Creative bliss almost amiss!

I'm in the middle of my creative bliss, supplies all strewn about. craft room turned upside down as I look for just the right die to trim out a sentiment... WHAT? 

I was so sure the one I picked would fit the sentiment...but no-oooo :( Phooey! Back to the supply drawer-then back to the drawing board because what I do have just doesn't look the same. AR-RGH...

BUT WAIT!!! I may have a solution. I remember seeing a person using a punch unconventionally to solve a similar situation and as it turns out there are others who have found a solution too. So I am trying to use my dies similarly to the way I saw the tip for the punch.

The solution is what is referred to as partial die cutting.

The die is the width I wanted but sadly the length won't capture all of my sentiment.

 

The solution is to lay the die in position on one side or end. Next lay your top plate in place but not quite to the end. 

Now when you crank the die through it will not press down into the paper and the die will not cut the end.

See what the cut looks like? It has only cut the part that had the top plate covering it. 

Reposition the dies' uncut end so

that it is in perfect alignment using the cut edge of the die to help. 

Let's take a look at the result.

Ok , as you can see it does not always make a perfect cut. My positioning was NOT perfect, but I may use it on a card anyway. I trimmed the edge a bit. 

On my second try I was still a bit off but I think it is much better! I hope you enjoyed seeing my experiments; failures and successes too! :)

I haven't finished my card yet but here is a basic layout for the planned card. 

And a second similar card. Now it is 

time to get the out some embellishments and add some finishing touches.  

Sewing With My Grandkids

Hanging out with my grandkids is a most delightful time!

Every time we go to visit our grandchildren the time with them is super special. I really never knew having grandchildren was going to be this amazing! Each visit I make I find it to be a surprise-- I never know what will be the project of the day or the play of the night but in the end we had great fun. 

When we head over for a visit the car is packed with items relating to the last visit. One time when we arrived my granddaughter Fiona has an armful of "injured" stuffed animals that she and Luke told me desperately needed help--could I ple--eeze sew them! That night we worked with the supplies they had but when I got home I put together an "animal hospital" sewing kit. My"animal hospital" sewing kit has a variety of thread colors in it, a small pair of scissors, a needle threader and such. Now in the past when we visit this had become an absolute "must pack" item! Fo the longest time in fact I packed the car with this at the top of the list. 

Once when my darling granddaughter called me on Skype she had a "special request". Could I possibly make a special doll she had in mind? This child has some amazing character traits. Her story telling capabilities are very in depth, details are her forte. I worked on Christina for a long time.(I'm going to save that story for another day).

Christmas was just days away when we arrived. With it being just 4 days before Christmas our thoughts were on many things... 

• Did I send out of town gifts, give local gifts and remember to pack the gifts for family we are visiting?
• Did I bring extra wrapping paper, bags, ribbon and tape?
• Did I pack our Christmas Cards and the list, stamps etc?
• Did I bring the address and phone info for theAirBnB hosts?
• Did I clear out the refrigerator?
• Is our dog, his cage, toys, food, supplements info for dog sitters etc packed?
• Did I remember our supplements, first aid kit...oh and MY pillow?
• Did I bring written contact info (sometimes there is no wifi)?
• Did we pre-contact and set appointments for business partners and friends?

I wish we could say I forgot nothing but unfortunately that was not the case. Every visit we learn  of another "staple" not to be forgotten item.   Some items that were needed have now been replaced with other items. The kids now had there own sewing kits, they had developed an interest in creating sewn items. Last year the oldest sewed pillows as gifts for friends, her brother helped. My contribution...I brought my sewing machine and basic knowledge. The gifts were a great success.  This year as we unloaded the big blue truck the first question out of grandson Luke's mouth...Did you bring your sewing machine? What?! H-mmm. Oh dear!  

Apparently Luke had ideas and it included creating stuff on the sewing machine! So-ooo we now needed to design an alternate plan. It turned out to be a great plan. 

I had suggested we make things from fabric around the home, things no longer being used for the original purpose- like socks. I showed him a Pinterest board that repurposed socks in various ways. That was inspiration enough.

I had suggested we follow directions from one of the projects but Luke had a better idea...Excitedly he declared "I want to make a toy for Chip." Chip is our now 1 year old Border Collie. We got this guy last year right after Christmas. In fact we were just driving home from visiting this family when I saw the ad. One call, a quick early morning drive and we brought Chip home right then.

Backstory: We had a beautiful Border Collie, "Oreo" for 15 years. We got him right after moving to Utah. Oreo had been named by our oldest grandson Tyler. He had died in 2017 and it took us a while before we were ready for another pet but when we decided, granddaughter Fiona had asked to be able to name him. 

Ok, back to Lukes sock "stuffie"... Luke wanted the toy to be for Chip and also he wanted it to look like Chip. Here is Luke working on it, his finished results with Chip and his toy.

The Craft Room Clean-Up Challenge

The title says it all... getting my craft space tidied up HAS been a huge challenge!

