Blog Archives
School’s Out! :: Treasury Thursday
The idea of “School’s Out” is so well timed and is a great idea for this weeks’s treasury challenge.
I love this time of year, have I mentioned that already?
When school is out, we can hopefully enjoy longer days, a more carefree routine, and perhaps be reminded of easier, simpler and innocent summer days of childhood.
I savor the longer days, warm summer nights and as a mom of a school kid, I am not sure who’s happier when school is out, me or the kiddo!
There is less homework, more peace in the house; less rushing, more family time; less cooking, more grilling.
This week’s idea hails all the way from Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland – thanks to Louise from CraftyLou! You can find CraftyLou in a few places…she’s got a shop on Folksy and Etsy , some fun boards on Pinterest, Facebook, and I suggest grabbing a cup of tea and pay a visit to her blog.
Since my own Etsy shop is focused on Paper, I feel that I have stumbled across a kindred spirit when I read her personal message on her Etsy shop…
Paper……..it surrounds us everyday….newspapers, office printouts, junk mail, magazines….and I love making things with it. Ever since I was wee I’ve drawn on, cut, folded, glued, selotaped and stapled paper to make things….some more sucessful than others! My choice of university degree and subsequent career as an Architect have developed and inspired this love of modeling paper into forms.
She makes the most detailed, beautiful hand-cut paper works of art – I can’t imagine the patience this must require! One of her pieces is in this treasury…I think you will spot it easily…it reminds me of one of my favorite movies of all time, Grease, and the summer romance between Sandy and Danny!
When school is out, it leaves an empty canvas; the days are no longer filled with the three R’s, but instead space is created for …
Sprinklers.
Popsicles.
Swimming pools.
Flip flops.
Staying up late.
Summer nights.
and more…
Take a little break and enjoy the treasury…what easy breezy ‘school’s out’ memories do you have? And be sure to stop by and say hello to CraftyLou!
 School’s Out |
Printable, DIY, Schools Out, Sun, Flip flops, Summer, Labels, stickers, Hang…
Hand Stamped Graduation Key Chain Class of 2012 With Graduation Cap Charm Per…
I Love School ….When It’s Out Patch
Deep in a wood carved on a tree – wedding congratulations card
Vintage Drive In Movie Pendant Resin Pendant Picture Pendant Photo Pendant Re…
Vintage Children’s Book Set, “Let’s Find Out” Book Series
Record Clock – Grease (Summer Nights)
School of Fish Decals (100 fish to arrange any way you’d like)
Swimming Pool Summer Water Blue Ladder – 5 x 7 art print by Dawn Smith
Custom Sand Imprint Flip Flops. Your Design. No Minimum Order Quantity.
popsicle print, beach art, summer photography, carnival, popsicle print, nurs…
Swimming: Use a Medals Rack to display your swimming ribbons
Stayed up past my bedtime…and survived T-Shirt – Not The End of the World D…
Last Day of School Countdown Clock
Treasury Thursday :: Red hot southern day
We are back for another round of the Treasury Thursday challenge, and this week, in the midst of spring starting to pop up for some, rain finally arriving where I am, today’s treasury fast forwards us to the red hot southern days of summer. I know, kinda crazy, right? I am bundled up in a sweater with the fireplace warming the room we are here to talk red chili hot!
Today’s challenge suggestion comes from Rebecca over at an uplifting and cheerful blog called TrueBlog!…life in Louisiana and all things Woolmerhof. I have got to hand it to Rebecca – a native Aussie living in Louisiana, what a big leap of a difference. I would know, I’ve been to both places!
I work on a college campus where I get to meet students from all over the world. Just today, I talked with students from Ethiopa, Ukraine, South Africa and Germany. It always amazes me how they leave what they know; families, language, customs, favorite foods and more and how they find a way how to not just get by in a whole new country, but they are here to learn a completely new subject. Oh, and these students I was talking to? They were all scholarship and award recipients! And to think how frustrated we get when Facebook makes it’s infamous changes. :-) So, Rebecca, hats off to you for finding your way, and making a great life for you and your family in a whole new place!
When I posted the challenge again on my Facebook page this week, asking for a word, phrase, color, concept, etc. and I would then choose one idea to create a Treasury, and give them a shout out here, here is what Rebecca wrote:
Chili! As in red chili… It’s a southern summer kind of day here and I have all things Cajun in my head!
