Reaching Out

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There are few things that are as meaningful to a recipient as a beautifully handcrafted card that is totally unexpected. It tells them that they are special in the eyes of the crafter. This week I have reached out to several people who are special to me and who were not expecting cards. One was for a friend who will soon be leaving for China to teach for a year. Another was for a friend who helped me decorate for the farewell party for my soon-to-depart friend. A third card was for my teenage daughter who is away at her first job in a summer camp. I am particularly taken with a set of stamps by Inkadinkado called Asian Influence and used the same main image in all three cards.

I also took the opportunity to wish my brother in Seattle a happy birthday by making him a card, something I haven't done before. I find it difficult to make cards for men. You just can't use the same themes and colors as you would for women. In addition, I sent a special Thank You to my daughter and son-in-law in North Carolina who were kind enough to host my other two children and me on different dates, meaning that they had company in their home for about three weeks in a row but not all at the same time. I decided to use an image of a cat that I had never used before and color it black like their own cat. Their cat is a hunter who sometimes brings home dead birds, lizards, etc., so I added a little bird looking down upon the cat from the safety of a high branch.

I've been working like a possessed person deep cleaning my kitchen and bathroom. All told I have spent about a week scrubbing, scouring, bleaching and steaming grout, tiles and appliances. It's tedious, laborious and tiring as hell. Now that I think of it, how did I find the time to make all these cards?



Ballo ergo sum
- Gitana, the Creative Diva

Running in Place

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Things have not slowed down for me since my last post nearly a month ago. In fact it feels as if some things have speeded up. One thing that has been affected by all my activity has been my crafting, or lack thereof as the case may be. I managed to squeeze in a couple of cards yesterday. One is for my daughter who is away for a month working as an assistant camp counselor in the summer camp she attended during her childhood. It's her first job and her first extended stay away from home where she isn't with family. The other is a thank you card for her friend, Clarissa, who was kind enough to let my daughter use her cell phone to send me text messages while my daughter's phone was out of commission.

Before this current flurry of activity began, I had created a couple of cards for Asian card swaps but could not post them until after the swap closing dates. Now that those dates have passed I have included them here.

Much of my time has been spent in the garden weeding, planting and photographing. It is hard, dirty work and I love it but it has a draining effect on me. The pro: I sleep like a rock. The con: I'm too tired to sit at my workshop table and create. It can't be helped. I must work the garden while the sun shines. When I can carve a little creative time for myself, I'll be sure to post it here. Until then, take a look at my garden blog to see what's been keeping me so busy.

Ballo ergo sum
- Gitana, the Creative Diva