little gi

use it or loose it...

i was searching for images this morning & came upon this layout i did last year for the pencil lines book and it brought back a lot of fond creating memories. 

i remember when i finished it i was so proud of it and had really enjoyed the whole creative process.  it was created solely from the bits & bobs that laid out on my desk.  it was a kind of a self-imposed "use it or loose it" challenge and it was so fun pulling it all together.  i always tend to save everything (like that teeny strip of blue & white striped fabric) from projects...it's a sickness really.

& now that i think of it, i've imposed that sort of "make something out of what is laying out on the desk" challenge quite a few times and really loved the results.  these other projects come to mind...

& there are a bunch more now that i come to think of it.  seems i create best when there are few options or the necessity to clean. :)

it's been quite a while since i've had that creative rush...especially with scrapbooking.  i do have a messy fabric bin to contend with...

hmmm...maybe the creative bug will strike?

happy thursday!

xoxo

gi

totally spoiled :)

I really don't know what i did to deserve such generosity...but i received such lovely gifts from friends this Christmas. 

my sweet ker sent me the prettiest package of divine salt caramels & the cutest ever measuring tape.   isn't it just adorable???  makes me want to measure everything now, rather than just wing it...lol  & the beautiful seam binding...oooh i'm gonna have some fun with that for sure :)  thank you ker!!!

& the gorgeous mel & i were secret santa partners at tarisota.  it is just so much fun & i really loved opening her gift Christmas morning (per the strict rules...it was so hard to wait!!!!)  it is just so special recieving a handmande gift isn't it?  you can tell how much love and thought was put into it.  mel made me the prettiest journal & i just absolutely adore it.  it really makes me smile every time i look at it.

she also sent along the prettiest fabric coasters (that i LOVE!  & needed so badly!  lol!  they have been on my "to make" list forever! lol!) & the sweetest fabric along with a fabric shopping bag, some chocolates & a sweet little chocolate soap treat.  such a wonderful package for sure!

see???  told you i was spoiled!!! ah!  that fabric!!!  can't wait to use it! 

ahh....i'm so lucky to have such fantastic & super generous crafty friends :)  super blessed for sure :)

hope you have a happy wednesday!

xoxo

gi

ahhh...Christmas cheer :)

the kids & i did a little Christmas gift crafting on saturday.  (i'll be putting up our little last minute giftie on tarisota's Peace & Joy Style Studio this week :)

couldn't believe i caught this look kate gave ryan when he attempted to "help" her a bit.   even blurry, she is still scary...lol

ahhhh....fun times :)

joy to the world!  LOL!

hope you had a great weekend!

xoxo

gi

black eyed susans...

it is black eyed susan heaven over here these days! 

when we first moved in to this house i bought 2 plants & popped them out in a front garden michael made for me.  they've gone crazy since then & now take up about a 8' x 6' patch all to themselves!!  i can't wait to split them next spring & plant them in another garden space we just made (& maybe a 3rd garden, if we can get it done next year :)

i've always loved black eyed susans, they may just be my favorite flower.  i love how they just grow into these masses of yellow & black & dark green with their happy little "faces" turned up at the sun.

i remember driving with my grandfather one time & he showed me this field filled to the brim with black eyed susans.  it was spectacular!  black eyed susans spread far & wide as far as the eye could see.  it was located in this residential area, but then you would turn around a bend & there it was...totally unexpected. amazing!

whenever i was near that field, i would stop & just gawk at the amazingly beautiful mass flowers.  i wonder if the field is still there?  i really hope that it has prevailed against the onslaught of new development & mcmansions. 

i loved my grandfather, but we weren't extremely close.  my mother was the eldest of 9, so there were a lot of grandchildren to keep track of....but my grandfather & i always had architecture and flowers to talk about.  and now whenever i see black eyed susans, i think of him. 

so thanks grandfather for showing me that field.  it was an amazing gift that i treasure. :)

funny how memories work, huh?  just tiny little moments can leave such a big ripple.  it's kinda wonderful & scary at the same time. 

