Skywatch Friday - Stormwatch CA

Happy Friday friends! Here we are close to the end of another week. We're having some very chilly weather for Southern California, but in the middle of it all still some blue sky and sunshine here and there. Where in the world are you, and what's happening weather-wise?

This was a particularly stormy day, cold and blustery, rain pouring down, but it cleared up just in time for a fabulous sunset by the Pacific Ocean - thank you Planet Earth :) If you squint a little you can just make out the lighthouse in the distance on the peninsula.

To see what other Skywatchers saw when they looked up and out, click HERE

Sunshine, flowers, and a little tag

It was SO pretty around here this weekend - sun shining, blue breezy skies, flowers blooming, just lovely. We did a little running around on Saturday, caught up with some friends near the beach, and had a wonderfully lazy Sunday at home. Flynn was going to a birthday party so I made this little tag for the birthday girl.

Patterned paper by A Muse
Cardstock and ribbon by Stampin' Up!
Rosette die and grungeboard letter by Tim Holtz
Vintage book paper, bakers twine, border punch
Glimmer mist by Tattered Angels

These little bees weren't lazy at all, it's so hard to catch them on a flower before they buzz off to the next one, they are constantly in motion. I'm allergic to bee stings, so I felt quite brave staying close enough to get a photo of the little buzzers. Even faster, and no way I could catch this with my little point and shoot camera - a hummingbird, it was hovering right next to my head - wow!!

Just as I was taking a photo of these sweet aromatic jasmine flowers a little visitor landed to say 'hello' - I love ladybugs (or ladybirds as we call them back home) - this one was WAY easier to catch on camera than the bees and the hummingbird.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend and feel refreshed and ready for the week ahead. Any big plans?

Peace Be With You

Well happy new year, and may it be a good one for all of you! We're off to a running start, visitors from overseas, crafty projects, transition to a new job, back to school for the kiddos, and CHA in Anaheim next week. Oh goody :)

Getting blingy with it -
diamantes, stickles,
and distress crackle rock candy,
gold ink and pearly glimmery mist
in the background,
and a little bit of tinsel.

Life is full, wonderfully so. In the middle of this abundance, I'm enjoying peaceful moments. These tags were made for friends, I had such fun going through my stash and digging out little treasures to put them together. Like so many others I enjoyed watching Tim Holtz putting together his 12 Tags for the holidays, always inspiring, and this tag uses his tip to offset diecut words just a little with a darker diecut in the background to add definition - I matched the sparkly cardstock too closely to my background color and it lost some of it's pop, this was the perfect solution. Thanks Tim!

Supplies include:
Stamps by Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous and Papertrey,
dies by Tim Holtz/Sizzix and Papertrey,
Ranger Perfect Pearl and Tattered Angels Glimmer-mist sprays,
Ranger Stickles, inks and distress paints/crackles,
tissue tape, buttons, bells, vintage lace, ribbon,
diamantes from SU! and Kaisercraft.

I'd love to hear about your plans for 2012, feel free to share. Are you making lists, setting goals, or just taking each day as it comes? My general goals include the usual, things work hard, play hard, prioritize family time, get creative, stretch past my comfort zone a little, take some classes, make my desires become reality. I decided against a specific list at this time, just make like a superhero - onward and upward my friends!

Happy New Year,
and may peace be with you
wherever you wander.

Skywatch Friday - Double Rainbow

Happy Friday friends! For a change I don't have work today, so I have time to post a Skywatch. It's a cool and cloudy Friday morning with a storm blowing in. I love that feeling of the calm before the gathering storm, cool breezes (it's a California storm, just cool, not cold, yet . . .), and knowing that I don't have to go out and battle the elements helps too :)

Driving home from a recent road trip we spotted so many people out and about with their cameras pointed at the sky. Had the aliens finally arrived? Nope, I couldn't see any flying saucers up there. Flocks of amazing birds, incredible aircraft? Nope, no extra wildlife or experimental planes up there. Arriving home and stepping out of the car I could finally see what all the fuss was about - wow, double rainbows! The clearest and strongest double rainbows I have ever seen. My little point and shoot camera did it's best to catch the rainbow action :)


To see what other SkyWatchers view when they look up and out, visit the SkyWatch Blog.

