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My Journey As A Creative Designer - Woodworking and Beyond

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7M views 13K replies 477 participants last post by  teaklight12 
#1 ·
Beginning this Blog

I recently was referred to this site by Steve Good, who has a wonderful, comprehensive scroll saw forum and blog page. Although I have been doing woodworking for almost fifteen years, I have finally reached a point in my life where I am able to make it the main focus of my activities. Since my life revolves around my woodworking and business, I believe that this blog will reflect that very clearly, although it will also be somewhat personal. But I think that woodworking is very personal anyway.

It has been a long journey to get to this point. There have been many good times and some not-so-good ones, but I appreciate every single step because I think that if even one thing was different, I would not be where I am today or who I am inside. It isn't only the positive events in our lives that make us what we are. Many times it is the negative things that mold and shape us and teach us to look at things in a certain way. I try to remember that when things are tough and move ahead.

I have learned that there is only one thing we can be certain of in life: change. Whether things are good or bad, we need to hold on and appreciate the moment, as we can be certain that things will be different before long. This helps us to not only appreciate the good days and things we have now, but also hang on when things are not so good, as we know that they will be different soon. I like this philosophy.

I liked reading about the new contest offered by this site in the newsletter. Fluidity. It is a perfect theme for projects because our existence itself is fluid. I am anxious to see what interpretations are going to be, as I am sure everyone else is. It will be an adventure for all of us for sure.

So why am I starting this blog? The other day I received a call from a customer who had a question for me. He kept saying how surprised he was that I answered my own phone. I have worked as a Contributing Editor for Creative Woodworks and Crafts Magazine for the past 13+ years and I guess in the scroll saw community, many people have heard of me. It seemed so odd to me that he would think I would have a secretary or staff. We kind of laughed about it, but it really got me thinking about his interpretation of my life. We all tend to form opinions of others from very limited information. We see the outside of a person as they are presented to us and many times are very quick to categorize that person in our minds. I do it myself.

But in my years of talking with and dealing with many people from many different places, I have come to realize that people are like icebergs. We only see the tip of them and below the surface is a vast, complex side of them that is the basis of their actions and thinking.

Everyone has a story. Everyone has traveled a journey. No two people have traveled identical paths. Thus, we are all unique in our thoughts, actions and creative processes. I enjoy hearing others stories. I think that listening to others and hearing their experiences helps us to understand each other. With that understanding, we learn.

I have used the phrase "Knowledge Is Power" in my signature since I have been on the web. Once someone told me that they thought it was quite arrogant of me to say that. He thought that I was implying that I knew more than anyone else and he found that offensive. I told him he couldn't be more wrong. My interpretation of the phrase is that our QUEST for knowledge EMPOWERS us to make better decisions about things in our lives. We are never finished learning. I learn every single day from my friends, colleagues, fellow woodworkers and students. We never know when we will learn something new. Sometimes you can learn from even a seemingly insignificant event. I feel the key is that we need to be open to learning.

Everyone has a story.

So I will close today with those thoughts. I don't know how often I will post here, but I hope to make it a habit. I don't know if anyone will even read this, but somehow it doesn't matter. Writing is a key in self-awareness. By writing things down we categorize our actions and it helps (me anyway) to keep my life organized. Organization leads to peace as far as I am concerned.

I am quite overwhelmed with the scope of the site here. I am still getting my footings and lurking around. I think for the first several days or maybe even weeks I will be more of a passive observer while I find my comfortable position among the others here. I want to upload the new things I am working on here. Like everyone else, I am anxious to see the response they get. I love seeing others projects and could spend my days just looking.

Although it is quite intimidating, the forum looks like it is full of friendly, knowledgeable and wonderfully creative people.

I think I am going to like it here.
 
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#12,230 ·
Online Learning

When I think back to when I began painting and scroll sawing, I remember how different things were back then. I started both in the mid-90's and there was very little available online. I remember when we purchased our first home computer and I was thrilled at the thought of being able to type on it. My biggest excitement was that I would have a way to find and organize things like recipes and photos, as it was a time when my kids were young and my own little family was a focus. I never could have imagined how things would evolve.

As things changed and the internet grew, we are all able to reach farther out to the endless possibilities that are offered to us every day. From the early days of making friends from all over the country through chat rooms (I am still friends with many who I 'met' in woodworking rooms back in the 90's) to our online communities that we frequent today (such as Facebook) it has helps us reconnect with old friends, connect and meet new friends, and learn new skills that would have never been possible otherwise. When you think about it, it is truly amazing.

As you all come to read my posts here and watch me explore so many new types of creating, just think of how much of that learning that I do is from online sources. Think of your own learning journey as well. While some of you may have access to classes and lessons in person, I find that the vast majority of those that I know depend on online learning to further their knowledge. While some may give the internet a bad rap, one can't deny the positive aspects of learning that it can bring to our lives.

Several weeks back, I received my newsletter from Mary Kingslan Gibilsco. Mary has been a positive influence on my painting skills for just about as long as I remember. I have followed her through her painting books, magazine articles, and now online. I am happy to say that we have even become 'friends' on facebook and I feel that I have met one of my idols whom I have admired for many years. One thing that I like about Mary is that when she teaches, she teaches core values. She doesn't just teach 'a project'. She teaches the methods and processes and the theory that goes along with the projects so that as a student, we can apply it to our other art projects. To me, this is the most valuable kind of lesson, for it builds our knowledge base and makes us better artists in our own rites.

In the newsletter that I received, I noticed that Mary was offering a free Amazon Fire 7" Tablet for those who subscribe to her Online Video Learning course. What an incredible and generous value that is!

As many of you may remember, I don't own a portable phone. Since I am close to home all the time, I find that my Vonage line is adequate here at home and I don't want the extra expense or bother of having one at this point in my life. I know I am a 'dinosaur' as far as this is concerned, but I am going to hold out as long as I can. I would rather spend my money on online lessons or art supplies at this point.

But having a tablet like this is a wonderful option for me. Until now, I have had to sit at my computer and try to paint along or mix colors while sitting on my couch, where I am able to access my screen. Being able to sit at a table where I can actually work is definitely a step up for me. I have been subscribing to Mary's online course for years anyway, so I was happy to extend my experience.

My tablet arrived last week. I must say, I am a total novice as far as things like this are concerned. While I am rather competent on the computer, I had to fumble around quite a bit to get my footing on the tablet. But after a little while, I am feeling more comfortable on it and I am able to access my videos on it, which is the main reason I wanted it. The picture and sound are really nice:

Rectangle Art Serveware Electronic device Dishware


I even got a snazzy little case for it that folds over to make an easel:

Gesture Communication Device Finger Gadget Wood


I read up on it and it is supposed to have really nice battery life. Some people said they didn't like the sound, but I find it to be great. It is clear and certainly goes loud enough for me to hear what is going on. Needless to say, I am thrilled.

I hope that my painting followers that are looking to learn will consider taking Mary's course. There are many different levels of subscribing and I think that if you try one of the shorter periods, you will certainly want to up your membership. (Wouldn't that make a wonderful Christmas present for those of you who have family members who are wondering what to get you??) I started by trying it out for a month and then I took the full subscription. Whether I paint the exact projects or not, I find that I like to watch the videos just to see the techniques and theory that Mary is teaching. I can certainly say that Mary's course has helped me improve my painting skills a great deal. You can access the Online Video Course choices by clicking on this link: Online Video Learning

I truly hope you consider it. Mary is one of the best teachers I have seen. Not only will this be great for painting, but for watching my embroidery videos as well. I am really thrilled and grateful to Mary for this generous offer.

On other fronts, I just about finished my three new projects yesterday. Today I will be doing more assembly and then taking the final photos of them and writing the packet. We are (hopefully) going to update our site tomorrow (Thursday) and send out a newsletter as well.

Here is a quick photo of ONE of the new patterns:

Font Pattern Metal Circle Fashion accessory


It is a Christmas Tree trinket box with two matching ornaments. There is an overlay pattern on the top of the box and one of the ornaments will have the date on it (ALL numbers are included in the pattern, so you can change the date from year to year) and also a plain ornament.

Those of you who know me will figure that I will probably embellish these pieces with some interesting 'sparkle' or rhinestones. ;) I just can't leave them be! But they look rather handsome right now on their own, don't they?

I am late today in my posting because I am still fighting this little cold. But I am beginning to feel better and hopefully I will be 100% soon.

I promise to have more photos tomorrow of the other two patterns.

Have a wonderful and creative day! Happy Wednesday!
 

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#12,231 ·
New Scrolling Patterns

My goodness the mornings go fast! It is hard to believe that I have already been up a couple of hours. I love my mornings, as many of you already know, because it seems that I am able to accomplish so much in those first few quiet hours of the day.

Yesterday was a really productive day. It was one of those (rare) times when everything went 'as it should' and I was able to tick off just about everything that I had on my list - and then some. I filled orders, did errands, helped customers and I even assembled and photographed my new trinket box projects. At the end of the day I was even able to sit back for an hour and relax before going to bed. It doesn't happen often, but I will take it.

Today I am going to be finishing up writing the instructions for the three new projects that I have created and I will also write and send out the newsletter to our customers announcing our site update. If you don't get our newsletter, you can join our Mailing List (click the link). It is a great way to catch up on all of our new things that you may have missed. As always, we never share your information with anyone or SPAM you.

I'll be quick today and show you the three new pattern sets that I am just finishing up. I really like how they came out and I think they will be pretty popular. (I hope so, anyway)

I decided to make some more smaller trinket boxes (about 6" in diameter or so) with matching ornaments that will fit into the box. Each pattern will have two versions of the ornaments - one with the date and one without. This way those of you who like to add the dates on your gifts or keepsakes will be able to do so nicely. I am including all the numbers in the pattern so that the date can be changed from year to year. The boxes are a nice size for giving candy, gift cards or just about anything small. They are really easy to make and can be done in varying wood species and thicknesses so you can use up those smaller pieces of wood that you have laying around your shop.

For now, I created three new designs that will all be sold separately:

A tree (SLD516 Overlay Layered Christmas Box - Tree) (The link will work a little later when the product is available)

Art Wood Font Triangle Dishware


A Poinsettia (SLD517 Layered Christmas Box - Poinsettia)

Brown Wood Dishware Art Creative arts


. . . and a Bell (SLD518 Christmas Overlay Layered Box - Bell)

Wood Artifact Art Font Dishware


I am also going to be offering them at a special set price for all three, so if you are thinking of getting all of them, wait until your newsletter arrives to get the link for them.

I also wanted to show Keith's new pattern today as well:

Rectangle Wood Font Art Metal


This beautiful plaque is SLDK621 - Self-Framing "Cozy Winter Nights". It is a great addition to his series of these types of plaques and will be wonderful both during the holiday season as well as after all the holiday decorations are put away. I always feel that time of year is so bleak after the holiday season is over, so I love decorating during those cold winter months.

I have some 'surprises' for my painting followers as well, but you will have to come back tomorrow for that. I try to do a little something for everyone for each update, and I think you will find you will like this little perk that I will have.

Well, that is all for today. Watch for your newsletter later on if you subscribe and also watch for my patterns to be added to the site. I think I will have Keith put 'pre-order' pages on the site so you can get your order in to be emailed out later today or mailed out tomorrow. No one seems to mind that.

It is pouring out right now and very windy. But I am warm and cozy here with the kitties snuggled up with me. It is a perfect day to stay in and write.

I hope you have a great day as well. Happy Thursday to you!
 

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#12,232 ·
New Scrolling Patterns

My goodness the mornings go fast! It is hard to believe that I have already been up a couple of hours. I love my mornings, as many of you already know, because it seems that I am able to accomplish so much in those first few quiet hours of the day.

Yesterday was a really productive day. It was one of those (rare) times when everything went 'as it should' and I was able to tick off just about everything that I had on my list - and then some. I filled orders, did errands, helped customers and I even assembled and photographed my new trinket box projects. At the end of the day I was even able to sit back for an hour and relax before going to bed. It doesn't happen often, but I will take it.

Today I am going to be finishing up writing the instructions for the three new projects that I have created and I will also write and send out the newsletter to our customers announcing our site update. If you don't get our newsletter, you can join our Mailing List (click the link). It is a great way to catch up on all of our new things that you may have missed. As always, we never share your information with anyone or SPAM you.

I'll be quick today and show you the three new pattern sets that I am just finishing up. I really like how they came out and I think they will be pretty popular. (I hope so, anyway)

I decided to make some more smaller trinket boxes (about 6" in diameter or so) with matching ornaments that will fit into the box. Each pattern will have two versions of the ornaments - one with the date and one without. This way those of you who like to add the dates on your gifts or keepsakes will be able to do so nicely. I am including all the numbers in the pattern so that the date can be changed from year to year. The boxes are a nice size for giving candy, gift cards or just about anything small. They are really easy to make and can be done in varying wood species and thicknesses so you can use up those smaller pieces of wood that you have laying around your shop.

For now, I created three new designs that will all be sold separately:

A tree (SLD516 Overlay Layered Christmas Box - Tree) (The link will work a little later when the product is available)

Art Wood Font Triangle Dishware


A Poinsettia (SLD517 Layered Christmas Box - Poinsettia)

Brown Wood Dishware Art Creative arts


. . . and a Bell (SLD518 Christmas Overlay Layered Box - Bell)

Wood Artifact Art Font Dishware


I am also going to be offering them at a special set price for all three, so if you are thinking of getting all of them, wait until your newsletter arrives to get the link for them.

I also wanted to show Keith's new pattern today as well:

Rectangle Wood Font Art Metal


This beautiful plaque is SLDK621 - Self-Framing "Cozy Winter Nights". It is a great addition to his series of these types of plaques and will be wonderful both during the holiday season as well as after all the holiday decorations are put away. I always feel that time of year is so bleak after the holiday season is over, so I love decorating during those cold winter months.

I have some 'surprises' for my painting followers as well, but you will have to come back tomorrow for that. I try to do a little something for everyone for each update, and I think you will find you will like this little perk that I will have.

Well, that is all for today. Watch for your newsletter later on if you subscribe and also watch for my patterns to be added to the site. I think I will have Keith put 'pre-order' pages on the site so you can get your order in to be emailed out later today or mailed out tomorrow. No one seems to mind that.

It is pouring out right now and very windy. But I am warm and cozy here with the kitties snuggled up with me. It is a perfect day to stay in and write.

I hope you have a great day as well. Happy Thursday to you!
Those trinket boxes look awesome Sheila. These would be the perfect house warming gift I need to make - hmmmmm, can I fit that in before the beginning of December??? Where there is a will, there is a way! :)
 

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#12,234 ·
In Between

I often get creeped out when things all fall into place like they should. I am uncertain why this happens. Perhaps after years of growing up with family, pets and children we learn that even when we try to plan things out in advance, there always seems to be something that happens and things change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

Lately things have worked out pretty well. Could it be that after all these years I am finally getting the hang of scheduling things for myself? It isn't that I have 'coasted' along in my ventures - as there were more crazy/busy days than not - but after the past month of meeting several deadlines and then being able to create some new patterns AND get them posted on the site on time, I am beginning to wonder about myself. It is so unusual for me. ;)

I used to (kiddingly) tell my children "If you reach all your goals, you aren't setting them high enough."

Even though I only said that in jest (and I made sure they KNEW I was kidding) I wonder if there was a part of me deep down inside that actually believed it. Hummm . . .

But as I get older and I re-evaluate my life, I am learning (finally) what IS and is NOT important in this life, and I have been adjusting myself accordingly. And for some weird, unknown reason, it seems to be actually working.

By late afternoon yesterday our site was updated and I had finished writing my three new patterns. Keith went out for the evening and after tidying up our little place a bit, I made a pot of chili and after dinner sat here with my kitties and thought a bit.

Nothing was pressing and nothing was 'due' immediately and I actually had a night to do something 'for ME'. Wow.

My head began spinning and I almost got caught in the 'not knowing what to do first' thing. I want to start a new embroidery project. I want to use my colored pencils and learn. I want to paint some new things. I have more scroll saw patterns to draw. The list was long and every item on it was both fun and exciting. So where do I start?

I decided to work on my drawing skills. I had all the supplies that I needed to make a new pencil drawing, but I didn't have a clue of what to draw. I am still in the very early 'learning phase' with pencils, so I thought I would try to work on the October Challenge from Lisa Clough, which was drawing a single rose. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. The reference photo was beautiful and the rose itself was simple, yet complex. The single rose was not as intimidating as several would be and it would be a good exercise for my own learning. So I began.

Here is what I have after a couple of hours:

Flower Plant Petal Textile Hybrid tea rose


It isn't much, but it is far more difficult than I can imagine. It only has a couple of layers on it and by the time I am done, there will be several more. But it is a great choice for learning and I am glad I chose it.

Today is going to be a more 'relaxed' day. For the first time in a long while, I don't have something screaming at me. The rain stopped and the sun is out and it is cool and beautiful so I may wind up doing something outside like going for a walk. It will be lovely weekend.

I want you all to know that there will be a special event hosted by Toletown this weekend to celebrate Halloween.

Party hat Violet Font Circle Magenta


I am also participating in it and would love to share it with you. If you click on the link above (the Toletown name) after 5pm Eastern time tonight, the link will take you to a map. On the map are many great painting businesses and sites that will offer 'specials' just for this event. There are all kinds of freebies, coupons and discounts from the different sites, and the event will last until November 1st. I hope you take advantage of these specials. It will be like "Trick or Treating" right from your computer! :)

And finally today, I want to show a wonderful gift I received from my dear friend in Tennessee - Charlotte:

Font Material property Toy Stuffed toy Paper


She generously gave away something each day this month, and I was so thrilled to win this adorable kitty ornament as well as three little mini canvases to paint on. Isn't the kitty adorable??? I absolutely love it and I will cherish it and think of my sweet friend every time I see it! (She gave me chocolate too, but I (ahem) ate it!)

You can visit Charlotte's Facebook page (and LIKE it!) here: Roma Land Woodcrafts.

She also has a wonderful BLOG where she talks of creating, her family and even shares recipes. I love her posts and enjoy them tremendously. (Oh, and today is her birthday - go wish her some love! :) )

These 'in between' days are really rather nice. It is nice to feel that I don't have to always rush around and chase my tail all the time. These little breaths are great for learning and taking time to just 'be'. I have forgotten how good that can feel.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend. Take time for yourself and to enjoy all the things in your life that are important to you. They won't always be there, and you will be happy that you did.

Happy Friday to you!
 

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#12,235 ·
November, It Is!

Yes - we are already into month 11 of the year. How the heck did that happen? It seemed like yesterday that we were taking pictures of the nearly 4 feet of snow that had accumulated. Wow! How quickly this year has passed!

But as I was outside the other day, on an overcast autumn afternoon, I couldn't help but notice the beauty. not only were the trees still half-filled with warm colored leaves, but the other plants and vegetation had also taken on deep, warm color. The air was calm and crisp (and 'bugless'!) and it even smelled of fall. I couldn't deny that it is truly my favorite time of the year.

We changed our clocks back over the weekend, and while the earlier darkness never really bothered me, I realize that many people don't like that. I never really thought of it much. It was just the way it was and like the rain or the snow or even the sunshine, I just take it as it comes and make the best of it. I don't mind the darkness, as it gives me an excuse to illuminate my little 'all season tree' a bit earlier each day. I always find it to make my place here a bit more inviting and cozy. So how can I complain about that? Perhaps that is why I cherish having the tree so much. It brings that warm and cozy feeling that I had as a child during the Christmas season to my life every day. I never tire of it and it is comforting and uplifting to me. It puts me in a good mood.

It was a wonderful weekend on many levels. We celebrated Keith's Halloween birthday both on Friday and on the actual day Saturday. On Friday I needed some wood and supplies so we headed to Yarmouth to pick them up and had a nice special dinner together to celebrate his day. We came home and watched "The Others" - a somewhat scary movie to get in the Halloween mood.

On Saturday, we went to Keith's mom's for a wonderful day and dinner of rappie pie (a traditional Acadian dish) and apple pie for his birthday pie. I brought some painting to do there, as Keith's mom and I always work on our crafts when we get together. It was a relaxing and fun day to be sure.

On Friday, I had some wonderful patterns arrive in my mailbox. I had ordered some of Lynne Andrews' new designs and was thrilled when I went to the postie and they were there. I have always been a fan of Lynne, but as usually, have had a hard time finding time to paint some of her designs. When I got these, I knew I just had to make time.

I chose to begin on a pattern she called "Harvest Blessings Trio". (You can click on the name for the product link for the pattern) I loved the colors and the beautiful autumn motif. I was going to cut the little ironing boards as she had done with the design and I got the idea to make some self-framing pumpkins instead. I thought that this way, the designs would look great in the center of a wreath, on a wall, or even on an easel. I kept the design part the same size to make things easy and the sizes for these came out just perfect!

Here is as far as I got on Saturday:

Aren't the colors amazing?? Lynne is such a fabulous designer!

I spent yesterday cutting some orders that I had and then in the evening, I was able to get back to painting. (That extra hour sure came in handy!) By the time I pooped out, I had nearly finished up the first of the three plaques:

Pumpkin Orange Calabaza Lifebuoy Serveware

Plant Orange Calabaza Font Art


You can see how it is in two pieces here. The center presses into the pumpkin frame, giving the design a little more dimension and depth.

Here it is next to Lynne's original photo:

Orange Bird Creative arts Wood Art


I have a couple more surprises in store for this - some additional things to add - but it is pretty close to being done. A lot of people liked the pumpkin frame a lot so I am going to make a product on the site and offer the surfaces. I had planned on doing that anyway and creating some of my own designs on it as well. I like when my surfaces can be used for multiple projects.

