Focus- A layout

My sweet youngest child spends most of her time in  her own little world.  She moves at her own pace, which is usually a meander, and she has to look at everything as she goes.  I struggle with this sometimes because getting her to do what I need or want her to do can take quite some time, and I really wish she would focus. The thing is, she really is focused, on what the sun is doing, where the clouds are, the shape of the moon, the color of the leaves, and the amazing world in which she lives.

Today, when were leaving the house, she found a spider web tucked between a bush and the stair railing.  She insisted I stop, look at the spider web, and hear her opinion of spiders (she does not like them, for the record). It was so sweet, and so very her.

My Take on Quilting

I wanted to try the quliting trend, but I wanted a unique look to my layout.  I stumbled across a lazy log house quilt square pattern on Pinterest, and the inspiration for this page was born.  I adore how the paper and the picture work together to create a square.  I also adore the contrast of the warm/cool colors on this layout and the sunshine feel it gives, mirroring the sun/shade contrast in the photo.

What has inspired you lately?

{for you}

This layout is of my oldest at Christmas a few years ago. I used some old Basic Grey Collections for the paper.

Misty Buck created this awesome sketch for www.scrapbooksteals.com. I loved how it allowed me to crop the photos to feature my Daughter's joy for the holiday.

Journaling prompt- today I'd rather

Today I'd Rather

Thinking about what you would rather do allows you to explore.  Would you rather be somewhere else? What would you rather be doing? Something you do normally, or some grand adventure you have been planning?  Would you rather be working toward a goal? What is difficult about now? Why would you rather be doing something other than what you are doing?  Why are you wasting time on something you don’t want to do?

I’m sharing my go on this journaling prompt here… please share yours!

Today I’d rather take a nap.  I am not usually a huge nap person, but last night I awoke just after 2am and was unable to drift back to sleep.  My restlessness woke my husband, which lead to a lovely late night conversation that reminded me of our days dating.  I always enjoy talking to him, and it seems we rarely get an opportunity to just talk.  Daily life gets bogged down in stress, children, chores, and to-dos.  The beauty of a late night chat is there is very little one can do without disrupting the household, and it is rare to have a partner in the wee hours of the morning with which to converse. It was a glorious gift, and I am gracious for the time with my husband, however today… I’d rather nap.

My creative process-- ATCs

STEP 1

It is time to work on another set of Artist Trading Cards, and this time, I thought I would share my design process here.  Looking at the end product that someone shows is lovely, but a lot may be learned from the struggle that an artist goes through to create.

This set of cards is themed “Spring”, although I always use the theme very loosely.  This round is a little bittersweet because the group that I have participated in ATCs with had some upheaval, and I stepped away in the process. That leaves me with a group of people I love and dearly miss, with a melancholy feeling around the situation as a whole.  That and spring are divergent ideas at first glance.

In looking for something common between the two ideas, I find myself drawn to “hope”, “wish” or “growth”.  Both hope and growth fit nicely with a spring theme, so I am narrowing my card theme down to those two.  Flowers and blooming align with either, so I am going to look at my papers/embellishments/resources to see what it have.  I also want to include a hand-designed piece, so I am searching for a transparency to see if I can add a home-made rub on to the mix. 

Now with a theme, and an idea rumbling around, I am going to look at my resources, and see what I can do...

How do you start a project?

Rosette Gifts

I am the luckiest person to be able to work with amazing support staff. For Adnimistrative professional's week, I made each of them a rosette. I was excited to see how lovely they turned out.I used a Marths Stewart Scoring board, and a butter knife to create the rosettes. I lost my scoring tool, and a butter knife is the closest substitute I have found. I used Authentique Blissful, free bird, and Gathering paper. The ribbon is May Arts and American Craft.Please comment if you like!

Thinking of trying out a craft fair as a vendor?

 haven't gotten the bug to try my hand at becoming a craft fair vendor. However, my dear friend is, and she was given this article which is so enlightening about how to get involved in craft fairs.



http://mermaidscloset.blogspot.com.au/2010/04/craft-show-tips-all-you-need-to-know.html



Some of the best gems from this article:

·         If you are just starting out, don’t pay more than $75/table

·         Visit fairs first to get a feel for the clientele to find the right fit for you

·         Price Everything

·         Have candy

·         Spend some time designing your table

I am amazed by the insight that Mermaids Closet shares in this article.  If you are considering trying to be a craft fair vendor, arm yourself with this article and do your homework!

Good Luck!

Journaling Prompt: Grey is my favorite color

Sometimes, coming up with the inspiration for a page can be extremely difficult.  Whether it is an artist's journal, a scrapbook page, or a diary, just starting the writing can be a challenge.  Today, I am beginning a weekly feature to help you jump start your creative process. 
What is your favorite color?
What is a title you can use with that color?
Ticked Pink
It was all Yellow
Orange you glad?
Why is this your favorite color?
What memories do you have of the color?
What does the color make you feel?

So here's my go at this week's Journaling Prompt:

Grey is my favorite color.
I felt so symbolic, yesterday (Counting Crows, Mr. Jones). Living in Western Washington you must embrace the grey, or surrender to the gloom that the filtered light brings in the long fall and winter months. My favorite grey is the sky in a deep steel, where the trees and the buildings look striking against the angry air. 

My favorite sweaters have always been grey.  I love the nip of cool air against a warm sweater and a well-loved pair of jeans.  The outfit is perfect for a fall walk where the wet trees drip in the breeze and shower the ground with crimson leaves.  A cup of hot coffee or tea is a welcome treat during an urban stroll along the avenue or after a trail exploration.

The Pacific Ocean flows in the full range of grey, and the foggy mist dulls the landscape into muted greens and browns.  I adore how the waves crash unforgivingly on the rocks, and how the sound of the ocean is enough to drown out the thoughts of my ever busy mind.  There is rarely release from the racing of my thoughts, so the ocean is a welcome harbor of peace.

So much beauty lies in grey.  Grey brings the beauty out of so much.  I hope that I am like grey.   

Inspiration

Today is a chilly, rainy day in Western WA.  So I think I need some inspiration, and I would love to share it will all of you!  So here are three inspiring things to me:

Heritage Art Palette:
What a cool little palette for watercolors or Acrylics.  I picked up one of these at Daniel Smith last week, and I am smitten.  The wells are a great size for watermedia and the case is sturdy, so I don't dump all my paint on myself, which shockingly is known to happen.




Dr. Martens 1940 Boots
Ok, so I never got over high school, at least fashion.  I still love Docs, and Birks, and I am still ever so sad Chanel discontinued Vamp Lipstick.  A friend likes to tease me that it isn't good I like the same lipstick from high school.  Am I the Blue Eye shadow lady who never let go?  NOOO! It cannot be. Can it?  As I wallow in self doubt, I should at least have some shin-kicking boots that are truly a classic. 


Lavender Essential Oil
I adore the essential oil burner my stepson brought over and Lavender and Peppermint are my favorite crafty smells.  I love it when the house smells like a spa, and I get to craft.