Scrapbook Cake Giveway Image

hey! Don't forget I'm having a birthday giveaway!

Here is some help for linking up to this on your blog.

Julie inspired me to create an image to use in my Scrapbook Cake Giveaway and boy did I have fun setting up a tiny little scene this morning and playing around with some text.

In the background is that cool box Shirley made and I may have said would make a lovely birthday gift for me!!!!!!

The silver FRAME is one I picked up yesterday at North Country  Neighbors and I felt like I scored since it's super heavy and pretty. Plus, the girl selling it is donating money to help kids in the North Country.

THOSE cupcakes there are the best I've tasted. This local girl up here runs a business called Simply Cupcakes and hands them out at all the craft fairs. One taste and you have to buy a box.

Lisa drove all the way to Malone yesterday to get us some. We had been scoring cupcakes for free since we hit a lot of craft fairs and those disposable mustaches I brought meant we could pretend to be different people and try all the kinds. And my friend Kristy thought she sent them for my kids. I am sure she would understand how a girl has to do what a girl has to do to get these treats!

Guess it was time we actually purchase a few......boxes. ;-)

PLUS, I feel all proud of myself. I figured out how to add my own give-away to my sidebar. Silly me. It was super easy. Oooopsie!!!!

Here is all the info below on the giveaway:

I had to make a cute box to store it all in. And include a shot of our snow that is so pretty....It's much prettier on the ground than in the air in my opinion.

And, a close up of the front:

OH! You want to see what is inside it???  Flowers you can only get in Potsdam!

These are pretty 3D. Perfect for a box or a frame...but also have a magnet on the back!

Most of them are made by the very crafty super star here in the North Country...The Mad Recycler!

So, the rules. (btw, Lisa from You Made Me Ink, if these look a wee bit familiar...I'm just sayin' I may have borrowed them...you can have them back later)

1.  You don't have to follow my blog to receive this cake.  Since it's Birthday Cake, all are welcome.  However, I would greatly appreciate it if you did, only if you find inspiration in my pages and projects.

2.  Leave me a comment with some kind of contact info and the link to your link below.

3.  Only ONE ENTRY per person, please! 

4.  Please add a photo of this cake on your side bar if you would and link back to me. If you (like me) are confused on how to do that, a simple post will work with a photo and a link.

If, by any chance you can recommend some amazing, funny, quirky blogs that you love, that would be greatly appreciated! I have a couple I follow strictly because they make me laugh! OH and challenge blogs too. 

 I will leave this open until next Friday and draw a name using a very scientific method. If I get real crazy, maybe I'll figure out how to do one of those random number generator thingies. 

And hey, if you are stalking me from Facebook, repost my blog link on your main page and I will count that!

Alright, good luck!

And if you feel inclined to eat a piece of REAL cake today, I won't blame you. All this talk of cake has made me hungry!

in Honor of Saturdays...

So, a bit ago my friend Kristy asked me for a photo of me on the phone. I assigned the task to Lexi who giggled and jiggled all the way through taking one. I e-mailed it to Kristy not really thinking much. I mean, she said, Don't Ask Why so I didn't.

Around Christmas I got presented with this lovely page!

Kristy and I struggle to keep up yet four to five hours apart by car but when we meet up in real life, it's like no time has passed.

And that fancy smancy paper she has used as her background? That goes alllllllll the way back in my blog to last March where I had some wall paper from my Childhood room cut into scallops. Here is the post. Kristy was MOVING then so her life was in an uproar!

If you would, leave her some love! Someday soon I hope to suck her into Blog Land!!! ;-)

Happy Birthday to me! Some Blog Cake and a scrap page!

How fitting to share my birthday post with Another Freaking Scrappy challenge site...I always try to do their challenges.....'cause they are so freaking good! Fun stuff on my birthday, happy dance!!!! Plus, I know all the girls from AFSC will stop in and then THEY can enter, which will make me super happy!

I had to squeeze this page in for their latest challenge which is ending quite soon! Like super soon.

Their Dec. 15th challenge is to: scrap a favorite recipe – use a photo of the item if you can or wish to. Make sure the recipe is included on the layout!

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They provided a sketch which I flipped.

This was a page I did showing the mound of food we had on Christmas Day!

And, we tried a new recipe which we LOVE!  Well, I'd include the link, but we tweaked it quite a bit, so it's our version!

Asparagus Salad with Sweet Balsamic Vinegar

yield: Serves 6

Boiling the vinegar concentrates and sweetens it, so the dressing

doesn't require as much oil to balance the acid.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

·         1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

·         3 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

·         1 teaspoon minced garlic

·         2 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, left whole

·         1 small red pickled bell pepper, diced

·         Feta Cheese

·         Pine Nuts

·         Bacon Bits

·         Tomato

Boil vinegar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until

reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Pour vinegar into large bowl.

