A Valentine for you

Welcome!

all kaleidoscopes by inkspired

💖

“Every time you smile at someone,

it is an action of love,

a gift to that person,

a beautiful thing.”

- Mother Teresa

Today I want to give you a Valentine card.

Well, in the form of a blog of course!

I have rummaged through my photo albums to 

share kaleidoscopes,

show some of my handmade cards,

offer a few quotes & poems,

and give some simple Valentine crafts.

I do hope you relax and enjoy!

I ordered a Valentine postage stamp jigsaw puzzle

from my fave company,

White Mountain Puzzle Company.

1,000 piece,

Made In America.

When sorting the pieces it was obvious that the cutting blade had been dull while cutting this one and the pieces were not cut through and the backing paper was partially torn on many pieces. In other words, a defective puzzle!

I called, and wow was I ever impressed with the response!

After explaining, the first thing Betsy said was

“We will replace this immediately. Would you like to choose a different puzzle, or the same one?”

No ‘return with original packing.’

No ‘return the defective pieces.’

No hassle or grilling or questioning.

The kind of return you wish every company did!

So now I have 1,000 jigsaw puzzle pieces.

Can’t use them to finish a puzzle.

Lovely Victorian Valentine images.

Hmmmm....

I decided to put pieces together that formed little vignettes.

I used Glimmer Mist sprays on cardstock 

with doilies used as reverse stencils.

I rummaged through bits of lace, ribbons, yarn 

and scraps of fabric.

I punched out a LOT of flowers from paper scrap.

I used my Cricut to cut some phrases out.

Stamped a few images, 

cut some sentiments from used greeting cards.

In short, I had a blast making some unique,

one-of-a-kind cards!

❤️

Recycle Recycle Recycle

❤️

“The real voyage of discovery consists

not in seeking new landscapes

but in having new eyes.”

- Marcel Proust

Rhodotus of the family Physalacriaceae

I just had to post these beautiful mushrooms!

Did someone say Valentine crafts?

😁
I love paper, it’s no secret.

Let’s remember a fun craft we probably all made as children.

Paper chains, with hearts!

Here is one put together a little differently-

From the website howdoesshe.com

Next up - another type of paper chain.

Copyright 2015 auntannie.com

I hope you have a wonderful day.
Find something to laugh about,
someone who needs a hug,
and something beautiful to look at.

‘Til next time,
inkspired

Truth: (usually experienced before 10 am or coffee)
Once again I have discovered
that milk is not found in the coat closet.

Kirigami, Quotes and Mother Teresa

Hello! So happy to see you today!

Mother Teresa www.messagefrommasters.com

"It is not the magnitude of our actions

but the amount of love that is put into them

that matters."

- Mother Teresa

A woman I deeply respect -

found at www.asianews.it

"Every time you smile at someone,

it is an action of love,

a gift to that person,

a beautiful thing." 

- Mother Teresa

Kirigami:

Here are a few (more) samples of the wonderful Oriental cut paper art of kirigami:

kirigami art by inkspired

I have added little scraps of leftover origami paper behind my cuttings,

to give a sort of 'stained glass' effect.

I'm such a recycler, it kills me to throw away such pretty little bits of color!

Needless to say, my husband does not share my pack rat enthusiasm,

so we are a happy balance for each other!

:0)

"Being with someone,

listening without a clock

and without anticipation of results -

teaches us about love."

- Mother Teresa

You can always use the search blog box to find more kirigami from past blogs.

kirigami card with stamped and cut image of angel by inkspired

"Do not think that love in order to be genuine

has to be extraordinary.

What we need is to love 

without getting tired.

Be faithful in small things

because

it is in them that your strength lies!"

- Mother Teresa

On this kirigami card, I used a triangular kirigami of purple dragonflies

then layered a scrap of another kirigami cut from green paper

and added a stamped/cut out cone flower to finish it.

(The flower is from a discontinued Stampin' Up! Two-Step stamp set.)

"If we have no peace,

it is because we have forgotten

that we belong to each other."

- Mother Teresa

I hope you have enjoyed this blog of peace,

Mother Teresa

and kirigami ideas!

See you soon,

inkspired

www.inkspired.etsy.com

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com

and on pinterest:   kkloberdans

Feeling a Zen Zone coming on...

"Reach high,

for stars lie hidden in your soul.

Dream deep,

for every dream precedes the goal."

- Mother Teresa

Today is a zen day!

Zentangle day that is!

blank notecard by inkspired

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

Have you caught the zentangle bug?

Love to doodle?

Draw random designs?

Then ZENTANGLE is for you!

original zentangle design blank notecard by inkspired

I have doodled for years.

Drawn all sorts of things in the borders of all my school notes,

numerous notebooks and sketchbooks,

and on church bulletins!

blank notecard, www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

"Dancing with the feet is one thing,

but

dancing with the heart is another!"

- anonymous, a very prolific writer

original zentangle design blank note card by inkspired

So, what exactly is 'zentangle'?

Well, it is a catch phrase for drawing repetitive designs,

aka: doodling!,

usually with pen and ink,

but can also be pencil, colored markers, and more.

zentangle turtle on hand woven recycled paper scrap

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

While the art of repetitive drawing has been around for centuries, there has been a recent revival in the arts and crafts world thanks in a large part to Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Their use of repetition combined with meditation type thinking has been coined as “Zentangle”.

palm tree original zentangle design by inkspired, 2013.

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

To put it simply,

you get to doodle with a purpose,

in an abstract way, or a representative way

with any writing utensil you may have at hand!

There are no wrongs or rights.

What a freedom for the artist

or the wanna be artist

or the non-artist!

:0)

Now, I hear people say all the time

"I'm not creative".

Hogwash!!

We are all created in the image of G-d.

The Bible states that very clearly,

both Old Testament and New Testament.

Is G-d not creative?

Just look at the intricacy of a leaf....

csillacserep.wordpress.com

lacy leaf, www.flickr.com

or the humor and design of a platypus....

www.biolligado.com.br

www.livescience.com

or how about the patterns and designs we find in nature?

tropical discus fish

www.panoramio.com

Do these not show the creativity of a Creator?

I think the answer is a resounding

YES!!!

So, logically,

if we are created in the image of God,

and God is a creative being,

and is named

'The Creator'

therefore, 

we must be also

creative!!

ocean coral reef

www.wikimedia.com

In fact, nature has many inspirations for zentangle.

Look around, see what patterns you can see!

Doodle!

Remember, there is no wrong zentangle.

blog.lib.umn.edu

Goddess, part of my Goddess zentangle series of blank notecards

by inkspired

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

an original inkspired design 2013

I hope I have inspired you today to try out this wonderful creative outlet!

DO please share your images.

I would love to post them in a future blog!!

:0)

What is your favorite drawing medium?

Just leave a note in the comments section.

We can work out what size I need for posting your creations too!

Forest Tribal Goddess

original inkspired design, Goddess series, blank note card

until next time,

inkspired

www.inkspired.etsy.com

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com

and on pinterest:

kkloberdans