The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 12

When it comes to "sweets" part of your Christmas tea, this is the time to pick some of your favourite little tidbits!  Choose 3 or 4 different sweets.  Here are some ideas of tasty little morsels to include...
Tiny lemon tarts
Champagne truffles *
Shortbread cookies
Mincemeat tarts
Sugar Cookies *
Date Nut Bars *
Poppy-seed Bread *

*download the recipes here


A Few Words about Tea
*Always "warm the pot" before making tea!  Pour in hot water, let it sit for a few minutes, then empty.  Add the tea and hot water and let it steep before serving.

*Tea leaves are very delicate and absorb moisture quite easily.  Always store your tea in an airtight container.

*One of my favourite little wintertime treats is to store my leftover "Christmas tea" sugar cubes in a little plastic bag filled with cinammon.  The sugar cubes will absorb the spicy flavour.

As you fill the stockings on the mantle this year, think of this "Victorian" rule of thumb for filling Christmas stockings: "something to eat, something to read, something to play with and something they need".


Wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas... see you in the New Year!

Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 11

Today, we'll chat about the second S in an afternoon tea menu - Sandwiches.

I adore tea sandwiches! They are so yummy and given my "druthers" I'd eat them every day of the year. There is just something so "civilized" about afternoon tea sandwiches. LOL

Last week, when I was out for Christmas tea with my Victorian Fashion Group at a lovely tea room here in Victoria, one of the women in our group talked about how, during the 50's and 60's, her mom made dainty little "pinwheel" sandwiches just like we all had on our plates for church teas and special occasions.  I remember my Mom doing that too and she always made them for me and my little guests when I had my birthday tea!

Pinwheels are pretty easy to make... here's a short UTube Video you can watch.  Instead of using bread, he uses a tortilla wrap but you can use slices of bread... just cut off the crusts!

You often hear tea sandwiches referred to as "finger sandwiches".   Whatever!!  They are meant to be small, crust-less, dainty bites and are made with a large variety of fillings:

Egg salad (hard cooked eggs with mayo)
Cucumber  (finely sliced "English" cucumber and cream cheese)
Almond Chicken (chopped, cooked chicken, slivered almonds and mayo)
Watercress (white or rye bread filled with watercress leaves)
Cream Cheese, Celery and Walnut Sandwiches (chop celery heart very fine)
Ginger Tea Spread (cream cheese mixed with ginger marmalade and a pinch of paprika on brown bread)
Pickled Spread (bologna ground up mixed with ground dill pickle and mayo)
Smoked Salmon with watercress and mayo
Tomato slices sprinkled with basil on rye bread with mayo
Cream cheese pinwheels with dill pickle slices or asparagus spears for centers
Salmon salad (red canned salmon mixed with mayo and green onion)

For your tea menu, choose three or four different fillings for your dainties.  Vary your breads between white, brown, pumpernickel, even crisp bread and cut them up differently.  Allow about 3-5  little sandwiches per guest depending on their size. In the summertime, you could even add a flower to the plate.  It's all about creating a "pretty" presentation on a china plate!

What's poured first into a china teacup?  The tea or the cream?

Well we all know to keep our elbows off the table and our napkins on our laps but do you know if it's the tea or the cream that goes into the teacup first?  Actually it really doesn't matter.  Some say if you put the cream in first, the hot tea may scald it.  Others say that if you put the tea in and then the cream, it will cool the tea off!  Sugar, on the hand, should be added once the tea is poured and is offered by the hostess to her guest.  If you are the hostess, be sure to ask your guests, "One lump or two?"

Cheers,
Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 10

Menu Suggestions for a Christmas Tea Party



"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."  Henry James - Portrait of a Lady

In designing a menu for "afternoon tea" in Victoria, B.C. (the most British of all Canadian cities and some say we are even more British than the British LOL) we keep these three "S's" in mind when looking for recipes:

First a Savoury, then a Sandwich followed by a Sweet.

So let's start with the first S today!  What qualifies as a Savoury?  Something salty or spicy. Soup. Scones.   The whole idea of eating a savoury first is to wake up your taste buds.  Include two or three "savoury treats" in your menu plan.  Here are five treat suggestions to choose from:

Savoury Cheesecake Bites (similar to quiche)
Cheese Savoury on Crackers
Butternut Squash Curry Soup
Bite size quiches (you can purchase these in the frozen food section at your local grocery store)
Herb Scones with Lemon Curd and Mock Devonshire Cream

I have also included my Apple Cream Cheese Scones recipe (my Christmas morning specialty. which can be included in the "sandwich" category for afternoon tea)

You can download all the recipes in a zip file here.

Tomorrow:  Sandwiches ... including those lovely little cucumber ones!

Enjoy!  Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 9

Focus on the true meaning of the season - celebrate with a Friendship Tea or Punch Party

Christmas is a season of giving. Instead of spending a lot of money on gifts this year, why not focus on the true meaning of the season with a Christmas Tea or Punch Party for your friends!  You could make it a themed "costume party" Dickens style and ask your guests to come dressed appropriately... bonnets and caps, gingham dresses, fancy dresses for women and long scarves, top hats and round spectacles for men... or just a simple afternoon of merriment with your closest gal friends wearing the fascinators you made following yesterday's blog post.

