tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61620490476432247972024-03-05T08:03:38.216-08:00Stampmaiden's ArtventuresStampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.comBlogger258125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-36476795620724565782014-02-22T19:30:00.003-08:002014-02-22T19:30:52.222-08:00Altars, Frida and ATCs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A portable Mary Altar brings me hope.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A Frida themed ATC brings me a smile.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Vibrant colors bring me happiness.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>ATC swaps keep me going!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Life has been busier than usual lately. I joined an ATC swap, work is in full swing with loads of art projects and library books galore circulating, and my personal life has taken a change. But I'm adjusting and surviving and that's good.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I received a portable Mary altar in the mail today from the artist of the Frida themed ATC featuring her pet monkey. If you look closely at the edges of that particular ATC, you'll notice that it's framed with thorns inspired by Frida's self-portrait "Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird." The card also features some characters she (Frida) painted. My altar could not have come at a better time as my life is in somewhat of a transitional period. A strong bout of asthma sent me to the hospital right before Christmas and the following week I brought my father home with me. Can't go into details about that now but prayers are what have helped me along this new journey.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I find this ATC trade very therapeutic and the cards I've received range from faces of Frida to "things" related to Frida. I'll have to show you my Thumbprint Frida in another post along with other ATCs I've received. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Art and prayers. For me they go hand in hand and have kept me from falling apart. And chocolate helps too. Lots of it. LOL! What helps you from falling apart?</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-50048042724196023462013-12-31T01:16:00.001-08:002013-12-31T01:16:52.246-08:00Upcycle/Recyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Oh no, I need a new calendar!</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Realizing that I needed a new calendar because the month January was quickly approaching and I knew there was no way I was about to head out into the public to buy one, I decided that recycling my 2013 calendar was the way to go. I found a free calendar template and looked around for arty scraps that have been hanging around my desk waiting to be used for that "one day" project. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>I also decided to make my collection of tag girls the main feature of my "new" calendar. Because my tags usually have a busy painted and distressed background, I knew that I'd have to place them against a calm piece of patterned paper so it wouldn't get lost. After a few adjustments and additions of more found scraps, I was done. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>The tag girl featured for the month of January is Urban Chic. She was one one of my last creations from a workshop I held at Stampin' From the Heart. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhd2fTii4RIGRmOel0Lb-k3cxD9uojUh2peO_5GIykli9tFdiyffsSZAiRkSRQaZEzVQVquYPbipDdHLV8drDzJ7hXEy_Nw8FoOdOGtG1l_tvviblEmXNpsKfqY9Hu9EQeMX63-1iTfkc/s1600/Upcycle%252C+recycle+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhd2fTii4RIGRmOel0Lb-k3cxD9uojUh2peO_5GIykli9tFdiyffsSZAiRkSRQaZEzVQVquYPbipDdHLV8drDzJ7hXEy_Nw8FoOdOGtG1l_tvviblEmXNpsKfqY9Hu9EQeMX63-1iTfkc/s320/Upcycle%252C+recycle+020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>If you're someone who's taken my classes and have a collection of tag girls, why not turn them into something functional for the time being. My plan is to feature a new tag each month. I just stuck a piece of double stick tape behind the tag onto the patterned paper for easy removal and glued the calendar grid onto the previous page. The hardest part is deciding which tag to feature. Good thing I have more than 12! </b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-2533491368028887472013-09-05T06:26:00.000-07:002013-09-05T06:26:47.894-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's the most wonderful time of the year!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rescued crayons! I can't believe they were headed for the school dumpster! They're so perfect and look at those beautiful colors!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My stomach is getting butterflies as I begin to envision lessons that involve paint. Lots of it.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You can never have too many paintbrushes. In fact, I need more. Way more. Uh-huh. Really.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Watercolor bottles, not Kool-Aid. Need to refill and get ready for next week. I love color. Am I lucky or what?</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">OK, so maybe I'm exaggerating calling this the most wonderful time of the year. For many it is. Parents. LOL! </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">You only got a small glimpse of what I've been organizing over the past three weeks. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Beginning very soon (next week) these supplies will be put to good use. I have plans and I'm excited to get them started! </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">You know how some people go scrounging through trash in neighborhoods, dumpsters, etc? Well, I do my own version of looking for goods. I wait till the end of the school year and go up and down the halls looking for treasures that have become junk to others. Well I'm not the only one who does treasure hunting. Upon my return from a brief vacation someone gifted me with a container full of crayons (practically all of them brand-spankin' new) that she found on one of her hunts down the hall!!! Am I lucky or what?! Crayons. My first exposure to art.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Until next time, keep an eye out for found treasures. You never know what you're gonna find. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></strong>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-16216260655293950172013-09-02T04:46:00.000-07:002013-09-02T04:46:34.166-07:00Tag Girls Finale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>In the beginning there were four.</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Six years later it would come to an end.