A Great New Find And The MPG 2014 Event

The Penmaker and I

attended the Midwest Penturners Gathering in Champaign, IL this weekend, and on our way there we made a slight detour to Matoon to go to Daisy Lane Scrapbooking & Craft Mall. I always try to inform you when I find a shop worth visiting, and believe me, this is a MUST SEE scrapbooking store. When I say this place is humongous, that isn't an exaggeration. Aisle after aisle of papers, stickers, dies and die-cuts, rubber stamps, inks, paints, glitter, beads, ribbon... I could go on and on. Please, go if you're anywhere near that area.

 Then our big event...

the MPG for 2014. What can I say... we had a ball! Loved the speakers... so informative! I may start making pens myself! Here's the Penmaker getting some vital facts on wood.

Here I am with my new

friend, Joanne, making another pen blank purchase. She showed me one I couldn't resist buying!

I'll be back tomorrow

with a new layout to show you. Have a wonderful Sunday evening.

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Secret Garden Thank You Pocket Card w/Tag #5 And A Knight's Amour Pen

This fifth pocket card

of my six thank you SG cards incorporates the French Country 6 x 6 Patterns & Solids pad from Graphic 45. The mustard/goldtone was such a beautiful match to the Secret Garden papers that I couldn't resist tearing out a sheet of my hoarded treasure and pairing it up. 

I made another of the daisies

with I Am Roses white petals and a Prima Say It In Crystals gem. The foliage is again the Spring Greenery from Alterations... the long fern this time, shaped with my tweezers and shaded with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The other die I used are Alterations Baroque and Spellbinders Large Ovals.

Only one more in this series to post. 

A new pen from the Penmaker...

this is called Knight's Amour with an acrylic blank. He has made dozens of pens in the last few weeks, but I wasn't able to get them photographed. I just have to get faster at this... now they are all gone. They were gorgeous... a variety of antler, horn, spalted wood, osage orange. He is really going to town on these! We have a Penturners Convention coming up next week, so hopefully he can pick up a few more supplies and then I can show you what he turns out.

Have a wonderful day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Birthdays And Penturners...

what a weekend!!!

Are you finding that in spite of the unusual weather we've been having, you are really busy with activities? We certainly are... and happy for it, because most of that activity has included family. Granddaughters Katie and Faith are having birthdays. Our daughter had one big party for both, as Faith is just turning one and really isn't into all the celebrating yet. But... what a bummer... can you believe, when we got to their house, my camera batteries went dead... so no photos. 

So I'll just show you Katie's card...

With her turning ten, 

I thought I'd go with a more feminine look, and used the Prima Lyric collection. It's loaded with beautiful images of chandeliers, roses,  music scores and all sorts of the girly things Katie loves.

The flowers and leaves are 

all from I Am Roses. Even though I have the Lyric collection flowers, I thought these were prettier.

Our second big event

of the weekend, was a penturners gathering in Oakwood Village at Woodcraft.

We met a lot of fellow

enthusiasts, had a discussion about starting a group in our area and had a drawing for prizes. The Penmaker and I both received IAP caps, which we are thrilled to have. (I was really wanting to win one when we went to the Richmond gathering, but instead won a package of very high end pen blanks.) 

Our speaker, Glenn McCullough,

did a demo on turning a calligraphy pen. Now this is something I could get into! These are great for art journaling.

Afterward, Glenn was

encouraging me to get started turning my own, and he even gave me this beauty as further incentive. (Thank you so much, Glenn!)

Hummm... I am really considering making these!

Jim Fischer presented

me with this fabulous bud vase... turned from segmented wood. (Thanks again, Jim!)

Here's another shot of

it along with my cap. The vase has a plastic insert for water, so it can actually be used for fresh flowers.

Sorry to be so long

with this post... but I really wanted to share these great wood pieces with you! It might be something some of you may want to try, too!

I'm linking up at:
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Happy And Safe At Home

Hi, sweet friends!

The Penmaker and I got back home last evening, safe and happy. I mean that sincerely, as we were listening to the radio on our way, and praying for the dear folk in Oklahoma. My heart goes out to those who no longer have a home to go back to, or worse, their loved ones. We are so very blessed in that everything was as we left it when we pulled into the driveway.

The penturners gathering

was much more than I anticipated. It was great fun, along with being a marvelous learning experience for us. In some ways, it was reminiscent of the Civil War seminars where I sold my books, when I had my business... only pens. 

See that big smile!

I had one too, because as we pulled into the parking area, I noticed a Michaels two doors down.

Here are a few pictures of us someone took when I was unaware.

It's funny, but

I always thought I smiled a lot. I can see now, I really need to improve on that skill.

Our second day

consisted of classes and of course, shopped for more pen supplies.

I think men love 

shopping for their supplies as much as we women do.

All in all, a very

pleasant experience, very worthwhile, and I will certainly go again when the Penmaker plans another trip.

We took that side

trip to Fredericksburg, and visited Scrapdoodles again. Unfortunately, I had bought so much the first time there, I didn't find anything else new I wanted, so I just restocked the papers and eyelets I had used last week. I had I fun time talking with the two ladies that were working that day, and got to show them some of my projects that I had taken along. I LOVE that store... wish it was closer.

We also swung

by Surplus City (see posts here, here and here). It was two years ago that we had visited that store and I really was anxious to return for more lace. This is what I bought along with the papers from Scrapdoodles...

I know there are

a lot of photos here, but I feel very animated and gabby today (probably from the amount of coffee we consumed the last few days).

I'm glad to be back

in my studio today to create and I'm so very happy to have you to talk with... I love you guys! You're the best... can't wait to visit you and see what you've been up to!

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda