Beautiful Skies

I couldn't believe it when I looked outside and saw this giant eagle in the sky!

And another night I spotted this beautiful sunset.

And then lovely streaks across the sky. But I almost missed the moon.

I love how Dawn and I race outside with our phones or cameras when we realize we're missing something beautiful.

Watercolored Butterflies

When I'm in the mood to craft but I don't know what I want to make, I'll usually break out the watercolors or some type of mixed media project like the playing cards I've been working on. The other night I brought out my good set of watercolors, the set my daughters surprised me with. They're so yummy! Can you see the shimmer of the silver? Magic.

Tonight I tried out a new set of butterfly stamps on the watercolor paper. I stamped the dotted image on parts I thought would make pretty butterflies then cut them out. They're lovely.

I don't always know what I'm going to do with the stuff I make, but it always comes in handy.

I love how imperfect they all are.

These will probably end up on a card or in one of my art journals. They would make sweet little magnets, but they wouldn't be practical, just for looks. I had to stop myself from making tons more.

Our Annual Christmas Ornament Exchange

I couldn't resist starting off with this adorable photo of Miss Molly.

I worked really hard on these birdhouse ornaments and enjoyed every single minute. The basic wooden birdhouses have been in my craft stash for a few years, and each year I took them out, wanting to do something with them. Well, this was the year! I love how they turned out. Be sure to click on the images for close-ups.

There were 12 of us this year, so I made 12 plus one (just in case someone came unexpectedly).

I painted each one with a coat of gesso, two coats of white and red acrylic paint, then decoupaged patterned tissue paper on the front.

I splattered white and black paint (hoping it didn't turn out looking like bird poop!), glued a sparkly pre-made wreath in front of the tiny hole, and topped each one with a snow-like mixture and sprinkled it with two different types of glitter

I also put sparkly glitter-glue (Stickles) on top of the little perch to make it look like frost or a light snow.

I made a plain one and didn't even paint white paint on it, just left it the original color then painted the red highlights and added the snow. I'll keep this one.

I glued two magnets on the back of each one and dated them. Guess I should have signed them.

Here are the ornaments everyone made. I'm so tickled with everything and can't wait to hang them on our tree.

Dawn made the silver ornament, Valerie made Joy.

Below is a necklace that's made of fabric and marbles. So clever.

The packaging is always so pretty!

Valerie also made the round wooden ornament. She woodburned snowflakes on them, so adorable.

We have such a talented group!

Next up, our annual cookie exchange! 120 cookies.

Not worried one bit.

Mail Art

I love it when the dogs sun themselves without realizing they're snuggled together. Winnie and Molly sat there for quite some time.

I just completed a mail art swap and I'm so excited about it. These swaps challenge me to be better and more creative, and help me to step outside my comfort zone.

I did some mixed-media on the envelope, something I really enjoyed doing. I stuffed it full and folded it in half for a more secure fit.

Included was a mixture of embossed and inked papers, one of the playing cards from the deck I've been working on, tissue paper, a nifty sticker I made that looks like the top of an old spool of thread, and more. (Argh! I can't get this paragraph to stay to the left.)

The card above was made using a piece of deli paper as the base, then a coat of gesso, and decoupaged tissue paper with two different prints on it. Then I inked it up, adhered it to a piece of sticky-backed card stock, trimmed it and rounded the corners. I like doing things to deli paper, it takes a beating without tearing.

This was a sheet of clear stickers for the months of 2013. I gave it a coat of clear gesso and inked it up. She'll be able to use it in her collage work.

The wrinkly bit on top is a piece of brown paper made to look at feel leather-like. Water and glycerin is the secret to making it so supple. I also cut some deli paper flowers and decorated them. I left a few kind of plain for her to play around with.

Here's what I received:

Some great stuff already from my swap partner. I was hoping for those green teeth! My favorite piece is the one on top. I can see the many layers she applied and the fun she had doing it. She's so talented.

The envelope was very cool.

You can see Roni's Instagram here. FYI, mine is here. If you ever have the opportunity to do a mail swap, do it! If you would like to do one with me, leave a comment below or email me at iamdawt@gmail.com and we'll talk about it.

Pensieve

Silver watercolor my daughter said reminds her of the Pensieve in Harry Potter.

By the way, I use the little scoops that come with our soap powder in my crafting. They have a handle that makes it easy to rest my paint brushes on in-between use. They're great, too, for messy paint you don't want to bother scrubbing out, just allow to dry and toss.

The Little House Craft Studio

In my dreams: a peaceful meandering walk to my craft studio that looks like this little stamp I watercolored.

Instead, this is my reality. But I'm not complaining; it's cozy and I love crafting out here. I am so lucky to have a place I can actually call a craft studio that isn't the table tucked in the corner of the bedroom.

My desk is situated to the right, in front of the big, and very handy, laundry sink as you walk in the door. Behind me is a built-in box where I think the previous owner must have kept wood. It's pretty useless to me, but it does make a nice counter. When it's warm, I set out the blue chair so when my family pops in, they have a place to sit while we chat. Although I have a tall stool to my left, there isn't a place inside for the blue chair yet, but I hope to eventually remedy this. I dread emptying the place, but that's what it will take to get it organized.

My work surface is stocked with things I use constantly: several types of glue, a squirt bottle filled with water, black and white paint, certain markers, paint pens and pencils, a plastic paint pallet, paint brushes, baby wipes, scratch paper, and, of course, my little DVD player sitting on top of an awesome can that looks like a big ol' spool of thread.

On the shelf above are all of my tablets of watercolor and mixed media paper, watercolors, and a variety of other little things I seem to reach for every time I'm out here.

And then there's the doggers. Winnie usually likes to hang out with me in the dog bed, but lately, Molly has been joining me as well. I even put another little doggie bed out there just for her tiny self. I love their company. They prefer I keep the door open, but I can't when it's cold, so I imagine I'll be crafting for the next few months with Netflix, Acorn and my DVD player instead. Spoiled much? 

Martha's Birthday

Today is my sister Martha's birthday. She loved sunflowers, so this is for her.

Martha was the perfect birthday girl. She celebrated the entire month of November and loved it when people wanted to take her to lunch or a movie. If she were here I would have made her a card and my daughters and I would have spoiled her in some way as we did every year. I will try to be happy and laugh because that's what she helped others do when they were in a tough spot. I don't know what else to say except that I miss Martha, my person who loved life and lived it to her fullest, so very much.