It's that time of the Christmas Season when it feels like I wish I could have done more weeks ago. But then I think a lot of us think this way. With the work schedule that I have that demands more and more time each passing year, I wish I could make my Christmas sweets in the Summer! Then I would be ready!!

This is the season of new beginnings and I am trying to do things in ways I have never done before. I am establishing new adventures, driving to work different ways, not stressing over gift giving, getting and making. My whole approach for Christmas was to do the traditions I enjoy but do them in new ways. I got my lights up early and have been enjoying them. . . delivered secret Santa gifts for my coolest neighbors, actually took time for a long weekend with a very dear friend (I thought I was nuts to do this when there was so much Christmasing to be doing - but alas it was a wonderful break!) I even got my tree up the first week of December......THAT's A FIRST EVER for me! I spoke these words outloud the other day after doing something I had never done before: "This is the start of new things. . ." Following that, I grabbed a sandwhich at a local sandwich shop and this interesting, HAPPY handsome man asked me out!  What a nice surprise!

So with the NEW paths, New behaviours, New perspectives in mind it has really helped me to take a deep breath and actually enjoy the process of my gift making, not hurrying, not worrying about if the "giftee" will like what I have made but rather be happy to be able to be making things with my hands as an expression of my love and affection. 

In my cozy Christmas beach cottage, I'm loving my amazing dog and his wonderful ways. . . old Christmas movies, my tree and all the sentimental ornaments - bright little treasures and memories. And the lights, all the lights.....sigh, I've loved Christmas lights since I was a young kid. Nothing over the top but just love having them everywhere!

 I am finding the peace and warmth of the season in honestly? . . . remembering the reason for it all. The birth of our Lord and Saviour, Baby Jesus.

CALLING ALL in Orange County, California!

   WE DO MATTER IN THE VOTE OF 2012. . .

Created this poster after a conversation with the a friend from Newport Harbor Republican Women's Group. Artwork  ©2012 SanClementeBetty.

Is it 1980 all over again? 

Encourage EVERYONE to VOTE please!

California REALLY DOES MATTER
YOUR VOTE MATTERS!!

Web graphics designed for online store www.charismabrands.com

 MEMORABLE QUOTES FROM the CLASSIC
WIZARD OF OZ MOVIE!

"Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the "ape" in apricot? What have they got that I ain't got?"

Flyer designed for the Wizard of OZ Museum in Wamego, Kansas!

 Above is the recent flyer designed for the doll company I work for, This will be included at the actual WIZARD OF OZ MUSEUM in Wamego, Kansas check out the dolls here: charismabrands.com AND Check out the OZ museum here: www.ozmuseum.com

Other Memorable quotes. . .

Someplace where there isn't any trouble... [tossing a piece of her cruller to Toto]...do you suppose there is such a place, Toto? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or train.
It's far, far away... behind the moon... beyond the rain.
[singing] Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high,
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.

And let's not forget: 

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! 

The Great Oz has spoken!

UCLA Graduation Banners & Gifts - Fight Fight Fight!

My Oldest nephew graduated this past weekend from UCLA and I got to do the BANNER for the party!!! This is when Design is the sweetest. . . doing something for someone you LOVE!

 BRAG ALERT! He graduated College Honors AND Latin Honors in one of the hardest majors - MIMG = Microbiology, Immunology, Molecular Genetics with a Minor in Bio Medical Research! Very Proud to say the least and how cool and THRILLED to lend my "non scientific" talents to honor him and Celebrate his outstanding achievements. . . .
THANKS SO MUCH TO Steve Smart and Walubi Graphics for a JOB WELL DONE! The family LOVED it!

I searched and Searched for just the right card, but couldn't find one that seemed to fit what I wanted to say so I found this oh-so-cool balsa wood container at the local Michael's and made my own......he really seemed to like it a lot because he smiled that quiet smile as he sat on the couch, sigh, he's an
amazing young man!

I loved gifting him money for holidays and birthdays, so he can enjoy spending it as he wishes, but it's become a little tradition with us that it comes packaged in unsuspecting ways. He, like his Mom, my sister, LOVES chocolate! So he was gracious and appreciative when he opened a decadent box of Godiva.....that he would have been very happy to enjoy.

But following his warm "thank you - you already gave me a present", (A 5 year journal I gave him on his first graduation event, there were 3 ceremonies in all) I was able to use the ol' "Life is not always like a box of Chocolates" line and "You know Scott, in life, you're going to find out that not EVERYTHING is as it seems" His face lit up as he had already put the box back into the gift bag. . . To his delight, I had made a box of "Godiva Money!" LOVED the Smiles and Smiles when he got it and revisited the box!

