Jordan's Walk to Cure Diabetes

My niece Jordan was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She is absolutely amazing...she didn't let the diagnosis phase her at all, she jumped right in and learned all she could and is an active participant in all sorts of JDRF activities. She's participating in a JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes in September and is taking her fundraising very seriously!
Now, one thing about Jordan, she is a true artist. Not only is she big into theatre and acting but she's constantly painting and sewing and crafting...her specialty though is making strange, wonky little plush critters. Well, to get to my point...she was here to visit in June for Shelby's graduation and left behind, much to my delight, a pattern for a cute little bear (at least I think it's a bear?!) so I decided to sew up a few and sell them in my shop. I will be selling them until September 15 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Jordan's fundraising efforts. If you want to read more about Jordan and Juvenile Diabetes, you can access her fundraising page here. Besides those little wonky bears I haven't done much creating...I've been sick with some unknown disease that's finally left me. I made this little treasure though for an Alice in Wonderland art call. I've got the greatest vintage Alice book with the most wonderful illustrations with which I made this little shadow box thing-a-ma-bob.
I'll let you know if anything comes of my sending it in!

LoLLia

Shelby hasn't even left for college and already I'm thinking of cute, luxurious items that I can tuck into her care packages...how fun is it going to be to put together those monthly treasure boxes huh? I saw this LoLLIA shower gel in one of my magazines and decided to order one for Shelby (it's a little spendy but I thought "what the hec!") I ended up ordering one for Shelby and two for me (that's fair right?). The package arrived in the mail today and WOW! Does this stuff smell good. Not only that, but the packaging is so so cute and the catalog they sent along has more items with even cuter packaging...the color combinations, the flowers, the edging...very inspiring. Now I need to figure out some sort of project in which I can use the packaging...Incidentally, how soon after Shelby heads to campus can I send her first care package? Is a week too soon?

Inspiration Journal

There are a few blogs that I read on a pretty regular basis, most of which are artist's blogs and let me tell you, I am in awe of the talent of these women. A few of these blogs had posts detailing swaps between these crafty ladies and, WOW, some of the goodies they swapped made my heart race. So, I came up with the brilliant idea of searching for swaps I could join...not the best idea I've ever had...
I found a site that is all about swaps, every kind of swap you could imagine and some you couldn't. So I found a few that were right up my alley and joined in...I took great care to make sure the items I made for my partner were top notch and went above and beyond what was required to make sure my partner was thoroughly pleased with her treasure. Each day I waited eagerly for the mail delivery and my first swap package finally arrived. I ripped into it with the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning but when I saw my treasure (and I use that term losely) I think I nearly cried....but I told myself not to lose hope, the next package would contain something magnificent. The next package came and the next but they all had the same outcome as the first...utter disappointment. The last swap was for an altered journal, I figured how could this go wrong? I waited and waited and finally got an email from my swap partner letting me know she would be late sending my treasure. Ugh! When it finally arrived...Yep, you guessed it...MORE DISAPPOINTMENT. The actual journal was nice but the "alterations" were hideous at best (wish I would have snapped a picture or two). So I immediately ripped everything off the front and back and decided to alter the journal for myself...at least I knew I wouldn't be disappointed.

A little vintage lace, a page from a vintage bird book and a few other vintage goodies and the ugly journal is transformed.

I've decided to use this as a little inspiration journal...and needless to say, I won't be joining in anymore swaps from that site!