Overdue

Well, I decided to make some major changes. I'm sorry if your eyes are still adjusting. These are my new favorite colors. They will grow on you. I have been off the radar. Busy. Busy. Busy.  As far as my designing and creating it has been minimal. I received a phone call a few weeks ago from the ladies in the booth next to mine at the Chocolate Ball. They are from a local salon and decided they wanted to make a display on one of their empty walls with my dresses. There are 12 total stylist, eleven females and one male. They all picked a dress similar to their personalities and interests. I didn't get very great photos but I am so pleased with how they turned out. I am hoping that many of their customers will be curious as to where they can get some. ME ME ME! Order number three. Check!

As you can see (barely) that there is a little man shirt! It was so cute. Cute? Handsome. My dad received a Father's Day card with a similar shirt on the front. I was in such a rush making a card for Dad and Grandpa that I didn't take pics although I probably could. On the note of making cards for special people in my family...I failed miserably when it came to my sister's birthday. I'm SORRY! I still owe her but I figured she was probably getting lots of cards and I didn't want to make them all look bad with my awesome handmade card. Did I mention...she now works for Hallmark! Can you believe it?? I'm really happy for her. Honest!! I'm secretly hoping she submits my ideas.. hey I can dream right? 

Since I didn't send her anything.. I delivered my services this weekend. We did some house projects! I would like to be able to say I was a huge help, but I wasn't. I painted the kitchen. When you see the pictures don't laugh when you see how much I actually painted. It did get two coats though. A few weeks ago her basement flooded so they ripped carpet up, and we decided to paint while we were sprucing up the house. Her hubby was out of town and the AC went out while we were there.Her poor dog was going nuts, but he is a great dog and trooper. It was a really fun weekend. I would go and do it all again in a heartbeat. Although today I was a slacker, slept in, and then took a nap. I needed my rest its been a crazy few weeks.

Before:

After:

It looks so wonderful! I was excited I could help. My mom definitely showed me up though she painted the bathroom, basement, and ripped up carpet. At least I got to do something semi crafty and of course enjoyed family time!


One final note. I do not know how well I am going to be at blogging about my designs over the next few months.  I recently decided to start training for my second half marathon that is on October 3, 98 days from now.  My evenings are now dedicated to running more so than crafting. It is taking me a while to adjust but I am hoping I can get a regular schedule so that I don't sacrifice one for the other.  Due to the heat lately, my runs need to be the cooler parts of the day early in the a.m. or the late evening.  I am not a morning person, however, I am gonna try and give it a whirl in the upcoming months.


Now we are up-to-date.


Lauren


p.s. My new template design colors are inspired from my sisters awesome brown couch and  colorful pillows that I was a potato on this weekend :) Pretty!

New Address Announcements

Nope not me, still in fabulous Missouri. It is my second official order. They are new address announcement cards. Very great idea, and you probably couldn't find anything like this at any store.  Who doesn't love snail mail? I know I do, and I love sending it just as much. This is a great way to notify friends/family/relatives of your new address if you have one. The reverse side is blank and the new address can be written or printed on a label to save time. There are two different styles shown here. This is because the paper came in a 12 x12 sheet and I utilized both strips that had housing on them.  I had originally thought to create something black and white with polka dots, but when I was shopping for supplies I stumbled across this paper instead.

It has been so nice having something to work on and keep me motivated in my little corner downstairs. I usually have the Cardinal game on tv while I work and tomorrow there isn't a game so if I was working in my office, I would not have my normal white noise that I have had the past few days.


 I do have a few other works in progress that I will be featuring very soon. They still need a little something that I haven't quite figured out yet. One other thing I have been working on is my online store through Etsy.  It is quite a challenge to decide what and how many I want to put up for sale, price, shipping, and of course a photo to show what my items are. It is a work in progress but I know that it is a start.


Home is where the heart is...


Lauren

First Order!

Well, its finally here. My first order complete! Ten invitations for a bachelorette party. I have known about the order for about four weeks now, and haven't really been brainstorming or preparing. I have had the color information of the wedding and initially thought that I would do something not related to the theme, but more traditional pre wedding party style such as hot pink and black with a zebra print, or include some shoes or dresses.  I decided to try something a  little different since I believe the party is actually more of a weekend and it isn't going to be just one crazy night. 


