a little scrap of life

granny squares...

2011-02-15T12:38:00.001-07:00

... are highly addicting.

i've made several with no plan in mind for what i'm going to do with them just yet, but that's not keeping me from making them. neither is the "claw" my hand turns into every night.

curse my 38-year-old arthritic hand. *sigh*

at any rate, it's a great way to keep busy and feel like you've accomplished something while sitting on the couch catching up on some TiVo! just sayin'.

i browsed through a few tutorials, but just couldn't grasp the concept until i found this one. and then it just clicked. if you've been itching to learn how to make a granny square, i definitely recommend it. super easy and fun to make.

once you get that down, check out her website for more fun tutorials, like these easter egg pals.

seriously. how cute would those look in a basket?

one last thing... if anyone knows what the pattern is for the blanket featured in her blog banner and where i can find it, shoot me a comment/link/email please?

i'm dying to make a blanket of some sort and that one looks easy enough for starters, but i could be wrong.

happy tuesday!

it's all about love...

2011-02-07T18:49:00.005-07:00

i'm a little behind with this post because last week was spent recapping CHA happenings for Craft Critique, and i am totally grateful to have had the opportunity. it was such a fantastic experience!

so listen, in case you missed the show or have not read the 26416465 posts out there about what's new & hot in the artsy/crafty world, {i never tire of seeing the eye candy}, please take a minute to visit the Craft Critique website for some awesome CHA coverage.

ok, first - there's a new challenge up at The Creative Type! because this month is all about ♥, the new prompt is all about ♥ songs, so if you're in the mood to be sweet & sappy, head on over to the blog and play along!

this song inspired my layout - "you & i" by ingrid michaelson & dan romer {oh how it makes me happy}:

chris and i always talk about our dream house on a mountaintop {what? it could happen.}, so i knew this was the song i had to use. i've also been waiting for the perfect opportunity to scrap the "A + C" photo {which you can read more about here}. it's one of my favorite pics and i may find myself using it over & over again.

perhaps for a special little valentine something? eh, we'll see.

here's my love song tribute to my honey:

second - some exciting news! i've been asked to join the DT for Angie Delarie Designs! i've been a fan of angie's for a long time {it's not only because we share the same name. i swear.} so of course, i was thrilled when she asked and even more when i saw what i will be working with for my first assignment - hellacute!

if you haven't seen her line of acrylic stamps, paper & chipboard accents, you need to. because seriously, too cute.

speaking of which... you wanna win some of that cuteness?
angie's giving away some fun stuff because she's all about the ♥ {and valentine's day} too. just hop on over to her blog & leave a comment for a chance to win these:

Three Speckled Frogs Dreaming

and some other fun little accents!
you have until the 12th. you're welcome. ;)

here's wishing you all a "love"ly week...
xo

february...

2011-02-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

when did that happen?

with all the fun & fabulous valentine projects popping up everywhere, i had an urge to make a little something

'valentine-ish' myself. actually, 2 little somethings.

ATCs to be exact {my favorite thing to make}.

i made both of these for the simply ArTistiC challenge blog. this one was for our last challenge - card #10/swirls:

we are currently on hiatus {new challenges/swaps start up in march!}, but there is an open swap going on this month so i made this card to throw in the swap:

i'm hoping to find some time this year to MAKE some handmade valentines with the kid for her classmates, since this will be the last year she'll get to do that.

because, you know... it's lame to give out valentines in 7th grade. duh.

do you make your own valentines or have you seen any cool ones out there? i need idears. please to share.

here's hoping for fabulous february!

{a day in the life}...

2011-01-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

the day we finally cleaned out our garage.

we've been putting it off for far too long. it had to be done. and it had to be done while our temps are in the 60's and not in the 100s. which isn't far off. damn desert living.

this was the state of chaos our garage was in before. i mean, it wasn't incredibly horrible - some unpacked boxes that have been in there since we moved in 11 years ago {clearly there was nothing we couldn't live without in those boxes} & random crap strewn about - but it had "hoarders" potential, so i figured we should nip it.

the man's work bench. {hey! are those my sneakers?!}

it's not surprising he can never find a tool when he needs it.

especially since the majority of his tools are shoved in buckets. placed randomly throughout the garage. and inside the house.

it's the reason why we have 26165473 hammers.

because it's easier to just go buy one than to try and find one. naturally.

i found a box of stuff i had stashed away for my first kid and look what was in it - my MOST FAVORITE childhood teddy bear! her name is "biscuit". she was a birthday gift from someone... i can't remember who, but i've had her since i was 5 yrs old.

wow. she looks GREAT for her age, don't you think?

BINKIES! my first kid was a TOTAL binky baby. she always had one in her mouth and one in each hand {note to self: find & scrap those pics}. those two stuck to the top of the box were her favorite ones. uh... i'm guessing it's probably about time i let those go considering the condition they're in. ew.

i also found a box of "collectibles" - some 80's barbie dolls given to us by an aunt {omg it's malibu barbie & skipper!} and a BUTTLOAD of mcdonald's promotional beanie babies still in their packages.

i wonder if they're worth anything?

there's one teeny vintage doll that sort of creeps me out, as most dolls do. and a couple of 1966 nekkid barbies. at least the back of their heads are stamped 1966, but after reading this article, i'm thinking they're also 80's. at any rate, they look a hot mess.

*WARNING - if you are offended by gratuitous nudity - LOOK AWAY!*

in one of the unpacked boxes marked "home decor" {which has me seriously questioning my taste and sense of style}, i found a wall hanging from india.

yep. actually purchased IN INDIA by my husband when he was there on a business trip awhile back.

isn't it lovely {she says sarcastly}?

he thought so. he really did. so much that it HAD TO be hung above our waterbed. yes, a waterbed. don't pretend like you've never owned one.

anyway, the day i got to take this beauty down and pack it away was one of the best days EVER. i think subconsciously it's the reason why i wasn't in hurry to unpack that particular box. {SORRY, HONEY!}

don't get me wrong, it was appreciated.

and it really is a quite lovely piece of fabric with beautiful vivid colors and well, you can't see them in this picture, but alot of shiny sequins.

it's just something that will NOT be going back up anytime soon or something that can be ripped apart. and i'd hate for it to be packed away for another 11 years so... i'm GIVING IT AWAY!

yep. i don't know that anyone would be interested, but if you are or know someone who might appreciate this, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email! i'm not even kidding.

wanna see the "after"?

i know it sorta looks the same as the "before", but trust me... it's not. we dumped a lot of crap. and there's still some work to be done in there, but now everything has a place. and i have a sense of... peace? sanity? lightness? something. you know that feeling when you de-clutter. it truly does wonders.

don't forget... if you're in need of an authentic indian wall hanging {because who isn't?}, leave a comment :)

happy wednesday!

and the word is...

