Terri Conrad Designs

Love, Love, Crazy Love -

Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination. Voltaire

It's Confirmed! I LOVE designing as much as I LOVE creating art - and everything I see is my source of inspiration and a fresh canvas issued forth by nature. So I suppose one could say I am on constant sensory overload.  Thank goodness I have an outlet for it.

"True Colors" is oh so scrumptious and wanting to go home with you. This vintage-esq frame is filled with my Vintage Home paper, french lace, velvet, sweet little buttons, and an exclusive TCD tag that says "show your true colors." It's topped off with just a touch of pink.   

What's inside the box you ask?

 

These little pretties are designed with my Sweet Charity and Pink Lemonade Collections.  I love mixing things up a bit.  And yes, there's something sweet and oh so special inside the box - when you visit my web site you will see just what's inside.

So much is happening these days with TCD - my brain is swirling.  A very dear friend is helping me recreate my web site and we're hoping for a GRAND presentation in just a couple of weeks.  I've spoken of my friend Lori in previous posts - it's her husband, Michael, who's rebuilding the "architecure" of the site and I've infused the look and feel with some very new art that I hope will elicit a real aahhhhhh feeling when you visit.  Michael and Lori have an on line store featuring green gift products.  I hope you'll visit Gigglefish Gifts and keep them in mind when you're looking for earth friendly gifts that are fresh and funky.

I've decided to exhibit at a licensing show in New York which is a HUGE step for TCD, and my family.  I am completely placing my trust in God to provide all the necessary means of doing so trying my best to follow His lead, and letting all my preconceived notions just float away.  How did I get to this place?  This is not easy for me to do, to let go, to trust . . .but I must.  Wouldn't it be grand if we all could just get out of our own way, so God's devine plan would prevail?  Hmm . . .there's a conversation.  I wish we all could just sit down and share a cappuccino, or a nice cup of peppermint tea and visit.  Oh we must have chocolate chip cookies too.

Well, time for the girls' homework - and me to be mom.  So, off goes one hat, and on another.  How many times a day do I switch? 

Remember Valentine's Day for all the special people in you life . . .you children, your friends, your husband - hey, want flowers that will last a lifetime?

Send this link (Terri Conrad Designs' Artisan Gifts) to your husband - he will adore you for making his shopping experience so simple, and you will love what he gives you.

Love, love, love,

Terri

"Show me the designs!" Webster's Pages, that is - by Terri Conrad Designs

Hi all - shared a lovely chat with Michelle at A Million Memories this morning.  Seems our Fabulous! featured designer, Becky Heisler is away at a scrap retreat - how fun is that?  Sounds simply Fabulous! a weekend of pure bliss to create lots of lovelies, cultivate friendships, and communicate all your dreams, desires, and designing secrets!  In Sponge Bob's famous words, "I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready!" My bags are packed.  I think I'm going to need to organize a retreat - north, south, east and west coast retreats for all to create, cultivate & communicate - sound good?

Okay, so upon your return Becks, we want to hear from you and all the fun details about your fab weekend!

We also want to hear from you, and you, and you - who have designed with my Webster's Pages' designer papers.  You too may become our next Fabulous! Friday Featured Designer.  Leave your post with a link to your pics/blog/message board and we'll check out your work.

These hand painted frames, along with some Fabulous! new collaged picture frames will again soon be available to purchase from my web site.

"Weave a Ladder of Dreams" (the painted piece on the left) is available to buy now in an 8x10 framed format. 

This gift is a lovely means of encouraging yourself, your daughter(s), a friend, even Mom...

Have any of you seen and designed one of my Pink Lemonade albums?  I just love these - and these photos of my my girls, Jessica & Katelyn, are some of my all time favorite, looking as tho they are straight out of Country Living magazine. And, oooooh, look at the pretty little memory box Country Living shows us how to make.  merci.

It's cold and raining here just north of Los Angeles, so my creative cohort in crime, my 8 year old daughter, Katelyn and I are going to spend the day in my studio (which I am quickly outgrowing) playing and creating.  LOL - here's my almost 11 year old, Jessica, saying (and giving me a luv tap on the shoulder) "You didn't mention meeeeeeeeeeee!"  So, I said, "and what are you going to do today?"  to which she said, "I'm going to read, and write...and slap you on the shoulder if you don't mention me!"  (she wants to go to the library too).  You see, creativity comes in all forms.  This one is sooooooo creative, and beyond her years - my hair stylist, who also cuts Jessica's hair, just told me the other day, the she thinks Jess knows more, and is smarter than she.  The girl has challenged mommy from day one - and I love every moment of it.

