She's A Beauty...

I'd love for you to head over to the Creations Galore blog where I'm showing the details of this layout... Is that not the best picture of my momma on her birthday?! 

A new challenge & a funny story...

Hello blogland! I am running far, far behind on my posts from this past weekend! Yesterday, we threw my sister-in-law a large baby shower, celebrating the upcoming birth of my nephew. It was so wonderful but so much work! Now that it's over I can breathe a little easier and get back to work on all my design team work and creating just for fun! That is why we do this, right?! Because we have a genuine NEED to create.

As a design team member for the challenge blog, SWAT, I recently created a layout for their Four Focus Fun challenge. Let's take a look at it: 

With St. Patty's Day right around the corner, we wanted to challenge you with some four focus fun. Just as a four leaf clover brings good fortune, so does this challenge. Create a single page layout using four photos, and you could be the lucky winner of a $20 gift card to 3 Scrappy Boys!

For my single page layout, I used a series of photos I had taken this summer. We were in Chicago attending Renegade Craft Fair. My roommate, my friend Anna, and I were grabbing some refreshments while my parents lounged on a park bench. I found it to be a great photo opportunity. As my mom put her hand around my dad, she elbowed him right in the face. Normally, this would be a sad occasion. But without hesitation, she placed her arm right back down and smiled for the picture, acting as if nothing happened. I'm laughing uncontrollably right now just thinking about it! 

For the page, I used BoBunny's Family Is Collection. The colors in the collection coordinated perfectly with the colors in my photos. Before printing the photos, I sized them to 3x4 inches. If don't print your photos at home, make a collage using picassa or picmonkey. I usually use photoshop to put 2- 3x4 photos to a 4x6 canvas. Planning out my layouts before printing my pictures allows me to size the photos smaller if needed. Had these photos been 4x6, there would have only been space for 2 photos instead of the 4. 

Most of the embellishments for this page were cut from 12x12 pieces of paper. I'm loving the new cut out pages and journaling cards from BoBunny. 

Don't forget to stop by SWAT to see what the fellow design team members created. You have until March 25th to link up your own project for the chance to win! 

CARD SUPPLIES
Cardstock: Paper Cut (White)

Patterned Paper: BoBunny (Family is, Ask Dad, Crazy, Fun, Love, Me & Mine, Nuts)

Embellishments: Bo Bunny (Family is Combo Sticker, Family is Crazy Cardstock Sticker)

Adhesive: MyStik (Permanent Adhesive)

Journaling Pen: ZIG Writer (Black)

Renegade Part 2: The Windy City

There's me on the left! With my besties Rach & Anna

I shared some pictures with you last week documenting my recent trip to Chicago for the Renegade Craft Fair. If you missed the post, you can read it here. There were a few more pictures from the great city I couldn't keep from you. We headed to Millennium Park to play around for awhile. 

Love these ladies... and our fun adventures.

Renegade Part 1 : The Fair

I was lucky enough to travel to Chicago for the Renegade Craft Fair. As my friend Anna stated, there was "so much facial hair and vintage." I felt right at home. I've wanted to attend Renegade in past years (this was Chicago's 10th annual fair); however, working at a small, independent business with your mom makes taking vacations together quite a challenge. 

How crazy awesome are my mom's photo taking skills?
Not even looking and got all 5 of us! haha

I gathered together (from left to right) my good looking momma, my dear friend Anna, my roomie Rachael, myself (it can be hard getting out of bed), and my pops (he's trying to be a safe driver). I have the greatest support system around. My dad despises big cities, Anna is weirded out by all that facial hair, and Rach still has no idea what the words 'indie artisian' mean. It's all ok. Because they came along for the ride... to experience what I love and adore... and I think they actually enjoyed themselves. 

If you've not heard of Renegade, visit their website now. No seriously. Go. Over 300 vendors selling 100% handmade goods - They even had a large section of vintage booths. I was delighted to run into sellers from my hometown! It was wonderful to network, attend a few workshops, shop, eat, shop, eat, and shop! Here's a few photos of the day:

My mom & dad

My mom saw this alleyway and thought it would make a good picture... good call momma!

A few shops had set up free workshops. We attended one hosted by Lillstreet Art Center and had a private lesson on metalwork and jewelry making. 

