Saturday, September 19, 2015

Keepin' It Real

It dawned on me the other day that part of my impulse to make clean-and-simple cards stems from my desire--deep-seated and not entirely healthy--to control my environment. I am so NOT in control of much in my life, and lately things have felt particularly chaotic. Several friends are fighting cancer, another friendship has fallen apart, I'm having issues with one of my son's teachers...so much unexpected chaos and anxiety!

Sitting at my craft desk focuses me, helps me escape temporarily the stress of these real and hard things, and darn it, I want that time to be peaceful and clean, serene and confident. No matter how hard I try to achieve that peace and serenity, however, this is what really happens.


When I sat down this afternoon, here's what I saw. Working left to right (sort of), here we go:

1. Cutter-Bee scissors not in their cup with the other scissors.
2. Peanut M&Ms. Because chocolate makes everything better, and it goes so well with peanuts.
3. A couple of blank cards.
4. The wine cork that protects me from unintended punctures from my awl, The awl itself is in the back center of the desk next to the cork I use to protect me from unintended cuts from my craft knife, which is on the right side of the picture. My goodness, there's dangerous stuff on my desk!
5. A pine tree green ink pad from Memories (Hero Arts) that makes me mad because it's too dull and dark. Where, oh where will I find good dark green inks?!?!?
6. A few random Christmas sets of clear stamps. Probably by Hero Arts and Papertrey, but who knows for sure?
7. The neutral ink pads (black, gray, brown) that stay on my desk at all times for handy access.
8. The white cups and mail sorters that are full of stuff, including a legal pad with a list of cards I need to make, acrylic blocks, and post-it notes.
9. The SU real red ink pad because it's the best red. Ever.
10. A new order from Ellen Hutson, stacked on top of the latest issue of Take Ten.
11. Acrylic block with a Hero Arts sentiment stuck on it.
12. A stipple brush used with the Kaleidacolor ink pad under my Nook HD+. I use the Nook to surf Pinterest at my desk.

Off-camera are a steaming cup of coffee, more stamp sets, and a couple more magazines.

No matter how neat and tidy I try to be, chaos happens. I clean up, put everything away, and then it reverts to this.

Like life.

But at least the cards come out clean.



Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: Hero Arts lime green, SU real red
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: SU corner punch, dimensionals

7 comments:

  1. sorry it is a rough time. actually your craft table looks pretty neat to me! cute card!

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  2. I'm so sorry that life is rough right now:( I also agree with Joan that your desk doesn't look bad to me... But I do suppose it is all a matter of perspective! It did make me smile that neither or your protective corks is serving in their designated capacity😜

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  3. All to true. Our craft desks and life get messy. Try to look past the mess/situations to the beauty you create and the beauty that is being created in you as the Lord works in you . ...beauty for ashes...Isa 61:3

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  4. P.S. Enjoy all your posts. Your cards and honesty inspire me. Please do post when you find a good dark green.

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  5. I think we all understand....stamping has always been an escape for me. I leave the chaos of life and enter the realm of creativity. We are lucky we have this place to go.

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  6. Your desk looks about right. I went on a crafty play date yesterday, and as usual, I packed up the surface of my desk -- all my must-haves. My pal has everything else, so I just bring the essentials.

    As soon as I set up, my table looked just like my desk at home. Chaos. It felt right.

    I think I work best in controlled chaos ... so much inspiration everywhere! :)

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  7. You sat down and found un-eaten M&Ms?! I have never found that. The rest looks all too familiar.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!