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Everyone worked their magic creating distressed backgrounds on six blank tags. Angie left with blue paint on her face and it was good. Carolee left with blue paint on her bangs and purple paint on the back of her pants and that was good too. But everyone left with smiles and happy hearts and that was pretty good. It was a bittersweet day. It was my last class at Stampin' From the Heart. The doors are closing at the end of this month. </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVjcd-YYXVFKJ_ItUa-YdKyeUcaAVfNZnouImb5o7BONBwLxheqVcNjlIhf9dEhLnbby-PPDMsCQx6ac3NTsVSVqUnWzeB0XuuiLMObhRZGyVGb8YXj-z6tw2QvC1SYjXRJimDpYgWCI/s1600/Tag+Girls+Finale+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVjcd-YYXVFKJ_ItUa-YdKyeUcaAVfNZnouImb5o7BONBwLxheqVcNjlIhf9dEhLnbby-PPDMsCQx6ac3NTsVSVqUnWzeB0XuuiLMObhRZGyVGb8YXj-z6tw2QvC1SYjXRJimDpYgWCI/s320/Tag+Girls+Finale+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUQPtNOsMeNigobhQ_fNbGEp6Bcsb0JUoO7vfg2_XJ_IgNNlHFaujBkXHkLPSpXIFUd0fyCcZJYC5hkYe0vv2lZLD1-NYaTw1GzrOu_-qfuY6Y3tNA1xkWqAKiPFPsGgMMMRM39pcT-w/s1600/Tag+Girls+Finale+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUQPtNOsMeNigobhQ_fNbGEp6Bcsb0JUoO7vfg2_XJ_IgNNlHFaujBkXHkLPSpXIFUd0fyCcZJYC5hkYe0vv2lZLD1-NYaTw1GzrOu_-qfuY6Y3tNA1xkWqAKiPFPsGgMMMRM39pcT-w/s320/Tag+Girls+Finale+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Many thanks to everyone who came out to do Friday night Make-it-take-its and occasional workshops. It was fun and I met so many great people. But HUGE thanks to Karen, the shop owner. Because it all started when she gave me a few bottles of paint that had just come into her store and she told me "take them home and play with them." And I did. And the rest is history. </span></strong><br />
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<br />Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-12774330199855515782013-08-14T15:15:00.000-07:002013-08-14T15:15:06.270-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wishing for more leisurely weeks of summer vacation.</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt53pa4UxsQuR11OAly7B7qo3tP4TJmei1yF4lPH66ktidPe5xYpM82fknyRJqkw551EDTj-b7sqd6sI9Pg-fthuGv2lCpuN5J_bcaywyRzNW1n7JctmhqG2Bw4O43yeV7AdIL45I-0Iw/s1600/Summer's+End+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt53pa4UxsQuR11OAly7B7qo3tP4TJmei1yF4lPH66ktidPe5xYpM82fknyRJqkw551EDTj-b7sqd6sI9Pg-fthuGv2lCpuN5J_bcaywyRzNW1n7JctmhqG2Bw4O43yeV7AdIL45I-0Iw/s320/Summer's+End+007.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Less than 2 weeks of summer vacation left. YIKES!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This summer was full of emotions ranging from happy to very sad.</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EtscO-WpqAH-sWB9fEHoezKXZ95p9xM7cjmlgn2TKDA36dzSwmVu1SUFCZbOvZYZOlYoq51SSNss6wVUWTTLmHZiQUw9ujsvwesqX6MktWfeLYWjT6IMVHF_xHQMQAK6prCbwoWA9n0/s1600/Summer's+End+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EtscO-WpqAH-sWB9fEHoezKXZ95p9xM7cjmlgn2TKDA36dzSwmVu1SUFCZbOvZYZOlYoq51SSNss6wVUWTTLmHZiQUw9ujsvwesqX6MktWfeLYWjT6IMVHF_xHQMQAK6prCbwoWA9n0/s320/Summer's+End+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Loosing a friend is never easy. This summer I lost two. Feelings of sadness creep in each day so I try to stay active. But when it gets quiet, usually at night, I find myself grieving. alone. And it's hard. I have tokens, little treasures and memories that I can cling to. But I'd rather have them here. In person.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Don't take anyone or anything for granted. It's easy to get comfortable and then boom! Your whole world changes.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">The above journal page was created with scraps of paper I had sitting on my desk. How appropriate that they were just the right pieces for me to use as I was thinking of two people who are going through some major adjustments. The words next to the flower eyeball (yes, I was feeling very creative last night!) reads "Some times you have to go away to see where you have been." </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Hope you enjoy the final days of summer and that they're happy and full of appreciation for what you have. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span></strong>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-39369296514557729442013-08-09T22:58:00.000-07:002013-08-09T22:58:28.240-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I remember that scent.</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYqdDXbvIGCLcyhZg9EpfreekbX6-eIAsiAdcKC3CTod_qCil1JeBTILLMDrhyp32m30Yzet8ME-X9oprgPXkzLP13hfs1Z4UmozbL3nW8zllib0JVXWOPX3xv3c8DrcD6ZWWl8v0rkE/s320/Art+and+School+012.JPG" width="240" /></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I walked up to the house where I grew up the other night, a strong perfumed scent hit me like a ton of bricks and I was immediately taken back to the past. It was the smell I'd encounter on walks to the park with my siblings on summer mornings. It was the scent I would inhale as I would began my early morning walk to catch the bus while I was in high school. And it was the scent that would greet me when I'd return home from a date with my future husband. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The mysterious perfume would only be available for my senses during early mornings or late at night. Until two nights ago I had completely forgotten all about it and then BAM! Sadly, I don't know what it is or whose house it comes from and I've never smelled it anywhere else. I only know it's one of the best things I've ever smelled and it reminds me of home. </span></div>
Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-26993454764915385412013-08-08T17:09:00.000-07:002013-08-08T17:09:27.107-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Like it or Not....</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3j15BREFsXXPmtjWcUglKeCeZP8vWYydPkskv45rkjwK-2h6CD0dJZoua2on7Rg07rz1PHyPQE7rX2dp2yZeIk2rJDBOL6v28BRT6EO84aXZq3e6kOtrp9OzuLx47SzjNmrzjcJVN264/s1600/Like+it+or+Not+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3j15BREFsXXPmtjWcUglKeCeZP8vWYydPkskv45rkjwK-2h6CD0dJZoua2on7Rg07rz1PHyPQE7rX2dp2yZeIk2rJDBOL6v28BRT6EO84aXZq3e6kOtrp9OzuLx47SzjNmrzjcJVN264/s320/Like+it+or+Not+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I never look forward to this time of the year but like it or not it's something that needs to be done. Never mind that it gets pulled and stretched and mashed it HAS to be done. And at the end of the day I am thankful that I have something to get checked out. Still, I prefer mashed potatoes over mashed boobs. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm beginning to journal one thought at a time. That thought is what came to mind as I got dressed this morning. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So there I tried to stand with my feet planted on the floor (they were both trying to get me the heck out the door)and my arms outstretched with my head turned and chin up. Less than ten minutes and four x-rays later it was all over. