RVLife Meets Scrapbooking

There are so many times a day I stop and smile, thinking about how much I love the lifestyle we've chosen. Our space may be smaller but it seems easier to keep clean since we have fewer possessions. When we yell, it's not across the house at each other. When the kids are bored, we can send them outside (or threaten them with more schoolwork bwahaha). Our kitchen is now large enough that Ray and I can do dishes and cook at the same time! There is just one piece of my everyday "normal" that seems to be missing and makes my heart pine for the old place,  and that is...

SCRAPBOOKING.

Not that I don't have supplies along for the ride, oh you know I didn't leave home without them! A lot less if them, yes, but I like to think of that as a great reason to (someday) shop for more. No, what I'm talking about is the luxury I had and yes, took for granted, of being able to make a page at the slightest hint of inspiration. With an open door to my craft room and it's fountain of papers, embellishments and adhesives sitting out at the ready, I could easily start a page on a whim and complete it at my leisure. I loved it when my desk was clean and beckoning to me whenever I went to the bathroom, washed clothes, or, well it didn't matter where I was, the room's siren call would not be long resisted!

Now I must be more thoughtful about how I spend my time when it comes to crafting. Despite having more time on my hands than ever before, I must enjoy that time with my family. I must enjoy the great outdoors outside my door as never before! I have very little time when a hefty baby us not in my arms, and as much as I'd like him to help me, I can't have him touching the things I use i.e. adhesives, etc. It's not a sacrifice I mind making, BUT I do miss the 24/7 make fests I've been in the habit of creating for myself the last decade. I feel like so much of this chapter in our family's life story is being forgotten as it goes undocumented. Guiltily I think, "it's up to me to record all this fun we are having!"

All of this pining made this layout even more satisfying to create. It's the first page I've made since we moved into our moterhime, and the first picture of August I've scrapbooked. This little dude has me completely wrapped around his chubby finger and the sentiment on that large sticker is a nod to our connectivity. On his head he has a small hemangioma that his pediatrician told me is part of his placenta that broke off and was absorbed within the womb... so I like to think we share a special bond and cherish him all the more because of it ♡

So what gets in the way of your creativity? Is it physical, mental, or a combination. I urge you to break the block and "make" some time to follow your passions! Thanks for stopping to get crafty with me today,
♡

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

The Hunt for Chestnut-ctober

 'The last three years, we have gone down the road to our pickin' grounds to see what we can forage from the underbrush. Poking about is so rewarding!" 

 

Tender Loving Care Remembered

Today marks the unfortunate passing of one of my favorite relatives. Aunt Lisa was and will always be remembered as a warm, giving woman who gave generously to many her broad smile and genuine laughter. As a teacher, she touched the lives of many. As a cherished wife and dependable mother, she will always be missed. As my cousins continue to mourn her too-soon passing, we look to the moon and hear her voice, rich and full of love, saying as she often did, "I love you to the moon and back... and so much more."
Seeing Kaitlyn Hermson's vibrant photo posted on the Key Peninsula Facebook page one morning, I knew it would be the perfect pairing to a heartfelt outpouring of grief rendered online by Lisa's daughter just days before.
I chose to hide this journaling just as that anguish is often hidden by her family and friends; there beneath the surface but only accessible to those who seek to share the sentiments expressed.
Losing a loved one reminds me of the light of the moon, which shines both brilliantly in the night sky, illuminating our planet while remaining distant, out of reach, fading in and out of sight as time passes, so do those memories of our departed. Some are too lovely to even bear thinking on... texts, voicemails, personal effects, photos of a life well lived, and a legacy of love and laughter; each are reminders to live every day to the fullest.

If this is a dream...

"Last night I dreamt of San Pedro..."
Well, no not really, last night I actually dreamt of being in my own bed, cradled in my lover's arms. No children ensconced warmly on either side of me, no concern about whether the time of morning awareness being appropriate for rising, and no breakfast to prepare literally looming on the horizon... just me and my honey, alone and in love. Fully awake at the lovely hour of whatever comes before o'dark-thirty, and with my overly sensitive heartstrings twanging, I took a moment to just lay in bed and thank the stars I knew were still out for this golden opportunity I'm enjoying... cause folks, this week the girls and I are living it up on La Isla Bonita, Kauai!
My mom has invited our family on many a vacation since it's inception, but this fall is the first time the girls and I have  been able to join her. This opportunity means so much to me! Number one, my mom is FUN to be around. She's my go-to for going anywhere, really. Wine tastings? Check. Shoe shopping? Check and double check. Scandinavian folk dancing? Oh yeah, we're there!
Number two, I'm simply grateful to still have my mom in my life. Aside from bouts of teen angst interferring with our relationship many moons ago, there was that damn breast cancer she had to go through getting in the way of our entertaining each other last year.
She has been promising for about the last ten years that she would have her ashes spread in Hawaii for no other reason but  than to send me here for an undeniable purpose, but man, am I glad that's not why we're here this week :-)

We are instead spreading smiles. The radiance of our similiar ready-to-share-grins engages both my daughters and the strangers we've met about town, and invites them to participate in the love we share for each other and our shared experiences.

Number three, if I need to put one down, is that, if I'm honest, I've been a little jealous of my in-laws for having had two week-plus vacations spent soley in the company of their son and grandchildren. Granted, they live thousands of miles away most of the year, but STILL. I'm loving it that my mom finally gets us all to ourselves (especially me)!
So here we are, living it up Aloha style- full of love,  full of life, full of spirit(s)... and craft supplies at the ready, of course <3

Towel Talk

 ooo, ooooh, pick my room next!

