be yourself: live with passion

EXTRA, EXTRA...

A couple of months ago, I posted about a "many faces of white" book that I would be teaching at Ink It this Saturday.  I received a lot of emails asking if I would be able to do some extra kits and I'm happy to say that I was able to find some great textured papers to create more kits.  (Thank you, Mary Ellen, for your persistence in looking for the pebbled paper!)  For those of you who had contacted me earlier, you should have received an email from me this morning...if I didn't send you one, shame on me!  It wasn't intentional so please email me again...

I will have some kits left after filling the orders so let me know if you're interested in one.  They are in limited supply, so it's first come...

   

Just about every year on my birthday, I get a new Santa to add to my collection. 

Wanted to share the one I got yesterday...he just tickles me...can't wait until this weekend when the other boys come out of their boxes and join him.

He stands about two feet tall and has the kindest eyes...he's also got a wonderful knitted coat and cap...vintage glitter on his boots...leather lacings...

I can't get over how real he looks-just LOVE him!

                              

plugging back in...

Last Wednesday, bright and early, no, make that dark and early, Vern, Ashey and I (and Bluey!) took off on a LOOONG road trip to Burley, Idaho to spend Thanksgiving with my parents and my brother, sister-in-law and nephew.  At the last minute, I decided to leave my computer at home and totally unplug...a total vacation.  We came home late last night with a snow blizzard following us through Utah!  We had such a fun time eating, shopping, playing, skiing, more eating...

My brother and sister-in-law, Tim and Carmen, had Thanksgiving dinner at their house.  Tim doesn't like making traditional Thanksgiving dinners so we ended up with slow cooked brisket and smoked ribs...yummmmm!  Carmen, Ashley and I made fresh Spring Rolls and Lettuce Rolls for appetizers and they were awesome as well.  Here's Tim with some of the pre-dinner prep...there is always so much food when he cooks...needless to say, no one went hungry and there are enough leftovers for them to have for a whole week!

Here are Mom and Dad checking out something on the globe.  They look quite serious!

On Friday,  we went up to Sun Valley so that Vern and Ashley could ski with Carmen and Josh.  Carmen is a ski instructor so the whole clan benefitted from some free lessons!  They had a total blast...the weather was great and it wasn't too crowded.  Here's a picture of the day lodge...not too shabby of a place.  Sun Valley is home to a lot of celebrities so things are very upscale.

And, speaking of celebrities, we were in a ski shop before dropping off the gang at the lodge.  You wouldn't believe who we saw in there.  Right in front of my face was Tom Hanks!  I almost gushed and asked for an autograph and picture but then thought "the guy is on vacation for crying out loud...leave him alone!"  Vern saw him at the same time...we looked at each other and smiled.  Tom saw us smiling and gave us a huge grin...nice to know he's just as personable in real life as on the big screen!

Tim and I went scouting for antique stores, vintage and home decor stores and a restaurant to have dinner that night.  We found a great store called "Bungalow" that had a blend of vintage and new things...came out with a bag of stuff from there, including some rusted tins with Russian writing on the sides...that was cool!

We settled on dinner at CK's...that was an awesome choice...incredible food and great service...and very unpretentious.  Apparently, it's the happening place in the Sun Valley area and I can see why!

It was so cool to see all of the Christmas lights in the area.  The store owners really get into the spirit of decorating and it really put me in the holiday mood.

On Saturday, we went back up to the Sun Valley area...my brother had found a rustic dining table and chairs in one of the stores and we all went back to take a second look.  [They ended up buying the entire set!] There was this old rusted Studebaker out in front of the store with planters imbedded into the hood...that was very cool.

We checked out a large tack and antique store but I couldn't find anything that was a must have.

Here's Ashley by one of the antique wagons.  When we were heading up to Sun Valley the first day, we had noticed some dilapidated abandoned buildings out in the dried field...they were surrounded by bare trees and just looked like a good photo op.  On the way home, Tim surprised us by pulling into the rutted, narrow drive so that we could take some pictures.  Much to our surprise, the houses were occupied...one by owls and the other by pigeons!

Here are Carmen and I by the owl house and here's a not very clear picture of one of the owl occupants...I had taken my little point and shoot and couldn't zoom in well enough for a good shot.

            

Here are Ashley and Josh out in the fields.

We came back to a great meal prepared by Mom and some time for Scrabble and Monopoly!  Always fun!

Sunday was morning church and then some family time with Mom and Dad.

We took off early yesterday and actually saw lots of snow coming down in Utah.  Fortunately, the snow was either following us or had arrived just before us so conditions weren't bad...it was cool to get a snow fix, see bare trees, actually have pink cheeks from the cold and wind...but it's good to be home, too!

