woah, look at that tumbleweed go!

I've been pretty quiet...yes, but only on the blog...

I actually managed to complete a couple layouts, and create a mini book (using Heidi Grace Punchboard frames as a base :) - I LOOOOOVE that stuff!!!!)...I am working on some cards so I can celebrate my Irish-ness ;) Oh, and I did the Fiskars February Sketch...and won! WOo hoooOoOo!

I've a get-to-gether today with my Derby friends...uh, yeah, you read that right...I'm helping to get Roller Derby rollin' in Salem! :) hehe and it's a potluck, so I gotta run and finish making some cinnamon chip oatmeal cookies...YUM YUM!

Mosh Posh Blog Party!

Mosh Posh is having an awesome blog party...what's that you ask? well, mosie on over and find out for yourself!!! (think sweet prizes and lots of scrappy fun!)

http://mosh-poshkits.blogspot.com/

Oh yeah, and be sure to tell them Carlee sent you!

Off to a Rolling Start...

Today...is a good day...

Where do I start?

My 9-year-old son came home from school, "Mom, I have something for you..." He hands me a book. "Here, now you can read it before you see it in the theatre." My son knows (heck, most my family and friends know) that I am a children's book fiend, and film buff!! He borrowed Coraline from his library for me...what a SWEET kid!!!

When it was posted on the Fiskateers board about Poverty in America Awareness month, I felt a need to help out. They are collecting socks...now I am collecting socks...but in Oregon, it is also Scottish Heritage Month, and since I am also active with the NW St. Andrew's Society I thought this would be a good way for them to give back to the community as well...so after getting the go ahead from the NW St. Andrew's Society board, I called the Kilt & Thistle Scottish Shop. They agreed to be a drop-off center for the socks. Then, I called HOME Youth & Resource center and told them my idea...they were so excited and appreciative and I haven't even given them anything yet...but that makes me even more passionate about this project! The socks will be going to homeless youth...I think it is the least we can do for these kids!

Over the past 3 days, I have made 19 Holiday Cards thanks to a challenge issued by Fiskateer Lead Rebecca...I love the push...I just may actually get things done on time in 2009...which puts this year off to a rolling start!

Happy New Year...let the RAKin Begin!

Happy New Year friends! This is my first official blog post of 2009...not too bad, only took me 4 days to get here! It's Sunday morning...I just woke up, put the kettle on to boil and after that, the first thing I always do is visit the Fiskateer message board. Well, guess what I found there this morning? RAKs!!! Do you wanna chance to win?

My friend Pinky has a RAK on her blog right now. Visit her, post and let her know I sent ya.

Lisa has a RAK going on too...but won't draw until the post hits 100. Visit her and let her know carlee #2225 sent you as well!

Finally, post here to let me know that you visited Pinky and Lisa, and I will draw a winner for some goodies out of my RAK stash.

Happy 2009!

PS: I'll draw after Lisa draws :)

Blog Candy!!!

How fast can 20 days fly by??

Anyone waiting for my tutorial that I promised? And I thought I was tech-savvy...I have no idea what happened...but it didn't post...I set it to post at a "future date" but who knows what I did.

Lots of generous people are out there right now...check out the following blog candy!

http://kath-allthatglitter.blogspot.com/2008/12/big-blog-candy-fest-give-away-no-3.html

http://lifeaslou.blogsome.com/2008/12/20/christmas-mini-album-pages-6-7-plus-150-give-a-way/

GOOD LUCK!!!

Sorry!!!

Friday got away from me...I was cramming all day...cause in 1 hour and 24 minutes I have my first exam...MATH! EEEK! ACCK!!!! OMG!!!

I WILL post my tutorial later today...PROMISE! :)

Barf Barf

So, here I sit...checking email, etc. and my almost 4 year old just woke and appeared next to my desk. She wanted to know what was on my feet, I showed her my socks...furry and striped. She tells me about herself "I have dogs! Your's are cats! Mine go Barf, Barf"

As if that doesn't make you smile!!!

I'll be back later with a late Fiskars Friday tutorial...

Happy Buy Nothing Day!!!

It's Black Friday in the USA...a day of mass consumerism and the want/"need" to spend, spend, spend all because it is "cheap". It's sad. We need to spend less, consume less, manufacture less...promote local business, local products, products produced in healthy conditions instead of coming from sweat shops. The consumer needs to speak up. Yes, we all like a great deal, but think about how and where what you are buying is made, and how much work goes into it, how much the employee makes, how far it travels to get where you are...and consider the impact that has on the environment, on your life and the lives of those around you when you purchase something.

Today, like every day after US Thanksgiving, I am "celebrating" Buy Nothing Day! and spending the day with my kids...crafting, cleaning, and uh, doing homework.

