A refresher course…of sorts:

It seems that everything I do right now has something to do with getting ready for next weekend’s

Boho Art Retreat.Camp Four!    

I am so excited to have a new group of gals come in for another weekend of creative, crafty gloriousness!    {not to mention the over-the-top wonderful eating that takes place in, throughout and during!}  Oh, my!

It’s always wise for me to refresh myself on the workshops that I’ve planned.

This is a fun one because it seems that as I refresh I… get refreshed!

Creativity just does that for me!

I have so much fun with these creative clipboards.  Each one turns out so different but my common goal with each one I make is that is has function.

I live rural and it’s so important that I make each trip to town count.  I will use this clipboard for lists that I make on adding machine tape.  When I’m heading to town I take these lists and tape them inside a little notebook that I also take to town.

insert personal comment here:  this might just make it sound like I am a ultra-organized, type-A-kind-of-a-gal….not so!  I function best in the carefree state of mind and I’ve discovered that these lists help me with that!  🙂

Each board has a handy little peg for….whatever you want!

This upcoming art weekend is going to be GRAND…I actually have two spots open…won’t YOU join in?

the board

I’ve been having so much fun making these boards.  I can’t wait to teach this class at The Retreat {there are still openings!} here next month.  It really is the funnest thing…I promise!

The first one pictured here, #1131 will be going out to Ellen in Oklahoma today.  It was custom-made just for her.

{ultra}fun clipboard

Do you ever have so much fun that you feel like you must be doing something illegal?

{I hope so!}

This morning as I was working on this {ultra}fun clip board I felt just that way.

♥ so much fun ♥

I love these boards and I use them in my home to help me keep organized.  Generally, they have more clips/clothespins on them to keep my lists going…

For the upcoming Bσhσ Art Retreat I’ve been wanting to combine one of these fun clipboards with mixed media.   With fresh inspiration from the online Mixed Media class that I’ve been taking,  I jumped in, merged the two and I love the result.

I’ve decided that my favorite part about working with mixed media is that…are you ready?

…there are no rules.

that just makes me giddy

Every piece is so different and just when I think I might be done, I decide to add another little touch here…or there…or maybe that needs a little somethin’…

I decided to make this one all about me.

I love home…

I love being home…

I love staying home…

get the idea

A few of the details that make this me:  the main background is a vintage map of the area where I live ~ the roof  is from some scripture out of a Danish Bible {it’s OK, I scanned it},  Joshua 24:15 which reads “as for me an my house, we will serve the Lord” ~ layered over that is that specific verse {scanned, of course} in English [i love the picture this gives of God being the covering over our home] ~ a heart layered over the home is from a map which hi-lights right where I live as does the chandelier crystal that hangs from a hook ~ red is the color themed throughout ~ I scanned a portion of an apron that I have that belonged to my grandma and used that for the…apron ~ …it’s all so ME!

Now that this is done, tomorrow I will gather together some pictures of the retreat projects and team them with this post to give a better idea of all that we will be working on.

Clipboards for your lists…

As I began writing this post the temperature outside was about 12°.  Oh Baby, it’s cold outside!…but I still did my morning walk ~ I just bundled up a bit more.  I told my friend who I walk with each morning that we should decide how cold is too cold.  Last year we had some mornings that were -25°.

That would certainly be too cold.

I finished my clipboards…Oh, I just love these.  I use one myself and it’s fun and functional all in one little package.

They also make a great gift idea!

My dad was recently replacing the metal measuring tape that he uses when he logs.  As he was throwing it away he said, “I suppose you’re thinking about something you can use that for” ~ I looked at him like, “Would I pull something out of your garbage to fulfill my own creative desires?”  Well, sure enough, I did start thinking and I’ll probably come up with a fun variety of options over time but I also thought it was a fun addition to these boards so I glued a strip to the side.

When Amber went to Paris this year, one of the things she brought me was a magazine that I scanned and used the cover for this board.

The postcard I used on the top of this and the journal page were also among the items she brought home.

It’s just so much fun to know that you can take a non-dimensional treasure and use it over and over again!

I would ♥love♥ any help in giving this board creation a worthy name!

Oh my…

I just typed 11.25.09…is it true???   Is it really the 25th?

Oh my…that only means one thing.  I’m sure that you are way ahead of me on this one…

Oh well…at least I’m working away…

I’ll write more on these later {when they’re finished}♥

Booth re-design…

I’m going to begin re-designing my booth for my summer shows.  The 3 shows that I am most excited about are:  The Vintage Barn Sale, Farm Chicks(they have an awesome new blog)  & Mary Jane’s Farm Fair.  I have laid awake nights dreaming and scheming  about how to make my booth the one that could draw everyone into it.  🙂  So, today I’m going to pop up my 10×10 right in the middle of my living room.  Here is a sneak peak of my dreams…

…and another ‘board’ that I made –  custom just for my friend.  She isn’t a blogger but her daughters are (here and here) are, so, I stole some pics from their’s and mine and put this together for her for a late Christmas gift (the 1st attempt at a gift failed and she’s a patient gal).  As I make these I’m {slowly} learning that I need to keep words and faces away from the clothespins.  I should have put ‘lovin’ the country life’ on the top!

Make mine homemade…

I made another fun board with a “make it homemade” theme.  This one I made for me, to keep lists going in my studio workspace for things that I need to make, buy, do, etc….

I know...those screws are screaming "DO SOMETHING WITH ME" - I had cute little vintage buttons with ribbons in them glued there and the glue wasn't doing it's job so I yanked them off - don't know why I didn't keep them there just for the photo! 😉

I would love any ideas you have for giving this board a name.  I’ll be making a bunch to sell and I have to come up with a catchy name for it.  It’s main purpose is to help with organizing lists -i.e. grocery, to do, shopping, crafting, etc….  If you have a good idea, send it my way.