Homegrown Hospitality

Thank You , Part two

You should make one for your home sweet home to ring in the summer months, as a reminder of our freedom, in honor of those who have given their lives and for those who serve our country.

Here is what I did:

Start with a block of wood measuring 5" x 5 1/2" .  Wipe/dry brush cream paint lightly/roughly over the entire surface of the block of wood with a baby wipe, paper towel or dry brush.

Using dictionary paper or old book paper, scribble Distress marker ink, Distress stain or paint onto paper and water down with baby wipe or wet brush.  Do a sheet in red and another sheet in blue.  Let dry or dry with a heat gun.

Tear red paper into strips and the blue into a square and arrange on the block of wood 

Adhere with Mod Podge and then distress the papers using your finger tip. When Mod Podge is 99% dry, use a distress pen in brown and add lines of ink above and below red stripes. Using your finger again, smudge a little Mod Podge over pen lines and blend to get a rustic worn wood look.

Using a die or punch, cut a few stars from dictionary paper and adhere to the blue area using Mod Podge.  Repeat Distress pen steps with brown pen around stars.

Use a heat gun to dry project and then add one final coat of Mod Podge to seal.  Let dry and display proudly.

Now if you live somewhere othef than the USA, consider creating your countries flag adjusting the colors accordingly, of course, I mean, I know you know to do that....

oh, and should you have a few embellishments/chipboard words or heck, even words torns from paper, you could adhere them to this as well...

Happy Memorial Day

 

Renew..Reuse..Recycle..

Back in 2007 I came across a reproduction bingo set and actually used it as a prop for a layout for an issue of Holiday Home (2008) 

I am not sure what I ever did with the set, but I kept the wooden bingo balls and threw them in a jar with my Scrabble tiles knowing that one day I would use them for something.

This morning was "that day"

So with several different shades of red & green Ranger inks, Distress Pens, Mod Podge and good words torn from a book, I created this little set of life reminders.

and wanted to scream to anyone that would listen that "I love to make things from the things I already have"

Be The Change, Part Two

Working on changing the world with my art is a test of my patience.  When I started, I constantly wanted to skip past the first steps to get to the next. I wanted to do the fun stuff, not the labor intensive stuff (which consisted of Mod Podge and dictionary paper!)

Note to Self: I must lay down a solid foundation before taking the next step. 

It seemed that each time I thought I was finished, there was another spot that needed fixing, needed coverage, needed my attention. It was the longest process of changing the world and it tested my endurance.

Note To Self:  Stay focused on the task at hand. Don't always looks for the easy way out, a short cut or telling  myself  "I will finish it later"  Just keep going. 

Remember my "If you love something you lose the fear" post from last week ? Well, here is another example of walking the walk.  Once the foundation is down, it is time to take the next step, which can be scary, especially if you have spent alot of time forming that foundation.  That "scary" is just the devil sitting on your shoulder telling you that you might mess it up....

go for it.

Note to Self: I must have a little faith in myself and complete faith in God.  Use the skills and abilities that I was given by HIM to change the world.  That is exactly why I was given those gifts and really, it is my responsibility to use them. 

Another Note to Self: Once I rely on faith, it will carry me  far and I can confidently flick that little devil off of my shoulder with excessive force.

Now building and planting is the next step, which I am currently in the process of doing.  Another test of patience and endurance because I have a vision of what my world is going to look like BUT  I can not rush it.  Again. my steps are guided and I am confident so I know that whatever the outcome is, it will be okay.

To be continued.

Be The Change

I am going to change the world with my art. Now that sounds like more confidence than I have ever had, but I am going to do it.  In fact, I have already started.

I am inspired by this piece that I did a few years ago:

with the quote that reads:

"The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home" Confucius

and the opportunity to change the world:

To be continued....

 

Trailer Park Martha's Home

This is the "Shead-Teau."  My studio & supply storage home sweet home nestled in our little backyard between our garden and patio. I have been spending a little time each day re-organizing and switching things around based on what I am working on right now.  

My buckets hang from the pegboard above the worktop and now hold markers, paint brushes, tools and watercolor pencils:

to the right of me, I have more jars than a canning factory full of this, that and the other and seem really cluttered but in fact I know right where to go when I need something

and behind where I stand is proof to myself that once upon a time I was a scrapbooker (geez, maybe I should put them somewhere better than in a stack, duh!)

to the left of my worktop is the most messy-perfect inspiration board 

in front of that inspiration board sits a two-tiered rod iron rack that is now the new home to my paint supplies

and a new little something I made this morning using Scrabble tiles from a jar, markers from a bucket, baby wipes from tier one of the paint supplies and some stamps. (of which are not picture but stored in the cabinet underneath my work surface)

Take a look at what you have and use it.  It is very rewarding to create something new from the things you already have.  It is why I refer to myself as "Trailer Park Martha"  We can all create amazing things like Martha Stewart, most likely with the things we already have laying around.

