Paper Strawberries

"Recalculate!"

2012-01-19T11:32:00.000-05:00

We are like GPS units. We plan our journeys to follow a designated route. Sometimes there are obstacles in our path. Sometimes we make a wrong turn and get a little lost. We don’t give up and stay lost. We just recalculate and get back on the right route again.

Christmas Row Houses 2011

2012-01-16T17:10:00.000-05:00

I was creatively occupied by making these vintage-themed row houses before and after the holidays. I spent a relaxing two weeks in Florida with my son, Adam, and his fiance, Robyn. The day after Christmas they went on a 5-day cruise to Cozumel and the Cayman Islands while I doggy-sat their two beastie-babies. They entrusted me with their Garmin GPS unit and their cars and I had a great time shopping for after-Christmas sales at the local craft and hobby stores while they were cruising. I came home with a stash of new holiday stamps, embellishments and ideas to add to my row houses.

2011-08-02T10:59:00.000-04:00

Row House Challenge Theme:

HOME TWEET HOME

This is artwork I created for a swap/challenge on

Paper Digital Art & ImagesbyKim

"Time Flies"

"Song Birds"

"Red Bird"

"Nesting"

"Martha's Pets"

"Little Brown Bird"

"It's Good To Be King"

"Caged"

"I'm Blue"

"Feathered Friends"

2011-06-23T10:59:00.021-04:00

A visit to Pastimes Antiques gleaned these vintage photos. Feel free to use them in your artwork creations.

2011-04-07T16:02:00.000-04:00

Sayyyyyyyyy TREAT!!

Getting these three to sit still for anything is a real challenge . . . !

BUT . . . their unique and individual personalities along with their unconditional love

make up for ALL challenges that come our way!

Mark and I are soooooooooo loved!

2011-04-05T14:46:00.000-04:00

CLICK HERE

to visit Kim's blog, follow her, leave a comment and enter for a chance to WIN!!

2011-03-22T12:40:00.000-04:00

MORE GOLD . . .

Dee-oh-gee & Bartok

And DEE-OH-GEE makes THREE Golden Retrievers at our house!! To make a strange and wonderful story short, my sweet sister Melodie (a.k.a. matchmaker) and co-owner of Famn Damily Farm, *(www.famndamilyfarm.com) introduced me to Mark (Dee-oh-gee's human dad). She gave me Mark's phone number and said Mark was hoping to connect with some of Dee-oh-gee's litter-mates. We took it one step further. Our first "doggy date," on February 12, 2011, marked the beginning of "us and ours" and we're still reeling in the gold . . .
Five-month-old Dee-oh-gee and Bartok are brothers and two-year-old Miss Bella is their half-sister . . . they all have the same father and their mothers are sisters . . . yeah, I know . . . it's complicated! They've all been affectionately nicknamed . . . Bella is 'Malibu Bella' because she's the darkest of the three with a 'golden tan' (and she's also a teenager in doggy years). Bartok is 'toy boy' because he's usually got a squeak toy in his mouth no matter where he goes and he knows how to sqeak it well! Dee-oh-gee is 'the bandit' because if there's a stray article of clothing laying on the floor, he claims it (until we claim it back).

Bella

I created this "art quilt" about a year ago. It presently hangs over my file cabinet at work. It's the second one I've made--I donated the first one in my son Jason's memory to the Finger Lakes Donor Family Network a few years back for a fund-raising raffle. I'm not a collector of all things 'wolf' but I do love the woodsy color theme in this piece.

2011-01-19T15:19:00.000-05:00

There's a new baby at my house and his name is BARTOK. Born October 17, 2010, adopted by me January 16, 2011. He and Miss Bella are getting along wonderfully. They have the same handsome father and their mothers are sisters.

I haven't spent much time lately working on card creations but I'm ALWAYS working on something. The two bracelets below are an "industrial chic" design style. I made them for two of my co-workers for Christmas.

The photo below is of my living floor after I refinished it last month. This particular dream began about two years ago when I decided to pull up the commercial-grade gray carpeting in my living room and bedroom and discovered the original 100-year-old oak floor underneath. I can't even begin to estimate how many hours I invested in painting the walls and ceiling, removing the carpeting and padding, pulling hundreds of staples holding the padding in place, stripping the dark brown shellac around the edges of the rooms where it had been painted around the edges of room-size carpeting, sanding, staining, applying polyeurothene . . . I still have the bedroom and a small room off the bedroom that I use for a closet to do. I look forward to enjoying my newly refinished floors!

2010-07-14T10:56:00.003-04:00

My crafting space . . . last Halloween. Better late than never, huh?

