happy scrappiness

I don't really scrapbook, and I only make cards by hand a few times a year, so it may seem strange that I have an incredible fondness for paper punches.
This is a glimpse of my collection. I acknowledge that it may be overwhelming.

Here is one of my favorite ways to use them:

1. After I finish painting, my palettes are often covered with tiny dots and shallow pools of unused paint. I paint the excess onto index cards or canvas paper.

2. After I've collected a little assortment of dried, painted papers, I start punching. This punch from Martha Stewart's holiday collection is incredibly adorable, don't you think?

Most of the punch-outs are pretty just as they are:
It's also fun to add painted details:
After just a few minutes, a menagerie develops:
They'll be great to keep on hand for upcoming projects...ideas are abundant!

embellishment garden

here are some of the embellishments, fixed together and painted. i'm not sure what i'll do with them...i have a few ideas.

the shop feels almost ready to open. i'll be working on it all day today and some of tomorrow!

Happy 15th Birthday, Katie !

embellishment experiment

there are things i will do differently next time, and obviously, they will be adhered...but i wanted to post the flowers i pieced together from painted cardstock tonight. good times.

underway

now debuting: my new camera, the canon SX110IS. i'm still learning to use all of the functions, and i'm happy with it. i pondered a more expensive camera with even cooler features, but landed with this one, which takes very nice photos and has a macro setting far beyond the A560, a camera i really liked (despite its broken shutter. it still takes nice photos from afar).

also debuting: my recent explosion of ideas surrounding handpainted scrapbook embellishments. sometimes i get on these kicks about starting new things and i'd better get crafty before another idea takes over!

God is working in wonderful ways. Have a delightful week.