How State-ly Are You??!!

Howdy my friends and Happy Tuesday to you!  I know, I know its been almost a week since I’ve posted—sorry LOL!  Between the holiday and a whole lotta work I just haven’t had time to make anything to post—I worked all holiday weekend on CMC Copic Class 5!  And GUESS WHAT?  Its finished---yayyy---break out the bubbly cuz I’m a happy girl!  Over 80+ hours on Class 5 and I hope those that take it have fun—I sure had fun creating the techniques and shooting it all.  If you are not familiar with my online classroom Color Me Creative – it is a fun classroom where you can join Copic classes with me anytime, they are done on your own time and you have access for a year!  So this is my last Copic class for the classroom of this size anyhow taught by me but there are other classes with great instructors on the site too!  The collage below gives you a hint of some of the fun the class offers!


Thanksgiving was good, great to spend time with family and watch some football.  We went to see “Tower Heist” this weekend with the teens and their friends and I have to say it appealed to my 5-yr old sense of humor LOL!  Hubby had one of sneak-freak-cleaning-attacks while I was working which is NEVER fun for anyone in the house.  He gets VERY grumpy as IF we asked him to organize and clean and then he decides to vacuum while I’m video-taping my class videos.  ummmmm….not working for me….and he has the nerve to get annoyed with ME?…yeah NO!  I love him to bits but he picks the MOST INOPPORTUNE times to clean I tell ya---vacuuming out the car when we have to leave to get somewhere, clearing out the pantry 1 hour before dinner guest arrive and yada yada (if you don’t believe me ask my mom as she’s witnessed the craziness) LOL!  I’m all appreciative of the help but pick a good time and lose the grumpiness---I’m not grumpy when I clean, well I think I’m not   Arghhhh men I tell ya……

NewsBitz:

-Yep CMC Class 5 is up and ready to go, see all details at the CMC Classroom!

-My next CMC Copic classes on the road will be in Anaheim, CA and then Texas.  See all details at www.cmcroad.com (I will be in Vancouver, Montreal and more this spring so stay tuned)

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Gina K Invitation Blog Hop – Sneak Peeks!!

We are very excited to extend an invitation to Gina K. Designs November Release Party. We have a fun evening planned for you - chatting, prizes, challenges, stamp sets reveal, design team shares, and most importantly, you can start shopping at 7 PM (CST)!

If you came from my best pal Tina’s Blog you're at the right place. If not make sure to head over to StampTV where you will find a list of all those participating in today's hop.

Hope to see you at the party, here are all the details:

• When: Today, Tuesday, November 29
• Where: StampTV Release Party Forum
• Time: 7 PM to 9 PM (CST)

Today starts off a round of fun blog hops for the new Gina K releases—yay!  So some of the DT is showcasing different stamp sets on their blogs today as sneaky peekies and then the next few days will be release peeks with blog candy, so don’t miss it!  I am using a set that I absolutely adore and love by Melanie Muenchinger for Gina K called “Stately Flowers” which I think may be an ongoing sequel kind of set hmmmmmm…LOL!  I chose to use these beautiful California Poppies and colored them in the bold yellowish-orange of the state flower.  Amazingly I had new paper by Authentique that matched perfectly and even had poppies in it, LOL, love it when that happens.  A double bow tied with my Bow Easy, some pearls and fun little tag finish it off.

I'm also entering this into the following fab challenges:

Make It Monday (anything goes)

Crafty Boots (anything goes) 

OutLawz Challenge (greeting card/sentiment) 
The Ribbon Reel Challenge (ribbon/anything goes)

I tried very hard to get a good picture but its still hard to see—I masked the flower and stamped over it with the word “California” in soft aqua ink to create a background pattern.  I used Copic Colors YR18,YR15,YR12,Y35, YR00,YR20 and YG67,G20.  I added a few stickles in the center of the poppy for sparkle.

Ok hope you enjoyed my project and hope the brightness cheered you today and I’ll see you back here tomorrow!  Now make sure to keep hopping to see more fabulous sneak peeks from my  DT-mates!!

Next up is Sharon’s fab blog HERE!

