Hoot More

Hi Blog Friends!

Are there some days you really couldn't give a flying hoot about what's happening in the world???

Not give a HOOT: to not be interested (or give a damn)

There is always a lot going on... but if you turn off the computer and the television, don't read the paper or listen to the radio.... are you really better off not knowing what's going on? Is ignorance bliss?

I get caught up in this dilemma often!!

Is it important to care about what's happening in the world around us?  Certainly!!

Are there a lot of crazy things happening out of one's control?  Absolutely!!!

Should you try your best to treat others with kindness and compassion?  Yes, definitely!!

Can you be all things to all people?  No, it can't be done!

So, with that as my justified answer, I'm going to try my best to continue and SHINE in my corner of the world.

Here are two recent cards I created in a series of Owl Creative Greeting Cards.

Book Page Doodle

Most all of my cards are invitation size, A2 which is 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".  I doodled on an old book page and added watercolors.

Swirly Owl

This one is cropped close, you can't even see the card back.... but the recipient surely could color in the swirly owl!

Do you wish to BRIGHTEN Someone's Day?  FuN Mail is a good way to do it!  

I've said it for years, we often don't look forward to going to the mailbox anymore because it's filled with bills or ads for things we don't need.  However, if we started a movement to send out more HAPPY Mail, or more FuN MaiL.....  it would be a way to let a friend know that you were thinking of them. 

Who? Doesn't need a little more SHINE in their life???

I make FuN MaiL!!!

What can I create for you?

Music Speaks

Music should either move your feet or move your heart.

 

LIFE is like a piano. The white keys are happy days and the black keys are sad ones. Just remember that you need both to make music.

 

Week #46 LIFE'S simple pleasures - music

 

It is truly amazing all the different types of music we can listen to.  Now with satellite radio and cable television, and easy access to songs on Itunes, you can turn to hundreds of different channels to listen to thousands of different genres of music without ever stepping foot into a record store!!! (what the heck is that??)

 

In almost every walk of LIFE, even if you don't play a musical instrument, or read music .... or even sing.... you can appreciate the feelings and memories music brings to you.

 

I hope that reading my blog posts you've been able to take a few moments and reflect on some of LIFE'S simple pleasures ... it's funny how a melody sounds like a memory.

 

LIFE without music would simply B flat.

 

There are six more weeks left in 2013 .... the Year of LIFE'S Simple Pleasures ... I am so excited that I was able to post every week to my blog with something new!!!

 

Now go Brighten Someone's Day!

Just A Note

The music is not in the notes, but in the silence in between - Mozart

 

Week #46 LIFE'S Simple Pleasures - music

 

It would be very interesting if in 'real' LIFE we had background music!  What would your soundtrack say about you?

 

I think my music during the day would be very quiet and calm, and at night during my dreams... kind of wild and strong!

 

Song lyrics are a great place to find words for sentiments inside a card or a note.

 

A Note: a brief informal letter, a brief record.

 

Words make you think a thought

Music makes you feel a feeling

A song makes you feel a thought

~ E.Y. Harburg

 

When a singer/song writer is asked where they get inspiration for their music and their lyrics, they often point to something that happened in their life ... be it an awful tragedy, a dramatic break up, a joyful experience, an undying love or a great memory.

 

Maybe with LIFE'S simple pleasures, you will write someone a note (** hint** most all the cards you see here on my blog are for sale.... one of kind, unique and ♥artfelt). And take inspiration from a song and music that invoke a good memory with a special person!

 

Brighten Someone's Day

 

 I can't explain it, but I'll find a song that can.

Just call me Ar-teast!

I love, love doodles like this! 

When I'm blog surfing they catch my eye and then right away, I just have to try and recreate them.

(sorry I don't have the name of the original artist)

I think a flat on picture is too boring... so that is why it is fun to work on my shading.  These BIC markers I have a great, because when you add another layer of color it does make the base layer darker and seem like I am adding shade word.  People have to pay big bucks for the Copic alcohol markers to get the same affect.

Cut out some blue patterned paper and it looks like a jean pocked, even with a stud!  and the swirls add just the right flair!

You can do anything

but not everything

 ~ david allen

A Girl and her Shoes

I have been playing along with the Mojo Monday Sketch challenge and am having a lot of fun!

Here is what I did for my creative greeting card last week, and below is how they set up the challenge sketch. I play along, but haven't posted my entries yet on their website.

There are a couple factors that make these types of challenges really fun for me:

A: as you know, I feel (slightly) guilty when I CASe a card (Copy and Share Everything)... that is the point when bloggers post their cards, to share, to show off.... of course I'm never trying to pass their idea off as my own, but there are some stinkin' cute ideas out there... and since I'm daily working on perfecting my 'copy' artist status... I can do a Mojo Monday challenge because I don't look at everybody's idea of the sketch... I do my own card first and then look at the real cool stuff others have created that I could have done  :0) ... but now I have even MORE ideas  for another great card!

