Creative Chaos

It's official....No one is getting a valentine from me.........

This is the picture where I say goodbye to all my thoughtfully purchased valentine paper, ribbons and ephemera............ 

I had all this inspiration stacked on my desk ready for me to create some really cute designs.  Now it's in a neatly labeled and completely organized bin called "valentine stuff."

Oh well, you close one door and an Easter window opens.........

 

Here are some of the items I got at Paper Tales the other week.  I've already started on a couple things in the Spring/Easter theme.  I feel like I've been skidding past all the holidays lately in terms of crafting. But I think I will be able to get some fun Spring and Easter ideas from my head to actual composition.

 

I stole this egg from my mom. I gave it to her from the boys a couple years ago.  I'm going to make some more that are similar.......

 

And here's something else I did last year.  I had so much fun making these I made one for a bunch of my friends for Easter gifts. 

  

Yes...I know I'm recycling my Easter designs.  But I'm too tired to think of any new ones at the moment.  Maybe next week I'll be more original.....or not. We'll see.   

Talk to you soon!  Karin 

Andres drew a picture of me today........

 

I've honestly never looked better.......

So.......after basically sleeping through the month of February.........

I've got a bunch of catching up to do.  I still need to pick the winners of OWOH.  I need to send out all the valentine's I never made out for Valentine's Day.   I need to do a Pink Saturday post for last week and today and I need to superpoke a bunch of people on Facebook.......the list never ends.

I do have some fun pictures of cards that I received from a Valentines Swap that was coordinated by Heather. 

This one scrumptious pink flower is from Marylin.......

 

This little red number is from Jeanne.....

 

The minute I opened this one I knew it was from Ellen......

 

This adorable one is from Jessica.....

 

This is from Heather. I love the soft pink cheesecloth in the back.....

 

And last but not least this pretty vintage card from Geralyn......

Thank goodness I have other's art to share since I have nothing from me.   I did, however, buy a bunch of inspiration from Paper Tales on Thursday.  In a burst of energy, my mom and I did errands which included plopping myself and my coffee down on the Paper Tales comfy couch for two hours and chit chatting with Julie.  In my defense of interferring with her having to work, I did direct a customer to some train scrapbook paper.  And, when I'm not out creating diversions for working folks, my time has been blissfully spent doing the most mudane things like helping Carlos with a school project and reading to Andres.  My husband and I even got to spend some time together just catching up.  I'm happy just making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches right now.  It feels good.

I promise though when my energy starts heading back in a positive direction I will be announcing the winners of One World One Heart.  I don't want Lisa kicking me out next year for false promotion of giveaways!  : )   I think I can safely say it will be next week.  As long as no little germ bugs come knocking at my door, I think I'll be doing ok!   Then it's back to art and snark and all things mundane that make up my day.  

Talk to you soon....going back to the couch to read my People magazine!  Karin

I think I've turned a corner..........

just in time for chemo tomorrow.  My timing is impeccable.

So I have to tell you about this strange thing that occurred.  As I awoke from my three week coma yesterday, the weirdest thing happened to me.   I discovered that I had landed in some space travel/time continuum somewhere between the 3rd the 5th dimension where the future meets the past, and the past just cries, begs and pleads to be left alone needing no help from the future nor the present.   I discovered it as I watched my dvr'd episode of "The Soup" where Stevie Wonder was paired up with the Jonas Brothers singing Superstition at the Grammys.  Wha?....huh?...What year is it it?....did I die and go staight to the 7th circle of hell?  I knew I had to be either under the influence of too much cough syrup with benadryl, in the clutches of a nightmare, or in a "Back to the Future" remake gone horribly wrong to even consider that this was real. OMG........ And, then, if it wasn't bad enough that a marginally talented, been around the block for a only a few years, teenage Disney band was paired up with a music legend who has been writing, producing and singing for the past forty years, they forgot the words.  Do.Not.Know.The.Words.  No one, and I mean no one, would ever attempt to sing with Stevie Wonder and not know the lyrics.  Am I right? Or am I right here?   What could they possibly have had to do that was more important than memorize that song?   Update their myspace page?  Text Taylor Swift?  Pick their outfits for the night?  Unfortunately, it was not a dream and all too real. I think I'll go back to my coma.  Do I seem cranky here?  Well, I am.  After three weeks of being sick, I've done no art, hardly spent time with my boys and I wake up to the Jonas Bros desecrating a Stevie Wonder song. Well, that's it.  I'm getting up and protesting......taking it to the streets.....writing letters of complaint.......right after I blow my nose and take a quick nap.....I'll get right on it.......sigh..... 

Oh well, now that I'm finally feeling a bit better, along with my kvetching and complaining, I will also announce the winners of the OWOH drawing.  I hoping to do it before I fall into bed from chemo.  Maybe Thursday or Friday?   Sorry to keep everyone waiting.   I'll probably throw in a few more gift tags just for the heck of it! 

Talk to everyone soon!  Karin 

Well....don't be too impressed......

with all that I have gotten done. Because other than the post I did on Monday and taking Carlos to tennis lessons on Tuesday, I have none absolutely nothing other than sleep, somewhat eat, lay on the couch watching tv and sleep more.  This cold that started last Friday has gotten progressively worse with each day.  I ended up in urgent care last night due to a fever.  I still feel crappy. I slept most of the day today and I'm ready to hit the sack in a minute. Since my immune system is compromised, my body is just having a hard time fighting it.

