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All white girls (with the exception of short dark hair girl) please pack your bags and be ready & waiting in front of the hotel tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m for the shuttle bus to take you to the airport. Thank you for your time and mediocre talent.
I say this because the little book I worked on this weekend is something I did for my husband Christmas 2005. It was one of those last minute inspirations done with mere seconds to go before Christmas. The original was done very quickly with whatever leftover paper I had on hand. And I did nothing in the way of embellishment or decoration. However, the boys love to look through it, so it was getting worn....not to mention something was spilled on it and it messed up the cover picture. I'm too embarrassed to even show the original.....Oh, ok, here's a peek......
You can tell it was not very inspired designwise. However, I had come up with this poem and wanted to finish it in time for Christmas. So, for the past year, I have 
been dying to redo it in a fun, better designed way. As you will see, the new book is designed "A La Scrapbooking 101". I'm quite sure this layout I designed is languishing somewhere in a 1992 Making Memories magazine. But, because I really wanted to make sure I finished this project, I stayed very simple. I knew that if I didn't, it would then sit on my table for another year while I conjured up just the right design and embellishments. So in keeping the whole thing easy, I basically just picked a bunch of cute coordinating papers and ribbons and went for it. I still have to finish up a few of the pages. But, overall, it's pretty much done. The fun part is the poem that goes along with the pictures. I just made it up while going through the boys pictures.
I thought with Father's Day coming up in a few (ok, 4) months, it would make a fun gift. You can go ahead and use the poem if you like. All you have to do is just adjust it to fit your family and the pictures you have. With the poem, just remember, only the last words have to rhyme so it should be easy enough to switch it around to fit your pictures. If you end up doing one, make sure to show me. I would love to see what other's interpretations are. I'm so excited to finally get this finished. Now I have to redo the one I did for my mom that Andres destroyed. So, on to the next one.........I'll be back!
Now that we are done with all the crazy partying from last Friday.....I see we are right back to business :)......I used to be a quote junkie. I would collect all kinds of quotes. I would hang them up in my former studio like they were carvings on a tablet sent from the heavens above. Eagerly look to them for the divine inspiration that was going to change my life. But then I kind of got sick of quotes and became anti-quote artist. I eschewed all quotes and what they stood for. After much reflection, I realized that by merely reading the quote, my life was not going to transform suddenly and miraculously. But, it was the action with which I took behind the quote that was going to make a difference. I still can't stand to read the super popular ones....like, "Dance like you never danced....blah blah blah" Once you see them everywhere, the quote seems to deflate like a balloon. Nowadays, I tend to gravitate toward the obscure quotes or even unintentional quotes like this......
It was originally intended for weight loss in an article of oprah. However, I took it to mean life and goals in general. It really has made a big difference for me in my pursuit to reconnect with my art. And I put it on the cover of my inspiration journal. It's the perfect quote for immediate gratification, perfectionists who tend to procrastinate........like myself.
Here are some more great quotes from Studio Friday
I'm not talking about the usual stuff, like penicillin, heart transplants and tivo......I'm talking about the really important stuff. The things that make me smile all day like I just brokered world peace...I'm talking about this......
Now...I know your saying...ummm Karin...they invented that like a decade ago. We've all been using that for the last 10 years......Well, it's all new to me! And I am very excited that I can now make straight precision lines for my glitter.....I tell ya...it doesn't take much nowadays.......
I was busy organizing and doing a bit of crafting this weekend. We had the storm of the century here in San Diego yesterday so I was housebound all day. Hannah's crown is heading out the door today.
And I worked on a card for one of my best friends. Although, after having looked at it closer when it was finished, I'm not sure I like the wording "as good as it gets". I started thinking ...what if she's having a bad day when she gets it and thinks "great. this is as good as it gets", or since I haven't called her for a while she thinks that our friendship is as good as it gets. Hmmmmm. Oh well. It's finished. I'll just have to take my chances.....(love ya, Hope!!!)
