After I finished the layouts for Girl's Paperie...I had all of these cards made in just a few hours. I didn't try to reinvent the wheel, rather I just played with all the patterns I really love. The satin ribbons and all the letter stickers really help cards get cute pretty darn fast...
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Wonderfully peculiar...
Even almost a year later it's so strange to me that someone would want to send me all their new stuff and have me make something with it. That's why I am so extra thankful that Margie does.
Girl's Paperie really has so many embellishments with amazing little details, but my very favorite part is the patterns...I will never tire of polka dots or gingham and always love a good vintage-y floral.
I also made a bunch of greeting cards too and will share those tomorrow...
Starred...
1. vintage enamel flower pins brooches., 2. Office_after_10, 3. NEW SPRING COLLECTION, 4. Let's have fun today - vintage 70s safety matches collage poster print on wooden background, 5. Untitled, 6. stack of ribbons studio copia1. jpg, 7. summer lounge, 8. SCRAPBOX PROJECT
Super inspiring stuff this week...
- Loved these cards so very much.
- This is great collection of Valentine crafts.
- I am always so taken with this column...yellow & gray is just the best.
- This makes me want to delve into a stack of fun books.
- She always, always inspires me...and this is just another reason why.
- I want to make these.
- This is such a fantastic home office.
- Oh, the details here.
- And Mac would think I was mom of the year if I made this.
What we needed...
This has been a tough week around here. It's rare that I'm purposely vague when writing, but I need to be on this because what we've been dealing with is not my struggle to broadcast.
Mac is having a long week too since he's been out very late in rehearsals for the musical he's in this weekend.
And I never exactly skip out the door to the first classes of the semester...plus I inevitably battle some panicky self-doubt when each class syllabus starts to outline the intellectual production that has to take place in the next several months.
So due to all of this we needed a little cake. In fact when I saw that yesterday was National Chocolate Cake Day I was in the kitchen in a matter of minutes with one of the cookbooks my mom gave me for my last birthday.
It came out of the oven right before Sean and Mac got home...it meant I could send a slice in a ziplock bag along with Mac as he left for the last night of dress rehearsal.
It meant that Sean could have a late night piece with a cold glass of milk.
And it meant I could have a couple bites when I got home from class.
I shouldn't endorse using food for stress and emotional issues (although it's a reoccurring theme in my life) but making a little something we all could enjoy amidst a tough week was really what we needed.
Ten on Tuesday...
1. I'm going to start calling this post "Ten on Almost Wednesday" since I'm just starting it after 10pm.
2. We rearranged Mac's room this past weekend. He has wanted us to do it forever, but I couldn't figure out a new configuration.
3. Having this sitting around since it didn't work for the wall finally inspired something...
4. Mac loves to save drawings and random bit of paper so the wire works perfectly for that...it also is a good place to leave him a note welcoming to his "new" room and reminding him to please put away those piles of laundry...
5. I have officially entered week four of 5K training...which means I am shuffling for sixteen whole minutes...one day I hope to upgrade that shuffle to a jog and maybe even a run.
6. I'm enjoying the shuffling (and earning the check marks) so much that I've already downloaded a 5K to 10K bridge program.
7. It's a possibility that I could get there by May 2nd, but a 30-10K doesn't have the same cheesy ring to it as my 35th birthday 30-5K did.
8. Tomorrow's the first day of school...yesterday I managed to do absolutely nothing whatsoever and today I did this...
9. Made a huge, productive mess. Right after I took this photo I immediately started cleaning because I couldn't handle it.
10. Something is coming out of this crafty disaster tomorrow.
27 days later...
I love house projects...love them with all my heart...love starting them...love finishing them.
It's the time in between starting and finishing that makes me an impatient lunatic. This living room wall took 27 days which I think is a record for the longest project ever around here. We started...and we worked...and worked some more...I obsessed on details...and now it's finally done.
I'm not 100% in love quite yet, but I'll take 92%.
