• Art - Blog - Creativity

    T Tuesday: bits and pieces edition

    Hello! We’re still here…all still here…always…

    Have you settled into a routine within our new normal? I feel as if we have. It’s slightly less structured than the beginning of this new normal. Workspaces have shifted. Schedules have adjusted…Marvin is still not pleased but such is the life of a cat.

    In my free time, I’ve continued to put scrap paper to use making serendipity collages. These are so fun and can be made without much thought. Very therapeutic.

    I was able to cut 3 postcards, 2 tags, a bookmark, and a tiny tag. These are not finished of course but a good start.

    I have a bunch of seedlings started in my plant cart. Tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers so far. I have some flower seeds in the purple pots but they are kind of old so I’m not holding my breath on those. I also started a few cold-weather crops outside…I’ve never tried it this early so we’ll see what happens.sewing masks

    sewing masks

    I got back to sewing more masks as well. My fabric selection is dwindling as well as my elastic supply. Thankfully I had a spool I bought last year when I was making scrunchies from Mini-me. Otherwise, I’d have never been able to make as many masks as I have.

    Distance learning continues for Mini-me and I.  J has two weeks of class left of his sophomore year of college. Final exams will be taken from his bedroom…so strange.

    I’m staying hydrated while getting this post written with some ice water…please excuse the messy desk.

     

    What are you doing today?
  • Art - Creativity - Kitchen

    T Tuesday: mixed media edition

    Who knew that inspiration could strike while randomly gluing bits and pieces of paper from the scrap bin. Seriously…this is too weird. I was feeling the need to craft something…anything. I had watched a couple of YouTube videos of folks making these insanely beautiful collaged papers. Of course, the bits and pieces that they used were amazing. Pieces that I wouldn’t be “just trying to use up”. But this thought got me to put paper and glue together.serendipity background beginnings

    I started with a double-page spread from a children’s music book. I added bits of paper from my scrap bin until I was pleased or in this case…just “done” with this process.serendipity background

    Not bad right…not super but workable. I added some washi tape, stamping, and stickers.

    Next, I took the sheet to my guillotine cutter and needed to decide how to chop this up.

    serendipity background

    I decided on three postcards and several tags or perhaps journal cards.

    I added some paint and embellishments to the postcards before adhering them to plain paper. I then ran them through the sewing machine to make sure everything stayed firmly together.

    serendipity postcard

    serendipity postcard

    serendipity postcard

    Super fun!serendipity background

    These are the completed pieces that are ready to use. The gaps are still WIP. Not sure what I’ll do with them but that’s ok.

    I had so much fun with this process that I made another collage sheet.serendipity background

    I have 5 postcards and 2 tags with a fun springtime vibe.

    I made this sheet on Saturday…before this happened on Sunday.Merry Eastergiving

    SNOW!! What a crazy weather day. Mini-me and I decided that we should say “Merry Eastergiving” since the outside said Christmas, I was making a Thanksgiving style meal with turkey, all on Easter Sunday for just the 4 of us.

    The card in the collage above was made by a sweet friend of mine.  She is a tremendous card maker. I’ve been sending more cards lately. A card in the mailbox is a tiny bit of joy I can send someone. Just getting a handwritten card by a real person these days is nearly cause for celebration. We need that these days.

    Distance learning continues at our house…both on the teaching and learning ends of things. chromebook styleMy school issued Chromebook is getting a workout. Stickers optional but fun indeed.

    What are you doing today?
  • Blog

    T Tuesday: many hats, one place edition

    Welcome to yet another rousing edition of T stands for Tuesday.

    This week finds most of us in the same place as last…at home, still at home. The difference for me is now my job has started back up after an extended spring break. I find myself in a very strange place much like hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people. Trying to figure out how to work from home.

    I had two laptops set up on opposite sides of the table yesterday. My work one was the only one that actually saw any work. I had thought I’d get this post written but navigating through day 1 of distance learning proved to be more intense than I had expected. Honestly, I think it’s easier to just go to school. Likely because there is also no distractions.

    When I’m at home I tend to wear those other hats; chef, nutritional consultant, household manager, inventory specialist, artist, garden and landscape architect, blogger, chief procurement officer, mom, seamstress, and wife. All these titles…and likely a few I missed…I’m used to at home…it’s the new one, the one that is my actual paying job that needs to be my focus. So weird. Such uncharted territory.  I am thankful for the opportunity to continue to work since with so many folks now unemployed. I am determined to do my absolute best to support my students during this confusing time.

    Speaking of the artist hat. I have been neglectful in posting this journal page. 

    It’s a very simple page. The striped background is an artist page from an old Stampington & Company magazine. After adhering bits of scraps, I was at a loss as to what I wanted as a focal image. I decided on drawing simple greenery. I used watercolor crayons over my pencil marks until achieving the look I wanted.

    The green plant provided hope for spring. We are definitely in need of a little greening up out there. Everything is brown, matted grass and depressing. It is warming up though, so it’s coming!!

    Last week I was also sewing masks. I had seen repeated calls for help with providing masks for health systems that are running low. Ones that aren’t used on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. Since I had materials to create the specific ones shown in this video tutorial.


    masks

    I made 28 and a friend stopped by to pick them up from the front step to deliver with all of hers. I had posted this image on Instagram. Shortly after a woman private messaged me asking if I’d be willing to sell her a couple of masks. I told her no but I would send a couple to her. She wanted to pay me so instead I told her to Pay It Forward.
     

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    Hello everyone.. the picture of the bandanna face mask were made by @halleshobbies and she is donating them to a medical facility. She also sent one to me ( I have IPF) I offered to pay and she asked me to Pay it Forward. The Respironic Nebulizer machines are mine. I contacted Lifespan and a home nurse is picking them up. They will be given to two families that are going to be healing at home with the Covid- 19. Lifespan hospital will thoroughly clean the first of course. It is my way of paying it forward. With my illness these machines were almost in every room of my house. They actually have saved my life many times. If any of you can find a way of donating anything to help out in our current situation look around the house see what you can do. Even if it’s giving your neighbor some toilet paper. A huge thanks to Halle. Please everyone go check out her channel!

    A post shared by June Basiliere (@thriftedinapeartree) on

    I love that! I’m so happy that our little exchange has the potential to save lives!!

    Today is day 2 of distance learning. My own children seem to be doing just fine. I talked to a neighbor last evening…at the proper social distance…her girls are early elementary age and in Spanish immersion. Her day was not so easy. Hopefully, we will all settle into this new normal quickly and keep on learning each day. Perhaps discovering something deep inside ourselves that we weren’t able to see before.

    empty halls

    This lonely hallway photo I snapped gives me pause. So quiet, so lonely. Yet look…there is light at the end, just as there is light at the end of this journey for all of us.

     

    What are you doing today?