Grounding Myself

Three trips to California in one month has definitely inspired me to re-focus and keep myself on the ground for a little while. On the second trip, I visited my dearest Jennifer, who, through energy, words, and angel cards, encouraged and empowered me to manifest working part time at my day job, for my sanity and my art. The day after I returned from that visit, I asked about it, and the wish was granted!! Starting in August, I'll work a day less a week and I can't believe it. I am so grateful and excited. Jennifer's was one of many omens I've seen and listened to regarding this. The time is now.

Below, a mother's day card and a birthday card made of the same materials. They were fun, and still lovely despite being so simple.


And now, let me introduce you to two VERY inspirational artists. Amanda Jean, at Crazy Mom Quilts, appears to be a homemaker who pumps out quilts at a rate I've never before imagined. I am amazed at how much she has made since I last visited her blog four weeks ago. And her designs are totally my style. Since that first visit to her blog, I haven't been able to get her designs out of my head. I love them! And she challenges herself in lots of ways, one way being not buying fabric when she already has so much! There was one post in which she stated she'd not bought fabric in 50-some days! I was so impressed!

The other artist is Two Inky Hands, actually a mother-daughter duo who make fantastic cards, bookmarks, collages, etc ALL OUT OF RECYCLED STUFF! I discovered them at the Salt Lake City Airport during a layover, and couldn't help but pay $8 each (OMG!) for two of their cards. Both cards used bubble wrap and they were so simple, and and entire card was made of reused items. Check out their website (click on their product line links to see some of their work), and be inspired yourself.

To ground myself, I plan to stay put till mid-July, my next plane trip. And I plan to make more art and write and eat from our garden and from the local farmer's market, where I'm off to now!

Garlic

I made this super fun card for the 2nd birthday of my young friend Sonia, who lives in Italy. It is a series of bright cardstocks, to which I stuck photos mostly of her and a short birthday message, and then covered in packaging tape for durability. I think what I love the most about it is that I feel it is a completely original creation, not something I've ever seen before, and totally personalized to her and her age. I am SO pleased with the outcome!



The best part was that Ambra (Sonia's mom) wrote to me in an email today:

"Sonia LOVES her card, and so do I! You truly made it for her, and that is soooo awesome. The fact that it's a book, which is a word she can say, and that it has all these photos in it, she just looks at it and looks at it. I almost got her to say, "Heather," but the best she could do in the moment was one of her newest words 'alio' which means garlic."

I totally laughed out loud!

Here are some close up views, the front and back:



Ever yours,
Garlic
:)

Wrap Up

Hey there everyone, here are a couple last photos of the apron swap (aside from the one I hope to receive from my swap partner, Jennifer, of her in the one I made). I thought you'd like to see the apron I received from Diane in California. If you go to the apron blog (click on the button to the right), you can read my entry about it. I am so inspired to create a white apron for myself now. Also, be sure to visit Ambra's blog to see what she made (and bonus: if you leave a comment on her latest post, you can enter to win a giveaway for Italian ephemera). Her apron is super cute.


(Just a side note: notice the tulips! One of my favorite things about spring, and how happy that I have a garden in which to grow them. This year we have tons of them.)

Below are pictures of the front and back of the accompanying potholder I sent to Jennifer with her apron. It is a little bigger than the standard hot pad, but it is made of all the scraps of fabric I had leftover, and you can stick your hand inside it. We were also asked to send a favorite recipe, so naturally I sent a pie recipe! Let me know if you'd like a good recipe for custard pie. Mmmm!




Off I go to make mother's day cards!