Oh my! A week since my last post!

Well, it's not because I've just been hanging out. This has been a busy week. The new studio move-in continues, meetings, crazy thrift day with Laurie Z, a friend over to stay and craft all night, raiding the garage for display and inventory for the Gallery Store at 3231, photo painting with 3 of my favorite Art Girls, Art Walk, etc.

I have had a few moments here and there to make a things. No great works of art but some creative time that was welcomed and much needed.

 This was kind of fun. Did I ever mention that I DON'T SEW!?! Like, at all. This little thing was machine sewn AND hand sewn. Quite an accomplishment for me. It was a swap for a little fabric house. I always look and think, "Oh, I can do that". Well, sadly, I can't. I gave this one a full effort though. 5" tall, a little tab to hang it by, velvet roof door and window, upholstery swatch base. See, sounds like it wouldn't be that hard... hmpf. You should have seen me sewing those flowers on.

 a second little Whimsy Pocket for a swap because I can never, ok, rarely (thinking of a little fabric house) make just one of something,

 a little pocket book to send to a partner to hold a series of ATC challenges that are coming up,

 an ATC for the Weekend #10 swap,

 another Whimsy Pocket to send as a surprise to one of my Art Girls

and a few things I can't show you yet as they have not reached their new home; 

charms x 12, different charms x 2, a fabric collage/ pennant, a few more fabric tags so I could send off some altered pins someone ordered.

Coming up: yet another style of charm x 6, a couple of chunky tags, a mosaic garden ball for a sample, and altered tin and things I promised but can't remember at the moment :)

My Wednesday Bring Your Own...

I started this during the first gathering at the studio last Wednesday night (see post below).

 

I had seen the secret formula for how to make these little booklets with pockets in a blog while I was blog hopping last Sunday. I couldn't find my way back to the blog but managed to make a tiny one out of a notepad sheet to use as a template. Once made, I realized it was a perfect fit for ATC's! 

This one is for a woman in one of my art groups that has severe back problems and is stuck in bed on her back for most of the day, everyday. I thought it would be fun to add atc's with silly little quotes on them to hopefully make her smile for a moment or two when she opens her mail. I'm not the best at lettering so it also gave me some great practice for the lettering on my Zetti projects.

By the way, this little pocket folder is one single sheet of 12 x 12 paper with a single straight cut in it :o)

Quick Studio peek!

Wednesday night I had my 1st guests at the new studio. 

It's so fresh and new that the first few to arrive ended up helping me take chairs off the tables and wipe things down.

 Laurie Z, Michele and Mystery woman that shall remain nameless :) 

we will call her, "MW" (for mystery woman, duh)

Mami and Jeanne

MW (same MW as above ;) and Kym

Do notice how blank and empty the walls are because you will likely NEVER see them like that again!

It was "Bring Your Own Project, and tools, and food, and drink Night".

I truly had  n-o-t-h-i-n-g  there yet. 

That didn't stop the die-hards though.

Thanks girls for helping me christen the place!

 

Altered Box

Last week during my trip to Dollar Tree for 6 packs of bottled water
I found the cutest little 4x4x4 boxes with lids. 
Knowing that I had a trinket box, tin or jar I needed to alter, I picked one up to play with. I was happy enough with the results that it just got sent off to it's new home.

Because this little box was all finished on the inside for gift giving, all I had to do was work on the outside. I wanted it to be sort of shabby but still have a crisp edge to it. 

A few vintage french book pages, old sheet music. a glass knob, some distress ink, silk seam binding and black gloss paint and it was ready to go. I filled it with shredded book pages from an old book and goodies for it's new owner.

Tonight I plan to work on a 6x6 fabric pennant for a swap. It will be my 1st fabric collage. Wish me luck!

Sunday evening

So, the new studio space is painted, basics are moved in and I'll be hosting the first crafting group on Wednesday! 

I'm tired and my hands are sore (from the death grip on the roller) but the new chapter begins. More on that later :)

I did get a chance to finish up a little shabby chic hand mirror that had to be glued in stages. In my rush to get it mailed, I forgot to add a ribbon.

I keep making things to send off and forgetting to get pictures. Yesterday, 2 little houses of 3 sent came back to me for additional postage. Since I had to repack and take the old postage/shipping label off I decided to take a couple quick shots of them.

back of house below

 

I think I'm done with the little houses and the mirrors. Of course, there will likely be a quick-craft workshop on each of them but I think a bit of a break is in order.

The Amazing handyman, painter, mover, sign guy is going to swing shift at work starting tomorrow so I suspect I'll have plenty of time in the evenings to craft and watch DVD's of old FRIENDS  episodes. I love Phoebe the best. Some days I feel like her   o_O