• Tina Gilliland
• Suzanne Dean (that’s me—thanx)
• Sharon Harnist
• Michelle Woerner
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Lee Murphy
• Jennie Harper
• Giovana Smith
• Emily Giovanni
• Deb Felts
• Donna Baker
• Cathy Tidwell
• Carolina Buchting
  
  
  

Gobble, Gobble…Bawwwhhk!

Well a very happy Turkey Day to those of you that celebrate Thanksgiving!  We are off to my brother’s house today for dinner with all of my family.  It will be nice as the year has been so CRAZY that we all haven’t seen each other very much this year—BAD I know!  Favorite part of this day (next to family, lol) is the STUFFING---OMG I love stuffing and its even better with yummy oysters in it!  And then an evening of football to top it off---oh yeahhhhh!  And I’m taking the WHOLE DAY off, I know it’s a shocker LOL!  But I will be working all day Friday,Saturday & Sunday to complete CMC Class 5 (see sneakie peekie below) so that it will debut on Nov.29th for everyone that has already pre-registered!! Yayyy—I’m super excited about this class and had a ton of fun planning all the great techniques.  I hope you all enjoy it too if you decide to take it!



So if you are celebrating today I hope you enjoy all those minutes spent with your loved ones and with that yummy food   And for those that are CRAZY enough to venture out on Friday for BLACK FRIDAY shopping—I wish you good luck and safe travels LOL!  You will NOT see me out there at all, I’ll be home working in my jammies hee hee!  Then we might have a movie-out night as a family if I get my bum in gear and get all my work done for the day!  Alexa is trying to persuade me to go to the mall at midnight but I'mmmmm just not sure about that.  Rude people and me don't get along so well and I'm afraid hubby would get a call at 1 am saying I was in police custody LMBO!  We'll see....................

**OK this post is filled with random stuff that will fill your brain with some info, thoughts and laughs so please proceed ahead LOL! **

My hubby celebrated his 44th Birthday on Tuesday and I’m just wishing him more birthday wishes and kisses from me!!  I got him a new Ipad which he was quite SURPRISED to get I must say.  BUT OMGosh is he obsessed now hee hee—he’s played with mine a bit but never really had time to delve in and never really used Apple products.  Well Tuesday night he was up till 3:30 am playing with it and I was up TOO helping him cuz he had no clue what he was doing (poor me lOL).  He was streaming ESPN and DirectTV on it in bed and was AMAZED hee hee.  Oh the wonderful things you can do with technology these days right?  And he’s always complaining that I shouldn’t bring technology into the bedroom—WELL NOW—look at him now hmmmmm? LOL!

         

(Hubby at dinner with his new Ipad and unpacking it under the goofy eyes of Alexa LOL)

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CMC Class 5 debuts on Nov. 29th!! Yay—this class is packed with 18 videos that are mostly 45 mins to over 1 hour long!  You can still pre-register and get a deal on the price AND see the class description HERE!  I’ve used mostly digi stamps for this class so you can easily buy the same images if you choose (but as always you are NOT required to, use what you have on hand that is similar).  Sneakie Peekie of one of the techniques is below for you!

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Ok these commercials make me LAUGH—I love a good laugh and I cannot help but giggle each time I see this lady on TV for Target.  She is crazy but I love her!!  Hope it gives you a laugh too today!

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Lastly some craft companies are having some fabulous Black Friday deals—so a great time to stock up on goodies for yourself and/or friends!!  

See more DEALS here!!

Gina K is having some great deals!  Get 2 sets free with $50 spent OR ALL 5 sets free with $100 spent!!


















Susana’s Custom Art & Card Design:
All quantities limited to stock on hand:
All NEW 6" x 6" paper pads on sale 15% OFF
http://www.susanascustomartandcarddesign.com/products.php?cat=161
All Embossing Folders 25% OFF
http://www.susanascustomartandcarddesign.com/categories.php?cat=207
All Tonertex 25% OFF
http://www.susanascustomartandcarddesign.com/products_tonertex.php
Selected 2011 Spellbinders 15% OFF
http://www.susanascustomartandcarddesign.com/products.php?cat=141

Happy Gobble to you all!

It’s A Small World Today!!

