4.30.2011

4.30.11 ... a different bow and a homemade sticker

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i had a busy day because scout had her first two shows with a morning rehearsal to boot. i did get this sale ready for the mailman so i snapped these photos of my wrapping and the extra i tucked inside. i had extra string when i was done with this so i tied another bow. i had still more extra string so i tied a third bow. then i really liked how it looked. i also used one of my handmade stickers to hold the wrap secure. it's from a vintage children's book my sis sent me.

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a recycled postcard bokmark as a little surprise extra. i also used a cereal box for the first time ever. it worked perfectly. i did a few things to reinforce the box. the best was wrapping a sheet of bubble wrap between the outside of the box and the brown paper bag wrap. it worked perfectly.

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sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.29.2011

4.29.11 ... another rubber stamp project

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scout and i started on another stamp pair. the sun is mine. this is as far as i got because i made chicken salad and needed to get an early dinner together so she'd be well fed before rehearsal this evening. and here is hers...

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she got one step further. i'll share the next steps as soon as we finish them. it might be a few days because her show is this weekend; two performances each day. 

i hope your friday was a funday. sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.28.2011

4.28.11 ... my house stamp images and scout's first stamp

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i printed my first images with my new house stamp. i used recycled papers, naturally. this recycled card has a rough finish and i liked the effect that had on the stamped image. i also had fun with my four color blue ink pad.

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i thought i would need to work out some errors once i saw the stamps but i am completely happy with it as is.

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then scout came in and stamped some and then we added alligator dude. these can be cards or little notepad covers or many more booklet variations.

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now that scout got the homemade stamping bug she wanted to try one so here is her first stamp...

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great first attempt, eh?

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we'll share the images tomorrow. we had to get ready for tap dance and ran out of time today. see you on friday...

sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.27.2011

4.27.11 ... house stamp and framed ephemera

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i worked on my house stamp this afternoon and ev made the block and attached it. tomorrow i will try it and refine it. so stay tuned. all i can say is i sure wish i could see as well as this camera can!

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this was a project i've had in mind for quite a while but i have been hunting for the right frame. it took some time, but boy did i luck into a perfect fit. this vintage frame is one of a pair which had expensive lithographs inside. from my research on the artist, they are most likely from the 1970s or very early 1980s. anyway, i took them out and will offer them in my joonE etsy shop frameless. i cleaned them up and used this one for my project. the paper is an antique from a Boston candy and ice cream purveyor, bailey's. i've had the doily for about 10 years, wondering why i save it and carefully traipse it from house to house. it is so delicate. but now it is perfect as a gift for a good friend of mine.

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i can't believe the mat works so beautifully, too.

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i love how this photo came out with the tree reflection so i'm sharing it as a photographic creation. it was a gorgeous day here today. the air was dry and there was a lovely breeze and the temperature was outstanding. the mosquitoes were on vacation. now that is a miracle, folks. i enjoyed being outside. i didn't get to play piano. i will be sure to make time tomorrow. hope your day was just right for you.

sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.26.2011

4.26.11 ... piano and mint me up, buttercup treasury

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good evening, all. today i played piano for an hour. i don't have any photos - or, lucky for you, videos - of that creative time and don't want to post without one so i created my first vesties team treasury. i recently joined this vintage team. here's the link to the treasury. 


you can now access all of these beautiful shops and their eclectic vintage based offerings. 

sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.25.2011

4.25.11 ... fun with recycled packaging personality

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one day last week or so i played around with making my own packaging out of return envelopes provided in bills. now that i pay online - or i am not interested in whatever someone is trying to sell me - i have a lot to recycle. and i use them in so many ways. oh! speaking of that, guess what? i used my homemade stickers - the ones i made from unused envelope flaps - that i shared here recently. for the first time. this flower pot went into an empty tissue box so i cut a card to cover the opening on top and put the address on. there was some type down in the corner so i said 'aha! i can use one of those envelope stickers.' it was perfect. looks great too. i wish i'd gotten a photo. it was a very dark day and i had a hard time getting photos so i was crabby photographer gal.

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returning to this project ... i had the red squiggles from a valentine surprise so i mixed in my papers and tossed in some of my miniature hearts. they are hard to see but the next photo reveals a couple of them if you look closely.

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the second package really floored me because i reached for a piece of card stock and this one caught my eye. i grabbed it because i loved the color and almost fell off of my chair when i saw the paint name --- swiss coffee! how nuts is that? i love serendipity. i only have four or five of those paint cards and i never looked at the names because we were rushing that day. and, of course, that was before i made these magnets.

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these sold very quickly. that's always a pleasant occurrence. it is hard for my handmade shop ( joonbeam.etsy.com ) to get noticed.

