Show Me Wednesdays! Show your newest collection!

Hmmm, my newest collection. Well, it's hard to admit to a newest collection -- because I just moved and I was supposed to be paring down. The family (aka: the movers) would not be at all amused if I had a newest collection. but shhhhhh, I'll show you my newest collection of rubber. Here are the Catherine Moore stamps that I ordered a year ago that just came in :) . And an adorable birdcage from Just Johanna (see what Ludgera did with it on a bird ATC here -- you need to click on the image to make it larger!). And this M that I've wanted forever -- and the price finally came down. And this double stamp of chandeliers. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but I KNOW it will make some great wrapping paper. And will look nice on a t shirt.I do have a spectacular collection of green and turquoise fiesta ware -- but I can't show you that. It's in storage. I think that it's even in another city..... someday I'll have everything here, in one place...... I collect old green, turquoise and pink dishes too -- not only fiesta...I want to start a collection of pink and green depression glass....

But my biggest (and heaviest!) collection is books. I've started to use the library for fiction books. But mixed media books and magazines are an obsession for me. I read and re-read them. Over and over and over. Oscar Wilde said "If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all". I have always read my books over and over. Ray has only read one book over again -- The Lord of the Rings. And he reads A LOT.

Art is on the Horizon!

New things are coming. Not only have I been dealing with "The Money Pit", I have been super sick! I'm still sick (I'm at home today, and have had a bit of puttering time, but mostly lying in bed and looking at magazines, which make me impatient to create! But hauling my art boxes from the garage to the basement isn't on the agenda today --- I'm too weak! Only two weeks left of school though -- then I'll be the art maniac! (or maybe should I be painting the house, as planned?)(nah, I have the rest of my life to paint the house, but some VERY PATIENT people are waiting for art from me).

Anyway, I'll leave you with some stuff from my classroom. I teach kindergarten full time, and the kids are amazing! Keep in mind that they are 4-6 years old! We recently finished a unit on oceans/water. Here is some of what we did:

Here is what the classroom looks like:A close up of the bulletin board:
(jellyfish, crabs and starfish)A close up of a handprint crab -- aren't they adorable?Here are some of the of the "Swimmy" scenes (Swimmy is a book by Leo Lionni -- a little black fish loses his family (a big fish eats them!) and swims through the ocean, looking at all of the cool things, then he finds a school of fish in hiding, and makes a plan with them to work together to scare the big fish away. If we all work together, we make great things happen. We made a cool big fish out of little fish, but I took it down before I photographed it. Anyway, we drew pictures with oil pastel, and then did washes of blue and green for the ocean, and then stuck Swimmy on top.

We're now in the middle of an insect unit. I'll share some of that another day!

Show Me Wednesdays!

This week's Show Me theme is "sewing machines" . This is my very trusty Bernina -- my mom gave it to me in around 1983 as a graduation present (high school). (thank you mom -- it has been my favourite gift EVER) It has sewn everything from prom dresses, to repairing diapers and everything in between. It has had one tune up ever (I burnt out the foot pedal -- and took it in to get a new one and thought I'd tune it up while I was there) and that was last year. To see everyone elses machines go to the Show me Wednesday blog (see link button to the right).

I'm also showing my beautiful old treadle Singer base. My mom just gave it to me last week! Growing up, it had an aquarium on it in our tv room. then, when the fish died, it came up to the kitchen, and our microwave was on it for years. The marble top has been on it as long as I remember. I don't think that it ever had the original machine on it. Did it mom? Was it grandma's? I can't remember. I've thought about putting my Bernina on it, but I like the 60's table that it is on (and yes, there is another machine in that sewing machine table)(I have 3 working machines) I LOVE the drawers in that table. All of my bobbins and most used thread is right there, at my fingertips. If I used the Singer stand, it wouldn't be.....
We were also supposed to show our messy studios. I don't know how mine got this messy this fast, because I haven't actually created anything yet. (for any newbies to my blog, I just moved) but I'm getting ready to make a fabric spread in Belinda's book.

Painting

I am the puppet master. HAHAHAHAHA. LOL. Anyway, here are some before and after shots so far. The purple room is our bedroom. Most of the room was purple. The trim was yellow. How very Easter! the yellow trim is still there (it will be white soon, I promise....)Now here is the after:
The ceilings are VERY high, so we will definitely put a big piece of art above the bed. I'm thinking that I'll do a giant mixed media collage on canvas -- maybe 4'x4'. What do you think? The trim and doors aren't painted yet, so I'm not giving you a window shot yet. And the curtain that I'm making might be going to a magazine before I hang it. so it might not go up for many months....

