Friday, March 23, 2012

since we last visited...

YIKES...I KNOW it's been a long time...
SORRY!!!

yesterday I got the funniest email asking if she needed to call the search & rescue dogs...lol...

NO...I'm just fine...& VERY BUSY...

since our last visit about 10 days ago,
here's what got checked off the TO*DO list...
  1. new stamp sets designed, sized, proofed & completely DONE! YIPPEE! I CAN. NOT. WAIT. TO. GET. THEM. HERE.
  2. art parts are about 80% designed...still need a bit of tweaking
  3. 6 new ITEMS submitted & awaiting the finals from my friends @ Stampers Anonymous...I'm super duper excited about this...it's been in the works & we didn't have time to get it done for the CHA winter show...the waiting is killing me...
  4. started new Clicker Cutts designs
  5. created 12 new "ARTS" for Blossom Bucket...these are home decor type gift items. SO VERY EXCITED to see them in person
  6. designed quite a few (lost count!) new Blossom Bucket "embellish your art pieces"
  7. completed a "secret" assignment...you'll see that the first week of April...WARNING...I used PINK...WHAT? seriously...and the weird part? I LIKED it...oh boy...that is scary!
  8. booked flights to Colorado & Florida...see the sidebar for the stores I'll be visiting. I'm very excited to meet new art friends & visit new to me stores
  9. designed an extended Ranger class...stores have the choice of a 6 hour or 7 hour class...but that wasn't long enough for the art chicks in Florida & they requested an advanced artsy background class...it's almost done. It's called Beyond Basic Backgrounds & it focuses on Rangers new Specialty Stamping Paper...it's THE BOMB, stencils, water brushes, distress stains, distress markers, a special pencil, my stamps & more...I'm really looking forward to the first one
  10. I actually cooked...hard boiled eggs, baked potatoes in the crock pot & simple syrup for my mojitos...hey... in this house it's a big deal...and it COUNTS as cooking! Rick said the hard boiled eggs were THE BEST EVER...poor guy is quite easily impressed
  11. signed up for tim's on line class...I gave up my Pinterest time to take the class...as expected...it's AWESOME!
  12. got stamps & supplies ordered, inventoried & organized for upcoming classes
  13. redid our family room...before studio 490, I vacuumed every day...sometimes twice...and rearranged the house about every 2 months...Rick would come home & wonder where he'd be sitting that night...since studio 490...no time for that...but we took a day & changed it up & it felt good

Ok...I've been saving up a few questions...
here's the first...

#1. I think your studio looks divine and so very organized. I saw it in the creative studio book. can you divulge some tips for us who are not organizationally inclined?

I think the biggest thing I can tell you is to toss the packaging from your purchases & start buying containers that fit your needs.

by tossing the packaging, I'd say you can triple your storage space.

here's a shot I took a few weeks ago...
it's the packaging from 20 packages...



and here's the actual amount of space these items need...

there are 600 gears in a 4 inch container & about 500 of the new eye screws in an even smaller one...

HUGE difference...
#2...does that new Ranger paper work with Watermark resist? I have it, but can't bare to waste the paper if it doesn't...

YES it does...
here I stamped my mini weeds on the Specialty Stamping Paper with Watermark Resist & used the distress stains over it...

it's not complete...
but you can see that it does work just fine...
ALL Ranger products are perfect with this AWESOME paper...
so use anything you have!

#3 how do you do it all? I have no husband thankfully, no kids left at home, work 38 hours a week & can't squeeze out more than an hour a week to make art. HELP.

hey...I DON'T do it all...
don't think I can...
I can't!

I haven't grocery shopped for probably 2 years...and as you see above...I don't cook anymore...
and it also explains the missing blog posts...

but seriously, I think the key is priorities...
do what you REALLY want to do...
and what really NEEDS to be done...

like I said above, I wanted to take tim's class...
but didn't feel like I had an hour a day to spare...

so, I thought about it & gave up Pinterest for the 2 weeks...

I absolutely LOVE Pinterest, but it is a HUGE time sucker & my guilty pleasure...
but I decided & I made the class my priority...

it's kind of simple...
but it's what works here...

