christytomlinson

A little Summer Inspiration while I am away..

Hey sweet friends!

First off.. WOW AND THANK YOU!!!! Holy cow!! I am just blown away by your generosity! TRULY!! So last week we did a fundraiser for the girls and boys of The Shelley 3rd Youth Group For their summer camps. YOU guys all kicked BUTT and guess what? We raised exactly $4000!!! HOLY COW!!! that is crazy insane! The best part is now EVERY kids gets to go to camp AND they have enough left over to give to other youth community in our area for theirs as well! YOU GUYS ROCK!!

 So thank you!

So what have i been up to? well can you guess? lol.   THe old new house!  The house is coming along AWESOME! i am hoping HOPING that we can move in Late June. We Just have Trim, Paint and Tile left.. I can't wait!  Normally my husband could probably have that done in the next week or two, however.. Silly ME decided LAST FALL that it would be a good idea to take our yearly family vacation, the day after our kids got out of school. (Their last day was yesterday). SO today we are leaving for 10 DAYS.. what?? lol

Of course I assumed we would be totally moved into our house by then, (I was thinking March at the latest lol). and so doing the trip in Ma, was totally not a problem!  Well.. NOW here we are SOOO close to being done and moving in..  and since my husband is doing all of the finishing work himself..  it's actually KILLING me that we are leaving!  Don't get me wrong, SO excited to spend time as a family, relaxing, laid back on the beach. But man oh man, I wish I would have planned it another time. BUt it's all good! lol.

So where are we going? Well, each year we have seemed to go on a cruise, or california, or something. THIS year I wanted to do something totally different. BUt what? I wanted low key, not busy busy busy. I wanted warm weather, sand and warm ocean water (not so much on the east or west coast lol). I also wanted small town atmosphere as well. Hum.. where to go. THEN I remembered my sister, Leah, who lives back in East said that every year they take their family to the Gulf Shores of Alabama for their family vacation. She said it's like the best kept secret because it has white sand beaches, WARM waters (from the gulf coast), and since  it's not a HUGE destination place, prices to rent houses are SUPER Cheap! AND the best part.. it's small town, laid back. Easy going. So I suggested it to the family and they said WHY not? 

So  I started looking and flights to Mobile were about the same for us to fly to florida where we normally do a cruise from. Then I checked into beach houses (we ALWAYS rent from VBRO.com. they are rentals listed by home owners). I just wanted to SEE how much a house directly on the beach would be). I WAS BLOWN AWAY!  Seriously tons of beach houses for rent. great sizes, awesome views and like ON the beach for anywhere from $80-$200 per night! that is CRAZY insane! In California you would be $1500-$2000 PER NIGHT. From that moment I was HOOKED! We booked an AWESOME house on the beach for a full week and it was a third of a cost we normally pay for a cruise! (Granted it doesn't include food, but dude food is NOT going to cost me thousands of dollars lol).  We like simple like Pb&J's, chips, hot dogs. We are on the beach right?  I am SOO excited to go actually.. just TOTALLY TOTALLY wish it was AFTER we moved in. I am just so anxious to move into our house. But it's okay. We have our whole lives to be in that house right?  This is the LASt family vacation we will take before Braden (my oldest) Graduates next year and goes on a 2 year mission for our LDS Church. So this was pretty much the only time. This fall he has football and next spring he has golf. So this really was our only opportunity to go. It will be fun. I know it. Once I get there I will be glad. :)

SOO we are leaving in just a few hours, but totally wanted to come in and say Hi, and tell you whats up with the family and leave you with a little bit of inspiration to get us through the next week while I am gone!

I thought it would be fun to share some art I have been making this year.. over the past few months (most of which I show how to make in either my SHe Art 3 workshop, or my Behind the ARt workshop).  Just thought it would be fun and hopefuly give you a little bit of inspiration as we head into summer.. to get your paints OUT and get messy!

WHICH by the way, I have pack and entire suitcase of paints, canvases, oil pastels and more for both BEN and i for this trip! While the kids swim in the ocean, we are going to paint on the beach! wahoo!  

so here we go..

This girl I painted on a "date" night with Ben, at my studio. We decided to paint for our date (as we often times too). Man I love that guy...

