LizzyBell's Frozen Delights

A few more photos

2011-01-06T19:51:00.004-09:00

I just downloaded photos from my iphone and thought I would share a few more.

(photo courtesy of Cashman Photography)
Dinner at Circo in Las Vegas.
Sorry the photo quality is not great. I snapped a photo of a photo with my iphone.

It was sooooo yummy. Hand pulled spaghetti with a bolognese sauce. And an espresso martini for dessert.

Roses from my sweet hubby.
He had them (and sprinkled rose petals) on the table at our dinner in the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. It was one of the best meals I have ever had.

Bring on 2011!

2010-12-31T13:34:00.021-09:00

I was just looking at my blog posts this year and there are only ten (including this one). OMG!! I have been such a slacker. That will not happen in 2011. I have an entirely new outlook to my life and plan on sharing and documenting it much more than ever before. Look out world! :)

We will be spending tonight with friends and then the holiday clean up can begin. I have been so busy this year it is no wonder I have only had 10 posts. So I am going to recap 2010! Some with photos some without.

JANUARY

Marissa playing at recess in preschool.

Robert spent some time in Boise, ID for work and at our home there.

FEBRUARY
Cody performed in the play "The White Rose". This production was amazing!

Robert attended the yearly Safari Club dinner/auction and brought home a beautiful painting.

MARCH
A very quiet month for us. The calm before the storm you might say. :)
APRIL
We had all of the kids and their families to our house for prom photos before the limo picked them up. We did this last year and it was such a hit we did it again. They had such a good time taking photos and at the prom. The limo company called the next morning and told us they had never had a better more fun group of young adults. The good stuff every parent wants to hear.

All the guys dressed for prom.

Cody and all the girls dressed for prom.

Cody also has Senior Fun Day and his last performance in high school, Dimond Night Live (the high school version of Saturday Night Live). It is so fun, they do it every year. All of the skits are written and performed by the students.

Robert was back in Idaho for work and flew his mom in to spend some time with her.

I found out I would be needing a new aortic valve and started the scheduling process for that. Also, had all of my dental work done. :)

MAY
Cody graduated high school!!
Cody and mom at Baccalaureate.
Cody, his diploma and his principal. :)

Marissa finished up preschool and was promoted to kindergarten!!

Robert headed to Orlando for his continuing education class for his CIMA.

We went to Seward, AK in the RV and camped for the long weekend. It is my favorite spot to camp. The ocean, the biking, the shopping, etc. Who doesn't love to shop when your camping?
Playground in Seward.
Octopus at the Seward Sea Life Center. It was HUGE!
Sorry about the glare I couldn't avoid it.

This momma moose birthed twin calves in our backyard. The other baby was laying down.

And sadly, our dog Max passed away. He was such a good dog and we still miss him.

JUNE
We took Robert's mother to Italy for her 70th birthday.

What a great trip! I shared a lot of the highlights already on my blog so you can check out the photos and stories there. :) But, here are a few more photos.
Pisa
Me, being a tourist in Pompeii. Loved it!
Morning in Santorini Greece.
Ephesus, Turkey. These are older ruins than Pompeii.

JULY
We returned to Alaska on the 9th of July from our Italy trip.

We left for Portland, Oregon on July 14th for my heart surgery.
It was a great success! I am so blessed to have such amazing doctors and nurses on my team. I am going to share a few photos, nothing gross, but lots of tubes and wires. I recovered so quickly and easily it almost doesn't seem real. Technology is amazing. We flew home on July 24th.
This is the late afternoon of my surgery! Can you believe it? Who would think you can look this alert and sitting up after just having massive open heart surgery. Okay, the heavy drugs were still in effect, but wow!
This was day three or four ?? I had just gotten my regular room and was feeling pretty good, considering. My daily visits from Marissa and Robert were very welcome. I was never so glad to go home in my life. Great team, but I am not a fan of hospitals. :)

Our good friend Julie hosted us for dinner the night before my surgery at her new home. It is gorgeous. And, her children were so welcoming to Marissa. Thank you Julie!

Marissa and Robert spent a lot of time in the hotel pool while I was in the recovering in the hospital. Marissa learned how to swim and daddy took her to her first movie 'Toy Story 3'.

AUGUST
Cody left for Air Force basic training.

I happily celebrated my 41st birthday! On the couch. ;)

Marissa started Kindergarten! She has Miss Yan for her teacher and has adjusted to full day kindergarten very well. She loves going to school and seeing all of her friends. You can see a blog post for more on this. :)
First day of Kindergarten 2010.

Robert left for Idaho on August 30th and returned home to AK Sept. 10. He worked in Idaho and then flew to Tennessee to drive his mom's car, with her and her 'stuff' (what she didn't ship there) back to Idaho. She is now living in our Boise home and loving it. So much to do and has met many friends already.

And, another sad day. Miss Inka, one of our cats, passed away.
This is Zoey (Sophie is on the stairs behind her). Inka looked exactly like her sister Zoey, but I didn't have a recent photo to share.

SEPTEMBER
Robert celebrated his 46th birthday! And, he accepted the position of President of the Anchorage Opera board of directors.

We camped, for only the second time this summer, in Seward again. It was a gorgeous weekend and we had a great time.

I left for Cody's Basic Training graduation the end of the month at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. My mom and dad went with me. Robert stayed at home with Marissa (for school).
Cody chillaxing in his 'blues' after graduation.
So proud of him!

Marissa lost her first tooth and was visited by the tooth fairy!

OCTOBER
Cody celebrated his 19th birthday at tech school (Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas).

I helped my mom decorate the hotel lobby, bar and dining room where she works for Halloween/fall. It was a lot of fun to shop and decorate.

We left for Idaho on the 23rd for Marissa to enjoy some warm weather trick-or-treating. She had so much fun going out with out with daddy and grandma. She was so good about asking politely for candy and saying thank you.
Moments before heading out the door.
Lunch at the Flying Pie Pizzeria.
Some nice witch lent Marissa her hat and hair! Oh, my!

NOVEMBER
Marissa celebrated her 6th birthday at Chuck E. Cheese.
She had 14 friends at her party and had a great time! Lots of cake, presents and friends. Does it get any better? I think not. :)
In the ticket blaster at C.E.C.

Marissa lost her second tooth! And again the tooth fairy made a small deposit. ;)

Robert and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary! XOXOXO

Robert's mom came up to visit for three weeks at Thanksgiving.

I decorated the hotel again for the holidays.

Robert and I attended the Marine Corps Ball.

Robert went to Florida to visit our nephew DJ and see a Florida Gator football game. Then he was off to Orlando to a work conference.

DECEMBER
Lots of school stuff before the winter break. Two plays we chaperoned. Dad attended the 'West Side of Whoville' and mom attended 'Click, Clack, Moo'. And she went to a friend's birthday party at a roller rink. How fun!!

We hosted Robert's office Holiday Party at our home on the 11th.

Robert and I went to Vegas for a much needed recharge of the batteries from the 16th - 19th. And, Marissa hung out with grandma and grandpa for a long weekend. Fun was had by all. :)

Cody came home on the 22nd for a brief visit for Christmas. Marissa was totally into handing out all of the presents this year and watched every person open the gift she handed them before she would go and retrieve another gift to pass out. But most importantly she stated the morning after Christmas, "Maybe Santa brought more presents." That is a scrapbook memory for sure.

Well that is all the big stuff. I think. ;) If your still reading at this point, thanks.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2010-11-21T09:19:00.002-09:00

At the Beach!

2010-07-30T11:07:00.006-08:00

All of our beach days on our cruise were in Greece.We went to the beach in Mykonos, Katakolon & Corfu. Every island was different and the water, waves and beaches were different. Some good for sandcastle building, some good for shell hunting and some good for critter finding. It was hot (lots of sunscreen), the water was cool and we had a blast! Marissa was definitely in her element. She is a water-loving kiddo.

MYKONOS

Beach at Mykonos, Greece.

Boats on the edge of the swimming/beach area.

View from our lounge chairs of the beach.

Marissa building in the sand.

A fish at my foot. :)
Lots of fish, but hard to photograph in the bright sun.

KATAKOLON
Grandma (Robert's mom) hangin' out in the shade.

Fighter jet flying over the beach.
I assume this was practice. They were flying over for about 30-45 minutes.
Not a bad view for the pilots.

Our pilot boat heading out of port.

Jellyfish in the water all around the ship as we were leaving the port.
Thank goodness none were at the beach we were swimming at. Whew!

CORFU
View of the beach in Corfu.

Me holding some little clams that were on the beach.
If you kept them wet they stuck their necks out to feel around.
That is what you can see in this photo.
Not sticky or slimy, just kind of a soft tickle. Too cute!

Marissa holding a hermit crab.
Daddy's hand is nearby just in case. ; )
We put him back in the water and he scurried off.

Marissa swimming with no arm floaties. Yay!

Old Town of Corfu.

Random photos from our trip to Venice

2010-07-18T18:40:00.004-08:00

These are just some random pics from our trip. I am also listing our itinerary just so you know how many places we visited. It was a trip of a lifetime!! AMAZING!! I can't wait to go back and see and learn even more. And, by the way, cruising on a ship, water taxi's, gondolas and traveling by train are by far my favorite ways to travel. Airplanes and crazy, tiny taxi's in Rome, not so much.

This is the view of Venice around midnight as our cruise ship was pulling in to port.
The bell tower in St. Mark's square is just gorgeous.

Marissa sitting on the steps of the Rialto Bridge.

Fresh seafood at the Rialto Market.
This fresh air market has been in existence since 1097 A.D.

More fruit and veggie vendors at the rialto market.

Some yummy treats in a Venetian bakery window.

Venetian bakers making the days apricot filled croissants. We spent over four hours walking around Venice and saw an open window in a back of a bakery. I asked them if I could take their photos and they just grinned and nodded yes.

I think this is one of the only pics of me on the entire trip. We were in a water taxi on our way to the island of Murano to tour the glass factory. It is in the top ten of most amazing things I have ever seen. Worth every penny for that artistry.

From our trip to the Murano glass factory.

Here is how the piece started.

This is the finished piece. It is a lampshade.

An average street in Venice in the morning.

Ciao!

2010-06-21T06:35:00.006-08:00

We are on our last day in Rome. We will be leaving in the morning to meet up with our cruise ship in Civatavechia. Here are a few shots from our few days here in Rome. It has been warm and wonderful. We have visited the Forum, Colisseum, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Vatican and many other wonderful local places. We have also had our bellies filled with lots of homemade pasta, pizza and gelato. The 10 hour time change has had our sleep schedules a bit messed up, but we should be on their time any day now. ;)

Inside St. Peter's Basillica at the Vatican

Trevi Fountain

Walking to the Colisseum from the Forum

Pizza!! So fresh and so yummy!!

Marissa and her first strawberry gelato of the day.
After a long walk thru the Vatican.
(Her second gelato was pistachio.)

Happy 2010!!

2010-01-01T19:21:00.003-09:00

We had a nice evening with friends and we were home before midnight. :)
I hope you all had a wonderful ushering in of the new year! We have been lazing around the house all day and watching football. Tomorrow we will be back in the routine and cleaning up the last remnants of the holidays. I will say goodnight now. Marissa and I are headed to the hot tub.