2011-01-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

do more...

laughing. loving. playing. creating. teaching. learning. cooking. baking. reading. documenting. communicating. connecting. giving. the list goes on...

do less...

worrying. spending. yelling. complaining. sitting. analyzing. fearing.

do nothing. do everything.

some days i want to conquer the world. other days i just want to curl up and watch it go by.

do what i want to do. when i want to do it.

so often, i let guilt keep me from taking some time for myself - to watch a movie or to read a book or play a game or make some art because there are other things that NEED to be done around here first. but i realize now that if i don't do things for me {and my mental & creative well-being}, pretty soon, i won't want to do anything at all. what a sad existence that would be.

don't think. just do.

no more over-thinking and analyzing my creative urges and decisions. no more being fearful of doing something wrong or of failing.

for me, this year is about doing.
what is your year about?

it's a new... everything

2011-01-07T15:33:00.000-07:00

yet, i feel like i'm already so far behind. and we're only 7 days into the new year! how does that happen?

speaking of new... TADA! new blog. finally. it's taken me long enough to clean it up. am i happy with it? of course not. i never am with anything i do {please tell me i'm not the only one}.

it's a work in progress.

there will be some tweaking here and there.

and adding of new things always.

but i am generally satisfied with it at the moment.

it seems cleaner. lighter. simpler.

and actually makes me WANT to blog now, so that's a good thing, right? because i have plans. and ideas.

and things i want to share.

oh yes.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

super cool pic from The Telegraph

i feel like it had to be said. because everyone else has already said it. and blogged it. and tweeted it. and proclaimed their resolutions and set their goals for the year. and are actively practicing their chosen "olw".
which is great. for them.
yet here i sit, with my christmas decs still up, presents STILL strewn about the house, kitchen STILL a mess from christmas day festivities {I KNOW!}, a pile of last year's mail and bills that need attending to.
BUT... i've come to realize that, well - it is what it is.

i really admire those people who have their shit together before the start of a new year {i won't lie. i'm even a little bit jealous}. i've thoroughly enjoyed reading all about their past year and new endeavors. i just have to come to accept that i'll never be one of those people. and be ok with it.
so... there it is.
I DON'T HAVE MY SHIT TOGETHER!
and probably won't until around the middle of june.
BUT... i did choose a "word" for the year. so there's that.

one thing i've really enjoyed reading on others blogs are their recaps of 2010. i would LOVE to do something like that, but i can barely remember what i did last week, let alone the happenings of an entire year.
so, i'll just share my most recent "proud moment" event - in december, i was a featured guest on the JBS Inspiration blog!

now, anyone who knows me knows how big of deal this was for me.

i was beyond thrilled!

and here's what i made:

wicker ball ornaments

and a layout

totally fun. totally honored to have been asked.
not a bad way to end the year. an even better way to start off a new year (at least craftwise)!

1st post of 2011 - DONE. post #2 coming up in the next couple of days and it's all about the "word", so please do come back. ;)

hope your year is off to a fabulous start!

thank you...

2010-10-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

... for sharing your favorite traditions with me. they all sound wonderfully autumn-ish! AND... i learned that we do have somewhat of a fall season here in Arizona (thanks julie & erin!). i may have to travel north a bit to find it, but it would be well worth it, i think. :)

and now for the delicious little treat giveaway - the apple goes to (drawn by random.org, which i still haven't figured out how to display on my blog):

JULIE TUCKER-WOLEK!!

omg you're gonna LOVE this apple. it's ridiculicious!! please send me your address so i can get this sucker shipped out to you in time for halloween. hooray!

the new challenge is up at simply ATC! stacey fike has provided some fabulous inspiration for our very last "Alice in Wonderland" prompt. take a look:

i'm hoping i can find some time to squeeze out an ATC for this one. the illustrations & colors are so yummy! go take a look for yourself. the challenge ends November 1st. and then we reveal our brand new theme. i'm super excited about it! :)

that's all for now.

have a wonderful week!

a special OCTOBER giveaway...

2010-10-01T12:55:00.002-07:00

... because it's the start of my favorite season. although, i'd like it much better if it actually looked and felt like fall. this is when i really hate living in the freakin' desert. would it be weird if i bought some fake fall -like leaves and just sprinkled them all over my front lawn?

so, every year i order one of these yummy treats from Williams Sonoma:

Halloween Caramel Apple

seriously the most delish caramel apple EVER. and guess what? i want to share! yep... if you leave me a comment telling me what your favorite fall tradtion is, i will enter your name into a drawing and the winner will get to share in the joyous delight of this most delicious treat (don't worry... nuts are optional. ahem).

so... drop me a line by october 15th. i will draw on the 16th. wheeeeeeeeeee!

have you seen the new fall pottery barn catalog? i would so love to recreate this in my entryway. *swoon*

i'm hoping to get to "fall-ify" my house in the next few days. i add one new holiday handmade decor item every year. the new one is in progress and i'm crossing my fingers it turns out as cute as it is in my head. i'll be sure to share it if it does. heh. this was last year's project:

(awwww... lookit my little corduroy punkins. i LOVE those suckers!)

in other news... the new challenge is up over at simply ArTistiC! jenny tucker presented us with a fun "Alice in Wonderland" flower challenge and omgoodness... you must see what our GD and the other ArTCees whipped up for this one. super cute.

here's the ATC i made for this challenge:

come play along! there's plenty of time to get one in for this challenge. the deadline is october 15th. and you can win fun prizes and trade with other ATCers. that's the best part. :)

here's wishing you a happy october and start to the holiday season!

don't forget to leave me a blurb! don't you want a chance at a yummy caramel apple? ;)

i've got some updating to do...

