Our Crafty Critters Challenge #7 was to make a 3D item that screams SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I really had to think about this one… I can do layouts and mini-albums and even cards without having to brainstorm so much but this 3D item threw me for a loop!!!!!  I signed up for this challenge at the beginning of June and I stuck the info on a post-it (I LOVE POST-ITS!!) and stuck it on my desk and stared at it and stared at it and stared at it some more……. and then a good week and something later i had my “a-ha!” moment.  BEACH BAG!!!   And the great thing about it is that it also qualifies for the Young Scrappers mini-challenge#1 for July… i had joined the group back at its conception and then stuck with them until about a year, which is when life took over! thankfully though, some of the gals are still there and remember me!! so i’m slowly working my way back into the group. lots of new names and faces which is always great, but i have to remember them!! haha.

So here’s my take on both challenges… my bright beautiful beach bag backpack.  haha.  Well, I don’t know that it’s beautiful but I needed another “B” adjective to emphasize my alliteration.  I got the tutorial from someone’s blog (so sorry I was blog hopping and didn’t bookmark it but I’m looking!)… the SCS one seemed more complicated to me mainly because you had to trace and cut… this one was just score and cut and fold… to me, the less work the better!! and again, apologies for the picture, it was almost midnight and i needed to get this done!!

lovies, =o) kel

Our Crafty Critters Challenge #6 was to scrap a page about you to your kiddos.  The catch being that you have to be the main feature of the picture.  We also had to use this sketch from http://www.sketchlover.com:

i had originally intended to flip it upside down and use it that way… but then i realized that i haven’t printed pictures in almost a year and that in the bunch that i do have already printed, i don’t have many of JUST me, which is what i wanted to use. it was hard for me to do this because while i journal almost every day, i don’t usually share it with anyone… and even worse, i don’t have a set journal… i use scraps and notebooks that are in view or in reach and tend to lose them to the kids or the rubbish.  i know i need to make a more permanent journal but i really like the spontaneity and variety of what i have now.  i’ll figure something out and once i do i’ll share.  promise  because i always let J read my stuff – once in a while he’ll find a piece of paper laying around with a whole mess of words on it and ask me if he can read it and i always let him, he just doesn’t always ask

but anywhoo, here’s my take on the sketch and the challenge… it kinda doesn’t look anything like the sketch!! i dropped the photo block down and moved the title/journaling block up… and instead of containing my journaling to the brown piece i did my journaling across the page on strips of scrap paper that i was about to throw in the trash. title stickers by american crafts, actually white mumbo jumbos that i took a sharpie to, but the sharpie streaked like nobody’s business so i ended up adding stickles over it. i also put stickles in the dots on the flowers and completely regret it, but too late now!! i think i would have nixed the stickles, or maybe just white/clear instead of the blue i used.

a close up of the journaling (because the sparkle of the glitter makes the camera not focus correctly)

hope you likey!! 

lovies, =o) kel

posting a bit late but here’s my card for the Crafty Critter Challenge #4 hosted by Kelly…  a tad bit late but i couldn’t get the card to upload!!!  i promise i tried multiple times but it didn’t work until now!!

“My challenge for you is to create a card using flowers… you can stamp them… use primas… draw them… flower brads … cut the card out as a flower … whatever you want to do … the possibilities are endless … I just want to see some flowers … ”

stamps by Autumn Leaves, mustard ink by Stazon, PP from KI Memories

my card for the crafty critters challenge #1.  sorry it scanned weird but it’s a full card… it looks square-ish but i promise it’s not!

“create a card of any size that is “critter” related. That is right, use stamps, stickers, embelishments, anything that has a critter or critters on it. the second part of the challenge is to use the colors green and yellow. we are getting in the mood for spring!!!!!”

i hope dogs qualify as critters!!!!!  this also doubles as one set of cards for a pet lovers card swap i’m signed up for too.

lovies, =o) kel

so its been a while since we’ve updated… well, anything.  but i just joined a blogging group in the hopes that it would get me to stay on top of a blog, which has been my intention since last year… err… the end of ’07/beginning of ’08.  so the main rules for the group are that i need to post a minimum of 1x a week, and check in on group members’ blogs 1x a week, and participate in challenges when they are made.  i think i can do that, no?  and by no, i mean YES.  haha. 

i also have to give a disclaimer… this is more of a business blog than a personal one… the site and blog are supposed to link to our online store + etsy (both of which are on hold for the time being) but seeing that the business end is on hold, the personal one will take over for a bit.  business is coming back though!!  the short story is that we have had some family problems and i have had to step up as mother, maid, cook, nurse and whatever else was required of me.  i have long suffered from depression and motivation is something i struggle with almost daily but i have had to motivate myself to care for the house, my family, and my dad who suffers from parkinsons.  so business has taken a back seat.  we’re still doing some local shows and expos but i haven’t been able to find as much time for crafting and for keeping up with trends and orders.  and instead of doing a half-assed job, i decided (with J’s support!) that i would just take a break from it all and get back to it when i have time to commit to it 110%.

so i will transition slowly as i find time to work the business end back into my everyday… but for now its just me

ttyl,

=o) kel