Let's Try This

So for the past year or so I felt like I had lost all sense of creativity. I mean I have always been able to do something creative, but I seemed to have lost it along the way. I have tried to get it back, crochet, writing in a journal, photography and still nothing. So when I saw the link for The Sketchbook Challenge I thought why not maybe this was the right thing to get my  creativity going again. So not wanting to set myself up for failure I just bought a lined journal at the drug store. I didn't want the pressure of a real sketch book I guess. So on January 1, 2011 I started the challenge and love it. I think it is bringing me write back to when I was a kid and I used to sit in a lawn chair in our yard and draw. Believe me when I say I am by no means an artist, I have never seen myself as a person that could draw, but this is really helping me get my creative ideas flowing. so for the next year I will be posting my sketches (beautiful or not). Thanks for following my journey back to creativity, I hope it is not to painful to watch. The Sketch book Journal's theme for January is Highly Prized. To me that is Time. Time for family, friends, work and me.

what to do, what to do

Still struggling with the whole me thing. As I sit here drinking tea and eating a peanut butter cookie, I am trying to remember all the great creative ideas I had while driving in my car to work, while sitting at work. AND I CAN'T REMEMBER ANY OF THEM!! By the time I get home all the creativity I had is gone, sucked right out of my head. It is so frustrating. I so need to do something creative with paper, glue, markers and glitter. The art room is a mess, just like my thoughts. I need a vacation where all I do is craft and make art ohhhhhh what a dream. Thanks for listening to my creative rant.

Inspiring while sorting

My New Years promise to myself was to find at least 5 minutes a week for me and me alone. I mainly did this to jump start my creativity again which I have seemed to have lost somewhere along the way.

I have not been able to go in the art room all winter, the furnace is not working. Sad I know! And crochet is not cutting it for me on the creativity scale. So what to do?

Well in taking some time for myself I decided to go through some old boxes of paper that I have been collecting for years. I found old bank statements, college grades, notices to my parents from High School, but the most exciting thing was found on the bottom of this box. A tattered old blue folder, as I opened this folder I discovered my old poems, essays and short stories. INSPIRATION!!!! I have always loved to write, there is just something about a great pen and beautiful paper. Now the things I found were written mainly on lined school paper and pencil, but beautiful non the less.

What to do? Write!! I have this beautiful leather bond journal (a gift from my brother and sister in law many years ago) sitting empty in my office just waiting to be filled. So that's the plan, write. It is portable creativity!! I'll let you know how it goes.

I think I am back?!?!

Hello old friends,

I have been gone so long I almost forgot I had a blog to write. I seem to have lost my imagination and creativity somewhere but am bound and detrimined to find it again. I think I lost it in my everyday life somewhere between work, dance, Girl Scouts, hockey and everything else that I do day to day.

My New Year's (I hope everyone had a happy and safe New Year's) Resolution this year was to do something for myself at least once a week, I am hoping to find my spark again. I will keep you updated!

Amy Butler Bag Giveaway

Check this out

http://the-fabric-shopper.blogspot.com/2009/07/giveaway-amy-butler-sweet-life-bag.html

Has it really been a year?

WOW Has it really been a year since I last sat down to blog. Life has been super busy, some time in the studio has happened but not much as I would have liked. Hoping that will change soon, the idea book is really full.

I'm Here

Here I am, finally. I have sat down at the computer hundreds of times and drawn a complete blank. Some days I don't even think I could have typed my name if I was asked. But I am here now and hopefully more often, I have gotten alot of great feed back in the past ad that has helped my confidence.

Anyways....

I ave been alittle creative while I have been away. I taught myself to crochet (yeah me!!). My Mom gave me some great hints when I had trouble figuring out why my square was a trapezoid (Thanks Mom). I have made 2 pillows for my kids, a bag for my daughter and an IPOD holder for me. Pictures coming soon.

So now I am back out in the studio trying t get down to work. I have a notebook almost full of ideas. I thought i should start working on them.

But first I need my supplies.... Tea (Sun Tea this time of year), and candy (no chocolate, not a fan, sorry chocolate lovers). Now I'm ready.



We had a craft day once again.

The girls painted stuffed bears, which they thought was great. Who needs the Mall!!

And little man got to paint airplane and a helicopter.


And as for me I am working on some alphabet cards or my niece. I will Blog again soon with more pictures. Happy creating!!

A book for my Daughter

Happy St Patrick's Day!! It only took 5 years but my son (Patrick) finally gets that it is not a day just for him and my daughter has stopped asking when her day is.

Below is a book that I made for my daughter for Christmas (I know it is March, Please forgive me!) I took an old children's board book and gessoed the whole thing and then embellished with paint, and tissue paper and alot of Mod Podge. I also made one for my son I will post that next time.

Have A Great Day!! We are one day closer to spring!!!!

Still Here...

Yes I am still here. I have been working away on some things and learning a new art... the art of crocheting. I will post pictures of what I have been up to soon I have to let the glue dry!! Have a great day!

Feeling alittle less Blah Blah Blah

It has been so long since I have posted that I am afraid this might be a long one. A cup of tea or coffee might be required.

