Altered Playing Cards for Motivational Deck Swap

In all the chaos that's been my life for the past few months, I've really missed y'all. It's time for a little update and eye candy. So. . .Sometime tomorrow we should be getting the keys to our new house! For now, I need to finish packing, picking out paint colors, and freaking out. I am really hoping to share the whole process with you, but the piles-of-boxes phase that we are in now is really not that interesting, so I'll spare you those details.

In the meantime, let me go ahead and show off something I have created. I mentioned a few months ago that I'm participating in a motivational deck swap. We're swapping six altered playing cards at a time to build up a whole deck. I thought I'd show you some of the ones I've created as I'm kinda proud of them and they are a ton of fun to create.

One set of the cards I sent to my partner.

Here's a closer look at these cards. Clicking on them should make them bigger.

And here's another set that I sent out.

And again, a better look at the cards.

I have another couple sets that I've mailed out, but one of them I forgot to take pictures. The other one, I recorded the process so I'm hoping to have a video for you soon.

Right now, I'm just delaying the packing up the rest of the little bits and pieces around the house. I guess it's time to focus and get down to business. I can't wait to share this with y'all!! Stay tuned for all the excitement! Remember to follow me as CraftyHope on Instagram and Twitter for little peeks and quick updates at what's going on.

Creative Spark Summer 2015 contribution and other news

Things are finally starting to fall into place and settle down some in my corner of the world. I can see once again and things with the new house are coming together - now to actually pack for the move in a few weeks.. .and pray that our current house sells soon! I was also able to finish the e-magazine for ZnetShows.com. This Summer 2015 issue features their cultured sea glass beads and is packed with a ton of inspiration. You can totally see all the hard work the designers put into this issue. I so appreciate all their time and effort!

Creative Spark Summer 2015

I also contributed to the e-magazine's upcycled jewelry section (surprise, surprise!). I picked a simple palette of teal, clear, moonstone, and black.

The beads I picked out from ZnetShows.com

Knowing that the Summer issue focused on sea glass, this brought thoughts of the beach to mind. I instinctively pulled out my (large) selection of seashells and selected a few.

The handful of shells I decided to use in my first piece for the magazine.

I cleaned the shells and tried to make the jingle shells a little more sturdy with some nail polish. From there, I made a chain with the small sea glass beads, Chinese crystals, and silver non-tarnish wire. Using silver tone jumprings, I hung the fabulous sea glass marquise spindles and diamond-shaped pendants from the chain.

For my next piece, I was inspired by my key collection. I picked one at random and shined it up a bit. Next, I plunged into the bits and bobs of broken jewelry I have stashed and picked out a piece of filigree that matched fairly close and fit over the key well.

Found key and filigree piece

Once I had the filigree attached to the key, I wire-wrapped the 4mm moonstone opal cultured sea glass around the key with 24g dark annealed steel wire. The chain is made from more of the sea glass beads and Chinese crystal rondelles with 20g steel wire. As well, I used gunmetal headpins to create a few dangles of all of the beads to hang in front of the filigree.

It's elegant and fabulous!

Finally, I was compelled to pull out some buttons. I sorted through my button cards to find some with summery, cute character.

Aren't these adorable?

With some antiqued brass jump rings and handmade ear wires, these became great earrings with the crystal sea glass diamonds.

Beachy and unique too!

I included some tips for working with upcycled materials and more information in Creative Spark Summer 2015 that you'll have to go there to read. I'd love to know what you think of it and/or my contributions.

Hopefully, I'm back. . .but with the big move and all the renovations we have to make, I can't promise anything. Though, I'd really like to keep y'all in the loop. Stay tuned to see what happens next!

Complications and Keeping Busy

I have been much more absent than I even expected. Life's complicated yo!

Because this whole seeing and making words things is hard, I created a video yesterday to explain a little of what's going on with me.

With this little bit of an explanation, I do hope you understand if I don't respond to comments, questions, etc. very quickly. Right now, I'm just trying to keep myself engaged! I hope YOUR summer is going well!!

Oh, the excuses just keep rolling in. . .

I've been a very bad blogger lately. And, it's not that I don't have anything to say or share - it's just that there's SO MUCH going on right now!