Over the years, I have held numerous Christmas teas for my friends!  What fun they are... planning and participating in. Sometimes they were before Christmas but most often I scheduled them between Christmas and New Year's.  Remember, you can have an "afternoon tea" held during the day or "high tea" (which is at supper or dinnertime) so it could be an "after work" party.

Most of my teas had a "theme" of some sort and were held at home.  Some years, they were "potluck" (I supplied a list of things they could choose from to bring) and other years I supplied most of the "goodies" and my friends brought the wine, made the punch or brought Christmas cookies.

One year, we read passages aloud from our favourite girl books like Jane Austen's Emma.  At another tea, we took turns reading each other's tea leaves (NOW that was a laughter filled afternoon).  One year, we decorated a Gingerbread House and gave it to a local after school program.  Another year, we read (or told) our favourite Christmas stories.

Of course, every party needs invitations so once you have your "theme", take a few moments to write out the particulars on a piece of paper... i.e.  time, date, place, how to RSVP and, if need be, get the link to yahoo maps or map quest.

Here are some places you can go to create and send invitations to your friends online.  Some of the online "party planning" sites will require you to sign up for an account with them in order to use their service.

http://www.punchbowl.com/
http://new.evite.com/
http://anyvite.com/


Drop by over the next few days for some menu ideas and easy recipes for your tea party.

Cheers,
Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 8

Make a "Duchess of Cambridge" Fascinator

Imagine having a Christmas afternoon tea party with some friends.  Well, the first thing you'll need are your own fascinators!  It's a fun and easy project... and you can find the instructions here.

Have fun... Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 7

5 Quick Gifts You Can Make for Less than $5.00

Raid your fabric stash or head to the nearest before Christmas sale at your favourite fabric store to sew up a storm with these easy, quick projects that use a yard of material or less.

Quick and easy, this table runner measures 10" x 24"
Make it for yourself, a friend or relative with this pattern!
Make a set of placemats to match your runner. Here's  the pattern

Make a set of padded hangars to spruce up any closet using these instructions!

Sew some book covers for a journal, favourite book or photo album!

Make some boxer shorts.  Pattern does not come with hunky guy :)  But if you make some for a girlfriend, you could always tuck his photo (pasted on cardboard) in the package! LOL





Have fun...

Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 6

Let's get thrifty!

Some of the most popular and visited posts on this blog are the thrifty art tips I put together awhile back (with a little help from my online friends!).

These pages are visited often by long standing blog friends who know about them, but I suspect many newcomers to the blog might not be aware of them!  There are just loads of wonderful tips for recycling different materials you can find around your house, in your neighbours recycling bin (LOL) or in your junk drawer along with some great ideas for storage.

Now the links to all these posts are accessible to everyone who visits.  Look, over there on the right hand side, under the "Recently Viewed Posts" box.  There  is a whole tip list of great stuff for you to discover!

Cheers,
Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 5

Time for some penny pinching gift ideas...

Last year at Christmas, I posted 40 Penny Pinching gift ideas for Christmas.  For today's offering, I thought I would point you in the direction of those postings.  Please note that because of my hard drive crash last week, some of the "goodies" I offered to send you in these posts are not available.  Enjoy!

Part 1

Part 2


Happy Crafting,
Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 4

HO! HO! HO!  Time for some trashy holiday humour...

Some days, especially during the holidays, we all need a good laugh!  After a Saturday of fighting traffic at the mall, waiting in line FOREVER to pay for purchases and with our wallets feeling decidedly lighter, it just feels so good to just sit back, relax and have a good belly laugh.  Here's a fun "tongue in cheek" Christmas laugh... Jeff Foxworthy style ... the movie in my head just runs wild imagining Foxworthy's voice telling it... even though it is not one of his routines! 

If this isn't your type of humour... please skip today's offering and come back tomorrow!  It is not meant to offend in any way.

Billy Gene Bob's Trailer Park
Christmas Tour of Homes

"We're so happy you could join us for our very first Billy Gene Bob's Trailer Park Christmas Tour of Homes. We've long felt that everyone, not just those with search warrants, should enjoy our holiday decorations. And remember: All proceeds of the tour goes into the trailer park Yuletide Bail Fund.

"As we make our first stop, please note the cunning use of old tires to form a Christmas tree on the lawn. Yes, they're usually painted white. But if you'll lift one of the tires you'll see that only one side is white, while the other is red and green. This way, they can be flipped over for a festive holiday decoration.

"You can see as we enter the trailer that they favor traditional decorations. The tree is set in a lard can wrapped in a plastic liquor store sack with a Christmas motif. See how they use lights to frame the velvet painting of Elvis. In keeping with their traditional Christmas theme is the Super Large plastic soft drink cup with Christmas decorations incorporated into the design, a memento of the Christmas when the in-laws dropped charges and the family celebrated by eating out.

"Here at our next home, let's pause to admire the workmanship of the decorations, and the care in arranging them for just the right effect. As you can see, the trailer is decorated in early American Honky-Tonk. Note the beer logo formed by miniature lights. Here we have another unusual Christmas tree, made from hub caps, and lit by the cheery glow of a floodlight.

"As we pass the wreath made from discarded cigarette packs, notice that the theme continues inside the trailer. A small Christmas tree is set on the bar, which is decked with garland and miniature lights. Peanuts in bowls and a jar of pickled pigs feet set in a wreath completes the charming effect.

