A Brief Visit With Nature

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Awaken And See The Beauty
Yesterday was a gorgeous day!  It began with awakening in the middle of the night to throw on pajamas and a coat and go into the backyard to look up at the sky!  What an amazing blood red moon we saw!  The photo was taken with my iPhone and the moon is quite far away...but hopefully you can get a glimpse of the beauty we saw.  We went back to bed and woke up to a beautiful morning and decided to take a drive in the afternoon to see a little scenery.  I'm sharing just two of the pics from our drive - such glorious mountains and endless roads.  Some days you need to awaken and just see the beauty!

Floral Art Journal Page

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes our mind is thinking of one thing and our body is doing another, and mind and body are not unified. - Thich Nhat Hanh
Ain't that the truth!  This is an ailment I am often afflicted with - my mind and body not being unified.  Maybe that's why I love art-making so much.  Because when I am making art I feel like I am one - aligned - in sync.  I am reading the book Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh and right now I am learning about breath - how to be conscious of my breath - how to allow my breath to bring me back to a unified place where my mind and body are working together.  I am so grateful for the practice of making art because it is a meditation - if we allow it to be.  We can allow our art to be our guide - taking us where it wants to - allowing ourselves to be a passenger on a wonderful journey!
Today I am sharing another art journal page that I created for Paper Crafter's Library.  This page took me on quite the journey and it became quite thick in the process!  It now acts as the "front" of my art journal since it is difficult to close my art journal with this page inside :)  Full step-by-step videos of the process are available to members of Paper Crafter's Library.  To learn more about membership, feel free to click on the link in the upper right-hand corner of my blog.
To those of you beginning the celebration of the Passover holiday this evening, I wish you a wonderful and meaningful holiday!

Gwen's Gift Box Decorating

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Get Someone Else's Creative Juices Flowing!
I was fortunate enough to see my friend Gwen last week.  She is a fellow creative spirit and I know she loves doing collage.  So I figured I would bring along a small gift for her - a little box filled with some of my painted tapes.  I knew she would take them and run with them...and I wasn't disappointed!  Over the weekend she shared with me these amazing boxes she decorated using the tapes!!!!!!  It was an idea I never would have thought of!  She even decorated the little box I had given her the painted tapes in!  What little gift could you give someone to get their creative juices flowing????  Gwen gave me the gift right back!  I know these boxes are going to inspire me in so many ways!  Thanks Gwen!!!! :)

Birthday Chicken!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Share Your Art With Someone You Love!
Today is Michael's birthday so I decided I needed to make him a special card :)  It's actually not really a "card" - it's more of a very large postcard.  It is 6" x 9 1/2".  I have really been enjoying playing with collage lately (as you have probably noticed!)!  What better way to celebrate a birthday than with a birthday chicken!!!! :)  At least I think it's a chicken...I guess it could be some other type of bird...actually, it can be whatever you think it is :)  I used Mixed Media paper as a base since you can apply both wet and dry media to it.  I incorporated dry wax paper that I had painted and also some that I painted and made into tape.  A touch of stamping, detail painting, white gel pen and a bit of marker were all added.  I hope Michael wakes up this morning with a smile on his face that grows even larger when he sees his chicken! :)  Who needs your art to make them smile today????

You Are Moo-Tiful Art Journal Page

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  If You Bought It, Play With It!
This page began as a decision to finally take out the Derwent Inktense Blocks I had purchased awhile back and give them a try!  So I sprayed the watercolor paper with a bit of water and began scribbling color with the blocks.  The scribbling led to a landscape background and then I just went with it!  Something about the blue sky and the green grass made me think...COW!  Yes, this is how my mind works and I try to just go with it!  Maybe what triggered COW! was a trip I took back in 1990 with my mom.  We were driving on the California coast toward San Francisco and I was so taken by the gorgeous coast, the beautiful green hills and the cows grazing in the grass.  Those cows looked so content.  (This was also the moment in my life when I became a vegetarian (I am now vegan) - those cows looked so happy I decided I didn't need to eat them anymore :)  Anyway, I digress...So, the inktense blocks led to COW! and COW! led to this completed page :)  This page makes me smile - I'm even wondering about taking it, and the bird page I did last week, and maybe doing some framing so that I can enjoy these pages on a wall.  I know I would lose a bit of the page given the holes of the spiral binding...or maybe I should just frame them with the holes and all :)  Either way, what this page taught me is that if you have a supply that you purchased that you haven't yet played with...the time is now! :)

