Tangled Try-outs

In April I was introduced to the simple but fascinating art of Zentangle. I have always loved to draw-by-instruction, and there are plenty of patterns to choose from on the now favorited site I found, TanglePatterns.com, hosted by Linda Farmer.

 

After cutting a few cardstock squares, I grab a pen and go from there. Sometimes I am inspired to try the featured "tangle" from the free weekly email newsletter I signed up to receive, I'm not always impressed by my results, but often times, I am. My pen is not fancy, I've used everything from a blue Sound Credit Union handout to a pink Zig fine-tip marker to a red ball point, and the results are always the same... a small dose of creativity which requires me to flex my skills in a new direction.

 

I have found that the patience required to follow through with each step of the drawing can be challenging, as I generally prefer to spread my creativity over many projects simultaneously (I read more than 3 books at a time for the same reason- I get bored!)

 

I have found that I am more at peace with the possibility of a "mistake" than most. Score one point for the CraftWithAnna indoctrination table! For one thing, hardly anyone you present with a hand drawn item will notice, let alone comment on your boo-boo. Second, in a twisted mass of lines and shading, the distraction of an overdrawn line here or there is simply not relevant to the viewer. Heck, a lot of times, I can't believe I've drawn something so ethereal!

 

In a way, I don't really feel as though it is me that has done the drawing; I'm following the step-by-step patterns largely designed by others, my general array of tools are absent, and my mind sometimes successfully achieves the quiet and reflective mindlessness that Zentangle-ing should result in. Some cards, I can't wait to finish because I'm not enjoying the process, and other cards have to be extended as I just have to continue this adventurous form of  doodling :-) So, it's kind of like the internal, more inclined to follow directions to the letter instead of taking an idea and making it my own ME is at work on these little pieces of art.

 

With the support of Two Waters Arts Alliance, earlier this month I was able to take teach a Meditative Doodling class at my favorite spot to hang with the teens, Key Center's Red Barn Youth Center. Over three one hour sessions, we explored umpteen designs and created some really cool keepsakes including a birdhouse, flower pot, and picture frame. I encouraged the students to give their intriguing doodle-scapes away, but we all laughed about the suggestion each time it was made because, it is kind of hard to do. The overlapping scenes, organic flow of designs worked, rigid encapsulation of each expressed element; well they are all part of the our internal mind-flow, made visible. Except instead of being a jumble of unexpressed turmoil, these tangibly tantalizing tangles hint at the greatest executioner of artistic possibility that lies within each of us.

 

So go ahead, grab a moment, something to draw on, and a pen and try your hand at Zentangle-ing awhile. I can almost promise you, the moment will expand and fill you with a quiet rest that will reside in the future viewing of that attempt. And of course, if you happen to tag a pic of your try with a #CraftWithAnna, I'll be able to applaud you from afar!

 

Continuing Education: Photo Fun With Mini Albums

Scrapbooking is a lot of fun, but ... take it from me, aftar awhile, those albums of 12x12 papers start to take up a lot of room! With over 35 albums stored around our home, looking for storage solutions is something that is a constant thought in my mind, especially when I start a new one.
There are times when I literally want to preserve every single picture from a trip, and while grid style layouts and smaller printed pictures do work in a larger format, I think it's a lot of fun to contain that vacation, family function, or school related event in a smaller, hand held version. Enter my friend the Mini Album.

Mini(ature) albums can contain as many pages as I'd like, and just as much ephemera. Often times I don't bother with protective sleeves, so I'm not limited by size constraints, either. This adds more variety to the overall look. With all the layers, page sizes, and "stuff" stuck on, I find it's a good idea to create with a theme of color to unify the contents and let the photos- the memories- shine.
In a few weeks, I'll be teaching a three week class all about Mini Albums at the Gig Harbor Tacoma Community College campus. You can follow this link: Photo Fun with Mini Albums, or search for class #5689 from the Continuing Education page. Meeting Wednesday nights for a couple hours, we'll create a binding system, choose a color scheme, and then add our photos and memorabilia for a finished keepsake worth sharing.
I'll also go over ways to store these dimensional works of art- but I'm warning you, you won't want to put them away! And you'll find it easier than ever to create a quick gift for a friend, like this birthday card mini album I made for my younger brother. You'll enjoy a fresh perspective on reserving your favorite sets of memories, and come to enjoy scrapbooking on a smaller scale :-)
Tacoma Community College
Gig Harbor Campus
Continuing Education
#5689
Photo Fun With Mini Albums with Anna Bradshaw

