Memories of Home

The last three years have been packed full of work and challenges. In addition to full-time job, I tutored dyslexic students after work a couple of nights a week and also pursued a second degree in communicative disorders. I had very little time to pursue my creative passions. By December of last year, my husband was in touch with a company that had an opening for a composer/sound designer. After years of being self-employed, he was ready for a change, and on the morning of New Year's Eve, the on-site interviews were being planned. By mid January, he had been hired, and he moved to Reno in February. I stayed in our California house to finish my degree, let our son find a place to live, and tie up the loose ends of life. What I hadn't planned on was doing a cosmetic remodel of our house to get it ready to be leased, which I headed and worked on. Finally after 8 long months apart, I moved to Reno with my husband just before Halloween a few weeks ago. With newfound time to relax and restore, my creativity has now found release. All those things I've saved, packed, and moved are becoming new creations! Here is one of them.

Notice that it says "Reuse this package." I really took that to heart!

The front of the box has a window and cellophane. I pulled out my stamps from 

Character Constructions and went to town:

I love the thoughts on back of the box. For me, creating is play.

"Follow your own path."

"To find your creativity, allow yourself to think like you did as a child."

Here is the finished result--a shaker box that can be put on a tree or placed in a Christmas setting.

The advent house and deer are stamps from Character Constructions' Vintage Christmas collection. I'm so happy that I overlooked comments of "hoarder" and saved this box!

Are you a box recreator?

                                                                                                                     Laura

Reindeer Games

Character Constructions has just released some adorable reindeer stamps in the Vintage Christmas collection. Making cards and ornaments with these images is contagious, and of course, we have to name the deer! Today for your viewing pleasure is the elegant Christy Vixen:

Are you playing any reindeer games?

                                                                            Laura

Christmas "Altoid" Tin

Hi friends! For the past 6 months I have been remodeling our house in Southern California and packing our belongings to move to Reno. It has been lonely, grueling work, and I am so happy to finally be finished and to be with my husband once again. When I arrived in Reno ten days ago, some new Christmas stamps from Character Constructions were waiting for me. I just had to take time out from unpacking to make something with them.

I stamped and colored the santa from plate 7 of Vintage Christmas and 

mounted him on a mint tin from Whole Foods.

Next I stamped and colored the car from plate 6 of Vintage Christmas and

added it to a chipboard box that I covered with Christmas paper.

Have you started making cards or crafting for Christmas?

Laura

Beckoning Fall with Character Constructions

I'm so weary of this blazing summer heat, relentless Southern California sun, and overly humid days. I can't wait for fall! To get a jump on my Halloween crafts, I made these little gift bags. Two bags for a dollar at Target, some Character Constructions stamps, and a friend made a hot summer day whisper "Fall, come soon. We are waiting for you!"

All stamps are from Character Constructions' Bird and Bee Paperie Collection.

                                                                                                                        Laura

Chalkboard Greeting Cards in the Stamper's Sampler

One of the nice things about the difficult task of submitting 25 pieces of art for the guest artist audition is that there is plenty leftover to publish in subsequent issues! Such was the case with this chalkboard art, which is published in the Summer 2016 issue of The Stamper's Sampler. I love chalkboard art and had a lot of fun making these quick and easy cards. The stamps are from Oxford Impressions,which is on hiatus until Fall. Thank you for stopping by!
                                                                                                       

More Pages from My Guest Artist Article in The Stampers' Sampler

With the magazine out, I felt like I could finally post my article. I truly appreciate the warm encouragement and kind comments that so many of you fellow "creatistas" and friends have left me here and on Facebook. While being published is an honor, it also leaves one feeling quite vulnerable. It's hard for me to look at my work in print, as I find that I am critical of the details and also feel that I should have done more. This guest artist issue was no different. I had so little personal time and energy to create the pieces with life craziness at the time, but I didn't want to pass on the opportunity. So I truly do appreciate all your sweet comments!

Napolean Button Card Made with Character Constructions

I love vintage button cards, especially when they have wonderful graphics! This love inspired my Napolean button card made with the Paris Flea collection of stamps from Character Constructions. Can't wait to have loads of play time to play around with more ideas!

New Stamps from Character Constructions: Paris Flea!

Enjoying a rainy day inside, I took some time to create this doll from Character Constructions' newest collection, Paris Flea. All the plates are just wonderful, so there will be many more dolls and projects to come! Hope you are having a lovely weekend!

