tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76066722157022742662024-03-13T08:10:49.905-07:00Coupon Sahm I AmLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.comBlogger655125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-68715111285954164292021-01-07T08:34:00.002-08:002021-01-07T08:34:00.296-08:00Parenting during the pandemic- Feeling our emotions<p> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pUQaiavqPsE/X_SW1UDXRzI/AAAAAAAAlBQ/VdxpSFdlY4MyZU-RJ0ppwrrgTllUy_95gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/lego-3729964_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pUQaiavqPsE/X_SW1UDXRzI/AAAAAAAAlBQ/VdxpSFdlY4MyZU-RJ0ppwrrgTllUy_95gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/lego-3729964_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/ugglemamma-441761/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3729964">Åsa K</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3729964">Pixabay</a>">I use images from Pixabay for my blog</a><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Often times with parenting we have emotions that can be really strong, and it comes out in different way. I am writing this as a way to help parents recognize what Anger is.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /> Is Anger something that happens when something doesn’t go right? Or is there more emotions than as if a switch is being flipped? Phycologists classify anger as a normal emotion that we have, just like happiness, sadness, even anxiety. You might be wondering why does anger have such a strong emotional charge to it when we feel it or even mention it? Anger is a secondary emotion because we tend to cover up our vulnerable feelings like feeling fearful.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-top: 6pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-top: 6pt; text-align: left;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-indent: .5in;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--0gSaDl6vWc/X_SW1V3ilDI/AAAAAAAAlBU/oP3uYHp008kiYohA1hMZ3jLMTF1-nZm9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/smiley-2979107_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1920" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--0gSaDl6vWc/X_SW1V3ilDI/AAAAAAAAlBU/oP3uYHp008kiYohA1hMZ3jLMTF1-nZm9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/smiley-2979107_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/smiley-emoticon-anger-angry-2979107/">I use Pixabay images for my blog</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Understanding
that anger can have a strong emotional charge to it, anger can manifest itself in the most unlikely scenarios. Understand where anger comes from can help
u to feel how we really feel. Even when you are Happy, you can still be angry
from the night before because of a disagreement with a loved one, why? It is a
secondary emotion. You feel hurt. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
are feeling the emotion of being angry but what is really happened is that you
got your feelings hurt. We could have easily felt hurt, and dealt with the
stress,<br /><br /> and not have felt angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thomas S
Monson in his talk in 2009 had said “No one can make us angry. It is
our choice.” Sometimes anger can be a cover-up for our true emotions, and when
we don’t know what the root emotion is, anger comes out to steal that emotion
away. <o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-indent: .5in;">Clearly,
it’s easier to feel anger than to own our own emotions, I liken it to a toddler
throwing themselves onto the ground because they don’t know why they are feeling
the way they are feeling. Our test, is to find out why we are angry and do
something with it, are you Angry like a toddler because they just needs a nap? Then
your answer is easy, take that nap! Owning our emotions make it possible to
deal with stress, and to live life in a more peaceful manner. Where your
emotions don’t rule your actions, like a toddler throwing themselves on the
floor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-top: 6.0pt;"><a name="_Hlk56852063"></a><w:sdt docpart="A6258E40AE0D43F5950A665DA2A8C788" id="-1841147950" text="t"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk56852063;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many people feel that anger is something that happens instantly when we get upset. We have all felt angry when someone has cut us off when driving. There wasn’t any extra emotion to that, or was there? Often times anger comes in a form of fear. When getting cut off from another driver we instantly feared our safety, fear was the driving force behind the anger we felt. In the book Positive Discipline, A-Z
the Author helps understand what anger is “anger is a feeling that follows the belief that you can’t get what you want or that you are powerless in a
situation. It can also be a cover-up for hurt feelings. This quote helps us see
Anger for what it is, and helps us understand that there is always another emotion
behind that anger.</w:sdt><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-top: 6.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-indent: .5in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7vhXtlypm-c/X_SYfYARJGI/AAAAAAAAlBk/-HKJUJZIg7MbwqOPvomAyXDBc6cHyqRywCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/hope-3446135_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="1920" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7vhXtlypm-c/X_SYfYARJGI/AAAAAAAAlBk/-HKJUJZIg7MbwqOPvomAyXDBc6cHyqRywCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/hope-3446135_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3446135">Gerd Altmann</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3446135">Pixabay</a>" target="_blank">I use Pixabay images for my blog posts</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In
conclusion, I would like you to ask yourself, (when you are feeling angry,) why?
Stop and just ask why am I feeling anger? When I stop and analyze my emotions,
I am better prepared to feel what is really and truly bugging me. At times I
have found myself surprised at the root emotion, and most often than not the
root emotion then can be addressed for what it is, or aired out to dry so to
speak. When we are able to live life knowing that anger is a secondary emotion,
we are able to feel more joy and peace in our lives because we are pausing and
letting our emotional wellbeing take over to help heal our disappointments and
our fears. <o:p></o:p></p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-47801440123175241172021-01-05T08:33:00.005-08:002021-01-05T08:33:49.166-08:002 examples of eliminating debt to try in the new year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OFmFql5lgVw/X-tZAh71fjI/AAAAAAAAk5w/b8nZNuOBAtEglwAD5r318n29rNb1QDjZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/money-2724235_1920.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1920" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OFmFql5lgVw/X-tZAh71fjI/AAAAAAAAk5w/b8nZNuOBAtEglwAD5r318n29rNb1QDjZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/money-2724235_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">2 Examples of Eliminating
Consumer Debt<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #525252; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> According to Debt.org,
on average, each American household with a credit card carries $8,398 in
credit card debt, and each credit card holder has at least 4 credit cards in
their names. Some might wonder what can be done about this. There are many
ways we can stop debt and even eliminate Consumer Debt. Eliminating consumer
debt in two different ways: The snowball method and maintaining a budget can
help you have financial security and help you become free from consumer debt
for good</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <span style="background: white;"><w:sdt docpart="70E7E8C1B70A431B91FF3C54985ACD52" id="1887451263" text="t">One of the most effective ways to eliminate debt is mentioned
by family and consumer advisor In the Ensign Article from July 2011 Getting
Out of Debt<span style="font-family: "Tahoma",sans-serif;"></span>—for Good By
Luke V. Erickson “Arrange your debts from smallest to largest. Make the minimum payment on all debts each month except for the smallest one: on that one, pay as much as you can. Once it is paid off, roll the regular payment you
had been paying on that debt to the next-largest debt until it is paid off.
Continue the process until the payment “snowball” has grown so large it
quickly knocks out debts that stand in its way.” This example is one of the best ways and trusted ways to start eliminating debt. From personal experience, using the snowball effect to get rid of debt has helped us pay off our car and student loans faster and live without carrying consumer debt. </w:sdt></span></span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> A great way to be mindful of where
your money is going is to start and maintain a budget. The extra money that you
have at the end of the week or month goes back into the debt that you have acquired.
When we are able to manage our finances, including budgeting, we are able to
enjoy financial freedom. Budgeting is key for financial freedom. Remember the
key to eliminating consumer debt is working within the money we take home or
living within our means. Lane V. Erickson’s a Bankruptcy Attorney wrote “<span style="background: white;">Simply put, budgeting means tracking
purchases and expenses and creating a written plan to save a certain amount of
money each month. But why should we budget? Many people think a budget robs
them of their freedom.” I like what President Tanner wrote on financial freedom,
“On the contrary, successful people have learned that a budget makes real
economic freedom possible.” Budgeting provides economic freedom because it
allows us to control our money rather than allowing our money to control us.”
Knowing that budgeting is a way of life to eliminate debt helps us to have the
financial freedom we deserve. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RoMGjk_jr-c/X-tZB2ghUNI/AAAAAAAAk50/TreB12sFpD0DbaXbTV4gFVuYRECXh2WzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/wallet-908569_1920.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RoMGjk_jr-c/X-tZB2ghUNI/AAAAAAAAk50/TreB12sFpD0DbaXbTV4gFVuYRECXh2WzgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/wallet-908569_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There is a wonderful feeling when you pay off
that debt! Having to budget is never easy- or fun. However, I have found that
when we are cautious about our spending, we might not always get what we want, but
we get what we need. To stop consumer debt, having this thought in my mind has
helped me stay away from debt. Using the snowball method and budgeting has
helped my family and I to be wise stewards of our money, and resources and to
eliminate debt. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p><br /></p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-38897713453851943972020-08-24T08:25:00.002-07:002020-08-24T08:25:16.676-07:00Mickey Waffles with mix recipe<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k9pS6cts6y0/X0PbNHP2ElI/AAAAAAAAgEM/ROEHSAaN1nY3-oa4VeHPI59nmVYmJWGMACPcBGAsYHg/s4640/IMG_20200820_080128800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3472" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k9pS6cts6y0/X0PbNHP2ElI/AAAAAAAAgEM/ROEHSAaN1nY3-oa4VeHPI59nmVYmJWGMACPcBGAsYHg/s640/IMG_20200820_080128800.jpg" /></a></div>Mickey Waffles have magical power to them. Every time I make mickey waffles, our house turns into a magical morning, It reminds us of Mickey waffles at Disney World. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>Here is my recipe</p><p>Waffle and pancake mix I double this recipe and then store it in a rubber maid container.</p><p><br /></p><p>8 cups of flour- you choose- I like to mix whole wheat with unbleached flour- 1/2 and 1/2</p><p>1/4 cup of sugar</p><p>2 Table Spoons of baking powder</p><p>1 tablespoon of baking soda</p><p>1 teaspoon of salt- optional in my opinion.</p><p><br /></p><p>Mix all of this in a mixer with a whisk if you have one, or by hand. You will have lots of mix leftover- I use 4 cups of mix each time I make waffles, that gets me about 16 waffles for my family- great for leftovers. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5EaxM0NhQdI/X0Pba1RHjhI/AAAAAAAAgEQ/m-8INzRf1JgRvCM5hQ_Z-_mf8JMlgo4ZwCPcBGAsYHg/s4640/IMG_20200820_080641386_PORTRAIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3472" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5EaxM0NhQdI/X0Pba1RHjhI/AAAAAAAAgEQ/m-8INzRf1JgRvCM5hQ_Z-_mf8JMlgo4ZwCPcBGAsYHg/s640/IMG_20200820_080641386_PORTRAIT.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Now we can make the waffles, </p><p>2 cups of waffle mix</p><p>2 eggs</p><p>4 tablespoons or 1/2 a stick of butter </p><p>3/4 cup of buttermilk- (I use powder buttermilk, and add water to it.)</p><p>1 cup of milk- I like 2% but whole milk will make the waffles really thick - more like a waffle. 2% is a good second choice.</p><p>1 teaspoon of vanilla- I sometimes forget- and it's all right if you do :)</p><p>Mix, don't mix too much, you want to see lumps in your batter. once your waffle iron is heated, fill the batter in the waffle iron. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IbmZyf-P020/X0PbfwiafjI/AAAAAAAAgEU/hBMEupT_yj8kvJ2wEpa_dtEQyYzmpLtpACPcBGAsYHg/s4640/IMG_20200820_080243353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3472" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IbmZyf-P020/X0PbfwiafjI/AAAAAAAAgEU/hBMEupT_yj8kvJ2wEpa_dtEQyYzmpLtpACPcBGAsYHg/s640/IMG_20200820_080243353.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Have a magical day! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-60240601824648433782020-06-06T06:33:00.003-07:002020-06-06T06:33:44.566-07:004 things every SAHM needs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dKlwBgHVXEs/XtuaWnRxtYI/AAAAAAAAboU/jwnYvHKA00cuxSAt4aEbkKve-PnuotSnwCK4BGAsYHg/s275/whatever%2Byou%2Bare%2Bbe%2Ba%2Bgood%2Bone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dKlwBgHVXEs/XtuaWnRxtYI/AAAAAAAAboU/jwnYvHKA00cuxSAt4aEbkKve-PnuotSnwCK4BGAsYHg/whatever%2Byou%2Bare%2Bbe%2Ba%2Bgood%2Bone.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I have been a stay at home mom for over 11 years now- crazy to believe that! right?<br />
<br />
In this Corvid 19 Era- I have had some isolation in my life and thought I would share my insights.<br />
<br />
When my oldest was 3 months old, My Dear Husband and I moved to a rural town in Iowa, I knew no one, and had no clue what I was doing, and worst of all my family was 1.5 hours away- I was alone in a new small rural town with no one I knew but my husband who worked 60 hours most weeks, I Had no clue how to be this SAHM, and felt very isolated. not only that, the nearest target, mall and other retail shopping venues that I took so much for granted was over an hour away.<br />
Over the years I found some things that really helped me, and my family to thrive:<br />
<br />
Balance<br />
space<br />
Routines<br /> finding your sweet spot<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NaadL4BncqA/Xtuap-PGBiI/AAAAAAAAbos/sEgOW5_4QUAUV1y9cDemppG0U03e_rPcACK4BGAsYHg/s1920/balance-stones-1476082733XL0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NaadL4BncqA/Xtuap-PGBiI/AAAAAAAAbos/sEgOW5_4QUAUV1y9cDemppG0U03e_rPcACK4BGAsYHg/s320/balance-stones-1476082733XL0.jpg" /></a></div><div><br />
<br /><b>
Finding Balance</b><br />
<br />My family, Dr. asked are you taking care of your self like you should be?, and I was like sure- with 3 children under 6 and staying home with them while my husband works 60 hours a week, sure, that's the answer you want to hear right? Never mind that I cry like every day, and feel grumpy most days- sure I am taking care of my self. (6 years ago) Not me now- and yes, looking back I was in a depression.<br />
<br />
After my third child, I was stretched thin, My Mother just passed away- I was emotionally beat.<br />
<br />
That was 6 years ago- My balance was off-kilter. It was killing me slowly and driving a wedge in my Husband's and I's relationship. I now understand what it means to have a balanced life.<br />
<br />
When I talk about Balance for a mother, My mind often goes to the mental part of your daily life. I didn't realize 6 years ago how much of life I was missing out on.<br />
<br />Sometimes we all have to stay home with our kids that are "turkeys" it's my nice way of saying you're being a real brat, or pain in the... (you get the point.) We can carry this Cross with the courage and make it work for your family.<br />
<br />
<b>Here are my go-to ways to bring balance to my life:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Daily check-ins- they sound crazy, or silly, and maybe, but I do know and can tell a difference when I check in with my self on those days that I don't It's a way for me to be more accountable with what I do in my life, and in the life of my kids.<br />
<br />
Daily check-ins help put things into perspective. It's a way to share my thoughts and feelings in a notebook, Sometimes I will ask my self some questions, like how do I feel about... and see what comes up. <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-free-tool-that-changed-my-life.html" target="_blank">I have a whole blog post about my Morning pages</a>, (which are what Daily Check-ins) However you do daily check-ins- it's worth it. <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/heartache-hope/201407/the-importance-checking-in-yourself" target="_blank">Here is another good example personal daily check-ins might look like.</a><br />
<br />
<img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HkDcB0ARSCY/Xtua1e8rRUI/AAAAAAAAbo4/21WRNdiu3esfqz3ayeNg02jowR4KCqIjwCK4BGAsYHg/routines%2Bballence.jpg" /><br />
Mental and physical balance is key a well. as a stay at home mom, I don't get those hour blocks of time to myself. I get moments of time to myself, and I utilize those moments for the benefit for myself and for my kids.<br />