Bird In The Berries Art Journal Page

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Trust That It Will Come
I was traveling this week and I hadn't planned well enough ahead to do my posting in advance...but now I'm back! :)  I spent quite a bit of the day in the craft room yesterday.  I sat down not knowing what to do, but decided to just start painting deli paper again (dry wax paper).  I kept painting and painting on this one piece of paper and finally felt like the page was done.  Again, I had no idea what I was going to be doing with the paper or where it might end up.  I just sat down and trusted that somehow something would come because I was willing to show up and just begin.  As I was finishing the page, the idea of using the paper to create a collage bird popped into my head.  I made a template and cut out the bird.  Then I used some of my art tape to make a wing and tail feathers.  I sprayed a background and then was inspired to carve a quick stamp that has 2 branches on it.  Once the branches were stamped and the bird added, I was led to grab another piece of art tape I had made and began cutting tiny circles and adding them to the branches.  This page taught me that my willingness to trust may very well be rewarded!!!!

Solitude Art Journal Page

 

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  There Is Sound And Voice In Silence
Last Friday we took Buddy for a walk in a dog park.  Wide open fields.  The mountains in the distance.  An immediate calm and relaxation.  And it was in the silence that I heard myself relax - the stress let go - my cells find their peace and home.  It is a different type of alone than when I walk on the city streets - cement sidewalks beneath my feet.  And I wasn't alone.  Michael and Buddy were there.  Birds.  Horses in the distance.  Other dogs and people sharing the same space.  It is in these places I find deep comfort.  Sometimes these places are found right in my backyard - the sound of the worms rustling in the leaves and dirt at night.  The wind blowing the boughs of the trees.  The caw of crows in the morning.  It is in this silence that I find my voice - if I listen carefully.
This page had an interesting beginning...if you read my blog last week you saw this post here.  Well, this is the rebirth of a piece of that experiment!  I used it as the base for this page and I'm really pleased with the texture and interest it adds to the page.  Here is a little close-up:

I hope you like it :)

Painted Paper and Some Stamp Carving

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  There's Magic In Motion
Yesterday I made myself very proud!  I swam just over 2 miles in the pool!  I still can't believe it!  The swim workout I did included some sprints and lots and lots of laps :)  There was something magical about the motion.  The more I swam, the more I relaxed.  The more I began to feel natural in the water.  And I realize the same thing is true about my art.  I start out and things feel tense - tight - like they are not flowing.  But, I keep moving - I apply more paint to a page; stamp an image; doodle a bit - I create a space where magic can happen.  Just by engaging in the motion you let the Universe know that you are open to the magic.
Today I am sharing some of the results of my motion.  Two painted pieces of dry wax paper (deli paper) that will be turned into something :)  As I was painting the pages I had the urge to do some stamping on the pages, which led me to carve a few stamps of my own.  I hadn't sat down to carve stamps - the carving came to me because I stayed in motion and I waited for the magic to happen!  I hope you have a wonderfully creative weekend filled with magic!!!!!!

ENOUGH Art Journal Page

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  When You Are Stressed, Just Pick Up Some Color And Put It Down
I allow myself to get stressed sometimes...well maybe "sometimes" is an understatement.  I am learning how to adjust my thoughts so that I don't go down the dark stress hole as often as I do.  Part of staying out of the dark stress hole was choosing the word "enough" as my mantra word for this year.  I am enough.  I have enough.  I am doing enough.  I have had enough :)  So today I thought I would share my ENOUGH art journal page that I created for Paper Crafter's Library.  If you are a member of Paper Crafter's Library you can view videos that will provide the step-by-step details of how I created the page.  You can learn more about Paper Crafter's Library by clicking on the Paper Crafter's Library icon on my sidebar on the right.  Or, you can just pick up some color and put it down on a page and begin to explore creating your own page in your own way.  I did that today as well.  Found myself feeling a bit stressed about the disaster that is my craft room.  So I began to move stuff off of the main table and once a space was cleared I decided that I should alleviate the stress by creating something v. spending the entire evening cleaning up :)  I know - it's a bit circular if the mess makes me stressed...but somehow just creating something - anything - alleviates my stress - distracts my mind - lets my intuition take over.  So I just painted a piece of dry wax paper (deli paper) and it will turn into something at some point - perhaps the background for an art journal page, or get cut up and placed into a collage, or made into a roll of art tape.  For now it is just my art therapy :)  I highly recommend the experience! :)

