Thoughtful Creations

Happy Halloween! And a new pic of Hanna!

2011-10-31T22:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween! Hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween... I know Abby is pooped; she scored 230some pieces of candy and spent time with her friends. I was so glad to have some catch up time with Stacie.

Last weekend we took a visit to the farm (missing the almost 3.4" of snow here in western MD). You might remember our little Hanna that we hatched from an egg. We weren't sure if he'd recognize us (since it's been a few months) but I think he did remember! He kept checking us out and finally let Emily hold him... What a BIG guy... but still smaller than the other rooster he hangs out with... and WAY better looking!
I think he has a fan club too... many of the chickens kept following him around.

Anyway, it was so great to spend time on the farm. To get away from the craziness and just have carefree fun!

Oh! I almost forgot! I finally received my sketchbook (Arthouse Sketchbook Project) in the mail today! I'm so excited to start it. I have a flood of ideas in my heard... I hope they turn out! Stay tuned for my journey!

Have a great week and HAPPY NOVEMBER!

Update and a NEW PROJECT!

2011-10-20T19:14:00.000-04:00

Ok... I know it's been too long. I have been crazy busy. School is kicking my butt... anatomy and physiology is turning out to be a semester of memorization. And you know, my brain is not as fresh as it once was :)
Today we dissected a cat. Learning all the muscles (humans are very close in muscular makeup to cats), how they work and preparing for tests and practicals one after another is testing my stamina.

Anyway, I did take a picture of the cat today... but I think I might not share that here because it's pretty sick.
If I could share the smell of formaldehyde through the internet, I might consider that.

Either way, I'm still alive... and very apologetic for not posting more often.

On a fun note:

I signed up for a the 2012 Sketchbook Project! (Thank you, Stacie, for introducing me to this fun adventure)... and I AM SO EXCITED! Here's the scoop from the website:

It's like a concert tour, but with sketchbooks.

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the world.

After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.

Anyone - from anywhere in the world - can be a part of the project. To participate and have us send you a sketchbook that will go on tour, start by choosing a theme to the right.

If you are interested in learning more, please check out the 2012 SKETCHBOOK PROJECT!
You still have time to sign up and you can use a coupon/promo code: "ETSYHIGHFIVE" to get $5 off!

I can't wait until my blank sketchbook arrives. I picked the theme, "In 10 Minutes" since I plan to work in increments of 10 mins at a time... give or take a few here and there :) So please stay tuned to take this journey with me. I'd love your ideas too as I go along... God knows I need all the advice and ideas I can get!

I promise to post again soon. In the meanwhile, let me know how you are doing... I miss all the art so I'd love to hear what you are doing.

Our Dodge 'Journey'

2011-09-26T09:58:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago Dodge started a promotional campaign for their 2012 Journey. They put out internet clues and planted 3 red Journeys in the US. The east coast journey took place this past weekend and we (all 5 of us) took the trip!

We took a 10 hour trek towards Albany and into Vermont on Friday, stopping along the way for food and bathrooms... We stayed in Lake George, NY for the night and started out fresh in the morning. Checked into another hotel on Sat night in Middlebury VT (nice town...).

I have to say I am disappointed in Dodge for changing the contest halfway thru. They didn't stay true to the contest format that most people were counting on. We never had a chance. In fact no one had a chance until at least noon on Sunday... and it ended up in Maine @ Mosquito Harbor (anyone who knows my hubby knows we are NOT going any where near a place with that name :) )

But at the very least we were able to spend 60+ hours of quality family time together... really 60 hours!

I have to hand it to the kids... they are troopers! They got up this morning and were both in school on time! One in time to film the morning announcements and the other ready for picture day!

anyway... it was a weekend to remember. Not sure if driving to VT in one day is a smart idea... but it's something we will be talking about for a long time!

Kindle Covers are Ready!

2011-09-13T09:15:00.002-04:00

The quilted Kindle Covers are finally ready for the store!

They are now available at the MUSE!

Also I am dropping of some Halloween, Thanksgiving and other assorted cards... Like I said.... I can't seem to stay away~ LOL!

Had a great weekend... spend a day in the trees, climbing and zipping at Sandy Spring Adventure Park for Emily's 12th birthday and took a class on Zentangles taught by Stacie! And to top it off... The Philadelphia Eagles win their first game of the season... YEA!

Hope your days are going well too~ I'm off to school.......!

new Kindle Covers at the Muse ...Soon!

2011-09-03T10:15:00.000-04:00

So I tried to stay away... but you know me... I love to make gifts! So I spoke to Whitney at the Muse and she is allowing me to bring in some Kindle E-Reader Covers! There are quilted and fully lined. I have a few different colors and styles in mind.

I will post a few pics when they are finished...

I think they should be ready for the store by Sept 12!
Thanks to Whitney for always allowing me this gateway for my work! ...

..... and yes! I am still taking classes. I just started my A&P 1 class and it is already daunting. But I'm up for the challenge! Speaking of which... I better hit the books! See you soon!

CORRECTION: Hanna is HAN

2011-07-30T09:12:00.000-04:00

It's official... this morning at precisely 7am Hanna let out 'HIS' first crow followed closely with a second attempt. At 2 months and a week, he is practicing his vocal skills. Good thing he's going to the farm on Monday... I don't know if we can handle a wake up call for the rest of the summer ...

So there it is... Our Hanna is officially HAN!

On a different note... I will be finishing up finals on Monday and then back to PLAYING! I have gazed longingly into my lonely studio. But for the month of August it will return to it's usual state of chaos. I can't wait!
I have some new techniques I want to try out... it's very exciting...~!

So thank you for all your patience this summer... and stay tuned to some interesting projects.

Birthday Celebration and a Gift for me!

2011-07-20T08:34:00.001-04:00

It's that time....~ Tomorrow is a dear friend's birthday and today we are meeting for lunch to celebrate!
I can't wait to see our little clan... it has been a long summer without my friends and this is the perfect opportunity to catch up~ !

I made this litle box for my friend and filled it with various ephemera along with a very special book - Four-Word Self-Help by Patti Digh.

Stacie first introduced me to this book and I love it and have gifted it many times. Despite it's title, it is not a self' help book... traditionally.

It is filled with meaningful four-word phrases that you can use in a variety of ways. My favorite... using them in art. In fact they are all parts or in whole someone's art. If you get a chance, check it out. Very inspiring!

And I will say, I had missed crafting these past few weeks. School and summer with kids have completely taken over my life and I hadn't set aside time to craft for myself. I really enjoyed making this project for my friend. Thank you Rene' for giving me a reason to spend some time creating... it's really a gift to me!

Introducing... our Hanna

2011-07-16T22:08:00.000-04:00

In June we went to our family egg farm and brought home a set of fertilized chicken eggs (or we thought they were all fertilized...)

We set all of them in an incubator and for 21 days we waited for our babies to arrive. Exactly on the 21st day we got just one cutee... our HANNA. "Hanna" means "one" in Korean. we have no idea if she's a girl or boy, but you can guess we are hoping for girl.

We are getting ready to take her back to the farm to reunite with her family... She no longer needs a heat lamp at night and spends a majority of her days grazing in the back yard.

Maybe we will try it again... it's so amazing!

Summer fishing!

2011-07-08T08:46:00.000-04:00

We've been doing some fishing this summer... just so happens that there have been some mild days with clouds that made for pretty comfortable conditions...( you know what it's like sitting in humid 100 degree weather in the sun. no fun).

Abby caught a load (I mean around 15) bass, sunnies and spots at our own Lake Linganore!

Em had the first catch of the night!

Last weekend we did some night fishing in at Choptank. It was perfect pretty clear weather with a slight breeze (perfect for keeping mosquitos away). You can catch several different fish here, but we have our poles set with bottom rigs and we mostly catch channel catfish. (Maybe also cause it's at night? - I'm no fishing expert...)
They put up a fun fight for the kids and it is rewarding since they bite pretty often!
Anyway, they were getting hits one after another and by 2am we had caught 7 (+1 small) cats...
Bry caught the largest of them,,, about 25" according to the ruler on our cooler :)
We let them all go since we don't eat them and trekked home! (getting home at a greuling 4:30am... but it was tons of fun and everyone's dying to go back soon!

One of Bry's cats!

Unloading a LOAD of Stamps on Ebay!

2011-06-29T16:06:00.000-04:00

well... the time has come. I sorted and sorted and sorted again through my 250 Stampin' Up stamp sets. All from my very first set (Greetings Galore I bought in 2000) to the newest additions.
From those I have managed to whittle down my "keepers" pile to about 50. I also have about 75 Papertrey Ink sets that I have not sorted... oh the pain...!

So I have started to sell my sets at bargain prices on ebay. So far I have sold approx 44 sets! So there's about 150 odd sets left!

These stamp sets have been my source of income, joy, comfort and creativity at times. It's hard for me to let them go, but it's comforting to know that they will end up in homes of other crafty people who love to stamp!

If you or someone you know is interested in purchasing stamp sets, you can check out my ebay page. there you will find auction style listings as well as reasonable BUY IT NOW prices that reflect the average completed (sold) prices on ebay. my seller name is IPPYHOLLERMOM and I have been on ebay since 2003 :)

Many of my listings start at $1 or $5 and I do combine shipping as well as ship overseas!

