triplesee

exhale.

it was crazy. and wonderful. stressful. and exhausting. and WONDERFUL.

bijou market that is....

i will call my first boutique/market a success. everyone loved the cake/jewelry stands... (more to come.)

i also made belts using vintage ties (two styles), scarfs using t-shirts, feather headbands (a few different styles).... justin sold his code hero t-shirts. and my mom and i made some beautiful succulent plantings.... (really i just bought the teacups and candle sticks for her to plant.)

nothing would have happened if not for justin and my mom. thank you both from my tip toes to my eyebrows.

and my supportive friends. i can't tell you how much it means to me to have my friends show up. (i cried to justin later that night about how many great people i am surround by....)  again, thank you.

the only thing i regret?!?.... i forgot my camera. as a professional scrapbooker this should never happen to me, but i stole some images from paige.... 

 

the view from my booth. i had a great location (thanks emily.)

me as a hunchback. and my mom as an ogre. at my booth.

 

two of the above mentioned amazing friends. paige on the left and alisha on the right.

etsy shop coming soon. another craft show in august. so many fun opportunities on the horizon.

and the post script: if anyone has anymore images or find some in this crazy www please let me know. thanks.

a first.

this saturday i am a part of my first ever craft market...

my heart jumps a little every time i think about sharing my little creations to other people. i would share my many insecurities about this, but i don't want to. (they become bigger and grow teeth when you talk about them...)

i do want to invite you to come and look around. PLEASE!

there will be over 40 local vendors who create all sorts of goodness. it is free and there will be a live band in the evening.... so no excuses.

here is the info:

you can check out all the vendors on the Bijou Market Blog.  there you can find my little creations under the name, 



also, at the Bijou Market there is an opportunity to donate to a great charity, Kharisma Imports  is collecting school supplies and summer clothes for an orphanage in Bali. I met these women at another event... beautiful people inside and out.

please feel free to take the poster and links to spread the word. THANK YOU for all your support.

see you saturday! (until then i will be hiding in my basement making stuff like crazy... the pay-it-forward winners may even see their little creations soon. maybe. hopefully.)

dad.

thank you. for everything.

i don't think my dad knows i blog.

i wish he would blog... if he did, it would be intelligent, witty, and comfortable. like an instant best friend because that's how he is.

i love you dad. a lot.

my life.

i love this man.

Thank you for making everyday a joy. Happy Birthday Justin.

i need your help...

in two days it is justin's birthday.

i know.

crap.

what to get a boy would doesn't know what he wants? any ideas?

he likes:
ME, baked goods, the outdoors- particularly treks through slot canyons, me, playing that crazy game on the computer (get this: there is no winner to this game. i don't get it.) (and, yes, he is a nerd.) playing his drums, good(?!?) movies, more me, good food, hanging out with the boys, reading good books - lots of non fiction, long boarding down the canyon, barbecuing killer food, working on his motorcycle or RX7.

he doesn't like:
???? he is really laid back...

ok. let me avoid the pressure for a few more minutes... and so you some scrappy stuff.

back to the point...WHAT DO I GET FOR JUSTIN'S BIRTHDAY?

oh and if you read this we would love to see you at this...

at 6pm... i am a little distracted.

workin' and scrapin' and workin' and scrapin'

and scrapin' at work.

i really really do love books. i took this picture in powell's in portland. have you heard of powell's? the book store takes up a whole city block and is a few stories tall! heaven, nirvana, whatever you want to call it i love getting lost in it.

cute boy... look at those eyebrows! i love this little one. he is such a perfect gentlemen. I get to see him and his big brother in a couple weeks. excitement is building... (yes we only live 7 minutes away. you know life is out of control when you plan 3 weeks in advance.)

the parental units of this little guy are amazing. (yes, i am excited to see them too.) in fact his mother is the one who took the beautiful photograph above and the group below. (if not for her i don't know what i would scrapbook. serious talent.)

like the layout. love the boy.

funny smile is right... jaden is crazy and crazy wonderful.

and layout about the roadtrip to CA for CHA last January. not just good times, but great times were abundante.

