Whimsy & Delight

It's Been Fun

2009-02-17T14:20:00.002-06:00

Timing is everything in life, and for now, blogging just doesn't fit into my schedule. The Cheez Doodle has got her "wheels" and it's all I can do to try and stay two steps ahead of her. Thank you all for stopping by and for your encouraging comments and friendship. I do know that I will be back in the mix at some point, but for now, this blog is closed. xo Kimla

Things That Made Me Smile Today

2009-01-31T20:14:00.004-06:00

An old loving cup. A bird made from tree bark.
Ribbons and trims.
A treasured piece of art.
Nubby fabrics.

And always the Peanut Patty.

Home Tour

2009-01-12T13:34:00.009-06:00

Nope, not mine. (I didn't think you would want to see piles of cardboard boxes and a bare cement floor.) My lovely sister however bought and completely remodeled a house a year and a half ago; and, I was finally able to visit her and see it over the holidays. This house is really something special, exquisitely beautiful filled with antiques, religious art, gorgeous lighting, and palatial interiors. I wanted to share some photos with you.Take a look at these carved cherubs in the frame. Amazing.
This mirror was bought new and then distressed with acid to look old.This fossil is incredible!More religious art.

The cozy kitchen.Another antique chandelier: the bulbs actually move and flicker with the wind. So cool.
Here is a pic of my sweet sistah!!
This is a view of the grand salon, looking into the courtyard.
Her home office.
Her study houses her collection of antique tins. She found Lady Liberty, whose torch actually lights up, at a junk store.
Vintage taxidermy for a bit of quirk.

Saint Rose watches over the home.
The chandelier in the master bedroom.Girandolas around the bath.The guest bath is completely decked out in religious art and vintage church decor.

A cool ornament made by one of her artist friends.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the tour. I always like to get a peek at other people's homes, how they decorate, how they live. Now for me, it's back to unpacking. Of all things, we cannot find the baby monitor so my husband and I are taking turns sleeping in the baby's room. Ay Carumba!

Reindeer Winners

2008-12-18T10:11:00.003-06:00

Thank you all for playing and for your comments. Caryn, Kari, and Valita - please send me an email lickety split and I'll get your reindeer off to you today. Merry Christmas all. This may be my last post until 2009. We actually have movers coming this Saturday. Yea!!

She Sold Bears???!!

2008-12-16T18:00:00.007-06:00

I'm always fascinated with the various jobs and careers people have had. It's fascinating how life, opportunity, and circumstances take us from one interest and direction to another, sometimes very far from where we thought we would end up. In college, I changed my major five times before finally settling on psychology, probably because I had just run out of ideas and didn't want to take ten years to graduate. These are some of the jobs I have had in the past:

Customer service representative at a bank
Substitute teacher
Educational Diagnostician
Psychotherapist
Jury Consultant
School Counselor
College Instructor
Entrepreneur

Entrepreneur? Hmmm....what exactly were you doing, you ask. Well, I find it strange to tell you this, but several years ago, I had a bear business. Yes, wild but true. I bought a stuff-your-own-teddy-bear franchise (like Build-A-Bear but these bears were much cuter in my opinion), hired a few teenagers, and set up shop in a mall. Now I didn't fantasize about selling bears as a youth, and I certainly didn't go to school for all those years to sell bears, but there I was. A little history. Four years prior to the bear phase I was working in the fast-paced, crazy intense world of litigation and trial consulting. It was an incredible adventure and experience, filled with glamour, intelligent attorneys, first class travel, exciting research, and even meeting a few celebrities along the way. It was also an insanely toxic work environment filled with long hours (80 to 100 hour workweeks), spending three months away from home living in a hotel room for a trial, running constantly on pure adrenaline, and trying to please (and avoid) two ego-maniacal bosses, one of whom now has his own talk show. So it's really no surprise that my impulsive decision to buy a bear business was a karmic attempt to get as far away from the world of conflict, greed, animosity, manipulation, and screaming bosses as I could get. Alas, my foray into retail didn't last very long. Retail, at least in the middle of the mall, I quickly found was not for me. (I've got a Dave Sedaris-esque short story in there somewhere.) But, I did walk away from the experience with a few life lessons, along with a herd of bears. So, please, won't you give one of these reindeer a home? Just leave a comment and I'll draw three names Thursday morning. (Reindeer have not been handled or played with, are stuffed with 100% polyester filling and a red felt heart. Not for children under the age of three. Bells could be a choking hazard. Prefers oats and barley but will also eat cat food if you have it.)

Rome Wasn't Built In A Day

2008-12-15T21:18:00.003-06:00

And our house wasn't remodeled in six months. Whew! Honestly, some days I just want to fall in a heap and cry, but I remember what my friend Cheryl says, "Just do the next thing." So that's what we do. For those of you who have been down the home repair road, I know you can feel our pain. Remodeling and moving are just plain stressful, even if the move is only 20 miles or so up the road. Instead of ripping off the band-aid in one fell swoop, we've been moving a car load here and a SUV load there, here a box, there a box, everywhere a box, box. Kinda makes a girl insane. And it's not like we're moving into a cool 200-year-old farmhouse or something. It's just a house. Eight or nine years old, but really uncared for and unloved for lots and lots of years. Jim has been doing 99% of the work himself, after he leaves his day job so, you know...time marches on. But, we're close and hopefully will be toasting the new year in our new, work-in-progress home.
Even though we'll be skipping the hardcore Christmas decorations this year, I was delighted when I packed (unpacked? can't remember) these vintage stockings. I've never seen one with two dogs and Frosty before. Sequins just make me happy. I know you know.
Frosty's holding a miniature lantern.
Two dogs...unless they are supposed to be reindeer.
Silver and pink bells for, I imagine, some lucky little girl.

When I was home (my parent's house) for Thanksgiving, my mom dug up some of my old baby dolls that somehow, miraculously, survived a horrific flood that pretty much wiped out all of their belongings a few years back. The one on the left is a Madame Alexander and the one on the right was handmade by someone in Houston. Of course, you might recognize the one in the middle. She kind of looks like the Pillsbury Dough boy. We are having so much fun with her. I don't even need Christmas decorations this year. Having the Peanut Patty makes this the best Christmas ever. Here's wishing the same to you! Please stop by soon for a mini Christmas give-away. Fa la la la la.

So Far, So Good

2008-12-08T17:11:00.006-06:00

"Look at me. Over here, Amelie. Look at me. Right here, sweetie. Keep looking at mommy."
DOH!!

Red Shed Holiday Party

2008-12-08T12:59:00.012-06:00

I recently posted about one of my fave local shops here. Well, the Red Shed girls, Michelle, Valarie, and Michelle, have done it again. They hosted a Christmas Soiree last Friday evening that was warm, inviting, and filled with inspiration.
This vintage white cupboard went home with a happy customer.

Do you see that cute girl in the doorway? That's Joanna Lewis, a fellow Bella. It was such a bonus to meet her so serendepitiously. I had seen her name on other blogs before, but we had never met until tonight. I see from her blog that she has a booth at an antique mall. Hmmm...I think I see a road trip in my future.Look at this old Bingo spinner (?) filled with old baseballs.

You never know what you may find at The Red Shed, as the trio picks up vintage goods and good junk as they travel the globe.
Love the old cut velvet material on those couch cushions!
Here's beautiful Michelle holding the peanut patty. (Thank you, Michelle for holding the doodle while I shopped.)
This vintage sled also went to a good home.
Oh, how fun it would be to decorate with these angel wings, but alas, they were not for sale.
It was a great party. Be sure to check out the Red Shed and visit their blog here.

Holly's Fab Marie Tiara

2008-11-05T22:43:00.005-06:00

Like so many, I've always been a huge admirer of Holly. Her artistry and talents are inspirational. Everything she does - her blog, her photographs, her artwork, her Marie collaborative (ooh la la!), her flea market finds, even the way she decorates her home just brings a bright spot to my day. I am so grateful that Holly had time to create one of her signature crowns for me. The Marie Tiara will have a prominent spot in our new home (nope, we're still not moved in). I love it so much and could not have been more pleased.
Oh, the splendor and decadence! Every inch is filled with rich detail and texture.

Check out the sparkle on those stars.

The Marie head came from here. Wish I would have bought more at the time.

Happy Day, Everyone.

I Need This

2008-11-05T16:03:00.006-06:00

like I need a hole in my head. This is what happens when a girl stays out of Michaels and Hobby Lobby for an entire season. Her eyes go a little swirly when she sees the new Martha Stewart line and this gorgeous scrapbooking paper. Now, of course, it's not nearly as glamorous as the gorgeous real stuff that Donna finds and so graciously shares with us here. But, it's plentiful and cheap, and well, flocked paper of any sort is just fuzzy goodness I can't resist. I know you know.
I sure wish I could join all you Bellas in Omaha soon. I'll be there in spirit and will look forward to visiting all of your blogs and seeing all the gorgeous scenery. Prom night is going to be such an eye candy confection. I cannot wait to see all the photos and hear all about it.
I've really been enjoying the prize ribbons that Andrea and Bristol have in their shoppes. These two girls are so sweet and have the most beautiful things. Horse ribbons are so fun. (Check out the pink one that Bristol altered for the Doodle!) I find there are so many ways to decorate with them. Last year, we put them on our Christmas tree, instead of ornaments, and it looked amazing. Hope everyone has a happy week.

A Book Giveaway

2008-11-03T13:55:00.005-06:00

I've just finished skimming this book and would love to pass it along to someone who is interested in reading it. It's a great book with lots of photos, exercises and stories. First one to leave a comment, it's yours.
Congrats, Crystal! You won.

Red Shed Saturdays

2008-11-03T13:51:00.008-06:00

I've been meaning to blog about the fabulous Red Shed girls for some time now. One post won't do them justice, but here goes. Located in Grapevine, TX, The Red Shed is a junker's delight. Partners Valarie Jolly, Michele McKechnie, and Michele Jones are the dream team of all things junky, shabby, creative, and cool. Valarie and Michele M. own and operate Riverside Travel. Through their world-wide travels, they have spotted and collected and carted home lots of good junk. Michele J. is an avid antiquer (apparently not a word, but should be, doncha think?) and flight attendant who has a knack for bringing out the beauty and functionality in time-worn items. Together these women are a force of nature. They have combined their talents and not only sell cool, affordable junky-delicious vintage-y goods but also offer ongoing art classes as well as yearly junking jaunts to Paris, France and Minneapolis, Minnesota (I'm hoping they'll put Round Top in the mix for next year.) Art and junk and travel. I do believe they have mastered the perfect trifecta.
The items you see here are some of the things I nabbed at their latest Saturday outdoor junkfest. On six Saturdays throughout the year, they stage themed vignettes in and around "the shed" and the shoppers turn out with gusto! These vintage blocks have certainly been chewed on and loved by somebody. And these Victorian ladies (I think they were 2 bucks a pop) said they wanted to come home with me.
My favorite find was this vintage metal Christmas sign.
This is the wood house collage that was recently made in one of their classes. It was so much fun. The instructors were great. They took us through all the steps and provided laughter and great snacks too. I can't wait to take more classes at the Red Shed. If you are ever in the Dallas area, be sure to check them out. Meanwhile, enjoy reading about their junking tales on their blog.

A Sweet Surprise

2008-10-20T16:40:00.006-06:00

all the way from Oklahoma, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Australia! I wasn't expecting this. Couldn't have been more surprised or tickled or touched. Donna, Kari, and Jessi got together and commissioned Natasha to paint a picture of the darling ballerina dress that Jessi gifted Amelie with a while back. Take a look at this.
It's a perfect, whimsical rendition on a happy backsplash of aqua, creme and pink. You guys are just so kind and generous to think of me and the doodle. I was really moved and actually did not open the package for several days. Had to sit with it, soaking in all the good intentions behind it, ya know? Natasha, you are so darn talented! It is such a sweet memento of a magical window of baby time. And how she made this card with the same image on the front, I do not know.
Natasha gifted Amelie with a cuddly chenille bear all dolled up in pink millinery and a blue vintage bauble. It's darling. Thank you so much.
Here are a few more pics.
And the doodle bug expressing her happiness and gratitude. Thank you girls for this box of sweetness. You guys really made my week.

Taking A Nap

2008-06-11T14:43:00.002-06:00

This blog is temporarily closed as of June 2008. We hope to be back at the end of the summer, energized and ready to share more snippets of life.

My Life...

2008-06-08T11:58:00.004-06:00

is about to get a whole lot busier. After looking off and on at houses for the past year, we have finally found one we like and are moving (just up the road a bit) next month. So now my attention has turned to packing and decluttering and staging our current home for (hopefully) a quick sale. Our new home will be a project house. Many, many things to fix and improve. Yes, folks, Jim will be laying more hardwood in the new house. Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it. It's like George Jetson running on the treadmill. That seems to be the state of our lives these days. It's hard to believe that the peanut patty is now 3 months old. She's at that cute, squishy stage.
We are having so much fun together. She and I ventured out to a local antique mall the other day and picked up this vintage nightlight for her nursery.
Jessi sent us another surprise package: a darling name plate with scrabble tiles and all kinds of girly, fairyland trinkets. Isn't it just darling?! I love how she painted the stand with blue and pink and the peely effect. Yes, dear Jessi...you most definitely should open an etsy store. Your creations are perfectly wonderful and sweet. Thank you so much for the thoughtful gift. We love it and will treasure it!
I also want to thank all you generous and talented artsy women out there who have visited my humble blog over the past year. Your comments have encouraged me and supported me more than you will ever know. And thank you for sending all of your baby love toward my daughter. Jim and I are soaking in this precious time with her. It's moving by very quickly. In the great pie chart of life, I am now focusing on a different wedge. I know there will be a time when I can focus more on blogging and creating, but for now, I must sign off and focus on getting our family moved and settled in. (Oh dear, our beloved 14 year old cat just lost her upper canine. Time to find a good cat dentist!) I know I will be back at some point. Until then though, be well, be happy, and have a wonderful summer!

