Wheww! Here it is! Our fifth issue of the newsletter. This thing just gets bigger and bigger! This one is 39 pages long with a huge section on Spraguefest, an introduction to Susan, a quilt pattern, a coupon code for Designer Workshop, and tutorials galore!
Be sure and check out the calendar at the end…it’s a sneak peek into the “big stuff” coming up the next few months here in the studio.
It’s been so busy since I got back from Vegas that I haven’t posted anything (well, much of anything) about Spraguefest. In fact, there was so much to show and write about that we decided to just add it to our newsletter.
In fact, we’ve got a lot of great stuff coming out in this quarter’s newsletter including an introduction to the fabulous Susan (many references, but never a formal introduction). How about a new quilt pattern? Simple and modern…you know me! Keep your eyes out for the 5th issue of our newsletter coming in a couple of days! Never seen our newsletter? You can check them out (and sign up for) them here.
So what’s been keeping me so busy? I just finished Art of Digital Design 2, which was critique-heavy. Everyone did a great job and it is sad to see that class end:(. The other thing I have been working on has kept my sewing machine a-humin’. If you attend Quilt Market, keep an eye out for my goodies in the Riley Blake booth. So what is it you say (the suspense is killing me!)? Four brand-new patterns! They won’t arrive until January, but I’ll give you lots of sneak peeks and Riley Blake will be showing off these new patterns in Dainty Blossoms™ at Quilt Market in Houston.
The last couple of days I’ve been running around getting ready for Spraguefest and the launch of my new line of sewing patterns. My friends Susan and Ashley spent a couple of nights helping me package up these fat quarters and coupons for the Spraguefest grab bags. Stacks of eye candy!
Speaking of eye candy, I’m going to be hanging out tonight at the Fort Union Mormon Handicraft Quilt Shop for their semi-annual event with lots of samples from my sewing patterns and sneak peeks at my new ones! I’ll be talking about fabric and generally hanging out! Come by if you are in the Salt Lake area from about 5:30pm to 8pm. Mormon Handicraft is located in the Deseret Book at 1110 FORT UNION BLVD, MIDVALE, UT 84047-1804. I’m told that it is a crazy event with lots of giveaways, sales, and general fun for the ladies.
I was browsing through my creative team’s layouts that feature my new digital scrapbooking line Essentials Plus. I’m amazed at the way they are using the line! Even though I did intend it to be a paper-meets-elements line, it is way more versatile than I thought it would be. Most of these layouts use ONLY the essential papers (thank you fabulous creative team!).
I spotted this darling tutorial over at the fabulous Pink Chalk Studios using my Baby Safari line. It includes a bib, baby booties, baggie, and taggie. For the full set of instructions and pattern check it out here:
I think it’s been a week at least since I have blogged. I’m too lazy to go back and check the front page to see how long it has been. Or too tired. Which is ironic since my kids got a sleepover with cousins last night and are getting a sleepover with grandma tonight all for the sake of work. How I can be so tired seems ridiculous given that I’m getting so much help at the moment!
Mostly, I have been working on Art of Digital Design 2. While the class has been fully written and all the images drawn, it’s the videos that have been time consuming. And while students don’t make the exact paper set I make in class (the class is technique and theory based), I couldn’t help but show you what I’ve been up to. For those of you taking the class, get excited! (Or I’ll just get excited for you since I know what you will be up to!)
I’m going to keep plugging away at these videos!
In fabric news, I’m told that my three new lines are on route. My quarterly newsletter hasn’t gone out because we have been holding out for those lines! So June-July won’t get to you until August.
That’s the way we are rollin’ these days.
And by the way, WHERE is summer going? August is a couple of days away and I can feel myself going into shock. Hoping I can squeeze in a couple of visits to the pool and zoo this coming month.
Today is the debut of my July collection Le Petite Paperie at Jessica Sprague.com. I feel like this is a line that sort of takes me back to my roots—super sophisticated, super grungy, and easy-to-work with.
(Layout by Susan Haglund)
I’m excited for you to see this collection revealed every week the rest of this month! Check out the release sale of 25% off on Mondays. Enjoy!
I’m so excited to finally announce my new class for 2011! Art of Digital Design 2 is my online advanced course on digital scrapbooking design. It starts August 22nd and runs 5 weeks.
I’m so excited to get to teach an advanced course like this at JessicaSprague.com. This is not a class for the faint-of-heart because we design like MAD and I cram as much as I possibly can into these 5 weeks. You know, like vocabulary, rules to design by, design concepts, critiques, smart financial ways to build designs, marketing strategies, making the transition to paper and fabric, dealing with taxes, making your workflow faster, and all of my personal tips for designing in the digi world.