Oh boy did you all enjoy Football Sunday yesterday?  Oh the Dean household can get really loud on Sundays, LOL, REALLY LOUD!  There was lots of shouting and screaming watching the Ravens, Bills and Redskins game—our fave teams!!  Nail-biter of a game for the Redskins that is for sure—OMG I was having a hissy fit hee hee!  The ‘Skins may not do well but a true ‘Skins fan stays a ‘Skins fan thru the bad, bad and good no matter what!!  No changing of allegiance in our family (minus Alexa cuz she doesn’t count the darn ‘Skins hater that she is lol). We have ‘Skins that live in our neighborhood, ‘Skins park is 15 mins away and hey Chris Cooley is a potter—yep a potter with his own studio here in Leesburg, how about that?  Me love them ‘Skins even if we missed the darn field goal, didn’t slam Tony Romo down more and lost the game by 3 points.  My permanent mantra is…”there’s always next year”…sigh!! LOL!



Ok now we gotta get down to business and there is A LOT going on today for y’all to see & participate in!  And I have a lot of pics too and TWO different projects but I have to say I had a ball creating them both!!

NewsBitz:

-Make sure to read to the END of my post...I'm just sayin' LOL!

-Hey did you know I have a Magnolia project in the current CardMaker magazine that I did for Magnolia-licious?  Yeppers I do—some Christmas tags I made last year are in there with directions on how to make them too and I used the Minis!!

                    

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Wrapped Up Holiday Blog Hop--

Count Them Snowflakes!!

Ok so the Magnolia-licious DT is having a super fun Blog Hop today to celebrate the HUGE CONTEST that is ongoing thru Dec. 18th over at the Magnolia-licious Highlites Blog!  You have to use two Minis on your project (Wrapped & Unwrapped Tildas’s) to enter and you can get them in a great bundle price for $8.99 and then make a holiday project and enter to win.  Prizes include a new Kindle, stamps and some prizes from Magnolia Sweden too—so you gotta play along!

Today our Blog Hop features holiday projects using BOTH the Unwrapped & Wrapped Tilda stamps from Magnolia-licious to help jumpstart your inspiration & creative juices.

And we have a FUN CONTEST FOR YOU TOO called  “Count the Snowflakes”---you just need to know how to count!!  Yep you gotta count snowflakes in each of the DT’s first/main project photo on their blog---the snowflake image looks like the one below (and they will be all sized differently)!  All details on how to play and what you can win are on the Magnolia-licious Highlites Blog and you have until Dec. 18th to play!

So I’m a mini-lover—yep I love anything mini!  I had a dollhouse growing up that my mom made me and I’m getting it back over the holiday to start restoring it! (after all the kids played with it, its looking a tad shabby).  Yeah I’m gonna fit that into my spare time too hahahaha!  Anyhow I decided to create some fun Mini-Holiday-Scenes as ornaments for my 13 trees.  This one is a holiday shadowbox using those cute Wrapped & Unwrapped Mini Tilda’s (buy both in a bundle here). I wanted to create a Christmas Eve night scene with these two and I had fun making everything!

The shadow box was made by creating a simple 3x3 box that is 1.25” thick and then backed by a Spellbinder die for a doily-looking back.  The papers I used are all from MME “Lost & Found Christmas”.  The top border was made with a MS border punch and topped with a gold bow & cute Mini Wrapped Tilda.



So you gotta have a Christmas tree right for a great holiday scene?  My tree is actually an older Magnolia stamp, I stamped it and cut the top off to make it small and then layered different green Flower Soft on it for texture.   The wreath is a circle made of cs and cut out spellbinders and then more Flower Soft layered on top.  The ornaments are all pearls and then the wreath got a tiny gold bow.  The presents I made as well out of cs and paper and topped with paper bows. The back wall is patterned paper too, like a muted red wallpaper (I didn’t want it to detract from the scene). The window was done with the Magnolia Mini Romantic Window –I just cut the shutters and window box off.  Then I colored it with Copics to give a night sky effect and added white snowflakes with a white Sharpie and then Diamond Glaze to make it all shiny.  The fireplace is a digi stamp from Make It Crafty that I made really small, colored with Copics and added a green garland with more Flower Soft (fire is coated with stickles).  Even the rug was made with Spellbinders and patterned paper—the hardwood floors were made by using a cream cs and then swiping a brown dew drop inkpad down it in stripes!  And then cute Mini Unwrapped Tilda is sitting on the floor opening a present on Christmas Eve night in front of a warm fire and glow of holiday lights!!



