An Homage to the Woosa Work

I'm officially on Art Journal #8 but the truth is, I think I've been cutting out paper and saving it in one way, shape, or form for my whole life.

As 2013 ends, I was paging through these books filled with glue and paint and took photos of my favorite pages. 
You've seen some of these if you follow me on instagram. 
But...here's an "homage" to my woosa work for the year. 

A link to the video if you can't see anything; HERE.

**Credits** 

Flipagram App--it's free! And super easy to use.

Music by "Commes Des Enfants", Couer de Pirate

I went to London: Custom Cards

I judge a really cute outfit by how badly I want to doodle it. The doodability factor also applies to purses, haircuts, shoes, inanimate objects-whatever strikes the old inspiration chord. 

 A co-worker of mine just returned from London. She went to the Cath Kidston store while traveling abroad {be still my heart--I cannot imagine how pretty this place is!} and came back with this.

You can have one too-they ship to the US!

 

She modeled her bag for us, shared her tales, and my "inspired chord" was struck.

She was my doodle subject for the evening.

 

She's mentioned more than once that she'd like a copy of her doodle so I got to work.

 

I turned her doodle into a little gift.

 

A few little note cards packaged in a clever envelope made just for greeting cards--I'm sharing, don't you worry.

 

The "envelope" tutorial is right here. Thank you, Nicole!

 

And just in case you don't have any time to doodle, I've created a download for Meg's card that you can just print on cardstock and cut.

 

 

{Download Here}

 

{You may use for personal use only...Art karma. It's really a bitch.}

 

I hear Cath's website calling my name.

Chic, Rhymes with Geek

The Doodles

A free Saturday is like winning the lottery over here. I choose to use mine with a sharpened pencil, some pinterest inspiration and a blank piece of paper.

I've been OBSESSED (yes, all capitals are necessary) doodling really cute outfits since I took a skillshare class. (We've talked about this class before-but seriously for $20 you get to learn from some of the best!! Go search or sign up--not kidding.)

Journal Junking

Happy New Year! Spent the Christmas holiday break trying wanting to cram in every last art project I've been dying to complete.

Only,I just couldn't find the mojo--so I cleaned my studio instead. And lo & behold, these patterns kept bugging me--pages of random patterns & neon paint; my apartment in Paris has this very wallpaper in the bedroom.

(That is if I had a Parisian apartment...but what the hell as long as we are using our imaginations...)

Instead of sewing a replica of SJP's ballgown (I swear some day I will recreate that damn minty thing, and WEAR it. ), I tried to journal every day. Some days it was one page, others 3 or 4. Regardless, I find (found) the "Woosa" everytime.

The word of 2013: "Woosa"

(I don't do resolutions 'cause surprise, surprise, I never finish them.That list thing sends me over the edge staring @ me to complete it. Blah.) 

Instead I'll choose a magic word-a reminder word, a conscious state of mind to revert back too.I vow to find the "woosa" in every day. 

(It's a verb, but I've deemed it a noun for this year.)

One of the things I've also learned (but have a hard time practicing) is summed up by this: "Your light cannot shine brighter unless you share it with other people." 

Just to start practicing the art of the share & the almighty woosa that was attained while doodling, You can click HERE.   to see more journal pages.

No judging and if you are, I simply don't want to hear about it. I swear and I scribble. Enough said.

Which leads me to the last of my 2013 awareness challenges; to be a dynamic woman who owns her shit, deals with it, and stops apologizing for it. 

Get your word of the year ready...we've got some growing to do.

Thursday's Thought...

Disbelievers and Freaks on a Whim

Christmas is over-I have a food, snow, and cooped up in the house hangover that I've been nursing with a needle, some fabric, and a little bit of fire.

Google Reader has been overflowing with blog goodness from all the "crafties" I adore--their projects and handmade gifts, the glitter, the bling. I couldn't stand it. These few days off would never come...Ah, but yes, they did.

My reward for wrapping all the presents was to allow myself the time to make these. Tutuorial here (yes, fire is involved.) These are so much better than pulling artificial flowers apart--you get to pick the color and the shape.. You get to play regular old Mother Nature for these.

I added tulle in between the layers of some of mine and of course, not complete in my world without some vintage bling for the middles.

I had a hard time parting with this rhinestone button. I often wonder what the original garment looked like that this was salvaged from.

The green looks sage in these photos--in the real world, it's a vibrant silky lime color.

I've been a sucker for rosettes on anything for the last year or so--if there are flowers, it automatically visits my closet.

