Karmel's Blog

Karmel is Returning to the CORPORATE WORLD

2008-09-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

So I'm going back to work FULL-TIME back in advertising. It's something I've thought about for months and Jamie and I felt it was time.

We really feel I need it. We really feel like our whole family will be much happier because of it.

I wanted to work for this company in SLC for a while now...I was a former client years ago...so I called up my old boss who sent them a very nice e-mail about me...I received an e-mail the next day from the company requesting my resume...

I went in for an interview 2 days later...went in for a second interview the following week..got the offer 2 days later. It happened in a matter of like 10 days upon my decision to go for it.

Our nanny starts tomorrow even though I don't start until next week.

But because of this, I can't really do Karmel Design stuff anymore...I've had enough on my plate even before getting this new job...so something's gotta give.

But it's been really fun doing Karmel Design...that doesn't mean I won't continue to craft...I still will *someday*...hmmm...perhaps I should start updating my OWN scrapbooks? The last Harper scrapbook was 2005!! Yeah I'm a tad behind.

I'm still HERE!!

2008-04-23T23:01:00.000-07:00

It's been such a crazy March and April and my lonely blog has been ignored too much.

Even though I haven't been marketing Karmel Design much in the last couple of months, I'm still getting orders through my Etsy shop. We're still in our dinky rental with absolutely NO ROOM to craft so I just can't devote too much time (and space) to it right now.

BUT...the exciting news is that the painters are at our new house right now - painting the interior which includes my VERY OWN CRAFT ROOM! I'm so excited! The finish carpenters installed some great shelves and a large wrap around table and it's just PERFECT! Pictures will come soon...

I met Mr. Olympia...Jay Cutler

2008-04-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

The man is GIGANTIC! We went to see a good friend compete at the NPC Utah Bodybuilding Championships over the weekend with the current Mr. Olympia (a title that Arnold Shwarzenegger made famous), Jay Cutler. While it was fun to see Jay pose on stage (he really brought the house down!), the real treat was to see our friend take home a trophy! He placed 5th out of a VERY COMPETITIVE class of 10 (Heavy Open Category).

Seeing all those amazingly fit bodies definitely inspired me even more to keep working hard at the gym! (And continue to eat CLEAN!)

Our Real Castle...the final weeks!

2008-03-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

Our home is still under construction but we're in the midst of the fun part now...within the next few weeks, the trim will be completed, cabinetry will be installed, floors will be installed, and the walls will be painted.

Hopefully we'll be "IN" by Mother's Day when my parents are planning on coming up to visit.

It's been quite the project! Stressful but fun.

Jessica's Marshmallow Castle

2008-03-20T20:25:00.001-07:00

I don't know why, but for some reason, the pic I took of Jessica's castle wasn't coming up on my last post so here it is...

I've neglected my lonely blog for so long that I failed to see the requests for this pic!

It was so unlike me NOT to take a pic on the night she completed it so I took the opportunity to snap a shot during her 4th Grade Medieval Activity. All of the 4th Graders have been working for weeks to earn "knighthood". On Medieval Day, they all got knighted by a "king" and enjoyed Medieval type festivities (including eating food without utensils - Remember Medieval Times??). She brought the castle home a few days later and it sat on our kitchen table for a few days until I noticed that the marshmallows were disappearing.

Were my kids EATING the crusty hardened chunks of pure sugar? Of course. Alas, the castle is in a landfill somewhere in Utah.

Jessica's Marshmallow Castle

2008-03-20T20:22:00.001-07:00

February Zoomed By

2008-03-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I updated my blog...February was a BLUR!

I had a great time exhibiting at the Oh Sweet Sadie! Boutique a few weeks ago. The place was PACKED! It was a very good turnout. I am always impressed by the amazing talent that Utah women possess - as evidenced by the unique and beautiful things that were available at the boutique.

While I couldn't be at the boutique myself as we had a family ski trip to Deer Valley that weekend, a lot of people saw my stuff and I received some great feedback.

Since the boutique, I decided to take a break from crafting and obsessing over my business so I concentrated on other things - like getting back to the gym (that was long overdue!), volunteering for the kids' school activities, and keeping busy with our house construction. Since I don't have a dedicated craft space...or any space at all with our tiny duplex rental right now, it's quite a challenge to craft sometimes! But our new house will have plenty of space and a craft room and craft closet JUST FOR ME!

