Yellow Butterfly Scherenschnitte Card - Monochrome Cut-Away

 

 

 

Even though my hand control is not good at present due to carpal tunnel,
I just was not satisfied with this card until I'd done some
scherenschnitte-style work with the X-Acto blade.
I've dealt with RSI (repetitive strain) injuries in the past due to life BC (before children)
as a performing pianist,
but I sincerely hope this current nerve damage will subside after
baby H arrives.  My dominant hand feels perpetually burned.
You may have also noticed I haven't been coloring as many of my images
lately, and CT is the reason behind that as well.



The Lord really used RSI as a trial of faith for me before,
and I think this time it is a reminder that I truly am dependent
on Him for all the energy that I usually have and for all the ability and time given to me.
So it is up to me, as I realize that, to make sure that the time is spent well.
I can still serve within my own home,
and I can send something thoughtful to those I can't reach in person.
Before, when for months I couldn't even open a plastic bag on my own,
I slowly realized that there are so many ways to serve besides the active ones
(which, admittedly, I would prefer, being one who loves the satisfaction of hard work).
Now I am being reminded of these lessons again, and I will try to do the best I can
with it this time around as well.
Experiences like this also build empathy for others,
and an understanding of the emotional difficulty behind
RSI or other related injuries, so that I can try to help people who deal with them
on a deeper level, where it most hurts.
So often we tie our worth to our productivity,
and while that doesn't always come back to hurt us,
sometimes it does--ESPECIALLY when for some reason or another
your output just cannot keep up
with all your ideas and desires to make, do or serve. 
It is frustrating and also extremely humbling.



The challenges:
 

Simon Says Stamp & Show Monday: Summer Garden
Wouldn't I love to be more in my own?
But some things must wait...
Anyway, they say a YELLOW BUTTERFLY
brings sunshine.  So far all of those I've seen have been white,
so I'm waiting for the yellows still.
The white butterflies mostly just mean trouble for my kale crop,
more than the rain they're supposed to bring.
I also sacrificed an entire bed of parsley last year for the swallowtail caterpillars,
so if I don't see any swallowtails this year I will be most disappointed.

Crafty Cardmakers #165: Monochrome

Crafty Catz #327: Add a Butterfly - 2nd entry

Word Art Wednesday #234: ATG / Family Friendly

Everybody Art #372: Non-Cute


 

Materials Used on this Card:
Cardstock {Rustic white - Papertrey Ink}
Patterned papers {Lost and Found II - My Mind's Eye}
Stamps {Martha Stewart, Altenew, Fiskars}
Ink {Harvest Gold - Papertrey Ink; Archival Black - Ranger}
Hole punches {the Paper Studio}
Heavyweight hand-quilting cotton



Thank you so much for visiting!

 I hope you have enjoyed yourself,

and I wish you a wonderful day.

If you get a chance before you go, there is still time to

enter for my Spring Giveaway before next week!

Actually it's more of a destash.  Everything is all packed up and ready to ship ASAP.

Inlinkz is so quick and I've opened the giveaway to both US and

International crafters as well.

Picture and link are on my right-hand sidebar. :)

 

Take care,

Be well,

and enjoy the sunshine,

 

--Kathryn 

 

 

Patriotic Popsicles! x2

Here's a pair of CAS cards for this weekend of record-breaking heat
that we're expecting throughout much of the U.S.
We'll all be thinking of ways to stay cool!

And the second...

 

 

The challenges:

CYCI #123: Red, White and Blue

 

ModSquad: Repeat after Me! (Use same stamp @ least 3x)

 

 As You Like it June: Favorite Food or Drink

During the summer months, the boys and I love to mix up some homemade popsicles
in the morning so they will be ready for us by afternoon.
And frankly, at 8 months pregnant in the heat of summer,
 anything COLD sounds just amazing right now!

(Challenge total: 3)
 

 

Materials Used on these Cards:

Cardstock {Rustic white - Papertrey Ink}

Watercolors {Grumbacher}
Patterned polka dot paper, "enjoy" sentiment stamp {Papertrey Ink}

Stamps {Popsicle - Close to My Heart}

Ink {Archival black - Ranger}

Copic Sketch Markers
Sparkle embossing powder {Recollections}
Sentiment sticker "Be Happy" {Stick-abilities}
Cotton twine
Corner rounders {EK Success and Martha Stewart}




Thanks for dropping by and wherever you are, stay safe and cool this week!

