It's been a while...

 It's been almost a year since I've posted any cards, and for good reason. I'm taking a hiatus at this time from cardmaking/scrapbooking. After moving to Kentucky, Tim and I started a new business "Sawdust 'n Solder". He does wood turnings and I do stained glass. Both glass and cards are time consuming hobbies so for now I'm focusing on glass. We're currently doing upscale fairs and art shows along with selling on-line. Here's a picture of the items at our last show.

We have our contact information:

Instagram: Sawdust n Solder Art
Our on-line store: https://sawdustnsolder.square.site
Our FB page: Sawdustnsolderart

I am missing coloring images with my Copics and might just steal some time to color but the bulk of my time is working on stained glass for now. 

Take care.

Gail

Arts and Crafts Shows

Since retiring, I've had a bit more time to dedicate to stained glass, my first love since 1986. I had put it aside for a bit and worked on paper crafts since it was just too hot to work out in the garage doing glass while living in Phoenix, Arizona. Now I'm in a small rural town in Kentucky and it's much cooler here. We brought my work bench with us from Phoenix and I set it up in the garage which is where I like to do glass. It's in a window facing the front of the house so I have a lovely view of a field, cattle and the occasional vehicle passing by. I've since bought some supplies for my glass hobby and have had sticker shock...prices have sky rocketed for stained glass, lead, and especially solder! What used to sell for $4 for a pound roll is now up to $22!! To continue doing glass, it's going to have to help support itself so Tim and I have started our own little business and we think our name will be "Sawdust & Solder". That covers his wood turning and other wood art and my stained glass. I continue to make cards and other crafts in addition to glass. 

I sent in my application to the Kentucky Guild of Artisans and Craftsmen and took them 5 examples of my glass work including a lamp, a window panel and boxes. Below are photos of 3 of the items I submitted to be judged by the jury. 

In yesterday's mail (8/30/21), I received the below letter. I've been accepted into the Kentucky Guild! This enables me to participate in art shows that are juried without going through the process ever again. A juried show requires each participating to fill out an application, pay a fee and then drop off examples of their art product. A panel examines the articles submitted and then decides if they are of a quality they want in their show. A  juried show draws a crowd of people specifically looking for higher quality art and to meet the artists. Tim has been a member for over a year now, but with COVID and all art shows cancelled, he hasn't been able to display his work in a juried show until now.

Our first show as Guild members is October 8-9, 2021 in Bardstown on Main Street. We will be there for this 2 day show and are as excited as a hamster on a new wheel. LOL! If you're in Kentucky, I hope you'll attend this fabulous show in Bardstown. It's Saturday and Sunday and we'd love for you to stop by and say hello. 

                                                                         Thanks for reading my post!

                                                                                    Gail

Box Cards

I've had some fun making box cards. I'm loving the stamp sets from My Favorite Things since I can get matching die cuts to them, making it a lot easier to make a box card. I also got my box card dies that I used on the pirate card from MFT which have taken away the measuring and exacto knife cutting like we did in the "old" days. 

Sharing these box cards with you. I love this little pirate set and I made all of these into birthday cards. 

Thanks for looking and please leave a comment so I know you were here!

Try to keep up!

Nothing like back-to-back posts to show you what has kept me busy for the past couple of months. I retired on April 1 and I don't feel very retired! 

I was invited by Woodstock Lavender Farm to teach classes this month. Of course, I agreed since it was a great honor to be invited and Mary May and Allison Horseman who own the Farm are friends of ours. I taught 5 evening classes and a Make 'n Take on a Saturday. I designed 5 cards and the students were able to choose from those examples. All combined, 101 cards were made over the course of my classes. 

I'd like to share the 5 cards with you that the students enjoyed making over the past couple of weeks.

It was quite an experience as my students ranged in age from 6 to 70 years old! Everyone left happy with their creations and that's what made it all worthwhile!  

                                                                                           Thanks for stopping by!

                                                                                                          Gail

Following our dreams

So much has happened in 2021 already. I'm now retired and am creating cards for Prickley Pear and also creating cards for the store at the Woodstock Lavender Farm. I've also been teaching classes at Woodstock which have been a lot of fun and a challenge when there are 18 students!

Today I'd like to share some cards I've created for Prickley Pear. The images are all from their botanical release and are simply beautiful images. To see these stamps at the store, please click on the links below.

This beautiful hydrangea is called "Sketched Florals - Hydrangea" 

These elegant roses are called "Sketched Florals - Rose" 

I adore poppies and this one is named "Sketched Florals - Poppies"

I've always loved Wisteria. This new stamps is called "Sketched Florals - Wisteria"

This sunflower stamp can be found at "Sketched Florals - Sunflower"

These lilacs can be seen at "Sketched Florals - Lilacs"

This gorgeous stamp of azaleas can be found at "Sketched Florals - Azaleas"

And, this beautiful stamp of Texas Bluebonnets can be found here

I've always loved flower stamps and these are magnificent clear stamps. The Texas Bluebonnets is a full set with sentiments and it even has a die cut, which I used, that cuts out around the top of the stamp enabling me to make a background of clouds in the sky. 

Thanks to Sharon and John of Prickley Pear for allowing me the honor of using these gorgeous new stamps! I hope you'll visit the store and see their new line of botanicals. They are the prettiest botanicals I've ever had the opportunity to work with. 

                                                                                       Thanks for visiting!

                                                                                               Gail

A new beginning

Hello from Kentucky, and welcome to a new blog post that doesn't involve a design team assignment! I think this is a first for me in many years and I'm enjoying a bit of extra time to craft and do other things than just cardmaking.

 
But, an opportunity has come my way and I just couldn't say no. Mary and Allison of Woodstock Lavender Company (https://www.woodstocklavender.com) in Somerset, Kentucky, have asked me to make cards for them to sell in their store. The cards feature stems of lavender (of course!). The three cards made for their first order are below. I'm so excited to have been invited to contribute to their store and I hope the cards sell well.

 
I wasn't planning on selling cards here in Kentucky and was enjoying a bit of down time since not being on any design teams at the moment. We have gotten settled into our home and our new routine, but are still busy getting the property in good shape after it was neglected for so long. But it's hard to say no to someone as kind and caring as the May family and so here I am posting the three cards for your thoughts and opinions.

Christmas is almost here!

Well, this is my last post before Christmas which is only 3 days away. I love the holidays and the pretty decorations that you see everywhere. I now live in a small rural town in Kentucky and it's as if we live in a Hallmark movie. Our little Main Street is decorated beautifully and every business has a wreath on the door. This is my week to post on Craft-Dee BowZ and I chose this very festive image by Whimsy named Santa's Helper.

I colored my image with Copics and had some wonderful Christmas papers. My white snowflakes are actually buttons with the backs cut off. 

I made my beautiful bow, below, using my bow tool. My bow tool makes the perfect bow with any ribbon or lace. Here's a double looped satin bow.

My bow tool is small, easy to do and is always within reach of my work table!

Our sponsor this month is The Paper Shelter and our winner will get to pick three digital images of your own choice!

I hope you'll take a moment to upload your projects to Craft-Dee BowZ and you have only one more week to enter before the end of our challenge and 2021 arrives!

Merry Christmas to you!!

                                                                             Hugs to all,

                                       --Gail

December has arrived!

Did you feel like December would never get here this year? I know I always look forward to winter and Christmas is my favorite holiday, like so many others! I love making winter cards the very best so I find myself making them on and off all year long. This month at Craft-Dee BowZ our sponsor is The Paper Shelter. I chose this pre-colored image named