Friday, October 30, 2009

last minute halloween project...

I've had my Halloween decorations up since the beginning of the month - but today I decided I wanted more.  I knew I wanted to use the new Halloween line from American Crafts...and this is what I came up with:

mini_boo_banner

It's a mini banner for the magnet board in my office.  I cut the pennants out of the coolest pearl/embossed cardstock with my Silhouette

mini_boo_banner_b

Then I cut the little headstones out of this patterned paper. 

mini_boo_banner_01

I placed these fun glitter chipboard thickers on each headstone and I used these fun black and white stickers to embellish each flag. 

mini_boo_banner_02

I'm not sure who made the ribbon I used...but here's a very similar one that would work well.

I also noticed that this line is all on sale right now here - so even though it's too late for this year, you could order the supplies and really be planing ahead for next year!!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

boo...

...just wanted to share this fun little frame I made.  It was in the September/October issue of Paper Crafts Magazine.  Now it's sitting on my mantle - it's one of my favorite Halloween decorations. 

It hardly seems like a whole year ago that I took these pictures of the kids before heading out to the trunk-or-treat.  I can't believe we're only a couple of days away from doing it again!

halloween_photo_collage_fra

I think I'll do a new one each year and then put the little collages in a mini album as I switch them for new ones - it will be a fun way to document Halloween through the years.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

more music...

Here's another great music find - for those of you who aren't quite ready for holiday music yet...

Crazy Love

by Michael Bublé

I will admit, as soon as I received the CD from the One2One Network, I tore off the plastic wrap and popped it in my computer to listen to it.  I was so anxious to hear Buble's take on some older/familiar songs.  At first, I was a little disappointed...it wasn't quite what I was expecting.  There's quite a spectrum of different styles - and some songs are more "Buble'd" than others.  I particularly enjoyed his take on "At this Moment," "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You," "All I do is dream of you," and "Crazy Love."  But my very favorite is his own song "Haven't met you yet."

All in all, I have to say that although it isn't what I expected at first listen, it's actually become one of my favorites right now.  Even some of the songs I didn't care for at first have grown on me.  It's definitely worth a listen - and if you're already a Buble fan, I'm sure you'll fall in love with this one as well. :)

Monday, October 26, 2009

new music...

I know what you're thinking...you are thinking I'm going to talk more about Christmas music.  I love my Christmas music (as you already know), but it's not the ONLY kind of music I listen to (I know...shocker!). 

I've had several opportunities recently to receive advance copies of various CD's - in exchange for listening to them and sharing my thoughts about them here on my blog.  I've been listening for a few weeks and now it's time to start sharing my "reviews."

First up - Brandi Carlile's newest CD "Give Up The Ghost."

 image

Now I'll be perfectly honest and tell you that I had not previously heard of Brandi Carlile.  I didn't know who she was or what type of music artist she was.  That being said...I believe I've actually heard some of her songs before - she's had several songs featured on Grey's Anatomy (which I watch online, late at night, when I'm working...so really I do more listening than watching).

As I started listening to the album, I couldn't get my Grandma Nye's image out of my mind.  The music was a little bit "folksy" (like my Grandma liked - I can imagine her dancing around her kitchen with this music playing) and a little bit "country" - but really it was neither.  I'm not sure how I would label her music...but her voice is beautiful.  And the fact that she writes/composes/plays/sings...wow...she's the whole package - and from what I understand, seeing her perform live is absolutely amazing. 

Anyway, back to the album...My favorite songs were "Dying Day" and "Caroline" - they were both very up-beat and have tunes that just stick in your head and make you smile. It's definitely an album I'm incorporating into my ipod mix.

You can listen to samples, download songs, and order the CD HERE.  It's definitely worth listening to - you may find a talented artist to add to your list of faves!  (Now if she'd just put out a holiday album, I would be a super happy girl!)

Thursday, October 22, 2009

more halloween stuff...

I really need to blog about some of the fun things our family has been doing this month, but I haven't taken the time to download the pictures...I need to put that on my to-do list. 

Until then, here are a few more Halloween projects I created earlier this year.

halloween_giftbag

I made this fun little treat bag using some super cute older Heidi Grace Halloween items (you can still find them here) and some of last year's Making Memories Halloween product (It's hard to find...but I did see some here and here.).

halloween_photo_card

And what fun is Halloween without a few little photo cards?  I thought this picture of an oh-so-serious-Seth as Thomas the Tank Engine was cute...so I put him on a little card. :)  Again, the product I used was from last year's Making Memories collection (see above links).