Where do I begin it is still winter and it has been a lovely mixture of Snow, Sleet and freezing rain just about once a week. When it has not been yuck out we have been Skating on our backyard rink. Patrick and Ron our resident hockey players have been loving it and Laiken is a quick learner she amazes me. I have also amazed myself after not being on skates for atleast 14 years I have only fell once. Yeah for me!!


The Picture below was taken after one of our storms. I really do love when the snow sticks to the trees.

After many, many weeks of not even opening the door to my craft/art room/studio (I have know idea what to call it anymore). I received this fortune. "Click" the inspriation light turned on not full blast I would say dim at this point in the story, but once I opened the door again and made myself sit there and do something anything (the first time I scraped all the glue and paint off my bench) I started to feel better.

I then started to work on real projects (There was nothing left to scrap!!). I am almost finished with a "Book of First" book for my cousins who just had a baby and I have another "ABC" book all maped out for my neice.



I hope everyone is well and staying warm, I will try to post more soon.

Blah Blah Blah

Blah Blah Blah this is how I have been feeling since the first of the year. I am uninspired, not motivated and any other words that are similar. I am forcing myself to post just to let my friends know I am still here. I am feeling alittle better today and worked on a charm bracelet for a friend. I am hoping to get back into the swing of things soon. I guess you can say I have the winter blues. I will post my Christmas Crafting soon and other goodies I worked on before the blues set.

Pay it Forward

PAY IT FORWARD : handcrafted gifts :)I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this Pay it forward exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.So basically, if you comment, I’ll send you something crafty that I’ll make!Once you sign up, copy and paste the above paragraph on your blog, and three other lucky people will be recipients of your handmade work.I found this on Angela's Art Diary blog and really like the idea.


Happy Creating

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

I have been very busy in my workshop but all I can show you is the glitter!!

Have a great Day.

Now on to the Christmas Crafting

I made this Fairy Picture for a good friend. I didn't have to buy anything extra for this project and I love that. I used an Picture frame, Polymer Clay, a washer (for the Moon), Super Glue Gel (LOVE THIS STUFF), and alot of GLITTER!!! I hope she likes it.

I just ordered my Canvas bags and they should be here this week. Thank you to all that gave me great Positive feed back about my "For the Children Pictures". It made me feel better about them.

I have downloaded my favorite Christmas CDs on my IPOD So I am ready for some Christmas creating.

Happy Creating.

Next...

Spiderman and the Punk Rock Skeleton.

Now that Halloween is over ( I have to say one of my least favorite Holidays), my favorite time of year begins. I love the time between November 1st and January 2. I have always loved decorating, baking, and creating during this time of year. Now I can add watching my kids to this list. I love showing them and including them in FamilyTraditions, and watching their eyes light up with the magic of the season.

I have a lot of projects in the works which is odd for me, I am usually still painting or gluing on Christmas Eve. Not to say that because I have started earlier that I still won't be painting and gluing on Christmas Eve, but I am optimistic.

Happy Creating!!

My attempt at drawing

Wow 2 post in 2 days, will wonders never cease.

So I am starting to work on an Eco-Friendly Project and these are 2 drawings (if that is what you want to call them) that I came up with. I have never been the best sketcher, but again I am trying to step out of my comfort zone.

Hopefully I will come up with some better drawings as the project moves ahead.

The first drawing was done with all chalk and the 2nd was done in watercolor (that I took from the kids art supplies shhhh)

Happy creating!!

The Mermaid that swam to me and other creative stuff

I received my Mermaid Swap from Ang.
She does Great work I just love the Color. I have it sitting near my workbench on a little easel.







This is the ATC she Sent me also a beautiful piece of art.
Love it.














I took a few creative leaps this past week. First I have attempted to create my own background paper. The pink one is done with tissue paper (from the Dollar Store) Mod Podge and some paper hearts made with a paper punch I never thought I would use. Oh yes and Glitter.

The second one is done using strips of paper and glue.

I am trying to step out of my comfort zone, baby step I guess.

Treasures in the attic

For those of you that don't know I live in the house that I grew up in. We bought from my parents about 3 years ago. So all of my childhood treasures are still in the attic all boxed up and some labeled. I was up there today looking for some of my old Barbie things for Laiken and I came acrossed an unmarked box. There was a few books and on the bottom was my old Fisher Price Printer's Kit. I loved this when I was younger and thought that it had been sold in a garage sale I am very glad I was wrong. Ron asked if it was for the kids and without hesitation I said NO, ok well maybe someday but for now it is all mine!!! And wouldn't you know I just went and spent money on letter stamps (pretty much the same size and font)

Spell with flickr

Cool Link

http://metaatem.net/words

Spell with Flickr

Mermaid Swap

This past month I participated in my first Swap with the Glitter Sisters . I was very nervous about sending something I made to someone I have never meet. I decided I needed to step out of my comfort zone and step up to the challenge. The theme was Mermaid and the following pictures is what I came up with.

I used poylmer clay for the mermaid, I used a dolloar store photo album cover and covered it with tissue paper and card stock and finally a small mirror from the dollar store.

This is the ATC I made for the swap.