2010-07-14T10:55:00.000-04:00

Summertime . . . and the livin' is crazy busy!! I've finally taken the time to upload some of my latest cards. I happily sold 30 of them to the local quilt shop and another 17 of them to the local produce stand. Some of the cards included here are favorite designs I found in my collection of Stampin' Up catalogs. Which design is YOUR favorite?

2010-01-22T12:05:00.000-05:00

Dialing In

I didn't write this, but wanted to share it. Found in a 2002 edition of Stamper's Sampler, Letter from the Publisher . . .

Do you live an artful life? For those who may wonder what an artful life is, I'm not sure I have the definitive answer. I only know that stamping, and the paper crafting techniques that have spun off this hobby, opened my eyes to art (or should I say opportunities for art) that surrounds me on a daily basis.

. . . I'm a firm believer that all of us can live an artful life to some extent every day; if we only set ourselves up to be receptive to the inspiration that is all around us. Whether it is finding the perfect journal to keep at our bedside, learning to photograph the right details that make our scrapbooks or art journals more interesting, appreciating the unique color palette you discovered in a picture at your local frame shop, or using (for your own crafting project) an idea you saw in a greeting card found in a small gift shop, artful ideas are everywhere all the time.

I have discovered an unexpected by-product of actively opening my mind to the art of life that surrounds me; the ability to dial in, so to speak, to a more subtle frequency in life--one that enables me to appreciate even the tiniest of treasures to be found around me. Whether it is the joy of knowing how much my mother enjoys my handwritten notes tucked inside of special stationery, realizing how beautiful the fuschia daisy in a magazine would look on a journal page, the challenge of identifying a correct color (is it crimson or poppy red?), or even appreciating the "lavender moonlight" effect of our bug-zapper on a still and quiet summer night, I have learned to find inspiration in every nook and cranny of my life.

For most of us, it's not the monumental events that make our lives worth living; it's the gathering and appreciation of a lifetime of tiny details. Maybe that's the definition of living an artful life. And maybe that's what sets stampers and paper crafters apart from others--our ability to be inspired by something we may have found in even the tiniest corner of our life.

Kellene

2010-01-05T20:18:00.004-05:00

So many stamps, so little time.

2009-12-17T04:22:00.005-05:00

> Here's what my hands have been creating this month . . .
41 angels.

I made these sunflower photo frames last year for my sister to give to my niece, Tonya. I love working with anything that involves color,
whether it be fabric, glass or ink . . .

2009-12-15T06:46:00.015-05:00

I love these old family photos!

Grandma Roe & Aunt Margaret.

Aunt Helen & Uncle Keith with sons Leon, Jack & Tom.

My father, Richard.

My mom & dad, Ruth & Richard Teeter with daughters Carol, Ginger & Luanne. I wasn't born yet!

Aunt Velma & Uncle Don Teeter with children Steve, David, Donna & Kyrle. Love those rootin' tootin' guns in the background!

Aunt Dora & Uncle Bill Bush with children Carla, Marnie, Phil and Harold. Elaine and Paula weren't born yet!

Grandpa Roe & Aunt Peggy.

Aunt Harriet & Uncle David Gunning with children Jeannie, Jim, Doug, Kate & Donnie. Mary Ellen was still a twinkle in her parents eyes.

Aunt Freda & Uncle Harry with sons Wayne and Mick.
My family in 1962 or thereabouts.

2009-12-14T22:08:00.013-05:00

Happy Holidays! Christmas is on it's way . . . and as usual, I've got more projects planned than I have time for. I love this time of year!! It just wouldn't feel like Christmas if I weren't pushing myself to get it all done! (In hindsight, I think I should have scheduled a week of vacation before Christmas) . . . I haven't created many Christmas-themed cards this year, other than the tags you'll see below, so I've included some of my creations from past years . . .

Tim Holtz inspired tags . . .

2009-10-10T18:11:00.005-04:00

More cards to share with you . . . I love the photo of the little girl and boy . . . although you may not get the full effect here, they shine :) This card uses stamps from Stampin' Up's "Aged to Perfection" set. I found the "Make Yours..." ad online and then spent some time searching through clip-art books to find the women cooking. The "Perfection" stove looks like an accident waiting to happen. Yikes. The "Hat Lady" stamp is one of 44 stamps that I purchased for .25 cents each! What a find! A local artist posted an ad on craigslist saying she was closing her stamping store/stamp making business to pursue other artistic venues. Most of the stamps that I purchased from her are vintage themed and I'm in heaven with thoughts and ideas of how to use each and every one of them!