And I also managed to do a bracelet with some really beautiful beads I got at the bead show last year. I normally don't work with these glass beads but for some reason I was just drawn to them. I got some in brown also and made this bracelet and a necklace for a friend for Christmas. But these brighter colors are a bit of a departure from my usual m.o. I also did a pair of earring but I haven't taken a picture yet.
Speaking of jewelry.....I'm so excited!! I should be getting my necklace from Heather over at Jeweled Elegance. She handcarves and paints these. Once I saw it I knew I had to have one. I think it might arrive today!!!! Well, off to costco.....adios!
Ok.....so here's my studio. I've been working hard the last two days to get it done. But I would say all the hard work was well worth it. Wouldn't you? It may look a tad familiar to some of you...... Ummmmmm......You can now just start calling me Anna......as in 
Corba........
Hee hee....just kidding. Here's the real room. Like I tell my husband, it's the storm before the hurricane before the earthquake, before the rainshower before the calm. I'm still moving stuff in from my garage/studio turned storage unit and then moving other stuff out of here into there. So, I have been slowly trying to figure out how I want to arrange it all for the maximum creativity output. I keep moving things around in a circle and then back on the table. I am going to get curtains and new blinds for the windows. You can't see from the photo (thank goodness) but they are broken (from the stray cat who snuck in our cat door and then freaked out in that room. He got tangled in the blinds and totally messed them up. The sheer luck that he never landed on my bead table was a miracle in itself) and totally, disgustly filthy. So, I am off to Target.......See you later!!
First off......HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU....HAPPY BIRTHDAY STUDIO FRIDAY......HAPPY 2 YEAR BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!! I've only been participating in Studio Friday for the past few months. But I have met many wonderful blogging friends along the way. Not to mention, making myself write about and think about things in a way I normally wouldn't. I am so glad that I discovered SF as it has been very inspiring for me........
Which leads me to how this topic is so timely for me. The whole reason I decided to blog is to try to get rid of the creative block that has been haunting me since I stopped my design business 4 years ago. I explained here and here how it all came about. Since I have stopped the quest for perfection and have gone back to creating for myself (and not reps) I have found that I am moving around that huge block that has been sitting in the middle of my road to creativity. Also, I have discovered this whole new world of blogging that I didn't even know existed until my friend Joe introduced it to me. I am blown away at how many generous creative souls there are out there. And since having my 2 year old precludes me from taking classes or getting together with other like minded individuals at this moment, the blog world has opened up a whole new adventure for me. Thank you Studio Friday....and thank YOU fellow bloggers who stop by to say hi and who are kind enough to share a piece of creativity with the rest of us.
Woo hoo....I'm getting a space to work! Yesterday I told my husband all I wanted for Valentine's day was our humongous player piano moved out of our dining room, turned office, turned craft supply closet and moved into the living room. This was no small feat as the thing weighs a ton. But, he did it and now I have a space for my work table. Now, I'm not saying there wasn't any incentive for him.....the thought of having his kitchen table back was a huge push towards getting that piano moved. But, hey, whatever it takes!
OK...so here's the before photo. It will be exactly like Clean Sweep or Mission Organization. Well....except for the professional organizers....or the decorators....or the money to do the job....or the fancy organization doodads....OTHER THAN THAT....it will be EXACTLY like the tv program! Ok, whatever...it won't be anything like it. But I don't care..... I've got my space to create!!! My creativity won't be limited by spoilsport people who want to eat on a kitchen table. So I'm off to organize....See you later!
I finally got my camera back so I can show you the rest of the crowns I did. I had so much fun with these. Although, I have no idea what I'm going to do with them. I may just wear them when I drop Carlos off at school. I'm sure there won't be any long lasting embarrassing effects on him. Short lasting, maybe. But it's nothing therapy can't take care of later down the road.
