Creative Chaos

If anyone is interested.........

in taking the Little Book of Big Ideas tutorial, Cropped is giving 10% off on classes for tomorrow only........

Here are some more pictures of the journal........

and here is a picture of the kit......

If you are interested in purchasing, just click the blog button on my right hand sidebar and it will take you to Cropped.  Also, I'm hoping to get more of the vintage keys, but I'm getting down to only 4 more kits left with the keys.   

Thanks!!  Tomorrow I''ll have some more pictures of what I've been creating for the Les Sirens Event.  My current dream now involves getting all the way up to the event but forgetting all my stuff at home.   Sigh...... Talk to you soon!  Karin

 

The elusive search for extra time.......

stops right here.    I thought I had it figured out back in 2007 with this little FYI on time savers when shaving your legs.    I truly believe the the reason for all the art I have produced over the last three years is a direct result of not lathering up my legs when I shave.   

Now, I can add an additional 1 minute and 15 seconds to my day by not talking (impossible) and walking out of the gym stinky with sweaty hair.......

The only problem is I don't belong to a gym and have no desire to go to one.   So I started thinking up my own time savers.  Maybe a few of them may work for you.

1.  Instead of cooking dinner, set up all you can eat cereal buffet on counter.  Time Shaved: 60:00

2.  Put kids on city bus instead of driving them to school:  Time Shaved: 20:00

3.  Stop doing laundry.  Time Shaved:  equivalent to a lifetime

4.  No longer wear pajamas and sleep in clothes. Time Shaved: 02:00

See...I just save you an hour and 22 minute plus a lifetime by cutting out a few unnecessaries from your schedule.  You can thank me later.....

 

July seemed so far away......

when I signed on to do a vendor table at Kim's Les Sirens art event.  

"July!  Are you kidding me?!  The event's not until July 15th?!"  I say to to Kim.  "Why that gives me plenty of time.  I may even build my own table and chair for my space I have so much time." 

Fast forward one month later and 3 1/2 weeks left and I have nothing done.   Where does the flipping time go!?!    I was on the phone with Michelle the other night and I confided to her how I had a dream I was at the event and I filled my table with all the furnishings from my house just so I had something to offer.   Target picture frame anyone?   Sigh....

So that little nightmare kicked me in the butt to at least get started on some things.   The last few days this is what I have been working on......

Oh, first, I have to show you what my work space looks like......

So much for "Where Bloggers Create" manners.

  
 
 These are the only 3 things I have done.   My fallback option will be to offer half completed creation as "do it yourself" projects.    We'll see.....

   
  

Also, a HUGE thanks to everyone who stopped by from WBC.  I'm still working my way through all the blogs.   It's been so much fun to see everyone's space.  I don't know about you but I never get tired of looking at other's creative space.  

Ok....back to work!  Talk to you soon!  Karin

I lie to my children.......

I admit it.  I do.  For instance, here a few things you may hear coming out of my mouth.....

 

"I'll be there in a minute."

"Oh no!  I have no idea how that Wow Wow Wubsy marathon got erased from the dvr."

"I swear, all I need to do is run in and out of Paper Tales."

"I'll be there in one second."

The latest was when Andres decided he hated French Toast. Never mind the fact that he has never tasted it.  So our conversation went something like this....

Me:  You'll love it!

Him: No I no like it!

Me: But what's not to like?!?!  It's eggs, bread and syrup.  You could live on it.

Him: No.

Me: You want pancakes instead?

Him:  Yay!! Pancakes!  I lub pancakes.  

So I fancied up a plate of french toast.  Called it pancakes.  And plopped it right down in front of the hater of all things french toast. 

Me: How did you like your pancakes?

Him: I lubbed them. They was so good!

Me: Oh, by the way, those pancakes were french toast.

Him: I lub french toast!!

So there you go.  There are circumstance that just flat out require dishonesty.   I'm now trying to work on calling asparagus Oreo cookies and see how that turns out. 

This is how I'm feeling lately.......

I'm taking Kelly Rae Robert's ecourse"Flying Lessons."   It's been an amazing experience to get her perspective on taking your creativity to the next level.  I have no idea where my next level may be.  However, it's given me quite a bit to think about.  

Happy Father's Day!  Karin

Oh boy......It's Where Blogger's Create......

And I just remembered!  So, I offer up some glimpses of my studio.........

The Good......

The Bad.......

And The Ugly......

Every so often.......

 

 

I clean for company.......

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!   Karin

   

Ok....so this is what happens when I don't post for a week........

I end up with a lot to say....on many different subjects........  

 
The reason I haven't post is that I had some minor surgery on Thursday which resulted in a 17 hour headache soon after from the anesthesia.  It was quick procedure....the usual in and out.  I got to thinking how the recovery room closely resembles last call at the neighborhood bar.  I remember, even after my mastectomy, although I was allowed to stay there as long as I wanted, there was this unspoken hustle to get the bed turned over.  As soon as I woke up from my surgery, I was offered my last chance cocktail of IV painkillers (which I gladly accepted) and then, that was it.  It was as if the bouncer turned on the lights and was moving everyone to the front door....."Ok, people.... grab your clothes and your vicodin and move it on out.  You don't have to end the fun, but you can't stay here......."   

