One last summer fling

I thought I would share one last summer fling with ya'll today.  While the weather is not really fall-like here yet, I have put away all the true summer clothes.  Packed away are all the whites, strappy sundresses, and linens.  I relish the fall days!  Just love the crisp, cool air.  Envy my parents who made a drive into the mountains this weekend to see the fall colors.  All the trees are changing colors and my mom said it was gorgeous!  And of course the oldest child is in north Texas and keeps telling me about their cool mornings and low humidity.  Oh how I wish there was low humidity here!  So, on with fall....I made this cute little mini album a few weeks ago.  I call it the Sun Kissed mini album.

 Acrylic page edged with stickles.  Butterflies are "trapped" behind the paper on the other side but are seen through the acrylic.

 Lots of tags....spaces for journaling and pics.

 Just a small little book to open for more space.

Sorry, some of the pics are a bit dark.  This is the paper line Sun Kiss from Prima. The album is 6 x 6 which is perfect to just drop pics into.   I love butterflies, birds, florals,....  So this paper really struck a heartcord with me.    I really like the colors but also the faint backgrounds on many of the papers.  There are still a few of the kits left.  If you are interested in purchasing one, just let me know!

This week is rounding out to be rather hectic again!  Homecoming was this past weekend and my daughter looked amazing!  Just like a little tinkerbell!  Her dress had gold glitter on it and everywhere she went she left a glitter trail.  I pulled mom duty and stayed up all night keeping an eye on the teens who came to my house for the night.  And you know they didn't sleep! Feeling old because it is going to take a whole week for me to make up that missed sleep!   But it was totally worth it.

Have a little last summer thing and pray for cool weather!  Have a great day.

Doodling

What a crazy couple of weeks it has been.  Somewhere in my mind I thought that when the oldest went away to school that life at home would be a little less crazy.  Ha!  Delusional me!  I really think it is crazier.  I don't know what I was thinking....I mean, there are still 4 kiddos here that need to be taken everywhere.  Oh, and of course they still want to be fed!  Aagh!

It seems that it has been hard to get a blog up in the last 2 weeks.  So today I specifically made time for it.  Yeah!  I have of course been busy scrapbooking.  Scrapp n' Savvy is having their sampler next Friday and Saturday.  This means that I need to have all my projects for the next quarter done by Wednesday so that they can be photographed and make sure I have an inventory of all that I used on a project.  While I won't post pics of those projects today, I can tell you that I am very happy with them and I think you will be too!

I have spent an inordinate amount of time sitting in the last few weeks.  Volleyball (before she switched to soccer), soccer, cross country, meetings of every kind (do we really need to sit for an hour and a half listening to someone tell me what is written on a piece of paper?), well, you get the picture.  As you may be able to tell by my little comment I am really, really tired of pointless meetings.    I get it.  But I have 5 children.  I could write the manual on some of these things.  To make these meetings mandatory is silly.  I had 3, yes 3, last night.  All at the same time.  All on the same property.  All for different children.  I chose the youngest child's scout meeting.  He needed me the most last night!  All said......I have had a bunch of time not at my desk.  So, to keep my hands busy I took my sketchbook along.

I have always been a doodler.  I have filled pages with funny little people, cat faces, pumpkins, elaborate swirls and twirls.  I thought I would share some of them with you today.

 I usually start with a pencil drawing then come back and cover it with a black multiliner pen.  I especially love this because if I make a mistake I can cover it with a thicker line.

 This is the same type of drawing but after I finished with my black pen I experimented with the Faber Castell gelatos.  Love them!  They blend so nice.

 Of course, I had to break out the copics.  I grabbed a few colors and stuck them in my purse!  I had to draw something based on the colors I had grabbed!  Worked out okay though.

 Just simple shapes and then you keep adding on.  I think I am going to glitter ritz this one and color it with copics for the front of a card.

 I love my seahorses!  Each one is different.  

 And of course a mermaid.  Actually drew several of these.  Colored some with copics (very cool) and others with gelatos.  I have given them all away though so no pics.  Her hair is by far my favorite.

This is a fairy that I am working on now.  Not sure how this one will turn out.  It is the wings that draw me in though.  Like butterfly wings.  Faces are not my thing....just can't seem to get them right.  I know the face will be simple so the wings will be more patterned.  Definitely will color this one with copics.

I have used some of these in my scrapbooking.  Small ones that are subject specific.  As titles, names, dates.  You know that sometimes it is really hard to find that perfect embellishment for a page, but with these you can just make it!  I usually keep a small stash of the super heavy weight artist paper in my bag so that I can take advantage of down time.

