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Thursday, June 13, 2013

Friday Ramblings


I'm waking up early in the summer to draw seed pods.
What?
It's going from historical to downright ridiculous.
But holy moly, it's fun.
I'm learning so much and stretching myself a ton.



Add a little color...





Do you think these are considered pods if they aren't dried out and brown?
They showed up when I googled Images for seed pods.
Maybe I do like pods after all. 


We are in full summer mode.
Brenna is helping.
She stays up later, I stay up later. 
She sleeps in (for the first time in her life!), I get up to draw seed pods.

this pool party started during the day....


We have done a  little shopping.
LITTLE.
Brenna is not a big shopper.
She has told me more than once that she would rather shop for ice cream.

so wish I could wear hats like my girls!


Starbucks is a must in the summer.
But I do believe the Baristas need a little help.
How would one get "Berlin" from Lynn?
Really. Let's try it. 
"What's your name?"
"Lynn."
scribble, scribble.
BERlin.
That's what I thought.


at least the coffee was made correctly.

AND......
drum roll, please.

T-MINUS EIGHT DAYS UNTIL JUSTIN BIEBER.
This girl has stuck to the deal.
SIX months of making good food choices and getting exercise in five days a week equals tickets to go see Justin in concert.
I'm so excited! No, really, I am.
It should be a ton of fun! 
Brenna has her outfit all picked out.
Should I wear a J.B. t-shirt too?
Ha. Just joking.






It's now 11:00 p.m. 
Seed pods will be calling my name in eight hours and I'm having trouble stringing sentences together so for your benefit and mine, I'll sign off for now.

Have a super weekend!



Tuesday, June 11, 2013

What's On Your Desk?


What's on your desk today?




I'm studying retro and mid-century florals for the Lilla Rogers class, Make Art That Sells.



Here's what is killing me.
I pretty much grew up with the "Mid-Century" look.
I googled images for an example and came up with stuff I remember as a kid.
I thought I would see knights in shining armor, but apparently not.


It was, to say the least, a bit of a shock.



I then googled "retro seed pods."



Enter in the second kick in the teeth.
Dried pods galore....
JUST LIKE the ones in my mother's home. I swear to you, some of those dried pods WERE from the 1970's, and we just disposed of them a year ago. 
Now they are cool and in trend.
Go figure.


I think I may stick to florals, thank you very much.



Another item on my desk this week is a sweet handmade journal I received from my dear friend, Janet.
Check out her blog. You will be seriously blown away by her use of color-it's gorgeous.


I'm working on simpler journal entries for our NEXT CLASS.

stamps, a little ink, and some water color.


I'm also looking at color differently for the Make Art That Sells, and am saving catalogues that come in the mail to see what colors are being used.
Again, very reminiscent of my youth.
Which is blatantly gone.
I guess now I'm just retro cool.



This weekend, I went to Art In The Alley and ran into a friend named Melanie Papp.
This handmade journal had to come home with me.
I think it just jumped in my hand and said, "Be my best friend."



How could I say no???
Visit Melanie's Esty shop here.




Back to the seed pods of my youth.....




Thursday, June 6, 2013

Friday Ramblings


A little early on the Friday Ramblings today...Unless you live in Australia!
We have two graduations, a wedding shower, a wedding, a retirement reception and two open houses for new grads this weekend.I think there is a partridge in a pear tree somewhere, but I could be confused. So today will be short and sweet.

Added to that, I'm taking an on-line course by Lilla Rogers.

No wonder I'm confused.


Plus, I've been up forever, trying to get the assignment done and I'm starving.
Not that you would like to know that, but just in case. You are informed. And somewhat warned.


I do have some EXCITING NEWS!!!
Ready?



A drumroll would be appropriate right about now....
There are a couple of cool new icons on the right sidebar of my blog!!!!
Exciting, right?



Well, really it is.
Because ONE of them will allow you to sign up for the NEW CLASS that I'm teaching with my amazing friend and talented life coach, Sue Robson.

