be yourself: live with passion

New batteries installed...I'm ready and on the go!

I love the start of a new year.

It's a great time to begin again with a basically clean slate.  The previous year has been reviewed...good times and successes are remembered and cherished, mistakes are cataloged to be learned from and bad times, well, they are best forgotten.

I've installed a fresh set of batteries and I'm charged up and ready to go.

It's already been a busy year.  Yesterday, I released the first ever Heirloom Collection Workshop to Go and wow, was the response ever amazing!!!!!

I spent a good part of the day responding to orders...but trust me, I'm not complaining...AT ALL.  I am thrilled!!!!!   It was great to hear from so many familiar names.  Thanks for the orders and for the emails...so glad that you are liking the idea of Heirloom Workshops to Go.  If you haven't ordered your online workshop yet, just head over here for details.  If you're anything like me, you get busy and forget.  Since the ability to order will be up for just a limited time, you may want to order before it's gone.

It's going to be an exciting year.  I'm planning some fun event/workshops and there are some other things in the works.  Good thing the batteries are new and fresh!!!!

Thanks for being a part of my life.  I wake up every morning grateful to be a part of a community where there are so many nice, caring and creative people.  

So, here's to an energized, inspired and creative 2012 my friends!  Wishing all of you the very best.

busy as a bee...

...buzzing around, creating art, and having a great time.

Ashley took this picture in our backyard today and I asked her if I could use it since it described what my days have been like for the past week.

She was happy to share.

I've had a lot of inspiration lately and since I believe in "use it or lose it", I've been using that inspiration to create some really cool canvas books with covers that are really detailed and unique.

If you head over to my creatologie blog, you can see the most recent additions...three canvas books, together with some coordinating products, all available for purchase right now.

I've called them Dazzling Denim, Grandmother's Clocks and Buttons and Maison de Provence, and they are all a little shabby and a little vintage.  You know, the lineup is actually a somewhat patriotic...red, white (sort of) and blue! :)

 

Enjoy...take a look at the detailing and the accompanying products at www.carolwingert.typepad.com/creatologie/, and then get your favorite one!

See you later...buzzing off to do some more creative stuff!

 

A new "workshop to go" is ready for you...

For those of you who have been asking for a new "workshop to go", it's now up and ready at the creatologie site (www.carolwingert.typepad.com/creatologie/).

It's a funky folder travel journal (or a funky folder any kind of book, really), that's easy to make and easy to fill...a definitely favorite of mine.

What a great way to use your stashes, get inspired, and learn some new techniques or design ideas.  

Don't miss out on this limited opportunity...it'll be available until just October 9th.

Head over to the site and get all of the juicy details. 

Guilt free dessert!

Calorie free, gorgeous colors, refreshing!

The exclusive Neapolitan Ice Cream Product Kit, brand new from the creatologie studio.

Check it out here.

(If the link won't work, just click on the creatologie link on the right sidebar.)

The best bedtime snack ever :)!

If you missed out the last time...

...there are two new and different collections available right now!

and

Head over to my creatologie blog and make one (or both :)) part of your collection!

JUST ONE...

It's one of a kind...unique and different.

It won't be repeated.

It's available now on my creatologie blog.

It may not last too long.

Check it out:

Hope it ends up in YOUR studio!

KNOW HOW I SAID IT MAY NOT LAST TOO LONG?  WELL, IT'S BEEN A FEW MINUTES...AND YEAH, IT'S GONE.  TIME TO WHIP UP ANOTHER ONE OF A KIND, RIGHT?

How to dress a patterned cloth book cover...

I've gotten a couple of emails asking about how one goes about decorating a patterned cloth book cover.  That's a great question!

You may be wondering as well, but you just haven't written to ask.  So, I thought I'd show the transformation of my red striped linen covered canvas book from a plain cover to one that's fun to display.  Think about how pretty something like this would be on an easel or just flat on a coffee table!

OK, let's start with the completely unadorned patterned cloth book (you can find these on my creatologie blog...there are just a few left if you're interested).

Given my love affair with all things French, I made an extra one of the red linen striped books for my collection.

The key to decorating a patterned cover is to keep the embellishments fairly simple and fairly monochromatic.  That way, the eye takes in the textures and shapes of the embellishments but still can focus on the pattern of the background cloth.

Here's what I did with my cover:

A pretty simple but cool transformation.  I didn't use a lot of embellishments, just some layers of monochromatic textiles.  First, I adhered an ivory leaf/flower applique to the cover.  I then added a length of vintage trim which is glued at the top with the bottom strips left dangling.  The next layer is a crinkled and dyed seam binding bow with a Tim Holtz pearl tassel attached.  Finally, I created a ribbon flower and glued it on top of all of the trims.  

To capture the book title, I used a large metal 7 gypsies charm with a piece of canvas glued inside and two pearls added to the jump rings on either side of the charm.  Simple, yet very elegant.  When I know the theme of the book, I can simply stamp the title onto the canvas with black or brown Staz-On ink.  Easy, peasy!

Here are a couple of close ups:

There you have it...a simple but well dressed book cover!

Don't miss out on creating your own stylish canvas book.  Just click here to get to the creatologie blog and order your unadorned book today.  Then, have fun dressing that baby!  I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with yours!

The Prodigal Blogger Returns!

After a long summer of cocooning, I'm back!

I took a break from blogging of any kind...I didn't write mine and didn't read any other blogs all summer long!  It was a good time to recharge my batteries, spend time in areas other than memory art, and hang out with family.  It was just what I needed.

