GIRLS-MOBILE and attempted to maneuver the confusing construction detours, while I tried to keep "Heather" focused on our destination (that Heather has a mind of her own). Eventually we ended up back near our hotel, not where we intended, and had dinner at a nameless 24-hour sports-bar-casual-dining-gambling-outdoorsy-place.

We were just grateful to sit down and eat.

Now we're back in our suite, relaxing and debating whether to kick back or go down and use the gym and pool.

What do you think we'll choose?

Seven more days to go!

Stay tuned for more wild adventures......

ATC's

2011-09-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share some ATC's I've done in the past,

swapping with friends and as part of a monthly swap group.

Artist Trading Cards can be anything, really, but the more of them I do, the more I realize how I have my go-to style, which always includes some sort of layering.
I still can't really define what that "style" is, but others have told me I have one.

This card was done recently for the monthly swap group, the theme is "Harvest",

and I love the quote because it's so true:

This next one was done last year, for a Halloween swap. I titled it "Spooky".

I definitely prefer the silly/playful side of Halloween:

Up next is a personal fave, from summer of 2010.

I don't remember the theme (maybe it was "travelling"), but the title of this one is "Totally", as in surfer lingo, "totally excellent, dude"!

One thing you may not know about me is that I grew up in one of the prime surf areas in Southern California, my dad (yes) and my brother were/are avid and awesome surfers, as were so many of my classmates.

Back in those days, however, girls didn't surf - and I love how that has changed!

So here I paid tribute to that culture from which I was launched.....

This last card was done for a recent swap, and the theme was "What's Cookin', Good Lookin'?"

Since one of my favorite songs to sing to and with my kids has always been Hank Williams'

"Hey, Good Lookin'", I attempted to mimic that vintage vibe with the woman with a 1940's hairdo and the background paper.

I bet that song is playing through your head now.....

What I love best about doing ATC's is the swapping part.

And I especially LOVE receiving ATC's from my artsy friends.

The techniques and creativity are amazing, all on a 2-1/2" X 3-1/2" piece of paper!

Stay tuned for more ATC's from me and my pals......

Faux Quilling

2011-09-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

OK, back to cards!

This yummy color combo is courtesy of SU's "Cheerful Treat" designer paper.

It just plain makes me happy.

I case'd the flower accent from the IB&C, but it took a while to figure out how to do the "quilled" petals.

I used 1/8" strips of paper, cut precisely 4-1/4" long (lots of trial and error!), curved them around a pencil, then adhered the ends together to make each separate petal. All those ends were then glued to the center of a small circle of cardstock. Then the flower image was adhered on top.

Real quilling is an art and involves more curves and shapes and much more complexity. It's something I know takes practice. Some day I'll try to learn it. But for now, I like the effect of this "faux" version - it really gives the card dimension. Looks swell IRL.

All supplies by Stampin' Up:
Stamps: Posy Punch, Up, Up and Away
Paper: Concord Crush, Bashful Blue, Whisper White and Melon Mambo cs, Cheerful Treat dsp
Ink: Concord Crush
Other: Fun Flowers Bigz die, Fancy Flower, 3/4" circle and Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punches, Perfect Polka Dots ef, Melon Mambo Striped Grograin, glimmer brad

To see more card variations using the Cheerful Treat papers, go to Alison Day's lovely new blog.

Journaling

2011-09-15T23:16:00.000-07:00

I've never been a diarist, though I've started many a journal over the years. I just seem to lose interest as soon as the "hot" topic I wanted to write about has "cooled" down. I do think keeping a journal is important, however. Very therapeutic. And for someone like me, whose brain seems to ricochet all over the place - constantly - it can help to focus and complete some important thoughts.

So I'm happy to report that for the past few months I've seriously gotten into journaling. The reason? I've discovered art journaling. Through the Soul Restoration classes from the BRAVE GIRLS CLUB, which I've mentioned in earlier posts.

Somehow, for me, combining words with images and colors and designs makes more sense. Because words are not enough for me and I'm not a great writer, using other visual tools helps me express the emotions and feelings I'm trying to explore and understand. In this journal, all the entries are collages. And while they may (or may not ;) look "beautiful", that's not the intent. Take this spread, for example....

It's a serious subject, with feelings of guilt and regret (not a cheery subject). The blue colors I chose symbolize the calm and peace I am seeking as I come to terms with this subject. The images remind me of the specific people I'm referring to. The flowers remind me of the anatomy of the inner ear. The style of the title expresses the discord I feel inside. Heavy, I know! But it is very freeing to be able to express those things in non-words.

If you're interested, the subject is misophonia. It's a new thing to me, and a revelation. Because I definitely suffer from it, yet never had a clue about it! I didn't realize it was a "condition" and it has impacted my life since my early teens. The anger I have felt inside has always had no reason to be there, but rears its ugly head just the same. Certain specific sounds made by certain specific people bring it on. There is no "cure", but having an awareness of it is huge for me.

And no one else ever had a clue that this was going on inside me.....

So I'm wondering if this rings a bell for anyone else reading this?

Here's an enlargement of the definition:

Even a difficult subject is made palatable through this style of collage art journaling. Thanks for letting me share this with you. I'd love to hear about your journaling "journey".

ATC Binder

2011-09-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

I trade ATC's (artist trading cards) with a couple groups of fellow crafters. It's fun to make the cards, especially when there's a theme - it's a little snapshot of personal art. It's even more fun to receive the cards, which are always inventive and often truly gorgeous works of art.

I have this carousel display thing in my craft room, which I got when I first started in the ATC game. And like most things in this crazy crafting world, I quickly outgrew its capacity.

While I love seeing the cards displayed, I needed another way to store the rest of my rapidly expanding collection. So I finally found the time to make a binder to hold the ATC's.

Another thing I have an embarrassingly large amount of is unused kits for craft projects. Some of my favorites are from CLUB SCRAP, like this kit from, ahem, 2005 (!!!!). The thing I love about all of Club Scrap's project kits are the easy-to-follow instructions with photos. Here's the kit......

Let's get something clear from the start: I LOVE MAKING AND BINDING BOOKS!!! It is such a satisfying endeavor and so nice to create a book to look exactly like you want it. And for some reason it always seems to come out great, if you follow a few key tips....

