Category Archives: paper crafts

One little Word

January 6th 2014

Hi everyone! Have you made your plans and set your goals for 2014? This is probably the first year that I am actually giving it any thought, truth be told! I am so excited to be participating in this workshop by Ali Edwards with a “classroom” full of some pretty amazing, gentle and creative women and the plethora of words we have chosen collectively, you can’t even begin to imagine!

It’s all about choosing a word for the year that will really impact your life and being conscious about it at every moment, decision and situation you are faced with daily!

One of the key elements for me and this exercise is the inspiration board in my craft area. Over the last four years I have filled it with sentiments and motivational thoughts for my creative journey.

But on New Year’s Eve, I decided to clear it all off and start over! Much better!!

This way I can really concentrate on my new word which is “WORD” (and those great shoes!) Below my word, I have columns where I am listing verbs and other words that somehow integrate with WORD that translate into some action.

One example there is God, the bible says in John 1:1 that “the Word was God.” Another word is affirmation, we can do this with our words. And keeping our word, doing what we say, because I need more follow through in my life. Take a look at the list, it’s pretty long already and I still have a full year ahead!

This is my favorite definition for WORD, it really encompasses everything I want to get out of my word this year and it’s really just being in line with what God wants for my life and his influence in all areas: Growing a business, building relationships, spiritual and personal growth and creative expressions.

I also found this little prayer in my Joyce Meyer daily devotional New Day, New You, that will help me hand my goals over to God this year.

Can you think of a word? Just

Your word may come to you or it may already be in your head or making itself known to you in some way in your life. It may be something you really want to get more of, become or work towards. I generally made a list of random words just to give myself options but I already knew I wanted to get into the Word. And it really applies to so much more. Then, I realized after a few days of playing with my word that I have had words the last few years without even knowing it!

2009: Inspired (by Mary Engelbreit to follow your heart if you love art!)

2010: Grow (learn about my strengths and what I am passionate about)

2011: Create (I started a blog to make myself accountable to being crafty & creative regularly)

2012: Change (Make some necessary endings and explore options to get out of a rut)

2013: Freedom (To express myself freely, use my strengths, find joy in the journey & move forward)

I really wanted to put some drive and focus into my life this year that would impact several areas yet come from one source and I wanted to do it more intentionally. So I thought this monthly activity of ONE LITTLE WORD would help to keep me more centered since I get distracted by shiny objects. While researching I came across this little snippet that is already a great insight into words in relationships. Love and Truth, by Dr. Henry Cloud, check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzdXmlWUkIM&list=UUXxplO2WuYhm2-EFGtgRBJw

I do hope you decide to play along, even in your own little world. I will be posting my monthly progress throughout the year and give you a peek into my One Little Word documentation and they’ll by a blog hop so you can see some of the other words the “OLWers” have chosen.

Oops! And for those who are new here and don’t know me. Hi! I’m Elaine. I was a teacher/librarian for a very long time and decided to quit last summer to pursue a more creative path. It’s one of my strengths, it’s what I love and if God gifted me with that, He can surely do something meaningful with it in my life, I can’t wait to see what he does! I love learning and thinking and teaching myself new things and growing personally, which is why I think One Little Word is a great idea!

But, I must confess, that I am eager to get back to quilting. The end of the year with December Daily and #30daysoflists (photos coming soon) and all the holiday preparations had me in a frenzy.

Now, let’s get back on schedule!

December Fun

December 3rd 2013

Whoosh! It feels like ages since I have visited my friends in the blogging world, I miss you guys. I promise that I have been really occupied, see, it looks like there was an explosion in my craft area!! And it looks good here…

As I have been reflecting about my blog which I call Summercrafter it has occurred to me that I have mostly been quilting! (And loving it) But since my motto is Craft. Quilt. Unwind, I really felt like I needed to stretch myself a bit and get more balanced creatively. I like to do and learn so many crafty things and that’s why I started this in the first place, so I could post about all of it here. So the last couple of weeks, I have gone to explore some of my crafty counterparts and get busy with some paper crafts and other creative outlets that are also fun. I hope to make new friends and really make my blog a place for anyone to unwind creatively. I hope that’s ok with you all! : )

So this is what I’ve been up to! Setting up my December Daily album to document this month one day at a time and a 30 days of lists challenge which are really like journaling prompts.

