Proverbs

   As we approach the New Year, I think this quote is fitting. I have always loved proverbs and the power of words to inspire every high and meaningful aspect of living and creating together. Do you have a favorite one you would like to comment and share?

Tea Time

   A couple of cards to try out my new Vintage Tea Cup set from Altenew! These were part of an invitation/gift to my daughter to sit, chat, sip, and make tea cards--all of our favorite things together.

It's a Western Wonderful Life

Merry Christmas--and wishes for good health, happiness, and prosperity during all the holidays you might celebrate! I thought I'd digress from paper crafting to share a little bit of cheer--Big Sky Country style! In our town they hang the Christmas bells over three intersections in the middle of Main Street. 

Then, Santa's horse-drawn wagon is pulled down the road and the whole town turns out to stroll behind. It's just so downright festive, fun, and neighborly one can hardly believe it still happens.

   Wishing you peace, light, and love.

Almost There...

   I love these nostalgic table linen images from Papertrey Ink, and the Hello die cut from WPlus9. So many ideas and color combinations to use them--I think I need to make some Christmas ones. What do you think? 

   This sentiment is one of my favorites. Any season, any color and it's a go-to addition! Time to mix it with some snowflakes?

   More images from Papertrey and an old Stampin' Up! floral for the background to make a CASE from Aga's lovely work. 
   Now that I'm all caught up with sharing, stay tuned for some holiday fun coming soon. I'm unpacked in the studio and off to spend the day creating. Hope you are well and in good spirits wherever you are! 

For the Birds

   A quick post with a few more Tim Holtz Crazy Birds.

The Bluebird of Happiness...

   And a little holiday pun!

A Little Stash

   Here's a desk view of some of the cards I made for my mom's stash. I always enjoy tailoring things for special people. She has a friend who has a certain saying, and it seemed perfect to have a Tim Holtz bird mimic it! More soon friends. Hope you're all busy putting your own stamp on this holiday season. Enjoy.

Thinking about Catching Up...

   Just a quick little post to say I'll be catching up with the blog in the next few days. It's been a whirlwind with life: starting a new job, exhibiting at a Maker expo, making a new house a home after moving across the country, and spreading out in a new studio in a new town, in a new state. Before we left, in between, and after, I've made some fun little cards that I haven't yet shared. 

   As the sentiment says above, I am thinking of friends and family near and far on a snowy November evening. Be well.

What I did on my summer vacation...

   I came, I saw, I moved on.... Started the summer with a few big moves. One of the them worked out well; the other? Not so much. Made these cards for family birthdays before I packed my studio up and moved across the country--again! It's an adventure-filled life I lead, and the latest is no exception.
   Hope you've been enjoying your summer. I'm looking forward to going back to school. It's been too long, and it's where I belong. 

Life

   Oh my. I can hardly believe so much time has elapsed since I last posted. My apologies if you were waiting with bated breath, but somehow I don't think that's likely been the case. I have been busy with life, and letting go, and making way for big changes to come. I've been making some new friends, putting myself out into the work force again, reading and reflecting on the current state of the world. 
   You can see just this morning I've made a quote that strikes home with me. Teddy is famous for starting the National Parks--it's a big year for them and they've been an important part of my life. How about you? In March I got to stand under the newly refurbished archway that is the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park--the one that started them all. I visited Mammoth Hot Springs to sit under a cloudless blue sky breathing warm sulfur clouds which hover over the burbling waters. I went to the headwaters of the Madison River--site of John Colter's famous run. I had forgotten how quiet out West can be. I was home again.
   I am reconnected and working on rejuvenation. Be well friends.

Waiting for Spring

   Just waiting for spring instead of the snow that's about to fall. Have my space heater warming under my studio desk, and getting a head start on my card stash for when it finally arrives. Here's one of the variants I'm making for a set of these. I liked how the background came out with the Hero Arts Mix and Match set. Those little images are so versatile. The flowers are Bold Blooms and they remind me of 40's and 50's table linen images. Love them.

    This design actually started with trying to use up a background stamp image. I cut it into strips and built the rest of the card around that. I always enjoy Macgyver stamping...taking what I have and making it into something else. Wonder what I can do with this impending snow??

Flower Challenge

   Time for a little fun...and I don't mean trying to navigate the ice on the way to my mailbox! Hero Arts Blog is sponsoring a Flower challenge! What a nice trip into the future/spring. The groundhog had it wrong this year if you ask me.
   Here's a variation on the same design...I'm trying Jennifer McGuire's resolution to make two of the same card once I hit upon a design I like. Great idea, and saves so much effort I'm finding.

    I think I might have to make some more flowers. It's really lifted my spirits. How will you put your own stamp on the challenge? You have until the end of this month to give it a go!

Snowflakes, Scraps, & Serendipity

   
   

   Hello everyone. Sorry to have been AWOL for a bit. Dealing with life, and snow, and pain, but I've got it under control for the moment. I wanted to show this little idea I stumbled upon with my scraps...took a brush, a few shades of blue, and went to town making intersecting lines on a die cut scrap of watercolor paper. I really like what happened and it was a nice accident that it happened to match the font in this vellum quote stack panel I had. 
   Here's what my desk looked like to give you an idea:

   I look forward to trying this again with some different scraps. Who knows what might happen? Be well friends and cherish your health.

Quotes and Calendars

   Two of my favorite things: quotes, and calendars. Found some old Latin daily quote desk calendar pages and thought I'd make a new quote card from it. Darling daughter off at college likes to cover her walls with things I think up and send to her along with her own curating.

   And here was trying out a color combination I've had on my 'to do' list for a while. Found these quotes with the word "awesome" in them on BrainyQuote.com. [another of my favorites along with Goodreads!] 
   Make it your own kind of awesome day friends.

Snowflakes

   This is one of my favorite stamps--an older Inkadinkado design. It lends itself so well--kind of like snow--to many interpretations. We've had a lot of snow around our place, and the locals aren't that prepared to deal with it. School has been closed for the entire week and I can only imagine what's going on inside the houses along my street! As for mine, I am content to smoosh and create with Distress Inks, while my son recovers from a virus. We are cozy and warm with a roof over our heads, good food on the table, and we are content. 

Work

   Such a beautiful thought. Be well friends.

Beautiful Dreams

   I am enjoying getting the hang of my new Zig brush markers. Love the vibrant colors, and there is so much to practice with a real brush tip. Found a pad of vellum sheets with quotes I bought ever so long ago. Ripped them all apart and decided to make myself a set of cards with them finally. New year, new organizing and inventory taking. Wishing you some beautiful dreams--whether in the daytime or the night.

Words

   I love words. I love art/self-expression. My favorite projects combine a bit of both like this one. So many possibilities...and so many iterations using the same words to illustrate...an infinity loop. Amazing how a little Distress Ink and a few words can take you somewhere just sitting at your desk. 
   

Sew Loved

   It's always difficult to say, "so long," even if it's only for a little while. We were enjoying being a whole family for a while while college daughter was home for break. She's back in class celebrating a new year of classes and people and interesting things to learn. Good for her...yet we miss her. While she was home she made us some lovely, matching mother/daughter fleece tops. Makes me warm all over since there's nothing like something made with love.
   May your New Year be cozy and filled with love my friends--sharing our handmade kindness goes a long way in making this world a better place.