First step is to thoroughly spread a thin layer of BOOKBINDING GLUE, with a sponge brush, all over and to the edges of the bookboard. This glue is amazing because it strongly bonds paper to paper quickly and without bubbles. You do have to pay careful attention to lining up the edges of your cardstock cover to the bookboard, however, because the stuff is not repositionable. I find it easiest to lay the board down on top of the reverse side of the cover cardstock.

The next important key tip is to use your BONE FOLDER, for every score and fold and burnish - it is a bookbinder's best friend. Here, I have done miter cuts at the corners (prevents excess lumps of cardstock layers), then used the bone folder to score the cover stock right at the edge of the board, and then again 1/8" out from that, so the cover will wrap neatly over the thickness of the board.

Pre-fold and crease each fold with the bone folder. Then apply a thin continuous layer of the bookbinding glue to the cover stock, always spreading it out over the edges. When you wrap and burnish (again with the bone folder), it adheres completely.

Here's a picture of the front cover of the binder over the back cover (they are separate panels). For the cover stock, I chose this green cardstock with a vintage 1940's photo of a bunch of gals laughing and gabbing at a lunch counter - isn't it fun? And so apropos for a collection of ATC's from my friends.

Next step is assembling the 3 panels of the binder with this awesomely wide and tough tape included in the kit. It has a simple distressed design on the other side, so it will look great on the finished binder. It's a little tricky getting the placement straight, so I love using my favorite SU grid paper, with centerlines marked, to make the lining up a breeze.

Next is lining up the front and back panels on the tape, leaving a 1/8" gap for the "hinge". All this tape was thoroughly burnished with (you guessed it) the bone folder.

The next shot shows another piece of the wide tape, cut and ready to be applied to the inside of the binder. Again, it will be burnished with the bone folder and will complete the "hinges" where the binder folds.

Next step is to apply patterned cardstock inside the front and back covers, using the bookbinding glue all the way to the edges. While these inside papers aren't necessary, they definitely finish off the whole thing and make it look very professional.

Done!

Here's a photo of the inside of the binder, with the ATC poly display pages.

Some of you may recognize your ATC's, perhaps?

Here's the finished product. It really didn't take very long and I love it! It's so nice for my overflow ATC collection to finally have a proper home, like they deserve. I really cherish every single card, because they remind me of my friends and it's a crafter's way of sharing love.

One last shot of the cover: Instead of a typical title, I decorated a mini file folder and clipped it to the top of the cover. Then I adhered a bunch of die-cut leaves that appear to be falling out of the folder, to the delight of the girls!

I'll post some ATC's in the future. They're a beautiful opportunity to share our art with each other.

I'd love to start a new ATC trading club - are you interested????

CLUB SCRAP

Lacy thanks

2011-09-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

OK, this may not be my usual style - a little too granny, a little too lavender. But what IS my style is going over the top and piling it on!

Lacy stamps, lacy die-cuts, lacy punches and a whole lotta purple (aka Wisteria Wonder in SU-speak!). Making it monochromatic helps keep it in line.

This next card adds some orange (Pumpkin Pie) and yellow (Daffodil Delight) which may seem a little dissonant, but somehow it all works. Trying "odd" color combos is fun. After all, its only paper.
The bird is hand cut, from a quick sketch I did on some scrap paper. I cut the orange die-cuts and the white border punched pieces in half to use above and below the center orange strip - saves time and stretches out your supplies (not that I'm in any danger of running out of that!).

It's fun to try a different style than you're used to....stretches your brain cells and keeps things interesting.

Come again!

It's the Little Things

2011-08-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

In this day and age, with so many virtual messages and greetings, it's getting rarer and rarer for people to send or receive hand-made cards (or any cards, for that matter). And with so many of my loved ones flung far and wide, it just feels right to send them something handmade, to let them know I've created something just for them, to let them know that I'm thinking about them. It may be a little thing, but this is the important stuff. The personal vs. the impersonal = the social dilemma of our contemporary age, IMHO.

So the card above was created for one of my dearest (no, I won't say "oldest") friends, Chris, who was of course born in August. She is such a sunny soul, a summer girl, that I couldn't imagine her being born any other month, and I hope this card reflects that. She and I happen to be celebrating tonight by going to a "Luscious Lemon Desserts" cooking class in Sonoma - summer fun, indeed! A couple features of the card: the orange fan-design panel was done with a letterpress plate and pigment ink on watercolor paper, which gives it richness and depth. The lemons are watercolored and the ribbon ruffle is so simple: just pull a thread in the middle to gather, then adhere it with a strong tape, or STICKY STRIP.

This next birthday card was created for my uber-talented crafty friend, Helen. She's the kind of person that one hesitates to make things for, because her own work is so exquisite, that mine always feels amateurish by comparison. Like cooking dinner for an accomplished chef, you know? But hey, its more important to share my good wishes for her that to worry about my shortcomings! I happen to know that she loves the "Cherished Friendship" stamp set used here. And isn't the tiny scallop envelope darling? It's a die-cut, and then I used the "Vintage Wallpaper" embossing folder to give it more texture.

Sometimes a normal "thank you" card just won't do. Or sometimes I just want to show gratitude by giving a simple treat. This next project is a "thank you card" for someone who loves Cheez-its! It's just a fun little thing meant to give them a giggle. I used SU's "Fancy Favor Box" die, which I love. So quick to assemble and decorate, it probably took less time than most cards I make, LOL!

This last little folly was made from a matchbox leftover from the Dorm Survival Kit that I posted here a few weeks ago. Just playing around, letting my mind wander, its a very very little thing........

Intended to delight the recipient as they open it......

and pull out the ribbon adorned with butterflies.......

to reveal the message inside.......

It's the little things we do that show we care......

Floret Mania

2011-08-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

One thing about doing arts and crafts is finding the time to do it. And by the time you get out all the materials and tools, and then come up with a design, it can be, well, for me at least, a long long time. So once I've made the thing that I originally intended to do, I feel I should keep going, since I've committed the time and effort to get myself set up. Does that make sense? And the easiest way to keep going is to use the stuff you already have out, but try to create something new and different with it.

Here, for example, I started out making this card with the SU stamp set "Fabulous Florets"...

