enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

  • GOventure : green + dizzy.

    Goventures1 Goventures1b When Kal tossed up green + dizzy all I could think of is my favorite word. Twirl. When I was a senior in college, struggling to find a job, my mom sent me a card that had a little girl spinning on the front and the inside read : "sometimes you just gotta twirl."

    I believe this. My life, especially right now, is about twirling. Twirling from one project to the next. Twirling in circles until I find a new idea. I love it. If I am able to keep twirling forever and ever and this can be my job, well, SIGN ME UP.

    Greenanddizzy So my piece of art for today became a girl in a green dress. A twirler. I should say that I am not a painter. I do not like how little control my hands have over the brush. I find painting non-abstract things difficult and awkward. But I didn't know how else to make a girl in a green dress. So I sketched her in colored pencil on cardstock that I letterpressed three times with "she believed in a good twirl." I added water to the paper and the colored pencil became water color. I then added the text with a black pen. And stamped over the top with a watermark stamp.

    (After I was done I realized that green + dizzy could also mean nauseous. I am glad this was not the first thing that popped into my head.)

    I will not be painting for the rest of the prompts. But this was a good challenge. Thank you, Kal for adventure number one. See you tomorrow with the next prompt : not my type. Game on. GO.

  • for dad.

    Dadsday09

  • the GOventures.

    Goventures On Tuesday, after I posted about my adventure book, I got an email from the GO-lady herself, Kal Barteski. She wanted to know if I was in for an even bigger (head-to-head) adventure challenge. The idea was that for one week we would alternate coming up with idea starting points or challenges. Inspired by the challenge, we would both make something. From one idea would come two separate pieces of art.

    Before I finished reading the email, I typed back that YES OF COURSE, I was in.

    So starting Monday – the GOventuring begins. I will post my art piece here. She will post hers there. Our first prompt is Green + Dizzy. If you are interested and want to join our GOventure, please do. It feels good to make something. And it feels even better to make something when the challenge can be interpreted so many different ways.

    I am buzzing with ideas and excited to get rolling, it is not everyday your favorite artist challenges you to a Designer Duel. Let's GO, Kal. (And hey, when we finish this, my sparkly shoes are challenging your sparkly shoes to a dance off.)

  • green + yellow.

    IMG_1016 Yesterday flew by. I looked up at the clock at it was 3pm. Usually, I look up and it's 9am. So that was strange. I did get to letterpress though and I am excited about the prints. Whenever I am back there I think – "wow. I should do this more often." But then days go by and weeks go by and months go by and I forget how fun it is. Sort of like yoga.

    I am loving the green and yellow combination above. Actually loving all colors right now.

    I am off to out-of-the-house work all day. Big fun announcement coming tomorrow. I have to get my game face on. Coffee mug cheers all around.

  • glow girl.

    Yesterday flew by in a rush of activity. I spent a good half hour in tears trying to get my website up and running. (I have decided to make a website for all the different things : workshops and custom books + links to my shop, resume, blog, etc. I will continue to blog daily but this website will serve as a seperate collage of things.) Eventually, after all the frustration I went with a GoDaddy domain name and hosting service and they synced up like a dream. AND NOW I HAVE A WEBSITE!

    It is still in the growing stages and now that the technical stuff is squared away, I am really enjoying web designing again. I took two classes in college on HTML and Dreamweaver and can say they were the two of the best and most useful classes I could have taken. If you are still in college, sign up for web design. You'll never regret it.

    Once I get all the bugs out and the site just how I want it, I will be doing a launch party. Giveaways, games(?) and the works. I'm planning for the last week of June.

    ++

    Today I am off to letterpress land. I want to power through in 1.5 hours. I have ideas for prints and prints and prints. Well, maybe just prints and prints. Shop UPdate NEXT week (still more details to follow) so I have to be prepared. I want to get to the gym and run fast. I want to spend some time with Paul who is home from work today to study. I have custom books to layout and a messy desk to clean.

    Another busy one.

  • adventure book Q+A.

    I had some great questions from Emily about my adventure book. I figured I would share them in case anyone else would benefit. (I must say, this adventure book is the best plan I have had in a long time. More and more adventures keep coming out of it.)

    Q : how do
    you type right on the photo like that and have it come out so perfect ?

    A : I use Adobe Photoshop Elements. If you have a computer and are into typing on things, I highly recommend it. Cheap, cheap and it gets the job done. There are a million other programs that I am sure get the job done better, but are they as inexpensive? Maybe. Once in photoshop, it is trial and error to get the text to line up with the image. I am good friends with the delete button.

    Q : are you printing those on regular paper instead of photo paper?
    A : For this book, I did print my photos on photo paper. I also often print on white textured cardstock which I like the results of a lot.

    Q : and
    does it print directly on these small pages?
    A : My printer is great, and can print on small pages, but for this book, I printed right on to 8.5×11 and cut down to size with my paper cutter. It's the best of the best for at home use. But please do not quote me on that.
     
    Q : is there a program for this?
    A : Yes, as mentioned above. It is not going to be specific to this sort of book, but it will let you do many projects of many sizes.

    Q : what size pages are these?
    A : about 4.5×8 inches

    Q : after you print a photo, do you back it with card stock? and the pretty decorative paper too?
    A : Yes, I usually back with paper. Using a gluestick or my new favorite kolo tape

    Q : when you download a free font, how do you get it to work in your Word program?
    A : Here is how to make it work if you have windows. Here is how to do it if you have a mac.

    Q : how do you use a glue stick so nicely? 😛
    A : I don't. I smear it all over the place and it normally gets on my desk and then onto the next project. It's not pretty. But practice helps. 🙂

    Thanks Emily, hope that helps!

    If you have any other questions – ask them here.

