lindambarrett

oh the light

Oh the light!  This past Sunday was glorious!

You know Spring is tapping on the door when the light gets long arms and stretches out across the ground like a morning yawn. Those shadowy crisscorssing reaches greeted us on our wooded walk today.

Combine that light with the ground sounds underfoot; the Earth's mingled voices talking in thawing clattering crunching snow sheets - in strong sharps - mixed with a muck-sucking sound as wetness grabbed at my heels.  What a music sheet by nature to my ears!

And the light, did I mention the light?! Shappire blus skies and midnight blue on the snow, burnt orange in the grasses, milky cream colored light in the house and warm dappled dots of light jumping right over the kitchen table! Oh the light!

Wrigley and I wrestled branches and twigs along the walk today to avoid the sidewinder trechery of the ice patches on the path. It was all good even with the brown colored dawg replacing my white one as the mud spatter clinged to her underbelly and paws. 

 

But, beyond the light, the real reason I know spring is just around the corner is seeing the green heads of my hyacinth bulbs peeking there way out of the frozen ground under the barren tree out front of my house. Their sight wasn't lost on the puffed red cardinals and skirting chickadee - all peeping away like a full on band while perched on her branches. 

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the light and sounds of the Earth waking up near you. 

Cheers,

linda & wrigs

love your life & do good!

 

 

stamping 1.0 primer

If you are looking for a class that will take you form newbie stamper to savvy heat embosser - then this Paper Source class is just for you. Better hurry  though, it's tomorrow night 2/7, from 6-7:30pm!

I've created this workshop to teach you about a variety of inkpads, embossing powders, how to mask and even some accenting with souffle pens.

The bonus is that you get to learn how to create this pamplet stitched booklet to house your handy primer. If you are interested - here is the link easy registration. 

Let me know if you decide to take the class, loe to hear what you think.

Cheers,

Linda

valentine inspiration

Are you pondering your creative voice for sending this years Valentines? How about thinking outside the proverbial box!

How about this unique and whimsical little muslin bag - stamped and then finished with bakers twine threaded through felted wool pom poms & stitched to the bag. No Valentine will be able to resist this presentation! Perfect for yummy chocolates, homemade cookies, fun sprialed licquorice or tiny red hots!

Like the idea but want a bigger goodie bag? Just thread the felted wool through the bakers twine, then simply tie it around a burlap bag. While certainly great for wine - try putting personal stationery or a bubble bath and candles tucked inside for a fun surprise. Giving it to a guy - try movie tickets and a box of his favorite candy...or some warm wool socks and lift tickets for skiiing! You'll totally win some hearts with these creative combos!

Don't forget about the kids - adding stamped accents to flat cards with glassine envelopes tucked with tiny treats attached to the back - are the perfect school day exchange!

Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!

Linda

 

 

holiday recap 2012

i decided to create a little holiday projects in review collage in 9 simple images.

i think i might have to do this every month or at least every quarter to provide myself a little reflection on what my hands created. 

enjoy and happy new year!

Linda

love our life and do good!

 

 

DIY felt projects for the holidays

Just wanted to share the lastest felt stitched Iphone holder that I made using my red & white bakers twine and soft white felt. Finished with a string and button wrap it couldn't be more cute.

Since I like to have a nice cup of tea these chilly evenings I decided to make a matching tea cozy/wrap for my cup/glass. the wooden buttons really finish both of these projects. 

whats on your DIY list for gifting this year?

CHeers,Linda

 

pretty cowboy boots

There is nothing like a girls weekend in Lake Geneva Wisconsin! Time with my mom and the sister-in-laws -yep, a weekend filled with laughing, shopping, playing cards, walking the lake path and finding the perfect pair of flowered cowboy boots! 

Now that was truly the way to create a lifetime of memories...that i get to recall time and again everytime i slip on my boots!

