Cathy Michaels Design by Cathy Bluteau

Just in time for the holidays

So I hinted a few days back about my latest obessions (actually this is for the second time) on making collaged tins.

Well I thought this was timely since you know what - these are great Christmas gifts.  Yes, Christmas gifts - you can make them and give them just as they are as gifts, or you can also buy them already made from my shop or you can make them, purchase them - whatever, and then fill them with favorite things.  That way there's a gift inside, and then the tin itself is also a gift.

For example, I have a friend who is a paper lover so what I do is make a tin and fill it with beautiful papers.  Add a bow and it's a great gift. Or there are alterable tins that are hinged and look like pencil cases - so these I fill with great pens like a set of gelly roll pens or a set of Faber Castell Pitt pens and give that as a gift.  I mentioned too that one of my customers is a photographer and she uses these tins to package the CDs containg her customers photographs - tons of ideas for these.

So to get us all going, just in time for Christmas I also created an on-line class which shows step by step how to make these tins.  The class will be launched on Nov.8 but you can always register now and then you'll get an email from Gail at Creative Workshops once it's live.  That too is a great holiday gift btw - imagine - an online class as a gift - oh boy - I would love to get that!!

All of that now said - here is the a preview of the online class starting November 8th - (next Monday)

 

 

 

Enjoy

CATHY

More on creating journal backgrounds for the weekend

So today  I mean yesterday,  I ran a video on the Shimmerz Vlog to show more about how I create some of the backgrounds for my journal pages.

 

For those of you who have taken or are taking any of my Journaling with Me I or II Classes -  have a look at this video below to get more ideas on how to create your journal pages.  It'll be a great way to spend a fall weekend  ; )

 

Shimmerz btw (which is the product on use for all my backgrounds) also has new Christmas colors out so you may want to go ahead and check that out over here too!   The video you can view below or over here  or on my youtube channel here.

 

Have fun with it – lots more ideas like this coming to help you with your journal pages!

Here's the thing ...

This is still how I remember him.  In my mind he is still this soft sweet little boy - but now he is all of 13 thinking in his mind that he is going on 21.

 

You may remember some time back I talked about the personal side of things.  Something I don't do very often.  In 2009 I wrote this poem about him, I saw the changes already coming then:

 

As he comes down the stairs

His feet no longer small

I know the chatter will start

He has my ears, my patience , he knows he has my heart

 

He talks of sports of school of friends

His mood goes up and down

I wonder of the future

Of things unknown , unfound

 

His heart is big, his soul still pure

His eyes so big and brown

 

The future stands before him, so much to see and do

He has a hold, will build his will

And he will stand his ground

 

 

Cathy

Ooops - Posting Postcards

So sorry for all those of you who asked I shoudl have said Snapfish AND NOT  Blurb - although I did use Blurb for my 2 new books ; )

*******************

Hey everyone, hope you had a good weekend.  Mine was busy busy with house stuff, kid stuff and yes a little crafting.

A couple of weeks ago I made some postcards using Snapfish  I love blurb - the quality of the prints are so beautiful. I took pictures of my collage journals, cropped them and added text to them.  

Here's what I received.  I'm going to use these when I ship large orders just to say a little thank you.  I think I am also going to make them available in my shop because really anyone can use them as thank you cards.

Here's a few samples

 

How is that for fun.  And how is that for recycling your own work!!

 

Have a good Monday all

Cathy

 

Friday Flickr Favs - Bejeweled!

Two things I want to show you today to get your weekend off to a good start.

Don't know if you have stopped by the Lovely Clusters Shop lately but they have a beautiful new fall/winter catalogue - echeck it out here: http://issuu.com/lovelyclusters/docs/fall2011-12lccatalog/58

 

And since it's Friday - here is another Friday Flickr Fav - lots of different little jewels used in a variety of ways:

1. jewelry, 2. rhinestone toe, 3. Hair Accessories, 4. Earring storage solution, 5. Softly Spoken, 6. journal spines, 7. pastel trees, 8. DSC00188, 9. ♥♥♥

Have a good good weekend

 

Cathy

Positive Feedback Relief!

Collaged tins - my first online experience

One of the first things I ever created and showed people on line were my collaged tins.  I remember I participated in the Graphic Fairy's Brag Monday.  This was and still is a spot where people had to use the FREE images she offers and create something with them.  We would then post in the Brag Monday section.

When I posted my tins I received so many comments I was so pleased since this was my first attempt (and a very scary one) at showing my art on line.  What a relief when I received such positive feedback.

Anyways all of that to say that I recently received an order from a photographer who wanted to order the collaged tins so that she could use them to give to her clients with the CD of the photographs she took inside.  Wow - what a great personalized idea huh.  So I had so much fun making the tins that I am showing you below (I let my customer (Brittany) know I would show them to you all.) that I started making more and more.

I think I will do some Christmas themed ones and just a heads up I am also doing a video on how to create these.  So here are some pics for your to enjoy:

Spoonful - beautifully soft ...

Are you familiar with the Spoonful Zine.?  Anthea & co. publish a zine (magazine) for artists and creative types and anyone who just loves beauty.  Here is how they describe it:

"Spoonful is a short and inspiring little publication which, in light of our insanely busy lives, can be finished by the end of a train ride. It's quick to consume, beautifully soft, & after reading will genuinely make you smile."

They publish a "paper" copy which is a great little size to hold and savor.  The blog itself is absolutely beautiful and "dreamy" in a sort of way.

I was honored to be asked by Anthea to create a little blurb about "creating".  They created a beautiful post today and you can view it over here. Do go check it out okay?

