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!

Words as Texture- Mixed Media Art Journal Techniques

Linda Arandas' Lettering as Art

My Friend Linda Arandas Just got Published!!!

Woohoo!

I remember chatting with Linda quite a bit back and we were both talking about our Goals and Things we would Love to Do some day...

I was working on actually figuring out this thing called "Twitter" and She dreamed of getting her work Published.  

Ya- guess who made it!?!

Click HERE to go check it out on her awesome Blog!

So, when I saw what Technique she was using I was SO Excited!!! I have always been a Huge-Stalker-Fan of her Lettering Skills.  She is Crazy Good!! And now she was using it as Background, as Structure, as the Stroke Lines for Amazing Focal Pieces- it's Fantastic!

Cool right?!

I've always LOVED lettering.  And I am always Shocked now when I scribble out a Name Tag and someone actually admires my Hand writing...
If they only knew!

(Warning: Flashback in Progress)

 Being Both the Princess AND Spokesperson for the Dyslexic,  Cursive Handwriting and I were NOT friends.  Mine was Awful! 

 And I tried so Hard!   I Seriously Practiced Every Stinking Day.

In 7th Grade I remember sobbing over my paper because all my friends had this big Beautiful Curvy Handwriting with Hearts and Bows everywhere and mine literally looked like Tiny Chickens had Stepped in Ink and run amok.

Ya, this is, like, my Very Best Cursive

I was never diagnosed- and it wasn't til I had my own boys that I realized that when I write in Cursive- there is a Big Floating Hole in the middle of the paper!!  No Joke Folks!

 And.. all of the Lines are Moving and Fading in and out.  Yep- that's what we actually see...I even get 'Sea Sick' writing a whole page of Cursive.  

Ever read my Stuff and wonder "Why the heck can't this girl write a whole Paragraph??  And what's with the CraZy rAndoM Capitols??

We Dyslexic/ADDs don't like big Blocks of Text...Also, if I have Capitals sprinkled in- It's much easier for me to track the text...And- it is just a very 'Real' visual Representation of the way my Brain works:)

Anyway!

In 7th Grade I finally found the answer....ITALICS!!!  As soon as I disconnected those Horrific Cursive Creatures- everything was fine! It was great!  I could actually write 'Caligraphy' and I was fine- as long as I didn't connect the letters.  

Freaky I know- but if you've loved a Dyslexic you know what I'm talkin' about:)

So- ya, Rabbit Trail there!  Where were we?

 Oh Ya!  Lettering!  Love it!

So Back to Linda's Lettering!!!

I decided to give it a try.  I had a LOT of pent up energy to Journal and so I used my Writing as a Background and just kept turning the page to change the angle.

I know- No way as Elegant as Linda's but it's mine:)

It's a good way to Journal but still have a little 'Camouflauge' with what you write:)

 Linda Suggested we try Prismacolor Markers with the Brush Tip on one side and the Fine Tip on the other.  

I smell a Trip to Hobby Lobby!

So jump over to Dandelion Ink Studios and then grab a marker and Start Experimenting with Lettering!  And then send us some pics!

Love to all!

A Place for my Mail Art

A Place for My Mail Art Treasures

So, I've been SO Excited about getting some of my First Mail Art Beauties- I just really needed some place to keep them Safe and Loved.

Here are my Betty Franks Creations...

and my Julie Gibbons Lovelies....

I love to keep them Out for Inspiration, but I'm so stinkin' messy sometimes I am terrified I'm going to get paint on them- so I 'Dipped my Toe' into the Mad World of Mail Art...

and Painted on a Mailing Envelope.

 So, I dreamed of this Color Scheme- The Purple with the Yellow Base and Bright Blue Hearts...

It kind of ended up having an 80's Vibe- so I just grabbed my Hair Spray and My Shoulder Pads and went for it..

I really just wanted an excuse to splash Outrageous Colors around with my Fingers...Ok, that's really my Basic Art Philosophy in a nut shell....

The Hearts were from some Phone Book Pages I had painted on and my New Cool Alphabet/Texture stamps from Scarlet Lime.  Then I used some Left Over Words from another project and finally some Oil Pastels for outlines....So Scrumptiously Messy!

Later on I messed around with the Same Color Scheme only 'Lighter'...I'm sure there is a more Technical Term for it- but 

"Pastel-i-er" didn't Sound right...

Not sure what this is going to be yet...but I am working on 'Subtelty'....

Ya- I know, I'm about as Subtle as a Bull in a China Shop...but a Girl can Dream!

So, my Focus for this week will be to Remember to Keep it Simple and do...

Love to all!

More Mail Art from Julie Gibbons!!!

Ok- so Julie Gibbons is way Too Cool....

Check out her Business Card...!!

Ya- that's right- she just puts it out there man- and after you see her Art you get it...there's really no Comparison:)

Here are all her Deets on the Back.  I love the Beveled Edge...I think I will just do this whole Blog about her Biz Cards:)

 So I'm not exactly sure how I won the Honor of Having 3 of her ICADs....Probably the 427 entries I put on her blog post.  For the Acronym Challenged that's the Index Card a Day Challenge run by Daisy Yellow.  It's amazing what can be done on such a Small, Humble Canvas.  Julie made hers Sing...

Check these out!

There is so much going on in the background here.  

I always admire subtlety- probably because I have none!

 This Particular Message came at Exactly the right time for me.  It really made my day.

And this final one with the same scheme and Equally Awesome Deepak Chopra Coolness...

So Imagine my Happy Dance when I spotted these Two Extra Lovelies!

Two Angels with such different looks!

I was so excited I just had to share them with you.

So if you ever have a Chance to get your hands on Anything by Julie Gibbons- enter 247 times like I did and then Maybe...just Maybe....:)

Go see all of her Work at www.JulieGiboons.comwww.juliegibbons.com!