simply me

obsessed with ruffles

for a week i have had this idea in my head.
and in yellow  of all colors?
sometimes i just become obsessed with an idea,
i can't sleep thinking about the finished concept.

last night i began working on the skirt and ruffles that were obsessing my thoughts...
 
i started with a muslin base for the skirt
(have i mentioned i LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my serger)

anyway, i digress.
then layer after ruffly layer the skirt began to take shape.
 
 
it is full and romantic and girly and i just love it.

like a fairy skirt. coupled with a yellow tank and a small off white cardigan...so sweet!
now, where to wear it?
maybe i will save it for inspired.
perfect for such an artsy, creative, fun and social weekend dont ya think?

i am going to work on some canvases today now that i purged the skirt from my head.

also started taking preorders in the shop for my new CHA releases with unity and prima. should have them ready to ship by feb 15.

if you want to be the first to know about upcoming events, product releases and monthly discounts in the shop, sign up for my newsletter today.

just a quickie!

bill, kandi and i got back at 6 am this morning (Thursday) on the red eye from LA.

we slept until the school bus pulled up with our little ones that we missed terribly and today is a family day,

however, i thought it would be fun to post some links of some of the video clips others have posted at cha.

i had great intentions of taking pictures, but i swear it all just went by so fast.

here is one photo of kandi and i as we were putting together our booth.

so if you were at cha, took one of my workshops, stopped by the booth, participated in one of my demos...please, please feel free to add your links to this post as well as pics cause i have none!

missed blogging!

be back in full force this weekend!

be sure and check back!

this one is kinda long, but rina is so flippin' adorable, i just love her!

Congratulations to Barbara Hudson. You are the lucky winner for Kinnon Keepsake's giveaway!!! 

Please email me your contact info and will get your Epic to you!

WOW! What a giveaway. Kinnon Keepsakes is once again giving away the latest and greatest tool from QuicKutz, the Epic 6. Can you believe this?

The Epic 6 features a 6"x13" cutting platform and will cut all dies on the market. (Yes, all of them even the fat old Sizzix one.) This is a great tool retailing at $89.99.

In addition to the giveaway, Kinnon Keepsakes has an amazing Alphabet Sale going on through the end of the month. All QuicKutz fonts are 40-50% OFF. That's right, be sure to check them out soon. They are going fast and this sale is while supplies last. Be sure to shop now!

Finally, if you are thinking about getting your hands on a Silhouette to check out my new designs, Kinnon Keepsakes just received a new shipment of these great tools. For $269.99 not only will you receive the tool, but Kinnon Keepsakes is throwing in these items for FREE: $25 download card, 2 rolls of vinyl (your choice of colors), roll of transfer paper, scrapper tool, and hook tool.

 

Just leave your comment today to be entered to win this awesome giveaway!

1. Leave your comment tonight (Thursday) by 10pm EST.
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. The winner will be announced on the blog Thursday night.

 

CHA: 24 hours in counting

STRESS!
total crunch time now,
we leave tomorrow am for anaheim and i have finally gotten all my artwork done!
(lets hear it for overnight shipping!) thought i would share the final artworks with you.
this one is for the focal point of my booth.
 
stressed over this piece, just couldnt commit to the right words, and message.
(i really am my own worst critic)
and this one was the confidence builder "follow my heart" that lead to the words on the green one above.
i love how the universe works!

the rest of the day will be spent working on my seminar...finally the peace of mind after getting everything else done to focus on what i really love, trends, art and culture!

hope to see many of you at CHA and i will be posting from the road.

make sure you befriend me on facebook to get all the real time updates while we are gone!!

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also added some new Inspired. Artist Workshop updates and sneak peek pics of the artists projects to the website. more updates are coming so make sure you click over to see all the amazing things we are going to learn!

this year is no doubt going to blow the pants of the other 2 years!

getting ready for cha - can you say CRA-ZEEE!

i love CHA, the products, the people, the products....this year i am taking on a lot more than usual, but with only 48 hours till go time i am nervous.

here is what has been going on inside the studio...

For my new Prima canvas line i have been transforming these

into these.

