Bare with me...

photo credit: www.digitalcollagesheets.com

 Ok, I know! Things look a little funky right now, but I am playing around with the settings a little bit.

So please bare with me while I get more comfortable with Blogger & play around with what I am learning from an eBook, "Building Beautiful Blogs" by Karen Valentine!

:D

Becky

Bride of Frankenstein Altered Altoid Tin

I just wanted to share the latest altered tin I did for our Etsy shop...another Halloween theme with an image from the movie "The Bride of Frankenstein."

Isn't it fun! I love that the light bulb looks like it's actually coming from the lamp on her head!! My hubby actually tried to figure out a way to attach a battery to make it really light up, but the bulb is one of those Tim Holtz bulbs & it's just for show. Maybe the next one I do will be a working one!

Other than this little project, I am working on a little 6x6 canvas to give to my hubby this weekend for our 13th Anniversary! I am playing around with paint & image transfers...I'll let you know how it goes!

On the life side of things...just plugging away with the day-to-day stuff! Since I got back from TCC I have been a little introspective; trying to take it all in & figure out where I want to go with things. We three (mom, Kim & me) will hopefully get together next week so that I can show them how to blog & do some of the computer stuff. Once they get that part down, I think I will be able to focus on some new goals.

One of the things that's changed for Kim & I this week is that we decided to take a break from being on the design team for Creative Cuts & More. We decided that we want to pursue some other mediums & might take a break from creating the mini-albums for a bit. Focus on other "Teeny" projects for a while.

That's about it for me. It's kind of a quiet week for me, so not too much share right now but I promise to be back soon with more!

linky...The Swell Life Terrorific Tuesdays!

New York State of Mind - A Mini-Album

Hi all!

Here's a little linky to the post of Kim's fun NY mini she created using die cuts from Creative Cuts & More...

This is our last post as Design Team members for CC&M (run by a delightful local Denver woman, Terry Bracciodieta who cuts any of the dies on her site in a large variety of papers, chipboard & acetate for you, including cards & albums!)

It's a great company & we have enjoyed designing with her & the team! I hope that you will stop by the site & browse through her selection!!

TCC Event {{Final Thoughts}}

 After a long, but fun day of wandering around The Mall of America & standing in what I was told was a longer than usual security line at the airport, I was soooo ready to come home from my whirlwind weekend at The Creative Connection. I settled into my seat in the very back row of the plane & pulled out the latest issue of Somerset Studios (purchased where else, The Market Place at TCC!) & ordered a glass of red wine when the time came. So, I am not sure if the following introspective rant is from the wine or sheer exhaustion,

 I think I had a little bit if an AHA moment {or a mini-breakdown} on the flight home from TCC! But while I was reading Studios & sipping my wine, I had this sudden burst of emotions & almost started crying right there! Thank God I came to my senses & grabbed my notebook instead! This is what transpired from head to fingers...

I asked myself, “What am I taking away from this weekend?” And this is the ranting answer to myself…

I want to connect with these artistic women more. I want to surround myself with their ENERGY & passion. I want to learn from them, whether it be their business practices or their artistic technique.

I want to create ALL the time! I want Maggie to craft with me. I want her to know what I knew as a child: memories of being in my mother’s studio/back porch listening to Rod Stewart or Donna Summer while she painted beautiful watercolors for her art guild, a show, HERSELF!

 I want to go back to school & learn to draw, paint & collage! I want to learn techniques & grow my art into a true mixed media artist. I want to teach Maggie all that I know about art, but I don’t know enough, YET! I want her to FEEL the way I feel when I complete that card, page, canvas or album!

 I know that I will always have a love for paper & photos, but I want to learn how to mesh the worlds together.

 "What will I take away from this weekend?" That was the question right? I will take away that I CAN do this. I can go back to school & learn the things I crave & grow myself & if I can make money doing all the things that I love, that would just be the icing on the cake! That’s the SELFISH thing that I will take from this weekend.