Raise your hand if you've been on a cruise and were delighted each night by the hand folded towel animals left amongst the once scattered but now nicely arranged items in your cabin? These small creations are such a highlight for many, including me. Including our two girls, and actually, including Ray as well. He even found a very old brochure of how to fancy fold napkins  from a cruise taken in his previous life for me after our return from Alaska in 2012.

Who's my little Polar Bear? Sunny -despite the cold

When we saw the listing in our daily itinerary for the towel folding demonstration onboard the Amsterdam, we ran around trying to locate the theatre, breathlessly arriving to sit on the edge of our seats to see how the magic...unfolded :-) The demo did not disappoint, featured a swan, jelly fish, elephant, dog, and monkey, and also managed to put hubby in a state of needing a nap lol.
 No bother, Rainie got to play with her peers under the supervision of Miss Paula in Club Hal, and Sunny and I explored the ship, splashed our toes in the pool, and then jumped in wholeheartedly after obtaining permission to swim from dad, who cares so much about us as to regulate the amount of chlorine we are exposed to <3  And was it cold, swimming in the frigid waters of Stephen's Passage towards Juneau? YES! But, don't we make the cutest little blue popsicles you ever did see?!
Interestingly enough, the next day there was listed on the itinerary... "Polar Plunging." Been there, done that, or, oooh we can get a certificate saying what we did yesterday was exemplary...
You know we earned the right to be called certifiable with another dip in the glacial, floating ice berg filled waters of Alaska's Inside Passage!

Table Talk

I'm big fan of what comes from Shimelle.com, and this September she is guiding subscribers through a series of prompts that have allowed me to ponder, what New Thing I have learned each day. I sincerely enjoyed using her daily prompts last year to start conversations with my family about what I was learning, as well as what they have or have yet to learn. There are so many stories I have heard as an older person that may have been quite influential had they been told to me as a younger person...but, then again, maybe not! After all, don't most teenagers think they have an edge over "old people?" Hmmm. Anyway, I enjoyed the process of talking at the table with our children about lessons learned and committed to doing the same this year, once the course, open through and to the month of September, opened up.

Committed... that's what I should be, for thinking that I would be able to follow an even more rigid system of recording thoughts and topics, when even last year's section of spiraled notebook paper fell short of capturing the full 30 days. I mean, how many times have I taken a very simple, effective process and transformed it into a completely uninteresting, utterly avoidable task? The answer reader, is MANY. So yeah, I placed divided page protectors in my working scrapbook album, labeled each one with a easy-peel-off label, and even sectioned off a special spot for our trip to Alaska pictures taken last week. All this was done days before the class even started!
And then, I didn't write down more than two or three of the subjects. In a notebook, on in my planner. Not even on the pretty pieces of patterned paper I specifically put in my planner with which I intended to record upon. 'Cause I didn't write out a single story shared. And, truth be told, I hardly shared a bit of what I read in my emailed PDF's nearly every day (I did read the prompt most every day. Well, more days than not) with anyone else, let alone my family members.
All this not doing kind of, bothered me. I started to do the, why did I even do all that work in my album, mumbo jumbo. Creative process interferers are what those sentences are. My month didn't go the way I wanted it to and the intentions I had fell somewhat short. And that's okay. I've learned that every project, even a repeated one, can be unlike another. I didn't stop looking for lessons, I just didn't validate them with recorded verbiage. I felt them occur, more than made them happen, I guess.
My cardmaking is a perfect example of when this works well in my life; not only can I hardly create two very similar cards, two made to be exactly alike is practically unfathomable. That's actually what makes them valuable to me... each one is made with a person or story in mind at the time. I want each recipient and or sender to feel they have the perfect thing in their hand, to feel reached for, remembered. Which brings me to another great example of creating without standards of exactitude; my scrapbook pages. I can follow the exact same pattern/template/sketch or what have you, but depending on which photo, patterns of papers, color schemes, and embellishments are combined, the feeling of the writing, the wording of the title, etc- they will all work towards a new look that is unique to the layout and not the sketch followed.
So, back to my not following the "rules" for Learning Something New Everyday, which Shimelle repeats, are not in existence. Sitting at the breakfast table with my family on our second day at sea, cruising toward the capital city of Alaska (pictured in the previous post), I laughed when I realized the East Indian family sitting behind me had their very own "Food Saver" brought from home being dished onto the husband's meal.
"Food Saver," you ask? Well, most of know someone who just has to have some Thing on their food to make it palatable- be it black pepper, salt, tobacco sauce, ketchup, etc. My honey has constantly changing add-it-to-all; past inclusions being ginger, nutmeg, Dijon mustard(s), and, for this trip, the cayenne pepper. The food saver! For any meat not spiced well or at all, for the eggs cooked any which way, for a dash of hot lemon water cleansing, or maybe even for fake on the spot tearing up of the eyes! Okay, the last two were just things I thought of :-)

I shared this story of following along in the class, attempting to learn something new each day, the food saver moniker, the laugh I had as I pondered the opportunity to share this very post's contents as I had hoped to do... at the breakfast table, with my family, learning with each other, that sometimes, a simple taste from home can make you feel as if you've not left it.
Then we shared the tale with the subjects, and our new friend Raj's delectable addition was, (wait for it)
 

 Pickled Mangoes, made from scratch and brought home from he and wife Sheila's most recent trip to their ancestral home of India. Sometimes, a lesson to be learned is right where you are! I might mention, I also learned in speaking with this most delightful couple, that unlike English, or French, their native language is, for the most part, pronounced phonetically. Interesting, AND handy to know!