Scrappy Love

Inspired by THIS...I had a tote of strips that I had originally cut when I was learning to quilt and making log cabin blocks...I picked up this fabric when I worked at Fabricland...I used to buy the remnants so I had a collection of pieces. I used them to make a baby quilt a few years back (which I hope to post later)...and the "left overs" had been hanging around every since so I finally got the inspiration to do something with them in my "cleaning" ;) ... and here it is...


I love the results...this was a fun one! I hope to get the back and binding (that is what you see in the lower left corner) done by next week...I am going to use a fluffier loft batting so it will be pillowtop-like...so anticipate another photo of the final achievement soon! :)

Being a packrat isn't always bad...

So yeah, I'm a packrat....at least I can admit it! I AM doing something about my "problem" tho...and one of those "things" is to sew! ;) As a quilter, it is very very very very very difficult to throw away even the tinyest scrap of cotton fabric (who am I kidding...as a sewer in general its hard to throw even the other scraps out! hehe) so I have had this growing tote of scraps waiting - BEGGING - to be developed for some time...and on Monday, I got a wild creative hair and spent a few hours doing just that!

The Pile

Red Square

The Layout

I have since sewn all the blocks together and now it waits to be backed, quilted and bound...ahh, like so many of my quilts! This quilt was so fun to make...such a creative release since really it it just a matter of sewing pieces randomly together...not to much thought is needed, which is good cause my brain is overworked with school :) hehe

Once finished, I'll be giving this away...probably to the local women's shelter.

More soon...cause I'm still sewin'!

Happy Friday!

It's Friday!!! Weekend is here...and as it is the second Friday, this also happens to be Ceili night in Salem! :) (a Ceili is an Irish music & dance celebration...and I help organize and run them locally) ...so my day is to be filled with errands and prep work, but don't let you think that means I don't have crafting on my mind...

I stopped in at Jo-Ann's last night, inspired by a 40% coupon burning a hole in my pocket and picked up this lil number...

Now, I have taken the pledge to go handmade this season...I am trying to make all my gifts, or buy handmade gifts (tho I will admit, each of my kids will be getting one thing not-so handmade). When I went to the store, I intended on picking up a scrapbook mag...but then I saw this and I couldn't resist...it is filled with some of the most fun and functional projects! If you are a sewer, and especially if you wanna go handmade this holiday season, I so recommend getting this magazine! It is so worth it...filled with ideas, and patterns (even full size patterns for a few different skirts! WAY COOL!!!)

I wish I could be sewing right now, by responsibilities call (read: 3 1/2 year old wanting a snack)...but watch this space cause I will be sharing the projects I make with you here, and I hope I can help inspire you to go handmade this season, too!

Clearly UNfocused

For the past few months, I have been completely unfocused...all over the place...running in everywhich direction...but that, I have actively decided, needs to change...and I am taking charge of this unfocus!

It's a holiday today...and the kids are off school, which usually means a busy house, but it is quiet here right now (knock on wood!!!)...one is at a friends, one sleeping, and the smallest is glued to SpongeBob (one of her bff's ;)) I'm taking advantage of this moment to re-evaulate things as they are and making a "to do" list...one that puts creativity into motion...and at the forefront!

I got a wild hair this morning...but I can't share it yet...it is just in the "inspiration" mode, but it came after visiting my friend Julie Overby's blog...she was just awarded the 3rd Fiskateer of the Year award...and it is so well deserved! She trained me as a Fiskars Certified Demonstrator, and when my life turned completely upside down a couple months ago, she sent me a card and way cool Rusty Pickle shirt to cheer me up :) She is a sweetheart...and I am so glad to have her as a friend! So I just wanted to congratulate her here...and thank her for the inspiration...a pick me up I really needed!

More later...
:)

Are you there? I am...all over the place!

Ok, so I haven't been here in far too long...I haven't been crafting tho, although really, that IS no excuse. Life has completely got the better of me lately...so instead of juggling, I just need to do the balancing act ;) So I am here...and there...and over there, too.

I have 2 blogs, the other has more dust on it than here tho, so I am going to be combining the two...and actually just having this one blog for everything...crafting, sewing, scraping...LIFE! Everything!

