Gymnast #2

Posted on | August 30, 2011 | 1 Comment

How’s your Monday? It was lazy day for us. I had all these cleaning plans but my cleaning inspiration never came (actually I am not even sure if such a thing exist, cleaning inspiration, really?!?!). I did a bit but not like what I had in mind (I had an elaborate Cinderella kind of plan). Oh well. There’s still tomorrow (maybe).

It’s gymnastics day again Tuesday and while we’re at the gym I am going to sign Jovie up too for a mommy and tot class. I was going to wait until she’s three, when she can go on her own, but she’s been doing forward rolls on the bed, pulling herself up on any bar, and just bouncy in general that taking her might just be the thing she needs. Plus, it’ll be good for her to know the gym and instructors before she goes on her own next year — remember, Jovie is super clingy. If there’s space she’ll start next week. If not… guess I’ll just have to get a bigger bed…

I made another page last night. Another digi using a few pieces from Echo Park Be Mine. Such a romantic French/Paris set. Perfect for this photo because of one, Jovie’s coat color, and two, it was taken in France.

Let me share the journaling with you:

Ten years ago if somebody told me that a girl would put a girly hat on me in France I would have laughed and said, “You’re out of your mind.” But look at me now, standing helplessly while you made me wear your little hat.

Daddy has been working in France for a few weeks when you came to visit. Daddy missed you, your sister Emma and your mommy very much. Daddy was so happy that you, sis and mom came to visit for a few days. The days went by quick and daddy couldn’t wait to come home again.

I love you very much little girl and you can put your little hat on me any day.

~ Daddy

I think I need to consult with the hubby on the journaling before I print the page (I send it off to WHCC). While the verbiage was more less what hubby said to me one day I struggled a bit trying to work the grammar out. Even now it doesn’t seem right. I blame it on my English as a Second Language {::SMILES}. I do love the page though. It has a lot of white spaces and the pieces are really fun and elegant.

Hope your day was great! Until tomorrow!

Why I Craft

Posted on | August 29, 2011 | 11 Comments

Why do you craft?

I was introduced to paper crafting when my friend took me to a Creative Memories workshop in 1999. First impression: NOT for me. Although I did warm up to it more over the years, I didn’t get into it until M was born. There was a reason to scrapbook after she was born and so I became a scrapbooker then card maker (I had to do something with my scraps of paper).

I’ve always blogged. I’ve had a website since 1999. They’ve all been mostly about me/us since I/we live far from our family and in 2007 I decided to add my paper craft work into the mix (and moving to this domain name). This decision changed the way I crafted. While I alway make sure my scrapbook pages were personal and meaningful my cards, or other projects, were mostly created for this blog. Don’t get me wrong. I loved creating each piece but I have no personal attachment to most of them. After getting into the paper crafting blog world I started learning about publications, DT gig, kits, manufacturers, current trends and products, folks active in the industry, etc. I also discovered different challenges and by participating I got comments. Who doesn’t like comments, right? So I actively participated in different challenges and actively commented on other’s work. There were pros and cons. The biggest con was time. The greatest pro was that the blog friends I do have now I met through those challenges (and the prizes were really nice too).

Creating for my blog wasn’t enough. Everybody was getting published it seemed and so I had to try it out. Coincidently I got published on my first try and since I was ambitious (sarcasm there) I quit trying. My goal was to get published. I got published, I could check it off my list of things I want to do, and the novelty wore off. I did get published a few more times after but they were by invitation (I think back then not too many people submit their work for publication).

Then I created to get DT gigs. Everybody I knew was in a DT and so I felt like I had to be in one… or two or three… too. Quite smug on my part in this department I think.

Time as a paper craft blogger got me wiser and while I have off days I got to the point where I have some sort of style. I then knew which company I could work with (before knowing I used to buy every stamp I liked… I didn’t realize that the blue ribbon I got in 3rd grade for a coloring contest wasn’t going to do it) and while I like looking now and then I avoid purchasing and using things that I know I cannot use (or use well).

Moving to the UK has also given me a new meaning in life. I realized that there are great things outside of this blog. There are places to see, friends to make and most importantly my family, the girls first and foremost. I now have this opportunity to be with them 100%, to be their supporter, teacher, cook, mom and my latest big gig: Chauffeur. My move has also made me a bad blogger. I quit commenting regularly on my friends’ blogs and replying to comments left on my blog.

While I still love the teams I am in and I still love to spend nights crafting, blogging has taken a back seat. Of course I can just post my project, list the materials and be done with it but I never meant for my blog to be just that. My blog is suppose to be my daily (non private) life journal that I can look back and read while sharing the crafty things I do (and to see how I progress there too). Most people don’t read anyways (if you’re one who got this far I congratulate you!) and that’s why I always put the photo of my craft project first so that photo viewers can just flip, look and move on to the next post.

So why all the rambling? A few weeks, could have been a month ago now, I came upon a site where there was a question on my ability to inspire and quality of my work. The question itself, or the person questioning, didn’t bother me any but it did make me think. Why do I craft? Why do I blog? Do I need to change? While before my lack of posting were due to having a busy life the last few weeks have been because of me questioning the purpose of my work and blog posts.

