Come chat with us tonight...

and you could win:


Yup! I'm giving away two RAKs tonight at our AMM Friday Night Chat! We start chatting tonight at 7pm PST so come on by and say "hello". Our Friday night chats at AMM are just a way to get together and gab about our week, projects we are doing, things happening... and some of us even scrap! lol. (Mostly we talk to be honest.)

I have some things finished that I so wish I could show off today! But, I can't. They are top secret until the December Kit Gallery is posted at AMM this Monday, so I'll just have to wait!

You CAN see the whole kit which Michelle posted last night....


Ummm, it's amazing. That's all I can say. All of the papers are double sided and seriously the backs are just as cool as the fronts!

I hope to chat with everyone tonight!

{hugs}

Some:

new layouts to share...


ugh... I hate that these photos look so blown out. Don't be surprised if they change later today!

new goodies from AMM:


The December Kit is called Global Grandeur and is so gorgeous. I got it yesterday and I can't wait to get working this morning! There is still time to order this month's kit AND make your add-on orders for combined shipping. Check out THIS for some new goodies in the store and info on how to combine shipping! Kits ship Saturday!

and finally...

some more new artists on my ITunes...

*MIA*


She's a little crazy and her music is this amazing Bollywood/Ragga/Electronic mix. Very hot. And if you are prone to seizures I would suggest not going to her website.



*One Republic*


I have been going on and on about their song apologize and when they were on the Today show this morning Joe says "Oh yeah, I guess this song is pretty good!" Ummm, yeah.

*New Young Pony Club*


Love them! Check them out and dance the day away!

I don't know if anyone can tell but I've been a bit obsessed with music lately.

I getting to work right now but I'll have more later AND some new books that I'm really digging right now!

{hugs}

Sunday Already!

Just a quick post to catch-up a bit! Sorry no pics today, at least not until a bit later.

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving. Mine was rather quiet. Joey and I had the whole weekend to ourselves - so we've been doing a lot of working (which for me is more fun than his work, imho!), cleaning up, cooking & baking, and relaxing together.

I have TON of projects that somehow all got started at the same time, which makes my studio a little confusing but I am hoping that by this afternoon I'll have a few of them finished up! I'm so eager to get some new stuff out there!

I also wanted to let everyone know that there are some cool things happening at AMM that you HAVE to check out. Michelle has started a Dec. Kit Naming Contest/RAK. We also have a card contest happening right now, and I'll be posting another fun contest this week! The prizes for our Holiday Contests are so cool so be sure to check them out!

Have a great Sunday!

{hugs}

(sorry if there are any major spelling mistakes but I forgot to shut off my computer last night and it's taking forever to keep up with my typing! time to let her rest a few hours while I scrap!)

Solutions & Snapshots.

Today has been "mega"productive. I have gotten so much done, everywhere. I'm in the middle of a billion projects (one of which is packing up the entire house!) , and have finally gotten some things organized in my studio so that they are easy to pack up but still out where I can work more efficiently. I am really stoked on how it all turned out for such a quick fix!





These are all made from some jars that I've collected over the past year and the $1 KI Alpha's at JoAnns. I love these little alphas so I stock up when I head there and I thought they were an easy way to decorate my jars a bit.

When I wrap them and pack them I'm storing the jars & the supplies as one. Some of the pens have special spots in my crop bag; the inks, paints and stickles all fit in that brown box which is actually a Kentucky whiskey box that Joey collected. I love how it looks. I'm hoping by packing some of this stuff today I'll be saving space and be able to still use the stuff!



This is my quick fix for my rubon's and new stuff - like a clip-it idea I guess. While packing up some of our office supplies I found the cork board squares that were supposed to have been used to create a pegboard wall for Joey. He never used them because they were to thin - we got them as a temporary solution, not a big framing project. lol.

I took two and split them in half. Then I adhered the two halves to together to make two thick halves. I used a heavy double stick tape to adhere mine, but if I was doing it for a more permanent board I would have used something else. Then I used the removable adhesive that came with the cork boards to line up the strips under my calendar. Done.

I can now take it down easy and re-make it later.

So I was happy to have somethings cleaned up AND I had space to work! I did some office stuff and then started playing. These are just some SnapShots of what's currently "in-process"...


I wanted to get a layout going with some of the presents my Mom sent me for my birthday! I am in love with the Mellow line from BG. It's so gorgeous. Rich colors, warm layers, thick patterns. It's like your favorite sweater.