I hope I inspired you today.  Check back.  You never know what fun messes I will have here for you!

Bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble!

Bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble!  Oh, wait.  It's not halloween yet!  Not even close!  Unless of course you are a retail store.  Then it's been halloween AND Christmas for months now!  I think there has been more Christmas stuff in my local Hobby Lobby than anything else since, oh, I don't know, before July 4th!  Don't get my wrong.  I love those holidays!  But really.....Could we wait a bit?  Stresses me out to think about Christmas shopping in July!  And I can only look at the holiday for so long before I get frustrated that there is nothing new to look at.

Back to the bubble.....I have bubbles on my mind today!  No comments please!!!  I know I always have bubbles on my mind (bubble baths, blowing bubbles, well, you get the picture).  You see, tomorrow I teach my bubble brag book at Scrapp n' Savvy.

I fell in love with these cute little bubble brag books a while back.  Of course, the book is sitting at the store so I don't have a picture of the brag book part.  Essentially, the front is a bubble frame (that you can put your own treasures in) and the back is an accordian book.  It sits on a cute little easel that comes in the kit.  The center of the front frame is a little bubble!  Of course, the best part is being able to use the fun metal embossing fragments.  Oh my am I addicted to that stuff.  It is so fun to add different colors of the fragments and make your own colors and texture.  The picture just doesn't do this justice!  It looks like metal that has been antiqued.  And then there is the cute embellishment packs to decorate with (see the little scrolls at the top and bottom?)  .  They come in so many adorable little shapes.  I will have to post better pics of this.  Of course, I filled it with pics of the oldest and his beach party.  Fun, fun ,fun!

I am also excited for my trip this week.  I am leaving Thursday to go to Scrapfest in Louisiana.  Scrapp n' Savvy is holding some classes but also will have a booth space.  I am looking forward to scrapping all weekend!  Well, at this point I was going to have a picture of my work table covered in prepared kits that I am taking to sale.  However, I guess all my technology stuff has taken today off.  I can't seem to get the picture to upload in blogger.  Sure it is my fault.  So, just imagine a bunch of clear cellophane bags loaded with beautiful papers, lovely ribbons, and some cute embellishments.  That is what I have been working on.  I am hoping to sale my kits in the store's booth.  If I can sale all of them, then my trip is paid for!  Yeah.

Allrighty.  Short post today.  There is just so much going on in my house today.  Craaaazy!  Check back soon for glimpses of the new quarters projects.  There are some really cute ones.  Thanks for stopping by.

My holiday fun

It's Labor Day weekend.  This is the weekend I think my kids look forward to because it is the first long weekend since school started.  Yes, selfish since they don't really understand what the holiday signifies, but real!  Me?  Well, I am looking forward to the weekend too.  Really I'm looking forward to not having to make lunches.  I hate making lunches for school.  They never, never want what you have for lunch.  They never eat what you pack.  I get it, but come on.  Give mom a break!  I am lucky that they do make their lunches most days (except the little guy).

On to the weekend.....I am teaching today at Scrapp n' Savvy.  This is my Pinterest inspired class and today it is called Clip and Dangle.  There are so many cute homemade pin boards and note boards on Pinterest.  It inspired me to make the religious ones that I posted a few months back but also these really cute picture clip boards.

There are so many possibilities.  I am planning on making a larger one to hold recipes while I work in the kitchen.  In the picture the cream stand holding the pictures is the "clip" and the cork ornaments is the "dangle".  The cork ornaments are all over Pinterest.  I have a dear friend who has been collecting corks for many, many years in hopes of doing some cute, fun project.  For now though, they are in a large box in her pantry.  Good for me.....I got to dig through and find cute corks for this project!  Yes, I know.  This sounds like the perfect excuse to open a bottle of vino with the girls.  All in the name of crafting!  I'll get to that this weekend!

I am praying for those in Louisiana and surrounding states hit by the hurricane.  How much water can they take?  My prayer seems a bit, well, selfish I guess.  You see, there is this scrapbook convention in Mandeville, Louisiana in 2 weeks.  Sits right on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain.  Selfish.  I really want to go.  Have made kits to sale and everything.  New crop bag to take goodies in (it's been years since I have gone to a crop night).  Plans for what I can bring to crop.  Plans for a good bottle of wine with the girls at the end of a great crafting day.  So....prayers for those people.  They really need them.  But also prayers for those of us heading there for convention.  We need that time too.  And just think of the money we can pump into that local economy!  I'm prepared to do my part!

