...maple sugaring & thank yous

Here in New England when the weather starts to warm a magical thing happens. But you have to know where to look. It is hidden inside the sugar maple trees. When the days start to warm but the nights are still dipping below freezing, the sweetwater sap starts to flow in the tree. And if you know how you can draw the sap from the tree and make the most de-lish maple syrup! And that is exactly what we learned how to do....

First tap the tree.

and then collect the sap. It looks like water and at this point only has the slightest maple flavor to it. The sap gets collected in buckets and then the real work begins.

The sap gets cooked down for hours. It takes 40-50 gallons of sweetwater sap to make one single gallon of maple syrup. The sap reduces and must be watched carefully so that it doesn't burn. But I have to tell you that the amazing aroma at this point is beyond my writing ability to describe. It is almost as satisfying as the taste of the liquid amber...almost.

The final product is so delectable! It is not even comparable to the "pancake syrups." It is even better than those jugs of real maple syrup. It is one of the most absolutely DEE-LISH things that I have ever tasted in my whole life!

Isn't it pretty?!

So, I had to thank our friends, Joe & Elaine, for showing us this hidden treasure. And for sharing their sweet syrup with us.

Which led me to make up this card. I wanted to send a thank you to them and knew exactly what I wanted to make. I started with the base, using a woodgrain impression plate to give a nice woody texture to the dark brown card front. Then I stamped and die cut a label and added my sentiment. For the final element, I stamped the tree and embossed it, trimed it out and popped it up.

Makes a sweet thank you don't you think?

card recipe:(ALL ingredients by a muse studio) Stamps-vintage labels, love conquers all, contemporary greetings; cardstock-kraft, french roast, sage; Ink-french roast, sugar;Embellishments-woodgrain impression plate, vintage label dies, sugar embossing powder, 3D tape

to celebrate birthdays!

One of my very favorite things to do is throw a party so I was thrilled when my friend Ann's husband asked me to help him surprise his wife for her birthday. I love the little detail involved in throwing a party. I especially love to make party favors! Though many have tried to convince me otherwise I simple don't believe that favors are meant only for children. Who doesn't love a tiny something that says in its diminutive way, "Thank you for coming and celebrating with me. I appreciate you." So, this is what I cooked up for my sweet friend Ann.

Cutie-patootie chocolate boxes. They were super easy to make and who doesn't want a little bite of chocolate? Here is a link to direction to make your own chocolate boxes:
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/ghirardellibox/

Also, this is the cake we had. If you are ever in Hampton be sure to make your way to the Galley Hatch and ask for the Rosebud Cake. You will not be sorry! I am still dreaming of it....

Have an a*musing day!

a challenge.

I find myself completely unable to resist playing along with the Moxie Fab World Tueday Trigger. If you want to play along visit the Moxie Fab blog here: http://www.moxiefabworld.com/2011/03/tuesday-trigger-farm-fresh.html I am so in love with the colors of this weeks Trigger pic:

I love all of the white space! I love the orange and blue! I love the simplicity of it! I had no ideas at first because I was determined to use only what I have on hand. So I started pulling things out and then THIS happened:

I love the white space! I love the orange and blue! I love the simplicity! Here's a close up for good measure... Isn't it cute? I think it is if I do say so myself. I love it when my crafty time is productive. Let me know if you are playing along this week. I'd love to see what you made!

Orange ya'Blue Birthday Wishes Card Recipe: Stamps-contemporary greetings; Ink-ocean; Paper-sugar, sky, bermuda, orange, orange gingham; Embellishments- bermuda button, a random bit of twine I found in the bottom of a drawer.

crafty spaces.

What's on your worktable right now? Here's mine:

I'm working the copics at the moment. Getting lots done and learning as I go. Of all my tools and supplies I think copics are the one thing that I am always learning more about. Every time I get them out to play (more & more these days!) I learn something new. The more ya use 'em the more fun they are!

Stay tuned to see what I make with all this copicy goodness!

paper.

Really, have you ever seen such pretty colors? Doesn't it just make you want to go make something? Actually...I think I need to go and do just that! But hey, if you are in need of some b-e-a-u-tiful paper let me know. I can hook you up! :)

What are you making today?

...quotes

I'm not sure where I read this, but I have to say I love it!

I need to learn more of the balance between thinking it over and over thinking. I need to put that full stop in between letting it go and letting it bother me. Between working and over working. Between wanting it right and setting ridiculous standards.

Balance is a good thing.

hoppy little froggies!

This is a little valentine I made as I was experimenting with pop-ups.

Gotta love an easy-peasey accordian folded center to make poppin' up super fast.

I love the cheerfulness of this little card.

Happy Valentine's Day!

...finding inspiration anywhere & everywhere.

