So many to-do's so little time

I have had to make a to-do list. I hate to-do lists. Makes me feel more overwelmed to look at said to-do list. Did I mention that I hate to-do lists?

So here is what's on the bad boy:

Mail nomination letters to Auxiliary members
Put backing on baby quilt
Make birthday cards for sister-in-laws (before I have to make a belated one)
Put my Stampin Up stamps on Ebay to get rid of....sell I mean
Finish Memorial Day program and send to print (before Memorial Day)
Get some exercise in this week you lazy ........
Grocery store. (the place that has food in it making it possible to eat)
Go to Lowes to get herbs (so that if I never get to the grocery store we can at least eat basil)
Get something to wear for Memorial Day services (so that this year when I see myself on tv and gasp at how much heavier you look on camera I will at least like the shirt I am wearing)

Somewhere on this should be 'buy case of wine' but I think we all know that is just a give in.

Well look who's back

I know, I know, I don't keep my posts up to date lately. You don't have to yell at me. Oh what you weren't yelling? You haven't even looked lately? FINE. My only excuse is work, work, work!

A few things that went on this week... I received another order of Copic pens. Oozak sent out an email that the prices are going up soon. The link is to the right of this post and you have to order from them before the price goes up. Oozak is the least expensive place I know of to get Copics. The customer service is outstanding and you get your order in 2 days!

I am starting to make some (simple) backpacks for Operation Military Kids. Simple because I have to make a lot of them. The backpacks go to kids who's parents are serving in the military. They will be filled with coloring books, crayons, stickers, gift certificates etc. I plan on machine embroidering My Mom/Dad is a HERO on the front. Have to get working on the design.

I received a Birthday Card Shower invitation for a childhood friend and neighbor a few weeks ago and really wanted to make her a card. I of course had to go to Mo's Digital Pencil Shop http://digitalpenciltoo.com/ and bought Mummu. I tend to keep my cards pretty simple because I want the work to stand out. And I don't want to pay $2.00 to mail a card!



Her mother is the one who taught me to sew when I was just 10 years old. She was starting a 4-H group and now that I think about it I don't remember having a say in if I wanted to join or not. I think Mrs. Munsey just said I will and I did! That is how she taught me to sew too...you will and I did! And every time I sew something today I thank her for that.

Happy Birthday Suzanne. Hope you have a wonderful birthday and enjoy your card.

Thinking

So I got to thinking lately. If I am so busy that I don't have time to make anything then what exactly is it that is getting me through the days. What is making me happy. Short list but here it is....

1. My husband. He is a constant source of strength to me. Although he said I need to give up Scrapbooking so I can get more done so he loses a point or 2 there.
2. My cat Handsome. Silly to say a cat makes you happy? I don't think so. He makes me laugh and talk in baby talk. How bad can that be?
3. Stash chai tea. Sorry but this tea has to make the list. One glass of iced chai each morning with 2% milk and splenda and I am a happy girl.
4. Cooking. Who knew! I love to find new recipes. I may not always get to make them but I feel like I am The Barefoot Contessa sometimes.
Except I do not own 50 shirts all the same but in different colors. Oh hell who am I kidding...I do have quite a collection of white t-shirts.
5. Breathing....yes breathing makes me happy it can make the list! I am not talking about a stuffed up nose. No I am talking about living, breathing. Have you ever paid attention to your breathing or your body? Since I started taking yoga I do. It is amazing when you are feeling stressed to put your feet flat on the floor, center yourself and take a deep breath. You feel grounded.

So there we have it. Short list but all I have right now and the way my life is going these days I am lucky I can come up with 5 things.

What makes you happy? Have you made a list lately?

Nothing....I have nothing

I am so overwhelmed with life and work that I have not been able to sit down and create anything! I move from project to project trying to find that "feeling" and nothing.

When I sit at my desk I have a rainbow of Copic markers calling my name. If I turn to the right my sewing machines are starting to feel neglected and covered in dust. To the left is my work counter. Covered in unfinished projects and ideas. I even have a basket with unfinished quilts in it. Apparently I want to see how many can NOT be finished by the time I leave this earth. So far I am winning.

I used to think that being talented was a gift. The ability to make or do anything was so great(except I can't play the piano and that still pisses me off). But sometimes you get out of control with projects or ideas and it is like being a kid who says he isn't tired but you find him slumped over on the floor sound asleep.

I sometimes think I should find one thing and just do that. But what fun would that be? A factoid....I make quilts and I do not hang them on the wall or put them on my beds. I am not a quilt person. Although I do make mostly contemporary ones...they are still just a bit country looking for me. So what good is that craft you ask? Quilting is a skill and it must be conquered!!!!!! And the precision of it is right up my ally. Scrapbooking? Haven't figured this one out yet. I have no kids to scrapbook, just a cat and a husband...oh sure throw in the nieces and nephews and maybe the grand kids (figure it out on your own!)but why do I do it? Who is going to want to read my story when I am gone?

I could go on but I am already overwhelmed and would collapse in a heap if I totalled it all up so lets just let it be shall we.

I will focus again someday I know I will. Just trying to ride this tide of creative overloadness (yes I made up that word).

Artsy Fartsy

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. —Pablo Picasso

I pay so little attention to my artwork these days. I concentrate more on my obsession with Copic markers, sewing, paper crafts and scrapbooking. I do a painting and file it away. It never gets hung on the wall. Drawing and painting was my first love. I was accepted to a college of art in Boston...sadly I decided not to go...who lets a 17 year old make their own decisions?

When did I stop creating art? Or did I stop? Is not my card making and scrapbooking a form of art? It is but it's not the same and anyone who does draw or paint knows the difference. I have a feeling I don't do it as much as I used to because of the creative process. I am not very good at coming up with an idea from scratch. That is probably why scrapbooking is so easy for me. I see a page idea and I copy it, maybe with different paper but the idea is the same. To truely create a painting you have to come up with the vision, draw it then color it in. How hard is that? Very...at least for me.

Oh well, in the spirit of art here are some of the mixed media paintings I did in Claudine Hellmuth's class last year. It felt good to have a brush in my hands again.



I think a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts may just be the ticket.

What's for dinner?

In answer to that vexing eternal question I created a blackboard menu board for my fridge using my Silhouette. This machine is amazing! Don't get me wrong sometimes it is a bit difficult and will not behave but when it runs it RUNS!

Take a look. I also am posting the video of how I created this bad boy. (and yes I know the word Menu is not straight...fixing it after work today so there)



And here is how I made it:



So now all I have to do is come up with meals to actually WRITE on the board.

I steal things

I have to confess...I am a total thief! I have a hard time coming up with my own ideas but if I see something someone else made I am damn good at copying it. So it went today. I saw this vintage button card on www.papertreyink.com. I knew I had to have it. However I did not want to spend the money for the die and the stamp set. So I set out in my Silhouette software. Now as this is a complete and utter theft I cannot sell these babies. But I am OK with that. The challenge of making them was worth it.





I found the vintage graphic at www.papercraftkits.com.

Open the image in Silhouette along with the cut file, size them up, print and cut. The buttons were made by cutting 4 of the same from pattern paper then glued the layers together. I then sewed them onto the card with embroidery floss.

This would make a cute card if I had another crafty friend! Any crafty friends of mine want a card? Anyone? *tap..tap...this thing on?*