And sweet "Mini Wrapped Tilda” tops off the Christmas Eve scene sitting on top nestled in the gold bow!  She’s colored with Copics and accented with gold Stickles.



Next up is a wintry scene using a NEW Mini “Tilda with Snow Heart” and a clear plastic globe ornament (bought for $0.50 at my craftstore).  I bought some mini snow-covered trees from my craft store as well to use in this.  The key to making everything stick in place was the awesome Helmar Liquid ScrapDots (globs of it that dry clear and hold chunk stuff like this—its awesome).

I topped the ornament off with a brilliant, sparkly bow & sentiment!

This picture shows the inside of the ornament with the front half taken off—after taking pics I super-glued the two halves together so it doesn’t accidentally come apart on the tree (when my kitties attack lol). The snow is a mix of cottonballs (ripped & puffed up) and then I added some MS Snow Glitter so when the ornament is shaken the snow drifts as well.  Hard to see but the back side of the globe got a few spritzes of Smooch Shimmer spray in silver for more sparkly goodiness!



The sentiment is from PTI set onto a tag die from Spellbinders and then I added some more MS Snow Glitter around the sentiment to make it frosty!

Ok that is all from me!  Make sure to COUNT the snowflakes in my FIRST project picture

and then you need to continue the hop at 

Cheryl Rowley’s Awesome Blog

and remember to stop by the Magnolia-licious Highlites Blog for all Contest Details!!  Have fun & Happy Holidays!!


And for those that read this far....Holiday BLOG CANDY from me...hee hee!
Win both of these mini's, a pack of 6x6 holiday paper from MME, and some Prima flowers & a surprise from me by leaving your name in links below!  Yep its that easy--do it by Nov. 26th!

Furr-Friends Fur U!!

Happy Sunday my friends!  Hope your weekend has been swell so far for ya!  Firstly, thank you to everyone who sent me emails about my Rambling Comments Post yesterday (below) LOL--glad you enjoyed that and saw yourself in some of them too (ha ha I knew I wasn't alone--so take that hubby & teens). Yeah that was me, the real me just being really real with y'all as always LOL!

 I spent all day in the craft room yesterday working on some things—oooh I had a ton of fun making “things” that I’ll share with y’all tomorrow!  Then I went into my bathroom to get ready to out to dinner with the family and realized I had a few “issues” LOL (what else is new ‘eh).  I had pearls stuck to my socks and bum, glue chunks in my hair, glitter on my nose and IN MY TEETH—ummm how’d that get there and flower soft stuck to my shirt.  I looked like AC Moore threw up on me, hee hee---a real craft moment there for sure.  And my craft room was a mess before but now it looks like WW3 hit it—ugh but no time to clean it much.  I have a 6 ft table and work in a 12x12 inch area---do you feel me?  Do you do the same thing?  I work on my Scor-Pal and that’s it, stuff is EVERYWHERE!  I’m always suspicious of those people that have pics of perfectly clean & neat craftrooms—I MEAN COME ON, CLEAN CRAFT ROOM?  That is an oxymoron in itself dontcha’ think?  My pics of my craftroom were taken the week I moved it upstairs 2 years ago before I delved in to work LOL (smart girl I am).  So that is basically the only time it was clean (you can see those pics if you click on the ALL ABOUT ME tab at top under my blog banner—just know that it is a LOT MESSIER right now). Envision me under boxes of craft stuff with one hand swinging out to grab a Copic Marker and Cherry Coke!  Yep that’s me right about now. I refuse to clean or organize cuz I’m moving my craftroom downstairs to a much larger space and see no point in organizing it yet (oh yeah hubby is thrilled).  If anyone has a free couple of days to come help me, you are more than welcome and you will go home with lots of goodies, trust me, I need to purge a whole lotta stuff! So all in all a very crafty weekend---today I’m shooting pics for my step-by-step pdfs for Class 5 at the CMC Classroom.  I still have 4 more videos to shoot and then edit them all and upload them.  Slowly but surely I’m getting there.  I’m only taking off for Turkey Day on Thursday so I hope it will all go smoothly!

