(practically) Free Rubber Stamp Lots here!

Sidenote: The Caption Me contest winners will be announced shortly! I Just haven’t had a chance to format & gather all the amusing entries! Paying jobs, had to come first. Hmmph! Still time to enter since I have been slacking on finishing it!

Remember the (practically) free fabric lots i offered a month or so ago? Well, I’ve had some boxes with MASSIVE amounts of stamps & stuff waiting to be offered here, but it somehow slipped my mind in all the frenzy of artful activity going on here.

Why am I offering these practically free?

Firstly, to save me the headache & time consuming process of measuring, photographing, and describing each item. There is days worth of work within these boxes … and I just can’t find the time or motivation right now. Plus, the postal increase goes into effect Monday.

Offering them like this, saves me from doing that workload — I’d charge more, but I know I’d hate spending alot on supplies sight unseen. Trust me though, these are all quality supplies that I either purchased to use myself, or sell in the store. Any flaws, or risks are noted below.

Secondly, I’m in a rush to clean out the house. My studio is already overrun with supplies and I’d rather share these with folks who can appreciate it, then toss them away! Besides, I got my start thanks to some incredibly kind individuals who cut me a break, this is partially my way of giving that gift back. The value of each box is over what you are paying.

With that being said, here’s what I have to offer this time:

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1 7 lb. Flat Rate Priority Mail Box STUFFED with Rubber Stamps!

$25.00 (Includes shipping - $150+ dollars worth of stamps in here.) -through Friday, May 9th - price increases after due to postal increase.

1 Box of just rubber stamps - 7 pounds worth! Mounted, self-mounted, and uncut… a HUGE variety of themes, designs and the like. Some are brand spanking new & have never been used, some have been used but are still in good condition — I don’t think any are unsable, as I would have thrown them away.

Sorry Taken!

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and….

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1 6 lb. Flat Rate Priority Mail Box STUFFED with Supplies!

$18.00 (Includes shipping, value is FAR higher!) - through Friday, May 9th - price increases after due to postal increase.

1 6 lb Box with assorted supplies! 1/3 of it is Rubber stamps, same description as above. The rest is fabric, and small heavy board easels ( like the picture frames backs) waiting to be altered!

Sorry Taken!

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Misc Notes:

I can’t combine shipping on these, since they are already packed & ready to go in the flat rate boxes. I’ll update the blog as I can, when the boxes have been claimed.

PRICES ONLY VALID TODAY & TOMORROW! Since the postal rates are increasing, these prices are only valid through then, so I can ship them in time.

As a result of that, ONLY paypal payments are accepted this time. US addresses only.

Want one or more of these boxes? Leave me a comment with which box you want & I’ll email you back with my paypal instructions, and to verify if you got one or not First come, first served.

Happy Thursday!

Chrysti

Caption Me Contest! - Win an 11×14 matted Print!

 I took this cute photo last week on my trip to Washington D.C. at the National Zoo … I love all the humorous possibilities it holds, and decided to see what you thought too!

So here’s the deal & pesky rules:

1.) Caption It! Come up with a funny or cute short caption, or mini-story (paragraph or less) to  accompany this prairie dog who I think, appears to be going incognito with his handmade mustache.

2.) Place your caption on my flickr photo (preferred) or if you don’t have a flickr account, here on my blog. Putting it anywhere else gets you DQ’d. Ick. Who wants that?

3.) Do it by/through May 1st, 2008. As many captions as you want. Who am I to limit creativity?

4.) Spread the word! Let your friends, family, blog readers know and have a chance to enter too!

I’ll pick my favorite 3 and announce them on May 2nd, 2008! Additionally, all entries will be archived on my website, linking to the contestant’s flickr site or blog. What Fun! Who knows, maybe I’ll offer out more prizes too.. stay tuned.

Winners will receive/choose a fine art print of mine, matted & ready to fit in an 11×14 frame! Woot! I’ll try to make a set on flickr of the prints available, and post them here so you can see the choices.

So whatcha waitin’ for? Get Captioning!

-Chrysti

Join Me in California!

Breaking News!

