Corinner-elly Creations

It's me again, Corinner-elly.

You know, sometimes I feel bad for letting this blog die off, but then I have to remind myself that every person goes through phases in their life, whether they realize it or not. And just because my priorities and interests have changed doesn't mean that the ol' blog and I didn't have a good run together.

And it's not like it's really dead, right? I mean, here I am, still posting.

Hopefully its content has drifted away from my snarky & sarcastic teenage years to something with a bit more substance. Where I can memorialize thoughts and events in my life without forgetting to always find the humor. Because I think if I didn't laugh, I might cry. And I much prefer to laugh.

I'm sure you may have noticed that I recently began a small business via Etsy as a designer specializing in artistic services and graphic design. And based on responses (such as 'what's that Corinner-elly thing I keep seeing') received, I've come to determine that there is some confusion surrounding the matter.

But to begin, I need to go further back. Much further back. To a time when I wasn't Corinner-elly. I was just Rin. (Rinner. Rinnerroo. Rinnerroo-roo. Crin. Crinner. Corinner. Take your pick.)

I've always been proud of being talented. (Is that bad to say?..) Not in a 'I'm better than you' sort of way. Just in an 'everyone likes to be noticed' sort of way. And being able to do many things and do them well gave me the attention that every person seeks.

And so it was that one afternoon, I was home with my family and found myself bombarded with requests to help multiple people with multiple projects all within a manner of minutes. Teasingly, a family member (I can't for the life of me remember who?) burst into song "Corinner-elly, Corinner-elly. Night and day it's 'Corinner-elly'... She goes around in circles 'til she's very, very dizzy. Still they holler 'Keep a-busy Corinner-elly!'" (A variation of the Work Song from the Disney animated classic Cinderella.)

Thus, Corinner-elly came to be. (Funny I've never explained that before. Years down the road and many, MANY blog posts later.) I subsequently started a blog, because I love to write, and I loved the reaction it got. And presently carried the name over to my business: Corinner-elly Creations. I thought it only fitting, considering I am Corinner-elly (or at least, my talented side is), and I love to create!

A little over a year later, and I still can't believe how excited I am every time an order comes in! I have always known that I wanted to be home with my children, but I also knew that I wanted to have a means of bringing in additional income and keeping my creative mind busy. I dabbled with industries such as interior design and professional organizing, but they didn't seem to fit. And I certainly never loved my work.

Which is why it is so relieving to finally have found my professional calling. For those of you who are still scratching your heads as to what it is I actually DO, let me explain.

My shop (www.etsy.com/shop/Corinnerelly) is divided into various sections such as Announcement/Invitation, Artwork, Wall Art, Clipart, Stationery, etc. A large portion of my listings are announcements and invitations that can be customized to include a customer's desired information. They are given the opportunity to request unlimited edits until they are 100% happy with the finished product. I then send them the high-resolution JPEG file via an Etsy conversation where they may save it to their computer and print as many copies as they'd like from the print location of their choice.

However, a large majority of my orders come in the form of custom orders where a customer requests an entirely new design based off examples they send -OR- of my own creation from the direction they give. I have had orders come in from all over the world, sourced from an Etsy search or from my listings in Facebook groups.

I also feature some of my past artwork and will feature many future pieces (if my husband has his way) in the form of digital files that can be printed and displayed at the purchaser's discretion. In addition to printable wall art.

I also list the design elements I've created in the form of clipart PNG files that can be downloaded and used instantly. This comes in handy for other graphic designers as well as digital scrapbookers, etc.

Additionally, I offer my design services in the form of logo/wordmark and business card creation. Basically, if you need something designed, whether it be a paper good or digital file, I'm your girl.

You'll find that my shop is constantly evolving. I add listings and sections periodically as my portfolio grows. I am always up for a challenge and have confidence that I can create whatever it is that you are needing, in a timely manner with unlimited patience should my customer be undecided or especially detail oriented.

If you've found this post intriguing and would like to follow my business, please 'like' my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CorinnerellyCreations. I so love sharing my talents with the world and find immense satisfaction in my work.

Even if I end up "[going] around in circles 'til [I'm] very, very dizzy. [Hope you'll] holler 'Keep a-busy Corinner-elly!'"

'Drawn'-out.

I love seeing time lapses of artists making their artwork. So today I thought I'd share a little play-by-play of some of the pieces I've done recently.

Unfortunately for you, I haven't the time nor equipment to sit down and film myself creating a drawing in one attempt. My method is to work for as long as I possibly can before I go eraser-crazy then come back later.

I could potentially come back to the same piece an infinite amount of times, because it never seems quite right once I've given my brain a break from staring at it. But those are the times when I just have to call it 'good enough for who it's for' and finish the dang thing.