So, do you know the capital city of the great big state of Alaska? Comment below!

 



Open Roads

Ventured over the pass last weekend to scout out some possible over winter residents. Our destination: somewhere around Cle Elum. I'd only found out the weekend before that all the hotels in the area were booked, so we knew we'd be camping, but where was to be determined.
Growing up, our family often pulled into a more hospitable campground than Mother Nature usually provides... not at all in terms of scenery, but definitely a campground is preferred when small children are about. Nevertheless we took our chances camping off the state land and were pleasantly satisfied with the conditions, site, and view at our camp.
The rushing roar of the river drowned out any noise and provided a blank backdrop for Rainier's guitar and song singing to fill the air. She strummed that thing over rocks, down to the river's edge, from atop a creosote-soaked bridge... I was impressed! "Sixteen Tons" amongst the boulders walking back from a hike was epic.
Soon enough we'll find out if Moe or Stoney, above will be rooming here for the winter. Their friend Rio is a perfect match for our pony Chippy, though, and regardless it'll be fun having them. High Country Outfitters runs trail rides, group overnights, and girl's camp all summer and leases a portion of their well-trained herd mules and horses out to riders from fall to spring. The owners, Stacy and Brian invited us up to peruse their wares so to speak.
It would have been really hard to choose but I had fallen for Stoney before we left after seeing him online, and Moe and Ray bonded- you can guess how that went. We're lucky to be able to afford this opportunity and I'm looking forward to getting more comfortable than I've ever been, riding and just being around the horses in general. Rainie and I have been riding Chippy a bit but I'm learning to recognize my weaknesses.

 

Guesting on Shimelle.com with Washi Tape Tricks

I've always been drawn to washi tape. Ever since it's debut, I've enjoyed it's versatility, layering it beneath and over patterned and plain papers, using it to adhere or cover embellishments, adding a bit of grounding to a cluster or a pop of color to a corner with a tiny tear of fabulousness. You know how sometimes a bout of inspiration hits you so hard, you almost get a vision of how your layout might turn out? After a recent washi-swap, I came home with a clear but now colorful acetate sheet of shared strips, and it occurred to me; those punches and branding strips I hoard but rarely use could be used in a new fangled washi way to create some cool, custom embellishments and layers on this page documenting a recent road trip with my family. Lucky for me, all these little doo-dads came together just as I had envisioned it :-) 

Thanks a lot to Shimelle.com for asking me to guest artist on her blog today!  

P-p-p-punch it, punch it real good!

 I started by spritzing Mr. Huey's in Opaque White onto textured orange cardstock, and while that was drying, I cut a double photo mat for my photo from the A and B sides of Shimelle's Earhart and a square block that would be hidden by that photo grouping from the background. I'm a #papersaver; it'd be used later to customize an already cute chipboard shape with stamping and a layered die cut globe image by Tim Holz. I love to make my sheets go the distance, what can I say!? 

Cluster of Embellies at top right of page

Now for some more fun; alternating those branding strips from Simple Stories' I Am collection with WeR Memory Keepers aptly named Road Trip, and more left overs from Shimelle's first delightful line of papers. From among my new washi tape treasures, I tried punching some sentimentally appropriate hearts from a wide gold polka dot pattern of tape and the new We Are Family washi tape strips, also from Simple Stories. I ended up using a popular EK Success border punch with a thinner black and white polka. It's awesome when we can use those tried and true tools and still get excited, no?

 

So many details in such a small space

 In some places you can see the paper background peeking through- Love that look! However, when placing the photo block over all of those horizontal lines, I felt there wasn't the kind of balance going on that leaves me feeling satisfied, so I added weight to the photo by cutting into a photo strip printed overlay, also from Shimelle, and layered that into my photo mat block. To fulfill my visual triangle needs, there is a cluster at the bottom left and top right which echoes many of the sentiments expressed elsewhere in this page's embellishments. By the time I handwrote part of the title and laid down those gorgeous American Crafts Imprint Thickers, I knew this would be a treasured layout, even without a lot of details provided through journaling.  

In Tegan Skwiat's example, she used plain paper to back her tape before punching, and I'll be honest, the clear acetate sheet did not give me a clean look- and I'm okay with that. Just like using ephemera and products with brand names that relate to my story, having a bit of the imperfect represented on this layout reminds me more of my "why" for celebrating this fun day alongside my mom and brother with a place in my scrapbook. It was our first road trip together, just the three of us, in ages, and I enjoyed it so much. The creative energy we ended up sharing, the laughter, seeing my brother trying not to enjoy making greeting cards and shopping for scrapbooking supplies, the unwanted advice-giving, ... yep, these are the perfectly imperfect moments that I want to remember in my family's (many, many) albums. 

Sing it with me now, "We Are Fam-i-ly...:
Photo Credit: Kelsey Brown

 

 Pop over to Shimelle's site and take a look at my finished page. And, craft happy, friends!

 

 

 

Table for One

Mi abuelita gave me this handmade table topper, and three smaller ones. I reaaaallllyy miss her, and plan to phone her in the morning to say just that. It's nice that I have been able to share the days without her amongst a  small circle of family and friends that support me with their time.  Being able to care for them was something I came to realize meant a lot to me, it was an experience in frustration to not be the one doing everything! Just goes to show, I continue to learn from this trip even after it's conclusion. 
&....
I've been scrapping up a storm to boot! I'm working with a stacked pack of wood grains and kitchen themed papers, and the colors are all warm and the photos will be cherished all over again when my family finally sees them and hears the stories that accompany the 4x6s.


Note to self: share that completed album in a share video!

