Sit down, put your feet up, and grab a cup of coffee, because there's a lot to cover today! IT'S SEW EASY Thank you so much to everyone who has already signed up for It's Sew Easy! I've been fielding a lot of questions via e-mail and figured I should share some information here! If you want to buy a sewing machine... Bernina is my brand of choice. I think they're the best quality machines in the world! If you want an entry level un-computerized Bernina, I really love this one: It's the Bernette 56, around $300, and it is... Read more →

Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to be featured on the Prima blog! Here's the post: Hi! My name is Julie Fei-Fan Balzer and I live in New York City – Times Square to be exact! (Sorry for the blurry photo, but that's NYC -- always in motion!) On my street (pictured above) there are two Broadway theatres, Roseland (a famous nightclub/dance hall), lots of restaurants -- including two that specialize in Russian food and homemade vodka, a hotel, four apartment buildings, a theatrical scene shop, a garage, a bank, a large office building, and a defunct subway stop.... Read more →

Here is this week's sketch for Pencil Lines: And my interpretation: I am finding myself adding patterned paper along the edges of my layouts more and more often. I like the way it adds a little bit of color and texture to the page. Hand cut scallops are another current favorite thing to do! And lots of hand stitching every where! Thanks for stopping by! --- P.S. The winners from yesterday's giveaway: Drop me an e-mail ladies and I'll let you know where you can pick up your goodies! :) Read more →

It's time for a round up of awesome crafty ideas from around the blog-o-sphere! Using Stamps as Masks From the Studio Calico blog, Kelly Noel shares how to use your letter stamps as misting masks. So simple and so smart! Glübers Celine Navarro shares a cool new product from Cosmo Cricket. It's kind of a giant glue dot and it's perfect for rolling your own flowers! Artsy Layout Tutorial Kaori Watanabe is one of my favorite scrapbookers and she shares a step-by-step tutorial on creating one of her artsy layouts (above is a close-up of a section of the layout)... Read more →

Can I be totally honest? I made a project for today's wedding themed blog hop, photographed it, and promptly left home without editing the photos and writing a post about it. Sigh. And since I'm away for the weekend I needed to get inventive and make something for the hop that was quick and easy. I recently read part of Emily Pitt's great series on cardmaking on the Write Click Scrapbook blog and one thing that really stuck in my head was the advice to keep it simple. I think I tend to overthink cards and thusly they become incredibly... Read more →

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, all the posts can be found here. Please read this post first. There is a flickr group for sharing right here. Remember, it's just ten minutes of nourishing your creative self every day! No need to finish anything or even like it. Just play! Sign up for March here. How are you doing with your art journaling? This has been an uneven month for me. I've definitely done something creative every single day, but I've missed actually art journaling for a number of days. But I've made up for it by doing... Read more →

I'm heading to a three-day crop in New Jersey this weekend. Three days of unlimited creative time sounds so lovely and exciting, but it also means packing. Ugh. How do I take my whole studio with me in two suitcases? Well thinking about packing has made me think about what I can't stop using lately. So today I thought I'd share ten products that I'm currently reaching for all the time! (And yes, I'm thinking I may have to bring the sewing machine to the crop....) 1. Claudine Hellmuth Studio Matte Multi-Medium in a squeeze bottle I was kind of... Read more →

My new online class It's Sew Easy starts at the end of the month! I'm super excited and I've been making so many colorful and lovely projects that I just have to share one! This is a project for week two, in which you'll master sewing a 1/4" seam and using a rotary cutter! And remember, tomorrow is the last day to get the early bird sign-up-with-a-friend discount! Thanks for stopping by! Read more →

I'm so happy with Prima's new release from CHA. Gorgeous stuff! Here are the layouts I made to be displayed in their booth: 65 Is that a hilarious photo, or what? New Prima masks (blue Copic airbrush used) and fab new crystals. I'm pretty thrilled with these new numbers and letters from Prima. Hint: a tiny squeeze bottle of multi-medium makes the letters stick forever and is easy to use, no mess! I airbrushed the flowers yellow. They were originally kind of taupe-y. Mr. and Mrs. Villegas I don't often do a layout without journaling, but the title and the... Read more →

Yeah, it was that much fun! (If she's not dancing, click on the photo to see Riv in action!) On Saturday afternoon I invited some friends over for a "Crafternoon." Much craft madness ensued. There was food: And there was a make-a-moustache station... ...which led to many a moustache being worn! And of course there was lots of stuff being made... ...including some hand painted cookies! And there were even party favors! I made a bunch of little embellishments (and even stitched up the bags to put them in)! Much fun was had by all! ---- P.S. Don't forget! I'm... Read more →