Saturday, December 8, 2018


Happy Holidays!

Just checking in before the major festivities of the Season
get started, and to tell you a bit of big news from 
my part of the world.
I have a new muse in my life....grin....

Meet 'Barkley McMuffin Butt Phillips'

When we went to pick Barkley up from his fur mum,
he was just about 10 weeks old, now almost a month
later, it's almost as if he's always been here.


He's fit and healthy, had his first vet visit, and he's
now my art room buddy for late night art time.

Although, not much art time since his arrival...grin...
but have managed to keep on making the 
Artist Trading Coins obsessively! LOL!


Using my vast collection of graphics from the myriad
of designer collections, like Retro Cafe Art, and Teesha Moore The Astronauts Club, PaperWhimsey and 
Tumble Fish Studio (retired) and 
Crow about StudioB and Itkupilli from Mischief Circus...


They've all been keeping me busy...


I'm finding making the Artist Trading Coins,
is a great way to have some quick and fun 
quality art time, if you set up an area with all
the supplies at hand....


then it's all ready for when you can grab 15 minutes or
a couple of hours at a time.


I've been using a bunch of my 6x6 scrapbook paper pad
to do the backgrounds, helping use up supplies and,
making the process a little quicker from painting backgrounds,
(although when there's time, I'm enjoying that process too.


But with a new fur-baby in the home...
not a lot of time currently for a more
committed art time....grin...

although I have dabbled a bit with
some digital graphics pages ....


When Barkley allows it....grin....


So I just want to wish you all a very 
Wonderful Holiday Season!
So hard to believe it's almost Year End!

Sending You
All the Best of Wishes
for the Holidays!


Cheers!





















Saturday, November 3, 2018



So sorry for the long absence ...



Such a long period of time since my last post,
with apologies. Life sometimes can knock your
stuffing out of you. After the loss of dear dog,
found my mojo had all but disappeared, but recently
joined a group of Facebook that are into making
Artist Trading Coins.
Now I seem to be totally obsessed with making them...grin.


They're great fun to make, with so many options


It's the same principal as Artist Trading Cards.
The only rule, is that it be a 2.5" circumference circle 
instead of the 2.5x3.5" Trading Card.


And you can choose to use any type of
medium in making them. Paint, draw, stamp,
or in my world, collage with graphics and
bits and bobs to add on occasion.


I'm finding, when making them, I seem
to be working in series of them. 


When
I find an idea works, and have the supplies,
I make a few different variations, then 
when the ideas start to fog a bit
...onto another idea.


I find it's a little hard to run out of ideas
when I have a massive collection of 
wonderful graphics to use by all of my
Favourite Graphic Designers collections
from over the years....just to name a few...

Tumble Fish Studio 
(Retired from Mischief Circus)
Crowabout StudioB
Itkupilli
Miles Beyond the Moon
and others...

other Favourites
On Etsy, Art Tea Life,
Ceremony, and through 
The Astronauts Club
Teesha Moore



and even 

They have a whole section in their shop
full of wonderful graphic digital sheets!


also has a whole other series of wonderful
Artist Trading Coin accessories!
Digital pages to print up for labels
for the backs of your coins and now,
rubber stamps for labels to boot!


Anyway, I'll just post a few more pictures
so you can get the idea of the obsession 
I've fallen into....grin...
and hopefully to give you some inspiration
to jump in and make some for yourself and to trade
with others too!


If you check out Facebook and other 
Social Media, you'll find there are 
tons of Artist Trading Coin groups!


And on a practical note....
in this current time, postage is always
a concern when doing swaps...
These are so easy and lightweight
to pop into the post....


I like to put them
into a trading card sleeves, or even
a trading card page, as they have the
2.5" wide openings and store great,
 leaving rows open
for the swap partner 
to finish filling the page sleeves...


...and of course, that can lead you into
mail art too.....grin..


So I hope sharing my latest obsession,
my getting my mojo back after a long
absence will help inspire you to get busy
and make some Artist Trading Coins too!





Now get busy....Cheers!

Enjoy!


























Sunday, August 19, 2018



With a sad heart....



Been some time since I posted.
I thought I would share with you all after
all these years of my blog always 
including my dear little muse, my pal, my clown, 
my baby dog, Oliver Howard

With great sadness...
Our dear Oliver Howard gave a brilliant effort to live
as long as he possibly could. 
Diagnosed with kidney failure back in February, 
he with our support and efforts,
made it to July 19th, 2018, just a couple of
months short of his 17th birthday.
We're so upset and heartbroken, but know that
he had a long, and fabulous life.
He's been such a joy to know, and love.
And with gratitude, I thank all of his
Internet Aunties on Facebook 
and here on the blog, loving him
and enjoying him for so many years.

