birds

Here is a screen shot of my coloring page on the Sampler! You can now go there and download the PDF file to make it easy to print and color! I can't wait to see what everyone does with it. :) Have fun!

promotional swap?

We ordered our love,joleen promotional postcards today! This is a lesser quality image because otherwise it would have taken a year to upload. Haha. Anyhow, if you own a shop and are interested in a swap of promotional materials to include with orders please leave a message, email me, whatever! :)

and still we so no peace.. all we see is..

changes! I hope you like the new look! :D I wanted my blog to vibe with the shop's look. We have a nifty little button you can use to link us too:

Enjoy!

oh! how fabulous!!

I ♥ ♥ ♥ to trade! All of those fabulous goodies above came from the wonderfully inspiring and talented Tania of taniahowells.com. Below is a gorgeous(!) necklace from Kathleen of liquidskyarts.com. She makes the most beautiful jewelry and now I am the proud owner of this painted capiz shell necklace! Thank you so much ladies! I will be getting your goodies out to you this very week! *big hugs*

beaded bracelets

After the kiddo went to bed-e-bye last night we watched Alias on DVD (netflix is awesome! :D) and I beaded a few bracelets. These two charm bracelets are among my favorites so far! I really like the bead combinations. Click for larger images. :)

Here is the jewelry I made before but never took photographs of:

love & kisses

My 11 year old sister, Deana, came to visit Alex and I this weekend. We have tons of fun projects planned! Tonight we made monster pillows in our pj's! :D Mine is "love" and Deana's is "kisses"! Click on the images to see a larger version!!

a pouch... my deer...

I've been wondering how I should use this lovely silkscreen deer patch from Heidi from My Paper Crane for a while now. I decided tonight to make myself this fury pouch! This beautiful faux fur fabric is from Kathy. (Thank you!) The zipper is lavender and the inside lining is pink with white polka dots. I love how this turned out! :D I really need to make patches...

finally!!!

Oh-my-goodness! I am finally finished with my Sampler contribution! I finished making all 20 of the birds tonight.

Everything is packaged and ready to go out tomorrow morning.

I think this is going to be the link I use on the website:

small birds

i didn't have enough pea brain charms to make all 200 necklaces nor enough ribbon to make the charms i did have into necklaces for the sampler. eep! therefore, i will be contributing x amount of necklaces, some charms, and then 20 of these small birds. never will i procrastonate like this again! well, in all honesty i never thought this project would be so time consuming! i will finish tonight and overnight them tomorrow. i am considering doing a larger version of this bird for the shop. what do you think?

sampler coloring page

I created this coloring page for the Sampler to be posted at the end of the week. Click on it for the full size. Please print and color! Then you can scan it and post it if you'd like. Make sure to let me know if you do! :) Enjoy!! Here is mine colored:

read a book!

What's your favorite book? Read any good ones lately?

decorate your walls

Alex and I have really enjoyed purchasing and collecting paintings and art prints since we've been here in H.B. My favorites are the prints Trim by Heidi of My Paper Crane and Apple Pan Dowdy by Sarah of The Small Object. I've also recently purchased these postcards from Boygirlparty which I plan to frame. Remember back in February when we bought this painting by Jelene Morris? I have this right over my craft table as an inspiration!

There is still so much artwork we would love to add to our collection! Sarah recommended a website called tiny showcase for small artwork with small ($12!) prices.

Alex must have Landscape by Matthew Curry.
I must have Transparent by Aly Redding.

I would also like Katey's Diver print on One Good Bumblebee.

We would love anything from momomoggie & Amy Ruppel!!

What are your favorites / recommendations?

totally smitten

I am so completely smitten with this bird mobile by india*romeo!! Ileana created this on HGTV's Crafter's Coast to Coast but I missed it! :/ I am so glad to have found this because I must have it! Other lovely finds there are the molly handbag & beaded hair pins.

the small object rocks my socks!

I got my order from the small object today and it's friggin' awesome! :) oh, how i ♥ it all! I purchased these collector cards and album, as well as this (now, sold out) apple pan dowdy print. It actually isn't 100% like the link because she worked on it more before putting them in her shop but you get the idea. :) I love it so much! I framed it and now it's in my kitchen above the stove.

meet lucy! isn't she so totally adorable??
see her in the garden, lying out, and in her new home:

I got lots of other fun goodies that you should get too- like the I'm Rubber & Your Glue Sticker Set! Thanks Sarah- once again your objects rocked my socks off!

my lil' porch garden

We live in a townhouse which could much more accurately be described as an apartment in my opinion. I've been wanting a garden for a while now but with the nice weather it became a must have. :) Yesterday I bought all kinds of fun stands and other odds & ends from TJ Maxx & More and Pier 1 imports. Today I went to Walmart and picked up colorful plants and flowers and a few pots. On the way home I wanted to pick up some fresh flowers for my living room vases so I stopped by the cutest little flower shop near my house.