2010-09-15T16:04:00.002-07:00

... on my poor, neglected little blog. but let's not call blog protective services just yet. i've been visiting behind the scenes. remember that whole blog makeover thing i mentioned oh... 6-7 months ago? still working on it. yep. and i've not wanted to post anything until it's all pretty and stuff. but i've come to the realization that it will most likely NOT be done until... next year. *sigh* ah well... little by little, i suppose.

so, i just want to do a quick update on things i've crafted, like more little art pieces for "simply ArTistiC"! ok, if you haven't been over there yet, you must. it's the most fun i've had and the most inspired i've been in a long time and i owe it to the fabulous group of designers & their challenges, and to those that are participating in said challenges. and then there's the swapping of said fabulous cards. there are some amazing ATC artists out there. just saying.

we've had 4 challenges so far & here's what i've done for them (card #1 is in the post down below):

For Sasha's challenge - Card #2/Vintage Alice

For Erin's challenge - Card #3/Queen of Hearts

For Christina's challenge - Card #4/Gothic Queen

Card #4 challenge just went up today so there's PLENTY of time to get in on that fun. we have some pretty fantastic guest designers for this one too! go take a peek! and then make a little art.

and a quick update on things up & coming:

* a kitchen makeover

* some fall-ish type crafty goodness

* a final count (and perhaps some new photos... finally!) of pounds & inches lost this year. woohoo!

* a potential bizz involving two of my favorite things. well, one of them is not a "thing" per say. aaaaaand that's all i'm gonna say about that.

happy wednesday!

it's up! it's up!

2010-08-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

the little "project" i've been working on for the past few months is finally up!

in case you haven't seen or heard about it yet, this is my baby. our baby. i say "our" because without the fabulous group of women & artists that i was able (and lucky enough) to talk into this little adventure, it surely would not be as fabulous! so for the

gajillionth time...

THANK YOU heatherstaceysashaerinjennychristinamariemandykaylee

stephanieangeladebeedaniellepattyrhi! :)

the joint is called:

http://www.simplyatc.com/

and as the description says - it's a challenge AND a swap blog for creators and lovers of Artist Trading Cards.

why did i create a challenge & swap blog for ATC's?

1. i LOVE making ATCs. love.

2. there isn't a whole lot of inspiration out there for this medium. even less in the form of a challenge blog. but there should be because these little works of art are so fun to make and perfect for those who don't have alot of time but still want to work the creative mojo. like me. ;)

3. i like a good ATC swap (you should see all the ATCs i have collected over the past 3 years!), but what i don't like is having to make multiple cards (most often identical because again, who has time to make 20+ unique cards?) in such a short period of time. plus the shipping of these cards is kind of a pain. well, maybe just for me. but still...

i liked the idea of swapping one-on-one with another artist and obtaining a set of cards over a longer period of time - thus the swapping portion of "simply ArTistiC" was born! yay!

our first challenge has been posted and there is still plenty of time to play along! get over there and check out the prompt, as well as the fabulous ATCs made by our creative team (the ArTCees) and our so inspiring guest designer, tara anderson.

here's what i made for card #1 of our "alice in wonderland" set:

the red one is up for trading! i have fallen in love with the blue one so i may have to keep that for myself. :)

so there it is. i'm beyond thrilled to finally have gotten this going and i can't wait to see everyone's creations, but i think the most exciting part (at least for me) is finding out who will be swapping with who. it'll be different with every challenge, so it's sort of like... christmas. twice a month! wheeeeeee!

now, i can focus on some other projects - like revamping this blog and a little redecorating of the house. well, i can once the girls are back in school... which isn't too far off. just a couple of weeks of summer vacation left. wow... did that fly!

it's almost time...

2010-07-18T02:57:00.002-07:00

... to reveal this little "project" i've dreamt of and made a reality - with the help of some of my favorite girls, whom also happen to be incredibly crafty & creative. i couldn't be more excited about the team that's in place for this venture and i can't wait to see them rock it out!

i don't want to say too much yet, except that it combines 3 of my favorite things:

1. inspiration and the freedom to create based only on artistic interpretation
2. one of my favorite forms of art - ATC's (like this set i made recently for a dear friend)

3. swapping these little goodies with fellow ATC'ers (BUT... without having to make 2165436 at once!)
every set of cards will be one-of-a kind. FABULOUS.

sound interesting?
august 1st... that's the day.
i'm soooooooooooo excited! :)

xo

a little bit of arting...

2010-05-19T15:01:00.005-07:00

with some delightful buttons from kittyrobot.

when the super cool jodie leigh asked if i would guest design for the kittyrobot blog, i was THRILLED! i've been a fan since i got my first set of kittyrobot buttons (the adorable tiny owls) in a SIStv collection oh... 2+ years ago. and being the hoarder that i am, they still sit in their tiny little package... lookin' all cute n' stuff. only because i have yet to find that perfect project that will allow me to admire them on a daily basis. :)

i'd been making a list of all the lovelies i had been wanting to order... from sweet little cupcakes to teeny teacups to buttons that made me think of donuts (yes. donuts. they have sprinkles!) - so when i opened the special package of goodies she sent me, i was giddy because most of them were on my list. wheeeeeeeeeeee!

here's what i made:

#1 - a puffy frame. because well, that's what i do. ;) i used the yummy bling cupcake buttons in this piece, but i have to tell you... the picture just doesn't do them justice. you can't really tell here, but the frosting part of cupcakes has some glimmer & sparkle to it! so.delicious.

#2 - hoops. and cages. these were inspired, first - by a project that the crazy talented kerry lynn yeary created for her alameda project kit class over at kenner road (which i was lucky enough snag before they sold out!) and second - by the pretty romance rose button that jodie sent. the color lent itself perfectly to the BG birdcage patterned paper i had been hoarding forEVER. i knew i was saving it for a reason. ;)

#3 - holy crap... an actual layout! i've been wanting to scrap this photo of my little niece dressed up as a princess for the longest time (omg she's so cute!) and as soon as i saw the dollface fabric buttons (the red-haired doll is wearing a tiara!), i knew they'd be perfect for this project. it just so happened that the color combinations in my jenni bowlin april kit was meant for this project too... along with some heather bailey fabric scraps. and some dear lizzy crocheted cuties. and some beads. and some stickles sparkle. and a stitched title ala amy tangerine. :)

thanks again to jodie & ayesha for letting me play with some kittyrobot goodies! i'll be ordering some more lovelies soon.

i had a great time creating these projects. this was just the push i needed to get the mojo flowing again and i'm hoping it'll continue... especially with the upcoming "project" i have planned. stay tuned. :)

happy wednesday!
xo

losing my jiggly parts...

