Happy New Year

I can't let the new year start without some introspection.  Ya, that's a big word given what I'm about ready to undertake.

I'm so ready for this journey.  I'm going to think of it as rebooting my brain.  I'm not sure what is in store for my brain, but I'm up for the challenge.  I'll keep you posted on my progress but you might see the difference when you don't see errors on my blog posts.  What you don't see behind the scenes is the multiple proofreadings I do to make sure I don't make an error and then I still see them.  And I'm sure I miss them.  What is bad is that this is what I used to do for a living.  I was a technical writer.  It's very frustrating that I can't do things that used to come second nature.  I have by first speech therapist appointment next week!!!

But on to the future.

Last year, I took a new class offered by Brave Girls Club called Brave Girls Art School.  I'll tell you what, this class woke my soul up from the very beginning!!!

The first two weeks we were making Funky Flowers. Even though my first attempt was amateurish, I still loved making them.  I was in love with the techniques that Melody taught!!!  I started a second canvas but had to stop in the middle to go to Utah for doctors appointments and then to Missouri for a month long vacation. When I returned home, I didn't feel well at all for about a month and, with the holidays, just haven't had the time to finish the rest of the class.

This week I have been downloading the PDFs and watching the videos.  It stays up until Feb 1 and I'm hoping I can get more done.

On Jan 15, another Brave Girl Art School session starts.  It's all about Wings.  We will make birds, butterflies, and wings.  We will draw them, embroider them, stuff them, doodle them. I just can't wait because wings are a big symbol in my life.

At the first of 2012, I talked about taking a class called Life Book with Tamara LaPorte of Willowing along with several of teachers.  I enjoyed Life Book so much this year that I will be taking Life Book 2013.  Yes, that's right.  As a reward to myself for NOT finishing Life Book 2012, I'm taking Life Book 2013.  When Tam announced that there was going to be a Life Book 2013, I was pondering if I wanted to take it until she announced the list of teachers.  When I saw Melody Ross, Christy Tomlinson and Julie Fei-Fan Balzer on the list, I knew I wanted to take it.  There were several other names on the list that I recognized as well.

So, that's my plans for the near future, how about you?  Do you have any special plans for 2013?  I truly hope that 2013 is your best year yet!

Blessings,
Christine

Brave Girls in Manila

You all know how much I admire the Brave Girls Club and Melody Ross for all that she is doing.  She is going way beyond what I ever imagined the scope of Brave Girls Club.  She is joining forces with another wonderful organization, Full Circle Exchange (I could do another whole blog post on these guys but I'll let you read about them for yourself), and going to Manila, Philippines.  She is working with the brothers of Full Circle Exchange to teach women who have or are victims of human trafficking to teach them to be self sufficient so they can take care of themselves and their families.

Melody has designed a line of stationery and cards that the women will make and will then be sold at major outlets in the United States.  I'm just so excited about this initiative.  The Priddy brothers have done this in many areas  all over the world but this is the first time that Melody has joined them in there efforts.  They have a store here in the Boise area where many of the goods are made by women from around the world that are escaping situations of poverty and oppression can be purchased.

Early in January, Melody will be traveling to the Philippines to teach the women how to make the stationery and cards.  As part of the trip, she will be teaching Soul Restoration to many of the women.  What a wonderful gift to those women who are now, probably for the first time, on their own and able to take care of themselves and their families.

So, I guess, other than singing Melody's praises, here comes the point of my post!  You can help out!!!  Melody will be taking Truth cards with her to give to the beautiful women of the Philippines and she has asked help from all the Brave Girls to help her make them.  I'm sure she would love to have help from any of you!  You can read and hear all about it here.  She makes it very easy.  There is a kit provided that you can print out and use to make your cards.  I made 8 of them yesterday evening!  Please do what you can to help all the beautiful, brave women around the world.  If you can't get them to her before the current deadline, they will be used for future adventures!



So go to this post on the Brave Girls Club blog where you can also see the video above and find all the information to create your own truth cards!

Blessings,
Christine

Courage

Courage: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty (source)

My one little word always comes to me out of the blue at the end of the year or early in the new year.  You all know that I love Brave Girls Club.  Their homebase is in Idaho so I was lucky enough to go to a party that they had early in December.  While looking at some of Melody Ross' beautiful art work, my word for 2013 came to me.  Courage.

