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July 2009
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September 2009

August 2009 posts

Yep, today is the last day of August. It is the first day that I've been able to sit down at the computer. I've still got some boxes kicking around the apartment, but I'm pretty much unpacked...sort of. Here's a quick rundown of what's on my mind... Bought Stitch Alchemy and I am so excited! I've made things with Fabric Paper before, but this book takes it to a whole other level! I can hardly wait! I'm teaching a new session of my Journal Quilt Class, starting on Friday, September 11. The dates are totally wrong on that link. I... Read more →


Well, the big move starts at 8am tomorrow...I'm nervous that I won't be ready! So, instead of packing, I thought I'd take some time to post a round up of cool crafty tutorials from around the web...because nothing says "ready-to-move" quite like an hour or two on the computer! Make these cool "confetti crayons" from old leftover crayons. You don't need any special equipment. You can make them in your oven! Make an origami shirt from a dollar bill. Great step-by-step instructions! This is not really a "make something" tutorial. But, it's got some great advice if you're interested in... Read more →


Just a quick note to say that I'm alive, but buried under piles of stuff. I can hardly believe how much "stuff" one can accrue in such a short period of time. I've lived in this apartment for about five years. Today, I discovered a box from my original move here. Did I just throw it away? No. I opened it. And decided that I can't live without some of the contents. Silly, right? I mean, it has been five years and I never missed that stuff...and yet I just can't throw it all away! And how is it that... Read more →


Thank you so much to everyone who left me a comment, looking for a little "junque" in their lives! Totally overwhelming response! I have contacted all the winners by e-mail and look forward to sending out the boxes and seeing what you create! I'm sure I'll unearth some more treasures to send out before this packing is through. As an FYI, the big move date is Wednesday. So, I'm not sure how much blogging there will be either before or after. We'll see how traumatic it all is. To answer a few questions left in the comments recently: Q: Where... Read more →


Just because I've been lax about pointing out my Project Fifty-Two projects, I don't want you to think that I've forgotten about it! Some of these you've seen. Some of them will be new to you. But, here are the last few weeks of my life explained through art... Week 28: July 9-15, 2009 This is a recent fave. It was an experiment in style that really, really worked! Week 29: July 16-22, 2009 I really like doing "Today" layouts. In fact, I've done a ton of them over the years. I think it might be fun to spend a... Read more →


I should be packing. I should be sewing. (I've got a deadline.) I should be paying my bills. I should return some phone calls. I should clean out my e-mail inbox. So many unread messages, eek! I should at least clean up. I really should get off the computer and stop procrastinating. But, I won't. Instead, I'm going to write this post! Maya Road Mini Album So, in case you didn't know, Portrait Bug no longer has a design team. Which is sad because the design team was one of the most amazingly talented that I've ever seen and all... Read more →


Moving means only one thing: packing and purging. Okay, that's two things. But, I *am* both packing and purging. And along with all the usual stuff that one needs to get rid of, I am cleaning out my crafty space. Rather than toss it out, I'd like to send it all to a good home. I have boxes of stuff. Some of it is brand new. Some of it is way old. Some of it is half used. It's paint and paper and embellishments and all sorts of treasures and junk. I'm going to go a little fancy and call... Read more →


Hot, hot, hot kit from Label Tulip this month! I used a combination of the main kit and add on #1... First up...Bold and Fearless: • Packaging is all over this layout! I traced the packaging the buttons came in to create the bracket shape. And I used the packaging from some Prima flowers as a mat for the photo. • I knocked back the black color of two of the buttons with some gesso and ink. • The painted circles were stamped with a toilet paper tube (green) and with a pencil eraser (white). • After I painted the... Read more →


It's time for another round of tutorials from the web! Artist, Elsa Mora, has a great tutorial on the basics of hand cutting paper. Plus, she's now selling these patterns in her etsy store! From the Label Tulip blog, a tutorial from Tulip Girl Danielle Flanders on paper casting with toilet paper! These large rose style flowers are made from mixing up several totally flat flowers. It's so cool and easy. See the tutorial here. This witch's hat was one of my favorite projects from CHA. Downloadable instructions for this project and others are here. Maya Road has a tutorial... Read more →


Quick post today. I'm scrapping as fast as I can over here! (And I'm moving! Eeek! So, I'm trying to negotiate the deadlines and packing and all that chaos!) New York Magazine has some photos from a very cool exhibition here in New York. Each of the 300 artists in this sprawling but cleverly contained show was sent a 3" x 3" Ziploc-style bag — the titular dime bag, that disposable drug container seen used up on sidewalks everywhere — and told to create a work that would fit in it. Here are a few of my favorites: See twenty-seven... Read more →