scrapologie

Happy Mother's Day!

Well. I think this must be a record for the longest I have gone without blogging in the past few months. Not because I didn't want to blog -- but life has been getting in the way. I finished my training at Cleveland, only to come back to two weeks of jury duty with Franklin County Municipal Court. That ends next Friday. In the meantime, Bob's Dad is still in the hospital, and the recovery has been at a snail's pace. He's been flying or driving back and forth from Nashville and it's been tough on everyone. I want life to get back to normal, (that was why I went back to work!) Seems all I can do is to practice patience, which is not in high reserve just now.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone. Alekha had a pre-K tea party that I got to attend -- the kids were so excited, they had made books and cards for us and prepared a song, plus gave each of the moms a plant. It was the best mother's day, ever - just to see the delight in their eyes from having their moms there!

I have been busy in the evenings with Melissa Frances projects. Incidentally, Melissa is doing a giveaway on the MF blog -- so be sure to check it out and go toss your name in the hat - the prizes are wonderful! I am fortunate indeed to be able to design for MF. I still am pinching myself about that!

Here are some recent projects that I created with Melissa Frances' new 12" tin star and the new Little Guy Page Kit collection; it's designed for boy themed pages, but I thought it was perfect for creating projects for upcoming Memorial Day, Fourth of July or any Americana type project.

                                                                                                                                                                  

When I was in high school, I was a marching band geek. I played in the band for two years, and then joined the flag corps. Every year, without fail, we had to perform at the Annual Memorial Day Parade. I resented it at first -- what was a holiday after all if you had to show up for a school activity?? I didn't appreciate it as a teenager but now I remember those parades fondly, all the pomp and circumstance, the sense of community, elaborately decorated bicycles with streamers woven in and out of bicycle spokes, the parade route with the cheering crowd, majorettes twirling batons and scores of war veterans in their decorated military uniform. The excitement culminated in the singing of the national anthem followed by doughnuts and coffee and at the fire station. Good times. The next two projects are a tribute to those Memorial Day Parades. Just fun home dec projects to make. I LOVE how the stars and stripes blossom turned out -- that was made with a painted vintage wooden spool. It would be awesome to make up a whole bouquet of them and hand them out at the parade!

To make the stars n stripes blossom, paint a large new or vintage wooden spool, let dry and then sand off some of the paint to allow the wood underneath to show through, Make a rosette from wide striped ribbon, cutting off enough to fit around the top of the spool. (If anyone needs instructions on making the rosette - just let me know -- I think I learned how to do them from Candice. Punch vintage text with a large scallop punch, then punch a circle in the middle. Make a single cut so that you have two separate ends. Wrap them around the spool on top of the rosette and glue the edges together. Insert the dowel rod through the spool (try to get one close in size to the hole in the spool). If it is too loose, xyron some ribbon and wrap it around the edge of the spool before inserting to hold it in place. Let about 1/4 inch of the dowel show at the top - and glue the ruby poinsettia gem to the dowel head. Cover the dowel with vintage text - just glue it on by cutting strips and wrapping them around the dowel. Apply Melissa Frances Rubon to cream cardstock, cut into a banner shape and punch holes in it to slide it up onto the dowel. Fashion paper leaves by using your scallop punch to cut two patterns, cut them in half and glue different patterns back to back. Bend and form these into leaf shapes and glue to the dowel rod. You're done, now present your patriotic posy to someone you love! 

Gotta go get Alekha some dinner. Have a wonderful mother's day.

First Blush Mini Project

Back from Cleveland and whew. I haven't really been at home in the past three weeks -- it is SO good to be back home. I did get some free time in the evenings to finish up some projects. I did this quick project with some of the goodies from the First Blush Kit. I loved the Seven Gypsies Monogram Rubons - they have such a bohemian look. I trimmed off part of the inside of the card (a tip from the Seven Gypsies Make N Take at CHA -- they did the same thing with this project). And creating slits in the back of the card allows you to thread ribbon through it. Just a quick, fun project. I have been busy creating some lovely projects for Melissa Frances -- hope to share those with you soon. Sorry this is so quick - Alekha has a dance recital in the morning and I have to go find a pair of white tights for her!

Spring kits all shipped

Just popping in to say everyone who ordered a spring kits - kits are ready to go and will be taken to the post office today (they won't ship until tomorrow due to no mail delivery sundays). Just a note to say I am leaving again tomorrow for my second (and final) week of training in Cleveland. I'll be back Thursday evening but I'll be checking email. If you have any questions or concerns about shipments, please email me at info@scrapologie.com and I will try to get back to you during the week, or at the latest, on Friday this week. Enjoy your Sunday and have a great week! Watch your mailbox -- yummies headed your way! :)

Kits are shipping!

Just a quick note to let you know I am back and have started shipping kits. Everyone who placed an order more than a week ago is getting a free gift from us for waiting so patiently - if you didn't get one and should have, please just email me and we'll send it out to you. Some are going out today - but most will go out on Monday. You'll get a shipping acknowledgement from the shopping cart. Thanks so much, and I do know you will enjoy these kits! Have a great weekend!

Hello from Cleveland

Thanks again to all of you for your very kind comments and prayers on my father in law's behalf. He is in stable condition. We are waiting on test results from a lung tissue biopsy that was done a few days ago. Though still on the ventilator, his breaths per minute have decreased, which is a good sign as he was hyperventilating last week and unable to breathe normally.

I am still here in Cleveland at Training, but will head back home on Friday and will be able to finally get to your spring kits -- I plan to have them all shipped by Monday next week -- so thanks again for your patience. I do appreciate it. I have been reading A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle to pass the evenings in the hotel. It's wonderful-- I know it's quite old, but I didn't read it when it first came out -- and so it's a great treat to be able to read it now. He's a very engaging, witty writer and I have that sense of delight one gets when you discover a treasure of a book.