I case'd the design from a sample on the Stampin' Connection, but with different colors: Cherry Cobbler (so rich!), Marina Mist (so fresh!) and Crumb Cake (so classic!).

So once I'd made a few of those, I started playing around with other ideas, using the same colors and stamp set, since they were already right in front of me.....

Using the leftovers from the 2nd card, I came up with this one, which happens to be my favorite...

Then I case'd another design, using the same sets, but this time doing a little watercoloring, just to keep things interesting....

Four different cards, using mostly the same products. I think its fun to challenge myself to come up with new ideas using a limited palette of materials - it's my version of figuring out a puzzle.

Thanks for looking!

Quilting Bee

2011-08-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to adhere to the sentiment on this card this week, and I think I've been pretty successful - enjoying a nice lazy summer and tuning out all the bad news swirling around. Everything is temporary, don't ya know!

Here's a quick and fun way to make a QUILT! So much faster than dragging out the old sewing machine, cutting all those pieces of fabric, etc., etc.

I used SU's Lattice die to cut out a few different pieces of patterned paper. Then I randomly glued the little ovals into the voids, and embossed the whole panel with the Finial Press embossing folder. The panel was then attached to a card which had already been embossed with the Square Lattice embossing folder. Texture on texture! Easy as pie!

This next card is an even simpler version - the lattice and ovals were directly adhered to the card front, and the whole thing was sent through the Finial Press EF.

These really are cards you want to TOUCH. And there's something comforting, familiar and sentimental about the quilt motif......... makes me feel a little warm and fuzzy inside!.

Obsession

2011-08-06T11:56:00.000-07:00

You know when you can't get an idea out of your head? And especially when it comes to crafting, its often awhile before we can find the time to do that thing that we've been thinking about. Sometimes, a very LONG while. This project was like that for me.

For some reason, while on vacation, I got this idea for a "DORM SURVIVAL KIT", made out of tiny boxes with tiny drawers. Since I didn't have the supplies with me to make it, and I had a lot of down time (relaxing, swimming, hiking, etc.) my mind became fixated on this thing, and how I was going to make it when we got home. My normally multi-tasking A.D.D. brain needed to fill the void and continuously ruminate - sound familiar?

The jumping off point was the theme of "back-to-school" for a SU demonstrator monthly contest. Instead of elementary school age, I was thinking of my kids and niece who are in college, and what gift would a new freshman girl like to have to remind her of home and her mom. So I came up with this idea of a wall-hanging with little drawers to hold little gifts (cash and coins, candy, chapstick, little lotions, etc.). Sort of like a care package/wall art thing. I know I would have loved to have received something like this!

It's made of 16 "matchboxes" that I made with my Big Shot. I wanted to keep the colors sophisticated yet feminine. First I collage-stamped tone-on-tone the crumb cake cs with images from "Grunge Rock", and cut out the covers. Then I die-cut the "drawers" out of rose red cs., to give it some 2-tone interest.

Yes, it took a while to assemble all those puppies! Once done, I adhered them all to a thick cardboard backing with lots of super strong sticky strip, after having attached the hanging ribbon. Then the decorating fun began. I clear-embossed the rose red letters on "First Edition" paper, then layered punched shapes of black cs and the letters. I love the shine and texture the clear embossing gives to images. I used 2 different fonts to differentiate the words and give it a bit of a funky vibe.

A button "handle" is sewn onto each "drawer". Only the 8 boxes on the sides open. My favorite seam binding ribbons were wrapped through and around the top and bottom rows of boxes, with bows and various matching buttons for embellishment.

Here's the back:

And for the one remaining box (since the title only has 15 letters), I made this butterfly out of scraps that I die-cut and embossed, wrapped with linen thread and gave a little bling...

And, no, I didn't win the contest. But what makes me sad is that they don't return your project to you, no matter what! So these images are all I have to remember it. It was fun to come up with a "story" about who I was making this for, even if it was total fiction. I guess I could replicate it, but once done, I'm on to the next obsession!! Thanks for looking, and if this inspires an idea for you, please let me know!

Supplies (all by Stampin' Up):
Stamps: Broadsheet Alphabet, Grunge Rock, Varsity Alphabet
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Rose Red
First Edition Specialty designer series paper
Inks: Rose Red craft, Crumb Cake
Punches: Scallop Circle, Decorative Label
Dies: Matchbox Bigz XL, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz, Beautiful Wings embosslit
Ribbons: Rose Red and Crumb Cake seam binding, linen thread
Other: Subtles and Neutrals designer buttons, Springtime Vintage big designer buttons, Circle Fire rhinestone brads, clear embossing powder, sticky strip, dimensionals, mini glue dots

Our Scholar's a Winner!

2011-07-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

The Sonoma County Fair is in full swing now, and I went with my BFF's for our annual "girl's day" at the Fair. It was fun to see all the arts and crafts. This year I entered one scrapbook layout, and 3 greeting cards. Imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw my spread, SUNNY'S GRADUATION, not only won 1st prize in its class, but Best Of Section!!! Woo Hoo!!! I was so not expecting to win anything that I left my camera in my car! So I had to trudge back out to the parking lot to retrieve it.

This layout was a tongue-in-cheek celebration of our puppy's graduation from obedience school, when she was 8 months old. She was definitely the challenging "Marley" of the class, but she persevered and graduated with honors. We were so proud, my DH called her "our scholar", LOL!!!! I didn't take a photo of the layout prior to submitting it to the Fair, so its kind of hard to see in the photo above. When the Fair ends, I'll get it back and post a proper photo for your viewing pleasure.

This "thank you" card took the 4th place ribbon. It's not my usual style, kinda "granny", but I love the doilies.

This birthday card earned a 3rd place ribbon. (sorry the photo's so bad - I'll post a better view later)

And finally, the card I posted previously took 2nd place, under the "holiday cards" category.

I hope you have a chance to go to the Fair and see all the arts and crafts and photography. Some of my crafty pals have their beautiful award-winning creations on display. Lots of inspiration!

Thanks for looking!

Birthday Cards

2011-07-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

Ah, summertime and the living is easy! I hope yours is going nice and easy. I'm wallowing in our gorgeous weather and not spending a lot of time crafting or blogging, and I feel remiss. So here are a couple of birthday cards for your viewing pleasure.....