i hope you have a wonderful day full of beautiful moments that leave precious ripples in your memory :)

happy friday!

xoxo

gi

pool deck art journaling...

the new tarisota style studio started up yesterday with an art journaling prompt from tamar.  i've so been looking forward to this one, so i was anxious to start :)

the only problem was...it was a beautiful sunday, our family day.  the last thing i wanted was to be inside while everyone was outside having fun. 

so i pulled out a blank art journal that had been sitting around for a while, some water soluable oil pastels, pencils & pens & brushes, a cup of water and tamar's instructions & inspiration sheet and i took it all down to our pool deck!!  perfectamundo!!  

kelly spied me & wanted to join in.  sure!!  she took to it like a fish to water!  omgosh she is so creative it is amazing!  she sat & drew & pondered & water colored totally enjoying herself.  she has such a vibrant imagination & a freedom with art that i envy.  she doesn't have any of that "fear of screwing up or measuring up" that i struggle with sometimes.  she just goes for it!  there are no limits!  she mixes this color w/ that...hmmm...what about this kind of flower drawing?  how would that look?  it is so cool.  i'm learning so much from her :)  

 

i've always told her art is doing...art is active.  it isn't about the end result, it isn't about ending up with something "perfect" (whatever the heck "perfect" is).  art is the act of creating something from your heart.  it is about trying something new, it's about venturing into something different.  guess she's listened to me...maybe I should listen to me :)

i'm so glad we did this!  it was SO fun!!  everyone can't wait to art journal again today & they have already started on tamar's 2nd prompt! 

***haven't joined in on style studio yet?  go here to find all the details.  It is a four week creativity bonanza centered around a theme (this round it is "home decor") and led by 5 tarisota designers.  it's a creative experience filled with detailed instruction, inspiration & ideas.  you'll love it!!

happy monday!

xoxo

gi

brand new style studio is on it's way!!

thrilled to tell you that registration has started for the August Style Studio at Tarisota!!!  the class posts will start on August 8th, & run for 4 weeks through our private blog. it is a creating experience filled with information, tutorials, step by step instruction, inspiration and ideas.

this time round, we focusing on Home Decor & related projects, which has been so fun!  finally i've been able to create some pretty things that have set upon the "to create" list for waaaaaay to long.  a few of the projects i'm already planning on making for Christmas gifts as well, so i'm really feeling accomplished these days!! :)

and just as last time, there will be scrapbooking projects, sewing, embroidery, mixed media art, collage, art journaling...plus some fabulous giveaways! (one of which is handmade by yours truly :)  hint hint....think patchwork & applique :)

& remember that fabric pack i mentioned the other day? we will be using it lots in this "styling for home" studio too, if you wish to purchase it, it is available here. 

hope to see you "in the studio"!!!  & hope you have a happy friday too!

xoxo

gi

paper treasures...

tarisota's july collection, paper treasures, is a stunner...

my favorite colors plus my go-to trims seam binding & baker's twine (YELLOW bakers twine!!!) and these absolutely beautiful tiny little crystals. 

this one my be the favorite of what i created this time 'round.  the heart dawned upon me out of nowhere & i was so excited to try it.  love how it turned out.

 

tamar sent me some gorgeous white gauzy fabric with my collection (will check if/when the fabric pack will be available) & it makes the BEST rolled roses! 

 

i LOVE how this layout turned out too....love those colors, so sweet & bright & fun & summery.  i love this photo of kate...she is such a wild child.  her whole personality is embodied in that crazy hair! 

 

i LOVE those white sticker letters.  it was so fun to ink them, creating this gorgeous dyed look.  for the "f" & "r" i inked them yellow first (so saffron from stampin' up) & then changed my mind & wanted blue letters, so i inked the blue next (cool carribean from stampin' up).  i LOVE how it turned out....love that slight variation in color & w/ the green tone on 2 of the letters.  see?  the best things do come from mistakes!  lol!

