Embracing my dillettante nature

where I do a lot of thinking

dilettante
 \ DIL-uh-tont; dil-uh-TONT; dil-uh-TON-tee; -TANT; -TAN-tee \
1. An amateur or dabbler; especially, one who follows an art or a branch of knowledge sporadically, superficially, or for amusement only.
2. An admirer or lover of the fine arts.

I am in an introspective mood right now, looking at where I have been, where I am going. Considering my long and short term goals, my vision of myself.

You may wonder why I am still working on my vision of me. Why I am still trying to find that elusive sense of 'Active Satisfaction'. Well, I think with having published a book I felt that my next step needed to be 'professional' - to do another book, to market my current book, develop a product line, be a teacher, move my blog to the next level of greatness. And somewhere along the way I thought that to be a professional meant I needed to focus on one thing, to develop one art further.

But that was stressing me out because in reality 1) I am a homeschool Mama of 5 kids under 10 and 2) I have never been an exclusive person, I like to artistically dabble. And I am tired of feeling like this is not good enough, that I am not doing enough. I am tired of not being satisfied with myself. Seriously folks, in 2011 I am going to get my head around this!!!

In my introspective mode I was looking at the blogs I have bookmarked. The blogs that I visit for inspiration, for comfort, to be close to those I identify with and like. And I noticed the diversity of blogs I like:

Mama/photographers like Shutter Sisters, Shannon Mucha
Christian/writer/photographers like Chatting at the sky, Amy Voskamp
Mama/organic/life like Soule Mama, Walk slowly, Live Wildly
Artist/poetic/life style like Kelly Rae Roberts, Liz Lamoreux
Journal artists like Alisa Burke, Donna Downey
Lifestyle/women/artsy like Wishstudio
Crafty/mama/homeschooling like Artful Parent,  Acorn Pies
Crafty/mama/shabby chic like Ruffle and Stuff, One Pretty Thing
Crafty/indie/mama like Made, I am Momma - Hear Me Roar
Artist/indie/geeky/urban like Etsy's blog, or Keri Smith
Poetic/artistic/photographers like Susan Tuttle,  Misty Mawn
Mixed media/crafty/shabby chic/lifestyle like CRESCENDOh, Cynthia Shaffer, Roben-Marie,
Mixed media like Create Mixed Media, Seth's The Altered Page
Product photography/house style like A Creative Mint, Decor8

All of these blogs have bits that resonate with me.

While I know my primary focus is, big picture, on motherhood and art - my style and process is really that of a dilettante. Yes, I dabble in different arts and in different styles.

I like shabby chic, artsy romantic, clean, white and urban, indie and geeky, layered, whimsical and happy, sad and decaying. I am all of these things. I love poetry - reading it and writing it. I love photography - looking and taking. I love pretty things in my hands - notebooks, altered tins filled with papers. I enjoy doing crafts. I like to write and inspire others.

I am ambitious for my creativity. But I don't want to be a professional anything right now. I don't want to be 'an artist', to market and sell my book/art. I don't want a shop or to be a leader. I just want to be here, raising my kids and doing something creative everyday. And isn't that the essence of my book?

So really I am full circle again. Just this time I won't get side tracked by the idea of being an advancing professional woman. While I admire women who are professional, think Jenny Doh or Kelly Rae Roberts, I need to be real with where I am right now. And if I am to be true to my vision as an artistic mother, fitting creativity into my life, then I can really only be a 'dilettante'. I need to actually embrace that and save the professional ambitions for later, when my kids are grown. 

I feel like I am putting my flag firmly in the ground, here I am and this is what I am. That feels freeing!!!

Art Finds Friday - October 8, 2010

1) ART SUPPLIES

I got some Glimmer Mist from Stampington & Co. last week.
colors:
sea glass - a very light blue, so light it is only good for spraying on white
olive vine - a lovely strong green
sunflower - end of summer kind of yellow
red velvet - soulful red

Pros - I like using paint spray effect, fun to use and cheerful.
Cons - these bottle leak and drip like mad. I have to remember to put the cap on before I shake them as they splatter all over!

2) MUSIC

I have recently discovered Kate Earl while listening to my Fiona Apple station on Pandora. I enjoy the sound of her voice and this kind of sad music.

 3) ART WE MADE THIS WEEK

A picture Lily, 8 drew last week of Mr. Duck, something that caught Laura's eye when 'antique' shopping!

