Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Inspired Painter

Saturday night with my child was so awesome. One of those bonding experiences that lifts your relationship to a new place. We dragged out so many stencils and mark making tools the garage floor was filled with inspiring goodness! 

I love the piece that she made... it says stuff from her heart... big as Alaska and FIERCE!





Thursday, February 9, 2012

Tutorial HeArt Strings for Valentines or any Day!

Will you be my Valentine?
I am a romantic, what can I say? I love the idea of chocolates and flowers and ooey gooey love poems and lacy cards and big gestures that knock your socks off... its just how I'm made...

Valentine's Day is a fun time at our place. My husband and I had our first date on Valentine's Day 2000 at a favorite restaurant, with a nice bottle of wine and a Pearl Jam compilation CD... cracks me up to think back 12 years ago (!) to that day when he was a hour and a half late because he made a wrong turn taking him to a different part of the Bay Area over a bridge he had never crossed! LOL Gotta forgive the Wisconsin boy who couldn't find my little town.

Well, needless to say, we've been together ever since and are still celebrating our first date anniversary with the rest of you Valentine's revelers (are there Valentine's revelers?)!

This Winter Alexia and I made string upon string of sweet paper hearts for decorations around the Herrmann House. We had them on our tree as garland and now we've got paper hearts strung up in our bedroom.

The project was really simple, each of us sewed our string, but you could also glue them to ribbons if you're not into sewing.  Here are some pictures of our process:

cut out lots of lovely hearts of different sizes

Alexia loved the tiniest hearts!

We began with a ribbon
at the top and then...

Chain stitched away

Sew through each heart
and keep stitching 

add your next heart, don't worry
too much about spacing

Before you know it! 

You'll be doing the "I made my
own HeArt String!" dance, too.

Stitch them horizontally for a
more traditional garland!

Holly, our elf, LOVED
hanging out in them

I am in love with the vintage
 book page strings
 that are now strung up in my room
Now go get your cRaFt On!!!
xoxo
jul

Friday, January 20, 2012

100 Ways to Live the Uncomplicated LIfe




I STUMBLED UPON THIS POST AT BellaMumma
AND I  LOVED IT SO MUCH,  I JUST HAD TO SHARE IT... 
It begins...
You see, when we’re born we see the world in an uncomplicated way. We know what we need, and we ask for it. We like nice people, and we don’t like mean people. We sleep when we’re tired, we eat when we’re hungry, and we stop eating when we’re full.
As we grow older, we eat and drink to console ourselves, rather than addressing what’s bothering us. We overwork to avoid close relationships, rather than finding people we can trust to form strong bonds with. We hold grudges, play games, spend more than we make, want things we don’t need, and we get too far away from our basic human needs. In other words, we complicate things.

Here are 100 ways to uncomplicate it... 
{perfect inspiration for a  rainy day!}

1. Don’t try to read other people’s minds

2. Get up 30 minutes earlier so that you don’t rush/get a ticket while driving too fast/have to explain why you’re late/get fired

3. Get 8 hours of sleep per night so that you think more clearly

4. Stick to your budget

5. Start saving and investing every week, no matter how little you can spare

6. Balance your checkbook

7. Don’t try to be friends with everyone. Cultivate closer relationships with fewer people.

8. Don’t try to do business with everyone. Identify your target client and take very good care of them.

9. Before getting angry, ask yourself if it will really matter in 20 years

10. Focus on being a good person, not on pleasing others

11. Stay home this Saturday, and finish off that nagging chore that you need to finish

12. Kiss and make up

13. Make a weekly menu, and shop for only those items at the market

14. Ask your grandparents the best way to uncomplicate life, and try it for a month

15. Fill up your gas tank when it’s half full

16. Don’t drink alcohol when you’re tired, sad or mad

17. Pay your bills on time

18. Get an annual physical examination

19. Say “I love you” to your significant other and to your children. Studies show that more marriages last, and fewer kids use drugs, when these words are spoken every day.

