Good Wednesday all my crafty friends! It's Wednesday indeed and time to hop on over to Julia's Stamping Ground and share with the rest of my beautiful arty friends what is going on, on their crafty desk. Let's see what I can share today.
First off, like so many of us, I am just heart-stricken over the loss of sweet Shaz. I did not know her as most of you wonderful over-the-seas ladies, and so my sympathies and blessings go out to you lovely ones who knew her as a close friend. Doug and their family have also been on my heart and prayers. Life is no small thing. A life, makes an impact in this world (whether they knew it or not), and on so many different levels. I think as humans, we truly forget how much we impact others without even knowing it. It's inevitable really. Some more than others, but we DO make a difference in this world. And so each life is meant to be celebrated! So today I celebrate Shaz, whom I only knew online, but whose crafty talent did make an impact on me all the way across the sea. She will be missed in our community and in so many hearts!
So what's happening over on my desk? Well right now as I am writing this and looking over to that said desk, a MESS!! I still have several projects going on and simply not enough room to house all those projects on my desk at once. It gets exhausting rotating those projects out for one to dry, while I work on another, or if the old light bulb comes on in my head about another and I swap out before I forget! Why you ask......BECAUSE I HAVE NO MORE ROOM ON THE FLOOR!!!! LOL As I have mentioned before, my craft desk is in my bedroom and there is simply only so much space in there!! So I have piles surrounding my desk on the floor like land mines!! I just keep moving them around and rotating them out and stepping over and around them! With all that bending over, picking up and stepping around, you'd think I'd be in shape, but sadly, that is not the truth! LOL
 |
| Poppy addition to the altered journal |
So first share is my finished poppy in my altered book journal! I liked how it turned out and really enjoyed the process as I went through painting it. I'm still working on paint to water ratios with my watercolor painting. It's so hard to gauge and it's very frustrating to me sometimes. I know it will sort itself out over time as I get more familiar with the process. Unfortunately, I am very impatient, so let's all hope that sorting goings quickly! LOLOL
 |
| February ATC Swaps |
The next share is the finished ATC's that I showed you last week! I think they turned out pretty good. February, luckily is an easy subject month with it being Valentines, so "love" was the theme for me with this swap group. This is my first swap with this group, so I hope that they received well and enjoyed. I ejoyed doing these because I pulled out some techniques that I had not used in a while. It made me think about all the tags I used to do and my mixed media journaling that I haven't done in quite some time. May have to pull some of that out again soon. Lord, what am I saying.....where in the world will I find the time to do that???? LOL
So yesterday I had an Oncologist appointment. I think I have mentioned before that my doctor is about an hour away in a town that has one of my favorite big box craft stores. So, of course, I hit that place just about every time I have an appointment. I truly did need to go this time however because I have run out of substrates for my dotting projects. My sister is still cutting out some for me and I needed some things to work on until she gets those to me. Plus, I needed some substrates other than what she is getting me.
 |
| Goodies Haul |
So you will see this happy mess of goodies in this picture. The feature pile in the middle are three sizes of canvases. The only store in my small town that does carry canvases for some reason only has sizes that aren't even? It's so odd to me...no pun intended! So yesterday I got two each of 12x12, 6x6 and 3x3. They are so much easier to work on when you are considering mandalas. Odd-sized canvases can work, but it's so much easier when they are even. The Woodpile packs to the right are rounds that I can work on and then I also got small crosses (sitting on top of the canvases). To the left is a big roll of magnet tape. So the plan is to work on the small rounds and the crosses and make magets out of them for gifts. We shall see how that goes. The other small round packs, towards the bottom, are already magnetic. They are canvas on the front. So I can do the same with those. I also got some more medium that I am about out of and them some pouring medium for those thick paints that need to be thinned out for my projects. I also needed some fine liners, so this little fillable bottles in from of the medium to the left will come in handy for those jobs. At the very right, you get a little sneak peek of a current project!