• Pat and I put our house on the market
• We've been in a mad rush to get the house and yard looking. . .show-worthy
• We're looking around for our own next home
• I've had a sinus infection for weeks
• We're having a yard sale this weekend
• I'm going out of town most of next week
• I'm gearing up for the next issue of ZnetShows' Creative Spark e-magazine
• I'm supposed to be planning a baby shower for one of my best friends

Everything is just so insane right now that I can't even focus long enough to read blog posts, never mind writing my own. I have not forgotten about my blog, but I just can't make it a priority right now. I hope you understand.

A lesson I desperately need to learn right now!

Oh, and if you've got any tips on selling a house or moving, please share!

A Peek into my Craft Room

I got in one of those cleaning grooves and spent a few days cleaning, organizing, and purging the craft room. I'm pretty happy with the results and now have all kinds of craft grab bags for our upcoming yard sale. Here's a few peeks at what the room looks like now.

Straight inside the room is this bookcase and my bead cabinet

Off in the right corner is this hutch that holds most of my button collection

To the right of the door are most of my art journaling and papercrafting supplies

Next to and behind my desk is an array of supplies within arm's reach.

If you really want a good a look at my craft room, I did a video tour. It's much longer than I anticipated, but covers so much of what I've amassed.

I do love peeks inside others' creative spaces, so I hope you like this one from mine.

Me Gardening? It's True

As you can possibly tell from my sporadic posts, my attention span has been a little. . .sparse lately. One of the main attention grabbers lately has been my little container garden of fruits and vegetables. Take a look.

Bell Pepper (it's much smaller than it looks)

Cucumber (We've got several with this shape. . I'm not sure if it's natural)

Grape Tomatoes ripening 

More grape tomatoes (These babies have been plentiful!)

Better Boy Tomatoes

My poor, sad herbs (rosemary, dill, and basil)

A wee jalapeno

Squash

Zucchini

A snail in the zucchini

A single, lonesome strawberry

I actually took the pictures for this post a few weeks ago so the garden's not quite the same. I've always had something of a black thumb so I'm pretty surprised that I'm harvesting anything from these pots. The zucchini and squash seem to be failing, and those were the ones I expected to boom. However, the grape tomatoes have really flourished.

This was my little window plate the day I took the other photos

Monday I sliced up all the ones in the window (they were overflowing the plate) for roasting

Yesterday, I used the sauce from the tomatoes on a homemade cheese pizza for lunch. It was delicious!

Let me tell you how I made the sauce. It was so, so easy! I simply sliced the tomatoes and threw in a few peeled garlic cloves (6). I drizzled EVOO over the top and tossed it all together. In a preheated 400 degree oven, I roasted the mix for 30 minutes, stirring every 10. Remove tray from oven and let it cool for just a little while. Blend the whole thing in the blender. Done and delish!!

I am disappointed that we aren't having much luck with the squashes, but I think we simply planted too many plants in single pots and overcrowded everything. Lesson learned for sure. I'm just happy right now that I've been able to grow something.

Is your garden producing anything yummy? Do you have any tips?

Thrift and Craft Store Hauls

Y'all, I'm just popping in real quick to share a video I made last week with some of my latest thrift and craft store hauls.

Of course, right after I uploaded that video (with two separate hauls), I found this stack of goodies on the library's free shelf.

There were travel brochures, a neat couple of books, and that small catalog that has great old ads in it.

I apologize for this being a short post, but I am trying to get back on track with the blog. I've got a huge list of ideas. Now if I could just commit and post already! This is a start.

Anyway, what goodies have you found thrifting and shopping lately?

Local Feature: Silverhill Market Gift & Garden

The other week, the Southern Bloggers Jubilee group met at the Silverhill Market Gift & Garden. I was so excited that this was the location for our meeting.

I've passed the place several times heading from Fairhope to Robertsdale on 104 but am usually on a mission and don't have time to stop. Our meeting was the perfect excuse to take a look around this lovely shop.

Out front is the garden area of the market.

There were plants and cute decor tucked all over the patio and porch.

From the front doors you enter the gift area that includes quite the variety of accessories and decor. The interior retains the original home's layout with lots of little rooms. (Even one of the bathrooms has been somewhat converted into a display area with the old toilet covered with merchandise - It's really cuter than it sounds. I promise!)

Silverhill Market has a great selection of art from local artists and craftsmen. There's even a small building of antiques (not pictured.) Everything about it is eclectic and quirky, but still full of upscale boutique style.

Our group met in the back of the main building where there's a coffee shop. It has a nice selection of coffee as well as a few other treats. Everything was very reasonably priced too!

Just off the coffee shop is a beautiful bamboo garden into which alcoves of seating areas are situated.