Don't you just love that little guy with his megaphone? And I'm messing around with pennants here - they're just such happy things!

This next card is a whole different feel, one of my favorites: VINTAGE. Nothing says "summer" like a sailboat. There's a lot of distressing and tearing and tying and cutting and layering going on here.

If you're going to the Sonoma County Fair in a couple weeks, you'll be able to see this card on display in the Garrett Building - its my entry for "birthday cards". Thanks for looking!

Introducing Camo

2011-07-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

We have a new member of the family! She's 10 weeks old and adorable and spunky - my kind of girl!

She's my son's kitty and will be the first-ever cat on this ranch to live inside the house. You see, Jesse's much much beloved 4-yr-old pet rat, Bubba, died of old age on the last day of our recent vacation. Yes, we had taken her with us - and all her paraphernalia - because she was failing and needed lots of attention - and she's buried in a beautiful grove of pines near our cabin. It was very sad and poignant.
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So Jesse successfully lobbied us to let him adopt a kitten from the Healdsburg Animal Shelter. It was so exciting to decide on and pick the kitten - it was all I could do to stop myself from not bringing another one home! (BTW, they're having a "2 for 1" special, if you're in the market). But I digress.....

The shelter had named this kitty "Daisy", which happens to be a name I love. But she just doesn't seem like a "Daisy", it just didn't fit. She's more of a stealthy, calm and centered kind of a kitty. Like the excellent hunter she'll probably turn out to be. So watching her crawl around on Jesse's bed, with its camouflage comforter and her similar coloring, it just hit me....."Camo" !!!! So that's her name. Well, its really "Camellia" because Jesse didn't think "Camo" was feminine enough. But "Camo" is what we call her. I wonder how many people and creatures are named something grand, just for an excuse to really use the nickname.....

So, inspired by all things feline and feminine, I came up with this:

I love the new SU "Flirtatious" line of stamps and die-cuts and punches and paper and fabric - girly, girly, girly!

And I think that sentiment is so funny - and true.

So, welcome, Camo - we love you!!!

Crafts by the Lake

2011-06-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

Guess where I am? In the Trinity Alps of northern California! It is beyond gorgeous here, perfect weather, peaceful and serene. A day spent at the lake, fishing, swimming, exploring.

So, OK, after a few days of this, a girl's gotta CRAFT!!! Problem is, what to do when you're stranded out in nature with no tools or supplies? Can you spell I-M-P-R-O-V-I-S-E ?

First, I collected an assortment of interesting artifacts:

Then I played and arranged and re-arranged and decided I was making a "temporary art installation" or an "environmental collage" or whatever fancy name you want to give it. No glue, so things were attached by shoving, poking and pinching.

Trust me, it looked a lot better in real life. Would have made a great centerpiece, but of course there was no table, and no meal !!?!? Here's a view of it as it perched on the shore, left for the wild critters to play with long after I was gone...

Well, my mojo was put into gear, so I had to do something more. I gathered these wet leaves from the lake water gently lapping at the shore....

...gently put them in a baggie and brought them back with us to our little cabin. There, I did have some very basic supplies - one tote - including MOD PODGE and I thought I could play around with them. When they dried they were very brittle and delicate, but oh-so-lovely - and dousing them in mod podge made them shiny, pliable and usable.

So here are 5 simple cards I made with them...

Fun, cheap, "natural" and great reminders of our vacation. I'm going to try 'podging lots of other things!!!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess PENNANTS are "in" this year! OK, I've gone a little pennant-crazy, but hey, they are so cute!!

This first card (pennant-a-looza, baby!) I made for my DH (that's "dear" husband) using Jenni Bowlin and SU products. Yup, I sanded and inked and distressed each one of those chipboard puppies, and there's lots of embossing too - I guess that's why they call this stuff crafted. Lots of time spent on this, I know, but it's one more way I express my love - through my art - and he deserves it because he's a great dad and DH.

This other card is kind of the opposite - simple and to-the-point. I made it for my 16-yr-old son to give to his dad - nothing too fussy for these guys! Do you think it's manly enough?

Simple is not really my forte - I do think it is a real skill to produce work that is simple and effective - it's something I try to do often, with little success. I do so admire those who can pull off "simplicity" and not get bogged down in the details (and that's true of life in general). That's why I keep plugging away at this.....

Monochromicity!

2011-06-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

OK, let's talk COLOR!!!

While I'm a sucker for pretty and wild color combo's, I really particularly love the richness of a monochromatic color scheme. And I have found that once I choose a color to go with, virtually all shades or tone of that color work together.

For example, with this blue-on-blue-on-blue card I started with the base color (SU's "Pool Party") and then just chose other blues in a similar tone or a contrasting shade. And the fact that its an ocean theme adds a bit of meaning to the color choice - not that that's necessary. Its so easy, sort of a fail-safe color choosing method for the "color challenged"!!!

For this next card, I went with a purple - violet color scheme. This card also shows how a monochromatic color scheme enhances the TEXTURES on the piece. (for more on that, see my last post)

The "texture" on this card looks so rich, yet is so easy! All I did is adhere "embosslit" die-cut flowers all over the top portion. Go ahead - use that trick!!!

I have to say I'm never disappointed by a monochromatic color scheme.

Texture Texture Texture

2011-06-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

For some people, it's bling. For others, it's fancy folds. And everyone loves dimension. As for me, there's nothing more compelling on a card (or any paper craft) than TEXTURE. Something that makes you want to touch it. After all, I think its the tactile quality of paper crafts that make them so accessible to young and old alike. Most of us were tearing up paper (and chewing it?!?!?) before we could talk. Kindergarten was all about cutting and gluing and making things. It's an attraction that digital creations, while amazing, can never satisfy. The sense of touch is just so important for us humans. It helps us understand our world. It's grounding.

So here are a few cards that highlight texture. And yes, everyone always runs their fingers over them!

The first card is so simple. All the texture comes from layering punched border strips on top of each other. Doing them all in the same color focuses your attention on the texture.

This next card is done with one of my favorite super-easy techniques. The "suede" texture is accomplished by just wadding up the cardstock - FUN! - then flatten it out and peel the layers apart. What appears is the furry inside, very soft. And by adding pierced holes, faux stitching and a strip of embossed card stock, I was trying to replicate the feeling of a hand-made garment. Don't you just love that adorable lamb?

