simply me

don't be afraid to try something new and fail...be afraid not to.

it is friday and i am home...

i have been traveling every weekend for the past several weeks and although i absolutely LOVE teaching, meeting new friends and immersing myself in the creative process, i am really happy to be home.

life moves too fast sometimes for me, so fast i can't even spend the time blogging like i would like. so today, no giveaways, no announcements, just me.

i have even spent some time just playing with my camera bags and getting all the envisioned ideas i have for them out of my head. i swear to you if i do not get my time to just play and purge my head of ideas for too long my family will find me curled up in some corner rocking and repeating crazy phrases like, "acrylic paint drippage." or "it must rub the canvas with the paint."

so i played with tattered angels mist, ruffles and inks

and played with spray gesso (which i now know i hate by the way), acrylic paints, the idea of fabrics trims and flowers...

and played with watercolors, tattered angels screens and mists

and played with blending watercolors and acrylics with bling, flowers and iron-ons

 

this is how i learn and grow as an artist. it literally fulfills a need, the desire for play, and it feels good to take the time to do it. i do not love every technique, not sure i am happy with the results of every medium i used, but now i know...and i also know i love this canvas medium, lots of splashes of color and believe it or not...i think i am loving the bling (i swore i wouldn't). 

i leave you with this thought today.

the greatest thing i have learned in the past 2 years is that failure isn't a bad thing. refusing to learn from it is. failure allows us to find our way, learn from ourselves and grow. sometimes failure is the universes way of letting us know we wouldn't be happy following that path and challenging us to find a new one, a more rewarding one.

don't be afraid to try something new and fail...be afraid not to.

My friends at Dixie Pieces did it again and have put together another amazing kit! Check out their February kit that is out and available for purchase. You can take a break and have some fun with the "Recess" kit.  It includes double-sided 12 x 12 October Afternoon, Cosmo Cricket, Fancy Pants and Lily Bee patterned paper plus coordinating Bazzill solid cardstock to get your creative juices flowing! Of course it wouldn't be "Recess" time without some great alphas from My Little Shoebox and Jenni Bowlin, plus some embellishments from Basic Grey, October Afternoon, Cosmo Cricket, Sassafras Lass and more!  Go pickup your "Recess" kit from Dixie Pieces because "It's Time To PLAY. 

Now check out this amazing deal you cant pass up. Rather than giving one kit away on my blog this month, Dixie Pieces is offering our blog readers a free kit with subscription purchase.  If you haven't tried their awesome kits, this is the perfect time to do so.  Subscribe before the end of February and you will receive the Recess kit plus a FREE kit of your choice!  To take advantage of this sweet offer, use coupon code DDowneyFeb10.

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BLOOM - The Last Time!!

Come join me this weekend, Saturday Feb. 27th at ScrapBook & Etc here in the Charlotte area as I teach one of my favorite workshops, Bloom, for the final time!!! If you are in the area this weekend and have wanted to take this workshop, here is your last chance.

You will leave this class with an 8 page, 6x12 mixed-media, fabric & paper hybrid album! Nothing makes me happier than a scrapbook bursting at the seams with creative bits of paper, fabrics, ribbons and photos...that is unless it incorporates cardboard, stamping, acrylic and transparencies too! This album is an over the top mixed-media experience blending traditional scrapbooking products in unconventional ways that results in a collected scrapbook of memories that is artistic, personal and rich with vibrant color.

Contact the store today to register.

February 27, 2010
Class Time: 3 hours
Time: 1pm to 4pm

ScrapBook & Etc
208 Morris Drive
Charlotte-Harrisburg, NC 28075
704-455-9425
scrapbooksandetc@windstream.net

 

inspiration wednesday + video

took all afternoon, a bit of swearing and a whole lot of cropping...(i really diced up the video bad) but you will get the gist of what i did to create the page. apparently i ran significantly over the 10 min. allowed by youtube.

Waiting

Sitting at waiting at the brazillian consulate in Atlanta, ga. Last minute, so me and the family headed down here to get my visa expedited. What? It is totally educational! Besides I miss them and we spent the night in a hotel room eating room service and swimming in the embassy suites pool. I love the embassy suites! Awesome breakfast!

Anyway I have a 10:40 appt and it is 10:48 fingers crossed I actually get my travel visa sooner than later. Kids and bill are playing in Atlanta.

Ha as I was writing this, they called my name!!!! Visa will be ready at noon!

Congratulations to Connie Tacazon & Jolene Eborn. You are the lucky winners for My Creative Classroom's scholarship giveaways!

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

Its my pleasure to introduce everyone to my new sponsor and friend Jeri Parks, who is the founder of My Creative Classroom. They have the most amazing and detailed online courses I have ever seen. I absolutely love the mixed media courses they offer and will be signing up! You definitely need to take a look at all the courses they offer.