Goodbye to 2009

2009-12-29T19:08:00.025-09:00

The first half of 2009 came and went very quickly. Grandma Bromley came to visit from December to February. We loved having her here. Cody attended his junior prom in April. All of his friends and their dates met at our house for photos before heading off to dinner. Cody and Marissa spent the spring finishing up their schooling and then it was on to a busy summer and rest of the year.

Cody and friends posing for prom photos.

We had a gorgeous summer and it started early. To kick off the summer we took the RV on it's first outing of the season to Palmer, AK over Memorial Day weekend. Not too far, (about an hour north) just in case something happened, but so beautiful and relaxing.Robert, Doug & Marissa on the lake in Palmer.

Marissa modeling grandma & grandpa's hiking gear. :)

Uncle Victor came to visit in mid June and we camped and fished two weekends in a row. We have a freezer full of halibut and salmon to prove it. Yum! They halibut and salmon fished on a charter in Homer, AK and then on a halibut charter in Seward, AK the next weekend. Mom, Doug, Marissa, Cody and I spent the same time relaxing, walking around the small shops in town and scouring the beaches and tidal pools.

Uncle Victor, Robert & Marissa with their halibut catch of the day. Robert's very large halibut caused quite a stir at the dock. Everyone wanted their picture taken with it. Fish envy is a beautiful thing! ;)Robert and his salmon.
Checking the tidal pools on the beach in Seward.
Doug, Marissa, me & Cody.

At the end of June Rob and I lost our father. I have posted on this prior. While it was a very sad time for our entire family, we spent some great time together with my dad's family in Illinois. My Aunt Linda and Uncle Dan are always so gracious to host us when we make the trip home. This trip was no different. I love staying at their house. We all sat on their front porch and watched the fireworks on July 4th. It has been 26 years since I have seen fireworks on the 4th. (The sun doesn't set in AK on July 4th.)

When I returned home from Illinois Robert's mom and our nephew Thomas were here visiting. They had a great time camping at Quartz Creek while I was gone and we had fun catching up when I returned. Thomas is such an amazing young man and Carol had fun visiting with Marissa. Thomas had lots to tell about AK when he returned to Tennessee. He went drift boating on the Kenai River, horseback riding, a glacier cruise and saw moose in our yard.Robert & Thomas horseback riding.

The end of July my Aunt Linda and Uncle Dan came to AK for a visit. We all headed north for an AMAZING weekend of sun and fun! We went out onto the Matanuska Glacier and picked blueberries. Since they always host me when I go home to IL it was nice to host them in our RV. ;) Mom and Doug hosted them the rest of the visit at their home. Mom, Aunt Linda, Cheryl and I all celebrated our birthday's at a spa here in Anchorage. We all have birthday's within two weeks of each other. This was my big 40!
MatSu Glacier

Cody & Rob on MatSu Glacier
MatSu GlacierMom moose and her calf in our front yard.

The first part of August Robert, Marissa and I flew to Seattle to pick up our mini cooper (we shipped it there) and drove to our new vacation home in Boise, ID. We spent about 10 days there cleaning and swimming and buying some furnishings and swimming. Did I mention we swam alot? ;) Idaho to me is like AK and IL rolled into one wonderful place. Everyone we have met there are so nice. Holly and Josh, Ray and Jeri, all of the contractors we have done business with and all of our neighbors we have met so far. Such a relaxing place to visit. We love it!Outside of house in ID.

Kitchen table in ID house.

View out the window is the pond out back.

The end of August brought back to school. Cody started his senior year at Dimond High School. He decided to run cross country this year and did very well. He missed the last race of the season because of our trip to DisneyWorld. Marissa returned to preschool and is loving it!
Cody, just before his race.

September brought with it the long awaited and planned out trip to DISNEYWORLD! Need I say more? Robert, Marissa, Cody, Me, Mom, Doug and Ken all went. Carol, Don, DJ and Lindsay drove over for two days. It was great to have so much family together there. We stayed at the Grand Floridian Resort and did all the parks and 2 days at Blizzard Beach. We had a blast. It was soooo hot and humid. But, we hit the pools enough every day to make up for it. I think the photos tell how much fun we all had. Robert celebrated his 45th birthday and bought himself a new toy to celebrate! His Harley-Davidson Road King Classic is the newest addition to our family. It is a beauty and he loves it.
Cody & Marissa waiting out a rain storm with Emporer Zurg
at the Buzz Lightyear ride. It was the only rain we had our entire trip.
Marissa meeting Belle. She met so many characters and princesses. She was very bashful to talk with them, but she has autographs from all of them. ;)
Marissa and Cody in the spinning teacups.
Marissa on daddy's shoulders taking it all in on her first day.
Marissa hanging out with her new buddies Mickey & Minnie at bedtime.
Cinderella's castle on the last night of our trip. Beautiful!
Robert a& Marissa sitting on the new Harley.

Cody turned 18 in October! Can you believe it? He designed his class ring for his gift. It is so awesome. We made a second trip to ID and spent halloween there. Marissa had so much fun going trick-or-treating in nice weather.

Marissa in backyard of house in ID on Halloween afternoon.

November brought Cody's performance in Hello Dolly. He lettered in Drama last year and will probably do so this year also. We hosted the cast party at our home. What a great group of young people. They all stuffed themselves into our theatre and watched a movie. Ms. Keller (their director) was here with them. She does a fantastic job with all of the productions. Marissa turned 5 and we took here to the Nutcracker ballet. Live ballet at 5. She LOVED it! We are looking at putting her into a dance class. She was really into the Mouse King and Nutcracker Prince. And, she knows the music is by Tchaikovsky. Of course we celebrated Thanksgiving at our house with family and friends. Robert and I attended the Marine Corps Ball.Cody as a waiter in Hello Dolly. He played many roles and was in most of the scenes of this play.

Marissa dancing in the front room in her ballerina outfit.

Here we are in December. Whew! Robert went with his friend Brian to South Dakota pheasant hunting. He has traveled a lot the end of this year. Christmas was great and we are looking forward to a fabulous 2010! Cheers!

Introducing....

2009-07-15T20:24:00.004-08:00

Our new Road King Classic! This pretty little bike ( I mean, cool looking 'Man Machine'/Harley-Davidson) will be getting a side car to match so that little miss Marissa will have somewhere to ride. Because it won't be on the back of this bike. Marissa loves to ride the 4-wheeler with dad around the yard and was a bit distressed when she couldn't ride on the HD. Robert rolled it out of the garage so I could take some pics and then he went for a solo ride. And, yep, he put on his helmet. Since he moved to Alaska he hasn't ridden, but he rode a lot when living in Florida. He'll be taking a refresher course soon and then next summer we'll be on the open roads of the lower 48. Yipee!!! We both really like the vintage styling of this bike. As soon as I saw it online I knew it was my choice. Coincidentally, the local Harley-Davidson dealer had the same bike on the showroom floor. ;) All they need to add is that little backstop pad for me so I don't fly off the back. :)

In Rememberance of my Dad

2009-07-15T08:25:00.007-08:00

Our visit with dad in summer of 2007 in Illinois.
L to R: Marissa, Me, Cody & Dad

Elementary photo

Ron Durnell

11/02/1943 - 06/25/2009

Some memories of my dad:
Serving his country in the Army National Guard.
Saturday morning cartoons, Bugs Bunny and Road Runner were favorites.
Living across from the family business, a concrete plant.
Riding with my dad in the early mornings in the 'big' trucks.
The big yard on Forest Street with the weeping willow tree, the field of daisies and goldenrod,which he was allergic to. But, he always took the 'flowers' I picked for him.
His love of cars and racing.
Always letting me explore and create.
He had great penmanship and loved to draw and draft. Always a stickler for details in his work. He was such a hard worker, no matter the project.
I have so many memories and stories that I can't possibly share them all here, but I will leave many of them in a book about him for my kids.
He had many dear friends and a large family that loved him so much. He will be missed tremendously.

My 'Garden'

2009-06-10T14:00:00.005-08:00

I love these old wine boxes. I have been planting in them since we moved into this house. They stack up differently every year. And, every year I fill them with different blooms and herbs. They are right at our front door and offer a cheery greeting to all. This year I have some licorice plants, chocolate and orange mint and lots of blooms I don't know the names of. ;) I have some old broken clay pots that I 'planted' in the ground and filled with strawberries and more blooms around the yard. Our firepit area is surrounded by blue, purple and yellow pansies. We will be revamping that area this weekend. When it is done I will share more pics. I hope these little pretties will help brighten your day. It is 68 degrees here right now and GORGEOUS!! So I am off to play outside. :) Cheers!!

Look what else was bloomin'. This is a template by Lauren Meader for Papertrey Ink. It is the 'Let's do lunch' template. I used some My Mind's Eye Paper. And the cute crochet flower. I MADE THAT!!! Yes, lil' ol' me. That is my first crochet project ever. Check out Nichole's tutorial at Papertrey and try it yourself.

Another trip up Denali

2009-06-10T08:03:00.002-08:00

Just in case you are interested in following along. I updated the link on the right side toolbar. He is guiding his second group of climbers, this summer, up Denali right now. Click on the Mountain Trip logo and you can follow their climb. Hoping they have a safe and successful summit. Love ya Rob. :)

Chicks on Sticks

2009-04-10T21:09:00.003-08:00

Have you ever been to Bakerella's blog? NO! You must run there now. See the link in my sidebar. She has the most amazing cupcake pops you have ever seen. This is where this cute little chick pop came from. (See his sweet little 'feather' curl on top of his little noggin'?) I took the plunge and made some for Marissa's preschool teachers at NHPS. The matching card is a stamp from SU! It was a match made in crafty heaven. :) The Papertrey aquamist ribbon matched perfect with the Memory Box background paper. And I love the aqua and yellow combo.

Do you dance?

2009-04-09T07:07:00.003-08:00

I found this clip on another blog and just had to share. It is very fun and makes me want to join in. :) Have a great day!

A budding artist

2009-03-30T09:58:00.003-08:00

Marissa was showing off her artistic abilities sunday morning. She started drawing cats after watching an episode on 'Super Why' on PBS Kids. We are all very impressed. She is also spelling her name and a few other words.

On a separate note. More snow fell last night so now the ash is covered up. Yipee! It was very ugly to look at.

All boxed up!

2009-03-19T14:11:00.004-08:00

These cute little monogram cards are all boxed up with envelopes and envelope seals. Thanks to Sassafrass Lass and Xyron this cute little card set was a snap. These cute envelope seals are circle diecuts that were first run thru my Xyron machine and then cut and stamped. All you have to do is peel the backing off and stick onto your envelope. :)

Supplies: Pattern Paper & Diecuts: Sassafrass Lass; Cardstock: SU!; Ink: Memento; Stamps: Sassafrass Lass & CTMH; Glitter: Ranger Stickles; Adhesive: Xyron, Punches & Dies: Spellbinders & SU!; transparency sheet & envelopes: office supply.

Craft overload!

2009-03-13T09:45:00.006-08:00

This is what too much crafting will do!

