Grandma's Apron

I am sure you have at some point read this poem written by Tina Trivett. If you read my last post, you know that I love seeing ordinary things become extraordinary and inspirational. The apron, is one of those things.

First, enjoy the poem:

Grandma’s Apron

The strings were tied, it was freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.
For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.
The simple apron that it was, you would never think about;
the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.
She may have used it to hold some wildflowers that she’d found.
Or to hide a crying child’s face when a stranger came around.
Imagine all the little tears that were wiped with just that cloth.
Or it became a potholder to serve some chicken broth.
She probably carried kindling to stoke the kitchen fire.
To hold a load of laundry, or to wipe the clothesline wire.
When canning all her vegetables, it was used to wipe her brow.
You never know, she might have used it to shoo flies from the cow.
She might have carried eggs in from the chicken coop outside.
Whatever chore she used it for, she did them all with pride.
When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest.
I’m sure the apron that she chose, was her Sunday best.

by Tina Trivett

Though written about her own grandmother, she so beautifully describes what could be all of our grandmas. I certainly remember my own grandma doing all of those things with her apron for my brothers and I. But, how is it that a piece of cloth, that was simply meant to cover and protect the clothing under it, become an iconic symbol for the grandmas of years gone by? It was a symbol of how hard women worked to keep house, fix dinner and often would till the fields, yet still make time to wipe noses and faces. This is not to say that women do not adorn themselves with aprons today, nor am I eluding to the fact fact, that your present day mom or grandma does not work as hard or even wear aprons. They most certainly do. But aprons have definitely come a long way in design and style.

I remember watching shows like,  The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and The Donna Reed Show. Or, who remembers Father Knows Best? I was a young girl when these T.V. shows were around, but the role of apron clad homemakers, inspired me to become one. Too often, the new role models for young girls, are about growing up to be corporate and business leaders, models, and a plethora of career minded opportunities. Let me emphasize that nothing is wrong with teaching our children to excel in this world. In fact, I encourage it. But, too often, teaching our daughters and granddaughters to become great homemakers, wives and mothers, gets lost in the busyness of life as we know it.

Did any of those shows depict a sense of “realness”? Does an apron give you the “magical powers” to transform into a bread making, house cleaning machine? Of course not. I do feel kind of like a “Betty Homemaker” when I strap on my apron though, and while there is no proof that my cooking improves, an apron still serves the same aged purpose that it was created to be…….keeping kitchen splatters from ruining my clothes. I actually made this apron from a man's shirt I found at my thrift store.

Women across the world are preparing to cook holiday dinners for their families and friends. Whether you don an apron to remember your moms and grandmas, or to simply use it for it’s practical purpose, I encourage you, to simply have a heart full of love, and maybe wipe a few noses as well……..God Bless all of you!

Decoupaging a Light Switch Wall Plate

Recently, I found a great tutorial on how to transform an ordinary light switch wall plate into a beautiful frame that can be used as an embellishment piece on the cover of your notebook or journal. I thought it was brilliant (no pun intended....get it?....light=brilliant). Anyway, I gave it a try and was so happy with the results, I thought I would share it.

I started with a 3" plate with a rectangle opening

Besides the plate, you will need some Mod Podge, and either light weight paper with words, or music notes, some decorative tissue paper or printed napkins. I used pages from an old book, and napkins I found at Tuesday Morning. The napkins are 3 ply and I peel away the 2 plies in the back so I am left with just the sheer front part of the napkin.

I used a piece of tape to pick up the white backing of the napkin

After that I simply painted the Mod Podge onto the front of the plate and carefully applied the napkin. I will include the link to the tutorial I used at the end of this post. I think I should warn you that these things are very addictive to create. Once you make one, you will want more. Here are some of my finished projects.

Listed below are some ideas to use these projects.

