Cricky's Corner

Happy 2012!

2012-02-01T08:13:00.002-06:00

Hi friends! It's been a long time.

You know from my last post, I was dealing with a very sick computer. Sometimes, the power of the mind amazes me. Just about the time I was thinking I should probably do a backup for our computer, or purchase an external hard drive in the event we had a problem with our Mac, exactly that happened - our computer crashed. And, we lost everything. Six years of photos, music, etc. etc. Recovery would have cost $1000. So, we are starting from scratch.

What's been happening? Lots and lots of work. The retail industry around the holiday is crazy. I had a total of 3 days off in December.

We did managed to get away and take a trip to St. Thomas.

And, we celebrated the holidays with friends and family.

Hope you are all having a great start to 2012. Hopefully, I will find the time to blog so that I won't be MIA for months at a time.

MIA! My Mac Crashed Again! Stay tuned!

2011-12-20T08:45:00.000-06:00

Summer's End

2011-10-04T08:27:00.003-05:00

It's hard to believe that it's the time of year to stop making these kind of cards...

Not "happy birthday" cards, but the type that feature summery things like canning jars and kites and lady bugs.

I went shopping for Christmas paper yesterday. It's hard to think of evergreens and snowflakes when it's still 70 degrees outside. Just trying to get a jump on my holiday cards!

Happy Tuesday.

Do You Babble?

2011-09-26T10:53:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I noticed I was getting a lot of traffic on this particular post. After doing a little research, I discovered not only did someone "pin" my project on Pinterest, but my project was also highlighted on Babble Blogs. I know I'm tooting my own horn, but what a fun way to brighten my day!

By the way, Babble Blogs is pretty cool. You can see my project (and a ton of other great stuff) featured here.

Oh Happy (Mon)Day!

2011-09-26T10:38:00.003-05:00

Hope you are having a good start to your week. I'm restless today...I can't quite decide what to do with my day off. Nothing pressing that needs to be done.

Have a happy day!

Tea Time

2011-09-21T08:17:00.001-05:00

Hope you are all having a great week. This is a recent creation made with PaperTrey Ink stamps and The Girls' Paperie cardstock.

Cheer Up, Buttercup!

2011-09-16T08:18:00.001-05:00

Have a great weekend!

The Circle of Life

2011-09-14T09:33:00.007-05:00

Life events....that's what I've been doing lately. A friend of mine recently found out she is expecting her 2nd baby.

I cut the mommy image from my New Arrival Cricut cartridge and added loose glitter with my quickie glue pen to embellish her top.

I've also been helping my friend with her new wedding venue. In August, we hosted a great event that was victorian themed.

Placecards hang on the door of the barn.

It was a great day for a wedding.

I've been a bad blogger

2011-08-15T07:45:00.003-05:00

That thing called life has been getting in the way of my blogging lately. Between work, and the 2nd work, and summer stuff like garden and vacations, I haven't had much creative time lately. You know it's bad when you can't remember the last project you posted or when you spent time making something!

Well, at any rate, here's a card from a while ago...

Simple Wedding Card

2011-07-14T08:54:00.003-05:00

Another wedding card - not much time to chat today!

I am doing a workshop tonight at PS from 6-8 where we will be doing French inspired projects. Should be fun!

Sorry For Your Loss

2011-07-11T09:44:00.003-05:00

There are many people around me who have recently lost a loved one. I will be making a couple of sympathy cards today.

A co-worker of mine just lost her mom. We just lost my grandma's husband who, although wasn't blood-related to us, we still called him "Grandpa John."

For all of those dealing with the loss of a family member or friend, I wish you comfort during this time.

Stamps are by Papertrey Ink, stamped in black StazOn and colored in with pencil, and the pink core'dinations paper was embossed with the cuttlebug.

I've Recovered

2011-06-26T14:44:00.002-05:00

I've recovered from being "under the knife." The procedure was without incident. But, that doesn't make anesthesia any more fun.

Tomorrow with mark the first day of my new 40 hour work week. So, my posting may become a little less than it has been recently.

Here is a happy birthday greeting made using some paper from GCD Studios and stamps from Papertrey Ink.

Hope you are enjoying the last day of your weekend.

Bloom, Blossom, Become

2011-06-24T07:26:00.002-05:00

Things have been blooming all over the place. One of my co-workers got a new position. So, I made her this little trinket wishing her well in her new journey:

And, because she is leaving PS, I received a promotion!

And, just a side note, I'll be going "under the knife" today...wish me a good recovery.

TGIF...

Get Well Greeting

2011-06-17T07:22:00.002-05:00

There are certain greetings that I usually don't make. Sympathy and Get Well...maybe that's because those are typically not happy times and when I am in the card-making-mode, feeling unhappy is far from my mind.

Anywho...here's a get well soon greeting:

The new collection of mini flowers by Papertrey Ink are great for any type of greeting but are perfect for a get well soon...kinda like sending them a virtual bouquet. I embossed the Coredinations paper with the swiss dots embossing folder and then punched the bottom with a MS border punch.

Happy Friday!

Tis The Season For Weddings

2011-06-14T09:38:00.002-05:00

Ah yes, wedding season is upon us. Actually, my husband and I just celebrated our 9th (!) wedding anniversary.

Here's a wedding greeting to celebrate:

I stamped the cream colored paper with a flourish design and stickled up the paper design with Tiara stickles.

Happy Tuesday!

Tea Cups of Kindness

2011-06-12T11:53:00.003-05:00

It's a really nice day outside...that's where I'm headed.

I created this greeting with a little inspiration from the Papertrey Ink Design team.

Have a nice Sunday.

Seed packets and such

2011-06-11T09:54:00.005-05:00

Not much happening today. It's rainy and cloudy and a good day to be working - which I will be doing in about an hour.

More creations with the wonderful stuff from Papertrey Ink. This new stamp set features an image that looks like a seed packet. Endless possibilities. I just can get enough.

I stamped the petunia image with StazOn and then colored the flowers in with pencils and markers. So easy!

This stamp set is perfect for this time of year.

Enjoy your weekend!

Garden Time

2011-06-03T10:02:00.002-05:00

You'd think that the first week of June would bring a weather pattern that is somewhat predictable...no so in Illinois. Yesterday, it was a beautiful and sunny 72. Today, the forecast is for the upper 80's! In anticipation of the sweltering heat, I hopped out of bed, got my workout out of the way (otherwise I'm sure it would be trumped by a nap later in the day) and slid my hands straight into my gardening gloves.

This is my first year for a garden. We have a septic field that runs across our entire backyard and it makes it tough to plant anything. However, I had a little help from my friends who suggested and and put in an above ground garden. It's basically a wood frame filled with dirt that I can plant in without digging holes in our yard. Day before yesterday, I made a trip to a local nursery and scored big with ORGANIC veggies...atleast that's what they say on the label. I can't wait until I can reap the benefits of my new garden.

Secondly, I have a bit of an addiction. And, it comes in the form of Papertrey Ink products and stamps. I am in love with the stamps they are creating with the matching dies! Simply genius! And, their design team (follow this link to Nichole Heady's blog) makes me want to buy every stamp set - I know that's the point, but it is certainly the root of the problem!

Have a great weekend! TGIF!

Happy Memorial Day

2011-05-30T07:45:00.002-05:00

A big THANK YOU to the soldiers who have given their lives and also to those who are still fighting for our freedom.

Happy Memorial Day.

Make A Wish

2011-05-12T08:49:00.000-05:00

Today is my day off. I am meeting a friend for lunch and doing lots of errands.

