the many adventures of a painter girl

april is here already?

are you kidding me???? how on earth is this year going by so stinkin' fast????

a fabulous girl at SGT teaches a calendar class...i buy the mini version that i make and hang on my office door...her kit is intended to make two 6 X 6 pages plus the calendar page...i change it up a bit by making one of the 6 X 6 pages and a card...i will use the calendar page as the second page in the book i make chicka at the end of the year...the journalling will go on an index card type journal square on the calendar page...put it all together and i have a 'year in the life' book for my cutie...

here is april's so far...

the picture on the top left is from the teacher, lizette, for reference while making the kit...the card (bottom left) is my use of the extra pieces from the second page i don't make...i used bits and pieces from my stash to add to what i already get in the kit...more pictures can be found here...

enjoy your day!
chelle

beware: super jumbo paperclips ahead

don't say i didn't warn you...

ummm...how cool is that???????? not impressed? how 'bout this...

does it help if i tell you that i adore them? and that i was a crazy lady running from store to store to gather them...cause one store would have one, then two and one crazy twisted messed up one...does that make you love them like i do? or perhaps you must see what my new favorite things can do...yep...tricks...

now do you see? why i love them so? they are the PERFECT card holders...perfection...cause most of the photo holders of this 'wiry' type won't hold my cards...they flop them here and there...but not these bad boys! they hold them perfectly still and fabulous...what are they for you ask?

one...to display cards in my office, cause i like to look at stuff that i make till i send them on to wonderful people

two...to display my classes at the class kickoffs at SGT...make 'em stand up purdy for all the fabulous students to see...

and the main reason i love them...

they are giant paperclips!!!! and we all know my obsession with office supplies, right??? well, if you didn't...i have a HUGE office supply obsession (which i have lovingly passed on to chicka...whom has collected post-it pads since she was two...and, used to jump up and down when THE giant office supply catalog came in the mail..spending hours thumbing through it...and drooling)...it is not uncommon for the hubster to send out a search party when i 'just run' into staples or office max...i don't come out...for hours...literally...you think i am kidding...i am not...

okay...back to the jumbo paperclip blocks...the bottoms are just wood blocks...which i covered in white paper from basic grey, then i slapped some tan paint along the edges, stamped images all over the sides with palette burnt umber ink (fancy pants stamps)...finally, i went crazy with fun punches & dies, book pages, walnut distress ink, buttons, seam binding, lace, tulle, and cotton thread...de.l.i.cious!!!

or, maybe it's just me that loves them so...i am okay with that...cause they are mine, all mine...

selfishly yours,
chelle

peek-i-poo

hello there...how was your weekend? mine was good...not fabulous or great...but, good...some relaxing, some creating, some time with family...good...

i have nothing new that i can share completely, however, i will share a little peek...i wouldn't want you to think i don't love you...

this is a class i am teaching in june at SGT called 'my hero frame'...it is a 5 X 7 distressed frame with a collage behind glass...not a shadow box...just behind the glass...hence the picture being a little 'off'...that there is a picture of my father...

i used lots of tim holtz 'idea.ology' stuff...cause i love it so much...more on the details when i show you the complete project...in june...sorry...

i hope your weekend was grand and your coming week even better!!!
chelle

don't judge

have you ever been in a groove...on a roll...the mojo is flowing type thing?  the good stuff us crafters hope for...a moment of clarity, a second of pure bliss where the paper practically makes itself into something fabulous...have you ever had that...

and, you were supposed to be doing something else? like cooking dinner, walking the dog...paying bills...getting ready for work or a class, someplace you have to run out the door to...perhaps, just perhaps picking the child(ren) up from school????

i ask this question in the hopes that you have...that you too have neglected...you have pushed the limits...said to yourself, 'the laundry will be there tomorrow, i just have to finish this card'...you see, i hope you can identify...

cause my daughter is somewhere miles away...in the opposite direction of both home and school...and we are texting as she is being driven further and further from any neighborhood she knows...the updates are going something like this...

'he never even went near somewhere so i cld stop and just walk the rest. so idk...i cld always just go back 2 school...a little joy ride.  and wait 4 u...or i'll wait til every1 else is off and have him take me 2 my stop'

and, my personal favorite update...

'i believe i am now in montclair. so...yeah. i'll let u know where i end up...yay 4 problem solving'

then there is...

'hey...i'm back in ontario thats a step forward'

and, then...this gem...

'sweet jesus either he is going byebye or i am. bcuz im about 2 smack his big bald head. this is redic!'

oh yeah...this is the good stuff...the problem you ask? sub bus driver...i text my chicka girl and asked her if she could please take the bus home (included in tuition to her school...she takes it TO school every morning since i am at work at 430 am...she hardly ever takes it home) because i was...well...on a roll...a creative mastermind...

a horrible mommy...not because i made her take the bus home...but because i am litterally laughing my butt off...or as i told her in a recent text...roflmao...

what am i up to you ask? you want to at least see a picture? well...a little sneak peek then...

sorry...but, that's all you get...i don't feel that guilty!

...but you can have one more...so purdy...can't wait to show you the rest...

one last update...it includes pleading for an appointment to get her permit so she can drive ASAP...which is 6 months...so she doesn't have to do this again...and...this...

