Housekeeping (literally)

my daughter and I circa 2002

First things first.
Housekeeping: Ok will laeroport and sock it to me please send me your addresses via embellishedcards@yahoo.com so I can send out your scraps. Robyn if you wouldn't mind, send me yours too so I don't have to dig. Sis and Laurie I got you covered. These should be mailed out sometime this weekend (hopefully) Thank you for playing.

On to other things: this post made me smile. thanks taco, i mean toni :)

I will most likely update the shop next week with some other things besides artwork. There of course will be some of that too.

Anyone have any fun plans for this weekend?

scrapcrazy

Remember in this post how I told you that my newly organized scrap basket was inspiring me? Well, pictured above is my new disorderly scrap basket that is driving me crazy. It is quite amazing what a few weeks of continual crafting can do to fill a scrap basket.

To help me "clean up" a little, I am offering the first four people to leave a comment here an A7 envelope filled with my cool scraps.

Thanks for helping me with the housework!

a couple of things

The collage above was sold last year. It is one of my favorites, so simple. I actually don't dream in French in case you were wondering :)

I managed to score one of Blair's gorgeous bags yesterday. The Raleigh. *sigh* It is so damn cute that I keep going to her etsy shop just to look at the picture. I know it will be here soon, I can't wait. The actual purchase of the bag was quite hilarious. My husband announced at 7:30am the morning the bags were to go on sale that we would be taking his car in to get serviced. Well I knew he would never understand the absolute fact that if I wasn't at my computer at 9am for at least 10 minutes straight I would never get one of Blair's bags, let alone the one that I wanted. I knew I had to come up with a plan. So I just went really slow all morning. Didn't get the kids dressed, laid on the couch. He finally got so frustrated with me that he ended up telling me to meet him at the car dealership. My plan worked. I had the whole house to myself, yes he even took the kids, to pick out the bag of my choice. Sometimes a girl has got to do what a girl's got to do (to get a great handbag)

I have really been enjoying the comments you have been leaving. Such interesting and different views of why we all blog. I have another question I want to throw out there but I think I will wait until tomorrow. Until then au revoir.

for a friend

I made this for a friend.






Thanks to all the cool, crafty chicks who gave me the 411 on the japanese craft books. I appreciate all the info. I was able to track down the tutorial for ordering books from amazon japan. I also found yesasia.com for some too. I ordered 5 and I am really excited to get them. It was torture for me to see them on blogs and be so inspired but not be able to stare at the pages on my own. I know all of you are shaking your heads, yes you know exactly what I am talking about. That is why I love ya'll.

I read something interesting on a blog a few days ago. It said "Would you still blog if no one read it or left comments there?" I thought that was an interesting question. I love knowing that I have found a handful of like-minded people that share certain interests and passions that I have.
Quite a few friendships have blossomed and I feel my blog is almost a penpal tool. What do you all think??

Thanks for all the well wishes on my neck. I am feeling much better and have stopped carrying Mr. C around all the time. Well friends, have a fabulous Sunday evening and I'll see you here tomorrow at 9am PST.

quiet

It's been a little quiet around here, sorry about that. I seemed to have pinched a nerve in my neck. It has been bothering me for about a month now but two days ago I woke up and couldn't move. I think it has something to do with the fact that I still love to carry Mr. C around and I probably shouldn't. It feels better today. So I haven't been working on much project wise but am hoping to do a little crafting/artwork this weekend.

I went for a walk this morning and missed buying one of hilary's pattern books. I don't really sew well, (yet) but definitely want to learn. All sold out.

I'm loving all the japanese craft books/magazine everyone is posting about. Does anyone have a specific resource they use to buy them? I am having trouble finding the one I want. Any input would be appreciated.

My etsy shop is now open

With some serious prompting, a ton of graphic design and computer help from my sis I was able to get my etsy shop open this past weekend. An etsy shop you say? You never mentioned you were going to open an etsy shop! With the kids, work and various other commitments I wasn't sure when I would get around to it. I also needed a stellar banner but didn't have the resources to... oh wait all I needed to do was ask. Thank you sister for the amazing banner. It is perfect!