Here is a birthday greeting I made the other day...

The paper is My Mind's Eye and the embellishment is K&Co. I cut paper for my sentiment with one of the Nestabilities Labels - but only used half.

And, I forgot to post my new personalized 3 Designing Women stamp that I ordered from Paper Source. Now, all my creations are undeniably mine!

Happy Thursday!

Butterfly Demographic

2011-05-10T09:24:00.002-05:00

A lot of cardmaking goin' on yesterday. I am trying to make cards that appeal to a certain demographic which is not easy.

I picked up some new MS butterfly stamps yesterday and put them straight to use when I got home.

The paper is from GCD Studios and the sentiment is from PaperTrey Ink. I am really enjoying my new stamps from there!

Working at PS today! Happy Tuesday!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T11:42:00.003-05:00

To all of you who are Mother's to anyone (either human or four-legged), have a wonderful day.

And now for a birthday greeting:

Made with paper from Fancy Pants Designs and a hot air balloon stamp from PaperTrey Ink.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Fancy Pants Thanks

2011-05-04T20:00:00.002-05:00

This thank you card I made with papers from Fancy Pants. The sentiment is from the letterpress occasions tags that I bought at Paper Source. You can tell it's letterpressed because the paper is a textured paper and it needs to be "fluffy" so that the letters can make an impression in the paper.

Happy Wednesday!

Here's to Celebrating M&M Cookies

2011-05-03T08:59:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine is having a birthday today! So, yesterday I whipped up a card and a batch of M&M Cookies, which I had never made before.

I used papers from Cosmo Cricket's Social Club collection and stamps from Paper Trey Ink (LOVE them!)

The little origami folded box that I put the cookies in is so easy to make. It was recently featured on Donna Mundinger's blog. You can watch the youtube video here.

Celebrate in Style

2011-05-01T09:41:00.003-05:00

Here is one of the cards Mom and I made during our last creative day. The paper is from Cosmo Cricket's Upcycle collection. I love all the bags and purses...a great birthday greeting for a girlfriend. (You can click on the photo to enlarge it to see the details.)

Fly, Fly Away!

2011-04-28T08:08:00.002-05:00

The sparrows have hatched...

There were 5 all together - and since I took this picture, they have all flown the nest.

It's been pretty rainy and yucky, so what better way to spend those days than making some cards. This is the result of an entire day of creating...

And, I was so eager to use some of the new papers I had gotten from A Cherry On Top

The papers are Cosmo Cricket Salt Air. The lighting is terrrible - but like I said, it's been raining non-stop here.

Hope you are having a great Thursday!

Spring Has Sprung

2011-04-01T08:28:00.003-05:00

It seems like Spring is finally here...although mother nature could be playing an April Fool's joke on us.

On a recent visit to Mom and Dad's, I had to take a picture of this...

You'll never believe where this little bird picked for her nest. Let me zoom out a little.

And, a little more...

The little birdie found a safe spot for her babies right in the middle of the flower arrangement that hangs on my parents' front door.

And, I had a sly visitor to my neighborhood the other day...

He decided he wasn't "camera-ready."

Happy Friday!

A Bouquet That Lasts

2011-03-31T10:09:00.005-05:00

I'm making a trip to visit someone in the hospital today and can't make that visit without the quintessential bouquet of flowers. I crafted these by putting together one of Paper Source's magnolia kits.

Aren't they great? No water needed! I decorated an antique glass bottle that I had in my stash and covered the outside of it with a Paper Source fine paper.

The tag is from one of the letterpress tag collections, also from my new favorite paper vendor, Paper Source.

The colors are so rich! I love the scalloped edges. Hopefully, it will bring lots of cheer!

Have a great day!

Intermission

2011-03-23T10:41:00.004-05:00

Sorry I've been away so long. Not too much time to be crafty on my days off, unfortunately. Let's just say I've hit a crafting intermission...A lot of that "stuff that needs to get done" going on.

Here are two friends that I am missing...

Hope all my blog friends are doing well.

I've got 2 days of crafting planned coming up!

Still Alive

2011-03-08T10:12:00.003-06:00

I realized that my last post was nearly 1 month ago! Life has been moving at the speed of light. We had our grand opening at Paper Source last weekend. It was great fun. The city Mayor even made an appearance to cut our ribbon for the official opening. The job has been great. I get to use my knowledge of the paper crafting industry to help people create and problem solve while they are building their projects.

Right now, there's little time for personal crafting (although I do something creative everyday at Paper Source.) I did manage to squeak in a recent birthday card creation.

Happy Tuesday!

Happy Belated Valentine's Day!

2011-02-15T08:25:00.004-06:00

I'm back into the working world (almost full-time!) and it's proved to be a busy couple of weeks.

In addition to my work schedule, I have been baking:

This is a hand pie that is made from a great little invention from Williams-Sonoma. Here is the link if you'd like to see the actual pocket pie mold. It's a quick and easy dessert. I used a ready-made Pillsbury pie crust, sliced a few apples and tossed them with cinnamon and sugar.

I have also been cardmaking:

And, oh yes...there was that little trip to New York to see my friend Martha:

My friend, Chris, and I stood outside the Martha studio to ensure that we would be front and center and guess what happened?.....

THIS IS WHAT WE SAW FROM OUR SEATS!

We were ushered to seats in the second row on the actual floor section. It was so much fun! And, it was so amazing to see all the people that it takes to make this show work.

The set was gorgeous!

And, of course, Martha was fabulous and very gracious when taking audience questions.

Happy Tuesday!

P S - I Love You

2011-01-23T10:19:00.003-06:00

My posts have been, a-hem, sporadic, at best. I've been crazy busy. I went to the Atlanta Gift Show, which was fabulous. We spent the better part of 3 days covering 3 skyscraper-size buildings filled with everything from fashion to furniture to christmas decor.

While I was in Atlanta, I did a phone interview with a company called Paper Source (the " P S" part of the title). And, when I got home, I was offered the position! Training started this past Monday and I am loving every minute of it. Paper Source has retail shops all over the country where they offer chic gift items, wrap, and custom invitations for just about any occasion.

Another thing that happened while we were in Atlanta is very exciting. A few weeks back, I was chatting with the same friend who I went to the Atlanta Gift Show with and she had mentioned she was also going to the New York Gift Show. Wouldn't it be great if she could get tickets to the Martha Stewart Show while she was there? I went to the MS website and submitted a request for tickets for that week. And, wouldn't you know it, she got a confirmation email while we were in Atlanta that she had been selected for tickets! And, she invited me to go along as her guest! So, on Monday, January 31st, I will be happily nestled in my seat on the MS Show set!

Until I get through this next couple of weeks, I may be missing in action...

Hope you are having a great 2011 so far!

Fine & Dandy

2011-01-08T10:33:00.005-06:00

I found a great way to use my Paper Trey Ink stamps with a fun new My Mind's Eye paper. This paper is from the Fine & Dandy collection and I was so excited when I saw that they offered it in a 6 x 6 stack.

So I stamped the different hot air balloons in Staz-On ink and cut around the image.

Then I adhered them to the cloud background paper. I used pop-up dots on some of them to give a 3-d effect and the others I glued down. And, I used varying sizes to make it look like some were flying further away.

This was one of the cards I gave away in a group for a Christmas gift.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

Tag Happy

2011-01-05T16:53:00.005-06:00

I love featuring tags on my cards. They are always the perfect landing spot for my sentiment. I used paper from the Lilac House collection by Fancy Pants:

Happy Thursday!

