babbling post - reader beware!

I'm going to share a few things with you today. I started cardmaking because of my mom. She was THE most crafty person I know. She really could do it all. Papercrafting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching, dollmaking, ceramics, painting, diy @ home. She really was/is my idol. 

My parents divorced when I was about 13 but my dad is a pilot so wasn't around much at all. My mom did just about everything, except anything to do with technology, that may have been her limit. Although, I will say that in the months before she passed away she was definately getting the hang of the internet and I bet would have been blogging up a storm by now! She would have really enjoyed all of the inspiration that is to be had here.

I guess the reason for the back story is just to share that crafting is close to my heart and is a way to feel close to her. I have gotten so into cardmaking, i think for the instant gratification, that I have neglected the other ways I enjoy being crafty. So occasionally there might be a few other posts here sharing some other things I have made.

Another love of mine is photography, especially close-up or macro shots of random everyday things. I need to take some more classes. My husband and I have made a "pact" that we will only put up artwork of our own creation. Which has unfortunately resulted in bare walls because neither of us has had the time to create anything. (He is a welder/bicycle mechanic by trade but is a fantastic artist.)

I wanted to share two non-card projects with you today. The first being a super super simple notebook. I love notebooks. I don't do anything with them, but I LOVE them. I am a hoarder of paper & pens, always have been!

I found these fantastic 3" x 5" sketchbooks at my local office supply store. So I created a cover out of white carstock and then searched through my massive collection of patterned papers and adhered it to the front. I used my Hero Arts typewriter letters set to stamp the "notes!".

The second thing I made recently was inspired by a picture from a CB2 catalogue. Now theirs are frames and I have no way of geting them since I live in Canada, so I decided to improvise.

I found some flat 11" x 14" canvases at Michaels (3 for $10, i think). Mixed some acrylic paint to the shade of grey I wanted, then painted them with a foam roller.

I think they turned out OK. The pictures are some of our engagement photos that I had blown up into various sizes and printed at Costco. Super cheap. I do plan on putting above the bed on a art self from IKEA once we figure out how we are going to decorate!

Thanks for putting up with such a long post! Have a great day!