I believe there's a little bit for everyone at the Silverhill Market. Don't believe me? Go see for yourself! The Silverhill Market Gift & Garden is located at 16320 Silverhill Ave in Silverhill, Alabama, It's open 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday. It's a great place to explore.

Excuses

I wake up each morning with all these ideas and inspirations, but bringing them to fruition is something else. . .life gets in the way, responsibilities to others get in the way, distractions get in the way. Before I know it, the day is over.

I've been seriously slacking in my blogging responsibilities. . .actually, there's only one blogging responsibility and that's to BLOG! I've got lists upon lists of topic ideas and have pinned numerous articles about blog content, but to no avail. I just can't seem to get it done. In fact, I don't ever feel like I'm really getting anything done. This morning, that resounding weight was upon me. I tweeted this the moment I opened my laptop,

No matter how much I seem to do, I never quite seem to get anything done. #Sisyphus #me #anewday #fb

— Hope Smitherman (@CraftyHope) May 20, 2015

Seriously, anyone else ever feel like Sisyphus pushing that darned rock?

I'm sure I'm just juggling too many things, wearing too many hats, or some other catchy idiom that means I'm simply lacking focus. I've got my to do lists, my daily and weekly schedules, a routine; but these just doesn't seem to result in. . .well . . . results. I get distracted too easily by a Facebook notification or a scrap of paper out of place or hunger. I could go on but recognize that there's no way you are really enjoying this rant. It's a phase. I'll find my groove again. I just had to get it out there. It's my lame excuse at the moment. Please forgive my lack of presence.

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW)

In my last What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday post, I showed you a picture of a neat, organized, two-project desk. Today. . .chaos reigns. There's so much going on that I simply labeled the pictures for you.

Left side of desk

Right side of desk

I've been a labeling madwoman; not only am I making jewelry and working on my second Journaling by 5s journal, but I'm in the process of reorganizing and sorting through the found objects and old jewelry elements I use in jewelry making. I spent a good portion of yesterday labeling organizers and picking through the bulk of my stash.

Getting to sort through this stash and see exactly what I have has been so inspiring. I hope that mojo sticks with me long enough to get some items made, hence the chaos.

So, what's on your workdesk?
I'm linking mine up to WOYWW at Stamping Ground.

Happy Mail to the Max

Lately, I've been lucky enough to be the recipient of some awesomely fun mail. This is largely due to me joining a group that does a lot of swapping. This means that I've also sent items to partners. I thought I'd share this eye-candy of postal bounty with you.

First, I participated in a beginner's altered post card swap. The theme was Spring. I mailed out this card to my partner.

And, in return I received this cute bunny.

I don't know if she intended it, but all I see is chocolate!

She even decorated the address side of the postcard.

Pretty!

I've also gotten a 'happy mail' package. In the art journal realm, happy mail is a package of ephemera, small art pieces, supplies or any other item that might bring a smile to the recipient's face. I forgot to get a picture of what I sent out, but let me tell you it was YELLOW (that was the theme). I got these goodies.

I had a HUGE smile on my face with this happy mail.

 I've also signed up for a motivational deck swap. Basically, this goes in stages to make and receive a whole deck of cards altered with motivational words, sayings, quotes, etc. on them. I've really been enjoying the process and just mailed out my second set. I can't share those yet, but here's the first set I sent.

 And, what the hay. . .here's a better look at them.

My partner for this swap made me a cool accordion book with six cards that spelled out a single, resounding motivational word: CREATE.

The book all folded up with a few tiny playing cards tucked inside.

The book in all its glory.

Finally. . . I have also gotten some jewelry-making mail. Cynthia of Antiquity Travelers e-mailed me to let me know she had a box of old jewelry coming my way that she's been collecting on her desk. The pieces she sent were from family members as well as other odds and ends. She encouraged me to use what I can and do whatever I want with the rest. I opened the box to find this inside.

Holy moley!!

I immediately saw strands of beads, Lucite, chain, keychains, brooches, and old earrings. I took my time sorting though the box of treasures to uncover all the amazing bits she generously shared with me. Creative friends are THE BEST! Just look at what all she sent.

I was seriously blown away. Make sure you check out Cynthia's blog and her Antiquity Travelers Etsy shop. Not only is she a very kind and generous friend, but she's an inspiring and talented artist.

Now it's time to actually make something with some of this exceptional happy mail. So, have you been a little more than excited when the mailman shows up lately too?