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 :)

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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 :)

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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

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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

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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!

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The One with Guesting for Jenni Bowlin

When Doris Sander asked if I'd guest design for Jenni Bowlin Studio a few weeks ago, my answer was a resounding yes! I got a box o' delicious goodies a few days later and here's what I made (and here's the post on the Jenni Bowlin Studio Inspiration Blog):

DEAR JANE

Journaling says: Dear Jane, getting ready for you has been so much fun! I love shopping at sales for adorable dresses, skirts, shirts, and accessories. I can't wait to play with dolls, paint nails, dress-up, watch chick flicks, and do girly stuff.

How to: I adhered a photo in the middle of a pink patterned paper background first and then stamped my journaling all around. I re-stamped a few words on patterned papers, cut them out, and re-attached them over the original words with foam tape. I felt it was lacking a bit of color so I filled in a few key words with colored pencils. I sprinkled a few embellishments here and there and cut two acrylic flowers in half to make photo corners. A vellum butterfly on the photo finished it up!

Supplies: Patterned paper, buttons, acrylic (bows, flowers), vellum butterfly, letter stamps: Jenni Bowlin Studio; Colored pencils: Prisma; Ink: StazOn; Adhesive: American Crafts
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HAPPY GO LUCKY BOY

Journaling says: When you are outside is when you are happiest. You grab my finger and pull me along to look at this and that. You find dandelions to pick and pull apart, stairs to climb, gates to open and close, fountains to dip your fingers into, dogs and cats to smother with love, airplanes to gawk at, kids to laugh at, and so much more!

How to: Edge a blue cardstock background with mini photos. Trim bracket borders and strips from patterned paper and adhere them beside the photos; write journaling around the bracket borders. Top chipboard buttons with matching button stickers and adhere them in a row down the center. Place stickers, images and labels cut out from patterned paper, stickers, and more beside the buttons as shown. Cut out letters from stencil paper, back them with cardstock, and adhere them down the bottom right of the buttons. Punch star confetti from the top and bottom edges then use the stars to embellish a few tags. Drop brown spray mist around the punched stars. Dab over an arrow stencil with green acrylic paint then remove the stencil. There's more but that's good enough for now :)

Supplies: Patterned paper, chipboard buttons, stickers (buttons, flashcard, mini alphabet, numbers), arrow stencil, acrylic paint: Jenni Bowlin Studio; Cardstock, pen: American Crafts; Star confetti punch: Martha Stewart Crafts; Spray mist: Studio Calico

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ALL BOY

Journaling says: Fox - at 17 months you are such a boy-boy! You love Toy Story - especially Buzz Lightyear - you love throwing balls, "driving" cars around and saying "vrooom!", you love dogs with all your heart, you love splashing in puddles and making messes, you love reading and talking to yourself. You're growing up so fast - slow down!

How to: Drop green acrylic paint across a kraft cardstock backround and let it dry. Punch pinked circles from a bunch of patterned papers and cut them in half; adhere the pinked circle halves in borders around the background. Replace a few of the circles with other elements like button stickers, labels, a chipboard tab, etc. Sew over the pinked circles using gray thread. Punch a star through each corner. Add an alphabet sticker title to the middle. Place two photos on the left side using foam dots. Cut black brackets from chipboard packaging and use them to frame the photos. Cut out a dog from a pocket and adhere it and other embellishments on the bottom right corner of the photos. Use the stars from the punched corners to accent the photos. Write journaling inside one of the pinked circle borders.

Supplies: Patterned paper, stickers (buttons, mini alphabet, "place" label), dog die cut, chipboard (brackets, tab), tag, acrylic paint: Jenni Bowlin Studio; Cardstock: Core'dinations; Pen, adhesive: American Crafts; Punches: Fiskars (star), Martha Stewart Crafts (pinked circle); Sewing machine: Brother; Thread: Coats & Clark

Thanks for lookin'!

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The One with It's Actually A...

For kicks and giggles we decided to go to one of those fetal photo places yesterday to determine our baby's gender for 100% certain.... and it turns out that the baby girl in my belly is really a baby boy. Go figure.

I prolly shouldn't even joke about things of this nature, but I couldn't resist... 

Happy April Fools!

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