Let’s Get This Party Started!

Aw, I have let this Etsy shoppe sit empty way too long…so today I thought it was time to start adding inventory to my Partysaurus Etsy Shoppe!  I began working on my new inventory a couple of weeks ago and photographed some samples last weekend…guess I was waiting to have the whole kit and ca-boodle created before listing any   I have tons of templates and tons of products perfectly created in my head but if I wait for all that to materialize….well, the shoppe will be empty for awhile!

I decided a long time ago that creating printables with my designs was something I wanted to pursue.  I love the ability to reprint for one and the ability to customize and maximize my digital design!  So I am working on gathering a collection of printable goodies with my past designs!

Today I listed a few items with flexible use – the primary design was for cupcake toppers but the design easily lends itself to creation of stickers, tags, and embellishments for favors, cards and invitations!  Here’s a peek at my new Partysaurus listings as cupcake toppers!

Summer Nights

Well, it’s the second day of summer and I think I am already ready for fall.  Not trying to wish my life away…just the humidity and heat!  There are several things besides the heat and humidity I like about summer….like no schedule for Heath, daylight past 8:00, more grilling and chilling.  It’s just a slower time of year (outside of work that is) and I really enjoy the less hectic pace.  I took some time tonight to scrap a bit and thought I would share my page here.  The picture is my brother-in-law and niece taken from our father’s day cookout Sunday.  I used one of my favorite kits, Moonlight Soul by Kitty Designs.  She is one of my favorite designers – just love her whimsical doodles and fun accents!  While I was linking her kit I noticed it is on sale right now for $1 – lots of her kits are (yes, I filled my cart) so if you love her work, now is a great time to shop!

Always Dream…part 2

I’ve been accused on several occasions of having my head in the clouds, living in my own world, daydreaming, etc.  I say, why not?!?  Besides, the words of Joel Osteen encourage me to dream when he says “God will never put a dream in your heart without first equipping you with everything you need to accomplish it.”  Seems perfectly reasonable to dream, yet, sometimes life’s stresses and challenges drain my energy and hope and dreams seem foolish to pursue.  Without stepping back from the short term frustrations, sometimes it is difficult to recapture the energy and power of dreams…but I try to stay focused on them because they are the very things that make me feel most alive…and I believe they are the very reason I am alive, the reason I was created. 

I have spent time pondering my dreams while taking Kelly Rae’s course.  My problem is focusing on just one or two….I have so many ideas, plans, dreams….I just flit around from one to another without ever devoting the energy to accomplish any it seems…my silly right brain again I guess.  Do you every feel that way?

I gave you a sneak peek of my Always Dream kit, inspired by all my contemplation about dreaming.  It is available at The Digi Chick….here’s the kit and a beautiful layout by Tracy (additional items in Tracy’s layout include Fuss Free: Square Pegs by Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs, Designer Bundle 1 by Wendy Page Designs, and foliage from Quirky Park by Roben-Marie Designs, all available at The Digi Chick).

In case you missed it, be sure to check out my sneak peek post HERE because there is a small freebie in it.

Now to leave you with a tune that has been playing in my head with all this dreaming (make sure to imagine it in the voice of Kermit the Frog)…

Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that
and someone believed it,
and look what it’s done so far.
What’s so amazing that keeps us stargazing?
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection,
the lovers, the dreamers and me….
…………………………………………………..Paul Williams………

Keep dreaming!

a gazillion years of good luck…

If finding a four leaf clover truly means 7 years of good luck – I will have good luck till the end of time.  You see, I have this completely useless talent…finding 4 leaf clovers.  I probably found 5 or 6 last week alone.  Finding 4 leaf clovers is a nontransferable skill.  I mean finding things would be a great talent…but I assure you I am not good at finding things.

Take sticky notes for instance.  I cannot tell you how many stinking sticky notes with important information I have lost.  I only find them after I need them.  Like today, it happened to me twice…had to track down the info again…only to find those annoying yellow notes just after I made the phone call and sent the email to get the info!

I’m going to blame my whole “not being able to find important things” quality on being right brained.  I recently bought a book on right brained organization because I read an article about how all the organizational books were written by left brained people and we right brainers couldn’t stay organized using their strategies.  Did the book help?  Well I read half of it and then I lost the book – so, I’m thinking…

At least I have a gazillion years’ worth of good luck to bail me out of trouble I might find from losing those silly sticky notes!

Always Dream…part 1

I have enrolled in an amazing e-course – my first but certainly not last based on my wonderful experience!  The e-course is Kelly Rae’s Flying Lessons.  For those of you who worry that I don’t need to be navigating a plane, don’t worry….it’s not that at all!  It is a course filled with inspiration about, actually, it’s a course about life.  It’s about living your dreams, connecting with others.  It’s about exploring your creative side and sharing in a supportive, understanding and inspirational community.  It’s about gaining a better understanding of self and moving through self imposed boundaries.  And, I’m happy to say, a portion of it will be devoted to time management strategies which I definitely need!  Really anxious for that!

I actually spent time this weekend with my digital designs.  I created a kit, inspired by this very e-course.  I named the kit Always Dream…because sometimes, I know I have let the stresses and demands of life get in the way of pursuing dreams….and I wanted to remind myself that we all need dreams to pursue.