I have some other cool ideas as well, and I talked to Lynne about them yesterday. I plan to use another one of her fabulous patterns in a slightly different way and I think it will be really cool.

I hope you enjoy seeing this and it shows you just how fun it is to think of other ways to use designs. I have people come to me frequently and ask if they can change up my designs to their own taste. Of course I don't mine it, as I am happy that they are inspired by my work. That is part of what teaching is all about.

For those of you who paint, you should check out Lynne's site and patterns. You can do so here: Lynne Andrews Folk Art

I am sure you will see several patterns that you just have to have. She is wonderful!

Have a great Monday! Happy November to you all!
 

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#12,236 ·
November, It Is!

Yes - we are already into month 11 of the year. How the heck did that happen? It seemed like yesterday that we were taking pictures of the nearly 4 feet of snow that had accumulated. Wow! How quickly this year has passed!

But as I was outside the other day, on an overcast autumn afternoon, I couldn't help but notice the beauty. not only were the trees still half-filled with warm colored leaves, but the other plants and vegetation had also taken on deep, warm color. The air was calm and crisp (and 'bugless'!) and it even smelled of fall. I couldn't deny that it is truly my favorite time of the year.

We changed our clocks back over the weekend, and while the earlier darkness never really bothered me, I realize that many people don't like that. I never really thought of it much. It was just the way it was and like the rain or the snow or even the sunshine, I just take it as it comes and make the best of it. I don't mind the darkness, as it gives me an excuse to illuminate my little 'all season tree' a bit earlier each day. I always find it to make my place here a bit more inviting and cozy. So how can I complain about that? Perhaps that is why I cherish having the tree so much. It brings that warm and cozy feeling that I had as a child during the Christmas season to my life every day. I never tire of it and it is comforting and uplifting to me. It puts me in a good mood.

It was a wonderful weekend on many levels. We celebrated Keith's Halloween birthday both on Friday and on the actual day Saturday. On Friday I needed some wood and supplies so we headed to Yarmouth to pick them up and had a nice special dinner together to celebrate his day. We came home and watched "The Others" - a somewhat scary movie to get in the Halloween mood.

On Saturday, we went to Keith's mom's for a wonderful day and dinner of rappie pie (a traditional Acadian dish) and apple pie for his birthday pie. I brought some painting to do there, as Keith's mom and I always work on our crafts when we get together. It was a relaxing and fun day to be sure.

On Friday, I had some wonderful patterns arrive in my mailbox. I had ordered some of Lynne Andrews' new designs and was thrilled when I went to the postie and they were there. I have always been a fan of Lynne, but as usually, have had a hard time finding time to paint some of her designs. When I got these, I knew I just had to make time.

I chose to begin on a pattern she called "Harvest Blessings Trio". (You can click on the name for the product link for the pattern) I loved the colors and the beautiful autumn motif. I was going to cut the little ironing boards as she had done with the design and I got the idea to make some self-framing pumpkins instead. I thought that this way, the designs would look great in the center of a wreath, on a wall, or even on an easel. I kept the design part the same size to make things easy and the sizes for these came out just perfect!

Here is as far as I got on Saturday:

Aren't the colors amazing?? Lynne is such a fabulous designer!

I spent yesterday cutting some orders that I had and then in the evening, I was able to get back to painting. (That extra hour sure came in handy!) By the time I pooped out, I had nearly finished up the first of the three plaques:

Pumpkin Orange Calabaza Lifebuoy Serveware

Plant Orange Calabaza Font Art


You can see how it is in two pieces here. The center presses into the pumpkin frame, giving the design a little more dimension and depth.

Here it is next to Lynne's original photo:

Orange Bird Creative arts Wood Art


I have a couple more surprises in store for this - some additional things to add - but it is pretty close to being done. A lot of people liked the pumpkin frame a lot so I am going to make a product on the site and offer the surfaces. I had planned on doing that anyway and creating some of my own designs on it as well. I like when my surfaces can be used for multiple projects.

I have some other cool ideas as well, and I talked to Lynne about them yesterday. I plan to use another one of her fabulous patterns in a slightly different way and I think it will be really cool.

I hope you enjoy seeing this and it shows you just how fun it is to think of other ways to use designs. I have people come to me frequently and ask if they can change up my designs to their own taste. Of course I don't mine it, as I am happy that they are inspired by my work. That is part of what teaching is all about.

For those of you who paint, you should check out Lynne's site and patterns. You can do so here: Lynne Andrews Folk Art

I am sure you will see several patterns that you just have to have. She is wonderful!

Have a great Monday! Happy November to you all!
I really like the way you have framed this project. The colours just pop out and make the painting much more Fall like. I like Lynne's style of painting and coloured pencil work.
Happy birthday Keith!
 

Attachments

#12,242 ·
New Pumpkin Surface Available from Me

I was thrilled at the great response that I had yesterday to my Havest Blessing paintings by Lynne Andrews. It felt really good to paint something from someone that I had so much admiration and respect for and have others like it as well. What a fun and beautiful project this turned out to be! (You can get the pattern HERE from Lynne's site.)

I had many, many inquiries regarding the pumpkin surface that I drew up for my painting. I worked as quickly as I could to finish up the paintings so that I could post the surface on our site. I think that people liked the surface so much because it not only looked great with this design, but it could easily be used with any autumn or Halloween themed design and make a beautiful presentation. I certainly plan I designing my own patterns using this pumpkin surface in the near future. It can easily be used as a wall hanging, in a wreath or even displayed on a mantle or table using a small plate easel. Not only will you see new patterns from me using this pumpkin, but I have lots of ideas for similar types of surfaces with other seasonal themes. You just have to stay tuned.

The pumpkin is a silhouette with an oval center that is cut on a bevel. This way it separates from the outer frame and can be pressed in, making it sink in the middle about 1/8" and giving the piece some more dimension and interest.

Pumpkin Orange Calabaza Lifebuoy Serveware


Of course, when you are finished painting you can use some clear-drying wood glue to glue it in permanently.

I was thrilled at how beautiful my painted pieces came out:

Creative arts Jewellery Font Wood Pattern


I just matched the colors of the pumpkin and stem to the pattern, and added a checked border around each oval. It really tied the design together with the surface.

I am not done yet, though, as I want to add three leaves to each plaque and attach them using rusty wire:

Plant Pumpkin Wood Calabaza Orange


I will show pictures of the finished pieces with the tendrils and leaves tomorrow. But for now, many are asking for the surface and I wanted to show all that was included.

Wood Body jewelry Badge Jewellery Metal


Each kit will include the 10" x 5.5" pumpkin with the bevel cut insert, three leaves, and I will also include a metal hanger. That way those who buy it can have that option.

Those of you who are interested can purchase the wood kit here: SLDPK127 Pumpkin Frame Wood Kit (With Leaves)

I am currently running and "Introductory Sale" on the kit because so many of you were interested. I try to keep my prices as low as I can.

That will be all for today. I want to thank you very much for your positive comments and support. I will show a picture of the finished pumpkins (with the leaves attached) tomorrow.

I wish you all a wonderful Tuesday!
 

Attachments

#12,243 ·
New Pumpkin Surface Available from Me

I was thrilled at the great response that I had yesterday to my Havest Blessing paintings by Lynne Andrews. It felt really good to paint something from someone that I had so much admiration and respect for and have others like it as well. What a fun and beautiful project this turned out to be! (You can get the pattern HERE from Lynne's site.)

I had many, many inquiries regarding the pumpkin surface that I drew up for my painting. I worked as quickly as I could to finish up the paintings so that I could post the surface on our site. I think that people liked the surface so much because it not only looked great with this design, but it could easily be used with any autumn or Halloween themed design and make a beautiful presentation. I certainly plan I designing my own patterns using this pumpkin surface in the near future. It can easily be used as a wall hanging, in a wreath or even displayed on a mantle or table using a small plate easel. Not only will you see new patterns from me using this pumpkin, but I have lots of ideas for similar types of surfaces with other seasonal themes. You just have to stay tuned.

The pumpkin is a silhouette with an oval center that is cut on a bevel. This way it separates from the outer frame and can be pressed in, making it sink in the middle about 1/8" and giving the piece some more dimension and interest.

Pumpkin Orange Calabaza Lifebuoy Serveware


Of course, when you are finished painting you can use some clear-drying wood glue to glue it in permanently.

I was thrilled at how beautiful my painted pieces came out:

Creative arts Jewellery Font Wood Pattern


I just matched the colors of the pumpkin and stem to the pattern, and added a checked border around each oval. It really tied the design together with the surface.

I am not done yet, though, as I want to add three leaves to each plaque and attach them using rusty wire:

Plant Pumpkin Wood Calabaza Orange


I will show pictures of the finished pieces with the tendrils and leaves tomorrow. But for now, many are asking for the surface and I wanted to show all that was included.

Wood Body jewelry Badge Jewellery Metal


Each kit will include the 10" x 5.5" pumpkin with the bevel cut insert, three leaves, and I will also include a metal hanger. That way those who buy it can have that option.

Those of you who are interested can purchase the wood kit here: SLDPK127 Pumpkin Frame Wood Kit (With Leaves)

I am currently running and "Introductory Sale" on the kit because so many of you were interested. I try to keep my prices as low as I can.

That will be all for today. I want to thank you very much for your positive comments and support. I will show a picture of the finished pumpkins (with the leaves attached) tomorrow.

I wish you all a wonderful Tuesday!
These came out beautifully Sheila. I like using self framing items. They are so versatile. I love the colours in your project. Happy painting!
 

Attachments

#12,248 ·
NOW I Can Call it Finished!

These last few days have been both busy and fun. I am so thrilled at all the positive responses that I had regarding my little pumpkin shaped plaques. Before I could even finish them, I had lots and lots of orders for the surfaces. Many people ordered just one or two, as they were planning to paint their own designs on them. It felt good to have something that was liked so much by so many. I am really pleased.

Needless to say, I have been quite busy these past couple of days. I hadn't even completed painting my own plaques, but I felt that I should spend the day yesterday cutting the orders. I try to get orders out the next day, but this was such an unexpected landslide that I didn't have any in stock. So when I set up things yesterday and cut, I cut several extras. By the time I was finished at the end of the day, all the extras were sold as well as several additional. I think I will be cutting today as well.

This is a good thing, as I love the variety of things that my business brings my way. I was so organized and have everything down to a science. I get lots done in a relatively short amount of time. Add to that, I had my cordless headphones on and some awesome music playing all day and I was truly in my "happy place"!

The first wave of orders is all sanded and ready to ship out today. I feel like I accomplished a great deal. (And all of this was done BEFORE I even finished painting my own set!)

After I finished the last bit of sanding, I set out to complete my own pieces. I am happy to say that I did so this morning and I even took the final presentation photos of the project. Here they are all done:

Font Art Serveware Creative arts Event


While I loved the plaques before, I like them even better now. I added the leaves and rusty wire tendrils. They really add a wonderful 'final touch' to the design - don't you think?

Dishware Bird Serveware Creative arts Pottery


I LOVE the added dimension! That in addition to the beveled frame and how the center sits back a bit from the pumpkin really makes the project attractive and 'finished'.

I always like to add some dimensional pieces when I can. I think it makes the pieces come ALIVE and gives things a professional touch!

Terrestrial plant Art Flowering plant Painting Font


I hope you all agree!

You can purchase the pattern - Harvest Blessing Trio - at Lynne Andrew's website. While you are at it, look at all of Lynne's other patterns. They are really wonderful!

You can purchase the pumpkin surface on my site here: SLDPK127 Pumpkin Frame Wood Kit. The kit includes the pumpkin frame with the bevel cut insert and three leaves. I think it is a fabulous surface for many autumn projects, as well as Halloween projects. There are so many wonderful possibilities with this piece! I know I will be using it for some of my own designs.

Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments and support. I have to give Lynne Andrews the credit, as it was her beautiful designs that inspired me on this one. She is awesome!

We have a bit of fog here in Nova Scotia this morning. Yesterday was beautiful and warm and sunny. While it is rather overcast, it is still early and still a nice day. I hope you all have a good one!

Happy Thursday to you all! :)
 

Attachments

#12,249 ·
NOW I Can Call it Finished!

These last few days have been both busy and fun. I am so thrilled at all the positive responses that I had regarding my little pumpkin shaped plaques. Before I could even finish them, I had lots and lots of orders for the surfaces. Many people ordered just one or two, as they were planning to paint their own designs on them. It felt good to have something that was liked so much by so many. I am really pleased.

Needless to say, I have been quite busy these past couple of days. I hadn't even completed painting my own plaques, but I felt that I should spend the day yesterday cutting the orders. I try to get orders out the next day, but this was such an unexpected landslide that I didn't have any in stock. So when I set up things yesterday and cut, I cut several extras. By the time I was finished at the end of the day, all the extras were sold as well as several additional. I think I will be cutting today as well.

This is a good thing, as I love the variety of things that my business brings my way. I was so organized and have everything down to a science. I get lots done in a relatively short amount of time. Add to that, I had my cordless headphones on and some awesome music playing all day and I was truly in my "happy place"!

The first wave of orders is all sanded and ready to ship out today. I feel like I accomplished a great deal. (And all of this was done BEFORE I even finished painting my own set!)

After I finished the last bit of sanding, I set out to complete my own pieces. I am happy to say that I did so this morning and I even took the final presentation photos of the project. Here they are all done:

Font Art Serveware Creative arts Event


While I loved the plaques before, I like them even better now. I added the leaves and rusty wire tendrils. They really add a wonderful 'final touch' to the design - don't you think?

Dishware Bird Serveware Creative arts Pottery


I LOVE the added dimension! That in addition to the beveled frame and how the center sits back a bit from the pumpkin really makes the project attractive and 'finished'.

I always like to add some dimensional pieces when I can. I think it makes the pieces come ALIVE and gives things a professional touch!

Terrestrial plant Art Flowering plant Painting Font


I hope you all agree!

You can purchase the pattern - Harvest Blessing Trio - at Lynne Andrew's website. While you are at it, look at all of Lynne's other patterns. They are really wonderful!

You can purchase the pumpkin surface on my site here: SLDPK127 Pumpkin Frame Wood Kit. The kit includes the pumpkin frame with the bevel cut insert and three leaves. I think it is a fabulous surface for many autumn projects, as well as Halloween projects. There are so many wonderful possibilities with this piece! I know I will be using it for some of my own designs.

Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments and support. I have to give Lynne Andrews the credit, as it was her beautiful designs that inspired me on this one. She is awesome!

We have a bit of fog here in Nova Scotia this morning. Yesterday was beautiful and warm and sunny. While it is rather overcast, it is still early and still a nice day. I hope you all have a good one!

Happy Thursday to you all! :)
Perfect! These are beautiful. The leaves are a great idea. Adds a really nice finish to it all.
Damp and cool here - but my garden is still growing! It will have to wait until Spring now for me to do anything about it. :)
 

Attachments

#12,251 ·
Busy Work

Yesterday was another busy day. I had so many parcels to package up and ship out that it took me most of the day to get everything done. I was fortunate to get to the post office by 4pm, as they closed at 5 and it took them nearly an hour just to process all the parcels. It was a good day.

I am really pleased at the response to my little pumpkin surface. (SLDPK127 on my site)

Dishware Bird Serveware Creative arts Pottery


Talk about an unexpected response! I have another fairly large batch to cut again over the weekend as well. It is all good and exciting for me!

As you can imagine, that hasn't left me a lot of time for new designs. But believe me - I am not complaining. I really enjoyed cutting them. As I cut each piece, I imagine the 'heirloom' that it will turn into. That is kind of fun. :)

I have a couple of things that I am going to work on over the weekend. Some are personal and some are work related. I will certainly blog about them when I am ready.

Until then, I wish you all a wonderful weekend. Enjoy these beautiful autumn days to the fullest, as they will be gone with the blink of an eye.

Happy Friday to you all!
 

Attachments

#12,252 ·
Busy Work

Yesterday was another busy day. I had so many parcels to package up and ship out that it took me most of the day to get everything done. I was fortunate to get to the post office by 4pm, as they closed at 5 and it took them nearly an hour just to process all the parcels. It was a good day.

I am really pleased at the response to my little pumpkin surface. (SLDPK127 on my site)

Dishware Bird Serveware Creative arts Pottery


Talk about an unexpected response! I have another fairly large batch to cut again over the weekend as well. It is all good and exciting for me!

As you can imagine, that hasn't left me a lot of time for new designs. But believe me - I am not complaining. I really enjoyed cutting them. As I cut each piece, I imagine the 'heirloom' that it will turn into. That is kind of fun. :)

I have a couple of things that I am going to work on over the weekend. Some are personal and some are work related. I will certainly blog about them when I am ready.

Until then, I wish you all a wonderful weekend. Enjoy these beautiful autumn days to the fullest, as they will be gone with the blink of an eye.

Happy Friday to you all!
Sheila, Lovely, simply lovely! Your artistic you had personal time at all to do any more ribbon embroidery? seems like its been quite a while since you've graced us with any blogs of such. Russell
 

Attachments

#12,256 ·
Monday's Blog - Take 2

Yesterday I had a blog all written and ready to publish. It was a quarter of nine my time and I was feeling good because I usually post by about nine fifteen. I was ahead of the game and it was a great way to start off my Monday.

Then in the blink of an eye - POOF!!!! Our power went off. It remained off for nearly five hours. I knew the post was lost.

I do pretty well in power outages here. They don't happen frequently (usually less than once a year) but on a bright, sunny day without weather interference, I knew it would be a while before it was back.

In our little place here, we also have our water pump dependent on power. That means you get a bit of water after it goes out, and then you are stuck. I think that is the part that is more bothersome than anything, as we have to remember to keep some extra stored. I looked in the closet where I kept my gallon of water and it wasn't there. Keith had tossed it out, saying it was 'expired'. (I didn't realize that water expired) While he and the neighbor went to town to do an errand and check things out, I filled my largest pot about halfway and headed out to the grill in my jammies. I warmed the water and brought it in to wash and it worked fine. Life went on.

I spent the morning tidying up what I could and I even began a new embroidery project. As I went through my wonderful supplies, I couldn't help but feel great about my job and my life in general. While our place here is small and my life is somewhat simple, it is filled with many beautiful supplies to create with. That is all I need. I am happy.

I settled down and began embroidering, knowing I still had several hours of daylight to do so. The day would not be wasted. Everything would be fine. Around 1:30 the power returned, and I continued with my day. I still had a couple of orders to print and I had to get to the post office with the large batch of weekend orders that needed to be posted.

My blog however was gone, as I knew it would be. But even that was not a crisis. You all got along without me for another day and I am back. Life is 'normal' again.

I had a tremendously busy and productive weekend. On Saturday I spent the day cutting the many orders that I had for wood pieces. I love that part of the 'job' as scrolling at my saw with my music in my headphones is truly a 'happy place' for me. I love creating the wood pieces for my customers, too. I like the personal touch of knowing that the pieces that I cut and sand here will be sent all over and turned into wonderful, treasured pieces. It may sound corny, but I take care with each piece and make sure it is cut, sanded and packaged carefully. I want the painters to open the box and be able to just paint, without any further prepping.

I am sad at the high cost of shipping, but there isn't much I can do about that. I think that is why it is so important for me to be so diligent in the items that I send. I want them to arrive and my customers to say "It is worth it."

Besides cutting, I was able to finish up another wonderful piece by designer Lynne Andrews. This one is called "Christmas Time" and the pattern is available on Lynne's site. (You can click the name of the pattern to take you to the product.) I saw this pattern and I thought it was fabulous! I ordered it right away.

While Lynne's rendition of the piece was for a large ornament (about 7" in diameter) I wanted this to be something on a more grand scale. So I created a wood piece that is 16" in diameter. I also double beveled the cuts so the inside sunk in a bit, and then more in the middle. This made it really look cool:

Brown Furniture Dishware Wood Tableware


I re-designed the top as well. I wanted my piece to look like an old fashioned pocket watch. As a final added touch, I included a metal chain and fob on the end of it. This really made it look nice! Here is a photo of the finished piece:

Beard Art Artifact Religious item Symbol


I am really pleased with it.

Body jewelry Product Textile Gold Plant


Here is a picture of me holding it so you can get a better idea of the size:

Symbol Font Oval Circle Emblem


The circular part is 15.75" in diameter. I think it is a wonderful and fun piece, and didn't take too much time for even a slow painter like me to complete. I even added some sparkles on the holly leaves - just for some shimmer:

Wood Plant Art Wool Tints and shades


It is amazing to me how such a wonderfully simple design can come out so detailed:

Nose Eye Cap Beard Fur clothing


I am offering the wood kit on my site here: SLDPK120 - Large Timepiece Painting Surface. The wood kit includes the 15.75" round double beveled piece, the top piece and the fob. The chain is not included.

I want to apologize in advance for the shipping costs, which may seem a bit much, but they are as close to actual cost as we can get. The box that the piece is shipped in is 16" square and 4" high. The size is large and this is why it is costly. What many customers have been doing is ordering several at once (with friends or for gifts), or with other wood pieces as the cost to ship several is very close to that of shipping just one item. The cost per item for shipping naturally drops as you add pieces in.

I plan on creating several more pieces using this fun surface. It is really something that I thoroughly enjoyed creating, and it was something that was a bit out of my comfort zone. But that is how we learn, isn't it?

