christytomlinson

Happy Memorial Day..

Just wanted to drop in quick and say Happy Memorial day to everyone. Grateful for a day to remember all of those who have gone on from this life. My sibling and I are going to be meeting in a few minutes at my dad's graveside to release 46 balloons (that is how many children and grandchildren he has).. with love notes on them.. then have a bbq, hang out and play family games afterwards. so while this is somewhat of a sad day remembering him.. and our loss of not having him with us.. it's also a day to rejoice.. and enjoy the family and legacy he has left behind. So grateful for him.. grateful for the qualities and traits he shared with me.. and taught me. He was ONE amazing person. One of THE most giving people I  know. He has a strong testimony of the Savior. He was kind and loving and generous. He was funny and fun to be around.  He loved his family more than anything. Truly. He loved his children more than anything. That was apparent in the way he lived his life. He loved his grandchildren.. so so much. He was one of THE most involved dads and granddads I have ever met. That says alot.. specially since he and my mom divorced when I was 7. He was there for everything in my life and my 6 siblings lives as well.  He has 27 grandchildren and he made an effort to be there for every birthday, every baptisms, school games, school programs.. he was AMAZING. He IS amazing. He is surely missed and we love him.. but know I will see him again someday and be able to be with him again. Love you dad! we miss yoU!

 

Happy Memorial day to all of you.. remember those who you love.. that are no longer with us :)
Happy Monday!
See you tomorrow with some fun news of where I am headed this week and a SUPER fun giveaway!

My Art Studio.. aka "garage"

So many of you have been asking me to show you a video of my art studio. Which really isn't anything fancy.. but I LOVE it. It suits me.. and my laid back personality. So here is a fun video showing you my space! I love it.. mainly because now it's all mine and I can mess it up as much as I want and close the door and leave it that way  if I want too! lol

Tomorrow I have something FUN to share.. and a really fun giveaway too from the Gilded Life! So come back tomorrow afternoon for that!

AND...just  so  YOU know..  I KNOW I have been a terrible blogger lately.. I swear it's only because of deadlines, deadlines deadlines. On-line Workshops, teaching events, my licensing products, magazine articles, (so excited to share that! I will be in two different Stampington Magazines this fall.. Somerset Studios and Artful Blogging! Can't wait!) . but honestly.. once the 3 Hearts workshop is over, and I am back from Texas (attending the Gilded Life Event!).. I will have some "down" time. Well sort of..(just found out today a fabric company and gift company want some of my designs from my agent.. so will be a tiny bit busy adding to those lines.. can't wait! wahoo!) but really just get to spend the summer with my kids.. camping, boating, being outside, creating art in the garage with them (that is one of their MOSt favorite things to do!).  I LOVE summer. really do.  And once the next few weeks are over.. my blogging will be back to normal. Also thinking of doing a new weekly series.. kinda like a challenge.. or something. (Not sure.. still working it out in my head). But gonna be fun! Just don't give up on me! I love my blogging friends and this outlet. You readers are the ones who warm my heart. Truly. You keep me going with sweet comments and heartfelt emails. It's so appreciated. I was telling my husband last night that I got an email from someone just yesterday. She just found out she had cancer this week, and also started my workshop this week. She shared with me some personal things and also how art has helped her heal and will continue to heal. It made me cry really. I get those types of emails and my heart just WARMS and surges and I KNOW I am doing the right thing. It's work and it's hard work.. but sharing my creative side, my ups and downs, my family.. my stories.. it's worth it. It helps ME connect with you.. makes me feel like I have all of these wonderful friends supporting me, loving me and going through exactly what I am too. Love that about blogs. Such a great way to create  friendships and support systems.
Anyhow.. totally off the subject. But just so you know.. you are so appreciated. TRULY.

Well I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! This weekend, my brothers and sisters and I are getting together for a "mini" family reunion. To celebrate Memorial day. We had my dad's headstone installed last week and so monday we will all gather at his grave..with all the grandkids and write love notes on balloons and release them into the air. We will have over 40 balloons! Crazy huh? lol.. well with 7 brothers and sisters.. and big families.. (we all have a lot of kids) that is a lot of balloons! lol. gonna be fun. So this weekend they are all coming into town and can't wait to spend some fun quality time with them. Which means I better get off this blog and starting working so I can.

Happy Thursday!

here's my silly video :) !

fitting a square into a circle.. and finally giving in.

so I know I have been talking about the fact that we have moved our 3 stores recently into a warehouse. Previously (for the last almost 5 years)we have always had them in our home, in our garage and back hallway. It started with just the kit club.. which was okay for a bit.. then we kept growing and growing and soon spilled its way out of the garage into our back hallway. Then a year and half ago,  we started the beadArt site.. kinda of on a fluke and it just grew like crazy too.. fast and crazy. Soon we had two business, in our garage and seroiusly spilling over into every part of our house. NOT just the back hallways.  A house that has 3 bedrooms, 1 and half baths, one living" room, no dining room and  a small kitchen. Oh and the laundry room is in the half bath across from the kitchen (really only 2 feet away from the kitchen counter).. so when you open the door from just zipping up your pants,  you are looking at the people eating at the counter. Nice huh?  lol..

