be yourself: live with passion

I've got my Post It note up...

See you in the morning!

collecting and creating in my own little world...

It occurred to me this morning that I have gone another week without blogging...and that after I told myself I would be more consistent...eeek!

I have truly been in my own little world this past week.  After a couple of months of collecting all sorts of cool bits and pieces for the new Heirloom Collection release, I spent literally the whole of last week creating the project. 

I am beyond excited to share this one with you...the entire project has definitely been a fun and grand adventure!

I've found kit pieces in all parts of the world...and my search for antique French linens to incorporate into the kits led me to a new friend, a British antique dealer who owns a bed and breakfast in the Deep South and does private tours of Great Britain...hmmm, thinking of the possibilities...

Anyway, back to the French linens.  I did get a gorgeous sheet, and unfortunately, it came as advertised...nearly perfect.  How was I going to cut into an almost perfect sheet from the 1800's?  I told Vern and Ashley that they would have to hold my hand and push down on the scissors...I just couldn't do it.  A call to the dealer produced a couple of mended sheets (relief) and a long conversation about the possibilities of a tour of England combined with journal making classes...like I said, it's been a grand adventure.

My local quilt store has gotten to know me really well...although they were good natured about it, I think they got tired of me calling them every few days to see if the much awaited French fabrics had arrived.

When they finally did, I got an email, promptly dropped everything I was doing and hustled over there to buy a HUGE amount of yardage for this project. 

And that huge box of French trims I've been hoarding...well, they are hoarded no more!

Tomorrow, I will be sending out an email blast to everyone on my list about the new project and will give you a heads up about when it will be posted in my storefront.  It will be a limited edition again...which is what the Heirloom Collection is all about...and it is really, really special (in my humble opinion :)).  Anyway, be on the lookout for your email...I need to get my videographer (Miss Ashley) to do run through the book with me just like the last time...and I will include that in my blog post on creatologie tomorrow.

In the meantime, I've left you with a couple of sneaky peekies...see ya tomorrow!

a new twist on an old idea...

I spent Saturday up in Payson teaching at Paper and Metal Scrappers.  I love the atmosphere in that store...it's warm and friendly, plus it's fun to teach women who are really into learning new techniques and thinking outside of the box.

During the afternoon class, one of the owners, Brenda, and I were chatting about the new kit that I just released for preorder on creatologie.  She was commenting about the cool binding and that launched us into a discussion of creativity and new ideas.

I told her that I had taken a combo of bindings, added my own solutions to a couple of challenges I was having with holding the book together and voila...a new twist on some old ideas. 

We concluded that, in this age of information and the internet, where a concept is broadcasted everywhere in a matter of minutes, there are really very few new ideas.  Even when you think you have come up with something new and different, it's funny how someone will say that they saw something really similar somewhere.  Really, when you think about it, many of us are exposed to the same sources of inspiration so it would follow that our brains take us down the same pathway, right?  And, maybe creativity is mostly about taking an old idea and putting a new twist on it.  What do you think?

Last night's dinner definitly was a new twist on an old idea.

Did any of you grow up eating hot dogs and beans on a night when your mom didn't feel like cooking?  Do any of you use that as a fall back meal when you don't feel like cooking?  From my end, the answers are yes and yes!

I didn't feel like eating ordinary hot dogs and beans last night so, instead, we got hot dog and bean soup.  (I need a gourmet name for this...maybe you have a suggestion or two???)

Here's what went into the soup:  one chopped onion, 3 cloves minced garlic, 3 stalks of celery, 5 nitrate/nitrite free hot dogs (they now have these at Costco...yippee), a package of pre-cooked, steamed 6 bean medley (available at Trader Joe's) (you could substitute a medley of canned beans as well), 1 can diced tomatoes with juice, 1/3 cup Acini di pepe pasta (they look like little white balls when cooked), 1 box of beef broth and salt, pepper, parsley, basil and bay leaves to taste.  I pre-sauteed the onions, garlic and celery and then added everything else.  Cook until the pasta is tender, then add some winter greens or, in my case, I used salad "herbs" from Trader Joe's (whatever they are...they look like spring greens but since there are bags labeled as such, I have to assume they are different).  Cook until the greens are wilted.  Serve soup with grated Italian cheeses, crusty bread and dipping oil.  YUM! 

So there you have it...a new (gourmet) twist on an old (reliable and basic) idea.  Do you have any funky recipes that you've put together from a basic meal you grew up eating?

Just a few more things...on Thursday, we set a new record for number of kits sold on a launch day...thank you to all that ordered...it was amazing!  Also, Ashley updated last month's kit orders and there will be some creatologie girlfriends "Diamond Girls" aprons going out soon.  And thirdly, I wanted to mention that someone had written to ask if the book could be used as a travel journal for a trip to Europe...yes, absolutely, yes.  The female images that are used in the book are definitely "Old World" European, so using it for travel memories is a great idea!  For any Renaissance Men out there who take classes or order kits, if you don't want to create a book for or about women, this is a great alternative.

I think that's about all for today...hope you have a great Monday!

Hugs,

Carol

learning the art of flexibility...

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is this:  "How far in advance do you plan your creatologie kit projects?".  The answer is, not all that far because of product availability.  I usually have a list of ideas and sometime during the the prior month, I start sketching and sourcing product for a new kit.  If the project is dependent on a certain structure, then I check to make sure that there is plenty to stock for me to order once I release the kit for preorder.  This weekend, I pulled together the project I wanted to release this week.  It's a 7 gypsies printers tray that is amazingly cool...very dimensional, with great embellies and lots of potential for gifting.  On a whim, I called just to make sure that the product would still be available and lo and behold, it's backordered until the middle of the month.  In some ways, I can be a major risk taker, but in others, definitely NOT.  This is one of those definite NOTS...I like to get kits out on time and as promised.  So, it's time to practice the art of flexibility go to the drawing board and put together something different.  I have to tell you that a personality profile test that I took when I was in college came back with a very high score on INFLEXIBILITY...and the recommendation was that I learn to be more flexible, especially if I was going to be teaching.  They were definitely right...and I've had to learn (and am continuing to learn) how to go with the flow...and I now have a printer's tray project to release in a future month...yay!

Bottom line, there will be a November project, DEFINITELY!  Today, I've pulled together some papers...it will be a brand new book structure built from scratch that I've not done in any previous kits.  Be on the lookout for your email blast in the next few days.  The photo in this post is a bit of a hint...think Renaissance style...think women...think cool trims and fabrics...think possible holiday gift or something to add your own personal collection.

It's been over a week since I last blogged and I really missed it.  Between two classes and getting out the holiday book kits and makeover kits on Saturday, last week was a total blur.  But, it's a new week (and a new month) and I can't wait to share some great things with you on creatologie kits and Heirloom Collection kits...I've been filling pages in my inspiration journal every day with ideas...stay tuned!