It's the last thing I had in mind that was a major delay. I really wanted a wire to hang random bits on...something to change out and play around with. I was really inspired by this, but wanted something that seemed a little more anchored considering everything else going on with the wall. We had an extra picket from Sean building a fence years ago...and a good green paint we used in the nursery pretty much a lifetime ago.
The wire plans didn't work out exactly, but thankfully Sean had given me these in my Christmas stocking. They're perfect for clipping photo booth strips, an old drawing of Mac's, and this handsome basketball player (even at his young age in his beloved green and gold)...
Okay maybe 94% in love.
Starred...
1. Pretty gifts from Leslie, 2. sunshine patchwork pilow, 3. Yarn Love, 4. the sfgirlbybay home office., 5. Shelves in the kitchen, 6. Office_after_01, 7. new vintage globe, 8. Stylist Tara Sloggett
This weeks favorites...
- Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I loved this...these and think this is a great idea.
- Was very inspired by this...loved this work area...want to sew these...will save all jars because of this...and how cute is this idea?
- Scrapbooking...I am consistently inspired by the same people and these layouts are no different...April, Jennifer, Keisha, and Amanda.
- This goes into my try for breakfast file...these will be made for dinner very soon...and these look ridiculously good.
What I loved about today...
I love that I got to watch a coach committed to making sure all his players were consistently out in the game...not just the tall ones or the really good ones...and that he never yelled at the refs even when some of the calls were amazingly questionable.
I love that I got to watch the game with a kid, I mean teenager, who found the humor in me bringing him clothes so we could be matchy-matchy in Sean's school colors...I love that he is always up for an iPhone self-portrait...and that instead of taking the time to go buy the new pair of shoes he needs he decided it'd be best to head home since he had a lot of schoolwork he wanted to get done.
Trust me, this little family can get busy and grumpy with the best of them, but today was just a day when I was extra appreciative of these two guys.
Sorry that you've had to endure day two of poorly taken photos...but at least they're documenting happy little events.
Drama...
I get a little overly dramatic from time to time. For instance this is my very last free Wednesday night for months and months! My last chance for freedom. From now on I'll be toiling away in class and missing out on everything.
So tonight when I saw that there was a gathering of food trucks in Orange County, I suggested we should go before my leisurely life is completely over. I have been following a few trucks on Twitter, but have never been to one. Mac was at his dad's so Sean and I went to try it out...
We happily stood around sharing food and taking blurry, blown-out photos of it...we had an amazing pork taco at The Lime Truck, a hot dog I will be dreaming about for days at Dogzilla Hot Dogs, a caramel banana crepe at Crepes Bonaparte, and a little white chocolate raspberry cream-puff at Bakery Truck.
I can't wait to go back when I am finally free again.
Ten on Tuesday...
1. I did a stellar job crossing things of the to-do list today.
2. Unfortunately it's last week's list...still haven't touched this week's.
3. One of things I finished was updating all the albums on the Making Stuff page.
4. I also did all the school spring semester organizing. I have a file box of labeled folders and a binder with labeled dividers all ready to be filled. I'm just not quite mentally ready to start filling them.
5. I better get ready though since I'm in single digits on the back to school countdown.
6. The wall is getting closer...it's been so long that I've talked about the silly thing that it will surely be a letdown when I finally just show it.
7. We invested in a second can of spray paint...and I decided the wall needed a deer right now...if for no other reason than to playfully annoy Sean...
8. I used this font and my new Silhouette which was my other great Christmas present from Sean...
9. I am still a little intimated by it, but completely infatuated with all the possibilities it brings (like when I used a doily pattern for this tag). I thought about it for months but it officially ended up on my Christmas list after reading Amber's review and her advice to get it here with a coupon.
10. Okay it's almost Wednesday so this Ten on Tuesday post has to be done so I can get to bed.
Tonight...
I futzed with the darn wall that is still not done.
I was lovingly kept on a short leash in Trader Joe's, but was still able to find four things we needed when we only went in for one.
I watched the Golden Globes with Mac as we were snuggled in the nuddles my mom gave us both for Christmas (I'm kind obsessed with it...so cozy!)
We barbecued some chicken and had two side dishes that I added to the recipe blog.