Thanks For a Great New Year

2011-01-04T16:39:00.003-06:00

Happy 2011!

For my first greeting, I am posting a card I made with paper from Basic Grey's Curio collection. I'm posting a "thanks" card because I am thankful for everything that I am blessed with and keeping an optimistic frame of mind for what's to come in 2011.

CB and I had a very uneventful New Year's Eve. We went to the gym (sick, I know) and then we went and had margaritas and mexican food. We were snuggled in by 8 pm, watched "Salt" and rang in 2011.

Happy Tuesday!

Hope you are having a good week so far.

2009 vs. 2010

2010-12-29T11:42:00.003-06:00

What a difference a year makes! Last Christmas, we celebrated Christmas morning at mom and dad's old house:

Circa 2009

This year, we celebrated at mom and dad's NEW house:

Circa 2010

Wherever you may be celebrating your holidays, may it be joyful!

Happy 2011!

'Twas a Couple Days After Christmas...

2010-12-28T17:13:00.004-06:00

We had a great Christmas. I can't believe it's already over. All that shopping, and baking, and wrapping, and creating. It's done in such a frenzied pace, and then, it's all over.

Here are some pictures from my birthday:

The. Best. Cake. Ever.

The pictures just don't do it justice. It is white cake with raspberry and lime jello and frosted with Cool Whip. And, you can eat it on a full stomach and not feel a bit of pain or guilt!

YUM!

Onto a holiday greeting that I had planned to post on Christmas Day, but just didn't make it. I used one of Tim Holtz's new holiday texture fades - super cool. Then I used my signo white pen to color the raised "December" and "25". The patterned papers are from Bo Bunny and Webster's Pages.

So sad it's already come and gone.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2011!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

2010-12-23T13:47:00.004-06:00

My last holiday craft for the season was finished yesterday.

I filled some antique bottles with paper shred, tinsel and mica flakes.

I bought the vintage Santa graphics on Etsy and I printed them out on cardstock. Then I embellished them with MS glitter and stickles.

I thought they would make the perfect holiday trinket for a windowsill or shelf.

Wishing you all a Merry Little Christmas!

I Run On Dunkin'

2010-12-23T08:30:00.002-06:00

This morning, CB sprang from the bed at about 6:50 am - which is out of the ordinary. I heard the garage door open and close; Either he was picking up Brad Paisley at the airport for my birthday surprise or he was off to Dunkin' Donuts for my birthday breakfast. When he returned 10 minutes later, I knew I'd have to settle for a donut, although Brad covered in sprinkles would have been preferred.

Today is officially the 10th anniversary of my golden birthday...

I am still creating Christmas greetings. Here is one made with papers from Basic Grey's Jovial collection.

Have a great day! I know I will - I'm really looking forward to my red and green jello birthday cake!

Let It Snow Christmas Greeting

2010-12-22T08:41:00.002-06:00

I simply love this paper that is part of the "Snow Day" collection by Crate Paper. And, since it's part of that collection, I thought it was fitting to stamp this holiday greeting with "let it snow".

Another thing I am loving right now is craft paper. It's something that's been a favorite of mine for a while and it was the perfect backdrop for stamping my snowflakes.

Only 3 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

2010 Ornament - DONE!

2010-12-16T20:01:00.011-06:00

Today, I'm feeling Jovial:

—Synonyms
1. merry, jolly, convivial, gay, joyful, mirthful. Jovial, jocose,jocular, jocund agree in referring to someone who is in a goodhumor. Jovial suggests a hearty, joyous humor: a jovial person.Jocose refers to that which causes laughter; it suggests someonewho is playful and given to jesting: with jocose and comical airs.Jocular means humorous, facetious, mirthful, and waggish: jocularenough to keep up the spirits of all around him. Jocund, now aliterary word, suggests a cheerful, light-hearted, and sprightlygaiety: glad and jocund company.

The reason for this "light-hearted" mood is that my 2010 Christmas ornaments are officially DONE! But, let's not get ahead of ourselves here...

My first holiday card is also done, and I've used some paper from Basic Grey's "Jovial" collection. It's not Christmas-y in the "traditional" sense, but it makes me feel like winter...

I even decorated the inside:

And, lyrics from a Christmas carol is the icing on the cutout...

Without further ado, a close-up of this year's ornament:

Actually, it's big enough to use as a holiday decoration:

But, fits perfectly on the tree. I used a variety of different papers:

The basket shape is cut from the Tags, Bags, Boxes & More Cricut cartridge:

And I used Christmas carol sheet shred and old fashioned tinsel to fill the basket:

I can't wait to give these to all my friends and family!

Happy Thursday!

Do You Hear What I Hear?

2010-12-15T16:04:00.003-06:00

Do you hear what I hear? It should be the sound of complete crafting exhaustion and relief as I am ALMOST finished with this year's ornament. I try every year to make one to give to friends and relatives and for our tree. It isn't what I originally planned, but it turned out great all the same. By the time I finished in the studio today, it was too dark to take pictures. So I promise I will put some up tomorrow.

I also got my first Christmas card made! It was sheer and utter heaven - I took the Mac downstairs and was streaming Christmas radio from ITunes all day long; Without commercials and I heard some really great tunes like, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," sung by Judy Garland.

How can you NOT be in the spirit of Christmas after a day spent like that?

Pics tomorrow - I promise!

On The Naughty List

2010-12-13T15:37:00.004-06:00

I'm for sure going to be on Santa's "Naughty List" this year. With only 12 days until Christmas, I still haven't done any Christmas cards!

I was in my studio today working on this year's ornament and cards for gifts. I usually make an assortment of 10-15 cards and give them as gifts. People really like them because when they need a card, they don't have to run to the store to get one.

And, I have discovered I hate doing the clean-up after a day of creating. That is the least fun part of the whole day.

Here is a birthday greeting I sent a week or so ago...

I used some of My Mind's Eye paper and cut my shapes from the Cricut Cake Basics cartridge.

I stamped a cake image on some coordinating paper and cut around the image for the inside sentiment:

And, here is another thank you that has a bit of a vintage feel. The paper is a mixture of Webster's Pages, GCD Studios and Studio Calico.

Hope you are all staying warm!

Cookie Recipe Results

2010-12-08T11:36:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, I posted a super-yummy cookie recipe. While I was making them, I pulled out the old Nikon to photo the progress.
Enjoy!
This is how the dough looks when it's all mixed together...

Supervising the event...sniffer going 90 miles an hour...

I wrote in the recipe instructions to drop the dough by rounded tablespoons, but I remembered while doing it, it's actually easier to do it by hand.

The warmth of your hand will soften the butter holding the dough together...

See?

Ready for baking!

Ready for eating!

YUM!

Have a great day!

So Much To Bake, So Little Time

2010-12-07T08:34:00.002-06:00

It seems as though the to-do list for Christmas keeps getting longer and longer! I am in "cookie-making" mode right now. I have already tried out my Williams-Sonoma cookie press that I got two Christmases ago. Love it. I made some tree-shaped butter cookies and decorated them with red and green sugars.

Today, I will be making a holiday favorite of mine - Cranberry Shortbread. Here's the recipe:

-4 sticks butter, softened

-1 C sugar

- 4 C flour

- a couple handfuls of dried cranberries

-1 C white chocolate morsels or a few squares (you can buy in squares or I like to buy the Nestle white chocolate morsels - makes it sooo much easier!)

