My Christmas Vacation

I made an album for my sister and gave it to her for Christmas:

Spent 5 days up north to see my brothers, sisters and my sister's kids.

I came home to find three ornaments in the mail from the RV Ornament Swap. (They inspired me to make the little penguin!)

P.S. I made these collages with PowerPoint, Marie. You should try it - it's amazing!

A Little Eye Candy

{this picture makes me happy}

Rainy Day Dawgs

It's raining today... first rain in a while. This means the puppies get to be inside for a change: Bailey on the floor, Otis on the couch (don't tell Wade!) and Clemmie in her big-girl chair. When Clem came in from the backyard this afternoon she was SHIVERING like a... what shivers... well, whatever, she was shivering... so I took one of my old college sweatshirts out and put it on her. Now she is warm AND supporting the Tritons!!!

Look how ADORABLE she is with her new hoodie!!! Too bad I can't show you what she looks like when she tries to walk - it's UBER cute!!!


Now go check THIS out - a hilarious blog post from my good friend KAT.

ETSY Update #5

My ETSY shop has been updated with some holiday cheer! Go check it out!

Tonight I plan on SCRAPBOOKING (this is such a momentous occasion, it, like the LANDSCAPING PROJECT, deserves all caps and a bigger and bolder font) I don't think I've done a page in almost 3 months! YIKES!

Here's a little collage to brighten your Thursday.

Sans Kimchi, Avec Crescendo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAELA!!!

That being said...

Here are some holiday felties I made for my ETSY shop. They should be up by tomorrow night.

Thanksgiving was weird this year. Wade and I usually go to my sister's house for dinner, but they moved up north this year so this year it was just me and Wade. We weren't going to make a turkey dinner (we got invited to the neighbor's house AND to Laela's house so we figured we were covered). I sent Wade out in the morning to the grocery store to get eggs and he came back AN HOUR LATER with a 12 pound turkey and all the fixins! Here's the before and after shot of Mr. Tryptophan:

This was the first year I have had Thanksgiving dinner WITHOUT kimchi... very sad.

We are deep into our LANDSCAPING PROJECT (This is SUCH a huge project, it deserves capital letters and a bigger font... it should be read with a crescendo and an echo if possible.) The cement is poured, the retaining wall is up and the front privacy wall is up... Now for all the little shit that needs to be taken care of...

Clementine believes herself to be a cat, laying on the wall with her tail hanging over.

So now that Christmas time is OFFICIALLY here, can anyone recommend any good Christmas movies? We have a pretty sizable collection of Christmas DVDs, but I'm always looking for new movies to add to it!

Some New Creations...

Back in the US of A

Okay, I've been back from Germany for a week now... sorry to those of you who have been waiting patiently for my return (Jen, I know you missed me!!!)

It was DEFINITELY autumn in Germany - I had never seen so many beautiful trees and so much autumn goodness everywhere you turn! (I grew up in Southern California, so the only way I know it's fall is when school starts up again and Halloween decorations show up at Target!)



We traveled A LOT within Germany - We started in Frankfurt, which is known for their apfelwein (apple wine) which is tangy and good. Then we went to Koln which is right by the Rhein River. Then to Berlin to see the site of the Berlin Wall (Kat, I know you are thinking of CHARADES right now!) and do some shopping!

In Munich (Munchen) we spent most of the morning at the "Farmer's Market" - green olives with cheese shoved in them... so good. Then at last we ended up in Heidelberg to see the castles!


It was tons of fun (although traveling with FOUR senior citizens can be a bit... trying...) but I am SO glad to be home!

In other news...
While I was gone, Wade started on our landscaping project at the house - we have no driveway, our backyard is filled with dirt and the house is a wreck... it's great! We'll finally have a backyard that people can hang out in, and a front yard for the dogs!

And last but not least, I was tagged by RENEE, so here goes!

1. If you could have $100 worth of scrapbook paper or assorted embellishments, which would you choose?

Only $100? I'd have to go with embellishments because I already have tons of cardstock and I don't know how to artistically use patterned paper.

2. If you had to choose between using only stamps or rub-ons which would you choose?

This sounds like a dirty question... I chose rub-ons - they're cleaner.

3. If you knew how to do both awesome cards and layouts, but could only do one for a year which would you do?

What do you mean, "IF you knew..." - Layouts for sure.

4. Would you rather own a scrapbooking store or have your own scrapping room at home (can't have both, lol)

My own room - there's always ETSY to sell my goodies!

5. And then last but not least, what is your current scrapping style?

Non-existent? I haven't done a layout in MONTHS!!! I don't think I really have a style - my tastes change SO much!

Have a great week!!!