 |
| Leaning tower of....PAINTS!!! |
So this last picture I just had to share. I found this three-tiered basket stand yesterday at the same store. It was 50% off, so that was a no-brainer! LOL Anywho, I got it because I have paint all over the place in my craft area and mostly in drawers. That's fine for the most part, except that I can't see what colors I have unless I go into the drawers. Lazy and frustrating all at the same time! Oh the woes of us crafters! LOL So I thought if they were out where I could see them, it would make my dotting projects easier to plan. I had originally thought about using something that would hang on the wall, but I couldn't find anything like that. I'm sure I have seen folks do something similar with their paints before, but it is cute, easy and ON SALE...duhhhhhhh, as my daughter would say!! LOL I wish I could say that this is ALLLLL of my paints.....nope.....paint glutton that I am!! LOLOL What do you think?
Well, that's all I can share today friends! Here's hoping that you all remain safe and healthy! Happy Wednesday to you and many blessings!
That is a lovely poppy, my favourite flower, so beautifully painted.
ReplyDeleteI was not sure whether the ATC's were received ones or ones you had made - nice bunch of them though.
Love the fact that you have had a good spending spree, its what we all need after a visit to anyone in the medical world.
Hugs, Neet 17 xx
Oh your poppy turned out lovely. The ATCs are sweet too - as I sit here I look up at my wall-hanging sleeves full of WOYWW crop ATCs - I know there are at least a few from Shaz there, for which I am grateful. A sad sad day for us all.
ReplyDeleteHugs to all on a sad WOYWW day.
Mary Anne (1)
What a great post Felicia, a lovely tribute to Shaz which proves the point that online friendships are just as strong as real ones - all the different memories on desks are a fitting epitaph to Shaz. I love that you have so many ideas they’re popping out all over, you can hear your brain fizzing from this side of the pond! I’m glad you made good use of the time after your appt (hope it went ok), retail therapy sure helps at times like that.
ReplyDeleteHugs LLJ 9 xxx
What lovely words Felicia, with each struggle it's good to know that there is love in the hearts for everyone. Beautiful water coloured Poppy, I know what you mean about ratio of paint into the wet, you think you have mastered it then use a different brand and it's like learning all over again, paint is not one size fits all.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you stocked up at the store, got to get it when we see it, just incase.. my Hubby always says if you think you'll use it have it (oh how he must regret those words at times ..) Love the leaning basket, i'm after something very similar for my garden hee hee.. Bottoms up to the paint, the best way to store and preserve it, give them a little love and shake once in a while...
Sending Hugs your way this woyww, take care Tracey #3 xx
I’m sorry I’m so late visiting this week. I’ve been head down making Memory bears this morning.
ReplyDeleteI really love what you’ve been working on this week and especially love the new 3 tier storage you’ve bought for your paints...great idea.
Hugs, Annie x #9
I hope your appointment went well, Felicia, and it's definitely an advantage to have the craft store nearby. Looks like you managed to score a lot of necessities in there - the paint storage unit is genius! Hope you've got everything now to get going with your projects. The poppy looks so pretty on the book page! I know what you mean about the water/paint ratio - I always use too much paint and that cancels out that lovely watercolour effect. But if there's not enough paint, then the colours look washed out. You seem to have hit the right balance on that page. All the ATCs look super - lucky recipients of Felicia magic! Hope you're well, my fiend. We're all a bit shocked about Shaz, of course - so sad. Thanks so much for your visit - your comments always put a smile on my face! xx zsuzsa #31
ReplyDeleteLoving the paint basket, seems to have done the trick all the other goodies too are great. The finished poppy is adorable and the ATC's so colourful and super rich.
