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Robin’s Nest Card and Altered Art Design Team Application

Robin’s Nest Card and Altered Art Design Team Application

Robin Nest Logo

I’ve been a fan of the Robin’s Nest and their awesome designers for quite some time. So when I saw their recent design team call, I decided to make the big leap and apply–especially since they were encouraging artists to think outside the box (I mean, really, could there be a better invitation?). Read the rest of this entry

Best shoplocations

Best shoplocations

Best shoplocations.

The Primarks is one of the main sites and constantly occupied in setting style and energy. The best fascination is presenting new style and current design for the cutting edge ladies of the day. It will most likely provide for them the dazzling look when they are walking around every one needs to look changed and special. Pin imprint satisfies this craving of women effectively. There are a few profits o taking tank tops from Premark which ought to be remembered to determination the mental disarrays. Looking changed and exquisite is the fantasy and yearning of each lady. Primark dependably thinks about it, it gives the opportunity to give them a chance to had turn around them when they are walking around.

The utilization of light shades is legitimately mixing with interest brilliant shades to make effective and colorful plans that will include style in your fit accumulation. This current neon are, no doubt surfed with great fabric. The stuff of this item has exceptionally cool and light impact. The fabric use in it of exceptionally great quality that is solid being used shades and colors are lasting and never come blur a few washes.

The utilization of light shades is legitimately mixing with interest brilliant shades to make effective and colorful plans that will include style in your fit accumulation. This gathering are, no doubt surfed with great fabric. The stuff of this item has exceptionally cool and light impact. The fabric use in it of exceptionally great quality that is solid being used shades and colors are lasting and never come blur a few washes. More on shoppingmonkey.

Artist Trading Block: “Rain” #2 in Jane Austen ATB Series

Artist Trading Block: “Rain” #2 in Jane Austen ATB Series
Artist Trading Block: “Rain” #2 in Jane Austen ATB Series

Several months ago I began my foray into the world of Artist Trading Blocks (ATB) with a sculptural block celebrating Jane Austen’s Emma.

A delightful quote from the 1996 Jane Austen movie Emma, starring Gywneth Paltrow, inspired me to create that first ATB. Yet, a second line in the movie, when a drenched Mr. Knightley proclaimed his love to Emma, also caught my attention.

“I rode through the rain. I’d ride through worse than that if I could just hear your voice 
telling me that I might, at least, have some chance with you.” 

As the months went by, my desire to make another Jane Austen ATB based on this line only increased. Finally, as our long winter finally slid into spring, and our own rains began, I decided to go ahead and make this ATB.

The trouble is, I knew what I wanted it to look like and I knew it would not be easy. Then I came across The Robin’s Nest Sea Glass Tear Drops and I knew I had found my perfect raindrops.

I might write a tutorial for this ATB in the days ahead–but this project took so long to create and I am so pleased with the results, that I am reverting back to my five-year-old self and cannot wait any longer to show it to you.

Introducing: “Rain” #2 in the Jane Austen ATB Series:

Artist Trading Block Rain by Paper Calliope

This is how the Rain ATB appear when it is closed. Mr. Knightley’s horse sits atop the box.

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Who knew craft blogging could be so anxiety producing?

Who knew craft blogging could be so anxiety producing?
Who knew craft blogging could be so anxiety producing?

Ok, guys, this is just a quick post because I have to do one of those actual money making things.

Please get your mind out of the gutter. It’s not that. I must write some copy for a grant application. Oops, that’s my old professional writer voice talking. Now, as a blogger II should say: I have to go fill out some paper thingy. Hmmm….Just go ahead and put your mind back in the gutter. It will be more entertaining.

So earlier today, I was thinking about Paper Calliope and came up with at least a dozen things that were making me anxious–most of them centering around the I-am-not-good-enough theme. However, another anxiety popped up that just pissed me off. And honestly, I hate that phrase. I mean, really? Piss me off? How disgusting. Yet, it’s a pretty apt description of how it made me feel.  Read the rest of this entry

Make a spring planter with this Target Dollar Spot hack

Make a spring planter with this Target Dollar Spot hack
Make a spring planter with this Target Dollar Spot hack

The moms in my life have had a tough winter. Advanced age, more than one life-threatening surgery and a far-below-sub- zero polar vortex have taken a toll on them.

Unfortunately, they won’t be enjoying the warm sun of spring anytime soon. Even though it’s April, that other maternal figure–Mother-insert-expletive-here-Nature–dumped more than a foot of snow on us last night. That’s why a walk by the Target Dollar Spot inspired me to create inexpensive springtime gifts for my mom and step-mom.

Pssst this would be a perfect Mother’s Day gift

Paper Calliope Spring Planter Box

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Bored kids? Give them a paper towel

Bored kids? Give them a paper towel
Bored kids? Give them a paper towel

Are your kids bored? Good!

Scientific studies have shown allowing children to become bored actually boosts their creativity*.

But sometimes you might need to give your kids a gentle creative nudge. Or–when it is the third day of being cooped up with incessant whining and squabbling because the flu struck during your spring-break-this-really-sucks-stay-cation–you might need to forget the gentle nudge and march them directly toward an activity. As in now. Right. Now. Read the rest of this entry

Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition

Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition

hatching-egg-using-graphic-45-materials-by-Paper-Calliope-web-2

Graphic 45 hatches its new designers for 2014

Open your windows and put out the patio chairs for a new season has arrived. It’s the season when Graphic 45 selects its new design team for 2014.

Just like the Graphic 45 Staples Collection Metal Butterfly, I am irresistibly drawn to this event. The projects below serve as my audition to this prestigious annual event.

 Project 1: Giant Egg Hatches Graphic 45 Logo

Butterfly-using-Graphic-45-Staples-by-Paper-Calliope-web

I made this gigantic egg (you can see it at at the top of the post) to add a little playfulness into the audition. You poor judges can only look at so many scrapbook pages, before getting a little blurry eyed.

The egg stands 11 inches tall and features the Graphic 45 Sweet Sentiments collection. The 45 is the numerical portion of the actual Graphic 45 logo, which I enlarged, traced and then hand cut from several pieces of foam core. I then stacked them together in order to give the 45 substantial depth. Read the rest of this entry

Why does everything have to be a balancing act (tutorial included)

Why does everything have to be a balancing act (tutorial included)

ATB-1-web

ATB Circus Cannon Tutorial Level of Difficulty: Advanced
 

Both of my kids are circus performers. Don’t get me wrong–they aren’t out on the road, performing in big tops across the country. Rather, instead of participating in youth soccer or baseball, they take classes and perform at a circus performing arts school.

They both walk the wire, known to non-circus folks at the tightrope, The Daughter™ rides unicycles tall and small, The Son™ performs aerial straps. They do lots of other circus stuff too. While they aren’t the star performers at this very competitive school–far from it–the fact that they undertake these acts of courage when they both have serious anxiety disorders is pretty amazing. When The Son™ started at this school as a six-year-old, he found playground slides too frightening. Now he walks the highwire.

Anyway, since this isn’t a mommy blog (really, no, really it isn’t!), I shared this to point out that with my kids doing all these daredevil acts, you would think I would know a thing or two about balance myself. Apparently not. I demonstrated this when I neared the final stages of completing my Artist Trading Block (ATB) Circus Cannon. There I was–cheerfully working away with everything going smoothly. Then I attached the cannon barrel to the block and watched in dismay as the barrel lurched into the ground. If this was a real circus cannon, the circus girl would be shot straight into the elephant poop. Read the rest of this entry