I used product that isn't readily available on these projects (because Holiday lines just don't seem to stick around for more than a season)...but you could consider using the new Halloween lines:

  • This is a really fun set by MME...and the price is amazing!
  • Here's a link to the NEW Making Memories Halloween line - Spook Alley
  • Cosmo Cricket's fun Haunted line is classic
  • American Craft's Halloween line is full of fun colors and designs
  • For super cute, non-scary Halloween products, you must check out Doodlebug's line (these little skull brads are my FAVORITE!)
  • How cute is this journaling book from LYB?  I love it!

Okay, I'll stop - but it's not easy - there are so many cute Halloween products I want to buy and use to make fun projects!  What's your favorite Halloween line this year?

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

do you sketch...

I do.  And I love it.  So I was thrilled when Anna, at Pencil Lines Sketches asked me to be her guest designer this week.  I was especially honored when I found out it was a special week for the folks at Pencil Lines - their 3rd birthday!  And they also announced their new book that will be available in December!  Here's the sketch Anna sent me to work with (sketch 157):

And here's the layout I created based on her sketch:

pls_cc_wsa_pumpkins_layout

pls_cc_wsa_pumpkins_layout_2detail

pls_cc_wsa_pumpkins_layout_3detail

pls_cc_wsa_pumpkins_layout_detail 

Do you recognize that fun product?  Yep - it's NUTMEG again!  It's absolutely appropriate - since Cosmo Cricket is the sponsor this week at Pencil Lines!  Check out what the design team over at Pencil Lines created based on this fun sketch.  And if you try it out, be sure to let me know so I can peek at your page too! :o)

Monday, October 19, 2009

halloween cards...

These are just a few of the Halloween Cards I've made recently for Making Memories using their brand new SPOOK ALLEY collection.

slice_spookalley_card3

slice_spookalley_card3_detail

For all of these cards, I used the SLICE and the Spook Alley DESIGN CARD.

slice_spookalley_card4

slice_spookalley_card4_detail

I tried to use the SLICE in as many different ways as I could.  I used the shadow option, available on this Slice design card.  I embossed with the embossing tips then lightly sanded over the raised images - (THESE are my favorite sanding/distressing tools - I've had one set that's lasted forever and I can always find the perfect tool to work for whatever I'm sanding).

spook_alley_slice_card1

spook_alley_slice_card1_detail

I cut more than one image, then layered them.  On the above card, I first cut the word "boo," then I chose the headstone image, placed my Slice on top of the word and cut again.  Next, I cut another orange headstone...and layered the two pieces.

spook_alley_slice_card2

spook_alley_slice_card2_detail 

And I cut the same image from several different patterned papers and layered the die-cuts with pop-dots,

Making Memories featured these cards on their blog yesterday, along with the downloadable (is that a word?) instructions for making all of these cards, if you are interested. :o)

Sunday, October 18, 2009

mythbusters...

Do you ever watch the show MYTHBUSTERS on the Discovery Channel?  We're big fans...especially Brad and Josh...so when Team Mom gave me the opportunity to try out THIS toy...we were really excited!

myth1_filtered

From their website:

With the Elmer's MythBusters Weird World of Water Science Exploration Kit, kids will uncover the mysteries of water. It freezes and boils and turns into gas. Is there anything it can't do? Can it suck a ship down the drain? Can it blast a rocket into space? This kit can help you solve these questions and many more.

  • 15 yellow beads
  • 3 pieces of balsa wood
  • 2 soda bottles and caps
  • 1 clear cylinder
  • 1 clear straw
  • 1 clear tube
  • 1 fin holder
  • 1 funnel
  • 1 nose cone
  • 1 pipette
  • Glitter
  • Red food coloring
  • Yellow food coloring
  • Stopper assembly
  • Votex connector

I knew this would be a "guy" thing...so I just sat back with the camera and let the boys have at it. 

myth2_filtered

They spent Sunday afternoon building a rocket.  To be honest, I'm not sure what myth they were trying to "bust," but I do know they had a LOT of fun!

myth3_filtered

After building the rocket out of a soda bottle, balsa wood, misc. plastic pieces and plenty of tape, we headed over to the field at my parent's house.

myth4_filtered

We took a huge supply of vinegar and baking soda...

myth5_filtered

They carefully measured and poured...

myth6_filtered

and watched that little rocket launch!

myth7_filtered

Again...

myth8_filtered

and again...

myth9_filtered

and again.

myth10

They probably did it a dozen times - until it pretty much fell apart. 