Last but not least I was able to make him a "SMARTIES LEI" I had soooo much fun putting this together for him. WHEN ELSE would I ever have the opportunity to shower someone with a lei made from SMARTIES?? Only for the BIG SMARTIE in the family! I used blue, white and yellow ribbons, butterscotch candies to add some school colors, extra large Smarties and the regular size as well. To keep it balanced, I ran the whole ribbon through a cylindrical box of chocolate "FLIX" and finished it off with the UCLA gold seal from his announcement to cover up the Flix branding!

Happy GRADUATION to the BECKER Family. Astounding adventure for this 21 year old AND for the amazing parents that helped him through it all. . . gently guiding, supporting in the challenging times and finally celebrating his accomplishments and achievements. 

 

Great to be able to get creative with and for you all! 

At the end of 2011, we decided to update the consumer packaging for our Paradise Galleries Brand.
some of my thoughts on the redesign......
 
"Our goal is always to improve and create an EXPERIENCE that matches the fun, creativity and beauty of our amazing dolls!" states BJ, graphic designer at "Team Paradise."

In an age when most companies are reducing and cutting corners, our approach

to our new doll packaging was “We need to give our doll lovers MORE!”

"I know the excitement I have when I drive up my driveway and there’s a package with something I love in it,  waiting for me. . .Oh WHAT a great feeling that is! This very feeling was the focus when starting the thoughtful process of redesigning the Paradise experience and how your new dolls arrive to you." states BJ. "We talked and talked to each other, drank a lot of diet cokes, researched and researched, drew sketches, and made box mockups over and over again until just that right solution was created."

The question, “What do you find in Paradise?” was part of the process too.

(Well, beautiful dolls of course!) 

 

 

 "As I walked along the beach one day, (paradise to me) I realized you find flowers and birds and smiles there too! Thus, our new tag line . . ."Where dolls and smiles grow”  With that came the creation of a distinctive color palette, a textured paper, an elegant but playful filigree with large daisy flowers and our very own
“Bird of Paradise." 

 

 

 

So now, when customer's receive a Paradise Galleries doll, they’ll find a completely new styled box, with a special “Gift Box” look and feel, a brand new Certificate of Authenticity in a keepsake pouch, along with the addition of a protective insert printed with the "Paradise Promise." All this was created with the CUSTOMER in mind. (PLUS! Look on the inside lid of your doll box, there’s a special gift inside that will brighten their day, and flower beds! - for sure)

 

With all of the above completed, we didn’t stop there, we even considered the shipping box! Yes, we could have done just a plain brown shipping box like everyone else, but we wanted our customer's to be EXCITED when their new doll friends arrive! So we added a little fanfare and a few reminders from us on the shipper box. . . Those reminders are: That each and every Paradise Galleries doll is; Designed from the heart, Handmade with love, Packed with tender loving care...

 

WE WANT OUR CUSTOMERS TO REMEMBER THE 3 R's!!

REuse - REduce - RECYCLE!!
 

 

So this is our direct to consumer brand "Paradise Galleries" that I handle most of the graphics and art direction on. The website was designed a few years ago and looking forward to updating it by the end of the year. In comparison to our competitor's sites, we definitely have a cleaner more modern look and feel!

This is an e-mail blast created to let our customer's know we have a SALE catalog piece coming to them in the mail. This is our advance SNEEK PEAK!

With the release of Marie Osmond's Adora Belle™ Wizard of Oz™ Collection created this fun e-Mail communication to announce and promote Marie on QVC. . .

Interior of the box

"Story Book Packaging" for the Marie Osmond Wizard of Oz™Dolls Collection

Well now, it's been a very very long time since I posted anything!
I met a wonderful woman at JoAnn's last night and because of our conversation finally felt compelled to finally start posting some of my work.

THANKS VICTORIA!!!

Although the images I will post may be random, (HAVE to start somewhere!) they are a good reflection of the design that I am fortunate to create on a daily basis. From E-mail communications to product packaging, print collateral, the company websites, product and lifestyle photo shoots, to my personal work, sculpture, drawing, painting, sweet treats and confections (doing the packaging is the BEST!) to my Nephew's UCLA Grad banner. . .

IT'S JUST FUN TO MAKE ART (& Design!)

