Hand Lettering

Last weekend I took a Modern Calligraphy class! I loved it! I've dabbled in pretty writing and painting, but it was fun to try out actual soft brushed pens and learn actual techniques instead of just winging it. The practice pages were a bit mesmerizing and I instantly fell in love with these pens. 

Those S's! 

And some practice words to connect the letters. Love!

At the end of the workshop, we used our new skills and paint pens to make a canvas. I am a little overwhelmed with my upcoming stem cell transplant and the idea of being away form my kids and home for so long.  I'm hoping this quote will serve as a reminder that this is worth it for me and my kids. They deserve a healthy mama. 

 I practiced my lettering on my daughter's birthday invitations. She's turning twelve soon! (WHAT?!)

And some more letterboard fun.

*Affiliate links... if you purchase a product using any my links, I earn a very small commission.

Bullet Journal

My life is a bit crazy right now! I recently won my insurance battle and will be heading to Denver in a few months for a life-changing stem cell transplant that has the promise to stop my multiple sclerosis. This is such a blessing! But... I'm also panicking a bit. It's going to be a BIG couple of months for me and very difficult to be away from my kids for 8-10 weeks (hopefully with visits, of course!). Anyway... I am a chronic over thinker and this is a lot to process. 

Link to my beloved letter board here. 

I've been distracting myself with a new project - bullet journaling! I am a huge fan of lists and always have a million going. Bullet journaling is (for me), a way to make my lists pretty! I originally saw this trend on Pinterest and there are so many ideas out there! 

The book I am using is linked here. It's nice quality, has a very pretty cover, and you just can't beat that price! I use Flair Pens and they don't smear, they don't bleed, and the colors are adorable. They're great for drawing and have been a favorite for writing for over 15 years. They make my handwriting look so much neater and come in so many pretty colors. Have I mentioned all the colors?  :) 

The first page I made is to track my photos. I store my images in monthly folders and back them up at the end of each month. I am meticulous (ridiculous?) in my photo storage! My pictures are my most prized possession. Now at the end of the month, I can check off each box and know that I've completed my ritual of over-protecting pictures of my kids. I can't find the exact washi tape I used at the top, but I did just find this one that I am so wishing I had used instead!  CUTE!

The second page I added is a "book shelf." So far I've only added books I've read this year (P.S. If you haven't already, read The Alice Network! So good!), but I may add books on my wish list, too? Not sure yet. I LOVE how this page turned out. It was pretty easy to make because of the dot grid on the journal pages.  

I also added some of my favorite things on the "shelves." 

This is our "House Projects" page. Mostly a dreamer's wish list since this year will likely only have room for my stem cell transplant and recovery, but it's a fun page nonetheless. Someday...

My craft list is always growing! Love the washi tape on this page. 

 My wish list page has a similar design using washi tape. I LOVE washi tape. 

 A travel page detailing the states I've traveled to. Is it obvious I'm a West Coast girl? Once I'm healthy again, I think we need to head East for some adventures! I printed a US map and traced it onto this page in black ink and then used color pens to mark the states I have visited. 

I'm not sure what other pages I'll add, but I'm having fun and it's an excellent distraction. 

Thanks for visiting!

*Affiliate links... if you purchase a product using any my links, I earn a very small commission.

'Tis the Season

I made a new pillow for our bedroom. We've had the same throw pillows for over twelve years, so I am so happy to have a much needed update. I'd like to make a second one sometime soon. This is 2.25 inch strips pieced using this technique (and calculator paper!) and an 18" pillow form. 

Thanksgiving in the orchard. 

I was on it this year and had our cards ready and in the mail the day after Thanksgiving! Woohoo!

Here's our card this year. I didn't get a picture, but I practiced my fancy lettering on the addresses and sealed the envelopes with washi tape. 

And then... time for a Christmas tree! 

It took us a couple of days to get it decorated. I'm so grateful my kids are old enough to help now, because I just can't do it myself anymore. I fatigue so quickly! #mssucks

Our new kitten loves quilts, especially the box of quilts we keep in the living room! It's a good thing that she is so cute because she is trying to TEAR UP our Christmas tree! I've forgotten what it's like to have a kitten in the house... almost as fun as a toddler. 