Belles Lettres

Belles Lettres

Guest Artist for The Stamper's Sampler

A little sneak peek of the culmination of a 12-year goal (dream). The mask is from Character Constructions Cirque Collection. The Stamper's Sampler will be out April 1 at Barnes and Noble, Michael's, JoAnn, and some others.

Character Constructions Collages

Sometimes you plan and work and dream but think the dream could never come true. Well a dream come true is around the corner for me on April 1 and it's no April Fool's joke!) The spring issue of The Stamper's Sampler is part of that dream come true.  Another dream come true is to be a member of the Character Constructions design team. I have admired the work of Catherine Moore for more than 20 years and appreciate the artist and her kindness as much as I appreciate her work. Recently she created a space for my art on her Web site, and I wanted to share the first "collage" with you. Please visit her site for the full slideshow, which just might give you ideas for making your own dolls from her wonderful stamps. I never in a million years believed my art dreams would come true. Keep dreaming and planning and working and maybe yours will come true too. I hope they do!

Laura

Winter Issue of The Stamper's Sampler

If you ever find yourself in a creative rut, try one of The Stamper's Samplers challenges, like their "tempting templates" or a theme or color challenge. I find that limiting the scope of possibility helps me focus and produce something much more quickly than if I have no constraints at all. Most recently I created some pieces for a bird challenge, which are published in the current issue, Winter 2016. The goal was general, any style of birds, and I added the additional constraint of keeping with a red and blue color scheme. The stamps are all from Character Constructions. The paper is from the French General. Does having a prompt or a  limitation help you create?

                                                                                          Laura

 

Christmas Decorating

What a wonderful, challenging, and busy year it has been. I am now five units away from a second degree, and because I believe you can't turn down opportunities when they come, I took on a new student, a new design team, and recently auditioned to be guest artist for a magazine. In September our plumbing pretty much exploded, and we had an expensive, messy, and time-consuming repipe. Then in October, my 93-year-old mother-in-law took a turn for the worse and passed on Oct 29, which necessitated two quick trips from California to Mississippi. I haven't started decorating this year! I like to enjoy Fall and then begin celebrating Christmas near December 24 and continuing through January 6 - Epiphany. I also take off two+ weeks of work starting around the 19th, and that's when I really get into the Christmas spirit.

So for Cousin Cathy, who has asked about my Christmas crafting and decorating, I am reposting last year's decorating.  Hopefully I will find the energy and desire to do it again this year!

It's filled with santas that my dear mother and I collected through 

the years. I celebrated her with each piece I unboxed and placed. 

These great vintage lights and boxes were a surprising find from 

weekend thrifting with my friends Christel and Heidi. 

The centerpiece for my kitchen table with vintage  ornaments and 

beaded garland and  Tom and Jerry cups.

A display of my cards and decorations I put together with thrift shop finds:

 A few years ago I discovered Tom and Jerry punch bowls, and 
it has been a love thing ever since:

You might say that I'm quite addicted. Christel found this chocolate brown

 set for me at the the thrift shop last weekend.  I LOVE it, especially against 
the light oak of my mother's favorite piece of furniture. (I have 
more Tom and Jerry pieces, but that will have to be for another day, lol!)

Here's a creche that I created from a TJ Maxx find and an image from an 

angel calendar. The figures are hand-carved from Austria--a gift throughout 

many years from my dear sister-in-law:

 I did my Christmas tree in red and gold with a few House of Hatten ornaments:

 House of Hatten was around 15 or more years ago. My mom and I 

collected these together--another reminder of the fun we used to 

have with our after Christmas shopping.

Not House of Hatten, but I just love these snowballs!

Another view of the tree:

 Christmas in the City. What haven't I collected? Lol!

One of the sideboards in my family room. I have a lot of these! lol! 

The decorations are minimal as the hand carving and stained 
glass stand on their own as a testament to the artistry and 
craftsmenship of the past. My paternal grandmother's clock is a focal point:

I guess I should have started with the entry first,but I spend 
most of my time in the kitchen!

The chalkboard door hides a closet that used to house our furnace, 
which now resides in the attic.  This little closet makes a nice pantry. 
I really do have to improve my chalkboard lettering!

These vintage silverplate pieces are thrift shop finds that I painted with 
chalkboard paint. I am still getting up my nerve or the patience to 
trace lettering and go over it with a chalk pen.

 The tree in my craft/tutoring room full of vintage ornaments and 
some of my handmade things. 

What a great way to celebrate a good and busy year! 
Wishing you peace and joy throughout the holidays and all through the new year!

Laura