I spent the rest of the day catching up and I hope to spend today drawing. I have some more new designs to work on and I can't wait to see them come to life. I really want to thank all of you that ordered wood pieces in the last couple of weeks. I have had a great time making your 'future heirlooms' and I am excited to be so busy in this area of my business. It really makes my life fun.

Today is another beautiful and sunny day here in Nova Scotia. Barring all disasters, I hope to accomplish a lot. I wish you all a wonderful day as well.

Happy Tuesday to you all!
 

Attachments

#12,257 ·
Monday's Blog - Take 2

Yesterday I had a blog all written and ready to publish. It was a quarter of nine my time and I was feeling good because I usually post by about nine fifteen. I was ahead of the game and it was a great way to start off my Monday.

Then in the blink of an eye - POOF!!!! Our power went off. It remained off for nearly five hours. I knew the post was lost.

I do pretty well in power outages here. They don't happen frequently (usually less than once a year) but on a bright, sunny day without weather interference, I knew it would be a while before it was back.

In our little place here, we also have our water pump dependent on power. That means you get a bit of water after it goes out, and then you are stuck. I think that is the part that is more bothersome than anything, as we have to remember to keep some extra stored. I looked in the closet where I kept my gallon of water and it wasn't there. Keith had tossed it out, saying it was 'expired'. (I didn't realize that water expired) While he and the neighbor went to town to do an errand and check things out, I filled my largest pot about halfway and headed out to the grill in my jammies. I warmed the water and brought it in to wash and it worked fine. Life went on.

I spent the morning tidying up what I could and I even began a new embroidery project. As I went through my wonderful supplies, I couldn't help but feel great about my job and my life in general. While our place here is small and my life is somewhat simple, it is filled with many beautiful supplies to create with. That is all I need. I am happy.

I settled down and began embroidering, knowing I still had several hours of daylight to do so. The day would not be wasted. Everything would be fine. Around 1:30 the power returned, and I continued with my day. I still had a couple of orders to print and I had to get to the post office with the large batch of weekend orders that needed to be posted.

My blog however was gone, as I knew it would be. But even that was not a crisis. You all got along without me for another day and I am back. Life is 'normal' again.

I had a tremendously busy and productive weekend. On Saturday I spent the day cutting the many orders that I had for wood pieces. I love that part of the 'job' as scrolling at my saw with my music in my headphones is truly a 'happy place' for me. I love creating the wood pieces for my customers, too. I like the personal touch of knowing that the pieces that I cut and sand here will be sent all over and turned into wonderful, treasured pieces. It may sound corny, but I take care with each piece and make sure it is cut, sanded and packaged carefully. I want the painters to open the box and be able to just paint, without any further prepping.

I am sad at the high cost of shipping, but there isn't much I can do about that. I think that is why it is so important for me to be so diligent in the items that I send. I want them to arrive and my customers to say "It is worth it."

Besides cutting, I was able to finish up another wonderful piece by designer Lynne Andrews. This one is called "Christmas Time" and the pattern is available on Lynne's site. (You can click the name of the pattern to take you to the product.) I saw this pattern and I thought it was fabulous! I ordered it right away.

While Lynne's rendition of the piece was for a large ornament (about 7" in diameter) I wanted this to be something on a more grand scale. So I created a wood piece that is 16" in diameter. I also double beveled the cuts so the inside sunk in a bit, and then more in the middle. This made it really look cool:

Brown Furniture Dishware Wood Tableware


I re-designed the top as well. I wanted my piece to look like an old fashioned pocket watch. As a final added touch, I included a metal chain and fob on the end of it. This really made it look nice! Here is a photo of the finished piece:

Beard Art Artifact Religious item Symbol


I am really pleased with it.

Body jewelry Product Textile Gold Plant


Here is a picture of me holding it so you can get a better idea of the size:

Symbol Font Oval Circle Emblem


The circular part is 15.75" in diameter. I think it is a wonderful and fun piece, and didn't take too much time for even a slow painter like me to complete. I even added some sparkles on the holly leaves - just for some shimmer:

Wood Plant Art Wool Tints and shades


It is amazing to me how such a wonderfully simple design can come out so detailed:

Nose Eye Cap Beard Fur clothing


I am offering the wood kit on my site here: SLDPK120 - Large Timepiece Painting Surface. The wood kit includes the 15.75" round double beveled piece, the top piece and the fob. The chain is not included.

I want to apologize in advance for the shipping costs, which may seem a bit much, but they are as close to actual cost as we can get. The box that the piece is shipped in is 16" square and 4" high. The size is large and this is why it is costly. What many customers have been doing is ordering several at once (with friends or for gifts), or with other wood pieces as the cost to ship several is very close to that of shipping just one item. The cost per item for shipping naturally drops as you add pieces in.

I plan on creating several more pieces using this fun surface. It is really something that I thoroughly enjoyed creating, and it was something that was a bit out of my comfort zone. But that is how we learn, isn't it?

I spent the rest of the day catching up and I hope to spend today drawing. I have some more new designs to work on and I can't wait to see them come to life. I really want to thank all of you that ordered wood pieces in the last couple of weeks. I have had a great time making your 'future heirlooms' and I am excited to be so busy in this area of my business. It really makes my life fun.

Today is another beautiful and sunny day here in Nova Scotia. Barring all disasters, I hope to accomplish a lot. I wish you all a wonderful day as well.

Happy Tuesday to you all!
Very classy Sheila
 

Attachments

#12,265 ·
Thinking - The Unseen "Work"

There are days when things fall into somewhat of a lull and other days when my head seems to explode with ideas. Lately, it seems that I just don't know where to begin . . .

From the viewpoint of an outsider looking in, it may have appeared that my day yesterday was one in which I accomplished very little. Besides doing the regular mail and customer correspondence (and of course, my blog here) I spent the day milling about doing the 'regular' stuff around the house and . . . well . . . 'thinking.'

As I went from task to task around the house here, my head was spinning with ideas. From Christmas to summer to no season in particular, there just seemed to be a landslide of things that I want to make in the future. It is all very exciting to me!

It isn't always like this. Sometimes even though I can think of several different new projects that I can begin on, none of them really seem to turn my fancy. What may seem like a spectacular idea one day can fade into mediocrity the next, and may not even seem worth the time to attempt following through with it. But then there are those special ideas that you can see crystal clear in your head and you just KNOW that with a little time and perseverance, you can pull them off. Those are the keepers.

I have learned from the past that the most important thing to do when this happens is to WRITE THEM DOWN. I have here on my computer a growing list of these ideas, as what at one moment may seem like the best thing I have thought of in decades, may fade back into my mind and get lost in the depths of my sub-consciousness. It truly happens. Especially when so many come to light at once.

By writing things down, even if they have lost their lustre by the time I revisit the list, they usually can at least trigger another derivative of the concept with a much 'better' spin on it. For me, ideas are something that sometimes need to be left a while and nurtured, so they can be cultivated into something wonderful. It is all part of the process.

I am often asked the question of where I get my ideas from. My answer to those is that they don't come from any single place. Maybe the color of the sky as the sun is setting will trigger something. Perhaps some iron work that I see in a picture of an old house with a dilapidated gate yawning before it, or a shape of a leaf. Or maybe it is a sound, a picture or a story that I heard throughout the day. They come from any waking moment and every waking moment. We just need to train our senses to see them, as they are all right here before us. For we all live in the same world. We only need to look at it with different eyes. And we need to think.

I can't tell you how excited I am today! It is as if someone turned on a switch and everything makes sense. With that said though, I have nothing new to even tease you with yet, as I haven't yet picked up my pen to draw. But all I can promise is that there are some cool things to come. I see them in my head and I believe you will like them. I know you will!

Today is a day of Remembrance for us here in Canada and also Veteran's Day in the States. Many things around here such as the post office and banks are closed. It is a quiet, somewhat dreary and somber autumn day. It is beautiful out.

What a wonderful opportunity to spend the day thinking and reflecting. Even though there are not any military personnel in my family, I am as grateful as any for the great sacrifices that our veterans have made. Because of them, we have countless freedoms that we enjoy every day. Without them, our lives would all be very different. How do you express gratitude for something like that?

The words just don't seem to be enough. But I thank you all.

Flower Plant Petal Creative arts Terrestrial plant


Have a beautiful day. Reflect on your freedom.
 

Attachments

#12,266 ·
Thinking - The Unseen "Work"

There are days when things fall into somewhat of a lull and other days when my head seems to explode with ideas. Lately, it seems that I just don't know where to begin . . .

From the viewpoint of an outsider looking in, it may have appeared that my day yesterday was one in which I accomplished very little. Besides doing the regular mail and customer correspondence (and of course, my blog here) I spent the day milling about doing the 'regular' stuff around the house and . . . well . . . 'thinking.'

As I went from task to task around the house here, my head was spinning with ideas. From Christmas to summer to no season in particular, there just seemed to be a landslide of things that I want to make in the future. It is all very exciting to me!

It isn't always like this. Sometimes even though I can think of several different new projects that I can begin on, none of them really seem to turn my fancy. What may seem like a spectacular idea one day can fade into mediocrity the next, and may not even seem worth the time to attempt following through with it. But then there are those special ideas that you can see crystal clear in your head and you just KNOW that with a little time and perseverance, you can pull them off. Those are the keepers.

I have learned from the past that the most important thing to do when this happens is to WRITE THEM DOWN. I have here on my computer a growing list of these ideas, as what at one moment may seem like the best thing I have thought of in decades, may fade back into my mind and get lost in the depths of my sub-consciousness. It truly happens. Especially when so many come to light at once.

By writing things down, even if they have lost their lustre by the time I revisit the list, they usually can at least trigger another derivative of the concept with a much 'better' spin on it. For me, ideas are something that sometimes need to be left a while and nurtured, so they can be cultivated into something wonderful. It is all part of the process.

I am often asked the question of where I get my ideas from. My answer to those is that they don't come from any single place. Maybe the color of the sky as the sun is setting will trigger something. Perhaps some iron work that I see in a picture of an old house with a dilapidated gate yawning before it, or a shape of a leaf. Or maybe it is a sound, a picture or a story that I heard throughout the day. They come from any waking moment and every waking moment. We just need to train our senses to see them, as they are all right here before us. For we all live in the same world. We only need to look at it with different eyes. And we need to think.

I can't tell you how excited I am today! It is as if someone turned on a switch and everything makes sense. With that said though, I have nothing new to even tease you with yet, as I haven't yet picked up my pen to draw. But all I can promise is that there are some cool things to come. I see them in my head and I believe you will like them. I know you will!

Today is a day of Remembrance for us here in Canada and also Veteran's Day in the States. Many things around here such as the post office and banks are closed. It is a quiet, somewhat dreary and somber autumn day. It is beautiful out.

What a wonderful opportunity to spend the day thinking and reflecting. Even though there are not any military personnel in my family, I am as grateful as any for the great sacrifices that our veterans have made. Because of them, we have countless freedoms that we enjoy every day. Without them, our lives would all be very different. How do you express gratitude for something like that?

The words just don't seem to be enough. But I thank you all.

Flower Plant Petal Creative arts Terrestrial plant


Have a beautiful day. Reflect on your freedom.
Thank you Sheila as I finished up my veteran's plaque that you and Keith so kindly designed and furnished last year. I have done several for others but hadn't managed to get mine completed so it is now hanging on my wall and very much appreciated.
 

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#12,268 ·
Busy as an Elf

Today's post will be a bit short. While I am working hard on new designs, there still isn't much that I can show you or even tease you with. I did get some wood cutting done yesterday and filled some orders, and I was planning and drawing my new designs in between.

I feel as if I am skipping blogging a bit more than normal. Again, this isn't because I am not making things, but more so just the opposite. Between email, posting orders, cutting, painting and drawing, the days are really going by quickly. Especially with the holiday season beginning. One of the great things about offering digital patterns is that there is no 'wait time' and they can be delivered within minutes, meaning that one can get to work quickly. Still - we are seeing an increase in print orders as well, and printing, addressing and packaging patterns still takes a bit of time. Not to mention taking them to the post office. We are 'favorites' over there to be sure. :)

So today what I am going to do is a little show and tell. We now have over 500 products on our website, and we realize that even though we try to categorize things as accurately and efficiently as we can, some of our best designs get 'lost'. I once again am going to be adding some 'featured products' into my blog here so you can see some of the nice patterns that you otherwise may have missed. I hope you all don't mind that. It seems when we show them that people respond very positively to them.

I'll start with a design that I created. It is my SLD486 Merry Christmas Letter Blocks (with FULL alphabet) Pattern:

Rectangle Font Art Recreation Indoor games and sports


I really LOVE this pattern, as it is simple and elegant. I included the entire alphabet in the pattern, so that you can scroll family names, names of your children, or any holiday saying you wish. These blocks would look great scattered on a sidboard, fireplace mantle or even wired to a wreath. I loved cutting the beautiful lettering, too. I made my set of maple and added just a few beautiful rhinestones for accent.

Another cool pattern are these SLDK208- Holly Ornaments and Self-Framing Mini-Plaques that Keith created:

Textile Rectangle Sleeve Font Motif


This is a fun and versatile set that can be used alone or in groups. Shown here is "Set 2", which is currently on sale on our site. He also has another coordinating set which match these. They are pretty, not difficult to cut, and very versatile in their use.

For my painting followers, I want to highlight my SLDP243 Layered Angel Ornaments Combo Pack.

Mythical creature Organism Art Entertainment Performing arts


I love these pretty ornaments and I know my own set will be here on my tree this year. They are fun and easy to paint, and like all of my combo kits, it includes all the pre-sanded and ready to paint wood pieces, as well as the full color step-by-step pattern. I like to think that even new painters can have fun and be successful painting using one of my patterns. I always included many step by step photos which make the instructions easy to follow.

And finally for today, I want to highlight Keith's SLDK300 - 12 Spirit of the Season Word Art Ornaments Pattern:

Font Poster Rectangle Magenta Art


These are really cool word ornaments that can also be used as stand alone pieces (they would be GREAT enlarged!) or used in a festive holiday wreath. While cutting the ornaments may be a little challenging, the enlarged pieces would be quite a bit easier for the newer scrollers. There are really so many fun ways to use these pretty word art pieces! And getting 12 designs in one pattern is really a wonderful value.

That will be my little tour for today. I hope you don't mind me sharing some of our older work with you all. We are really proud of all of our designs and we feel bad that some of it gets buried on our site as we continue to add more things in. But I suppose it is a good problem to have.

I hope you have a wonderful and productive day today. As soon as I catch up on the mail, I want to finish up some drawings. I hope to be cutting some new designs by later on today. I can't wait to see my new pieces come to life on the saw! :)

Happy Thursday to you all!
 

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#12,269 ·
Investing in Your Business

I have had my own business for over 20 years now. It began when I wanted to stay home and be with my son, yet still help contribute to the family income. Since I have always loved just about any type of crafting and creating, I felt that it was what I was destine to do - create and design.

I won't tell you that I haven't had my rough times. There were those who doubted my ability to be successful (and still do) as well as the time and economic restrictions that are required when maintaining a home-based business. There is no such thing as 'overnight success' as far as I am concerned. Every successful person that I meet is only 'successful' because they were willing to work hard for practically nothing at some point and overcome the pitfalls and struggles that accompany being an entrepreneur. Shortcuts just don't make it, and resiliency is a must.

Not every idea we have is a 'winner' either. I can tell you from experience that there are probably just as many ideas that I had that 'failed' as there are that were successes. But over the years I have learned not to allow the failures slow me down or deter me from forging ahead. Usually there are valuable lessons learned with each idea we have - whether it is a failure or a success. The way I look at it, if I learned something from an idea that maybe didn't go over so well, it wasn't really a failure at all. It was a valuable lesson that (hopefully) taught me to be a better business owner and make better choices in the future. These are necessary for our growth and I feel that it is truly important to remember that without taking some risk and venturing into new territories, it is very easy for a company to become stagnant in this ever-changing world of ours. We can't be afraid to try new things.

Yesterday was an amazing day. Throughout the course of my daily routine, I got an idea. An epiphany, if you will. I realize something that may really help to expand our business and help it grow. It is not necessarily a 'new' idea (or one that is new to a crafting industry) but it is as if the puzzle pieces just fell into place and while I have been aware of these things for quite a while, I haven't really put the pieces together with our own business before in the way that I thought of yesterday. I must say I am excited.

The idea took some investing on my part, as things such as this often do. But the investment (and accompanying risk) is relatively small to the potential return that we will possibly realize. It is pretty cool when I think about it. And while no investment of this type is 'guaranteed', it is such a small risk that it is certainly worth a shot. So I am going ahead with it.

I don't mean to be mysterious about it but until things are more in place I am not going to share it with you. There are so many variables at this point that sharing would only be guessing and until I have a clearer picture of things myself, there is no need (or desire for that matter) to muddy things up at this point with speculation. I probably wouldn't have mentioned it at all, but it occupied much of my thought process yesterday and I awoke early this morning because my head was spinning with ideas. So I am hopeful and excited that this will be something wonderful for all of us.

I suppose the point that I wanted to make in today's post is that you shouldn't be afraid as a business owner to invest in yourself. Yes - sometimes there are risks involved. Sometimes things don't work out like you plan. But if you don't have enough faith in yourself to follow through with your ideas, perhaps you should focus on doing another job. For if you don't believe in your products or yourself, how can you expect your customers to do so? It really is that simple.

So that is all I will say about it for now. I promise to keep you posted as to the progress of these new ideas. But just as I do, you need to wait until they are ready to be presented. I believe they will be worth the wait.

For today, I wanted to also introduce a new pattern plaque set that Keith finished up and put on the site yesterday:

Rectangle Font Art Wood Metal


He created this beautiful SLDK627 - Christmas Carol Word Art Pattern Set #1 for you to scroll saw. As with all his pattern sets of this nature, each plaque pattern is available individually as well as at the discounted set price. We hope you like it. :)

Today is a rainy and dull Friday morning. The sun has come up, but it is still not even that light outside. I don't really mind though, as I will be spending the day drawing and hopefully cutting some things out for orders. I have quite a few things to go out on Monday and I also want to cut some of my new ornaments out as well.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend. Happy Friday to you!
 

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#12,270 ·
Investing in Your Business

I have had my own business for over 20 years now. It began when I wanted to stay home and be with my son, yet still help contribute to the family income. Since I have always loved just about any type of crafting and creating, I felt that it was what I was destine to do - create and design.

I won't tell you that I haven't had my rough times. There were those who doubted my ability to be successful (and still do) as well as the time and economic restrictions that are required when maintaining a home-based business. There is no such thing as 'overnight success' as far as I am concerned. Every successful person that I meet is only 'successful' because they were willing to work hard for practically nothing at some point and overcome the pitfalls and struggles that accompany being an entrepreneur. Shortcuts just don't make it, and resiliency is a must.

Not every idea we have is a 'winner' either. I can tell you from experience that there are probably just as many ideas that I had that 'failed' as there are that were successes. But over the years I have learned not to allow the failures slow me down or deter me from forging ahead. Usually there are valuable lessons learned with each idea we have - whether it is a failure or a success. The way I look at it, if I learned something from an idea that maybe didn't go over so well, it wasn't really a failure at all. It was a valuable lesson that (hopefully) taught me to be a better business owner and make better choices in the future. These are necessary for our growth and I feel that it is truly important to remember that without taking some risk and venturing into new territories, it is very easy for a company to become stagnant in this ever-changing world of ours. We can't be afraid to try new things.

Yesterday was an amazing day. Throughout the course of my daily routine, I got an idea. An epiphany, if you will. I realize something that may really help to expand our business and help it grow. It is not necessarily a 'new' idea (or one that is new to a crafting industry) but it is as if the puzzle pieces just fell into place and while I have been aware of these things for quite a while, I haven't really put the pieces together with our own business before in the way that I thought of yesterday. I must say I am excited.

The idea took some investing on my part, as things such as this often do. But the investment (and accompanying risk) is relatively small to the potential return that we will possibly realize. It is pretty cool when I think about it. And while no investment of this type is 'guaranteed', it is such a small risk that it is certainly worth a shot. So I am going ahead with it.

I don't mean to be mysterious about it but until things are more in place I am not going to share it with you. There are so many variables at this point that sharing would only be guessing and until I have a clearer picture of things myself, there is no need (or desire for that matter) to muddy things up at this point with speculation. I probably wouldn't have mentioned it at all, but it occupied much of my thought process yesterday and I awoke early this morning because my head was spinning with ideas. So I am hopeful and excited that this will be something wonderful for all of us.

I suppose the point that I wanted to make in today's post is that you shouldn't be afraid as a business owner to invest in yourself. Yes - sometimes there are risks involved. Sometimes things don't work out like you plan. But if you don't have enough faith in yourself to follow through with your ideas, perhaps you should focus on doing another job. For if you don't believe in your products or yourself, how can you expect your customers to do so? It really is that simple.

So that is all I will say about it for now. I promise to keep you posted as to the progress of these new ideas. But just as I do, you need to wait until they are ready to be presented. I believe they will be worth the wait.

For today, I wanted to also introduce a new pattern plaque set that Keith finished up and put on the site yesterday:

Rectangle Font Art Wood Metal


He created this beautiful SLDK627 - Christmas Carol Word Art Pattern Set #1 for you to scroll saw. As with all his pattern sets of this nature, each plaque pattern is available individually as well as at the discounted set price. We hope you like it. :)

Today is a rainy and dull Friday morning. The sun has come up, but it is still not even that light outside. I don't really mind though, as I will be spending the day drawing and hopefully cutting some things out for orders. I have quite a few things to go out on Monday and I also want to cut some of my new ornaments out as well.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend. Happy Friday to you!
Since you have so much time LOL, maybe you should write a book about how to start a home based business. So much of what you say is very true and might help some people who seem to think that all they have to do is create a web page and watch the money roll in.
 

