THE QUEEN OF QUIRK

goodies!!

So many things going on!

First, I need to plug a new kit. My friend, Amanda Lacey (mandabean) found out some heartbreaking news. Her mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and in an effort to raise money for her, Manda enlisted over 60 designers to help her create a fundraiser kit. 'Angel Eyes' is HUGE, for one thing, and it is one of those amazing things that happens when good people come together to help a friend. Things like this make me happy. I wish I had known about it from the beginning and been a part in creating it, but I am happy just to give her some publicity! :) In addition to this HUGE kit being only $10, you also get a fabulous coupon book from some amazing designers. This is too good to pass up!

purchase this kit I would greatly appreciate any support you could give her, be it verbal, prayers, or through purchasing this spectacular kit! Thank you!

Second on the list is MY new kit! I have been working on this sucker for quite a while now and my CT has been so wonderful in helping me out! I really love asking their advice and opinions regarding my new stuff. They are invaluable to me. Thanks, girls! Now, keep in mind that I am totally bonkers and that I design what is in my head at the time...so for those of you who were first introduced to me via my Portobello Rd kit probably won't be really drawn to my new one. That's ok, though! I know not everyone will like this and I am totally ok with that...but for those of you who DO get excited about this kit, I can't wait to see you use it! It will be in the boutique at www.thedigichick.com on Thursday. Ok, without further ado:

Click on it to see it a bit larger and clearer. I have been DYING to show this baby off! I love the comic book 'look' and so I really tried my best to emulate that and turn the essentials of comic books into something a scrapper could use. This can be used in 2 main ways...first you can create a comic book page...either using the template I have included or by simply making your own...there are lots of embellishments to help you do that. OR you can use the 'look' of a comic book page and create something really fun, loud, and "outside the box''! You can convert your photos to black and white and cut them out to make them POP off the page or you can literally turn your photos into drawings (if your program allows it) and create your own comic pages from storyboard photos you have. This would also be perfect for those occasions when you've taken a TON of photos of one event! It's just jam-packed with tape, cardstock, paper, brads, and brushes to make your pages especially unique. Ok, enough talking about this kit!! :D Can you tell I am really excited about it!?!?!?

I am going to get this to my CT today and hopefully I will have some layouts to show you as examples!!

In other news....I am also going to take over the assembly of the De-Zine at the DigiChick. This is BIG for me...I really want to bring my own twist to it and I am really excited about working with the De-Zine staff on this. They are a really amazing group of gals and we are so lucky to have them at the DigiChick. Speaking of the site...Friendship Day is coming up and we have lots of fun stuff planned....double up kits & tons of other goodies!! Check it out:

Isn't this ad the cutest thing ever? Darla Vasquez is in charge of all our ads and she has really been knocking our socks off lately!

Ok, that is all I have to post about right now...NOW I need to get working on all the stuff I have to do...my life just keeps getting busier and busier!! Ciao!! :)

quick recap (yeah right)

Lots of fun stuff this weekend!! We went on a day trip on Saturday and today we are cleaning and cooking and getting ready for our friends Mandy and Greg to come over. She's due in about a week so I'm getting really excited about seeing her baby boy!

Let's see....yesterday we decided to go to the Black Forest. We've never been there and were wondering what all the fuss is about. Apparently LOTS of tourists come here to see the Black Forest and buy cuckoo clocks and what not. Well, we're not clock people and we are a bit jaded I guess because we have seen SO MANY beautiful places in the world. That aside, it really is lovely there. The forest is amazing and the towns are extremely quaint..very 'bavaria'esque. :) Here are some fun photos we took:

After visiting Gengenbach, we decided to take a scenic highway home instead of the autobahn and we were so glad we did. We were literally driving on top of the world and the girls loved being 'so high up the mountains' :) Were were getting hungry around dinnertime so we stopped at a fairly large roadside hotel to grab a bite to eat. We were totally surprised to realize it was right on a lake! With paddle boats! We couldn't pass that up and got out there on the Mummelsee (the name) and had a blast. Then we took a walk around the lake and the girls dipped their toes in and saw tadpoles for the first time. They actually touched them and commented on how 'cute' they were. I thought that was sweet since they NEVER wanna touch anything slimy, gooey, or any other perceived 'gross' thing! So much fun!

