A Kiss on the Chic

You've heard of "Love, Tuesday" but now there's "Pinterest Thursday"!!

YES...  I thought about it and it's just a "no brainer" to me because I am ADDICTED to Pinterest and I want to share it with all of YOU!

So, on Thursdays I thought I would bring to you what I found "Pin" worthy for that week on Pinterest. 

If you haven't heard of Pinterest before, you will soon enough!  Basically, its a website that you can go to and find pictures of MILLIONS of things and with those pictures are links to the original post of the picture.  Now not only can you see a smorgasboard of pictures on things like Travel, Crafts, Recipes, Home Decor, and anything you can think of, you can "PIN" the things you like onto your boards.  These are basically like Bulletin boards or Inspiration boards that are stored online at Pinterest for you!  That way you can go to Pinterest at any time, find a recipe you found online or a crafty item you may want to try your hand at, RIGHT ON YOUR BOARD!  It's AMAZING and HIGHLY ADDICTIVE, so make sure you think twice before joining... :)-

So you can come here on Thursday and see a little bit of what Pinterst is all about.

Sound good?

So to start I thought I would share a picture and link from each of my "boards" on Pinterest.  The first one is something I found tonight and I pinned it to my "For the Home" board:

Link to original post  LOVE the color and pattern on this loveseat!

And another picture I loved today and pinned to my "Home" board:

The link to the original poster   Love the painted floor boards and nook!

 Now another board I have is called "Artsy Stuff" and here's a beautiful picture:

 

Link to original poster  This is a lovely box cover!  

(Now when you are on Pinterest, all you have to do is click on the picture and that will take you to the link to the orginal post.  I can't do that on here, so that is why I am adding it to give credit to the orignal poster)

Now I'll share a picture on my "Fashion" board:

Link to original Poster  Fashion is my downfall for sure, and this site is the BEST for putting outfits together!  In fact, when I go to pack for a trip, I go to my "Fashion" board and it really helps me put together looks.  I may not have everything that is in each picture, but it helps to figure out what goes good together!

Next board I have is the "Scrapbooking" board:

Link to original Poster  Love this site for inspiration!!

I have to say that Pinterest is GREAT for finding recipes!  This is the BEST source for finding something to cook!  I've made countless recipes found on Pinterest and want to try this one soon:

Link or original Poster  An easy pasta dish with almost all the ingredients already in your cupboard!!  DONE.

 A great site for "Health & Wellness", here is a mask I want to try for my face soon:

Link to original Poster  Helps clean your pours and reduce acne and puffiness!

My "Outdoor Living" board has this STUNNING picture:

Link to original Poster It this just gorgeous!!?

I have a board on "Places I've Traveled":

Link to original Poster Love this image of the Eiffel Tower!

Another board on just "Photography" is a great place to learn more:

Link to original Poster  This is GREAT idea for a photo op background!

Another great idea is to have a board on "Places I want to Travel"

Link to original Poster I've seen a lot of Italy, but not Sorrento yet...

You can even have a board of your own "Designs"

and I even have a board dedicated to "A Kiss on the Chic's Bellagio Retreat"

 

Link to original Poster  Beautiful Lake Como, Italy!! Are you going to be there with US in September??

 

So there you have it!  What do you think?  Just a little "tutorial" on Pinterest for you!  So check back here for more Pinterest Pictures on...

 

Pinterest Thursday!!

See ya then,

 

Laura

Back from CHA! (photo heavy)

 

CHA is such a FUN show to go to for us "crafty" girls and I was SO excited to spend a few days there helping Clear Scraps , and also handing out postcards for our Bellagio Event , AND seeing all the TEACHERS that are going to be teaching in Italy this September with us!!!

