Creative Chaos

Out of the mess comes forth some creations.......

Hidden in the close up of this little bird's nest is this.......

and this.....

It's the state of affairs when I start creating projects for classes at Paper Tales and then get interrupted by substitute teaching assignments. But I do have this started......

I'm really excited about both projects.  Hopefully, I will get them finished so I can get them on the calendar soon.   The last two days have been fun but exhausting.  I subbed in Andres' 1st grade class and then yesterday in 3rd grade.  I was so tired last night that my dreams were about falling asleep....in my dream.   So today  I've been slogging around the house thinking about catching up.  Not really doing anything, mind you.  Just thinking about it.  It's a start.......

Talk to you soon!  Karin 

 

Spent the day........

with 1st graders! I haven't had time to do anything new so I thought I would rerun some of my old stuff........

 

 

Speaking of Journals.......

I forgot about these journals I did a few years back.......

And a fancy tag.....

Ok.....off to try to get things done today.  Wish me luck!  Karin

 

 

I forgot how much I love art journaling........

I'm doing a round robin and I'm having so much fun working in a free form way.......

 

The gal who made this book used this heavy watercolor paper that is divine to work on.......

I can't explain it; but there's a difference.   I've also been playing around with my embossing.......

I've been experimenting with velum.  I love using velum but it can be tricky.......

Talk to you soon.......Karin 

Each day brings something new.......

So.....I finally recovered from "Vintage Wallpaper Anarchy of 2012," just in time for this........

 

"Dear Parents,

Recently one of the students in your child's classroom has had lice........

No......no......NO!  I looked at the piece of paper with the hate of a thousand suns and vowed revenge.  Revenge on whom I wasn't quite sure.  But someone was going to pay. I could not go through it again and again and again......

Luckily after thoroughly inspecting his hair, nothing was found.  I am now sending him to school in a haz mat suit to finish out the year.......just kidding......

Actually I'm not.  Uggggg.....

Anyway, in the meantime I present to you some randomness that is taking up space in my craft room right now.  The top photo is a little Melissa Francis mini book I'm working on with some of the new paper. 

That's it for now!  Talk to you soon!  Karin

 

Guest Tutorial by resident 7 year old.......

Step 1:  Wait until your mother is completely distracted on a phone call with best friend discussing how stupid new show "The River" is before asking if you can use the heart punch.

Step 2:  Ask if you can use some paper. When she nods yes and waves you away because she is totally engrossed in ridiculous story lines and underdeveloped characters, grab some of her favorite vintage wallpaper.

Step 3:  When she finally wanders back over to the kitchen droning on about "who in the world jumps in the Amazon river with stitches in her leg"  and finally spots what you are doing, completely ignore her, as well as her look of shock and disbelief over vintage wallpaper scattered about the kitchen floor. Keep punching hearts when she abruptly switches gears from idiotic tv shows to  blathering on about "vintage.....my good paper....and the taking down of mankind....."

Step 4:  Not understanding, nor frankly caring about the significance of vintage wallpaper, ask her to help you staple the hearts together.......

 

Step 5:  Draw a picture of Mommy's face upon entering kitchen.

Now you have your very own vintage wallper funny face heart book!  Kits will be available soon.....

 

Melissa Frances Monday.........

I almost forgot about about the little dog and cat mini album I did for Melissa Frances.......

When asked if I wanted to do the album, I....the owner of no dog....said sure!  I then had to make a flurry of phone calls to my dog owner friends, Michelle and Gail to beg them for pictures ASAP.  I left demanding messages on their voice mails "get me the pictures of Buddy and Mintie now or you'll never see your dogs again!"  click.

Of course they both lollygagged as if I didn't have an all important deadline to meet and I wasn't going to carry out my dognapping threat......

Finally, Gail pulled through with pictures of Buddy.  Of course, when Michelle saw the mini book displayed at CHA, She said it was "ok.....and Buddy is no Mintie" and then moved along.  I then turned to see this......

 

Hmmmmmm.......Anyway, I'll let them duke it out. In the meantime here are some more pictures of the new minibook......

 

Talk to you soon!  Karin
 

 

Inspiration via Pinterest......

czekoczyna

Source: flickr.com via Karin on Pinterest

 

Jenny Holiday

Source: flickr.com via Karin on Pinterest

 

bellepapier

Source: bellepapier.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com via Karin on Pinterest

 

Suzanne Duda

Source: suzanneduda.typepad.com via Karin on Pinterest

 

 

Judy Scott

Source: flickr.com via Karin on Pinterest

Two days of subbing 5th graders........

and a day of relaxing work at Paper Tales, makes for a late blog post.  Teaching 5th grade was fun and exhausting.  It was the first time teaching that grade.....I think I've got it down.   

Anyway, I have a few pictures of the little birthday cupcake boxes I created.  I made some kits for my Etsy.   In the meantime, I'm working on some classes for Paper Tales.  One of them is going to be a Hoarders Anonymous class where everyone will bring their own paper in and actually use it in a project/journal that I come up with.

Apparently this is a big problem with many of us crafters.   We "buy" and then "hoard."  Somewhere along the way, we manage to eliminate "create something" from that equation.   It's ridiculous.  So one of my intentions in this New Year (which by the way is slowly moving from New Year to Mid Year) is to use my stash instead of just lovingly looking at it.  Who's with me ?!?!?  

 

Ok....I have to run...the boys have a day off of school and we are going to enjoy the sunshine!  Talk to you soon!  Karin

So many plans.......

so little time when your called to duty as a substitute teacher. I got a last minute call this morning to sub for 5th grade today.  So any and all plans went out the window for the day. Joining my plans were my motivation, energy and sanity when I retuurned home this afternoon.   I'm heading out the door bright and early tomorrow morning to teach the same class.   Thank goodness the day doesn't involve a Valentine candy exchange.  I think the kids had enough sugar this afternoon to last them a couple lifetimes.  So in the meantime, I'll just post some pictures of random stuff. 

I finally finished this gift tag using Lisa's stamps........

I'm having so much fun making washi tape.  I've been experimenting with some colors.  I'll have to show you.

 

Speaking of tags.........

I've been putting together some inspiration kits for Paper Tales so I thought I would do a few for my Etsy too. I'm trying to clear out some of the stuff I have in my craft room.   This one is a gift tag kit........

Inspiration kit.........

Talk to you soon! karin