A Sad State of Affairs...

Earlier today, I ventured outside, in the cold, snow, and sleeting weather and made my way out to the studio. I hesitated to even open the door, not knowing what state or condition it would be in after the recent upheaval of moving Amber and Chris' items from storage there into their new home. I was remembering, quite clearly, the "rush" to get their things loaded up using our truck, our Jeep, and a family member of theirs, Brandon's car loaded up. As I flipped the switch to turn on the lights, my first impression was of how much room I now have! My second thought was "what a mess!" I discovered some items from the garage had to be moved so that they could get to what was previously stored there was now in my studio! A few pieces of furniture that we own had to be moved out of the way. My rug and leather recliner, that we specifically purchased for use there are now located within our home and in its place is a larger blue recliner that we exchanged. My much loved Tina Chaden artwork is in the recliner, along with so many other items that I attempted to bring into our home to make our home the "home" I desired it to be. I loved one half of our living room, but there was no "ebb" or "flow" or anything that seemed to bring some sense of balance or order to our home. So those items were packed up in boxes and returned to the studio. What a mess I've made!!! It felt somewhat heart-wrenching. I worked for a bit, clearing off the back work bench, picking up this, that, the other, re-locating like or similar things together, and as I worked my heart broke a little bit more as I began remember all the hopes and the dreams I once had for it and the art that I so desired to create there. I had to leave, to come back into our home as I had put Chaos outside, and upon hearing his whining, discovered it is now raining sleet. Poor puppy! As I turned out the lights and reached to close the door, my heart whispered, "I'll be back. I promise to lovingly begin to take care of you." I felt my spirit begin to soar....{smile}

Make A Moo or Two...

While blog-surfing today, I discovered yet another fun challenge blog! http://makeamooortwo.wordpress.com/ I've never made a Moo card but have seen a lot of lovely ones online and on flickr. A quick google search told me that they're 1 1/8" x 2 3/4" - approx. half the size of a regular regular business card. Having a lot of pre-printed photographs from my recent "inchie" and "art block" creations, I decided to join in. This week's theme is "Romance" - perfect for February with my Valentine's Day Birthday right around the corner!

Moo Cards originated here: http://makeamooortwo.wordpress.com/ and are often created to trade with other artists and Flickr members. I'd love to one day have 100 or so of my own creations printed up. Definately something I'll have to put on my "Someday" list! Anyways, here's my first "Moo" ever!

CED '08 - Feb. 12th

Recently my thoughts have once again returned to getting my studio back together, the art that I desire to create, and getting some handmade books created once again. I discovered as we traveled yesterday, I had so many ideas running around in my pretty little head that I regretted the fact I had nothing on hand to write anything down on. So many thoughts, desires, to do lists, appointments.... and no organizational methods what-so-ever to keep track of it all. Well, that isn't necessary true either, I do write my hopes and dreams down here, but without a laptop to have access to when we're on the road, even this seems sort of useless...

Today, I recitified that by creating myself a little journal jotter. It measures 8"x 4.5" and contains 30 text weight papers, 60 if I use both the front and back sides. I folded and created 5 signatures of 6 pages each and created the cover by utilizing an old calender from 1994 that I'd picked up at a local thrift store. I was drawn to all the photographs of Gardens from all over the world. Not all the pages are full sized prints like the one I used, so perhaps, one day, I clip them out and utilize them in other pieces of my artwork. Gotta love recycling! The calender is also filled with garden inspired quotations as well as information on the photographs it contains. The picture I used for my cover features snowdrops, winter aconites, purple crocus tmmasinianus, and Crocus "cream beauty" which line the path of a winter garden somewhere in Berkshire, England. Without the calendar, I wouldn't have know that, LOL! The jotters binding is a very simple one, utilizing an approximate 1/4" fold in the cover of the calender page placed a little off center. I used perle cotton cut approx. 6" longer than needed and wrapped each signature through the inside center over the cover and tied it one! To decorate it up just a bit, I added a piece of ribbon which I threaded under the perle cotton and tied on top over a piece of silk flowers. The white floral tape, adhered onto the front, says, "so delicate".... resembling and mirroring some of my thoughts and feelings lately.

Recent events...

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were a blur of events and happenings. We spent time with Little Miss, assisted a friend, helped Amber and Chris get moved, and spent some much needed time with my husband.