Do you see the cute as pie heart with an arrow?
That's it!!!!!!!!
Click on that and it will take you to the page that describes our class.
We are combining art journaling and life coaching.


At my house!
It's a day just for YOU.
For reflection, exploration, journaling, meeting new friends, learning new techniques for your art journal.
Doesn't matter if you have never done an art journal.
You will get your first one in this class!


We give you coffee, snacks and lunch.
How much better can it get, right?

Click on over and check it out!
We would love to see you...

O.K. gotta go eat.
Have a fabulous weekend.

(p.s. the other icon is for work that I'm selling. I'll get to that page and fill it next week...)



Monday, June 3, 2013

Don't Hide It-Divide It!

I thought "Sharing Time" was not so good for a post title where I, well, share something I have learned to do or a great blog, etc. The title felt too much like Kindergarten. I looked up synonyms for sharing and saw the word "divide" and was reminded of my husband when he sees us eating something yummy. He stares long and hard at our treat and when we turn away so we don't have to share, he says, "HEY! Don't hide it, divide it!" It's one of those sayings that basically makes me laugh so hard because I have heard it for 27 years and it makes me share every time.

ANYway.


Let's just say it isn't "graduation light" around here. By that, I mean we have about 10 graduates that we would like to acknowledge. That is AFTER my eldest daughter's college graduation...
I went to Target to buy cards and realized it was going to cost me a small fortune.
I found this simple gift card and thought, "I really do have a lot of scrapbook paper at home...."
Thus began the frenzy of card making that I would like to "divide" with you!


Here is the basic card. It says, "insert gift here" on the inside. All though there is nothing to attach a gift to, it's a nice idea. We'll make it better!
 Lay the original down on a 12X12 double sided/printed piece of paper.


Trace around the edge, marking where the folds are.




After you have cut out the shape, take a ruler and a bone folder and score from top to bottom where the folds will be.





So far, so good.


Take some coordinating paper and cut a strip about 12 inches long, maybe 1/2 inch wide.
Fold the entire strip in accordion fashion.


It gets a little tricky here to explain this part. Basically, you lay your strip of folded paper on it's side and taking both ends, bring them around to meet each other. It will look like a rainbow half way and then you meet the two ends together.


Like so.
These like to take a life of their own and spring away, so it's good to hold the outside edges and clip the ends. I used a hot glue gun to secure the ends and secured it with a clip. Use a low temp gun, it will save your skin in the end...


Add another drop of hot (low temp) glue to the center and flip over and add one more drop to the center on the other side.


Using your printed paper, (see the upper left corner with the little circle pattern on the paper? That is the outside of the card.) The gingham check is on the inside of the card. I cut a rectangle to fid the width of the card and flipped the paper over to show the gingham side and stamped Happy Graduation.  Punch a circle using a 1 1/2 inch punch. Stamp the year 2013 in the center.


Add a pop up glue dot thing to the back of the rectangle and add washi tape along the top and bottom.


Put your rectangle on top, hot glue down your rosette, hot glue your stamped circle that you have punched out and add washi tape to make it look like a ribbon.


Now to fix the inside...
If you want to add a gift you can do one of two things.
I really should have put a blade by the gift card instead of scissors. Using a blade, cut small slits to fit the corners of the card into them.
OR..



Take some double sided tape and adhere a small square of paper to the inside like this:



Make sure you only use half of the piece of tape, or you won't be able to fit your card or money in your little pocket. I laid the tape half way down onto the sides of the paper and it tore quite nicely down the length. I used the second piece to adhere the opposite side. The bottom I used a regular size piece of tape.



Insert fun.



That's it!
It took me about half an hour to make the card and that included writing down instructions and taking photos along the way. I had to get moving.
I had more to make!


Happy Graduation to all the Grads this year!!!


And to those who support them-


You have done a fabulous job as well!!!


Linking to Beth at Home Stories AtoZ tutorials and tips link party.