B: I'm getting to use up a lot of my supplies on hand.  It is a real challenge to bring in different paper lines, embellishments that have been sitting in drawers and use doodles I've had in my bin for years. I'm actually cycling my own stuff!

So, did I COPY too close for the actual sketch???  ... It's supposed to spark your MOJO. 

I was pretty happy with myself the other day... maybe I have a twinge of scorn... I walked into Hobby Lobby with an open creative mind because I had just been on Pinterest (and, I had a few extra dollars in my wallet) ... or maybe I 'have it all' ... but I walked back out after browsing for 45 minutes... empty handed!!!  Maybe I didn't mention, but I tried to get a job there a few weeks back... and they didn't hire me.  That means something better is about to come along... don't you think??? 

Brighten Someone's Day!!

Have a great week!

Wish for You

 It's a pretty wonky day out there today. 

 For the past two months we have been hitting 95 degrees of hot, hot sunshine by this time in the morning (9am).  Today it's barely 65 degrees out, very overcast with a few sprinkles here and there.  I guess I really never noticed so many things changing.... all at once!

But I'm always wishing for the best.

The card above reminds me of that old fashioned fabric Toile. Black and white.  Black boarder punch and a white bow tie ribbon. Simple!

 wish

Busy weekend.  Moved Bubba back to Iowa City.  Instead of the dorms he moved into an apartment with a room mate.  That's a big change!  So, we emptied his room ... bed, dressers, side table, lamps, clothes, tv, books and stuff and also moved a hide-a-bed couch. Thus the truck rental.  I had to drive that rust bucket home in the rain the other day.  It was only supposed to be 10 feet long.... it was more like 16.  It appears they charged are the correct rental fee....but that thing was huge.... and then on Saturday had to drive it over 215 miles west! I drove behind in the Pilot and we made the round trip in one day!

Here's Bubba and his dad outside his apartment #5.  The kid looks happy doesn't he?  All I can do is hope, and pray... and wish for him to have a great year at the U of I.   Be smart, make good choices, study hard and have some good clean fun!!!  I'm such a mom!

His bedroom is empty.... that's a real hard change!

Lastly, happy Left Handers Day!  I'm lucky to always be in my right mind!!!!

Taking Note!

There are so many good things that come about when searching craft blogs and Pinterest.  The tips and techniques are endless. 

I saw lots of cards and scrapbook layouts using old and new office supplies.  The more tags and clips and vintage paper, the better!!!  I try and keep a list of things I should look for when I go shopping at Goodwill.  The bad thing is that my list isn't always put in the same spot... so I forget! 

A few months ago I mentioned that I had scored an Accounting Tablet for $0.99.   You can see it with the blue lines as the background paper on this Taking Note creative greeting card. I added a tiny Tim Holtz paper clip, and a few random staples, plus part of some tape measured patterned paper.  Buttons always add a bit of pop and color! Stitched the blue paper with the sewing maching and added the cute sentiment!

One fun and creative blog I visit often is Mish Mash.  She is a big fan of re-purposing and loves to go to auctions, flea markets and antique sales to buy anything vintage.  Then she finds ways to package up the excess, show us how to use it and makes cute things (that you can buy in her etsy shop).  I was inspired by one of her recent blog posts and felt I had some elements in my stash to create a fun note card!

I saw the above post recently on Pinterest and thought it was too perfect.  Cheers to all those creative people who just love to share their fun stuff!!!

Lil Bit of Fringe

Two handmade greeting cards with similar patterned papers and colors themes have already been highlighted (one yesterday and the other today) on my blog. 

Did you know there is something out there in the card making world called One sheet wonders???  Where some creative soul took apart one sheet (normally 8" x 11-1/2") of crazy fun patterned paper and cut and divided to make an impressive color coordinated mix and match of 10-12 different card fronts.  This week I'l reveal a 3 sheet wonder... I'm starting out small!

I'm using a small sheet as well... a Hippie Chic Matstack from DCWV and it's only 4" x 6". Please notice the funky reds and oranges with paisley, plaids and glitter.

The fun surprise on this card is the book paper fringe.  Here's a close up view.

 

With coupon in hand, last year I bought the Martha Stewart fringe scissors.  It's cut is really cute, but don't know how often I will use them.  Maybe this fringe style would be more useful making big fluffy pom pom flowers for a gift, or some sort of ribbon hanging off the present.

