Good-bye and Hello

One of the hardest things in life, at least for me, is saying good-bye.. The tears sting in my eyes, I hug tighter, and send my children and grandchildren off as the world awakes to a new day. Off they go into the dark heading for home in the mountains of Colorado too far from my corner in northwest Ohio. Little pieces of my heart break off each time I kiss the top of a little boy’s head and a wee girl’s cheek with the question, “When will I see you again?” lingering amidst miss-you-already tears. Yes, I spent over 2 months in Colorado with them. Yes, I needed to be home in my own home, my own space creating with love, so here I am.

HELLO

Because of the change in plans for January I am a week behind with no time to get the Friday KISS to you. I vow that I will be working through the weekend and all next week to bring new listings to Studio on the Corner Etsy shop and a Friday KISS freebie to you February 3rd. I have such plans and goals for 2023, even though I’m getting a late start. Stay tuned and check in a few days for some fun and new places to go, things to do and people to meet.

Now I’m going to say, toodle-loodle-loo and take the rest of the day to draw a deep breath, get a good night’s sleep, and begin tomorrow, filled with excitement, to put Studio on the Corner on the map.

See you soon, dear friends!

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Welcome 2023

Things have been a bit off kilter for the last 2 months. ACK! I can’t believe it’s been so long! All is well, it’s just that I took an extended trip to Colorado to spend the holidays with my son and his beautiful family. While here I/we came down with one or several of the flu variants racing around the US and bounced the little bugs back and forth. Even through coughs and chills we had the very best holidays we could. Afterall, there’s nothing like the wonder in the eyes of a 5-year-old and the silly joy of a 2-and-a-half-year-old. These memories remain long after. I’m still in the mountains of Colorado but will return to my corner of the world in NW Ohio in a couple weeks. For now, I’ll do my best to stay in touch via blog, Instagram and who knows…perhaps Pinterest. I’m ready to start the new year and have made a few plans for the coming year.

Coming to a corner near you

The Friday KISS fun ended abruptly and it’s time to get back to sharing only this year there will be monthly themes, most of the time. Instead of random offerings a theme will keep your freebies consistent so you can use them together in journals, cards, tags, and all manner of paperie projects. The first Friday KISS for 2023 will be Friday, January 27th with a love & romance theme running through February. Themes for each month are being formed with ideas for crafting. I’m looking forward to sharing freebies each week with anyone and everyone who loves to create from paper.

A VIDEO PROMISE FOR 2023

Last year saw a very brief experiment in the world of YouTube videos. One poorly produced video sits on my Studio on the Corner site. This time away from home has given me the opportunity to do some deep pondering about where I want my little business to go. Dormant is not a word to associate with something loved as much as Studio on the Corner is loved by me so why not share this year’s journey via videos. Yes, I will make videos, yes I will do my best to create videos that are informative and fun. Is this a new year resolution? We’ll see. the 2023 plan is to start sharing videos by the first of February and you’ll be the first to know!

That’s it for today. I’m so glad I stopped by for a few minutes. I’ve missed our visits. Take care and may 2023 bring you much joy, prosperity, peace and love!

Friday KISS No.18

Wonderful Words! Like my passion for paper, words give me great pleasure; reading, writing, saying, hearing and using typography and printed words in paperie projects brings contentment. I wonder, do most people have favorite words? I do! My all-time fave has always been the word. . . L U L L A BY. The way the word rolls off my tongue and between my lips makes me sigh and of course, the connotation brings the sweetest of memories, rocking my babies, cuddling my grandchildren, and the soft lilt of a song meant to hush, soothe, and reassure.

Friday KISS No.18 is a sheet of words because if you’re creating mixed media, junk journals or art journals, collages or any of a thousand paperie projects you cannot have too many words to cut or tear out. The sheet you can download for free is a mixed variety of words mostly encouraging, inspiring, with a smattering of holiday words.

DOWNLOAD WONDERFUL WORDS HERE

Just download the JPG sheet and print. Cut out each word or do what I prefer, tear them out. Yeah, it takes longer but the look is old, grungy and fun. Don’t forget to ink the edges before adhering the word tag to your paperie project.