AHHHH! It's a jungle in here right now. taking pics, sorting, listing, packaging and shipping... it's a real store in here!
The kids are helping me and we are making a few bucks for fun summer activities! At least they benefit... :)

As for school, things are going great! FAST and GREAT! I am halfway thru the summer semester and actually keeping up with all the work. I think I might actually be able to do this!
I had my first lab practical last nite and I was able to identify all the pig parts! YEA! Now that's LIFE!

Hope you are all enjoying your summer! See you soon!

2 weeks into it...

2011-06-17T16:47:00.000-04:00

I used to think that time was flying by... but I think I may have been a little premature in that statement.

Time is NOW flying at breakneck speed!

Summer courses are no joke. You are listening, absorbing, reviewing, writing, regurgitating information and more all while trying to balance family, sustaining life (ie eating, drinking, exercising), sleeping and maintaining order. I haven't had much time extra time for fun things like art, friends and leisure... but yet. But as my life starts to normalize, I will work time in!

I did not want to add a real photo... you're going to have to trust me... this is better.

In 2 weeks I have thoroughly reviewed every aspect of the periodic table, scientific method, cell composition and respiration, pH, conductivity, fetal pig dissection, thermodynamic energy, classification, molecular diversity and more! I took bio during my first year of college but I am required to take it again as you need to have completed the course within 10 years of the start of clinical study. For me that was 16 years ago... lucky me :) Seriously though, I am so glad to be doing this.... I can honestly say I don't remember 75 to 80% of everything we are going over. And I feel for those students in my class who are struggling more than I am ~ since it has been such a help to me to have seen most of this before~ regardless of how little I recall...

Most of the students in my class have dissected something or another in the past. I, however, have not had the opportunity. When I was in HS we didn't dissect anything... and in college I took the bio elective which was minus the lab. So when it comes to lab assignments, it's all new to me~ I am enjoying it!

Anyway, the pace is incredible and surprisingly I am surviving. (I started very confident, then started to worry a bit... now I am gaining confidence again but looking towards another difficult hump - according to my professor, this next test next Thursday will prove to be the hardest of the semester sans the final.)

On a different note, I will say that despite the support that my family has shown, it has been a difficult transition going back to school. I miss spending all the extra time with the kids, I am not spending as much time with my hubby in the evenings and meals have become more for sustenance and less for conversation. I am hoping that come fall, things will return to normal as my classes will mostly be when the kids are at school.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow - A New Direction

2011-06-01T07:08:00.002-04:00

View of a full rainbow from my front door

It's been a very rewarding journey. In 2003 I started selling stamps and scrapbooking supplies through Stampin' Up! and then moved to making and selling handmade cards thru various vendor fairs, online Etsy and local Artisanal shops in MD!

How AWESOME to be able to sell my work, that I have made from raw materials with my own hands!

The reward is great!

Throughout this journey I have met so many people. From all different walks of life~ Nurses, artists, mothers, teachers and MANY more! I cherish each and every encounter and have learned a lot about myself from all of you.

I especially appreciate The Muse and Art Partners for believing in my work. For promoting me and backing me up each time I had ideas. Thank you Whitney, Susie and Barbara!

Now my journey is taking a little turn (ok - a Big turn). I have decided to leave my art for personal enjoyment and dedicate much of my time to going back to school - Radiological Technology. I have always believed that you never stop learning. There is always a new skill you can acquire that will enable you to further help others. Art is one way of touching people. And I have definitely been so fortunate to make art my job for these years.

So I have decided to start on this new road. My family and friends are supporting me (I do need it... I haven't taken a test in 14 years), and I feel confident in my abilities. And it helps that I'm going to school with my brother, who is 11 years younger than me, studying the same thing~ What a blessing! He said it perfectly... "When else in our lives would we ever be able to go to school together?"

I am going to continue to sell bits online as I continue to be creative and will stop selling at the stores.I will also continue this blog - sharing my personal art as well as interesting (hopefully) stories of a 35 year old, mom of two, as a student!

I am looking over the rainbow... to a new and exciting (and sometimes nerve-wracking) journey. I think I can... I think I can...

Memorial Day weekend! YEA!

2011-05-28T07:06:00.000-04:00

Time for sun, fun and family!

I love having these three day to spend just enjoying each other with no time restraints or schedules...

It's been a long month....

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

See you next week~!

Our first set of babies this year!

2011-05-24T12:20:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago a mommy and daddy chickadee (I think) started scoping out our gourd birdhouse for a possible new home site. ... and after a few visits, renovations and furnishings, they laid their set of 4 eggs. The mom diligently sat on those eggs and the dad made his unending trips for food...

Then without fanfare, the babies hatched! I saw four little beaks hungry for food... so cute!
Then today I guess they flew the coop! Except for this one youngster who is a little bit of a late bloomer. I gathered him up and tried to put him back in the gourd... but after a few minutes, he was trotting around again on his own. So I guess he's ready... or at least he is trying to be!

Good luck babe!

More paintings...

2011-05-18T20:26:00.003-04:00

Just had to make more... I think the blue haired woman (originally Taylor Swift) looks a lot like Kate Voegele.

I love this album, by the way :)

Hope you are having a great week!!!

An Unhurried Sense of Time...

2011-05-18T10:52:00.001-04:00

I have been taking a few days for me. Painting, collaging and just having some personal time.
Stacie showed me a technique she learned from 21 Secrets and I played a little today with it.
You take a magazine face and transform it (mold it) to your own.

Here's how my face turned out... PS. the face I used to start was J. Lo's! (Can you see it? of course, not!)
My daughter says it's missing something. Who knows, I might add more.

I tried to add colors to resemble a self portrait... drk hair and eyes... no bangs... etc...
It doesn't really look like me... but I still like it. I like the saying... because I am always struggling with time. I like the "unhurried" sense. I will try to be in such a hurry :)

You can get more information about 21 Secrets from Stacie's Blog and view her collage she made using this technique! added plus - You can check out a list of GREAT quotes on her blog post as well!

Well, I hope you are having a great week... I will post again later this week!

LOTS of LAYERS just for ME!

2011-05-10T17:20:00.003-04:00

I don't have too many days where I just make art for my enjoyment only. Usually I am making something for sale or as a gift. But today I had the opportunity to just mess around with a technique from the newest Somerset Studios Magazine I subscribe to ~ and I got to spend the day crafting with Stacie!

The project was to explore layers. And we really did put layer upon layer on this watercolor paper base. I love using PPA (Perfect Paper Adhesive). It's the first time I"ve used it and it works AWESOME in place of mod podge or gel medium. I belive it comes in both matte and gloss finish. I used Matte.
Acrylic paints, gesso, inks, water, sewing, stencils, stamps, ephemera and glimmer mists... all mediums I LOVE to use.

Here's how mine turned out!

In the end I cut it in half to make the front and back of my art journal (and it is definitely tough enough to handle cover wear and tear!)

I think Stacie put her's up on her blog! - TAKE A LOOK!

I had a MUCH NEEDED day of rest having fun with my friend and creating something I really like to look at. I hope to do it again very soon!

Happy MAY!

2011-05-02T16:25:00.000-04:00

April came and went... and fast! And with May comes a lot of changes!
The weather is beautiful, the plants and trees are growing, lots and lots of animal visitors in the yard and lots of new goodies!

The birds are busy foraging for materials to build their homes and prepare for new babies!
Why not a little sparkle and sturdy cottons?

This week I have some new colors for NEST BUILDERS. These metal cages are painted and then sealed with a weather proof spray and filled with organic and other fancy fibers. Some fabrics are pulled apart and everything is cut to no longer than 4 inches. All materials are safe and fun for birds.

When you run out of fibers, fill them again with your leftover yarns and strings! (remember, no longer than 4inches :) )

You can see more and purchase from my etsy store on sale now!

Mother's Day ... so soon?

2011-04-26T17:36:00.000-04:00

Just realized today... APRIL is almost over! How did that happen?
Well just in time for May, I have a couple Mom's day cards for the stores. here's one I made today using water color crayons, water, stamps and glitter!

Hope you are enjoying these last few days of April!

See you soon!

sewing... is not usually my thing ~ Nursing Cover Up

2011-04-15T18:31:00.000-04:00

Ask anyone who knows me... I love to sew on paper... not so much on fabric. Why? Because, in my opinion, fabric is too stretchy... it moves around sooo much. And sewing on any fabric other than cotton is a nightmare.
But a few days ago I saw my sister and she mentioned wanted a nursing cover up. I had never even seen one in real life, but have heard they exist.

I went online to buy one... and behold... $40. Hmmmmm. Having trouble swallowing that.
So I searched online for a tutorial on how to make one... BINGO!

I found LITTLE BIRDIE SECRETS. Step by step instructions on how to make this project. And so $6 and 2 hours later (please keep in mind sewing is not my forte.. it will take you far less time.) I have a gift for my sister! I hope she finds it handy :)

Paper Fabric FUN!

2011-04-14T18:36:00.000-04:00

Last night I taught a paper fabric bookmark class through the MUSE here in Frederick! It was such fun. All the projects turned out so cool and the people were even cooler!
With about 10 crafters... mixed in with a little cheese and wine... we had a party~!
Here are some photos I stole from Whitney's (The MUSE) blog...

Thank you to all who came to create with me... I am very happy to have met you and hope to work with you again soon! and thanks to Whitney, Margaret and the MUSE for having me!

