Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Grooving In The Studio

Sometimes you just want to spend a little time 
grooving in the studio. 

I always need greeting cards so when I’m 
in the mood to just play, 
but don’t really have a project, I make cards.

It’s nice to have a box of them on hand. 
Ready when you need them. 

Notice the art supplies I'm using are 
Dollar Store eye shadow.  I buy cheap shadow when I find pretty colors and I save my old blush and shadow when I purchase new ones.  These are one of my favorites things when I want soft color.  "Waste not want not", that's what momma always said.


So this afternoon I just played

     When I was a little girl my dad gave me 50 cents a week as an allowance.  Now, that may not sound like much but in the 50’s it was pretty good money.  One of the things I loved to buy was paper and I could buy a package of 250 sheets of typing paper for 25 cents back then.  It was great for my art.  Back then paper, crayons, a tin of water colors, scissors and paste was a complete set of artist supplies.  For a kid anyway.  We did not have the gazillion supplies of today, or the craft and art stores.  What we had was the “Five & Dime Stores” and oh my, they were the greatest places to venture into.  Not only did they have everything you could even dream of, they also had windows of candy, warm roasted nuts by the pound (or less) soda fountains with real ice cream and the Woolworths in our town even had a donut machine.  You could watch the donuts batter drop from one end of the machine into hot oil and float along getting turned once and then being lifted out and frosted at the other end.  The “Five & Dime” was a monastery of wonderful smells and sights.  Oh to be a kid again.  Well, we can not go back . . .can we?  But, that doesn't mean we have to grow up.  In fact I am totally against growing up, if it means you can not play with crayons and paper.  I guess I'm a kid at heart and pretty apt to stay that way.  Now, if you have read this far, I only have one more thing to say, "Go in your studio or your cubby and have fun!  
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22 comments:

  1. Hi Connie- thanks so much for stopping by and following my blog! I've enjoyed my visit to yours, too...love the eye shadow hint! I'm a new follower, too!

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    1. Linda, it's nice to visit with another new-be. Isn't this a delightful adventure . . . I have just been having so much fun. Meeting women from all over the world and sharing ideas, what could be better than that. Your blogging friend, Connie

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  2. When I was little, my mom gave me a huge eye shadow pallette, so I could play with it--In which case I made drawings using them. That is so cool that you do that too! The color is so soft and shimmery and ethereal. I'd recommend using a spray sealant though. The cards are awesome!

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    1. Thank you for the suggestion of spray sealant, I'll give it a try. I took a drawing class at our local community college and the instructor told us to use cheap hair spray. I does smell a whole lot better than acrylic sealant, but for some things the sealant is probably much better. I'm so glad you liked my cards. Thank You, Connie

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  3. wow..you are very talented...there is nothing more special than receiving a hand made card!

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    1. Hi Patti, and thank you. I'm so glad you like the my cards. I agree, when a handmade card arrives in the mailbox, it's like getting a hug. It's much more personal than a store bought one, but I do like those too. Thank you for choosing to follow my blog, your new blogging friend, Connie

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  4. thanks for visiting my blog, Connie! There is a big palette of eyeshadow in my garbage can upstairs that i JUST threw out this morning...I'm heading up there and digging it out right now! I add chalky pastels to a lot of my work, but never thought about using eyeshadow. Great tip!

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    1. I think you'll have fun with it, and I'm so glad you read my blog before the garbage man came. You don't usually see people dumpster diving in their own can. Sounds like the stuff short stories are written about. Maybe you have one in you. Thanks for the comment, it made my day, Connie

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  5. Hi Connie, I just love your profile - you sound like a really positive happy person. I think we're from the same era - I remember most of those things except I don't recall a donut machine! Wow! Love your tip about dollar store eye shadows - I know where I'm going tomorrow! Just became a new follower!

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  6. Hi Geri, I think you will enjoy the eye shadows and with the price of art supplies these days, it is nice to find a REAL BARGAIN. My birth date is 1945, you tell me if we are from the same era. I don't believe in getting old, I'm a kid at heart, and pretty darn apt too stay that way. Life's to short to not play and have fun. Your new blogging friend, Connie

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  7. Hey Connie!
    Thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving such a kind comment. It looks like you were having fun in your studio. Like you eyeshadow tip!
    Smiles-
    Melissa

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  8. Thank you, I am having fun! I feel a kinship with the creative souls that I have met through this blogging journey. It's a new adventure and as the song goes I'm "Lovin' Every Minute Of It".

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  9. Hey Connie,
    Not sure how I found you.... Great cards! There was a Woolworth's where I grew up that had a lunch counter. I used to love going in there because you never knew what you were going to find! Ours didn't have the donut machine though... but did have real ice cream!

    Do you put something over the eyeshadow to set it?

    Hugs,
    Kay

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  10. I personally do not seal it with anything, but I've had suggestions and I am going to give it a try. I have a feeling that sealing it may cause it to brighten the color and I like the softness. Then again without trying I may find that it doesn't change the color at all, or that I like the change better. I'm going to try acrylic sealer and I also am going to try cheap hair spray. The hair spray is a trick I learn from an art instructor at our community college. He says it's cheaper to buy and you don't have that smell of sealer. I really hate breathing the fumes left from the sealer. We used it all the time in his class. He also said the cheaper the better.
    I always heard my mom and dad reminiscing about the good old days. Now it's me that has the memories of other time when life was simpler. Was it better because I only saw it through the eyes of a child or was it in fact as wonderful as I remember?
    Thank you for becoming a follower to my blog, I truly appreciate it,
    Your blogging friend, Connie

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  11. Love your crafts! Thanks, for stopping by my blog. I am humbled and honored. I hope you joined--I just joined yours! I love the photos of the alligator! Wow! Scary! Loving the Lord, crafting and life! Blessings!

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    1. Cynthia, thank you for the warm and friendly visit. Yes, the alligators were pretty scary. I love your blog and started following before I saw this note. I'm sorry it took me so long to reply. Your blog in a true inspiration. It's beautiful to look at and it fills my spirit with pure joy. Thank you, Connie,

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  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. THIS IS ME AGAIN . . . I HAVE THIS TERRIBLE PROBLEM . . . WHEN I WANT TO REPLY TO SOMEONES COMMENT, I FIRST TYPE IT INTO A COMMENT BOX INSTEAD OF A REPLY BOX. THEN I HAVE TO DELETE IT AND DO IT AGAIN. I GUESS THIS OLD DOG IS HAVING TROUBLE LEARNING NEW TRICKS. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS HAPPENING TO THEM, OR AM I THE ONLY WACKY WOMEN OUT HERE?

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  13. WOW!!! You are SO TALENTED!!!
    HAHAHAHAHA! Regarding the comment/reply!
    Connie, we are all learning!
    I sometimes have a hard time, I never blogged before!
    Your blog is great! I loved your cards... sorry for saying love so much,
    but I can's say less than that! I also like to have cards handy... but I have to buy them... maybe I should start giving jam (something I can do, lol) instead.

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    1. I'm excited that you LOVE my blog, and every time you say it, my heart gets a little happier. Thanks! It's (my blog) kind of all over the place . . .but then, I have a lot of different interests . . . don't we all. Thanks again for the sweet visit. Connie :)

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  14. Oh my goodness Connie, Your cards are just beautiful! You are one talented lady. Can hardly wait to see more of your crafting talents.

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    1. I need to get into the studio and make some cards. I've got a few special occasions coming up and handmade is what my friends expect anymore. Once you start making our own greeting cards, there's no turning back LOL.

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