Musings Over a Shabby Chic Canvas

This is one of my last projects for the Graphic 45 2010 DT - a canvas with some of the new metal staples embellishments, Prima lace and flowers, and tons of white acrylic paint. Here's a little closeup. I painted the canvas all white, added some newsprint patterned papers and painted again. Then I added most of my embellishments, and then even more paint, to try to make them all blend in. Finally I added some flowers without painting them, to have some details that kind of popped.The quote is a favourite of mine, because surely, a home would just be four walls and a roof, if not for the people living in it. Being about to leave this home and setting up a new one, like I am, this becomes even more true, because the new house that we will move into in a while is quite a bit smaller than the one we live in now, with low ceilings and tiny rooms, but it doesn't matter, because my family will be there with me, and that's all that counts. That and the location of the house, the closeness to the sea, the billowing hills, the woods, the meadows, the silence and the fresh air that surrounds it. Also, the prospect of having a brand new house to start over in, like a blank canvas to fill with all the ideas that I have gathered in my mind over the years, is very appealing, to say the least.

Come to think about it, if you change the world home to art, this quote would be very appropriate to why I'm keeping this blog, and what I love most about papercrafting. "What I love most about my art is who I share it with." True, right? I'm blessed to have a whole bunch of good friends to hang out with, scrapping, laughing, sharing ideas and inspiration, and having a great time! I'm also blessed to have so many wonderful readers of my blog, who leave me the sweetest comments, and really cheer me up when I'm feeling a bit down. Thank you all for that ♥ It really means a lot to me.

Johanna - Jag skulle gärna vilja hjälpa dig där, men jag är inte säker på att finns något som kan få scrappade grejor att stå emot regn och rusk. Någon slags lack, kanske? Kolla med färghandeln, de kanske kan rekommendera något bra :)

Upcycled ribbon spool and thank you-card

I had this old wooden spool, that had ribbon on it when I bought it, in my stash, and I thought why not turn it into a candle holder? So I did. I used some really cute papers from Primas Reflections line, and some wire to form a candle ring, which I then decorated with some cut-out butterfly, pieces of lace and baubles.
All the supplies are from Prima, and can be bought at Scraplagret.

I've also made a very simple little card with the same line.

Otherwise, things are really moving along at the farm. The kitchen is DONE (huge sigh of relief, it turned out pretty OK, will show you photos later), along with the bedroom and dining room. The hall is almost ready, and yesterday, I ripped out a dark red, smelly and incredibly dusty carpet from the living room, and thus, that room is on the way too. And then there is upstairs left. But maybe, just maybe we will be able to move in before this year ends, at least. There's just so much to do, and so little time. And still no prospect of a scrapstudio of my own, there just isn't enough room in the house, and converting one of the outhouses...well, that's just too big a project to land.

Anyway, today I'm going to forget all about renovations fo a while, attend a birthday party, and spend the evening cropping with friends and getting busy with my next DT-kit from Scraplagret.

Hello sunshine!

This beauty greeted me the other day, as I got out to the farm. Isn't it just gorgeous the way it opens up to greet the sun, and reflects it with it's bright orange pistil?

So, I guess most of you already know I wasn't asked back by Graphic 45 for another year. After spending a month on the Steampunk Mansion, and another month on coming up with brand new, never before seen, final round projects, I thought if that, and everything else I had put my heart and soul into this last year, wasn't good enough, I really must suck as an artist.

I lost a lot of inspiration there. Mr Mojo took his stuff and got out of here, so to speak. However, I cleared out my scraproom completely, and lo and behold, there he was, crouching behind all the Steampunk stacks, with my brand new DT-kit from Scraplagret in his hands, and quite a lot of stuff got done over the weekend. Unfortunately, I can't show any of it yet, but pretty soon I guess I will have this blog flowing over with new, lovely Prima, and some Crate from the last Nook kit, not to mention brand new Echo Park loveliness, which I already have some of, and which will also come in the next Nook kit, due on my doorstep any day.

So, all is well, Mr Mojo lingers, and I create for my own pleasure. And as my ever so cleaver little boy put it: "Mom, even if someone else didn't like what you do, I think you do nice things, and I like everything you've made for me. " And that's what matters, isn't it? He loves his Steampunk Mansion, and that makes it worth all the hours I put in.

But I'm sure as h*** never going apply for a second round of the same DT again. It really sucks knowing what you are missing out on!