Last Night When I Got Home

I found myself thinking . . .

 

. . . a house in the suburbs—you know the kind with an attached garage—would be kind of nice.

 

especially when I’ve got a load of these, no kids at home to help and it’s raining.

 

Then I look out the passenger window and see this and I think, so what’s a little rain?

 

Then I thought about what my big plans for the evening included and I relaxed even more.

I have yet to get caught-up in Downton Abbey, but fully intend to do so (thanks to the loan of the first two seasons from my friend, Kimberly).  I thought I’d pop in a DVD and peruse the new issues of Mingle and Somerset Life.

I was able to achieve part of that plan.  I popped-in the DVD and started the first episode (I’m hooked, by-the-by), then remembered I promised Kendall I would get her the information she needs to post some future Artful Origins workshops.  So, I left the magazines on the ottoman and picked-up the laptop instead.

I was able to pull-together two workshops and watch two episodes of Downton Abbey.  Not quite as I planned, but I was able to check something off of the “to do” list, so sleep came a little easier.

Here’s a sampling of what we will be creating:

Two Birds of a Feather plates

This workshop will be on Tuesday, April 2nd at 6:30 a.m.

 

The other one I pulled together is:

flowers for flip flops

This workshop will be on Sunday, April 30th at 2 p.m.  It will be an early Mother’s Day celebration of sorts.  So, sign-up with your daughter, your friend or come by yourself—we will have lots of fun and we make these vintage inspired embellishments for a pair of basic flip flops.

For more information on these and other workshops, please visit our blog at Artful Origins.

Thanks, as always, for your indulgence!

Stampington & Company Obsession

My obsession with Stampington & Company continues with Somerset Life.  This isn’t my first issue of Somerset Life—oh no, I’ve already got several in my stacks.  (By the way, these magazines have their own separate “piles.”  They don’t join the slick cover magazines—the paper stock they use for these publications provides the tactile reason for their distinct segregation—their content, however, is the deciding factor.)

I enjoy these magazines so much, I started carrying a selection of Stampington & Company publications at the shop—so I don’t have to chase off across town to get them.  There is also the added bonus of introducing my customers to Where Women Create, Artful Blogging, Somerset Studio, Where Women Cook, Mingle and Somerset Holidays.

The only problem problems I find with these magazines is are:

(1)  I am so inspired, but I rarely find the time to attempt the things I find; and,

(2)  I feel completely inadequate—usually within just a few words into each article.

Mind you—I don’t allow either of these issues to prevent me from consuming each—cover-to-cover—like a starving child. Further, these issues are not, fundamentally, problems with the publications—I may be projecting . . . just a little.

In this issue (Oct/Nov/Dec 2011), I was particularly engrossed by the article Exploring Collaboration by Alexandra Cave.  She writes of her solution to desiring a few months off from her blog to spend with her newborn.  She solicited help from her readers by asking them to be a guest blogger on her blog.  You’ll be inspired by her enthusiasm and desire to continue these exchanges and explorations.  Visit her blog here.

There are many more articles, but this one truly opened my eyes to how many gifted and generous people are out there and all within reach, thanks to the blogosphere. 

I hope you pick-up a copy for your own collection.

(click on the table of contents above to view)

Thanks for your indulgence,