I am Accountable for my Doodles

Hello Blog Friends!

We are in Week #2 of  2017, how is it going so far?  

It's one of those things that it's 'hard to believe' how fast time flies', right... I know!

Take a deep breath...

I'm talking accountability today.

Of course doodling and creating a greeting card is not really something that is expected to have to justify its actions, being responsible or decisions making... but for me... my intentions are to be fully in my creative space and make something that will eventually Brighten Someone's Day... my purpose in sharing my creativity... the accountability factor is that I am do this, fully involved and ready to spread SHINE in my corner of the world. How would you know what I do, if I didn't show you???

Love animals?  Here is a super duper Cooper doodle card!

Sweet welcome baby card.

Bottom line, I'm a show off... to make a deliberate or pretentious display of one's abilities or accomplishments.  I consider myself a copy artist.  I can pretty much look at something and recreate it...I can draw something realistic with colored pencils, and by adding shading and highlights... I can doodle a whimsical character with bright markers, watercolors and fun embellishments... and using a computer I can do comprehensive layouts of forms and fliers and other informational pieces.

If you like what I do, I would love to create for you... you can send me an email at prdesigns1@sbcglobal.net

Don't you think it's time to Brighten Someone's Day???

Make Your Bed!

LIFE is to short, jump on the bed!

If you really think about it.... the idiom 'sleep like a baby', which means to sleep very soundly isn't really true if you've had a baby.  For the first couple of years my babies didn't sleep soundly, they'd wake up hungry, or fussy, a diaper needed to be changed or they wanted to be comforted.  Sleep like a log might be more accurate!

Week # 43 LIFE'S simple pleasures - your bed

My bed is a place where I suddenly remember everything I was supposed to do.

Do you pull the covers up tight and cover your head... or only pull the sheet up to your chin?  Do you kick the blankets off at night?  Or do you turn up the heat on your electric blanket?

And then, is it important for you to make your bed every morning as soon as you get out? You like everything in it's place, clean and tidy.

Or, do you love sliding into an unmade bed, because it doesn't really bother you? It's more comfy that way!!!

10 little monkeys jumping in the bed
one of them fell off and broke his head
momma called the doctor and the doctor said,
"no more monkeys jumping on the bed!!!!"

If I jumped on my bed, I'd hit the ceiling fan and there would be more injuries than a broken head!!!

Double Bubble

When you blow bubbles you are sharing your bad breath in cute little containers.

 

Week #42 LIFE'S simple pleasures - things in the shape of a circle

 

Ok, it's not that I'm grasping at straws to come up with topics for simple pleasures... but I didn't think I could write a weeks' worth of information about bubbles!!!  But I CAN write about things shaped like a circle!

 

Super Giant Bubble Recipe

1 cup dish soap

1 cup corn starch

2 tbs. baking powder

Mix in a large bowl, stir gently as not to create a bubble mixture, let sit and have some bubble fun!

 

 

Yippee, kind of giddy! 

 

Had a short Photo Shop tutorial (ha) online, that took me a couple of hours, and now I finally was able to create the graphic design above! Almost looks professional. 

 

Although you can't see the teeny tiny individual circular bubbles, you all know they are there!!

 

 

See, I told you!  Any twist on LIFE on my blog can be created into a whimsical creative greeting card.  This one is circa (around about, approximately) 2009.

 

If  thought bubbles appeared above my head, I'd be screwed!

 

There is bubble gum, living in a bubble, drinking bubbly....

 

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble ~William Shakespeare  What kinds of simple pleasures can you find this week that are shaped like a circle?   *aargh! typo error. can you spot it?  or does your mind trick you?

 

 

My BEST Job Ever

There are a lot of things to be said of motherhood.  Just make sure the kids are out of earshot first!

As Mother's Day approaches this week, I can't help but reflect on being a mother myself. 

Through my tears and laughter at the same time... my job, the longest one I've held will be coming to an end in a few short months.  I have a great sense of loss.  Oh yes, friends and family have continually told me that my job being a mother will not end... but the  active daily interaction of raising my two children will become history, as the youngest gets ready to go off to college in August. Beware, they do fly back home, the nest doesn't always stay empty. (Someone said to me)

This business of training little humans for life is a mind boggling process.

