My New Creative Adventure!

During the pandemic, we've all found different ways to keep ourselves busy, to avoid going out of our minds and avoid stress.  I have been doing much more crafting, mostly card making and stamping. I was aware of Altenew as a stamp company, and their amazing Build-A-Flower Stamp Sets, but hadn't ordered anything yet. I finally looked into their website and their stamps, and WOW! I was in love.

My first stamp order was the Wild Hibiscus Stamp. I had seen the stamp used in a YouTube Video, and knew I NEEDED it! I ordered 3 stamps, plus the matching Wild Hibiscus Dies. I made all of my Mother's Day cards from this order (Mom, Mother-in-Law, and Birth Mother-in-Law). I loved how they all came out. As my obsession with Altenew grew, I discovered that they had a Certified Educator's Program. I have always wanted to take the next step and apply for some sort of design team or to be published, and this seemed like the perfect way to start! I sent in a sample, then more, and I was accepted!

I had to resurrect this blog, and now will be learning how to post my cards and creative endeavors here. I am taking a series of 20 classes, broken into 2 levels. Wish me luck!

I am very proud to display this badge on my Blog!

Well of course, they have an app for this!

Wow, I can't believe I still have access to this!  I was thinking about blogging again only to have a place to post creative ideas and possibly do the Tim Holtz tags.  I totally got caught up in reading old posts, had a good cry, too.  So many memories.

So lately I've been inspired by Mixed Media, Art Journalling, and as always, Tim Holtz.  Working at Michaels, and having that store discount helps!  Although I must have most of his stuff that we carry already!  I really should put it all in one place.

Just writing this for my own peace of mind.  I want to get an "art area" set up in my room.  Most of my scrap booking stuff is at Taira's but I can focus on at here.  Been collecting some paints, mediums, sprays, stencils, pencils and paper.  Time to DO something with them, we'll i played a little, but the desk got cluttered.  Also been doing a lot of surfing to learn about Art Journalling and supplies.  This latest obsession got started off when Judy gave me a copy of Somerset Memories.  Wow!  I love the combination of mixed media and scrap booking, and have been interested in playing on canvases for a while.  This kinda brings together a bunch of creative ideas I've had.

First it was the texture paste that fascinated me, then Gesso, then other mediums being used with templates.  Then I found a reproduction Sears Catalog from 1902, and a old book by Max Beerbohn, who it turns out is buried at St. Paul's in London!  Totally have to tour that next time, hopefully Summer 2015.

Writing this on the iPad I won from Spotted Canary.  Funny how something I had no clue about has become indispensable!  Love the autocorrect!

Hmm note to self, it doesn't want to publish from the iPad.

More on my new creative journey next time...it's really made me feel more positive writing this. :)
If I keep blogging I will have to update the banner.

Another Year....

This year...what can I say? It seems like we were hoping too hard that this year would be better, less financial problems, less health problems for Evan, get back on track, etc. But life threw us a major curve ball this year. (Not sure about the baseball analogy).

We lost our dear Dad in Febuary. One day he was fine, helping out with car shopping for Taira, going to work, getting ready to help with Evan's birthday party...then he seemed to have the flu, then he was in the emergency room. He had apparently suffered a stroke. He had surgery after the first stroke to remove the pressure on his brain stem, and never really recovered after that. Most of February was spent at the hospital, then the hospice, balancing between hope and despair. During all of this, I quit my job (a long story), and Evan left Hearn Academy. So now I'm home-schooling, mostly just to get us through until summer, and hopefully get Evan back in a new school in the fall. My persective on life has changed so much.

So another convention has come and gone. Another chance to catch up with the "girls". Lynzee is about to have a baby boy. Melissa just moved back to San Diego. Taira and I went to Mad Scrappers for NSD, and I created a "Road Trip" cigar box album that the owner wants me to teach in a class. I was really excited about it Saturday, but today I'm just blah. Blah, blah, blah. Lots of stuff I "should" be doing. Getting the house ready to sell (ha!) Working on getting Evan ready for school in the fall. Planning summer activities for him. Working on my new web site, "Scrap Getaway", which will offer monthly kits and scrap retreats. Trying to figure how to make some money. I suppose a therapist would say that I'm blocking my feelings right now, hence the "blah" feeling. I'm either too high or too low.

Back from Nowhere

Ok, so I quit the blogging thing. I was very busy starting my "new life", with all it's challenges. I've been working at IAC (Insurers Administration Corporation) since last April. It started out rough, got boring, now it's interesting. I also shanghaied Joni Parker into working here, too. She had the computer skills and was looking for a more permanent job. So we've been sitting next to each other ever since July...until today, when she got moved down the row. But we have a plan that involves two cans and a string.

