October 27, 2021 by Born To Organize

Halloween Light

I’m enjoying a scaled-down version of Halloween this year. It’s been a positive transition away from the usual hustle and bustle. We’ve also had an extremely rare and powerful storm blow through, which makes it feel more like autumn instead of summer-light.

Further, nothing screams “autumn” like foraging squirrels. One of the California Grey’s sent my miniature tea-house akimbo outside our kitchen window, which I interpreted as an invitation to make seasonal changes.

The birdhouse gourd, aka teahouse, came indoors for a dust-off. Here is a picture of the teahouse in its former glory.

I’ll put the gourd into the fairy garden rotation for next summer. I reused the tray, the moss, and the miniature seashells, along with the tiny “tree stump” to bring a bit of autumn magic to the fairy garden.

Building the fairy house was a breeze. I used a regifted candle holder for the base, then added an inverted coconut shell, once a floating candle holder, for the roof. The chimney is a tiny watering can with a bit of wool roving for the smoking chimney.

I used my crafting dye to spritz a bright green wood slab into a darker, earthier color. A seashell makes the perfect door nob. I used the same dye to darken a pair of take-out wooden chopsticks, then adhered seashells to create a fence.

Rounding out the miniature setting, I used blue glass vase filler, white sand, and a pair of arched shells to create a tiny brook along the front of the garden.

Those clay pumpkins were also a gift several years ago (my friends know me well), with the tiniest pumpkin made from a bead and a twist of jute.

The autumn miniature spent most of the month next to the children’s Little Free Library where it stayed till a heavy storm arrived over the weekend. It’s now having a bit of a dry-out under the eaves.

Card-making also found its place in October.

Earlier this summer, I played around with my gel press and brayer, creating patterns and textures on white paper. I used several of those gel press images to make moons and pumpkins for Halloween cards.

The pumpkins are die-cut from some of my brayer images, while the stems use leaf impressions made from garden greens.

A couple of months ago I treated myself to a new die. I used it for the majority of my cards. I like to invest in dies that I’ll get a lot of use from, and this one fits the bill. Here is a quick video of how the die-cutting gadget works.

Here are a few of my cards.

Black-embossed cat, gel press moon, and green patterned paper cut with my new die

Silver embossed cat, gel press moon, and green textured paper

Two for one: I used the off-cut of this blue background to make a bookmark.

Card series showing dies used in two different orientations. I like the first image the best.

The card in the lower-left corner is for my sister. I used her favorite color for the moon, cut the leaf pattern from sheet music paper, and made a shiny black cat, complete with notched ear like her sweet kitty, Queen B.

It wouldn’t be Halloween if I didn’t use a few pumpkins in my designs. My friend Jasmin gave me that bottle of gorgeous bath soak for my birthday earlier this month. It’s the perfect compliment to my cards. I used holographic paper for the border, then die-cut the pumpkin, lettering, and stem from various gel press images.

The second pumpkin card is framed on two sides by spiderwebbed Washi tape but it doesn’t show well in this photo.

This final card is made from a sheet of acrylic embossed with spider webs. It’s been part of my stash for years. I liked it when I bought it, but I could never quite figure out how to use it. I think I used it on a card many moons ago, but I couldn’t say for sure. I like the effect.

A few assorted bookmarks rounded out the month before I cleaned off my desk and put the Halloween leftovers away. It’s been a great stress-buster and a chance to connect with friends by mail.

October 15, 2021 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy Day: Once a Diary

My friend Alicia sent me the following note, along with this Cats in Art diary from 1988.

“I came across this unused diary, and though I have no use for it, was reluctant to discard it. I thought of you, wondering if you might find some purpose for it in your crafts.”

It’s nice when your friends get you, eh?

I’ve had so much fun taking apart the pages and turning them into cards, both big and small. My favorite images included cats in the garden or perched near windows and the art that beautifully conveys the natural world. While I appreciate all art, I’m not enamored with dark oils or dreary scenes.

I made two small blue note cards, a pair of craft paper cards, two oversized cards, and even a couple of postcards. I wanted to preserve as much of the original art image as possible.

The one exception is this z-fold card. I used part of the image on the front and another part of it on the inside. Both are viewable when the card is open.

