Blog posts without photos are boring...

... but they will do in a pinch.
Yesterday, I actually waited in line for one and a half hours to shop at a Art/scrapbook flea market. I made several fun new friends while waiting in line and had lot's of laughs. I scored in the mini-mini book department and found some great tools for working with metal. The best finds were all kinds of paints (Crafty Chica $1), inks, dyes, watercolors and pencils. I also found a few unusual stamps. It was fun and worth the wait!

I also joined the Sweet and Sinister Halloween swap and blog sponsored by Artsymama aka Kari Ramstrom. She has put together another great blog promising fun Halloween projects, photos ,spooky inspiration and a sinister swap. I did this swap last year and it was fun to put together a Halloween bag and fill it with treats for a fellow swap participant.

I just ordered the Matthew Mead holiday magazine online. Part magazine, part book with 144 pages filled with holiday inspiration, projects and photos. They will be featuring a home selected from a reader/blog home photo contest they had this summer. Participants mailed in photos of their homes to be considered for a holiday make-over and photo shoot. The winner is a lovely 100 year old New England style farmhouse in R.I. with high ceilings and period architecture. If you are interested you can find info at Holidaywithmatthewmead.com.

Mermaids Headed Home

I have sent the final packages out to all participants in this years Mermaid ATC Swap. I was so happy to meet many new swap participants as well as alumni of past years. As usual the collection is amazing with all artists putting in 100%. I will try to post some of the cards in the next couple of days.

Silver Bella 2010

I know it is still a few months away but I am already feeling the excitement of this upcoming event. Everyday my e-mailbox has messages from other "Bellas" as they like to call themselves. Some are regarding swaps, other asking to be e-mail buddies and some offering tips for first time attendees. I am especially looking forward to the "Bella Market" which is one of the highlights of the event. Artisians gather to sell, buy and trade their collected bits, handmade items and crafting supplies.

In addition to a wonderful line-up of classes with noted artists/teachers there are several student sponsored swaps. I joined several: paper dolls, millinery flowers, holiday ornaments and a vintage trim swap. I thought about hosting an ATC swap to mark the occasion but decided to wait until next year.

I will keep you posted!

More Creative Space Pictures :)

I thought I would share a few more photos of my work space. I like to use small glasses of all sizes to hold tiny baubles and gems. The tiniest of these glasses is just an inch tall. I keep them next to this wonderful inspiration box given to me by my BFF, Lisa Super.

I keep these fun pieces on my "Art Buffet", all the drawers are filled with stamps, beads, ephemera and vintage costume jewelry. The larger cupboards on each side house my china and vintage silver pieces, which I also collect. I love to find old pieces at the Flea Market and polish them back to their original splendor. I especially love the pieces with flowers carved into the handles. Thanks for visiting.

Where Bloggers Create Deux (II)

Where I Create!

I usually work in our breakfast room. I can work at our dining table and still be accessible to my children. They often create along with me afterschool and on week-ends or they just pull up a chair to visit.

I keep most of my items in our buffet and two small rolling carts which I can push back in the corner when not in use. My collection of bits and sweetness are stored in a built in glass cupboard. I also put small vignettes in my Pottery Barn mail sorter. I can enjoy looking into the little cubes or find the perfect piece for a project I may be working on.

What I especially love about this space is all the windows.I was lucky enough to design this room myself when we rebuilt our house. Along with the three walls of windows, the warm yellow paint and the sun, this cheery room always inspires me. Thanks for visiting!

Time in the Garden: A grieving tree hugger at heart

Last week, in my absence, my gardener's new crew took the bottom 6 feet off my beloved 40year+ Blue Atlas Cedar.He knows to never cut or prune any of my evergreens but his new guy did not. He cut a conical evergreen into an umbrella shape. I was devastated, I sent them all packing for the last time . I love that tree, it is the anchor of my backyard. She and I together survived babies, toddlers climbing branches, toy saws and teen parties. Her huge branches shaded us while the children played in their blow up pools and on their swings. I was so sad I just could not get over it. Finally, a poem from my littlest one helped me heal.

There is a tree
It's a wonderful sight
The most marvelous green
at the most perfect height
It's appearance has changed
but not too extreme
We will fix it
and make it what it used to be
maybe even better,
we'll see...
-Nina Myers

So this week with a trip to the nursery, Navlet's, we did indeed transform my tree's loss limbs. We filled in beneath the tree with plants of all kinds, creating a forest floor bursting with all shades of green. The plantings helped to close the distance between the ground and the lost limbs. Now, once again when I walk out into my yard, I can smile!

3rd Annual Mermaid Swap

Yes, it is that time of year again! When from all over the world artists carve out time to create their Mermaid ATC cards to swap and share with others who love the ocean sirens. If you are interested, please send me an email and I will forward the information to you: valerielmyers@yahoo.com. This year there will be two mermaid inspired prize drawing. Good Luck!

