Whimsical Stationery With Gone Wild Stamp Set

          Hello crafty friends

I love cute stationery and have been collecting bits here and there for a while now so it was only a matter of time before i created my own whimsical stationery using the Gone Wild Stamp Set by Susan K Weckesser and Unity Co Stamps.

Product list

Susan K Weckesser Gone Wild Unity Co Branded Stamp Set

Trimcraft First Edition Marker Pens

White pen

Large paper clips

Hot Glue

Sentiment stamps

Note book 

I started off by stamping out my favorite two characters on to thick card stock and coloring them in. I then bought some large paper clips and glued the characters to the back with hot glue. You could put them through a laminator to make them more durable.

The Note book was altered by stamping the main image at the bottom corner and then stamping a boarder around it. I added a few feathers to break the pattern a bit.

I wanted to include something in the center so i choose a few inspiring words.

I colored in the details with a white gel marker

Thank you for visiting

Under The Sea Artist Trading Block

Hello all

Remember when i said i had mermaids swimming in my head? No i am not going mad i just had a lot of craft ideas using mermaids at the time. Well i have an artist trading block to share using  the Spirit Of A Mermaid stamp set designed by Susan K Weckesser

https://www.unitystampco.com/spirit-of-a-mermaid/

This started off as a plastic toy pirate chest. I painted it with Prima Rust Paste and once the first layer had dried, i added heavy  gel medium and sprinkled on blue glass sand and added moss. I then added resin shells and other bits in order to make it look like it had been in the water for awhile.

Before i stuck the block  together i gave it a coat of blue acrylic paint and then once it had dried i used a fish scale stencil over the whole thing using DecoArt  modelling  paste and left it to set. Then i used two different  shades of blue acrylic paint over the top,painting each one half way up the front. I finished off by using the green iridescent  paint for added shimmer.

I stamped  out the mermaid and coloured her in before i cut her out.

I made the tail using a silicone  mould and paper clay and left it to air dry. I then painted it green and covered it in Wow embossing  powder before setting it all with a heat gun. I added a cute little mermaid heat on the fin to finish.

The rest of the pieces are covered in rust paste and moss for that undersea look. I love the mermaid pearls as they look like bubbles.

Thank you for visiting

Gotta Have Friends

                           Friend:a person whom one knows likes & trusts.

It is no secret, the last few years have been one big rollercoaster of ups and downs for me as I have tackled this new world of mine full of Cancer treatments, scans, aches & pains &; my own fears that have developed because, lets face it, when faced with our own mortality it take a lot to put on our super hero cape and face each day ready to tackle each & every bad guy that crosses are path! 

I have gone through phases and they kinda go like this:

5 years ago: Shock, Flight, then Fight - "You're to young, you are the wrong gender & you don't smoke or drink, but I'm sorry but YOU GOT CANCER." I couldn't breathe. I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. And then I thought about my children and my husband. I didn't won't to wreck Christmas. As I Mom I wanted to protect them. I wanted to run to my Mom & Dad. I wanted them to hold me and tell me everything was going to be okay. But, I couldn't. Cancer had just destroyed their lives a few years before. i wanted to hide. I called my SIL & she convinced that my hubby would want to know. After talking & many tears..... i got ready for the fight of my life. Surgeries and treatment followed.....and followed .....and followed. I also learnt that my Cancer was different because it had a high reoccurrence rate. They couldn't just take it out, treat me and say congratulations you done. I was told that i would have to go in every 2-3 months for an invasive treatment for the rest of my live. I didn't give it a second thought. 44 years old, how bad could that be....I had given birth to 4 children. I could do it. 

4 - 3 years ago: Still determined but a Monster appeared under my bed - I kept driving myself to my appointments which were 2 hours away. A year of this time my husband had to live six hours away because of a new job and the fact the we couldn't sell our house. I thought to myself, No Problem, I can do this. I can be tough. I certainly didn't want to bother anyone because, well, everyone has things happening in their life and i didn't want to be a burden. If you are reading this and you are going through anything....even if you aren't....you just need someone to talk to or a friend, PLEASE BE A BURDEN TO SOMEONE, BECAUSE you AREN'T BEING A BURDEN! I am starting to slowly learn that people, especially your friends really do want to help. I know that I love helping and being there for people when I can. I just had it in my head that I was being a burden. I was raised & told all the time to keep a stiff upper lip and to be independent. Well, there is a time for everything. As I drove those long 2 hour drives, often having to stop on country roads because I felt so sick to my stomach  I felt something else growing inside me. Something that scared me to death. One night, as i tried to fall asleep I suddenly realized the I had let a childhood monster move back in under my bed. I had become scared. I wasn't the same person that a couple years before had flown by myself to New York to have my artwork shown at Surtex just a couple months after being diagnosed & having surgery for Cancer. I had allowed the pain, and all the treatments consume me. I was SO worried about not being able to preform at 100%. I was so worried about pain. I was SO worried about those little tiny Cancer cells moving around my body and not having control. I had raised 4 beautiful children, and gone through all kinds of things of having a family alright....but all of a sudden I felt like I didn't have control. But, when everyone came home on weekends I did what a Mom does....make super, listen to problems & smile. Life goes on. The problem is...when everyone left at the end of the week-end....it was just me and that monster who seemed to like living under my bed. I certainly couldn't tell anyone about that....could I? So I thought.

