Project Round-Up

I love the word art that comes with Becky Higgins Project Life Clementine Kit. I especially love it when it's cut out like this. Such a fun way to display it. To make it I just converted the .jpg file to a cut file with my Silhouette and then cut away. Such a nice feature on the mantle.

When Kitschy Digitals gave me lemons I decided to make a sunshine box for a friend. I think the lemon is the cutest. And I think the hand made candy box is awesome, though admittedly my process could be refined a bit and in the future I'll remember to find some white coated chip board. 

Really, such a fun page to make. I need to make more pages. The cloud paper is from Samantha Walker's ABC

I've been taking the Art of Digital Design class taught by Jessica Sprague. It's awesome. And the day Jessica taught us to make patterned papers Samantha Walker loaded a Build-A-Damask Kit. I just had to play with it. So much fun!

Well, that's it. I would love to stay and chat but life is a bit crazy right now. Thanks for stopping by!

ps. Click the images for product links.

Project Round-Up [December Edition]

Products Used: 12 Days of Christmas Collection by Heidi Swapp + Jessica Sprague

I think it's been about 6 years since I last made one of these treat pouches. I think the only reason is because I didn't have a paper crimper and I think the crimped ends are the icing on the cake - so to speak. No sense doing it if you can't do it right... and it just so happens that, sadly, our local craft store is going out of business and things are getting cleared out. 10% at a time. Goes down a little more every week. Paper crimper, welcome to the family. Robert's, I'm really going to miss you.

Products Used: Kitschy Digitals Calico Dream Kit

Hello little house. You're just what I didn't know I was looking for. Since I haven't posted for a while, I probably haven't mentioned the fact that the universe is trying to tell me something. It has a bit to do with heart. It started with the Tin Man at Halloween and has been gaining steam ever since. I'm sure I'll get it figured out soon. I've got a whole year to work on it...

On another note, this little house ornament has been one of my favorite projects of the year. I found it at Michele Made Me via Pinterest. I've been spending my crafting time trying to get past the learning curve of the handy dandy cutter. I think I'm starting to get it and thankfully so. It is making projects like this one a breeze. So nice.

Products Used: Kitschy Digitals Chalkboard Paper

This beauty is my new desktop wallpaper. I'm always grabbing images because they're pretty + I like looking at them + I think I might like to try it someday + etc. = my desktop is a mess. I am determined to keep it cleaned up. I think this might be the answer. I love it.

Products Used: Kitschy Digitals Woodland Diecuts Kit

The boys around here are obsessed with snow globes. I am obsessed with trying out new things on the handy dandy cutter. This project involved printing images onto label paper at staples and cutting them on the silhouette. I did a happy dance as I told *B* how cool I am... I made stickers! And then we decorated circles and stitched plastic page protector pieces over the circles [leaving an opening]. And then we added glitter and stitched the opening up. I drew a little base and put it all together. So incredibly cool. The boys turned out so much more whimsically than mine. I'll have to see if I can't round them up for a photo. I'll even try to keep in mind a true tutorial. It could happen.

Seriously Behind

This is going to be one huge round up of projects. Huge [I didn't realize I was so far behind. Not as far behind as I originally thought. Thank heavens]! If it's not your thing, that's too bad. I sure had fun making them!

This is a party in a box. A birthday party to be exact. I revisited the party popper idea from a few months ago. I always wonder if they actually pop like they're supposed to. *B* was getting really irritated with me because I kept popping them off and he kept having to reset them. Not to mention the confetti I was getting everywhere. I don't know what his deal was. He understands prototypes ;). After all, I had changed the confetti I used and needed to make sure it wasn't too heavy. A few different times. I seriously get the biggest kick out of them. They make me happy.

This is the label for said party in a box.  It's always really exciting to get a sneak preview of  fun contents with a pretty package label. I have happy mail aspirations.