I've had this sewing stamp set for several years and could never decide what to do with them. They're small stamps and don't work well on their own. I love the "sewing" theme in general but "country cute" isn't a favorite of mine.

My first attempt at rolling out clay and pressing a stamp into it.

Another attempt with clay . . .

2009-10-10T15:12:00.006-04:00

A stop at the Ithaca Antique Center yielded a small packet of ephemera. Below are a few of my finds. They're a little beat-up but still a pleasure to view. I also purchased a Harper's Bazar issue dated Saturday, May 1, 1875. It's a bit on the fragile side so scanning parts of it may be tricky but I'll try!

2009-09-25T15:00:00.003-04:00

My beautiful Bella!

2009-08-14T07:29:00.004-04:00

Just in case you thought I took the summer off . . .

I used a Stampin' Up set called "Window on the World" to create this card. It's supposed to be a window looking out on the world but I made the window looking in. Guess it works either way . . .I seem to have a large collection of "time" stamps, embellishments, stickers, papers, etc. and I'm forever looking for ways to put them to good use. Actually, they're not the ONLY thing I have a lot of. Who doesn't love Mickey??? I embossed the stars on the background by hand . . . you'd never know that it took me FOREVER to do that! Nature-themed stamps work for a variety of occasions! I love Asian themes, most likely because I love reds, blacks, golds and bold designs. I created this one after watching a how-to video on http://www.rangerinks.com/ . . . Tim Holtz designs are awesome. It took me forever to find the "right word" for this little girl's facial expression. This piece of ephemera is from the "Heartwarming Vintage" collection . . . http://www.craftysecrets.com/ . . . I love their stuff!! Just your standard "birthday greeting" from Stampin' Up. Some people prefer simple . . . Another old OLD stamp set from Stampin' Up. So old that I was disappointed to discover that they don't include it in the SplitCoastStampers.com photo gallery! Bummer.

Another vintage card with hopefully many more to come . . . I love vintage!!

I HAD to have this sailboat stamp . . . I don't have very many "man-themed" stamps so when I see one that I like, I have to add it to my collection. I glued little glass beads to the water to give it some dimension.

I love this shade of blue. It's called Stampin' Up "Night of Navy." I spritzed Pearl-Ex powder on the background to make it shimmer.

I stamped this piece back when stamps were $.037!!! It's been sitting in my collection for a few years waiting for me to make it into a card. I guess I could call myself the "master of parts." I have a stockpile of card parts filed, categorzied and waiting to be made into something. I spend a lot more time making parts than I do cards! Some of those parts are TEN years old!! It takes less time to make parts and that's what I have most of . . . LESS time and MORE parts.

This Geisha stamp is one of the first stamps I purchased way back in about 1998 and it's still one of my favorites. I spritzed the blue/green/purple background with Pearl-Ex powders mixed with water.

Same Geisha stamp, different color theme, obviously. . . The 'waffle' paper was embossed in my CuttleBug and then spritzed with pink Pearl-Ex powder.

The pink strip of paper below was created with alcohol inks. I've found that they're a bit messy to play with but the results sooooooo cool. I usually create one huge mess by designing multiple backgrounds at a time and then I put it all away and don't use them for a year or two.

The hearts are one of my attempts to use UTEE (ultra-thick embossing something or other--can never remember that last word). It's an embossing powder that you apply in layers and melt to create a clear, thick surface on the paper. This card took me forever to create because I didn't know where I was going with the (parts) design and I'm still not all that enthused about it. The UTEE was used on the hearts. The photo frame was created with Ranger's distress crackle paint.

Another card created with a Stampin' Up Set . . . I found a GREAT card-making book at Big Lots in Elmira and this is one of the card designs from that book. I love browsing in their book section . . . all their books are $3 and $5. Can't pass up a craft book or how-to book at a bargain price!

This hobby is DEADLY--My greatest fear is that I'll turn into a hoarder like those people you see on TV . . . My Not-So Secret Obsession!! Considering the amount of inks, papers, stamps, embellishments, ephemera, punches, powders, fibers, storage containers, etc etc etc, I've accumulated, it wouldn't take you long to figure out that I'm a diehard stampaholic . . . I'm very organized which helps . . . but it all gets a bit overwhelming at times.

2009-05-16T00:14:00.003-04:00

This fuzzy little girl has been keeping me extremely occupied since I adopted her on April 10. She was born on February 13 and turned 3 months old a couple days ago.

Miss Bella is a pure bred Golden Retriever. She was the tiniest runt of a litter of 13 but at the rate she's growing, she won't be 'tiny' for long. A month ago I could snuggle her in the crook of my neck and now I can barely pick her up!

