Couple Things I Did Today

Just wanted to share a couple of things I did today. First was a birthday card for my father-in-law. The image is from Stamping Bella, and I used my Prisma pencils and a Goo Gone pen to color the image. I am really loving the way it blends!

Next was a KI Memories kit I bought at Joanns - it came with the clipboard, a stack of PP, stickers, and adhesive chipboard. I basically followed the layout that came on the idea sheet in the package, but made it my own. It looks really cute hanging on my picture wall downstairs, and I love that I can change the layout anytime I want to. It will be fun to keep updated. I also bought a pet kit, but I haven't done anything with that one yet.

Thanks for looking!

Recipe Holder

Since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease a little over a year ago, I have had to learn how to cook. Oh I could cook before, but it was usually something from a box, a bag, or the freezer LOL. Now, I have to cook FROM SCRATCH - and I actually am starting to enjoy it!

I decided I needed a recipe holder in my kitchen to clip my recipes to as I am cooking - I usually just lay it on the counter, and wind up getting food spilled on it. This will help keep the recipe up off the counter and it will be easier for me to see it as I am cooking. My house has an Asian theme, so I decided to keep with that theme on my project. I apologize for the glare in the photo!

I started with a 12x12 magnetic easel that I ordered from my friend Andrea who owns this site: http://www.alterablemagneticeasel.com/

I painted it with plain acrylic paint - it didn't cover as well as spray paint probably would have, but I decided I liked the look it left. Then I added a couple of strips of paper from an Asian paper stack I bought at Joanns. Then I coated the entire thing with Mod Podge, to keep the paint on and so that I could just wipe off any spills that may occur. Lastly, I edged the entire thing with my gold Krylon pen.

I just decided to keep it simple and add a simple pair of chopsticks, and then I had a couple of Asian coin/charms that I glued magnets to and I will use those to hold the recipe up while I am cooking. It turned out pretty well I think!

Catch Up

Ok, I'm playing catch up on the blog :) I really need to try to keep up better.

I have a couple of pictures to share - the first two are Sierra after the county fair - she wanted her face painted, and I promised her I would post them on the blog.

Next is the first day of school - 2nd grade this year! She is loving school so far! Ok, and I know this pic is sideways, but I can't figure out how to move it - sorry!

Last picture is a card I made recently for a swap on Splitcoast Stampers. It was just a little 5+1 Asian swap. The pp is from the Asian Stack at Joanns (LOVE that stack!), the coin is also from the jewelry section at Joann's, and the images are from Innovative Stamp Creations. Betsy has some really gorgeous Asian images, and I think I owe every one of them! I stamped the dress and then embossed - then rubbed it with some gold metallic paste. I like how it aged it. I think it turned out fairly well - I guess maybe I will get my mojo back one day!

Thanks for looking! Have a great weekend!

Playing with my Blog Header

Well, it's been a while since I've posted - I'm going to try to keep up better :). I've been playing a bit with my blog header - still not sure if I like it, but it will do for now. The template is from Amy Belser. You may see a few more changes - I'm trying some new things. Thanks for looking!

Sale on Nestabilites at ISC!!!

Betsy is having a SALE!!!

Innovative Stamp Creations
15-16% OFF Spellbinders Nestabilities diecuts!
Discount has been applied on the shopping cart!
OFFER ends Sunday 6/22/08
Some nesties are in stock others will arrive next week!
Have fun shopping!

Please mention my name in the comments section when you order!!!

Art Journal

Well, I've decided to start an art journal. I can't really find a clear definition on what an art journal is, so I am going with what I want to do LOL. I started with a spread about my favorite things. I still have room to add to this, but I like the way it is turning out so far. I'm not much of an artist, but I decided that I am ok with that.

The second spread is just some color combinations that I found that I like, so I was trying out colored pencils and markers to see what looked good. I really need to learn how to color and shade - I have discovered that I'm not good at it at ALL! I guess I have to whole book to practice though LOL.

I am not sure what I will be doing in the rest of the journal, but I'm sure I will have fun doing it!

We have a little trip coming up soon, so Sierra and I decided we are going to make travel journals while we are gone. I am really good at taking pics, but never seem to get anything scrapbooked, so I thought it might be fun for us to work on it while we are gone. I am taking the laptop and the little photo printer, so that will help a lot.