I'm leaving EARLY tomorrow morning for my GERMANY trip! I'm getting really excited. My mother is trying to thwart my excitement by calling me 5 times a day to remind me to bring my passport, but I WILL NOT let her get to me!!! Here's a travel journal I made for the trip:
1) transparancy cover with hambly rubon goodness
2) picture collage of family and friends
3) blank pages for journaling, scribbling, whatever
4) misuse of post office envelope
5) pocket for holding my crossword puzzles I printed from the internet
6) blank pages for whatever

And some fingerless gloves I crocheted for the cold weather. (I had to unravel the last one because I didn't have enough material for TWO gloves!)

Halloween drawings from my niece and nephew. They are SO grown up... it's scary...


And finally, some pages from my THIS IS ME album:


Oh, and last but not least, go check out THIS NEW CHALLENGE BLOG. Sounds like it's going to be FUN FUN FUN!!!



{EDITED}
Zab, THIS is for you!!!

7 Random Facts about ME:

1. Listening to someone brushing their teeth makes me gag.
2. I hate speed bumps.
3. I want dimples in the worst way.
4. I hate miniature golf.
5. I love gummy bears, but only the Haribo brand.
6. I LOVE filling out questionnaires.
7. I get more offended if someone calls me dumb or stupid than if they call me fat or ugly.

Frana, look!!!

Look what I made, Frana!

Now I have to go make another one...

RAK decision and California Fires

California is on fire... they shut down the college I work at yesterday because it was so smoky and ash was falling from the sky.


On a lighter note, I got a haircut. A bit shorter than I am used to, but I like it.


And finally, the winner of my first RAK is...


KAT !!!!
for her "Boo Yah" suggestion. Cracks me up...

Kat, you'll have to wait until after I get back from the trip and I'll send you your gift!!! WEEEE!!!!!!

Have a great week!

RAK clarification

I'm reposting the rules for the RAK contest for those of you who missed them the first time. Good luck!!!

And now for the RAK!!!

Here are the contest rules: I need some inspiration for new felties and claytons! I don't know what to make next! So, leave a comment with some ideas in the following THREE categories and I will choose which one I like best and make it! If I choose your idea, I will send you a bundle of goodies - some felt, some clay, and I'll send you whatever idea that made you win the contest! What fun! (Please keep in mind that if I use your idea, I will be selling products on ETSY based on your idea, so don't go spilling the beans on some patented thing you have!!!)

Here are the categories:
1. FELTIE CREATIONS: I need ideas on what to make with felt. Most of my felties are at most 4" by 4" so it would have to be something relatively small. Please keep in mind that I am by no means an artistic genius, so don't suggest something like "Brad Pitt's Face" because I don't think I could do that...
2. FELTIE SAYINGS: One of my most popular lines in my ETSY shop is the Say What? series. (You can look at them here, and here, and here, and here...) I need some ideas on other words or phrases to sew! Please keep in mind that each saying bubble is only 2.5 by 2.5 inches so don't suggest something like "Gosh, I love Brad Pitt so much, I wish there was a feltie of his face I could buy!"
3. CLAYTON CREATIONS: I want to make some holiday claytons, but the only thing I can think of are Christmas Trees and Candy Canes. Any OTHER suggestions? Please keep in mind that I am by no means an artistic genius, so don't suggest something like "Brad Pitt wearing a Santa hat!"

You can leave as many suggestions in any category you want. I will announce the winner NEXT MONDAY (October 22). Good Luck!!!

RAK extension and ETSY update #5

Okay, so I have given up on the "picture a day". Too much pressure...

Did I mention that I am going to Germany at the end of this month? I'll have PLENTY of pictures to make up for giving up on the picture a day thing.

I am extending the RAK until NEXT Monday, so there's still time to post your suggestions. You can post them on this entry if you like - I don't care.

I updated my ETSY shop, and added some tote bags this time, so check it out! (Hurry up and buy something because I haven't had a purchase in A WEEK and it is really hurting my overblown ego. I can feel my head shrinking as we speak.)

Have a great week!

This Is Me

Here's today's picture - me and my red bandanna. I've always loved the way headbands look on other people, but feared that my enormous head would prevent me from ever pulling it off - the answer? The bandanna.


I've finally started my THIS IS ME album. Here's the cover:


And the first page:



ps - don't forget to enter the contest on yesterday's post to win the RAK!!!

RAK!!! (My first giveaway!!!)

Staying home today - Just don't feel like tutoring! Hopefully I will be able to get some stuff done around the house... or maybe I'll sit in front of the computer all day!

So the claytons turned out to be PERFECT. I realized I needed to bake them at 275 degrees and not 230 degrees (Where I got that number from, I don't know!)