Cathy

More journaling

Hey there hope everybody had a good weekend. 

First off, thank you so much to all of you who left comments and sent me email on my Friday post about being published.  I so appreciate your nice words.

So now, I spent some time working on some new collaged tins which I will show you this week and also working on my new notebook and in between the wash, the hospital visits, the cleaning, the checking homework etc etc I also managed to get some journal pages in - these pages are from my What do I want to be when I grow up journal.

I love this page - love the colors - the bottom of the left hand page is my own sketch of the type of artwork on the postcard above it - love the watery colors.  The right hand page is just squares and squares of paper which I wrote on and then embellished in the spaces in between. 

Kris B.  if you are reading this - this one is for you.  (Kris is taking my online journal with me II class where I talk about  "block composition") and she recently told me she loved doing those - really easy once you get going.

This is an exercise in figuring out how much is enough for you (from Danielle Laporte's SPARK kit)

 

little birdies - on these lines I am going to put some of my favorite quotes

 

Spread your wings and fly ... fly fly fly

Some of my favorite quotes - again from Danielle Laporte's Spark Kit

 

Aren't they fun ... yep I think this may turn into another online class/workshop - ooohh having so much fun with this

Have a good week all

 

Cathy

Can I tell you something.. .come close

Can I tell you something .... listen close ... see this magazine here below ... guess what

I am in it!! 

 

It's true - look I took a picture of the table of contents to show you - see below

 

 

Christen Olivarez did a wonderful job of covering my kits in this months issue.  The article is sweet and kind and I love the way she put the words together. I only wish I could photograph my kits as well as the photographers and layout "artists" did on these pages.  Wow - even my 13 year old son said "WOW Mom, your kits look so professional there" -( hmm and I thought they were!!)

 

So in case you have not seen this issue - go and have a look - it's packed full with interesting articles and unbeleivable artists.  I can never get over how talented these women are - I often say to myself - omg I would love to get inside these heads and figure out how these ideas form.

There are still a few of these kits in my shop if you'd like to treat yoursefl.

Have a good weekend all!

Cathy

Mingle Mingle Giveaway WINNER

So - without ado... the winner of the free copy of Somerset's Mingle, selected by random number generator is:

                                            Kelley from http://badhausfrau.blogspot.com/

 Kelley send me you address via email to my email  and this copy of Mingle will go out to you!!

Have a great Wednesday

Cathy

 

 

My little notebook and yours

I don't know about you but I buy all kinds of blank agendas, agendas with calendars, agendas without calenders, agendas with blank pages, agendas with lined pages.  I always start with the best of intentions thinking that this little book will be the one I use.  I start with a new pen and it begins with really neat writing and if I am really good I use PENCIL - just so I can keep it clean.

Anyways, this lasts about a month - for a really good agenda! One that works.  Somehow my thoughts, and ideas don't fall into the regular calendar of monthly planning, daily tasks etc. etc.  SO, I decided to create my own type of agenda.

I am calling this the "Next generation of Agendas".  It actually follows the same idea as SMASH agendas if you have seen those.

So I created one using some of the online bookmaking tools - this one blurb.  And I wanted to make it available to you as well.  If you are like me and you like a place to jot things to remember, make lists, scribble, draw etc etc.  you will like this.

Here's a preview, courtesy of blurb: You can view at full screen if you want to be able to read the writing on the pages

A JOURNAL FOR YOU

MY NOTEBOOK

By

Book Preview

Blurb generally shows only a 15 page preview but I find they tend to be the same ones. I wanted you to see all of the pages. You'll see plenty of blank pages but that's because its your agenda and you need some pages to write. The rest is for inspiration and to guide you. If you pre-order now the first 10 orders will include a special little gift ; ) What fun!! You can click directly on the cart button on the preview above to pre-order Let me know what you think ...

Mingle, Mingle, Mingle - GIVEAWAY

Yeaah - it's here - Mingle from Somerset Publications!

Have you seen this new issue yet from Somerset?  Well guess what - I have a copy to giveaway!!

All you have to do is add a comment here on my blog - a comment about anything you would like.  I will leave this up till Wendesday next week and then pick a winner using random generator.

If you want great ideas for simple to elaborate parties or if you want to find new sources for art retreats (as I did) you will love this magazine. 

 It's so fun to see how people really celebrate life.  I was particulary touched by some of the stories about the art retreats.  Absolutely, definitely on my to-do list for 2012 - Attend one of these art retreats - will you join me?

Here's a preview below or you can go here to see lots' more:

 
 Leave a comment, any comment on this post and I will pick a winner and send you your own copy of Mingle from Somerset

Have a great weekend all - I'll be curling up with my own issue  ; )

Cathy

Journal Pages

Remember I told you I was working on a new journal called "What do I want to be when I grow up".

This has been a tough one since it is much more personal than others I have done and I find I spend too much time "thinking" about the page rather than just "going for it" as I do with other journals.

Well in the spirit of Sabrina Ward Harrison I will talk more about her in another post - young, young artist who creates with raw abandon) I did decide to just go for it and at the risk of baring too much, here are some more pages from this journal

 

Do you believe in yourself?

 

 

Definitely a journey...

 

 

This is a quote form A.Milne aka Winnie the Pooh  "...the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts".

 

My travel plans ....

 

Is it me?  (Colored over an image transfer from an actual photo)

 

Pushing the envelope  (lol lol)

 

Well, enjoy and let me know - are you brave enough to do a journal on "What do I want to be when I grow up"?

Cathy

 

Monday's Etsy Favs

Look what I found on etsy today....

 

Happy Monday Cathy