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#12,274 ·
Creating as Therapy

"It's all in a days' work." Well . . . two days I guess.

I spent the weekend focusing on what some would consider 'work'. After Friday's events, it was very hard for me to be my usual positive self. I know a lot of you feel the same. How does one cope with the senseless of what had occurred? I just don't understand it.

I decided that the best way for me to deal with myself and my own demons was to try to re-focus on something positive. The past week was incredibly busy, and I had lots of wood orders to fill. Also, Keith and I are planning another update for the site and I am determined to have another scroll saw pattern available for that. I had began drawing one last week and hoped to finish it up shortly.

I had planned to cut the wood orders on the weekend anyway, and I got all the supplies I needed to do so here and ready to go. In between cutting (in the quiet hours of the evening and morning) I continued to refine my drawings so they would also be ready to cut. I had initially planned to cut on Monday, but yesterday Keith was out for the day and I had the place here to myself. I decided to go ahead and get as far as I could at the saw, and hopefully complete everything at once. That way I could get back to designing soon, as I have more painting and other patterns that I still want to create.

I always say that the scroll saw is like therapy for me, and this time was no different. With my cordless headphones and favorite music playing, I spent another day at the saw, cutting and creating. It did make me feel better, as when I cut, I try to imagine my customers and the joy they will get out of my wood pieces and designs. I always try to think that if I can bring one smile to someone during the day, than my day went well. I hope that this weekend's work would bring many smiles, both to those who love to create and also the recipients of their work. It was soothing to think so.

Here is a photo of what my kitchen table looks like this morning:

White Table Dishware Tablecloth Wood


Unlike the piles I may have shown in the past, each piece in this batch was cut singly, not stacked, except the little sheep. It was a great deal of work and marvelous therapy for me.

By the time everything was cut and sanded, it was nearing 11pm. I usually quit by nine, as a courtesy to my landlord, but I knew they were out until later in the evening so I wanted to finish everything up. When I was done, I was exhausted, but I felt good. I was too weary to be sad and my thoughts were back again in a positive place.

I am pretty happy with the new ornaments. I will call them SLD519 Damask Locket Ornaments.

Art Font Pattern Circle Metal


They aren't finished yet of course, but I will do that and take better photos for tomorrow's post.

As usual, I will be offering more than one version in the pattern packet. Besides the version with the center motif, I think that these 'locket' ornaments would be splendid with a photograph in them. Don't you agree? I will have some better examples in tomorrow's post.

Finger Font Wood Crankset Ingredient


They still need to be sprayed and embellished, too. This is just the raw, dry wood you are looking at. I think they will look amazing when they are finished. The lighter wood is curly maple and the darker wood is cherry.

While focusing my attention on other things doesn't make the problems of the world go away, for me, it helps. I look upon my job and my life with meaning. While creating pretty things may seem trivial to some, to me it is much like therapy. For I would rather add something beautiful to this world than something ugly. Hopefully my art and designs can illicit positive emotions in others and make them smile. As long as I can contribute that to our world, it will be a good day.

There is far more good in our world than evil. There are just days when the evil ones are louder, demand more attention, and are center stage. While it is very disheartening to the majority of people who are caring and compassionate, we can't allow it to bring us down. For each story of sadness and pain there are hundreds of quieter, untold stores of love and compassion. We just need to look a little harder to see them.

May your hearts be peaceful.
 

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#12,275 ·
Creating as Therapy

"It's all in a days' work." Well . . . two days I guess.

I spent the weekend focusing on what some would consider 'work'. After Friday's events, it was very hard for me to be my usual positive self. I know a lot of you feel the same. How does one cope with the senseless of what had occurred? I just don't understand it.

I decided that the best way for me to deal with myself and my own demons was to try to re-focus on something positive. The past week was incredibly busy, and I had lots of wood orders to fill. Also, Keith and I are planning another update for the site and I am determined to have another scroll saw pattern available for that. I had began drawing one last week and hoped to finish it up shortly.

I had planned to cut the wood orders on the weekend anyway, and I got all the supplies I needed to do so here and ready to go. In between cutting (in the quiet hours of the evening and morning) I continued to refine my drawings so they would also be ready to cut. I had initially planned to cut on Monday, but yesterday Keith was out for the day and I had the place here to myself. I decided to go ahead and get as far as I could at the saw, and hopefully complete everything at once. That way I could get back to designing soon, as I have more painting and other patterns that I still want to create.

I always say that the scroll saw is like therapy for me, and this time was no different. With my cordless headphones and favorite music playing, I spent another day at the saw, cutting and creating. It did make me feel better, as when I cut, I try to imagine my customers and the joy they will get out of my wood pieces and designs. I always try to think that if I can bring one smile to someone during the day, than my day went well. I hope that this weekend's work would bring many smiles, both to those who love to create and also the recipients of their work. It was soothing to think so.

Here is a photo of what my kitchen table looks like this morning:

White Table Dishware Tablecloth Wood


Unlike the piles I may have shown in the past, each piece in this batch was cut singly, not stacked, except the little sheep. It was a great deal of work and marvelous therapy for me.

By the time everything was cut and sanded, it was nearing 11pm. I usually quit by nine, as a courtesy to my landlord, but I knew they were out until later in the evening so I wanted to finish everything up. When I was done, I was exhausted, but I felt good. I was too weary to be sad and my thoughts were back again in a positive place.

I am pretty happy with the new ornaments. I will call them SLD519 Damask Locket Ornaments.

Art Font Pattern Circle Metal


They aren't finished yet of course, but I will do that and take better photos for tomorrow's post.

As usual, I will be offering more than one version in the pattern packet. Besides the version with the center motif, I think that these 'locket' ornaments would be splendid with a photograph in them. Don't you agree? I will have some better examples in tomorrow's post.

Finger Font Wood Crankset Ingredient


They still need to be sprayed and embellished, too. This is just the raw, dry wood you are looking at. I think they will look amazing when they are finished. The lighter wood is curly maple and the darker wood is cherry.

While focusing my attention on other things doesn't make the problems of the world go away, for me, it helps. I look upon my job and my life with meaning. While creating pretty things may seem trivial to some, to me it is much like therapy. For I would rather add something beautiful to this world than something ugly. Hopefully my art and designs can illicit positive emotions in others and make them smile. As long as I can contribute that to our world, it will be a good day.

There is far more good in our world than evil. There are just days when the evil ones are louder, demand more attention, and are center stage. While it is very disheartening to the majority of people who are caring and compassionate, we can't allow it to bring us down. For each story of sadness and pain there are hundreds of quieter, untold stores of love and compassion. We just need to look a little harder to see them.

May your hearts be peaceful.
You amaze me. I can't imagine how long that would have taken me as an hour is about as long as I can stay at the saw. Weekends are a tough time for me to get much accomplished as Mother doesn't get meals delivered so I become the chef for a couple of days. As it turns out not so successful this week as she told me my beef stew tasted like it had motor oil in it although the dog seemed to like it. She also likes her sweets so I had found a recipe for an apple crumble done like a pie. It called for a can of apple pie filling which I didn't have so I had to make my own to complete the recipe. Turned out like it was supposed to but all I got was that it was better than the stew. At least meal deliveries start again today so I get to spend the day doing laundry and look forward to tomorrow which has become my day as have my wood carving group in the pm and my bowling league in the evening.
 

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#12,283 ·
A "Creative" and Positive Lifestyle

I am often asked how I can keep coming up with so many different creative ideas.

While one would think that the answer to this question would be easy, it really is not, and usually I find it a difficult thing to answer.

So many things can trigger a design; a distant memory from childhood, the way the light hits the fur on my cat Richard's back (I am looking at that now and noticing how glossy he is), or even a phrase or lyric from a song that we hear in the background of a busy day. I think that training yourself to open your senses to everything around you plays a huge part in being creative. I am afraid that I don't believe this happens instantly, as it seems to be something that is practiced over a period of time until it becomes nearly automatic and you don't even need to think about it. You just begin to realize that you see things in different ways than you used to and think of ways you could incorporate them into something that may be functional or decorative. The more you practice, the easier it seems to be. Soon you are no longer forcing yourself to try to think of new ideas, but rather you are trying to sort them and prioritize them, as you realize that there just aren't enough hours in the day to make them all reality. It is a good place to be - especially for a designer.

But getting to this phase took me more than 20 years. It wasn't always like this for me. Like most, I learned from others and in the beginning, we follow their instructions to the letter. But as my skills grew and the basic fundamentals were developed, I found myself thinking of ways that I wanted to deviate from the 'patterns' that I was using and do things my own way. At times, the results were not optimal. But that didn't deter me from trying again. Little by little I figured out what worked for me and what didn't and I was eventually toying with the idea of making my own patterns and designs. After all - why buy patterns if I didn't follow them anyway? What would be the point?

A lot happened in between then and now. My story is a series of events choreographed by fate, as is true for every designer. Each of our journeys is different and unique. There is no one formula that one can plug themselves into which will result in success. It is only achieved by following a long road with many twists and turns and keeping ones' determination - even on the days when everything seems to fall apart. It isn't a path that everyone will follow. Those who are left are the ones that truly have a love for what they do. It is rare that I see someone succeed that is only in it for the money. Those who do well financially as a result from their creativity have paid their dues. Each of them has a story of their own journey, which usually entails hardships. It is why I believe that artists as a whole are quite a hearty lot, despite their tender hearts and deep thinking. But this is only my opinion.

I also find that surrounding myself with positive people and things helps quite a bit. It is sometimes difficult to do - especially in these days of turmoil that our world is going through. I have however learned when to 'unplug' from things and not allow the negativity into my life. I turn off the news. I shut down the computer. I remove the feed from the people that I think are negative and spewing hate on my Facebook timeline. Many of these people are customers, which makes it hard. We have all heard the saying that we don't want to get to know some people 'too well' because we will see a side of them that we may not like. I find that applies to more than I would feel comfortable mentioning.

I don't confront these people when I see them post something cruel or thoughtless or rude. I simply remove them from my feed. It takes two seconds and one click and solves the problem (for me) immediately. I have learned long ago that any attempt to reason with some of these people is futile. So why allow myself to be sucked into their negativity and hate? I am not going to change them, and it isn't worth my energy or effort to try. They feed on reactions that they stir and I refuse to fall into that trap. They are not worth my time.

So I surround myself with friends and customers who focus on being positive and creative. My favorite saying "We follow where we focus." always seems to ring true for me. While there are times when sad or negative things happen in my life as well, I try to deal with it as best as I can and move on. For even on the worst day if I look hard enough there is something to be greatful for. As I sit here now and think of the many positive things in my life, it is easy to see why they dominate my thinking. Because I allow them to do so.

So there is the long answer to the question of staying creative. I realize that not everyone works the same. Some of the worlds' most beautiful artwork was born from tragedy. I like to think that my own artwork is born from joy.

Yesterday was a kind of 'in-between' day for me. After mailing out the many packages that had to be sent, I came home, made a pot of soup and cleaned my house. It wasn't too bad, but it certainly needed some attention. We had our closet wall torn apart over the weekend due to some leaking and there was the chaos from that, as well as getting my own supplies and things reorganized.

Keith was out for the evening and I was able to sit down and relax with my needlework. I have so many beautiful ideas that I want to create, and I am still hoping to make some fun needlework kits for others to enjoy. I worked on some stumpwork leaves:

Textile Sleeve Creative arts Plant Pattern


They will of course be part of a larger design. The leaves are embroidered around a wire and cut loose so they are dimensional (that is what "stumpwork" embroidery means). I hope to have a nice design finished soon.

I plan on photographing my new ornaments later on today and writing the pattern. We are looking to update the site by tomorrow and the patterns will be available for those who asked. Keith has also come up with four new beautiful plaques that are now on our site:

Rectangle Font Metal Pattern Label


I think his SFSKSET1- Self-Framing Seasonal Sayings pattern set is lovely! As usual, he offers the patterns singly as well as in this set.

I hope you all have a good day today. Here is it quiet and cloudy and very cool. I had to go out early and carry the trash to the street for pickup and even though I had my winter coat on, I needed to button it up. The days are definitely getting cooler and before long winter will be upon us. I am sure though that I will have plenty to do to keep me happy. I hope you all find things that will give you pleasure on these upcoming winter days as well.

Have a beautiful Wednesday!
 

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#12,284 ·
A "Creative" and Positive Lifestyle

I am often asked how I can keep coming up with so many different creative ideas.

While one would think that the answer to this question would be easy, it really is not, and usually I find it a difficult thing to answer.

So many things can trigger a design; a distant memory from childhood, the way the light hits the fur on my cat Richard's back (I am looking at that now and noticing how glossy he is), or even a phrase or lyric from a song that we hear in the background of a busy day. I think that training yourself to open your senses to everything around you plays a huge part in being creative. I am afraid that I don't believe this happens instantly, as it seems to be something that is practiced over a period of time until it becomes nearly automatic and you don't even need to think about it. You just begin to realize that you see things in different ways than you used to and think of ways you could incorporate them into something that may be functional or decorative. The more you practice, the easier it seems to be. Soon you are no longer forcing yourself to try to think of new ideas, but rather you are trying to sort them and prioritize them, as you realize that there just aren't enough hours in the day to make them all reality. It is a good place to be - especially for a designer.

But getting to this phase took me more than 20 years. It wasn't always like this for me. Like most, I learned from others and in the beginning, we follow their instructions to the letter. But as my skills grew and the basic fundamentals were developed, I found myself thinking of ways that I wanted to deviate from the 'patterns' that I was using and do things my own way. At times, the results were not optimal. But that didn't deter me from trying again. Little by little I figured out what worked for me and what didn't and I was eventually toying with the idea of making my own patterns and designs. After all - why buy patterns if I didn't follow them anyway? What would be the point?

A lot happened in between then and now. My story is a series of events choreographed by fate, as is true for every designer. Each of our journeys is different and unique. There is no one formula that one can plug themselves into which will result in success. It is only achieved by following a long road with many twists and turns and keeping ones' determination - even on the days when everything seems to fall apart. It isn't a path that everyone will follow. Those who are left are the ones that truly have a love for what they do. It is rare that I see someone succeed that is only in it for the money. Those who do well financially as a result from their creativity have paid their dues. Each of them has a story of their own journey, which usually entails hardships. It is why I believe that artists as a whole are quite a hearty lot, despite their tender hearts and deep thinking. But this is only my opinion.

I also find that surrounding myself with positive people and things helps quite a bit. It is sometimes difficult to do - especially in these days of turmoil that our world is going through. I have however learned when to 'unplug' from things and not allow the negativity into my life. I turn off the news. I shut down the computer. I remove the feed from the people that I think are negative and spewing hate on my Facebook timeline. Many of these people are customers, which makes it hard. We have all heard the saying that we don't want to get to know some people 'too well' because we will see a side of them that we may not like. I find that applies to more than I would feel comfortable mentioning.

I don't confront these people when I see them post something cruel or thoughtless or rude. I simply remove them from my feed. It takes two seconds and one click and solves the problem (for me) immediately. I have learned long ago that any attempt to reason with some of these people is futile. So why allow myself to be sucked into their negativity and hate? I am not going to change them, and it isn't worth my energy or effort to try. They feed on reactions that they stir and I refuse to fall into that trap. They are not worth my time.

So I surround myself with friends and customers who focus on being positive and creative. My favorite saying "We follow where we focus." always seems to ring true for me. While there are times when sad or negative things happen in my life as well, I try to deal with it as best as I can and move on. For even on the worst day if I look hard enough there is something to be greatful for. As I sit here now and think of the many positive things in my life, it is easy to see why they dominate my thinking. Because I allow them to do so.

So there is the long answer to the question of staying creative. I realize that not everyone works the same. Some of the worlds' most beautiful artwork was born from tragedy. I like to think that my own artwork is born from joy.

Yesterday was a kind of 'in-between' day for me. After mailing out the many packages that had to be sent, I came home, made a pot of soup and cleaned my house. It wasn't too bad, but it certainly needed some attention. We had our closet wall torn apart over the weekend due to some leaking and there was the chaos from that, as well as getting my own supplies and things reorganized.

Keith was out for the evening and I was able to sit down and relax with my needlework. I have so many beautiful ideas that I want to create, and I am still hoping to make some fun needlework kits for others to enjoy. I worked on some stumpwork leaves:



They will of course be part of a larger design. The leaves are embroidered around a wire and cut loose so they are dimensional (that is what "stumpwork" embroidery means). I hope to have a nice design finished soon.

I plan on photographing my new ornaments later on today and writing the pattern. We are looking to update the site by tomorrow and the patterns will be available for those who asked. Keith has also come up with four new beautiful plaques that are now on our site:



I think his SFSKSET1- Self-Framing Seasonal Sayings pattern set is lovely! As usual, he offers the patterns singly as well as in this set.

I hope you all have a good day today. Here is it quiet and cloudy and very cool. I had to go out early and carry the trash to the street for pickup and even though I had my winter coat on, I needed to button it up. The days are definitely getting cooler and before long winter will be upon us. I am sure though that I will have plenty to do to keep me happy. I hope you all find things that will give you pleasure on these upcoming winter days as well.

Have a beautiful Wednesday!
Looking forward to seeing what embroidery project your leaves will be a part of :). It's great to have hands in many creative mediums. The more you do the more ideas come flooding in. Enjoy!
 

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#12,285 ·
Site Update Time!

As I write today, I promise I will keep things short. (I know - I always say that!) I want to get going on writing our newsletter that we will be sending out later on today. I also want to get to writing on the instructions for the new ornament pattern that will be available to my scroll saw followers later on today. (SLD519 - Damask Locket Ornament Pattern) (The link will work as soon as I have the pattern available on the site.) I have had such a wonderful and positive response regarding the pattern that I know that many of you are anxious to purchase it.

Yesterday I took some better 'presentation photos' of the project. I really think they came out nice. I took some of my own photos and printed them on photo paper and fit them into my frames and I just love the result:

Body jewelry Jewellery Button Font Wood


Pretty cool, aren't they?

The photos are of my 'cat children', my human children and grand children, and my dear friend Leldon's son is on the bottom left. Wouldn't these be AWESOME gifts to give at holiday time?? And the cutting isn't really that hard, either. I think it is a really nice 'intermediate' scroll sawing project.

Here is a close up so you can see the size of them:

Hair Head Headgear Ornament Jewellery


Also, in the same pattern, I am giving the inside motif designs for those of you who don't want photos inside:

Font Pattern Art Circle Metal


My sample set was done in a beautiful curly maple wood. You can really see the lovely grain on it and it compliments the designs so nicely.

Of course, I had to try some BLING on them! :)

Ornament Wood Art Font Jewellery


As you can see, just a few beautiful hot-fix rhinestones that I got from Rhinestone Canada really added a bit of elegance and polish to an already pretty ornament. Adding these stones took just a couple of minutes!

So that is all I am going to show you today. I am really pleased with this pattern and I think that you will enjoy cutting and giving them as well. For those of you on our mailing list, please watch for your newsletter later on today. I have some nice new things for the painters that subscribe to us as well as our new scroll saw patterns. We are always trying to keep all of you happy and busy!

It is another cloudy and cool autumn day outside. I suppose it goes with the season. I am snuggled up with my kitties and coffee this morning and just enjoying the quiet. I wish you all a beautiful day.

Happy Thursday to you all!
 

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#12,286 ·
Site Update Time!

As I write today, I promise I will keep things short. (I know - I always say that!) I want to get going on writing our newsletter that we will be sending out later on today. I also want to get to writing on the instructions for the new ornament pattern that will be available to my scroll saw followers later on today. (SLD519 - Damask Locket Ornament Pattern) (The link will work as soon as I have the pattern available on the site.) I have had such a wonderful and positive response regarding the pattern that I know that many of you are anxious to purchase it.

Yesterday I took some better 'presentation photos' of the project. I really think they came out nice. I took some of my own photos and printed them on photo paper and fit them into my frames and I just love the result:

Body jewelry Jewellery Button Font Wood


Pretty cool, aren't they?

The photos are of my 'cat children', my human children and grand children, and my dear friend Leldon's son is on the bottom left. Wouldn't these be AWESOME gifts to give at holiday time?? And the cutting isn't really that hard, either. I think it is a really nice 'intermediate' scroll sawing project.

Here is a close up so you can see the size of them:

Hair Head Headgear Ornament Jewellery


Also, in the same pattern, I am giving the inside motif designs for those of you who don't want photos inside:

Font Pattern Art Circle Metal


My sample set was done in a beautiful curly maple wood. You can really see the lovely grain on it and it compliments the designs so nicely.

Of course, I had to try some BLING on them! :)

Ornament Wood Art Font Jewellery


As you can see, just a few beautiful hot-fix rhinestones that I got from Rhinestone Canada really added a bit of elegance and polish to an already pretty ornament. Adding these stones took just a couple of minutes!

So that is all I am going to show you today. I am really pleased with this pattern and I think that you will enjoy cutting and giving them as well. For those of you on our mailing list, please watch for your newsletter later on today. I have some nice new things for the painters that subscribe to us as well as our new scroll saw patterns. We are always trying to keep all of you happy and busy!

It is another cloudy and cool autumn day outside. I suppose it goes with the season. I am snuggled up with my kitties and coffee this morning and just enjoying the quiet. I wish you all a beautiful day.

