MERRY CHRISTMAS 2025!

I hope you all are having a good holiday, however you celebrate! We were blessed to spend another Christmas with our only niece, nephew, and their families the Sunday before Christmas at our great-niece's beautiful home. We don't see each other often, so we had a good time eating, laughing, opening gifts, and just being together. It has become a tradition to make a family photo each year before people start leaving, and I'm glad. I wish we had started it before their parents died. We are their only aunt and uncle on their mother's side, so we are the old people now.

Hubby's sister lived to see her six grandchildren, but not to see them all graduate college, get married (except for 2 of them), and have their own children. We have two energetic little great-great-nieces now. We never had children, so our niece and nephew are the closest best thing, and we love them dearly, as well as, the greats and their partners and children! We sure do miss Jim's parents, his sister, and her husband, at our gatherings now, but life has to go on...

Some of my gifts from both families included a small crate full of sketchbooks, colored pencils and markers, a really neat candle warmer, and snacks, so I'm all set to get started back creating after Christmas! It's been a minute...

Our niece gave me an extra large umbrella with my artwork printed on it! I didn't recognize the art as being mine until she pointed it out. Ha! They do too much, but I love it! 

 From our family to yours MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! I pray that we are all here to celebrate again next year! :)

New Art Supplies

 Sometimes a few new art supplies can motivate or inspire me to make something. I hadn't bought any in a while, plus I needed some glue for my junk journal, so I got on Amazon the other day and ordered a few things that I needed. My creative spirits were greatly lifted when the box arrived! I've already used some of it in the little junk journal! 

The books with the marbled gold covers are small notebooks, and it was a three pack, but one is in use for my diabetic journal, eight little boxes of colored staples in one pack, a pack of black Pilot gel pens, a pack of black Zig double ended Writer markers, black and a white medium posca markers, a black Stazon ink pad, a reddish Stazon ink pad, Fabri-Tac glue, UHC stick glue two-pack, a Canson mixed media sketchbook, and a Winsor-Newton mixed media sketchbook.

Try buying just one item to fuel your creative passion!

Fun stuff!😊

Studio 2021 Still a Chaotic Mess

How I left my tiny dining room studio almost two years ago when I started trying to organize by clearing everything off into baskets/boxes to sort through. Life happened and I never got back to the sorting and organizing part, although I've tried to keep creating along, despite not being able to find anything. 

My "desk" now consists of a large sketch board balanced on top of a pile of sorted stuff covering the dining table. 

I know it looks like an episode of Hoarders, and I am ashamed. Honestly, I am. But it is just overwhelming to try to tackle it, and I had much rather be creating than cleaning. Creating makes my soul soar. Cleaning not so much, although I do like things to be clean and neat.

I have all of these wonderful things to organize things into that are sitting empty among the chaos. I need a plan...Like baby steps...

Do you think my muse would come back big time if I finished what I started? I think she might!

This is what happens when you have multiple creative interests and their supplies and a tiny space!

I can't count the times I've been on fire to work on something and didn't because I didn't want to dig through boxes to find what I needed to work with. I can't help but grieve over the large studio I have upstairs that I can't use for various reasons. What a waste!

Will post "after" pictures as soon as I get things together!

New Toys to Make Stuff With!

Got some new supplies in today to play with on my fabric beads and stitch meditations! I had ordered a sampler of neutral colors a couple of months ago, just to try perle cotton thread, thinking the neutral colors would go with anything, but they didn't, at least not like I wanted them to, so I ordered another sampler of brighter colors. I have used some of the neutral colors and fell in love with the perle cotton thread. Can't wait to stitch with these new brighter colors!

Also, I had ordered a spool of silver jewelry wire to try wire wrapping some of my fabric beads, and finding it enjoyable to work with, although I need much practice with the wrapping, plus I love copper, I ordered a four-pack of 22 gauge wire in silver, gold, copper, and antique copper. The separate roll of wire is 18 gauge antique copper, which I plan to use to make another art journal, bound with wire, although it's a little thinner than expected, so I may have to double it, but that's ok. It'll be much more pliable than the old stiffer wire that I used on the journal I shared in a previous post.

