Silhouette PixScan™ Technology THIS IS AWESOME!!

Reigniting your passion for paper art...

CASE 132

Ever have one of those times in your life, when everything seems to consume every second of your life?  Yeah I have had that for several months now. In fact, since my car accident I have been what I feel is a disorganized mess.

Recently, I decided, mess or no, I need to get back in the groove.  Dave and I decided to move the scrapbook room to the office and the office to the scrapbook room. I lost a little real estate, I actually like the space I am in better now. It is even better organized!

I also found a great little challenge site thanks to my peep.. (Laura "Moonshine" Mooney and Adele Beck) I wanted to give CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration a little shout out for helping me get out of my very unfortunate rut!
Anyway, not too much on design today, but just a final sigh of happiness to have some layouts done and some crafty happiness again.

Here is the cool thing:  I like leaping points. I think that is truly inspiration so here is what I love about CSI,   The very talented and thoughtful owner of the blog puts together these recipe challenges every week!  You heard me every sinking week.  (so let's all have a moment of silence in awe of that achievement.) ---------- *it should be longer but time to move on*

CASE 131

Here are a few of the layouts I have finished in the last few weeks.. if you want to see the case files, simply click here and find the corresponding case file.  *Oh and let me just say.... WOW to the DT over there.. they are a group of mega talented ladies!  You will have tons of inspiration and ideas by the time you are done checking out a case file or two!


I think what I am learning is that it's okay to have the off times. It's okay to walk away for a bit and then come back to the thing you love.

CASE 129

I encourage you to all take a look at CSI.  That was the place I discovered PageDrafts (mentioned in Megan Hoeppner's new class at CreativeLive so worth every penny.  The class name is From App to Archive: Social Media Scrapbooking)                     In fact, case 131 was the sketch I was so impressed with that I sent PageDrafts to Megan for the class. I think when blogs share the love it is important. I want to give credit where it is due.  Also in my CASE 132 (the most recent one I finished. I was inspired by one of Becky Fleck's sketches.)   So please look for inspiration everywhere and when you just need something to get you off your bootey and back in the studio hop over to CSI and play along. OH did I mention she has giveaways?  Yeah so why not!  Have fun enjoy your process, and I promise to get back on to our thinking*through*design. I am working on getting more design principles together to help you better understand the WHY it works! Have a blessed week!
 xoxox e

Coming Soon...  

Cricut Explore vs. Silhouette Cameo. My findings the good the bad and the ... well paper is always pretty.. so the PRETTY.

Leave me some comments on what you are interested in!  I am thinking of branching out into YouTube and posting challenges from this blog. Give me feedback, what do YOU want?  Challenges based on Design Principles? Recipe Challenges? Do you want more info less challenge.  Please share with your friends too!  I really want this blog to grow. I am figuring out how to create a gallery for you to share your amazing work!

Here are a few more cases I have completed at CSI!  

CASE 126

CASE 128

CASE 127

OWL always love you...

OK I am BACK in action!! I have been feeling a bit more crafty -- I have been working hard on my book so that has cut into my make stuff  with fabric and paper time-- I have made great progress. I am hoping to finish this novel by the end of 2014!

SO here is the crafty post...

I know but I am on an OWL kick.. but only certain owls they must be MODERN in style so when I found a pattern for a table decoration that made me happy I made it!  This pattern is for a wool-felt project, but I just made it from fabric. I learned a few things while making it..

ONE if you will be finishing the edges (unlike wool felt) you will need a few more inches for the back/blue piece.
 TWO: be sure to add the eyes LAST (lucky for me I thought this through before adding them because I wanted to see how they would look finished)
THREE: take your sweet time stitching

Go nice and slow and it will be amazing! 

FOUR: I really don't like EZ Steam II for all my applique needs... Steam a Seam... come back on the market already..
FIVE: I love that I made this from fabric-- and ladies.. quilt as you go..:)

anyway.. I need to fix the edges, but that will be easy -- so here is my OWL table decor

Gold Canyon Candle in the middle

Also check out my writing blog: concrete.detail   I have a new post on a great collection of short stories!

Stalking!

I had an assignment to "stalk" someone and then write the dialogue just from watching them.  I will give you the photo first.  Please bare in mind, I could not hear anything they were discussing. I was simply watching and made up the story all on my lonesome!

And then the story I wrote.  

Let me know what you think... :) 

“That’s What Friends are For”

By: Erika Hayes

They frequent this establishment every Thursday morning, the taller of the two gentleman, Stan sits arms folded clearly guarding his pain. His longtime friend and breakfast partner, Earl brings a mug to his lips and takes a long draw from his piping-hot house specialty Ethiopian Yrgacheffe.  A top grade blend produces a stunningly aromatic cup of java. Hints of floral and citrus permeate this full body coffee that is exotic, and a bit earthy.  

