What happens when...summer ends and the school semester begins anew

I’ve had fun this past week, getting back into my craft room, creating and posting on my blog.

I am happy to see that as the week progressed, the layers of dormancy fell away and my creativity and craftsmanship improved: I like the last of the three “Making a Scene” cards but not the first two.

My last post before this past week was three months ago, on May 15, when the Spring Semester ended and I “thought” I would have the summer to craft—craft—craft!

Instead, I enrolled in this amazing summer Color Foundation art class, which was totally and completely time consuming and intense but which I totally and absolutely loved and cried like a baby when it ended. (The Bristol board belt shown in an earlier post was conceived in that class.)

Then in July my husband had a three week teaching gig in Alaska, to which, of course, we accompanied him.  

Later in the month we headed down to NM for a lovely week in old Santa Fe.

So I can’t really complain—too much—about not having time to craft.

Besides, I had read an article in Cloth, Paper, Scissors, which inspired me to try my hand at creating my first art travel journal before leaving for Alaska.

I had fun embellishing and adding to my journal during our travels. 

Part of a page I embellished while in Santa Fe

Alas, the Fall Semester begins anew this next Monday.

I am taking 11 credit hours and begin the long and arduous process toward writing my Master’s thesis.

I (think), however, that I have settled on a topic/question that is near and dear to my heart and I am hopeful that I may be able to turn it into a thesis paper.

We shall see…

In the meantime, my hope is to return to crafting and blogging at least once a week, if not more, during the upcoming semester.

Knowing me, my studies will consume all my free time, energy and focus and alas, my crafting will lie dormant, yet again.

I hope not, as my craft room and blogging are my respite—nay, my sanity! 

One last Making a Scene

One last submission to the HA's "Making a Scene" challenge.  This card, however, also fits with the critter challenge and today's blog post using pattern paper.

Instead of using paper, however, I used two different fabric swatches.   

I decided to add a little something extra to the initial creation. 

I like the additions.

Making a Scene Redux

Decided to give the HA “Making a Scene” challenge another try using fabric and stamps.

The background is two swatches of fabric from the local quilt shops.

All stamps are by HA (clear design stamps “Birthday Message” and “Thinking of you,” “Windy Tree”, “Bird in A Cage” and “Graphic Squares” for the window).

Now it’s time to get back to text book reading for my first classes next week.

Faux leather works…

In early May, I had the exquisite pleasure of taking my second art class since returning to university as a grad student three semesters ago.

Art classes don't fit into the scope of my master's program, but I try and fit them in as time allows. 

So I was thrilled when I could take a color foundation class this first summer session.

I loved every minute of it—despite the intensity and hard work.

There was one project I was particularly pleased with—a faux leather belt I designed and created from painted Bristol board.

We had to pick colors from a natural object to create a manufactured product.

I chose this beautiful stone/pendant, a gift from my husband.

I so love everything western and thought…why not a belt?

The entire project took days to complete.

First I had to create a color inventory from my stone and then decide which colors to use...

I then mixed paint upon paint to match those colors.

 

 

Finally I applied four coats of paint to each strip of Bristol board, of which there were three.

The hardest part was deciding how to pull it all together.

While I had this wonderful visual image of my creation in my head, getting it to actually turn out, and hold together long enough through the class critique, was another matter.

But then I hit upon the wonderful idea of embossing each piece through my cuttlebug, which worked beautifully.

My professor loved it, as did several of my classmates, and I was awarded my coveted “A”!

I would love to create more belts using both painted, and embossed, Bristol board and fabrics.

Even more, I would love to continue to take additional art classes.

Alas, there's no time this semester, but maybe in the next one.

Making a Scene...

I love pairing paper and fabric, so when I found some scooter motif fabric at one of our local quilting shops, I couldn't wait to play.

The scooters remind me of Europe, so I decided to pair it with the HA Paris (Cl325) clear stamp set for this month's  HA challenge, “Making a scene.”

The balloons and greeting are from a HA’s Birthday Message (CL139) clear set and the swatch of fabric in the foreground is from a fat quarter I found in a Denali fabric shop this past July.

We traveled a lot this summer, so I haven’t been able to craft much. 

Three weeks in Alaska and one in Santa Fe, so I can’t complain too much!

Before heading on the road, and to keep the crafting blues away, I had fun creating a travel journal, which I added to during our trips.  What fun! 

Summer, for me, ends next week as another semester begins anew and the beginning, of the beginning, of pulling my master’s thesis together.  

Hopefully I'll still be able to manage to get some much needed crafting in.

 

Thanks for stopping by…

Holiday Cookie Exchange Invite: Because winter has not yet left our neck of the woods...

Note:  This is for PTI's Make it Monday Selective Inking Challenge.

It may seem strange to create a holiday cookie exchange card during the middle of May, but it still feels like winter here in Wyoming.

We had snow this past week—nothing that stuck to the roads or sidewalks, but it did leave us with white yards and roofs.

So—I decided: Why not have a cookie exchange to go along with the weather!

The Holiday Button Bits is a great set to craft an enticing invite using the gingerbread stamp. 

I stamped “cookie exchange party” three times, stamping each word onto a McGill File tab die cut and realized it looks like an "index" recipe card...

 The inside invite was typed on my laptop and printed on cardstock...

 It’s been months since I’ve crafted so what a nice way to ease back in…

Boots aren't just made for walking...

It’s hard to believe it’s been over a year since my last post.

Wow—I really have been out of the loop.

I’m just starting to revisit my favorite sites and I’m beginning to feel like Brendan Fraser in “Blast from the Past”—totally oblivious to what new techniques and materials are out there.

Like Brendan’s character, I’m living (creating) in the past.

Oh well…there’s plenty of time to catch up.

In the meanwhile, I went to work this afternoon using one of my favorite techniques—fabric motifs. 

The boot is cut from some western themed fabric and the stamps from a Hero Arts “Paris” collection I got a while back but never got around to using.

Out here in the great state of Wyoming, people stick flowers in boots—dried flowers in real boots and real flowers in ceramic boots. 

It’s a look I love and thought I’d try to recreate on a birthday themed card.

  

Hmm—I just realized that I would love to receive a bouquet of flowers in a nice new pair of boots for my next birthday. 

Maybe I need to drop some hints!

Am I back? I hope so!

Dear Blog-o

It’s been a long time since I’ve stopped by to visit and play—too long, in fact.

My excuse: Having to relearn how to be a student all over again, after a hiatus of more than three decades. 

It's a learning process.

What takes my young classmates a few hours to accomplish takes me a day—or days—to complete.

But now that the grueling semester is over, I can make time to play and create.

At least I hope so.

I begin a four week art class on campus tomorrow.

It’s just a basic color foundation class.

I took the first of three basic classes two semesters ago and absolutely loved it!

Hopefully I can apply what I learn to my craft...

And hopefully I can craft what I learn...

HA - Cuter in real life...

Had this idea in my head all week long, but only just got to execute it this evening.

It didn’t come out how I envisioned and it really does looks better in real life.

It’s a Mother’s Day card/gift, with a note attached to the back, to say thanks for being such a great mom.

I don’t have many Hero Arts Stamps, so I have to work with what I have.

I stamped the image on heavy muslin, outlined it with a copic marker and embroidery thread and then attached it to a canvas I had painted/washed with acrylic paint.

Thanks for looking…

Sweet Sixteen, and all that...

I wasn’t sure where I was going when I first started working on this tag/card, but somewhere along the line it turned into a birthday card.

I think I’ll add “Sweet Sixteen” somewhere.

The charm is too big, but it turned into a little “gift” tag (or card) for that sweet special someone.

The lace was an afterthought (and I see from the photo that it is way too white), but I wanted to give her a bit of a younger look.

The heart and the gold filigree are actually from this wonderful wrapping paper and the fabric is from some samples I purchased at a “going out of business” sale.

The young lady is from a 1975 Needleworks magazine (and I hope it’s okay to use!)

Thanks for stopping by…

Hero Arts Spring Challenge

No, this isn’t a spring color combo…

but it is bright and cheery, which is something we need in our neck of the woods today since we’ve had snow, ice and wind the past two days.

I used the Happy Hello clear stamp set (Cl231).

Since I have yet to venture into the world of “Copic-ing,” I decided instead to use some Prima Daisy Doodles to add color.

Happy Spring everyone…

I love the concept of the wood tags and cards, so I think I'm going to stick with them for a while.

I'm not happy with this one and would love to re-work it.

Problem is, it's covered with decoupage sealer.

At least I didn't use my original...

Caardvarks Challenge

Ditto for this photo...

Again, sorry to be reposting this photo from yesterday's "Frontier Lace" series, but I just went to visit the Caarvark's site and saw their current challenge, and well...I just couldn't resist.

Again, don't know if this tag qualifies...

Caardvarks Challenge...

Sorry to be reposting this photo from yesterday's posting of my "Frontier Lace" series, but I just went to visit the Caarvark's site and saw their current challenge, and well...I just couldn't resist.

Don't know if this tag qualifies...

What fun!

Thanks, Caardvarks!

Forgot one...

Frontier Lace

It took me a bit longer to get around to it, but I finally got the craft room cleaned up.

It took me all day Thursday and on Friday,  I stared crafting again...my first time in months.

I call them Frontier Lace…

I used this fabric, which I  love.

I hope this is just the beginning...

Something this way is coming…

I can’t believe it’s almost been a month since I last posted.

School just took over my life.

It’s gotten better, though, and Spring Break starts this Friday…yea!

So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll do some crafting.

I STILL have to get that craft room cleaned up.

Now, the only times I go in there is to get something I need for other, non-craft stuff.

But see these...

Something is a coming.

I figure, if I put myself out here, in a public sort of way, then I WILL have to do something.

Hope to be back nest week…

See this mess...

Another reason I haven’t gotten around to crafting…

I’m embarrassed to admit it, it but this is what my little craft room has looked like since the beginning of the New Year.

I have a little reprieve from class work this week and hoping to get in there and clean it up.

I’m just itching to start crafting again.  It’s been way too long, which is why I spent a little time last evening drawing this in paint... 

I have Valentine’s Day on the brain.

Life Happens…

And sometimes gets in the way.

Life is what’s happened to me since starting this blog.

But it’s all good.

Started classes at the University this semester and since then, my time has no longer been my own.

I won’t go into the boring details of just how many waking hours I spend on class-work...

Suffice it to say that I’m hoping the (how to) study habits will kick in again and I won’t have to continue spending all my waking hours on class work so that I can get back to some crafting.

I'm starting to experience withdrawal...

Fabric + Origami = Boxes

I love making origami boxes.

I also love working with fabric.

Thus, Fabric Origami boxes....

I’ve seen the pattern a few times on the internet but I really like this tutorial by Nicole Heady of Inspired/Papertrey Ink (formerly “Capture the Moment”).

I have more fabrics...just haven't had the time to turn them into boxes.

Hopefully, soon though...