Creative Chaos

So long Los Angeles.......it was fun!

Well, I survived the 5 day pajama party with my friend in LA.  We had a blast.....and the kids did too.   I have so many things I want to talk about.....Like husbands who build things for a living and have the nerve to tell me I'm cramming way too much stuff on my work table and that it wasn't built to support that much weight.   whatever.............potty training a  2 year old with m&m's, but discovering that m&m's disappear within an hour because I eat them all up before he has a chance to pee......  The great picture I was going to get for my blog of me sitting at Judge Judy's courtroom bench shouting "you're an idiot" to whomever was standing near, except she was filming that day and so that idea was shot.  AND announcing the winner of the flower box from my big "Etsy" post.   But I'm too tired.   So, I will pick two names on Wednesday.  I will throw in another item just for the fun of it. 

How about these?   You can still enter if you like by leaving a comment to this post.  So now I'm off to bed.  And, tomorrow reorganizing my desk and buying more m&m's.......

Quick.....The Beckmans are coming to America......

and I need someone to tell me why I'm supposed to care.  It's all the news!  It's all the rage!  Are they coming with a cure for prostate cancer?  Are they coming with Osama Bin Laden in tow.  Am I supposed to pick them up from the airport? Are they bringing me vintage wallpaper from France........ I need to know and I need to know NOW!   Because, at this moment, I am under the distinct impression that the only contributions to this world, much less to America, is that David, beside being somewhat cute, kicks a ball for a living.  And, Victoria, besides having a cute haircut, allegedly "sang" in the Spice Girls (which, I personally put on the same level as the time when I was 10 and went through my "singing in the mirror with a brush stage." Except without the silly outfits)  So, if anyone else has any other international information as to why I should perk up, stop polishing my toenails, and, stand at attention, PLEASE let me know.    

Ok, on to other pressing events in the news....... The Perfect Sunday.    Take one husband and oldest child at the water slide park + youngest child at grandma's...... divide by 3 hours of uninterrupted crafting time....... put to the 10th power my extra creative energy..........times the square root of pi (actually, it was apple pie.  I had it for lunch)....plus continuous 70's music on cable station........ times the anticipation of a get together that night with good friends we've known for twenty years at a barbecue =  a bunch of stuff done.... with a big ol' smile on my face. 

First off,  after all the Etsy hype I created, I realized that I needed to "stock" my etsy shop.  That one can not just put up an Etsy banner, throw a big blog party, and hope that customers will buy items based on your super cute banner design sight unseen.  ( "Yes!!! I'll take that awesome crown you're designing in your head!!!!  I'll pay any price for it!! I love it!!!!)    Unfortunately........it doesn't work that way.   So, in the meantime, I have been working on some stuff.  Taking pictures.  And writing descriptions..... I'm so excited!

I'm also getting ready to take off for Los Angeles on Wednesday for 5 days. I'm planning on wearing my crown that Natasha made for me when I go........ I really want people to take notice.  Maybe they will even do a story on me about "Creative Chaos coming to Los Angeles!!!!!"  It will be all the talk....and, then everyone will start wearing crowns!  Who knows.....stranger things have happened.....   

My friend's husband is going out of town so we are going to hang out with the kids....swim...and talk.......and talk........and talk......and eat cereal for dinner........Good times!   

I will pick a name for the box when I get back.  And, THANK YOU to EVERYONE who stopped by to wish me well!!!! I have a few more people to email back to thank.  But, wanted to do a BIG THANK YOU here to say how much I loved the well wishes and feedback......It meant so much to me!

Ok....back to the grind.  And, to see if David and Victoria showed up with my vintage wallpaper........  Talk to you when I get back!!!

Oh.....if anyone can tell me how to put that cute little Etsy store banner thing on my sidebar I will be forever grateful.  I can't for the life of my figure it out......

So...If everyone jumped off a bridge.......

Would I jump too?   Well........ If it landed me in ETSY RIVER, I WOULD!!  OK...I know that's lame; but I had to think of something to introduce the fact that in order to not put my sons' college fund, toy purchasing fund and food for breakfast, lunch and dinner fund in jeopardy due to my buying vintage wallpaper, I decided to sell some of my little crafty creations.   Of course, I couldn't just set up a little shingle on my Etsy shop announcing my arrival.  Oooooh No, no, no......  I had to go big.  Really big. Huge. So, that's when I decided to hire the big guns....Heather at Bluhm Studio.  She was the only one who could design my future.  At first, she balked because I was such small fries.  I begged; I pleaded.  She threatened to get a restraining order.  I begged some more and told her about having to put my kids to work at the salt mines in order to fund my craft supply purchases.  She finally relented.  Thank Goodness! Because this is what she designed for me........

Isn't it amazing!  Every time I opened up the attachments it was like Christmas at the Chaos household!  I explained to her my sketchy, all over the map vision and she was miraculously able to take that fuzzy concept and create magic.   She was so easy and accommodating even when working with someone like me.  She didn't even lose it when after designing everything she asked "so did you reserve your Etsy ID"  and I answered "huh".   Well, I'm assuming she didn't lose it.......at least she didn't email me an eyeroll icon or anything.  So, if you need a banner or card or anything she has to be your go-to person!   

When I started my little blog my main goal was to tap back into my creative side.  I really felt that I had lost that entire part of me.  I wrote about it here and and here.   Over the past eight months since I started this little blog, I feel like I am on my way to achieving that goal.  The goal of not only feeling creative, but, acting on that creativity through my writing and through actually making pieces of art.  What has really pushed me over the edge and inspired me to start selling again (because for a long time after shuttering my business i didn't think I would) was Kari at Artsymama. She has been a big inspiration to me as I ventured into the world of blogging and crafting.  Recently, she started this new challenge called    "Everyday Notions".  So I've just been informally playing along as she has laid out the challenges.   But, it was this quote that literally made me stop in my tracks and switch my train of thinking......

Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

~Harold Thurman Whitman

So, although I feel that my journey of creativity will always be an ongoing process of growth and identity.  I do, however, feel like I'm ready to put myself out there again.   And this time for myself.  Not my reps.  Not my stores.  Me.   And, so what, if the world doesn't need more earrings or collages...... It's what makes me come alive......and, so therefore I go........I was born to create and that's what I'm going to do!

So what do you think?  Everyone that comments and says tons of nice things about my new venture will be entered in a contest to win this........

Sound Good?   Talk to you soon!  Karin

I'm back......

 

I feel like I've haven't blogged in weeks.  It's actually been 5 days.  But it feels like weeks! I've been working on some projects.  Hired Heather of Bluhm Studios to design a banner and other goodies for me.    Have you seen her work....She's amazing. She just did this banner for Dede Warren of DreamCreateShare...You have to see it.  Beautiful!  I've also been finishing up some other projects that I started a while ago, as well as, wrapped the baby gift and sent it out the door.......

I also received my FABULOUS Bit's and Pieces Collage from Heather over at Pretty Petals.  I LOVE this collage!  I adore how the dress just flows from the center of the collage with the rhinestone brooch just to the upper right.  All the other "bits and pieces" of vintage paper work just perfectly with the design.  She put it on an old book board that just pulls the whole piece together......Thank You SO Much Heather!!!!

The other thing besides enjoying the lazy summer days is that we have been frequent visitors to our local skateboard park. 

Carlos just started (and I mean "just" started) skateboarding.  We took him over to our local SB park and now he's hooked.  He's been trying to manage the hills and balance in a straight line without falling off while Andres and I lounge under the canopy provided and do our best to entertain ourselves in the sand.  It's pretty fun to watch the more experienced boarders to their tricks.  Especially, knowing full well, that if I so much as skated a straight line of 3 feet I would land myself in the emergency room with a broken arm faster than the spin of a skateboard wheel.  So, it's fun to watch.   

 

The other "watching" I do is observing how Carlos negotiates the world of skateboarders.  From my careful and methodical observation, I studied the couple different categories present:  First there are the "older experienced boarders"  this specimen treats the younger kids like a stationary pole to maneuver around.  They don't pay them much mind; but at the same time are respectful and harmless.   The second category is the one in which Carlos falls:  "the beginning boarder with a parent in attendance" this type pretty much skates in a line up and down the hills and is frequently called by said parent to drink more water, put sunscreen on the back of their neck and be careful.  Then we have the third category......it is what I like to label as the "wanna be 8-11 year old skater punks who should not be skating around my son or even in the skateboard park for that matter with no parent in attendance" type.    Or, more simply known as a "troublemaker".    So with the categories neatly laid out.......I present to you my first "Momma Bear" moment.   I saw him talking to four 9-10 year old boys who obviously fit into the 3rd category.  It started off innocently enough.  From my perch, I couldn't see or hear what they were discussing.  I started getting nervous. I saw more talking and pointing.  I started to get a little more anxious.  I saw everyone laughing.....except for Carlos.   I started questioning why he wasn't taking piano lessons at this exact moment........  And then it happened.  The moment all moms dread in their heart and soul........He started running toward me with skateboard in tow..........