SO when we opened our media store  February  I had NO idea where we would put it. I mean at first it was meant to just carry a few inks and canvases.. and now I swear we have over 500 items in the store! Crazy but I love it! I love mixed media and LOVE being apart of that industry in any capacity! Anyhow.. we just had no room, we tried to build more shelves, get more organizes.. but we literally had boxes in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in the living room (we don't have a family room.. so this is the only place we all have to "hang out.. all 8 of us'). into our kids bedrooms, our bedrooms.. anywhere we could find an an empty space, we were using it. I think our friends and family thought we had gone mad. WE knew we either needed to MOVE or find a warehouse for our stores. We really wanted to keep it at home.. and when we found a house to buy that was bigger, out in the country, and had a huge shop, perfect for the stores.. we were thrilled. But it just wasn't meant to be..and the people decided not to move.. hence we no longer had a plan. So we went with Plan B. Finding a warehouse. We were BLESSED to find one withing a mile of our house. One off the beaten path. It's an older building and it doesn't even have a bathroom, the walls are old and needed to be repainted, it's drafty..  but when we saw it we KNEW it was perfect for our needs and the rent was AMAZING. We couldn't find a better deal anywhere.  So we said heck yes.. and moved in a month later. We have officially been in there since May 3rd and I can NOT TELL you what it feels like to have my house back! My space.. my sanity! lol.. AND to have a space for everything for the stores. it's organizes and we can ship in such a timely matter.. and the kids can go there after school and hang out and help too. It's just perfect.  The crazy thing is.. we look at it now and can't BELIEVE that all of that stuff fit into our house! I am serious! You will will know what I mean when you see it in this video!  It was like putting a square in a circle. and by some miracle we pulled it off.. well sort of. Then the square just got too big and we said. no more! lol.

So many of you have been asking about what it looks like and what my "studio" garage looks like.. I decided to do a little video.. giving you a tour of the new warehouse.. "old" but new to us :)
so here you go! hope you enjoy!  and happy Monday!

 

 

just something little to share...

so I promise the video of the warehouse and such IS coming.. might not be until next week.. but wanted to come on and share a little bit of art with you!!

As you know.. I signed with the Painted Planet Licencing Group.. and I spent this Spring getting ready, creating new designs.. for the New York licencing show, Surtex! (okay.. really I should say "spent the last 3 weeks of April) not spring! lol.. but I worked hard for 3 weeks and finished my portfolio with 14 collections and 60 designs! I was seriously wondering how I did it.. but i did.. and I was so anxious for the response!

Surtex was this last week (sunday-tuesday i believe).. and my dear friend Julie.. who is also my creative "editor".. she was hired by Painted Planet to guide me and give me creative direction on my collections.. which by the way.. she was amazing. I could NOT have done it without her! She told me I could do it.. even when I didn't think I could. love that girl! Anyhow.. she texted me during the show.. telling me that it was going GREAT! That I had a ton of interest in my collections.. so I am SO excited. I don't find out officially anything for a few weeks.. but just feeling so blessed and thankful. Thankful first for the opportunity, thankful that all those sleepless nights and crazy days of putting my heart and soul into my work.. paid off. Just Thankful.

Anyhow.. I wanted to share with you just a couple of the designs I did.. I am also excited because we will be adding prints of some of these designs very soon to my store... I will debut them in Texas in a few weeks.. at the Gilded Life Art Retreat in a few weeks. I am bringing both prints and canvas originals and will sell them at the vendor fair. I am SO nervous but excited at the same time! I have only ever sold one of my originals.. I have given away several.. but have only ever sold one. I have just always thought it so funny that anyone would ever want to buy something like that. From me?  They are also extremely special to me.. and each one I make.. has a purpose, a reason behind it.. So it's hard to imagine not having them on the shelves in my studio..  to just go to and look at whenever I want. BUT it's also exciting to think that someone would WANT an original piece of art from me or even a print. It's weird and crazy and good all at the same time! The store will be coming available in the next couple of weeks! (still trying to decide if I put them in the Scarlet Lime Shop, or just open an etsy store for just my prints). Decisiions decisions..  Nervous.. but can't wait to take that leap!

so anyhow.. just wanted to share with you just a few from my Portfolio..

thanks for letting me :)

 

from the Sentiment Collection:

 

 

 

from the Friendship Collection:

 

from the Baby Collection:

 from the "She" Collection

 

From the Art Love Collection

 



those are just a few.. anyhow.. silly i know! lol thanks for letting me share though :)

okay.. Hopefully I will get a chance in the next day or two to go shoot a video of our warehouse and get it posted!!

Happy Thursday!

 

A Drawing, winners and ONE WEEK LEFT!

sooo.. yes lame old me.. didn't get around to posting my monday moodboard.. but it's okay right? Lol.. I had big plans for yesterday and I think I had MAJOR jet lag or something! I worked all morning at the new warehouse (did I mention we moved our stores from our garage into a warehouse the week before last?? HEAVEN, i finally hove my house back! lol).

So.. I made my way over there first thing yesterday morning to help sort out a bunch of new product that had just come in, ship out kits for the month and see what product I needed to order that we are getting low on. After I came home from the warehouse around lunch time, I was feeling SOOO tired! So tired.. so I laid down for a bit to just "rest" and the next thing I knew.. it had been 2 hours and I had taken a full on NAP! lol  Now that has NOT happened in forever! I can't remember the last time I took a nap that wasn't on a sunday after church? But I admit, it did feel SOOOOOOO  good! I just felt bad because I had 100's of emails to return from being gone last week.. so worked as hard as I could until around 5:00 and then called it "quits" so I could spend time with my family who I missed SO much last week! Then went to bed early.. i guess the nap didn't quite fill me up! Lol

Anyhow.. so I am  a little off schedule this week. But it's all good :)
Today I am filming the last of my videos for the 3 Hearts Workshop.. so busy busy all day long.. and SPEAKING of which..