Hope that you had a safe and very memorable Thanksgiving...

a few words from the bean...

Hi, my name is Bluey.  I am a blue jelly bean from Blue Bazaar and Carol told me it was OK to share some of my adventures since I came to visit her.  I have to say that it's been a wild ride.  I no sooner came out of my pizza box than I was packed into some soft and smushy clothes in a suitcase.  There was a lot of jostling around...lots of noise...two French guys in a place called Montreal who were wondering what I was...talk about a passport...clearing customs...hmmm, all weird stuff to me.

Finally, I ended up in a place called Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.  It was a lot colder there; I was sure glad that I have a blue fleece coat!

I got to take Carol's first class at Scrap Gala.  All the girls ooohed and aaaahed over me...I LOVED IT!  Some asked if I minded if they got their pictures taken with me...hah! AS IF!

Here I am with Carol and the project she taught...the class was called "When The Chips Are Down" and it was all about chipboard pieces.  The girls in the class really liked the glitter and the Christmasey paper.

I guess it was OK.  I don't get why the class was about chips, though.  Why couldn't it be about something like oh, maybe beans?  [Insert editorial comment here:  Hey, Bluey, want some cheese to go along with that whine?  Here's the deal...if you come up with a line of products about jelly beans, then I'll do a class about that...maybe call it "Full of Beans"!] 

I got to sit in some of the other classes, too.  Carol had a couple moments of panic when she couldn't find me in the top of the box.  She was totally relieved when she found me all cuddled up in the corner of her suitcase.  Seems that she forgot that she put me there...no wonder.  Sheesh, do those girls ever sleep?  Hanging out in each other's rooms, talking, laughing...one night up with Christy until 3 a.m.   I wanted to "spill the beans" and tell you all the good stuff they were saying but I've been threatened by Carol to be shipped off to Australia if I tell...she says that anything that's said after midnight is NOT REPEATABLE!  Spoil sport...that's what she is!

After another suitcase trip, more jostling and noise, we got back to Arizona.  It's been a whirlwind since I came back.  Laundry, unpacking stuff, muttering about some computer issues-something about MSN Core Files being missing and not being able to get into MSN Mail...I don't think that woman ever sits, except for when she had that big checkbook and pile of bills! 

On Saturday, Vern and Ashley took her out to dinner for her birthday...an early celebration from what I could tell...and I'm offended.  I was not invited to experience Quiessence...not fair...at all.

On Sunday, Carol worked on making four projects...they were pretty cool.   Yesterday, I heard her tell Vern that she was going to deliver them but she didn't say where...wonder where they went and what they were for?   Hmmm...

So today, there are more clothes piles on the bed...the suitcase is out again...and oh, I just got thrown in there again.  (Muffled sounds)  Where am I going now?  Isn't anyone going to tell me?  Anyone?  Bye............

getting in the mood for Christmas...

It usually doesn't happen until right after Thanksgiving.

Decorating the house, finishing the Christmas buying, sending cards and hand making gifts...all of that usually starts after Thanksgiving Day.  But this year, thanks to a visit to The Twelve Months of Christmas, a fabulous Christmas store near Moncton, New Brunswick, I'm in the mood...right now!

I found this beautiful vintage white Santa and just had to have him for my collection.  He is covered with clear glitter and his coat is made from tea dyed felt. 

When I came home, the fabulous feather and pearl trees that I ordered from Tinsel Trading had arrived.  Don't they look awesome together?

Now I just want to pull apart my pot shelves and the tops of the armoires and get busy putting out the Santa guys!

Unfortunately, it's not going to happen...not until after Thanksgiving.  Oh well, at least this little vignette is up and I can get my daily Christmas decoration fix!

I just had to get a picture of this tree...it was hung upside down...how funny is that?

Here is Debbie,hugging her new nativity set...it was absolutely gorgeous!  She looks quite pleased with herself!

Here we are outside of the Christmas store...we have Flat Christy with us!  Christy is bummed that she missed out on the store...she was in the airport at the time...all by her lonesome!  If it makes you feel any better Christy, I was searching for a Santa in PJ's or sweats for you.  I even asked the owner if they had one...no luck...but we were thinking about you!  And, Flat Christy seemed to enjoy the store!

Here are Tina and Noella outside of the store...it was such a happy place and a great way to spend our last day in Moncton.  Thanks, girls, for the great day!

TEACHERS IN THE TUB, THE HEALER AND MORE...