 

i really loved the sticker sheet included this month.  think i used almost all of the stickers on it (& i've got plans to use the others in next month's style studio :)  & that bit of vintage paper under the seam binding was the strip tamar used to keep together the seam binding.  it was too good to go to waste :)

& again w/ that white gauzy fabric....LOOOOOVE that fabric, it was so fun to work with!

 

this was the first layout i created with the collection.  i think i always start w/ a simple design, kinda like a scrappy warm up.  & the pink paislee journal cards (they come on a 12x12 page) & those girl's paperie die cuts really made creating this page easy peasy.

 

 & there's that gauzy fabric again!  i layered it over the text patterned paper to mute it just a bit.

now go check out the rest of the gallery!  it's absolutely gorgeous!!!

happy tuesday!

xoxo

gi

savoring summer...

we just returned from a gorgeous week vacation at the beach and are easing back into the lazy, unscheduled, hot days of summer around here. 

lots of playing hotel & house...lots of swimming...lots of beach towels in the laundry...lots of quick & easy & fresh no-cook meals...lots of snipping black eyed susans for bouquets around the house...lots of "what day is it???"

i will be posting some craft stuff soon though as the latest tarisota collection is sitting on my craft desk waiting for me....and a new style studio launches on july 25th packed with loads more fantastic tutorials (just thought up another one while vacuuming this morning actually :)

but until then....it's back to my novel (reading "pigs in heaven" by barbara kingslover at the moment.  love her novels)

what are you up to?  hope whatever it is, you are enjoying it :)

xoxo

g

secrets revealed!!!!

remember a bit back when i shared some peeks of the new tarisota?

well...it's all launched!!! i've been squirreled away working on my classes for the first style studio since last month and it has been really fantastic.  & one of my projects is first up! so exciting!! it all begins this saturday, the 29th and will run through june 27th.  you'll get step by step instructions for 25 projects + a few surprises :)

the first theme is "styling with fabric" and, for me, it couldn't have come at a better time since fabric seems to occupy most of my crafting dreams right now.  & i really love how my projects came together.  i even tried some new things & techniques that have been on my "gotta make" list for quite some time & it was really rewarding to just take the plunge & give them a try. 

oh & i've seen what tamar, mel, rachel & deb have in store too, & you will not be disappointed!!!  there are videos, pattern downloads, stitching, scrapbooking, art projects, and exclusive giveaways too!! 

the style studio format is really wonderful.  working with it this past month has been so fun & has been so inspiring!  we all started with the theme "styling with fabric" and a color scheme & went wild creating from there.  it was really cool to all "feed" off each other creatively this way.  for instance, i really loved one of mel's projects (a home decor item) and translated it to a scrapbook layout.  another feature i especially appreciate is that all the projects use items & materials from our "stash".  since we all seem to be striving for less stuff these days, it has been really rewarding to create utilizing what i already have on hand.  a little bit macgruber...lol 

& now that all of my instructions & photos & planning is completed, i'm really looking forward to now taking the course now along with everyone.  can't wait to add lots of stuff to the new tari flick'r group and see everyone's too! :)

hope to see you in class :)

happy wednesday!

xoxo

gi

something fabulous this way comes...

check out tamar's blog to see the latest on the new tarisota launching in the next few weeks.  i am SO excited about this!!!  you can check out how the new site is progressing here.  isn't it so pretty!!!

we have been working away the last few weeks on projects & lots of surprises...it is the most fun & inspiring time i've had in a long time & i cannot wait for the launch!!!  i've seen what everyone has been working on & i've been a broken record "oooooh!!! that is SO cool!".  i'm so looking forward to this!! 

here are sneak peeks of 2 of my projects.  these are on the site as well as a couple from mel.  you are going to LOVE what mel has shared.  deb too.....whoa....seriously whoa....amazing stuff.  & did you see that fabulous sneak of tamar's hexes & rach's little cupcake pincushion???!!!!  ah!!  see why i'm so excited about this!!  

so happy happy monday to you!  can't wait to show you more :)

xoxo

gi