art of observation ~ ordinary to extraordianry

As I create each of these projects for the Art of Observation, each one speaks to me in a different way. Seems when I peruse these memory files, they speak strongly to me of the story they are telling. Much more so than my traditional 12x12 formatted pages.
And this particular story is no less than any of the others.

This week's prompt, from week 8, was about taking something ordinary, and expounding on what is extraordinary about the story.
And as I examined this, I realized...isn't that what we as life artist do all the time?
Take and record daily 'ordinary' snapshots of our life, and tell the story so that we may remember that even in the everyday there is always something extraordinary to celebrate?
I say yes.
That is exactly what we do.

This file includes three mini albums. The 4x4's are shown on the left side. They are simply created by taking 8x4 pieces of cardstock and patterned paper and attaching them together to make their own mini. Once that was completed, I took a shipping tag and wrapped it around from the back making it a closure for the little story book so that it won't fly open when the file is open.  These minis are full of photos and lots of journaling that tell my sweet little 'ordinary' story.

I have already used this technique again in a other project. You should try it too.

The right side of the file holds a slightly larger mini that includes quite an assortment of patterned paper to further tell my story. The book progressively becomes larger allowing pages to poke out from behind previous pages. If you know me at all, you know how I love to have hints of what is to come showing up in my mini albums.
 

My story and photos are about this ordinary little boy who has made our life extraordinary.
It is about how he has discovered our little slide in the backyard.
It is about how his siblings are watching his little life through their bigger eyes.
It is about how the everyday can be, indeed, extraordinary, if you have trained your eyes and heart to seek that which touches you beyond ordinary.

Now go...
seek the extraordinary.

upcycled packaging

This week I wanted to share an upcycled project that is so very doable.
I cannot take credit for coming up with this fun packaging idea. It was found in a swanky boutique recently and of course I said to myself..."I can make that.".
And so I did.

supplies:
plastic take out soda cup
paint brush
mod podge
vintage book pages

For the cup, simple mod podge book pages to the cup until you come up with a pleasing cover over the surface.

Junque bows. I adore junque bows. I make them all the time now for packaged gifts, not to mention as decor around my home.
supplies:
upcycled decorative tissue paper
sheer ribbon
burlap
stringed pears
tulle
netting
book paper
twine

Take your 'junque' scraps and create a bow with them. I simply layer the items, usually the heaviest piece goes first, and pinch them between my fingers as I continue to 'junque' up the bow. After I have completed a pleasing looking bow, I tie it in the middle with twine. Use any or all of the supplies I mentioned above. I am sure you can come up with your own elements to add to your junque bow.

After the bow was tied, I trimmed the ends and added a vintage brooch to the middle. This was then attached to the front of the cup and fluffed up a bit.
Now, fill the cup with paper shreds and tissue and a special gift for that special someone. (or keep it for yourself...wink).

kraft + packages

This post was recently blogged over at scrap rendez-vous.

One of my favorite ways to wrap packages is with kraft paper. I love how it creates a clean canvas in which virtually any embellishment really makes it a package worth giving to your favorite person.

This first package is simply dressed up with pattern paper cut outs. The banner was made by cutting the flags by hand and attaching in place on the baker's twine. Then the bingo card, which was also trimmed from pattern paper, was adhered to the front of the package and then layered with a die cut butterfly, paper trims, a 'celebrate' flag, and a button to top it all off.

This little tagged package was even easier. But the simplicity still shines with attention to detail and letting the recipient know how much you truly care. The gift was wrapped in coffee dyed seam binding, and the tag was simply made by stamping around the edges to create a bit of a distress look. Then a small paper punched butterfly was adhered with sequin on top. Then the sentiment was printed out, trimmed and notched, and tucked behind the butterfly.

Later this week I will be back another package project I did for scrap rend-vous.

celebrating 13

Celebrated my daughter's thirteenth birthday...
we now officially have two teenagers in the house.
Pray for me, won't you?
To ease into this new journey I of course reached for RhonnaDesigns digital kits.
The versatility of digi art work continues to inspire me!!!

I mean how simple is it to print out a banner spelling celebrate using the MonogramJunqueKit on vintage paper?
well...it's really simple.
I printed the letter out in draft mode first.
Then placed the book page over that letter and tacked it down on the top with a little tape.
Then ran it through the printer again.
I notched them all on the bottom...and attached to some vintagey twine.
This banner is so gorgeous...I cannot even take it down yet!

The table top flags were easy-peasy too!
They also were printed out on vintage book paper.
This time using the NauticalChicPapers.
I took the DottieStripePaper and simply printed out on the paper.
Trimmed up the edges with border punches...
glued them to a skewer, dolled them up with a few other words, doily, and seam binding...
and they are sweet.
Oh...the number 13 is from the NumberJunque kits.
In my humble opinion, I think the Monogram and the Number kits are must have tools.

"Lolly, Lolly, Lolly get your adverb here"...oops...I digress...
Made lollies too and again, you can see here a little more printing on book paper, this time with the QuatrefoilTookKit. The papers already had a great grey and yellow pattern that worked perfect with my color theme.
The quote is snagged from the SpringCircusKit.
I just love mixing all these kits up like this.

The other lollie was made using the ChevronToolKit and the patterns more specifically.
I just colored one pattern the grey.
Then added another pattern in yellow.
And had perfectly custom made lollies.
And I can still re-do them to fit any occasion.
I love that!!!

Thanks for stopping in!