Finally, this last card's base was made with an embossing folder. The image can be made deeper by very lightly spritzing the card stock with water, and then adding layers of scrap paper (otherwise known as "shims") to the embossing "sandwich" to give it more dimension. More texture is added by using the canvas diecut label, and layering the flower diecuts. And using ribbon is an easy and favorite way to add that last finishing touch of texture.

Great Grads

2011-06-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

I've been gone from the blogspot for awhile - so much going on! Most of it having to do with kid stuff: end of school year, baseball season, and GRADUATION CELEBRATIONS!

So many kids to be proud of as we witness their achievements and success. And of course I can't help remembering what they were like when they were cute little toddlers and kindergartners. It's a well-worn cliche, but they grow up SO fast!!!

And you just might imagine that I thoroughly enjoy making one-of-a-kind gift packaging!!! Unfortunately, due to the mad rush, I only remembered to photograph this one gift holder - the others will just have to live in my memory.

This started out as an empty cd case - it's always good to recycle. And it's always good to use the graduate's school colors (go Healdsburg!). The inserts are simply stamped with a cute background of graduation/congratulations/encouragement words. Since this was for a boy, I didn't want to over-embellish the thing. First I punched out stars for the back cover..........

and then I liked the negative leftover piece too much to discard, so I used it on the front.

Can you say E-A-S-Y??

Too bad I didn't think to photograph the inside: a nice crisp $$ bill, held in place by a band with another inspirational saying, and attached with brads. I then wrapped it with ribbon and attached this stamped medallion to the front.

I hope he liked it. Well, I'm sure he liked the moolah!!

Right under my nose

2011-05-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the best inspiration is right under our noses, and we don't see it. Something we see so often, that we take for granted, and really don't "see" it anymore at all. I'm all about trying to slow down and notice what's in front of me, so to speak, because there is so much to appreciate right under my nose.

C.A.S.E. in point: this fabulous card. For all you SU fans, it can be found on page 140 of the current Idea Book & Catalog. Mine's not exactly the same, because I used what I had, but its a pretty close approximation. In flipping through the IBC, I pass by so much fabulousness and don't stop to really study it or pay attention. Its kinda like looking through a closet full of clothes, but seeing "nothing" to wear (sound familiar?). So this time I stopped. And paid attention. And copied. And now I'm sharing it with you!

It's a slider card, which is very easy to make and so fun to receive. The piece on the left is like a huge belly band with a seam in the back - the "woodgrain" panel and chipboard pieces are attached to the front. The piece on the right slips inside it vertically. If you want more explanation, send me a message via the "contact me" tab at the top. TFL!

Tis the Season

2011-05-23T16:17:00.000-07:00

No, not that season. This is the season of DOING GOOD WORKS !!!

It seems like everyone I know is running or walking or riding for a good cause these days. It's like the good weather brings out the good efforts in people. Raising funds for so many needy causes, and it's never enough. But at least we're doing something. And doing it as a group is so much more powerful, so supportive, yes it's a chain of love.

This card is for a young friend who just completed a ride for "Schools for Kabul". I am very touched by her serious desire to help others.

This image was done with one of my favorite techniques, though I'm not sure what its called: "reverse embossing", maybe? Anyhow, the image is stamped with versamark ink and then clear embossed, then I sponged the color around it within a stencil frame (which I made myself, by the way, by cutting the top note die out of a Tim Holtz masking sheet). So simple, yet fun to see the image emerge.

Mother Teresa said it best!

They're here!

2011-05-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

MMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...........................

Summer is coming! The first cherries are here, and they are plump and juicy and sweet - (kinda like yours truly, lol?) - and I couldn't wait to get these babies home and dig in. YUM!!!!

and I love cherry motifs and patterns. So cheery. So vintage. Yes, so SWEET! A little ruffled ribbon, a little crumpled paper flower, and here you have a quick cherry card. I do hope your day is the sweetest ever, today and every day, because you know.....

life should be like a bowl of cherries !!!

Just Delightful

2011-05-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday my son and I were out and about in downtown Santa Rosa, and unexpectedly we found ourselves in the midst of the weekly Wednesday Night Market on 4th Street. What fun! All the food, the produce, the purveyors, the party atmosphere. It was a great way to end an afternoon of running errands.

But what most tickled my heart was this fabulous motown/soul cover band. They were really great - their sound, their cool moves, their energy and infectious happy spirit. You couldn't help but start tapping your feet and bouncing to the music. Well, unless you were under 40! As I looked around I noticed that all the dancers and watchers were - ahem - "of a certain age" and the younger ones (like my son) were bored and wondering what all the excitement was about. Yeah, they'd heard this music before, but it is just .... now....so....UNcool !!!! I laughed with the old fogies dancing, because it was DELIGHTFUL!!!

The photo is when they were singing "Dance to the Music" and the crowd just went wild. "A high degree of enjoyment". What else in life is more important than that?

In honor of these DELIGHTFUL feelings, I'm sharing this simple card, made with real wood and super-easy watercoloring.

Christmas in May

2011-05-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

Geez, I can't believe I've been away from blogland for over a week! No one specific reason, just lots of other activities and tasks occupying my creative time. The weather's been incredibly warm and bright - YAY! - and I tend to spend more time outside than in when it's nice. 'Nuff said.... Oh, and by the way, a belated

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

to all you mom's and daughters and grandma's out there!

So to "celebrate" my return to posting here, I thought I'd offer some Christmas eye candy. You know, its never too early to work on Christmas cards! I love making them and I know my far-flung friends and relatives really appreciate a handmade card, because that means some LOVE has been put into the object, not just the sentiment.

I find that as I do a few cards here and there throughout the year, by the time December rolls around, I'm all set and don't have to stress out about having to do cards at the last minute. I always make at least 4 cards of any one design, because once I've gone to the trouble of making it, I want to keep it! And its always much quicker to do a few more at the same time, so then building up my collection is relatively painless.

The funny thing is, because I make a lot of different Christmas cards throughout the year, when someone tells me they just love the card they received ("and how did you do that?"), I have to ask them which card they received. I just can't bear to do 60 of the same card (I made that mistake that one year), can you spell B-O-R-I-N-G?!?!?

