interviews

What Else I’ve Been Up To

In The Studio

After several months under wraps (hah!) I can finally reveal my secret knitting project:

I pinch! But softly...

I pinch! But only softly…

My friend Alison is expecting her first baby soon and has created a nautical nursery for the little one to come. I don’t usually knit things like blankets (the monotony does not appeal), but baby-sized is different, right? It’s the Anchor and Hearts blanket pattern from Judy’s Knitting Page and was a great project for car trips, Friday night knitting, and keeping my mind and hands busy in waiting rooms. Big Red, there, is The Deadliest Crab courtesy of Knitty.com designer Amber Allison. He was an absolute joy to work up and I was a little sorry to see him go! I hear he was a big hit with the father to be, as well!

In less-secretive project news, I created a dolly diorama inspired by various My Froggy Stuff videos. Seriously, the things she makes out of paperboard, glue, and office paper are really impressive. This diorama is 28″x14″ and more details and in-progress pictures can be found over on the Helmar blog.

Landscaping for dolls is so much easier (and cheaper) than landscaping for myself!

Landscaping for dolls is so much easier (and cheaper) than landscaping for myself!

Check out her Secret Garden and Water Fountain tutorials to be amazed and inspired!

It was with a heavy heart that I said farewell to the Gauche Alchemy team this month. After three years it seemed a good time to bow out and make room for some fresh faces over there, but I’ll miss the behind the scenes hi-jinks and being in the know about what’s coming next.

Walking towards what's next!

Walking towards what’s next!

The Love My Fabrics team also came to a close in May at the choice of the company owner, and my last projects over there were a quilted hot air balloon wall hanging and the outfits you see the dolls wearing, above. I hope the fabrics are still available on etsy as they really are great for sewing for dolls with!

Up Up and Away!

Up Up and Away!

Finally, I was interviewed over on Paint is Thicker Than Water yesterday. Last fall I contributed to the Monster Chores coloring book collaboration, and Jennyann is kind enough to shine the spotlight on each of the contributors over the course of this year. It was a fun project to work on (the monsters are doing the opposite of the chores they are assigned) and you can sign up for Jennyann’s mailing list to receive a copy (though I think the link for that may be down at the moment–she’s in the process of shifting some things around on her site). As part of the interview I also shared some images of commissions I’ve completed over the last little while, some that have yet to make it to my portfolio site just yet, so that was fun to share, too.

Custom holiday card illustration a friend ordered last year.

Like this custom holiday card illustration a friend ordered last year.

Well, now that I’m down to only 1 design team and the store’s not going to be taking up all my time, whatever will I do?

Like I ever have to worry about running out of projects!

I’m Creating Magical Memories, Today!

Just for Fun

Or, rather, Mary, the Head Cheese in Charge over at Creating Magical Memories asked to interview me for their Creating Disney Memories feature and the post is up today!

It’s always nice to get these sorts of requests in my Inbox and I was happy to answer her questions and share some pictures.

A lot of people think that my site name, Scraps Of Life, is because of scrapbooking. It’s not, but I have been a scrapbooker (in the modern sense) since 1998, so it’s not like it’s totally unrelated, either. Before picking up my first scrapbooking kit, I was always saving bits and pieces of mementos in journals and then I spent time as the Historian for my high school Latin club (which included creating a scrapbook of the past year’s activities to take to the state-level competition each spring. When my Latin teacher retired a few years ago, she contacted me to see if I would be willing to take the scrapbooks for the years I was there because the new teacher would likely not keep them. She knew I’d appreciate them, so I’ve been hauling them along through the last 3 years.

scrapbooks have come a long way since the early 90s...

scrapbooks have come a long way since the early 90s…

Yes, one has a heavy-as-sin tile on the front, all three of the ones pictured have wooden covers. They’re ridiculously heavy and full of so much construction paper it makes my acid-free side cringe. The other two are more normal and still packed up from the move.

One of these days I’ll start loading the pages into my scanner for posterity (and sharing with friends on Facebook, of course).

I posted layouts and blogged about my digital scrapbooking before, but it’s true that I don’t make the time for it I used to. In some ways my autobiographical comics were a form of scrapbooking–well, memory keeping at least–only I didn’t have to have pictures available of the events, I could just create them myself. Now that I’ve stopped drawing those, I’ve been feeling the itch to scrapbook more. The answer, I think, is to set aside some time–like a Saturday each month–just for srapbooking so that I can maybe, someday catch up on the albums that are in progress as well as the ones I’ve yet to start.

While I don’t see having the time this month, I’m thinking August is a good contender. And even if I don’t have all day, the great thing about going digital is that it’s just so easy to save a file mid-project and come back to it later. Which reminds me–I have a layout that just needs some journaling waiting to be finished…

Happy Scrapping!

Interview with a Do-Gooder: Bed Days

64 Arts

I am an information junkie. Chances are, if you’re reading this or any other blog, you are, too. Several years ago I “discovered” iTunes and the glory that are free podcasts and, somehow (seriously, I’m not sure how since I wasn’t into yoga at the time or anything like that) I stumbled across Kimberly Wilson. At the time her podcast was called hip tranquil chick (now tranquility du jour), the same as her wonderful book about living the tranquil life on and off the yoga mat, and her podcast focused not only on yoga but on creativity, and entrepreneurship, mindful style and just a host of wonderful topics–I was instantly smitten.

Kimberly is a total inspiration–both in business and in life–and one of the many ideas of hers I love is that of the Bed Day. Knowing that the art of bed arrangements was coming up I held my breath (as one does when one is emailing an admired A-list blogger out of the blue) and requested an interview. Despite recovering from shoulder surgery, attending summer classes for he MSW and leading a retreat in Costa Rica she graciously accepted my request.

Without further fawning, here is what she had to say about Bed Days.

*  *  *

Scraps: What is a Bed Day, exactly? What made it a mindful practice instead of that feeling we all have of days we just don’t want to engage?

Kimberly: A bed day is a day of complete extravagance focused on replenishment. It’s mindful because it is conscious with a focus on nurturing your spirit.

Scraps: It’s natural that a Bed Day would be restorative but do you keep them as mental health days or do you actually take work with you to bed?

Kimberly: Bed days serve the purpose of forgoing being “on.” I’ll pull together my day’s work or writing (if necessary), stay in pajamas, gather hydration, and don lipgloss. It’s a mental health day with a twist. It’s sure to make your to-dos a bit more fun!

Scraps: Name, if you would, your top 3 must-haves for a hip tranquil chick Bed Day.

Kimberly: Pot of tea, beloved pets, good book. Additional must-haves include carafe of water with mint leaves, phone,laptop, planner pad, scented candle.

Scraps: Is there a particular set of preparations that go with a bed day that is pre-scheduled (and, for that matter, are they all planned or do spur-of-the-moment bed days work, too)

Kimberly: I prefer to schedule my bed days as my day-to-day doesn’t allow much open space. So to be sure I get them in monthly or quarterly, I will write them into my planner. It gives me something to look forward to!

Scraps: Finally, what is absolutely not allowed during a bed day (if anything)?

Kimberly: No heavy talks. Bed day is meant to be light, productive (if necessary), and therapeutic to the spirit.

*  *  *

Sounds absolutely delicious, doesn’t it?

Many thanks to the original hip tranquil chick for sharing with us, today. You can find out more about about Kimberly, her new book, and the rest of her tranquil empire at kimberlywilson.com.