4) FOLLOWER LOVE:

Each week I will be linking to one of the artists who have chosen to 'follow' this blog. I believe that by checking in here they are probably somewhat of a like mind, a person that I would be friends with in 'real life' and so I wanted to recognize our community a little. 

Becky Caldwell of The Gritty Bird
I love her eclectic jewelry designs. And the sound of her life:
"My days are generally spent running the house, home-schooling and working on my art. My work includes mixed-media paintings and jewelry. I truly love making things and honestly I get a bit down if a day goes by that I don't get to. Creating has now become my therapy, my release. There is nothing more wonderful and freeing then watching your art slowly come together and then joy of seeing the finished results." Becky Caldwell
A kindred soul!

* note I have changed this column to Art Finds Friday rather than just five things, that way I can focus on arty things - art in the larger sense of the word: 2D and 3D art, photography, mixed media, poetry, links to artist's sites, supplies, ideas relating to and so on. 

See you next week,

Creative friends

You may notice that I have changed my blog from 'An Artful Life' to 'The Artistic Life'. I have been meaning to do this for a while but just haven't had the time. Then, yesterday Shannon Mucha, Becky McBee  and myself did a phootshoot together & when I processed the photo of the tag with the buttons I loved it and knew it was perfect. So there you go! 


I talk about Shannon a whole lot on this blog. That is cause we do so much together. I can't tell you how much she inspires me to work (and do school, be a good Mom and wife and so on)! I would be half the 'artistic' person I am without her. We are just meant to be friends.


How we became friends is kind of a cool story. It was 10 years ago and had just had a baby and was in that new Mom process of re-examining my life, who I am, what kind of mom I want to be, who I want to be friends with, you know?  I was sitting outside our old church nursing Matthew and I saw this lovely artsy looking woman with a baby in her arms walking past. I said to myself 'I should be friends with her'. Little did I know I really should and would be!


A few weeks later she and her husband visited our Bible study class and I made a bee line for her. I found out she made handmade cards, which I also did at the time. I was so delighted! But almost immediately I heard they moved north of Houston and would not be coming back to our church. So we didn't become friends at that time. She was just someone I briefly met.


Fast forward 6 years, we had moved out north to Magnolia and were settled in a new church and then one day Shannon was there! I remembered her and made a second bee line. And we have been friends every since. 

Yesterday Shannon and another friend were over.  Becky McBee, she has no website, but is another artistic soul. I couldn't have been happier to have my 2 friends here together! So, the 3 of us worked on this photoshoot, arranging things to make 'frames' for poetic words, inspired by this book called Etcetera, while our kids (all about the same ages) played freeze tag, hide and seek and danced to pop music.


My perfect day.


Isn't it so great when you have friends that make the possibilities seem endless? Where the conversation never runs out and time is never enough to do all you want to do? Creative community. I like to think I am building that here, online too. I get inspired by the lovely souls who leave me a comment -  it makes me want to do more, to keep on going even when I am tired from the day with the kids. I get inspired by visiting your blogs and seeing what you are doing, what projects you are working on. Creative friends, you can never have enough of them! Agree?


And on that note, thank you so much for all the help on my blog via that survey. I am processing all the data and comments this week, but really it has been very, very helpful! Thank you.

talking to myself

I need to read this article I wrote for the Wishstudio again and again. Finding the time for art is vital for my sanity. Cutting out my time wasters is hard, so hard at times. I have to remind myself of that and that it is better to do something artistic than nothing at all.

I am pouring my creative energy into my house right now. It is taking shape. Each day it becomes more and more what I envisioned. I can't wait to share photos. I left my camera at my friend's house... just shows you my priorities right now!!!!! I have had some time to process more photos from Ireland. This is my dad with my youngest son Maximus. 


Upcoming:
On Saturday August 7 I will be hosting another follower giveaway. Check in to see if you won.

On August 30, over that the Wishstudio I will be leading an online workshop for parents & kids, a kind of arty playgroup. Details HERE on the wishstudio. The other leaders are Tracey Clark, Pixie Campbell, Mindy Tsonas and Stephanie Lee, what an awesome group!!!!

Saturday Giveaway #18

Time for my last follower giveaway until August.....

 

I accept that I am on a roll - making these little notebooks. The are quick, easy and satisfying to make. The covers are altered playing cards or ATC's. I paint and stamp the covers and then trim some paper to go inside. I know they are small, but you could jot little notes to self inside, poetic words that happen by or reminders to yourself to seek out the good, the true, the creative!