I'm in Moncton, New Brunswick.  My bags are packed.  I'm reflecting on the amazing weekend I just experienced teaching at the Scrap Gala event.

I know that after a weekend packed with scrapping women and classes, I often say that it was incredible, that the people were so nice and that it was the best time.  It's all true...each time really is the best time.  In this case, how could it not be?

First, there are the masterminds behind the event:  Debbie, in the middle, is the owner of The Scrap Shack, and the "heart" behind the gathering.  On her left is her sister, Shirley, whom I call the "muscle"...she keeps things moving and totally organized.   On Debbie's right is her daughter, Amy, who is very much a behind the scenes contributor, unless the you count the number of times the camera flashed in our faces!  They were an awesome team.

Then there are the Get Er Duns, a hard working, uncomplaining group of women who tirelessly helped us keep classes clean and organized.  They are amazing!  Thank you Rachel, Nicole, Noella, Tina, Valeria and Tasha as well as Debbie, Shirley and Amy!  You are totally the best!

Working together with this group of teachers was a blast.  We bonded so quickly, it felt like we had known each other for years.  Although I had known Tena (of course) and Kah-Mei (of FontWerks) prior to the event, I didn't know Christy Tomlinson or Debbie Hill.  What a crazy bunch...from Christy's first meal of french fries, cake and tomatoes (only so that she could say that she had her veggies), to the pic in the tub where the girls left me 2 inches and told me to "get in" with my response being "get real", to Kah-Mei's screaming contest to win prizes...all so fun!  Yesterday, we went shopping and took "Flat Christy" with us (will post pics later)...it was so sad that she had to leave the day before us.  There was a lot of laughter...and lots of tears.

The students were really, really special!  I enjoyed every one of the 7 classes I taught and each one was memorable for different reasons.  One in particular will be especially memorable because of The Healer, Angie (on the left).  About half way through the class, Warenne (on the right), lost a screw on her glasses which caused her lens to fall out.  Without it, she couldn't see...at all.  Angie got down on hands and knees, found the screw (which was beyond tiny) and figured out how to fix the glasses without a screwdriver.  Go Angie!   Warenne was so thrilled, she called her an Angel and the rest of us took it from there.  She was The Healer, Miracle Worker, Queen...it kept escalating until finally, she became the Maritimer of the Week!  She's going to dine off that story for weeks!

But you know what was really cool?  That night, during the crop, there was a drawing for a large HP printer.  Guess who won the printer?  Yep, you got it.  It was Angie!  How about that for an immediate reward and blessing!

What a special time...lots of great stories and memories...and lots of new friends.  I'm heading out in just a little bit...will post more...next post from Arizona!

surprise, surprise...

It is so much fun to be surprised with something good, something out of the blue (a-hem...no pun intended, really!  I proofed this post and realized what I had written after the fact :)) or something you completely forgot about!  On Monday, I had two of them.

There were two pizza boxes in my mailbox from Australia.  I had received some incredibly awesome product from Luise at Blue Bazaar from her line called Cherry Arte...there were beautiful papers, rub-ons and clear stamps.  So fun, especially when it's a gift, and such a generous one at that!  Thanks, Luise!

And, along with all of the product was Bluey, the Blue Bazaar Jelly Bean, sent for a surprise visit to Arizona.  Bluey also came with a journal for me to record his travels.

Well, he came just in time to take a deep breath and be put in the suitcase again, this time to take off for Moncton, New Brunswick, bright and early tomorrow morning!    Bluey spent quite a bit of time with Heidi Swapp at her house, and interacted with Cathy Zielske, Ali Edwards and Donna Downey when they were in Australia.   He also had an inspirational visit to Summer CHA in Chicago with the awesomely wonderful Maxine Hazebroek, one of Blue Bazaar's very talented design team members.  Life is really grand, isn't it Bluey?  You're quite an international traveler!

The second surprise, found later that day, was this pressed flower that was in a very old cookbook that I had opened to look for a recipe.  This cookbook is probably 25 years old or so...and this flower was put in there about that long ago.  I had totally forgotten about it!  It was from Vern and finding it served as a good reminder about what a great and giving guy he is!

Signing off...need to pack...I've been scrounging through my closet for warm clothes, socks and shoes.

Totally excited...will update from Moncton!

Hope life gives you many surprises...hope they're fun and make you happy!

creating...just for fun

On Friday, UPS brought me six boxes...the return of my Lifelines projects from the publisher.  It was so cool to unpack the projects...to remember when and why I made them...to smile about some of them...to have this desire to add  more pages to some of the books.  This weekend, I felt like I had a lot of inspiraton which resulted in this urge to create...it was like an itch that just wouldn't go away...so I scratched it!  I really wanted to add to my personal art journal which I had gotten back on Friday so that's what I did!