I have also received three of the four little bags of charms (the fourth bag contains little copper elephants and hasn't come yet). One bag contains a lot of little silver assorted charms, one silver word charms, and the other has blue enamel charms with gold accents.

My mp3 player quit on me over the weekend, and I need my music, especially when I'm painting, so I ordered a replacement yesterday. So now I need to add some oldies but goodies to the current favorite albums to transfer onto the new one. Trying to keep all this tech stuff up and going sure keeps us on our toes!

Stay cool and creative!

Stitch Meditation Supplies Ready Before the Storm

I dove back in to my box of fabric pieces from various sources. and other tidbits. Friday and came out with this bag of scraps to stitch together while I meditate. So exciting!

Had all of my stitching stuff together by my chair, along with the sketching supplies in the previous post picture. Couldn't wait to get started, after a photo taking session and a bit of cleaning Saturday.

Then things started going downhill around noon, and I took emotional beatings and had hurt feelings  from several directions to the point that I wanted to run away and have a hard cry, but I couldn't. My creative muse fled, vowing to never return, and I put my supplies away, thinking I would just donate all of my hobby supplies and my laptop to Goodwill and quit even trying.

Every day is a struggle for me to not give up, especially in light of what all is going on in the world right now, the aging process and chronic illnesses my husband and I are going through, and any number of other things. I am also an introvert and an empath married to an extrovert, and I'm also very sensitive and feel everything deeply, including negative energy. I know many of you are going through similar things, and much worse things, as well, and I really feel for you.

I've been through this thing of wanting to do away with all of my supplies and quit before, so I know it usually passes if I give it a couple of days, feel the feelings, and pray. I slept most of yesterday and watched a lot of TV, including some comedies. NO NEWS. And I prayed. I cling to my faith and would not be able to live if not for God. He is my rock and hasn't failed me yet. Always there for me when nobody else is. And He actually listens to me talk!

Today is Monday. It's a new week, I feel better, and have decided that I need to change some things, and I'm praying for God to help me do that, because I know I can't do it by myself. Even if I want to quit my stitching and sketching/painting, plus my other hobbies, because I think my projects are never good enough. I can't. Something inside won't let me. So I try to forgive and let go, hoping others will do the same for me when I hurt them in some way, and I cling to God, my faith, and my hobbies for inner peace, courage, and strength, and depend on them to get me through whatever hurt and pain that comes my way, and I am more than grateful that the love I get far outweighs the negativity that comes against it.

Now, I think I hear my muse tip-toeing up the hall with a new project to try. Can't wait to see what it is!

Prayers that we all stay safe and well, and that we continue to bring beauty and love into the world however we can. Everyone is hurting right now. Let's try to be kind to one another. 💖

New Art Toys!

I needed a couple of new art supplies, and I forgot to order a couple, so I ordered from Amazon, and they came a few days ago. So exciting! I see hours of pleasure ahead. Color me HAPPY!

I decided to try a new brand of mixed media sketchbook, Arteza, that was a tad bigger, and the paper a little thicker than the books I've been using. It had double the sheets in each book too, and they had them in a 3-pack, 60 sheets to a book, and each page is textured on one side and smooth on the other, so if I use both sides there's 120 pages to doodle sketch on! I also got a 3-pack of Stabilo marks all watersoluble pencils for mixed media and/or sketching.

Although I'm only half way through the sketchbook I had started, I couldn't wait to try these new ones out. I like them, but even though the pages are a little heavier, they still buckle some if you apply very much ink or water to them, and there's also some bleed through, so I have to watch that and only do light washes. I have some large watercolor sheets that I've had for years that I'm going to cut to smaller pieces and make my own watercolor book. I need heavier paper, because I tend to want to flood the paper with water. These books are good to use water brush pens with watercolor/pencils though, so it's all good!

Because I've lost my little battery operated pencil sharpener that I paid less than four dollars for, and have had forever, and because it's harder to get a sharp point in a hand held sharpener, I ordered a new sharpener that has three levels of sharpness, and it operates on batteries, electricity, or a USB port. I love it, but some of my pencils that I don't use often are too big for it. It works great for the regular, watercolor, pastel, charcoal, and colored pencils though, which is what I use most often.