I didn't totally disconnect from my art, though, as it's such a major part of my life.  I put together a very fun Heirloom project for the sold out event which was held this past Saturday at the home of my friend, Patty.  This project was an event only kit due to some of the product being available in very limited quantities.  

What an amazingly fun day it was!  I've got some pictures that Ashley took to share with you...she captured the enthusiasm of the day for sure.

The project and theme was "Spool Stories".  The book was built on little canvas squares, each of them put together like mini art quilts, then assembled to fit on a very large decorated spool.  I kept hearing from attendees that this was one of their favorite Heirloom projects to date!   Here's a picture of my sample:

Putting together special kit packaging for the attendees is always a delight.  I love seeing everyone's reactions as they open their kits...it's like a birthday party or Christmas gift opening time!

It was a great time to reconnect with friends from New Jersey, Alabama, California and Arizona:

Patty and her hubby, Kraig, were awesome hosts.  Patty is an artist in the kitchen and we had three superb meals...breakfast, lunch (dinner, really, including some Louisiana home made gumbo...YUM!) and late afternoon dessert.

Here's the breakfast menu:

A fabulous trifle was part of the dessert menu:

And, just look at the adorable teacup cookie holders that Patty created!

I love putting these events together...and absolutely love spending time with the wonderfully creative and inspirational friends who put their hearts and souls into the project!

I just loved seeing the picture above...just look at how into it they all are!

Thanks to all who attended...I really enjoyed my day with all of you!

BY THE WAY, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE JUST ONE EXTRA HEIRLOOM KIT FOR SPOOL STORIES.  THE KIT INSTRUCTIONS ARE WRITTEN FOR THE CLASS ATTENDEES, WHICH MEANS THEY AREN'T AS DETAILED AS ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS BUT IF YOU HAVE PUT TOGETHER PREVIOUS KITS, YOU'LL DO GREAT.  I'LL INCLUDE A LIST OF SUPPLIES YOU'LL NEED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.  SPECIAL EVENT PACKAGING ISN'T PART OF THE ONE REMAINING KIT.

THE KIT IS AVAILABLE FOR $197, PLUS SHIPPING OF $22 (US ONLY, PLEASE).  

JUST CLICK ON THE BUY NOW BUTTON BELOW AND THIS VERY UNIQUE SPOOL STORIES KIT WILL BE YOURS!

  

 SOLD...THANK YOU!

It's good to be back...I missed all of you!

bloomin'

Heard this weekend:

"It looks like anything that can IS blooming."

~Vern Wingert~

My itchy eyes, sneezing spells and stuffed up head seem to agree.  It's a good thing that the beauty of the flowers far outweighs the aggravation of the allergies!

Just wanted to share a few of the blooms from the backyard.

 
 
 
 
Hope you had a great Easter, that you are enjoying Spring, and that something is bloomin' in your neck of the woods!  And yeah, almost forgot, hope that you have some good allergy meds too!

 

in support of a fellow artist...

We have the most amazing community. 

I love how often we promote each other as artists and business people...many times without any financial gain.  I also love how we offer support as well...buying from each other, referring each other, hugging, laughing, eating and sometimes crying together, and of course, spending time together in our passion of creating!

In the spirit of supporting each other, I wanted to share with you the talents of my friend Cristina at Sweet Pea Ink.

I first met Cristina at Silver Bella several years ago where we were vendors with tables next to each other.  I loved her enthusiasm, her ready smile, her kindness and her beautiful work!

Early this month, at the second Bon Voyage Boutique Heirloom Event/Workshop, I got to see her again.  Cristina and her mom, Catherine (whom I had met at Creative Escape), both attended and it was definitely a pleasure to spend time with them (as well as every other person who attended that day!).

Cristina is talented in so many ways...and I'm delighted that she is offering graphic design as one aspect of her business.  If you're looking to start a blog, or maybe give your blog a new look, head on over and check it out.  Or, maybe you are ready to launch a creative business...she can help with that as well.  Take a peek at her site...she's offering a 20% discount on a package if you order it by April 29th.

May I show you a bit of her talent?

She gave me some gifts when she came to my home.  This is the hand crafted flower on the top of one of the boxes...

 
Isn't it fun?  And, you have to see what was inside.

 
Oh my word, aren't they just darling?  She definitely pegged me with these!

If you want to know how she made them, just head over to her blog where she just posted the tutorial.  I LOVE them...and they are perfect for Spring, Easter, and just any old time around my house!

She also created a set of custom notecards for me.  Here's what they look like...

 
OK, these just made me grin.

Back when Vern and I first moved to the Phoenix area, I worked in a law firm.  For relaxation and a distraction, three of my friends and I began doing counted cross stitch projects during our lunch hour.  We called it our "stitch and bitch" session...but that was just for the purpose of getting the attorneys riled up...we were all pretty happy and positive chicks!  But, the attorneys were always walking in and out of the lunch room while we were in there...they knew what we called our little group...and they probably wanted to eavesdrop and get some scoop :)!  Sometimes, just for the fun of it, we would oblige!

Anyway, my hair at the time was its natural very dark brown and it was cut in a short bob.  She totally pegged me!  How could she have known?  Did I ever write about that on my blog?  I don't think I did...

Anyway, great talent is definitely easy to recognize, isn't it?

I'm happy to support my fellow artist and friend, Cristina.

Go visit her site...you'll love it!  And, while you are there, tell her that I sent you.