I wanted to do some pages just about color...to take a page and focus on one color at a time...not to get hung up on design and doing things right (i.e., taking forever to do it)...just layering lots of elements.

The only parameters I set were that I was to use what I had (definitely a good way to use up stashes!) and to include a photo on each page.

Here are the pages I was able to do:

                        

                        

                        

                        

Hope you have an inspirational and colorful week!

so much inspiration...

...under one cover.

                        

It came yesterday and I am still sighing with bliss!

seriously funky...

Visits to Lucky 15 are always filled with surprises. 

Fun surprises...usually seriously funky, too.

I was greeted at the door by these fabulous fabric pumpkins,all handmade by one of Megan's artist friends.  Ashley and I got huge grins on our faces...we had to have some!

After playing with different combos, we settled on these three...orange chenille, ivory velvet and light brown fleece, all filled with various seeds and beans and finished off with real pumpkin/squash stems.

They are amazingly awesome, so touchable, and seriously funky.

One of my other funky finds was this collection of tiny composition books...I love the bright colors and awesome patterns...plus, they're small and really portable.  I like carrying around a small notebook for those flashes of inspiraton, a funny quote or bumper sticker, someone's phone number or blog addy...most of the notebooks I have definitely add heft to an already overcrowded and weighty purse.

Ashley found some funky things as well...lots of little bits from the jars, hand dyed seam binding ribbon, and an incredible book to alter (entitled "Phoenix Rising") cut into the shape of a rising Phoenix...how cool is that?  It was Ashley's first visit to Lucky 15 and trust me when I tell you that she was not disappointed.

We popped into Melrose Vintage just a few doors down from Lucky 15 and had our Shabby Chic fix...they are the authorized dealers for the Shabby Chic line.  We loved looking at and touching the soft pillows...velvet, linen, soft cotton...yummmm.  Melrose Vintage also has a scrapbooking room that's filled with vintagey types of papers and embellishments...a great place if you're looking for seriously pretty papers like the Anna Griffin line.  It's hard not to be inspired by the vintage images, the bits of glitter, the beautiful Wendy Addison pieces...

Their baby/children's area is amazing...the clothing is so unique...definitely not something you would easily find but yet so comfortable and usable.  I was telling Ashley that it was too bad that no one in our family or circle of friends was having a baby right now...we could have done some very serious damage!

They also have some beautiful antique and collectable pieces at Melrose Vintage.  Miss Ashley found herself a tiny vintage music box...absolutely gorgeous with amethysts embedded into the cover design...since purple is her favorite color, it was one of those "must haves".

 

We also checked out a fun pet center called Wag 'N Wash...talk about your ultimate store for dogs and cats.  The owner makes healthy treats for dogs right there on the premises...so everything is fresh...we picked up some for our dogs and they loved them.  Of course, we had to come home with some new toys as well...that made Thatcher's day, for sure!

Lunch at T.C. Eggington's completed our girls' time together that day...

You know what's so amazing to me?  This was business...the purpose of the trip was to pick up some things Megan had on hold for me at the store for kits I'm putting together...how can I honestly call it work?  I LOVE what I do!!!!!  Seriously!

Why I Love November...in Arizona

November is one of my favorite Arizona months...here's what I love:

*Chilly mornings and evenings bring on hot baths with candlelight and bath salts

*The fragrant aromas of stews, chili, cornbread and authentic French Onion Soup coming from the kitchen...mmmmm

*Sweatshirts in the mornings

*Hot spiced cider and hot Good Earth tea

*Blankets at night

*Bright, sunny and warm days with skies an amazing shade of blue

*Thanksgiving with family, great food, traditions

*Decorating the house for Christmas

*All of the magic and secrets of the holidays ...the packages coming in the mail, bags being "snuck" into the house, whispers and "I know something you don't know" smiles...

*My birthday

*The porch and patio "lanterns" that look warm and cozy

*I can really enjoy those hot cups of coffee

*The leaves that fall from the ash trees give me something to rake and a slight illusion of autumn

*Long walks with Vern and dogs along the canal

*The colorful flowers that thrive in this weather

*The wake up with tons of energy feeling

*Classes that focus on gift giving and the holidays

*Wearing jeans without sweltering

*Having the front and back doors open all day and no air conditioning!

Hope it's a wonderful November for you...hope you have special traditions and memories that you treasure...hope that magic and secrets are a part of your life this month.