On the 4th we are leaving town to go to St. George with Mike's family until the 8th, and then we are leaving there on the 8th and driving to Disneyland until the 12th. We bought season passes, so we are really excited that we get to go to Disneyland a couple of times this year! Then on the 12th we are driving back to Las Vegas and staying the night, then driving home on the 13th. It will be a long 10 days, but lots of fun I am sure! I'll make sure to post pics of the journals too.

ISC Challenge 2

I created this card for the Innovative Stamp Creations Challenge 2 over at the ISC Blog http://innovativestampcreations.blogspot.com/

For some reason, the ink on the flowers looks dark, but it's not really. Must be the crappy lighting in my room. Anyway, I thought it turned out decent. Papers are Basic Grey and cardstock is Bazzill. I used ISC's Oriental Nature Elements plate, and markers from CTMH to color the image - then I spritzed with water and stamped on watercolor paper. Super easy and it gives you a cool watercolor look!

Next week's challenge is from a sketch, and I've already started working on it. I'll post it when I'm finished.

We had a fairly uneventful Memorial Weekend here - we were hoping for a quiet relaxing weekend, and instead, we wound up running the entire time. Isn't that how it always goes?

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

A Big Mess

My friend Jeanne and I were talking today about who's craft room is a bigger mess - so I told her we both needed to post before and after pictures. Here are my before pics - this is how my craft room looks right now - HUGE mess - stuff everywhere! I need to clean it so I can start doing something again! I will post my after pics once I am done cleaning.

How does your crafting area look right now????

Oh and YES, these were taken with my new Rebel :) I LOVE it!!!

Lookie How Pretty!!!

See what the UPS man brought me today? I am SO excited! Mike bought this for me the other day - now today he's saying it's my Mother's Day present. Fine by me!!! Isn't it pretty!!! I can't wait to figure out how to use it LOL. The manual is very intimidating, and it's been a really LLLLOOONNNGGGG time since I've used this type of camera! I had a really nice Pentax in high school (35 mm), but I cannot for the life of me remember anything I learned about cameras in high school LOL. I think I'll be buy a book (or two, or five), and possibly taking some classes online. I really want to learn how to use it and learn about all the different settings and lenses and everything. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!

Off to play with my new toy! Night!

An Update

Well I was going to be better about updating this blog, but it looks like I haven't updated since Easter weekend LOL. Not much has been happening around here, and I don't even have any pics to share this time! We had a nice weekend - Saturday I went to yoga and Mike took Sierra to karate in the morning. Then we did a bit of shopping - bought new storm doors for our front and back doors (we currently don't have storm doors, so I am really excited to have them!), and then went and got new tires for my car. So, it was an expensive day LOL.

Sunday we went to Lagoon for the first time this season - and I forgot my camera! Sierra was very brave and tried a bunch of the "grownup" rides this year - last year all she would ride was the kiddie rides. We got her on the roller coaster, the Spider (which is a roller coaster that the car spins around as you are going on the track), the Wild Mouse (another coaster type ride), and the Scrambler. She had a great time and she can't wait to go back again next weekend. They also have a really cute new ride for the kids called Odysea - they say it's just like "One Fish Two Fish" from Dr. Seuess land at Universal Studios in Orlando. Really cute ride, and the kids loved it. It will be even funner when it's hot outside, since it's a water ride.

Then we came home and I spent 2 hours making lasagna for my parents, Mike's parents and his brothers and their families. It was a nice evening - we ate and then the kids (and the boys) played Rock Band. I do have some pics of that, but didn't want to post them since I don't have everyone's permission to do so.

Today I worked and then I went to yoga - there was a teacher there that I haven't taken a class from before, and it kicked my butt, which is a good thing! She is teaching again on Wednesday, so that will be good for me. I was getting used to the same teacher every time. I also signed up for a workshop on May 17th, so that will be good too. I can't remember who is coming, but it's someone good!

Not much else going on this week - yoga again Wednesday, then Thursday is my 2nd of 3 diabetes classes at the hospital. Then probably yard work and Lagoon again for the weekend, as long as the weather holds out - wish us luck - it's supposed to be in the 70's!!!! Ya!!!

Ok, well, have a great week, and I'll try to get some pics posted later in the week of my Library of Memories stuff and some stamping I've been working on for Betsy at Innovative Stamp Creations - if you haven't been to her site - check it out! www.innovativestampcreations.com.