• Mounted on a piece of wood to make a unique collage of pictures
• Christmas ornaments using holiday themed paper
• Instead of pics, you can mount small charms, or even inspirational quotes to give as gifts
• And the most obvious, use them as light switch plates to match any room decor:)

Anyhoo, this was just a short post on my latest project. Hope you enjoyed. Check out the tutorial for these plates on: https://youtu.be/WlMIwaZ5HYc

 Also, check out some of my other projects in my Etsy Store:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovePaperHugs

What To Do With A Junk Journal

When I was in my teens, a long long time ago, I had a diary, equipped with a lock and tiny key. I would fill it’s pages with my thoughts, dreams and deepest secrets. I carefully hid the key where no one could find it. (Although, it was a known fact that a nail file or knife tip could easily open the lock)

My “secrets” seemed to lose its power and mystery as I got older, and I started writing in journals without locks and keys. Over the years, I have collected quite a few of these books in various styles and sizes. There have been scripture journals, bible sermon notes, letters to God about good and bad days, journals of thanks and yes even journals of rants and anger. (Some of which probably should have a lock with no key.....and no the pic is not my actual stack:))

We now have a plethora of different ways to jot our thoughts, plan our day, dump our brains. Planners are not just for planning but offer creative and artistic ways to decorate and embellish your pages. Crafters, like myself, have been given opportunities to create journals, and notebooks that will woo anyone into writing on uniquely made pages tucked in various ways inside beautifully made covers.

One such journal seems to contradict its name, or perhaps not, the Junk Journal. I have yet to see one

that looks like what the word junk implies. They can be crafted in so many different ways. The inside pages may include old magazine pages, old receipts, envelopes, old ledger paper, blank paper, music sheets, etc. They are are all folded  and stacked on top of each other in whatever way you desire, then sewn or stapled down the middle. Make as many booklets as you like and insert them into a cover using various techniques. Add pockets, lace, or images that fit your theme and the rest is all up to your imagination. It is simply a unique way to display pictures, write on different backgrounds and even paint or draw using gel pens or different types of mediums. In other words, it is just fun.

The junk journal is kind of a free spirited, artistic, no rules way to write, draw or simply compile pieces of paper that you would ordinarily toss out. I do not claim to be an expert on this art form, and have been inspired by various You Tube artists on how to create one of these journals. I recently went to an Antique Mall on the coast and found old music sheets, receipt books, an old registry from the 1960s of a railroad journal with the names of the conductors, and brakemen. My most valuable find was a small notebook that seemed to be a record of someone’s insurance payments that dated back to 1921. I can’t wait to make copies (I definitely want to keep the originals) and include them in my next journal.

So, you could call them junk journals, but who knows what special meaning they could have to your children or grandchildren down the road of life. Fill them with memories and little notes to pass down to the next generation. There is nothing “junk” about the love that goes into any handmade notebook filled with evidence of every day, ordinary moments.

Thank you for visiting my Etsy Shop:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovePaperHugs?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Aging Paper and Lace

Travelers Notebooks, Journals and Junk Journals, are all a hot trend right now, and they happen to be my current craft obsession. I can’t stop making them, as you can see from the pic below. I have given many of them away as gifts and have some in my Etsy store as well. Some have laminated covers, like those shown here, and others are made from old books I find at the thrift store. I enjoy taking these old, worn books and recycling the book covers. My favorite theme right now, is all things vintage, with lace trims, and aged paper.

A fun technique I use, is taking simple copy paper, dipping them in some strong hot coffee or tea, than baking them in a very low heat oven. They come out so beautiful and vintage looking. The fibers of the paper expand and when it comes out of the oven, it feels crisp and well.....aged. This method works very well for lace, ribbon, cheesecloth and fabric. There are other methods such as, distress inks and dyes, but coffee and tea staining is most often used. Here are some instructions on how I do it:

1. Heat some water and pour into a large baking pan to about 1". I will use two or three pans to speed the process. Add instant coffee, the strength depends on how dark you want the paper. If you are using tea, brew about 8 teabags in a small pot of water and after you are satisfied with the color, pour it into the pan.
2. I lay some old towels on my counter to lay the wet paper on and to help absorb some of the liquid before putting it into the oven. I just simply slide the paper into the hot liquid, I can usually put 5 or more sheets at a time, let it sit for a minute, then carefully pick them up and set it on the towel or layers of paper towels.
3. Next, I have my oven set at about 200 degrees, and I just lay the paper directly on the the racks and bake them for about 5-8 minutes. You could also dry them with a heat gun, blow dryer or even air dry them. The oven is just the quicker way and gives the paper a crisp texture.