I've driven by it so many times and it was nice to be able to check it out. The girl there was super nice, there was a wonderful floral selection and the prices were great! I was a little nervous when no prices were listed but I got my entire bouquet for less than 12 bucks!

aquatic

This week's Illustration Friday theme is: Aquatic

rubber stamps

Look what I made tonight! :) I had gotten the supplies in a kit from Michaels a while back but never did anything with it. Then the other day, Heidi starting talking about sending images in to make rubber stamps and I felt like giving it a go. I still have to clean 'em up a bit and put them on wood blocks but I think they turned out well. :) I especially like the bird (of course)!

catch up day

Well, last night was Star Wars which was awesome! We got home around just before 4:00 am this morning and I went straight to bed. I was lucky to have gotten today off of work and was quite surprised when I didn't wake up until 1:00 pm! Wow! :)

Today (with what's left of it :/) I get to do all sorts of fun things- like laundry. Haha. I am also going to fulfill my trades!!!!!! <<<*determined*

Yay! My May Sampler arrived on Saturday actually, but I hadn't had a chance to photograph it. It came with all sorts of fun goodies. Be sure to click on the image for better viewing. What's funny is, I am not a huge fan of eggs but one of my favorite things (that I've already worn!) is a little egg necklace from faeriesmak! She has some of the cutest food jewelry. I also got a super cute ice cream door knob buddy but she doesn't say who she's from. :/

Okay, now time to get to work!

return of the sith

What are we doing tonight, you ask? (Okay, so let's pretend you asked.) My husband and I, along with a friend, will be with the rest of the weirdos staying up to un-godly hours- all to see a little film called Star Wars Episode III: Return of the Sith. We need to get to LA around 9:00 pm to stand in line for decent seats for a movie that starts at 12:15 tomorrow morning. So it's 3 hours, at least it's not 3 days! :D By the time I get home tomorrow it will be around 4:00 am. Yikes.

*1:00 pm Thursday* Well, we saw the movie last night and it was great! :D Can't wait to have our own lil' marathon now. haha

Summer Sampler Contribution

Here is my Summer Sampler contribution, along with more pea brain pouches. The plan is to send 200 pea brain shrinky dink ribbon necklaces along with this little card printed on kraft colored cardstock. The happy pea says, "now, don't go getting us wet and don't lose us!", and the not-so-happy pea says, "please, please don't try to eat us!" Well, I think it's rather funny, anyway! :D Each of these charms are hand-drawn.

awww and look at my sweetie helping! He was so helpful in cutting ribbons to size, putting charms on jump rings and onto the ribbons. :)

pea brain pouch

oh! I love how this turned out. :) I've been wanting to turn my lil' drawings of these guys into something for a while now. I got 100 of those scarily bright green zippers off of ebay (the color looked different) so I want to use them! And look! I actually did a decent job sewing the zipper! :D I am cutting out more for the shop. They probably won't be there until the first update. wow! look at me planning ahead...

OMG

I just recieved this fabulous Chunky Book ("OMG") and it's absolutely wonderful! I wanted to post it to those of you that aren't exactly sure what a Chunky Book is. This is a wonderful example! With the deadline only 4 short days away Lending Talents is still looking for participants for our Tsunami Relief Aid Chunky book. I am willing to extend the deadline until June 1st but we really need to wrap this project up. We still need participants and would LOVE for you to join us. If you could post about this project on your own blog that would be wonderful and I would love you forever! If you have completed your page and are waiting to send it, send it. :) Thank you! xoxo

first photo shoot

Today love, joleen had it's first photo shoot. We had such a great time and the pictures turned out fabulous- fun and colorful! A HUGE thank you to our beautiful model (and my sister) Aimee! You can view all my favorites here. Also, thank you to Sarah (another sister) for modeling for the children's purse at the end.

saturday night

I didn't have a chance to post yesterday but I really wanted to! I had such a wonderful day. I spent the day crafting and making the last little bit for the grand opening of love, joleen. All unfinished product will go in the first update.

Last night Alex and I met up with my sister, Aimee, and her husband, Vince at downtown disney. We had dinner at the ESPN Zone, one of eight in the country. It's a pretty fun place and we got to watch a live taping of a sports show as we ate. Afterward we went to all the little shops there to kill time before our movie.

