A Year of Blogging

It was a year ago yesterday, that I began blogging. In my first post, I wrote a bit about why I wanted to create a blog. - I wanted to keep a record of what I created, and to perhaps inspire others. Since I received a lovely comment a week or so ago, saying I provide that reader inspiration, I was thrilled - YEAH. I am so often inspired by so many wonderful blogs, and to know I inspire someone out there in blog land, makes me happy. BUT, my blog has done more than those two things for me, as I try to post twice a week, it provides me the prod to create - so I have new things to show as often as I can. AND perhaps most importantly it helps me believe in myself, and in what I create.

For the past while I have been thinking about how I would like to trade creations with other people who create, and so today, I have decided to put this offer out in the blog world, and see what happens. (even if you don't create, I am open to trades - keep reading)


The first thing I have for trading is a package of 5 cards (pics above and below). They are whimsical faces I drew, photocopied, and then painted each one.

The second item I have available for trade is a resin filled bezel necklace. The bezel is a bit rustic, but actually I like it that way.

The third item is a small ( approximately 3 X4.5 inch) address book

If you are not a person that creates things, or don't feel you want to trade what you create, I am open to trading these items for services in the community you live in. I would trade an item for the individual donating some food to a local food bank, or running an errand for someone that is housebound, or helping at an animal shelter, or helping a child learn to read, or.... a variety of other things. Leave me a comment on what you want to trade for either here or at my e-mail address - be it something you have created, or something that you will do for others, I am open for trades. Leave me your e-mail address, and I will get back to you.

And the last item I have available for trade is a grungy little (approximately4 X 3.5 inches) softcover book - with bits and pieces of images and material decorating the cover, and a material tie closure.

The inside pages are grungy, and a bit warped in a lovely sort of way (or so I think anyway).

Whether you want to trade or not, I do want to say thank you for stopping by this little blog of mine. I love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment at any time, and if you know of other people interested in trading their creations, please pass this offer along to them.

Here's too another enjoyable year of blogging!

Teabag Art Cards

I continue on in my need to get creations made to sell at the two sales I am attending in November. I enjoy creating.... good thing, as everything I make seems to take longer than expected. These teabag art cards are no exception.
Although I do drink tea, I have friends that save there teabags for me that I use in making these cards. Each card uses 2 teabags, which I add pressed flowers, leaves, and bits of material too.

I made cards in a variety of colours - with a variety of flowers, petals and leaves.

Each card took about 20 minutes to make, and I have made about 60 cards. I have decided that that will be enough, as although I enjoyed making them, I wouldn't enjoy it if I were to make more.

The decorated tea bags, wrap around to the back of the card, and are only glued along the fold, and a little bit on both sides of the fold.

Now, I just have to package them up, and they will be ready for the sale.

I wonder what I will work on next...

2 More Pocket Books

My creative time has been spent building these 2 books.

Because they are bursting with bits and pieces they don't close unless they are tied up with the attached sewn "ribbon".

There are many different size pages - and different type of pages in each book

With interesting bits attached with clips and pins

The pocket at both the front and the back of each book, are chock full of bits and pieces - for further decorating, writings/drawings just waiting to be added to this fun book.

Another Book.....

A few days ago when I was cleaning the studio, I came across a bag of assorted bits and pieces of paper, and I decided to make a book - much more fun than cleaning!

The inside covers have pockets that I have filled with an assortment of handmade paper, clips, tags, decorated paper and plain paper that can be added to the book.

Assorted sizes of pages can be written directly onto, or bits of blank paper can be adhered and written/drawn on. I am working on a couple more books, but don't seem to have much creative time these days.

And ..... one more photograph to post that I took a few days ago.

Earrings and a Photo Shoot

Two days ago I spent a full day soldering little bits of things ready to make jewellery. I enjoyed the day, but don't have much to show for it yet, as most of the jewellery is still in the making stages, and aren't too interesting to look at. At the end of the day, I had the desire to finish at least one thing, and I choose to finish this one pair of earrings.....

I soldered a piece of brass and then soldered a lovely little bird made of brass on top of that - blackened it to add depth, cleaned the whole thing up, drilled the holes, added some chain, made the ear wires out of silver wire, and voila - one completed pair of earrings at the end of the day.

Early yesterday morning the light on the mountains was beautiful, so I grabbed my camera and went for a walk.

I managed to take a few pictures of the mountains, before the light changed......

and on my walk home I discovered the light had shifted, making lovely colours in bits of fall grasses.

Following the Whispers

I finally finished some cards I started a couple of weeks ago. I blogged about the cards here, but I wasn't really happy with the way they turned out, so ripped them apart and started again.

Whispers kept telling me - blue, add some blue. But my logical voice kept questioning - blue, you don't usually use blue- and rejecting the advice from the whisperer. Yesterday I finally listened to the whisper and added some touches of blue

and finally felt like the cards were coming together. I found some lovely brown crinkly paper to mount the art bits on, and smiled at the outcome.

For a few cards, I tore up bits and pieces of paper, added some fabric, and sewed them onto cardstock. Each of the art bits were then sewn onto the front of the cards.

Inside each card I sewed a piece of cardstock decorated with matching bits of paper and material.

Now that I followed the whisper that had been happening since I made the original cards I
feel like this project is completed as it was supposed to be. Next time I hear a whisper, I hope I follow it more quickly.

Another lesson learned.

Joy and Disapointment

I loved making this little book, and when I look at it today it brings me joy.

I enjoyed filling it with a variety of decorated pages that I painted, or stamped on, or sewed bits and pieces on, or drew on. Every page was fun.

I also loved the way it turned out - using old pieces of paper and making them new and beautiful again. The book feels very nice in my hand - and like so many things I create, it contains a bit of my heart

I made this book to submit it to a magazine that was holding a challenge. My hope was that it would be chosen to be showcased in the magazine.

But it wasn't......

..... and I was very disapointed.

But, now as time has gone by I once more find much joy in this little book. I have put it in with the collection of books I have for sale, but I have not decided whether I will sell it

or keep it for myself.

I find that it once again brings me much joy.