The picture below illustrates what 20 pieces of white copy paper looks like before it is stained, and what it looks like after. Notice the amount of volume the paper seems to have after it has been stained and baked to dry.

There are so many uses for these beautiful aged paper. Besides becoming pages in a journal or notebook, you can print out invitations, make cute vintage looking tags that you can hang from a gift bag, or just as a background for old pictures. I just made this cute card using the aged  paper on the inside and some of my dyed ribbon. It is difficult to see but the tiny "miss you" words on the inside was taken from an old discarded book.

I also coffee dyed some ribbon, and they came out so pretty. On these, I also experimented with other inks and even felt markers. I rubbed some red felt marker on a glass mat, sprayed a bit of water and sopped it up with about a yard of the ribbon. Here is a before and after of the ribbon. I wad up the ribbon into a tight ball and secure it with a rubber band. After it dries, you get crinkled ribbon.

I want to share some photos of my newest Vintage Journal. I tried a technique I have been seeing a lot, sewing some elements of my journal on my sewing machine. It came out so beautiful. It will be for sale in my Etsy Store. I hope you go and check it out.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovePaperHugs?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Have a blessed day everyone! Happy Crafting!

Unfinished Projects

If you are an avid crafter, you can possibly relate to all the projects you started, but left unfinished and forgotten. I think I may have symptoms of Attention  Deficit Disorder when it comes to making anything that has too many steps to complete. And I confess that there is definitely one sock, or one glove that never got knitted because, well, let’s face it, after the first one was done, so was my attention and interest to knit the other one.

Part of my dilemma is simply explained by the fact, that I will get so excited about a new pattern to try, or a new idea to experiment, but if it takes too long to complete, or there are too many steps to take to see the finished results, I just put it aside and never reach for it again. I love those projects that I can complete in a day. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I can see the fruit of my labor by days  end.

Many years ago I opened a small Counted Cross Stitch shop in the community of Waimea, on the Big Island of Hawaii. I absolutely loved my little shop. I held many classes and taught young and old the craft of cross stitching. Many of my students went on to stitch beautiful, intricate pieces with the final results looking like framed works of art worthy of being hung in any gallery. Me, the tutor of such work, was never able to complete anything bigger than a 3 x 5 image. I started the little piece below sometime in the 1990’s and it is still waiting patiently for the finishing touches. (I should have titled this blog confessions of a crafter)

This next picture is a sweater I started knitting last winter. It is not only my first time to knit something larger than a headband, I am actually on the 2nd sleeve and almost done. Please pray for me......I haven’t picked it up for awhile. But in my defense, hot summers is not knitting weather. My goal is to complete this sweater, just out of sheer determination to prove to myself and the world that I can.

I would like to conclude by saying, that I often feel like an unfinished project myself. There are days that I wish I had more knowledge on how to walk this walk of life and how to just simply be a better wife, mother, daughter , friend......person. I feel like I do not always have everything I need to be all those things. Then God reminds me that he is not finished with me yet. I just need to make the most of every day I have, being the very best I can be. I love this promise in scripture from Phillipians 1:6.....”He that began a good work in you, will bring it to completion......”

Have a blessed day, hope you all get to finish some projects.

Tools of the Trade

I have been crafting for a very long time, and over the years, I have been convinced, that in order to create a project that gave me the right results, I simply needed the right tools. Luckily, my husband, who is my biggest supporter and fan, always agreed to let me have them.