Beat butter and sugar. Stir in flour. Stir in cranberries and white chocolate morsels. Drop rounded tablespoons on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-14 minutes. The SMALLER you make the cookies, the better they turn out.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do and, let's face it, how could anything with that much butter in it be terrible? I think this recipe would certainly get the approval of Paula Deen!

And, lastly, a quick card. The paper is Lily Bee Design (green patterned) and GCD Studios (butterfly) and the shape for the sentiment was cut on my Cricut using the Cake Basics cart.

Happy Tuesday!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

2010-12-06T08:42:00.003-06:00

My Cherry On Top order arrived - a box brimming with all sorts of paper crafting goodies. I haven't created anything for the Christmas season (yet!) - So, I am posting this Happy Birthday card. But, the title of my post says it all - I am hoping that each of you is blessed beyond measure this holiday season and that you all celebrate the true reason for this season - the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Super chilly here today - in the mid 20's with a less than that windchill.

Stay warm!

The Waiting Game

2010-12-02T17:19:00.002-06:00

There are a lot of things I'm waiting for right now...and one of them is my order from A Cherry On Top! It's a super busy time of year for online retailers. I am anxiously awaiting my order because there are some Christmas papers that I can hardly wait to get my hands on!

Until then, here is one of my most recent greetings...It has a very "vintage" feel I think.

I made it to give away for Christmas, but I'm going to have some trouble letting this one go.

Wishing you all a happy Friday!
Natalie

Handmade Christmas Rewind

2010-12-01T09:01:00.003-06:00

I have been busily working in my studio and I have some goodies to show. The thing is, today it's snowing. As a result, the natural light coming in my patio door isn't the best for taking photos of my recent work. So, I am rewinding to a post from December of 2008 (!)

It's a simple and quick ornament - very easy to make lots of them (if you are looking for a gift to give something to everyone in the office, or a mom's group etc. And, best of all, very INEXPENSIVE. You can buy the clear glass ornaments at Hobby Lobby or local craft store - $5.99 for about 12 ornaments.

Many of you are probably familiar with this handmade gift, but for those of you who'd like a tutorial you can find it here.

Stay warm! It's in the 20's here!

Whistle While You Work

2010-11-29T09:43:00.006-06:00

I had a great weekend of crafting - well, at least on Saturday. We spent all day Thanksgiving Day with family. I stayed as far away from the malls on Friday as possible. Saturday, I spent the whole day with my mom doing some paper crafting...

This is my mom lining up some Basic Grey patterned paper for the front of a card.

Here are some of the other cards we put together. It was a mass assembly line...

This paper is by Echo Park and is so cheery, we couldn't use it for anything except a birthday card:

Here is a different version of the "thank you" card we made. All the papers are by GCD Studios. We used our nestie to cut the hole and stamp the sentiment on the actual card.

These will make great stocking stuffers!

On Saturday night, Carson and I went to dinner at a Greek restaurant in the area with some friends. Carson is Greek, so that was right up his alley. The food was good - the wine was even better. We had appetizers, salads, entrees and even desserts. You'd think we'd not eaten in days!

Today, I put the Griswold Christmas Tree up ("Do you think there's enough room for the angel, Clark?" - Name That Movie!) There are a few ornaments from my childhood that have seen their last Christmas...

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend!

Always Playing Ketchup...

2010-11-21T16:53:00.003-06:00

WARNING: LONG POST; INCLUDES FERTILITY TALK THAT MAY BE TMI!

Ok, so what I meant was playing CATCH-UP. But I do love Ketchup. I could put it on almost anything. It is the king of all condiments. And really, what is food without a good sauce to dip in or drizzle on?

It seems as though life is whizzing by at the speed of light and I just can't seem to keep up. It is Thanksgiving week. Luckily, I am not hosting; Which means I can darken the doorway of someone else's house and enjoy the yummy things that they have prepared. I will, of course, take a dish to pass.

We met some friends out for dinner last night. They are fellow "infertile warriors." For those of you who know me personally, you may be aware that we are (and have been for quite a while) taking a journey through the world of infertility. It's weird. I never thought I would ever have a problem starting my family or have a problem once it happened.

Here's how it actually went for me...It's really the natural course of life. I found someone who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with; After about 3 years of dating, we were engaged; We planned our wedding and were married in 2002; We were married about 4 years. We were settled and began to wonder what the pitter-patter of little feet would add to our lives. We stopped "not trying" to have a baby and just thought we'd see what happened. Fast forward 4 years - that's where we sit today.

About a year ago, we made our first visit to the doctor's office. We were poked and prodded to reveal - nothing. We fall into the "unexplained" category. If you ask me, that basically just means that there's a problem, but they don't know what it is. It's just not one of the standard reasons.

And every time I go to the doctor's office, I see faces that are not wrinkled and spotted by age. They are young, just like me. Which makes me wonder, why is this happening to all of these YOUNG people?

We are at the stage where we are taking a more invasive approach. I am responsible for injecting drugs into myself - which I never thought I could do, but seriously isn't so bad. I'm not saying that I enjoy it. I still don't know how people do this for fun (i.e. drug use) but whatever.

So I guess, what I am trying to say is life has been busy. And that's why my postings have become so frequently infrequent.

But, when you go through this and you start to talk to others that have been through it as well, there is a crazy thing that happens. Everyone feels exactly the same. And, the experience is the same. The feelings are the same.

So if you know someone going through this, here's what I have to say about how they feel:

1) They will never stop blaming themselves or asking what they did to deserve this. They will question if they are being punished and there is nothing you can say to disprove this thought.

2) They probably don't expect you to understand what they are going through. Unless you have dealt with infertility, it is impossible to know what it's like. However, people going through treatment do expect you to consider their feelings when you COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR OWN CHILDREN! It is highly probable that once they start their family, they will also complain about how they would like to ship their children off to a foreign country, if but only for a short while. But at this time, it is EXTREMELY hurtful to hear others b**** and moan about something that seems so unattainable to them right now.

3) Unless they bring it up, don't ask. If there is positive news to share, it will be shared. They will not interpret you not asking as lack of concern. Bringing up the topic only leads to advice that we have heard over and over including but not limited to:

-"Just relax. It will happen."

-"It's just not the right time. It will happen when it's supposed to."

-"You'll be a mom, even if you have to adopt."

-"Have you tried....(insert advice here)?"

Well, that was a lot of fertility talk...but, that's my life right now.

Tomorrow is my day off, so maybe I will spend some time in my studio creating. I also must take that dreaded trip to the grocery store to buy the things I need for my dish to pass. Ugg!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Back From Costa Rica!

2010-11-12T08:35:00.006-06:00

We are back from Costa Rica. It was a great vacation. It felt a little remote, but the scenery was beautiful. We had 2 days of nice weather and 2 days of not so nice weather, but made the best of it.

It was really interesting to fly into the airport in Liberia and get out ON THE RUNWAY! The seriously pulled a staircase up to the side of the plane, and let us out. It was probably my one moment to act like a rockstar and wave to the crowd as I left the plane, but I missed the opportunity!

It took about 45 minutes to get from the airport to our hotel. We settled in, went to an event that night and the following day, we spent some time on the beach.

You might be saying, "Where are the pictures?!?!"

Well, watch this video, and then I'll explain:

Unfortunately, this is what happened when we climbed out onto the rocks to get a better look into the tide pools. I was getting ready to video some crabs crawling on the rocks and we were VERY unexpectedly hit by a VERY large wave. My Flip and my regular camera were completely soaked. My Flip survived, my regular camera didn't. I was just thanking my lucky stars that I wasn't carrying my Nikon! My mom was relieved that I didn't get swept into the ocean myself!

