Eraser carving again

My first tries at eraser carving were inspired by Traci Bunkers. I like how she takes ordinary things and uses them for stamping. I got her book, Print and Stamp Lab and have used many of her ideas for cards and journal pages.

Lately my creating self has been spinning her wheels. I've done some knitting, made teensy Barbie doll hats, started another washcloth. Today I was reminded about carving erasers, and decided to write down what I've done, since first inspired to do that.

After a visit to the Dollar Tree, I did a tiny bit of carving on some erasers and liked the way they turned out.

just a little bit of carving made a cute stamp. I carved this with the cuticle cutter from a manicure set I got from the Dollar Tree as well as the pack of erasers.

just some variations on the airplane eraser. The kids like to stamp with it.

I started seeing a fish in this so carved it away. 

Good to be practicing on little things that didn't cost a whole lot. I got a bag of these shaped erasers for $1. 

This one is my favorite so far. It was inspired by a stamp but doesn't look like it at all. 

This one has turned out to be the most versatile and well used. The stamp is just the single swirly at the top and the bottom two are examples of what I have used them for. 

I want to get back into Creative Mode; there are some things stopping me at the moment. But one day at a time, right? Meantime, getting all my crafty stuff into one blog instead of scattered is an accomplishment too.

dreaming...

well this carved eraser was inspired by a card.... but sure isn't anything like it. I am excited to have carved it though.

We used to live way out in the country. I mean WAY out.

Our "driveway" was a mile of dirt and gravel. There were three neighbors on the road and one was my cousin! The neighbors at one house had peacocks and James and I often drove by in the evening when they were the most active. They are LOUD... we could hear them all the way to the top of the hill where our house was. We always enjoyed "talking" to them and their answering screeches.

I sure miss the hills. Wonder if I'll ever get to move back there?

Now that I am in the city, actually a smaller town really... there are advantages to both. It isn't 45 minutes to everywhere. I am still amazed that when I get down to the orange bar on the gas gauge that I better get gas "one of these days" instead of panicking that I won't get to the station.

But the nights looking at the stars that one can actually SEE... and hearing coyotes calling... and the silence... I miss my dreamland.

look... see the moths?

My title is in celebration (?) of my ADD. Yes, I am highly distractable.

I knew what I wanted to do today but I did something else. The advantage of having a cold is it is easier to say "I don't feel like it"... I won't get away with that ALL day....

I saw a picture of a card that I just loved.... and as usual started wanting the stamp, the ink... and then I thought, why couldn't I make my own carved peacock feather? So here it is. I modified my blind contour sketch... I am NOT a great draw-er. But I am learning. I love the way this eraser stamp looks inked up with my rainbow ColorBox ink pad.

Here it is stamped....

and it morphed from the first, as i carved out other parts. Have to decide just how much to clean it up. That's a work in progress, now the trick is to stop when it is done and not overdo the carving. I expect to improve as I practice.

ummm..... wasn't I thinking of getting some SEWING done??

Eraser Carving

 Why carve erasers if I don't use them for something? This print looks like wandering to me... and I love this quote. So much of our time is spent working to provide for the present and for the future. I spend time wondering what I am supposed to be doing, now that I am done raising children... that was my life, home schooling, nurturing, trying my best to provide for them and love them. Now they are all out on their own. So after 30 years or so of parenting, now what, Lord?

Part of the journey seems to be letting myself create... so here is a card, my stamp, Oprah's quote, and Traci's inspiration...

Thanks, Oprah... Thanks, Traci....

color was blopens. The only ones not dried out are orange, green, and yellow. So that's where I had to start, LOL...