4/12/2017 - 4/26/2017
Wednesdays, 6-7:30pm

Letters to Santa

 This week's Christmas festivities included a visit to Santa! While shopping at Michael's the day after Thanksgiving, Rainier started talking about writing her letter to Santa, a task she has learned about through the reading of the Berenstein Bears series. Explaining to little sister that, "we don't put a lot of things on our list, because Santa doesn't have a lot of time to read."

!!!

I don't remember reading that part but of course I thought it was a darling statement. There were many things in the store desired, but we also talked a lot about how useful certain items are, decided that we would carry an item around until we found if there was something we'd rather have. Great advice- if only I could follow it myself!  (I've tried going in without a basket, but that just results in arms overloaded with precariously balanced what nots. Inevitablely the pile collapses to the floor just as it's my turn to pay.)

Sunday was really struggling to let go of a little monster truck she'd snagged from a basket of kids toys. As much as I'd love for her to vroom it all over the house, without knowing where the toy was made, toxicity of the paint etc, she needed to leave it behind! Rainie comforted her by promising to write it in a letter to Santa. A little more than a week later, she still remembered how much her sister wanted that miniature four-wheeling machine, and included it as "truck toy."

Now, some of my readers know that we do a lot of card making in our house. I can't recall a time that we have written a letter as a family... so of course Thursday night she presented Santa with a beautiful card, printed in her mix of caps and lowers, and a cute sticker grouping on the front. She really amazed me with her talent for design balance.

So how many of the Michael's items did Rainier put on her list? Not a single art supply mentioned! The one and only item she wanted was the coral pink dress I did not get her from Kohl's that day. What a surprise! And now I am experiencing that long felt mother's guilt of, do I need to go and get it for her? It's the only item on her list! Or does she learn now that sometimes, we just don't get what we want.

While that is an important lesson, I'm pretty sure this mom will be finding herself in line with a pretty pink dress for a very thoughtful little girl this afternoon :-)

What are your thoughts? Do you remember "the gift that got away?" Ever wish for something so badly you could just not stand to consider that it might not appear under the tree (or on your ring finger!) Leave me a comment and let me know, what's on your wish list this year!

Supersized Scrapbooking

I love scrapbooking supersized photos. They take up pretty much the entire page, and to me that makes it just that much easier to figure out background papers, and embellishment clusters.

In this Superbowl inspired layout, I used a black and white photo of my co-workers dressed up in their Seahawks gear on Blue Friday. I work Saturday mornings, so I printed this photo from an email and took it with me to demo scrapbooking during my Michael's shift. I'm sure my co workers didn't expect to be showing off their style in such a dramatic fashion!

I also uploaded this layout to my TwoPeas gallery, which you are welcome to peruse here.

Mixing up the fonts and using like embellishments really brings the focus to my title and groups of blings, which you'll notice fall in a visual triangle. These are tips I've learned since following one of my favorite scrappers, Shimelle. Check out her tips on scrapping your supersized photos here.

Now, there was a commercial airing close to the Big Game, with the catchphrase of, "its only crazy if it doesn't work." As in, whatever your crazy game day must do activity is, its only crazy if the team loses. Stinky socks, a certain bean dip, or perhaps, as in my case, Scrapbooking !

So no, it is not crazy because we did indeed win :-]

CK Short Circuit!

Oh wow, it seems like its already been a year since last weekend's Creating Keepsakes Convention in Bellevue, but I guess time flies when you're not creating?!

So where to start, the amazingly great time I had catching and creating up with my Dear Friend, the wealth of knowledge I absorbed volunteering in classes taught by craft industry faves, or the inhibiting factors which didn't allow me to make another thing until yesterday afternoon?

