Woooo Hooooo!!! I have a Secret. Spring is coming.

How am I so sure, with snow still on the ground, flower beds looking lifeless and ugly with debris, that spring is on its way. I mean the ground hog says, Oh, I don't care what the ground hog says. Let me show you what I found in my flower garden.

Surprise Lilies

 

Daffodils 

Crocus's

So Don't tell me Spring isn't on its way

My sister will scream Hallelujah

I will keep all of you updated on this breaking news and the search for spring. 

Now to my New Years Resolution and celebrating two months of keeping it  going.   Here is the fun part of this resolution. I made some rules to go by and they are my rules and I can change them if I want to and do feel the, want too, urge. 

Here is the thought behind my need to alter my plans. I read something the other day that said " Knowing more and having more can at times stiffly creativity". I thought on this for a while and decide it may be true.  If you only have a few things to work with and must create several scrapbook pages and cards you would begin to think of more creative ways to use them. OK I'm game for it. I picked several stamps, 4 by 5 paper stakes, cutters and two tinplate's and decided I would use these for a month. I'm not sure how I feel using other odds and ends but I'm ready to give this a try. 

Right off the bat I feel like I have had my arm tied behind my back. Two or three stamp sets, What Was I Thinking. Get over it Kathy and just start thinking out of the box. Here is the pleasant side of this new choice. The last two month when I found a hidden treasure I had forgotten about, used it  and then moved on to my next hidden treasure and I felt unready to put this new tool or cutter away. 

 

 I am determined to use all the stamps on this set even the ones that seem unusual.

My first attempt was using a tinplate I had used some but didn't quite get the feel for some of its designs. Well, it was not to bad.

I had used this part of the template before but only this design. One of the blogs I follow had a challenge of embossing so I put the two together and embossed the background.

 

I use the design on the bottom left and the next card I used the one on the upper  right but I was not thrilled with the look of the second when done but went ahead and used it on a card and it was OK. You will see more of the use of this tinplate this month. 

 

While we are still waiting on spring go out and look for a few signs for yourself. It is very uplifting.

Have a Great Day

Kat

2nd Addition for my "Close to Your Heart" friends

Winter seems to still be enjoying its visit so I will just keep playing in my workshop. I decide to try something a little different. You know me I get easily bored with the same technique or same approach to something. So I remember the complete thrill I got taking marbles and some reinker to accent paper and just need another real kick. Now that I have a bit more of the coordinating reinkers, paper and stamp pads I got one of my "Close to My Heart" ideal books and at random pick one of their cards and color choices and said lets run with it (I wanted to use the latest book but spent an hour looking for it and it must be in my very active black whole. I hate it that I seem to spend way to much time hunting for just what I want. I must be a little more flexible and just go with something else and maybe that may end up being better anyway).  The colors this card used was Goldrush (this looked rather orange to me when placed next to the Hollyhock), Hollyhock, and Olive.

 

OK, if you forgot my overly exciting experience of making pattern paper with marbles then you need to go back to January 4, 2010. But a short reminder is to put some reinker and marbles in a plastic container and add a scrap of paper to the top of the box, now shake for all its worth. I was so thrilled with this that I put it to music, no I did not include a video of the experience, but a picture will have to work. 

 

No one can say I don't incorporate exercise in my work experience. 

When this was finished I seem to like the colors on the small cards, but it was not until I pulled out the matching papers that I seem to have a problem. The basic problem began with the fact I rarely use pink or orange for that matter but together, well this could be a problem. Well, you ask why in the world did you choose them in the first place. The answer is very simple, if you will remember I said I went to the "Close to MY Heart" ideal book and  RANDOMLY choose a card and its suggested colors. 

 

OK, so this must be part of the creative process, learn to work with what you have and maybe my creative genes will grow, probably not but maybe Hee Hee!   I went to drive my bus and came back, pull out my thinker statue (Isn't he cute) and  looked at it for a while and said, its the orange paper I'm really struggling with, so I will just us a very small amount of it. The pink paper, I'll just soften by having some fun with soft white background print on it. 

Woo Hoo! I think I like this so lets keep going with it. I found a cute picture of my daughter at 2 yrs old (why you say because she had a pink dress on). I went to some of my sketch layouts and found one I thought would work. The green was easy to use and yes I even found a place for the orange. My marble paper just became a nice accent on the side of the picture. Because all the colors of the ink, paper and stamp pads coordinated the marble pages seem to just tie everything together.I even used the orange to add Pam's name, the orange seem to help draw attention to it even thought the letters were small.

 

I used some of the marble paper to make the flower's. Then the corners and top and bottom frame I used the olive and a heart punch. I seem to have this obsession with the items that are left when I punch these things out and this time they left these tiny hearts. Oh my goodness I can't throw them in the trash so I retrieve them put them in my little glue machine and you see in the close up how cute them turned out. Thrifty, Thrifty, Thrifty ladies, waste not want not.

