Awakening!

Have you ever really, really enjoyed something only to wake up one morning and know it's over!  I'm not talking relationship here - I'm talking hobby.  Sometimes I think we take a path, not because it's our life path, but because it's taking us somewhere we never dreamed we would go.

About six years ago, well actually closer to seven, I was invited to a "card" club.  That night I said please don't ever invite me to one of these again, but about a year later I had begun to pay attention to craft shows and scrapbooking and decided I wanted a second look.  My friend Martha's daughter held these card making events and she was a blast.  She made everything seem easy and exciting and I was in, in big time!

For about a year I attended her events and then I finally began to hold my own and I made some of the most precious friends.  Women I would never have known without stamping.  Some I already knew from church, but only casually and our friendships grew.  Some found me online and I treasure them so much.  We shared monthly gatherings and so much more.  We learned about each other's families, work and went through illness and some hard times, a new baby for one and a wedding for another.  What wonderful memories.

The fun loving, talented young woman who got me hooked, well she changed directions and left the stamping world behind and now I find like her I'm heading off in another direction, too.  She moved into digital scrapbooking ( still does this ) and quilting and her enthusiasm is still very contagious.  I follow her blog and she makes me want to sew like a crazy woman, something I haven't done for close to 40 years and then it wasn't really for fun.

I don't know if I'll ever quilt, but I have moved to painting on fabric as well as my stones.  I'm having a blast watercoloring flowers on bookmarks and note cards and have done pink and teal ribbons to raise awareness for breast and ovarian cancer. What I've awakened to, finally the title comes into play, is that there are things I really love to do and stamping isn't at the top of my list, but I'n not sure I would be close to where I am now in painting, sewing, needle felting, etc. if Sally hadn't hooked me on rubber stamping.

I do know my life wouldn't be as rich without Sally, Megan, Anna, Crystal, Macy, Martha, Sarah, Kathleen, Melissa, Loretta, Brenda and more!  Thank you ladies for a fun time and I look forward to sharing life with you for many years to come!

And without a doubt check out Sally's blog, you will find inspiration, patterns, tutorials and motivation to follow your dream.

New Adventures

This has been an adventurous week! Once again I said, "Oh, I can do that!" and so it all began. Our home owners association has a Christmas Decorating
contest and we wanted new winner signs for the yards. Thus, the I can do that, never mind that I never had!!!! And so the adventure began.

This was something I had wanted to do for years. Learn to use a jigsaw and make wood figures, of course, I always thought they would be for my yard, but not the case. My sweet husband helped me get the materials and off I went. I drew my patterns, cut them out and painted them. I even decorated the tree with garland. And so I survived my new adventure and even look forward to making some things for my yard. My dad would be so proud!!!








These were my two favorites. I will post the others later.

Now on to making beanbags!

Later, Bev Ann


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On a Creative Roll!

I have had a real dry spell, both in making cards and painting my flowers, but today it seems to be broken. I've done both!

I love these tiny little paintings. Just 1-1/2 x 2" watercolors are tiny indeed, but this leaves room to do layers and still stamp a sentiment!

Here are three I made as I tried different colors and layouts. I really like the one where I used the decorative label punch.

Finding this card layout using watercolor, stamping and punching is going to help me build up my stash of cards.


Hope this inspires you to get stamping and discover new ideas.

Enjoy,
Bev Ann

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Thank You

Just finished this thank you card. A dear friend gave Bill and I a wonderful bottle of wine for our 25th anniversary (Sat) and I wanted to say thanks, so I watercolored the small flower and framed it using my new designer frame embossing folder from Stampin' Up!




Enjoy,
Bev Ann

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

It's a Mac

I've been having some issues with my Dell for a while and so I've crossed over to the world of a MacBook Pro!  I never thought I'd want one, but guess what - it's wonderful.  Of course, I had already begun the switch, first with an iPhone and then my iPad this summer, so it wasn't really a hard decision.  Now I'm Apple all the way.

But, even with my small Apple devices, I'm having a bit of a learning curve and will take advantage of all of the training Apple offers. Next week I'll go in for a lesson on photographs and based on how long it took me to import one today to this blog, I need the class!  But, I got it done!

I've been having a blast painting flowers and veggies on bookmarks and note cards. This is a recent bookmark.  I just love sunflowers, they make me happy in my garden and when I paint them, so this is the first one I shall post.  I just completed 16 bookmarks last week for my Bible Study group - so there are many more pictures to come.  I've been experimenting for several months now with all sorts of little paintings, so I'll be sharing a lot over the next few weeks.

I have way too many things I want to do and way too little time, but as I move to mixed media, silk paper and machine needle felting I hope you will enjoy the journey with me.

And the icing on the cake, the Houston Quilt Show begins in just a little over a month!!!!!  Can you tell I'm excited?  I can't wait to see the new ideas I will have when it's over, not to mention the new craft materials that will find their way into my work space.  The only bummer is that I won't have my daughter here this year to shop with me.  The two of us together are very dangerous in a "craft" environment, so maybe I'll do less damage this year, but I sure won't have as much fun!

Time to go create (dinner) so I'll say adios and see you again soon.