You might of noticed cobwebs growing from the corners of this place. As I invest in other areas of my life, more and more, my commitment to crafting is evolving into something more akin to graphic design. It's weird. I love paper crafting and always will, but right now, school... Continue reading

I'm slowly learning over time that there is no greater challenge than managing a life as a single parent. Looking back, no where was there an application that I filled out that said "perfectly qualified as a solo mama." The task entails a learning curve that is constantly under adjustment.... Continue reading

In our home, we are surrounded by feline friends from my days in veterinary medicine and my falling prey to the "foster" gimmick - "Here's a cute kitty for you to foster the next couple of months as we try and find him/her a permanent residence in a loving home.... Continue reading

Like the most of you, I'm a avid Pinner. Technically, you could call me a "pin" maniac! I scope the place out almost daily, if not twice daily. When there, I seek out three things; paper crafting, home decor and general design. Once in a while, I seek out the... Continue reading

Like everything else I collect, my weakness for ribbon is infinite. The kind of ribbon that takes a specialty shop to locate brings me to my knees. In the Twin Cities, we are lucky to have such a place - the once "brick and mortar" store, Rose Mille, is a... Continue reading

I noticed something recently about myself as a color lover that I hadn't recognized before - well, maybe that's not entirely true. You see, behind all that magical color, we fall into a pattern of choosing colors that most attract our attention. I'm guilty of this on more than one... Continue reading

Upon joining the widow club, my first challenge was surviving silence. For most, silence is a gift. When newly widowed, silence is a chamber of emptiness that serves to remind you of your loss. There isn't anyone nearby to fill up the air with conversation. Past nightly traditions are just... Continue reading

I can't even begin to tell you how elated I am to finally have some time away from college...temporarily. I'll be honest, I never imagined myself returning to school as an adult. And I suppose if I'd not suffered the loss of a spouse, I would of never fathomed the... Continue reading

To the most of you, it should come as no surprise that eventually, as crazy collecting crafters, we run out of space to store stuff. It's an inevitable issue that must be dealt with at some point or another. For me, that moment was last weekend. I'd spent days at... Continue reading

Crate Paper is devoting the entire week to it's fresh batch of new collections; Oh Darling, Boys Rule & Styleboard. If having already been there, you may have bumped into this layout - Mr. Soldier-in-Training. I created the layout for CP's wholesale catalog and just yesterday, I shipped it to... Continue reading

I made the transition to a new location that is so cleverly titled "Crafty Widow". It's a new blog with a more modern feel that I hope you'll check out and like! I decided it was time to move on...restart.... Continue reading

Welcome to my new blog! It's fresh, uplifting and more accurately reflects where I am on my widowhood journey; Year SIX and STRONG! Yesterday was the six year anniversary of Eric's passage from brain cancer. It's hard to believe that already, so much time has gone by. My foot is... Continue reading

There is much happening here. I took a break from blogging to devote time to personal matters requiring investing, including time with the hun and kiddo's. I'm still very much scrapbooking. It is a passion that continues to prosper in... Continue reading

SELF PORTRAIT: TEXT, TEXTURE & VALUE ................. NARRATIVE ENVIRONMENT ................ SHAPE, SPACE & ABSTRACTION ................ COLOR HARMONIES: MONOCHROMATIC, ANALOGOUS, SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY & DOUBLE COMPLEMENTARY ............... As the Fall 2013 Semester reaches an end, there is thought, reflection and insight into the great abyss called design. Following a series of multiple... Continue reading

This is just a wee bit overdue, but the week presented me serious schedule challenges, the kind that turns a girl's life upside down and straight out the door. Thankfully, there are only three weeks left until the school semester... Continue reading

It's BLOG HOP time as Amy Heller starts a new journey with the highly prized scrapbook manufacturer, Lily Bee Design. The two joined forces to create a hip, urban scrapbook paper/embellishment collection creatively titled, Urban Autumn. It's papers and design... Continue reading

I love a great escape in the Fall. And one doesn't have to look too far to find one in Minnesota. Ten or so miles out of the Grove (Cottage Grove - South Metro Area in the Twin Cities) is... Continue reading

I do. I do. At least that's the quote that Eric and I partake in on almost a day-by-day basis. The path to the moon seems infinite, as does love. Such a wonderful feeling, isn't it? I went five years... Continue reading