Here's the good news -- the terrible stench in the basement is gone!! The plumbers were here yesterday. Our laundry room had a drain that went straight to the sewer. We had the smells of all the sewage of the neighbourhood coming up in our basement (it made the GAS guys gag). So they installed a drain trap (a little U in the pipe) and presto, no smell. YIPPEE! And can you believe that the previous owners lived with that for more than 20 years? Yucky. My studio is in the basement. I'm so glad that I can work in it now! The other terrible smell is almost gone too (something is dead between the walls). It has finally run it's course, we think. So our house smells almost normal :) The Gas guys were here too. Our gas has been shut off for over a week (no heat, no hot water, no stove). We are having new pipes put in (the old ones had a leak, and it is easier to just put in new ones than to tear apart the whole house trying to find the leak)(our house is so old that it has original gas fittings in the ceilings for gas lights). They promise that we will have hot water for Saturday. This is good because the community centre is getting tired of seeing us in the showers.... The fence guys have promised to do the fence next week so I can finally plant my poor plants. They aren't faring so well....

Re: the pupper master comment. I actually haven't done much to make the house pretty. It's been all Ray and Lauren. But they think that I've done something too. Umm.... I'm the foreman? I pick the colours and make sure that all of the workers are working and don't take too many breaks. And of course I have to read magazines. I have to keep up on what it current in home decor....... And I AM working on report cards right now. Really. I'm not wasting away the hours updating my blog. Really, I'm not. Thank goodness my family doesn't read this.

my little house

The new Sew Somerset came in the mail today! I have 3 different things in it!! How exciting! It never ceases to amaze me when they choose my work :) Click on the images for larger, readable sizes. And make sure that you go right out and buy a copy! In Toronto, make sure you buy it at Bizzy B's (better make sure that you call and reserve a copy!)(416-203-0433).

On page 14 is a fabric heart pin. It looks waaayyyy better in person.On page 97 is one of my Secret Garden tags --- similar ones have been on my blog before --- I really love them -- so I had to share. I love how it coordinates so well with Frieda Oxenham's work on the same page -- and I feel so honoured to be on the same page as Frieda -- her work is AMAZING! And finally on page 114 is my little house. I really did make this during all of the excitement of buying a house. I love this collage -- I can't wait until it comes home so I can frame it and hang it on my wall! We have decided to paint our front door black -- so my combo of many whites and black is really happening -- I just need those touches of red. How feng shui of me.........

Settling in

I'm kind of getting settled in. I have one wall (it's about 20 feet long!!!) of my basement studio painted, so now I can set up my shelves along that wall and get to work!
The bedroom is almost finished being painted, so we can move the bed out of the living room and into the bedroom soon! Yay!
I'll add some photos soon. We moved the computer into the office, and somehow, once again, misplaced the cable for the camera.......
I haven't made any art since my last post. I'm having serious withdrawal......

ATC Night at Bizzy B's

Last Friday we had an action packed ATC trade! The theme was Birds -- so I HAD to participate -- especially when I saw Colette's sneak preview on her blog..... So I dug up my box of bird ephemera (that goodness for my obsessive labelling of bins). But glue was no where to be found. And since I left it until the VERY last minute, no glue was to be purchased, either... So I found some Cavallini file folders (my backgrounds) and attached some various birdie ephemera by sewing it (luckily I have a lightweight Bernina that I set up on my kitchen table)(and even put it way when I was finished). Then I inked my edges (again, the obsessive labelling) and smeared on some paint. The paint story is funny. The electricians found a can of paint sealed in behind a wall. Almost full! So of course I had to use it. No paint brushes though, so I had to use my fingers! (no gloves either -- I can't work with gloves) (Is this giving you the heebie jeebies Ruth???). I'm pretty happy with my quicky ATCs. It's all thanks to Cavallini and their great papers though.... I made 2 favourites that I couldn't give away -- so here they are!
And here is a selection of the ATCs that I got in trade (some are Paris -- last month's theme). The above ATCs are by Susan V, Mary A, Daniza, Sandy, Kimberly, Bev, Ludgera, Colette, Jolanta, Irene and another one (Paris) from Mary because she swiped 2 of mine.....

If you live in the Toronto Area, and you want to trade with us, we meet at Bizzy B's (Stamp and Scrap store) on the second Friday of each month. Meet and Greet is at 6:30pm and we start the trading at 7pm. There will be demo following the trade. I'm not sure what the demo will be next month (there will be one, for sure). Is there anything that you want to see? That I can demo? LOL. June's theme is Asia (could be anything Asian -- Japanese, Chinese, India -- look at a map and see what you can come up with!). Our meetings are very fun and often include little yummy treats from the Store (thanks Barb and Tony!). You generally need about 15 ATCs -- and the cost is -- 1 ATC for the store's collection! Email me if you want to be put on our newsletter list -- and I try really hard to email out numbers of committed attendees a week before the meeting.