For example, keeping a gratitude journal, if I am feeling anxious or uptight, I keep a journal of gratitude, it's simple, it started out to be a list of things I was grateful for- and the lists were very seasonable, during spring it was the color of the beautiful tulip, or fall it was the tree and the leaves that I saw on my walk with my dog. My gratitude journal has morphed into a sketchbook of what I love, usually the natural world, but for those 5-10 minutes of sketching has saved me from saying hurtful things to my kids or to my husband, because I took the small amount of time to unwind and take a break, to bring back more balance.<br />
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<b>Finding your space</b><br />
Everyone- even our kids need space. even if it's a small corner in your house. a space that you can call your own, and that you can make it into whatever you want it to be. For me, it's two places in my house, a makeshift "art studio" and my bedroom, (where I go when I don't want to be around my kids)<br />
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My "art studio" has a computer in it, and a workspace where I can go and be alone and create to my little's heart desire. there is where I picked out the countertop that I love, I decorate it however I feel like, and it's my space.<br />
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My "reading nook" is my space in my bedroom, it has an old Lazy Boy recliner that I can read in, and look out my window. I will often let my kids read on that chair, it's not much, but it does help save me from being too uptight when I need a couple minutes to unwind, rejuvenate, and just be able to breathe.<br />
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During the months that I can be outside, I have a little cafe table that I use to paint outside or read outside when the weather is nice and my kids are playing outside. It's simple but brings me a lot of peace and joy.<br />
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When finding a space to call your own, make sure it's a place where your whole family knows that when you are in your "space" you are not to be bugged. It's not a place that should be on the main level of your house (although my painting easel is on the main level on my house.<br />
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I really liked reading <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-importance-of-having-your-own-personal-space_b_58346ab8e4b08c963e3444f3" target="_blank">this experience about creating a personal space</a> I also enjoy knowing where you are in life, <a href="https://www.stanforddaily.com/2018/09/24/the-importance-of-creating-space-for-yourself/" target="_blank">this author has some good insight to personal space. </a><br />
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The goal here is to be able to take a break, and use this space to feel more peace and joy and breathe.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-axj7QbYop90/XtubAQPbmVI/AAAAAAAAbpE/rZGD-C4jRVkMBhWsjMHazOW7qF7F52ukwCK4BGAsYHg/s910/morning%2Broutines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="910" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-axj7QbYop90/XtubAQPbmVI/AAAAAAAAbpE/rZGD-C4jRVkMBhWsjMHazOW7qF7F52ukwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/morning%2Broutines.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Finding Your Routine</b><br /><br />
Going back to feeling isolated, and then at some point getting into the "depression state" I was in, was really due part to the fact that I didn't have a routine for me, I had one for my kids, but not for me- I was "too good for it" Really!? yes really. Until I had my daily check-in and found that routines for me personally will really help.<br />
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My life was centered around my kids, I was slowly killing my inner spirit. Literally, I was making everyone around me miserable.<br />
<br />One of the basic needs that psychologists will recommend is a routine- I just took it a step further and created a routine for me. I wake up 2 hours before my kids wake up to meditate, write, paint, do my daily check-ins and it gives me so much peace, that way I am ready for the kid to be awake and for me to be the mom they need me to be- it's that simple. then the family routine comes into play, and our routines blend well.<br />
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Some articles that I thought were helpful in illustrating this point are:<br />
<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-gen-y-psy/201810/the-power-routines-in-your-mental-health" target="_blank">The procrastination Vortex </a><br />
<a href="https://www.piedmont.org/living-better/why-routines-are-good-for-your-health" target="_blank">Why Routines are good for your health</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/11-tips-for-a-morning-routine-that-supports-mental-health-1022197" target="_blank">I love this one about making a morning routines</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wP-n5BBWppI/XtubG7uMbeI/AAAAAAAAbpU/pyg5bKZdH3o6M-dLxwEDjX6sGQKWg83AwCK4BGAsYHg/whatever%2Byou%2Bare%2Bbe%2Ba%2Bgood%2Bone.jpg" /></div>Finding your sweet spot. </b><b>Whatever you are- Be a good one! </b><br />
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With feelings of isolation from friends and family, we are losing our direction- Or at least I am at times. I have had to "soul search" what is most important. Sometimes it writing it out, Sometimes, most often it's taking a quiet look around, and just sit, take in the atmosphere, and then breath, I then ask myself, what is really needed? How can I make the best out of today? I always tell myself when I am feeling like I lost my footing, and can not quite find the words to express how I feel, I tell my self over and over again: <b>Whatever you are- Be a good one! </b><div><br /></div><div><b>When I ask myself, what am I, how can I be the best at that- answers come</b>- they come when I listen to my true self, usually when I do the mundane things, like laundry, dishes, sewing, painting, it comes. (did you know I have another blog where I can share my creativity?) MaydreamRose.com I so love sharing peace and joy that creativity brings me!</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>I challenge you to write out your thoughts for 30 minutes, or 3 pages whichever comes first.</b> The goal of this exercise is to get to the heart of your sweet spot, it takes time and it takes weeks, even months to write every day for 30 minutes. It's worth every minute I promise you- as a successful Stay at home mom during this really trying time, it's been a blessing to write my thoughts and feelings out- no one has to read it, Don't let anyone read it- it's yours to own, and to keep.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's what and how I write- I call them Morning pages, it came from Julia Cameron's The Artist's way, and partly from the Health Coach institute on stress relief. </div><div><br /></div><div>1. write out what is making you stress, and get those feelings out- take your time- if it takes all 30 minutes- great! your feelings and drama should be on the page- not in your thoughts, or brain.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Now that those intense feelings are out on the page for them to "dry out" list a couple things that I am grateful for, proud of what you did, and how you made someone smile in the past 24 hours. </div><div><br /></div><div>3.. when you have felt that relief of writing out your frustration, and feeling proud that you got something accomplished, then you can ask yourself- how can I change what I can do to feel more joy and peace in my life? This takes me most of the time to work through</div><div><br /></div><div>Here could be a short example of my Morning pages-writing:</div><div><br /></div><div>I am so annoyed that my kids are not helping me clean up- they leave their crap out all day long I go around picking up after them all day long. </div><div>using phrases like:</div><div>I am also annoyed that...</div><div>it makes me upset that...</div><div>I am really angry that...</div><div><br /></div><div>These statements help you<b> get your feelings acknowledged and out of your brain so you don't have to carry it around all day. </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Then I would write something like this:</div><div><br /></div><div>Life isn't all that bad, I made my kids smile when I told them that our favorite old-time movie is playing at our local theater, and we are going to go see it Thursday. I am proud that I finished painting the office/studio and now we are just waiting on some countertops! I am also glad that my tomatoes and strawberry are blooming, and I can't wait to eat some garden-fresh produce from my garden!</div><div><br /></div><div>I think keeping my sanity is important, and I think to bring back some of that joy in our home, my kids are going to have to be more accountable for picking up after themselves. I could gently remind them to pick up instead of being harsher to them by being sharp and snappy at them. I will try that next time they leave their plates on the table, see if that changes anything. </div><div><br /></div><div>Something like that... Do this every day- Set an alarm clock everyday 30 mins before you wake up to do them. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Writing out your chaos in your mind is huge, and now I am ready to find my sweet spot</b>, I have often found that my sweet spots are in every day, small moments of my life- especially as a stay at home mom. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another challenge is to find 20 things that make you happy- if that is too hard, write 20 things that you are personally grateful for this will help you find your sweet spot again. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here is my list in no particular order</div><div><br /></div><div>making a tried and true seasonal recipe in the kitchen</div><div>doodling in my sketchbook</div><div>playing with color schemes in watercolor</div><div>painting with Brushos (watercolor crystals)</div><div>reading on the porch swing</div><div>walking around my garden in the morning</div><div>Gardening and planting </div><div>taking my dog for a walk</div><div>playing a card game with my kids</div><div>going to the pool with my kids</div><div>sketching my garden and flowers</div><div>visiting a park or trail</div><div>watch the sunrise</div><div>canning jelly and other things (hence the garden)</div><div>taking a nice long bath with lavender and bergamot essential oils</div><div>sending a card in the mail to a friend</div><div>calling a friend and just talking and listening to her.</div><div>painting an intuitive landscape or floral</div><div>visiting our local zoo (zoo memberships are worth every penny.)</div><div>stamping and making a card or two! </div><div><br /></div><div>There you go, it's getting real you guys! Trying to hold nothing back on my end so you can become the best that you can be!</div><div><br /></div><div>Take care of yourself!</div><div>Luvs- </div><div>Lisa Christensen</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><br />
<br /></div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-42240954693468480302020-04-18T05:36:00.000-07:002020-04-18T05:36:40.488-07:00Silly Faces Art - a collaboration between parent and child<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dbmhsVL_b3Q/Xpr0EtlHphI/AAAAAAAAaDE/ELrZbbcNqRE7SwAqNSr-VTV6epY5tKYVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Lisa-silly-face-1080x675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dbmhsVL_b3Q/Xpr0EtlHphI/AAAAAAAAaDE/ELrZbbcNqRE7SwAqNSr-VTV6epY5tKYVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Lisa-silly-face-1080x675.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wanted to share some of our go-to art "games" that brings smiles and lightheartedness to your home.<br />
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I remember in Middle school when I would go up to my art teacher and say I finished my project she would say- great, draw some eyes on it, and say- make a face- make it silly, make it how you are feeling or design a monster. So I did. I have no idea what I drew, but I can remember the feeling of drawing because it was fun, or latest to let out my creativity with nothing holding me back. That is what I hope for this exercise can do for your children.<br />
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I love this collaboration, because the parent, can draw simple eyes, and the child has control over how they want to make their faces.<br />
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If you are like- no way do I draw eyes- Totally get it- faces are not "my thing" either, get some googly eyes, and have them draw faces, just don't say I don't like to draw, that will hinder their creativity.<br />
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we spend hours of fun drawing faces, it's a fun way to express how you are feeling.<br />
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Here is the link to get you started!<br />
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<a href="https://thefineartcafe.academy/courses/drawing-silly-faces/?fbclid=IwAR18hBwRJVq_1wVGanOxqZM37w756jxzjqidY7iwV7GTdo7fZsErCyBYWKo">https://thefineartcafe.academy/courses/drawing-silly-faces/?fbclid=IwAR18hBwRJVq_1wVGanOxqZM37w756jxzjqidY7iwV7GTdo7fZsErCyBYWKo</a>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-47936013062325976452019-08-01T09:17:00.000-07:002019-08-01T09:17:05.160-07:00Why Percieved Value is worth looking into before you buy. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uXQ5lt_rAko/XUMP6rn3ugI/AAAAAAAAU5o/ipT8A7A2cpQFjqLIxc3Zh4Gb_sHTTBVSwCLcBGAs/s1600/Save-or-Splurge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1440" height="138" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uXQ5lt_rAko/XUMP6rn3ugI/AAAAAAAAU5o/ipT8A7A2cpQFjqLIxc3Zh4Gb_sHTTBVSwCLcBGAs/s320/Save-or-Splurge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>I love the Bare Necessity song from Jungle book</b>- When you find that you can go along without thinking about it- I'll tell you something true- The Bare Necessities of Life will come to you.<br />
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<b>Perceived Value</b>. Let's talk real for a second. Perceived Value is something not to gloss over when you are going to purchase a big item or something that you have been saving your money for. </div>
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<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/perceived-value.asp" target="_blank">The financial gurus at Investopedia </a>would say This:</div>
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In marketing terminology, perceived value is the customers' evaluation of the merits of a product or service and its ability to meet their needs and expectations, especially in comparison with its peers.</div>
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Marketing professionals try to influence consumers' perceived value of a product by describing the attributes that make it superior to the competition.</div>
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<b>Things are not always what they seem </b>when perceived value comes into play: In a very real sense- Things are valuable by the way we view things. That is why there is competition in the piece of the pie for your hard earn dollar.</div>
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<b>Here is a great example of what perceived value:</b></div>
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Let's take Serius XM- the Radio service that I love. ( I love having it in my car, and online.)</div>
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We got a new vehicle and it came with Sirius XM. I love free things, like the regular radio that I get free, But I saw value in Sirius XM after our free trial.</div>
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Why? Because for only $13 a month- a Price of a couple cups of coffee or hot chocolate per month I wouldn't have to listen to all those commercials, and I get to cherry-pick what I listen too.</div>
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They Marketed it as a being able to get all these channels, and don't miss your favorite baseball game! Okay- you got me!</div>
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So that $13 a month subscription didn't seem like a big deal, but then when you do the math it's over $ 150 ($156) to be exact, They advertise it at $8 a month, but with the luxury tax it comes out to be $13 a month. Geez! </div>
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I can I spend my money a bit better, Maybe- But for me having Kid's Place Live, No Shoes Radio, The Garth Channel, and the Beatles Channel, It's awesome! I can't live without it now.</div>
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<span style="color: #173d51; font-family: "roboto" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><b>Einstein famously said "It's all relative", and we see that pricing is no different - we just need something to make it relative to.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://ninjaoutreach.com/ways-to-increase-perceived-value/" target="_blank">Check out this other Case study</a> about perceive value from Ninja Outreach</div>
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So getting to the root as to why I am writing this article.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KhxQofW4ROc/XUMPO0PbCqI/AAAAAAAAU5g/mA4xkcdiSM0OhfgTZSqlAhjSKNLwcRiRgCLcBGAs/s1600/46316bf3-d3e9-4d0e-88bf-fb17f623be46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KhxQofW4ROc/XUMPO0PbCqI/AAAAAAAAU5g/mA4xkcdiSM0OhfgTZSqlAhjSKNLwcRiRgCLcBGAs/s320/46316bf3-d3e9-4d0e-88bf-fb17f623be46.jpg" width="320" /></a>A discussion between my husband and I have been: </div>
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When and how to go back to Disney?</div>
