How Could THIS:

 this...

 or this...

not totally and completely turn your day around??!

OMG.
Hilarious.

If you perhaps need of a more smiles to make that complete turn around, visit this particular webpage for about 47 more opporutunities.

images courtesy of smashing hub

It's That Time Again...

Time to make your 2012 Owl Barn Calendar!
We did this last year and it was amazing.

Side note: Being that we made Owl Calendars last year, I've apparently had this blog for over a year and didn't even realize it.  I totally missed my bloggy b-day! We'll have to celebrate later this week with something special...

Back to the posting at hand...the Owl Calendar this year has even more artist renditions of Owls to choose from (45 to be exact) and you can download individual images to use on cards or gift tags.  Love it. Tremendously.

This lil guy is for sure one of my faves:

Image by Penelope and Pip via My Owl Barn

I'm Expanding...

Tis the season for holiday cards, party invitations, and announcements!

Over the past several years, prior to officially becoming "Sara McCarthy Designs," I have had the opportunity to hone my design skills by creating everything from wedding invitations to party invites, to new home and baby announcements, to personal and business stationery, medals and awards, posters, logos, and print work for conferences and various work functions...these were commissioned by family, friends, and friends of friends, and now it's time to expand!

I have decided that now, since I am official, I'd like to offer my design services as part of my business.  Designing for others is the part I really love to do.  I love meeting with people, hearing about the important event in their life that we will be creating something special for, working with them to make their vision a reality, and then seeing them beam with joy when the final product adds that extra special touch to their special day.  That is what I love.  Making people happy by creating something pretty.

So if you would like something special designed for this holiday season...or any season really ;) contact me at: 

saramccarthydesigns@gmail.com

I will post some of my previous work shortly, but in the meantime I will show you a portfolio of my previous designs when we chat!

Thank you!

 

 p.s. visit my new FB page HERE and my digital scrapbook products HERE

I Dig These.

So cute, right?  

The purchase of these particular Toms helps raise money to fight cancers affecting men.  See the little moustache??  It represents all those handsome men we love and care about so much and want to see live long healthy lives.  Adorable.  I think I'm gonna get a pair.

image credits: Toms Shoes

Just For You...

To celebrate my brand new FB page and well, my new business as a whole, I made this little freebie just for you!  Perhaps you can drop by my FB page and give it a little "like" ;)  If you happen to spread the word about my new little shop too I would so love it and be ever so grateful.

Enjoy the freebie and create beautiful things!
xoxo 

little birthday themed epoxy stickers made by me for you!

A Sweet New FB Page

Yeah. 

You heard me. 

I have a sweet new Facebook Fan Page to go with my new lil business venture.  Now I'm seriously legit. 

Come by and say hello.  Perhaps, maybe, ya know, you could even "like" me.  Might be kinda cool ;)

Oh Goodness.

Supposedly today had an extra hour due to daylight savings.  

I'm not sure I was anymore productive than usual however.  

Yep. 

I'm pretty sure I wasn't.  

Time is still sneaking away from me rather rapidly.  

I mean I don't think the extra hour even registered on my radar.  

And seriously, where did last week go?  And the week before that?  I'm feeling like the days are zipping by and I'm not accomplishing nearly as much in a single day as I set out to when I first wake up in the morning.  

Are my to-do lists just getting longer?  Or am I not tackling them with the ferver I once did?  Hmmm...perhaps it's just that I am distracted by the ridiculously good television that's on this season.   The DVR is completely overflowing.  It's pretty much a full time job keeping up with the awesome programming.  

Well, regardless, time is jetting by and my to-do's are not getting done.  

Blogging, for example, would be one of those things that's being repeatedly lost in the shuffle.  

And I was SO excited to be blogging again.  

However I pretty much went on hiatus after my first week back at it.  

Lordy. 

Well, as a condolence for slacking on the job, I would like to share the following:
1. These are pretty much as epic as they come.

And yes, I love these so much that there might actually be a remote control flying clownfish sitting right here next to me as we speak.