Blogging for Lila - BLOG HOP

2011-04-11T06:00:00.025-04:00

Blogging for Smiles!

Stacie brought this to my attention last week when she signed up to blog on April 15. First, I am so encouraged and inspired by my dear friend who gives to others like there's no tomorrow. Her heart is full of love and charity - Thank you Stacie for passing to me, yet, another avenue to help out!

So this is why I picked today to blog - in honor of Stacie's birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

As a mother, artist and citizen of humanity, I am constantly compelled to find ways to make a difference. Some concepts are out of my reach, currently. But then other opportunities, like this one, come my way and it makes me feel excited and fortunate to participate. This is one way we can contribute to Lila's future happiness - Lila's continued smiles!

Lila has Cerebral Palsy and her family is trying to raise funds for a much needed Stem Cell Treatments. One this June and one a year later.

Here's some information about Lila (from Sarah Stevenson's blog):

You can read more about Lila and her family's journey at Mommy, You Know What? - a blog by Lila's mom, Maria. They have set of several fundraising events in addition to lots more information about Cerebral Palsy.
There are lots of ways you can help... participating in this blog hop is just one way to raising awareness and directing others to join forces.

Thank you for taking your time to check this out today.

Please "hop" on over to Denise's Blog - INKSTITCH - next (On April 14) for her posting for awareness!

And THANK YOU to Sarah Stevenson of What is Design for starting this wonderful way to share Lila's story!

A side note: I watched the movie - SOUL SURFER - yesterday. It was such an inspiring story of a young girl and her family's journey through an extremely difficult circumstance. This girl is amazing... through her situation she is able to give in ways she would've otherwise not have had the opportunity to - sharing her unique talent to bring happiness to others... check it out with your family if you get a chance.

"Oh, Deer"... Mom and babies visit me again!

2011-04-06T10:11:00.000-04:00

Last year in May a momma deer had her babies in our yard.

One in our bushes and one at the top of the hill in the trees...

This morning I took a peek outside and saw the momma and her deer visiting me again!

(Or - I want to believe that was them :) )

So... Let's just say it's so!

Hope you are having a great week!

PS... really looking forward to the Paper Fabric Class I'm teaching at the Muse next Wednesday!

If you are interested in this or other classes...

It's Wed April 13, 7-9pm

info here: THE MUSE

hope to meet you there!

Getting ready for Easter!

2011-03-31T10:11:00.000-04:00

Making Easter cards have always been a bit challenging for me. This year I am trying a different angle. Instead of all stamped images, I am using a bit of paper piecing. I have always liked the chick in egg image, so I am using that one this year :)

Here I adhered strips of ribbon to the background and pieced the egg on top of it using dimensionals.
Swarovski crystals detail the sentiment. and the inside is blank for your own personal message.

A couple weeks ago it felt like Spring was fast approaching... but now I'm not sure when winter will end. It's been so cold out... I am thinking ahead to our 60 and 70 degree days... hopefully they will be here soon!

New Easter cards at the stores this week and next...
See you soon!

Coming Up... Blogging for CP Awareness

2011-03-30T10:01:00.001-04:00

On April 11 I will be participating in a blog hop for Cerebral Palsy Awareness - Blogging for LILA.

If you are interested in sharing your blog space for this hop, check out Sarah Stevenson's blog!

This blog hop will last the whole month... so you pick a day that works for you!

Hope you will join!

New Wedding Card

2011-03-28T19:00:00.000-04:00

Last week I spent a lot of time designing new cards and also taking care of home business. It's amazing how much neglect your house shows when you put it aside for a few weeks. And with spring here... the exterior is starting to nag me as well :)

Tomorrow we have our monthly craft day... this time at Kathy's! I am looking forward to this once a month ritual with my friends. So in preparation for tomorrow, I designed this card so I can make several while enjoying mimosas and conversation.
It features a stamped cake cut out and popped up onto another layer. You can't see it here, but the cake is glazed along the edges and the heart is as well.
The sentiment says, "Congratulations" and the inside says, "May love be yours today and always."

I will also be cutting tons of yarn and other fibers for more birdcages. I hope to get those in the stores soon...

but for now you can purchase them on my etsy site :)

I'm hoping to get a couple more solid days of creating this week. I hope to have a new card to share with you by the end of the week!
Hope you are having a great day~ See you soon!

Welcome Baby Card

2011-03-15T17:42:00.001-04:00

While I have baby on my mind... Here's a Welcome Baby card!
Stamped, copic colored and glittered. I love the designer paper... by KI Memories "It's a Boy".
The buttons are coconut buttons and dyed brown. I machine stitched the seam in white.

I will have some this and the girl version card up on etsy and delivered to stores soon :)

I'm considering taking an online class that Stacie recommended.21 Secrets: An Art Journal Playground. I love learning new mixed media techniques! Check it out... it looks like fun!

Easy Glittery Cards...

2011-03-14T17:28:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I made cards like this. Colored in using copic markers and chalks. And a touch of ultrafine glitter for pop!

Looking forward to Easter and Mother's Day cards and these are perfect to put me in the soft, subtle mood!

I'm also going to stock the stores up with gift tags and baby, wedding & birthday cards soon!

Hoping to get at least a few days of solid work in this week... we will see~ Company coming tonight. See you soon!

**One more picture! It's so hard to put my little nephew down. He's so cute and smells so good! (I know... weird...lol).**

Amazing week! NEW BABY!

2011-03-11T08:04:00.000-05:00

Wondering where I've been all week?

I had the awesome experience of welcoming my very first nephew on Tuesday Nite (very nite). Jacob arrived after 24 hours of anticipation. He is healthy and perfect.
I am so happy for and proud of my sister and brother in law. And grateful that they allowed me to be a included in the entire event. All I can say is "AMAZING"!.

Last nite I took the girls to visit their cousin for the first time. Girls just fell right in love.

So now I will attempt a normal life again starting next week. I can't wait to get my hands on PAPER, INK and GLUE!
See you next week!

New Magazines - Somerset Studios & Cloth Paper Scissors

2011-03-06T11:42:00.001-05:00

I subscribe to two awesome magazines and drool while waiting for each one to arrive every other month! They both come within a few days of each other and I usually spend countless hours thumbing and re-thumbing thru them.
This month's issues (Mar/Apr 2011) are no different! I am so amazed at the detail that goes into the projects shown and love to read the back stories.

I am especially inspired and curious about one article in the Somerset Studios issue. Artists Making a Difference in places like Uganda, Kenya, Haiti and many other nations. Just sharing, teaching and living art. How one person can make such a mark in places that otherwise are filled with hurt and need; it's something that always tugs at my heart. One day I wish to be able to surrender to these callings as well.

You can read more about this article and see tons of amazing projects in the current (Mar/Apr 2011) issue of Somerset!

I'm looking forward to another great week! Spring is really starting to kick in. The temperatures are becoming a bit warmer and spring showers are in full swing. And not to forget, daylight savings next Sunday!
there are new cards available at Art Partners and the Muse now... and more to come soon~ If you have any theme requests or suggestions... let me know!
Have a great day! see you soon...

Etsy Treasury - LOTUS FLOWERS

2011-02-27T15:58:00.002-05:00

I finally took some time to make another Treasury on Etsy. I love how you can spend hours on end just checking out all the awesome products... You can click HERE to go directly to the etsy site and to purchase from these artists!

Treasuries are the perfect way to share the things that catch my eye!

This time my theme is LOTUS FLOWERS.

I am amazed at this mysterious plant. It starts in the murkiest mud and as it roots, & has the power to clarify it! It reaches towards the surface of the water with this extremely tough and flexible stem and finally blooms into a perfect flower!

It is the only flower that has a 90 degree temperature (which can warm everything around it) and each night it closes and descends into the water. When the sun rises, it too rises out of the water untouched by the impurity!

It blossoms for 3 days and then produces a seed to start the whole process over!

I really never knew how amazing these flowers were!

The lotus symbolizes the purity of heart and mind.

I hope you enjoy this collection~ And had a great weekend! See you soon...

Encouraging Swift!

2011-02-23T14:02:00.002-05:00

I've always loved the Swift! They are found a lot in artists' collages... I did a little research and the symbolism of the swallow is very encouraging.
"Swifts were seen as a symbol of good luck. Since they flew close to land then a sailor would know he was close to land once he saw a sparrow flying by the ship. This was a good sign as it meant a safe end to a dangerous journey."
I decided to use this encouraging bird in my newest card...

The stamp is from clear art stamps and the sentiment is Tim Holtz. The paper is Daisy D's. I did some machine sewing on four corners and raised the layer onto a Kraft cardstock which I dry embossed: Fleur De Lis.

I am battling a little cold this week and have been so slow on making cards. Mainly I am in the designing phase and will crank out the final choices soon. Tomorrow we get to play at Stacie's for our monthly meet! I'm hoping to get back to 100% next week.

See you soon!

PS. Good luck, Emily, at the Tech Fair tonight! YEA!

**Update**

Em and her partner placed 4th in the Design Challenge. It was a great experience for all of us. So proud of the girls for having the courage to get up in front of so many people and try their best in designing a marshmallow launcher! Great Job GIRLS!

Giraffes are sooo CUTE!