I made ten cards in all, plus the thank you card using the beautiful art. I cut circles out of some of the calendar pages and made stickers to go with the cards.

It then occurred to me that I could re-purpose the calendar cover to make a folio for the set of cards. I carefully cut the remaining pages, made a flap over the rough center, and then covered it with Washi tape from my stash.

I adhered three craft envelopes in two different sizes to hold the cards and stickers in place. Everything fit beautifully. The final detail: adding a piece of vintage seam binding, also from my stash, to pull it all together.

I hope she likes it. I sent it off last week.

Thanks for hosting, Kate.

Kate, our host, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill,
Claire, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris,
Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn,
Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin,
Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2, Noreen,
Bear, Carol, Preeti, Edith, Debbierose, and Jule

September 14, 2021 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy Cards: Stress-Busters

Stress is the enemy, and crafting is the cure…or something like that. I’ve had a lot of stress in my life this past month, so I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my card-making distraction.

I cut several paper scraps into half-inch strips and tossed them in a box. Rhythm is great for reducing stress.

Time permitting, I then sorted the strips by color. Some of my scraps are printed on both sides, offering lots of variety. Still no actual cards at this point, but sorting by color is cheering.

From there, I looked up some simple quilt designs for inspiration. Who doesn’t like looking at beautiful art and quilts?

At the suggestion of my friend Dawn, I bought an embossing folder that imprints a quilt-like texture on paper. A little retail therapy for the win.

I love the embossing folder. It feels like a bit of magic each time the folder imprints on the card. Here’s a closeup:

After assembling a few cards, my colored strips were in disarray. So I cut a few wax seed envelopes in half and taped the open side. Now the strips are contained but still easy to see.

Here’s my collection of cards:

I’ve made cards using this simple pattern before. I enjoy the blending of color, pattern, and texture.

Here’s a similar card, but using the strips of paper at different angles.

I enjoyed using one solid and one pattern on this card. The sentiment is printed on the reverse side of the fan-shaped paper.

This card loosely follows the colors of the rainbow. The dark purple is too saturated in color for this combo, but it’s all about using scraps so there you go. It’s the only solid purple scrap I had.

This might have been the last card of the day before the Tessa interlude. I used 18 different paper scraps. It reminds me of some of the heritage quilts I’ve seen over the years assembled from old clothing pieces. I’ve always admired the history and beauty of those quilts.

This pattern primarily exists in my imagination. I call it the tea party. The light pink along the bottom represents the table; the gingham is the tablecloth and above that is the tea service. The fourth layer represents flowers outside the window. Along the sides are lace doilies draped on the back of the blue chairs. Still don’t see it? Try switching from tea to wine.

This last card is for a special friend who suffered an unimaginable loss. I made this card by laying down half-inch strips in a simple square pattern before cutting a heart from the center. Next I raised the heart with small pieces of foam tape, then replaced it in the heart-shaped opening. The raised heart adds some interest and texture, though it’s hard to see in this photo.

That look on Tessa’s face put an end to my crafting for the day, but that’s okay. Kitty’s are great stress-busters, too.

Thank you for hosting these monthly ScrapHappy Days, Kate.

I learned something new in the Block Editor today. I saved the list of ScrapHappy bloggers as a reusable block. Now I drop it into my post without the need to cut and paste each month. Welcome, Jule, our newest ScrapHappy Day blogger.

September 3, 2021 by Born To Organize

Celebrating Pauline King

I miss Pauline. Our clever, artistic, kind, and generous friend should be celebrating another birthday this week.

So many of us got to know Pauline King when she joined the blogging community. In my case, our online friendship blossomed into in-person meetups, first on this side of the world and later in beautiful New Zealand. In between those visits, we made do with video chats.

Our final day in Wanaka, New Zealand: Kelly, Alys, Danella, Pauline, Steve, Laurie, Jo, and Mike

Pauline slipped away on her birthday last year, but she left a remarkable gift: a warm and deepening friendship with her daughters Danella and Jo.

Today I want to offer you a gift to honor and celebrate Pauline’s extraordinary life, but first an explanation.

