Challenge #5

It's really going to be a lot of fun to see how much the LOs change from person to person, and what elements of my design are inspiration for them.

I chose a photo of Tiger, our little overweight Terrier, as my inspiration for this one.  She never looks happy, even when her tail is wagging!  It was past time for her to have her own page since the other animals are generally featured in my pages.  More than likely it's because Tiger is more George's dog than anyone else's while Apollo and two of the cats are my babies.  She's a sweetie and deserves it, but I couldn't help having a little fun with this because of her unhappy face.

Hope this gives someone a little inspiration to create a page about a part of their home life that isn't usually highlighted!

Love and light.

Playing "Telephone"

At Paper Artists Online (PAO), we're doing a series of challenges based on the old Telephone game - which some of us know as "Gossip."  It's been a lot of fun and helped those of us who are participating to get out of our comfort zone.  

The premise is that the challenge is posted, we sign up with our names in sequence of accepting the challenge, and the originator sends their LO to the first one the list.  That person uses the original LO as inspiration for their LO, which is then sent to the next person on the list.  When everyone is finished, the LOs are posted in sequence so we can see the changes from beginning to end.  The best part of the challenges is seeing what each person takes from the previous as inspiration.  Some of us stay very close to the sender's page, some are inspired by a background pattern, others by a color, etc.  It's amazing to watch the progression and the end result is never like the original.  

We're now on Challenge #5, which was my design.  I had a general idea of what I wanted to do, but what I ended up with was nowhere what I had in mind.  Sort of like life!

I've been happy with what I've created, and I have to say that I had some really talented people to follow!  Since it's been ages since I've posted anything resembling artwork, I thought I'd share my LOs.

Challenge #1 - I followed Farley on this one and used a photo that was on our refrigerator!  It was a great excuse to pull out the Buffalo plaid that I've been sitting on. 

Challenge #2 -  This one was originated by Pam C.  I loved the 6 x 6 papers she used for the background, so that was my inspiration for this one.

Challenge #3 - Again this was originated by Pam C.  We had just discussed grid backgrounds, and I used her circles as inspiration for a grid made of circles.  Plus it gave me a good excuse to scrap a photo of Macie!  After posting I did go back to the LO and added a few small stamps to several of the circles which balanced it out nicely.

Challenge #4 - Debi D. originated this post, and I followed Pam C.  I loved the use of several different sizes of photos, and I decided to use this LO to document the stupid accident that caused me to miss Spring and Summer of 2019.  While recuperating, I managed to enjoy Zen mornings on the deck with a cup of coffee, the cats and my container garden.

Challenge #5 - This one is still in progress.  I'm happy to say that I was the originator and I'm really looking forward to seeing the progression of the other LOs.  While I can't post mine just yet, I will give a little clue - it's Tiger and her "resting b---- face."  😂

Looking forward to many more of these!  If anyone is interested in joining us, the website is www,paperartistsonline.com - AKA my home away from home!

Love and light!

Has It Really Been 4 Years??

Hard to believe it's been 4 years since I've posted.  And now I find myself repeating past history - knee surgery coming up this Thursday and it's another election year.

To review - the knee.  Last time it was the right knee.  I'm told that I need a replacement but I'm putting it off since it no longer hurts.  This time it's the good knee, old lefty.   All of this started in October when I decided that I was tired of paper bag brown walls in the living room and red and bronze walls in the dining room.  Time to brighten things up and ditch the clutter.  Bought the paint, pulled out the trusty step ladder, and went up and down one lousy step to paint the ceiling trim.  First day the knee hurt a little.  Over the next few days it got progressively worse - to the point where I couldn't walk on it.  I found someone to finish the painting for me and rested the leg, thinking it would heal over time.  No. Such. Luck.  Finally got tired of it, sucked it up and called my orthopedist, who was booked so I saw his asst.  She x-rayed, found something (bone shard she thought) floating around and scheduled an appointment with the doc.  Saw him and he ordered an MRI after reviewing the images.  Had a follow up 2 days later and scheduled surgery.  Evidently the MRI showed more junk floating around in there than the x-ray, so he's going to remove all of it and clean up the meniscus a bit.   So this Thursday I find myself back where I was 4 years ago April.  Fun and games but at least I won't have to worry about work anymore because ...