'i have no effing clue where i am...erg!'

poor girl...hehe
chelle

stitched marrakech

happy monday peeps! it's a gorgeous day here in so cal...lovely...

just popping in to say howdy and show you another card i made yesterday...a little different take on the goodies...i did some sewin'...

the crooked and messy stitching was on purpose...i pushed the matching brads through the holes on the buttons that are also from the collection...the ribbons are from my stash (i think one is PTI and the other SU!)...the sentiment is SU!...

hope you enjoy this spring day and get a chance to make somethin' pretty!
chelle

visiting marrakech

how is your sunday?

mine, you ask? fabulous...a day spent ridiculously casually...it all started with rain...in which the hubster and i sat...in the spa...in the down pour...fantastic...silly, fun, and lots of laughter together...a perfect beginning to a relaxing sunday at home together...

he did his thing, i did mine...we passed in the hall, came together in the kitchen for a snack, smooched in passing...lovely, perfect, calm day...together...

so, i played with marrakech from basic grey and here are some of the results...

a layout of da chicka (who spent this perfect sunday in her room, like the 16 year old she is)...

and, a few cards...these were all inked up with walnut distress ink...the layout was not...mistake? i can't decide...i love the cards, but i loved the layout too...until i saw how lovely the inking looks on the cards...oh well...the cards will be mailed and the layout will stand alone...

so, how do you feel about one page layouts? this is such a fascinating area of interest...i love one pagers and have a close friend that only loves two pagers (cause the two pages are side by side in the album and they MUST match)...i bet the ones that like the 'matching pages' also want their books in chronological order...another thing i am not strict on...i like looking at a page with chicka at 16 then turning the page and seeing that sweet girl at 5...it's all good to me...

then again, i AM a gemini...wait a minute and i could change my mind and make a case for the other side!

thanks for taking a minute of your life to have a little looksee...i do appreciate you...and the fact that you don't mind my chatter...or at least you put up with it...graciously...

chelle

success

isn't it funny how we all measure success a little differently?  i had a conversation with a 'friend' once where she informed me that i was not 'ambitious'.  i took that VERY personally.  just because my ambition didn't look like her's...i didn't need a college degree or a master's degree (as she was working on) in order to feel successful.  i get that there are a lot of people that want that, that are driven to achieve that...and, i also get that i have other goals that i work towards each day that don't look like that, but take just as much work, time, and effort every day....

bottom line...being a wonderful, supportive wife...being a caring, loving mother...being a generous, genuine friend...always, always giving anything and everything you ever try a wholehearted, real effort...being strong enough and brave enough to at least try to live the life you imagine for yourself...living a life that touches others, inspiring others in any small or great way...giving, giving, giving...selflessly and generously for no other reason than to touch someone else's life...

those are a few of my ambitions...and today, i feel success...a step in the right direction...

not only did i touch lives, but i achieved a goal...something that brings me much joy and happiness...i am a teacher...i taught...i lead...i gave a little part of me somehow, someway to my students...and i am happy and filled up...

here is the class that i taught to a wonderful, amazing, accepting group of women...

i wanted to design a set of cards that was classic.  not too girly, not too boyish...something 'just right'...they made four cards and the clear box to match...i showed them how a holiday line has elements in it that are perfect for everyday (the paper is wassail by basic grey)...i taught...

i can't wait till the next class!!!

i am blessed
chelle

birthday blessings

a friend is celebrating her birthday today...she is a wonderful blessing in my life...God always knows just what i need and when i need it! this amazing friend runs my new bible study and she is such an inspiration! here is her card and gift...

i played with some scenic route for this...the chip board die cuts make it all so easy...the gift is a few of the soy candles i make...nana's lemon poundcake and mainely blueberry...yummm...i have to make some more candles, this is the last of my stash from the last batch...they make a perfect gift...

i hope your day is great!! my first class at SGT is tonight, wish me luck! i will share the project with you tomorrow...until then...behave!
chelle

my dork

my gorgeous, hysterical, wonderful dork...for now, all mine...someday she will be an amazing wife and mother...at which point (God willing) i will share all those wonderful pictures that i have threatened to share with future boyfriends...like the one when she was two and during a 'nap' she opened an entire box of tampons and strung every last one of them on her arms and when caught, struck a pose...picture the wing span of an eagle...all dangling from her arms as if she would take flight at any moment...oh, yeah, mama has a picture of that! 

i also took full advantage by taking  pictures of this not so glamorous moment in my chicka's life...

hysterical, yes...glamorous, no....but i wouldn't have it any other way! she is my dork and i love her...more than i could ever say...grape fangs and all...

more cosmo cricket 'girl friday' here...the words and letters were cut out from papers in the collection...i freehanded those large butterflies...the outlines on them and the letters is the gray souffle pen...misc trims, SU! brads & punches...inked every little thing with antique linen distress ink...loopy border, scallop border, scallop circle, and large bracket cutout are all accucut...white crepe paper was inked just like everything else...hemp was threaded in the SU! buttons, as well as used for the antanae...that about covers it...

hope you enjoyed and maybe even had a little giggle...my wish for nic is to stay true to herself...be able to have fun, be nerdy, and laugh at herself...we can't take life too, too seriously now can we?

happy weekend peeps!
chelle

sweet baby girl

it seems like yesterday that i was holding my sweet baby girl for the first time...counting those perfect fingers and toes...so, how on earth did that little perfect bundle come to be sixteen years old so fast?

i still think she is perfect...i am not blind to her faults, she is perfectly imperfect...just like we all are in God's eyes...so she is in mine...i adore her, plain and simple...

i am off to spoil her as best i can...here is her birthday card, the matching layout tomorrow...

cosmo cricket 'my girl friday' paper...SU! ribbon, brads, & punches, souffle pens for the lines and word, quickuts 'roxy' dies for the numbers...

prepare to pee your pants tomorrow...you will understand why i couldn't post the layout today...let's just say, you aren't going to think 'gorgeous girl' when you see the pictures of nic...hehehe

happy day to you and yours!
chelle