Be happy!  Know that you raised two wonderful kids who will be an asset to society, productive, smart and kind!

Don't Cry because it's over, smile because it happened. ~ Dr. Seuss

You know, I've realized I've done a lot of good things making the choice to be a full-time stay at home mom for all of these years, but a part of me wonders, what's next? what can I do? who will hire me?

 

I've been a party planner, a PTA president, a soccer mom, a dance mom, a chauffeur, a boo boo healer, a Halloween costume designer, a chef, a secret shopper, a room parent etc.... In this day and age, I yet to meet many, if any... who then just became 'housewives' after their children flew the coop.  I mean, that's the next step right?? ... you can't just sit at home and be... you need to go out and work!  I truly think that's the big part that I'm struggling with. Foremost, I am so very grateful for the opportunities and choices my husband and I made for me to be a stay-at-home mom, it was the best for our family... but it's ME that is having the hardest transition to the next phase in our lives!

 

Week # 19 - LIFE'S simple pleasures- honoring Motherhood

 

Motherhood is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in, it is what God gave you time for.

 

God does have a purpose for me, that I know!  Now, if you have any advice on what to do for the next chapter, I'm seeking positive solutions.  I'm looking for websites with inspirational words or books of women who've shared their stories after their children fly the coop!  If no one leaves me a comment, just be assured that I'm truly OK with my tears dripping down my face....(It's been a daily occurrence) I do know that I am one proud mother of two and I'm honored to be their mother!!!

Welcome Baby!

Here are two baby cards, similar layout, similar design, similar doodle... but the cards seem so different.  I'm not sure who the original doodle of the little baby in a buggy is (sorry) It's not mine.... but it is sooooo super darn cute.  And that paper pieced buggy that is sort of a sweet pea shell.... super cute as well!!!

Just by switching out colors you can go from a boy/girl card to a unisex card.  Adding ribbons and golden thread give the card a different feel as well.  I like the flower in the center of the wheel best. Dots and dashes, and stars complete these two FUN & Whimsical baby cards.

Today is the oldest you've ever been and the

youngest you'll ever be again

 - pinterest

Hot Friday

Edit:  I got a great tip from Andrea, and am trying to photoshop my photos.  Old style on the left, new attempt on the right, I'm learning.  Her blog is Ewan Style to the right-->

I'll finish off the week with some other inspired doodles from my art bin... along with paper piecing and background papers that come from my scrap stash. Add to them some vintage rick rack, multi-colored twine and a little inking and trying to make these cards somewhat flat (for mailing purposes) to Brighten Someone's Day....

Real floss stitches above add to the stuffed feel of the cute & cuddly toy giraffe.  And faux stitches below look like I really used my sewing machine to adhere the banners and circles in place.

Oh my goodness, it has been a hot, hot week.  Love the sunshine, but need a little relief and a lot of rain!!!  It's getting very crispy outside!

Such a Lovely Card

Oh, I'm so excited to share today's card.  I can do it! 

All the elements are all learned from previous cardmaking sessions, this is NOT a true cased card.  I was given the opportunity to make a card for SS and she gave me 3 ideas, baby girl, teddy bear and the nickname "Lovely"... and ta-da, here is what came instantly to mind.

The teddy bear is made from different sized circle punches and  is a tag that can be pulled out from behind the crib... a secret message can be written on the back. The baby quilt is dimensional because it is embossed and a little floss tassel hangs from the end.  The rattle and block pop off the page and sparkle with a little stickle glitter.

Inside it reads: Oh Baby, you've grown by two feet.

Such a beautiful week.  I am so blessed.  The sky is blue with sunshine today, again!  I have shed a few tears and I have had big smiles.  This journey of life is an amazing trip!!!

Ladybugs & Rainbows

 A cute doodle and some punches of red, black and white
 make this little ladybug card pop with delight!

A grand niece is turning one and I thought it would be fun... to create a card that related to the lb spots on the original invitation to the party!  I always think that makes the card even more special when it comes to the mail box as some FuN MaiL!

