It's a Rubber Stamping Wrap!

Jeff's daughter's birthday was this week. She LOVES cats (so does Jeff).  What better way to wrap a gift than wig handmade, rubber stamped and colored cat wrapping paper!  Toooo cute, don't you think? And so easy to make.  Just take a large sheet of plain drawing paper and stamp away with your favorite stamp(s).  If your package is larger than he paper, you can tape a few sheets together.  Here's a look at Jen's gift all wrapped and ready to be open.  I hope she saves a piece of the wrapping paper for her journal or memory box.

The Cards Say It All

I love oracle cards.  It's uncanny to me how the cards can offer messages, insight, and guidance into the questions I've asked, even if it's only choosing a card to tell me what to pay attention to throughout the day.  Today, just for fun, I decided to ask the oracle cards to give me guidance on the word "Art".  I used the deck, The Answer is Simple, by Sonia Choquette, a favorite intuitive, author and teacher whose work I've followed for years.

This set of oracle cards are light hearted, uplifting yet honest in message.  Their intention is to ask a question with the idea that the answer is really quite simple.  So often we ponder over an answer to a question, making our lives much more difficult than they need to be.  With this set of oracle cards, the answer to a question is often an answer that distills the question down to its roots and offers guidance that can easily be followed, if you just follow it.  

So my question for today was simple ... I offered up the word "Art", curious to see what cards I'd be drawn to, their meaning, and their guidance.  I decided to go with a 3-card draw rather than just one card.  Why?  I felt drawn to choose three cards rather than just one.  Let's see what I chose and what the cards meant.

Ha!  Stunning!  The first card I chose was "Reclaim Your Art".  The first card drawn in this 3-card draw represents the attitude or frame of mind in which to approach the question, situation or problem.  I didn't necessarily offer the word "Art" as a problem.  I offered it to the cards with the request for guidance.  "Reclaim Your Art" means to engage in your art, any art, be it writing, music, dance, painting, etc. and not let your ego get in the way like it can so often do.

The second card I chose was "Share Your Gifts".  This second card represents how to use the energy and guidance of the first card.  In this case, the card suggested to me that as I engage myself in my talents, I need to also put them out into the world.  I love to write.  I'm learning to enjoy my cardmaking, watercoloring artistic side more as well.  The "Share Your Gifts" card suggests to me that both Jeff and I need to continue what we're doing with Paper Owl Artists and share it more with the world.

Finally, the third card I drew was "Keep Dancing."  The third card in this type of 3-card drawing suggests what one might be overlooking and needing to become aware of.  In the case of "Keep Dancing",  this card says to keep doing what I/we're doing, to stay focused on this idea of being in the energy of our art (writing, card making, frameable art, and other arts we may be led to this coming year), that by staying focused on and being in action around the energy of this card and this reading, we'll meet with success internally and externally.  

I loved this reading not only because it was a positive reading but also because it spoke to my questions and fears as well as my creative and "I want to be action' parts of me.

Have you ever consulted an oracle deck on your own?  It's fun, it's interesting, it's creative AND, it just might offer some guidance and thoughts that can support and assist you along your life journey. 

Christmas Tag Making Party

Christmas is right around the corner, just a few days away.  My gifts are all bought, wrapped and tagged but it wasn't too late to make just a few more.

Jeff and I spent a couple of hours at a tag making party.  Our local Stampin' Up demonstrator held it complete with tag making supplies and yummy goodies.  Fun and good conversation were had by all who were there.  Here's a peek at what Jeff and I made.  Wouldn't they look nice hanging on a tree?

We'll be making a lot of these and more for next Christmas, for sure!

Paper Owl Artist Santa / Snowman Handmade Gift Card Holders

Looking for the perfect hokder for your holiday gift cards?  It's not to late to purchase one of our Santa ir Snowman handmade gift card holders.  Available in our Etsy shop - www.paperowlartists.etsy.com.

