WOYW? Wednesday

Hello!

Another Wednesday and it's "What's On Your Workdesk?" again - and time to go to Julia's blog to see what everyone is creating!  http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ I saw this great box on another blog and immediately wanted to make one! I am making two so I can keep one for myself! I'v picked out the patterned papers and hope to finish them today! I will post the information tomorrow.

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! I am enjoying this cooler weather - wonderful breeze and sunshine - can't beat that for a lovely summer day!

Barbara Diane

Remembering

Hello,

Going through some old photo files this morning. I've been needing to update my PictureTrail gallery for a long time now so was looking at my photo files and took a side trip down memory lane looking at the file of when I created my Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs dolls. It took me over 2 months of 12-16 hour days to make the set of 8 dolls. I took this photo the day I completed Snow White. I was doing a lot of sculpting in the polymer clay and PaperClay at that time, in addition to the cloth (this set was made from wool felt), and my studio area looked very different than it does now. My dollmaking has been put aside for a long time now - my poor unfinished doll still sits there on my sewing table. Makes me want to start again.

Go to http://www.picturetrail.com/whimcees if you would like to see the photo file documenting the creation of this set of dolls. It was a lot of work but great fun to see them come to life. 

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! We have cooler weather today in this part of WI with some lovely sunshine! Wishing you a good one!

Barbara Diane

My First ATC

Hello!

A couple of weeks ago there was an ATC share on Julia's blog The Stamping Spot.for those taking part in the weekly WOYW? Wednesday. We were to send one to the person on the list below our name and the person above your name would send one to you. :<) Never having made a ATC before, I had to look up what size they were, etc., but wanted take part in the swap. I had to paper-paint mine of course - love that fussy cutting - and so here is my first ATC. (I keep typing ACT!) and it went in the mail today.

A bit late, as you can see if you go to Julia's blog http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ to see all of the wonderful ATCs she has already received! What creative bloggers out there! I am anxiously awaiting to see if I get one!

I took my photos of the ATC against this dark blue background but wish I had used something else. Too late now - it's gone! I also thought about laminating the card and now wish I had done that. Oh well, it is in the mail and I hope that the blogger I sent it to likes it!

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! It has been very hot weather here in this part of WI - we had a thunderstorm early morning - hope it helped! Wishing you a good Monday!

Barbara Diane

In Memory of The Quilt Lady

Hello,

My friend Richard lost his sister recently. He had traveled to stay with her family to help care for her during her last weeks - taking the night shift of 6:00 pm - 9:00 am. Richard is in his 70's and has health issues so he went back home on a weekend to gain some rest so he could return again to be with her and she died early the next morning after he had returned home. In his e-mail to let us know of her passing he wrote GOD SPEED QUILT LADY. WE LOVE YOU. I made this card for Richard in memory of his sister Dorothy. 

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog. Wishing you everything good this weekend!

Barbara Diane

"Case-It Challenge" on Penny Black

Hello!

I was going to post my quilt card today, but realized I needed to post my card entry for the Penny Black challenge before it was too late! This week's fun challenge is a "Case-It Challenge". Go to http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ to see this lovely card and all of the great creations by the designer team!

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! I will be back tomorrow with my quilt card. Wishing you some smiles and laughter today!

Barbara Diane

WOYW Today?

Hello!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday is here and I am working on a quilt card. Le me tell you this is not as easy as one thinks it will be! Accuracy is key here and if cutting is off - good luck in perfect edges matching! After two tries I finally pieced them using my grid paper pad - you can see one of the rejects standing up against the small shelf. I used that as a pattern to remember the sequence of papers. Go to the lovely Stamping Ground blog http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ for the list of all the entries! I try to visit as many as I can - so many fun creations being made!

Thank you for stopping by to visit my blog today! I love your comments and e-mails! They are what make my day and keep me motivated to create! Thank you!

Barbara Diane

"Show Me" for Sassy Cheryl

Hello!

Well, I was making this card for Sassy Cheryl's challenge blog, but I realized after it was finished that I forgot the paper strips in the background! When you have a sketch to follow, as was given for the current challenge, forgetting large parts of it is not good! So instead of the challenge I am posting it to Cheryl's blog and her "Show Me what you are doing this week!" request :<) I have used her sweet digital image "Sam's Rainy Day" and have paper painted it. Go to http://sassycheryls.blogspot.com/ to see what fun things those bloggers are up to!