 

She is definitely a character.. Not perfect, but I kinda like her that way..

 

This next girl is probably one of my favroites..

I Just love the look in her eyes. She looks like she is FULL of hope. She is Strong and yet very kind. Love this girl.

Another one that I fell in love with was this cute little funky girl.

 

 

This last girl is one that I recently did.. in the Behind the Art class! She is simple and has no face.. but I actually LOVE her this way.. she didn't need a face :)

Soo. that's it! I have a tons more to share.. but just wanted to share a few things today!

SOOO, I hope you all have a fabulous Memorial Day weekend.. AND an awesome next week!  I will be posting pictures on my instagram and facebook account of our trip for those of you that are interested!

AND sorry.. I know some of you have requested "friendship" from me on facebook and I haven't approved it. it's not because I don't want to, its because facebook limits the amount of friends you can have on a personal account! AND I am at my max!! they won't let me add one more person. That is just so weird. I know I can start over and do a business one, but for now, just keeping my regular page. I think you can still SEE my facebook page, even if you aren't my friend as it's not private. You just can't comment.  

SO.. I will see you when we get back!! 

Happy Friday!
xoxoo

Christy

 

Fundraiser! Help me, help THEM! :)

Okay sweet friends! It's time! Remember last week when I mentioned I would LOVE LOVE LOVE your help with a special project?? Well now is the time!

So as you know last week, I mentioned a snippet about a wonderful group of kids that I have come to know and LOVE personally. They are the 3rd Ward Young Men & Young Womens Youth group! Over the last 2 years I have had the opportunity to get to know these kids and I honestly just am so proud of each of them, who they are and what they are striving to become. They have awesome values, good manners and just really loving kids!

Every year these kids have an opportunity to go summer camps, where they learn life skills that help them grow physcically, mentally and spiritually.

They have awesome bonding experiences with other youth, as well as youth leaders that TRULY shape them into wonderful adults. I know because when I was their age, I had the opportunity to attend a few of these camps, and they did WONDERS for who I am today. I have also had the opprotuniy in the last 10 years, to go as a volunteer to these camps as a leader and wow. Can I just say, the spirit and feeling that is there for these youth. I am always blown away.

So where do you come in?

Well each year these camps cost money, and unfortunatley most of these kids aren't old enough to have jobs. Those that are, often times have a hard time finding a job because we live in such a small town. We also live in a small rural farming community and it's tough to put that cost on the shoulders of their parents (specially when most parents have multiple kids wanting to attend the camps).
So each year they hold different community fundraisers in hopes of helping to pay some of their way to the camps.

Well this year I just thought to myself,.. you know what? I Know of an AWESOME community who has a HUGE heart and would TOTALLy help out with something like this! I have had the pleasure of knowing most of YOU in my class, from facebook and as I have traveled and you are just TRULY amazing awesome people!  I thought it would be awesome if I could expand our "little' community for this year to my "internet" family.. to help in our efforts!

So here is how it works!

I have put together two awesome kits for purchase.
One kit is  fun just grab bag kit full of awesome mixed media goodies that you can use in mixed media, art journaling or papercrafting projects! They are all different and have fun stuff you can use! They will have a mix of stamps, rubons, papers, stickers, embellishments.. etc!

These will be offered for $19.95 with a value of over $30.00 each!  If you buy multiple kits we will be sure to try and include different kits.

The second kit I am offering is a Favorites kits!

As many of you know I LOVE using rubons, stamps, and stencils in my projects. Well I have put together a fun little kit of some of my new and old favorite products!

 

This kit includes a set of rubons ( I LOVE using these rubons for details in my girls hairs, on houses, etc.) It also includes an all over heart die-cut sheet that I use as a fun stencil, and a pack of die-cut card sheets that I also love to use as stencils! Plus it includes Mr. Huey SHine Spray, which is a clear gloss shine that when used with stencils on darker surfaces, make this awesome embossed effect! AND of course.. my favorite of favorites.. The Clearsnap Roller stamps! These are two of my VERY favorite stamps! The Roller Dot and the WordWords! I use them ALL the time in my project, and if you are taking any of my classes you know what I mean! We haven't had these in our store for over a year, so I was able to get them in just for this kit! These kits are SUPER limited.. so don't wait on these. They retail for $30.00 and we are selling them for $24.95

ALL of the profits from these two kits will go to the youth! They will also be helping me kit, pack and ship these to you as well! So they will be FULL of love when they arrive! :)

ALSO i have had people faceobook and email me since I announced this last week, about just donating cash. the answer is AWESOME! Yes!!! So you will also be able to just donate cash increments of $10.00 as well, if you want and 100% of the money will go to the youth!