 

I have started on this endeavor repeatedly with the aim of a CLEAR craft space and a fairly organized surrounding area. What has really taken place is I get the desk top 2/3 of the way clear and then...Then I am drawn away to another task, another project, another key focus...errrr! 
A sweet friend and crafter Melanie D came over with the express purpose of helping me get my table CLEAR...Yeah! I was actually able to get the vacuum in and get the floor clear of paper bits. It looks so much better thanks to my dear friends help.

OK, now I've spent a little more time evaluating and what my next steps would be are....I am on a mission to find a cart that will roll under one table. My handyman (DH extraordinaire) will be adding a couple shelves to my current shelf to better house stamp cases.  I have hope!!

 In the meantime I want to show you a fun project I was working on EVEN with my space being in such a disarray.

 

  I'll update everyone  soon, I hope to show you a far more organized creative space!

 

Obsessions and Addictions

Do you have an Obsession or Addiction? 

I've heard friends talk about their chocolate obsession... others say they have a favorite Latte addiction... Others are into being a Gym Rat so much that yup I believe they are also obsessed- even addicted to that adrenaline rush. I'd have to say that as obsession's go I am coming  pretty close with my love of Youtube's varied topics!

 

No matter what your need or interest, I have found it on Youtube. 
Need a little happiness? Check out babies laughing.
Need to feel close to animals? Wow you can watch newborn eaglets in the nest! 
Are you trying to repair your broken appliance? Yes I learned how to repair my microwave by watching Youtube!
My Youtube topic list has grown so long I cannot find the correct topic when I want to save a great video. Hmm, now have duplicate topics. Yikes! 
Really though, I love, love, love Youtube! 

I can be watching a demonstration of a unique new gadget one minute  and then another moment see what people around the world do with plastic containers to repurpose them. 

A recent favorite though is the  arts and craft trade.There are many great demonstrations showing  exciting and new products and how to use them, also new ways to use products that have been around for a while. Today I was watching one of my favorites. A show demonstrator, Tim Holtz at Creativation 2018. Tim was showing off their new color additions to the Alcohol Ink line. I would use the old advertising jingle and say "You've Come A Long Way Baby"! 

I've bought and used alcohol inks before.... Sadly they would evaporate so fast I'd only get a few uses from it. They were fun but some of the redesigns that Tim demonstrates pumps me full of enthusiasm to go out and buy this whole set AND the cool tin to keep it in!! Another item I have not used before was discussed, Yupo paper, a synthetic paper. I am excited to try this product. Check out the video, if you are obsessed with creating paper arts, a collector of new and fun craft and supplies or just enjoy surfing Youtube check out this video below.

So-oo any friends want to explore some of these newer Alcohol Ink techniques? Come on over, "Lets Play."

6 Signs That it's Time To Finally Get Organized

 

How can you and I tell when it’s time to finally get our selves organized and our craft world reorganized?

Oh the signs are quite clear once we begin to pay attention...

Often, I notice a feeling of being out of control...sometimes even blame shifting small things to my sweetheart - Oh no!😗

Here are some examples and common signs that you too might need to get organized too...
☑ You’re Easily Distracted

Clutter and mess isn’t just unattractive – I've noticed it can also be a big distraction whether in my work area or craftspace. If you can’t seem to get inspired or during your workday you can't seem to get anything done, clear the clutter and see what happens.


Did you know that even hidden clutter like a stack of documents waiting to be filed inside a storage box  can drain your mental energy. Keep in mind that clutter isn’t just a problem when it comes to concentrating at work or play. It can also be a visual or mental obstacle to relaxation, a huge problem when our art is our craftspace play ground and form of relaxation.

☑ You Keep Misplacing Necessities

Yes, I know... everyone makes mistakes and oop-sie weird situations do happen. But if we’re regularly losing track of our keys, glasses, a favorite craft punch, it means our organization routine is breaking down somewhere! – quite possibly at our main space...creative area or even our purse or craft tote.

☑ You Can’t Locate Everyday Items

If you find yourself rummaging through your craft drawers, your purse or tote, and all those out-of-the-way extra storage spaces, it’s probably high time to establish a rule whereby everything you own has a dedicated “home.” Once the habit of returning things to their proper place when you’re done using them becomes second nature, the rummaging will stop.

☑ You Get Frustrated by Everyday Tasks 

Most of us have busy lives and a bit of advance preparation is highly suggested to ensure those simple tasks get done . When these tasks become a source of stress, it’s an indicator that something about the process has to change. Often, surprisingly, less is more when it comes to streamlining your everyday chores. Lets say that getting dressed takes forever because you have “nothing to wear,” you might actually have too much and it may be time to purge your wardrobe, eliminate items that do not fit and gift some friends those items you bought and never used. In our craft and work space, the same is true. Streamlining our scrap paper so that it becomes simple to identify, makes our use of it a quick task. 
 

☑ You Find That You’re Always Shopping

Sometimes, when we think we need more stuff, it’s just because the stuff we already own is so poorly organized that we don’t realize it’s there. In our craft world their is always going to be the next big cool tool or supply, and not only that but seasonally colors change. What was "in" last year is no longer! Decluttering and organizing our belongings, especially those stashed in storage areas like closets and drawers, will help keep us up to date and clarify what we already have and whether we’re unintentionally accumulating duplicates we won’t use. When we de-stash, another benefit can be the kindness of gifting our no longer needed items to someone else who has need.