Squeezin' In Some Crafting

2008-05-12T21:49:00.006-06:00

If you live in a state that had Recollections, a paper crafting store (much like Archiver's) that was a subsidiary of Michaels, you might have been surprised that they closed all their stores earlier this year. There have also been two wildly popular scrapbooking stores in the Dallas area that have sadly closed their doors. What to make of all this? Are we indeed in a recession? Is scrapbooking a fad that's on its way out? Are the WalMarts, Targets and Hobby Lobbys making it difficult for others to compete? Personally, I think that we've all shopped ourselves into satiation. Our craft rooms are bursting at the seams. I know that my quest to purchase the latest and greatest new sparkling supplies has surpassed my need to create. So while I'm sad to see all these wonderful stores close shop, I know that the universe is karmically helping me to "shop" in my own craft room and use my own plethora of supplies. But then...(sigh)...there is the Internet. And Candice Carpenter's fabulous new website/shoppe Peacoats and Party Hats.
Before I could say "Stop the Madness" my finger double clicked on this cute Birthday banner. Candice is a genius at putting together the cutest craft projects. I love that her kits are relatively simple, i.e. doable, and they don't contain a thousand moving parts.
Candice's banner was so much fun to put together and I was easily able to incorporate a few embellishments from my personal stash.
Can't wait to decorate with this banner for a certain someone's birthday next year. Hopefully, the MousePie will approve.

Favorite Childhood Toys

2008-04-29T15:18:00.007-06:00

Thank you Scrappy Jessi for being our lovely hostess for today's post: Favorite Childhood Toys. I grew up in the 70's and loved all things related to Snoopy and Hello Kitty. I carried a purse that was filled with Snoopy pads and colored pencils and Hello Kitty papers and erasers. Of course, like our hostess, I was a huge fan of Barbie and all her peeps. I had the Farrah Fawcett doll and the Marie Osmond doll along with Barbie, PJ, the obligatory Ken, and a host of others. None of them escaped the scissors, except for Ken who was saved by his plastic molded hair. I also had a love affair with all things miniature: plastic farm animals, Liddle Kiddles, Weebles, and Fisher Price people. I spent hours playing with these tiny Disney characters. As you can see, they are scratched up a bit but I'm so glad that I still have them. (My parents' house and all our belongings burned when I was four years old so I have only a few cherished toys and even fewer childhood photos.) As for outside play, I loved my Big Wheel and my red Hippety Hop, but nothing was more exciting than playing in the treehouse or exploring at Grandma's farm or making mudpie pizzas in the street and watching cars run over them. One year, I decided to start my own business - a Shrinky Dink Club. I made Shrinky Dinks all afternoon and then wrote a letter describing what you would get, for a nominal fee, if you joined The Shrinky Dink Club. I was so excited about this idea. Each member would receive new Shrinky Dinks every month. I packaged about ten of these envelopes and then took off on my bike, placing the sacred envelopes in random mailboxes. Oddly, I never received any orders.
Oh, and I loved the Upsy Downsy characters shown here. These were kind of related to Liddle Kiddles but more on the funky, psychedelic side.
Probably more than anything though, I loved any kind of imaginary game. My older brother and I engaged in rich imaginative play where our dog, Sniffles, was the General in a make-believe army and we, The Doggies, had to fight off various foes who all had special powers. Before we engaged in our battles, we, the Sniffles Club, convened in the garage. My brother was the President of the club; alas, I was only a mere member. Anyway, the Sniffles Club met on a regular basis and we had secret rituals. For example, before we could begin our battles, we had to sing the opening song, then we conducted our business, then we battled/played, then we sang our closing song. And believe it or not, I can still, to this day, remember the words to those songs. We never told one adult about the Sniffles Club. Ever. Wow. I hope Baby A has as much fun in the magical world of play as I did. So many wonderful memories. Thanks Jessi for taking us down memory lane!

What Can I Say?

2008-04-22T20:35:00.009-06:00

I've been hypnotized by an 11-pound peanut patty, which is my excuse for not making a post in so long. Well, that reason coupled with the fact that my life, which is pretty much about baby bliss and mind-numbing sleep deprivation, does not make for the most artfully scintillating fodder these days. I considered blogging about my blocked milk duct (Oh, the adventures of breast feeding!) but decided to spare you guys the ugly truth. Honestly, I've been trying to find my groove in this new life of mine and have been at a loss on what to post about. But, when my mail lady arrived today with this package from one of the sweetest girls in blogland, I knew I had my post.Jessi, I am speechless. This is such a wonderful surprise...Look at all this pink, yummy goodness.
Check this out. Jessi has her own custom tags and buttons. Adorable!
She included one of the cutest custom tags from the talented Kris Hurst. I can't believe Jessi was willing to part with it...I love the pixie holding her balloons.
Oh my goodness! A bling bling princess crown pacifier holder! So fun. So precious. So Jessi.
And...oh, I cannot believe this...an adorable black and pink tutu dress. Wow!!! This is so cool. I love it all! I feel like Jessi is preparing Amelie for Silver Bella. The peanut patty was sleeping while I opened all of these goodies but I couldn't resist dressing her up. She couldn't quite keep her eyes open but I had a ball taking pictures of her. Jessi - you made my week, girlfriend. Thank you for your very generous and thoughtful gifts.

Things I've Learned As A New Mom

2008-04-02T10:37:00.002-06:00

Revelation #1: First, we have never experienced a love so powerful, so immediate, and so pure as the love we feel for our baby. Everyday with her feels like Christmas.

Revelation #2: Newborns make a lot of different sounds. If you close your eyes, you might think you are in a zoo rather than a nursery. She mews like a kitten, eeks like a dolphin, grunts like a pig, screeches like a monkey, and squeaks like a mouse...all in her sleep.

Revelation #3: Husbands (at least mine) can sleep through all of these noises while moms seem to be hardwired to listen and respond to every peep that comes from their sleeping noisemaker.
Revelation #4: Just because a baby has wet and/or pooped in her diaper doesn't mean that she can't wet and/or poop in her diaper again in the next five minutes and then again five minutes after that. (see Revelation #8)

Revelation #5: Babies don't smell like baby powder and baby lotion because they're wearing it; Baby powder and baby lotion were made to smell like the natural scent of babies. (Jim's Revelation)

Revelation "#6: The purple/black cord thingy makes both mom and dad a bit uneasy. It's been almost a month now and that little booger is still hanging on! Still hoping that Cosmo doesn't eat it like Miranda's cat on Sex In The City.
Revelation #7: When changing out the diaper, it is critical to immediately place a new diaper under the baby's bottom. (see Revelation #8)

Revelation #8: In the middle of changing out an explosive poo, note that additional projectile poo can be sprayed at least two feet from said baby's behind. (Yes, folks, I have cleaned bits of poo off our bedroom wall and off the dry-clean-only velvet curtains.)

Revelation #9: My embarrassing record of not bathing/washing my hair for five consecutive days (initially set years ago at summer camp where they only had communal showers) has now been broken. Gross, but true.

Revelation #10: Must. Sleep. Now.

Introducing...

2008-03-10T13:59:00.003-06:00

Amelie Sky August. Born March 4, 2008 at 3:55 PM, 6 pounds and 13 ounces, 18.9 inches long. Here she is!!! I feel like my heart has both melted and expanded with all the love I have for her. Jim and I are completely over the moon. I ended up having a C-section, but am now recovering at home and feeling pretty good. It just doesn't get any better than this. Will post when I can. Right now I'm running on fumes (baby scented) and bonding with the bunny.

3 Days Overdue...

2008-03-01T11:56:00.002-06:00

and still no baby. I am quite the emotional ball of nerves these days. Well meaning friends and family are calling on a daily basis to check my status and it seems to be adding to my stress. Jim is taking me for eggplant parmigiana for lunch (and I don't even like eggplant). I have been reading all of your comments and just have been completely blown to the moon with all the love and good wishes and kind thoughts you have been sending my way. I am very much a shy/introverted person and have just been overwhelmed (in the best way possible) from all the love and support I feel from each of you. Thank you all so much!!!

We've Come A Long Way, Baby

2008-02-19T20:23:00.012-06:00

I've always been a late bloomer, and didn't really consider getting married until I was in my mid-30's. After kissing more than a few toads (and a snake or two, for that matter), I found my prince and married him at the ripe ol' age of 39. We both wanted a family and knew we weren't going to waste any time in that department. Little did I know there would be a snag. Enter the world of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and the land of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

As a newlywed couple, we were faced with a daunting situation. (The statistics, for a girl my age, just aren't very optimistic.) And Jim (God bless that man!) certainly stepped up to the challenge of supporting me through, easily, the hardest thing I have gone through thus far. And so began the process of administering shots, egg retrieval surgeries, and a long emotional rollercoaster ride.

Long story short: Our first IVF cycle resulted in a pregnancy, but sadly, I miscarried early on. Our second cycle produced even fewer embryos - only two. But, happily I got pregnant again. I'll never forget the first time we heard the heartbeat. I think I was in shock. We were both crying and my doctor and nurse (heroes in my book) gave us big congratulatory smiles and hugs. The doc then asked, "So where do you two want to deliver?" And I remember thinking, "Deliver? Deliver what...a pizza?" It was just such awesome news I couldn't digest it right away. One of the two embryos below is our soon to be born daughter. I'm just amazed and humbled and so incredibly grateful.

I don't even have words to describe how happy, fortunate, and grateful I feel. We were lucky. So lucky. Many couples go through these treatments and don't end up with a baby of their own. Of course, there are many alternative ways to have a family and, believe me, I don't think any one way is "better" than another. This is a lifelong dream come true for us though and it truly feels like a miracle.

Some of the highlights of the infertility journey are:

Over 100 injections (in the thigh, stomach, and hip)
A fully stocked liquor cabinet that was quickly depleted by one stressed out husband
An extreme mix of faith and fear, high hopes and shattered dreams
Multiple runs to Costco for Kleenex for one emotionally distraught girl
Countless prayers and conversations with God (also some begging and pleading on my part)

Here is an excerpt from my journal:

Well, tonight was the night for the big Kahuna shot. An inch and a half needle! Poor Jim-a-loo...he is not a medical kind of person. He prepares the shot while I'm in the other room. (He told me later that's when he started getting nauseous.) The time has come. I walk into the medical room, aka kitchen, and say, "Put that shot behind your back...I don't want to see it!" He gets the ice pack and slaps it on my butt. "Longer...longer," I plead. Several minutes later, he plunges the needle in my rump, surprised at how easily the needle slides in. I'm doing okay. I can handle this, I think. I am a bad-ass-woman-hear-me-roar-type trying to protect the home and survival of my future specks. Until...I feel his hand leave the shot and now, (huh?), he's sitting on the kitchen chair.

"Jim, are you done?"
"No, baby." (long pause) "Just give me a second."
"What are you doing?," I say in a panicked voice, sweat beginning to bead on my forehead and upper lip.
No response.
"Is the shot dangling out of my ass?!!!" "What are you doing?!!!"
"Just hang on,", he says. "I'm about half-way done."
Oh, my God! This is starting to hurt. I moan. Now, I feel the thick medicine dispersing through my body. I think I am going to be sick. I hunch over the kitchen counter, with my weight on the non-shot leg, now sweating profusely. He pulls the needle out. I slump into the chair and immediately put my head between my knees. Jim staggers into the hallway and collapses onto the floor. He is drenched in sweat. I join him on the floor, stepping out of my fallen pants and collapse next to him. We did it.

And now here we are... just seven days from Baby A's due date. Thank you all so much for checking into my blog now and then, and for all the sweet comments you've left. (Many times I will delay reading your comments because I want to savor them like little jewels.) I'm very appreciative of our creative community - what a nice and fun and supportive group of people! This will probably be the last time I post until the bebe arrives. Wish me luck. Hope to be back soon!

Hospital Swag

2008-02-15T17:59:00.008-06:00

As my due date approaches, I thought it would be fun to prepare a few tokens of appreciation to hand out at the hospital, kind of a modern day cigar. For the past, oh...nine months or so, I've been doing something that is probably not in my best emotional/mental interest (other than eating French fries, peanut butter, and any dessert within a half-mile radius). I've been watching those birthing shows on the Discovery channel. I tell myself I'm "educating myself" but really I think I'm just working myself up into a lather on all the things that can go wrong. Like the epidural not working. The baby gets stuck in the birth canal. You get the drift. My husband just shakes his head at me. (In fact, I've caught him deleting several episodes off of Tivo because they were "too intense.") Anyway, what I've picked up on in these shows is how the labor and delivery nurses are the ones who seem to do most of the work and provide most of the care. The doctor just breezes in when the baby's head is crowning and does his or her thing, but the nurses are the ones who are around to encourage and support and, more importantly, page the anesthesiologist when it's time for drugs. Let's just say I want to have a nice, friendly relationship with my nurses.
One of my favorite gift ideas for someone I may not know very well is a really fun pen. I love these Tornado Retro 51 pens and have given them as gifts many times over the years. They come in all kinds of colors and designs. I actually buy them at a local store (at a better price) and keep them on hand in the gift closet. And they come in a cool metal tube with the motto, "Life's too short to carry an ugly pen."
Since Baby A should arrive in February, I thought a box of Mrs. Field's chocolates might be fun to give as well. I hope the hospital staff will enjoy these. They have such an important job and they affect so many people's lives (when they're at their most vulnerable!) that they deserve to be thanked and appreciated on a daily basis. If anyone deserves a little swag, they do.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T21:20:00.003-06:00

Hope everyone is indulging in a decadent treat tonight and enjoying time with your sweetie-pie, good friends, or even solo time with yourself.
Jim and I are avoiding the restaurant scene and picking up take-out instead. A low-key night at home. In fact, he is taking a little snooze on the couch as I write this. We are such live wires these days!
Even though I gave him a free pass this year because of all the home improvement craziness, the boy still came home bearing hot food, a bouquet of beautiful flowers, a little gift (amy winehouse cd), and a card with the sweetest sentiments written inside. This is our second year of marriage and we are still very much in the lovebird phase. If I had known married life could be so gratifying, I think I would have considered it years ago. So...James Andrew, thank you for being my valentine. xoxoxo, k.