I found a box of plastic dominoes among our clutter and decided to try stamping and painting on  some to make pendents out of. I've seen some really pretty ones online. Alas, my ink pad had dried up (they probably all have by now), so I ordered a new black Stazon ink pad, but haven't tried it out on the domino yet. I will though! It's just a matter of time...

Stay safe, well, and creative! Prayers that the Coronavirus is history soon!

Studio/Dining Room Table

I know I said that the next few posts would be catching up my drafts, but I just thought I'd share the reason I can't use my workspace/dining room table right now, and am having to do whatever creative stuff I do in my lap in my recliner. The floor is also full of boxes of stuff. It was in bad shape before, but I pulled everything out to clean under and around last spring, and to re-organize. Believe it, or not, I've cleared this table at least twice, maybe three times, but it gets covered back up when I'm looking for something. Very frustrating, but apparently not enough to do anything about it. I am not lazy. I'd just rather be stitching, painting, or writing!

Maybe I'll finish the job in the spring if I'm still able! I'll be sure to post a photo when it's cleared off! 😊

Road Trip 2019 Journal Pages

I finally got all the road trip pictures edited and my journal started! The first two pages are not finished. Not sure about the third one. The second one will have the route of all the places we traveled through marked when I decide what to use to do it with. The cover is lacking something also. It'll come to me!

In the meantime, I'm ready to start putting in the ephemera I collected during the trip!

I'm using a bought mixed-media journal, and these pages were pasted down with YES paste, after I printed off the free printable maps that I found on Pinterest and copies of my photos of the creative stuff I took with me (see previous post) and the paper mementos that I brought back. I also got to use some of the washi tape that I have been hoarding!

My handwriting is not the best, but I added notes anyway. I used to not let myself do things that I love because I couldn't do them perfectly, but late in life I learned that it doesn't matter if it's imperfect, as long as it makes me happy to do it, whatever it is. So, now I just hoist up my granny panties and dive in!

What are you afraid to do creatively because it might not be perfect? Punch perfect in the nose and go for it anyway. You might be pleasantly surprised! If someone criticizes it, the problem is in them, not you! :)

Road Trip Toys!

The toys that I took on our month long road trip! 😊

Two zip-lock bags of stitching supplies, including threads and one pinned together rust dyed fabric stitch meditation ready to stitch, scissors, and my needle book, in one bag, and a few various fabric pieces and a ball of crochet thread in the other. I also took watercolors, a watercolor pad, a sketch pad, a journal, water brush pens, sketching pencils/pens, an eraser, a pencil sharpener, 5 rolls of b/w washi tape, and a couple of paper towels. And, of course, I took my camera, my Kindle, and my cell phone, and extra batteries and chargers. The toys actually only took up a small amount of room, and they went everywhere I did, although I didn't actually have much time, or was too tired by the time we stopped for the night, to use them much. That's where the camera and cell phone camera came in handy, and a couple of times I used my Kindle to clean out emails and FB notifications, so that I didn't have an overwhelming amount to go through when I got home.

I saw so many beautiful landscapes with golden foregrounds melting into blue skies that made such an impression on me that I stopped by a Walmart and found some yellow and blue fat quarter squares and some thread to match, and one night when I wasn't too tired I pinned together the above five meditations, using them and some other fabric pieces that I had brought with me. A couple of nights I stitched on the blue, yellow, and purple one, opting to use the off white crochet thread instead of the embroidery thread I bought. It still has some meditating to be done on it, as soon as things get back to normal.

Another night I felt like doing a bit of watercolor art from memory that had inspired me from the road. The yellow and blue one isn't finished yet. I kept the pink notepad in the glove box and jotted down notes during the day, and did quick pen sketches on brown fast food napkins and motel note paper. While I had my morning coffee, I taped the notes and sketches, into the journal, to be removed and re-written or added to and collaged into a larger journal, hopefully in the order we did things.

The amount of paper ephemera I accumulated during the trip after I cleaned out every pocket in our clothes and luggage. The three envelopes standing in the back are also full. The larger brown bag I stood up in the car door pocket to drop stuff in. The small ochre colored one I kept in the journal to put loose stuff in until it was full and getting ragged, then I put it in a safe place and put the Subway envelope in the journal for small things. I also have tea and coffee bags and small toiletry labels from the various motels to add to this collection. And tons of photos!

