A thought on creative processes

Well, I not only survived, but thrived. NSD that is. I think I spent about $35 spread over 5 shops. AND got most of the items on all of my wish lists at that. (pats self on back). Not bad. There have been years when I spent more. Much more. Too much. But this year I controlled myself.

Was busy scrapping both before and after the sales. I have time to scrap. It feels so Wonderful! Just slow, easy, no-pressure, have-fun pages. I haven't used any of my NSD purchases yet, but I know I will. I'm planning the pages in my head. Do you do that? Plan the pages beforehand? or just go with the flow of the creative process.

I think I'm a bit in the middle. If its a CT assignment, then I go looking for the right photos to match the kit. If its a challenge page, then I have to think out my theme, find the photos and find a kit that will meet the challenge requirements. If I start out with the pictures, I usually find it takes me longer because I am trying to match the kit to the photos (instead of the other way around). When I start a page with the photos, I find that those pages end up having more meaning to me.

My favorite pages are usually those that just come together. Where the photos and kit end up being perfect for each other. When I have fun in the process.

I have a few of each of these pages to share with you today, spanning many years.

papers and elements from Remembrance by Alamama's Pressed Petals
page template by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

papers and elements from Coming Home by Dawn by Design
page template is from Gimme Layers Vol 26 by Cluster Queen Creations
font is Miss Jinkie van Pelt by Darcy Baldwin

all papers and elements from Chic Blossom by Siamese Studio - guest designer at The Digichick during May 2012
page template from Gimme Layers 26 by Cluster Queen Creations
clear alpha is Seeing Clearly Alpha by Etc by Danale

all papers and elements from Dressage by Studio ViVa Artistry
On My Desk wire alpha by Studio ViVa Artistry and Etc by Danyaly
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

papers and elements from Roots and Wings by The Digichick Designers
page template is from 365ish by Cluster Queen Creations
font for journaling is DJB How Cute Am I? and font for subtitle is DJB Scruffy Angel - both from the Best of the Best 4 by Darcy Baldwin
Wet Paint Alpha by C.D. Muckosky

For the Tell Your Story Everyday Scrap Challenge 18.

papers and elements from Brain Freeze by Studio ViVa Artistry and Etc. by Danyale
font is DJB Holly Serif by Darcy Baldwin
page template is from Spring Flavors Cherry Blossoms by Busy Bee Designs

papers and elements from Brain Freeze by Studio ViVa Artistry and Etc. by Danyale
alpha for Yum is by C.D. Muckosky
page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

My favorite this week:

 

all papers and elements from Tweet by Alamama's Pressed Petals
except for negative strip (altered) which is by Nancy Comelab

Thank you, as always, for stopping by my little corner of the web. I hope you'll come back again soon.

NSD Weekend (in other words this post is 100% scrapbooking related)

This weekend is NSD weekend. Of course you all already know that, right? I am so used to the digital world of scrapbooking that I've never even ventured into paper scrapbooking sites on one of these weekends. Do the traditional scrapbooking sites have NSD events as well? I guess I'll have to drop in and see what's up. I suppose it would be really great if I just lived in the states and could drop into a real life scrapbooking mega-store. There are probably midnight crops and all-night chats. That might sound tempting if I were a night owl, but I'm not. Usually in bed by 10:30 - that's me.

The Digichick will certainly be participating in NSD weekend. For this event, the TDC designers have taken the reins and will be hosting a Facebook hop. Check out this beautiful kit you can get all for just liking our designer's FB pages.

 

The Digichick on Facebook

TDC's May boutique collab, called Roots and Wings, is in the shop. Stunning again. As usual. Absolutely love the color combination. As usual. This is a page I made using the collab as well as a few other goodies from the shop. My beloved niece's babes are so photogenic. Just to keep it all honest, this page is a complete and total scraplift of a page I saw made by Van Nguyen.

papers and most elements from Roots & Wings by The Digichick Designers
template used to make banner is from Banner Templates by Girl Boy Girl Designs
The Photo Project by Sherwood Studio
baker's twine (recolored) from Divine Twine by Sherwood Studio
tag is from The Daily Details by The Digichick Designers
journaling is taken from various A Little Butterfly Told Me messages
font is 1942

Studio ViVa Artistry has teamed up with another one of my fave designers, Etc. by Danyale to make the cuuuutest collab called Brain Freeze. Its available at both Scrapbook Graphics and The Digichick. This page uses a picture (I know its blurry) of my niece's oldest daughter, oh so many years ago.

papers and elements from Brain Freeze by Studio ViVa Artistry and Etc. by Danyale

alpha for Yum is by C.D. Muckosky

page template is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

For this last new page, I used Renewal by Alamama's Pressed Petals. She's decided to make The Digichick her permanent new digi home. Yay!

