{discovering} life

Altered Canvas Journal

Hello! Where has the week gone? Geez! I've been working hard on some projects that I'll be able to share soon, totally cleaning out our laundry room and making it more functional (it's looking soooo much better!!), helping the kiddos as always and cleaning up, as always! :) And yet time has just flown by lately!

I wanted to share this simple journal that I did a long time ago for a project that didn't end up going forward, so here it is! :) I bought this 5x7.5 journal at Old Navy at Christmas I think 2 years ago. It had a big black deer painted on the front. I grabbed some masking tape and paint...taped off a line and added paint. I had to repeat the process many times and this is what came out. I added some glitter paint on top of the brown paint stripe. I'm planning on using at as a junque journal - throwing in little thoughts on papers, envelopes, notes about what the kids say or do, cards or whatever...fun junque! :)

The title is done with stamping (cherish and paint) and with rubons (ART). I punched two holes in the cover with my Crop-a-Dile and tied a bunch of string through in a bow - my fav thing to do on all my projects for ages now! LOL! Hope your not sick of seeing it!

I'm finishing up some things that will be on up on Sept. 1. Hopefully I'll be able to get back to finishing up my room - arrghhh - such an on going process.

And I just wanted to say thanks to Jennifer, Laura and Nichol for the sweetest ever shout-out's on their blogs! I love you girls - tons! You are all such an inspiration to me - so thank you! If your new here, say hi! I'd love to get to know you! I hope that you'll keep coming back! Have a good day! Hugs!

Random thoughts! :)

1. This little dude went back to preschool on Monday and he was so happy! He knew that his two buddies from last year were going to be in his class again and he was thrilled to see them! Cute little guy - I just love him to pieces! *Digital Brush from Ali at Designer Digitals.

2. I have a card up on the Hero blog from yesterday - they are having a 'birthday week' on the blog and they are doing a giveaway for some birthday stamps! Be sure to post before it's too late!

3. I am still working on my 'big' project that I really want to share about, but some other things have come up and have had to come first. So, hopefully shortly!

4. I am so proud of my hubby! He started this workout program almost 3 months ago and has lost 25 lbs! He is so dedicated and I'm so proud of him! (Plus, I think he looks so hot! :) :)

5. Someone had asked what I ordered from Stampin' Up! and here is my main accessory order:

113469 SIZZIX BIGZ CIRCLES, SCALLOP #2
113463 SIZZIX BIGZ TOP NOTE STAMPIN' UP! EXCLUSIVE
111345 CARD STOCK 12 X 12 TEXTURED IN COLOR 08-09
111833 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD BAJA BREEZE
111835 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD KIWI KISS
111836 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD RIDING HOOD RED
111600 BELLA'S BLOOM STAMP SET
112004 PUNCH 1-3/4 CIRCLE
112010 DIE CUT BLOOMS AGAIN
112577 DESIGNER BRADS FILIGREE
112041 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER BELLA ROSE
112157 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PATTERNS BAJA BREEZE
112155 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PATTERNS RIDING HOOD RED
112164 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PATTERNS CHOCOLATE CHIP
111838 CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD PINK PIROUETTE
109046 PUNCH 1 CIRCLE
108697 CARD STOCK 12x12 TEXTURED EARTH ELEMENTS
111364 RIBBON POLY TWILL SO SAFFRON 7/8 INCH
111416 RUB ONS CHATEAU BELLA
109068 RIBBON TAFFETA KRAFT 3/8 INCH
111847 RIBBON GROSGRAIN DOUBLE STITCHED BAJA BREEZE
110730 POCKETS & PIECES OFFICE ACCENTS

I have so many favs from this list, but I'll tell ya, I don't remember the last time I was soooo excited! This isn't even all the new stamps! I'm going to start sharing a lot more samples using this fun stuff soon! Oh - that Sizzix Top Note Stampin' Up! exclusive die is my fav by far! In love with it! (That and the scalloped edge punch! LOL)

6. I always love the American Jane fabric lines and this new one is awesome too! I bought some at the quilt store the other day and got a great pattern that I can't wait to start! And yes, I stocked up on the new Heather Bailey fabrics too! I still need to find the right pattern for those that will work with larger scale prints. Anyone have any suggestions?

