300 Days Till Christmas Project - March 31, 2011

Amazing to me that it's already the end of March!!  Here in Englewood, Colorado, March is going out like a lion.  It's a beautiful and warm day, except for the wind.  As one of the area weather forecasters occasionally says, it's one of those "small animal" days.  In other words, so windy out that you need to tie down your cats and small dogs!  Yikes!  Needless to say, the one cat that's allowed outside has elected to stay in.

Less than 9 months till Christmas.  If December 25 was truly the day of the birth of Jesus (it isn't, but that's another discussion!), Mary would be newly pregnant about now, give or take a little.  That's one of the things I've always liked about December 25 being Christmas.  Mary's pregnancy began in the spring, the time of new life and new growth.  Just another reason to celebrate this beautiful time of year! 

In addition to my almost obsessive knitting of bell ornaments right now, I've found some time for a few other crafty, Christmassy things.  First up, on Tuesday, was the continuing theme of card-making.  I found some blue cardstock (quite a bit, in fact!) in one of my boxes.  I still had lots of "pieces" from making cards out of the red cardstock, so I made about a dozen new cards, using the blue cardstock as base/background.  For a change, I'm showing only one photo of the front of a card, the rest are of the inside greeting.

And here's what goes on the back of every Christmas card I make.  The rest of the year, the holly stamp is replaced by a stamp of Piglet.  Piglet because he is small and seemingly insignificant, but makes a huge difference.  That's what I hope for in terms of myself.

Yesterday's project was something I've done before, and will continue to do -- Christmas themed thank you cards.  I don't know anyone who doesn't intend to send thank you's for their Christmas gifts.  So a few years ago, I made a bunch of cards up -- a Christmas stamp, a thank you stamp.  Instead of on a card with a card cover and interior, I just do it on a single "postcard' style card.  I don't send them as postcards, but in an envelope - just adds a really nice touch to do that.  So here are the ones I made yesterday.  I'll be making lots more!!

Over this past weekend, one of my original mentors in youth ministry and the living of life passed away.  Alden Tyrol was the director of the Silver Lake Conference Center in Connecticut for over 30 years.  He was one of the wisest, most caring people I've ever met.  He saw the good in everyone, and one of his goals was to help us all see that in ourselves and others.  Every week at Silver Lake started with his welcome to "our" conference center, and the reminder to "Love God, love your neighbor, love yourself, and you'll have a good week."  I hadn't seen Alden in years, but his lessons have always stuck with me.  In honor and memory of him, I'll be working on a God's eye ornament this afternoon.  Don't know if I'll get it finished today, but when I do, there will be a photo or two.

-Jayne

300 Days Till Christmas Project - March 29, 2011

Yikes!  I can't believe it's been a week since I've written here.  Not like I've even been busy or anything either.  Just a bit lethargic, taking things pretty slow.

In the past week I've written a few haiku.  My favorite of the bunch is this one:

clear, calm and wondrous

silent, holy, crisp and cold

greet the newborn babe

Other than that one, I was seeing a pattern develop, and the haiku were starting to sound the same.  So, for fun, I'm working on writing haiku using familiar Christmas songs and carols as the base.  Something a bit different.  I'll have some of them here eventually.

I also spent a lot of time knitting the past week.  Worked on a Christmas gift, and worked on a bunch of Christmas bells.  Last night I did the finishing work on several - stitched up the seam, added the jingle bell and they're ready to hang.  Here are a few shots.

Another thing I worked on was card pattern research.  As much fun as the card-making is, it's really easy for me to fall into a "rut," using the same stamps, same style, etc.  So it's time to be shaking things up a bit.  I found some really cute patterns, in a couple of books that I have and online.  The nice thing is that I've already got most of the supplies I need on-hand, so I can give them a try any time.  And I have a few supplies to get, and a few favors to ask of my more talents sewing and knitting relatives, and then I'll be able to try the others that I found.