 

ok even i have to admit the camera bag came out flippin' adorable! ruffles make me so happy!

This year i will have my own booth in the license and design section and designing the booth has been like designing my studio, love the idea of a blank space to fill. hopefully the booth will look as cute as i hope. i only have 10x10 sq ft to play with, however that is bigger than my own studio. i will take pictures i promise (only if i like how it turns out, hee hee!)

i have also been creating some artwork to put on the booth walls...
not quite finished with this piece, i need to put some words on it.
 

this one is a smaller piece and i like it so much the way it is i am going to leave it for a while, but it need words too.

used my new huge Prima foam stamps on this one

 

then, so get this, i bought a cute cardigan sweater at target the other day and had nothing to wear it with and made this skirt today. (LOVE LOVE LOVE MY SERGER)

 

i also made this skirt a couple weeks agoand am planning to wear at CHA

 

made this cute little make 'n take for my booth time at the supershow

 

got my new unity stamps from Unity the other day! i wanted her to make them big for me and they look FAB-U-LOUS! Unity rocks! check it out!

so if you are going to be at the show swing by one of my workshops, seminar or demos!

hope to see you there!!

• Donna Downey Workshops
  1. Elegant Garden
  W0205 Friday 9am-11am
  2. Effervesce
  W0902 Sat 11:30am-1:30pm
  
  Celebrity Appearances
  Friday 12-1pm
  Saturday 10-11am
  
  
• Scrapbook Oasis Jan 22-23
  17895 Sky Park Circle
  Irvine, CA 92614
  (949) 756-2729
• 
  CHA Trade Show Jan 24-27th
  
  Donna's Appearances
  1. Donna Downey LLC Booth
  Booth Number 2644
  
  2.Craft Trends Seminar
  S107-Sunday 4-5pm
  
  3. Canvas Creations Workshop
  W0808-Monday 12-2pm
  W1005-Tuesday 7-9am
  
  4. Silhouette America Booth
  Monday 10-11am

NEW donna downey product line

YEAH it is finally here! after months and months of cutting, sorting, and kitting, we are officially launching our very first line of donna downey kits that will be available for wholesale only.

(11 total: 3 fabric ATC, 7 fabric layout, 1 banner)

it is a VERY limited release. These will be available on a first come first serve basis only because when they are gone they are gone (hopefully they will be in a store near you!). if you are a store owner and would like more information on how to pre-order these kit before their official release at CHA please email bill or call 704.948.4627 to place your order today.

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if you are interested in teaching a mini workshop at inspired, you still have time to submit your ideas.
submit your idea and be a part of the weekend's inspiration

the more ideas the better.

*** also check back Monday for more exciting CHA booth art and product samples!

Congratulations to Kate Walsh and Regan Tomlin. You are the lucky winners for Creative Cards Homeschool's giveaways!!! 

Please email me your contact info and will get your kits right out to you!

Take a look at this fabulous giveaway that our friends Randy & Deena from Creative Cards Homeschool are doing for my blog readers. They are giving away not only one but two of their awesome January Kits to my blog readers! 

Everyone needs cards and almost everyone has a need to be creative. What better time then the New Year to resolve to get creative each day. Creative Cards Homeschool  takes that concept and makes it easy for YOU to get creative. What started as a class at her local scrapbook store has grown to be a small home based Card kit business. Deena is the creative mind behind the designs you will see but this is truly a family affair. Everyone is working behind the scenes to make this a successful family business.

Their hope is to inspire creativity in each person that receives their kits. While all the hard wok is done for you, like the designs, stamping, inking, glittering there's plenty of opportunities to give each card your personal touch. You'll find the latest paper, trendy shapes, unique supplies, and quality workmanship in each and every kit.

Please visit their site and see all the beautiful cards and kits they offer each month. Their hope is that you'll join them and help them to spread joy through creativity and giving handmade cards.

Just leave your comment today to be entered to win this awesome giveaway!

1. Leave your comment by 9 AM (EST) on Saturday.
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. Winners will be announced on the blog Saturday morning.