CREATE Art Journal Page

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Resist The Urge To Add On

Today's lesson is not about art-making - although there is probably a lot to be said about "less is more" when it comes to art.  Today's lesson is about gossip and idle chit-chat.  It can be so easy to fall into adding on to or listening in to conversations that are about other people.  After all, if we are busy talking about others we have less time to examine ourselves.  I was proud of myself today - I resisted the urge.  I was a party to a conversation that wasn't about me - it was about others.  And the urge bubbled up to add a piece of "juicy gossip" to the dialogue...and I swallowed it.  I didn't go there.  And I feel really good about that.  This is something I'm going to make a conscious effort around - to resist the urge to add on (except when it comes to my art! :)

Today I'm sharing the first art journal page I created for Paper Crafter's Library.  I was like a kid in a candy store when I was asked to start creating pages (in addition to the cards and other projects I create/design for them).  The pages allow me to play with any and every supply I have on hand and I love it!  I will continue to share the pages I have created for Paper Crafter's Library - old and new.  I hope they inspire you to give art journaling a try!  For full video instructions for my Paper Crafter's Library art journal pages you can check out the information on becoming a member by clicking on the Paper Crafter's Library icon in my sidebar on the right.

Stamp with Stampin' Up! LIVE tomorrow!!!!!

Have you ever wished you could stamp with the folks at Stampin' Up!'s home office? Your wish is granted--and your opportunity is here! Here's the basic rundown.
Who: You! And feel free to invite anyone who wants to play along.
What: This is a live, streaming event where we will stamp with the All Wrapped Up Bundle on page 6 of the Sale-A-Bration brochure. Projects will also feature the Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper. Choose your preferred device--computer, tablet, smart phone, or even hook up your computer to your TV--and tune in to learn some fun new things to do with the bundle!
When: March 26, 2014, at 5:30 PM, 7:30 PM, and 11:00 PM (all times MT). We'll demonstrate the same projects each time, so choose the one that's best for you.
Where: You don't even have to leave home. Come to www.youtube.com/stampinupvideo at your chosen time, and be prepared to stamp! We'll also award door prizes to random participants.
Why: So many occasions are coming--Easter, Mother's Day, graduations, and more--and we want to help you be ready.
Hope you can make it. We'd love to have you join us!
*Never hooked up your computer to a TV before? Do a search on YouTube and you'll find loads of instructional videos. Make sure to do a practice run before March 26 so you don't miss out on any of the party.

Magnetic North Art Journal Page & Second Life For A Red Balloon

Today's Question From The Craft Room:  How Do You Measure A Year In The Life?
As I am typing this, the song from the show Rent entitled Seasons of Love is running through my head.  Have you heard it?  If not, you can listen to it here.  I've been thinking a lot about this lately - how do I measure a year in my life?  Is it by minutes spent traveling for work?  Dollars earned?  Love experienced?  Minutes walked outside with my beautiful dog?  Amount of time spent in the craft room?  Which measurements feel more significant to me?  To society?  Can I hold onto my own measurements - the ones that are truly important to me and do my best to ignore the measures other people use?  How do you measure a year in the life?  What I do know is that the minutes I spent creating this art journal page and my balloon collage piece were minutes well spent :)
This Magnetic North art journal page was one of the projects I created for Paper Crafter's Library as a Designer/Educator.  If you are interested in being able to access step-by-step videos of how the page was created, you can check out how to subscribe to Paper Crafter's Library by clicking on the Paper Crafter's Library icon on my sidebar on the right.  Otherwise, I will be sharing pictures of the completed pages with you here on my blog (I have a bit of catching up to do since I have already created a few pages for them - I will try to share the other pages I have done during my posts this week)!
I also wanted to share a bit of fun I had today.  On a recent walk in February, Buddy and I came across a deflated balloon being blown along the street.  I decided to pick it up and bring it home (yes, I'm kind of like a crow/magpie - picking up shiny things on my walks!).  Today I decided to start cutting it up and collaging it onto a piece of dry waxed paper.  This is what I ended up with...the balloon (what's left of it) is on the left and the collaged paper is on the right.  One of these days I will share what I end up doing with the collage paper!  Hopefully I'll think if something soon :)

A Second Life For Ribbon & Fabric Scraps?

