Banners DONE!

Remember my altered playing cards from a few posts ago? They are now banners for Linda's Christian Paper Artists' Valentine banner swap. I used a large background stamp to decorate the backs of the banners and the scrap cardstock I overstamped on (think- the banners are triangular, the stamp is rectangular so there is design going off the edges onto the card stock I protected my work surface with...) became the "sew pretty" Valentine card below, with the addition of the Stampland maiden's face.

Linda's needle cases (her Jan. 19 post) were my inspiration for the needle filled heart. I happened to have some vintage needles attached to red foil paper. I cut out the heart, replaced the needles and now I have a lovely greeting with a practical embellishment. For the woman who has taken up sewing "snippets".

The Cleaning Faerie Arrived!

No, I haven't cleaned my studio (silly!), but the beautiful, most thoughtful, most kind hearted Anna Tremblay sent me a wonderful button doll faerie in the mail today. My greyed out photo doesn't do the doll justice, but you get the idea. Don't you love her sparkly pom-pom dusting wand? Looks magical for sure! Both Anna's thoughtfulness and the appearance of the faerie made my day today. And Anna's is my first Valentine card. I feel truly loved. I think I can go on with my day now. Big (((hugs))), Anna!

Aha! Found Her!

I SO appreciate the comments on my mess of a studio. I think if I had posted a nice, clean, work space, no one would have bothered beyond a polite, "nice!", before you buried your head in shame, in your own art mess! And so, I would like to send each of you a cleaning faerie of your own-- as soon as I make some! In the mean time, inspire yourselves with this cutie by Katie Stuckhoff (who, by the way, is taking part in the One World, One Heart giveaway). The doll was a gift last year in a blog giveaway. This little miss is my inspiration for trying my hand at my own little doll. I hope to make some soon, with feather duster legs!

WANTED: Cleaning Faeries

I Wish..... (delightful mitten found at flea market, delovely banner by Linda) someone......

would clean...

my studio.

This is why I am doing my creating everywhere else in the house!

52 Pick Up

Really, if my kids never made a mess, I probably wouldn't be creating anything these days. Because Rebecca mutilated most of a deck of cards yesterday, I was "forced" to salvage them as only an artist would. I could not throw them out! HoRrORs! What a waste! As I unbent her primative attempts at origami, I realized that these cards had RED backs, which these days says "hearts" and "Valentines" to me. You can guess the rest.
All I will tell you is that none of these were created in my studio. I stood at the kitchen counter, dinner simmering on the stove, cutting up cards, as havoc was wreaked about me. Victoria loudly watched TV (this was after school) while Rebecca expended pent up energy running up and down the length of the house and Seth alternated between wanting to talk about something with me and fuming at Rebecca. I put down my scissors, gave him my undivided attention and then after several minutes of silence he spit out, "never mind" and stomped off. I create in desperation. Both these cards and Seth's issues were resolved by bedtime.

*Sigh* I get side tracked so easily. Cleaning the screened in back porch is a much simpler task, I believe, if you are NOT an artist seeing the possibilities in everything. I managed to empty one box. That was it. I found a printed paper bag from some gift shop that had a hand written sales receipt inside and I was done. Inspiration struck and thoughts of tidying the back porch evaporated. In no time at all (in reality, probably 25 minutes, but you know what they say about time flying when you're having fun...) I had made a Valentine postcard. I don't know if it's done- I might add some machine stitching, but for now have it up on my inspiration board to simmer and age. That's how Mona came down-- I needed the room. I had found a stray dictionary page that happened to have the desirable word, "laugh" and its various forms and somehow it all just struck me funny. I am not a purist so she is not stuck down to a standard ATC sized card, but the back of an old button card I had once glued a scrap of yellowed paper to. Some Mondrian color blocking and voila! I love poking fun with Mona. She is my straight man.

This urge to clean and organize is not working too badly for me. Somehow it still leads to art!

Oatmeal Scones and Jam

My dining room table has been clutter free now for a week. Yay me! No small feat since it is the central point in our house and therefore the dumping ground for anything anyone is too lazy to put away in its proper place. Mittens, scarves, mail, homework, thrift store purchases, video game cables, screwdrivers, toys, --you name it, it's been there at one time!

I have to bring your attention to the fabulous center piece(s). First off, the roses are from my sweet, romantic husband in honor of our wedding anniversary New Year's Eve (15 blooms- one for each of the 14 years we've been married, plus one to build on). The candle arrangement is practical as well as decorative. We have a ceiling fan instead of a proper chandelier above the table which means the light is high and not dining friendly. What to do? I made do. A shoebox full of garage sale tapers (I love the mix and match color assortment, don't you?), antique brass candlesticks (inherited and garage sale purchased) and a glass platter to catch the drips to save my tablecloth. Voila! A designer look for literally a couple dollars. It is terribly romantic dining by candlelight and brighter than our not-so-romantic ceiling fixture.


All that luxurious space cried out for a party so I pulled put out a yellowed recipe I hadn't made in years. Oatmeal scones. Rebecca , ever my helper, really did help by stirring together the flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder and dash of salt. While I cut in the butter, she mixed an egg and some milk together. She also sampled the dried fruit (raisins, pears and apricots- unusual, but what I had on hand, so why not?)

Rebecca also helped clean the bowl.

We couldn't keep this lovely treat all to ourselves, so I called my friend Ashlyn and her son Isaac to come over. She brought a fabulous assortment of jams (apricot, black cherry, blackberry-apple butter) and it was tea at the Ritz for us! The scones were yummy, but the jams were good enough to eat with a spoon (and I did!)

Is there a better way to pass the day?