Even with dust on them from the back woods path...they make me smile just walkin in them. Thanks MOM for that "right" boot! Every girl should have someone they love buy one boot...making them affordable and memorable!

xoxo these boots were made for walkin!

cheers 

linda

love your life and do good.

glittery holiday accents

As National Workshops Manager at Paper Source I create and write something like 48 curriculums thoughtout the year. YEP! that's  almost one every week! This past weekend our stores delivered the Holiday Glittery Accents workshop curriculum where I created a collection of 3D (lokta handmade music paper) projects. 

I especially love working with handmade paper and this imported soft fiber music paper is perfect for the holdays.  Check out how festive these projects look...complete with all our new glitters. From vintage glitter glass to silver halo-glitter. The vessel is coated with a sugary finish coating of crystal glitter, accented with a vine and glittered ribbons. 

Let me know what fun DIY crafting you're doing for the holidays ...and don't forget to register for Paper Sources new "Holiday Crafting Contest" for a chance to win $250. 

Check it out and keep in touch!

Cheers,

Linda

 

 

chalk play

nothing is better than spending a crisp early october day outside.

and i did just that this past weekend - which also included a few other ingredients for a perfect saturday...

a trip to the farmers market for fresh veggies, broom corn for my porch and warm baked goods dropped off at moms house for a hug and hello.

Home to grab a fresh carrot beet juice and then a hike in the back forty with my best pal wrigley and my fun little neighbor friend, little miss Teagan.

the colors were glorious...

smiles were had by all...including oversized logs for wriggie.

Finishing up the day with time for chalk drawings on the sidewalk! Ahhhh...ain't life grand!

hope you are enjoying these days of fall!
cheers,

Linda

 

 

my crafty collections

I've missed several updates and wanted to share with you some projects I've created for work at Paper Source. With each workshop you also get a print out of the steps and ingredients making it easy to repeat for so many other creative gifts.

Several of these ideas and images here can be recreated for fall decor and holiday crafting. If you are interested in taking any classes check out some of the upcoming links here for paper source workshops.

The Fall Burlap Wreath class allowed me to show off blending the natural texture of our new 2.5" burlap paired with atumnal glitters - what a great way to dress up any front door now that the colors are changing! 

How about some of these Holiday Card Making ideas...who doesn't love washi tapes and layering for a greeting that says wow! Plenty of encores for several of these classes are being offered at stores across the country. 

I was inspired by plenty of great little collections on Pinterest and designed this collection including muslin bags, favor boxes, hang tags, paper covered clothespins, mini notepads and stationery pairings complete with lined envelopes. Who could resist this pool dot boxed collection - for yourself or a gift?!

Stop back and visit to see some more of the upcoming classes I have planned!

CHeers,

Linda

back to school memories

Who doesn't remember those days leading up to "back to school week"?  A time filled with the longing for summer to last a month, a week, a day longer, combined with anticipation of the things to come.

Way back (i mean really way back) in my Catholic grade school days - it usually combined a mixture of fun blended with a bit of nervous energy. The weeks leading up to school included time spent getting things on the school list: a new pair of penny loafers or Mary Jane's, a fall sweater - often in our prescribed navy blue with matching knee high wool socks, white little colored button up shirts and finishing the list was the classic pleated navy, black & white plaid pleated skirt.

I'd gather up used erasers, my freshly sharpened no.2 pencils, a small handful of magic markers and my little plastic 6" ruler - all tucked neatly into a little zippered pencil case. I'd get one new notebook. I can barely remember what they looked like when new but can recall the tattered notebook at the end of the year - scribbled with peace signs, names, reminders, phone numbers, and layered with stickers like "keep on truckin" or some rouge STP racing sticker my brothers slapped on.  

But, I'd have to say that my fondest memories of back to school would come the morning school started. Seeing all of our (4-6 kids depending on the school age) brown paper lunch bags lined up on the counter - each with our names printed on the outside in my moms stylized penmanship.  Each bag was filled with some version of PB&J sandwiches - super crunch peanut butter or smooth, then there were be the jelly only, peanut butter only, no crust, etc. each with fun little "snoopy & the the red baron" drawings on the opposite side of the brown bag. So special. 

