ahhh big sigh

The flurry of activity has slowed and now I can focus on what I love most, finding that perfect something that touches my friends and family in a meaningful way. I have already enjoyed connecting with clients, delivering to them holiday cards and photos all touched by hand in some way. It is this connection to creativity that keeps me at it all hours of the day and night. Yes, my upkeep has been lacking. I saw my friend and trainer, Bonnie today. Thank goodness she was available to kick my booty in gear!! Felt good to get active again. I am working toward balance. Need to book a hair appt.....feeling scary! And nails would be nice.....getting back into the balance and enjoying the journey at all points! I plan to get back to some photos and will share them as soon as I can. Next week I will begin uploading all my projects from this season so you can see what I was up to!

BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!! Ok, I thought it was cold at 35* lows....now it is 24* lows with 38* highs! I am not ready! I have a fire roaring in the fireplace and paper is flying in the workshop. Things are surely heating up around here! Thank you to "K" helping me get it all done. She is an angel and doing a fantastic job! I also have two little "elves" posting my Holiday Show postcards......yes, some of the stamps may be sideways and some of the addresses a little crooked, but they were put on with love by my two sons! It is getting to be busy and I am looking forward to seeing you at the holiday show. Those of you who have procrastinated your holiday cards can pick them up ready made. I am loving the new paper lines just in for the holidays! I am already thinking about next season-look out for some holiday packages with photos and holiday cards as well as prints for gifts!! We will begin booking for this in the Spring. That's it for now....gotta get back at it!

Taking a break from the flurry of activity to blog. TGIF! I am so excited for the weekend-it's shaping up to be THE PERFECT weekend. Last night played cards with the girls and I have not laughed that hard in a LOOOOONG time. It was hilarious trying to keep track of the last card played. My stomach ached this morning-must be have been that and all those brownies I ate. B, you must make me work hard on Wed!! Tonight get to catch up with our friends from Manhattan at a new restaurant in Greenwich. I also got a surprise call that my niece is visiting! Can't wait to see her and her boyfriend. What a treat. Saturday some time finally spent with our neighbors. Can't wait! As for work, my print shop is kicking out my goodies faster than fast-thank you, T, S & J at the shop!! They have been hustling-doing such a great job that my deadline next year might be extended to give you procrastinators more time to............procrastinate!! The next couple weeks will be crazy, but will try to take some time to post more photos. The O family asked to be shot-looking forward to it-BEAUTIFUL family, inside and out! xo

With the fall coming to an end, I thought these shots were appropriate. Our pumpkins are fading and the tree I snapped at a cemetery has lost most of its leaves. I will try to keep up with blogging, but I might be a slacker in the blog department over the coming weeks. (Comments DO keepme motivated to come back, however!) I have many card orders and prints to do as well as product to create for the holiday show. Many of you are already "pre-ordering" before the show. VERY SMART!! Those teacher, bus driver gifts begin to stack up in December-before you know it, piano lessons are over and you forgot a little treat for your instructor! xo shawn

Now that the sports are winding down, the work is heating up. I am so thankful to those clients that let me "play" at photographing their children. How I enjoyed connecting with the innocence of youth. If you are "procrastinating" your holiday cards because you don't have a photo-I am offering a special package for the pre-made holiday cards. Email me for details....I really enjoy the opportunity to snap some more pics and if the weather cooperates, have had some great shots at Weir farm. Let me know if you are interested. xo

After this week, I will never underestimate the power of a cup of coffee, or a phone call, or a quick note or email. The week was a tough one, for reasons I won't bore you with. But, after reaching out and catching up with some friends, I feel re-charged. Thank you to all the friends that made me feel better-you know who you are.

As the fall leaves rain down on the ground, I feel winter coming on. The grey branches of the trees are looking stark in contrast to the golden leaves covering the grass. Our last little holdout-the pear tree is showing her magnificent fall colors in a burst of yellows, oranges, peaches and crimson. Football ended this weekend in a disappointing loss to our competitor, and soccer wrapped up the season as well. A little quieter on the weekends for a few weeks. Thanksgiving is right around the corner........where has the time gone??