These 2 notebooks have homes to go to -

Today's winners are

Dandelion Daydreamer

and

Heidi of Hip Chicks Craft Too!

Let's talk over email so I can get your address and mail off your notebook!

Thank you to everyone for following along in this space. I am busy getting ready to go to Ireland right now. I will be doing a photo a day for June and July to document our getting ready, our time away, our travels, our moments. So I hope you will join me and my family on our journey!

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Last week I entered Sew Mama Sew giveaway. And I won a prize!! ~ A handmade journal from Dorit Elisha, who is the author of Printmaking and Mixed Media (a book I now own and will be enjoying this weekend). I was so excited to win a paper gift. Not that I would be opposed to winning something made with fabric, but I am really a paper girl at heart. When I was young I use to collect 'fancy paper' and swap the beautiful sheets with neighborhood girls (my huge paper collection is still in my mother's house, I will get it out and do a post on it when I am away). My mother always said I should own a stationery shop! Now I still collect notebooks, but also make my own papers.

I was so enjoying my gift yesterday, I decided to share it with you! A goal of mine this year is to do some video. So I made this little video for you. (The quality is not as good as it is on my desktop, I have not yet worked out how to get a better quality image online, when iMovie compresses it so much info is lost.... But if I don't compress it then it is too large to upload.... I will work it out someday!)

Enjoy:

Dorit Elisha Journal from Shona Cole on Vimeo.

Thank you so much Dorit!


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Check out some great kids book recommendations by a few of us Wishmamas over at the Wish Studio. 


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I will leave you with a peek inside my girl's world. After watching some of Lord of the Rings the girls wanted to be Elves, complete with white gowns and metal crowns (20 gauge wire)......

Have a lovely Memorial Day Weekend!

Opinion.... please & Sew Mama Sew winner

Accountability is key in my opinion. It keeps me creating. It keeps my energy up. It makes me work when I am not 'feeling it', when I am tired and drained from life, from the kid's endless energy.

I crave arty friends. They are gold to me.

I am in a little photography threesome with Shannon Mucha and Anita Michelsen. Our group is called Tribloom. The goal of Tribloom is to produce 3 collaborative photo pieces a month. Each piece is illustrating that week's quote or poem (picked by us).

For example, this week's piece is a quote by Lewis Carroll:

“Child of the pure, unclouded brow And dreaming eyes of wonder! Though time be fleet and I and thou Are half a life asunder, Thy loving smile will surely hail The love-gift of a fairy tale."

How lovely is that?

Well, it was my turn to put our photos together and I can't decide which one I like better. Will you weigh in?

Version 1:

 Photo credits:
Shannon Mucha - Top; Shona Cole - Bottom left; Anita Michelsen - Bottom right


Version 2:

Photo credits:
Shannon Mucha - Bottom; Shona Cole - Top left; Anita Michelsen - Top right


Which do you prefer, which do you think illustrates the quote the best? version 1 or 2?

When it is all done we plan to make a Blurb book with our art work to enter into our church's Fall art festival. It will be lovely to see it all together in book form!


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So, Sew Mama Sew is over!  It was short and sweet this time around. I got a lot of comments on Monday, but wow did it drop off the last few days. I wonder why? I wonder did others notice that? I also noticed that the the category of 'Sewing + Knitting Supplies/Materials' got much more entries than 'handcrafted' things alone, especially when it came to giveaways of those funky Amy Butler type fabrics. Interesting!

I entered a few contests myself, but not as many as last time, I had a busy week. I doubt I will win anything as it is all the law of averages. But is really was fun visiting new blogs and gaining a few new readers here, thank you very much for signing up and taking the time to leave such sweet comments!

So the winner of my apron and wall hanging is:

TAMMIEMARIE of Crafty Tammie

Congrats!

I will talk to you over email and get it in the mail to you soon!


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I will leave you with this video I did of my son juggling last night.

He is 9 and taught himself to juggle!




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Check in tomorrow to see if you win my regular Saturday Giveaway! (and I have a fun post about something I made this week, something fun for kids)

and
Let me know which version of the Tribloom photo you prefer!

Playing around with Photoshop Elements

(go here for SEW MAMA SEW giveaway)


So thanks to Susan Tuttle's new book 'Digital Expressions' I am back playing around with my Photoshop Elements. Her book is really full of layering ideas and inspiration, it just makes you want to have a go. I have been feeling a little hum drum lately and wanted to play with something other than paint. This is the perfect diversion.