  • speaking of adventures…

    IMG_0998 IMG_1001 The first few orders of custom books are bound, wrapped and off into the world. Remember, new journal owners, a good journal is a messy journal.

    +++

    Would you like a handmade custom journal? See more details here.

  • adventures in june.

    Gojune Last weekend I was in a bit of a funk. I was out of ideas of things to do, places to go, thoughts to think. I am currently working part time. That's a lie. I am working full time it's just one of my jobs I do from home and it only pays when I have good, marketable ideas. And so when the ideas wane, the pay stops and the doubt creeps in.

    Adventuretext So Sunday night (not two days ago, but nine days ago), I came up with some "adventures" for myself. Things that I had to accomplish the on the next five weekdays. 1) get balloons, 2) take photos of orange, 3) set up an interesting self portrait, 4) photograph love, 5) find a rainbow.

    IMG_0983 IMG_0984 IMG_0985 They are all pretty simple tasks, but something outside of my regular to-do list. They were each designed to be a bit of challenge and inspire some outside of the box thinking. Well, except the balloons. That was just on there so I would GO BUY SOME BALLOONS.

    IMG_0986IMG_0987 How did the challenges go? I would say 100% successful. I only accomplished 3 of 5 tasks but that was enough to refuel my productivity. The balloon adventure & many photos that followed completely inspired me and I have a whole shop UPdate planned because of it (more info on that to come).

    IMG_0988 IMG_0990 IMG_0989 I (obviously) made a little book to document the adventures. I am leaving the two prompts that I did not complete last week in the book for the next time I need a creative boost. And when ideas stop coming again, (as they always do) I am planning to use this same concept with new adventures. The simplest direction and fun task to complete can really change your mood. I encourage you to pick an item from my list (or come up with your own) and attempt to do it next time you really need a good idea.

    IMG_0991 IMG_0992

    PS : That camera image is letter "A" in the font Kamera Dings – a free font I found via poppytalk. The ticket stamp is by Purple Onion. The tape is from happy tape. Those little letter stamps are super old and by PSX. I printed everything at home on an HP Photosmart printer. The file folder covers are divider tabs by kolo.

  • project monday : something outta orange.

    June15promon Today I have three layouts to share that I put together last night.

    June15inspo On Saturday, my new stamps from Apple Blossom Studio arrived. (The same day Joy's little girl came! For very good reason, it may take awhile for the stamps to be listed – I'll keep you posted.) Late last night, I decided to start a few layouts and see what came about. The only cardstock in the house that is not already delegated to future craft projects was: ORANGE. I just have to be clear, I am not obsessed with orange. Well, I am, but NOT this shade of orange. Not even a little bit. But this is why I own paint. I was able to redo the color and make three layouts that do not look like exactly the same thing.

    Layoutspromon (click and then click again to zoom.)

    Paint is my favorite. Just ask my workshop folks. Primarily for the texture and also because it gives paper shades and layers instead of a single color. I painted two of the papers before I decided how to best make use of the stamps. I use the very inexpensive craft paint found at Michael's. It makes my
    cardstock curl up quite a bit. I have not found a solution to this, but
    eventually the pages will make it into an album and then it won't matter at all.

    IMG_0967 IMG_0968 For the first layout, I opened my scrap drawer and pulled pieces that went with the rich purple. Everything fell into place quickly and I choose to use the circle stamp with Versamark which is a watermark ink pad. I never emboss, but went for it with clear embossing powder. That looked cool, but didn't show up as well as I would have liked. So I re-stamped all over the layout and used red embossing powder. (I should mention I am now addicted to embossing powder and have already been to AC Moore this morning to stock up.)

    IMG_0970 IMG_0969 The second layout was painted blue mixed with a little purple paint that was still on the brush. After the paint was dry, I stamped and embossed again with pink and white sparkles. Not very manly for an e&p layout, but fun.

    IMG_0966 And the third layout uses the stamps as a journaling box. I only had two photos printed and ready to scrap so the focus of this page became this fabulous paper. I made this page to hold a thought, not a memory. Though I suppose the boundaries between the two overlap quite a bit.

    It is so nice when the make it work plan works.

  • new favorite flickr group.

    Summer1. money well spent, 2. happy : gratitude 217.365, 3. Summer Kitchen, 4. wild, 5. 060709, 6. First strawberries, 7. Roses after springrain, 8. Untitled

    Above a a few recent favorites from the new flickr group : 100 reasons to love summer.

    …and below are 100 reasons I love summer. Some are present, many are past. All of them = summer.

    flowers, sunshine, fresh food, balloons, bike rides, going fishing, wearing shorts, cold beer, grass, sunscreen, flip flops, kool-aid, postcards, sand, new swim suits, tan lines, water parks, bubbles, cold showers, ice cubes, rainbows, neon colors, vegetables, night walks, long days, July 4th, popsicles, iced coffee, friendship bracelets, barbecues, corn on the cob, picnics, the state fair, running in the sprinklers, photo booths, raspberries, cartwheels, slip-n-slides, farmer's markets, creek walks, summer camp, singing songs, campfires, Yosemite, baseball, sparklers, swing sets, sunglasses, iced tea, fireworks, hotdogs, cantelope, mai tais, sea shells, air dried laundry, baby sitting, corn nuts, lanyards, sidewalk chalk, lemonade stands, night swims, waterskiing, sea shells, jolly ranchers, the high dive, skipping rocks, paddle boats, hikes, knee scars, Tahoe, ice cream cones, sprinkles, lanterns, crickets, tank tops, windows down, radio up, dance parties, face painting, cotton candy, sno cones, hopstoch, four square, sea glass, cherries, bike trails, river rafting, rope swings, salad, white wine, the whole house fan, ponytails, disposable cameras, lip gloss, outdoor music, freckles, lightning bugs, potato salad & blue skies.