be yourself: live with passion

the ups and downs of life...

This weekend was a real high.  My two classes at Paper and Metal Scrappers were awesome...so glad I brought extra kits!  It was so fun to have their customers pull into the parking lot wanting to know if we were on a field trip (while we were outside aging copper), getting excited about what we were doing and then signing up for the afternoon class or buying a kit to go!  There is so much enthusiasm in that store, starting with Brenda and Barb, the owners and then filtering down to the customers.  Love it...can't wait to go back later this year. 

Vern and Ashley (and the horses) ended up coming up there with me.  They took the horses on a trail ride that exhilarated and challenged all of them...a real high for them and a real sense of accomplishment as well.

Today, on the other hand, was definitely a down day.  Our almost 13 year old Bouvier, Thatcher, became suddenly disoriented this morning, started losing his balance and walking like a drunk, eventually couldn't walk and generally looked unwell.  By the time they reach that age, you know that each day is a gift and that it is inevitable that one day, you are going to have to make that very, very difficult decision.

After watching him for a little bit, we thought that today would have to be the day.   I have to tell you that I spent most of the morning crying, remembering the good times with him, hugging on him, etc.  We called Ashley at school and she came home early from classes.  One of us stayed with him all morning long and watched over him.

Eventually, he got up and went outside.  He began moving around a little more normally, was interested in our lunch food, and definitely had more energy and focus.  Right now, he's eating his dinner...with lots of enthusiasm.  We think that he may have had a stroke.  Our research indicated that dogs recover from strokes much faster than humans do...and he does seem to be recovering.  We're going to keep a close eye on him...and, for sure, we don't want him to be suffering or in pain.  We will appreciate the moments we have with him...what happened this morning was a certain reminder that life is fragile.

all is quiet on the Western front...

...at least for tonight. 

The creatologie kits went out today...wow it was amazing, thanks to everyone who ordered.

When the postal carrier came to pick up the boxes, I was still in my PJ's, sealing up the last box.  It's exciting to see the numbers grow each month!

I have to say that I couldn't do it without Vern and Ashley...both with their support and their hands on help (they are really good at stuffing kits and boxes!)...and they are so tolerant of the chaos, boxes and irregular schedules that accompany kit week!

I'm taking tonight off...and tomorrow it starts again with kit prep for my weekend classes at Paper & Metal Scrappers in Payson.  The morning class sold out so they opened a second class in the afternoon...that only has a couple of places left so if you're interested, you may want to give them a call right away at 928-468-1188.  Totally excited about sharing the project and the fun metal and texture techniques that are part of it!

Off to grab a quick dinner out and then...blissful quietness...

wishing you...

                                 

                                                     ...a happy and blessed Easter!

A WINNER!

Vern was elected to randomly pick a number and he picked #77...comment #77 belongs to

KIM IVY, WHO LOVES CHOCOLATE BROWN AND MINT GREEN RIGHT NOW...MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE THIN MINTS SHE'S EATING!

Congrats, Kim!  If you email me your address, I'll send out your frame and Making Memories papers and embellies!

Thanks everyone for playing...I loved reading each of your comments...you just never know if your favorite color combo will show up in a future kit or class project!  ;)

say it with letters!

When sweet Deb asked me to do a guest designer spot for say it with letters!, I was so excited...first, because I love Deb and wanted to support her and her business and second, because I LOVE letters!

Deb told me to pick what I wanted to work with and I immediately thought of my friend Sydney who is having a baby in April.  Sydney loves handmade stuff so I thought I'd make her something...and, after having two boys, a little girl is finally joining their family so doing something girlie would definitely be in the plan.  (Hopefully, Syd is too busy riding herd on the two munchkins of the male variety she now has to read this...I won't see her until next week and this is a surprise.)

I asked Deb for the BABY letters and then ordered the square scallop from her to create the "window pane" hanging.  The scallop is a 24" square...so it's a great size to add lots of pix.  The idea is for Sydney to add and change out baby photos with a little poster putty that won't damage the patterned papers.  I chose a cardstock weight, high quality paper from My Mind's Eye with that in mind, but a lighter weight paper with a couple coats of decoupage medium on the surface would also work.

I ended up photographing it outside against a weathered sign...there was absolutely no wall space in my house that would accommodate this piece!

For a list of products used and the process, check out the say it with letters blog.  Here are some close up shots.

If you're looking for some great wooden letters and shapes that are high quality and reasonably priced, check out say it with letters!  You will be happy you did!

   

smelling like dirt!

In the spring,

at the end of the day,

you should smell like dirt.   (MARGARET ATWOOD, Woman's Day Magazine, Apr. 1, 2007)

So be it, Margaret!  It's spring...it's the end of the day...and I smell like dirt.