Happy Thursday to you all!
These would make cool Christmas (or all season :)) tree ornaments. I can see some cute snowman faces painted in the centre. I'll be looking forward to cutting these when I get back to the workshop in the Spring. the damask patterns are so pretty - one of my favourite.
 

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#12,291 ·
Some More New Things

Today is one of those days when I debated whether I should blog or not. Yesterday was one of those crazy/busy days when I finished my "work" at 11:30 pm (after being at it pretty much since I got up early in the morning!) I am still looking at 91 emails in my mail box - 31 which aren't open yet - that need attention.

Ahh . . . the luxury of being 'self-employed'! :)

I say that with a smile because those of you who read regularly know how much I love my job. It really doesn't bother me being this busy. It is what we strive for. However, as we get busier and grow, there seem to be more days such as yesterday when we spend our time doing the day to day maintenance of our business, which doesn't make for exciting or inspiring reading. It is just the way it is.

So after I finished my new pattern (SLD519 Damask Photo Frame Ornaments) and emailed copies to those who pre-ordered them, I had to wind down a bit. I began playing with my new Kindle Fire reader that I got a couple of weeks ago from Mary Kingslan Gibilisco's site for subscribing to her online classes. (Yes - it was a FREE bonus Mary is offering with a subscription to her classes! You can check it out HERE. Scroll to the bottom of the page) For someone like me who hasn't had a phone or tablet, this was a wonderful opportunity to try one out and expand my learning. Mary has so many wonderful classes and videos and the subscription is an incredible opportunity to learn with her.

Anyway, I played with my Kindle until after 3:30 this morning! I got lost in the many things it could do and had fun downloading some fun books and playing some wonderful videos. The videos by Mary are great to watch whether I am painting along or not, as I learn from every single one.

Needless to say, I slept in a little this morning. With the site all updated, today will be a day to regroup and unwind a bit.

I did want to mention a couple more items that I added to the site besides what I talked about yesterday. I now have my SLDP244 Autumn Harvest Banner pattern available.

Plant Flower Fruit Natural foods Tree


This was the pattern I created for ToleTown that was painted on Roc-Lon fabric. I really enjoyed doing this one.

My other new product is a new surface that I will be using for some of my designs. They are called SLDPK129 Elegant Bevel Cut Ornaments:

Brown Gesture Font Circle Pattern


I am selling them in sets of three. I think there will be loads of ways that people will enjoy using them for their everyday holiday crafting.

Gesture Font Circle Metal Fashion accessory


They are a great size and can be used for painting, stenciling or any other crafts.

Today I am awaiting the arrival of something that I can't wait to try. I hope it will help open an entirely new dimension for our little business. It is supposed to be delivered today, and I look forward to playing with it over the weekend and hopefully I will have some new things to show you on Monday.

Until then, I wish you all a wonderful weekend. Enjoy every moment of your days. Make every minute count.

Happy Friday and weekend to you!
 

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#12,292 ·
New Free Scroll Saw Pattern

I had a wonderful and crazy/busy weekend. It is always busy this time of year, and this year is no exception. I not only began working on some Christmas gifts, but I also have been working on some different aspects to expand our little business. I can't wait to be able to share on that front, but since I am still figuring things out, I am going to wait. (I know! I can be downright MEAN! ;) )

Yesterday Keith's mom and I attended a penny sale for the cats that live on the nearby fishing wharf. I have spoken of this group before, and my neighbor Lee is very active in working with them. For many years now, he goes to feed and check on the cats every single day. There are others as well that provide food, shelter and medical care for these dear animals. Many of them are ferel, and many of them have been dumped there by cruel people. Sometimes they are able to be adopted out to homes, but others are not suitable for life with humans, and accept the care from a distance.

I try to help them as much as I can. Keith and I frequently donate our prototypes to them for auction or penny sales such as we attended yesterday. It is a cause I enjoy helping with because I see all the good they do and the huge difference they make in so many little lives. They spend so much of their own time and money, and I am happy to try to give to them as much as I can afford.

The sale was a huge success, and even though we live in a small community, they raised over $6,000 for their cause. This will help them get through the long cold winter that is right around the corner. They certainly were grateful.

As per tradition, I didn't win a thing. <grin> Keith's mom won a prize though and she was happy with that. I think the best part of the afternoon was when the winner of the 50/50 prize draw won over $550.00 and immediately donated it back to the organization, saying the kitties needed the money more than she did. It truly warmed my heart and made me proud to live in such a wonderful, giving community.

Speaking of giving . . .

Keith made a beautiful new plaque to post on our site for free:

Rectangle Wood Font Grass Tints and shades


With all the turmiol in the world and the upcoming holiday season quickly approaching, we both thought it would be an appropriate design to share with you.

You can get it on our "Free Patterns and Resources" page of our site.

We hope you like it.

I am keeping this short today because there is lots to do. I have lots of mail to get ready to ship out and lots of other things I am working on as well. Tomorrow I am taking my car to Halifax for the winter storage and to get some additional work done on it, so I may or may not blog. If not, I will be back on Wednesday.

Take care and have a wonderful and happy Monday. Do something fun and creative!
 

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#12,293 ·
New Free Scroll Saw Pattern

I had a wonderful and crazy/busy weekend. It is always busy this time of year, and this year is no exception. I not only began working on some Christmas gifts, but I also have been working on some different aspects to expand our little business. I can't wait to be able to share on that front, but since I am still figuring things out, I am going to wait. (I know! I can be downright MEAN! ;) )

Yesterday Keith's mom and I attended a penny sale for the cats that live on the nearby fishing wharf. I have spoken of this group before, and my neighbor Lee is very active in working with them. For many years now, he goes to feed and check on the cats every single day. There are others as well that provide food, shelter and medical care for these dear animals. Many of them are ferel, and many of them have been dumped there by cruel people. Sometimes they are able to be adopted out to homes, but others are not suitable for life with humans, and accept the care from a distance.

I try to help them as much as I can. Keith and I frequently donate our prototypes to them for auction or penny sales such as we attended yesterday. It is a cause I enjoy helping with because I see all the good they do and the huge difference they make in so many little lives. They spend so much of their own time and money, and I am happy to try to give to them as much as I can afford.

The sale was a huge success, and even though we live in a small community, they raised over $6,000 for their cause. This will help them get through the long cold winter that is right around the corner. They certainly were grateful.

As per tradition, I didn't win a thing. <grin> Keith's mom won a prize though and she was happy with that. I think the best part of the afternoon was when the winner of the 50/50 prize draw won over $550.00 and immediately donated it back to the organization, saying the kitties needed the money more than she did. It truly warmed my heart and made me proud to live in such a wonderful, giving community.

Speaking of giving . . .

Keith made a beautiful new plaque to post on our site for free:

Rectangle Wood Font Grass Tints and shades


With all the turmiol in the world and the upcoming holiday season quickly approaching, we both thought it would be an appropriate design to share with you.

You can get it on our "Free Patterns and Resources" page of our site.

We hope you like it.

I am keeping this short today because there is lots to do. I have lots of mail to get ready to ship out and lots of other things I am working on as well. Tomorrow I am taking my car to Halifax for the winter storage and to get some additional work done on it, so I may or may not blog. If not, I will be back on Wednesday.

Take care and have a wonderful and happy Monday. Do something fun and creative!
Thank you for the free pattern I can't wait to get through the Christmas season so I will have time to cut one.
 

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#12,303 ·
A Visit to the City

I can't believe the whirlwind of time passing these days! It seems that soon after the sun comes up, it begins to turn to dusk again. I know it is 'that time' of the year, and the darkeness never really bothers me, but I can't help but feel that I am in a time warp. Every day is jam packed with thing to do! It is actually very exciting.

Yesterday we needed to head to Halifax to take my Mustang to be worked on and stored. For those of you who have followed the renovation of the car this past spring/summer, I need to mention that things don't always go exactly as planned. I have kept pretty quiet about it because as of now it is a 'work in progress' and to make a long story short, some of the things that were done on it were not done properly and as a result, we are back to square one with it.

You can imagine my disappointment and discouragement, as those of you who followed the process know how excited I was to get it done. (Not to mention, the great amount of money that I spent on it!)

But we all make mistakes, and even though I am not saying that it was "OK", I am giving the place ONE CHANCE to make it right. They promise to do so, and are doing a complete repaint of the car. The things that were missed will be attended to properly and the painter in charge of the job of my car has since been fired and replaced. We can only hope that things will go much better.

Even after all of this, I do like the owner of the shop. He seems genuine in his concerns and I understand that in a busy environment, something some things slip by. Also, he owned up to the mistakes that were made without question, and I have his word he will personally oversee the job this time.

So we took it there to spend the winter indoors and the work will be done by spring. I am guarded in my optimism that it will all turn out OK. I will certainly let you know.

Naturally, it began snowing on our 3 hour trip to the city. Anyone with a rear wheel drive Mustang GT knows that the car is not made for any type of winter weather at all. But fortunately it was not sticking and we slowly and carefully forged on and made it safely.

The rest of the day was crazy! We left the auto place at around 1:30 and headed for downtown Halifax. We had a couple of errands and I found that there was a Deserre's art store there that I hadn't seen before. Keith got his fill of city driving very quickly and we did make it to the store as well as stopping at the mall for a couple of things. Since this was my last trip to the city before snow and holidays, I wanted to have one 'looksie' to see what I could see. ;)

By the time we got out of the art store (which was OK - but not really too impressive) it was already getting dark. We wound through the snarled traffic and made our way to the highway toward home. The smell of exhaust was pretty strong and it brought back memories of my days living in Chicago. We were so happy when we finally got out of town.

On the way home, we stopped in the smaller town of New Minas to do some more shopping. Even though it was dark, it was only just after 6pm. We went to a few stores and got some wonderful 'treasures' which I will talk about on later posts.

One of my favorite things that I got at Staples was this:

Creative arts Auto part Fashion accessory Art Event


An ADORABLE kitty tape dispenser. (Isn't it funny how excited we can get with something so silly?)

Among my other 'treasures' were some great BOXES for gift giving this holiday season. I am a 'box junkie' as many of you know, and I find it hard to pass up the beautiful holiday boxes that are available this time of year. Here is part of my haul:

Wood Box Packaging and labeling Event Basket


This is only PART of the fun, as there are smaller boxes nested in the larger ones. I think if I bring another box into the house here, Keith will build me a place to live in with them! ;)

By the time we unpacked and I settled down and got through the almost 250 emails, it was nearly 3am. What a day!

So today I will be catching up on orders and cutting orders of wood. Lots of people ordered my little ornaments and I have a whole load to cut and get out. I am thrilled about that!

I should be back to my 'normal crazy' life by tomorrow. If you emailed me and are waiting for a reply, please be patient. I answered as many as I could last night and have some to do again today. I promise that these busy times are the foundation of some great new projects and ideas to come!

I hope you have a wonderful day! (Mid-week already!) Happy Wednesday to you!
 

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#12,304 ·
A Visit to the City

I can't believe the whirlwind of time passing these days! It seems that soon after the sun comes up, it begins to turn to dusk again. I know it is 'that time' of the year, and the darkeness never really bothers me, but I can't help but feel that I am in a time warp. Every day is jam packed with thing to do! It is actually very exciting.

Yesterday we needed to head to Halifax to take my Mustang to be worked on and stored. For those of you who have followed the renovation of the car this past spring/summer, I need to mention that things don't always go exactly as planned. I have kept pretty quiet about it because as of now it is a 'work in progress' and to make a long story short, some of the things that were done on it were not done properly and as a result, we are back to square one with it.

You can imagine my disappointment and discouragement, as those of you who followed the process know how excited I was to get it done. (Not to mention, the great amount of money that I spent on it!)

But we all make mistakes, and even though I am not saying that it was "OK", I am giving the place ONE CHANCE to make it right. They promise to do so, and are doing a complete repaint of the car. The things that were missed will be attended to properly and the painter in charge of the job of my car has since been fired and replaced. We can only hope that things will go much better.

Even after all of this, I do like the owner of the shop. He seems genuine in his concerns and I understand that in a busy environment, something some things slip by. Also, he owned up to the mistakes that were made without question, and I have his word he will personally oversee the job this time.

So we took it there to spend the winter indoors and the work will be done by spring. I am guarded in my optimism that it will all turn out OK. I will certainly let you know.

Naturally, it began snowing on our 3 hour trip to the city. Anyone with a rear wheel drive Mustang GT knows that the car is not made for any type of winter weather at all. But fortunately it was not sticking and we slowly and carefully forged on and made it safely.

The rest of the day was crazy! We left the auto place at around 1:30 and headed for downtown Halifax. We had a couple of errands and I found that there was a Deserre's art store there that I hadn't seen before. Keith got his fill of city driving very quickly and we did make it to the store as well as stopping at the mall for a couple of things. Since this was my last trip to the city before snow and holidays, I wanted to have one 'looksie' to see what I could see. ;)

By the time we got out of the art store (which was OK - but not really too impressive) it was already getting dark. We wound through the snarled traffic and made our way to the highway toward home. The smell of exhaust was pretty strong and it brought back memories of my days living in Chicago. We were so happy when we finally got out of town.

On the way home, we stopped in the smaller town of New Minas to do some more shopping. Even though it was dark, it was only just after 6pm. We went to a few stores and got some wonderful 'treasures' which I will talk about on later posts.

One of my favorite things that I got at Staples was this:

Creative arts Auto part Fashion accessory Art Event


An ADORABLE kitty tape dispenser. (Isn't it funny how excited we can get with something so silly?)

Among my other 'treasures' were some great BOXES for gift giving this holiday season. I am a 'box junkie' as many of you know, and I find it hard to pass up the beautiful holiday boxes that are available this time of year. Here is part of my haul:

Wood Box Packaging and labeling Event Basket


This is only PART of the fun, as there are smaller boxes nested in the larger ones. I think if I bring another box into the house here, Keith will build me a place to live in with them! ;)

By the time we unpacked and I settled down and got through the almost 250 emails, it was nearly 3am. What a day!

So today I will be catching up on orders and cutting orders of wood. Lots of people ordered my little ornaments and I have a whole load to cut and get out. I am thrilled about that!

I should be back to my 'normal crazy' life by tomorrow. If you emailed me and are waiting for a reply, please be patient. I answered as many as I could last night and have some to do again today. I promise that these busy times are the foundation of some great new projects and ideas to come!

I hope you have a wonderful day! (Mid-week already!) Happy Wednesday to you!
Luv the kitty tape dispenser. Gotta have fun things around like this. Makes it a happy happy place.
 

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#12,305 ·
Sometimes Less is More

I began writing a blog post yesterday (really I did) and just as I got started, the power went out. This was the second time in the past few weeks this happened, which was unusual because prior to that, we had kept power for years.

One would think that I would have really been upset, but for some reason, I was not. I had just filled the orders that arrived overnight and the post was going to mostly be about some new things that I am going to work on in the future. Nothing that I can't discuss later on.

Lately, I find myself being a bit overwhelmed. While I am continually pushing to help our business grow and work on new ideas, I find that when I do achieve success in these areas, I have to be watchful of the consequences. (I am using the term "consequences" in a positive way, not in the usual negative sense that we sometimes associate with the word.)

Growing a business usually means that there is more responsibility. If one isn't watchful, it is easy to lose control of things and allow the business to run you. While the thought of having a great idea, implementing it, and then being wildly successful with it is enticing, I have seen many a friend lose everything as a result of not being prepared for success and moving too quickly. Like most anything, it is better to grow slowly and teach ourselves to evolve with the changes that the new successes can bring. Otherwise, we wind up with feeling overwhelmed and not being able to fulfill our commitments - both to ourselves and our customers - and in some cases we wind up losing everything by allowing things to spin out of control, or worse yet, burning out. It is something that needs to be seriously considered.

The past year has been good to Keith and I. Both of us have found new and successful avenues for our company. Some of them are self-supporting and others will require additional time on our part. I feel very fortunate that in this economy we are able to say that our business is steadily growing.

But as a result of this, there are days when we feel a bit overwhelmed. I can only speak for myself here, but I have seen it in my partner as well. More patterns, and products equals more customers and emails, equals more mailing, paperwork and time. Again, I am not complaining, but only stating facts. I know that I have many followers who also have their own small businesses as we do and I find comfort in knowing that they experience the same things. Some deal with them better than others and unfortunately, it is the demise of those who are not prepared to handle the growth. I don't want that to happen to us.

Above all, I never want our quality of products or service to suffer. We always pride ourselves on doing the best job we can on our designs and I believe that is why it is so easy for us to promote ourselves. Neither Keith nor myself are great at selling ourselves, but if our products weren't results of our best efforts, it would be impossible. You have to believe in yourself in order to convince others to believe in you. I know if I was not happy with a particular design, there would be no way that I would be able to sell it to anyone. I am sure Keith feels the same. We both realize that there are lots of places where people can get free designs for both scroll sawing and painting, and we need to make sure that our designs are worth paying for. They have to be better. Otherwise we wouldn't last another year.

So I believe the answer is to be aware of things and learn to back off sometimes. Not completely, mind you, but in the places that you feel you can.

For years I blogged every morning, seven days a week. I love writing my posts here because through them I have met so many wonderful creative people and it is a great chance to keep in touch with you all. It has become part of my daily routine, like brushing my teeth in the morning or having coffee.

But lately, I find that I have had so many responsibilities that it is sometimes better to back off and skip posting for a day. I especially find it more difficult to post when I am working on new things that I am not yet ready to reveal. I could spend the entire day working on them and feel that I have nothing of substance to share with you the next day. I don't want to post just to post. I think that would be boring for all of us.

So if you see me posting a little less, it isn't because things are slowing down, but rather the opposite. I can assure you it doesn't mean that I am being lazy and sleeping in, but probably moreso that I am busy catching up with emails, packing up orders to ship out, or having fun designing new projects to share with you. It is all good.

Yesterday we had a wonderful and quiet Thanksgiving celebration. It was just Keith, his mom and I (and of course, our three cats!) It was a far cry from earlier in my life when there was the busy time of having dinner for a huge amount of people. Our lives have settled into something that is very different than that. There are times when I miss the bustle of crowds and big parties, but mostly I am happy right where I am. We had a dinner of turkey, stuffing, two pies, home made cranberry relish and a vegetable. Even though the power was out until about noon, I wasn't in a panic. I knew that if it didn't return, we would just go with the flow and find something good to eat. There was little stress in the day, and while I missed my own children and their families, I felt content in the little family I have here. I read many posts on Facebook later on of people who were exhausted and overwhelmed yesterday. They were gearing up for a hectic month ahead as well. You could already feel their stress. It made me wonder if it is all worth it.

I am titling this entry "Less is More" because as I get older, I find that more and more to be true. We live in society that seems to be driven by 'having more'. Bigger and better are unfortunately the benchmarks for success. But are we really successful with more than we can ever handle or enjoy? I don't think so.

To me, being successful is leading a productive life that makes me happy. I want to contribute to the world by teaching and inspiring others to find ways to be creative. In my experience, when one learns to be creative, their accomplishments raise their self-esteem and help make them happier overall. From cutting out a plaque on the scroll saw to painting an ornament or learning a new drawing technique or creating a beautiful needlework piece, they all create a positive self-image. We need more of that in this world.

I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday and an even better one today. I hope you agree that slowing down is the key to being able to actually enjoy your world around you, for we never know just how long we will be here.

Happy Friday to you all. Have a beautiful weekend.

Rectangle Wood Font Scroll Signage


SLDK398 - Self-Framing Give Thanks Plaque Pattern by Keith Fenton
 

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#12,306 ·
Sometimes Less is More

I began writing a blog post yesterday (really I did) and just as I got started, the power went out. This was the second time in the past few weeks this happened, which was unusual because prior to that, we had kept power for years.

One would think that I would have really been upset, but for some reason, I was not. I had just filled the orders that arrived overnight and the post was going to mostly be about some new things that I am going to work on in the future. Nothing that I can't discuss later on.

Lately, I find myself being a bit overwhelmed. While I am continually pushing to help our business grow and work on new ideas, I find that when I do achieve success in these areas, I have to be watchful of the consequences. (I am using the term "consequences" in a positive way, not in the usual negative sense that we sometimes associate with the word.)

Growing a business usually means that there is more responsibility. If one isn't watchful, it is easy to lose control of things and allow the business to run you. While the thought of having a great idea, implementing it, and then being wildly successful with it is enticing, I have seen many a friend lose everything as a result of not being prepared for success and moving too quickly. Like most anything, it is better to grow slowly and teach ourselves to evolve with the changes that the new successes can bring. Otherwise, we wind up with feeling overwhelmed and not being able to fulfill our commitments - both to ourselves and our customers - and in some cases we wind up losing everything by allowing things to spin out of control, or worse yet, burning out. It is something that needs to be seriously considered.

The past year has been good to Keith and I. Both of us have found new and successful avenues for our company. Some of them are self-supporting and others will require additional time on our part. I feel very fortunate that in this economy we are able to say that our business is steadily growing.

But as a result of this, there are days when we feel a bit overwhelmed. I can only speak for myself here, but I have seen it in my partner as well. More patterns, and products equals more customers and emails, equals more mailing, paperwork and time. Again, I am not complaining, but only stating facts. I know that I have many followers who also have their own small businesses as we do and I find comfort in knowing that they experience the same things. Some deal with them better than others and unfortunately, it is the demise of those who are not prepared to handle the growth. I don't want that to happen to us.