In my ongoing challenge to use what I have.....I have created some more valentine's. I'll either put ribbon hangers on it or magnets on the back. These will go out with the still needing to be sent christmas projects. Thank goodness the combination Christmas/Valentine gift will come as no surprise to my friends.
The crown below was done for a boy. Again, I did it in 15 minutes knowing full well it was not going to be worn. If I could do it over again There are some different things I would have done. I love the polka dot paper.
The one with the H is for my friend Hope. Her 40th birthday is in June. I still haven't finished her Christmas present project.....but her birthday crown is ready to roll.
My best friend's daughter and son's birthday was yesterday. (Actually she and her brother are more like my neice and nephew. My best friend and I have known each other since we were five. 35 years!!!! Yikes! I also have another friend that I have known for almost 30 and 3 other friends for 20 years.....I feel so lucky!) Anyway..... I thought it was the perfect excuse to make one of those super cute crowns that I see everywhere. Now mind you this was done in literally 1/2 an hour before the trip to Legoland. Which was great because I didn't have time to think about the design.....I JUST DID IT! I just started pulling things from my stash and glued like crazy. I also decided to just glue ribbon for the backpart of the crown where she could just tie it up and let it flow down. I did that because I could not for the life of me figure out how to attach the back. But I kind of like it. And, had I more time I would put a bunch of ribbons to flow in the back. I also did one for her brother because I didn't want him to feel left out. However, I was WELL aware that crown was never going to touch his head as they both turned 7 years old. And, as we all know, 7 year old boys are just a bit too cool for a sparkly "King for a Day" crown. ( although, I had Carlos try one on for size. And after a bit of pleading and begging on my part he then didn't want to take it off.) Like I told my best friend, I didn't want to her the story 20 years from now how "that was the birthday I'll never forget where Natalie got a crown and not me." So, today, I went crown crazy with the extra paper I had lying around and the little doodads that I could stick on it. Not to mention the GLITTER. Lots and lots of glitter. I'll post more pictures of all the crowns tomorrow. My friend had my camera in her purse yesterday at Legoland and took it home with her.
to complete this post. Hopefully. Well, lucky me got this in the mail the other day. This was the prize I won in the share your heART drawing that was happening practically on a global level. Stephanie did this. See all that beading.....WOW. I am going to hang it in my office. Oh, and see the two pieces of chocolate to the left.....Gone. Ate them last night. Yummy, yum, yum. I'm frankly surprised the even lasted that long given the chocolate freak that I am. Also, Lisa at Heart of the Nest is wanting to do a Spring Fling. I'm in!!
Here's a picture of these cool little jars and big canisters that I got at ikea the other day. I put my flowers and glitter letters in them so they can be displayed. Speaking of Ikea.....I love Ikea......I love the way you can be an illiterate doofus and STILL be able to put a coffee table together by yourself. This is genius...GENIUS.
Ok .....DISCLAIMER.....WARNING.....DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER IF YOU LIVE IN THE MIDWEST AND ARE UNDER A DEEP FREEZE........The next pictures are of my son and his friends digging for dinosaur bones in the backyard. It was in the 70's. Yes, the 70's. And Carlos had gotten so hot digging for the T Rex skull that they had found, he had to take his shirt off. (I know...you hate me right now. But if it's any consolation, it was a VERY chilly 47 degrees this morning.) Anyhow..... I love listening to the conversations that happen among a bunch of 6 year olds;
Carlos: I can't believe we found a dinosaur skull. I'll bet it's a T Rex.
Friend: I know. We need to call the news.
Carlos: Yeah. They need to bring their cameras out and film this. And then they will say "we can't believe there was a dinosaur skull in a kid's backyard"
Other Friend: We'll be famous. And rich.
Carlos: I wonder how much money they will give us for this.
Me: (thinking to myself) I'm guessing nothing given that it's a rock. But you keep dreaming kids....keep dreaming....
Ok....confession. Teletubbies have been over for the last 20 minutes and I am half way into Baby Monet.....Time to go....