Easter Break

Hope that you all had a wonderful Easter weekend - we sure did. On Saturday we went to see "Horton Hears a Who" - very cute movie, and the kids loved it. Then we went to Melissa's to color Easter eggs - which is a very serious process as you can see!

Sunday we had lunch at my sister's (a cookout) and then dinner with Mike's family. It was a really nice day with family, and the kids all had a great time.

I took today off work, as there was no day care at school today. We were going to go to the zoo, but decided to hit the outlet mall in Park City first (where I got Sierra a ton of new clothes for summer), and then we went to the zoo. It was completely packed, so we didn't stay. We wound up taking the kids to Taffy Town (a taffy factory), and then coming home, but it was a good day anyway! Back to work tomorrow - yay LOL!

Sierra's Birthday

Well my baby is 7! I can't believe it! The past 7 years have just flown by - I seriously can't believe it! She had a great day on Saturday. First was her birthday party for the kids at Teddy Bear Stuf'n Factory - it's just like Build A Bear, only about 50 miles closer to where we live. We figured that everyone wouldn't want to drive clear to Build A Bear, so this was the next best thing. The kids had a BLAST - they put stars in the bears instead of hearts, and they had everyone take a star, make a wish, and then put it in Sierra's bear so she has 15 stars in her bear! She thought that was the coolest thing ever.

We had 15 kids there, and they all got to make their own stuffed animal - then we did presents and had treats. It was a fun party, and I really think all of the kids enjoyed it. Sierra loved all of her gifts. She has been complaining lately because she "only" has one Webkinz, and all of her friends have more than her. Well, she must have told EVERYONE that she wanted Webkinz, because every kid in her class that she invited bought her a Webkinz! At least they all got together and talked so they didn't all buy the same ones! The funny thing was that the night before, I had taken her to the mall because she wanted to buy a Webkinz with the money from her great grandparents, and she picked out a really cute raccoon. Well, they had a buy 2 get a pink poodle for free, so I bought 3 more telling her that they were for me, but I was really going to give them to her for her birthday! So between the one she bought, the one she already had, the 3 I bought, and the 4 she got at her party, she now has 9 Webkinz! LOL. As you can see, she is completely fine with that :)

Then that night we had a family party with all of the family here at our house. She wanted a High School Musical cake, so that's what we did. She loved that party too, and fortunately, didn't get any more Webkinz! She did some High School Musical dolls, a Hannah Montana CD, a guitar, and some fun Bratz scrapbooking stuff. All in all, a great birthday for my little one!

Om

Yesterday I went to my first yoga class in 7 years - the last time I went to an actual class, I was pregnant with Sierra! Natalie has been trying to get me to go for some time, and I finally gave in. The place where she goes was having an open house (it is a day spa and there is a yoga studio as well), and their yoga classes are free for the month of March. They were having a special class yesterday morning - it was 2 hours long (yes, I'm stupid) and each of the instructors taught for about 10-15 minutes a piece. There was also a short meditation session. It was wonderful, but trust me, I was sweatin' and my heart was pounding the entire time! It was a KILLER workout, and boy, am I paying for it today! I feel like I've been hit by a semi truck!

I will be going back - we are going to try to go at least twice a week. It's really not that far from my house - about 20 minutes, and I felt wonderful for the rest of the day.

So I'm working my body AND my mind - I've been walking on the treadmill every morning for about 30 minutes, which is good, but I need to switch it up a bit, so I think the yoga is just the thing for me. I am hoping that the 1/2 hour meditation sessions before the class will help too. I really need to try to do some of that at home every day as well - I get too wrapped up in everything, and hurrying too much, that I need that quiet calm time to myself. I guess it's about time I start taking care of myself - it's long overdue!

Valentine Gift for DH

I know that it's way past Valentine's Day, but I wanted to show you the chipboard album I made for Mike. I didn't take pics of each page, but they all started with "I love you because". He really loved the album and I thought it turned out great!

Sierra's New Bedroom

For her birthday, Sierra wanted to redo her room in Hannah Montana stuff. It was formally all Disney Princesses, but she decided that she was getting too old for Princesses, so she wanted Hannah. We bought her a new quilt and pillows for her bed and some new posters and pictures to hang up. She loves it - can you tell???

New Blog

Welcome to my new blog! I'm just testing things out, so forgive me if you see a lot of changes in the next few days :)