Above all, I never want our quality of products or service to suffer. We always pride ourselves on doing the best job we can on our designs and I believe that is why it is so easy for us to promote ourselves. Neither Keith nor myself are great at selling ourselves, but if our products weren't results of our best efforts, it would be impossible. You have to believe in yourself in order to convince others to believe in you. I know if I was not happy with a particular design, there would be no way that I would be able to sell it to anyone. I am sure Keith feels the same. We both realize that there are lots of places where people can get free designs for both scroll sawing and painting, and we need to make sure that our designs are worth paying for. They have to be better. Otherwise we wouldn't last another year.

So I believe the answer is to be aware of things and learn to back off sometimes. Not completely, mind you, but in the places that you feel you can.

For years I blogged every morning, seven days a week. I love writing my posts here because through them I have met so many wonderful creative people and it is a great chance to keep in touch with you all. It has become part of my daily routine, like brushing my teeth in the morning or having coffee.

But lately, I find that I have had so many responsibilities that it is sometimes better to back off and skip posting for a day. I especially find it more difficult to post when I am working on new things that I am not yet ready to reveal. I could spend the entire day working on them and feel that I have nothing of substance to share with you the next day. I don't want to post just to post. I think that would be boring for all of us.

So if you see me posting a little less, it isn't because things are slowing down, but rather the opposite. I can assure you it doesn't mean that I am being lazy and sleeping in, but probably moreso that I am busy catching up with emails, packing up orders to ship out, or having fun designing new projects to share with you. It is all good.

Yesterday we had a wonderful and quiet Thanksgiving celebration. It was just Keith, his mom and I (and of course, our three cats!) It was a far cry from earlier in my life when there was the busy time of having dinner for a huge amount of people. Our lives have settled into something that is very different than that. There are times when I miss the bustle of crowds and big parties, but mostly I am happy right where I am. We had a dinner of turkey, stuffing, two pies, home made cranberry relish and a vegetable. Even though the power was out until about noon, I wasn't in a panic. I knew that if it didn't return, we would just go with the flow and find something good to eat. There was little stress in the day, and while I missed my own children and their families, I felt content in the little family I have here. I read many posts on Facebook later on of people who were exhausted and overwhelmed yesterday. They were gearing up for a hectic month ahead as well. You could already feel their stress. It made me wonder if it is all worth it.

I am titling this entry "Less is More" because as I get older, I find that more and more to be true. We live in society that seems to be driven by 'having more'. Bigger and better are unfortunately the benchmarks for success. But are we really successful with more than we can ever handle or enjoy? I don't think so.

To me, being successful is leading a productive life that makes me happy. I want to contribute to the world by teaching and inspiring others to find ways to be creative. In my experience, when one learns to be creative, their accomplishments raise their self-esteem and help make them happier overall. From cutting out a plaque on the scroll saw to painting an ornament or learning a new drawing technique or creating a beautiful needlework piece, they all create a positive self-image. We need more of that in this world.

I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday and an even better one today. I hope you agree that slowing down is the key to being able to actually enjoy your world around you, for we never know just how long we will be here.

Happy Friday to you all. Have a beautiful weekend.

Rectangle Wood Font Scroll Signage


SLDK398 - Self-Framing Give Thanks Plaque Pattern by Keith Fenton
Great advice Sheila. It makes me think of someone in the town where I live, and he usually makes the comment "good enough" at the end of whatever he is doing. Then he wonders why his customers are not 100% satisfied. Doing your best work is evident in what you and Keith produce, and this makes your products stand out. Good work.
 

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#12,310 ·
Preparing for "Hibernation"

It seems like it has been weeks since I have written, even though it has only been a couple of days. These past few days I have been in "elf mode" and even though I have been terribly busy, I can't show much of what I am doing here yet. There are many surprises in the works.

Over the weekend, I worked in many directions. I had wanted to make a pot of soup, but I haven't managed to do that yet. Hopefully later on today.

I spent Saturday cutting orders and Sunday Keith took me to Yarmouth to do some shopping and we went to dinner and a movie. We like having a 'date night' every once in a while just to get us out of here and have a little change of pace. The dinner was absolutely lovely, served at a wonderful local restaurant. They had a huge Christmas tree up in the center of the room and there were beautiful decorations all around. It really put us in the Christmas spirit. :)

The movie we saw was wonderful as well. We watched the next generation of Rocky movies (Creed) and we both enjoyed it very much. There is nothing like sitting in a theater with a huge screen to really 'experience' a movie! Even though it is a bit expensive (it was $1 when I was a kid!) it is a wonderful treat and we try to go every so often when there is something we think we will like seeing. I must say I thought that Creed would be a bit of a stretch, trying to extend the Rocky legacy, but it was a good story and well done. We both give it a 'thumbs up!'

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go with my Canadian sister and mom to the city for a day of shopping. We left the house just after seven in the morning and I didn't get home until after ten. I was truly exhausted, but I can happily say that I think I finished getting just about all I will need not only for the holidays, but for the winter season as well. I keep mentioning that I am working on some new ventures, and with my car now in storage I try to stock up when I can get to the city on the supplies I will be needing in the months to come. It is no small task, but I think I am good to go now and can 'hibernate' until the spring and accomplish a great deal. It is now I can relax and really accomplish some nice work. I am very pleased with that.

So today it is back to the drawing board/paint brush/scroll saw and computer!

Here is a sneak peek to what I am working on today . . .

Brown Rectangle Tablecloth Textile Wood


It is a "Quick Paint" project for Toletown for December. I should have it completed today and the pattern to Lorrie by tomorrow. It is fun and something new that I think everyone will love. :)

I also have some packaging up to do. I have an exchange gift going out that I need to pack up today. I had wanted to get some 'extras' to add into it yesterday and I found some wonderful little things!

With that said, I will be back tomorrow. Hopefully I will have finished photos of my project and be working on some new things. I have TONS of new ideas and I think that you will like them! I am really excited!

As we enter into our last month of the year, I hope you all remember to take time to enjoy things. Rushing through everything is so stressful and kind of defeats the purpose of celebrating at all!

Take care and have a wonderful day today! Happy December to you all! :D
 

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#12,311 ·
Preparing for "Hibernation"

It seems like it has been weeks since I have written, even though it has only been a couple of days. These past few days I have been in "elf mode" and even though I have been terribly busy, I can't show much of what I am doing here yet. There are many surprises in the works.

Over the weekend, I worked in many directions. I had wanted to make a pot of soup, but I haven't managed to do that yet. Hopefully later on today.

I spent Saturday cutting orders and Sunday Keith took me to Yarmouth to do some shopping and we went to dinner and a movie. We like having a 'date night' every once in a while just to get us out of here and have a little change of pace. The dinner was absolutely lovely, served at a wonderful local restaurant. They had a huge Christmas tree up in the center of the room and there were beautiful decorations all around. It really put us in the Christmas spirit. :)

The movie we saw was wonderful as well. We watched the next generation of Rocky movies (Creed) and we both enjoyed it very much. There is nothing like sitting in a theater with a huge screen to really 'experience' a movie! Even though it is a bit expensive (it was $1 when I was a kid!) it is a wonderful treat and we try to go every so often when there is something we think we will like seeing. I must say I thought that Creed would be a bit of a stretch, trying to extend the Rocky legacy, but it was a good story and well done. We both give it a 'thumbs up!'

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go with my Canadian sister and mom to the city for a day of shopping. We left the house just after seven in the morning and I didn't get home until after ten. I was truly exhausted, but I can happily say that I think I finished getting just about all I will need not only for the holidays, but for the winter season as well. I keep mentioning that I am working on some new ventures, and with my car now in storage I try to stock up when I can get to the city on the supplies I will be needing in the months to come. It is no small task, but I think I am good to go now and can 'hibernate' until the spring and accomplish a great deal. It is now I can relax and really accomplish some nice work. I am very pleased with that.

So today it is back to the drawing board/paint brush/scroll saw and computer!

Here is a sneak peek to what I am working on today . . .

Brown Rectangle Tablecloth Textile Wood


It is a "Quick Paint" project for Toletown for December. I should have it completed today and the pattern to Lorrie by tomorrow. It is fun and something new that I think everyone will love. :)

I also have some packaging up to do. I have an exchange gift going out that I need to pack up today. I had wanted to get some 'extras' to add into it yesterday and I found some wonderful little things!

With that said, I will be back tomorrow. Hopefully I will have finished photos of my project and be working on some new things. I have TONS of new ideas and I think that you will like them! I am really excited!

As we enter into our last month of the year, I hope you all remember to take time to enjoy things. Rushing through everything is so stressful and kind of defeats the purpose of celebrating at all!

Take care and have a wonderful day today! Happy December to you all! :D
Sheila & Keith, So very glad to hear y'all enjoyed a great night out. The fact that the restaurant had a large CHRISTMAS tree in the dinning area is absolutely fantastic So many efforts are now being made in the USA to subdue Christmas in favor of seasonal comments that I fear remembrance of Christ's birth will someday be a thing of the past. The scroll work, or it could well be crochet; as a sneak preview, is beautiful Russell
 

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#12,315 ·
Exciting New Prospects!

Good day, my creative friends. It is a calm and peaceful morning here in Nova Scotia with an overcast sky and a hint of misty rain that can't seem to decide whether it wants to be rain or snow falling. I actually love these kinds of mornings. As I sit here sipping on my second cup of coffee under a soft, fluffy blanket with Richard curled at my feet I am listening to "The Nutcracker Suite" on my headphones and feeling quite cozy. It is going to be a fabulous day.

I finished my painting project yesterday and finished up the photography for the pattern last night. I can't tell you all how excited I am about the outcome. I know in the past couple of weeks I have been a bit secretive regarding what I was working on. I actually had some ideas and there was a bit of a learning curve and some trial and error that I needed to go through in order to figure things out. These things take time and as much as I like to share things with you all, it wouldn't have been prudent for me to do so in this process. I needed my full concentration on the task at hand.

So what is all this excitement that I am feeling all about??

I often receive requests from my painting friends to purchase our finished fretwork pieces. As many of you know, they can be quite intricate and involved and in order for me to sell them as a living, I would need to charge far more than someone would be willing to pay. After all, this isn't a hobby for Keith and I. It is our sole source of income. As much as we would love to sell our beautiful, frilly fretwork ornaments, some take hours to cut and we would need to charge quite a lot for them or we wouldn't be able to continue. Plus, we need time to design and fill the orders we have and run our business. It just wasn't feasable.

But then I got an idea . . .

In my 'cyber-surfing' travels, I came across a Silhouette cutting machine. I had always wanted to create my own stencils of my designs for my woodworking and painting followers to use in their crafting. I thought that especially for the scrollers who say they have no talent for painting (I don't believe them, by the way!) it would be a nice way to kind of 'get started' and encourage them to try some new things. But finding a way that would be cost effective for us all without me having to stock a lot of things was difficult. Then I saw the Silhouette and the capabilities that it has and my head started working on it. Not only does it cut paper, but it also cuts all kinds of materials - including plastics and fabric. This opens a whole new avenue for me.

So to make a long story short, I took the plunge and invested in the cutter. I received it about a week and a half ago and I have been working on it and experimenting with it ever since.

While Silhouette offers its own patterns and designs that you can simply plug into the machine, I wanted to cut MY OWN designs on it. Fortunately, unlike most designers, Keith and I use Adobe Illustrator and all of our patterns are vector graphics. This means that they are done in the type of files that the Silhouette was made to read, with some modifications, of course. Believe me - it is not 'plug and play' by any means, but many of our designs are part way to the place where they can be copied and cut on the machine.

Just think how exciting this is for us!

While each design will require additional designing and drawing, we won't have to worry about licensing and copyrights and things like that and we can sell them or the finished products as we wish. This means we can keep the costs down for our customers as well, as we don't have to pay licensing fees and things like that. In the next weeks and months you will be seeing lots of exciting ways we will be selling our designs for your crafting enjoyment. I think you will like it.

My first design that I am trying with this is a project that I am doing for Toletown painting community. I love working with Toletown and Lorrie is the epitome of patience with me. I am offering this design for their 'quick paint' project for the month of December. If you haven't seen Toletown, you may want to check it out. It is an awesome place for painters of all levels (even those just learning) and the price for membership is very reasonable.

Anyway, the design I chose to do was a candle wrap for the large, jar type candles. I chose to create it out of Roc-Lon fabric and use my new cutter to cut a beautiful, intricate and lacy design in the border of the wrap. After trying several things, I finally figured out the 'magic formula' to make it work. Here is the result:

Sleeve Font Linens Bottle Baby & toddler clothing


Isn't it FABULOUS?!? I was so excited when I saw it. Even the tiny comma cuts look beautiful! I knew I had a winner and I plan on doing MANY new designs with this method! And because I am not hand-cutting each pieces, I should be able to provide these wraps for about $6 each!

I am going to offer the Roc-Lon fabric wrap pieces on my site (they will be up later today) to purchase. Since they are thin and flexible, they will cost no more than if I were mailing paper patterns, which I think is definitely a 'plus'. The tree bordered design can be used with my pattern that I have at Toletown, or any pattern the user chooses. For the Toletown project, I am also including a version of the design that is only cut on the perimeter, so no one HAS to order the wrap to make the project:

Product Rectangle Textile Creative arts Font


But I love how it came out! I threaded some pretty twine through the beading holes (you could also use Velcro if you wish) and I added some pretty hot-fix rhinestones at the top of each tree from Rhinestone Canada. They still are, and always will be my favorite place for these stunning rhinestones. The prices are SO REASONABLE and the selection is great. Linda also ships the stone out within 24 hours and has free shipping on orders over $100. Since the stones are tiny, the shipping costs are small even when you do pay. I highly recommend them!

Green Botany Organism Art Font


Product Rectangle Textile Font Creative arts


The "Joy" lettering was my own handwriting on my computer using my Wacom tablet and a calligraphy pen. I was really happy with how quickly and easily this design was to paint. Even someone who never painted before could do a beautiful job on it!

Drinkware Textile Rectangle Cup Tableware


I really hope all of you are as excited about this as I am. Now you all know why I have been so 'distracted' lately. I have lots of wonderful things planned for the upcoming year! I think it is going to be our best year ever!!

I should have the pattern done and the surface up on the site by this afternoon. Head over to Toletown and see what else they have to offer. Besides loads of free patterns (with your membership) there are two classes available each month (with an instructional VIDEO so you can easily follow along and learn!) and a new 'quick paint' project like that that you can download. There are contests and challenges and an overall atmosphere of fun and encouragement. I think for my woodworking followers who may want to add some color to their projects, it is a great place to start.

I am so excited about these new avenues and I hope you are as well! I really think that this opens a world of possibilities for us all!

I am off to write directions now. I will post the links as soon as I have them. I wish you all a wonderful mid-week day today! I hope you are happy and do something you love to do!

Happy Wednesday to you all!
 

Attachments

#12,316 ·
Exciting New Prospects!

Good day, my creative friends. It is a calm and peaceful morning here in Nova Scotia with an overcast sky and a hint of misty rain that can't seem to decide whether it wants to be rain or snow falling. I actually love these kinds of mornings. As I sit here sipping on my second cup of coffee under a soft, fluffy blanket with Richard curled at my feet I am listening to "The Nutcracker Suite" on my headphones and feeling quite cozy. It is going to be a fabulous day.

I finished my painting project yesterday and finished up the photography for the pattern last night. I can't tell you all how excited I am about the outcome. I know in the past couple of weeks I have been a bit secretive regarding what I was working on. I actually had some ideas and there was a bit of a learning curve and some trial and error that I needed to go through in order to figure things out. These things take time and as much as I like to share things with you all, it wouldn't have been prudent for me to do so in this process. I needed my full concentration on the task at hand.

So what is all this excitement that I am feeling all about??

I often receive requests from my painting friends to purchase our finished fretwork pieces. As many of you know, they can be quite intricate and involved and in order for me to sell them as a living, I would need to charge far more than someone would be willing to pay. After all, this isn't a hobby for Keith and I. It is our sole source of income. As much as we would love to sell our beautiful, frilly fretwork ornaments, some take hours to cut and we would need to charge quite a lot for them or we wouldn't be able to continue. Plus, we need time to design and fill the orders we have and run our business. It just wasn't feasable.

But then I got an idea . . .

In my 'cyber-surfing' travels, I came across a Silhouette cutting machine. I had always wanted to create my own stencils of my designs for my woodworking and painting followers to use in their crafting. I thought that especially for the scrollers who say they have no talent for painting (I don't believe them, by the way!) it would be a nice way to kind of 'get started' and encourage them to try some new things. But finding a way that would be cost effective for us all without me having to stock a lot of things was difficult. Then I saw the Silhouette and the capabilities that it has and my head started working on it. Not only does it cut paper, but it also cuts all kinds of materials - including plastics and fabric. This opens a whole new avenue for me.

So to make a long story short, I took the plunge and invested in the cutter. I received it about a week and a half ago and I have been working on it and experimenting with it ever since.

While Silhouette offers its own patterns and designs that you can simply plug into the machine, I wanted to cut MY OWN designs on it. Fortunately, unlike most designers, Keith and I use Adobe Illustrator and all of our patterns are vector graphics. This means that they are done in the type of files that the Silhouette was made to read, with some modifications, of course. Believe me - it is not 'plug and play' by any means, but many of our designs are part way to the place where they can be copied and cut on the machine.

Just think how exciting this is for us!

While each design will require additional designing and drawing, we won't have to worry about licensing and copyrights and things like that and we can sell them or the finished products as we wish. This means we can keep the costs down for our customers as well, as we don't have to pay licensing fees and things like that. In the next weeks and months you will be seeing lots of exciting ways we will be selling our designs for your crafting enjoyment. I think you will like it.

My first design that I am trying with this is a project that I am doing for Toletown painting community. I love working with Toletown and Lorrie is the epitome of patience with me. I am offering this design for their 'quick paint' project for the month of December. If you haven't seen Toletown, you may want to check it out. It is an awesome place for painters of all levels (even those just learning) and the price for membership is very reasonable.

Anyway, the design I chose to do was a candle wrap for the large, jar type candles. I chose to create it out of Roc-Lon fabric and use my new cutter to cut a beautiful, intricate and lacy design in the border of the wrap. After trying several things, I finally figured out the 'magic formula' to make it work. Here is the result:

Sleeve Font Linens Bottle Baby & toddler clothing


Isn't it FABULOUS?!? I was so excited when I saw it. Even the tiny comma cuts look beautiful! I knew I had a winner and I plan on doing MANY new designs with this method! And because I am not hand-cutting each pieces, I should be able to provide these wraps for about $6 each!

I am going to offer the Roc-Lon fabric wrap pieces on my site (they will be up later today) to purchase. Since they are thin and flexible, they will cost no more than if I were mailing paper patterns, which I think is definitely a 'plus'. The tree bordered design can be used with my pattern that I have at Toletown, or any pattern the user chooses. For the Toletown project, I am also including a version of the design that is only cut on the perimeter, so no one HAS to order the wrap to make the project:

Product Rectangle Textile Creative arts Font


But I love how it came out! I threaded some pretty twine through the beading holes (you could also use Velcro if you wish) and I added some pretty hot-fix rhinestones at the top of each tree from Rhinestone Canada. They still are, and always will be my favorite place for these stunning rhinestones. The prices are SO REASONABLE and the selection is great. Linda also ships the stone out within 24 hours and has free shipping on orders over $100. Since the stones are tiny, the shipping costs are small even when you do pay. I highly recommend them!

Green Botany Organism Art Font


Product Rectangle Textile Font Creative arts


The "Joy" lettering was my own handwriting on my computer using my Wacom tablet and a calligraphy pen. I was really happy with how quickly and easily this design was to paint. Even someone who never painted before could do a beautiful job on it!

Drinkware Textile Rectangle Cup Tableware


I really hope all of you are as excited about this as I am. Now you all know why I have been so 'distracted' lately. I have lots of wonderful things planned for the upcoming year! I think it is going to be our best year ever!!

I should have the pattern done and the surface up on the site by this afternoon. Head over to Toletown and see what else they have to offer. Besides loads of free patterns (with your membership) there are two classes available each month (with an instructional VIDEO so you can easily follow along and learn!) and a new 'quick paint' project like that that you can download. There are contests and challenges and an overall atmosphere of fun and encouragement. I think for my woodworking followers who may want to add some color to their projects, it is a great place to start.

I am so excited about these new avenues and I hope you are as well! I really think that this opens a world of possibilities for us all!

I am off to write directions now. I will post the links as soon as I have them. I wish you all a wonderful mid-week day today! I hope you are happy and do something you love to do!

Happy Wednesday to you all!
Morning Sheila,
I have used the Cameo for a years and really enjoy it. I use it so I don't have to buy decals for the projects that call for them. I just added the Mint so I can make my own ink stamps. I also use the Cameo program to design my own word art patterns. The whole package is so adaptable for anything I want to use it for. Have fun with it.
Rick
 

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#12,322 ·
"Elf Mode"

Even though I am creating something just about every day of my life, this time of year, brings me to a whole new level. As we enter the month of December, I can't help but feel a little stressed as I know my time to mail packages to my loved ones and friends far away is limited. Every year I vow to be ahead of the game, but it seems that most years I just squeak by.

I also love to participate in gift exchanges. I have so many talented online friends that create in a variety of mediums! I love receiving hand-made items from them. Each time I receive something from one of these friends, I am absolutely thrilled. But this year I must have missed my woodworking ornament exchange announcements, as I didn't really see any to join. I do have a great group that I am part of on Facebook that consists of a small number of close friends who paint. Over the years we have become 'sisters' and even though we are scattered all over the globe, we have a sense of 'family'.

