Child's Play

Yesterday, I had just gone down to my craft room, determined to make something fun for a change, when my daughter in law peeked around the door with her little girl in tow.

The little one had a pout on her that Paul Bunyan could trip over.

With her sisters back in school, she is adjusting to long lonely days with just her and her mom, so she had asked to come for a visit.

It took a while to get her talking - I had to ask a lot of questions to find out what she wanted to do.
Running out of ideas, I asked her if she would like to come and make a card with me. She finally perked up and started talking.

We returned to the craft room, where she started to respond to things like; "What color would you like it?" etc.

She helped me pick out materials, and I let her choose where to place them.
Soon she was happy and babbling and ready to go on with the day.

She took her card with her, but she had wanted to do some for her sisters when we ran out of time and she had to go.

She had picked out colors and papers for them, so I promised I would finish them and deliver them on Sunday when they come for dinner.

This is not at all what I intended to spend my day on, and not exactly my taste, but crafting isn't always about me...

This one is for the middle sister - she is all girly and loves color
(and sparklies and bows!)

The colors look blue here, but they are actually a deep purple...



This one is for the oldest sis. She (like her grandma) loves aqua blues.
She's not quite as girly, but she likes interesting patterns and shapes...



I don't have to worry if they'll like them - they are always excited and happy just to be thought of (I love that!)

So, until Sunday...
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Making a Start

I've been reading Kelly Rae Roberts book Taking Flight this month. Trying to jump-start my psyche and get it back in gear. She talks about starting an art journal, to keep track of favorite quotes, color schemes, recipes - what have you.

Anything that uplifts and inspires.

I like that idea - I'm always using all my free time to search for pictures I know I've seen ...somewhere, or remember those great ideas I had that I can't seem to remember now...

Sure would be nice to have those all in one place.

Coincidentally, I saw this ad posted on Facebook at the same time:



I was inspired enough to make my own...


The project in the book was a complicated painted piece - and was supposed to be painted with some kind of face, but that's just not me.
I decided to go this route.
I may add paint ...later, and I may not. I haven't decided yet, but this is where I'll start storing all those little pieces of inspiration that I don't want to lose.

Gotta get me one of those cool glue stick/pen things though - those are the bomb!
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Playin' Around

This past weekend was sleepover time for my grand girlies.

Aunt Debbie sent me a trunk load of Bratz dolls this week - and the girls were delitghted!


We blew up the big air mattress for them to sleep on - they loved it, even though they were on the floor when they woke up.
(Couldn't keep the little one from bouncing on it - it may have sprung a leak...)


The girls love to do crafts, so I got some fabric and planned to have them make these circle flowers (they're the going thing around here.)
But I did a test one to see if I thought they could manage it, and the fabric kept catching fire! I had to veto that and just make them ahead of time. I just had them glue them onto hair clips (much safer!)



Been crafting a little for myself lately too...
I found this tutorial for these flowers a couple of weeks ago, and had try that too...

My background flowers were too big and look pretty sloppy, but - Oh well >.<

I got this book in the mail a week ago,


...and finally had a chance to play with some of the fun ideas...
I just did a teeny tiny one (the canvas is about 2" x 2," and so cute!) But it was fun to try something new.


(It's cuter in person - I swear!)

LOTS of time off this week, who knows what we'll come up with next...
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Inspiration / Emulation

My gran-girlies were over the other day, and we were watching... some chick show that I don't remember at the moment, but the girls surprised me when one of them piped up and said; "I get to be her!"

As a girl, my sisters and I did likewise while watching glamorous movie stars, Miss America, or just Disney Princesses... As if just saying those words could magically endow us with the qualities of the person we were admiring.
I was surprised to hear that they still do this! :-)

...To this day there are still beautiful, talented, amazing women who I look up to am inspired by, and try to emulate.