Yep, it's going to take a while to sort it all out, get it in order, and get it glued down! I can't wait to get started on it though!

I've been working on some of the photos from the trip today, and I've printed off a few for journaling. I can't believe how well most of the photos turned out, considering most of them were taken through the car windows, going down the road at 60-70 mph! I will share some more soon!

The photos in this post were taken today, because I was looking on Pinterest for road trip journaling ideas, trying to decide on how to start mine, and I saw where one person included photos of the art supplies she took with her. I thought it was a great idea to add to my journal, and since I have not put them away yet, I made photos and printed them out, then decided to share them here!

I am having a hard time winding down from the trip, as you can probably tell, and have not slowed down since we got home! Hubby and I had such a good bonding experience, and came home sooner than we meant to, that we're already thinking about continuing the trip in a different direction to complete hubby's dream of traveling!

Anyway, this is where I'm at today! Bubbling over with creative inspiration from the sights and experiences during the trip! Sometimes, it pays to go outside your comfort zone, and, trust me, I was waaaaaaay outside mine! 😁

Still Uncovering Forgotten Treasures in the Studio

It's getting there...slowly! The final corner of my dining room/studio has had everything moved and cleaned, including the wall and floor. Creative stuff and boxes were piled, literally, over halfway up the wall. It had been accumulating for years, some of it empty containers that I meant to store stuff in. Not just art supplies, but doll making, weaving, sewing, fabric crafts, beading, etc., all mixed up together with the tools mixed in among them.

Anyway, everything has been moved and cleaned up, behind, and under. Now comes the task of sorting/organizing what's in the boxes/drawers and on the tables. Much has been thrown away, and I suspect there'll be more to come.

I am easily distracted, I'm trying to clean/de-clutter my bedroom at the same time, plus I tire really quickly and have to stop and rest often. It also contains a whole corner full of fabrics, yarns, weaving looms, sewing machine and stuff, crocheting, etc. Above is what this corner looks like today, before I start working in it again. The boxes you see already have items in them, to be added to, so that's a start! The two large envelopes contain large sheets of pastel, watercolor, and assorted sheets of paper that were buried under the heap, as well as a couple of large sketch pads, one filled, one not! The shelves and china cabinet behind are temporary resting places for things I'm sorting.

A 16" x 20" acrylic painting on canvas that I painted at some point was also excavated. I love to learn and try different styles and techniques! The preacher at my aunt's funeral talked about giving everything, good and bad, to God, and it struck a chord with me. I haven't forgotten it. This was a reminder.

Opened this little chest that my niece gave me to find several filled sketchbooks/art journals and an altered book containing a number of ATC cards that I had painted a few years back. So much fun!

For a long time when I rode the 4-wheeler around the farm to check on the cows, I picked up wild turkey feathers, which were plentiful at the time. I found this bag full, as well as the stuffed limbs for a cloth bed doll that I have started among the treasures. The nesting baskets were also a gift from my niece. There are several of them, from large to small.

This was the last box on the very bottom of the pile and I couldn't remember to save my life was was in it. The turtle shell is another treasure I picked up while riding around the pastures down near the pond. It is totally intact, top and bottom. Why I picked it up, I don't know, but here it is!

The closed duck taped box above, opened, contained a slew of paintings and classwork from various online classes that I have taken in the past several years. Totally forgotten about for a while, but I can't wait to have time to look through them properly! The small envelope in front contains quite a stack of works in progress waiting to be completed. Can't wait to look through those either! It's amazing how looking back through old work can inspire your creativity and show you how much you've grown over the years.

Anyway, this is where this room is at right this minute. As I said, it's slowly getting there, and I can't wait until I have a cleaned off place to work again. I'm having creative withdrawals!

Be well and stay creative!💖

Purging Continues...

De-cluttering and organization of my studio is still in progress, although I got interrupted and it stalled for a few days, then I got started doing the same in our bedroom and some in the kitchen, in between Dr., dentist, Optometrist, beauty shop, and lawyer visits. I have sorted a little more in the studio since the last post, but it is still a mess in progress. Sorry, no pix!

