Have You Heard of the Micromovement?

Do you have a difficult time starting or finishing projects? Do you find that you spend more time thinking about your dreams than you do putting your big plans into action?

I think you're gonna love the concept behind the micromovement! Most of us can do anything for 5 seconds to 5 minutes right? Easy peasy!

I'm going to task you with a project this week and here it is. Simply schedule your next micromovement on your calendar. That's it!

If you feel really ambitious, blog about your completed micromovement. Leave a comment here along with a link to your post.

I'll create a blog post next Saturday and include a link to your micromovement post so we can help you celebrate your baby steps to your dream.

Note: Written passages are direct quotes from the book "Make Your Creative Dreams Real" by SARK.

Change Almost Anything in 21 Days - Day 15

At first I resisted some of the affirmations I read in the book but resistance to anything is an indication that a lesson can be learned.

there is lots of power in simply being willing to be willing

Burn the karmic seeds and end the pattern.  I have a healthy envy of successfully, self employed artists and as I awaken, I realize how much better I feel using the affirmation to help change the pattern.

see opportunity for change in every challenge and welcome it

Soon I'll be able to move from "I am willing to be willing" to "I am willing." Even in that small increment, changes are taking place!

trust that you will know when to move from willing to doing

By changing the landscape of thought from within, changes from without will also necessarily take place. They must, it is law! Most of all, try to make this fun and change will happen even faster!

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we begin prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial. If that isn't the very definition of a dichotomy I don't know what is!

Happy Fat Tuesday!!

However you choose to celebrate the season, Kell Belle Studio wishes you the best!

Change Almost Anything in 21 Days - Day 12

While trying to come up with a good affirmation to use for 21 days, I noticed that my mind came up with lots of reasons why I should stick to something small at first. Isn't that interesting?

my old blank journal

Moral: Don't believe everything you think. Your mind will try to keep you tied to habitual ways but those moments hold your greatest opportunities for change.

what are some of your excuses?

I write my affirmations just before going to sleep and the past few nights I've started falling asleep while writing them. Falling asleep is an excuse to avoid moving past discomfort.

if you must know, click image to read

What are some of the excuses you use? Are they true? Can you be absolutely certain they are true? What might your life look like if you could no longer use those excuses? Comments welcome.

How to Make Paper Rose Leaves

Since our Paper Wardrobe Project for March includes the possibility of leaves I'm going to share a  technique for adding veins and how to cut your leaves so they have cerated edges.

cut leaf shape with paper edgers for more visual appeal

First select some green paper.  Cut a small piece and fold it in half. With a pair of mini scallop scissors, cut the open edge side of the paper forming a leaf shape.

card stock was too thick - use thinner paper

With a pair of tweezers grab the folded leaf just below the tip. Crimp by twisting the tweezers to the right (or left) and crease.

finished leaf

Continue crimping working from the tip of the leaf to the stem. Open the leaf and shape as desired. It is now ready to add to your project. Enjoy!

Glass Shadow Boxes

I found (of all things) glass shadow boxes! I see uses for this that combine a little bit of everything I've found so far that has anything to do with artful shadow boxes!

visit West Elm for more great ideas

These can be opened making it very easy to periodically swap out items like paper dresses especially if you're thinking seasonally.

West Elm sells more than just frames

A glass shadow box that can be mounted on a wall or stand on a table - how perfect is that? I'm excited no end at the customization possibilities.

Change Almost Anything in 21 Days

A year ago I nearly lost my job. I had a new boss I wasn't getting along with, I hated what I was doing and my relationships with my co-workers and management were strained. Needless to say my attitude was in the crapper.

I knew I was headed down a very destructive path so I made the decision to change my thinking. I began practicing forgiveness, I embraced challenge as opportunities for change and I used affirmations. 3 months after I made that decision things at work began to change.

Today, I am friends with my boss, I've completely changed the perception management had of me, I get along with my co-workers, my job duties have changed to something I really enjoy and I'm being given opportunities I've never had before!

I am a walking testament to the power of affirmations. I won't say that this is easy because it isn't. It's so much easier to remain in our comfort zones and keep making the same choices we made yesterday than it is to make changes but it is soooo worth it!