I have really missed blogging. Right before all the craziness happened, I was in touch briefly with Oregon-based artist Bonnie Taylor-Talbot. Bonnie is living proof that our most cherished dreams can be realized after the age of 40. I came across Bonnie's stunning work in my last issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Magazine, and I was completely bowled over by its uniqueness and charm. Bonnie is a self-taught artist who at the age of 44, began painting on boards with house paint colors she mixed herself. That was 12 years ago. Now she's moved on to acrylic on canvas with hand stamped words on most of her paintings. She has a true eye for beauty -- and much of her work shows an affinity for things French - Paris grates, crowns, chickens and chandeliers. Anyone can relate to her paintings - whether your tastes run along the lines of the quaint and provincial or the refined and elegant, there is something for everyone. Each piece is truly remarkable. Bonnie was kind enough to permit me to post some thumbnails of her artwork on my blog here, and I am happy to share it with you -- be sure to check out her website where you can see the rest of her work (you can increase the photo size on her site) and buy prints or original pieces, at www.ipaintpictures.com. Happy Hump Day, hope you enjoy the rest of your week. I will update again, as soon as spring kits go out.

Back for just a day.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. Dad is still in the hospital and has now been moved to an ICU. (Apparently he was in a special "oxygen enriched" environment before. He is on a ventilator and is being fed through a tube as well. At this point, he is having great difficulty breathing without the ventilator so he is also under sedation. We have been told that the diagnosis is ARDS, or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. We are unsure, at this point how much longer he will remain on the ventilator, and then after that, in the hospital. We do know at the very least, it would be atleast another week, but it could be many more weeks or even months. We are also concerned that his age, (he turned 70 today) is a factor that may work against him. We returned yesterday but it was very tough leaving Mom - although the whole family has been pulling together and she's had some wonderful support from extended family who have driven in from out of town to be a support to her. It's been really tough on my husband, who is very close to his father. I admit I feel helpless. All I can do is to pray about this and turn this situation over to God. I really, truly appreciate all your prayers. Right now, I am doing my best to get some shipments out tomorrow before I leave. The plan is for me to return here Friday and finish up shipping next weekend - unless something happens requiring me to be in Nashville. I do so appreciate your thoughts and prayers on our behalf, and thanks for being so understanding about the kits. Love, Ranjini

May be gone for a few days

Just need to let you all know that spring kits were to start shipping today, however we've had a family emergency surface. My father-in-law has contracted pneumonia and is in the hospital and we are enroute to Nashville to be with him as he has been transferred to the ICU and is having trouble breathing. We are staying positive that he will stabilize and recover. At this point, we are looking at returning on Saturday if possible. Kits may be delayed therefore by another week and a half, regrettably - as I also start out of town training on Monday and won't return from that until the following Friday evening. I am so very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause anyone, please know that we will get the kits and any store orders out as soon as we can once we have returned from Nashville, in the next week or so. In the meantime, we could certainly use your prayers and positive thoughts. Thanks so much,

Ranjini

A happy secret revealed!

                                                                                                                                                         

Well, I've been keeping this under wraps for quite awhile now... and I am so excited to be able to finally let the cat out of the bag!  I am so thrilled to be joining this wonderful company, and to be in the company of the other amazingly talented and inspiring artists who are also part of this incredible team.  Huge thanks to Carolyn Peeler and the inspiring Melissa Frances herself. Melissa recently recovered from breast cancer - you can read about her inspirational story here on the Melissa Frances Blog and also watch her on Fiskars TV. I am grateful for this incredible opportunity - it's certainly a blessing to be able to design for a company whose style I admire, and whose products I have loved for so very long.

Kits on sale tonight

I just sent out the newsletter that will inform you that kits are going on sale tonight at 9 pm EST. See you then, and thank you, have I said thank you? Thanks again, for reading the blog and all the wonderful comments. They mean so much to me!

Oh - and pricing is as follows: the large kit is $67.50, the smaller one is $31.99. (That doesn't include shipping). Gotta go run and get Alekha.

Eternal Spring Kit, First Blush Add-on

Thanks again for all your kind comments -- you really will love this kit! I have photos of the kit and add-on posted below. I will have prices updated on the blog later today sometime. The kit will go on sale *thursday*. I can't commit to a time yet -- but will let you know just as soon as I can. Shipping will probably begin on Wednesday next week and I hope to have all kits shipped by Saturday the 19th. International buyers will be invoiced for the actual cost of shipping - the difference between what you paid in the shopping cart and what postage actually is.

Ummmm a few notes, the add-on contains a seven gypsies naked photo folder - it's a fun little mini project and I should have a sample for you in a few days. Please note that only ONE of the three mixed media flowers will be included with the add-on - the three are being shown for your reference. A neat thing about the add on is you will get one of each of the new Making Memories Tiny Alphas -- one sheet of each versus a full package. They come in pink, teal and brown and it's nice to not have to buy a full pack of each. The pins shown in the inset are included as well. However, the add on does not come with any paper, so if you are planning on getting the add on but not the main kit, please just keep that in mind. In the main kit, the cameos and the seven gypsies tags will vary from kit to kit in color and style.

Here are the pics, the second photo shows just the papers; the third and fourth photos show detail of contents in the main kit. The last photo is the addon. All of the sass lass papers (the ones with the fancy edges) are double sided, a nice bonus - you can see some of the B sides in my projects. The Jenni Bowlin and Pink Paislee papers are not double sided. Incidentally -- I have some Maya Road goodies to give away in the near future -- so check the blog -- I'll post that in the next few days.

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