Here is what the wedding inspiration board looks like: 

This is what I came up with....

So what do you think? Was I close to the theme or way off? I was very excited with how they turned out and  you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you I started these Wednesday night around 8 p.m. and finished them Thursday at around 5 p.m. and blogged about them by 7:30..  Less than 24 hours... I am pretty pleased.  

I have to go get working on my second order...wait and see! Check back soon.

One more thing.  I have been having an identity crisis as for a business name. For some reason I can't find the right one to fit. I have Googled adjectives, spent at least two hours bouncing names off my sister, some of which included, KardYard, Yellow Canary Stationary, KindArted, WhoArted (LOL) and many many more. It was very entertaining. I think I have landed one that I really like doubleLDesigns. I like this because my initials are LL and also the captial L and D will be representative of my new initials. No, that is not a hint of anything, I am just 100% sure I will be LD someday.

For now,

double L

Sew Happy

I've been experimenting with some new techniques lately. They involve Mom's sewing machine. It is slightly addictive. She is, "Thrilled I am using it, even if it is just with paper."  I actually broke the needle the first time I tried using it. I felt like a little kid when I admitted breaking it. I thought she would be angry but instead she happily gave me a sewing 101 lesson to set me straight.  Pocket cards are also hot for me right now. The sewing machine makes them very simple too.


There is nothing like my last minute creations. I guess I just work better under pressure..sometimes. You know that feeling of  'Oh no I forgot to get a card..I guess I will go to Walgreen's, yep that one. Luckily enough for my sister and other family members they come to ME! Here is the wedding card I made, eat your heart out Hallmark. =)

Love Birds

I am sew thankful, I hope you are too!


Lauren

Baked Art, if you want to call it that!

I started this tradition that I didn't realize would last or that I would feel compelled to continue.  In the very beginning, I was pestered and teased into making brownies for my someone special.  He joked but I couldn't just NOT follow through and let him think I didn't know how or that I didn't like him enough.  Then when I realized he would be gone basically every other week, I started to send him some goodies to take on his road trip so he would remember what he had waiting for him when he got home.  Now it has gone from seeing each other every other week, to seeing each other maybe once a month. Still I continue to bake or make some type of goody to take when I visit so that he can still enjoy.  In the past it has been brownies due to the simplicity, chocolate chip cookies, or homemade Turtles, my mom will even send a cheesecake occasionally (once it flew in my checked luggage!). We must REALLY love him!  I have yet to find any type of treat that he doesn't like! Here is this visits treat. 

GOOEY BUTTER  COOKIES! 

If you are wondering why the pan is not full, its because the dough got SO gooey that I had to but it back in the refrigerator  to chill, and I was slightly impatient to get them backing. 

One more thing, I tasted them to make sure they weren't bad, and of course they are wonderful!! Hopefully I don't get hungry on the drive there. 

lauren 

Birthdays

My Grandma Pat and I share birthday weeks. Hers is on the 4th and mine the 5th. I realized last minute that I didn't have a bday card for her... this is what I whipped up. Short and sweet and Hallmark has something similar. I do appreciate their ideas but I make them my own in some way or another.  She liked her card and she appreciated the button embellishments..a couple weeks she gave me a whole bag full. I think she liked them in this form better. 

It was great to spend time with them at dinner which was amazing. Even the birthday dessert was DELICIOUS..although we did have plans for Ted Drews .. I took a rain check!

lauren

Live your life for God, 

and He will bless your days.

Wedding

I realized this weekend, that not only am I creative, it runs in my family! This weekend was my sister's wedding reception in Weston, Kansas City. It was great to visit with family and celebrate again. The actual wedding was in February in Copper Mountain and it too was amazing. My mom is such an amazing cook. Here is the triple layer cheesecake, surrounded my the chocolate, white, and carrot cupcakes. SO delicious! I had two pieces and a cupcake.. oops!

My sister, Karla, chose the different flowers  and picked them up fresh from the river market and Saturday morning we arranged them into such beautiful centerpieces.  She also had a vision of lighting with candles in mason jars. It was incredible. Although this picture doesn't depict the beauty that illuminated at night it gives an idea.

All in all I realized that I come from a very talented family and couldn't be more blessed and excited for their help on my special day in the future.

The LEVY Family

lauren