Just before this happened, we climbed the staircase to get a better look at the coastline.

Have a great weekend. I am going to be busy with the ECP holiday fest. If you are wondering how the first wedding went, you can view a slideshow from the wedding here.

Poker Face

2010-10-28T21:52:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow, I have a bridal shower to go to (it's not for my friend who is getting married on Saturday, it's for someone else.) Anywho, Carson has decided that since I will be gone, he wants to host a poker night...no biggie. Except, even though I know that the guys won't notice and much less care if the house is spic-n-span, I can't help but clean.

Which brought me to thinking, I am working out of the home half as much as I used to, but why does it seem I just can't get it all done?

The dust bunnies are rolling like tumbleweeds, the laundry is in mountain-esque piles, and there are various other chores that are being neglected.

So, away I went scrubbing and endusting...and then I got to the bathrooms...which brings me to my next question. (And, I know you will all relate if you are a woman and you've ever cleaned a bathroom.) Why can't guys seem to get the pee IN THE TOILET? Now, I can't say that if I had to pee standing up, I would have perfect aim. But, I think I do pretty darn good in public restrooms and although I'm not fully standing, I am hovering.

Oh well. I hope I haven't offended any of you with my bathroom humor...

Have a great Friday. I'll see you all next week!

p.s. - Just a side note, I keep a very CLEAN house, even if it's a bit cluttered at times, and should have bought stock in Clorox Wipes.

Double Take

2010-10-27T08:58:00.002-05:00

First, I have to say that The Rocky Horror Glee Show totally ROCKED! There were a couple of things in last night's show that I thought were bordering on crossing the line...but I loved the musical numbers. "Touch Me" between Emma and Mr. Schue was a little unbelieveable. Not that I minded seeing Matthew Morrison with his shirt off - I'm just sayin'. It was my favorite episode by far and casting of the Glee kids for the characters of TRHPS was spot on. I wasn't sure how I would like Mercedes as Dr. Frankenfurter, but it was good.

Now to some card talk - When I'm feeling like I have a creative block, sometimes I come up with a design and change the papers, but keep the elements the same. Then, I don't have to come up with new ideas - I can just substitute.

For this birthday greeting, I used patterned paper from Pink Paislee and K & Co embellishments for the place I stamped my sentiment.

I may be away for a couple of days. I am working for my friend at the Pottery Shop and Tea Room so that she can have some bridal relaxation time. The wedding is this Saturday and then we are taking a trip to Costa Rica!

Hope you are all enjoying your week!

Fit For A Queen

2010-10-21T09:07:00.003-05:00

Today is my day "off" - at least from ECP. Yesterday, we had 112 lunch guests. It was a little brisk in the morning, but by early afternoon, people we enjoying their hot apple cider from the rocking chairs that line the front porch. Ladies that visited yesterday came from as far as Hinsdale and Lombard. It was great to chat with them.

I will be spending some time in the studio today making a few custom ordered lapel pins and working on programs for the wedding.

Crowns are a trend that has been hot for a while. I'm calling this "A Birthday Greeting Fit For A Queen." I used some patterned paper from K & Co and some coordinating embellies. The stamps are from PaperTrey Ink and the seam binding I bought on Etsy.

Hang in there - the weekend's almost here!

Have a nice day.

Let's Do The Time Warp (again!)

2010-10-20T08:02:00.004-05:00

Time is definitely running out. My friend is getting married on October 30th and she is feeling the bridal stress - to say the least. Not only does she have the pressure of upcoming wedding, but she's trying to run a business that is becoming WILDLY popular. Since this article appeared in the Chicago Tribune on September 26th, the Tea Room has become one of the best destinations for lunch around. We have lunch guests from far and wide - some driving more than an hour to come and savor the goodies we have to offer.

It's wonderful and hopefully it will continue the rest of the season and lead to a very successful season next year.

Because the Tea Room has been so busy, I have been there everyday. I help where I am needed and it's a great way to spend the middle six hours of the day. Plus, I get to make a little money and that helps with any "fun" stuff that Carson and I want to do.

But, I've still got time to create (of course!)

This card was made with papers from a Lily Bee Design collection. I used a nestie to cut the scalloped circle and embellished with K & Co lady bugs and some red and white twine from The Twinery.

Now to bring the title of my post back full circle...time is tight on the wedding planning, but I cannot wait until next Tuesday when Glee is all about The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I love when shows do a special halloween-themed episode. It's the best and it's perfectly genius to take on the collection from TRHPS.

Have a great day!

How To - Block Style Sentiment

2010-10-14T07:55:00.003-05:00

I've got a quick Thank You card for you today. I used paper from GCD Studios' Ella Blue collection and a K & Co. butterfly embellie.

One trick I like to do to use white space is to create a "block-style" sentiment. The "thank you" stamp is from PaperTrey Ink and I inked it up and then stamped it twice before inking it again. It results in a really interesting variation in the stamped words. I just stamped it one after another (even running off the card) so that it would filll the space that wasn't covered by patterned paper.

See? Super easy.

That's all for today.

Have a great afternoon!

Natalie

Fall Fest - A Success!

2010-10-13T09:50:00.003-05:00

Well, I did it. I had a booth at my very first art/craft market. How did it go? Pretty well. I covered my expenses and made a little profit. But, that wasn't the rewarding part. I met a lot of really nice people and got to spend time with my mom. I also heard many nice comments from complete strangers on projects I had slaved over. That was the rewarding part.

We had great weather - mid 80's and sunny. Here are some pics of my booth:

The spooky tree was a big hit. It was a birch branch that I got from my front yard and painted black. How funny.

The crows also got a lot of comments...

And, of course, my $5 typewriter's keys were pressed more than once or twice. The older generations liked it because it reminded them of times gone by; the younger generations liked it because, well, it was fun to press the keys.

This was my hot product - the lapel/bag/hat/scarf pins. People LOVED them. I think I had a really good product for the demographic of shoppers. And, Ms. Brown, my dress form, was the perfect place for display. I sold all but 2!

Framed, Halloween-themed, burlap transfers...

I had a great time.

Happy Wednesday!

Fall Fest This Weekend!

2010-10-08T08:54:00.002-05:00

I'm busily prepping for the Fall Fest this weekend. Lots to do for setup, but it's going to be beautiful weather here. I hope we have a good sized crowd.

Here's a quick birthday greeting made with The Girls' Paperie papers and embellies.

Happy Friday!

Spooky and Sparkly Bottles

2010-10-06T08:25:00.008-05:00

I recently came across the great blog - Eighteen25. They are having a Halloween Linky party.As you know, I have been working day and night on Halloween projects. So, I am participating with this post.

In my flea market travels and finds, I have collected a number of glass bottles. Some of them have embossed writing on them and some of them are plain. They are all different sizes, which makes decorating with them so much fun.

Aren't these cool? To make a set of your own, it's super easy. This is not my original idea. I've seen this technique all over the web. I am just giving you the steps incase you want to make a set.

-You can use any clear glass bottle (for the orange one, I used a wine bottle) -

-Wash the bottle out; Since they are clear, you want to remove any dirt (flea market bottle) or wine leftovers. And, you'll want to soak the label off (if there is one.)

-Let your bottle dry out throughly.

-Squirt about 1/2 cup of furniture polish into the bottle. I used the Pledge brand. It comes in a clear bottle with a blue squirt cap and is LIQUID. I couldn't find a picture of the bottle online...but I bought my bottle at Wal-Mart.