Best wishes to you,
be well,
enjoy the sunshine!

--Kathryn

 

Mermaid Collection - The Real Undersea Story - Dream Card for a Literary Young Lady

I went completely overboard on this card...
Literally.

Overboard all the way to the bottom of the sea,
where a little mermaid's collection awaits.

 

 

This is another vintage book illustration of the original Little Mermaid

story, which hardly anyone knows thanks to Disney's version of red-haired Ariel.

 

Now, I loved Ariel as much as any little girl growing up.

I have no daughter of my own to pass that on to, though,

and frankly now that I'm older I'm a bit appalled at her willfulness in the Disney version.

Ever notice Disney parents either meet an early or tragic end, or they get a really bad rap?

 

 

Anyway, the original Little Mermaid is much, much different.

Yes, she falls in love with the young prince.

But--and don't hate me for this--she doesn't get to become his princess.

He is about to wed the mermaid, but then his love that he had despaired of

ever marrying (because she'd been sent to a convent) is suddenly

released from the convent and he marries her instead.

And what happens to the sad little mermaid?

Well, in the original, a mermaid has no soul to go to heaven like a human,

so because she has done well despite how things turned out,

she goes to heaven in the only way a mermaid of the water-world can:

She becomes sea-foam and then a majestic, beautiful cloud--

to watch over and bless humans in the best way she can.

 

Poignant, yes?

 

In one version that I've read, the mermaids' greatest undersea joy

is to tend to their sea-gardens and collections.

So, in thinking about this, I used some fuzzy brown seed-beaded trim

that reminded me very much of red coral.

I've used beach finds of my own, glass pearls, some metal sea creatures from my

jewelry-making stash.  The sand-dollar and sea star are fussy-cut from a Tim Coffey

collection of sea-themed papers by K & Company that I

picked up on clearance a few years ago.  I accented them (and the mermaid's tail)

with Glossy accents.

There's not much of it left visible behind the embellishments,
but I used Golden Acrylic modeling paste to create some sea-foam / waves over
top of the recycled mesh:



You can see some peeking out here, and in other places:

Here is a view of the finished inside,
using rub-ons from Basic Grey.

 

A mermaid's collection, cont'd...

Here are the challenges:

That's Crafty! : Undersea Theme

The Crazy Challenge #224: Tic Tac Toe - 2nd entry

Middle down: Lace (it's rustic, on the left), Digi, DP

Dream Valley Challenge #133: Vintage

Timbro ScrapMania #120: ATG - 3rd entry

C.R.A.F.T. #366: Recipe Challenge:

The ribbon/rustic lace trim is on the left.  I used something more like a beaded yarn

to make the coral fronds.  All 3 papers:  1. yielded the fussy-cut

starfish and sand dollar 2. brown paisley mat for image 3. ocean waves card base

 

Materials Used on this Card:
Cardstock {K & Company, Papertrey Ink}
Vintage illustration {The Graphics Fairy}
Glossy Accents {Ranger}
Rustic burlap trim and beaded trim{Robert Stanley, stash}
Glass pearls, natural shells, metal elements {stash}
Sentiment sticker, pearls {the Paper Studio}
eyelet lace edge punch {Martha Stewart}
Golden heavy Acrylic Modeling Paste
Drywall mesh {recycled}
Run-ons (inside) {Basic Grey}



So while I will be the first to say that this card
is probably the most heavily embellished that I have ever
(or will ever) make, it was also fun and seemed to fit the theme
I had in mind.
Moreover, I know just the literary young lady to send this to.
When I was her age, I think I would have been delighted
with a mermaid collection.

Thank you for visiting
and I hope you have a wonderful day!

--Kathryn

 

Goldfinch and Happy Moments - Shabby Naturalist Style Card

Both my guys love birds just like I do.
There are a number of them on their wall murals:
H for hummingbird, O for Owl, S for Sandpiper, and soon
(once I'm in the clear to get up on a stool again) W for Woodpecker.
Yeah, these murals have only taken me the past two years but hey, life happens! 
And with acrylics, once you start you really do have to finish quickly.
It's tricky.  I got to letter T (a rainforest tree-frog) and just ran out of energy for awhile.

