Family Blocks

I have been lax in sharing projects with you, so today I have a cute one for you.  I made these cute Family blocks to teach to a group of ladies from church.  I know we have all seen the words on block,  but the thing that I like about these are the over sized paper clips that you can stick family pics on.  It makes it a functional and well as decorative.  In a nut shell, I painted and sanded the blocks, modge-podged decorative paper, added the vinyl letters, embellished with ribbon, and flower and bird cuts.  I glued the paper clips on and there you have it, a fun easy way to display some of your favorite pics of your loved ones.  If you love this, but just don't have time to get all of the pieces together, I do have some left over kits already made up that include a color instruction sheet, blocks, paper, vinyl, ribbon, paper clips, and die cut embellishments.  They are all packaged in a box and ready to ship.  I was selling for $18.00, but now they are $15.00.  You can find more about them on my facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Graphik-Xpressions/150954294924523   Thanks for stopping by!

This Old Dog is learning some new tricks.......

I always planned to go back to school and get my education.  It was kind of an unspoken understanding that eventually I would do it.  But it never seemed to be the right time, or maybe it was that I didn't make the time for it.  Either way, in April of 2011, I got bit by the school bug once again, until that point it was not on my radar at all.  This is how it happened.......  My husband got approached about taking another job, but it required web design skills, something he always planned to learn, but never did in his schooling for Graphic Design,  (Web design was not as hot then, and he had a great job right out of school).  I started researching, for him, programs that he could learn the web design, when it hit me, that I could go back to school.  DUH!!!!  It became clear that the job was not right for him or our family, but this was what I needed to get me back to school.  Now, my plan had always been to become a social worker, a school teacher, or something with music.  I toyed with the idea of becoming a music therapist.  I never took art classes in school, it just was not my interest.  Music YES, I loved it.  Painting, drawing, or sculpting.........I suck, honestly.    But I love paper crafting, I love designing and laying out projects, and I had always been fascinated to sit and watch Shane work.  He is truly an amazing and gifted artist.  I also wanted to learn to do digital scrapbooking.  We had toyed with the idea of someday Shane being able to work as a freelance graphic designer from home, and we had the large format plotter.  We began to develop our plans for our business Graphik Xpressions, and Shane told me he wanted me to grow this business for him (with his help of course), so that he could work from home.  So here I am, about 6 1/2 months into my college experience.  Some days I love it.  Some days I hate it, but I am learning so many new and interesting skills.  I am following a new path, and while it is a little scary, it's ok.  I want to share with you a couple of my projects that I have done in my classes.  Nothing super neat-o, but fun stuff that I couldn't do a year ago.

I took this photo and did the photoshop work.

Another photo I took and photoshoped.  :)

An assignment for my Design Principles class, focal point.

So now when I tell people that I am back in school, and I say I am studying Web  and Graphic design, I also tell them I decided to do that since it was the closest thing to getting a degree in scrapbooking.   :)  Have a creative day!!

Just wanted to check in

and say that I have not gone away, I have just been REALLY BUSY. 

First, I went back to school.  I love learning new things, but I find that it takes me more time than when I was younger.  Sadly, it also takes quite a bit of my time.  I do, once in a while, squeeze some crafty time into my schedule.   

I have also been busy with my new business venture, Graphik Xpressions, offering full service graphic design, vinyl, wedding announcements and more.  If you want to know more about it visit my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Graphik-Xpressions/150954294924523 or search for Graphik Xpressions on facebook.   We love new friends, so "Like" our page while you are there.

A few months ago, I embarked on a journey to reclaim my body back.  This has been a challenge, but in the 6 months that I have been committed to the change I have lost 46 lbs.  I have run a couple of 5ks (very slowly), shook my booty at Zumba, and lifted weights until my muscles burn.  It has been quite a journey with a long way yet to go.  I have found that staying healthy is a time consuming process, but well worth the time.

I have had several of my pieces published in Cricut magazine also.  This is always exciting for me, so I want to share with you some of the pictures.