Now go,
celebrate.

art of observation ~ life lessons

welcome to my current friday installment of
the art of observation. 
this is week 7's project.

life lessons can be documented in so many various ways.
i chose mine to focus on word art.
i have a whole board, well, actually two boards on pinterest dedicated to words or word art.
i absolutely love word art.

so this project is a collection of a few of my favorites, and already have started adding to them.
i fashioned a series of file folders into a mini album that measures around 6 x 8.

there are interactive pockets and envelopes throughout the mini that are homes to different mini posters of words.

this glassine bag holds some of rhonna farrer's word art from her creativity week. her words had such an impact on me that i had to give them a permanent home.

more envelopes that i made for more words. get the idea?

this is a life mantra here. i made this mini subway art and sandwiched it between vellem with some patterned paper i treated like tape.

do you have a collection of words or word art needing a home.
print them out.
make a mini.
and live by those words.

now go...
create word art.

flag day

Today in the States we celebrate Flag Day.
A little history if you are interested can be found here.
If you live in the U.S...I encourage you to wave yours today proudly.

project life ~ week 18

welcome to project life.

This finds me very behind in project life.
What? you say? you are never behind in project life?
but i am behind.
but with good reason.
the "art of observation" has been that which replaced my time for pL.

I think i speak for all of us pLer's when i say that this project at time can be a chore?
do you agree?
it is a chore to keep track of photos.
it is a chore to journal your life.
it is a chore to tell the story of you or your family or the theme of that week.
but the end result...
the story in hand in years to come WILL BE PRICELESS.
so this is why i attend to the chore...
even when i am behind.

and then...

There have been more stories i have wanted to share...
than those that will simply fit in the pocketed page protectors.

so there are additional layouts that i HAVE TO {wink} add to the album.
additional celebrations to remember.
oh...because these days are just flying by...and i am bound to forget.

and i don't want to forget.

or this story here...getting time with mr. pate...
exploring and discovering our town.
renewing those activities we use to do before kids.

so i attend to the task as time allows.
keeping all things in balance...
well...at least trying to keep things all in a creative balance.
because i know one day it will be a treasure to my heart.

now go...
create your story.

art of observation. amazed.

I am a little behind.
I am a little out of order.
But I am at least keeping up with the Art of Observation class.

this is week4.
the prompt for this week was 'what amazes you?'

Quite frankly what amazes me with this project
is that i cut out her cut file...without my long awaited for cameo.
(yes friends, i am about to jump on the trendy trend of the cameo.)

The technique of this project included accordian minis.
homemade photo stacks.
and some of my own digital embellies using RhonnaDesigns.

The heart of the observation was to take note of that which, well, amazes you...mostly in the techno world.
for me that included:
the computer, of course.
cell phone.
pinterest.
online banking...that actually should have been first on my list.
blogging.
the ipad.
the ipod.
the ipod nano.
and my camera.

back in the day i use to make mini accordians all the time.
it was fun to make and include them in a memory file.

the photo stack actually is home to much journaling about the things in my life that make my life easier, or take up my time...hmmmm...maybe a balance of both?

i think this observation prompt could be captured in many ways.
and i think it should be an observation we should do often.
sort of an inventory of the abundance that we live in.
an exercise in gratitude.
because I know I could live without it all...I mean we grew up without it all...
but i am thankful and grateful that we have these tools to our benefits.

now go.
create.

guest @ scrap rdv

Hello friends,

I am guest posting over at ScrapRDV today.
Their theme this month is packaging.
And we all know how I adore packaging.

Please come and visit.

one little word ~ june blog hop

welcome to one little word.
the june blog hop.

{eta:: this blog goes live 9 PST}

project from the art of observation class. quote from margie romney-aslett

This month's prompt involved going deeper with our word with the intent of developing a list of ideas or a mission related to our word.

Thanks to this book, I do just that already.

This book has prompted me to list the gifts in my life daily.
This book was the prompt for my one little word this year:: gifts.
This book is the prompt for this months creativity with the class one little word.
This book has enabled me to live my word daily.
Daily I list my gifts.
Sometimes out of a heart of abundance.
Sometimes out of a cluttered heart fraught with the failings of the day.
But always daily...
writing down gifts.
Putting my heart on paper.
"Forcing" myself, if you will, to count those things daily that have been afforded to me by way of gifts in my life.
It is taking effect.
It is changing my life.
It is changing my outlook.
And I continue to look forward 

Margie    http://xnomads.typepad.com/blog/one-little-word
Monica   http://scrapinspired.com/
Jamie      http://jmpgirl.blogspot.com/  *you are here
Lisa        http://backtoallen.com/category/challenges/one-little-word/

Jenn        www.studiojenn.blogspot.com
Jill          http://jillconyers.com/
Veronica     www.veronicanorris.typepad.com
Cheri      http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com
Monica B    http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com/
Ruth            http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com/
Kaylea    http://www.myscrappylife.com/
Cindy    http://www.cynthiacrysdale.com/
Donna   http://holimess.blogspot.com/
Kelly    http://mindingmynest.com/
Carolina    www.micinnamons-en.blogspot.com
Cindy    http://seriousplay.typepad.com/
Naomi   http://poeticaperture.com/
Nikki    www.inkyart.com.au 
Amanda  http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com/
Rebekah  http://istampscrapcraft.blogspot.com/
Tere         http://terecontodomicorazon.blogspot.com/
Kimberlee http://scrapsandsass.blogspot.com/
Brighton   http://www.dearbrighton.com/
Kristina    http://hrinspirationfromthe403.blogspot.ca/
Missus Wookie  http://mrswookieswanderings.blogspot.com/