Stop in tomorrow and see how I end my trilogy.  There is more behind the pictures too... learning  how to set up a photo shoot, upload and color enhance the photos, and add a watermark and shadow around the pictures.  Trying to EXPLORE the possibilities with PhotoShop Elements... and of course trying to create a fun card to....

Brighten Someone's Day!

A Cup of Mojo

I've mentioned this before...there are so many talented people out there with blogs and on the world wide web... with so many people, means there are so many ideas.  And with so many ideas, there is so little time! 

However, when you are in between jobs and life is just on this holding pattern... ideas are good!  They keep me off the street (ha ha) and if I have all the resources at hand to use... even better for creating (cheaply)!

Here are two totally different cards, yet they have a similar feel, probably because of the patterned papers. 

You know, I would never say I'm CASe-ing one of these cards because they are specifically put on to the MOJO Monday blog for you to be inspired to create and share everything. 

If ever stuck for an idea, this is a great resource to go to and be inspired, for any card occasion.  It's amazing just seeing a layout of circles and rectangles and the placement on a page can get that mojo working.

Motivation is what gets you started,  Habit is what keeps you going! ~ pinterest

Blue Bells & Argyle

This is like a similar card from the most recent SU! catalog.  I love the color combo of sky blue and mint green.... cooling colors.  Such soft flower petals near the strict lines of the diamond shape make an interesting contrast. This card needs no sentiment, and would work perfect for a basic note card wishing someone a happy day, via FuN MaiL.... of course.

Almost at a loss for words today... nothing exciting, nor anything to really complain (oh I'm sure I could find something) about.  The college boy is home for a week for his spring break.  I'm sad that I can't provide for him an awesome experience traveling to an exoctic location.  Sissy just got a job and is studying for her college ACT test, I can support her and provide her a good clean home and a great home cooked meal, but this is stuff she needs to learn to do on her own.  DH is waiting for new people to start working during the middle of the month, and then we'll see which direction his job will take him.

Turn the world on with a Smile

Pretty papers like this could make any card look beautiful! The sentiment if fun, if not true, and a small punched leaf completes this simple notecard.

huh? Is that why complete strangers go up to people they don't even know and say "smile"? A smile makes any person look beautiful? Life can't be that bad!

I hated that!!! Who are you to come up to me and tell me what I should be doing! But I guess I did look so serious, and a person with a smile looks happy and hopeful and more beautiful!!

Did you know it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile? :)
I love to sing the theme song to the Mary Tyler Moore Show, Who can turn the world on with a Smile, who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile!!

I love people who can make me laugh, when I don't even want to smile!

Being Awesome

Gift ideas!!
Card packs one for them, and one for you! Perfect!!! If you are thinking of what to get a girlfriend, aunt, co-worker.... anyone really....who you think loves the idea of giving and receiving unique and whimsical cards (one of a kind you wont find anywhere else).... have I got the gift for them... and you!!!

My friend SS was attending a 50th birthday party over the weekend. Fifty is a special number, don't you think? Going to a party like that (thank goodness it wasn't stupid gag gifts!!) the more you are in tune to a unique gift, the more you tug at your birthday friend's heart strings....isn't that special??

How fun is Charley with bing bonging attenae, on top of her curly head and then sitting on top of a special wrapped cute gift... next to her favorite naughty girl drink!!!! SS got 6 Charley cards blank notes for herself, and the birthday girl got 6 note cards, all similar yet different with the saying.... Well-behaved women seldom make history!

I'm trying to:

Be in the business of being awesome!

Make Your Own Paper

The photo does not do this card justice, dang! A few weeks back I made some 'home'/ hand made paper pulp. Either it doesn't photo well, or it just looks crappy... that's what I'm saying. It's a process to make paper.

I combined and recycled: left over white scrap pieces of paper, tissue paper, a napkin, pages from an old book and what ever might have been left in my garbage can that day.

Tore everything into teeny tiny pieces, then soaked them in the blender for half the morning. Whirled them around on a high whipping motion and tossed the batch into a tub of warm water in the sink. With the paper making screen and frames I was able to scoop up four sheets of paper approx. 4" x 8".

I put dried petals from a flower in one sheet and fiber thread and a shiny thread in another.

Using water color pencils, I color in the black ink outline of the doodled hydrangea and then I came back over the drawing with a very lightly dampened brush to blend the color in, leaving dark on the inside to create the shadow and light as I go to the outer edge.

PS: The storms yesterday did some major damage, over 825,000 homes in the Chicago area were left without power. We were lucky. Tried to call homeowners insurance to find out what I could do about cutting a few trees down...stay tuned

Vase it: a flowers friend

*A vase, made of crystal or molded clay,
in and of itself beautiful in it's own way
By itself it is a lovely piece of decor
A delight to the eyes,
that is it what it's there for.