Because of my happy mail aspirations I started working on a postcard pack with quotes and words of encouragement instead of photos. I have been really inspired lately by words and the different and wonderful ways people are putting them together. I love postcards. I love that every person who touches it from here to there gets the message. Which is why I thought word art was perfect for this sort of thing [and just in case you were wondering it was the purple card letter cutting that led to the previously mentioned hair cutting]. As I was formatting the postcards for printing I realized that if I just dropped in a photo and some journaling I would have some pretty cute layouts. Sweet! Bonus pages.

And just a little peek at the postcards. All cut out and tied up with a ribbon. Way to much fun. Now... who to send them to?

The end. For now.

Photoshop Friday

It's digi-friday again. I'm still up in the air about making this a permanent feature. Maybe [if I keep doing every episode of Photoshop Friday at JS it would be a simple enough thing to do]. This is the layout I did using Photoshop Friday Episode 26: Soft Glow Photos. $1.00 until Sunday night. I can't get enough of Photoshop Friday! This layout was done using the template that came with the episode [though I did switch out the papers to make for more boyish ones and I dropped the brads and added more of the journal lines]. The photo was altered using the tutorial. Can I just say that I loved it! I use PSE 4.0 [yes, you read that right... 4.0] and therefore miss out on all of the cool photo actions out there. Thanks to Jessica it doesn't matter! This is such a great effect. I love it! I also used papers from the My Awesome Life: Teen Album Class and other textures from a site Jessica recommends/uses in the tutorial. I fell in love. I covered the paint swatches and the background paper with them. You'll have to pick up the episode to find out what I'm talking about ;). Seriously, it's only a buck. Go get it! Also, don't forget about the free class. Registration is open now. Sign up if you haven't yet. And one more thing: Don't miss the Jessica Sprague Holiday sale for 20% off that will start on Black Friday and will go through December 31st. And here's a little extra incentive. Spend $20 and get a free kit put together by the designers. Lots of paper [over 35 sheets], lots of elements [over 50], lots of fun. Here's a sneak peek at some of the papers... I think I might love that star one.

2.for.Tuesday

Seems like 2.for.Tuesday has turned into digi-Tuesday. Today is no exception. I will, however, commit now to incorporating more other stuff as well. one: free class! Inspiration everywhere is a 10-day class covering five different paths to inspiration: •Words •Music •Art •Tools •Play For each of the themes there will be a project to make, and different techniques to call your creative muse, no matter WHAT kind of art you make! Class runs from November 29 - December 8. Now, I know what your thinking... "that's a really busy time of year. I can't do a class then." Well, you never know. Maybe you'll have a really quiet week! I say sign up. Make an effort to read and be inspired by the daily prompts. Do the assignment or don't do the assignment. Whatever. Just let it inspire you. I'll admit to doing this on more than one occasion [like maybe every class I've ever taken] and I've decided that it's okay. I'm being inspired. And the great thing about Jessica Sprague's classes is that they're always yours. You can always come back and revisit lessons. The classroom doesn't close. So, like I said. Sign up! There is no reason not to... It's free! two: template 1.09 from Jessica Sprague. It's up for one buck Wednesday tomorrow. In its original state it's set on an angle across the page. I guess I was having one of those days because I just couldn't make it work for me. My brain didn't function that way. I ended up rotating everything except the backgrounds so they were straight. A little OCD? Yes. But we already knew that. So. That's my most recent. Click the layout to get more info about it. Like what other products I used + how I did something.

Happy Digi Day!

There's a free [yes, you read that right F.R.E.E.] Photoshop Friday up at Jessica Sprague. It's free all weekend. I made this page using the template that comes with the "justified titles" tutorial. I did, however, change out the papers + some elements to coordinate better with my photo/theme, but as a whole I left the template as-is. It's a pretty cool one]. So, not only do you get a free template, but this is your opportunity to see what Photoshop Friday is all about and to finally find out for yourselves how amazing Jessica is. She is a master teacher. You can't get it wrong with her. Really. So seriously. It's free. What are you waiting for?