Can you tell that Max & Marissa love hanging out in my craft room? Dog toys, kid toys, the cat bed, the dog bed, etc. I spend a ton of time in here and so do they. It is bright and cheery and fun and messy. :)

On to the projects. This cute Book bag and accessories was so fun to make. I stamped the canvas bag, notebook and bookmark with the Love Letters stamp set from My Little Yellow Bicycle. The ink is Twilight from CTMH and Brown Versamark ink. The diecuts & punches are from SU! and all of the adhesive is Xyron. I bought the tote at walmart for $1.99 so this was an inexpensive set to make. I think I will be giving it with a gift card to the local bookstore. Please leave me a comment and tell me what you think about this project. I really like reading your feedback. :)

Birthday Bag

2009-03-11T13:11:00.003-08:00

This cute little bag would be perfect to slip a birthday cupcake into. Of course, you could fill it with cookies, candy or other goodies. Dies and embossing folders are from Cuttlebug & Spellbinders. Paper is Sassafrass Lass, Coredinations and Bazzill. I ran both sides of the bag and all of the layers thru my Xyron 510 with the permanent adhesive cartridge. The ribbon is sandwiched between the bag and the label die cut. Brads are Doodlebug and glitter is from SU! I tried to take a side closeup so you can see all the detail. Let me know what you think. :)

Don't forget you can click on the images to enlarge them.

A fresh start.

2009-03-10T15:09:00.006-08:00

I am back. And, I am ready to take on the world. Okay, maybe that is the caffeine talking. ;) Seriously though, it has been too long and I am sorry. If there is anyone out there in the blogosphere who is still checking on my blog, thank you. :) Today I am just going to post some projects that I have worked on in my absence from blogging. My new computer (which blew up after 3.5 weeks) is now repaired and seems to working fine. That said I hope to be online more. Sharing a laptop with a teenager and a toddler is not ideal for working. That and every other curveball life has thrown my way lately. Nothing earth shattering just enough to keep me from my happy crafting world. The kids are doing great and so are the adults. :) My plan is to do some crafting this evening and have some fresh projects to share tomorrow. Fingers crossed. I am also working on how to film my own tutorials so I can share more with you. If you are in the know on how to do this please feel free to chime in.
This cute little tea set is a restyled picture frame. The little box is full of individually wrapped teabags. The mug was plain white I just added a rub-on. You can find this project and instructions on Xyron.com The paper and embellishments are from Pink Paislee.

This cute coaster box was inspired by Becky Roberts at Inking Idaho. The paper and cute stamps are from Sassafrass Lass. Love the color combo of pink and chocolate.

I designed an entire birthday ensemble for Xyron. The paper and embellishments are from Imaginesce. Are they not the sweetest things ever? So sparkly and cute for a little girls party. I used my Xyron Design runner and Wishblade for these projects. You can find more details and instructions at Xyron.com
This is just a cute little decoration I made from some left over scraps and my Xyron Design Runner. The flowers are cut from My Mind's Eye paper, the tin is from Maya Road and the ribbon is from Papertrey.

This is a cute little leftover from valentine's day. I really had a good time coming up with this idea. The stampsand accessories are from stampin' up!

Dashing thru the snow...

2008-12-23T07:41:00.003-09:00

Really. ;) It is that crazy time of year when I am up to my eyeballs in last minute crafting, gift wrapping, stocking stuffing and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am never organized enought to have it all done and ready by now. How bored would I be? :) I really do love all of the last minute craziness. Maybe because I'm crazy. ;) Here are a few shots from the Christmas party we had for my hubby's office. Candy coated marshmallows for the hot cocoa bar, the menu for the hot cocoa bar and some of the food labels that were on the buffet table. Thanks to my dear friend Becky we pulled off a fabulous party! Everyone had a full tummy and a festive spirit while they mingled.

Oh, my!

2008-11-29T15:32:00.007-09:00

It has been waaay tooo long since my last post. So sorry. I have been traveling, working and getting the house ready for thanksgiving, Marissa's birthday and the company holiday party. Oh yeah, and putting my new craft room together. Want to see pics? :) Okay. It is not 'finished' but at least I can work in here now. I love it!!!

Looking in from the new arched entry.

All of my stuff I moved in, but it will not be staying. Once my built ins are done all of this furniture will be finding a new home. My white folding tables will go back to storage. ;)

This is my work space. One side for tools and the other for working. I love being able to leave all of my machines out and ready to go. I have my accessories in baskets under the table. Very handy. Do you see Marissa's craft stuff? She loves it in here also. :)

This is where all of the magic happens. ;) Or where all of the mess happens. :) It looks messy, but it is really organized.

On to the projects!! I love this cute tin. It is My Minds Eye pattern paper and die cuts. The festive colors and whimsical characters make it a perfect fir in my house for the holidays. I painted a big tin (it had peanuts in it origianlly) and then covered it with pattern paper and embellishments. I used my Xyron Design Runner and Design Disc Maker to print the tag. It is so cool to be able to type whatever I want my tags to say and print it right where I want it. No computer necessary. ;) I think I will be filling this tin with a small pair of gloves, some hot cocoa with marshmallows and a cute felt cup cozy. The perfect gift for a teenage girl or babysitter.

I love to reuse a great jar. :) This is a nice, big mouth salsa jar. It is filled with wrapped, soft, peppermint candies. The paper and stamps are from October Afternoon. I did some faux stitching in a matching green around the label (spellbinders). Very homespun and sweet. Great gift idea for a teacher, hairstylist, music teacher, co-worker, etc.

This mug template was shared by Tammy McCloud. She is amazing with the Wishblade by Xyron. I love mine and I love when someone shares a great file like this one. I plan on sitting a cellophane bag of homemade hot cocoa inside and tying a sweet ribbon around it. The snowflake diecuts are from Spellbinders. Glitter from Martha Stewart. Stamped sentiment from Papertrey. Pattern paper from October Afternoon. How cute?

Same mug, different style. This one is using the Christmas Stack pattern paper by Die Cut With A View. I made a pinwheel cupcake pick out of vellum to match the paper. The snowflake punch, glitter and stamped sentiment are from Martha Stewart. I filled the mug with white shred paper and sat the cupcake right on top. What a great way to sweeten someone's day. :)

Enjoy!

Making a list...

2008-11-13T10:32:00.003-09:00

I have seen these cute notebooks on many blogs and finally decided to give them a try. They are so easy and so useful. What great gifts these would make. Pair them with a nice pen and you have a great gift for teachers, co-workers, neighbor or anyone you know and want to pass on a little holiday cheer. The super cute pattern paper is from the Die Cut With A View Christmas Glitter Stack. I ran all of the paper pieces through my Xyron adhesive machines and used the Xyron 3/8" adhesive runner to attach the paper pad to the cover. Stamps are from Papertrey, Close to my Heart, Kim Hughes and Doodlebug. There are also rub-ons from Michael's $1 bin, Bazzill Chip toppers and die cuts from the Xyron Personal Cutting System. I plan on making a bunch of these this year to hand out. Enjoy and have a great day! :)

More to share with you

2008-11-08T09:18:00.004-09:00

A card with a hug. That is what this project reminded me of. I made this template to fit the cocoa packet and bag of cookies. There is room to stamp or write a sentiment on the inside flap. My Mids Eye is the paper used for the box. I love the colors and texture of their papers. The snowman and snowflake were cut using my Xyron Personal Cutting System and I free hand cut the mug and steam. The ribbon is white twill from Maya Road and the print was done using the Design Runner, Design Disc Maker and red ink (all from Xyron). Running your cut shapes thru any of the Xyron adhesive machines and then sprinkling with glitter, beads or flocking is the easiest and least messy way to embellish. I LOVE IT!!!

This is a triangle cone. Again, I made the template myself, but the idea is not mine. This is a project that was made for Glue Arts. It uses alot of their great adhesives; High tack adhesive lines, squares and micro squares. This new holiday paper from October Afternoon is soooo cute. The gingerbread man is a Sizzix die. Felt holly leaves from American Crafts with miscellaneous buttons. The scallop border is a new Martha Stewart punch and the 'believe' sheer card is from Maya Road. You could fill this with any little goodie. Enjoy!

Lots of holiday goodness

2008-11-03T07:45:00.007-09:00

More goodies to share today. :)

Thankful Banner: Made for Glue Arts using their adhesives. You can check out the instructions and more here: http://www.gluearts.com/designteam.html

Paper Holiday Wreath

Snowflakes and words cut on the Xyron Wishblade. The wreath is handcut by me. :)

Holiday Planner Tin

Chocolate Nugget Presents

Bows cut with the Xyron Personal Cutting System.

Stocking Wishlist

The goodies at the top are attached to the list and you pull it up.

A bag for cookies and a pouch for the cocoa.

Shapes cut with the Xyron Personal Cutting System.

Holiday Bookmarks or bag tags.

Shapes cut on the Xyron Personal Cutting System.

Check out more projects and instructions here: http://www.xyron.com/enUS/NewGalleries/default.html

This was my first attempt at an acrylic album. It was made for Impressive Pages using one of their 8x8 acrylic albums. You can check them out here: http://impressive-pages.com/

Found my mojo!

2008-11-03T07:09:00.004-09:00

My crafty mojo has been on vacation lately. ;) The ideas and want were there, but projects just weren't going together the way I envisioned. Well this weekend it was back!! My hubby bought me the Cricut Expression for our anniversary. Yippee!! I think my collection of cutting machines is complete now. ;) This snowman bag is a project I made yesterday. It uses the cartridge that came with the Cricut. I was browsing thru a Harry & David's catalog friday and saw a snowman box that hold many of their yummy treats. I love the idea of their tower of treats and so I combined the two ideas into this snowman gift bag tower. He is three bags stacked up and decorated.Enjoy!

Snowman 'Stack of Goodies'

Button 'carrot' nose & velvet black brad eyes

Hat: felt snowflake, chipboard buckle, button & silk berries

Shape of bags

Felt scarf & mitten, vintage buttons & twine

'Snowy' bottom

Quick gifts

2008-10-29T08:36:00.005-08:00

It is in the teens this morning. Brrrr!! So it seems appropriate to share some warm-up gift ideas.
I made a bunch (5 dozen) of different items to donate for my daughters preschool craft fair. Quick and easy little goodies that sold like hotcakes. :) Nothing was left and all the money went to the preschool. There were embossed napkins tied with vintage seam binding and glittery fall goodness, 16 oz. to go coffee cups (inside was a coffee sleeve and a packet of instant mocha or latte mix), packets of hot cocoa mix (2 packets of mix per wrap), tea bag packets and some notepads (no photos, sorry). The last photo is just some of the different tags I made to go on the tea and cocoa packets. Just lots of little goodies to share with friends, hostesses or co-workers.

If you want directions on any of these leave me a comment and I can post a quick tutorial/instructions for them. I am working on another post with a new template for more yummy fun. :) Enjoy and stay warm!

Holy Cow!!!!

2008-10-28T07:02:00.012-08:00

It has been waaaay too long since my last post. Sorry. Maybe these cute Halloween ideas that I did will make up for it.?.

