Kim Archer | Mindful Living

Happy Friday

I do love Fridays!

It's the only day at the moment where we don't have any after school activities. Such a nice feeling to know once we are home from the school run we STAY home! Although I do have to duck out to take Brandt to work later on!

So today I spent the morning with Jamison at try outs for the regional schools footy team. He was chosen to represent his school a few weeks ago along with 3 other boys at the selections which were held all morning. Today is HOT. And the kids worked really HARD! And I felt sorry for them running around in the heat.

Sadly, none of the four kids from our school made it through to the team. From all the schools there today they only chose 5 boys to go through so it was a tough comp! But it was good experience and they had the morning off from school work!

Tomorrow is St Patricks Day and the kids school had celebration activities all day!

They had stalls and games and activities. Capri has come home with green hairspray streaked through the back of her hair, glitter everywhere and a shamrock painted on her face!

Here's her 'come on..take the photo..I'm trying to watch the tv you know' face!

The Boxx newsletter is out. a bumper issue this time with lots of layouts and Janelle's first official lot of work as a DT member! Check out the newsletter  here..

Here's my contributions..

1. My nephew Jake.. who I must say a very special hello to..he's been very sick this week and they had a scare with him on Wednesday night when my sister had to call an ambulance as he had a terribe asthma attack in the middle of the night. Thankfully he's now on the mend!

2. ONE product three ways.. I have used SEI velvet paper which had such a lovely texture to it!

 

And a card which I will post in my gallery..(very simple card and not very exciting!)

3. BOY layouts...Lots of photos of Jamison and another go at using a circular photo..

Plus a canvas for Maria's shop which you can also see in the Boxx gallery..

Well I think that's about all from me for today..have a great Friday

SHOW & TELL

Here's my Book of Me kit for Scrapboxx for February.

A little tribute to our neighbours! See kit details here..

Other news...

Meet my cousin Kristi..

She's getting married very soon..and she came to me to ask me to help her design and create some shabby chic type wedding invites.

Kristi doesn't scrapbook but after seeing her high tea invites..she should! She's actually a photojournalist and gets to travel all over the place photographing news worthy stories, sports people, celebrities! And I SO envy all of her photographic equipment!!!

Anyway, she said she had a 'vision' and knew exactly what she wanted for her high tea invitations and set about gathering supplies, having NO idea what she was doing and worked into the early hours of the morning pulling them all together. She printed her photo (see above..gorgeous pic!) onto shimmering cardstock and had a vellum overlay with the details printed on it, plus ribbon and lace..so effective.

I have pulled the invite apart to use the lace and ribbon on the prototype for the wedding invites so I only have the cardstock with her photo on it left to share!

Anyway, she also had a 'vision' for the wedding invites but needed my help in doing something on such a big scale..because she needed NINETY invites. yep. Ninety shabby chic pockets with lace, ribbon, flowers,machine stitching, cream paint, fabric strips, a photo and an insert with the details on it...

I didn't realise what a BIG job it was until I was knee deep in cardstock, paper, ribbon, sandpaper and my trusty paper trimmer...and a weekend deadline looming..

Kristi lives in Sydney so all of our discussions took place over the email and we had several late night email sessions working out the details. We based the idea on this project over at the Boxx

She has a team of friends having a working bee tomorrow at her home to finish off the invites so she just needed me to design it for her, source the supplies and cut everything to size as well as attach all the strips to the pocket,sand, distress and shabby everything and machine stitch the pockets together..Plus I ran a vintage action over the photo of her and Bruce and added some brushwork in Photoshop as well..

I had some helpers.

All three kids at some stage over the few days I was busily working would pull up a seat and either sand some strips or punch some corners on cardstock..

There's nothing quite so satisfying as seeing a stack of work all piled high and cut to size. Although in saying that, I had SERIOUS flashbacks to Prides Inspiration Scrapbook Conventions when we would sit up until all hours cutting cardstock, counting out brads and packing kits the NIGHT BEFORE classes started..now THAT was stressful.

Anyway, I must thank a couple of people who helped me out big time..

Maria from the Boxx who ordered in the papers especially for me and express posted them to get them to me in time, Kellie from Scrapneeds who came to my rescue at the 11th hour when I couldn't find enough cardstock to finish off and allowed me into her home to try and find some substitute cardstock colours, Fiona who processed a VERY late night order through Ribbons Galore and had it ready for me the next morning when we met for lunch in Sydney on Wednesday, Janelle and Megan and my mum who all generously offered their time to help me out with assembling (but I was ok BUT SO appreciated their offers) and Kim who owns Scrap Direct who also tried to help me out with cardstock and offered to drive over anything I needed at 10.30pm one night! How kind is everyone!!!

So, my part of the invitation job are done.

They are on their way to Kristi's and should arrive today ready to be completed tomorrow.

I will share the final product when it arrives back into my letterbox inviting us to the wedding:)

Here they are still looking a little bare without the lace and ribbons and insert etc..