Well, I did get new glasses and a too short hair cut! Concentrating on the selfie! Still terrible at it!

Needless to say, any artwork is also on hiatus, as everything is in boxes waiting to be sorted and put in specific places. Not participating in art classes/groups for now either! I am having art withdrawals, but am determined to do as much purging/cleaning in the whole house as I can.

I am so proud of myself for what I have gotten rid of, by either taking it to the dump or donation place. It's a slow go, since I have chronic health problems and tire easily, but I'm so thankful for what I have been able to do, and hopefully, I will be able to clean out and up every room. Also, on the lookout for new curtains for every room, and I have paint for the main bathroom, as soon as hubby gets the new floor down!

Today was spent in our bedroom again, and I made a dent finally that could be seen. The house is nothing like Hoarders on TV, but due to illness and care giving of our parents, it had to be put on hold for several years. Stuff kept coming in, but not much going out.

 I have felt like I was suffocating, and have been embarrassed for visitors to come for a while now, so it is exhilarating to see empty clean spaces appearing, albeit exhausting.

Part of the clutter is stuff that I thought was important and/or wanted from my parents house after my mom died, so I still have that to go through and also a couple of rooms in her house to still sort through. Although her house is bothering me, I have elected, right now, to concentrate on the house we live in, which is getting increasingly dangerous for hubby and me. We are getting up in years, and there is danger of tripping and falling over the clutter, not to mention if it caught fire.

I am trying to be ruthless and get rid of stuff that we've held on to for various reasons, even if we didn't like or want it, and I'm forcing myself to stay out of the garbage bags already filled up and set to travel, lest I drag stuff out and put it back, which I  have been prone to do in the past.

We are not going to be here many more years, not even promised the next minute, and we need to get things in order while we can. Besides, we don't have any children, and I hate to think about anyone else having to go through everything and talking about us, which will probably happen anyway.

Anyway, I accomplished a lot today, so I may be down tomorrow, but for today, I am thankful and proud! Now I need a hot shower and some supper!

Have an awesome weekend!

Phase 1--Studio Clean Up/Organization

YIKES!!! No, this is not an episode of hoarders! This is my tiny studio/dining room, which hasn't been cleaned in a LONG time, with everything scooted and piled to one side and a few baskets full of stuff in the hall, waiting to be sorted through.

It got so piled up that I couldn't get to what I needed and I had only a tiny space on the desk to work, which made it very frustrating, so I started a couple of weeks ago trying to clean under and behind everything, and washing everything I can, including the back of the counter top and stuff on it.

It's taking so long, because my health is not the best,  my back gives out on me, and I can no longer bend and stoop without having trouble getting back up. I also keep having interruptions, company, appointments, etc. It may take a while, but it'll get there!

These pictures are both from the hall into the studio/dining room.

This picture is from the kitchen into the studio/dining room. To be honest, it looked about as bad before I pushed everything over to one side! 😥 I can't just have one hobby. I have to have several different projects and hobbies going at once, thus all the clutter.

I understand how houses get so bad. When you aren't able to clean for a long time, and you don't have help, it gets to the point that it's so overwhelming that you just give up and feel guilty because you can't do it, and you won't ask for help, and/or can't afford it.

Plus, I'd much rather spend my time creating than cleaning and organizing!

One corner cleaned! Dusted the walls and cleaned what was hanging on them, washed the desk and what was on it all over, cleaned the back part of the ceramic tile counter top and some of the stuff on it, and vacuumed and mopped the floor, after scraping up some paint. The curtains need washing badly, but I'm planning to get new ones, as soon as I find some I like. The wooden drawers (a gift from our niece) and wire baskets are currently empty, and although I cleaned the outside of the plastic rolling drawers under the desk, I still have to sort through them and the fabric basket (also a gift of two from our niece) on the floor, so they won't be empty for long!

 I now have a space cleaned off to work! Yay!

Unfortunately, it didn't stay this way long enough for me to paint. I decided to try the desk turned another way, and as I moved across the next side of the room, I had to move stuff out of the way to clean, so this area is cluttered again, even more so than in this photo, but clean!