20. For just one day, imagine everyone’s intentions are good because most people’s are

21. Give away clothes that haven’t been worn in two years

22. Throw out clothes that are in disrepair, and can’t be mended

23. When you have a conflict with someone, talk it out. Don’t let it turn into more than it is.

24. Know what your priorities are in life, and act as if they are your priorities

25. Tell the truth

26. Don’t cheat

27. Don’t steal

28. If you’re holding on to a ridiculous grudge, let it go

29. Clean your house weekly, so that it doesn’t become too large a chore

30. Do your best at work, or at school

31. Don’t eat when you aren’t hungry

32. Eat when you are hungry

33. Be yourself

34. Say no unapologetically

35. Cook simple meals

36. Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses

37. Pay off your car before buying a new one

38. Don't explain yourself unnecessarily 

39. Change your smoke alarm batteries when the clocks spring forward, and again when they fall back

40. Organise your important paperwork

41. Take only half the clothes that you planned to take with you on holiday

42. Help your children with their homework every night, and have an open dialogue with their teachers

43. Have white sheets and white towels in children’s rooms/bathrooms, because they’re easily bleached

44. Spend your time with nice people

45. Avoid drama

46. Don’t text while driving

47. Turn off the television/video games/computer; they’re time consumers

48. Don’t engage in office politics

49. Refuse to gossip, or talk behind other people’s backs

50. Do the dishes right after dinner

51. Never go to sleep angry

52. Ask nicely for what you need and want

53. Walk 10,000 steps per day to help your heart

54. Do 20 push-ups before speaking in anger

55. Leave work at work

56. Don’t befriend anyone that isn’t trustworthy

57. Don’t envy others

58. Have your oil changed

59. Take vitamin C BEFORE you catch a cold

60. Don’t work more than 8 hours per day

61. Weed your garden weekly

62. Wash your car weekly

63. Have a spring cleaning month every year, and do one room at a time

64. You don’t need to be best friends with work colleagues, but build respectful partnerships

65. Don’t drink and drive

66. Don’t look for reasons to be angry or sad, look for reasons to be happy. You’ll always be able to find plenty of each.

67. Be friendly with your neighbours

68. Return emails and phone messages promptly

69. Schedule in free time

70. Don’t procrastinate

71. Do what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it

72. Be more flexible when you’re able to be

73. Forgive and forget. End of story.

74. Break the consumerism habit…put a three month moratorium in place on buying anything not deemed a necessity

75. Start your diet on September 1, rather than January 1, so that you won’t also have holiday pounds to lose

76. Take care of any health issues or concerns

77. Have your tires rotated

78. Have your brakes checked

79. Have your eyes checked

80. Don’t let your imagination run away with you

81. Let go of perfection in others

82. Let go of perfection in yourself

83. Don’t try to help those that refuse to help themselves

84. Find a way to reduce your commute to work

85. Have an alloted amount of worry time per day/week, that you strictly abide by

86. Drink more water

87. Eat more salmon

88. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill

89. Wear your hair in a classic, easy to care for style

90. Finish what you start

91. Wear classic clothes and shoes that never go out of style

92. Create a daily routine

93. Have a 1, 5, 10 and 20 year plan for your financial and life goals

94. Slow down

95. Eat out less often

96. When you ask your husband which outfit looks best, thank him for his answer and wear the one he liked rather than focusing on why he didn’t like the other one

97. Allow your children to grow up

98. Clean out your garage, and donate anything that hasn’t been used in the past year

99. Stretch every day

100. If a relationship is over, let it go

Monday, December 5, 2011

Rosette Ornament Tutorial

We have been having so much fun with these little rosettes that I thought I would share the love... I'm good like that ;) 

I first just made a simple rosette to put in the center of my awesome book page wreath and when I saw how cute they were I thought, hey, that's a perfect little project for a handmade ornament. 

The little Herrmann girl and I made a few and then I took the goodies to a girlfriends house and we had a whole girls night in with wine and half a dozen of us gluing, giggling and glittering into the night.

I posted pictures below with short descriptions... if you have any questions let me know and I can clarify! 

Here it goes:


Accordion fold your favorite paper

You'll need 3 of these.

I'm addicted to glitter so...

paint glue on the edges and dip in the good stuff

dig out your fun embellishments 

Find something special for the center

Hot glue them all together 

Layer 'em up

Voila!
If you're anything like me you'll be covering your tree with this delightful little things. 

I'm also thinking that they would be great package toppers in lieu of bows!
No book is SAFE!!!
Have fun 
and
Go get your CRAFT ON!!! 
xoxo
jul

Monday, November 28, 2011

Danville's Angel Warrior LCPL Joshua Corral


Our small town in the East Bay here in the San Francisco Bay Area has lost one of its own. It hit hard. A young man who just graduated from our local high school in 2010 lost his life in Afghanistan. There was a memorial today with a procession from one end of our little downtown to the mortuary.


We didn't know this young man, we didn't know his family or any of his friends. We only met his face on Friday during the lighting of Danville's Old Oak Tree when the people who knew him asked for our support. I still don't know how I can possibly support them except to hold space for their grief. I do understand the pain of losing a child, its the least I can do.