"Paige, Lindsey, Alisha and I stuffed ourselves into the Prius. First big stop was St. George to hit the local In & Out. Then straight onto Vegas. We wondered until our feet failed us. The suite we slept in was nice, but not our final destination. Califorina called, CHA was the place to be. We saw Paris Hilton and so much crafty goodness it overwhlemed. An afternoon was spent on the beach, maybe our favorite. Although Disneyland was a day not soon to be forgotten. Really, my favorite part was spending a great vacation with great friends!"

Post Scirpt. All the layout shown above and the first in this post are made from kits soon to be at Micheal's and Hobby Lobby... they also happen to be on the back of the packaging.

the creating room

I and my studio were featured on the AC blog this week... but I thought I would give you the extended tour.

anyone interested?

ok. well... we will do it anyway.

(please excuse the photos. it was dark (early morning) and i am playing with actions WAY to much.)

the room when you walk in the door. it is a basement room, pretty small and packed to the gills. my goodwill table takes up most of the room. and the last survivor of the great kitchen chair debate.

 

this is my current project. a commission with a hard color palette, but I think it is turning out ok..

 

a few more hours and they should be done... thoughts?

 

when you clean up the paint for a quick photo shot, this is what appears. my closet is VERY full (as you can see) but pretty organized. at least i tell myself.

photos are in shoe things from ikea. paper in racks... best purchase ever! but i feel like there is wasted space above them... any ideas?

 

i have a few addictions. pretty paper being on of the minor ones...

 

cheap but beautiful yarn being another. and no... i don't know how to crochet or knit. and yes i know i have a problem.

on the next wall is my prize procession... bright yellow lockers. thanks again Lori!

 

fabric in the lockers. color coordinated. guess which color i have to have two lockers for!?! i promise it wouldn't be your first guess...

 

oils hang on the closet organizer in ikea tins. color coordinated.

 

i make HUGE messes when i paint with oils... and yet i can't give them up.

 

i do keep acrylics and watercolors handy... just in case. and yes, those are color coordinated also. i store them in my goodwill bright red tool chest.

 

on the shelf are various containers (most from goodwill and clearance racks) with odds and ends.

love odds and ends.

 

small ribbon pieces. color coordinated.

 

and ribbon on spools. color coordinated. justin made me this great frame with molding and masonite.  i painted it with chalkboard paint and orange happiness around the edges added some old door knobs... and i was happy.

 

under the frame is an old box for my books. half are fun, half are for tea staining. (all my paintings. ar backed in books.)

then are the thickers. now before i show i would like to ask you not to judge me. at least to harshly.

 

some of the box is rub ons... and a few stickers.

 

but it is all American Crafts.

i know i have a problem. let us move on...

 

this is my bin of stuff to put away. it is full. guess the put away part of the plan is hard for me.

 

my flowers... 3d and otherwise.

 

3 of 4 "inspiration" boards. they are really just pictures of people i love, project notes, quotes and tons of chinese fortune cookies.

the tv was a christmas present... justin was sick of me bring me all my stuff into the tv room. he is a problem solver.

 

 

i found an old frame and stapled chicken wire on the inside. house from AC decorates clothespins which hold everything up... I want to make one for my jewelry, just can't find the right size of frame.

 

this is where i keep my inspiration. one for house projects/crafting. one for scrapbooking. and one for painting. guess which one is for painting... hehe

 

i have even taken over part of justin's music room. the desk i moved out of my craft room was suppose to turn into something he could use for his projects.

it obviously hasn't happened yet.

my to do list is long.

i hope you will come in person soon... i LOVE to have people over, keeping me company and creating stuff i can copy.... come one, come all.

for sure... but said like a gangster.

as stated previously my mom rocks.

like a rock star.

she is an amazing gardener. see...

and GOOD LOOKIN'!

close up

far away.

oh and...

here is the article in the Daily Herald.

As the first calendar day of summer inches nearer, Utah Valley gardeners have begun to see their labors rewarded. Roses and other flowers are blooming, the trees have leafed out and the shrubs and bushes are showing the good effects of that early spring (or late fall) trim with the pruning shears.

That's why right about now, while outside temperatures are pleasant, is a fine time for the 14th annual Hidden Garden Benefit Tour. The tour, which will be held June 12-13 at locations around Utah Valley, is presented by the Utah Valley Healthcare Foundation and raises funds for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.

