In The Cat Cave

This is the first "Designer Spotlight" for the TGIF Challenge Blog and I couldn't be more pleased to be inspired by Krista Frattin.

I first heard about Krista when she was selected for the Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team a couple years ago.  I picked her out in the crowd in Salt Lake City at the Stampin' Up! convention.  I knew she'd be a star.  I love her style.  I love her cabin stories. Her pixie haircut and her willingness to show her every day life. I love her little details... dolce details, anyone?


This would be easy.

When I think about my friend, Krista's style. Yes. I said friend.  I mean, she accepted my Facebook friend request leading one to believe that she didn't think I was a stalker... #ifooledher... If we are Facebook friends, we must be best friends?

This month, my Fancy Stampin' Up! friends and I are sharing tips and techniques.  So, I think you are going to need to grab a coffee and relax because this is sure to be inspiring.

One of the things that I am doing regularly is watercolouring with my Stampin' Write markers and aqua painters. In September, I made a video showing blog readers of Creative Scrapbooker Magazine how I watercolour the easy way. You can find the post and video here.


The reason why I think my way is the easiest is because all I need is my markers, an aqua painter and a paper towel.  As long as you are using watercolour paper and have enough water on the image, you can make colouring a snap wherever you go... like on a airplane... which I recently was doing.

But what's my biggest tip that will change your crafting life?


I craft in bulk. #rocketscience

I stamp and emboss in bulk in my craft room.

I colour in bulk while watching TV with my husband. #twobirdsonestone

I die cut in bulk and I punch in bulk too.  I usually place all these images in a jewelry dish on my craft table.


Why is this amazing??? it means that you can have these images on the side ready for you whenever you need them.

Inspiration made easy.

I literally place elements together and staple. Then adhere to a card base. Done.


Now that your mind is blown, take a minute to pull yourself together. Aw.


Now go visit my friend, Erica Cerwin from Pink Buckaroo Designs.  She will sure take your brain to another level.

The Paperie is my local scrapbooking store (LSS).  Each month they put off many classes but one that I often look forward to is with Cathie Reed from With Coffee in Hand.  She has been busy on Instagram playing in her art journal so be sure to check her out.

During the two hour class we played with mixed media.  Something I love to do but don't always have the time to take out all those products.

Again, I am continuing my quest to finish last December by the end of October.  This doesn't mean I am done 2015 at all.  In fact... I am not even close.  However, it does mean that I have a big piece of that puzzle completed.  My first layout is a combination of embossing enamel, Dina Wakely paint, Prima Colour Blooms and beads adhered with 3D gloss. This gold layout matched the photo perfectly and looked very similar to Cathie's layout - why change a great thing?


In my second layout, my friend, Sara Case Strickland from Sara Things allowed me to use her feather stencil.  Again, using Colour Blooms and 3d gloss to adhered a multitude of beads, the background was created.

The gold design on the top of the page comes from some Prima rub ons that was adhered to some vellum.

You'll notice that neither of these layouts have titles... you'll be okay... you don't always need a title and I simply didn't feel like putting one there.

Thanks for dropping by and be sure to drop in for a class with Cathie if you ever get the chance!

Cathy

It's never easy to document a loss.  However, I was prompted by a Story Starter from Jennifer Wilson's Simple Scrapper to give it a try.  Although the layout isn't perfect in my mind, I don't believe I could ever really scrapbook it perfectly.

I started with the story and used the celebration of life cards as the photo.  However, a photo really isn't necessary. Ali Edwards had a Story Kit named "Tough" therefore; I used elements from that kit to create the clean and simple page.

As I started this process, I realized that I would pop on Facebook Live and document the process.  Check out the video if you are interested.


This was hard.  The past few weeks we knew that Natasha was not doing well. We hadn’t been hearing much from her except from a scattered message here and there.  We knew she had a hard time texting and often it was her husband or friends messaging us.  She took a turn just before Christmas and we all knew she would soon find her way as an angel.  Every thing had been pre-planned.  We had been talking about it for months.  A bucket list, quilts and knitted hats for the hospital babies were being made, funeral favours and secret tasks were planned.  But when it came, it was too quiet.  Rhea and I met in Goobies to make the trek to Natasha’s celebration of life on December 27th.  Natasha was a friend that I met through scrapbooking and as was Rhea.  It’s this hobby that brought three of us together.  She was something special and the world is certainly at a lost without her.  Her illness re-ignited my faith. Something I never thought would happen. I suppose that might be her greatest gift to me.  Even after almost a year has gone by, I find it hard to explain to those close to me what Natasha meant to me.  I wrote a card to Ray, her husband sending my condolescences and perhaps that’s the best way to describe it. 

“Dear Ray.  I am a little bit of a mystery friend.  We spoke a lot but mostly by iMessage. Natasha was my every day.  Like a cup of coffee. Only it was an every hour cup. We have many stories but my brain is too mushy to think.  It wasn’t “good morning” – it was “what’s for breakfast?” or ‘ I am worried about..’ She solved many of my day to day dilemmas (how do you cook frozen peas?) She. Was. My. Every. Day. And because of that, you all were too. From the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry for your loss.”

And so, documenting her funeral isn’t exactly something I want to do but for some reason it feels appropriate. There was pink everything. And peep favours and a release of pink balloons.  There was a coating of snow and while as pallbearers, I could hear every crunch.  I heard every breath.  And I avoided every tearful eye.  Not ready to let her go, Rhea and I left to go home with “something missing”.   I still think of her often for many reasons.  Little reasons. Like… I washed, folded and put away three loads of laundry!  Every time I reach for my Lock n Lock Tupperware containers and every time I make frozen peas.  She’s probably watching me and wondering how I make it every day without her.  I really am not sure either.  But I am ready to live this life the way she’d want me to… we are heading to Disney soon where I am sure to meet her there.

Thanks for the lessons and the friendship Tash. Love always, Cathy.