More squares

More spring squares for the Stitch along. It is 56 degrees, the birds are singing and I am a stitching.

I'm Stitching along.......

There is a lot of fun going on at inspire co. It is called 39 squares and Amy has even set up a blog for this fun project.

This is how she describes this fun stitch along....."To celebrate my birthday this month, I'm going to do a grid-style sampler with a square for each of my 39 years. I will do a square per day starting March 1 until April 8 and will post the squares here."

An inch a day is doable and the inspiration from the participants is very inspiring. Caution.... it is very contagious. My birthday sampler will have quite a few more squares than 39, but they are only an inch so I think I can handle this.

Here are a few of my squares.

Off to stitch, more to come.

Pushing the Envelope

PLAYING WITH MAIL

I have been playing with security envelopes.

Pushing the Envelope is a fun online class taught by Patty Van Dorin.

Using up my scraps

I didn't know security envelopes had such pretty designs

Old vintage pictures found at estate sales finally have a home

love blue security envelopes

Don't they look happy!

Love adding unusual ephemera

I might even begin to like getting my bills......... well maybe!

Snow Day

It has been a very mild winter with not much snow so I can't complain but yesterday we got our first big snow storm of the season 8" at the most. It does make for a winter wonderland if you are not driving.

Poor little bird, all puffed out trying to get out of the wind.

Hang in there little one, spring is only 6 weeks away.................

STUFF

While working on Remains of the Day Journal, I realized I had too much STUFF. I was tripping over boxes , knocking things over and not finding items that I knew I had. I was so terribly frustrated that I had to stop creating and PURGE. It took me one week, 3 trips to Salvation Army and a whole of decisions of what to keep and what to give away. I was exhausted. After the GREAT PURGE I went back to creating. It was so invigorating and it re-energized me. My new pledge is to do with what I have which is much easier to do since the GREAT PURGE. I do believe that too much stuff gets in the way of creativity.

Of course I added this to my ROD journal.

I reached my breaking point and realized I couldn't work in this environment.

I added my clutter photos as fold-outs to the serene photo page of a window that reminded me of what I needed to get back to. SIMPLICITY

After the Great Purge, I feel I can breathe freely and be much more creative as I am not frustrated with choices of what to use or where I may have put that special something. I now pull the items that I am going to use in a small box and create from that box. I find that I am reducing my stash and using items that are really meaningful to me. Also clean up is a breeze as everything now has a place and it is much more inviting to come back to.

Time to Blog

I am so excited about Mary Ann Moss' Remains Of The Day Online Class, that I just have to share.

This is a very creative journal using up scraps that I have had for years and just couldn't wait to use until now because I found the perfect medium to use them. I FOUND IT. Warning though, once you start you can't stop. She is a great teacher and I have enjoyed every minute of it. This is an ongoing class so you can join anytime. http://dispatchfromla.typepad.com/dispatch_from_la/rotdoci.html

First pg. My old Girl scout membership from 1959

Lots of pockets, flaps and hidden journaling

recycled security envelops and photo pages

More photo pages and journaling

I am finally sewing again, only paper though.....

Vintage papers, doilies, ribbon & of course journaling

just a page waiting for journaling

background page is from a stencil project I did this past summer also from Mary Ann's stencil class. Can't wait to see what she comes up with next. Hope you enjoy, I am going to journal now. Keep warm and hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

BACK HOME

Had a great time over July 4th with the family at the cabin. We enjoyed campfires, fireworks and tubing. Heidi was well loved and now that we are home she is back to tormenting the cats.

I just finished the book The Help. I loved it. It is one of those books you hate to end. I can't recommend it enough.