The ink has barely dried - but i’ve crossed my t’s, dotted my i’s and i am positively, absolutely, t h r i l l e d to be joining the uber-talented Sally Jean Alexander, JoAnnA Piertotti, Missy Balance, Gina Gabriell, Lisa Kaus, DJ Pettitt, Barbe Saint John, Deb Trotter, and Susan Tuttle as an instructor at the exciting ZNE ConvenZioNE in gorgeous Pleasanton, California this August!

I am planning an exciting workshop, that I think just know you’ll LOVE! Of course, you are welcome to let me know what you think i should do too. True to form - All of my creative and talented students will go home with a plethora of goodies, treats, and supply delights too! However, the artsy goodness doesn’t end there -I will have a table stocked with supplies, kits, original art & prints at the Art, Paper & Pleasures vendor event! I am planning a special, secret surprise for those that come to my table and let me know they heard about it on my blog- stay tuned for details!

I am thrilled to be a part of this amazing event — or I wouldn’t fly cross country for it! Ha! I truly hope to meet many of you there - the kinship we have formed, is the most amazing benefit of all. Besides, I need to put some faces to your names!

This event will sell out fast! Early Bird Registration opens TODAY ~ register now and save $25-$50 off the General Registration fee + get first dibs on all workshops!

Go, register - Yes, that means YOU!

I am off to prepare for the artists table at The Tourettes Syndrome Association conference  in Historic Alexandria, VA this weekend! I hope to furnish more details tonight, or tomorrow - rushing now!

Arfully Yours, Chrysti

An Enchanted Life

Is it shameless to say I don’t tire of seeing my work in print?

Because I don’t. Not for one little minute.

Every time I see my work in a new publication, I turn into that 6 year old little girl whose bright eyes just gleam and burst wide open with pure amazement & childish delight. My insides get all filled up with what i imagine to be prettly lil’ butterflies, and I end up spilling over with contagious excitement. You remember that feeling dontcha? When the world seems undeniably grand and not even one little thing seems unattainable or out of reach. It’s an inspiring thrill, to get back even the smallest piece of that innocent wonder.

There’s just that magical something about seeing my work transformed within pages of a magazine, or a book.  Somehow, it takes what I think is ordinary… into ex-tra-ordinary… and I find myself saying… ‘heh… i really did that!’ This, my friends… is no exception.

To see a slightly different variation of my Autumn’s Enchanted Forest  photograph featured on Stampington’s website, and in the Life Images magazine simply made my day today. Naturally, memories of taking that photo came flooding back as well, and I found myself smiling an almost maniacal grin… all to myself …. while paging through the magazine.

The day I took that picture, was awesome … i mean truly…just… awesome in the fullest sense of the word. It was breathtaking.. and had left me speechless. (a small miracle if you ask some people) Truth be told, I never thought my photos of that forest did it justice; I felt so connected to that piece of the forest…. how could a lens possibly capture and convey that?

Go get yourself a copy, and check it out. There is page after page of inspiring photographs, words, and journal entries that will leave you feeling a bit refreshed and ready to… well… just live. Not just make your way through a day — but ready to experience life. Living, truly living. Glorious!

I’ll leave you to go do that as I wrap myself in memories of Pittsburgh in the fall, the woods behind my parents home that were my very own Terabithia, playing our version of Pac-Man through paths in the leaves (remember that Heidi?), homecomings, bonfires, warm tea with Gramma and oh-so-much more.

So what if it’s Spring? It’s never too early to experience Autumn’s Enchantment.

Chrysti

(practically) FREE fabric here!

Ah, yes… it’s that time of year! Spring Cleaning!

I am in a mad rush, to clean out my back room which is piled high with supplies… since my mother is giving me the dining room set I grew up with! Yippee!  I am ab-so-lutley thrilled,  just need to make room for it.

Started tackling all the fabric I had stashed back there today. All I’m asking is the cost of shipping & $5.00 per box (to slightly ease my conscience for not listing & selling these myself by now, and to recoup a very small fraction of the cost i invested in these items).