The other half of what I will take away is new friends like CHRISTIE, AMY, HILLARY, TRICIA & COLLEEN {& countless others I have met & WILL connect with!}. Who all had different ideas of where they want to go with their creative selves, but were so encouraging in listening to my thoughts, hopes & dreams for my own business with my mom & sister. We will (hopefully) enjoy a lifelong journey together as we each discover ourselves, our passions, our dreams…

Thanks for listening to me drone on about this AMAZING event! I hope you enjoyed some of my story & a few of my pictures. I promise, that is the last of it!

But, stay tuned because I think that The Scrap-a-Teeny Girls might be in for a few changes in the very near future!

TCC Event {{Day 3 Classes & Closing}}

This morning during our breakfast sponsored by McDonalds, there was a panel of women (Karen Walrond, Melody Ross, Leigh Standley, Janine Vangool & Susan Branch) sharing their stories with us.

And one of the questions was about having comments on your blog & how the influence your business. It was interesting because some of the women like to have the comments to feed their work & inspiration. Where as Kelly Rae Roberts turned hers off because she felt that they were influencing her rather than inspiring her. She would listen to the comments but not her heart.

What would you do?

For those of you out there blogging, would you not want to hear what your readers think of your writing, your projects, your pictures?

I know that I do. It makes me feel good when y'all leave comments about my posts. Not just for the validation that my/our work is good, but also knowing that you are out there, reading what we post. If you don't leave a comment, I don't really know you out there.

I also LOVED this quote from the adorable Leigh Standley, The Curly Girl in Curly Girl Designs...

"You don't have to have a business to be a working artist."

That is so true of so many of us artists out there. Sure, we would all LIKE to have that artistic business, but as long as we are all able to "do" our art, we're ok {for the moment!}!!

After breakfast, it was time for some more classes...I had signed up for 2 different classes, but my painting class was cancelled for personal reasons by the artist. So, I ended up taking two with the FABULOUS ladies of A Guilded Life - Debbie Murray & her daughter, Shea Fragoso.

{photo from their blog}

 First was "Romancing the Wristlet"

My wristlet! Isn't it gorgeous?!!

  After a brief lunch {& more shopping!}, I attended their "Count Your Blessings" necklace class. This class was a little more intense, but still soooo much fun! And, I got to take it with Amy & another new friend, Debbie Saviano. (She is a super lady! You must check her out!!)

That's Debbie on my right & Amy on my left

me!

Gorgeous Shea telling a funny story!

The finished project!

We soldered, glued & used our jewelry tools (thanks to Amy for letting me borrow hers!!)

Debbie made 5,000 of these little beaded flowers for the event!

I really enjoyed both of these classes tremendously that I signed up for their Gilded Stash club! Now, every month I will get some gorgeous vintage finds & access to ideas from them!! Wahooo!


After classes were done, it was time to say good-bye to everyone at the Cupcake Farewell party...

Nancy & Jo (co-founders of TCC) & Brandy (the Crowne Plaza's Event Coord.) gave us a heartfelt thanks & farewell! See you next year ladies! {I hope}

 After that, one of my favorite parts of the trip...
Dinner with some of my new friends!!

me, Christie, Brigid, Hillary, Tricia & Amy

We had a great dinner in Downtown St. Paul {thanks to Tricia knowing the city!} at The Bario.
A funky little Tapas Bar! The food was FANTASTIC & Sindy, our server was GREAT!

We had a wonderful time talking about life & the weekend together. I hope that we will all stay in touch & continue to support each other in our creative endeavours!!


I'm sure that you have all had just about enough of my TCC posts & would like me to get back to posting about what creative stuff the Teeny Girls are up to. But, I have one more TCC post to go up on the 26th. It's not about any specific thing at the event. Rather, it's a kind-of "aha" moment that I had on the plane ride home. So instead of making this post even longer, you'll have to come back tomorrow for a more personal/introspective post!
TTFN!
PS. I have also posted photos that I took of Downtown St. Paul & some fun ones at The Mall of America over on my personal blog,
My Laughing Magpie
This very well could be my last personal post on that blog while I figure out how to incorporate the two.
Thanks for stopping by!