You can check out these projects and others at Xyron.com. These items were used in the Xyron ad in Better Homes and Garden Halloween special issue 2008. :)

Party Poppers

Treat Bags

Treat Bag

Party Invitation

Cauldron (Clear paint pail w/lid)

And these were just for fun. The cute candy bar wrapper we did for a make-n-take at a local stamping store, Stamp Attic, for their yearly open house. It is the best find in Anchorage. Betty has everything and more!! Everyone that works there is always so helpful and happy. I just can't get enough of all the goodness they offer.

Spooky & Sweet

2008-09-27T09:52:00.003-08:00

Just a few fun Halloween cards to share today. Enjoy!

Scenic Route pattern paper, Bazzill cardstock, Close To My Heart stamps, SU! scallop punch and ink, Scrapworks rub-ons and Daisy D's rub-ons. Fiskars paper trimmer, corner punch and fine tip scissors. Xyron adhesive runner and pop dots.

Bazzill cardstock, Scenic Route pattern paper, Daisy D's stamps and rub-ons, Cosmo Cricket blackboard, Doodlebug glitter and craft store google eyes. Fiskars paper trimmer and fine tip scissors. Xyron Adhesive runner and X150 Sticker Maker.

Bazzill cardstock, Scenic Route pattern paper, Doodlebug paper trims and glitter, Daisy D's chipboard letters, Ranger Stickles, K & Co. die cut shape. Fiskars paper trimmer. Xyron Adhesive Runner and pop dots.

Tin of Treats!

2008-09-26T11:21:00.002-08:00

This cute little lunchbox is from Michael's. What a perfect little box to fill with goodies for my little one. Some sparkly fingernail polish and body spray, playdoh, hair wraps, bracelet, treats, kleenex and kaleidoscope. :) It was easy to decorate with diecuts from K & Co. and my Xyron 510 and 150 adhesive machines. A little rub on from Scrapworks is on the handle.

Gift Ideas

2008-09-25T14:02:00.006-08:00

I received my new Papertrey stamps (Made of Snow) in the mail last night. I could not wait to ink them up. This is the result. A cute little bag of homemade cocoa topped off with the sweetest little snowman. The paper is Vintage Cream, Sweet Blush and Vellum from Papertrey, Going Grey ink from SU!, Stickles by Ranger, flocking by Stampendous, glue pen by Martha StewartQuickutz and Spellbinders dies, cuttlebug die cut machine, glassine bag from Papertrey.

The wine bottle wrap is using a new stamp set from Close To My Heart (Festive Frills) and gordeous new paper from Graphic 45 (Botanicabella). The berries are accented with stickles, the die cut acorn is from K & Co., base cardstock is Bazzill and the ribbon is from Cosmo Cricket. We give a lot of wine as gifts during the holiday season. Wrapping the bottle like this allows the recipient to leave the bottle out on display. I used a glue dot to hold the wrapper to the bottle so they can just slip it off and reuse it. :)

Treats!

2008-09-24T14:17:00.003-08:00

Halloween is so fun! I enjoy decorating and making cute little goodies for others at halloween. These cute pumpkin wrapped truffles needed just the right packaging. I think this reused ribbon tube is just perfect. :) You can see their happy, sweet faces and it was easy to decorate. The card is a combo of products from Heidi Grace, Doodlebug and K & Co. I used my copic markers to color in the house and stickles to add a touch of sparkle. Enjoy!

Sorry to have disappeared.

2008-09-22T12:50:00.004-08:00

Life took over. I have been busy designing, getting the preschooler settled into a routine, putting finishing touches on the new addition and fighting off a head cold. :) Whew!! I am so jazzed that the holidays are right around the corner. There are so many fun new papers, stamps and embellishments to play with right now. I should be posting regularly again and look forward to sharing some really fun stuff.

The following three peeks were made using Glue Arts adhesives. Glue Arts has some amazing adhesives that are easy to use and great prices (check out their free shipping!!). Check them out at www.GlueArts.com and sign up for their monthly newsletter full of ideas and inspiration.

These projects were made with Xyron products. My Personal Cutting System, Wishblade and Design Runner are made by Xyron. They are best known for their sticker maker machines, which I love, but they offer so much more. Check out their online galleries, forum and retail store at www.xyron.com

New toys!

2008-08-26T11:12:00.006-08:00

I love that all of the newproducts from CHA are starting to hit the stores. :) I am slowly picking up a few items here and there. Stampin' Up! also has all of their new product out and I am stocking up. ;) If you need a catalog let me know. Here are a few projects I did yesterday and today. New stamps, punches and paper. Yippee!!! I have so many other projects I am working on. I hope to be able to share them soon.

This is absolutely my favorite time of year. Not just fall and all of it's beauty, but the possibilities and hopefulness at this time of year. Back-to-school, the kickoff of the holiday seasons and football, warm and yummy comfort foods, cozy blankets and sweaters.

Input please

2008-08-17T10:22:00.004-08:00

I am starting back up my daily topics on my blog. I would like some input from all of you on what you like to see online.

Techniques, tutorials, card making, altered items, how to use tools, how to use certain products, challenges (colors, sketches, inspiration), swaps, how-to-build-a-kit, etc......

Here is another quick teacher gift idea. It is a circle coaster from the $1 bin at Michael's (pack of 6/$1) covered with Daisy D's & Fancy Pants paper. I used the Honey Pie rub-ons from Cosmo Cricket and the flourish stamp is from Fancy Pants Chic Alpha set. The cute post-it note apples I found at Walmart and couldn't resist. I punched a hole thru them and tied a ribbon thru the hole. Then I pressed them onto the coaster and pushed a Bazzill brad thru the notes and the coaster.

Last fruits of summer

2008-08-16T20:03:00.003-08:00

These are some photos that I took this afternoon. Marissa was happy playing in the mud puddles left from the rain yesterday. :) Of course, when I brought out the camera she wanted to be right next to me, not 'posing' for some cute pictures. ;) I hope you are all having a great weekend so far. Enjoy!

Progress

2008-08-14T22:12:00.004-08:00

I can hardly believe how quickly the crew is moving on building our addition. It is the middle of august and the weather is starting to turn to autumn. Cool, rainy and getting darker. The fireweed is almost to the top and it is in the low 40's at night. This is my favorite time of the year. Anyway, back to the addition. They raised the roof today. Literally. ;) And, we now have stairs connecting the old and new garages. Cody's window has been boarded up until his new one is installed and my new space is starting to take shape. There is going to be a half wall next to the stairs. But, it will be the last wall they put up. It will be so nice to have our motorhome at our house from now on. It is such a pain to pick it up, load it, unload it and return it to storage. It will be a real treat to drive it in the garage, plug it in and not have to empty the fridge every week. :)

The new stairs from the existing garage into the new garage.

I am standing in the far corner of my new space to take this shot. The half wall will be on the other side of this stack of wood. It will allow light from that huge window to come into the space. The room is 14 x 15. The existing window will be removed and an arched entryway will be installed. So my current 14 x 15 room will double. Perfect for teaching and designing. ;)

The new profile of the front of the house. We are adding faux rock to the bottom half of the walls on the front of the house and onto the columns on the front porch. Just a warmer look and to break up all the brown. ;)

The new profile from the back of the house. All the junk that doesn't fit in the current garage space we have. It will all have a new home soon. I think expanding the deck and fencing the backyard will be our next projects. ;) Shhhh.. don't tell Robert. ;)

Back to school in style

2008-08-14T06:33:00.006-08:00

How fun are new school clothes, supplies and finding out who your new teacher(s) will be? I loved school. Here are a few projects that could make going back to school even more fun!

A special place to keep school information, for supplies or make a cute little album to put inside.

Back pack gift box for special notes of encouragement or goodies for the first day.

Apple Cider Pocket for a special teacher

Recipe for School Tin ~ Pink Paislee pattern paper, Daisy D postcard, Maya Road tin, KI Memories die cut numbers, Fancy Pants embellishments, Cosmo Cricket sticker, Glue Arts adhesive, CTMH ink, SU! cardstock and ribbon & Miscellaneous ribbon and buttons

Recipe for Backpack ~ Bazzill cardstock, Michael's $1 stamp, Xyron personal cutting system + basic shape book diecut, White gel pen, Ranger Stickles, Circle punch, Glue Arts adhesive & Miscellaneous ribbon & buttons.

Recipe for Apple Cider Pocket ~ Bazzill cardstock, Kim Hughes stamp, Copic Markers, SU" ink and cardstock, Glue Arts adhesive & misc. rub-on (I can't remember).

Sweet Serving Tray

2008-08-13T13:00:00.005-08:00

I saw this serving tray on clearance at JoAnn's and just could not leave without it. I loved the dark wood and the size. I did not like the paper that was lining the bottom. ;) So I created my own design using some Honey Pie paper from Cosmo Cricket, Maya Road chipboard, miscellaneous buttons and some Fancy Pants felt. The ribbon around the edges of the tray is from May Arts (I think). I think it turned out really cute. A piece of glass cut to size will cover the design so it stays clean. Now I just need a sweet teapot and cups to complete the set. :) It gives me a good excuse to antique shop.

Believe

2008-08-11T17:07:00.004-08:00

It is gorgeous and sunny here today, but I could not resist doing a snow scene with this window and this sweet little girl. :) I have been wanting to use this stamp set since it arrived a few weeks ago. It has just been too crazy to attend to the details until today. This is a new Level 3 hostess set from Stampin' Up! It has so many cute images and sayings. I used a $1 stamp from Michael's for the sentiment. The new Fall/Winter Stampin' Up! catalog came out today. YAHOO!! I will be receiving my box of catalogs soon so if you would like one please leave me a comment. I am also going to hostess an open house this fall. Just waiting for my room to be finished. :)

Oh and I forgot to post this photo on friday. This is what I saw coming down the stairs just before 7 a.m. A momma moose and her twin calves in our neighbors front yard. Soaking up the warm morning sun. Then they started eating his newly landscaped bushes. Why can't they eat the 'free', wild trees? ;) Hope you have a good evening!

Summer was here

2008-08-09T08:26:00.005-08:00

For the past few days we had what felt like summer. Temperatures didn't rise above 65, but the sun was out, clear blue skies and no wind! It has been cold, cloudy and windy all summer. Marissa and I were outside most of the day.

A dear friend that I used to work with stopped by. It is always such a good time when she is around. She brought Marissa some super cute outfits that her daughter has outgrown. One of those is a bright pink dance leotard complete with a sparkly tutu. Marissa has been dancing around admiring herdelf in any reflective surface and saying 'ballet' with her arms up over her head. I'll try and take some photos. I have to be stealth or she will stop the performance. ;)

My mom had both of her knees replaced yesterday morning and is doing very well. I will be visiting with her today at the hospital. She will be home on monday or tuesday. Then I will be helping my dad with the 'nursing' duties. I spoke to her last night before my dad left for the night, she sounded really good. She will be up and walking today. WOW!! Hopefully pain free soon. She had bone spurs and bone on bone in her kneecaps. Ouch!

The progress on my new space, oh, and the garage, is moving along very well. However, it means that most of my 'stuff' is in boxes and baskets and stored in the basement. The guest room is overflowing and I have moved some to the wine room. So my posts may be limited on projects until my room is finished. I am so trying to stay focused and share as much as possible, but chaos is not very inspiring. :)

The upper floor is my new space. The existing window will be removed and an arched doorway installed.

