goldilocks...?

happy saturday!

i think we finally have a weekend of limited running around.  hubby is going to fix the gaping hole in the dining room ceiling so we can host turkey day dinner without it - a plus we are thinking...i have just my usual cat duties - i go to petsmart saturday morning and take care of the cats in the cat center and then i will bring my three foster babies in sunday afternoon for adoption.

this past thursday night pezza and i went to a girl scout fundraiser - they put on a showing of the movie Brave in her school cafeteria.  i was SO excited because i have really been wanting to see it since i am obssessed with all things ancient ireland/celtic/scotland/etc. and this looked right up my alley!  pezza, however is completely anti princess and had no desire whatsoever to see the movie AT ALL.  she did want to go see her friends though so off we went.  and once again, i felt the benefits of both living in a small town AND living somewhere for eight years IN A ROW.  we knew quite alot of the folks there and i even got to see and hang out with my buddy amy sheffer (pickled paper) whom i love and do not get to see nearly enough.  it's a running joke that we live off the same road but we don't see each other until CHA in anaheim!  her youngest, gabe, is the same age as pez and they get along great.  he is also in my kids mixed media class at pez's school. as for the movie - hilarious, somewhat violent (ok quite violent) and i liked it sort of.  i was expecting a bit more from the storyline but oh well.

and did you hear about hostess?  holy cupcakes!  no more dolly madison cinnamon rolls SAY IT ISN'T SO!  my buddy Suzanne went out on a search last night for some goodies for us both - sure hope she found some cinnamon rolls!  though i have heard the stores have been out for awhile now due to nothing being made OR shipped.  and all those poor people out of a job - horrible!

ok onto why you are really here right?!  some sort of artsy craftsy something or other.  i have a mixed media board for you again - i am supposed to be filming my next class which is mixed media canvases/boards and i keep making things but not filming them EGADS!  this one sort of came together with very little of a plan - it was actually too different ones that i decided worked better as one.

I started on the background using a free tutorial  from Christy Tomlinson - the tutorial is wonderful and i encourage you all to check it out!  i did not have her kit of stuff she was working with and i didn't want to do something christmas-y so....can you tell i don't follow direction well?  i wonder where pezza gets it.....anyway i started with a book page, music page and polka dot page as my base.  then i misted some Luminarte radiant rain shimmering mist through a stencil.  now this is water-soluable which means anything i did over the stenciling would re-wet the mist and i would lose my design so i sprayed it with a light layer of workable fixative to set it.  next i added the green ground - in the tutorial she does it with a brayer but i didn't like the look i was getting so i did it with a sponge and a couple different shades of green.  next i made my tree - i just drew it it freehand - it's pretty basic but i like how it turned out.  i used some bo bunny papers i have had forever.  i thought i needed a little something more and i had my twinkling H2Os out from a previous project so i added some shimmery green goodness to the treetop. at this point i was stuck and had NO idea what i would do next.  in Christy's piece the tree is a christmas tree and it IS the focal point.  in my piece it was looking more like a background element with NO focal point...and so it sat for a couple days...lonely on my work table...then i grabbed my girl i had been working on from a Suzi Blu online class called Petite Dolls.  she was going to be marie antionette but i had changed my mind....so she needed a new "environment" and then it hit me - she could be hanging out under my tree!   i thought i should add a little pink to the background to tie in my girl's dress color.

and then i added her on.  i drew her and colored her with colored pencils.  i did her in a couple of layers - which seemed like a good idea at the time but between her and the layers on my tree things are kinda thick on this one :P  i gave her pink outer layer a coat of Apple Blossom Twinks for shimmer and then stenciled on it using yummy Viva Decor modeling cream in champagne - my FAVE! and added gel pen dots.  i also dabbed it on the book page layer of her dress and then sprinkled glitter on top while it was wet.  the viva decor modeling cream shimmers too.  finally i took more modeling cream and mixed some Primary Elements into it so i got a golden shimmering yellow which i dabbed on for her hair - LOVE!!!!  it just SHINES!  i sprinkled in a bit of micro beads too...because i love micro beads....  the bird has been on my desk for AGES and was a perfect addition.  some doodling around the edges and the tree finished it off!  so what do y'all think? a keeper?