Happy Mother's Day!

I love you mommy! Happy Mother's Day!!! I found my rubber stamps AND my ink!

As you all know, I have moved. I still can't find my art supplies, but at least I'm not eating my morning cereal out of a mug anymore!
The electricians are still working on the house -- replacing all of the "knob and tube" wiring, and adding some more power outlets (some rooms had only 1). The previous owner had run extension cords through the walls for power! As soon as they are finished (some time this week) I'll paint my studio and move the shelves in. I'll be ready to rock by next weekend. What about the rest of the house, you ask??? Well, next weekend is a long weekend.... can't we paint the bedroom, the living room and my studio in one weekend? Well, anyway.... I'm happy to keep sleeping in the living room, as long as my studio is set up..... (we have the bed in the living room, so the electricians would have some room to move in our 8'x9' bedroom (with 2 doors and 1 window -- not any room for furniture other than a bed. I'm going to have a dressing area in my studio space... not sure what Ray is going to do, LOL.
I'll be doing regular blog posts from here on in! Ray found the cables to his camera, so I can add pictures -- but the scanner won't be set up until the workers have left and the dust has cleared.....

Days 'till the move = 0

The house is ours! The deal closed and we picked up our keys this afternoon! So, in the middle of moving and packing, here I am on the computer :) Because I missed you all! (we move on Wednesday -- tomorrow)

I even have some pictures. No, not of the house -- I was feeling un-photogenic today, and didn't even feel like taking pictures. Maybe tomorrow....

On the weekend I finished my pocket page in Tina's book. Tina actually provided the pocket page, and I embellished it a bit, and treated my tag as a page. It has a surprise on the back, so I'm not going to show the back. Tina's theme was "play". I like to play tea party -- so here's my tea party!

Time Flies!

I'm moving in 11 days!!! Time really does fly - our 90 days 'till closing seemed like such a long length of time, then poof! it's almost moving day!This spread is for Bonnie. Her theme was "Time Flies" and she wanted us to incorporate a #6, or 60 in it -- because she turned 60 in October. Bonnie also loves to travel, so I went with that theme too. Not because I like to drive in fast cars. Because if you know me, you'll know that I hate driving. I don't have a license, and I don't even like to be passenger. Grow where you're planted, my mom said........I also thought I'd be super organized and work ahead on some tip ins for another group, so I hypothesized on who my next 2 partners would be. Well, it turns out that the 2 spreads that I did aren't due to my partners until December 2008, and February 2009. Go figure...... I really love the work that I did, but I can't show it to you for another, um, 8 months or so.... LOL.....

Spring blossoms

It's finally spring here! The sun has been shining, the robins are back -- the snow is completely gone! Yay! I jumped in last minute to help with a flower panel swap on Creative chix..... They are each about 6 1/2 inches square. If you like to make this sort of thing -- check out the newest Quilting Arts Magazine --- I looked at it in a store yesterday -- it's a great issue (unfortunately I can't buy it until after my move-- but I will!).
I have finished all of the paper art that I'm doing before my move, so I'm packing all of my art supplies, but I still have a fabric book page to finish -- so I'll be sewing next weekend, and then packing. There won't be much on my blog. 16 days 'til the move.........

Brood

I made these pages for Jill. I chose the theme of "nature" from a list of suggested themes. This isn't what I originally planned, but I'm quite happy with the results. This is the first time that I've tried to stitch a tree -- and I think that it will happen more often.I've actually finished all of the art that needs to be sent before I move! I'm now trying to work ahead on May's art! 25 days until the move. Today I'm packing everything from drawers. I'm almost finished packing. I'm determined not to have a box that is labeled "box-o-junk" I have a few every move -- and, while they are amusing when you open them a few years later, I am REALLY trying to pare down. Plus, I told Lauren that I have thrown out all of the junk. She comes home from France in a week and a half. I'd better get throwing......

Earth Hour

Last night, from 8-9pm we turned the lights off and turned off all of our electrical appliances (except the fridge and aquarium filter) in celebration of Earth hour. Did you participate? What did you do?? We got snuggly with candles. My friend Robin toasted marshmallows over tea lights. It was a nice night. Ray and I decided that we're going to try to celebrate Earth hour every Saturday night. Power down. Reduce. Relax.
In the spirit of reduce, reuse, recycle -- here are some ATCs that I made a few years ago. Everything on the ATCs was from a walk down the city street one Saturday morning. I called the series "Walking Papers". The top 3 all use the blister packs from gum (lots of those on the sidewalk). They are much more 3D than they look. All I added was some paint and some rubber stamped text.

