Crafty McCrafterson

I love getting crafty, but I don't seem to do it very often.  Yesterday, I had the prime opportunity to get my craft on because my DD was going to go to Oregon to visit her 4-year old half brother Bo (and new baby brother Robbie), and she needed help with Bo's present.

It seems the sweet little angel boy told his parents that he wanted a "wish box" for Christmas.  He wanted a wish box so he could put all of his "secret wishes inside and pretend they came true"... after hearing that, Jessica was bound and determined to get him a wish box.  Of course her working full time and having a wee small child doesn't lend itself to a lot of time to spend crafting.  So I got involved, and a wish box was created.

I was excited to get a chance to use my new Silhouette Cameo that Tim got me for Christmas.  :D  I cut out the "wish" wordart on the Cameo, and just used a couple of pieces of old Cosmo Cricket paper I had in the craft room.  I cut it to fit the plain recipe card box, gave it a little brown paint around the edges, and then put some Martha Stewart glitter on the inside of the lid.  Bo is probably not allowed to have glitter in his daily life.  His dad is a total conservative man's man and won't put up with anything remotely girly, but how can you have a wish box without glitter?  

This morning, I found a template and put together a little book for him to tuck inside the wish box.  It was just a piece of cardboard, scored and folded.  I put the Cosmo Cricket scraps of paper on the outside and then took a stack of paper lunch bags, cut the pages to fit, sewed a seam down the middle of the stack and then glued the front and back page into the book.  A "manly" wish box if I've ever seen one.

I'm wishing I would have painted the inside of the box brown, but I was running out of time and paint and just opted to leave it alone.  A four year old can't be that picky, can they?

So that was sort of a fun little craft project for the day, and I used up a few old supplies.  I loved that paper so I never used it before, but I only had two sheets, and I don't know what I would have ended up using it with, so I thought it would work well.  I hope he likes it.

Make a Card Monday

Kay Werner does a MACM each week on her blog.  I needed a birthday card for tomorrow, so I decided that I would take a page from her play book and create a card.  I got the idea for this card from Paper Crafts magazine, and just put my own spin on it.  I found the cute patterned paper in my stash, I used a couple of stamps, and then made the felt flower embellishment.  Inside, I stamped "Celebrate you" to finish it off.

Of course now that it is done, I would have done some things differently, but I will save that for next time.  I am inspired to start another creative project of some sort instead.  It is my "day off" (which is really never a full day off), so I need to make the most of the last few hours I have before Tim gets home and expects me to cook dinner or something.  ;) Tonight, the plan is to back up all of my photos and digital scrapbooking goodies onto the external hard drive so it is all safe and sound.  I'm also creating a separate CD with photos of little man  just in case I have a problem with the external hard drive (which has happened several times in the past).  I don't want to lose pictures of that special little one!

Here is a quick peek of him today.  He is so precious.  He looks a little goofy because he's teething and his gums are sore, so he's keeping his tongue moving across the bumpy terrain.  Poor baby!

What are you up to this week?

Confession Tuesday

I have an idea.  It is a project I’m going to run at Speakeasy, and I’m totally excited about it for some reason. 

Probably ten years ago, the Jaycees made a trip to the Hands-On Children’s Museum in Olympia.  We had a blast.  I don’t know who had more fun… the adults or the kids.  Anyway, I have wanted to start a kids’ museum ever since. 

I was thinking about that the other day and thought about doing a major event at Speakeasy where we’d basically put on a kids’ museum for the day.  But then when I was thinking about all of the ideas I had for that, I thought it might be a little bigger than I would be able to do (without help) in the next couple of months, so I pared it back to just one of the elements. 

We are going to put on an archeological adventure day for kids.  They will come into the gallery and receive a passport/adventure book.  Each station will have a stamp to add to their passports. 

• We will have the first station be the picture taking/identification station.  They will get their pictures taken and printed for their passport booklet and have a badge with their names. 
• The next station will be an introductory meeting at “base camp” on Speakeasy Island.  Everyone will introduce themselves and get an itinerary of the day’s events. 
• They will move on to the “map room” where they will be able to color and decorate their maps. 
• Then the group will move ahead to the “fossil station” where they will make bones from clay and fossils with plaster of paris.
• While those items are drying, they will move on to the station where they will hear a story and get more info about digs and other cultures.
• Finally, they will put together their own archeological dig box (a rubbermaid tote with sand/soil) and add a coordinates grid.  someone will then place their bones in the box to be dug up later.  The kit will have a brush for cleaning the items and a notebook for documenting where the items were found.