Today I'm making another change. I want to apply the transformations I saw at work to other areas of my life so I thought I would share what's on my reading list this month. Come join me over the next 21 days and prove to yourself how powerful affirmations can be.

Folded Rose Tutorial

Y'all are gonna LOVE this Folded Rose Tutorial created by Ann Martin of All Things Paper. These can make the perfect addition to your paper crafts and I'm positively giddy with excitement over finding this!

folded paper rose styles

The rose on the left was created using the folded rose tutorial and looks like an English rose. The rose on the right is an example of how I've been creating my miniature roses for years. Both are beautiful.

lovely little English rose style roses

You don't have to specifically use quilling paper, for more variety, you can cut your own strips using an X-acto blade and a metal ruler. Light weight papers with color on both sides work best.

spray of traditional style roses

Valentine's Day is coming. Add some leaves punched from green paper and you can make some really nice little rose sprays for use in your paper crafts. Enjoy!

A Visit From the Green Fairy

The green fairy paid me a visit the other day. She just popped into my head screaming to be the paper couture inspiration of the month for March. Why not, I thought. She is green and a perfect St. Paddy's Day choice.

the perfect little flirty fairy skirt ever

Fairies are known to be tricksters so in that spirit I thought I would combine elements of different fairy outfits to come up with my own version of a green fairy dress starting with that flirty little pink skirt.

love the "V" neckline

We need something with sleeves this time so we'll go with a V neckline and some pouffy sleeves. I really like the leafy accents so I'll likely incorporate that element too. What do you think?

Paper Couture XX: Vintage Corset

Paper Couture is proud to present February's installment of the paper wardrobe project. This vintage corset template is designed to resemble the vintage corset image located in the right sidebar.

free vintage corset template 5 x 7 inches

The video below covers ideas for embellishing your damask pattern corset once it has been assembled.  I also show you how to make miniature satin bows that you don't have to tie!

If you use the template to create a project, please feel free to leave a comment with this post and include a link where we can have a peek at your work! Thanks for visiting and enjoy!

Note: Please observe the terms of use (TOS) located in the left sidebar. By downloading any materials you agree to be bound by my TOS without exception.

Season of L'amore and Vintage Paper Corsets

Ah, tis the season of l'amore and to go a step further than just a corset, how about a ruffled, paper replica of a vintage corset that's so stinkin' cute you'll want this for yourself.

vintage paper corset

I absolutely love this thing to the point where I've decided that this will be the paper couture outfit I will use to launch the displays I've been planning for months! This scrumptious vintage corset could not be more perfect!

Derailed by Car Accident

I've been a little off kilter this week after being rear ended by another car while I was stopped at a red light Monday afternoon. Just exactly how much skill does that take?

Note to the girl who hit me: Please wait for the other car to vacate the area before you try to occupy it! Thanks.

sometimes you just feel like a boneless chicken!

The police officer who arrived on the scene was happy to see we weren't beating the crap out of each other. Hmmm . . . .  I wonder, does that happen a lot?

1 refill left - Seriously?? Glad I declined the narcotics!

Thankfully I came through with a light case of whiplash and a scrape on the back bumper. Apparently my headrest was set too far back to be of any use. Oops! My reward for visiting the doctor was a truck load of drugs and a few days off from work. Ahhh!

Damask Pattern

A damask print is the only thing exquisite enough to use as the pattern for the vintage corset I'm planning for February's paper wardrobe project.

black and white damask pattern - click to download

An image search for damask pattern returns a plethora of results but this one was by far my favorite. Best of all, this is free for your use. This tiles together easily so play around with size and color. Enjoy!

Paper Baby Dress

I received a request for a custom baby dress to which I happily responded with a resounding yes and this divine creation was born.

paper baby dress front

I can tell you it wasn't much of a stretch to adapt my current templates to create this dress and it seemed to just come together like magic.

paper baby dress - dimensional view

I had already planned to design a few baby dresses at some point so I guess the powers that be were telling me that now is the time.

paper baby dress back view

The trimming was created using paper edgers. I can tell you I still have numbness in my thumb from cutting this. Though it looks great here, I'll reconsider doing anything like this again.

embellished paper dress box

Last but not least is the icing on the proverbial cake. The unwrapping experience begins with a nicely tied dress box, tiny tag and a paper rose. Together they are nothing short of true perfection!