June Paper Kit

Here it is! I love this kit so much. Its exactly how I'm feeling this month. A little bit loud and scattered. Even if you've got all the Love, Elsie you can handle, (is it possible?) there are some unique pieces in this kit. We've included 2 sheets of raw, black chipboard and one sheet of the Roxie Fabric Paper (think Gaffer Tape) that you can either cut up and use as embellishments, or make your own little book with.
Kristina Contes and Elsie Flannigan are our two featured designers this month. Can't wait to see what they do with these goodies! Check it out on the RVA kit club blog.

Make your kitchen pretty!

I just found these on Etsy last night and had two put in an order. These are so fresh and bright. I'm tempted to use them to sew with!
June Paper Kits are available tomorrow morning 9a.m. EST! We're posting a picture sometime today. The camera that is normally used to take these pics has decided to be broken for the last week. These things happen. Check out the RVA kit club site in the next 24 hours to see what pretty things await you.

DIY

I was ordering some yummy goodness from Sarah at The Small Object when I ran across these free downloads. (For personal use, of course!) If you love finding unique designs for free as much as I do...you shouldn't waste any time in checking them out.
Make yourself a set of cards to keep your dream projects organized, or even your scrapbook ideas. Make a set of stationary to give away to your best friend. Think of a way to make your own designs or create a collection of drawings to print onto recycled paper to make a notepad...I'm getting so many ideas. All you need now is some free time! Ha! If anyone has any to spare, send it my way.
Just finished up with a major project today that was so much fun to be a part of. But, I'm not telling yet.
My creative juices were jump started in a craft compartment that had been hibernating for too long. I may even keep going.
I just can't get over how the DIY explosion has made my life so much happier. Not only can I make my own ideas come to life and be appreciated, I get to see all the freakin' genius creations of other people I wouldn't have known even existed. Yes, there are a lot of reproductions of good ideas out there (and whose complaining) but there are so many original designs that it makes me feel like a part of something huge. Our generation, and those attached to each end, has exploded with handmade goodness and thanks to our dear internet providers, we can share it with each other.
Well, needless to say, I get a little excited about it all.
If you've discovered a fabulous site of an artist or a coop. of artists, share with me.

How Pretty!

Find More Here!
I really love old-fashioned bags with bright prints. Yum.

My Favorite Things

1. Pineapple
2. Swimming Pools
3. Movies

4. Making Scrapbook Pages?!
5. Warm Nights
6. Internet Friends

7. Jogging with Sebastian
8. Jamba Juice
9. New Jewelry

10. Adorn magazine
11. Underwire Black Bras
12. Blondie on TV

More pics of my son who is growing at super human speed.

He's almost 11 months old. He walks. He opens cabinets. He can climb our stairs. He sings to me. He claps when he hears music. He loves to give 'kisses'. He can high five. He cries when I hang up the phone. He cries when someone leaves the room. He cries when he sees kids play fighting with Brett. He likes to take things out of my craft tool box and then bang them on the lid. He helps me to remember to keep my craft area picked up. He gets me out of the house for walks. He helps me keep things simple. He is a sweet boy.

p.s. Check out Kendra's blog for a chance to win some Love, Elsie fun.

WooHoo!

I'm so proud of this girl. Her stuff is fresh. It makes me happy. And there is so much of it.

Graduation day

Pink Lemonade

Choose Your Weapon

A Little To The Left

Its Getting Hot Out Here, So...

Postum Graduatum


Last weekend my brother graduated from college and was commissioned for the Army. He's been branched aviation and wants to fly helicopters. Thats okay with me as long as he takes me for a ride one of these days. Otherwise, it makes me a little scared. But I don't enjoy lingering on the subject of Iraq so we'll move on.
It was pretty much an all week celebration with three ceremonies, lots of eating out with extended family, gifts, more eating out, etc. My parents were so proud. I am, too. So, here are a few pics. Short and Sweet.

Check this girl out.

Bitsy Baubles @ etsy.com

Such cute felt albums!

Share the love...

Hey ladies,

I found this info. while checking out other blogs and thought it would be something to share. Twice I have received boxes of scrap supplies from friends who had extra and wanted to share with me. It was something I wouldn't have thought to do with my extra but I was so happy to have all of this product to play with. So, the following is from Jessica @ Mercy Ministries.

Do you have supplies you will probably never use? (YES!) Then donate them to Mercy Ministries. Mercy is a home for girls with life controlling issues like anorexia, bulimia, cutting and unplanned pregnancy. The girls love to scrapbook, but they do not have many supplies.

If you have scrapbooking supplies you would like to donate, please write "scrapbooking" on the package and send them to:

Mercy Ministries
Attn: Ashley MacLachlan
15328 Old Hickory Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37211

You can send supplies at any time. Jessica Turner will use the supplies in scrapbooking classes that she teaches there, and the girls will also use the supplies for their own creative projects.

The girls can use paper, stamps, ink pads, stickers, rub-ons, di-cuts, tags, chipboard, adhesive, ribbon and decorative scissors. Please do not send any objects that are sharp or made of metal, such as brads, staples, etc. Mercy also really needs paper cutters for the girls to use in scrapbooking classes and during supervised times. So, if you have "upgraded" your paper trimmer and have an old one you could donate, please send it.

Thank you for your support of this incredible, life-changing organization. Your supplies will be so appreciated and will make a difference in the lives of the girls. If you want to learn more about Mercy Ministries, visit www.mercyministries.org.