Some favorites from yesterday. L looked just like her mom when she got out of the car. Simply beautiful. G shows so much personality when he smiles. The two together are pure sweetness! As always, I so enjoy the time I spend trying to capture the personality of each client. These two looked so cute when photographed together....I couldn't resist sharing these!

cheese, cheese, cheese

This may not look appetizing to you, but my son Regan only eats cheese. String cheese, cheddar cheese, quesadillas (with cheese), mac n cheese, cheese pizza (no sauce)......if it's cheesy, he will eat it. The only thing without cheese that he eats is chicken nuggets (in the shape of dinosaurs). So, as we were trying to broaden his little horizons, we came up with the ingenious idea to put cheese on top of a chicken patty (sold to Regan as a giant chicken nugget). Well, the idea took off and he LOVED it. We have tried this with pork tenderloin and he gobbles it up. The broccoli, however, dripping in cheese, was not a success. Still trying to come up with new ideas. Thanks to K for the secret "zucchini" chocolate chip muffins....always looking for ways to add veggies! I do think we are getting there! xo

weekend update!

Another beautiful weekend here in CT and we were lucky to share much of it with our good friends P&K from CA and their children. They celebrated HALLOWEEN with us Friday night and had a sports-filled weekend. We kicked it off with a nail-biting soccer match for my 6 year old and they WON (though we are NOT keeping score). We then went to a YALE game where we watched the children of a friend play some great defense against Columbia. It was a very festive atmosphere hanging with the parents of these players and now all three of my kids want to go to YALE! We hurried home for a playoff football GAME for my 9 year old. It was another nail-bitter but with some great plays and excellent blocking they won! We capped off the day with dinner at our favorite local restaurant the Schoolhouse at Cannondale. Check out their blog: http://schoolhouserestaurant.wordpress.com/. Chef TIM is cooking up some yummy things-I thought the LOBSTER Risotto was out of this world! While this is a busy month, I am looking forward to all the creativity that will flow with the holidays. I also look forward to family, friends, cooking and relaxing over Thanksgiving! It's going to be a great month. xo shawn

holidays

Has this happened to you? The kids will say something so sweet and precious and you promise you will write this down, but forget? It happens to me ALL THE TIME! This time I thought I would share it with you as we are approaching the holidays and as a way of preserving the innocence of children. I know it's possible that the economy will make many decisions for the holidays challenging, but I thought you might enjoy this conversation with my youngest as I was tucking him in last night. It reminds me that the holidays are best enjoyed through the eyes of a child.

Me: "Regan, what do you want for Christmas?"

Regan: "Hmmm, I don't know..."

Me: "You should think about it and write it down for Santa."

Regan: "I know, when I do, he always brings me what I want."

Me: "Well then, we should really think about what you want."

Regan: "But I like your gifts better because you always surprise me."

Hmmm.....I thought for an almost 7 year old that this was pretty profound. Our kids don't need everything on their "list" to feel the magic of the season...we simply need to surprise them....I am going to try to remember this and make this season magical. I am going to find something special to surprise them with!

Another little something I thought you might enjoy! xo

Ok Ms. R, here are the snaps from yesterday! The girls are so beautiful. We had a great time and so glad we beat the rain-today is another story. Thanks for taking the time to let me play! Enjoy! xo

Another one of my favorite shots. Love the porch of this old house. It is being renovated and soon that patina will be gone.

Three of my favorites from the photo shoot. The picture of the kids together is adorable and I will share their holiday card with you a little later...it's a NEW style I'm introducing but am saving it for those of you who might get one in the mail...I want to keep it a surprise!!! L was so relaxed as she "worked it" and A was so adorable, stopping for shots, and playing tag and rolling around with her brother and my two sons. N is just too much-can't you see it in his eyes? We had a great time! xo shawn

Brrrrrr!

