25 Days Until Christmas

Today while I was catching up on some of my favorite blogs I came across an interesting entry from Julie Fei-Fan Blazer at Blazer Designs. I'm just going to give you the gist since the info is long, but I invite you to please check out Julie's original post.

How would you like to have a record of your Christmas thoughts and memories? One where you do a little bit everyday instead of one huge project you put together in January. Sounds good to me. How much better would it be if the daily project was as simple as answering a question? Last but not least, what if the questions were already supplied? You wouldn't have anything left to do but the "artsy" part. The part that's you.

I make an effort to craft in some fashion every day. It might be an entry in my art journal, working on a long term project, altering something, (my favorite past time), or scrapping a few photos. No matter what, there's always something on my desk that draws me in. For the month of December I'm planning to spend a little bit of my time each day documenting something that's associated with Christmas.

The idea originally came from a challenge over at Two Peas in a Bucket. The link I have is corrupt so I can't point you in exactly the right direction, (ain't technology grand), and I'm so sorry I can't give credit where credit is due. Originally the challenage was to answer the question of the day in your blog post. Julie took it a step further and created a mini album. Here's part of the original post and the questions:

Here's a little blogging inspiration for the next few weeks while we count down until the big day! This year, rather than one big meme about Christmas, use the questions below as a prompt. Answer one each day of December. It doesn't have to be your entire entry, add it to whatever you are posting. I'm posting them on this first day of December and will answer one on each designated day. I will also ask each day in the month. A little holiday cheer each day! By all means, share photos to go along!

1. Colored lights or white lights on your house or not at all? 2. Hot chocolate or Egg Nog? 3. What's your favorite holiday dish? 4. Does Santa wrap the presents or just sit them under the tree? 5. Do you hang mistletoe? 6. When do you put up your decorations? 7. What's your favorite holiday tradition? 8. What's on the top of your tree? 9. Do you have a nativity displayed through the holidays? 10. Candy Canes, traditional or flavored? Or Chocolate Covered Cherries? 11. What's your favorite holiday goodie to make and share? 12. What's your favorite Christmas song? 13.When did you learn the truth about the "magic" of Christmas? 14. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? 15. Is there a special ornament or Christmas decoration that you wouldn't feel like Christmas without? 16.Do you take neighbor gifts/treats to anyone, everyone, a select few? 17. Is your big meal on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning or Christmas afternoon? 18. How do you decorate your tree? 19. Snow? Love it? Dread it? Tolerate it? 20. Do you remember a favorite gift? 21.Do you have a family get-together during the holidays with extended family? 22.What's the most important thing that you must do each Christmas season? 23. Do you bake Christmas cookies? 24. Do you leave cookies and milk for Santa? 25.What's your favorite Christmas memory?

So, are you up for it? I'm aiming high and going to try a daily creation. I'm not sure I can make it everyday but I'm going to give it my best shot. Now I'm off to look through some old photos of Christmas past. I want to glean some ideas and maybe incorporate a few into my journal pages over the next 25 days.


Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Creating.

Susan

Don't Lose Yourself in the Directions

Are you the type who reads the directions before assembling a new purchase? Usually I look at the pictures; paying little attention to anything written on the paper. I just like to wing it. If something doesn't fit or work I'll go back and glance at the instructions and, if all else fails, I'll read the print. UGH! Can't stand it. Reading instructions is the most boring thing in the world, that is until it comes to crafting.

I often so distrust or over think my process that I'm glad to find other artists' ideas, especially if there's a tutorial. On occasion though, I will follow the instructions in such detail that I forget to make the project my own. I'll follow the process to the letter and make it look  just like the original designer made it. Well, what's the fun in that? It's like paint by numbers, (well that can be fun but you can't "make it your own" so to speak).

This month I'm taking an online cardmaking class. I thought if I actually paid money for card ideas I would get my Christmas cards made and mailed out this year. I'm looking at the class fee as my motivator; making my wallet my accountability partner. So far so good. I've got a couple dozen cards made in my spare time but it didn't start out with a bang. 

The class fee included sketches, (I love sketches), and even included a tutorial for an assembly line card, (cut 20 of these, attach A to B, stamp a sentiment, bang, 20 cards in no time flat). Wow I thought! I'll just follow this process and with the help of my daughters, we'll knock this out in no time.  I'm sad to report, (as she hangs her head low), that I was wrong. Nothing about the process was working. I cut, embossed, stamped and placed product as per the instructions and it looked like, dare I say, CRAP!. But how could it? The original designer's cards were beautiful. That's just it though isn't it? I was recreating her original work and not my own. There's something about looking at someone else's art; loving and appreciating it, but if I make the exact same thing I don't like it because it's not from my heart. 

