Alas, poor Valentine's Day is gone...

for another year. This is my Valentine Cookie Tree for hubby which he loved. It has little pink and red hearts in the cookies and I hung them with red and white Baker's Twine on a few Forsythia branches that I absconded with. I sandwiched two together with a bit of icing so the hearts would be nice on each side, plus the icing is yummy. I did a bit of recycling too. The tin is from a giant can of pizza sauce that I covered in repurposed corrugated cardboard paper then decorated with hearts on all sides. He loved it!


Here is the card I made for him with more of the same corrugated paper. This photography thing is REALLY getting to me! *stomping foot* Someday I hope to take a picture that I am totally satisfied with. Anyhow...it's all glittery on the edges of the big heart, the fish and edges of the word pieces. What matters most is he was very pleased with it since it looked much better in person than it does in my photo.

Now it's time to start thinking about bunnies, birdies and beautiful colored eggs! Easter comes late this year on April 26 so there is plenty of time. I am soooooo ready for Spring 2011!!! I'm off to dream of an early visit from Peter Rabbit. See y'all later! Ren

I did it again...

I let this blog slide right on down the hill and out the back door!! Is anyone out there as inconsistent as me? Not just inconsistent, but a major procrastinator in all areas of my life! I've been saying for ever so long that I'm gonna organize my craft studio. Have I done it? NO-OT! I am trying though but I just can't seem to part with ANYTHING. You did see that my ID is foreverpackrat! That's me! At least I've straightened up a bit and here's a few photos to prove it. I'm actually beginning to organize my paper but I still have a bunch of stashes all over the room. This is where it will all be housed eventually...I think.

*hanging head in shame* The rest isn't very organized. Oh, I just love that old wood tool box. My hubby is a Tool and Die maker and this was a box he used many, many years ago at the beginning of his career. It now holds glitter, pens, embossing powder, tools and miscellaneous things.

Ummmm...the only reason this looks organized is because I moved all the stuff across the room to the paper area. Notice the clear plastic shelves are empty. They can be a real pain to use with the little lip at the front of each shelf. Also, notice the exercise bike I don't use. I WANT to use it but, once again, I procrastinate and it collects dust.

This is right behind my chair and is a disaster! I come close to tripping every single time I get up! That is just one of four similar baskets of lace scraps that I love. A lot of them are vintage. There is a stack of plastic baby food containers with lids that I thought would make great storage containers. I don't know what for, but they will be great.

And...ta dah...my desk. I have been trying to clean up after I make something but, once again, procrastination at it finest!

I don't know how, but amongst all this bedlam I actually did some creating. Here is a Christmas gift box that I repurposed for Valentines Day. Don't know what I'm gonna do with it but it's actually finished.

Here's a tag that I think I'm gonna use on a Bridal Shower gift for my niece soon.

Here's a Valentine tag that I have absolutely no idea where to use. Obviously can't use it on a gift for hubby...too girley for him. *smirk*

Well, since I wore myself out fessing up, I guess I'm gonna head off to bed. It's actually 2:30 AM and I'm tired. Since I don't want to face plant on my keyboard, I'm outta here for the night! Nytol! Ren

FINALLY!!

I finally finished a few journals! Everything seems to be taking me forever now for some reason and I hate it, but at least I'm back to doing art stuff again. You should see my studio though. I'm embarrassed to post photos of it but I guess I really should. I had some help moving a couple things around tonight to give myself a bit more room to organize. Ainyhow, here are a few of the completed journals.

This is how they all are finished inside.

I know I posted a photo of this one already but this is a better shot.
You still can't see the glitter but it really is there.

I think this is my favorite. The cover is fabric from a drapery sample book.

This one is vintage wallpaper with all kinds of goodies.


Another one with drapery fabric.

Now I just have to figure out where to list them...ebay or Etsy.

More for my nest!