I am fortunate (or unfortunate depending on how you look at it) to have some very close family (Sarah, this is you) and friends who- I'll just say it-think I am the biggest freak ever. (A freak in the most loving way, but still...)

They are just people who need to have a reason for things. They have no use for "pretty" without a purpose. Things cannot just "be"-they must have function.

I, on the other hand, have purchased dish soap for the fragrance, really gross salsa because it had a cool label, pounds of paper just because I loved the design, and a magazine subscription for a magazine written entirely in French (which I don't speak) strictly for the pictures. Yes, you can say it, f-r-e-a-k.

Well, for my loving sister who was sporting a Kum & Go sweatshirt (apparently, this is a gas station chain in Iowa) and reluctantly, my flower pin for good measure this Christmas AND my practical friend who just needs minor usage inspiration-a bit of help....

Yes, that's the First Lady sporting a flower pin, and the lovely Sarah Jessica Parker. JCrew also believes me and so does Anthropologie. These are definitely not "matronly"---(Sarah's word, not mine) little sister. Where did I come from?

If the flowers weren't bad enough, you can about imagine what Sarah would think if she saw these? I actually spent time "glittering" clothespins.

The uses are many--to hold your wishes. (Be careful what you use it on...)

A book marker? (Is that one word or two?)

A magnet to hold a favorite photo?

Pretty can have function or just be--it's possible. It's also possible that I may have a small freakish problem with aesthetics.

See you soon at the Market-wearing and believing in pretty.

Hotcakes, Anniversaries, and Banners

Where the heck have I been, you say? The trunk show I did yesterday has been consuming every free moment of any free time I had. There were so many ideas that I wanted to create and just not enough time in the day to do it all.

These "Pockets Full of Love" sold like hotcakes yesterday. (tutorial here..I edited mine a bit to use my vintage button stash and of course, some ribbon.) What I loved even more was the display board in the background.

See those gold pins? (and the bad dark photo) Love them..brads with little hooks-perfect for hanging the pockets full of love. Duebers believe it or not. Also loving the color combination of grey and this blue (is it carribean or pool?)

I realized, too, that as of February first-I have been blogging for ONE year. What? Another year has passed, another year that is now captured out here in blogland for whomever lands and starts to read.

I love banners and bunting and was inspired to create a few for the show. Either you love them or you don't-lets just say "lovers" were not in attendance at this particular event. They were my favorite thing to make so I'm secretly delighted to be able to keep them-except for this one.

Because this one, in celebration of One Year, will go to one of you. Leave me a comment with your favorite 5 letter word and I'll randomly select someone on Monday (try to make the day a little better) the 16th.

Remember my old teacup quest? I only have the "ugly ones" (which are still worthy) left and whipped this up to give to the woman hosting the trunk show. The satin ribbon covers up the "ugly" stuff and the result looks pretty cute.

A productive week but now I must clean up the disaster area I have been neglecting.

Bucket List #567-Check.

The Market is both killing me (not really,but I'm tired of finding stray strings hanging everywhere) and causing me immense joy this Holiday season. I've got orders that I need to complete before Friday but let's face it..we all need a time out. I took one tonight. Bad girl, I'll regret it on Thursday when I'm up until midnight.

We (the subscriber's of the Bella Ezine Comfort and Joy) are on day 8 and I've yet to play with any of the awesome tutorials Ms. Silver Bella herself, Teresa McFayden, has put together. Seriously, if you are in an "inspiration slump", these will yank you right out. There's a little sneak peek at Vintage Indie of Day One.

So, friends, my version of Day 1:

There she goes again with the damn glitter..I know.

Please note: The center silhouette is a freebie (the good kind) courtesey of Vol. 25..Her purpose was to use them as gift tags but,oh the possibilities.

And, Oh yes, the bucket list part.....

Bucket List #567-Publish Something

The writer gig is up there on my top things to do before I die.

However small it may seem, The Pajam-ed Princess Ornament Tutorial, which I wrote and designed, was featured on a crafting blog-Whip Up. I'm going to count this as, "publish something." for now. Thanks Kathreen for the press. Go on over there and visit-your inner crafty girl will explode with glee! (I'm doing the woo-hoo dance as we speak)


One more useful yet random tool I just learned about. If you read more than 5 blogs a day-use google reader. The seasoned blog community is yelling at their computer screens, "Duh, chick, it's like been around forever." But, this newbie is thrilled. It's like e-mail for blogs. Keep track of all the blogs you read and when they're updated. You don't have to visit each one--a little efficiency to our lives is never a bad thing.


Get out your notebooks,kiddies, and make that bucket list...2009 is right around the corner and you never know when you just might get to cross one off.