Reminder and Ramblings

Good morning, readers!  First of all, I just wanted to remind you that my Christmas in July Sale is still going on in my Etsy store Katiebird Studio. Simply place an order of $4 or more and use the code 20JULY when you check out to get your 20% off!  This sale runs until the end of July! 

Ok, on to the ramblings.  For the last week, the crafting industry has been a buzz with sneaks of new lines coming out at CHA Summer which, if I'm not mistaken, starts today!  Naturally, all this new papery goodness has gotten me excited.  I've been a paper junkie for as long as I can remember!  However, it has also got me thinking about all the ladies (and a few gentlemen) who have their own lines- espcially people like Maggie Holmes with her newest line from Crate Paper called Flea Market. (Check out Crate Paper's blog post announcing her newest line.)  I know there are other women who have done equally amazing, but for some reason, Maggie got me thinking.  I don't really know her story too well, however, she had her first line of paper crafting goodies come out at the CHA Winter show in 2013.  I just wonder how she got started.  Did she, and others like her just start scrapping with Crate Paper and their sister companies (American Crafts, Pebbles, and Studio Calico) and just 'wow' them with her designs?  Did she, and others like her just get discovered or did they take the action to actually get them to where they are?  Meaning, did they apply endlessly for design teams, etc, or did they get discovered like a brilliant actress or singer that is just found in a small community?  My other questions are how do these people juggle family, their passions, and creating amazing product ideas?  I don't have kids, but I have a hubby and three crazy dogs.  I work full time, too.  I can't seem to find the time I would like to do simple crafts.  How do they manage? 

I guess what I'm saying is this:  I'm in awe of these people who manage their life along with being able to create- constantly!  They seem happy and have their life in order.  Maybe, just maybe, I'm a tad jealous.  Ok, yes, I am jealous.  Would I like to have my life in order with time for my passions and my family and to create wonderful things that people would desire- Um. . .TOTALLY!  Ok, there, I said it.  I guess I need to step up my game: make time to create and get my stuff out there.  Then, take those scarey steps to  apply to design teams and to make the difference I want to make.  And maybe, I will break into that world of paper and embellishments and make my mark!  Hmm. . . maybe I should stop blogging and get crafting!  Right?  (Well, maybe I should just head to work for now.  I guess I can make my mark on the paper crafting world after I get off!)

More Hours

I'm just stopping by to say this: I wish there were more hours in a day!  Of course, I wouldn't sleep them away.  There is just so much to do, and with work, my Etsy shop, and keeping house, I just don't feel I have time to do it all.

Today, I am pulling Etsy orders.  By the time they are done, I'm off to get ready for work.  I'll be at work until 5, and then off to Hobby Lobby for a couple things.  Then,  home, make dinner, eat, clean up!  By then, it will probably be around 8 (hubs gets home late).  Only a couple hours to take care of laundry and time with hubs.  Then it is off to bed to do it all over again!  OY!

My hats are off to all the mothers out there.  I just don't know how you do it and manage time for yourself!  Way to go!

Ok, with that said, I'm not complaining (well, maybe a little).  I'm happy with my life mostly.  I just wish I could do more!!  Hahaha!

Have a great Monday!

December Daily Templates

Good morning!  Ok, as you know, I've been playing around with designing things for scrapbookers.  It is really becoming quite a hobby!  (*squeal!!!)  Yesterday, I attempted to make some December Daily Templates.  I was quite pleased with how they came out!  I posted a tease like this on Instagram

 

I got quite a few postitive responses!  People stated that they would love to get a set of these for free.  I decided to make them available on my blog.  You get 31 6x4 page templates for the December Daily.  I actually designed them to fit in the now sold out Studio Calico December Daily kit.  I hope everyone can use and enjoy them!  Merry Christmas!!!  (This link will take you to the file on Google.  From there, just select Download from the File Menu.  If you have trouble, please leave a comment below, and I will do what I can to make the files available.  This is my first time to try to offer a zipped file!) 

 

*****ETA: I think I finally have it set up so anyone can download it.  However, if there is a problem, just let me know in the comments!

 

Officially, I am in the Christmas mood.  I'm working on all these Christmas items- cut files and page templates!  We have been practicing Christmas music at worship team practice for church!  I even started listening to the music in my car (shhh. . .don't tell anyone. . .they will think I'm crazy!)  Anyway, I hope to get a jump on a DD soon!

 

Please leave us all a link to your December Daily- no matter how far along you are!  Even if you are just getting your supplies together: I want to see!

 

 

Also, I wanted to remind you all that I'm having a sale in my Etsy shop!

Use the coupon code GIFT20 at checkout for 20% off!  Baker's twine makes great gift wrap and strings for tags!  Use it up this holiday season!

 

 

Have a great day!

Exciting things!