2011-02-22T13:53:00.000-05:00

Another baby card. This one is a little different in size. I thought it would match the length and shape of the giraffe's long neck :)

Stamped, distressed and raised on dimensionals... swarovski crystals and beautiful Basic Grey paper. Two corners of the layer are tucked into the brown layer.
Envelope is whisper white.

New Wedding Card

2011-02-21T10:00:00.001-05:00

Tis the season of love... mmmm Spring...!

So I am inspired by the new blossoms that will be breaking through in the coming months...
I made this wedding card with prima flowers and hand glittered them with ulta fine glitter. Jewels and dimensionals make this card pop! Elegant with clean lines and basic white layers.

I will be delivering cards to the stores soon! Baby and wedding and hopefully some birthday!
Hope you have a great week!

Young Authors County Entry ... My Emily!

2011-02-17T10:21:00.003-05:00

Emily wrote this winning poem as her entry for this year's Young Authors contest.

Tonight we celebrate with her teacher, Ms. Corridon at the new BOE building. We are so excited for and proud of Emily!

On a separate note... my friend posted this music video on facebook this morning and I think the tune is really catchy!

Enjoy your day and HAPPY WEEKEND! (a little early *wink!)

The White Rabbit...

2011-02-16T14:13:00.004-05:00

I have always loved Alice in Wonderland...
The story book and the movies are all such fun to read and watch!

This White Rabbit card is stamped in blk and colored with alcohol markers. The clock image is from a decorative wrapping sheet. Layered onto Basic Grey paper.

Sentiment says, "Why, sometimes I've believed in as many as six impossible things before breakfast. - Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There."

I have one more work day left this week... and then it's the weekend! YEA!
I hope you are enjoying your week as well!

It's SHOWER Time!

2011-02-12T13:43:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is my sister's baby shower! Little Jacob is due in just over one month... I can't wait to meet him.
I am busy today getting ready for the shower. We have close friends, good food andgreat fun planned for the day.

Quick Baby Girl card

2011-02-09T09:00:00.005-05:00

Hi... just passing thru today!

Had a baby girl card to share that I made last week... a onesie is stamped on to polka dot paper and then cut out. The bunny is stamped onto the front and flocked with white flocking and glue. I made a wire hanger out of 22 gauge copper wire in silver and put everything together on dimensionals. Stamped more polka dots on the yellow layer and raised that layer as well.
Stamped sentiment.

Love baby cards!

Fortune Cookie Valentines

2011-02-08T10:09:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is almost here!!! Yea! We just love this holiday around here.
This year Abby wanted to be a little different with her valentines. She requested these cute felt fortune cookies so she could write and tuck a special message into each one for her classmates. They were so simple to make! I watched a quick tutorial on youtube and got straight to work.
If you can not view the video, you can click on this link

Just a tip... the higher wool content in your felt, the better they will stand up and keep shape. I happen to have 35% wool available to me... but I would've preferred 100% wool.

Anyway, I will be able to finally slow down after this weekend. Baby shower, school party, out of town guests this week/end... all very fun things! I promise to get crackin' on new cards and have them delivered soon!
PS. the new tags are available both at Art Partners and the Muse!

I'm here... plugging away! Hope you have a great week too!

Baby shower cupcakes

2011-01-31T13:07:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned earlier, I am throwing my sister a baby shower in February. One of the most fun parts of planning a shower is the guest gifts.
This time I decided to go with something that each guest can use. Cozy Sock Cupcakes!
These were inspired by a seller on Etsy... I can't remember who now... but a simple search for sock cupcakes brings up several sellers offering similar things.
I just bought some cozy socks, rolled them and wrapped paper around them. The ribbon is a sewn felt ribbon and is adhered with mini staples. then the paper (Prima) flower is attached with a straight pin. That way the sock won't fall out of the paper (*wink)! I wanted them to look more like cupcakes... instead i think they look a little like flower pots. But Still I'm happy with them :)

That's all I got done today. My baby is home sick again, this time with stomach flu. So I am in full nursemaid mode, rubbing feet and just spending quiet time together. Why has this winter been so brutal?

Anyway, looks like more wintry weather tonight into tomorrow, so I may have both girls home! Hoping you are all safe and healthy out there!
See you soon!

Baby boy card!

2011-01-29T15:02:00.000-05:00

Since my sister is getting ready to have her first baby boy .. I've had a lot of baby on my mind! Today I made this cute baby elephant card for expectant parents!

I just love the simple-ness of this card... and yet the dry embossing and the metal frame really make it pop. It has a little bit of the "Pottery Barn" style to it... :)

Well as for other news... I apologize for not getting the tags and valentine's to Art Partners this week. Because of the snow, I never got the rest of the supplies... but all is well now! I will be sending out first thing on Monday!

I hope you have a great weekend!

Snowed in!

2011-01-26T17:36:00.000-05:00

Yea! A real snow day.

Time for cocoa, jammies and a book - Light in the Attic book (by. S. Silverstein).
This is one of our favorites! We seem to pull it out so often and have read each poem several times. But yet, it seems that we never get sick of them!

One poem that was especially hilarious to us today was "Peckin".
I'm not sure if it's cause we are giddy about the snow, or if we are just plain cabin feverish... but this one made us laugh so hard our guts actually hurt. Not to mention, added many new wrinkles to my face!
If i could find a picture of the illustration, I would definitely add it here... it is half the fun.

Here it is:

PECKIN'

The saddest thing I ever did see,
was a woodpecker peckin' at a plastic tree.
He looks at me and "Friend", says he,
"things ain't as sweet as they used to be."

So as you can see, I didn't get a lot of work done today. In fact... none! But we still had fun and are looking forward to sledding and riding tomorrow!
Stay warm friends!

New Tags for Spring!

2011-01-24T12:41:00.005-05:00

I am putting together a few new designs for the Spring Tag line.
The darker tags are 100% recycled material.
Each is hand distressed and inked. Stamped and strung.

Each is a set of four.

I will be sending this set off to Art Partners, Inc in Clarksville this week. Muse, next week.

Also, The paper fabric bookmark workshop class is going to be through the Muse (Frederick, MD) on Wed. April 13th from 7-9pm. I have taken several classes in the past and they have all been such fun!
You can sign up for this and other classes at www.shopthemuse.com! I'm so excited to be teaching my first class with the Muse!

Tomorrow the gals are coming over for a fun art day! I will be making Valentines! (for Abby's class).
I hope you are staying warm this week. It is really cold here lately... the heat just doesn't turn off! Hoping for spring soon...
See you later in the week!

Almost ready... Caps for Good

2011-01-14T14:43:00.001-05:00

A few months ago we started knitting caps for the Save the Children organization. So far we have 11 baby hats to donate! Thanks to Rene' and Stacie, i will be sending these in very soon!

If you have any to donate, Please send them to:
SAVE THE CHILDREN
c/o The Doe Fund
173 Cook Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206

Wire Hearts Valentines!

2011-01-13T09:53:00.001-05:00

So yesterday I made a bunch of wire hearts at Stacie's house. She showed me some wire techniques and set me free in her jewelry room! (I just love it!)

Here's a card a made! I hand sewed on the hearts and embossed the layer with dots.
Inside says, Happy Valentine's Day".

Hammered Hearts

2011-01-12T16:09:00.005-05:00

Yea! Snow day!

Actually... it didn't snow as much as we expected... but the kids still got a free snow day! So we geared up early and headed out to sled on the hills.

And I got to have a little play time at Stacie's! I made these cute hearts out of nickel and copper wires. I shaped the hearts and then hammered them to a perfect finish!

I'm going to add these to valentine cards! I can't wait to see how they turn out!

Now for the big question... school delay tomorrow?

Heart House

2011-01-11T15:53:00.004-05:00

Here's another Valentine! This one has tons of sewing and features a vintage french book page "house". I love all the different layers of designer paper...
We are expecting snow tonight! I hope it snows a lot... we just love when it is fluffy and white outside!
Hope you are having a nice week too!

Valentines...

2011-01-10T14:07:00.004-05:00

Now that the holidays are over, I am really starting to think hearts!
I'm not sure why, but it looks like I am stuck on this color combo - blues, reds and pinks! It is such a refreshing combination and it's cute without being too cutsie!

I am really going to concentrate on vamping up my etsy store. It has been kind to me and I've been neglecting it. So stay tuned for more scheduled listings and new ideas!

Paper Fabric Bookmark workshop coming up!

2011-01-03T14:07:00.011-05:00

I will be teaching a class for the Muse in a few months... featuring Paper Fabric bookmarks.
I will have details of the class soon...
but for now, here's a sneak peek at the project!

Check out the current class offerings here!

Tomorrow I will start on new tags or pendent charms... See you soon!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!

2011-01-02T21:08:00.002-05:00

It's officially the Year of the Rabbit!

cute little bunnies will be hopping around this year... my brand new nephew will be one of them this March!
I can't wait for all the awesome things that will happen...

This year I will definitely try to be better organized and calm.
Starting with one closet and one drawer at a time... I will take out the old unused supplies and set out the items I need.
I will keep better tabs on projects and my finances... (always a confusing thing for me :) )

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your family and friends and have a JOYOUS NEW YEAR!

New week starts new projects! Stay tuned!

Beach house in Ft. Myers!

2010-11-30T13:13:00.005-05:00

Here's a few pictures taken in the garden of the house we rented in Ft. Myers. I am amazed at the garden and how much work it must take to maintain this paradise. The pictures don't do it justice.
There were peaceful buddhas placed in several nooks, towering palm trees and trailing vines everywhere.
The floral scent as you pass thru is the icing on the cake!
If you are planning a trip to Ft. Myers, this is a great place to stay! The owners are really nice and very helpful. You can find info here. I'm not sure if this is the link we went thru, but there are many more photos here!

Ok. That's it for now. I'm busy busy making my holiday gifts! I will share some with you as we approach Christmas!

Baby it's COLD outside!

2010-11-28T12:53:00.007-05:00

Ok... not too cold! Actually a balmy mid 40's I think... and tomorrow in the 50's?
But compared to Ft Myers, FL last week... it feels like freezing.

Why Ft. Myers? Last week our little foursome took a vacation to Ft. Myers, Sanibel and Captiva, FL... we spent our Thanksgiving holiday there and took in some rays.
The weather couldn't have been better. Partly cloudy (mostly sunny), warm days (in the mid 80's at noon), and not a drop of rain! A little bit of heaven on earth!

Speaking of heaven, did you know that Ft. Myers is seashell heaven? We walked and walked for miles and collected tons, (I MEAN TONS), of shells. We collected a bounty of sand dollars (which are drying as we speak) and beautiful whole shells that you don't find many other places! That is because the waves just lap the shore (no surfing waves here.)

We walked out onto a sandbar during low tide and collected the most sand dollars there! there were also tons of sea stars, conchs and sting rays! Beautiful rays swimming in schools. I wish I had a camera that could take pictures thru water glare (bummer!). The birds were amazing. Cranes, egrets, pelicans, some orange beaked things (I will check on their names), sandpipers, gulls, and ibises... all were beautiful to watch!

The house we stayed in was a retreat all it's own. I will share pictures later this week from the garden "oasis". Dr. Nick B. (owner and master of this home & garden) has made a place where you never want to leave. But more about that later!

The kids had a great time. We mini golfed, got henna tattoos (not me - just Em), built sand castles and went fishing on a pier! Abby caught 3 crabs and a catfish that put up a good fight (good struggle for us!). She said her heart was pounding a mile a minute... and felt her chest... it really was!

One other place we had to visit was a chocolate store called NORMAN LOVE Confections. OMG! Beautiful chocolate and cakes! You just wanted to sit and stare at the pieces all day. we only had a few minutes before heading to the airport... so we purchased six pieces for tasting and then picked some to ship home! I can't wait til UPS arrives this week!

The flights to and from were on time and traffic was a breeze. Kids had fun on the airplane at at the various airports. We hope to return back there again and try the parasailing, dolphin and manatee watching and maybe a little windsurfing (a perfect place to learn with a good breeze, but no huge waves!)

We each took a moment to share what we are thankful for. I am thankful for my family and that we are healthy. Thankful that we love and support each other no matter what. I am also thankful for being able to create and share the things I love.

I am thankful for my friends and the unconditional love they provide me.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving with your families.
See you later this week! Can't wait to share the garden pics!

Christmas Houses

2010-11-16T13:20:00.008-05:00

New houses for you winter birds!

My friend asked me to make a large collage birdhouse as a Christmas gift for her mom... something with a vintage holiday feel. So we found this 9 inch wooden birdhouse and i got to work!

Started with the usual collage covering with vintage book and hymn pages and then whitewashed with gesso. The roof is then painted in an ivory color while the rest of the house stayed whitewashed.
Then the fun begins! Lots of Old World Christmas images and embellishments. Pearls, jewel and satin ribbons. Ultra fine frosty glitter covers the roof and the words, "hope, believe and love" and stamped on the front.
I really hope she loves it!

Then I moved onto a few birdhouse ornaments. Again using the same techniques... these houses will surely find a safe place to rest on someone's Christmas tree! PS... snip the gold cord for mantel decorations!

Well that's it for today. If you live near me... hope you are staying dry and warm! This cold rain really calls for a hot cup of cocoa and a roaring fire...

Knitting Caps for Babies in Need

2010-11-13T15:13:00.006-05:00

ATTENTION ALL KNITTERS!

The SAVE THE CHILDREN 'CAPS FOR GOOD' organization is collecting knit hats/caps for babies in need around the world. (last year the program was under the name KNIT ONE SAVE ONE). Something as simple as a warm hat to a newborn can mean the difference between life and death. There is a ton of info, including patterns and guidelines, at www.goodgoes.org/caps. There you can also obtain an address for mailing these caps.
I am planning on sending a package of hats out in late January. I am happy to send yours in as well. If you live local to me (New Market, MD) please PM me and I will gladly send them in on your behalf.

So if you can spare some time and yarn this winter... won't you consider making & sending a hat to a baby in need?

New Christmas Tags!

2010-11-09T16:02:00.005-05:00

The holidays are fast upon us! Just two weeks til Thanksgiving.. and Christmas is not far behind! This time of year always feels like a rush... but this year I am committed to enjoying the process. The cooking, gift making and giving, taking in the meaning of the season and all the rest... I will vow to immerse myself into the spirit! (please gently remind me if things start to look crazy around here...)

This week I have started my holiday gift tags. All these tags are upcycled from 100% recycled file folders. So far I have two designs going up on etsy this week and following soon after at the stores. Each set of 4 is $4.50.

These tags are distressed and distressed some more using Tim Holtz Stamps and inks And finished with a shimmery glitter spray!

And these vintage style french tags have lacy beading and a jewel brad.

I will be making more of these tomorrow and later this week will probably be spent making more holiday cards!
Hope you are having a great week! see you soon!

More Calendar Pages

2010-11-04T09:36:00.002-04:00

Just a quick one today. These are a few snaps of the newest batch of calendars. Going out to stores on Monday!

LOOOOOONG Weekend Farming!

2010-11-03T11:26:00.009-04:00

Where have I been? I know! It's been a long while since I've been on here.
I have been scrambling around both at home and on the farm!

Last week was the hectic Halloween prep... both in the neighborhood and at school and then we wisked away to the farm to help out... (and get away for a couple days... heehee).
It was a whirlwind several days. My head is still spinning.

We collected about a zillion eggs every morning and harvested a load of sweet potatoes, radishes and cabbages for the winter. It was so much fun being out there - actually being able to see the results of my dad's hard work!
The kids really enjoyed the "fun" and we can't wait to sink our teeth into the delicious foods!

In the evenings I actually found some time to finish knitting my socks! I used a pattern from the SOCKS A LA CARTE book. I borrowed this book from Stacie and discovered I love it so much, I bought one form Amazon last week! You can mix and match from many styles of cuffs, bodies and toes. And the BEST PART.... You knit with 2 circular needles eliminating the crazy double point needled!!! So easy to travel with and really easy to follow directions!

By the way, the yarn is from Deborah Norville collection SERENITY GARDEN YARN. Our Frederick, MD Joann's has a few left... but since it is not a winter yarn, I don't see them restocking this...

Anyway... back to work now for me. I am almost finished a new batch of calendars. Hopefully I'll have them at the stores my Friday... but might be monday. (another long story... )

Have a great week!

Calendar Photos

2010-10-20T09:27:00.007-04:00

Ok. I finally got around to taking some pictures of the new calendar.

I am really happy with how they turned out... I love the simple cute designs... something different from the usual distress collage on the past calendars.

These will be delivered to the Muse tomorrow and the rest will go out to art partners by next week!

Short work day today... got a lot to fit in! Have a great day!

Fall Fest Time!

2010-10-19T09:17:00.005-04:00

This past weekend we went out to Shenandoah to a place called LONG BRANCH farm for a wonderful Hot Air Balloon Festival.

Gorgeous Views!!!

This was as close to any hot air balloons as we got that day... beautiful either way!

It was gorgeous weather outside... just crisp enough to be fall and sunny! It was a bit windy... which in the end made it difficult for the balloons to launch. So that was canceled... bummer.

But it was still an awesome day!New Friends!

We played with animals, ate great festival food and drinks (kudos to the 1st Thai vendor - very fresh and hot food!), entertaining shows and wonderful family and friends!
I will definitely be looking at tickets for next year!

Now we are settled back at home, it's back to business! I spent the whole day yesterday making new calendars... these have a different look to them. More "Japanese" in style. I will post pictures when they are finished. I am shooting for Muse delivery by Thursday and the other stores by the end of next week.

Found this giant hole in this tree... Amazing!

Well. I hope you had a nice weekend too! Have a fantastic week and see you soon!

Fall Scarecrow Card

2010-10-14T07:50:00.003-04:00

Just a quick post today...
This week I did a few things. I helped Stacie prepare for a show she is having in Annapolis next weekend and I made more Halloween and Fall cards.
This Scarecrow card is a Stampin Up image and I used a masking technique to layer images on top of another. I love those Copic markers for blending and shading...
This card will be at the Muse by the end of today.
(as well as several Halloween cards!)
I ordered several new stamp sets for new cards which should arrive next week! I can't wait!!!

Hope you all have a great weekend. See you next week!

Anniversary Cards feat. Cranes

2010-10-06T12:26:00.003-04:00

Quick post today...

Today I am working on Anniversary and Wedding cards. Here's one listed today.
It features Asian Cranes (which symbolize peace) and are blended with alcohol inks.