TCC Event {{Market Place Pix!}}

As promised, here are some photos I took at the TCC Event's Market Place! It was a beautiful bonanza of delightful crafts, jewelry, art, sewing & more!!!

This gorgeous dress form covered in crocheted flowers is what greeted us upon entry to the market & the first major booth by Simplicity.

The Crochet Dude (aka Drew Emborsky) was on hand to show anyone interested how to make these little flowers...

I wandered around a little aimlessly for the first run through between classes, just snapping photos. 

But, I did have the pleasure of meeting Amy Barickman, sewing goddess & author of Vintage Notions (a delightful book about her collection of vintage sewing books & notions!)

And I bought a couple things from these vendors...

Stephanie Rubiano, mixed media artist extraordinaire!

 

D Stevens, RIBBON designer!

Little Big Pants, fun & adorable dolls & animals

The rest of these pics are just for fun. {{I credited the shops that I could remember, so be sure to check them out!}}

Mermaids Dowry, makers of great brass charms & such

{{The ever-present dress form! I just love that everyone uses them in their displays!!}}

A Cricut Banner in the Provo Craft Booth, (They gave away 50 Expressions!! No, I didn't win one!)

A Gilded Life {I took 2 of their classes & joined the Stash club!}

I Sew Lucky {This pic was mainly for Kim & her Owl Obsession!}

And finally, one of the vendors was this wonderful organization, Enchanted Makeovers.

They are a non-profit that takes handmade items into women's shelters & "does-up" their rooms into a homey, enchanted getaway to empower these women & girls to take pride in themselves again. It was a wonderful & inspiring stop in the Market Place & I had a minute to chat with Terry Grahl, the founder, about what they do for these women & how she got started. {We even chatted a little about The Scrap-a-Teeny Girls doing a project together!!}

Terry Grahl

I had such a wonderful time "browsing" through the Market Place that I had to ship a box home!! {I wasn't the only one!!}

Tomorrow: Pix from my final two classes & the cupcake farewell

TTFN!

Blah, Blah, BLOG!!! {{Day 2 of TCC Event}}

I started this entry while on the road, but didn't publish it because I had wanted to add photos at the time. I had borrowed a camera cord from Traci Kantowski during our photography class, but I was a little too wiped out to write that 2nd night! So, part of this post was written that next morning & the rest today...

here's me trying to type the night before. You can't tell, but I was a little delirious!

***************************************************

Sorry, just couldn't bring my self to sit down & give you a TCC update last night! I was pooped out & I had to pack to change hotels for Saturday night! You would not believe the loads of goodies I am bringing home & I only paid for a few of those things! The rest are generous donations from the sponsors!! {{Photos of the Market Place to follow}}

Still having a wonderful time! One thing that all of us attendees are saying is that everyone is SO friendly & so generous with their information! I have never been to a conference like this one where the women weren't constantly eyeing you up or judging you or even being caddy!  Everyday here, I get positive feedback from total strangers about my craft & the direction we are going! It's just wonderful!

I took 2 great classes yesterday. One about photographing your items for sale with Gale Zucker & the other was creating an art journal with Traci Bautista.

Gale is a truly inspiring photographer & a downright nice lady! I really enjoyed getting to know her & learning a thing or two that I had forgotten since my photography days in college!!

Traci has written a wonderful book titled Collage Unleashed & we had super messy, fantastic time in her Dream Big Business Art Journal...

We used papers envelopes, folders & more to create the pages (some of us even used the butcher paper we created on top of!) & lots of paints & stencils for interest. Here's my journal...still more to add & doodle about, but at least it's started!

my hands after class! Tell tale sign of a good time!

I can't wait to finish catching up on life so that I can start journaling in it!!

Tomorrow's post: Market Place pics!!