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Do we stay at Disney World or do we stay off "campus"</div>
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Do we buy into<a href="https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/" target="_blank"> Disney Vacation Club?</a></div>
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This conversation has been going on for months. We are to the point that we all want to go back to Disney as fast as possible. I have a Whatever it takes attitude to get back to the Magic Kingdom. AS FAST AS I CAN! </div>
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So after a good long week of talking about should, we or shouldn't we do DVC We came across this article that really talks about the perceived value that DVC offers.</div>
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<a href="https://dvcfan.com/2019/07/30/to-finance-or-not-to-finance/" target="_blank">DVC Fan</a> mentions Perceived Value as Pixie Dust- so clever how Disney does that right?</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px;">I encourage people in the strongest sense of the word to do their homework if they plan to finance. Look at it from all angles while doing your best to remove pixie-dust from the equation. Pixie dust is only allowed in if the monthly payments of financing a DVC contract do not present a hardship. If you have to give up other things, if you have scale back on your lifestyle or any meaningful necessities, then perhaps it’s not the right choice.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 17.6px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He also argues that not all luxury Items like Vacationing at Disney through Disney's Vacation Club is a luxury item, It's all in how you perceive your time and money, and what it's worth. <a href="https://dvcfan.com/2019/07/30/to-finance-or-not-to-finance/" target="_blank">Click here for here the whole article</a> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">If your hobby is to plan a Disney vacation and go to Disney- and that is how you want to spend your hard earn money then the perceived value for you- is in a positive light. Some friends and family would think your crazy for spending that much money on a vacation. (I agree it's a ton of money) However I love, & My family loves everything, Disney, so for us, it's a no brainer to go to Disney as soon as we can. (it's our hobby) and everyone needs some kind of Hobby to keep you sane. <a href="https://www.govloop.com/community/blog/5-reasons-everyone-hobby/" target="_blank">Here is a great article as to why we all need some kind of hobby in our life! </a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">As of today, we haven't decided if we are going to go with DVC, Were still trying to decide if we want to spend our money on this. (I don't think we will finance DVC if we can make it work.) </span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-9230540440622879332018-07-31T07:00:00.001-07:002018-07-31T07:16:25.639-07:00Bernie's Barnyard at Adventureland<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: Adventureland parks</td></tr>
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<b>Bernie's Barnyard And what you need to know:</b></div>
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-Like all the rides and attraction, it's free with paid admission, or with a season pass. </div>
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-Located by the entrance by the Tornado</div>
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-Toddler area and older/bigger kid area are separate</div>
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-2 new rides perfect for families.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Adventureland Park</td></tr>
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It's finally open I thought to my self, it' better be worth the long wait! Yes, I believe it was, Bernie's Barnyard was THE PERFECT PARK FOR KIDS AND PARENTS! I am happy that Adventureland has this new addition to its park, A much-needed place for elementary kids to play and explore. We were able to go on the second day of its opening. Of course, these pictures are what my kids loved about the park, We easily spend the whole afternoon here, I had to pry them away and say if you want to swim at the wave pool we need to leave! (that's how much they loved this park)</div>
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E loved the slide, underneath was a fruit stand that my daughter and son loved to play store at. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C enjoying the new slide, (perfect for all children. I even went down it, it's a bumpy as it looked.) Part of the fun.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--HtDv_bh1Jo/W2BjsnZt8fI/AAAAAAAALes/SwQpCmLl0e4L7oFSqx72vQGYz8u8vRdbgCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180726_132459291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--HtDv_bh1Jo/W2BjsnZt8fI/AAAAAAAALes/SwQpCmLl0e4L7oFSqx72vQGYz8u8vRdbgCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20180726_132459291.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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The fruit stand, they loved playing store in this. Great place to learn and play pretend!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why do all kids love tunnels? this one reminded me of a tunnel at a park we use to love until we moved. Thanks for the happy memories of that park Adventureland, I am glad to see another play area with tunnels. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nFS5Ffao6Vs/W2BjsiaPSAI/AAAAAAAALes/g37aYcID1uYpN0WSP49mXK488QEDTq3ngCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180726_131224681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nFS5Ffao6Vs/W2BjsiaPSAI/AAAAAAAALes/g37aYcID1uYpN0WSP49mXK488QEDTq3ngCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20180726_131224681.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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When you walked in there is a "life-sizexylophonees, drums, and other musical instruments that the kids loved to play with. This musical feature captured all my kid's attention for a long time, more time than I expected. </div>
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Lot of ways to climb, this is just one of them, it's a rope latter, one of E's favorite part.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nAnki-tmKKE/W2BjsnEPSaI/AAAAAAAALes/QH1T8vUfGGAwGznh7jsMo-TZb0Q1hSq4QCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180726_131956337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nAnki-tmKKE/W2BjsnEPSaI/AAAAAAAALes/QH1T8vUfGGAwGznh7jsMo-TZb0Q1hSq4QCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_20180726_131956337.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Everywhere you look there is something for little hands to be busy with, I counted like 4-5 gear stations for them to explore. </div>
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another way to climb, can you tell my kids are part monkeys?</div>
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one of many views of the playground.</div>
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C's happy dance, she loved this area!</div>
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At this park inside of Adventureland, they have two rides, shakin Bacon, (as C pointed out, it's like the Falling Star for kids) and pictured here is the horse ride, if your kid is less than 42 inches, a parent has to ride with them. It was fun to hear the giggles from my 4-year-old while on the ride. (one of my new favorite family rides.)</div>
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They also have a toddler section, pictured above is my 4 yr old in the toddler section. It was filled with houses and other little tike toys for the toddlers. </div>
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For an art project in the spring, our elementary school chose some students to paint a birdhouse, my Niece was able to be part of this collaboration, she was so sad she couldn't take home the birdhouse until she saw it proudly displayed at Adventureland in Bernie's Barnyard. It was such a treat to see her work and see her smile bright as she realized that it's part of her new favorite park! </div>
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My thoughts: this is a great place for families. They had lots of picnic tables for families to enjoy, It's very open, I was able to chat with the mother I was with while watching my kids. Bernie's Barnyard is the perfect size for kids to explore while moms/parents/ caregivers can sit down and relax a tad bit. There are concessions, that sell kid food ( Peanut butter and jelly, milk, animal crackers, and other kid-friendly snacks.) </div>
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I will continue to make my way towards the tornado (the park is right by the entrance of the Tornado roller coaster) when we visit every week (Adventureland passes are worth every penny in our family.) Because it's the perfect size for our family. </div>
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Well done Adventureland! Thank you for providing a great play area for my kids to explore and enjoy!</div>
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C<a href="https://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2017/08/adventureland-day-trip-tips.html?showComment=1533046534931#c2105518333598273324" target="_blank">heck out my other post about Adventureland Day Trips</a>, to help make your day at Adventureland as stress-free as possible. </div>
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-54888679550640686132018-07-31T06:25:00.000-07:002018-07-31T06:25:10.502-07:00Back to School shopping Check list<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LWWOa1pXi2Y/Tysvw2WIwDI/AAAAAAAAALI/mdrBh_hcZ0Q93pd1jmrJW8iFJyfo3kstwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Save-money-board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="284" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LWWOa1pXi2Y/Tysvw2WIwDI/AAAAAAAAALI/mdrBh_hcZ0Q93pd1jmrJW8iFJyfo3kstwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/Save-money-board.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
Des Moines Register contacted me, about how I save money during tax free weekend in Iowa, I am happy to share with you a lovely conversation I had with Mackenzie, from the Des Moines Register, truly a fun conversation, lots of great tips are in her article, by none other than my self and another blogger from the Des Moines Area as well!<br />
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There are some really great ways to save money this month, I love spending money this month because there are some great deals that I can only get in August, Stock up and save!<br />
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<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2018/07/24/back-school-savings-tips-iowa-moms-who-blog/809722002/" target="_blank">Read about what was said in this conversation, and to view the whole article.</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2018/07/24/iowas-tax-holiday-110-items-buy-tax-free-and-90-you-cant/796353002/" target="_blank">Learn more about Tax-free weekend go here</a><br />
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Here are my go-to things I get for during Tax-Free weekend and why:<br />
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Underwear: They almost never go on sale, but usually, I can get a buy one get one half, or they are just reasonable. My price point is about $2-$4 per pair of underwear.<br />
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Socks: Same thing, but I get just the fall/ spring socks, not the heavy socks that you would wear in the Winter.<br />
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Jeans: Can you see the pattern? I stock up on the essentials, The things that never go on sale.<br />
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Clearance items are a huge way of saving, I am always looking for the next size up for kiddo's, the next season's pants, and jeans. I will also look at clearance racks for shoes, especially for kids, like gym shoes, or dress shoes.<br />
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Happy Saving! or in this case Happy Shopping!<br />
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Thank you Des Moines Register, and a big shout out to Mackenzie, she did an amazing job with the article!<br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-5344698449569872092018-04-02T12:10:00.000-07:002018-04-02T12:10:12.074-07:00Colored Rice: How to make my 3 year old's favorite sensory table activity<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b-W9eqdYJK8/WsJ_e4Ej8nI/AAAAAAAAIdE/W0uqrIeQ8rsN0PJGoffSCS2dxnQNa2pCwCLcBGAs/s1600/harrison%2Bplaying%2Bwih%2Brice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b-W9eqdYJK8/WsJ_e4Ej8nI/AAAAAAAAIdE/W0uqrIeQ8rsN0PJGoffSCS2dxnQNa2pCwCLcBGAs/s320/harrison%2Bplaying%2Bwih%2Brice.JPG" width="320" /></a>My kids love playing in the sensory table! I often have to think outside the box for new ideas on what to put in my sensory table. Some things just make sense, rice, beans, corn...<br />
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AWESOME things happen when we give kids open-ended material to play with! My kids play with the colored rice a ton more than if I were to just give them plain rice. Thier imaginations run wild, sometimes the rice is a habitat, other times it's a birthday cake or a secret ingredient to solving a crime, it's so fun to see what they come up with!</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_7ux1qbzrrM/WsJ_eOjlI2I/AAAAAAAAIdA/q5BEIIe2RP4qBPHnwTNJG0EPm9zrx2O_wCLcBGAs/s1600/colored%2Brice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_7ux1qbzrrM/WsJ_eOjlI2I/AAAAAAAAIdA/q5BEIIe2RP4qBPHnwTNJG0EPm9zrx2O_wCLcBGAs/s320/colored%2Brice.JPG" width="320" /></a>Here is how you make Colored Rice (1 cup) I like to do this 4 times with 4 different colors of Rice<br />
In a quart size bag:<br />
Take 1 Cup of Rice (4 parts)<br />
1/4 Cup of rubbing alcohol, or vinegar (1 part)<br />
add food coloring, or if you have it liquid watercolor (my favorite way to die rice)<br />
The knead the color around in the closed bag, once all the rice is colored lay out the colored rice on a pan. Let the rice dry for about 6-12 hours, I did mine in the morning and by the afternoon it was dry and ready to go.<br />
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I did have each color of rice in a bag for each color for longer than I thought, then I let them play with all the colors together and that was entertaining a bit more, now we just have Rainbow rice and it's so fun to play with!<br />
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This is such a great book That has great ideas, to do with young kids</div>
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Here is how you make Colored Rice (1 cup) I like to do this 4 times with 4 different colors of Rice<br />
In a quart size bag:<br />
Take 1 Cup of Rice (4 parts)<br />
1/4 Cup of rubbing alcohol, or vinegar (1 part)<br />
add food coloring, or if you have it liquid watercolor (my favorite way to die rice)<br />
The knead the color around in the closed bag, once all the rice is colored lay out the colored rice on a pan. Let the rice dry for about 6-12 hours, I did mine in the morning and by the afternoon it was dry and ready to go.<br />
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I did have each color of rice in a bag for each color for longer than I thought, then I let them play with all the colors together and that was entertaining a bit more, now we just have Rainbow rice and it's so fun to play with!<br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-45537523169292510352017-08-31T05:12:00.004-07:002017-08-31T05:12:59.706-07:00Craftsy free Beinge watch day is Labor day<span style="background-color: white; color: #544021; font-size: 18px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Labor Day, enjoy 1,200+ Craftsy classes for free - for one day only. </span></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=439537&m=29190&u=1352891" target="_blank">Click here for all the information</a><br />
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All you have to do is to get a login (be a member that is free) to view any class on Craftsy for FREE! This is such a great deal, I am so glad I am able to carve out some time to watch a couple classes. You really don't want to miss this!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #544021; font-size: 18px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are some of my class reviews.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #544021; font-size: 18px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My tip on how to make the most of this day would be to add classes that you want to watch on your wish list before Labor Day, so Monday comes you know what you want to watch! I can't decide between food classes, paper craft classes, or painting!</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #544021; font-size: 18px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are some of my favorite classes if you are curious what classes I have taken from Craftsy:</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #544021; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;"><b><a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2017/03/my-top-classes-to-take-with-bogo.html" target="_blank">Pair ups</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #544021; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;"><a href="https://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/search/label/Craftsy" target="_blank">Class reviews</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #544021; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2016/09/my-love-affair-with-my-food-processor.html" target="_blank">My favorite class in food</a></span><br />