The 2009 tour includes 14 private gardens in American Fork, Alpine, Highland, Lindon, Orem and Pleasant Grove. During the tour, ticket holders are invited to stop by private homes and wander around the yard, looking at all of the cool things that will grow in the local climate with a little patience, and the touch of the master's (green) thumb.

Some of the people whose gardens are in the tour might not choose the word "master" to describe their gardening skills. You might say that they have a knack for cultivating modesty.

"We're just amateurs," said Alpine resident Kathy Field. "We don't hire professionals except to mow the lawn."

Orem gardener Penny Bird said that she's merely an "experimenter" who likes to plant, nurture and see what comes up. "I'm willing to try almost anything," she said. "I don't have a specific plan."

And Lindon resident Cheryl Nixon said that she's really not sure why her garden was of interest to the tour. "I don't have anything that's really incredible," she said.

Some of the gardens on the Hidden Garden tour are relatively youthful. Monette Magleby, who lives in Alpine, said that her property has only been landscaped for two years. "From the looks of the trees, you'd never guess that," she said. Thanks to successful transplanting, there's even a 50-year-old tree on the property.

Other gardens are more like that of Bird. "I looked out the window one day about 15 years ago," Bird said, "and thought, 'My back yard is boring.' It was completely unused."

You can't put just any old green thing into the ground and expect it to grow in Utah Valley. Within the natural restrictions of climate, however, there's nothing to limit the type and variety of plants you'll see on the tour but the imagination of the gardeners.

You may even harvest a few good ideas for your own home landscaping. Nixon said that looking at other people's gardens often gives her ideas for her own. "It's always nice to pick somebody else's brain," she said -- or, you know, at least their planter beds.

If you grow

What: 2009 Hidden Garden Benefit Tour

Where: Visit 14 private gardens located around Utah Valley

When: Noon to 8 p.m. on June 12; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 13

Workshops: Ticket holders may attend free gardening workshops both days at Central Utah Gardens, 355 W. University Pkwy. in Orem.

Prizes: Mystery plant contest challenges visitors to find certain plants at each garden; prize drawings also will be held.

Cost: $13

Info: (801) 357-7600 or intermountainhealthcare.org/about/giving/uvfoundation/events/HiddenGarden/Pages/Home.aspx

How does your garden grow?

There are 14 private gardens to be seen during the 14th annual Hidden Garden Benefit Tour. To give you a taste of what's in store, the Daily Herald asked for details about four of them.

Nixon Garden (Lindon)

• Gardener: Cheryl Nixon

• Style: Cottage garden

• Gardener's pride: Tri-color beech

There are neatly trimmed boxwoods along the front walk of the Nixon home, but Cheryl Nixon, 50, said that she likes to be a little bit more freewheeling with most of her gardening. "I have little areas that are a bit more formal," she said, but mostly she just enjoys trying things out here and there.

There are lots of annuals (plants that only last a single growing season) in the yard -- Nixon said that she probably spends about $500 a year on annuals. And though she has a weakness for delphiniums, her gardening consists of far more than working with a couple of favorites. "There are probably a million things planted back here," she said.

Though she enjoys it all, Nixon said that her tri-color beech trees are especially impressive right now. She occasionally works a few hours at Hyde Park Nurseries in Orem, but only so that she can feed her gardening habit. "I never make a paycheck," Nixon said. "I just take home plants.

 a cheesy photo, but she said they made her do it.

rules for my unborn children...

i found a great blog... 1001 rules for my unborn son. soon to be a book.

here is my list. (a few are his, a few are mine.... but all rules apply to me, and any children i have- male or female.)

1. if you drive a classic car, know how wrench it. 2. follow Instructions when putting together furniture, question them the rest of the time. 3. do one thing everyday that scares you. 4. don't be afraid to ask. asking never hurt. 5. when shaking hands, grip firmly, and meet their eye. 6. dance like you mean it. 7. take time to learn an instrument. 8. no such thing as over dressing. there is such a thing as under dressing. 9. avoid gossip. 10. let burgers cook on the grill. the more you play with them the less juicy they become. 11. talent is learned. take the time to learn. 12. remember the compliments, forget the insults. 13. don't waste time with a fancy watch. 14. stand up for the little guy- they will remember. 15. be patient with your parents, this is also their first go. 16. an hour with your grandparents, is an hour well spent. 17. don't gamble. on anything. 18. you are what you do, not what you say. but be careful about what you say anyway. 19. think before you act, but don't wait for the perfect solution. 20. travel. 21. look for a persons best quality, and remember it no matter what happens. 22. create. 23. "on matters of style swim with the current. on matters of principle, stand like a rock." thomas jefferson 24. keep your eye on the ball and follow through... in sports and in life. 25. eat more veggies. 26. write thank you notes. promptly. 27. learn to tie a tie AND a bow tie. 28. shower. often. 29. when in the woods, be quiet. 30. when hiking, then person going up hill has the right of way. 31. no one likes a know-it-all. 32. trust your mother. on most things. 33. don't litter. EVER. 34. work hard to remember birthdays. 35. give a thoughtful gift or no gift at all. 36. "take it easy, but take it." woody guthrie 37. vote, but don't tell others how to vote. 38. honking your horn doesn't make them drive faster. 39. don't call people before 9am or after 9pm. 40. don't be reckless with hearts. your or others. 41. son's- offer your seat to a woman, no matter how old she is. daughter's- offer your seat to any one older then yourself, male or female. 42. be your siblings best friend. 43. play an organized sport. 44. you can't always be the strongest or the fastest. you can the toughest. 45. call me. often. 46. take time to understand nature, then you can't help but respect it. 47. know TONS about your surroundings. if don't, take a guide. 48. be afraid of heights, but don't let it stop you. 49. be active everyday. 50. seek God. 51. simple is beautiful. 52. tip a minimum of 15%. always. everyone has bad days and who are you to judge. 53. work in a service industry at least once and pay attention to what you appreciate, then always to the same. 54. don't spend to much money on a hair cut. they don't last. 55. wear sunscreen. 56. run for student government once. 57. keep up on current events, but know the funnies are the only must-read of the newspaper. 58. keep your word. 59. don't be a mooch. 60. never criticize a book, play, film, or gallery show until you have read it or seen it yourself. 61. learn to sail, rappel and rock climb. 62. when on vacation enter at least one museum or art gallery. 63. moderation in ALL things. 64. nothing good happens after 2 am. i promise. 65. sit in the front of the classroom. 67. cheering at a sports game is the only appropriate time to raise your voice. 68. don't show off. impress. 69. live with your means. be beholden to no one. 70. make sure your clothes fit well.  71. get dirty once a week. 72. don't loiter when the dispute doesn't concern you. 73. never pack more then you can carry yourself. 74. offer to carry others bags. especially mine. 75. have a hangout. 75. take the stairs. 76. when in doubt wear a tie. (sons and daughters) 77. on a road trip, offer to buy the first tank of gas. 78. donate to goodwill. 79. shop at goodwill. 80. don't assume others will appreciate your musical choices. wear headphones. 81. it is ok to dork out to good music. in your bedroom. 82. spend time with your parents. we are cooler then you think. 83. be a good listener. don't just wait for your turn to talk. 84. yes ma'am. no sir. no exceptions. 85. start a band. 86. despite what you may hear, not everyone is a winner. it doesn't mean you shouldn't play. 87. read often and widely. keep your favorites, donate the rest. 88. if you don't know what something means, ask. 89. don't lose your cool. a bridge once burned is twice as hard to rebuild. 90. some rules are meant to be broken. know the difference. 91. if it annoys your mom, it annoys your friends. 92. offer your name when meeting someone. even good friends can be forgetful. 93. if you can call, don't text. 94. go all out for Halloween. 95. dance with your partner, not at them. and ask your mother to dance. 96. traveling to a foreign place is an opportunity to dress up. not down. 97. try a hair style you will one day hate. but not before family pictures. 98. be confident on the subway. 99. try not to carry a map when you travel, but don't be afraid to ask the locals. 