And of course...wouldn't ya know it...once I decide to take a break from the business and chill a bit from it, the orders and inquiries started to pour in!

Thank you to my clients - old and new - for your support and recommendations. So much of my business is from word-of-mouth so I really appreciate your kind words and sharing my work with your friends and family!

Marshmallows, Goldfish, and Tissue Paper...OH MY!

2008-02-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

Jessica (who is in 4th grade) is currently studying the Medieval Era in school. She had an assignment this past week to create a castle which was due today. When I first heard of this project, naturally, my delusions of grandeur brought me to thoughts of an intricately built edifice strewn with "realistic" embellishments and detail. My competitive nature started to kick in as thoughts of "Jessica's castle has to be the BEST" started to flow through my mind.

Fortunately, my wonderful husband, Jamie saved me from myself. A few nights ago, he said he would take the lead on the castle project (something that was hard for me to let go of) since I was so swamped preparing for the upcoming boutique next week. So he went to the store to get the supplies. Well, instead of coming home with shopping bags from Michael's or JoAnn's or maybe even the Home Depot...he came home with grocery bags filled with....

Marshmallows and Toothpicks

Hmmm...not quite what I had in mind but hey...I was letting go of creative control this time so he and Jessica and Brandon (who had to help!) ran with it.

Now these were the big marshmallows (not the little ones) and after an hour or two of Jamie and the two kids piercing marshmallows with toothpicks (while trying to prevent Melissa from eating them) and arranging them in a castle-like shape, the project was finally done. Well sort of. As Jamie left for work the next morning, he said, "Do you think you can do something with that??" as he glanced over the undistinguishable mass of bulging sugar. I just kind of mumbled, "I'll try."

For the next couple of days, I pleaded with Jessica to at least paint it but she refused...she was just fine with the way it was. Was this *my* daughter???

To my relief, she came home yesterday saying that she had to put a moat around her castle...yes...finally, we could add a bit of color to it! So we took some blue tissue paper and glued it around the castle for a moat.

Brandon had the brilliant idea of adding Goldfish crackers in the moat for a bit of "realism". They finished it off by using one of Brandon's castle flags taken from one of his knight playsets and sticking it in the center.

She was so pleased at the outcome last night that she HAD to have her neighbor friend over just to see it.

Jessica proudly entered her school this morning beaming at all of the "that's so cool!" comments she received from her friends.

I guess she really *is* my daughter.

Modesty never looked so Fashionable

2008-01-25T09:41:00.001-08:00

Vintage Fashion Print
Originally uploaded by Karmel Design

This vintage image of very fashionable "madames" caught my eye as it reminded me of one of my favorite treasures - a vintage Parisian newspaper I bought in a Paris flea market. The newspaper is filled with similar images of fashionable ladies in Europe and while I will never part with my original newspaper, I created this piece to express my love of that era and their timeless elegance.

Star Cross'd Lovers

2008-01-23T12:10:00.001-08:00

Romeo and Juliet Decorative Tile1
Originally uploaded by Karmel Design

With Valentine's Day coming up, my thoughts of love and romance are still bringing me back to Shakespeare.

When Jamie and I were dating, I wrote a personal essay that compared us to Romeo and Juliet as we too were "star-cross'd" at the time due to our religious differences.

Although, fortunately, our religious differences were resolved and Jamie and I didn't commit suicide, the romantic tale of the Montagues and Capulets will still remain in my heart.

This tile features words from the couple:

ROMEO: With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out.

JULIET: My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (during a Wintry Day)

2008-01-22T18:05:00.001-08:00

Midsummer Night's Dream - Travertine Tile3
Originally uploaded by Karmel Design

I found this vintage photo of Bottom (donkey) and Titania from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and I was feeling very reminiscent of my favorite class at UCLA which was Shakespeare.

It was such a beautiful picture that I had to do *something* with it so the result is this 6" X 6" travertine tile with the quote: "The course of true love never did run smooth" (words from the Great Bard himself).

Even though I took that class over (gasp!) 18 years ago, my gi-nor-mous (but beautiful) Riverside Shakespeare textbook is still one of my favorite treasures (even with all the highlights and margin notes!).

Tell Me Again...why did we leave Southern Calif?