Wishing you a double rainbow kind of day.

Proceed with Abandon

The upside of not having posted much here in the past few months is that I do have a lot to share! Looking back through some photos today I found all sorts of odds and ends, bits and bobs. Earlier in the summer I met up with my friend Lianna at the Carson Rubber Stamp Convention. We had a great time walking around the vendors, then took a fabulous class with Teesha Moore. On the way to class we bumped into our friend Tami and press-ganged her aboard for the class - we're piratical like that :) Tami is the Fiskars lady and she came armed with classic Fiskars scissors, just what we all needed to tackle the cut part of 'cut and paste'.

As always, time spent with friends, stamps, ink, paper, AND a class with Teesha, proved to be uplifting, inspiring and altogether wonderful. Teesha is a very inspiring teacher, she gives a lot - not just supplies and materials, but a lot of herself, great tips, techniques and insight, she is generous in spirit, and that makes for a wonderful class - if you ever have the opportunity to take a class with Teesha or her husband, Tracy, do it!

L to R: Sue, Lianna, Teesha, Tami
with our pages and happy smiles all 'round

I have to laugh at myself - on a page about moving forward with abandon, even on a section about NOT overthinking, I totally drilled into micro-detail, in the end I wrote over it "just do it". I am definitely the person who most gets in my own way :) Two great discoveries in this class - pan pastels and Sharpie poster pens, love 'em.

The Carson Rubber Stamp Convention is coming up again in a couple of weeks, November 12 & 13, if you live in the greater Los Angeles area and you're a papercrafty type it's well worth a day trip.

Baby Steps (and the A to Z of Me)

A card for Flynn

Stamps by Darkroom Door Designs and
Tim Holtz (Stampers Anonymous)

Where did all the time go? Life has been busy, to the point of overwhelming, and none of it has made it to this blog. I found that in the effort to keep things positive and cheerful, I was editing myself to the point that there was nothing left to say. I tucked my paws over my eyes and became the dormouse in the bed of crysanthemums, dreaming of geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue) - do you remember that old poem by A.A. Milne? I grew up on his poetry and used to read it to my children when they were little (he's the author that created Winnie The Pooh and the other inhabitants of the 100 Acre Woods).

A postcard swap for online stamping friends
Stamps by Tim Holtz (Stampers Anonymous)
Darkroom Door Designs and Stampin' Up!

So here's the scoop - my husband is a cancer survivor, and has been disabled following treatment for the past 12 years, with many chronic health problems. He just came home from a week in the hospital and I'm feeling the need to clean up, clear out, regroup and re-energize. I have two wonderful children, the light of my life, my son is 17 and a senior in high school, he refuses to let me post photos of him here, my daughter is 20 and going to college, also working, she plans to become a nurse. I work at a local hospital, it's challenging and busy, and I'm so grateful to be gainfully employed in these tough times.

Spotted on a walk by the ocean with a friend

Art and creativity are my comfort and nourishment, they refill me. You could call it a hobby, it's more like a lifeline to tell the truth. I'm a dabbler, that's why you see papercrafting, stamping, collage, crochet, painting, cooking, photography, music and a smattering of other arty endeavors here, it's as necessary as breathing to me. Creative activities make me a happy person. I love to explore, learn, grow.

A card for my Mum
Stamps by Stampin' Up!

So here's to keeping going, learning, sharing, exploring, and never giving up. Giving up is not an option around here. Thank you for your patience with my ramblings, and for visiting my little space here on the vast internet. I'm taking baby steps back to blogging on a more regular basis. Hope you'll return again soon.