Then later this afternoon I got busy again with my current product spotlight for AMM. It's Inque Boutique and I love their stamps. I'm in the middle of doing a journal with them right now - coincidentally that's what I'm callin' it....


Now I'm off to finish my holiday cards and some other goodies that are being shipped out tomorrow. Thanksgiving moments away and I haven't planned how the little Taylor clan in going to celebrate it. I'm putting together an idea in my head so we'll see what happens!

What are you doing? I hope that everyone is happy and safe this Thanksgiving. I am so sad that I can't been home with my family & friends but I love them so much and am counting down the days until we can spend a TON time together for Christmas. Love you!

{hugs}

25.

On Friday I turned 25. I didn't really know what to blog about it so I didn't. Birthday's for the past few years have been a little weird. It seems since my 21st I've celebrated every birthday away from home and away from good friends. I really don't want to sound all "woe is me"... and I know that birthdays get less and less exciting as you grow up... but lately my birthday is a reminder of how far away I really am from a lot of the people I love. I know that's all going to change soon and all of my friends and family always call, send gifts, and just spend time to catch up on my birthday, but this year I just felt more comfortable letting my 25th birthday pass on by.

The past year has been really hard and full of so many lessons. It's been my first year married, my first year designing with responsibilities and goals, and the first year I have really sat down and tried to figure out who I am and what I want. My journey answering those questions is still continuing, but I really feel that 25 is going to be my "manifestation" year. So many things are going to happen in the first few months of this year for me and life is going to be turned upside down! Now that's what I'm talking about!

So that's all I'm saying about my birthday. I'm more excited about today, and tomorrow than sad about yesterday, so I think I'm in good shape!

But, we all deserve a little birthday portrait, so here I am with my little Roxy who turned 14 weeks on Friday when I celebrated my 25th!


I can't even tell you how HUGE she's getting and how much harder it is to take a picture of her now! I have about 30 failed attempts to take pictures with her this morning. I had Joey come in too to hold my place while I set up the exposure and looking through all of the mishaps is hilarious. He suggested I do a post about the "trials of the Taylor portrait" which I will when I have more time to weed through the mess that was this morning!

I also made a little "gummy bear" art this morning for my "Right Now." journal. I put together my 25 before 26 to do list and will be printing this baby out to add in there.


I hope that everyone has a wonderful and productive Monday!

{hugs}

late night scrapping...

So today in the middle of working on my "right now." album (coming soon!) I realized it was the last day to do the new challenge on ScrapMojo. So after some late night shopping (I was totally out of 8.5x11 photo paper) I did this little quickie....


The challenge was "If you could take over a holiday..." and there are some MAJOR things I would change about Halloween. I think it's so sad that the innocence of Halloween has been "lost" a little and if I was in charge I would make a few adjustments! LOL!

{hugs}

{Music}

My ITunes has been going through a bit of a rut lately - well why not, just about everything else in my life has been lately! LOL. I can joke now that I'm on a roll again.

So my playlist has been stuck on her...


and him...


with some of the later works of his.


Plus my usual Amy Winehouse, Poe, Etta James, and other randomness.

The "her" is Lily Allen, and the "him" is Pete Doherty. I've been on a little British kick lately, I think I'm secretly wishing we could move to London for a bit. Or at least have an extended holiday there.

But I'm wanting something NEW! Not new as in just released necessarily, just new to me would be good. Good music always inspires me and I can go for hours just playing while listening to a good randomized playlist.

Here are a few more of my favorites and PLEASE leave me some of yours!

*The Presets*


*Peter Bjorn and John*


In "other" news. I HAVE MY MOJO BACK! I am working on a mini book/art journal called {right now.} that totally has me flowing again. Thank goodness! And in starting it I've always started designing some new little goodies that I hope to finish today. I'm totally nervous to see if people love or hate them. Check back this weekend because I am finally going to post my FIRST GIVEAWAY EVAH!

{luv & hugs}

Graphic Inspiration.

So I've been ranting and raving about this book for the past month to my friends and to Joey who I think is just sick of me showing him the same pages over and over again, so I thought it was time to sit down and blog about it.


This fabulous book is Hand Job by Michael Perry. Michael's work is amazing and as a designer for Urban Outfitters he has my dream job! Here are a few of my fav's from his website:



That second one is one of the projects he did for the 2008 Olympics, there are a couple more on his site so check them out. His website is packed and so worth surfing.

His book is actually a catalog of his favorite typographers and graphic artists. I haven't even made a dent in checking them all but so far I have a few favorites that I thought I would share.