2.  I have a new Holiday paper kit for sale at my lil digi-scrapping shop...and a deliciously adorable element kit is in the works and should be arriving shortly...do check it out!

3. This totally just arrived in the mail and I'm super excited about it.

4. I don't have a number 4 for today, but I hope you had a lovely weekend! xoxo

image credits: urban outfitters, air swimmers

As I was Saying...

I heart Pinterest...and I am spending way too much time there.
However, I am finding quite the assortment of awesomeness so I'm not complaining too much.

Case in point:
THIS.

How did I miss this cover back in February?  I think this just may be my new haircut.  It's adorable. I've been wanting something short and cute...this might be it! 

Oh Pinterest does it again.  Now I can totally justify the hours I just whittled away there...

Happy Friday all!

Saw This...

...and I gotta have it.

Follow Me Print by Leah Duncan via Oh So Beautiful Paper

Playing with My Designs!

Made this today...

using all my own products!  

Yay!!  If you like what you see, head on over to my new little shop and take a peek! I used paper and elements from my Joy in the Morning collection to create this layout...and, not gonna lie, I am kinda pleased with how it turned out ;)

p.s. I think I heard a rumor that items in the shop are 30% off through October 30th...such a deal!

Just Wanted to Point Out....

...that this is a darling dress.

and I would love to find it in my closet.

Anatolia Dress, by Anthropologie

New Obsession

Pinterest is my new obsession.  I'm a little late in the game, I know I know...my fave bloggers have been raving about it for ages but I just never really took a moment to pop over and see what the hype was about.  This weekend however I did and OH WOW!  My life will never be the same.  I plan on blaming my future lack of productivity to this site alone.

Here are some examples of the awesomeness I found on Pinterest this weekend:

Cute button magnets...such an easy fun craft...I like easy fun crafts.

Um hello...are there even any words to accurately express the cuteness here?

 And a really pretty wedding dress.

I could go on and on about all the magical finds...but I have work to do ;)

Toodles!

It's Official...Part Two...

Ok so the new KaBoks Digital Scrapbook store is officially OPEN for business!  And my products are there waiting for you to love, admire, and well, purchase ;)

I am still working on uploading a few of my kits, as we had a few technical errors, but you will certainly find some of my designs today and definitely more to come in the next few weeks...here's the link to my personal shop front: sara mccarthy designs
so exciting!! 

Here's a sampling of my little darlings...

 My Joy in the Morning Paper and Element kits...

My Halloween set...these are the elements...there are two paper packs as well...

A cute, bright summer kit...these are the papers, there are elements too...

Please do pop on by to take a peek...oh! there is also a GIANT collaboration kit to designed by all the shop designers...it's beautiful!  It's definitely a must-have.

Enjoy your weekend! xoox

p.s. I'm so happy to be blogging again!

It's Official!

Ok ok ok...so it's been a few days since I last posted...
Alright, more like two whole months...BUT...I have a really really really good reason!! 

And here it is:

Yep, I've started my own lil design business!  And that's my logo.  Kinda cute, huh?  And it's official too, I have a business license and everything! 

I've wanted to do this for a long time and am so excited for this new journey.  I love creating beautiful things...playing with fonts and colors, taking photos and manipulating them, drawing and illustrating...I want to use this love of mine to make people smile, to do my part in spreading joy and happiness in the world.

I will be designing invitations and announcements and other various print commissions, as well as my own line of digital scrapbook products that will be on sale for the first time ever tomorrow!  Siri (a fabulous designer friend of mine) is opening an online digital scrapbook store and asked me to be on the design team.  I was so honored.  I think she is just going to be fabulously successful!  Check out the shop HERE...and take a peek at my goodies!  All items are not for sale until 7am MST tomorrow, but you can still take a look-see now ;)

I hope you like what you see! 

P.S.  the products don't seem to have any sort of organization at the moment, so mine are just all mixed in with everyone else's...

Wanna Be a Better Photographer?

