A little bit of CHA

Today for the Designers Craft Challenge, we were to post about the trends we saw at CHA yesterday. But I taught the  make and take in The Robins Nest booth most of the day and was not able to take the photos I wanted. Today I will be at CHA walking around finding those new anad exciting trends to show you and will post everything on my blog Wednsday. See you soon!

Here is alittle bit of CHA from yesterday.



Me with my friends Jaime and Susan.

Joy

I made a little bit of Joy, you can more of it here.

New Years Day at The Beach

Every year, rain or shine, On the 1st of the year, we spend the day at Aliso Creek Beach, a 10 minute drive from our home. The sun was shining at me so that is why these photos are silhouetted. I love how "impish" Dyllan looks, as he dances in the waves. Almost as if he's in a shakesphere play. :) 

- Michelle Frae Cummings

Live from CHA with Charity Wings! Giveaway!

CHA is the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show, which is held twice a year. This is where you will see all of the new craft products coming out, learn how to use it and where to get it! The Winter Show starts on January 28 and goes till February 1.


Charity Wings is an organization that donates money or supplies to different charities. LIVE from CHA is a live event where you can watch streaming video from the show and complete a progressive 6" x 6" mini book/art journal with amazing manufacturers and designers. When you sign up, a kit will be mailed to you so you can be crafting along with the attendees! How cool is that?

This is one of the make and takes offered by  Suzi Blu 

You will receive all of the components and learn from Suzi how to make this wonderful little art piece.

Have you ever wondered exactly what happens at a Craft Trade Show? Well, wonder no more! Our friends at Charity Wings will be running a LIVE from CHA event that gives you an inside look at the trade show floor and the ability to interact with Charity Wing's

own Elena Etcheverry along with some fantastic CHA Designers!

You can register for the event HERE.

I am honored to have been invited to be a guest on the show. :)

I have a TICKET to LIVE from CHA that I can giveaway. This includes a goodie bag valued at $50+!!! Plus the chance to win over 45 different raffle prizes throughout the event!! US and Canada only please.

HOW TO ENTER:

Just leave a comment here on this blog post for a chance to win.
You have untill Thursday, January 19th 2012- 11:59pm , CA time to enter.
I will pick a winner on Friday, January 20th 2012. ( make sure I have a way to contact you in case you win!)
*winner need only to pay $10.50 shipping- U.S. & Canada only*

Here are some links to some of the other girls who are also giving a LIVE from CHA kit away so many MORE chances for you to WIN! (designers will be added throughout this week so keep looking for more chances to win!)

Theresa Cifali

Debra Quartermain

Ann Butler

Jennifer Priest

Jen Cushman

Susan Weckesser

Eileen Hull

Liz Hicks
Also, if you have a yearning to put your dance moves to good use, She's Crafty and Charity Wings are sponsoring a Craft Flash Mob! Anyone can participate if you are interested make sure to check it out.

Christmas Card #1

Christmas cards in January? Seems odd right? Well not really. Last year I started mid-year with a Festive Friday Blog hop. Card makers from all over the world participated in a twice per month Christmas card blog hop. That would be every 2nd and 4th Friday, all the way to November. Since I post every Friday for The Robins Nest, I went ahead and joined. Then I joined for my own personal blog.  That proved to be quite a bit of Christmas card making. So this year, I'm just participating through The Robins Nest  blog only.

The card above is #1. Please visit their blog to see how I made it and then you'll see the list of the other participating designers.  Have fun, and remember, it's never too early to be thinking of Christmas card inspiration!

Domino Tower

I love that Dyllan is such a great builder! And he's only 7!

Free Etsy & Blog Banners, part 2

December 10th, 2008 I posted on this blog a collection of Free Etsy / Blog Banners that I had found across the world wide web, looking for something to spruce up my online shop and blog.
 Little did I know just how popular my post would be!
As of  today, 4,760 people have viewed that post!

Since then, I've been approached by others designers out there with their own freebies to share.
So I what better way to share them, than with a part 2 post including links for you to visit and freebies for you to enjoy!

Sweetly Scrapped
If you LOVE that vintage look, like I do, you'll love Sweetly Scrapped!
She has everything you need for your blog, etsy shop, free digi's, tags, printable's and plenty of tutorials!

* * *

The Graphics Fairy
Every day is a new Vintage Clip Art freebie! To be used in your mixed media art, paper crafting, and anything else you can dream up!
She also has a sister site called, The Background Fairy, where you can find plenty of free blog backgrounds! Both sites have craft projects to try with her free images, to get your creative juices flowing. :)

* * *

Designers Crafts Blog Hop- Journaling*

Journaling is this months theme over at The Designers Crafts site. So instead of the traditional Scrapbook journaling, I thought I'd show you a page inside my personal journal, it's one I draw, doodle, paint or just write about the things that frustrate me. In my case this page is about having to cope with having a food allergy.

I covered this entire paper in shades of blue &   green watercolor pencils, then painted till I had my back ground. I cut a cluster of fishes to represent how I feel society reacts to food allergens and in the lower corner is Me and (at times) how I just feel.

This page is not meant to depress you in any way, just to show you how I like to journal.
Journaling does not have to limited to just scrapbooking. You can journal in a book, on fabric, on your wall and even on cookies with edible markers.
Thanks for coming by and please visit the rest of the designers by hopping forward or back.

[ DC Connection ]


[ Hop back ] [ Hop forward ]

Rusty, old and Beautiful

Just something I found while I wandering the colorful streets in Cabot San Lucas this last December.
~ Michelle Frae Cummings

The best of The Robins Nest from all of 2011. Scrapbooking and Paper Craft goodness!

Happy 2012! Here's to another year of working with The Robins Nest amazing paper line! As some of you know by now, I blog for The Robins Nest every Friday on their blog. I absolutely love their "glittered" paper and Dew Drops. So fun to play with! My first post of the year is a little tribute to 2011 and all the wonderful creations made by myself, the owners and design team. Please visit their blog here to join the fun!

Bumper cars at the Fair, comic book style

I was clearing some photos off my iPad when I found this piece I did earlier this year using a app called "comic book". Playing around with it back then, I was not satisfied with the result and forgot about it until now.
Now I like it. What do you think?

~ Michelle Frae Cummings