I finally retired!  Yay me!  Unfortunately all I've done is make repairs and upgrades on the house, bought a new Boxer as we lost Cedric several years ago, had 2 surgeries on the lower right leg last April, losing all of Spring and Summer because of it, redecorating the living room and kitchen, etc. etc. etc.  It was easier to get up every morning and go to work!

The elections - We may eventually get to them IF this impeachment garbage is ever laid to rest.  I won't even go there because all it does is make my blood pressure go up.

Our new baby boy is now 1 year old.  Apollo is a Sealed Brindle Boxer and is definitely not a cuddle bunny like Cedric.  He's a clown, full of energy, and finally starting to grow a brain.  He understands commands but only performs them when he wants to do so.  He seems to obey better for me than anyone else, but I'm wondering why in the world we bothered to send him away for 2 weeks of training.  This is crazy dog doing his best Winston Churchill imitation.  

As for being crafty, I ended up totally embracing making cards and am now a regular participant in card swaps.  I guess I was a card maker, whether I wanted to believe it or not.  

So, end of thoughts for now.  I'll add some craftiness after surgery.  Send me a few good thoughts for a quick recovery!

Love and Light!

Just Thinking...

Not a whole lot else to do following knee surgery.  I love being at home, but not when I'm stuck and can't do a blooming thing except watch TV and ask for ice packs.

For those who don't know, I had surgery on my right knee on April 4 to repair some worn out parts.  Age has a way of doing that, doesn't it?  The good news is that I don't have to have a replacement - the orthopedist says I'm good for at least another 100,000 miles, so I'm taking his word for that.

When you've run out of books to read or the patience to read them, you start thinking about days gone by.  Nope, not the stupid things that I did to wreck the knee, although there was plenty of that.  Nope, I've been thinking about all of the family stories that I wish I'd had the good sense to write down while those telling them were still alive.  The family history.  Stories about my Granny Richardson and her mother.  Stories that my mother told me about the family.  Stories that my Mamaw James told me.  I wish I could remember more about my daddy's family - my Papaw Brickey and how in heck we're related to the Webbs - particularly Loretta's family.

Seems that there's music on both sides of my family - the Carters on my Granny's side and the Webbs on Daddy's side.  Not to mention the genetic love of music handed down from generations of Scots and Irish ancestors.  My youngest son has the gift of music; eldest has the gift of Blarney.

I remember many nights of Momma telling spooky stories, and Daddy chiming in with one or two of his own.  I wish they were still here to tell them to me.

Tempus Fugit! Especially When You're Having Fun!

Has it really been since November that I've written anything???  It's not that I haven't been crafty - I have.  Really.  I just haven't posted a darned thing or taken photos of the process.

Bad me.

My foray into the world of greeting cards really turned into a dive off the deep end.  I decided that if I could make one, then I could make more.  Turns out my strength is in a technique called masking.  It's a process where you create a mask and then ink around it to create an effect or, as shown, a scene. The masks that I made for these cards were simply torn card stock.  By the time I had made 14 or so cards, they were a bit tattered.  I need to draw them out and cut them from acetate so they'll last a bit longer, so that's on the drawing board.  Sorry about the quality of the photos - they were quickies before mailing them out.

I did manage to complete a year long project using G45's gorgeous papers from A Place In Time.  Each month I made 2 scrapbook pages - one with the calendar for the month and a list of important dates, and then a page with a photo (or photos) that represented an event during the month.  It was the easiest commitment I ever made, surprisingly.  These are the last two pages, representing December.

To add a bit of stress to my already high level, I decided to overhaul what I like to call my studio.  It's still a work in progress but suffice it to say I've already hauled out about 50 pounds of pure garbage.  In a room that's 14' x 12', I still ended up working on my little Murphy desk in the closet with generally only a 12" x 12" clear space.  Photos to come after it's finished, but this is what prompted it.

