NEW Layout and NEW Book!!!

Did you think I had fallen of the blogger-sphere? :) 

Summer has begun in our world and that means 3 kiddos that need to be entertained. Sound familiar? But! I will still find time for me..or I might go crazy over the next 10 weeks. 

Wanna know one way I'm gonna do that?

I was browsing Barnes and Nobles one day and came across this book:

I was intrigued...list making as a way of self-discovery? And I thought...."I L-O-V-E lists! But how can it help me discover anything? My lists are usually To-Do lists." (which usually only helps me discover how little time there is in a day!)

But as I opened the cover and started reading some of the topics, I realized there were a lot of things I didn't know about myself. Like..list the biggest turning points in your life...list all the activities you would do if you weren't so afraid...list your biggest dream and most recurring nightmare. 

Have you ever thought of these things? I haven't. 

And not all of them are super deep..some are ways to remember what you've forgotten ... Like " list everything you can remember from your parent living room growing up" or "list some important things you lost over the years."

And some...well...they're just fun: List the types of people you think should never get behind the wheel or List this regular everyday items you wish you never had to buy again.

Are you ready? Let's do this journey together....

Today's List: List the situations that always make you cry.

My list: 

Break-ups in movies

Death of a child

People achieving their dreams

Feeling out of control 

I'm excited to take this journey and hope your excited to take it with me!

And now....you didn't think I would leave you without a little creative inspiration did you?  

Today on the Scrapbook News and Review Blog, it's Color Inspiration! 

Can you be inspired by this:

I loved the unique color combo so I chose to focus on that for this Layout called "It's a small world" about the worldwide friends I've made through CHA.

You can't go wrong with Heidi Swapp and Pink Paislee, right?

Until next time my friends, let's continue on this creative life together...and discover all we can be. 

God Bless.

Trying something NEW!!

I have always LOVED the look of mixed media artist Christy Tomlinson, but my "let's make a plan" brain has always been completely intimidated by the need to "JUST LET GO AND CREATE!" that her style requires. (Anybody else feel that way?)

I tried a few times, playing on canvases, but never made a project that I felt was complete so I got a little disheartened and stopped trying....figuring maybe it just wasn't for me.

Then I got some great advice from an online community. One of the participants said that if you want to start in mixed media, start by watching videos of artists who inspire you. Simple advice right? I was like "DUH!....Why didn't I think of that?"

So I spent some time on good ole' YouTube searching for Mixed Media tutorials and to be honest...I watched some that just totally didn't interest me, but I also found so many that I just "OOed and AAhhed" over. They had me saying things (out loud!) like "That's a great idea!"..."Oh that's why that didn't work for me."....AND "I can do that!"

That last one..."I can do that!"...was freeing because watching other people do projects start to finish took some of the mystery out of the PROCESS...because...if you've ever looked at a mixed media piece (like Christy Tomlinson) there is so much going on and sssoo many layer, it is so hard to figure out where to start. Watching a few masters in action gave me a chance to break the process down into manageable pieces instead of concentrating on the end project as a whole.

Wanna see what I am up with?

I used Authentique Paper's "Curiosity" paper line (aren't the colors fabulous!?) for the background and also my inspiration for the title. The rest was just building layers and trying not to THINK too hard about the end product. After each layer, I would evaluate and think "Is it done?" "No?" "What does it need? More light? More Dark? Does this spot or that area feel vacant?" It's a process.

Here are a few closeups!

Love using Bubble wrap for easy dots!
 I also used a  Tattered Angels Screen with my  Tarnished Silver Glimmer Mist.

I mixed some Black Acrylic paint with some modeling paste
and, using an old credit card, scrapped it across another Tattered Angels Screen.

No project is complete without Washi, right?

I love this little picture from one of the Authentique Papers that peeks through the background.
 I feel like that girl is me because SSOOO many time I sat at my studio table,
 head leaned on my fist, just staring at the canvas. The word hidden under it says "imagination."

This paper was my favorite from the whole line...I think adding the little people  to the project
 gives us the reminder of childhood and how much fun it was to discover and learn NEW things
...back BEFORE we became adults and had so many responsibilities. 

And last, but not least...trying NEW things and having that CURIOSITY requires being FREE...FREE of others expectations...FREE of your own expectation....FREE to MAKE MISTAKES.

I am so excited for all I've learned and the boundaries I feel I've pushed in my creativity.

I challenge each of you to take one thing (creative or otherwise) that is out side of your comfort zone and face it head on and take a  NEW adventure this week in YOUR Creative Life.

Until next time friends.....

Keepin' it NEW in 2013!!

This past weekend I added to my stack of NEW experiences for 2013...

I RAN MY FIRST HALF-MARATHON!!

You read that right! I chugged along for almost 3 hours and ran 13.1 miles through the streets of Springfield, MO for the Go Girl Half-Marathon. 

My hubby got some awesome pics like this one with my time shot. I will take that time for my first race! :) Especially since 5 weeks ago we weren't even sure if I was going to be able to run bc of an injury. I lost 2 1/2 weeks of training because of it. 

