The Finish Line Feels Great…

packagingWell I am back! I met my deadline for my custom project and completed all the cards and shipped them to my client last Friday.  It felt so good when I laid all the cards out on my worktable to see the project in it’s entirety. I almost wanted to keep them for me!! I enjoyed reaching the finish line and seeing the result of all the work.  I used my Silhouette, Copics, digi files, and a array of products to come up with new designs. I was pleased to be able to tie all of these different disciplines together to create the finished cards.  On the last week of work I was in the zone and feeling really happy to know I was meeting my deadline.

I can not reveal the cards I designed just yet because I will be creating many of them for my shop but as I release them, I will be sure to post pictures here on the blog.  This project completely took all of creative time from the shop to complete. I think I managed my time well considering the boy’s and their schedule.  I learned a lot of what I am capable of doing. I think this project was just what I needed to move me forward creatively because I was faced with pushing myself more to please the client verses  creating whatever I feel like for my shop. I also learned what I would like to change moving forward so I think it was a win-win for me in many ways.

Above is a picture of the box I decorated to store the cards for my client.  I often feel conflicted about the amount of paper used in my craft and how I may be impacting the environment. I mean let’s face it, I have more product than I can use.

So when I was planning this project, I found a way to recycle the box used to store the cards.  As you may recall from some of my past posts, I subscribe to a monthly beauty kit club. Each month I receive samples of the latest products from hair, skin to makeup even teas.  They come in these amazing boxes that are sturdy and lined with beautiful paper. I could never throw them away so I just keep them and when I started the planning process I knew my cards had to fit in the box.  So in order to fully repurpose the box, I added a doily and some butterflies and some bling and my card label to mask the kit name (I ended up adding more bling to disguise the clue under the doily – such a perfectionist!).  I then used my shipping box from my monthly Project Life kits to ship the box.  I used washi tape to decorate the top and added a label.

I know this is a small act but I felt happy to reuse these beautiful boxes sent to me.   I am definitely going to use them for future projects as well.

My plans, moving forward, are to work on some new products for my shop and prepare for summer break. I usually take part of July and all of August off from work.  So back to work for me. I will also resume my blogging schedule. So prepare to hear more from me.

I hope you all are well.

Have a blessed day!

Belinda

In Search of Balance

findingbalance

A BIG HELLO TO YOU!! Wow, it has been a long time since I have written a post. I miss our connection.  I am thrilled to have my first big custom project to work on. No complaints here. It’s just that I am having a hard time finding enough time to keep up with my blog and a few craft projects.  I am on a deadline so my priority has been working on the cards for my client.

One thing I still have managed to do is stop working once the boys come home from school. Which means no time for blogging.  So I apologize for the disconnect.

However, I have great news. Since June is my Birthday month…Oh you read it right… Birthday Month. Not just a day. Since it is my Birthday Month. I plan on having some giveaways on my blog. More details to come but I hope you will join me in the fun.

So the picture I shared today is my desk at it’s current state. I am working on the final cards for this project. All the color on the scratch paper is me testing out different Copic Color Combinations.  I have been listening to audio books on my Nook HD while working. This is my second book I am listening to since starting this project.  The voice talent is pretty good. There is also my mid morning snack -almonds on my desk and some Heidi Swapp stamps.

Well I just wanted to say hello and check in. How are you doing? Are you having balance issues too?

Have a blessed day!

Belinda

Fun Photos Friday #24: Finding a Home for Totoro

funphotofriday26aOne of Apollo’s favorite movies is “My Neighbor Totoro” by Hayao Miyazaki, one of Japan’s beloved animator.  We have collected and watched many of his films.  But Apollo couldn’t stop talking about the character Totoro.  So I headed online to Amazon and of course there were several to choose from.  I let him pick out the one he wanted and ordered it.

On Monday, it arrived and I placed him on Apollo’s bed for a surprise when he arrived home from school.  I told him to go make his bed after he hung up his coat because he hadn’t made it in the morning.  Seems like after school works best for both Nicholas and Apollo so I try not to cringe when I look at it all day.  He was so thrilled when he saw Totoro sitting on his bed.

funphotofriday26bHe spent much of the afternoon making Totoro “talk” and then introduced him to his other stuffed animals.

funphotofriday26cLooks like Totoro has all of his adult teeth. Apollo has some catching up to do!

funphotofriday26dThe next day before Apollo went to school he tucked Totoro, Bee and Dino under the blanket on the couch.  I was charged with watching them while he was at school.  I know he is getting older but I still adore his relationship with his stuffed animals.

I apologize for few posts lately but I have been working on some products for a custom order for Belinda’s Crafts and trying to balance my blogging time has been a little more challenging.

Have a great weekend my friends.

Belinda

Belinda’s Book Nook Review: Three books of a quartet: Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress by Marisa Meyer

Cindertrilogy

Titles: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: fiction, fantasy
Format: book

Synopsis (from publisher):

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, Book 1)

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles, Book 2)

Cinder is back and trying to break out of prison—even though she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive if she does—in this second installment from Marissa Meyer.
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother, or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana.

Cress (Lunar Chronicles, Book 3)

In this third book in Marissa Meyer’s bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth.

My Review:

Wow… I came across Cinder while watching some book bloggers back in February. So many people were talking about it and let’s face it, the cover is really cool.  So I ordered it from BookOutlet for an amazing price.  I took it with me on my annual girl’s craft weekend in Jackson New Hampshire. I always bring a book to read before I go to bed.

I started reading Cinder (the first in the series) and found myself up hours later, totally engrossed. Now, this is a Young Adult fiction and I am past Young Adult in age but let me say that I thoroughly enjoy many books from this genre.  I don’t turn my nose up to a good story.

Ms. Meyer takes the story on a wild adventure while still keeping the basis of the story grounded in the traditional fairy tale, Cinderella.  I enjoyed the first book so much because it created the world with vivid descriptions.  I instantly liked the main character Cinder although a few times I don’t know why she didn’t make smarter choices.  I like that social issues (Like what defines being human.)  were intertwined with the story but weren’t being forced down your throat. I found myself going to my room while on my weekend away and reading a few chapters. I just wanted to know what would happen.

As in the Hunger Games, each book of this series end with a cliff hanger so you have to read the next book to find out what happens. What I also found fascinating is that Ms. Meyer took different fairy tales and found ways to link the books to each other. For example the first book is Cinderella, the second is Little Red Riding Hood and the third is Rapunzel and the next to be released is Snow White.

I really enjoyed this series and read them very fast. I think there was good character development in each book and just enough romance without ruining the story.  My favorite of the three would be Cinder because that is where Ms. Meyer created the world for us in such lovely detail.

I highly recommend this series. The only problem is that I have to wait for the final book, Winter which will be released in 2015.

I will be back with more reviews very soon.  I have been reading a lot lately and just need to sit down and write up some reviews.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My rating was 5 butterflies!

5rating

Happy Reading!

Belinda

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