7. After seeing my friend Amy work with her Basic Grey Magnetic Cutting Mat on our little weekend retreat, I'm totally convinced that I neeeeed one! I've called all the stores around me - no one has them in stock. Hmmmm...gotta get one somewhere asap! :) She also sold me on their filing sticks - I did get some of those and LOVE them! Great for when you apply paper to chipboard and need to sand down those little corners and circles.

8. Add this to my list of to-do's. Isn't that awesome! I gotta make it! :)

9. I am in LOVE with this stamp! Love, love, love it! Need I say more?

10. I need to go finish cleaning up the kitchen and the mess I've made in the entry way from cleaning out my studio. So so fun! :) Have a great Wednesday!

Transparencies

With transparencies and transparent embellishments being so popular right now, I thought I'd share a layout using some. This is an older layout that I created for an Autumn Leaves book...but I still think it's fun. On the right, you can see that an inch was cut off of the layout and I sewed a transparency to the side. On the left, I layered a strip of the same transparency on top of pink paper, wrapped string around multiple times and tied in a bow, and then sewed on some clear buttons.

For the title, I cut out a section of the blue paper and added a transparency behind it. I then added the title, 'flowers', with white outline rubons. I then took another transparency and placed it on top of the title. I painted onto it with a small brush the pink and blue paint over the letters. After it dried, I glued it on the backside of the title so that the paint was visible through the rubon letters. Hope that makes sense! :) :)

I am also in love with stamping on transparencies right now with White StazOn ink! It is one of my favorite things to do! I recently got some more opaque StazOn colors that I've loved playing with...yellow, green, blue, pink...all in soft shades. So fun!

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Another week begins tomorrow...Madi's 2nd week of school begins and my little dude, Hudson, goes back to preschool tomorrow. He is so excited to see all his friends again...it's going to be really good for him so I'm excited for him!

Saturday, I spent a lot of time working on my studio and I love some of the things I changed! I got some things up on the wall and got things more cleaned up. I can't wait till it's all done and clean, clean, clean! I hate the clutter and it's been like that for too long! So, I'm hoping to start sharing little bits and pieces of some of the changes soon. I promise! :)

On Friday, I finally got my big Stampin' Up! order I placed from the new catalog. Bliss! Really...happy day!

Hope you had a good weekend and have a great Monday! :)

Back to School

Someone started 1st grade on Tuesday! I am so proud of this little girl...no fear in her (which surprised me). She got up and we got ready and I took her to her new class...she was calling out kids and saying their names...my little social butterfly. I had a bit of a hard time leaving her class - I kept lingering. How do I have a first grader already? It's crazy to me that she's going to school all day. I go from having her every day at home this summer to not seeing her until 3:45 - just nuts!

She ate good at lunch (which is a huge concern) and her teacher took her to the potty 3 times to help get in a routine (which Madi doesn't go potty much - she holds it all day - so another huge concern). Anyway - it sounds like she is doing great! So so proud of her!

Despite school going well for her, she has been having a very hard time at home this week. I don't think I can go into details just because it's so hard for me right now - but sometimes I just wish that things could be easier. Monday night - she cried for about 3 hours straight about various things. I finally got out my little flip camera and recorded her for 20 minutes to show to a Dr. It's just so extreme sometimes. The medicine we were giving her didn't work at all - the Dr. things it may of had the opposite affect and made it worse - which can happen in some kids (just like Benedryl). So, she is off it to see if her behavior gets better. Nothing yet. Anyway - it's been a rough week.

Dang, this was going to be a short post with just a photo, but here I am rambling! :) We are off to back-to-school night tonight and Jaxon just woke up so better run!

And...congrats to my little sister who welcomed her second baby boy to their family on Tuesday! So exciting! :)

Monday at Noon - Happy Day!

Will be a happy moment...cause it means I can place my order for products out of the new Fall/Winter Stampin' Up! Catalog! Yahooo! :) New stamps, new punches, new colors, new accessories...so much amazing 'new' goodies that I can't wait to play with! The new catalog will be posted online at Noon MST (1 CT, 2 ET) so be sure to check it out.

I now have a Stampin' Up! website that you can view by going here. At Noon MT, you'll be able to go there and click on new products and click on the new catalog to view it. If you'd like to place an order, just drop me a note at the email listed in the top right hand corner and we can get it placed for you right away.

There are so many exciting things coming your way...a new scalloped border punch that creates the PERFECT sized scallops! Plus, check out these awesome new punches too! I'm dying to get that label punch! Delicious! :) :)

Also, did you hear that Stampin' Up! announced a partnership with Sizzix! There is a beautiful new SU! Big Shot machine and new exclusive dies that I just love! Again, label heaven!! Here is a download to the catalog for you to check out: BigShot_Cust_US-1.pdf You can order the new Sizzix goodies on Sept. 2.

