Christmas cheer...

Merry Christmas!!!

This Christmas day is finding Jim & I hanging out at home with Story and the cats. {Technically 1 cat, because Daisy will still not venture into the living room, near Story} Jim's chemo makes him feel crappy a lot of the time, so he stayed home with me, instead of going to his sisters. It's just a quiet day everywhere! Not so bad when you gotta work the next day though. hehe

As promised, here is the last of my Christmas cards. This one goes out to my east coast friend, Maria, who is one amazing dog lover and spends LOTS of time finding homes for needy pups. If I lived anywhere near her, I am afraid there would be no Story, I'd want to adopt all the dogs she posts on Facebook. Maria's dog-walker, partner in crime is Cindy! {mom to a house full of Yorkies...like my Niki} You girls are a true inspiration and the meaning of a giving heart.   :)

Here is a Stampin' UP throw back in time... Loads of Love and if you look really closely, the little dog at the back of the truck is Story. haha I have kept very few Stampin' UP sets, but this one was always a favorite and I bought the expansion set, so it's great for more occasions. 

I have some mixed media pieces to share but the photos still need downloading and I gotta get my kielbasa in the oven and get dinner moving along. 

Be back soon! Hope Santa was good to everyone!!!!

sunday morning sampling...

Good morning! Since the days are getting so close to Christmas, I gotta keep sharing my cards and holiday mixed media projects. {ok, the mixed media projects are snowmen, so they aren't just for Christmas!}

But here are some cards that I gave to friends at work, first up is a digi image from Saturated Canary.

Honestly, don't know what her name is, she just looked perfect for a zombie lovin' friend. I really made the surround of her eyes dark, for that reason. 'PEACE' was the portions cut out from my Silhouette machine. When you need multiple layers to complete an image, you use lots of colors and have plenty left overs. When you see the next card, you'll see what I'm talking about. hehe

This is my only non colored card this year. I saw this bulb as an image to buy in the Silhouette online store, and I purchased it. I cut it out three times, three colors. I was able to use all three of the 'PEACE' words. This is popped up with scrapdots, so it's not flat.

For two of my friend at work I made winter canvases. They are in the style of Christy Tomlinson's 'She Art Girls'.

This was my first snowman, 'happy', he's on a 6"x12" canvas. 

I also made 'sweet' and she's in bright colors and a thick square canvas.

I wanted to get them with their heads turned, looking up. I keep getting more and more used to the shabby process and as I go along, the latest is always my favorite. lol 

I still have at least one more card, and more projects, so I'll see ya tomorrow!!

Thanks for dropping in.  

:)

thinking of you...BellaRIFFIC Friday 'special edidtion'...

Happy BellaRIFFIC Friday!!  haha, you haven't heard me say that in a while, huh! Well, todays BellaRIFFIC Friday is kinda a 'special edition' day. The Babes were to have this week off and then decided to share a 'Thinking of You' project.... These past couple of weeks, last weeks horrible shootings, I've been thinking about a LOT of people. 

Today's project is way bigger than a card that can be put into any standard envelope. I had to get to the post office and get a BIG one. Remember this huge cards that sat in the isles of stores, in stand up display cases because they were just about as big as a dishwasher? {I think maybe they were most popular at Valentine's Day??} This is somewhat the little sister of those...lol.

My first thought was these sweet 'Pixies' from Stamping Bella, flying and layered all together. My second thought, after that first one, was...um, three are kinda in the same direction and that wasn't gonna work...so began the large card. The sentiment is my own handwriting, thanks to taking 'Lettering Love' from Joann Sharpe...I feel free to just let my handwriting go and add the thick/thin areas bring it to life. {or at least balance it all out in a way I like it}

One think that is slightly different from what I popped in the mail, to what you are seeing here. I made the little heart on the banner, darker. When I pulled the whole project back, it was just too light and faded into the patterned paper. I made the heart glossy with Glossy Accents from Ranger, so I thought I could shade the heart with my Pitt Pen markers. Nope. I didn't like that look, so I cut out a darker heart. 

I added LOTS of swirly glitter, how much is too much? Is there ever enough? hehe

I sent my Pixies flying away with a HUGE hug and this was officially my last colored thing for a few days.

