Inspired by a Beautiful Planner

Hello, sweet friends, I hope you are enjoying 

your week!
I've been very busy lately - babysitting
for my little 6 mos. old grandson two days a week,
(and sometimes on the weekend for either of my grandsons),
trying to get the gardens tended in between the rain showers,
and also doing a bit of spring cleaning and organizing
in between.

Clearly, I need a plan, and like magic,
help has arrived!  

I recently won a beautiful planner 

in a generous give-away from Gina,
who writes one of my favorite blogs,
 With Twigs and Branches!

I was so excited!

The planner came with all these delightful goodies
and a lovely hand-made card from sweet Gina.

There was washi-tape, stickers, lots of printed cards,
stamps, to-do lists, a separate blank journal
and a decal for the front of the planner.

I was immediately inspired!

The planner was divided by month with
blank monthly, weekly and daily organizing pages.

There were pockets on the inside for stashing
notes, and bits of decorative 'scrap',
and slots for notepads and the little journal.

The name of the company that produces this line
is called, 'Carpe Diem' - Seize the Day!
I did a search and found some wonderful inspiration
using this product line, which I posted on my Pinterest
board under 'Planner and Scrapbook Ideas'.
You can find the link on my side-bar.

I've never tried scrapbooking,
but now I am smitten!

The first thing I did was apply the decal to the planner.

Of course I needed a place to keep my new planner,
so I converted my enamel-top farm table
into my planning desk.

My vintage photo holder keeps the pretty card 'scraps' handy.

Aren't they so cute?

I cleaned out the little drawer, lined it with
pretty paper and stashed my new supplies,
along with some things I had on hand.

Then I filled up the pockets and slots in the
binder with all my new pretties.

The blank journal slides under the pocket flap.
The pockets are fun places to hold cute graphics.

Love the 'messy hair...don't care' quote :)

A 'To Do' notepad with binder holes
comes in handy!

It fits perfectly in the top slot.
I had the little flowers on hand
that I saved from some gift wrapping.

Do you save pretty little things, just 'because'?

Sheets of little stickers fit nicely in the flap.
These are used to decorate the calendar pages.

Gina also included a pretty tote!
Weenie Baby approves!

It's the perfect size for sheets of scrapbook paper
ready for snipping.

I had so much fun setting up my little space.

I even made a cushion for my vintage folding chair!

A gal's gotta have a comfy seat when she is
setting down to plan her life!

I simply used a linen dish towel, folded and cut to size,
and sewn on two sides.
I inserted 3 layers of quilt batting......

I then sewed the open side shut and used a button to anchor
the batting on both sides.

I had the dishtowel left over from
 making my banner a few years ago.
The fabric is heavy and substantial, without being bulky.

Kai loves to look through the glass.
(I've pulled the curtain over his pet door
and he waits to come inside :)

Now I have a sweet little space to organize my life!

Whitey Bear rests on his dog bed.

My three little companions always keep me company :)

 When I did my grocery shopping this week,
I stopped at my local craft store (Ben Franklin),
to see if they carried the Carpe Diem line and guess what -
they did! I found these adorable page clips and flags.

I had these blank tags on hand,
and wanted to 'dress them up',
so I brushed on some watercolors......

I then stamped them with my new stamp from Gina.

Ta-da!

Want to see my first decorated pages?

I started with the calendar for May.
I had so much fun......
I put all the page clips on the last page of the planner
to keep them handy.

I can't wait to start my daily and weekly pages!
I will be sure to share them with you regularly.
xoxo
Do any of you keep a planner or a scrapbook?
xoxo
Thank-you, Gina for your wonderful give-away!
I'm having lots of fun with it!

Be sure to visit Gina's sweet blog,
With Twigs and Branches, dear friends.
I know you will love her.

xoxo

An Apple a Day

This fall we had a bumper crop of tiny apples 

from my two dwarf Macoun apple trees.

Whitey Bear supervises the harvest. 

I filled my vintage bushel basket with these delicious little apples. 

We are not the only ones who enjoyed the apple harvest -

here a Red-breasted Sapsucker dines on the apples left behind. 

He was quite tame and vocal - calling with a one-note

shrill cry in between bites of apple. 

Here he is giving me a quick glance to make sure I don't 

get too close. 

It was a thrill to see this colorful little apple thief. 

With my bounty I have been trying new apple recipes. 

Here is a delicious recipe for Apple Bread. 

It is very moist and deliciously spicy. 

Apple Bread

Beat 3/4 cup vegetable oil with 1 cup white or brown sugar and 2 eggs. 

Stir in 1-1/2 cups chopped, unpeeled organic apples, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 

and 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, if you like. 

Sift together 1-1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 

1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. 

Add to apple mixture. Do not over-mix. 

Pour into a 9"x5" loaf pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 50 minutes 

or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 

Let cool completely before removing from pan and wrapping. 

Will keep in refrigerator for several days

or freeze for holiday gift giving. 

My Ramblin' Man gave this recipe two thumbs up! 

