Ready 2 Go All Occasion Stack Kit - Set 01

Split Square

I cut a 4 inch square of designer paper into 2 equal triangles by cutting top left hand corner to opposite corner with a paper cutter.   These were glued to the card front aligned to the top and the bottom.   That leaves a nice band of card color on the diagonal. 

I wrapped a length of white grosgrain ribbon around the card front and knotted on the front.  Trimmed the ends on the slant.

I assembled the flower accent by putting the small flower then the large flower onto the brad.  Press the prongs apart on the back.

I added the 3D foam tape to the back of the flower accent and adhered it to the card front.

A quarter sheet insert is glued to the right hand side.

Nature Sticker

I layered the nature sticker onto coordinating card stock and trimmed leaving a narrow border.  I added 3D foam tape to the 4 corners on back.

I adhered an embossed layer leaving a small border to the card front. 

Adhered the strip of black card stock onto the embossed layer.

I adhered the nature sticker to the card front.

I tucked the circle greeting just under the corner of the sticker.

Hexagon Trio

I chose an ivory card. 

I wrapped the ivory ribbon across the designer paper and tape ends to the back.  Adhered to the card front.

I adhered the 3 hexagons to the bottom half of the card below the grosgrain ribbon.

I assembled the greeting by adhering the greeting to the colored circle then to the scallop circle.  The whole greeting was then adhered over the grosgrain ribbon with 3D foam tape.

I am glad to have a couple of customers who want card kits during this isolation time.

Exchange Cards - May

I started with the focal element which is a sticker.  I found these in a book I was clearing out the other day.  Who knows how long they were there!

I adhered it to a piece of bright green card and trimmed to leave a wide border.  I chalked the edges with black.

I chose a bright turquoise card and added an embossed light blue layer.  It was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and adhered to the card front leaving a small border.

I added the black accent strip aligned to the left of center.  The sticker accent is mounted with 3D foam tape.  I added a Modern Label punchie greeting with offset green card stock.  It was also adhered with 3D foam tape.

I will mailing these today.

This card is similar in as the first one.  I laid it out in landscape format.   The sticker got a light blue layer behind.

I chose a bright green card this time and added a Swiss Dots embossed light blue layer. 

Once the black strips were adhered I used 3D foam tape for the sticker accent.

I added a round greeting layered onto the same green card stock as the card. I just tucked it under the corner of the accent.

HB Paper Strips Card - Stash Busting

I made this card for my brother that is celebrating a birthday next week.

Still stash busting paper strips of designer paper.  I chose colors to coordinate with the terracotta colored card. I just laid the first one starting in the top left corner the placed the others perpendicular to those.

The greeting is a Stampin Up Decorative label punchie with color printed words.  Adhered to card front with 3D foam tape.  I chalked the edges to match the card.

It will be on it's way today.

Senior Show Submissions

Our Senior Show at the AAC is being juried and hosted on line.  We are fortunate to have a tech savvy gallery manager.  We have hosted 3 shows since the middle of March.

This beautiful pink bloom is on the Flowering Plum.  I love the moody shot where the flower is the focal element.

Title: Nature - Cheaper than Therapy
Size: 17.5 x 13.5 inches
Mats: Double archival mats in black and granite green
Frame: Black wood
Print: 8x12 inches

This is my Mercury Glass votive holder with a tea light burning. Love how the body is lit from the inside. We need a bit of light in our world to bring hope for the future.


Title: Light Dispels the Darkness
Size: 14.25 x 10.5 inches
Mat: Single archival mat
Frame: Black metal
Print: 9x12 inches

I took this shot for the Macro Monday challenge - shadow earlier this year.  You can see more examples here. I really enjoyed taking shadows.

I loved how this clear plastic spoon turned into a ladle when the light was at the right angle.  I added the words on card stock above the photo.  I thought it was appropriate for the attitude we need in these challenging times.