The Speakeasy artists can help with decorations and being guides for the stations.  We will project dinosaurs onto the walls and have a big volcano.  There will be greenery around and then a canopy tent for base camp.  I’m pricing sand, containers and other components and putting together a project/event proposal. 

I just hope that it will work and that we could actually get some kids to come out and join in the fun.  :)  If so, then I will start working on the bigger plan of the kids’ museum for the day.  Yay!

If you want to help out/volunteer or have any ideas to add on, let me know.  :D 

Confession Tuesday

• I thought that after a couple of weeks off of work, I would miss my job and feel empty or possibly even depressed. That hasn’t happened, and I am now wondering if it ever will.
• Sometimes friends are far better and cause waaaaay less stress than family. I hung out with my friend Stephanie yesterday. We’ve known each other since 4th grade. Every time I get together with her, it is like a huge warm fuzzy and a jolt of inspiration in life. We talked about art and she showed me her work (I just love it). Jessica worked on some sketches, Steph worked on a piece, I painted a background canvas and was imagining circus tents. Here is a glimpse of one of Stephanie's pieces...

• I feel like a bad stepmother. Against my better judgment, I’ve acquiesced to the “hands-off” approach subscribed to by my husband and his ex. Now I feel like that was a mistake.
• This is so yummy and inspiring… from Michelle Clement’s blog…

• And then look at this goodness. I’m so envious of her creativity and cuteness. Gotta love Lolly at Lollychops.com.

Weekend Forecast: Raining Creativity?

C’mon, you know that there is some project you have been thinking about… some little artsy thing that you’d like to tackle. Maybe it is an around-the-house project like painting the bathroom or putting up a new set of curtains in the living room.  Maybe it is sitting down to write a chapter (or outline) for your novel.  Maybe it is a poem?  Splashing some paint onto a canvas?  Sculpting?  Sketching?  Taking a new picture?  Jotting notes to a future song?  Collage?  Sewing? Designing your summer garden?

It is the last weekend in February.  We’re already at the two-months-invested-in-2010 mark, and if you haven’t done it already, you need to get started now! 

Take the challenge.  What will you do this weekend that will make a difference in your creative life? 

Halloween Scraps

It is Halloween, and only hours away from setting the clocks back for the winter.  Yay!  An extra hour of sleep.  Tim has already jump-started on the extra hour of sleep by falling asleep shortly after 9 pm.  He is snoring up a storm, and the dogs are sleeping along side him.  Bobby had the nerve to look upset over the fact that Tim’s snoring woke him up.  He went right back to sleep though. 

I’m hoping that I will sleep better tonight.  Last night, crazy Piper got up and tried to suffocate me in my sleep.  She finally took over most of my pillow.  Ugh. 

Today we went over and did some furniture moving for Tim’s parents.  Gladys is just so sweet.  I feel bad that I haven’t been over to see them in the past couple of weeks.  After visiting with them, we ran to the mall and picked up some shoes and then rounded out our trip with a stop at Target to get some odds/ends and candy.

Good thing we did.  We actually had quite a few trick-or-treaters this year.  It was surprising because we usually don’t get any.  So we handed out candy and then took turns with the phantom ringing (our doorbell magically rings on its own).  We had a visit from my mom, Liz and Lucian.  They didn’t stay long because Lucian wasn’t in a happy mood.  I was able to get a picture or two of him, and make him happy with a cookie. 

Since Tim was sleeping, I decided to try a scrapbook layout.  I haven’t done one in ages.  I used Mindy Terasawa’s Moss Scape kit (Designer Digitals), and elements from Gypsy Couture (The Digichick).  It is an homage to Crazy Piper. 

Out Sick

I missed work today.  All week, I’ve been feeling a little off, but I just couldn’t make it in today.  My stomach was not happy.  This morning, it was so nice to be able to sleep in and get rested.  I woke up a couple of times: when Tim got up and before he left.  But I couldn’t stay awake, so I slept until 9:30 when Jessica brought me a bagel that I didn’t eat and a Mt. Dew that I loved.  She also brought me an adorable get-well-soon card.  What a sweet girl. 