Sometime soon I will start on new baby cards. All will be available on line and at stores (the Muse and Art Partners, Inc) within a couple weeks.

New houses on Etsy!

2010-09-29T19:59:00.011-04:00

Ok. So I finally added a few new pieces to the etsy store. By Friday I will also have a calendar and 3 new birdcage nest builders up as well!

Here's a peek at the additions:

The trees are starting to turn and it really is starting to feel like fall! Which means this weekend will be spent "fall festivalling" with cider and pumpkins! Hope you are planning some fall fun too!

Bye bye Birthdays... it's a new week...

2010-09-27T09:27:00.009-04:00

Last week went by in a whirlwind...
Spending time with my friends on my birthday and then planning and executing a perfect 11th birthday celebration for my Emily... my time and energy was zapped!
For Emily's birthday we took two of her friends to the Great Frederick County Fair and then came home for a fun movie nite and sleepover!
We have been to the fair a few times, but this is the first year we rode and of those rides (not me...) and we saw a baby calf being born!!! SOOOO cute! And the momma knew what to do right from the start. It was amazing to see the mom attending to her new baby. It took a little while, but well worth the wait!

Now that all the festivities are over... it's back to work for me!
Ok.. just a bit more play... I had signed up for a MAXICARD swap on ATCSforall.com where I had to take any postage stamp (cancelled or new) and create a 4x6 postcard size art that incorporates that stamp. You can either copy the stamp or work with theme. Either way, it has to be handdrawn/painted.

Here's what I came up with!
I can't wait to see my returns!

Ok... Now I'm back to work.
...

Birthday FUNDAY!

2010-09-21T16:36:00.007-04:00

I have a group of best friends that I love to hang out with any time I get a chance! These are the same friends that I have crafty work days with, exercise with and bounce all my ideas off of!
Every time one of our birthday's come around we have a tradition of having a meal and going shopping for the day!
Tomorrow is my birthday and I share it with my dear friend Kathy! (BTW: Kathy and I also share the same wedding anniversary date - She's just a few years before me ;) WHAT A COINCIDENCE!)

So we had our special day today! We ate lunch at a yummy downtown Frederick Tapas Restaurant - Isabella's, and went shopping for shoes, candles and clothes!

These are the awesome gifts my friends gave me. A hand dyed~ handmade slouch bag, a beautifully organic candle display and an awesome Cathy Nichols piece - (Red Balloons) ALOFT! Each of my friends knows exactly what I LOVE!

I had such a wonderful day. It was so fun and I am so fortunate to share this special day with my friends!
Thank you Rene', Stacie and Kathy for celebrating together!

Next time is Stacie's turn... in APRIL... hmmm... we will have to have another reason for food and shopping before then :)

One little bit of business news - I will be dropping off about 4 more houses at the Muse tomorrow. So check them out when if you get a chance!

A whole town...

2010-09-20T17:20:00.004-04:00

More and more houses today. Stacie invited me to her studio today. I love working there because it feels like I'm going to "work". I actually get ready and eat breakfast and head in my car to work! Even though it is only 4 houses up the street :) But I need to haul my supplies, so a car is needed.
I made another Halloween house and a couple others. This time around I am incorporating precious and semi-precious stones. I like the idea of using the stones for their healing and chakra properties.
Hopefully I will deliver some to the Muse tomorrow afternoon.

I want to have about 20 houses done by the end of Sept. That's not asking too much? Is it?

Hope you're having a creative week!
See you soon!

It's Friday and I've started HOUSES!

2010-09-17T21:17:00.005-04:00

Well I can't believe that the week is already at an end! It's been a busy busy week.
A fresh batch of calendars was delivered to the Muse on Wednesday and I finally got started on those tricky little houses!

I am so happy with how they are turning out. I even made a Halloween one for sale next week (again at the Muse!)
I started out with my new shipment of paper birdhouses and collaged/covered them with all vintage book pages. I had some french pages as well as old english pages.
The next step is painting the base colors in acrylics. I almost think they are perfect just plain like that... But then comes the fun collaging/detailing steps.

My favorite part... being able to create each house one of a kind and according to my mood at that moment!
Here's a picture of the Halloween house... creepy...

All in all, this was a very productive week; With a couple breaks built in for school volunteering, lunch with friends, errand running and exercise, the week just rushed by.

Oh, one more thing... Stacie sent me a video about artists this week. So many times I feel discouraged and wonder, "what the heck am I doing?" I wonder if making and selling pieces is worth the time and effort. I found the video very inspiring and encouraging. I realized I really do love creating things with my hands; I love the satisfaction is brings when something is finished and packaged either for sale or as a personal gift. It helped me justify my decision to create with my time & not take a more traditional career path that is just not for me.
It was helpful to me... maybe it will be for you too... or maybe not. If you have a few minutes, check it out!

Krista Vernoff "Commit to Thrive" from Omega Institute on Vimeo.

I hope you have a great weekend! See you next week!

Going to the Muse on Wed!

2010-09-13T18:20:00.007-04:00

I can't believe it, but I think I will be able to get to the Muse on Wednesday! It's been a busy couple weeks and I'm still feeling a little out of the swing of things. My friends and I were just talking about how things are not fitting just right yet.

I do have the calendars ready for delivery and something new! Wine Glass Tags. I will be offering the tags in sets of 4 and 10!
Also in the batch are Halloween sets!

They fit right around the base of a wine glass and are made from very sturdy card stock... although they are meant to be disposable!
I will also begin to offer them at my etsy store soon!

The photos with the wine glasses are meant to show how they are used.

That was a prototype and after several design changes, I decided to go with pretty papers with lots of color!

So That's where I'm at for the time being... somewhere between blissfully creating and watching the clock hands spin out of control...

Where are you these days?

More Calendar Pics!

2010-09-08T19:30:00.007-04:00

Ok... so I haven't even had time to start my birdhouses yet this week... hmph! But I did finish my first batch of calendars! They are ready for shipment to stores.
I think I will start putting them out next week!
Here's a few more shots of the pages!
Tomorrow is a day off for the kids so I'm not sure if I will be working or not. Depends on what the day brings I guess. I'm hoping to get to the birdhouses by Fri, but chances are ... next week.
That's the way it goes... I suppose... :)

2011 Calendars are in the works!

2010-09-03T12:00:00.001-04:00

Probably one of the most rewarding projects I do annually is the paper bag calendar. I love the whole process of making them. From folding and sewing, painting, embellishing and assembling... each step requires attention and creativity.
When the "spirit moves me", I sit down and make a few pages. When I am having a creative block, I have to set them aside. Forcing the pages always shows in the end result!
Yesterday I had one of those perfect days; when colors and inspiration all came together. So I got right to work!
I can tell... I'm going to fall in love with 2011~!
here's a couple photos of what I did so far.

The style of these calendars have evolved in the past 4 years and this year the theme, "Imagine", has emerged!

As the time gets closer, I will keep you informed on when they will start being available in stores and online!

On the agenda for next week... more birdhouses!
Thanks for checking me out today! See you soon!

additional FALL 2010 Cards...

2010-09-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Here's just a few more cards that I am working on this week. This line is distinguished by the vintage photo corners (so far...)!
It's fun to work with this new size: 3.5"x5".

Some more exciting news... My box of blank birdhouses arrived yesterday! So next week those will be added to the schedule. YEA!

This week is flying by... as usual. How's your week going? Any new projects in the works?

A NEW Look and A Mousy Birthday....

2010-08-31T11:00:00.001-04:00

What do you think of the new look?
My blog page was due for a makeover... the original one was a basic template that I found randomly online. After some consideration I decided to go with this one from Simply Fabulous Blogger Templates! This site has a ton of really cool designs... and it couldn't have been any easier to update my page!
If you are looking for a new template... you need to check it out!!!

Here's a card from a new small card line I am working on for this fall.
Little mice are so cute!
This card measures 3.5"x5" and features this cute mouse clown. all colored with blended alcohol inks and raised on dimensional. I used photo corners on all four and the swarovski jewels detail the wording. The inside sentiment says, "Wishing you all the best today and every day".

Stay tuned for more mice!~

Some Distressed Tags to Share!

2010-08-30T13:21:00.006-04:00

Happy Monday Everyone!

Last week went by in a flash! The first week of school was a huge success for the kids and it was so exciting to see them so happy and enthusiastic! Only a few little confusions... and a bit of exhaustion... so far so good!

I also had a great week. My friends and i got together for our annual planner making day(s).
We had a great time laughing, talking, eating and creating!

Moving forward to this week... I started off the day with TAGS! Distressed tags made from 100% recycled material. These will be at the Muse by Fri.

I'd love to hear what types of tag styles interest you? Vintage French?, Mod?, Cute?...or something else? Let me know what you think!

I'm on a schedule for the rest of the week which will include calendars and more tags.

Hope you are having a great start to the week! See you soon!

I'm the Featured Artist!

2010-08-25T13:39:00.002-04:00

Exciting news today! Stacie of Stacie's Jewelry has chosen little, 'ole me on her blog today as her featured artist! She makes the most creative PMC jewelry and she is my very close friend! I have watched her work and it really is a labor of love with each piece.
Anyway, please check out her blog (www.staciejewelry.blogspot.com)! She's also offering a contest for FREE jewelry! So click on over!