 

AND NOTE: many of you have discount codes for our store because you are taking online classes from me. PLEASE PLEASE condider NOT using those discount codes, as if you do, then the youth don't get the full profit amount. As it takes it off that amount. SO please don't use them  at check out :)

So that's it! SO  can you help me? Spread the word?? I know you guys can and will help do amazing things!

you can purchase the kits Or donate cash on my Scarlet Lime Mixed MEdia store site!
Here is the DIRECT link!

Summer Camp Fundraising Kits!

or just look in the category " fundraising Kits" or "new" section!

Thanks again for your awesome support! TRULY! thank you!!
xoxo

Christy

where to start...

hey sweet friends! I have missed you all! I didn't realize until the other day, when someone emailed me asking me if I was okay because I hadn't blogged in a while, that is has been over 3 weeks! Yikes! how does time do that?

Well I will tell you how.. lol. My last post I had decided that my next post would be about my Fibromylagia and a list of the products I use to help with the pain. Well I didn't get it done in time before I left for California, and then when I got back.. Things just set into motion as far as catching up on over 2000 emails (holy cow are you serious?? lol), filming for Behind the Art, helping Ben with new/old house stuff and just catching up around my house! (my bedroom was a mess, stuff piled up that needed to be done). Just life you know? I still wanted to do a blog post, but everytime i thought about it, I thought, well I need to get all the products, and I want to take pictures of each one, and show them how I mix my oils, and etc etc etc.. and it just seemed so daunting lol. and so I put it off. And put it off, and put it off. And pretty soon it's been almost a month since I blogged last!

SO i decided today, I am just going to post. because I think i had i my mind that my next post HAD to be the one about my fibro stuff and while I haven't had time to take pics of that, I can't keep putting on blogging either. So this is me starting somewhere :)

First off teaching at Studio Creschendoh was AMAZING! Truly was amazing.

She made setting up a BREEZE (and with the help of my dear friend Chrissy, who came to support and help me during the class)

And THANK You to DecoArt and Faber Castell For Donating Paints, Decoapauge and Big Brush PENS for everyone in the class! AMAZING!

I have this "uhg" feeling when I travel to teach because with my fibro and with teaching all day and standing all day, I just get so overwhelmed by the thought of it.. but I have to tell you that when a someone who is hosting you, creates a peaceful, easy going, creative environment for you to teach in.. it makes it SO easy to put all those fears behind. JEnny has just this amazing way of making everyone in the room, teacher and students alike, feel comfortable and welcome.

It was a beautiful space to teach in, and I just truly loved it and it was great place for me to get my creative juices flowing as well! 

 

The students were by FAR my favorite part! I loved being able to each lunch and dinner with them between and after class time and get to know them! I wish we had one extra day to just hang out and paint, all of us together.

I was SO impressed by what they created. They took in a HUGe challenge of creating two girls on BIG canvases in 2 days. really that is a HUGE challenge, specially when you are learning new techniques for half of the class time. But they did it and MOST if not ALL walked away with two finished girls! I was so proud of them and in awe of their work!

I told Jenny I would LOVE to come back. In a heartbeat. Truly was a great time.

Then my friend, Chrissy and I stayed a few extra days, for downtime, to just chill, relax, re-coup.

We spent time just sitting on the beach talking,

went shopping in little shops along the beach-side. We found our way to many thrift stores, some cute little second hand shops, And we just really hung out. Talked, laughed, slept and slept some more. It was much needed.

From there we both headed home, but I made a pitt stop in Salt Lake City where I met Ben.