I did a little reorganizing in our laundry room.
And I didn't finish this...
That's what tomorrow is for.
Starred...
1. peace-joy-love, 2. ellen gallagher, 3. Christmas wrapping..., 4. home sweet home: playroom, 5. The entrance, 6. craft room, 7. Welcome 2011, 8. Vintage Love Paper Garland
- This is going to be printed.
- Loved this house and this collection of kitchens.
- I love little details and scrapbook pages here have great ones.
- Wanting to make a bunch of these.
- Recipes...these potatoes look delicious...but this potato looks good too...this might get me to eat cauliflower...I need to master making my own granola...and this cake looks pretty darn good to me.
An hour I don't want back...
Please tell me I am not the only one who is prone to the internet leading them on a random odyssey every once in awhile. For instance, studying every shade of gray paint your favorite design blogs have ever mentioned or reviewing four dozen recipes for coffee cake. You get the information you need, but you kind of find yourself wishing you had that hour of your life back.
Well, I went on an odyssey yesterday and I consider the hour a darn good trade for what I got. Somehow I saw someone mention FontSpace and next thing I knew I was going through page after page of free fonts...which I hadn't done in awhile so it seemed extra fun to hit that download button over and over.
I thought I'd share what I found in case you want to just type the names into the search bar and save your hour.
Old and organized...
I started cracking on those 30 layouts today...but I can't share them for a couple of weeks. However I can share how I organize my scrapbooks in the meantime when I have layouts away from home...
I always save a place with post-it notes to remember where each layout belongs in our albums.
Good thing I'm not too much of an organizational nerd, huh?
Page protectors are also a handy way to organize what needs to be scrapbooked. Just slip the photos in to wait until I make a page. Good for keeping things fairly chronological when I don't exactly make things in order.
So speaking of post-it note place holding, just today I was putting older layouts back in the books. They spent time hanging up at Scrapbook Oasis after being made at a crop there...which means I never shared them here. They're from 2007 so the products are a little dated...
#1 How little does Mac look? #2 How fun is scrapbooking?
I really love having random memories and favorite images documented. Oh and organized, of course.
Ten on Tuesday...
1. I'm fighting a cold and am pretty much the worst sick person ever.
2. Thankfully my bed and some hot tea help make me a little less whiny and grumpy.
3. Before I forget, the banner stamp goes to comment #61
Ellie said...that is some SERIOUS SUPER enabling right there. I LOVE them ALL I am working on two albums this year and I could so using those stamps. January 10, 2011 at 06:24 PM
Ellie please e-mail me your address.
4. I mentioned last week that one of my 2011 goals is to run a 5K...that's going to take some training so I'm officially on the Couch to 5K bandwagon. The iphone app gives you a check mark for each completed workout. I learned today that I will jog when feeling under the weather just to get that check mark.
5. I'm pretty sure I'd do just about anything for a check mark...I love the little sense of accomplishment.
6. The 5K will take place on May 2, 2011...my 35th birthday...but it will be known as my thirty-five-k birthday because I enjoy a cheesy play on words.
7. For instance if I ever end up writing a Sociology textbook I have a play on words all ready for the title...but I won't share it on the minuscule chance that I actually get the chance to do it.
8. Now I have a cheesy layout to share that I made a couple of weeks ago...
9. I mentioned back in July that I have been unreasonably enamored with deer and that it's totally lost on Sean since he grew up with them. Good thing this kind of important stuff is documented for future generations, huh?
10. I organized the rest of our 2010 photos this past weekend and wrote out the list of layouts to make...30 of them...and I have 15 days left before school starts...wish me luck.
It's no secret...
At this point I'm sure you all know I love Catslife Press stamps...I pretty much consider every new set of stamps a holiday...
I received my order last week although if you're local I know Scrapbook Oasis will have them very soon.
I loved all the love in this release...perfect for Valentine's Day cards and year-round sentiments...
I thought the heart stamp worked well with this punch.
And this is perfect for the back of cards.
So many Catslife stamps work well with punches...pretty much any small sentiment with brackets works well with this punch and I just discovered the small text circles work well in this punch.