May Project Kit

Kit Price=$38

Kit Includes

5 sheets of 12 x 12 Seven Gypsies Paper
1 sheet of teal felt
3 ft. of black Ric Rac
3 skeens of Embroidery Floss (colors may be slightly different from picture)
1 5 x 7 album, Bazzill Basics
1 strip of blue polka dot fabric; 1 1/2" x 45"
1 Umbrella tag from Paper Princess
1 set of BamPop PopFont Numbers Stamps

1 piece of 8" x 8" pink damask fabric
1 piece of 8" x 16" green Pez fabric
1 piece of fucshia fabric 10" x 45"
1 piece of aqua fabric 8" x 45"

This kit includes enough fabric and paper goods to make one cafe-style, craft apron that fits your mini album of the pics or ideas of your favorite projects. Simple but special.

S+H= $6.50 U.S. and Canada $10.00 International

Directions for putting the apron together will be posted on this site. You will need access to a sewing machine. Don't worry, you can do it!

You can order the kits by e-mailing Emma on May 17th starting @ 9 a.m. at

RedVelvetKitClub@hotmail.com

Project Kits are coming.

May 17th on the RV Kit Club blog. I'll be posting pics tomorrow (15th).

Its been a little quiet here. I've been pouring most of my energy into a large project thats under wraps for the meantime, but mostly I think my blog time has been replaced with following Sebastian around the house. He's walking now. It makes me proud to see him growing more independent. He's also collecting bruises. He's fallen into a door frame twice and a bookshelf once in the last week. Each little mark landed on the right side of his head so he looks like he's had quite a time. The great-grandparents are here this week for my brother's graduation but they can't really take any cute pictures of him, poor guy.

Last night my brother flew with the Police Dept. in a Euro helicopter around Fresno. He called us up and did a fly by with a full on spotlight and siren at 9:30p.m. at night. We were all dancing around in the driveway like loonies. It was a rush.

Brett let me spend a considerable amount of money last week on new clothes. I hadn't had any that fit well since Sebastian was born and had put it off thinking my shape would be changing over the weeks. Last Friday I was having an ugly day so we packed Sebastian up and drove to my favorite local, affordable, clothing store. Brett rolled S around in a cart for an hour to give me time to make quality purchasing decisions. It was such a therapeutic experience for me and still it continues. In one day I feel like a new woman because I made a choice to give to myself. I never wanted to be that mom that looked worn out and old. It kind of slipped in between late night feedings and dirty dishes. Making changes feels so good. Happy Mother's Day to me!

I started feeling sick last week. My mom asked me if I was pregnant. Thank goodness it was just a cold. And then yesterday I got a fortune in my cookie that said something about my 'nurturing instincts pouring over to many'...This combined with Brett's fortune that said his 'romantic life would take a turn for the better' makes me nervous! Ha!
Knock on wood.

Stay tuned, ya'all.

Weekend at the beach

A few pics of why things have been quiet 'round here. You wouldn't be online either!
We went to Carmel for an extended weekend to visit with my grandparents. They came out for my brother's graduation and rented a house right on the water. I could've stayed forever!
Sebastian loved the water, despite its potential to freeze his little 'hmm-hmms' off. I have fabulous memories of staying in Monterey and visiting Carmel from my childhood. The central coast is rugged and beautiful. We used to climb down the rocks at low tide and stick our fingers into the sea anemones. It was a little treasure hunt every time.
I had brought my computer thinking I'd get a little blogging done but our internect connection was an inconsistent dial up. No thanks. I had grilled eggplant sandwiches twice but neither were as good as the first I had in Seattle. It won me over. I normally don't get excited about food but I will always try an eggplant sandwich. I also had a Lime Ricky. Yum! We drove home with enough time to get ready for the next day's responsibilities until we got stuck for two hours in the Pacheco Pass. There are worse places to get stuck. So, this week is finishing up some major fun projects and trying to get enough sleep to not look like a worn out mom.
I've been watching Shear Genius lately. I cut hair in high school and college for friends. I ran a little under the table gig because non of us could afford a stylist. I only cut one head of hair that turned out terribly. It was before I knew how to layer. Oh, the poor girl. I think Amber Skolnick's stylist is on this show. He's pretty good. Amber, tell him he's my favorite!

Thanks for the great response to the kit. Emma and I have both learned from our first months production and are excited for the possibility of less stress next month. She's got the fun job of packing all of the kits and managing the expenses. I don't envy her. Send her a little love and leave her a comment here.

RV Kit LO's.

These are two of the LO's I've done with the May RV kit. My scrapping style is as follows. Lay everything out in a pile on the floor. Find my favorite photo from the pile. Sit there and stare at it all for about 30 minutes. Then slowly start to develop a theme with colors and composition. I try not to make anything permanent until I'm 90% about the whole thing. THen I'll add the last few embellies and finishing touches. Then I'll wonder if I need to leave it alone for about 10 minutes. I end up with a pile of things that don't work that I hold on to because I really might use them again. This whole process can only occur between the hours of 9:00p.m. and 1:00a.m. when I really should be doing something else. But, its the way I work.

What has been your favorite LO of your own from the last month? Post a link or a pic or a URL. I want to see!
Show us all!

Go Get Em!

Head on over to the new blog.

http://redvelvetgirls.typepad.com/rvkc

You'll want to look for the e-mail address in each post to place your order. Emma will then send you a PayPal invoice.

Check out our QYMA (Questions You Might Ask) section.

Have fun!