My Etsy Shop is Open!

I have finally opened up an Etsy shop. It is fun to play around with the shop and to have a place to sell all of my creations and experiments. I am not totally happy with my shop appearance yet, but I am a little slow in the graphic design area. I have great ideas in my head. But getting them into the computer is still a bit of a challenge for this paper, scissors, and paste girl. I will get there... it is not a race. This is all about the journey.

This collage pillow is my first listing. If you have any scraps and doo-dads laying around the house, a collage pillow is super fun to make. Get the sewing machine out and start recklessly sewing pieces together. Leave the edges raw, let the ends ravel. It is all part of the fun. Adhere some favorite collage pieces to lightweight cardboard and then sew them on using the sewing machine. It feels a bit strange to sew through cardboard, but it works and makes the piece even more touchy feely. Once the front of the pillow is done, grab another scrap for the back and just whip-stitch the front to the back. (Perfect stitching is no fun.)

Love This Magazine!

I just got my new issue of Cloth Paper Scissors and was delighted to see that my letter was published in its pages. How fun. If you are a crafty person and you get excited over art supplies, you might need to subscribe to this publication. It is a huge treat, but be prepared... you will not want to do anything but craft. You will also want to buy even more art supplies. Thankfully it only comes every other month. Check it out!

Learning to Say No

I have discovered the joy of carving rubber blocks and making prints! I could carve all day.
I am working on a series of blocks that say "yes" without really saying "yes." So often, I find myself agreeing to something before I have even had a chance to decide if I want, need, or am even able to do it. I think it started as a desire to please others and then it turned into a nasty habit. As I carved my blocks, I discovered that I use all kinds of agreement phrases (like Okie Dokie) instead of actually saying the word "yes." Could this be my subconcious mind's way of protesting? By exploring and thinking about it, perhaps I will pause next time and say a pure and simple "yes" or even a confident "no."

Makes Me Smile

A bird created this home in our hanging basket of petunias. It makes me smile every time I see it. I am amazed at the perfect circle opening and the soft leaf skeletons and pieces of moss forming the roof. Where did these birdies find the perfect supplies and when did they make this house? It showed up in just one day! All without a trip to Michael's and a hot glue gun.

Fun with Peanut

This is my gorgeous basset hound mix, Peanut. I took her photo, adhered it to a 4 x 4 canvas and painted details with cheap acrylics. Once dry, I coated it with a high gloss varnish. It is actually one in a series of 5 portraits. My children and I made a similar portrait of each family member and will give them to their Dad for Father's Day. I am hoping it will make him smile. The portraits of the family members are fun, but I have to admit... this one is my favorite.

Create Something Every Day

This is my goal for this year of my life... create something every day. I realize that is pretty open, but I think it works. My creation might be something fantastic like a painting or a quilted pillow. But if it is a day like many, my creation might only be a doodle or a beautiful dinner for my family. The point is to see my life as a daily opportunity to participate in the act of creation. To look at all the parts of my life as opportunities to create and to raise up those acts and appreciate them.
This creation is actually taken from a previously made collage. It has been sitting in my studio looking at me for about a year. I decided to take a picture of it and play with the color intensity a bit. I then printed out wallet-sized copies. I am going to affix them to lightweight cardboard and sew them into collage pillows, turn them into pins, or perhaps sew them into a scarf. Will post the final result. For now, I just enjoy looking at the collage... love the pink, gold, and copper with the turquoise pitcher.

Happy for Home

When we got home, I was delighted to see that our pond was almost covered with bright green lilly pads. As a gentle rain started last night, I snuck a few snapshots of these gorgeous raindrops as the sun was setting. Disney World was amazing, but the little things at home really make me the happiest. This morning, I printed some lilly pad photos onto fabric using freezer paper and my inkjet printer. I am hoping to put them into a quilt or pillow. Will publish once I decide how to use them.

Ahhh..the summer family roadtrip begins today...

We're off today for Disney World. First time for the kids and I have not been since about 1983. Back in '83, I was sporting my hot pink Forenza mesh shirt over a turquoise tank top and was probably wearing my hair in a side pony tail. This time around I am sporting sensible khaki shorts and Dansko sandals because I don't want to hurt my back with all that standing. Quite a shift in focus. '83: cute boys and embarassing parents. '10: sunscreen and making sure everyone gets enough calcium and vitamin C.
8 hours in the car. Should be some good times.

Is it attractive or does it look like something I found on the shower drain?

Today I experimented with a small pile of leftover sewing threads. I clumped them together with liquid gloss medium, let them dry, sewed the lumps together, and added a few randomly-placed glass beads and a pin back. I am wearing it on the front of a tank top today. I cannot decide if I like it.

A new year... a new habit

My first blog starts today, my 40th birthday. I am determined to make this year a good one. No excuses.