I always want to include a little texture and/or a little bling on these cards, because it is Christmas after all! The second card is CASE'd from Ilona Crouse, and I'm sorry I just can't remember who I CASE'd the others from. All supplies are from Stampin' Up. Merry Christmas!

Ka-Yoot Hoot

2011-05-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

Cute alert! This owl is made by a punch, by using it to punch out different colored papers, and then layering them. In fact, the flowers and scalloped border are also punched or die-cut shapes. So easy!
I was at an event yesterday where this card was displayed, and this little owl was very popular, so I wanted to share it here with you. TFL!

All supplies by Stampin' Up:
Stamps: Curly Cute
Paper: Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie and Real Red c.s, Sweet Pea d.p.
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Blossom Party die, Two-Step Owl and Scallop Trim punches, brad

Fee Fie FAUX Fun

2011-04-26T23:19:00.000-07:00

I did it. I made Martha proud. I dove into her groovy paint techniques kit and gave the cover of my journal the faux wood treatment. It was so quick and easy. Here's how I did it:

My journal is a spiral hard-bound, with a blue paper cover. Thinking that a slick surface would make it easier to drag the wood grain tool, I first glossy mod-podged the whole thing.

Vertical strokes, but they don't have to be perfect, since it won't show when done. I made sure to cover the edges too. I let it dry for about an hour.

Next, I just happened to have almost the same exact blue color in an enamel acrylic paint leftover from another long-ago project. (isn't it great when that happens?) So I thought the blue-on-blue woodgrain would be subtle yet beautiful.

Now I had to work quickly because the paint dries pretty fast. Good thing I had the slick mod-podged surface to help keep things moving. I applied the paint fairly thick, again in long vertical strokes. Then I quickly grabbed the woodgrain tool and started dragging it vertically, while rocking it slowly back and forth.

I didn't use the tool along the side edges because, cleverly, Martha provides another tool, with variegated tooth edges, that you can use to fill in bad spots, edges, whatever.

So I used the toothed tool along the edges and in a spot where I wanted a little more texture. Pretty cool.

I let this dry thoroughly for a few hours, some of the painted spots being pretty thick. Then, another thick coating of mod-podge (yeah, I'm a podger!) to seal it all and give it a nice finished surface.

Now I let it dry overnight. I did both the front and back. But of course, I wasn't done. Though I am drawn to simplicity and minimalism, I just can't let a good thing be - gotta decorate!

I gathered some fabric, patterned paper, wide ribbon, metal frame, and cut out a textured gold bird shape. Glued down and mod-podged the whole thing, and, Voila!

My art journal. Suddenly I see lots of things around me that need to be "faux'd"!!!!

Closed for restoration

2011-04-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been awhile since I've posted here. In addition to "real life" pulling me away, and my internet connection being down for over 24 hours (can you imagine?), I've been taking an amazing course online, sort of art therapy, called "Soul Restoration" from the Brave Girls Club. Here I'm showing you the cover of my project book. Yes, its wood, and yes, that is a tiny chalkboard (!!!). The course doesn't provide the supplies, we choose what speaks to us, and lord knows I (and a lot of you - you know who you are!) have a TON of supplies that I love and need to use!

Have you heard of Melody Ross and her Brave Girls Club? She's an incredibly talented artist, who generously shares lots of techniques. She is also an insightful and loving teacher. This is wonderful stuff. Check it out:
http://bravegirlsclub.com/
Now, being "closed for restoration" doesn't mean I've checked out of life and blog-land, it refers to something internal. I highly recommend this course and this club.....

In the course of my travels to gather more (yes more!) art supplies for this course, I found this fantastic kit that I just have to share with you:

It's at Home Depot, in the paint department. I was looking for a comb scraper thingy and the kindly Home Depot man somehow (is it that obvious?) pegged me as a Martha fan and led me to this. More, so much more, than just a mere scraper. Has 8 tools and an easy booklet for 12 different cool painting techniques. The kit is designed for faux painting walls, but of course, us crafty people can use it for any of our creations.

Leave it to Martha to put together such a sweet collection! Now go get your own (and no, they're not paying me to say this!) and let's play! Stay tuned for my attempts at using these new techniques.

Happy Easter !

I've been PICK'd !!!

2011-04-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe how much mileage my little flower pot project has gotten!

I am honored to be picked by Tiffany Bauer for her weekly MY CRAFTY PICKS #12

Thanks, Tiffany !

You can go here to see the whole thing: http://mycraftyworld.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-crafty-picks-12.html and, like me, you're sure to be inspired by all her other picks, and her own fabulous projects and blog. Lots of good ideas for Mother's Day and Easter cards and decorations. The butterfly mobile begs to be CASE'd. And don't you love Melissa Huie's scrapbook page? But my favorite discovery here has got to be Jamie Pierson's (Shabby Horse) sweet banner card http://shabbyhorse.blogspot.com/2011/04/sweet-and-feminine.html and her wonderful blog. Check it out. What's your favorite?

A walk down the lane

2011-04-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

We are so often in a hurry. We commonly take our surroundings for granted. Especially the beauty. I love all types of environments and locales - they each have their own charms and and special appeals. This happens to be in my neck of the woods.

Just an ordinary crisp spring day and a nice walk with my friend Michelle and her grandchildren. But to hang back and observe all the new growth and nature's activity, especially through the kids' eyes, is to appreciate again, and be grateful for, the "little" things in life. Colorful "weeds" are pretty flowers, in their eyes. Bugs and flies and butterflies are amazing and worthy of big squeals.

Their excitement at being in the beautiful outdoors, with every new bend in the road being a new adventure, and everything they see a delight --- that is bliss, that is enchantment. That is what is important. And by creating art, aren't we trying to capture and express our feelings?

So here is a simple card that I hope captures these bright and fun feelings - butterflies in the neighborhood!

And with that.....

.........SWEET DREAMS !!!!!

Ava, the artist!

2011-04-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, it seems I have been CASE'd for the first time, in the best way possible, by my youngest fan! Ava is the granddaughter of my friend Helen. Ava saw my last post and told and her "Lala" that she wanted to make some flowers for her grandfather's bedside table. Isn't she - and aren't they - SWEET?

