Files and Journal Organized

With all the organizing going on around here I thought I would organize my office papers.  I had all kinds of papers just piled up and crammed in the shelf that now houses my important studio tools and supplies.  So they had to go somewhere.  I now have a filing system going for all my papers, like hubby's JoonBuggy shop, my future I Spy shop, my poems and songs, my novel notes (yes, one day I plan to write a novel - with my sister), short story notes, sketches, photography, and so on.  Here's a peek into my file folder.

Wow, it's so organized I almost don't believe it's mine.  I also had lots of scraps of short poems, little doodles, and word and craft ideas and inspirations that needed to go into my journal.  I cut them all out and taped them down or just wrote them into my journal.  I got several pages done, but here are four of my favorites.

The Procrastinator Blues

I force my hand onto a piece of paper

Strain to create

Feel a failure and mope all day

Then by grace I dig up treasures

Piled under assorted stacks of duty

That I have put off

Sometimes I feel a spark

When I breathe some air on these coals

Sometimes they are cold and hard

Like diamonds

Just pretty little rocks

So much work left to reveal the sparkle

I cut

Facet after facet

Too many things left undone

I Love Vintage!!!!!!

     And if you love Vintage items too, you should stop by my hubby's shop - JoonBuggy - where you can find vintage books, vintage home decor, and a few mixed media/assemblage supplies.  His name is Brandon, and he's very funny, friendly, and cute!

If you stop by and make a purchase, be sure to use this 10% off coupon code for my blog fans!

ISPYBLOG

Lino Cut Owl

With sales slowing down to a hault in my hubby's Etsy shop, JoonBuggy, I decided to give buyers an incentive to purchase books from our shop.  I will soon be introducing a print of my owl lino cut as a freebie to those who buy any book from his shop. 

This is the sketch I started with.  I used carbon paper to transfer the drawing to the lino surface.  I had to stop when I was half done and start over again because I forgot to transfer the reverse image to the carving surface and I did not like this guy as well in reverse.

Here is the lino halfway through the carving process.

I finished the carving and did a test print, but I really need a good brayer.  I have spots in each print that have less ink, and I also have places where the ink fills the carved lines.  This is all because the brayer I am using is a cheap plastic brayer that is very uneven.  It even has a few indentions in it.  Yikes.  I also forgot to sand the protective coating off the linoleum before I got started which causes the ink to kinda pool up on the surface.  Next time I will make sure to do more research before starting a project with an unfamiliar technique!

Here is the finished carving and a (sorry excuse for a) test print.

I believe I can make this work with a good brayer.  If not I will recarve this cute guy again.  Live and learn, right?

Pillows - As Promised

So here is a peek at the pillows I have been making.  I did these right, with pillow forms and covers so I can wash them whenever my daughter decides to smear blueberries on them or leave a piece of candy on top of one.  Or just in case hubby spills cereal or something on them, lol. 

Here is a picture of all the decor for the living room piled up into one place.  I had to move everything into the dining room so I could paint the living room. 

And here is a picture of everything semi-arranged.  I still need to get a better rug for the floor and some matching coffee tables. 

Not the best picture, sorry, but the light in our living room gave up the ghost and needs to be replaced.