So, we got home kinda late, but it was no big deal. Slept ina bit htis morning and cleaned the house. Colin opened the fridge this morning and decided to have a whipped cream snack and squirted some in his mouth. I jokingly patted his tummy to tease him a bit for having such an unhealthy snack so what does he do? He decides it'd be REALLY funny to kiss me with a mouth full of whipped cream! ICK!! Anyone who knows me knows I am NOT a good sport when it comes to this stuff. But there I was standing in the kitchen with whipped cream dripping off my cheek and up my nose. So, I took the full watering can and dumped some on him! And Colin being the total GUY that he is was a bit shocked that I did that to him so he smeared and I mean SMEARED whipped cream on me..my back...my hair...GROSS!! So I ended up dumping the remainder of water out on his head! Little stinker!! That'll teach him to mess with me!! :D

So, yeah...that was our weekend in a nutshell....lots of fun and good memories. :)

I also made some pretty big decisions this weekend...nothing that can be talked about yet. Still lots of work to do, but I know everyone will be pleased. But I am really excited about some things coming up! One is no secret..I willbe the featured CHick Designer in our monthly De-Zine at thedigichick. Really excited about that! And another bit of news is that I will be featured in Scrapforums.com's newletter in September! I am making a new kit that will be released with the newsletter and have already finished the freebie that subscribers will get! Cool stuff!!

Ok, now I reallyhave to get off the puter...way too much stuff to do and cook! Ciao, all! :)

summer is 50/50 for me...

I LOVE the cute tank tops and my flowy skirts and my comfy flip flops...but the heat, dehydration and sweating are about to kill me!! Yesterday was pure hell. I sweat all day long and there was no relief. We were sweating in bed with fans blowing directly on us. It was just nasty. Thank goodness today is looking much nicer! I have the windows open to let in the cool morning air and then I'm gonna close everything (windows AND shutters) to trap the cool air inside! I'm no dummy!!

Not much else going on around here. I finished up my new kit but I'm not sure I want to post the preview yet...normally I can't wait, but it won't be released til next week and I don't want people to forget about it! HA! So maybe the element of surprise will have people checking back here more often this week and maybe they'll find a little sumpin' sumpin'! :)

Ciao for now!

random stuff

I got an email today from a friend and thought it would be fun to fill out her little summer survey. Lots of silly info:

1. What time did you get up this morning?
8:30

2. Diamonds or pearls?
neither...but diamonds if i had to

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
the new pride and prejudice

4. What's your favorite TV Show?
CSI or the family guy

5. What did you have for breakfast this morning?
strawberry pop tarts (no icing)

6. What's your favorite cuisine?
indian...lamb korma to be exact

 

7. What foods do you dislike?
anything slimy (yogurt, sour cream, puddings...ick)

8. What is your favorite chip flavor?
doritos guacamole hands down

9. What's your favorite CD at the moment?
pink's i'm not dead

10. What kind of car do you drive?
um...a 91 renault POS but i don't even have a valid license

11. Favorite sandwich?
BLT with mustard not mayo

12. What characteristics do you despise?
dishonesty
negativity
self-pity

13. Favorite item of clothing?
um...way too many to count...probably my tan cord skirt

14. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
right now anywhere in the mediterranean is good with me

15. What color is your bathroom?
white white white...my favorite bathroom color

16. Favorite brand of clothing?
new york and company
 

17. Where would you like to retire to?
i'll probably pick greece after we go there

18. Favorite time of the day?
anytime the children are napping
 

19. What was your most memorable birthday?
my 16th. my dad had wanted to plan a surprise party but most of the school kids were out of town...some sports thing. that he even thought of doing that for me made my heart melt. we went out to dinner instead. :)

20. Where were you born?
richmond, tx

21. Favorite sport to watch?
don't watch sports....figure skating or the olympics if anything

22. Who do you least expect to send this back to you?
anyone who is too busy

23. Who will be the first to send this back to you?
no idea

24. What fabric detergent do you use?
ariel

25. Were you named after anyone?
not that i know of...but i definitely was NOT named after janis joplin. dad says she wails... :)
 

26. Do you wish on stars?
yes, shooting stars
 

27. When did you last cry?
um...probably last week when colin and i had a heart to heart talk. good cry, though

28. Do you like your handwriting?
yes
 

29. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you?
if i could get over how big of a homebody and anal control freak i am...then yeah..i could be friends with me :)

