New Family Members

A few weeks ago we were delighted to receive into the Goforth fold six new family members. Just wanted to share a photo of the cuties before they find new homes.

Isn't this just too adorable?!

My favorite

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On the left is Wayne's pick. The little guy on the right looks like his daddy...

Hail, hail the gang's all here! We've enjoyed these sweeties but will be glad to see them off to happy homes very soon. (Especially before the chewing stage begins, lol!)

Photos for Franny

Not much by way of an introduction here. The lady this is posted for will know what it is all about. The rest of you can just wonder. *smile*

Franny, this plain old binder is about 9 x 5.5 inches, (outside dimensions). It was a cast-off that someone else could not find any use for.  This journal has no completed pages yet. I will also decorate the exterior at some point. I have another similar journal of the same size but it is currently traveling about in a Round Robin so I can't give you photos, sorry.

Here you can see the variety of sizes and shapes my pages wind up in. A lot is determined by the size and shape of the original packaging. I use anything and everything from cereal boxes to macaroni & cheese boxes to ends and pieces of some boxes. I don't mind the odd sizes and shapes, (as a matter of fact it really appeals to me), so uniformity is not an issue. You may feel differently. Some 'pages' I cut freehand and others I use a stencil on the edges. Once I have them cut to shape I apply a thin coat of gesso. My reason for the gesso is that many of the boxes have a slick coating on the outside and this allows my paints and such to stick without a problem. This step is a personal preference and not absolutely necessary. You could probably give the shiny side a good sanding to make sure the paint adheres. It is up to you-it's your journal! Once the gesso is dry I apply anything I would like, usually beginning with a coat or wash of acrylic paint, and voila', instant and interesting journal pages! Practically free too!

Just to give you an idea - this is a page made from a microwave popcorn box that I did not cut apart completely. I simply folded it up and cut out the shape of a castle, unfolded the bottom third and cut it to imitate a draw bridge, (Sorry about the wonky fourth photo). I could journal on the interior and when the finished page is folded shut and inserted into the binder my journaling would remain private. Just put your imagination to work and the world is your oyster.

I hope this helps!

Love.

A Clean Studio...for now.

I had to remove practically everything from my studio yesterday since my hubby decided to work on my storage closet. I thought it might be a good time to straighten up while I replaced things today. The end result was much more conducive to productivity.

This is my desk. Please note the fact that there is a flat surface here. Normally you would be hard pressed to prove it due to the mountains of schtuff I manage to pull out while working on any project.

The view from the doorway. Imagine that, there is a floor. I can actually get to my chair without having to hop over anything. This borders on amazing.

The view from the other direction. My bookcase which holds all my recent and current reads as well as products I regularly use and my dear little muse Blossom, bless her heart.

My precious little muse. Isn't she just adorable? Miss Blossom and I have been together for more than a decade. She is quite a dear, my constant companion while I create and dream up more ways of spending my hubby's paycheck. Never criticizing, always encouraging, giving me much inspiration along the way and a most agreeable co-conspirator, when a conspiracy is what is called for.  I just adore her!

Yes, I know you've already seen my wonderful, new, refurbished closet but I thought someone might be interested to know about the huge thingy on this wall. This is not actually one big thingy but lots of little thingies all connected and attached to the wall with screws. Each little compartment is a tilt-out drawer in which I store embellishments of all sorts. I find that if I can't see it, I won't use it. (Out of sight, out of mind, you know!) So I ran across this set a number of years ago, on QVC I believe, and it was the answer to my problem. These little drawers can be stuck together in any configuration you might choose. I've found no better storage for embellishments!

I certainly hope you've enjoyed the short tour of my studio and meeting the most delightful Miss Blossom. Stay tuned for a more in depth tour of my bookshelf and a meet & greet with our newest members of the family...until then...

Love.

Studio Improvements

Yesterday my dear husband surprised me twice. Once by showing up early from work and secondly by informing me of his intention to upgrade the closet in my studio. This is a project that I have been requesting for nearly six months now. We did it! I am so thrilled to have shelves instead of the plastic storage drawers I was using.

Here is a view showing the plastic drawers. BEFORE.

And AFTER. New shelving, complete with my junque installed. Keep in mind that it is my responsibility to caulk, putty and paint said closet but not having any warning that we were about to get this little project underway I was unprepared and lacking in material. So, the finishing touches will have to wait a bit but as far as functionality is concerned - I have a wonderful and useful new closet. YES! Being able to see what is available makes it much more likely that I will use all the things I had stored in the drawers. And there was plenty stored there! I am attempting to purge as I go but sometimes it is so hard to just let go of these things I've purchased. Now I need to invoke my word for the year - RELEASE. For the time being I am installing a curtain.  Thank you, Wayne. You sure know how to put a smile on a girls' face. *wink*

Love to ya'll!