Now for the winner of the blog candy: Tammi Lynn!!! Thank you so much to everyone who left birthday wishes. Tammi, make sure to leave me your mailing address or email and I will send your goodies to you. :)

39 today!

2008-08-05T21:20:00.004-08:00

I want to share some of my birthday fun with all of you that visit my blog. I have some blog candy to giveaway. A cute Maya Road tin and matching chipboard book, Daisy D's & Basic Grey Rubons, miscellaneous embellishments, ribbons and a sweet Maya Road trinket (peridot, acrylic heart charm). Leave me a comment and I will draw a winner on friday (Aug. 8th). :)

It is really special that so many friends and family called me today. It was pretty uneventful. We signed Cody up for his junior year at Dimond High School. Then, during lunch, he reminded me that he needed his 'real' driver's license. The 6-month provisionals on his temp license had expired. :) Well, guess what, my license expired today also. So, off to the DMV we went. A very quick 30 minutes later we were done. We headed home late this afternoon after a few more errands and had a yummy chocolate cake with my parents. Marissa finished the icing on her piece and then tried to eat grandma's as well. :) My hubby surprised me with a pile of new clothes and a great Coach travel bag. We are heading to a resort in Arizona in October and he knows that I need hot weather clothes. He has great taste and only three items have to be exchanged. Not bad considering he bought six complete outfits. Plus, I received lots of other cool gifts and cards from friends and family. It has been a really great day! Thanks for stopping by and I hope to have a project up for you tomorrow. :)

Home from the Brickyard

2008-07-29T08:13:00.004-08:00

My brother and I planned a trip to Illinois to take our dad to see the Brickyard 400. That's a Nascar race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, of Indy 500 fame. ;) Our hometown in IL is only an hour from the track and we grew up going to the Indy 500 so this was a very special thing for us to do together.

The bad news, our dad came down with an upper respiratory infection the week before and was to weak to make the race.

The good news, my aunt Dinea and uncle Ronnie were able to join us on short notice and we had a BLAST!!!

It was like going to a rock concert. We were hot, sweaty, our ears were ringing and I have no voice left. :) Does it get any better? My dad and my friend Becky are big Dale Jr fans so I took many photos and cheered him on for them. And, we had to call them on our cell phones so they could hear just how loud it was. Too fun! Just being back at the Brickyard with my brother and getting to spend so much time with him was the best part of the entire trip. He ROCKS!!!

I stayed at my aunt Linda and uncle Dan's house and had a great time swimming, visiting and antique shopping. ;) I love my family! They are all so welcoming and laid back. :)

Turn 1, the Pagoda tower and the cars getting ready to fire up.

Turn 4 from our seats. (Which could not have been any better!)

Me, uncle Ronnie, aunt Dinea and Rob after we got back to my aunt & uncle's house. (Which was just rebuilt after they lost everything in a fire last year.)

Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the airplane.

Pit stop action across from us. #88 is Dale Jr. in case you don't know. ;)

A little thank you

2008-07-23T14:15:00.003-08:00

This goody box is for my aunt & uncle I will be staying with this weekend. I am going to put some yummy chocolate truffles inside. This small, clear, gable box is from Emma's Paperie. If you have not checked out this online store you must. There is a FABULOUS selection of products and an AMAZING blog full of great designers and inspiration!! I cut paper to line the inside and then paper pieced stamped images on the outside. My aunt loves vintage style and lavender. :) This was an easy, yet beautiful way to deliver a little thank you.

Recipe~ Paper: Memorybox; Clear Box: Emma's Paperie; Ribbon: Martha Stewart; Stamps & Ink: SU!; Adhesive: Glue Arts.

My NEW Riley the Moose stamps

2008-07-20T13:53:00.004-08:00

I just had to use this stamp for Taylor's Cupcake Challenege this week. Is it not the cutest? :) I have four more new Riley the Moose stamps (from Hanna Stamps) to share. I am working on a few more cards before I leave this week on my trip.

Side view so you can see the dimension. :)

Recipe ~ Pattern Paper: We R Memory Keepers; Cardstock: SU!; Ink: SU!; Markers: Copic; Embellishments: WRMK, K&Co., Tulip, Doodlebug, Bazzill, Creative Cafe; Stamps: Hanna Stamps & Stampendous.

Spreading Joy!

2008-07-18T12:32:00.003-08:00

I love this image. It is a Penny Black stamp. These hedgehogs are so darn cute! My ggod friend Becky was kind enough to let me ink up a bunch of her stamps. I stamped out a bunch and then can color them in as I have time and need for them. I added a bit of Judikins Diamond Glaze to the balloons and colored the images with my copics. Have I mentioned that the copics work beautifully with the Chocolate Chip Classic Ink and Whisper White or Very Vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up! Noe smearing or bleeding of ink or marker. I am in love with the chocolate and vanilla combo. Just a bit softer and warmer than black and white. Plus, it just sounds yummier! ;) Well, I am off this afternoon for a very long and very overdue appointment to have my hair done. It needs color and cut. My mom is so good to come over and hang out with her granddaughter for a few hours. What would I do with out my mom? Have really bad hair!! :0

Recipe ~ Pattern Paper: My Minds Eye; Cardstock: Stampin' Up!; Ink: Stampin' Up!; Stamp: Penny Black; Markers: Copic; Judikins Diamond Glaze; Ribbon: Doodlebug; Rhinestones: My Mind's Eye; Die Cuts: Xyron XPCS Basic Shape Book; Adhesive: Xyron.

Skiing anyone?

2008-07-16T19:15:00.005-08:00

Yes, we have skiing in July in AK. Maybe not here in Anchorage, but a short, small plane ride can get you to the slopes. My brother has been heliskiing recently. Anyway that and Amuse's new release of their winter stamps is where my inspiration came from. This is a little tag size card. But, perfect for all of my skiing girlfriends to receive. I had so much fun coloring this with my copics, glazing the windows and adding a touch of frost. I think this little card will be going to my brother's girlfriend. :)

Recipe ~ Card & Ink: Stampin' Up!; Cardstock: Taupe Metallic; Stamp: Papertey (sentiment) & Amuse (Alpine Hut); Ribbon: Michael's, Markers: Copic, Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug, Die Cut Circle: Spellbinders Large Circle Nesting Set; Rhinestones: Creative Cafe; Adhesive: Glue Arts; Glitter: Martha Stewart; Glaze: Judikins.

Lazy 'Dog Days' of Summer

2008-07-16T11:06:00.003-08:00

This is my dog Max. He is a 90+ pound, 6 1/2 yr. old German Shepherd. He was playing so hard outside yesterday and the next time I looked out the window he was snoozing away. I couldn't resist getting few shots of him. Usually he will sleep sitting up outside. Always on alert! But, I guess he figured no one was around so he could catch a few zzzz's in the cool, soft grass. What you can't see in the photos are the crazy swallows zooming around the yard. They were flying right over the top of Max.

My first CHA!

2008-07-14T11:43:00.009-08:00

Well, for my projects anyway. I will be in southern Illinois five days after CHA ends. :( Maybe next time I can accompany my projects. ;) Here are some sneak peeks of three albums I designed for Glue Arts. They will be on display in their booth. They have great adhesives. Their vellum sheets are amazing! You truly can't see where th adhesive is thru the vellum. AND, you can apply it to your vellum (or transparency) and then run it thru your die cut machine and presto! It is really my privelage to be designing for them.

SIBLINGS ALBUM

Cover

Cody & Marissa

(Mykids!)

My mom & her sister

Left: My hubby & siblings

Right: My dad & siblings

Me & my brother

A little pretty on the inside cover page

Pink Lemonade anyone?

My first blog award!

2008-07-12T08:42:00.007-08:00

Bestowed upon me by my sweet friend and fellow designer Shirley Pando! :) Thank you so much. You must check out her blog and see what she is up to. She teaches, she designs, she has her own business and.... You get the picture. She is AMAZING!!

I am now to select six more bloggers to receive this award. The hard part will be narrowing down the choices. I love so many.

Oh, and here are the rules for playing along.

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
2. Link to the person you received the award from.
3. Nominate at least six other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the guys/gals you've nominated.

Here are my selections:

1. Denise
2. Kayla
3. Jenn
4. Jessica
5. Sonja

Love is brewing

2008-07-11T13:46:00.005-08:00

Isn't that the cutest sentiment? Taylor is hostessing her weekly cupcake challenge and here is my version of this weeks sketch. No cupcake, but my second favorite item to stamp. COFFEE!!

I love all of the cute sentiments and styles of cups. We drink alot of hot beverages here in Alaska. So I have a large collection of coffee themed stamps, paper, etc. Plus brown is one of my favorite colors. I know how boring does that sound. But, I have loved it long before it was in fashion. :) The paper is from Memory Box's new release. I paper pieced the coffee cup. But, added another dimension. I also stamped on the cup onto a transparency and layered it on top of the paper pieced stamped image. I was going for the look of a glazed cup. I also used pop dots to raise the cup off the saucer to add more dimension. I am really pleased with the way it turned out.

Recipe: Pattern paper: Memory Box; Cardstock: Stampin' Up!; Ribbon: Martha Stewart; Transparency sheets: Office supply; Metal embellishment: Close to my heart; Stamps: Close to my heart (coffee mug & steam) & Papertrey (sentiment); Ink: StazOn (Timber Brown); Adhesive: Glue Arts Vellum Sheets and Xyron adhesive runner.

DIGISCRAP 101

2008-07-11T08:57:00.003-08:00

Wondering how I changed the look of my blog? Well, it was the fabulous tutorial created by Kayla Lamoreaux (The Legacy Lady). She did a tutorial on Shabby Miss Jenn Designs site. So I bought the blog images from SMJD and followed the tutorial on how to install them myself. :)

Are interested in learning more about digital scrapbooking or how to personalize your blog? Well, Kayla has a great site with lots more tutorials and a special deal for bloggers until the end of July. Check out www.digiscrap101.com to see what she has to offer. If you are interested in what she has to offer leave me a comment here and I will send you the special deal information. :) Kayla has been so gracious and willing to share her knowledge. She also makes it very user friendly. Love it!! I like being able to learn new things, not just pay someone to do it for me. ;) I can't wait to take some of these tutorials.

Sunny Side

2008-07-10T14:16:00.005-08:00

How do you like the new look of my blog? I am in love with Shabby Miss Jenn Designs. Check out a link to her site at the bottom of my blog. I LOVE CHERRIES!! They are so sweet. As fresh and funky as I think I want to be, I really am a gingham, polka dot and calico kind of gal. As you will see with my little project for today.

I saw this little red chicken and just could not leave the store without it. It is from Rubber Soul Stamps. The layout is inspired by Michelle. If you have not checked out her blog you must do so. She has the best ideas for using stamps in so many unique ways. This cute little notecard and matching envelope will look great in a farm themed set I am working on. I will post the other critters soon. :)

Wine Gift Box

2008-07-09T09:36:00.003-08:00

I saw these flowers yesterday at Michael's and had to do something with them. I knew this wine box would look very elegant with a flower topper. After it is given as a gift it is pretty enough to set out as a decoration. The wine charms I made using swarovski crystals, silver chain and silver ear wire hoops. I added a bit of seam binding lace to finish off the edges of the box and tucked a few eggs into the flowers. If I can find a beautiful decorative bird I may need to add it to the top. Or maybe I'll just have to do another box. ;) Since we have a wine cellar, we give alot of wine as gifts. I always try and include a handmade topper or charms with the wine. It is overcast here today so I had to set the box right on the windowsill to have good lighting. Sorry for the background 'noise'.

