HAPPY NEWS // Epiphany Crafts 2012-2013 Design Team!!

HAPPY HAPPY news 

to share up today!

EXCITED to join the 

2012-2013 Epiphany Crafts Design Team!

You can check out more about Epiphany Crafts here.

Hampton Art // Beautiful Seaside.

Hop over to the Hampton Art blog to check

out the FULL reveal of my project,

"Beautiful Seaside".

This project was on display for the 

Hampton Art/7 Gypsies booth 

for the recent CHA Summer Show in Chicago.

For the love of blank canvas fabric,

inks, stamps...

Beautiful things can happen.

You can check out the creative highlights 

+ supply list over there too!

Be sure to leave comments on the HA blog

because they have some pretty nice give.a.ways

at month end. :)

Dear Hurricane Isaac...

...please take a LONG vacation.

Hi peeps, since I live on the gulf coast, just 

making a quickie blog post to let you all

that I'm safe & good.

Mostly HEAVYYYY wind & rain where I live in Daphne, AL

but faring well compared to other parts in

surrounding areas.

My home is stocked with necessities 

and the roads are really quiet.

"The love" skyped me at 3 & 7 this a.m. 

Gotta love him! ♥ 

 All is not in the clear yet....

Right now many prayers needed for those in

Louisiana not making it so well...

The irony that 7 years ago 

at this similar time, Hurricane Katrina

came through and what a loss on so many levels.

(Aug 23-30, 2005)

and now Hurricane Isaac....sighhhh.

A couple of pics today from the news alerts...

This is I-10 in LaPlace, Louisiana

which is one of the main interstate highways 

I travel when going to Louisiana for audits.

I live about 3 hours from here.

(insert, this is not my vehicle in the pic...

I'm not so to be out on the roads in this weather)

Eerie to see a highway I travel frequent 

in these conditions. 

photo source.

Pics of Gulf Shores

(about 40 min from where I live)

definitely not the time to be at the beach.

photo source.

and yes this is SAND on the MAIN ROAD

going to the condos and shoreline....

photo source.

and one of the best neat little spots 

for seafood on the main Causeway

I drive past every day 

on my work commute on the Bay...

(don't be fooled by the "Open" sign ;-))

photo source.

Thanks again to ALL who have emailed/texted/

posted on my Facebook with concern 

and I truly appreciate it!

Many hugs & much love 

in these gloomy days on the Gulf!

Weekend Score.

WEEKEND SCORE!
Fossil store 

(yep, as I've shared before quite dangerous 

living only 30 min from the Fossil Outlet Store 

AND 

insert here: they know me by name) 
but 

LOVED this leather camera bag 

when I first saw that is perfect 

for my Canon EOS Rebel XTI and well....

after redeeming 2 AMEX gift cards....$27 total!

(insert: smilesssss) 
Yeppers, a deal for Fossil 

AND my camera is very happy. :)

I think me & the Canon will travel out 

on more day-to-day bits with this sweet bag!

I didn't want an oversized camera bag 

(I have a Canon bag that can pack 

some SERIOUS camera gear for those occasions.)

LOVE this bag because 

it's a nice snug fit close to the hip 

but not bulky & just wears like a glove.

Love that.

Guest Designer // Technique Tuesday: 9/1 Sneaky Sneaks

How about some Technique Tuesday 

sneaky peeks?!

Honored to be invited as 

Guest Designer all month of Sep! 

This first project will be in FULL reveal 

on 9/1 over on the blog!

I'm back into my layouts groove 

and this one was such fun with lots of Studio AE!

Here are a couple of sneaky peeks..

I can't wait to share it up with full reveal 

along with the supply list!

Saturday Ramblings.

Being away for a few days brings

some MUCH needed happy mail

waiting for me in the post!

NEW stamps from Technique Tuesday

for my Guest Designing next month...

NEW Studio AE + NEW stamps from Teri Anderson

(LOVE the "keep calm & think vacation")

more NEW stash in the mail rec'd yesterday...
Balzar Designs, Prima, 

Simple Stories 

(ALL the new collections from CHA Summer 2012 release),

new projects coming up for Hampton Art for a special event + Really Reasonable Ribbon 

(with way more than ribbon, I have proof from my pkg :))

plus a bit of "other news" I can't share just yet..