 

Meanwhile, I'm back to cards for a few days.  I have some navy blue cardstock, and a bunch of stuff that I'd already cut, embossed, etc.  I'll see what I can come up with from those.

One thing I thought of in terms of cards is that at some point I want to make some Thank You cards that are specifically for Christmas.  I did it once, several years ago, and they were really handy.

 

Off to card-making!!

 

-Jayne



300 Days Till Christmas Project - March 22, 2011

After a few days away with limited opportunities for Christmas creativity, I've jumped back in with both feet!  And it feels so good. 

Yesterday's activity was mostly making cards.  I finished off the red cardstock and most of the pieces that I'd stamped, embossed and cut.  Just put them all together to make a bunch of pretty red cards.  Since I've done a lot of similar stuff already, no photos of those.

I'm playing with the haiku - I have a bunch of "lines," pieces and parts that I need to complete at some point.  When inspiration strikes, I guess!

Today's fun and continued jumping back into the creativity has included some new cards, some gift tags, and working more on knitted bell ornaments.  I created the cards using another pack of the green glitter edged blank cards that I picked up a few weeks ago.  I decorated with "packaged" bling, and stamped the inside with a combination of "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" greetings.

Yeah, I think I'm really obsessed with cards right now!!  Well, it's just too soon to start baking!  :)  And I found a few new card ideas online last night.  I'll just have to get a few supplies and try them out. 

After the cards today, I made a few gift tags.  Usually I make all my gift tags from the previous year's card fronts.  I cut them down with decorative scissors, punch a hole, and add the "to" and "from" stamps, and tie them on the Christmas gifts.  But I decided to make some gift tags out of some of the longer embossed pieces I made last week.  I'm pleased with them.

And now, I'll knit for a while.

Oh yeah, I'm looking for ideas of things to do with egg cartons.  I have a bunch and will continue to, since I do so much baking.  I know that I can make little bell ornaments out of them, but I want some other ideas as well.

-Jayne

300 Days Till Christmas Project - March 21, 2011

Ahh, vacation!!  Back from enjoying four days in New Mexico with my husband.  We visited Los Alamos, Bandelier National Monument, Jemez State Monument and Fort Union National Monument.  Beautiful weather, some good hiking, amazing views and our National Park/Monument system never fails to impress me!  A photo from Bandelier National Monument.  Wow.

One thing's for sure.  It's difficult to maintain the pace on a project like this when you're traveling and your focus is on so much else.  I took very little with me, knowing that it was unlikely that I would get to do anything involved, like card-making.  So, my primary work was knitting. 

I worked on knitted Christmas bells, and on knitting a Christmas gift.  A little each day - sometimes in the car, especially on the interstate, sometimes in the hotel room at night as we unwound from the day watching the NCAA tournament.  I have the feeling that if I have to take this project on the road again between now and Christmas (and it's likely I will, at least once), knitting will be the way to go.

I did write a haiku as well.  Last night, after we got home, before bed.  While I think that it's more of a Thanksgiving haiku than Christmas, I think it could be used at either holiday.

the family gathers

the turkey roasts and pies bake

giving thanks for love

As wonderful as vacation is, it's always good to get home, to sleep in my own bed, to cuddle and play with my kitties, to get back into the routine.  Perhaps some card-making today ...

-Jayne



300 Days Till Christmas Project - March 16, 2011

What fun today, to take all the pieces and parts I've been working on and to make them into cards, using some of my beautiful new red cardstock.  I find that I'm falling into some trends - using the same stamps and messages over and over again.  I do have other stamps with lots of designs and holiday messages, but right now, these are the ones I like the best!  I have to remember that while I see them over and over again, if/when I send them to someone, they only see one of them and have no idea of how many other similar cards I've made in addition to theirs!  And I'm sure that at some point, the time will come when I'll change it up and start playing with some of my other stamps.  And I'll start doing things other than embossing.  I want to do some material layering at some point, and to incorporate some bows and things other than glue to hold some of the layers together.  But for now, what I'm doing is fun, so I'll keep on doing it!