The little boys enjoyed the show from the safety of the playhouse deck:

myth11_filtered

And Meagan was happy to be the rocket chaser.

myth12

This little science kit is surely educational...but it was also just plain fun.  I asked Brad and Josh what they'd rate it, on a scale from 1 to 10.  Josh gave it a 9.  Brad gave it a 10.  It was most definitely a fun toy that any kid (especially a boy...and a dad, I think) would enjoy. 

Thanks, Team Mom and Elmers, for providing us with an afternoon of fun!

Friday, October 16, 2009

just answering a couple of questions...

1.  Yes!  I still have several boxes full of fun product left to sell. Thanks to everyone who has requested a box...I am thrilled, and so is my husband!  And, yes, I will ship internationally, as long as you're willing to pay the actual shipping charges.

2.  The bird and branch on my office wall were cut from black vinyl with the Silhouette.  I purchased the images from Lettering Delights.  I bought the bundle, because it's all so darn cute - but the images I used were in the DB Woodsy set.

  Q  S

3.  I just saw that the Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg line is available HERE now too!

4.  Yep - I've been listening to Christmas music almost every day on Pandora...but I have also been listening to some other great music the last couple of weeks...I'll be sharing more about a few of my favorites in the next week or so.  What music are YOU loving right now?

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

color wins, a clean office, and another question...

Wow, thanks for all the responses - apparently those CK editors know their stuff!  Honestly, my favorite is the B&W, but the majority of you preferred the color photos...which is how the layout was published. :)

And speaking of the September issue of Creating Keepsakes...did you happen to get a peek at the creative spaces article???  I was so excited when they asked if they could feature my room in the magazine!  Of course, I know it was all about my ScrapBoxes, but that's okay.  Plus, it was the extra push I needed to finish the curtain I had been procrastinating.  My sweet friend Lori gave me her extra fabric after she made her kitchen curtains (which are WAY cuter than the little valance I sewed) - I love it and think it's the perfect addition to my room. 

I also cleared all the clutter off my little black shelf, finally added photos to the frame that has been sitting here empty for over a year, and cut some vinyl to decorate above my filing cabinets.  What?  You didn't see that?  Oh, that's probably because they stuck a picture of my big head right over the top of it...I promise the room would have been much better to look at.  In fact, here's a picture of what you missed:

office_wall_edited

I also painted and hung a huge magnet board, added a wreath to my door, and cleaned out my "junk closet..." but those images didn't make the article either.  I don't know what I was thinking, but I didn't take any pictures when everything was all cleaned and organized.  I should have taken some then, because it's never that organized when I'm actually USING my room!  Right now I have tons of stuff hung on my board - but I'll get it cleaned off and share a picture soon (along with my new top-secret hanging-up-big-heavy-pictures-trick) - I just love having a big magnet board in my room!

As you might guess, I had to do a lot (A LOT a lot) of cleaning and organizing to get my room ready for the photographer to come to my humble little abode to take pictures for the article.  I didn't know WHAT he would take pictures of exactly, so I had to clean everything.  everything.  Every drawer, every shelf, every basket, everything.  In doing so, I really purged a lot of stuff.  It's all in boxes in my walk-in closet and in my garage.  I've been debating what to do with it. 

So, last night, as I was doing even more cleaning up and organizing (since those pictures were taken several months ago, and I've accumulated even MORE fun stuff since then), I had a thought.  I was wondering if anyone would be interested in purchasing a surprise box packed full of scrapbooking supplies.  Obviously, it's not all the newest product available, but there's some newer stuff, mixed with some older stuff...overall, a LOT of great stuff!  I wish I could keep everything, because I know I would use it eventually, (obviously, it's stuff I like, or I wouldn't have bought it in the first place), but there just isn't room to store everything in our house.  Plus, I have a little obsession with shopping and wanting to buy the newest version of everything scrapbooking...which is fun for me...but kind of just adds to the accumulation, you know?

brownbox

Anyway, I'll put together some surprise boxes if anyone is interested.  I'll sell them for $20 plus shipping.  I'm planning on using the flat rate Priority Mail boxes which ship for $10.35 in the US.  And of course, if you're local, we'll just arrange a pick-up time. :)  There will be WAY more than $20 worth of product in each box.  WAY WAY more.  If you are interested, please e-mail me - and if you have any special requests, let's chat - I'll do what I can to get you what you want, and relieve my home of a little extra weight. :) 

snow and white...

