Just for fun...

I doodle...when I'm bored...

when I'm stressed...

usually letters embellished...

or silly faces...

lots of heart...

sometimes just to pass the time.

So a mandala a day for the month of March sounded rather fun...

or maybe just one every few days...

Not because I thought I would be creating wonderful masterpieces...

but because it gave me a focus for my doodles...

and it allowed me to play with my colored pencils!

How fun!

How about you?

What do you doodle?

A mandala...

Not a pretty mandala by no means!!!  :)  

But still therapeutic none the less!!!  

One of the Fly Tribe girls - Rain

asked if anybody was up for a mandala a day for the month of March...

Why the heck not???

Sometimes I feel like being creative...

but don't feel like digging out the jewelry supplies...

or scrapbooking supplies...

or painting...

or playing with clay...

I think you get the picture...

Something a little easier...

doodling and coloring is usually the ticket.

So anywho...my first mandala...

that isn't a zendoodle mandala...

tomorrow I will add details...

and color lots and lots of COLOR!!!

New Outlook...

I have been scrappin away these days!  LOVE it!!

Decided to have a go at the My Mind's Eye Blog Challenge #31.

I LOVE how this one turned out!!!  But boy did I have a hard time getting here.  The sketch had three circles - and boy did they have me STUCK.  So I decided to check out what the other participants were doing - sometimes you need just a little extra inspiration. 

I came across a fantastic layout by Wendy Smith - just love her take on the sketch.  It reminded me to think outside the box when it comes to sketches.  So with that I decided to move away from the circles and used the rectangles...love it!!

Everything (except for the ink) on the layout is My Mind's Eye - from very old cardstock from a paper pad that I have had FOREVER to the more recent Lost & Found line.  Oh I did use dies from Stampin Up to cut out the heart, brackets and rectangles - but using My Mind's Eye paper of course!!

My Girls Crafty...

Check this out!!!

She's crafty!

And she's good!!  :)

The kids have always been interested in craft projects around

the holidays but I didn't think it went beyond that.

I did craft with them throughout the years - little projects here and there 

but sometimes looking back I worry I might have been too stingy 

about my craft time...not really wanting to share that time 

as much as I should have.  Maybe I would have been surprised sooner.

And maybe I started the fire just enough so it would come out at just the right time.

Anywho...

Miss has all these great craft projects she would love to do...

I'm impressed!

Now on to her wreath.  

She made this for her "Big" (her words not mine).

The fun of sorority life.

She used her sorority colors - aqua and grey 

(and we added the black since we couldn't find grey tulle)

She used almost 3 full rolls (at least 2 1/2) in the aqua and black color.

6" spools from Michael's Celebrate It brand.

1 spool of glittery silver/grey ribbon. 

(we had glitter coming out our ears - just ask the boys of the house - they were not amused)

I am not sure of the exact size of the wreath because I have already boxed it up, 

but I think it was a 12" foam wreath form - also from Michael's.

We followed these basic directions.

It's huge!!!  From end of tulle to end of tulle it is about 27".

I Love It.

Now I want to find an online supplier of fun colors of tulle

so she can make me one for:

Valentine's Day

and one for Easter

and one for Birthday months

and one for Halloween

and I think you get the picture!!  :)

Oh and for gifts!  What an awesome gift this would/will make!

Pay it Forward

I love this idea, sending joy to someone! Gifts in the mail.

Thanks to Heather for bringing about the fun!

So here goes...

 

 

The first 5 people who comment on this post will receive a handmade gift by me (it could be any thing)! In return you must write a blog post explaining Pay It Forward 2011 and send your first 5 commenters a gift handmade by you.  It's a great way to make new friends and spread some handmade love around in Blogland! No rush to send them out today or tomorrow.. but do make sure you send them out...'

So, here goes. 

The first 5 people who comment here will get some handmade goodness from me. In addition to commenting, please leave me your favorite colors and a way to contact you.

Hurry up now and comment!!

My new adventure into art.....

I am most excited about this!  Christy Tomlinson - is just about the sweetest thing ever (no I haven't ever met her).  She is so generous with her teaching style - she shows her whole creative process in her lesson videos.  I love that....it makes creating the art so much less intimidating.  I am so excited to dive in.....

So stay tuned I should have lots of sweet little She's coming soon...... 
or at least I better cause I need to justify those Dick Blick and Archiver's reciepts!  :)

Contest entry....