Another fantastic action shot!

These girls were my fabulous "coaches" and cheerleaders! Deana (in pink) was my go to girl when I was like "what am I doing?!?" She and her sister, Diana (in blue) are avid runners and after they finished (with an amazing time of 2 hrs 11 minutes!), they came back and ran the last 1/4 mile with me, yelling encouragements the whole way. 

These beautiful ladies are my sis-in-laws. They, along with Deana, were part of my original inspiration to get off my butt and run. They decided just a few days before the race to put their running skills to the test in a half-marathon. They are very lucky to have each other as BFFs, neighbors, and running partners. 

Ok...one more pic. At the end of the race, they had a place where you could pick different sayings to customize a shirt and when I read this one...I knew I had to have it. 

Too funny right?!?!

So...here we are. Almost halfway through the year and for the first time ever I feel like I am keeping my "new year's resolution." I am having NEW experiences, finding NEW venues of creativity, and daily making the choice to wake up to be a NEW and better person. 

I hope and pray that you will continue to join me on the ride through MY Creative Life as you live YOUR life to the fullest. 

New Layout and FIRST time on the SNR Blog!

I am so excited to be featured on the Scrapbook News and Review Blog today for their Color Palette of the Week.

This week SNR is focusing on the color NAVY!

Navy is such a classic and versatile color. Just by what you pair it with, you can go masculine...feminine...sophisticated or fun!

Here is this week's color palette:

I have to admit..the quilt is not something I would ever have in my house...it's just not me. LOL!

But, when I saw this color palette, I INSTANTLY remember a collection by Teresa Collins called Now and Then. 

To me, the collection was a muted, feminine version of the color palette I had to work with. The only thing missing was that golden/camel color at the beginning. So, I added a little My Mind's Eye Lost and Found hexagon paper and some Pink Paislee Wooden Letters painted gold.

Here's a quick tutorial on the flowers!

1) Cut your flowers from whatever die or punch you have available in 3-4 sizes. I used Tim Holtz's Tattered Flowers by Sizzix. The die has 4 different sizes on one block, so it made it super easy to cut a lot a one time.

2) Lightly spray your flowers with water and then scrunch them up.

3) Let them dry completely (hit them with a heat gun if you need to speed it up!)

4) Once they are completely dry, ink them if you want and layer them up! Plan out your flowers BEFORE gluing because you don't want to get to your last flower and realize you have 2 that are the same size or pattern.

5) I added 7Gypsies silver studs for my centers, but you can use buttons, crystals, stickers...what ever you have on hand. 

I hope you enjoyed this quick little post! I can't wait to show you more of my Creative Life!

NEW Memories...NEW Project...NEW Series!!

It's time for another round of NEW-ness here at The Creative Life!!

NEW MEMORIES!

This past Saturday I did something NEW...I ran my first 10k!

 I started running back in August with the app Count-to-5K for 2 reasons: (1) I wanted to be an example of a healthy lifestyle to my kids and (2) I had my SILs and some great friends who had started running and I was totally inspired by the confidence it had been giving them.

So I just...started running. The Couch-to-5k (and eventually the 5k-to-10k app) really helped hold my hand through the process. Being someone who's never been "sporty" I had no clue where to start.

I had a lot of cheerleaders like my SILs Kelly and Leslie, my sister Leslie, and my friends Kristen and Kelly, but my biggest was this girl right here!

My friend Deana has already run a half-marathon and a full-marathon and was my go-to person for all my questions, my "OMG...what am I doing?" moments and my confidence builder when I was injured a few weeks ago and wasn't even sure if I was going to be able to run at all.

We ran the 10K together and even though she finished about 10 minutes ahead of me, she made her way back on the course after she had crossed the finish line to run the last 1/4 mile with me. 

Here is my first metal:

And here is where my family and I went for my "victory" breakfast afterwards!!!

So what next? Well...this race was my "practice" race for a half-marathon I am scheduled to run in just 2 weeks. Since my injury put me behind on my training schedule (I had to take 2 weeks off), I am a little more nervous now than I was when I ran 10 miles 4 weeks ago, but I'm not going to give up!

NEW PROJECT...NEW SERIES!!!

Heidi Swapp's Color Pop is one of my FAVORITE new things out there in the paper-crafting world. I've always loved the "resist" products, but where as all other products resist white, Heidi has taken it up a notch and made her resists BRIGHT Colors and Fun, Bold Patterns.

In her Color Pop Collection, she has her trademark Memory Files in all sorts of yumminess like Teal Chevron, Pink Polk-Dot and Black Diagonal Stripes, shown here in front, which is what I used to make MY first ever Memory File!

I decided I wanted to do a fun Yellow and Black color scheme, so I used Tattered Angels' Jingle Bells Glimmer Mist on my folder.