Triste Times Two

 Mismo Mujeres

 

"You are my favorite Hello and my hardest Goodbye..."

Truer words could not be found for the way my heart feels at having to depart from mi abuelita's casa this morning. We were all up early in anticipation of this being our last desayuno together. The poor dear even slept in her clothes and shoes so that she would be able to race her walker out to say goodbye should she oversleep! And truth be told, I pretty much wanted to crawl into bed and hold her all night long. But I think it's better to be invited lol. And if she did ask, I didn't understand it! 

What was easy to understand, was her sadness. My great aunt Allejandra stayed longer than usual to see me off and be of comfort to her, because it was so obvious that she was struggling with the pain of being left alone again. Together we have shared so many poignent moments this week. I told her, (in spanish, can you believe it?!) "We have had already enough tears, and we will have more laughs together, for all I have to do is think of you and I will smile." That she needs to live a long time -as if turning 98 next week is not enough- so that I can bring my daughters and "husband" to meet and entertain and be of help to her as well. That she will always be alive, for she and I are cut from the same natural fibers. I have lived all of these years within her heart, and ahora, es tiempre por mi corazon to crezcan, and make enough room for her to live the rest of my life within mine. And that I will be much better about phoning her, now that I really understand her "schedule." Then, being me, needing to see her smile even as tears streamed down our three triste faces, "Por favor, vaya con mi en mi bolsa- tu es mucho delgado, se que se ajuste a!" And I got the smile I needed to be able to tear myself away...

Why do we let life get in the way of our true heart's desires... it is such an American way to be. Putting aside our concern for each other. Having excuses like, oh they don't really need to see or hear me to know how much I love them, or, they can take care if themselves and would ask for help if need be. Not that the latter isn't true, but it is so much better to be with one another in person, verdad? Hitting "Like" on facebook is only one way to interact with one another and not a very great one at that. Don't get me wrong, facebook allows me to connect with my cousins in a way that my childhood definately did not. I love being able to see my friends and family growing, posts about what they are doing and places they go etc. It is a way for me to feel that I know them...

But wouldn't getting together for even a few moments over the telephone be even better? Wouldn't it be more incredible to accompany my cousins and let our children share more than we did? You know, when I was younger, the greeting cards I made throughout the year would be promptly mailed off or hand delivered. As I have sold more and more cards each month in stores, it has become apparent that I no longer actually send the cards, I make them with the person in mind and then decide that if it doesn't sell before the next seasonal greetings are appropriate, I'll send it then. Isn't that terrible!? The good news is that, as with any recovery process, the first step has been taken with my publicly admitting, "My name is Anna, and I have a problem sending out my greeting cards." Now I can be made accountable, if by no one but myself at least. 

I had to tell my father how happy I was with the time I have spent here these last 8 days. That these trips to see my grandmother have helped my Spanish vocabulary grow immensely. All the years of schooling have not been able to stick, but just 6 days in her kitchen and two with my cousins, and I can say so much and understand even more. I can hardly imagine a better way to learn than in my family's company! Of course, Google translate has my thanks as well because it was so much easier this visit to find the actual words I needed to express myself. 

 Salud!

But even more important, these two visits, last year and this, have helped my heart to grow. I would not say I am a grinch, but I do know the lovely, slightly uncomfortable feeling of a daily expansion within my chest. The awareness of time passed without correspondence only leaves room for improvement in the future. As my cousin Martha recently wrote, "Yes, there were flashbacks...and many tears..." during her visit to Tenamaxtlan and with our family in Tala last year. I am hoping that when I visit again- and I will, I know- I will be happier with my efforts upon reflection. My daughters and family deserve the best of my love; all that I have to give and can help to inspire within the rest of my family and acquaintances lies within my abuelita-inspired, love-filled heart.

I did not say goodbye, but instead that I will see her in my dreams each night- en mis bueno suenos!  

Craft-cation in the Making

 