Now, for all of you who think my art consists of only that which is romantic, and oh so foofy, here's a peek at Katelyn's birthday invite - we're attending the Hannah Montana Best of Both Worlds Concert/3D Movie.

"I wanna be a rock star!"  Katelyn drew the guitar, I imported it into PS, and created a brush - voila!

ROCK ON!!

the final note from Jess, who remains over my shoulder ;o)

 

Whoo hoo, Yee hoo - Look Who is Fabulous!

Congrats Becky - you are Terri Conrad Designs' Fabulous! Featured Designer this Friday.

I guess  . . . this is your year after all! Well, okay, certainly your week.  Thank you for sharing your Webster's Pages designs with us.  (Click on the Fabulous! icon, place it on your blog with a link back here, sharing the news with all your readers).  Your Webster's Pages designs will be placed in the Designer Delights album for all to ooh & ahh over.  Your layouts are stylish and oh so sweet.

Pop on over to Becky's blog to view more of her Fabulous! design work.

We are always on the look out for Fabulous! and inspiring uses of our paper products.  If you've created something Fabulous! with Terri Conrad Designs'  paper, leave a post with a link to your blog, or email us with pictures of your scrapbook layouts, and paper crafting creations.  We'd love to feature your design work and enter your photographs in our Designer Delights album.

Email with your address Becky, so I can send a little something special your way.

hugs,

Terri

Fabulous!

Oh my - I've been visiting some fabulous blogs and am so inspired by the wealth of talent I see.  Simply Fabulous!

Would you like to place this pretty little icon on your blog?  Each Friday I will feature one designer whose work (using my papers of course) is Simply Fabulous! 

Here's all you need to do:

(1)  Leave a post on my blog with a link to yours showing pics of your fabulous work reflecting Terri Conrad Designs' scrapbook paper product from Webster's Pages. 

(2)  Each Friday a designer will be randomly selected and featured on my blog. Her pics will be entered into the special Designer Delights abum on my blog; she will receive a little something special in the mail, AND she will be given the Fabulous! icon to place on her blog to strut her stuff. 

Sound Simply Fabulous?

I am joyfully inspired to bestow Lori Gentile with the debut of Terri Conrad Designs' Fabulous! Feature Friday retroactive to last Friday.  (Lori, just click on the Fabulous! icon above and place it on your blog with a link to mine letting all your readers know you've been selected as the debut Fabulous! designer).

Lori's design work actually inspired the creation of Fabulous! It is, in my humble opinion, compelling, and filled with emotion.  I just love it.  Pop on in to the Designer Delights album in the left column here to view just a few of Lori's designs, and more importantly, do visit her blog.

Okay, want to savor a little eye candy?  This beautiful tussie mussie is going to be difficult to part with, but it can be yours to keep, or give to one someone special by clicking here to buy. 

I had sooooo much fun designing this.  I'm desperately yearning to shop for ribbon tho, alas I will need to wait for the CHA Show as ribbon is such an esthetic.  I want to see it, to touch and feel it.  The "Beautiful" tag btw way is one of many, many new designs I have - I'm hoping WP will want to mfg them. ;o)

I'm working of some other Valentine delights in my studio - so be sure to visit again soon.

Now, let's here a round of Fabulous! (oh, you know the tune - HS Musical II . . .)

Congrats  Lori Gentile.  Oh who will be next?

xoxo

Terri

from my heart to yours

...and the winner is Carol! Thank you Carol (visit her blog)for sharing your BIG DREAM.  Email your address to me and I'll ship your "Dream Big" print to you.

I'm not sure if I like creating art, or designing concepts more . . .it's just so exciting to be able to do both.  Running the art side of my business, however, consumes a much of my time, and leaves only tid bits to actually engage in design work. 

This sweet little cupboard charm began it's life as a bare wood shaped heart. I selected just the right portion of my Primrose Garden paper (Sweet Charity Collection) to cut the heart out (thank goodness for X-Acto knives!), laminated the paper to the front and back, sanded & inked the edged with Tsukineko's Versa Craft ink in bubble gum, then came my two favorite products . . .Ranger's glossy accents and Stickles in crystal. I applied the glossy accents to both the front and back, and Stickles around the perimeter.  The U r B Loved tag is computer generated. I want a whole line of chip board or card stock tags to go with my paper - what do you think, do you?