-Dump the liquid out. You will notice that it is VERY sticky. This is important.

-Now for the fun part. Pour your GLITTER into the bottle! Cover the mouth of the bottle with a paper towl and shake it (like a polaroid picture!) You can always add more. Start out slow and see how well the glitter coats the inside of the glass. The glitter will stick to the polish that has coated the bottle. For the glitter, I used Martha Stewart's Halloween collection that you can find at Michael's. For a large bottle, like the wine size, it takes about 1/2 of the glitter container to completely coat the inside. But, if you can use your 40% off coupon, the cost isn't too bad.

-Print out your spooky labels. I used my scissors to rough up the edges and then inked around them to create a "distressed" look.

- Adhere the labels to your bottle using an epoxy glue. While they were drying, I used some rubber bands around each bottle to insure a good adhesion.

Hope you like them! Now go over to Eighteen25 and see all the other great ideas!

Happy 200th Post!

2010-10-05T17:35:00.003-05:00

Considering the length of time I have been posting, 200 isn't really that impressive. But, considering the pace at which life moves these days, I consider a 200th post something to be celebrated.

I've been working like crazy on all my goodies for the Emerson Creek Fall Fest. It's this weekend and I've set my booth space up in my basement, just for trial purposes. I can't wait to see how the first craft fair goes!

We had a really cool visitor today at ECP - His name is Bruce and he is the owner of The Great Pumpkin Patch in Arthur, Illinois. He was a nice, nice man and his pumpkin patch is going to be featured on The Martha Stewart Show next Tuesday! How cool is that? We were trying our best to pick his brain and see how exactly they were able to score that cool spot on Martha's show.

As usual, here are a couple of cards:

A Thank You using some GCD Studios paper and K & Co. embellishment:

And a Birthday Greeting using some October Afternoon paper and featuring some brown zig-zag stitching done on my sewing machine.

Junkin Queen - Burlap Project

2010-09-24T16:07:00.004-05:00

What did I do today? A project for a friend of a friend that has recently lost her husband. She is a super lady who is what I would consider a "Junk Queen." She is a flea market pro and always seems to take someone else's trash and turn it into treasure.

So when I found a graphic on Etsy that said "Junkin Queen," I knew I had to buy it and make something for Linda.

Im participating in Today's Creative Blog's, Get Your Craft On. Follow the link to see all the other cool projects that have been posted by crafters.

Here's my finished project:

I used the Avery iron-on transfer paper that you can use in your inkjet printer. In my experience, that is the one that I have found works the best. Just remember if you do a project like this, you have to print your image out backwards - not so important if your not doing words, but very important if you are. Most programs have a option where you can "flip image horizontally" - mine was at the actual print screen.

Anyway- I printed out the image and ironed it on some burlap fabric. Then, I bought an inexpensive frame at Michael's and ta-da!

I had to move it inside to get a better picture and just see what it would look like inside...

Hmmm, this looks pretty good on my entry table. Maybe I will have to make one for myself.

Yippie - the weekend is here again!

Lovin' Leftovers

2010-09-23T08:03:00.002-05:00

I have been working really hard to use all of the scraps that are leftover from other projects. I had a few odds and ends from The Girls' Paperie line and so I created two different versions of a birthday card.

Another busy day is on tap for the Tea Room. Hope you are enjoying your week.

TV Talk and a Card

2010-09-21T08:38:00.003-05:00

I can't wait for tonight's season premier of Glee. I have missed my weekly dose of Matthew Morrison (and the other members of the cast aren't bad either.)

I don't normally tune in to Dancing With the Stars, but I had the DVR set so that I can fast forward through the parts I wanted to skip. I have to say, for 76, that Florence Henderson can move. But, the highlight of the night was not Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, but the segment featuring Jennifer Grey. That girl is in shape and I think she's the front runner.

Another Thinking of You greeting - I used October Afternoon papers and cut out the middle shape with a nestie.

Working at the Tea Room today. We're supposed to have 80 for lunch! It's going to be a busy day. See you tomorrow.

Happy Birthday with Ella Blue

2010-09-20T08:21:00.003-05:00

I am really loving the Ella Blue paper collection by GCD Studios. You can view the whole collection here. I picked up an 8 x 8 paper pad last week, which is the perfect size for making cards. And, I also like the way the print becomes smaller - great for a smaller creative space. I used a few embellies from K & Co and used a nestie to cut out my space for the sentiment. Both inside and outside sentiments are from PaperTrey Ink. The seam binding I got from Etsy.

Off to do some creating - a great start to the week.

A "Mod"est Thanks

2010-09-18T14:01:00.006-05:00

I love the look of greetings that are fancy and sparkly and all sorts of pretty. But, there are times when a clean, mod look is so refreshing.

For this card, I broke out my Cricut. I don't use it daily, but when I need it, it's a great tool to have. Instead of using the actual letters (I used the Street Sign cartridge), I put the negative, or the space that was left after the letters were cut out, to use. This is a great little tip - just remember to keep the insides of your letters - in this card, I had to keep track of the middle of the "a". It's also great because then you can use the actual letters on another card.

The paper is by Studio Calico. I used two different size circle punches to dress up the front of my card and added some stitching. I love using my sewing machine on my cards.

I also used one of the circles to dress up the inside.

I have to get busy on a wedding card - we are going to one tonight!

Have a great evening.

TGIF

2010-09-17T08:39:00.002-05:00

Thank goodness it's Friday! Actually, with this wacky work schedule, I didn't know what day it was!

Hope you have something fun planned for the weekend.

We went to a retirement party a couple of weeks ago - Here's the card I made for that:

Enjoy your day!

Mums The Word

2010-09-13T16:36:00.002-05:00

I went to the local plant nursery and got some mums today. I brought them home and immediately planted them - task completed. I have to admit, I love checking things off my mental to-do list.

For example - post more Halloween cards on my blog. Check!

Have a nice night!

Thinking of You and More Halloween Cards

2010-09-12T11:26:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone - I'm thinking of you...

and I hope you are all having a great Sunday. For this greeting, I used some of Echo Park's A Walk In The Park paper line and stamped my sentiment on a Jillibean Soup journaling sprout.

And, here is another Halloween greeting.

The weather is great here today. And, I am looking forward to the start of the Chicago football season - GO BEARS!

See you tomorrow!

Something Old, Something New

2010-09-09T16:10:00.004-05:00

If you are a frequent visitor, you may have noticed a little change. I've switched my blog over to the official address of "The Scrapping Place." I will be posting the same things (something old), just a new name (something new). So, if you'd like to bookmark the new address, it's www.thescrappingplace.com.

And, if you're making the jump, I'd like to thank you! I'm doing this mostly because I have started doing some local craft events, and I want to get a personalized stamp made for the items I'm going to be selling.

Enough businessy talk...

Finally done with my Halloween greetings. Many more to post!

Happy Wednesday!

Ghoulish Greetings

2010-09-08T08:58:00.002-05:00

Creating like crazy over here! I'm using all sorts of new goodies including seam bindings and baker's twine and really cool little halloween embellies.

Have a great Wednesday!

Flea Market Finds

2010-09-07T08:07:00.002-05:00

We had a great time at the flea market, and I scored some great stuff! I got a really cool dress form to display my jewelry, hats and pins. I got an old typewriter for $5! I also picked up some old metal display boxes and some bottles that will be perfect for halloween decor projects.

Here is another card for the fall fest. I used a nestie to cut the background for my sentiment and the kraft paper is jillibean soup.