<a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2016/10/luninous-watercolor-with-kateri-ewing.html" target="_blank">Favorite class in watercolor</a><br />
<a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/search?q=fresh+eyes+on+card+making+supplies" target="_blank">Favorite class in card making</a><br />
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Some of the classes that I hope to watch that I am so excited for are<br />
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<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fradiant%2Dstamping%2Dtechniques%2F51855" target="_blank">Radiant Stamping</a> because I love love love stamping with my Misti!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qN13LnGoYOk/Waf8bSYtCUI/AAAAAAAAFNA/G5LpS_OJ3Ls2mrtz9ooNs44LZ-CP4IlNgCLcBGAs/s1600/silhouettesavvydesigncutcreate_titlecard_cid5048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="756" height="181" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qN13LnGoYOk/Waf8bSYtCUI/AAAAAAAAFNA/G5LpS_OJ3Ls2mrtz9ooNs44LZ-CP4IlNgCLcBGAs/s320/silhouettesavvydesigncutcreate_titlecard_cid5048.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fsilhouette%2Dsavvy%2Ddesign%2Dcut%2Dcreate%2F40287" target="_blank">Silhouette Savvy: Design, Cut, Create with Paige Evans </a> Becuase I love my Silhouette and I am always wanting to learn more!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tChkGi4Ts2w/Waf7hwo-f3I/AAAAAAAAFMs/_GHbZ_Tmu94Gg7caXsNtjkriRpH0SyfIgCLcBGAs/s1600/crackingtheegg25waystotransformyourcooking_titlecard_cid5351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="756" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tChkGi4Ts2w/Waf7hwo-f3I/AAAAAAAAFMs/_GHbZ_Tmu94Gg7caXsNtjkriRpH0SyfIgCLcBGAs/s320/crackingtheegg25waystotransformyourcooking_titlecard_cid5351.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fcooking%2Fclasses%2Fcracking%2Dthe%2Degg%2D25%2Dways%2Dto%2Dtransform%2Dyour%2Dcooking%2F46541" target="_blank">Cracking the Egg: 25 Ways to Transform Your Cooking with Chef Kyle Shankman</a> Because my family loves eggs!<br /><br /><br /><div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wOktIyVbNzQ/Waf7hwiYdmI/AAAAAAAAFMw/JmTp6Lu_ofEltDsF26ZnQATF3ZBnEghBQCLcBGAs/s1600/chocloate%2Bbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="756" height="181" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wOktIyVbNzQ/Waf7hwiYdmI/AAAAAAAAFMw/JmTp6Lu_ofEltDsF26ZnQATF3ZBnEghBQCLcBGAs/s320/chocloate%2Bbox.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fsilhouette%2Dsavvy%2Ddesign%2Dcut%2Dcreate%2F40287" target="_blank">Jacques Torres' Ultimate Box of Chocolates</a> Becuasea I love Chocolate and am always looking for ways to make a sweet gift for Teachers, family, friends and as thank you gifts<div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-1648212182865649902017-08-19T05:58:00.004-07:002017-08-19T06:13:22.876-07:00Adventureland day trip tips<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OR5GOOpMlnI/WThrZiNfL4I/AAAAAAAAE0g/otTNg0EuqzQwlWtneO6PybhKcLsRGiSlwCLcB/s1600/monster%2Band%2Bskyglider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OR5GOOpMlnI/WThrZiNfL4I/AAAAAAAAE0g/otTNg0EuqzQwlWtneO6PybhKcLsRGiSlwCLcB/s320/monster%2Band%2Bskyglider.jpg" width="320" /></a>Summer is almost over! I can't believe it, and I thought I would share how I use my Adventureland pass this summer!<br />
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For the past4 consecutive years of owning a season pass for the whole family, I feel like I have a pretty good handle on how to make a day trip to Adventure land worth your time.<br />
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<b>Kids and Adventureland go together very well,</b> Adventureland does a great job of keeping the park clean, the kids happy and most of all entertained.<br />
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you know those days that you love, that live in your memory for the whole year, until next time you can have the same experience? yup those happen in June for our family Here is what I like to do:<br />
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We love to go on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to the park. We start the day with our regular morning routine, then head to the park at opening. I like to get into the parking lot about 10 minutes before the gates open (9:50.) That's in a perfect world, usually, we are good if we get there sometime before 11!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BIvvAbKbTmE/WZONxCs5uQI/AAAAAAAAFH4/d4UITXH5Oh0v6p8sJwdUYXSUImr-PnRmQCLcBGAs/s1600/Chloe%2Band%2BNaomi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BIvvAbKbTmE/WZONxCs5uQI/AAAAAAAAFH4/d4UITXH5Oh0v6p8sJwdUYXSUImr-PnRmQCLcBGAs/s320/Chloe%2Band%2BNaomi.jpg" width="320" /></a>From the main gates, the train ride, and the carousel are next. Depending on how busy it is we go towards the left where all the rides are, not down main street. and do all those rides first. However there is NO SHADE or very little shade, so if it's hot we by pass this group of rides.<br />
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Here are some of my quick tips:<br />
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If it's raining there is the arcade that is actually really reasonable, we love the air hockey game, for .50 cents it's worth waiting out the rain, also the G-Force is in the arcade, and it's one of my kids favorite rides, and no it doesn't cost anything to ride it.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F3GT1YPtJL4/WZOOFD4yClI/AAAAAAAAFIA/ynOGNlc7MCQzJRebB3zuzEFUiq6VuPzLACLcBGAs/s1600/eli%2Band%2Bharrison%2Bon%2Bfrogger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="1600" height="295" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F3GT1YPtJL4/WZOOFD4yClI/AAAAAAAAFIA/ynOGNlc7MCQzJRebB3zuzEFUiq6VuPzLACLcBGAs/s320/eli%2Band%2Bharrison%2Bon%2Bfrogger.jpg" width="320" /></a>There is enough variety of rides that my children never feel like they are waiting on a sibling, Adventureland laid their rides out perfectly, for example, my older kids can ride the bumper cars while my youngest ride the trucks, I have eyes on both of them.<br />
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<b>I consider Adventureland a two-day thing</b>: one trip just rides, in June usually. The other trip is spent at the water park lots of time spent there in July.<br />
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<b>I LOVE THE WATER PARK,</b> yes it does take you about 20 minutes from the time you park your car to the time you walk across the park to get to the waterpark. Here is my view on this: Yes I would love for season pass holders to have access to parking by the water park, until that day happens, I am happy that I am getting my steps in for the day, and I make it fun, by walking by our favorite rides, and saying yes you can ride that 1 ride, on the way to the waterpark that is your favorite ride aka tilt-a-whril.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eVPqpHqgUhE/WZONvMkN2YI/AAAAAAAAFIM/mpb4C050fHwXI-gUOJxKi3TDoHjTgu88gCEwYBhgL/s1600/Adventurebay_Sandpit2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1408" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eVPqpHqgUhE/WZONvMkN2YI/AAAAAAAAFIM/mpb4C050fHwXI-gUOJxKi3TDoHjTgu88gCEwYBhgL/s320/Adventurebay_Sandpit2.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AdventureBay has a big sandpit for kids, it's awesome to play in!</td></tr>
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<b>Water Park Prep</b>: I don't mind the changing rooms at AdventureBay, but there are only two spots for family restrooms, we Change at home, wear our swimming suits to the park, with a simple change of clothes for the way back. We are usually dressed in our swimming suits, and a cover up, I like wearing shorts and a shirt, and just bring underwear to change into- keeping it simple and real!<br />
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I<b> am not a huge fan of bringing tons of stuff into the park,</b> So that means on a water park day I bring a towel for all of us to use, it's usually one that I don't love, so then when we are done drying off I donate the towel to the Animal Rescue league bin by the gift shop. It's a win for everyone!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kX76Y_GsJ98/WZON2b_UgkI/AAAAAAAAFIM/vbiwVJpHmgEhj_22fr-m3o3fR5SgcggcQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Adventurebay_Sandpit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1412" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kX76Y_GsJ98/WZON2b_UgkI/AAAAAAAAFIM/vbiwVJpHmgEhj_22fr-m3o3fR5SgcggcQCEwYBhgL/s320/Adventurebay_Sandpit.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lazy River and sandpit</td></tr>
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I also love the Sand Bar/pit, but I always forget to bring sand box toys, so we usually cover up our legs in the sand and then wash the sand off and then get into the lazy river that we all love to swim in, my Kindergartener can swim in it with out floaties.<br />
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The clear tubes you can rent and they can be used in the lazy river and the wave pool, both of which are really fun and relaxing. Season pass holders can rent them free with a $5 deposit that you get back when you return the tubes.<br /> <b></b><br /><b></b>
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<b>Water park nerves</b>: I have three kids, that all want to do something different at the waterpark, <b>I have the safety on my mind</b> <b>and it's not a break for me</b> when it's just me and my 8yr, 5yr, and 3yr old. We stick mostly to the pirate pool, and the wave pool. Then if my kids are awesome like they are, I let the older kids play in the Kokomo Cove play area, and watch them as close as I can while the youngest and I play at the splash pad.<b> I love the waterpark</b> for this reason: there are always life guards on duty, and if you tell the life guard your situation, and it's not crazy busy (weekdays) they will be another set of eyes for you when you can't always watch them like a hawk.<br />
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<b>I am not a park foodie</b>, I don't mind the food, but if I am trying to feed my whole family I am usually the one to suggest Culvers across the street from Adventureland, Otherwise, I pack a lunch or better yet we leave the park when everyone gets hungry,<br />
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The Main Street Cafe gives pass holders a 10% discount on food, so I like to fill up our drinks there, hey every little bit helps to save some money.<br />
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<b>Things you may not have realized</b><br />
<b>Parking is $10. If you have a season pass it's free. </b><br />
<b>Adventureland has the longest running magic show in the nation, </b>Way to go<a href="http://www.benulin.com/" target="_blank"> Ben Ulin</a>! and it's worth seeing, my kids love it and he is quite humorous for the adults as well.<br />
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Want a Season pass for next summer? Adventureland usually puts the season passes on sale in December (Christmas presents from Grandma.) So look for that on their website in December. usually, they are about $30 off the regular price.<br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-26316418030642637772017-08-14T14:24:00.001-07:002017-08-14T14:24:54.949-07:00No Mess Summer Sun Catcher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mPcVqGxG2b4/WZISAVEma3I/AAAAAAAAFHU/-Izlh8XBZIsjOBhtsk0_H__Y-81qdBHRACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mPcVqGxG2b4/WZISAVEma3I/AAAAAAAAFHU/-Izlh8XBZIsjOBhtsk0_H__Y-81qdBHRACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5014.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Start with a piece about 5x7 of clear contact paper taped sticky side up on the table top</div>
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Add a die cut and then some colorful tissue paper I cut mine to about 1" squares </div>
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Trim the paper around the contact paper</div>
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Tape the sun catcher to a window with some clear tape. </div>
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This is always a fun way to bring smiles to everyone, I like making them for Fall too! I used a Silhouette to cut out the butterfly, I also like to do this with every season, it's always a fun time with my kids and my house is colorful!</div>
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-17159613859339154222017-08-11T07:08:00.000-07:002018-04-02T11:47:23.965-07:00Distress Crayons and Gesso <div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hlYMamKsZn8/WXyVzHxWJ-I/AAAAAAAAFDo/ETVvEZOL_nECU_5SEtSe5iIulQ17ovhsACEwYBhgL/s1600/Tim%2Bholtz%2Bdistress%2Bcrayons5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1206" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hlYMamKsZn8/WXyVzHxWJ-I/AAAAAAAAFDo/ETVvEZOL_nECU_5SEtSe5iIulQ17ovhsACEwYBhgL/s320/Tim%2Bholtz%2Bdistress%2Bcrayons5.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gesso and Distress crayons</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To prepare this card, take your favorite stencil, I used a stencil I made with my Silhouette using a background cut file and some heavy craft paper, but any stencil would work well for this card and gesso.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Lay the card down with the stencil and apply gesso with a pallet knife to the stencil as if you were frosting a cake. Let it dry for at least 4 hours. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then add 3-4 colors of distress crayons over the gessoed panel. With a baby wipe blend the colors together until you get the blending to where you would like, remember that gesso will act as a resist, so the more you rub on the gesso part, the less pigment will be left. The paper will keep the pigment rich, so you can really get some neat blending!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QphDeY-1YU8/WXyWuSP-y2I/AAAAAAAAFD8/Qizv4kDg5u4BHoKbGHtF5en07Rh-jN6GQCLcBGAs/s1600/Tim%2Bholtz%2Bdistress%2Bcrayons%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1311" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QphDeY-1YU8/WXyWuSP-y2I/AAAAAAAAFD8/Qizv4kDg5u4BHoKbGHtF5en07Rh-jN6GQCLcBGAs/s320/Tim%2Bholtz%2Bdistress%2Bcrayons%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" width="262" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then assemble the card with your embelishments and sentiments, easy peasy! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Desing Tip: To make some easy cards I like to stamp or print the sentiment on cardstock and then cut a strip of paper to work with the stencil graphic so the whole card will marry nicely together. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To find out other ways to use this technique below is a great YouTube Tutorial</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3JFpx2ShBkk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3JFpx2ShBkk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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To find out other great ideas on how to use water-soluble inks to use as watercolor check out </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="120" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" /></a><b>How to learn more </b>If you are like me and always love to learn more about watercolor cards there are two classes that I recommend you take:<br />
<a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Angela Fehr's Creative Watercolor class:</a> This is a great class for anyone that wants to add watercolor to cards, art journaling, and Calligraphers. <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">This link will get you 20% off the class</a> <strike>I am in the works of making a review for this class</strike>, I highly recommend this class, it is a great class! <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2017/07/jump-start-your-creativity-with.html" target="_blank">Here is the Class Review post</a><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="693" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s200/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fwatercolor%2Dcards%2Dmade%2Dsimple%2F44441" target="_blank">Watercolor Card's Made Simple on Craftsy.</a> This is the perfect class for all paper crafters you can see my class review <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2016/08/watercolor-cards-made-simple-from.html" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Happy Creating!<br />
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I use Affiliated links to help support my blog.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-24163073368213846682017-08-09T13:39:00.000-07:002019-08-01T09:47:16.621-07:00Whats for dinner? Menu planning is worth the time!!<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-95Vydlxq65Y/TiYT4hSIi_I/AAAAAAAAAEA/8ireiIViZKksietzBxXbhqYy40hhk62EQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/grocery-cart2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-95Vydlxq65Y/TiYT4hSIi_I/AAAAAAAAAEA/8ireiIViZKksietzBxXbhqYy40hhk62EQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/grocery-cart2.jpg" /></a>Summer is always a great time to just eat whatever for supper and not worry about the timing issues. When school starts up (which I dread for lots of reasons) you are a slave to a schedule, that is if you are me it is... Bedtime is like a ticking time bomb at our house... I need to know what we are having for supper that morning or the whole evening goes downhill fast.<br />
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With Menue Planning, When I am able to plan a good week or dare I say a month of good meals that are family-friendly usually we save more money and<b> my time is spent better in ways that can enrich my life.</b><br />
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<b>Where do I Begin?</b><br />