Pauline’s June, 2019 post Vivid Colours, features several pieces of her original work. As always, wonderful conversations in the comments section followed. I fell in love with one of her cards featuring her cat Orlando. I suggested:

The Orlando card got me thinking, too. If you’re ever inspired, you could move the text down along the books to narrow the design and print bookmarks. I would buy 100 of them for my LFL. Just a thought.
Alys

The always-generous Pauline did just that, but instead of selling them to me, she sent me a PDF with the following note:

In honor of Pauline’s birthday September 5th, I would like to send you one of her bookmarks. Please don’t worry about the cost of postage. I want to share her bookmarks around the world. This offer is open to anyone who appreciates her art. Please send me your mailing address using my Contact Form, and I will mail you a bookmark-sized slice of Pauline’s art.

If you followed Pauline, please share a favorite memory in the comments below.

Happy birthday, Pauline!

Pauline and Siddy, the apple of each other’s eye.

This post is dedicated to Pauline’s daughters, Jo and Danella, and to Pauline’s puppy Siddy and her marmalade cat Orlando who continue to live the good life with Danella.

August 24, 2021 by Born To Organize

Gardens and August Grief

My dad was a horticulturist by trade. He built our Canadian garden from a pile of dirt, transporting rock by rock to create a small brook that meandered through our back yard. By November most years, everything received a blanket of snow.

We moved to California in 1966, but Dad died of lung cancer three years later. As a result, he never got to realize his dream of a California garden. I carry Dad’s memory, along with the dirt under my nails and twigs in my hair, whenever I spend time gardening.

My dad died in August of 1969. His sister, and my namesake Aunt Alys, also died in August, but nearly 40 years later.

I often feel lost this time of year, adrift in memories and full of melancholy. I’ve learned to let the feelings flow. Today a Google search revealed that a BBC radio show interviewed Aunt Alys’ neighbors shortly after her death. Unfortunately, John and Anne Matthews didn’t share this with me at the time, and now the program is archived and unavailable. So it goes. Somehow it brought about more loss, more tears.

If I could walk hand in hand with Dad on this warm August day, I would show him our garden, name the plants, and laugh about the botanical names that I can never keep straight. I would let him know that his little girl grew up and is now a mother to two incredible young men.

On my family’s porch with my sister Sharon and others in London, Ontario, Canada, early 1960s

He would be saddened to know that Sharon is struggling with MS and that the pandemic has been unkind. The loss of a daily swim has rendered her legs almost useless. Dad would comfort her, and love her, and then he would do something to make her laugh. I miss that, too.

Dad would love my husband Mike, a kind and clever man with a generous spirit and a loving heart.

Most of all, Dad would be tickled to know that I inherited his love of gardening. I would give him a hug and thank him for passing on his passion and his favorite color green to a daughter who loved him then, and who loves him now. I wish we could enjoy time in the garden together one more time.

August 17, 2021 by Born To Organize

As Projects Go

Back in April, I committed to two garden projects this season. I was enthusiastic at the time, as one often is when projects are simply ideas in your head.

Of course, the first project seemed like more fun: replace the long-in-the-tooth garden swing with a new glider. Done!

The second project involved repairing or replacing the top of my garden bench.

I started in the lumber aisle of our local big-box store, pretending that I wasn’t entirely out of my league. I looked at planks of wood and pre-cut surfaces but nothing seemed quite right. Further, the cost and availability of lumbar has been challenging due to COVID-related supply chain issues. Ok, so that’s another excuse for feeling overwhelmed by it all. I mean how expensive can it be to buy a small section of wood?

The existing garden bench boards are warped, but removing them further jeopardizes the sturdiness of the entire unit. I would need to replace the boards or attach something on top of them, followed by more sanding and paint. Neither of those projects worked out well the last time, so my reluctance is rooted in that experience.

In the end, I went in a completely different direction, and I’m pleased with the results. I ordered a plexiglass top from a local place called Tap Plastic. The acrylic is available in a variety of thicknesses, depending on need. I ordered a product called “green glass,” which mimics the real deal for a fraction of the cost. They created this custom-made acrylic top for less than a hundred dollars.

I made a pattern to include the surface and the small recessed area at the back. The new plexiglass top slides into the notched area, helping keep it in place.

You can see the rounded corners and the notched extension in the above photo.

I can change the look by swapping out table runners or placemats. The surface wipes clean with a damp cloth which is another plus over the wood surface. I hope it lasts for years.