Title: Life is Fuller
Size: 8.5 x 10.5 inches
Mat: Single archival mat
Frame: Silver metal
Print: 5x5 inches

The submissions in the show are on the Allied Art Council website - On-Line Senior Show.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I found a riot of red tulips on my trip to ponds in the north.  They were gorgeous! 

They were a wonderful color and in perfect shape.  Beautiful to photograph as they were all in immaculate shape.  Hard to decide which shot to take.

Really enjoyed these tulips on a great morning.

I guess the rain for a couple of days and now sunshine is perfect conditions for the flowers to erupt!

I found this female Bufflehead duck on the Ted Hole Park which hosts 3 small ponds which are interconnected. 

I did not see the male that morning.  She is just a such a cute duck.  Small and beautiful.  Just calmly swimming around and keeping an eye on me. 

A bit of ripple in the water blurred her reflection.  

It was a perfect shot!

Of course the rain has greened up things as well.   Glorious!

The ground was soaked and there was quite a bit of overland flooding so I got my feet wet.

Someone set up a quick bird feeder in the river valley! 

 A clear bottle, cut holes to access the seeds. A wooden chopstick for perches. A string knotted through a hole in the lid to hang it. Fill it with seeds and it's done.

Come to think of it I did not see it on my walk this morning.  I hope no one's taken it down.  I will have to pay attention tomorrow morning.

I have spent a lot of time on my knees in the last few days!

One of the challenges I was taking photos for was Perspective so I was getting low to see what the world looks like from down there!

Here's one I took this morning in a field of dandelions which have popped up with the rain and sun.

A bit of heavy dew on the grass and I came home with wet feet again today.

This was at the Ted Hole Park as well.  I have seen a Northern Flickr a few times but not got good photos.

I was surprised to see it on the ground but it was having breakfast.  The ground was soft and the bugs and worms were a plenty I expect. It would pop up it's head regularly to keep an eye on me. 

I took tons of photos to get a few  good ones. 

I was there on the ground for a good 20 minutes. Great experience!

This is a shot I took for Flickr Macro Monday.  The challenge was "handle".  Some great submissions - take a look if you are interested.

This is the handle to my glass microwave corn popper!  You can check out my SMDPics photostream to see the photo I submitted.


I am sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #81 and Mersad at Through my Lens #242

 I have been getting ready for an art show this week and it rain which worked out.  I will have my photos up tomorrow which I submitted.

Have a great week.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I visited one of the man made lakes in my city this week.  It is large enough to have a good selection of birds and sure enough I found a few.

Here's a male Mallard Duck going by behind the bullrushes.  I managed to capture him in focus!

I saw Red Wing Blackbirds, A Hooded Merganser,  & Red Necked Grebes as well.

It was a great day and the weather was perfect at 7:00 am.

This is a blossom on the Sakura Flowering Plum bush.  The branches generally have very close together clusters but I found this one a bit by itself.

Beautiful bush with a riot of pink blooms on it.  Welcomed sight in this grey time.

The neighbourhood has plenty of these so there were many bushes to choose from.

 Love the soft feeling to this photo.









I finished this book this week.  It was a great story about a black maid serving in a large house set in South Africa.  The lady of the house is Cathleen Harrington. In 1919, she has moved from Ireland to marry a man she has not seen in 5 years.  She now has grown children, a son and daughter. The maid Miriam has a daughter, Ada without a husband.  The apartheid is a background to the story.  The story is told from Ada's point of view - how she learns to read, to play the piano beautifully, to serve in the house as her mother does.  Cathleen has nurtured Ada, then upon returning from a long absence from the house Cathleen is broken-hearted to find Ada has disappeared.  They are eventually reunited and the truth about the circumstances of Ada's leaving are revealed.  Highly recommend this book.

More bizarre behavior by the Canada Geese.  This one landed on the railing of a balcony on a high rise building.  It looked like it was going to jump down to a nest.

I know that they ran a story on the news about 4 weeks back indicating that if Canada Geese are eyeing your property for a nest best to discourage them early.  They are a protected species so if a nest is built you will have to leave till the goslings leave it.

