GRAVITATE

The holidays are coming to an end, and I have to say I had a great time with family! It was the best! BUT, I was beginning to have creativity withdrawal...so it really feels good to start making things again.

 Of course it just feels natural to me to root through my vintage goodies, and combine them in ways that work and feel special to me. Each and every piece I make comes from my soul, it means something . I hope everyone had a beautiful holiday, and I look forward to sharing a wonderful New Year with you! Thank you always for visiting, you are all special to me.

FRIENDS ARE GIFTS

 My good friend Dorthe, of Den Lille Lade, recently sent me the most beautiful package, for absolutely no reason, a random act of kindness, and to brighten my day! She is so generous, kind, and good hearted, and I love her to pieces! Above, you can see the doll she sent me, in her pretty white doily outfit. She is gorgeous, and I adore her. If you don't know, Dorthe is a dollmaker extraordinaire!!  I have her lying on the most beautiful pieces of wallpaper that she sent along with it!

 Here is the card that Dorthe made. I am so in love with this card, the vintage girls...I think me and Dorthe, with the beautiful white deer, the lovely star , and all the texture details....sigh....

 Here is another fantastic piece Dorthe made, a Paper Whimsy image on a collage of fabric, buttons, textures of all sorts, so many details, it's yummy! And look at the beautiful vintage paper she was wrapped in!

She included a bag of leaves from her yard on the Baltic Sea, I can smell the ocean from here! This will be fantastic journal pieces. She had wrapped it in a cellophane bag adorned with a petite cross, I love it.

Also included was a lovely piece of fabric, napkins, images, and last but not least, a whole bunch of love! Thank you Dorthe, you have touched my heart, and I am grateful to have you in my life. Friends are the best gifts.

BELIEVE

 So, like everyone else right now, I am crazy busy, and entering panic mode as for being ready for the holidays. I keep telling myself to stop making things and start wrapping, cleaning, etc, but I just can't seem to let go yet. These are some recent projects. I still have a few items in my etsy shop if you are still shopping.  I know I am!

Thanks for visiting, I do appreciate your taking the time and I am always thrilled to hear from you!

EXPRESS YOURSELF

 With Christmas fast approaching, things are beginning to get chaotic, so I instinctively I seek out ways to 

de- stress, and here you have it.  Express Yourself was created with Character Construction stamps, and  little bits of scrumptious vintage papers, and collage elements. Journaling really gives me a sense of peace.

On the flip side, I am working on jewelry and ordered these gorgeous ceramic leaves from a Canadian artist, and when I received them I was instantly in love! I am not a winter person but the snowy look they have made me think of frosty icy mornings...all quiet and still. 

Morning Frost is available in my etsy shop here.

Thanks for visiting and taking  a peek! I love to hear all of your comments, and appreciate your visits.   Wishing everyone a great week!

GRATEFUL

I was recently gifted some gorgeous and beautiful treasures from a very good friend of mine, Terri Heinz. Terri's blog is called Artful Affirmations, where she shares her love of creativity, tea, teacups, crafts of many different forms, and her love of life! 

Look at these gorgeous french papers, transparencies, fabrics, and collage images for me to work with. 

 

I am a coffee drinker by heart, but Terri is introducing me to some fine teas, and sent me this great strainer and organic loose teas. They really are divine, and you can really taste the difference with these incredible teas.   I am fond of the chamomile!

Below is a prayer flag that Terri made and sent to me. It is so beautiful and meaningful. Thank you Terri for being so kind , generous, and a truly wonderful friend!

 

GOING SLOW

 Although it may look like I got a lot done from looking at this post, It's really a trick!  I did manage the journal page above, but the necklace was made a while ago and I am just getting around to posting. I have been really sick, and things have been a challenge. But every day I have to continue, so I do what I can, and it is rather slow steps right now, but I am sure it will pass. Creating is the best distraction and therapy ! Good friends are great therapy too, thank you for all that you do my friends!

Wishing all of you and your families a wonderful and beautiful Thanksgiving!

LIGHT

 Lately, for some reason, every time I create some art, I am feeling very light, airy, floaty, and am craving more of a design element along with some of the unexpected. Having come from a heavy design oriented art background, I guess it is hard for me to leave that part out, I feel so good when I work out that mental problem in my head! Am I not making sense? I hope I am, but I am trying to give you a glimpse into what makes me tick. Another art subject I like a lot....woman....no surprise. I often think that what comes out on my paper is truly the subconscious coming out. Sometimes I really don't understand it, but I go with it. Many times my pieces are really all about what I feel my life is, was. I feel that each of these pages are directly related to my illness, and they too wax and wane just like me. 

My final comment for the night..

Any journal page day is a great day!

FORTUNE TELLER

 I fell in love with this beautiful serene face made by Birgitta Lejonklou! So calmimg, so soothing, it called out to me. I then added all sorts of embellishments that made me happy, Roman glass, opal, amazonite, and crystal, and a stunning lampwork glass bead by Donna Millard.  I strung it all together with galvanized steel. I hope it makes someone else happy too, and you, who are reading , hoping it puts a smile on your face.

 Thanks for visiting!

 Available here .

NESTING

I FINALLY found some time to make a new journal page, and I love how therapeutic it is. I would love to know what you think.  

 

Thanks for visiting, and I always appreciate your comments!

HECTIC

 During this crazy and hectic week, I squeezed in some time to make jewelry.  I really don't know how it happens sometimes, but I manage.

This is a sneak peek at a pair of earrings that I made for a trip to the boutique that sells my jewelry. I made many other pieces, but I like these a lot, the stones are so pretty, and vintage rhinestones don't hurt!

 I also found time to make this necklace for my daughter. Why is it that the things you have to do for family always seem to be the ones on the backburner, like they can wait the longest, when they should be the first! Well, I got my act together, and here it is! Briana picked out these gorgeous stones at a recent bead show, and this is what she wanted. I am happy with the way it turned out, all warm and rustic with character. She loves it!

I wish all of you a wonderful and safe weekend, and I am always grateful for your visit!

Hugs!

APPLE PIE

It's been a loooong week.  I wasn't feeling well this week, and that set me back a lot. I have an appt with my jewelry boutique lady next Sunday, so I have been trying to get a lot of new pieces made, but that has been slow. Today I felt pretty good, and since we went for a fall drive yesterday, and bought lots of fresh apples, it is apple pie time here!   The tool above is my all time favorite, a vintage pastry cutter that works for me like magic!

My pie crust...sloppy, but effective!

 Here is my daughters favorite kitchen helper, a ceramic pie bird we bought on one of our trips to Maine...he looks pretty happy here!







Here he looks a little less happy, but he is still singing!  Turns out the pie is pretty darn good! I am pretty darn tired, but so worth it.  Now that this is out of my system, it's time for art....hopefully some paper art soon.....but have to finish up my jewelry first! (Just so ya know, the pie is really not burnt on the edge, but rather a  very dark syrupy brown,  lighting is not the best in my kitchen, .........oh so yummy!)
                            

                Enjoy this upcoming week, and have a piece of pie!

RUNNING SAND

 RUNNING SAND is available on etsy here

 

 Just been plugging along this week, trying to get "stuff" done, Things I think I should be doing, which turned out to be these earrings and a new journal page.  

Hope you like them, an thanks for visiting, I always appreciate it so much!

Have a great and artsy weekend!