"At our next trailer, we have a delightful departure from tradition. The car up on blocks in the yard is decorated with lights. If you'll look close, the car has a bumper sticker that says "I brake for reindeer." Here at the base of the steps, we have poinsettia set in a discarded commode. On the door we have a wreath made from a toilet seat, which frames a plastic bas relief of Santa Claus. And if you'll pay close attention to the "Back Off!" welcome mat, you'll see that it's made from a discarded mud flap.

"But once inside, the theme shifts to an old-time Christmas. We're greeted by a cheery fake cardboard fireplace. A delightful touch is the aluminum Christmas tree, complete with spotlight and color wheel - a real treat for children who've never enjoyed an old-time Christmas. A cardboard Santa Claus salvaged from a soft drink display ad is propped in the corner, and the holiday Christmas card holder is full of seasonal delinquent payment notices.

"Um . . . we now come to our next home. A manger scene decorates the front lawn. They have an unusual display near the front of the trailer - a back lit silhouette of three men on camels riding towards a town. A single blue light gives the illusion of a star. The words 'Wise men still seek him' are prominently displayed below. The door is decorated with a wreath of holly, and inside we find a typical Christmas tree, and a family Bible open to the 53rd chapter of Isaiah on the coffee table. You can see the religious theme predominates, with another nativity scene on the end table. I really must apologize. I honestly don't know what they're thinking, bringing religion into Christmas.

"Ah, here's a more cheery home. Notice the life-size deer targets decked in lights. A sign saying "Santa BETTER stop here" is whimsically placed on the lawn beside a mineral lick and shelled corn. Inside you'll notice that the nine mounted deer heads are all wearing Santa hats, and the one on the end has a red ball on its nose. See how all the gifts under the tree are wrapped in camouflage pattern paper and with green and brown ribbons and bows. A tape of dogs barking to the tune of "Jingle Bells," along with the deer-scent potpourri, gives the trailer a nice holiday air.

"You can see by the mud bogging truck as we approach our next home that . . . Oh dear. I thought those blue lights were decorations. And I see the deputies have a barricade across the lower end of the trailer park. I'm sorry, but this concludes our tour of homes. Thank you for coming, and please, give patrol cars the right-of-way as you leave.

Copyright © 1999, 2004 by Kevin J. Cheek.

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 3

Shop till ya drop...

Hubby caught me "laundering" money one morning a couple of years ago!  Yes, you read that right.  I was laundering dollar bills and when they were dry, giving them a squirt of spray starch and ironing them smooth.  He laughed so hard when he saw me doing this, I thought he would burst an artery.  Upon reflection, I guess to an outsider it looked pretty funny alright.

But it was for an "arty" cause.  Traveling around the internet, I had come across the "art" of money origami.  It's pretty cool what you can create out of an American dollar bill or a Canadian five dollar bill... shirts, bow ties, valentines, gift boxes, dresses, rings, even eyeglasses... just a few of many.  I had to try it!!

Now, one of the first things the instructions say is to have clean, crisp dollar bills! Well hello, I live in Canada and getting a crisp, clean American dollar bill without going over the border to the nearest bank is about next to impossible. I had the dollar bills but they weren't crisp nor were they particularly clean.  So what's a gal to do in the name of art... wash them and iron them of course!

Following the instructions, I made a little shirt out of one of the bills.  It was cute.  I made another one.  Now I had a matching pair.  So what do you do with two matching dollar bill shirts?  You make earrings to wear on your next shop 'till you drop trip.  Cause, you see, that way if you are short a few bucks, you can just whip your earrings off, unfold the bills and pay the lady!

One of my "shop till you drop" friends got a pair of my innovative earrings in her Christmas card that year and laughed herself silly.  The first time she wore them she kept looking over her shoulder hoping she didn't get mugged!  She didn't.  She's worn them many times since and according to her it still amazes her that people don't clue into the fact that they are made from "real" dollar bills until she tells them.  Most times they either don't recognize them as dollar bills or if they do, they think they are fake! 

So...here's the link for the shirt and here's the link  for other wonderful creations.

Now you could make your own shirt out of real dollars or if you can get an image of the back of an American dollar (cause it's the "greenback" that creates the pattern) or the back of an older Canadian five dollar bill (laugh my fellow Canucks... you'll get a "hockey" shirt) you can make some that look "real" but aren't!  The "fake" shirts made from paper could also be "painted" with Modge Podge to strengthen them.    Bet you've got a friend who'd get a big bang out of finding a pair in her Christmas stocking!  OR....

Attach a key ring (like I did with the $5.00 Canadian bill hockey shirt) and voila... instant money chain!

ENTER TO WIN... my "Shop 'till you drop" shirt earrings to wear to all the Christmas sales!! I have two pairs of American greenbacks to give away. They aren't real, but boy won't they be fun to wear on your next trip through the mall?

So just leave a comment on this post before 9 PM tonight in your time zone telling me what you want most for Christmas this year!  I'll pick two names from all of the comments left.  Check in to see if you have won and if you see your name, send me an email before Monday evening at 9 PM with your snail mail address so I can get your earrings into the mail in time for your next shopping trip.   What a deal huh??? Good luck!

Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 2

Cleaning your (ART) house before Christmas...

