just tell me to RELAX...and BREATHE

happy crafty stuff

ooooh!  that's what I said to myself when I saw all this gorgeous fabric at the cute little knitting and fabric shop Stash, located in downtown Castle Rock, CO.  The colors were happy and vibrant, and they really helped lift my mood.  So I bought them.  Big plans to make them into SOMETHING some day soon.

And did I mention that same day I happened to impulsively sign myself up for a knitting class?  Oh yes I did.  Dear, sweet Crystal at Stash spent 2 hours with me last Tuesday teaching me how to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off.  By Tuesday night I'd gotten my first little project hopelessly jammed up and had to start over.  Over 3 Amigas weekend I knitted up my first little project (after many stops and starts, and with some assistance from DJ's stepmom Patsy via phone), a scarf for Ripley...

I think she likes it.

Project 2 is well under way.  Not sure who it's for yet, so can't post it without potentially ruining the "surprise".

Another something fun to share as a sneak peek for my friend Melissa...

Amazingly beautiful family to scrapbook -- thank you Melissa for trusting me with your memories!

OK, one more to share, but I can't take an ounce of credit for it.  This was ALL Ripley.  Last week we called to talk with Lucie, Ripley's former daycare lady, who we love dearly and haven't seen since May.  Our hope was to stop by to see her and the other kiddos before we went to school for the afternoon.  That was not to be, as Lucie informed us she had swine flu.  Yike! 

Rip decided to make her a card...

Yes, that's our Rip. 

Hope everyone is having a happy (and maybe crafty) day.
 
  

Today is going to be a GREAT DAY

 

Holy cow!  I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted...where has the summer gone?

This is my circle journal that I've been madly (but passionately) working on these past few weeks.  I'm dropping it off at Houston's tomorrow since I'm late in sending it off (deadline was Saturday - yike).  I'll post more of it soon...

AND I will start posting some other stories and pictures from these past few months.  Sorry bloggy world for being such a delinquent!  I've missed you all!

time out for Shrinky Dinks

Yes, Shrinky Dinks.  Those fabulous little plastic-y creations that you remember (or not) from the 70s.  They go into the oven as flimsy little papery pieces and come out only moments later as litty-bitty hard plastic trinkets.  Rip and I have been talking about shrinkin' and dinkin' for weeks, and I've probably owned the shrink film (purchased at JoAnn Fabric) for almost a year.  Nothing like getting right on a project.

Well, yesterday we declared it to be Shrinky Dink Day.  Here are our masterpieces, drawn with colored pencils and cut out with scissors.  We hole-punched a few too.

 

Now they are headed into the oven for the shrinkin'...

 

Oh WOW!  Rip can barely contain herself!

 

...and in a matter of seconds, those dinks are already curling up, right before our very eyes!

 

And WA La!  Cooked dinks in a total of 2 minutes.  Look how cute they are...

 

So immediately after this photo, R grabbed up her dinks and ran.  No further photo op for her dinks, but here are mine.  Seriously tiny little things.

 

 

Too much fun.  And you might be asking, what will you DO with your finished dinks?  Great question, I answer.  I'm thinking they could work as fun little embellies on some mini albums.  Now, where did I put my glue dots...

a sneak peek for Melissa..."The Princess Turns 2" crown album

I've been dying to show this to Melissa....the completed crown album!

 

This is the front cover of her daughter Bella's birthday album.

 

...and the back cover.  Isn't she so stinkin' cute? 

December Daily album

Wow, it's almost March and I've ALREADY (ha ha) finished my December Daily album!  You can see it on the left-hand side of this main blog page under Photo Albums or click on this link.  WARNING:  I did all 31 days of December, so there are a LOT of pictures.  Sorry.

week in the life

It's complete (finally!) and you can see it here or by clicking on the 2008 Week in the Life album on the left hand side of the main page of my blog under Photo Albums. 

I'm off to Disneyland, but I hope to be blogging during our trip, so check back!

back to being SCRAPPY

  (I'm still playing catch up from the past week, so bare with me...)

 

Use those scraps!  Everyone laughs at me for saving all those little bitty pieces from my scrap projects, but I usually have a plan for them...

 

I figured this would be an easy project for us during my recuperation.  Little did I know that Rip would just disappear half way through, leaving me to finish the trees on my own.  It was still a good time while it lasted.

 

Later that same day, Rip decided to write her Santa letter...

 

I hope Santa has his special secret decoder ring to make this out...Santa, if you are reading this, R asked for a baby crib and high chair for Baby Ana, her elephant. 

a productive weekend

 

...it was SUCH a great scrap weekend!  I just didn't want it to end.  I completed my entire Week in the Life album (44 pages!) except for the journaling, which I hope to get to during my tonsillectomy recovery (?).  We'll see.  I also finished all of the assembly for my December Daily album and even did a few layouts for my big book.  I hope to get pictures up on the site one of these days.

So, I'm off to have my tonsils removed, and if I'm blogging in the next 10 days I will probably be a little hazy due to pain meds and pain.  Please take anything I might blog during that time with a grain of salt!

off I go...

 

...for three glorious days of scrappin' with the gals.  We filled the house (10) so it will be fun and cheap!  I'm hoping to knock out the rest of my December Daily album (I am to Day 26 or so), Week in the Life, and then a bunch of layouts for my general album.  AND I am going to overindulge on food, wine, and fun since I just found out that I'll be having my tonsils removed on Tuesday.  Wow, the fun never ends!

Have a great weekend!

thankful

I am so thankful for the company of family and good friends this Thanksgiving.  Because we have such a small family (I am an only child and an only grandchild on my mom's side), we are able to handpick some of our family members, and many years ago we added Stephanie Bowers (now Hannigan) to the mix.  We are all so lucky to have Stephanie and her family in our lives.  She lives here in Corpus where my grandmother lives, and she takes amazing care of Meme in our absence.  She and her husband Casey are amazing friends and are such a blessing in our lives.

 

I am also so thankful for my little girl who likes to do crafty things with me, like this Thankful book.  Last year the three of us worked on the Thankful book together (only because James ended up bailing on his race Thanksgiving morning and got stuck scrapbooking with us).  I typed up all the things Rip listed and she did all of the gluing.

This year, Rip wrote out all of the words on her own, glued down pages and journaling, took most of the pictures with her own camera and cut out the pictures and journaling with decorative scissors.

 

She is so proud of the end result.  The book traveled with us to TX so that she could pass it around the Thanksgiving dinner table.  Meme (my grandmother), LaLa and Fwey all ended up on Ripley's list, and they got a kick out of seeing their pictures in the book.

I am thankful for a sweet, patient husband, who also happens to be a great father and wonderful friend.  He is kind and thoughtful with my family and friends.  Who could ask for more?

I am thankful for Ralphie, our puppy of almost 13 years.  He almost died on the operating table 5 1/2 years ago when his gallbladder burst, and I feel we were very lucky to have had him in our lives all of those years since.  In the last few weeks, he has taken to sleeping all night on the bed next to me, and I just love the warmth of his little 17 pounds near me.

I am thankful for my camera, and the opportunity to capture important parts of my life. 

I am thankful for art and words, and the time to create and enjoy both.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and had the chance to count your blessings.