papers and elements from Renewal by Alamama's Pressed Petals

page template by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs

Last, but not least. Here is my Pinterest Layout that was on the cover of last month's Artisan Notebook.

papers and elements from Thrifty Finds the Kit, Thrifty Finds Cool Hues and Thrifty Finds Warm Hues paper packs, all by Mari Koegelenberg
red alpha from All Spice also by Mari Koegelenberg
yellow stitches from DSD Stitches - DSD freebie by Quirky Twerp
banner made using DIY Stitched Pennants by Chelle's Creations
page template is by Little Frog Designs
font is My Underwood

As seen in the April 2012 Artisan Notebook.

And.... I think that's it for now. I've still got to at least *try* to get a few more things made before the weekend events. Too bad its fallen right in the middle of Golden Week here in Japan. I only had to work one day this whole week and the rest of the days are holidays (business and school). You know how you lose track of even what day it is when you're on vacation? Well, that's how I'm feeling now. Its Thursday, I think...

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my corner of the web. Please come again soon.

Whew

I can't tell you how good it feels to be able to breathe without feeling flames of fire in my windpipe. I've had bronchitis for the past month. On and off of meds, getting better getting worse. I am hoping that this "almost good" that I am feeling today may be a turning of the tide.

The bazaar was last Tuesday, almost exactly one week ago. It went... well. Mixed feelings because the things that I expected would sell (the scrapbooks) didn't sell at all. But the things that I didn't think would sell (the beaded watchbands leftover from November's bazaar) actually sold quite well. I still have several left, but I was just happy to see that nine of them sold. The little felt hair pretty pretty's I made almost sold out.

For the first time in the several years that we have been doing this craft sale, my friends and I got together for an uchi-age (oochii ahgay) party. That's when you celebrate the successful conclusion of a long-planned event. It was fun. Because I was still on meds I couldn't drink any cocktails, but I had a blast just watching. The eats were good too and we sat in the Japanese izakaya restaurant for over 4 hours - until they had to kick us out because other diners were waiting. Girls... no matter our age we just like to chat until all hours.

We haven't set a date for the next one yet, but there will be another craft sale sometime late this year. Each time after our craft bazaars have finished we just crash for awhile, but at the same time, almost immediately, we are wondering about the next one. What should we make. What do the customers want. What is the next "it" item - something new, fresh, interesting, fun and just a must-have. Any ideas?

Okay.... so on the scrapping side I've been quite a bit less active this past month. But I do have a few pages to share.

Big news: ViVa Artistry is now Studio ViVa Artistry. They have moved their shop from The Digichick to Scrapbook Graphics. I'm so happy for them and wish them every great success. I can't be sad that they left TDC because fortunately I get to go with them wherever they go.

 papers and elements from Le Reve by ViVa Artistry
bookplate is from Lost World also by ViVa Artistry
font is DJB Her Fancy Hand by Darcy Baldwin
font for Illuminate is Hawaii Killer
Printer's Tray (altered) is from Everyday Trays: Volume 1 by Kristin Cronin-Barrow

all papers and elements from En Plein Air by Studio ViVa Artistry
page template (altered) is by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs
font for journaling is DJB Miss Jayne Aire by Darcy Baldwin
font for Wonderful is DJB A Fresh Start by Darcy Baldwin

I was able to host two scrap challenges at Tell Your Story in April. 

 all papers and most elements from A New Me by The Digichick Designers
some papers from Someone Like You by The Digichick Designers
stitches are from Around the World by The Digichick Designers
page template by Little Green Frog Designs
stamps by Katie Pertiet
glitter action by ViVa Artistry
photos - pictures of my cookbooks
font is Jane Austen 

This next page is my first foray into mixed media. I printed out some papers and elements, shaped them into a little scene, then added some stamps, rub-ons and type. Fun!

 all papers and most elements from A New Me by The Digichick Designers  

rub-ons, paint, brad, stamps, ink, etc.

Okay, I think that's all for now. But will have more coming up as NSD (National Scrpbooking Day) is next weekend. Always a good time to hit the sales around digiland. TDC is having an event too, although I don't know much about it yet as its being hosted by the Designers this time! Stay tuned!

As always, thank you so much for putting up with my absences. Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon.

Crafting my little heart out

Did I mention that my friends and I are hosting another handmade craft bazaar at the end of this month? Yes, yes I believe I did. And now I even have a little proof of it. Just a quick post to show the mini albums and door hangers I've been making.