I guess the first stop ought to be announcing the winner from my November 1-10th Blog-Hopping 10-Subbie Celebration Comment Challenge:

That sure was a fun way to say goodbye to CK for another year! I managed to make enough acquaintances in two days to hand out the 20+ Artist Trading Cards I made in preparation. So many talented and extremely nice people that I shared supplies, ideas, and most important, laughs alongside.

Megan You Are Ah-may-zing!

 Special thanks go out to my Director of Photography/Grip hahaha. And to Mike at Queen & Co for another year of allowing me to Vanna new products for him, as well as Megan Hoeppner and Shelby Bywater, two of CK's superstars! Also thank you to Melissa Frances, whose PSA and open conversation about her personal breast cancer discovery and recovery changed my view on monthly self-breast exams (DO THEM! MEN TOO!)

#MyTwoYearOldsAFearlessArtist

Well, usually I'm pretty reluctant to let anything get in the way of my usual chores-childcare-craft routine I've got established, but I really did miss my girls while I was away this weekend. As loud as the siren call of all my new kits, pretty papers, stickers, and unfinished layouts was, I ignored it in favor of trying to focus my attentions on my babes. Instead of crafting next to Rainier and offering half-hearted assistance, I stayed on her side of the art den and kept my hands off my stuff. Yuck and Yea at the same time! (Anyone else noticing the same craft hysteria face that Rainier and I are sharing in these photos?)

the lovely Ship Harbor Inn view

My go-to-guy also had oral surgery up in Anacortes on Thursday and he took the kids and I up early Wednesday night, so I had that to pack and plan for. We had a lovely time and his surgery went well, and before we took him to the dentist I even squeezed in a half page layout from a kit DF got me at the last minute. Was able to finish that and another layout with two more in the works while the house was napping yesterday afternoon...

MerryGoRound Love

I promise I will be sharing what I can remember learning over the next couple of weeks and months. Had a lot of brainstorming going on in our hotel room and it will be exciting putting some of those ideas into world-wide viewing portals :-)

Congratulations to my Big Comment Winner, who should be receiving a package in today's post, and for all who followed the contest and participated. You comments all made me feel like a true winner in the craft community!

Contributions Galore

I've been having a blast assembling my contributions for November's edition of DieCutCrazy, the digital magazine I design for. I enjoy creating on an everyday basis, and there is something especially exciting about seeing those efforts amongst the talented team of designers who are also featured each month.

Cards, scrap book layouts, and home decorations accented by cleverly used die cuts can all be found in each edition of DieCutCrazy, available through your iPad and iPhone. The price per month is very reasonable, and inspiration comes at no additional cost!

I'll be sharing some of my past articles here on the blog so stop back by soon!

Remembering Those Berry Good Times

It seems like just yesterday we were walking out the front door (sometimes as early as 7:45) in the morning to gather our fresh berries growing around the yard. Huckleberries, Wild Raspberries, Salmonberries, Slough berries, Blueberries,and of course, Blackberries!
We'd bring them inside and enjoy our pickings with yogurt, on our oatmeal, or just straight off the bush if we found an especially delectable selection!
Well those glory days are in the past, but we'll be able to relive the joys of straight-from-the-bush-consumption whenever we see this scrapbook page. And fall is definately here, and brings with it it's own joys; sweaters, the changing colors of the leaves, muddy shoes, and more, guiltless, time inside for scrappin'!
I hope you enjoy taking a quick trip back in time with me to scrap these adorable pictures of Rainier enjoying her freshly picked wild raspberries. This page came together really quickly, I was working off a sketch which featured three circles and ribbons too. I used Bella Blvd stickers and Echo Park papers, and Basic Grey die cuts, cupcake toppers, and paper backgrounds, too. It was such an easy page to create, I'm thinking of teaching a fall version next month up at Michael's. Let me know if you're interested in signing up!