I AM BACK!!

2008-07-06T18:33:00.003-08:00

Between design jobs and a road trip in the rv with the family for a week I am happy to be home and ready to blog!! We had an amazingly beautiful trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks (Chena Hot Springs), to Lake Louise and then home. I will be sharing some of the few hundred photos I took and a few family shots to mix it up. Starting tomorrow I am back on track with my blogging. It has been too long. :) I am so psyched about CHA coming up and all of the new and exciting offerings for fall and winter. I am hoping to have all sorts of new and exciting crafty news to share with you over the next few months!!!!! If you are still checking in and reading my blog THANK YOU!! I know it has been too long and I hope that doesn't happen again. ;)

Heading north! As we were on our way out of Anchorage the first day it started turning cloudy, windy and rainy. That was the last we saw of bad weather for the week. Every view out of the front window was amazing! We really do live in a majestic state.

Some brand new ducklings trying to get off the road. Momma duck hopped right off the road into the tall grass, but these little ones didn't know where to go. After much of my pleading my husband drove down the center of the road very slowly and kept blasting our airhorn until these babies finally turned off onto a side road to safety. We had traffic blocked for about a 1/2 mile, but the babies stayed safe! :)

Marissa and daddy off to a morning swim in the pool and hot tubs. It was so warm. You would never guess this photo was in Alaska, huh?! We took her to the pool about three times each day. This is an ice sculture inside the Ice Museum at Chena Hot Springs. Professional ice carvers are on staff. Amazing artwork! It is a chilly 20 degrees year round inside this museum (It was 75 degrees and sunny outside). My husband and dad are enjoying their appletinis in martini glasses made of ice. We kept the glasses in the freezer for a few days and then let them melt. :)

SO PROUD!!

2008-06-22T21:07:00.002-08:00

If you have read my earlier entries about my brother then you know how proud I am of him and his many adventures. This article is about him and a fellow guide. Their unselfishness, passion and professionalism are just a few items that are talked about in this article. http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/443209.html :) Way to go Durney!!

Backyard BBQ

2008-06-17T11:25:00.002-08:00

Just a quick little invitation idea. My friend Denise brought me all 12 sets of the calendar $1 stamps from Michaels while she was on vacation. How sweet!! Well, the little bbq grill was just begging to be inked, so I obliged. :) The recipe card stamp inside is from Stampin' Up! and I punched a hole in the cover so the circle stamp could show thru. You could totally decorate this up even more, but if you were mass producing this is quick & easy. Just the way I like things in the summer! :)

What's been up with me??

2008-06-13T13:00:00.004-08:00

Well, a whole bunch of stuff. :) I have been given an opportunity to do some designing and that is taking up all of my 'free' time. It is very exciting to challenge myself to try and come up with new ideas or 'remodeling' an old idea into something newer & shinier. ;) Also, they have started construction on our addition so it is loud, dirty and my scrap stuff is getting moved into any nook and cranny the 3 year old can't reach it.

Oh, and we are camping almost every weekend and have some out of state visitors staying with us. :) As soon as life calms down a touch I will be back on track regularly with more goodies. Thanks for stickin' with me and checkin' in.

They reached the summit!!

2008-06-10T10:17:00.003-08:00

WOOHOO!!! Another summit for Rob. Now is it back down the mountain. He says that is much easier and faster than going up. ;) I am not sure how many summits he has under his belt, but I will be asking as soon as I talk to him. :)

My AMAZING Brother!!!

2008-06-04T07:26:00.005-08:00

My brother, Rob 'Durny' Durnell is one amazing man! He is a guide for Mountain Trip and helps people realize their dream of summiting North America's highest peak, Mount McKinley. It is so amazing that he does this for his summer job, right here in Alaska. Not once, but twice, maybe three times a summer if necessary. WOW!! If you would like to check out his current climb click on this link: http://may252008denali.blogspot.com/ It is always so good to hear from him and know that he and his group are doing well. We all love him and are so proud of his accomplishments. He has the best stories and we love to hear them. Check out some of these photos. They are breathtaking!

CAMP

ROB CLIMBING

SELF PHOTO ON MOUNT MCKINLEY

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MARKER ON SUMMIT OF MOUNT MCKINLEY

TE Cupcake Challenge Card

2008-05-30T11:54:00.003-08:00

Love this sketch and love using my cupcake stamps. Check out Taylor's Friday Cupcake Challenge. http://tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com/

Your 'TO DO' list just got cuter!

2008-05-30T07:36:00.004-08:00

Are the mini clipboards not the cutest? I have been seeing them all over the internet. I have a bunch of left over rectangle chipboard and these are the perfect way to use it up. They are quick, cute and everybody needs one. ;) Just attach you 'to do' list under the clip and off you go. You could hang one with a photo or calendar under the clip at your desk/office space. Great dad gift idea. Enjoy!

Cute little guy!

2008-05-29T10:13:00.005-08:00

I just love this image. Wish they had it with a little girl also. It is a Cuttlebug embossing die. This is a quick card that I did this morning. I have been swamped with design work, but loving every minute of it. Challenging and imaginative!! I guess this is why the card was so fitting today. That, and we have been watching Meet the Robinson's by Disney. It is a great and inspiring animated movie if you haven't seen it. :)

IS IT SUMMER YET??

2008-05-27T14:33:00.005-08:00

Just when we think the warm, summertime is upon us we are coolly reminded we live in Alaska. :) It is beautiful and all... BUT! Could we please have some SUMMER??!! I just want to be able to open the windows and not have to turn the heat on an hour later. :) Look at this beautiful rainbow we had this weekend. It was so windy and rainy all weekend. Brrr.... I stepped outside long enough to snap a few shots and then retreated to the warmth and shelter of our tent on wheels. Even the dog did not want to be out long. ;) Marissa had a good time hanging out playing with her bajillion toys that I took along and watching movies. She also potty trained over the last week. She is now officially into her big girl panties and pottyiing by herself. We will be working on the nighttime training next.

Cookie Recipe Book

2008-05-16T08:51:00.003-08:00

I saw this circle chipboard album (Creative Imagination - Nicole) and the first thought that popped into my mind was 'cookie'. :) I must have been craving sweets. Anyway, I ran with it. This will be a work in progress, as I am so busy with other projects right now. I will keep you updated as I fill the pages. I loved how the cover turned out. I wanted something homey and warm feeling. I think I will add some faux stitching around the edges. Hmmm.... The chipboard is painted (it was lime green with polka dots) and then painted again with crackle paint. I added glitter on top of the crackle paint while it was wet. I love the look it created. Let me know what you think. Oh, and the paper is from Cosmo Cricket (Gretel).

Amie & Julie

2008-05-14T10:56:00.007-08:00

Little basket

2008-05-12T20:54:00.003-08:00

I made this cute little basket this morning. It is made all out of kraft (Bazzill) cardstock. It really is easier than it looks. Waiting for the adhesive to set up was the longest part. ;) Anyway I put a 4" pot of fresh cilantro (with plant pick) in it to show it off. Please leave me a comment if you would like to see a tutorial on this. If there is enough interest I'll do it. ;)Recipe ~ Bazzill cardstock, Design Runner (Xyron), Large Circle Nestabilities, SU Scallop punch, Close To My Heart brads, Papertrey twill ribbon and small wooden skewer.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2008-05-11T19:20:00.006-08:00

This is the same rose. I took these photos at two different times of day with my new toy. My kids and my hubby really knew what I wanted. Now I need to read the book and figure out how to use all the bells and whistles. It is a Sony DSC-H50. :)

My card for Taylor's challenge. A bit off the sketch. ;) My mom loved it. These are totally her colors.

Pretty Packages

2008-05-09T08:32:00.004-08:00

I just love this 2-5-7-10 pattern box. You can follow the tutorial here. It is so simple to make and you can decorate it anyway you please. They make such a pretty presentation for a handmade gift or filled with yummy treats. If you make one please share a link to your project in the comments section. :)

Has it really been a week?

2008-05-08T14:13:00.003-08:00

Sorry. I have been in a creative 'blackout'. Nothing! Do you ever have those? I can't put a project together to save my creative soul. ;) Here are a few items I have attempted yesterday and today. Let me know what you think. Tomorrow Marissa and I are going craft supply shopping, so I am hoping that helps. I need some inspiration. Anything you want to see?

So Many Goodies

2008-05-01T13:31:00.005-08:00

I have been busy today and yesterday and....you get the picture. Anywhoo, here are the fruits of my labor. A few more things for my guests on saturday.

A bingo set that I downloaded for free online. I used my Xyron 900 to laminate the cards and calling pieces. Then I switched cartridges and ran the card markers thru with repositionable adhesive on the backs. This way we won't have to worry about our cardmarkers sliding around or getting knocked on the floor. :) Smart huh?

Little monogram post-it note pads. I borrowed two ideas and made them one. You can find the tutorial to make these here. The design for the cover is from here. Thank you to both Angie and Michelle for the inspiration. :)

This is a cute little magnet. I was playing with my copic markers and shrink plastic. What I learned is the colors become much more vivid as the plastic shrinks. Very cool!

Finally. A card I don't know that I can part with. ;) I am sooo happy with the way this turned out. My new 'Green Thumb' stamp set from Papertrey arrived monday and I just had to use the sweet little strawberries right away. I love the sentiments and fonts with this set also.

Spring Fever

2008-04-29T13:26:00.003-08:00

I have it bad. ;) These are the goodies for my friends coming over for NSD. Sorry I did not give a tip or technique yesterday. But, I think you can find lots of ideas in these photos. I distressed, inked, painted, used rub-ons, die-cut and added a bit of flower arranging to the mix. :) The big flowers are clip-ons attached to wooden skewers. Fun, huh?? There are wildflower seed packs inside the cards and a small acrylic stamp set behind. I will have other fun stuff for us. But, I don't want to give all my secrets away too soon. ;) ps: I am no good at keeping this kind of stuff secret. hahaha!!

Where did the time go?

2008-04-27T22:22:00.002-08:00

This weekend flew by. I did accomplish quite a bit. Whew! ;) I have some really fun goodies heading my way this week. I can hardly wait to play with my new 'toys'. I am also preparing to have a few friends (6, including me) over for National Scrapbook Day on saturday. It will be nice to be around the house hangin' out and close to the food and craft room. :) I am making some goodies for everyone, having a few games to play and good eats. There are also a few online 'crops' I will be checking in on and playing along with. What are your plans for NSD?

I will have some fun projects that will hopefully put you in the summertime/spring mood. I need all the help I can get in that arena. We had over 18 inches of snow friday!!!!! :O No kidding!!

Playing along...

2008-04-25T14:34:00.004-08:00

with another challenge by Taylor. No cupcake on the card today, but I got my cupcake fix earlier today with the bag posted below. :) This one was fun and the colors remind me of July 4th, sweet summertime and long hot summer nights.
Recipe~ Cardstock: Stampin' Up!; Pattern Paper: Daisy D; Ink: Stampin' Up!, Ribbon: Seam Binding; Stamps: Papertrey & Close To My Heart; Hardware: We R Memory Keepers (set with Crop-a-dile); Punch: Martha Stewart & Paper Distresser: Close To My Heart.