It's also fun because I've gotten to know SO many ladies in the industry now and to see so many of them there and have a chance to talk to them is such a blessing!  It's funny because on Saturday I helped Clear Scraps set up their booth and I was also going to help Brandin at Webster's Pages if she needed help and I couldn't find her booth.  I finally looked in the CHA handbook and low and behold, she was within eye sight of the Clear Scraps booth the whole time!  Anyways, it was great to chat with her and see the new lines and then KICK myself that I stepped down from the team...  Same thing with Teresa Collins , I had to really question why I stepped down from those two teams because their new lines are SO AMAZING and I'm wishing I had a chance to CREATE with them right about now.  :)  But the ladies have GREAT DT ladies and their booths were GORGEOUS and they are both such classy ladies in this industry and I just feel blessed that I've had a chance to work with both of them!  (You hear horror stories of DT drama and both my teams last year were totally drama free and I met some of the most wonderful ladies I've even known in my life!)

Speaking of all the ladies I chatted with, I'm such a ding dong b/c I didn't take pictures with harldy any!  It's probably a good thing b/c I got a nasty chest cold and am actually going to the doctor in a couple hours to have it checked. (and I haven't been to the doctor in YEARS for myself, so that shows you how yucky this one is...)

 

So before I head to the Dr. I thought I would show a little re-cap of the show through my lens:

 

If you've been to CHA before, you know it's always starts off with this bagpipe procession through the tradeshow floors.  It was just going by the Clear Scraps booth as I was getting to the show on Sunday morning!

Speaking of Clear Scraps, they have some new things I wanted to show you!  I just LOVE these new small embellishments and they are SO fun to create with.

Here's an example of someone running them through an embossing folder and creating this darling dress form example!  I'm not sure who on their DT did this, but a GREAT idea!!

They also have a new line of CARDS!  It's called "Send it Clear" and it WON Top 20 Innovative products at the show!!  

Here's an example from Leah on their DT, but they come in ALL KINDS of shapes and they are SO fun to work with!  That's actually what I did the make-n-take for them each day.

 

The "French General" is a store in L.A. that I can't believe it, but I have never been!  But, they have teamed up with Jolee's and created a beautiful line that I know I will hoarding soon!  lol...

Here's a few more pictures of it:

Basic Grey had these CREATIVE canvases that you can add things to and really got my juices flowing...

Canvas Corp has been one of my FAV companies since I spied them at a show a couple years back.  I've used their products in my classes many time and I'm SO excited that they are coming out with even more GREAT products!!  I LOVE these canvas flowers in all different colors!!

They also have some new DENIM items along with their canvas and burlap products!!  Will be ordering from them for sure!!  And since Canvas Corp just bought 7 Gypsies AND Tattered Angels, this company is here to stay for a LONG time!!  So happy about that!!

 Speaking of 7 Gypsies, they have some new "alterable" items that I'm just LOVING!!  These new wood boxed with the circle and square "frames" are just LOVELY!!!

They also have a new line called "Trousseau" that is SO lovely and a bit of a different color scheme for them. It's so pretty and this "inspiration board" above is what prompted the new line.  (I wish that jeweled heart was in the collection, don't you?)

 

Of course Prima has GORGEOUS new items and this line called "Almanac" was one of my FAV's of the show!

Here's a layout someone on their DT made with it:

Isn't is beautiful?  Sorry I don't know who to give credit to, but everyone over at Prima is just UBER TALENTED!!!

Then there's the talented ladies over at Glitz Design who have a new line I'm ALL OVER.  "French Kiss" is so pretty and I'm sorry this photo is blurry b/c it does NOT do it justice...

They also have a new lined called "Happy Travels" that works real well for boys and for travel!

 Crate Paper has really become one of my FAVORITE companies lately and I'm happy to see another pretty line called "Pretty Party".  Just lovely isn't it?  They are now owned by American Crafts and I will be ordering from them soon as well!

Oh, I ran into my dear friend from back in the Clear Scraps days, Sally Lynn McDonald!  She is just SO creative and was all over the place at CHA with her talented self!  Such a beautiful and FUN lady!!  