In school the kids have been learning some Proverbs like.....

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And he shall direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5

This piece is a note to self.....

still working on it



(SEW MAMA SEW giveaway below)

Peek Inside #2 & Saturday Giveaway #14

'Peek Inside' is where I give you a closer look at some of the art in my book, The Artistic Mother. As space in my book is limited to 128 pages and designed beautifully by Marissa Bowers to be readable and uncluttered, not every piece of the art projects in the book can be seen. So I will be revealing them here over the coming months.

Last week I showed you inside the Altered Storybook on the cover and week 7 of the workshop. Today I would like to show you a peek inside one of the Round Robin books on p22!




The first book I am going to show you was started by the groups organizer Mendy Mitrani (The cover of her book can be seen on page 55 of my book). She started her Round Robin book and then sent it to me, I altered a spread and then it went to Cindy Mayfield, Carrie Harney, Sarah Keith. And around it went until it finally made it back to Mendy, who now owns the book.

Here are the wonderfully textured pages of Mendy's book. When I received this book I was blown over by the amount of stuff she managed to attach to her pages! That little black 'open' button is an inch high drawer handle! And the flower and ribbon is huge. The cardboard binding was very thick, it really was a joy to hold. And then the work that the other artists added in was amazing. Each one so different, but so complimentary.

The actual artist of the page is listed on each photo (somehow I failed to photograph my page before I mailed it back to her!!):

Beautiful, thank you ladies for being a part of this wonderful Round Robin and my book. There are 4 more of these books to have a 'Peek Inside' so check back in soon.


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I appreciate everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Appreciate.... that sounds so timid.... how about honored, amazed, ecstatic, floored. Last year I had about 30 folks signed up. Today there are 549! Almost 550! I know this is small in comparison to many blogs out there, but to me it is HUGE!

May is follower appreciation month here on An Artful Life.

To kick it off I want to send a small handmade gift to my longest & shortest followers.

1) The very first person who signed up to follow 'An Artful Life' is also one of my first friends in the US, Tara D.

2) The very last person to sign up was Tina at 'The Artful Life -  Tina Lawver Designs'. She signed up just yesterday! Welcome Tina.

I will contact to you both via email to get your addresses. I will be sending each of you a little ATC notebook like this one (as I was down with my sore back this week I was unable to finish the ones for today, but the covers are done):

As I appreciate everyone else in between, please check back in next Saturday and there may be something for you too.

I feel like I am at a baby shower doing door prizes!!! I love that, it is like a party. An Artful Life party. Thank you for being my guests.

Green Craft frayed flowers

I fell in love with these fabric flowers by Maize Hutton (Maize, what a lovely name) in Green Craft magazine Vol. 2 as soon as I saw them. I really wanted to have a go at making one, but I am not a big flower wearer. Then it dawned on me that I could use the flowers to embellish my tote bag! This tote is another version of the one in my book, The Artistic Mother!


So I followed Maize's steps and this is what I came up with:





Step 1
First I cut a strip of fabric 1 x 36 inches.




Step 2
Then folded one end over and put a stitch in it.





Step 3
I sewed a running stitch all the way along the top of the strip.




Step 4
And pulled the thread and gathered the strip into a circle. I had to avoid the temptation to pull it too tight. I kept it loose and let the fabric find it's way.




Step 5
I loosely sewed the 'flower' in place.




Step 6
I took a while to choose a button for the center, color choice, color choice *sigh* Finally, I sewed it onto the center of the flower.




Step 7
I pinned it on my tote bag!

Here is the before and after, I think this tote bag was just waiting for this flower!


(yes, that is that grumpy little Shona photo I keep using. I have my reasons :)

Thank you Maize for the inspiration!


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Remember to enter my Studio's magazine giveaway!

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And coming in April I will be doing a weekly giveaway of 'starter kits' for my book, which will include supplies that will get your started on the projects in my book - included in the starter kits will be gesso, water soluble oil pastels, 4B pencil, some papers decorated by me and more!

Look what I won in OWOH!

In February I took part in One World One Heart along with 1088 other artist bloggers! It was a fun event where I got to 'meet' lots of new blog people both here and on their blogs. I tried to visit every person that entered my giveaway and enter theirs. I petered out that the end, but I must have visited over 300 blogs!!!!