This was fun for me; I would not have normally sought out red chili or all things Cajun. Especially with the rain pouring down all around me! Which is why I love these challenges. It gets me out of my own comfort zone and leads me to new sources of inspiration. So, I went in search of all things red, hot and Cajun. Whew! The irony is that I am a total wimp when it comes to spice – I am not afraid to admit that I cannot take the heat. But, it’s such a bummer, now that I know this:
‘We found that consuming red pepper can help manage appetite and burn more calories after a meal”
Be sure to stop by and say hello to Rebecca at her blog and tell her {PaperKeeper} sent ya! I hope you enjoy all of the great hot work here! If you live somewhere cold, maybe this will warm you up a bit. As always, I hope you find inspiration among these fabulous artists, crafters and creatives. If you do, share, stumble, tweet, pin, post this collection, because after all, we all need a little warmth in our lives.
Rebecca, thanks for the hot topic this week!
Think you might want to play next week, leave a comment with an idea for next week’s Treasury Thursday challenge!
{ go out and be hot! }
 Red Hot Chili Pepper Purse $65.00
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 Sundance: Beaded Leather Wra… $39.50
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 Red Art – Brazilian Hot Chil… $30.00
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 Chili Pepper Capsaicin Molec… $30.00
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 10 Chili Pepper Crystal Hair… $20.00
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 Sweet Chili – Handmade Swaro… $29.50
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 Best of Louisiana Cuisine Wo… $40.00
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 Chili pepper orange- red han… $5.00
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 Bayou Service Cajun Church- … $19.75
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 New Orleans SAINTS Nawlins N… $175.00
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 Mason Jar lids/ Ready for yo… $100.00
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 Black Bird Letter Tile Neckl… $18.00
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 30s Schilling Chili Powder S… $8.00
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 Red Flower art Flower Print … $30.00
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 Chocolate Chili – Hand Craft… $9.00
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 Organic Red Chili Pepper Wre… $60.00
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It’s my party, and I’ll buy if I want to…
You know the tune…”…It’s my party..and I’ll cry if I want to…” and now you will be mad at me because that little ditty will be stuck in your head all day. Sorry!
So, now that it’s running through your mind….sing it this way instead “.. It’s my party… and I’ll buy if I want to!…”
Etsy is such a magical, wonderful, inspiring, and oh so tempting place. Every time I log in, I find new things that I just ‘have to have’ but I usually just let out a little sigh, put a ♥ next to it, and save it for later. But, I had a birthday last week! And, nope, not telling. But, I will say that I was alive when Big Bird made his inaugural walk down Sesame Street! If you know when that was, leave me a comment! So, to celebrate, I allowed myself to { click! } this button a few times …
…a little mini itty bitty shopping spree of sorts and I want to share my cool finds! I didn’t set out to do this, I didn’t make a list or have a plan. I just allowed myself to { click! } when that reaction of OH! I LIKE THAT! came over me. If I had made a plan or tried to make a list, it never would have happened; I would have over analyzed everything, and would have resulted most likely in nothing like the great items I discovered {& acquired, yeah! } by just letting myself respond to the items that caught my eye, my heart and my soul. Oh, and awards are given and received. Be sure to read on till the very end. I saved the best for last!
Kiddo Bling
We had open house at my kiddo’s school a few weeks ago, and saw that the kids in my son’s 3rd grade class had done self portraits, Picasso style. This is my son’s piece of art…
So, when I found Rachael’s shop, Analiese Designes on Etsy I loved how she could take kid art and transfer it to a pendant. What a unique way to display the beautiful and personal art work by little ones of all ages. Great for gifts too!
Vintage Value
I came across this set of six shabby vintage bowls and in a quick minute clicked the ‘add to cart” button. Growing up, we had some white ones JUST like this {I think they are still at my dad’s house…hmmm} and so when I saw this charming set, it was obvious they were meant for me. To even consider resisting the impulse was futile.
I love the hues in this set, the muted and bright and how they complement and contrast with each other. I also like knowing they were made in Japan, same as the ones at the old homestead. And they are perfect to display the camellias from my backyard which are commonly known as Japanese Camellias!
Melissa of SameSameMaryJane said she almost didn’t list them! There was a super minor delay in getting them shipped out, but it was perfect timing as the box arrived exactly on my birthday. { Click! }
Casual Coral
I have a mini obsession with all things orange. I can’t explain it, maybe it’s my childhood that has left a lasting impression? I did have an orange shag rug in my room…. Anyway, so, when I saw this bright and unique scarf from Textile Monster, well you know what comes next. { Click! } It’s such a unique scarf, and actually ‘neck rag’ is the term she uses. It’s soft, feminine,fun, flouncy, and different from any other scarf, um, neck rag, that I own. It’s made in the infinity style and can be worn long or doubled over like it’s shown here.
Ps. That’s not me. Just in case you were wondering. :)
Read the Fine Print
I have reached that age where I have to search for that sweet spot to see things up close. Ok, I reached it a couple of years ago, but I was in denial. I do that thing where I have to move the paper or book back and forth to find that perfect distance where I can really see it clearly. Darn. It. So, I told myself that when the next birthday came around, I’d buy myself a pair of reading glasses as a joke.Well, here we are. So, I had to make good on my promise and found this cute pair at a local shop.