suzi blu fun!

hi peeps!

anyone else in love with online classes like me?!  i adore them.  i have taken a few classes in person - including one two weeks ago with wendy vecchi and i have another this weekend with dina wakeley - but online is the BEST! my pace, my color choices, my supplies - i can go faster or slower or skip around.  HOWEVER, there is still a time limit and i am coming up on a time's over for my suzi blu classes so i decided i better get back to it! so that's what i did this week and here is the result

this is nearly identical to the one in the lesson which i usually don't do but i thought perhaps i could try and be a "good" student and go step by step!  see i am the kinda girl who has HUGE issues with following the rules or doing what i am told - hell i rebel against MYSELF!  it's ridiculous really!  of course there are a few differences - suzi's girl is a rodeo girl with a cowboy hat, skull balloon and a pink bunny.  i objected to the rodeo part and pezza immediately objected to both the skull and the bunny. 

so i drew the girl and colored her in using colored pencils and suzi's pick of colors

and pezza drew her signature kitty for me which i also colored with colored pencils

the background is a fun collage of papers and such ala suzi blu that was outside of my usual mode but i stuck to it and followed her and i like the end result..  collage is awesome because i can use old papers that have been sitting around forever.  i even went so far as to put the beeswax over the final piece!  early in the class i tried two pieces with beeswax and really struggled and hated it but this one i had a better time with.  though i am still not sure if i like it.  my BIGGEST struggle with mixed media projects is the layering - which is funny since it is ALL about the layering.  i have SUCH a hard time covering something up!

all in all i had a great time with this one - i hope to have a few more in the next few weeks!  but maybe looking a bit more like my own work just using suzi's techniques!  perhaps minus the beeswax...but then i need to find something else that can protect my pieces.....hmmmm....

so what do y'all think of it?

fairy cakemother coming soon...

hi all!

what a week i have had.  culminating in a trip to the ER yesterday morning UGH!  it was actually a calculated visit on my part to save some time and worry.  in my late twenties i battled severe liver and gallbladder disease.  i spent more than three years in constant discomfort to massive nausea and pain so bad i would pass out - all while working, going to school and raising my boys by myself :P  in those three years i underwent monitoring tests every 3 months and my condition continued to deteriorate with traditional western medicine offering NOTHING that could help me.  then a friend took me to his accupuncturist - MIRACLES happened!  now, i did not believe in accupuncture at the time but i was desperate and scared.  i was heading for the liver transplant list.  i went to the accupuncturist 3 times a week for 6 months - he did the needle treatments and also taught me alot about my body - what to eat, herbal supplements to use, what to not eat and how to recognize my body's signals and adjust my behavior and diet accordingly if necessary.  my liver went back down to normal size and began functioning perfectly.  the nausea and pain stopped!  and it has been fine for more than 10 years.  until now.  it's back.  so i headed in to the ER and they got all of the preliminary tests out of the way - blood work, ultrasound, xrays and CT scan - NO gall stones, NO abnormally large liver or other organs, liver function is still in the normal range, etc.  which leaves my gallbladder.  it is not functioning again and i need to get a Hida Scan - HATE those and they HURT BADLY!  after that, gallbladder removal.  however i don't like the stories i read about life after removal - it does NOT sound like an improvement.  so i am hoping i can remember all the doc taught me and go back to that.  i would do accupuncture in a heartbeat but ins. doesn't cover that.  you know how everyone says obamacare is bad and we will no longer have control over our healthcare decisions?  well if you think you have control now you are kidding yourself.  SOOOO after you read my post i would love to hear from any of you who has experience with gallbladder removal or NOT removing it.  please leave me a comment!

afternoon/evening is the worst so i try to do things in the morning - one thing i am working on right now is my Suzi Blu Petite Dolls class - the best EVER!  ok i said that about dina wakely and dion dior too....anyway, i am working on a really fun one right now with a petite doll i drew based on my friend catherine and the apron i made for her when she became the master of cake decorating (see her pics here).

