many people have often asked how i manage to work on art, while having two kids... although each day can be different, i decided to give you one day's example of how i assembled 20 invitations for wendy's order...
keep in mind, both kids were wide eyed at half past midnight... i already did the illustration for the invitation and had them printed out... they were delivered to me earlier in the day... because i knew i'd be up late at night, i drank a venti orange mocha from starbucks... that gave the caffeine enough time to kick in... and then the assemblage began...
1. diego was put to bed at 10pm however, he was wide awake... as was isabella... ramel needed his sleep so i took out my rated R movie and put another dvd in... i went from resident evil to superman cartoons... i needed to do some "unsafe" work so isabella went in the playpen... diego relaxed on my chair... i cut my 12x12" paper to size... and then i cut some ribbon...
2. isabella got antsy so i placed her on the carpet while i cut the postcards into the shapes of tags... then i folded the papers just cut... i started to cut the edges but she began to get hungry... can you see i was too? mint caribou coffee bars for mama and milk for baby... diego drank water- hehe...
3. while isabella nursed, i punched holes in the tags and in the papers... i finished cutting the edges of the paper with decorative scissors (safe scissors for while she nursed on my lap)
4. after her feeding (she's pretty quick and thus the reason she wakes up so often), she fell asleep on my lap... that gave me a tad of time to wrap and tie the ribbons around the papers....
5. by then, i decided to put diego to bed... it was well over 1:30am... isabella mussed up a diaper; i woke up ramel so he could change her diaper while i worked a bit more... while he gave me this time, i rushed (yes, RUSHED) to sizzix the flowers for the envelopes... the flowers were glued and pieced together all the while isabella cried (yes, i bet that mocha was keeping her up too)
6. i brought isabella to the studio again so ramel could go back to sleep... while holding her, i added the ribbon onto the tags and put the tags inside the papers... i nearly completed the task until my leg fell asleep and my arms grew tired... i figured i better blog this before i forget...
7. i checked up on diego, and he seemed quite asleep... the kid keeps so much in his bed, no wonder he has little room!!! isabella hasn't been doing a good job sleeping in her bassinet or her swing... she prefers a warm body to cuddle next to... so often ramel will assist in this department too... while i blogged, he cuddled her...
that is how i worked on art this past night!! this is not the everyday venture however, it gives you an idea of how i multi task... some nights ramel cares for isabella the entire time (except for feeding time)... most nights, diego stays in his bed and falls asleep early enough... and of course, MANY nights, i cannot afford a starbucks drink or coffee bars, so i am left without as much caffeine in my system....
it's 3:55am and i am off to sleep
phew!! nighty night super mum!!!
the invitations look great!
Isabella has grown so much - adorable! as is Diego! sweet pics!
Posted by: Anastasia | June 07, 2007 at 06:01 AM
Everything is so lovely! Great colors and patterns and superb illustration of a little girl!
She has everything she needs.
A dolly,
a cupcake,
a beautiful dress and barette
and a cutsie hairstyle!
You multi-task SO well!!
Posted by: xenakiddle | June 07, 2007 at 08:12 AM
You work so hard you put me to shame. Now get some rest before you get frazzled out!
Posted by: Simone | June 07, 2007 at 08:43 AM
That's a complex system you got there! The invites look lovely!
I love the picture of Diego in bed(?). That's quite a cast of characters he's got sleeping with him. :)
Posted by: Diane Duda | June 07, 2007 at 09:28 AM
I don't even know what to say!!! I seriously wanted to cry just knowing all the effort you put into my Lil' Lani's invitations!! It truly means so much to me!!! They are BEAUTIFUL, MAGNIFICENT, and PERFECT! I can not wait until I can get them!!
Posted by: Wendy | June 07, 2007 at 01:25 PM
So for these invitations ... is each one made with cut paper or do you make one cut paper and then have them printed 1 dimensional?