More Christmas decor! I have *LOVED* having this letter board for the last few months. It's so much fun! This is a quote from our favorite Christmas movie, Elf, and was my way of announcing movie night to our kids. I've had my eye on these letters in other colors, too. 

My friend Mary was so sweet and knitted a tiny little sweater for our Elf on the Shelf. LOVE! He looks so handsome and cozy!  :)  We have so much fun with this tradition... it has honestly become one of our favorite parts of this time of year. 

I wanted a wreath for our door this year, but they're so expensive! So I made one with some leftover ornaments, an inexpensive wreath, and A LOT of hot glue sticks. 

Ornament selfie!  :) 

Wedding Sign & Other Crafts Lately

I made this sign as part of a gift for a friends’ daughter’s wedding. I used the same technique I used in this blog post (one of my most “pinned” posts ever!). It’s fairly easy, but a little time consuming. 

My mother’s group had a painting project for us last week, too. It was fun to paint with a bunch of friends and see how all of our paintings turned out similar, but different.  

Speaking of my mother’s group! I just realized I never shared any of the crafts I taught this year (I served at the Creative Activities Coordinator this year). These were two of our Spring projects... Sharpie Mugs (using oil based sharpies). I wouldn’t really recommend this project since the cups haven’t held up as well as I hoped they would, despite following instructions. 

And photo blocks. These are 2x4” boards, cut to photo size. Then we painted the edges with acrylic paint, modge-podged photos on them, and decorated with fabric/paper flowers and ribbon. They turned out very cute and the moms in the group seemed very happy with this craft. It helps that our kids are adorable!  ; ) 

Learning Pastels

I took an pastels art class at my local art center. It was taught by LaVone Sterling, who is an award winning artist. I've tried pastels in the past but never really gotten the hang of how to use them. 

This is a photo of LaVone's pastels pallet. Isn't it beautiful? I love COLOR! 

We started with a photograph (I chose one that I took my husband's family cabin) and did a pencil sketch.

After the sketch, we used watercolor underpainting to provide a background to build on. 

Then we started at the top and worked our way down, adding layers of pastels to be blended together.

LaVone showed us how to use stryofoam packing peanuts to blend the pastels, which worked so well! I was amazing! We also used plain white bread - like Wonderbread! - to blend and remove color when we had added too much. 

I tried to take lots of photos along the way to document the process. I was amazed at how quickly it went from scribbles of color to looking like real artwork. This is with the trees and sky blended, but still just the watercolor background on the barn.

 And as much as I tried to take photos, then I got excited working on the barn and grass and didn't take any more photos until the end. 

Here are the other pieces made by the rest of the class. I was so impressed! 

And here's my finished piece. I hope it doesn't sound too braggy, but I am SO happy with how it turned out. I keep looking at it, amazed that I made it! 

LaVone is planning to come back for a second class in the fall and I hope I can attend. She was a great teacher and I loved learning all of her tricks. I can't wait to try another one!

End of Year

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year!

We had such a blast with our kids this year - they are 7 and 4 and oh my goodness! So excited, so enthusiastic, so entertaining.

 See what I mean about "enthusiastic?!"

 I didn't do any Christmas sewing, but I did make this wood slice picture frame for my dad and step-mom. They are big time nature lovers and I thought they would enjoy the rustic idea of a photo on a piece of natural wood (purchased at Michaels, photo cut to size and modge-podged on).

 It's also two-sided with this year's family portrait (blogged here: For the Love of Christmas Cards).

And, because everyone is doing it and it looks so fun, here is my 2013 "year in review." I made more quilts than I thought I did! Twelve total, including some of my most favorites ever.

Here are links in case you would like more details. 

Top Row: Tree Quilt. Rainbow Star. Scrappy Rainbow. Swoon.

Second Row: Patchwork and Tree. Gray Patchwork. Red, White, & Blue. Gray Chevron.

Third Row: Vintage Sheets String. Baby Boy. Baby Girl Coin.  Baby Girl. 

Bottom (Pillows): Blue and White. Black-and-White. Colorful String. Vintage Sheets. 

2013 was a great year - my daughter made her first quilt, my husband and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary, I sold a couple of quilts for the first time, and even sent some of my crafts into a REAL retail store! 

I'm looking forward to 2014 and all that it will bring. There's something I love about a fresh start and a new year and the unexpected.