So, the fee is just a mere $15.00 per box. US Folks only..sorry!

Why am I offering these practically free?

Firstly, to save me the headache & time consuming process of measuring, photographing, ironing, cleaning, and describing each item. There is days worth of work within these boxes … and I just can’t find the time or motivation right now.

Offering them like this, saves me from doing that workload — I’d charge more, but I know I’d hate spending alot on supplies sight unseen. Trust me though, these are all quality supplies that I either purchased to use myself, or sell in the store. Any flaws, or risks are noted below.

Secondly, I’m in a rush to clean out the house. My studio is already overrun with supplies and I’d rather share these with folks who can appreciate it, then toss them away! Besides, I got my start thanks to some incredibly kind individuals who cut me a break, this is partially my way of giving that gift back. The value of each box is over what you are paying.

That being said - I have up for grabs so far:

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8  now just 0 Flat Rate Priority Mail Box STUFFED with fabric

(sorry, all gone — check back soon for other offers)

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Yards & yards and pounds and pounds of fabric for you. All assorted styles, cuts & types. Mix of modern, vintage and even a touch of retro. Prints, solids and lots of calico’s. An assortment of scraps and larger cuts. Each box is different!

I highly recommend washing the fabric, as some may have odors… they have been stored in homes other then mine and I don’t know what they were around etc. If you are sensitive to odors, or have allergies to pets, smoke, etc… then this may not be the lot for you. My allergies are horrible right now, and my sense of smell is about nil. There are some bounce dryer sheets in each box as well to help absorb any odors they may have. There are some realllly nice fabrics here, i think you’ll love it if you’re ok with the above. Odors aside, they all are in excellent condition.

Misc Notes:

I can’t combine shipping on these, since they are already packed & ready to go in the flat rate boxes. I’ll update the blog as I can, when the boxes have been claimed.

If they aren’t claimed within 1 week, then I’ll give them away locally instead.

Want one or more of these boxes? Leave me a comment with how many you want, and I’ll email you back with my paypal instructions, and to verify if you got one or not First come, first served.

Thank a bunch y’all — spread the word! More supplies to be offered soon!
Chrysti

My Love List :: What’s Yours?

Special thanks to MeganJane for sharing she likes purple’s   blog post & love list challenge. With that, I’ll start.

I love an inspiring challenge.

I love the sound of rain tap-a-tap-tapping on an old tin roof and watching lightning storms seemingly dance over the ocean. I love the way light looks bouncing off my beaded garland on a sunny afternoon through my little kitchen window. I love simple, guilty pleasures to indulge my senses in. I love Starbucks iced venti skim mocha’s; especially sitting outside on a perfect spring day where that almost perfect light breeze is brushing your cheeks. I love the smell of autumn winds and the sounds of leaves rustling while the trees whisper.

I love custom gift wrapping in pretty colored boxes adorned with exquisite ribbons and perhaps even rustic branches tied on with twine. I love the smell of bookstores and the rush i get every time i walk into one. I love paging through old letters and diaries of people I never knew and imagining what their life must have been like. I love being connected with all that came before me. I love organizing, and making piles of trash bags to be wistfully carried away. I love finding that amazingly perfect conversation with someone you never expected outside at 2 am and staying up til dawn without ever realizing it. I love sunrises.

I love life’s little luxuries; breakfast in bed with cute pajamas on high-thread count, crisp and oh-so-cool white sheets. I love soft, cozy, squishy pillows that i can scrunch up and snuggle against; bonus points if they are cool. I love the sound of birds singing filling the air, and the way my cats crank their adorable little heads to watch. I love losing myself in a striking sunset and the joyous reminder that the world is filled with everyday beauty. I love old chandeliers with pretty prisms. I love hanging ornaments on a tree. I love google.

I love kitchenware; platters and pitchers and pottery that tells stories. I love using my grandmothers beat up old pots & worn down casserole dishes relishing the knowledge that her hands once were upon them as well. I love pausing for a moment, just to breathe that memory in. I love the original creaking, old, knicked-up hardwood floors in houses that are a century old and just begging to have their stories told. I love main streets and small towns almost as much as I love countrysides. I really do love dancing about when noone’s watching and fresh cut flowers strewn about the house. I love long, drawn-out and dramatic monologue’s and cheesy i-will-die-without-you-love speeches in movies. I love getting a french manicure and putting on a plush bright white robe after a shower. I love giggling when people fall.