Besides my love for paper crafting, I also sew, knit and generally will attempt any "diy" project trending on Pinterest. So, as you can well imagine, I have a closet full of "tools". Really, it is no different than a mechanic or carpenter having what they need in their proverbial tool bag in order to get the job done. Well, except for one difference, maybe,.......my tools are so much cuter.

Anyway, I thought I would share some of my favorite, absolutely-cannot-be-without tools. The first one is definitely a must-have.....my handy dandy and trusted glue gun. Seriously, when I plug that thing in, and I start smelling the aroma of glue melting, I feel like I can fix the world, and maybe put together a new one. My hot glue gun has repaired cups and saucers, straps on sandals, picture frames and door handles. Once, I even cut a spot out of my carpet, and then found a piece to match and hot glued it in place. No one ever noticed. Besides repair work, it has proven to be the best way to attach my floral embellishments to my projects and, it is the most cost effective glue.

My most recent tool, and quickly becoming one of my favorites, is called the Mini Envelope Punch Board by We R Memory Keepers. I also have the the regular sized one, but, this little guy will make an envelope as small as 1" squared. I create paper clips with them, and they can be used to embellish a card or journal page. Their cuteness just makes me smile.

Paper crafting can require a great amount of tools. I have cutters of varying sizes and styles, scissors, hole punches and eyelet setters, I just acquired one called the Big Bite that will punch a hole where other punches cannot reach. I also have tape runners, a die cutting machine and a laminator. When I first got this laminating machine, I was literally laminating anything I could find, business cards, medical cards, luggage tags etc....for under $20, it has definitely been a worthwhile tool to have. I mostly use it to create notebook covers to give them more durability and adding a certain charm to them.

I cannot conclude this blog without mentioning one vital tool that guides and directs me as I try to navigate myself through life. That would be my bible, I love the acronym for the word bible.....
B=Basic, I=Information, B=Before, L=Leaving, E=Earth. It contains everything I need when going through the tougher times in life and helps me to understand the beautiful unending ways that God can love and bring me joy. After all, He was the original creator and maker of all things. He did not need any fancy tools to do it either. You know, I am a You Tube "junkie" when trying to find someone to teach me how to do something, however, I am thankful that God made sure he left us with a "tutorial" on how to live life and live it to it's fullest.

I only listed a few of my favorite tools of the trade. I would love for you to comment below and share what your favorite tools are. Thank you all and have a blessed day. Don't forget to visit my Etsy Store to see some of my creations.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovePaperHugs

The Capacity to Be Greater

Taking ordinary things and transforming them into extraordinary works of art, seems to be the direction of my latest craft projects. Now, please note, that I use the phrase “extraordinary works of art”, very loosely. I don’t dare to include myself in the same company of the gifted artists that have transformed lumps of clay and blank canvases into masterpieces.  However, I have been known to look at an empty box of rice and see the potential for it to become a beautiful notebook cover. See the before and after pics below.

I was about to throw out that box when suddenly, a light bulb illuminated above my head and I heard a “ding” like the sound of a bell. Okay…..I am being a bit melodramatic. But I did save the empty rice box from entering eternal damnation into the dark pit of trash. I love transformation, don’t you? Besides the obvious need to recycle, I just get so much gratification from the before and after results in many of my creative projects. It does have its downfalls though…..so much so that it warrants a bullet list.

• You do get afraid to throw anything out because, MAYBE, you can create something with it.
• You end up with bins of would-be trash that should be trash.
• You are one step away from being labeled a hoarder.
• You actually are caught reaching down a public trash can for this cute little plastic fork that was used to give out a food sample (yes I did, but, you should have seen how cute this tiny plastic fork was)

My latest project was so much fun. I took some “ordinary” paper clips, some scrap pieces of paper, a few stickers and lace I had in my stash, and turned on my hot glue gun and had a party! The results were so awesome! I gave a totally new look to these paper clips and they will proudly grace the pages of any notebook or journal and redefine themselves as paper clips.

