More about boxes

We've found that liquor stores are a good source for smaller boxes and this is one I brought home this week.  I was fascinated that a company would go to so much trouble to make an attractive box that probably wouldn't be seen by the customer since there are boxes inside for displaying on the shelf.  It's a whimsical, colorful design and I have to admit that it made me want to buy some Big House Red.  But I already have some bottles of wine to pack and don't wish to add more.  Although, maybe when I reach my destination and get settled in it will be a way to thank Big House Red for the use of their box. . . .

About the boxes. . . .

Before we can list the house we need to clear out some of the stuff we've accumulated over the years. There are two other reasons for doing this.   1) we want to downsize and 2) there's more of a financial value on those items we keep because of the cost of shipping.  We are making regular trips to Goodwill to donate stuff and I'm posting things for sale on Craigslist--and we are making some progress.

And then there's the really good stuff we want to keep.  And that means boxes.  Right now boxes are a big part of my life--where to get them; what size to get; what type of box.

The most practical type of box is the good, old-fashioned cardboard box.  They are available from some dumpsters and we're beginning to figure out a sort of schedule for optimum hunting.   They

 come in a variety of sizes, are lightweight and easy to deal with.                                                              

Then there are plastic boxes.  My mother was very fond of these for storage so I have quite a number of them in various sizes.  They are lightweight and durable but don't work well for everything.  And I've found it a bit tricky to store them compactly while keeping track of which lid goes with which box.  The end result is that I have boxes without lids and vice versa.  But I keep finding more boxes and more lids and am hoping they will eventually all match up.

I know from past experience that everything we want to keep ends up packed and somehow there aren't too many extra boxes to dispose of.  And I know that I probably won't miss what I'm discarding.  And I also know that I'll appreciate simplifying and having less stuff.  But as I go through this process I'm reminded hourly that this isn't any fun.  I'd much rather be stamping or photographing (something besides boxes).

Balanced Rock

This balanced rock is near the west entrance to the Colorado National Monument.  It's quite impressive but I had to play with some blending to see if I could make the photo more artistic.  I think I like it.

On Main Street

Talk a walk down the Grand Junction Main Street and you'll encounter one of our landmark sculptures, a metal buffalo.  Add some blended texture and you get this.  He's quite a handsome fellow and shows better without the distraction of the "real" background of bricks and windows.  And not to worry--he's very friendly.

Birthday Jar

I felt compelled to help my friend Alison celebrate her birthday yesterday.  And a stamper friend absolutely must have a hand-stamped card.  Fortunately I had some pieces sitting around after trying some new images and that gave me a start.  I certainly haven't had much stamping time with all the details surrounding the death in our family.  I'm beginning to put most of that behind me and get back to a regular routine but now we are selling our house and moving out of state so that's a whole new can of worms.  I'll just take things one day at a time.

California Lighthouse

This is another image I played with for my blending class.  For this session we were supposed to use a crackle background which seemed to suit this photo quite nicely.  As you can see, it put a whole different look to the entire photo and I think it looks a bit like a painting.  Can't wait to see what we try next.

A Bit of Embellishment

I don't know if it was the plain look of the card or more my desire to get back to some papercrafting after not doing it for several weeks but I thought this thank you card provided by the mortuary after my mother's funeral needed some special touches.  I didn't have a lot of them to do and since I used punches, it didn't really take all that much time.  And it really was a stress reliever to get back to some paper, ribbon and glue.  Maybe I'm supposed to be reserved and understated for the occasion but I don't think that's what Mom would have wanted.  And it's done now.  There won't be any others like them.

Edgy Petunia

This is another exercise from my online blending class.  The flower started as a purple petunia (previously posted) and I blended it with a hanky that had some embroidery cutwork.  There's layers and blending and a bunch of stuff but I couldn't begin to explain it all.  Hopefully it rests on it's beauty.

I'm Back

I don't know that I can post every day yet but today I got a new lesson in my online blending class and took time out to try some of the techniques presented.  This week the emphasis is on frames and in this case I created my own.  Haven't convinced myself that I'm crazy about the end result but it was a learning process and I have other things I want to try so check back.

Nearly There

We had the memorial service for my mother yesterday and thought it was just what she would have wanted.  Things went without a hitch and I had the bonus of a lot of family support.  Most of our immediate family goes home today; the remainder tomorrow.

Hopefully I'll be back to posting by the end of the week - but don't hold your breath.

Time Out

I will be unable to post for a while.  My mother is not expected to recover from an infection and is under hospice care. Her situation is all-consuming in a lot of respects.  Various family members have been in and out and some immediate family are here for the duration (days, we think).  I have hardly given a thought to stamping or photography.

I'll be back and appreciate your patience.

Sunflower Before and After

In a recent class in my online blending course, we played with adding crackle to our images.  The top image is the original photo and the bottom is the result of blending three additional layers to the photo.  That may not mean much to many of you but, take my word for it, it's fun to play with and the results are surprising.  And if you wonder why I bother with this, there's just no explaining it.

Sunset Cloud With Moon

On the train trip I mentioned yesterday, we saw this huge cloud as we traversed the rail yard in Denver about an hour later.  That little dot is the moon which was almost full so that gives you an idea of the perspective.  And, as you can see, the color was amazing.  You don't see something like this every day!

Colorado Plains

It's a panoramic view as the California Zephyr comes down the Rocky Mountains onto the plains.  We recently had this view with storm clouds.  I was in a moving train with just the camera on my iPhone do didn't know if the photo would come out, but I am pleased with the result.  If you haven't been on the train recently, you should give it a try and especially the route between Grand Junction and Denver.