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I like two methods: 1 start where you are, and <b>give your self permission to be flexible.</b><br />
why am I meal planning? and What is my goal?<br />
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How to implement the Why you are menu planning:<br />
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<b>1. How am I going to remember the meals that I have planned out?</b><br />
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<b>2. How am I going to implement meal planning and follow through?</b><br />
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<b>3. Do I like prep work, Or how much of a cook do I want to be? </b><br />
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<b>4. How much time do I have to get dinner on the table each day?</b><br />
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<b>These 4 questions are so important for a good menu,</b> once you know those answers to these 4 questions, then you can start menu planning.<br />
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<b>I have two ways that work the best for my family,</b><br />
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Option 1 (great for procrastinators)</h3>
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<b>Menu plan week to week</b><br />
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<b><u>build your menu around what is on sale.</u></b><br />
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Use the sales and adds that are current for this week when you go grocery shopping to help you buy meat, produce dairy, and perishable items that are on sale from your local grocery store.<br />
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For example, if Chicken is on sale I will have at least 3 meals of chicken that week. I will sometimes roast two chickens so I have one to eat for supper and the other chicken to shred for quesadillas. I will also decide what to do for lunches and breakfast, but I don't worry too much about those meals because cereal and muffins are not that hard to plan for. <a href="https://flouronmyface.com/" target="_blank">I really love this blog for all their amazing easy recipes</a><br />
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When planning for a week of dinners, I write it down on a post-it note and have it in the fridge for the week, that way it's an easy reminder. I will often<b> make one trip to the store</b> the day after the add hits, so I have time to see what's on sale and what I need for the week. super simple, and my go-to when I don't have a plan like Option 2.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get this free template <a href="https://www.simplyunscripted.com/monthly-meal-planner-printable/" target="_blank">here</a></td></tr>
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Option 2 (great if you have a plan and a trying to stockpile good deals on groceries.) </h3>
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<b>Monthly menu planning is fun...</b> (I can't lie, I have to tell myself this because if I don't I won't get my monthly menu plan going.)<br />
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You will want a good foundation to start with if you have a freezer, and storage space this may be the way to go.<br />
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For a month of dinners, I use a cheap calendar. (you know the ones that you get in the mail, or are at the dollar store.) Or I print them like this one from <a href="https://www.simplyunscripted.com/monthly-meal-planner-printable/" target="_blank">simply unscripted</a><br />
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I start by<b> labeling each day of the week a category for dinner: Monday-Pizza, Tuesday-Mexican, Wednesday-Italian, Thursday-Meatless, Friday- Grill, Saturday-Comfort food, Sunday- quick and easy.</b> These categories make it easy to plan each day of the week instead of saying hmm... what should we have on this Tuesday, also My family likes knowing that it's Friday pizza night! Wha Who! It makes your life easier having a label for each day of the week. That is why you are only going to have some type of spaghetti once or twice a night in a month... and so on. does your family get tired of spaghetti too because you make it too often?<br />
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Then I plug in what I think my family will eat, and then make notes for when I need to go the store for an item. <b>it's really that simple!</b><br />
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<b><br /></b><br />Tips for doing a Monthly meal plan</h2>
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When I first started I spent a good hour looking through my cook book, or Pinterest to see what sounds good for supper, I still do but more as a free time thing than for meal planning. So give yourself a good hour to plan, make yourself a good snack, and plan during a quiet time when you can focus and not be interrupted. I have even prayed to my father in heaven to help me plan, and those months always seem to go smoother.<br />
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<b>Some of my great meals are the ones that I can make from memory</b>, like a chili dinner, or a pork chop dinner, and casseroles. I like to keep things simple.<br />
I use a menu planning software called <a href="http://www.dvo.com/" target="_blank">Cook'n, </a>I like it, but I usually find that a cheap calendar works just as well, especially if you are not "a cook that has to have a recipe" and just wants to have supper on the table.<br />
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<b>Stock up on items you use often when they are on sale,</b> this helps save a lot when menu planning, I know that I can use Pasta Sauce in lots of other ways than just pasta sauce. so.... I have about 30 jars stored because I got them on sale for half the cost. I like to stock up on about 25-50 items per year so about 1 item per week that I know will last for at least 6 months.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zzrxu62WIjg/V9XYiFlM1-I/AAAAAAAADhE/asjzcyOH6lMrukhRJEzqEImoW2czHm8NgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_9462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zzrxu62WIjg/V9XYiFlM1-I/AAAAAAAADhE/asjzcyOH6lMrukhRJEzqEImoW2czHm8NgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_9462.JPG" width="320" /></a><b>My favorite way to meal plan is to always have a couple oops meals</b>, you know the nights when your not feeling like cooking, or getting dinner on the table, that is when I have frozen pizza or everything I need to make a soup, or a salad, or even mac and cheese for the kiddos. Those meals come in handy, but don't make it a crutch!<br />
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If you like to cook, use your kitchen tools, that will also help with knowing what you want to cook and what you have time for... <b>don't underestimate the power of your mixer and food processor!</b><br />
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<a href="http://organizedhome.com/kitchen-tips/menu-planning-save-time-kitchen" target="_blank">Here is a link</a> that I thought was also helpful and full of great advice!<br />
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If you are wanting a good footing on how menu planning works, <a href="http://momsbyheart.net/category/meal-planning/page/2/" target="_blank">MomsByHeart.Net </a>has some amazing blog posts.<br />
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I would love to learn how you get supper on the table, are you the family where you are like- let's go out every night and now you need to "figure it out" been there-done that lots of times!<br />
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What is your reason for or your WHY you want to start or keep doing Menue planning?<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-16928734137268963492017-08-09T06:41:00.000-07:002017-08-09T06:41:02.132-07:00Stencils and Watercolor A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-crR-OqExI/WXyNWd5rWlI/AAAAAAAAFDc/yhl39jiUYksL-erOkKqmL5SA4wAnjOfXwCLcBGAs/s1600/two%2Btoned%2Bstenciled%2Bcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1600" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-crR-OqExI/WXyNWd5rWlI/AAAAAAAAFDc/yhl39jiUYksL-erOkKqmL5SA4wAnjOfXwCLcBGAs/s320/two%2Btoned%2Bstenciled%2Bcard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I love when two crafty tools come together and you can get some really great cards! I made both of the stencils, the triangle one and the mermaid scales stencil using my Silhouette, I cut out a back ground file to use as a stencil on brown craft paper that you get at your box craft store. This card is easy and you can make a ton of these cards, ahem.... (Christmas) </div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watercolor panel cut to 4.25x5.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watercolor: two color friendly colors, like teal and purple</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medium flat brush</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Container of water to watercolor</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stencils (I chose a triangle and a fish scales)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">White cardstock for die-cuts </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Flower die cut (2 medium and 1 small flower) for celebrating card, Star fish from Silhouette Design Store</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 Gems for the middle of the flower</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A2 Card base</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Start by adding a two toned flat wash to the card, making sure that the two colors blend well in the middle. Let it dry, or use a heat tool to dry it quicker</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Place stencil onto the card base, tape it down so it doesn’t move with some painter's tape or artist’s tape. Add the stencil image onto the card by using the same color you used for your background, use the purple on purple, blue on blue. Get some pigment onto a sponge that is a bit damp, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(you don’t need to much water. I like using a spray bottle to get the sponge and the pigment wet just wet enough to pick up the pigment and stencil it on. The pigment should be fairly thick, like a creamy consistency)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Making sure that in the middle blends well together. Let it dry.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add the die cuts, I used two small flowers and a medium flower from the die cut set. Then add them to the card as if they were growing on the stenciled flowers.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adhere the card panel to the card base. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn more about how to use watercolor in these classes I love them both!</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="120" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" /></a><b>How to learn more </b>If you are like me and always love to learn more about watercolor cards there are two classes that I recommend you take:<br />
<a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Angela Fehr's Creative Watercolor class:</a> This is a great class for anyone that wants to add watercolor to cards, art journaling, and Calligraphers. <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">This link will get you 20% off the class</a> <strike>I am in the works of making a review for this class,</strike> I highly recommend this class, it is a great class!<a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2017/07/jump-start-your-creativity-with.html" target="_blank"> Here is the link for the review of this class</a><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="693" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s200/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fwatercolor%2Dcards%2Dmade%2Dsimple%2F44441" target="_blank">Watercolor Card's Made Simple on Craftsy.</a> This is the perfect class for all paper crafters you can see my class review <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2016/08/watercolor-cards-made-simple-from.html" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Happy Creating!<br />
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I use Affiliated links to help support my blog.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-21417628749886429462017-08-05T21:36:00.002-07:002017-08-05T21:49:17.494-07:00Living a better Creative life as a CreativeBug<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GrY_ooU6Gnc/WYaYCA1PaPI/AAAAAAAAFFM/jFQ_KjPsnqkF3wuz4AORGomrilr-vjFDQCLcBGAs/s1600/creativebug%2Bone%2Bclass%2Bone%2Bmonth%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GrY_ooU6Gnc/WYaYCA1PaPI/AAAAAAAAFFM/jFQ_KjPsnqkF3wuz4AORGomrilr-vjFDQCLcBGAs/s320/creativebug%2Bone%2Bclass%2Bone%2Bmonth%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=980902&u=1352891&m=42943&urllink=&afftrack=">Get your first month of Creativebug for just $1, then save 30% at Jo-Ann</a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inspired by an Art Jornal class from CB</td></tr>
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I really enjoy the summer with the kids home, I love the laughter that they bring to me in the afternoon when my living room is a mess with their new creation of a zoo, or a city, or a habitat for their pretend animals, or when our living room transforms into a vet clinic. It's a magical place to be if you are a kid!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autograph Art Journal inspired by CB!</td></tr>
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I love seeing all the fun things my kids can come up with, I love seeing them paint something and think that they are awesome! I am not feeling that these days I paint something and I think well, good thing that wasn't a masterpiece in the making, this will never see the light of day as long as I am alive. So how do we become more creative? Besides the obvious reasons like the Just Do It phrase CreativeBug may be a great answer, Right now CreativeBug is doing a monthly challenge to help you become more creative! ready to join me?<br />
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<b><br />Day one </b>Courtney said that it's not about what the drawing (art) is, it's about establishing a habit!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paper Peony class from CreativeBug</td></tr>
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What great advice! The activity was Blind Contour drawing which is super fun, I can't wait to do this with my kids!<br />
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<b>Day two</b>: Observing! She recommends doing a color swatch book, each day you have a color of the day that you love, and then you name that color, so like today I would Choose a teal green, and name it tall grass because on my morning walk we saw tall grass, it was beautiful! Courtney says to become more creative you should observe more (be in the present) and write down 6 things you saw today that jumped out at you, and 6 things you did, and something you overheard or read that jumped out at you. I am so excited to start this 6x3 observing challenge!<br />
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I can't wait to see what the other days will be like, I think August is one of the hardest months to be creative, personally, this is a great time to enjoy creativity, and let it flow like it should!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paper Rose class from CreativeBug</td></tr>
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Creativity is in all of us, the kids, the mother, the grandmother, the Lawyer, the Doctor, the accountant, we are all made to be creative! <b>I am so glad that my amazing Husband found CreativeBug for me and bought CreativeBug for me as a "stocking Stuffer" I have really enjoyed this for the past 6 months!</b><br />
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<b><br /></b> <b>Things you may not have known about CreativeBug that makes me happy:</b><br />
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It's subscription based (like Netflix) for less than $5 a month (totally worth your sanity!)<br />
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You get one class credit every month that is yours forever, just log in even if you don't have a subscription, or let your subscription expire! I have gotten all the Yao Cheng Classes for future reference!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All over floral pattern from<br />
Yao Cheng Watercolor class</td></tr>
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<b>They donate %5 to Art Education! WOW!</b><br />
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<b>The instructors sometimes will critique and comment on work, I personally have had Yao Cheng comment on one of my questions/concern I had when starting out with watercolor. It made me feel like I was able to connect with the instructor on a more personal level.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RZjXECJN2wY/WYaarqru-_I/AAAAAAAAFFo/GTwKVTivgls8NEm70APYQvei_mjFmUrOwCLcBGAs/s1600/triangle%2Blead%2Bkindly%2Blight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1596" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RZjXECJN2wY/WYaarqru-_I/AAAAAAAAFFo/GTwKVTivgls8NEm70APYQvei_mjFmUrOwCLcBGAs/s320/triangle%2Blead%2Bkindly%2Blight.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geometric Pattern inspired by Yao Cheng watercolorist</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b> LISA CONGDON is amazing! I love that she is on Creativebug!<br />
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I came to the conclusion that CreativBug is a great resource for family art activity time and kid art time!<br />
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Lots of great Ideas with the kids and art! We did Bubble painting and the kids loved it, Thanks, CreativeBug!<br />