I just found this series of online lessons that will help you to "Become a Better Photographer in 31 Days."  Yay!  I'm so gonna do all them!  I need to work on my photo ninja skills.  And the author is great!  While he makes the corniest jokes, he presents all of the techie stuff in a super understandable way.  And he provides helpful visuals like the following:

Ahhhh!  I get it now!  That pesky shutter speed and aperture can be so confusing :P

images courtesy of Peter Carey

Namaste

As part of my recovery from the nerve injury I've been dealing with the past few months, I've been doing yoga...pretty much everyday!   

I LOVE it.
I'm obsessed kinda.  
But it truly has changed my life for the better in so many ways. 
Not only am I a bit more stretchy and flexible, but I am just calmer, more positive, more at peace with myself.  I'm not so tense.  I also have more of an appreciation for my body, for the world around me, and well, let's face it, yoga clothes are just super cute, so I have an adorable new wardrobe as well ;)

Check out this site!  Spiritual Gangster.  It has totally hipster, totally chill yoga clothing.  Love it!

Here are a few faves:

images courtesy of spiritualgangster.com

Much Needed TLC

Oh I just feel so terrible...my lil ol' blog has been repeatedly pushed to the back burner for quite some time now...poor thing is longing for some much needed TLC.

To be honest, I have been in need of a little TLC and haven't exactly been doing a very good job at giving it to myself.  It's hard to slow down.  Even in a state of injury, as I am in, it's hard to take care of yourself.  I know what I am supposed to be doing to help myself heal and get better, but the world is so demanding and if you take just the tiniest bit of time to help yourself, you feel so guilty.  If you take the slightest bit of time away from something you think you should be doing, you feel like you've let someone down or like you've dropped one of the many balls you are constantly juggling...or at least I feel that way...

Well today I have truly taken a total me, total TLC day.  I started my day with a yoga class, practiced deep breathing and found my center, then I soaked in a warm bubble bath, and engaged in a bit of meditative healing and a lie down with my heating pad.  I then perused the web for a bit of online shopping...meditative healing may have its therapeutic rewards, but helloooo, online shopping is equally if not more so rewarding!!  I followed up my retail therapy with a bit of sun worshipping.  I find there just really is nothing more relaxing than an afternoon nap in the sun!  I may have even gotten a little bit of a tan!  Ok ok ok, so I probably didn't really get a tan...I don't exactly have the skin type that tans :P

But what I came to discover today is that I think in general, perhaps, we need to be a bit kinder and gentler toward ourselves...allow ourselves to take some timeouts from the rush our lives have become.  I think we've come to believe it isn't really ok to do that.  Had I taken a few more timeouts myself I think I may not have gotten my injury in the first place.

So today I took a timeout.  I slowed my thoughts, my actions, I took care of my injury, and it wasn't selfish, and the world didn't come to an end and my friends and family didn't hate me for it as I kinda sorta feared.  I kinda want to do it again tomorrow! 

I hope you enjoyed your weekend and maybe took a little timeout of your own :)
xo!

P.S. here are my online purchases from today!

Lola Side Table

Pharmacy Side Table

Acid Etched Letter

So cute!  I love them!

images courtesy of urban outfitters

I'm a Gawker.

Yeah.  

I'll admit it. 

I will spend countless hours gawking at photography blogs, etsy shops, crafty DIY sites, the latest TOMS shoes and Coach purses, digi scrap galleries, and dachshund rescue pages...I need to stop. 

Seriously.

But it's really hard when I come across sites like THIS and THIS that just totally feed into my obsession.

You people are doing me no favors.

But secretly I totally love it. 

So sue me.

craftgawker.com and weddinggawker.com

 

kaBoks CT call!

I have super duper exciting news.
I am going to start selling my very own line of digital scrapbooking products!  I am beyond thrilled and excited and nervous and inspired and totally and completely freaked out and have no idea what I am doing but so totally warm and fuzzy and all smiley about it.

My dear colleague Siri is starting her own online shop...check it out here...it looks amazing...and she asked me if I would like to join her team of designers.  I immediately said YES!