Need a laugh?  Ok I’m not really sure why but this song cracks me up and I cannot for the LIFE OF ME get it outta my head, ugh!  So its called “Red Solo Cup” by Toby Keith HERE  (BUT WARNING, there is a naughty word in the beginning just so you know ok—so Suzanne WARNED ya LOL—proceed with caution and then laugh your bums off)!!!  If you prefer to not listen that’s ok but it is catchy and it is funny and while I would NEVER advocate doing this stuff (LOL) I know we have all drank a drink outta a red solo cup at least once in our lives…some more than others… Me? I drink Coke outta my solo cups but of course!!  Geesh!

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Are You a Fur-Friend?!

TODAY IS THE DAY---KRAFTIN’ KIMMIE RELEASE DAY!!  Yeppers, you can now proceed to the store right HERE and buy, buy, buy all this fun goody-goodness ok! (come on u know u wanna, hee hee)!!  And there is a super hot-super-fun Blog Hop today to kick off the festivities!  Start at store blog here if you want!!  **Don't forget to leave comments as you hop for a chance to WIN, WIN, WIN!! **

From my pal Kim (yeah she IS Kraftin’ Kimmie lol):
There is a fun new SET by Cheryl Alger for the DUDES in your life!! It’s called SNIPS AND SNAILS! We also have TWO fantastic sets of FURRY FRIENDS from Emilie Goulet called CANINE CAPERS 1 and 2!!! And of course we have an amazing new set of six GOTHIC GIRLS from Annie Rodrigue! PLUS we are also releasing the BEST FRIENDS stamp that was our special commemorative stamp from Krafty Day last month!!  You will get to see most of the new images today as you sit back and enjoy our NOVEMBER Krafty Hop!



So I love animals and I super-love doggies (I have 2 cairn terriers myself) so I loved, loved working with this image by Emilie Goulet for K.Kimmie called “Shih Tzu”.  My mom has a shih tzu and let me just say she is a DIVAAAAA—oh yes she is LOL! (she rules the roost in that house)  So I had fun coloring this one and playing around with patterned papers.  The die cut surrounding the main image is by a Spellbinders “Labels 16” and I cut 2 sets out (1 outta pattern paper & 1 outta brown cs), then cut them in half and shadow-layered them on each side of the image. I think it kinda looks like a large doggie bone, yes?  Suzanne Tip: CUT your die cuts, I always do—it makes them new, different & very versatile!  The papers are by My Minds Eye “Honey Cake” and then I added some Prima flowers, a bow and the brown leaves are from a Marianne Designs die.

Yep this cutie got colored with Copics and I tried to color her in Shih Tzu colorways—E49,E47,E25,E31,E50 / YR18,YR12,YR00,YR000/ C1,C00.  Some Diamond Glaze on her eyes and nose and Stickles on her bow and shoe.  Isn’t she a cutie pie? Woof Woof!

Ok so now you get to HOP onto some more crafty goodiness (if you get lost or want to start at beginning hop over to store blog here)…..

but Keep on Hoppin to

Peggy Marsh’s Blog Here!!

Dolly Dots!!

Hi and happy Saturday to you all!  It is brrrrr cold here in Virginia—I’m thinking winter is surely knocking on our door.  I love snowmen, love them but I don’t want to be one or build one ‘kay?  So snow stayyyyy away!  Are you listening Mother Nature—I’ve had enough of your craziness this year?  NO MORE—I’ll start a petition—who’s gonna sign it? LOL!

