World Card Making Day

Happy World Card Making Day!

Yep, the first Saturday in October is always World Card Making Day!  I so love that there is a 'holiday' devoted to (and, ahem, celebrated by) crazy people like me!  Don't you?

There are tons of challenges and giveaways today and through the week.  I've made a couple cards today for some of those challenges.

I did an ombre card for the Some Odd Girl October challenge and for Studio Calico's WCMD challenges.  I used my Caran D'Arch Neocolor water-soluble crayons to make a background.  Simple.  Once it was dry, I stamped with Stampin' Up's Day of Gratitude.  I used Some Odd Girl's Happy Gwen.  Isn't she adorable?  Just a fun and simple card- aside from the fussy cut of Gwen!

The second card I made was for another of Studio Calico's challenges.  I used Some Odd Girl's Sweater Pup!  I also made a cut file from the Studio Calico sketch!  

Thanks for looking!  I love making cards!  I hope you will try to make some cards for these fun challenges!

Crafty Fun

This weekend was a blur of craftiness!  So many projects and so little time.  However, to my amazement, they all got done thanks to my lovely hubby who allowed me to much needed "play" time!

First of all, today is my mom's birthday!  Happy Birthday, Mom!!!  We decided to celebrate last night with dinner and some fun times together!  I made my mom a card (naturally!) and a necklace.  I also got her a box of chocolates from Sublime with her favorite pieces in it!  

The necklace was a big hit (as was the chocolate!)  My mom said she had a great birthday celebration!

After my mom's birthday crafts were completed, I worked on several other projects.  Some I will show now and some I will save for later!

First up, I discovered Some Odd Girl Digital Stamps back in 2011 when I saw a sample on Splitcoaststampers that used "Kiss a Prince Tia."  I was so smitten, I bought that digi right away and made a card for my hubby for our anniversary.  I have always called Hubby my Frog Prince, so this is perfect.  I didn't want it to be too girly, so I stuck with some simple, natural colors!

Well, I recently rediscovered Some Odd Girl on Instagram and fell in love again with the cute stamps.  I bought a few more digis!  I colored these new ones, but I experimented with just using Prismacolor Pencils and the colorless blending pencil.  Long ago, I decided Copics were too expensive for me to obtain.  I have experimented with other ways to get that awesome, real-life color look.  Here is what I came up with:

I "fussy cut" her out and layered her on some patterned paper and vellum snowflakes.  I knew I wanted to use the 'my world is brighter because of you' sentiment because of the lights she is holding!  I had everything laid out, but wasn't totally sold until I added a few sequins.  Then, my card came together easily!  What do you think?

My last and final crafty thing this weekend was a Project Life spread.  This was the week of April 28 through May 4.  It was my first time to try out the "A Day in the Life" project that Ali Edwards created.  I shot pictures throughout the day.  It was really cool!  I also used some of my Studio Calico kits again.  I love using these up and seeing how great they look!  Here is my spread and some close ups!  

Left side

A Day in the Life close up

Right side

Thank you for looking at my accomplishments.  I will have more up later in the week with the Social Media Butterflies Blog hop!  See you then!

Project Life Week 17

Last Saturday was supposed to be my catch-up with Project Life!  Haha!  What is the saying. . .something about when man makes plans, God laughs?  That's how I felt.  It was a such a big mess at work, I don't want to go into the details.  Ultimately, I got called in a few hours on Saturday.  Not a huge deal, however, I wanted to use those hours to catch up on Project Life.  Oh well.   I did get one week finished before I got called in.  

Yes, and that week was . . . .wait for it. . . . .WEEK 17!!!!!!!!!!!  (Trumpets fanfare!)  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am woefully behind and just finished Week 17 when we are WAAAY past that.  Oh well.  It really doesn't bother me too much because I'm proud of each week I finish!

Would you like to see?  Naturally!  I think all of you who come to see my blog do so from scrapbooking sites or because you follow me (thank you my three followers!).  Here is week 17!

Left side

Title card!  I was inspired by Jen on instagram (who, by the way, has the two cutest boys you ever saw!).  She posted a picture of her Title card (which can be seen on her blog!)  I decided to use it as a springboard!

Again, I used up some more of my Studio Calico Project Life kits.  I just can't get over how they manage to pull the pages together!!  I LOVE them!!!!  (Their current kit, Marks & Co is still available!)

If you don't already know, I work at a chocolate shop called Sublime Chocolate where I am Production Manager and Assistant Chocolatier!  Yes, that means I made chocolate!  Great job!  The chocolates in the upper left photo of this page were ones I created.  My boss gave us a time to experiment with making whatever we wanted.  I made a blackberry piece that was very well liked!!

Right Side

I will admit my journaling on this spread was sparse at best.  I had so many photos I wanted to include that journaling came second.  Is it sad- a little, but I did discover 'writing' on photos.  Before I print them, I add a caption or short description.  That helps the viewer to see and understand more of the photos.  It also helps me to remember more of what happened those weeks!

There you are!  Project Life Week 17.  I still love the project!  I love recording everything!  Even though I just have three dogs and my hubby, I still have my own stories to tell.  So for those of you who think you are too boring for Project Life- Guess again!

A little catching up!

Good morning! First of all, I am hoping to blog more often and either share my projects or inspiration! I hope to blog weekly and possibly twice a week. Anyone going to hold me to that? Anyone? Anyone? 

In my attempt to blog more, I shot some quick photos of my latest creations with my phone. They are the best photos, but it will allow me to share my creations now with the idea of doing better photography later! :) 
First off, I've been working on an initial for a friend of mine. Her last name starts with an M, so I wanted to create something she could hang in her house. I have other plans up my sleeve, but this is the only one that has gotten mostly finished in my last few crazy weeks! 

