a couple of cards

I thought I'd share a couple of cards that I've made for specific occasions recently.

We're in the process of going through some left over boxes and doing some spring cleaning. That also means I'm finally forcing myself to put some scrappy stuff up for sale. I've been putting that off for way too long, but I keep finding things as we've unpacked over the last several months. I'm sure I'll still keep finding more things that just need to go. Although, I'm sure it won't be as much as my husband would like to see me get rid of!

I'm still not doing such a good job...

...of getting back in the swing of things. BUT, I did actually work on a layout the other day. And eventually I'll get some scans and photos of some other things I've been working on. I'm hoping to get some scrappy time in later this week, and I'm so sad that I won't be able to spend much time keeping up with the NSD partying at Scrap Supply in a few weeks. It's just going to be crazy around here. But they always have fun challenges (which I really need right about now), BINGO and awesome prizes! Maybe I'll play the birthday card.

Headed to Michael's next week?

No pics yet. I've really got to work on finding a good setup here, but I do plan to work on some crafty stuff this week.

But I did want to share. I ran by Michael's to pick up some wrapping goodies for a wedding gift, and They gave me an extra coupon for 50% off one item next week. Word is there won't be an ad in the paper for next week, so I thought I'd send my extra out to someone who miht use it. If you're interested, just leave a contact in the comments.

But, I also got an e-mail coupon for 20% off your entire purchase next week. This one is easy because you can just print it from the link.

http://sdm3.rm04.net/servlet/MailView?ms=MTU0NzU1MAS2&r=MTE4OTMyNDkyMDIS1&j=NDgwNzM0NTUS1&mt=1

Happy shopping!

I need to get back in the groove.

For the most part, my shops have been neglected since the holidays just as this blog has. I've been really torn about just how to proceed. I think it was all getting a bit too complicated. So now I'm in the process of trying to decide what to focus on and where to go from here.

I've been putting off working on the templates for my announcements as well. I did work on another design several weeks ago for another CDH mom who was kind enough to share some of her photos with me. I am a bit partial to this one myself, but I haven't posted it in the shop yet because I haven't been renewing or posting for a while.

Long time...

I know. I know. So I took a bit of a break. There just wasn't much working in my favor when it came to keeping up with this crafty blog over the last few months, but I am hoping to get back in the groove again. We're recovering after having the grandparents here for the Easter weekend, and my sister is coming to stay with us for a few days this week, so it's still a bit hectic around here for the next week at least.

BUT, I finally have my scanner up and running again, so I can share a couple of layouts I've done, and I have some cards waiting to be photographed (although finding a good setup hasn't exactly happened in the new house, yet). You know--all sorts of projects in the works. I have my new crafty space to share and I'm sure there will be lots of baby-related projects to come.

One of my recent projects has been researching and learning about cloth diapers, and I think I've gotten up the courage to give this a try. If you don't get carried away, it can be a real money saver. My problem is that I get caught up by all the cute things there are out there, and I start wanting to make stuff, which takes supplies, which takes moolah, which sort of prevents you from saving money on the whole adventure. So far, I think I've found a decent outlet, though.

One of the things you need if you're using the traditional prefolds or flats or even fitted diapers is a cover. And there are lots of PUL (plasticky waterproof material) ones out there that aren't terribly expensive considering. I do plan to use these, but you can also use more breathable cover made out of wool. So, I've decided to put my limited knitting skills to the test by making a couple of soakers. I found a pattern that wasn't so intimidating, and here is the first result. This is before blocking.


I hope to make some more of these, and if they work for us, I'll probably try to advance to shorties and longies later on. I'll have to repost when I have a photo of these in use.

I needed to meet the minimums...

When I order prints from a company that I use a lot, they have an order minimum. If you order total is less than a certain amount, then you pay that amount anyway. So I decided to experiment with my first real printed storyboard. I used the photos the I took for the Christmas prints and cards. We'll see how it turns out!

I made a little progress.

I thought this might take me a while, but once I got started on our Christmas cards, the design just sort of came together. Of course, it looks nothing like what I started with. Does anyone else have an evolving process? I love how digital gives you the freedom to do that without wasting goodies. I started with a totally different photo, colors, and fonts. The only thing that's the same is the basic layout which is obviously pretty simple.

I'm excited to see these since we decided to go with postcards this year. That saves a few steps since there are no envelopes to stuff and our return address is already printed on the cards along with the basic message. All we'll have to do is sign them and add the addresses--except for the ones we'll deliver by hand or that go with gifts. They were a bit more pricey, but I think it will be worth it!

It did speed things up to use some premade elements. The background and frame are by Jessica Sprague.

Just in case you were wondering...

...I am still alive. We've had a crazy few weeks with the move and all. I had several packages to ship out in the midst of it all, too. I'm hoping we're beginning to see the end of all the unpacking. That's especially important since I can't start organizing my new crafty space until all the stacks that found their way to my table are gone. At least I can see the floor now.

So, I do have to work on getting our Christmas cards done this week, but I hope to be back very soon with something remotely creative.

So

I was going to post an ad I saw in a magazine recently that inspired me with its colors. Only, I must have made it up in my head because now I can't find it anywhere. I have looked through every magazine I've touched in the last month, and I haven't found the ad. It's weird, but maybe I'll come across it again.



We're going to be in packing mode very soon, and when we move I don't know how long we might be without internet. So if I seem to fall off the face of the earth for a while, I am probably just buried under boxes of scrap stuff!

*Ahem*

I have an announcement to make.