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I would love to know what you are excited to learn with CreativeBug, leave a comment and Follow me on CreativeBug!<br />
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<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=980902&u=1352891&m=42943&urllink=&afftrack=">Get your first month of Creativebug for just $1, then save 30% at Jo-Ann</a><br />
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<i>~I use affiliate links to support my blog~</i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-79665314185515319842017-08-04T06:23:00.000-07:002017-08-04T06:23:00.316-07:00Scribble a Summer Background Card!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cma4DT-9t-g/WXyLKR1KvZI/AAAAAAAAFDU/UIWTWF18XbgimMgpnqPNgYTuPe_JAUGtwCLcBGAs/s1600/scribble%2Bstick%2Bbackground%2Bcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cma4DT-9t-g/WXyLKR1KvZI/AAAAAAAAFDU/UIWTWF18XbgimMgpnqPNgYTuPe_JAUGtwCLcBGAs/s640/scribble%2Bstick%2Bbackground%2Bcard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Materials</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watercolor paper cut to 4.25x5.5</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Repositionable adhesive</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Craft matt</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://rangerink.com/?product=dina-wakley-media-scribble-sticks" target="_blank">Scribble sticks</a> (I LOVE THEM, shh.... better than any water soluble crayon aka distress crayons)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spray bottle with water</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cup of water for watercolor</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tim Holtz flower stencil</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tim Holtz Grid Dot layering stencil</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clear or white embossing ink (I used VersaMark)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">White embossing powder</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baby wipes</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mounting tape, or foam tape</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A2 card base.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medium round brush, I like a mop brush for this, but any medium round brush will work.</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-4c406999-8e80-80f3-3b9d-d3fa5331a511" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Start by adding just an inch of repositionable adhesive to the back of the watercolor paper, stick this to the craft mat This helps you not get extra finger prints on the card panel. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add your pigment to the card, I used the green, blue and yellow and orange tones for a summer day feel. Scribble onto your panel in a horizontal fashion making sure you overlap the colors for a blending effect. Once you are happy with the colors, spray lightly over your paper and use your wet brush to move the colors to the way you like it.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dry the panel with a heat tool, don’t get it too close, the scribble sticks don’t like the heat too close and it will bubble up. At this time if you need to take the paper off of the mat that is all right. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once dry take the flower stencil and stencil the card with VersaMark ink or embossing ink, remove the stencil, and cover the inked surface with the white embossing powder. Heat set the white embossing powder.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then with the square pattern stencil take a baby wipe and take away some of the pigment, don’t scrub too hard, gently go over parts of the stencil, I like to use my index finger with a light touch and go into the spots that I want the pigment to be removed. The point of this is to add texture, not to have the whole stencil showing.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add your die cut, and mount the panel on an A2 card base.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="120" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" /></a><b>How to learn more </b>If you are like me and always love to learn more about watercolor cards there are two classes that I recommend you take:<br />
<a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Angela Fehr's Creative Watercolor class:</a> This is a great class for anyone that wants to add watercolor to cards, art journaling, and Calligraphers. <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">This link will get you 20% off the class</a> <strike>I am in the works of making a review for this class,</strike> I highly recommend this class, it is a great class! <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2017/07/jump-start-your-creativity-with.html" target="_blank">Here is the review for the class</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="693" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s200/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fwatercolor%2Dcards%2Dmade%2Dsimple%2F44441" target="_blank">Watercolor Card's Made Simple on Craftsy.</a> This is the perfect class for all paper crafters you can see my class review <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2016/08/watercolor-cards-made-simple-from.html" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Happy Creating!<br />
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I use Affiliated links to help support my blog.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-749954285461689322017-08-01T04:54:00.000-07:002017-09-13T06:54:10.706-07:00Trending NOW: Stamped Floral Watercolor Card<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-160NsyocSnY/WXyHdNfNGeI/AAAAAAAAFDE/Gg5HU6D1fEwaNdb0anYdd2bnmzyeMGF2ACLcBGAs/s1600/Moment%2Bin%2BTime%2BPenny%2BBlack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-160NsyocSnY/WXyHdNfNGeI/AAAAAAAAFDE/Gg5HU6D1fEwaNdb0anYdd2bnmzyeMGF2ACLcBGAs/s320/Moment%2Bin%2BTime%2BPenny%2BBlack.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After doing this card for World Watercolor month and For Memory Bounds Make and take, I had to buy like 5 more different brush stroke stamps from Penny Black! I am a Huge fan!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXSc2bTKzDA/WXyHtUvB-qI/AAAAAAAAFDI/m8gd4Y15nrYbVatHr6rISFBYBsxXIt91QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_4337.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXSc2bTKzDA/WXyHtUvB-qI/AAAAAAAAFDI/m8gd4Y15nrYbVatHr6rISFBYBsxXIt91QCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_4337.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the card was used in Memory Bound July Make-n-Take</td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Materials:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tim Holtz Worn Lipstick and Peeled Paint ink pads</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spray bottle with water</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Container of water for watercolor</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://shop.pennyblackinc.com/p/a-moment-in-time">Penny Black Moment in Time stamp</a> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="https://www.mysweetpetunia.com/articles.asp?id=253">MISTI</a></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watercolor paper cut to 4.25x5.5</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Small round brush (I like sizes 4-6) </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medium-large round brush (I used a size 12)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Craft mat for ink </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mounting tape, or foam tape</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A2 card base. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-4c406999-8e68-cd75-246a-48d045bef6c3" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Start by adding some of the peeled paint to the craft mat, spritz it with water.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Get your paper and stamp situated on the MISTI, I chose the flower to be the right center.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With your medium to large brush</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8qhw4EXb08" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> make a gradient wash </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on the water color paper with the peeled paint ink Your work/paint surfaces on the craft mat, not on the MISTI</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once your gradient wash is looking sheen, (semi glossy, but not super wet) ink the stamp, start at the top and work your way down, I used Worn Lipstick for the flower and peeled paint for the steam.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make sure that your gradient wash is dark value at the bottom so the pink stands out more at the top! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stamp the flower onto the semi glossy sheen watercolor paper, (you want the ink to bleed) That is how you get the watercolor look. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Troubleshooting:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> If the ink didn’t bleed like you wanted it too: ink the flower again but this time spritz the stamp with a bit of water. The paper was too dry by the time you stamped it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Play with the stamped flower, at this time you can add some darker tones to the flower, I used a small round brush and painted with worn lipstick ink onto some of the pedals that I thought could use some extra value, (don’t go overboard with this, spend less than a minute on this. The more you play the more unnatural it will look) On the flip side doing this adds depth to the flower. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dry the paper, you want it to be bone dry (as dry as it can be.) I use a heat tool for this to speed up the process.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now it’s time to ink the flower again in the same way before, pink for the flower, green for the steam. This helps give you more details for the flower. This is also a great time to stamp a sentiment if needed. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do the stamping 2 more times where ever you want the flowers to be. </span></div>
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If needed at a sentiment stamp or die cut to the card and you are done!<br />
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I am entering this card in to the <a href="http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/2017/07/pbsc-july-flowersmore-inspiration.html" target="_blank">Penny Black Saturday Challenge Blog</a> and at this <a href="https://thecardconcept.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-card-concept-77-weathered-florals.html" target="_blank">Blog post from the Card Concept, </a>as a clean and graphic style. </div>
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To find out other great ideas on how to use water-soluble inks to use as watercolor check out </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="120" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" /></a><b>How to learn more </b>If you are like me and always love to learn more about watercolor cards there are two classes that I recommend you take:<br />
<a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Angela Fehr's Creative Watercolor class:</a> This is a great class for anyone that wants to add watercolor to cards, art journaling, and Calligraphers. <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">This link will get you 20% off the class</a> <strike>I am in the works of making a review for this class</strike>, I highly recommend this class, it is a great class! <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2017/07/jump-start-your-creativity-with.html" target="_blank">Here is the Class Review post</a><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="693" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s200/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fwatercolor%2Dcards%2Dmade%2Dsimple%2F44441" target="_blank">Watercolor Card's Made Simple on Craftsy.</a> This is the perfect class for all paper crafters you can see my class review <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2016/08/watercolor-cards-made-simple-from.html" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Happy Creating!<br />
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I use Affiliated links to help support my blog.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-88139498235711916232017-07-29T05:45:00.000-07:002017-07-29T05:45:08.257-07:00What is Strategic Shopping and why you should be doing it!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Want to go grocery shopping? Yup, me neither. You go, get your essentials without a list, and $200 later you come home with everything but what you went in to get in the first place. We have all been there. So.. there has got to be a better way right? Yes, and companies know it, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>that’s why there are all these little tricks to help you save your money at THE STORE! </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yw1fEhxVYtI/WXyAyOM--mI/AAAAAAAAFCk/ryAwpp_6pKQ9U-AuwvMHf8pWoIs9dthzACLcBGAs/s1600/cereal%2Baslie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yw1fEhxVYtI/WXyAyOM--mI/AAAAAAAAFCk/ryAwpp_6pKQ9U-AuwvMHf8pWoIs9dthzACLcBGAs/s320/cereal%2Baslie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>To beat the marketing game as consumers we need to play along</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and take small victories when they come. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>This game is called Strategic Shopping,</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it’s a real thing, grocery stores and supermarkets (WalMart in particular) knows it really well. Here are some tips to help you save money next time you're at the grocery store</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Know your Store’s add and buy what’s on sale.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Lots of times Hy-Vee and other grocery stores have a weekly sales ad. Hy-Vee in the Des Moines area the add drops on Tuesday, I like to grocery shop on Monday and/or Thursday. To be more particular, Hy-Vee has the best items on sale at the beginning of the month, and then at the end, the middle part of the month they usually are not filled with great rock bottom prices. Keep an eye on those “hot deals” sometimes the only reason why they are a “hot deal” is because they have a bunch of that product that they need to sale, it’s not really a discount. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q333Wly1fgY/WXyBBh-LCNI/AAAAAAAAFCo/LeXIcRq2hT0HCUBDzs9jMHyqj7BsLxhWQCEwYBhgL/s1600/chicken%2Bbreasts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="1600" height="283" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q333Wly1fgY/WXyBBh-LCNI/AAAAAAAAFCo/LeXIcRq2hT0HCUBDzs9jMHyqj7BsLxhWQCEwYBhgL/s320/chicken%2Bbreasts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shop with a list but be flexible,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I am a total advocate for sticking to a list, but often times I go grocery shopping and deviate from my list slightly, let me give you a great example: I see this pork loin on sale for half the cost it normally is (in Iowa we can get pork at a good price,) it’s not on my list but that’s a better deal than the pork chops I was going to get. So I get the pork loin and cut them into chops, better yet I make the meat department cut up the loin for me so I don’t have too. Sometimes a general item of 2lbs of white meat than 2 lbs of boneless chicken breasts can save you loads of money. So always be on the lookout for deals that are </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sZLbOHZLxYQ/WXyB9ppuQUI/AAAAAAAAFC0/zMTsLErE9N0vtvb94qaZkFeBiqbg52VtgCLcBGAs/s1600/pasta%2Bdeals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sZLbOHZLxYQ/WXyB9ppuQUI/AAAAAAAAFC0/zMTsLErE9N0vtvb94qaZkFeBiqbg52VtgCLcBGAs/s320/pasta%2Bdeals.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look High look low</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">… all too often the manufacturers will pay the grocery store for prime real estate for their product placement, usually at eye level. Cereal is a great example, all the popular more expensive items are in plain sight, where the same item but in store brand is at the bottom. (often times the store brand is made by the same manufacturer.) So I ask myself am I really willing to pay X brand name for prime real estate when I could get the same product for at least 10% cheaper? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Same product, different locations </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I love tortillas for easy dinner solutions, which one do I buy?There are only like 40 different kinds, the answer is</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> NOT THE ONES THAT ARE REFRIGERATED.</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> You are paying for the cost of them to refrigerate them… go with the ones that are just on the shelf, the same thing with bagels. While we are on locations, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>know where your deals are kept,</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for us Hy-Vee Prairie Trail always has baskets at the front with discounted items, sometimes it’s laundry detergent at a rock bottom price, but I have been able to get a bunch of staples like brand name cereal, and artisan noodles at a rock bottom price. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ohlbmvRdgIc/WXyBFqo6QHI/AAAAAAAAFCs/c-RPrYqpkwscLXW-tfYzrNFk0ZEev1QHwCEwYBhgL/s1600/cereal%2Bcomparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ohlbmvRdgIc/WXyBFqo6QHI/AAAAAAAAFCs/c-RPrYqpkwscLXW-tfYzrNFk0ZEev1QHwCEwYBhgL/s320/cereal%2Bcomparison.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Same product but Different packaging</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is always a great game changer, I am always wondering why they had to change the packaging up, My mommy saving senses are in active mode: sometimes it’s a way for you to get less and pay more like a standard cake mix, they lower the price 10 cents, but you get half the cake mix! Yes, really manufacturers will do that and call it a new item. I get annoyed by this often.I get a different brand and off I go.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Another great example was when I was looking for Multigrain Tortilla Chips, guess what? All tortilla chips are multi grain because they use corn, corn is a grain. So don’t pay extra for those “healthy” multigrain chips, when I saw that the ingredients were the same, same size, “healthy marketed bag” was $2.00 more! OUCH!!!! Pay attention to the details, and what you are really buying.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just doing these small things have saved me on average $20 every grocery store visit, Or in a better light, that is how I can spend $20 extra at Memory Bound, or on other art supplies! Hah it's always fun when I feel like can save $20 and spend it on my art addiction! </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-81380393451990828632017-07-26T07:37:00.001-07:002017-07-26T07:37:44.064-07:00Jump Start your Creativity with Watercolor Cards Class review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washi tape and watercolor goes well together<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The right kind of paint makes all the difference<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NO Stamped Card! Die cut and washi tape<br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MohA29Fuoi4/WXifhqPoCFI/AAAAAAAAFBM/v4CqcoQTrmkzc0CCmgQMfVKpd8GvI356QCLcBGAs/s1600/blue%2Bdistress%2Bink%2Bcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1204" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MohA29Fuoi4/WXifhqPoCFI/AAAAAAAAFBM/v4CqcoQTrmkzc0CCmgQMfVKpd8GvI356QCLcBGAs/s320/blue%2Bdistress%2Bink%2Bcard.jpg" width="240" /> </a><br />