☑ You Feel Overwhelmed

At some point, almost all of us feel like we simply have too much to do. And it is possible that you do quite literally have more items on your to-do list than the limited hours in the day allow. But you can’t know for sure until you acknowledge, sort, and prioritize those items and learn to manage time instead of just reacting randomly to every task that comes your way. If you don’t already have a simplified routine try creating one now. In the craft world that could mean having 2-4 cards pre-made for our most common categories we send out. Another simplified routine might be pre-cutting a few of the most common colors of base cardstock to our favorite size.

☑ You’re Ashamed of Your Space

If the thought of inviting your craft friend into your space makes you feel ashamed, or if looking at your messy desk makes you feel guilty, yup, you need to get organized. The mess may not be nearly as bad as you think once you get started, or maybe it is and we just need to take those first few steps to launch us on our way to successfully make our space a happy place!

So  now that we've identified some of the key signs what can we do?

Well for many of us we are well on the way since another "sign" is the collecting of ideas for getting organized. If that is you, identify your top two of those ideas and give them a completion date. Set aside some blocks of time and a completion date to accomplish those tasks. Finally,  recruit a friend to help you even if the help is to simply hold you accountable to your completion date. Remember to give yourself a reward for finishing your task. 
My suggestion is to reward yourself by having a favorite social time commensurate with the job accomplished. Perhaps a craft party with a few friends where you enjoy snacks, friendship and then trade unused items for needed items (remember to find the new items a home right away!) 

Happy Organizing!!

Did You Know the Month of April is...

April is such a lively month, full of funny days, classic foods, parties, time to Fool someone,eat some classic food like peanut butter and jelly, partying with the whole wide world, spend the day walking around things, making wishes with dandelion puffs, writing my tombstone epitaph, skipping housework, heading to the zoo, picking a "special" name for myself, hanging out with my awesome siblings, drawing a submarine (or exploring one), then walking on my wild side as I plan my next strategy for Scrabble. I definitely don't want to miss celebrating Look up at the Sky Day or Husband Appreciation Day either...There is so-ooo many things to do this month!

Are you curious about all these celebrations? Check it out at Holiday Insights... not much to look at as sites go but loads of dates to plan some fun. 

Not only do we have days to remember like today April 4th is granddaughter Fiona's birthday ... and in history the day Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated (1968.)

Did you know that on April 6th Twinkies hit the market and  the first Twinkies were banana-filled!(1930)

The fun and funny days are loads of fun, we honor the men and women who have changed our world and other times we focus on awareness and bringing help to our world. One of my favorite times to celebrate and show thanks is coming up soon, Easter! I am so grateful for the gift of eternal life because of Jesus. 

So many fun things to celebrate...but the most wonderful moments for me are those shared with family :) Most recently were a couple of my darling grandchildren- siblings that have birthdays that fall 12 days apart and also conveniently on their school spring break times.  It was so fun seeing them and joining in the festivities!

• March 23 Luke

• April 4 Fiona

• April 13 Megan

Although I am not able to actually be in the same location for all of the celebrations, I think of them, honor them and pray for them that the day for them -their special day, will be simply amazing. 

So getting back to my main topic..."Did You Know The Month of April Is..."  

I wanted to focus on a weekly celebration that falls on the third week of the month of April called Organize Your Files Week.

Why call this a celebration you might ask? For me it is part of a larger challenge several other friends are also participating in. The goal is to get my craft space organized and accessible. It has become so overrun with piles and disorganized clutter that I am not even using my craft space. 

My friends Melanie Diane, Shannon and myself are all focused on craft room organizing tasks and are challenging each too.We took photos and created videos to document the "before and after" of it all! With that in mind I am looking at better organizing my Stamp Craft files. I recently purchased a bulk pack of empty hubless DVD boxes to store my loose stamps and some Ezmount Static Cling Foam Sheets to get all of unmounted loose stamps mounted. I also am creating image covers for the DVD cases. 

As I am working on these tasks, I am also reviewing my old system of organization and updating them. Two other areas I will be working on to get my files organized involve sorting the digital files I have collected for scrapbook and stamp craft and using a favorite APP of mine, Evernote to create a catalog of current products I own. 

I'll be sharing more about our challenge, our before pictures, my organizational tips and more over the next few posts and finally some after pictures as well so stay tuned.

PI DAY another reason to blog!

Do you love Blogging? 

Since I was first introduced to the worldwide web one of my favorite things has been learning and sharing. It may have been about my creative interests or business life-most often I find that the things I want to share combining what I am learning... Spiritual path, business focus, art, ideas to begin anew, Life. Often right in the middle of developing an idea I am interrupted and dang! I lose my train of thought or it may take an entirely different direction.  Pinterest helps me to quickly capture ideas, recipes, sites to go back to and more. Recently I noticed that Pinterest has a widget creator!  I was just in the middle of creating a "Things I'm Researching" board when I noticed this so I decided to try it out an see if it could be a helpful tool. So far I don't get it... Moving on...

DID YOU KNOW TODAY IS NATIONAL PI DAY?