Don't forget to head on over to Emily's blog HERE, to see what the 'real' Bella BABES have in store for ya. 

I'll be back tomorrow with a few more Christmas cards AND...more mixed media projects that I gave as gifts.    :)

Have great day!!

mixed media madness and more cards...

Hey there! I am in full on DIY crafting, holiday mode. Oh my!! Why are we not being shown awesome projects in July, August...September?? Here I am taking an online '12 Artsy Ornaments' class and today I am running to Salvation Army...going through sweaters...looking for wool. {or at least anything that's at least 75% wool} I did run across a Santa ornament from Hallmark, circa 1976. I love him...still stored in the package with a little hook. Guess how much... $1.00!

I am making paperclay nesting doll ornaments too. There are lightbulbs inside these, paperclay wrapped around, then painted. I didn't put a metal loop into these two girls...they are going to sit, and they are at their new homes tonight. I hit the dollar store for more lightbulbs, on the way to the Salvation Army. 

Check out the last two cards I have done from the Purple Onion Designs, Stacey Yacula line. The first one is 'Jingle Bells'...

Soft creams and blues, plus LOTS of glitter! I always loved square cards and round cards, so here is a nice combo of the two. I colored with pencils and gamsol, in case ya didn't know.  

The next card is a total CASE of Linda's card, that I was lovin'. See Linda's card HERE.

Yeah, I used different papers and added PEACE, which was cut from my Silhouette SD, as was the tree. It's all very popped up and I used my ScrapDots to do that job. The little penguin's name is 'Filbert' and he is over at Purple Onion Designs. 

Last but not least...check out my 3x3 canvas ornaments...I have 5 more on my kitchen table, ready for girls. 

I am having fun creating and thinking about creating, while I'm at work. lol

See ya friday...for a blast from the past...I am doing BellaRIFFIC Friday at Stamping Bella. It's a special edition BellaRIFFIC Friday.    :)

put a little green into your holidays...

Good morning! yep, I'm up early, trying to get some crafting space cleared from my messy desk. I succeeded, else I wouldn't be able to get to my laptop..lol.

I was watching some HGTV Christmas specials, that I dvr'd, and it dawned on me...I need to get a post going with some cards or I'll be sharing Christmas cards into 2013. {nah, I don't want to look at them then, either!}

I have a Mo Manning digi to show you, and I who knows why I picked this for the holidays...well, the color scheme.

Her name is 'Teen Fairy Pia' and she made me think of Tinkerbell, who always hangs on our tree. Maybe that's where the green holiday dress comes in? But...I have always been partial to red heads, so Tink was just the inspiration. 

I colored her with my prismacolor pencils and used a piece of paper that is from Memory Box. I am telling you, I seriously am not buying any new paper until my stash starts to run low...gonna be a long time. hehe I love Pia's flouncy ruffled skirt, so that got lots of glitter. The tiny 'joy' comes from a Memory Box set of acrylic stamps. This card is flat, sadly, I wanted to add a big, bright green bow...but I was mailing her out and we all know how that goes. 

In keeping with a green theme...check out this little elf...

Yes, she is set to arrive in soon in another mailbox, not too far from me. Oh, man....when I spied her at Archivers, I had to get her. If she isn't full of Christmas cheer, I don't know what is!

She is from Art Impressions and Archivers carries a nice assortment of these stamps now.

I ended up sending her twice...reminds me of the days when Jim and I worked BINGO. Those ladies not only had good luck charms all across their tables, they also decorated themselves. Some even thought bra's were optional at their age. I've decided, outside the home...they aren't. lol.

ok, be back soon, promise..I am still working on mixed media stuff and will share that and more cards. {gotta get a few more cards finished!!}

Here is Story, last night, laying in the hallway while I cleaned off my desk. enjoy your day...

   

 

 

caution...art in progress...