yummy yes????  you can see fairy cakemother in the upper left dancing in her apron with her magic spoon and also her castle.  i got lucky and spied that fabulous harlequin ribbon in hobby lobby friday HALF OFF!  now to figure out how i will put it all together!

here kitty kitty...

hi all!

we are having the hands down weirdest winter ever here in northern va.  yesterday it could not decide whether it was going to snow or be sunny...or snow...or be sunny...at one point i was driving down the highway and it was clearly snowing on the OTHER side of the road but not mine... and in three days it is going to be 70 degrees.

in yet another attempt to find the source of my headaches i went and had my hair thinned out.  i kept telling her no do more.  for those who have not met me i have enough hair for 5 people and i look REE-dic-u-lous with short hair so that is NOT an option.

 that is ALOT of hair!  and i still LOTS left.  and no, it didn't work *sniff sniff*.

so onto some fun.  can't let a severe headache stand between me and my craft room! hahhahah!  this is my very first attempt at a full project suzi blu style from her La La La class.  i am not overly happy with it but hey - you have to start somewhere right???

the best part is that i am learning SO much in the classes so that's what counts most!  i drew the little kitty image myself.

and here are a couple pics of my real kitty's

look how big my baby bubba kitten is getting!  and look at those maine coon tails!

he decided her road was a perfect little kitty nest.

the next challenge has begun for Mix It Up over on over on Color Me Creative.  the challenge this time is to use stencils on your project - use one that is ready made like the ones from Crafters Workshop or make your own!  i will have my samples up tomorrow!

CHA 2012 wrap up

hi all!

OH. EM. GEE.  i am one sick girl :(  i am not sure what i have but wow do i feel awful!  CHA always does me in due to pure exhaustion but this is actual illness.  and poor lil' pezza - as soon as i got in the car i could tell she was sick too - felt hot like fever and then when she started talking i could hear it in her voice.  grab a cuppa coffee folks cuz this is a long one :P

so the big question - what was my fave new thing?  it's hard to narrow it down but i think i have to say it is the new sprocket stamps from inkadinkado - not only because they are so so cool but they are so different.

think spirograph for stamps but way better!


the flight home was mostly uneventful except for a bag of flowers.  the long beach airport we always fly in and out of is small. like really really small.  you know those trailers they set up when the high schools are too full?  well that's what the airport is.  several trailers and an outside baggage claim.  seriously. 

we had to be there super early and i had had NO coffee.  Suzanne just laughed at me every time she looked at me because i looked so bad (what are friends for right?)  so we get through the security trailer and into the gate trailer and there is a little cart selling water, coffee and muffins.  really.  so i go up and get a water, coffee and muffin and hand her my debit card.  she can't take cards there, i have to go outside and over to the convenience store trailer.  i go over there and realize i still have the water in hand.  there is a check out at the front corner and one at the opposite back corner so i walk up to the back one and tell her i accidently took the water from the cart inside and need to pay for it.  she says she can't check it out, i have to use the front register for that water. oooookaaaaayyy.  i walk to the shelf behind her and pick out some chips and then head to the front register to get my coffee and pay for everything and she starts yelling after me because apparently i have to pay for the CHIPS at the BACK register and the water at the front one. really.....the registers were about 12 feet apart....don't these people realize i haven't even had my coffee yet?????

i finally get back to my seat and we are waiting for our plane and i look up and realize that there is a bag sitting in the chair directly across from me with flowers sticking out of the top of it.  there is NO ONE around it at ALL.  it is an abandoned bag.....so i keep looking at it and it starts to mess with my sick and sleep deprived brain and i nudge suzanne and start freaking out about it being a bomb and i am directly in front of it.  so i get up and move down the row to the other side of suzanne but i keep looking at it and getting more freaked out so i go tell one of the gate guys.  he goes and grabs it and this lady across the way comes running over to claim it.  so as we are getting on the plane suzanne turns around to tell me something and realizes the flower bag bomb woman is RIGHT BEHIND ME in the aisle on the plane.  so i am like run, go faster, and suzanne is dieing laughing.  lkuckily the rest of the trip home was fairly uneventful!

