Crafty Carnival

Good Stuff!

I'm barely keeping my head above water over here, but I have to give you a few quick updates!

3 of my friends from here in Sacramento and I have gotten together and put up a blog and a website called Pimp Stitch.  It's a fun way for us to meet up and be creative as a group and it's just what we all needed.  It's a nice distraction from all of the other stuff we work so hard on.  Pimp Stitch is PURE fun, and while it's not going full force just yet, I hope you'll take the time to check it out :)  Amy, Lauren and Tamie are all super fun people to be friends with... I know... I spent the whole weekend with them at Baz Biz, and let me tell you... my cheeks HURT from laughing so hard all weekend!  (I'll spare you the details because they really aren't blog appropriate... lots of potty humor!)

Also, I wanted to give you the blog tip of the century READ LAUREN'S BLOG!!!!!!!!!  Lauren is really committed to blogging and sharing her craftiness and inspiration.  To me, this is the epitome of blog land.  Sharing ideas, providing how to's and inspiration and just all in all making it possible for others to share in any success you've found.  This is why I love Lauren's blog.  She does a tutorial and a give away every single week.  So if you are only reading ONE blog... hers is the one to read.  If you need a teacher's gift, hostess gift, or a plain ole pick me up... go to Goody Goody.  You'll find it there!  And if you aren't crafty but you like to buy crafty stuff... lucky for you, she has a shop too!!!

And finally, I just wanted to put a quick note up that says I'm not longer teaching at Convenzione.  I could write about how and why this all came about... but I'm afraid if I did, that it could be misinterpretted or picked apart.  So let me just say that it didn't work out, and there's no hard feelings.  BUT, I did work very hard on getting a project ready JUST for this event, so since I've gone that far, I'm going to put the kits for it in my etsy shop.  I won't post them until next week because I still have to bag them up and write instructions, but I already have all of the stuff :)  I'm sorry if I've dissapointed any of you, but trust me when I tell you, I'm no big thing, and you're not missing anything!  LOLOLOL!  Candice Carpenter has come on board to take my place, and speaking from experience (because I've taken classes from her) she is so super talented and fabulous and you will LOVE her!  Do not hesitate to sign up for her class!  And tell her I sent you!!!!

And finally... one more pic to leave you with from baz biz....

These Babies are going to Baz Biz

I'm really lucky that I have a daughter that wants to help me sew.  Sometimes I feel luckier than others tho...  I love that she wants to help... but if she jacks up the hair on one more doll... or "accidently" cuts something that's not supposed to be cut, I'm putting up a baby gate!  LOL!  And her next "craft" can be building a way to get over it!  LOL!  I know what you're thinking... close the door... ya right.. the door on this sewing room only closes about once a year for a special occasion when I have to hide the mess!  And even then it still takes me 45 minutes to clean it enough to get the door to close!  I come by it honestly.  My Gramma has a 5 bedroom house and 3 of them are "junk" rooms!  LOL!

(It even occured to me once... in a random thought... to tell the children, if a burgler ever comes in the house, just hide in the sewing room.  You'll be completely safe, and he'll never find you... and even if he tries, he'll probably break his neck and die just getting in the door... so you'll be safe.  HA HA!  I never did have that conversation with them tho, that would be irresponsible.)  I know I'm rambling, I'm tired.  I just wanted to share a few pics of the babies going to Baz Biz this weekend with me :)

I'm really excited about the whole weekend, because there are 5 of us girls sharing 2 hotel rooms, plus a few more from Sacramento Craft Mafia that are staying with family.  So there is bound to be some funnies.  You know the kind that only occur when you've had no sleep and you're exhausted and then there's the margaritas at dinner, next thing you know your saying - okay!  Go to sleep!- and it's quiet for a minute and then somebody starts giggling and it starts all over again?  Ya... that's what I'm looking forward too!  :) I even made us a boyfriend... just in case!  LOLOLOLOLOL!  :)

New Bears

These 3 furry friends will be available on Glitter and Grunge when it updates tomorrow on the 1st!  It's been awhile since I've finished any bears, but I've really had fun with these!

