Ribbon

I seriously need to stop buying ribbon. But how can one resist all the beautiful colors and textures or a great sale? Ribbon is now 60% off at the shop, so this is what I bought on Friday!


You never know when you will need a certain color at 1:00 am - so you must stockpile. Besides, it all looks so pretty in these cute jars from Making Memories!

Get Organized!

That's at the top of my list for 2008 - at least in my art room! It has really gone downhill since I started working in April. I tell myself I will clean it up and put things away when I finish the current project, only to find myself immersed in yet another project before I can do so. Since I still have several weeks before the store actually closes and I stop working, the room reorg will have to wait just a little while longer. In the meantime, I am redoing my "stamp log."

When I first started stamping several years ago, one of the best tips I heard was to make a log of every stamp. I have been faithful to this - and it is such a valuable tool. When starting a project, I browse through my log to see what stamps might work and then retrieve them from wherever they are stored. It's great too when friends are over and want to use my stamps - they only have to look through the log rather than shelves and drawers full of stamps.

The only problem - I started this in a small notebook, never dreaming my collection would grow so large, and it is now bursting at the seams! I initially intended to take this when I shopped so I would not duplicate stamps and I wanted it to be portable and small. However, in all the time I've had this, I've never once remembered to take it with me! So, I am now transferring the log to a larger 8 1/2" x 11" 3-ring binder. At the same time, I am trying to reorganize the categorie and the actual stamps.

And the moral of this overly long story is, if I'm not posting, I'm probably logging!

So much for resolutions...

Well, my goal to blog more often hasn't been achieved this first week of the new year! I've been very busy with work and getting holiday decorations put away and the house back to normal. But I have taken some time to sit down and do a few art projects that were on my "to do" list.

One of my co-workers had taught a mini-book class in December using the new "Noteworthy" papers from Making Memories. I love these papers so copied her base book, giving it my own touches with added pockets and tags. The book is made from chipboard die-cut with the new Accucut tab book die cut. I painted the chipboard first with gesso and then with cream, pink and aqua acrylic paints. The inside pages were close to 6" square, without the binding edge, so a 1/4 sheet of 12x12 paper covered well. This line of paper includes several papers with scalloped or zigzag edges which I wanted to showcase, so I used these on the front and back covers which were a bit larger. The book has four inside pages, two with tabs. I had fun decorating the pages with pockets and tags made from extra paper as well as ribbons and flowers and buttons. I love my new little art journal in which I will save bits and pieces of inspiration, ideas for projects, and whatever tickles my fancy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'm ringing in the new year with a wish that everyone will find more time for whatever makes you happiest and, of course, for making art. Has anyone made any resolutions for the year?

Time Flies

I can't believe it's been more than two weeks since I've blogged. The holidays have a way of sucking up the hours. My five grown children came home, along with one boyfriend, so we had a houseful along with some fun times. The last one left early this morning, so peace has once again descended here. I look forward to getting back into "the routine" and making more art. But that will have to wait a bit longer - first there's cleanup duty!

Disaster!

Oh no, I can't believe I did this! I made a soldered ornament for work's ornament exchange on Sunday. I had it all finished and was polishing it, when I dropped it on the counter and broke the glass on the back! This was an unusual size of glass and I only had two pieces. Plus, I'm working all day tomorrow and the party is Sunday afternoon! I am so bummed - the soldering even came out pretty well on this one. Have no idea what to do - due to the time I might just wrap it up as is and tell the recipient that I will redo it. That seems tacky, but I don't know what else to do now... Two morals to this story - don't wait til the last minute to do something and don't drop glass! Grrrrr!

And more...

I've finished the calendar and it's going in the mail tomorrow! Above are the last four months. Below is a photo of the front with a picture of our family. This is actually a picture frame with an easel which holds it upright. The second photo shows how the pages will flip over for each month.