enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

  • the visual adventures : an online art journal class.

    IMG_2342 I am excited to announce that sign ups for my next online workshop will open next Monday, August 17. The class will run for four weeks : August 31 – September 25 and will take place on a private blog. The emphasis will be on building an art journal but we'll also talk about incorporating "art" elements into scrapbooks pages. We'll explore different techniques, find visual inspiration and most importantly, play with color, texture, shapes and photos.

    Throughout the month there will be frequent posts on the private blog. Some will be more involved including step-by-step photos, others will be inspiring photos and jumping off points for new pages and thoughts. This class will be low pressure and meant to encourage you to find your own creative style. Workshop price is $15.

    I hope to have photos and samples of the projects posted sometime next week. Sign-ups (a.k.a. the paypal button) will be available on Monday but you will have three weeks to commit. I will be getting sneak peaks and a syllabus together which I know is important information to see before purchasing a class.

  • all a flutter.

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    Still in love with our engagement photos. I might start all posts for the next month with that sentence. Or not. But maybe. Couple of things : 1) the tippy-toe photo is a big fave of mine too. 2) inspired by our photos, I am hoping to buy a big digital SLR for Christmas. 3) the shirt that Paul was wearing was from Gap. Their super cool (PRODUCT) RED series. My capri jeans are by David Kahn and I stumbled upon them while in Tahoe. Apparently you find good jeans only when not on the hunt. 4) I just may capture a sunflare and stick it in my pocket for necessary photo ops. 5) thank you for the photo comments. We cannot believe that's us in them. Thank you, Lisa + Geoff.

    My mind is spinning with plans for the photos. Part of our photo package is a disc of all the edited images. I will be getting a bunch of them printed, framed and on our wall (this may involve building another, much larger, wall). I would love to get a photo canvas or two. And of course, there will be an album. It's already in the works. I would love for it to look as nice + clean as Molly's 100 reasons to love summer album.

    I want to play a lot with text and color in the engagement album. Recently, I have been spending a lot of time in Photoshop (that's Elements, though I should invest in the real deal AND Illustrator) and it appears that I have jumped down a rabbit hole. I am working on a logo design as well as a few things for a minibook kit I would like to release later in the fall. Lots of new stuff simmering and it feels good.

    Again, thanks for the photo love. I am off to work-work at Paper Source and then I am home for over a week to get lots of creative things done. Can't wait.

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    PS : The very last of the minibook kits (summer and faves) have been listed in my shop. When they're gone, they're gone!

  • looking forward.

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    Ep17 Hi Cloud Nine, it's Elise. I'm just going to hang out here for awhile. Photography by Lisa Welge.

  • rainbow colors.

    IMG_2346 IMG_2339 Watercolors

  • shop is updated.

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    + mini book kits
    + mixed paper books
    + folded little books

    As always, thank you for your support!

  • flower craft day.

    IMG_2345IMG_2303 IMG_2306   IMG_2313 I work (@ Paper Source) with a girl named Stephanie. She is my craft soul mate. When the current Martha Stewart Weddings came out that included the feature on making fabric flowers, we were instantly obsessed with making our own. Finally, last weekend, we bought fabric, printed the templates and set to work to make peonies, roses and dahlias.

    I spend a lot of time working and crafting on my own. I have so say, it's pretty fabulous to sit on the floor and cut and laugh with someone else. xo, Steph. Let's do it again.

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    Don't forget, shop update today @ 4pm EST. All orders over $25 today and tomorrow will ship with a free letterpressed thank you card.

  • custom birthday books.

    Birthdaybooks I am excited to be taking custom orders for birthday books. No two will be the same and each will be packed full of different papers. I can work with you to customize to a point. Please shoot me an email if you are interested. Prices start at $30 and will increase depending on the number of pages.

  • project monday : a favorites book.

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    IMG_2315 I started a new minibook last week to collect "favorites" for the month of August. I will continue to fill it with horizontal photos and other paper memorabilia.

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    In the past few years, I have made many books like this. (Evidence of Lovely is my favorite.) They are collections of fun photos and papers that tell a story only because I like seeing them all together. The photos/papers are mounted back to back with a gluestick and there is no plastic covering keeping them from touching each other. These books may not hold up forever, but wear and tear means they were loved.

    If you want to make a favorites book, I recommend looking through your photos on your computer and having some of the "favorites" printed. Be sure to crop them so they are all portrait or landscape. If you find you have a lot of favorite things that lack photos, now is a great time to document them. Get close to your object so it fills the frame. To get the best lighting, you may need to take the object out of it's natural habitat. (I take all my book/product photos on our balcony once it gets shaded. Perfect natural light – and cool wood grain background.)

    IMG_2296 IMG_2299 IMG_2300 Small kits to make your own favorites book will be in the update tomorrow. The covers are letterpressed in teal on gray chipboard. The kits are packaged in a 4×6 glassine envelope that can later be included in the book.

    Happy Monday! If you have any questions, please ask in the comments and I will respond there as well.

  • a 24 inch kraft ampersand would really complete my life right now.

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  • shop update TUESDAY!

    Aug11blogshopupdate Mixed paper books and postcards and minibook kits, OH MY. See you in the shop on Tuesday, August 11 @ 4pm EST.

    IMG_2179 I have been cutting & punching for days.

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