2010-05-13T18:49:00.011-07:00

for all the pretty dresses...like this one:

Primula Dress

and this one:

Oratory Dress

oh. and for my health too. ;) but those dresses... *swoon*

6 weeks ago, i started "the angie makeover" - the one where i lose some poundage, because lemme tell you, i was piling them pounds on. and feeling it - i had zero energy, i was bloaty & gassy (it happens. don't judge.), and had consistent heartburn & acid reflux with every meal i ate, no matter what it was. not to mention, i just wasn't feeling like my best self. i know when i get that feeling, that it's time to do something about it.

i started this journey at the perfect time. turns out, i was at very high risk for diabetes, which i figured because it runs in my family. and... my blood work showed complications with my gallbladder, which explained the bloating and painful indigestion. YIKES!

so, last saturday marked the last day of phase 1 of my HCG diet (no more injections! hooray!) and the day that i tallied up total losses. are you ready for this? drum roll please............

23 POUNDS and 25 1/4 INCHES LOST in 6 weeks!!

i admit i was a tad disappointed that i only lost 23 lbs. during this phase. i knew i would be, only because i had set my expectations waaaay too high after reading the success stories of others on this particular diet (ugh. i despise that word.) and i had relied upon that number on the damn scale too much, like i knew i would... even though i knew better. which is why i also despise scales. unfortch, i have to make it my friend for the time being.

anyway, after taking measurements and seeing the total inches lost, i was more than satisfied. i lost a total of 6 inches around my waist alone! and 5 around my hips. totally noticeable because all of my jeans are now falling off my ass. and i'm looking like a fool. with my pants on the ground.

sadly, i also lost 2 inches around my chest (meaning - a cup size. or 2.) MY BAZONGAS! where have they gone?! stupid fat. wanh wanh. i shan't complain, though.

i'm now in the last 6 weeks of the "protocol" - where i get to slowly add in the good fats (helloooooo guacamole) and carbs/sugar. so far i've managed to drop another pound. i will say that after 6 weeks of minimal food/calorie intake, i was a bit hesitant to add more to my servings. my appetite still has not returned to normal. i'm happy to ride with it, but WHAT.THE.HELL.

5 weeks ago, this lovely little candy dish was filled to the brim with scrumptious hersheys kisses. (i didn't eat them all. i swear!) and it took everything.i.had to not dump the entire contents of said candy dish into my piehole, wrappers and all. everytime i walked by, it caught my eye. eventually, i had to go over to it, lift the lid, get a good whiff and then promptly walk away. btw, i am the only one who thinks hersheys kisses smell like cheese? anyway... now, i see chocolate and i feel nothing. NOTHING. it sorta makes me feel dead inside. heh.

* so... am i glad i did this? - absolutely. i needed to do something that would yield fast results so as to not lose my motivation. also, i've learned how to cook with real food! yay me! it's amazing how wonderful fresh produce, organic meats and spices can taste. :)

* would i do this again? - now having done it once, knowing what to expect, and knowing that i do have the willpower necessary to take this on... yes. but only with the understanding that this should not become a "quick fix". because it isn't.

* would i recommend this? - i certainly don't want to be an advocate for HCG, but i would recommend it with these 3 conditions:

- that it only be used as a jump start to weight loss & a healthier lifestyle (where it concerns food & exercise).

- that it be done with extreme determination and willpower. you'll need it. and it's required.

- that it be medically supervised and customized to your needs and your body. HCG is readily available out there in cyberland (and cheaper), but i dared not take that chance.

so tell me... would you ever consider such a ridiculous diet? ;)

with this makeover underway, i can now focus on the others i had planned for this year - my blog & little home re-decorating. and even an extra little fun & creative something. and with more energy! :D more on this later...

happy weekend!

ROAD TRiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiP...

2010-03-25T13:26:00.020-07:00

so... a couple of saturdays ago, i woke up (at noon o'clock) and thought "hey, i feel like driving 2 hours up to Sedona to eat some guacamole from my fave mexican restaurant!"

random and spontaneous? yes. my husband thought so too as i shook, slapped & tickled him awake. other thoughts crossed his mind... but i won't go into all that.

i figured since it was the start of spring break for the girls and well, we really couldn't afford to go anywhere other than the movie theater that week, this could be a little mini vacay for them. and good for us to get outta the house. as a family. just the four of us. together. yep. so... off we went. (after stopping at the 'bucks for some snacks and a dark cherry mocha. yum.)
the best part of living up in north phoenix and minutes away from the freeway is that escaping from the city is relatively easy and doesn't take us as long to get to places. like i said, sedona is only about a 2 hour drive for us. less if chris drives. awesome.

i just got around to editing some of the photos i took with my fanceh Rebel T1i. and thank GOD i remembered to take the memory card out of my laptop and put it back into the camera. ahem. someday i hope to be able to take fantastical photos naturally without having to photoshop the hell outta them, but for now... gotta do what i gotta do.

this is the patio of our favorite mexican restaurant (with the best margaritas & guac) in Sedona, El Rincon, located in the beautiful Tlaquepaque shopping plaza/courtyard. it was a bit too chilly to sit outside, hence the lack of diners out there, but aren't the colors so warm and festive? love it.

the shopping plaza itself is made up of 2 gorgeous courtyards with lovely fountains, tiled and cobblestoned floors, luscious green plants and vines... makes me wish i lived there. i want my entire house to be covered in vines like this.

the kid + grapevine donkeys. or burros. is there a difference? whatever. super cute. i wonder how my HOA would react to having wicker donkeys in my front yard...

i took a couple... few... several pictures of the family in front of this fountain but clearly, they'd had enough about halfway through. the look on their faces pretty much says it all. (it's the price they pay for have a scrappy mama/wife. someday they'll thank me. or have me committed.)

so, we parked in front of this tree and while we were securing some stuff in the car, the girls discovered this carving and said "hey! it's A for angie plus C for chris! this parking spot was meant to be!" seriously. how perfect is that? awwww...

blue sky, red rocks, and a smidgen of snow. can you see it?

and this is what happens when the snow melts - waterfalls. we saw several of these scattered about in the mountains... kind of a rare sight in Sedona. we've had a crazy winter/spring, y'all.

took a drive to Oak Creek Canyon - man, that creek (or "crik" as chris calls it) was raging!

our final stop before heading back home was the Dairy Queen in Oak Creek Canyon, but before getting our tasty blizzards, the girls wanted to buy a little something from the "tourist traps" set up in the parking lot... which was totally fine because it was all beautifully handmade. :)

so... that was our kick off to spring break. even though there was a little bit of bitching & moaning in the beginning to the nonsensical suggestion to take a road trip, everyone agreed in the end that it was an excellent idea. *pats self on back*

what did you do (or what are your plans) for spring break?