And don't forget to come see me this weekend at Baz Biz!  I have a lot of fun new stuff I really think you will enjoy seeing like these silly magnets!  But don't worry if you can't come, I promise pics when I get back.  Also, if you have time to kill, check out the vendor list on the website (click on baz biz above) and you can click around and see all of the fab blogs of the vendors who are selling there.  It's a real easy way to kill an hour or two without even trying and I garuntee that you will find at least a handful of vendors that you will add to your favorites!!!!

Lastly, don't forget to sign up for Convenzione!  The instructor list is very much top of the line and A-List, I promise!  In fact, so much so that I'll definately be low man on this totum pole!  But I don't mind at all because considering the company, I'll take it!  LOLOLOL!

That's it... short and sweet because I'm working for my show!!!

Thanks for the MEMORIES!

That kind of sounds like I'm leaving, huh!  LOL!  I'm NOT!  I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who took my class at The Paper Garden Boutique!  It was a really fun class, and the gals that took it were already pros, so that made it really easy!  I brought cupcakes, with little notcard toppers to my class, and I also brought thank you gifts, which consisted of a little covered journal, and the envelopes for the cards they just made!   Thanks again, everyone!  I was really nervous,  but everyone was so friendly and warm, that I wasn't nervous for very long!  (Even my mom took this class!  How sweet is she????!) And the owners husband, Ken, took this pic of me teaching.  He is so cool!  He 's always there to help when you need him!  Check out their blog to see what he designed this week... you will fall on the floor it is so awesome!

Right after I finished the class on Friday night, I went home and finished packing because we left for Disneyland in the middle of the night.  My youngest daughter turned 4 on Sunday, and we wanted to celebrate in Disneyland, so off to So Cal we went!  We had an awesome time!  It was really cold tho, and I didn't bring enough warm clothes.  So on the second day, I bought a pair of pirate socks (stripes with skulls on the for TEN BUCKS!!) and wore them pulled all the way up with my jean shorts and flip flops.  I know I looked like hell, but I didn't even care... my feet weren't numb anymore!  LOL!

And finally, I just wanted to let you know that my friend Michelle is opening a store called My Paper Tales in San Diego!  They are opening on May 1st, so please stop in and check it out!  Michelle is a designer for A Muse too, so I'm sure she will be carrying a TON of their product!   And I will be at baz biz in about a week!  (May 3-4) so I have a lot to do to prepare for that.  But definately check out the vendor page... very fun!  And come see me if you can!!

Sample Time

Here are some samples for my class next Friday night.  Please sign up, if you haven't all ready because I need students!  LOL!  And I am bribing you with cupcakes, sweets, give aways, and lots of good humor.  :)  WInk WInk!

Remember you can buy any of the things I used here at The Paper Garden in Sacramento, CA, or if you live far (like Miss Trudy!  LOL!)  then you can go on line and buy the stamps and papers at A MUSE!

me + you at The Paper Garden! It's a class!

I'm a little late getting this big news to you, but I'm hoping you will still have time in your busy schedules to come see me!  I'm teaching 3 classes over at The Paper Garden Boutique over the next 3 months!
First, let me tell you about The Paper Garden... it is THE MOST FABULOUS stamping/paper/gift store in the whole Sacramento area!!  Stephanie stocks the store with everything for DIY brides, to DIY moms and grandmas.  There are beautiful papers, rubber stamps, and all sorts of wonderful gifts lining every nook and crany of this store!  So you MUST come check it out if you haven't all ready!!!  Stephanie was actually my gateway into designing for A Muse because she introduced my work to Linda, who is the owner of A Muse!