Is it spring yet?

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, but the mountains of snow on the garden are still there.....This is a bird that I made for Patti's hidden treasures book. All of her pages are to be bird shaped (she provided a template) -- and the wings are pockets to hide goodies in!!! They are about 7" long. One "hidden treasure" is a button fairy -- I've never made one before -- but I think that I'll make more to hang on the Christmas tree next year.... The other treasure is hidden. Patti has to wait for the birds to fly home until she sees it!
I'm definitely going to make more of these!(32 days until the move-- today I'm preparing things to give away on Freecycle. Don't worry -- it's nothing you want)

Hippity Hop, Easter Swap!!!

Mine came a bit late, so I didn't even have to wait to open them! None of this "One day at a time nonsense" I got to rip into them all, at once!!! Here's a picture wrapped, then the next two are unwrapped. Wooo-hoo, this was fun. I peeked online at what I was getting. Yes, I admit it, I cheated. If you want to see WAY better pictures than mine, go to Jenny Everyday's blog for March 15,16 and March 24 it has all of the pictures, close up. It's a big job, so I'll just let you look at Jenny's loot. Mine was pretty much the same :) Thank you everyone!!! (2 gifts are still coming separately -- I'll blog them when they come!)

Please click on everyone's names to go to their blogs or websites to see some incredible eye candy!. Most of these very talented women have etsy shops or sell throught their websites, so go visit those too! (again -- go to Jenny's site to see really great photos)
The fabric wallhanging is from Jeanne; the Easter Doll is from Debra Schoch, beautiful glittering crystal earrings are from Karin ; the SPRING in a glittery tube is from Beth Quinn; and the Easter cake wall hanging is from Jenny Everyday!(the feathery wreath with vintage millinery flowers is from Heather K ; the basket with bird and nest is from Holly ; the little walnut bunny shrine is from Shosh from Hannah Grey (and a beautiful glass birdy, but I couldn't get a good photograph); the Easter shrine is from Heather Bluhm)and finally -- this is the pin I made!
Hoppy (belated) Easter!

Pink Marie

I made these for an RR, but ended up sending different pages. So I might frame these... or send to someone else. The "tarted up" Marie is an image by Anahata -- and I continued it onto the page -- extending the lines off of the collage image. It's mostly Anahata and a little martha. Anahata doesn't sell her collage clip images anymore. I'm glad that I picked lots up at ArtFest last year!!! Sadly, I'm not going to ArtFest this year. I'm moving instead :)p.s. 36 more days until the move. Paper is sorted(in boxes), rubber stamps are sorted (and all in boxes and drawers). Next up? all of those little bits and pieces -- you know, a head of a doll, pretty little stones, little silk flowers -- all those things that litter the top of my work table..... and all of my art books and magazines (sniff, sniff).

More Marie

Lisa had a GIANT RR book. The pages were bigger than 8x10 -- I never measured.... Her colours were blue, purple, magenta (or was it maroon....?) and teal. These photographed a lot darker than they really are -- but I like them -- they look so rich!

When Marie Antoinette was young -- she indulged a lot (like most young people!)-- as she got older she didn't so much -- but by then, it was too late -- her reputation was set..... so read into these pages however you like, LOL.p.s. 37 days until the move -- today I will be organizing art supplies. I'm trying to gather a box of art necessities to keep out -- you know -- just in case I need to journal about something. It's very amusing when I go to pack up something that I haven't used in 2 years, but I'm reluctant to pack it away for a few months because "what if I need it in the next few weeks?" Sheesh.

Silver Belle

The theme for Linda's pages is "Silver Belle" -- (using an image of a woman renowned for her beauty -- also using silver in the composition)
This was a struggle. I kept adding more and more and more -- it's a bit fuller than usual for me. What I struggle with most is balance. If I don't get balance right off the bat, I keep adding little thinks to achieve (visual) balance. Then, all of a sudden, I tip the scale and it has too many little bits. Then it didn't look silvery enough so I added the glitter. Then I remember that many people don't like glitter in their books. I hope that you're okay with glitter, Linda!!! After all, it's silver glitter...........I chose an image of Marie Antoinette. La Belle Femme. She'll be featured throughout the week in a few different spreads for different RRs.

p.s 43 more days until moving day. Oh Crap. It's getting close. Less art. More pack.

ATC Night

The theme was dolls.
I thought that the one I made might creep some people out. But no, everyone wanted one!
She's a Creativity Doll. You stick the pin into her and get all creative.As a backup I made some prettier dolls:And I had to accessorize for the evening!