I am not going to show you my kit yet, it releases on Thursday at The Digi Chick, but there is a sneak peek above!  I created a few doodles for the kit that didn’t seem to go with the papers once I finished them, so I thought I would offer them here as a little thank you and maybe a little reminder….that we all need dreams to pursue!  Here’s wishing you a wonderful week taking you a step closer to realizing your dreams!

Always Dream Doodles

Happy Day

The end of school and beginning of a more carefree schedule of nonwork commitments is always such a happy time.  The garden has started calling my name a little more than it has the past few years.  The gentle whispers of warm weather, not yet crazily hot and humid and the sight of colorful blooms inspired my ScrapWow monthly featured kit, Happy Day.  I’m sure the name of the kit came from that song, stuck in my head….hearing Ben’s rich, deep voice bring the joyful tune to life in church – Oh Happy Day.  What a great combination of inspiration!

Along with the featured kit, I created 4 sequels to coordinate with the monthly subscription download…including quick pages, stamps and scatters and clustered frames.

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Wishing you sunshine and warm weather, a great song in your head and a very happy day!

I got some really great buys too! I got Kelly Rae’s Taking Flight, a few Stampington publications and lots of craft supplies!  Ready to create tomorrow for sure!  See, it is perfectly fine not to  follow plans!!!   And do I have any plans for tomorrow?  Of course I do…

Thursday’s Child – visiting Lorrie Everitt’s Studio!

Thursday’s Child has far to go…that’s me…I was born on a Thursday and with the internet, it is so easy to go far!

I remember the first time I saw the internet – I had just started working at Murray State.  Susan was showing me how it all worked.  The first website we visited was in Australia…I was so completely amazed…a click of a button and poof! we were in Australia!  Wow…the world got so much smaller (and so much larger) that day!

Since today is Thursday, it seems like the perfect day to go far…all the way to Toronto, Ontario, Canada to meet Lorrie Everitt.  I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Lorrie in an e-course I’m taking, Flying Lessons by Kelly Rae.  I was so excited to meet her because she creates in a medium I am anxious to explore – mixed media!  Here’s a sample of her creative work – Bloom Where You Are Planted!

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Lorrie is such a talented artist who works in a variety of mediums…I thoroughly enjoyed wandering through her website, taking in all of her fun and inspiring projects!  Aside from the mixed media, I enjoyed her unique memory bottle which you can read about HERE

I was honored to have her use some of my digital scrapbooking supplies to create this delightful layout.  I simply adored her addition of layout themed words she added to the background of the page!  You can read about Lorrie’s playhouse and explore all her creative endeavors on her blog…Lorrie Everitt Studios!

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Thanks Lorrie for sharing your little corner of the world and your beautiful inspiration!

Lorrie’s great page was created with Where Your Heart Is and Flower Power, available at The Digi Chick.

Inspiration is EVERYwhere!

Inspiration – if you google inspiration you will find 90,000,000 results. That’s surprising to me….not that there are that many, but that there are that few! I seem to find inspiration everywhere. It seems I find 90,000,000 things that inspire me at least monthly…probably why my mind races 90 miles per hour constantly.

Inspiration refers to an unconscious burst of creativity in a literary, musical, or other artistic endeavor according to Wikipedia. So what bursts your creativity? Is it a word? A picture? A song? Is it the image of sunlight piercing through the clouds at sunset? Is it the shared moment with a new love? Or the infectious laughter of a toddler discovering bubbles for the first time?

I have tons of bookmarks in Firefox (some of which I just transferred to Bloglines – if you don’t use it yet – you should check it out – I just did and it is awesome!). Most of my bookmarks are for sites that inspire me – spiritually, cognitively, artistically or otherwise. Inspiration is what makes me feel alive! One thing that always inspires me is a great picture. My dad was an awesome photographer! Wish I had learned all he had to teach about photography (and investments) before he died. His photographs inspire me to be a great photographer – nice to have lofty goals, huh?

The web is full of inspiring images for those seeking inspiration. One site I really enjoy visiting for photographic inspiration is Shutter Sisters. They have numerous sections to their site including their One Word Project which is a community project with a monthly unique word to inspire photographers. Last month’s word was Everyday….check out their posts for some awesome everyday pictures. Here’s my interpretation of their inspiring word…everyday….

My spoiled rotten Maltese Birdie chilling out, expending NO energy, all day, EVERYDAY!

I’m Outta Here!

Just went to my niece’s graduation last night…yay Katie!  Spent a few minutes reflecting on my graduation ceremonies…and practicing for one of my new creative venues…art journaling (just practicing the journaling here though LOL)….

graduation…

pomp and circumstance
a little too much pomp?
speeches (short and sweet)
presents!
diplomas
tossing caps
presents!
celebrating with family
hanging with friends
project graduation
winning money!
presents!
relief
joy
standing at the top of one mountain….
anticipating the next mountain to climb!
what an emotional roller coaster -
glad I’m here for the ride!!!!!

Graduation – what a roller coaster of emotions – joy, anticipation, peace, pride, sentimental sadness, happiness…it’s a lifetime of emotion wrapped up in a brief moment!  We celebrated Katie’s graduation last night remembering the tender moments leading up to the success, celebrating the victories along the way and anticipating the wonderful challenge ahead!  I’m sure though she felt only the victory!  I couldn’t resist taking lots of pictures and sharing a page for Katie!

Celebrate Katie’s graduation with me and download this sample quickpage HERE!  Hope you enjoy!  Credits – Peace, Love, Sunshine!  available at The Digi Chick!