 

She Had 3 Hearts workshop starts NEXT MONDAY!!!

 Registrations for this class ENDS May 22nd! Next sunday night! Once this workshop registration is closed.. it won't be available again until August! So.. if you want to take this course before summer.. now is your chance!

If you aren't familiar with what the workshop is about.. you can read more about it here.. but I would LOVe to have you join me!

AND  to kick this class off right.. for everyone who has signed up so far..  or anyone who  signs up for this class before it begins next Monday.. I am holding a "giveaway"..  a little "drawing" if you will.  I will draw two names  from all those who havce registered for this class and they will win a  $75.00 gift certificate to our Scarlet Lime Store!  SOOO what are you waiting for??!! Once you sign up, you are automatically entered into the drawing! The winners will be announced next week.. after the class begins! So cool! (if you already have signed up for this class, you are already entered to win :))

So JOIN ME!! WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU!

Speaking of  winners.. I need to announce the two winners of my last two giveaways!
I hope all of you took advantage of the free $40.00 coupon that the new store, Paper Coterie.  was offering.. seriously cute stuff! I need to pick a winner for the $100.00 gift Certificate to their store! so drum-roll please..

Posted by: June | April 27, 2011 at 06:34 PM

AND of course.. who could forget the giveaway last week.. for the new Ruffled Tote handbag from my dear friend Jeanne Oliver's new spring line debut!the winner for that lovely piece is..

Posted by: Rochelle Mang | May 12, 2011 at 07:22 AM

seriously awesome stuff.

So today is just a laid back day for the blog.. but this week I have a couple of fun videos to share with you. Last week, you know I went to Donna Downey's last Inspired event..

 

the event was AMAZING, the classes.. AMAZING, the teachers AMAzING the format AMAZING.. and my own personal students.. AMAZING. Donna is just seriously a class act. I love that girl. We have been friends forever.. and it was great to be there for her final big event! I met so many new friends and learnd a lot of fun new things. It was AWESOME!  AND I am excited because she is going to continue to do smaller "art" retreats at her studio and has invited me to come teach with her sometime in the next year! Anyhow..  Can't wait to do a post about that this week ands share with you! We made a video one night.. at an impromptu "art journaling" hang out session in the hall with Donna and Margie and a bunch of girls. It was so fun. So I want to share that with you.. PLUS so many of you have asked me about my "space".. my studio.. my garage.. so I thought it would be fun to do a quick little tour of where I create.. and also our new warehouse and share it with you! so silly but fun and laid back week in store for the blog. Thanks for all the support you wonderful people always are giving.. just love you all!

don't forget to sign up for the workshop!!! 3 Hearts workshop!! Tell your friends! ANd get entered to win in the giveaway!! WAHOO!!

happy tuesday!

Christy

Behind the Art.... this was her house

I have been thinking a lot latley about life and the beauty of what that means. I have been thinking of how differnt I am as a person, that I was even just a year ago.. and a year ago, how different I was from the year before.

I love that through all of lifes little moments, we change and grown and evolve into the people we are NOW.. and NOW.. and now.. because every moment changes us even more. I have thought about this past year and the blessings.. HUGE blessing that my family and I have had. The growth of our bussiness, the start of my blog, sharing my art, my on-online classes, the opportunties that have come my way with magazines, liscening agents, events. My family all being healthy, my oldest son getting his drivers liscence, my only daughter starting to really enjoy spending time with me,  having a warm house to live in, having my brothers and sisters and I become closer together. Strenghthening true friendships that I know will last a lifetime. I have also thought about the trials I have had. MY dad's death, having to "re-invent" myself, dealing with fibromyalgia.. loosing friendships that once meant a lot to me, dealing with self worth and a some other trials that are just too close to the heart to talk about. But through it all i love that it has brought me to THIS moment. This point.

So what's is so different about this point? I guess at this point in my life I am okay with a lot of things.. that  I haven't been okay with in the past. I am okay that I am not a size 6 or a size 8 or even a size 10! I am okay that my house is not "clean" most of the time, I am okay that live in an old neighborhood.. in a small simple house, I am okay that my trues, my closest friends, live hours and hours away and I only get to see them once or twice a  year. I have decided that life is what I make it. I can choose to be grateful for all of the things I DO have.. instead of complaining and be depreseed for the things I  don't. This is my life. MY house and I get to decide what I make out of it. No matter what the circumstances are.. no matter what the trials or the blessing are.. I GET TO CHOOSE! This is my life!

So I was sitting down thinking about this the other day and when I get in this kind of thought.. it makes me want to document those feelings. To journal it.. or create art.. or something, so I decided to head into my garage and create a piece for my art journal. It wasn't anything fancy.. but i wanted to remember how I was feeling. I wanted to choose to be grateful. To choose to make the most of out the life I have been given. . I know this doesn't mean that all life's problem or ups and downs will go away.. heavens no.. but I know that I get to decide what those ups and downs to for me. They can either break me... or they can make me. .. and I choose to let them make me. Because this is MY House. This was her house.

thanks for letting me share..