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Take A First Step In Some Direction
So I've woken up a few mornings thinking about taking my fabric and ribbon scraps and ironing them on to fusible web.  Today I finally decided that I needed to follow through on the thought and do it...even though I have no idea what direction this will take me.  The task was complicated a bit by the fact that we blew a fuse in the house today so I only have one light in the craft room and one working outlet.  But I persevered - at least up to this point - and I have no clue what I will be doing next with this sheet.  I would still like to add more scraps, threads and bits and then your guess is as good as mine :)  But that's not stopping me.  Sometimes you just need to take a first step in some direction to get moving!  I will definitely share where this takes me!

Completed Art Journal Page: Spring!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Give It Time To Unfold
I finished the page today!  I am writing this on Thursday evening - the first day of Spring.  And I guess it is no coincidence that as I kept working on this page I was inspired to add the word "spring!"  The page feels very alive to me - vibrant, growing, promising.  This page was definitely a lesson in giving my art time to unfold.  Not forcing.  Not pushing.  Being willing to walk away and come back to take a fresh look.  This was the first page I created in a new Moleskine sketchbook that has pages that are 11 1/4"x16 1/2"!  It felt a bit intimidating - looking at that large blank page...but the intimidation didn't last long :)  I began by painting off of the page - just painting a piece of dry waxed paper (deli paper).  The paper eventually got adhered to the page and then paint (and stitching) was added around and on top of the dry waxed paper.  Here are a few close ups...I am looking forward to my next unfolding :)

A Little More Progress On The Page

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Notice
I am slowly making more progress on the art journal page that I shared yesterday.  I found myself wanting to add some hand-stitching to the piece (not an easy task since hand-stitching is not something I have done a lot of).  Of course I then decided I wanted to include French knots :)  So, off to YouTube I went to find a video on how to make them.  I'm not consistent yet, but it has been fun learning.  I've also begun to take more notice at the thoughts that bubble up as I am working on this page.  Yes, the usual critic is rearing his ugly head again - asking me why I am spending time on this page - asking me "What's the point?"  And then I also notice what was on the radio when I was driving home from swimming this morning.  Two stories - one right after the other.  One was about a 17-year old girl who had become addicted to marijuana and how it had impacted her life.  She was in a program at school that was built to help teens through this addiction and one of the things she felt was helping her a lot was art.  She talked about how making art provided a distraction for her - distraction from negative thoughts and cravings.  She mentioned how fascinated she was right now with roses and drawing them - how the petals fold in so many different ways.  Next was a story about teens in Lyons, Colorado who had experienced the devastation of flooding last year.  With the assistance of a few adults, they put together a book of photos about their experience.  Using art to express and to heal.  So yes, I notice what the Universe is saying in response to my inner critic.  Why do I create art?  Why do I spend time stitching French knots to a page?  Because it allows my mind to focus on something positive and distracts me (if I can allow the inner critic's thoughts to just pass by) from negative thinking.  It also provides me an opportunity to express myself and to heal myself.  And ultimately, I hope that maybe it will inspire you to do the same.

Art Journal Page In Progress

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  You Can't Force What Needs To Happen In Its Own Time
I have been pretty immersed in this art journal page.  What I thought might take me a day is taking time over several days to complete.  I keep adding, waiting, listening for my gut to tell me what to do next.  It's been a wonderful process...and has led to my not posting something for you yesterday :)  I finally decided I could just take a picture of one piece of the page and post that - just to share something with you.  This page is teaching me that you can't force what needs to happen in its own time.  This piece will be done when it is ready to be done.  In the meantime, I will keep showing up and allow it to unfold.

Taking Time On My Travels

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Take Time During Your Work Travels To Appreciate What Is Around You
When I travel for work I often spend most, of not all, of my time in cars, buildings and planes.  I was very fortunate to discover that my trip last week had me staying at a location that actually had beautiful scenery and a 2-mile walking/biking path.  I took full advantage of it and wanted to share a few of the amazing scenes I encountered.  I have a feeling a piece of artwork focusing on trees is in my future :)  Enjoy!