This just proves that having a dedicated room and great organization tools doesn't work unless you commit to a. actually using your supplies, b. organizing, c. cleaning up the mess you make, and last but not least - not keeping every single scrap of paper and ephemera.  I had triplicate copies of every single concert program that Chris ever played.  Why?  I never used them in the first place.  Now there's just one copy and I'm going back through the scrapbooks, adding a "pocket" on the back of the pages, and slipping those little gems in there.  If you don't use it, then for heaven sakes lose it!

It's a new year.  I've decided to not be afraid to cut that piece of paper that there's only one piece of.  I'm not going to be afraid to experiment.  I'm not going to be afraid that people won't like my artwork because the only person I have to satisfy is myself.

And I'm going to finish cleaning up this mess!

Have fun and make something - life's too short to not be creative!

Missing Friends and Greeting Cards

Last night I made my first ever greeting card.  Last night was also Halloween.  (Yes, that has something to do with the post.)

One of my friends from PAO (who as it turns out is also a distant cousin) sent out a request for a card shower for her aunt.  I love handmade cards and cherish each and every one that I've ever received.  I admire the artistry and the talent that goes into their creation.  I've always said that I'm not a cardmaker, that my brain isn't wired that way, and used any one of a dozen other excuses to not try it, but recently I've been thinking - Why not?  What's the worst that could happen - some paper goes into the trash?  It's time to stop limiting myself by what I think I can and can't do and just....  do it.

So last night I did it and I'm sharing my first ever card with you.  Please be gentle.

I chose an Art Impressions stamp that I purchased several years ago that has four ...er, ...um, ...mature ladies sitting on a sofa laughing.  This stamp is appropriately part of the "Girlfriends" stamp series, which always depicts the four friends having fun and enjoying each other's company.

I purchased several of the "Girlfriends" stamps several years ago to make cards for a precious friend of ours who was undergoing treatment for stomach cancer.  The reason why I chose that particular set?  There were four of us - me, Bonnie, Linda and our beautiful Wendy, whose birthday was October 31.  The "girls" on the stamps represented us - always laughing, even through our tears, and always together.  We lost Wendy September 2, three years ago.  I never made those cards for her.

So - last night was Wendy's birthday, I wanted to make a card, and guess what I chose?  Laughter and good memories.

I used VersaFine ink, which is a pigment ink, quick drying, gives excellent detail and is my choice for stamping images that will be colored.  The paper was simply a piece cut from one of my watercolor pads, using the smoothest side for stamping.

I used an old set of Close to My Heart watercolor pencils to color the image, with a few accents added using EK Success colored pencils.

Glued the girls onto a green striped panel and added a sheer green ribbon, but it still needed something.  Stamped a cute saying on the front, and called it good.

Needed a little something on the inside, so stamped "Laugh" from a Dyan Reaveley collection, leaving lots of room to write my message.

And so I've finally made my first card!

I think Wendy would have loved it.

The Witching Hour

Time for a little bit of inky play.  Life has just been too serious lately.

I make no bones about loving witches.  I've read the Deborah Harkness All Souls trilogy several times, Debora Geary's Modern Witch series more times than I care to count, and now I'm making my way through Terry Pratchett's Discworld witch books.  I dress as a witch every Halloween, and my husband only carries one photo of me in his wallet, dressed as - you got it - a witch.  So what did I decide to do today?  Ink up some stamps and get ..... witchy.

I started with some manilla tags and Tim Holtz distress inks.  Great Halloween colors, and lots of fun to work with.  Background clutter was added with some TH stamps and then it was time to find a subject.  I recently ordered a lot of stamps from Unity that included the Phyllis Harris set A Tiny Witch.  

I also found some ancient rub-ons that cost me - gasp!- .49.  I'm the last of the big spenders sometimes.

The older my eyes get, the more I love these acrylic blocks by Stampabilities.  The lines help me keep things straight.

I forgot to stamp the witch first and then mask her before doing the background, so it resulted in a little extra work and some fussy cutting.  Nobody ever said that I do things the  easy way.  I stamped her on the background tag for placement, and on the other tag for coloring.

Added some ribbon and a bow, a couple of spider rub-ons, and a spider eyelet, and she's done.  I just need to give her a name.  Maybe Meladora?  Her friend is Esmeralda, also a Unity stamp.  I love that website, but maybe a little too much!

Hope your thoughts wander into fun places today!