I Had a Bit of Free Time...

...at work today, sooooooo...

I made a little mini itsy bitsy digital kit just for you!

It has two Autumn themed papers.  

I am desperately hoping that by thinking, creating, and sending Autumn-ish vibes out to the universe,  this unreal heat will go far far away and crispy Fall weather will move right on in :)

Just click HERE to download and welcome in Fall!

And yes, this is a FREEBIE!  

Hooray!  

*Terms of Use included in kit and noted on TOU page of this blog :)

A Couple New Layouts...

I whipped up a few more layouts the other night...

One is from Montreal (still working on scrapping that trip from August) and the other is from my bro's birthday earlier this month...I used papers from a few new kits I purchased by a new designer over at JS...I'm just testing them out...seeing how I like 'em...

And I'm thinking, I like them...the colors are fun...and I love the elements...way cute.  

It's Hot Out.

Here in sunny So. Cal. it is hot.  

And I mean, it is...

really

really

really

HOT.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it is Autumn right now, is it not??

Well in honor of the sunshiny days we are having, I thought I would post a few fun sunshiny Etsy finds.

I heart Etsy.

cute eh?

image credits: 1. Barking Bird Art   2.  Farouche  3.  Miss Moptop  4.  Bomobob Photography  5. Persnickety Pelican 6. Graphic Spaces

A Turtle...

...in a vest.

Are you kidding me??  That's the most adorable thing. 

Ever. 

Of all time.

and let's not forget the hamster nugget.

the.

hamster.

nugget.

omg.

so dang cute.

image credits: oelle m.

I Heart Bows

 I need this.

And that's pretty much all I have to say about that.

Soraam via Decor8

Let's Try This...

Here is my very first ever FREEBIE!  Hooray!  We heart freebies! 

This kit has 6 digi scrapping pages just for you!

 

Just click HERE and you should be taken to a place to download it.  

We hope.

This is my first time doing this soooooooo...we shall see ;) 

teeny tiny side note: 

ok, so apparently I forgot a step before setting up the download...

and then my new file was too big...

so there are actually TWO folders for you to download so you get all the papers and such :)

p.s. RA ink design co. is me...well, my little company...just in case you were wondering.

I Got Excited

I got too excited and well, I had no plans for this fine Friday night, so I started the blog facelift a bit earlier than planned.  It is much harder than you'd think.  My hair is poking out all crazy from the sides of my head because I am totally going nuts trying to figure this out.  I like the look of the blog and LOVE the new header and sides I designed, but I cannot change the font of the post titles.  I have tried everything! I even dug deep into the actual HTML of my blog to see if I could figure it out using my rudimentary knowledge of computer speak.  It didn't work.  Hmmm...so I think this will be a slower process than I thought...bare with me!

Bloggy Facelift

So I've been taking a little blog design class and it's really been quite fun. If you'd like to learn how to personalize your blog, this is just the class for you!

The first part of the class is very basic and great for the beginner...it demonstrates how to set up a blog using Blogger -- how to edit your posting and set your blog settings, that kind of thing...it's good for someone totally new to blogging.  However, if you are a veteran blogger, I'd just skip to the really juicy stuff -- the design part!  Yay!  The course provided very useful info -- templates and samples and such to inspire your creativity.

So, needless to say, my blog will be receiving a facelift very shortly.  I've started working on its new look and am SO excited to upload it and give it a test drive.

Here is the color scheme I am using for the new look:

Kinda nice, yeah? 

It's called Quinnet.

I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds cool.

I got it from my favorite color scheme website ever of all times.

Enjoy your weekend!

xxoo

Montreal Digi Scrapping

Here are a couple digi scrap pages I made of my trip to Montreal last month...

I think they are kinda nice.

credits: digi scrap pages and elements by Digital Alchemy, Crystal Wilkerson, and I might be forgetting a few...but will update when I know for sure!

LIFE.

I've seen this floating around on the blogosphere lately and I just really like it. 
I wish that I could do every single item on this list, but some of those things kinda mean taking risks...
I don't do so well with risk...
I am very much risk averse if you will. 
And in order to accomplish other things on the list, it means I can't let daily chores, tasks, obligations, and worries get in the way of what makes me happy.  That's hard for me too.  I over-analyze, get bogged down by "to-do's", and simply run out of time or energy to do the things I love to do most...
I don't really want to live like that so much...
I want to create, live my dream and do what I love.  Everyday.  All the time.  Because this is my life, right now, and I only get one chance to make it totally amazing. 
I hope you are having an amazing day today!  Cuz you are amazing and deserve it.

image credits: unknown...if you happen to know please let me know so I can credit it appropriately

Swamped.