A little bit about me and my professional work:
Fine Arts Graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design with emphasis in Sculpture and Graphic Design. Have worked for Harcourt, creating text books for young minds to enjoy, and a short stint with Square One Graphics in Indianapolis, where most of our work was creating graphics for the prestigious Andretti/Green Racing Team. Now known as Andretti Autosport

Currently, I'm an Art Director/Graphic Designer for Charisma Brands, the amazing DOLL creators going on 8 years in 2013!

A little about the company:
Charisma Brands, LLC, is an Irvine, California-based creator, developer, and marketer of award-winning collectible, toy, gift, jewelry, and specialty products. A partial listing of the premier brands of Charisma include Marie Osmond, ADORA Dolls, Paradise Galleries, Kewpie, Penny Brite, Kenneth Jay Lane-Jewelry’s Living Legend, Nolan Miller, Dennis Basso, Lunch At The Ritz 2 Go, Francesca Visconti, Bob Mackie.

The Company’s products can be found in the United States and internationally on television shopping channels, specialty retail stores, various catalog merchants, Disney theme parks, and on the Internet.
The Company’s name, Charisma Brands, comes from its Rhode Island design and manufacturing center – known for over thirty years as Charisma Manufacturing Co. The Rhode Island center was formed by European artisans to create beautiful, high quality, handmade products, a tradition that continues to this day. Since the spirit of artistic design and skillful craftsmanship established in Rhode Island applies to all of the Company’s products, it was natural to adopt this name for the Company.

Let the random images begin!

2012 Marie Osmond Print Collateral

Last week was the 11th anniversary of a wonderful happening in my life. The day that an amazing stray dog chose me from behind the dog "jail" holding bay "bars" and walked straight into my heart! Who knew the places we would go and the hours of laughter and honest joy he would give to me and many others. Unlike people can, and often do, dogs don't lie to us, don't deceive us, don't reserve their affection or love, they just are. The words below pretty much sums it up!

The "GOTCHA DAY"
(Thanks Marshall for coining that phrase!)
Current mood: touched

He is just my Dog.
He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.)

When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry, he clowns around to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy unbounded.
When I am a fool, he ignores it.
When I succeed, he brags.
Without him, I am only another woman. With him, I am all-powerful.
He is loyalty itself.

He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.
His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever — in case I need him. And I expect I will — as I always have.

He is just my dog.


Here's a video from 7 years ago:



GOOFIN' Around!

No Matter What You Do......

I will always be with you.......

This was a video montage I created on my dog's 4th Birthday (that I just found on an old external drive! Hit the motherload of files I've been looking for!)

Augey's nearly 11 now and we're still on a WILD and Crazy adventure! He comes to work with me, and loves to finish the breakfasts and the lunches of my coworkers (THANKS Joni for all the treats). He used to come along and visit with my Dad and my brother when they weren't feeling well and wow! he really lifted their spirits (as he always does mine!) We walk the neighborhood, the beach we go ZOOM ZOOM for rides in the car and the list goes on.

He's just my dog.

He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.

His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever — in case I need him. And I expect I will — as I always have.

Adopt a dog from your local shelter, you won't believe the adventure you'll begin and the life you save could very well be your own!

ENJOY!

Brayden's Battle - You can Do Something to Help!

Please read the latest from Brayden's Battle Blog: http://braydensbattle.wordpress.com/
The Dance Party Video....Watch it! We need to continue to pray for him, his parents and the battle.

Be The Match - You Can Save A Life!

Take some time this weekend....

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. I spoke with my sister yesterday and she reminded me that there were some new updates this week on Brayden's progress. Please take some time this weekend and say some prayers as Brayden and his parents Jen & Drew continue their challenging journey.

Read the most current updates here

http://tinyurl.com/4osgw3p

What if your bone marrow donation could keep a family from losing their child?

Be the Match website http://www.marrow.org/
Ways to HELP & UPDATES via Brayden's Battle Blog
 

Capture this FLAG! Be PRESIDENTIAL! The COMMANDER IN CHIEF!

Click the image & Capture the flag and help trigger donations for Heart Health Programs!

Then Drink a Diet Coke and Capture more flags online!
http://www.dietcoke.com/hearttruth/index.jsp?cf=true

Now, go and Enjoy the REAL THING!

Brayden's Update and Prayer Requests

Here's the latest updates from Brayden's Mom & Dad.....