Concerning my nerdlove for LOTR...

2010-02-22T20:34:00.008-07:00

it runs deep, this nerdlove.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

see? i told you. from the One Ring wallpaper on my desktop, to my One Ring on a silver chain, to my gold One Ring earrings (enscribed with the dark language of Mordor) which i rarely ever take off, right down to this layout (made for OLW when i started scrapping again 3 years ago):

yep. NERD.LOVE. i ain't ashamed! ;P

after watching all 3 extended versions of the movie this past weekend, i'm still in that state of fantasyland euphoria... as i usually am for days after. i went out and bought the first volume of the book so i could read it again, which is what i was fully immersed in yesterday. so much that i read right through pick-up time. D'OH! my poor kid was waiting out in front of her school for 10 minutes. she got a hot fudge sundae out of it, though. so there's that. ;)

anyway, i'm not so much a hardcore Tolkien-ite as much as i am a huge fan of the movies (know what's fun? this movie trivia quiz.) and of the stories themselves,

and of,

and,

(who also happens to be an incredible artist/photographer/poet/musician.)

but i am in awe of the wildly inventive and imaginitive mind that was Tolkiens. from that mind evolved an entire world complete with it's own history, and elves, dwarves, orcs, wizards, hobbits - each race with their own languages & histories - the man created Middle Earth! which i'm not entirely convinced didn't exist at some point. ;)

anyway, after having read the books, i can understand why hardcore Tolkien fans would be disappointed with the movies, but come on people... the true essence of the story was captured, even if a bit jumbled. bottom line... Peter Jackson = brilliant.

and i really really want to travel to new zealand.
and take the LOTR tour.
and take up residence in a hobbit hole in the shire. don't judge. :P

so... i think i'm going to dig up that layout above, update it a bit, frame it and use it as part of my new decor. that being said, i think it's time to end this totally random (& kinda embarassing) post and rein in my nerd flag. surely, i'm not the only one who lets it wave from time to time, right? heh.

again... don't judge.
and remember:

“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”

HA! ok, i'm done. i swears it, precious. ;)

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
xoxo

WHO KNEW...

2010-02-22T11:30:00.002-07:00

... that this would turn out to be a year of makeovers? i didn't. but that's certainly the direction it's headed - from the house, to the backyard, to my blog (a work in progress), to myself (creatively & physically) - all makeovers. and clearly, much needed ones.

i've been working on makeover #1 - the house - purging like a madwoman for an upcoming garage sale, much to my family's dismay.(sure, pricing my husband's electric and classical guitars at $5 each might seem a tad unreasonable, but dude... they've been collecting dust and taking up space in our closet for 14 years! play them or sell them!) it's time to let go of things that are tolerated but not loved, which unfortunately seems to be just about everything. my house will be an empty shell. or... a blank canvas! yes. that will lead to makeover #2 - redecorating. with plenty of before/after photos. fun!

the blog - i'm working on here and there. it is currently a little drab, isn't it? it's ok. you can tell me. i know it. (though it's not horrible for being my first try at it. right? am i right? eh.) the trouble with it has been figuring out exactly what i want, and i think i finally have. now it's just finding the time (and a little help) to get it done. which i will. so don't freak if one day this blog is completely different. please.

myself - well, i'll have to save that for another post. a long one. i will say this... i am preparing myself physcially & mentally for the challenge i have ahead. and i'm hoping that the result will have been well worth it.

now, some sharing of the art. believe it or not, i have had a few creative moments so far this year. go me!

i'm very excited about this first one because:
1.) i was asked to be a GD over The Creative Type challenge blog. (yay!)
2.) it's a super fun challenge & i had a blast making this layout (go check it out!). special thanks to all the girls (especially this one) for letting me GD for you. you're the bestest!

some puffies i made for a Favorite Season ATC swap over at SIStv:

a layout i made for a Pencil Lines challenge - sk.171, using a photo of the lovely Michelle Sanders (thanks for letting me steal your photo off of FB, sanders!):

some Valentine pretties for some special friends:

and a little Valentine lovin' for the husband (and also a Bleuprint for Bad Girls Kits):

speaking of Bad Girls Kits... my 6-month term has ended. i have mixed emotions, but i can truly say that i am grateful to have had the experience because it was an educational one... on so many levels. it motivated me to become a better artist(scrapper? crafter?). and it exposed me to some of the most creative paper & mixed-media artists, whom i will continue to be inspired by. so, thank you. :)

holylongpost! it's what happens when i go weeks without. i do have more i want to share but,... perhaps tomorrow. what? it could happen! ;)

HAPPY MONDAY!

xoxo

THE END IS NEAR...

2009-12-31T15:47:00.012-07:00

... the end of 2009, that is.

hi. hello. it's been awhile. a loooooong while. i noticed that my last entry was in october sometime. yeesh. i guess i've been busy! it has been a crazy couple of months. and now, here i sit in an eerily quiet, empty house on this last day of 2009 (kids are at a sleepover with the cousins and the husband is at work). i'm left alone to survey the damage of the past few weeks... bills, empty packages scattered about, gifts needing to be put together and put away, leftovers needing to be thrown out (blech!), candlewax stains needing to be scraped off tables, mantels and carpets, new clothes needing to be hung, rooms needing to be organized... wow. it's quite alot to process at this moment. i think i'd rather just relax and reflect. and have a drink. excuse me while i go pour myself a glass of wine... *clinkclink*

so, there have been a few happenings and projects i've wanted to share, but just haven't had 5 minutes in a row to sit and blog about it... until now. i figure it would be sorta weird to share holiday projects and such AFTER today. i have approx. 7 hours left to get this in before the new year begins so here i go:

first on the list is my december DT work for Point Blank Period - Prompt #4/Holiday Madness. i'm also proud and honored to announce that the PBP blog and design team (along with our work for this particular prompt) were featured in the december issue of Scrap Street E-Zine! thank you to Sasha Holloway (PBP founder) and Stacey Michaud for the opportunity!