More Deli Paper Painting

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Go With Your Own Flow

As you can tell, I've really been enjoying painting deli paper! Just allowing myself to place paint and marks on paper without allowing myself to get caught up in a lot of thinking has been amazingly freeing! I feel like this journey is bringing me closer to my inner artist - closer to finding marks and patterns that are authentic to who I am. I like approaching the page not knowing what it is going to turn into. It is definitely an adventure of going with my own flow and trusting that it will take me to a place of discovery and authenticity. What would it look like if you allowed yourself to go with your flow?

New Photopolymer Stamp Sets - Sweetie Pie!

How funny that the day I posted a face stamp, Stampin' Up! releases two new photopolymer stamp sets and one of them is all about faces! :)  Must be fate!  Check out these adorable sets!  Each one is only $13.95.  Sweetie Pie (#136849) has twelve adorable little face stamps and Sweetie Pie Frames (#137121) has an assortment of frames and greetings.  Click HERE to order these cute sets now! :)

Hand Carved Face Stamp

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Set Your Mind To It And Go Do It!
While eating my breakfast yesterday I began to watch a video on YouTube by Suzi Dennis that began with her sharing an art journal page with an image of a stamped face.  She then showed the stamp she had hand carved to create the face.  That's when I stopped the video.  I had just finished my breakfast and I thought to myself, "I can carve a face stamp!"  So off I went into the craft room!  I already had a face in mind.  I had actually taken a picture of my tv screen when I was watching a commercial and the sweetest face appeared on the screen.  The child's eyes were so big and beautiful and I captured the image on my camera thinking that I would try to draw that beautiful face one day.  Little did I know that face would become a stamp.  So I looked at the face and drew out a sketch of what I saw.  I then transferred the image onto Speedball Speedy Cut material and carved the stamp using a carving tool (that you see in the photo).  I was patient - recognizing that if I took my time I might create something that I could use over and over again for years to come.  If you told me yesterday that I would make a face stamp that I was proud of I would have laughed at you in disbelief.  As I am writing this and looking at the stamp I created I am reminded what can happen when you set your mind to something and just go and do it!  You will definitely be seeing this face in some upcoming artwork! :)

Painted Scratch Paper

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  It's OK To Not Have A Plan
This painted paper began as the scratch paper that sits underneath whatever else I am stamping or painting on my craft room table.  If there is extra paint to mop up or I want to stamp off or empty a paintbrush of excess paint, this is a page to do that on.  Yesterday I decided to take the sprayed, stamped, painted piece and begin to cover it with color and marks intentionally.  This is the result.  I have been enjoying painting paper in this way - just adding color as I like - adding marks if the urge strikes - placing colors next to one another in total ignorance of the color wheel.  What is even more wonderful is that as I am painting I have no idea as to what I am going to do with this paper!  There is something about the fact that I don't have a plan and that it is scrap paper that let's me be free.  It allows me to explore without worrying about the consequences - after all, I don't have a plan anyway!  It even allowed me to take out some of my higher quality paints - after all, I'm not using a lot and the color is so pretty.  Now I am beginning to wonder where this page will end up.  Will I frame it?  Will I cut it into strips and make it into tape?  Will I cut it into all different shapes and collage it onto another page?  Or maybe I will just adhere it whole into an art journal.  Who knows!  And that's the beauty of it.  It is OK to not have a plan!  You may even find that not having a plan quiets your inner critic and sets you free to simply play!  Enjoy!!!!!

Art Tape Covered Journal

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Work With What's In Front Of You!
I have been playing around with making different painted art tapes and somehow the urge struck me to roll some of them up and take them with me on my last work trip.  On my flight I remembered that they were in my bag and I began to wonder what I could do with them.  The little Moleskine journal that I had with me was in my lap and an idea was hatched!  Why not cover the journal?!  So I began tearing little pieces of the tape and randomly adhered the little pieces to the front...and then the back...cover.  The colors and shapes totally transformed this little journal into a tiny piece of art :)  I love the idea of working with what's right there in front of you!  What is in front of you right now that you could transform into a work of art? (uh-oh...the idea just crossed my mind to cover my computer in painted art tape!  Something tells me I should identify something else...but you never know! :)