Soft Spring Pallette

2008-04-25T12:05:00.006-08:00

It is snowing like crazy as I am typing this. The thermometer says 31.8. Bleh!! We had above average temperatures just two days ago (60+). Definately springtime in Alaska. :) It is supposed to warm up and melt off tomorrow or sunday (fingers crossed). Sorry for the crummy photos, but there is no sunshine. :( I had to fake it with photohop. As soon as the sun comes out I will reshoot the photos. :)

Anyway, my thoughts are for spring, as I am sure you can tell with these projects. The first is a cupcake party bag. It is a white lunch sack, cut in half and decorated with a paper cupcake. I need to write up instructions for this one so I don't forget how I did it. ;)

This is another Martha Stewart box (& butterfly punches) that I covered in a spring theme. The flower is made from punches and dies. I used the top of an unopened water bottle to 'bend' the petals the way I wanted. This may be a monday technique. hmmm...

The last two are little thank you tags that can be attached to a card or bag.

Another card

2008-04-24T14:00:00.002-08:00

I just did another paperbag card. I like this color combo and sentiment.

Mixing it up a bit

2008-04-24T09:24:00.006-08:00

As many of my friends know, I have a hard time doing any one thing for very long. So, to keep my creativity at a maximum I mix up what I work on all the time. Sometimes it is painting, sewing, stitching, papercrafts, baking, knitting, gardening, beading, etc. I have so many interests and they all seem to go together in one way or another. I love that!! :) Today I thought I would share a few items I have made that are not paper or stamping related. Do you enjoy other hobbies? Leave me a comment and tell me what they are. It is so fun to learn and share.

This bag was inspired by Nichole at Papertrey. Here are the instructions on her blog (just scroll down). I just supersized it. ps: I am really bad about following instructions. I always change them up a bit. ;)

I needed a padded case for my laptop last week for traveling. So I made this quick little laptop case. I found the heavy canvas fabric in the clearance bin and sewed old placemats in between the fabric for 'cushioning'. It worked great. :)
Two bracelets I have made.

Finally, another cozie I made on the plane home monday night. ;) It was a great way to use up 6+ hours on a plane. ;)

Paper Bag Card

2008-04-23T13:23:00.005-08:00

I am trying to get back in the groove of crafting after my time away. Thanks to a challenge from Melissa at Lilybean's Paperie I tried this paperbag card. It is my own design and perfect for today's card idea. I decorated the inside also. All of the supplies are just scraps and bits. My mom bought a punch that I was messing with and it worked perfect for this card.

I just spent 5 days with my aunt and uncle in Illinois. This will make a perfect thank you card for them. My aunt is an avid gardener and loves shabby chic. We went antique shopping together and stumbled upon the most adorable shop. I bought some items for my new scraproom and will share them when the room is complete. :) I am sure I will be ordering more from the store and having it shipped to me. We spent about 3 hours in the same store. WOW!!

Thank you.

2008-04-16T14:32:00.004-08:00

Thank you to all of you who have posted such sweet comments, support & prayers. I will be flying to Illinois tonight and will not be home until monday evening. I am taking my laptop in hopes of posting while I am away, but not sure how there connections are out in the country. ;) I will be back on track next week and have a lot to share with you.

My grandfather's and Judy' services are both on friday. I am sad that I will not be home to attend Judy's services and say my final goodbyes. But, she would understand. Thank you all again.

This is a photo of my grandpa fishing here in Alaska. I bet he is fishin' or golfin' right now. :)

Sad Heart

2008-04-12T09:50:00.003-08:00

It has been an emotional and sad few days. I have lost two very dear and special people in my life to lung cancer. Although they never met each other they would have enjoyed each others company. Funny, ornery, ready to have a good time and a deep love of their friends and family.

My grandpa, Del. He was 88. He was such an amazing man. Husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Proudly served his country as a marine. Golf and fishing were truly his passions. We are all so blessed to have been together this past summer and spend time together. Words cannot describe the loss our entire family is going to feel by his absence. 04-12-08

My dear friend Judy. We met when she came into my salon looking to have pedicure after a charity walk, that was over 10 years ago. Her grandchildren are the same age as my son. She introduced me to scrapbooking. We had so much in common and knew so much about each other, our families and all that goes with it. I will miss her deeply. 04-10-08

Hungry Cubs?

2008-04-10T09:38:00.003-08:00

This might help. :) I found this Teddy Graham Trail Mix yesterday and knew Marissa would like everything in it. It has honey grahams in the shape of bees, chocolate teddy bears, mini pretzels and yogurt covered raisins. They do offer different varieties. I thought it would make a cute snack pack to make a long trip in the car or rv extra special. Or, a cute camp themed party goodie. You could print their name on the tag.

Recipe~ Cellophane bag: Stampin' Up!; Cardstock: Stampin' Up! (Very Vanilla); Transparency Sheet: Office Max; Ink: Stampin' Up! (Wild Wasabi), Close To My Heart (Garden Green) & Stazon (Timber Brown); Stamps: Stampin' Up!; Ribbon: May Arts (Brwon Leaf) & JoAnns (Brown/Cream Gingham); Punches: Stampin' Up! (Large Tag Punch) & We R Memory Keepers (Crop-A-Dile).

Party Tag

2008-04-09T14:37:00.002-08:00

Can you just see this attached to an adorable matching gift bag? Me too! Maybe I will make one for later this week. ;)

Recipe~ Cardstock: K & Co. & My Minds Eye; Stamp: Hero Arts; Markers: Copic; Ink: Stampin' Up!; Gliiter: Ranger Stickles; Eyelets: Stampin' Up! (set with a Crop-a-dile); Misc.: Ribbons, thread & pop dots.

Birds of a feather...

2008-04-09T08:28:00.006-08:00

Just like the Hitchcock thriller birds are everywhere. All sizes, shapes and type of birds. Everything from detailed images to silhouettes, felt to chipboard. Owls are especially HOT right now.

A side story, living in Alaska we do not hear owls in the city very often (not like I did living in the country in Illinois). Early in the morning yesterday we were awakened by an owl hoot-hooting outside our bedroom. Very Cool! I saw him last summer sitting in a tree by our house, he is huge. We think he was diplaced by alot of the refurbishing of trails in the state park by our house.

Recipe: Card Base: Stampin' Up! Small Scalloped Notecards; Printed and Plain Cardstock: SEI; Stamp: Stampin' Up!, Markers: Copic; Ink: Stampin' Up!; Misc.: ribbon, safety pin & pop dots.

Back to the basics

2008-04-07T20:11:00.002-08:00

Angie at Chic n Scratch put together an amazing little tutorial for those who find measuring on their cutters a challenge. She does an excellent job of show and tell. :) Check out her Stampin' Academy.

I have been soooo busy today cleaning and doing laundry I am sorry I do not have more to share. I promise to be 'really' good the rest of the week. :)

A Challenge to Inspire

2008-04-06T15:17:00.005-08:00

Wasn't that yesterday's post? Okay, this is a different challenge. This challenge came from Taylor's blog for anyone who wants to play. I love Taylor's friday cupcake challenges, although I have never joined in the fun. She is the entire reason I now seem to need every stamp set that includes a cupcake. ;) Check out her new online store and surf around a bit on her blog to see her amazing work.

Recipe: Patterned Paper: K & Co.; Cardstock: Stampin' Up!; Stamps: Image- Close To My Heart & Sentiment- Hero Arts; Ink & Markers: Stampin' Up!; Misc. supplies: ribbon, thread & pop-dots.

Busy Bee

2008-04-05T11:10:00.004-08:00

That's me! I have been trying new techniques, new tutorials, new products, etc. So, without further delay here are the fruits of my labor. :)

These thank you cards are for my grandmother. I have 20 done and 30 to go. Nichole at Papertrey issued a challenge to use black and white only on a project. This is actually blacka and off-white, but I think it turned out nicely.

Angie at Chic n Scratch made a tutorial for this cute bag idea. I made my own size and spin on it, but I love the 'idea'. I also love these cupcakes stamps by Hero Arts.

I gave some love to my new Riley stamps this week also. I am having a lot of fun with my Copic markers, but I need to buy more colors. ;)

Splitcoast Stampers had a Tutorial for making this cute little flip card. Perfect for holding a gift card or attaching to a gift bag.

Finally, another little cozie that I designed and made this week. I have many designs drawn out or cut out and in baggies waiting to be sewn. I love mushrooms and the little door and ricrac really added such a whimsical touch to the scene.

My challenge for you today is to try a tutorial or project you have been meaning to do. It is a great kickstart to your creativity. Enjoy!!

Fun-tainers

2008-04-03T09:03:00.006-08:00

Every April one of the local private schools holds an auction as a fundraiser. Last year was the first year that I participated in making a few things for the LeBear Boutique, a store at the auction. You can purchase many fabulous items in the boutique as well as bid in the silent auction. This year we (Becky, Vicki, Ellie & me) gathered at my house to knock out a few items that will be for sale. I still have a pail and a few boxes to finish up, but here are the items that were completed at our grown-up playdate.

Pink Kisses Pail: Vicki Cagley, Ellie Herrera & Me

Dog Bones Bucket: Becky Priddy

Bright Burst Jar: Vicki Cagley

Swedish Fishing Bucket: Me

Friends: Vicki Cagley

Lemonade Mix: Becky Priddy

Magical: Vicki Cagley

Topping off a gift bag

2008-04-02T08:49:00.001-08:00

I found these gift boxes at Michaels' for $1 a package. They are from Martha Stewart's line and came 6 to a pack. Needless to say I bought all they had in stock. They were a great find, food safe and I can think of a ton of uses. You could punch holes in the back flap and box and tie with a ribbon or just use adhesive to glue the flap down. However, I wanted to do something a bit more imaginative and decorative. This is just your average, office, black binder clip. I spiffed it up by adding a die cut flower, some buttons, rhinestone & tag. I covered the front of the box and back flap with strips of patterned paper and added a scalloped strip at the top. Simple, fast and inexpensive! I was feeling very inspired to create something 'springy' with a clean craft room and the morning sun shining in.

Recipe: Pattern Paper: K & Co.; Die-Cuts: My Minds Eye & Doodlebug; Rhinestone: K & Co.; Buttons: Creative Cafe & My Minds Eye; Stamp & Ink: Papertrey; Other Supplies: Martha Stewart treat box, binder clip, white office tag.

Rolled into one

2008-04-01T07:31:00.007-08:00

Sorry to abandon you yesterday. I was on a cleaning spree. My craft room looked like a bomb went off. As I started cleaning I realized it needed sorted, thrown away or given away. I guess that could be my tip for yesterday: Use it or lose it. ;) Seriously, my taste and style changes all the time. It was time to finally pass on that paper I used to love to someone else. Oh sure, I could find a project for it, but my foot tall stack of new paper would then never get used. I had to draw a line in the sand.