Coffee filters make rustic presentations. 

My vintage nut chopper came in handy

for this recipe. 

This was something my Grandmother would have used. 

It has a plunger with razor blades for the chopping. 

The bottom is fitted with a small, round, removable wooden disk

and the jar is a measuring cup. 

So low-tech, but very effective! 

Cut the apples into small dice for this recipe. 

My vintage spice rack gets a work-out this time of year. 

I keep my glass rolling pin on the top shelf 

along with my favorite shortbread mold.

*I made the Tea-dyed Tags
It was one of the first crafts I made for the blog.* 

Another, smaller shortbread mold hangs on the wall

with a nutmeg grater, loose tea holder, heart cookie cutters

favorite serving spatula, and hand knitted, fair-trade

Toockies - 100 percent Organic Cotton Scrubber

I use mine as a hot-pad. 

Check out the link to help women in developing countries. 

Has anyone noticed how expensive spices are recently? 

Here is an excellent source of organic, low cost 

bulk spices and herbs:

Mountain Rose Herbs

My sweet little apples inspired me to add a simple
still life to my sketch pad.

I moved my enamel-topped kitchen desk in front of my hutch,
and set it up with my art supplies.

A feather brushes away eraser crumbs.

A simple remembrance of a sweet scene.

I love to draw - just for fun.

I want to develop my drawing skills a bit further
and need to practice.

With every creative endeavor, you must be 'in the mood'. :)

xoxo

I hope I have inspired you, Dear Friends, to enjoy an apple today!

xoxo

My Arts and Crafts Studio

Slowly, over time, I have re-purposed my son's former bedroom
into an arts and crafts studio/guest room.

It started out as an office for The Mr. after the nest emptied out,
but because it is tucked away upstairs he never used it,
preferring to sit on the couch with his laptop while watching t.v. 

He is a true multi-tasker. *Ahem* 

So, with him out of the picture, I slowly took it over.

First, I repainted the walls. The 'Nascar" checkered border
 and bright blue and white sponge painting had to go.

I simply painted over the checkers with my favorite shade of blue and ragged over the sponge painting with the same color. It came out soft and muted on the rough plastered walls.

Then I stenciled celestial symbols in metallic gold. These glint softly in the morning and evening light.

 I found baskets to fit on the shelving unit for craft supplies and hung up a pretty curtain. 

It is actually a cloth shower curtain, but don't tell anyone. Shhhhhh! 

 I found some wire shelves and fitted them with crates and baskets to hold art supplies. 

Mountain scenes collected from flea markets and thrift stores provide art for the walls. 

I painted some of the frames.

My computer shelf holds office books, supplies and a few keepsakes. The giraffe is from my childhood, as is the frog, which I sewed myself from a pattern in Woman's Day Magazine, when I was 12. I made dozens of these frogs as Christmas gifts for my little sisters and cousins one year. 

I cut up my green velvet dress to make them. 

My Mother was not pleased. 

I always hated that dress.

But it made great frog skin :)

The Futon has pillows made using throw rugs from Ikea. 

The futon is covered with a feather bed to make it dreamy soft.

My folding Army surplus table works as a portable art desk. 

Painted Army surplus crates and a wooden art box I found for $7, with drawers full of paints and pencils are tucked underneath.

My sturdy woven bag and portable easel stand ready for painting and sketching 'plein air'.

Another bookshelf, painted to match the table and curtained cupboard ('Green Stone'), holds my art, botanical and wildlife books for reference. 

I am always on the lookout for these at thrift stores and used book sales. 

Many old books have wonderful hand painted illustrations. 

Excellent for reference. 

This room has wonderful light with windows on both sides. 

Normally, my little art table would fit right under the other window. 

But now that prime piece of real estate is taken over by this guy....Birdy Boy. 

He normally resides in front of the big window in my loft. 

But the loft is under renovation right now. 

Can you picture my art table right there in this beautiful light? 

But I have tried to make the best of things. 

  It gives me an opportunity to spend more time with my little buddy, 

Birdy Boy, the Cockatiel I have had for 13 years. 

Except he chews all of my erasers. 

xx

Now that Autumn is here and the weather is changing, 

I intend to spend more time in my little arts and crafts studio. 

Raising 4 children and then helping to care for ageing parents, I never had time just for myself. 

Creativity is a subjective state of mind. 

It is like writer's block and when you lose it, sometimes it takes time to get it back. 

When life is busy and you are always in demand,
it is hard to get in touch with your creative side.

Now I have time. 

Time for little dreams. 

Dreams from my younger self. 

Before marriage, children and life took over. 

And now I have the perfect place to bring out some childlike creativity.

A beloved room, used and loved once more.

xo

"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."

Anonymous

ox

Thank you my Dear Friends for your sweet visits. 

I treasure every one.

xx

Small service is true service while it lasts;

Of friends however humble, scorn not one;

The daisy, by the shadow that it casts,

Protects the lingering dewdrop from the sun.

William Wordsworth