Then I just HAD to take a picture with Rebecca from Pink Paislee in front of my FAVORITE new line at CHA... London Market!!

WOW, when I saw this line revealed on-line before the show, I was falling off my chair!  You now I'm a "travel bug" but when I saw this line I thought... "How did Rebecca get inside my head and make EXACTLY what I would want in a line?"  hehehe... Obviously this was in her head, but I was  just SO excited to see this line in person and you can BET that I will be teaching a class with this line ASAP!!  I know we are in front of it so you can't see it good, but here's a photo I took (sorry, I used my iPhone for all the pictures):

Now it's true it has some "English" embellishments and a travel related theme, but this is pretty open to any type of CREATIVITY and I will show you how very soon! :)

Here's a link to the complete line on their blog:

London Market

Go check it out, it's "to die for"... :)-

Last but NOT least...

I had a chance to have a brief meeting with all the teachers who are teaching at the Bellagio Retreat in September!!  

Tammy Tutterow wasn't able to come b/c she was busy in the Sizzix booth, but all the other ladies were there and here's a quick photo we took together:

Debby Shuh , Lisa Pace , myself and Stayce DeWid all at the Maya Road booth!!  Can't WAIT for September ladies!!!

Speaking of which...  I handed out hundreds of postcards for our Bellagio event at the show!!!   We shall see how many ladies sign up in the next few weeks from that!  

SO...

We are DOWN THE THE WIRE on this Event!  I will be making final decisions at the end of THIS MONTH so if you are thinking of JOINING US...

NOW IS THE TIME TO SIGN UP!!!

There is a discount if you sign up BEFORE FEBRUARY 15th, so make sure you take advantage of that.  And just think about it, pray about it and let me know if you have ANY questions about i!!

We want YOU to come and join us for an AMAZING week, so sign up TODAY!!

Go to the website and find out all the details at:

A Kiss on the Chic's Bellagio Retreat

 

I hope you enjoyed my CHA recap!  There was SO much to see and I couldn't even begin to take pictures of everything I LOVED, but this is a little taste and I'm sure there are some great pictures of all the new releases all over the internet now.  :0

Have a GREAT day,

 

Laura

 

Headed to CHA!

 

So many emotions are going through me right now...  I am SUPER EXCITED to go to CHA, excited to get away for a few days, excited to be in the "candy store" of CREATIVENESS and excited to see a bunch of my dear crafty friends!!  But when you go away for four nights there's SO much to be done BEFORE you leave...  Ladies, I know you know what I'm talking about!   So it's hard to leave and it's hard to "let go" because  it's questionable if the girls will get their vitamins, eat properly, get to bed on time, finish their homework, etc. etc...  I KNOW dad will do fine and I know they will all survive... I guess it's just the momma bear coming out in me.  :)

Ok, now that I got that off my chest!  I AM excited to see all the new goodies at the show and I hope to take pictures and share them with YOU!  I just won't have my computer with me, so I'll have to figure out how to share them on Instagram and Facebook.  My computer will stay home b/c the girls need to use it for homework assignments.  I will be staying with my mom though so I could use her computer and maybe get on my blog, so you can check back here and see...

Before I go though, I did want to finish the conversation I started a few days ago about Inspiration or Scraplifting.

I do agree with your comments that Scraplifting isn't a bad thing and it is a form of flatery.  I am BEYOND honored that there are people who come to my blog for inspiration and to scraplift ideas they find here!!  I think BOTH things are totally cool.  I guess because I'm on the "inside" so to speak, I'm very careful not to "scraplift" other artists and thus why I don't buy idea books or blog hop much.  But now with Pinterest and other sources, it's hard not to see other artists works and NOT be INSPIRED... AND want to scraplift what you see!  

So, I'm trying to work this one out in my brain and here's what I think I'm OK with, for ME.  