I wanted my Memory File to be all about my hottie hubby and me, so I had this really cute picture my SIL had given me of us from a few years ago. From there it was just all about adding fun. I popped a lot of it up to give it a lot of depth and allow me to "tuck" embellishments here and there. (See below for a complete supply list!)

So fun, right? 

You can join me over the next few months in my NEW SERIES as I add to my File and join me in building more memories!

Until then my friends...enjoy YOUR Creative Life...where ever it may lead you.

Complete Supply list of today: Memory File: Heidi Swapp; Patterned Paper: Echo Park, Glitz Design and My Mind's Eye; Chipboard Arrows: Pink Paislee; Washi Tape: Sandy Lion and Recollections; Enamel Dots: Teresa Collins; Lace: May Arts; Title Card: Glitz Design; Stamps: Fiskars; Glitter Dots: Mark Richardson; Button: Teresa Collins; Gem: Paper Studio;  Paint: Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Jingle Bell; Misc: Harlequin Felt (had it so long....no idea who made it! LOL!)

Getting Crafty with Echo Park and 7Gypsies

I LOVE doing shadow boxes! There's just something about building something in 3-D that is just sssoo much fun!

On my retreat last week, I had the chance to make this adorable shadowbox from a 7Gypsies Solo Tray and Echo Park's Everyday Eclectic. I've loved this line since I saw it at Summer CHA last year. The colors are fun and the added wooden images and ssoo popular chevron was right up my alley. :)

I loved using LOTS of 3-D Pop Dots to add lots of depth and levels.

The flowers are my take on this Rose Tutorial by Helmar Adhesive's Design Team Member Vicky Alberto.

Click Here for Vicky's Step by Step Tutorial!!

Vicky used punches for her flower, giving her rose petals a more rounded shape. I used Tim Holtz's Tattered Florals Bigz Die from Sizzix, so mine have sharper edges.

complete supply list: Tray: 7Gypsies; Paper and Stickers: Echo Park Paper; Cork: Canvas Corp; Wooden Speech Bubble: Studio Calico; Adhesive: Canvas Corp and EK Sucess

I hope you enjoyed my little project.

Check back next week for my FIRST featured project on the Scrapbook News and Review Blog!!

Until next time...get caught being creative!!

A week of NEW...Scary New...Fun New...and Awesome New.

New....

Those of you who have been following along on my creative journey know that my One Little Word for 2013 is NEW and this week...well it was just been full of NEWness! :)

First there was SCARY New.

I put in my notice at my job! May 12th will be my last day being the Creative Coordinator at my LSS. Through prayer and consideration, I've decided it's time for me to have more time for my two favorite things: my family and my craft. For anyone who's ever left a job without an actual "plan" you know what I am feeling right now...BUT I know it's the right thing for me and my family, so here goes nothing!

Next there was FUN New!!

 This past weekend was my annual scrapbook retreat with my family and girlfriends. Eleven of us rent out a bed and breakfast in Rogersville, MO for 4 days and 3 nights of girl time, creativity and AMAZING food! (It was sad this year because at the last minute my sister's husband's grandfather passed away so she wasn't able to attend, so actually there was only 10 this time.)

This is the adorable sign that greats you!!

The house has 5 rooms and the whole basement is one large room and an AMAZING kitchen that would make any cook totally jealous.

Isn't it cute!? It's decorated in a warm country feel with quilts and antiques everywhere!

Our innkeepers, Mark and Dixie Dawson, are the sweetest people you will ever meet in your life! And they remember EVERYTHING about our group, like who's from Arkansas and who's from Missouri...who doesn't like eggs or corn (that's me!) and all sorts of other tidbits that they use to personalize our stay.

Mark and Dixie went out for a night on the town at a local school fundraiser while we were there.

In case I haven't mentioned it...the food is UH-MAZING!!!

Here are my favorite dinner and breakfast (and yes...every meal is this big and yummy!!)

FAVORITE DINNER:

Pesto Chicken Over Angel Hair Pasta with Tomatoes, Nutty Broccoli with Swiss,
Stuffed Peppers and Croissants. 

FAVORITE BREAKFAST: 

Scrambled Eggs with Chives, Hickory Smoked Bacon, French Toast Casserole
with Maple Syrup and Mango Smoothie

Want to see all the fun? 

Click Here for more fantastic pics!

Because yes...we did actually scrapbook and not just eat! LOL

As usual, by breakfast on Sunday morning we all bemoaned how fast the weekend went and already booked our 2014 trip.

I love these girls. They are amazing, supportive, inspirational, a little crazy (especially the later the night gets!) and love me just the way I am, but more importantly...love me enough to help me not stay that way.

New AWESOME!!!

This week was a first for me...it was my FIRST appearance in the magazine Scrapbook News and Review!!

This is the cover:

I have 4 layouts, 3 tutorials and a product review!

You can see more here!

One layout is on the front page slide show...it's called "7 Things about Me."

So...that is what is NEW in my world.

I hope your world is full of amazing and NEW things each day.

Until next time...enjoy your Creative Life...I know I am.