My stepsister who breeds Goldens asked me if I'd like to purchase her and how could I refuse? From the moment I first saw her, I fell in love!

Card-making has temporarily taken a back seat. I've been missing my creative time but I know life will settle down again as Bella grows. In the meantime, I'll squeeze in an hour or two here and there to keep myself from going through creative withdrawl symptoms!

Bella, what's that in your mouth??? Something you're not supposed to be chewing on, I would guess!

2009-02-16T08:11:00.002-05:00

I discovered Amy Butler paper at Michael's a couple months ago, fell in love with it, had to have it. I had no idea what I'd do with it but like everything else I see, I wanted to take it home and add it to my stash. It was just a "little" pack of paper, no big deal. A few weeks later I discovered the Amy Butler embellishments pack and it was on sale just like the paper pack was! How could I resist!. Last Friday I found the alphabet pack to go along with it AND a pack of matching rubber stamps! This hobby is deadly!! I gathered up as many supplies as I could carry in one arm load along with my new treasures and headed to Brian's for the weekend. I laid everything out on his 8-foot dining room table and started piecing themes together. These are just a few cards that that I came up with. I have enough "parts" to complete many MANY more cards! These scans don't really do the papers or embellishments any justice but they'll have to suffice for now.

2009-02-10T16:01:00.007-05:00

Some of my favorite quotes . . . Any day spent sewing (or creating anything, for that matter) is a good day!

A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.

Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having FUN.

Laughter is the closest thing to flying.

Love is less a feeling than an action--it's the sustained ability to put someone else's needs above yours day after day, year after year.

Be true to yourself. No apologies. No regrets.

We dance for laughter,
We dance for tears,
We dance for madness,
We dance for fears
We dance for hopes,
We dance for screams,
We are the dancers,
We create the dreams.

God gives every bird it's food but he does not throw it into it's nest.

Do not pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.

Grief is the ceremony of lost treasure. Grief is the homage you pay to the love you were once blessed to share. Grief is not the enemy.

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures.--Henry Ward Beecher

This hour, this minute, this breath . . . each is a wonderful gift.

Life is a classroom. We are both student and teacher. Each day is a test and each day we receive a passing or failing grade in one particular subject. GRACE. Grace is compassion, gratitude, faith, forgiveness, good manners, reverence, and the list goes on. It's something money can't buy and credentials rarely produce. Being the smartest, the prettiest, the most talented, the richest or even the poorest doesn't help. Being HUMBLE can help and it's a good place to start.

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer someone else up.--Mark Twain

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.--Eleanor Roosevelt

A woman's heart is like a campfire. If you don't tend to it regular, you'll soon lose it.

2009-01-11T10:55:00.006-05:00

Humble beginnings. This is where I spent the first 12 years of my life, growing up in a rustic cliffside cottage on the east side of Cayuga Lake. My 3 older sisters and I, (and our mother) didn't have pleasant things to say about our lifestyle while we were living there but I'm guessing that we'd all go back to our humble beginnings in a heartbeat if we could. I have fond memories of snakes, birds, bats, and huge moths (inside the cottage). The racoons on the back porch were occasionally our evening entertainment. Our hats, mittens and socks were always covered in burdocks. The "elephant ears" were plentiful during the summer months. There was a steep cliff below our cottage and steep hills above it. Getting up the hill and to the school bus was always a challenge. Getting ANYWHERE in the winter was a test of survival skills. On the flip side, summers were blissful. The landscape was cool lush forest and the air was sweet with breezes from the lake. There were lots of interesting places for us to discover and play in. The lakeside property was originally developed as a resort park sometime in the early to mid-1900's (I'm guessing). Tourists and guests checked in at the office on the upper level. There was a small garage and wash house (laundry facility) on the middle level, and the lower level consisted of two cottages, ours being the larger one. Our cottage had one large bedroom and when we first moved there all four of us girls slept in that room and my parents slept on a sleeper sofa. Later on my father built an addition on the back of the cottage that included 3 bedrooms. There was another cottage further on down the cliff below ours that was also a part of the property but wasn't occupied regularly. Tiny one-room cabins were scattered throughout the park. There were camper-sized trailers situated on lots throughout the park as well. The "resort" was defunct and had long-passed it's prime by the time my father purchased it. The tiny one-room cabins, wash house and office were used for storage and were stacked to the ceilings with relics and pieces of the park's past. During our years there, my father rented the small trailers to people from all walks of life--students who were attending Cornell, young families and retired couples. One of my dad's jeeps. My cousins Gary, Jeff and I playing on the swingset. The garage and the wash house are behind us. Thanksgiving at the cottage.