I will do the OWOH drawing on Monday assuming I'm feeling better.  I have to cancel my class on Saturday because I don't think anyone wants an instructor who is taking a nap on the cozy couch at Paper Tales while "teaching".  It just sucks.  Big time.  It was one of my fun things to look forward to this week.  This was supposed to be my good week.  On the flip side, I have managed to catch up on all my tv watching.  Although, I know I'm really sick when I don't even have enough energy or motivation to watch Top Chef all the way through.

I'll hoping to be back on Monday with all the names of the winners for OWOH. 

Happy Valentines Day!! Talk to you soon!  Karin

I love the internet.....

because without it I would not have any human contact with the outside world.   With the exception of my two hour adventure to the mall and Michael's, I have been in the house for twelve days straight.  I feel like I'm under house arrest, but too tired to escape. I've been sick with a cold since Friday and more tired than usual from the chemo.  Much to my husband's bewilderment, I do have just enough energy to surf the web. He just shakes his head.  

I have to share this card my sister Kris sent me the other day........

Cracks me up.  So true though.  It reminds me of this hysterical article from The Onion....American Airlines Now Charging Fees to Non-Passengers.  I could not stop laughing when I read it.

Click on the picture to enlarge....

 

So when I'm not perusing the net for funny stories, I'm creating my own by painting with my two little Van Goghs.   So here's what we worked on......

 

Carlos had his pirate ship birdhouse and Andres had a Caboose (or a 'boose as he called it)  In the meantime I painted a little birdhouse they boys picked out for me and a wooden carrying case that I had lying around for a while. As much as I would love to tell you we painted, laughed and created for hours, that wasn't the case.  After about a half an hour, both were  ready for a break and proceeded to go into the living room and argue while I tried to stay in the zen art mode.  While finishing my project I was serenaded with...."he's bugging me!"...."Andres is copying me"...."stop it!!"...."it's mine"...."blah, blah, blah..." But in the end they mended fences and came back to finish their projects.

 

Andres finished his 'boose and even had time to paint a few more pictures.  One of them is to the left of the train.  I like to call it "when ketchup meets mustard."   Carlos decided that he wanted to paint a picture also. And, that he wanted to sell it on my Etsy so he can make some money for the Wii he is saving for.

 

He named it "The Sun."  I call it "the picture that spawned a thousand tears and nearly drove a bald mom over the edge."   It all started fine with him drawing the picture and then applying the paints.  Then it was downhill after that.  He became frustrated because he couldn't get the picture from his head to the paper. And, then he hated the paintbrushes.  And, the paint kept getting mixed up. After many tears and running to his room about 10 times, he finally came back out and finished it all the while declaring his price was going up from $10 to $30 because "it took me such a very long time to make."  I suggested that he just needs to practice more.  He told me he doesn't.  I told him art can't be motivated by money and the future purchase of a Wii.  He looked at me confused and said yes it can.    Throughout the whole artist drama meltdown, I suspected the perfectionist apple doesn't fall far from the momma tree.....but he finally did finish it and was happy with it in the end. Phew.....

In between all the tantrums I managed to finish up (or almost finish) some projects that I've been working on.

  

I did this little bits and pieces collage inspired by Kari's "Year of Color" blog.  January was blue, so I pit together this piece based on that.  I just love working on these bit's and pieces collages.  So much fun and so relaxing.   I still have a little bit more to do on it; but overall it's almost done.

And then I've been working on this piece to give to Heather for the next Portals issue.  But it's taking me longer than I expected and I don't think I'll make the deadline.

 

 

Working on some glitter hearts.........

and the bags full of supplies for my class at Paper Tales this Saturday.

 

Well that's it for now!  I think I'll go lay my head down on the couch and take a break......Talk to you soon!  Karin

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...................

 

Sleeping. That's pretty much what I've been up to the past week. I've been much more tired this go around.  Plus, I think I've caught the bug that Cosme and the boys have had.  My big outing of the week was to Michael's last night to pick up some supplies for my class next week at Paper Tales.  My mom, the boys and I grabbed a bite to eat at the mall and then headed on over to the big "M".  Since it was my first time out in seven days, I was a bit overexcited at the prospect of loligagging in Michael's fun filled aisles.  Even Carlo's commented that I seemed "hyper."  But that all ended as soon as we got home and I collapsed on the couch in exhaustion after two hours at the mall.  Cosme told me "no more late night partying" for me.  Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

 

So today we are going to paint the pirate ship and the 'boose (train caboose) bird house that we got last night.   Andres was up at 7:00 am ready to paint his 'boose.   Ah....an artist after my own heart.  

   

Oh, before I forget.....when I was at Michael's last night, they had this whole $1 section.  There was some really cute stuff.  But I found a really great buy.   They had these chipboard albums in hearts, flowers, squares for only a dollar.  They are about 5x5" or so.  I thought they were a really great deal. So next time you're at Michaels check them out.

Ok....off the paint some birdhouses with the boys!  Talk to you soon! Karin