This striped cloth draped on the bench is a gift from my friend Rosie. She brought it home with her from a trip to Africa a few years ago. I searched for the proper term but gave up. I found many sources and suggestions, including Mud cloth, Kente cloth, Kantha cloth, and simply “head tie.” I don’t want to attribute it to something it’s not. The fabric is soft and vibrant with a lovely drape.

The gorgeous birdhouse is hand-crafted by my friend, Laura. She started her own business a few years ago, making one-of-a-kind ceramic birdhouses in Paradise, California. I don’t have the heart to hang it on a branch for fear of breaking it in a strong wind, so I have it on the bench instead. Both gifts are lovely reminders of dear friends.

The rest of the garden is doing okay, though some plants are showing stress from reduced watering and heat. Only one of the three tomato plants produced decent fruit. The other two plants are stunted, even though we planted them in rich soil. So it goes with gardening.

That said, I count myself lucky to have many established native plants. They thrive in this climate and won’t bothered by a lack of water.

Meanwhile, I’m dreaming of rain.

August 14, 2021 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy: Burlap Bookmark Kits

I love it when these monthly scrappy happy posts roll around. Thank you, Kate!

If you’re reading and lurking and perhaps thinking of sharing a scrap-happy project of your own, please join us. Half the fun is coming up with your scrap-to-fabulous project, and the other half is reading all the interesting posts from others.

I recently tidied out a cupboard and hemmed and hawed over this roll of lacy burlap.

Several years ago, I dressed up as Ms. California Drought for a Halloween costume party. I made the sash from a roll of burlap but had quite a bit leftover.

Do you ever find yourself looking at something dozens of times, then seeing it in a different light? That’s what happened with the burlap. It occurred to me that I could make bookmarks, and by extension, craft kits for our Little Free Library. I remember the long summer days when I was a girl looking for something to do, especially when the heat drove us indoors mid-day.

It was fun mocking up the sample. First, I folded the top corners and secured them with a dab of glue. Next, I added a button from my stash, then colored different parts of the lace with my collection of Sharpies.

I packaged instructions and a strip of burlap in wax bags, and added them to my box of craft projects next to the children’s LFL.

Unlike all the other craft kits I’ve set out over the years, these didn’t generate much interest. After a week, only two were gone. I offered them at a neighboring LFL and they were quickly snapped up. Go figure?

I pulled together a few other craft kits for my summer crafts box including items for a make-your-own fairy garden, a couple of felt patterns and some assorted scraps for making cards, all gathered from my happily shrinking stash. The fairy garden kits went quickly

Thanks for hosting Kate. Please take a look at some of the other scrap-happy posts at the links below.

Alys

July 25, 2021 by Born To Organize

Sunday Snapshot: Finding the Light

I timed my photo-taking just right this evening, snapping several pictures at dusk. The light is perfect.

Dusk is my favorite time of day during the hot summer months. The brutal sun finally sets but the air is warm. I enjoy the sound of crickets and the familiar scent of garlic in the air from nearby Gilroy.

Fresh strawberries are another summer hallmark. The VegTrug is more densely planted this summer making it harder for critters to spot the red berries. I wouldn’t swear to that but it’s my working theory every time I harvest a delicious berry, unmolested by a rat, snail, or squirrel. These plants are six years old, so it’s the end of their run. Next summer I’ll plant even more.

Mike added acid-rich plant food to the hydrangea last year, hoping to bring back the shades of blue. Interestingly, the above two photos are from the same plant. I’m enjoying the variety.

Equally stunning is this bright red hibiscus. I have a pair growing in one of the lower beds, but they’ll eventually need transplanting. They can grow to eight feet tall! This one is only about 24 inches. I need to do more research to see if I can encourage the plants to stay small. They fit so nicely along the garden path.

The bougainvillea fills out this corner beautifully. It drapes nicely across the VegTrug, and it also looks pretty from our bedroom window. You can see one of the hibiscus flowers just beyond. I love the play of sun on the neighboring pine tree.