I am excited about it all! I love that SU! has gone to 2 catalogs a year - makes me happy! I plan to update my new SU site with new samples and stuff - everything on there right now is from SU! If you'd like to place an order for products or for a catalog, let me know. I'd love to help you out! Exciting day!

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On another note, we've had a fun, yet busy weekend! My parents came down Thursday just in time for a quick bite to eat and then we went and saw Les Miserables at Tuachan. It was amazing! I played that music on the piano all the time while I was in High School and my sister and I played a duet of 'On My Own' so it all was so moving to me. I don't remember when the last time was that I saw it on Broadway, but for some reason the story line just really clicked for me this time. And since it's an outdoor theatre, it was awesome cause they had real animals, horse wagons, cannons going off during the war scene, fireworks - it was really neat!

We watched the Olympics Opening Ceremonies at my sister's house Friday night and had some yummy Chinese food. I loved watching the opening ceremonies - amazing! We came home cause Ryan wasn't feeling well - and he was up all night throwing up and sick. I felt so bad for him!

Anyway - we are off to my sisters for dinner tonight and to run some errands and take the kids swimming tomorrow for their last day of summer! School starts on Tuesday!!! CRAZY!!!

I need to finish up the last details on my projects from my fun weekend - hopefully I'll have time to do that this week and to share.

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Have you seen the awesome new books available through BHG Scrapbooks, etc.?? I was lucky enough to have Michelle Rubin, editor of the magazine, show me some of the books when I was out visiting them in May. Wow! Super, super, super cute! The littlest size was my favorite - perfect pocket book to give as a gift or to have in your purse. So fun! Be sure to check them out and order some as gifts and some for you - such fun designs!

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Ok, gotta run! Hope you had a great weekend! :) And, thank you so much for your kind comments about the framed butterfly project! Your all so nice! Hugs!

....smile

What a fun weekend! Amy and I had the best time ever ever! We laughed, we cried, we ate, we didn't sleep and we created the most amazing projects ever (at least we think so - it was fun at least)!! We had so much fun creating some decor elements for our homes. I joke with Amy that we are twins...as we bounced our creative ideas off eachother...we came up with some really fun ideas and had the best time putting them to paper. I just love you Amy!!! Getting together this past weekend could not of come at a better time for both of us - we really needed the break! And, I am so inspired now I just can't hold it all in! I love LOVE that feeling!

I think we were both completly shocked with how much we got done! 2 really intense frame projects, a simpler frame project and a photo holder project. I came home and instantly swiped off my Project table desktop (that sits across from my work table so I look right at it) and set everything up. Wow - talk about inspiring!

I have so much to share - need to finish a few final details and I'll share. But, here is a little peek at the second project we did - we just went crazy with techniques and did something different on each butterfly! Dang was that fun! Acetate, lots of stamping, embossing, french-knots, paper, soooo many fun little ideas. And I'm just saying that cause it was so fun - it makes me happy to have small canvases to create on! :)  It's like a little mini technique book.

I've been working like mad on my room too since I've been home - my floor is almost all clean! I've been overwhelmed with what to do with all the things I don't know what to do with! LOL! Store, sell, give away, throw away...arghhhh! If there are are any local girls that would want some stuff - please let me know! I just put together a box of goodies for my neighbor last night and I have plenty more. Please email me and I'd love to give you some goodies! :)

Ok, off to get things done. So busy busy! My parents are coming down Thursday for the weekend and Madisyn starts school next Tuesday! I went and bought things for school lunches yesterday - that was wierd! I can't believe she'll be at school all day now! Wow! Hope you had a good weekend! I've got lots more to share...soon! :)

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Just a quick loving note...please don't take this in the wrong way...but I've had a few situations lately with some people copying my work or exact elements from my work and using them as their own or being published with them. I'm sure that I speak for every person out there...that we all put our heart and souls into our art...we think, ponder and spend hours sometimes coming up with projects or ideas that are our own. It is a huge honor to be scraplifted and to be an inspiration to others...that's why we all share what we do. But, if you do copy exact elements or pages, please give credit to the designer who put their heart and soul into creating that piece. I pray that you understand and respect what I'm saying. I love you all! Thanks!