Last week I saw a set  of adults walking their goslings down the back alley.   Headed in the right direction for the river.  I guess with less traffic the road offer a clear path.

The perennials are blooming.  I have not seen Siberian Squills before but I found 2 this spring. Very small flowers which could easily be missed.  Beautiful color.  The tulips in the front yards are showing their color.  The apple and plum trees are in full bloom.

The challenge this week on Flickr Macro Monday is Wabi-sabi - The Art of the Imperfect. Wabi-sabi is a Japanese word roughly translating as 'imperfect aged beauty'. It is used to describe a particular philosophy that beauty can be found in the old, the everyday, the imperfect. And that everything is in a state of transition from or to nothingness.

The photo on the right is pieces of broken tempered safety glass.  I found them on the boulevard where a panel along stairs had been broken.  I gathered several pieces because I thought they were beautiful.   You can check my SMDPics photostream to see the photo I submitted this week.

I am sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #80
and with Mersad hosting Through My Lens #241 

Anniversary Card

Mom and Dad will celebrate 66 years of marriage this week.  I mailed a card last week.

I started with a pink card.  I added a piece of blue handmade paper adhered with quick dry adhesive.  I added a piece of satin ribbon at the top held with tiny pink brads and white flower sequins.

I added 2 light pink hearts below the ribbon adhered with 3D foam tape.  They are punchies done with the Stampin Up Sweetheart punch.

I added an oval greeting in the bottom right hand corner adhered with 3D foam tape.

Hopefully, it arrived on time.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

I had a wonderful photo day at the wetlands yesterday morning but it was COLD!

This is the first time I see this bird - an American Avocet.  They were feeding in a large pool of water in a construction site.  There were about 30 of them wandering around in about 8 inches of water.

I was thrilled to see them but I was completely frozen so keep the camera steady was a challenge.

They did not seem troubled by my presence at all.

I saw as a Song Sparrow, a flock of Tree Swallows,  Golden Eyes, a Blue Winged Teal and of course a Red Wing Blackbird male but no good photos.

The Canada Geese were cranky!

They were raising a fuss, making a racket, and flying overhead chasing each other.

You can see the left one's tongue is sticking out as it honks at the other one.

They were acting like some of us are feeling due to sheltering in place.











This book has been on my night stand for a couple of weeks I have just given up on it. It's depressing.

I don't really need to read about 2 couples in marriages who are unhappy and unhealthy.  I did read more than half of it but it was not getting better so I am cutting my losses and moving on.

Love the setting of Venise though.

A female Red Wing Blackbird perched on the very top of a dried bullrush.

As you can see she is all fluffed up trying to stay warm.

Really happy with the capture.

I was at the Lois Hole Provincial Park and the John Poole Wetlands.  Nature carries on in this time of isolation.

It was good to be outside, taking photos and not having to worry about someone getting too close.  A tuque would have been nice.

A nice hot shower when I got home did the trick. 

This American Robin had her feathers all puffed up as well trying to stay warm.

It was very windy and you can see her feathers are being moved about by it.

She stayed very still as I took  many shots.

Great bird captures is always rewarding.

I saw only one other person yesterday morning about 7:30 am.  It was threatening rain but it did not rain till the afternoon.

They have made the boardwalk one way for physical distancing so I had to walk all the way around.

The challenge for Flickr Macro Monday was Gold or Silver.  There is a lot of wedding rings being submitted.

I had all kinds of options and here are a few.

I used a gold oval brooch, a gold Chinese fan necklace,  an Anne Klein earring that makes me think of a shoe and an silver aluminum cigar tube where I used to store dimes. 

You can check out my SMDPics photostream to see the shot I submitted.

Sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #79.

Mersad who hosts Through My Lens #240.

Mother's Day Card

I made my Mom a card for Mother's Day.

I used paper strips in blues because that is her favorite color. I glued them inside a black color printed frame on the card front. Most they were trimmed to 1" wide or less. I added a length of blue rick rack along the top adhered with Quick Dry Adhesive.