next are the only 3 holiday projects i managed to get done this year, but so glad i made some time to finish them. i'm quite fond of them! if you know me at all, you know that is something i rarely say about my own work. this first one was actually a Bleuprint i created for Bad Girls Kits back in november sometime using this page from a Pottery Barn catalog as my inspiration:

the result:

i decided it looked kinda lonely so i made 2 more holiday wall collages as a kick start to transforming my existing holiday decor. it's out with the red and in with the green, cream, gold & silver! (oh, and some Hambly. *swoon*)

i'm sorta sad i have to pack these away until next x-mas... unless i can find a spot somewhere to display them year-round. hmmmm...

lastly, i lied. i did manage to squeeze in this holiday project... these mini ATC's for some special peeps. i see making more of these little suckers in my future. SO FUN!

and there you have it. i had hoped to also share some photos of my holiday decor and general x-mas stuff - photos, events, gifts, blahblahblah - but i guess that will have to wait until next year. which isn't too far off! yes, Christmas is 12 months away, but if time flies as quickly as it did this year, it'll feel like we're doing it all over again in just a month or two. oy.

so 2010... what have you got in store for me? i've given up on resolutions, but have vowed to do the best i can on the goals i've made for myself this year. blogging is one of them. i took Shimelle Laine's Blogging for Scrapbookers class earlier this year. i've just looked over some of the lessons this past week and i am SOOOOOO glad i signed up for it! i've heard that her all of her classes are FANTASTIC and this one was no exception. (thank you, Shimelle!) there may be some changes in store for this blog soon and i am quite excited! until then...

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all! twenty-ten... here we come!

xoxo

WISHFUL WEDNESDAY

2009-10-14T15:07:00.002-07:00

these 5 wishes brought to you by the 2009 fall TV lineup... of which i watch way too much. poor TiVo.

* i wish i didn't have to listen to the Dancing With the Stars band & singers butcher song after song after song. i can't even focus on the swinging hips of Lacey Schwimmer (she's hot) or Maksim Chmerkovskiy's strong hold (and other things. ahem) anymore because i'm too busy cringing. and since when do ballroom dancers dance to Jon Bon Jovi and The Clash? what? please... for the love of dancing, send that band packing with the next couple to be eliminated.

Cheryl Burke and Maksim Chmerkovskiy on DWTS - ABC monday nights

* i wish mr. big hadn't divorced carrie bradshaw, left new york & gone off to become a crooked, prostitute-banging politician. *sigh*

Chris Noth on The Good Wife - CBS tuesday nights

* i wish the small town of Eastwick, Rhode Island really did exist because i shall like to move to there. big fountains for which to splash in, harvest festivals and hot witches? how could anyone not want to move there?

Jamie Ray Newman, Lindsay Price & Rebecca Romijn in Eastwick - ABC wednesday nights

* i wish... i wish...so many wishes where it concerns this show, i wouldn't even know where to start. let's just admire this for a moment, shall we?

Patrick Dempsey aka McDreamy on Grey's Anatomy - ABC thursday nights

* i wish someone had told my TiVo that Medium was moved to a different night and station. i've missed 5 episodes! FIVE! now i have to catch up on my tiny-ass laptop. sucktastic.

Patricia Arquette, Maria Lark, Sofia Vassilieva, Miranda Carabello and Jake Weber on Medium - CBS friday nights (in case you were wondering what happened to it)

there are so many other shows i could have commented on, but honestly... who has that much time? so, what are your favorite shows this season? (besides Glee. that's everyone's favorite. or maybe just mine.)

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

xoxo

MORE ART TO SHARE...

2009-10-13T12:56:00.006-07:00

i seriously spend more time browsing galleries and checking out everyone else's work than doing some of my own. which kinda sucks in a way because i'm always SO INSPIRED AND READY TO CREATE after perusing everyone else's work, but i just can't break away once i get started. it's a vicious cycle. *sigh*

here's what i have to share today:

first - my Catwalk selection over @ SIStv. fellow fashionista, Larissa Albernaz, hosted a special catwalk challenge last week & this cute layout by Drinoleto was one of the entries. i love how she improvised on her title work... it gives my used packages of Thickers some hope! heh.

next - uhm... WOW. words cannot express how much i ADORE this. and the fabulous girl who made it, Tara Anderson. i mean... right? *swoon*

she created this little lovely for this week's Bad Girls Elements d'Art... where she also posted a mini tutorial on how to create the ruffly sewing pattern border and sweet little flower... which i will definitely be trying soon! if you have a moment, you must go check it out. you're welcome. ;)

so... what art have you seen that has inspired you beyond belief? please to be sharing with me, thank you. :)

xoxo

WISHFUL WEDNESDAY

2009-10-07T07:31:00.005-07:00

these 5 wishes brought to you today by the late night infomercials that invade all 25849731 channels on my satelitte tv between the hours of 1am to 5am.

don't act like you don't get sucked into them too. i know you do.

* i wish the Bump It people had mentioned in their instructions on how to use this product, that it requires you tease the crap outta your hair for at least a good 5 minutes (thus requiring a fair amount of upper arm & body strength) and about 2165714 gallons of a good STIFF hairspray to hold said Bump It in place. and even then... my hair did not hold. wanh wanh.

* i wish this infomercial didn't describe what must be happening in my kids' bathroom every morning that is actually making me consider buying this product. frick. does it come in any other colors?

* i wish my husband hadn't thrown out 48/49 pieces of this Smart Spin storage system because he thought they were disposable. or just didn't want to wash them out. now i'm left with nothing but a lonely "spin". crap.

* i wish someone could tell me if this Perfect Brownie Pan does indeed, make the perfect brownie. because if so... I'M BUYING THIS SUCKER! i mean, they look like perfect brownies... right? and holy shit! it cuts the brownies for me! lazy.

