I have a new home (updated)

Please join me in my new home at:
SandiKeene.com (updated 4/2013)

So,,,

I am busy over here:

• recovering from a nasty cold - achoo
  
• needing to get caught up on this online class
• building a new blog debuting very soon
  
• gearing up for A Week in the Life starting Monday
• drooling over this post by Alisa Burke
• considering this class

Look for lots of updates in the near future!

Celebrating a Life

Tuesday night I got the news that my sweet Elizabeth (96 independent and sassy years old) was in the hospital and not doing well. Barbara (her granddaughter) and I raced to book flights to VA to see Elizabeth. There was little that would entice me to fly with the current TSA situation but this was the exception.

Elizabeth (whom I have lovingly call "E" for about a year, "Gaga" to the rest of the world) was so anxious to be reunited with the many loved ones that she had lost, passed very quickly before we could even get on the plane. So rather than a goodbye visit, this was a memorial trip.

While Barbara and I opened the many boxes of her lifetime of memorabilia, I discovered so many things I did not know about Elizabeth.

1. Elizabeth loved to sing naughty ditties while she played cards with her cousins.
2. She worked for NASA as a Math Technician aka "a computer in skirts" that did all the math calculations for the pioneering space program. She had an autographed photo of Alan Shephard.
3. She played and mostly won a card game named "manipulation". She did not enjoy losing.
   
4. She was a crafter all her life.
5. She scrapbooked her early years and family leaving details lists of what her life was like as a child.
6. She has a collection of postcards dating back 100 years.
7. She loved her family so very deeply and saved their cards, letters and photos in shoe boxes in the back of her closet.
8. A Sucrets tin held her secret spending money
9. She loved art and collected both Wallace Nutting and Thomas Kincaid.
10. She loved smart clothes and had many of them.
11. She wrote her own obituary and had the photo for the paper attached. She left very specific instructions.
12. She lived and loved fully and with great zest.

I am so blessed to have known her and called her friend.

Gift pouch

Remember this gift bag I made? I have now made 2 small bags from the scraps. I sewed on some ribbon, finger pleating it as I went, and then handstitched on an old button. I popped in the gift wrapped in some tissue paper which I cut slits in the ends to make a fun little fringe. Then decided it need a pop of color so I spritzed it with some spray ink. Took me about 6 mins. Fun.

Stockpiling Mail Art

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Took some time in Friday to make mail art. Little bundles of joy to show up in someone's mailbox. I hope that the recipients enjoy them but I know that making them is a joy for me. Quick little artistic expressions that make me happy.


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I can whip one up in 10 mins. Love all that sewing with no worries of results. However it comes out is just right.



These I am stockpiling as my friend, Elizabeth, is not feeling well. As she recovers I would love to fill her mailbox with "feel betters".



I had a really artsy 2010 calendar that RM gave me. I wasn't sure what to do with it now that it is "done". I ripped out the illustrations and they make perfect envelopes for mail art and are already decorated.



Add a strip of tissue tape and a couple of labels and done. So quick. So consider pulling those cool calendars out of the recycle bin and use them as predecorated envelopes or use them as great patterned paper to punch elements from. (sorry, poor grammar)

Video how to Mail Art by RM or as the world calls her: Roben-Marie Smith.

What creative things are you up to?

Workin' the merry

I made this bracelet during an Art Day with Roben-Marie. Part of my "jewelry makes me happy so wear it!" campaign.



Lipstick. I almost never wear lipstick - always just Burt's Bees. Today Berry Bella.

Had lunch with Roben-Marie where we brainstormed a collaboration for the coming early spring. Exciting! If you are not following her blog, please go take a look at what you are missing. Ms. Smith is just ON FIRE!

Merry Little Things

1. jigsaw puzzles - less TV, more time together
2. jewelry - I am into jewelry right now, making it and wearing it. This pc. from Kohl's.
3. card games - Jarrett got this for Christmas and we have played it many time. Plus...see #1.
4. dinette set - it took 6 weeks to find this Target set. It was out of stock and finally it took calling every morning to see if one came in on the truck. I am sure Carol misses my daily call!
5. mail from an old friend - so wonderful to stay in touch with people you love.
6. a clean house - Christmas down and order restored. It just makes me happy.

Merry

As I start my year of "merry", I am looking for ways to bring merry into my everyday.



Ali's class is a great start to the adventure.

Reworked necklace

When Roben-Marie was over before Christmas, we made necklaces. I made a necklace but it wasn't quite right. I decided to rework it and change the elements that were bugging me.



I like this much better.



Made with vintage buttons and craft store findings.