 

 

Happy Friday!

Town and Country Debut.. be still my heart..

you know.. I have amazing, wonderfully talented friends. TRULY talented. I am always amazed at how creative they are.. and all sorts of creative! One of my dearest friends.. Jeanne Oliver.. is one of those crazy talented... inspiring girls.

 


Jeanne designs vintage inspired clothing, jewelry, handbags, art and more.. and each spring and fall she debuts her new lines. WELL this week.. Jeanne debuted her new spring line, Town and Country! Oh my.. can you say take me home?

 

Love love love this yellow "shirt".. she calls it a dress.. um yeah.. I call it a shirt! lol.. but oh my heck in LOVE. She actually gave me this piece at our "weekend retreat" a few weeks ago.. I was blown away! Beautiful yellow linen.. so beautiful and well made!
 

This is my FAVORITE bag.. the Sadie bag.. made from vintage fabric. be still my heart. Seriously..

 
She also travels the world and collects vintage pieces.. these are vintage note cards and letters from Paris..

 

This is a bracelet she made out of a vintage piece found on her trip as well.. one of a kind. Amazing!

 

This handmade adorable Ruffled apron.. amazing! Can you see me altering this baby? oh how fun!

 
I think this is my favorite piece. I actually bought this one. It was calling my name. It's an original 4"x4" deep canvas painting.. attached to a vintage door handle. I can't wait to put it in my studio. GORGEOUS!

she is just truly simply brilliant! her peices are one of a kind.. and her dresses and handbags are so well made!
You MUST Must go check out her shop! She has dresses, all sorts of totes and purses and handbags, vintage jewelry pieces, vintage items, art prints and also original art! AND she is so sweet! She is letting me giveaway one of her grey ruffled totes here on my blog! JEANNE I LOVE YOU!

 

Some lucky lady.. is going to win this gorgeous grey linen tote.. so beautiful!
So what do you need to do to? Simply post on this blog post.. what inspires you this spring! I would love to know.. and I will pick a winner when I get back from Donna's event next Monday! OH.... and make sure you go check out Jeanne's new line.. and her shopAND her blog! She is an amazing blogger.. love her blog posts.. she is creative and funny and witty.. and heart warming.. love that sweet girl. So blessed to call her friend.

Jeanne Oliver Designs..

Happy Wednesday!

 

Monday Moodboard- Fields of Green

 

Today's Monday Moodboard is inspired by my childhood memories.  It's been raining here for the last 3 or so months.. with a few snow showers in between.. and while the rain doesn't do much for my Fibromyalgia.. its does wonderful things for nature. I remember visiting my mom's parents.. my grandma and grandpa Skeem each year in the Spring. They lived in a small farming community right outside of Twin Falls, in Kimberly Idaho (which actually is where I was born).One of my most vivid memories was driving down the back country roads to get to their house.. and it always seemed to be raining.. or had just rained. It wasn't cold out.. it was warm.. but I remember looking out the window at the wet roads and fence posts and just beyond them.. fields and fields of green grass.. that seemed to go on for miles. Beautiful green grass. I remember driving onto their farm and seeing the big weeping willow just huge and overlflowering with leaves.. and their big lawn so green. I loved the smell of the rain and actually loved to sit outside on the tire swing in the rain under the willow tree and just enjoy the warm rain air. Sometimes we would even play for hours in the rain.. getting soaking wet and loving every minute of it! It is one of my favorite memories growing up. Three of my grandparents (my dad's parents and my mother's mom)  passed away my Senior year of high-school. I was living by myself at the time and remember taking the long drive to each of their funerals, by myself,  reliving those childhood memories. Such wonderful memories. So grateful for them all.  My mom's dad, Grandpa Skeem.. died a few years later. I sure miss them all.  

This morning, after all my kids had gone to school and the house was quiet, I took a moment to snuggle with my hubby on our living room couch, looking out our windows  .. at the 100 year old tree we have in OUR yard, and how my kids love that tree, love swinging on it, love climbing in it and how beautiful our yard looks right now with all this rain we've been having.  The grass is a gorgeous green.. and the cherry blossoms are in full swing. Just simply beautiful. So today's monday moodboard is inspired by grass filled yards, big old trees and memories that I will always cherish.

 
 

These delicious goodies all came from etsy.. except for floral bag in the upper left hand corner.. that is a limited edition handmade bag.. from vintage fabric that my dear friend Jeanne Oliver made her new spring line debuted today (beautiful dresses, bags, purses, vintage items, art prints, jewelry.. and more) .. you have to check it out on her website.. I am doing an entire post on it this week.. and she is giving away one of her beautiful new ruffled totes.. so watch for that!

So here is list of the fun things I found for this Monday Moodboard

Green Shimmer Eyeshadow

Green Blouse (vintage)

The White House Print

The Sadie Handbag

Mod Flower Pillow

Rococo Shawl pattern

Green Bow Handbag

Rotondo Clock

Beauty Growth Pressed Grasses

A dream Garden Necklace

Rainy Spring Little Girl Dress

How Green is your Garden Hair tie

 

So fun! love monday moodboards..