Would you believe I have so many projects sitting in some sort of finishing stage...and still not finished! lol

I do! I bet I'm not the only one, but where did last week go? I colored a little, sewed a group of cards up, still need to pull out the Vagabond for some embossed pieces...but time flew. Alas, I have a couple small square cards to share. and...I 'm gonna show you what I did last night, with my friend Dana.  :)

Here is little 'Holly', a stocking headed mouse, waiting for Santa. or mischief? He's another piece to the Stacey Yacula set at Purple Onion Designs. Can you tell I tried to not make this so smack-dab-in-the-middle. I know it's not traditional in color, but I wanted a soft mauve-y cap and there was no Christmas paper in my stash this color. {my stash is so small these days...I didn't buy any new holiday paper}

Next, I have a Mo Manning digi image, from way back, sitting on my computer...

Someone I work with, like pink/aqua, so this is for her. It was supposed to be a single layer card, but my 'merry Christmas' sentiment was just ever so slightly off. It drove me NUTS. But, I love this simple sewn tag look, so I won't throw in the towel. haha

What I played with last night, was some mixed media goodness. I bought a pack of 9 chunky canvases from Michael's {50% off}...

Dana made one for herself, my 3, so I have 5 more to finish! These are 3"x3", I also have some 2"x2" thin canvases, that will be turned into ornaments. This is not my artistic idea...these are inspired from taking Christy Tomlinson's 'She Art' classes and Junelle Jacobson's ornament class from 2011. My artsy friend Ann-Marie took the '12 Artsy Ornaments 2011' class, and sent me one of her ornaments. Kinda She Art-meets winter! Last night we just played and cut paper and hats.

Today, I am heading over to Michaels to return some and take Story to see Santa at Petsmart. Then, dinner out at an amazing Italian place for Jordan's birthday. 

fa la la la laaaaaaa

Here's a shot of my 4 month old pony, rolling on my bedroom floor.

 

laurel, the reindeer...

The tree is finally decorated, tree skirt under the tree {not tied}, in case some puppy decides to pull on it. I am waiting to see if Pebbles lays under the tree this year, like all the past years. lol. Niki never bother her, but sometimes she is just toooo tempting for Story not to chase her. Please, just NOT under the tree. 

Today is the last official day of the Purple Onion Designs S.A.L.E. 25% off is a great deal and I love that you can buy just the images you want. I'm here to tempt you one last time, with 'Laurel', possibly the cutest deer I have ever seen.

I did a little something here, that I don't do much, cutting out the image. Since I have gotten back into coloring, I just want to try different things, since I no longer have the same old - same old, stuck in my head. 

Today I called Linda, told her about a project I saw on one of my favorite 'crafty' blogs....Eighteen25. We both talked about doing a post today, another to-do for sunday. I told her i was posting my 'Laurel', she said she colored hers up...I suggested we both post her today. I am excited...I don't know what she's done with hers yet. {but I am sure I'll kick myself when I do, lol} So, when you're done here, click on Linda's blog, HERE and see our versions of this cute reindeer.

I have a Williams-Sonoma recipe stew cooking and I am working on painting some canvases. Quiet day today, just me and puppy. I pulled my boxes of Christmas cards down, ready to write out...man, not sure I am in the mood. Are you sending out cards??

Off to get paint on my hands! See you soon!

crafty weekend & purple onion sale continues...

Lets try this again, shall we? I had a perfectly lovely post all ready to show you last night and I hit the wrong 'back' arrow on my blog, instead of another page I was also looking at. Not good. Poof went my 30 minutes or so, of typing and it was 9 pm...which happens to be my tired & cranky & ready for bed time. 

First up, I wanna share another Purple Onion Designs image..or two. Don't forget to check out their blog for more samples of the new holiday line & take advantage of 25% off  until Dec. 2. Just follow the link HERE for the info.

These three stockings are by the artist Stacey Yacula, and they are from her new holiday line, at Purple Onion Designs {POD}. I feel in love with Stacey's style back in the spring, when I was asked to be a guest DT at POD. Remember those cute bunnies & the frog? I was so excited to catch Stacey's post on Facebook, about this holiday line.    :)

'Stockings' is colored in a very limited red/green/beige. I usually go nuts and nothing matches, I don't think. This time I wanted traditional colors for some very old timey socks. Now I look at it and think...is this to matchy-matchy? haha

Now, meet Elwood, more Stacey Yacula, for Purple Onion Designs. He's the elf who is like me and doesn't always do matchy-matchy. Look at those blue mittens! What was he {I mean 'I'} thinking. A little splash of color doesn't hurt and I bet ya'll didn't even notice that, did you? You can be honest, there is still time for me to change those babies to a deep red shade.