Scenes From A Nursery

2008-02-12T21:02:00.008-06:00

Hello, Friends, Fellow Bloggers, and Artists! I'm still alive and pregnant, due to give birth any day now. Initially, my OB was going to induce me early next week (he'll be out of town the week of my actual due date), but that plan has changed. After doing some research on induction and the positive correlation with C-sections, we've decided to let Baby A choose her own birthday, that is, unless I gradually begin to dilate and show some progress in that area. It's been an interesting decision. There is no medical reason why I should be induced. Baby is doing fine. She's not too big. I'm doing fine. Part of me is very attracted to the idea of knowing when the big day will be and being able to rest the night before, arrive calmly at the hospital, etc. However, it's very important to us (for reasons I'll post about another time) that we avoid a C-section, so it looks like we are going to let things happen on their own schedule. For the last two days, she's been squirming and kicking like crazy. I feel like she's communicating with me and letting me know that she's pretty cramped in there and really wanting to busta' move and come out soon. Wishful thinking on my part perhaps.
Home improvement continues at a steady clip. We now have fluffy new carpet in two rooms and Jim is almost finished putting hardwood down in the family room. Thank you so much for all of the baby love and hardwood compliments. (I have passed your sweet comments on to one weary and exhausted husband.) Our motto now is: "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." My parents have come to help me clean the house and my mom made the bed skirt for the crib. The fabric has images of classic fairy tales, so I guess that is sort of my theme. Or, maybe my theme is no theme...too much pressure, you know?

I did give this art piece by Cheryl Kuhn a place of honor. I really love her work.
This old creme colored hutch belonged to my Italian grandmother. It's pretty shabby and has been sitting in my garage, unused, for about nine years. The wood is warped and splintered, but yet I think it has a certain charm and the extra storage is useful. After putting out numerous bags full of stuff for FIVE consecutive weeks for donation pick-ups, I am really trying to utilize what I have instead of going out and buying something new. Vintage animals and the Mouse Family are ready to welcome Baby A to her new environment. I cannot believe I am about to become a mom. It still hasn't sunk in yet. And, I've got my girly, tactile-liscious Cake bag ready for diaper duty. A big THANKS to my Silver Bella buddy, Carmen for encouraging me to keep this over-the-top purchase. I do love it and this bag will have its own special place in the purse timeline of life. Well, folks, the tummy is tight as a tic and the nest is full of twigs. I'll let you know when the stork arrives!

Home Improvement Progress

2008-01-21T18:09:00.000-06:00

Well, I have the donation dispatch number on my speed dial now and they have made two pick-ups this months to the tune of oh, twenty-five plus large shopping bags full of stuff. This is the first layer of many I need to make, but at least I have started and made somewhat of a dent. The ridding of clutter can be a very emotionally painful as well as a joyfully freeing process. I am really feeling the pain and the cost of all that I have accumulated and am trying to "stay in the feeling" a bit so I don't go out and repeat the pattern. At some point, "stuff" keeps one from living and enjoying life, and that is certainly what happened to me. My creativity chakra was so incredibly blocked, it would have taken more than a box of laxatives to get me moving again. I want to spend more time doing and less time gathering, more time creating and less time shopping. I want to have less and use what I have. It occurred to me though that as we attend art retreats and make things, our creations do have to go somewhere. Collecting other people's art is always fun, but I'm not so keen on displaying my own. A bit of a conundrum. Perhaps, as I spend more time on my craft, I'll improve and eventually be able to sell some of my work. That's the goal anyway. I'm curious - what do you do with your creations? Is it all about having an etsy shoppe these days? If you are a part-time hobbyist, do you price your wares to make money or just to get them out the door?
To assist me through the tedium of this massive decluttering job, I ordered this audio book. What a great read...er...listen! (And I immediately sold it on Amazon when I finished in order to keep the feng shui karma clear.) Audio books are so wonderful when you're sifting through piles of rubble. Anyway, I digress...here are a few nuggets I have learned about myself these past few weeks.

1. I do not like to unpack from art retreats. Case in point: have just now unpacked supply bags from Art & Soul two years ago.
2. I will never have to buy adhesive of any type as long as I live. My unborn daughter will have enough adhesive to last her lifetime too.
3. I should have bought stock in EK Success since I have more Jolee's stickers than I care to admit. (They were just so darn cute when they first came out, dang it!)
4. I have a freakish and twisted addiction to vintage Christmas decorations (including shiny brites, plastic reindeer, and anything small, cute, or sparkly.
5. I am a sentimental girl, a nice way of saying "hard-core pack-rat." Case in point: found a box filled with Snoopy pencils, fruit shaped erasers, Hello Kitty stationary, and a plastic Farrah Fawcett fan club membership card from the 1970's!
6. My love for paper and ephemera has existed since childhood. Case in point: As a child, every time I flew in an airplane, I kept the what-to-do-in-emergency folder AND the barf bag. I have a whole collection of these things. Why did I want these??? Turns out, one of the barf bags is from Pan Am and my husband (aviation nut) says it might be worth something. Go figure.

I am trying not to beat myself up over all the excess accumulation and waste of time, money, and energy. (This painting from this cool girl always makes me smile.) I am making a conscious decision to be more of a producer and less of a consumer, a lifestyle change that I know will bring more joy into my heart.

As you can see above, the hubby is making good progress on the floor. Notice the unkempt hair, unshaven stubble, and maniacal grin on his face. (Yes, he admits...he would NEVER do this again.) We are crazy. We are possessed. He with the floors and me with my art room. Personal hygiene is suffering, people. But, it's all for a good reason: Baby A. One last photo to leave you with: a basket of vintage millinery flowers, lo and behold, I had more than I thought I did which makes me hap, hap, happy.

What?! Pregnant and Baking!

2008-01-10T17:16:00.000-06:00

Those who know me know that I'm a little behind the eight ball when it comes to domestic duties. I like to think it's because I was the fourth child and my mother lost any interest she might have had in teaching me how to cook or clean, but the truth is, I've never been that motivated to learn. It's actually quite embarrassing to not know how to perform simple tasks such as correctly sewing on buttons or say, baking a pie. It's never too late, right? At the ripe ol' age of 41, I baked my first pie. I am a true late bloomer in all respects. Yes, it looks like a 5-year old did it, but it tasted reaaaally good because it was made with lots of loooooove. The recipe is from my sister Caron, who was the only one in our family who received any domestic and culinary fairy dust. (The rest of us just eat out.) Here's the recipe:

Blackberry Pie

1 box piecrust
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bag frozen blackberries (or go to Costco and buy fresh like I did)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon, lime or orange juice
vanilla ice cream

Follow the directions on the crust box. Mix together sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Pour berries into the crust. Pour sugar mixture over berries. Chop half the butter up into little pieces and sprinkle over berries. Pour lemon juice over berries. Cover with top crust. Sprinkle the rest of the butter over top crust. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, turn oven down to 350 and continue baking 45 minutes. This pie tends to overflow so place a larger pan on the oven shelf under your pie.

So, other than pretending to be June Cleaver, I've been in a big time nesting mode. I'm 33 weeks and the upcoming arrival of Baby A has led me into treacherous, shark-filled waters...yes, I'm cleaning my art room and it is not a pretty sight. I know many of you have tackled this dreaded project and, in fact, may be doing a little spring cleaning yourself these days. There's just something about January and new beginnings that makes us all want to hit The Container Store. Anyway, I've basically pulled everything out and am slowly sifting and sorting and trying to put only that which I need, love, and and use back in. The carnage is just too bloody to show you now, but in my frenzied excavating, I did find a sack of junking goodies that I had never unpacked- some vintage baby cards and gift wrap which I can use in Baby A's book. Yea! So that's a glimpse of what's happening in my neck of the woods: hardwood is being laid, art supplies are being sorted, organized, and donated, and there's a little bit of sweet pie thrown in the mix. Kinda boring, but kinda good too.

A Good Read

2008-01-01T12:51:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, I came across this little jewel of a book! In the same vein as Victoria's The Business of Bliss, Country Living has published Crafting a Business - Making Money Doing What You Love by Kathie Fitzgerald. Full of eye candy and inspiration, it showcases several artists/entrepreneurs (many whom we know and love) and how they came to do what they do. I don't know about you, but I can't get enough of this stuff. I wish someone would publish a monthly magazine that simply focused on following your dreams, how to start a business, and give plenty of examples of women doing just that, with lots of colorful, dreamy photos of course. I love to see how people live, their studios and shops, what drives them, what they are passionate about, and of course, how it all manifests in the world. And it all begins with a tiny thought, just a spark of an idea. Isn't it awesome that we have the power to create! Happy 2008, everybody, with wishes that you will be empowered this year to think big and create what your heart desires.

She's Gone Underground

2007-12-31T12:35:00.000-06:00

Well, my blogging habit (which was never all that great to begin with) has moved from the back burner to off the stove completely. The treadmill is going pretty fast these days and I'm struggling to keep up with life as I know it and preparing for a life I'm about to know in less than, oh, two months. (gulp!) Jim has finished laying hardwood in the study and is now leveling and sanding the living room floor. He's doing a great job, but it has been a slow process.We are definitely in worker bee mode - he with the floors and me with decluttering, organizing, and making lists of what we need for Baby A. We've signed up for Lamaze classes, breastfeeding classes, and baby care/CPR classes. From what our friends say, we'll forget all the information anyway but, as new parents, of course we're going to sign up. So, all the creating is going on in my belly now and not in my studio. No antiquing. No flea market junking. No glitter and glue. Do you know how there is sometimes a fine line between sheer excitement and overwhelming anxiety? Well, I seem to be vascillating between the two emotions on a regular basis. I have always wanted a baby ever since I was a little girl and now it is coming true. I wish the world could be perfect for her. Or, at least I want the house to be semi-dust free. It's coming. We're getting there. Bear with me.

Christmas Frames

2007-12-06T11:26:00.001-06:00

Just a quick post here to let you know that I have three Christmas frames listed on etsy. Here is the link to my shoppe. Have a great day!

A Few Good Things

2007-12-04T23:53:00.001-06:00

What is it about the month of December that makes it just fly by? There's the usual hustle and bustle to buy gifts for loved ones, attend holiday functions, gear up for family get-togethers, and feel merry and light in the process. I love Christmas, but this year, we are gearing down a bit. In the midst of a major home remodeling project, we decided to skip the outside lights and Christmas tree. Next year, with Baby A in the house, we'll bring it all out with gusto, but for now, just a smattering of Christmas decor will have to suffice. One of my favorite decorations is the above vintage ornament wreath I found on ebay a couple of years ago. It's loaded with color and vintagey goodness and really, with a great stash of ornaments and a hot glue gun, would be fairly easy to recreate. This is another spectacular wreath from a Dallas based store. Anything sparkly and glittery captures my attention. I'm so easily entranced. Recently I saw an eye catching gift idea in a magazine - a clear container filled with pretty foil chocolate covered oreos. Does anyone really need this? But, what a cool gift...it just looks so pretty. Now, I'm the last person on earth who needs to be eating chocolate covered oreos, but when I saw them (a pack of 12 for about $8.99) and a mini clear glass container ($9.99) at HomeGoods, I buckled. That glimmering foil is just so darn pretty. But I'm just lookin' at 'em...not eatin' 'em...yet.
Another good thing at this store caught my eye recently. Baby A needs a small flock of sheep to watch over her or maybe she'd like to count sheep to help her go to sleep. These sweet and super soft lambie pillows will look great in her nursery, but for now they wanted to graze in the backyard and soak up a little sunshine. (We had a high of 71 today.) Hope everyone is having fun gearing up (or not) for the holidays. Hard to believe the year 2008 is almost upon us. Seems like yesterday, my sister and I were dancing to Prince's 1999 on the eve of the millenium. Time sure does fly, but I have a feeling that 2008 is going to be a very good year.

Hello Again...