Bottle cap calendar in Cricut magazine.

Paper lantern

I have a new project that I am shipping out tomorrow that will be in an upcoming idea book for Cricut magazine.  I can't wait to share that with you. 

Thanks for stopping by, and lets not wait so long to catch up next time.

Bloom.....(a fun spring gift idea).

Happy Spring everyone!!  I have a great idea for you today.

I love to give plants as gifts, but the crafter in my wants to cutsie it up a bit, so this was my solution.  I used the watering can from the Freshly Picked cartridge to embellish this holder to make a cute presentation.  I cut the box part of the holder from Sweet Treats, it is a cupcake holder that I repurposed as a plant holder, (if you think about it, there are a lot of things you could use the cupcake box for).  The heart and the word Bloom were both cut from Freshly Picked cartridge.  I embellished the watering can with brads, and ink. Of course I tied it with ribbon and added one of my new favorite things, the rolled flower.  I love it the way it turned out, it is perfect for Mothers Day!!  I would love to hear what you think. 
Lori

My kids are crafty too.....

I just wanted to share with you the cutest hat that my oldest daughter made for me for Christmas.  I love it!!!  I told her I wanted a flap hat, so she figured out how to make it.  She used the Provo Craft Knifty Knitter.  She loves her looms and has been a knifty knitten fool.

 Here is one that she made for herself.  I love it!

Gift bag

I recently found some old pictures that I don't think I have posted.  Today I am going to share with you a gift bag I made for my sister.  I got her a new cartridge and wanted a bag that it would fit in.  At the time I was demoing for Cricut, so I also used this for my display.  I cut the bag using the Plantin' School book cartridge.  There are a couple of really cute bags on there.  Since it was a while ago I can't be certain how big I cut it, but it was pretty large.  I may have even used a 12 x 24 mat.  Anyway, this I think it turned out pretty cute and fit a cartridge pretty good.  The scallop, and tag were also cut from Plantin Schoolbook.  The flower was cut from Accent essential, and the sentiment Just Because is from Wild Card.  Do you have these cartridges?  Does this inspire you to pull them out and try making something new?  If you do let me know!
Lori

In the mail today....

I got a brand new issue of Cricut magazine.  This one was special though.  This one had my first project published in this magazine.  My huge perma-grin started when I pulled it out of the mailbox, and grew as I almost skipped like a child into the house, hardly able to contain my excitement.  I opened it up and turned right to my page, (because there was a thicker-then-the magazine-page-subscription card glued right in the middle of my project's two page spread).  WOW!!!  I took it in for a second........  I loved the way it was photographed, it was pretty exciting.

Cricut magazine, April-May 2011 issue

 This project is a baby shower invitation.  I made a super cute popcorn box from the Tags, Bags, Boxes and More cartridge.  I cut it twice and double layered it, sewing a ribbon in the middle of the 2 different papers.  I cut the large popcorn kernel from the Slumber Party cartridge.  The prego lady is from New Arrival.  I typed the shower invitation on the back and made up this little poem to go with it.  It says:
(Front)
Becky is going to POP
(Back)
And there's so much to do,
To help her get ready,
And Celebrate too. 

So let's get together,
And bring lot's of Pink,
She's having a girl,
(They're the best kind I think).

Diapers, Onsies,
Blankets and socks,
A stroller a bouncer
And something that rocks.

So make plans now,
Request the day off,
As we welcome to the world,
Little Kate Brinkerhoff.

Add caption

I added some popcorn wrapped in cello, and there you go.  Who is going to forget about this shower, when they get an invitation like this?

Just for the record, I used my SIL Becky's name, but anyone who knows her should not worry that she is expecting and hasn't told anyone, I was just using her for inspiration.  No one deserves a baby more than her.  So can everyone please send her good luck wishes that when the time is right, God will send her another little one, and when that day comes, I have the shower invitations planned and her daughter named,  LOL.   

Thanks for stopping by.
Lori