The Alice in Wonderland swap was great! So many lovely cards and very unique designs. Some used the more traditional art work from John Tenniel, several used images from the new movie released this spring. A few folks created their own images with personal artwork. Great work everyone!

Here is a week-end wish for a Happy Mothers Day to you and yours! Enjoy...

Another Year and Silver Bella 2010

Sorry it has been so long since I last posted but family health issues kept me busy. I am happy to report everyone is home and well now.

Yesterday was my birthday and I had a wonderful day. It started with hugs and cards from my husband and the kidlings. Then off to a local flea market with many fun finds including a large rabbit cookie cutter from 1928 and a large collection of vintage flower catalogs also from the 1920's. Each of the pictures in the catalogs were hand drawn and painted, a real deal for $5!

A beautiful basket of flowers arrived in the afternoon from my mother in Los Angeles. I have never seen an arrangement with so many varieties. I think I counted 25 different types of flowers.

Next was an art date with my friend Lisa . She surprised me with a beautiful inspiration box filled with ephemera. All the lovely bits and pieces put together in that SUPER way that only Lisa can . We created the day away and had a great time trying out different ideas for our projects.

The day ended with a spicy dinner out with the family at P.F. Changs. My favorite has always been Chang's Spicy Chicken but now I have discovered their Ginger Chicken and their is no going back! Delicious!

My latest spluge, I am going to Silver Bella next fall. Crazy that sign ups start so early but I am thrilled to have a place at their next extravaganza. This will be my first time and the 5th anniversary of the artistic soiriee. Anyone want to join me in Omaha, Nebraska next November?

Catching Up On My Sampler

I'm catching up on the sampler I'm doing with Amy. Check it out here. Here is Day 1...

Day 2...

Day 3...

Day 4...

Day 5 & 6...

and Day 7.

A Fun Stitch-along with Friends!

This week-end I joined up with other bloggers to do Amy Power's Stitch-along. To celebrate her upcoming birthday we will be creating a stitched square a day for 39 days. I need to get started, will post my first squares later this week.

A Wonderful new swap through the looking glass

To commemorate the new movie coming out, I am hosting an Alice in Wonderland atc card swap. I opened my new Somerset Studio magazine which arrived today and was so inspired! So many wonderful Alice, Wonderland and friends themed projects. How could I resist... so any takers out there? Leave me a post if you are interested, I already have 9 folks signed up. Due date April 1st. In addition, my friend Michelle is hosting an Alice in Wonderland charm swap. Just click on the white rabbit image on the sidebar to get more info. I have been in the last four charm swaps Michelle has hosted and have always been delighted. I have already signed up! With the first swap I was a bit intimidated, I had never made a charm before. However, Michelle had many resources listed on her blog . You can see charms from past swaps, books and tutorials to visit on-line.

Happy Heart's Day!

This Valentine week-end was full of surprises. On Friday a dozen long stemmed roses arrived at my door. This morning pancakes that spelled I heart mom were made by my youngest daughter.My older daughter took me out for lunch and my youngest found the cutest little vintage scotty dog pin for me. She was so cute, she said she tried to clean it (she found it at the flea market yesterday) but was afraid to wash off all the vintage. A friend surprised me with a box of vintage French flashcards for my altered art and atcs. I also went to see "The Tooth Fairy" with my daughter and her friends while my other daughter went to see the new Percy Jackson movie. My Valentine has been ill all week but tomorrow we will celebrate by going to see "Avatar", he has been asking me to go for weeks, so tomorrow I will be at the IMAX in Dublin, CA. I hope you had a great week-end too! Check out the little "Hearts" mini-book I made, it is only 2"x2" and about 2 inches chunky too!

A collaborative winter mini-book...

Last month I took a great class at A Work of Heart, a great little artist studio in Willow Glen. The artist/owner Andrea has a wonderful space full of every tool, medium and embellishment you can imagine. For a small hourly fee you can use any and all products, tools, paints, glue, beads, ribbon or even pick through her wonderful boxes of vintage and handmade papers. In addition, she knows how to use everything and will gladly share her many talents, techniques and time. Best part, you don't even have to clean up!
Back to my story. So there were seven of us and we each designed two 4x4 pages with the theme of winter. Andrea then made seven copies on sturdy gloss photopaper. Then we each embellished the copied pages we designed with ribbons, glitter, beads, charms and I even found some vintage lace. She then assembeled them for us into a chunky book with the Bind-it-All. The finished project was more than I had hoped for. Each entry so different, yet with the winter theme tying them all together. Many blue and white pages with a few red ones mixed in for variety. Andrea said she was going for an Artchix type of project and the group did deliver.
Every time I walk pass this little book I smile and often have to pick it up to flip through the pages. Remembering the fun, rainey Sunday we were all laughing and working together. Warmed and amazed by the talent so joyfully shared inside this small treasure.

Happy New Year!

I wish you all a wonderful and Happy New Year in 2010!