Date: Mar 18, 2016 7:09 PM

Alright, if you've read even more than one or two posts on my website prior to this week's travel blogging, you've seen enough evidence that could be used against me in a court of law to prove I'm a serious craft-a-holic. I've seen videos of people who travel with a little washi "just in case," and been amazed that I'm not one of them- with a video boast to boot! Whenever I'm in the mood, I love to just pick up a pile of stuff and make something from it. The times I've taken projects to work on while on non-craft-related vacations aren't many, but they are increasing with each opportunity!
While it still didn't amount to much, last year I brought along a whopper of a kit that included mas papel, stickers, etc, and I happily crafted a card for both my father and my uncle while sitting at la mesa de me abuelita. You know I was hoping she would be crafty too but there wasn't a lot of interest shown :-)
This year, days before I left, I was inspired to attack my planners. They keep track of so much that happens in my life, but you know what's funny? I wouldn't have a clue that they were CraftWithAnna related if I were a stranger opening them! And did you notice I said plannerS? Last year I abruptly changed planners is the middle of the year while undergoing some major life changes. So, yes, I have two volumes of life which I'd like to have reflect more of who I am right now in this year.
First inspiration came when I was trying to decide whether or not to even pack the planner that I'm using now, which started in July 2015. Yep, it actually starts in the middle of the year. Pretty cool, huh? So, now that it is March, there is a lot of info in there- but do I need to take six months worth of growing as an individual along in my carry ons? It occurred to me; I could rip out those pages. And... I could do the same thing to the planner I used for the first half of 2015, which I adored because of it's elegance. And it has a purple cover.
Now I have a complete record of my daily documentings for 2015, and I can find a way to bind the two parts together at a future time if I feel the need. Although I love that purple cover, it is debossed with the numbers, 2015... nothing my sharpie can't fix! But inside it also has all the wrong days with dates etc. I figured, I could cover up what ever I want and really decide as I go what I want the days to look like :-) Such freedom can be overwhelming though... 
Back to my dreams of toting washi around and what I brought along for this trip: multiple colors of thin tape (adhesiva), a child size pair of scissors (tijares), and the Maggie Holmes stickers I got the last Creating Keepsakes Convention. They are so cute! But honestly I hadn't brought myself to use a single one in my planner. I guess that means they're multi-functional- in other words, a good buy! I also brought along my first SMASH roller,  which happens to be a date stamp too. A couple other small clear stamps and some brown ink, a bottle of TomBow clear liquid glue, and only about 5 pieces of A2 sized cardstock.
I've really enjoyed my first attempts at jazzing up my documenting style. First of all, I find it very interesting to go back through the days and find I can now remember what I was doing with large gaps of unfilled time. Large gaps existing because of the lack of memory at the time of writing! And I love thinking about the times with my family, especially since I'm missing the heck out of them on this voyage South.
Second of all, it's crafting- Hello! It seems another bonus of starting it while down here, where the days are long and each hour contains so much of doing so little, is that I can fill my calendar with details that are more than just, did the dishes, fed the horse, collected eggs, yelled at _________. Yes, I keep track of when I lose my temper. I like to keep myself accountable, and also to document what I may have been eating i.e. crap sugar foods that may have triggered the angry mom lurking inside me. I like patient, loving mom so much more, and I document when she shines, as well.
Okay, you've read this far, it's time for the bonus bonus round: today, mi abuelita inquired about the contents of my ziplock o'craft. Whoooop! I think she actually wanted to try some stamping lol. & She may just get her chance!

Learning the Language of Love

Wow, there really is nothing like being immersed in another language. Have you ever had the chance? Let me tell you, it takes a bit of confidence and a lot of desire. Being out of one's normal environment, having no one to ask for clarification about what you hear or what you say, and wanting to keep trying even when it feels like one big epic fail. Or at least, those are some of the emotions/reactions I'm dealing with  :-)
Despite my efforts to prepare in advance by trying to learn more Spanish than I felt I had the last trip out, I still falter for understanding and for how to express my answers when I actually do know what is being asked. I'm really glad my dream was just to be able to sit and hold hands with mi abuela, and not to have long drawn out conversations about the history of our family, or I would have been even dissappointed! Oh, the words I thought I had learned though... why are they so quick to fly from my thoughts when I try to recall them?!
I love knowing that my grandmother doesn't get so frustrated with my attempts that she stops our talking. Nope, she chatters away in her sweet but scratchy voice with a smile, starting with a hug hello in the morning and ending with a "buenas noches mija!" just before I turn off the light. Over cafe en la manana, we smile and exclaim about los pan deliciosos, about la temperatura de cafe ("Mija, tu cafe no es caliente! Si, Abuelita eta bien por yo!") y de leche, which she thinks  I want, even though I told her it makes my stomach hurt. Or did I..? Again, it is hard to know what I say back, what she can hear, etc. Yet, last night and today we bonded over the same things that people all over the world connect with no matter the culture- food preparation.
Last night we agreed to cook some vegetables, including the papas y ajo, bollo, tomate, y chayote, a native invasive vine that produces a yummy yummy fruit. Boiled, it's sort of like a potato in consistency and a zuccini in taste. She had one on the counter when I arrived with spikes on it's rind, and my father picked another from the yard which had a smooth skin. Not sure what the difference is, perhaps it has to do with when it is picked, or there could be different varieties.
After a full two days of travelling, I was hoping to sleep in, and lucky for me I had a chance to sleep in until...7. I almost even fell back asleep- now I know I'm sleepin' at grandmas! Once up, I quietly gathered my cleaning supplies and headed for la cocina. The potatoes when into a pan of agua to boil, but I wasn't sure what to do with the chayote... but I soon learned through verbal exchange enhanced by example :-) It gets the top cut off, diced lengthwise in four, and into a pot of water it goes for a boil. Watch out for those pokey things- ouch! When it's cooked to completion, the flesh peels right out of the skin like an acorn squash.  It's experiences in dining like this that make me yearn for the ability to bring home a taste for mi familia.
Since that is really really against the law, I'm content to share these delicious foods with mi abuela en ella cocina. The foods she cooks are so much like mine; chicken, rice, vegetable soup. The exotic inclusions bring as much flavor to the food as her added helpings of the most special ingredient of all, love, do.
Now if I can just get her to understand about the cow's milk... y no mas tortillas, por favor!

Reverse Psychology

Here it is! My latest flick, and the first of 2016! Did you know, I published a total of 22 videos on YouTube last year? If you're hooked into the google, be sure to subscribe to my CraftWithAnna channel, or to this blog, so you don't miss any of the inspiration coming out of my neck of the Key Peninsula woods.
 This month's show has a lot on show; featuring kits I've come to the end of, or were from the end of previous years :-
I've got a mini album for my cousin on the East coast who got married this summer- it used up some of those left over bits and pieces from Simple Stories and the Story of Us. Using the smaller 6x6 paper patterns makes it easy to fill a small project like this with appropriately sized items. One of my favorite pages is the one where I fussy cut around little frames and adhered them around a photo collage...gonna have to make idea come into a 12x12 page (and yes, I did just give myself permission to scrapbook)!

Then we move into documenting the more recent affair of Thanksgiving. I love that picture of my grandma, beaming from a still shot within my share video. There isn't anything I don't feel I can share with this gracious gal- in Norwegian, we call our grandmother's "Bestemor" and she really is the best! Every year we have her at the table is a blessing in itself. I only wish we could include ALL our long distance relatives in the festivities!