Beyond that, to teach my daughter about the gravity of war, the seriousness and expense of duty to country we walked down from our house to the mortuary. To show our support we just held the space for their son's passing from across the street and I let Lex just ask me questions and start to get the slightest realization of what it all meant.


Afterwards, the owner of this car came over to give Lexee a picture and to pet the little dog. It turns out that Ray & Jeanette come out to support families of the military, police and fire. He himself is a POW and together they feel passionately about taking care of those who serve.

Both he and his wife said that our town was the best they've seen when it comes to supporting their military veterans. They gave us a photo of the Angel Warrior, LCPL Joshua "Chachi" Corral. They said he was 5'6" 135lbs and worth his weight in gold. I'm sharing that photo here:


On our walk home Alexia mused, if our soldiers are going to give their lives for our country the least we can do is take care of it while they're gone. I think she's right.


Rest in Peace, Josh. Information on the memorial service and further services is here.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Conversation of the Day: What is on the bathroom floooooorrrrr???

Me:(at the top of my lungs) WHAT IS THIS ON THE FLOOR IN MY BATHROOM???

Little:(scurrying in from the other room) Mom, you're holding that upside down.

Me: WHAT? (ahem, attempts to regain composure) *breaths in deeply* What is it? And WHY is it on the floor of my bathroom.

Little: (Totally annoyed with me) Its a petrie dish, mom, and its filled with shrimp eggs that you're going to kill if you keep holding it upside down

Me: (disgusted, curious and somewhat amused, but still irritated) Why is it on the floor of my bathroom and how long has it been here?

Little: (still not answering the WHY is it in the bathroom) Like two seconds, Mom (giggles and RUNS!)

Me: (shouting after her) I could have killed myself y'know!  (Nothing like a little of the good old guilt to make your point... what was my point?)

I have NO idea what that was, but it kinda cracked me up... a petrie dish? in the bathroom? filled with shrimp eggs? oooookayyy good thing she's so darn cute!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Holiday Boot Camp to Whip those gifts into SHAPE...

Ok, crafters and non crafters alike... Thinking of making your gifts this year, but haven't started yet? Or maybe you're short on time and space to get things going...


The holidays are upon us. There are exactly 43 sleeps, 11 hours, 25 minutes, PST of crafting time to get all of your gifts made, wrapped and delivered. If we get started RIGHT away you'll get it all done if you're ON IT! 


I'm on it... Are you? If not, we've got the answer...



HOLIDAY GIFT BOOT CAMP!

Come learn how to make your gifts with your friends at Tangerine! Alison and Julee will be hosting a fun weeknight class each Thursday starting next week! Yes, NEXT Thursday November 17th. We'll be there with our first project all set out. All you have to do is show up.

We'll keep you going, help you get things done AND have a fabulous time doing it! We're doing it in the evening on a weeknight so that you still have plenty of time to shop and craft on the weekends. 

Thursdays through the holiday season we will be Gettin' Our Craft ON!!! 
Check it out: (If you click the images you can right click and save the flier so that you can hand them out to your friends... everyone is going to want to do this!)



1. Have you seen those *swoon worthy* book page wreaths? We'll make one in class and then you can go home and make them for gifts! 

2. Winter weather means candles. We'll make a fun and easy ice candle in class and then you can go home and make them for gifts!

3. Paper clay Peace Dove ornaments. We'll make a few in class and you'll go home and make them for gifts!

4. Darling paper garlands. We'll make some that have the ease of those childhood garlands with the sophistication to please any "grown up". We'll make 'em in class annnnnddddd.... you'll go home and make them for gifts!

BONUS Week Wrap Up In our final week will be all about making tags for your packages and showing some fun alternative wrapping ideas. 

Sounds awesome, right?! YEAH!!! 

Pricing is just $200 for all 4 of these FUN, Gifty, crafty classes! Plus the COOL BONUS class
If you would like to choose any 1 class the price is $65
If you would like to choose any 3 classes the price is $175

Dates:
November 17th, December 1, 8, 15 and BONUS week to WRAP it all up on December 22.
Time: 6:00 - 8:00pm 

Kids welcome! We will have some things set out for the kids to create ornaments and cards or you can sign them up for the class.

You can leave me a message here and I'll email you to make arrangements to sign you up. Or you can email me julee@heartcollective.com and we'll get you all signed up OR you can go to Tangerine and get all signed up OR you can call Gina 925.548.8447 to get all signed up. 

Tangerine is at 7038 Village Parkway, Dublin, CA 94568 Their hours are approximately 10 - 5ish most days. Closed on Sunday and Monday.