I love writing letters with a micro-tipped  black ink pen on elegant stationery. I love envelopes sealed with a pretty sticker or better yet a wax seal. I love bakers twine wrapped around a stack of tattered old love letters with a strand just plaeading to be pulled. I love walking into paper source and touching every sheet of lush paper as I walk by it. I love pretty fabrics just begging to have my hands run over them. I ab-so-friggin-lutly love the genuine smile of a child at the precise moment you needed it or the kiss of a dog when you least expect it. I love serendipity. I love having the insides of my closets painted in pretty colors, and the suprise you get each time a door is opened.

 

 I love softly colored nature photos with smooth and silky bokeh. I love the smell of woodsy bonfires and the memories that rush back right along with it. I love going to Mt. Washington and peering over the city I was raised in. I love sitting amidst a crowd unnoticed and watching people pass by, observing them when they don’t necessarily know they are being watched. I love receiving a shipment of sharpies or caran d’ache watercolor crayons or faber-castell artist pens when every imaginable, glorious color is included. I love journals: small journals, big journals, journals covered in fabric, journals with pretty tassels, journals made by hand or laminated with eye-catching art. I love simple little moleskine journals, and elaborate journals with highly textured handmade paper. I love all the unclaimed dreams lying between each page. I love an iced-cold new castle beer on a sweltering hot summer day and a fresh white v-neck tee shirt paired with a pair of crisp new faded blue-jeans.

I love possibility. I love the never-ending plethora of options we have in life. I love the way words dance and I love talking in silly, nonsensical accents…just because. I love laughing; not just a simple  giggle or a slight chuckle.. but that from-the-gut super deep in-the-pit-of-your-belly laugh that often leaves you with tears running down your cheeks when you’re done. I love that life makes us smile, even when it breaks your heart. I love living, even when it’s not easy.. especially when it’s hard and delighting in the day it was all worth it. At the end of the day, I love being me and all the fateful flaws, hopeless optimism, oddities and eccentricities that entails. I love singing at the top of my lungs and not caring if it’s on key and the surprise that I was ‘caught’.  I love sarcasm, horridly bad puns and so-stupid-they are funny one-liner jokes. 

I love remembering all the things i hold dear, and truly love.

That… my friends, is my little list — for today anyway. I think i may just do this once a week, cuz’ boy oh boy did it make my day much lighter. I sense this coming on as a new theme for an art journal.

Now kiddos, let’s see your “love list”.

As she loves purple  said: “*I challenge you to make your own list. The only catch? You can’t include a single person you know on your list. No “I love the way my husband laughs” or “I love hearing my little girl call for me.” It’ll be tough, I know. (Think about it, I couldn’t include MOLLY on my list.) But this particular little exercise is about stripping away everyone who defines you and figuring out what you (not his partner; not their mother/daughter/sister/friend) love.”

Be sure to leave me a link to yours!

Warmly,
Chrysti

Spring, Serendipity & Supplies

Sidenote: Well, the blog revamp is by no means finished, but it’s coming along bit-by-bit as you can see. The only thing keeping me from finishing it, is this pesky thing of only 24 hours in a day, I swear.. who thought of this annoyance?

“Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies.”
-Erich Fromm
 
As I opened my windows today to enjoy the fresh air that spring ushers in; a pleasant coincidence occurred to me: my looooong overdue blog rebirth is coinciding with Spring.

I absolutely love that.

I mean, I really just LOVE that.

And better yet? While I was standing in the window, admiring the new blooms in my yard.. Inspiration struck me! I discovered a new color scheme, for a piece I started over 2 years ago… and was simply, well… blocked on. How fortunate to see that come to an end!

Serendipity at it’s finest. I just had to take a moment to savor it.