Check out my previous posts to see how the accompanying layouts turned out, and let me know- what are you scrappin about this week? Are you already onto week two in your Project Life? Still getting over the mountain of Christmas pics hurdle? Or maybe you're dreaming of an upcoming retreat to catch up at... leave a comment below or in the video, I always love to hear from you.

Tonight my two assistants will be accompanying me to the Red Barn for a painted lettering class I'm teaching the teens. Here is a version of the quick watercolor I did this morning to prepare- it's actually not this color at all, I was playing with my phone's photo editing apps again. I think it's so cool to see how an image would look if you had chosen completely different images or colors... a trick  I hope you'll notice I'm embracing in my scrapbooking too. I would have never guessed I'd become that woman who creates an awesome visual and then clears it all away to start over. Call me Ms. Etch-A-Sketch, because I've done it twice already this year!

Now, are you feeling the need for shop retail therapy? Click these links to EmbellishKits.com or EmbellishOnline.com for all your paper crafting "needs-" and tell 'em Anna sent you!

 And here's that stop motion card making video I referenced in this month's release:
 

A Tree With Windblown Trimmings

Day 8 of our Journal Your Christmas prompted remembering invites us to explore our Christmas tree trimming memories.


PNW screenprinting in action at the
 Nordstrom Holiday Party

I think back and see the twinkling of the personalized ornaments made to commemorate each Christmas that my brothers and cousins and I received each year from our aunt and uncle.
 I smell the fresh pine of our live tree inside, mingling with the cast iron tea pot of potpourri, the smoke of logs burning in our woodstove beneath, and the sweet, spicy, and oh-so- special cinnamon candle in a tin, brought out this time of year and lit exclusively by my mom.
 Almost forgot- the music! The well known and loved sounds of the season! No decorating party would be complete without them... because, It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... deck the halls with boughs of holly... and soon enough, we'd be rockin' around the Christmas tree!
Out of concern for our children's exposure to toxicities, I am usually the one to take care of hanging the decorations now, and our tree is usually outside to keep busy hands from exploring those hanging baubles, so I am content with capturing my daughter's gaze of adoration through the window.


With eyes shining with wonder,
she gazed in delight~
No tree that I'll trim
will shine nearly so bright.

No soundtrack for this moment; instead, I hear the memorable voice of my German step-dad singing proudly O Christmas Tree in his native tongue...
and, I smell the faint scent of our animal pens and think of Mary's first moments with her new baby ♡

As Pastor Dan Whitmarsh commented Monday morning to our MOPS group; having a baby-in a barn- probably a little messy. Even if it was God's son!
A windblown tree may need to be up-righted more often, it may look a bit soggy, but it's twinkling lights shine even brighter against the black backdrop of night. Without worry of small hands touching, it invites observation, reflection, and dreams of what may still come this holiday season.
Hoping your tree is just as inviting,
(but if it's not, maybe a Welcome to Christmas ornament is in need) ~Anna

Goodbye, Carrot

Our beloved family dog, Carrot, an eager red heeler, passed away Monday evening...it was very sudden and tragic but our family has accepted the loss with as much love as we can show for our friend. Thankfully, we were watching my parent's dog; having Rex around really made it easier to transition back to a one dog house hold.

Keep Smilin'

Carrot was really sweet. When I first met Ray, I loved how she would heel to a sharp "Ch!"  She loved the girls and was fiercely protective of us on our walks and runs and bicycle rides. When ever a car would come she would stand right next to us with out a leash. If you've ever had a dog that doesn't do that, you know what a wonderful quality that is in a dog.

She was my dance partner when I got wine-y. And I liked having her trotting around beside me as I ran errands around "the farm." I'll be the first to say I won't miss her signature presents left in just the most walkable places. I will miss her signature smile though. And the way she would clean up for me around the house with food and kids. I never had to put any mat down unless she was on vacation somewhere! Mornings in the kitchen are not the same. She had a hearty appetitive and ate healthy like us :-) Rex and Spunky, aka "Tata," aka "Little Rat Dog" (mine) are not into their fruits and veggies! One funny thing about her, she wasn't very good at catching food when I threw it at her- it would bounce right off her head or straight to the floor. Could have been some pitcher-related erring involved though hehehh.   

We had  nice ceremony in the front yard for her; she is buried within a scoop of poop's throw from the front porch. For a few days we'll have a chair out there that the girls can sit in if they want to visit her. There is a stunted red maple tree nearby and I sprinkled a few of it's rusty purple leaves within a circle of stones above her- a few carrots are within licking distance down below.
Just after we put her to rest, the sad news of my friend's little Chihuahuas' passing hit my fb newsfeed. I was tagged as Auntie, and that really made me break down, honestly. I really loved that little dog! I remember the first time I (or anyone else) saw or got their first glimpse of "The Woo." She was super tiny and had a big old bug eyed head and could lick right up in between your fingers if you didn't keep them closed tight. Someone once asked if she was a real gremlin... but really she was adorable and super sweet. But she had grit, too; you look over, and here she is, guarding a bone as big as her body ...always a moment of hilarity. Even after being in a terrible car accident, she lived far beyond what she might have if not for the fact that as a dog loved by an entire community, she continued to thrive and allow people to love her. I realized Carrot was a truly loved dog, all of the supportive comments that came with our own "announcement" online helped me to remember that losing friend is never easy, and so we must focus each day on loving those around us and contributing to society honestly and from the heart, as you never know what can happen the next moment. Live, love and laugh, REPEAT!
If you aren't crying yet, I leave you with the words from a sentimentally appropriate and classy classic song,

