Still waiting . . .

While the snow lies in frozen mounds around the yard and along the streets in our village, I am still waiting for a genuinely warm spring day . . . the kind that warms you right to your bones. We haven't had that kind of day yet this spring. With sunny days, there has been melting, but not enough to make the snow disappear for good. The cold nights have lead to a layer of ice beneath the snow and trying to walk around in the yard is like walking on icebergs. The snow is glazed over and frozen solid and doesn't even give under the weight of my feet. I am usually not one to complain about the weather because there is really nothing that any of us can do about it; but this just seems to be the longest and coldest winter I have experienced in a long time, maybe ever.


On the brighter side, the cold weather has kept me inside where I have continued to experiment in my studio and sometimes in the kitchen; but much less in the kitchen! In fact, as I write this, my dear devoted husband is downstairs making supper. :-) I am a lucky girl. I can just sit here and write this post and wait for him to tell me it is time to eat!


Over the past several weeks, I have been enjoying projects that I have been working on as part of an online group I joined. I have always liked looking at mixed media pieces and I have made a few, but never in an ongoing fashion. The group I joined is Artful Evidence on Facebook. The group administrator, Rachel, posts a weekly challenge with a theme. The members of the group can make their art and then post photos in an album to share with the other members. I have discovered that this is a wonderful way for me to try different techniques and to use many of the art supplies I have on hand. Mixed media is not as exacting as some of the paper crafting I have done and I can get through a project much faster than when making a mini album, for instance. Plus, there is the feeling of gratification when I finish in one day, versus working for as long as a month to finish an album that has so many fussy little pieces and moving parts. The mixed media pieces also call on me to dig deep and search for my own creative ideas. I like that.


Below are some of the pieces I have made as challenges and a couple I made just because I felt the urge to create something in between challenges. They are all done on 140# watercolor paper. Click on the photos to enlarge them, if you'd like a closer look.

"Flowers"
6" x 6"
#ArtfulEvidence

"Butterflies"
6" x 6"
#ArtfulEvidence

"Coffee"
6" x 6"
#ArtfulEvidence

" . . . to be all that is possible . . . "
6" x 6"
Gift for a special 20 year old.

"Drips & Splatters"
6" x 6"
#ArtfulEvidence

"Just in time. You found my heart."
Gift for my supper-making husband.
♡

If you are interested in finding out more about the group, please visit Rachel's blog:  http://artfulevidence.blogspot.com/ or visit the Artful Evidence group on Facebook.


I hope you enjoyed seeing what I have been making. I guess my blog posts are turning into a little bit of talk and a lot of show and tell! Thanks for stopping by and spending some time reading my blog. As always, your questions and comments are welcome. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.


Emmy

What I'm Not

It occurred to me, as I waited for my most recent baking experiment to come out of the oven, that I always preface my comments about my baking efforts with, "I'm not really a baker, but . . . ".

Sticky buns just out of the oven!

And immediately on the heels of that thought came the realization that I do the same thing when it comes to my new interests in drawing, painting, and mixed media. "I'm not really an artist, but . . . ", I tell anyone to whom I show my "artwork". I even use quotation marks to emphasize what I am not; and if we happen to be talking face to face, I'll use air quotes to get my message across. But then, I realized how silly that may sound, since I do bake occasionally and I am doing some drawing, painting and mixed media from time to time.


My thoughts transported me back to my childhood and to memories of how my sister and I pretended we were in the jungle (actually the tall grass behind the corn crib) and hunted for scary black panthers (AKA our docile little black Cocker Spaniel); and how we pretended we were fancy ladies when we dressed up in our mother's old hats, scarves and dresses; or when we jumped off the hay loft performing acrobatic feats before landing in the piles of grain on the barn floor. We believed, if even for a short while, that we really were in the jungle hunting scary black panthers, and we really were fancy grownup ladies carrying big purses and huge bouquets of wildflowers, and we really were acrobats as we jumped off the dusty hay loft into the piles of grain full of grasshoppers and who knows what else! It was what we were, not what we weren't. If you observe children playing together, you will see how they pretend with such a strong belief in themselves. It is a way of trying on roles in a safe environment . . . in the world of play. At my age, which is decades beyond childhood, I seek that safe place where I can still play and believe in myself.