Present: We all need friends & a little help sometimes - This past fall the physical pain just became too much for me. I needed answers and I needed a better quality of life. I also wanted my family to be happy and healthy. For me my faith and my creative outlets have always beens so super important but i was so weighed down by pain and anxiety from the pain and all the treatments and surgeries. I was getting angry or upset or sad so easy....and I knew it was from my pain, frustration  & fear. However, it was SO hard to communicate that with me those around me. I don't blame them, because I wanted to smile and feel better too. We have no way of truly understanding what another person is feeling or going through but I have found that by simple gestures of a smile, a hug, or even a kind word it can make such a big difference in someone's life. My treatments created nerve damage all over my body which we are trying to unravel right now. Even just talking can cause such pain in my face and headaches. When I felt really sick...I felt scared, lonely: I almost let that monster take my HOPE from me. I was and still am fighting for my life. LIFE IS PRECIOUS. Months before we knew my Dad had Cancer he became grumpy and that man had never been grumpy a day in his life. I was so concerned and thought maybe he was working too much. Now I understand. He wasn't feeling well, he also was scared and he didn't know how to communicate it. When you are in constant pain, you just want someone, anyone...especially someone you care for just to tell you its all going to be ok. But, I know how hard that can be for everyone! I have been now on both sides of the fence. 

I do have to say....that I am blessed to have the family that I do have because I know it has been hard for everyone. I know that I might never be in recession & I think I am finally coming to peace with that. That doesn't mean that i am not going to fight like heck still! It also doesn't mean that sometimes I still get sad....or even kinda mad for a moment. the I say a prayer and try to refocus my energy. I have a long way to go...but, really, don't we all. aren't we all always growing and learning? Thats called life and we make the best out of it! It really can be SO beautiful! 

And WOW am I ever blessed to have such amazing CREATIVE friends. My design team behind the scenes the last couple years have been so incredibly supportive. I really do love those incredibly talented gals! Also all the amazing illustrators through Lilla Rogers and the designers & companies I have met through crafting and art..... I just love them all. Rhonna Farrer, Unity Stamp Co, Tim Holtz, Canvas Corp have been so amazing and I will never be able to thank them enough! You all ROCK! 

ART is SO HEALING!

It is my life and it always will be! Creating and designing lets me be free! It is amazing! It lets my mind escape and heal. It lets me meet amazing people! The colours, the shapes, even the feel of the brush or stamp or pencil in my hand is so therapeutic! plus....all the incredible people I meet and all the stories they tell me and the art I see them create with my designs....It brings me SO MUCH JOY!!!! 

Thank-you ALL for your AMAZING support! Make sure you give someone a great big hug today....

LUV YA!

Susan xo 

New Beginnings

These words have gone over and over in my head constantly for the last four and a half years as I drove back and forth to doctor appointments, procedures, tests, you name. This last year was particularly hard on me and my wonderful family. I remember last summer coming home from a family reunion which had been trying because we, being the late one to the camp ground, we got the site right beside the outhouses. My sense of smell had become so heighten with all the treatments so I felt so sick the whole time, but I made the best of it. I remember getting home and being so happy to see my own bathroom but as I started to brush my teeth I felt like I was living a nightmare because they started to drop into the sink. Ya, did you ever have one of those nightmares as a kiddo where all your teeth start dropping out... this wasn't a nightmare, it was the beginning of a very long year of putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. A very painful year at that.  I went through many surgeries but because of the discomfort that my body was already going through with the bladder cancer, kidney stones, gall stones, and Crohns , I opted to be put asleep with every surgery. I just couldn't, no....my body couldn't face any more pain. kinda strange. I survived. I'm not quite done. but, I have to say..... Art, Creativity, my Creative Friends, and my deep and STRONG FAITH keep me going. i still have a lot of healing but it feels so good to start feeling stronger and like myself again.

I hit a point that really scared me. 

I WANTED to LIVE.......