There is something so comforting about staying in PJs all day.  :)  We watched most of Dead Poet’s Society and sorted through some craft supplies.  This afternoon, I had a little lunch and felt a bit better.  Since I was bundled up in the office, I flipped through some Paper Crafts magazines I hadn’t had time to look through in the past few months.  I was inspired to make a card.  I was supposed to make a card for Shannon, but I didn’t have the energy to find the paper/stamp I was supposed to use, so I just stuck with what was handy.   

I’m not excited about how the bow turned out, but I’ll live with it.  When I’m feeling better, I’m going to head over to Michael’s or Borders to get the latest card magazine to be further inspired.  I should get some Christmas cards ready for this year since I haven’t done any in quite some time.

Jessica has been creating some fabulous cards lately.  I’m envying her creative spurt!  I guess I’ll have to kick it up a notch to try to keep up with her. 

Confession Tuesday

Confession #1. I really really want to be a stay-at-home mom. Yes, I know that defies logic seeing as how my child is now going to be having her own child. Maybe it is because I just turned 40 and I’m suffering a mid-life crisis, but if I’m really good, can’t I just stay at home and be a grandma? And study hard for school? And create art while the perfect grandchild sleeps? And cook nutritious meals for the family? And sometimes take the doggies for a walk? And occasionally check in during the day on my in-laws? I think that sounds like a good role. One that I could heartily embrace. Unfortunately, I do not think it is in the cards for me now. Bah!

Confession #2. I am a joiner. I get excited and I sign up for things. Later, when I have my wits about me, I wonder if I took on too much by whatever it is that I signed up for, but I don’t really care. That is the second part of confession number 2. I love it. I love being energized by new ideas or creative projects. I can’t help myself.

Confession #3. I enrolled in Shimelle’s Blogging for Scrapbookers class. I was entranced by the description of the class, and I realized that I do need to start recording more memories (on a regular basis). I’d like to learn a few things, and maybe end up feeling like my blog could be a productive place.

Confession #4. I love my husband.

Confession #5. I don’t think I let him know that enough. I need to work on that now and in the future.

Confession #6. I love thinking that maybe I can tie all of the things above into one giant opportunity. Hmmmm. We’ll have to see about that.

More later.

Addiction

I always felt that I was lucky not to really have any addictions.

I guess I've always had addictions, but never really thought about it until recently. (Denial is such a wonderful coping mechanism.)

From what I've heard (on tv and movies which is oh-so reliable), the first step in a recovery program is admitting that you have a problem. Okay. I have a problem. Last week, when I was alone in my studio, I was hit with the realization that I am addicted to craft supplies. I am sure that it certainly must be covered in the DSM-IV.

It doesn’t matter what kind of supplies... I love them all. Buttons, fabric, ribbons, papers, felt, brads, punches, paints, blank books, cardstock, adhesive, etc. It has gotten so bad that not only am I addicted to tangible supplies that I can pet and stroke as they sit in my studio, but I'm also addicted to digital supplies. How can that be? Even my magazine problem is tied to crafts and supplies and therefore a sub-addiction. I find magazines and books and then think about my supplies and what I can do with them... but it just gets put into the studio and I run out of time. Now, I'm realizing that I'm an addict.

When Tim built the studio, there was a concrete bench-type thing that he couldn't get rid of, so we transformed it into a cushioned resting area. I could take naps there. I sewed a pretty cover for the foam mattress and got a bunch of cool pillows to put out there (complete with a nap blanket). I tried it out once and absolutely loved it. A nap in my studio... what could be better? Now my addiction has even overtaken the need for sleep. My nap space is completely filled with tubs of craft supplies. I need an addition on my studio just for storage. And, my friends, I can tell you now... that is never going to happen. Tim may be sweet and wonderful, but he's not going to construct an additional room. My addiction has gotten so bad that I was actually thinking about when all of the kids would be old enough to be out of the house completely so I can take over one of their bedrooms without looking like an evil person. Bwah-ha-ha.

Yesterday, the bug bit me again.

I was reading someone's blog, which led to reading someone else's blog, which led to another... and so on. I ended up spending $36 on designer fabric (which is funny because I'm so not a designer person) and a pattern for a purse. But the fabric is soooooo yummy. Oy! Take a peek.