2007-11-28T10:39:00.001-06:00

Long time, no post. Everything is fine and the baby is kicking up a storm. After attending Art FiberFest and Silver Bella back to back, I came home feeling absolutely exhausted. My husband and I had lunch and then I headed straight for the couch where I slept the entire day! Both retreats were incredibly different but equally fantastic. I had such a blast at SB meeting all of the talented attendees. It was truly more magical and fun than I expected it to be. I only wish that it would have lasted a little longer so I could have met and chatted up more folks. I'm still ooohing and aaahing over all the beautiful and whimsical swap items I brought home. Amazing. And vendor night...be still my heart. What a shopping experience. I was most impressed with the quality of merchandise and how every vendor set up her own uniquely designed table. Truly, the tables and how they were designed were art forms themselves. I've slowly begun decorating for Christmas, bringing out a few treasures that were acquired in Omaha. The JOY banner above is by the sweet and talented Tracie Lyn Huskamp. I know I will treasure this banner for years to come...it is timeless. Amy Powers' whimsical sugar houses are such a delight to the eye. I flipped when I saw her booth - it looked like it was plucked from a Willy Wonka movie. So sweet and mesmerizing. The crowned and bejeweled snowman on a stick is by the talented Colleen Moody. I adore her work and am inspired by her meticulous attention to detail. There is a lot of love (not to mention time, money and energy) poured into all of these handcrafted items. I am grateful for all the people in the world who make creating a priority in their lives. Just seems to make the world a better place. As for my own creating...well, let's just say it's at a standstill right now. We are in the midst of a big remodeling project. Jim, aka Mr. Fix-It, has begun his venture into the wonderful world of laying hardwood. When the carpet was pulled up he realized that the floor was very uneven and had to be scraped and leveled before the hardwood could be laid. Translation: this is going to take a lot longer than we expected and there is a fine coat of white dust on every surface of the house. Okay, so I'm not and never have been the neatest freak about the house, but there is a ball of anxiety beginning to churn in my gut about this whole thing. It's probably just the pregnancy hormones. I am entering the third trimester now and am feeling sometimes a little panicky about getting everything ready for Baby A. So a couple of days ago I scheduled a prenatal massage to help calm my nerves. My massage therapist (who I'm sure meant well) proceeded to tell me about her 22 hour labor, the stitches she received, and how it was the worst pain she ever felt in her life. I know it is going to hurt. I'm prepared for that. But, it is scary not knowing what exactly to expect. And, being the neurotic girl I am, of course, I am worried about stupid things like, "Please God, don't let me poop on the table." and "Please God, don't let me throw up on my husband or something equally disgusting." And more realistic concerns, "Please God, let my dear husband finish these floors before the baby arrives and I don't completely lose what's left of my sanity." I know I'm focusing on the wrong things. It's all about having a healthy baby and women have been doing this for thousands of years. It will all work out, right? So, just to let you know, I am unsure of my blogging potential at the moment and may be posting even more sporadically than usual. Bear with me. My creative life may go into hibernation for a while, but I won't let it be extinguished completely. Right? Babies do sleep through the night eventually, right? Deep breath. Inhale. Hold. Exhale - one, two, three.

Silver Bella Bound

2007-11-07T16:30:00.000-06:00

Here they are - my aquabella ornaments are finished and fed exed to Omaha! Yea!! I totally underestimated how long it would take to make these Victorian cones, but I really like how they turned out. When I arrive in Omaha, I will fill them with creme colored shred and chocolate Christmas candy. Once they're all poufed up, they'll be ready to hand out to the bellas. I made extras for any side swaps. Time to pack now. I am soooo excited!!! Will of course post about all my classes and the merriment that ensued when I return. Happy weekend, everyone. And, if I don't see you in Omaha, be sure to do something fun for yourself this weekend. We're all in the creative spirit no matter where we are!

Maxine's Floral & Gift - Part 2

2007-11-05T17:44:00.000-06:00

I am currently on a mad dash getting ready for my Silver Bella weekend and finishing up my aquabella ornament swap. I'm feeling all swapped out at the moment but it will be fun to see everyone's interpretation of the task. Hope to show you a sneak peek tomorrow before I head to FedEx. Meanwhile, here are a few more picturesque snaps of Maxine's killer cool floral and gift shop in Seattle. What a fun store!

Silver Bella Tags - Swap #1

2007-11-02T08:46:00.000-06:00

Here they are! They've been cut, glued, Stickled, crepe papered, sewn, sequined, beribboned, and beeswaxed...and they are finally done. Yea!!! I think they came out pretty cute. I hope the other Bellas approve. Now, I have exactly one weekend to finish my other swap before it all gets shipped to Omaha. Time to get busy.

Cosmo Tries the Crib

2007-10-31T15:18:00.000-06:00

This is how Jim and I get our kicks. After the crib was assembled, we just had to try it out and who better than Miss Priss herself. She thinks it's a little over the top for a cat bed and was wondering where the crunchy dispenser was but, overall, she approved. Now, if only the onesies would fit her. Happy Halloween, everybody!!

Maxine's Floral & Gift

2007-10-29T16:25:00.000-06:00

Another highlight of ArtFiberFest was my trip to Maxine's Floral & Gift in Seattle. What an amazing store! Proprietress Maxine Nicklos, pictured above, along with Michael Peterson, designer extraordinaire and upcoming ArtFest instructor, are the magicians behind this magical candyland of a shoppe. Filled with beautiful, whimsical gifts and artful vignettes at every glance, it's easy to forget you are in a full service floral shoppe. Maxine is warm, generous and truly talented. Her shoppe is a must see!

Maxine's Floral & Gift
8811 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
tel: 206-523-4200
www.maxinesfloral.com

Sew Fabric Journal - ArtFiberFest

2007-10-29T15:50:00.000-06:00

Here are some pics of what I made in Pam's Sew Fab(ric) Journal class. I was a little out of my element in this workshop although I thoroughly enjoyed it. I brought along my portable Sew Mini machine. It was my first time using it and I was still trying to figure out how to thread the needle and bobbin, etc. The class had 25 participants which was huge for ArtFiberFest numbers. Many of the women were accomplished seamstresses who made the most beautiful creations. Picture a room full of laughter and Edward Scissorhands activity with fabric flying at every station and you'll get an image of the day. Although it was a challenge for me (nicked my finger with my new scissors and bled on my fabric right away AND asked the ever patient Pam about 50 times how to tie a French knot and still didn't master it) I ended up kind of liking the finished product. Of course, I've got baby on the brain and plan to use this as a baby journal. This is the back cover.
This is the inside. If you look, you will see all the imperfections and how the entire fabric book is lopsided. The miracle of the day was that I left with all ten fingers still intact and didn't manage to break my little machine. All in all, it was great fun and I'm glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone a bit. With so many gorgeous fabrics and trims out there, it's very tempting to try to get better at this craft. Meanwhile, I am madly working on my Silver Bella swaps. Stay tuned for a sneak peak!

Paper Portraits - ArtFiberFest

2007-10-29T15:20:00.001-06:00

My favorite class of ArtFiberFest was Paper Portraits taught by Pam Garrison. The piece above was made by Pam. It's so sweet...just perfect for a nursery. Pam is such a patient and easygoing instructor. She has a knack for making everyone feel comfortable no matter what their skill level. The two below were made by me. I was trying very hard to channel Pam. I love the process of sewing on paper and adding all the vintage wallpaper and delicate ephemera to the canvas. There is a sweetness and a fragility to these paper portraits that I really like. I definitely plan on making more of these in the future.

ArtFiberFest

2007-10-29T14:28:00.001-06:00

Back from ArtFiberFest and had a wonderful time. This was my second ArtFiberFest (kind of crazy for a girl who doesn't sew) and my first time visiting Port Townsend, WA. It was just as Teesha described - scenic and natural and quaint. And, yes, I saw deer, multiple times, ambling across the street with not a care in the world. ArtFiberFest has considerably fewer participants than ArtFest - about 100 or less so it is quite intimate and easy to navigate. I actually haven't attended ArtFest yet, but have no doubt that I will one day. I took three classes. The first was Faerie Fashionista from Denise Warner. The class was enjoyable and I was thrilled to meet a fellow classmate whose work I have long admired - Marilyn Huskamp. Using various fibers and types of thin handmade papers, we fashioned fairy dolls. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera and didn't get to snap the other participants' beautiful creations. I, on the other hand, just wasn't feelin' the love for my own two dolls. I like dolls but making them just really isn't my cup of tea. The fairy wings are made out of...get this...sausage casing material. How weird is that? I really debated leaving these dolls in my room but ended up stuffing them in my carry-on at the last minute. But, sadly, they are destined for the trash can. I firmly believe that not every creation needs to be saved and these must live on in spirit in the fairy afterlife. I will post about my other classes and adventures later this week!

EDGE to edge

2007-10-29T13:43:00.000-06:00

If you've been an attendee of ArtFest or ArtFiberFest or a visitor to Port Townsend, Washington, you're probably no stranger to EDGE to edge, the cutest vintage fabric shoppe in town. Proprietors Joan Wenske (pictured above) and Eve Eves (too busy ringing up customers to pose for a pic) are not only the nicest, most helpful people, but have incredible taste and a wonderland flair for design. Their shoppe is complete eye candy, filled with vintage trims and ribbons, jars of multi-colored pom poms, shelves upon shelves of dreamy upholstery fabrics (that would make Marie Antoinette swoon - head or no head), wool felts in every color of the rainbow, and an impressive vintage button collection. Yes, I dropped some benjamins in this store, but I defy anyone not to. They have a little bit of everything from German glass glitter to vintage rhinestone hat pins to sweet handmade journals, photo albums and tea cups all made by a local artist. Their shoppe is a must see and was one of the highlights of my trip. Enjoy the pics and be sure to drop in and say hello the next time you're in their neck of the woods. These women get it!

EDGE to edge
Vintage Fabric & Unexpected Inspiration
234 Taylor Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
360-379-0860
open daily

Calling Cards and Leaving on a Jet Plane

2007-10-16T15:56:00.001-06:00

A few months ago, I ordered a set of custom business cards from the amazingly talented Delila Jemaiel of Sepia Art Studio. I was so delighted with them and love the sweet and dreamy quality she gave each one. Delila has made well over 100 custom business cards for others and has a keen appreciation for the smallest of details - a trait that just makes my heart sing. I love shopping at both her etsy store and her online shoppe. What a talent!

I am being a bad girl today and blowing off the gym in lieu of last minute packing for ArtFiberFest. Why is it so hard to pack for these events? I know it's crazy but I feel this strong compulsion to bring everything in my art room, knowing that I'll never use it all and that it's slightly insane to haul it all across the country anyway. Ninety-nine percent of the time I don't finish my projects at the retreat (I'm a slow worker.) so I can find that perfect button or piece of trim when I get back home. I guess it's like going to the first day of school: I want to be prepared and have all my colors sharpened and all my erasers in a row. As a newbie, I'm still trying to figure this all out. But, I have been observing how others (the seasoned retreaters) seem to bring less of everything but just what they need. I think it helps to know what you might like to make, at least in terms of color schemes or themes so you can hone in on what you bring. That being said, I'm sure I won't have a couple of the necessary items on my list, but as long as I remember to bring my toothbrush and underwear, I'll survive.

Thank you all so much for all the baby love you've sent my way! I had a big smile on my face when I was reading your sweet comments.

Blissed Out Happiness

2007-10-13T12:14:00.000-06:00

My nose is pointed skyward, eyes tightly closed, and my feet are in a blurry, rapid fire Snoopy dance. Like Nicole, Cristina, Halle, and J-Lo, I, too, am pregnant. It seems like a dream. I don't have words to describe it. We are in a perpetual state of joy, elation, and thankfulness. This has been such a journey. A very hard year...until now. We're pregnant. We are so grateful. We're on our way to starting our family. Just a couple of days ago, we found out we're having a little girl. My heart is already about to burst with love for this babe. How will my heart continue to beat when she arrives? I am changing in big ways. My life is about to change in big ways. I'm having a baby! Thank you, God. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Running Like Mad

2007-10-11T17:02:00.000-06:00

Do you ever feel like you've bitten off more than you can chew? That's my state of being right now. After back-to-back visits to see family (and, no dang it, I didn't get to stop at any junk/antique stores) it kind of dawned on me that I have two upcoming art retreats and need to get ready for both. I signed up for two Silver Bella swaps and have yet to finish one of them, although I am hoping to get my Christmas tags finished this weekend. I like to take my time and mentally design the finished product before I begin. Of course, I always change it up as I go along, but I like to have an idea of where I'm headed at the onset. And then of course there's the dreaded supply list and the running across town picking up this item and that. Seems to take forever. Art retreats are a luxury and investment for me so I want to organize myself and have the needed supplies. And I may be the last person in blogland to order her Moo cards, but now that's done. Whew! There's so much work preparing for art retreats, but it's all worth it when we arrive, isn't it? In less than a week, I leave for ArtFiberFest and am delighted to be taking two classes from the fabulous Pam Garrison, the girl who got me over my fear of the sewing machine. I am looking forward to some art time and some me time, as well as meeting like-minded friends. In the meantime, I wanted to show you a recent acquisition by an amazing artist, Kitty Babendreier. I have admired her work for a long time and finally purchased one of her pieces. I love her style and her work. She makes 3-D shadow boxes filled with all the fun junk and ephemera I love to collect. Each piece seems to tell a little story and they have an old, grandma's house kind of feel to them. This one, with loose mica snow at the bottom, is entitled "A Girl and Her Goat." Okay...back to my Christmas tag production. Fa la la!

Pimp My Nursery

2007-09-27T19:50:00.001-06:00

Here are a few more baby inspired ribbons. I hope to make some soon for baby boys. First place horse ribbons are primarily royal blue so it's quite difficult to find lighter blue ribbons. I know it's probably time for me to stop horsing (ha!) around with these and move on to something else. I've never even owned a horse and have only ridden one a handful of times, yet I remain slightly obsessed. I am, however, born under the Chinese sign of the Fire Horse so maybe in a past life or something I lost a race and have been yearning for a fancy prize ribbon of my own. I guess my inner child is actually an inner horse.
Last weekend, we visited my in-laws and now, this weekend, it's my husband's turn to visit his in-laws. It's a 6 hour car ride round trip. I'm hoping I can convince him to stop at an antique/junk shop along the way. Happy weekend, everyone!!