Yep.  

That's me.  

Swamped. 

Gonna take a day or so to catch up.  Then I'll be back to my regular postings! 

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

The Proud Big Sis

Just gonna boast a bit about my little brother... 
He is the writer/producer of various documentaries for an incredible non-profit called Change for Balance.
He just finished the trailer for their latest project about homeless youth.  It is powerful and heartbreaking and brings awareness to an often misunderstood societal issue.  Chills ran up my arm and tears welled in my eyes as I watched my brother's work.  I was proud of my brother and in awe of his talent, while also deeply moved by the images that flashed across the screen...

Please take a look here, and if interested, you too can help the cause.

Eye Candy

I think I would really enjoy being a wedding planner.
I mean, I've never actually planned a wedding before, but I have been in twelve of them...and I adore...like really really love...bridal blogs and magazines.  We are talkin' serious eye candy...I'm a sucker for stunning color combos, gorgeous flowers, and well, love ;)  I just like to see all the creative ways couples make their special day truly special, truly unique.

I came across this article on Etsy about a completely handmade wedding.  Everything from the bridesmaids hair clips to the wedding invitations to the ceremony decor was purchased from shops on Etsy.  Go look at the photos STAT.  Serious eye candy.  I LOVE everything about this wedding.  I want to BE in this wedding.
:)

And I so want one of those bridesmaid pinwheels.  

Isn't that the cutest idea??!  

Love it.

image credits: rule42

Oh My Goodness Oh My Goodness Oh My Goodness!!!

Look what I JUST found.
omg.
Seriously.

It doesn't get any cuter.

I can't handle it.

I heart these.
so.
very.
much.

Prints by Lee Arthaus

Vintage Find

Isn't this kinda nice?
Vintage-y.
I believe it tells the time.
I like it.

image credits: Recreate

Happy Friday!

Just a wee bit of cute to celebrate your Friday...

via The Guardian

New Layouts...

I made these two layouts this weekend and quite like them.
They are artsy.

digital scrapping supplies: Digital Alchemy, Sugarplum Paperie, Shabby Princess and some things of my own creation

Redecorating...Kinda

So I'm in the process of redecorating my apartment.

I'm going for a look that says grown-up professional with a sophisticated sense of style, rather than college student with a clutter of hand-me-downs.

The process is, however, currently moving at a glacial pace...

I have a few commitment issues...

and perhaps I am a wee bit challenged when it comes to making decisions. Committing to a color scheme and deciding what look and feel I want is proving to be more difficult than I thought. There are just so many options!

However, one thing I am set on, is getting some prints from Papaya! for my bedroom. I first fell in love with their work this summer when I stumbled upon a little boutique in Montreal that sold their prints. Their images are powerful, colorful, and simply beautiful.

Here are the ones I would like to get...

Yellow Mandala

Sweet Surrender

White and Pink Mandala

Breaking Through

So lovely aren't they??!

image credits: all artwork is from Papaya!

The Perils of Being a Lefty.

I am left-handed.
And proud.
We lefties are rare diamonds in the rough.
And, yes, I do mean it when I say "rough"...this is a rough and tough right-handed world in which we live.

Take spiral notebooks for instance.
I can't write in one.
It's a challenge writing on an overhead projector while lecturing because students cannot see the words I write; my left hand covers them!
And don't get me started on college desks...I was repeatedly banished to the edges of the classroom where the lone lefty desk would reside.

So yes, sometimes it's a challenge being so very special.

This further outlines the perils of being left-handed.

A friend of mine posted it on facebook. I thought it was funny.
I like where it says that lefties have a tendency to make more money than righties. I wonder just when that kicks in. Cuz let me tell ya, I am still waiting.

Yeah We Are Cute And We Know It.

via Huffington Post.

My New Designer Boyfriend Revisited...

OMG.
I was just over at Fashion Island...the mall by my house...and my new designer boyfriend just opened HIS VERY OWN STORE there.*

How couldn't I have known??!
It's my new heaven on earth.
I would like to purchase everything.
Actually, I just want to move into the store itself.

I saw this today and MUST HAVE it.


Along with this.

And hello??? THIS.

Adorable.

*I'm dancing in circles uncontrollably

Image Credits: JonathanAdler.com...1) Lion Needlepoint Pillow, 2) Kissing Giraffe Pillow, 3) Dachshund bookends

Holiday Weekend!

Happy Holiday Weekend!!
I wish you a safe and super fun weekend!
Enjoy!
xoxo

My New Designer Boyfriend

Jonathan Adler.
I simply must have all of his desktop goodies.
His designs are just fun and fancy free.
I like them.

*image credits: See Jane Work