Just a little visit...

No I haven't picked the blog back up, but I had to post this! I have been a paper cutter since I was ten...probably earlier if you count the millions of little things I snipped with scissors from any paper I could lay my hands on! My actual first Scherensnitte was done at 10 however. I am amazed when I think at 10 I went into the Piece Good Shop (fabric and kind of craft shop in Virginia Beach when I was little), and used my allowance to purchase a "Scherensnitte" book.

It had preprinted pieces on parchment and I thought it was the most amazing thing ever! It was too hard to cut with scissors and so my dad showed me an x-acto knife. I'm sure my mother wasn't too keen on it, never have asked her about it really! I was ADD then and still am. I'm sure she was scared I'd slice my finger off, but I never did. What I did do is start to cut these intricate pieces and loved doing it. I found it challenging and relaxing.

My first book was Amish Quilts. Very straight forward lines and shapes, but very pretty. I was hooked and started buying books as I could find them and afford them. I gave many gifts away over the years and people always loved them.

Scherensnitte was an unusual craft that not too many people did and I think that was part of the enjoyment as well, it allowed me to be a little different and carve my own space out in a very talented family. My sister is a beautiful decorator and painted, sculpted, scrap booked and many other things, my mom does anything and everything, my cousins are very gifted artists, my dad builds and designs things, my grandmother and great grandmother are/were talented seamstresses, knitter, painters, etc. Hard to stand out surrounded by talent. No one in my family does this and that makes it special to me. That may sound selfish, but it's very important to feel like an individual and this has given me that in the world of artistic talents.

Today is my mother's birthday. I try to make her a special handmade gift every couple of years and then buy thoughtful gifts in between. A couple of years ago I made her a hand painted banner for her studio. I have made many things over the years and try to do something in a different medium each time. This year she will get a hand cut Scherensnitte from yours truly. I found a book at our local library called: Scherensnitte, designs and techniques for traditional paper cutting by: Susanne Schlapfer-Geiser. The original paper cutting in the book was done by: Christian Schwizgebel (1957). I adapted that and did it on white stock paper and mounted on acid free card stock and then framed it. I hope you enjoy looking at it and try your hand at paper cutting. It's a wonderful craft to learn and you are never too old!

I don't know when I'll post again. I am having the urge to blog a bit, but trying to post on a steady basis is not very conducive to my life currently. I wish you all a wonderful day and enjoy the images!

Until next time Dear Reader,

Chatty Cathy

1 Year!

Yesterday was my blog's one year Birthday. I started this blog post 2 days ago, but we have been very busy here.

I started blogging to find myself again. After a very hard life I had found a wonderful man and we were about to start our life together. I felt inclined to re-discover who I was and start participating in the things I had enjoyed over the years but had virtually stopped doing because of my divorce, lack of time and money....mostly lack of time- being a single, full time working mom of 4 teen girls was...well difficult to say the least!

I am happy to report I am very happy! My girls have flourished here in SC. Their life is secure and happy, I am secure and happy and I look forward to the future I have with my husband David. God has blessed me beyond measure. It's with heavy heart though that I came to the decision to stop this blog. Let me explain:

I had hoped the blog would be a way to re-discover all the things in life that gave me joy and give me an outlet to share my talents and possibly inspire others. I thought the blog would be a wonderful outlet to meet other women with similar interests and have a community where we could share and support one another.

For me blogging has been discouraging and a hit to my self esteem. It takes a long time to take step by step pictures and make a good blog post, but even longer to enter all the parties. I don't mind doing the posts, they are fun for me. The sad fact is this: If you don't enter parties consistently your blog does not seem to grow. I started looking at the time it was taking me to enter the parties and it was starting to become a part time job. I understand the parties are fun, but my time is dear with such a large family and all the activities we are involved in. I struggled with thinking I must not be as good as the other women out there who had families and could manage to do these parties. I realized this: I am not less than anyone. I choose to spend my time away from the computer, walking with my husband, cleaning the house, decorating, spending one on one time with my girls, cooking, creating art, sewing for my niece, making gifts for family, talking with my grandmother and sister and growing that relationship. When I looked at it, I found that those things rated higher on my list than blogging. There's nothing wrong with that right? So when others are getting way more traffic and members to their blog, they deserve it, they have put the dear time into making their blog a success. I was wrong to think I could do a blog and share great projects and it would be enough....beginners mistake. I realized it wasn't that others had a better blog, they just advertised themselves better so there's nothing to have low self esteem about! Problem there solved.

Another goal of my blog was to take baby steps. I am now doing that. Slowly working through my past and healing. Attacking projects and completing them, even slowly. I am doing this DESPITE the blog :) The blog snatched allot of valuable time where I could finish a project, scrub the pantry, take a day trip, do a program on healing the past. Now that I haven't posted in a bit, I have been able to spend more time completing things. Large things that is. I would tackle very small things for the blog because of the pressure to put up another post. Many times I delayed a big project, because I felt it wasn't blog worthy. So eliminating the blog will help me achieve the goal of taking Baby Steps and moving forward.

My last goal was to be able to share and be part of a community. Here's where I felt sad. I really thought sharing projects I'd get some feedback. Not much, but some. The truth is, I didn't. I'd go many posts with no comments except my mom's and sisters. Now while they are dear to me, I needed to know the time I spent maybe, somewhere, touched someone? I'd let people know I'd love comments and yet didn't hear any. I started to doubt anyone followed the blog? Who knows, maybe this blog post will go unread and uncommented on by any one but family? I guess I'm at the point where that's okay. I've always enjoyed sharing and teaching others around me. I was blessed to move something like 18 times! To be honest I am trying not to count!!!! LOL In every place I lived I taught at least one woman a craft or some sewing skill. It gave me joy and I thought the blog would be a great way to meet even more women. I haven't met anyone yet. This is not to say I have not cherished the comments I DID get.  I just kind of thought I'd see some regular followers and be able to communicate and share something. Many people I know have had this experience, I have not. You know what? It's okay as well. I enjoyed the projects I did, I enjoyed sharing, and I totally enjoyed getting the comments I did. I just don't know that I am really reaching too many people and the time thing makes it an uneven balance in my life.

Bottom line is. I will still read blogs, I will still create and I'll still grow. I don't have to author a blog to do those things. If anyone is reading this, I wish you great happiness and fun reading all the wonderful blogs out there! I enjoy reading so many of your wonderful blogs and seeing the amazing talent people have. Be happy, be sure of yourselves and enjoy your life. In all things trust in God to guide you and direct your path to what He has intended for you...I am attempting to do that now :)

Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:6

Goodbye Dear Reader,

Chatty Cathy