NaylorMade

I hope this New Year brings happiness, good health and an abundance of creativity to you! 

I always forget I have these little jars of pearlescence goodness.  Not because I don't like to use them but more because they're tucked away in the back of a drawer filled with all my other shiny making things. The other day, while shuffling through said drawer, I came across them and decided to make a Thank You Card for my Mom.  She was so thoughtful and sent me and my family a wonder box of Christmas presents. She has this knack for getting me things I would so love to have but never buy for myself.  Thanks to her, I have the most comfortable pajamas I've ever owned now!  They're warm and fuzzy and I find it hard to part with them each morning...or afternoon, lately, when I finally get around to entering the land of the living. Anyway...onto the card! I started my card with a standard A2 size (4.25x5.5) piece of Papertrey ink Card stock.  I chose three colors of the seven Perfect Pearls that I have here and sorted through my back round stamps until ...

  I hope everyone had a Wonderful Christmas filled with family, friends and love.  It's the love that completes the holidays.  The love of the season, the reason and the focus of it all, family and friends.  I feel so fortunate to have the few people in my life I cherish and that cherish  me.  They're the ones that make it okay to be who I am and I couldn't ask for anything more.  I wish that for all of you! Now that it's over... I have to say my favorite for this Monday...is that simple fact. I like uncluttered, simple normalcy.  It's what makes me happy.  The Holiday Season is a joyous time and one worth the celebration but when it's done, so am I. Now let us get on to the New year!

It's Monday again?  How did that happen?  I swear, during the holiday season, time flies by so fast.  I'm busy taking care of other things and people instead of taking the time for me.  It's a difficult balance to master.  And one I struggle to keep up with, not just during the holidays, but throughout the year.  I'm not special.  I know it's a circus act for a lot people. Here's an idea, to keep the balance in mind.  A small homemade gift that can remind me, you and our chosen recipient to sit down, enjoy a moment...and a cup of Snowman Soup. You'll need a cup...preferably empty and clean. This is the cup I chose.  I have a box of twelve cups that I bought one year for $3 at a Target after Christmas clearance.  It's nice to have matching cups if you'd like to make multiple of these to give as a gift set.  It's not necessary though.  Any cup will work, because you or they will just be drinking out of it anyway.  An...

Achieving an aged look is as easy as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich...two products, minus the bread!   All you need is a bottle of Elmer's glue and a bottle of your favorite acrylic paint to make the effect.  It takes some drying time but the look is exactly like or even better than the already made crackle paint, that costs twice as much.   Of course, it all depends on your lazy factor.  Do you really want to have to apply two products verses one for your achieved look? (I was reminded of this after writing that!)  Anyways... I started with a Michael's $1 wooden frame and painted it white.  This step  is completely optional but I thought it would look cool if the white shown through the paint I crackled. Once the white paint was completely dry I applied the Elmer's glue.  The thicker the layer of glue, the bigger the cracks will be in your paint.  I liberally applied the glue with a sponge brush and immediately...

Who doesn't like a good deal, especially in this economy?  I'm really getting sick of hearing the phrase, "In this economy", aren't you?  It's irritating because regardless of the economy there are and have been people living through difficult times, struggling just as much or more than we do.  Disposable income is not an option for many now but it's not been an option for many before.  I recently read an article that stated Reno, Nevada as the second saddest place to live in the nation, with Las Vegas Nevada, reigning it at number one.  http://www.trendsleaks.com/usa-news/2372-americas-top-10-saddest-cities.fml The statistics, of this great state I live in, have a track record of being the highest in unemployment, the highest in home foreclosures, the highest suicide rate, all the way to the highest at being just plain sad. Despite the Debbie Downer facts, I don't mind living here.  I consider myself extremely fortunate that I'm able to st...

There are days when the creativity flows through my veins more like molasses than wine.  If you know anything about me then you'd know I'll take wine over molasses any day, especially when it comes to having to create with little or no motivation...as in, the wine helps...                                     (I think this is a bunch of B.S. but it looks cool!) Just because I like to make stuff, it doesn't mean that I'm a walking ball of creativity.  If  I was, what a weird sight that would be and now that I've said that, I can't stop imagining what it's supposed to look like!  Any who...what to do?  Where to go, when there seems to be no mojo? It's really easy for me to not do anything, but then that leads me to be lazy.  Lazy begets a sedentary way of thinking and when you're s...