So today I am busy busy busy getting ready to leave tomorrow morning at 6 am for Donna Downey's Inspired event! I am teaching three classes..two canvas classes and a jewelry cuff class! Can Not wait! I get to also see one of my True's.. my besties.. Margie. She is rooming with me and also teaching. I can't wait to spend time with her. Much needed time. We are teaching Wednesday.. and then taking Donna's other inspired event classes on thursday , friday and saturday! can't wait! I told her we are going to find a movie theatre and go see Water for Elephants.. I read the book. LOVED it. it was a little Riskee.. okay a LOT. but I couldn't put it down. It was good. Sorry.. guilty pleasure I guess.

So anyhow.. just busier than ever getting ready to leave! Gonna schedule some blog posts for while I am gone.. share with you all about Jeanne's new line and do an awesome giveaway.. AND have another Behind the Art video to share with you! can't wait! Hope you all had a wonderful mother's day! I did.. we just hung out, played games and watched movies. It was heaven.
Happy Monday!

Ranger U.. just have to share.. AMAZING

 
 Okay.. okay.. I feel like I am slacking in the blog department this week.. but I promise it's for a good reason!  I don't know if I told you.. maybe I did.. but I am leaving AGAIN next Tuesday for Donna Downey's Inspired event!  I am teaching 2 mini workshops there (a canvas class and a leather jewerly cuff class).. which by the way.. they just opened up 5 more spots in each of my classes! They have been sold out for a while.. but we found out a way to get 5 more students in the room!  So if you didn't get in.. you still may be able to.. but get to the website NOW!  lol

 But so I just got home.. and with leaving again in a few days.. it has left me with a super stressful week trying get all the stuff ready for my classes, playing catch-up from being gone last week, finishing my deadlines for Surtex (due monday) , getting all the new product in the store, uploading the new product and items to the new BeadArt Store (which is launching TODAY check out the new site!!)... ordering product that we sold out of from last week's free shipping sale (holy cow thank you people! Love you!) , putting up the new kits for May,  moving our shop into a WAREHOUSE (wahoo!! we now have our stores and kit clubs.. out of our HOUSE into an actual warehouse! yipee!).. AND also keeping on top of emails, workshop sign-ups and just life! lol!  So my "blog" is going to suffer a bit this week.. sorry :(..

 but I did want to come on here and tell you about my awesome Ranger U experience! I am SOO grateful for Ranger Ink.. ANd my dear friend Tim Holtz, for allowing me to come! Seriously.. I learned so many new techniques.. that I can use in my own art.. but also use to teach you wonderful people! I HAD NO IDEA how many things you can do with The Ranger line of products. I have to tell you.. one of the first things Tim said.. as he started the weekend.. was that the reason behind Ranger U.. was because Rangers products are really different than most other products on the market and that education really is KEY to showing how awesome they TRULY are. His ink pads.. aren't just ink pads.. his embossing powders aren't just for embossing.. the melting pot isn't just for wax or UTEE.. it's AMAZING the thought and detail that goes into their products.. and what they can do and WHY they do it. I can't wait to share them all with you! You will look at your Ranger Products and wonder how you ever lived without them for creative play! My plan is to incorporate some of the techniques into my upcoming 3 Hearts journaling workshop.. but also offer a mini- workshop later this summer or early fall..  plus some fun "behind the art" videos.. and really show you just EVERYTHING those products can do and how they relate to mixed media art. you will be BLOWN AWAY. seriously.

So really this post is a just a fun "re-cap of the weekend.. and what we did.. and who I met! So here we go!

I was super excited to honestly just go and learn. I really hardly ever.. wait infact... I have NEVER attended an event.. where I am just there to LEARN. I have always been teaching in some form or another.. and so seriously for me. It was a great opportunity to just let my mind be filled with inspiration and not worry about anything else! I almost felt like I was going on a mini vacation (even though I knew we would be in class 9 hours a day.).. I was ready!  As I sat in the airport.. I just felt so blessed to be able to have this opportunity. And I was ready for sun! lol 

 Here is me sitting in the Salt Lake City Airport.. waiting for my connection. Relaxing.. enjoying OJ, writing in my journal and reading my favorite magazine :). I think people thought I was going to Hawaii or something.. I had on my long summer Maxi Dress, my flip flops and my "sun hat". I was READY for the warm New Jersey weather (and you will probably laugh at that.. but to me.. having 70 degree weather.. warms winds and humid weather.. and just coming from snow? that is warm to me! lol)

 


I have never been to New Jersey before.. so I wasn't sure what to expect.. but I have to admit.. I had NO Idea it was on the East Coast!!?? I mean Literally on the coast.. we were going to be 5 miles from the ocean! And when I realized this in the airport.. I wanted to jump for joy! I seriously love the ocean! Couldn't wait to put my feet in the sand.. I also was so surprised at how green it was! I imagined New Jersey to be kinda like Idaho maybe? a little bit of a desert and TONS of high rise buildings.. and city after city of crammed houses.. but it's this compeltly beautiful, green.. place with dense trees line the roads.. and miles and miles of country roads with small adorable towns in between.. I seriously.. would move there in a heartbeat if it wasn't so far away from family! This is a picture i took of us flying in..