For me, this class is the merging of practical know-how and design theory. Once you leave this class you should be able to TALK and THINK like a designer. One of the things I find in the design world is that even really amazing designers who haven’t had training don’t have the vocabulary to discuss or market their designs.
This class is instructor led with 5 assignments (1 a week) and 5 critiques (verbal and written). I’ve been asked when this class will be offered again, and the answer is, I simply don’t know. I doubt we would run the class in 2012, but I think we would run the class again in 2013. I know that seems like a big break, but we have a lot of crazy, wonderful things planned for 2012 (yes, I know it is still only 2011, but we are working that far in advance these days).
If you want to read more about this class, please check it out here. The class syllabus will be available to registered students on August 1st.
Thanks for making it to my stop on the Jessica Sprague Birthday Party Bloghop! Just click on the image below to get your freebie for me that coordinates with all the other designers at JS!
If you have stopped here first, you can find the beginning of this blog hop at Jessica’s blog.
JessicaSprague.com is FOUR! To celebrate, they’re throwing a HUGE Birthday Bash & Summer Sale. From June 13-26, you can save 20% off of every self-paced class (think Illustrator, hehe), and 35% off of ALL digital products. In addition, grab all 27 episodes of Jessica’s amazing Photoshop Friday tutorials for just $1 each before they’re retired on June 26! As part of the celebration, starting on June 24, you can participate in an incredible 47-person blog hop (including a great freebie from me!), picking up a sweet digital freebie at each stop! Best of all, on June 26 Jessica will be making a special announcement of a brand new class coming up in July. We only put our site on sale two times a year, so don’t miss out on this GREAT savings opportunity! For all the info on the Summer Sale, Photoshop Fridays, blog hop, and the new class, just click here!
Off to finish off my new pattern! Be in next week with my freebie!
So many of you know of and buy my digital products on JessicaSprague.com’s $1 Wednesdays. Some of you may be questioning the releases this week, and I thought I ought to offer an explanation. (Deep breath) So here it is:
This week, the new releases are items that have been released for $1 in the past. Why the re-do on the $1 kits? Because we have decided as a store that no new kits should be released on Wednesdays and that kits have to be at least 8 weeks old to hit the $1 Wednesday. However, I feel very committed to you folks who go out of your way to buy my new releases on Mondays. That’s part of the reason I put everything up for sale (25% off) on the day of the release and that’s also why I don’t release items on $1 Wednesday unless the product is AT LEAST 6 months old.
So if my Wednesdays look a little familiar for the next couple of months (or why I choose not to release anything at all), you’ll know why. Instead, I will choose to inundate you with fabulous digi products every Monday for 25% off! Oh ya, and we are starting a whole new round of Hybrid Projects for $1 on Fridays, so you can be looking for that!
And if you are wondering if these photos have anything to do with digital. I can tell you that indeed, they do not. This happened to be my project of the day (finally hanging some artwork in my bedroom). I even did a tiny sketch of a peony to add to the set. Now if only I could get around to sewing curtains…
Don’t forget to comment on the Love Nest post at a chance to win a little fabric!
2010 zipped by, didn’t it? Looking back, it was such a big year for me: a little first grader, a brand new preschooler, my first fabric line, getting comfy in our new home…it was a fun year and to celebrate, here are some of my favorite blog moments from 2010. Enjoy!
8 – Sew Important – My mom gives my daughter a lesson in sewing.
9 – CHA in Chicago along with fun at Spraguefest! A boat tour of the city, sewing fun, and a trip to Navy Pier I’ll never forget!
10 – The first CG Newsletter is released! Eye candy for all!
11 – Download for the Halloween Banner for my paper line Haunted™. I’ve been asked if that piano is just for display, but the answer is “no.” I actually play that thing!
This photo didn’t make it into the Dec- Jan newsletter, but I was looking through my hard drive to see what photos I had wisely put on it before my computer crashed a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully, I’m really only missing 6 months of photos. Unfortunately, (you know what I’m going to say scrappers!) I lost 6 months of photos. Ah well.
Enough of that sad tale, I dropped into my blog to say I haven’t forgotten about you…I’ve just got so many lovely things happening that are very secret right now and I have to keep myself from spilling! Some things you already know: an Illustrator class coming out in a month (images of the projects should be up in a couple of weeks), Love Nest™ has been slowly arriving at my house waiting to be quilted (4 bolts and counting!), and a new quilt freshly drawn up (I’ll have it up for download during the month of January-think flags!). Oh, and so many other wonderful things…
In the meantime, I am trying to get into the Christmas spirit (give me a couple more days when all the present shopping is completely finished), drink a little hot chocolate, and cuddle with my girls in front the “The Grinch.” Just hoping I can keep from becoming one myself this year.