But, 

I WAS AFRAID TO LIVE!

So I met with a really cool doctor who is also a guru and he has helped me and is helping me see that it is ok to live. To enjoy every moment...even if those moments aren't so good sometimes. Its ok to be afraid, or happy, sad ,or even mad sometimes. My family has really helped to....especially now that I have opened up to them and let them know how i really feel or am feeling. That was so hard at first, but all so liberating for everyone! 

Those smiles and that love from my family.

They just give me warm fuzzies!

  And Happy Music!

 And Good Food!

And of course the silliness that i really thrive on!

...and thanks to wonderful friends! I love you all so much. I just just got this beautiful card from Carol. i love her artwork and popsicles!!!! 

I am a SURVIVOR!!!

And this is just the beginning of me embracing my life again. I have been told that i will never be in remission...but WHO CARES!?!! The sun is shining! There are rainbows to be found. 

We got this! Right!?!

Come and join me, my Creative Adventurers!

Luv ya Lots!

BIG{hugs},

Susan xo

Tend To Your Soul

I love writing letters and postcards. Snail mail has always been a big part of my life by keeping me in touch with friends near and far, especially before the days of e-mail. Even now, I don't think e-mail can come close to the feeling of holding a letter in your hands and anticipating what is inside the envelope. 

I have been fortunate to become involved in the Love Notes Postcard Project , started by Jennifer Belthoff. I learned about it through their Love Notes Facebook Page . It is hosted quarterly and each Sunday for 3 weeks, you are sent a prompt. You then write a postcard to your assigned partner. I hope that you will check out the information for this project and join us as we make some amazing connections.

One of the prompts this Round was " I invite you to tend to your soul ". Instead of making or writing out a postcard, I decided to make a set of tags to remind my partners ( I had 2 this Round ) of ways to take care of themselves.  I used my stash of tags from FLOW magazine along with some perfect stamps by Susan K Weckesser. The wooden tags and Butterfly tags were purchased at Michaels on clearance. I tied them together with some colorful twine. The Special Delivery stamp is by Hero Arts and the  Heart Made stamp is by Rubber Moon.

Stamp sets used "

Bunny Hugs & Heart-Full Homes by SKW

I believe it is so important to take care of ourselves, tend to our souls. We work, have families, take care of so many things.Yet, I think that sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves. Read a book, take a nap, meet a friend for coffee. Just do nothing !! Write a letter or postcard to a friend. Hang out at the bookstore. I just that did yesterday and it was a fabulous way to  re-charge my batteries after a long stretch at work. I know that being creative tends to my soul. And sharing in my creativity hopefully tends to yours too !!

Love Notes mail received 1/2017

Debra Davison

Susan K Weckesser Creative Team

Thank you for visiting { My Sweet Earth }

Stamped clips

Hello my dear crafty friends!

Welcome to my new small tutorial made for Susan K Weckesser's blog.

This time I decided to make something for the planners trend. And as I don't even have a planner, but I do use  small notebooks, I made a few stamped clips for my notebooks as dividers.

So here is my tutorial:

1. Stamp Susan's  houses with her Clearsnap ColorBox mini Pop ink in Mystery color twice using co-branded with Unity Tumbleweed Houses stamp set.

2. Color the houses with Susan's other Clearsnap inks in Fresh, Ice, Sky and Kiss colors and as there is no Susan's yellow ink I used another Clearsnap ink in yellow. Don't try to make the best ever coloring and don't afraid to be out of the lines as we are going to cut the houses later.

3. Cut all colored houses and make them 3d using 3d foam glue.

Glue the house over plastic office clips with strong paper to plastic glue.

Use them!

Going Wild with Stamped Pendants

One of my favorite things to do is to use supplies and materials in unexpected ways.  So I love to use stampers and stamp pads in jewelry making, jewelry components in paper crafting, and incorporating things like fabric, yarns, and thread into all things.

I use stampers all the time on clay.  It is super easy to do and the little components can be used in many ways.  Recently I made piles of personalized Christmas ornaments with some of Susan's stamps and some Sculpey clay.  To finish some of the clay scraps off, I stamped a few extras.

I used a straw to poke holes in the clay before baking.

They can easily become simple pendants on a ribbon necklace.

These will make lovely little gifts for friends.

Added to some colored twine, they dress up a simple jar of candy.

I used:

Sculpey polymer clay

Going Wild Stamp Set

One of a Kind {Christmas Campaign}

Stamp pad

Colored Twine

straw

plastic rolling pin

Plexiglas clipboard

Small Heart cookie cutter

Have a very Happy New Year!

Brooke Bock from the Susan K. Weckesser Design Team