1.) Keep praying for 0% cancer and NEGATIVE MRD!
2.) Keep praying for wisdom for the doctors and us in regards to the potential donor!
3.) Couple of key things to be praying for about round 3 that we are gearing up for… (a) they say this is the toughest round come prepared, but unfortunately we aren’t that prepared because you can’t prepare to see your son wiped out–and for the most part he still hasn’t been there and has responded so well to chemo (praying against long and short term side effects!).

 

Don't forget to get TESTED! Be the Match website http://www.marrow.org/
Ways to HELP & UPDATES via Brayden's Battle Blog

A MATCH! Sort of - 1 in a Million

MUST READ Brayden's UPDATE! Drum Roll please......
 http://tinyurl.com/47qhokm

 Encouraging NEWS .....

What if your bone marrow donation could keep a family from losing their child?

                               
Be the Match website http://www.marrow.org/
Ways to HELP & UPDATES via Brayden's Battle Blog

What if your bone marrow donation could keep a family from losing their child? Can you imagine if you were the one that was able to save someone's life? It's a pretty powerful thought. Be the Match is a national database that matches donors with patients needing life saving bone marrow transplants. 

My sister has been helping Brayden and his family in this fight. Through prayer, volunteering at the Donor drive (See earlier post with a YouTube video she created), and also via "Brayden's Box of Love" - a collection of gift cards and donations for items they need as "extra ammunition" for the battle. As a result of Brayden’s 1st cancer diagnosis the family made a lot of lifestyle changes with organic food, clothes and many other things to simply remove any and all toxins from his body and life. Doctors believe there was a high correlation between the success of remission (of cancer) when the patients use both current medical treatment and natural lifestyle changes. 

They want you to know that to join the national registry of potential bone marrow matches is much easier than you would think. 

Potential donors must be 18 to 60, in general good health and willing to donate to any patient in need, said Paige Morrison, Be the Match spokeswoman. Participants will be asked to fill out a questionnaire and consent form, as well as submit to a cheek swab. The process should take about 10 minutes.

Be BRAYDEN's Sweetheart of a Match!

So it's Valentine's Day today and a lot of people are getting "Sweets" and "Gifts from the Heart" from their beloved .... in Anaheim there's a Sweetheart of a boy that needs a "Sweet Valentine MATCH" this February. Meet Braydon, He's 4 years old and needs the gift of a bone marrow transplant. Could you be Braydon's sweetheart of a match?

Drew Sodestrom holds a photo of his 4-year-old son Brayden, who is battling leukemia, during a bone-marrow registry drive at Richfield Community Church in Yorba Linda, Sodestrom hopes to find a bone-marrow match for his son.

• Learn more about Brayden and how to make the difference, His father Drew's blog: http://richfieldcommunitychurch.com/brayden/
• It's Easy to help join the bone-marrow registry, get a swab kit at bethematch.org. 
• BE BRAYDON'S MATCH OC Register article here 

Be a Sweetheart of a MATCH for Braydon (or someone else) by registering today...don't delay.

Check out the video my sister created for "Brayden's Be The Match Bone Marrow Drive" in Yorba Linda on Jan. 30th, 2011. 

Please know there are other drives in CA & the ongoing online drive. Brayden, of Anaheim, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in April 2009, but chemotherapy put it into remission for 20 months. Then he got sick again and was admitted to CHOC Children's in Orange for another round of chemo in December. He has finished his second 36-day "bloc" of treatment, and he was home for only five days before he returned to the hospital with a fever last Wednesday. He is tired but is in high spirits, riding his Lightning McQueen bicycle in the hospital hallways, his father Drew said. When he was first diagnosed, "We told him to kick cancer's butt," Drew said. "Then he got it again, and he said 'But I already did that.' "That was one of the most heartbreaking things for me," Drew said. "I told him, 'We have to do it again.'

Let's continue supporting Brayden & his family! Spread the word!! Thanks to everyone who came to the drive, for joining the online registry & contributing to Brayden's Box of Love.
 

Some Notes on BEING A MATCH. . .

A patient's best chance of finding a match comes from a sibling or someone else with the same ethnic background. But 70 percent of patients in need of a transplant lack a suitable relative. About 10,000 people every year are diagnosed with a disease for which their only chance is a marrow transplant from outside the family.

