The One with the Collect & Create Workshop by Amy Tan

I had the super fun opportunity to contribute five layouts to this brand new class by Amy Tan called Collect & Create. I just browsed through all the sections of the class and it's DEFINITELY worth purchasing - it's AMAZING and INSPIRING with over 50 layout and project ideas!

Here's a little sneak of just one of the layouts I made for it, using one of my new favorite trends - CONFETTI!

Special promo: When you purchase this workshop before April 12th, you'll receive a FREE printable PDF made up of Amy's label and border designs! Find it in the "My: Downloads" section upon purchase, click on the Digikit tab, print and enjoy. You'll want to hurry, this is a limited time offer! 

Description by Amy: As crafters and storytellers, we are natural collectors. We save everything from treasured products and pieces from our everyday lives, to scraps and sketches. Incorporating these elements and all of our favorite bits from life are essential to the process of creating. I want to help you create with what you collect! In this self-paced class, my contributors and I will show you over 50 brand-new projects! Five chapters covering a range of topics are each supplemented with a printable PDF providing step-by-step photos and in-depth looks at the process behind the pages. Get your creative juices going with the "extras" in the PDF's like challenges and tips, and be inspired by the video in each chapter covering even more examples and tutorials! Collect & Create explores different styles, as well as my favorite go-to techniques like embossing, using up scraps, incorporating real memorabilia, misting, mixing products and colors, and using sketches. Join me and together we'll create a whole new collection - pages and projects we love! The content of this workshop will be available immediately upon purchase. The lessons are available for you to work at your own pace and upon purchase can be accessed in the "Workshops" section under "Classes & Events." A private message board forum is also available to ask questions for Amy and to connect with other participants. Enjoy!

Want to win a spot in the Collect & Create workshop? Simply leave a comment on this post by Sunday April 15th telling me why you need this workshop. I'll select one winner to receive a free spot in the class. Already signed up? We'll reimburse your class fee or you can give away your spot to a friend. Good luck and be sure to check out all of the amazing 2Peas workshops now available HERE!

continue reading

The One with Another Year or Two

I love the email I got from my weekly toddler informational update today:

Fasten your seat belt! Your toddler's probably on an emotional roller-coaster now: One minute he's as happy as ever, and the next he's a mess. It may be a year or two before he outgrows temper tantrums. Until then, expect to deal with regular outbursts of anger and frustration.

Sigh. Good thing I love this boy so much :)

(Can you tell what who has been occupying 99.9% of my attention lately and taking over my blog content?)

continue reading

The One with Easter 2012

Last year Fox was only 6 months old and definitely didn't understand the concept of finding Easter eggs. 

This year, he's just shy of 18 months (next week he starts Nursery - woooohoooo! Yes I've been counting down!) and with our help and promptings he found his eggs. He mostly just wanted to open them one at a time and eat the candy inside.

After hunting for eggs we went to church. Then we came home and napped and got dinner ready. A big pat on my back from me to me for cooking green bean casserole for the first time!

Happy Easter 2012!

continue reading

The One with Fox's Art

I love art. Chris loves art. We both graduated with BAs in some art-ish thing - me in Art Education and Chris in Art History. We love art. Therefore, we're trying to instill a love for art in Fox while he's young and impressionable. We got him a set of crayons for Christmas and have been trying to teach him how to color. He's gradually learning that crayons aren't food and putting crayon to paper instead of crayon to mouth. Here are his first masterpieces, with a little bit of our help:

AMBULANCE by Fox Evans

COMPOSITION IN BLUE YELLOW BROWN BLACK by Fox Evans

POLICE CAR by Fox Evans

THINKING PINK by Fox Evans

THAT'S NOT ORANGE THAT'S YELLOW by Fox Evans

LONG NECK by Fox Evans

JURASSIC PARK by Fox Evans

SNORT by Fox Evans

COMPOSITION IN BLACK AND PURPLE by Fox Evans

Maybe he'll grow up to be a professional artist :)

continue reading

The One with the Post Office According to Fox

Most of the time Fox is a great boy when we're out and about. But there's SOMETHING about the post office that turns him into a looney tune! Every single time! I have to bust out all the tricks in my limited know-how-mom book to keep him happy and entertained the mere 5 minutes we're there. A few weeks ago, it was my cheap point'n'shoot that kept him content. Somehow he turned on the power and started snapping away. I laughed out loud when I saw that he had taken over 30 pictures and giggled at the blank stares of strangers he caught in action. So this is the post office according to Fox and our trek back to the car:

Maybe he'll grow up to be a professional photographer :)

continue reading

The One with Hambly March Projects

A few days late but worth the wait! Here are my three monthly projects for Hambly for March: the blog project, the sketch, and the "extra":

Blog project - the post with step-by-steps can be found HERE.

WEEKLY SOUTH PASADENA FARMERS MARKET

Journaling says: Every Thursday Mission Street is closed to traffic so dozens of vendors can set up and sell all kinds of things from fruits & veggies, nuts, bread, and cookies to full on meals. It's a fun tradition! I always get BBQ.

How to: There's a step-by-step on the Hambly blog so if you're really curious, check it out HERE.

Supplies: Cardstock, flower brads, paper leaves, adhesive: American Crafts; Patterned paper, patterned transparencies, patterned vellum, stickers (bird, butterfly, label, leaf), washi tape: Hambly; Letter stickers: Prima; Sewing machine: Brother; Thread: Coats & Clark

****************************
March sketch:

And my card based on the sketch:

THANKS CARD

How to: Make a square card base from a cream ledger transparency. Cut a notched banner from kraft/white chevron paper and adhere it across the center. Hand cut "thanks" letters from patterned paper and adhere them (some with foam tabs) on the card. Adhere pieces of washi tape with notched ends to the top left and bottom right corners. Apply three bits of aqua spray mist rub ons around the washi tape. Trim the edges from a brown label sticker and place them over the bottom ends of the washi tape. Add a pink bird sticker to the "t" in the sentiment.

Supplies: Patterned transparency, patterned paper, washi tape, stickers (bird, label), spray mist rub ons: Hambly; Adhesive: American Crafts

****************************

Extra project:

FOX'S TRAVELS IN 2010

Journaling says: Fox traveled more in his first year of life than I could believe possible! Luckily the loud noises and lull of airplanes and car rides puts him to sleep. Hopefully we can continue visiting family often so they can watch him grow up. We love traveling!

How to: This layout is definitely Kelly Purkey inspired! Die cut the United States from cardstock then trace and cut out each state from a different patterned paper or patterned transparency (yes, it takes a long time, so settle down in front of a movie or somethin'). Piece the states onto white cardstock, then cut the entire thing out so you can move it around in one movement instead of 50. Adhere the USA across a two page aqua cardstock layout spread. Adhere mini photos around the states then connect the pictures to the places you've been using baker's twine. Place a kraft star sticker on the ends of the baker's twine. Type the places you've been using a typewriter onto ledger papers, cut them out into banners, then adhere them over the photos. Make a title and write journaling on the right side. Punch train borders on three edges then straight and zigzag stitch under them. Drop white and brown mist beside the punched borders.

Supplies: Patterned papers, patterned transparencies: Hambly; Cardstock, pen, adhesive: American Crafts; Letter stickers: Basic Grey (cream), My Mind's Eye (black round), Studio Calico (gray numbers, yellow); Baker's twine: The Twinery; Spray mist, kraft star stickers: Studio Calico;Typewriter: Smith Corona;  Train border punch: Martha Stewart Crafts; Sewing machine: Brother; Thread: Coats & Clark; Die cut machine (Cameo), states die (Silhouette): QuicKutz

There you have it!

continue reading