Painted Art Tape

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  I Can Talk Myself Out Of It As Easily As I Can Talk Myself Into It
I struggle with balancing my multiple interests.  I love art making and the idea of going somewhere to be with a community of other people who share that same interest is very appealing!  So lately I've been looking at different art retreats to see if there is one I might attend.  The minute I found one and started looking at plans and dates, some other interests started creeping in.  As some of you know, I travel quite a bit for my work.  You may also already know that I love being home.  So the idea of coming home from a work trip to then turn around for an art retreat...is causing me a bit of angst :(  The idea of more nights in hotels seems to be squashing down the idea of traveling to be with a community of people who are equally interested in exploring their creativity.  So maybe I am better off trying to find something local that can quench my thirst?  And yet a local option won't provide the "art immersion" experience I am craving.  So here I am (yes, I'm a Libra), in my mental spin...talking myself out of it as easily as I can talk myself into it...and back around again.  If I actually make a decision, I'll let you know :)
Today I wanted to share with you some of the art tape I created from the painted deli paper I shared on Monday.  I used Mod Podge to adhere the paper to the tape - might try some other methods in the future to figure out what works best for me.  Tomorrow I will share with you one way I have put these special tapes to use!  I can imagine using this decorative tape in much the same way washi tape is used....the possibilities are endless!!!! :)

More Deli Paper Painting!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Leave Something Around You Can Walk By And Add To
I am all for setting aside large blocks of time to immerse myself in creativity.  At the same time, I recognize that I can easily allow my life to get in the way of my creativity (something I continue to work on) and that sometimes I even use not having a block of time as an excuse to not create.  What I am loving about painting these deli papers is that I have been leaving a piece (or two) out on the craft room table and when I walk by the craft room I can just dart in and quickly add something to the page - maybe ink up a stamp and do some stamping, or grab a gel pen and add a doodle here and a doodle there.  It's easy to do something quick and dart back out of the craft room and continue on with whatever else I was doing.  It feels quite spontaneous and I love the uncertainty of where the piece will end up.  So give it a try...leave something around you can walk by and add to!
Doris asked a few questions yesterday about the deli paper so I want to provide some responses :)  The deli paper is exactly what it sounds like - the dry wax paper that is commonly used in restaurants to wrap up a sandwich.  It is not thick like freezer paper...think more like the sheet of light paper that is placed in a french fry basket to soak up the excess grease :)  I am really loving painting and writing and stamping on these papers - partly because it feels like such a low-risk activity.  After all, these papers are VERY INEXPENSIVE!  You can buy a box of 500 sheets for less than $10!  I bought mine from Sam's Club and the sheets are 12" x 10 3/4".  As for what to do with the sheets once they are painted?  Well, I am turning some of them into art tape!  I watched a video by Suzi Dennis where she had some rolls of art tape she was working with and I decided to venture out on my own to try to figure out how to do it!  The easier way might have been to have purchased her how-to video...but I'm a stubborn one when it comes to trying to figure something out when I think I can! :)  I still may watch that video...if anything as a thank you for her wonderful inspiration! :)  I am also planning to use the pages in my art journal and collage pieces.  You could even use them for decoupage!  And, of course, you could also just frame a piece and display it "as is."  The beautiful thing about deli paper is that it is incredibly strong (especially after painting it with acrylic paint) and it becomes quite transparent when you adhere it to other surfaces with matte medium.  Let me know if you have more questions!  I am happy to share my adventure with deli paper with you! :)

Painting On Deli Paper

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Give It A Try
I have a habit when I am traveling - I like to watch other artists making art on YouTube.  Even if I am standing in line waiting to board a plane you will likely find me watching a video of someone painting, stamping, cutting or pasting!  I find it incredibly soothing.  (I have really been enjoying videos by Jane Davies and Suzi Dennis lately!)  Of course, there is a bit of it that is frustrating as well - knowing I am far from my craft room - far from my paints and stamps and pens and brushes.  I store up all of that frustration and turn it into desire so that when I get home I am bursting to get into the craft room and start creating!  When I got home from this most recent trip I ran into the craft room and started playing with paints, sprays, stamps and ink!  I decided to give deli paper a try - using it first to stamp off on or to brush extra paint off of my paint brush.  Then I took the random piece and became a bit more intentional with it.  This is the result.  I'm ready to start my next piece!!!! :)  So if you are like me and find yourself watching other artists create on YouTube, I encourage you to give what you are watching a try!  If you are watching the video you obviously are attracted to the creative process...why not unleash it?!?! :)