I know some of you are sighing, “Finally!” Yes, it’s taken me a year to get around to putting together Illustrator 201. As always, I was concerned with what would help you the most, inspire you the most, and bring you the most practical knowledge at this level.
So what’s in this class? A little for the paper and digi designer, a little for the fabric designer, and a little for the graphic designer…yes, I did a lot of squeezing to make it all happen but I promise not to disappoint!
Lesson 1 is all about technical work with gradients, meshes, and drop shadows. We create a small brochure to help you see how to put it all together. Lesson 2 is all about the pathfinder tool (we work with logos), which will be essential to Lesson 3 and 4…creating patterns in Illustrator!
This course (and all my courses) are currently on sale and will go live on January 10, 2011. It is current 20% off during December for the JessicaSprague.com site-wide sale (normal price $150, sale price $120).
Today is the debut of three happy, little things. All good things come in three right? The first is the move of all my digital products to JessicaSprague.com. Yippee! You can now grab my classes and products all at one place. Easy peasy, don’t you think?
Speaking of classes, today there is a sneak peek of my Desktop Calendar Class. I’m so excited to finally announce this class since I have been working on it in hushed tones for the past several weeks! More on this class to come! Registration begins on November 8th.
Finally, it is Coquette™’s debut to digital scrapbooking today. Yes, that’s right! That lovely fabric line can now be purchased as digital paper and embellishments.
To make things even more fun, all of my November releases on Monday will be 25% off at Jessica Sprague (Hmmm, should I have said there were four, happy little things?). I think you’ll also like my new Hybrid Project Series that will begin this coming week on Fridays (Okay, make that 5 happy, little things!). The projects go on sale for only $1 on the Friday of their release. Check out my sneak peek above. Oh ya, and it comes with a png pillowbox template so you can make it with any paper you want (although the Coquette™ pillowboxes in the photo are also included as flattened jpgs).
Last night, my girls went to a pillow pet party. It was a cousin event and involved (of course) all of their pillow pets. Siri reported that they decorated cupcakes and watched a movie with popcorn. I got there this morning as they had all changed into bathing suits and headed out for some water fun. They are smart to take advantage of the nice weather while they can!
Oh, did I mention the best part about this party? I didn’t host it. (Thank you Liz and Tim!).
If you are checking out the cool filter I have on the photo to the left, it’s an App on my iPhone called Hipstamatic. I wanted to make another ABC Book for myself (as I taught the class), but I have very little time these days. So I’m taking all my pics this time around on my iPhone and scrapping it that way. So far it’s working pretty well, and I love the old-timey feeling I get from these photos.
Finally, I wanted mention that my Butterfly Chandelier Tutorial has been featured on Odeedoh! Thank you everyone for checking this out (and letting me know about it!). It’s such a privileged!
Hope you are all having a good weekend and don’t forget about the giveaway in the post below! Be sure and add your comment for a chance to win my new fabric line!
I’ve been a busy girl with the ABC Inspiration Class starting yesterday. It’s been so fun and exciting to do a class like this…to even challenge myself to make a new album during this season of my life. I did, however, take an itty-bitty break last night to watch the finale of the Bachelor Pad. Ya, I’m a sucker for that train wreck. It was highly entertaining even if I was a little disappointed that (spoiler!) Natalie and David won.
Okay, enough about my guilty pleasures. I also wanted to point out that you can now sign up for a brand-new newsletter that will go out with information on new releases. Sign up for the newsletter on the right-hand side bar or below in this post. This newsletter is separate from the blog email sent out by Feedburner. The newsletter will only go out when a new product is being released, for freebies on the site, and when multiple craft projects are posted. It’s a general informational email that won’t be sent out very often, but will keep you posted on all the new goodies!
I’ve been working on samples for my new ABC Class at Jessica Sprague. I sent off my ABC Books last week, and I was so happy when they arrived yesterday. The samples turned out really cute and now I’m off to see what else I can make out of these templates!
I am now going to hijack my own post. Yesterday, I went to the gym and so happened to see this video (below) on TV (KSL’s morning show at 11am). It is Utah’s Studio 5’s segment on Mom’s going back to school. Digital classes anyone?
Ahhh, the first day of school. A little bit sad, but a whole lot of happy. Siri woke up this morning and started getting herself ready (a minor miracle) saying, “I don’t want to be late to my first day of school!”
