Not scrappy but still a crafty post....

WOW!  Did I drop off the face of the earth or what?!?!?!  I guess I just needed a break - not that I have been keeping up with this blog the way I used to anyway but....It's been going strong for 6 years!  Of course, entertaining the ever adorable little daughter can really put a dent in your time to play!  We opted for no summer camps in an effort to save money this summer so that means it's mommy time ALL the time!  And also means not a whole lot of crafting has been going on.  Because if I am in there she is in there and if she is in there I am not getting a heck of a lot done.  But we HAVE been busy.

So what's been going on?  ALOT.  As y'all know (if anyone is still here reading this!)  I have been really battling health-wise with getting off of my medications and dealing with my struggle against depression and borderline Bi-polar disorder.  Well, it's gotten alot better.  The meds are out of my system and I am slowly normalizing - to what's normal for me anyway - and learning to accept myself and rejoice in my facets!  Because I am not broken I am just unique.  And that can be ok.  I had a HUGE wake up call this summer when an old friend of ours who has long struggled with depression killed himself.  I have always seen suicide from the view of the person who is suicidal - I know the pain he was in.  But I have never seen the aftermath or felt how completely flooring it is to be someone left behind.  To be so completely filled with the WHY of it.....  Steve was mutli-faceted and profoundly interesting and I believe these things often go hand in hand - the mad scientist and crazy artist types you know?  It gave me a new perspective and has helped shift my thinking back towards a healthier place.  But the road is long.....

Our very sick litter of foster kittens with the horrible eye infections - they all survived AND no one is blind.  However, it is a lifelong ailment that may require future meds and treatments and vet visits so it will not be easy to find adopters for them.  Especially my little Bun-ny, the boy.  He is SO stinkin' adorable but his eyes were the worst and he really struggles.

Bun with his "Big Cat" buddy Bubba

"Jungle Bun - he single-handedly destroyed this plant for me...

"Ferocious Brioche-ess" - in my old purse

Baby Baguette - the runt

We have been on lots of trips too - out with the camper to Myrtle Beach, Luray Caverns and soon Lancaster PA to name a few.  We also went to Utah to see my Dad and Step Mom and I strolled CHA which I have not done for several years.  It was SO SO good to see friends I only see during the show.  Nothing bowled me over as far as products but I think I have gotten a bit jaded to it all!  The highlight (other than my awesome awesome friends Terri and Nadja) was meeting Anna Dabrowska - Finnabair - and watching her demo while I worked in the Splash of Color booth.  She is so chock full of talent plus super sweet and fun to boot!

So what have I been crafting?  Not a whole lot I have to be honest BUT I have been doing a bit of things here and there outside of paper crafting and mixed media.  I pulled my sewing machine out of the disaster that is my studio and laid it out on the sunroom table (my hubby loves when I do this sort of thing and begin taking over the whole house) and I also FINALLY got back to my dollhouse I had started 2 years ago (HOLY CRAP TWO YEARS!) 

So while I know y'all are all papercrafters, and I WILL have more of that coming,I wanted to show y'all the purse I made:

 

Now even though this is fabric and it's a sewing project it's still relevant!  For one it's crafty - HAHA!  But I often stroll through my {incredible} local quilt shop and think how adorable some of the fabric collections would be if they were translated into a papercrafting collection and this collection is definitely one of those!  My papercrafting/mixed media stuff has been filled with this great color combo - Turquoise with Terra Cotta or Coral - and I even did a post about why it works so well together HERE. And of course the OWLS - holy cow I cannot seem to get enough of the owls.

Anyway I made the great big boho-esque bag.  Then I realized the lack of pockets (I normally only use patterns with lots of pockets) would be a problem so I had to make a zipper pouch and sunglass case from the extra fabric.

They both gave me problems though since it was my first time for each so the extra fabric turned into a trip to get even more fabric BUT in the end I am pleased.

It was important to me that my pouch have the little fabric end stops on either end of the zipper and I found the PERFECT and perfectly FREE tutorial on Flossie Teacakes.  Now I want to make more but I don't have a reason to....YET...but I am sure I will think of something!

Some little matching fabric Kanzashi flowers, yoyos and buttons were the perfect finishing touches.  Now if someone would just make me some paper to match this collection......!

I better scoot - I have lots to do before we can get out of the house - heading to the local county fair to look at the booths and then see a truck & tractor pull and ride some rides!  Hot dogs and funnel cakes here we come!

What is YOUR favorite color combination OR scrappy/paper collection right now???  I want your input!!!!