I added an oval greeting with 3D foam tape above a piece of floral designer paper in the bottom right hand corner.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

This is a Larch Tree bud. It looks like a beautiful bouquet of pink and green.  We have several trees in the park.  The morning sun made it look glorious.

A Larch tree is a coniferous tree which unlike it's cousins loses it's leaves in the fall.

We really need rain to clean things and get nature really greening up.   It feels things are a couple weeks late which is just as well since we have to stay home anyway.

We are scheduled to have some restrictions lifted in a couple of weeks but I have I'm not going to be one just getting out there and crazy shopping.  I will give it a couple of weeks and see how it goes. I do have a few things to get for some renovations I need so we shall see.

I want to thank Margy who left me a comment on last weeks post where I packed away the puzzle.

She suggested that she does puzzles on line where there is nothing to put away. You can decide the number of pieces, the subject matter and the type of pieces which adds some difficulty to the process.

This is exactly what I needed.  I can spent an hour on the internet, see nice art, work my brain a bit with an interactive activity and it just gets put away with no mess.

I have been using The Jigsaw Puzzles website.  I liked the variety of subject matter available - I have done flowers and art.

It dumps all the pieces on your workspace but you can ask to only see the edge pieces.  That is normally what I would with a physical puzzle. Once the edge is done then the rest of the pieces are shown.  I organize the pieces by color and start assembling shapes.  You can look at the image any time just like looking a the top of the box.  I have been doing 250 piece ones with the classic cut pieces.  Love it.

I decided to choose a few places along my walking route to plant a few flower seeds.   I think I have selected places that are pretty well lit.  Some of the seeds are very old so I don`t even know if they will grow.  They were predicting rain for today so I did that yesterday morning on my walk. Of course, if they grow I will have to take my chances that I can actually pick a few as other may think they are nice too.  I`m putting it out there to see what happens.

The rain came.  It was predicted that we would have big winds but it did not happen.  It started after supper yesterday, rained all night and it is still raining.  A nice steady rain which will soak things nicely without having flooding and washing away of dirt.

I expect that nature will respond wonderfully to this much needed moisture.  By the end of the week things will be green and wonderful.
I will keep an eye on my flowers.

The challenge at Flickr Macro Monday was kitchen but no food was allowed.   This is one of the shots I prepared for the challenge. 

You can check my SMDPics photo stream to which shot I submitted.

I am sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #78 

and

Mersad who hosts Through My Lens #239  

I had a funky down week into my 8th week with Sheltering in Place.  I am feeling better. Have a great week!

Christmas Card Challenge - May - Large Words

The theme for the May Christmas Card Challenge is Large Words.

I chose the Poppy Stamps Magnificent Merry thin die for my large greeting.  I selected a quarter sheet of 110lb white card stock.  First I printed "Christmas" in Night of Navy in the bottom right hand corner.
Then I ran the quarter sheet through my Big Shot aligning the die with the printed word. I pulled the word out of the sheet and made sure I kept the negative spaces in the m&e.
I used a light warm blue chalk above the curve.  I did the same with the negatives spaces from the M and E.
I used a dark warm blue chalk on the "merry" word.  I cut a piece of bond paper for the back.  Added a couple of strips of double sided tape behind the word and returned the darker blue word back into place including the small negative pieces.  I then punched white snowflakes for above the curve and blue ones for below.  I am really happy with this one!

Here's my inspiration card which I found on Splitcoast Stampers.

I worked on improving the process. 

If I kept one piece white and  watercolored the other then it would be easy to just switch them.  The green piece was a companion background to the one on this card. I cut both quarter sheet peices with the Magnificent Merry thin lit making sure I did not lose the negative space pieces in the m and e.

I put scotch tape on the back of the large piece, turned it over and just plunked the die cut into the hole. I put the negative pieces in as well.  The advantages are the colors all match.  In the blue one I had to do the negative pieces separately.  Once the tape was well burnished from the back to ensure the die cut would stay put I trimmed the quarter sheet to leave a tiny border of the warm green card. 