I have some rambling confessions for you all cuz' I'm feeling a bit wacky...so bear with me if you can LOL!  I am a bit of a nut (no news there right)! I have a few strange obsessions..umm…Luke Bryan & Tim McGraw…penguins and snowmen…People Magazine and ITunes…Copics and fuzzy jammies…Cherry Coke and Cheese Doodles…Christmas trees and roosters…zebra stripes and toile…MD Blue crabs & Japanese Hibachi. That’s just a few of ‘em & that’s just who I am.  I have a few quirks…I hate people touching or reading my magazines before I do…hey I pay for ‘em so don’t touch ‘em until I’m done (just sayin’).  I like to wipe my granite counters…I don’t like smears and crumbs…so I will wipe them probably 10 times a day!  I like my pillows a certain way on my couches and chairs…my dogs and teens knock them on the floor…drives me nuts!  I love my friends…I am loyal to a fault…I believe the best in people until proved otherwise…I can hold secrets till the day I die and I’ve heard lots in 37 years.  My family is my life…I would do whatever needed to protect them and love them.  I do not accept whining or complaining…if you do my ears turn off…positive thinking is how I choose to live…weed out the negativity and toxicity.  I sometimes lack a filter in my mouth…I refuse to be shut up…I speak my mind but never to the detriment of others.  I am a skincare crazy…wash my face with my zebra Clarisonic every night…have used sunscreen since I was 15…hate wrinkles and leathery skin.  I only watch funny movies…too much stress and nonsense in this world to watch depressing stuff…I’m a scaredy cat…I sleep with weapons (yes I do—don’t laugh)…I refuse to watch horror movies…I can take down a 300 lb man if I need to.  I read at least 45 mins every night before bed…need to calm my crazy brain down…then I play Words for Friends for at least 10 mins and then turn the lights off.  Sometimes Words is played under the covers so hubby can’t see the glow from my IPhone…LOL…sneaky I know!  If my book is really good I will read until 4 am….then I have to use the potty…usually wakes hubby up and he complains that I’m still up.  So I tell him I just turned the light on to go potty and that I went to bed hours ago…he grunts ok…then goes to sleep and I hear no nagging LOL.  I sleep with my Iphone, IPad and Mac Air within arms reach of my bed…sick I know…but I can be online in 2.2 seconds!  I have 2 dogs & 5 cats and I want another puppy…hubby says no, but I know how to work that one…hee hee.  What do I want for Christmas…a Coke machine…yep a real one that is installed in my bar in my rec-room…its better than diamonds to me!  Hubby would score MAJOR points if it does that I tell ya…a whole marriage worth of points!  I want everyone in Congress to retire and fill that Capital up with new faces, new energy and some brains…oh yeah I was a Democrat…but now think I’m gonna be an Independent…yeah I’m a rebel like that.  I like to watch Rachel Maddow and Jon Stewart…they make me laugh and say things I think everyday!  I tweet random stuff…drives the teens crazy…makes me tweet more!  I like to travel…meet people, even the strange ones…I like to talk & hear stories..I like adventure.  Every day is different…a new journey…new people…new experiences…I enjoy every second.  Just a little random ramblings from this rambling girl on this random day for you.

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Dolly Dots

Today is the last day of sneakie peekies for the NEW Kraftin’ Kimmie releases---tomorrow there will be a fun Blog Hop and then you can buy, buy, buy!!  Today we are sharing the super-cute-super-fun Annie’s Gothic Girls. I’m using “Wednesday” today---kinda reminds ya of the Addams Family girlie huh..she was always my fave.  I used to watch the oldie-but-goodie Addams Family show everyday after elementary school when I was young…yep the black n white version!  I want to go see it on Broadway in NYC this winter!

**OK I forgot but there is a Kraftin Kimmie Challenge today on the Store Blog HERE!  I started out using the sketch and then the card took on a life of its own LOL--so I apologize for not sticking to the sketch better (me sorrrrryyyyy).

My fave color is red…love, love it and combined with black it’s even better.  I also have a thing for polka-dots so I stock up on all kinds of polka-dot papers LOL.  All paired together and you have a bunch of my fave things!  The papers are a mix of MME and PTI, scrolls are by Marianne Designs and lots of pearls. I made my corner accents again with my border punches…another great way to make them versatile.

I'm entering this into the following fun challenges:

Frosted Designs (use die cuts)

Forever Night Challenges (circles)

Inspire Me Fridays (anything goes)

Pixie Dust Studio (black,white,red)

Wednesday is colored with Copics- R29,R24,R22,R20 / C9,C5,C3,C1,C00 / E11,E00.  Then I added Diamond Glaze to her bustier top and bow and stickles to accent the dolls and skulls (hey I rhymed hee hee).