Both Elwood & the stockings are colored with my prismacolor pencils, blended with gamsol and the papers I used come from last years 'Holiday Style' from October Afternoon. It was a pad I picked up after I was done making last years cards. I love that musical paper behind this lil guy!

This weekend was official kick off to the holidays and I did get out to the mall, did a little visiting and got crafty with my Silhouette SD machine. SO crafty, I even pulled out some dark brown vinyl and cut this out...

Slightly wonky, kinda like me. I put it on the front door and then didn't mess with it. Have a drink or two and you won't notice it's not perfect. Then I cut out this...

I swear the sizes were all the same when I cut these three letters out...why does that 'Y' look a wee but smaller. Guess what, I think I am moving this to a vertical position somewhere... This one is driving me nuts. 

Lastly, I will leave you a picture I took of Story, yesterday. He looked up at me and I could eat him up. In a good way. 

woof, see ya soon!

a purple onion christmas...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!  I can't say that the couple of days leading up to the turkey, were stress free... we still have Jim's car sitting with a doughnut on it, but we are surviving here. Fingers crossed, Jim gets his car in for repair and I get my car back, later today. Until then, the doughnut car is gonna get me to the mall this morning.  :)

I have been working on cards for my friends. At Christmas, they have come to expect them, lol, and the handmade variety. I, being the crazy person I am, thought that I could still get this done this year. It's been a chore, dragging larger stuff out to the kitchen table, like the sewing machine and my Vagabond. My new crafting desk will never be able to have the room for these tools now. I will spare you the panic story about thinking I'd never find my Scrap Dots, pop dots and my adhesive stash. {I finally did!}

So, if you remember in the spring, I made some cards using images from Purple Onion Designs, by an artist named Stacey Yacula. Oh my gosh...Stacey is at it again, with some freaking adorable winter friends. {I just happened to be on Facebook one night, there they were.} I was in LOVE. 

I made my first three cards and finished them up last week...working on four more, even today...after the turkey went into the oven. Here's a look at Santa...

He is very traditional with his long red wool coat. {ok, in my mind it's wool} I added some stripes to his mittens because I wanted to work in the colors of the paper. For most of the cards I will share with you...I used a pad of October Afternoon paper from last year, called 'Holiday Style'.

Would you believe me if I told you my bow making is very rusty. lol. My fingers are a little picky at the tips and fussing with ribbon is not a smooth process. I even pulled out my EZ bow maker last night.

Santa needs friends and here is Berry..

He is all glittered up in a patch of soft snow {which is actually crushed glass}. Again, I kept with the same paper pad and I am loving the kraft/turquoise combo.

Both cards are colored in pencil, using my gamsol to blend. Now, the BEST thing about these images, just in case you think they are as irresistible as I do...Purple Onion Designs is having a Sale!

25% off  until Dec. 2, and Michele, the awesome owner, will be sure to have LOTS of samples from her talented design team. Plus, Linda got some of these images too and you can get bonus inspiration from her.

Linda has been busy making cards for her mom, so that's what inspired me to pull out the pencils.

The cuteness doesn't end there...check out Story, at 14 weeks...

Umm, I have more cards to finish and you might wanna go shop!!  See ya soon, thanks for dropping by!

thank a vet...

Today is Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, and thanks to our Vets and currently serving men & women...we are safe.

When I saw this little girl on Mo Manning's 'Digital Pencil Too', I knew I had to get her and color her up. {ok, that was in JULY!} I bought her, printed her out and she was supposed to be for a 4th of July post. She just never made it to a card until yesterday. 

If she looks like she is missing something, like sewing...she is. I have combined and condensed so much of my supplies, I had to search for my corner rounder {found it}, remember where I stashed my Distress Ink {found that too}. I know my sewing machine is sitting safe inside my closet, but it is also behind my clothes drying rack that happens to be full of dry clothes. Life was much easier before Story {our golden retriever puppy} showed up. We now have 'safe zones'. My craft room has become the safe place to store your shoes and shirts that are in need of drying. lol

 Here is our Story this morning, @ 12 weeks.