Yesterday morning I discovered (much to my initial consternation and rather ugly spoken words not fit to print)  that the drive on my computer that has all the "good stuff" on it (including most of the stuff I was going to show you over the next week or so) has mysteriously disappeared from my computer.   I haven't got a clue as to what has happened to that drive (I am keeping my fingers crossed that it's not serious) as  computers and me haven't been getting along so well this year... this is the second time this has happened!  So I am just going to do the best I can to keep my promise to you here over the next ten days... although I haven't quite figured out how yet! LOL  But here goes...

This past week, after doing some stamping both on paper and clay,  I discovered I was out of stamp cleaner.  Not being able to find the recipe I had printed a couple of years ago, I knew exactly where to go... this blog's archive.  And yep, there is was.

Now some of you who have been loyal followers over the years will recognize a portion of the contents of this post (I have revised it slightly) and I hope it comes as a handy reminder.  For some of you, this will be new and hopefully you find it useful in your art days ahead! 

Here are some tips today to help you save some money on supplies you can make in order to buy supplies that you can't (GRIN)... and I've thrown in a NEW "recipe" for a hand cleaner for good measure.  This "recipe" works like magic to get your hands squeaky clean once you are all done for the day.  It even removes clay "residue" from your hands after playing with clay, especially liquid clay,  for a day!

MAKE YOUR OWN STAMP SCRUBBER
Ever painted the walls in your home? If so, you probably have a paint edger, used to paint the edge of walls at the ceiling or the trim, kicking around in your garage with the paint tools. Snatch it from its lonely, almost forgotten spot and put it to work in your art room!

These paint edgers are made from the same material used in much more expensive “stamp scrubbers” you find in stamping stores. The next time you are in the hardware or paint store, purchase a replacement package for the edger. You can then use it to scrub your stamps after your next stamping session.

MAKE YOUR OWN STAMP CLEANER
The recipe I like best (and I have tried a lot of them) is very simple to make. You can find all of the ingredients in your local pharmacy. It’s a good one if you are sensitive to chemicals or have allergies. This one works well on both rubber or clear stamps.

To one cup (8 oz) of distilled water, add 2 tablespoons of glycerin and 1 tsp. of baby wash. You can add some rose water to this mixture (makes it smell nice) but it is optional. Put the mixture in a household spray bottle, spray your dirty stamp, wipe off the excess with an old rag or “seen better days” towel. This will remove most of the ink. Now using your “new” paint edger scrubber, spray some of the liquid on it and give your stamp a good clean.

A few notes about your stamp cleaning brew…
When making this solution, use ONLY distilled water. The chemicals in tap water can harden the rubber on your stamps (makes you wonder what those chemicals might be doing to our bodies huh?) and bottled water still has some traces of minerals that could potentially ruin your stamp over time. In a pinch you could use filtered water but I personally don’t think it would be a good idea long term. You can find distilled water at your local drug store or pharmacy. It is not expensive. You may have to purchase a larger jug of it but you’ll never have to buy another one for a very long time!

You can find baby wash (a liquid “soap” used to wash a baby’s tender skin) in the baby products aisle. I use Aveeno Baby (no fragrance) made by Johnson and Johnson. It’s the same bottle I purchased when my  granddaughter was a baby (she’s seven now) and came with her mom to visit Gramma and Grampa for the first time. Other brands of creamy baby wash will probably work just as well.

Glycerin is often used commercially in beauty products and better brands of bathing soap. Pharmacies stock it in smaller bottles because the medicinal use is to relieve chapped skin, minor burns or for minor cough and throat irritations. If you don’t find it in the “cough medicine” or “chapped skin” product aisle, ask a clerk. Be prepared to tell them what it is used for… some of them seem to not know what it is!

Why does this recipe use glycerin?
When I first came across this stamp cleaner recipe on the web (I don’t remember now where I first saw it), I was curious as to why glycerin was called for in the recipe. I asked my husband, who, “in his old life” was a chemist and he said “Probably to condition the rubber, keep it from cracking or going hard.” Well we certainly want to prolong the life of our favourite stamps, don’t we? Make the effort to find glycerin.

CLEANING GLUE/ACRYLIC HARDENED BRUSHES
I could just kick myself in the butt every time I forget to clean my glue or acrylic laden paint brush when I am working on a project! I don’t know how many dried on, glue or acrylic paint encrusted brushes I threw out before I discovered this tip: Soak it in GooBeGone overnight. The glue softens right up and you can then get all the “gunk” out of it.

EFFORTLESS BRUSH CLEANING

I keep some HAND liquid soap in a container next to my “brush cleaning sink”. Once I have removed most of the water soluble paint from my brush by swishing it in a container of water, I squirt a little of the liquid soap in the palm of my hand, swish the brush in it, rinse it well under running water and set it aside to dry. With very little effort and mess, my brushes (and hands) are as clean as a whistle when I am done.


HAND CLEANER


4 tbls. Murphy's Oil Soap
1/2 cup Borax
a few drops of essential oil if desired (I like lavender, orange or peppermint)

Put the borax in a tightly lidded jar or container.  Add the oil soap and essential oil and mix together with a fork until it is the consistency of a lovely frosting for a cake!  Keep the lid tightly capped so that it does not dry out.

Well that’s it for today. See you tomorrow. Now go clean your (ART) house… LOL!

Cheers,
Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas - Day 1

First up in this showcase of projects I have done over the years is one you might not expect! 

I love antique stores and one year as I was roaming around the wilds of North Carolina, I came across this lovely little shop tucked away in a small town south west of Raleigh.  Well there isn't an antique shop on this planet that I won't visit, so in I went.