Paper Owl Artists Creative Intentions 2015

With 2015 just around the corner, it's time for me to start thinking about my creativity intentions.  In years past I've pretty much gone where the winds of creativity have blown me.  I've tried new crafts, purchasing tons of supplies to support my new found passions only to find my interests wane weeks later, sometimes even days after starting to learn the craft.  Being the perfectionist I am and thinking that everything I try as a novice needs to be perfect, my attempts at various creativity endeavors were often met with tears and frustration amongst other things.  For example, knitting and tapestry weaving became a mess of tangled yarns and fibers.  Years ago I made a sweater with one arm shorter than than the other.:

And the back of my embroidery and needlepoint never looked exactly as the front looked (though I will admit they got much better over time and were crafts I ended up finding very enjoyable to do. :-) )

Bookbinding sounded exotic to me.  I took some classes, made some nice blank journals but then got frustrated because it took me so long to see progress and get to a finished project plus, my fingers kept getting sticky from the glue I had to use on the cover papers!  But actually, I did alright with my attempts at this art.  I just didn't stick with it.

There have been many other crafts I've tried over the years.  As a child I tried my hand at woodburning, copper enameling and pottery (all attempted and enjoyed at summer camp).  Again if I had stuck with the feeling of enjoyment and allowed for patience and the inevitable learning curve, I might have become an artist or craft teacher instead of an instrumental music director and later a long-time psychotherapist.  

Sometime this year I discovered rubber stamping and cardmaking.  I contacted a local Stampin' Up demonstrator to find out more about this craft.  She and I met at our local Barnes and Noble bookstore where she gave me a 30 minute crash course in cardmaking.  I was hooked and as mentioned above, I set out to stock up on all the supplies I imagined I needed in order to make beautiful and interesting cards.  Fortunately for me, Jeff was also intrigued by cardmaking and started making cards himself.  he's actually much more patient at making cards and makes more interesting cards than me.  He has tons of patience, likes complex structures, and can cut and fold straighter than I can (it's that patience thing again for me ....:-)

I found my way to experimenting with watercolor and rubber stamping when attending a local scrapbooking/cardmaking/papercraft expo earlier this year.  A vendor booth was giving demonstrations that transfixed me.  I think I spent an hour at the booth watching the demonstrator make samples.  I was truly hooked, bought a ton of supplise but again impatience and the need for instant perfection kept me from practicing the craft enough to make anything or enough of anything of substance.  Intstead I was overwhelmed with fearful frustration.  This coming year however, is going to be different.

I love watercolors, in greeting cards and paintings, large and small.  I love other types of painting too but I like watercolors because it's something I believe I can do.  2015 is going to be my year to set my intention to become a student of the art and craft of watercolor, rubber stamped watercolor to be exact.  If possible, I hope to learn to do freeform watercolor as well, with the intention of making greeting cards and frameable art.  I guess my 2015 intentions need to also include practicing the art of being a beginner and the patience of practice, practice, practice.  My other intention is to stick with it and not give in to old patterns of behavior.  

Jeff and I continue to be committed to creating a wide array of greeting cards.  Coming soon will also be frameable art using the concepts of greeting card art.  We'll be showing our work at various craft shows, especially the "Indie" shows at which we've done so well and, we'll continue to have our Etsy shop and perhaps an Artfire shop as well.  Our blog will educate as well as showcase our creations.  We have alot of varied interests and would like to showcase interesting websites and artists we discover throughout the year.  It's going to be a fully creative year that we're looking forward to.  We hope you'll follow our blog, visit our store (www.paperowlartists.etsy.com) and support us in our creative endeavors.  

How to subscribe to Paper Owl Artists blog

So, I recently learned that people are having difficulty subscribing to our blog.  Phooey! 😁  To subscribe you must be on a desktop computer at our full blog site, www.paperowlartists.blogspot.com. On the right side of the page there is a search box.  Above this are the words, "follow by email".  Enter your email in the search-like box and voilà, you've hopefully been subscribed to receive our postings by email.  Join us, won't you?

Thank You Quinn McDonald

One of my favorite bloggers to follow is Quinn McDonald of Quinn Creative .  I sometimes want to change places with her.  Her blogs are always interesting, varied, and show her multi-dimensionality, as well as her wonderful artistic and writing talents.  I encourage you to visit her blog and see/read for yourself.