PLUS

My blog is getting re-worked into a more streamlined 

format that I'm VERY excited to see happen!

Working in for larger photos, cleaner look,

and a few new features coming up!

I will try not to interrupt the regular 

happenings of posting around here

since the format is switching to a domain

and Wordpress.

Hope you're having a nice weekend!

Life is good.

Hampton Art // The Sea Brings New Hope: FULL Reveal!

Busy week with the day job 

and a few random unexpected happenings...

sighhh...but happy for the weekend

AND

time for the FULL REVEAL of the first 

of five projects created up for Hampton Art

and 7 Gypsies (and Canvas Corp)

for CHA Summer 2012!

I have another CHA project 

that will be full revealed 

up next Friday, 8/31!

So, sharing them up!!!

I've been sitting on the full reveal of 

this project for awhile now 

(well since the art show in Chicago last month)

and NOWWWW I can squeak out this project!

YAY!!!

Altering photo trays are SO much fun

and 7 Gypsies pretty much makes them like

no other in many different styles!

You can find all the style options over 

on the 7 Gypsies blog here.

SO honored & excited to have partnered up 

with 7 Gypsies

in designing up for CHA Chicago!

Check out the FULL reveal 

along with supply list + LOTS of creative

highlights on the Hampton Art blog here.

Simple Stories // Take the Journey {Part 1 of 2}

Sharing up my Simple Stories album, 

"Take the Journey", 

revealed at CHA Summer Show in Chicago.
It's packed, so Part 1 of 2 for now...
Check it out for some "Simple Inspiration" this Monday 

over on the Simple Stories blog here.

A few of my fav details in this album...

Simple Stories // Blog Post Coming Up Tomorrow!

Geez, it's been awhile since

I've posted a blog post over at 

Simple Stories

but

for many reasons, LOTS of new things

coming up & out over at the Simple Stories pad!

Well, we've been on a few cooling jets
[but not for long]

after CHA summer show designing 

and revealing up our CHA projects

over at the Simple Stories blog

anddddddd tomorrow I'll share up my 

project "Take the Journey" 6x8 Mix & Match album

[but look for it in 2 parts, because it's 

pretty packed with lots of details]

So, Part 1 of 2 coming up tomorrow 

and here's a sneaky...

Oh, and speaking of Sn@p...

Check out this FUN & COLORFUL video recently released!!!

Now THIS will get ya in the mood...

[lovin' the song by Foster the People: Don't Stop]

NOTE: make sure to watch to THE.END.

the fab Kevin (co-owner of Simple Stories) 

makes a dancing appearance

[but I think I should teach him some cooler dance moves}

HA!

Make sure you head over to 
the Simple Stories blog before 8/22!!!  
Pretty awesome give.a.way happening up
in early celebration for the 
Sn@p (catalog linked here) 
release that starts shipping next month!
We on the team have already requested our 
Sn@p color binder & all those coordinating goodies!

Check out the deets on the give.a.way here!!

One for the Fam.

Visiting a bit this weekend with my mom

who lives 5 hrs drive from me 

and thought hmmm...

Sunday photos of the fam...why not

it's been awhile...
my mom (73) and my step-dad (81)...

fine & dandy looking pair, i must say! 

and 

proof that one can find love again. ♥ 
(my dad passed in '05 from cancer 

after almost 50 yrs of marriage to my mom).

Happy Sunday!

Guest Designer // Maya Road: Secret Revealed!

Well, THIS little secret I had to 

keep under wraps for a month until now

[as in shhhhh, no sneaks, no hints, nadaaaa]

but NOW

I am thrilled to be invited by Maya Road

as Guest Designer this month

over on the Maya Road blog!

So, you can check out a few pics posted 

over on the Maya Road blog

but all pics shared up here on my blog for ya!

So honored & such a FUN project!

I have LOTS of Maya Road product left over

so look for MORE "roadie" love on my other 

projects that hit my blog!

Want to know what I used to create up this mini?