Yesterday, we made a road trip to Columbus, stopping into Michael's and Border's bookstore for me. I purchased a bottle of the Sophisticated Finishes in Blackened Bronze metallic for refinishing the mirror, a can of Krylon's Make It Suede textured paint simply because it has been on my wish list for a very long time, a dotto adhesive refill for my hermafix dispenser because I love to use it for masking when stamping, and a jar of Martha Stewart's bronze glitter because on my last trip I put it back and resented doing so.

I discovered I've been way out of the loop when it comes to new scrapbooking supplies! As I've been attempting to use what I have vs. stock-piling more and more --- but WOW! Are there ever some beautiful papers out on the market now. Nothing like anything that I have in my stash, but I resisted purchasing any simply because I know I've enough to organize and get to using already. I don't know how that thought is going to stay with me, so I'm enjoying it as long as I can.

One item that I discovered and instantly fell in love with is Making Memories Embellishment Center. Don appeared as I was looking at it and asked if I'd like to have one. Would I ever? So, needless to say, I have received a few early birthday presents. Michael's did have a 40% coupon, and we don't receive their flyers, a discount was offered to us by signing a paper. We purchased two sets of the larger plastic jars and one of the smaller ones, so in essence the storage containers were free with the price of the unit at full price. I love the fact that if I decide to put the embellishment center to use in the studio, the jars are plastic. I love the look of see through containers, and have been attempting to avoid the use of glass in the studio because of the concrete floors. Here's a picture:

I am, however, still undecided about where I'll actually put and use it. Reality says that I'm not going to get out into the studio every day, so I'm considering setting it up somewhere within our home. I love the versatility of this, I just need to determine what and how I intend to actually use it.

CED '08 - Altered Candle...

While I had the Renaissance Brown metallic glaze out, I decided to spruce up my otherwise, plain looking candle by adding the glaze to the metal rimmed tag and the stamped butterfly. If I'd know I would one day desire to do this, I would have embossed the butterfly for a more textured effect. But, there's no rule that says that I cannot create another one and put it "over the top!" {LOL! How's that for "resourcefulness"?}

CED '08 - Art Blocks

Creating "Art Blocks" isn't an original idea of mine; I've seen many, many variations of these utilizing everything from photographs and stamped images, but creating a set for myself has been on my list of things I desire to create for quite a long time.

I'd purchased eight of these 3"x3" blocks at Hobby Lobby or Michael's some time ago and am just now getting around to adding something to them. I sort of fell in love with creating "inchies" and hadn't had the opportunity to create any lately, but I did have some oversized pictures printed out for other uses that I knew I could use, so I ran with the idea.

These are a still a work in progress, as most of the blocks only have 2 or 3 sides of them completed and I've still some unfinished blocks that I haven't touched yet. I'm thinking I'd like to mix in some 4"x4" ones as well. Perhaps, they'll look wonderful stacked pyramid style in the living room wall niche or stacked on a side table.

Yesterday, Alexxis arrived and quickly scooped up my recently painted canvases that I'd taken down so I could hang up the mirror to avoid any injuries to her, Chaos, and the mirror itself. Amber and I laughed so hard as she tried to carry the canvases around with her as they are nearly as big as she is. Being the kind hearted mom that I am, I took them from her and placed them on top of a box that is filled with items I am no longer finding useful in our home, but yet are still usable. I've gifted that box to Amber, Chris, and Alexxis, telling her to keep what she wants, toss or give the rest of it away. Needless to say, my recently painted palms will also be finding their way into her new home since Little Miss Adorable seemed to love them so much. I somehow get the feeling that after I complete this set of blocks, I'll soon be creating another set for you-know-who! LOL! Perhaps, Mommy and Daddy would love to hang the canvas prints over their new fireplace and use the set of blocks to dress up their mantle. I'm even excited for them and cannot wait to lend a helping hand to help make the new place feel like "home" to them.

Art Blocks #2

These are the same blocks, with different sides showing. I believe I'm addicted to creating these as there are so many possibilites of what you could do with them. Since I'm creating them myself, I can see all the possibilities of exploring colors throught the seasons, customizing them for holidays, using letters to spell out a word like, "Spring", "Love", "Family" or even using them to create one's favorite quotation or just one that speaks to you.

Speaking of quotes and quotations, I have to admit that I love them! Just recently, I while going through some of my many piles of magazines, I decided to write a lot of the ones I found down in my last years weekly calander. Now there's quotes, sketches, appointments from last year, to do lists, names, birthdays, and addresses in that little old calendar. I'm afraid that I'm not going to be able to throw it away! Do you have any favorite quotes? What do you do to organize them all? Do you have a quote book or other special means of saving and collecting them? I'd love to hear them.......