That brown bag line-up was such a fun vivid memory. It provided each of us with a bit of love on that first day of school, reminding us everything would be okay. If by lunch we began to doubt that morning cheer, we'd often be reassured when lunchtime rolled around - whereupon opening those little leaching brown bags we'd find a sweet little note from our mom tucked inside.

These days as I see "back to school" signs at the local stores and families shopping for shiny new No.2 pencils, iconic notebooks, and fancy zippering pencil bags - I think about the little things that are so important.

I hope these bright-eyed kids will be sent off with a love filled reminder that this new year of school will be okay. Whether it comes on a brown paper lunch bag, a 3x5 card or an electronic text sent while they are travleing on the school bus...the important thing is to deliver the message. They may not remember algebra, but that note is one they will remember. 

cheers from the way back machine!

linda 

dog days of summer

Sadly, August is peeling the last days away from the calendar and with it the dog days of summer are becoming more and more limited.

I think my Wrigleygirl can feel the days dwindling even more than me - she is relentless in getting me out the door for a sun soaked hike for me and good tennis ball fetching swim for her.   

The water has receded about 10 feet from the drought this summer leaving the shore expansive and the grass areas parched. But, at the end of the day a visit to the lake makes every thing feel better. The breeze, the watery aqua, the sounds of the birdsong, the crickets and frogs...the concert is lovely. 

If you haven't made a visit to the waters edge this summer - be sure to make it there before the dog days of summer are over.

Enjoy!

Linda & Wrigs 

4th of july crafts

If you're looking for some easy and fun 4th of July crafting ideas to adorn both your front door and holiday table try some of these really cute projects I created at work using our Paper Source star kits, some foam squares, red & white straws and hot glue! So many ways to show your love of country.

Steps: 1. Add a single layer of foam squares under the circle star shape.  2. Next add larger foam squares to the back of the stars. 3. Repaeat these steps mixing up the combinations of stars and backers while adding varying layers of foam squares. 4.Press them onto the chip board wreath form.

Finish with a ribbon and you're set! 

For the table accents simply add hot glue to the back of the stars and place the straws down - next  secure to the backer the same way. The kids would have fun running around the yard with these!

Cheers and happy Forth of July!

Linda

 

inspiration boards

Did i mention that awhile back i added these fun peel and stick chalk boards to my wall in my kitchen? They provide great reminders of the things i'm focused on manifesting in my life... i figure with God as my partner in this adventure i don't have much to lose.

From what i've read about manifesting... i first need to "feel" what my intentions would be once realized - then begin to work towards those goals. A strategy helps, but from all i've heard and read typically the  plan will show itself.  I need to trust it to unfold as it is intended and simply pay attention. 

I have a few intentions paired with strategies out there right now and the work is in progress...stay tuned as the pages write themselves.

cheers,

linda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pretty paper bowls

ohh, pretty paper bowls!

(photo by emma nunn) 

who can resist these wonderful little vessels?! these were inspired from seeing so many wonderful objects made from paper on pinterest. once i made them and showed them at work - we fell in love with the idea of adding it as a class. 

if you're interested in learning how to make these luminous lovelies you're in luck - the class is running this month, on june 21.  please stop by one of the paper source stores for a fun project or register online.  you'll get to make 2 of these bowls (take them home to dry) and fill them with your own trinkets.

hope to see you at one of the stores soon!

cheers,

linda

 

even if there are clouds in the sky this weekend i'm still looking forward to some time in the great outdoors this memorial day.

my day will also include sending prayers out to the men and women of the military who give in so many ways to provide for our safety and well being. my meager but heartfelt thanks to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice with their life - blessings to each and every soul and to their families.

god bless our country, land of the free!
xo
lmb

its still daylight!

Ahh, the feeling that you can get home at almost 8pm and still have daylight hanging onto the edge of the sky before night pulls its covers - is simply a beautiful thing.

I received as an added bonus, a soft grey light to capture the amazing (mind blowing) shades of purple-blue hues in my hydrangea, sitting outside my front door.

