around here...

...we waited for a big snow storm.  It wasn't as big as the weatherman said.

...shipped out custom orders this week.  I have customers who have great ideas. 

...worked to get ready for my first show of the year.  I realize that I feel a little bit adrift without a craft show in my near future.  Although I enjoyed some relaxing weekends in January, I am glad to get back in the groove of having shows to look forward to. 

...read a really good book: The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty (I've probably spelled her last name wrong.)

...kept the kitchen pretty darn clean for nearly a whole week.  For me, this is actually quite an accomplishment!  (it's the little things!)

...applied for two spring/summer events that I've never done before and really hoping I will get accepted. This is what constitutes excitement in my craft-obsessed life. 

...have been in bed by nine o'clock nearly every night.  Unlike a certain four-year-old, this tired mama looks forward to sleep.  This means I've been getting up pretty early, but I love my quiet mornings all to myself.  I think I get more accomplished before seven in the morning than I do the whole rest of the day. 

This is what we've been up to.  Today will be very busy setting up for this weekend's show over at the Fairgrounds (if you're in Des Moines and don't mind driving in a bit of snow, come and see me!).  Hopefully, we won't get too much more snow that people don't come out and shop.  If you do want to check out the show, it's at the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, tonight from 5 to 9, tomorrow 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 10 to 4.

Stay warm!

Some Are Small: mini album for my little man.

Yesterday was a special day, because Jacob was Student of the Week at preschool.  He'd been waiting for this day: a while back he'd expressed his worry that he would not get to be Student of the Week.  So we chose a couple of his favorite things to take to school to show the class (his Curious George storybook and his favorite board game, Candyland) and we were also supposed to send a few photos for him to share.  I decided he shouldn't just take photos to school, but rather a photo book. 

I had a stack of his paintings that I hadn't used on scrapbook layouts or calendar pages yet, but of course I couldn't just toss his masterpieces in the recycling bin.  So I used his paintings as the pages for his book.  For the album covers I used a 1950s reader called Some Are Small.  Perfect for a book about a 4-year-old. 

Here's a look inside:

This book is very simple.  I may go back and add some more journaling, but mostly it's just photos and his paintings.  I organized it by season with some leftover file tabs from folders.  I folded his paintings in half, secured them with double-stick tape, trimmed them to fit, and bound it.  Quick and easy.  Jacob really likes it.  He enjoyed sharing it with his class.  Nothing fancy, but something we will continue to enjoy. 

New for 2013.

Despite the lack of blogging going on around here, I have been getting some work done playing with all the ideas that chase each other through my head.  Here's a few things I've been working on lately:

8 x 10 collage on board: $35; available on my etsy shop.

handmade ribbon-tie journal, $24; available on my etsy shop

 

 Despite a leaky hot water heater that soaked the floor of my studio (luckily not much damage was sustained) a couple of days ago, I have more stuff in progress that I am excited about and having a lot of fun with.  More books, more collages, and more ideas.  One of the best feelings for me is to have ideas dancing around in my brain, just ready to be brought to life.  For me, January is a perfect time for creative experimentation.  I do some of my best work in the dark, cold month of January.  And believe me, this January is particularly dark and cold!  What better way to spend it than creating?

I am gearing up for another fun-filled year of craft shows, of course.  I've been wanting to try some new shows a little farther from home for quite a while, and this year I am determined to pursue that, even if it means taking the family with me.  I am happy to say that on March 9, I'll be in St. Louis for Green With Indie; it's an independent show with a focus on re-purposed, upcycled/recycled handmade goods.  Sounded like a perfect show for me so I got the hubby to agree that a little family trip to St. Louis would be oh-so-fun.  This will be Jacob's first really long car trip so it should be interesting.  Notice I didn't predict the car ride being fun, just interesting; trying to be realistic!

Best wishes for your creative endeavors in 2013. 

Thankful.

Here's a random list of some things for which I am thankful:

Thankful for my family.  Even when they drive me nuts. 
Thankful for our home.  Even when I have to clean it. Which is not as often as I should.
Thankful for when Jacob says "I love you, Mom!" out of the blue, for no reason. 
Thankful for pretty paper. 
Thankful for Amazon Prime free shipping.  Seriously.
Thankful for sunny days in November.  Like today.
Thankful for friends, old and new. 
Thankful my ten-year-old corduroys still fit.  Amazed, and thankful!
Thankful for my awesome new vintage chair and the wonderful friends who delivered it to me.

Isn't it awesome? 

And last, but certainly not least, I am thankful that Hy-Vee is cooking the turkey tomorrow so I don't have to! 

There's lots more, but suffice to say, I have much to be thankful for, every day of the year.  I do try to take time and remember that often.  Sometimes it's good to make a list.

Happy Thanksgiving.

100 years ago: Remembering Bud & Bessie

Yesterday would have been my Grandma Sayers' 100th birthday.  And 79 years ago on the same date, she and my Grandpa got married.  They'd only known each for three months when they got hitched.  Apparently everybody told them they were making a big mistake.  They sure proved them wrong.  From what I could see, they had a very happy marriage:

Bud & Bessie, 1933



1950

They spent fifty-two years together, until my grandfather's death in 1985.  Learning to be alone was an adjustment for my grandma, but she did it.  I remember her telling me that one of her friends at the senior center told her she should take off her wedding rings, a few years after my grandpa had been gone.  In no uncertain terms, my grandma explained that she would do no such thing, because in her heart she was still married.  My grandmother was nothing if not straightforward.  I think it runs in the family. 

Happy Birthday, Gram, and Happy Anniversary, too. 

sunday morning coming down

Yesterday.....it was 72 degrees and sunny.  I missed most of that because I was inside at the Beaverdale Holiday Craft Boutique.  Which was so awesome that I don't feel bad about missing summer in November. 
Today....it's hovering around freezing and gray and rainy.  My plan for today is to stay in my pajamas all day.  So far, so good.  (It's almost noon.) 
It's a good thing I'm self-employed so that working in my pajamas is totally fine, and even, I suspect, commonplace.  Why get all dressed up when I will just get paint on whatever I'm wearing anyway?  Also, less laundry to do.  And heaven knows I do plenty of laundry.  Good think I have a combination art studio/laundry room so I can multi-task.  And I'm pretty good at multi-tasking in my pj's, even on a dreary Sunday morning.  I've already managed to put the first coat of paint on four canvases and glue paper on ten covers.  I plan to get quite a bit accomplished today, and I will accomplish it in my pj's. 

Today is Veterans' Day.  My grandparents always called it Armistice Day, because of course, that's what it was originally called.  After the Armistice was signed, after the Great War, which eventually became World War I.  There's your mini-history lesson for today.  I would like to thank all of those brave souls who protect and defend our freedoms.  I don't think I could do what you do, and so I thank you.  We all thank you. We should thank you more than we do. 

Whatever your Sunday brings you, enjoy. 

The intermittent blogger returns!

Wow, it's been exactly one month since I posted.  It's been pretty busy around here in Papercake world, but that's no excuse.  I've been making lots of stuff, for lots of holiday craft shows.  The blog isn't the only thing that has suffered.  Take, for instance, my November calendar layout, which I threw together yesterday:

I confess that I sort of cheated on this one.  I cut the "give thanks" image right off the front of the latest Paper Source catalog (without their permission, of course!) and stuck it on a piece of scrapbook paper.  Then I added a piece of ribbon (by The Paper Studio) and my last bit of velveteen leaves that I am pretty sure I purchased from Speckled Egg a few years back.  I am waiting patiently for Jacob's school pictures to arrive so I can add a photo of him.  So yes, a rather pathetic calendar.  But, it's done! 

I did make something else this week that I can feel much more proud of: a sign. I decided a sign would be helpful at craft shows, so I rummaged around a bit in the basement/dungeon/studio and found a wooden tray thing that I think I picked up at Goodwill in 2007.  I used to have a calendar tacked to it, but then the helpful corkboard I had adhered fell off.  Back in '07, I was obsessed with painting stuff red.  Now I am obsessed with painting things aqua, so that's what I did.  I also played around with my collection of Scrabble tiles (don't you do that a lot too?) because I thought a few Scrabble tiles might be just the thing to add some dimension.  Here's the result:

As always, excuse my poor photography skills.  I like my sign.  And it's much lighter than the typewriter, plus it won't take up as much table space.  So, when you're out doing the craft show circuit in Des Moines over the next month or two, just look for the sign. 

In between making books and playing with Scrabble tiles, we went Trick or Treating last week:

That's our very own little Sheriff Woody, who recently turned four.  Last year he was Buzz Lightyear.  Naturally he loves Halloween.  He told me that he was sure when he put on his costume that people would think he was a real sheriff.  I'm glad he believes that his costumes are that convincing. 

If you're out and about in Des Moines this weekend, please stop by Beaverdale Holiday Boutique at Holy Trinity School and say hello.  This show has been going on for over thirty years and is a good one.  There's lots of wonderful handmade goodness there.  There will be over 100 crafty vendors there, including me.  Just look for the sign!