Kind of fun contest going on over at Fusion Beads Facebook page.....$250.00 prize - inspired by love jewelry.  I entered my Love Bird bracelet (sneak peak shown above) - which I love - it was one I just couldn't let go of - and I wear it ALL.THE.TIME!!!
That beautiful heart - is by Lynn Davis - she has lots of beautiful treasures...
Anyways...go check the contest out - to vote or to enter your own beautiful creation....

Sick and big news.....

The Curry's are sick - one or another of us has been sick all week - and it's not fun!!  Whatever I had - which I thought was going away - is now settling with a vengeance into my chest - painful!!!!  I hate going to the doctors but if I am still feeling like this tomorrow I am going in.  So Xander (sore throat - cough - fever) and I will be playing hooky tomorrow- and not happily!!
 
And I know I haven't been around much - I have been preoccupied!
With Soul Restoration

With Learn to Hockey - which the boys are loving it - like really really loving it - no matter how many times they fell while learning to skate or how hard they are working to get the skills figured out - they still love it and have a blast.  And I can tell ya - they will not be happy about missing tomorrow night!!!!  It really has gone beyond any expectation I had for them!!

 And with something really big!!  Something big is on the horizon for us.....I can't tell yet but soon - stay tuned!!!!  :)

Creativity: Rather Sweet

This was fun - think she turned out rather sweet....came up with a basic bird shape and cut it out of canvas.  Next I used a brayer with white and aqua paints.  Then cut paper wings, beak and tail (used a scallop border punch), brad eye, and a sweet little resin dahlia that I purchased off of etsy from The Gilded Bee (who by the way has the absolute coolest little trim shop ever!!).  Oh yeah and a hand written quote - my motto for life - ...and so she lived a life she loved.

What do you think?

Creativity: Mitten Pocket Door Hanger

Some of you probably remember these from last year - I know they are a repeat!!!  :0)  I just thought they were such a great idea - a perfect little gift for your neighbors!!!  I included the template this time - super easy to use - just sew two of the mitten pieces up around the edges - voila a pocket!  :)

 

Creativity: Merry

This was one of the coolest things I have made in a while - I adore the beautiful papers, the layering and the finished look!!!  Now I just need to thread the jute on and hang it up on my mantle.  Most definitely MERRY!

Creativity: Holiday Mussy Tussy

Creativity: A Canvas

Warning: this is not my original work by any means - the original piece is by Stephanie Ackerman and I adore it.  I might even be in trouble for using the piece in this way - but I really loved the quote and look - I just wanted to turn it into something special and big enough for my daughter to hang on her wall when she goes away to college - this was one of the gifts I gave her for her 18th birthday.  I really liked the end result and so did Macey.

Such talent

Art Swap update:

I received Becky's beautiful FRESH green felted hat - it is so wonderful!

Joleyn will be swapping one of her gorgeous prints.

I will be swapping a bracelet called A Reminder:

The ball has a sweet little chime in it - so I call it - A Reminder - to remind you of just how blessed you are. 

There is still time to join in - as you can see these are really beautiful pieces of art.

I am reposting the details below:

I was thinking AGAIN that we should do an ART SWAP.....would I have any takers????  I might just keep reposting this until I get some takers because I think this could be fabulous!  We could go with a theme and then crafters/artists of all media could participate - knitters, crocheters, jewelry designers, poets, photographers, paper artists, quilters, sewers, etc. etc.  Heck even if I had one taker that would be enough - we could trade.  It would just be great fun to see what others are creating.
How about a THEME of FRESH.  Whatever fresh means to you.

It's the 25th today - comment and let me know if you are interested.
DUE DATE: March 18th (which means they need to be in my hands by the 18th - sent out using PRIORITY MAIL by the 15th of March)
All items will be swapped and sent back out by the 23rd.
Ok the nitty gritty details - BEST WORK ONLY - and I am sure this goes without saying - only send in something you yourself would love to get.  Send your item along with $5.00 for shipping back to you.  Please only send cash.   
It's hard to put a value minimum or maximum - so the best I can do is tell you items I am considering making for the swap:
earrings, a felted soap, a paper door decoration, a small bird, a hanging pillow, a 5 x 7 photo, an altered jar, a set of note cards, etc......
What do you say - I know there a lot of talented people out there - and some of you even read my blog!  :)  I would love to see what we can do!!!  Hope to hear from you soon....