The philosophy behind kaBoks, Siri's new online scrapbooking store, is to break down the walls that exist between the various scrapbooking communities. kaBoks will be a store that will not only bridge traditional, hybrid, and digital scrapbooking, but will target different religions, ethnicities and languages by offering a wide variety of products that speak to inspired creatives around the globe.  There will also be a special department called "kiddy scrap" filled with less serious products aimed at crafting for kiddos! or for us big kiddos at heart ;)
 

The Grand Opening of kaBoks will be on September 30th and at that time we will need a few lovely crafters to join our creative team!

What we are looking for: 

 - digital crafters (scrapbooking, art journals....) 

 - card makers (both traditional, hybrid and digital) 

 - scrapbookers (both traditional, hybrid and digital) 

We are also looking for 1-3 traditional crafters with no or little experience in hybrid/digital craft. These crafters will be documenting their “journey” into a new world using blog posts, tutorials and videos. 

We would also like to receive applications for a CT manager position.

The team members will be required to:

    - create a minimum of 4 projects every month uploaded to the kaBoks blog and private blog (Subject to change depending on number of members)

    - host contests/challenges on the kaBoks blog (No. of challenges depends on number of members)

    - create tutorials or videos of projects/techniques (two projects during the 6 month period, this could be a tutorial on one of the required projects)

    - create blog posts featuring  techniques /inspiration/ projects

    - participate in challenges

    - promote kaBoks and the designers on their blog and elsewhere

    - upload creations to our public gallery

PLEASE SUBMIT the following to admin@kaboks.com

• Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• E-mail Address
• Link to your blog
• List of forums and galleries that you frequent
• List of current Design/Creative Team positions (Team experience is not required)
• Tell us why you want to join.

I would so love to see you on the team and have you as a part of the kaBoks family!  Please apply! Or visiting as a customer who comes and says hello now and again is fabulous too ;)

xoxo

Mini Matchbook Notepads

You know how I feel about lists.

Love 'em.

Pretty much can't live without 'em.

Seriously.

I am totally and completely lost without my lists.

I take great care compiling my lists, and it is these lengthy compilations of to-do's that get me from here to there.

So.

With that being said, this little crafty project was PERFECT for me, not only did it take me literally less than five minutes, but it was super cute, and super practical!

Little mini matchbook notepads!
OMG. The perfect home for random thoughts, lists, and notes to self!

Toooootally adorable.

Now the ones pictured are from the first round I was experimenting with so they are not all that stellar, but you get the idea :)

This is...

the. 

most.

AMAZING.

notepad.

EVER.

image courtesty of Anthropologie

I Juuuuust...

bought THIS!

and I love it tremendously. 

It's just soft and flowy, and fits super cute,
and oh! it's way comfy on the little tailbone nerve that's driving me batty.

  I actually got it in black...this color is cute, but the black is even cuter ;)

image courtesy of Nordstroms

I Heart Color

I was just introduced to THIS today.

Pretty Pics + Color Schemes = True Love!

Oh how my life is forever changed.

images courtesy of Design Seeds

Craft Projects I WILL Complete...

one day...

I have an ever growing list of saved links to tutorials and craft projects that I simply MUST do.  Yet I never get around to doing them.  This is because I am either missing just one tiny yet completely essential element of the supply list, or an important tool is stealthily hidden in some box somewhere (I am constantly moving so I am never completely unpacked), or I am just plain lazy...one or all of the above is generally the case.

Well I saw this today and yup, added it to the list.  How cool are they?!  I totally gotta make them!  Of course...ummm...I don't have paint swatches, but ya know, one day when I do, I'll totally make them.

image credits: How About Orange, paint swatch boxes

Another thing I HAVE to make is this...for my neice.  She loves pink more than I do, which is saying a lot.  And she loves frills and sparkles and all things fancy.  It's perfect.

image credits: Prudent Baby

Then I also want to make these.  I can use them to compile more lists.  Yay!

image credits: DaisyJanie, mini pocket notebooks

Secret Crush

So one of my dreams is to quit teaching and do graphic design and digital art all day every day.  I therefore read many blogs and websites to learn and practice new skills and to just learn the ins and outs of the design field.