As an aside, but still related to a holiday, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day.  In preparation/celebration, we had corned beef and homemade "Cape Cod" Irish Soda Bread.  I call it "Cape Cod," because I didn't have any raisins in the house, so I used "craisins," and we all know that cranberries come from Cape Cod (among other places!). A wonderful meal!!

Here are photos of a few of today's cards.

-Jayne

300 Days till Christmas Project - March 15, 2011

a merry christmas

wishing you season's greetings

and happy new year!

 

A new haiku seemed to be the order of the day yesterday.  Something relatively simple for a Monday, especially a Monday after the time change.  I really hate the time change, especially the springing ahead.  It makes me cranky and for days I'm not really sure what time it is!!  So, I was not to be trusted with scissors or fine detail work yesterday!  It was, however, nice to have daylight last later into the evening.  It means more and more time in the garden!!  Yay!!

 

Today's project was to start prepping to make cards out of all that beautiful red cardstock I bought over the weekend.  So there was lots of embossing, cutting and coloring!  I have enough stuff prepped to make a bunch of cards tomorrow.  Very excited.  I do love making cards. 

 

No photos today, but I'll post some of the completed cards tomorrow or the next day.

 

 

-Jayne

300 Days Till Christmas Project - March 13, 2011

What a great, beautiful weekend!!  Yesterday we headed out to the paper store.  I picked up some cardstock.  I needed red, because, after all, you can't make Christmas cards without red cardstock!!  Of course, I couldn't stop there - I got some burgundy too.  And a few other colors for a few non-Christmas cards because, yeah, I do make other cards!  I bought a box of cream-colored envelopes.  One thing I've noticed is that because of the style of cards I make, and the materials I use, most of the time my cards look best with envelopes that are a bit off-white.  And, score purchase of the day - some white cards trimmed with green glitter.  All I had to do was add some "bling" to them and stamp some messages or decoration on them, and there would be cards!!  Oh yeah, they were on clearance!!  So I bought three packs of 25 each. YAY!!

Picked up some "bling" to glue and stick on, and headed back to Creative Ground Zero!!  The Saturday project was "blinging" the cards - with sparkly stickers in the shape of Christmas lights and poinsettias.

Today's project (in and amongst watching my dear husband make me a cold frame for the vegetable garden) was to finish the cards.  I stamped the insides, mostly with a simple "Merry Christmas" stamp, but embossing the message in a variety of colors: red, gold and black.  Lots of fun, easy, and now I have 25 more cards to add to my growing pile!!

And here, of course, are some photos!

-Jayne

300 Days Till Christmas Project - March 11, 2011

Yesterday and today were busy ones.  Balancing out my life with the positive energy I'm getting from this project.  Yesterday was yet another job rejection!  And today was finding out that it's just a matter of time before the transmission in son Sam's car goes.  Yeeha!!  The good news is that I have so much positive stuff in my life!!

So, I spent yesterday adding some color, per my sister-in-law, Elise's suggestion, to the black on white embossing.  I did some with markers, and some with colored pencils.  Some with just one color in certain areas, others were treated like a page from a coloring book, with color in every space.  It was fun, and left me wanting to do more and more!  That's the danger here!  :)

Here are photos from that stage of the card-making.

Today, I finished a bunch of cards made with the black on white embossing, some colored in, some not.  All kinds of themes and messages.  As of end of day, I've made 65 new cards since beginning this project!  And, as I was looking for supplies, I found 16 that I'd made for Christmases past.  Thirteen from 2006 and three from 2003.  Interesting to see what things I still do the same way, and what I've changed.

Since most of the "white" I'm using is really kind of cream-colored, I've realized that I'll have to buy a box of cream card envelopes, since all I have are white ones.  And while I don't really "need" it, I want to get some red cardstock.  I didn't have much and have used it all up.  You just can't keep making Christmas cards without red cardstock!!