In-laws, Tasty Kakes, and Ribbons

2007-09-27T18:41:00.001-06:00

Well, I'm definitely out of my blog groove. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever had a blog groove since I seem to be averaging a measly post a week. There just never seems to be enough time! Jim and I just got back from a quick trip to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for a visit with his family. The weather was so nice and pleasant. It had that crisp "fall is in the air" feeling. We don't get that feeling much in Texas so it was nice to soak it in. Funny thing is my favorite season is fall even though I've never truly experienced it in a big dose. (For example, it's September 27th and our high today was 94 degrees. Yowsa!) We didn't have time for much exploring but took a stroll down South St. in Philly and had some good pizza. Also, I had my first Tasty Kake. My husband has been talking about these things since I've known him. They're cheap convenience store snacks equivalent to Little Debbies, but I must admit...they are yummy. We OD'ed on Kandy Kakes (chocolate peanut buttery things), cream filled chocolate cupcakes, and cherry pie. So good! And while they may not be on the diet, trust me...when you're visiting the in-laws, a little sugar rush (or any kind of drug for that matter) can calm the nerves.
I've been working on a new batch of vintage ribbons - these have a childlike theme and are destined for a baby shower or nursery wall. Sweet little lambs, bunnies, and kittys to look over a sleeping babe. I tend to produce these ribbons in themes and am currently working on a Halloween theme but so far I'm not at all pleased with the results. I'll keep trying.
I'm also hoping to open an etsy store by the end of the year. Vintage altered horse ribbons and decorated holiday frames like these will be offered plus some other fun and funky things. Hope everyone is enjoying their fall season. Can you believe October is almost upon us?!

More Paper Play

2007-09-18T14:48:00.001-06:00

Paper Play

2007-09-18T14:10:00.001-06:00

After being sort of obsessed with the altered horse ribbon thing, I've felt a yearning to put my hands on paper, ephemera, and vintage Victorian scraps. I've been playing around with an old book (the papers are so crumbly, I expect them to fall out at any minute), just haphazardly glueing things down and making little scribbles here and there. There's no theme to this tiny journal. It's more of a place to experiment and to have a little instant gratification since it doesn't take long (or much) to fill a page. I can glue down bits of paper, scraps, and vintage wallpaper and then come back at another time and write my thoughts or make a little doodle or two. And, it fits in my purse which will be convenient when I'm waiting in line at the post office. I have a very small collection of vintage scraps (I can find them in my area but they're always pricey.) and sometimes wonder if I will regret using the originals. I know some artists scan their favorite originals so they can use them again and again. This makes sense to me, yet I guess I am just too lazy to do it. Part of my lesson right now is to live more in the moment. Think less. Analyze less. Do more. So, instead of scanning or copying, I am glueing and hoping that as my supply dwindles, the universe will provide more.

Ribbons for Jenny

2007-09-12T19:00:00.001-06:00

I am feeling like the worst blogger these days! Just feeling like I don't have anything interesting to share which is so pathetic, I know. The fabulous and talented Jenny Heid and I agreed to do a little swap-a-roo a while back and I, procrastination queen, have finally finished and shipped her ribbons. The quality of these photos is really lousy, but I am fairly pleased with the way they turned out. When I alter these ribbons, I try to give each one a unique personality. I think about dressing them up for a party! What kind of party is it? What will they wear? Are they shy or outgoing? What is the occasion? It kind of gets me to solidify a theme for each one and it's important to me that every one be unique.
As we all know, Jenny is such a sweet, kind, and generous girl. I've never met her in person, but she already feels like a good friend. She's so complimentary and nurturing, not to mention freakin' talented!! I love her body of work and her blog and was honestly a little intimidated to do a swap with her. I marinated quite a while on how to proceed with her ribbons. Hmmm....when I think of Jenny, I think soft candy colors, pom poms, bunnies, pinks and aquas and yellows and cremes, glitter, ballerinas, cupcakes, and vintage dolls, all with a large dose of fun, whimsy, and retro thrown in.
I'm not sure I captured the essence of Jenny with these ribbons, but that was certainly my intent. As I continue to stick my toe in the art world, I realize that while I would love everything to be perfect and come out exactly as I imagine it in my mind...that is just not going to happen. My inner control freak is learning to let go a bit, I guess. It's becoming clearer to me that it's important to just put "it" out there. My work will improve as I put in the time and practice. Meanwhile, I need to just keep plugging and keep putting it out there. Hope everyone is having a nice day and is doing something that makes your heart sing.

A Daunting Task

2007-09-07T13:23:00.001-06:00

So I'm thinking about cleaning and reorganizing my art room. Not beginning yet...just thinking about it. The space, a small bedroom, has become completely dysfunctional and really is just serving as a storage room. If I want to work on a project, I gather what supplies I can find (while carefully stepping over things on the floor) and haul them downstairs to work in the kitchen. I know this is insane. I know I have a problem. I've been reading this book which has motivated me to get started, even if it is the teeniest of steps. I come from a family of collectors, (isn't that just another name for lovers of stuff?) and have always had a tough time keeping clutter at bay. More is more, ya know. As I get older though, I find that I yearn to simplify my life. I know that I could be more productive if everything had a place in my home and was put in it! So, I'm trying to mentally gear up for this endeavor. While looking for something specific today, I found a bag of stuff (buried beneath a mound of papers) that I had purchased at some junk store long ago. Now I'm wondering, what the heck else is in that room?

On the Bookshelf

2007-09-06T17:37:00.002-06:00

Don't you just love a good book? I've been savoring Living The Creative Life by Rice Freeman-Zachery. The book highlights several artists, including Sas Colby, Michael deMeng, and Claudine Hellmuth, and provides a glimpse into their creative processes and journeys. The book has lots of photos of artwork and artists' studios as well as creativity tips and exercises. I'm taking my time with it, just reading a few pages each night, because I really don't want this one to end.

Back in the Saddle

2007-08-30T14:12:00.000-06:00

I'm feeling much better after taking a little break and am looking forward to getting back into the blogging groove. Made a quick pop-in to a local antique store and scored a few fun finds. A spool of vintage twill, vintage doll clothes, a Victorian ornament made with cotton batting, 1950's birthday candle holders, vintage gold sequins, and a bit of eyelet trim.

The husband and I are beginning to house hunt, so that has been an exciting adventure. We've been taking long walks in different neighborhoods trying to get a feel for where we might like to live. After we married, he moved into my single girl house and it's been a bit cramped, so it will be nice to have a new place we can share as a couple. Because I married late in life, I wasn't prepared to give up half of my closet space. Poor guy...he's been using the hall coat closet as his primary closet. But you know how guys are...they're so easy going.

I'll leave you with a little sneak peak of what I've been working on lately.

Gifts From Jessi

2007-08-23T16:27:00.001-06:00

Jessi has officially paid me back. Good grief girl...do ya think ya sent me enough stuff?! I knew that Jessi made these cute miniature sugar coated houses...and yippee.....I got one! Just love it!! It will be so fun to create a festive Christmas scene around this sweet little house. And, would you look at all the other goodies she sent: vintage glass angel hair, vintage shiny red ornaments (so fun), a mini vintage Christmas book, stamp sets, ink, a JOY garland to decorate, all kind of ribbons, buttons, paper elements, stickers, patterned papers, and a vintage New York postcard just to name a few.
She also included some of her own handmade tags and some custom tags created by Kris Hurst. They really came out beautiful and I love how she incorporated the Silver Bella theme. A wonderful and thoughtful idea! Thank you, Jessi! You did way too much.

More Holiday Frames

2007-08-19T13:36:00.000-06:00

I made a few more holiday frames last week. Kind of obsessed with these now. I think I'm kind of like my Italian grandmother - she would get interested in one thing or another like gardening or cooking and just sort of obsess over that one thing until she got tired of it and moved on to something else. I seem to have a lot going on in my life right now and am feeling like I'm not staying on top of things. So, I'm going to take a little blog break for a week or two. Time to turn my full attention on finishing a swap for a super special cupcake of a girl. Happy week to all and be back soon!

Nice Matters

2007-08-18T18:03:00.002-06:00

The fabulously creative, Princess of All Things Pretty - Jenny Heid nominated me for the Nice Matters Award. Wow! She sure knows how to make a girl glow on the inside. I am very honored to even be on her radar much less be noticed for something! I have often read that this particular community of artists is giving, supportive, and just plain fun...the kind of girls you want to hang out with during recess and have over for a slumber party. Although we are all unique, we share a common love of creative expression and we sort of just get each other. We don't question each other's bizarre collections of vintage items, the compulsion to stay up and create late into the night, the excitement we get when a new magazine or book hits the stand, the sheer delight in acquiring new art supplies, or the vicarious thrill when one of our blog sisters hits the estate sale jackpot. We are each on our own path, making our own artistic mark on the world, but our shared interests, support, friendships, and love for this journey are the glue that bonds us together. And, that is really nice.

A Gift from Natalea

2007-08-18T17:43:00.001-06:00

Natalea Kandefer of Kandeland recently had a give-away on her blog and I was one of the lucky recipients. A box loaded with all sorts of treasures arrived. Take a look at this haul. Vintage rose print fabric, pink and cream ribbons, a puffy metal heart (that's so cool), tulle with pink flocked hearts, a cute tag that she made, Victorian notecards, sparkly jewels, tiny pink show ribbon buttons (love those!), an alphabet stamp set (will be put to immediate use), yards of vintage lace and beaded trim, pretty pink ribbon, a yellow rose (for Texas?), vintage buttons in creme, white, and beige, and a cute white basket to hold it all. Thank you, Natalea!! What a nice treat this was.
You really made my day!

Christmas Frame

2007-08-14T16:02:00.000-06:00

Made this kitschy Christmas frame with vintage ornaments last night. These are fun to make. I just wish I had more vintage ornaments to work with! Anyway, this one will be shipped off to its new home soon. We had a high of 105 today so it certainly doesn't feel like Christmas or even fall around here. I think I'm subconsciously trying to cool off by making these frames. Hope everyone is having a good week.

Heatwave

2007-08-12T20:08:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness, it was blazing hot today. The temperature rose to 104! The heat has zapped my energy and I find myself just wanting to sit on the couch and read magazines instead of actually doing something productive. My husband and I both like to work in the yard, but sometimes find it challenging to grow pretty flowers in Dallas. Our yard gets little to no shade and everything gets cooked to a crisp. Still, my husband managed to capture a couple of photos of a few blooms in our front flower bed. The lantanas really attract butterflies. Hope you are staying cool wherever you are.

Green Acres

2007-08-12T18:45:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, my husband and I drove to visit my parents in their small town (pop: approx. 5,000.) My parents used to own a chemical fertilizer business where they sold and applied liquid fertilizer to all of the farmers' and ranchers' land in the area. My dad is now semi-"retired", which means he only goes to work five days a week instead of seven. I love to go out to the country to his place of business and just see all of the projects he has going on. Could be anything from getting the hay baled, feeding, doctoring, and looking after cows, mending fences, fixing a
leak in a tank, repairing a tractor, attending a gin meeting (as in cotton gin), looking after the pecan orchard, and the list goes on and on. One of my favorite things is to feed the cows range cubes. Those things are like Snickers bars to them and they can get quite aggressive when they see you have them. Several of the cows are quite tame and will let daddy (no one else though) pet them. One time, a cow stuck her head in the cab of the pick-up truck and let out a moo. Good grief, was it ever loud!!!
My husband and I are both country mice at heart, and while we live in the city, we both yearn for a wide open space of our own one day. Here's a pic of me pretending to drive a tractor and another of my dad and my brother's dog, Pez. Daddy is a true animal whisperer. All of our (my siblings) animals recognize him as the alpha male and want to follow him wherever he goes. Even his barn cats, Squeaky and Fat Cat, meet him at the gate every morning. No matter what kind of problems I have or stress I am under, I always feel better when I visit my parents and take a trip to the country side. For now, we
live in the city and life is good, but we will continue to appreciate cows, trains, small towns, and greener pastures.

Happy Artful Blogging!

2007-08-08T15:41:00.002-06:00

Happy Artful Blogging, everyone! May this premiere issue be the first of many. I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to our lovely hostess Kari Ramstrom, Artsy Mama. I don't know how she does it! This girl has a husband, two little children, a part-time job and still manages to create all kinds of lovely artwork and blog on a daily basis, and she has a knack for finding the yummiest stuff ever at estate sales. Thanks, Kari for being such a artful inspiration to all of us in blogland and for bringing us all together for a well-deserved celebration!
I would also like to tip my hat to everyone who has a blog and shares their creative journey. Thanks for taking the time and for taking the risk of baring your souls and sharing your lives. I know it's not always easy to come up with new posts or to share a certain project you may be working on, but really, we all so appreciate your energy and hard work. Reading your blogs is a huge source of inspiration and joy for me! (I bet others feel the same.) The energy is contagious and I think we all feel a sort of sisterhood among us. That's pretty dang cool when you think about it.

My artful blogging project is not so much a tutorial as it is an idea for you to try. It's easy peasy lemon squeezy easy. Take a simple frame and hot glue tinsel around the border. Then take your vintage Christmas (or any other theme) tchotchkes and glue directly on the tinsel. A fun project to add a little holiday floof and sass to your home decor. Now, if I could just figure out how not to burn my fingers!

Inspiration Swap

2007-08-03T09:32:00.001-06:00

Time to share my Silver Bella Inspiration swaps. My giftor was Beth Quinn and my giftee was Lilli Beck. Both talented ladies have their own etsy shoppes which you can see here and here.