One of my favorite blog/websites is Just Creative Design.  The site itself is an awesome resource, but not gonna lie, I am totally crushing on the little 23 year old Aussie who owns the site.  Not only is Jacob Cass an awesome designer, excellent writer, extremely knowledgeable about the craft, and just all around cool...he is just SO stinkin' adorable too! ;)

image credits: screenshot of Just Creative Design website

I Am Liking...

this...

and this...

and these...

Now realistically I am probably not going to purchase the $700 Coach purse or the $80 Urban Outfitters coat rack, but the Toms???  

Well...the thing about the Toms, 

like the reason why it would be totally justifiable to actually purchase them for reals...

even though yes, I already have three pairs....

is that ever since the "pain in the bum" started, I can only wear flat shoes.  

However, my wardrobe is greatly lacking flat shoes, therefore it is only necessary I augment the areas in which I am weak.

Self improvement is always a good thing, right?? ;)

LuciusArt

It's Not My Fault

It's so not my fault that my postings are so totally sporadic of late.  I still don't have cable functioning at 100% in my new apartment...still...

This means I have to find better things to do with my time than spend my evenings watching the Bachelorette or the Kardashians.  As if.

But, this brought a smile to my face in the midst of the cable crisis so I thought I'd share.

Also, Snapfish is doing a buy 1 photobook get TWO FREE deal right now.  Hello amazing. That makes me smile too.

*not sure who the doxie image belongs to so if you know please let me know :)

Barely Survived.

I moved into a new apartment this week.

And I love it.

It's super cute.

But the thing about moving is that it is not only the biggest pain in the butt (well, next to my real pain in the butt), but it means that you are inevitably without internet access for at least two days as your cable subscription transitions...hence my lack of posts for the past few days.  Living without the internet is practically impossible.  Seriously, how did we ever do it before??  I mean, there was a time, not that long ago, when I, and people in general, rarely used the internet, if at all.  

I know.  

Crazy talk.

But we survived just fine during those days.  So in theory we should be able to survive today without immediate access to the web.  However, after a few days in my apartment sans internet, you'd be convinced that theory was boloney.  I barely made it.  I was starting to get physical reactions due to my lack of cyber connectivity.

Well, finally today, after much anticipation, the cable guy arrived to set up my TV and internet. However...

as per usual...

because nothing in my life is ever simple...

it seems my sparkling fancy new apartment has faulty cable wiring and does NOT receive a cable signal and therefore canNOT get cable.  

OF COURSE it can't.  

of course.  

So it seems I will be without cable for a bit longer than expected.  Like several weeks longer than expected.  Lordy.  They have to rewire my apartment or something complicated and technical like that.

Sweet.

I am stoked as you can imagine.

(and by stoked I mean not. stoked.).

But ya know, this is just another ordinary day in my world ;) 

On a sort of related note but not quite, here is an adorable side table and chair I think I may need to purchase for my new apartment.  

 Gigi Nightstand, Urban Outfitters

 Madeline Chair, Urban Outfitters

It would be awesome to watch some cable TV or view the internet from this darling chair, but...oh right, I DON'T HAVE CABLE. 

Happy Fourth of July!

photo: independence day beads by me

Snapped that the other day and thought it was a fun shot.

I love the red, white, and blue color combo...not just because it's my home colors, though admittedly that probably has a bit to do with it.  I mean, I've grown up pledging allegiance to those colors every single day of my life...and I do mean every day.  Being a teacher, leading the flag salute is part of my job description.  Ha!  Anyways,  back to the colors...red, white, and blue...a bold, bright color combo...clean and crisp...even kinda fun you could say...but despite how much I love it, I just can't wear those colors any other day but July 4th.  

None.  

Never.  

Not any of the other 364 days of the year.

Only July 4th or I feel silly...

like I'm having my own 4th of July celebration on a completely unrelated day. 

And I really like these colors...like hello, denim looks so cute with red and white!

Oh darn you Independence Day...totally cramping wardrobe options.