He was a lucky creature to be so
very loved.
Miss you Oliver Howard.






Sunday, July 15, 2018


Hello Summer
although a little late....


I guess 2018 is a year of a shift in focus.
As I've mentioned before, it was a conscious 
decision to give much of my free time this year
to our dear old boy Oliver Howard.
Being his 16th year, and starting it off with
a major health issue, my arts and crafts have
taken a back seat to the boy.

Pleased to say, he's still with us, and managing
with a bit of intervention, and fingers crossed
for the goal of getting him to 17 years of age in
September. Then onto setting another goal if
he'd like to keep on keeping on.

But that doesn't mean there is no arts or crafts at all...
Managed a bit of art play occasionally.

After signing onto a wonderful online Workshop
 I started a little project, that I could just leave out
on my art desk, and come and go from it as the mojo
would take me in spare time.


Armed with a myriad of stamps 
and ephemera bits and bobs,
water colour paints and felt pens and
of course lots of coffee....grin....

...and my old clunker sewing machine that I use
strictly for mixed media projects....

I began the journey into letting my mojo go....

tucking in and sewing in bits and bobs....

to create pages in the little sewn book....

even dug out some of my own hand carved stamps

and vintage bits with scrapbooking bits...

no rhyme or reasons....


...just some creative play 

I also had signed onto a couple of other workshops
but haven't had the time yet this year to commit myself
to diving into the creative process, but high hopes for
the fall and into winter...will post when I do.

Other bits and bobs done, still making my 
chubby ATC Blocks using
ATC Block Kits

and of course using the Fabulous assortment
of graphics from all of my Fav companies 
like Tumble Fish Studio (Retired) and
Crowabout StudioB and Itkupilli
from Mischief Circus
and
Teesha Moore graphics from
The Astronauts Club


always enjoy making my tongue in cheek ATC's


and so much fun mounting them onto the 
ATC Blocks for my ongoing wall display....
think I'm up to about 18 of them done.
Husband will love all the nail holes in the sheet rock wall....
grin....


...and of course the occasional post card pages,
always fun to make those, even if it's 3 a.m...
as long as coffee is involved 


So that's what I've been up to so far this Summer,
bits and bobs in between a busy life this year,
as I am sure it is for you too!
As always, hope my post gives you some inspiration,
and even some permission to try to find the time
to give yourself a bit of creative outlet and let
your mojo fly.

Enjoy!
And have a good Summer!


















Friday, April 6, 2018

Long Time No Be Around... 

First off, Hi All!
Sorry for not being around for so long...
Life has a habit of getting in the way
of my creative time and it seems
this year is no different.


I did mention last last year, that I was
intending on spending more time for
the New Year with our dear boy,
Oliver Howard
He's turning 17 years old in September,
and is currently aging fast, with some
medical issues that have appeared 
out of nowhere, so he has become
our priority these days.
But I have managed to still grab some
art time in between dog feedings, cuddles and naps ...

....and when I can get my glasses back from him...

Christmas came and went, and with all that
has been going on, I found little time to get
to play with my new toys....


So quick projects are all I've been managing, 
here was one, the new 
Sizzix Eileen Hull Die Cut for making 
Travel Journals,
not that I get to travel anymore, but they can 
be used for many other purposes.
I had great fun for a few, making one, and mounting
a 3D Collage Doll I made with Itkupilli Graphics.

Also I've been continuing making my collection 
of ATC Blocks for a wall display I have planned...


Much to the dismay of my husband at the thought
of all the holes I'll be putting into the walls....grin....


...when you're being creative, you don't think about
such things....other than if there is wall space....

...again, using the Retro Cafe Art 
Chunky Dimensional ATC Kits to make them...


Have also managed some Digital Art Time
with the myriad of Fabulous Graphic
Designers over at Mischief Circus

Oliver Howard posed for this one....grin...


And here are a few of my ATC's, and Post Card Collages
made over the past couple of months with all of the 
Wonderful Graphics from All over at Mischief Circus!
And with a little Teesha Moore at The Astronauts Club
thrown in :)


...used one of my own personal 'Oh Deer Bubbie' photos
of one of our favourites of our deer herd around our home.



...and some of my Collage Post Cards....


...hope you too have been getting some
good, quality creative time for yourselves....

...never waste good mojo :)

and even had a play with some of the new
Dylusion Stamps 
I received for the holidays....


...and more cut and paste....


....trying to channel my inner gardener....



...and sometimes it's hard to get motivated....


....coffee helps.....


So I'm glad I popped in just to touch base
with you all so that you'd know I haven't
fallen off the planet....grin...and I'm still
finding some creative time...

Hope this finds all of You doing well 
and finding your Mojo!!!



Enjoy!