It is cold out there! 32 degrees this am...........while this weekend was beautiful, the cold is beginning to creep in and I'm not so sure I am ready for it! Where DID I put that winter coat???? I was able to get a little shot in the creative arm this weekend thanks in large part to B and her beautiful family who were very patient and relaxed-allowing me to "play" and get some fun shots of their family at the same time. We were at Ambler Farm http://www.amblerfarm.org/ and it is a truly inspirational place to capture family memories. We are lucky to have it in our little town. We also had a little soccer, a little football and some R&R to round out the perfect weekend.

This is a picture of the dogwood by our barn-someday to be my studio! Look at those colors! I love to look out onto this while I work!

There is just something about pork and apples that remind me of fall. This is dinner two nights ago. Cajun style pork grilled on BBQ, Sauteed apples with cinnamon and cardamom and grilled asparagus! YUMMMY!

Okay, I admit it.......sometimes I have tree envy. This is my neighbor's tree and it is SPECTACULAR!!! Every fall I catch afternoon glimpses of it as the sunlight hits it just right. Fortunately I have a little fireplace and sitting area to enjoy the vista!!

COLOR!

Every year I am surprised by the vibrancy of color in the fall. This weekend we had some time off from SCHOOL and we took a trip up to see the fall colors and visit the lake house. It was breath-taking. I took this SHOT from the shore of our house and all weekend, at sunset, we could not peel our eyes away from the glowing colors. We feel so lucky to be in New England-especially at this time of year. I worked on getting some shots of the kids for our HOLIDAY card! We had a great weekend and are ready to get back into the routine-though 6am came EARLY today. xo shawn

Fall

Finally the chill is in the air! My daughter SAID to me this weekend, "I love the changing seasons, it's why I love living in Connecticut." I admit, I think the FALL is the most glorious time of YEAR for New Englanders. It is making apple pies, stewy meals and hunkering down with family in front of the FIRE. I am really looking forward to the holidays this year-we're spending it with lots of family and I can't wait! Thinking of fires, familyAND holidays, I have to tell you about a a wine from Paso Robles, CA we discovered. It is called Treana, http://www.treana.com/ and if you are in Connecticut, you can FIND it at Stew Leonard's wine shop in Norwalk. It's a blend of cabernet and syrah that is soooo delicious. It sells for about $40, but drinks like it's $100. It is so tasty. AND, for you chardonnay drinkers, they make a fantastic Chard....salud! xo

once in awhile...........

Once in awhile someone or something touches you. It resonates with your soul. While doing some research on wine-making, I came across a quote from the late Robert Mondavi. He is credited with paving the way for California wine-making. His quote: "Wine to me is a passion. It's family and friends. It's warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It's culture. It's the essence of civilization and the art of living". Now that says it all, doesn't it?
xo shawn

Uncertainty

I know for many of us it has been a CRAZY week. Living near NYC I have seen how the erratic behavior in the stock market has affected people. While I think that burying your head in the sand and pretending there are no real ISSUES out there is silly, taking time to remind yourself of all the beautiful things around you is one way to help control the madness. I feel especially lucky to have a warm and loving family, a perfect studio from which to create, Good friends that make me LAUGH, interesting, QUIRKY clients who challenge me to "bring it" every time I work on a project for them, and most of all, the ability to ALTER my state of mind at any given time simply by changing my perception of the situation. It has been a roller coaster of a ride this week, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I THANK those of you who have contacted me to do your holiday cards as it has provided me the ability to focus on beauty, simplicity, family and all the warm feelings that come with the holidays. I look forward to all the other CLIENTS out there who allow me to touch their lives with my simple and artful holiday cards.
xoxo shawn