If you see one movie this year, please see Crash. I think it has a lot to do with my own experience but it was a true 5 stars. It's one of the best movies I have ever seen. It's harsh and honest. If you see it and then want me to explain how it touched me so much please email me. Coming from "LA" and having experienced many of the topics, it really touched home. Go see it!

birthday girl

I made these two mixed media collage paintings for my Mom for her birthday last month. I didn't have a chance to scan them before giving them to her so she took photos for me. Sorry they're a bit blurry because they're framed and behind glass, but you get the idea! :) These were created using watercolor, marker, colored pencil, specialty paper, and a vintage advertisement on watercolor paper. Thanks for the pictures, Mom! :)

pretty knit

Isn't this a pretty knit?? I got this handspun merino yarn today in the mail with my order from My My Distro made by Crafty Ass Chick. It is so soft and beautiful! It isn't much but I had to make something for myself. I knit it up to one half a clutch purse. It actually turned out a bit wide because it was scrunched up on a short needle (my long needles are in the car) so I couldn't tell the length but that's okay. It'll just be a bigger purse. Oh, how I love these pretty purples!

domestication for a day

i wish to be super domestic. i want to stay home and do "wifely" things. i want to keep a clean home. i want to wear an apron and cook & bake! (oh, if i only knew how.) and don't these cookbooks from fred flare look absolutely divine? ode to cupcakes! yummy!

oh! and pie, pie, pie! mmm, mmm...

just another update

Today you get to read a boring post because... well, because I have nothing interesting to post! Isn't it funny how that sometimes works? :) I've been working a lot lately which is great but it means I haven't had a whole lot of time at home to make new product for the shop. I am still aiming for a June opening but it looks like it may be mid-June vs. the first of. I still have a laundry list of things to do, including (but not limited to):
♥ purchasing business cards
♥ creating and having promo postcards printed
♥ buying packaging supplies (i.e. colored tissue paper)
♥ getting a ups box
♥ putting an ad on Craftster and The Sampler websites
♥ photographing product
♥ writing copy for product
♥ "about" page- copy being written by Sarah of The Small Object. Thank you, thank you!!
♥ completing website (design by Katey of One Good Bumblebee and Haha Web Design). She's awesome! :D
♥ creating special limited edition art prints for first 25 orders

I've got a pretty decent starting inventory but would love to add more. Right now I have: beaded bracelets and earrings, knit purses, knit and crocheted scarves and scarflettes, art prints, woodblock paintings, canvas paintings, felt brooches, sewn purses and pouches, and small notebooks. I would like to have postcards printed as well. Still so much to do!

Happy Birthday to a special blogging friend, Tania! You are such an inspiration and source of encouragement to me. Thank you so much. I hope you have a wonderful 30th birthday!

pieces of a girl

I found this totally awesome jewelry shop from Craft Revolution. It's called Pieces of a Girl. What an inspiration!

atc mania

I wanted to do something today that I could scan. So besides knitting a scarflette, I created a couple dozen ATCs with my fabulous markers and ink. What's with this obsession with rain drops?? It's supposed to hit 90 degrees by the weekend. Ugh. I'm not ready for that.

fine art

I painted today. Unfortunately I had to do scans for now since I have no disks for my digital camera. This means the mixed media collages on the ends are a bit blurry because the button was what was scanned the best. There is a fifth, larger painting but it isn't dry yet. These mixed media collages were made with acrylic paint, origami and specialty paper, buttons, thread, fabric, and marker. They are all on woodblocks with the exception of "grow" which is on canvas. I think these turned out great and will try to get clear photographs soon! These will be in the shop when it opens! :)

i ♥ postcards

This swap has been so much fun! I love emails and all but there is nothing like getting a card or note in the mail! Especially from such creative and talented women! Below are the postcards I've recieved, with the exception of one. If you click on the images you'll see the full size, name of the artist, and link to her blog/website. The "one" I was talking about was Tania's postcard. Oh so sad. Her's was the first to arrive and I absolutely *love* it. I love it so much I took it with me to work but now on "scanning day" I seem to have misplaced it. Have no fear, I shall find it! When I do, I will post it for all to see! Tania is who made the wonderful "postcard swap" image at the top here. Isn't she wonderful? :)

The postcards I made went to:
Katey in Dallas, TX, USA
Jessie in Auburn, ME, USA
Nicole in Germany
Aimee in Siloam Springs, AR, USA
Carly in Austrailia
Alissa in Los Angeles, CA, USA
Heather in Rolla, MO, USA
Robin in Keene, NH, USA
Lynda in Singapore
Erin in South Hadley, MA, USA

more is more!