“AHHHHH, this is much better than Starbucks.” Earl reflects as he sets his cup back on the table. Earl knows Stan is hurting, and he searches for the right words to comfort his friend.

Stan touches his and hand to his head, “She’s not going to get better, is she?”  His nose tingles as he combats the tears that since he was a boy, he has learned to suppress. Tears do not come easily, as a decorated veteran of two wars Stan has seen many things in his long life. 

     “No.”  Earl’s voice is low and gentle, “She has lived a full life. I know it’s not long enough Stan, it will never be long enough when you love so genuinely. Stan she’s ready…”   

Leaning forward, Stan places his elbow on his knee, “Yeah, but I’m not ready. I need her…”  His long fingers extended over the side of his face as he rests his chin in the palm of his hand. “I wonder, do you think there is a heaven?” Hope brings a slight lift to his voice as he returns to an upright sitting position.

“If there is she will be there and St. Peter won’t even ask her name, they will be expecting her!”  Earl dips his head slightly and lifts his cup to the air giving a invisible toast to St. Peter.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, the tears are battling to force themselves on him, as he valiantly fights them off once more. He clears his throat and shakes his head slightly.

 Leaning forward Earl taps his friend’s hand then quickly pulls away, “She loves you.  That is why she is fighting.”

“I know, I feel like I should tell her to just let go, but I don’t want to, I just don’t want to, she may be ready, but I am not! I always thought I would be first to go...” the words shake with grief.  Rubbing his large worn hand across his forehead, he tries to shield his sad blue eyes. He shakes his head, then retreats for an ephemeral moment to the place that he fears the most, a life without her. Then taking in a deep breath, he exhales with a slight chuckle of disbelief.

 Returning his attention to his friend, he runs his fingers through his thinning silver mane, “What will I do when she is gone?  Who will I talk to when the house is quiet?  Who will keep my bed warm at night? How will dinner ever be the same if she is not there to snatch my broccoli from my plate? She knows I hate broccoli…”  His elbow returns to his knee, shoulder slope, eyes cast downward he shakes his head. 

“Stan, stop it!” Earl lifts his hand and brings it down abruptly in his palm. “She doesn’t want you to be sad for her.”

“Earl, that is the thing, I am not sad for her. I am a selfish man, I am sad for myself.”

Realizing his friend was already mourning the impending loss, Earl shifts uneasily in his chair and for the first time, felt frustration in his friend’s reaction to the news that she would not live much longer. Earl clasps his hands together leans his head back and his face betrays his exasperation with a slight eye roll.  “She’s not even gone; you are wasting time on this Stan.” He lifts his hands toward the door and continues, “Go relish in your time together, sit with her, stroke her hair, and just enjoy the time you left.”

Stan shakes his head places his elbows on the table leans forward hands placed together as if he were about to pray, and chokes out, “I know Earl, but I will miss her so much.” 

A warm sincere smile spreads slowly across Earl’s face, his eyes travel upward as he assures his friend, “We will all miss her but she wants you to be happy. She would want you to find another dog. She wants you to make that dog happy, bring him or her in to your home, and love that pup like you love her!”

Stan’s posture relaxes, tension releasing, moving from sorrow to appreciation for his friend’s kind words, he offers a weak smile and says, “You’re right Earl, I know your right. We should get out of here.”

As they stand to leave Earl brings a plastic cup with  a small amount of water to his lips takes a final sip, then tosses back his morning pills and places his hand on his friends back and says “Let’s go get Maggie and take her to the park!”

“Sounds good, thanks for being such a good friend!” Stan lifts his hand and the two men embrace as only old friends can and walk toward the glass doors marked EXIT.

“You’re welcome. That’s what friends are for.”

My poor car!

This is only the back panel, the front by the driver is just
as bad! :(

So I was in a car accident. My poor car.  They have told us it will be 4 weeks to repair it, there was a lot of damage to my car and to me!  I am doing MUCH better now.  I was actually able to try and pull a layout together last night.  I got very tired so it's not the best, but it is the best layout I have ever made while on pain killers.  WHICH I HATE by the way.  They always make me itchy.  

Speaking of itchy, I was really feeling like I had abandon my studio completely so I told my hubby I am going to try and get a layout done today.  He agreed that I needed some time to be myself.  So I went up about in the the afternoon and finished this layout about 9:00 pm... mostly because I had to go and take breaks because I would get tired.  I can also see that my lines were well straight in my head at the time but clearly not so straight.  