ReplyDeleteBJ#23
That paint basket is perfect Felicia. Glad you managed to replenish supplies so well too. Hope the appointment went well. The poppy is lovely! Stay safe. Sarah #6
ReplyDeleteLovely words Felicia, I think we are all reeling from the news. I do love your water colour poppy - it is stunning. How lovely you got to have some retail therapy at the craft store - we can all do with that now and again! I hope you get to have fun and enjoy your new goodies.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week, stay safe and well,
Diana xx #22
Lovely words for Shaz. What a lovely community we are all a part of
ReplyDeleteTake care
Lynn xx
I started off okay today with the visits, walked dogs and went into the cabin and now I don't know where the time went to! You made me smile when you said you were rotating your projects around the room because I do that all the time. Shaz will never have really left us because her blog will keep her alive for us and I can tell you it wont be the last time I pop over there for some ideas when I get stuck, God Bless her. Have a lovely creative woyww, Angela,x18x
ReplyDeleteHi Felicia, of course you must always visit the craft store when you are in the locality - I believe that is a crafting law, as is buying things you need (or didn't know you needed) if they are on sale! I did smile when you said that is not all your paints. Neet was sorting through hers a while back, and each week there was more, and more, and more .... I never realised there were so many different types of paints! I love the colours on your ATCs - very bright and cheery, just what we need right now. Thanks for visiting my blog. I do like my cozy, crafty space, most of the time. It has to be organised or I really don't know where everything is - I have brain lapses from time to time. Fingers crossed my mojo returns and I have something to share next week. Take care, hugs Heather xx #19
ReplyDeleteHello Felicia thank for stopping by and leaving such lovely comments about my painting. In between paintings I also do a little watercolour in journals. I must say your poppy on the altered journal with text peeping though is stunning. Lovely collection of goodies from the craft store. Stay safe and keep creating.
ReplyDeleteSandra de @28
A craft store has to be visited, as without that they would not be able to keep going! Even if you didn't know Shaz you have written so well. My living room sounds much like your bedroom - stuff everywhere... barely space to put my feet... and I have spread elsewhere too.... Take care and stay safe. Helen #2
ReplyDeleteHi Felicia. A lovely tribute to Shaz. Oh my - a craft store that is open!!!!! Oh how we look forward to the day. Non essential retail is all closed here in Wales at the moment - no shops other than food, chemist, post office, and garden centres. Cafes, pubs, restaurants - all shut unless they can offer takeaway. Oh well - it does mean a healthy bank balance... You certainly had a good time in your craft store. I trust the oncology appointment went as well as the shopping... Love your paint stand.
ReplyDeleteTake care. God bless.
Margaret #29
Your altered book and ATC are gorgeous! Nice grab on the 3 tiered basket.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your new goodies and have a wonderful remainder of the week.
Hugz,
Chana Malkah, #36
That basket is so perfect! There's something about having all your paints or pencils or pens or whatever your weapon of choice is, out on show like this that is so inspiring. Much love on this difficult day, Lisa-Jane #7
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit, Love he basket it perfect for paints love the flower great drawing and colour,
ReplyDeleteTake care and stay safe,
Lilian B #14
Beautiful poppy!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your post. See you next week.
Susan #5
I love your new stash, Felicia. The 3-tiered basket is sweet, and so good for storing your paints so that they are easily accessible. I have something similar in my bathroom for shampoos etc. I do love your painted poppy - paintings on printed pages always float my boat - it's always a lovely combination.
ReplyDeleteA sweet tribute to Shaz. I think it must be hard for those WOYWW-ers who didn't actually meet her in the flesh. The single meeting I had with her made a huge impact on my life. You are right about impact - Shaz would probably not have thought she made much difference, but my goodness, she did. I agree with you 100% about it all being in God's plan. I can quote so many incidents during my cancer year (2015) where with hindsight I can see His hand on my life, guiding me through, sometimes through situations which at the time seemed to me to be absolutely against me, but turned out to be for my benefit! I now look on these as lessons to test and grow my faith, and I hope that as similar things continue to happen in my life it will be my first, rather than my last, conclusion to acknowledge that God is, after all, in control.
Thank you so much for your kind words about my hubby's card. It was a bit of a rush job which was why some of it was a bit tatty around the edges, but he loved it, especially the kitties.
