little gi

a little challenge for today

the fabulous audrey neal has a really great letters & words challenge this week for everyone:  masking!!!

definitely check out the link to find some really lovely inspiration.

masking is so fun & another great way to stretch our craft supplies.  & as i was writing this post i got to thinking, would it be cool to mask w/ glitter?  a gorgeous Christmas tree or poinsettia would look gorgeous on a christmas card like that.  oooh or you could use that fabulous embossing glitter stuff?  

oooh or wouldn't it be cool to mask w/ embroidery??  like you would lay a flower down, trace around the shape & then cluster embroidery stitches (french knots anyone :) all around the perimeter of the flower's edge.  pop on a gorgeous vintage button or a rhinestone brad for the flower's center.  oooh that would be so pretty!!!

see?  i love a challenge, really gets those creative wheels a' turnin'

so if you've got some free crafting time today or this week, why not try masking?  

for this art journaling page i used a basic grey lace paper & spray inks.  this was the first time i really let go w/ the spraying thing.  i remember telling dina (my spray ink & art journaling mentor :), that i'm spray-stupid b/c my stuff always turned out muddy & yuck.  she immediately said something like "you are crazy.  i'm sure you are being way too hard on yourself!".  she was right :)  i think i was having trouble because i was spraying too close and also i was expecting too much.  the nature of the spraying beast is imperfection.  i had to let go of that preconceived notion in my head of that perfect spray splatter & let it just be what it was going to be.  once i did that, i had much more fun & in the end really liked my page :)

& what is cool is that i've used that sprayed up bit of lace paper on some other journaling pages & i still have a snippet left out on my craft desk.  see?  really stretch those supplies :)

 

happy creating & happy friday!!

xoxo

gi

beauty

i sometimes think it must have been a dream, but it wasn't.  last friday night, we saw a FULL rainbow.  i've never ever had seen a full rainbow before.  i've seen those little bits i could see between the trees or buildings.  i even remember one time when i was little i saw a half of a rainbow, & my friends & i tried to weave our bikes in & out of the streets & houses to find the end & the pot of gold. 

but a whole entire one, end to end?  never in my life had i seen such a thing.  & it is, hands down, the most beautiful thing i have ever seen.

we are lucky to live in a valley surrounded by green gorgeous mountains.  & we are even luckier that our football fields have the most amazing view.  so last friday night, when our little town gathered at sunset for a bonfire to kickoff the football season, we all got a front row seat to spectacular.

 

yep, we got a double one too.  & i know these pictures are terrible, i was at a complete loss of how to photograph such a magnificent thing.  i just snapped a couple of shots, fully aware that they would never match the actual magic of that moment, then i just stared & stared memorizing the scene with my mind.  it was breathtaking.  to be completely honest, it brought tears to my eyes i was so struck by the unbelievable beauty before me. 

so i just stood there w/ my kids, my neighbors & friends (new & old) & stared.  soaked it all up, every second. 

it was something i will never ever forget.

this week's word up over at onelittleword just happens to be beauty.  so i created this for my "days" journal:

 

 

a simple entry.  i just needed to get this memory down & in this special journal.  this was definitely a moment i want to remember & go back to often. 

happy wednesday!!

xoxo

gi

my sweet baby layout class....

is now available on the "studio" tab at tarisota!

"sweet baby" is my august layout class using the gorgeous collection:  haute couture.  i really love how it turned out.  and i just popped into the "classroom" & am so impressed with the way tamar has the studio organized.   the class step-by-step instructions are so easy to follow & clear. 

if you've never checked out a tarisota on-line class, definitely give them a glance.  there are plenty of classes available by all of the outstanding tarisota designers and they are all super affordable.   i see my may class "sweet kate" along with a couple other mini book classes are also still available.

here is a sneak peek of this august class:

 

distressing, polka dots & paper piecing always makes for a fun crafting time.

enjoy!!!

happy tuesday :)

xoxo

gi

 

happy monday!!

i've just posted my new favorite, "leftover" mini books, up on the kenner road blog.  hope you like it!  i'm having so much fun doing this sort of mini project.  using the tiniest bits of scrap patterned paper that is left from my cutter.  it's almost like creative puzzle making, i just play around w/ all the little bits & bobs around my craft desk until i get something that makes me happy.  you know, it's kind of weird.  i think i create better when i'm given the most crazy bit of mix in tiny scraps & bits of this & that.  sometimes cutting that 12x12 piece of paper or peeling off that 1 sticker from the whole pack just totally freaks me out.  i'm much happier with a bunch of little slivers of 1/2" x 3" patterned paper, bits of ribbon or fabric & some pinking shears. lol!