And I never thought I'd feel this way
And as far as I'm concerned
I'm glad I got the chance to say
That I do believe, I love you

And if I should ever go away
Well, then close your eyes and try
To feel the way we do today
And then if you can remember

Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for

Well, you came in loving me
And now there's so much more I see
And so by the way
I thank you

Oh and then for the times when we're apart
Well, then close your eyes and know
The words are coming from my heart
And then if you can remember

Keep smiling and keep shining
 I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for

Read more: Dionne Warwick - That's What Friends Are For Lyrics | MetroLyrics

 

Crafter's Retreat

I finally used that cork! and those stickers! and it looks
AWESOME

bonding with grammaD and increasing flexibility too



Rainie, my mom, and I were able to attend our first overnight crop together. My friend Lynn from church got me in with this group and this is the second time I've taught at their retreat. Now that my oldest daughter is nearing 5, she's to the point where an all day, 24 hour craft sesh (or two) is not unappealing to her, and with her level of endurance I knew she'd be up for it if the other ladies wouldn't mind her being there. After we got the okay, sent in our reservation fees, and confirmed our plans with dad, it was all she could talk about. In fact she was so excited that it made me excited to go all over again each time the subject came up. The idea of letting grandma make us breakfast while we made cards first thing when we woke up in the morning just delighted her (and I). 


CraftWithAnna TP Roll Mini Album by Barbara

I had also sent out an email offering the recipe for a fun CraftWithAnna class. I kept it a surprise, but it turned out to be Toilet Paper Mini Albums. These are really cute, economical to make, and hey it's fun to save the toilet paper rolls and pretend you're going to do something with them. Rainie would be teaching her first public class, TP roll Owls, made with a variety of circle punches and those same multi-purpose  cardboard tubes.
Her class was a hit, but her favorite students arrived just after it concluded- so she got to do it again! My aunt Lisa and her mom, Ivy made the trek to join us at Valley Camp above North Bend. The scenic location offered us some beautiful fall backdrops and we went on a family photo shoot walk before lunch. All of us out enjoying the brisk breeze as it swirled cascades of autumnal toned maple leaves in every direction. Now that we are all sporting less than shoulder length hair, that didn't bother us too much but Rainie's long strands kept blowing around her face. Coupled with her bright blue eyes and the corduroy jacket she sported, the photos I took are going to be really fun to set on patterned paper. Hmmm, maybe the left overs from the upcoming November EmbellishKits.com 2, double paged layout kit will find a home? I've got pictures in mind for the two pages that directions are provided for, but before I get into November's goodies, I'm going to make some wedding cards with the August 2014 cardmaking kit, which features beautiful black, white, and woodgrains from Simple Stories. I've been doing a fair amount of facebook stalking and unauthorized saving of pictures of my families when they post, and I hope to use that kit's dazzling array of die cuts to embellish a wedding themed mini album for my cousin Lori.
I'm falling behind a bit on my project list as I anticipate an upcoming craft fair I've committed to. Good thing I've got those handy planner pads and note pads from WriteItDesigns.com to keep track of my obligations! I finally decided it must be the pressure of having my art judged under holiday wanderers that keeps me from getting anything done... but I was able to create enough cards this weekend that I no longer feel the need to make my products fit witin a 4.25x5.5" perimeter.  After today I'll be focusing on getting the tools part of my display set up, the card rack I've never used, packaging all my cards and stuff like that, so I'll be hard pressed to finish the edit on my kit preview videos. But if you're a subscriber on YouTube, you'll get first rate notification on all my latest releases. So just do yourself a favor and hit that red rectangle next time you're watching a CraftWithAnna video.
I hope to find a few moments to dabble in Mixed Media canvas'... as if my list of to-do's isn't long enough, I want to throw in some modge podging lol. I'd better get started for the 15th time today...Until next time, friends~ Stay Crafty!

 

We're crafty and we know it!

 

 



Here's a paper sampler that's so cute, it's SCARY

DIY Door Decorations

Fall is a fun time to decorate your entry way, right?  The Friends of the Key Center Library sponsored a fun, free, Family friendly event last weekend, and we had a blast creating our own door decorations. With the generous donation of supplies from one of my favorite scrapbook suppliers, Queen & Co., we were all set up with patterned papers, twine, and washi tape galore to decorate with.

Just look at these smiles! And imagine my own :-D

My older daughter Rainie was along to assist with any of the younger kids, and we were having quite the time by ourselves, waiting for our first victims er, participants :-)

Soon enough, our first family came in and we all got down to the business of crafting up a storm! Then I had the pleasure of a repeat CraftWithAnna student, and his sweet enthusiasm for repeating back info he'd gleaned from other classes was the cherry on top of a really fun filled afternoon.

I'm always surprised by how unique everyone's projects turn out. Actually, I always hope they will look nothing like my examples, because then I feel like it's really theirs.

The other part of this class that I got a kick out of was using more of those donated Queen & Co. supplies. You'd never know it, but those are all summer papers we're using! So, take a look through your stash and see if there are some "B" sides that can be used throughout the year. You might just make a surprise discovery of a really right now piece that just has to be used tonight... or maybe that's just what I'll be hoping to do myself~ so go ahead, get crafty!





