Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night sailed off in a wooden shoe. 
Sailed on a river of misty light into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going and what do you wish?"
the old moon asked the three.
We have come to fish for the herring fish
that live in this beautiful sea.
Nets of silver and gold have we
Said Wynken, Blynken and Nod.

Here's to daydreams, flights of fancy, and sweet imaginings of every kind...

Growing Things

I have a wonderful friend with a passion for growing things.  Her yard is a bounty of edible beauty.  Every time I see it, I'm envious of the space and the sunshine.  Something in short supply at my house!  Big trees in old neighborhoods come at a cost. 

My friend has been having some sad times the last week or so, and I wanted to make something special for her.

I hope that when my friend looks at this, she will always know that I'm thinking of her.

Enjoy the sunshine when it stops by, and remember the rain makes things grow!

Inspiration Avenue Challenge

Each week, Inspiration Avenue challenges artists of all flavors to create something around a particular theme.  This week's challenge was "wish".  I finally had a chance to play along.

What came to my mind was something from my childhood - the Disney family special that aired every Sunday evening at 7pm.  That lovely little song about wishing on a star.

Go out tonight and look at the sky,

and wish for what your heart desires,

You never know, it might come true.

Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

Once again I found myself stumped on cards for boys. This seems to be a common problem for my card-making colleagues everywhere.


Well, yet again the craft store bargain bin comes to the rescue. How cute is this little guy?


I've also been hoarding these cool little mosaic tiles.  They're rubber and shimmery.

All I had to add was some Rock Star paper and chip board.  And a little pastel gel pen.  Bam!  There you go.

I might even try the same theme for a rocker girrl card too.

Well, it's a long weekend, and as the lizard says "let's party!"  Have a great time with friends and family, or just chillin' with your own self :)

Simple Things

Every once in awhile, I feel inclined to try and make art that is simpler and cleaner.  Most times  I can't resist adding a bit more.  I envy people who can be minimalist in their designs.  Guess it's just the collage in me trying to get out!

These new stamps from Michelle's store made me want to try again to dial things back.

Aren't these stems great?  The flowers and leaves are different stamps so you can combine them however you like. 

The giant rick rack is hand-dyed.  I picked it up at a craft show last month and really love how the color is very subtly varied.

 I used the same colors on the next card.  The turquoise and brown look so nice.  It's one of my favorite combinations.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set, the image is StampinUp! dry embossing, and the trim I got from SCRAP.

This is about as minimalist as I'm comfortable with :)  I tried not putting the trim on, really I did!

Oh well, what girl can resist a little sparkle, right?

Hope you all have a "simply" wonderful evening.

Treasures from SCRAP

I'm so excited to have finally discovered a local treasure trove just a few blocks from our house.  I've long been meaning to check out a place called Scrap where people and business donate all sorts of odds and ends.  You and I can buy them for pennies!  And the inventory changes all the time, so you get to discover things every time you visit.  If you're an artist this place is heaven!

Check out what I got for $10:
Drapery fabric sample books for a buck each;
An entire Coke promo movie reel for 75 cents;
Beaded trim, photo slide frames; seed packets and a pair of pinking sheers for $5!

 If you live in Portland, you should definitely stop by Scrap if you get a chance.  You can find some really inspiring items and support a non-profit at the same time.

I'll be back with some things created with my new treasures.
Have a great Sunday!

Guys are Tough

And not necessarily in the macho sense of the word.  May and June bring an overabundance of occasions for guys in our family:  father's day, birthdays, etc.

It's so easy to make things for girls, you know?  All that ribbon, and those flowers.  Glittery things and pretty paper.

When it's time to make something for a guy, it eliminates about 90% of my supply stock, and severely tests my creativity.


But, Tim Holtz has become my hero once again.  Not only is he inspiring on a daily basis, but he's a guy - duh!  And he designs the most perfect things!  Currently, his Lost and Found paper pad and Salvage Stickers have come to my rescue.

 All three of these cards use some of his great materials.  And I just couldn't resist the Pop card - it was too obvious, wasn't it?

I'll be back tomorrow with a couple more things for the males in our midst.

Take care and enjoy the sunshine!