busy week

It was a hectic week. Preparations for the Fall Trunk Show including product creation and prep, kids regular routine, coming down with a cold and my daughter getting FOUR teeth out. All I can say is "phew"! It was really great to see many people who hadn't made it to a show before. The "NEWBIES" had fun looking over the goodies. $5 scrap packs, new bookmarks, recipe boxes, "framed" paper.......so much fun to share-and fun to hear about summer escapades. It was also very special to me that my sister in law from Massachusettes came all the down for the show. She is a really THOUGHTFUL person and it meant a lot to me to have her support. Today was another big day in our household. My 11 year old daughter had to have FOUR teeth out this morning. I was so proud of how BRAVE she was. She has been so sweet. She did not want to have it done yesterday because she did not want to miss SCHOOL! Can you imagine? She is an AMAZING girl. I am so glad it is Sat. night. Tomorrow is a big mani/pedi day with KG! It has been AGES!!!!! So looking forward to some down time. Things are gearing up for holiday cards. Already have several "PLANNERS" and have their projects in the works. Enjoy the weekend.
xoxo

Check It Out!

I have been having so much fun in the studio!!! New products are are on their way for the Trunk Show. I can't tell you how great these new PAPERS are. Check out these clipboards:




And here are the new six pax of book marks. My daughter is dying for some! With SIX you can have one for every BOOK you are reading!!



I absolutely LOVE this line!!!

what a whirlwind-cake??

What a whirlwind weekend it has been. Our dog was in to have some cysts removed, and we found out she needed a TOOTH removed also. What trouper. She is an angel. She's resting fairly comfortably-as comfortable as possible with a cone on her head! Sports and more sports this weekend with an exciting soccer and FOOTBALL games for the boys. Both boys WON their games (phew!). We had a fabulous dinner with some good friends last night at my favorite local restaurant: the schoohouse at cannondale. Check it out: http://www.theschoolhouseatcannondale.com/ It was DELICIOUS! Tim, the chef/owner, is always passionate about what he does and the ambiance coupled with the food and the company-MAGNIFICENT!! The question was raised: "If you were a CAKE what kind of cake would you be?" Post your answers....I can't wait to hear! There was quite a conversation about various options! My favorite was a pancake....it is so versatile. I hope MS doesn't mind if I pimped his idea!! I am finalizing some HOLIDAY cards already and cannot wait to share this new style with you.....all I can say is WOW! You'll see them at the Holiday Card open house in October. Christa Strick photography in CA is shooting some beautiful things and can't wait to SEE all the other shots from this year! Check her out at: http://www.christastrickphotography.com/ As always, fall is full of creativity and I look forward to sharing it with you at my TRUNK SHOW on the 25th.
xo shawn

rack 'em up!

Ahhhh, a lovely sight to see all that paper in one spot. I feel VERY inspired. Can you believe after four whole racks of paper I still need more? (racks, not paper) Oh, who am I kidding? I'll always need more PAPER!!! Some of my first paper shipments are coming in and ohh, they are fantastic. I can't wait to make some goodies out of it. I am also beginning to work on some holiday cards and I am very EXCITED with how they are turning out. I can't show you until after the holidays, but some are edgy!!! And lovely! A client recently described my holiday cards as "presents" all wrapped up. I do think of holiday cards as a way to reach out to friends and family and what better way than to GIVE them a beautiful holiday card with a family photo all wrapped upwith a beautiful ribbon-just like a present! I'm feeling a bit anxious that our dog must get a cyst removed tomorrow. Keep us in your thoughts.

xo shawn

finally organized!

Yes, it's true! I have finally organized my studio. I know I put it off for far too long. It is so much more fun to create than to clean but it is soooooo, sooooo nice to have a clean place in which to work. Oh, it took some patience. OK, ALOT of patience. But I have on order FOUR paper racks and cannot wait to see all my paper in one beautiful spot!!!! For now, I am happy to have a place for everything. Gearing up for the Trunk Show is a dream in my newly organized studio.
xo

BOO!

Some new cards I'm making for the Fall Trunk Show. The Glitter Fairy would be proud! The purple glitter on the "boo" just makes it pop. These are a "treat" for attendees at my show. They just need to sign up to be on my email list and you will get a coupon for the card. Print it and bring it!

New Stuff!!!!