Hope you all had a great Labor Day.

Playing Catch-Up

2010-09-04T09:04:00.007-05:00

It's hard to believe my last post was almost 2 weeks ago! So today, I am playing catch-up. I have been creating...and I have a bit of a handicap today as I got into a fight with my cutter-bee scissors and my middle finger lost...don't ask.

Anyway, I have been making lots of goodies for the Fall Fest at Emerson Creek Pottery and my booth is on it's way to being spooktacular! Of course, I am making some everyday things too. Here's one of the cards that I mass produced for the event.

I am loving the PaperTrey Ink stamps on this card. I stamped the clouds and then the kite in black and colored it in with pencil. The papers are from a variety of vendors including October Afternoon, The Girls' Paperie, and GCD Studios.

And, in order to get my creative juices flowing and display ideas for my booth, I indulged a little and picked up this:

The women in this magazine have Ah-mazing spaces to create in. And frankly, it boggles my mind how organized they are because the magazine was in the middle of this:

In the spirit of Halloween, I think "EEK!!!" is appropriate. What is all that stuff? I will tell you. Believe it or not, there is a method to the madness!

Fabric coordinated and ready to be made into something really cool.

Fabulous seam binding that I got on Etsy from Prairie Bird Boutique and Bluebird Lane, ready to be attached to cards and other fun stuff.

More fabric samples...

Trust me...they will eventually look like this:

So, I decided to clean up my act. Which was a bummer because I was so ready to create. But, I couldn't find anything! So, I spent the next couple of hours...

Ah - much better. When your craft room is in the basement, and there are many a door and window, you get many uninvited guests. Also in the spirit of all things creepy and crawly, just ONE of the many I found:

He wasn't really that big, but that doesn't mean I like him any more. Yuck! But I hate to kill them because I think they do a lot of good. So, I released this guy and added "Spray around doors and windows with Spider repellent" to the Honey-Do list.

Ok - enough babble. Here's just a few of the Halloween greetings I've been working on for the Fall Fest.

The papers and embellishments on this one are mostly K & Company and I picked them up recently at Michael's.

(This one's for you Donna!)

And the papers here are from the Martha Stewart halloween stack that you can also find at Michael's.

Have a nice weekend. I'm off to the Flea Market today!

Baby Girl Cards

2010-08-22T11:17:00.004-05:00

It's been a busy weekend! Yesterday, I spent the day touring the local antique shops. There were so many things that I wanted to buy.

Last night, Carson and I went to a couple's wedding shower - lots of fun.

Today I was in the "making-mode." We know two different people that have just had baby girls. These cards were made with JilliBean Soup paper (the pink and green) and the yellow paper is from GCD Studios. The embellishments are by K & Company.

I made two different versions with the same papers. I just switched the sentiment.

Have a good day!

Birthday Wishes Greeting

2010-08-17T08:30:00.004-05:00

Today we are leaving for Up North again! Just one more lake trip before summer is gone.

I made this quick card using papers from Bo Bunny's Kitchen Spice collection. The blue doily patterned paper is by October Afternoon. The hot air balloon and the "birthday wishes" are stamps from Papertrey Ink.

I'll be back on Friday!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Wedding In The Country Invitation - FINISHED!

2010-08-16T10:33:00.005-05:00

It required a team effort this weekend to finish the Wedding In The Country invitations. But, I'm happy to report that they are hitting the mail today! We made about 110.

The wedding is going to be held on September 25th at my friend's pottery shop. There is a barn on the property that has been completely re-done and cleaned up so that they can host events like weddings and vow renewals in the future. A new concrete floor has been poured, fresh coats of paint have been applied and the ceiling is now illuminated by 16 chandeliers that came from a fairground ballroom in Bloomington, Illinois. They were originally brass and we took them apart and painted them white. They are gorgeous!

There has been a lot of work that has gone into prepping this place, but the location is so unique. If you are local, or just want to check it out, the website is www.ecreekpotteryandtearoom.com

Without further ado, here are the invites:

The cardstock is all Bazzill. The pumpkin on the front was cut by using the Pumpkin Spice 3x3 Cuttlebug Combo Die. I cut it out twice - once in white and once in green and then trimmed the stem off the white one so that the green could be seen. Then I inked the edges of the pumpkin. The twine is from The Twinery. The color is cappuccino. I can't believe how much you get for the price! We have so much leftover, we are going to be using it for the placecards.

For the inside, I went out to the actual barn and took an close shot of the barnwood. I had the photos done in Sepia and then we printed the invite information on vellum so that you could see the photo underneath.

Time to take the doggies for a walk. It's beautiful here today - only in the low 80's and much less humidity!

Joys Discovered Birthday Greeting

2010-08-14T14:33:00.002-05:00

Don't you hate when you work on something and it's so adorable and then you take a picture and it doesn't do it justice? I'm a bit partial, since this is my card - but still.

I went to the 3 French Hens Market in Morris this morning with a couple of friends. That kind of stuff is great for inspiration. We stopped in a few shops and saw some really neat things.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Scrapbooking Layout - Swim, Bike, Run

2010-08-13T10:49:00.003-05:00

This is the layout I made to remember last year's Naperville Triathlon. It was Carson's first year participating in it. Now, if I could only get myself motivated to scrap this year's triathlon!

I used Bo Bunny's Block Party collection.

TGIF!

Happy weekend!

Scrapbooking Layout - The House That Built Me

2010-08-12T07:45:00.002-05:00

Here is a layout that I made with Bo Bunny's Mama-razzi about the house where I grew up. I used the title from Miranda Lambert's song, "The House That Built Me". I thought that this color scheme was perfect for my layout.

I am feverishly working on the wedding invitations!

Hope you have something fun planned for today!

A Recipe, Some Cuttlebugging and a Card

2010-08-07T16:30:00.004-05:00

It's been a busy couple of days! But, I had a long to-do list today and got most of it done. One of the things on my to-do list included making a dessert for tonight. It's a great little recipe that doesn't require too many ingredients and is super easy to put together. It's also a great cool treat for the summer. Here it is:

Lemonade Pie

- one graham cracker pie crust

-two 4 oz. packages of instant vanilla pudding

- one can of frozen lemonade, thawed (you will only use half - 6 oz.)

- one 8 oz container of cool whip - thawed

- 1 3/4 C. of milk

- Pour the milk and pudding mixes into a bowl and whisk until combined; Add 6 0z. of lemonade; Fold in 8 oz. of cool whip; Pour into pie crust and either refrigerate or freeze, whichever you prefer.

I love summertime dessert recipes that don't require you to turn on the oven!

Edit: We had the lemonade pie tonight...it was good. But, I might reduce the lemonade to maybe 4 oz. It was VERY lemony the way the original recipe is.

The other major project I had today involved my Cuttlebug. I am making wedding invitations for my friend that owns the pottery shop. And, since they are getting married in a country setting and the wedding is in the fall, she asked if we could incorporate a pumpkin on the invitation. I know, not a "traditional" invitation, but it's turning out so great. So, I am using the Pumpkin Spice 3 x 3 combo die for the Cuttlebug. I cut out 100 of those little pumpkins (yes, 100. not a typo!) I will post a picture as soon as I have them done. I'm also using some of the baker's twine I purchased over at The Twinery.

As the title says, the last thing I am blogging about today is the card. I have a friend who recently lost her dad. So, I had to get this in the mail to her today.

I ended up mailing it in a bubble mailer because of the pearl embellishment. I'm interested...how do you all mail your greetings with 3-d or hard embellishments?

