Creative Because I Wanna Be

A Break Through- In which I finally Create because I WANT to...

Hey Everyone!  When last we talked I had made a Major Organizational Score in my new Paint Storage/Kids Toy Shelf!  Woohoo! 

  

Before- I had my Paint up on a shelf- which was OK- but I ended up having Baskets of Paint all over the place and could never find the one I wanted.  AND- I was very tempted to just leave them here and there while I used them.

Now It's SO Much easier- and having all my Ink etc all in one Place makes things Faster and Less Stressful.

So Speaking of Stress- Since the whole Craft Fair/Christmas Gift/Get the Etsy Shop stocked Saga began I've had a bit of a Block creatively- I just, well, stopped creating new things.  I think it was because I felt like I had to be 'Doing something that fit in one of those Catagories' or I wasn't being 'Productive'. 

This always Snowballs for me into a bit of a 'Creative Paralysis' and I end up not Creating just for Fun and for Relaxation.   Which continues the Cycle of Stress...

  

So finally...after Sophie staged an Intervention and said Point Blank-

"Girl- what you doin?- Ain't nobody got time for that!"

I took a Big Breath- drew on all the Caffeine fueled Memories of my time with my Honey in Sedona...

And just got in there and 'Got 'er done'!

I got the Paints all organized, grabbed a Thrift Shop Rescue Board and started Working on something I've had in my head for awhile.

I had just read Somerset Workshop Autumn 2013 Edition and was really inspired by Junelle Jacobsen's work.   She has a project called "Camera Canvas"- its an  Awesome Mixed Media Tutorial and I decided her Techniques would help get this 'out of my head' and into the real world.

Here are some ways you can find her:

Her Awesome Blog 

Her Website

and this Great Blog Post about her!

So first I primed the 'Previously used' board with Turquoise and then used my Fave Collage materials- Old Books, Music, Hand painted and Ready Made Collage papers and arranged them in Heart shapes and Mod Podged them down. 

 

Then I covered it with Black and added more Bright Paint here and there...loved the colors!

I added even more 'stuff' on top- Sophie said to call it  'Ephemera' but I'm not feeling quite that 'Fancy' today:)

Then I added some Doodling and shading and more fun stuff like Buttons, wire and a Cute little Clothespin....

I was a little intimidated about the Wire thingee- but it turned our really fun and easy!  That is until I tried to trim it and cut the Wrong Wire and the whole thing fell apart...:)  This is the Second Try..

Buttons Buttons Buttons!!!!  I love them!

 And here it is!  Not sure whether it will be a Gift or in the Etsy shop:)

Since then I've Burst into Happy Random Creating- Sketching, Painting, Collaging...Ahhhhh....it's good to be Back in the 'Swing of things'...

How are you doing with the Holiday Hectic-ness?  Are you creating just for the Love and the Joy of it?  Do you need to Sequester yourself away for a bit and just Play?

Let me know!

 Sophie says...Okay-  she fell asleep... The Diva is down for a nap...

Love to all!

Paint Storage Organization- Finally!

My New Paint Storage Unit!

Hello All!  I am so grateful that My Love and I got to escape for the weekend.   Sedona has such a way of Recharging your Batteries- giving you an Incredible sense of the Wonder of the Creator and just really Sending you back ready to Jump in again:)

I couldn't even Wait a few Hours to get my new Paint Storage Unit all filled up and ready to go!

Here she is at the Thrift Shop- just waiting Patiently for me...

And Voila!!!  Here she is all full!  Please disregard the Mess that surrounds her...I tend to make things Worse before I make things better:)

I am Really excited to be able to See all the colors at once.  This is going to save a lot of "Where the Heck is that Color" Time.  I also separated out my different Acrylics.

Ahhh.....I love the 'Rainbow-y-Goodness':)

I added my Stamp Pads, Spray Inks and Oil Pastels so I could just Grab a Bin when I needed it.  The Bins are really Heavy Duty Plastic- those are hard to find anymore.  Way worth the $19 bucks I stole it for!!

AND!!!  I can just lift this Sucker up by the side handles and move it wherever I'm working...Yessss!

