Exciting news: I’m officially half-way through my 365-day art challenge! Woo-hoooo! Only 182 more days to go!

I started a new project this afternoon, and since it’s not finished, I’ll have to post it tomorrow. I also spent a long time mending some tears in my summer cotton night gown–by hand! I made a patch on the inside and sewing by hand was necessary for this delicate work. Done!

Since I’m half done with this year, I’m celebrating by inviting you all to shop my boutique. If you purchase any album from this page by Friday the 26th at midnight PST, I’ll include a lovely gift bag and a hand made card with your order. Hop on over to my boutique now!

Hortensia Album

I made this pretty scrap journal from a mailing envelope that a friend decorated with a pretty paisley napkin before mailing some more paper napkins to me to use in my art. I put two layers of paper bag on the inside of the cover (on the first layer, I did not pay attention and the type on the bag was exposed!), then added a signature with various other papers, pockets and envelopes. EnJoy the video tour of the inside!

You can go to this link to purchase this scrap journal or any of my other creations. Be sure to like and comment on this post, as well as on the video. Subscribe to my blog and to my channel so you don’t miss any new products or events!

Today I went to visit my quilter friend again and enjoyed the serenity of her Victorian home. So peaceful! I provided lunch of chicken and spinach stuffed raviolis, steamed broccoli and sauce I made with walnuts, avocado, lemon juice, garlic powder, olive oil, with a little salt and pepper. Very healthy and tasty!

This evening I finished making another scrap journal, though I’ll have to wait and post tomorrow when there is enough sunlight to make a video tour of the pages. Stay tuned!

So for today, here is a lovely hexagonal box that I covered with gorgeous papers, created several years ago. EnJoy!

Hexagonal Box

Hexagonal Box Top

I decided to just take still shots of the inside of the folio I made yesterday, rather than taking a video. I can edit for lighting on stills that I cannot do with videos. I used an empty tissue box for the base, leaving the sides on for the doors. EnJoy!

Flower Garden Folio

Flower Garden Folio 2

Flower Garden Folio 3

Flower Garden Folio 4

Too dang hot again today! I did some things with my other business, but could not muster up the energy to create something new. Nor did I get a video made of the folio I posted yesterday. Soon!

There is a venue in my neighborhood where bands go to play on weekends, supremely loud, supremely awful “music” that usually involves a lot of loud bass and screaming. Why anyone thinks this is worth listening to, and why the bands think it necessary to blast their music that it can be heard 3 blocks away, as if in my back yard, is beyond me. Most annoying! Grrr! The only good thing is they generally stop by 10:30 or 11 pm….I do not love it.

Here is another lovely doll I made many years ago, a blend of patterns by Elinor Peace Bailey and Patty Medaris Culea. EnJoy!

Purple Hair Doll

Today I create another lovely folio with the Garden collection from Stamperia papers, this time using an empty tissue box for the base. I just finished it a few minutes ago and it’s much too late to take a video now, so I’ll share the front this evening, and make a video tomorrow to post. EnJoy!

Flower Garden Folio

Another scorchingly hot day! I was blessed to find some needed items on sale at the grocery store, and got to have a short visit with my Sufi teacher, who was in town this week to celebrate her birthday with family.

I realize that in early September, I will have had my online boutique open for a whole year! I would really love some sales to celebrate the first anniversary. Please visit my site to shop; it’s a perfect time to shop early for the holidays! If you buy something this month andspend over $100, I’ll send you a surprise gift with your order!

I have not created anything new today, so I’ll share one of the paper purses I made several years ago. EnJoy

Arielle Purse Brown Gold Swirls 4″ x 4″ x 3.5″ $26.00

Spent time today watching a video for and otherwise working on my business, finished another great novel by Jenny Colgan, and took a late evening walk.

This folio started out as a course catalog for our local community college; I glued pairs of several pages together and removed others, planning to cover them with pretty papers. However, as I was fiddling with the cover and trying to trim some paper close to the binding fold, the pages came out! I removed staples and thought about sewing the pages back in, then gave up and decided to just make this folio instead. I added a card to the inside front pocket of the inner page and sewed a little booklet to go in the belly band on the other side, so there is plenty of space to write or draw. I love these papers from Stamperia’s Garden collection. EnJoy!

Herb Garden Folio

Herb Garden Folio 1

Herb Garden Folio 2

Herb Garden Folio 3

Herb Garden Folio 4

Herb Garden Folio 5

Herb Garden Folio 6

Today I made another paper bag pouch, covering it with fabric from the sleeve of a blouse that was starting to shred. I love the colors! I also made a little coin purse by covering a flattened cardboard tube that I had cut open, with denim outside and red check fabric inside. EnJoy!

Orange Linen and Paper Pouch

Denim Coin Purse

I finally came up with a closure for this album that I made a couple of years ago! The ornament on the velvet band is an old clip-on earring; I removed the clip and glued the back to the band. The journal cover is made from recycled thin cardboard from a cereal box. I made a video of this and another journal, and listed both items in my boutique. Watch this video here. EnJoy!

Orange Floral Magical Adventure Album