WOW, is all I can really say about the buds that offer themselves up in a crisp chartruese color - the perefect compliement to the blues - that only nature's brush can get so right.

I also managed a last farewell inhale past the departing lilacs on the bushes alongside the house -

then headed indoors - followed by my trusty girl "wrigs" - who i couldn't resist sanpping a pic of as she soulfully paused to relaxed on the couch - ready for some attention.

Why is it that behind the lens so many things in my life feel EVEN MORE lovely? 

Its true, life is good!

Linda

gentle reminders

Every now an again its nice to receive a gentle reminder from my dad - letting me know he is still around me - sending me love from the other side. Every so often I get little taps from him (in our own special ways we still communicate) but lately - perhaps because either I haven't asked or I haven't been paying attention - I've been missing them.

With mother's day coming up this weekend I'm really hoping I/we get a great sign. Not so much for me, but for my mom. It might sound funny, but my dad always made "mom's day" super special. And, with mother's day coming up I feel his loss pressing upon my heart, knowing that he was my mom's companion, her partner in all things, her champion of family and great moms! And well, his lack of physical presence is something I know my mom misses so very much. 

Dad used to tease my mom because every time they wuold be walking from the car - across any parking lot - after breakfast, to or from church, grocery shopping - my mom would be looking down spying for shiny coins on the ground. 

Well, not long after my dad passed away whenever we asked for a sign from him... we'd spot those shiny coins on the ground. I remember one day (not long after sharing this fact with a close friend) when I was having a particularly stressful time in my life, I recall asking my dad to support me,  and if he could send me a sign that he heard me that would be great.  Well, that next day I remember having to work on the weekend visiting a store in Evanston.  I had gotten out of my car and walked up to the meter only to realize that I didn't have change in my wallet. Bummed, I began to walk back to my car when out of the corner of my eye I spotted something shiny - I looked down and there on the street was a scattering of coins. Not my typical single penny (that by the way would have been enough for a sign) but there were nickles, dimes, quaters, pennies -  I totally laughed out loud and then said "thanks dad".  I got back into my car and immediately called my friend - knowing she'd "get it" and to celebrate the moment.

So this weekend, when we go out for our annual mother's day drive (something dad was big on) I'll be looking for a special sign from him - along the path to breakfast, across the parking lot going to church and wherever we go that day - watching out for the sign that he's had heard my little prayer for a "gentle reminder".

Cheers, and blessings to all those moms out there who could use gentle reminders that they are loved!

Linda ~ love your life & do good!

green favor accents

Nothing is prettier than a table accented with touches of nature's colors - especially when they can take them home and plant them when the are done.

The scent & site of grape hyacinths paired with some stamped favor boxes and matching place cards are the perfect welcome for any guest at the brunch table. I lined these favor boxes with wax paper and used seed starters to set the bulbs in (you can also cover them in light moss to keep them moist) - when the guests leave from your Saturday morning blue berry pancake brunch they can go home and plant their little bulbs. Come next year when they are pushing their green leaves up from the ground, your guests will have instant reminders of your gathering.

Above, I used our  white take out favor boxes from Paper Source - which I stamped in a lime chalk ink (super fast drying) with this versatile branch stamp prior to assembling with brads. I folded the flaps in for more sturdy walls and a clean presentation. Next, I stamped the place cards in the same ink and finished the names using souffle pens, in a complementing purple ink.

While it might be a bit late for grape hyacinths - there are so many another great plants to use - try pansies for a soft sweet aroma combined with a hit of color. They come in so many varieties this time of year and are a bright and cheery accent to any table , or garden!

Cheers and happy brunching!

Linda ~ love your life and do good!

 

rain or shine

Spring provides us with a mix of weather that paints the sky.

Full torrents of rain pause unexpectedly to display inter-mitten dapplings of golden light brushed across the horizon. Just when you think you know what mother nature has in mind she shifts gears and throws down a dialog with thunder booms to punctuate the sky.  

