mike strong card 2019

I've done this card before using Michael Strong's stamps but you always get a different look when you change up the washi paper. 
This will be one of the cards we will be making at the FabMo Paper Crafters Workshop this month. 

Copic Storage

When life throws me a curve ball (and I got hit with a big one), I clean. Really doesn't help resolve my problem but it helps keep my mind from spinning out of control. So I've been cleaning up my crafting space. 
I love the posts on how other crafters organize their stuff. As much as I like the look of everything matching, (Ikea etc) being a vintage dealer, I come across some pretty cool stuff. 
What is holding my Copics is an old gardening box, at least I think that is was it is. It has a thin metal handle that you can't see and the green paint is original. The card catalog holds all my extra seasonal cards, waiting to go into my card rack at Cranberry Hill. The frame in the background came from a friend's office that was going to be thrown out. It very flat, so doesn't take up any room on the wall. I had a metal sheet cut to fit so I could use magnets to hold everything up. 

Photo light box

I'm a night owl when it comes to being creative. That means I don't always have the best light to take photos after I finish something. I also don't have a lot of free time in the morning before work, so it can take days for me to post anything. I decided to bite the bullet and set up my light box in a more permanent location. I've had this light box for years (I think it was a birthday present from my kids) and rarely used it when I had a big art studio with great lighting. But now it's coming in really handy and I have no more excuses on why I can't post my projects more often. 

Fish Card 2019

While on vacation a few months ago, I played with my Twinkling H2O watercolors.  I painted up a storm but didn't do anything with the images. 
I finally got around to doing something with this fish. It's an old stamp (on wood) from Hero Arts. I sat on my desk just asking me to do something different with it. 
I had my wood grain embossing folder out to make an owl card. Sort of looked like water ripples if you didn't know it was for wood. So I embossed some Stardream cardstock (can't see the shimmer in the photo) and added my fish. 
I wanted to add a sentiment but everything looked to harsh, to I did a mono die cut. Looks like it was embossed on the card but it's not. Think I have to do this more often!

Booth Over Haul 2019 - Cottage Crafts

Before

I've been a vintage dealer for many many years. One of my favorite things to do is go to auctions. If you drag home enough stuff at some point you have to start selling the over flow. :)

My booth was looking a little tired and I wasn't able to get all the things into it as I wanted. I like the look of the hutch but it limits what I can do. I finally broke down and got glass shelves (not as vintage looking) which gives me the option to add bigger things or switch things around as new stuff comes in. 

Only took a few hours of to switch things out and I was able to find a new home for the hutch so I didn't have to haul that away. Now we'll see if my sales improve with the new look. 

After

Simple Card for FabMo 2019

photo taking at night ;(

  I'm a night owl by nature but having a dog that wakes up at 5:30 am every morning I don't really get into my full creative mode very often. Clean and simple is the best for those days. 
Also designing cards for a class of non card makers can be a challenge.

FabMo 8X8 Challenge 2019

FabMo 8X8 Challenge

FabMo gets more 8X8 fabric squares than anything else. This month there's a challenge to showcase what you can do with these squares. I don't sew too well but I can make cards. :)

Having the kimono die made these quick cards to make. Easiest to use the thin fabric samples. I think when people first hear about FabMo, don't know all the cool stuff they get in. Fabric samples, bolts of fabric, wall paper and now art supplies. I've come across great watercolor paper from someone's hoard. Worth checking out each month!

I'm thinking of doing this card for the March 17th workshop so if your interested don't forget to sign-up!

Gift Card Holder 2019

I may live in Silicon Valley but it doesn't mean I know anything about computers. I may work with some state of the art medical equipment but it doesn't mean I know what to do when I can't down load my photos to my computer anymore. It's taken me several days to just get this photo to post! 
Saw a SU person's (sorry can't remember who) post on how to make these little coffee cup gift card holders. I'm always looking for something new to do for my workshops at FabMo. and thought these were too cute. We'll be making some cards too, I just have to figure out how to get them to download on to my blog!

FabMo Workshop 2/24/19 UPDATED

I've been working on the sample cards for my next workshop at FabMo. I really like how these cards turned out  but they take super long time to make, like doing a puzzle. You also have to keep track  of all the pieces, which in class can be tricky. Still I'm going to give it a try. The ladies really like using washi paper.

scraps 2019

As a paper crafter, I really hate throwing out my good scraps. After my last workshop at FabMo and valentine's day project I had a lot of watercolor background paper and gold wallpaper. I cut everything into 1 inch squares and made a patchwork. It sat on my desk for a few days (not knowing what to do with them) before I uncovered the sample iris images I used in my workshop. Not wanting to throw out the iris, I added them to my patchwork. Everything has a nice shimmer which is hard to get a good photo of, plus I'm taking the photos at night. 
The cards turned out pretty well for using scraps. 

Valentine 2019

inspired by Sarah

 I had a really good time designing this not so Valentine's  day card. Lots of meaning behind it. :)

When I was married, my husband called February "the month of hell" because my daughter's birthday, my birthday, our anniversary and Valentine's day all happened in a very short month. He wasn't much on planning ahead or doing anything for the holidays, so it just stressed him out. It made the rest of us feel forgotten.Valentine's day was not very thoughtful in my house during those days, so lovely dovey cards isn't the first thing I think of. 

The design for this card was inspired by a family member who has be posting on social media a lot of quotes on honesty, trust and in general what happens when a relationship goes south. It got me thinking about broken hearts but we at some point heal (the stitching) and give love a try again. The random painting of color (much shinier in person) on the hearts represents all that we go through in life, everything leaves a mark, good or bad.  

Watercolor on black card stock 2019

I've had Twinkling H2O  watercolors forever and never really used them to paint anything but backgrounds. 
For years I've watched my favorite bloggers make color swatches of watercolor metallic paints on black paper. 
The creative light bulb finally went on and I stamped this iris stamp (I got it for .50 at the last used rubber stamp sale) on black cardstock. I then embossed with black embossing power. Turned out better than I thought it would! The gold fans are made from wallpaper from FabMo. 
A few of my favorite bloggers have posted that they feel card making is going the way of scrapbooking. People are getting overwhelmed with buying stuff to the point they don't create anything. Since I sold my house (2011) and sold off 90% of everything I owned, which included my crafting supplies. I kept only the essentials for my paper crafting hobby. I have to admit that I did like to collect supplies but at some point you run out of space! 
I love watching my crafting you tube videos for inspiration and never feel the need to buy anything.