...plus a very little (messy desk) tutorial...
This afternoon I carved out a little chunk of time for some good old-fashioned card-making, something I haven’t done in awhile. I love,
love, to make homemade cards. There is something so soothing and so nice about creating a little mini work of art, sort of a mini collage really. I like to lay out some elements: papers, ribbons,
rippies, and other bits & bobs for adornment and just sort of see what speaks to me…what goes together without any real explanation other than it just feels right. Perhaps colors or elements you wouldn’t normally put together might seem to work well, and since it's just a little card, you can push your normal crafting boundaries and try new things. And after a little while, you find you’ve made something small and special that will no doubt bring a bit of joy to the person you’ll give it to. Usually I’ll make a card with a specific person in mind. But sometimes it’s good to just have some on hand too for last minute things or when you are absolutely
not in the card-making mood.
I think my grandma was the first one who really got me started on making cards when I was very young. We would sit together in her tiny kitchen and just make cards together for hours. I remember one time when we were crafting together during a big thunderstorm and the power went out. So she lit a bunch of candles and we just kept on card-making. And it was even better when I got to go into the sacred upstairs area. Her cluttered upstairs, where I recall her sewing machine, closets full of old clothes, and boxes filled with ancient cards, was among other things, filled with all sorts of crafting treasures, nooks and crannies, and you’d never know what little delights you’d find. Such good memories...
But anyways…I’m just rambling now.
Oh, by the way, here’s the best glue that I’ve found for card-making...in my opinion. Just a little tip.
Now, onto my tiny, little, & quick tutorial...more like an idea I came upon using punches and papers...nothing monumental really, but thought I'd share just for fun (please do forgive my messy little desk!):
Cut and fold a card using some pretty, double-sided heavy cardstock paper.
Punch out a shape in the front of the card to create a little "window."
Then, use another paper to punch out that shape again.
Use a corresponding punch and punch around the original shape, which creates a cute little frame.
Glue the "frame" onto the card around the original punched shape.
And finish the card with cuteness! Voila! :)
Aren't punches the best?
Happy card-making!
Lately my desk has become a total disaster. After completing some recent projects I decided I better get some order to things again. So I stayed up ridiculously late (ridiculous when you have a baby who doesn't sleep much or very well, I should say) working on the frivolous (yet fun to me) task of organizing my "studio". I already had many things in old apothecary jars but I decided to jar up some more things and do a little cleaning/rearranging/labeling. Besides having an abundance of baby food jars now, I also realized that many of the cute open dishes and such that I had things housed in were getting very dusty, very quickly since they are not in use as often any more. Plus, I like being able to easily see what's what in glass jars. I also did some organizing in my cubby cabinet too and made some little labels for boxes full of things. There now! That feels a little better!
P.S. It's a very foggy, gray day here (see?) so my untouched pictures are gray and a bit dreary as well! 
Today in the studio, I've been working on a couple new cake toppers...
I often spend a very long time, looking through my stash of things, drawing inspiration for colors that will complement my deer couple from the pretty papers I have, the season, and all the other fun little doodads (like flowers, mushrooms, ribbons, leaves) that I will incorporate on the cake topper. I lay stuff out (like above) and just see what is really exciting me.
Today I was inspired while working on a special cake topper order...and by the crisp, breezy day. After a bit of a hiatus from my desk this summer, I spent some serious time today working on new things...getting that excited, inspired feeling again. Perhaps it was the crispness to the air, after several days of heat & humidity, that hinted every so slightly at Fall. Sure I've dabbled here & there on different little things this summer, but only occassionally and never for very long periods of time. But inspiration was flowing today and it was one of those things where there just weren't enough hours in the day. It felt so good, so right. I even forgot that I needed to pick Hub up from work. Oops...
I've added another little creature to my repertoire...the fox! This sweet foxy couple has really grown on me too. 
Many little bits and pieces of things are strewn about my desk lately as I've been dabbling in little projects here and there. Switching from stitching one moment to wire-working the next. It looks like a crafting bomb went off, total chaos, nothing completed...just lots of little things in the works. But that's how I like it. Always working on different things, so excited about each project that I switch back and forth. Many made with "love" in mind. I can't share any more than these brief peaks, because some are surprises! Eek, I'm so excited. I love to do surprises for those I love! Of course I'll share the results, in say, a little over a week and a half or so?
...with 