One of the things Quinn stresses in her postings is the need to get past your inner critic and just step into the waters of creativity of "do it".  Children "do it" all the time.  As we age, just doing it sometimes gets hard.  Like Quinn McDonald, both Jeff and I are multi-dimensional creatives.  We both like to make cards, do art, write, even loom knit.  I once tried my hand at tapestry weaving and years ago spent most of my creative time needlepointing and embroidering.  Jeff loves to bookbind and make handmade boxes.  He also cuts rocks and minerals into cabochons for jewelry.

Yesterday Jeff and I made our holiday greeting cards.  Later last night, I rubberstamped and watercolored a new stamp I recently received in the mail.  I love the cards we made (see yesterday's posting) but am especially pleased with this rubberstamped watercoloring I made. It was relaxing to play with and see what I could do with it.  I felt like an eight year old with a new set of paints.  A not-to-often-felt experience for me.  Usually I ponder, plan and worry about how to execute something creative rather than just let me go and "just do it".  For a first try with this stamp and to watercoloring in general, it's pretty darn good.... and it was fun to do!  Fun!  How about that!

Today, I plan to spend the day writing.  I have an e-book I'm working on in my head.  Today is the day I start committing it to paper. I also have an idea for some new greeting cards, inspirational ones.  I'll spend some time sketching them out.  Oftentimes what I see in my head looks much better than what I put on paper.  Sometimes what I see in my head never makes it to paper.  Nevertheless, today, I'm going to get past my inner critic and keep moving forward.  The "yes but, well but, no but brothers" have been internal friends of mine for years.  They know my weak spots, know how to distract me from doing what I say I want to be doing.  Today is going to be a creative and productive day.... and fun as well.  

How about you?  Do you have an inner critic (or two?).  How do you calm yours down, get past it, put it in its place?  What creative endeavors have you been wanting to try or make time for but haven't?  How do you have creative fun?  What can you do today to start?  

Quinn McDonald doesn't know she's one of my inspirational mentors.  I should write her and let her know.  I think I will and when I do, I'll tell her thank you for how much she's contributed to my life.  Inspiration, the breaking down of the inner critic and the moving forward into creativty and productivity come in many different shapes and forms.  Today, Quinn was one of mine.  If you have a few minutes, visit her blog.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.  

Making Christmas/Holiday Greeting Cards for Friends and Family

Jeff and I started our holiday cards for friends and family.  Lots of stamping, coloring and even the use of Diamond Glaze this year.  

Paper Owl Artists plans on being busy in the coming weeks creating new designs for the shows we do and our Etsy shop.  Look for us soon on Artfire as well.    In the meantime, have you started your holiday shopping yet?  Cards too?  Remember, it's not too late to order so custom designed holiday cards for giving or mailing.  We have and can discuss a variety of design ideas with you.

And if you haven't already, we'd love it if you'd tell your friends and family about us.  Subscribe to our blog for postings about our cards, the history of ketter writing, paper, interesting facts about printing, writing and even greeting card art.  Look for the email sign up box on the right hand side of the blog.  And if course, join our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/paperowlartists.

In the meantime, we wish you happy and stress free holiday shopping, and other preparations.

Jennifer

Finding Inspiration in Steampunk/Shabby Handmade Greeting Cards

It's been a little while since we last posted.  Sometimes you just need to take a break.  I know that's true for me.  For awhile I thought I'd lost my interest altogether.  I wondered if my inner critic had finally won out, stripping me of my creativity, my feelings of inspiration and being called to do something.  Jeff was still making cards throughout my greeting card funk.  While I turned to reading and studying intuition (a topic and practice I'm very interested in) as well as writing family photo stories, Jeff continued be inspired, trying new card designs, posting to our Etsy shop, and just letting me cycle through my interests.  Last week he showed me a new design he'd been working on - collage cards.  Steampunk/shabby in feel, Jeff was experimenting with them for an off-beat indie craft show we'll be at in October.