100. it is ok to have bad days, but everyone else doesn't need to hear about it. 101. go to dinner and the movies by yourself on occasion. 102. the best thing to do in the rain is be quiet and listen. 103. know the proper time to chew gum, it is less then you think. 104. brush your teeth 2x a day and floss. 105. be cool to the younger kids. reputations are built over a life time. 106. make curfew. sneak out later. but don't make it a habit, it losses it fun. 107. be afraid of being mediocre. 108. keep your room clean. for me, for your future roommates, but mostly for your future spouse. 109. never leave a job before you have another locked in. 110. always work hard. 111. learn to drive a stick shift. 112. learn to drive a motorcycle. 113. the first time you get yourself arrested, call me. after that it might work better to call your dad or a lawyer. 114. smile and look people in the eye. ugly or beautiful. 115. have a favorite song. don't worry if others like it. 116. freedom is your right, citizenship is earned. 117. don't trust the weather man. be prepared. 118. don't boo. 119. remember "if you are coasting, you are going downhill." C.P. Fulford jr. 120. know how to cook at least one impressive meal. mac and cheese doesn't count. 121. if you aren't a starter stay close to the coach and always be ready to play. 122. ask the waiter his opinion and try something new. 123. limit your time in southern califorina. 124. go barefoot, toughen up those feet. 125. don't salt your food until you've tasted it. 126. be graceful. men included. 127. help your buddy move at least once. 128. when you are a guest, don't compare. 129. wait to boost about projects until they are done. 130. keep your passport current. 131. offer to take a strangers photo. do a good job and do it quickly. 132. hang art work at eye level. 133. don't panic. 134. thank the bus driver and waiters. look them in the eye when you do. 135. design in threes and triangles. 136. identify your most commonly used word and eliminate it. i am working on literally and cute. 137. if you aren't going to enjoy the view, give your window seat to someone who will. 138. when you offer to help, don't quit until the job is done. 139. Sunday is the first day of the week. Wake up, get dressed and set a tone for the rest of the week. 140. watch your language. always. 141. don't drive angry. 142. admit when you are wrong. 143. surround yourself with smart people. and start listening. 144. surround yourself with good people. and start learning. 145. don't be a snob. 146. when you have made your point stop talking. 147. stand up to bullies. yours and others. 148. even pennies add up. 149. don't shout out requests at rock shows... they have a set list in front of them. 150. if you appreciate someone, tell them. 151. they aren't old until they can ski free, but if they are skiing free- they aren't old. 152. dress for the job you want, not the job you have. 153. keep a garden. 154. surprise your dad at the office (whatever he is doing isn't as important as you.) 155. don't surprise others with a visit, give them at least 15 minutes to hide the laundry. 156. take pictures with funny faces, but make sure mom has a few nice smile photos also. 157. 'gratitude is the sign of a noble soul." aesop 158. be optimistic. 159. your birthday is special to me too. 160. always excuse yourself from the table. but don't always give a reason. 161. don't feel guilty if you don't know what to do with your life. just keep searching and moving up. 162. give credit. take blame. 163. write down your dreams.(my live list.) 164. "when things go wrong, don't go with them." elvis presley 165. wake up the same time everyday. 166. know when to ignore the camera. 167. until you've served, no fatigues.168. experience the serenity of traveling alone. 169. visit places you don't speak the language, but make an effort to learn it. 170. furniture is something that shouldn't match. 171. ride in the front car of the roller coaster. 172. never under any circumstance ask a woman if she is pregnant. 173. you marry someone, you marry the own family. but work to become your own family. 174. recycle. 175. know how to handle many different emergencies. 176. spend time in nature, by yourself. 177. don't marry someone who is rude to a waiter. 178. education is worth the scarfice. 179. read your scriptures. 180. have a summer job people envy. 181. find a hero. 182. don't grow up to fast. 183. karma is real. 184. diets don't work, learn control. 185. own a dog, and make them your best friend. 186. the world owes you nothing. start working. 187. beauty magaizines don't have real people in them. and being real is beautiful. 188. sometime you are ahead, sometimes you are behind. the race of life should only be with yourself. 189. apthay isn't beautiful. 190. "if there is no struggle, there is no progress." frederick douglass 191. return your movie rentals on time. 192. collect something. 193. the sun on your face is priceless. 194. give into love. it is worth it. 195. take pictures. 196...

need more... ideas?

this list is a poster in the making...

oh and...

really really.