Here she is in her 'Somewhat-Permament-Home'. 

Scrap Cat both Observed and Approved of the new Arrival from her Perch on my Worktable...

Sophie, however, after a Hard Day of Napping and chewing on things....was Less impressed...

And I was So inspired by all the Energizing and Relax-I-cising in Sedona that I worked on my latest project...here's a Sneak peek...:)

So how are you doing on the whole Christmas is Coming Madness thing? Has panic set in yet?:)

Love to All!

Sedona Dreaming....

Sedona Dreaming...

Back from Sedona for a Quick Get Away with the Love of my Life:)  We love escaping to the land of Red Rock and Green Water.  I still can't believe we are less than an hour away!

We had such a Quiet Relaxing weekend Soaking up the Beautiful Views!  We stayed at our Favorite little Inn where you can just sit on the Balcony and Absorb all the Gorgeousness....

This was our First time there with the Fall Colors...wow, just breathtaking...

This time- we took a Train Ride!

We rode the Train in Clarksville up an Incredible Valley- you would Seriously never even know all this was there if you didn't take the train.  And there is an Actual RIVER there!  Ok- anywhere else it would be just a 'Crick' but in Arizona, man-it's a River!

It was so Beautiful!  We usually like to hike but since I've been having 'Toe Troubles' we opted for a 'Seated Tour'....we even had a Champaigne Toast!  Lovely!

We had such a Wonderful time just being together, relaxing, soaking up the Gorgeousness...

And of Course...drinking Coffee!!!  Yes- this was my first time to Sedona as a Coffee Drinker!!  And it's true- Coffee does make Everything Better!

And here...My First Red Cup of the Season!!!

And Check out the View from the Starbucks!!!

I LOVE having a Socially Approved Addiction!!!  Everywhere I went- people were offering me Coffee--often for Free! 

I'm feeling so Refreshed and Energized and I think I am finally beyond the 'Arting Block' I was suffering from 'Post-Craft-fair':)

Looking forward to getting my New Paint Storage Unit into my Study!!!

Love to All!

I

The Moments Challenge "A Week in the Life of Molly"

The Moments Challenge- A Week in the Life of Molly:)

Hey Everyone!  If you haven't checked out The Moments Challenge with Tammy Garcia of Daisy Yellow....Girl what you waiting for?

It's an Instagram Challenge of posting 'One Imperfect Pic' per day that offers a Glimpse of  your Life.  At least that's what I think it is!  It might actually also include a Quote- but I have to admit to not being quite Organized enough to get to both:)

Just use the Hashtag #themomentschallenge on Instagram and you are in:)  And you can go check out Tammy's Site Daisy Yellow.  She has been posting some Serious Eye Candy Lately!  She does amazing Water Color combined with stitching- it's like color therapy!

So these are the Epic Moments that composed my life this last week.  Some less epic than others!

I started off the week with this LIFE Changing Announcement!

  Levi may have actually have Finally realized that not all Women come in Straight Lines....nor are we all a size 'Abecrombie and Fitch'...

YES!!! That is RIGHT! CURVY-Midrise-Cup-Caking-Bootcut Baby!!!  I am Rocking a Size "Curve-a-licious"!

Seriously, Run...don't walk.  Kohls...15%....Kohl's Cash...

Enough Said.

Next, My Obsession with Fortune Cookies continues...

Although I always do what my Rice Krispies tell me too...I also listen carefully to my Fortune Cookies...

I thought it was Particularly 'Poignant' (Is that the right word?) in that I am working hard in Jennifer Priest's 'Etsy Class'.  

She definitely has an Ear to the future:)

Next we have my Crafty Fair with my Momma:)  That's her Hiding back there!  Knitting like mad:)

The Night after the Craft Fair we experienced a DogApocalypse at 2:00.  Our ever vigilant Oustide Dogs had not only trapped a Rat under our Rain Barrel...but they also managed to break into the Laundry room.  So it was me...3 enormous dogs.....a #10 Can of Tomato Sauce and my Pinky Toe in our tiny Laundry Room in the pitch Dark.  My Toe lost...