 

I flew into Newark and the Ranger warehouse was in a small town called Tinton Falls.. about 45 miles south.. so I rented a car and headed on my way. Little did I know it would take me nearly 1 and half hours to get there because my GPS took me on the old country roads going SOUTH WESt and then East.. instead of the main freeway that goes straight into town! lol.. but I loved it. LOVED seeing the beautiful land.. and the small towns.. it was worth the extra time :)

The next morning bright and early we arrived at Ranger U. I was SO excited to see Tim and meet all the other gals and guys that were attending. There was 26 of us total! We sat in groups of 4.. at large long tables and that is where we stayed all weekend long! My tables was awesome.. the people I met.. AWESOME!

 

I quickly found my dear friend Melissa who works for KaiserCraft and lives in Austrailla  and sat by her. (yes she flew all the way from Australia! I also sat next to Rosa from Spain and Hells from the UK! CRAZY!!)  We also had people from Japan, Canada.. I know there more.. it was an awesome group!  We also had two guys in our group. Chad who was sitting right next to me on my left.. was from Australia.. he owns a distributing and stamp company there. Him and I became friends really fast.. he was like my baby brother.. almost 10 years younger than me.. but he is 6' 8" tall!! I am 5' 2".. so it was funny when we would stand next to each other! He was a riot. though he did steal my m&ms, drew on my table and scared the crap out of me with an air blower.. sersiouly.. but don't worry.. I got him back with a "kick me" sign i put on his back.. or at least that what I let him believe! lol.   Mark was the other guy in the group. He works for Ranger.. the Receiving manager. He sat across from mekiddy corner and was so quiet at first.  He was young too (only 23) and super shy at first.. but  oh so cool. and SOOO DANG FUNNY! He was quiet at first.. but oh my check by the end of the weekend.. I was laughing so hard I almost peed my pants!

 

(that's Mark on the right, Jenn from canada in the middle holding the stamp (another funny girl!) , and Chads big head in my way on the left (haha.. just kidding chad) :))

 

I also sat across from this awesome beautiful girl.. Sarah.. seriously ADORABLE girl.. and funny. ALso young..  I felt like the "mom" of the group. I also got to finally meet in person a few of my "facebook friends".. Candy.. and YVonne.. oh so many others. It was really so cool. We couldn't have had a cooler group of people! (that's the beautiful Rosa from spain,  right down there in the next picture.. in the dark on the right.. such a beautiful woman! inside and out!). We had a lot of laughs too.. so many mishaps (mostly from Melissa.. holy cow that girl can make a mess out of anything! Lol) But SO FUN!

 

So anyhow.. Tim started off the weekend just introducing us all and letting us know about the schedule and all the products we would get to learn more about!

 

 

The way it worked  was we would learn about each of the products Ranger carried and we would be taught techniques for each product. We would create a tag for each technique we learned and label the back with the technique info, so we could remember what technique and what product we used on that particular tag. BRILLIANT!   The tags weren't meant to create pretty things.. but just to show us HOW the products work and what we could do with them. (however seriously.. how can they NOT look pretty when you are using Tim's, Claudines and Ranger products!)

 

 We had this cool binder with all the techniques we were going to learn and then individual labels to put on the back of each tag we made.. that listed the technique and products.. so we could go back and refer to it later! it was awesome! Seriously BRILLIANT Idea and so great for me.. as I forget just about everything! 

 

 Before we started.. we also got a quick tour of the Ranger Warehouse.. where they pack and ship all the products. WE ALSO got a tour of the part of the warehouse where they actually MAKE the products. and I mean from Scratch! They mix their own inks and dyes and solutions right there at Ranger.. and they also fill the bottles, the ink pads, put on the labels.. it's crazy! We watched a batch of stickles being made.. and ink pads being filled.. SO stinking cool. It blew my mind! When I worked for Chatterbox.. we had just about everything done overseas.. in China. so I just assumed Ranger did too. But they do it all in house.. so they can controll how well the products are made, they can also really create cool innovative products because they have their own chemist in house! So cool! (no pictures of this.. as it waasn't allowed.. totally understandable!)

After the tour, we made our way back into the classroom..  and we jumped right in!

Day 1: We learned about Perfect Pearls.. for using with stamps.. but also as paints!(oh soo cool.. gonna use them in the art journaling class!) We also learned a about Perfect Pearls mists.. and why they are different than dry particals.. and how some really cool techniques on how to use them! I ALSO learned they they are permanent!! SO COOL! Most sprays are waterbased.. so even once they dry.. if you re-wet them again (on canvas or paper).. they will re-active and smudge .. which is okay.. because it gives you a cool painterly effect. But the perfect pearls are completly permanent.. so the design you create stays! SOO DANG COOL! and the sprays are colored.. not just have a pearl color to them. SUPER cool. My new favorite wash! We have had them in our store.. but sold out.. so when I got home.. I ordered ALL the colors and a bunch of them! lol Should be here next week!

 

Day 1 Afternoon we learned all about the MeltArt Melting Pot, UTEE, MEtlArt products and just the bazillion things you can do with that melting pot! I am serious when I tell you.. I was amazed! I mean AMAZED. You can use it not just for melting wax or crayons or UTEE, but you can use it for baking clay or shrink plastic.. oh my heck just about anything! Plus the things you can do with UTEE? I mean seriously.. from Image Tranfer, to Wire dipping, Texutred resin, Faux Soldering making your own jewelry...Using Wonder Tape. AMZING! Plus we learned how to make our own molds and create our own demionsal findings with it and UTEE!  Can't wait to do an entire workshop just on that! SO FREAKING COOL!