Whisk in oil, mustard and garlic. Season dressing to taste with

salt and pepper.

Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling salted water until

crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water

and drain again. Add asparagus, the bell pepper and tomato

to dressing; toss to blend well. Lay asparagus on bed of lettuce.

Sprinkle with feta cheese, pine nuts, and bacon bits.

You can just see the actual dish peeking out under my letters below. It isn't too photogenic, but boy was it good! Sorry about the flash, the day got away from me and I had to take these in the evening...

Both sets of letters were cut out of my Silhouette, inked up, glimmered up with glitter and then a coat of crackle glaze was added. They "pop" out of my page due to pop dots.

And another shot of letters and the cutie pie place setting I cut out with my Silhouette and also the little plate I cut out of a photo. I added the script in Picasa. My Gram got me these new fancy red plates. Typically I do a Christmas journal, but I may skip that this year as scrapping brings me way more joy...we'll see.

I am loving this page and my food glamour shots! Thanks for a great challenge!

And, my birthday give away:

I had to make a cute box to store it all in. And include a shot of our snow that is so pretty....It's much prettier on the ground than in the air in my opinion.

And, a close up of the front:

OH! You want to see what is inside it???  Flowers you can only get in Potsdam!

These are pretty 3D. Perfect for a box or a frame...but also have a magnet on the back!

Most of them are made by the very crafty super star here in the North Country...The Mad Recycler!

So, the rules. (btw, Lisa from You Made Me Ink, if these look a wee bit familiar...I'm just sayin' I may have borrowed them...you can have them back later)

1.  You don't have to follow my blog to receive this cake.  Since it's Birthday Cake, all are welcome.  However, I would greatly appreciate it if you did, only if you find inspiration in my pages and projects.

2.  Leave me a comment with some kind of contact info and the link to your link below.

3.  Only ONE ENTRY per person, please! 

4.  Please add a photo of this cake on your side bar if you would and link back to me. If you (like me) are confused on how to do that, a simple post will work with a photo and a link.

If, by any chance you can recommend some amazing, funny, quirky blogs that you love, that would be greatly appreciated! I have a couple I follow strictly because they make me laugh! OH and challenge blogs too. 

 I will leave this open until next Friday and draw a name using a very scientific method. If I get real crazy, maybe I'll figure out how to do one of those random number generator thingies. 

And hey, if you are stalking me from Facebook, repost my blog link on your main page and I will count that!

Alright, good luck!

And if you feel inclined to eat a piece of REAL cake today, I won't blame you. All this talk of cake has made me hungry!

Bedrock: One Meaningful Word and a page for The Color Room

nonono the page is not crooked....I meant it to be that way....kind of in a not perfect kind of way....

Thought I'd try this "one little word" thing a lot of people are talking about in Blog Land...Looks like it's an Ali Edwards thing. I read about it FIRST in Guideposts however, so not entirely sure who to give credit to. It is a great story, by the way in Guideposts, so have a quick read if you have a minute. 

Regardless, this word snapped into my brain and I thought it was about time to do page with the whole new year coming and also my birthday. It's a good one for my book about Me that I stared a while back. 

Hence the 38 on the side of the page. YES, I will be 38 on the 30th. And, please do stop back tomorrow for a give away. I'd like to thank anyone reading for replying and commenting and plain ole stalking me.

Inspiration for this page came from the latest challenge over at The Color Room. When this came in I gasped. It's the pink. Hurt my brain for a minute. THE MAN who was taking a quick wander by came over to see who died due to my exclamation and peered onto my screen. He laughed and said, GUESS you are not doing that one any time soon. 

Hahahahahah! Yes, I will do it because it hurts. BUT, if you compare their palette to my pink. I did fail miserably.

Do I get points for trying?

Do you not love this little tree? It's by Kaisercraft. If you are local, you must stop into Misty Hollow. Bob has been buying all these cute things I love. Plus, I am pretty sure his prices beat on-line. How can you go wrong with local? 

The silver star and silver eye lash ribbon is from Shirley's Stash....and the tree is glittered up with um......nail polish. Someone got some really pretty shimmery nail polish from their Fairy God Mother Marilyn and I may have swiped it for my chipboard, which also got a coat of Fairy Glitter Dust from Donna Salzar. Yes, Bob bought these beautiful salt shakers and I squealed with excitement. Santa just might have put one in my stocking. I'm not sayin' it was me...

And one more photo of my bling....

And, why you ask is there a Santa on my shoulder?

It could be worse. This one got a few laughs. The hubby put the bow on my head and Santa on my shoulder, but I guess he was cold???? Anyhow, they all had a good laugh. Since I didn't feel Santa trying to climb down my shirt, I was very confused. 

How did you amuse your family at Christmas? And, if you are doing a "one little word" project, let me know! I'd love to check it out!