I created the color printed banner greeting, fussy cut to the edge, and adhered it to the card front with 3D foam tape. I adhered a shed free silver glitter star to intersect the "merry" with a bling glue dot.  I used a bit of the Stampin Up Watercolor Wonder crayons on the original background so I just spattered this card with some of the same colors.

Now I have 2 cards that are the opposite of each other. This one spattered with white acrylic paint.

I will certainly use this die again now that I have found this technique.

Sewing Project - Coin Purse V2

I created my Coin Purse V2 today.  Based on the first one I did in Sept 2019 I decided some improvements could be implemented.  You can check  Coin Purse V1. 

The changes were:

1) More durable fabric
2) Stiffer backer
3) Different closure

I lost the original pattern and there was no documentation in my Project Binder so I had to redraw the pattern.  Thank goodness for my blog where I had a photo of the measurements. 

I decided to use the dark green of my jacket for this project as it will be durable.  I chose a white satin for the inside so that I can see what coins I have. For the backer I used a 3" piece of stiff pellon as well as this thin 3" circle of plastic I found in my stash of old stencils.  The measurements include the .25 inch seam allowance.

I used Velcro instead of snaps as the closure.  That was able to be added with machine stitching which was faster.  I added a pull tab in the seam for the top which gives better leverage with Velcro closure.  

I ended up with the pieces of batik fabric on the inside of the purse because I miscalculated when putting my layers together so I just added another small piece to the front.  It will fray as I use the purse and become more organic in the process. I have made great use of the 2 small pieces of batik I got for free at the ReUse center.

The pouch part is created by hand stitching the corners together. You have to figure out how far to go based on how the folds meet in the middle. I just lucked out on mine.

Birthday Card for a Teen

I started with the polka dot designer paper squares which were corner rounded on 2 corners.  I layered those onto corresponding blue card stock squares.

I chose a medium blue card base.  I added a bright green designer paper layer leaving a large border.

I added a rick rack accent which involved my twisting together blue and white rick rack and then ironing it flat.  It goes right around the card and is joined under the scallop greeting.

A scallop circle in the same blue card stock with a 1 3/8 inch circle greeting in blue and white.  Adhered with 3D foam tape.  The corner rounded squares were adhered with 3D foam tape too.   This one will get there in time for her birthday.

The Other Day Captures

Spring is here! 

She continues to bring forth new life as tender shoots burst through the ground, tiny purple flowers were in the sunniest spot, and the harbinger of spring the American Robin is back with her song. 

My walks on the weekend were better than during the week for having people around.  I really enjoyed them with only seeing a few people social distancing so I could concentrate on the photography.

These are a few of the pieces I was able to put together in my puzzle in 4 days. 

I have decided that puzzle making is not for me right now.  It takes precious space which I would rather use for sewing.

The pieces all went back into the box and it will go to my brother in law who makes the all the time.  It may go to Dad after that.  Not sure the subject matter would be appealing to Dad.

This was a great book.  We follow Hannah in the 1930's just before the Second World War was declared.  She is a Jew living in Germany so of course life is changing fast.  A new normal is in place for her.  Interesting parallel to our lives today. 

Anna is the great grand daughter living in 2014 in New York. On her 12th birthday she receives a few photographs from Cuba.   What is this?  Her father died in 9/11 so it is her mother and her.  Her mother has not recovered from the loss of her husband so Anna is her caretaker.

The MS St. Louis cruise ship features in Hannah's story.

The photographs help to encourage Anna's mother and they plan a trip to Cuba. The stories come together and now they are linked becomes clear.

For me, the story comes across about living life defeated and not fighting back for the mothers of both of these 12 year olds.  I am blessed to say that grief has not visited often.

I put a few pretty things on the window sill this week.  Mostly dried stuff: dried wheat stalk, feathery greenery and curvy grasses. The ones on the right are dried seed heads from some flowers.  One yellow daisy showed up for my photography.

I was reminded of a book I took out of the library a few years ago called Window Sill Art.  You can check out my earlier post with the link above.

It became clear that I need to wash my windows.