My goodness I can identify with your UFO problem. I have got projects that are far older than a mere year, waiting to be finished. My Hebrew Alphabet sampler was started back in the 1990s, and my oldest UFO is an unfinished embroidered floor rug that I inherited from a lady who could no longer see to do it - at least 40 years ago! I think I won the booby prize in Julia's UFO challenge last summer...
I am so happy that you liked my Hebrew designs. I was fascinated to read about your Sephardic heritage. I love the Sephardic tradition more than the Ashkenazi, I think - it is so rich and Oriental in style. Many years ago at the music summer school I used to attend, I was in the choir and we performed a work (first performance - can't remember the composer but I must look it up) called Sephardic Passion and some of it was in Ladino. Most people have heard of Yiddish but few know about Ladino, which is so beautiful. Have you come across Lucy Skeaping? She and her (gentile) husband started a group called Burning Bush and they research a great deal of Jewish traditional music. I have several of their albums. She sings and her style is completely different for the two traditions. I love the food too... You get a lot of it in Israel, where of course they chose to pronounce Hebrew with the much more musical Sephardic pronunciation. I would love to hear more about your family history.
(End of part 1!)
Shoshi x #25
(Part 2!)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I made you laugh about our severe blizzard conditions!! Well, I have to make some sort of a statement when everybody else is posting photos of deep snow - in our mild little corner we can rarely keep up with that!
Ah, the blender... At least I've got it working now. I did get angry with them for messing me about so much, and I have told them I shall never deal with them again!! If you do come steaming across the Pond, I would much prefer that it be to come and spend time with me so we could have a nice cup of tea and a giggle and share so many things, rather than wasting your trip on that lot! They are simply not worth it. The way you are supposed to clean the jug is the same way Vitamix recommends - by blending up some soapy water. This only cleans the inside, of course, and working with food, it is obviously going to get dirty on the outside too. It's a real pain not being able to get it wet.
Forks Over Knives is fabulous. I go on their site quite often. The film of the same name (have you seen it? Unfortunately they've now taken it off Netflix but it's available on their site) was the first whole-food plant-based film I saw and it completely opened my eyes. Drs Esselstyn and Campbell are absolute heroes and they and the other doctors in this movement must have saved literally thousands of lives. This work should be universally known, and influencing government policy throughout the West, but of course there are powerful financial and political interests militating against that, at the expense of people's lives.
The kitties definitely rule the roost. I think it's something about the way they look at you, from an early age, that just melts your heart and you can deny them nothing! They know how to get what they want, don't they!
Have a great week, Felicia, and thank you for all your support and encouragement.
Shoshi x #25
I think the paints in that basket arrangement will make you smile each time you see them, like having a planter full of flowers right there all the time. Delicious colour blaze! My word you are busy. I seem to remember in our zoom session that I explained more than once that I ‘don’t want to work that hard’, and I can apply that again to your multi project method. Piles of different things on the go... too hard for me! I’m seriously hoping that your trip to the Oncologist was a positive one Felicia. I don’t mean at all to pry, but if you need support, reach out, this community is here for you.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late visit, that’s a great haul of goodies. That’s one thing Covid hasn’t stopped! You will like it so much to be able to see your paints. Now mine are in their new storage it makes life so much easier. Angela x #21
ReplyDeleteHi Felicia, chuckling at Angela’s comment on late visit mine is much later.
ReplyDeletePopping over to say you may paint lily by all means, been unwell then visitors or getting over unwell and ready for visitors. Life happens so zero blogging and very few comments.
Thanks for your lovely words on my post. Love yours too and so agree very few of us realise how much we influence others. As Proverbs says “ As iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpens (or shapes!) the countenance of his friend.” We rub off on one another so let it be for good, and for God!
Thanks for Sharing, God bless and keep you safe, and all those you love,
Prayer hugs Shaz in Oz.x
{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz} ve your paninis and new goodies and think ATCs came out well!
Mm that came out garbled “Love your paints and new goodies! And thunk ATCs came out well!” On mobile and weird things happen.
ReplyDelete