Sugarwings, scrapbooking, and soup

The flu bug is still attacking me, but I think I see an end in sight, finally. I am starting to feel more like myself. But not good enough to babysit for Sugarwings today.

She went to play with friends today, and I got out some of her photos and made a much delayed start on a new photo album.  It has been forever since I sat down and 'scrapped'. 

I started with an album I had decorated earlier, it was waiting for me, ready to fill with pictures.  I tied a tag onto it that came from my friend, Karen .  I plan on using a lot of the tags I received as gifts from our Sweet Treats Swap in the scrapbook.  On the back of Karen's tag, I glued a photo of the fairy grand baby.

I like to use a lot of pockets in my albums too.  The one on this page, is simply a pretty envelope I had received from someone, that I glued to the page.

Tying a ribbon to the corner of a picture before tucking it into a pocket makes it easier to take out and look at.  I also make sure to either glue two photos back to back, or to glue pretty paper to the backside of the photo, for stability.  That way the hole punched for the ribbon is sturdy and won't tear.

It might be hard to tell from this picture, but the photo of Rich and I is in a greeting  card. I save cards that I get and use them as folders in my albums.

The ticket inside the card is one that Sissy made for me, it says "wishes".

I embellished the page with scrolls drawn with a blue marker and added a German die cut that went with the garden theme on the first picture.

I haven't done any scrap booking since Sugarwings turned one in August! I have been trying to keep organized, and setting aside things I wanted to use in the new album, and the photos I needed to put into it, all in a Rubber-maid container. 

It was getting kind of full!

I am keeping up with my New Years resolution to do more hand drawn or painted things in my collage work. I've added lots of simple scrolls and posies to these pages, and hope to get my paints out tonight when I do the next few pages.

Speaking of hand drawn work, these cards came in the mail today from Jen R.

I won them in a contest on her blog, but they felt like a get well present today! Thanks, Jen, they are so pretty.

I stayed in bed most of yesterday and today, trying to get over this cough and sore throat.  But I did get this wallpaper book finished, and listed on  Etsy after finishing it.   

I used one of the wooden cut out birds I had covered in blue flocked wallpaper on the cover, and painted a branch for her to nest in, then built her a nest from shredded wallpaper. 

Inside the book is a whole collection of my favorite papers, and it also comes along with a scrap pack of wallpapers I had used when making the book, to use in your own project. 

I can see these as art journals or scrap books. Can't you just imagine a photo of someone adorable on each page?  hmmm, maybe I need to keep one just for Sugarwing pictures!

I sold the one I listed yesterday, and plan to list a couple more, but don't know how many I will be making. If you are interested, feel free to email me about any of them in the previous post.

In case anyone's paper doll has a Valentines Ball to attend, I listed this ball gown today too.  It is made of a great wallpaper of brocade silk, one of my all time favorite papers. I had actually bought the paper to do a wall in my home and never did. I had it packed away for about 20 years, and am glad to have it for projects now, because as fickle as I am about home decor, it would have been torn off the walls years ago and replaced, and wasted if I had actually used it as wallpaper.

Has anyone seen the Mermaid swap that is going on now??? I am crazy about Mermaids.  You can see all the photos at this Flickr Site.  It is yet again, another great swap I missed out on joining!!

This is one that I made (last year), she is a German porcelain doll that I dooded up.  Her hair is a fluffy yarn that I dyed to match the fabric I bought to make her tail from.

I don't sew, that made the tail a challenge for me.  I figured it out somehow, and made the thing tail-like by sewing a long pipe cleaner inside it to give it shape, then filling it with beans to give it form.

She was then glued onto a starfish that I added pearls and tiny shells to.

And of course, I had to glitter up the starfish.

It has been days since I have felt like eating, even tho my sweet son Ry, bought me a can of soup.  But today, I must be doing better, because I have some chicken simmering on the stove, ready to make my own soup.

Well, that and the fact that my other son, Sugarwing's Daddy, has caught the same bug, and I need to make soup for him, since he is my baby.   I need to get it done and take it across town to him before the big snow storm starts (yes ANOTHER one!).   

Comments

[Lisa]

Chicken soup is good for the artistic soul for sure. Your work is amazing and I love to view your projects and papers. Thanks for sharing and feel better soon!