I used a bunch of these stamps for a page about Mac.
The made with love seal fits in this punch and makes cute tags (how cute would this be tied around a gift in a jar?)
But my very favorite is the love banner stamp...
I have an extra one to share with you...please leave a comment if you'd love it and I'll do a random drawing tomorrow night...
Starred...
1. day 14- i xo crunchy leaves, 2. Untitled, 3. gifts for friends, 4. the snow falls, 5. New Galison products, 6. Kitchen, 7. Paper Floral Wreath-Pink Passion Close Up, 8. Old Photo of Inspiration Board
- This caught my eye because I'm such a spray painter now.
- Color combinations...I liked this, this and this one. Inspired by the colors here too.
- I thought this idea was great and would be fun ti do in different colors.
- Super cute way to make doilies.
- Love these date ideas.
- These are great layouts...and oh did I love these tags.
- Inspired by this house...and especially these boards.
- I have always wanted to get really good at making these (especially for salads)
Getting there...
I'm hoping this week has been the adjustment week or something because I need to figure out a way to pick up the pace and really squeeze every possibility out of each day before I head back for grad school part two.
I'll have a new Starred post tomorrow (those holidays got in the way the last couple weeks)...there will be new stamp projects on Monday...and hopefully next week I'll have new valances to show too since I'm finally getting around to using a huge piece of fabric I picked up at a flea market this summer.
The wall is still not completely done...trying to get some paint colors just right for a couple more frames...but something else was hit with spray paint...a plant holder has a whole new (cuter) life...
Fun and done...
I mentioned that I started scrapbooking Christmas yesterday and today I finished. I ended up with some not-so-great photos before rushing off to get Mac from school so I just have little snippet of the layouts...
Really though everything I made today was the same...I did maybe one detail...stamped every title with these...and drew some lines with a ruler so I could handwrite the journaling. Once I came up with the "formula" I made about five pages in two hours...and it was far more fun to quickly get the memories saved then let myself get overwhelmed with making lots of pages.
Next up is using the new stamps that arrived today...
Ten on Tuesday...
1. I feel like I have nothing pertinent to say tonight so please bear with me.
2. I am officially into scrapbooking Christmas...
3. I'm feeling the same way I did last year (and every year) wanting to have it done.
4. These page protectors are helping me get it made quickly...they are so great to put all the extra photos into.
5. Sean helped me extend the curtain rod next to my desk to hold my new washi tape from Mac...but now I have lots of extra room for growth...this is not good for my tape addiction.
6. I fell in love with spray paint this week...I have been intrigued for awhile (especially from seeing this months ago) but now I am a total believer after we sprayed some wire thing to hang on the new wall.
7. Some of my goals for 2011 are to run a 5K with Sean and to finally track down the Grilled Cheese Truck.
8. Those two goals are pretty counterintuitive.
9. Speaking of grilled cheese...I shared a recipe last week that is ridiculously good.
10. I may or may not have Cardioke-d this morning (and I might really enjoy it).
What do you want me to wrap?
I mentioned last week about my usual case of after-holiday sadness. Now it's time to adjust to the second wave...Mac and Sean going back to school. I'm being overly dramatic again, but it just takes a little adjustment to go back to the school grind.
So instead I'll concentrate on happy thoughts...like two of my favorite Christmas gifts.
Sean got me an industrial roll to wrap with...there will be lots of brown paper packages tied up with string around here. Thankfully he took me seriously when I said I wanted one of these months ago...
Mac is also a really good gift giver...he made sure to tell Sean I needed even more washi tape...because I might have made sure to tell Mac that I needed this rainbow of graph patterns...
Between these two gifts I could pretty much wrap things forever and ever...which doesn't sound too bad to me.
At 1:11pm on 1/1/11...
I stopped to take a photo...
The iPod was playing a little too loud and I was slapping brown paper up on the newly painted wall so we could get a sense of how to hang the random collage of stuff that has found a new home over my grandmother's green couch.
Some spray painting and frame filling needs to take place and then it'll be all done.