Here's a little bit of fluff that's being posted around the place on other blogs and websites - the A to Z of Me. Feel free to copy it and adapt to the A to Z of you in your little corner of the internet.

A. Age: I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you :) Nah, I'm 47, it's all good.
B. Bed size: Queen
C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning - I love to have things clean, just don't have a passion for the never-ending work of cleaning, I'd rather be playing with ink and paper, fabric or photographs, reading, walking, or just about anything else you can name.
D. Dogs: Love 'em, we have a white Jindo that we rescued when he was just a tiny pup, he's fab.
E. Essential start to your day: Tea, at least one cup, preferably two.
F. Favorite color: Green, in all it's lovely shades.
G. Gold or Silver: Silver
I. Instruments you play: This should be instruments I used to play, since I haven't been playing any at all for so long, but once upon a time I played the piano and clarinet, and I've meddled with mandolin, guitar, recorders, penny whistles, ocarina and the spoons :)
J. Job title: Some years ago now, in-between jobs, I had to apply for my passport, and when I got to the job title section I almost lost it. What the heck am I? Unemployed administrator didn't sound too hot, nor did Caregiver. Life crisis looming, I had a moment of clarity and joy, then wrote my job title - Artist. It's official, it's in my passport :) I do have a day job, thank goodness, I'm a Medical Staff Coordinator.
K. Kids: Two cherished children - Molly and Flynn.
L. Live: California (South Bay area of Los Angeles) - but I was raised in Australia and, just as Peter Allen sang, "I still call Australia Home. California is home now too, after all these years I have realized I will always have a foot in each place, and that's OK.
M. Mother’s name: Linda, usually known as 'Lyn'
N. Nicknames: Susie, or Sue
O. Overnight hospital stays: Only when my babies were born
P. Pet peeves: Spelling oddities like 'lite' and 'tite', I'm an Oxford Dictionary type (blame my parents, my birthday present on my 8th birthday was an Oxford Dictionary, pocket edition).
Q. Quote from a movie: "Tomorrow is another day" (you got that right Scarlett)
R. Right or left handed: Right
S. Siblings: Two lovely brothers
T. Time you wake up: Usually 5:30 or 6:00am
U. Underwear: Yes please
V. Vegetable you hate: I LOVE all vegetables - although okra has to be cooked properly or it's a bit slimey, OK, I don't love slimey vegetables.
W. What makes you run late: Trying to do 'one more thing' before I go
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Oh the usual, teeth, toes, fingers, spine, lungs, sinuses, nothing too major.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Killer risotto, roast veggies, paella, hummous, on the sweet side apple muffins, pancakes and cupcakes (the latter mostly for birthdays and holidays).
Z. Zoo animal: I like my animals OUT of the zoo, but if I were at the zoo I'd like to hang out with the elephants, they are amazing to me, oh, and tigers too.

Say hello to my little friend . . .

It seems like I'm not really being creative right now, but of-course I'm making cards for family and friends, impromptu gift tags and wrapping, the accidental art that happens day to day. I took a fun journal class with Teesha Moore recently, need to take a photo of that page and post it just for fun. (Update - posted HERE)

Say hello to my leetle friend - I got a new toy for Christmas and I have been getting used to it. I thought at first glance that these ATG's were too big and heavy, but surprisingly not so heavy, and much more economical than the little tape runners I've used for so long. I got this one with a 50% off coupon, so it was less than $20.00 and included 2 rolls of acid-free tape, I'm still using the first roll, so it goes a long way. I'm so not a 'pink' girl, but on the upside this bright color is hard to lose on my very messy workspace. I'm still getting used to how it works, pretty sure it's all in the wrist :) Never fear, my little tombow mono-adhesive tape runners are still around, they're pretty indispensible for workshops, classes and crafting get togethers with friends - the ATG is great, but I'm not going to lug it around on the go.