Some new goodies-finally! It was a good day of cleaning out the studio (some) and working on new fun things (lots!) One of my favorite new papers on a handmade card with a new product: envelope seals. The perfect way to top off your correspondence! The other is a hot new paper for holiay cards!! Ahhh, I love fall.
xo

boat update number 2

Well, another beautiful weekend in paradise. The girls were up for part of it. While everyone had a hectic schedule, we managed to visit two local wineries and had a great time catching up with one another. After a football jamboree, hubby and family headed to the lake to spend Labor Day. We had a great time enjoying the outdoors, the beach, fishing, etc. We decided to do a little tubing at the end of the day, right before we headed home. Hubby tried to get the boat started....no luck. Blower worked, the thing that lowered the boat prop worked....it can not be the battery.....hmmm, what can it be???? A nice neighbor noticed the struggle to get the boat operational and mentioned that he, too, had a "vintage" boat (aka "old")and that the solenoid had gone bad. GREAT!!!!!! Back home doing research on solenoid parts.....hope to get it back running next weekend.

On the business side of things: A HUGE thank-you to Peggy Garbus Photography for mentioning me in her newsletter. I have received several emails from it and greatly appreciate the exposure and all the new fun people I'm meeting! If you have not seen Peggy's website, be sure to check it out. She has an amazing eye that captures the essence of her subjects! . She's booking up, so be sure to call soon to secure your spot! Also, I am booking now for Holiday Cards. Spots fill quickly so please call when you are ready to discuss your holiday card.
xo

boat update

ok, so yes, the boat does float! This weekend we got it back from the real fixing place aka marina, and my does it fly. Our friends P & K visited from CA with their children and we had an awesome time on the intertube. The boat runs beautifully! The weather was fantastic. Picture perfect in the northeast. I only hope it holds for the bookgroup "meeting"aka wine club! I will show you some boat pics soon-I promise. Meanwhile, we have had a productive few days of work with kiddos back at school. I am amazed at the organizational skills of some people: PR and KL you know who you are! Already the holiday card orders are coming in as well as pre-orders for teacher gift items. It's never too early to start planning for those holidays!! xo shawn

It's here!

The first day of school has finally come. It seems way too early for school to start. Although, after driving around town I have definitely noticed that some of the trees are turning! A few of my friends have taken their children to college. I can't imagine the feeling of dropping off your "little" one who is not so little anymore. As a little "hint" to write, consider a gift of pre-stamped notecards.......might make hearing from them a little easier!! I am looking forward to having more creative time in the studio. With our Annual Fall Trunk Show almost here, I need to get production in gear!!! Gone are those lazy days of summer! But hello to those beautiful fall mornings and evenings, fires in the fireplace, hot cocoa, oranges, blacks, greys, purples, spiders, witches.........Halloween will be here before we know it. I saw in the market just the other day "100 Halloween tips...." Do they know it is still August?????? I know, blink and it will be here and it always pays to prepare! xo

5 days and counting...........

Yes, normally this time of year I'd be singing "it's the most wonderful time of the year....." right along with the staples commercial except somehow, this year, I am sad the summer is nearing the end. Don't get me wrong, I love the fall more than any homegrown New Englander ever did, but this summer has been spectacular. I have spent more time playing monopoly, teaching my kids the game of hearts, swimming, kayaking and reading than I have EVER done since childhood. It truly has been a blissful summer....so I can't help but feel a little sad to see it go. I wonder if anyone else is feeling the same way?? 5 more days to go and I plan to live 'em up with the kiddos!

Exciting new things ahead!

I am so excited about the new products we're offering this fall. I have been working like crazy to come up with fun new things with the fabulous paper offerings this year. I promise to show some sneak peaks!! There are some GREAT new holiday lines and beautiful fall colors. Very sophisticated patterns and fun and whimsical. The manufacturers and their artists just never cease to amaze me! I love the way they make every day items more fun!