 

After our long day of learning exciting new things we had a BBQ right there in the warehouse.. it was awesome!
Got to hang out and get to know some of the other students better and also talk to Tim! And Mario ( a good friend of Tim's.. like his holder brother.. and he also works for Tim)

 

Mario was the awesome "behind the scences guy"! He kept our tummy's full of delicous snacks and drinks all day  long... as well as feed us THE BEST lunches EVER! Sqaure pizza! YUM! thanks Mario!

 

Day 2 We got learn from the awesome Ms Claudine Hellmuth!

 

She has a paint and stamp line with Ranger.. so I was RIGHT at home with her!  and oh boy did I learn so many new techniques! Things you can do with Gesso, Multi Mediums, Extra Time.. and her paints are like butter.. oh so smooth and rich. Just like the expensive brands..  AND the cool things you can do with her StickyBack Canvas! Make your own fabric with image transfer! SO COOL!

 

plus fun photo tinting.. and masking techniques!

After lunch: Square pizza.. oh so yummy.. (Buffulo Chicken Pizza.. AMAZING)

We headed back to the classroom for Day two Afternoon: Distressed Powders, Inks and stains.. seriously?  I never really understood the difference in his powders or his inks before.. I didn't realize how TRULY different they are from regular powders and inks and WHAT THEY CAN DO!!  I mean GREAT for Mixed media and art journaling!

 

 

Plus on a lot of the techniques we got to use TIm's stamps from his other lines.. to use with the inks and powders! Can you say Yum??

 

We also were taught all about the distressed inks pads and their properties.. and why they work so good and what is soo cool about them. And really truly. They are cool. I have always ONLY ever used Staz-On inks.. love em.. but I think I found another ink I can't live without!

 


We also learned about the Distressed stains.. a brand new product. ANd can I tell you.. I came home and bought just about EVERY color for the store.. oh my heck.. I am so excited to use them in the upcoming Art journaling workshop in my OWN projects! SO awesome!

 

So that was the end of Day 2.. my mind was on "technique" overload and I was worried I wouldn't remember it all! It was awesome that we had a tag and a label to go with each technique.. to remember what we did and how we did it! Brilliant I say.. BRILLIANT!

I was so tired at the end of day 2 I headed straight for my hotel for a hot bath and bed. I put on my comfy pj's and realized I hadn't eaten since lunch! I didn't want to get dressed again.. so put on a hat and a sweater and called it good  and headed down to the front desk to see what kind of yummy snacks they sold! Lol

 

 

I got myself a nice 4 course meal.. cup-o-noodles, bbq chips and some fruit (gummy worms! lol) and icecream for desert! lol

 

Day 3: our last day.. was so sad too.. because I wanted to keep learning and leanring!
The morning was all about Ranger's Adirondack Line.. the ink pads and Color Wash Sprays! (these are  my favorite.. use them all over in the She Art Workshop and upcoming Art Journailng workshop! Plus my "Behind the Art" video on my blog.. about using them with Stencils and Masks!)  So cool! Love em!  But I learned a TON of new fun things you can also do with them! Can't wait to share!

 

Day 3 Afternoon was all about The Alcohol Inks and Paint Dabbers. Okay.. have to admit.. I have always been afraid of the alcohol inks. I just wasn't sure what they do! I mean I own a ton of them.. but just never quite "got" it. BOY NOW I DO! The layers and textures you can create.. the effects you can get! it's incredible.. TRULY! I can't wait to show you!!! (just brought all of these into the store too!)

 

and the Paint Dabbers? I bought them when they first came out and had trouble with the paints drying up.. but NOW they have new tips and a new paint formula AND new bottles which squeeze so much easier.. and oh my heck.. the possibllities for these.. for creating texture and on canvas and in art journals? Crazy!!! AND we also got to learn techniques using his Crackle Paint.. amazing stuff too! It Crackles ON ITS OWN! no other paint needed.

 


I had THE bEST time ever. I learned so much! SO MUCH! I honestly didn't want it to end. Tim was so funny.. had us laughing the whole time.. told us so many cool and inspiring stories.. and funny ones too.
After it was over.. we took a group photo (I forgot to give them my phone.. so I stole this picture from Tim's blog.. thanks tim :))

 

 The cool thing now about Ranger U, is that once you have gone.. you are then considred a Certifited "Ranger Teacher". Which means you are now endorsed by Ranger and can teach all the techniques learned in the classroom. They also support you at events and with products for classes. It's amazing!  I am SUPER excited to share all that I learned with YOU now!  There is so much info.. it will be great for the next months! I am going to use some of them in the upcoming3 Hearts Journaling workshop, some on my blog in "behind the art" videos.. and a majority of them through a couple of different mini workshop/calsses! The possiblitlies with these products are endless!

Right before i left, i brought in all of their stains, Melting Pots, Wax products  and Alcohol inks for the store.. for the upcoming workshop.. (just added them all yesterday).. but then the minute I got home I placed an order for their ink pads, powders, Utee, Paint Dabbers.. oh so much stuff! The rest of it will be here end of next weeek! Can't wait to show you all how to use it!   anyhow.. it was a great way to spend 3 days. AMAZING way.

