Making more progress...

On Monday, I was feeling a little out of sorts over my recent flair up of neck pain and felt totally frustrated that the healing process is so darn long! I took me a while to come back to terms with it, but I did after remembering that everything has its own time and place. To get myself back on track after returning from the chiropractors and resting a bit, I did some light housekeeping and made a huge pot of vegetable soup! Monday evening found me tying up some loose ends regarding a few of my personal accounts and I completed my taxes. While working, I got to thinking about some of the swaps and artwork that I am desiring to get to creating. That urge to create was still with me when I awoke on Tuesday morning so I decided to do a bit of research on the computer in the morning to determine what I'd create for the "Surprise in Every Box" Swap.

Do you remember the matchbox slider style of boxes that I created at Christmas? Well, I had hostessed a Handmade Christmas Mingle with a group of online friends and the recipient of my box loved it so much that she decided to host a swap based on my design! Jan's instructions were to make/alter 2 matchbox style boxes with theme/scenes inside and out. They may be created in a 3-D/shadow box type style. However the theme, size, and style are totally open to allow those of us participating to share our own creative spirit(s). Each of us will also be creating something inside the box to share with our assigned recipients. Since one of my assigned receipients is overseas, I knew I'd better get started on this soon so that I could meet the received date of February 28th, leaving at least three weeks for the mailing process.

So, I created some sketches of what I desired to create and decided I'd like to add a card and a tag like I did for the Christmas Mingle, I also knew that I needed to get out to working on getting the boxes themselves created.

Before heading out to the studio, I started plugging away once again on the bookbinding cabinet curtains. Without giving anymore thought to trying to find the elusive fabric, I laid the last curtain I made onto my cutting mat, lined up the acrylic ruler and cut it in half!!! Before I knew it, two fresh new seams had been sewn and I was out in the studio re-arranging the placement of the previously hung curtains and adding a half of this one to each side. It worked and covers the cabinet beautifully; even with a few less pleats or creases in it!

Next, I focused my attention to creating for the swap. I created two complete cards with matching tags, got the "surprises" created, and even managed to get one of the boxes assembled. As I worked, one idea lead to the other and I was really involved in the process. Deciding to call it quits for the evening, I returned to the house to grab my camera. I wanted to photograph what I had created to share here when I couldn't find my camera. I remembered last having it while my Dad was here on Monday, I had unhooked it from my computer to show him the recent pictures I had snapped of Alexxis. Well, needless to say, that is the last time I actually remember seeing it, so the search began. I have yet to locate it so I'll search some more today.

I needed to return to the studio to turn off the lights so while there I measured the cabinet drawers for my ribbon storage. {I'm desiring to line them with something since they were originally file cabinet drawers.} I, also, grabbed one of the items that I've been desiring to paint along with a foam brush and some recently purchased milk paint. Once back in the house, I sat at the kitchen table and got it painted. I love the way the milk paint stained the wooden tray. I'll capture some photographs of the cabinet, the tray, and my recent creations when I located the now elusive camera, LOL!