That’s all for me today but stop on by the Kraftin Kimmie Blog to see more of the DT and Krafty Guest’s projects—they are sure to inspire!!  And remember to stop by tomorrow for our fun Blog Hop!

Lotus Blossoms!!

Happy TGIFriday my friends!  I do not have the weekend off, I will be working every minute except when the family drags me out to dinner.  Lots to do, lots to do and I gotta have it all done by the 29th so I can get in the Christmas mode—MY FAVE TIME OF YEAR!  I have 13 Christmas trees to get up in 5 days time (and for those that are new to my blog, you may pick yourself off the floor now and yes, yes I do put up that many trees LMBO)!  They are all different, in different rooms of my house and all themed---I also decorate the outside of the house and our patio too.  So stay tuned for pics of that---I absolutely love it (well I don’t love putting lights on the trees, that’s a bummer) but each ornament has meaning to me.  My living room tree is our “trip” tree—everytime I go somewhere I buy an ornament for that tree (I got lots this year huh hee hee).  Then when I put each ornament on we reflect about the trip that was made---great memories.  Our family room tree is a real tree that we “hunt” down each year and usually about 14-15 ft tall.  That tree has all our homemade ornaments, kids ornaments and ornaments that are special to our family including ones that have been passed down thru the family.  I love all the trees lit, the lights down low, the smell of fresh pine and my family huddled in our family room with hot cocoa, a fire and one of favorite Christmas movies playing (Elf, Home Alone & Christmas Story).  That truly is my favorite time of the entire year.  I’m praying for some warmer weather for my outside decorating—hubby helps but the cold weather and me get along like oil & water KWIM LOL and slows me down a bit.  I’m not so much of a Thanksgiving girl (yes I’m a Turkey-Day hater please don’t send me rotten turkey bones ok lol), which if you follow me on Facebook you know already LOL.  I like the food, I like my family but it just never really appealed to me as a real “holiday”—you cook for 2-3 days and everyone comes and eats and its done in 2 hours—NO WAY JOSE!  So we will go to my brothers for dinner for awhile to see everyone and head back home to watch the Ravens vs. Saints football game (Go Ravens)!!  I don’t do Black Friday either—ucky—there is NO way in heck that you can get me out in all that traffic, all those crazies and all those lines—not even for a million buckaroos!  I do 90% of my shopping via the internet, no lines, no traffic and I can do it in my jammies—yeah baby!  Then hubby and I go out one day w/o teens and finish up all the little stuff and that’s it—people are too crazy and rude during the holidays.  I don’t get it—you are supposed to be  holly jolly and giving of spirit and so many people are mean and rude LOL.  I prefer to stay home cuz’ if you are nasty rude to me…well….you’ve read how I react to that…not nicely.  And hubby doesn’t like keeping me outta jail LMBO (just jokin’ calm down people) but I will react to rude people.  So if you hear someone going off on someone being rude…well you can bet its probably me –so just turn around and say HI ok LMBO!

      
My son above last night at one of the many band concerts this holiday season—he’s in Percussion so he plays snare drums, base drums, bells, wood blocks, and suspended and crash symbols.  He’s come so far in 4 years, reading music and playing so well—I’m very proud of him and hope he continues on into band in high school next year.

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Lotus Blossoms!!

Today is a new release from Carmen Medlin for SCACD—two sets of stamps being released called “Reflections Fantasy” and “Reflections Yesteryear”.  I’m using “Lotus Blossom” from the Reflections Fantasy set which I ADORE!  Isn’t she gorgeous? I had a blast coloring her and her beautiful gowns in one of my fave color combos!  The DT is having a Blog Hop today as well so make sure to hop along to see all the beauties in this release today—if you get lost hop over to the SCACD Store Blog Here for info!