Saw a beautiful rainbow (and a couple of times a double rainbow) yesterday evening after our short spring time rain. This was the view outside our front porch!

Ladybugs and rainbows in many cultures are considered good luck.  They are of course what myths, legends and stories passed down through the generations are made from.  I don't think it will hurt one bit to truly believe that good luck will come our way.

Ladybugs go back into Biblical times and are related to the Virgin Mary.  Farmers want ladybugs to eat harmful insects that infest crops.  If a ladybug has lucky 7 spots or more on her back she will bring good luck.  The direction the ladybug flies away will be the direction your wish comes true!

Rainbows are a symbol of hope, defined by Noah.  The Japanese refer to a rainbows the 'floating bridge of heaven'.  There will always be a rainbow after the rain.

I wont just believe in luck, but I think it's a good thing to carry in my back pocket as we go through our journey in life.

Polka PP

Using the same polka dot patterned paper and similar layouts with the black frame... and look!!! voila` I get two quirky and whimsical creative greeting cards.  The funky bird in her fancy hat and high heels was so fun to doodle, and look at that adorable sweet pea peeking from his pod carriage! (cased)

Word for the day: Polka Dot

Which is a pattern consisting of an array of filled circles, generally equally sized and spaced relatively closely in relation to their diameters. Polka dots are most commonly seen on  children's clothing, toys, and furniture - wikipedia

Buggy Boy

I doodled this image probably more than a year ago from a case study.  It was just sitting in my 'stash' of potential wanna-be cards.  After I used the green and blue background paper I realized I had a perfect match to combine the two and make a bright, fun and colorful baby boy card.  The white buttons as wheels on the buggy are creative fun-ness.  Stickles (a sparkle glue) adorn the flourishes and the flowers.  I already have a place for the card to go.  Our neighbor is expecting his first grandson within the month, so once I get the details I have a great place to send out some FuN MaiL!

Enjoying the totally awesome weather we are having right now.  The temperatures have broken all kinds of records... we've been in the 80s in mid March.  So hard to grasp my mind around it.  I was outside raking mulch and pulling weeds, cleaning out embedded leaves and watching everything bud and bloom. 

Smile and let everyone know that today you're a lot stronger than you were yesterday! pinterest

Double Trouble

- Twofer
- Have I got a story

A couple of weeks ago, Bubba told me that one of his high school teachers/club supervisor for FBLA is expecting twins. He and his wife live in our neighborhood, not on our street, but we walk a similar route with our dogs (they have two, too!!). Since I had recently made a baby shower invite card, and I'm trying to reach clientele in the neighborhood (for convenience sake)... I was going to have Bubba hand Mr. G the card (thought he could get 'brownie' points).... but he sort of chickened out on me, so I mailed it to them.

I was very happy with the card. I don't know any details... so I made the blanket and the babies unisex. We got the new printer/scanner/copier... so I got the old one in my cre8tive lab... it's really been nice learning Photo Shop... not using it yet... but with my "OLD" PrintMaster... I can just whip out my sentiments on the computer if my stamps aren't appropriate and print in the same room. Now it means two printers, two sets of inks, papers etc.... but sssshhhh, it's nice and convenient!

Okay, no stories yet at work. Only day two.... but everybody is loud enough, remember I'm used to my quiet little home office, just little ole me... I think the lady in the next cubical, her daughter is getting married soon...and then one of the engineering dudes likes to sing....so whenever anybody says something, he can think of a song and it's amazing when computers 'don't work' how many people say Sh*t

Mama, don't let your babies grow up!

- Cute Bundle of Joy
- Time goes by

Okay, I'm trying, and trying ....and now I want to toss the scanner out the window. I just don't get it! I wanted to show you another Huggy card from 15 + years ago, but I just couldn't get the document to rotate and be landscape. Aaargh... wow, I'd be dangerous if I knew how to use this stuff.

I couldn't even get the first picture to be vertical!! Ugh.... imagine it.... a baby laying on it's side in the crib with the bunting around it. Cute paper, cheery cheeks, fun swirl of a wisp of hair! Awwwwww.....