Creating collages is so much fun and anything can be collaged….greeting cards, invitations, recipe cards, index cards, and the list goes on. I made a mega invitation card using the printed words as the background on a cereal box cut to size. I borrowed bits and pieces from some of my Etsy listings along with a stamp, a bit of watercolor and an attempt to paint around a small leaf. I always add splatters, runs, and spots because I like how it looks. “We Gather Together” was torn from the sheet and glued to a place card cut in two. Look below to see what was used to create the invitation.

• Cereal box or card stock cut to the size you wish
• Wonderful Words Friday KISS freebie used as background
• November and the number 24 from the GARDEN PLANNER KATE’S GARDEN
• Bittersweet label and place card from WE GATHER TOGETHER DINNER KIT
• Orange and cream checked diagonal paper FARMHOUSE HALLOWEEN PAPERS
• Scissors, ink, Tim Holtz’s distressed ink, a letter stamp, watercolor paint, brushes, Mod Podge, and glue.
• IMAGINATION

Walk through the fallen leaves rustling them as you go and finding joy in the beauty of fall. Create something that makes your heart sing and have a lovely day/evening!

Friday KISS No.17

It’s that time again…. time to share a freebie. I created a sheet of ephemera to stack. “What’s a stack?” you ask. It’s a term I came up with while creating pages[papers that look like there’s a stack of papers/ephemera on it. Then, I thought, wouldn’t it be cooler to put an actual stack on a page rather than a flat appearance of? Yes! Soooo…

How to Create Stacks

The sheet you’ll download can be the entire stack or add ephemera from other kits, from you stash of paper goodies, or use one of your own, sent or new. In fact you can make your stack as small or as thick you wish.

• Print and cut out the ephemera pieces. Tearing instead of cutting gives the larger pieces a rough look
• Give all the pieces added age by inking the edges
• Crinkle a piece or two for a time-worn look; lightly ink the created creases
• Place the largest piece of paper on the bottom. This can be the largest image included in this Friday KISS or use a coffee-dyed or aged paper of your own.
• Before gluing lay out the pieces to get a good idea of how you want your stack to look
• Gluing one corner of the group together allows you to flip each piece back and write on the blank pages and bits.
• Gather a group of ephemera and punch a hole through the stack place a reinforcement around each hole or add an eyelet to hold the pages together

You can always use each piece on its own in a junk journal, a scrapbook page, a greeting card or what ever paperie craft that sparks your imagination.

Download Friday KISS No.17 HERE

Grab THE OLD ADVERTISING DIGITAL EPHEMERA PACK with over 100 bits of antique ephemera from an old printer’s catalog and create stacks for all your journal pages and paper projects. There are 9 – 8.5 in x 11 in sheets of ephemera with

I hope you enjoy this week’s Friday KISS and create loads of stacks for journaling your thoughts, collecting quotes, and writing little notes.

Have a wonderful day and always make it with paper!

Friday KISS No.16

Greetings! Finally, I’m feeling like my normal self and excited to share a Hallowe’en freebie with you! We all have those special little trick or treaters in our lives whether they’re children, grandchildren, family, or friends; I like to make their treats a little extra festive. Today I’m sharing with you a Friday KISS freebie of 4 pages!

The Hallowe’en Candy Wrapper Kit is a fun way to add a bit more fabulous to your Hallowe’en celebrations. The kit includes:

• Page 1: 2 candy wrappers that fit KitKat candy bars 1.5 oz (42g) & 9 – 1.25 inch circles
• Page 2: 9 Bag Toppers
• Page 3: 9 Tags
• Page 4: Striped Paper

Now to share a frustration. . . my plan was to create a video on assembling kit, but my printer is on the fritz. I’m getting a lovely lavender color that would be perfect for flowers, but this is black, orange and dark beige. I just replaced the ink and still lavender wants to be the star of the Hallowe’en show sooooo….. no video today. Instead how about a tutorial here.