The Internet provides many things, and when used in a healthy way, it can be a place to connect with others, learn about the world, or even learn new skills. It is all there at our fingertips! We can learn about cooking, carpentry, quilting, gardening, and even art! So, it was the obvious step that I would turn to the Internet a few weeks ago when I decided I wanted to learn how to draw. With so many choices of blogs, tutorials, and videos available, the options were plentiful. Being that we were still in the cold grasp of winter of Western New York State, I chose to draw flowers. I looked at various images and then every morning, after my first cup of coffee, I sat down and drew pictures by referring to images on my tablet. I found it to be an enjoyable way to start my days. After a few weeks, I decided I'd like to take drawing classes. For once, I decided I would try to learn something new by getting instruction first, instead of winging it, and having to unlearn any bad habits I might develop on my own! I attended my first class last week at Art Ah La Carte. ( http://artahlacarte.net ) I believe I will like this new hobby, and plan to take classes every week!


Here are some of the pictures I drew late last month in the quiet first hours of the day. I chose small pieces of paper that would be a manageable size, 4.25" x 5.5" and could be kept in my Garden Journal / Mini Album. Read about my Garden Journal here: https://studioemmy.blogspot.com/2018/03/2018-garden-journal-mini-album.html  I used a pencil to draw the flowers and then colored them with colored pencils.

Of course, the first spring flower that came to mind was a tulip!

It will be a while, I am afraid, before we see crocuses.

The one flower that the deer and rabbits don't devour is a daffodil.

During a recent thaw, we saw snowdrops blooming in our back yard.

When I was a little girl, my mother had a Christmas Cactus that had been left in the house that she and my father set up housekeeping in after their wedding in 1948. It was a huge specimen plant and was probably over 50 years old at the time. She kept it alive and it kept growing and growing. By the 1970's, it had grown to be about 3 feet in diameter and my mother and father used to count the blossoms on it every winter. They numbered over 100. My sister still has a plant that came from the original.

I was running out of ideas of what to draw, so I asked my husband for a suggestion.
He loves Black-eyed Susans.

Daylilies are a good perennial to add to any yard or garden.
They are not fussy and will thrive in just about any soil.

March came in like a lion, but I didn't mind. We stayed home and watched the snow pile up.

It snowed and snowed and snowed on March 2nd.
While my husband and I watched movies, I drew this evergreen tree.

It snowed all day, so I kept on drawing!
The birch trees need branches, but I couldn't figure out how to draw them!

I decided to give perspective drawing a try.
I'd had enough snow for one day, so I colored the ground to look like green grass.

When I drew the photo above, I had not yet called to sign up for classes, but the first thing the instructor told me is she would start out with one point perspective. I am glad I had at least tried it ahead of time, so I knew what she was even referring to!

Is there something you want to learn, or that you are trying for the first time? If so, I'd love to hear from you. If you don't know where to begin, I'd like to suggest the Internet. It gave me the confidence to try. Being shut-in this winter after surgery has had its' challenges, but a perk has been having the time to pursue a few new interests. I look forward to spring; but in the meanwhile, you'll find me here with my pencil and sketchbook, learning to draw, and believing what I am . . . instead of what I am not.

It is my sincere wish that those you love are well and happy. As always, your comments are welcome here or on Facebook. I will read each one and respond. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy







14 Years!

Today is a special day at our house. We were married on March 20th, 2004. Paul, a widower, and myself, never married, started out on a journey that has taken us places and given us memories beyond our expectations. When we married, we said, if we have 5 years together, let's make them the best 5 years we can. When we passed the 5 year mark, we said, if we are lucky enough to have 10 years together, that will be wonderful. Now, as we celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary, and head toward 15 years of marriage, we thank God for each day he has blessed us and look forward to yet one more year as husband and wife.


Has every day been pleasant? No. Have there been some big challenges to overcome? Yes. Have there been special memories made together? Of course! Knowing that our marriage is ordained by God, gives us the confidence to move forward, falter, pick ourselves back up, succeed, and go out into the world together.


My husband never ceases to surprise me. He is a very generous and loving person who always puts me first. It has been hard to get used to, but I admit, it makes me feel very special. A true romantic, he plans special dates, romantic getaways and vacations. But, he also plans other outings that mean a lot to me as well, such as rather ordinary trips to the mall that is about 45 minutes away, just so I can have a better selection at the bigger craft stores. He's pretty smart because he knows that kind of thing leads straight to my crafty little heart.