Flickr Macro Monday theme this well was WindowSill so that is why I have been putting things out all week.  I love the morning sun in my dining room window.
You can check out my Flickr Photostream SMDPics as well to see what challenges I joined this week.

Sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #77 and Mersad at Through My Lens #238. 

Have a good week, stay home and be safe!

Sewing Project - Zippered Tote

I made myself a zippered multi pocket tote today.  I have been thinking about this project for several months.  It will replace this one.

I wanted to make some improvements mainly a zipper at the top to ensure the contents stay inside. I wanted more outside pockets. Having a pen handy is always nice.  I have purchased a small binder to use which would not have a space for a pen so the bag needed one.

I did watch several videos as refresher on assembling a tote and in particular for the zipper. 

The fabric I used is from a fall jacket that the zipper has been a problem.  I have replaced the jacket.  Since I have been wearing the jacket for at least 7 years and the fabric seems indestructible,  why not use it for a bag that will get a lot of use.  I used one sleeve from the jacket, the dark green outer fabric and the navy lining.  I used the inside of the green as my good side of the bag.

The exterior piece of the tote measures 9.25 T and 20.5" W.  I used grey thread since I did not have any dark green thread.  Would have been better on the strap top stitching if it had been dark.

The pocket panels I created from batik cotton in wonderful colors on one side and a cherry colored cotton on the other side.  I only had 2 small pieces of the batik so I wanted to make best use of it. Those are 4.5" W and 9.25 T same as the main piece. I top stitched just below the cherry on the top before I sewed the panels to the dark green exterior along the other edge. I placed the panels 2.25" apart based on the center of the exterior panel at 10.25 inches.  I am planning a 2" box bottom.

The straps pieces were cut 1.5 inches wide and over 35 inches long.  I used the bias seam approach from my quilts to connect 2 pieces to create my straps. I sewed the side then turned them inside out.

Finished they were .5 " wide and 33" inches long.   I wanted the straps to run the full length of the tote.

I created 2 bags with the lining one just a smidge smaller than the exterior one.  I sewed the 2 side seams, boxed the corners on both at 2" then tacked them down to the bottom with a triangle of stitching.  This was done on the green and the navy one.  I added a narrow channel of green fabric on the one side.

I placed the exterior inside the lining and sewed the top edge leaving an open space to turn them inside out.  Once right side out and the lining in the tote and put a line of decorative stitching along the top to close the opening and add a bit of stiffness to the top edge.

The straps were added once the tote was assembled because I wanted them to hold the lining in place as well as create the pockets on the outside.  I placed them 2.25" from the side seam. I started on the bottom, pinned everything very well and tacked the strap 2 inches from the top edge.  Putting on the straps was quite challenging because there not much room to maneuver.

Just being patient and pinning very closely it worked out well.  I have 6 outside pockets in this tote.  The center pockets are larger and the side ones are smaller.  Just what I wanted.  I added some batik fabric at the very top of the handles where they will get the most wear.

Then it was the zipper.  I had prepared the zipper ahead of time and wanted to insert it inside for a recessed one.  But of course, the batik fabric panels on each side were too long now that I had box corners.  Plan B.  I just sewed the panels to the outside of the tote where I had reinforced the edge with decorative stitch earlier.   I added extra reinforcement X a little higher on the strap now that I had cotton behind it which will give it more strength and it is still not too close to the zipper.

I added pull tabs at each end of the zipper to help with opening and closing it.  I left extra zipper so that the bag can be opened the full width of the bag. Makes getting things in and out easy.







The channel on the one side is designed to hold a pen.  I am still a notebook and pen person.  I carry a note book every time I got out which contains listings of the day's list as well anything I am on the hunt for.  I track size, color, and other details so I am prepared when the right thing comes along.

That is why I always carry my measuring tape. In the past it lived in a pouch but this will do nicely.

Considering the old is 3 years old and barely shows wear this one should last a long time.   I love the batik fabric and it works so well with the dark green fabric of the tote.

It took most of the day but really happy with this project.