Now, let me tell you about the class... I will be teaching you tips and techniques for making 6 different all occasion note cards.  The class fee is $35 and all of the supplies that you need will be provided!  So this is a great class for begginers, and pros are welcome too!!  So not only do you leave class with 6 cards, and TONS of ideas, but you also get a 10% shopping discount on the day of your class, and I will be holding a drawing for all of the participants in my class to win a little goody bag from me, and I will also have some yummy treats for us to munch on!!  The card designs will feature the stamps that I designed for A Muse as well as a few others!!

And finally, let me just tell you that you can download the entire class schedule for the Paper Garden on their website, and all of the information you need is there!  So what are you waiting for?  Call Stephanie and sign up for a class now!!  916-48-paper

Each Class will feature 6 DIFFERENT cards/projects!!

April 18th  - 6p-8p  $35

May 23rd - 6p-8p  $35

June 13th - 5p - 7p  $35

ConvenZioNE~~

WOW!  I have some very exciting news!  I've been selected to be a teacher at ConvenZione!  This is a huge artful retreat in Pleasanton, California where artists and crafters will gather to shop, tour the area, take classes, and dine together in the beautiful backdrop of Pleasanton, California.  (Near San Francisco for you out of towners :)  The line-up of teachers is amazing, and the event is one that you just can not pass up.  Pre-registration has already started, and I suggest you hurry before it fills up!

I will be teaching 2 seperate 3 hour classes on Saturday and then vending on Sunday, as well as spending the weekend in the area and dining with everyone during the event!  I can hardly wait to go and share ideas and creativity with all of the attendees!!  I have not finalized my projects yet, but they will be mixed media.  The first will be a doll for sure, and the second will either be another doll, or possibly a little friend for the doll.  As I finalize the projects, I will be posting pics here.  But I encourage you not to wait and sign up fast because my classes will be very small (5-10 participants each). 

Thanks for induldging me in this little sneak peek of information, and there will be lots more info to follow!!!

G and G updates tomorrow!!

Glitter and Grunge updates tomorrow!  Make sure you check it out!   All of these dolls will be on there!

G and G updates tomorrow!!

Glitter and Grunge updates tomorrow!  Make sure you check it out!   All of these dolls will be on there!

I made a doll :)

I think she's pretty cute!  She'll be in my etsy shop pretty soon :)  And you can read all of her details there... but I like her :)

I'm also pretty excited to announce that I got into baz biz again!  WHOOT!  It's a really fun event in San Mateo as part of Maker Faire.  This is a MUST SEE event!  If you've never been, it's just basically where all sort of cool, hip, urban people gather and show off their hacks (things they have made into other useful things!)  Last year there were all kinds of cool things including a life size hamster wheel, that made a giant finger pick a giant nose when you ran in it... there were photography tricks, robots, a car completely covered in ink pens... you name it.  Baz Biz is the crafty side of Maker Faire.  There are workshops, classes, make and takes, sales.  It's sooo fun, and it's a bigger even than you can even imagine... and yep... I get to vend there again.  I'm a lucky girl I tell you.

  And in other news!  I've been tagged with the make my day award by 4 very sweet bloggers:  Denise, Antoinette, Lisa, and Angelique. (Antoinette tagged me with the 7 random things about you one, but I'm lumping her in with this one cause she really does make my day!  She's a super sweet fellow craft mafia member :) EDITED to add that I forgot Miss Trudy awarded me too!  Which I can't believe I forgot because she is one of my biggest cheerleaders!  If I'm having a bad day, I can read ANY email Trudy has EVER sent and feel better because she is so sweet!  SORRY I FORGOT YOU FRIEND!!!

Thanks, ladies :)  I'm still blushing!  It really warms my heart when I see that someone has taken the time to blog about me or leave a comment here, so I am very thankful.  And again, I'm just a lucky girl!  Since I made someone else's day, I get to choose 5 girls that make my day!  You know them already tho... I talk about them all the time.  So here you go girls... you 5 make my day!

Nicole

Tammie

Amy

Lauren

Claire