30. Are you a daredevil?
no. i don't even like to stand on the edges of balconies...

31. Do looks matter?
only when it comes to date night....or johnny depp photos 

32. How do you release anger?
i rant and rave and get pissed :)

33. Where is your second home?
my parent's house

34. What were your favorite toys as a child?
legos...and a few barbies...but i remember loving books more than toys

35. What class in High School was totally useless?
social studies and civics. totally warped and misleading

36. Do you use sarcasm?
as often as i can 

37. Favorite movies?
pride and prejudice, ever after, gone with the wind

38. What are your nicknames?
jan, butternut, scooterbutt, mommy, desert flower

39. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
never

40. Do you think that you are strong?
yes. i gave birth to norah naturally and that means i am freakin superwoman.

41. What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
cookies and cream or coffee

42. What are your favorite colors?
red, tan, white

43. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
i roll my eyes too much

44. Who do you miss the most?
my aunt joann

45. Do you want everyone you sent this to send it back?
sure!

46. What color pants are you wearing?
yellow shorts

47. What are you listening to right now?
d- d- d- d- d- dora

48. Last thing you ate?
sour gummy dinosaurs

49. If you were a CRAYON what color would you be?
true red

50. Last person you talked to on the phone?
colin

51. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
smile

52. Favorite Drink?
radler (beer mixed with lemon cola)

53. Favorite Day(s) of the Year?
school breaks because i get to sleep in

54. Scary Movies or Happy Endings?
happy endings

54. Summer or winter?
ugh...neither....i like fall and spring

56. Hugs or Kisses?
kisses

57. What Is Your Favorite Dessert?
tiramisu

58. What Book(s) Are You Reading?
just finished 'bee season' and just started 'nathaniel's nutmeg'

59. What is on your mouse pad?
no mousepad...we have a cool marble mouse

60. What did you watch last night on TV?
didn't watch tv

61. Favorite Smells?
mint and lavender....mixed

62. Rolling Stones or Beatles?
beatles

63. What's the furthest you've been from home?
deoends...i've had over a dozen 'homes'....but the furthest i have been away from any point in the states is rome.

remember me?

Well, I hope so! Our internet has been terrible!! We had it back for Friday and Saturday, but then lost it again until today!! I am sooo behind in emails and other stuff! Almost a week and a half with no internet!!

But the good news is that the last week or so afforded me lots of time to almost finish up a new kit! It just needs a few more goodies and then I will good to go! And this one is sure to secure my multiple-personality status in the digi design world! LOL! It's like nothing I have done before! AND it's like nothing I have seen in the digi market!! And, yeah, I looked! Hopefully I am right and this is going to knock some socks off! :) I just really enjoy thinking and creating outside of my comfort zone and I have really pushed myself with this kit....oh you REALLY wanna see the preview dontcha? HA! Just a couple more days!! Giddy with excitement!!

In family news...Norah is up on all fours these days! That girl is rarin' to go!! She is moving all over the place and really going after stuff! I have to keep the floor spotless all the time! ick! Lara is on brek from school and even though our days are lazy and relaxed I know she is ready togo back. She just needs constant activity and stimulation. Poor girl. I, on the other hand, and LOVING getting to sleep in! I just wake up in a better mood if I get 8 hours a night! And Mia is getting crankier and more whiny...I just don't know what the deal is with her lately...she's chaning and regressing and it doesn't make me happy. Everyday is a new reason for a meltdown...no fun at all!! And Colin walked ot work on Sunday just to see how long it would take him...he's got an exercise bug and I am trying to encourage him. So, he walked to work and it took him about 2 hours to get there and back...needless to say he was a bit pooped when he got home. Poor guy! But I am really proud of him for taking this first step! Lt's just hope it sticks...might also have something to do with just turning 29! Ha!!

