The other day one of my daughters informed me that she had a birthday party to go to. Of course she let me know at the last minute and we were scrambling for a gift. I went back to my original idea of the
Hospital Contraband Kit and decided to see what I could do to quickly revise it. With a few changes this is what I came up with.
I printed the new insert and she folded and filled it. What a life saver!! I'm beginning to really like these kits. Made my life a little easier when my kid was trying to make it harder. Here are the contents she put inside.
Here's a download with the name space left blank. I've added a few direction with the measurements so that you can print it off with your own name if you want. Hope the idea comes in as handy for you as it has me.
Download the template and instructions
| project_emergency_nail_kit.pdf |
| File Size: | 205 kb |
| File Type: | pdf |
Download File
Celebration Suitcase • Old School • eBook @ ShannonsStudio.com
I have finally finished
(see my New Year's Resolution) one of my Celebration Suitcase projects. It's a suitcase that holds decorations for a party - anytime, anywhere, for any reason. This one is themed "Old School" and I show 3 ways it can be set up. I've created an ebook that shows what's inside and how to use it.
It's for sale for $3 here. (I have to support my habit somehow.) 
One way to set up Old School Celebration Suitcase • Apple Birthday @ ShannonsStudio.com
I also show some DIY info so you can see how I did it and then do your own. I was so excited with this idea of stage lights on the inside of the lid. Plug it in and they light up. (I have more creative ideas in the works too.)
DIY Old School Celebration Suitcase • How to info @ ShannonsStudio.com
My kids thought it was fun when we used it one night for Family Night. Love to celebrate!!!
How would you use the Celebration Suitcase?
Just a little red for Valentine's Day. As in red paintings. The books and heels are my fav. Yours?
Otto Lange
Christopher Stott • The Stars Will Always Shine 30" x 30" | Oil/Canvas | 2011
Aaron Lifferth • Taking Sides 12" x 12"
Aaron Lifferth • Love Letters
K. Henderson • Cordial Cherry, 9 x 12, oil on board, framed
Carol Marine
Carol Marine • Killer Heels
Karen Appleton • Heartache
Happy New Year! Hope all of your celebrations were enjoyable. Mine was and here's a little of it.
We did a little fondue - chocolate and cheese. Chocolate fondue with pound cake, cookies, strawberries and cheese fondue with bread, vegetables, and meats. It was very good. But, my favorite-
Hot chocolate milk bar. White and Milk chocolates with all the add ons - shaved chocolates, cocoa powder, cinnamon pumpkin spice. Then, raspberry, caramel, and peppermint syrups. With the last additions of marshmallows, peppermint and chocolate chips. Oh, and there was eggnog as well. If you need any ideas, this is the type bar to do again.
If you're curious - all the milk and cheese was from Shatto. The fondue pots were from Pier One Imports. The mugs and cake plate were from World Market. The pitchers were from Target. Candle sticks from second hand stores.
When I lived in Provo I had this corner in my studio. The corner had 2 big 4' x 4' windows, a chair, and a side table. (It's in the painting below, though the chair is really red.) I designed it and the boyfriend built the studio. I loved that corner. I was in it all - the - time being creative. Or just being. My husband called it the Command Post.
He called it that because that's where it all began. The center for my operations. My headquarters. And everything went out from there. The figurative center where I command from. Command doesn't sound quite accurate (okay, sometimes it does) but my husband likes to tell me I'm in charge. (Alright, so I am.) But, it's more like direct and instruct. At any rate, it's where I mentally celebrate.
I have this thought. (I know, when don't I have thoughts.) Every woman needs a Command Post. Someplace where she does her thing. Whatever her thing is. My thing is being creative. Doesn't matter what it is I have to be creating. So, for me it's a Creative Command Post.
I have the Studio, which I'm so happy to have. But, a Creative Command Post is a smaller space than that. I realize I don't have a real one in our new house but I've used makeshift ones. Like my bed. I will sit on my bed for hours. With all my creative stuff around me. Usually writing, designing, thinking. And sometimes, I use the dining room table. Spread it all out there so I can be near everyone. I don't have one in the studio. I have a desk, couch, and worktable but not a Creative Command Post.
Here's the criteria I think should be involved in setting up a Command Post
Command Posts
• comfortable - no need to fuss
• light - it helps the soul
• intimate - space to think, or whatever
• minimal - chair & table
• belongs - to you, your style, you own it
You can remember it because you'll want to CLIMB right into it.