Good morning all of you in blog-land!  I just wanted to stop by to share two exciting things with you.  First, here is a sneak of my most recenly created cut file. 

 I created him for a December Daily, but I believe it should be easily resizeable for Project Life or just about anything else you want to use it for!!! He was very tough for me, but I learned a great deal while playing to create him!  I can't wait to use him!!  I'm trying to create some DD files for my etsy shop (this one plus the others in my previous post).  Would you be interested in buying these?

My other exciting news is here:

 

 

My gift to you comes just in time for your Holiday Preperation, I am offering 20% off in my Etsy shop!  Did you know Baker's Twine makes a great addition to your gift wrap?  So does my festive ribbon!  Come see all I have to offer.  Use Coupon code GIFT20 at checkout and get 20% off your entire order!

 





Sale and Ramblings!

Good morning all you early-Saturday-risers!  My hubby was up early to go to work, so I've already started a load of laundry, washed dishes from company last night, and am now blogging!  I really love getting things done!

Ok, first of all, I wanted to announce that I'm having a Christmas in July Sale in my Etsy store!  You get a whopping 25% off your purchases now through July 31!  How exciting is that??

 Just use the coupon code 'JULY25' to get your discount!  Feel free to order as often as you like in the next week and a half!  I just added tons of new ribbons!

In addition to these ribbons, there are several more along with my 7 colors of Baker's Twine!  Come see what I have and what you can't live without! :)

* * * Warning: Ramblings ahead! * * *

Ok, you have been warned. . . . .

Yes, it is time for the Random Ramblings!  Brought to you by Kristin and Katiebird Studio!  HAHAHA!!

Seriously, I've been doing some thinking this week.  For the last several years, I've mainly been a stamper.  I make cards or other paper creations, but I haven't really scrapbooked seriously in about 7 years!  I just stamped.

Well, about two months ago, I was looking into Project Life.  I liked the look of Project Life for a variety of different scrapbooking-type projects I wanted to complete: wedding reception, Disney World, etc.  I decided to try Project Life as a weekly documentation as well.  Well, I shot pictures all the time, but I never got them in an album.  However, in my research of PL on Pintrest, I stumbled upon this pin:

I was fascinated with her journal cards, and the fact that she stamped them all.  I thought that was a fabulous way to create the journal cards for PL since I really couldn't afford a real PL kit!  I LOVED her stamps, and on her blog I found she had listed all of the stamps (with links) that she used.  She had a great deal of stamps from a company called Studio Calico.  Ironically, I had only once heard of this company because they along with Hero Arts made a stamp I was trying to find for card making! I decided to investigate their site.

I was amazed!  I was drawn in like a moth to a flame!  What amazing products!  Oh, I was hooked.  I next discovered their Community and blog which had weekly challenges for scrapbooking.  I immediately signed up to receive their feed emails!  I lurked for a while, but one post caught my eye.

The whole post was about this mini album their guest designer (Nina Ostermann) created.  I was so amazed and so inspired!  This weekly challenge completed on June 25th.  I thought about the challenge all week.  Finally, that Monday, at work, I decided I was going to do it!   I came straight home from work, and started.  I spent about 4-5 hours creating a mini album for the weekly challenge.  I shot pictures with my phone and uploaded it on from my phone (I love technology!). Then I waited.  All I had to do was participate to have a chance of winning a small gift card to Studio Calico!  The winner was announced Thursday, I believe.  I realized then that I was supposed to link my creation to the blog post for a chance to win!  DUH!  Ok, I was frustrated, but I knew what to do next time!  When the next challenge came out, I tried again to join the fun.

As the weeks have progressed, I find myself slipping back into the scrapbooking world, and I'm loving it.  This past week was CHA- the semi-annual (I think) show for paper crafting companies to show their newest lines!  I was all over the SC community boards as well as the internet looking for all the fun new items!  I found myself feeling the same as I had about 9 years ago when I worked for Magic Scraps and was able to attend CHA then (which had a different name, I can't remember!)  I was blown away then by the energy and neat projects available then.  I recalled the companies I was fond of then: KI Memories, Die Cuts with a View, SEI, American Crafts, etc.  I started looking up all those companies to see if they still existed and what their new lines were.  I also found a slew of new companies that have been created since I stopped scrapbooking.  I feel like I've found an old friend and a new hobby all at the same time!  It is great!

My style has changed, but also remains similar!  I'm so excited to be a part of the scrapbooking world again, but, rest assured, I WILL NOT be leaving the stamping world.  I will just make them all work together!

This post has made me so excited!  I forgot how incredible scrapbooking/stamping can make you feel and the high it can give you.  Sure, go ahead, call me crazy, but that's fine!  I know it, and anyone who truly knows me, knows it, too!

I'm off to 'play' now!