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog today - and thank you for all of your lovely comments and e-mails! I love hearing from you and am trying to visit everyone and return the kindness of a comment! Wishing you a happy day!

Barbara Diane

Hank and Sally in The Old Country

Hello!

My father and his family came to America from Denmark when he was a child. Denmark was always referred to as "The Old Country" and although I was never able to visit that beautiful country, I have always been fascinated by it and the people. They have a royal family in Denmark and I always wondered how it would be to live in a country with a King and Queen. I have read much about them and still follow the family in the media.

But the country folks were my true love - from the old photos of my father's life in Denmark, of my grandparents sitting in rocking chairs on the porch and one of the country cottage with chickens in the yard and the old style of clothing. My father wrote a biography of his life and his memories of the life in Denmark with the storks building nests on the roof, etc. and I still wish so much to have known it.

When I first saw the digital image of Mo Manning's "Introducing Oskar" I immediately fell in love with him as he so reminded me of my uncle Hank (nickname for Henry) who was one of my father's brothers. Hank was tall and lanky and always so full of fun. He married an American, as did my father, and her name was Sally (nickname for Marcella) and she was always a bit chubby and also so full of fun. They were my favorite uncle and aunt. Mo's images of "Mummu" have always reminded me of the women of the Old Country so I paired one of these with Oskar as Sally. I used the "Rustic Windowbox" digital image of Mo's for the window but I drew the door - and made them both from this wonderful birch wood grain paper. The clothing of Hank and Sally (also her shoes) is paper pieced and they are attached with dimensionals. The flowers are also paper pieced and doubled to make them 3-D. The wall of the cottage and the porch floor are also made from wood grain papers.

I had so much fun creating this scene of "Hank and Sally in the Old Country" - they are both gone now, as is my father, so it is a fantasy memory of them all. I hope that you enjoy. I am entering this poster/card in the current challenge on Mo's Challenge Blog at http://mosdigitalchallenge.blogspot.com/ I keep hoping to see more images of Oskar and hope to make another Old Country scene some day.

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! Wishing you a happy weekend!

Barbara Diane

A Dark WOYW? Wednesday Morning

Hello!

It's another WOYW? Wednesday morning and it is very dark and cloudy here in this part of WI and it is still only 55 degrees! It was so difficult to get any decent photos this morning, as the only ceiling light I have in my living room is at the opposite end of the room from where my workdesk is. In my work area all I have are the two floor Ott Lites, one at each end of my work table and the two table Ott Lites on the workdesk itself. A window is at the left of my work area but as you can see there is not much light coming in this dark and dreary morning!

Today I am working on a card in my favorite 'paper painting' technique - I absolutely love to detail cut paper, it's like cutting paper dolls! I should have the finished card to post tomorrow - still working on the layout and size of the card. This may end up being one of my poster/cards as I do love to create scenes using multiple images.

If you are not familiar with what WOYW? Wednesday is all about - 'What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday' is where we can all share what we are creating on Julia Dunnit's blog 'Stamping Ground' and today is the third anniversary celebration! Join in the fun at http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ and share not only what's on your workdesk but also you can take part in an ATC share with another blogger! 

 Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! Wishing you some sunshine where you are!

Barbara Diane

Check Your Camera Settings!

Hello!

Yesterday I made another version of Monday's card post for the additional late birthday and after taking  photos of the card I immediately put it under the door of the person so as not to be even later in giving it to her.

Last night when I loaded the photos on my computer I could not believe how dark they were! It was a thunderstorm day but never had any of my photos been this weird looking! Well, to make a long story short, somehow the dial on my camera was turned to Night Portrait! I had quick checked the photos in the camera and they had looked ok - not so! I tweaked the best photo so I was able to show you the card in as close to the true colors as I could and here it is. It still hurts the eyes to look at it! Lesson learned: Do NOT give away card until you view the photos of it on your computer!

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! Lots of sunshine here in this part of WI - with lots of humidity! Wishing you a day of cool breezes!

Barbara Diane