Sunday, December 24, 2006

painted paper for Christmas cards by Robin Atkins

Merry Christmas
& Have a Beady New Year!

While visiting my nearly-90-year-old Mom in Minnesota a few weeks ago, we occupied the craft room in her assisted living home for a few days and painted a bunch of papers. Later, we cut up the papers and pasted them on blank cards, which we rubber stamped with our Christmas greetings. It was great fun to play with her like that, and she enjoyed it too! Wish I had pictures of us working to show you, but we were too covered with paint and having too much fun for picture taking. Below are a few of the ones I did... I'm just showing the painted part, not the whole card.

painted paper for Christmas cards by Robin Atkins

painted paper for Christmas cards by Robin Atkins
painted paper for Christmas cards by Robin Atkins

painted paper for Christmas cards by Robin Atkins
Christmas painting, acrylic on drawing paper, by Robin Atkins
This last one isn't a card. It's actually a full sized painting, which I've since framed. It reminds me of the nicer aspects of our recent snow storm (here and here).

earrings by Robin Atkins, bead artist
I have two favorite pairs of Christmas earrings. I made these stars (origami - folding strips of paper - here are instructions) into earrings, and have a necklace to match as well.

earrings by Robin Atkins, bead artist
These are my other favorite Christmas earrings. I'm sorry that I can't recall the name of the woman in Edmonds, WA who made these lampwork beads years ago. I don't know if she's still making beads or not. Anybody recognize them? She didn't have two Santas, so I made them different. I love that they don't match, and always enjoy wearing them.
Note added on 1-30-07: The beads in these earrings and the fibula pin below were made by Marjorie Burr and she's still making beads! When I knew her (around 1994), she was still teaching school, but looking forward to retirement and a new career making beads. Seems she's done it!

fibula pin by Robin Atkins, bead artist
Here is a Christmas fibula pin I made years ago with beads by the same person as the earrings above. I mostly wear it on a black fleece coat, but sometimes move it onto a sweater.

beaded panel on leather box by Anna Feher
Over the years, some of my beady friends have made me some really wonderful beaded gifts. This is a woven (peyote stitch) panel, which is mounted on a black leather box. My bead sister, Anna Feher in Hungary made it for me.

rabbit Christmas ornament by Janet Briggs
Here is my favorite beady gift from this year... an ornament featuring my totem animal (rabbit), made by Janet. This is really special for many reasons. First, I LOVE it... and second, it blows me away that a blogging friend whom I've never met would know me well enough to send such a totally me gift!

My brother, Thom, and I often exchange hand-made gifts. This year, in addition to sending a gorgeous wreath, he and his wife made us three snowflake ornaments, which I've hung in our kitchen window.

beaded snowflake by Thom Atkins
beaded snowflake by Thom Atkins
My Christmas wish for you:

May your holiday season be filled with the spirit of play,
and may the new year bring you many blessings of
peace, love, friendship, family, health,
creativity and more play!

13 comments:

  1. Happy Holidays, Robin. I have been reading your blog for a few months, and I want to thank you for all the wonderful inspiration.

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  2. The origami paper earrings ROCK!! I would love to learn how to make those...Merry Christmas, Robin=:)

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  3. To All ~ The paper stars are actually quite sturdy. I've had this pair of earrings and matching necklace for 6 years or so, and have worn them frequently. They're also simple to make. There is a very good and easy-to-follow tutorial here.

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  4. Merry Christmas to you too, Robin. Love the cards!!!
    Also those snowflakes from Thom and his wife are just precious.
    Thanks, as always, for a great post...looking forward to sharing 2007 with you and all our precious blogging friends....

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  5. Lovely goodies! and enjoyed the snow pictures from my nice warm Houston!!

    Merry Christmas to you, Robin!

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  6. The earrings are wonderful....I love things that don't match. And the snowflakes are so beautiful but most of all I love the painted papers. I think it's great that you and your mom made them together. They have an even more special quality to them.

    Wishing you and yours the merriest and happiest of holidays. I'm so glad I found your blog.

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  7. Especially loved the papers you did for cards with your Mom. Best of all, that you did do these with her. Lucky you and lucky your Mom that you still have one another and can find time together -- that is really special. Hope your Christmas is wonderful.

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  8. Just dropped by to say Happy holidays. Beautiful stuuf you have on here. I love the painted papers.

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  9. Good to hear from you Robin. I love the earrings--especially the origami ones--and the pin, but the snowflakes knocked me out! Great! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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  10. Robin, I love all the holiday pictures, but most especially the painted paper you made. They are wonderful!

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  11. Robin.....I wish for you the same! A beady beady new year!!!!!I really enjoy your blog and want to thank you for sharing. Your work is an endless inspiration to me! Thanks, Linda

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  12. Robin--I love your blog (as I treasure your books and your website). I've learned to make the origami stars (there are a couple of great videos on how to make them on YouTube) but I can't figure out how to get the headpin through the paper. Do you make a hole with a needle first?

    Thanks for your wonderful presence.
    Barb

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  13. To Barb ~ Thanks for the compliments! Yes, you're right on... use a large needle or book-making awl to poke opposing holes in the star large enough for the headpin.

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Thanks you for joining the discussion on this post today!