 

Congratulations to Jessica Hess. You are the lucky winner for Dixie Pieces giveaway!!!! 

Please email me to your contact info.

Our friends at Dixie Pieces just released its January kit "Girl Crazy", and they're giving one away to my blog readers!!!  This kit is sure to drive the boys nuts!  Look at those fabulous colors! 

Dixie Pieces works hard to design kits with coordinating contents that you cannot put together yourself at your local scrapbook store.  It contains papers from Glitz Designs, Rose Moka, We R Memory Keepers and Bazzill in hot pin, purple, silver and black.  It also contains their standard two alphabets and plenty of embellishments. 

Now this giveaway totally rocks!!!!

 

Dixie Pieces is a monthly kit club with designer kits for $28 a month, or $25 if you subscribe.  The kits are so worth it!  Each month, they pack their kits with coordinating scrappy things which would complete lots of projects.  They are always up-to-date, hip products, and every now and then the girls at Dixie Pieces throw in something unique to their kits like fabric, unique die cuts, dominoes, or antique finds.  The kits include designs to get your creative juices flowing.  Check out some of the work their design team created with the Girl Crazy kit here.

Through January 22nd, Dixie Pieces is holding a customer appreciation sale, "Out with the Old, in with the New!"  Dixie Pieces is clearing out their warehouse to make room for new 2010 product.  Most past kits are on sale for $14 and $19. Grab bags are also available for $10.  Each bag contains at least $25 worth of product and is a unique combination of cardstock, patterned paper, chipboard, ribbon, alphabets or other embellishments.

Coming later this month, Dixie Pieces will offer project kits. These kits are like "a class in a bag" and include step-by-step instructions with photos plus the product necessary to complete the project. The projects were designed by Dixie Pieces' owners and design team members and range from acrylic pages to mini albums. Dixie Pieces offers value for your dollar and has priced the project kits below their retail value.

Need a challenge to get your scrappy on?  Check out the Dixie Pieces January Challenges; participate in the challenges for a change to win the February kit!  Want yet another chance to win the January kit?  Head over to the Dixie Pieces Store and find your favorite sale kit.  Then come back to this post, and add another comment telling us which kit you choose. 

Just leave your comment today to be entered to win this awesome giveaway!

1. Leave your comment tonight before 10 PM (EST).
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. Winners will be announced on the blog tonight.

today i am working on...

THESE!!!!

 

using THESE!!!!

 

HEE HEE! giddy!

i will share what i make in the next few days!

overstimulated and overcommitted...

it has been a while since i posted,
but wow what a journey i have been on.
i spent the weekend in atlanta, GA at the merchandise mart/gift show - 3 buildings over 40 floors of showrooms.
it is like CHA for the gift industry, WOW!
i think i managed about 4 floors in between appointments in 2 days. 
i have a new line of wall art coming out with an incredible comapany called DEMDACO in the summer, i met with them and with portfolio in hand joanne, my art coach, introduced me to several other companies and some incredible people. i learned a lot!

i learned a lot about myself too. 
i think i am just beginning to scratch the surface of who i am as an artist.
i am drawn to things, like bedding, fabric design, decor.
  debra gold, a new friend and an incredibly wise lady sat down with me and gave me some incredible advice this weekend. she said, "to just learn, take my time and absorb all i can about the products and the industries they are produced in...process it in my own way. then decide what it all means."

i am now capturing and absorbing things like these pillows from target .because they speak to me, not sure what they are saying, but that is yet to come!
   
i may be hit or miss for the next several days, i have so much to get done before CHA but i will tell you i have some exciting new alterable products coming out with Prima, camera bags, aprons, totes, huge stamps, more. however i need to go make some altered examples of them for the booth and am falling way behind! aaack!

i will also have a new stamp set coming out with unity, the set has some of my absolute favorite designs on it, i cannot wait to get the actual set to stamp with, here is a sneak peek... they are gonna look so awesome on my bags, but i digress.

also need to finish up some artwork, seminar presentation, make n takes, demos and be a wife and mom.

so if you do not hear from me in a few days check to see if i am still functioning, lol!