I get to set up a new scrap space. Of course, for me that means it will be an overall craft space, but we all know the scrappy stuff takes over. If everything stays on track, we will be closing on our first house in less than 3 weeks. My space will be more out in the open and will mean taking my stash out of the closet and into the open. Oh my, do I suddenly feel overwhlemed. I want to do this right since it will be right there for all eyes to see, but it definitely has to be on a budget. Any ideas? Link me up!

Also, I wanted to share a few pics from the show this weekend. It was a bust, but that happens, right? They moved the date this year, and I think that killed attendance. It was a bad show for everyone there.



















I borrowed the display for the cards from Teresa McFayden who also supplied the inspiration for the advent calendars several years ago.

I also have a little challenge I'd like to share, but I'll save that for a bit later. I've been working on some projects for customers in my design shop this morning to catch up, so I better actually get some rehab done around this house of mine. It's amazing the destruction last minute crafting can cause!

Preparation. It's taking over.

I'm getting last minute stuff ready for the craft gala on Saturday. I can have a tendency to be a last minute person, so I'm trying not to let it overwhelm me at this point. I just had so many plans, and I know it would be physically impossible to get it all done by Saturday at this point.

My table is a wreck, so I've taken over the kitchen table. I'm hoping to get some of the mess cleaned up today, so I can start again refreshed. Sometimes that helps a ton.

We have winners!

I used the trusty random number generator to pick two numbers that would coincide with the comments that were left plus one who wasn't able to get a post to go through. And here are the winners!

Shaun & Rebecca said...
I want to win, I want to win! What a beautiful set! Rebeccakohly@htc.net
2:07 PM

and

Tara Cole (tcole@prairiewindpc.com) said...
Loving the traditional colors and hoping that one of those pertty templates will be our christmas card this year! Tara Cole
1:45 PM

Another Giveaway!

Since I just haven't had the time I had hoped I would have to work on templates and other downloads, I am excited to finally get a set of holiday photo card templates up!



So....I wanted to celebrate by having a little giveaway. Everyone who comments on this post by 11:59 tommorrow (Tuesday) night, will be entered to win the red and green holiday photo card template set for free! I'll give away 2 sets, so leave me a comment! Let me know what you think about my digi items, my blog, the weather--whatever.

It's that time of year again.

The time of year when I make an advent calendar from a cookie sheet, and then I promise never to make one again...until next year when I forget how much work it is to make all the stinkin' numbers.

You'll find this one in my shop, but I simply must find a way to streamline the process. Trust me. If I charged for my time on this, no one would be crazy enough to buy it.

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. I'm a bit overwhelmed at the moment with getting things ready for a craft gala (doesn't that sound fancy?) next Saturday. My table is covered with piles, and I keep finding supplies that were meant to be used for various projects. Hmm...I'm sure you'll be seeing the aftermath show up in my shop after the show, although I hope it will be a success. At this point, though, I'm not really sure how I would define success.

It's that time of year again.

Here's a layout.

I made this layout using the Holiday Play paper and embellishments that are up in my shop. I just love the colors in these, and they were just right for this photo from last Christmas. You can find the kits here.

Here it is!

As promised I have put up a little freebie to celebrate the fact that I will be offering my designs for sale in the form of templates. Check out a sample of the scallops and stripes birth announcement set, and you can get the free download here.

Trying to Decide

I have a few things I'd like to get started with like offering templates for the basics of my photo card designs for limited commercial use. I'm not exactly sure how this is going to work yet, but I know it's something I'd love to do.

I've only prepared one set so far, but they would be sort of like digital kits. The files would be in .PNG format, and then the photos could be added along with personalized text. The idea here would be that they could be purchased for personal use (say you'd like to make some announcements for yourself or a friend.) or for photographers. They wouldn't be allowed to be sold in an online context (since I've got that covered), but photographers could use them to create announcements or cards for their customers. I'm still working out the details.

Definitely feel free to shout out any input you all might have. It's still in the brainstorming stages right now, but I'd love to start here and branch out into other digital kits or templates.

Here is a peek at the first one. I'm thinking that when I get things worked out, I'll start off with some freebies, so keep your eyes open for those!

Some new designs

I'll be getting some new birth announcement designs up in my shop soon. I actually sat down and got several completed today. I think I might have to bite the bullet and get some stock photos for more holiday card designs. I hate to do that just for samples since the higher resolutions ones can add up after a while. Maybe I'll just start rounding up everyone I know to take their photos!

Here is a taste of what I've been up to.

So now I just spread my junk out.

I am loving my new table. I plan to make some sort of skirt to hide all the stuff stacked under it, but it's working great already. I am such a piler, and now I can actually still work on the table even with all of my piles. Plus, I can have so many more things out where I can reach them. I'll have to really clean it off every now and then to keep things from getting insane, but at least the piles won't get dangerous quite so quickly. I've seen a few places I need to clean out in my closet because I had just been sticking things in wherever to get them off of my desk.

I haven't been doing all that much creating lately, but I can already tell a difference. I do think I need to get some sort of mat or something to protect the area where I actually work. I have a tendency to get gunk all over, and I don't want to ruin the table just yet.

Technically this room is more office than playroom now, but it seems like the little guy still end up in here. That's ok because there is more space for him to spread out in the floor now, and since his toys are mostly in his room, we can make him take them back before getting more out. Before, it would pile up pretty quickly.

Oh yeah, I guess I'm back from my break, although I can't make any promises. All I can do is try!