I feel a bit overwhelmed with this scrapbooking thing! There are SO many blogs, So many message boards and SO many placed to upload layouts, I don't know where to go or what to do! And no matter how much time I put into it, I still feel like I am missing out on something! Ahh!!!

Here's my picture of the day:
These pictures are in the living room of our house. (sorry for the reflection - the sun is making the photos kind of hard to see.) From top left to bottom right we have 1. Student at Oxford University taken when my Dad took me to England as a graduation gift, 2. Wade and his brother having a seaweed fight at San Clemente Beach by the pier, 3. My Otis - picture was taken by his former dog sitter who used to have 20 or 30 pictures for us by the time we came to pick him up, 4. La Tour Eiffel - our hotel was a two minute walk to the tower - so amazing, 5. Wade on the pier - I always have to tell him, "Honey, don't look at me, don't look at me! The picture will come out better if you don't look at me!" 6. Me and Wade at the Queen Mary - his mom took this picture, 7. Wade on an outdoor walkway in Vegas (again I had to say, "Don't look at me, don't look at me! The picture will come out better if you don't look at me!" 8. Two nuns in Versaille. I had to crop out an old man who was picking his nose.

And now for the RAK!!!

Here are the contest rules: I need some inspiration for new felties and claytons! I don't know what to make next! So, leave a comment with some ideas in the following THREE categories and I will choose which one I like best and make it! If I choose your idea, I will send you a bundle of goodies - some felt, some clay, and I'll send you whatever idea that made you win the contest! What fun! (Please keep in mind that if I use your idea, I will be selling products on ETSY based on your idea, so don't go spilling the beans on some patented thing you have!!!)

Here are the categories:
1. FELTIE CREATIONS: I need ideas on what to make with felt. Most of my felties are at most 4" by 4" so it would have to be something relatively small. Please keep in mind that I am by no means an artistic genius, so don't suggest something like "Brad Pitt's Face" because I don't think I could do that...
2. FELTIE SAYINGS: One of my most popular lines in my ETSY shop is the Say What? series. (You can look at them here, and here, and here, and here...) I need some ideas on other words or phrases to sew! Please keep in mind that each saying bubble is only 2.5 by 2.5 inches so don't suggest something like "Gosh, I love Brad Pitt so much, I wish there was a feltie of his face I could buy!"
3. CLAYTON CREATIONS: I want to make some holiday claytons, but the only thing I can think of are Christmas Trees and Candy Canes. Any OTHER suggestions? Please keep in mind that I am by no means an artistic genius, so don't suggest something like "Brad Pitt wearing a Santa hat!"

You can leave as many suggestions in any category you want. I will announce the winner NEXT MONDAY (October 15). Good Luck!!!

ETSY Update # 005

Check out my new stuff on ETSY!

And look at this cuteness I made too!

Picture A Day - Day 4

Claytons

TODAY'S PICTURE:

Yesterday at the local craft store they were having a sale on POLYMER CLAY. Usually I use "air-dry" clay because it's a bit easier to use (no oven!). I really like the colors of POLYMER CLAY, but am a bit disappointed by how easy the clay pieces break after they harden.

Happy Friday!!!

First things first... Today is my friend, Jeanna's BIRTHDAY!!! She is an old lady, but I love her still! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY! Here she is! I wish you guys could hear her sing and play guitar... it's so beautiful!

(Renee, remember you posted that entry about today being one of the most common birthdays?)

My good friend's house mom just opened up her own ETSY shop. You guys HAVE to check it out! Her knit sweaters are SO ADORABLE! And the Heart Baby Blanket is just TOO sweet! I was at M's house all night yesterday helping Barb set up her shop - I hope it is a HUGE success!!!

The local scrapbooking store called me this morning to invite me to their "BUS TOUR". They take these ladies around town and go to various scrap stores - The stores offer freebies, discounts, etc. They called me today to tell me that since I'm one of their best customers (translation: I spend WAY too much money there!) that they are offering me a BUY ONE GET ONE FREE deal on their bus tour next Saturday. I got all excited until I realized that the only people I know that would be interested in this kind of thing live on the other side of the country!!! I need some local srappies... Maybe instead of going on the bus I'll just follow it in my car and then pretend I am part of the group to get the discounts... Maybe it's better that I don't know anyone to go with - I can save some money!

And last but not least, here is my PICTURE OF THE DAY. This Japanese Maple sits right outside my scraproom window. It's leaves are browning and starting to fall off, which is a sign that cold weather is coming. By the time November rolls around, it is COMPLETELY bare and looks like Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree. But once the cold moves and the sun starts beating down, its leaves come right back out - red and orange and burgundy and wine. I love this tree. We are planning to landscape our front lawn area and my only stipulation was that I get to keep this tree!

Have a great weekend!!!