The drawers above are past repair, I'm afraid. I put too much in the drawers and on top of them, and the frame warped bad. This is the first time I've been able to force the middle drawer closed in years, and still can't the bottom one. It will have to be replaced or I'll have to find a substitute. Two of the drawers can still be used if I can work them in somewhere. We'll see!

I now have most everything dragged out and cleaned, cleaned under and behind, and moved back, including the windows, and except half a wall next to the hall door. It's piled high with boxes and new containers to organize stuff in, which I plan to use up as I go. Then I can clean behind and under those!

The DR table is still piled high, and I still need to sort through all the drawers and boxes and get stuff together that needs to be together. I can only work short periods of time before I give out, so it's going slow, but it's getting there! 😊

I'm going to try to do a little more today, then I have appointments in and out of town tomorrow, which means I'll have to recuperate Wednesday and rest. Then I have to catch up on basic house chores. Like I said, it's a slow go, but it's getting there!

New Things to Organize my Stash!

So, I made a start at decluttering and organizing my creative space, or I should say spaces, before Christmas. It came to a stand still during the holidays, which I'm still trying to get over.

My plan was to clear all the piles covering every flat space into boxes and baskets, move and clean under the furniture, rearrange it, then sort and organize my stash as I took it back out of the boxes and baskets. That's not working too well. I can't find anything I need to work with in the TINY little spot I reserved to make art! Everything is out of place and on the bottom. YIKES!!! So I'm going to have to come up with a better plan, because I NEED to create.

My work space is also our small dining room, and it's embarrassing when people share a meal with us and have to hold it on their laps, picnic style. Hubby and I never use the table, preferring to eat in front of the TV.

Anyway, our awesome nieces, seeing that I was at least making an attempt, got me this rolling cart of ten drawers and a set of nesting books/boxes to help me get organized. Aren't they kool?

Now let's see if I can fill them up, or will they be sitting next to all the other containers/baskets/drawers that I have had for a few years, sitting empty, taking up space, and waiting to be filled with my stash? Time will tell! In any case, they are beautiful to look at. Stay tuned!

Finding Stuff While Decluttering!

I have begun the long slow process of decluttering/organizing my dining/art room, which hasn't been done in years. It's gotten to the point that I have no place to work and I can't find anything, so, although it's overwhelming, I have no choice but to do it. And this is only one corner! Yikes!

I emptied the piled up dining room table (lower right corner and the whole table is this piled up) into boxes, then sorted the stuff in the boxes into related piles back onto the table. In doing so, I've found several new art supplies that I had forgotten about, some that I had been looking for, and a couple of things that I was about to re-order.

Among the "stuff" I also came across a few of the items I made from paper clay in an online class I took a while back. They don't show up too well on this cigar box of buttons, but I made the button, the bead, and the two necklace pendants. Finding them made me want to get out the paper clay again! :)

I also came across this watercolored post card that I experimented on. I loved it at the time, but now, it looks kind of odd to me. Isn't it funny how our perception of things changes over time?

So far, I've gotten rid of two large garbage bags of papers and accumulated junk mixed in with art stuff, and I'm continuing to be surprised by finding things I'd forgotten about. It's like a treasure hunt! It's going to be a long process, but hopefully it'll be worth it in the end, if I can hold out to get it done when I'd rather be slinging paint. I've barely made a dent, but it's made a difference! 

Blog Post Book 2017

I got my book of year long blog posts from 2017 in! I was distracted when I put it together and ordered it from Blog to Print online, and I messed a few things up, like putting the wrong year on the cover, but it's ok. It's just my way of keeping a record of my creative stuff, mostly art, and I don't sell them or anything.

I'm tickled to death with the way the pictures turned out, but because I chose the large option for them, the page formats were changed and a lot of the paragraphs don't have spaces between them. I'll have to pay more attention next year, I guess.

Anyway, I've been ordering two copies each year, one for me, and one for my mom, but since she's no longer with us this year, I'm giving her copy to her baby sister, Lela, also one of my favorite aunts. She's missing her too, and I love her dearly. Hoping she enjoys it!

New Art Books to Enjoy and Two Boxes!

I got these three awesome art books and two large canvas storage boxes for Christmas too, and I didn't buy them for myself! :D They were gifts from our niece's family and her dad, and y'all know from the previous post that I love boxes and bags, but I also LOVE books!

