So in the middle of the chaos that is my new studio, I have been busy, busy, busy! I had a bit of time last night to list some new pretties for Etsy... I have been wanting to work with dress forms forever, and when I saw these papers from Graphic 45, I was in love! I am pretty much sure that Graphic 45 is my new most favorite paper company :) They have a Christmas line coming out, as well as a Domestic Godess line too! Oh, and of course a fabulous Renaissance themed assortment that would be perfect for ATCs and other mixed media... Ahhhh... I love looking at paper.

Speaking of looking at paper... Because I had decided to move my studio, I also decided to finally resort my paper. I usually do a re-sort at each "season" because in my creative process (also known as the Giant Mess That Takes Up At Least Three Table Tops), I usually end up mixing in papers, scraps get slid into piles of uncut paper (gasp!), my Basic Grey somehow ends up with My Minds Eye, and I can never find a whole piece of BoBunny Polkadot Paper.... Anywhoo, it looked as though I hadn't sorted and organized my paper since Christmas.

It was like shopping!

I found so many fab papers I had purchased months ago and never got to cutting, piles of forgotten yet awesome Halloween papers, and even some half-finished layouts! Who knew? So my studio was looking clean and pristine, but I started to work in it even as I am still moving things, so it is very, ummmm... messy. I should just bite the bullet and take some pictures - it will never be perfectly clean. And I think I will be ok with that.

Maybe.

ooooh, you won't believe how nice my stuio is looking! It isn't very super frilly or fancy ( I love looking at pretty studios where the studio itself looks like a piece of art) but it is getting organized, and I actually have space for everything! Woo Hoo! I'll have to add some cutie touches after I get it situated, so stay tuned!

Oh, and the best part? I have a TV and DVD player, so I can rock to Buffy the Vampire Slayer all night long as I work and not worry about waking up the boys :)

August is near, and I can't believe how fast the summer is flying by...

I think I am ok with that. While I love the idea of lazy summer days, I rarely actually have them.

And, most excitingly, HALLOWEEN is coming! Yes, with the end of summer comes crisper nights, and the air feels fresher and the trees turn a blaze of scarlet and sunset yellow. I love it! I am itching to start some Halloween projects. I did a few little pretty Halloween pieces for the Trunkshow last weekend, but plan to witch it up in earnest next week. Speaking of... here is a peek at what wares I offered... Oh, and my sisters of the Traveling Trunks... I will email you the pictures I took! I still need to edit them and sort out the pictures Johnny took when he got his little hands on the camera... Lots of self portraits and still lifes involving toys and juice cups...

Hey, is your sound turned on? I got all fancy and added a gizmo-dealie-do Playlist thing, and so now my blog has music! I hope it doesn't distract you... Pretty sure you can hit pause if you don't like the music, or you can skip through the songs... My addiction to Buffy the Vampire Slayer extends to music too, so if you haven't had the pleasure of watching this fab series, you can listen to some of its lovely music. I like the softer instrumentals myself, and chose those. I almost put the theme song to the show here, but it is kind of spooky and LOUD and rocky-rolly, and I didn't want to scare any unsuspecting bloggers... There are some non-Buffy songs here too, of course. I love soundtracks, and have started re-reading the Harry Potter books, so you will find some Hogwarts tunes here. If you haven't heard of Loreena Mckennit, you must stop reading now and click to one of her songs. Simply amazing. Her music will transport you with its haunting beauty...

I was going to make a sketch for this past Tuesday, but I was just tooooo tuckered out. It weighs upon me greatly, but maybe next week I'll do a card AND scrapbook sketch. Does that sound fair? Do you still love me? I love you... I adore you! Speaking of people I adore, I want to introduce you to Dee. I metioned meeting her in previous posts. Dee rocks, plain and simple. She loves Halloween, she loves artsy stuff, and she knows Sandy Mooney, a fabulous artist that I also had the pleasure of meeting at the Trunk Show! I don't have a picture of Sandy (you shy thing!) but I caught Dee unawares and begged to let me take her picture. Isn't she sweet? She makes me smile each time I see her :)

Like I said, I had the Sisterhood of the Traveling Trunkshow last weekend, and I decided that this week was a great week to totally revamp my studio. I know, I know... Is this just a procrastination of work I need to do? Things I should photograph and list? Pages to make? Most likely...I have decided to transform the bulk of the finished basement into my studio... I can't wait! Of course, moving all my stuff isn't thrilling me to death. I'll most likely run out of steam part way through, kick myself, and have my supplies and furniture half here, half there, half everywhere... Ah, well, such is the creative process, right?

