Sunday, February 15, 2009

Studio Sunday

Yeppers, that is where I spent my Sunday! I have new papers to play with, a class tomorrow evening, and no one was home but the dogs. So it's only natural that I take the day to play and create. Although in actuality, I should have been cleaning and taking care of other things. Oh Well. . .I didn't and I am over the guilt just that quickly!
So here is some of what I did today. . .
This is made with the new Graphic 45 Fashionista papers - LOVE THEM!!!! It is a sewn accordian book with a cover band to keep it all together when it is closed. "I am Woman hear me Roar!" has no room for pictures or writing. Instead it is just a fun little quote book to showcase some of my favorite "Women" quotes. (In case you didn't know, I love quotes) You can click on the picture to see it all opened up.
Lately I have been giving away a door prize at my classes. It is just a fun little thing I want to do to say "thank you". So many of the ladies that are in my classes have taken lots of my classes and I just feel so honored that they are willing to give up their time and money to take my classes. The prizes have ranged from kits from past classes, blank books and even one of my class samples. Here you can see the prize for tomorrow's class (Monumental & Mundane) I made up a Basic Grey bracket album with my favorite collection of papers that BG made. It's called "12 Things you might not know about me". Of course there is a ton of ink and lots of stamping in this little chipboard book. I wish I had the time to make one for everyone in the class. So, Good Luck Girls, I hope you win! Well that is all of the creativity that happened in my studio. The rest of what happened was all work stuff, packing up for my class, cleaning up the HUGE mess I made today and some computer work.
While I am showing you all the stuff that came out of my studio today, I have to show you what was created in here in an hour on Thursday. . . .


This is the Valentine Lizzy made for Richard. She came in here to try to make a card using small playing cards and was having troubles, so I suggested making a ring book using some of my jumbo cards and pictures of them together. She loved the idea and just grabbed this and that and went to town and made this adorable card book for him. I love how free she is when she creates - so not her anal rententive Mom!

Well, that's about all of the news I have today. I hope you are all having a great weekend and that you get tomorrow off too! Happy Birthday George and Abe!!!!!!!!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy Birthday To Me. . .

Okay, so today is NOT really my birthday . . .
But it feels like it!!!!!!!

I have in my hot little hands a ton of the new Graphic 45 papers!
That's right, they're here. So run, don't walk to The Creative Quest to get yours before I swoop it all up!
Stay tuned - lots of creating gonna be going on now!
Well, I am beat and heading off to bed. I hope you all enjoyed your Valentine's Day!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

I Couldn't Wait!!!

That's right. . I couldn't wait! I just finished my 1st cloth book. It was just a practice book but I wanted to practice adding photos, text and embellishments as well as constructing the book. So I made this one to give to my friend that just had her 1st baby. I lucked out and didn't have to go to the store for anything. The fabric was left over from Monkey's quilt , and I am not sure why but I had some iron on transfer sheets in my studio. It was a fun process, made some mistakes, but I learned quite a bit and maybe soon I will start on the one I really want to make. Click on the picture to see the inside.
These are TERRIBLE pictures, but I had to post them. Monkey was being especially loving for just a few minutes yesterday. We were home alone so I had to capture the moment myself, one handed and without looking through the veiwfinder.



After the kisses came hugs - Man I LOVE this little Monkey!
Have a great weekend and watch out for black cats, cracks in the sidewalk, and don't open any umbrellas inside today!!!!!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

What a Beautiful Day!

Gary called me this morning to let me know that our rains yesterday had produced snow on the mountains. Lots of chores and errands today but that didn't stop me from getting pictures of the snow capped mountains. I took my camera on my errands with me and I pulled over several times to take pictures. Here is one I took as I was arriving home this afternoon.

While I was out and about today I swung by Creative Quest, okay who am I kidding. . . I drove the 27mi one way to go to the Polish restraunt next door to get my pretzle fix taken care of. But since I drove that far I had to pop in and say hi to Kathie and see what was going on. While I was there I found 2 new books I just had to have. If you love to make handmade books the way I do, you will want at least one if not both of these books. For about 6mo or so I have been wanting to make a cloth book. But I just have not been able to figure out all of the "mechanics" to do the book I want to make. Then I found "Fabric Art Journals" today and that was it for me!!!! I cannot wait to start one. I already have it all planned out in my head! I will be making it out of my Mom's and my wedding dresses and including photos from our weddings and Bryanna's wedding and I will tell the story of the ring bearer pillow from Bryanna's wedding (it was made from both of our dresses too). The other book - "Bookcraft" is a great book too. It is full of step by step instructions on different binding techniques. It is a great resource to add to your library. I just love a great new book. Soon both of these will be full of post-its and highlighter marks.
Speaking of books. . . Mom is going to the Visiting Nurses Book Sale pre-sale tomorrow. I wish I was allowed to go too. But I have put in my request of books I want this year. I am asking for old dictionaries this time. I hope she finds some cool ones for me!