It's so worth it, though...the back yard looks tended again...the containers are filled with little posies...there's lots of color out there...and I'm off to shower!  :))  It's been fun reading about the colors you are loving...here are some of the flower colors I'm loving today!

 

SPRING IS...

"SPRING IS WHEN LIFE'S ALIVE IN EVERYTHING."  -Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

Thanks for weighing in with your color favorites...keep them coming...contest is still on!

A found object giveaway!

Look what I found when I was sorting through the many piles in my studio area!

Yep, it's a wire frame...it's a vertical profile instead of the horizontal profile used in the garden gate folio.

And, since I already have a folio, I'm going to give away this frame...as well as some Making Memories 5th Avenue papers, trims and pre-printed die cuts...all fabulous for decorating the frame for spring.

Here's all you have to do...just post a comment and tell me what color or combination of colors you are loving right now. 

I'll keep the giveaway open until next Wednesday.

In the meantime, I'll keep sorting through the piles...you never know what else I'll find!

Happy Wednesday!

flighty and charming...

...is probably the way to describe March's creatologie kit.

Flighty because there are a lot of flighty butterflies embellishing the pages and charming because...well, all you have to do is look at this little peek.

There's also a little peek at some of the page backs...what you see when you flip the front pages...just to whet your appetite a bit.  I will let you see the fronts in person...it's good to have an element of surprise, right?

This little book reminds me of a worn beach cottage with its weathered white, turquoise and accents of russet (it's not orange, trust me...finding coordinating ribbon has been a bear since most of the ribbons out there are orange as in pumpkin!). 

I wanted to say thanks to so many of you who have ordered...this is month three for creatologie kits and each month, I'm making more kits...we are well on our way this month to another sell-out.  It's so exciting to be able to share these kitted class projects with you...thanks so much for your feedback and for sharing your excitement!  It's thrilling to know that you are actually creating your projects...knowing that inspires me and keeps me motivated to create things that are new and different.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

seeds of inspiration

A couple of weeks ago as I was wandering through the backyard, I stopped to admire this alyssum growing in an old terra cotta pot by the stone pathway.  This plant is a volunteer, a seedling which was planted by the plant itself.  In looking at the ground below the pot, as well as on the other side of the pathway, I noticed tons of little daisy mum plants, also volunteers.  I marveled at how the original plant, which died during last summer's heat wave, could produce so many stong little plants.

That got me thinking about seeds of inspiration that get planted through our creativity.

Several weeks ago, I received a "Make My Day" email from Roben-Marie...she had listed me as someone who inspired her.  I was thrilled...it definitely made my day!

So, I thought I'd write about a few people who have recently inspired me.

Heather Bailey is a textile artist, among other things, and above all is totally over the top creative.  She is featured in the most recent Home Companion magazine...in fact that's her table setting on the cover.  I've always loved her fabric designs and am thrilled that they are now available in paper from Autumn Leaves.  I had the opportunity to meet Heather and her husband, Isaac, at CHA.  Check out Isaac's site as well...he's an amazing photographer and there are some really cool wedding pix on his site.  I knew that the Baileys lived in Arizona but didn't know that they live just a few miles away from me...maybe the winds will blow some seeds of inspiration from their house to mine!

Jenni Bowlin has been one of my favorite artists for a long time.  I was so excited when she began designing her own line of products...and as you will note from yesterday's post on my creatologie blog, her papers will be in March's project kit.  She has some fun birds featured in the most recent Home Companion as well.

Rebecca Sower...she inspires me on so many levels...through her art, her attention to detail, her devotion to her family, her spirituality, and her ability to communicate on an emotional level.  I FINALLY met Rebecca in person at CHA...and it left me wanting more time with her...one of these days, we're going to make that happen!

Roben-Marie Smith...I have to turn the tables on her because in addition to being a great artist and instructor, Roben-Marie does some amazing art journals, some of which were featured in the Jan/Feb Somerset Studio magazine.  I am also the proud owner of many of her rubber stamps...her company is Paper Bag Studios...some of those stamps are extremely well loved, i.e.  black all around the edges :).

I can't mention Somerset Studio without mentioning Jenny Doh, the amazing editor-in-chief of the magazine and the genius behind many of the other publications produced by Stampington.  After just a few minutes in Jenny's presence, you want to take all of the energy she exudes and just race home and create something for publication in one of the mags...I love her style and how in tune she is with her readers...that is evidenced by the growing piles of Stampington magazines in my home.

So there you have it...just a short list for today.  There are so many more out there...maybe I'll list some more in another post.

Maybe you can make someone's day and let them know that they inspired you.  But, more importantly, just keep creating...you just never know where the seeds of inspiration are going to fall...and grow!