Here is my latest thrift store find and I'm just tickled pink!!! I recently got a book about embellishments and it mentioned using a typewriter on vintage page margins and since I love vintage looking stuff, I had to have one! I've used the computer up until now but I waste quite a bit of paper, plus I have to ink and age it for it to look old. Why not just start with old paper and be done with it. I spotted this little cutie and only had to pay $4.99! Yep, that's right! I couldn't believe the price. It also helps that I LOVE the color and size and portability. I was even able to get a new ribbon on line...with correction tape on it. LOL Cool beans!!

I'm sitting here grinning like an idiot! Guess I'll go play with my new toy. And it doesn't even need electric!

Journals, journals and more journals...

I'm doing what I said!! I actually got my tush upstairs and worked on some journals! How often do I say I'm gonna do something and then just procrastinate??? Of course, I AM the Grand Poobah of Procrastinators Anonymous so what do you expect? Anyhow, here's what I accomplished. This first one has German glass glitter that you really can't see on all the pink areas. The ribbons on the right are to tie it closed with a pretty bow. The photo is kind of washed out but that is due to my poor photographic abilities.

This is my stack of waiting journals. I am finding it hard reconciling the fact that they are for sale and they're not even finished yet. I love the paper and how it feels in my hands and, when that happens, I find it hard to part with things. Do any of you have that problem? I really don't even keep a journal but I love the books.

The one on top here is my favorite.

Well, off now to accomplish more while I prowl the area for more vintage wallpaper. Poor man at our local wallpaper store just can't understand the run on people wanting his old sample books. He can't keep them in the store! I was promised a phone call when he has any so there is hope.

This is Lexi, my granddaughter. She's a hard player! When she's done, she just drops to the floor and goes to sleep. That is her pit bull friend, Sarge...we call them the dynanic duo because they are always together. So many people say pit bulls are mean but all you have to do is look in those golden eyes. They both had a great nap and were rejuvinated when they got up. In other words they took up where they left off in their crazy cavorting.

This is what I used to do to Lexi when I tried to feed her. As long as she got her sweet potatoes, she was patient with me. Course she didn't have a clue what she looked like and even if she did, she wouldn't give a fig.

Maybe I should have let Sarge clean up her puss. He would have enjoyed every single lick of that little face.

I guess you can see it's been a loooooooong time since my last entry. Slight understatement! A lot has happened in my life since then. A few major things are that I had open heart surgery, I have a new granddaughter and another grandchild on the way VERY soon. I can't wait to meet #4! One of my sons is now living in Florida and another is living in a new house. And.......life goes on.

Since my surgery in February 2010, I haven't done much crafting and I sorely miss it! It's what kept me reasonably sane. I've gotten a lot of inspiration from a blog named "Creative Chaos" and I have been trekking up to my third floor "studio" to do some creating. I have been working on a stack of vintage wallpapered journals that I would like to sell before Christmas. I'll be posting some photos tomorrow. Right now they are works in progress but I'm loving it. If I can muster up enough ambition, I might actually list a couple in my empty and dusty Etsy shop that has never been used. Boy would that ever be an accomplishment!!!

Another thing I HAVE to work on is cleaning up and organizing my studio so I can work up there. It really is Packrat's Nest up there! Hubby got me a little fridge last year, Mom donated a small microwave, #2 son left a T.V. for me, there is a coffee maker and most importantly.....a 1/2 bath! What is my problem?! I'm afraid if I start going up there on a regular basis, I won't want to come downstairs to the real world. I desperately need more workspace and #3 son has volunteered to make a work table for me. My neighbor across the street (she's a major scrapbooker!) came up to take a gander and loved it mess and all. Only thing she said was to add a "big ass table" right in the middle of the room and get going. That's what I'm gonna do! I'll start with a 4' by 8' piece of MDF and go from there.

Well, I guess it's time to roll my tired bones to bed. I'm actually looking forward to getting moving in the AM. Hey wait...it already is the AM. 2:45 to be exact. Guess I need to rethink that. Oh well, I really am off to bed!