Thursday, January 31, 2013

It is Retreat TIME!!


If there was a font that looked like a shaky, caffeine addicted, crazy hand had written it, I would totally be using it right now.  IT IS RETREAT SEASON!  That means my life, each month, gets a little more hectic and crazy. It doesn't sound much like a retreat right?  Since I have started vendoring for these scrappy retreats, the word retreat has taken on a whole new meaning.
Instead of planning what things I will take to alter, scrap, and eat I now have to figure out what lovely things from Gina's Designs these cropping crazy ladies will fall in love with. I need to make sure my grab bags are slammed full of yumminess. I have to ensure that I have the fun and vintage embellishments the ladies have grow to expect from me.  And, because shopping is such a visual sport, I have to make sure I have all of the above mentioned things shown beautifully in examples and displays.  WHEW!!  All of that INSTEAD OF THE LAUNDRY of course!
My next few posts (and hopefully they will be a lot more frequent than my previous posts) will be all about the samples I am making and the product from Gina's store I am using. I have to do 2 make and takes for the ladies (one free and one paid) and I already know exactly what I will be doing which is where the pics for this post came from. These pics are of the paid make and take and higlight some of my vintage goodies and stamps as well as some of the $2 paper from Mikes. 
Many of the ladies at the retreats often say. "I want you to teach me to do what you do."  Hmmmmm, well is it possible to teach procrastination and craziness??  Oh that is probably not what they mean but that is what I feel sometimes (all the time).  I thought the first fun idea would be to start teaching them to upcycle because they certainly seem enthralled with all that I alter.  A lunch bag is generally the easiest thing I can think of to start with so that is what I did.  I also want to teach them how to use patterns more so we will be playing with Valentine's Day paper layering as well.


Don't you just love mixing it up?  I love the versatility that patterned paper brings.  It seems the only time I reach for plain cardstock is to stamp or mat.  There bags will  be somewhat different and I will post a pic of those as soon as I can get it from my phone to my computer.   I hope they like it as much as I do. For some reason, working with paper lunch bags is just so satisfying (and cheap)...especially when I am altering them INSTEAD OF THE LAUNDRY!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Mojo or Pure Pressure??

I don't know whether or not I was able to finish these because I posted one of my most favorite projects earlier today or if it was just a matter of pressure to finish Christmas (oh yes I said Christmas) presents for the family.  Whatever it was, I was extremely thrilled to mark some things off my to do list (besides the millions of doctors appointments, errands, and chores that always seem to hover there) today. 
The recipe box is for my mother-in-law.  She is the keeper of the family recipes and an avid cook.  I found an old, ugly recipe box at the thrift store for a quarter and covered it in Martha goodies and paper.  There is even some Gina goodness hidden in there too! While it isn't my style, I hope she will like it.  She is always so sweet when it comes to my crafty goods and never seems to mind not getting something from the store for every holiday.

Side of the recipe box covered in wood grain paper

The other side of the recipe box


She is also the best card sender I have ever known.  It never fails to amaze me that she remembers to send all of her children a card for every major holiday.  To help her organize all of those cards, I found a Christmas card organizer at The Christmas Tree Shops.  It was only $1.00 and covered in really ugly green paper.  The upside is that there is a heavy metal tag on the spine that can be taken on and off that says Christmas.  It was well worth $1.00 and very easy to alter using some adorable October Afternoon paper (and of course a Gina doily too!!).  The inside is a soft grey felt that has belly bands to hold cards on either side of the binder.  October Afternoon is a new favorite of mine.  I used to be such a Graphic 45 girl (okay I still am), but am trying to branch out and discover new companies.  I like OA's use of the kitschy whimsy.  It suits my own vintage love and style. 

Last, and also maybe least, is the card I made to send as well.  I did make them a Christmas card but thought I would be ahead of the game if I created a Valentine's Day card and sent it with the Christmas gifts too.  I recently ordered a stamp from Simon Says Stamp because I THOUGHT it was a French bulldog (those who know me know that my Frenchie is one of the great loves of my life).  When I saw this stamp, I really thought it was a French bulldog. However, after watching Kristina Werner make a card using the same stamp and commenting on how it is a BOSTON TERRIER that belongs to the owner of SSS, I was sad.  In my eyes it looks way more like a Frenchie!  Either way, it is a win win because my in-laws have a Boston Terrier.  This card covers my booty either way and came out okay.  I am still struggling with cards and am looking forward to getting some of my mojo back so that I can craft some beautiful cards for Valentine's Day.
Since my daughter is now attending school (remember she was homeschooled until Jan. 3) and I am getting my health issues in check finally, I am hoping to finish projects like these every day....INSTEAD OF THE LAUNDRY of course!!

A proud project from the past



Since I haven't had my mojo in a few weeks BUT I wanted to keep up my resolve to continue with my blog, I am posting a project that brought such pride from the past.  Of course, when I say past, I merely mean a few months back.  It is still one that I return to when I need some inspiration so I am hoping that some mojo will return simply by putting it out there into the universe again.

I was given the mirror (which you can't see) that is the middle piece of this crazy puzzle by my local scrapbook store owner, Betty.  She issued a few of these out to some of her crazier customers and challenged us to show our "style."  OH YEAh!!  I love this kind of challenge because there is complete artistic freedom and that means RUN WITH IT!! 

The bottom piece is a 12x12 canvas that has been stenciled, modeling pasted, inked, stamped, etc.  The mirror in the middle has been covered in G45 Olde Curiosity Shoppe Paper and the top tiny canvas has been stenciled, pasted, etc as well; I also stamped a fave saying and cut it apart in order to paste it on. And then I RAN!  I fussy cut some things, dug through my stash of vintage game pieces, and found some die cuts of Gina's that worked amazingly well with it all. The top canvas is hinged so that when you open it, you see YOU staring back.  My husband thought it looked like an "I Spy" challenge after all was said and done...and I am okay with that!  How many times can you "spy" G45?  How many of Gina's die cuts can you find?  What games were used in the making of this art piece?

See??  It is a fun game you can play INSTEAD OF THE LAUNDRY!
Peace, Love and Crafts...and send some crafty mojo my way please!
PS Did I mention I entered this in a challenge put forth by eclectic Paperie?  Keep your fingers crossed because the winner gets a gift certificate!!