With that said...let me share a lil something...my family situations changed a couple months ago and it was completely turned upside-down, but either its turned back around, or I've turned upside-down, too...because things are starting to look like they should ;) I'm now working 2 "consistent" jobs (still doing freelance design work tho)...but I am finally getting paid to do what I have been doing for the past 13 years...community activism, non-profit work, cultural outreach! Then...adding to that...I got what (second to being a lead Fiskateer) is my dream job...I am working at the library!!!!! WOOO HOOOO!!! Today, I created media materials (poster, voucher, bookmarks) to help market library programs :) Ok, so I love my job! :)

It is the last Irish dance class tonight...I am going to miss dancing on Tuesday! But, at least it will give me more time to devote to my schooling...cause I am taking 13 credits right now...and have my hands full with that, too! But I was given a grant to go to school so I couldn't really say no, especially since this will be my last year in this program before I can move on...and I will be 1 step closer, and only 1 set away, from my Masters degree!!!

So yeah, I haven't been doing much crafting (although I did sew 30 blankets a few weeks ago!!!!), but I anticipate this changing soon since I am taking a handmade pledge for this holiday season! :) I hope some of you will think about making that pledge too...

I'll be around...and hopefully posting again soon! Thanks for your patience...and support! :)

honoured to be honourably mentioned

Well, I didn't win...but I got an honourable mention :)

http://www.craftwarehouse.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=222&Itemid=184

BUT...my friend Julie in Waldport won!!! SO WOOOO HOOOO Julie!!!! WTG!

AND....I was in Portland yesterday for the An Damhsa show and it rocked!! Maldon and everyone did such a great job! So cool...so inspiring!!!!

Thank you!

a short post...

Just wanted to thank everyone/anyone who votes for me in the Craft Warehouse scrapbook contest! They will be announcing the winners at each of the stores on Saturday at 1...but alas, I cannot be present :( Disappointing, but I will be on my way somewhere fun...

My Irish dance teacher is putting on a show in Portland...

2pm, Sat Sept. 6, 2008
An Damhsa: Irish Dance Show
Friendly House Community Center
1737 NW 26th Avenue, Portland, OR

Featuring music, dance and song
Irish Sean-nos, Irish Step, Irish Set
Cape Breton, Tap, Clogging and Modern Dance

Live Music by:
Johnny Connolly (accordion), Cary Novotny (guitar, vocals)
Hanz Araki (flute, vocals, bodhran), Dale Russ (fiddle)

Dancing:
Maldon Meehan (Portland), Kieran Jordan (Boston)
Shannon Dunne (DC), Alicia Guinn (Seattle)
Maldon Meehan Dancers, Ceili of the Valley Dancers, Seattle Sean-nos Dancers

Narration: Robert Deans

This show is funded in part by the Regional Arts & Culture Council

Tickets are only $7
On sale at:
http://ticketsoregon.com/index.php?event_id=112

If you have a minute...at least visit http://www.MaldonMeehan.com

Ugh...BIG HUGE FAVOR!!!!!

Ok...so I entered a scrapbook layout in a contest...and I need votes to win...

It is through Craft Warehouse...you have to register to vote...but once you register you can vote immediately, and then never go to the site again if you want...but I would LOOOOOOOOOOVE it if you would help me with this cause I don't have any $ (which is why I haven't been posting...I am in pending divorce :/ but that is a blog post for another time...and maybe another place?!) and the prize is a $250 gift card for supplies :) hehe (and there is another $250 for a grand prize winner...so it could be $500 in all!!!)

My layout is in the gallery under 2008 Scrapbook Queen Contest» Salem store entries

http://72.3.135.178/index.php?option=com_ponygallery&func=detail&id=383&Itemid=102

It's called Vans Warped Tour...and uh, is a page I made about the show last year :)

If you vote...post here and let me know! I'd love to share the love and rak you in return!

THANK YOU!!!!

xox

Carlee

Sooo flattered!!!!!

Just when I think that I ramble for myself...I got the sweetest msg from a Fiskateer Friend...and she nominated my blog for an award!!!!

Thank you Missy!!!
(more on this soon!)

teaser....revealed

I had these wonderful intentions of posting a teaser to my blog when I mailed a package out to a Fiskafriend last week...but uh, time got the better of me...

Here is my teaser...

{{{dandy photo will appear here tomorrow - uh today - when I locate my camera ;) }}}

Curious?
Satisfy it here ;)

Punch Me...I'm Dreaming!

So, yeah, it's late...but before I could "get to work" I had to visiting my most regular stopping/stalkin ground...the Fiskateers...and what fun to read that I helped name on of their new Squeeze Punches!!!!

Check it out!

Uh Yeah...Scaredy Cat! (and how appropriate...a cat in this kitty house! :))

As if I didn't love Fiskars enough as it was...now I have some braggin rights ;)

{insert title here}

It's Tuesday...which means Irish dance. I so love Irish dance! It is an inspiration...and a creative kick. My mind is racing (probably because I had a mocha - uh yeah, first coffee in who knows how long!!! eek!) and I just want to create...so that is what I am going to do :)