Well ladies.  I hope you have a great weekend.  Spend some time with family, craft, but mostly enjoy your time.  Check back next week for some new craftiness!

My heart skipped a little beat

I'm a mother.  No, more of a mom really.  No formality.  Just lots of love and fun.  I have this sixth sense when it comes to my kids.  A gut feeling I guess you might call it.  I think when you become a mother (by birth or adoption - you still become a mother) God drops this extra sense to you.  We like to joke that He gives us extra guardian angels that whisper to us mothers!  Somehow, someway a mother just knows.  So last night when the phone rang at 1130 pm I jumped.  Oh boy did I jump!

There has been some shuffling in our house recently.  The oldest went off to college and the vultures started moving!  Middle child took the oldest child's room, youngest child took the middle child's room, mom took the youngest child's room, etc....  There is still a designated room for the oldest don't worry!  But, this shifting has had one very pleasant outcome for me.  When the hubby starts snoring (which will happen since we live in the allergy capital of Texas!!!) I can move upstairs to a bed.  A real bed.  Not the sofa.  Not the floor.  It is pure heaven!!  Such was the case last night.

I had just drifted off to sleep when I heard the phone ring.  Of course, there was no phone upstairs.  By the time I stumbled downstairs, without my glasses, the phone had stopped.  Ugh!  Good thing we have caller id.  I just had this gut feeling it was the oldest child.  Sure enough!  As I called him back my nerves ramped up.  He didn't pick up immediately either.  Nerves ramped up some more.  Then when he does pick up he seems utterly confused as to why I'm calling him.  He butt-dialed me.  Really?  For heaven's sake lock the screen or something!  And then the lovely little guy says "oh, did I wake you?"  Really?????  It's late.  Late for me.  Now I'm awake.  Fully awake.  Had not spoken to him in what, 24 hours or more.  But he was off to play frisbee so he couldn't talk right now.  Frisbee.  At midnight.  Oh, how I remember those days!

It is an incredibly strange sensation to know that for 18 years I have been solely responsible for knowing everything about this child and now he is on his own.  He is an adult.  He makes his own choices and does not have to check in with me.  He is smart and very responsible but it is strange for me.  He has been gone a week now and I have limited myself to only a few closet crying sessions.  I have limited myself to a few calls and only for "important" things.  Texts, well, I have texted him more than once a day I admit.  But I am allowed to.....I'm his mom!

Needless to say but after my adrenaline rush of the phone episode I was awake.  Completely, not falling asleep anytime soon awake!  What would any good crafter do in this situation?  Yep, craft!  I have been working on projects for next quarters classes and still had some design issues.  Not anymore!  Midnight was good.  I worked out a few kinks in my plans, got the logistics of projects down, and simplified a rather hard project so I think I can put it on the list for next quarter.  Yeah!  Feeling good, tired, but good.

Today is the last class I teach for the vintage beach suitcase.  I can hardly wait.  This one has been so much fun.  I love watching the ladies transform the parts to make their own suitcase.  The look of accomplishment on their face is wonderful.  I am planning another suitcase for Christmas and I think it will be adorable.  Tune in for pics of that closer to Christmas.  After class I am headed to my grandparents.  They are in their 90's.  Amazing.  I am hoping to see my newest baby cousin as they will be in town today.  I find I really enjoy visiting with my grandparents now.  I love hearing all the stories of them growing up.  Just mind boggling the things they have done, have seen.

It's going to be a great day.  Even though my heart skipped a little beat late last night, I know today will be great.  Family and crafting - yeah!  Hope your day is special too.

Ah, the good old days

This weekend was one of those emotional roller coaster kinds.  The hubby and I delivered our first born to COLLEGE!  Oh man.  Talk about emotions.

To start with, it is an 8 hour drive (maybe a bit more with snack stops).  We left early Saturday morning.  Just hubby, college child, and myself.  All the others stayed at the house.  My little man has been crying for 2 weeks just because he is going to miss his big brother.  That alone has put me on tear alert.  Like I needed an excuse!  I mean really.....I'm going to miss his big brother too!  Anyway, after the day long drive we finally arrived.  A friend told me that sometimes they let the kids move in the night before but that is "unofficial" and we just have to show up.  Armed with that tidbit of info I suggested that we drive by his dorm to just take a look.  Yep.  Won the lottery on that one!!!  No lines.  Parked right in front of building.  Unloaded all the stuff.  Got first pick of beds in the tiny room.  College kid got first taste of what life will be without mom and maybe a bit of vice versa.