The letters were chip board and I didn't have an "i" so I used my marble paper to make one. 

OK what is the moral of this story, well so what "Close to My Heart"s color choices were rather good after all. I even like the spark that the orange gave the whole thing. No I will not be using a lot of this combination in the future but it was fun all the same. 

It goes to show how important it is to get out of your comfort zone at times.

Have a wonderful Saturday

For my "Close to My Heart" Friends

I will have two post for my "Close to My Heart " Friends, but this one is having fun with the set "Softball". My husband has a great friend who was having a birthday so he ask so sweetly if I would design a card for him. Are you kidding that's what I do daily, design or accept challenges for new cards. His friend, George is 89, they have been friends since childhood. They are also cousin's but George was his idol gowning up   In his day he was quite the ballplayer and in my husbands eyes he was a baseball star so he was hoping I could do something along that line.  I guess George was also a boxer. Bill said George taught him a lot, (about boxing well I guess that can serve you well later in life) I think he was a bit doubtful I would have something along this line but can you believe I bought a stamp set a while back all about softball. Now of course he didn't play softball,  hard ball is close, who knows the difference. A bat is a bat and a ball is a ball. I haven't played with this set much so found it a challenge to use it as a birthday card. ----------------------

 

 I had fun with the little base ball stamp and used it as part of the pop up and the back ground. I"m beginning to love making my own back ground . I also used some of the blue paper I made with spray paint

 

It was fun trying to make a stamp set work as something it was not meant to be. 

Woo Pee!!!! more snow this Saturday, God certainly wants to keep the song "White as Snow, White as Snow", fresh on our mind The next line was something like, and our sins are forgiven. I keep sing it write or wrong after each snow. At least we're not in DC, there getting another 14 to 18 inches of snow. I think God is a little upset with Washington. 

Have a Blessed day!

Kat

Windshield Wiper Card

What in the world is a windshield wiper card you ask? Well it is a fun card that you can see some movement and  interact with. I will show the picture and then discuss it.

As you can see it can be pulled like an accordion and a fun message or in this case a happy face pops up. It will also be easy to stand alone. I just love this concept and have made several different styles.

It is the challenge of new ideas that keeps me going.

I love the message on this one, it talks about butterflies which is one of my favorite subjects. It is a card of encouragement and just a lot of fun.

I have just one more card I want to show and this one just makes me laugh out loud. When I got done I made two or three more and never stopped laughing.  Because you know as well as I do, "IT IS  REALLY A JUNGLE OUT THERE. Have a blessed day and be sure to Laugh Out Loud just once.

I've been playing just for getting to post my fun

Where oh, where have I been, well playing in my shop but just forgetting to post my fun. This winter weather has made me hunger for color so color is what I have been playing with. I'm beginning to see that I love marbleized backgrounds. Now that I think of it I love the look of abstract backgrounds. Oh no I have admitted to liking abstract art.  Well maybe the saying that everything has its place is true. I have played around with this marbleizing of paper in several different forms, like using chalk and tube watercolors in shaving cream, yep real shaving cream and my hubby wasn't any to happy about it either. But this time I used spray paint. You can take a pan of water and spray different colors into it and then run some card stock through it. It is really fun and really messy. I used some red, and gold. Then red, green and gold and finally some blue and black. My fingers look much like the paper, guess I should of used some rubber gloves, oh well one must get into there work.  See for your self they are rather unusual.

 

I had fun making a couple dozen of these papers. I don't know what I will use it all for but you can bet it will be used.  Also love this stamp set, it is from Our Daily Bread and is a great set for encouragement. 

Now I didn't stop with playing with spray faint. I also decided it would be fun to make my own printed paper. I have lots more to play with but these two were fun. The pink one with the flourishes (the stamps were Close to MY Heart called Love Flourishes) I liked but the one stamp was a little big and I want to try it again.  I just love the leaf and pine needles. I plan to use this in one of my camping lay out I will post that later. 

Then there was this last one I made using some flower stamps. I have this fun tinplate to make a mini basket. Fun, fun, fun

Winter wonder land

 

Well this day starts at 6 degrees but with some fog that caused a real winter wonder land. Its times like these I am glad I drive a bus. It gives me reason to be out and about early, VERY early. But it is worth it to see sights like I saw this morning.

Now, for using unused treasures, I found some tinplate's that I liked but haven't used and thought I would make my Hubby's Valentines card with them. Now I hope he doesn't check out this blog before Sunday. We do not make Valentines day a huge thing. I have always felt that just because Hallmark decided this is the day one must show there love. If you fail showing it properly on this day its all over. Well hogwash.  It is an all year occupation. But being a craftier and card maker I thought it a fun thing and he usually looks forward to one of my cards. We will go out to dinner and be grateful for each others company.