Besides being a beautiful vessel to hold cut flowers, a vase can be an expression of who you are... tall, short, glass, plastic, ceramic... and the kind of flowers in the vase can expose where you are in life, roses from a lover, dandelions from a child, daisy's in the the spring, carnations for a dance, lillies at the end(?) And how many vases you have can help determine if you are a collector.

Cre8tive Greetings can be a matching partner along with all of it...

A card can hold the poem or the verse you wish to convey,
I can design a type of flower or vase you wish to display
It can be very bright and colorful or in shades of gray
A greeting can really SH!NE and make someones day!
To read the entire vase poem click here.

Inspiration Garden

I'm really liking having to take 365 photos... it gives me material... to dream, think and doodle. I think these little perennials are called pinks... they are in the front yard and the right height for Tucker to pee on... sorry if that's too graphic a visual. But they are beautiful and add a pop of color to the green front yard!

I went back to taking pictures of my completed cards off a little easel as opposed to just snapping away with lamp lighting on my desk top. Here, I'm using natural light from a north facing window.

The top picture is another version of the thumb print... really finger tip print inked and doodle around flower card. I must say, although I got the idea to do this... I guess this card would be totally original... with layout and design. Wow! As you can tell, I have a problem... I'm addicted to copying and feel guilty about. So, I have to justify my thievery. But in all honesty... this card you will not find anywhere else!!

Peony? Poppy? Hollyhock? Fun doodle flowers. I believe this is a SU! image... but it makes for a simple, yet elegant note card. I can not have a day without some sort of doodle. It would be incomplete!!

Beautiful morning already today. Suppose to get up to 90. I love typing this with my laptop on my kitchen table and as I look out to my lush green backyard... with the pop of color from annual plantings. Life is good.... everyone except dad.. is home for the summer! And I have to sick puppies with stomach viruses..... Happy Day

Letter B

This was supposed to bee another card, but it didn't turn out exactly how I liked... so the cut out characters sat in my stash for a while... but the bee and the bear are so cute..... this is what I came up with for a layout using scraps and a little stitching. After this picture was taken, I even added a few doodles 'cuz it looked plain. Here is just a 'sweet' card to send a JUSTbecause type of card... in some FuN MaiL!!!

Out of the Box

- Dragonflies & Poises

There are too many cute ideas out in the blog world... and then in magazines and then in books... I'm having so much fun trying to CASe card ideas and then add my own touch.

I met someone a while ago that bought a new electronic crafting tool (It's called a Cricut)... a personal cutting machine, she was so excited about it.... but it cost her over $300 for this 'gadget'. I can't say that I'd ever want one that bad to buy it (love to win those type of prizes!!) .... but then I also read on a blog that someone else bought the same 'gadget' and hasn't even taken it out of the box. But they just had to HAVE IT. To me, that is crazy.... although at times I think I 'hoard' paper or little embellishments because the are cute to look at... and in a soothing sense, make me happy... I would never be willing to spend that kind of money on something I'd never take out of the box.... whew!

I was in our local Wal-Mart ( is that one of those Box stores) the other day.... during lunch hour. I would NEVER go there on a weekend. Have you seen the crazy email that circles around with pictures of Wal-Mart shoppers.... it is pretty scary. Every time I leave that store I ask myself.... why in the world did I come here???? Although I personally think the store is very clean, well lit and they do have 'deals' on some things..... I just can't get over the poor service.... every time!!

The first thing I noticed is that people do not know how to drive in the parking lot. People going up the down or walking down the middle of the road aisle. Then when I pulled my cart, I seem to get the one with the wobbly wheel or it squeaks every time it goes around. This is funny.... the greeter was facing inside the store. His back toward the entrance.... I don't know how he was going to say Hello to us. And then everyone shopping that day was buying groceries for the month... so the 5 lanes they had open were filled with large purchases. I went to the "speedy checkout" (20 items or less) which I think is an oxymoron. There is NO SUCH THING as a speedy check out at Wal-Mart. And once again, as I walk out.... I say to myself... I'm not coming back here.

Now I know why more people are buying things on line!

Popping Poseys'

- Seed Packet - No fun zone Look closely... it's the same layout.... different cards.... flowers, ribbon, back ground paper and cardstock. The flower seed packet was a download-able 'freebie'..... there is a pull tabbed card inside the packet for 'more' lovely sentiments. I made the posey flowers from distressed circles.... I love these paper flowers. They can be note cards.... or any kind of FuN MaiL!!!

I have nothing FUN or funny to report. I don't know how working at a 'coil' company can be FUN! I still want to be someone's assistant.... someone in the cre8tive world. Please?