**If you are overseas you can purchase these at Quixotic Paperie as well!! **

So this is “Lotus Blossom” and I tried to use embellies/shapes that enhanced the feeling of the Orient.  The black cs got embossed with a CB folder from their Oriental Weave Collection of folders.  The die cut is by Spellbinders “Twisted Metal Accents” (I cut it in half)  and added black Viva Décor Pearl Pen to it.  A few rhinestones, pearls and fluffy hot pink feathers finish it off.  I make my image-corners with all my many border punches, makes them more versatile (filled in between with Viva Pearl pen).



She was colored with Copics—C9,C7,C5,C3,C1,C00 / E11,E00,R20 / RV17,RV13,RV10.  Then I added Diamond Glaze to her black gown and her bow, stickles to the lotus blossoms and lantern. 

Now you need to hop on to my fabulous friend

Anki’s Blog Here!

Ok that’s all for me today—I’ll be back this weekend with more Kraftin Kimmie goodies for the new release as well!

Best Buds!

Happy Thursday to you!  I’m keeping my chitter-chatter to a minimum today (sorry-ha ha ha)!  I have a full day of work and then Riley’s band concert is this evening and JUST yesterday he tells me his dress shirt he wears to band concerts is too small LOL!  So I gotta run out and find a shirt for a TALL MAN apparently – hard to remember that my “baby” is a 6 ft growing boy—ack!  So another day of scattered thoughts, moments, accidents and so on for me.  I’m just praying for Dec 1st—once that arrives all my BIG work and deadlines will be complete and I can BREATHE just a bit LOL.  I’m not complaining in any way—I am so happy to do what I do and I do enjoy it BUT this girl is tired.  When I think about what I’ve done and where I’ve gone this year it makes me feel MORE tired LOL.  But after 11 months I need a few weeks of downtime, no deadlines, no major commitments and just time to enjoy my family and the holidays for a bit.  I know I’m not the only one feeling this – seems we start wrapping up the year and everyone is tired and looking forward to the holidays and the new year yes!?  But I do say that 2011 was a GREAT year in so many ways and I’m sad to see it come to an end for sure.  But I’m hopeful for another great year in 2012 and I’m not even gonna try to IMAGINE what crazy shenanigans I might get myself into next year, hee hee.  Never in my wildest imagination could I have ever dreamed of some of the crazy stuff, experiences and people (umm lil’ lady living large, drunk man, 7 ft cowboy) I’ve met this year, LOL, NEVER!  So I’m not even gonna try to think what could happen in 2012. What I do know is that I will have the opportunity to have fun doing something I love, meeting fabulous friends all over and seeing new places and laughing the whole way and ENJOYING each & every minute.  Life should be fun, fabulous, memorable and sunny each day and sometimes we get so consumed by the stress and bad stuff and forget about all the GOOD stuff (including me on occasions like now when I am super-stressed).  So I’m taking a deep breath, remembering all those special friends I have out there supporting me, my fabulous family that loves me and the fact that I am alive and well on this earth to enjoy the next day and I hope you can do the same!



Me and Anary yesterday—she kidnapped me for a bit from my work to sit and enjoy lunch!  I just love her to bits—she is the sweetest!!

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Best Buds!

Today I get to share a sneakie-peekie with you of some fabulously cute new Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps that will be available for sale this Sunday.  Today I’m sharing a stamp by Cheryl Alger for Kraftin Kimmie—this is from the “Snips n Snails Collection” and its soooo cute!  I know a lot of us have boys in our lives and its sometimes hard to find cute images for them---so this is perfect to add to your collections! 

On Sunday there will be a fun blog hop and you will be able to BUY all these cutie-patooties for yourself (Merry Christmas to you early I say or my motto is "one for you, two for me" LOL)

I broke out my unused (yikes) Basic Grey “Max & Whiskers” paper pad and I loved the colors of teal, oranges and browns—great for boys but bright too!  I used some Spellbinders dies (Pinking circles) and a MS border punch for texture.  The pinking circle got dots of Viva Décor Pearl Pen in copper and then 3 buttons tied off with twine.  He was colored with Copics and YES I added some stickles cuz no card of mine is complete without them LOL!  (yes I even sneak them on guys cards)



So that’s it from me today! BUT make sure to hop over to the Kraftin Kimmie Store Blog to see all the details and goodies that are coming for this release—you won’t want to miss it!