I have already looked at every project in the two books on making art out of books, and there are some good ones in both books, and I have read half of Steal Like an Artist, also good reading with good tips.

My books to finish and books to start are piling up on me! I'm also currently reading Type Two Diabetes for Dummies, The Polio Paradox, Talon of God by Wesley Snipes, and a couple by Anne Rice, plus all the online blogs and stuff I read. I have a whole stack of real books and also Kindle books that I have yet to start. Hoping to intertwine my reading, my creative interests, and life, and get a lot accomplished in the coming year!

We never know what the next hour holds though, so we'll see!

Bag Attack

I confess. I have a "thing" for boxes and bags of all shapes and sizes. I have so many boxes to organize things in, sitting empty beside what's supposed to be in them. And I have always loved purses and bags, but hadn't bought one of either in a long time.

Well, I apparently had an attack when I started Christmas shopping for everyone else this year!

Having spent quite a bit of time in the past, and time this year, sitting with loved ones in the hospital, and having to carry a heavy tote bag around, I had often thought about one on rollers. I happened upon the one above at a Burkes Outlet store for fourteen dollars. It's actually a heavy fabric flight carry on bag with a pull up handle and rollers, with large outside pockets. The next time I'm sitting with someone, I can pull our stuff around instead of trying to carry it, which wears me out, and it holds a lot without taking up a lot of space in waiting rooms or hospital rooms.

Plus it can double for my weaving yarns, heddles, etc., and/or other crafts!

This little canvas rigger's bag I've seen on artists' sites where they've painted them, gelli printed on them, sewn decorations on, etc. I found it at Harbor Freight for less than fifteen dollars. It's a wonderful little bag full of outside and inside pockets for brushes, art tools, crochet hooks, or whatever comes up. I have plans to paint it, but I have so many plans for art projects, so we'll see. When, and if, I get it painted, I'll show you!

This one I ordered off of Amazon online. It's an oversized leather bag with pockets on the inside and a zippered pocket on the outside of the other side. Hopefully, it will hold my ten inch Kindle, plus all the other stuff I have to keep up with for myself, my hubby, my father-in-law, and, until I get things settled, my mom. I think I will love it, when I get moved in to it!

So, Merry Christmas to me! :D

Review: Moo Carve carving blocks

I hate to talk negative about anyone, but I tried the Moo Carve  blocks to carve my own stamps back at the first of the year, and wasn't happy at all with it. It was a waste of money, as I wound up ordering the speedball carving block anyway.

Moo Carve is soft and carves like butter, but is much too flakey and easy to break and chip off, both while carving and stamping.

For practice, I carved a small cross, added ink, and stamped a few in my journal.

One side broke off while I was stamping. I also had to be very careful while handling them. The least bit of pressure on the edges would break little chunks, or rolls, off.

I also carved a heart and tried stamping with it on the same journal page.

You can see on the red hearts that the more I stamped, the more it came apart.

This is the last thing I carved with the Moo Carve, a bird. It was the worst of all; I guess because it was bigger. It started breaking apart as soon as I started using it.

So the Moo Carve is sitting on a shelf, til I can figure out some other use for it. Some of you may love it, and that's fine, but it's not for me. For the time being, I will stay with the Speedball carving block, which I'm going to use as soon as I find my stamp carving tools. Sorry Moo Carve! I really wanted to like your product!

Lucious Lace and Such!

I found these lace items at the Goodwill store the other day to use in mixed-media fabric projects. After I washed them and saw that they had no stains or tears in them, I was hesitant about cutting them up, but I am going to...I think.

They are all shades of white, and off whites, full of lace, fringe, patterns, textures, etc. The largest is a king sized dust ruffle with very wide cotton lace. The body is also a heavy cotton, so I also got lots of fabric to use for the body of projects. There are also three curtain panels, a valance, a table runner/scarf, and a table cloth.

Close up of the dust ruffles lace. It's about 5" wide, and I love it!

I'm going back after Christmas and check out the bridal/prom gowns and the velvet for a lot of bling to use too. I don't know if it's more fun to use the stuff or gather it up!

Happy Crafting!