I leave you with this little CHA art...

you'll see my art parts telephone...LOVE that thing...
it's sitting on the Blossom Bucket black metal shelf...they are arriving in April!

art parts gears...these are wildly popular!

and another light bulb...I TOLD you before...
addicted to them...


LOVE the mini license plates as a background...

thanks for not giving up on me...

I hope you have a wonderful weekend...

make art!
wendy

23 comments:

  1. Wendy - you are a very interesting person.
    Thanks for all the tips and inspiration.
    Sandra ltb

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  2. Whew! Glad you didn't need rescuing but just a 'time out' for other activities...like designing, etc. Would love to take an extended class someday. Waiting for CHA - only 16 or so weeks...sigh. But I don't want to wish away the days...they go by fast enough as it is!

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  3. Gosh you are one busy chick! Excellent advice at the end - we can only do what we can fit into one day and sometimes that's not the glamourous stuff! But sometimes it is easier to prioritise inky time and then it's really precious! Looking forward to seeing your new things!!!

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  4. Good to see you back - boy, you've been busy and no wonder you don't have time to cook! Thanks for the Q&A's and for the amazing art.

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  5. OMG...you're human ;) Thanks for not being the perfect artist...that you struggle like we all do...big huge hugs!

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  6. I missed you! Am happy you are back... looks like you have been mega busy... and cooking? Bonkers lol LOVE the arty piece... tis... as ever... deeevine! xx

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  7. Wow! You've been VERY busy! No wonder you haven't been here! That list is about what I get done in a year! hahaha So glad your back!

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  8. And I thought I was busy!! haha Glad to get caught up with you!! Love your artsy Art Parts piece! Thanks for the "chat" via your blog. I was glad to get "caught up" on what's going on in your world.
    <3 Candy

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  9. Geez louis woman!!! You are quite busy but all for a good cause!!!
    Thanks for all your hard work!

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  10. I've found that getting rid of the packaging saves a lot of space too. I'm also taking Tim's online class & having fun. It would sure be great if you offered an online class :)

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  11. Wow you have been really busy! Still have to get the new stamp sets and you have designed more already! Glad I am not the only one who cannot do it all! Only work part-time and things do not get done. Hope to make art this weekend.

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  12. Busy, busy! I just know everything you're creating will be wonderful, must-haves!

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  13. oh heck...I knew you were fine! lol....but man Im tired just reading that!

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  14. You really have been busy.
    I couldn't agree with you more about ditching the packaging (after cutting up and saving the usable plastic, of course).
    Yep, priorities. Some weeks I opt out of my usual challenges to make time for something else. No one can do it all!

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  15. So glad to have you back. You are one organised lady but as you say, you need to be. Thanks for all the advice, I keep all my packaging because I am addicted to it (how sad is that). I am going to bite my lip and throw all the packaging away!!! Yes, I am. Tomorrow.

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  16. Fantastic art!! Thank you for taking time to answer people's questions and explain how the products work!! Love that!

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  17. Well welcome back! You may not bolg every day but when you do you have alot to say. Thanks for the tips.

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  18. Glad you're back and that all is well. You were missed!

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  19. Welcome back, I'm glad you were busy in a good way. I'm loving Tim's class too.
    This is such a cool piece, love the different elements.

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  20. I got tired just reading the list....yes, priorities......love the art piece at the end of your post

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  21. Tomorrow I'm throwing out all the packaging.
    Picked up some of your new Art Parts and Stamps yesterday @ Buffalo Stamps & Stuff. I'll be breaking them in tomorrow.

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  22. So glad for your success! :-) love all the new stuff and can't wait to see all the newer stuff that's coming up. :-)

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  23. So glad to see you back and hear about your fab news. I'm sure I used to have more energy! The sun was shining all weekend here in Ireland and I've learned that living here, when the sun shines get out and make the most of it, so 3 hours of gardening today and I'm done in. Time was I could have come in and crafted til bedtime, but I'm lying on the sofA :-) Maddy x

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