Speaking of 'who it's for', this first example I did for my former roomie, (sad day..) Lacy-Hacy's, upcoming wedding. Instead of a guest book, she's going to have people leave a thumbprint 'leaf' on this tree then sign their names very petitley beneath it.

You can thank Pinterest for her ingenuity.

This is how it started out. Looking EXACTLY like the picture reference she had given me. However, I was quickly informed that I was doing it 'all wrong' and that she wanted it to be 'less short and squatty' and with a 'less perfect heart'.

Forgive me for liking perfection, Bridezilla.

Once I had lengthened the tree and imagined more branches, (no small feat for me, I hardly ever draw from my imagination) I began shading in dimension with a brown soft lead pencil.

It was then that Lacy-Hacy informed me that maybe she did want her and her fiance's names included in the drawing. Did I mention that was why the tree was 'short and squatty' to begin with?? To allow room for said features?..

Have I also mentioned that she's somewhat of an indecisive Bridezilla?
Yes? Moving on then.

After similar indecisiveness surrounding what she would like the birds to look in her tree, I threatened to make them look like this:

Needless to say, she wasn't amused and increased the level of 'testiness' in our correspondence.

When she finally sent me an image of what she wanted, I penciled in two little bluebirds representing her and lover-boy. Naturally, one had a larger beak than the other. I'm not saying who it represents.

As if that weren't hassle enough, it took me another seven years to find out what font she wanted me to replicate for their names. Did I mention that this commission was pro bono?

Or that I no longer have any hair from pulling it out?..

But it was all worth it in the end upon seeing her satisfaction with the finished product. And my free-hand calligraphy turned out amazingly well, if I do say so myself.

My second example is a drawing I did for my and the fiance's parents last Christmas. I probably should have taken a picture of the rough sketch before I added any shading, but in all honesty, rough sketches of humans are often quite scary. I'm talking super hideous here people.

Be grateful that we live in a 3-dimensional world.

The only thing that prompted me to document the beginnings of my drawing at all was a need for validation. Luckily, 'da twinneh' recognized who I was trying to draw, albeit over poor quality picture message.

And so I plodded along, hoping that I wasn't horribly mangling President Monson's loving features too much.

That's the problem with drawing a person you (and possibly a LOT of others) know. There's always something wrong with the depiction, because everyone looks at different things in a face.

Gratefully, I've only gotten an overwhelmingly positive response about the image, because I was a little worried there.

It was two months in the making, but I finally finished it. And this time round, I decided to let Photoshop add the wording in for me.

Then it was packaged, wrapped and gifted. And now hangs happily in both homes, not to mention Lacy-Hacy's bedroom, her parents' house and her soon to be in-law's house.

So there you have it.

Creating artwork is fun when you stop second-guessing yourself and aren't collaborating with a semi-unresponsive/indecisive bride.

It's also fun when you get paid.

But then again, I wouldn't know anything about that.

And so leads the life of Corinner-Elly.

But It's My Burf-Day!

Well. What's done is done.
I have now reached the ripe old age of twenty-one.

But don't cry for me Argentina. I had the bestest b-day eva! (Aside from being asked 50 billion times if I was headed to Vegas and warned a similar amount regarding drunk driving.)

Cool it people. I can't even chew gum & walk at the same time.

Upon being asked what I wanted to do this year, my original thoughts included Lagoon, inevitable motion sickness and foot-long corn dogs. (In that order, preferably.)

But, sadly, due to a poor sibling population and a lack of available friends (what the heck, friends whatsoever), I was forced to research an alternate course of action.

It's not right for a woman to read.
Soon she starts getting ideas and thinking...

And thus, a PLAN was hatched!
Being the big nerd that I am, I compiled a list of local museums in the Salt Lake area with the help of my very good friend, Google Maps. He and I plotted a course and scheduled the itinerary for my big adventure.

Yes. You read that right.
For my 21st birthday, I went on a Museum-Trip-O-Awesomeness.

I never said that I was normal.

I blame this propensity towards the preservation of history on my mom. Who, unsurprisingly, has noticed that she provides an exceedingly large amount of content for my blog fodder.
Lucky duck.

Growing up, we never had cable and therefore, I was forced to watch unhealthy amounts of Antiques Roadshow, Nova, National Geographic, Nature and other such wholesome programming on the standard antenna channels. When I did move out and finally basked for the first time in the glory of cable, to my chagrin, I was drawn to the same types of shows. *curse you mother!*

 So now, I must admit, when I think of the world's greatest road trip, I picture traveling to the country's tastiest hot dog/corn dog shacks while visiting all of the ghost towns of the old west and stopping at every museum/gala/expose along the way.