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The whole time I tried to imagine myself eating a bowl of hot mashed potatoes with a dollop of melted butter on top. It got me through it.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stay tuned for my next journal thought. I Promise it won't be about one of my body parts. </span></strong>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-88988994555144494812013-08-07T15:24:00.000-07:002013-08-07T15:24:31.677-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">August. Really?</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwMEJyxugxjLkIs2StMcWxCQSRh5n6VlNtjIgXXLH38hFEbqWNAmFFipQbs_HKsIz9RwOIw7w-SQoV_xSCagpmmIho6X-yMQUwf-vb-aTbLrCSUt9zTGokCMiuBYObmostYzbZm4EBEY/s1600/Reflections+066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwMEJyxugxjLkIs2StMcWxCQSRh5n6VlNtjIgXXLH38hFEbqWNAmFFipQbs_HKsIz9RwOIw7w-SQoV_xSCagpmmIho6X-yMQUwf-vb-aTbLrCSUt9zTGokCMiuBYObmostYzbZm4EBEY/s320/Reflections+066.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whoever said time flies wasn't kidding. The summer months are practically over and since the calendar page turned to August I've begun to think about the past few weeks, months and years.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">I spent five weeks in summer school with close to 50 elementary students. I've come to the conclusion that BOYS are much more talkative than girls. Feel free to argue with me if you'd like. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">My first group consisted of a class with 2 -3 girls (depending on the week) and 14+ boys. THOSE BOYS! That's all I'm saying. But we had fun as long as I kept the paint circulating around the desks. Watercolor, acrylic and tempera all made their rounds quite frequently.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">My second group consisted of 1 - 3 boys, again depending on the week, and 14+ girls! These kids did as much painting as the younger kids and we spent the last week painting pages for a journal and on the last day we binded the pages together. It helped me so much to have an assistant who I could depend on each day. The journals came out fantastic by the way. Why no pictures? I was either running back and forth with paint or helping students to master the pamphlet stitch! There's just no way I can easily maneuver a camera and paint at the same time. Or needles and awls. Let me just say that my heart was very happy to see how these students put together their very first visual journal. They brought magazines to cut and glue images onto their pages. YES! The above image on my journal page came out of a rock magazine several years ago and she was one of my inspirations that began my signature "Tag Girls" way back in 2007. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">It'll be back to school soon. Two weeks. Have you seen the latest Target back-to-school commercials? They've become my favorite new back-to-school ad. Love the recorder playing old rock tunes and the way slashes of what appears to be post-it notes being thrown across the screen at the end advertising something come together. See, I don't even pay that much attention to the words, I'm just listening to that rockin' recorder instrument in the background! </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Yes, it seems another summer has come and gone leaving me wondering where has the time gone. Now that I'm back at home it's time to give my poor cluttered art room a good scrubbing and cleanse. It looks neglected and I must admit that it's not much of a motivator as far as making art goes. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">So off to my art room I go to begin the decluttering process. Hopefully I can once again get inspired to paint pages of my own, reflect, and perhaps post about it here. </span></strong>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-69202804608696138232013-06-29T23:05:00.000-07:002013-06-29T23:05:22.996-07:00Art Party!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There was an Art Party today and I didn't have to dress up!</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6f3X1lMLhyAwlxDG6ZvFh_fArm0jqH4Wk1E3JNZiAeoZpehFAxvvRernyd47H2MGhVZHsxavMYk1RVEVcYcnXpzTouS5hS9UWV1338ICUjpdMm977Yb391JOooFLEk4XAvWU4sQxBdM/s1600/The+Silent+Treatment+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6f3X1lMLhyAwlxDG6ZvFh_fArm0jqH4Wk1E3JNZiAeoZpehFAxvvRernyd47H2MGhVZHsxavMYk1RVEVcYcnXpzTouS5hS9UWV1338ICUjpdMm977Yb391JOooFLEk4XAvWU4sQxBdM/s320/The+Silent+Treatment+010.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was big fun to get together with a great group of women, paint brushes, paper and glue!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">I've been super busy at the day job but now with summer here, I'm ready to have a go with my personal art side. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Having time to work on my growing collection of painted faces and actually putting them to work was a fun experience for me to watch unfold today. They were accepted with surprise and big smiles! Thanks for the support you guys. Looking forward to sharing more with you! </span></strong>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-64607082569497478692013-06-28T11:17:00.000-07:002013-06-28T11:17:41.304-07:00Silence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Is silence really golden?</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SPeEqrHEPOe4K-whufZ0ftzTH-dS9FWGmkW_G7csVeXAW50SbxdjdYoQmKD89Q5dMkHv_JM_NEKV1ZPmwIU3-Oj-zx1CAnJg4zaDINY_TES_B7QBSPFpy27mRGIihCSLY9NP2G7jW4Q/s1600/The+Silent+Treatment+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SPeEqrHEPOe4K-whufZ0ftzTH-dS9FWGmkW_G7csVeXAW50SbxdjdYoQmKD89Q5dMkHv_JM_NEKV1ZPmwIU3-Oj-zx1CAnJg4zaDINY_TES_B7QBSPFpy27mRGIihCSLY9NP2G7jW4Q/s320/The+Silent+Treatment+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana;">I haven't worked in my journal since Nov. 16 of last year. There was a gap in my blog beginning around that same time. I didn't know what to say. Things were happening all around me. There were definitely things to share but I couldn't get motivated to write about them. I was mourning in silence.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I lost a friend. Someone who I'd never talk to, write to or ever see again for the rest of my life. Her last words to me were something like "Have a great time celebrating Raymond's birthday tomorrow and tell him happy birthday for me." Sometime between the hours we were celebrating my son's birthday and possibly up into the following morning she died. Just like that.</span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>When a mutual friend told me that he was surprised that I didn't cry or show great sadness at her memorial service I wasn't sure how to take his comment. I could only explain to him that she and I had spent an unusual amount of time together the last week of her life and I could only guess I found comfort in knowing that. I had told her of my new artventures that were to take place at school, she treated me out to an early birthday lunch (instead of the following week on my birthday), we spent time shopping, eating and talking all weekend.