* and lastly...... i have no words. i wish i did. actually, no i don't.

i didn't post links to these products because, well... these people do a pretty good job of advertising all by they own damn selves. plus, the products pretty much sell themselves, don't you think? also... you can snag these treasures at any store with "Wal" as a prefix.

just sayin'. ;)

HAPPY HUMP DAY!

SOME ARTING HAS HAPPENED...

2009-09-30T12:16:00.009-07:00

and i'd like to share it.

first - i have to show you these ADORABLE "country bumpkin" bracelets & headbands made by Shell Gautreaux it is my pick for this week's catwalk over at SIStv. they are a perfect combination of texture and daintiness and just overall cuteness! how fun would these be in a fall photo shoot? seriously *swoon*worthy. CONGRATULATIONS on the catwalk this week, shell! :)

and second... i did a little arting of my own.

last friday was my first Bleuprint over at Bad Girls, which was a challenge where i had to create a sketch & a layout based on a photo that i found inspiring. as i was flipping through my fall pottery barn catalog, i found it... my inspiration. and this was the result: :

i had so much fun creating this one. i think it's the "fanciest" page i've ever done. definitely one of my favorites... probably because it's fall related. i am so looking forward to seeing all the fall & winter layouts and projects out there. how about you?

"it's the most wonderful time... of the year..."

WISHFUL WEDNESDAY

2009-09-30T08:02:00.007-07:00

these 5 wishes brought to you by the new fall *Pottery Barn* catalog... oh, why do you tempt me so?

* i wish i could have these beautiful glass containers on a table somewhere in my house without having to worry about a child, or ball... or a dog's fiercely wagging tail, knocking them over and shattering them into a million pieces.

find these delicate beauties here: Voluminous Vases

* i wish they had pumpkins like these in my local pumpkin patch. wicker & silver & wood.... oh my!

non-rotting pumpkins found here: rattan pumpkins

* i wish i knew how to cook a turkey so that i could have thanksgiving dinner at my house, thus having an excuse to set my table like this and eat off of these adorable turkey plates.

find these cute turkey plates here: *gobblegobble*

* i wish i had wine. i mean, i love these monogrammed wine glasses, but they're no good to me without the wine. which i am currently out of. so... yep, i wish had wine.

find these lovely booze holders here: stemless wine glasses

* lastly, i wish the entry to my house looked like this one - pumpkins, gigantical lanterns, black crows, leaves on the ground... all of it. freakin' pottery barn.

incindentally, this was the inspiration photo for my Bleuprint challenge and layout above. aaaahhhh... beautiful fall.

so... what are your wishes on this beautiful wednesday?

WISHFUL WEDNESDAY

2009-09-23T11:56:00.005-07:00

these 5 wishes brought to you today by a store i wish i lived closer to. or hell, even in.
*anthropologie* , i love you. marry me.

* i wish these oh-so-adorable aprons weren't "butt-outs" because i would totally wear them as dresses. eh, maybe i'll do it anyway. LOOK AWAY!

find more of these pretties here: Anthro-Style Aprons

* i wish this was my bedroom. and my bed. and my 254916 pillows. and my sheets. and my duvet. and my pretty purple rug. *sigh*

find this gorgeous bedding here: Adelaide Duvet

* i wish this yummy, frilly little number was sitting in my closet right now. someday soon, my pretty... someday soon.

find this little number here: Gumshoe Sweatercoat

* i wish it wasn't ridiculous to wear boots such as these in arizona because otherwise i'd be wearin' these suckers everywhere... all day. everyday.

take a closer look at these fancy boots here: Winding Ruffle

* and lastly... i wish i had thought up the concept of writing on my bare-ass wall and turning it into wallpaper. $700 a roll? CA-CHING!

for other lovely prints and patterns, check it here: Anthro-Style Wallpaper

so... what are your wishes this lovely fall wednesday?

xoxo

IT'S OFFICIALLY ACCEPTABLE TO DRINK PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES!

2009-09-22T11:45:00.009-07:00

happy fall 2009!
it's my all-time favorite season... where the leaves change colors and then tumble onto the ground to create a beautiful quilt of colors (fyi - palm trees and cacti don't seem to understand this concept). it's a time of shorter days & crisp fall breezes, warm & hearty home cooked meals, pumpkin patches and pumpkin pie (nom nom), silly costumes and candy corn, family gatherings and special traditions.

it's the one time of year when i feel the calmest... when routines have finally kicked in.

it's the time of year when i wished i lived somewhere other than this stinkin' desert. like in a small town in vermont. yep.

what i look forward to the most is "fall-ifying" the house. we don't really have visible seasonal changes here so i gotta make my own damn seasons. (we do finally get a break from the 115 degree temperatures, so there's that.) it may not look autumn-y outside, but it sure as heck will look like it inside. i'm hoping to begin the transformation in the coming week. i'll post some pics when it looks like a pumpkin patch in here! :)

i do have a little tradition of my own... every year on the first day of fall, i treat myself to a starbucks pumpkin spice latte and a pumpkin pastry of some sort (today, it's a pumpkin scone. delish.) not that i haven't been treating myself to those for the past 2 weeks now, but bygones.today is a special day. SO GO GET YOU ONE TOO! mmmmmmmm...

now onto some more exciting stuff...
this past weekend, we had an online SISLive event over at Scrap in Style TV that was chock full of games, tutorials & freebies, and the fashionistas did a FANTASTIC job coming up with fun and unique challenges. (i still plan on doing every single one before year's end. it will probably take me that long.)

for this week's Catwalk, we chose a layout from one of the challenges to feature and here's the one i chose:

this was created by Kimmy (lostinadream). i LOVE the color combination she used and the minimal use of embellishments but what she did use packed a powerful punch! the shiny sequins and those crystal tear drops hanging from the bow... *swoon*. CONGRATULATIONS, KIMMY!if you'd like to take a closer look at this fab LO, you will find it here.

we also thought it'd be fun to pay a little tribute and "lift" our chosen layouts because 1. they are all fantastic and 2. any excuse to art.
here's my take:

i must give a special shout out to wendi, carolyn, diana, & pat because they all contributed to this design. fabulous!

i did get a chance to participate in a challenge hosted by the uber cute jeannie lutz. this was the result:

the challenge was to lift one of the fashionistas and i chose this lovely layout by the amazing digi-goddess, divian conner . thanks for the inspiration, div! :)

and lastly... because i'm such a newbie to this whole blog business, i just recently discovered that i cannot reply to my comments via blogger (thanks for the heads up, julie!). i kinda wish i had know that before i sent out replies to everyone since the beginning of my blog. heh. if you've left a comment and haven't heard back from me, it's not because i'm ignoring you. i swear! i'm not that rude. ;)

HAVE A WONDERFUL FIRST DAY OF FALL!