Good morning! I have been up to my elbows in paper, fabric and ribbon! I have been getting ready for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Trunk Show, finishing up a few orders... and finishing my Tuesday sketch that I wanted to post a few days ago. I think it is worth the wait, however :) This sketch features my signature "quilt squares" that I stitch onto my scrapbook pages. Each little square is about 3x3 on this sketch, and when I make this layout I stitch the blocks together. If you aren't a sewer, or don't want to bother with a sewing machine, you could use rub-on stitches. I personally like the texture of the thread, but sometimes my machine goes on strike, and the rub-ons look quite lovely :)
Oh, and I also was able to make a treasury today! How exciting is that? I have been brewing the idea of a "time for tea" gallery, and when the treasury opened up, I jumped in and was able to make this little collection.

You will see that the last column is a little "ghosted." That is because these are my alternates, which I will be mixing in and swapping spots with the other lovely selections. The curator is usually the only one who sees the alternates, but I had to share my entire collection here; twelve spots are not enough for all the pretties I selected! Keep checking the treasury I created to see the most updated version...


Well, I am off to cut, ink and distress, layer and sew. Hope you have a great day :)

One more week until the Traveling Trunk Show Sisterhood! My own sister and I will be there, along with several other talented artisans. I have a few new creations I can't wait to unveil... they have been dancing in my head for a while now, and finally came together. I also plan on doing some demonstrations and on-the-spot crafting, so it should be lots and lots of fun! July 25 in Swartz Creek, MI. You can click on the pretty postcard above for more information :)

I have also rediscovered the fun of digital design! I love making blog banners and etsy shop banners... these are available on etsy, and I have more in the works!

Sketchy Template Tuesday!

How was your weekend? I know, they go too fast, don't they? Especially if you had nice weather :) My sister and I had a little garage/antiques/handcrafted sale on Friday and Saturday. It was pretty hot (and a little too rainy Saturday morning) but other than that, it was successful! We sold some display pieces and vintage furniture (justifying future purchases, but don't tell my husband - he thinks we were cleaning the garage) and met some lovely people! My new favorite friend, Dee, stopped by and had a quick cup of lemonade and bought some pretties. She came back on Saturday, and guess what? She had a pack of pretties for me and my sister! How sweet is she? Dee adores Halloween as much, if not more, than we do! She gave us some fabulously spooky ephemera - cards and magazines, bingo sheets and more! I can't wait to play :) Thanks Dee!

Oh! And I have to tell you to stop by The Queen of Re's blog, because she is hosting this fabulous giveaway. An amazing set of business cards/calling cards by Vintage Bella could be yours! I am drooling over the Edwardian actresses myself, but also adore the children, the Halloween cards... Entering is easy - picking a favorite set will be the hard part! Just head over to Queen's blog to learn more :)

Another lovely thing happened today too! I have been included in a cutie treasury :) This one was created by betsybensen. I feel so fancy!

Tree Hugger...

I am loving making these little little trees! Maybe because in real life I am not so green with my thumb... In fact, the only time my thumb is really green is after inking these little pretties! I have several different varieties listed on Etsy :) I like to group these together on cards and scrapbook layouts, and when I pair them with little houses, the result is pretty cute! I love rolling landscapes...

Sketchy Template Tues.....Wednesday?

Now hold on just one cotton-pickin' minute! Is it really Wednesday? I knew I was a little behind with my Tuesday sketch (having been unable to post this morning, I had to do it this afternoon) but seriously didn't know I was an entire day behind.

That's upsetting.