"Mommy!  Those boys were mean to me!"........ I remained calm and asked "well, what did they say?"  He proclaimed  "they said I was "retargeted"....Mommy, what's a retargeted?" .........I then took a deep breathe and did what any self-respecting momma bear of a just turned 7 year old would do.   I marched right over there.  Pulled them by their sassy little ears off the the hill and stated "Listen you little long haired, helmet not worn properly, insult throwing, gang of four!  Just who do you think you are calling my sweet innocent baby who still sleeps with his "lamby"  and loves to snuggle with me and say I'm "the best mom in the whole world"  a "retargeted" Huh?!  And, where is your mother?!"  and then I said..............

Alright.  I didn't say anything else.  I didn't even say that.  I sat there. And, with every fiber of my being wanting to jump up and give those boys a thing or two, I explained to Carlos that those boys weren't nice and that he should skate elsewhere.  He stated that "they can't be my friends because they are bullies" and marched back off.  And, then to my momma bear surprise, he skated right back over to them and held his own.  The next thing I saw was one of the older of the boys helping him to go down a hill and high five him.  Carlos later came back and said that he asked another kid why the one boy was "so mean"  and the other kid said "he's always like that."   

So as much as Momma Bears want to protect the den.  Sometimes she just needs to sit tight and let her little cub do all the work.   Because her little cub just might surprise her! 

A few gifts to go......

We had a birthday get together for my friend Kelly the other night.  I made a collage for her and a bracelet.   I'll be back to share more......Heading out to the skateboard park with my wanna be skateboard punk :)   

 

In the swapping world, if I were to assign an animal to myself.....

I would say that I am a tortoise.....or, maybe, a snail, if you will.   Of course, when signing up for swaps, I'm more the likes of a jack rabbit or a cheeta.......However, the speed of signing up always gives way to the realities of daily life, and, the inevitable email out to my always considerate swap partner...... "this is going to be a bit late"........ But, alas, I am finally done with Heather's Bit's and Pieces collage!  I have been working on this square......by......square......by ......square...... (In the meantime, I think Jenny Holiday, the hostess, has completed 82 of them already!  Seriously, she is amazing.  She has done something like 6-7 collages for other people!) It has taken me awhile to get it done, but I have loved doing it.  I hope Heather feels the same way!  I just need to wrap it up and it will be heading out the door.

I also finished the layette set for my husband's friend.  I'm pairing the outfit up with a chenille burpcloth.  I hope they like it.  I just assume everyone likes shabby pink design.......

Since I had the sewing machine out I whipped up a couple more.....This would be from my "dream" collection.......

I know of absolutely no one with a baby girl so this "dream" collection of two lap t's will be sitting on my shelf!

I also finished this notebook I started awhile back.  This is what it looked like I as started it........

 

And this is what it looked like when i finished it........

Hard to believe it's the same project.......

Also here is a little box I started.  It's not done yet....... Although, I'm not quite sure where I'm going with it......

Time for bed........

Another project on its way to completion.......

Almost done.........

Ok....no time for chit chat.  I have to go finish a nail biting game of Battleship.  Go to the Train Museum.  And, finish up remaining projects.  Talk to you soon!

Phew.....What a weekend!

I am finally managing to make headway on projects that should have gone out the door a week ago.   I just finished Natasha's crown.  It took me a long time to finish this because I wanted it to be really special for her.  With the exception of the bottom flowers and ribbon, all of it is done with vintage wallpaper.  Even the pink tulle on top is vintage from Holly.  I am so happy with how it turned out.  I adore the background paper.  I have no idea where I got it. But I love it.  Also, the green and white that bands the bottom. Love that also.  Hopefully, she will like it. (The crown she sent me is a couple pictures down and to die for!!!) I keep fussing with it. But at some point I know I just need to stop the madness and let it go.

I have been also working on Heather's Bit's and Pieces collage.  I love working on this.  Square by square it's getting done.  I love the way the piece is large. Yet I still get to work in my comfort zone of small.  The best of both worlds.  Here is a sneak peek:

Here is the crown Natasha sent me!!!!  IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL!   Look at this whole ensemble...... The sachet has lavender in it and calmed me down immediately when I opened the package and nearly lost my mind at how exquisite the crown was.   My friend from Los Angeles was in town with her kids when I opened it and her jaw just dropped.  She already has plans to order more cards from her. 

Here is Carlos opening all the stuff that she had sent him for our kid swap.  I told Natasha that Carlos was hoping against hope that she would be sending a kangaroo for the swap.  Although I told him that it was highly unlikely due to shipping cost and quarantine laws, he still said to me as I opened the package "I guess an animal couldn't really fit in there, huh mommy."   An optimist to the very end.

Here is how our long weekend with friends went.  Lots of Beach.......

Some solid snoozing......

 

The requisite buried in the sand trick.........

Last day of school pool partying........

And tons of fun!  Talk to you soon!