I love when artists share their unique style and paint the way that makes them happy. Angela Fehr has a style that makes me thank heaven that she was bold and courageous in creating in the way she does! It takes a lot of courage to paint in a style that is your own, Angela does this so effortlessly.<br />
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Angela's way of teaching is perfect for the hobbyist, and the seasoned crafter, the techniques are not "trendy" but something you can take away using for trends, for example,<b> she brings in Lindsey or better known as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/thefrugalcrafter" target="_blank">the Frugal Crafter.</a></b> Lindsey shares her secrets to making some beautiful watercolor cards that can be used over and over again, <b>techniques that can get you beautiful results, </b>using watercolor as ink for stamping images, and use stencils and watercolor for card making.<br />
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If you are not a traditional stamper (like I use to be) washes, blooms and basic techniques are a great way to start. <b>YOU DONT HAVE TO STAMP TO BE A CARD MAKER!</b> There are beautiful results when you just watercolor. <b>Watercolor cards that use just pigment and brushes can be beautiful by themselves,</b> She shows you how.<br />
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I have fallen in love with stamping again, most of my examples are of stamped images, I haven't even touched the surface with what was taught without a stamp... (I need some courage, stamps are my crutch and they are so darn cute!)<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-cAzfFegMI/WXif0fhSs_I/AAAAAAAAFBU/_Gj2a5tiwlo7VpqaSNfHGwSe2Ai7ghYPwCLcBGAs/s1600/peonys%2Bcards%2Bside%2Bby%2Bside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-cAzfFegMI/WXif0fhSs_I/AAAAAAAAFBU/_Gj2a5tiwlo7VpqaSNfHGwSe2Ai7ghYPwCLcBGAs/s320/peonys%2Bcards%2Bside%2Bby%2Bside.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Angela brought in Artist/paper crafter <a href="http://peppermintpattys-papercraft.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Karin Akesdotter</a> She shares how she uses watercolor to make cards using dies, and how to "finish" watercolor paintings into cards. I have always struggled to finish and polish my cards until they "shine." This segment from Karin was what I was searching for in a watercolor class! <b>Thank you, Karin, for the amazing advice</b> and for Angela for her foresight for her students!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy watercolor wash with Tim Holtz Flower Garden Stamp<br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-Quvyn3Y3Y/WXif0rUKMHI/AAAAAAAAFBY/7tRvpBHOMbEzqKx39C-cH5bJLJg-jOssACLcBGAs/s1600/thank%2Byou%2Bresist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="1600" height="259" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-Quvyn3Y3Y/WXif0rUKMHI/AAAAAAAAFBY/7tRvpBHOMbEzqKx39C-cH5bJLJg-jOssACLcBGAs/s320/thank%2Byou%2Bresist.jpg" width="320" /></a>Angela has a very comprehensive creative watercolor class, everything from resist, to free flowing water wash, which is one of her signature styles to her watercolors. Angela advocates that for every painting session she warms up with a freestyle wash to help her stay loose, I learned that no warm up is wasted when I can use my freestyle wash in a card, or as a die cut for an embellishment for a card, and then I have another way to use up all my warm ups, and sketches.<br />
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I loved that she showed you how to use Brushos Pigment Crystals, (I can't wait to try them, Angela, they look like a ton of fun!<br />
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You know that <b>I am a huge advocate for creativity.</b> I found this class full of inspiration. the nuggets of information that she shares are valuable beyond just card making, for any watercolorist this is a great class to have taken.<br />
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<br /><br />My dear sweet Husband and Mother in law bought me <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/watercolour-university-ii?affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Angela Fehr's Watercolor University</a> for my Birthday in<br />
May, out of all her classes I could have taken, I was super excited for this <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour" target="_blank">watercolor card class</a>. #PaperCrafterAtHeart.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Click on this link for a 20% off discount for this course</a></td></tr>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-74324402347029301312017-07-21T05:38:00.000-07:002017-07-21T05:38:11.498-07:00What are you born to do?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ebloTwwuIoM/WUmDDVW9O3I/AAAAAAAAE4g/zdjpufDwZdAGMak6lb56KRo4PwRajEEUQCLcBGAs/s1600/Quotefancy-4790-3840x2160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ebloTwwuIoM/WUmDDVW9O3I/AAAAAAAAE4g/zdjpufDwZdAGMak6lb56KRo4PwRajEEUQCLcBGAs/s320/Quotefancy-4790-3840x2160.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Knowing what you are meant to do on this earth is key to your happiness.</b><br />
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It is in that quote by Mark Twain: "the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why" I wanted to share with you why I believe Mark Twain is right.<br />
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Motherhood is important, and about 2 years ago I know I was born to teach my family and those around me. I believe that I was also blessed with some artistic skills....<br />
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Here is part of my journey into the creating and art world:<br />
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<b>I thought that Art is for people that had nothing better to do,</b> and as a young mom, I thought I had other important things to do, I watch a ton of tv... it was my block and a good excuse that I used to not create. <b>I was so miserable.</b> That misery started to seep into me and I became an angry wife and a controlling mother. <b>I was a natural disaster waiting to happen,</b> I was to my breaking point. How could I go on without art in my life?<br />
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Watercolor is so important to me. I woke up this morning feeling so blessed that I have made Art part of my life, and my family's life again. There was a time when I pushed art out of my life and I was miserable, COMPLETLY MISERABLE.</div>
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It was on that day about a year ago that I was walking Barbie (my adorable rat terrier) around a lake by where I live that<b> I thought if the world was on my side if the universe was on my side I would be a painter, not just a painter, a watercolorist.</b> So I spent the next year dedicating time to paint. It's always a thrill to put the first brush stroke on that really nice white paper. It gives me a peace in my heart that makes me feel like all is right in the world.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing with color is a great warm up for any artist,, make it fun!</td></tr>
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When I decided to work with water based mediums. I haven't looked back. For every bad painting, and yes I have a whole cabinet that is full of paintings that will never see the light of day, I have learned. Those paintings that seem all right to share with others, I make into cards. and then the couple ones that I love have made it into frames. </div>
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I made this watercolor dream a reality with one early morning at a time, one brush stroke at a time, one trip to a local art store at a time. </div>
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So how, how did I make this work with my family and my crazy life? Here are some tips that I have found worthwhile:</div>
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Anna Mason gave 5 great blocks we use to avoid making Art... I love them all so taking her council has helped me ten fold.</div>
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ALL ART IS A PROCESS! I can't shout this enough.<b>WE needed to be gentle with ourselves</b>, just because you are painting and haven't touched your love of creating art since you were young (for me it was watercolor and it was years since I picked up a watercolor pallet up.)</div>
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<b>AND </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XbNR0hpxtdE/WW9Nn1bqzjI/AAAAAAAAE_s/_-dOHP1r69Y-q3pcyvtx5t-W19otK5NkQCLcBGAs/s1600/triangle%2Blight%2B%2BCB%2B%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1175" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XbNR0hpxtdE/WW9Nn1bqzjI/AAAAAAAAE_s/_-dOHP1r69Y-q3pcyvtx5t-W19otK5NkQCLcBGAs/s320/triangle%2Blight%2B%2BCB%2B%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">layering shapes always bring out my inner artist.</td></tr>
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Don't' Compare to others: Every Artist that I love had to create in their own unique way, we are all made different we all have our unique style, we can't paint like anyone else except the way we paint. <b>Even</b> if you do a paint along with me type painting uses all the same brushes, and pigments, it's still going to come out different. </div>
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So in the real world how, <b>How do I fit "creating" into my busy life?</b></div>
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I have a routine and I stick to it, I make creating a priority, I do the best I can, and I let my kids have fun with me in the process. I wish there was an easy button, and the best easy button for a toddler is sometimes tv. Although I have a 2-hour tv limit. </div>
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<b><br /></b> <b>Creating art is always a trade off, I could give all my time to my kids and secretly die a bit inside because I need to create or let them play. </b>Heaven knows we have enough toys for them to be occupied...<b> I need my time, they need time to play by themselves,</b> so that is when I create, those unstructured time. Sometimes I need a whole day or a whole afternoon.<b> Nothing is more therapeutic than painting for fun and try to learn something in an afternoon while my kids are playing</b>. Afterward, I usually have to spend a day cleaning... but totally worth the creating time. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">There is a trade-off to happiness in our house it looks like this:</span></b><br />
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Happy Creating!<br />
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If you are wanting to start watercolor<a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour?affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank"> this</a> class that Angela has is a great one, it's helped me motivate me to try new subjects. Like trees, which I am super excited to share with you in a future blog post!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour?affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="705" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AKwUJwLLn6o/WW9QeMhZSdI/AAAAAAAAE_w/T0z9wemFC40oXue-t3Y7lSYrmHZawug0gCLcBGAs/s320/watercolour%2Bworkout%2Bangela%2Bfehr.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour?affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">This class helped me realize that painting is a process that brings the painting to life!</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By clicking and buying this class you are supporting my blog.</span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-2403895907937577542017-07-13T13:29:00.000-07:002017-07-13T13:29:01.033-07:00Painting with Distress Crayons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D4gHfIo_sH4/WUrQl75pd5I/AAAAAAAAE5M/PBkxkobGXJEen3Z3MHDK5yrVkL7iL2qugCLcBGAs/s1600/thank%2Byou%2Bresist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="1600" height="259" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D4gHfIo_sH4/WUrQl75pd5I/AAAAAAAAE5M/PBkxkobGXJEen3Z3MHDK5yrVkL7iL2qugCLcBGAs/s320/thank%2Byou%2Bresist.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I got this cute oldie but goodie Thank you stamp from a friend that loves me enough to feed my stamping addiction Thank you JB and so I thought this is a perfect stamp to heat emboss in gold and to watercolor with...<br />
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I recently got some Tim Holtz Distress crayons and thought, this would be a perfect pair! So with a green and blue distress crayons and a brush (you could use a water brush), All I did was with a wet brush I used the crayon as if it were a pigment and added the pigment to my brush and brushed it onto the paper. I had an easy card panel done in minutes. You know me, I like to keep things simple and Elegant, so I kept the card clean and straight forward, added some dark green embossed paper and some decorative gold washi tape.<br />
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<b>My design tip:</b> USE WHAT YOU HAVE! I love that water-based media in its true nature is so fun to manipulate. Distress Crayons let you have those velvet like layers, I love that watercolor Crayons can give you darker layers that give you some depth to your watercolor washes, like in this card, using some 2nd and 3rd layers of pigment really made some of the flourishes really pop!<br />
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For watercolor on the go, this project is perfect, you could pre-stamp and heat embossed card panels, take them with you with your distress crayons (they are not messy and a perfect travel companion.)<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="120" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" /></a><b>How to learn more </b>If you are like me and always love to learn more about watercolor cards there are two classes that I recommend you take:<br />
<a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Angela Fehr's Creative Watercolor class:</a> This is a great class for anyone that wants to add watercolor to cards, art journaling, and Caligraphers. <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">This link will get you 20% off the class</a> I am in the works of making a review for this class, But I highly recommend this class, it is a great class!<br />
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<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fwatercolor%2Dcards%2Dmade%2Dsimple%2F44441" target="_blank">Watercolor Card's Made Simple on Craftsy.</a> This is the perfect class for all paper crafters you can see my class review <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2016/08/watercolor-cards-made-simple-from.html" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Happy Creating!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=couponsahmiam-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01C7PZV2M&asins=B01C7PZV2M&linkId=6ec034aaaa0257ed1bc9cfec8e407df9&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=couponsahmiam-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0056ETF8I&asins=B0056ETF8I&linkId=b41276ee58df476cb10b746fad1d7aea&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=couponsahmiam-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01G2A8RLU&asins=B01G2A8RLU&linkId=4ce3a077c1a166278d9fc0e83221b19d&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=couponsahmiam-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B004BNHHJE&asins=B004BNHHJE&linkId=93688f0d56924817aaed95ac54037111&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-82300940330364001762017-07-13T04:06:00.000-07:002017-07-13T04:06:46.414-07:00Watercoloring with Distress ink and MISTI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eRzsaxTOy3M/WUu1_6OCM_I/AAAAAAAAE5o/PQ9IyeGwhAk-n5qwHBGElYI7NMCkfO0vgCLcBGAs/s1600/blue%2Bdistress%2Bink%2Bcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1204" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eRzsaxTOy3M/WUu1_6OCM_I/AAAAAAAAE5o/PQ9IyeGwhAk-n5qwHBGElYI7NMCkfO0vgCLcBGAs/s320/blue%2Bdistress%2Bink%2Bcard.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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There is a new tool out that I LOVE it changed my view on stamping! I never loved to stamp, I am a messy person and ink would always get into places that I wouldn't like. I also love the watercolor look, the dreamy wet look, so when <b>I found out there is this magical stamp guide that helps you get the perfect stamped image every time, I was elated! </b> The Misti has changed the way I view stamps.<br />