As much pleasure as I get in creating something from nothing, I cannot help to reflect on how grateful I am that God always sees the potential in me. So often in my life,  I have felt worthless, and he has encouraged me to believe that I have the capacity to be greater than how I feel. He never tosses me out and continues to mold me and shape me into the person he created me to be. I encourage you to believe that He feels that same way about each and every one of you. We all have the potential to be better than we feel we are. Knowing that about myself, helps me to see that in others (and apparently “things”). So don’t ever give up on your plans, your dreams, the way you look, or the way you feel. You have the capacity to be greater!

Please visit my Etsy Shop for more products like these:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovePaperHugs

Sometimes You Have to Take Some Time to "De-Blog"

It has been a very long time since I have written in my blog. You might say I got “blog clog”…..similar to “brain fog” except that while I could think of many topics to write about, I just could not seem to translate them down onto a page. So, I took an entire year to unclog, or “de-blog” and yes I am going stop now with the metaphors.

I will admit, that I have been tempted to give it up completely, but, then realized that if I gave up,  where would all those stored up words end up. And besides, I thought it might be important to share my thoughts with the world, should any part of the world care to know my thoughts.(lol)

Much has happened in the year that I have been away from my writing. I have moved twice, I spent a month in Alaska, I tried a new business venture, lost a few pounds but found it again except it was twice the volume  and perhaps the most significant change while “de-blogging” this past year, was discovering the answer to a question I am always asking myself. “What do I want to do with the rest of my life?”

I have really been reflective this past year, sometimes feeling discouraged with the thought that I seem to have accomplished so little in my 66 years of life, and other times, a burst of hope seemed to be  re-generated in me and I just wanted to forge through the next 66 years of life ahead and do everything I can to make a difference. I am in a place somewhere between those two extreme thoughts. I cannot change my past, but I am able to make decisions that could change my future.

I started to write again, this time, with more fluidity and purpose. I also re-booted my love for paper crafting and marketing my projects under the name PaperHugs. I will be blogging about that more in the future. My plan is, to somehow weave what I love to create, into inspirational life-giving messages that will leap from the pages of my blog into the hearts of those who read it.

But for the sake of this blog, I wanted to emphasize the healing power of being simply surrounded by the love of family, and particularly the unconditional love of grandchildren. As I mentioned earlier, I was blessed to spend a month with my two daughters and four grandchildren. Unlike any other time, I was acutely aware of how they loved me and actually desired my company. I am not sure why I was more aware of this visit, or even why I noticed that every moment I spent with them was a moment that I could choose to make a memory that I could leave behind, or just make it another visit from their mom or Nana. Below are some of my favorite pics from my visit to Alaska.

I made sure that each one of them had special individual time with me that centered around their favorite place to eat, or thing to do. I will never forget the evening , I took my 8-year-old grandson to dinner at Red Robin, and we got a booth for just the two of us. He said it was so cool and that he never sat in a booth before. I laughed, cause I knew what he meant, that though he came with mom and dad and his two sisters in the past, they always had a large booth or table. But, this was his first time in a “booth” with just him and his Nana. I made it seem like he was my “date” for the evening, and he was such a gentleman. He ordered our food, and had great conversation with me. It was not only memorable, it was  locked in the vault of both of our minds and hearts.

I did this with each one of my Alaskan grandchildren. It was an epic time spent, not because it just so happened that time was available, but because I realized I had to MAKE the time.

We, sometimes, all have to lay down the things that keep us too busy, or preoccupied, and take a long breath, (for me it was a year-long breath) and learn the answers to the questions we often wonder about, like, “what do I want to do with the rest of my life?”

For me, I want to create more moments like the ones I had with all of my grandchildren. I want to love what I do, and do what I love. And again for me, that is writing, and my paper craft creations, both of which I desire to wholeheartedly and unselfishly pour love and hugs into each and every project and that it would be felt by either the reader of the words I write or recipient of any one of my creations.

Whether you blog, or need to “de-blog”, or simply unclog or unplug, I pray you become aware of what is truly important in this life, to love, and then love even more.