Get messy and kick start the mojo!

So it's 5:22pm on May 9th. Really.
Already.
I feel like I'm on a moped speeding down the highway over here!
Only it's more boring than that- like maybe it's an electric bike- not a Vespa which would be awesome actually.
My husband would take offense at my electric bike dig.
Electric bikes are apparently the sliced bread of motorized mobility.

Been on a "so many ideas, so little results" down swing lately.
I have the motivation and the inspiration but it's all going to pot on the page right now.
Last night- at around midnight I might add-
I made this.

Materials:  Red punchinella, plastic white embroidery grid and washi tape from Gauche Alchemy,
Crate Paper Storyteller paper, "I love" pin from A Flair for Buttons on Etsy, Heidi
Swapp "Epic" photomat, 7 Gypsies tape, American Crafts star border punch, Studio Calico wood
veneer hearts, camera, arrows and stars. Mister Huer in Schoolhouse red and Cream, Prima
Chalk ink stamp pad in cream and yellow.

Just trying to get over the hump and get cracking.
It's probably due to the piles and piles and PILES of crap on my desk.
Seriously- piles- it's not remotely fun to look at it since it's begging to get cleaned.
I'm starting to show on my pages.

 Here are some detail shots:

Creepily accurate map!

Perfect for Project Life or for those who prefer smaller embellishments on their pages.
I bought a "choose your own mix" pack of 12 flair buttons and got to mix and match.
A Flair for buttons- Etsy.

I've had these GCD Studio paper strips since last summer but they were hidden away in a
random flower pot I was supposed to alter. I found them while searching for my bag
of sewing machine thread which has been missing for over a month. 

I watered down some neon yellow paint and spilled it on the page.After it dried, I sprinkled some black Mister Huey mist on it but everything ran together. I finally realized I don't need to buy black staples. I can just use a permanent marker on the ones I already have. Brain? Where have you been?

GRATUITOUS CUTE TODDLER SHOT!!!!

May 7th- Wants to walk the dog but refuses to take the hat off. It's 70 degrees out.

UPDATE!!! Studio Calico just released it's Summer 2012 collection!! HEXAGON MASK!!!! Mistable fabric Ali font Thickers!! SUNRAY STAMP! And typewriter wood veneers! It's gonna be an AWESOME June!!!

MuChos SmOoChEs!
Michelle

February is a RED MESS!! True Xoxo Girls Challenge

I love the color red.
I think anything can be improved by a nice red detail. A black jacket? Extra smart when paired with a red scarf. Pink looks more alive when paired with red- so do orange and turquoise.
Strawberries, cherries, apples- all red! Mother Nature is on my side.

Love Monkey- True Xoxo Girls Messy Challenge- February
Materials: Gauche Alchemy Pink Parts and Scarlet Fever Mixed Media Color kits (glitter hearts, little rubber monkey sequins and buttons), red punchinella, packaging from a Maya Road pins pack, Thickers in foam and fabric from Joann's, Tim Holtz brick pattern embossing plate, graph paper from Staples, Mister Hueys in Schoolhouse, Calico Cream, Piglet  and Cameo, Art-C heart doily and "today" stamp from Cocoa Daisy (GREAT SET!), Dooddlebug and Reminiscence brads

I long for red especially at this time of year when everything outside is brown or grey.
When I go and do laundry we have four loads- bleach pile, darks, lights and red/pink. It makes for fun loading at the laundromat- everyone just looks at me like whaaaaaa?
The red/pink pile is the largest.

Some of my favorite Hipstamatic app filters add pink or red to my photos.
The Lucifer VI lens adds a subtle red circle to the photo. 

Here I've used the Lucifer VI lens and Big Up film for the yellow/pink tape border.
Big Up border effects are random so I love when this combo comes up.

My husband knows to skip the hearts, flowers, chocolate and lace. (Especially the lace- I pugnaciously reject gifts with ULTERIOR MOTIVES)
He usually shows up with a fun red cotton sweater or shirt for me and something wacky for Miss Thang to play with.  When he put this outfit on Lola, totally alone and without my help, I was so very happy:

The Maya Road plastic packing fit the Instax print perfectly! I wish I had a bunch more so
I could make a whole series of these mini shakers!

I also tried something new (for me). Using recycled packaging on a layout. I usually throw these out but my fellow Gauche Alchemy DT members encouraged me to try incorporating them into a layout- this is my first attempt so it's a bit.. rustic... but I can see myself sewing these onto cards or using a few of them as wall decoration- the possibilities are endless and it was super easy to make.

Sneak peek at something else I'm working on for my Feb 13th
post over at Gauche Alchemy. The Hispstamatic Ben Watts Lens
gives this photo magenta edges.

The True Xoxo Girls Challenge for this month is MESSY! I used Gauche Alchemy Scarlet Fever color kit on this as well as some older paper from my stash. And I FINALLY broke out my Claudine Helmuth acrylic paints- which scare me with their pure and beautiful color intensity. Your challenge for this month is to SCRAP MESSY!
Go on- you can DO EET!

GRATUITOUS CUTE BABY SHOT!

Running away from Mom's "smile for the camera" request.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

A page, Sassafras's Sunshine Broadcast

I gave up my search for a publication or challenge to submit this page to and just posted it on Facebook. Does anyone know how people get their pages to show on a specific manufacturer page? Been trying to do so for weeks now but I am missing a step because all I can do is get the brand name to change color on my photo caption- I don't see the project appear on the manufacturer's FB page. Oh well. I will work on my assignments tonight since Miss Lola went to bed early (yay!)

Kite (one of my favorite U2 songs!)
MATERIALS: Sassafras Lass Sunshine Broadcast paper, whimsies and alphas, My Mind's Eye twine, Dusty Attic chicken wire chipboard (SOOO fabulous!!) and Tim Holtz pins

First let me just say I LOVE Sassafras Lass. I love everything designed for them by Michelle Clement and I LOVE this latest line most of all. The colors, the whimsical nature of the design- it's really perfect. l'm glad I picked up multiples of  the paper whimsies and the stickers- those will be on top of my scrap pile till I finish them off (and cry).

With the news of the world being so incredibly awful I now have more time in my evenings since I never want to turn the tv on anymore. I think I know now how my Mom and Dad felt in the 70's when the food prices jumped 50% over night. My Mom was unemployed then too and very scared for her new family. This "recession" is cyclical and NO, things will not be improving any time soon, regardless what you hear from politicians (of all stripes) trying to cover their fat booties.

Anyway enough politics- I just hate to let such huge events go by unnoticed- this blog is all about happy but for me happy is also aware.

Keep it real and hopeful people- and hug your family- times are tough but we'll get through it.

Muchos abrasos- hugs mi gente!
Michelle