 
Just prior to my surgery, I was working like a crazy lady to finish up a project for another tutorial and kit.    I changed the entire project for the July tutorial which left me with two days before the surgery to come up with my "Little Book of Big Ideas" Journal. The idea is based off a journal that I had done a few year back.  The last couple pages were made while under the use of painkillers.  But I thought it added a nice subconscious element to the whole project.   I went back through, however, making sure I didn't leave in any hidden secret codes......

So here it is.    The tutorial will be offered on Cropped again for $15.00.   The kit is $25.00.   The 6 x 6" cover is made with vintage wallpaper (my first official roll that I purchased!), a vintage key and flowers.  The  rest of the book is filled with vintage sheet music, vintage book paper, vintage wallpaper and scrapbook paper.   I also include some reproduction ephemera and ledger paper.   There's a bunch of ribbon, crocheted flower, pom pom, phrases and other misc stuff to fill your journal. 

   

Kit Items:

·     2 - 6” x 6” pieces of chipboard (cover & back cover)

·     8 - 6” x 6” pages (you will be decorating 6 pages/12 sides.  2 extra pages.)

·      2 metal rings

·     Flowers for cover

·     Vintage Key

·     2 - Swarovski crystals for cover

·     Vintage Wallpaper for cover

·     Various papers for inside of book – vintage wall paper, vintage sheet music, vintage book pages,  reproduction ledger paper, scrapbook paper

·     Pre-stamped and printed phrases and months

·     Fabric for pages

·     Various reproduction of vintage postcard, books and ephemera for pages

·     Ribbons, pom pom trim,  crochet flower, sewn seam binding ruffle

·     Crystals and vintage button

·     Extra misc trims

Supplies Needed w/Kit:

·     White, cream, pink, blue and green paint

·     Various Alphabet and decorative stamps

·     Alphabet stickers

·     Paint brushes

·     Glue stick and white glue

·     Colored pencils

·     Charcoal and graphite pencil

·     Glue gun for flowers

·     Ink pad – gold/light gold and black  

 

Kit Price:  25.00

I'm really excited about this project.  I LOVE doing journals so it was really fun to put together.  It's packed with stuff; but still simple enough to not feel overwhelmed.

Oh....the other thing I wanted to talk about..........

My garden.......I just took this picture today........

Woo hoo..... We are growing some vegetables!  The watermelon and cucumber are getting ready to flower.  The tomatoes already have some fruit on them.  The corn......I can already taste it.

Not bad when you consider a month ago this is what it looked like........

 

Ok....got go back on the couch and rest..........Talk to you soon!! Karin

Complete Randomness.......

 

How does my garden grow........

This is what it looked like 4 weeks ago when we planted the cucumbers......

 
 

and corn........

and watermelon......
  

Basically it was nothing more than a bare patch of land planted with hopes and dreams of healthy summer alfresco dining.......The boys and I would go out every day and check on the progress of our little seedlings eagerly awaiting a sprout or two.....

And then this happened.......

Before everyone starts applauding me for my mad gardening skills, the lettuce and spinach were planted later from containers.  And the two tomato plants were replaced entirely because the original ones died shortly after planting them.  But.....the corn and the cucumber seedling are going crazy.  The watermelon is taking its sweet old time.  Andres wanted to plant carrots a few weeks ago, so those are just starting to sprout.

So what do you think?  Is anyone else planting a garden this year?   If so, how's it going?  I know you Midwesterners have the best corn and tomatoes. I remember it from growing up in Michigan.  The problem here in Southern California is the soil.  Cosme built the raised bed and then we filled it with really good soil and fertilizer.  I'm hoping this early growing spurt continues throughout the summer.  

Ok...off to see if I can get some government subsidies for my farming efforts.....Talk to you soon!  Karin

We have a winner.......

 
  

Because I could not figure out how to get the Random Number generator over to my blog, this is the best I could do.......

 

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 27 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

 

Counting down the list it looks like the winner of the Tutorial and Kit is #27 Karen!   

 

 

And just because I'm in the mood here's another number for the sample cake I made during the video shoot.....

 

 True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 2 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

 

And the winner of the cake is  #2 Nicole Austin!

 

I'll be mailing out all the kits tomorrow so I will have these in the mail as well. I'll contact you both for  your addresses.  Speaking of the tutorial, here's the promo Judy shot........ 

 

http://www.virtueradionetwork.com/Cropped.htm

 

All I have is the link.  I can't figure out for the life of me how to put the video on my blog.  I have to fight ever fear in my body to put it out there.  There is just something about watching myself on video that makes me want to hide.  But there it is!  I'm conquering my fear......

 

 

I'm working on another kit that I think will be fun.  This won't be on video; but I will do a step by step picture tutorial.

 

 

Ok...off to get those kits all organized and ready to be sent.  Talk to you soon!! Karin