But I digress.  Back to our bird sanctuary garden!
(Follow the link for a tour from last June!)
Last year we planted a bird-friendly perennial area out front on our hill
for the sake of the goldfinches and other seed-eating birds.

The coreopsis in particular came back strong this year, along with the echinaceas and
rudbeckia, which will bloom around midsummer.
To our delight,
this past week we saw our first goldfinches.
Jay is all ready to do a bird report for homeschool now, and since I'm all for
student-driven initiative, I will help him make that happen,
even though we covered animal classification in February and March.
What matters is that he's finding out what he's interested in,
and then he's finding out how to learn more
and to help others become interested in things too.

I promised him we could make some bird paintings or maybe cards this week too,
so we'll see what my Guest Designer and 5yo artist comes up with :)

For now, here's one I made while the boys played chess this afternoon with DH.

 

The textural mesh in the background is what you might call a super-recycled
"found item".  It's drywall mesh leftover from my renovation of the laundry area
about 5 or 6 months ago.  It was originally attached to a thin piece of sheet metal
as a wall patch, but as I didn't end up needing that patch piece I found a new use for it.
That new use--as a die-cutting shim--did tear up the adhesive mesh though, so I saved it
for mixed media and other uses.
In planning this card I thought a nesting finch might just find something like that
useful in his own seasonal building project.

 

 

Once again as in my Bluebird Anniversary card of a few months ago,
the songbird takes center stage here as part of my self-titled
"Shabby Naturalist" style.




My Mr. Goldfinch was just a little too snazzy at first for the naturalist look
that I wanted, so I dirtied him up a little bit with some
Tattered Angels gold glimmer mist on his back and tail.  Some I wiped off, but it
was mostly to tame the pre-applied glitter on the chipboard.  Now,
it mostly looks textural instead of quite so glitzy-sparkly.



The sentiment I think is a very versatile one, so this card could be used for anything
from an anniversary to birthday or just-because.
But for me, it was all tied to my time with my bird-watching buddies.
Happy moments, happy memories.
This is so much of what childhood is all about, this solid foundation-building.
A safe place to explore the world, ideas, and feelings within a loving and nurturing
environment where we can help each other and teach one another.
The other day, Jay melted my heart with happiness when he said going places was fun,
and he liked doing adventures together, but home was best because it's where we
can do special things together.
You better believe I gave him a giant hug, dropped what I was doing and made sure
to make another special memory together right then.
Happy Moments.
Ever realize it starts with Happy Mom?

...Just something to think about.



Here are the challenges:

My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge #283

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Summer Garden

Deep Ocean #130: Furry & Feathered Friends

JUGS Word Week: BIRDS

The Crazy Challenge #224: Tic tac Toe

Bottom row: Die cut (circles), DP, flowers

Cardz 4 Galz #23: Vintage or Shabby Chic - 3rd and last entry

 {PIN}spirational #166: Anything You Can Do

Crafting from the Heart #115: Always ATG

 

 

Materials Used on this Card:
Cardstock {Rustic white, Dark chocolate - Papertrey Ink}
Patterned papers {Paper Pizazz, Making Memories}
Sentiment Stamp {Papertrey Ink}
Kraft tag {The Paper Studio}
Ink {Archival black - Ranger}
Goldfinch chipboard sticker {Paper House}
Glimmer mist {Gold - Tattered Angels}
Distress spray {Peeled Paint - Tim holtz/Ranger}
Pastel lime mini-brads {the Paper Studio}
Foliage, hydrangeas, wooden buttons, twine {stash}
Drywall mesh



Thank you so much for visiting!

 I hope you have enjoyed yourself,

and I wish you a wonderful day.

If you get a chance before you go, there is still time to

enter for my Spring Giveaway before next week!

Actually it's more of a destash.  Everything is all packed up and ready to ship ASAP.

Inlinkz is so quick and I've opened the giveaway to both US and

International crafters as well.

Picture and link are on my right-hand sidebar. :)

 

Take care,

Be well,

and enjoy the sunshine,

 

--Kathryn