Just stopping by to say goodbye.
This year has not been very creative at all for me. There have just been other things that have needed my time, my head space.
I want to say THANK YOU for stopping by, for your comments and likes, for your encouragement. I have enjoyed being in this corner of the blogging sphere.
I am hoping to get back to being creative in 2023, and if I do, I will post on Instagram ( Kathy’s Instagram ).
Peace.
Kathy
Thought I would stop by to let you know how my tasks are going.
Cookie baking has commenced. I am not quite halfway done, but good progress.
I have started my cards, coloring is in progress. Envelopes are addressed.
Calendars are updated and printed. (photo credit for cover photo: Offspring3)
And…drum roll…
I renewed the blog for another year. I realized as I was stamping my personalized stamp (which has my name and blog address) on the back of my Christmas cards that I actually have to have a plan for stopping. So, let’s consider 2022 the farewell tour of Paper and Ink Imaginings – as I figure out how to change to continue or how to exit.
This has been an ongoing debate in my head for over a year.
Should I pay the fees and continue?
Should I just create an Instagram that is only cards?
Do you have any thoughts on the subject?
I have 3 weeks to decide.
Have a nice Friday!
My creative mojo has been mostly absent for the past year. Pandemic concerns. Elder care and assistance.
But crafting has been my art therapy, my happy place for 18 years.
Was I bored with my crafting?
Was I overwhelmed with the crafting industry “buy this now” monthly release push? That answer has been YES for a while. (Yes, I know my being overwhelmed is MY problem, not a problem with the industry!) Sensory overload for me.
Was it time to move on?
So, I have been struggling along, making the bare minimum of cards for family.
I finished making my New Years cards in mid January (because I bailed on making Christmas cards, but I had purchased holiday postage stamps – have to send something!), and here come Valentine’s Day cards…
But my mojo peeked out from under the couch next to my craft table and asked me…
I am enjoying crafting. I have ideas. I STILL LOVE COLOR.
Alas, I have discovered that my card basket is very picked over (thanks to Offspring3 and my cousins! Love you! ❤ ). Lots of categories that need to be refilled.
Paint chips were begging to be stamped upon. So, two cards to help refill the basket.
Supplies: Stamps – Clearly Besotted, Essentials by Ellen, My Favorite Things, paper – Behr paint chips (Home Depot), Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Stampin’ Up! Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry, ink – VersaMark, dies – Essentials by Ellen (hello), Simon Says Stamp (sentiment strip), embossing powders – Gina K Designs Fine Detail Silver, Stampin’ Up! Classy Copper
(neighbor’s flowering shrub)
The surreal continues.
Some of our state restrictions have been eased, and the only eased thing we participated in was getting haircuts (me & hubby). Don’t hate me…mine was pure luck – in mid March, I went online (to my stylist’s site) and rescheduled my early April appointment to randomly be May 19th. I did feel a little guilty being almost first when my stylist opened back up. BUT, I achieved my goal of letting my hair grow out to its natural color (all the box hair color has officially been cut off – it took 2 years). And I am going to say this out loud – getting a haircut with a mask on is itchy!
I purchased and planted flowers for my Mom this week. She was very happy about having the colorful pots on her porch and patio. My Dad has figured out he can order from his favorite restaurant and do curbside pickup without running afoul of MY RULES. 😉
On the down side, the in-laws are failing badly. We currently have in home care for them (some since March 2019, almost 24 hour coverage since August 2019), and we are again talking about other options.
And, to acknowledge the elephant in the corner of the room: I have done ZERO crafting this week. Sigh. Mojo is nowhere to be found.
Oh! It is May the 4th!
May the force be with you! 😉
I’ve been sewing non-medical masks for my family. Our state has advised us to wear them when we have to go out for essential supplies.
I YouTube’d 4 or 5 videos on mask making, and kind of mashed up my own size (7 x 9 inches before sewing), number of pleats (2), layers (3). I had some 1/8th inch elastic in my sewing box, and pulled non-crease hair ties (new package – not previously worn!) out of my barrette box.
The most difficult part was waiting for the JoAnn’s order of quilting fabric to be ready for curbside pickup!
EDITED 4/14/2020 7:40am:
Adding YouTube link below. I cut my 3 layers of fabric to 7 x 9 inches (18 x 23 cm), and my elastic to 6 inches (15.5 cm). I found that using my steam iron to press the pleats into place before sewing really helped me when it came time to sew around the perimeter of the mask. I used different fabrics for the inside and the outside of the mask (inner layer could be the same as either), more to be able to tell my parents to wear it a specific way if they ever have to use it (they are going to put it on & take it off too many times and end up with the outside (with potential COVID-19 germs) against their face).
I have laundered the masks we have worn, and they came out great. I did touch up with the steam iron, but if I had taken them out of the dryer as soon as the buzzer sounded, and lay them flat, I would not have needed to do that.
And, of course, admission: I have been sewing since I was 10 years old.
There is a link to the PDF pattern for the mask just Erica Arndt’s profile picture.
One of my cousins texted me Wednesday night and asked me to make a scrub hat that would cover a low bun for her daughter on the west coast. Shortage of PPE.
I found a pattern online, and dug out this bright fabric (left over from a pillow & gym bag (2008 maybe??) – it was this or Christmas fabric!). I had elastic and twill tape in my sewing box.
I put it on my porch Thursday morning, my cousin picked it up and mailed it.
(Recipient is to let me know about fit/comfort before I make any more for her.)
My creativity is just GONE.
You know it is bad when I spent my Wednesday morning crafting time running TurboTax!
Have a great day!
My new computer arrived Tuesday.
I am working on getting all my software installed. (I am installing my scanner software as I type.)
I spent almost 2 hours troubleshooting sound issues (my speakers were connected, device driver was latest version) on Wednesday. I walked away for 45 minutes, the speakers were working when I came back. (and a restart was not involved??)
And my fingers are crossed that my Windows backed up files will restore correctly.
Paper and Ink Imaginings 