GETTIN' ARTY THIS WEEKEND!

2009-09-16T17:51:00.007-07:00

it is rare that i have an entire weekend free & clear of obligations during this time of year. normally my weekends are booked from the first weekend of august to the last weekend of january. i kid you not.
but it just so happens that this weekend, i have nothing planned.
which makes this weekend all the more exciting for me because it happens to be the weekend that Scrap In Style TV is hosting the online version of SISLive 2009!
and that means that i'm gonna be a crafting, arting, scrapping fool from friday to sunday... so nobody bother me!
unless it's to give me a gigantical iced coffee... pumpkin spice, please.

if you'd like to get in on the fun, prizes, challenges, games, tutorials, kick in the mojo... (and if you attended the live event in june, maybe re-live the good times)... you can go here for more info:

hope to see you there!

WISHFUL WEDNESDAY

2009-09-09T09:33:00.008-07:00

these 5 wishes brought to you today by the Williams Sonoma catalog i was flipping through last night... *sigh*

* i wish i could wake up to a plateful of these every morning:

made with the sweetest little pie molds: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/b318/index.cfm?pkey=cpie%2Dpans%2Dtart%2Dpans&ckey=pie%2Dpans%2Dtart%2Dpans

* i wish my kids (and my husband) loved vegetables so i could make this most delish pasta dish:

yummy Zucchini, Corn & Basil Baked Penne recipe found here:http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipedetail.cfm?objectid=3755D061%2D0CFB%2D9362%2DCC2BBD51D338371A

* i wish these chocolate croissants weren't so damn fattening because holymouthfulofmeltygoodness:

if you haven't tried these babies yet, YOU MUST: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku4276325/index.cfm?pkey=ccroissants%2Dbread%2Dpastries&ckey=croissants%2Dbread%2Dpastries

* i wish LIKE HELL that my kitchen was piped for a gas oven because you can bet your ass this beauty would be mine! and i'd actually use it:

omg just lookit them all *swoon*: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/decor-furnishings/stoves-pot-racks/index.cfm?cm%5Ftype=gnav

* and lastly... i wish this poor chicken didn't have a cone up his hiney. i bet he wishes that too. but he does look mighty tasty!

did you know you could put beer or wine in that cone? it's true. and reason enough for me to buy this: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/c319/index.cfm?pkey=coutdoor%2Dgrilling&ckey=outdoor%2Dgrilling

happy 09/09/09!

so... what are your wishes for this special wednesday?

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!

2009-09-08T09:06:00.010-07:00

or in this case... "big dinners". ;)

so i was supposed to pick a winner for the "art" wall hanging yesterday but this whole long holiday weekend threw me off.
i've done it though, and here's the result using the Random.Org generator thingy:

Beth Perry said...That is a beautiful hanging!And your slide show is on crack! lolIt is going supa fast!:PB

CONGRATULATIONS BP! thanks so much for stopping by and leaving me some sweet southern love. will you please email me your address? and it is a custom-made thing so if you have any color preferences, let me know. :)
also... yes, my slide show is on crack. i figured if i'm impatient with those things, then surely everyone else must be too. HA!

thanks to everyone who left a comment on my first couple of posts and have decided to take a chance & follow this blog. it's taking me a bit of getting used to, but there will be more to come. i promise.

IN OTHER NEWS...

2009-09-01T15:17:00.018-07:00

two things:

1.) a while back, this crazy girl asked me if i would like to be a part of her new challenge blog. i believe my response was "HELL to the YEAH!". or something like that. i knew it was going to be an awesome gig, but it's SO MUCH MORE. i get to work with some fabulous divas. i get to dig deep and discover myself through my "art". i get to be inspired by so many people. and now you can too. it's gone live and the first prompt is up! head on over to:

and challenge yourself.
here's what i did for Prompt #1:

and don't forget to check out what the rest of the team has done!

2.) i am a BAD GIRL. no, really... i am! i was honored when asked to be an Elite Artist on one of the best DTs (and kit clubs) out there, Bad Girls, founded and owned by this incredible woman & artist, Wendy Rago. i am beyond thrilled to be a part of this most inspiring team & community of artists.

so, there it is. news. and a new blog! finally... i have something worth sharing.
not a bad way to kick off September, eh? :)

WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME!

2009-09-01T13:35:00.015-07:00

hi! welcome to my blog! wow. that seems a little weird. i have officially entered the 'BLOGular' revolution, which i realize is SOOOO 3 years ago. but better late than never, right?

i have been tinkering with this blog for over a year now, not really knowing what i wanted to do. or say. or share. or not share.
it still needs a bit of tweaking & things to be added, and i'm pretty sure that the next time you visit, it will look different because, well... i'm generally never satisfied with anything i do. that's how i roll.
but for now, this is it. i had to get it up and running today, it being the 1st of the month and all, because i think it would have been weird to start it on the 3rd. or the 17th. (i have tendencies.)

nevertheless, i'm very excited (and a bit nervous) to now have a place where i can share myself & my life (as boring as it may sometimes be. feel free to yawn or doze off at any time. don't drool on your keyboard though. no bueno.)
and in turn, i finally get to connect with others and their lives.
i do need to thank my halfer for designing my banner. or is it a header? yeah... that thing up there. and my geeky husband for helping me to put it all together. i'd have been lost without those two.

so... i really wanted to have a big 'ol grand opening-like celebration for this because, if you know me at all, you know how big of a deal this is. heh. but all i could come up with was a little giveaway... a THANK YOU gift, if you will... just for stopping by and leaving me a little love. because love is all i need. :)

if you leave a comment HERE between today and let's say... saturday, the 5th, i will enter your name into a drawing and then use the 'ol random generator thing to pick a winner for a custom handmade wall hanging that will look something like this:

ready? set? GO!

and thanks again for stopping by! i look forward to sharing and being shared with. wait. that sounds inappropriate. ;)