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