We celebrated with Banbury Cross Donuts and (me) trying to walk it off by trotting to school with the neighborhood.
It has been quiet in the house today. Felicity has been coloring in my office while I’ve tried to do a little work. Felicity doesn’t start preschool until next week, but it will be lovely to have a couple of hours to work during the day (My goal is to discontinue to the 2 o’clock in the morning design spurts!).
It has officially been 4 years now since I haven’t bought text books and headed to school. Perhaps that is why I have been so gung-ho about my little ABC Class—a reminiscence to those old grad school days. I love the new school year, and I’m excited for the fall to come (this morning felt like fall-too bad it will hit 100 degrees tomorrow).
If you haven’t heard yet, I’m teaching an ABC Inspiration Class to get you (and me included!) documenting our daily lives! With two little girls growing up fast, I want to be sure and grab a snapshot of our lives right now. Siri starts 1st grade (full day-yikes!) and Felicity starts preschool.
I love September because it is the start of fall, new changes, and new beginnings. I couldn’t think of a better way to document it than by using the alphabet as inspiration.
Starting September 13th, we are going to work our way through the alphabet to capture important memories in our daily lives. If you have been itching for a little challenge, this one is it! It is 26 days of easy (and fast!) scrapping (I’ll show you how)! All the templates are included along with some extra papers, ABC Quotes, Definitions, and inspirational lists. I love ABC Books (it doesn’t always have to be A is for apple…you’ll see…).
Here’s a peek at what we will be doing.
This four-week class goes on sale next week on August 16th for $35 (well worth the price when you consider there over 200 products to download along with the course, do a little happy dance!). Check out Jessica’s site next Monday when it goes on sale. I hope you’ll join me for this 26 day journey of scrap-a-licious fun!
I had every intention of blogging while at CHA, but somehow I never got around to it. So here’s a quick review of the week in Chicago. I have oodles and oodles of photos, so this does not begin to cover the “happenings,” but as always, things are crazy around these parts so here’s my Friday-midnight report.
This photo was taken by Meg at Spraguefest by the Bean. Why I was wearing a sweater (even a short sleeved one) in that heat is a mystery to us all. Thankfully, I had a chance to jump around at Millennium Park.
1-Deena Rutter and I promoting our Halloween lines at CHA.
2-Haunted™ comes with acrylic stamps, epoxy brads, and flocked vinyl. Yum!
3. The fab My Mind’s Eye Booth. Seriously, it is so cute!
4-Crystal, Deena, and I headed to the city for a little Bandera, shopping, and sightseeing.
5-A sightseeing tour with the Spraguefest group had me happily sliding down the Picasso and racing Kelly and Crystal.
6-It looks like ice cream doesn’t it? It’s actually a caprese salad. Everyone thought I had ordered dessert first. I didn’t want to let them down, so for the next dinner I did (ummm, cannoli!).
7-Just to prove I was, in fact, in Chicago.
8-I’m caught doing a little sewing at the CHA Supershow. I tried out my flocked Haunted line on this sewing machine.
9-Crystal and I made matching bubble skirts! And this was Crystal’s very first time sewing. I make a motion for her to buy a sewing machine. Second?
10-Transformers 3 was being filmed. Unfortunately, you will have to ask Meg and Gary for their photos of Patrick Dempsey. I managed to miss that one.
11-My favorite night out!!!!! A few of us hopped over to Navy Pier for a little throw-up-inducing rides and ice cream (which was closed so I had to beg the manager to let all 8 of us in. Please, please, please?). BTW, don’t sit with Crystal on the swings. While you are clutching to the chain links for dear life, Crystal will be pretending to fly and wobble you all over the place. You will never get on the swings again.
12-The new Sprague booth at the CHA Supershow. It was PACKED the entire time. There’s lovely Jessica herself.
13-Kari from iKari. Also known to lose her voice from talking ALOT and clapping at everyone to show her support. This picture is proof.
14-A wonderful night of laughs with Crystal, Joan, Meg, and Gary. The waiter made it all the more fun. You can’t tell by this picture but the dessert was the size of my head. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But not by much.
And that is my very-short review (aren’t you glad I didn’t give you the long version?).
I promised photos from CHA and Spraguefest but I have so many that I will have to sort and post later. For now, you will have to be satisfied with this:
I bought a dresser last week and, of course, the best part is that it came in a box. After playing with it for a week inside, we dragged it outside to paint it and let the neighborhood play in it.
They get to use their creativity and it’s free…man, I love a good box!
Also a shout out to everyone taking Jessica Sprague and my course: The Art of Digital Design today! It’s week 5 and you are stuck with me (whaaahaaaaa)! Excited for all the fun we’re going to have this week!