My mom created a bracelet that said "You Me" (she's so in love with my dad, crazy cute), mine showed off my initials, and Rach hammered in "Wolfe Pack" (an inside joke making reference to the movie Hangover, only to spell it completely wrong... I adore her).

Come back tomorrow to see part 2 of the Chicago trip! 

Celebrating Mom

My mother has always been an instigator of my curiosity and artistic passions. From painting and beyond... I remember a time she took me to pick out fabric to turn into a handbag. I begged and pleaded for weeks after the trip to start sewing and learn more. I wanted to add buttons, make handles, and learn different stitches. Then it was pillows and clothes... I needed to do and know more. 

When I came across the Sew die from QuicKutz, I couldn't help but think of all those moments. Being the modest lady that my mother is, she wouldn't admit to playing a large role in such. But I created this card and honor her anyway. 

And you just can't share a memory without sharing a photo, right?!

That was taken long before we busted out the sewing machine, but I just love it! 

CARD SUPPLIES

Cardstock: Paper Cut

Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket-Anna, We R Memory Keepers-Phraseology

Stamp: Northwoods Stamps

Inks: Adirondack-Espresso, Colorbox-Black

QuicKutz 4x4 Die-Sew

Marvy Scalloped Circle Punch

This is pretty exciting.

At a young age, my mother taught me to finger paint. I have a vivid memory of sitting at our kitchen table, her standing behind me, guiding my hands into the paint and then onto paper. It was exciting and new. I remember digging through her high school and college art portfolios, enchanted by her talents. My father has always doodled. I can point out his drawings in an instant... he has the most distinct style. I'm not sure how young I was when he first taught me to sew. By the time I step foot into my sophomore year mandatory home ec class, I felt like a pro... flying through the simple projects assigned to us. I remember kneading my first lump of clay... my first spin at the potter's wheel... and the disappointment of having one of many sculptures blow up in the kiln. I can still feel the file as it hit my finger as I sanded down that metal piece of jewelry... and the excitement that came from watching the solder melt. The art room where I spent most of senior year is still fresh in my mind as well, and the many firsts I experienced that year... calligraphy, watercolor, and air brushing.

I've had many artistic moments. I find myself getting just a tad emotional looking back at all these defining times. Defining... so strange that a simple paintbrush would shape the individual I am today. But that's where my passions lie. It's who I am. To the very core, I love all things that allow me to express myself creatively.

Two years ago, I took a job as the Creative Genius as Creations Galore, a title to this day, I don't think I yet deserve. I've been challenged by a new craft. I remember the moment I was told I would need to design three new cards every week. I had confidence.. and then panic. I loved graphic design and mixed media art... scrapbooking and card making couldn't be much different right?! Oh how I have learned, grown, and improved over the last two years. New tools, techniques, and processes to research. And what a passion that has formed for the paper crafting industry. I have so much more to learn and there's so much more room to grow, but I have to stop for a moment and reflect on where I've come.

Never did I picture myself so openly sharing my art and projects with anyone. And here I am with this new crafty blog, putting my artistic moments and life out there to be criticized. In the last few weeks, I have had such a boost of confidence to keep on sharing. Wonderful comments from readers, and a few acknowledgements from challenge blogs that I frequent. My first entry in the Tuesday Trigger Challenge over at Moxie Fab World got a big shout out, as I mentioned here. After a weekend away for the Thanksgiving holiday, I was notified that I had won the CPS Sketch #244 Challenge with this card... and was chosen as the Cream of the Crop over at Market Street Stamps. I'm so giddy. I'm a total craft nerd.... and I'm adding these to my defining artistic moments. Just another small victory in my life-long quest to use every ounce of talent given to me by my glorious God. 

Enough of all this emotional rambling... and on to the card that received the shout out as the Cream of the Crop!

I'm a huge fan of Market Street Stamps. They're made of a high quality polymer, which means you achieve clean crisp lines and can easily see where you're stamping (we call that precision). MSS is currently showing off sneak peeks of their new releases on their blog. I'm drooling already... Make sure to stop by the MMS blog and take a look at what the design team is creating! While you're at it, join the MSS Neighborhood! So many talented paper crafters can be found there, sharing their latest projects... and it's where Steph came across the card I made above. 

Thanks for encouraging me in my creative journey. Do you have any of your own defining artistic moments?