So there I was, going through the mail and THWACK I was hit by inspiration. My Muse must have been getting bored with all of the housework and directed me straight toward a divine moment of craftiness. So here's what the Muses sent me in the mail:I love this catalog! Inspiration on every page. It makes me want to create things, and shop. I resisted ordering anything (for the moment) and instead got myself busy creating, not wanting to waste a moment of divine inspiration.

So here's what came of it:

My goal was to balance the concentrated bling with some blank space and simplicity. I started with the pink paper and then made the "bling." I painted a piece of paper until I was happy with the color and got the gold and shimmer that I was looking for. And then I added the twinkle stickers. I stamped the sentiment and then punched that out and inked the edges. I decided it needed just a little bit more. The ribbon that I had didn't work at all so I just colored it until I liked the look of it. Pop it all together and this is what I got. So glad I made the time to craft when inspiration thwacked me in the head!

Where do you find inspiration? What inspires you? What do you create when inspired?

Supplies: Stamps- A Muse Artstamps; Paper- naturals ivory cardstock Stampin'Up, pink Paris & Co. by My Mind's Eye; Ink- rich cocoa Memento; Paint- LuminArte twinkling H2Os in pink crocus & autumn butternut; Bling- twinkle stickers A Muse Artstamps; 1/4" pink satin ribbon; Marker- E57 Copic.

One Little Word Project

Just came across this quote for my project:

"All you need to do is hold on tight...and believe." -Stephen King

This is so how I've been feeling lately. Lots of things going on and sometimes it's all you can do to just hold on and believe.

Check out Ali Edwards' blog- www.aliedwards.com/blog/one-little-word
Or join the class at www.bigpictureclasses.com and look up Ali's class One Little Word.

...Valentine's Day

I did a lot of baking over the holidays and had some empty spice jars. As I was about to toss them into the recycling bin a little thought popped into my head. These would make cute little spice jars for a play kitchen. And here they are all dressed up in some Valentine-y cuteness. They will make a perfect gift for some special little girls in my life, AND all I used were some scraps a touch of glue and one tiny twinkle sticker! Gotta love saving money and using up scraps while making something super cute! Now all I need is to get my hands on some more spice jars!

...finished projects!

Wow! It feels good to finish a project, especially when it is one that I have been working on for a few years.I designed this rug for a class I was taking at Green Mountain Hooked Rug School with one of my favorite teachers, Jule Marie Smith. The class was a study of early primitive rug styles with an emphasis on making that style your own.I loved playing with the crazy hit-or-miss boarder which is a common technique of old rugs. It was a great way to use up scraps. I learned a lot about color and movement as I worked. Hit-or-miss isn't quite so willy-nilly as it may seem. There is a lot of careful planning that goes into it to make it look the way it does. I purposefully hooked a few quirks in here and there because that is something that I like so much about the old rugs.

This little house is a favorite of mine. Simple. Wobbly. Primitive. Colorful. This is my kind of house. I would love to live in such a sweet little place. It makes me happy just to look at it. I also really love the background. I had fun dyeing lots of light value yellows to mix together. Swirling them all gives a tone on tone movement that is a favorite of mine.

I love to design rugs and dye wool and hook! And, boy oh boy, do I love a finished project.
It's so freeing...
I wonder what I should start working on next...




www.greenmountainhoodrugs.com/school

A Word for 2011

Like most people I have a tendency to get a little introspective at the end of one year and the start of the next. I used to make resolutions. Promises to myself to change, do, not do.... Promises that I broke before too long. Then I read a blog by Ali Edwards and she was talking about choosing a single word for the year. How freeing I thought! A single word to focus on, learn more about, apply to your life, listen for, and let speak into your life.


And so, at the beginning of 2011, I have been thinking about what my new word should be. It came to me slowly. After considering a lot of possibilities, this word just kept coming back to me. So I think it has chosen me as much as I choose it.

Believe.

I look forward to seeing what this word will come to mean to me over the course of the year. What is your word for the year?





"One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying." -Joan of Arc

"When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably." -Walt Disney

Believe: (verb)

1. To have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof.

2. To have confidence or faith in the truth; give credence to.

3. to have confidence in the assertions of a person.

4. to have a conviction that a person or thing is, has been, or will be engaged in a given action or involved in a given situation.

5. to suppose or assume; understand.

6. to have faith.

Synonyms: accept, accredit, admit, affirm, attach weight to, be certain of, be convinced of, conclude, count on, credit, deem, fall for, give credence to, have faith in, have no doubt, hold, keep the faith, lap up, place confidence in, posit, presume true, presuppose, reckon on, regard, rest assured, suppose, swear by, take as gospel, take at one's word, trust, understand

link to Ali's blog: www.aliedwards.com/2010/12/one-little-word-2011.html