C - Comfortable
L - Light
I - Intimate
M - Minimal
B - Belongs
I think I'm going to rectify that. So the search is on for a chair, since I left that chair when we moved, though I did love how it felt. I LOVE the chair below. Love, love, love. But, part of me says this would not be comfortable, at least not for any extended period of time.
Gilles Nouailhac • Paris
So, I'd have to do my bling with a small pillow like this. Which I am in luck! I already bought a lime green beaded pillow that I love. (I don't have a photo of at the moment. I'll post one later.)
From Cherry Blossom World's Blog
Now, back to the chair. THIS one looks like it would be way comfortable. I could snuggle all day in that one. Maybe that would be a problem. But, I'm not quite sure yet. It doesn't say it really belongs to me. So, I'll keep the search on. Do you think a woman needs a Command Post? What would your chair look like. Go here and post a pic if you want. (I think I made it so you could post photos.) 
From TheBerry.com
Okay, I have this little secret obsession that the Boyfriend doesn't even know about. Not yet. But now I'm going to let you in on it. I want a celebration wagon. I want a party on wheels. I want a caravan. Caravan as in
"a large covered vehicle for conveying passengers, goods". Of course not just any caravan. But one that looks like this one.
Or this one.
Or this one.
Or this one.
Or even this one.
Yeah, this works too.
A celebration wagon. I've wanted one for a while but I haven't had the nerve to break it to the Boyfriend because it's a project that would involve him. I've gotten him into tons of my if-a-things-worth-doing-it's-worth-over-doing activities and I was trying to see how I could manage it without him. But I can't. So he has to know.
You have to see some of the interiors. Singular. Sensational. Spectacular. Play the slide show.
Okay, just a few more.
One day I might be able to say, "Welcome to my caravan porch."
If these don't scream CELEBRATE to you, I don't know what will.
PS - If anyone's sitting on a little trailer that they want to get rid of, let me know.
Here are a few homes that celebrate art. One on one. Consider bringing in just one piece of original art into your home. Have you ever thought about it? I know I never really did. I thought it was out of my reach. Now I realize that it isn't.
Long ago it used to be that even the poorest of homes had an original painting. It was thought that the art would inspire and elevate those in the home. It does. There's an energy that a painting brings with it. Look at the images of art in homes below.
Image #1 • from Decorno
Image #2 • from John Gruen Photography
Image #3 • from Design Sponge
Image #4 • from HARMONI OG KONTRAST
What feelings to you feel from the images? Does it inspire you? Do you think it would inspire your family to have art in your home? Tell us.
The Boyfriend and my 29th anniversary was a month or so ago. This invitation from
Mod Memento, was the inspiration for my gift to him.
Image from Brianna @ Mod Memento
I decided to write our relationship in this storybook pattern. It's written third person and actually was quite easy to write. We have 29 years, with a lot of history, so it turned into 2 boards. I loved doing it. Here is a copy of it.
| Allen & Shannon's Love Story (unedited version) |
| File Size: | 25 kb |
| File Type: | pdf |
Download File
I also wanted to try this transfer method so I put the two together. It was a lot of work and wouldn't suggest it for a first timer. But, I do love the result. And he did too. Here it is hung in our home.
The image is terribly shot but that's the only one I have right now. Sorry about that.
Here is a slide show with a few instructions. The play button is in the top left hand corner.
Art Journaling • Week #3 My Voice
INSPIRATION:
My Voice
INTROSPECTION:Questions
Q. How do I describe my voice? How would I never describe my voice as?
Q. How do others describe my voice?
Q. Was there ever a time that I couldn't use my voice?
Q. What can or can't my voice do?
Q. What remedies have you used to soothe your voice?
IMAGE MAKING:
Applications
A. Put your lip prints on the page and write words coming out of them.
A. Stamp one word/phrase 3 - 4 times without re-inking, so that it fades like an echo.
A. Record your voice talking on your smart phone, use watercolor to make the background, painting how you feel listening to your own voice.
A. Use curved lines, starting in one corner, make wave lengths and add text on each line
A. Make left side background darker & the right side lighter, the image fades off like a soft voice
Here are a few art journal pages of others.
They aren't about voices, per se, but can be influential in your image making.
I also post this info and more about art journaling over here.On Friday morning, upload a photo of your celebrate me • art journal page on
Shannon's Studio Facebook page
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