Slidings more fun with Friends

Even though I have tons of both brads and buttons in my stash, I never think to use them because of my astonishing assortment of bling! I was determined to use many often overlooked products on this page, including paperclips, and whimsical animal stickers. Washi-tape, border stickers, and some pen outlining pulled the focus into the pictures of my girls playing with one of my great teacher friends, Miss Evans.
Isn't summer break from school just about the most looked-forward-to event of childhood? I can remember well all the grand road trips across country, visiting relatives and seeing our beautiful nation's landscapes from the van or motorhome window. My folks always stopped at several empty schoolyard playgrounds to let us kids stretch our legs. Now that I'm older, I realize it was probably to ensure a little nap time, too!

Anyway, Miss Evans always makes my girls -and me- feel so special and this day was no different.

She oohed and ahhed over Sunday, filled me in on the  latest school's-out happenings, and then went up and down the slides with Rainier for over an hour at her apartment's playground while I ate lunch. Sadly, we were only able to do this one time this summer. Now she's back to school, and we are scrapping all those gorgeous sunny days!

Catch up time!

Whew! I feel like I've been riding a roller coaster of creativity the last few days and I'm excited to tell you about what's been keeping me all charged up!

I noticed a few weeks ago that the new Gig Harbor Michaels did not have any papercrafting classes on their August or September calendar...what?! How is that possible, with Toadilly Scrappin closed and the closest class venues located in Tacoma and Port Orchard? I inquired at the register, and discovered there was no teacher. I immediately set bout to fulfill my dream of getting paid to teach and started the application process. I'm proud to say that I am now a certified PaperEd teacher at Michaels! You can see here the Merry Card Tricks class samples I made for my first day at work last Saturday.  My first class will be taught on October 6th from 4-6:00 pm. We'll be making a scrapbook page using Michael's PaperEd design principles- its Scrapbooking 101! Should be a lot of fun! You can sign up here.

Best part of getting the job, besides the 25% employee discount, was popping back into the store Saturday night, heading straight into the classroom, and using the supplies I found in the cupboard to create a card in under 15 minutes. Of course I followed that creative spurt with a little retail cool-down hehe.

 

What with all the online training, interviewing and sample making that was going on, I wasn't getting any ME time in, but yesterday I was able to create two more samples for classes, a layout to add to my album, as well as put together a card that my friend Joanne had die cut for me using the Cricut Craft Room program and our exclusive Close To My Heart Artbooking cartridge... I love the way everything turned out.

Now its Monday again and I have a whole new week of creativity ahead of me... thanks for joining me and let me know if you have any questions!

A Dream Fulfilled!

Last Saturday I had the resource room of the Key Center library booked for a Beginners Scrap booking class from 2:30-5:00. I was so nervous but I had a "script" reminding me of the five simple steps I had come up with to build a page, so that gave me something to hold onto at first and also kept me on track during my presentations.
 Five people came to class, and only two of them were family, Haha. It was a free class and I supplied everything but the photos, which I advertised should be brought by participants.
First we talked about the reasons that we don't get to scrapbook or what holds us back. Some of the comments were about not having enough time, space, or energy to commit towards this activity, while other comments were more in the, "I have no idea how to do it" category :-) The way I desingned the steps encouraged creativity and adaptability within an easy to follow structure. Everyone in the class was able to complete a one page 12x12" layout to take home -even me! (See bottom left in the photo) AND we were all cleaned up by five o'clock so the timing was perfect too.
One of the best highlights of the class was watching my mom help my grandma build her first page. She scrap booked a photo of our North Catalonia home and journaled about her hopes of coming to see us there. I know that I will always cherish this page amongst those in my many albums, as well as the memory of how my very thoughtful mother provided the photo and coached Grandma  into confidently building her layout.
Teaching this class, and having it go successfully (the participants said they enjoyed it) was the fulfillment of a dream I did not imagine having a year ago... which just goes to show, anything is possible in this amazing gift that is our life!
 My weekend ended with another Awesome treat; I received email from Die Cut Crazy, a digital magazine for apple IPad and IPhone users, letting me know that the August edition is available and features me in their Blogger Spotlight! Wow, what a craft high I'm riding! So of course I channeled that energy into making another movie and also another page. They'll both be up in the next few days, so stop back by!
Here below are some candid shots of my class and their finished pages, I'm just as proud of them all as if I had made them myself. Thanks for reading along today!
-Anna