I like these little hardware brads that look like screws -
a bit more blokish than regular card embellishments.
Stamps by Tim Holtz (Stampers Anonymous),
& Stampin' Up!

These are a couple of cards for the men in my life, in this case one of my brothers, and my Dad. When I made them I wasn't sure I loved the results, but now, a couple of months down the line, I think they look quite OK. I find it challenging to make cards for the guys, I'm quite sure I worry about it way more than they do : )

Stamps by Judikins (background), Stampin' Up,
& Tim Holtz (Stampers Anonymous)

Do you ever do that - judge something you've made so harshly, and later realize it wasn't so bad? I'm very tough on myself, my inner critic gets a very regular work out, I'm trying to figure out how to get her to pipe down, she's such a nag! I'm off to a quilt show for some inspiration - hope you're enjoying yourself, having some creative fun, and keeping that inner critic quiet. How do you do it?

Skywatch Friday - Pelicans

Happy Friday friends, thanks for stopping by. My son is learning to drive, and now that we're past the very first days of white knuckling turns and lane changes it's actually fun going out for a drive. Quite often now we'll head out for an impromtu adventure, and this one led us to the ocean for sunset - it's quite good, this driving thing!

I love to watch the pelicans fly along the cliffs, they're so ungainly on the ground, but wonderful to watch in flight; suddenly full of grace, strength and coordination, they fly in undulating waves of precise order. This was a small group, sometimes there are 10 or more flying in formation. Rather than the 'V' that many other birds adopt, the pelicans seem to prefer one long string, swooping along together.

May your day contain a beautiful sunset and at least a little bit of wonder.

To see what other skywatchers viewed when they looked up and out, visit the Skywatch Blog.

Happy 4th of July

This is what July 4th is looking like around here. I met some friends for a walk along the beach earlier today, what a great way to start the day. People were arriving to spend their day at the beach, hauling shade canopies and coolers, blankets and wagons, towels and sunnies.

Police horses on the beach - that was a first for me
(sorry about the fuzzy photo - we were already back on the path)

Parties were in various stages at the houses along The Strand - set up, early gathering, and full swing were all represented. There were volleyball competitions, cyclists, skateboarders, dog walkers, and sun worshippers in stars and stripes bikinis and shorts. Savvy children were setting up lemonade stands and one young man was selling 3' x 5' flags for $5.00 each, he was busy, with most customers draping the flags around their shoulders Superman-cape-style and setting off along their way. Block parties with banners, homes draped in stars and bars, swimmers, surfers, lifeguards and police on bikes, horses and motorbikes were all represented.

No, this is not my home.
It's a well decked out house on The Strand
The only thing between this house and the beach is a bike path

There was a huge group of teams (many in matching board shorts, some even had wigs on) waiting for an event to kick off. Turns out it was the Ironman competition. Participants must run a mile, paddle a surfboard a mile and then consume a 6-pack of their favorite beer! Just as well the lifeguards were on duty :)

The lifeguard doing his best Baywatch impersonation

After a good hike along the sand I was glad to head home for a mellow afternoon and look forward to fireworks tonight, it's all good. Wishing you a very happy day wherever you are. How did you spend your Monday?

Skywatch Friday - The Sky and Those to Whom it Belongs

A little time travel here, back to Summer 2009 when I met up with my family at my brother's home in Switzerland. Those Swiss have it good - everywhere you look there are picturesque views, it's astoundingly beautiful. This photo was taking looking out from a funicular going up a mountain (yes, there's the edge of the window frame, sorry about that :)

Dohle (Ravens) native to Pilatus, Switzerland

At the top of the mountain we met these feathered friends, to whom the sky belongs. They were soaring up there, along with some intrepid humans who were leaping off the mountain with parasails - amazing, I'd LOVE to do that!

At the end of the day my bro looks out at this view from his apartment - I don't think I'd ever grow tired of watching the constantly changing sky over the lake from his balcony, would you?

To see what others view when they look up and out, visit the Skywatch blog HERE