My little Katie-boo is still sick.  She missed a week of school in early December, then has only attended a day since returning after the Christmas break. I wish I could give you a great big squishy hug, my little ladybug, and make you all better!

On the up side, I had mentioned to a friend this morning that this time (that my girls and I have been sick over the past 6 weeks) without any pressing deadlines and print schedules (for me) has not only allowed me to spend time with my daughters and snuggle with them more than usual, but, it's allowed me to let go of some frenetic thinking about work, and give thought to the upcoming year and what God wants vs. what I want (and think I need!)  A wonderful quote came from a book I'm reading to my older daughter's class - A Wrinkle in Time - "It's not what your talents are, but what you do with them."  Isn't is true?  So, while I am not fully prepared to share detail about what I plan to do this year, I am feeling fairly confident I'm exactly in the place God wants me to be.  As I step out in faith, I trust He will open all the doors I need opened to fulfill my mission.  I'm a little nervous, but it's more of a good, "pre-show anticipation" nervous - excitement really.  I will share more, and it all takes shape.

Til then, I hope that you are dreaming big, being real with who you are, and not only knowing what your talents are, but seeking out what you can do with them!

P.S.  For those of you who may not know, Brandin, the owner of Webster's Pages, is due to have her baby any day - and b/c we chat nearly everyday, and I haven't heard from her in a couple days, my guess is she has a new precious bundle to welcome to the world.  I can't wait to find out for certain, and to be filled with inspriration for something new and pretty for the wee one.  Keep her and her family in your prayers!

Pretty in Pink

I confess, pink is one of my favorite colors, and I love all things feminine. Today, I finally had the wherewithall to play in my studio, and here's what I came up with:

"A Happy Heart" (so it's been said sign). These sweet little darlings are available for purchase by clicking on the happy heart link above.

My heart is happy today, just because - isn't it reassuring when you simply feel good for no apparent reason.  I suppose with the down time I've had here recently due our family flu and resulting asthma (and 3 breathing treatments a day for my girls and me!) I've had time on my hands which I unsually am wanting for - time to think, time to ponder, time to snuggle with my daughters, and time to reflect on what I've accomplished in the past year.

The other day I received a box from Webster Fine Art, the fine art publishing company behind Websters Pages (where you'll find lots of my pretty paper) and inside the box were my artist's samples of my first two fine art prints:  "Dream Big," and "Grace"

                                                                                                                                                                                         

Each print is a gorgeous 8x20" ready to be framed.  I'M GIVING AWAY ONE OF EACH to two different readers who can DREAM BIG and LET YOUR LIFE BE FULL OF GRACE!

Simply (1) post this image (my logo) and blog link on your blog, inviting your readers to join the fun; and (2) post a message on my blog sharing your big dream, with a link to your blog, including your email address. 

At approximately 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning two posts will be randomly selected and your prints will be on their way.

More good news, pop on in to Webster's Pages' Blog and tell them how you say "I love you" and win a selection of my paper.

O' Happy Day!  Who's ready to play?

xoxo

Terri

A New Day, a new year

Life is shaped by your thoughts. Proverbs 4:23

Happy New year everyone!  The past six weeks have been a whirl of activity with little to no time to spare.  I am delighted to be back in the saddle again, writing.

My family and I went to N.M. to visit my husband's parents and brother, and I actually left my computer at home.  It was a much needed rest that allowed me to read and journal - pulling focus for the new year.

My two precious girls, Jessica and Katelyn, and my canine kid, Shayna are happy to be home enjoying what remains of their winter break.  Katelyn celebrated her 8th birthday while we were in N.M. They grow so fast.

Our Christmas decorations came down today, and I cleaned my studio (yikes!)...making way for a fresh start for family and for work.

Many exciting ventures are on the horizon for Terri Conrad Designs...  I have two new paper collections being released in February as well as stunning new product with Webster's Pages that is a must have! No peeking just yet tho. I'm also putting together some very unique class concepts; I think I'm most excited about the prospect of getting out there to create and connect with as many of you as possible.

Also in the midst is my web site redesign. I'm hoping to have it completed by mid, late January. Take a peek at my new boxed note cards now available.  More product will be coming soon.

I'm not much of a resolution maker, are you?  I did however, write a vision statement.  I'd like to do something unique with it, so I can revisit my thoughts at this time next year. 

I hope you all shared a blessed Christmas with your family and friends and I wish for you an open heart to receive all that God wishes to send your way.

Happy New Year!

Terri