As some of you may know, North Carolina once was the "fabric" mecca of the south.  It still is to some extent but not nearly what it once was. As this industry declined and factories closed over the years, old thread spools and bobbins that had been languishing, forgotten,  in the back storerooms began showing up in thrift shops and antique stores.

Well being a sewer and a lover of anything vintage, when I spotted a bunch of them sitting in a large basket on the floor of this little shop, so lost, forgotten and forlorn LOL, I just had to have them.  I scooped up a number of them from the basket and, clutching them tightly to my bosom,  headed for the cash register. 

"Whatcha gonna do with all these here spools ma'am?" asked the sweet little old fellow behind the counter. "They is from the factory that closed here 'bout ten years ago and been sittin' in that basket ever since!"

"Don't know yet." I replied.  "I am a sewer and I just like them.  Maybe I'll put them in my sewing room."

Fast forward a couple of years. 

I needed a small lamp for a little niche area I had created in our living room.  I had scoured every store in town but still hadn't found one that I liked.  Feeling rather frustrated and impatient at not finding what I wanted, I decided to clean up my sewing room. Yep, that's one of my ways that I work frustration and impatience out... I clean!

All those thread spools and bobbins were sitting on a shelf in my sewing room... artfully arranged I might add... and as I picked up one of the large thread spools, it suddenly came to me that I could make a lamp out of these spools and bobbins.  The thread colour on the bobbins was perfect!  A quick trip to the hardware store for the electrical bits.  A side trip to the local lampshade place and my project was underway.  A rummage through my ribbon to tie the bobbins together on the thread spool and  by that evening my new lamp was sitting on my antique sewing machine.  It sits on a little table today, many years later, and I still love it!

Now if I could just get that "inventive" about all the other stuff languishing in my multiple stashes around the house!! LOL

Have you got any ideas about a project one could make using old thread spools?  Please share...


Cheers,
Sharon

The 12 Days of Christmas

An Art Fest of Projects

For days now I have been ruminating about my blog posts for December!  This morning, as I rolled out of my nice warm bed to greet a cold, crisp November day, it came to me: create a chronicle of various "art" projects I have tackled or created over the years.. some of which I have shared with you and others that didn't quite make it to these pages!

Beginning tomorrow and until December 12, I will be serving up a short blog post each day "showcasing" one of these projects.  Some you may have already seen, some may be new to you.  My hope is that they inform, instruct or inspire you in your art endeavors now and in the coming new year.

So please, drop by and join me on this little trip down art project lane.  See you tomorrow,

Sharon

P.S.  Mrs. Santa, who dropped by for a quick cup of tea this morning, told me to also let you know there will be a couple mystery surprise days coming your way over the next 12 days but you're gonna have to be there, on those days,  to be in on that day's surprise!  I prodded her for more information, even tried to bribe her to tell me with a piece of apple pie but she remained steadfast in her resolve to keep her secret.  "My lips are sealed!" she said with a sly smile and a twinkle in her eye!

Listening to an inner song

When I realized that well over a month had passed since I last updated my blog, I was rather shocked!

"Where did the time go?" I mused to my SELF.

The answer came back swiftly.  "Listening to the song in your heart." said that voice of SELF.  I smiled.

Allow me to explain.  Around the beginning of June, I was doing some clean up on my computer.  A necessary evil every now and again and not one that I particularly enjoy.  However, I like things relatively tidy and a good "purge" of my inbox, bookmarks, graphics, digitals and files definitely cleans things up... at least for awhile.  Sometimes I am more "ruthless" in my housekeeping than at other times and this time was no exception.  My recycle bin was filling up at a furious pace.  But then.... I came across the digital ATC above that I created at some point last year and had forgotten about.  It stopped me in my tracks... then and there!

I had to admit: "Nope, I haven't been listening."  In my rush to get caught up with all the "stuff" that had languished around for months before and after my foot operation/recuperation, I was going flat out trying to do six months of backlog AND "new stuff" all at once! 

I wish now that I had kept all the sticky notes emblazoned with task after task scattered all over my desk and pasted to my monitor.  It would have made a grand photo to show you!  One thing became clear as I looked at them... I wasn't doing what was most important to me.  It went a long way to explaining why I was feeling so out of sorts, why I was somewhat "grumpy" (not something I am prone to being), headachy and to top it all off, I was "bone" tired!!  I gathered them all up and threw them in the trash.  Boy did that feel "freeing"!

I had come to the sudden realization that I was so intent on crossing off those tasks (and ridding myself of a yellow sticky note) that I had completely forgotten what has worked for me for more years than I can remember:  Every morning, before I start my day, I ask myself this question:  "What are the 3 most important things you have to do today?"  I write them down and get to it.  After those tasks are completed, I get to do whatever I want AND I get to toss that sticky note in the trash!  It has always been amazing to me that once I identify the "must do's", I relax.  Many times I have discovered that once the "must do's" have been completed, I tackle something else that most likely would have ended up on the "must do" list a few days later and because it's not a "must" it miraculously transforms into a "want to".  Strange... but true.  LOL

Having broken the "spell" I was under, I began listening again.  I soon discovered where my headaches were coming from. 

Working on the computer was giving me eye strain even though I was wearing my "regular" glasses.  My eyes blurred up and my head pounded within a short period of time.  I was scheduled for an eye appointment with the opthamologist in a few days so I'd ask her what was going on. 