So my etsy shop is now open. Happy shopping!

mission accomplished

This is the project I spoke of that has been on the back burner for a while. I did a three things trade with a friend I met at art and soul in February. The challenge is to send each other three things from your stash. After receiving your three things you are then to make something out of them and send it back. I also recently did this with Kristin.

The three things Laurie sent me were the fabric (her dress), the crown and some lace trim. I used that for the corsage on her wrist. It is funny because I have known what I was going to do for so long the collage took me less than an hour to piece all together.
(That never happens)
I had finished the background on the canvas quite some time ago but was not sure what I would place on it until today. I had found the vintage paper doll in May and I knew I wanted to make the fabric her dress and use the crown. I also knew I wanted her to be wearing a belt and in adding that I had my accent color. Added the red tickets, and low behold what do I find in my newly organized scrap basket, a fragile sticker that came on the piece of art I bought from Lisa. Serendipity.

Meet Miss World!

blue

because now the pressure is off. my envelope from the fairy tales atc and art envelope swap.

some other scraps to play with

Sorry for the crappy pictures....I ordered these from lovely design. Little bits and paper scraps to collage with. How fun!

opting out

very sparkly vintage buttons

I am officially opting out of color week. It is stressing me out trying to find a pic or a subject of the right color and I know that is not what color week is about soo I'm out. I am enjoying other peoples pic. Kristin has some great out of the ordinary photos.

I want to take a minute and thank everyone for their kind words about my artwork. It is a little scary to put your artwork in a forum where people can comment about it. (or not comment which is probably worse)

For the few of you that read my blog I just want to thank you for your kind words and comments about my art. It means the world to me. {hug}

What is everyone working on? Up next for me will be a project that has been put on the back burner and needs some attention. I also just cleaned up my studio that was turned upside down while working on my fairy tale atc's. I collected a basket full of paper scraps and that is really inspiring me right now. What is inspiring you?

white

I use this almost everyday, on almost every project.

ps. yes i am sure that I am violating copyright laws right now

fairy tales and fables atc swap

These are my three atc's for amy's fairy tales and fables swap. I have seen the other contributions and I only hope mine are half as good. Can't wait to get mine in the mail.

(snow white) and the 7 dwarves

one, two buckle my shoe

the princess and the pea

mary ann look away

I am doing a black and white card swap with my swapperific friend mary ann. I really enjoyed this because I don't usually work much with black and white except to accent pieces I create. It was a real stretch for me. Although I did use the terms white and black liberally and I did use little bits of color here and there. My favorite card I made is above.
Super cool floral fabric courtesy of my vintage swap partner anastasia.

My apologies to ellia

I received the most outstanding package from ellia a few days ago. I took countless pictures of her darling packaging and adorable labels. Blogger has been, how do i say this nicely? Somewhat difficult as of late. I had repeatedly tried to post the many pictures and was not getting anywhere except errorland. I have given up and chosen to show my wonderful things in two pictures. The above is just some of the the stuff sweet ellia sent me. Things made of paper. Ellia and I share a love (an obsession?) with paper and let me tell you she has quite a stash. I was lucky enough to receive some prime vintage goodies. She even sent fun goodies to my little girl. So thoughtful!

Please excuse the horrid pic but look what else she sent. An apron!!! I wrote to ellia that I had been wanting an apron so badly since they are all the rage in this bloggy, crafty world of ours. I cannot sew (well) so I had resigned myself to buying one at anthropologie and faking it. Now I don't have to. Thank you ellia for your kindness, generousity and your great eye. We love everything!

lucky girl

Then I received this wonderful package from robyn, we did a summer themed swap. so many fun goodies. Everything from yummy smelling soaps and lotions to crafty stuff, sunnglasses and a cd (those are already in the car). Thank you so much for everything robyn.

lucky girl

because I have wonderful swap partners.

This pic is what the wonderful anastasia sent me in ellia's vintage love swap. (ellia has the best swaps, sign up for the next one if you can) I love everything anastasia, I can't wait to start creating with all the goodies you sent.