Alright...I gotta get my rear back into Photoshop and finish up this new kit. I also have 2 other kits in the works so they're calling my name as well!! The fun ever ends around here!! I hope everyone is doing well and if I owe you anything at all....just send me an email with ''you owe me'' in the title and I will get back to you asap!! Send them to jancrowleydesigns@yahoo.com! Ciao!!!

i'm still here

But unfortunately, I don't have internet access right now. I am about to lose my freakin' mind, but there is no familial tragedy or anything important happening. For some reason, our internet quit sometime Friday night and the technician was supposed to come today but alas...he didn't. I am about to RIP A NEW ONE into somebody at Deutsche Telekom...but that's a story for another day!! :D

So, if I owe you an email, a kit, an answer, etc. I am sooo sorry!!! I am literally sitting downtown in an un-airconditioned internet cafe crammed in with a bunch of ICKY sweaty people and my only saving grace is the iced coffee I had the good sense to pick up before I came here. I am extremely sorry, everyone, but I truly have not forgotten my obligations, promises, and to do's!!! I will get to them as soon as I can!!

first thing's first

Today is my hubbie's birthday!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLIN!!! I love you so much and I am so lucky to have you for my man!!! (((HUGE BIRTHDAY HUGS)))

Alright all you scrap addicts!! My newest freebie is up at thedigichick.com and you HAVE to go get it! I have been getting so much positive, sweet, and totally overwhelmingly humbling feedback about HAVANA. Thank you all so much for every sweet thing you have said about it! Now get downloading!! HA! Here's another preview if you missed the first one:

In other scrap news...I have been asked to do 2 really exciting things in the past couple of days. I'm not sure if I can share them yet, though....so I will double check and see if I can spill the beans! Let's just say that it has totally given me a new perspective on digital designing....I have been truly blessed the past few weeks and I am so excited about all these new opportunities!!

Tonight we are heading over to my friend Mandy's house for a BBQ. LOVE THAT! Got some yummy steaks and I'm making potato salad and fresh cole slaw...and we're having sesame green beans...total yumminess!! We also went to her house yesterday afternoon. She graciously let me use her sewing machine so I could mend Colin's jeans and I brought our kiddie pool and we relaxed and ate lunch outside in the shade and the girls splashed around and fed her goldfish. We eventually moved inside because it was just too hot. We were sweating like crazy..and I mean dripping. It was just gross. So we went inside and Mandy made these delicious frapped coffees and we hung out and talked and I got to see her baby goodies she's been stocking up on. Then a wonderfully refreshing storm rolled in and we sat outside for a bit and enjoyed the cool air and strong breezes. It was really nice. Thanks, Mandy for a wonderful day!!

So, today I want to get the house spic and span so Colin can enjoy a day off from picking up and cleaning. And today is also Lara's last day of preschool so we are going to start 3 weeks of vacation! And just like I'm not one of those moms who gets all teary-eyed to see her babes head off to school...I'm also not one of those moms who dreads vacations. Um...I LOVE sleeping in and not having anywhere to be! 3 weeks of plenty of sleep and rest for me! HA!

So, we need to hurry up and figure out where we want to go for our summer vacation...Colin proposed the idea of going to Finland and renting a house and seeing Scandinavia and I think it's a WONDERFUL idea. It's supposed to be gorgeous up there! So...if any of you have some fabulous travel tips on Finland, Norway or Denmark, please let me know!! I would really appreciate it!! I had originally wanted to go to Greece, but I think we might be doing that in October if our budget allows. Wouldn't that be awesome!?!?!? I might never come back if we actually make it there!! I'm only half joking!! :D

Ok, so I need to get cooking and cleaning! I hope everyone is headed into a fabulous weekend!!! TGIF!
Ciao! :D

scrapped

Ok, if you're a scrapper and LOVE scrapping..then you need to check out this movie. Yeah, you heard me! A MOVIE!
http://www.scrappedmovie.com/
The trailer is so funny and I think this is going to be fabulous!

I've gotten some really positive feedback about my new sampler. I am so jazzed that everyone likes it! Here's a layout I made yesterday with it...and the next three are using those yummy IOD papers I just adore! I'm so lucky to be on their CT!

additional credits:
simply irresistible- jan crowley designs--'havana' kit (designer sampler) and 'little black dress' kit
the friend- IOD papers 'quite contrary' & jan crowley: tag (little black dress), doodle, stitch (a bit east kit)
friends-IOD: 'apron strings' pp & laurakaye label (digishoptalk.com), michelle coleman brushstrokes
teething-IOD: 'whispers' pp ///jan crowley: stitching (little black dress kit) and 'baby bliss' mega kit (safety pin and patch)

And thanks so much for stopping by my blog yesterday! There were 9 comments, so i wrote 1-9 on a post-it and had Mia circle the number she liked best. She chose 7! (or in her words..the pretty number with the line going sideways) So, congrats, Michelle! Just send me your email address to jancrowleydesigns@yahoo.com! Yay! :)

Well, that's about all I have to report today. We're going to the pool this afternoon so that should be fun!
Ciao, all!

kinda busy weekend

Ok...I feel like I am just now coming down from this whirlwind weekend! It seems like we are always cleaning! With a 5 month old and two toddlers...it just never ends!