I am working on some Christmas cards for my friends, so I need to get him occupied for a few, while I dig out my sewing machine.

:)

it's been a while...

...and once again I have revamped the content of this blog. No more 'sale'  items, back to just sharing some things I create! woohoo...NOT that I have created anything lately, {but I will.}

I have been through some pretty big shake-ups this summer, some of you know this cause we are friends on Facebook, or you may have heard through the grapevine. I thought my big summer tragedy would be putting my yorkie, Niki to sleep. {man, that was horrible, yet peaceful and the right thing to do.}
I decided I would get another dog, my first puppy, and set out finding a breeder for golden retrievers. {I did research and looked into rescued goldens but it wasn't the 'fit' for me.} We decided to go with Millstones Goldens, not too far from home and I put my deposit down on an unborn male. On Aug 17th, our little boy was born and the the whole process of 'bonding' began and we went out to see the puppies on several weekends before he was ready to come home. Now let me tell you, I had been buying boy stuff before he was born and getting ready, moving things around and puppy proofing the house. Then Jim, went to a gastro dr. appointment, which was a follow up, to see why he was losing blood. I had made a dr. appointment for him in July, because he looked pale and his color was not right. This appointment was thursday, the day before the start of my long Labor Day weekend...and I was giddy with three days off in a row. I get home friday afternoon and Jim's primary care dr. calls and tells me Jim needs to get into the ER, he needs blood right away. Of course Jim is working, so I call him and tell him what his dr. said. The ER was notified that he was coming and Jim was able to leave work. Now, prior to this, I had no idea what our blood counts should be in our bodies. A man of Jim's size should carry around 13 pints? units?  It seems that in July Jim's count was at 7.8, at the gastro dr on that thursday, it was 6.3. When he was admitted into the ER, they tested him again at 6.1. Obviously something was going on, and they were concerned. Now, I was concerned, but didn't think much else, other than Jim needed blood and the weekend would continue as I had planned. ohhh, I had plans for my 3 days off! 
My parents were down in North Carolina, so I called my mom to see how long it took to receive a unit of blood. She has to go almost every month, she has issues with it staying in her body. Why would I not think this could be Jim's problem too. My mom said it takes 3 hours and that if his was that low, they may just admit him overnight. Well, being that he would need something to occupy his time and it was nearly 6 pm, I sent his ipad over to the hospital and I continued with the plans I had for friday night. {shopping & going to visit a friend} I got a text from Jim, they were going to do a CT scan on his stomach. Still, I continued my friday night and then stopped into the hospital at 9 pm. They were just taking him for the CT and then started the blood, so I went home. You know where this is headed, right?
I get a phone call about 6 in the morning, from Jim. They found a mass in his colon, 4.6 cm. {how big is that??} He was admitted into a room and was waiting to see what was next. I keep my hair appointment, get to the hospital and see on the nice info board they keep in patients rooms...colonoscopy on sunday, surgery on monday. 
The surgeon walks into the room, shortly after I arrive and point blank says it's not good. It's cancer and he has every reason to believe it's malignant. But, he will look at the colonoscopy after it's done and we will talk more. 
Here we sit, saturday morning and find out Jim has cancer. Yes, it was true, everything the surgeon said...and it was much bigger than a 4.6 cm mass. I really liked the surgeon and he performed the surgery on Labor Day and then left town for a planned vacation. haha
Jim spent 11 days in the hospital, all private rooms and it's close to our house and my work. {a HUGE plus!} We found out he was Stage 2 and it was an aggressive tumor, so they were going to treat it in an aggressive way. Chemo, 4 hours, every two weeks & one of the chemo meds he wears home for 48 hours. {he had a mediport installed} Lymph nodes they took out, all were clear of cancer. This chemo is a preventative measure. 
As I write this, Jim has just had his second chemo infusion and only 10 more to go! So far, no issues with the chemo and we are keeping our fingers crossed it stays that way. He returned to work on the 15th of Oct, after 6 weeks of recovery...like I said, so far, so good.   :)

Then, there is this puppy! Remember him, we kept going full speed ahead and brought him home on Oct. 5th. Here is Story, sleeping, the weekend we brought him home. Yeah, he is soooooo much bigger than he was 3 weeks ago.