Spring in my step, whistle on my lips

I caught a little spring fever in the middle of a snowstorm and my symptoms included mild levels of creativity, the urge to experiment, and severe longing for the soft colors of plastic easter eggs.  I started feeling much better after replenishing my shop with the results: 

 

 I love surprises, so when I was informed that I'd been included in my FIRST etsy treasury, I was stoked! An airy, nature-loving collection by rjdesignhut. Things like this keep my confidence afloat, and in a sea of beauty over there, sometimes I need a life-jacket. You know?

A long &happy life

One black Kindle sat in my shopping cart on Amazon for four stomach churning days before I mustered the courage to process the order, and I did it all for him -- whom I love -- and if any material gift has ever proven that fact in all of our ten years together, it was this one.  

I truly fear for the life of libraries. Books will eventually be abandoned and their stories taken, their words changed to suit opinions. Libraries, that were once houses for thousands and thousands of words, will be lost buildings in the middle of bustling cities that were once small towns. You don't believe it, but it's already happening.

A book that I had heard of, and then discovered a few years ago in college. It was hanging out in the sale bin at the library (I loved that sale bin, and that library!) and the dime I fished out of my wallet for it was the best ten cents anyone has ever spent:

                                            The Lovely Bones: Alice Sebold

Technology cranking out gadgets, one right after the other, only saddens me. I miss the kind of change that was gradual &natural. The kind we never had the chance to hate because its passing was gentle, slowly churning the world into what it was. 

And now we have plastic, and I can't bring myself to welcome it. But what do I know? I still have VHS tapes floating around.

Take the pledge: Read the Printed Word 

Unbuttoned

Shoe boxes, rusted cookie tins, and glass jars - from what I've seen, these seem to have been the preferred time capsules that our mothers (and their mothers, and their mothers) fancied to hold their sewing supplies. Especially their button collections! I remember my mother peddling away on her loud, whirring machine while I sneaked away with her round tin full of these tiny, wonderful, colorful things. After dumping them out into a heaping mound in the middle of the living room floor, I'd rake my fingers through them, claiming my favorites.

My fiance presented me with a red shoebox soon after his grandmother (love her heart) reluctantly settled in a nursing home last year. He &his family took on the daunting task of cleaning out her empty, lonesome house and he rescued some of her belongings for me to keep. Needless to say, I teared up when I opened the box and discovered her button collection! I found decorative homes for them in jars and let them liven up the kitchen window sill with nostalgia for awhile, until I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.

Opening a bottle of Mod Podge and grabbing an old magazine from the bookshelf is really all it takes to keep me busy. I used a large greeting card sized piece of cardboard to mount this collage on, which also gives it a little dimension. Pizza box lids are the perfect weight for little projects like these and are easy to store once you've cut them into squares. I tuck mine in the back of books to keep their shape &if you're a lover of ACEO cards, cardboard makes a great sturdy backing!

 

Snowbody but you

I vote that they change the first day of the week to Tuesday, since Monday is legendary for announcing itself like an obnoxious, destructive child making one very aware that he's arrived for his weekly visit. He pulls your hair, pinches your fat, and usually leaves a mysteriously sticky mess behind. Sometimes, just remembering to do this is more difficult than it seems:

Eleven days into the new year and following my steps-to-reinvention (my fancy way of saying "resolutions") has been like walking a tight rope. The most important step, the one that I have to constantly remind myself to do, is the very first one:  Do what you think you can't.   I struggle with this, partly because I'm frightened at what I really can accomplish! Its almost revolutionary, once you realize that you're the only one standing in your own way.


With that said, I'm excited to say that I have some new fancies in the works for the shop! I'm up to my knees in jewelry projects and clay experiments, but after January, I've decided to take a little break from it. I've been itching to paint/draw and incorporate my graphic art into prints, greeting cards, and collages. Expanding the sections in my shop is something I need to focus on, and my second step to reinvention will hopefully help me do just that:  Get organized. No seriously, get organized!

SNEAK PEEK:

I prefer cloudy days to sunshine and thus, weather inspiration! I like the simplicity, but I can't help but feel like its missing something. Hmm...

Speaking of weather, I hope the clouds above you (wherever you are) aren't spitting snow like the ones above Cleveland. When the world is bright white with winter, I walk through it with my head down. Not because I don't think its beautiful, I just prefer my snow shoes instead:

Our souls are fed with needle &thread

Often, I find myself overwhelmed by the amount of creative things I want to learn or do. I have lists of ideas, half-finished projects, and drawers busting at their seems with beads, buttons, ribbon, and glue. I could never limit myself to one art media, even if I wanted to. One thing that I've yet to tackle is:   SEWING! 

The Christmas before my mother passed away in 2006, Santa brought me a Singer -- the same brand she'd used for years and years. I can honestly say that its the most cherished gift I have ever received, though it's taken me this long to lay a finger on it. She never got the chance to teach me everything she knew about needle &thread, and until recently, I couldn't bare to open the box and face the fear of doing it alone.


I've been hopping around the online sewing world for some inspiration on where to start (I'm slightly obsessed with fabric and can roam the wonderland of Joann's for hours, so don't worry, I'm covered there!) When all of the sudden, I stumbled over my own two feet and fell face first into a big pile of LOVE:
 

 One of many fantabulous ideas over @ Quilted Cupcake!

I had to wipe the drool off my chin after spotting this beauty. Of course, I would be inspired by prettying-up the machine itself, rather than an actual sewing project. It only makes sense (:
 
 

A second time for everything.

The first day of a fresh, new year and I'm celebrating it by finally starting my blog dedicated to art, design, crafts, and inspiration. I'd be lying if I said I was a complete newbie to the blog world -- I just haven't exercised my fingers like this since the Livejournal era, before man rocketed social networking to the moon and back. Remember that? There were dinosaurs, tumbleweeds and everything.


So, here I am -- an interior design/art school graduate whose imagination cranks out handmade fancies (right over here).  Graphic design and prettying things up are also on my ever-growing hobby list. I personally make all of my logos and such. I'm a huge fan of pretty paper, creative writing, and the color yellow. However, the color yellow will probably change tomorrow.


My fiance and I currently reside in Cleveland, Ohio.
I've been clicking my heels three times for Kentucky, though.


Shall we be friends? (: