Today I went to another event, the Banner Mountain Artisans annual show, with a good friend. It’s a huge show and had a lot of wonderful artists there! I’m definitely going to apply next year for this juried show.

This evening I made a sweet little journal from a pretty, recycled birthday card and envelope, thanks to inspiration from Natasa of Treasure Books. I used the front of another envelope in a similar color family for the front of the card that fits into the envelope pocket. A flap from yet another envelope provides the tuck spot on the back cover, with a writing card added. EnJoy!

Birthday Card Journal Roses

Birthday Card Journal Roses 2

Birthday Card Journal Roses 3

Birthday Card Journal Roses 4

Birthday Card Journal Roses 5

Birthday Card Journal Roses 6

Today I went to the Farmer’s Market for some produce, then after lunch I attending the opening of the latest show at Seven Stars Gallery here in Nevada City. It was a nice show, including paintings and cards by one of my dear artist friends, and I met some interesting people. There may be an opportunity for me to be in a show there in future!

I love paper bags; something about them just invites creating something new. I save my paper grocery bags to put trash into, though if one gets torn, I make it into something else. Smaller bags get saved for other projects, such as the paper and silk clutch purses I’ve made, small gift bags and paper and fabric pouches that I’ve shared in previous posts.

This evening I took a very small paper bag and turned it into this cute little journal! The wreath images were cut from a flyer that landed in my mail box from a local wreath maker, and I used other paper and fabric scraps from my stash to decorate. There are several pockets in the journal, to which I added the little sewn pages and the cards that are featured in the last photo. The journal is held closed with a braid of raffia strands. EnJoy!

Tiny Paper Bag Journal

Tiny Paper Bag Journal 1

Tiny Paper Bag Journal 2

Tiny Paper Bag Journal 3

Tiny Paper Bag Journal 4

Tiny Paper Bag Journal 5

Tiny Paper Bag Journal 6

What a day! I had to go to my dentist’s office first thing to get Another impression made of lower teeth, so the lab can make a partial denture to fit; apparently the first two impressions were not sufficient! Ack!

Got a few groceries and came home to have lunch, then met with my coach and my business prospect for the Financial GPS. Not a tool that she needs, however, we showed her some videos in case she can make referrals. While on that zoom call, another friend stopped by with some gifts of fancy ribbon and gorgeous wrapping paper with Vintage ephemera images on it! I can hardly wait to make something with it!

Then I had another business call relating to Rising Worldwide (I’m a rep for them), and that person fell in love with my art and wants to purchase some for family Christmas gifts! Yay! Oh, and I received a gift in the mail from yet another friend, a rosette iron and handle for making rosette donuts! I’ll have to try those out in the near future.

I’m pretty tuckered out this evening (was up way too late last night),and cannot must the energy to create something new, so I’ll share something older again. This is a cute bag I made from a valance curtain that someone gave me. The drawstring is a cord that I had hanging about for ages. EnJoy!

Sunflower Bag

Today I did another intake call with a client for the Financial GPS that I sell, and have scheduled our follow up call with my coach for next Tuesday. Yay!

I made two tiny needle cushions this evening, one inside an acorn cap, and one inside a half walnut shell. One more way to upcycle fabric scraps, using nature elements this time!  I like keeping my sewing needles separate from pins, so that any thread in the needles does not get tangled up with pins. Do you sew? You might love to have a needle cushion or one of my many pincushions – or both.

PS Remember to purchase your wall calendar now, before the price goes up in December! EnJoy!

Velvet Acorn Needle Cushion

Velvet Acorn Needle Cushion 2

Floral Walnut Needle Cushion

Floral Walnut Needle Cushion 2

EnJoy!

Today I finished filing and packaged up a Christmas stocking for a swap I’m in, and mailed it off. Later I watched another tutorial with Pam of the Paper Outpost today, and this is what I came up with. I turned a flattened carboard tube into a pocket and decorated the front with scraps of fabric and lace (removed from a blouse that is too small) and an old business card. This could go into a journal or be a stand-alone pocket. EnJoy!

Deja Vu Pocket

Just 100 more days of my 365-day art challenge, hurray! I think I’ll complete this around the 23rd of February, 2023. Yay me!

This evening I went to another Co-Creation Salon, where the topic was about branding for one’s business, which includes the why, the vision, the mission, the audience, and the message for the business. I came away with some great tips, including story telling in my blog posts.

I was horrified to discover, some time ago, that a baby sea turtle had gotten stuck inside a plastic ring that was floating about, and the turtle grew around the ring with a compressed and distorted middle. So now I am careful not to throw away plastic pull tabs from almond milk containers, or the ring that seals the cap on many types of food bottles. What to do with them all? I decided to experiment with winding wool around a ring, using a buttonhole stitch, and created this fun little bracelet with six joined pull-tab rings, topped with 2 buttons for decoration. I’ve also been thinking about making a chain of different colored wool-wrapped rings to string on my Christmas tree. Here is a video how-to if you’d like to try this yourself. EnJoy!

Pull Tab Bracelet

Made another gift today, and ran out fo steam before I could make something else to post. Here is a tiny Christmas mini journal made with a recycled cardboard tube. EnJoy!

Christmas Mini Journal

Christmas Mini Journal 2

Christmas Mini Journal 3

Christmas Mini Journal 4

I baked more of my famous cookies last night, so yummy! Was meant to finish baking this evening but I got wrapped up in my art and forgot.

Took a brisk walk this afternoon, definitely getting more chilly! I’m praying for more rain soon, too.

I started making some Christmas gifts today, but cannot post as the recipients read my blog! SO, you get to view something else instead. These are some tiny paper dresses that I made, inspired by Gi Kerr of Happiness in Crafting. EnJoy!

Paper Dresses

Today I finished up two gift bags made from recycled packing paper and decorated with paper napkins and lace. I was inspired by Gi Kerr of Happiness in Crafting.

I did not get the side gussets as evenly aligned as I’d like on the Lavender bag, so I did some measuring and creasing of those on the second bag, before I glued it all together. I think the snowflake bag came out better. Which one do you ilke best? EnJoy!

Lavender Gift Bag

Lavender Gift Bag 2

Red Snowflake Gift Bag

Red Snowflake Gift Bag 2

Gift Bag Folds

Finally got this journal cover done for now, though possibly I’ll add more embellishments later. I started with a book cover that was light blue and this pink blouse that is pretty though way too small for me.

Pink Blouse with Lace

Pink Blouse with Lace 2

I removed the lace panel on the front, and used two layers of the blouse fabric to cover the journal and hide the blue. Then I added the lace panel and a couple of other trims. Next I’ll make signatures of pages and sew those in to complete the new journal. Stay tuned!

Pink Lacey Journal Cover

Remember to order all of your holiday gifts now to be sure of timely delivery, especially the wall calendar! The sale price on that ends November 30, so order today!