If you follow my blog, you already know I am a crafter. But what you might not know is Paul has some craftiness, too! He has a computer program that he uses to make customized greeting cards, called Hallmark Connections, Greetings 2000. He says it takes quite a while to get everything formatted and printed, but when he gives me one his specially-made cards, it just melts my heart. Paul made this beautiful card for me and left it next to the coffee pot last night where he knew I would see it first thing this morning!

Paul included a very sweet sentiment inside the card.
By his own admission, he is a hopeless romantic.

I usually make a card for him on our anniversary, and I have been working on a different kind of card for him this year. I saw a segment on Hallmark Channel's Home and Family TV show one day and knew I just had to try to make a DIY project they featured. I ordered a few supplies, did some online research, and started working on it, often in the early hours of the morning when I would not be discovered. Since I wasn't able to go out shopping very much, due to my convalescence from surgery and because it was just too miserable out with all the snow and cold weather, I needed to be resourceful and use what I had on hand to make some of the tools that were required for the job. Over the past month or so, I did a bit of work on it here and there until yesterday when I was finally ready to assemble it ! I took a few process photos and will share them in a future post. But for now, I will post a photo of the finished "card." It is larger than the cards I usually make. This one is 24" x 18" and is framed to hang on the wall. You can find the instructions here: http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/home-and-family/how-to/diy-postcard-wall-art

We will hang our "postcard" in the dining room.

It is a beautiful March day. It is sunny and very cold. It was 18 degrees when I looked out the kitchen window at the thermometer this morning! There is still quite a lot of snow on the ground, but there are places where the sun has melted the snow and we can see patches of grass. It was wintry on our wedding day, but not as cold as this. We took a chance getting married in March in Western New York, but the weather cooperated and friends and family were able to attend. It was a very special day for us, and we love to remember it, but it was only the beginning. 14 years! We are blessed.


It is my sincere wish that you and those you love are well and happy. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.


Emmy

March Madness

Today's post includes a bit of of humor . . . at my own expense. I don't mind laughing at myself, especially when so many of my readers may be fans of one of the local college basketball teams that made its way to the coveted NCAA basketball tournament. St. Bonaventure University is a small private college located in Olean, New York, which is about two hours south of here. My two stepsons and one of my daughters in law went to St. Bonaventure, or "BONA", as they affectionately refer to it. It has been a long wait for the team to get back in the tournament. Their last season to participate was in 1970. Tonight they will go up against the Florida Gators in Dallas. To say my family and their college classmates and many others in the area are excited would be an understatement. There are many fans who have taken days off from work to hop on a plane and go to the game tonight. This is a biggie! The way the tournament works is there are 64 teams and with each game, there is a winner who continues on in the tournament. and as the play progresses, there are 32, 16, 8, and 4 teams, and then finally 2 teams that compete for the championship. There are many other terms, I am sure, for each portion of the journey, but that's how I understand it. Serious stuff.

But, now, back to my story. Afterall, this is my blog! I was never a follower of basketball. When I read the newspaper, the sports section was not even opened and went straight into the recycling bin, and when the 11 o'clock news finished the weather report, off the TV went. I had no interest in sports, except attending an occasional Super Bowl party; and that was mostly just for the food! So, back in the year 2002, when I met my sports-loving-husband-to-be and later, his two sports fanatical sons, I should have known my life was about to change. It wasn't an overnight change, but a gradual one. We started dating during football season and when I visited him on Sunday afternoons, I couldn't understand why he talked during the entire game on the phone with his sons. I laughed because they would critique every play, know who should have been doing what on the field, and yelling at the coaches, players and refs. It really was quite amusing. I watched the game and he made sure I benefited from his tutelage of all things football. Then came hockey. I was horrified at the way the players slammed each other against the boards and got into fights on the ice. I learned that is all part of the game and even expected by fans! Oh, and I forgot to mention, my family loves their Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. And guess what? Now, I do too. I think I even like hockey more than football! Go figure! In fact, during our married years, we have participated in a friends and family fantasy football league. No wagering, just fun, and a lot of learning! I learned to study depth charts, look at stats, maneuver my players around on my roster when they had a bye week, and so much more. It has been a lot of fun. For those readers who are unfamiliar with this, here is a link for you to read all about it  http://www.nfl.com/fantasyfootball/help/whatis  The upshot of all this exposure is that I have definitely changed!