 

Now for a fun card using some of my stacks of stamped image I am always planning to fill in color and use in some cards. I have dozens of these stamped images. I've said it before I will be years using my unused stuff, lots of stuff, so much stuff I feel a bit ashamed of my stock pile.

 

Oh, well have a great day. 

Kat

Super Sunday,

Yes it is Super Bowl Sunday but that's not what I want to reflect on as I consider the word super. With scrapbooking resting today I enjoy the photos I took of the snow Friday and Saturday. It has always amazed me how two people see the same view and yet they seem to take away different pictures and emotions. Snow really seems to bring this to the forefront. It often brings the same work, same challenge and some time even two people with severe arthritic will not share the same pain, but come away with extremely opposite emotion and memory of snow. Some will see only beauty and wonder and others will see dread, confinement and what ever else those who dislike snow see. To be fair the weather that brings snow often brings pain of arthritic and other health issues but even with this some will see it different than others. I wish I had the answers has to how those who dread snow could see the beauty of it for I'm sure they have no idea what they are missing in the wonder of the moment.

With all this said I wish to share a painting I did a few years ago that seem to have some revelation to the subject. Of course it was a snow scene but I had been studying a fellow who at different points in his painting would just pour bold color over his master piece. This was always fun to demonstrate at conventions because it always brought a "OH NO" reaction. I would pour strong yellow and let it dry then maybe intense blue from another direction and then, and this was the best, blood red in some areas. Fun, fun, fun, and if done right it would set up some real emotion in the painting. I did this to several paintings but my favorite is the snow scene below.

Now what does all this have to do with my discussion above to how people see things differently. Well the first thing I notice that in real life as well as this painting when the sun breaks out over the woods it changes everything, the snow in the sunshine as well as the shadows. It drastically changes all the foliage and weeds. It brings drama with the adding of unusual shadow to the snow. Its like joy has fallen everywhere even the dark areas. Is this not what might change our vision of something, pouring a little joy in our difficult areas of life. The decision to see the wonder of of snow, even if it is a challenge to deal with.

Oh my this is two deep for a watercolor scrapbooker. Let just get to the beauty of nature that always is my inspiration.  

 

It has always been hard for me to talk about my painting but I have always loved this painting in particular. So if you are one who struggles with winter weather maybe I can at least help you see the wonder of it from your warm secure home. Just put on some wonder glasses, you know like the 3-D glasses at the movies and see some fun and Gods beauty outside. 

Did I mention I along with some other fun people, drive a school bus. I'm not sure they love the snow as a matter of fact I pretty sure many of them don't but they take it on any way. We were getting ready for our evening run and trying to get these big monsters ready for the road. 

Roll-em, roll-em roll-em, get those buses roll-em. We were getting ready to load the high school students. The fun is about to begin.

 

I love to play with the camera at night during snow. I wish I knew how to take better pictures because it's just magical out there. With the snow falling and Ice on the trees it really is the wonder of the moment. 

Ok its time for a snow angel. The only problem was after I so artistically made the angel I had to get up. I think I'm to old for this manuever.

 

But by golly it was not bad looking after all. 

You can find wonder in the simple things.

Woo Hoo!!!! love that snow blower!

  

Don't even have to leave the yard for some real beauty.

Now here is the truth, no good play in the snow is complete with out ending with hot chocolate and marshmallows.

I will now get back to watching the Super Bowl and a little playing in my work shop, so until later.

God Bless

Lots to catch up on

So much to catch up on as I sit here on a beautiful snowy Saturday. I think first thing to share is a fun project I started a few years ago. I have scrapbooked a calendar and the Feb page need some work so I went at it. When this page was made about 3 years ago serendipity paper was a hot trend and I still just love it. The process is just taping scraps of paper to one sheet of paper, then cutting letters or other objects out of it. The first time I did this I was sure the paper was way to ugly to be of any use but I was so wrong. The first two pictures are the calendar pages. The serendipity paper was used in cutting out letters for the word February and some additional squares.

February is one of those months that I feel a sense of waiting. The calendar for this month address's this thought. Nothing in my flower garden is what it seems. To the average eye the ground is frozen and every thing planted there is dead. Dead is what they are for sure but just beneath the snow a magical spark of life sits in wait for just a little warmth and it will again be reborn to its previous summer's beauty.

Now I want to show you what the serendipity paper looks like.









 

I love using foil Christmas warping paper to give a shinny look in some areas of the paper. It was fun not having to hide my scrapbook pages in a book but can hang them. I just print a up to date calender page for this year and I am good to go.

I also did some fun cards. I have wanted to use some of my painting techniques on a few cards so the next few are stamps and then watercolor pencils.

 

 

Later I plan on posting some fun pictures  on some of the weather we are experiencing here. I have had too much fun out side in our snow. So check back later. 

So make sure you find the wonder in the moment, wether you are one to go out in the winter weather or not. Just feeling safe in the warmth of your home is a great privalage and wonder all on its own.

Have a great day.

Kat