So Much to Tell You!

First, this past Sunday I got Copic Certified!! Check it out–I am listed on the Copic Instructor Page!! That means I now know everything there is to know (let' hope I retained it all) about Copic Markers. I've been using them for some time but now I discovered I was doing it “wrong.” Now that I have been educated and cannot WAIT to show you all that I learned. My first workshop is already booked:

On Saturday (back tracking here) I went to the Lucky 13 Circle Journal Project Crop down in San Diego. It was so much fun to hang out with everyone in person. Some of us already know each other and are friends and others we are just getting to know each other throgh this wonderful artistic journey. There are some super talented ladies in this group, all with their own unique style, and I feel very privileged to be included in the group. Intimidated sometimes but still very happy! LOL We created ATCs to trade with one another so here are some photos of the ATCs of the ladies here in So Cal (we'll be mailing them out to the other 7 Lucky 13 spread out across the globe). In case you don't know what I am talking about, you can check out our blog here.

“Go Green” was on April 23, 2009 at Pink Pineapple Scrabpooks in Vista, CA.

The class featured lots of fun recycled elements, including paper from Jillibean Soup as well as plastic clamshell pakcaging I have been saving for years, boxes cut up to form pages, and more fun, crazy, earthy goodness. I have ONE kit for this left–it is up in my Etsy shop if you're interested.

“So Tweet” was on April 22, 2009 at The Scrappin' Table in Placentia, CA. I didn't get any pics :( but I will be teaching it again at Pink Pineapple on May 23, 2009 if you're interested!

Okay, now back to the yard work. Xaver and I have been hard at work for over a month trying to get our front yard landscaping done. It was hilly, dead sod and weeds with lots of rocks thrown in–the paper barrier between the rock landscaping and the dirt disintegrated into a big mess so now we are trying to fix what the previous owners did. We're finding all kinds of “treasures” left there by the builders aka broken roof tiles, trash, metal strips, a big old 6″ wide pipe! I am kind of pissed cuz every other shovel scoop to get the sod out we're hitting something hard (aka trash) which jarrs our shoulders and arm muscles so it is making the labor even more laborious but I am not as mad as I would be if I had bought this house new for $425K like the people before us did (we have a repo). Wow, those builders sure took alot of of shortcuts! We're putting in drought resistant plants, a retaining wall to deal with that hill, and some pavers and gravel. We are also considering a small fountain but have yet to find one we like–we will likely make our own.

Also, I have confirmed (by way of testing the if the water is on) that our nice neighbors to the north who disappeared over Christmas must be gone due to foreclosure. He told me he paid $425K for his home too. I have no idea how average people (like those of us who aren't making millions a year) could have thought they could afford that. Very sad yet perplexing to me because of people's bad decisions (like theirs) now we're all in this mess together, whether we got into a funky loan or not. Anyways, just trying to make what we have better so off to fix up our yard! Maybe I'll pull some weeds from the neighbor's yard too…

Author: Jennifer Priest

It started with jewelry, beading, sewing, home decor, painting, basket weaving, pottery, and cross-stitch. Marry that to an entrepreneurial spirit & at 9 years old a girl is selling her wares at craft fairs as far as her parents and grandparents would drive her. These days, Jennifer enjoys crafts of all genres from sewing to scrapbooking to jewelry with a little dabbling in the mixed media world. Her style is approachable and she wants everyone who sees her work to feel that they too can embrace creativity and make their home and life beautiful.