Lost But Found...

This is a Pinterest photo of a back-to-school idea.  What a great way to help your child's classroom and give supplies to the teacher.   A layered "cake" of crayons, glue, spiral notebooks, pencils and more.  If your children are grown then maybe you can adopt a local elementary classroom and surprise one of the many teachers who have to subsidize their classroom supplies with purchases they make out of their own paychecks.  And I don't know any teachers who are paid enough to afford to do this over and over again.  Just a thought...
I am hoping I don't lose my wonderful loyal followers since I am not posting anything for so many days.  I am actually using a borrowed computer and have none of my photos or content on this computer.  I also am missing all my blog favorites I follow.  I did find a few and enjoyed them.  Hopefully I won't be without my computer very much longer.   I do have an explanation I will share with you when I post next. 
I have been stitching on my Sashiko fabric and that has saved my sanity.  I find stitching on it takes me to a wonderful peaceful calm.  The stitches are many and I hope to not run out of my special Sashiko thread.  I have no idea what I will use this cloth piece for but it will have a huge amount of my time and thoughts stitched into it. 
Stay safe over this upcoming Labor Day weekend.  I hope you will find time to spend doing just what you love doing.  I will be stitching...
Happy Creative Hearts everyone.   

At It Again...

I love using calendar or magazine pages or wrapping paper and making these little envelopes.  Some are folded in half and some are folded in thirds.  I use them for little gifts or notes or little pockets to save ephemera inside of.  I have also used old maps for this purpose.  You could also use these pages to make envelopes for mailing fun mail.  If you don't have envelope stencils (from years ago) you can always carefully take apart an envelope and trace around it.

This is a calendar I choose to use. I use my paper rotary cutter for cutting off any unwanted printing or advertising.  I also use a bone folder for nice crisp edges when folding.

Here is a sample of the half fold I do.  In this case I am using double sided tape to seal the edges.  I have found that using a glue stick does not hold on the slick surfaces and will come apart just when you are filling your little gifties into them.  Not a good thing!

As I have been organizing my supplies I found some cute felt cupcakes and decided to stock up some cute cards.  Using a cupcake edge punch and a cupcake punch I was all set to assemble my cards.  I added a cute little cupcake to the envelopes.  I always think homemade cards are more personal than store purchased cards.

FUN MAIL!!!  I received some fun mail from a wonderful blogger named Carol.  Thank You Carol!!!  Her blog is mamacjt and here is the link.  I cannot believe she is willing to send Fun Mail just for the asking. Check out her amazing fun art she does.  I just smile every single time I see my happy envelope from her.
Do you see how cleverly she uses her stamps as part of the art design?  What a feast you will see on her blog.  To thank her I sent some of my folded calendar pockets...in a plain envelope.
Our weather is very strange due to the fires we are surrounded by.  Thankfully none are close enough to threaten but the smoke is truly making the sun and moon almost non-existent.  I am praying for rain to help extinguish the fires, however only lightening strikes with no rain is happening all around.  Please send rain!!!  Prayers for all the firefighters who are working non-stop to contain these huge wild fires.
I was able to spend a day with my sister Marie and we had such a great time together.  Shopping and talking and shopping and dining and shopping.  Thank you for a wonderful day sweet sister!
I feel Summer waning and Fall approaching.  I try not to rush anything as the days go by all too fast as it is.  My Rosy Glow plants are beginning to wither their leaves and drop them to the ground like a carpet covering.  Oak leaves and acorns are falling...right into the pond which must be skimmed daily to keep them out.  If left in they do some chemical nasty thing and create black tea which is very difficult to clear out.  I don't mind skimming the pond as it allows me time to reflect and really enjoy the beauty that surrounds me.
I see so many of you are busy creating for Halloween and even Christmas.  Whew!
Thank you for your comments and inspirations.  Creative Hearts are Happy Hearts...

Abundance of Pears...

Sometimes our friends move away and we don't see them as often as we once did.  However this does not mean that we don't think of them often and miss them.  So when her birthday was close by in August I got busy.  She loves pears as the symbol of "abundance" and that is her guiding word...abundance.  I have a lovely pear stamp and know how much she likes to send handwritten notes.  My gift to her...

Golden parchment note cards hand stamped with golden pears.  I also lined the envelopes with a lovely golden paper.  Somehow abundance just required gold.
 

I also made the birthday card using my pear stamp.  This time I hand colored it with my Inktense pencils that are water soluble. Not as much gold here.  I used an ecru card and envelope.  The envelope is lined with a delicious copper moire paper that is also on the card under the watercolor pear layer.

