Valentine's Mail + Art

HELLO LAST MINUTE VALENTINE CARDS!

I set reminders for myself in my calendars and day timers and all those places, and I still leave it until the last possible second. But that's cool. Cause that's my jam and I know it.

Also, I might have a few crafts supplies at home or whatever.

Check it out!

SUPPLIES USED
- Hand carved stamps
- Archival stamping ink, black
- Assorted washi tape (hearts! crowns! llamas!)
- Neon Sharpies
- Old paper bags...

So! I didn't have enough envelopes to go with the cards, but that has never stopped me. What I do have is a collection of every single paper bag I have ever received from Treasured Memories and a sewing machine/

Enter handmade envelopes!

Cut paper bag. Stitch 3 out of 4 edges. Insert card. Tape the last edge. Easy peasy.

Lucas came to watch me finish up and got really excited when he saw my stamps! He asked if I was carving again, and I said no. And he told me: "Y'know, stamp carving isn't just for 100 day project. You should carve more stamps."

Damn straight Buddy. Why are you so smart?

xo

FURTHER READING
All of the stamps I used are from my 100 Days of Stamp Carving Project, and those posts can be found here.
I don't do a lot of Valentine's "Crafts", but here's a fun mini! Valentine Mini Book
My post from Valentine's Day 2011 was a real blast from the past...life is so hard and wonderful.

Stamp Carving - 100 Days of Stamp Carving

This is all of them!! Woweee!

I finished this project back in July, and then summer fucking disappeared! What the hell happened?! I carved my last stamp, put it in the box, and haven't carved a stamp since.

Looking at all these pink babes makes me realize that I had so much fun and that miss this project so much.

On the last day, as I was carving my last stamp, Lucas came over to me and patted me on the shoulder and said "don't worry Mom, you can still carve more stamps even though your challenge is over!"

Things I Learned

- I didn't have to have a bunch of ideas ready to go, but it sure helped when I did

- I got better! Practicing worked!

- There are some that I absolutely do not like, but I still enjoyed the process and learned something from them

- I can't pick a favourite, there are too many wonderful ones

- Rubber is expensive!

- It works best to plan out a design, draw it out, then transfer it on to the rubber (thank goodness for nail polish remover!)

- I know what I like, and when I tried to go too far out of the box, I wasn't happy with the results

- Making mistakes is the best way to get better

- Knowing that I was going to be carving 100 stamps made me much less afraid to make those mistakes

Would I Do It Again?

In a heartbeat! I loved being able to have a set creative task to do everyday. It took some figuring out to make it work in my schedule, but it was worth whatever time I dedicated to it. I would love to do another 100 days of stamp carving, or 100 days of something else creative, but it needs to be specific, and limiting. What does that mean? Well, I like the constraint of this project. I only needed a few supplies, and I could keep them all together so it was easy to just grab and go. I think I would have a harder time with "do an art journal page", for example. Perhaps I will work up to that, get a couple more 100 Days under my belt first!

In fact, I have plans to start something on the 27th, which is coming up...TOMORROW HOLY FUCK!

Seat of pants. I am here to watch you fly.

xo

Travel Journal - Iceland 2017

I wanted to document our weekend in Iceland in detail, so I knew my daily Moleskine wouldn't be sufficient, and I was continuing my #100daysofstampcarving throughout so I needed somewhere to test the stamps I created. I ended up bringing a dedicated book that would work as a journal as well as a place for stamping!

A note about Field Notes:
BFF bought me a three pack of the Moon Field Notes awhile back, and I have been using one as a simple notepad. The paper is divine - a perfect colour, pattern and smoothness - for both writing and stamping. And it turns out there are just enough pages to document a weekend trip!

What's In My Travel (Journal) Bag:
- Field Notes Memo Book
- An assortment of pens, both fine points to use for journaling and pens to add extra colour
- Ranger Archival Ink Pad, jet black
- Stamp carving rubber, scraps
- Carving tool (in my checked bag!)
- A few stamps I had already carved
- Paperclips
- Instax camera & extra film

Blah blah blah let's get to the photos.

Other Things to Consider in a Travel Journal:
- I didn't want to risk having my carving tool confiscated, so I put it in our checked bag. I didn't bring any scissors along, but those would have gone into my checked bag as well.
- Since I had to pack everything in my small backpack, I was limited to the amount of supplies I could bring, which actually enhanced my creativity!
- I LOVE using stamps in a travel journal, so bringing some of my already carved stamps might have taken up a bit more space, but it was worth it. I did try and be very mindful of the stamps I brought - ones that could be used as a title, basic shapes (heart, circle), and ones that represented things I might see on my trip (mountains).
- I am still getting comfortable sketching and drawing while traveling, so I didn't put too much pressure on doing a lot of that on this trip. That, and there just wasn't a lot of time to sit and sketch...we were kept busy by our limited time period. I did a couple of doodles, and let my Instax take up the bulk of the visual storytelling in the journal.
- Paperclips are excellent when you pick up memorabilia or want to attach your Instax photos to a certain page in your journal without using a more permanent method (stapler or glue). Also saves you from having to bring a stapler + extra staples, or a glue stick or other adhesive. And you can always change your mind when you get home about how you want to store or display your photos or other memorabilia.

I think that's all I want to say about that. I've talked your damn ear off haven't I? Any thoughts or questions about travel journaling can go in the Comments and I'll get back to you!

xo

Tell A Story: Carve a Stamp, Change Your Life

Editor's Note: I wrote this post last week, on Day 8 of #the100dayproject. I am now at Day 14 and still going strong. I have so many feels about this project, a simple daily practice that [still] is changing my damn life.

I made it! I made it 7 days! One week into this 14+ week project and I am already exceeding my expectations!

I have historically sucked at maintaining long-term projects. Why? Well, I used to say that "life got busy and I forgot". Which is still the truth for past-tense Lisa. But there is more to it than that. Why did I forget? Why did I make the choices that lead to a busy life getting in the way of things I wanted to do to make my busy life better?

I am currently in awe of and super proud of present-tense Lisa and all that I have been able to accomplish lately. I can't (and won't) put my finger on one thing that I am doing differently now that has enabled this change, but I can identify a few things that I have changed in my life that when combined all together in a warm ball of ACTION are making a huge difference!

Why am I telling you this in a terribly secretive and short-on-details way? Because I have seen first hand this past year that each of us is on a different path to achieve our best lives. The combo of things that work for me probably won't work for you. There may be similar elements - getting outside, cultivating daily practices, being 36, cutting carbs, etc. whatever - but they will be combined in different ways, and you will come to them at different times. So my advice to me, cannot be the same as my advice to you.

The only advice I can give you is to keep doing the things that make you feel like you are moving. And get rid of the things - people, activities, food, habits, etc. - that feel like a drag, that feel painful, or uncomfortable, or useless. It will be hard. I know. I've done it! I left a fucking marriage because of it. But it will be worth it. It is worth it.

And if you're not sure what step is "right" for you, just take a step. Any old step will do. Make sure you are safe. Nervous is good (nervous means do it). Take that step and see what happens. I've done that too! Lots of times. You find your way. And if you don't, at least you'll have some adventures on the way.

xo

Note: I have been writing a lot about "life changing moments" lately. The last time I remember doing that  I was in a really dark, low place. This time it feels so different! So don't worry about me! I'm in such a great place right now. I am moving forward and things are grand.

p.s. Sorry to those of you who were looking for more info on actual stamp carving and stumbled into this rat's nest of feelings! I've got a post planned for that too...coming soon!