I might have the opportunity to create a baby shower card, so I did a sample and love how it turned out. Tune in, some day and I might actually say I got the gig!!!

Okay, so I'm good at blogs, fairly good at taking digital pictures... now learning Photo Shop or Scanning is on my to do list. I once used to have little people, proof is in the picture! I wish I could squeeze those tiny little fun kids of mine. Eleven long years ago... tear!!!

One mans' garbage is....

- babies are sweet

- Sunny with a chance of cold

- An observation

To go along with the super cute Special Delivery mini scrap book that I mentioned in yesterday's blog post, here is the 'matching' card I sent along with the wonderful gift.  The cute baby image is from Thinkin, Blinkin & Inkin  I just used left over scraps from the book and think it's nice to tie in the gift, with the card.  Using primarily SU! punches this wonderful artist creates the CUTEST punch art.  She is amazing!!!!

Well today is the coldest morning I've woken up to in some time.  It says 27.  Tucker's little feet were crunching on the grass as he was looking for his morning spot.  But there is hope, it is a sunny day.  And it's Friday!! And now my insides are all warm from another morning Chai tea.

An observation:  Nothing more... when you are home, every day and you walk dogs through out the neighborhood every day, you just see things. 

Our garbage pick up service has evolved.  I think it is very good by the way.  We have special cans for trash, another for recycle and another for yard refuse.  3 cans, 3 different colors.  Of course we pay for the service, well and the cans for that matter.  There are directions on the cans....face arrows toward the street.  There is an automated arm that reaches out from the Garbage truck to lift the can and dump it's contents in the back.  The guy really doesn't have to do a thing, but hit a button.  Except for the dufus who puts his can backwards, or puts one can behind the other (the arm can't reach OVER) and the other thing that 'bugs' me.... putting one item separate from the trash to the side or behind it (put it in the can) or the bundling of carpet scraps or tree limbs.  No Garbage man wants to pick up your stinking carpet that you just tossed at the curb, nor does he want to sort through your sticks and twigs that you weren't kind enough to bundle with twine.  I've actually seen our garbage guy just leave stuff because there is no way he can pick it up. I also find it humorous that one neighbor will never ever know his trash blows all over the neighborhood (at least put the bills and envelopes through a shredder) and his cans arent picked up until the next day, because the neighbor no longer wanted them in his yard.   I just find it humorous that people can't even follow the directions on the top of the can.  But life does go on, doesn't it?  Thank you, my rant is done.

I'm Seeing Pink

*Ok, so we've established I'm just a copy cat.*

Look at this chest of drawers with baby stuff falling out everywhere.  Drawer pulls made of brads and punched flowers.  Inked the edges to give it depth.  Cuttlebugged the arch of the legs.  Used craft wire to make a tiny hanger.  Although this card did take a few hours to make, it was so much fun!  I'm lucky that I have honed ( Make sharper or more focused or efficient) in on my drawing skills, and I have just enough cardmaking tools to get by, that at times I can virtually copy anything!!!!  I thank the great cardmaking artists out there and am sorry I can't give credit to their original work! I'm just bad at  writing down whose unique work it is and blogging the credits.  Will be mailing this out to a baby girl near you!

So, who do you look like? Has anyone you met said..." has anyone every told you you like Kate Hudson?"  Or, "you have Gregg Kinnear's eyes, or you have a smile like George Clooney?"  Dh often gets the line  (not the George Clooney part)  "You look familiar, did we go to the same high school?"  Or, "are you so & so's brother?"  Yes, DH is someone's brother, but he lives in Indiana.  Sissy tells me people think she looks like Taylor Swift.  My PT has a very similar face to Bo Derek. My neighbor has the eyes, glasses and smile of  Paper Trufflez, Julie.  I start out by asking someone, who do people say you look like?  It's a good ice breaker, and I'm often right, they look like that famous person! 