Create the Wrappers

• Print as many wrappers as you need using 20 lb paper
• Cut out wrappers
• Place the wrapper on the candy bar (the pumpkin should fit perfectly over the top)
• Secure with double-sided tape or a spot of glue

Create the Bag Toppers

• Print the bag topper page on heavier card stock, 65 lb works well
• Cut out each topper and fold in half horizontally
• You’ll need 3 inch wide cello bags
• Place the topper over the bag opening
• You can staple the topper closed or punch 2 holes through the topper and bag. Thread a ribbon or string through the holes and tie closed.

Create the Tags

• Print the sheet of tags on heavier card stock, 65 lb – 110 lb works well.
• Cut out the tags
• Punch a hole in the middle top. Here you can add a reinforcer, a brad or grommet for a bit more interest.
• Thread a ribbon or string through the hole

Create the Circles

• The circles were printed on 20 lb paper along with the candy bar wrappers, cut each one out
• You’ll need a package of 1 to 1.25 inch metal rimmed tags.
• Place a dot of glue on the backside of a circle and place inside the metal rim of the tag. Press down.

The Striped Paper

Use the striped paper for the back of the sheets to give a finished look to your candy project. You can also use it to create fun treat bags with a gusset or a cookie flat cookie bag. Cut lots of circles and add dots. Make a large accordion circle using about 4 sheets.

Take it to Another Level

• You can use various sizes of cello bags or even make a bag from the striped paper.
• Add flair to plain brown paper bags. Print the striped paper on the back of the wrapper/circles page. Cut out the circles and glue them to the bag to create polka dots. Fold the bag over, punch holes into the folded top and lace through ribbon with a metal rimmed circle and tag attached.
• Use all sizes of cello bags from pretzel bags to small treat bags. Place the topper on, add a tag and a circle.
• Wrap the candy bar, tie with ribbon like a gift package, and add a circle before tying it in a bow.

The candy kit has so many options and I hope you find that it’s just too much fun adding zing to your Hallowe’en treats! Get your download HERE

You can purchase a larger candy wrapper kit from Studio on the Corner Etsy shop:

Treat Me Mini Candy Wrapper Kit

If you have any questions, suggestions or inspiration please send an email or leave me a message on Etsy. I’ll get back with you.

Have a lovely fall day/evening and always make it with paper!

Welcome October

So sorry it’s been a while. I had a lovely visit with my son and his family that ended far too soon. Grandchildren are such a blessing. Since then, I’ve been under the weather, but finally feeling much better. I missed Friday KISS last week and sorry to say there will be no Friday KISS freebie this week, either. I’ve just gotten back to my computer and playing catch-up. I promise there will be a little something special next Friday!

October is my favorite month of the year and we’ve been so lucky here in nw Ohio with splendid fall weather. The leaves are changing from lush green to yellows, oranges, reds, and burnished browns. The earthy fragrance of autumn delights the senses and all the glorious accoutrements like apples, pumpkins, and chrysanthemums take the stage.

One of the joys of fall begins in the early morning. I’m an early bird, usually up by 5-6 am and sometimes earlier awaiting that first sip of steaming, hot coffee. Yes, I’m one of those lovers of pumpkin pie spice cream in my autumn coffee. Unfortunately, finding it in the stores has been a frustration. Oh where are you pumpkin spice creamer?

One of the things I love about the early morning is how quiet the world is. Sitting and sipping coffee with the windows open often brings unexpected songs. A morning earlier in the week, my favorite owl called from somewhere in the woods across the street. The hoot is almost melancholy, but lovely none the less. I did a bit of research searching for the owl sound and discovered what I’ve heard is most likely an Eastern Screech owl. You can listen Here if you’re interested.

This is where I find my inspiration…in the simple things like a cup of morning coffee, the hoot of an owl, the colors of pumpkins and apples, the bumpy lumps on a gourd. My spirit is renewed and life moves forward with contentment. Where do you find inspiration and that sense of well-being? Please share in the comments.