Check out the creative highlights & supply list below!

Creative Highlights -

1. Used inks to alter the canvas cover of the album, acrylic paint & small brush to paint the insider under the metal binder rings, and adhered papers to inside covers.

2. Mixed it up for the inside pages from different Maya Road 4" albums including linen pages, canvas pages, chipboard pages (altered with papers)

3. Heat embossed chipboard shapes (Chipboard Mini Sets - Hand & Heart Set, Chipboard Sets - Road Rage Signs, Love Chipboard Banners, Love Words, Bethany Alphabet) with embossing powders for the title work on the cover of the book and inside the pages.  

4. The canvas album cover works as a great "canvas" for mixing up splashes of inks along with detailed stamping in black ink for title work.

5. Mist works great on the canvas and linen pages inside the book.  I randomly splashed white mist and Maya Mist - Charcoal.

6. The postcard stamp works perfectly on the Mini Kraft Envelope w/ Red Polka Dots. This makes a neat little pocket to tuck away some hidden journaling or a sweet note.

7. For the page using heat embossed Love Chipboard Banners, I played on the diamond shapes of the paper and emphasized the graphic feel and pop of colors.

8. I love to play on layers and details in my books, and layered the Wood Vintage Tiny Rulers along with the Vintage Tape Measure Trim - White and a coordinating rub on for an eclectic feel to the page.

9. The Say Cheese cameras are probably one of my favorite stamp sets from Maya Road! I worked this set with several textures in cameras - wood, metal, and stamped cameras - for the journal tag insert.

10. The Hand & Heart Set chipboard shapes are ultra cool! I really like the "love you" hand symbol and played these shapes with heat embossing and adhered to the linen page.  I love the pop of red and brown linen together!

11.  One of my favorite eclectic accents in this book is the altered tag using the new Time After Time stamp set along with various metal clock work pieces.  

Maya Road Product:

4" Canvas Binder

4" Linen Binder Pages

Chipboard Sets - Road Rage Signs, Love Chipboard Banners, Love Words, Bethany Alphabet , Hand & Heart Set

Stamps - Say Cheese , Postcard (retired), You Are, ETC, Time After Time, Go-Bike-Go

Maya Mist - Popscicle, Charcoal, White

Transparency Mini Ticket Strips - Black

Trinket Pins - Leaf - White, Hearts - Red, Star - White

Mini Kraft Envelope w/ Red Polka Dots

Vintage Tape Measure Trim - White

Wood Vintage Tiny Rulers

Other:

Studio Calico Monthly Kit - Story Hour 

Paper - Echo Park - Everyday Eclectic - Journaling Cards, Kaisercraft - Up Up & Away Collection - Ferris Wheel

Cardstock - American Crafts

Stamps - Studio Calico, Hampton Art, Technique Tuesday, Stampers Anonymous

Wood Veneer Shapes - Studio Calico (bicycle, cameras, banners, arrows)

Acrylic Mask "&" Shape - Studio Calico

Ink - Tsukineko - Versamark, Ranger - Archival Ink - Jet Black, Distress Ink - Broken China, Worn Lipstick, Stampin' Up - Real Red, Clearsnap - Colorbox - Pigments

Acrylic Paint - Liquitex - Titanium White

Mist - Studio Calico - Calico White

Embossing Powder - American Crafts - Zing (Rouge Opaque, Aqua Opaque, Leaf Opaque, White Opaque, Silver Glitter Finish

Bling & Pearls - Kaisercraft, Want2Scrap

Manila Tag - Avery

Tabs - alifehandmade.bigcartel.com 

Mini Page Tags - Ormolu

Mini Staples - Advantus - Tim Holtz

Silhouette Cameo Diecut Machine

Stickers - K&Co (mini puffy hearts), Lily Bee Designs (mini alpha stickers)

Rubons - 7 Gypsies

Tapes - Advantus - Tim Holtz

Metal Clockwork Pieces - Bead Landing, Advantus - Tim Holtz

Metal Number - Susan Lenart Kazmer Mixed Media Metal

Metal Filmstrip Frame & Camera - Momento

Mod Podge - Matte