Here is the set of note cards wrapped with the gold paper and another stamped hand colored pear on the band that holds the cards and envelopes together.  Her beautifully hand written thank you card tells me she received them and how much she likes them.  Happy Birthday my friend.
Summer is rushing along.  We are in the conclusion half of August.  Our weather continues to be absolutely glorious.  Not too hot in the days and cool in the evenings.  We are having an issue of bad air quality due to a very large fire burning in the forest miles from us.  The area is so remote and dry it is putting up more smoke than normal as it hasn't burned there in over 50 years.  Thankfully no homes or businesses are affected.
Daily life is keeping me very busy.  I am truly grateful for being able to have the time to just be and do...whatever is needed.  Volunteer work...home life...Mr. C...gluing...glittering...sewing...errands...you know the program.  You are smiling as you are very familiar with the routine of nothing normal aren't you?  How can so many hours just slip by without really getting anything accomplished?!!
Sunny Summer Smiles...or...Winter Bliss...
May you truly enjoy what you are busy doing.  Life is good.  Thank you for your wonderful comments.  

Beautiful Little Ladybug...

After I stamped and pencil colored the butterfly onto a book page I thought I would try another version.  This time I used a beautiful ladybug stamp I have.  It is very Art Nouveau in design and I adore it.  My daughter is enjoying ladybugs in her garden this summer and I thought I would add some memories for her.
The larger ladybug is a wooden motif I purchased to use on the wrapping of the package in lieu of a bow, flatter and easier to ship via mail.

Here is the very same stamp I added to a journal tag the size of an ATC and then colored and framed.  A personalized note written on the back if she is ever to take it out of the frame.  I used my Inktense colored pencils and they are really nice to work with.

Uh-Oh!  I previously posted how I love back-to-school shopping for supplies.  Well I couldn't resist this time.  I did need a new pencil sharpener and this one has titanium blades so it should last longer than I do.  Then of course some new #2 pencils were needed in order to use my sharpener.  The colored pencils were totally an impulse buy as I certainly did not need them.  Nor did I need the crayons...however...a new box of Crayola crayons just has the right smell and memories I enjoy.  What are you buying in back-to-school supplies?
I am happy to report that Mr. C is almost back to 100% feeling good.  He is off all prescriptions and is only taking Advil twice a day per the doctor.  He has begun physical therapy and really likes his young, very knowledgeable, pretty gal who is taking care of him.  With daily balancing exercises here at home and a couple more visits to PT he should be good as new.  I tried his simple balancing exercises and failed at them so I am thinking I better practice them too.  They are supposed to be excellent for the "aging process" which causes us to naturally lose our balance.
Our local fair is done and the weather stayed cool for the entire five days.  Usually it is scorching hot.  I didn't make it to the fair this year and that is okay.  I have managed to stay busy here at home and at Bub Enterprises where Mr. C and I are volunteering.  They are the home of the BUB Streamliner which was the world record holding motorcycle.  This year they will try for the record once again.  Hoping to go 400 mph!  Here is a link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCuokkXJsoc I will post more on this later.
May you enjoy your days doing what you love.  Creative Happy Hearts...

Jillayne's Christmas Journal...

This is the most beautiful handmade journal from Jillayne of A Fine Seam.  The fabric has a soft vintage holly theme with micro glitter all through it.  The hint of pink is dreamy.  I feel so fortunate!  Thank you dear Jillayne.  Your heart and hands have produced an heirloom treasure.

This is a project Jillayne has been working on since last Christmas.  She offered on her blog if we wanted to hand make and send her 6 Christmas cards she would bind them into Christmas Journal books for us.  I believe she made 14 after all the cards were sent and received.  

Each book has lots of papers for embellishing and journaling and adding our own personal touches.  It also contains 6 cards from others who participated.  I would like to thank each of my card givers that are in my book:  Diane of Diane Hobbit; Wendy of The Crafter's Apprentice; Karen of Todolwen; Tanya of Bead and Needle; Freda of Sew What's New.  And of course, Jillayne.

I do not know who is attached to each card as some of them are not signed.  Each one is precious.  The top little bird has hand stitching on the tree branches.  This little tree is made of fabric strips sewn together with silver thread.

This snowflake embellished card is signed by Karen and has a lovely snowflake ornament on the inside.  Beautiful work.

Vintage Santa with Tanya's perfect handwriting on the inside.
  

Paris Peace with tiny pink bling by Freda is tres chic.

A dimensional winter scene with some red bling for sparkle.  I love each and every card and page in this beautiful Christmas Journal.

Here is the binding that Jillayne so carefully hand stitched.  And my very favorite part of all...the bead and button charms she so carefully creates and attaches.  My most sincere heartfelt thank you my friend.  You have outdone yourself.  I will cherish my journal forever.
Now I am hoping to see all the others posted as each journal is unique and no two are the same.  Now this is dedication to a promise made.  Jillayne you are amazing and priceless!!!
I haven't even put together last years Christmas cards and letters to enjoy.  Now it is fast approaching Christmas 2013.  All my work ahead plans have not gone as I thought they might.  Life Happened!  I am thankful life happened and I know I will get my Christmas gifts completed in time.  My list is lessening as I get older and wiser.  Money is so impersonal however it is what the young like best.  Easy peasy for me.
Our local five day fair begins today.  Normally our weather is scorching but this year it is very pleasant and only in the 80's so I think the crowds will be overwhelming and I really think I shall be staying home as I don't care for crowds and long lines.
Happy Birthday today to my baby girl.  She is a grown woman and I am so proud of her and all she has accomplished.  Happy Birthday to you Jenifer Michelle.  I Love You!
What will you be enjoying this fine summer/winter week?  Are you getting your kids ready for back to school?  I love the smell of fresh Crayola crayons.  Maybe a new bottle of Elmer's white school glue to add to my glue stash?  How about some old fashioned lined three holed paper for a new ink pen and some hand writing?  I did buy a new titanium electric pencil sharper and some neon pencils.  Some habits are hard to break.  I am not going back to school but I do enjoy some new supplies each year when they are on sale.
I welcome my new followers and embrace every comment I receive.  I treasure my faithful followers who stay with me and really take heed of your comments.  Input is always good for growth.
Happy Hearts are Creative Hearts and Creative Hearts are Happy Hearts...