so how was the show?  fabulous, absolutely fabulous!  first and foremost is the connections - it is exciting seeing all of the new products up close and in personal of course.  but i LOVE all of the people i get to meet up with!  and i especially love all of the people i get to see again that i only get to see at the show.  first and foremost is my pal terri - this was the first year we did not stay together and i really missed that but we did spend LOTS of time together and i just love her to pieces.  she brought along a friend this year named nadja and she is just AWESOME!  plus she is a morning person like me! so on one of those morning i was stuck in the lobby so my roomie could sleep she and i got together and headed to starbucks.  she also took me out for my first ever indian food!  i loved it loved it!  we found out we have loads in common.  also got to meet sandie dunne - a long time friend from ireland and fabulous folks like suzi blu who's work i simply adore!  also got to FINALLY meet jen del muro in person - the first blog i ever read when i got into this crazy papercrafting world.

i also had a new roomie this year - Tina Gilliland.  suzanne did not stay in our room the whole time - she was staying in her own room somewhere else so tina and i were on our own and had fun.  i had quite a few meetings as well and have some really neat things in the works but i can't share yet until the details are ironed out - exciting stuff though that's for sure!

so what else did i love at the show - well lots of things!  i bet y'all are wondering about provocraft since i usually focus so much of my attention on them.  well there were no new machines, no gala, no craziness and a very small booth compared to previous shows.  Jinger is gone, there was no stage in the booth, all very low key.  they DID have new cuttlebug folders on display that will be coming out soon and i DO love me some embossing folders - i saw many designs i hope to acquire:

and there is one new cartridge coming out very soon - tags, bags, boxes & more 2 - i really like it.  i use the first one quite a bit.  for all of their new stuff be sure and contact Terri at Stampsalive as she always has the best prices and unbelievably fast shipping!  perhaps cricut is going to get a clue and refocus so they can be a stronger company...i guess we'll see....

another highlight of my trip - Julie Fei-Fen Balzer - can i just tell you she ROCKS!  not only is she just incredibly talented she is SO SO much fun and just super crazy.  i thoroughly enjoyed every minute with her and look forward to learning lots from her in the year ahead.

i was a helper in her class saturday night and can i just say she is not only talented, she is a talented instructor which does not always happen.  she has some incredible new stencils out through the crafters workshop and i encourage you all to go out and grab some to play with yourself.  in addition she has an insanely good ebook available through Cloth Paper Scissors called collage fast & furious - it is chock full of great info and easily a must have!  tell her i sent you over to say hi and check out her fabulous self!  dinner with the group after could not have been more fun!

next up Dyan Reaveley.  met her last year in class and she is lovely! 

she has breathed vibrancy into the Ranger product line which it was seriously missing.  Check therse out:

just so fun!  she has added to her product line with fantastic sprays in amazing colors.  and her stamps are fun and funky.

next up - i have to mention Luminarte through Creative Imaginations.  I have had their products since well before they were purchased and adore them.  new this show - the re-release of the shimmering powdered pigments in LOADS of new colors - Artist's Pigments - and the launch of Silks glazes.  i took a class with them and got to play around a bit with the shimmering incredible-ness of the product line.

the project is unfinished - we mostly covered techniques - i still have to put it all together but check out what the twinks did to some plain printed paper embellishments:

i love the subtle mix of colors i got which added to the aged look of the pieces.  the class was taught by Cheryl Mezzetti and she was lots of fun!  besides the uber shimmer want to know my fave thing about the luminarte Primary Elements powdered pigments?  you make your own paints with them and you can make ANY KIND of paint - it all depends on what type of medium you mix in.  So instead of buying a whole bunch of fabric paint, and a whole bunch of acrylic paint, and a whole bunch of other surfaces - talk about a money saver!

finally i have to mention La Blanche stamps - really love alot of their images and the samples in the booth were among my faves of the whole show:

you can check out my facebook page for even more pics but for now i am signing off because i really need to take some more meds and go lay down!  then perhaps i will have the energy to play with my new pencils that came right before i left!

For even more CHA wrap ups from lots of different perspectives head to FaveCrafts!!!