• Art - Creativity

    Junk journal pages from long ago

    March 30, 2023 - By 

    Technically these aren’t super long ago… but a couple months old. Honestly, with the way this winter is dragging on and on it still feels a bit like January-February. It’s all just a cold white blur.

    My wonky junky journal is getting super thick. I’m on the last signature and am trying to be a bit more aware of the thickness of embellishments I am using. 

    I hadn’t realized that I never posted any of these pages. Thankfully I was looking through the folders on my laptop and discovered my error.

    I love the colors in this one. I was certainly wishing for warmer days when I created this one.

    This page has hidden journaling about my baby girl turning 20! What in the world…that just isn’t possible.

    Again with this page I am wishing for springtime. How foolish I was to think it was coming anytime soon.

    I used a scrap of fabric to make a little fabric flip to hide a bit of journaling.

    When I finished this page I realized that my date stamp ended with 2022. I had to improvise. Since then I ordered this new date stamp. My problem is solved until 2032.

  • Blog

    Room refresh

    January 24, 2023 - By 

    It’s taken me a bit and is far from complete but I have finally starting the transformation of J’s room into a sewing room. The room is very small and we plan to keep the bed in there for now so that leaves less options for layout.

    This was my first layout. It was ok but far from ideal.

    This is how I currently have it arranged. It’s more functional but looks awkward. I still have issues with the desk space. The only place for a glass is behind the sewing machine. You may be able to see the empty coaster there.

    Truth be told, besides the bed, there is still some stuff that J has yet to move. So I am working around that as well.

    I have made use of the space though. These are a few journal covers I had rattling around my head. More to come on that as I continue working on them.

    Also was making use of scraps I unearthed while rearranging. Years ago I wrote an article for Sew Somerset describing my process for these mini collages. Now the junk journal community calls them clusters. I can get behind the name change but the process is the same.

    This bunch took me less than 30 minutes.

    I’ve also started work on a paper bag book. I haven’t made one in probably 10 years. I kind of burned out on it. However there is a baby boom around work. I thought I’d try my hand at making a few instead of the typical gift of a cute little outfit that baby fits into for exactly 57 minutes.

    As you might be able to guess…we are empty nesting again. We brought Mini-me back to college for Spring semester.

    When we walked into her room we were shocked that her cactus had grown with no light for a month. No water wasn’t surprising…but no light?!

    I snapped a photo out the window on the most boring part of our drive. There is about an hour of basically this view after you exit the interstate.

  • Blog

    Refreshing habits

    January 10, 2023 - By 

    In keeping with my word of the year….

    I am looking at different parts of my life that might need a little help. One of those is health related. Daily walks.

    After my surgery last summer and COVID during my recovery, I had to quit walking as much as I was accustomed to doing daily. I found that this was a really slippery slope for me. It really easy to skip my walk even after I was fully able to do it…I just didn’t want to do it. I made many excuses to myself. “I don’t have time” ” I’ll get sweaty and can’t shower” “The roads are really busy this time of day” …you name it, I likely thought it.

    I have made a shift in my thinking and have been walking before work each morning. I get to work real early and walk laps in the athletic dome.

    It’s usually really cold in there but at least there’s no wind.

    I participate in a workplace challenge with a fun group through our Fitbit app. It’s fun to cheer each other on and get a little good peer pressure to get up and get moving.

    And being the “gold star” girl that I am…getting little motivational badges is nice too.

    I love having a fitness tracker. I know its not for everyone but it works really well for me. In fact. I just bought myself a new Fitbit for Christmas along with a pressure canner. I know, I’m just all kinds of wild and crazy. HA!

    Not too shabby for a day at work. Truth be told, I am on my feet 95% of my day which is just fine with me. It’s sitting that gets me in trouble…

    When I was on the actually Fitbit site on the computer today I noticed some stats that I had never seen before since I mostly just use my phone. I joined Fitbit in 2014 but hadn’t been a consistent user until 2017ish.

    I’m completely blown away that I am approaching 9000 miles. That is crazy. I think I need to buy some new shoes!