This first card was inspired by Miss Melissa Phillips - the first place I always go for inspiration...
(You may recognize this as the victim of the cutting phantom from the previous post - I gave it some paper 911 and saved it! :-)


Melissa's inspiration piece:


(via lilybeans paperie)

I also found this room that I love, and tried to incorporate the color scheme into my card. (I will probably use this scheme again and again - love it!)


(via Tiny White Daisies)

This card was also inspired by Miss Phillips - I changed out the colors and brightened it up a bit...



Sometimes the inspiration is so perfect as it is, that I can't bear
to change it - at all;

The inspiration for this card was by Viola Mahr, whose work is so tantalizingly yummy - love to just hang on her website and drool...
Her card;

(via Viola Mahr )
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Hello.

Spent a little time in the craft room this month.
Not much to show for it though. The weather has been so gloomy here, that it's knocked my creativity clear to Halifax.

This wee little card is almost a carbon copy of one I saw online;
(mine)

The Inspiration:

(via Lilybean's Paperie.) I love her art!

A couple of weeks ago, I had a craft day with the grand girls. We made squash books;


open book


Then, while we were visiting with their parents, the little one snuck into my room and tried her hand at creating...
She chopped up a few of the cards I've been working on. (Who knew she was paying attention when I showed the other girls how to use the cutter?)


She also had some fun with my camera - unfortunately, she left evidence behind of who-dunnit. (Silly girl!)



I've got some projects going for a little to-do we're having this weekend.
I've had some extra work hours this week, so I hope I'll be able to get them done.

Happy Easter Y'all! :-)
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Recovery Time

I've been on R&R for the last couple of weeks while recovering from surgery. Been spending lots of time at home trying to keep myself entertained...

I did a little Birdwatching...
(The Doves have returned to the back yard)



Reading...
(Love this series by Josi Kilpack. Fun cozy mysteries with the added bonus of a few yummy recipes thrown in - this is her newest one. Can't wait for the next one coming out this fall!)



Browsing magazines, such as Artful Blogging, looking for new ideas and inspirations...


...And this one:
(Don't laugh, I know it's a little out of character for me, but when I flipped through the pages, the beautiful horse photos reminded me of my dad and my childhood home, and I had to have it.)

The fact that all three of these books are color coordinated is purely coincidental.



Watching favorite DVD's and looking up fashions from the show...
(Ghost Whisperer and Polyvore)



One day, while browsing some favorite sites, I ran across a blog hop, and was led to Lizabits blog, and a fun color challenge. I was so taken by this photo. It was so bright and Springy, and reminded me of a hutch that my daughter in law gave my son for his birthday.


Brad's hutch - (I helped a little with the paint job)


I usually don't work much with Yellow, but I was inspired enough to try...

...And even a second one...

I found this great tutorial for tying the scrunched ribbon bows on Kimberly's Craft Spot, which made me really happy because I've always wanted to know how it's done!


I was hoping to get a lot more done than this during my off-time,
but I haven't had as much energy for it as I hoped.
Lots of new inspirations for the future though!

Hubby will be traveling for work again soon, and I don't start working until later next week, so hopefully there will be time to try a few more.

On a sadder note - I saw on the news today that the Scrapbook USA Expo is going on this weekend. It has been a traditional girls' day outing for the past several years, but I didn't see it coming around this time. Since Libby is living 3 states away now, I'm not keeping track of things very well...
(Not that I need any more supplies, but it was always a fun little excursion for me, my daughter in law, and her sister.)

Oh well, there's always this fall...
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Gothic Romance

Valentines is an opportunity to to continue an ongoing love affair - with Black & White. Yum, my favorite combination. Add a pop of red for drama, and I am in love!

...Just being silly, but truly, it is my favorite.

Just a couple of Valentines today - I found a sketch online that inspired this one. I wish I could remember where... But it reminded me of a tuxedo, so that's how I used it.

This one was for my darling daughter. You'd have to know her - trust me, it's perfect. :-)

That's all this week - taking time off to read...
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