Posted by: Angel | June 07, 2007 at 02:43 PM
I was reading this very fast Like it was you hahahahahaha.Everything turned out great!little Diego looks funny on the bed .Love MOM.
Posted by: Nina | June 07, 2007 at 04:01 PM
You are amazing! The invites are awesome! I'm glad that you took the time to blog this, although, I suppose sleep might have been a better use. This too shall pass and now you have a record to show the kids when they are older.
Posted by: Jane | June 07, 2007 at 07:06 PM
I love your invites!!! They are just great!!! I was wondering if you'd be able to do birthday invites for my little one for her 1st birthday. It's still a long way off though... in September...
Posted by: Denise | June 07, 2007 at 09:13 PM
you can sizzix the flowers (nu nu nu na)
glue it up on a card (nu nu nu na)
and never never never run out of caffeine bars...cuz your a wo-man...w-o-m-a-n
Posted by: kiwi | June 07, 2007 at 10:24 PM
I really enjoy your blog and looking at all the amazing things that you create.
I can understand how tired you must be holding Isabella such a lot. You might want to look at http://www.mamatoto.org/Default.aspx?tabid=36
which is all about babywearing. I found some really good ways of carrying my youngest just using an old sari, when he had really bad reflux and just wanted to be next to Mummy all the time.
Posted by: Treegirl | June 08, 2007 at 07:56 AM
wow, that is a late night!!
Posted by: jen | June 08, 2007 at 07:52 PM
wow! yes there are things i did when nursing ava too -- haha -- like knit!
i don't know where you get the energy...
Posted by: joyce | June 10, 2007 at 02:33 AM
Wow cute invites! And thats amazing what you get done with two kids. I guess it helps that you have a husband too =) But awesome work on being a super mum!
Posted by: Gracie | June 10, 2007 at 07:45 AM
Wow GF--you put all of us to shame! I often work late at nite too...it's something you learn as a mom and an entrepeur (or a wanna be like me..lol). I am well past the feeding stage, but my lil man is a late niter so often times he's up toodling around ever 5 minutes despite my best efforts to get hime to lie down.
Your invitations are precious, love em!
lucy
Posted by: lucy | June 10, 2007 at 07:47 AM
Hi - came over from Wendy's. Wow! Youre so talented & your kids are just so adorable!! Nothing beats being able to do what you love with your kids around you, even late into the night! :-)
Posted by: La Bellina Mammina | June 10, 2007 at 10:35 PM
Congrats on the Craftzine post, Ellia! You're truly an inspiration ;)
Posted by: Meghan | June 11, 2007 at 04:58 PM
I laughed out loud at the photo of Diego hanging out of his bed. cute.
Posted by: amandajean | June 13, 2007 at 12:08 PM
I love that invitation, you always do great work! and the babies are getting so big.
Posted by: brenda | June 21, 2007 at 07:28 PM
You are AWESOME!!!
Posted by: trish | January 18, 2008 at 12:54 PM
WOW! That is EXACTLY how things run at my house! My kiddos are now 3&4 but that scene was way to familiar. Your work is FABULOUS! I was wondering when the next batch of goodies will hit your shop? AND, thanks for th great HOW-TO article on ETSY! Good luck with the daily chaos of mommyhood, wifieness and cfrating!
Jenny Vanover
www.doodledesigns.etsy.com
Posted by: Jenny | February 06, 2008 at 07:42 AM
your one woman thay seems to do it all. you go girl!!!!!
Posted by: dana | February 24, 2008 at 06:36 PM
What a great story! This multitasking is what all of us mothers have to do really but it can be extra hard when you have important orders to fulfill. You handled it very well! It's so worth it, isn't it?
Posted by: Stacey-Ann | November 10, 2008 at 06:28 AM
Wow!! You're Super Mom!!! Love the pics (especially of Diego in his bed..lol..toooo cute!)
Posted by: Paper Girl Productions | September 17, 2009 at 10:45 AM