Back in the Craft Room

It's been difficult. The year has flown by, and for that i'm thankful because I think it's been one of the most demanding year for me. I remodeled my craft room thinking that it would help me be re-invigorated in the mobby, but I didn't get the boost I expected. It helped, but it was only a small portion of what I needed. I did some cleaning, I've looked at blogs, Pinterest, etc, but nothing quite got me going again, until 2 nights ago. 



It's not quite a December Daily album since we are already a week in the month, but it'll be my version.  Inside I used Rhonna Farrer's All is Bright paper.  it's Yummy!  All I can say is it's a start and I'm happy to have gotten back into the craft room again - I'm so very happy!

luv, landys

The new craft space is almost complete.  I'm still putting some additonal items away and we are starting to hang some pictures.  Here are some pictures in progress... almost a 360 view around the room.  Other than a little time crafting with my daughter, we had our first "craft" guest last night and I think things went pretty well.  I am so happy. 

New Scrap-space

I realize months have past, and it's okay - I gave myself permission to let the just starting blog go while I needed time to refocus myself.   It's been a difficult time, but once I worked my way thru my personal life issues, I found that my scrap space didn't inspire me anymore.  The past two weeks I have been doing everything I can to get my space back to something that I love.... and it's paid off.

It started about two weeks ago, I was faced with the thought of my best friend moving and my favorite scrapbook store closing down.  I was sad and needed some motivation fast.  The idea came off a pinterest post late one Friday night.  By Saturday mid-morning, I was out shopping and picking a color for the walls. 

Thanks to my loving husband who supported the idea with only a few jokes about the scraproom being a money pit.  Despite that, he helped with my table and lighting.  And it's better than I could imagine.  I'll post pictures over the weekend.

All Work, No Create

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.  Another month and broken promises to myself and to others.  Not much crafting going on, Mostly work and running around like a crazy chicken.  I'm sure its a fabulous visual.  I still haven't finished my Creative Chemistry tags.  I still haven't finished my Soul Restoration class.  I hope to start Brave Mothers, Brave Daughters with my daughter, but I think it's a bad idea with all these other projects started and not completed, so the stack of supplies are sitting here.

My previous post(s) subjects were about my obsessions, so maybe I'll continue on with that theme a little longer.  I do like to have my scrap room and supplies organized and ready to go, so to that same end, my supply tote....

It's a lovely "little" box I picked up at an antique shop last year.  it was a tool box in a previous life I believe.  I've started decorating it, but stalled (another unfinished project - but I'm calling that a work in progress).  The inside has this canvas insert with pockets and the flap folds down to expose the rest of the tool box, perfect place for all my distress inks.

Off the side I hang a set of small tags of all the distress ink showing the variations (muted, crumped with direct to paper), distress embossing powder, distress paint and distress stickles, if I have that color in my collection.  Yes I know I'm a little twisted.  It's how I work.  You'll thank me later for the idea ;)   Could be considered overkill. I like to call it prepared. Maybe I took Girl Scouts a little too seriously.

This weekend I spent a little time trying to catch up on the Creative Chemistry class and making some tags.  Here is some of what I've made. 

Day 2:  Blended Distress/Spritz and Flick

Day 2:  Brushless Watercolor

Day 2:  Wrinkle Free Distress

On the left is my base coat - I actually loved it and almost stopped there, but I continued on and was happy with my end results too.  I think this one may be my favorite and I'll have to make more for sure.

 

Day 3: Alcohol Ink Agates - haven't made yet

Day 3:  Archival Resist

Day 3: Stamping Reflections

This one may be a close second for my favorite.  I think the only reason why it may not be my favorite is it's not as easy "on the go", but it is truly beautiful.  I'll definately be making more of these.

This class has been so much fun.  Thanks to my friend, April for bringing it up in conversation, knowing what a technique junkie I am, and for encouraging my "play" side.

A little more obsessiveness shared

Since I shared my tag obsession earlier this week, I'll go one step further.  I seem to have to own most of all things Tim Holtz, like so many others....distress pads, powders, stains, paints (etc), sizzix alterations, any ideaology embellishments.  I think you get the idea.  Recently we changed some things around the kitchen and had a "spare" spice rack.  Instead of donating it - I crafted it.  Yes, I had to sacrifice a little of each of the product to show what was in the jars, but so worth it.  The lids are each alcohol inked and the jars all wrapped with a touch of tissue tape to help the metal adhere a little better - and it's prettier.