As it turned out... nothing... my eyesight was perfect BUT my eyes were drying out sitting in front of the computer.  According to the doctor, we tend not to blink as often sitting in front of the screen and should use eye drops regularly.  She also suggested getting a pair of "office" glasses.  These are glasses that are specially made for working on the computer.  Off to the "glasses" store I went to pick out a pair of the funkiest frames I could find!  Well ... what a difference putting in eyedrops regularly throughout the day and my "funky glasses" have made.  Headaches have disappeared and I'm back in business (chuckle).  If you wear glasses and work for more than an hour in front of a computer,  I highly recommend them.

So what have I been up to?  The biggest chunk of my time has been spent on recording stories for a CD I will be releasing soon and hope to get on iTunes.  What fun it has been!  This is a project that I have been wanting to do for close to 12 years now and it feels great "getting on" with it.  Yep, listening to my inner song is definitely working!

During my "sitting around" time earlier this year, I decided to go through my file (upon file, upon file) of stories and choose my absolute favourites.  With over 150 stories that I have gathered over the years, it wasn't an easy task deciding which ones I loved the most.  But... I did manage to boil it down to 50... way more than I will ever need for a couple of CD's.

The next order of business was figuring out how and where to put a proper "recording" area in our house..  When we lived in North Carolina, I had a recording studio built in our home but "lost" it when we moved back to Canada.  But where could I put it in our current house?  Over the past five years, I have filled up any available spot in my creative space with art supplies, paint, clay, fabric, beads, wire... need I continue? LOL.  Add to that rolling carts, cupboards, fridge, oven (for baking clay) and a giantic art table!  I wasn't about to give that up... no way!!

It took some brainstorming, moving stuff around and a couple of "this won't work" tryouts but my new  recording area finally found a home in a tiny corner of my creative space.  Because I stand when I record, I don't need a lot of room to move around (other than for my "flying hands"). 

Hubby put together a tower to hold my microphone, snuggled it and the surrounding area in noise dampening audio foam, added a light, a spot for my laptop, a music stand and a high bar stool that I can straddle (I still have problems standing on my foot for any length of time).  It's perfect!  Very little ambient noise because I am in an enclosed space... a necessity as my microphone is very sensitive and picks up the drop of a pin!  It's like being in a small "British style" telephone booth!.  The only thing I need to do is turn off the fridge (which lives in a distant part of the room, as far away from the mike as we could get it).  I forgot to turn it back on one day last week after I finished recording and had a tiny disaster... it defrosted and the water drained out all over hardwood floor!  Now I have a sticky note on my laptop every time I record:  "Remember to turn the &%"@* fridge back on." Nonetheless, I am a happy camper.  Recording is just plain fun especially so when you can breathe life into a story you love.  Stories just ain't for kids ya know!

Over this past month, I have managed to get a number of stories recorded. Now begins the "grunt work"... editing and getting a "master" done.  This is the part that is so time intensive to do it right but with new "computer" glasses, a tenacious spirit and a bunch of enthusiasm, I am raring to go.... but first...

some beach time this weekend and then back to playing with story.  Yep, life is good!

See you soon...next time I'll show you the CD cover I have designed for these wonderful "vintage" tales.

Sharon

Claying Around... A Wire, Clay and Bead Embellished Necklace

Here's a fun little bunny hopping by to say Happy Easter to you!

May this Easter bring  you and the special people in your life, lot of Love, Smiles and a chocolate bunny to nibble on.

This week I graduated to an old pair of gardening shoes .. not pretty by any means but boy at least I can get them on my "newly aligned" foot without screeching!  It has amazed me at just how sensitive my foot is since the operation and how I am having to learn how to walk again.  I never realized, until now, just how "off" my gait was before the operation.  The minute I put my foot down in the "old" position, I get a sharp pain in my hip to remind me to "get with the program" and adjust.

I won't be running any marathons soon LOL but slowly and surely I can stand again for longer than 10 minutes.  So I took advantage this week and decided to clay around....

Here's a photo of the "leaf" necklace I made to which I added some wire and beads.  Although it looks "red" in the photo (when will I ever learn how to do photography??? LOL), it is actually a copper metallic colour.  The highlighting, also in metallic was done with a couple of colours... blue, green and purple... and sets it all off very subtly.  I love how it just catches the light and changes colour depending on the angle.

Each of the individual leaves would make a sweet pendant all by itself.  I attached the leaves to an "antiqued" copper chain that I purchased and made a clasp to finish it off.

Just a reminder... there is still time to enter the April giveaway for the rather funky necklace I made some time back.  Just click on the photo in the Popular Posts (Blog Giveaway - A Funky Pendant Necklace) over on the right hand side of this page to see it and how you can enter to win it.

Hope this finds you happy, healthy and ready to gather Easter eggs this weekend,
Sharon

Two Days We Should Not Worry...