Rain or shine there is nothing quite like her spring display of sky shows. I guess we'll just have to wait to see what she has up her sleeve for tomorrow.

Enjoy the surprises.

cheers, 

linda ~love your life & do good! 

lily of the valley & lilacs - it doesn't get any better!

Every year at this time - bordering between spring showers, cold snaps and intermittent bursts of sunshine - I wait patiently for the tiny green petals to push their way up from the ground.  These little bundles of part elixir, part fairy magic artfully show their tiny bell shaped heads from under the cascade of accumulating petals that falls from my flowering tree in my front yard.

Ever since I can remember, the sight of lily-of-the- valleys little white bells have made me believe that dreams do come true. After all, it takes a wishful gardener with hope in their heart, to plant such a fragile looking specimen with a prayer that their roots take hold.  Low and behold – once they do they are forever growing and spreading with nothing to stop them!  Don’t you love that about those small but hardy plants!

But, just when you think it couldn’t get any better than the shy lily of the valley – there comes the abundant array of purple fragrance packed lilacs! Why their clusters of tiny waxy buds all bundled together creates an unsurpassed bouquet for the senses -  making everyone living west of the Rockies completely jealous of us chilled climate folks – if only for a few weeks!

These two plants are our spring jewels and while a part of me wishes they lasted longer – this fleeting window is what we all know makes them all the more special. Nature always has the best lessons.

Inhale, cut branches, pluck petals and remember to enjoy the moment while it lasts!

Cheers and happy May!

Linda ~love your life & do good.

hard lessons + prayers = grateful heart

okay - sometime no matter what timetable you have laid out to accomplish something - life gets sticky. Sticky like glue, thick like quicksand, with a pinch of mercury in retrogade thrown in to remind me "YOU ARE NOT IN CHARGE."

so here's the story; recently i have been trying to refinance my house and needless to say there are plenty of obstacles that present themselves that are totally beyond my control. 

hard lesson no#1: for the most part things were going a expected...then came several months of setbacks, with waiting as my constant companion.i was finally given my closing date and was elated.  to celebrate, i bought the most yummy donuts (super indulgent) to share with friends at work. 

hard lesson no#2: the call came 2 days later..."ooops sorry there is an issue with some insurance thingy with your condo association - and by the way - we may have to postpose the closing indefinitely...and yes your rate will expire before it might get resolved!"  i was so dissappointed i can't even tell you. I thought maybe God is telling me to shop it around more, or get a better rate so yes, i made phone calls - but no luck with better rates. Next set of calls went to every possible person i could think of in the chain of characters from the bank which only then made me go from frustrated, to angry, to ultimately defeated.

hard lesson no#3: my last call went out with tears to my account mortgage person with a plea that there has to be something or someone in the chain of command that can push us past this silly 8 day miss on an insignificant bullett point  (that someone should have caught during the 3 months).

prayer: i hung up the phone crying.

then a said a prayer - and let it go.

grateful heart:  2 hours later my wonderwoman of a account mortgage person called me back with a "date for my closing" - "we were all set!"  

Wow!

sometimes it takes me awhile to remember i'm not in charge.

sometimes it takes me awhile to remember to be grateful for my lessons.

sometimes it takes me awhile to remember to say a prayer and let it go.

thank you, thank you, is all i can say with a grateful heart.

(the day i moved in - 7 years ago exactly - to the day of my closing this year.) 

linda ~love your life & do good!

 

 

personal stationery

(photo by emma nunn)

i love making stationery, plus i love carving stamps; blending the two together makes this personal stationery class a winning combination. 

if you're not doing anything on May 3rd - we are osting this at all of our Paper Source locations acorss the country from 6-8pm. you don't have to bring a thing - just your imagination and maybe a friend or two to enjoy the evening.

no fears - we'll take you through the steps to create your own coupe of stamps - then let you share eachothers designs too - for a great mix and match collection - compete with a box mailer, envelopes and labels.

the bonus is that you get to keep the stamps you make and then give this set as a great mother's day gift. 

see you next week!

cheers,

linda ~love your life & do good!