 

Make Something

I am still being inspired by the February issue of Oprah and again, in the same article that I quoted from the other day, I read more really good stuff...

so today, I am going to be making things.

it is raining so I am making soup...

it is a sport free weekend so I am making art

and I am a mom so I am making piles of laundry to wash...

What are you going to make?

Practicing:Purpose

My purpose is to create, teach, inspire, influence and remind...Remind myself and then remind others, not just with words, experience and thoughts, but through art and creating. 

So, amongst other things, I have been working on a new collection of art that I am calling " Works of HEart" based on HE (God) and art, get it??

 "Works of HEart"

which also includes, hearts! (I betcha did not know that was coming!)

and..

I am going to start teaching again, in-store and on location.. a little. It has been awhile since I have gone out to teach., for a few reasons.

First, family.

We have a very busy busy little home sweet home here and my job "mom and wife" is first.  I was having a hard time juggling carpool, practices, meetings, games and laundry, the things that I prefer to do, and so teaching "out and about" took a backseat.

Second, purpose.

First, I love creating BUT I have REALLY REALLY REALLY worked hard hard hard on staying true to my art, staying focused on one (or three) projects at a time and most importantly, a purpose for what I am teaching.

Don't get me wrong, I love a mini book any time of the day but seriously, how many mini-books does one person need?  I know it is not my business or responsibility to know what happens once the project leaves my class, and you all know that I can come up with a mini-book class quicker that I can do a load of laundry, but what I am teaching needs to have a better "purpose" and I have realized that I need to teach you more about technique and how to do things with the things that you might already have. (That is where my "Trailer Park Martha" term came about)  

Once I teach you what I have either taught myself or learned, if you want to go mnake a mini book...go for it and love doing it!

THAT is my purpose.

I hope you understand me.  I think you will.

So, anyways, I am headed to one of my four favorite places on earth (others being home, Maui and South Africa) at the end of April and I am going to be teaching "Create with HEart" and a Scrapple & Felt Stitching Bee, eek!

Creating things like this 

and this 

and stitching something like this and little things to create your own "Basket Of Happy" ...  

We are going to sit around together, stitching, laughing, having tea, chocolate chip cookies and the occasional poke (that will be me!) and really, what could be better?

I know!

Information is coming very soon, just finishing up the details but wanted you to know so you can get your plane tickets, your reservations, your affairs in order so you can meet me in PA.  If you could relate to my post yesterday about small towns, than I PROMISE you...YOU will LOVE The Shuck's, Grove's and Huntingdon, PA. 

Here are some of the photos I have taken on my early morning walks around the town:

There is a REALLY GOOD story based on this shot and either I can tell you the story or maybe we can get the Huntingdon P.D to come speak at our Stitching Bee: 

Happiness is finding a broken window in the shape of a heart:

I know, dreamy:

 we can take a walking tour of the town in the early morning, mid-afternoon and the evening:

 

and to top it off, during the time that I am going to be there, Grove's is hosting a National Scrapbooking Day WEEKEND Crop and it is going to be "May Days" in Huntingdon....although I do not know exactly what it means, I already love it. 

Feel free to contact Staci Shuck at Grove's for details and stay tuned here for information!

Hope to see you in April!

Completion & Casseroles

By now you know my OLW (one little word) for 2012 is PRACTICE and so in honor of me and my word, I practiced finishing things (because I have so too many "works in progress") by getting all of these hearts stitched up.

and instead of adding them to my "Basket of Happy" they have their very own place and I call these my "Casserole of Love".  

The name "Casserole of Love" might sound corny, but corny or not, anytime someone needs a little love, I am ready with a casserole..and hey, when I offer someone in need a serving of love and show them my casserole, it is bound to create a smile...

try it, you will see.

It's the Little Things

Little moments of bliss, little newborn toes, little words that make a big difference, little gestures of kindness...

Moleskin Journals in packs of two at Target

that are little

and hold little doodles

because

and are just the right size for little reminders

Happy Friday!

The "P" Word

One of my things, you know, the "P" word (PURPOSE) is to "inspire" others.

BUT but the other "P" word is PINTEREST and the inspiration that comes from that PLACE is something I can not describe.

Actually, I can use the word "Over-Stimulated" to describe myself when I am on the PINTEREST site, which usually results in  falling off my axis, losing all focus and ending up a bigger Whirling Dervish than I already am...

anyways, in my quest to only visit PINTEREST in 15 minute increments (75 times a day!, just kidding) I came across these which I instantly wanted to make, like right then because I knew I had loads of the PERFECT fabric from the napkins I made almost five years ago (can you believe it has been five years, eeek!!!) ..

anyways.....
in my PURSUIT of PRACTICING all kinds of things this year, I waited...until yesterday, which really was only two days since the day I saw them, but, I did not POUNCE on them as if I was Tigger. 

 to be continued....