When the time for the NCAA basketball tournament came around in 2003, the conversation took a new turn and there was all this talk about March Madness. I guess I may have heard the term in the past . . . probably during the auto dealers' commercials on TV! It really didn't mean a thing to me. During one of the conversations, my husband and his sons were talking about the big dance. They kept mentioning it like it was some really big deal. As the tournament got underway, and March Madness was being talked about everywhere and on the news, I started to pay more attention. I didn't have a lot of choice, since if I wanted to be part of the family, I needed to be informed to some degree; and I wanted to be part of the family and part of the enthusiastic fun they were having while discussing the teams and games. When it came down to the final game, Syracuse beat Kansas in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. There are surely some of my readers who are big Syracuse fans, too!


Finally, March Madness was over and I still had one question. I innocently turned to my husband and with all seriousness, I said to him, "So, after they're all tired out from playing a basketball game, now they need to get dressed up and go to a big dance?" My husband, then boyfriend, looked at me in disbelief and asked me, "What are you talking about?" With a straight face, I said, "They kept talking about the teams going to the big dance. I'm just wondering where it will be. Is it after the game?" Lovingly, but also with laughter, he explained to me that the term The Big Dance is the whole March Madness event. So, now when March rolls around, he kids me and tells me I need to get my ball gown out so I can go to the big dance!


Thanks for taking the time to read my blog post. For all the BONA fans out there, it is time to, as they say, "Unfurl the Brown and White!" Fun times! And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.


Emmy

2018 Garden Journal / Mini Album

I have had this little book finished for about a month, but I needed to get some good photos of it to post here on my blog. The task has been moving around on my TO DO list and I have finally finished! I started making it on the last day of 2017, and I have been using it for several weeks. I have removed the notes, lists, pictures, and other things I had tucked inside, but I am including everything else in the photos.


The purpose of this little book is to have a record of my gardening adventures for the year all in one place and in an orderly fashion. Last year was the first year for my perennial garden. It was a year of planning and planting . . . and learning about bugs, butterflies, rabbits, woodchucks, and deer, as well as the simple pleasures a garden can provide. I saw how fast things grew and changed and wanted to have a place to properly document those things this year. Last year I kept my records on a clipboard, but there were so many notes and receipts, that it couldn't hold them all! That's one of the reasons I made this little book. Plus, I wanted some of my many garden photos in a book where I could enjoy them, instead of hidden away on my computer's hard drive or in my phone's gallery; and I wanted to use some of the supplies in my stash! I hardly made a dent in my supplies with one little book, but it is a start. It has led me back into my studio where I have been spending time almost every day since then.

I had a master plan when we first planted the perennial garden.
As it turned out, some of my ideas changed and plants were put in other spots.
I kept all the receipts and labels from the plants on this clipboard so I could refer to them.
It is time to review them so I will know how to take care of the plants when they emerge this spring.

For the Garden Journal / Mini Album, I used Susan Winget Specialty papers, SW Meadow by DCWV, along with some embellishments that went with the line. I hate to admit how long they have been here on the shelf. They were among some of the earliest purchases I made when I started my paper crafting hobby in 2012. I found them all in the clearance section at the local JoAnn's. At the time, I wasn't aware of how little paper one needs from even just one pack of paper, no less two, to make a mini album. At the rate I am going, and with the amount of paper I have on hand, I need to live for a very long time to use up my stash. Lord, have mercy on my paper hoarding soul!


I am lucky when my husband crosses the threshold of my studio, because he doesn't try to give me unsolicited advice or lecture me about my paper stacks, which are all stored on shelves. He just looks around and says something like, "you sure have a lot of paper, Emmy." At those times, I think to myself . . . if you even knew how much there really is! When you start adding up the metals, ribbons, paints, stains, tools, dies and die cutting machines, embossing folders, and a couple of pieces of equipment that I wanted really badly, but have never used, it borders on a sickness! But, I'm pretty sure he already realizes that, and after he reads this post, it will just confirm it for him! I can make excuses all day long for why I have so much, but I do try to be easier on myself now than in the past, when I would regularly heap feelings of guilt on myself. A woman who once visited us suggested to me that if I enjoy having these things in my studio and they make me happy, I shouldn't be so hard on myself. So, I get them out from time to time and think about what I could make with them, and I do like them as much now as when I first brought them home. I just need to use them! My husband often points out to me that there are always new paper lines coming out that I will fall in love with, so I should make room for them by using what I have! He is right. It really is okay to cut the pretty papers! So, this is one small step in that direction. Hopefully, there will be more this year!