2008-01-21T14:22:00.001-08:00

Why did we move to Utah?
Originally uploaded by kaydles

Once again, we woke up to heavy snowfall. Jamie left the house at 4:30 am to get to work and it's a good thing he did too! While he didn't have to struggle with much traffic at that early hour, the roads were not plowed but fortunately he made it there safely in his little California convertible (top up, of course!) by driving behind a big rig.

He did pass a few accidents though and he's glad he got to work so early - several of his colleagues took 2+ hours to get to work during rush hour!

Da Vinci in My Heart

2008-01-21T08:02:00.001-08:00

Oh...how I long for the serenity she seems to enjoy...

Ever since I saw "Ever After" with Drew Barrymore a few years ago, I've always loved Da Vinci's portrait "Head of a Young Woman". Of course the movie version made her look more like Drew...but the image shown here is of the actual masterpiece.

I've taken this image and digitally embellished it for an elegant fine print. Isn't she lovely?

This print is available in my Etsy boutique:

http://www.karmeldesign.etsy.com

Love in the Home - Free Postcards to Share

2008-01-17T17:04:00.000-08:00

I've treasured the message that this verse conveys for years now and in the past I've sent it to friends and family prior to Valentine's Day. It's a message that I have to read to myself often.

It is entitled "Love in the Home"

The verse:
"Love in the Home"

"If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
but have not love, I am a housekeeper - not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love, my children learn cleanliness - not godliness.
Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.
Love smiles at the fingerprints on the newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love is present through the trials.
Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.
Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.
Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart.
Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God's perfection of my child.
As a mother, there is much I must teach my child, but the
Greatest of all is Love. (Author unknown)"

I am now offering a set of 6 complimentary postcards (they're double-sided 4" X 6") for you to share with YOUR friends and family. Just e-mail me at karmel@karmeldesign.com with your shipping information and I will send them out to you free of charge.

I'll even package it all pretty for you (because I just can't help myself!)

FRONT:

BACK:

You can also view this message on an 8 X 8 Travertine Tile available in my Etsy shop. http://www.karmeldesign.etsy.com

Introducing Photo Tiles!

2008-01-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

"By George, I think she's got it!" So for years now, I've been trying to figure out a way to transfer your favorite pictures on to tiles. I've had requests for them in the past and every time I try, I'm just not too pleased with the result - they just did not turn out good enough to offer to you, my wonderful clients.

But I think I've figured it out now!

Check out the pics below...these Photo Tiles are available in my Etsy shop and will make a wonderful Valentine's Day gift!

Beautiful Ridley

2007-12-20T09:13:00.000-08:00

It had been a couple of years since I designed Holiday Cards for the DeSotos so I was very pleasantly surprised and overjoyed when the pics that were sent to me this year included photos of their little girl, Ridley!

Of course, the card focused on her sweet face and expressions.

FRONT

BACK

ALL BOY

2007-12-20T09:01:00.001-08:00

When I received the pictures of Alex for the King Family Holiday Card, all I could think of was "ALL BOY!" So the following design is "grungy" Christmas look with one of my favorite quotes:

"When I grow up, I want to be a Little Boy" (Joseph Heller)

FRONT

BACK

"He's Growing Like a Weed..."

2007-12-20T08:49:00.000-08:00

That's what a former next-door neighbor would say to us when we were little kids.

Bryan's mom heard about me when she received a Christmas card from a colleague a couple of years ago. She had just recently given birth to Bryan and commissioned me to design her birth announcements.

A year later, I was honored to design Bryan's First Year Birthday Party invitations.

She recently contacted me again for her Holiday Cards this year.

It's so fun watching little Bryan get bigger and bigger!

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BACK

A Sweet Wedding Gift

2007-12-20T08:35:00.001-08:00

A client I had not heard from in about a year contacted me in November for a layout for her sister's upcoming wedding. The amusing thing about our reconnection was that she did not know I was LDS until she saw the LDS Products on my website (which was added a few months after I did work for her initially). She's LDS too!

Below is the layout for her sister and her fiance. What a sweet couple!

Harper 2007 Christmas Cards

2007-12-17T21:45:00.000-08:00

I had such a fun time designing our Christmas card this year! Since we just moved to Utah from Southern California in August 2007, I definitely wanted to highlight the different culture here in the Beehive state. While we miss our family and friends back in Cali, we absolutely LOVE living here and we feel so blessed that all of the "planets aligned" so that we could finally call Utah home.

Below are pictures of this year's HARPER CHRISTMAS CARD...

FRONT OF CARD

INSIDE OF CARD