Do you choose a "One Little Word?"  I've been doing it for, I think, four years now.  I haven't ever formally taken the class.  I just choose a word and try to live my life that year according to that word.  Have you taken the class"  I'm thinking I might this year.  I'd love to hear your opinion.

The reason that Courage is such a good word for me is because of a long time goal that I haven't had the courage to start.  I'm not ready to tell the world about it yet but it is going to take an INSANE amount of courage to even start it.  I don't know how long it will take me to complete it.  Maybe even more than the year but I'm going to get a good start on it this year.  I'll tell you about it when I'm ready but just not yet.

After I had chosen my word, I found out that I have another challenge in front of me.  During my heart transplant surgery, I had a small stroke which left me with some cognitive and memory issues.  I have been having these problems for the last five years.  I have recently seen a doctor who referred me to a speech therapist that is going to teach me how to reroute my brain so that I can remember the things that I need to.  I start it right after the first of the year.


I'm very hopeful about this but the doctor has warned me that it is going to be hard and that it's going to take a lot of homework.  It's going to take "courage" to keep going when I don't want to or when it becomes difficult. I think a lot of journalling is going to help me along this journey.


I really think courage is a great word for me.  There are so many days when I wake up in pain from the meds I'm on or from a migraine.  I'm going to work to gain the courage to get off my recliner and get things done.  And if the pain is really too bad, there are things I can do while I'm resting.  I love embroidery and crochet and I would love to learn to knit.  I have so much yarn and so many embroidery projects I could be busy for years just doing these!

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So, you are probably thinking that I don't usually get this personal on my blog, well, and that I haven't really kept up with my blog lately.  This blog is going to take a new direction to reflect the different direction that my life has.

I don't do as much papercrafting as I used to do.  Actually, I haven't done hardly any for some time.  I want to get down to making more papercraft items, especially cards.  I want to start sending out those cards!!!  I hardly ever give out any of my cards.  Can you believe it!  That's one of my goals for this year.  Everyone knows that I make cards but no one ever gets a card from me.  They get my cards from my mom, but not from me!!!  That's going to change!

I went to my uncle's 80th birthday party this summer and my mom gave him a card that I had made.  When his  wife saw the card, she asked if I had made it and said how pretty it is.  Then and there I told myself I need to start giving out more of my cards.  I even went over to their home to deliver a Christmas card this year.  They recently moved from the country (a couple hours drive away) to my neighborhood!!!  I'm really enjoying having them closer.

I have been doing a lot of mixed media art.  I'm in the middle of one right now to reflect the way I feel about my "One Little Word."  I haven't shared hardly any of my artistic pursuits and that's going to change.  I'll share some of the older things and I'll be sharing some new things as well.  I've also done a few sketches but  I'm still learning those.  I've done a couple of faces that are ok but other objects just really don't work.  That just means more practice and more classes!!!

I also want to share a little more of my life.  I know some people don't like that so if you don't like it, you just don't have to read it, k?  You can enjoy my art and my craft and skip my life part.  I've always meant my blog to be about "my life, my art, my craft" as it says on the header.  Well, now it's going to be.  Maybe I'll put a recipe, or a picture of my garden or of my doggy.  Whatever is happening at the time.

I just want to share.  I want this blog to be a picture of my life!!!  I hope that you want to share it with me.  

Also, I LOVE comments so please leave me a comment.  If you do, I'll return the favor!

Blessings to all,
Christine

My Pink Christmas

How is your Christmas Eve going?  I'm spending mine at home baking and wrapping presents with a little blogging and maybe a bit of crafting thrown in while I'm baking and wrapping!  I hope you're having a wonderful time as well.

I've been telling people that I'm going to post all of my lovely Christmas items but just haven't gotten around to it.  I was going to post it for Pink Saturday last week but then just didn't feel like the frivolity.  So, since today is Christmas Eve, there's no time like the present, no pun intended.

I used my white feather tree again this year.  It's pretty much the same as I used 2 years ago in my studio.  I posted about it here.  If you would like to take a peek at any of the ornaments, check them out there.  They are mostly handmade or vintage mercury glass.