So I spent an entire day with my Foot up and a Box of Kleenex as I let stress get the best of me and caught a Cold.  Trust me- no one wins when Mom can't work out.  

And yes...I am rocking the Eeyore Pajamas...

The next day I was able to shuffle around pretty well and even got on the Bike which saved our Home from "Momaggedon"...the state of living with Mom when she hasn't worked out for 48 hours.

But it did result in the Making of this Amazing Cat!!!  I don't know why but I'm completely obsessed with "Scrap Cat".  He's sitting on the Couch with me right now:)  He's the only Cat that doesn't cause half my family to Puff up like Blow Fish!

 Seriously- Nathan has to wear a mask just to eat Dinner at Grama Marsee's House- she has two "Non-Scrap" Kitties...

And Finally- The "Peace day Re-Zis-Stance" 

(ya- no clue how to spell that one)

Check out what I scored at the Thrift Shop!!!

YES!  This is my new Paint Storage unit!! For 19 Bucks baby!!!  

Ok- I have this really weird '6th sense' with Thrift Shops.  If I really need something- I start Praying about it.  And then- when I'm 'out and about' I just have this 'Feeling'.  I just KNOW that I'm supposed to stop here...or there...and I tell you...I walk in and Boom- There it is!!!

I know it's kind of Freaky:)   But there it is.

 I don't normally shop at this particular shop- I think there stuff is Over Priced.  But I drove by and Absolutely Knew I needed to stop and ...there she was!

It's only 'tricked' me once.  I needed a nice Leather vest for a Cowboy themed Camp- it was for the Youth Leader.  I had prayed about it- I was out at the Thrift Shops and kept looking...and Nothing!  It was so weird!

I had to go way out to a different part of town for something else and I was driving by and felt like a huge magnet was pulling me towards this one shop...I walked in- and there, on a Completely Otherwise Empty Rack...was my Leather Vest- exactly the Right size.  Yep.

I said "Oh! There it is"...smiled at my Awesome Lord and rang that puppy up for.....You Know a Ridiculous 50% off the already Ridiculous price!!! 

That's just the way I roll....

 So Here's to a new week filled with #TheMomentsChallenge!  I hope you'll jump in!

Love to All!

Social Media Newbies Unite!!

It's a Brave New Networked World!!!

So, I've been taking Jennifer Priest's Online Class "Crafting a Handmade Business on Etsy"...and it's FAB-u-lous!!!  It's a 6 week course that really takes you through the Baby Steps one-by-one to help you get up and Running.

She is the Mastermind behind Hydrangea Hippo and is a "Mistress of all Trades" as far as I'm concerned:)

Hydrangea Hippo's Lovely and Talented Jennifer Priest

The only Question I have for Jennifer is..."Seriously!! Where have you been all my life?"  My only problem with the Class is that I didn't find it 6 months ago when I was Crying over my Kindle reading "Twitter for Dummies" trying to figure out what the heck a "Stream" was!

I was so worried that it would be too technical for me and I wouldn't be able to keep up- but because of all the HOURS I've spent reading Kindle Books on Social Media while Sweating on the Bike- I am actually a little bit Ahead here and a Little Bit Behind there...which is AWESOME!!!  Did you see that I actually said 'AHEAD' in there?  ME?  My kids still don't believe me.

So ANYWAY- the New News is of course.....da da Dahh.....the New Banner...

AND- the New 'My Etsy Shop' in the Right Side Bar.....I am imagining the Crowd Cheering...I am wearing a Floor Length Prada and Jimmy Chu shoes....Wrist, wrist....elbow....elbow....cue dream sequence....

OK- so maybe I'm not ready for a Social Media 'Emmy' but for me I am Thrilled at my Progress!

My Banner was done with help from the Lovely and Talented Adreinne Smith....Check out her Ridiculously Cool Blog and Art www.adriennesmith.net/

For all of you Crafties and Artsies out there who, like me, want to get a Little Shop up and running- this is seriously the class for you.  It does assume that you know how to get on Facebook, Twitter, Hootsuite, etc...and that you can open an account on them.  

If that sounds like it's a little too much- please take the class anyway and just ask a lot of questions like I do!

Also- Check this Post out on "5 Mini Book Reviews to get "Techie" These are things I read to figure these things out. 

 I would say my Level of Internet Expertise is somewhere between "Elmo buys an IPAD" and "Blogging for Dummies" Some of it I get, some of it I have to "Read 3 Kindle Books just to figure out how to get on the Stupid Thing!"

So wherever you are at, Jennifer's Class is great information and you can just move forward as you are able.

I also love that it provided me a Checklist to Obsessively...Compulsively Follow in a Rational and Easy Going Manner:) 

 It's been a 'Safety Net' for me to check...did I remember this?  Did I do that?  Girl...you know I love a list!

So this was my Homework!  Link my Etsy shop to my Blog! And use the Same Banner for my Blog and shop.  Woohoo!!!

I hope you will Visit my little Shop- it is a 'Work in Progress' so please gentle, loving, constructive comments are Welcome!

Here's the link again: 

Molly Lolly Loo on Etsy

Love to All!

Craft Fair Booth Fun

Craft Fair Fun

So this Weekend was the Annual Prescott Valley Southern Baptist 

Craft Fair!!!

If you remember  I was stressin' out Major trying to get things done both for My New Etsy shop and for this event in "Organizing, Planning and Scheming- Oh My!" 

This is my Mom's Church and some of My Favorite People are there!

I got to Share a Table with My Momma:)

I pulled out some of the things from my Etsy shop brought some things I had from last year...

Here are my Mom's adorable Angels and "Pot People Nativity Set"- they are SO Cute!

The Nativity set my Mom made me is One of my Prized Posessions.  It is on the "Grab on the way out the door when the house is burning down"...along with the Yarn Ornaments my Sister in Law Lisa made me when she was little....everything else is replaceable.  They are in a special accessible Box with the Zip Drive of all our pics:)

The People from Southern Baptist Church are SO much fun- I would have been happy to just come and sit around with all the Vendors and the Staff!

At this Fair, the Ladies from the Church were the Cashiers and we provided 2 part tags so they could keep Track of Inventory.  It worked out Great and made our time so simple and easy.

The place was all Decked out and Decorated, Music Playing and Delicious food was prepared in the Kitchen for the "Christmas Cafe"

Everything was organized and all the Vendors were so friendly.  I just love living in a Smaller Town because I met Vendors that I had seen 'around town' or 'at the Feed Store' and we were instantly friends.

Here is Maggie Smith and her Hubby Don are two of my Favorite People!  That's him in the Background making a Cinnamon Bun Run:)

Maggie is an Amazing Author of two Fantastic Books "Tommy Wilson Junior Veterenarian" and it's Awesome Sequel.  They are two of My Sons Favorite Books!  You can e-mail her at Solidrock322@gmail.com.

She does Book signings, Readings and Special Events with local Schools and has an excellent Blog.

Here is Our booth next to Maggie and Don so we got to hang out together for 2 days!

There was LOTS of traffic- especially for a little town and I sold more than I thought I would which was great:)  

That's my Mom hiding back there:)

She's is Working on a Scarf for Maggie. 

 And here is the TRUTH behind this Craft fair....it's really a Front for a Knitting/Crochet Guild!!

Whenever we didn't have walk throughs...Everyone whipped out the Needles and Hooks and BAM-  Yarn-a-pa-looza!

Yes- Everyone in this picture is knitting...or crocheting...and whatever you do, Don't get the two mixed up!  

I tell you- my mom showed my new Friend Mary how to Knit in 10 Minutes....I've been her daughter for Forty some odd... I mean for 'More than 20 years'...:) and I Seriously can't knit a stitch!

Are there any Knitting Dyslexic out there?  My Mom is left handed so when I am watching her everything is backwards....I tried standing on my head while she showed me, which helped quite a bit...but still nothin':)

Here is our Friend Wanda Stichks

She and My Mom got together and made these cute little Purses.

Too fun!

I met some Fantastic Artists, Crafters and Jewelers and made some Wonderful Contacts!  I look forward to featuring them here as Guest Artists so Get Ready!

Until then....Love to all!