This weekend I did a maternity shoot and had a blast. I took a ton of photos of her and her husband. I hope they will be happy with them when they see them. This is just one that I took and played around with.
Well, it is getting late and I still have a ton to get done before I go to bed. Gotta be alert in the morning, I have Monkey all by myself tomorrow.
Have a GREAT DAY!!!!!!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Just Another Day. . .

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great day today - I did. I spent my day with my best friend & husband, Gary, my Daughters and my granddaughter! Gary has this whole week off (for recovery and goofing off) and Liz didn't have to go to work until 3pm today. And of course Monkey is always here during the day. Gary has really enjoyed getting to spend so much time with her this week. Today they took a feild trip to Safeway to buy milk. They came back about an hour later - without the milk! But they had fun - that's all that matters. While they were out together I got a quick education on the "fine" tv show "The Girls Next Door" by my youngest daughter, who I fould out has the whole season on DVD. Although I really can't say I enjoyed the show, I loved hanging out with Lizzy in her room for an hour or so.




In case you are wondering, this is what my sweet little monkey looks like after spending the day with her grampa. . . .




That would be his hat on her head and chocolate ice cream all over her face and belly. Not what she typically looks like when it is just us girls at home, but I have to say I think she is stinkin' adorable all disheaveled! Boy does she love him!!!! It just thrills me to watch the two of them together!




I had to take her to meet her Mommy at the Drs office today so she did get all cleaned up finally. As we were walking back to do "bubbles" I grabbed my camera - just had a feeling she would do something cute today. I was RIGHT! I was so happy I followed my instincts on this one. She has the most expressive face and lately has come up with several new faces. Each one means something different and today in the tub she was willing to share just about all of them. You gotta click on this photo to see it bigger. MAN, is she CUTE!!!!!!


I really wish I had followed my instincts after her bath and had taken my camera to the Drs. I actually faught my conscience over this, and finally decided it was not neccessary. Boy was I wrong!!!! Another lesson learned - Always listen to that inner voice!


Poor baby girl got FOUR shots at the Dr today. She was really hurting after them today so Mommy & I took her to Walgreens across the street afterward t get a "prize". We were there about 45 mins letting her pick her toy. Even though she was hurting and kinda sad it was a good time. It allowed me some time with my oldest daughter. And that is always a good thing in my book. I love seeing my girls all grown up and I am so proud of them. But I must say I sorta miss having them with me everyday - waking up with them there and going to bed, knowing they are safe under the same roof as me.




On a different subject - here is the latest book I created. I have a lot of ideas running around in my head right now. Most of them are things I have never tried before so I am just using up some of my stash to experiment with. I have always loved this paper line by Daisy-D. If you click on it you can see the inside of the book.
I didn't take this photo today, but I did take it this week and just delivered the CD to the proud parents. Our friends and neighbors just had their first baby 2 weeks ago - isn't she beautiful! I took photos of her Mom during her pregnancy on the same day of each month in the same outfit. The funny thing is this little angel came on what should have been our last photo day of her pregnancy! Unfortunately I was not able to get a photo that day.

This weekend I will be doing a photo shoot with my neice that is due in a little over a month. Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed that the weather holds up for us. It is supposed to be cold and rainy this weekend.

Well, that is all of my ramblings for tonight. Make it a good one tomorrow! And keep your camera handy - you just never know. . .

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Just a Quickie. . .

I wanted to post some pictures and stuff today - but now it is late and I am tired. But before I crawl into bed I wanted to thank everyone for their prayers for Gary. His surgery went well and so is his recovery. But not because he is doing anything to help! The man is NOT a typical man and does not like to be babied or take it easy when he is sick/hurt. On our way home from the hospital, still high on anesthesia, he had to stop at Starbucks for coffee goodness. The nurses said he could have coffee, but I don't think they meant all of this milk, whipped cream and sugar! After Starbucks he wanted to stop at Walgreens to get his meds, reasonable enough, they have a drive-thru. NO. . . he wants to go in and walk around!!!!!! Crazy man. By the time we got home he was hurtin'! After a light lunch and some percoset, he was feeling better, which translates into getting up and overdoing some more! This morning was no different - yard work, taking Monkey for a walk. Then, wait till you hear this one. . . .He goes out and works out with his weights! The hospital called to check up on him while he was out there. They were NOT impressed! Once he finished this foolishness he was in the house and SICK! A quick nap and feeling a bit better means "Let's Go"! So he and Monkey head up to get his truck worked on, go out to lunch and walk around the shopping center for 3 hours while they wait for his truck to get finished. Guess what - that's right - he was not feeling so great! Lots of pain and feeling worn out. He was in bed by 6pm - not to stay but in bed none the less. There was a couple of dart games around 8:30. But thankfully he has been sleeping ever since. Hopefully tomorrow he will try to rest and not try to be superman!
His strength has always been what makes me love him so I guess I should not be surprised at all of this.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Today is THE DAY!!!!

So who will win the BIG game tonight????
Who are you hoping will win?????
The Cardinals?
The Steelers?
By tonight we will have the answer
See ya after the game!
But first you gotta watch this video - Such talented kids!