The repetitive nature of making paper and then turning it into envelopes is a quiet and soothing time for me. Dipping and drawing the frame into the water bath of pulp, lifting the excess water from the paper and then waiting while it dries. Pressing it and again, waiting. The hand cutting, the hand folding and then the finished envelope. Really, to work and create with ones hands is a gift and a blessing.  - envelopes

Things here are looking like spring has finally decided to make an appearance. We've waited for some time now for her to peek her lovely self out from behind some crazy, non typical weather. Seriously, when you have snow falling with wind gusts and the sun brightly shining, you have a very fickle weather persona, seemingly unable to make up its mind.

.... A Pretty Paper Place ....  My new shop slogan. 
I've been quietly playing with snipping and folding. 
Snip, snip - always loved the sound of the scissor cut. Don't really get that, but I do and have since I was a wee one, creating paper dolls with the sears catalog.
Is it a weird liking, do you think!?

Oh, by the way, if you're looking for an alternative to picnik, picmonkey seems to have most of the bells and whistles that picnik has/had.

If you're paying any attention to the numeral title of this post, you'll notice that I have been gone for some time. Have been busy and totally distracted with life - with a new little life .... my brand new baby grandson JOBY. Really, I am so blessed and over the top thankful for the best of reasons for distraction, my sweet little JOBY.

Sitting by the phone all day today and pretty much all week. Waiting on an important call .... the arrival of grand baby #2. So, keeping myself busy while waiting is goal #1.

The sky opened up today and poured out buckets and buckets of rain. Can only think how great and green our spring will be. So, thank you! We'll hunker down in our warm dens and watch from the window as "YOU" do your awesome creative work.

 Quote Sharing: "For we pay a price for everything we get or take in this world; and although ambitions are well worth having, they are not to be cheaply won, but exact their dues of work and self-denial, anxiety and discouragement." 
~ Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Lately, probably since mid January, I've become the "looking for signs of spring" .... inspector. I've looked up and bent down to watch very closely as buds get fatter and fresh green shoots sprout up and out of the ground. Week by week I've seen miniscule changes. Tiny little changes .... changes that are promising and exciting.

Quote Sharing: "The unexpected has happened so continually in my life that it has ceased to deserve the name." 
- The Stark Munro Letters by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Just now, today, coming around to being mobile. Sore back left me fairly sedentary, which left me unable to post my goal of, a picture a day, 'everyday' - 366 days. That kinda bums me out, just kinda tho. Thankfully the back pain is fairly minimal at this point, I'm taking it slow and doing some mini jobs here and there. I've never had back pain issues before so I can really sympathize with those who experience it on an ongoing basis. "Not fun!" Did have wonderful people all around helping out, so, that also gives reason for thankfulness.

Quote Sharing:"Human speech is like a cracked tin kettle, on which we hammer out tunes to make bears dance when we long to move the stars."    Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert