Free Friday

It's 10:15 am.  I'm out for an appointment.  It's 75 degrees.  The air is still cool enough to carry the smell of cut grass and wet earth.  It's awesome.

It's too nice a day for big rules, so today is simple.  Here's your color inspiration from the Color Theory board.  It's luscious, juicy and perfect for today.

You pick the kit in your stash that best meets the inspiration.  No kit?  No worries, find supplies in your stash that work.  Then simply upload a link to your project using this inspiration in the comments and BOOM, you're eligible for this month's drawing:  American Crafts Hello Sunshine sampler.

It's turning into a very warm day today.  I have no menu planned (I had some struggles this week producing my  usual weekly plan) and I'm too tired to do much for dinner.  It's our weekly Friday hosting of the in-laws, so I have brats thawing and think I will make this chocolaty no-bake 4-Layer Cookie Bar for dessert.  Found on the I Can Cook that board, it's perfect for the days when any excess heat in the house is just too much!

Plans for the weekend are fairly light.  One more regular season game.  Various children in and out of the house.  A cool front coming in.  I'm looking for some time together - the last couple weeks have been a bit scattered family-time-wise - and some down time.

Happy Friday,

Problems. . .

So I logged on to Pinterest. . .always a risk since the time suck could be large.  Even when I tell myself, "just go to the Color Theory board and snag a pallet," it never really works out that way.  Case-in-point, today, 50 minutes later I leave my landing page after pinning several recipes, liking several free fonts and a few ideas for Dad's Day, I finally get to the Color Board.  

As I'm browsing around, I realize I may have a problem - in that I think I may be following more food boards than scrappy ones.  My food pins far out-number scrappy ones.  Now, we're well familiar with my obsession collecting of recipes, so I guess it should surprise no one.  However, in my defense if I don't have quick and easy recipes my family will hunt me down when they're hungry demanding I stop crafting and go feed them.  As family cooks we know PB&J really ain't gonna cut it, it's a meal they demand and no matter how quick, it'll take a bit valuable crafty time t prepare.  So see, really, it's a service that I'm providing by digging out these fast and fabulous recipes; these don't-interrupt-me-I'm-crafting-your-dinner-is-in-the-kitchen meals.  Whew . . . well  . . . I'm glad there's a logical reason there.

On to today's color inspiration.

Now why complicate matters by looking for kits outside the holiday season that fit this pallet?  Life is sticky enough without making things harder than they need to be.  So we look to both December kits from 2012.  The Smaller kit with its My Mind's Eye Winter Wonderland line and the Bigger kit with Basic Grey's Aspen Frost line.

I love a traditional color scheme for the holidays - but could be swayed with pink and lime green too - but Jennifer Halleck stuck with the tradition using the Winter Wonderland line here.

And here, Maria Swiatkowski used the Aspen Frost (which has a touch of teal to it) by pulling the traditional colors together, as well.  

Reminder:  If you've used these kits, didn't get them (the Smaller kit is available and a Second Helping of the Basic Grey is also available) please pull from your stash using the color pallet for inspiration.  Then please, share your link in the comment section.  You have all month to complete any or all of the challenges - so no excuses.  Plus, I've got a meals for you over on Pinterest to avoid the family's hungry interruptions. ;D

Happy Thursday,

Da Vinci In the House

The boys' school generally has one large event for every grade level - usually surrounding a unit of study.  We've had 100 Day Celebration, Johnny Appleseed Day, Rendezvous Day, Colonial Day, Ameritowne and then this year, the Ed Fair which just passed and today Medieval Day.  My 6th grader has spent the better part of this trimester studying that era, and today caps it off.  They have food (turkey legs, fruits, flat bread, no plates or silverware - my boy is psyched about that), games and their presentations.  

Leonardo here is in a costume made up from at least six separate costumes or items.  As a mom, I'm pretty proud of that (see I knew there was a reason to keep all those Halloween costumes!) and he is very happy with the over all look.  I know he was skeptical when I started suggesting things to pull out.  Well, here is the list. . .I guess I can see his point - Superman cape worn inside-out, Jedi Knight robes, "possibles bag" from Rendezvous Day (4th grade), soccer warm ups, a wool driving cap worn sideways, his mother's brown leather boots - they come up to his knees as was the fashion o'the day - and his sister's woven leather belt.  His presentation is on the back of his painting and his satchel holds some of his other famous drawings.  I gotta say, he's rockin' the da Vinci.

Today's color inspiration from the Apron Strings Color Theory board is

With one girl, who is far removed from her "Pink Girlie Days," I don't get to use this color combo much myself.  But I have used it recently. . .enter a Project Life page I did a week or so ago, using the February '11 Smaller than a Breadbox kit.

More recently this color combo was found in both the February '13 kits - the Bigger with Basic Grey's True Love and Authentique's Lovely in the Smaller kit.  There is a Basic Grey Second Helping paper pack and a TV Dinner of the Authentique lines, if you want to play with those.

Here Maria Swiatkowski using the Smaller kit, the Lovely line, for showing off her 100-Day Celebration.