Below are photos of my 2018 Garden Journal / Mini Album, including the pages, the photo mats and the tags that are tucked inside. It was made entirely with things from my stash. The covers are constructed with chipboard and are covered with black cardstock. The book measures 5" x 7" and the spine is 3" wide. More detailed information appears under each photo. You can enlarge the photos by clicking on them, if you want a closer look.


The front cover ended up being just big enough for the title! I used chipboard letters that matched the paper.
I inked the edges of all the papers with Tim Holtz Dried Marigold Distress Ink and used a black Sharpie on the edges of the chipboard elements.

There are seven pocket pages in the book.
Each page measures 4 7/8" x  6 1/2".
I used 1 1/2" organza ribbon for the closure.

I used a Tim Holtz brad with a ring to attach the dangle charm to the spine.
The charms are a flower, a leaf, a round gear/sun, a crown and a glass rain drop.
I used a little specimen bottle to place some of the milkweed seeds and fluff that I saved from my garden last fall and attached it with a brown wire. The milkweed seeds are important to me because they attracted Monarch butterflies to the garden last summer. I used permanent black ink to stamp the numerals for the year on paper and matted it on black cardstock. It is a little hard to see, but I used three strips of 1" black velvet ribbon to attach the covers to the spine. 

Inside the front cover is a little booklet tucked under a chipboard element that I matted on black cardstock.
There are tags on the right, tucked behind another matted chipboard element.
I used a Tim Holtz "tiny attacher" stapler to attach the ribbons to the tags. It holds staples that are much smaller than the regular size found in an office stapler.
You can see the three velvet I used strips I used for the binding better in this photo.

The booklet on the left measures 3 1/2" x 5 1/4".
It has four pages and is blank inside.
It can be used for photos, memorabilia, or journaling.
The tags measure 2 1/2" x 5" and are blank on the back for journaling.
On the right is a photo mat booklet that is tucked in the pocket page.
It measures 4 1/4" x 5 3/4", and has design paper on the front and back where I can place photos.
The inside is blank for more photos or journaling.

Throughout the book, I used a stamp set for the months of the year and matted them on black cardstock.
Each month has its' own page.
January has a little pocket that holds three different sized little photo mats that are blank on the back.
February has a chipboard butterfly attached by a brad at the top, so it can swivel and the tags can be easily removed.

The three little photo mats and tags for January and February.

March has a "belly band" (a term used in paper crafting that always makes me giggle a little bit) that holds a photo mat.
There is enough space to tuck a couple of other little things behind the band, too.
Two tags are tucked behind a chipboard element on the April page.

Left to right: Photo mat booklet from the pocket page, the photo mat from behind the band, and two tags.

May and June pages are constructed in the same way as January and February.

Left to right: Photo mat booklet from the pocket page, three small photo mats, and two tags.

July and August pages are constructed the same way as March and April.

Left to right: Photo mat booklet from the pocket page, photo mat from behind the band, and two tags.

September and October pages are constructed the same way as January & February and May & June.

Left to right: Photo mat booklet from pocket page, three little photo mats, two tags.

November and December pages are constructed the same as March & April and July & August.

Left to right: Photo mat booklet from the pocket page, photo mat from the band, and two tags.

Inside the back cover: The same as inside the front cover, but opposite layout.
Two tags on the left and a little four-page booklet on the right.

Left to right: Photo mat booklet from pocket page, two tags, and little four-page booklet.

Close-up of the decorative dangle on the book's spine.

I made some little tags to tuck in here and there in the book.
This is one from January 30th when I saw a large red fox traversing the field behind our house on a snowy day.
He moved too fast to snap a photo, but this little note will always bring back that memory.
I used a white Sakura Gelly Roll pen to write on the black paper.

The book is probably the smallest size I would consider for this kind of use. I started it to keep my mind occupied while I was recuperating from surgery, so I didn't want to try to make anything too large or complicated. I like how it turned out and I think it will be fun to use. Hopefully, by the end of the year, I will have it filled with memories.


Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. As always, I welcome your questions and comments. By the way, I found the place where the comments have been hiding in Blogger, so I will see and reply to your comments here or on Facebook, if you prefer to comment there. :-) And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.


Emmy