I showed you this layout that INSPIRED me as I am trying new "styles" and want to broaden my scrapbooking world:

and so when I thought about this layout and how I wanted to be INSPIRED by this and try this "random" type of scrapbooking, I thought I would try SEVERAL things.  (AGain, this layout is by "MUMKAA" on Flikr.  So whoever you are, THANK YOU for inspiring me and for letting me LEARN for this layout!)

Onto my process...

First, I thought I would try to really learn from this layout AND in the process of learning, "scraplift" it.  I found a paper that was similar, I went with the same color scheme, I focused on the random elements on the page and pretty much tried to emulate it.  

So here is my "take" on scraplifting this layout:

I don't feel like I "copied" the above inspiration and I do feel like I LEARNED for it!  I was happy that I "freed" up my mind a bit with this and went for the "randomness" of the LO above.  It's not quite as free form as the original, but I'm happy with it and I think it opened me up to thinking outside my normal "box".  I mean I've never put random little specks of paper on my layouts and then used a pen to draw around them!   But I have to say, I LIKED IT!  lol...

So next, I wanted to continue the "randomness" of the original LO and thought I would just go with that theme and not try to scraplift anything.

Here's what I got from that:

(I have to apologize for my photos, my camera is wigging out on me and I'm not getting the best photo's.  Maybe someone at CHA can help me figure out the problem)

Anyways, This was again just randomness, but with a different look.  I actually had this white cardstock sitting around with the "frames" already painted on.  I had some of that Delta thick paint(can't remember the name off hand) and the mask from TA and had applied this to this cardstock a while back.  So I used that paper as my start for another "random" LO.  This time though I didn't "scraplift" anything.  I just learned from that first LO how to think about elements on the page that may have nothing to do with the picture, but as a whole, work well together to create a theme!

So what do you think?  I'm actually liking this process and having a LOT of FUN with it.  So I didn't stop there. (and quite honestly I probably should have :)

Because my next layout was again, taking the theme of "randomness" and applying it to a BOLD paper instead of a cardstock or simple polka dot paper.  This was my hardest experiment so far and I'm not quite sure I like the results if I'm honest...

But here's the result:

I don't know if this one works.  I think maybe the colors are working together but the paper with the numbers may be overshadowing the whole page.  Then the two photos are taken in the same location, but maybe two different in their composition...

Anyways, I'm not loving this page and that's the process I think I will continue to work at.  

But, that is why I'm totally fine now with finding INSPIRATION from others, learning from other types of styles and I'm somewhat fine with SCRAPLIFTING as long as it's to learn  from and not copy.  Now that's just for me and my personal "rules" because I am in the industry and  I want to be careful and always know it's my work that I'm sharing with others.  I don't want anyone to say my style is "just like" so and so or that I made something to similar to someone elses work... 

So that's the LONG story of it.  If you're still around and reading this, thanks for endulging me! :)

I'm off to bed to get some much needed sleep before the WHIRLWIND of CHA!!

Hugs to all,

 

Laura

P.S.  If you would please lift my mom up in prayer on MONDAY, she is having a lumpectomy around 9am and I will be sitting in the waiting room and taking care of her and would really appreciate it!

 

 

 

Love, Tuesday...

I thought I would have some things to share with you today that I've been working on.  But I don't...

I've been working on some NEW things for my Etsy Shop and I'm REALLY excited to share with you! It's just going to have to wait a bit.  This week is finals week for Rebecca so it's a half day every day.  Victoria is home sick with a cold and I'm trying to get ready for CHA.  So as you can imagine, life it not on schedule this week!  :)

I've also been learning some new things lately though and I DO want to share them!  I'm hoping I can finish up some things and then take pictures later today in between volleyball practise and homework.  Boy, did that sound like I'm in volleyball and doing the homework??  It may as well be though right?  The life of a busy mom...

I'm also having a little quandry with Inspiration OR Scraplifting???

Ok, so I'll spill a bit of what I'm wondering.