Yay for lots of new product! I have had quite a productive couple of days in my crafting and it's been absolutely wonderful!! I decided on a whim a few days ago that I would start making jewelry. I had bought a really pretty charm bracelet from Nordstrom in March that I've been thinking since then I could have made myself. So, I went to the store and stocked up on bracelet blanks, glass beads, charms, semi-precious stone beads, crystals, etc., etc. I made my mom my very first charm bracelet for Mother's Day. I've since made three charm bracelets, a spring wire bracelet, and three pairs of dangling earrings. I am having a blast with this! :) I also made a scarflette with some of Heidi's funky yarn! :)

The bad news: I can't find the cord to my digital camera's charger and have two dead batteries. AND, after a year and a half I have finally (and sadly!) used up my stock pile of disks. *sigh* so sad..

So, no pictures for now but soon! (I hope.)

♥

Happy Mother's Day!

Third Annual Mother's Day Brunch

Today was my mom's third annual Mother's Day brunch. For the last three years she has been treating the women in her life to a special morning of yummy food, fellowship, and crafting. This year's group was smaller than the previous years but the most beautiful yet! She and my sister, Aimee, prepared this lovely food for us! It was so pretty to look at and very tastey too! :)

She taught us how to make these super cute (and easy to make!) photo albums. These would make wonderful gifts and I will definitely be making more in the future!

Here is my beautiful mother wearing the scarflette and charm bracelet I made her for Mother's Day. :D

yummy yarn! (double post)

I started knitting again this week after taking a few weeks off. I can't show you what I made just yet. :) I will post that tomorrow. I bought so many fabulous yarns while in San Francisco, as well as from My Paper Crane and snapcrafty. Above are two of the fabulously yummy yarns I purchased from Heidi today! Her yarns sold out SUPER fast so I was really lucky to get these! A few of you are waiting for trades from me. Be patient with me and I promise I will try my best not to disappoint you! :D

my favorite

japanese garden, golden gate park, san francisco, california

:(

This makes me so sad.

gone black

I've been in a bit of a funk lately in regards to my looks. You know when you just feel like the ugliest, fatest, blahest (sure, it's a word!) person ever? Okay, well maybe you don't, but sometimes I do. One of the things bothering me for several months is my hair. I cut it, then decide to grow it out but it's so funky during this growing out period! Plus, I have the thickest curly hair and it's a serious pain to straighten it. Hence, the lazy up-do I constantly have. I had streaks done waaaaaaay back in August! Look at those horrible blonde-turned-orangy streaks and those roots! Ah, the roots! Eep! That has got to be a crime! Haha. :D I kept putting it off but I just couldn't any longer. For about a week I have been considering going red or black and this time I opted for black.

I need to re-apply more dye tomorrow to the spots I missed. :/ Other than that, I think it looks pretty darn good. :D

te amo target

We went to Target this afternoon for our daily walk. Going to Target can be a dangerous thing! It seems to me that over the last couple of years Target has hired the right people and the merchandise has gotten cuter and cuter!! Today I got the cutest outfit to wear to my mom's annual Mother's Day brunch on Saturday. I got this super sweet spring skirt, "cardigan" (What is this called?), and sandals! I got other goodies which I will photograph this weekend when they're all set up at my house. :) You may notice something about the two thumbnail pictures below. Look at my hands. I put nail polish on my left hand and then forgot all about it. I didn't notice that I neglected my poor right hand until half way to Target. There was no turning back then!

Continuing the "what's in your bag?" phenomenon, here is Amy's bag. What's in YOUR bag?

nanny

For those of you who don't know this, I am a nanny. Yesterday I took my charge the beach for the first time in her little life. We didn't venture onto the sand (when I took her to the park she hated the sand!) this time but took a stroll on the sidewalk along the beach.

I wish I could show you how cute she is (!) but she's not my kiddo so it's not for me to put her all over my blog. :) Too bad, though, because she is super cute! :D

In other news I bought this "read" tote bag recently from My Paper Crane and am totally loving it! It's "supposed" to be for library trips but I've been using it to cart my junk to work every day. Junk= journal, pens, markers, knitting needles, skein of yarn, magazines, etc.

journaling

For those of you who've asked, I do still journal. Not nearly as often since I started blogging daily. It's sort of become an art journal. I do use it to write about the mundane day to day happenings, as well as thoughts and feelings and the like but not as often. As of late, I've been using it as a hodge podge of drawings, magazine clippings, ideas and inspiration. Here are some of my latest favorite pages. Enjoy.

ambition

oh, the ambition!
six children keep them busy,
a husband and wife

This week's Illustration Friday topic is Ambition. Click above illustration to enlarge to full size.

Is it May already??

Wow! I can't believe it's already May! Today was my family's April birthday party and get together at my Mom's house.

I brought my (already cut) kraft colored cardstock and new markers with me. I sat down at the table with my supplies and invited others to join me! :D Click on the above photograph to see who created the above ATCs. It was a lot of fun sharing this with others! Thanks for creating with me!