Another thing I did today was to get together supplies for projects on the road, as I'll be away from home for a few days coming up soon.  I'll take knitting for sure.  I can work on bells and work on knitted Christmas gifts.  I've also gotten outside some cross-stitch supplies.  I've got a few of those I'd like to work on as well. 

Not sure yet what tomorrow will hold in terms of a project or part of a project.  Perhaps some more embossing.  Maybe a haiku.  It's almost time for another one. 

-Jayne

300 Days till Christmas Project - March 10, 2011

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday.  Interesting to have that in the mix as I worked on this Christmas project.  It led to a lot of good reflection about the different stages of our spiritual lives.  Preparation, introspection, strength, struggle ... faith.

After making those cards on Monday as my creative response to not getting a job, I did two things.  One was to apply for several more jobs.  Full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary.  It's led to more interviews, and more possibilities. 

The other was to do more card prep work, those pieces of the process that allow for days like Monday, where I can put together a dozen (or more or less) cards with those parts I've already completed.

Tuesday, March 8, was a time spent cutting and gluing.  Cutting cardstock (dark blue) and folding to cards; and cutting liner paper (cream) for the inside writing surface of the cards.  That gives me the foundation for a bunch of future cards.

Yesterday, I returned to embossing.  Something different -- embossing black onto some of the cream liner paper.  Alone, very nice effect.  I'm using markers and pencils and perhaps some watercolor paints to fill in some of the designs in a variety of ways.  That and perhaps more card-making and more black-on-white/cream embossing will likely be on the agenda for today.

I have so many card-making supplies.  It's going to be kind of fun to see how far I get through these months without having to buy any supplies!!  Good thing, if I'm going to continue to be mostly unemployed!!

Here are a few shots of the black embossing from yesterday.

-Jayne

300 Days till Christmas Project - March 8, 2011

So, there was a change in plans yesterday.  After finding out that I didn't get the temp job I'd interviewed for, I was pretty annoyed, so instead of templates and the like, I channeled my "pissed-off-edness" into a dozen cards.  Used the pieces that I embossed and cut a few days ago to create the cards.  Gold embossed onto dark green cardstock, then used lavendar cardstock as the card base.  My favorite is what I'm calling a nativity card.

I'm sure I'll be making many more using this basic theme, and have ideas for doing it with different colors and textures.  I'd like to try doing it with some watercolor paints.

Here are some more shots of the cards from yesterday:

Thanks to my Mom for the great conversation about this blog yesterday.  Mom is a retired Home Ec teacher who is a master quilter, knitter, etc.  I really appreciate her encouragement and ideas for Christmas projects!!  And for the felt and anything else you send, Mom!!  XOXO

-Jayne

300 Days till Christmas Project -- March 5-7, 2011

A quiet few days of what I guess you could call craft "grunt" work.  Doing some prep so I'll have supplies all set to go when it's time for something major.  On Saturday, I trimmed and decoratively cut the pieces that I'd embossed the day before {see my last post for photos of the embossing}.  So they're all set to be layered, glued or whatever on cards or collages or even an Advent calendar.
Yesterday, {Sunday, March 6} was spent working on some templates.  Downloaded a couple of templates - a mitten and a stocking; and used cookie cutters for the rest.  Traced onto cardboard and cut out {the white ones in the photo}.  Then traced onto some felt and cut out.

I'm sure I'll be spending a lot of time with these templates over the next few months, as the resulting shapes can be cut from felt, paper, cardstock, fabric, etc.  I'm planning on using them on cards, ornaments, Advent calendars, stuff like that.  The larger sized stockings I will also make into stockings, to fill for little gifts or surprises.  I'm also thinking of making some into "kitty sachets," stuffed with organic catnip for all the kitties in my extended family.  They have to get some fun at Christmas, too; other than the piles of wrapping paper to tunnel through!
Today's work will involve more of the grunt/prep work - cutting cardstock for cards, more work with the templates in the photo, things along those lines.  As much as I enjoy the completion, I find that I also enjoy the ritual of the prep work.  Getting things ready, thinking about what is to come -- the theme of Advent is right there in what I'm doing.
-Jayne
PS - Almost forgot - I have my FIRST follower!!  Thanks, Elise!