I'd like to say a warm thank you to all of you who have sent me "best wishes" for a speedy recovery from my foot operation.  I am not quite out of the woods yet... but I am getting there.  At least now I can sit for an hour with my foot down... that's a big improvement.  I still have a way to go... I certainly didn't think it was going to take me what seems like FOREVER to be able to get back to art but I am being as patient as I can be so I don't screw it all up by getting too ambitious!  So bear with me folks... my head is brimming with ideas (especially for the giveaway coming in April for blog followers) even though the body isn't quite up to making it happen yet! You know the old story... the heart is willing  but... LOL

But I have discovered one thing I can do while not being very mobile... do some recording.  With this in mind, I have recorded a new (2:36 minute) story for this month called "Two Days We Should Not Worry".  Intrigued?  I hope you enjoy it... Sharon

This story has been moved to the Audio Story Page.  Just click on the Audio Story "Tab" at the top of this page to access it.

A Pretty Necklace and an update...

Hi everyone...

Well, here I am, two weeks plus a couple of days in after my foot operation and although I am doing much better, it has become increasingly clear to me that this is going to take some time yet!!  Am I getting bored?  Oh YES!  I miss doing art. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do "art wise" when you spend most of the day lying on your back with your foot in the air and... daytime television just doesn't do it for me. LOL 

Audiobooks have made it much more pleasant and the music, videos, podcasts, etc. on my IPod have been getting a good workout.  Right now I can spend about 15 minutes on the computer without my foot swelling up (and hurting like mad I might add)  It doesn't seem to like it when I sit with my foot down... even if it is resting on an upside down bucket under my desk...so this post will be short and sweet.  Just long enough to touch base....

I have been anxious to show you the beautiful polymer clay necklace I made at my claying retreat with Helen Briel and Eugenia Chan in Vancouver a couple of weeks ago.  What a fun retreat it was.  Both of these ladies were just absolutely wonderful...  more patience with our group than I could ever muster up I am sure LOL.  If you ever get the opportunity to have a workshop with either of them, I would highly recommend them. I am just tickled with the results...

Isn't that pretty?  You'd never know that it was made of clay!  I especially enjoyed learning some new wire working techniques... now I will just have to practice them. 

Unfortunately I am going to have to put off the special giveaway treat I have for new (and current) followers until around mid to late April... I am sure you can understand.  If you become a follower before then, you will be able to join in.  Just click on the "Follow" button... see over there on the left,  above all the lovely photos of other followers are... to join.

Hope to be back to more regular blogging around the first week or so of April.... so until then... have fun with your art...

Sharon





 

Happy Hearts Day...

Happy Valentine's Day!  Today, for your listening pleasure, is a short but old Japanese tale of everlasting love called "The White Butterfly". 

So go ahead, take less than five minutes out of your day to listen to this poignant tale of love that I am sure you will enjoy. Just click on the mp3 player below.

Happy Hearts Everyone... Sharon

Button, button, who's got the ..

buttons!  I DO! 

More about buttons with a mini tutorial for polymer clay buttons  following this BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT...

Looking for the One World, One Heart Giveaway Post?  Just click on the link under Popular Posts to go there or scroll down past this post.

Also... I have a lovely surprise coming towards the end of February for my followers (and anyone who becomes a follower between now and then) so keep a watch out for it.


And now... to this week's post...

Next weekend (the 18th, 19th & 20th) I will be in Vancouver (with my Vancouver Island Guild clay buddies) for a weekend of fun playing with clay.  I have been looking forward to this bi-annual shindig put on by the Vancouver Polymer Clay Artists Guild for months now... I even re-scheduled my foot surgery coming up on February 22...(more about that later) to make sure that I could walk without a cast and have a good time.  Now that is dedication to my art... LOL

With loads of demos planned (color mixing, conditioning, transferring images to clay, making hinges for boxes), a full weekend workshop of creating a pinched leaf necklace (see photo below) with Helen Briel and Eugenia Chan, catching up with Lower Mainland friends, dining out and sipping wine, it promises to be a weekend without much sleep but with a lot of FUN and a LAUGHTER!

Here is a photo of the gorgeous necklace we are going to learn how to make...  I just hope I can create something that even comes remotely close to it... LOL

Helen Briel/Eugenia Chan Design
Photo courtesy of Vancouver Polymer
Clay Guild, Helen Briel and Eugenia Chan

One fun activity that is done on the Friday evening is to exchange polymer clay buttons we have made.  I  have been in a steampunk and faux raku mood lately so here's a photo of the buttons I have made for the exchange:

It was fun making all 30 of them with what I call my "Serendipity Steampunk" method. 

You just take a piece of rolled out on your largest setting black clay, double it, gently roll it smooth to release any air bubbles. 

Now just grab a bunch of "stuff" like toothpicks, screws, little charms, watch faces, fancy buttons, watch parts, little keys, keyholes and so forth and press them randomly into the clay to create a pattern all over your clay.  It helps if you swish them around in a baking soda bath (baking soda poured in a recycled lid) so that they don't stick to the clay when making the impressions.

Next come your cutters... whatever shape you like... and, with "gay abandon" just cut your buttons out from the clay.  Let yourself be surprised by what your "buttons" will look like.  You just never know what you are going to get and it's a fun way to just stay loose and simply create!! 

A small cocktail toothpick will create the holes quite neatly. Punch them from front to back, then back to front.

I dust them with Pearl-Ex, "cook" them (20 minutes at 275 degrees) and when cool put a Varathane finish on them (cause I like shiny!).  This also allows them to be washed.  However you can also cover the "cooked" buttons with Precious Memories III (one coating is enough), Future Floor Wax (several dippings) or just leave them as they are... just lightly sand and buff HARD on your jeans.