And Kristin Perez uses the Bigger kit, the True Love line, for a more traditional take on the Valentine's day papers.

Remember use these kits if you have them.  If not, find items in your own stash inspired by the color pallet for today.  Then come, share your work by linking it up in the comment section for your shot at winning the May American Crafts Hello Sunshine sampler.

Happy Wednesday,

And Heerrreee'sss Spring. . .Wait

Huh. . .I'm looking at the calendar and it says "May."  My trees, yard and flowers all have that May look about them - spring greens, in need of winter clean-out and early sproutlets.  So, why, on this newly green earth is the temperature at 90??  Ugh!

I hope all those Moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day.  Here, my own mother was out of town, so it was just one visit to see my MIL and then home for the remainder of the day.  Where, as we moms all know, it's business as usual.  I printed off my daily sketches from the Big Picture Class, 28 Days of Sketches, Round 2, that I'm taking; they're really cool.  I did think about what I could do with each of the sketches, but getting kits out the door was at the top of my list.  I almost dug out a kit and photos late last night, but at 11:00 pm, I'd have had to tackle clearing off my work table, and frankly, just wasn't in the mood.  

We did celebrate the 12 y.o.'s 2-1 win during their last regular season soccer game; pretty sure that was the only win for the Spring season.  But hurray for finishing out with a win!  Now we have a week off until the tourney we are playing over Memorial Day weekend.  The 12 y.o. has his Medieval Day tomorrow, where he will be Leonard Da Vinci.  The 14 y.o. has his last week of classes this week.  The 16 y.o. is, or better be, deep in study-for-final-mode.  And the 4 y.o. has, I believe, hit his stride in the "it's all about me, who are you" phase.  Whoever coined the term, "terrible two's" clearly didn't have a 4 y.o. at the time they coined it.  Oiy!

And for you, you lucky people, you get the first of this week's inspiration, found on the Apron Strings Color Theory board, over at Pinteret.

You can find this pallet in both the Smaller than a Breadbox January '13 kit (the October Afternoon Woodland Park) and in the Bigger than a Breadbox September '12 kit (Echo Park So Happy Together.)

The first one here (January '13 Smaller kit), Jennifer Halleck focused on the Teal and Green, by using the "B" sides that included some of the Pinks, to create her layout.

Then second here (September' 12 Bigger kit), by Nancy Longo, she used the full pallet to highlight a home still fondly remembered.

Now, remember it doesn't matter if you've used these particular kits already, or didn't get them.  Dig through your stash to pull another kit with the pallet or supplies inspired by the colors.  Then upload your work to the comments section for your chance to win an American Crafts Hello Sunshine packet.

  

Happy Tuesday,

Happy Mother's Day

For all the Moms out there who:

• Cheer their kids from the sidelines in sun, rain, snow and wind
• Kiss boo-boos big and small
• Champion their kids when others would walk away
• Stay up waiting for kids who are past curfew
• Sleep squashed in their bed during thunderstorms
• Spend the night in chairs, rockers and bedsides with sick ones
• Spend countless hours sorting, washing, folding and putting away laundry
• Cook and clean-up from hundreds of meals
• Run forgotten homework and lunches down to school
• Shed tears of joy and pain with and for their kids
• Fist-pump silently for their child when struggles are overcome
• Hug, because you can't do anything else
• Continue on with the seeminly thankless, never-ending mothering duties because it's those unexpected hugs and a "love you" that make it worth doing all over.

Your work is the most important in the world.  Have a love-filled day!

Happy Mother's Day

Friday Thoughs, Food and a Sketch Class

Sunny start to our day here.  Rain should be in again tonight, hopefully we'll get our early morning game in tomorrow. . .it's our only one this weekend.  I have my usual long list of want-to-do things at my elbow, as well as I am taking the 28 Days of Sketches - Part 2 over at Big Picture Classes.  We'll see what gets crossed off.

I was listening to an interview on a podcast earlier this week and they were talking about crafting in general.  How the whole DIY movement is huge.  I just have to look at my own home and life - I'm knitting, though I'm not sure how successful I'll ever be at it; I'm plugging away.  Though I've always been a home cook/baker, I've been menu planning for a couple years now, and just recently I have stepped up making more "staple items" than ever, for sure (Thanks, Pinterest.)  This will be the second year of growing our own garden, third if you count the first year where we just did tomatoes.  In general, trying to simplify life is a need for me, which seems an oxymoron considering some of the additional work it takes to DIY it. 

Anyway, this interview was talking with the CEO of CHA and a movement they are starting where they help people continue to, and share their crafting to encourage others to do so.  He sited some studies showing people who craft are happier, less stressed and seem to enjoy life more.  I know I certainly find peace when I pick up a pair of scissors and some photos, or my embroidery, or even the darn knitting needles.  His point was to share the website Cre8time.org, a social network for crafters of all kinds and abilities (eventually they will have classes and challenges and what not.)  His challenge to people was to really create time to craft.  He suggests starting with a mere 16 minutes a day.  I got to thinking about what I could do, craft-wise, with 16 minutes a day.  I could print photos, I could Instagram the photos for my weekly Project Life, I could create a page in my December Daily, I could knit a few rows on my project, I could stitch a few lines on the ornaments I'm working on.  Is it start-to-finish for a project?  No, but that's not the point.  The point is to make the time to work on something creative and it will become a habit, something that you don't have to "work in" or "reward" yourself with.  Something that's as good for you as the walk you take or the veggies you eat.