So I guess I'm not going to squash my addiction anytime soon (until I pay for my airfare to England for school and have no money left). For now, I will have to be happy with taking that first step and admitting to the problem. Maybe I'll find a support group or something.

Blogger Blues

It is hard to keep up with this blog these days. I have to maintain another blog for school, so I'm afraid this one gets neglected. Between work, school, homework, blogging for school, doing household chores, seeing friends/family, and the writing group, I'm barely keeping myself sane… much less focusing on my poor lil' neglected bloggy. :(

Yesterday, I felt really guilty. I spent a lot of time doing things that I really wanted to do. Not things that necessarily needed to be done (like the housework or schoolwork) but it was something that I needed for myself.

I spent a couple of hours in my studio. It was thrilling. I am deep in the planning stages of a "stamp camp" to be held at my house at the end of March, so I needed to get out and see what I had as far as supplies and other assorted goodies. I came up with some design ideas, but then I realized that I don't have very many stamp sets from the new catalog, so I need to go back through and figure out some sketches based on what I have. Anyway, I got some things sorted and my thought process is a little more organized now. That is a very good thing.

And speaking of "it's a good thing"… I went to Artco (in Tacoma) yesterday. I was grossed out by the store (all dingy/dirty) but they did have a line of Martha Stewart crafts! There was a lot of eye candy in that aisle. Almost enough to give you a cavity. The nice thing about it is that it isn't as expensive as I thought it was going to be. For instance, I looked at bone folders over in the regular section. They wanted like $8.00-10.00 for them. It seemed really steep. So then I looked over at MS and happened to see some for $5.00. I was pleasantly surprised. They also have punches that are reasonable.

We went to Stephanie & Casey's for dinner last night. It was soooooo good to see them. It seems like time is just going too fast. I think the last time we got together was before I started working at Davita (which was at the end of last May). Geez! But it is always so good to get a chance to hang out with her. It is like time hasn't passed. Last night, we got on the subject of someone we went to school with, so Steph whipped out her yearbooks from junior high. It totally cracked me up. In 7th grade, I wrote some run-on sentences that were repetitive and lame. By 9th grade, there was an entire page that had "RESERVED FOR KIM" on the top. I filled it too. My writing started out all nice and neat, but then got all wild and crazy. I had written about things that we swore we'd never forget. Most of them we remembered, but there were a couple of less-prominent ones that escaped us now. It was a good evening though. Like being with family… only better because you realize that you've remained close over the years not because you had to and were obligated to like you do with some family… but because you have that bond and you want to remain close. It is a special kind of friendship when you can think about it that way and realize that you've been friends since you were nine… almost thirty years.

New Year... New Quarter... New???

It is already starting into the third week of January (2nd full week) and I feel like I'm already falling behind in life. 2008 came in without a lot of fanfare for our family. I think we were still worn out from the complete craziness that we took on for the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays. It took days to recoop from back-to-back Christmas Eve and Christmas day extravaganzas. I think our dishwasher went on strike. Last week we found that it had blew the electrical outlet and needed to be repaired.

School started last week. I'm taking 17 credits this quarter, and unfortunately, may have to have five days of class. That will be completely insane, but I don't know that I'll be able to get around it.

There is a lyric essay course I've been checking out. It is put together by writers.com. They have a lot of great class offerings and I wish I could take a bunch of them... finances will keep me from doing so, but hopefully I will be able to squeeze one in from time to time. Next quarter, I will do the lyric essay for an independent study course. :) They also have free writing groups you can subscribe to. I haven't done that, but it sounds interesting. I've got enough on my plate right now as it is. I took over the Tacoma Writers' Meetup right before Christmas. Kirsty was stepping down as organizer and I've been itching to do something like this for years and years, so I snatched up the opportunity and am very excited about it.

Yesterday, I took some stuff (supplies like crazy) out to my "studio." I stood there, among my many treasures, and wanted to cry over all of the neglected babies that are out there. The big canvas taunted me with its blank stare, daring me to attack it with a bout of creativity. But I had laundry to do and organizing of the closets, meals to prepare and homework to do. So I turned the key in the lock and sighed a big sigh as I headed back to the house. It is awful. It feels like everything in the universe is pointing me in the direction of doing some creative crafts/art, but I can't seem to find/make the time. Maybe that is a direction I can take for spring quarter. Maybe I can put together some art workshops and have play dates with myself and create a whole course surrounding everything I want to do... if only.