I really wanted to talk about all of the 'stitching' stuff that is hot right now. For some of us embroidering just naturally made its way into our papercrafting because we know how to do it and have the supplies. For others it may seem foreign to combine embroidery with papercrafts. Truly, all you really need to make some fabulous details on your scrapbook pages, cards or projects is a needle and some embroidery thread. I use embroidery thread because it is a heavier weight than sewing thread and shows up better against the weight of the paper. There are six strands of thread in every strand of embroidery thread. ??? You will see what I mean when you purchase it. You can simply cut the desired length of thread and then separate out how many strands you want to use. The more strands the bulkier (or thicker) the stitches will look. Make sure you use a needle with an eye large enough to accomodate the thickness of the thread. Oh, and it comes in so many colors you can probably match it exactly to your paper and it is inexpensive. I also think a paper piercer is the best way the prepunch a pattern onto your project. A small hole punch would work great if plan on threading ribbon, but is too big if you are using embroidery thread. Have fun, try it out! Link me to a photo of your stitched project, I would love to see. Check out Primrose Design's Stitch School for some great tutorials on different stitches. If you check out her left toolbar you will find more tutorials and info. Her work is great!

A little bit vintage, a little bit country...

2008-03-30T19:47:00.003-08:00

a little bit shabby chic. Okay, I like alot of different styles. Bella Pink Cafe is somewhere I have just found that really fits alot of my tastes. Wow!! What an amazing place to find inspiration. She has an amazing eye for design, pretty little bits and is happy to share them on her blog. How lucky are all of us to be sharing each others blogs? I love it. It makes the world seem a smaller, more friendly, sharing place. :) What is your style? Check out her Wriskey Collection. I think i may need to own some of these items. ;) Have a great evening. See you tomorrow.

Family & Friends

2008-03-29T18:36:00.002-08:00

Do you keep in touch often with your family & friends? I mean more than on holidays. I keep in contact with my family here in Alaska and my close circle of girlfriends almost every day. However, I seem to be a bit slacking in the communication department with my other dear family & friends. I feel so badly about this. My challenge to myself and to those of you like me is to stock up on my card stash and start sending cards just because. Maybe even a circle journal with some who I think will do it and have the time to do it. :) I can think of so many occassions and everyday celebrations I have missed sending a written note for. Well I am going to try and stop that nonsense. ;) Letting those who are close to me that I am thinking of them is well worth the effort of writing and the cost of postage. I have a dear friend and a grandfather who may not be with us here on earth for much longer and there are so many things I wish I would have said to them or done for them. I know they know I care and love them, but I could have made more everydays special days. Celebrate today! Live your bliss! No regrets!

Pretty little pail

2008-03-28T13:53:00.003-08:00

These pails are so fun to decorate, fill and give! Last year Becky & I bought a bunch of these pails for our National Scrapbook Day crop and used them for goodie bags. We filled them with some fun items and every attendee recieved one at their seat. Good times! Well, I have a few leftover and this is what I did with one. I am envisioning it filled with buttercream mints, or vanilla bean bath salts, or maybe decadent chocolate covered espresso beans. Oh, the possibilities!! Recipe~ Patterned Cardstock: My Minds Eye; Cardstock, Papertrey; Ink: Stampin' Up; Stamp: Papertrey; Die Cuts: Cuttlebug & Quickuts; Ribbon: Clost To My Heart, Martha Stewart, Chatterbox, Making Memories & vintage seam binding; Rhinestone Brad: Karen Foster; Pail: Stampendous; Misc. Supplies: chipboard, embroidery floss, beads & wire.

The Yummies!

2008-03-27T18:15:00.004-08:00

I found this scrumptious recipe at Hershey's. Perfect goodies to put in this box. It is similar to the 2-4-6-8 easter boxes I made, but this box is taller so it could hold a small cupcake, a few truffles or other little goodies. This design reminds me of a wedding favor. I love the simple elegance. The bird is colored with a clear glitter marker over the white. A subtle detail, but beautiful when it catches the light and sparkles. :)

Recipe: Cardstock: Prism; Pattern Paper: American Crafts; Ink: SU!; Markers: Copic; Stamps: Hero Arts (Bird & branch), PaperTrey (sentiment); Ribbon: Close To My Heart; Pop dots & 2-4-6-8 template to make box.

Off to the vet

2008-03-27T08:12:00.006-08:00

I have to take Max to the vet this morning. So, I will be posting later this afternoon. He is not walking on his back right leg. I think maybe he slipped on some ice in his pen. ??? But, he also has some itchy (maybe allergy) issues. We think. Again ????? I am sure we will come home witha load of antibiotics, creams, prescription food and a cone (so he can't scratch his ears). ;) Lifting him into the back of my suv should be interesting. He is around 90lbs.

Well, we have ear drops, ear ointment, 2 types of pills and some new 'allergy' food to try. I need a spreadsheet just to keep the medications straight. The good news is it should clear him up. He has a horrid yeast infection everywhere. :( He goes back in 2 weeks for a follow up and he was given a shot today to help stop some of the itching. He is only 6 yrs old so he should be with us for a good long time. :)

In addition

2008-03-26T09:37:00.003-08:00

to my regular post today I wanted to share a few photos of a visitor at our house this morning. He is soaking up some morning sun on the backside of our house. I bet that grass feels better than sleeping on the crunchy snow and ice. Spring is on the way!!! :)

Two for One

2008-03-26T07:36:00.004-08:00

Can you see thru it? If your answer is yes, then you are in baby! ;) Transparencies and acrylic are so hot right now they could almost melt. You can use a transparency or acrylic just like you would use paper. There are some amazing designs, tutorials and templates available. I will try and bring some here for you.

Transparency Card
Make A Wish Window Box
Sheer 5 Ring Tab Book

Tip: Acrylic and transparencies are not porous. That means ink will not absord into it. So if you are NOT using, staz-on, alcohol ink or painting on it, it will probably need to be heat set or it will rub off or smear.

These are some cards that I have been working on.

The first is a spinner card. The little bird (from SU!: Pun Fun) spins across the opening on the front of the card.

This card is using my new Hero Arts owl set and Cuttebug embossing folder. Did you notice both cards are bird themed? ;) Another super hot trend right now!! And, I colored the images with my Copic markers. Betty, at Stamp Attic, was so gracious to share a few important tips and tricks with me for coloring with my Copics. If you live in the Anchorage area you really should try and stop by her store or attend one of her many monthly classes. You will learn alot and be totally inspired by all of the great projects in her store. She has an amazing offering of the best products on the market!

Back on track

2008-03-24T09:00:00.003-08:00

Whew! What a busy couple of days. Sorry to slack off on my blog. Holidays do that to me. Everyone congregates at our house. Which means I do alot of prep work and clean up. But, I wouldn't trade having my family around for no holiday craziness. ;)

The winner for the coffee cozy (drawn by Miss Marissa) is comment #1: Michelle!! I have a few cozies for you to choose from or you can give me a request.

Today's tip is for using your SU! markers and blender pen. I love a soft, watercolored look to my stamped images. These are the supplies I used. All are from SU! unless otherwise noted. Pun Fun stamp image;Chocolate Chip Classic inkpad; Markers: Barely Banana, So Saffron, Gable Green, Green Galore, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, Opulent Orchid and Going Gray; Whisper White cardstock; Blender Pen; and a plain piece of printer paper slipped inside a plastic sheet cover (not SU!). All stamp images are copyright SU!

Stamp your image onto Whisper White cardstock using a Classic inkpad (I used Chocolate Chip).Open the brush end of your marker (Barely Banana & So Saffron) and make a spot of color for each shade on the plastic sheet cover. TIP: Using the plastic sheet cover with white paper is an easy way to see the colors you have selected and it just wipes clean when you are done and can reuse it. Use your Blender Pen and pick up a bit of color with the tip of the pen. Start with your lightest color first. Fill in the image you are coloring with your lightest color. Remember, these are waterbased markers and blender pen, so be careful 'blending' too much. Over'blending' may cause your paper to oversaturate and begin to breakdown. You will know because your paper will start pulling up fibers and not looking smooth. You can tell I did this on this first layer. OOPS! ;)Next, use your darker shade and blend from the bottom up in a feathering stroke. When shading, try and think about how light hits an object and be consistent. A beak would cast a small shadow under it. The bottom side of a wing may be darker than the top. Play with it and have fun with different looks. There are really NO Rules! :) Also, when you first start blending where you first place your color it will be the darkest. Continue this process until your image is completely colored. I used my Going Gray marker and blender pen to add abit of shading around the entire image to make it look more dimensional.To clean your blending pen between color changes just rub it on a scrap piece of paper until no more color comes off. You can do this very gently, no need to scrub. Keeping the tip of the pen on its side will keep you from crushing the fine tip. Even thought the tip may be stained from dark colors it will not transfer that color. I used this pen and you can tell it did not transfer any dark colors even when I used the lightest yellow color. :) Very cool!I hope you enjoyed the tip today. Here are a few photos from yesterday. Our egg masterpieces, the little chef and the second round of dominoes of the day (Doug, Carol, Cody & Robert).

INSPIRATIONAL!

2008-03-23T08:20:00.002-08:00

Okay, this is an amazing blog for checking out inspiration from other bloggers. I am one of her 'team' members. All I do (twist my arm ;)) is find projects on blogs that I visit and ask them if it is alright to be featured on Inspirational's blog. Well, who doesn't like to be featured? So, if you see someone's work that you think I should check out, please send me the link.

Happy Easter to everyone! I will announce yesterday's winner in a bit. I have a few eggs to hide before the kiddos get up. Tomorrow, I will be back on my regular schedule.

Changing it up a bit!

2008-03-21T13:27:00.007-08:00

Ok, so I have some fun, new ideas that I think you will all enjoy. Since sketches can be found just about everywhere they will be taken off my Daily Dose list and added to the Places I Visit list.

Tuesday - Trends & Styles: What's in, What's back 'in', What is it? and other cool stuff.

Wednesday - Cards & Tags: Sending your messages in style!

Thursday - Yummies!: Now that you know how to make (or have a stash of) all these great boxes and bags what do you put in them? Candy, cookies, mixes and other delightful goodies.

Sunday - Shoppin' & Surfin': What cool finds have you found? Favorite places to spend your $$. Share any good deals and neat stuff you want right here. :)

I hope you think these are good changes. I think it will be fun trying to come up with posts and see what your comments are. Off to do more Easter shopping. Gotta hop to it! ;)

The color of friendship

2008-03-19T07:52:00.004-08:00

They say yellow roses mean friedship. Well, what about a yellow candle? This is a lemon verbena jar candle from Michaels. I just added a few bits of paper (Bazzill & K & Co.), stamps (Close To My Heart) and a ribbon. What a cute gift idea, right? Well, these are the color combo for today. Be happy!

Lots of Card Sketches & NEW SU! Promos

2008-03-17T17:08:00.009-08:00

WOW!! Check out Card Positioning Systems. There are too many great ideas on this site to choose just one, so GO CRAZY!! Find a sketch you love and give it a whirl. Leave a comment and tell me what you think of this site. I will be adding it to places I visit. :) ENJOY!

SU! Kicks off their NEW promotions today! Check them out at these links.
FREE WHEELIN'
Wild for Wasabi
EXTRA, EXTRA Hostess