Of course at those odds I ended up winning a few different prizes:

First up - what was wrapped so nicely (above) was this lovely canvas art from Sharne of Sharne's Bits n Bobs! My husband collects elephant things, so this was a great addition to our house! I love these exotic colors, don't you?



Oh my girls & I just fell in love with this magnet board from Carla at 'A Day in the life of Miz Carla'. Very feminine indeed!



I am going to have fun filling this bright sunny photo album from Diane of Diane Did It.



And just in time for my Laura’s first loose tooth: this adorable toothfairy pillow from Lisa Michelle Designs!




I was so delighted to win these at OWOH. Thank you folks, I am so pleased to own your handcrafted gifts.

Creative beginnings

Let me introduce Somerset Apprentice.




It "is a much more basic and thorough understanding of techniques geared toward people who aspire to make Somerset-esque art but need to learn the fundamentals through easy-to-understand instructions and close-up photos. We teach you the artful building blocks focusing on the basic how to's of amazing artwork." Stampington & Co.

This magazine is close to my heart. We all have to start somewhere. I remember when I started out doing mixed media, I poured over the techniques in Somerset Studio and books like Claudine Hellmuth’s Collage Discovery Workshop and Karen Michel’s ‘Complete Guide to Altered Images’ following the directions, trying out everything I read. Of course I ended up with a bunch of art pieces that looked like theirs, but no matter, it was a platform of skill off which I could leap and find my own voice.

This magazine is perfect for Moms like me who can’t take off and go to workshops or night classes, who are fitting art into their real lives. You can take the magazine with you to watch your kids classes, or on a picnic while they play. Then at home when the kids are busy, asleep or whatever you can try out the techniques, step by step.

There are many great articles in this publication by some wonderful artists. Even though they are meant to be to get you started I have found that I still benefit from reviewing the basics and affirming the techniques I have developed.

I have a small feature in this magazine about getting the creative juices going & choosing my color pallet for a project. Thank you to Jana Holstein for the invitation to share what I have learned.

The vision of Somerset Apprentice ~ to help the next new wave of mixed media artists in the door is something I strongly believe in, and was a major fuel for my book writing. But I want to not only come along side new artists, pry the creativity out of the shy, but energize the oldies (like me) ~ I have had my fair share of creative ruts and have found going back to the basics, to the essence of my art vision can ‘bring back that loving feeling’!

Thanks to Shannon Mucha for the photo above, of the magazine. I love that peek at the background papers you made Shan :) Even though Shannon is a seasoned artist, illustrator, photographer and all around artistic mother she is going to go through my book's workshop with Trudy Callan's Artistic Mother Art Group! I am so excited now as photos are starting to roll in of the things that those women are making!

If you happen to be doing the workshop on your own, feel free to add any photos to the Artistic Mother Flickr group that I am hosting. The journey has just begun, don't be worried if you don't like what you have made, we all started somewhere.

Can you remember your creative awakenings – first awakening or post-block awakening? Wanna share?

FYI - Giveaway on Seth's blog

A quick note:

Seth of The Altered Page is celebrating 200,000 hits on his very popular mixed media blog and anticipating the opening of 'The Book Guild' (sounds interesting). To celebrate these he is doing a 5 book giveaway! And all you have to do is leave a comment with your choice!

Why not join me and pop on over and have a chance at building up your inspiration & how to library?

Artistic Mother book GROUP and Shannon Mucha's Digital ABC book

There is a group forming to do work through the projects that are in my book 'The Artistic Mother'.

If you want to join in you can. Trudy Callan is the group organizer. She has posted about it on her blog 'Artistic Creations with Trudy'. So if you have the book and want to join in blogging about your progress, keeping accountable to making some family focused art, then visit her and get all the details.

I am so delighted that the book is going to be helpful to other Moms who want to find the time to create! OK, over the moon, speechless, honored. I will be happy to see their artistic interpretations!!!

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Check this out:



You have to see this ABC digital book, by illustrator (Artistic Mama and featured artist in my book) Shannon Mucha! She has done amazing illustrations of each letter of the alphabet based on the word's Latin or Greek root.

I love the coloring, the style, her drawings, the texture, the whole idea! I would love a copy of this for my kids as they learn both languages in our school.

I will keep you posted if this is something you will be able to buy one day.

Swiftness of time

Anyone with children will be moved by this blog post by Ann Voskamp, sent to me by my friend Amy (a beautiful artistic soul who takes awesome photos of the life around her).