Beth's bundle of inspiration arrived at my house tied up with a pretty vintage ribbon. Inside were all kinds of fun things: buttons, ribbons, a crochet doily, a gingerbread game piece, white fairy wings, French vocabulary cards, an assortment of math flash cards, vintage papers, wallpaper samples, game board papers (is it Wheel of Fortune? Concentration?), vintage sewing hooks, and other assorted goodies. There were so many wonderful things; it will be great fun to create with this new supply. Isn't it great how someone else's stash can really stoke the creative fires?
It seems we all find different objects depending on where we live in the country, and it's fun to see (and receive) things that we may not so readily see in our own neck of the woods. Well, there's one more thing that Ms. Quinn sent my way. Get a load of her hand-made collage. Is that the cutest thing, or what?! A little fairy doll with the word "Believe" at the bottom. I love how she added different textures (a piece of lace, turquoise button, and tiny sequin) and how she added her own little scribbles and markings. So cute! I love it, Beth! Thank you so much!

And here is what I put together for Ms. Lilli. For the three things that I've had for a while and never used: a photo album/scrapbook, a board book, a vintage child's book, and some silk cocoons that I recently ordered from etsy because I thought they were kind of cool but have no idea what to do with. I'm hoping Lilli will pave the way to enlightenment!
The three things that have been inspiring me lately are: sheets of vintage wallpaper, a jar of vintage creme, white, and neutral buttons, and an altered horse ribbon (a Christmas theme in honor of Silver Bella).

Three things that I hope will inspire her are: a vintage pitcher (for her markers and pencils), a vintage bowl with purple and green flowers (her favorite colors), a wire hanging that says "A Time To Keep" to hang in her art studio, and a little soap to make the package smell good.
And for the handmade item, I fashioned her a collage to celebrate her wonderful blog, Make Mine Blissful.

A fun swap...looking forward to meeting both of these girls (and everyone else) in November!

Blah, Blah, Blah

2007-07-30T13:10:00.001-06:00

Well, it's only hump day and I'm already exhausted! Just moving in slow motion and not getting as much done these days as I would like. (Do we ever?) I've been crashing early in the evenings and watching Weeds Season Two on dvd. Such a great show.

Popped into a store the other day that I've driven by for years, but have never stopped in. Picked up a few items, all in neutral colors, that I hope to incorporate into my artwork at some point. Old dusty, stained lace is always useful, and the tiny gold leaf wire garland is actually a reproduction, but it looks old. Growing up in a small rural Texas town, I've always had an affinity for wheels and gears of all sorts. I think it'd be cool to have a group of them hanging on the wall. Well, this may be the most boring post ever...hope to have a little more pizazz tomorrow.

Good Monday to You

2007-07-29T20:12:00.000-06:00

I'm very excited to be attending Art FiberFest this year and to be taking classes from the uber-talented Pam Garrison. Inspired by her Paper Portraits, I attempted a couple of paper collages and finally finished them this weekend. One has a quote by Beatrix Potter - "Thank goodness I was never sent to school, it would have rubbed off some of the originality." The second collage has a quote about sisters - "You can kid the world. But not your sister." by Charlotte Gray. As the youngest of four, with two older sisters, I can personally attest that, somehow, they do seem to know when something is a little off kilter.

Now I'm off to put together an inspiration package for my Silver Bella swap sister. Hope she likes it.

Happy Monday everyone and don't forget to visit Sandra Evertson's new blog!

Happy Tags

2007-07-29T17:39:00.001-06:00

The artist Kris Hurst made these tags for me. I thought it would be fun to have my blog name on them and I'm really happy with the way they turned out. Each one is so unique! I'm a sucker for the little details and Kris really spent time on these - sewing a button here or there, a dash of glitter just so, and giving one of the fairy girls a beaded (hello?!) magic wand. Truly terrific, these tags will probably be strung into a banner and hung in my art room. Thanks Kris! You can see more of her talented work here.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2007-07-26T21:54:00.000-06:00

Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true.

A beautiful rainbow in a pale blue sky today brought a smile to my face and made me think of all the things I have to be grateful for in my life. One of those things is YOU, sweet blog readers. In a year that has been very challenging for me, this blog has given me an opportunity to meet new friends, people who are just wonderfully talented and supportive and kind and helpful. I appreciate you so much. Little things in life matter a lot and your encouragement, through reading the blog or leaving a comment, has, well...made me want to work harder and to have more courage in "putting it out there." When my gremlin (inner critic) comes out (and, oh, is she fierce!) I'll remember your kind words and keep at it. Thanks so much!

Costume Jewelry

2007-07-26T16:52:00.000-06:00

I thought I would share some fun pieces of jewelry with you. Last year I saw this post by Alicia Paulson, blogger/artist extraordinaire and thought I would treat myself to a charm bracelet for one of those hard to swallow birthdays. Jodi Bloom of So Charmed makes bracelets, necklaces, pins, and earrings with super cute vintage and new charms. She now has an etsy store as well! I've never seen anything like her work. If you order a custom piece from her, truly a very special gift, she will treat you and your beloved masterpiece with the utmost care and concern. She takes her time and really gets to know you so she can capture the exact vibe you're looking for. It was such a joy working with her; I didn't want the process to end, and I treasure my charm bracelet so much. Each charm holds special meaning for me and reflects a certain essence of my personality. A little like palm reading...analyze the charms and get to know about a person's desires and dreams and history. Hopefully, I'll hand it down to my daughter one day.

Many of you may already know about the fabulous two sisters and mom team called the Junk Gypsies. They have been featured in Country Living and a slew of other home decorating magazines. Hailing from College Station, TX (where I and all my siblings attended college...yeehaw), these stylin' junksters offer loads of flea market inspiration on their website, not to mention some sassy costume jewelry for your inner cowgirl.

These have been around for a while, but are still fun to wear. Dillon Rogers makes leather bracelets and other goodies with positive phrases or symbols on them. You can even have one made with your sweetheart's name on it or a special message of your own. As you can see, I have worn mine out!

This royalty ring was made by the talented Phoenix Forrester of Albuquerque, NM. A vintage porcelain doll head with a silver crown and a big honkin' jewel underneath and you've got a conversation piece with a definite sense of humor. This ring is not for wallflowers!

Another fun website for a little girl in your life or your own inner kiddo is Pancake Meow. Leslie, the creator of these delightful polymer clay charms, will not only let you choose the flavors/colors of your ice cream scoops, she'll let you choose the scents as well. That's right. They are scented! Whether you are a donut with sprinkles, cupcake, or chocolate chip cookie kind of girl, she's got you covered. So fun to wear a sweet treat around your neck in the summertime!

That's what costume jewelry is all about for me...fun. Something to make me smile and maybe bring a smile to someone else's face. Because, really, isn't that what life is all about?

More Vintage Horse Ribbons...

2007-07-25T14:05:00.000-06:00

...all decked out in their finest summer frippery and ready to party! These are just so much fun to make. I can't seem to get enough of them! My goal is to make each one unique, with its own little personality. I use rhinestones, ribbons, crystals, glass glitter, and vintage items on each one. Most of the ribbons have the winning horse's name on the back, and they are a little stained (sweat? manure?) and battered...just adds to the charm. It's fun to imagine a horse wearing a wreath of these over-the-top ribbons.

Silver Bells

2007-07-14T18:00:00.001-06:00

Ventured over to Paper Planet last Saturday for a journal making class. It's so pleasant to create in this cute little store and smell delicious cake baking all afternoon! (there's a bakery in one half of the store!) Decided to make an album for Silver Bella. It needs to be foofed and glittered up a bit, but I'm diggin' the pink and silver flocked paper. It's wonderful to have an event like Silver Bella to look forward to. I was in Hobby Lobby the other day and they are already putting out their Christmas decorations. Yes, it's definitely ridiculous and reeks of maniacal marketing, but it is kind of handy when we artsy/craftsy types need a little holiday pouf and floof for our projects. Speaking of projects, I'm hoping to make some Christmas frames inspired by this fun find.

Things That Make Me Smile Today

2007-07-13T15:51:00.000-06:00

I think I mentioned that I'm not exactly in a lovefest with my current home and have a bad case of new house fever. I confess that I am a clutter creator. I am a lover and collector of stuff, even though I despise the way it makes me feel when I can't find things or there isn't a "home" for things to return to. An internal conflict to be sure and one I have grappled with for several years. But there is one room that still makes me smile. There is this funky shaped (long and narrow) powder bathroom in the house that I decided to just totally play up. Had it painted with bold red and gold stripes and then placed all kinds of mirrors and clocks (only requirement is that they had to have some type of movement, i.e. pendulum or cuckoo). My brother, also a collector and packrat, gave me this weirdly cool plaster face of a well-known actor. Can you guess who it is? (hint: The Shining) Apparently, these are make-up casts of some sort. Not really sure. (My brother has faces of Julia Roberts and the guy who played Herman Munster.) So the bathroom is a mix of Willy Wonka meets Alice in Wonderland meets a carnival fun house! A little freakish. A little garish and curious. (hmmmm....this may be the room that keeps the house from selling!)

Anyway, one of my favorite memories of my grandparents' house is when, every hour (sometimes half hour and quarter hour!) a clock would chime. They had so many antique clocks that it was literally a cacophony of dings, dongs, chimes, bongs, and cuckoos - all going off in successive time. Love that and miss that so much! In a nightly ritual, papa would go around with his keys and wind up the clocks. I guess I was trying to replicate that memory, although my clocks are not antique and don't make any sounds...but for the cuckoo clock - alas, my husband and cat have threatened to walk out if I didn't disable it.

These bars are not new but I have just discovered them. When they are frozen, they are yummmy! A fruity (semi-sort-of-healthy) summer treat.

Summer would not be complete without a breezy, lighthearted tote bag. I have really been enjoying my new summer bag, made from vintage pillow cases. It's sturdy, holds a lot, and weighs nothing. You can order one here.

Did anybody else out there play with Liddle Kiddles? I loved these little dolls made by Mattel. They came in all sorts of containers: soda pop bottles, lockets, tiny rings, perfume bottles. Today, they are highly collectible and pull in a pretty penny on Ebay. I have a few from my childhood that I've put in a shadow box, along with the Fisher Price people and the Weebles. With their big heads and little bodies, they still make me smile today!

I love putting on a fragrance in the morning. Something to set the mood of the day and reflect my intentions and activities. Jo Malone fragrances are my favorite. Her scents are natural (think rose, grapefruit, nutmeg) and they all can be mixed and matched to create your own signature scent.

Okay...my parents have a lakehouse near a very rural, very typical Texas country kind of town. Don't get me wrong. I'm not dissing it...I'm from one of these towns myself and think they are great in their own kitschy kind of way. Well, on one visit, my siblings and I decided to hit the "downtown" and check out the junk stores. My eagle eyed sister spied it first! A white poodle hologram in a funky metal frame. It lights up. It's so realistic and just soooo incredibly campy. Like someone's dear Grandma captured the likeness of her beloved poodle for all posterity. Doesn't go with any of my decor. Don't care. Too much fun...had to have it. And last, but never least, a sleeping Cosmo el Gatto, aka Possum Sue. Hope everyone has a wonderful day with lots of things to make you smile.

Spotlight on Lauren Mumford

2007-07-11T13:39:00.000-06:00

"Fan her head!" the Red Queen anxiously interrupted. "She'll be feverish after so much thinking." from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass

Like Alice, I too get feverish after gazing at Lauren Mumford's gorgeous art. Ethereal. Wispy. Earthy. Timeless. Other worldly. Shades of cream, eggshell, cotton, bisque, vanilla, and straw compose the soothing palettes of many of her works. The girl says she just glues...oh, puhleeeze! Her artistry is incredibly detailed and so sweetly, so thoughtfully assembled.

Love the way she blends textures - a bit of vintage lace, a piece of fabric, a strand of gold bullion, an old metal key, a dash of silver glass glitter.

She allows her pieces to be perfectly imperfect - tatters and threads and dangly pink poms communicate a well-loved Velveteen rabbit feeling.

Lauren's art is creamy, dreamy, with a little bit of blingy!
Be still, my heart! The girl glitters her twigs!!

Can't wait to meet this modern day Alice...one day. See more of her work at this cool-as-a-dreamsicle shop.

Random Post

2007-07-11T10:29:00.000-06:00

This has been a very blah, draggy kind of week for me so far. Just haven't felt up to much creating. My husband and I rented The Last Mimzy last night. It was very good, much more complex and thought provoking than your average kid's movie. I have always been partial to rabbits and Mimzy is certainly a cute one. Love the name Mimzy...been calling my hubbie and cat Mimzy for the past 24 hours. They ignore me of course. The idea of time travel is so fascinating. In the grand scheme of things, we really are only here for a brief blip in time. Life is fleeting and precious and beautiful. Wouldn't it be great to be able to travel through time?

After reading about the Angels for Brianna auction, I felt almost sick with sadness. How that mother had the strength to post blog updates on her daughter's condition, I'll never know. When faced with adversity, I guess we do what we have to do. All of those amazing pieces of art must certainly be infused with incredible love and hopefulness and positive energy. They are all very special. What a gracious, heartfelt offering these artists have made! A very sweet and tender act on their part for a loving family in grief.

This morning, my mother phoned to tell me that one of my high school classmates had passed away. Growing up in a small Texas town is not perhaps the best place to be if you are gay. This young man was sweet, funny, kind, and creative, and, unfortunately was often misunderstood, rejected, and teased. My heart aches for him and his family and friends.

There is one powerful lesson I learned from his life. He modeled being true to one's self. As hard as it must have been, he was just himself - sweet, witty, creative, flamboyant at times. (Once he came to school with green hair. Oh dear..small town scandal!) He had the courage and the self-worth to be himself. He didn't adapt just to fit in or to fly under the radar. He sang his song loud and clear. I so admire his spirit and for walking his own walk. I've been thinking about him all day long.

Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer guys. Sometimes life is harsh and we need to get still and be quiet and just rest our heavy hearts. Here are a few pics of some recent junking finds and a photo of a hand-me-down Mimzy soaking up the sun.

The Mosaic Conundrum

2007-07-03T21:34:00.000-06:00

Several years ago, I spied some beautiful stained glass-type windows in one of my favorite stores. I saved my money and after many months, decided to purchase a couple for my kitchen windows. I am not the domestic sort (see that big dead fly on the left of the sill?) but when I unload the dishwasher or work in the kitchen, it makes me happy to see this flash of color. The windows are actually not stained glass at all. They are old
windows with the glass intact. The artist has arranged various glass tiles and pieces, glued them to the glass, and then grouted to fill in the blank spaces. It seems a lot less complicated than stained glass. (I'll take a tube of glue over a hot soldering iron any ol' day.) But, unlike stained glass, you really only get the brilliant colors from one side.

Two years ago, I was asked to donate something handmade for a charity event. I cut pieces of plywood and glued mosaic tiles directly onto the wood. It was fun to lay out the different designs and they were fairly simple to make. (I apologize for the quality of these photos...awful, I know.) I am really not into bright colors or glass for that matter, but it was interesting to work with this medium...kind of like putting a puzzle together; and, the stained glass effect brought back fond childhood memories of staring out the color-filled windows of Jesus and the Virgin Mary instead of listening to the priest.

I then decided to try my hand at making a mosaic window. As you can see, I lost interest before I even got the thing grouted. Even though I used Weldbond glue (which is recommended for mosaics and supposed to dry clear), you can still see glue marks on the clear circle pieces. That kind of ruins it for me. Not sure what I did wrong there, but if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.

My next foray into mosaics was at Art & Soul in Laurie Mika's class. I had never taken a class from Laurie, and while I think her art is amazing, I wasn't sure I had what it took to be a mosaic kind of girl. Well, turns out I didn't. Below is another unfinished project that I have almost pitched in the trash countless times. In fact, just to take these photos, I had to dig in the garage and finally found this sad forgotten piece under an old cat litter box and my husband's tools. At one point, I thought it had potential, but now...well, let's just say it's been relegated to the land of unfinished art...kind of like Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys. Oh well, I tried. At least it has the ungrouted window along with Hermey (the elf who prefers dentistry over making toys) to hang out with.

Cut-n-Paste

2007-07-03T19:28:00.000-06:00

Like many artsy-craftsy types, I am addicted to magazines. I subscribe to about 20 and then have others that I purchase regularly off the stand. I know it's cheaper to get a subscription, but I love being able to have the immediate gratification of a new magazine so I purposely don't subscribe to a few of my faves so I can snatch them up as soon as they hit the stores. I love that magazines are highly visual, colorful, immediate, and come with a low commitment. You don't have to read them in a linear fashion and they don't require a full attention span. They're fun, they're fast, and then they're out of your life. Love that! Many of the images are so enchanting to me that I cut them out and paste them into blank journals to create my own visual inspiration book. (Come to think of it, if I could cut and paste photos from all the amazing art blogs out there, I would do that too!)

Most of the images I love come from Country Living, Country Home, ME's Home Companion, Marie Claire Ideas, and many of the Somerset publications. I like to cut and paste while watching TV, usually right before I go to bed. I find it relaxing. I've been doing this in one form or another since college. I've always been crazy about babies and children...always wanted to be a mom one day, so the first book I made was simply a collection of baby photos. Cute babies, bald babies, ugly babies, fat babies - all kinds and sorts. Several years after college, probably during a move, I was overcome with a wave of embarrassment and threw it away.

In fact, the first time my new husband asked me what I was doing (cutting and pasting in front of the TV), I had a flash of embarrassment and well....how do I explain this? What the heck am I doing anyway? Did I not get enough art in kindergarten or something? Shouldn't I have better things to do with my time?

Even if my sweet aerospace engineer husband doesn't quite get the point of it, he does respect and support me and my hobby and all that it entails. In the end, it's just one of those things that I like to do. Sometimes I'll add a bit of ribbon or writing or outline a picture with Stickles, but the process is very haphazard and is not meant to be pretty or organized. It's just a collection of interesting images that speak to me and make me feel good. Perhaps this is the modern day's version of a Victorian scrapbook. Hmmmm....wonder if they'll end up in an antique store one day?

A Motley Crew

2007-07-02T21:08:00.002-06:00

What do you get when you mix 11 people, 4 birthday celebrations, 5 dogs, 1 cat, a boatload of barbeque, a Nerf footbal game, homemade ice cream, jet ski rides, a fireworks display, a dog parade, and an intense game of Chickenfoot? A recipe for a fun, if not chaotic, 4th of July!

A Good Mail Day

2007-06-28T11:06:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a very good mail day. Kari's ribbons arrived and I got to admire their sweet detail up close. I love them and decided to hang them from an old mirror on my mantle. Thanks Kari for the great swap and all the extra goodies you threw in...what fun!

The canvas below is from the talented Corey Moortgat who has a new book coming out soon. Corey's art has such a soft, ethereal, other-worldly feel to it. She works with a lot of pastel, muted colors and well...her art just has a yummy marshmallow feel to it. I want to eat her art! Her baby books for her two cutie-pie sons are total inspirational eye candy. Can't wait to see them featured in an upcoming Somerset Studio publication. Thanks so much Corey...I love this piece!
Not much else going with me...just gearing up for the big 4th of July weekend at the lake. (It's so weird to have the 4th fall on a Wednesday this year.) Tonight I have a date with the Miss Potter dvd and these two fun reads.

Remember These?

2007-06-26T20:16:00.000-06:00

A picky eater, I was not a fan of the school cafeteria and brought my lunch to school every single day. Picking out a lunch box every fall was perhaps the most important school decision a kid could make. Choose the wrong one and your social status was destined to go down a peg or two. You were stuck with it all year so it had better be cool.

Personally, I was a Snoopy kind of girl, occasionally lured over by Holly Hobbie. Eventually, I graduated to The Bionic Woman and Charlie's Angels. I began collecting vintage metal lunch boxes about 15 years ago. Today I have about 120 which is a little less than a fourth of the total number produced. They bring back a wave of school memories - some good, some not so good. It's funny to smell those musty food odors in the boxes. What is it about those smells? Are they radioactive...they linger for years!! Once, I found a box and it still had a dime taped on the inner lid (for emergencies). Others are covered with Wacky Packages stickers. Each surely has its own story to tell.

Vintage metal lunch boxes are quite collectible today. Two of the more coveted ones are The Jetsons dome box and the Star Trek dome box. (I have neither.) Metal lunch boxes slowly began to be phased out in the 1970s, when a small group of concerned mothers from Florida began a well-organized campaign. Apparently, some kids (it's always the bullies who ruin things!) were whacking other kids in the heads with these things and causing permanent damage and chaos. (Hey, maybe they were just trying to put a few dents in and rough it up a bit so they could plead with mom for a new one.)

Alas, the trend of metal lunch box as weapon caught on and production of all metal lunch boxes stopped around 1986-1987. Two of the latter boxes produced were Sly Stallone's Rambo and The Transformers. Now, other than the cute metal repros, kids have to take the "safe" plastic boxes to school. Every time I look at my lunch boxes, I smile. Unfortunately, my husband and I are still living in my single-girl house. Translation: lunch boxes are packed away in the attic. But, one day, when we have more space, I will take them out, dust them off, and display them on high shelves in a game room or maybe a retro-themed kitchen.

A few of my favorites are: H.R. Pufnstuf, The Flying Nun, The Partridge Family, The Bugaloos, and The Beverly Hillbillies.

Do you remember which one you carried to school?

Nifty Thrifty Finds

2007-06-26T11:08:00.000-06:00

First, I have to say how thrilled I was yesterday to read all my new comments. Thank you all so much! I felt like Sally Field, "They left comments! They really left comments!!" (I'm such a dork...I insisted that my husband read every one of them!) The beauty of the Internet and blogland is becoming very clear to me - it's about CONNECTIONS and SHARING and feeling like, "Hey, somebody out there kind of gets me" and "Someone out there is into this too! Is there a better feeling in the world than that?

Now, I feel even more motivated to blog more frequently and to stop second guessing myself so much and just put it out there. I was reading Lauren's blog and she spoke of how easy it is to get intimidated by all of the amazing talent out there. I so respect and admire Lauren's work that it dawned on me that if SHE feels this way, then it truly must be a universal feeling. On a daily basis, I feel like I don't have any idea what I'm doing and most of what I make is just pure crap and not worthy of a picture much less a blog post.

Not the best attitude for creating, I know. I'm working on it. So thanks, you guys, for the encouraging words.

These are a few items I found over the past few months, some at local antique malls and some at vendor night at Art & Soul Hampton.
I find it hard to resist the Victorian scraps...just the history and story about them. Can you imagine all the girls long ago cutting those images out and glueing them down in scrapbooks?
They, too, must have liked collecting pretty images and papers and bits of ribbon. Like-minded spirits from another time.

As fun as it is to scout for these treasures, I realize it is time for me to cool my jets and get to creating. I just love foraging so much! (My Italian grandma was an antiques dealer (not fine antiques...just beat up, chipped up junk so I think it's in my blood.) If there were a 12-step program for junkers and antique shoppers, I would don a wide-brimmed hat and dark sunglasses and sign up today. Does anyone else have this problem? Oh well, they say the first step is admitting that you have a problem. I've done that so I think that's enough honesty for today.

Paper Planet

2007-06-25T10:19:00.000-06:00

These are just a few of the papers that Julie has over at Paper Planet. Right next door is a bakery...how about that for sensory overload...sweets and papers - a perfect combo! These pictures are not the best and don't quite pick up the amazing detail. Some are glittered. Some are flocked. Some are sewn with metallic thread. Some are sewn and glittered. Some are embossed.

One thing's for sure, they are all fun and ready to be made into pretty little things.

Address is:

Paper Planet
6511 East Lancaster Avenue
Ft. Worth, Texas 76112

817.451.8898

Ribbons for Kari

2007-06-25T00:12:00.001-06:00

I have had sooo much fun working on my first ever swap with the amazing Kari, aka artsymama. Three decorated vintage horse ribbons in mint, pink, and yellow are all dressed up in their finest party clothes and are patiently waiting to be shipped to Minnesota. Kari is such a sweet and generous person and, as we all know, an amazing artist and blogger. I am new to the blogging community and her blog, writing style, artwork, and special way of uniting the cyber-artist community have been a real inspiration to me. Take a peek at her blog and see the fabulous goodies she made for me. Ooooohhh...I can't wait to see my postman!

What A Wonderful Year...

2007-06-24T19:13:00.000-06:00

Today is our first wedding anniversary! It seems like only yesterday that we were planning a wedding, in a whirlwind of activity. We were married at the wedding chapel in The Venetian Hotel in fabulous Las Vegas. Vegas is my mother's most favorite place in the world (yes, we are quite fond of our addictions) so it was only fitting that we tied the knot there. It was a very elegant and intimate affair with only a few guests. We stuck to an old style Vegas theme and only played romantic Rat Pack tunes. We worked so hard on perfecting our wedding dance (to Frank Sinatra's I've Got the World On a String ). I was the confident one in rehearsals...my husband...not so much. But when it came for our first dance, I had drunk so much champagne that I completely forgot all of the dance steps! Thank goodness my husband was channeling Fred Astaire and came through in the end.

Our wedding cake was so whimsical and fun...I made the cake toppers out of foam core and then glittered the backs. Of course, Cosmo Kitty had her place on the garden of love cake. One of the happiest days of my life...isn't love grand?

As you may know, first anniversaries are symbolized by paper. Pretty cool for an artsy crafty girl. I gave my husband NASCAR tickets (as he is a huge fan) and he gave me three antique, mid-19th century journals. One is filled with beautifully handwritten receipts from a general store and the other two are filled with handwritten recipes and cooking related clippings from old newspapers. I am one lucky girl! Forget copper and crystal....who needs leather or pottery...I'll take paper any and every year...well, except maybe for diamonds. Diamonds are ok.

Pretty Papers

2007-06-13T19:54:00.000-06:00

Last week, I ventured to the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington, Texas to check out new product lines. They pretty much had the same things on the shelves of my local scrapbook stores. There was one booth, however, selling cards and invitations that caught my eye. On the floor were three baskets of beautiful handmade papers, all rolled up and tied with sassy bows.

What is it about paper? I've been in love with paper since I was a little girl. All of you out there who can relate...well, we must be from the same planet or something. Anyway, as I was walking around with my bags of pretty bundled papers, one lady said, "Excuse me for asking, but what are you going to do with those?" Me: "Uh...make stuff." It's paper, lady! You can do anything with it. So what WILL I do with it? I'm thinking these might be a major ingredient for some type of Silver Bella swap.

Add a dash of glass glitter, a bit of ribbon, a strip of crepe paper, and some vintage baubles and it might just appeal to some of those crafty Bella babes. I don't know though...the creative stakes are pretty high with this uberly talented group. Now I'm off to snuggle up with a steaming cup of herbal tea and this hot-off-the-press book.

Stephanie Jones-Rubiano

2007-06-13T18:31:00.001-06:00

I am fortunate to have two pieces of Stephanie's work. (I apologize for the quality of these photos...they do not do her pieces justice.) Her art is whimsical, enchanting and so beautifully crafted. Vintage materials and found objects give her work a timeless and other-worldly feel. Her meticulous attention to detail really shows the love and perfectionism she pours into each piece. I love how she put "no peeking" under the little girl's skirt. One of my very favorite artists and an incredibly nice person, (don't hate her...she's beautiful too!) and now...she has an etsy shop. Get ready to click!

