Breaking the Streak . . .

I was on a roll, just not rolling on the right hill.
I'm not counting the number of consecutive days I didn't blog. . . 
I'm just going to get back on track.


Take time to be creative every day.

April Card Class

 One of my Faves
Green, Black and Cream with vintage aging. . . yummy!

Astounding Generosity!

 Fun color combination and I don't like purple!

For a Friend

 I think this was my personal favorite! Water brush, dye ink painting technique.

It's Your Day

The Class liked this one!

Beautiful Spring

Mother's Day Apron - It's an open-able card and a refrigerator magnet.

I based this off the BBQ Grill Apron that's been around for a few years now.

Mother's Apron

Another Class Favorite - Brown and Red, always a classic!

Love Tree

Connor's Cards and an Update!

Cards for Connor was a huge success.

Of course I had dreamed of more,

but in the end I am so pleased.

Thanks to my friends and their friends

for helping me with donations and evenings of fun!

So far, my efforts have raised $1105. 

18 women participated!  YOU ROCK!!!

Connor is still a long way from his goal, but he's not worried.

For this class I focused on the inside of the cards as well as the outside.

I did this in honor of Connor, who is

truly beautiful from the inside out.

If you can make a donation, please visit his web-site here.

Hope you enjoy Connor's Cards.

Still At It

While it may appear that my creative gene has left the building

or that my blogging hat has been retired, I am still at it.

Wouldn't it be grand if we could truly spend each day as we desire

and not in the way that is sometimes pressed upon us.

I know we have choices and choices I do make,

but unfortunately for me, my choices these days have been limited to circumstances

that I can not control.

Control. . . there's a thought, an idea, a word I've long since had to let go of.

For those of us OCD types (yes, I am one), control is what we often seek, but never get

-- and rightfully so. Control is not what life is about -- choice is.

Which brings me right back to the beginning.

Choices.

Well, lets just say that I am making them, just not necessarily the ones I would like to.

Creativity is a necessity only second to choice in my world.

I live to create and thankfully, occasionally, I am blessed with the opportunity.

Thanks to my dedicated Scrap Gals

I once again eeked out some time and put together another class.

Loosely based on the Topstich CTMH Workshop on the Go,

I better get these posted so my gals can get their photos on them. Hope you enjoy.

Fun is Fundamental - We just love the zoo. Don't these show how much fun we have?

Determination Jessica - ;} Jessica's middle name should be Determination.

Behold Wonder - Walker was lost at the zoo for a time and when we found him this is where he was. Beholding Wonder. We spent a good 30 minutes just watching in wonder at this calf (only 2 days old) and her mother. I think they were just as curious as the boys were!

Remember you can click on each photo individually to see the image larger! Until next time!

Cards for Connor

I've got a notebook here full of things to post and share with you, but life just gets busier and busier and then in comes a story like this. Connor's blog will just give you strength. You can find it here. Kathy is a great friend and her husband is a bike rider who likes to ride his bike cross country for fun. . . you can read more about that here. The team and Project Life info can be found here. All of those links prompted me to do this:



(if you'd like to read this, you can click on the photo to see it in full view.)

And here's how you can help! Please share my post by posting a link to your blog or by emailing me at theinkboutique@gmail.com for a copy you can email to all your friends. . . share this on facebook, twitter or anywhere else you feel inspired. I realize not everyone can come to class, but any donations will go a long way towards achieving the $10000 my friends have pledged to collect.

Thanks for being you and for letting me share this with you!

Come Hungry, Leave Hungrier

You know I would feed you if I could, but since I'm not smart enough to develop Smell-O-Vision or Taste-O-Vision, you'll leave hungrier than you came. . . at least for food! Hopefully the tasty art will satisfy one part of your hungry soul. Please enjoy! I know we did!!!

February Recipe Club. . . Cards designed, typeset and made by me. . .

 recipes shared from class members.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

and for my card class a little bit easier to relax and enjoy knowing they have at least some of their Christmas cards ready to go! I thoroughly enjoyed coming up with the 6 cards they made Friday night, but it was hard too. This may be one of the last 2 classes I am able to hold for a while. The economy has hit my family hard and like many we are in a huge position of uncertainty. I'm hopeful, but let all of my nearly 30 regular class members know that I may not be able to continue our scheduled classes. This for me, is one of the hardest parts of the trials my family is currently facing. I love to create, to teach and to be surrounded by friends regularly in my home; I'm sure that without it a very important part of my life will be missing. So here they are, I am hoping you find something here that inspires you!

My personal favorite. I love how this came out! A nice rustic look! So many possibilities with this idea!


The glassine envelope holds snowman parts. . . a snowman for you!

This cheerful card is easy to replicate and holds a warm sentiment framed on the inside.

I tried to get a photo that shows the reflection of the snowflakes on the snowmen. Love the clear card look!


This is a recreation of a card I made many years back. Just love to mimick Santa's belt on a card with his image. This card sparkles inside and out!

It's fun to stretch a "Christmas Card" to the point where you're not quite sure if it is one. I borrowed this idea from Yvette West. She's amazing!


May this truly be the most wonderful time of the year for you and your family. I think I'll go roast some marshmallows now!

Eat, Create and Be Merry

I starved you for 2 weeks, but the feast you are about to receive should be worth it! You may want to get a bib so you don't drool on your computer!

I can't think of anything much better than eating or creating, but when combined together two of my favorite things are even better! The latest two installments of recipe club were out of this world. After spending Friday night and Saturday in the company of both of my Recipe Club Classes I have a lot to be merry about! Of course my week was spent in frantic preparation for the two events, but the efforts were truly worth it. It's an amazing process to take a typed recipe and transform it into a readable, creative 6X6 piece of artwork. I first come up with a concept based on the amount of information I have to include in the limited amount of space. Next I typeset the information into a hopefully legible and visually pleasing layout. I also have to include a title and from whom the recipe was obtained. Then I let the creativity take over and hopefully come up with something that brings out both the personality of the food but also the personality of the woman who provided the recipe. After my prototype is complete I prep the projects so that the class member can come together and recreate the art for their own kitchens. It's so much fun to enjoy each other's company as we eat the food and recreate the projects together.

I have to give special kudos to Mikensee (my 11 year old DD) who made the adorable pumpkin stickpins. She made them at my request (with the concept for my card still in my head.) The first batch she made burned and she cried. She was so disappointed. I convinced her it would be worth it for her to make them again so she did. I wish I had taken a picture of the pumpkin patch but I didn't think about. They were so cute in the pin cushion together; each with their very own personality! The card would not have been the same with out them! She did an amazing job. I'm very proud of her. That Makins Clay is just fun stuff!




Let the feast begin!