If there's a preliminary match, the donor is contacted for further testing. There are eight data points examined, and at least seven of the eight are needed for a transplant to occur. Contrary to popular belief, most bone-marrow donation is painless, says Paige Morrison, a Santa Ana-based spokeswoman for Be the Match. Seventy percent of cases involve a blood draw after certain stem cells are isolated, a process that takes several hours. The rest of the time a needle is used to extract the blood-cell-rich red marrow from the hip bone, an outpatient procedure in which general anesthesia is used.

From the OC Register: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/match-286258-brayden-marrow.html

HOORAY IT's a TiNy GIVEAWAY!

click here: to ENTER today!
You can win this CBTL™ Single Serve Beverage System by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®! But more importantly a chance to sign up and be a part of a team of people making a difference for kids with cancer! Make a DIFFERENCE in 2011....MAY 1st

Sign up and MAKE a Difference! THANKS @TinyOrangesOC!

The History of Sweetheart Candies

One of America’s oldest candy companies, Necco was founded in 1847 in Boston by Englishman Oliver Chase, who got the business off to a good start by inventing devices that cut candy lozenges and pulverized sugar. Necco first sold confections similar to Sweethearts, but in the shape of scallop shells. Messages written on colored paper were tucked inside the fortune cookie-style candy. Fourteen years later, Oliver’s brother Daniel designed a machine that stamped words directly on the candies with red vegetable dye. The treats became popular at weddings and were considerably larger than today’s hearts as they could accommodate wordy relationship advice such as “Married in White, you have chosen right” or “Married in Pink, he’ll take to drink.” By the early 1900s the shape of the candy had changed from shells, baseballs and horseshoes to hearts. As the little hearts grew in popularity, the missives grew shorter: “Miss You,” “Love U.”

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/The-History-of-Sweetheart-Candies.html#ixzz1E1CGvmL5

Evening in San Clemente

Feeling thankful and blessed for so very much. . .

Cheers with the neighbors tonight. Nice time!

Hello Twenty-Ten - Reminders of Lewis and Clark

A New Year - a New you - cliche resolutions - lah lah and all that.

My thoughts turn to Lewis & Clark with the recent turn of the calendar year and the collaboration they shared on the Expedition of their lives. If not for their endeavors we might be a country of ?? states and not 50.

The key to their journey:
href="http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/collaborate">collaborate

Confluence
As my trusted friend and mentor used their epic journey as inspiration for "The Expedition" - a collaboration of artists with varied disciplines - I find myself revisiting the principles I learned through this most unique experience quite often. How the confluence of thoughts & ideas meet with the creative projects required of me day to day, pretty much fascinates me. 

Some of the words to keep in mind as I venture into Twenty-Ten:
Preparation
Object of my mission
Discovery
Trials
Independence
Scouting
Interpretation
Perseverance
True North
Journey

Little known fact,  Meriwether Lewis discovered the Woodpecker along their way............

Woody is still my Favorite!

Today's wisdom:

"So many people think that practicing an art is a good way to make a living. Practicing an art, no matter how well or how badly, is a way to make your soul grow...it's not a trade." - Kurt Vonnegut

 Kerne Erickson Vintage Artwork

The BLOGGER BALL BLOGGERIFIC!

Got to kick up our heels tonight as a friend and I attended the "Twitterific" 2nd Annual OC Blog Crush Blogger Ball at the Embassy Suites Anaheim South! The room was max capacity with OC Bloggin' people, Twitter live feeds and fun conversation! So great to meet each of you tonight! There were "Blogitos and Twittertinis" Bottles of cold Orange Crush and a wonderful sampling of tasty treats from Embassy Suites Restaurant. . .And then. . . there were SWELL door prizes! 
Thanks to Suzbroughton of broughtonhospitality.com & #ocbloggerball for picking my #105 ticket! (I was SO excited!) I know an amazing time awaits at Andres hotel-Palm Springs! http://tinyurl.com/2e94vtt  Will definitely have to have the bartender make me a few of those Orange Crush Twitterinis!"Absolutely Bloggerific!"

The festive orange table decor and OF COURSE Orange Crush sodas made me think of Satellite Market on Katella and how my brother and sisters and I would walk there to get a Crush, and boy there was nothing cooler than drinking a Crush with my big brother and older sisters on a hot summer day. . .and from a frosty bottle not an 'ol aluminum can!

The "Sputnik" was replaced with a painted sign (Oh TOO Bad) 

Thanks AGAIN Joni aka http://twitter.com/PopArtMinis for the invite! Thanks also to

theglamlife   SuzBroughton   blogcrush   ESAnaheimSouth for a great event tonight!

stay frosty!
sanclementebetty