What is it about summer that makes it hard for me to keep track of my days? I still can't fathom that it is July. Sheesh, I still have to be reminded to write "2009" on my checks... Maybe I am befuddled because I caught the ending of "Somewhere in Time" last night. I tried to explain the premise to my husband, about the whole time traveling thing, but I ended up just confusing us both. If you haven't seen this pretty little flick, I recommend it. Quaint and romantic, it was also filmed in the upper peninsula of my home state, Michigan. There's a little bit of trivia for you :)

Well, now that we have established it is Wednesday, not Tuesday, I am still going to post this week's sketch. I was on a real roll, too! Will you all pretend it's Tuesday, that I am not late, and that I was super on the ball?

Yay! I feel much better :)

The ink blot looking thing on the upper right is a stamp/chipboard flourish. Or it could be an ink blot. Whatever makes you happy...
I like this layout for several reasons. One, the paper gets to be the "embellishment". Pick pretty papers, and they will really shine on this layout. Two, the mats are fun because they are so flexible. You can journal on a small mat, or use all four little mats for pics and journal on the big mat. OR, you could have a big ole color photo in the largest mat, and several black and white "variation" type pics in the wallet sized mats. OR, you could have a family photo in the big mat, and each wallet sized mat could be a journaling spot about each member of the family. Of course, if you have more or less than four people, that may not work out, but you could include the family dog or cat! You're smart - you'll figure it out.

Tagged!

I have been tagged by Lindsey to share 6 fabulously uninteresting things about myself...

1. I love to work with vintage photographs of strangers. I have no old photos of my "real" ancestors, so I adopt random antique ancestors to create art with. The picture to the left is from Luna Girl, a great source for awesome pictures :)

2. I love, love, love Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series. If I am ever alone with the house to myself to scrap, I turn on the DVD player and watch as many episodes as I can, volume up super high (I usually watch Noggin all day long with my kids, so this arse-kicking clever heroine is a treat for me).

3. My paper cutter is actually named "Buffy". Hey, it's pink and slays some serious paper...

4. Halloween is my most favorite holiday. I wish it were a week-long extravaganza with at least a three-month lead of celebration. And every town should have a Halloween parade and a town hall party with apple bobbing. Seriously. Maybe I should plan one for my town.... hmmm...

5. My personal scrapbooks almost always use black and white photographs. That way I can use whatever paper I like, plus I like the timelessness to the photos...

6. In my pre-stay-at-home-mama-days, I used to teach English. Before that, I worked at the library at Central Michigan University. I have at least one bookshelf in every room and hallway. I am a complete word nerd, and am proud of it. I also like to make up words and treat them like real words.

Now I get to tag 6 people! Yay!

vintage bella who, by the way, is planning the most fabulous trunk show...
the Queen of Re, the founding sister to vintage bella's trunk show :)
Andrea whose darling angels are as puuurty as can be...
Jessica a sweetie I met on eBay who makes pretty scrapbooks too!
Janny who is one of the most talented paper piecers and paper artists I have ever encountered...
Megan whose Shabby Blogs is one of the prettiest places to go for pretty blog needs, with freebies galore and tutorials

So my babies turned 4 years old today. I baked two dinosaur birthday cakes, hung one birthday banner, cooked a dozen hamburgers on the grill, wrapped two giant presents, cleaned one dirty house, washed dozens of dishes, and ate three fudgcicles.

I am exhausted. I'll have pictures of the cakes tomorrow. Let's just say that after this stint at cake making, I now know why I scrapbook and play with paper and don't delve into the culinary arts...

Here is a picture of my babies many moons ago... Seriously, weren't they just this big? Who gave them permission to grow?

Sketchy Template Tuesday 3, a Tea Party, and a Treasury

I love when my posts lend themselves to alliteration...