“Worldly influences, feminine details and cleansing colors of spring will encourage women to discover something new.”
- Marla Shavin

Since we’re speaking of Spring; I should mention that yesterday I got hit smack-over-the-head by the color fairy. She forced me to go shopping (must do my part for the economy after all) … and treat myself to some Yummy (note the captiol Y) new spring inspired supplies. I dutifully headed over to Panopolie and found some lush new papers, felted balls, wool roving, and an assortment of other delightful goodies. Pure Bliss! Just a visit to the store is enough to perk me up; as it’s fresh, funky and utterly exquisite on the inside. I’ll have to snap some photos one day, with their permission of course, for y’all to see. It’s close to heaven!

To make an already perfect afternoon… well, even better … a pit stop at World Market  proved to be a most surprising artful score! I made out with some sublime handmade papers, itsy-bitsy mini journals, handmade paper scrolls.. all uber-cheap. Just goes to show that the best supplies,  are usually where you least expect to find them. Unless of course, you’re looking at my store. Ok, that’s just shameless. I should stop before i go on!

I am beyond grateful I have y’all to share this with. You ’get’ it. Everyone else in my life would look at me and go “huh?” as i gushed over these things. I’d love to hear what colorful surprises spring is bringing your way too! Go on, hit that pesky lil’ comment button to share.

Artfully Yours,
Chrysti

Song of the Day: KT Tunstall - Suddenly I See
Random Fact of the Day : Origin of the word serendipity.

’scuse the mess…

… as i start on a ‘new’ blog path.

The blog’s gonna look outta whack, links will be missing, categories being switched over… and the look will be changing as i do some experimentation… jealous? Please be patient as i make the switch… I think I will be stuck using a white background though since i want a custom header. Ick! I’ll just have to fill it with color then!

 I’m excited since it will be a huge weight lifted from my shoulders, and i can begin to chat..and chat… and chat … and chat… until you’re begging me to stop… again! Ha!

Hoping to have it done within the next week!

- Chrysti

I’m Still Here - Blog Under Construction

Just a real quick note to let y’all know I am indeed still alive… have just been playing some massive rounds of catch up. I feel pulled in 1001 different directions right now!

Oddly, I have far more to share now then ever — but simply haven’t had a chance to. This is partially due to the fact I want to redesign & completely overhaul my blog. Update & add/remove links, change the layout… etc etc… Hopefully, make my life easier too. Maybe then I won’t have to manually write the HTML for each post and so on…

So the blog may look wonky in the upcoming weeks as I redesign it! Bear with me!

Once i complete it, I will be challenging myself to blog daily for a month… to jump back in the swing of things.

Hope you haven’t forgotten lil ol me! I have missed you all!

-Chrysti

Urgent! Skinny Book Players Needed!

A Really quick ‘cry for help’post!

So many people have gone unaccounted for, dropped out or otherwise are missing in action..

So I now have the following slots open for The Altered Abbey Skinny Book Swap..

I have 5 slots open for Book 4 — Pages need to be in my hands on or by January 10th, 2007… no exceptions! All Original Pages, 26 of them, any theme you like… Details here. Fill out the contact form if interested or have questions! Please don’t sign up if you can’t make this date! First Come, First Serve!

I also need 1 player for book 2… embellished copies or all originals. 26 pages, any theme you like…Pages need to be in my hands on or by January 10th, 2007… no exceptions! Details here. Fill out the contact form if interested or have questions! Please don’t sign up if you can’t make this date! First Come, First Serve!

There are some AMAZING pages in so far! I would send these back without the pages, but since I will be gone for 2 weeks over the holidays I thought I’d give others a chance to play too I appreciate any people you can send my way, or if ya wanna jump in too I really want everyone to get full books back, it’s not fair to them to pay for other people’s mistakes.

Thanks SO Much!

Chrysti (who will be blogging my pages, the 100 covers, and experience with it all ASAP! Off to bind & send out book 3 first!)

Tags: Altered Art, Altered Book, Artist, Book, Chrysti, Chunky Book, Crafts, creativity, Fat Book, Folk Art, Original Art, Skinny Book, Swap, ZNE