</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Verdana;">I wish I had saved some of the silly messages she'd leave on my answering machine at the job just to hear her voice again but due to bouts of foul language I had to immediately delete them! HA! Not cool in a school setting!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana;"><span style="color: #741b47;">The initial sadness has lifted and now I know what the true meaning of "her memory will live on" means because that's what I've been left with. But there's still that void that will be around forever.</span> </span></strong>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-67814082018040020302013-06-23T03:14:00.000-07:002013-06-23T03:14:55.203-07:00Summer's Here....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">.....and believe it, so am I!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've been traveling up and down the school hall with a cart full of art supplies stopping in each class to inject healthy doses of paint, ink, glue, paper and whatever else I can think of. Below was the seventh grade's interpretation of Romare Beardon's collage art piece "Three Women." I knew all those scrapbook paper packs I'd been hoarding would come in handy one day. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">What's scarier than a group of 14 year-old students wielding paintbrushes? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Answer: I'll tell you what's scarier than a bunch of 14 year-olds wielding paintbrushes: a bunch of 14 year-olds wielding SPRAY PAINT CANS! But didn't they do a great job with their abstract sculptures? This was the eighth grade's last art project before they graduated. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Tucked inside the vintage painted folio below are pages holding tag art dolls - all with original painted faces that I've been working on over the past few weeks. I'm pretty excited about my leap into drawing my own faces to use with my tag art! I'll share them with you in the coming days. But you can get a glimpse of one of the tags at the very top of this post. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Tag Art Project is a class I'll be teaching on Saturday, June 29th over at Stampin' From the Heart in Los Angeles. If you're interested in taking the class, e-mail me for more information. </span><br />
<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">As much as I've enjoyed preparing art lessons and watching them evolve at the hands of children ranging in age from 4 - 14, it feels good to be free to create my own personal stuff. Hope you can join me for some fun next Saturday!</span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-44465043008587360932012-11-25T13:37:00.001-08:002012-11-25T13:37:24.314-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Boys and Girls a Lot Has Happened Since My Last Post.....</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>If you can make out the words in my journal you will see that I have taken on another position at the day job. I was asked to help teach art and after a long and thought-out process, I said YES! I'll still be managing the library but now I'll be doing it with glued up nails and possibly painted fingertips! WOW! How's that for a change?!! The family is happy and excited and I'm well, full of ideas!!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The five year-old Pilgrim below turned 29 last weekend! I can't believe he was only in Kindergarten.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>We celebrated my birthday on Thanksgiving and I know I have a whole lot to be thankful for. This little tot was thankful she got to sit like a big girl at the dinner table in her bright pink high chair. Here she's seated on her grandma's lap as the birthday song is being sung!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>My life has been one artventure after another and for that, I'm truly thankful. Hope you're all enjoying the left-overs of a long traditional holiday weekend. I know I am. </b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-15127741828836664712012-11-13T21:36:00.000-08:002012-11-13T21:36:07.693-08:00Wishin' and Hopin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Awake is the New Sleep</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8BZMBhnLAZX9Uf8oj2Ci_X-Ge5xsrOFKaGhhR7-nYvNhUxDFm3Mxi8WwAD32iGloXVX3jt4ChzJEg7f0zyVKCbYyhOEcVNvOs_37s27e21Bb-ASoOkitAKqVGVggePvQ1oXRENI2OPg/s1600/Sleep+and+Hope+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8BZMBhnLAZX9Uf8oj2Ci_X-Ge5xsrOFKaGhhR7-nYvNhUxDFm3Mxi8WwAD32iGloXVX3jt4ChzJEg7f0zyVKCbYyhOEcVNvOs_37s27e21Bb-ASoOkitAKqVGVggePvQ1oXRENI2OPg/s320/Sleep+and+Hope+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I found a tiny square with the words "Awake is the New Sleep" in an old Indie/Rock Music magazine. It fit with the way I've been feeling lately. The recent time change has me feeling sleepy way too early and if I go to bed I find myself laying in bed super early with my eyes wide open. Then I get up and find myself getting sleepy before I leave for work. </b></span><br />
<b style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This page was created as I was struggling with a decision which will bring a new change in my life. It wasn't easy finding my answer but I'm sure I made the right choice. I'll share it with you in my next post.</b><br />
<b style="color: #7f6000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hope your sleep patterns don't have you sleepwalking. Night. </b>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-74603772275678319252012-11-12T17:12:00.000-08:002012-11-12T17:12:24.570-08:00Rubber, Baubles and Vets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Rubber. It's a Good Thing.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I'm very proud to say that when I went to the rubber stamp convention this past weekend, I kept my rubber budget low and I was very much in control! I'm getting better. I even had enough money left over to treat my son, hubby and daughter-in-law to take-out fish and Baskin-Robbins ice cream! YAY! To have missed the convention because I "have too much stuff" would have been committing a rubber sin. Really. I mean, who am I kidding. Who are WE kidding? Those of us who find ourselves saying "I have too much... I need to weed out stuff...I don't need another stamp....blah blah blah." Nonsense! There's no such thing as TOO MUCH RUBBER!!! Now, that being said I hope to post some pages of my journal using these new stamps. I've already stamped a page where there was a huge space begging for words. Pat pat on my back for using my new found rubber. HaHa! </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>OOO, and I found some really cool beads. Rubber conventions have it all. Paper, rubber, ink, paint, beads, ephemera, magazines, books and lots of happy people. I bought these baubles to make bracelet and earring sets for my sisters for Christmas. Shhh, don't tell.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Can't let the day go by without giving all the U.S. Veterans a big shout out and high-five for their dedication to our country. Daddy, you're one of the bravest soldiers I know. To be a young man drafted and sent to a foreign land where you were greeted by bombs and bullets is something I know I could never endure. When your legs got shot up and you were sent to Japan for surgery, recovery and rehab, you went back to the front lines without complaining. Another thing I could never deal with. BIG THANK YOU for being the best not only for the U.S. but for the four of us you raised. Love you and big hugs.</b></span><br />