Floral Purse Card Set by Christy Fulk

Check out this fun and flirty Floral Purse Card Set by Christy Fulk!  This is the February Bonus Project over at Craft Project Central.  This project will give you a little Spring in the middle of this cold Winter.  The set includes two different designed Thank You cards.  The purse can hold six of these cards, along with matching lined envelopes.  This card set would make a great gift for anyone who loves purses, and make a great class, too!  Bonus projects can be obtained by subscribing to two or more months in a row, putting the Craft Project Central badge on your blog, or by referring a friend and when they subscribe, letting Craft Project Central know.  Head on over to Craft Project Central for more details!

Mixed Media Play

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Art Makes Me Wonder
I visited a museum today and was attuned to my thoughts as I walked through the galleries.  I seem to pay attention to the dates of an artist's life and then look at what year, or at what age, a particular piece was made.  If there are a number of pieces by the same artist, I like to try to discern growth or change over the course of time.  I wonder what they were thinking when they were painting a particular piece.  I wonder what became less important and more important to them as they aged.  I wonder how much time those hyper-realistic still life oil paintings took and how someone could devote such time and attention to getting that piece of fruit or that flower "just right."  I wonder about color choice - did that color come out of some kind of tube or was it mixed by hand.  I wonder what the artist would think of someone standing in front of their painting, wondering all of this :)  Yes, art makes me wonder.  It makes me ask questions about the artist, about the subject in the painting, about the world, about what it means to be human and creative.  Art awakens my curiosity.  More often than not it does not provide answers - it offers more questions and in this way energizes me.  How can art make you wonder today?  What questions will you ask?
Today I am sharing a temporary creation - something that came about on my art table when I took various bits and pieces that I had sitting out and just put them on top of each other!  It didn't last long - long enough for me to take a picture so that I could share it with you.  Now the bits and pieces will find new homes - maybe homes that will be more permanent this time around :)

Baby Shower Gift Set by Angie Jones

How's this for a very special Baby Shower Gift Set?  This set was created by Angie Jones.  What a cute Gift Box, Notebook and Card to give with your gift at your next Baby Shower Party.  The new Mother To Be will just love the pastel tones and having a gorgeous box (once gift is removed) to save all her Baby Shower Cards and Tags, not to mention a handy notebook for her handbag / nappy bag, to record all of Baby’s first’s that often occur when you are out and about.
Head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of February for all of the how-to instructions!  Or, leave a comment on my project at Craft Project Central (posted on February 16th) for a chance to win a February subscription!  I will be choosing one lucky winner!

Petal Parade Card Box with Belly Band by Laurie Zoellmer

This sweet Petal Parade Card Box with Belly Band was designed by Laurie Zoellmer.  This darling card box makes a perfect gift or is a great idea for a class too!  It can easily hold six decorated cards and envelopes.  Easy to assemble and beautiful too!  Head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of February for all of the how-to instructions!  Or, leave a comment on my project at Craft Project Central (posted on February 16th) for a chance to win a February subscription!  I will be choosing one lucky winner!

Slider Page Mini Album, Card & Gift Tag by Tina Gillespie

Check out this beautiful Slider Page Mini Album, Card & Gift Tag by Tina Gillespie!!!  This project includes a cute mini album with a unique slider page, perfect for hidden journaling or photos. Complete the ensemble with a card and a gift tag and it is the ideal gift for someone special in your life.
For all of the instructions for this great project, head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of February.  Or, if you feel lucky, leave a comment on my project that was posted at Craft Project Central on February 16th.  I will be choosing one lucky winner for a free February subscription!  Good luck!!!!