(he sent me this picture a few days before I saw him.. painted it right over the brick in our dining room. We were going to rock over the brick, but I think now I might just put a really cool old wood mantel on the existing brick and keep it as is :))

We had ordered some old door for the new/old house on-line and they said they would ship them for free if they could send them on their truck, which stopped in Salt Lake City (3 hours from my home). We had to meet them there to pick them up. So ben drove down, picked me up from the airport and the next day we picked up the doors. (by the way, I was SOOOOO missing Ben by the point, I am pretty sure I cried when I saw him waiting for me at the curb. I held on so tight and didn't let go for like 10 mins or more. Dang I miss that boy when I am not with him. we've been married almost 19 years.. you think I would be over that by now lol. I am just a silly girl in love with a crazy awesome man ).

We also spent the next  day hitting some of the antique and salvage shops in Salt Lake city finding some more old architectural pieces and doors for the house.

THAT was so much fun! We found one we fell in LOVE with. TONS of doors.. like hundreds of old doors ranging from $25-$75 each. It's called George's Salvage. It's on 900 E I believe in Downtown Salt Lake City. AWESOME place. We spent hours there. He has some pretty cool stuff with REALLY great prices!

Then we headed home and I just spent then next day snuggling with all my kiddos. MAN i missed those babies too. I am for SURE a home body. I used to love to travel all the time, and Now I just want to be home. I DO love traveling with my family. But without them, it doesn't seem as fun.

So that was a short recapp of California! It really was a great experience and reminded me that sometimes stepping outside of my comfort zone and teaching at these wonderful studio's is really a great experience. I met some REALLY wonderful women there. TRULY wonderful. Friends for life for SURE!

Since I have been back. like I said.. we have just been crazy busy getting the house done, ive been filming in my studio, catching up on life, emails, kit club stuff, store stuff. Being gone for a week, is kinda hard.. you come home to a LOT of catch up!

but things are starting to calm down a bit now. We are shooting for a goal of being in our new/old house in about a month! I can't wait! It's just such a long process right now. All of the finishing work is being done by Ben. That means all the painting, trim, molding, installing wood floors, cabinets, lighting, plumbing fixtures, light switches, all of the rock and brick and features walls, etc. ALL of that stuff. It's the FUN stuff in my eyes, but when it's only one man (and my sweet brother is helping out too). It takes a while. Specially when you are doing in a house with so many rooms and spaces. BUT our goal all along was to do this mostly by ourselves to save money AND to make it ours. So its worth it in the end.

Over the next couple of weeks I want to share with you our progress! I do post things quite a bit on my instagram account AND my facebook page. (instagram I am just christytomlinson). So if you follow me on either of those, you probably have seen all of the fun updates. But I will do a blog post here about it too.

AND of course one about the fibro stuff.. AND a few weeks ago, I went and bought some supplies to make a video for you guys.. a FUN tutorial on how to make your own roller stamps!  So that will be in the works too. Gonna get back into the groove :).

Oh but before i forget.. ONE THING! I need your guys help with!!! I need you guys to spread the word to all of your online buddies about a HUGE fundraiser I will be doing next week on my blog and scarlet lime site! I am excited to have the opportunity to help a very HUMBLE and wonderful group  of teenagers in my community earn their way to camps this summer that will teach them VERY valuable life skills and confidence skills as well. Next week I will be having a HUGE sale on two different kits made just for this event. and ALL of the profit. 100% off the profit will be going to this group of about 25 kids. So I NEED Your help big time! We will have about 350 kits to sell. THey will be helping me pack and kit them. so it will be all done with total love! AND you guys are going to LOVE whats in the kits! ONe will be a SUPER awesome grab bag kit, the other is a "favorites" kit, which will include 2 rollers stamps (my two favorite ones I use in just about EVERY class I do, It's a Dot roller stamp and a word roller stamp). We haven't carried them in over a year.. so this will be a change to GET them! Plus other fun stuff in that kit including stencils, rubons and a unique spray. We will only have 150 of those kits and like i said.. 100% of the profits go to these awesome kids for their summer camps. SO I NEED YOUR HELP! So watch for that next week! Watch your in-boxes!

Well I first want to say THANK You for many of you that have emailed, with concerns about how I am doing, but also say I MISSED YOU!!!! glad to be back. Sorry for the long, update post.. but I needed to start somewhere right?

Happy Thursday!
xoxo