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i had this idea at the last minute. how cute is this little card? and, again, i can't believe that i found the coffee type. i used one of those silly safety envelopes for this one, too. 


sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.24.2011

4.24.11 ... beer bread . soup . salad . stamp start

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i hope you all had a beautiful day and happy easter to all who celebrate. i worked on some mother's day creations so they will stay out of sight here until mother's day. i had fun photographing our dinner components and i will also share my next stamp design. we haven't had beer bread in forever and with scout's favorite homemade cream of mushroom soup on the menu, this was a perfect night to break out the recipe. it was fabulous.

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scout made beautiful salads. thanks, boo.

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i told you i was having fun with the camera.

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scout's soup. she could eat this once a week, easily. right, scout? she chopped the mushrooms and onions tonight. that was a big help.

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and here is my next stamp beginning - at least, i hope it turns out successfully. we shall see. 

sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.23.2011

4.23.11 ... besos looking adorable and a t shirt restyle

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besos was overseeing my joonE photo session today. she likes to be close by. since cricket's death both kitties are sticking closer to me all day and night. besos wants me to pick her up and carry her around. she also sleeps right up by my shoulder where cricket slept. ginny cries for me to pet and/or brush her and escort her to her food bowl. and she jumps on my lap every chance she gets. don't you wish you knew what goes on in their minds? what do they comprehend? are they thinking cricket might be coming back or do they know she is gone forever? when we had her home for those few days and were caring for her, besos brought her santa toy and set it nearby cricket. it was so sweet. i do believe they knew she was very ill. but sometimes i feel they are asking me when i'm going to pick her up and bring her back, cured. if only, right? i love having them nearby, looking adorable. and interested. and content.

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for my creative project i restructured a t shirt neck. here it is completed and the picture below shows it sewn in place, prior to trimming off the original neckline. if you are a new reader you should know i perform this surgery on all of my t shirts because the necklines make me feel strangled. i know i am hyper sensitive but that's just who i am. i console myself by taking action to accommodate my neurosis. it's all good. and besides, i think this is a much groovier look. not to mention, one-of-a-kind. as all things should be.

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a blessed easter to all who celebrate. a beautiful spring sunday to everyone. sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.22.2011

4.22.11 ... happy earth day to all and a napkin upcycle project

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have you ever gone to the sound of music sing-a-long movie? well, i was working one and it is pretty hilarious. anyway, everyone gets a little brown paper lunch sack and inside there are things that go along with the film and when that part of the movie comes on everyone is supposed to use the whatever and cause an excited cheering ruckus. the little square here (you were to bring it out and wave it about when maria discovers the drapes can be made into plainclothes) that i used as an applique on my recycled dinner napkin is one of hundreds that we found all over the floor when we were cleaning up after the show. another usher and i were crazed that they were going to be thrown into the trash so we gathered them all up and i took them home with me. they are perfectly beautiful little brand new squares of 100 % cotton. there are a few different designs. this napkin is made from one large napkin. i have four of them and a year or so ago i got a brainstorm. who needs such a giant napkin? we can have four for each one and still have plenty of cloth. so i cut one into quarters and i finished the two raw edges and put a strip applique on each one and they are cute as all get out and work great.

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all this time i've had the other three original large napkins just waiting for their transformation. today i was busy with many activities, one of which i will share with you (below), and i glanced at my clock and - holy cow- it was after 5 already. so i cut four out of one and completed one. i did not want to set up my ironing board so i just used my fingers and pins to set the new edges. isn't this pretty? wouldn't it be a sin if these were all thrown away and in a landfill right now? i don't even want to think about all the shows where my friend and i were not the house helpers and these are ditched. sigh.

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i had too many empty bobbins and i had to break down and whip up a new batch. this i did and that egged me on (that's an easter pun, folks) to do a sewing project today. i did some mending before i made the napkin. all in all i guess it's been a pretty good day. hope yours was, too.


sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.21.2011

4.21.11 ... fodor's france 1975 repurposed

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i have been reducing my paper inventory, going through various books and magazines and whatever other odd papers i have collected and taking out the pieces that drew me to the books in the first place. this book is very cool, but no one can (or will) use a travel guide book that is 35 years old. but there are some adorable images i had to save for later resurrection. aren't these irresistible? the idea of hand tearing them instead of using scissors came to me when i started on the region illustrations ...

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... these are so groovy and i plan to assemble them into a vintage coloring packet. these are perfect for coloring ~ which i find relaxing and comforting ~ and framing. i got out some watercolors to demonstrate one concept. i started on the picture below but had to turn it over to scout because i was needed in the scullery. :) she did a super job...