After much pondering I’ve decided to craft the same way I have been crafting and posting the same way I’ve been posting. While I know that I have a few companies I represent, I don’t want to have to feel like I have to share only my best on my blog. I figured that it’s only paper, glue, stamps, and embellishments. It’s not fixing the US deficit or saving the starving kids in Somalia. I can only hope that whatever I post makes my readers’ eyes happy. BUT if not, hey, I created, experimented and it turned out ugly. My bad. Often time I wrote on the post how I felt about the work I did. If you read you’d know I hated the color for example. If I didn’t post the card I wouldn’t be reminded (12 months from now) that using those colors was a bad idea.

I know people expect DT members to inspire and to show only their best work but every DT has off days and we’re all humans after all. I know I like trying new things and as you and I know, not all new things are for us or as cool as they seemed to be.

I craft because I love it. I blog because it’s great to click on February 2010 and see what I did that month. This is my tiny space in this very big world.

Materials:

Paper, tag, embellishments and more embellishments from Jessica Sprague

Anglesey Abbey

Posted on | August 26, 2011 | 4 Comments

Last week the girls and I spent part of a day at Anglesey Abbey, a National Trust property. We had lunch, walked through the old house, shopped at the second hand bookstore (it’s M and I’s favorite place, can’t beat £.30 chapter books), walked around the garden and then parked ourselves in the middle of one garden to read. Jovie ran around crazy (as photographed above) like usual while we read.

Today I asked M what she wanted to do and she said, “Let’s go to the garden again.” We couldn’t go though, it rained and so we just went to our local park after the sun came out. We’ve been having a great summer break. We still have a couple more weeks and we plan on doing as many fun things as possible. Tomorrow we’re hoping for a maze maize outing but if it rains it might just be a big indoor playground. We’ll be going with some friends and very looking forward to this part!!

I have here a digital page of our outing. This was at the Abbey’s rose garden. The flowers were starting to wilt but from a distance, they’re still pretty looking. I used some cute goodies from Jessica Sprague: Elle’s Studio Sweet summer paper and tags, Kitschy Digital Fabric Flowers, Carina Gardner stitching and staples, and Cosmo Cricket alphas. I had a fun and relaxing time making this page. I love the soft feel, the layering while still keeping it simple and the fun buttons. LOVE the buttons!!

Hope you all have a great one! Until next time!

Science Museum

Posted on | July 31, 2011 | 2 Comments

Went to the Science Museum for the first time in good old London and we had a fantastic time. Since hubby likes to take things in, we split up. It worked out great because there are so many interactive things that kids can do at the Science Museum while hubby can go his pace looking at things he’s interested in (like airplanes, machines, etc.). Jovie’s favorite was probably the “Garden” located in the basement. Reason being: A water learn + play area. Every kid had a little waterproof cover on and while most kids stayed dried, Jovie was wet. So wet that I had to wring her dress. She had a fabulous time though and M did too. Nap time came and hubby kept Jovie (she was napping in her stroller) while M and I went off to the “Launchpad” on the 3rd floor. We had soooo much fun there while learning lots. The two live shows, Structures and Explosions, were very fun and educational to watch. We still have three more places to go to where kids (and adults… I saw a whole group of adults around the circuit boards) can do hands-on activities. We’ll go next time! I love London’s museums. So many great ones and most are free!!

Then I have a few digital projects using Jessica Sprague‘s pieces (notice how I am loving white backgrounds? {::SMILES}).

A simple little “love” page using goodies from Carina Gardner Fresh Picked: Summer Floral and Pattern Paper. Love watching these two girls together!

I love this photo of Jovie refusing to leave our post office. To give the photo a bit of an edge, I used Jodie Lee’s texture and frame for this photo.

Jovie’s favorite thing to do when we are in the driveway: Rock picking.

Created using lovelies from Jodie Lee:

French Flower Brushes
Steam Punk Brushes
Botanique Brushes

Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 coming soon

Splendid Finn Office Tape + Staples, Graph paper.

Ok, tata for now! More later!!

Jovie’s Belated

Posted on | June 30, 2011 | 5 Comments

Well, my baby girl is officially 2… almost a month later… While we did celebrate when we were driving around France it didn’t feel right, a small cupcake in a hotel room after dinner wasn’t enough I thought. So today we did a little happy belated party. It wasn’t anything big. On some Thursdays M has her friends over. Since we see them often (between school, ballet and gymnastics), these girls have become Jovie’s best buds. When the girls are here I usually give them a little snack anyways so the only difference was the cake (which was BEAUTIFUL), good bags, and balloons (which is one of Jovie’s most favorite things).

Let me share a few photos from today besides a few more digital scrappy pages that I made for Jessica Sprague!

The cake!! I was quite ecstatic about the cake. The girls’ mum, a great friend of ours too, made this. She doesn’t do this for a living but goodness, shouldn’t she?!?! Everybody said that fondant’s not tasty but oh my, this one was!!! Great tasting cake and awesome looking too! I am going to pay her to make me a Mad Hatter cake, HA!!

Another view.

Then here’s a series of Jovie with her cake. Her attempt to blow, her clapping proudly for blowing, and her carefully eating the cake.

She was so happy with the whole ordeal and we’re very glad we’ve made some great friends here in our little village!!! Very memorable day it was!

There here are more pages that I did for different manufacturer at Jessica Sprague’s store. This one below I created using Jessica’s template and gorgeous The Office paper by Splendid Finn.

Then here’s M itching. I love her look. She wasn’t happy when I took the photo but I love how the picture turned out. I used some new gorgeous goodies from In The Making Design: Valpolicella (coming soon!) and a kit that was create for March 2011 Jessica Sprague Digital Design Class.