Butterflies Are Happiness...

Long ago in a land of crafty I shared about using book pages in my creative endeavors.  Nothing fabulous...simply things that make me happy.  Upon reading my post, a wonderful new follower offered to send me some books of her father's.  He was an avid reader and had many books and some of them in other languages which he enjoyed reading.  So Jane of Aralia Jane blog sent me a very generous box of books.  I thanked her and sent some simple things I make.  However I never really felt like I had done just the right thank you to honor her sharing with me.  I finally did what I thought would bring a sense of happy memories to her.  I took a page out of a separated book and stamped one of my butterfly stamps onto the page.  Then I used my Inktense colored pencils by Derwent (a big treat for me one day as I don't do art very well).  I colored the butterfly and then put the page into a frame.  Even Mr. C thought it looked quite nice.

This is how I wrapped it in tissue and sealed it with a blue butterfly sticker.  Jane has received this and liked it very much.  Thank you Jane as now we have become blogging friends and I am very grateful.

When Mr. C had his company he stored lots of literature and "white papers" in this literature rack.  Through the years as he has slowly retired I have taken over this rack with my artsy papers and ephemera.  It was quite a jumbled mess so I tackled each slot and organized it once again.  This is rather neat compared to before.  Now I can access my stock of supplies much more easily.  All the boxes you see are part of the "shipping room".  I was going to be a huge success selling on etsy however that never really came to fruition.  Instead we seem to ship lots of car parts back and forth for Mr. C and his projects.  A future post.
I also have plans for etsy and am merely procrastinating the tasks I need to get done.  More on this later.

So after organizing the paper storage unit this is all I have left to sort through.  Not so bad I would say.  This pile is so short it actually has sat on my worktable for over a week now and never fallen over, which would be a disaster.  Maybe I better stop tempting fate and deal with this bit.  Meanwhile I am having a bit of fun in my studio and sewing room.  August is a huge birthday month for friends and family so I have been busy getting gifts ready and sent.  It feels so wonderful to be productive.  I am finding myself whistling while I work...la la la.  Or dancing to the very loud music that my stereo seems to play the minute Mr. C leaves to run an errand or visit his car buddies.
Fabric, beads, glitter, glue, thread, paper, stamps, ribbon...oh yeah!  What are you playing with in your creative space?
Thank you always for commenting and brightening my days.  Welcome to new followers as it opens my blogging world and I so enjoy that.
Summer Sunshine Smiles from here...

I Love August...

Hello August.  I Love August!  August to me represents the very best of Summer and I Love Summer!!
This sweet little angel ATC is flying her way through the mail.  Summer colors, flowers, butterfly and ladybugs.  I couldn't resist putting this together.

Recently I was recycling some cardboard and boxes from shopping.  I couldn't resist cutting out this fabulous strawberry from a Truvia box.  The cardboard is thick and  glossy and I was able to cut out a nice stack of ATC blanks.  This strawberry just said "Summer" to me.  So I embellished it and called it complete.  It is ready to be put into the mail and sent to???

My kitchen has little shelves under the overhead cabinets and I did not want to display the normal coffee mugs on them.  The lighting enhances what is on the shelves.  I had these sweet little cottages, buildings, people and adornments from my mother's things.  I chose to display them on these shelves and I am enjoying my little treasures every day.

I have a total of three shelves in my kitchen that I am featuring the little buildings on display.  I am always pleased when company is over and they compliment my little collection.

This is me...nothing ordinary here.  Unique and happy.  I have other shelves in the kitchen and I will share those collections another time.  What do you surround yourself with in unexpected places?
Our weather is just perfect in the high 80's.  I am not keeping up with my weeding or trimming but I am still able to enjoy all of our roses and the blooming crepe myrtle.  I am doing my second trimming of the woolly thyme this year.  It is very laborious and very tedious as it is on the ground and I am not good at ground level any longer.  I love how it grows around my flagstones and therefore it is worth my efforts.
Mr. C is continuing to improve.  We are learning about his concussion.   He is no longer listing to one side from his ribs.  However he is "off-kilter" and has a balance issue.  The testing shows a cranial disconnect from the head trauma.  The good news is that with physical therapy he can re-learn how to correctly balance and function.  We feel very blessed as he is improving daily.  We are very grateful for all of your well wishes. Now that August is here...What are you doing this month?
Blissful  Summer days to you and yours...