I’ve been dealing with the croup for, well, not even the last 24 hours. My poor little toddler started hacking last night and got to a point where she couldn’t catch her breath. It was probably overly anxious, but Josh had dialed 911 before I knew what had happened. Of course, by the time the ambulance arrived, she was breathing steadily again. After a horrible night of sleep, lots of loads of laundry (because who knew all that gagging would result in so much vomit?), and an elevated fever, I ran her up in InstantCare. I’m in for the long haul for a couple of more nights.
Of course, my baby is most important, but during the periods of her little naps or Josh’s trips to McDonalds (that’s all she will eat right now-terrible, I know), I’m trying to stuff a few more things into my new Drawing Class currently being sold at Jessica Sprague (It’s also now being sold at a discounted price as a bundle with Illustrator 101). I also wanted to let you know that I will be doing a one time only WebCast for the class on April 15th for everyone who has registered. I’m excited for you to begin illustrating!
Here’s a few other things happening! Expect to see my new paper line, Meadow Lark, showing up from My Mind’s Eye soon! You’ll also like to know that you’ll be able to find two glitter books from me at Hobby Lobby and Michaels in the coming months. Yum Yum! And finally, I’m suppose to finish out this week by sending tons of files to China for my new Halloween paper line for My Minds Eye. I’ll announce it and give a peek as we get closer to summer releases!
Okay, one last thing before I run. This weekend, DHD is beginning their new designer releases, which begins with yours truly! Check it out because one of my kits will be free and a collection will be one sale. Oh, and I promised the decorators I’d get a Color Kit out. I promise, I’m working on it!
For now, I need to get back to tending my little one so we can be back on track for a festive Easter!
I know you’ve been waiting patiently! So I’m here to announce that my new Illustrator class for Jessica Sprague goes on sale on Monday! It will be available to take on April 1st. It’s a two week course of intensive drawing for beginners. I include two of my favorite tricks. I hope you enjoy this additional mini class for those of you learning how to illustrate your own work!
In other news, you are going to see two new glitter books from me soon (at Michaels and Hobby Lobby) and of course my new line for My Minds Eye, Meadow Lark™ which should be coming soon! Right now, I need to get back to work on refining my new Illustrator class. Here’s a link for a sneak peek! It’s the introduction to Lesson 1.
**New info! The Illustrator 102 Drawing Class will be 10% off until April 1st. I will also be doing a special webcast for everyone who has registered before April 15th.
Just a quick drop in before I leave for a leprechaun hunt. Just wanted to let you know that I have a new collaborative collection on sale at Design House Digital and Jessica Sprague. OH BOY! was created with designer Crystal Wilkerson. I know you don’t see many boy kits out of me, so you’ll have to take advantage of it! As always, Thursday release days are 30% off (making getting the ENTIRE collection super cheap).
Hope you all like it! I have to run to my leprechaun lunch (hence the little man pb&j sandwiches). We don’t want them to get away!
Just dropping in for a quick hello! Sorry blog, just been so busy! The very best kind of busy. I’ve been working on Pinfeathers for Design House Digital (expect to see elements to the collection this week!). I’ve got a lovely new line coming out in paper with My Mind’s Eye coming out for Spring Release (think chic:)). I’ve also been working on a fabulous collaborative collection with Crystal Wilkerson which is bound to hit Design House Digital and Jessical Sprague this week. I’ve also made time for the FABULOUS weather we have been having here in Utah (bring on spring!). My neighbors may not say it is fabulous, but since we moved from Minnesota 2 years ago this is, well, pretty amazing! The girls and I have spent a bit of time outdoors and I’m hoping to break out my light blue Madsen Cycle this week to pick Siri up from school. I might have also stayed up extra late last night watching The Bachelor with friends (which always means staying up late!). Ahhh, some guilty pleasures simply cannot be given up!
Hope you are all doing well and that spring is coming to you too!
Wheww! Here it is! Our fifth issue of the newsletter. This thing just gets bigger and bigger! This one is 39 pages long with a huge section on Spraguefest, an introduction to Susan, a quilt pattern, a coupon code for Designer Workshop, and tutorials galore!
It’s been so busy since I got back from Vegas that I haven’t posted anything (well, much of anything) about Spraguefest. In fact, there was so much to show and write about that we decided to just add it to our newsletter.
Mostly, I have been working on
Just a quick drop in before I leave for a leprechaun hunt. Just wanted to let you know that I have a new collaborative collection on sale at 
Just dropping in for a quick hello! Sorry blog, just been so busy! The very best kind of busy. I’ve been working on