I had my meeting with a local photographer today and man, was I blown away by her photography!!!! She is THAT good. Such an eye with black and white. I hope to get some clients of hers for my holiday cards. They would look great with her work!! Her website is linked but if you are in the Wilton, CT area, you must go by her studio!

I guess we just missed a tornado here in Wilton...thought that just happened in Kansas! Skies were black, I was saving work......thankfully nothing so far but hubby stuck in traffic and I listened as hail was hitting the car....fun!!!

I guess it's time for dinner. My little one is asking, "mom, what's for dinner?" Hmm, I don't know........

xo
shawn

Jingle Bells.............

Ok, seriously, I am ALREADY thinking about the holidays!! There is just something about the fall coming, back to school, shorter days, longer shadows, cooler nights.....I digress....oh yeah and MOST IMPORTANTLY-the great new paper releases recently!!!! I am sooo excited for the creative options for you this holiday season I just can't wait to share them with you. I am now booking appointments for holiday card consultations. Please allow 45 minutes to look over samples and get ideas for your card creation from our extensive custom collection. If you don't have your photos yet, come and get ideas and see what we have. After our meeting you will be ready to arrange your photo shoot whether you are the one taking it or a professional. Check the website: www.shawnsthings.com for some holiday samples. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter (hint, hint: valuable coupon!) Happy um er, back to school????
xo shawn

As promised..................

Some photos from the lake. I still haven't taken many-I have been kayaking, swimming, reading.....enjoying the beautiful setting and spending time with friends and family. Isn't that what it's all about?! I know we made the right decision when the kids are sad to leave and tell me that they are having the best summer EVER! Can't wait to get back......

On the business side, I am working with local photographer Peggy Garbus (see her link to the right) to offer holiday cards with her stunning photos. She has a unique style and I feel that she really catches her subjects beautifully and artfully! August is the perfect month to consider a family photo: no sports, easy schedules, beautiful sun-kissed skin, and a relaxed attitude all make for the perfect family shot. Consider booking your photo appointment now so that you can avoid that crazy holiday rush and enjoy the season. Until then, just enjoy the summer and all that it has to offer! Be sure to click on the link below for the events coming up at the studio.
www.shawnsthings.com/121109.html

xo
shawn

beautiful weekend!

Okay, after all that tedious work at the lake, the fruits of our labor have payed off. We had family friends up for the weekend and it was an absolute picture perfect time. We swam in the lake, fished, kayaked, ate delicious burgers, had a beautiful, roaring bonfire, made s'mores, played hearts, and above all, spent time together. This truly is what it is all about!!! I PROMISE to include pictures on the next post. It is such a special place. Hopefully we will get the "boat" to work and in the water before the summer ends! I use the term "boat" loosely because while yes, it is a boat, it is a 1978 speckly, silver boat (to go with the 1970's style home??) that my husband found on ebay and "won" ? the bid on it. He picked it up in upsate NY only to find it won't start. After a comedy of errors trying to get it on the lake and running we have concluded we must take it to a boat place to fix what my husband did trying to "fix" it himself! The boat was actually fine before he tried to "fix"it......................go figure! Anyway, we hope to be tubing and water skiing soon!!!

Summer is Here!

After two weeks of "official" summer, we are all still alive and loving every minute of it. We have been renovating our lake house, tearing out carpet and tile and putting in laminate floors and painting old 70's paneling. It is a labor of love but we are enjoy making our little place a fun summer paradise! Photos to follow! xo shawn

Today: cleaning studio 0-seeds planted 2!!