Doesn't that sound wonderful? ... Never mind.
Only a select few share my vision.

And they have yet to be found.

The first birthday stop (other than McDonald's) was the Museum of Nat-ural History. *wink* Mom, Gem n' I meandered through the bug, geology, anthropology, etc. exhibits until we stumbled upon THIS.

Isn't he *beautiful*? Look at his cute little face. So full of character.
I told Gem I wanted him for a pet.
She asked if I liked my arms attached to my body.

And then, as if the very world were to explode from cuteness, I saw this adorable little fella'. Don't you just want to pet him all over? *sigh*

What I wouldn't give to have lived during the Mesozoic Age.
(Which includes my arms, apparently.)

Hehe. This guy just makes me laugh.
He needs a word bubble that says "Whaaa??..."

This one's pretty cute too. :) My partner in 'mocking' crime.
Cuz', let's face it. Making fun of people/things is fun ta do.

Next, was the Art Museum on U of U's campus.
I knew I was in enemy territory as soon at the front desk attendant announced he'd have to charge me double (on a free day none-the-less) after finding out I was a BYU student.

Pfft. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt, ya know.

This is my best impression of the oh-so-classic art museum head 'tilt'. (Ah... NOW I see it.)

Is it safe to assume that this may very well be the literal translation of 'butthead'?...

Our touring time was limited, so we finished off the field-trip at the Tracy Aviary and headed back to happy valley for some shoppin' and dinin' with 'da twinneh'. (Leavin' off the 'g' never gets old...) I made off with quite the haul.

I'm still not sure what to think of these. 'Da twinneh' and Gem tricked me into purchasing them even though I'm fairly certain they make my feet look like gleaming-metallic snake skin duck flippers. What the heck. I'd pay (and have paid) $3.00 to see that.

And I can't forget the perfect ending to a perfect day.
Chicken Wings.

I could write sonnets to their glory. (Despite the 'so-called' horror stories surrounding Sizzler's salad bar. I simply couldn't resist.)

So now you know.
In case you haven't purchased my gift yet. I would like:

• A man-eating relative of the pre-historic crocodile.
• A cable subscription.
• A 'world-greatest-roadtrip' fund.
• A life.

Yup. That about sums it up.

It Looks Questionable to Me.

Last week, Em had an idea that bordered on genius.

She decided, post searching all over the Provo/Orem area for someone who would be willing to donate to our cause, to forgo the 'Build Your Own Birdhouse' idea.

Instead, we had an 'Art Day' to rue all art days.
It looked a little (okay exactly) like this:

We had the kids lie down on the butcher paper, then we'd trace their outline and have them color the inside. And when I say 'we' I mean 'the moms' because, apparently, Em n' me are pretty darn scary. Look at these cuspids. Rrrr!

 

These little fellers' were too cute. One (pictured at the bottom left) wanted another Otter-Pop but was too shy to ask us. He just kept givin' us that little grin and hiding behind his mom while the other (pictured at the bottom right) was fearless. Neon foam sword and all.

And of course, I couldn't help but join in myself. Hence, the surprisingly accurate replica of none other but 'yours truly'.
The likeness is uncanny, eh?

As to why I broke my posting streak of late:
I recently returned home from a river rafting trip extravaganza. The young single adults in my area headed down to Green River for three days in order to get their fill of sunburn, bug bites and filthy outhouse stench. Boy, was it fu-UHN.

Upon arriving home, I proceeded to drag myself up the steps and across the threshold. As I lay on the kitchen floor like a lifeless slug, Mom wasted no time in assaulting me, begging for details.

"How was the river?", she prodded.

"Wet.", I responded.

"Was the food any good?"

"Yup.", I snipped.

"Did you sleep well?", she worried.

"So, so.", I mumbled.

"Oh come on." she interjected determinedly, "Were any of the boys cute, at least?"

"Well..." I began to say, "They were until I got a good look at their toenails."

Suddenly, before I could fully come to terms with what was happening, Mom and my oldest sister (who had conveniently phoned the house moments earlier) were holding their sides in fits of laughter, feeding off each other's delight in regards to my response.

"What!?" I demanded intently, "I'm not saying that they should invest in weekly pedicures but is it too much to ask that they at least CLIP every so often??"

Granted their response was mostly unintelligible, I did catch a few snippets between the *snorts* and *guffaws*: something in regards to why 'marriage isn't in my future' and concern as to 'where I came from'.

Needless to say, I wasn't pleased.

I find it perfectly reasonable to demand the same podiatric health standard from those around me as to that I have set for myself. So, call me crazy, but I fully expect the man who slips a ring on my finger to submit to a rigorous foot inspection.

Mind you. It will be extensive.