just tell me to RELAX...and BREATHE

happy crafty stuff

ooooh!  that's what I said to myself when I saw all this gorgeous fabric at the cute little knitting and fabric shop Stash, located in downtown Castle Rock, CO.  The colors were happy and vibrant, and they really helped lift my mood.  So I bought them.  Big plans to make them into SOMETHING some day soon.

And did I mention that same day I happened to impulsively sign myself up for a knitting class?  Oh yes I did.  Dear, sweet Crystal at Stash spent 2 hours with me last Tuesday teaching me how to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off.  By Tuesday night I'd gotten my first little project hopelessly jammed up and had to start over.  Over 3 Amigas weekend I knitted up my first little project (after many stops and starts, and with some assistance from DJ's stepmom Patsy via phone), a scarf for Ripley...

I think she likes it.

Project 2 is well under way.  Not sure who it's for yet, so can't post it without potentially ruining the "surprise".

Another something fun to share as a sneak peek for my friend Melissa...

Amazingly beautiful family to scrapbook -- thank you Melissa for trusting me with your memories!

OK, one more to share, but I can't take an ounce of credit for it.  This was ALL Ripley.  Last week we called to talk with Lucie, Ripley's former daycare lady, who we love dearly and haven't seen since May.  Our hope was to stop by to see her and the other kiddos before we went to school for the afternoon.  That was not to be, as Lucie informed us she had swine flu.  Yike! 

Rip decided to make her a card...

Yes, that's our Rip. 

Hope everyone is having a happy (and maybe crafty) day.
 
  

I'm back and then I'm gone again

I know, two posts in one week does not constitute being "back", but I have these really great intentions of blogging up a regular ol' storm here, and now I'm going to be gone for a few days...but I hope to have a newly painted studio to show for it!  Yes, "Breathe Studio", as Rip has dubbed it, is getting new paint, trim to ceiling.  I'm even painting the walk-in closet.  Hope to have pics by Monday to show off on the blog. 

In the meantime, have a great weekend everyone!

artin' in CC

For those of you who don't know what "artin' " is, that is "the act of creating art", according to my dad the artist and part-time comedian.  I had planned to visit my Grandma (Meme) in Corpus Christi (CC) this fall.  I hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving, and she has since fallen and broken her hip.  She is making a rapid recovery, but I was anxious to see her all the same.  Turns out so was Ripley -- one day she told my mom, "I want to go visit Meme."  When my mom asked why, she said, "I want to see her and paint with her."

And off to CC the two of us went.  We were only there for a few days, but we had a great time catching up with Meme (who looks FANTASTIC) and our friends the Hannigans.  We swam and painted and just had a great time.  Here are a few more artin' pics:

Here is the true artist making it happen...

Ripley's finished work of art...an apple tree

and my work in progress...of which Ripley commented, "that's going to take FOREVER."

 

Hope you all get some time to do some artin' this weekend!

time out for Shrinky Dinks

Yes, Shrinky Dinks.  Those fabulous little plastic-y creations that you remember (or not) from the 70s.  They go into the oven as flimsy little papery pieces and come out only moments later as litty-bitty hard plastic trinkets.  Rip and I have been talking about shrinkin' and dinkin' for weeks, and I've probably owned the shrink film (purchased at JoAnn Fabric) for almost a year.  Nothing like getting right on a project.

Well, yesterday we declared it to be Shrinky Dink Day.  Here are our masterpieces, drawn with colored pencils and cut out with scissors.  We hole-punched a few too.

 

Now they are headed into the oven for the shrinkin'...

 

Oh WOW!  Rip can barely contain herself!

 

...and in a matter of seconds, those dinks are already curling up, right before our very eyes!

 

And WA La!  Cooked dinks in a total of 2 minutes.  Look how cute they are...

 

So immediately after this photo, R grabbed up her dinks and ran.  No further photo op for her dinks, but here are mine.  Seriously tiny little things.

 

 

Too much fun.  And you might be asking, what will you DO with your finished dinks?  Great question, I answer.  I'm thinking they could work as fun little embellies on some mini albums.  Now, where did I put my glue dots...

a day at the market

 

My cute buddy Rachel, who I met through our now defunct LSS, scheduled a day of thrifting last Saturday, and away we went to A Paris Street Market.  I've been to several of these over the years, but this was by far the biggest and best yet (although the wind was DISASTROUS, to both vendors whose merchandise was damaged and also to patrons like us -- keep reading).  Tons of eye candy for a crazy ladder-lover like me...

 

and plenty of other goodies to ogle, dreaming of new uses for all these old darlings...

 

Well, as we were excitedly checking out these wooden soda crates (above), Rachel commented that she's always wanted a Dr. Pepper crate but hasn't had luck finding one...I had just taken the above picture and said, "I'm pretty sure THAT'S a Dr. Pepper crate, isn't it?"  As we crouched down to look at our find, a huge gust of wind picked up a metal tri-fold screen and threw it into Rachel's head!  Poor thing was hurt something good -- a big ol' goose egg formed on her head almost immediately, and she was seeing stars.  We ended up calling it a day so that Rachel could take a rest at my house and I could keep an eye on her for a few hours, but not before the vendor gave Rachel the Dr. Pepper crate for free!  Here she is with her bump AND her "free" crate...

Never fear!  I left with a few goodies of my own (bought and paid for - luckily no injuries sustained by me)...I bought this funky screened-in window for $10...James had already pulled the screen out for me before I took a photo...

 

...and after a little paint it's starting to look like this...

 

The final step will be to add some corrugated metal to the back so that we can hang it in Ripley's room as a magnet board.  She's very excited.

I also picked up a groovy metal gate with peeling green paint.  No pictures yet, but I'm planning to use it as a trellis in the yard.  Stay tuned!

I MADE SOMETHING

 

I MADE THIS!  Yes, I've had a sewing machine for 5+ years, and I've used it quite a bit, but until now I've never tried to use a pattern...Ta Da!  Many thanks to Cheryl, the nice gal who taught me how to read and follow a pattern, and also how to use a seam ripper, and how to thread my needle and bobbin properly...