I am looking at the upside though, just think how much money I will save now that I will be able to read the expiration dates on coupons and gift cards and actually use them. this one was a { swipe! }
Inspiration
I have had my eye on this print,
and others from Bates Mercantile Co. for awhile, and included it in one of my Treasury Thursday posts very recently. I love the whimsical colors and the beauty in the message. I think any one of us who are striving to work from a creative place or simply improve upon ourselves, can find inspiration in this joyful inspiring piece of art. This special item wrapped up my little shopping spree, and I think it’s a perfect way to round out my unexpected little birthday bash! { Click! }
Yummo
A birthday would not be complete without a special night out with my boys – they took me to a great restaurant in our town, and bestowed me with lovely gifts, including an unlimited pass for bikram yoga. What, I need to slow down and relax? Well, ok, I suppose that is possibly true. I indulged in my favorite dish of roasted butternut squash and walnuts in a brown butter sage sauce and fresh parmesan, warm rosemary ciabatta bread with olive oil and balsamic…and a glass of wine that cost more than I usally pay for a bottle. Ah, birthdays.
Ambient lighting doesn’t do it justice, so you will just have to trust me. It was clean plate great!
Husband did the { swipe! } on this one!
Drumroll please….
I have to say though, that the best of the surprises came from someone who had no idea there was a celebration going on, but added perhaps the best wrapped item to the party. Remember just up above I mentioned the shop Bates Mercantile Co.? Well, Pam of the Mercantile is just too cool for school. Unbeknownst to this newbie blogger, there is this awesome thing called “The Leibster Blog Love Award” that is bestowed upon a blog with less than 200 followers by another blogger. Guess what – Pam got that cool award – twice and totally well deserved! You have to check out her blog, Mercantile Muse. Ok, so how does this have anything to do with me? Well, in an awesome good karma kind of way, the blogger receiving the award then goes on to nominate 5 other new/young blogs to share the blog love with. Are you getting there faster than me? I wouldn’t be surprised if you did, because I was blown away happy when I read her blog post and there I was tucked in neatly on her list of awesome bloggers. Seriously? Seriously. Thank you Pam! In a follow up post, I will say more about this and share my own five nominations. How cool will that be – sharing some blog love. Oh yeah!
Cheers to you – wishing you each a day that’s happy and special! Go on, let yourself make one little { click! } today!
There’s a place for everyone…
I’ve always known I was the creative type; it just manifested itself in different ways along the years, I realize now, looking back. Crayons. Wax paper. Markers. Paper [when I was 7 I thought I would grow up and be a 'book-maker']. Stickers and stamps. Jewelry. Photographs. Flyers. Websites. Even so, I always envied, and still do, those who could paint, draw, sculpt – what I viewed as ‘real art’. I differentiated my ‘art’ because it didn’t fit into the narrow definition of art that I allowed for myself. Over time, I slowly came to see that creativity, and art, can take many forms and that there is room for all of it. There is a place for all of us.
What would your bubble have in it?
It is amazing to watch how others express themselves through their art and creativity. As I begin this new adventure with opening a shop on Etsy.com, I am thrilled to see the myriad expressions; there are styles, items, mediums, materials I have never seen or heard of before. It’s inspiring to me, to see all these spaces that other creatives have carved out for themselves. I dig that others value what they do and bring it to the marketplace.
There are creatives among us, and sometimes we never know it. I made something recently and posted some photos of it on Facebook. Many of my friends know that the creative vein runs deep in me, but I found it surprising when a dear friend commented on my post, “Didn’t know you were so talented….what a beautiful idea!“ I realized then that not everyone can see this in us. I know that for me, sometimes expressing myself with words is sometimes difficult, but when I create something, you can be assured I have just shown myself to you. I was happy that through that post and photos she came to know me a little bit better.
As I was thinking about this earlier this morning, I realized that we often mis-read people, or cannot see them fully. Sometimes this results from their shyness, or insecurities perhaps. It could also stem from our own blinders, busy lives, or, our own insecurities. A fun image came to my mind while pondering this. I got this scene in my mind of a busy city sidewalk, where each person walking by has a bubble above their person, and in their bubble is their signature creative expression – so that as they pass by, we see them fully, we know who they are and what they have to offer.
On Etsy.com there are over one million item listings in the section called ART. There are at least 30 other categories, each with thousands of listings. You might not like it all, but I guarantee you will find something you love. There really is a place for everyone.
I will leave you with this quote, and visit the Etsy shop theinksociety to see the creative behind it :
‘the earth without art is just eh”