What was I going to do? I had all these pieces cut and time invested, (I put on my thinking cap. I notice as I get older that cap gets bigger and harder to handle. It's grown with knowledge but harder to handle because it has so much BAGGAGE attached to it - Bet you didn't know this post was going to include a therapy session). To salvage what I started I decided to alter my embellishments; age 'em up, tear 'em up, and ink 'em up. I put everything together and still, you guessed it, CRAP! 

Then, a revelation happened. My youngest daughter comes in the crafting area, picks up the background I was using, (the only thing I hadn't altered), and said, "this doesn't look like you at all, it isn't your style and doesn't go with anything else". OMG! She was right. The happy-go-lucky, typical Christmas red background definitely is not my style and why would I even think about adding it to my cards.? Had I lost my mind?No, not really. I had just 

lost myself in the directions.  

Before

After

I pulled out some vintage style Kraft paper and matched up some coordinating patterns and colors to what I already altered. I reviewed the sketches and even came up with some new ideas for more cards using what I like. I'm feeling so much more accomplished. It's amazing how much better our creations appear when we make them our own. 

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to MAKE IT YOUR OWN!

Happy Creating.

Susan

My Banner of Thanks

This cute little banner was made from a naked chipboard book that I purchased from the $1 bin at Michael's and a bunch of scraps, along with the awesome cutting ability of my Cricut.

I hadn't even planned on sharing the banner until The Paper Variety posted a challenge that required the use of the word "Thank" somewhere on the project. The chance to win a prize from My Creative Time was all it took to encourage me to go ahead and post my "Thank"ful banner, (I know, I'm so cheap and easily bought off).

Thanks for stopping by and I encourage you to visit The Paper Variety and My Creative Time. Both sites have great products and super crafting ideas.

Happy Creating.

Susan

Art Journal Fun

Just a quick entry to share with you a little fun I had in my art journal. I think she is just the cutest? I call her Headie. It seems to suit her.

I love collaging, (is that even a word?), bits of pieces of graphics into non-sensical creations, (spell check says sensical isn't a word either - maybe I just can't spell). Headie was made from three different magazine pictures. Her head from one ad, her hair from another, and the rest of her came from another ad. I of course had to deconstruct her body in order to place her arms in the right place, and poor thing, I had to shorten her legs, but in the end she makes a lovely creature. Don't you think?

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Creating.

Susan

My First Altered Tin

I have to start out by saying, THIS NEARLY DROVE ME NUTS, but once I got it all figured out, I LOVED IT, and can't wait to make more. 

The reason it started out bad for me is because I didn't have the right kind of tin. The only ones I had were deep with windowed tops. I had to build up the underneath of the lid to even it out because there was a frame around the window, (darn, I didn't take any pictures of that - I'm making another one with the windowed lid and plan to post a "step by step" for that one). This gave me a shortened lid depth and it's relationship to the container itself was off. It's all good though. It worked out beautifully as you can see from the pictures. 

Once I figured it all out if was easy and fun. I always say experience is the best teacher and I got tons of it on this first tin. Thank you to Cathy Bluteau, I really enjoyed learning from you, (for more info on creating altered tins, check out Cathy's class at Creative Workshops and my previous blog post )

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Creating.

Susan

So Much to be Grateful For

Generally I live my life on the bright side. Even in the midst of a crisis, I look for, and usually find the silver lining. Some may say that is a very naive way to live life, others would say it's because I am a Christian, but I just call it faith, (whether it's obvious to me or others, everything happens for a reason). Regardless of what I might think or others might call it, it's just how it is for me. 

This month I've decided to join in on Tracy Weinzapfel's 30 Days of Giving Thanks. I haven't been as organized about my posting as Tracy but you can find my post at my Facebook Page. (if you aren't a "friend" email either to FB or thedistractiblescrapper@gmail.com or send a friend request to Susan Chestine Garman).

I would like to encourage you to participate also, (it's not too late). While you may not want to expound your thankfulness in such a public manner as a blog or Facebook post, I encourage you to keep a journal or simply take a moment each day to pause and give a little nod of recognition to something you are grateful for. Really, you have nothing to lose and it might even change your day or start a trend that could change your life forever.

I hope you have a wonderful day, full of all kinds of gratitude and reasons to be thankful.