This year, I added the whole window treatment.  I think I went a little crazy!  I spent hours and hours working on it, not to mention the time my mother spent helping me but I really do love it and I will leave some of it up all year long!  The horse on top of the television is a gift I gave to my dad years ago that my mom recently returned to me.

I'll point out some of my favorite things.

The poinsettias are inspired by Pinterest.  The are from Vintiquities.  This is my first time working with German glass glitter.  It is so beautiful and sparkly but you better take care with it.  I got a minor cut and a couple of pieces stuck under my skin.  I  really thought I was being careful too!!!

My mom and I took an afternoon and tied ribbon and torn pieces of bleached muslin to a string of clear lights and a string of pink lights (plus a couple more hours of my time).  The pink lights were a little brighter than I had hoped but it looks very festive!  The lights were also inspired by Pinterest.  You can see that pin here but lights with tulle are all over Pinterest.

Remember the rolled paper roses that I posted here, I sprayed* those pink, glued those onto some more torn muslin and hung them as well.  You can also see some paper chain made out of book paper.

I showed all these little houses in the posted mentioned above, as well.  I attached them to the string of clear lights.  Also you can see the rags and ribbon tied onto the lights better in this picture.

I didn't wrap many presents this year.  You know, gift bags are just too easy!!!  However, the ones I did (and will--yes I still have 1 or 2 to wrap) match my tree!  I first wrapped the package with ribbon then tied on some fringed book paper.  I added a couple of silver floral spikes and a bow and done!

I have a couple of other things I want to finish before I put everything away until next year!

Talk about multi-tasking.  While I was typing this, I baked a pumpkin pie (frozen and all for me!) and a batch of cupcakes.  Next up is the richest most delicious (I hope) chocolate cheesecake you have ever tasted.  I'm making a raspberry sauce to go with it and then I'm putting a breakfast dish in my crockpot for Christmas morn at my sister's house with my little gr-nephews.

Colton is just over a month old so I don't think he'll be opening his presents but Landon (1 1/2) will be all ready primed and know exactly what's going on by the time he gets to grandmas.  My niece's husband's family opens their Santa gifts on  Christmas Eve (I know, don't get me started on that) so he'll be all ready for opening mine!!!

Hoping you have a happy and crafty Christmas.

Blessings,
Christine


*I made my own spray by putting watered down craft paint into a small spray bottle.

Child Singing

I just had to post this.  It's way to cute not to share!!!

Blessings,
Christine

More Pink Christmas

Long time no see, huh?

Well, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Chez Christine.  I've resurrected the white feather tree from a few years ago (you can see it here).  I had it in my studio 2 years ago but this year it's in the living room and I'm adding a bit to it.  Mostly, I'll be adding to the area surrounding it.  I've made some swags; some that will stay through the year (because I love them so much now that their done) and some that will be for Christmas only.

So here's a little sneak and then on Saturday sometime, I'll show the whole thing.  I'll take some pics Friday night and them some daylight pics as well.

I made about 100 of these fun rolled book paper roses.  And yes, they are very time consuming but last week I wasn't feeling well and if I got off the recliner, I would get sick, so I sat on the recliner and made these.  And I only got a couple of hot glue gun burns!!!  This isn't the finished look so it's truly a sneak peak!

These little houses were inspired by Christy Tomlinson's 2011 Artsy Ornaments of Christmas class.  They will be strung on Christmas lights.  The picture doesn't do them justice though.  They have sugary/snowy glitter sprinkled on them on a snow pattern that you can't see very well in the photo.  I think it will look beautiful with the lights on.

My mom and I tied torn rags, ribbon and lace to strings of lights, pink and clear.  How beautiful is this?  They almost look like a feather boa!

So there are your peeks.  I've got some other things I'm working on and a couple of little things that I've purchased.  I'm on a very strict budget this Christmas.  I had a big scare with Chloe (my puppy).  She was really sick Friday and Saturday and when she was a little worse on Sunday I took her to the Emergency Vet.  She is feeling back to herself now (she was still sick until yesterday) but that vet bill was $325.  I would give anything for my puppy but that was a bit of an ouch for this time of year.  So I'm trying really hard not to spend any extra money.

I can't wait to show my decorations off when I'm all done.  It's all homemade and pink and girly, just like me.

Love, hugs and blessings,
Christine