"circles" ~ watercolor image & collage prints

"circles"

with a strong cup of coffee in hand - i started the day working on a collection of watercolor pieces that would ultimately become the base for some layered collage editions i'm working on for my Etsy site.

here is one of the finished watercolor pieces: petals

and below is the final image collage:

    "circles No1"

I'll take you through a few of the steps for the process:

first i apply friskett/masking fluid to the water color paper (sorry i can't even remember if this was arches or rives bfk) and allow to dry - about 10-15 mins. 

next, I work in my watercolor to the negative spaces and the outside. the maksing prevents any color or moisture to effect the first wash of colors. i prefer very pale shades - but i'm always experimenting depending on my mood.   as the masking dries it turns more opaque, in this case my mask is a very pale neon yellow so you can see it on the paper (they come in other colors too).

 

once the mask is dry you gently rub it away with your fingers. i've found that when you  impatient and try to remove it while it's still wet it can pull up the paper.  so to prevent this temptation, i usually work on several pieces so that they are at varying degrees of dry for working the paint or peeling the masking - as you can see below when you work on multiples they can reflect the mood of the day.

the little prints look much lighter without the yellow from the masking - so it gives me a chance to go back in with a bit of color to create a bit more depth. 

 

next i begin to work in acetate layers with images i have already created from previous working sessions in the studio. this is the part that take some time as you begin to consider your layers, text, negative space and any story you are hoping to tell with the work. again, i am typically working a few at once until i can "feel" the print find the right ingredients.

 

then i scan the multiple pieces - both inbetween and once finished - allowing me to keep each peice safe for reworking into a collection of prints for a series.  in this case i finished three (below are 2 & 3) that i ultimately then print into 11"x17" prints (images are approximately 8x8) on a warm tone Rives printmaking paper - using my own unique image transfer methods -allowing for editioning my work.

          "circles No2"

   "circles No3"

i'll try to do some better photos in the daylight and add them to etsy for links. in the meanwhile i hope you enjoyed the quick overview of this process and series titled: "circles"

Cheers,

Linda ~love your live & do good!

 

prop styling to inspire

While walking the CHA shows looking at new product each year for Paper Source, I often come across some of the most amazing set styling by the designers to grab our attention, drawing us into their booths. One compelling example from Studio Calico - were these wonderfully simple and elegant foam balls decorated with circle punched patterned papers - secured with pins. 

I fell in love with them and had to made a few of my own using their fun 6x6 pads of patterned papers.  

This is one of those "sit in front of the tv" projects - where it is all about the repetition of the punches that make them so wonderful. Keep a thimble handy - after awhile your finger needs the support!

Cheers,

Linda ~love your life & do good!

vintage photos for personal stationery

Nothing is better than inventing from old family photos for creating the perfect personalized gift. I'm lucky because my Granddad on my Mom's side, was both a Cubs fan and keen on taking loads of pictures - both traits I am grateful to attribute to him from the gene pool. 

So, sometime ago, I gathered a wonderful collection of these vintage images and turned them into the perfect personal stationery gift set for my mom. Working with my Epson color printer I positioned the photos on the scanner bed then printed the images directly onto the card stock.

Not all printers like to take cover weight  (pre-scored card stock), so you should probably do some tests with your machine - for defining both the placement of your images along with feeding paper into the carrier - to create your collection. I used Mohawk superfine white for my mom's folded card collection and paired them with gravel envelopes.

To present them to her as a gift, I added some wonderful labels , which I had purchased awhile ago from work (at Paper Source) - then tied it with a matching ribbon all neatly tucked into an A7 Box Mailer.

She loved this gift so much that she couldn't bear to mail them. In the end I had to print a few extra cards so that she wouldn't feel that they were too precious to send. Once she had these extra in hand she penned a note to her sister with a photograph she knew she'd love seeing after all those years.

With a computer filled with images and boxes more under my bed - no doubt this won't be the last of these stationery collections for gift giving this year!

Cheers,

Linda  ~love your life & do good!