I am pretty sure I deserve some serious chocolate, because I have remembered to create a template for three whole weeks in a row. Seriously. Those who know me know that I get easily distracted, and often forgetful. So here it is: Sketchy template Tuesday III

As for the tea party, if you were one of the many fabulous hostesses on Saturday's Mad Tea Party, my hat off to you! What a lovely assortment of parties I attended! Of course, I was often a late arrival, but because of the magic of blogs, party goers can still attend days after the event! I am most certainly going to have to host my own fanciful tea party next year! The even is hosted by A Fanciful Twist, and I hope she is going to do another Halloween Party this fall!

While I was sketching this layout, I was playing on etsy, and saw that the treasury list was at 341. My pulse began to quicken, because I knew it was just a matter of time before that lovely, magic number of 332 would pop up, meaning that the treasury was no longer full, and if I got that golden ticket, I too could make a pretty treasury! If you have never made a treasury, my friend, let me tell you - it is way super fun. Etsy has a "how-to" with information and such on their blog. You should check it out.



Here is the treasury I created:


Hope you all have an enchanting, creative, and productive day!

To title or not to title....

That is the question!

I am having the hardest time thinking of titles lately. Which is so wierd, because I am Word Girl. I love words. I admire adverbs, am passionate for pronouns, devoted to verbs... Yet when faced with making a "blank" layout or ready to assemble kit, coming up with a title lately has been a trial. Maybe because if I am not doing a piecing, it isn't as "themey". Themey is a word. Really. As of right now, themey is a word. Anyway...

Any of you know what I am going through? Trying to be versatile, yet specific enough to make an audience go, Aha! Yes, that is just right! Yet not so specific is narrows down your audience. And on the same token, you want it to be right, not just marketable, if you know what a I mean.

You know what I mean, right?

Well, I finally decided on "Live, laugh, love." I love that one, it is versatile, and makes me happy. Here is a sneak peek at the final kit I have listed on Etsy.

I would love to hear suggestions on where to find titles...

A Toast to My Sisters...

Sisterhood. I love my real, live, sibling-type sisters, and I just adore the "sisters" I have found in the art and blogging community. There is something magical about the connections made on Etsy and eBay, BlogLand, and Cyberspace. Being an "old-fashioned" gal myself who loves to live in the past with pretty and shabby trinkets, chippy cupboards, and antique photographs, I never would have thought that I would come to embrace Computerland.


But I have.

I have discovered women who share a passion for olde things, shabby pretties, and artists who appreciate the simple aesthetics of beauty itself. Photographers, graphic designers, cupcake makers, scrapbookers, altered artists, dress makers, collectors... the list, and magic, go on.

Although I love the nostalgia of the small town, where newspapers were black and white, postcards were the rage, and train travel was the only option, I recognize how lonely this existence might have been for the creative soul. Would it have been frustrating, dreaming of paints and Paris, to have to instead dabble in laundry and pluck chickens, darn the socks and pickle the preserves?

I am drawn to these homespun treasures, though. The tablecloth, which had been laundered with care, is made from heavy cotton with a bit of fancy lace edging. Was the lace necessary? No. Did it make cleaning more difficult? Yes. But it brought beauty to the life of the woman who made it, the woman who painstakingly stitched it and loved it. This same woman made pretty labels for her rhubarb raspberry preserves, and took pride in how the deep red fruit dazzled in her cupboard, and took pride serving it to her lady friends at tea. Because her friends appreciated the beauty, too.

This love for beauty and appreciation for loveliness is what brings a lot of us together. Blogs and websites have become our tea table, where we can pull up a chair, ooh and ahh over each other's creations, and gossip a bit over our tea. We decorate our blogs like we would decorate for a tea party - we put out the best linen and make sure there are fresh flowers in the pitcher. We want our guests to feel welcome, and to share the beauty that we have created.

Queenie's Kits!

So I am super excited about my new project - Page Kits! I realize how much I love sketching and playing with papers, and howI enjoy the planning process just as much, if not more, than the actual scrapping... So I am starting a new line of Page Kits.... called Queenie Kits (lots of imagination there, eh?). I just listed the first kit on Etsy. It is called "Life is Beautiful" and uses the cutest papers from Cosmo Cricket.

The kit comes with everything - papers, flowers, letters... I even pre-cut the mats and such. How easy is that? Check it out and let me know what you think :)