Okay, so I chose to go to the art store instead....more inspiring than cleaning the studio to tell the truth. What proved even more true is that your children learn to love what you love. Today I took my daughter who is 11 and my son who is 6 (my 8 year old son was at a friend's house) and what was supposed to be only 30 minutes in and out (my 6 year old did NOT want to go to that store!!!!) ended up being a two HOUR adventure. We looked at paints, we determined the best brands, looked at mixing charts, color wheels. We looked at watercolor pencils, at figures for drawing, we bought canvases, sketch books, we were so moved that we came home and doodled, painted and drew for two more HOURS! All I can say is "wow!!" My son that is 6 has never really liked "art" and now he did not even want to go to bed he was so into it. My daughter can't wait to get up tomorrow to paint....all this from a little seed planted today at the art store. So I guess it was well worth the "trip" to the art store...but alas, my studio is still crammed with the remants of our bathroom remodel and December's holiday card extravaganza! Maybe tomorrow.......................................I will post a pic of the little artists at work tomorrow. =) xo

This beautiful shot taken by Maryle Brauer of ishootphotography is simply stunning. Check out her link to the right. The photo with a beautiful sepia tone paired with sea-glass colored paper is a modern take on a holiday card. Simply elegant.

This holiday card was so fun to put together. The color of the chidlren's eyes matched beautifully to the paper. This shot taken by Christa Strick of Christa Strick Photography (see tab to check out her beautiful work!) Simply stunning!!

40th birthday invite

Here is a 40th birthday party invite I created for a client. These were FUN!

New Day

OK, so the TV won out last night. Sometimes it's good just to veg out to feel more refreshed the next day......the task of organizing the studio is a daunting one. I am not sure where to begin! I know I need to get to it so that I can get creative again!! I promise to snap some pics of things I'm working on. xo

Kids all gone!

The kids are gone tonight and what to do? Work on new products? Clean my studio? Watch any show on TV I want? Read my Ken Follet 1000 page novel???? The exciting thing is that there are so MANY choices...but yet, I feel strangely alone! Yesterday was the first day of the summer break and it was fantastic watching the kids come up with their hopes for the summer. We are in the process of buying a lake house and are so EXCITED to have a spot to create family memories. OK, enough blog surfing........I think I will choose to clean my studio....Laurie, Peggy and CMG will be proud =). xo Shawn

When I finally see the peonies, I know it is summer. I quickly snapped this picture before they began to fade. They are short-lived so I try to enjoy every moment. This year they were truly spectacular!

Spring is here!

It is finally spring and with it brings so much possiblity. As usual, I find necessity breeds invention. I needed a few "gifts" and created some fun new designs and products as a result. Look for the pictures shortly.....since getting a new camera for my birthday last month, I am still learning how it connects with my laptop!!!

I LOVE SPRING!!!!!

It's that time of year again..............

......when all the paper manufacturing companies come up with all their goodies for me to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! It's like fashion week in paper! Such wonderful designs coming out-I can't wait to share them. I am hoping for some fun projects to come up....birthday parties, big bashes, bbq's, and yes, some of these papers will be quite LOVELY for the holiday cards....already thinking, thinking, thinking.

xo

shawn

fun new color

Ok, so inspiration can come from anyplace. I just had my dinning room painted-get this-GERANIUM!!! It's a ben moore color and I simply LOVE the kick it gives my DR. Sooooo, look for this color to pop up (literally) in some of my creations. I am already hunting down some new papers from next weeks CHA show where many of the paper manufacturers will be showing their new goods!! I plan to try and capture the color with my camera.

Love the new blog.
Like how you have the pictures rotating for us to view
Keep up the good work
MAG

Valentine's Day is coming! I am thinking about the cards I usually make with the kids and it dawned on me that many of you would love some cute shawn cards for Valentine's Day! Check out what I have been working on!

New year, new blog! After being completely blown away by the talented and passionate group at cosmo cricket, I decided to launch my own blog to share with friends and clients what is going on at shawn. I have some new tools and found some new suppliers so I am looking forward to sharing some new ideas that are "springing" forth. Check back for sneaks of what I am planning on revealing in the spring.

I am feeling very inspired! I just watched a wonderful blog/marketing idea in full swing over the last week and I must say, I am VERY impressed and intrigued. Cosmo Cricket did a fantastic job launching their new papers!! I just hope to replicate their enthusiasm as I launch the latest shawns things item-Valentine's Day cards. We'll see what I come up with! Stay Tuned.