On other business news, I've made the face plates requested by Art Partners and they are ready to ship! So AP, you can expect them by the end of the week!

Some new paper mache' birdhouses are on their way to me to be made into new Inspiration Houses! Can't wait til the shipment arrives!

That's it for now! See you soon!

School's in!

2010-08-23T14:37:00.004-04:00

Today is the first day of school for my kids and the first day to get back on schedule for me!

Here's a new card to start off the day... (or afternoon...)
Each felt flower is hand sewn on the card stock and then layered on a few layers. Vintage brads in each center.

also working on more face plates for Art Partners...

My friend, Stacie, is featuring a new contest on her blog. If you like PMC jewelry, you need to check it out! (staciejewelry.blogspot.com)

Hope you have a great Monday!

HOPE treasury on ETSY

2010-08-11T12:02:00.003-04:00

It's been so long since my last post~ I've been gearing up for the school year...! YES, the countdown has begun. 10 days til day 1!
So with that comes cleaning out everyone's closets and dressers (hmph...), back to school supplies ($$), last minute mini family trips (Yea!), and cleaning and organizing my studio (always a challenge)!
Not very interesting... I know...

I do have some exciting news to share... my "HOPE" birdhouse been featured in an ETSY TREASURY by Beadwire - HOPE! (click on Beadwire to check out her store!)

If you get a second, check it out! -
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c61c066347c6d91281cf718/hope

Thank you Jen (Beadwire!) for featuring my piece in your beautiful selection of HOPE items!

and please stay tuned for some fun and new projects and ideas at the start of the school year!

See you soon!

Fall is in the AIR!

2010-08-02T20:25:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it... it's already August!
I went for a walk today and it actually "smelled" like fall. I'm not sure how else to describe it. It was also a little cooler than the usual late summer day... so with that and the "smell", it is starting to feel like fall.
I am still designing new Fall line cards as well.
Here's one for birthday!...

tomorrow I will have 2 birdhouses up on etsy and I will deliver some to the Muse (freserick) by next week.

Hope you are having a great start to August! See you soon!

Little Boxes on the Hillside, Little boxes made of ticky tacky...

2010-07-29T21:39:00.003-04:00

I've been busy... making birdhouses for etsy and the Muse! They would make a great gift for a new house, new baby, birthday, teacher... and more.
Here's a peek... They all need extra touches, and some are just at the beginning of their journey...
These should be ready by Tuesday~ I'm excited!
Have a great weekend!

I've been featured on ETSY Treasuries!

2010-07-26T11:11:00.003-04:00

In the past week I've been featured on a few etsy treasuries.

These are items selected by fellow Etsians as their picks in certain categories.

MY FAVORITE COLOR by ARTREASURY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY by DEBS102

and SPICE by SUGARCHILLS

I'm so honored to be among these selections!
THANK YOU!

Check out a treasury I made yesterday!:
PEACE LOVE and HOPE
ENJOY!

another new addition to the fall line up

2010-07-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

This simple card is stamped individually in 3 colors and a vintage button is added for detail. Clean, smooth, simple card for any birthday!

get well card

2010-07-13T15:30:00.002-04:00

Spent most of today designing new cards for the new fall line.
Here's a get well card... straight, clean lines with floral focus.

new birthday cards and a new home!

2010-07-08T10:00:00.001-04:00

it feels nice to get back to making cards. sometimes when you are away from it for so long, it's hard to get back in the "groove" of it. Lately I've been noticing how beautiful fabrics are and they feel so cozy. It's nice to try and incorporate them into my papercrafts. Here I used a green scrap I found in my bin. Used permanent ink to stamp on it and sewed it with my machine.
This next card uses a vintage fabric scrap from a friend and the small pieces are perfect for making the houses out of.
And finally I used a quilting idea to use many scraps of designer paper I had to make mini squares and border this image. A little ultrafine glitter in the window really makes it pop!

This birdhouse was one I made as a birthday gift. (Whitney @ the Muse!). I have found that I love collaging on birdhouses and other 3D items. I have decided to make some for the store as well. so stay tuned in the coming weeks for available houses!

So that's it for now. New cards will be available soon on Etsy. Thanks for visiting! See you soon!

Back from MAINE!

2010-07-06T12:32:00.008-04:00

It's been about a month since I last posted... We've been enjoying our start to summer and took a trip to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor in Maine! What an incredible place to vacation. This was our first time going north for the summer... we usually go to NC or FL. And we will go back again for sure!

We spent days hiking, kayaking, swimming and taking in the Bar Harbor bustle...
Highlights: Climbing the second highest peak on Acadia (Dorr Mountain), gathering wild blueberries on our hikes, enjoying the crystal clear waters of Jordan Pond (I mean CRYSTAL!), and spending time in our beachhouse and on our sandy beach searching thru tidal pools for starfish and other amazing creatures.
Oh, I almost forgot, LOBSTAH!

So now we are back and the 4th of July festivities are ending... it's time to get back to work.
I have to admit... I'm a bit lazy today. But I do have some new designs on the drawing board and some new goals set.
Stay tuned in the coming days for new ideas...

Stay cool! (Whew... 101 today!)

new bookmarks on ETSY!

2010-06-11T11:25:00.003-04:00

Just a quick hello today!
Today's the last day of school for the kids! YEA! I am so excited to spend the summer with them. We just get to go and do whatever we want...

So before the fun begins... I posted several bookmarks this morning.
Off to a small garage sale with friends! Hope I find some treasures!

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

it's been two weeks...

2010-06-10T21:53:00.002-04:00

I'm sorry I haven't been on to post lately. Apart from regular life I have been a little under the weather. So I have not actually been making any cards. Just been laying in bed and getting spoiled by my friends. (Thank you Kathy and Stacie... ).

Tomorrow I hope to at least get a couple designs put together. I will try my best...
Tomorrow is also the last day of school for my kids... so they get out early and we have our yearly ritual for last day (as long as I'm feeling better).

I Will see you soon (hopefully tomorrow) !

New Beaded Bookmarks on etsy

2010-05-28T16:30:00.006-04:00

Here's some new additions... Love the way they look and, since Stacie showed me how to make those clean finished ends..., I think I am in bead heaven!

Thinking more colors... hmmmm...

Hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend! I'm excited to be spending some time with family...

See you next week!

Our own little BAMBI...!

2010-05-23T09:44:00.011-04:00

If I haven't mentioned before... we live among MANY MANY deer! Driving up the street at dusk can sometimes prove challenging - having to wait for deer crossings and the occasional stampede...
I complain, too, about ticks and freshly planted garden plants being ravished in one night...
But they really are beautiful to watch in a distance and I'm happy to be among nature.

This morning we were checking out our regular garden visitors (cardinals, robins, finches, squirrels, chipmunks, a pair of old doves and a bunny...) and noticed something under one of my bushes.
a new baby fawn, just born over night from the looks of it, hiding out waiting for mama to return.
So small... the size of a small cat, and so cute! (that's a bleeding heart plant next to it). I had to take a few pics!
I really hope the mom returns soon. Baby looks tired. We had a whole night of rain and storms. and looks like the sky is darkening again.

Anyway, we are so excited and wanted to share!
Hope you have a great day too!

****UPDATE****
Mama came back for her baby and took it into the woods. Glad I looked outside when I did!

A Royal Announcement!

2010-05-20T10:00:00.001-04:00

I got a set of Alice in Wonderland stamps not too long ago but had never found the time to use them. I had a few minutes to spare so I used one of my woodgrain stamped vellum pieces (originally stamped for a father's day card) and layered my white rabbit.
I just love classic story books and this story is one of my favorites... btw if you haven't gotten to see the Tim Burton version ... I recommend seeing it. I watched it in the theatre with my daughter and we both were so fascinated by the artistic angle. The colors, the costumes and the makeup! All worthy of a second look!
Anyway, without further ado...
May I announce-

Have a great day!

New Father's Day card

2010-05-18T13:41:00.002-04:00

I'm loving Tim Holtz stamps for Father's Day cards. It's really a challenge for me to make masculine cards... and I find that many Holtz images are perfect! Coupled with Stampin' Up card stock and vintage brads, I think it's about ready for that special dad!Spending the rest of the tidying up in here. I can't seem to find my mind in all this clutter.
Hope you are well!

Cityscape ATCS!

2010-05-17T17:08:00.005-04:00

I joined a swap on ATCSFORALL.com recently... theme: CITYSCAPES.

I wanted to do a Frederick one... but after several attempts I had to put that idea away and move to Philly and San Fran. (My home city and my future ~hope~ city!)ok... now I will REALLY start on Father's Day cards tomorrow... I HOPE... Why does the day go so fast?

Hope you are having a great week.
See you!

friend to friend

2010-05-12T13:48:00.003-04:00

Sometimes there is no better sanctuary than a friend...
Thank you to all of mine!

This card is full of details. From awesome designer card stock layers to sewing and distressing. Sponging and vintage style stamps as well as colors.
I Love Crafty Secrets sets, Basic Grey papers, Ranger Inks, SU accessories and Tim Holtz designs!

Have a great nite!
Gotto get those Father's Day cards up! Wish I could turn back time~ or just add some! Simple!
See you Later.

ROW HOUSES...