After we all hugged and said our goodbyes.. a few of us decided to head to the beach. Since I didn't have time during the day.. I REALLY REALLY wanted to go and at least put my feet in the sand.. so a few of us.. Melissa and Chad (from Australia), Jenn (from Canada), Rosa (from Spain), and Mark who works for Ranger but originally from the Phiilipines.. headed out to the Jeresy Shore to see the ocean and go out for Sushi..I called them my "international buddies"! lol.. I was the only one in our group from the US.. so I had to show them how we do Sushi here in the states! lol.

 

 

 it was the perfect ending to a perfect weekend! I was so grateful and felt so blessed to go. Truly. If you are a teacher or a store owner.. or a designer.. you MUST apply for next years RAnger U! It will ROCK your world! The take applications on their website.. HERE.. and to find out more about their products.. Tim has an awsome blog where he is constantly showing how to use all his products! I did the Color Wash products and the Claudine Hellmuth paints and things in my She Art workshop too! Lots of cool things.

so.. thanks for letting me share! I better get back to my long list of "must do's".. so I can head off to teach in North Carolina next week! Holy cow.. don't think I will be sleeping much this weekend.. help! lol

I probably won't post again until Monday.. just too much to do! But I have a fun Behind the Art video I created before I left.. so I will try and post it for a day while I  am gone!
Oh and one more thing..

HAPPY MOTHER's DAY this weekend!!! To all you amazing wonderful women out there! Even if you aren't a mom! You are a woman and you deserve to enjoy yourself this weekend! I know I will! Surrounded by my kids and hubby.. can't wait!

Speaking of.. watch for your email tommrow! We are doing a Mother's day Sale for our Mixed Media Store..  So watch for a coupon for that in your email box tommorow and on my facebook page!

 AND  also.. We just officially launched our BRAND NEW BeadArtTODAY!! wahoo! we had it redesigned with easier shopping cart.. a new look and new designs! and MORE being added weekly!! So check it out!
We are offering a re-grandopening special.. 15% off your entire order!

Just use  the coupon code:
Beads2  

at checkout!

 Scarlet LIme BeadArt

Happy Thursdsay!

Monday Moodboard- Plum Crazy... and last day to register..

 

I remember when I was in high school my mom had a fascination with the color purple. All shades of purple. One summer when I came to visit, she has recently re-decorated her living room. New paint, new carpet.. new everything. She had also had second hand pieces.. so this was the first time.. she had everything new and she deserved it. She was raising 13 kids for goodness sake. When I walked into the house..the first thing that caught my eye was the light iris shade of carpet that covered the floor. Almost white.. but a TRUE tint of purple in there. The walls were also a shade of lilacs.. (my mom also had a love of lilac bushes.. still does today.. yum). She had couches that had a faint stripe of cream/lavender and plum.. with darker plum accent pillows and painting with shades of silver and plum and lilacs in them.  It was tastefully done.. but I have to admit.. I DID NOT LIKE PURPLE! lol.. so while I was excited for her new room.. I was left wondering.. really? purple? mom.. really? She also told us AND herself she was never good at decorating or home decor.. the truth was.. she was just totally ahead of her times.. now I can see that room in a high-rise somewhere.. in New York City.. accented with dark shades of wood, stainless steel  and a hint of grey with Orchids in a glass vase on the cofee table.  I can also see it in the country.. in a cottage with white weathered furniture, vintage lace as accents and worn wood floors. With a bouquet of purple wildflowers in an old weathered white pitcher.. on the table.  My mom truly was just ahead of her times.. she has always had wonderful taste.  And you know what the funny thing is.. now NOW i love purple.. well MOST shades of purple. I love shades of plum, iris, lilacs, orchids, eggplant, amethyst, violet, and lavender. I admit I do have a hard time painting with it.. but I recently did a piece that had purple and I actually really loved it.  So today's monday moodboard is in honor of my mom and her wonderful sense of style..  (just a few years too early)..

 

 

Hand-printed Plum LampShade kit

Zoe Dark Plum Linen Dress (um please can I have this?? lol)

Deluxe Plum Purple Flower HeadBand

Love is REAL embroidered Cuff Bracelet (oh seriously.. be still my heart)

Delicious Purple Straw Cloche Hat

Purple Cottage Shabby Wood Shelf

Plum Silk Mini Rosette Ring

A Plum Spring, Art Print

Rustic Hemp Recycled Journal in Plum (yum)

Felt Lilac Plum earrings

Distressed Plum and LInen Picture Frame

CandyLand Sparkly Summer Plum Fun, Art Print

Linen Crocheted Lilac PinCushion

Egglpant Cozy Spring Mug Sleeve

So those are my lovely purple finds... Etsy is such a wonderful place.. so much inspiration to be found there.. yum yum!

 

Well before I go.. I wanted to remind you, that today is the last day to register for the She Had 3 Hearts  Art Journaling Workshop at the discounted price!!

 

Right now if you sign up, it's only $35.00.. last day to register at this special offer price! Ttomorrow the registion goes up to the regular price of $44.95!! So if you haven't signed up.. don't miss out on the opportunity to save! Class starts in 21 days!!! wahoo!

you can find out more about it here! or click on the workshop link above on my blog..

Speaking of Art journaling.. I am listing a supply list THIS week for the class.. and our shop will be filled to the brim with fun things like journals, Panpastels, Shiva paintsticks, watercolor pencils, Inktence Watercolor blocks.. and more yummy goodness! Watch for the news coming later this week!

Happy Monday!