I can't believe all the things that have happened in everyone's lives in the last year. Three of "my girls" got married: Lynzee, Brianna, and Dani. Two, no make that three, of my girls had babies: Christina, Melissa, and Kristel on Jan 1st. If it weren't for the weddings and baby showers I probably wouldn't have any idea what's going on with anyone from the store. I did get to see some of them when we had our crop last summer.

So now I am ready to plan the Circle Journal. I want to add a "where are they now" theme, we could each do 2 pages (or a double page spread) THEN..and NOW. THEN being our favorite memories about the store, how we met and got involved in each others lives, NOW being what we have done since the store closed. I hope everyone still wants to do this! I would like to do an 8x8 format. Everyone that wants to participate can build their own book. We will make enough pages for everyone that wants them.

I'm all signed up for the Mesa Convention in April, so is Taira and Joni. Mom will be out of town. :( We're doing our usual routine, going down Friday and spending the night. We are NOT going to the organized crop, though, the last two were SO LAME. Anyone care to pass a big "R" around again? Instead, Taira and I are hosting a "card swap". We are going to design and decorate our own card files, and make cards together. Each person will bring their card ideas, and the supplies to make them. If anyone wants to participate, let me know. We were going to sign up for the "official card swap" but decided to save ourselves the $32 and do what WE wanted to do.

Anyone want to meet at Sluggo's Friday night? Or Saturday Lunch?

Hugs and Kisses to all. I will be sending an email about the Circle Journal, since no one probably reads this blog anymore.....

CK Convention Chills and Thrills

I had tons of fun at the convention! The first day was some cool classes, then lots of fun at the Crop with Joni, Mom, and Taira. And who could forget Kim Kesti's "Sob contest"?

Saturday I had a hard time getting excited about more classes, but my first one was taught by Laurie Stamas (which is why I took it). Way cool book using Junkitz Salsa collection! The Scrap Daddy class was lame, unless you like lots of cutting. But the class kit was cool, so I skipped. Ran into Candy, Lynzee, Jori (JR), Christina and gang at Sluggo's (for my 3rd meal there). Had lots of fun catching up and making plans to GO CROP!

Our third class was where the "chills" came in. I took a phone call which lasted half the class (thanks to my dear sweet Evan). Since I had no chance of catching up, I started looking at the class kit. I noticed that the Vintage Hip letters packaging was like a giant tag. So I thought, hmmmm....great way to make a book! Taira got all excited about it, so we started working on it. Jodi from Making Memories was checking it out, and when we finished we showed it to Margie. Well, she freaked out! She totally embarrassed me showing it to the class! But then I got a free Idea Book, Decorate Life: Scrapbooks. She also gave us some more class kits. Then she posted our picture on the MM Blog:

Hangin' out with Making Memories

Too fun! Thanks Margie and Jodi!

Also got to catch up with my dear friend Erika, and talk to Leslie Miller from CK! And check out Becky H's cute little girl, who is seriously the most beautiful little baby I've ever seen.

Great weekend, great inspiration!

I love my sister!

Any of you who have had the gift of meeting my sister, Taira, you know what I'm talking about. She is so generous, loving, and fun. She helps me when I need it most. Okay, so maybe there's a little co-dependence going on....but it's hard to separate our lives. And I don't want to!

Here is a picture of Taira taken at a baseball game last summer. It was so Taira, the funky hair thing, the mardi gras beads, the big smile....

She is struggling, as I am, to go on with our lives. We poured our heart and soul into the store. It was ours together. And it hurts to see it gone. Did it really matter to anyone but us? I think it did. I want to do a scrapbook about the store, and how it touched other peoples lives. If you want to contribute, let me know. Maybe we'll do one of those books - like a circle journal (wow, almost couldn't remember the name of it anymore).

I got to see Candy, Lynzee, Brianna, Danielle, Christina, Jori, and Sue at Lynzee's wedding on the 18th. It was very bittersweet. I didn't realize how much I missed everyone, and how I was avoiding them to avoid the painful memories. Why can't I focus on the good ones? I cried all over Candy and Brianna, I miss them so much, and I have such mixed emotions when I see them. I feel like I let everyone down. Now I am tearing up again. Will I ever heal from this?

I wish I had pictures of the girls, they were all so beautiful. And Candy was radiant, there's no other word for it. And Lynzee, truly the beautiful, regal princess with her court of ladies. All the beautiful lavender and purple! And the bouquets were gorgeous, I wanted to take one home!

I danced with my husband for the first time in probably 10 years. And had a great time dancing with the girls to "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy". Funny how that song sticks with me, even though it's nasty ole' country music!

I have a real need to reconnect with everyone. I think it's part of getting on with my life. So if you're reading this, leave me a note. I miss you all, and think about you often.

Feeling Creative..a new look

I am really wanting to be creative and just play around with artsy stuff. So I redid the "look" of my blog. What do you think?