I loved them and wondered what I could come up with if I tried my hand at some.  Here are my first attempts - a little dark and cluttered looking, but a start nonetheless, and a great way to spend a VERY stormy Sunday afternoon.

If you happen to be in the Delray Beach, Florida area come visit us at the Stitch Rock Indie Craft Show, Saturday, October 4, 2014, Noon - 6 p.m.  We'd love to see you!

Celebrating Diversity

Jeff has been busy making new cards for Paper Owl Artists.  His latest cards reflect and support diversity. We hope you like the cards as much as we do.  Please keep us in mind and refer us to others for your greeting cards needs.  We're always open to custom orders.  Just email us at paperowlartists@gmail.com to discuss your individual needs.

Christmas in July!

It's Christmas in July here at Paper Owl Artists.  We've been busy making Christmas cards for special orders and put up in our Etsy shop.  Christmas trees, snowmen, and snowflakes are the themes for today.  Eight cards - $15, mix and match or make them all the same.  Your choice too of sentiment.  Post a comment or message us if interested or  visit our etsy shop. www.paperowlartists.etsy.com

                                                                   A sparkly shabby Xmas tree

                                                            Embossed snownman cheer

Diamond snowflakes

And request your sentiment from the following:

Remember, it's never too early to think Christmas!

New Baby! Hope He's an Artist!

We have a new baby in the family, Thomas Robert, born at 5:31 pm July 14th.  Weighing in at 8 lbs, 15 oz and 19-3/4" long, he can be a football pkayer or even a basketball player.  I'm secretly hoping he'll have an artistic side within him so he and gramma can do arts and craft projects together and yes, make greeting cards (for mom and dad of course!). Welcome to the world Thomas Robert.  We love you very much!

New Grandson - New Baby Card!

A new grand baby is on the way today - a grandson, to be exact.  In honor of his arrival (the little guy's name is yet to be decided), Jeff has made this special welcome card.

I love the card - the old fashioned bathtub, the textured towel, and of course the yellow "rubber" duckie.  And even the bubbles look real !

      Textured card stock for the towel

        White vellum for the bubbles

The inside of the card is white card stock edged in blue ink however, I asked Jeff this morning to add another yellow duckie on the inside lower right corner of the card to carry through the card theme.  Maybe I'll suggest he add a few bubbles as well??  

And while I'm in an asking mood, maybe Jeff will make a few additional cards in both blue and pink for our Etsy shop.  Jeff???

Visit our shop at www.paperowlartists.etsy.com 

Soon on our blog - Sample Holiday cards for custom orders.  Individual cards and sets to be available. 

Visit us today!

Swap Card

Today I'm making a couple of friendly greeting cards for a card swap I'm participating in through Swap-Bot.com.  It's a fun web site that hosts numerous swaps on everything imagineable.  I like to participate in the postcard, penpaling, bookmark, magnet, and Cardmaking swaps.  The card below is for the "Easy Peasy" card swap.  

                      Inside of card

               (excuse the shadows)

The card was simple to make for sure - a few Sizzix flowers and leaf diecuts, a couple of stamped sayings and some colorful card stock.  Truly easy peasy.   I think I'll make a few more just to have on hand!

Fiddling With a Card Idea

Last night I was fiddling with a card idea. I'd seen a video showing the watercolor technique and I LOVE watercolor and watercoloring.  The demonstrator made the technique look really simple so I thought this should be easy peasy for me to do.  WRONG!!  To start with I should have used watercolor paper but I was too lazy to get some so I used regular card stock instead.  Here was the result of a small sample:

Crummy colors, runny ink.  Miserable looking.

Second try - still on card stock (yes, I was lazy and stubborn) - a little better color choice but not very attractive.  I like the first sample better, if I had to choose - 

Next try, better but still crummy and the stamp is too low.

Final try for the night was this one -

Drippy and messy but the colors were okay.  Later this week I'll try again, this time on watercolor paper and more patience.  Maybe I'll even watch the demo video again. 

Check out our nicer cards at www.paperowlartists.etsy.com