Please ignore the failed straight line. It was the hydrocodone
working its magic  :)  

Something I love about scrapbooking though is that there is always more than one story being told.  The story on the page and the story of the creation of the page.  I look at layouts that I have created previously and I remember where and when (about) I made that layout... the people I was with, what was happening. It is a bonus about scrapbooking. You get to remember more than the tale on the page... but the story of your own journey and creative heart.  I know this one will go down in the annuals of  WOW I remember that layout, it was the one I did after the accident!  

Well that is all for today-- I do have some short stories to share but that will be later this week!  

Be blessed friends, and remember, life is precious, it can be gone in a moment (1.5 seconds) live in the joys of life NOT in the mundane.  Hold on to your memories, and scrap them.. cause when you are gone, it may be the only thing you have left to leave the ones you love! 

xoxoxo

e

Bella Bombs = More Writing

Ok that is a harsh title.. but I was sad that I was not chosen for the Bella Team. BUT that is part of putting yourself out there is learning that rejection is not a bad thing.  I just didn't fit THIS time... RIGHT!  Of the layouts I submitted I agree they are not my best work.  I love Bella but I am not a ONE line kind of scrapper. I like to mix the manufacturers up. I did like the layouts but didn't LOVE them!

ON the flip side, I did get some feedback from my Creative Writing professor!  So the good with the bad.. I think the writing is more important to me too, so maybe I need to learn to stick with what I know!  NAH.. where is the fun in that?

ANYWAY, here are some of the layouts I created for the Bella DT call.. Thanks for hangin in there with me. I have a lot more fun stuff to share and a few (anyone that knows me sit down) Halloween crafts.. YES I am doing a few Halloween Crafts this year!  Why.. because I have kids that want to do them!

Be Your Own kind of Beautiful By Erika Hayes

Her Futures so Bright She's Go To Wear Shades

So Very Loved

ALL of the above layouts are 99.9999998% Bella Blvd Product. I will say this, the product IS timeless!  It never goes out of style.. some of the papers used are from several years ago!!! (I used the Lovely line for the first time since I bought it.. and it worked just lovely hehehe) 

OK that's all I am off to class.. See you friends... 

I am getting closer to having the challenge blog set up.. I would appreciate if you share the fact that I am moving that direction soon... 

Be Blessed! 

xoxo

e

Baby's got BACK!

So I created a new quilt top.  The story in a nutshell - I purchased 2 yards of  this fun Green/Black fabric one day about 8 or 9 months ago from Hobby Lobby using my 40% off.

I returned the next day to purchase the a couple yards of the coordinating white/black/green butterfly fabric at 40% off

-- side note: I love that Hobby Lobby let's me use my 40% off everyday!--

 I had some black fabric at home and threw them all together for a "someday" project.  Haha- that is most often the kiss of death- cause I collect fabric just like paper, ohh it's just too pretty to use!  I had all but resigned to this fabric joining that pile of too pretty to cut fabric.... BUT  I happened to grab it as I was walking out the door to a quilt retreat I mean there is a chance I may use it.. or at least show it to my quilting friends.

On this retreat I was going to finally use some of the MANY Jelly Rolls (a collection of fabric that has been cut in 2.5' strips) that I have had sitting around and I asked my mom if she had any good patterns for a Jelly Roll Quilts.....
Well, my mom had a fun book for "Jelly Rolls"    The book is called Jelly Roll Quilts  --

Some fun Jelly Rolls

The Book I borrowed from my mom
if you want it, click the title in the
post and it will take you to
Amazon 

As I was looking for a quilt to make, I decided I wanted to use my green/black fabric and I would make my own Jelly Rolls.  So while a traditional Jelly Roll is filled with many different fabrics, mine would not be, so I was a little nervous on how it would look when it was done!  

Here is the result!

Thanks to my 6'2" son for holding mom's quilt up
so you can see the whole thing.. see how careful
he is being with the edges so not to stretch the
fabric... you are awesomesauce Brad!

FYI:  I used the Garden Trellis pattern.. seriously took a day to complete this nice sized Twin Quilt top.. 

NOW for the Baby's got BACK-- Yesterday I went to Hobby Lobby, seeking to find fabric for the back of my new fun quilt.... I walked over and there was the fabric I had purchased almost 8 months ago... with an additional fabric from THAT line that I had not seen before... Imagine how fun that will be on the back, here is a sneak peek at the fabric and once I have the quilt finished I will post the final product. BUT what fun right!  I am excited to get this quilt ready for quiltin'! 

I am hoping to get more Scrapbook/Cards made this weekend and have lots to share over the next few days.  I am very much considering making a challenge that will mimic the ISSUE challenges again... Just need to know if there is enough interest!  Let me know what you think...

Blessings

e

REMEMBER!!! Its the little things that make life awesomesauce with a side of coleslaw... so get out there and find your little slice of joy for today!