 

For the most part I've been using Sassafras papers. I was trying to see what their newest lines are, but when I went to their site I see it hasn't been updated since last year. Did they go out of business? Oh I hope not. I really love their unique style.

Last for now, but not least. Inspired by Pinterest I even tried my hand at making some felt flower hair clips. Wouldn't it be fun if I went to my son's elementary school for a meeting or something and just happened to see a little girl with one of these in her hair.

Thank you always for stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come again soon.

Ummmm... hello.

Oh good heavens! Has it really been nearly a month? Coming to my poor blog tonight, I wondered if I would even remember where I'd left off.

Real Life - that's where I left off. Life just happens sometimes and the other stuff that I wish I could keep up with falls to the side.

I've been listening to the Hunger Games soundtrack. A lot. An abnormally amount of a lot even for me. I was trying to be nice and wait patiently until the Japan release date would be announced. I figured that since we have to wait about 4 months after each Twilight movie (There, I said it. I'm a TwiFan.) that HG would be coming sometime around mid to late June. Boy was I wrong. Finally, Kadokwa pictures posted on their website that HG would be coming to Japan in Fall of 2012. Shock. Despair. Sadness. Why, oh why??? So I figured the closest I could get to having the HG now would be to play the soundtrack again and again and again...

Work has been hoppin' and for this I am so very thankful! Teaching and now a bit of translating and editing. Thank you God for incredible opportunities! But of course real life takes precedence over digi life and scrapping falls to the side.

Nonetheless, I *do* have some pages to share. Where to start, where to start.

March Artisan Notebook layout. Way back in November I joined in the FB 30 days of Gratitude. Wow, what that ever a wonderful and eye-opening experience. Everyday I posted my status as something/someone I was grateful for. Most days were easy to think of, but just a few days took some digging. As the journaling is just tooooo long to include, *try* to read the page (if you're interested).

 

 all papers and elements from my heART by Etc by Danyale and My heART Journal Set by Etc by Danyale
template is from CQ 365ish 2-pagers Vol 1 by Cluster Queen Creations
font is Caviar Dreams 

TDC news. Bummer of all bummers. Our precious leader Nicole has left our nest in order to pursue her dreams as a designer. On the one hand there is shock and sadness, on the other hand there is nothing but continued love and admiration for what a wonderful woman she is. She was the absolute best boss to work for at TDC. Not to fear, my beloved Sinead is the new owner and operator of The Digichick and she is going to be AWESOME!

Tell Your Story. I have a couple of fun challenges up at Tell Your Story. There is no deadline (as there are no prizes) so come join me!

Four-Legged Friends: my beloved Dino. Born the same day I was. My first pet-love.

most papers and elements from Emporium by The Digichick Designers
some elements from The Daily Details and Around the World also by The Digichick Designers
alpha is from My Mountain alpha by Flutter Expressions
page template is from Solos Part 6 by Busy Bee Designs
font is The Daily Digi Girls by Darcy Baldwin

Crazy Friends: Good friends, good times.

all papers and elements from Lucky Me by Elise's Pieces
Brit's Pen by Darcy Baldwin template is from Captivated by Lynn by Captivated Visions

True Friendship: I've learned over the years that not everyone who wants to be my friend is necessarily a true friend. 

paper and most elements from Someone Like You by The Digichick Designers
background stamp by Karen Lewis
lace doily from Bee Happy by Danielle and Mari
font is Miss Molly Brown by Darcy Baldwin
font for sincerity is Angelic War

Layouts just for fun. I've been wanting to use DJB I Am That Girl by Darcy Baldwin. As soon as I saw this kit by Mari and Jenn I knew I had the perfect picts.

font is I Am That Girl by Darcy Baldwin
papers and elements from Puddle Jumper by Mari Koegelenberg and Jenn Barrette
page template by Little Green Frog Designs

 Last but not least scrapping news, please pardon me while I toot my own horn a little bit. I woke up this morning and, as usual, jumped right into my FB account. Scrolling down through the news feed, I happened upon a post by The Artisan Notebook saying that the April Issue had been released. Low and behold, much to my utter shock and pleasure, my layout was featured on the cover. The whole issue is about Organization and I chose to scrap about how I finally got my bookmarks organized via Pinterest. (Quite amusing to me is that there are actually quite a few Pinterest layouts in this issue. I guess I'm not the only one Pinterest is helping get organized!)

My friends and I are getting ready for a spring bazaar at the end of this month. At least, I hope they are getting ready. I know I'm not quite there yet. Why is that I need the pressure of an impending deadline in order to get anything done? Got lots to make.

As always, thank you so much for not giving up on me and stopping by my little corner of the web. Please come back again soon!