Ava and Helen are lucky enough to get to play together in Lala's studio quite regularly. Helen is a terrifically talented artist. If you know Helen, you know how exquisite her work is and how much she loves her art and her family. And she has obviously passed down that creativity gene to darling Ava. I am honored that Ava was inspired by my project. I think Ava is 5, but if I'm wrong I'll ask Helen to correct me in a Comment.

Now, if we could only convince her Lala to start her own blog......you all would really enjoy some eye candy then!

These flowers never fade

2011-04-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

OK, this is crafty playtime at its best. Using up scraps of paper and fabric, brads and buttons, playing with my die-cut machine, and creating a fun spring decoration.

This is a CASE of a Stampin Up sample, though I use the term "CASE" liberally here. Really, it was a starting off point for making my own "flower pot". I used a square Dollar Store tin flower pot, covered it with rings of sticky strip, and then adhered die cut textured and stamped leaves all around - it has a real tactile quality that makes you want to touch it. Using all greens for the leaves is so simple yet so effective. It's filled with shredded paper, the flowers are glued to wooden skewers, and then just stuck into the shred. The handle is three strands of floral wire twisted together and tied through holes punched in the sides of the pot. Easy, easy, easy!

Each flower is two-sided so it can be viewed from all around. Also, you could just pluck out a flower and use as a gift decoration or stick it into a real flower pot for a little more decoration. A flower wand, perhaps? Add a few colored eggs, and it could be an Easter basket as well.

Thanks for looking! And if you have any questions about how to make this, please don't hesitate to ask.

All supplies by Stampin' Up (except pot, wire and skewers):

Stamps: Style Beautiful

Paper: Rose Red, Peach Parfait, So Saffron, Baja Breeze, Always Artichoke, Garden Green and Not Quite Navy cardstock. First Edition dp.

Other: Springtime Vintage & Sweet Stitches designer fabric. Fun Flowers, Leaves #2 & Blossom Party dies, Square Lattice & Perfect Polka Dots embossing folders. Fancy Flower, Five Petal Flower & Boho Blossoms punches. Sweet Stitches & Subtles brads, Sweet Stitches Big Buttons, Peach Parfait ribbon & Paper Daisies. Big Shot & Crop-A-Dile.

Busting out all over

2011-04-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

Spring is BUSTING OUT ALL OVER (cue Rogers & Hammerstein). This 40+ year-old cherry tree in our back yard was all bare branches a couple days ago, then WHOOSH, a bit of warm weather and out burst these beautiful blooms. Even though we don't live in a hot climate, with age and a companion tree, this beauty has started to actually produce lots of sweet fruit for the past couple of years. Of course, the birds help themselves to most of the cherries - the tree is very tall - but we do manage to harvest a decent amount for us humans. Cherries are hands down my favorite fruit (OK, pineapple and nectarines are up there too) and I'm hungrily anticipating the upcoming cherry season, aren't you?

Nature is just so fascinating. Look at how complex and completely gorgeous each flower is.

While I am in no way able to do justice to the real thing, these bursting blooms and blue sky inspired me to create this quick tribute:

Yes, I am sending springtime smiles to you!

Girly Award

2011-04-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

This design reminds me of an award ribbon. But what could the award be for? So outright and unabashedly feminine and girly. Its gotta be given to someone who appreciates and makes handcrafted beautiful things.....someone like my friend who hosted a wonderful day of arts and crafts at her mountaintop ranch this past weekend. It was such a great day hanging out and playing with like-minded friends - the best kind of socializing.

So this GIRLY AWARD, for outstanding hostessing and inspiring artwork, goes to .......Berta!

Outside with a dog

2011-04-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

My heart belongs to these two creatures, sisters in crime (lots of crimes), playmates, mutual tormentors, buddies, ranch hounds, companions to each other and us humans, silly girls........

When things are not soggy around here, we three take a daily walk up the hill to enjoy the view and the fresh air. It is rare to capture them both so still, they are both very accomplished runners and run circles around and ahead of me constantly. So this scene of them catching a breath and quietly surveying the river and ranch next door is a moment in life that I wanted to commemorate with a quick scrapbook page. Actually, its now in a frame on the wall because I just couldn't bear to close it up in an album!

And the sentiment says it all................

Have you heard of the book Inside of a Dog? I just started it and its fantastic, for dog lovers or, really, for any animal lovers. Its by an animal behavioral psychologist who decided to look at dogs not from our common anthropomorphic ways (that is, projecting human feelings onto the dogs) but from square one. Meaning, what life is like from the dog's perspective, without adding our prejudices and beliefs based on how we humans see the world. It is fascinating and is already making me look at these girls in a completely new light. Because often their behavior confounds us, and we just kind of ignore it. Like, why to they sometimes trade doghouses? And why is Sunny sometimes just oblivious to us? But other times, seems like a needy toddler (yes, I'm anthropomorphizing!) They are complex creatures and I'm looking forward to getting much more insight into their souls.

The titles of the book and this post come from this quote:

......of which we have engraved on a slate plaque on our living room mantle. Serendipity, perhaps?

Happy Thoughts!

2011-03-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

Wow, its been a crazy week and now I realize I haven't posted here for almost a week. Gotta get used to posting more often. I don't want to be boring!!!

Anyhow, we're ENJOYING really beautiful warm sunny weather - FINALLY - after a gloomy "Spring Break" last week. So in honor of the HAPPINESS that this sunshine bestows upon us all, I offer....

OK, I admit, this was one of my entries at last summer's Sonoma County Fair. But it still just makes me SO HAPPY. And I love that little trailer, don't you? Wistfully dreaming of a life that would be so simple that I could live in a little space amid nature.....wouldn't that be heaven?

Thanks for looking! And if you like (or don't) what you see, I'd love to hear your comment.

CASE-ing away....

2011-03-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

In the paper crafting world, CASE means "copy and share everything". It's a method and a philosophy, both of which I heartily endorse and practice.

The philosophy: art and ideas are to be shared and enjoyed, the spirit of generosity, the healthy practice and joy of giving. Credit given to where it is due. After all, we do this for fun, don't we?
The method: to copy something one sees and enjoys, and give the original creator credit. "Copy" can be used very literally or very loosely. It can be a jumping off point for further creativity. Or just a simple way to get you started on creating something beautiful, loosening up a mojo block, so to speak. Its also my go-to method for doing something when I'm too stressed to be creative and only have a small amount of time.