What was that? Did I hear you say you don't have Photoshop? Sheesh! It must be your lucky day! ...Photoshop! GET YOUR PHOTOSHOP HERE! [It's a free 30 day trial + I recommend going with Elements].

Products used: Photoshop Friday Episode 25 Sweet Summertime Paper Pack 1 Teen Album Add-On Kit

2.for.Tuesday

one: This really great template. It's Jessica Sprague Template 1.02 and it's $1.00 tomorrow only. One Buck Wednesday people. Gotta love it! So many great things to play with. Go see!

two: Number 33. I'm calling it done [nice that I'm crossing it off just for watching this video and participating in the interactive part of it. That's revisiting, right?]. Thanks to Amy for the help.

If you haven't read "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life" I highly recommend it. Highly.

ps. her children's books are really great too...

Little Green Notebook

So, I've tossed recycled nearly everything in this little green notebook sitting next to me. The last order of business is to let go of the things I don't think I can let go of! Here we go... A few random photoshop tips:

1. Justify journaling in a text box >>> [shift] + [ctrl] + [j]
2. To move a group of items with out flattening the image >>> hold down [shift] and click on other items in layer menu
3. to change a GIF to a JPG >>> in menu bar - image > mode > RGB color

Yummy Chai recipe:

• 1 1/2" slices fresh ginger x 4
• 2" cinnamon stick x 1
• 4 whole cloves
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• dash of nutmeg
• 2" strip orange rind
• 1/2 vanilla pod split + seeded
• 2 c. water
• bring to boil
• pour through strainer into another pan
• add 2 c. milk
• heat + repeat [you can reuse the seasonings]

**I love this to make hot chocolate too**

There's a few "to-do" items in my notebook, but I promised to only share what I am doing/have done here so now I'm off to start a private to-do blog!

Enjoy the journey!

This Girl

Wow, two days in a row! Feeling a little antsy and creative energy. It's been a long time and I'm having a hard time letting it back into my life. It tends to run my life... feast or famine. Binge and purge. etc. Oh well, I'll just ride the wave and try to keep myself in check. Besides staying up at 6:00 a.m. and trying to get a little chaos out of the way, this is what I've been up to today (this is still one of my favorite photos of her thus far...

The journaling is prompted by Shimelle's February 01, 2008 Write it Down. It reads: "This girl I thought was Ezra, but she's Emma. This girl is growing way too fast, but I'm excited to see what she becomes. This girl's daddy has a new sweetheart, but I'm okay with that. This girl has two big brothers that love her, but sometimes they love too much. This girl cries all day, but sleeps really great at night. This girl has stolen my heart, but that's a good thing." And one more thing: this girl slept for a six hour stretch last night. Wahoo!

I went out to eat with Jana (she's moving to Omaha on Saturday). I just wouldn't let her leave without eating at 25 Main and of course having a cupcake. Peanutbutter Cup is rivaling Orange Blossom as my current favorite (I shouldn't be eating cupcakes at all. Just yesterday I proclaimed that I would stop eating added sugar...).

I asked *B* if he was ever going to go there with me and he said probably not. I guess that's just going to be a place for me and the girls. His loss! Enjoying the journey

Twenty-Five

It's just me and the girl today. Grandma had to go home to get some stuff done so she took the brothers with her. Daddy is gone to work. We've got a few projects to do...

1. Today is the 25th. It's picture day. I think I'll document the girl mostly.
2. I'm still working on getting "Eliza" finished. Today I will be painting.
3. I picked up The Holy Secret by James Farrell (The Peacegiver)... maybe I'll do a little reading.
4. I'll be doing a little online shopping... trying to find a blessing dress I can accept.
5. I will take naps. So will the girl.

I actually did the 25 thing last month. Here's what I did with it...

Enjoy the Journey!