I think the last sentence there is important.  I tend to be a crier.  I cry when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when others are happy, when others are sad, well, you get the picture.  I cry.  It's me; just who I am.  My mom is this way too.  So, I have been trying very hard to focus on all the positives.  I don't want the boy to think his momma is going to cry the whole time he is gone (or at least he doesn't need to know that!)  I think that the unloading of all the stuff then having the evening and the next morning to just chill with him was the absolute best thing ever.  I was not stressed about having to battle the lines of students or chaos that happens on move in weekend.  It was nice.  Also, having had a good look at the room we realized a few little things we had not brought with us so there was time Sunday morning to pick them up.

So, sometime around noon yesterday, we left.  Left my beautiful baby boy at college.  I shed a few tears but managed to keep my composure for the most part.  Last night, alone in my closet, is a different matter entirely!  This is an amazing time for him I know but I sure am going to miss him.  He is an incredible person that brings rays of sunshine to our home.  Hubby and I fondly remembered some of our college days.  He brought up that our boy has some opportunities that we did not.  Neither of us lived on campus.  I was really glad to hear hubby say that it is good for him to live on campus because I really pushed for that.  Being so far from home, I felt he needed to right in the middle of it all.  I enjoyed that wonderful conversation with the hubby.  It made me feel like I pushed for the right thing.  Now home to the wonderful 4 rays of sunshine that are there:  the amazing HS senior that nothing is to big of a challenge for, the big hearted HS junior who always has a dazzling smile and laugh for everyone, the 8th grader who is ready to challenge the world with brains and beauty, and of course my little man....the precocious one of the bunch.  Is he 9 or 19?  Always has a funny response that is way beyond his little years and always has a hug for his momma!

On to this week.  For those of you who missed it, I am holding another beach suitcase class this Saturday at Scrap n' Savvy.  This wonderful mini album has tons of stuff.  You can see the other pics of the album in the last post.  I was totally impressed with the ladies in my last class....they did wonderfully!  There are  quite a few steps on this one.  Their suitcases turned out beautifully.  Could not have asked for more.


This week I will be working on projects for next quarter.  I am excited about a few of them already.  The others need to completely "gel" in my mind.  This is one of my favorite parts.  I have an idea in my head and now need to turn it into something that people will want to make.  I have had a few flops but mostly manage to have projects that people like.  The beach suitcase was a homerun.  Here's hoping I can have another one!

There are so many new things on the market now.  CHA was a few weeks ago and now all those new items that were introduced are making their way into the stores.  Keep your mouse ready.....I will be playing with a few and naturally will share with you this week.  Since my kids are back in school I plan to be better with posting here (adding videos maybe?!)

I would love to see your favorite project that you have made.  Share a link to it in the comment section. Have a great day everyone.

My favorite

Who says you can't choose a favorite?  People do it every day.  I mean, it's not like I'm choosing between my children or anything.  What am I talking about you ask?  Well, let me show you...

 This is my next class project.  It is a vintage suitcase that holds a few little surprises inside.

 The outside is distressed and has a few little touches to lend a vintage flair to it.  Notice the lock on the front and the key dangling from the handle?

 Ooh la la!!!  This is the inside.  The right side has a shelf that holds some beachside keepsakes...a couple seashells, a miniature tropical painting, some sea glass, fish netting, and more.  The left side holds a mini album!  I was amazed when I completed the album to see how many pics I could actually put in it!

This is a closeup of the inside of the mini album (of course with a pic of my little guy!).

Now do you see why this is possibly my most favorite project ever?  I absolutely love the way it turned out!!!  I love the paper collection (Authentique's Fresh collection) and especially all the little things that make it look like a real suitcase.  When you see it closed and sitting on a table you really think it is a small suitcase!

I don't know about you but sometimes when I am working on a project I have misgivings about how it is looking.  Many times I don't even like what I have done until I see the whole thing completed.  Other times I love bits and pieces of what I am working on but then like the whole thing in the end.  There is just something about this one that I really loved all the way through.  It was a process of finding all the right elements (and the miniature hinges and latches were the most time consuming to find!) and making sure they fit the image I had in my mind.

This is my next class at Scrapp n' Savvy.  I will teach two sessions for this project and the first is this coming Monday.  Interested?  Go to the link and sign up!  I would love to see you there.  Don't live here?  Leave me a comment and I can get a kit to you.

I hope you love this little beauty as much as I do.  I'm off.....I have 5 little favorites to get moving.  School starts in 5 days!!! Can't believe summer is already over for us.  Looking forward to having some structure to my day but not looking forward to having kids gone all day.  It's always a catch 22!

Be inspired today.  Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the suitcase.