Rhonna's Digital Giveaway!

Okay, so if you're at all considering getting on the digital scrapbook wagon (doesn't it seem that when you get into a new craft that it's like literally getting on a wagon that's going full speed ahead and you're just trying so hard to keep up? Okay, maybe it's only me and the way I become super obsessed when I'm into something "new", but I digress...) let me just point you in the direction of my veRy favoRite digital scrapbook artist, Rhonna Farrer. And it just so happens that she is doing a little giveaway, so check it out.

I've dabbled just a tiny bit with the digital scrapbooking website, Scrapblog. I think it's the perfect place to start to get your feet wet. AND, Rhonna is a part of it and has some of her designs on there, so you should check that out, too.

SO bummed!

My computer crashed! So now, when there are so many things to post about, I CAN'T, and when there are so many beautiful things posted about, I CAN'T see them!!! WHAAAAA! Some days go by when I don't even turn the thing on, and now it seems there isn't anything I can do that doesn't involve my computer in some way. Oh, all the holiday inspiration I'm missing out on! Again, WHAAAAAAA! And my computer guy is out of town, so I'm stuck!

So, just a quick update, I finished all the jewelry that I've been working on to take to the Shorelines. I did take pictures, so when I can, I will post them. Yesterday, right after I dropped the jewelry off, I did a thorough cleaning of my poorly neglected home and re-arranged the furniture a bit to leave room for the Christmas tree. This morning, Elena and I picked out a most perfect little noble fir. (It breaks my heart to think that I might have lost all the pictures on my computer that included shots of our first Christmas in our new little home and our tiny cute little fully loaded up tree. whaaaa!) I just left my parents' house where I picked up all of my Christmas decorations. Now, ready, set, DECORATE!!

Gearin up

the season is now fully upon us...and I am SO excited!! I was so butt-hurt for the longest time about the change in the weather. You see, we had no real summer to speak of, just a few hours (on the days we were lucky) of sunshine, then the gray bank of doom and gloom would roll in and sap all the energy from my pretty little flower pot garden to the point that they never even really bloomed good. I set up my patio furniture and outdoor seating ready for bbq's that never happened. Eventually I took down my patio furniture (never having sat on it except for that one time Jake took a break when he mowed my lawn) washed it all down to store, and I did it all with a real pissy attitude. While the whole rest of the world (slight exaggeration, I admit) blogged about how "Fall is the best", "Fall is my favorite season", "can't wait to drink Chai" and "frolic in the beautiful crunchy leaves", blah, blah, well, I just couldn't let go of the fact that I didn't get a summer!! But now, I'm over it. Some of my plants are actually doing better now than ever! And we've had more sun than all summer long.

Here you can see in this photo I took today how even the trees are all confused...one is hanging onto fall just as hard as I hung onto the idea of summer, while the other is ready and all decorated for Christmas!

Speaking of decorating for Christmas, this little beauty really put me fully over the edge into the spirit of holiday decorating. Have you ever seen a poinsettia so beautiful? It couldn't go any more perfectly with my house!

To backtrack a little, we had a lovely little Thanksgiving feast, I think I spent a maximum of 25 quality minutes visiting and getting a little dinner in before turning back around and heading out for work! O, gotta love those late nights I keep!

Not sure how Grannie always gets caught unprepared for pictures when we all make it a point to shout out for her specifically to smile for the camera?

Good stuff, I've had a plate of leftovers everyday since!

If you're in need of a little Christmas creative therapy, or just something to jump start your crafty thumb, check out this sparkly little number. I found it on Red Velvet Art blog. I think it's a clever little idea, and so easy to make in any color you'd want. I especially like the sparkly tinsely part, and anyone who knows me knows how I loves me some sparkle!!!! Not sure I need any more wreaths, but we'll see.

It's been hours since the sun went down

and I need to get myself to bed now!! Goodnight!

Happy Thanksgiving...

...from our kitchen to yours :)

Really?!?!?

Creativity Strikes!

Oh, it's been SOOOO long since I've scrapbooked or made jewelry--and here I've gone and done them both in the same week!! Amazing!
I must confess, that I cheated a little bit. This layout was actually from a class I taught and has been sitting in my "to finish up" pile. I added my pictures and some more personalized touches and voila! The journaling reads "I just LOVE this store! The Nesting Place really is a 'sweet escape', so full of eye candy! I'm so happy to work here one day a week. It's like an inspiration vacation! 5/07" Unfortunately, this store is no longer, but a new, fun and funky store called Shipwreck is in it's place.

As for the jewelry side of things...I'm in desperate need of getting my butt in gear to turn some pieces into the Shorelines. These are some of the pieces I made today...
..so stay tuned, there will be lots more ahead!
p.s. sorry about the chopped off photos, I'm too tired to mess with 'em!

Sweet Surprise

This is why I l-o-v-e gardening

Today, standing at the kitchen window, I looked out and spotted this new bloom. I'd given up almost all hope that it would happen this year. You see, way back in the spring I re-potted it, fed it, watered it all through the summer until one tiny little leaf slowly unfurled, then two, and that was it, for like for-ever! Then, eventually, I ended up with a pot of pretty leaves. I thought that was all I was going to probably get. Until today. This might be the only flower I see from this plant, but I am totally thrilled! Gardening is just full of surprises and little delights!

same plant--picture taken June 2007

Fall Flavor

yummmm, made myself some pumpkin banana bread, and boy o boy, it was tastY! You should smell my house right now! Oh, you'd be sooo jealous!

Over the years I've clipped SO many recipes from magazines, but I think this is the first time I've ever actually cooked something I thought looked good. And I didn't even clip it first, just got flour and sugar all over the inside of the mag! If you have this issue, you should try it out!

Fruit Fly Pie

Some nights (mornings) when I get off work, I like to get online and check up on all my favorite blogs. I "follow" several and it's so much easier this way because I can see who posted new stuff at just a glance. Last night as I was cruising around, via sfgirlbybay,

I found my first favorite Esty shop, Fruit Fly Pie. I love all the owly ceramic stuff! And Inever even knew I liked owls all that much--I think it's just the delicious colors they come in, and their vintage appeal.

I also really like this orange planter cuz it's the perfect shade for my kitchen!

busy bee

This morning I delivered this custom order to a wonderful mother of 6 that I've met through doing the Fieldbrook Art and Wine Festival.

Jake and I met at the Oil Stop (oh, so romantic, I know you're jealous!) where he'd made appointments for oil changes for both our vehicles, then we walked to the movies to catch a matinee. I'm now hooked on the new movie-soon-to-be-series "Twilight". We then dropped our cars off for tire rotations and walked to Luzmila's for lunch. After lunch I found out I need to buy two new front tires, ugh! After all that, I returned home to continue working on some jewelry. This is what I've finished up today....




..not too bad you might say, but oh, how much I still need to get done! Better get me some more of these babies to get me through. Oh, sorry, if you're not informed, these are only THE most BESTEST seasonal candies of all time, now available at Christmastime! Now I won't have to worry about stashing up so much at Easter. Maybe I should have kept that a secret cuz it's kinda pathetic.

Now, it's WAAYYY past my bedtime, even for someone who has a vampirish like schedule. Gnite!

Today I...

Took a picture of my reflection...

finished painting this jewelry armoire that I started the summer before last (wince)...

sanded this jewelry box that I painted last Fall...

found these baubles in one of the armoire's drawers...

and looked out my kitchen window, surprised (seriously, why does that word have an "r" after the "u"?) to see the moon so near and so early.

THE END

Happy Halloween!

From my house to yours

and beware what lies creeping in the shadows!!!
MWWAHAHAHA!!