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<br />Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-50822161803353420712012-11-11T10:22:00.001-08:002012-11-11T10:22:16.257-08:00Autumnal Uncertainties and Delights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>What to Do?</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The noodles in my brain have been getting too much exercise lately. On Halloween I was asked to THINK about something. Thankfully I was given reasonable time to make a decision. I thought having time on my side would make it easier for me to decide my answer but I was wrong. Sleep has been restless and it seemed that each free moment was spent trying to figure things out. Can I? Will I? Maybe? No. Well. Hmmm. And so it went on like that for nine days. Having time to make a decision is not for me. I mean, this is BIG. For me anyway. I figured that one way to help me distract from my answer was to do some art journaling. It helped. But I only kept journaling about IT. To be continued....</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Guess who went to her second rubber stamp convention? YES and you should have seen her face when her eyes fell upon a vendor demonstrating a technique with glitter! Right then and there it became clear to me. This child will be a glitter princess! There was so much for her to see. There were no dull moments. I mean, look at her!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>She did her best to not miss a thing but given her age a nap took priority. It's good to know I have a normal grandchild. sigh. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Those of you who read my blog will have to wait to learn what the heck I'm talking about up above in this post. In the meantime I'll continue to post pages from my journal regarding this "mystery." In due time I'll reveal the details. My kids don't even know. Are the noodles in your brain working overtime? Hurts a little, huh?</b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-86149746375830160312012-11-06T22:05:00.000-08:002012-11-06T22:05:21.606-08:00Political Artventures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Late Night Artventures</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I was watching a commercial promoting a movie about America last night. I loved the way the U.S. colors were splashed across the screen in no particular order. I decided to make something similar in my journal and since election day was in the near future I chose to create a political statement. </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Today as I left work with sore feet and a tired body, going out to vote was not at the top of my list. As I drove past the polling place I became very discouraged as I saw the line of people out on the sidewalk. I drove around three times before I found a parking spot around the corner. By the time I walked up to the building the line had moved inside. I saw an elderly woman being helped to a seat because she was not in good health, I saw a young woman surrounded by 5 little girls waiting patiently in line and a very confused but ready to vote (probably for the first time) young adult. Suddenly my feet didn't feel so sore anymore, my tiredness had lifted and it felt good to be there exercising my right to vote along with these very diverse and dedicated individuals.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>So did you get out to make your vote count? </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-18259192238424441722012-11-05T18:05:00.000-08:002012-11-05T18:05:34.049-08:00Playtime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I did a lot of playtime with my children. I made "play-doh" for their little hands to mold the time away with, we made cookies, planted seeds in the garden and we even had a picnic in the backyard (on the floor of the concrete portion of the patio) but I never once got in the crib with either one of them! </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>You can imagine my surprise and huge smile when my DIL e-mailed me pics of my son and granddaughter in her crib enjoying a little "Daddy and Me" time. If you had told me 16 years ago that the boy who was good at giving his opinion when it was least appreciated or not even asked for would be climbing in the crib of his baby girl, I may have not been so hard on him. But a momma's gotta do what she's gotta do when faced with the teen beast. Well, maybe I should take a little credit for attempting to tame him. I mean, look at him will ya. He's playing with a baby and a lamb! In a crib! sigh.</b></span><br />
<b style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </b>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-55050295277472795932012-11-03T22:00:00.000-07:002012-11-03T22:00:20.615-07:00Memories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>My mom recently celebrated her 85th birthday. Eighty-fifth. As in eighty five. Wow. Talk about someone who has stood and watched changes all around her. </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Mom is the fourth child out of 13! I say <i>is</i> because all 13 children are still living. She was born and raised in Los Angeles in an area that is now surrounded by high-rise buildings and small warehouses. It was probably because of her strict Catholic up-bringing that she would do the opposite with her own children. Don't get me wrong. We did not get off easily and we did get corrected, if you know what I mean.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>During the 60s I remember her enjoying music and listening to Pop and Soul radio stations. She thought she knew the lyrics to some of the popular songs but we didn't say anything, we just let her sing. She loved songs like "I Can't Help Myself" by The Four Tops and "Baby Love" by The Supremes. </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>When it came time to tell me about the birds and the bees, that's what it was called back then, my mom did not hesitate to answer my questions although I wished she had.