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This card was a keep it simple style, I wanted it to be all blue, and I wanted it to be minimal in the design to make the watercolor (ink) be the focal point of this card. So I positioned my stamp onto the misty and inked the jar in faded jeans distress ink, with a spray bottle with water I sprayed the stamp once or twice to get a watery feel. Then I used a water brush to move the water around and then when I liked how it looked I stopped, and let the whole card dry. <b>If it looks like a mess you did it right!</b><br />
Once the paper was dried I inked the jar stamp again with the same ink and stamped it, I didn't have to worry about the placement because I was using my MISTI. Then I got the dreamy look from the first layered of stamping and a crisp line from the second layer stamp.<br />
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I did the same process on a separate piece of paper for the flowers, but I die cut out the flowers.<br />
Then I adhered the flowers with some pop dots and the card was done. I think simple cards that have just a bit of depth is well worth making a bunch of them and you can with the Misti and the die cuts.<br />
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<b>My Desing Tip:</b> KEEP IT SIMPLE. not every card has to have a bunch of stuff on it to make it look elegant. I know that my style is that of being simple and elegant, Sometimes I wonder if I need some extra stuff for the card, this is what I do: I walk away from it, do a different project, help a kid, what every Sometimes perfection is in the walking away part, then when you come back to the card the next day with "fresh eyes" you are better able to know what is needed.<br />
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This post is going into the <a href="http://powerpoppy.blogspot.com/2017/07/awash-in-blue.html" target="_blank">Power Poppy Hues to Use challenge!</a> It's a fun one!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="120" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wiVd11ZX94/WUSioDUTjXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/hkfm_HxVH3EUbjDUllFUF-BabnkscA3ZACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/small%2Bskyscraper%2Bbanner%2B120%2Bx%2B240.jpg" /></a><b>How to learn more </b>If you are like me and always love to learn more about watercolor cards there are two classes that I recommend you take:<br />
<a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Angela Fehr's Creative Watercolor class:</a> This is a great class for anyone that wants to add watercolor to cards, art journaling, and Caligraphers. <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">This link will get you 20% off the class</a> I am in the works of making a review for this class, But I highly recommend this class, it is a great class!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="693" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nmouFelfXG4/V7MNJvWl6DI/AAAAAAAADbU/kbHdaE8o38ECbFzetuGQTGRBu2ebCjtMACPcBGAYYCw/s200/watercolor%2Bcards%2Bmade%2Bsimple.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fwatercolor%2Dcards%2Dmade%2Dsimple%2F44441" target="_blank">Watercolor Card's Made Simple on Craftsy.</a> This is the perfect class for all paper crafters you can see my class review <a href="http://couponsahmiam.blogspot.com/2016/08/watercolor-cards-made-simple-from.html" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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Happy Creating!<br />
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I use Affiliated links to help support my blog.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=couponsahmiam-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01G2A8RLU&asins=B01G2A8RLU&linkId=4ce3a077c1a166278d9fc0e83221b19d&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=couponsahmiam-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B004BNHHJE&asins=B004BNHHJE&linkId=93688f0d56924817aaed95ac54037111&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=couponsahmiam-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00TGP2C06&asins=B00TGP2C06&linkId=f75b448f4e73d1f891448b0373b269da&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=couponsahmiam-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01I8N3X1S&asins=B01I8N3X1S&linkId=7ffd2f2d719c2cd9f346c694c5bef7e5&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-27252200082674677772017-07-12T06:33:00.001-07:002017-07-18T06:21:58.449-07:00Asking myself this ONE question changed EVERYTHING for me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v1Vth_vBot0/WWYZgzHJbfI/AAAAAAAAE-I/UwRCyqQ6yvAyXhqafWJfcFF3cu284dM0QCLcBGAs/s1600/in%2Border%2Bto%2Bdo%2Bsomething%2Bwell....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v1Vth_vBot0/WWYZgzHJbfI/AAAAAAAAE-I/UwRCyqQ6yvAyXhqafWJfcFF3cu284dM0QCLcBGAs/s320/in%2Border%2Bto%2Bdo%2Bsomething%2Bwell....jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
Happiness is something we deprive ourselves when we have Toxic Perfection.<br />
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It is my hope that with this post that I can help you understand what Toxic Perfection is and how we can let ourselves be happier.<br />
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What am I talking about? Toxic Perfection is when we have to have everything perfect, whatever we do has to be as clean or as perfect as possible, It's not good enough untill________.<br />
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My friends in almost all artform, we must let go, the painting is done before it's "done" The bookan author Writes simply ends, and goes onto the next thing, it's simply done. I love what Jackson Pollock says about his painting <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. </b> </span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BpLhswYwSEY/WWYZfrFSpkI/AAAAAAAAE-E/u5z4u9w73YMu-Q17Y9QuUy7m72fQDtofgCEwYBhgL/s1600/perfectionsim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1600" height="173" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BpLhswYwSEY/WWYZfrFSpkI/AAAAAAAAE-E/u5z4u9w73YMu-Q17Y9QuUy7m72fQDtofgCEwYBhgL/s320/perfectionsim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Julia Cameron in the Artist's way asks this simple question: <b>What would I do if I didn't have to do it perfectly?</b><br />
Answer: <b>A great deal more than I am.</b><br />
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My answer to this great big elephant in the room question was: to paint, more specifically watercolor. But I will look completely ridiculous trying to paint, that is for real artists and I am a crafter I told myself.<br />
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The universe is usually on our side, not long after thinking that I would paint if I didn't have to do it perfectly, a friend mentioned that there are some watercolor classes online I will send you a coupon code for 1/2 off of your first class. I haven't looked back since that day. It's hard to actually go and do, our family art room was my classroom.<b> I told myself to learn and grow. Part of producing art was to make lots of mistakes! So I did!</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t1hM2C2dESY/WWYaNU_l-vI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/mOBfrTqWgXE2jbC0nh9-XVlUzylz1-8-gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0316%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="1600" height="189" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t1hM2C2dESY/WWYaNU_l-vI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/mOBfrTqWgXE2jbC0nh9-XVlUzylz1-8-gCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0316%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">limited pallet I started with. </td></tr>
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You see <b>when we decide that our perfectionism is a great excuse for not doing anything, we deprive ourselves of our personal growth.</b> I have learned to understand that I need art in my life, almost as if it were air to my creative soul.<br />
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I was able to learn about artists and their lifestyle, interact with other students that love watercolor as much as I do. <b>The excuse of I am not really good went away and I was left with: I am committed, now what? </b>If I am skilled or not, it doesn't matter, <b>what matters is Do I like what I am Creating?</b><br />
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Perfectionism has a way to make everything we make look "bad" that is not art, that is called being blocked. <b>Perfectionism deprives us of the joy that comes from just practicing and playing around.</b><br />
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This month is <a href="https://doodlewash.com/creative-prompts-for-world-watercolor-month/" target="_blank">World Watercolor month</a>, and as I was looking at all the entries for Angela's Fehr watercolor challenge I have completely been blown away from all the talented beginners that never posted their work, some are just beautiful works of art. I wonder if we were all a bit more forgiving of our mistakes just how beautiful the world could be? I want to leave you with this thought: Do not fear mistakes: There are none. ~Miles Davis<br />
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This week if you are wanting to try and watercolor Angela has a great challenge for us!<br />
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1b3333; font-family: "proxima"; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.1px;">This week's challenge: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3333; font-family: "proxima"; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.1px;">Summer scenes. What view says "summer" to you? What is your view in the summer?</span><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">How to enter:</span> <span class="redactor-invisible-space" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Post your painting inspired by the challenge<a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/courses/187794/lectures/2856071" target="_blank"> here</a>: One entry per user per challenge prompt. This is to encourage you to paint at your own pace, whether fast or slow.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EIZXDmOsKug/WWYgomcMyXI/AAAAAAAAE-k/-BSkNO2gEWYl0GC-vTnzNFmHB92AAQDnwCLcBGAs/s1600/landscape%2Bcourse%2Bimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="705" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EIZXDmOsKug/WWYgomcMyXI/AAAAAAAAE-k/-BSkNO2gEWYl0GC-vTnzNFmHB92AAQDnwCLcBGAs/s320/landscape%2Bcourse%2Bimage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="redactor-invisible-space" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b>This is a perfect week to try a landscape!</b> If you are timid about trying a landscape like I am (not my strongest skill in watercolor) check out <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/landscapes/?product_id=3135&coupon_code=SUMMERCHALLENGE&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Composing Landscape class,</a> you will be glad you did! Angela's teaching style is so encouraging, and her knowledge of watercolor gives me the motivation to paint every day! <a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/landscapes/?product_id=3135&coupon_code=SUMMERCHALLENGE&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Clicking on this link lets you get 20% off the class! </a> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jWXO8NgAwZg/WWYjP3YYjRI/AAAAAAAAE-w/b_PZPUJr5TcpX9W6b9qRS2wt95FRT3o4wCLcBGAs/s1600/skies711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1600" height="185" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jWXO8NgAwZg/WWYjP3YYjRI/AAAAAAAAE-w/b_PZPUJr5TcpX9W6b9qRS2wt95FRT3o4wCLcBGAs/s400/skies711.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rural Iowa skyscape </td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;">Last week was a fun challenge, it was on skies and I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on painting skies thanks to Angela's classes. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">By clicking on the links, and purchasing a class you are supporting my blog</span></i></span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7606672215702274266.post-3827668777806466202017-07-10T02:00:00.000-07:002017-07-12T06:51:35.193-07:00FUN SUMMER CARD to make in 20 minutes or less!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zo_IB91prTM/WV_2Wk3gx0I/AAAAAAAAE9Q/Ue0sF2TU6RE3LjyuNiyIrOcd9DzzgZUjACLcBGAs/s1600/scribble%2Bstick%2Bbackground%2Bcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zo_IB91prTM/WV_2Wk3gx0I/AAAAAAAAE9Q/Ue0sF2TU6RE3LjyuNiyIrOcd9DzzgZUjACLcBGAs/s320/scribble%2Bstick%2Bbackground%2Bcard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the perfect summer card to send to someone you love! I love how bright and vibrant the card is! The secret to blending is using the right medium, I used Scribble Sticks to make this card, because I knew I wanted to get some vibrant pigment but also remove some of the pigment with a stencil, because of that I was able to get the effect that I wanted here is what I did! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre-wrap;">Materials</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2tRXrXU" target="_blank">Watercolor paper </a>cut to 4.25x5.5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2tSh8P8" target="_blank">Repositionable adhesive</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2tRzos8" target="_blank">Craft matt</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2u12Hci" target="_blank">Scribble Sticks</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cup of water for watercolor</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2uzRHzi" target="_blank">Tim Holtz flower stencil</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2u1fWcC" target="_blank">Tim Holtz Grid Dot layering stencil</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2u0X9OR" target="_blank">Clear or white embossing ink</a> (I used <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tsukineko-VM000001-Full-Size-VersaMark-Pigment/dp/B001DKMBTO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1499461796&sr=1-1&keywords=VersaMark&linkCode=ll1&tag=couponsahmiam-20&linkId=1a99fc8021670d31757d38b4e263231c" target="_blank">VersaMark</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2tS13ZX" target="_blank">White embossing powder</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baby wipes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Small sentiment Die of your choosing</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A2 card base.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medium round brush, I like a mop brush for this, but any medium flat brush will work.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Start by adding just an inch of repositionable adhesive to the back of the watercolor paper, stick this to the craft mat This helps you not get extra fingerprints on the card panel. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add your pigment to the card coloring the whole panel, I used the green, blue and yellow and orange tones for a summer day feel. Scribble onto your panel in a horizontal fashion making sure you overlap the colors for a blending effect. Once you are happy with the colors, use your wet brush to move the colors to the way you like it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dry the panel with a heat tool, don’t get it too close, the scribble sticks don’t like the heat too close and it will bubble up. At this time if you need to take the paper off of the mat that is all right. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once dry take the flower stencil and stencil the card with VersaMark ink or embossing ink, remove the stencil, and cover the inked surface with the white embossing powder. Heat set the white embossing powder.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then with the square pattern stencil take a baby wipe and take away some of the pigment, don’t scrub too hard, gently go over parts of the stencil, I like to use my index finger with a light touch and go into the spots that I want the pigment to be removed. The point of this is to add texture, not to have the whole stencil showing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Add your die cut, and mount the panel on an A2 card base.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To learn more here are two classes that I love and refer back to often!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://learn.angelafehr.com/p/creativewatercolour/?product_id=174730&coupon_code=LISAC&affcode=1255_xgdjgv_d" target="_blank">Creative Watercolor with Angela Fehr</a> This link has a exclusive 20% off coupon attached to it!!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1352891&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fpaper%2Dcrafts%2Fclasses%2Fwatercolor%2Dcards%2Dmade%2Dsimple%2F44441" target="_blank">Craftsy's watercolor cards made simple</a> </span></span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06655937149210717051noreply@blogger.com0