A package of a dozen Halloween digital pages is what’s new in Studio on the Corner Etsy shop. The papers are black and cream with a fun and spooky Halloween theme. Check them out! The pages measure 11 in x 8.5 in with space to add your own scary bits. The pages are perfect for journals and paper crafts of all kinds.

That’s it for today and next week Friday KISS freebie will be back!

Friday KISS No.15

It’s been feeling like fall here in my corner of this wide world. Cooler nights, warm days with subtle hints that fall is nearby. I love it! I have a bit of news. I’m going to be misssing in action for a bit as I embrace and savor each moment I have with my son and his family. I only see them a couple times a year so this is super special! They arrive next week so Friday KISS No.16 will be delayed until September 30th. But for today. . .

It’s simple but super time-saving. French KISS No.15 is a PNG template that is a sheet of large tags. I used an old luggage tag, scanned it and created a large, 2.5 inch wide by 5 inches long tag. One sheet has the solid tags in a cream color and the other are the tags in black outlines. Creating is as easy as printing a pretty paper on one side of card stock and then printing the outlined tags on the other or on top. You’re going to end up with 6 tags that need to be cut out. Punch in a hole add a string or ribbon and you’re good to go. OR. . .

Print on plain paper and embellish with great gusto! OR. . . collage a masterboard and use one tag to create a sturdy tag and trace around it over the masterboard that you’ve all ready created.

OR. . . Upload either sheet of tags into Photoshop and create your very own digital tags. And yes, you may sell them, either as digitals or as physical goodies.

Studio on the Corner Friday KISS 1No.5 DOWNLOAD

The paper freebie has a Halloween vibe and you can use any paper or method to create tags. The bottom line is…have fun creating something fun, something whimsical, something from your imagination.

I must run. There’s so much to do including getting THREE listings into Studio on the Corner Etsy shop before Thursday. Until we meet again, have a lovely time and create with joy!

Friday KISS on Saturday

Good morning, crafty friends! I’m a day late, but I come bearing Friday KISS No.14 on Saturday. I spent yesterday with a friend and glad I did! I know, I know…but I didn’t get a KISS to you so let’s do it today and make it extra special.

I am so into YouTube and have long wanted to start a channel of how-tos, listings, and tutorials of the crafting and digital kind. I’ve wondered, does the world really need another YouTube channel on paper crafting and digital designing? I’ve come to the conclusion that while the world may not NEED another crafting channel, I want to give it a try. This is not easy for a somewhat introvert who does not like to ever be in front of a camera so I’ll look at this as hands on tutorials with I hope will turn out to be a bit more. We’ll see. So what does this have to do with Friday KISS No.14? Well. . . you can watch a video I made on how to put the freebie together. It’s short, sweet and most important, easily understood or so I hope.

This week’s Friday KISS No. 14 freebie is an adorable pocket that you create from a 6 inch circle.

You Get. . .

• 1 sheet with a roughly 6 inch circle, 2 tags and a label
• 1 patterned paper to print on the back of the sheet with the circle and tags

Download Friday KISS No14 I’ll bet you’re wondering..how does this work? This question leads me to. . . can’t believe I finally did it!

I’m so excited to announce this! Go ahead! Click on Friday KISS No.14 how-to video and learn how to create a pocket with a couple different places to tuck in a tag, a bookmark, a slim candy bar, a note or letter. Use these multi tuck pockets in journals, planners, cards, or alone as a little gift. So fun!

The Old-Fashioned School Days kit gives you loads of options from paper to embellishments to flash cards that will create journal pages, planners, cards, collages, mixed media art and whatever your imagination conjures up. You can use for personal projects or commercial endeavors if you’re a one-person show. Be sure to read the full terms of use on Studio on the Corner Etsy shop before using for digital or paper commercial creations. Just click on the Studio on the Corner Etsy shop text above, purchase, download, print, cut and create! So easy.

Time to wrap up this Friday KISS on Saturday. Get your Friday KISS No 14 freebie, take a peek at my first video, grab the Old-Fashioned School Days printable kit, and create with joy!