No...not the kind of SNOW that is threatening to fall from the clouds outside my window at this very moment.  And not the kind of WHITE that will likely be covering my world sometime very soon.  But SNOW WHITE - as in, with the 7 Dwarfs.  Unless you're living under a rock (and I'm not judging), you likely know that it was recently (last week) re-released on DVD and Blu-Ray.  I was lucky enough to get an advance release copy from the nice folks at the One2One Network...and we've been enjoying it here at home since the moment it arrived.

The nice mail lady dropped it off moments before this cute little Kindergartner arrived home - so he was super excited to open the package for me!

snowwhite1

Obviously, his first question was about the evil queen pictured on the top - she's pretty scary looking, isn't she?!?

snowwhite2

We hurried and cooked a cheese pizza and put out a blanket in front of the TV so we could have a little picnic and watch our new movie.  It started out great...but as soon as the hunter tells Snow White to run away, and she runs into the dark scary forest, I had two frightened little boys on my hands and we had to turn it off.  Bummer.  We tried again the next day and I skipped over that scene, so all was well.  It was fun watching the movie with my boys.  I honestly don't think I've seen Snow White all the way through since I was a little girl and we had to rent the huge VCR (which we carried home in a huge suitcase) from the video store here in town.  Does anyone else remember those?  We'd rent the VCR and a stack of videos...then we'd take home our load and hook it up to the console TV and park our butts there for the entire weekend?  Those were the days.  anyway...Snow White was just as I remembered it - only better.  The "restored" colors were beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire movie - so did my boys!  We had to snuggle a bit when the queen turned herself into the mean old witch with the poison apple.  And there were some questions about why she would want to poison/kill Snow White, where the cops were, and why they would put snow white in a glass coffin...etc.  But it was good.

In addition to the classic movie, there are a bunch of special features - audio commentary with Walt Disney, an interactive game called Dopey's Wild Mine Ride (Dopey's my favorite dwarf, by the way), a music video with Tiffany Thornton "Someday My Prince will Come," a sneak peek of "The Princess and the Frog" (which we are all so excited to see when it comes out later this year), and lots more.

Now I want to buy a Blu-ray player so we can access the bonus features that are available only on that disk, especially what sounds to be a super cool interactive experience with the Magic Mirror!  Well, that AND the fact that the kids can't ruin the Blu-ray disks because they are scratch resistant!  yippee!!

So if you're looking for something fun to do with your kids - I'd recommend picking up a copy and having a fun family movie night -- and maybe some yummy caramel apples (minus the POISON), of course, would be a fun treat!

P.S. If you already have Snow White and want to upgrade, here's a link for a $10 coupon! 

You can go here or here to order a copy  .

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

black & white vs. color butterflies...

I'm just curious...which do you prefer? 

Here's a layout - one version with black & white photos and one with color photos.

  butterflies

One of these versions was published in the September '09 issue of Creating Keepsakes Magazine - the color version.  I originally made the B&W version, but they asked me to switch the photos to color...of course, I was happy to do it. 

butterflies_color

I definitely have a favorite, but I would love to hear your opinion...

[ETA:  I used a Martha Stewart Butterfly punch - you can buy them here.  I also used black ZING to emboss the edges - you can buy it here and here.  The super cute black glitter letter stickers are here and here.]

Monday, October 12, 2009

nutmeg...

Isn't this just the cutest autumn set?!?

nutmeg1

I told you I'd let you know when I found Cosmo Cricket's new NUTMEG line available for sale...and here it is!

 nutmeg2

I think the stickers are darling too (the birds and bunny are my favorite...and that little mini-van, lol)...

and the 6x6 pad is perfect for card-making...

and I definitely need to pick up extra sets of these chipboard letters, because they are just so fun...

What do you think? 

Do you like the non-traditional colors Cosmo Cricket used for this autumn set?

I think it's fun...and oh so cute! 

Sunday, October 11, 2009

she's a poster girl...

...for Autumn Splendor!  (and endless creativity and Making Memories).  We went to Michael's about a month ago and saw this display...so of course, we had to go back again with a camera.  It took a little bit of arm-twisting to convince her to let me take her picture, but she was a pretty good sport.

michaels_display1

...and a second snap, just in case...

michaels_display2

Have you seen the Autumn Splendor line yet?  It's beautiful.michaels_display3

She is beautiful.  And just like the layout says, I'm thankful for HER!   :o)