 Me....nobody has ever said I look like ANYBODY.  Heck I was standing in the entry way of the dog groomer and I saw one of my son's hockey player dads.  I said "Hi" to him, because I've met him and seen him at the rink.... I honestly think he didn't recognize me.  I've never thought myself a 'stunning' beauty.... when I was younger I was cast as the The ingénue : is a stock character in literature, film, and a role type in the theatre; generally a girl or a young woman who is endearingly innocent and wholesome. Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable, that's who you are".... no, I'm forgettable.  Oh, honestly, I'm trying to make a point here, through the self-deprecation (Self-deprecating humor relies on the observation of something negative about the person delivering the commentary)... after all these years... DH finally said to me... I'm uniquely originally, there is no one quite like me!!

Quack, quack!

A more involved card with 6 layers(?).  There are some designers out there having fun with all these layers and embellishments and doo dads and ribbons and scallops, and stitching!  I know!!! It's someone who works for the post office, because cards like this should be 'hand stamped' with EXTRA postage so as not to mess up their machines! the postal service has it in for the craft makers!!!!

 Baby boy colors for someone with a new arrival.  Not as pastel as some other baby cards, but a solid statement!

Although, and yay! the sun is shining, I'm feeling a little blue.  We have lived in Illinois for over 4 years now, and although I feel our house is a home, I have not felt connected to community, the neighborhood or the people.  It feels like a lonely place.  And some day (soon) I must find out a small purpose of my life.  You can only make so many cards you can't sell, you can only volunteer so many times before someone doesn't call you back. 

Oh, but what joy to have your little doggie laying on his back, spread eagle for you to rub his cute little belly!!! Dream.

Special Delivery Mini Scrap Book

This is so fun!!  a mini scrap book in the shape of a diaper bag for someone expecting or who has a baby girl! I found out how to make this in a 6 hour (yes you read that correct) tutorial off of Laura's Ustream channel....

Following the Paper Trail she is a material pattern maker(?) by trade, or originally an interior Architect... but she puts on these tutorials both on You tube and U Stream, sells kits to make these cute mini scrap books.  I love her because she makes things from 'scratch' because SHE CAN!! She is funny and has the gift of gab, but her instructions are wonderful!!!  Click on the bottom of each page to see what is unique about the layout when the slide show rotates. 

 I may have another post today...I made about 5 other mini scrap books, why?  gifts of course.  for who???

Charley Stork

Another new one! Charley is the bearer of good news, welcoming the baby stork like! Charley's 'babysitter' is expecting a child, so Charley's mom thought an exciting way to congratulate them on the news was to have her delivering the baby in a bundle. See the cute little toes hanging out??

Picture Perfect

A few years ago before I had the confidence to draw anything and well.... the time, I took pictures of still life to use on the front of cards. Since my 'main' computer is still not home, I found this cute little 'life' from the past in big ole Dell. I must have been doing a baby card. Combining a few things we had laying around Sissy's doll bin, I created this.... printed it with like an etchy feel, pasted that baby {hee hee} on top of card stock and voila~ a card with a very colorful theme.... that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I do remember picking everything because of the bright color combo and it took me a while to get the shoes propped just right. To me, this seems so fun and challenging! Balancing a check book, not so much!!!

A baby card and a binded sketch book

Well, I'm shocked and amazed to have created 2 baby cards last week. Only for the fact I don't know anyone having a baby, so my stock of baby cards is blossoming! I don't think other than a special order has anyone requested a baby card in more than a year! I love this image from SU! It's so fun to draw the wee one's stuff on the line with cloths pins and color in those baby pastels!

And for Kim.... who is in an online class with book binding.... wanted to 'show off' my bound book that I made in college... it's about 25 years old and I don't remember all the details. It measures 9-1/2" w and 12-1/2" h. If you look hard enough, the front cover is a negative film roll with the image of snow covered trees (turn the image 90 degree to the right and you might see it) We stitch bound all the pages and used a special binding glue and strap on the end.

Open it up and you'll see a marbelized paper still holding up!! If I recall, we didn't use a marble but swirled the paper in the water with drops of ink.

And then inside, I found about 10 sheets of used paper. One is a self portrait. I think I was trying to look real serious back then!

I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?