Welcome September

September is happily welcomed into my life with a smile and looking forward to my favorite month of the year, October. Perhaps it’s because I was born in the fall that I embrace the days of autumn. Cooler weather, an earthy fragrance, and the subtle changes mother nature invokes brings me joy. This September will be one to remember. My children and grandchildren will be here at the end of the month…just in time for marshmallows toasting over a wood burning fire in the ring, a celebration of fall, and hugs galore.

This week we’ll celebrate September and Friday KISS No.13 with 3 charming papers.

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Welcome September papers are 8.5 in x 11 in with a golden yellow and cream stripe and gingham patterns with images from old garden catalogs that hale from the late 1800s. The rustic cart image began as an advertisement in a farm magazine from the early 1900s. The script on the middle page are the notes from a naturalists field journal, also from the late 1800s.

Click to download: SotC Welcome September papers

Papers are handy for so many things, big projects like creating beautiful, stuffed-full journals, making lovely boxes to hold everything from paper scraps to luxurious gifts or a card. I used the 3 papers to collage an autumn card.

Let’s make a list of ways to use papers :

1. Journals
2. Scrapbooking
3. Cards
4. Stationery
5. Collage wall art
6. Invitations
7. Tags and Labels
8. Wire twists
9. Party decorations
10. Pinwheels
11. Accordion pinwheels
12. Cupcake papers and wrappers
13. Cupcake toppers
14. Tablescape decorations
15. Mobiles
16. Treat Bags
17. Party Favors
18. Fans
19. Banners
20. Paper Beads
21. Planners
22. Organizers
23. Envelopes
24. Use in altered books
25. Straw FLags
26. Recycle, upcycle cans into desk accessories
27. Recipe cards, tabbed dividers
28. Cover an old recipe box
29. Napkin rings
30. Bookmarks

The list could go on and on, but we’l leave there for now because I’m sure you get the picture. I’m running late so that’s it for today. Happy creating. . .

Have a lovely day/evening!

Blocked

There are days when the creative juices do not flow. A blank page, screen, or canvas stares back at you waiting. . . waiting for you to pick up your pen, brush, stylist or mouse and begin. You may have several projects started that need to be finished and yet nothing comes to you. So what do you do?

TAKE A WALK Get out into the great outdoors where every sense comes into play. Notice the rust on a wire fence, listen to the chatter of squirrels in the trees above, the musky smell of wet earth, pick up an acorn and feel the textured top and the smooth bulb below, taste a raindrop on your lips.

READ FROM YOUR FAVORITE INSPIRATIONAL BOOK. Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way is my go to. She offers so many ideas for moving forward within a creative life. From her book I began morning pages 20 years ago. Look it up…you may find writing every morning before you do anything except brew a cup of coffee or tea to be so helpful.

DO NOTHING Have you ever taken the time to just be? Turn off the phone, the TV, the lap top, and computer. Walk away and find a quiet place to just sit and be. Meditate, if that’s your jam or not, but being still for even a short time can begin to refill your creative well.

TAKE A DAY TRIP Move beyond your studio, workroom, corner or table. Go somewhere with a friend to a place you enjoy or may be out of your comfort zone. My favorite places to go are the Toledo Symphony, a play especially one in which my grandson and/or daughter are involved, sitting and slowly sipping a coffee or tea with a friend at a bistro and finally a day visiting one of the Great Lakes. Water has a way of bringing vast contentment and inspiration to me.

I have tried each of these. One or several usually works, but there are times when the creative block just needs to run its course. Today, I’m taking Isabel Allende’s advice and showing up. The motivation is just not there today but I’m going to soldier on and see what I can accomplish.

What do you do when you have creative block?

Resource: New York Public Library digital Collections

I have a resource to share: The New York Public Library digital collections. Just scroll down through the featured themes and click away. Or you can add a few keywords into the search box. Click on an image and discover details about the image such as who created the image, the year, and if it is in the public domain. You may come across images that are NOT in the public domain… just enjoy the image where it is and if you love it, check back later to see if it is yet in the public domain.

Happy Creating and have a lovely day!