My gift was supposed to be posted by Tuesday, but I had some deadlines to deal with the past couple of days and my shopping trip on Monday threw me for a loop. I tend to live deadline to deadline these days, which isn't really a bad thing. But if I had any goals for the new year, I would try to train myself to finish things up BEFORE the deadline comes up, not a couple of days after it passes. Those who I work with are wonderfully understanding, but I really want to improve myself in this area. I never want someone to think that I am taking advantage of their good nature.

I think that Keith and I are going to be doing a site update and sending out a newsletter by tomorrow. We have a few things to add to the site and even though we have both been very busy, we are going to try to do some nice things for you all. I won't trouble you with showing you things today, as most of them won't be ready until tomorrow. :)

What I CAN show you is a picture of my beautiful grand daughter, Willow. She is over two years old now and I realized that I haven't shown her in a while.

Snowman Smile Hat Happy Baby & toddler clothing


Willow is a little over two years old right now. This will truly be a magical Christmas for her. My only regret in my life is that I can't be in two places at once - here in Canada where I love it so much and back 'home' in Chicago with my children and grand daughter. If I were able to do that, my life would be 'perfect'!

As I enter "Elf Mode" for these next couple of weeks, I may see more secretive about things as you can imagine. I don't want to advertise about the gifts I am giving until after they are received. I am sure you understand that. :)

It is foggy and rainy here today. I am pleased to say that I have no errands to do or places to go. That will allow me to accomplish a lot here and begin to change my decorations from autumn to Christmas. It should be a good day.

I hope you all have a good day as well. I wish you all a wonderful and happy day! The weekend is in site!

Happy Thursday to you!
 

Attachments

#12,323 ·
"Elf Mode"

Even though I am creating something just about every day of my life, this time of year, brings me to a whole new level. As we enter the month of December, I can't help but feel a little stressed as I know my time to mail packages to my loved ones and friends far away is limited. Every year I vow to be ahead of the game, but it seems that most years I just squeak by.

I also love to participate in gift exchanges. I have so many talented online friends that create in a variety of mediums! I love receiving hand-made items from them. Each time I receive something from one of these friends, I am absolutely thrilled. But this year I must have missed my woodworking ornament exchange announcements, as I didn't really see any to join. I do have a great group that I am part of on Facebook that consists of a small number of close friends who paint. Over the years we have become 'sisters' and even though we are scattered all over the globe, we have a sense of 'family'.

My gift was supposed to be posted by Tuesday, but I had some deadlines to deal with the past couple of days and my shopping trip on Monday threw me for a loop. I tend to live deadline to deadline these days, which isn't really a bad thing. But if I had any goals for the new year, I would try to train myself to finish things up BEFORE the deadline comes up, not a couple of days after it passes. Those who I work with are wonderfully understanding, but I really want to improve myself in this area. I never want someone to think that I am taking advantage of their good nature.

I think that Keith and I are going to be doing a site update and sending out a newsletter by tomorrow. We have a few things to add to the site and even though we have both been very busy, we are going to try to do some nice things for you all. I won't trouble you with showing you things today, as most of them won't be ready until tomorrow. :)

What I CAN show you is a picture of my beautiful grand daughter, Willow. She is over two years old now and I realized that I haven't shown her in a while.

Snowman Smile Hat Happy Baby & toddler clothing


Willow is a little over two years old right now. This will truly be a magical Christmas for her. My only regret in my life is that I can't be in two places at once - here in Canada where I love it so much and back 'home' in Chicago with my children and grand daughter. If I were able to do that, my life would be 'perfect'!

As I enter "Elf Mode" for these next couple of weeks, I may see more secretive about things as you can imagine. I don't want to advertise about the gifts I am giving until after they are received. I am sure you understand that. :)

It is foggy and rainy here today. I am pleased to say that I have no errands to do or places to go. That will allow me to accomplish a lot here and begin to change my decorations from autumn to Christmas. It should be a good day.

I hope you all have a good day as well. I wish you all a wonderful and happy day! The weekend is in site!

Happy Thursday to you!
Sheila and Keith, Thanks for "Elf Update" Yes, Willow is certainly a beautiful young lady! My, my when I see her picture I look back in remembrance of our three daughters at that age now in their 40's. Such a wonderful flashback. Enjoy this time to seem hurried in all preparations. Russell
 

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#12,327 ·
Frost on the Pumpkin

As time keeps marching on, we are getting closer and closer to the holiday season, as well as winter weather. When I awoke this morning, I looked out on my deck and saw this:

Food Pumpkin Calabaza Natural foods Squash


The first significant indication that winter is just around the corner.

Even though it seems that this past year has gone by too quickly, I tend to take each day as it comes, and appreciate it for what it is.

I don't dread winter as many of my friends and family do. If anything, I find it forces us to slow down a bit. I know you all probably think that I am crazy making that statement, as with the holiday season quickly approaching, we seem to be busier than ever, but I do find that once we get a grip on things and stop trying so hard to be everything to everyone, we may actually enjoy the cold, winter days ahead. After all - every day is only as good as we decide to make it.

Perhaps it is because I am getting older (and maybe a bit wiser!), but I feel that many times we are our own worst enemies when it comes to the holidays. We have this perfect picture of what Christmas and the holidays should "be" in our heads and we set standards that are all but impossible to achieve.

As with most memories, they often are embellished a bit in our minds to be a little bit different than reality. We tend to filter out the negative parts a little bit and focus on the good parts, which is a good thing, but doesn't always leave us with a realistic picture of how things were. While this practice is comforting and harmless in most instances, I think that as the years pass and this process happens again and again, we begin to look at our past experiences in a way that our standards are unrealistically set much higher than we can ever imagine. We use these memories as benchmarks for subsequent years and we find ourselves frustrated when we don't live up to the expectations we have for ourselves in our minds. It doesn't have to be that way.

Memories should be cherished. It is wonderful to forget the slightly dry turkey, the bare spot in the back of the tree, or the ugly sweater auntie Susie got us that one year. Dwelling on those types of mishaps wouldn't really be productive. But what I feel is important is not the things that made the holidays special, but the people and the feelings.

Some of my favorites Christmases were the quiet ones. Some of the most cherished moments were those of just 'being' and sitting and watching others and taking it all in. While it is nice to have a beautifully set table or a dinner fit for a queen or king, I think the most important thing that we can all do for ourselves is to train ourselves to look for and appreciate the little things such as the sound of the children's laughter, the taste of a cup of peppermint tea or the warmth of our favorite pet curled at our legs.

Once we begin to notice and appreciate these things, the other things somehow aren't so important. And because these simple things are usually part of our everyday lives, we are happier people for appreciating them. We no longer feel the need to have 'bigger' and 'better' each year. We find comfort in ourselves and the surroundings we have right now, every day. I believe that makes for a happy life.

Sorry to go off on a tangent. It is funny what a little snow can do, isn't it? ;)

Today we are updating the website. Keith has several new patterns available and I have the new SLDS101 Roc-Lon Tree Border Candle Wrap painting surface:

Rectangle Font Creative arts Jewellery Crown


For a limited time, I am offering a "Buy 2 and get 1 Free" on it. I want you to all see how fabulous this surface is to work with. Not only is it great for Christmas, but for a cabin or camp theme as well. You can now get the "Joy" pattern at Toletown painting community. It will be there for the month of December, and then I will have it on my site. Toletown is a great meeting place for painters of all skills and I think you will love it there! I hope you check it out.

Keith has three new patterns and pattern sets available as well. His SLDK635 Nativity Oval Overlay Plaque pattern is simple, but pretty and would make a great last minute gift to make:

Brown Wood Circle Rectangle Font


He also put together a nice set - SLDK634 - God Is Good, God Is Love and God Is Wise:

Rectangle Wood Font Metal Pattern


As all of the sets of this nature, they are also available individually.

Finally,we have moved the SLDK629 Welcome Family and Friends plaque pattern to the regular section on our site:

Brown Rectangle Wood Font Tints and shades


This is a great plaque pattern for any time of the year. It also makes a wonderful gift.

One final thing that I want to mention today is that our newsletter is going to be sent out soon. It will have pretty much the same information as my blog here today, but it will also include a 15% off discount code to all of our subscribers. The code is good site wide and is only available to those of you who subscribe. We do this because we want to thank you for being loyal customers and keeping us designing. We only send out a newsletter a couple of times a month (roughly every two weeks - give or take) and we dont' share your information or spam. We just want you to see what we have new, as we realize that everyone doesn't have time to read here every day and keep up with us in these busy times. It is our way of saying 'thank you' to you. :)

That will be it for today. This weekend I plan on getting some decorations up and finishing up the gifts that I am making so I can mail them out by Monday (or around there!) Being in Canada means that it will take a little time to get to where I am sending, and I hope I can do so on time.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I know it is busy for most, but I hope that you all try not to feel too much stress of the season. If you begin to feel anxious, stop and ask yourself how important the thing you are stressed about really is. Chances are that it isn't life or death and not worth the anxiety you are feeling. "Letting go" is the best gift you can offer yourself.

Have a wonderful weekend! Happy Friday to you all!
 

Attachments

#12,328 ·
Frost on the Pumpkin

As time keeps marching on, we are getting closer and closer to the holiday season, as well as winter weather. When I awoke this morning, I looked out on my deck and saw this:

Food Pumpkin Calabaza Natural foods Squash


The first significant indication that winter is just around the corner.

Even though it seems that this past year has gone by too quickly, I tend to take each day as it comes, and appreciate it for what it is.

I don't dread winter as many of my friends and family do. If anything, I find it forces us to slow down a bit. I know you all probably think that I am crazy making that statement, as with the holiday season quickly approaching, we seem to be busier than ever, but I do find that once we get a grip on things and stop trying so hard to be everything to everyone, we may actually enjoy the cold, winter days ahead. After all - every day is only as good as we decide to make it.

Perhaps it is because I am getting older (and maybe a bit wiser!), but I feel that many times we are our own worst enemies when it comes to the holidays. We have this perfect picture of what Christmas and the holidays should "be" in our heads and we set standards that are all but impossible to achieve.

As with most memories, they often are embellished a bit in our minds to be a little bit different than reality. We tend to filter out the negative parts a little bit and focus on the good parts, which is a good thing, but doesn't always leave us with a realistic picture of how things were. While this practice is comforting and harmless in most instances, I think that as the years pass and this process happens again and again, we begin to look at our past experiences in a way that our standards are unrealistically set much higher than we can ever imagine. We use these memories as benchmarks for subsequent years and we find ourselves frustrated when we don't live up to the expectations we have for ourselves in our minds. It doesn't have to be that way.

Memories should be cherished. It is wonderful to forget the slightly dry turkey, the bare spot in the back of the tree, or the ugly sweater auntie Susie got us that one year. Dwelling on those types of mishaps wouldn't really be productive. But what I feel is important is not the things that made the holidays special, but the people and the feelings.

Some of my favorites Christmases were the quiet ones. Some of the most cherished moments were those of just 'being' and sitting and watching others and taking it all in. While it is nice to have a beautifully set table or a dinner fit for a queen or king, I think the most important thing that we can all do for ourselves is to train ourselves to look for and appreciate the little things such as the sound of the children's laughter, the taste of a cup of peppermint tea or the warmth of our favorite pet curled at our legs.

Once we begin to notice and appreciate these things, the other things somehow aren't so important. And because these simple things are usually part of our everyday lives, we are happier people for appreciating them. We no longer feel the need to have 'bigger' and 'better' each year. We find comfort in ourselves and the surroundings we have right now, every day. I believe that makes for a happy life.

Sorry to go off on a tangent. It is funny what a little snow can do, isn't it? ;)

Today we are updating the website. Keith has several new patterns available and I have the new SLDS101 Roc-Lon Tree Border Candle Wrap painting surface:

Rectangle Font Creative arts Jewellery Crown


For a limited time, I am offering a "Buy 2 and get 1 Free" on it. I want you to all see how fabulous this surface is to work with. Not only is it great for Christmas, but for a cabin or camp theme as well. You can now get the "Joy" pattern at Toletown painting community. It will be there for the month of December, and then I will have it on my site. Toletown is a great meeting place for painters of all skills and I think you will love it there! I hope you check it out.

Keith has three new patterns and pattern sets available as well. His SLDK635 Nativity Oval Overlay Plaque pattern is simple, but pretty and would make a great last minute gift to make:

Brown Wood Circle Rectangle Font


He also put together a nice set - SLDK634 - God Is Good, God Is Love and God Is Wise:

Rectangle Wood Font Metal Pattern


As all of the sets of this nature, they are also available individually.

Finally,we have moved the SLDK629 Welcome Family and Friends plaque pattern to the regular section on our site:

Brown Rectangle Wood Font Tints and shades


This is a great plaque pattern for any time of the year. It also makes a wonderful gift.

One final thing that I want to mention today is that our newsletter is going to be sent out soon. It will have pretty much the same information as my blog here today, but it will also include a 15% off discount code to all of our subscribers. The code is good site wide and is only available to those of you who subscribe. We do this because we want to thank you for being loyal customers and keeping us designing. We only send out a newsletter a couple of times a month (roughly every two weeks - give or take) and we dont' share your information or spam. We just want you to see what we have new, as we realize that everyone doesn't have time to read here every day and keep up with us in these busy times. It is our way of saying 'thank you' to you. :)

That will be it for today. This weekend I plan on getting some decorations up and finishing up the gifts that I am making so I can mail them out by Monday (or around there!) Being in Canada means that it will take a little time to get to where I am sending, and I hope I can do so on time.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I know it is busy for most, but I hope that you all try not to feel too much stress of the season. If you begin to feel anxious, stop and ask yourself how important the thing you are stressed about really is. Chances are that it isn't life or death and not worth the anxiety you are feeling. "Letting go" is the best gift you can offer yourself.

Have a wonderful weekend! Happy Friday to you all!
You would have to remind me that the season is drawing near. I got busy this year and finished all my projects that I like to give out early and thought I could then relax. You know how that works. All of a sudden, I am bogged down with things that people just have to have before Christmas. I thought I was retired but it seems nobody else understands what that means.
Just a little rant as I really enjoy doing the things that people want. Have started giving out as went to get my hair cut yesterday and gave the two ladies an ornament and the landlady a piece of wordart. She has her office decorated with some of my cuttings. The giving surely makes it all worthwhile.
 

Attachments

#12,336 ·
Self-Challenges

As a designer and and artist, I think it is important to continually learn and work toward advancing myself. It seems that every time I accomplish a certain technique or skill, I feel satisfied only for a short time and soon I begin to look for ways to push myself to a higher level. It is just my nature.

Because I am fortunate enough to be able to work doing something that I love, I am able to explore these many facets of the artistic work in the name of 'work'. I admit that I am quite spoiled in this respect, as what many are only able to do in their 'leisure time' I can justify as 'working'. It is one of the perks of creating art and designing for a living.

Over the summer, I stumbled on the work of an amazing artist and teacher named Lisa Clough. I think I was browsing some YouTube videos when I saw some of the lessons that Lisa had offered using colored pencils. Like most, I had thought that colored penciling was something that we did in grade school. Pencils were much neater than paint and it was much easier for parents and teachers to deal with a room full of students coloring than those getting messy with paint. Colored pencil work wasn't something that I would generally refer to as 'fine art.'

I can't believe how 'wrong' I was in my thinking!

If you stop over to Lisa's YouTube channel, you will understand exactly what I mean. Lisa not only works in colored pencils, but oil and acrylic paint and several other mediums. She offers a wealth of information about many different kinds of drawing and painting and I have become an enthusiastic follower. People such as she are gifts to those of us who are seeking to learn. It is rare to find someone so talented and also such a great teacher.

Long story short - I poured through her videos and visited her pages and decided to become a Patron sponsor for Lisa. This helps support her and gives back a bit for all the time and effort she puts into sharing her talent and teaching us. Sponsoring means that you agree to pay a small amount each moth to Lisa and in return you get special 'perks' from her such as access to long instructional videos (usually around 2 hours or more per project), a monthly post card with her original art featured, and special access to monthly challenges for the group. I find these all very inspiring and helpful in my own journey through art. You can do to the Patron page to read more about it.

While I have little time to work on ALL the monthly challenges, I want to try to have at least one ongoing challenge that will help me expand my skills in this area. I certainly won't finish it this month, but it will be something that I will do in the background when I have a little time here and there to do something for myself.

This month's challenge was a Christmas themed one. A white reindeer and some holiday accessories. The white deer is quite challenging because when using pencils, the light colors are much harder to do than the dark. I thought it would be something that I could learn a lot from. Here is the reference photo we were provided:

Elk Plant Deer Twig Flower


I loved the composition of this photo, and I think it will be quite interesting to work on. I wasn't crazy about the curtain in the background though, so I thought I would do my own thing with that.

Back in September, I had purchased a set of Inktense blocks and pencils by Derwent.

Musical instrument Font Electronic device Electric blue Electronic instrument


I liked the idea that the Inktense were warter soluable, but then once dry, the colors were permanent (unlike water colors which reconstitute each time you re-wet them.) This meant that once they were dry, they were permanent and would not bleed or smear into the subsequent layers of color, making them an excellent choice for things like backgrounds and base layers of color.

Since I wanted the background to look like old, faded wallpaper, I thought it was also the perfect opportunity to use my new cutter and create some custom stencils to make the wallpaper pattern. I quickly drew up a pretty Damask motif that I felt resembled a Christmas tree, and cut the stencil:

Gesture Triangle Art Plant Font


My cutter worked perfectly and I was thrilled with the results. (Another new avenue for me and my artwork!)

Organism Art Font Tints and shades Symmetry


I used Fabriano Extra White 140lb hot press watercolor paper for my drawing. I wanted to use a good paper that would withstand the amount of water, pencil and erasing that it would eventually take to complete the picture.

I used frisket on the deer to mask it, as I want it to remain white at this point. I then taped off the floor area and used three different browns to wash the floor in. I kept it streaky so that it would resemble the wood grain and make it easier later. I will be using pencils over this, but for the base, I liked the effect.

Rectangle Textile Wood Font Beige


I apologize for photographing it on the brown mat, but I had taped it there and didn't want to disturb it. You can see what is going on though, I think.

I then switched the taped side and began work on the wall. I washed/blotted and stippled it to give an uneven texture:

Brown Rectangle Textile Wood Sleeve


I used a darker green and my stencil to apply the wallpaper pattern, again with the Inktense blocks and water:

Textile Wood Rectangle Sleeve Wall


Finally, I once again washed the entire background before the stenciled design was dry. This made a beautiful aged effect and made the background look old:

Mythical creature Rectangle Textile Wood Art


I really like where I am so far on this. With the holidays just around the corner, that is as far as I got. I wanted the paper to be completely dry before moving on and I spent the rest of the weekend filling orders and doing some work on some of the gifts that I am making that need to be mailed out. I have to mail them soon in order for them to arrive on time.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this little progression. I also hope it inspires you to try something that you may not have considered in the past. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that I would ever be able to create artwork like this, but the more that I see and learn, the more eager I am to try. Challenging ourselves is a great way to learn. We my not always succeed at our first attempt, but if we never try, how will we learn new things? It certainly makes for a fun and busy life.

Today is bright and sunny out. What a nice day for December! I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend and are accomplishing all you wanted to accomplish. (Do we EVER do that??)

Have a very happy Monday and a wonderful week ahead! I hope you do something creative!
 

Attachments

#12,337 ·
Self-Challenges

As a designer and and artist, I think it is important to continually learn and work toward advancing myself. It seems that every time I accomplish a certain technique or skill, I feel satisfied only for a short time and soon I begin to look for ways to push myself to a higher level. It is just my nature.

Because I am fortunate enough to be able to work doing something that I love, I am able to explore these many facets of the artistic work in the name of 'work'. I admit that I am quite spoiled in this respect, as what many are only able to do in their 'leisure time' I can justify as 'working'. It is one of the perks of creating art and designing for a living.

Over the summer, I stumbled on the work of an amazing artist and teacher named Lisa Clough. I think I was browsing some YouTube videos when I saw some of the lessons that Lisa had offered using colored pencils. Like most, I had thought that colored penciling was something that we did in grade school. Pencils were much neater than paint and it was much easier for parents and teachers to deal with a room full of students coloring than those getting messy with paint. Colored pencil work wasn't something that I would generally refer to as 'fine art.'

I can't believe how 'wrong' I was in my thinking!

If you stop over to Lisa's YouTube channel, you will understand exactly what I mean. Lisa not only works in colored pencils, but oil and acrylic paint and several other mediums. She offers a wealth of information about many different kinds of drawing and painting and I have become an enthusiastic follower. People such as she are gifts to those of us who are seeking to learn. It is rare to find someone so talented and also such a great teacher.

Long story short - I poured through her videos and visited her pages and decided to become a Patron sponsor for Lisa. This helps support her and gives back a bit for all the time and effort she puts into sharing her talent and teaching us. Sponsoring means that you agree to pay a small amount each moth to Lisa and in return you get special 'perks' from her such as access to long instructional videos (usually around 2 hours or more per project), a monthly post card with her original art featured, and special access to monthly challenges for the group. I find these all very inspiring and helpful in my own journey through art. You can do to the Patron page to read more about it.

While I have little time to work on ALL the monthly challenges, I want to try to have at least one ongoing challenge that will help me expand my skills in this area. I certainly won't finish it this month, but it will be something that I will do in the background when I have a little time here and there to do something for myself.

This month's challenge was a Christmas themed one. A white reindeer and some holiday accessories. The white deer is quite challenging because when using pencils, the light colors are much harder to do than the dark. I thought it would be something that I could learn a lot from. Here is the reference photo we were provided:

Elk Plant Deer Twig Flower


I loved the composition of this photo, and I think it will be quite interesting to work on. I wasn't crazy about the curtain in the background though, so I thought I would do my own thing with that.

Back in September, I had purchased a set of Inktense blocks and pencils by Derwent.

Musical instrument Font Electronic device Electric blue Electronic instrument


I liked the idea that the Inktense were warter soluable, but then once dry, the colors were permanent (unlike water colors which reconstitute each time you re-wet them.) This meant that once they were dry, they were permanent and would not bleed or smear into the subsequent layers of color, making them an excellent choice for things like backgrounds and base layers of color.

Since I wanted the background to look like old, faded wallpaper, I thought it was also the perfect opportunity to use my new cutter and create some custom stencils to make the wallpaper pattern. I quickly drew up a pretty Damask motif that I felt resembled a Christmas tree, and cut the stencil:

Gesture Triangle Art Plant Font


My cutter worked perfectly and I was thrilled with the results. (Another new avenue for me and my artwork!)

Organism Art Font Tints and shades Symmetry


I used Fabriano Extra White 140lb hot press watercolor paper for my drawing. I wanted to use a good paper that would withstand the amount of water, pencil and erasing that it would eventually take to complete the picture.

I used frisket on the deer to mask it, as I want it to remain white at this point. I then taped off the floor area and used three different browns to wash the floor in. I kept it streaky so that it would resemble the wood grain and make it easier later. I will be using pencils over this, but for the base, I liked the effect.

Rectangle Textile Wood Font Beige


I apologize for photographing it on the brown mat, but I had taped it there and didn't want to disturb it. You can see what is going on though, I think.

I then switched the taped side and began work on the wall. I washed/blotted and stippled it to give an uneven texture:

Brown Rectangle Textile Wood Sleeve


I used a darker green and my stencil to apply the wallpaper pattern, again with the Inktense blocks and water:

Textile Wood Rectangle Sleeve Wall


Finally, I once again washed the entire background before the stenciled design was dry. This made a beautiful aged effect and made the background look old:

Mythical creature Rectangle Textile Wood Art


I really like where I am so far on this. With the holidays just around the corner, that is as far as I got. I wanted the paper to be completely dry before moving on and I spent the rest of the weekend filling orders and doing some work on some of the gifts that I am making that need to be mailed out. I have to mail them soon in order for them to arrive on time.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this little progression. I also hope it inspires you to try something that you may not have considered in the past. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that I would ever be able to create artwork like this, but the more that I see and learn, the more eager I am to try. Challenging ourselves is a great way to learn. We my not always succeed at our first attempt, but if we never try, how will we learn new things? It certainly makes for a fun and busy life.

Today is bright and sunny out. What a nice day for December! I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend and are accomplishing all you wanted to accomplish. (Do we EVER do that??)

Have a very happy Monday and a wonderful week ahead! I hope you do something creative!
So cool being able to make your own stencils! Love the design. The painting is looking great. Looking forward to seeing it finished.
 

Attachments

#12,339 ·
Creating for Gifts

I know I am not alone when I wonder where the time goes. It seems like just yesterday we were looking forward to spring and now already we are closing out the year. This week has been particularly busy for me because I have a few boxes that NEED to go out within the next couple of days in order to arrive in time for the holidays. I have really been pushing it.

Naturally, because these things I am working on are gifts, I won't be showing them here in my blog yet. As you can imagine, it seriously limits my posts here, as most of them are about what I am currently creating. But I assure you that later on I will 'catch up' and share the fun things that I am doing.

I meant to get the house decorated over the past weekend, but that didn't really happen either. It isn't a crisis for me, as I usually keep a few things around anyway to cheer things up. But I took my autumn decorations off of my little tree and it is looking a bit naked sitting there in the corner. But the time will come and soon it will be bright and cheerful again.

What I can show you is something that made my heart smile. I love seeing others create my designs and it is even more thrilling when they do their own take on my ideas and add their own touch to them. After all - I design to inpire others. While some like to follow my directions exactly, I see nothing wrong with others who go their own way and make their project personal. In fact, I encourage it.

My friend Elizabeth took my SLDP243 Layered Angel Ornaments painting pattern (shown here):

Organ Organism Gesture Sharing Art


and created them in deep, rich jewel tones. I think the results was incredible:

Mythical creature Textile Art Supernatural creature Sleeve


Aren't they just stunning??? The shading and sparkle looks just magnificent! It lends an entire new look to them.

I thought it would be nice to show you and encourage you to think outside the pattern and do your own take on some of the projects you do. I don't think you will be disappointed and you will certainly learn along the way. :)

For those woodworkers who like the pattern, I also have a scroll saw version (SLD514):

Gesture Wood World Natural material Wing


They look pretty in natural wood tone, but would also look great with their wings, halos and stars washed with gold metallic acrylic paint. What a quick and easy project that would be! And how beautiful they would look as well! :)

I hope to get back to creating some new things soon, but for now I need to work on my own gifts for a while. I think you all probably understand, as many of you are busy working on your own gifts as well.

It is mid-week already and Christmas is only two weeks away! Even though you may feel a bit rushed, I hope you take time out to enjoy your days and the season in general. It will be gone in a blink of the eye.

Happy Wednesday to you all! I wish you a beautiful and creative day!
 

Attachments

#12,340 ·
Creating for Gifts

I know I am not alone when I wonder where the time goes. It seems like just yesterday we were looking forward to spring and now already we are closing out the year. This week has been particularly busy for me because I have a few boxes that NEED to go out within the next couple of days in order to arrive in time for the holidays. I have really been pushing it.

Naturally, because these things I am working on are gifts, I won't be showing them here in my blog yet. As you can imagine, it seriously limits my posts here, as most of them are about what I am currently creating. But I assure you that later on I will 'catch up' and share the fun things that I am doing.

I meant to get the house decorated over the past weekend, but that didn't really happen either. It isn't a crisis for me, as I usually keep a few things around anyway to cheer things up. But I took my autumn decorations off of my little tree and it is looking a bit naked sitting there in the corner. But the time will come and soon it will be bright and cheerful again.

What I can show you is something that made my heart smile. I love seeing others create my designs and it is even more thrilling when they do their own take on my ideas and add their own touch to them. After all - I design to inpire others. While some like to follow my directions exactly, I see nothing wrong with others who go their own way and make their project personal. In fact, I encourage it.

My friend Elizabeth took my SLDP243 Layered Angel Ornaments painting pattern (shown here):

Organ Organism Gesture Sharing Art


and created them in deep, rich jewel tones. I think the results was incredible:

Mythical creature Textile Art Supernatural creature Sleeve


Aren't they just stunning??? The shading and sparkle looks just magnificent! It lends an entire new look to them.

I thought it would be nice to show you and encourage you to think outside the pattern and do your own take on some of the projects you do. I don't think you will be disappointed and you will certainly learn along the way. :)

For those woodworkers who like the pattern, I also have a scroll saw version (SLD514):

Gesture Wood World Natural material Wing


They look pretty in natural wood tone, but would also look great with their wings, halos and stars washed with gold metallic acrylic paint. What a quick and easy project that would be! And how beautiful they would look as well! :)

I hope to get back to creating some new things soon, but for now I need to work on my own gifts for a while. I think you all probably understand, as many of you are busy working on your own gifts as well.

It is mid-week already and Christmas is only two weeks away! Even though you may feel a bit rushed, I hope you take time out to enjoy your days and the season in general. It will be gone in a blink of the eye.

Happy Wednesday to you all! I wish you a beautiful and creative day!
I know I am not alone when I wonder where the time goes.

No you're not ;-) Those angles are awesome!
 

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#12,342 ·
Different Strokes for Different Folks - DecoArt Traditions Brush Review

I am finding it kind of hard to decide what to write about these days. As Christmas is quickly approaching, I have been working diligently on some gifts that I am going to be sending out soon. As you can imagine, the gifts are heading for my family and friends, and many of them check in on my blog every once and a while. I do want to have what I am making them a bit of a surprise, so I can't really talk about things. It is a bit of a dilemma.

We are two weeks away from Christmas, and I believe that my gifts that need to be mailed will be out the door by tomorrow. I think that will allow enough time for shipping, but even if it is a day or so late, I am sure they will understand. I can only hope.

I am really thrilled with how they are turning out as well. It is nice to do something and really feel good about the outcome and about giving it to someone you love. As I am working on each piece, I like to daydream about how much they will like it, and how hopefully it will become something that they will look at and think if me. It is a very personal.

While I can't talk about the items themselves at this point, I can mention some of the tools I am using to make these items - My DecoArt Traditions paint brushes.

I recently obtained a set of these brushes from DecoArt and I cannot tell you how impressed I am with them (and that is saying a LOT!)

I realize that with having woodworking and painting followers, these brushes may not be for everyone. They are not the cheapest brushes I have used, but the more I use them, the more I want to stress the outstanding quality that really makes them stand out from most of the other brushes that I have tried and I need to say that they are definitely worth the money. Following are some of the reasons why . . .

Angular Shaders

Building Wood Font Landscape Metal


If I could only use one brush, the angular shader would be it. I use this type of brush for anything from base coating to shading to lining and painting fur on the chisel edge. The 1/4" size is my favorite, as I usually do smaller and more detailed pieces, but since using these new brushes, I also fell in love with the 1/8" angular shader as well.

Why I feel this brush is superior to others I have tried . . .

The bristles are slightly longer than the other angular shader brushes I have used. This means that there is less chance of the paint getting up in the ferrule and causing the bristles to spread. The hairs themselves are absorbent, yet firm and hold their shape. When I use cheaper brushes of this style, because I use the tip of the brush so much, the ends of the bristles seem to bend a bit and curl. This is very frustrating and renders the brush practically useless for me. but the Traditions brush holds its shape beautifully. I also like that there aren't 'too many' hairs in this brush. Some brushes are too 'thick' and you can't get a good line when using it on the chisel edge. These brushes have a chisel edge that is beautifully sharp and has remained so through continued used. This is where the 1/8" size really shows its' stuff. You can use it as a lining brush on the chisel edge and it does a beautiful job. I am really impressed.

Dome Blender

Tints and shades Font Pattern Publication Metal


This brush is another wonderful 'discovery' brush that once I used it, I don't know how I painted without it. The Traditions dome blender is somewhat like a deerfoot stippler, but has rounded bristles and slightly softer hairs. It is great for both dry brushing and blending, and many times I use it in place of a mop brush. The softer bristles mean that it is easier to get a softer, dry-brushed look than with a regular deerfoot stippler, yet with the addition of more paint, you can still get a nice textured effect for things like trees and shrubs. When using it for 'dry-brushing' the results are beautifully light and soft.

Why I feel this brush is superior to others I have tried . . .

I really loved the Loew-Cornell 410 stippler and have used them all of my painting life. however, since the bristles are much stiffer, they tend to wear down quickly and it is more difficult to get the softer result that you can get with the Traditions dome blender. The rounded edges on the dome blender allow for a bit more control, and when using the smaller (#8) dome blender, you are able to dry brush very small areas fairly easily. Finally, using them as you would a mop (with a light touch) allows you to beautifully blend your paint quickly and easily with lots of control.

Flat Shaders

Tool Office supplies Line Hand tool Metalworking hand tool


Once again the longer hairs and resiliance of the fibers really play a part in these brushes. Like the angular shaders, they are ultra absorbant and hold a beautiful chisel edge. This makes them a great choice for base coating, shading and strokework. I don't know what fibers they are using, but I really love them.

Why I feel this brush is superior to others I have tried . . .

The main thing here that impressed me was the length of the bristles. Typically, I use shaders for base coating. I like to load them fully, but not get paint up into the ferrule where it can dry and cause the brush to separate. The slightly longer bristles allow me to fully load the brush without worrying about this issue. They hold a lot of paint which makes them ideal for base coating. Even though the hairs are longer, they have the perfect balance of absorption and control. Some shaders with longer bristles either don't hold paint well or the bristles bend easily from use and they fan out quickly. The Traditions brushes hold a beautiful chisel edge even after a great deal of use.

Lining Brushes

Water Font Rectangle Parallel Wood


Again, I am extremely impressed with these. The line of brushes has two types of liners - regular and Kolisky Quill. Once again the regular liner has those wonderful hairs that are absorbent and easy to control. Their slightly longer length is somewhere between a regular lining brush and a script liner, and it holds a lot of paint while keeping a perfect edge. The Kolinsky Quill is beautifully absorbant, allowing one to make beautiful stroke work. This brush fits well in this line of beauties.

Why I feel this brush is superior to others I have tried . . .

I am beginning to sound repetitive here, but once again, the slightly longer bristles and greater absorption win out. Since I am a 'tight painter', it is all about control. The tips of these liners are tapered just the right amount to allow beautiful, fine line work while holding a decent amount of paint. The firmness of the bristles allow you to have the ultimate control as you paint. I feel that I have never painted line work better. The only brush I can compare to the Kolinski Quill is Margot Clark's "Miracle Brush" which I truly love as well. The quality on both of these brushes is equivalent, with the Traditions brush having slightly longer bristles which may hold a bit more paint.

Overall Assessment

Every brush in this line has surprised me. I have been painting over 30 years, and while I knew that some brushes were better than others, and have used some really nice brushes in the past, none have impressed me as much as the Traditions. I actually sit and think as I paint "Wow - these are really good brushes." How often does that happen to us??

Not only are the 'business ends' of the brushes wonderful but the handles are beautiful as well. They are comfortable to hold and are quality made. Some of my cheaper brushes crack very quickly when being left in the water for even several minutes. (I know - you aren't supposed to leave them in water, but we all do from time to time!) They Just plain feel good. I have painted for hours with them and my hand feels fine.

Conclusion

I hope you found this review helpful. These are just four basic brush types that I use most frequently. I am not into the 'gimmick' brushes too much, but stick to the basics. At first I thought that the price for these were a bit high, but you can often find them on sale at Art Apprentice Online and it help a great deal. (AAO is a GREAT site - you should check out all they have to offer!) I plan on getting a few 'extras' of these brushes in the near future, as I don't know how I got along so long without them. (Seriously!)

I literally have hundreds of brushes and these are by far my favorites. I know I will be using them for all my serious painting (and what painting isn't 'serious'?!?) from now on. If you are looking for a great product, I really think they are worth the investment.

You can read more about them here on the Traditions Website.

It is a beautiful and sunny day today. There was a thick layer of frost on the grass this morning. Winter is definitely not far off.

I hope you all have a happy Thursday!
 

Attachments

#12,343 ·
Different Strokes for Different Folks - DecoArt Traditions Brush Review

I am finding it kind of hard to decide what to write about these days. As Christmas is quickly approaching, I have been working diligently on some gifts that I am going to be sending out soon. As you can imagine, the gifts are heading for my family and friends, and many of them check in on my blog every once and a while. I do want to have what I am making them a bit of a surprise, so I can't really talk about things. It is a bit of a dilemma.

We are two weeks away from Christmas, and I believe that my gifts that need to be mailed will be out the door by tomorrow. I think that will allow enough time for shipping, but even if it is a day or so late, I am sure they will understand. I can only hope.

I am really thrilled with how they are turning out as well. It is nice to do something and really feel good about the outcome and about giving it to someone you love. As I am working on each piece, I like to daydream about how much they will like it, and how hopefully it will become something that they will look at and think if me. It is a very personal.

While I can't talk about the items themselves at this point, I can mention some of the tools I am using to make these items - My DecoArt Traditions paint brushes.

I recently obtained a set of these brushes from DecoArt and I cannot tell you how impressed I am with them (and that is saying a LOT!)

I realize that with having woodworking and painting followers, these brushes may not be for everyone. They are not the cheapest brushes I have used, but the more I use them, the more I want to stress the outstanding quality that really makes them stand out from most of the other brushes that I have tried and I need to say that they are definitely worth the money. Following are some of the reasons why . . .

Angular Shaders

Building Wood Font Landscape Metal


If I could only use one brush, the angular shader would be it. I use this type of brush for anything from base coating to shading to lining and painting fur on the chisel edge. The 1/4" size is my favorite, as I usually do smaller and more detailed pieces, but since using these new brushes, I also fell in love with the 1/8" angular shader as well.

Why I feel this brush is superior to others I have tried . . .

The bristles are slightly longer than the other angular shader brushes I have used. This means that there is less chance of the paint getting up in the ferrule and causing the bristles to spread. The hairs themselves are absorbent, yet firm and hold their shape. When I use cheaper brushes of this style, because I use the tip of the brush so much, the ends of the bristles seem to bend a bit and curl. This is very frustrating and renders the brush practically useless for me. but the Traditions brush holds its shape beautifully. I also like that there aren't 'too many' hairs in this brush. Some brushes are too 'thick' and you can't get a good line when using it on the chisel edge. These brushes have a chisel edge that is beautifully sharp and has remained so through continued used. This is where the 1/8" size really shows its' stuff. You can use it as a lining brush on the chisel edge and it does a beautiful job. I am really impressed.

Dome Blender

Tints and shades Font Pattern Publication Metal


This brush is another wonderful 'discovery' brush that once I used it, I don't know how I painted without it. The Traditions dome blender is somewhat like a deerfoot stippler, but has rounded bristles and slightly softer hairs. It is great for both dry brushing and blending, and many times I use it in place of a mop brush. The softer bristles mean that it is easier to get a softer, dry-brushed look than with a regular deerfoot stippler, yet with the addition of more paint, you can still get a nice textured effect for things like trees and shrubs. When using it for 'dry-brushing' the results are beautifully light and soft.

Why I feel this brush is superior to others I have tried . . .

I really loved the Loew-Cornell 410 stippler and have used them all of my painting life. however, since the bristles are much stiffer, they tend to wear down quickly and it is more difficult to get the softer result that you can get with the Traditions dome blender. The rounded edges on the dome blender allow for a bit more control, and when using the smaller (#8) dome blender, you are able to dry brush very small areas fairly easily. Finally, using them as you would a mop (with a light touch) allows you to beautifully blend your paint quickly and easily with lots of control.

Flat Shaders

Tool Office supplies Line Hand tool Metalworking hand tool


Once again the longer hairs and resiliance of the fibers really play a part in these brushes. Like the angular shaders, they are ultra absorbant and hold a beautiful chisel edge. This makes them a great choice for base coating, shading and strokework. I don't know what fibers they are using, but I really love them.

Why I feel this brush is superior to others I have tried . . .

The main thing here that impressed me was the length of the bristles. Typically, I use shaders for base coating. I like to load them fully, but not get paint up into the ferrule where it can dry and cause the brush to separate. The slightly longer bristles allow me to fully load the brush without worrying about this issue. They hold a lot of paint which makes them ideal for base coating. Even though the hairs are longer, they have the perfect balance of absorption and control. Some shaders with longer bristles either don't hold paint well or the bristles bend easily from use and they fan out quickly. The Traditions brushes hold a beautiful chisel edge even after a great deal of use.

Lining Brushes

Water Font Rectangle Parallel Wood


Again, I am extremely impressed with these. The line of brushes has two types of liners - regular and Kolisky Quill. Once again the regular liner has those wonderful hairs that are absorbent and easy to control. Their slightly longer length is somewhere between a regular lining brush and a script liner, and it holds a lot of paint while keeping a perfect edge. The Kolinsky Quill is beautifully absorbant, allowing one to make beautiful stroke work. This brush fits well in this line of beauties.

Why I feel this brush is superior to others I have tried . . .

I am beginning to sound repetitive here, but once again, the slightly longer bristles and greater absorption win out. Since I am a 'tight painter', it is all about control. The tips of these liners are tapered just the right amount to allow beautiful, fine line work while holding a decent amount of paint. The firmness of the bristles allow you to have the ultimate control as you paint. I feel that I have never painted line work better. The only brush I can compare to the Kolinski Quill is Margot Clark's "Miracle Brush" which I truly love as well. The quality on both of these brushes is equivalent, with the Traditions brush having slightly longer bristles which may hold a bit more paint.

Overall Assessment

Every brush in this line has surprised me. I have been painting over 30 years, and while I knew that some brushes were better than others, and have used some really nice brushes in the past, none have impressed me as much as the Traditions. I actually sit and think as I paint "Wow - these are really good brushes." How often does that happen to us??

Not only are the 'business ends' of the brushes wonderful but the handles are beautiful as well. They are comfortable to hold and are quality made. Some of my cheaper brushes crack very quickly when being left in the water for even several minutes. (I know - you aren't supposed to leave them in water, but we all do from time to time!) They Just plain feel good. I have painted for hours with them and my hand feels fine.

Conclusion

I hope you found this review helpful. These are just four basic brush types that I use most frequently. I am not into the 'gimmick' brushes too much, but stick to the basics. At first I thought that the price for these were a bit high, but you can often find them on sale at Art Apprentice Online and it help a great deal. (AAO is a GREAT site - you should check out all they have to offer!) I plan on getting a few 'extras' of these brushes in the near future, as I don't know how I got along so long without them. (Seriously!)

I literally have hundreds of brushes and these are by far my favorites. I know I will be using them for all my serious painting (and what painting isn't 'serious'?!?) from now on. If you are looking for a great product, I really think they are worth the investment.

You can read more about them here on the Traditions Website.

It is a beautiful and sunny day today. There was a thick layer of frost on the grass this morning. Winter is definitely not far off.

I hope you all have a happy Thursday!
Thanks for the information Sheila. A very good review. It's always good to know which brushes work best.
 

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