I know everyone has their "style" of CREATIVENESS.  I'm just really tired of mine!  Yeah, it's true. bored. uninspired.  All of the above!  I know you can't really get AWAY from your own style, but I'm trying to LEARN other styles right now. Is that even possible? Or is it going to end up looking like "me" in the long run anyways??  IDK..

So my question is this:

When you look at other peoples "STYLE" on Pinterest, or Facebook, or TwoPeas or where ever... Is it OK to scraplift it?  IS it scraplifting?? OR,  are you just getting inspiration from it?  Seriously ladies, I have had this question in my mind for a LONG time!  That's why I don't buy "idea books" and I try to keep my head down and just do what comes from ME.  But now I'm wanting to expand my CREATIVENESS and I'm wanting to delve into the more "RANDOM" artist within!  hahaha...

So, I want to show you a layout I found "INSPIRATION" from, (basically scraplifted it in my opinion) and then I want to show you how I MOVED on from there...

 

But dang it... I can't get around to sharing this yet b/c I haven't taken the pictures of my metamorphasis yet!  

But, I've had SO much fun this weekend trying this "new" STYLE of scrapping!  I would say it's not that far from my own style, but I'm trying to be more RANDOM...like this layout above by mumkaa on Flikr.  (sorry, I don't know who she is, found this on Pinterest and fell IN. LOVE.)

So I'll try to finish up my Etsy stuff and get some pictures taken later today and then we can have a discussion on where the "line" is with Inpspiration or Scraplifting.

Sound good?

ta, ta for now,

 

Laura

 

P.S.  To Beth W. and Pam??  I promise to get those RAK's out this week before CHA!  :)

P.S.S.  For those STILL interested in the Bellagio Event, I just posted the "Couple's Price" on the blog at http://akissonthechic.blogspot.com  It could be for your spouse OR a friend who wants to join you in Italy, but isn't interested in the CREATIVE classes.   So go check that out!  There will also be a SPECIAL I'm going to run until February 15th and I'll announce that right before CHA starts this weekend!!

A Kiss on the Chic's Bellagio Retreat

Wow... look MOM, I'm at the People's Choice Awards!!!

 

Yes, tonight is a CRAZY night because I'm going to be at the People's Choice awards!!! Will probably be in the nose bleed section, buy hey, it's going to be FUN anyways!!

Now the dilemma all day has been "What DO I WEAR???"  I'd like to just be comfortable in a pair of jeans and a dressy top, but I have a feeling that wouldn't be a good idea??  So, I'm opting for this dress (since I can't fit in very many dresses in my closet at the moment, "thank you" very much Christmas :)

 

It's a cute "little black dress" with a bit of ruffles at the bottom and the sleeves and I'm pulling out my lace-up black boots for a little BAM! Maybe a flower instead of the necklace... IDK??  What do you think??

Now I hear I can't take a camera inside, but they can't take my iPhone away, so I'm just sayin... I may have some "things" to share tomorrow.

I've been thinking about who I am excited to see tonight.  I've seen my share of celebs, but tonight... it's going to be CELEB CENTRAL.  I hear Faith Hill is going to sing, so does that mean this guy will be there??

just wondering?  hehehe...

I would like to see the cast of  Real Housewives of Beverly Hills:

That is my guilty pleasure show if I have to admit it...

I would also love to see the cast from Person of Interest:

 

That's my new favorite show and I really hope they don't cancel it!!

And I'll just through this one in for my hubby since I put the Tim McGraw photo up...  I KNOW my loving and very faithful husband would REALLY like to see this person tonight:

Sofia Vergara.  Ya, ya I guess she's pretty.  :)-

So overall I'm SUPER excited, can't WAIT to get there and better go get ready NOW!

Let me know if you see us tonight in the background!!!  We'll be WAY in the background, so get your glasses on...

I'll tell you ALL about it tomorrow!!

Hugs,

 

Laura