Let Me Tell You A Story

These pictures show a family out for a brisk afternoon walk. Pretty unremarkable, even with the balanced posing and picturesque background. What they don't show is the story of a mom attempting to capture her darling girls against that lovely brick and wrought iron background while completely blocking the sidewalk. They don't show the group of Gig Harbor visitors trying to make their way past us without interrupting the shot. These pictures don't show a kindly member of the group offering to include mom, her deferring, and his insistence that her smile reflecting those of her children also be captured.
Ah, stranger, thank you for prompting this photographer's joy to be thus recorded!
You know, there is something about this fresh face showing up in my album- having no make up on does not detract in any way from the brilliant beam of my trademark mega watt smile. The selfie "beauty," i.e. softly blurred, filter is missing; all my blemishes (real or imagined) are evident only to my internal knowledge, not in the picture itself. The redness of my cheeks matches my children's and shows that indeed, this spring day had shining skies but a brisk chill still...
Thank you, strange but kind gentleman, for preserving for us the beauty of our happy trio, thoroughly enjoying our day trip to town!

Birthday Card Bonanza

Just had to share these coordinating birthday cards my family created this morning. My cousins son is celebrating his ninth birthday at a football themed party this afternoon. With a couple dollars tucked inside, I'm sure he'll appreciate these even more :-)

Not every family has the time or desire to get scrappy so early in the morning, but my girls and I have no such restriction ideas. Dad, on the other hand, is not so generally inclined. I was happily listening as he misinterpreted my prompt to assist Rainier with her desire to draw a wolf... help her, I reminded him when I saw his hunched form and tightly clutched penciling! She and I were pleasantly surprised by the outcome. He thinks it looks part coyote, but we say, it's 100% awesome!
Her card at top left is turned out so great- I love her use of the sticker at the bottom, the tilt of the vellum birthday cake, and washi tape border with twined buttons layered at the top. Rainie has learned how to interpret the designs of cards she likes pictured in magazines... a great skill for getting past that sometimes monumental task of deciding, What To Make? How many times have we let that question stump us huh?
For my card with the purple background, I turned to a design I use often- that look of a polaroid photo through matting.  I then had the amusing idea to place a square of matted football print paper over a background image of one of those persons. By mounting that scrap in the place of a belly, I was able to tie in with my sentiment inside about not knowing what the future will bring when we hold our children within. This card is for Lil B's mom and dad; I think the parents need to be honored for their dedication to their children as opposed to the kids getting a prize for staying alive another year lol. Both can be considered feats of accomplishment though, of course!
Now we're off to pick up my grandma, who the kids call GG- great grandma :-) She's really excited to join us for the festivities. Getting older, giving up her car, becoming more forgetful... as we celebrate the advncement in age for one member of our family, we remember that she is traveling cautiously but continuously down the other end of that road we call Life. We cherish the times we can spend with each other so much, I know this day ahead will contain fits giggling, barely contained joy, and a lot of hand holding hopefully.
Enjoy your day of Labor free loving!

Family Time

I've received a few invitations to some upcoming Craft-the-weekend away retreats this fall. My fearless artist daughter Rainier has even been invited to accompany me to one that's set in a amongst the hiking trails of the Cascade Mountain range. Interestingly enough, the other takes place in the foothills of the Olympics. The people I've met while attending these events are all really sweet and it's an awesome feeling to be in a room with like minded, artistically inclined women. Sharing the stories that go along with the projects we work on is all part of the fun, and then there are all the snack options too.
 While I'm looking forward to accepting and planning for what I'm bringing along, there is this strange compulsion...to scrapbook as much as I can BEFORE I go! Now, why is that? This is not a new sensation, folks. I mean, if you read 2-5 posts on this blog, you soon realize that the need to create is serious in this artist. And that memory keeping and telling tales to go along with the thousands of photos I take each year comes naturally high up on my list of desired projects.
Year after year, my DF and I travel to the Creating Keepsakes Convention for 2-3 days of papercrafts immersion. And more years than not, I bring a long about 20 premade kits complete with photos, sticker sheets, cardstock, patterned paper and other embellishments like brads, twine or bling. Do I use any of those kits? Sometimes! But more often than not, I end up using the items acquired in the vendor faire or during classes I learn and assist in. If you haven't seen one of my movies before, I've got one that includes a lot of the tips I've learned over the years about packing for a "crop!" Just search for CraftWithAnna on YouTube.

 This layout features pictures taken while chatting
long distance with the East Coast grandparents

Perhaps it is this knowledge that leads to the compulsion I mentioned before. For some reason I now want to eliminate every unused kit in my collection so that I can a. create more kits for these coming events- I gotta use that stash! b., I have to use the stash! lol including photos that I haven't seen for years because they are hidden amongst the plastic bags full of goodies that I also have forgotten I own. c. because the memories fade as quickly as ... hmmm, I know I was going somewhere with that one. :-D

Now, sometimes the pages I end up making don't turn out to be what I would consider award winning presentations. This page I created is really just a bunch of off cuts or scrap pieces I've cut from the other layout I had already made from this homemade scrapbooking kit. The pictures aren't great; they are unedited, feature poor lighting, high contrast of shadowing, and are even blurry. But you know what? They are now in an album. They can be seen again! They tell a tale! And best of all, they have the perspective of appreciation for moments we won't get back included in the journaling.
Another point to this post- I said this layout isn't great... but why isn't it? When I texted this image to a scrappy friend of mine, she thought it looked like it was quilted... what a splendid interpretation. Patchwork becomes patchwork! With a little stitching, either with my pen, or (gasp!) the sewing machine, that look will really come to life.
Oh who am I kidding; this page is already in it's protective cover, and I'm digging through my stash for my next goodie bag of old memories. Hoping you are partaking in a labor of love on this Labor Day weekend- thanks for taking a moment to muse with me!