What do you think?  I still need to add a hanger of some sort to it, but otherwise, it is done!  I am pleased with it!  I hope she will be, too!

Second, I've been dabbling in jewelry making!  Yes, me!  I'm usually more of a paper person- it is cheaper and easily fixable should something go wrong.  Well, I decided to jump into jewelry making.  The idea was to get into Christmas craft fairs this year to earn some extra money, however, I soon discovered craft fairs are expensive AND most of the deadlines have past!  WHAAAT??  Yeah, so no craft fairs. . .THIS year.  Watch out for me next year!  Here is a sample of a necklace I made.  Yes, it is plain, but I like it.  I might play around with the design some more.  The edges may need something. . .hmm...

Finally, yes, I am kinda keeping up with Project Life!  I am several months behind, but I'm still doing the best I can!  I had a whole bunch of pictures printed, so I am ready to get going.  Here are the last two week spreads I've recently finished:

April 7-April 13 Left side:

Right Side:

April 14-April 20 Left side:

Right Side:

Sorry about the bad photos.  I'm going to work on that!  However, like I said, I just wanted to share!

I've been using up months and months of my project life kits.  I have been very free in allowing myself to use whatever I want from the kits.  Usually, I'm very timid to use things out of the kit for fear that I might need them later.  I decided that was the dumbest reason to not use things.  So, I used whatever I wanted.  The cards go so well together, it really brings my pages together.  Considering they are just a mass of random life photos.  I LOVE using the kits.  Duh!  I wish I'd used them sooner!  Oh well!

Enjoy your week.  I'm off to work shortly!

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!)

Blogapalooza with Chic Tags!



Hello & welcome to our April #SMBiGblog hop! Each month we feature one of our favorite companies, and host a blog hop of inspiration, showing off the products and our designers, as well as a guest from the company. THIS month, we were lucky enough to have the entire Chic Tags team join us for a BLOGAPALOOZA-- over 20 projects to inspire you to get those Road Trip goodies out & start creating! Travel along with us, starting at the Chic Tags blog, here. Along the way, there are plenty of prizes and freebies-- Die cuts, printables and chances to win some of your favorite Road Trip paper goods, and one GRAND prize winner of the Road Trip, Everyday Life II & Birthday Wishes collection!!!! Good luck, and happy hopping! If you would like to purchase some of these adorable products, head on over to the Chic Tags website!

I was blown away by the generousity of Chic Tags!  We got tons of goodies to play with, so I was excited to find a project that would feature as many of these great products as I could!  I decided the slightly muted colors of the Road Trip collection would go perfectly with photos from my childhood.  I went to my mom's house where I searched through years of photos to find some I wanted to feature in a mini album.  I decided on photos from a road trip we took to Colorado in 1985 when I was six. 

First of all, I must give a shout out to my Mom:

Look at her journaling!  She would label every photo she had printed (even the bad ones) with location, people and date!  I remember her sitting at her desk some afternoons working on this project for hours!  It was time consuming, but I'm glad she did it!  It certainly helped me to fill in the gaps in my memory when creating this mini album!  Thanks, Mom!!

I was inspired by one of Caz's sneaks of her project on instagram.  She created an album by simply stitching her paper down the middle.  Well, my sewing machine is new (to me- it is actually pretty old), and I couldn't remember how to thread it.  I decided to just hand stitch my pages together. 



 Once the album was assembled, it was time to record the memories I had.  I will let the photos speak for themselves:

(You can thank my dog, Emma, for the photo bomb!)

Thank you for looking!  I loved working with all the beautiful Chic Tag goodies!  Remember, to keep hopping through the blogs because there are prizes you can win!  Continue with the hop by going to Jen's blog where she has some prizes just for you!

Enjoy the many projects and may the scraping-force be with you as you sign up for those prizes!!

Social {Media} Butteflies Blog Hop- Glitz Designs

Good morning!  To all of you hoping over from Jen's site, welcome!  I hope you have enjoyed seeing all the amazing creations from these great ladies!!!!

This month the Social [Media] Butterflies are featuring Glitz Design, and are so excited and happy to be included in the Uncharted Waters inspiration week. If you haven't checked out their blog, make sure you look at it now-- http://glitzitnow.com/blog/

The Uncharted Waters collection is so beautiful and amazing.  I was a little intimidated to use it.  However, once I sat down with a photo and started placing the papers together, it was amazing how fast everything came together!  This line is simply gorgeous, and it all coordinated perfectly!!!

As any of you who know me know, I have a one-track mind.  When I knew the name of the line was Uncharted Waters, all I could think to use were photos of beaches or pools or anything with water.  I was stuck trying to find good shots.  As I was going through some old photos of our honeymoon in Jamaica, I found this one of Kevin and me in 'our hammock'.  It was a little shaded hammock in the back corner of our resort which we sat in all the time.  I figured it was perfect choice! 

However, I wanted the photo to have a weathered, older look.  In serching for some photo tips on making a photo look old, I stumbled across Pixl-o-matic which allowed me to take a photo and add all kinds of effects!  It was perfect!  (I'm in love with that site, by the way!)  Check it out!

Anyway, after I had the photo the way I wanted it, I sat down to create my layout, and it just fell together!

 

 

 (Supplies used: Cardstock: Paper Studio; Pattern Paper: Glitz Designs; Washi: Target; Mister: Studio Calico; Wood Veneer: Studio Calico, Sequins: Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby; Tim Holtz' Tiny Attacher)

I hope you enjoyed this month's blog hop!  Start at Glitz's blog to see everyone's creations!  I'm the last stop, so hop over to Social Media Butterflies' site if you got lost!

Thank you, Glitz Designs for the wonderful supplies!  I had a blast working with them!