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i just think these are such fun. i hope your thursday was a happy one. i have been in a funk today for many reasons. such is life. sometimes it seems like all the doors are closing and we're in a time warp waiting for the windows to open. the doors are gaining on me this week. here's to a better tomorrow. come on windows.

sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.20.2011

4.20.11 ... alligators, mini quiche and Pooh bookmark

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how was your wednesday, everyone? happy, i hope. i was cutting up a magazine and creating all the this and thats you see in the next two photos when i discovered that, once again, like clockwork, i had to come up with lunch. not my strength. luckily, i remembered this extra pie crust dough i had frozen and we had fresh spinach and green onion so there we had the makings of a sweet little quiche. it was good.

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i had some fun with my new alligator stamp. it works so much nicer being mounted on wood. i even used it on bubble envies for my return address and it is great. thanks, again, ev.

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i made some circles for future buttons and magnets. i will turn some of the stamped images into home made stickers. i am gathering up a small box full of assorted things so when i make the glue i can paint my stickers all at once.

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after lunch i made this recycled bookmark. it's for someone who purchased one of my Pooh magnets sets. i hope she'll enjoy it. it came out a lot sweeter than i envisioned.

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and so we all three enjoyed lunch today. and i had a pretty good art day, too. oh - we watched a columbo episode with lunch. it was a good one. about twins who murdered their uncle for his money. love peter falk. 


sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon


4.19.2011

4.19.11 ... my first ever rubber stamp

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i promised you a substantial creation today and here it is. my little love alligator stamp. i took step by step photos ...

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i have made one and only one linocut and i'd love to make more. that one was about 3 years ago. boy am i slow. i've always wanted to make rubber stamps and today i tried my first one. i had no experience at all or any idea of what i was doing. so i saw my ed emberley book and scout really loves his books. so do i but she has more of an influence on my decision making process. i loved this alligator so i started there. i drew an image. i went over it again with my pencil so i could make a rubbing onto the stamp material. i used my bone folder to do that. then i cut the rectangle off of the larger stamp piece and started to carve out my little guy.

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when i was done enough that i felt it was time to test it out i made some experimental stamps.

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if you follow the numbers you will see how i adjusted the cut design until i got to the final image. i had to abandon the think green which i expected. this is a very intricate design and ambitious undertaking for my first project but i do love how it turned out. and i love that i thought to add the heart. i can write think green - and many other eco happy phrases - by hand.

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evan was sweet enough to make me a wooden block and i know i will have much more control over the images with that. the adhesive is setting overnight.i will make some more tomorrow. hope you enjoyed today's creation and post. 

sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.18.2011

4.18.11 ... little package

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i only have a small window of opportunity to create on mondays because we are gone all afternoon. i went on a kitchen cleaning binge all morning which shrank my window down to a nubbin. while scrubbing away i had an order for these gorgeous vintage earrings and decided to use my time preparing the package so i could mail it right out. i used a paint chip card i found last week and a magazine piece from a few years ago. i have used this page bit by bit because i think it's so pretty and this is the very last bit.

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farewell pretty page. here is the card remainder. i'm sure you'll see it again one day right here on this station. and this is how i wrapped up the entire package...

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i used a magazine piece, my 'new' vintage crochet spool (love this) and made a coordinating thank you recycled bookmark. and last but never least, here's some fun i had with the photo session ...

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there's my little sweet potato back in the day. can't believe she turns 17 in a few short weeks. ack! i'll create something more substantial tomorrow. i promise.

sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon

4.17.2011

4.17.11 ... kitty love and vintage cookbook cuteness

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those of you who follow my blogs know that one week ago today we had to say good bye to our sweet cricket. today i found besos and ginny snuggled up together - with mr. chippy just inches out of this frame. it brings us great joy to see our pets so content and peaceful.

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i made some cookbook magnets today and just love them. this fisherman is my favorite.

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here's the lumberjack.

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the coffee pot and toaster set...

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... and here's the main mess of everything and the cookbook from whence i rescued them. today was evan's birthday and we had as nice a day as we could with poor scout feeling like a hell as we say here in the wilkinson household. i made some of my famous lemon chicken soup which she was happy to have for lunch. she's enjoying an orange juice slushie right now and waiting for me to finish this post so we can divert her attention away from her misery with a movie. 

ev's at a gig until midnight-ish. a while ago i saw this little critter scurry right against our front screen door and at first i thought it was a rat (horrors) but it was an adorable baby possum. oh. my. gravy. was he the cutest thing ever. we tried to catch a photo but the terrified little guy was hiding behind a pipe. now we spent the evening worrying about his family and if they're nearby for a rescue. well, there's the nature adventure portion of tonight's post. 

hope you are all feeling well. i hear things are going around. take care of yourselves.

sweet dreams, everyone. thanks for stopping by. until tomorrow. happiness to you. from me. with heart. ox joon