Creative Expressions

Watch out, I'll be active again!

So sorry I've been gone for so long!  I really did miss posting and when I started getting emails from friends saying "where are you?" I decided I'd just better get busy and post again!  It's just been a crazy time these last few months.

So much to share and to show, so get ready, here I come!  I've got to get my camera hooked up again and I'll be pumping out many things!

Thanks for hanging out and waiting for me!

Shell

Name Frame for a Wedding Couple

Here's a wedding gift I just made today.  For some reason, I just didn't get a move on until last night, the wedding was today!  I spend most of the night and up to 2 hours before the wedding getting this done!   I kept thinking "well, I have a year to give them a gift!"  But I kept pushing on, good thing I didn't have a watch.  I went to bed about 4am this morning. 

And this is where, at 2am int he morning, I'm grateful for all the BIBHUIY (Bought It But Haven't Used It Yet coined by a friend of mine, Marjie!), in my drawers!  However, personally I think there should be a 24/7 craft store open!  LOL  I'm not posting a picture of my table of the aftermath of my work but it will take the rest of tonight getting all this put away again!

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And here is the card I made for them.  Just a quicky, I only had a little time left before the wedding!

Childhood Amusements Fatbook page

Here's another Fatbook SWAP I was in, this one is "Childhood Amusements."  Very fun one to do, I chose to do a cherry tree with a girl swinging, little books by the tree and a German Shepherd Dog by my side.  All representives of my childhood.

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These pictures is an example of what it is like to assemble 17 pages for a fatbook!

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This is the picture of the help I was getting!

Rock n' Roll Fatbook page

Here's my entry for the fatbook called Rock n' Roll.  Something fast and quick, the "records" in their album covers, actually could out.  Where's the record player?  :)

Don't look if you're in this SWAP and want to be suprised!

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Microslide Pin - Anyone know about the word "overachiever?!?!?!"

I had wanted to make a special wedding shower gift of a rolling pin that was altered.  But alas the shower was today, and I wasn't done!  So for the hour between when church was over and when the shower started, I made this microslide pin instead.  Just to hold her over until I can get the "real" gift completed.  These are her favorite colors.

Christmas Inchie!

Here's a Christmas Inchie I made.  A little mailbox with red Microbeads and flap moving mailbox.  Even a couple mini letters sticking out of the box!  Inchies are so much fun, just as addicting as ATC's!

For this SWAP I actually had dropped out early in the game but the hostess forgot.  She actually held the swap waiting for mine.  When she contacted me to say she was waiting, what else could I do but create it!  So I did 32 of these little things in two hours time and mailed them off in the morning.

They are addicting and fun, but so quick to do!  ;)

January Stamp Camp 2008

So I'm really late with my posts!  But here are the projects we did at the January Stampin Up Stamp camp.  I've got many more posts to do with all my projects, SWAPS, and stamp camps, stay tuned. 

Decorated Paint Can from my Gift Camp

The problem of not showing these right away is that I've got most of my projects buried or misplaced!  But I will locate them and get them listed one at a time.

This was one of four of the projects with my Gift Camp last December.  I got a steal from Staples, 50 cents a paint can!  (My son was embarassed but I bought every last one in the bin!).

We used the Christmas paper from the mini.  With a little bit of black ribbon, white ribbon and a Krylon pen, it worked out very nicely!

Holy Smokes, where did the time go?!?!?

I knew I haven't been to my blog for awhile, I hit November and it was a downward slide for time after that (to much volunteering for others and not taking much time for myself)!  But I didn't realize it has been since mid November since I've posted!  I definitely have lots to catch up on.  A Stamp Camp to post, a Christmas Stamp a Stack, and my very successful Gift camp!  If you all haven't given up on me, there will be many, many things posted here in the very near future (probably this weekend!)

Even though I've been very busy and doing the usual hustle and bustle we all do for the holidays, I'm feeling very inspired and creative now.  I've got lots of things I'm ready to do and I just can't wait to get started!  Life is good despite some challenges, and I need to reflect the good things even if it's for myself.

I really do enjoy being a Stampin Up Demo, I love teaching and working with all my stamping friends, new and old.  Yes, there is one element of Stampin Up that is a business, but I truly do enjoy getting together with them every month and watching their eyes light up when they discover and new technique or inspiration.  That brings me great joy!

For myself personally, I got swept up in the business of life last year.  This year, my goal is to be allow more time to be more creative.  Yes, I do some for the stampin Up business I'm in, but I've never taken the time just to sit and create just for me!  So this is my "resolution," if you will, for 2008!  And whatever I do, it will be posted here!

I've also been inspired to start yet another blog.  This one focuses mostly on my artistic involvement, and I enjoy that very much.  But I've been doing a lot of thinking about doing a personal blog.  I don't want to do the typical "whine session"  about life that most of the personal blogs seem to be about, but rather make it about the joys of life and what God has created for me.  Once I create it, I will announce more here if you're interested in seeing that as well.

Meanwhile, I wish all of you a terrific and successful 2008, whatever that may mean to you.  And I promise, I will be more regular about posting again!

100 posts today, this is 101!

I just realized with the last post, I've posted one hundred times to this blog!  I feel like I should win a prize, but then why?

One thing I'm reflecting on right now is that even though I may have made so many things, most are usually rushed to meet the deadlines.  One thing I hope to change by post 200 is to try not to be so rushed and enjoy the detail of creating much more. 

Maybe I can actually take time just to "create," instead of doing swaps and meeting deadlines all the time.  I'll have to think on this more!  One thing I WILL do it to invite more friends over just for the sake of spending a day to create and letting the imagination flow!  Another group I'm in calls them Migraine parties (an excuse to call into work sick and go stamp all day.).  I don't want to do that but I do know that by having friends over who are creating along side you, it is very encouraging and fun!

Hummmm....I'll have to work on this one and see where I am for the next 100 posts!  ;)