i'm also finding that by doing these sort of little piece by piece projects, i'm broadening my color sense.  sometimes i get stuck in certain color ruts & use the same color combos over & over.  or sometimes on a bigger project color seems overwhelming to me & i gravitate toward a soothing neutral.  on these little thingamajobs, i'll recklessly throw kelly green with an orange-y red & then pop on a purple or yellow flower.  and i love it!  just grabbing what is at hand & trying this & that.  it is SO fun, so relaxing, such a creative rejuvenation. 

do you get the feeling i'm having fun?   lol!!

here's what i'm talking about:

 

 

 

 

 

 

i think also what has been really fun w/ this sort of project is my releasing myself from that self imposed responsibility to SAY something all the time.  sometimes the burden of telling a story is just that, a burden.  my mind is so cloudy these days w/ the kids & the pool & football & mike's overtime & what's for dinner & too much laundry & bills that need to be paid, & the floor is dirty, etc., etc., etc.  sometimes i just want to paste & glue & cut & then pop a little butterfly or birdie on it & call it a day.

and you know what?  that is just fine w/ me.  i'm liking it just fine  & i'm finding that by allowing myself this creative exploration, i'm finding more "me" ways to express myself.  more things i DO want to say & stories i want to tell.

like i said, this is FUN :)  give it a try!

happy monday!!

xoxo

gi

spiral flower how to:

 

celeste posted a great tutorial for those super gorgeous spiral flowers over on the kenner road blog.  going to give this a go today!!!  (photo is by celeste smith)

happy sunday!

xoxo

gi

happy friday!

a layout for this month's kenner road gallery challenge.  be sure to check out what the other team member have created for this challenge!  beautiful stuff

& if you are looking for some really sweet bookmarks, be sure to click on over to patty's blog.  she has created some really cool ones that she has made available as a free download!

happy friday!!

xoxo

gi

august kenner road...

kenner road revealed august's new kits this past friday night & oooh are they GORGEOUS!!!!  i have been scrapping away non stop with this month's wonderful kits!

each kit this month is full of the most beautiful & fun embellishments, i'm having a great time really "doing" up my layouts with them.  i usually shy away from embellishments for some reason, but this month i'm all over them!  so fun!!!

here is what i've completed so far:

 

 

 

& my favorite so far:

 

i'm so proud of myself for actually USING that blue foil milk cap.  that is the sort of thing i usually hoard...lol!

& thanks to michelle mccord for editing my beach vacation family photo!  michelle worked her magic & totally saved the day.  i LOVE how it turned out!  THANKS MICHELLE!!!!

hope you have a wonderful start to your week!!

xoxo

gi

more august tari...

some more layouts created using this month's tarisota collection:  haute couture

i'll admit to being a little scared of the graphics 45 pattern papers when i first saw them.  i tend to gravitate towards the wimsical and the light colors (and a trusty neutral :).  but once i started working with the papers, i really fell in love with the rich, vintage color.  they are really gorgeous.  see?  told you to trust tamar.  she knows what she's doing :)

happy tuesday!

xoxo

gi

my new favorite thing...

that i've ever created.  everything was a part of tarisota's august collection:  haute couture

i absolutely love it!  i created it for my friend who had a new baby girl back in june.  baby ellie is the sweetest & prettiest little girl & i think she deserves a proper memento for her nursery.  i hope she likes it!!!

happy monday!!

xoxo

gi

tarisota's august gallery...

is up!!  & it is a stunner.  i love all of the dress forms (available here as a limited edition collection).  i've got mine sitting on my desk.  it is gorgeous & i can't wait to work with it. 

here area few images of what i've done so far with this collection:
(i'll be posting more in the coming days :)

i absolutely LOVE the tiny shell beads that came in this collection.  they are so pretty & i love they way they look strung on the wire for this beach layout.  this is one of my favorite photos of mike & i that i've been saving forever.  this collection was perfect for it! (& yes, i glued each & every one of those sequins down:)



hope you are having a great sunday!!!

xoxoxo

gi