Today's inspiration is from the Apron Strings Color Theory board on Pinterest - lots of just fun colors.

 

The first kit I found with this color pallet was in January's Bigger than a Breadbox kit - the October Afternoon Midway line.  Maria Swiatkowski showcases the fun-loving colors of the line.

 

 

The second kit was the September '12 Smaller kit - the Lily Bee Double Dutch line.  Same bright colors, same broad range of uses.  Like this one from Kristin Perez.

 

 

Now after you've done your good-for-you crafting, you need to reward yourself with some super good for you Chocolate Candy Bar Cake found on the Apron Strings I Cooked That board.  I doubt, though, that your thighs will thank you, however, your spirits will soar even higher (since you're on the crafting high to start).  I made this cake on Monday and OH.  MY.  The only thing I'd recommend is after you've poured on the copious amounts of caramel and sweetened condensed milk. . .oh yes and the toffee bits, set it up in the fridge after a bit of a cool down on the counter.  The flavors will meld better.  Actually, this is a "is this the same cake" kind of thing after it sits overnight in the fridge - it gets better, though I'm sure you'll think, after your first taste, "How is that possible?"  Possible it is.  I also did not do a straight chocolate cake, I turned to my Cake Doctor book for a more-than-just-out-of-the-box better chocolate cake.

And finally, as if I haven't rambled on long enough, get your May work uploaded.  Remember if you don't have the kits, or even the lines suggested, there's sure to be something in your stash to dig out and use.  And frankly, that's the whole point.  Let's use it!  This month's goodies is a selection of American Crafts Hello Sunshine products - there's some patterned paper, a stamps set, some tags and I'll round it out with cardstock and some ribbon.  You have until the end of the month to finish any one or all of the color challenges.

 

Happy Friday,

Post Ed Fair

Last night, besides being the number two big thing in bidding farewell to the Class of 2013 eighth graders, it was also a culmination of a trimester's worth of work, planning, researching and writing (well, nine years if you consider these kids all started kindergarten together writing their very first phonic-heavy words.)  It was the Education Fair.  The kids choose their own topic to research, write about and present.  My 14 y.o.'s topic was the History of the Electric Guitar.  He pulled an A for his paper (a hefty 8-pages) and his display earned him a Commendation ribbon.  Besides the giant posters of influential rockers using one each of the major guitar manufacturers (which he will put on his walls - I think that's half the reason he went for the giant posters, was to decorate his room) he created a story-board with photos of founders and guitars, and a PowerPoint showcasing guitar-lick-heavy clips of music timed to photos of the musicians who made the most of their guitars.

The Ed Fair always impresses me with not only the capabilities of these kids, but the wide range of topics, like:  Alcatraz with its full-sized model of a cell; Animation with the presenters own animated short movie; the history of Elitch Gardens (an historic Denver amusement park) with its miniature display of the former grounds and two of the most successful Ghost Towns in Colorado with TWO miniature displays of the towns - trains, mountainsides, "sparkling" gold and all.  I could go on.  They are amazing.

So congrats to them all, but especially for the hard work of my own eighth grader.  Way to go Tom.  You wrote an in-depth paper and produced a beautiful display.  So proud of you!

 

While I could have drawn inspiration from my son's love of bright colors - he has paired that shirt with a fuchsia pink tie.  Aahhh. . .my boy!  I chose instead to go with one of my favorite color combos found on the Apron Strings Color Theory board.  I love teal and red. . .so versatile for summer or winter.

There were quite a few examples of this pallet in Apron Strings kits, but I chose to go with both the September '12 Bigger and Smaller kits.  From the Bigger kit, the Authentique Fresh line was straight off the Color Theory board - blues, red and greys.  Here, Nancy Longo uses it on her layout about a lodge that makes me think "winter" or maybe "cold", the word Nordic just conjures that up, but clearly they are dressed for warmer weather.

From the Smaller kit the My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline's Dilly Dally line was heavy on the blue and red.  Here Kristin Perez's layout leans a little more in this direction, but you can see the added gold color.

Now remember, if you don't have these particular kits, you can still play along.  Just grab another kit with the color inspiration, or dig into your own stash to pull the colors together.  Then share your work in the comments section for your chance to win the May goodie pack.

We woke to morning showers that are supposed to continue throughout the day - dang I love it!  So I'm guessing soccer practice will be off.  Fine by me.  And I'm sure my 14 y.o. prefers that.  The completion of his Ed Fair work is a big deal and I see him taking some serious down time today. . .after his homework is done, of course.

Happy Thursday,