So after the past week's activity I decided that I could never make invitations for a living!

That mass producing thing just isn't me.

I love the whole creative process of designing something simple but still effective enough to be reproduced and even calculating supplies and working out how best to tackle something BIG but I just hate the mundane task of then having to repeat something over and over. Which was one of the downfalls of my ceramic design business...having to paint the same designs over and over..it's hard work! And all the creative fun-ness (i am getting good at these made up words now) goes out of it!

Happy Friday everyone..

FRIDAY CATCHUP

Aw, thanks so much everyone for the comments on the new hairdo. And bless you Kim from the US with your comment about me looking like I am in my 20's! I had quite a chuckle at that one.

So what's been happening here..

The new SCRAPBOXX newsletter is out.

Check it out here. From the newsletter.. here's my Basic Grey chipboard tags mini book!

 

**ONLINE WORKSHOP UPDATE: all the workshops are all booked out now. *thank you everyone*

**HOME SCRAP class with Kim at Scrap Direct is tomorrow afternoon at her home from 2-4pm. There are still a few seats left if anyone in the Newcastle area is interested in coming along. Email Kim Wood at [email protected] for more information.

[very excited because Megan is coming along to the class tomorrow].

**I went to the movies last night with my good friend Margaret. We've been friends forever. Since we were 10 years old. But this year we have both been slack and not seen each other all that much! And I felt especially slack as I haven't seen her for her birthday waaaay back in June. We saw Boytown.

It was so ridiculous it was funny. All the typical boy band dance moves and songs! So funny. And we both really enjoyed it. Until the ending. We thought the ending was ridiculous. And weird. And not what we were expecting. As did the people behind us. And several others we overheard as we left the cinema. But still worth going to see!

**And now the Friday afternoon rush hour starts with kids needing to be in 30 different places at once...better move it..

ANOTHER BOXX NEWSLETTER..

...check it out here.

Just sharing my layouts..firstly, a layout of Capri featuring Michael Miller fabric..

and one of Brandt and his friend Nick ..this time using foam alphabet stamps stamped onto fabric and cut out to create the title..

I must also say a HUGE congrats to Rozzie for her beautiful winning entry in the Scrap An Ad comp that Maria has been running!! Well done Roz!! Yay!!! And congrats also to the runner up winners Melinda and Nat..

And there's still some places left in my Scrapboxx online workshop which is on Thursday 19 October from 8.30 AEST.. for more info and to book your place, click here...

BOXX NEWSLETTER...

Another Scrapboxx newsletter is out..check it out here

I'm also teaching another class for Maria at Scrapboxx on Thursday night 19 October from 8.30pm EST.

The class is run through the chat room at Scrapboxx plus you will receive a detailed step by step handout with lots of photos and details. The last class I taught for Maria was lots of fun!

Our project: a funky doorknob hanger using the new Urban Lily papers, chipboard circles and rub ons PLUS there's a girl and a boy kit to choose from. Sneak peeks of the girl kit are below:

I will share the boy kit sneak peeks later today when I finish off the sample. To book into the class and purchase the kit..click here

Here's a couple of layouts of mine from the newsletter..all about incorporating chipboard flowers into your layouts:)

I'm just home from the hairdressers from a cut and much needed colour and feeling all glam (with no place to go!). I have one major deadline to clear in the next hour and then I am hoping to head to the shops for a quick shop as I desperately NEED some summery clothes!

The weather has been beautiful the last few days and it's time to bare those lily white arms of mine and wear some cooler clothing!!

Happy Tuesday:)

BOXX NEWSLETTER IS OUT..

Check it out here

One of my newsletter layouts..using Heidi iron ons to create fabric letters..

Quick post today instead of a marathon! Off to MORE footy..Jamison is playing for the school in a Knights Knockout gala day! And then I am home again for the first of this series of online classes starting at lunchtime:)

have a great Wednesday..

BOXX NEWSLETTER, HAPPY FRIDAY AND HOLIDAYS!

We're off for a few days holiday tomorrow.

Am I organised! Goodness no. I am a last minute gal. I will still be throwing things in suitcases at 5 to midday tomorrow! But I am part way through washing what we need to take.

We head to my cousin's home in Cronulla tomorrow and will stay overnight there, then onto Parramatta to Scrapabout where I am meeting up with Julie (can't wait) for Jen's class on Sunday.

Ken and the kids will explore the shops and have some lunch somewhere!! Have I sorted out my photos and materials for the class. Um. nope.

Then we are off to Canberra to visit family and friends:)

Soooo, I am trying to sort through emails and sort some things out before I leave but I have a mega long list so please forgive me if I don't get to your email!!

July Scrapboxx newsletter came out this morning. You can check it out here!!

I had heaps in there this month!! Lots of fun kits and bits and pieces to play with:)

Here they are:

 

We also had a quick visit this afternoon from Fiona and the girls. Always lovely to catch up, although it was such a flying visit:)

Anyway, happy Friday everyone.

See you in a week.