Oval Accents Bigz Die Purse Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  You Can Do Things You Never Believed You Could!
On Monday I set a goal for myself.  A goal I had not reached before.  A goal to swim 2 miles.  I can't even believe I'm typing this because if you would have told me last April that I would swim 2 miles I would have told you you were nuts!  It's been months of learning, struggling, succeeding, accomplishing.  And on Monday...I achieved my 2 mile goal!!!!  Had you even told me last week that I would swim 2 miles this week...I probably also would have told you you were crazy!  But you aren't crazy and I can do things I never believed I could do!  I haven't set my next swimming goal yet, but I know I will select one and I believe I will accomplish it.  I have to add that having a "swim buddy" who is also striving to achieve goals has also pushed me and helped me achieve my goals.  And yes, you guessed it, I believe the same is true with art!  YOU CAN do things you never believed you could!  And having an art buddy helps!  I'm happy to be your virtual art buddy - encouraging you every step of the way.  Because I know if you put your mind to it - you can achieve your goals!!!!!  Go for it!!!!!
Today's card was made quite a long time ago, but I just unearthed it in the craft room :)  I made this purse using the Oval Accents Bigz die and a bone folder.  Just a bit of embossing folder magic and then some scored folds and the purse was born!  I hope you like it :)

Afternoon Picnic by Buffy Cooper

This sweet Afternoon Picnic set is by Buffy Cooper.  By the time February rolls around, most of us are ready for spring – flowers, sunshine and picnics on the deck.  This set is perfect for getting us into the mood for Spring!  It includes lanterns, flowers in painted glitter vases and butterfly straws made with Afternoon Picnic Designer Series Paper!  This set is sure to remind you that spring is just around the corner.  Get all the instructions by heading over to Craft Project Central and subscribing to the month of February.  Or, if you feel lucky, leave a comment on my project that was posted at Craft Project Central on February 16th.  I will be choosing one lucky winner for a free February subscription!  Good luck!!!!

Swallowtail Altered Book Box & Card

This Swallowtail Altered Book Box and Card is my February project for Craft Project Central.  It is a perfect way to transform an unused hardcover book into a beautiful gift! (I am such a lover of books so it took me quite a while to find a book that I was willing to transform)!  This set features an altered hardcover book and a coordinating gift card.  The elegant box provides a special place to store a secret gift, a small journal, or other cherished keepsakes!  This set would make a wonderful gift for a treasured friend!  Want all of the step-by-step instructions to make an altered book box all of your own?  If so, you can head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of February or, head on over to my project on Craft Project Central and leave a comment!  I will be choosing one lucky winner who will receive a free subscription to the month of February!  The winner will be chosen on February 27th.  Good luck!!!!

Creating Pretty Cards - Sketch Challenge #32

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: When My Mind Relaxes, My Body Relaxes
I have a history of migraine headaches.  They usually begin with a visual aura and then progress from there.  Sometimes I get lucky (if you can call it that) and I just get the aura and then just feel "off" for the rest of the day.  Sometimes I am incapacitated for the day (and night).  I was happily migraine-free for a month, but a visual aura hit me yesterday afternoon so the rest of the day did not go as planned.  But here I am today - feeling better - hoping to not anger the migraine gods again!  Of course I have spent a lot of time trying to decode my migraines - trying to figure out if something triggers them.  The only thing that seems to be a constant with respect to when they appear is stress.  Yet another reminder for me that I need to do those things that will relax my mind and relax my body.  I need to make the time for that which relaxes my mind - art, yoga nidra, time in nature.  I begin the count again today - Day 1 headache free...and hoping!  Wishing you a relaxing weekend for both your mind and body and a very wonderful and love-filled Valentine's Day!!!!!
Today's card was created for the Creating Pretty Cards - Sketch Challenge #32 over at Craft Project Central!  I couldn't quite capture the colors with my camera - the background is Crisp Cantaloupe.  The card base is Crushed Curry.  I was inspired to put these colors all together based on a piece of paper that I saw.  I never would have thought to combine them without the inspiration!  Hopefully the color combo will inspire you too!  Head on over to Craft Project Central to participate in the Sketch Challenge.  You may end up winning a free one-month subscription!  Good luck!!!!

Retro Fresh Magnetic Memo Board Set by Julie Beltramo

This month Julie Beltramo designed this wonderful Retro Fresh Magnetic Memo Board Set for Craft Project Central.  It’s always nice to have a fresh new way to post some quick notes or reminders. This Magnetic Memo Board is really simple to make, and the Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper gives it a super fun vibe!! The coordinating note cards, pen and super-hip magnets are all stored neatly into the Sweet and Simple Storage Case. When it’s all packed up, it makes a great  little ‘anytime’ gift!  Find all the instructions over at Craft Project Central where you can register for the month of February.