300 Days till Christmas Project - Days 5 & 6 - March 3 & 4, 2011

Yesterday it was time to make a few more cards.  I used some felt trees and holly leaves that I'd cut out when I was prepping for this project.  Added some sparkly and sequin doodads on the outside, some stamped holiday messages on the inside, and voila!!  I have to confess that I got the button snowman idea from a Martha Stewart craft project, and adapted for my stuff.  Pretty cute idea!

Today I figured something out.  Something that will have quite a large impact on this project, I think.  Card making is a large part of what I enjoy doing, so I've got many, many ideas for card making during these 300 days.  Heck, I've already made cards twice.  I have this sneaky feeling that by the time I get to September or October, I'll be able to sell or give away cards and still have more than enough left to send to everyone and anyone on my Christmas card list.  Scary thought.  But realistic.  I have a gazillion Christmas stamps.  I have lots of cardstock, most of which is appropriate to the Christmas holiday.  I have lots of paper for layering.  I have colored inkpads, embossing powder and the heating element, ribbons galore.  I have yarn.  I have doodads, although doodads may be the one area where I might be a bit lacking.  Like I said, scary thought.

It's also time to begin some more complex projects, those that won't necessarily be completed in just one day.  And so I rediscovered my love of embossing.  So much fun.  Looks great, people are usually impressed, but it's so easy!  Today I embossed gold onto dark green cardstock.  It was a great thing to work on before my job interview - kept me from thinking about the interview too much and getting too nervous.

300 Days till Christmas Project - Day 4 - March 2, 2011

One of my favorite projects today, and one that I'm sure that I'll repeat at least a few times during the next 10-ish months.  Great gift for friends/co-workers/etc.  Decorated glass ornaments.  You can paint on them, glue on stickers or bling or whatever, fill them, whatever you want.  Today I glued on stuff, sparkly gem thingys.  Some came in what I guess you could call "pre-fab design," where you just peel the backing off and attach.  Others are separate gem thingys, you create your own design.  Sparkly snowflake stickers, too. 

Something that is happening as I work on these projects is that I get to reflect on Christmas.  I do that every year, but usually not until sometime late in October, at the earliest.  Being intentional about creating something "Christmas" every day also provides the opportunity to think or meditate on Christmas.  Makes it even more special for me.

-Jayne

300 Days till Christmas Project - Days 2 & 3

And I'm off!!

Day 2 found me making cards.  I made "window" cards.  These came with the window pre-cut, so all I did was stamp and decorate.  Easy, so another good way to gently ease myself into this, as if I need that.  Maybe too easy, as I was left with the urge to do more and more!!  Having to practice restraint isn't something I usually have to do when crafting, but I must or I'll fry myself within a month!! 

A few shots of the cards ---

Using pre-cut cards and packaged doo-dads, along with the "Merry Christmas" stamp, made this a super-easy project.  A good one to do with children or for someone claiming no artistic skill at all to try!

Day 3 was going to be an ornament decorating day, but the spirit had something else in mind for me.  I woke up at 2 AM - yeah, I'm old, so I tend to wake up once in the middle of the night - and there was a haiku in my brain!  While I would love to say that I'm going to try to do a lot of "decorative" writing like poetry, stories, etc. during this project, haiku may be the most I can handle!!  They are relatively easy and fun to write, and sometimes we surprise ourselves with what comes out of the pen!  And here's what came out of mine very early this morning --

winter wonderland

crystal snow silently falls

and the night sparkles



-Jayne