My Creative Classroom is the leader in online arts and crafts learning. Their interactive and in-depth courses are instructor led and filled with wonderful projects and techniques to help you get the most out of your supplies. This spring MCC will be offering over 70 courses, including 35 brand new courses. 

From the Cricut to Copics to mixed media to rubber stamping to scrapbooking they have something for everyone. Join them as they kick-off their spring semester. 

To help kick things off, My Creative Classroom will be giving away $25 scholarships to 2 lucky blog readers that leave a post today. Now that is a awesome giveaway!

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

1. Leave your comment tonight 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 tonight. 

 

Congratulations to Alison Hock. You are the lucky winner for Kinnon Keepsake's giveaway and the Epic 6!

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

If you missed it before, here is another chance! Our good friend Amy at Kinnon Keepsakes is once again giving away the latest and greatest tool from QuicKutz, the Epic 6. 

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 is currently participating in a QuickBuckz promotion. You can earn FREE QuicKutz products!  For every $20 you spend you get $10 in QuickBuckz for a future order. This is like ordering at 50% OFF. Check out the details at her store.

Finally, if you are thinking about getting your hands on a Silhouette to check out my new designs, Kinnon Keepsakes has them for a great price of ONLY $249.99. Not only will you receive the tool, but Kinnon Keepsakes is throwing in these items for FREE: $50 in download cards, 2 rolls of vinyl (your choice of colors), roll of transfer paper, scrapper tool, and hook tool. 

Amy has been working hard on projects made with with this tool in preparation for my inspired. Artist Workshop on May 13-15th, where she will be teaching workshops and vendoring. For project ideas, check out her blog. 

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

1. Leave your comment tonight 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 tonight. 

 

Congratulations to MaryElla. You are the lucky winner for Pretty Stinkin' Green's giveaway!

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

I'm so thrilled to introduce two of my new and very creative friends, Hannah & Deb from PRETTY STINKIN' GREEN. This is a business that they share together to sell their green products. Their products have and always will start from up cycled, recycled, and reused items that they find in thrift stores, garage sales, or donations that have been given to us along the way. It is fun and challenging to create items for their shop, since each piece they make is 100% unique, just like a snowflake! They are constantly being inspired to create new items, and have great intentions of filling their shop with many more unique and creative things!

Hannah & Deb have been kind enough to put together a $35 gift certificate to a lucky blog reader who leaves a post today. Also be sure to follow their blog and even leave a post to say hi to increase your chances to win!

Here are some more of their exciting products you can find in their shop! Also be sure to check out their twitter and facebook pages.

   

   

Just leave your comment today to be entered to win this gift certificate!

1. Leave your comment tonight 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 tonight. 

video included!

video play by play...check it out!

dont be afraid today...share something that you made, link to your blog, or gallery listing and let us see your creative play!

if you want to get in on the inspiration journal love i added some new ones to the shop as well at this super cute mixed media pack of love and these lights.

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To all my friends in the Sunshine State, please come see me this weekend for some fun filled & creative workshops at She Scrapbooks in The Villages, FL. Just contact Steph or Yvonne to register

She Scrapbooks
1005 Old Mill Run
The Villages, Fl 32162
352-259-6226
shescrapbooks@gmail.com

Here is the weekend schedule for my workshops. 

Friday Feb 19th - Bloom 6-9pm 

Saturday Feb 20th - Paint.Watercolor.Doodle 9am-12pm, Pressed for Success 1-4pm, & Simply Irresistible 6-9pm 

Sunday Feb 21st - Fabric Scrapbooking 10am-3pm 

I hope to see you there!!

Congratulations to Rita Timmons. You are the lucky winner for Helmar's giveaway!

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

I'm so thrilled to introduce and announce my new sponsor as well as new friends Tracy and Mark from Helmar USA! They truly have the best line of adhesives I have ever used and are definitely products that I cant create without!

If you are looking for some great adhesive products, be sure to check out their full line. If you are a retailer and are interested in carrying their products in your store, please contact Tracy Weinzapfel at tracyw@helmarusa.com for more info.

As part of their introduction to all my blog readers, they have assembled a awesome giveaway of their products to a lucky post winner today!

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

1. Leave your comment tonight 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 tonight. 

Take a look at all the new sewing theme packs that our friend Trina from The Paper Flea Market has put together. They are so cool and I need to order some today!

Now for the best part, The Paper Flea Market is offering all my blog readers a 25% discount off any purchases made on their website, just use the coupon code Donna25. Wow, thank you Trina! 

However you need to hurry because the discount is only valid until March 31st!

 

The Paper Flea Market has a delightful collection of vintage paper, ephemera and found objects. They love to search for old, unusual and overlooked items that are perfect for use in altered books, ATCs, cards and other mixed media projects. The good news: everything they offer is an original. The bad news: because everything is original, quantities are limited and once they're gone, they're gone. But not to worry because they're constantly on the hunt for more treasures, so be sure to check their site often. Or join their mailing list and you'll be among the first to know when more goodies arrive! 

Be sure to check out their blog!