Here's an example:

This is a pretty straightforward case of a design from Stampin' Up. Its taking a ready-made chipboard book and embellishing it with stamped images, patterned paper, paper flowers, ribbon, brads, die-cuts, etc. I especially love the cute tabs peeking out the side. This could be a journal or a small photo book or whatever.

Since I needed a little handmade something to add to my niece's birthday care package (sorry, Kristin, for giving away the surprise before you receive it!), and it was kinda late, I knew the quickest way to make something I knew would be successful (that is key) would be to CASE something.

But then, I was on a roll. And I don't know about you, but I have - ahem - a pretty extensive stash of blank mini-books, handmade albums, etc., which were waiting for some love.

Each version is slightly different, tailored to the size and format of that particular book.
It seems that I can never just do one item, whether it be a card or something else. Once I get going, I want to keep going. That way, I use up the - wait for it - LEFTOVERS, and I have more books (or cards, or gifts, etc.) to give away!

I don't get bogged down with the belief that copying is "copping-out", creativity-wise. One of the many lessons I learned from my art history education was that the greatest artists in history were all master copiers! After all, how could they learn technique if they didn't copy? Its the same with all creative pursuits, be it science or music or writing or whatever. I think when we're young, we believe we need to be "original" and "different" to claim our individuality. But as I age, I realize that its all just building on what came before, and adding our own twist or flavor. We're all part of this creative community, because we're human.

Don't worry, be happy

2011-03-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Made with scraps, otherwise known as - wait for it - LEFTOVERS!!!
There's something so bright and cheery about the classics, don't you think? By that I mean: a simple white background and that old preppy favorite combo of pink and green. Makes me happy, and I hope it does the same for you.

It's a GREEN day!

2011-03-18T11:33:00.000-07:00

Greetings! Or should I say, GREENINGS !!! No, this is not a belated St. Patrick's Day card - it's inspired by the glorious green of nature that surrounds us here out in western Sonoma County. Today it is raining and raining and normally I would bemoan the "gloom". But given all the world's tragedies in Japan, the Middle East and elsewhere, it would be foolish of me to think that our cup here is anything but half-full. The rain makes our lush GREEN possible, so bring it on! I think I'll go out and splash around a little.

This particular card is made up of various scraps and bits, any that were green or brown, laying around. The fun part is playing and transforming and arranging. Kinda therapeutic. I loves my leftovers! Did you know that one of my nicknames is 'Lisa Leftover'? aka 'Lefty', that moniker bestowed upon me by one of my sisters in crime, Ms. Klatter. She who knows how I just hate to throw out anything beautiful, no matter how small.

Stay wet!

I'M BACK !!!!

2011-03-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

HELLO! It's been almost 2 years since my last post. Time to get back on the blog train, don't you think? You might wonder why I abandoned my blog.....well, I didn't exactly abandon it, life just kept getting in the way....family, work, ranch, animals, travel, work, fun stuff, difficult stuff, etc., etc... and did I mention work?

But now I'm re-inspired by my friend Jenny's new blog (check it out at http://jen-uinelyinspired.blogspot.com/) and determined to check in here much more frequently. In fact, I am inspired by all my talented and crafty friends and I find that artistic connection is the tie that binds. I am really and truly so SO blessed to have so many talented artsy real friends.

So in tribute to these lovely ladies I offer these creations:

I love both quotes very much, and believe them so deeply, and therefore I couldn't decide which to post. So you get both! I also love love LOVE this silhouette stamp. In fact, I pretty much am a sucker for any silhouette stamp.
So this post is for you, my friend, with love. Enjoy!

2009-04-03T13:01:00.002-07:00

Here is my contribution to today's Limited Supply Challenge LSC214 over at Splitcoast Stampers This is a hinge card, which was featured in March's Stampin' Success (mag for SU demos). The hinge is on the cover, so it's like a little surprise (if you're curious enough to figure it out).

It's for my son's b-day next week. I wanted it to be playful but not too kid-like, since he's now (sigh) truly a TEENAGER.

The challenge is "1-2-3" = 1 color cardstock (neutrals don't count), 2 designer papers, and 3 embellishments.

It's actually a super easy card to make. I'm definitely going to do more of these. Wanna join me?

I'd love to hear your comments! Thanks for looking.............

Go check out my SCS gallery at

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=168394

My Tribute to Project Runway

2009-04-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

I did this series of cards a couple years ago, inspired by my all-time favorite reality show, PROJECT RUNWAY. I love the show and its premise in that it shows the creative process of real designers - and it applies to any serious creative endeavor. How some of the design ideas are pure genius, others are a stab in the dark, lots of hits and misses. And how you're never really sure how its going to turn out until you see it on the "runway" and it takes on a life of its own. The gown above would be the bridal gown which is the traditional finale of every runway show. I used Crystal Effects and dots of that puffy heat-set stuff, trying to make it look like pom-poms.

The card above I dedicated to Heidi, "the ice queen". It would look FABULOUS on her! The gown below, kinda edgy, kinda earthy, reminded me of Santino, who was always pushing the envelope.

I also love the show because it shows how deeply emotional the creative process can be. That even though something as "frivolous" as clothing design would seem to many to be something lightweight, au contraire! It is the agony and the ecstasy. For those of us addicted to the creative bug, it is the air we breathe.

My jumping off point for this series was my collection of organdy ribbons. As we card-makers well know, tying a perfect bow is an art in itself. In attempting to teach myself how to do that, I decided to make each gown based on that color of ribbon, and I imagined tying the bow around the card was like tying a bow around each model's wrist. I used different textures and techniques for each gown. The stamp is from a long-retired Stampin' Up hostess set.

This gold gown, cuz its kinda Vegas, I think Tim Gunn would not approve. Too flashy for this arbiter of classy taste, non?

Stay tuned for the 2nd set tomorrow.....

Welcome to my world, er, blog

2009-04-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hey there!
Welcome to my world, er. blog.
It's me, Lisa.
I just started this blog - yet it doesn't have anything on it. Intrigued? Stay tuned for photos, musings, art and funny things to come. Check back soon. You will see and read things that will BLOW YOUR MIND!
with love, always,
Lisa