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>My sister and I were having lunch one afternoon when we heard some stomping sounds coming towards the kitchen. It was our mother streaking through the kitchen. Butt naked. It was the "trend" back then. We laughed so hard as she ran past us!!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>My mother's hearing is now almost gone so she doesn't listen to music. Her leg gives her problems so streaking is a definite no-no. But she still does not hesitate to answer any questions. Although sometimes I wish she would.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Happy Birthday Mom....and many more.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-20197070058386944172012-10-31T00:27:00.000-07:002012-10-31T00:27:05.284-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>THOUGHTS OF PAST HALLOWEENS RESIDE WITHIN.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>Halloween has a special place in my heart. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>Last Sunday as I was driving through my old neighborhood, I passed the building that was once a little mom and pop market that had the best candy counter. It was at that counter where I first discovered Lemon Heads, Apple Sticks, Hot Cinnamon Sticks, Sweet Tarts and during the Halloween season, Wax Lips and Wax Harmonicas. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>Isn't it funny how some things are almost forgotten and not thought about until years, even decades later? That is exactly what happened to me today when I asked myself what was my favorite Halloween costume. I thought about all the hobo outfits I put together at the last minute, sometimes adding a patch or two onto an old pair of jeans. I thought about the time I was a Gypsy, a very happy Gypsy because I got to wear make-up. And then I remembered "The Dress" and what it turned me into one Halloween back in 1968.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>On my 12th birthday I received a wrapped package with a tag that read "Para Linda." Strange how that one little detail just entered my mind. I can't remember what kind of wrapping paper it was, but I remember the tag with those words. It was a gift from my grandfather. When I unwrapped the package my 12-year-old eyes fell upon the most beautiful piece of fabric they'd ever seen. It was soft and shiny like satin and the colors were amazingly beautiful in various shades of blue. My grandfather told me to make something out of it and so a year later, I did. A year later. HA! Some things never change. To this day it takes me a while to get going on a project. Anyway, a year later I decided to make a dress. It was the summer of 1968. My sewing skills were zero but I had an idea and based on that, "The Dress" was born. It was literally handmade. All the stitching was done by hand and when I did the top stitch (I didn't know that's what it was called) on the neckline, I made sure to keep all the stitches tiny and evenly spaced. It looked good and I wore it several times before I decided to make it my Halloween costume.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>I was going to be a Hippie and I was going to wear "The Dress." With a couple strands of beads, sandals and my hair down, I had transformed into my costume.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>As my brother, sister and I went trick-or-treating from door to door we came upon an elderly couple. It was rare to see Mexicans in our neighborhood back then and so when my siblings and I shouted out "Trick-or-Treat!" the elderly woman who answered the door and who laid eyes on me first, exclaimed "Hey, you're a Mexican!" To which I replied, "No, I'm a Hippie!" Cause really, that's what I was. LOL!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>So what will you be this Halloween?</b></span></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-26264405168429872372012-10-08T17:32:00.000-07:002012-10-08T17:32:05.263-07:00Autumnal Jaunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I was recently inspired by scraps of paper and paint.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJoCL2d03yba6TFsrRZ_mP3iCPzABKnzI0fWdI_Et6EvCoH1duvxqxX-hyuXogboO5WDRSN9uZpOGob2Gu8I8FJcBG42rXyB_UWgC7CrxVEzDgnuMjQJpMSwJ-4c36clHFOPvd7TIqVQ/s1600/autumnal+jaunt+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJoCL2d03yba6TFsrRZ_mP3iCPzABKnzI0fWdI_Et6EvCoH1duvxqxX-hyuXogboO5WDRSN9uZpOGob2Gu8I8FJcBG42rXyB_UWgC7CrxVEzDgnuMjQJpMSwJ-4c36clHFOPvd7TIqVQ/s320/autumnal+jaunt+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>It helps to have a clean desk too. I spent a good amount of time (six hours minimum) vacuuming, dusting, organizing and purging my art space this past Saturday. I ran into this journal, an almost empty bottle of paint and a couple pieces of scrap paper. Then I forgot about cleaning my room. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I still have a somewhat untidy art room but I have two new pages in a journal and I'd call that an improvement. Now, if I can just keep it up..... </b></span><b style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> </b><br />
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<br />Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-92146540035073220582012-09-22T09:40:00.000-07:002012-09-22T09:40:02.638-07:00Fall's Gift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Wishing you a peace-filled fall.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_-Y2QBr2oRnACJRT3IMvnBA5kSfcd4sZLkPgin4oN2rUcv7SRJzN8P4PXLmOpngz29H_fEMv0e93slfwQ-rwdbMCo-J7DaGBZ-NH-3kmJGrbhFsMxbjgkOkWW28dCSU7_cO7pikYX4U/s1600/glimpses+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_-Y2QBr2oRnACJRT3IMvnBA5kSfcd4sZLkPgin4oN2rUcv7SRJzN8P4PXLmOpngz29H_fEMv0e93slfwQ-rwdbMCo-J7DaGBZ-NH-3kmJGrbhFsMxbjgkOkWW28dCSU7_cO7pikYX4U/s320/glimpses+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8dTlp3GIxL9rV7DOn_E3tY0JF_JsPPUTOUH3IQRoD1UgMaSoacmUFaGRuotlA7lvQbRllsj0tLE3lb4RBj7KnG_wHrAIxMhJd2Rg1CzHLjecMbYEhhUwk2y5UiGn3lnzp86UDJtdORJA/s1600/library+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8dTlp3GIxL9rV7DOn_E3tY0JF_JsPPUTOUH3IQRoD1UgMaSoacmUFaGRuotlA7lvQbRllsj0tLE3lb4RBj7KnG_wHrAIxMhJd2Rg1CzHLjecMbYEhhUwk2y5UiGn3lnzp86UDJtdORJA/s320/library+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>These painted, stamped and embellished envelopes should have been in the mail during the month of August. They'll be in the mail first thing today! I applied the same painting techniques that I use on my tags. I wasn't sure how well the thin paper would hold up to acrylic layers but they held up fine and I like the soft texture the paper developed when the paint dried. For those who have taken my classes, try painting on envelopes to see what I mean. You may not want to part with these envelopes but they make great partners for arted up tags or cards you send out. By the way, I've started painting my own faces and the two models below are samples. I have a long way to go but I'm pleased with what I've done so far. Practice makes perfect, practice makes perfect, practice makes perfect. I don't know how many times I typed that in Typing 1 but in my case, practice makes it almost perfect for me. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmfbEwUKiI9J6Txq0y7gguADVe6FRnzMh8qSM3G12jymjBBMqzx8NFGP5_Cf0gNjWvfgjzw1VIm6SrTcfmRNrRZzaJUa9bHGMEfyNhgTznqufCqQHgZSbRzk0MnBcRk4vQXlR0H9ImZk/s1600/library+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmfbEwUKiI9J6Txq0y7gguADVe6FRnzMh8qSM3G12jymjBBMqzx8NFGP5_Cf0gNjWvfgjzw1VIm6SrTcfmRNrRZzaJUa9bHGMEfyNhgTznqufCqQHgZSbRzk0MnBcRk4vQXlR0H9ImZk/s320/library+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Yesterday Penny and I received a package in the mail from my friend Carolee. She has taken several of my classes and knows all about Penny. shy smile. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrGN8h9TJY7Jtawngn2qea-ieXXqvtN19O1BrPGOEFmJEe84AZJaVEZkVZX5gVFCyAOpQXsVP59WZRdRbHlRuFx4Ctvk7CRSyjUnoKTYkpHY6Mkak88df1_KONEoDusk4J9JMo4eP0xU/s1600/glimpses+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrGN8h9TJY7Jtawngn2qea-ieXXqvtN19O1BrPGOEFmJEe84AZJaVEZkVZX5gVFCyAOpQXsVP59WZRdRbHlRuFx4Ctvk7CRSyjUnoKTYkpHY6Mkak88df1_KONEoDusk4J9JMo4eP0xU/s320/glimpses+009.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I'll have to wait for Penny to grow a little more before I can read this exciting book. I'm thinking of other titles to start getting now! Thanks Carolee! This book has a great story line. It's about a little girl (Penny) whose grandma is an artist (BIG HA!) and her grandma lives in the kind of building I could see myself living in if I didn't have a house! The author (Devon Kinch) and Carolee, nailed it! </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Fall is off to a great start. Enjoy the peace it brings.</b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-68767032904839037162012-09-15T20:02:00.000-07:002012-09-15T20:04:03.233-07:00O.N.E. Really?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Has it really been a year?</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHbdDiI_s9OkRzhVrsy7z_FIyeM3NnLMSkep4VamcwxZHT-EKmiZ3fEIuUln65aiY-LBj8nEBggcK1Xs05mW-8njxpW8R5OVDd3tHRV0JXUEc4T_f0NofzTXCGVZmAAUf_Fuj0nTaZaw/s1600/Penny's+Birthday+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHbdDiI_s9OkRzhVrsy7z_FIyeM3NnLMSkep4VamcwxZHT-EKmiZ3fEIuUln65aiY-LBj8nEBggcK1Xs05mW-8njxpW8R5OVDd3tHRV0JXUEc4T_f0NofzTXCGVZmAAUf_Fuj0nTaZaw/s320/Penny's+Birthday+013.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>A beautiful dessert table created by Penny's mommy and Grandma Carmen. Grandma Carmen made all the sweets including the birthday cake!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OGtxWeO6zfim7nSnDL2YodPmbbYj5nGZb65sDr2_hWjyem_ewkX9mtAFK5fY9pEL2_LPii4zOqAliMOX7R0l1CsTSoBdZtZUpL4hiLLfyJ7kV4JKPDQwthHrKE-9mJy7Glh2xx3X8eU/s1600/Penny's+Birthday+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OGtxWeO6zfim7nSnDL2YodPmbbYj5nGZb65sDr2_hWjyem_ewkX9mtAFK5fY9pEL2_LPii4zOqAliMOX7R0l1CsTSoBdZtZUpL4hiLLfyJ7kV4JKPDQwthHrKE-9mJy7Glh2xx3X8eU/s320/Penny's+Birthday+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Penny has to have inherited the crafty gene. There's too much creativity in this family. Look at the cute bag my niece made to hold her gift. </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4f9LYN_v0duiORrA8VzmNQTTtt9G9gWD1RDZTrTNk4wqa97Z6nWhHxVur5NgPDzHRDzExKIXeuvPKmGf9QOnrldS5ElpMuzU6wKG4ZGiejRo_9fLJMxMgkP-u0ezYCfc7Ty9AQxLBV44/s1600/Penny's+Birthday+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4f9LYN_v0duiORrA8VzmNQTTtt9G9gWD1RDZTrTNk4wqa97Z6nWhHxVur5NgPDzHRDzExKIXeuvPKmGf9QOnrldS5ElpMuzU6wKG4ZGiejRo_9fLJMxMgkP-u0ezYCfc7Ty9AQxLBV44/s320/Penny's+Birthday+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>It was a beautiful day.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>In Los Angeles no party is complete without a pinata.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8axDAD-Ceth2hYs41sbGEEmeZtv2sRGFErM7OFM8Tcpuustnwynr3Hb44MxnuA_EZORrUNedHfpms8UHU5xnCQ5saHURVkXms0_yMqGfLiYyigg7vbokWXagC6vcbfV4vXo3CltstB8/s1600/Penny's+Birthday+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8axDAD-Ceth2hYs41sbGEEmeZtv2sRGFErM7OFM8Tcpuustnwynr3Hb44MxnuA_EZORrUNedHfpms8UHU5xnCQ5saHURVkXms0_yMqGfLiYyigg7vbokWXagC6vcbfV4vXo3CltstB8/s320/Penny's+Birthday+036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I think you've probably guessed by now that this was a lady bug theme. I don't know how my DIL found all the lady bug accessories but she pulled it off and it was a big hit with everyone from this little one year old to the 83 year old couple (my parents)! </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTGZ_8f85H5U2AjH-Gk8beeyOEWsccpXPK1GB3tqZSZtCIwV75VPIXlzGjYd6MKrd74SFMdSFUcgAl9UIJQfMTCdAlzuGe5FUM6ez72aXHr6ZywBcollKeR3SsYjB7oXkSMXT_OhHzvM/s1600/Penny's+Birthday+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTGZ_8f85H5U2AjH-Gk8beeyOEWsccpXPK1GB3tqZSZtCIwV75VPIXlzGjYd6MKrd74SFMdSFUcgAl9UIJQfMTCdAlzuGe5FUM6ez72aXHr6ZywBcollKeR3SsYjB7oXkSMXT_OhHzvM/s320/Penny's+Birthday+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Thank you Penny for coming into our lives. I always heard that being a grandparent is different. People should have been telling me it's AWESOME being a grandparent cause that's what it's like being your grandma. AWESOME.</b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-27866257496478264552012-09-05T22:05:00.000-07:002012-09-05T22:05:58.327-07:00June, July, August, September?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>In June, Frida and I picnicked together.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9-xDMe-sfkbd-KAXOhUOYcynGwUEsObee7M1Ovv5ZLnxM7d_wdgrfofeIkGeLCKpHVDfkcXUZTLkV7-GI5Yk60Vv7BPcRILG06Aa6lhfpqwClj67Xy8qPwjW0Tghy8KrXo0ZC0yfhEw/s1600/end+of+school+year+088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9-xDMe-sfkbd-KAXOhUOYcynGwUEsObee7M1Ovv5ZLnxM7d_wdgrfofeIkGeLCKpHVDfkcXUZTLkV7-GI5Yk60Vv7BPcRILG06Aa6lhfpqwClj67Xy8qPwjW0Tghy8KrXo0ZC0yfhEw/s320/end+of+school+year+088.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>In July there were fireworks!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSh2_rMuv-Z79-VNZrShuXHzkCILwUpmj3fCaW-wLjRWcdJL4nfrGwIdGNOXnn-DshAUr4ZPbGudyb7tt_39Yn2vr0oZLGApYKFMhktfEPbDOBu90wY93FVZK93nSsdGo1yUvFw-kUXts/s1600/Summer's+Over+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSh2_rMuv-Z79-VNZrShuXHzkCILwUpmj3fCaW-wLjRWcdJL4nfrGwIdGNOXnn-DshAUr4ZPbGudyb7tt_39Yn2vr0oZLGApYKFMhktfEPbDOBu90wY93FVZK93nSsdGo1yUvFw-kUXts/s320/Summer's+Over+026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>August brought heat-breaking temps.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>And now you say it's September?!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9biNKAyWBMNylfcYeh6Vq2lKwJE8rmQQa239ay7Aupy6MV9fGbL82vI0f041Aah74fTyjj-xh5QAOFVk1JNFaySW7l2yRWzprYyn7gG0uzjd5vF1xfSKzqFSmFXijydbzPZtj9QPo5Mc/s1600/Summer's+Over+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9biNKAyWBMNylfcYeh6Vq2lKwJE8rmQQa239ay7Aupy6MV9fGbL82vI0f041Aah74fTyjj-xh5QAOFVk1JNFaySW7l2yRWzprYyn7gG0uzjd5vF1xfSKzqFSmFXijydbzPZtj9QPo5Mc/s320/Summer's+Over+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Wha' happan? Age, that's what happened. Summer lasted a lot longer when I was a kid. Oh well, I already know from past years that this year will zoom by so fast that before I know it, it'll be June all over again. YAY!!!