These buttons are great for adding to a knit sweater (most knit sweaters have such boring buttons) or even to a top or blouse.  And at the cost of buttons these days, they are CHEAP!  But don't stop there... leave the button holes out and use them as embellishments for altered books, scrapbooking pages, cards, altered art... the list could go on and on...

So there you have it!  Next on my list to make will be some "critter" buttons for my granddaughter.  When she saw these (via Skype) she thought they were pretty cool!

If you are a clayer, when was the last time you made some buttons?  If you aren't a clayer. why not give it a try?  Polymer clay is so easy to work with.  It doesn't take long and you'll have a blast coming up with all sorts of designs that you'll just have to go and buy a new sweater... or blouse... or  ....... start a new altered book... or ... make a fun card for a special someone... or add them to your latest painting.... need I say more?  Didn't think so!
 
On another note...
 
I am going in for surgery on my foot on the 22nd.  As some of you know, I have arthritis and it has taken its toll, destroying cartilage and creating all sorts of grief for me in various parts of my body.  If I want to be able to continue to walk, this operation has become mandatory.  I will be in a non weight bearing cast for about 8 weeks while everything heals... and quite honestly for someone like me with high freedom needs... I am hoping I don't go stir crazy batty!!  It is my right foot so unfortunately driving is OUT!
 
But I am going to ask for a plaster cast for the first one (there are two casts) so that I can have some fun drawing zentangles on it while I recuperate for the first couple of weeks!  I'm going to Michaels this weekend to buy some of those Sharpie paint pens they have on sale to get ready... and  hope the orthopaedic surgeon goes along with my request.
 
During that time I am going to do my best to keep the blog updated.  Time permitting, I will get some writing done beforehand that I can then schedule for publication.  
 
 
Cheers,
Sharon

One World, One Heart, 2011 Edition

**Please note that this post will remain at the top of my posts for the duration of the One World, One Heart event. For newer posts, scroll down and click on the latest posts in the Blog Archive section in the right sidebar.**


Welcome to this year's One World, One Heart magical giveaway event starring bloggers from around the world!  Thank you so much for deciding to stop by myStoryART for a visit today.

Organized by Lisa Swifka, as a way for bloggers to connect with other bloggers from all corners of our wonderful world, this fifth and final year for the One World, One Heart Giveaway event promises to be the best yet!!

If you are a blogger and you'd like more information about how you can participate in this world wide event, just drop by Lisa's blog to read the "rules and regs" .  Many words of thanks and appreciation go to Lisa for all the work, time and effort she has put into this event over the past five years.  It is truly a gift of love on her part.

**************************************

If you are a first time visitor to my blog, allow me to introduce myself and give you an idea of what you can expect to find, see or do during your visit to myStoryART.com. 

My name is Sharon House and I'd like to invite you to sample many of the delicious "goodies" you can discover buried in 130+ posts you can find on my blog.   Tasty morsels such as...

• Entering your name for a chance to win the special giveaway gift I have selected for this year's One World, One Heart event.
• Wise woman tales and other delightful, intriguing stories
• Art projects to inspire you
• Hands on projects for all levels of artistic talent
• Tips, techniques and ideas you can use in your art
• Tutorials you can download or request
• Much, much more to delight the eye, tickle your funny bone and stimulate your creativity

If you like what you see and/or hear during your visit and would like to drop by again in the future, may I suggest that you bookmark my blog address in your browser or become a follower or sign up as a subscriber?  And, of course, remember to enter your name for a chance to win my GIVEAWAY. 



(Retail value $25.00)

I chose this funky, handcrafted polymer clay Inukshuk earring and pendant set (it also comes with a story, "The Story of the Inukshuk... The Meaningful Messenger") for my giveaway because of its symbolic meaning. The Inukshuk, originally found in Canada's arctic (and which was also the symbol for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games) is an enduring symbol of the importance of caring friendship between peoples and also serves as a reminder on an individual basis that we always have a choice in the direction we choose to take as we follow our life's path. 

Here's how to enter this Giveaway.

It's very simple!  Leave a comment on THIS POST along with your email address and a link to your blog (I'd like to return the favour and stop by for a visit to your blog)   The draw will take place on February 17 and I will post the winner's name here on my blog. 

**A gentle reminder... you must be a blogger and have your own blog in order to enter the draw.**

Thanks for stopping by today. I sincerely hope your enjoy your visit and come back again soon!

Cheers,
Sharon

Time for a Wise Woman Tale

Hello again and welcome to my blog!

Last Wednesday night, as I turned off the bedside light to go off to sleep, our bedroom was flooded with the silvery light of the moon filtering through the open blinds. 

One of my favourite things to do is to lie in bed and look out at the night sky, especially around the time of the new moon.  As I lay there, feeling quite happy and content, I was reminded of a wise woman story that I have often told around the time of the full moon.

When I sat down to write this week's post, I realized that I haven't told you a wise woman tale for quite a long time now.  So, this week, for your reading or listening pleasure (you decide) is my "cobbled together from different sources" version of an old Hawaiian tale, The Old Woman in the Moon.

This story has been moved to the Audio Story page. Just click on the Audio Story "tab" at the top of the blog to access it.

Aloha!

P.S. In the mood for a good chuckle?  Another recorded story you might enjoy is "Mary Sue's Goin' on a Diet". It's a tale I tell only in January and was the recorded story for January 2010.

 

Have a wonderful week,
Sharon