So, on Saturday Lara and I went to Heidelberg with Laura and her family. We saw them light up the castle and watched the fireworks show. And we saw some major patriotism!

Germany was playing Portugal at the time, and right when the fireworks were going off, the crowd would erupt in HUGE waves of cheering. A bar right next to us had a HUGE projection screen and when everyone in the bar would start cheering, all the hundreds of spectators on the river followed suit. SO much fun! The bridge was completely lined with people and we sat right on the river bank. The moon was almost full and rising over the mountain...it was so bright it looked like a spotlight! So pretty!

We also stopped at Starbucks for a frappucino. And I swear this has to be THE CUTEST Starbucks I have ever seen! The old house it was in was just beautiful! I would buy this place if I could. 10 inch crown mouldings, paneling on every wall and a teeny nook at the top of a tiny, heavy, twisted staircase that led to this....nothing like this in the States, that's for sure!

Oh! We also ate dinner at TGIF's...which is a huge treat for us since we get so little American food! Lara wasn't as good as I had hoped, but it's no wonder since she was with her 2 best friends and out late! LOL!

We walked a lot and had a really lovely evening. We didn't get home til 11:30, but had a great time. Thanks, Laura, for inviting us! :D Oh, and Lara made me take this photo! HA!

And the coolest thing that happened was during the night....cuz ya know what I didn't do? I didn't get up. Not once. Can you guess who allowed me that? NORAH! YAY!!! That little chubbins slept from 8 pm to 8:30 am!! WOOOHOOOO!! I think this is the beginnign, folks...the beginning of nights full of sleep! I don't know how we have been so lucky, but both Lara and Mia slept through the night at 4 months and now Norah is a close third at 5 months....I am one of those people that requires BEAUCOUP sleep. I simply cannot function on 4-5 hours. I need at least 8. Oh, and she is turning into quite the little thumbsucker...following in Mia's example, I guess! :)

K, so I woke up all happy and cheery Sunday morning! We puttered around the house and did random things til noon and then Colin took Lara and Mia to Wunderland to give me the afternoon off. So, I just had Norah and I had a LOVELY block of time to get to design with. She was a bit fussy, but I had her right next to me a the desk and held her and played with her.....maybe I need to do this more often cuz here is the end result:

Isn't it cool? I am really so happy with the way this kit turned out. And to top it all off...IT'S FREE!! Yeah, you heard me! This little bad boy will be going up in the boutique on Thursday. Ya know, I've been working on this for a couple of days and I really was trying to make this small...more like a mini kit...but I just CANNOT stop when I have an idea in my head. Soooo, you get to reap the benefits! My first designer sample just isn't how I design anymore. I think I have learned so much in the past few months and I really think people should be rewarded for how much support they give us digi designers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I really hope you enjoy my new sampler!

And for today, I need to finish up another kit that has been in the works for about a week now...it's WAY different from the past two kits, but I am really excited about it. I hope people don't start thinking I have split personality disorder...none of my kits ever look like another! I'm all over the place! :)

And I JUST NOW got my stuff together and checked out digishoptalk.com. wow...that's all i can say...wow. Why haven't I been there yet??!! This is such a fabulous resource! At first I was skeptical, but I have realized what an amazing thing this is going to be for the digi community! It's so nice to have a place to go that is completely open. Wow. AND I just now realized that Shannon (the owner) is the same Shannon from IOD's CT. Am I slow or what?!?! So, congrats, Shannon! I'll definitely be stopping by there every day! and psssst...if you comment on this post before midnight EST tonight (monday) I will put your name in a drawing for a $15 gift certificate from www.thedigichick.com. How ya like them apples? ;)

Ciao! :)

doesn't this look nice?

yeah, i thought i needed to simplify, so i took everything off my blog. um...NOT! i have no idea what happened....hopefully i can get it fixed soon. keep your fingers crossed for me! :(

edited to add:...um. i have no idea what's going on. now everything's back except my banner...ugh... this is just gonna have to wait til morning :(