2010-04-30T16:50:00.005-04:00

Last year my friend, Rene', gave me a bucketful of paper mache' birdhouses (from her crafty mom's closet), and I'm just now finding little time to play with them. I'm sort of glad I waited for this day to paint them up, because today was the perfect day to collage. THANK YOU RENE' and SANDY! :)

I used some ArtChix papers and lits of acrylic paints (and gesso of course!). These mini houses have found a spot in my studio... an constant reminder for me to appreciate ART, LOVE and NATURE.

Hope you have a great weekend. Getting started on new card designs next week!
See you!

I'm Back!

2010-04-29T22:42:00.002-04:00

I had a fun 2 days... selling at the craft show at FINRA. I met some of the most talented people. A woodworker who makes everything from raw materials... a cheese board that you just wish was big enough to lay on; and a potter whose work has evolved to perfection in the 15 yrs she has spent creating.
Bags, scarfs, photography and of course jewelry. I was in awe of everyone's work.
And when you hear the stories of how each piece is made, it really brings out the hard work and genuine feelings that you just don't get from machine made items.

Hanging out with these folks... You will instantly be turned into a handmade art junkie!

On the other side of the table... Stacie said this just right... "There must be something in the water." Everyone at FINRA seems so happy and nice. Every person who walked by (regardless of purchasing or not) had a smile on their face. FINRA must be a great place to work!

All in all, it was a nice little getaway... a little time to spent in the "work" world. Wearing heels (which I didn't miss!), a bit more make up than usual (which is usually none), driving into town during rush hour traffic (challenging trying to navigate around nascar drivers)... It was nice to be in a different world for just 2 days.

But I'm glad to be BACK!
Tomorrow I will spend the whole day collaging. Bookmarks, journals, atcs... whatever my heart wants. It's a creative day.

Hope your day is great! see you soon.

Off to the Craft Show...

2010-04-27T15:55:00.003-04:00

This is probably going to me my one and only craft show for this year... and it's about to begin!
YEA!~

I will have hand rolled paper beads, greeting cards, journals, bookmarks, and more!
So I will see you back here next week!

Date reminders:
Don't forget Mom's day on MAY 9 and all those Grads in the next month or two!

a week and a half just FLEW by!

2010-04-20T13:37:00.003-04:00

Gosh! I realized today that I haven't posted since the 11th.
Like last year... I found myself submerged in all the beautiful garden plants and fresh mulch my car could carry!
I did spend several (rainy =) ) days making cards and prepping more for the FINRA show next week.
Here's a ducky get well card I made today (among some other designs).
I juts love the "Minnie Mouse"-esque red polka with white polka dots.
Everything is raised on dimensionals... by far my FAVORITE Stampin' Up accessory.
The inside says, " Hope you're soon feeling... Just ducky!"

Well. Hope you are all enjoying this new spring! See you soon!

Sunday fun...

2010-04-11T17:09:00.006-04:00

I know I should be working... but when Sunday comes around... I can't help but play!

I am exciting about this next swap I am signing up for. I spent most of today working on my submission.
It is the ATC sized Journal: A Day in My Life on ATCs for All. I really enjoy swapping on this site. There are so many different types of artists here and I have loved my swaps in the past.
Here's a few pages from my journal.

Happy Birthday Stacie!

2010-04-11T07:36:00.001-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STACIE~
Hope your day is filled with renewed happiness and absolute love.

Is this Spring FEVER?

2010-04-05T18:42:00.003-04:00

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend! We spent all of Thursday, Fri and Saturday exploring in Solomon's Island and Calvert cliffs. I think I mentioned this last year too... but Calvert cliffs is the oldest and biggest fossil hunting grounds on the East Coast... and we are lucky enough that it is located right here in MD!
So we spent tons of time searching... with no bounty to report... boohoo.
We did however get a few teeth in the Easter egg hunt at the Calvert County Marine Museum! Lucky that we stopped in there.
(I'd love to hear your success stories hunting for fossils...).

Anyway, we returned home late on Saturday and spent Easter resting together. This morning my youngest daughter and I woke up with fevers... and runny stuffy heads. Oh well... all good things must come at a price. I hope this little setback doesn't last long. We don't want to miss these gorgeous days sitting at home with headaches.

On the crafting front... I have been making more paper beads. The ones I just made are a gorgeous shade of turquoise blue. I think it should be called Sea & Sky. I just love this color!

Anyway, I'm hoping to get loads of work done. I am getting so exited for the FINRA show at the end of the month... but that also means buckling in and going full speed ahead! YEA!

Hope you enjoy your week...
See you soon!

Tim Holtz Grunge Roses

2010-03-27T11:51:00.006-04:00

For forever I've been wanted to make these Tim Holtz style roses... but I never seemed to find the right time.
This morning I made my mind up to do something just for me... and after two tries, I was able to make a satisfactory rose! (The first one was a mess. Glue not sticking well, petals not curling just right, ...)
The biggest thing for me tho, is that grunge paper seems to be a bit thick to make these roses. I think i will try with card stock next time. Either that, or the grunge paper I have is actually grunge BOARD and I need the paper version instead (if this actually exists).
I will check on this later when I get a chance. (I threw away the packaging it came in so I will have to do a little research).

Either way here's how it turned out! I used a tutorial off of youtube (click here for link). - she makes it look really easy!
The main things you need to start is a good glue (like SU Crystal Effects or Ranger Glossy Accents), three inked 6-petal flowers (Sizzix originals die FLOWERS #5 used here, scissors, paper clips to hold your work, and a thin paint brush handle for curling the petals.

I also used the TSUKINEKO travel sized SHIMMER SPRITZES (in frost, sparkler and copper) for added shimmer! And for some darker spritzes I used the same company - WALNUT INK Antiquing Solution in a spray. I LOVE THEM!

It was a interesting to put these together. I can't wait to make more indifferent colors and sizes.
Have a great weekend! And see you soon!

Vintage bookmarks

2010-03-23T15:05:00.006-04:00

Here's something a little different.
I cut strips of fabric and sewed them with vintage red thread... then poked a hole and added charms and detail.
Love how they turned out. they have a real old world feel and lay so perfectly in between book pages.

Artists papers

2010-03-22T12:58:00.003-04:00

I was looking through some issues of Somerset Studios Magazine and saw something really interesting.
The concept is similar to paper fabric... where you make a background using collage techniques for the base of your work. What I did was take Manga art pad paper (which is really sturdy) and collaged on a layer of french book pages. then gessoed over it (watered down a bit so the pages could show thru) and then painted with acrylic paints. Again letting some of the pages show thru.
Then I stamped on them, basically making my own designer paper!
I cut the sheet up into bookmark size pieces and then continues to collage or stamp/doodle on them. Each is one of a kind unique...
I really enjoyed making this set. I will try a different color base for my next set. Perhaps a blue... or ivory!
Getting started right away!
See you soon!

Thoughtful Creations

Happy Halloween! And a new pic of Hanna!

Update and a NEW PROJECT!

Our Dodge 'Journey'

Kindle Covers are Ready!

*new* Kindle Covers at the Muse ...Soon!

CORRECTION: Hanna is HAN

Birthday Celebration and a Gift for me!

Introducing... our Hanna

Summer fishing!

Unloading a LOAD of Stamps on Ebay!

2 weeks into it...

Somewhere Over the Rainbow - A New Direction

Memorial Day weekend! YEA!

Our first set of babies this year!

More paintings...

An Unhurried Sense of Time...

LOTS of LAYERS just for ME!

Happy MAY!

Mother's Day ... so soon?

sewing... is not usually my thing ~ Nursing Cover Up

Paper Fabric FUN!

Blogging for Lila - BLOG HOP

"Oh, Deer"... Mom and babies visit me again!

Getting ready for Easter!

Coming Up... Blogging for CP Awareness

New Wedding Card

Welcome Baby Card

Easy Glittery Cards...

Amazing week! NEW BABY!

New Magazines - Somerset Studios & Cloth Paper Scissors

Etsy Treasury - LOTUS FLOWERS

Encouraging Swift!

Giraffes are sooo CUTE!

New Wedding Card

Young Authors County Entry ... My Emily!

The White Rabbit...

It's SHOWER Time!

Quick Baby Girl card

Fortune Cookie Valentines

Baby shower cupcakes

Baby boy card!

Snowed in!

New Tags for Spring!

Almost ready... Caps for Good

Wire Hearts Valentines!

Hammered Hearts

Heart House

Valentines...

Paper Fabric Bookmark workshop coming up!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!

Beach house in Ft. Myers!

Baby it's COLD outside!

Christmas Houses

Knitting Caps for Babies in Need

New Christmas Tags!

More Calendar Pages

LOOOOOONG Weekend Farming!

Calendar Photos

Fall Fest Time!

Fall Scarecrow Card

Anniversary Cards feat. Cranes

New houses on Etsy!

Bye bye Birthdays... it's a new week...

Birthday FUNDAY!

A whole town...

It's Friday and I've started HOUSES!

Going to the Muse on Wed!

More Calendar Pics!

2011 Calendars are in the works!

additional FALL 2010 Cards...

A NEW Look and A Mousy Birthday....

Some Distressed Tags to Share!

I'm the Featured Artist!

School's in!

HOPE treasury on ETSY

Fall is in the AIR!

Little Boxes on the Hillside, Little boxes made of ticky tacky...

I've been featured on ETSY Treasuries!

another new addition to the fall line up

new Kindle Covers at the Muse ...Soon!