Inexpensive 12x12 Paper Storage

... okay...I'm CHEAP. But I just don't have the money to spend on the fancy schmancy incredible storage options I see in all the stores and on the online blogs and such. I don't have a handy man to build me the most FANTABULOUS wooden storage unit, nor do I have the time or the patience ... or the skills to build anything myself. I mean - I'm a do-it-yourself kinda girl ... but I'm not a miracle worker!! When Danah on Scraps Of Color issued this blog challenge - I knew I had to share.


So, when I saw this storage idea last year on one of the blogs (I'm sooo sorry I didn't write down where I originally saw this), I knew this was right up my alley.

Plus, it makes me feel good to recycle all those boxes that keep coming with all my scrap stuff ... and I get rid of all my scraps too!!LOL So, to the original crafter that came up with this idea, THANK YOU!!. I'm just so sorry I didn't remember where I scrap-lifted this from.

That OOPS!! Moment

Hello and Happy December!!! If you're like me, you've spent the past week saying "I can't believe it's December already! Where has the year gone?" The past couple of weeks, I've been running between my paint table and my paper crafting table ... and like you do when you're in a rush - you sometimes have those OOPS! moments.

I was on a roll, stamping sentiments in cards I'd just finished, when I noticed I stamped them on the WRONG side of my card! After swearing, LOL, I stared at it for a couple of seconds, and stamped it on the right side ... still wondering what the heck I was going to do ... cause I was NOT making these cards over again.



I looked over at some of my scraps ... and then decided to "line" the upper portion of my card on the inside. It would hide my mistake, and also give my card a nice "weight" to it.



Niiice!!! LOL ... I loved it ... and I was happy I didn't have to do all my cards over! I think sometimes our OOPS moments, lend themselves to creative solutions which more often than not, make our creations extra special.

Good Stuff Coming in 2011

Scraps of Color E:spire

As I posted previously, I'm so excited to also be a part of this new venture.
and I wish I could show you what I have in store for you ... but I can't - not yet. You'll have to subscribe to find out what I'm planning for the premiere issue!


Toletown's CyberPalette Ezine

I've been painting at Toletown.com since it's inception in 2002. Lorrie Weber was one of the first artists online to have online painting classes ... and it's where I went from Onestroke to learning to paint tole. Since then, Susan Kelley has joined and between Lorrie and Susan, they have turned Toletown into one of the most comprehensive online painting communities out there. One of the features of Toletown is a wonderful magazine called the CyberPalette. The magazine had previously only been available to paying members of Toletown. Well the good news is the CyberPalette will now be a monthly ezine ... and it will be available to everyone.


There are lots of fun things coming in 2011 ... I'm so excited about all the good stuff coming up creatively in 2011 ... and I hope you'll sign up for these publications and be a part of it.

Scraps of Color E:Spire is About To Launch - and I'm On The Team!!

I'm so excited to have been accepted as part of the first Creative Team!!!

I feel blessed to have been given this creative opportunity. I've always thought in colors, so they say ... and last year after many starts and stops - I found Tiare Smith online, an extremely entrepreneurial sister who is determined to let the world know that Sisters Scrap Too!!.

Tiare is the genius behind Classy Coordinates. I found kindred spirits on her Scraps of Color ning group, other women of color who loved to play with paper. LOL

Tiare is on the move again, launching Scraps of Color E:spire, and has offered me wonderful opportunity to share my art with you and my love of history. I hope you all take the time to join and become a part of this exciting adventure. I can't wait to share with you what I have in store for 2011.

Weekend Craftin'

I had a real burst of creative energy this weekend, and I've managed to finish every swap project that I had for Oct and Nov!!LOL I guess its true that when the inspiration hits you - it hits you.

All I have to do on Monday is mail out everything.

Santa's Sistah cards, using a print of a painting that I did over the summer.

Santa Tag Cards that I did using one of my favorite holiday stamps, called Stampers Collage.

These are calendars for 2011 that I did, love the colors and stamps. The stamps are from the now defunct ScrapGoods group ... but they were so perfect for this project. The flowers, I bought from Overstock.com - they come blank, and you color them yourself.

This fun little angel is on a 4x6 piece of watercolor paper. I used acrylics and glazing medium...and micron pens for the details.

Getting My Mojo Back

A little over a year ago, I was in such a funk that I didn't even have the desire to pick up a paint brush. So, like any crafty chick - I switched gears and turned my attention to the paper arts. Scrapbooking in particular. I had no supplies, so I joined some cool clubs like Studio Calico, Treasure Box, Unity Stamps ... and voila!! I was off.

But a funny thing happened on the way to being the perfect paper crafter.

The more I scrapped and made cards ... the stronger my desire to paint became. Every time I stamped an image - I wondered how long it would take to draw. Every time I looked at digital stamps, I thought of all the line drawings I had on my PC, that I could use instead of purchasing a digital stamp.

And then all the papers!!! OOOOH LA LA!!! There are some scrumptiously gorgeous papers out there ... and I'd think how wonderful it would be to be the ARTIST who created those papers.

And then ... slowly but surely ... I began to gravitate back to my painting table. Not with the full force that I'd had for so many years (over ten years) ... but enough for me to start to try again. Another thing that helped, was all the mixed media blogs and you tube videos. WOW. If you want inspiration, there are so many blogs and you tubers out there so willing to share their creative talents.

Don't get me wrong - I love to scrapbook. I love making cards too, but the pull to paint is so strong within me ... I guess I needed that break to make me realize how much I missed it.

In my perfect painting paper crafting world - I am able to combine my love of painting and my love of scrap-booking and card making ... and the fun of it wil lbe trying to get there.

Working Through Painters Block

I started this piece sketching on it freehand ... and after working on it off and on ...I got so frustrated I'd planned on sanding down the entire piece and starting again. I sometimes think I rush my vision, if that makes sense. I know the traditional way is to paint the background first - but I never seem to do that ... and I'm wondering if that is what is getting me into trouble.

I worked through some of the issues on this piece - its not finished, its still a work in progress. What I learned this weekend was to not force anything..that when I get to the point of frustration - I need to walk away.