I put all the Christmas Craft items I have collected over many years in this box for easy access. I wonder how much I’ll actually put in the books but I really enjoyed decorating them.

Here is the December Daily Album.

The theme I chose is Vintage Holiday since I’ll be making the quilt by that name (more on that soon)

so I thought it perfect to cover and embellish it with fabric from the Vintage Modern line by Bonnie and Camille.

This is the first page and a miniature quilted ornament I made.

Here are a couple of pages…

Okay, so I started with the last days of November, big deal! ; )

I’m including the top 5 from the 30 days of lists in this album apart from the journal.

And the 30 days of lists journal. Really I could think up 30 lists but the community of everyone sharing is really great!

I always have to have an intro page!

I just decorated all the pages with some candy stickers to continue the “Gingerbread & Candy” theme. Keeping it simple.

The first list was “Before the end of the year I…” And I am happy to say I have already checked off some of those things! Like finish the present quilt and put a pattern up for sale!

The second list was “Around the house…” which I rather not say what is lying around, that’s why I escape to craft. The new thing would be all the decoration boxes, train sets and craft room explosion! The third list is “This is the only time of year I…” which is mostly reserved for seasonal stuff like Christmas music, movies, shopping and my beautiful ornament collection that I enjoy seeing every year!

Some people are going all out making collages or doodling and some are just keeping it simple. It can really bring out the creativity once you get going!

That Was Easy!

May 4th 2013

One of the best things about blogging is being able to post ahead of time. I especially appreciate this option when, during Spring Break and Winter Recess, I make many things and spread the joy over several blog posts.

When school is out, I craft to my heart’s content! I take pictures. I upload them. Then, I write a detailed post for each new project I add to the blog. And lastly, I schedule it to come out and hit PUBLISH (that was easy.)

So, when work is crazy or my arm or other body part pertinent to crafting is not cooperating… If the Internet is down and the monster test is going on at school… Maybe grades are due or report cards come out … and on top of all that I’m exhausted and stressed, new crafts keep coming out on the blog. And everyone is happy! ; ) This has been the case for the last several posts and maybe a few more coming up!

Even with some or all of that going on, I managed to do this painless, quicky project for a dog lover I know, just last week (in real time) 5 minutes before bed. Really!

A little paper, a little bling and you’re done!

Just the little craft fix I needed, that was easy!

Pretty Papers Make Cute Crafts

January 22nd 2012

Paper crafts: Fast, easy, pretty! I am under the weather, but I had a little time to make something but not energy for big preparation and clean up. So I thought about using some pages I have been saving from Mary Engelbreit’s 2011 day-to-day calendar. (The kind you tear a page from every day.) I have been collecting them either because I like the illustration, the message, or I could use it for another project like scrapbooking or making cards.

I used these in particular for bookmarks because I am reading or trying to read several books at once. I couldn’t add “jazz” to the paper part since it goes in the book but I was able to add a little 3D to the part that hangs out. So to humor you, I will show you the 4 books and the 4 bookmarks and you can guess where they each will go. First one to guess correctly gets a free book mark made by me!

This project is basically cut and glue. Fancy scissors optional but not necessary.

Current Reading Material.

Magazine about Bloggers,their beautiful blogs and their journeys.

Great book! Go ahead, admit that your kids drive you crazy and sometimes you don’t “feel the love.”

No one said it would be easy, thanks Leslie Leyland Fields

A great way to draw & build a business plan for us right brainers, aka creative folks.

Click the book or here to learn more.

A nice little Christmas story about reconciliation, a happy ending I’m sure. This is a great, “disconnect from my world” reading, can’t wait to start! Check out the author Chris Fabry.