I can totally relate to this post - I so experience the mourning for what my children once were. I even look at the photos of Max only 2 months ago, how small he was and think about how I will never hold that tiny little guy again. I love him as he is now but miss who he was. I am guilty of being greedy for my children.

I miss the days of Matthew and I all alone going to Kroger, pointing out the colors of the flowers and fruits, the noise of the truck wheels - his deep interest in and concentration on his world.
I miss my Lily, who was such a good baby, so round and pretty and earnest.
I miss my Laura when she cut off a huge clump of her long hair and Shannon turned the mess into the cutest little pixie do, she was so naughty and she made me so mad, but now that I could go back and not be mad at her...
And then there is Annie Rose, ah my sweet almost 4 year old....



ahh, my sweet Annie Rose.

I love that there is something of who they were in who they are now.

I am so blessed to have these children, can I announce that out loud?

I cherish these days.

These days will not come again, but are still a part of me. Check out Ann's post for some lovely words and gentle music!

Collage Directory

I have started a collage making directory to keep up with people who do collage. I like to check out the latest blog posts and this directory will make this easy for me (and others that visit) to do that. The list will be organized 'blog list' style with the latest posted blog moving to the top. There will be no other content on the list except links to creative blogs!



~Who should sign up?

I have a very liberal view of what collage is - basically anything that includes layering or gluing something to something could be considered a collage.

So if you glue anything - paper, fabric, scrapbook pages, crafts, toys, whatever... then consider listing your blog on this directory.

If you make collage, but blog mainly on your life, that is fine, I love having a peek into creative folks lives.

If you make the odd collage, but primarily do other arty things, like sewing, that is fine. We can all be inspired by other mediums!

~How do you sign up for the directory?

It is simple:
1) Go to this blog: Collage Making.

2) Scroll down to the bottom of the list and enter a comment in the box indicating that you want to sign up (leave me the url of your blog or website).

That is it, I will add you to the list!

~Will you sign up for it?

I hope so, that way it would make it easy for me and others to come by and visit.

Thanks to Trudy for the suggestion and Diana at 'We love to sew' for the model!

New venture for Jenny Doh

Jenny Doh has been an important person on my art road. She is the one who gave me the chance to become an Artist On Call for Stampington. She supported and believed in my art from the beginning. I would not have a book coming out if she had not in way endorsed my vision. I got to meet her in person last year and she is as bubbly, positive and wonderful in real life as I imagined.

She has been a major player at Stampington and Co. for several years. Now, as many of you may have heard, she is venturing out on her own creative vision. CRESCENDOh.

CRESCENDOh will an online community, art shop (proceeds go to charity), with articles, TV and Radio that focus on the power of art to change lives, or as Jenny calls Art Saves.

Sounds interesting? yes, indeed. I think there will be nothing quite like it online and with Jenny's energy and commitment it will be super successful.

I am delighted to say that I will be part of the first wave of Guest Curators the week of March 29 - April 4. I will be posting my own Art Saves story, and links to artists and webpages that have inspired me.

Jenny, I wish you all the best and every success in 2010.

Back to making

Firstly, I wanted to say 'Welcome' to the new folks who signed up to follow this blog.

Remember, if you sign up (see the follow this blog tab on the right) you will be automatically signed up for my Dec-March weekly blog giveaway. I am cleaning house and giving away things I have made in appreciation to those who are with me on this artful journey. Check out my post about it to learn a little more!

Secondly, I have added comments to my blog as I have had a number of queries about how to comment. I appreciate you wanting to say hello. I usually get comments at Facebook as my blog post automatically appear on FB as a note, but not everyone is on FB, so please feel free to leave me a note here! I love to hear positive things :)

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I took a card making workshop at my friend Nicole's house this morning. Nicole, a Stampin' Up consultant has everything laid out and cut ready to put together. Sometime is it nice to do something with your hands as you chat to friends and glue without thinking too much. Oh, and eat yummy food. Nicole had a lovely lunch prepared for us. Being a nursing mom I was first to dig in to quiche, muffins and fresh fruit. An unexpected delight. Thanks Nicole!


Now I have some handmade Christmas cards ready to go, in a year I had not planned to send cards!

And of course Max was there with me. He was perfectly well behaved. He was awake and then asleep and then awake. It slowed me down, but I was happy to be out on our first trip together, so no worries.



I have been working on my own card creations this week too. I have some stamps by Jenny Doh. They are adorable. Here are some of the cards I have made to send off to Stampington in my capacity as an Artist On Call. I have a few more in the works too.