</b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-91601600645680833042012-08-25T02:45:00.000-07:002012-08-25T02:45:03.998-07:00Journal Journey <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I'm about to reveal a secret.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-8MhasqfyzNQ6yYUKawvnHK2ETSHscfd1V6AYcVQo3qMkqsJaH3pJ-lMvhmLLJ1eSLEkQDrvs3lMKeLuiodBeimFbMHubStHA6mo8Sg-OZUe8Q9dGv23JEr-83FWEf3Sc2T5HL-b3rE/s1600/stress-free+artventures+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-8MhasqfyzNQ6yYUKawvnHK2ETSHscfd1V6AYcVQo3qMkqsJaH3pJ-lMvhmLLJ1eSLEkQDrvs3lMKeLuiodBeimFbMHubStHA6mo8Sg-OZUe8Q9dGv23JEr-83FWEf3Sc2T5HL-b3rE/s320/stress-free+artventures+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I haven't journaled in close to a year. Once upon a time I was very good about sitting down anywhere just to jot down my adventures, cut and paste a few words and paint pages in vibrant colors. Take the journal below for example. I took it everywhere. I painted several pages at a time. The main color washes I used on these pages were done in hues of yellow/orange because it was a very, very hot summer. And I have the words to prove it. I used to collect words to use in my journals. I still have envelopes full of them. What happened to me? </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYA1VOj1Mv9Qz5P40T9Xm1yg9LygnukrqlAi_LQ7DbfQm9c08xlEiObSKgjSZYAGeGCCDbVjxeqez9EWWS-lgO-Pq_3Lw9iYt_cmbelqSVJBT8JSB5Q7TTxz_dQ-uc50JVclNzA0rBP9c/s1600/Past+Journal+Journey+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYA1VOj1Mv9Qz5P40T9Xm1yg9LygnukrqlAi_LQ7DbfQm9c08xlEiObSKgjSZYAGeGCCDbVjxeqez9EWWS-lgO-Pq_3Lw9iYt_cmbelqSVJBT8JSB5Q7TTxz_dQ-uc50JVclNzA0rBP9c/s320/Past+Journal+Journey+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I seem to be drawn to smaller scales of art these days, including a 20 lb cutie-patooie. </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLDx0OtUcEk6FjJQHbIlTwUZ-a5oTtKysTelwxwJOMKjnns4gnxf1f5gg1RMmaHR3dgW548i1J2CwVDH7mbCCB0ZPIYzx-S16OK0lwZWnQrBeMo2R_hp32bxtluqenrLQAtssydyAsFE/s1600/Todo+251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLDx0OtUcEk6FjJQHbIlTwUZ-a5oTtKysTelwxwJOMKjnns4gnxf1f5gg1RMmaHR3dgW548i1J2CwVDH7mbCCB0ZPIYzx-S16OK0lwZWnQrBeMo2R_hp32bxtluqenrLQAtssydyAsFE/s320/Todo+251.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>When I'm ready to get back to recording my daily thoughts, I'll know. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VWmOreZ8IQSs-3s7REojSSu_OefzBLSL3pL7X99VOy3ramltDt6cKjta_sEcX_wYOoCAFkKE04loHkCBpog8rOKYUb4C56KQNp-_grICAi7iXmpSozN3Qb3eBOu1sQyg7ncTnt54V50/s1600/Past+Journal+Journey+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VWmOreZ8IQSs-3s7REojSSu_OefzBLSL3pL7X99VOy3ramltDt6cKjta_sEcX_wYOoCAFkKE04loHkCBpog8rOKYUb4C56KQNp-_grICAi7iXmpSozN3Qb3eBOu1sQyg7ncTnt54V50/s320/Past+Journal+Journey+008.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>In the meantime I have some interesting reads from past journals and maybe they'll inspire me enough to splash some paint, use those eclectic phrases or words I've been saving and do some writing of my latest jaunts. Lord knows I have a few journals just waiting to be used. Yes, a few. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Did you ever get in a journal rut and how did you get out?</b></span></div>
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<br />Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162049047643224797.post-44953055535255989872012-08-20T11:43:00.000-07:002012-08-20T11:43:04.040-07:0033 Years and Counting...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #a64d79;">It IS possible to stay married to the same person for 33 years!</span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> </span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGVk9JW1gUlh8By-SAMBOHCM1SvA4UdwG9E4Zu6dGTbRq0rnn2CcvF4rd43pawBc-A4LVL4SSTRu3Xdb9AHIgnT4hAAZdSbslZDi1ZHjdaFB8SKOGH6ujKQGm39S15xYk01hfddxBJbo/s1600/Anniversary+and+Tags+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGVk9JW1gUlh8By-SAMBOHCM1SvA4UdwG9E4Zu6dGTbRq0rnn2CcvF4rd43pawBc-A4LVL4SSTRu3Xdb9AHIgnT4hAAZdSbslZDi1ZHjdaFB8SKOGH6ujKQGm39S15xYk01hfddxBJbo/s320/Anniversary+and+Tags+008.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>We met in the summer of 1972 and we've been together ever since. We survived a brief separation due to Uncle Sam but through letters (remember those) we stayed in contact. Fortunately Jimmy was able to find a base close enough so that he could visit on weekends. When he was finally free of his duty and settled into civilian life, we decided it was time to tie the knot. I know this man really loves me cause if it was up to him, we would have made a quick trip to Las Vegas instead of having the garden wedding I wanted. I compromised by keeping it small. We've done a lot of that throughout the years. Compromise. I think that's one of the key elements to our survival in the unpredictable world of marriage. And lots of laughter. If you can both laugh at each other without taking it personal, you've got a chance of making it last. I've probably shared our story before. Thanks for reading it again. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUGmMI76pioMaFL0dRfEI-0xoxmZkmtWrMIjmwwxSpBBIqYzP51UUnc-znW5bNoDtoknqjc0Xd377sBEVlAbk51cXYBKlCBDd99qSGLmLO9_h3wJ_K3tqKTi2tx3TNppwqNst97gaC-E/s1600/Anniversary+and+Tags+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUGmMI76pioMaFL0dRfEI-0xoxmZkmtWrMIjmwwxSpBBIqYzP51UUnc-znW5bNoDtoknqjc0Xd377sBEVlAbk51cXYBKlCBDd99qSGLmLO9_h3wJ_K3tqKTi2tx3TNppwqNst97gaC-E/s320/Anniversary+and+Tags+010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>I had so much fun this past weekend at Stampin' From the Heart with a group of dedicated woman who painted, stamped and glued the day away! They are my kind of people!! The subject of Josephine Baker came up and I mentioned that I have used her beautiful face to model some of the outfits I've created for my art dolls. Just thought I'd let you take a peak at them.</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAPdDib4CbaHhReuZLg1wwusp4UWdq3GsRhrBbInJL3M-72fzi3uetZXyTCS5VuBoy1OkEs8GvoxyawlSqJPmvIIi8j_zteKfbW1nuaTH1uxmzZUT6kLGy-1jeR3dW7Gk0IXrAaAkLk4/s1600/Anniversary+and+Tags+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAPdDib4CbaHhReuZLg1wwusp4UWdq3GsRhrBbInJL3M-72fzi3uetZXyTCS5VuBoy1OkEs8GvoxyawlSqJPmvIIi8j_zteKfbW1nuaTH1uxmzZUT6kLGy-1jeR3dW7Gk0IXrAaAkLk4/s320/Anniversary+and+Tags+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hoping you have a wonderful Monday. I'm off to Olvera Street in Downtown Los Angeles. I love the smell, feel and food they serve over there! A great place to spend an afternoon with my better half. </b></span>Stampmaidenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15145597287195626883noreply@blogger.com2