As garden chores go, I didn’t have as much to do this week. No rain means no extra weeds, except of course for the oxalis along the front garden path. I dead-headed the miniature roses and some salvia, and clipped away spent seed casings on the cornflowers. They’re looking pretty shabby but the birds love eating the seeds, so they’ll stay in the garden till they are completely spent. I used some rain barrel water to refresh the potted succulents and to rinse part of the deck.I finally found some cushions that I like for our settee and chairs online. They arrived last week. They’re twice as thick as the original cushions, so they’re really comfortable. We enjoyed spending time out there this week. The deck is also a favorite hummingbird spot, so it’s great for bird-watching as well. In addition to the two feeders, the hummers like the nectar of the kangaroo paw and the gladiolas.

I hope you’re finding light in your corner of the world.

July 18, 2021 by Born To Organize

Sunday Snapshot: Tripping Hazards and Mackerel Skies

It’s early Sunday evening here in San Jose. We’re holding our proverbial breath for the next 24 hours as a weather front passes through. We’re in a “severe drought” with fire conditions two months ahead of the norm. The last thing we need is the predicted round of dry lightening. Last year similar conditions started wildfires up and down the state with devastating results. The weather warnings make it hard to relax.

I hosted our book club this week for the first time in two years. We gathered in the garden for a catch-up and a light meal. I filled my tiered vintage basket with fresh lemons, and debuted my new tablecloth. It’s the little things, eh?

The following snapshots are from the garden this week. Our Bougainvillea is filling out beautifully, and the pink bracts frame the tiny white flower within. Mama finch

never returned to her nest, so after climbing on a ladder to be sure she didn’t leave eggs behind, I removed her nest so we could finally open the patio drapes. Our wisteria is in bloom for the second time this season. The flowers were more spectacular in the spring, but now lush green vines show-off the new color. The green and yellow Japanese forest grass reminds me a little of the character Cousin Itt from the 1960s TV show The Addam’s Family. The last photo is of Tessa wrapped between my feet, posing a tripping hazard. I managed to remain upright nonetheless.

Photos appear in a gallery view. Click on individual pictures to enlarge.

I’m sending good vibes to our friends in Germany where the weather has been unkind. My heart goes out to you. Alys

July 14, 2021 by Born To Organize

So Many Scraps, So Little Time

I look forward to Kate’s monthly crafting challenge. Kate encourages the art of creating something beautiful or useful or both, made entirely out of scraps.

My volunteer work has kept me busy this month, so in addition to challenging myself to craft with scraps, I also challenged myself to find windows of time for creativity. I made a simple to-do list to go along with the lengthy one. The simple list says: Blog, garden, craft, repeat. It’s a reminder to take time for myself doing some of the things I love.

My favorite scrap-happy project this month is a thank-you card. I made the card for the recipient using the envelope from one of her cards. The colors are a calming blue and green, with a splash of orange.

Here’s the envelope with the flaps opened flat.

I cut a piece from the front that incorporated several of the colors, above.

I embossed the section with a flower pattern, then trimmed it to a clean rectangle.

Of course, having my name in the center of the card wouldn’t do. So, I took another piece of the envelope, embossed a scrap, and used it to hide my name.

I embossed a few more scraps to bring color and texture to other parts of the card.

I used a scrap of white card-stock to cut the word “thanks” and another scrap to make a white folding card.

Here is the finished card, above. I used the remaining scraps to create a label for the front of the mailing envelope and for a seal for the back. I wanted to include credit for the envelope art, so I put her name on the back of my card.

The scraps were too small to make a label, so I pieced them together, then cut with one of my dies.

Ironically, my next scrappy project is an envelope. Elizabeth loves horses, and spends her spare time on a ranch. She buys bags of carrots before she goes. I traced an envelope template onto carrot-patterned paper, leftover from an Easter pack. I cut a scrap of green card stock, used brown ink around the edges for a distressed look, then wrapped it with a scrap of leather from a pair of old bootlaces. I secured the edges of the leather with waxed thread that has been rolling around my sewing box since 1980!

My last and quirkiest entry this month is my nautical jewelry. I tied a piece of jute string around the neck of this tiny bottle. The bottle held a single-serving of hot sauce either at a restaurant or on a flight. I don’t remember. I rescued it from its likely destination (the trash) and used it once for a costume. It recently resurfaced, and I’ve pressed it into use as a necklace. I wrapped the bottle with nautical-themed Washi tape, and scrapped my way to an original piece of jewelry.