Traci Bautista's Class

2007-05-30T15:33:00.000-06:00

Traci Bautista has a style all her own: funky, colorful, and playful! In this class, we made a fusion macrame journal using Traci's trademark paper towel/paint/stamping method.

Another instructor who moves quickly, Traci had us painting, blotting, stamping paper towels and papers to use later in our book. Her classes are always such a whirlwind of activity and soooo much fun.

Juliana Coles' Workshop

2007-05-28T19:31:00.000-06:00

I took two classes from Juliana Coles, an amazing artist and instructor. Her first class, The Pirate's Code: Extreme Journaling was unlike any other I've ever taken at Art & Soul. When the instructor dresses up as a pirate complete with an eye patch, you know you're in trouble. This is the real thing. She's not joking around. The girl takes her art seriously and she wants you to follow suit.

Now, I have to admit...the authentic pirate music (where does she find this stuff?) was a bit much, but I admire her for structuring the class the way she did. No frivolous talking with your neighbor and don't you even think about turning on your ipod. We were there to be challenged, pushed, annoyed, inspired, frustrated, and ultimately free to authentically express our creative selves. Outcome was not important.

The end product was completely irrelevant. The creative juice lied in the process, in the doing, in the feeling, in the journey, in the touching of our stuff.

In short exercises, we worked on journal pages and just put it down, in whatever format and style "it" wanted to come out. No time to think or plan or redo. Doesn't matter
if you like it. Doesn't matter if you hate it.

Just capture the moment. That's all we ever have anyway...just express who you are at that time. It's all good...being yourself and
expressing your most essential self is a rare and beautiful thing. This is the kind of class where, if you really want to get the most out of it, you buckle up and dig deep. I couldn't get enough of it!

Honesty is so damn powerful.
I was lucky enough to have the most wonderfully fun people at my table. Don't you just love when that happens? We all just clicked and there was an amazing amount of trust
and comfort present. Jen, Cynthia (the dynamic mother/daughter duo), Jill, Carol (and the other lady's name I forgot)...You Rock!

The other class, Diarist Sectional: A Daily Aide, was equally awesome. We took a vintage book
and ripped out the pages.

In brief bursts of time, we madly collaged multiple papers with all kinds of layers of this and that. Then we cut the collages up and glued them, in tab form, back in the book. This was such a cool project and fairly simple to do. Once the tabs were in, we went back and did more journaling and collage work. Each tab is supposed to visually represent a day in your life. Such a fantastic experience...if you
ever get the chance, I highly recommend Juliana Coles.
That girl is truly one of a kind and you will walk away with a very powerful and personal experience.

Michael deMeng's Class

2007-05-28T18:40:00.000-06:00

I took the fabulous Michael deMeng's Lightbulb Shrine class and made these two creations. Wasn't pleased with either one of them, but I just love taking classes with Michael. He is such a warm soul and talented instructor and, well, his classes are loose and fun, just the way I like 'em. The completed shrines were just amazing. I'm telling you they were all so cool and other-wordly...mine just stunk in comparison, but I had a great time anyway.

Michael's new book, Secrets of Rusty Things is out now, as is his new line of stamps and they are both so amazing! He doesn't do cutesy. Even though I find myself always "girling" everything up (hello...cupcake ballerina and ninja turtle?!) I like to push myself in a direction that I'm not naturally inclined to go.

I took his Holy Hot Wheels class in Portland last year and made the funky three cars you see below. At the end of class, he set up the race track and we put our cars to the test. My skull car was a finalist but, alas, it didn't take the prize. Great memories, though, and another wonderful class.

If Cosmo Could Talk

2007-04-26T17:25:00.000-06:00

Hey You!

Stop making art and feed me some crunchies.

The Martha Stewart Line...

2007-04-25T20:42:00.000-06:00

has arrived! Well, the domestic diva has struck again with her new craft/scrapbooking line at Michaels. I am often in this store picking up supplies and one of the employees told me that they were given strict directives by Martha's handlers to clear out all merchandise from the first aisle to make room for her products. They did this and apparently Martha's "people" said the lighting was inadequate on the first aisle and made them move everything off the second aisle. They also said they cannot tag her products like they tag their other merchandise. She certainly is a control freak...worried about her pristine image and all...ha ha. Anyway, my first impression of her line is that it's nice, very well-made, and a bit predictable. Lots of eyelet cards and envelopes, gift wrap paper, colored glassine paper in tubes, sticker tags, cupcake and pastry boxes and accoutrements, markers, stamps, various glues, glitters, self-healing cutting mats, pom-pom kits, ribbon boxes, etc. The biggest surprise was the size of her largest scrapbook. It's ginormously huge....like 20 x 20! The papers for it are 18 x 18! I guess if you wanted to make an over-the-top, larger-than-life scrapbook, this might be kind of fun. But, I'm telling you it's so big, I don't know how you would store the thing. If you've been pining for a big canvas to play on then check it out. I think it's about 80 bucks. Here are a few things I picked up...white label stickers and glittered letters...a set of six different colored baker's twine...various glues...seam binding ribbons and several bottles of fine and course glitter (it's not glass, but the colors are spectacular). It's so much fun to create with new supplies.

On a spur of the moment decision, I have decided to attend the Art & Soul retreat in Virginia. I leave next Thursday so, unfortunately, no time to make swaps. With the extensive class supply lists, it's a chore to find everything and get packed! Many of the classes were already closed, but I signed up for one paper arts class, one assemblage class, and two journaling classes. I'll be sure to share my creations when I return. As Ms. Stewart would say, "It's a good thing."

A Surprise Excursion

2007-04-09T22:39:00.000-06:00

My sweet husband surprised me with a trip to San Francisco and the wine country for some much needed rest and relaxation. I've been to CA many times before, but I had forgotten how beautiful it is there. The cool sunny weather. The gorgeous flowers. Good grief! Now, I really get why people will pay big bucks to live there. We spent two days in the city taking in the sights. We walked the Filbert steps, ate dim sum in Chinatown, drank beer in Haight-Ashbury, and chilled out in Golden Gate park.

Instead of wearing flowers in my hair, I wore them between my toes! After spending an afternoon visiting Sausalito (the best fish and chips!) and Tiburon (what amazing views!), we headed north and spent six days in the wine country.

My favorite thing was walking among those amazing redwoods...such a spiritual experience. I wanted to hug all of the trees and soak up their wise, life-affirming goodness.

We picnicked on the beach and regressed to 12-year-olds when we threw pieces of roast chicken to the seagulls. Wow! I didn't really think about those birds being carnivores, but as Jim put it, "If they'll eat clams on a rock, they'll eat chicken on a Mustang." We had to find the nearest car wash soon after, but it was worth all of the laughs.

We toured vineyards, went hiking, ate fresh, flavorful food, and of course, drank loads of wine.

This trip was the perfect antidote to our stressed out lives. My battery is recharged! Thanks, Babe.

Hippity Hoppity...

2007-04-06T18:50:00.000-06:00

...Easter's on its way! The gold foil rabbit and Faberge eggs were made at my local Recollections. Wishing everyone a basket full of bunnies, chocolates, and easter eggs, and a joyous and relaxing Easter holiday!

Small Treasures

2007-03-23T22:39:00.000-06:00

There is still plenty of good junk to be had in small Texas towns. Had to stop at one roadside antique store on the way to see the folks. My heart goes pitter patter every time I see vintage valentines, buttons, baby photos, or horse ribbons. Can't wait to make art with some of these items.

Just a little something to cheer me up for not being able to attend ArtFest or Art Unraveled or Art & Soul this year. I'm going through a challenging time, and circumstances have made it difficult for me to travel this year. I really appreciate all the awesome bloggers out there who document their travels and experiences at these retreats. Vicarious thrills are better than none at all!

Cool Country Cows

2007-03-23T21:28:00.000-06:00

Took a trip home to see my parents, and, as always, I got a great home-cooked meal and a visit to the country. My dad has cows that often have twins. (Is this common?) Unfortunately, mama cow doesn't always recognize one of the calves as her own and refuses to let it nurse. It's nothing new to my dad and a pain in the rump to give the calf a bottle twice a day, but it's always fun for a city mouse like me.

Meet Jack. He has an appetite as big as his eyes and sucks a bottle like a pro. What a cute milk mustache! He's doing pretty well, although he may need years of therapy for abandonment issues. Man, farm life is harsh!

After feeding Jack, we (well, I watched) loaded hay onto the trailer and drove to the ranch to feed the other cows. Rosco expertly picked up the round hay bales and placed them on the trailer. Other cows came running to get a nibble of the hay before we pulled off. Then, we carefully made our way through town (slow on those turns!) and delivered the hay. Daddy honked the horn a few times to let the cows know we'd arrived and, a few minutes later, here they came. Jogging over the hill. Mamas and their babies and one ginormous bull.

Farm livin' is the life for me!!

Spring has Sprung

2007-03-07T11:50:00.000-06:00

The birds are chirping and the Bradford pears are beginning to bloom...just a few signs that spring has definitely arrived here in the Dallas area. We'll reach a high today of 74 degrees. Yes!

Like many, I'm enamored with clear glass containers of all shapes and sizes to hold objects of art and supplies. My desire to have more of these containers is only halted by my limited counter space. In fact, I now choose the supplies I want to work with and haul them down to the kitchen table. (Luckily, my sweet husband lets me run amok.) Is it crazy to want to buy a bigger house just so I can have a bigger art room? Is there a support group for people who buy so many supplies and flea market trinkets that they have no room to create? I just finished
reading the new Sophie Kinsella novel, Shopaholic and Baby. This is super light and fluffy reading, but I love reading about the main character's shopping excursions. Vicarious thrills. And yes, I know I need help!

This antique cherub picture was spotted by a friend of mine in Ames, Iowa. It's one of my favorite things.

The paperbag book below was made in Lesley Riley's class. Lesley is a great teacher and I had a great time in her class. In her sample project, the pages were glued together so I followed suit. I'm not quite sure what to do with something like this. I wish now that I had opted to keep the pages loose so I could journal in it. Ah well, live and learn.

The fabric art journal at the bottom was made in Pam's class. (This one opens and is great for journaling.) Does that girl rock the art world, or what?!! What a sweetheart! She gave me my first sewing lesson ever!! Love her and her
awe-inspiring blog. Have a great day, blogger buds.

Just Putting It Out There

2007-03-04T18:16:00.000-06:00

A few years ago, my mom gave my brother and me the cutest scrapbooks for our respective pets. I volunteered to do his and have just now (don't cha love procrastination) gotten around to finishing it. The narrator of the scrapbook is Pez the Pomeranian, and as you can see, he is quite large for his breed. He tells a little about himself and his favorite things to do. This book, like many other store bought scrapbooks, has plastic page covers. I'm ready to move on from these as part of the fun and delight of scrapping and journaling is feeling the page and all the textures it holds. I realize that I tend to put myself in a box and sometimes resist new techniques. I've been putting off working on my wedding album because, of course, I want it to be perfect and I'm scared to begin. No page protectors. No manufactured album that will look dated in ten years. No cutesy-pie embellishments. Uhhhh....okay....how do I start? You see, I have an art room filled to the brim with cutesy-pie embellishments, and while I still think they are fun, I don't really want to use them. Most of the artists and scrappers I admire use few if any manufactured embellishments. Their own style and flair come through with authentic vibrancy and clarity. Their art is their own. I am still searching for my brand.

One of my biggest challenges is trying to break my perfectionism habit. I mean, I was the kindergartener who would not go to bed unless all of my clothes and accessories for the next school day were all carefully laid out. The thing I'm (still) learning about the creative process is it doesn't work so well if you're tightly wound up in rules and shoulds and should nots.

As much as I still habitually lean towards playing by the rules, I am making a conscious effort to listen to the true music of my heart and express myself with great abandon, to make huge messes, basically, to make a lot of ugly, crappy art. Because if I don't allow myself, no cheer myself on in the making of bad, crappy art, how will I ever get to the sweet stuff? It's all about loving ourselves and being kind to ourselves, day to day, minute by minute. Not an easy task perhaps, but certainly a worthwhile and lifelong endeavor.

Day Trippin' and Junkin'

2007-02-18T21:08:00.000-06:00

Hubby and I took a drive to Forney, Texas, last weekend. Yes folks, Forney...rhymes with horny and their official school mascot is the (drum roll please)...jackrabbit. Hee hee. Lots of warehouses filled with all kinds of furniture. Since we are bursting at the seams in the house we are in, I'm not in the frame of mind for buying large pieces, but it's always fun to look. If...no, scratch that, WHEN I have my dream art space, I would love to have a religious statue of Mary to look over and supervise my creative messes. Or maybe a carnival-esque french fry dude to spice up my muse. It was so trippy to see all the life-size statues. One of the warehouses in particular was really cool and creepy. Taxidermic animals (I am both repelled and intrigued by them), mannequins, parts of carnival rides - I wouldn't want to be trapped there at night! Other than that local jaunt, we have been laying low these days. Hope you're having a great week.

A Glimpse of the Madness

2007-01-30T22:25:00.000-06:00

I made this inspiration bulletin board a few years ago after
seeing a similar one in Ballard Designs. It's an evolving canvas
that reflects what I'm into at the moment.

These antique cookie containers came from my Italian grandmother. They're perfect for holding rolls of ribbons.

The softie bear is a favorite etsy purchase from the talented M. Patrizio.

More goodies to inspire my creative juices...

the baby and bird are made by the talented Nicole Bowen

The naughty little dolls are from this girl and the fancy birdie is from one of the sweetest, most genuine people, Alicia.