Enjoy your Saturday evening!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2010-08-02T08:50:00.002-05:00

Sorry I've been away. I was helping my friend with her pottery shop last week. But, I am creating today. So, I will post something later!

Any of you hopped over to The Twinery to get some of that yummy baker's twine? Remember, the discount code expires soon!

Friends Are The Sunshine (and sometimes offer you a discount, too!)

2010-07-27T14:36:00.004-05:00

Here is today's post. I promised a surprise that had something to do with my new favorite product - baker's twine. But not any baker's twine. This happens to be from The Twinery - and if you go there and use the discount code CRICKY25 at checkout, you can get 25% off your ENTIRE ORDER! So go to www.thetwinery.com and pick up some of this great twine. It's perfect for any gift or craft project! Special thanks to The Twinery for offering this discount to my readers! Hurry - the code expires August 4th!

I used the maraschino baker's twine in today's card which also features paper from Bo Bunny's Sun Kissed collection.

I know exactly who I am going to send this to!

Happy Tuesday!

Many Thanks

2010-07-26T20:13:00.002-05:00

Today was a busy day! But, I am thankful for it. So, I made a "Many Thanks" card. I used a variety of papers from companies including JilliBean Soup, Cosmo Cricket and Bo Bunny. My new favorite product is the colored twine that I used to thread through the button.

Come back tomorrow and I'll have a surprise for you regarding this new favorite of mine!

Happy Monday evening. Time for a margarita out on the deck!

Hello and Happy Birthday

2010-07-25T07:42:00.002-05:00

Just two quick cards today. The "Hello" card I made with papers from the Kitchen Spice collection by Bo Bunny. You can see all the papers in that collection here.

And in the masculine "Happy Birthday" card, I used paper from the Mama-razzi collection, also by Bo Bunny. You can see all the papers in that collection here.

Enjoy your Sunday!

SB Layout - Antiques and Garden Show

2010-07-24T09:35:00.003-05:00

I posted a couple of months back about going to the Chicago Botanical show. Well, I finally got around to doing a layout of some of the great things I saw.

The paper and the chipboard stickers are from Bo Bunny's Sophie line. The lettering are American Crafts Thickers. They were originally covered with white fabric and I colored them with a sharpie so they would match the layout.

Housewarming Bucket

2010-07-23T07:17:00.004-05:00

A good friend of mine moved into a new house a couple of weeks ago. I had dinner with her last night, and I took her this little bucket of goodies. It was so easy to make! I picked up the clear bucket at Michael's. Then I used some rub-ons from Bo Bunny's Kitchen Spice collection to decorate the bucket. That's a great use for rub-ons - decorating something clear. Then I made some quick confetti by cutting some strips of the Kitchen Spice paper and folding them and curling them.

I made my "home" tag by cutting a square for the house part and using a scalloped paper punch to create the "shingles" for the roof. The paper from the tag came from Bo Bunny's Delilah collection.

The last thing to add were the brownies!

Happy Friday! The weekend's here!

Sending You Happy Thoughts

2010-07-22T09:05:00.002-05:00

Here is a quick greeting I made with paper from Bo Bunny's Sophie collection. I just love the vibrant colors. I embellished the design with magenta stickles.

Not complicated! Just easy peasy!

Have a great Thursday!

Grocery Bag Album

2010-07-21T15:08:00.005-05:00

Finally, I have some projects to show. I have been creating and scrapping like crazy with all the pictures that I took from vacation and some other fun stuff that I had done months ago, but just hadn't gotten done.

Have you ever wanted to make an album or a book, but didn't have one handy? I created this album by cutting and folding a brown grocery bag to fit my needs. There are lots of ways to make an album, but I liked this way because I could use something that I already had in my pantry.

This album was to capture the memories from our trip Up North in early July.

I kept the handles in - they are actually nice to have and they keep the original functionality.

Most of the paper I used comes from Bo Bunny's Flower Child and Roughin' It collections.

There are not too many pages, but just enough to be able to fit the number of pictures I had. That's another great thing about creating your own album - you can customize it to fit your needs.

Inside front cover:

Next page where I journaled about when, what and who:

Page dedicated to the nature shots I took right outside the cabin door:

And, that unfolded into a whole new spread:

The next page was about what I read while on the trip:

And I "stickled up" the design of the paper:

And the last page was dedicated to Carson's water skiing abilities. He loves to ski; doesn't matter if it's cold, rainy, wavy - you name it, he gets in the water!

Hope you are having a great Wednesday! I'll be back tomorrow with some more Bo Bunny stuff!

p.s. - if you are interested in how I made my album, let me know. I might be able to throw together some instructions!

Festa Italiana, Here We Come!

2010-07-15T12:05:00.003-05:00

I'm tagging along today on Carson's business trip to Milwaukee's Festa Italiana. There's lots of food and entertainment and it's held at the Summerfest grounds, which is on Lake Michigan. I'm looking forward to it, but it's gonna be a hot one. Today the temp is topping out at about 90.

I'm going to take my Flip and my camera. We'll see what I can capture.

I've been working on layouts from my mom and dad's move and our Wisconsin trip a few weeks ago. I'll have new stuff to post soon!

Happy Thursday!

Movin' On Up!

2010-07-08T07:42:00.004-05:00

Today, I will be saying goodbye to my childhood home. It's moving day for my mom and dad. Yep, that's right. They are "movin' on up, to the eastside, to a deluxe appartment" - well, not exactly. It's a ranch style home that was built just a few years ago.

The house that I will be going to for the last time today was the one we moved into when I was 6! I was excited about kindergarten, and the new house with STAIRS and a swimming pool. There are many good memories that I will be leaving behind.

I'm going out there today to help with the moving truck and the loading of the furniture. I am going to take some pictures, which will be perfect for scrapping about "This Old House" -

Stay tuned!

Here is a quick birthday greeting that I pulled together using a yellow patterned October Afternoon paper, and black and white polka-dot K & Company paper, some American Crafts ribbon and a few birthday stamps.

Have a great Thursday!

Retro Inspired Happy Birthday

2010-07-06T11:11:00.003-05:00

We're back from Up North and we have plenty of mosquito bites to show for it. We did some water skiing and boating. The weather was cooler than it was at home - so it was pretty nice. We saw lots of wildlife - foxes, weasels, snakes, turtles, fish, and deer. It's good to be back home. Today, I am planning to do the mountain of laundry that we brought back with us and do some prepping for our house guests that will be arriving on Thursday. Mom and Dad will be spending a couple of nights with us as they get their new home in order.

Here's a retro inspired happy birthday card. I used a variety of products including 7 Gypsies tape, a Tim Holtz journaling tag, a graphic from a Graphic45 paper, background paper by Graphic45 and a swatch of fabric from those upholstery books I snagged.

I'm enjoying some music from my Mac today by logging into my Pandora account. If you've never tried it, Pandora is a website that you can go to and create your own personalized radio station by selecting artists or songs that you like.

I'm planning to scrap the pictures of our trip later this week. Hopefully, I'll have some fun layouts to share.

Have a great Tuesday!

Heading Up North!

2010-07-02T06:37:00.002-05:00

We're heading into the North Woods for the 4th of July holiday. My husband's family has a place near Hayward, Wisconsin. So, I'm officially "off the grid" until Tuesday.

Here's a quick birthday greeting using Cosmo Cricket's DeLovely paper collection. So bright and cheery!

Have a safe and happy 4th. I will be thinking of all the men and women who are currently serving our country or have given their lives so that we live freely in our country.