A Box Arrived

Last week I signed up for Tim Holtz's online class Creative Chemistry, so I knew I was going to need some supplies, namely some tags.  They arrived today.  I think I have enough!  For those of you who know me - I tend to be somewhat obsessive and have a mini scrapbook store in my room/office.  It's not a suprise that I ordered a thousand tags in 2 sizes for a 2 week class just to make sure I had enough.  It's all economics.  I love tags and I will use them.  And I am splitting the order with a friend - honestly!

Not much else in the way of crafting this week other than trying to catch up with my other online classes so my desk was a crazy mess Saturday night - here is proof - and it was lots of fun!

This weekend I hope to have time to really get into the Tim videos and use some of the tags and I'll post them here as they are made.  

It's been an interesting week

I had hoped to post before another week went by, and as fate would have it, things just didn't go my way.  I taught a scrapbook class last weekend to eight very lovely ladies.  I wanted to take pictures, but didn't, so I'll have to put a few more samples up today instead :).  Then work this week, as is getting back to usual.  My daughter was out of town, so I should have had plenty of time to craft, however, fate stepped in and handed me a different hand.  I'll go into more details later, but what a week.  Now onto fun stuff.

Coming up in April, at Scrap Happy Sisters, my favorite local scrapbook store (www.scraphappysisters.com) I'll be teaching how to make this lovely little altered tin/minibook.

I have also created a few samples at the store (i seem to always forget to take pictures at home) so here is the latest Graphic 45 nursery paper line) set of baby blocks and a 6x6 page.

Finally, I created this board from the 7 Gypsies receipt holder in response to a Brave Girls Club email.  The word is Permission.  It's going to be my word for the year.... as in I give myself permission to........  it's very freeing and I give you permission to copy me on the thought.

How time flies

Oh my goodness how time flies.  It just dawned on me that it's been a few weeks since my last post.  I feel so guilty.  I started this new project and I'm already letting myself down.  So here's what's been happening.  I started a new contract job and lots of training.  I started taking the Brave Girls Club Soul Restoration Class.  It is AWESOME!!!!!   check out there site and sign up for their daily emails http://www.bravegirlsclub.com/ if you don't already get them.  it's a nice little message to get in your email.  and we got a puppy.   so that's my busy life.  I teach a scrapbook class this weekend at Scrap Happy Sisters and I've been making some samples for them, so I have been crafting some.   I'll post some pictures this weekend.  I promise!  And I won't let two weeks go by again without a post.  Even if it's only one line.

Landys

a few samples, as promised

Here are just a few pictures, as I promised, from assorted projects over the years. 

This one is from the 7 Gypsies Library of Cards.  It was a class kit, an all baby boy album, but this was my favorite "page".

My first Tim Holtz Configurations Box.  My daughter frequently would hide her precious rocks, so I made her a display box.  Yes, she has a box of rocks.  Insert your own jokes below.

These lovely little tins were made for my daughter's 8th birthday, I believe.  I filled them with assorted giftcards and played Mom's taxi, driving a couple of girls around the neighborhood to Claires, Blockbuster and the nail salon, etc for a day's of event and then for pizza.  They had so much fun and the tins were a big hit.

A few scrapbook pages to honor my children.   

Coordination Cards - great cardstock!

And just a fun little project

I hope you enjoyed.  I'll have more up in a couple of days.

Sunday cleaning

Today I took on the task of cleaning my scrapbook room.  It's often a task I do when I need to get my head back on straight or need a little me time to think, which was a little of today, but mostly it was prompted today by a garage sale find from yesterday.  A lovely little paint caddy we found and so the hallway and my desk and the floor was in total upheaval. 

It's now 7:42 and the closet and parts of the room are looking good.  The desk and a few remnants of the room need to get back in order and I can feel the creativity burning back inside me.  Here are a few pics of my insanity, but I'm not sharing how dirty it got... at least not on my second post. 

I know it's hard to tell the closet is clean, but it is!  I wouldn't be showing if it wasn't.  And the paint caddy/spinner thing on the floor.... that's what prompted this whole thing and then it didn't even fit in my room. 

I'm very proud of under my desk.  Can't show on top of it right now, but under it is lovely!  I actually have room for my feet and the furbunnies are gone!

Next week I'll try to load some samples of my projects. 

2012 is a new year.

2012 is a new year for me.  I'm trying new things.  Stretching out.  And this is just one of those many new things.  I have many friends that blog.  I always thought that I didn't have a reason and who would read my blog anyway.  And then the strangest things kept happening - when I would chat with people at craft stores (Joann's) they would ask if I have a blog.  These people don't even know me, but when I said I scrapbook, they just assumed.  So I thought, why not.