Sunday, November 25, 2012

December 1st Class Update

I just wanted to send out a reminder to everyone that is signed up for my Santa's List Canvas class next Saturday (2-5pm). I need to have your Santa's List names by tomorrow if you want a personalized list on your canvas. If I don't have your names you will still be able to make the project, you will just have a blank list.
 
I hope you all had a GREAT Thanksgiving Weekend !
Till we meet again. . . .

Monday, November 19, 2012

How Was YOUR Weekend?

I had a great weekend - a little busy, but fun.
Friday I taught my MM Friday's With Marta Class. This month we made the Santa's Magic Key canvas. They all turned out so great - Good Job Ladies!
 
I always bring M&M's to class with me on Fridays and this time I got a little carried away and made these little cornucopias to hold the M&M's. The ladies seemed to like them and they just looked a little more festive than just a fun sized pack on the table.
 Last night I finished up the girls' Christmas skirts (just in time to go see Santa tomorrow).
 The one above is Bug's little skirt with matching panties
And the one below is Monkey's with the Cinderella swoops and bows.
 Our Christmas tree finally bit the dust and we had to buy a new one this year. I had a hard time finding a "fat" tree this year, they are all so skinning now. But anyhoo, I finally got a tree and got a good deal on it. Saturday I got it all set up so the family can decorate it after dinner on Thursday. I also hung my new stockings that I made - they just look so pretty!
 I even got some gifts wrapped! I am done with my shopping except for Gary (YIPPEE) and I had no place to hide the Girls' gifts so that they would not see them on Thursday so I had to start wrapping!
There's TONS to get done this week before Thanksgiving but I just wanted to pop in and say hi before the mayhem begins! I wish you all a blessed week with good food, good friends, healthy family and lots and lots i things to be thankful for!!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
Till we meet again. . .

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

It's Finally Ready!!!

For those of you that signed up for my Dec 1st Christmas Canvas at The Occasional Artist (without even knowing what it would be - brave souls!) I have finally gotten the sample finished and here it is. . .
 
 
What do you think? Are you still gonna stay signed up? The sample will be in the store on Friday afternoon for anyone that wants to see it in real life. You know I am in love with subway art these days and I thought it would be fun to add that element to the canvas. We will also be using a product we have not used in class yet - I hope you will enjoy that. And of course you are gonna get your hands dirty so come prepared!
If you are taking this class and want your canvas personalized with your own family, friends or pets name on Santa's list I will need you to email me with your names (maximum of 10 first names) by November 24th. Otherwise your list will be blank.
I hope you are all having a great week!
Till we meet again. . .

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Celebrations & Creations

Boy, has there been a lot going on around here! There has been several dental appointments (and more to come). A few celebrations. A few new creations. And a bunch of "life stuff". So I am popping in tonight with lots of pictures, a short tutorial, and a bunch of stories. So grab a drink and a snack
 
Let's start off tonight with some new creations.
 
No, I did not make this but it sure did inspire me! While I was still putting my new studio together I saw this on Pinterest and thought it was a pretty cool idea and definitely in my budget! So I started saving cans (we do not use many can goods and even fewer can goods with pull top lids!) and finally have enough to get started.
 
This is my version - mine is not as "pretty" but "pretty" doesn't really work in my studio. But this grungy, black & brown, typeset & stripes & polka dots DOES work in my studio!
 
 Just in case you are curious, this is how I made it. It was lots of fun to do and I didn't spend a dime making it! It all came out of my stash! I love projects like that!!!

So, you want to start off with a wooden lazy susan (mine is about 12 years old and left over from our old house and has lived in the garage for a couple of years now) and some cans in diffents sizes (I used 9 cans on mine)
 Paint your cans with some spray paint in your fav color - I of course used black.
 While your cans are drying, take your lazy susan apart and paint it. I used craft paints (in black of course)
 Once my craft paint was dry I randomly sanded some of the paint off and then I used a clear varnish to seal it. Once the varnish is dry, but the lazy susan back together.
 Then I decorated my cans using matte medium & scrapbook papers. I also added some trims and other goodies once the matte medium dried.
 Then I tapped a small hole in the center of each can's bottom so that I could get a screw through it. Then I used the glue gun to just secure the cans to the lazy susan. Once the glue was dry I used a screwdriver to screw the cans to the lazy susan (use 1/2 inch or shorter screws)
 Once it is all screwed together you are ready to fill it all up with your tools etc.
 I started my tool caddy about noon today and once I was finished I was ready to tackle another project! So I decided it was finally time to take care of my stamp pad box. I have wanted to do something with since I first moved into this new studio. But I just never knew what I wanted to do to it. (It is a cigar box with 4 sections in it that Kathie gave me - THANKS Kathie!!!!)
 Today I decided what I wanted to do with it! So I painted it, sanded it, cover part of it with scrapbook paper and then varnished it. Ta-Da!!! It was done in about 2 hours. And I love it!!!
 Here you can see both of my "Today Projects" together. They of course match and they look GREAT in my room!

Next I will tell you about some of the Celebrations we have been having Around here!
 
The last weekend of October we got to have a slumber party with the girls. This is the 1st time Bug has ever spent the night at our house! Mama & Papa had a "grown-up" Halloween party to go to so we got to have a little party here with the girls. They were great fun and in the morning Grandpa got up and made breakfast complete with pancakes, eggs and fried taters! Gary is the breakfast chef at our house, not me.
 Then of course a few days later was Halloween for everyone. So the whole family met at our house after work & school for a yummy dinner and then trick-or-treating with all of our friends in the neighborhood. Here are my Favorite Four Girls all dressed up in their costumes.

 Lizzy was Mickey Mouse (not Minnie) and Richard was (begrudgingly) Goofy


Monkey and Bug went as "Jewel Sparkle" (a LaLa Loopsey Doll). I got to make their costumes this year. and I have already been asked to make Little Mermaid costumes (complete with fins) for next year. I don't think so. . .  
 
The girls were soooo excited to go get their candy!
 
 The next day we got to go to school to celebrate! My Bug got to be student of the Month!!!! YEAH (insert loud applause here). She is doing so well in kindergarten and I am just so proud!
They had an assembly (and let family come) to give out the awards. They got a nice metal, a certificate and some coupons for local goodies. It was a fun time and she was so proud to show all of us her metal when the assembly was over.
 Monkey had a big cheering section, parents, grandparents, great grandparent and sister. I am so glad I get to be such an active part of her life and get to be there for all o these special moments.


We also celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary the day before Halloween. We have Bible study on Tuesday nights so we didn't go out or dinner or anything but he did buy me red roses. It was funny, when my Mom saw them she walked back to her room to see if she had gotten roses too (which she had not). You see Gary is so sweet, he always buys my Mom roses too when he buys me roses. But obviously not or our anniversary. Mom had just forgotten what the day was. She was embarrassed when she told me she had looked for "her flowers". I of course had to tell Gary this, one because it was funny. And two, because it is just so sweet that Gary's flowers mean that much to her.
This week was my birthday and o course Gary bought me roses again. But this time he bought roses for my Mom also. He told her it was to thank her for having me. I just love this guy!!!! So here are Mom's and my birthday roses.
I hope you enjoyed catching up with me and I hope you have been having as much fun as we have been having! Enjoy the rest of your week and we will chat soon.
Till we meet again. . . .