30 Days of Giving Thanks

Day 11. Today I find myself mindful of the many men and woman who have sacrificed so much for my personal freedom. God bless you all and thank you for your service. I am grateful for each and every one of you.

Day 10: I am thankful for the small space at the end of my living room that I call "the crafting area". It's like having a little piece of the world that belongs just to me.

9. After reading my daughter's comment to a status I posted earlier today, [you should check it out, she called me a bum :) ] I realize that I am so totally blessed and grateful to have a good, solid and friendly relationship with my children. We can be honest [not that I'm really a bum], find humor in our flaws, and just enjoy the company of each other. I love you K.C. Garman and Sara Garman.

8. It's been a tough week financially with the appliance melt down we've been having here. This in it's own rite has made me grateful. I am so fortunate and grateful to be able to find the riches in life in things other than money. While I wish I didn't have to embrace the difficulties, I am grateful that they do not define me.

7. I am so grateful for my moment of "me time" that I get to have almost every morning.

6. Giving thanks for my children who have grown into wonderful young adults.

5. Thankful for my home where I can take refuse even on bad days. I love my home!
4. Giving thanks for friends who can't wait to share their good news with me.
3. Grateful that our family was and still is willing to make the sacrifices necessary for the girls to be homeschooled, (even though one is graduated and both are in college)
2. Thankful for quiet mornings.
1. Grateful for change.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Creating.

Susan

I Just Have to Share!

Ok, I just have to share this link. Not only because there's a giveaway involved, but because I've fallen in love with Lynn Steven's work. You have to check out her original pieces over at Trash to Treasure Art.

So to the point. Lynn's having a Blogaversary giveaway and wants to get the word out. The drawing is for a couple of beautiful pieces of her own design and one "bonus" item. These pieces truly are treasures, (don't just take my word for it, go check it out). 

Click to enter

Thanks for stopping by today. I've got to run. I want to Pin some of Lynn's pieces to my Pinterest boards.

Happy Creating.

Susan

Wow! What a Transformation

Ok, dare I toot my own horn? I think I will. I absolutely love the transformation of this $2.75 thrift store spice rack purchase. I love it so much that I'm going to show you the "After" picture first. 

Isn't that really cute, (ok, the tops on the bottles aren't particularly attractive but I'm still looking/thinking about an alternative stopper)?

This is how it started out. Really nothing to look at. Even if I wanted to use it for it's original purpose it would have required work.

I dabbed some white acrylic craft paint tinted with a little Golden's Fluid Acrylic in Primary Magenta all over the display and then went back with a baby wipe and dabbed some of it away. 

After drying, I used Helmar's Crackle Medium to give it some thin cracks. The Crackle Medium is a 2 step process that takes about 30 minutes, (give or take) from beginning to CRACK! The cracks were filled in with Ranger's Distress Ink in barn door. (Using a cosmetic sponge I rubbed the ink over the entire project and let it sit for a few minutes, then I used a rag to wipe it off. The color stays in the cracks. how AWESOME is that!).

The rest are just rub-ons and some pearl bling. The flowers I made with lace from my wedding gown, (Don't swoon. My dress was almost entirely destroyed in a flood and I've made use of the lace in all kinds of projects for the past several years. Reusing the lace is my way of passing on my dress). After bunching the lace into a flower, I dyed it with some Range Distress Ink in worn lipstick, and added some Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam in Chandelier. The Glam makes the sparkle and also stiffens the lace.

 

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Thanks for stopping by.

BTW, my plans for this weekend include making a light box. Hopefully using a light box will improve on at least one aspect of my photography.

Happy Creating.

Susan

To Much Education is Never a Bad Thing, Is It?

I wonder, as we age, is it normal to hunger for knowledge? A time when learning is more a matter of function instead of form. Lately, I just can't seem to take enough classes, read and listen to enough tutorials, and lift enough techniques to get me through the day. Last month alone I took two online classes and another two at A Scrapbook Store and More, my favorite LSS. Maybe for others this is nothing, but for me it's a big deal. I'm pretty thrifty, (aka, cHEap!) and rarely take any class that I have to pay for. 

That said, I've signed up for two classes for this month. At this rate I am going to be a highly educated crafter by year's end. I sure hope the time spent in learning shows up in the quality of the items I create. 

One class that I am super excited about is Creating Vintage-Like Tins by Cathy Bluteau. Cathy creates unique and beautiful tins with just a little of this and a little of that. I can't wait to learn her secrets. 

You can check out Cathy's tins and some of her other beautiful designs at her website  http://cathyb.typepad.com/.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Creating.

Susan