First up is Kate Bingaman whose co. is Obsessive Consumption. She draws practically everything that she buys (which I think is rad), including her bank and credit card statements. She also has an etsy shop where she sells these....


her "What Did You Buy Today?" Zines.

Then there is Paul Clark. I can't even explain to you how much I {heart} Paul's work, I just have to show you...

I hope some of them inspire you as much as they do me!

Do you have any amazing graphic artists, typographers, or doodlers that inspire you? Please share them because I am always in the mood for more eye-candy!

{Hugs}

A very good weekend!

Happy Monday!

How is everyone today?

Joey and I had a really good weekend. Saturday we took a little trip down to Olde Naples to see what was happening in Cambier Park. There was a Art & Craft show going on but it was mostly Florida stuff. It wasn't the big crafts show where exhibitors come from all over. I really need to find out when that is because last time we went there were some really cool finds - like The 3 Sisters Design Co. who make domino and bottle cap jewelry. Very cool.

So after checking out the art show we headed over to Tin City. I'd never been there and wanted to see what it was like. It was very Florida Kitsch-y but fun to look at. You know, a lot of purple hat stuff, alligator heads made into beer koozies, indian stuff, fishing stuff, and more imported shells than I've ever seen. We went to lunch at a fish place on the dock and just had fun being together and laughing.

I did get a chance to take some fun portraits of my hubby. He's so hot! My favorite part of Tin City was all of the colors! Windows with bright green and yellow framing and bright blue walls. Too fun...



And then he wanted to take a few of me too. Which I rarely let him do since he's single frame impaired! But he actually got a few nice ones...



So that was our Saturday. I took Saturday night to clean up my studio and start putting away the mess that's taken over my dining room table. Sunday we shot our second-to-last wedding at the Ritz. It was really nice but I'm so glad we are almost out of weddings for good. Our last one is in March when we come back for Joe's Mom's birthday so we don't have to think about them anymore for a long time!

Saturday I got my latest order from AMM. I got the new CI be. dimensions. They are so cool! I got some new KI stuff and Maya Road Chipboard Birds. I have so many fun things to play with and as soon as I'm done cleaning this afternoon I'm diving in. I've been in a bit of a rut lately so I'm hoping that I'll be able to just relax and create!

I'll be back around later to post some new graphic designers and typographers I've been oogling over lately! And be sure to check out my Book Review of Journal Revolution on the AMM message board, these books rock and if you don't have them yet you have to get them!

{hugs}

A Fresh Start.

Happy Friday!

So much has been going on the past week. Last time I blogged was before Halloween and Joe and I had just come down with pretty nasty colds. I ended up needing to go to the docs (ugh, never my favorite thing) but after getting some medicine I am now all back to my healthy self.

One thing being sick made me realize was just how badly we have been eating and taking care of our home. With the new puppy, gearing up for the move, and being sick I had really neglected my housekeeping! So, back to FlyLady to get things all ironed out again (even though I don't actually own an iron!)

It's finally cold here in SW Florida. Or at least cool. Mornings have been in the 40s/50s and we get up to about 77 during the day. I am longing for cold weather and run around in the morning happily yelling "sweater weather" to Joey.

So what's up with the fresh start? Well, we have decided finally that this month we are definitely moving. Out by December 1st! Joe had originally decided we would wait so that he could finish some projects but he now will have everything done in the next two weeks and then he wants to hit the road. Waiting until after the holidays just wasn't gonna happen!

I have also gotten really inspired - in the kitchen! Who would have thought it would take this long for a girl to learn how to really go grocery shopping? Well, I've been watching Rachel Ray and I'm not afraid to get in there and try new things now. I'm such a picky eater but I'm hoping that if I ease into new ingredients and make some new dishes myself I'll expand my palette a bit and be totally ready to shop in the fabulous fresh markets in NYC! Today Joey and I went shopping and I got a ton of fresh ingredients. Tonight I'm making RR's Can-Of-Beer Chicken that she made this week.

I'm still trying t clean up my studio and get my head together artisitcally. I've been really overwhelmed lately and lost some momentum. I've bought a ton of fun new stuff just for me so I'm hoping that once I clean up I'll be motivated to play a bit. I was sponsored by Dreamstreet this month and made this little decoration to send to my cousin for her new baby Ella...


I also did a Holiday Planner but for that check out A Million Memories.com in the Product Spotlight Forum. All the girls on the DT have been doing amazing work so check them all out!

So that's my quick catch-up. I'm missing all my favorite blogs after being MIA online for the past week so I'll be making the rounds and sharing some fun inspiration again!

{hugs!}