[Barbara]

So sorry that you are sick again! Goodness, maybe Spring will not be too far off and everyone can get well!! Rest...ok, I know you aren't going to do much rest, but feel better anyway!
Barbara

[Joan]

Hi, I am fairly new to your blog. I really like to read about Sugarwings and see her sweet pictures - she is so cute and I'm sure a real joy. I have caught the flu bug myself; it really tires a person out! Your artwork is great! Thanks for sharing. Joan

[Barbara Burkard]

sending healing wishes your way! we are in for the big storm too...some say upwards of 16"..heavy wet...high wind blowin...good day to art...love that birdie in his nest!!! i just crocheted a nest for a swap...and i like how it turned out...used wire and it scraped all the finish off the hook i was using! BE WELL AND THATS AN ORDER!

HUGZ (from a distance)

[Nancy Burns]

Karla your Sugarwings book is wonderful!! She is so lucky to have you. Sorry to hear you are not feeling well. Get well soon...

Hugs! Nancy

[Karen Young]

Sorry to hear your are still under the weather. I love what you did to the back of the tag and the scrapbook is coming along so nicely. I've been reading your message for over a half hour because I keep getting sidetracked with all the links you have posted and all the beautiful eye candy. But, oh I'm having fun. Stay safe the storm is also hitting us tonight.

Hugs Karen

[Lori]

Hang in their Karla! Love, Lori

[Michelle]

Karla, I hope you feel better really soon.. your scrapbook is just beautiful~I'm lucky to get my photos printed let alone in a book!

Michelle

[gail]

I hope you are feeling better soon. The bug has gotten to me, too. I've been miserable and wonder why I have a nose, since I can't breath out of it, or smell anything! OH well.

I got my recipe booklet today and I LOVE IT! IT IS WONDERFUL! You and Beth did such a wonderful job putting them together and making the covers. I LOVE the cover I got!! And you put "sweet treats" in with it!! I had to share with Deja! I was so impressed by everyones pages in person. They were pretty on the flikr pages, but in person they are wonderful. What a bunch of talented women!

[bethany]

Feel better soon!!! Don't let it go too long. That happened to me one year and I ended up dragging myself to the doctor.
I was so happy to hear that your first book sold so quickly! And your mermaid is great! I think you can sew...you just don't know it! You're also inspiring me to get out my scrapbooks... it's been years and I do have tons of older photos of the kids to do. Craig wants me to focus on decorating the house right now...so that's what i'm doing!

[Alison Gibbs]

HI Karla, hope you are feeling better and will be back babysitting real soon. 2 of my grandchildren are sitting on the floor at my feet playing with Lego blocks while I do this. Good while it lasts.
Alison

[Erin, Mission Viejo, CA]

Hope you're feeling better soon.
Erin

[Becca]

Hope you feel all better soon! :)

[María Elena]

Karla,I imagined that you would delicate health. I hope you recover soon. The family's album was beautiful , I did one for my son, but, now I see, that I omited in my album.

[sarah]

Hey Just a invite for a spring theme swap! It is called Hanging up Springtime!! I hope you come and join!
Toodles-
Sarah
http://gypsymermaidlife.blogspot.com

[Barbara Jacksier]

Poor baby!

Hope you feel better soon. I can't breathe either but it's because of all of the chemicals used for sealing the wood on my recently refinished floors. And, I used the low VOC formulas!

Barbara

[Karla]

I hope you are feeling better! The flu stinks and I know you miss your Sugarwings. Her scrapbook is so bright and cheerful and the mermaid you made is awesome!
Karla

[Katy]

The book is great! I've never actually "scrapped" before - having no children, it never occured to me.
Sound like ya'll need some of our Chicken Tortilla Soup!

[Casii]

Oh, so sorry you've been hit by the dreaded flu bug, but it seems the creativity bug continues to dwell with you! I'm drooling over all the pretty, pretty pages & papers & projects!

[Bejeweled]

So sorry the flu is hitting you and your family! Wishing you all a speedy recovery!

[Nan]

My, you sure get a lot accomplished when you're sick. I'd be flat on my back. Your little one and your scrapbooks are beautiful.
Hugs,
Nan

[joyce]

Cool idea: saving greeting cards and using them for folders in your albums...now you got me wondering if i could do that as part of my daily journal???