Pratt Craziness on Christmas Day

UPDATE:  so, for Top Tip Tuesday, you also can write a tip!

I'd like to add a tip to this blog posting.

Around the holidays when things get stressful, make sure you take a break for you. It can be making something if that relaxes you, a cup of hot coco if chocolate helps, or even just a quick nap. Nothing works wonders on crafting mojo than a little ME time! 
****************************************************************************
In the space of two paragraphs, you may just hate me. Please don't.

So, I didn't wrap one present this Christmas. Unless you count the garbage bag I wrapped around Lisa's Easter Present as gift wrap 'cause it was snowing. But, that WAS an Easter Present. All presents this year made their way via the post office, so they were wrapped, but not in the conventional sense with bows and ribbon. I didn't have to do presents for our kids since they agreed to allow us two months to build them a kid cave in our basement in lieu of gifts. Mostly that involves labor and frequent trips to Lowes. Right now it's a blank slate with walls that need plaster followed up by paint and also some kind of flooring. I will post pictures later of that project no doubt.

OK, so in the overall hurry up mode of Pre-Christmas, I had one luxury. We got a hot tub. THE MAN has a constant back ache so we figured the hot water would help. We installed it our heated garage. That was our big family gift. So, Christmas Day found us IN the hot tub of course.

So does most every other day too but the fun part about Christmas is that THE MAN challenged the kids to running out in the snow barefoot and rolling in the snow four times and then back in.

I barely caught it on my camera and they were giggling like hyenas.

On the Once Upon A....Sketch challenge blog, they are asking people to scrap about what they do on December 25th.

We would love to hear how everyone spends Christmas Day. Even if you do NOT celebrate Christmas, what do you do on Christmas Day?

I thought this challenge was PERFECT for capturing that moment on paper! Now, I can't promise we will do this NEXT Christmas day but no doubt it will be equally as crazy. I used their sketch by adapting it for two photos and flipping it on it's side.

There is still a little bit of time if you want to play along!

I also want to play along with Top Tip Tuesdays where the challenge is:  Anything goes! Rock on! I know one of my favorite designers is there too and I have meant to play along at some point.

And....you don't hate me now do you??? ;-) 


UPDATE:  so, for Top Tip Tuesday, you also can write a tip!

I'd like to add a tip to this blog posting.

Around the holidays when things get stressful, make sure you take a break for you. It can be making something if that relaxes you, a cup of hot coco if chocolate helps, or even just a quick nap. Nothing works wonders on crafting mojo than a little ME time! 

Terrarium for Christmas

My parents are Master Gardeners, so no surprise when Luke expressed interest in making a terrarium that he got supplies to make one at Christmas. In fact, we got enough stuff to make three!

I'm linking up with a website I found for the instructions. There are a lot of various websites that describe how to build one of these quite easily.

I have had a terrarium since last year and enjoyed mine the most through the winter months. When it's white outside, it's nice to look down into a small perfect world that is green!

These are self-sustaining if you get one with a lid since the moisture will build up on the top and drop down like rain. My main maintenance was to occasionally trim some plants back and wipe down the insides.

Probably the most difficult part of a terrarium is finding all the materials, specifically small plants that stay small. Finding the small little items to go inside to decorate is a lot of fun! And, then there is finding moss naturally growing in the woods. You won't need a lot and the moss for these was harvested before snow fell on my parents farm.

Here is a top view photo of Luke's. He has a little guy fishing in a small little clay pool with a frog. I think he and his Grandma did a great job.

Now, I just have to put a few Christmas decorations away so I can arrange the terrariums out where they can get the best light!

Chooks for Christmas: Gladys and Alex

For Christmas we had two special visitors. A Silver Polish Rooster and Hen came to visit. They hung out in our heated garage until the neighbors swooped in to rescue them. They were named after our neighbors growing up who were from Poland, so their name cracked me up!

Above, Luke is clucking to them. He didn't sound convincing, as far as I could tell.

Originally they were part of my Mom's coop, but the other larger sized male rooster had a big problem with Mr. Fancy Pants Alex and tried to smash him repeatedly. So, some serious chicken intervention was needed.

They were separated from the others in her coop, but it was only a temporary situation as in the summer they enjoy an out-door wire enclosure for sunning, dirt pecking, and bug catching. So, we asked around to see if anyone wanted these beauties.

Luckily our neighbors have an "in" at various farm families and found a home in a starter coop. Alex will do just fine when he is the bigger bird.

They went to a Farm Co-op, so at some point I am sure I will get a progress report.

Poor Alex has a bit more growing his fancy feathers back on his head since the other rooster spent a bit of time trying to pull them all out. And, don't you think it would be annoying to have your feathers in your eyes all the time?

How was your Christmas? Did you have any feathered visitors for dinner?

A Christmas Bear Scare Story by Bruce Mero

         The fog had been steadily creeping in all afternoon. Darkness came early. Steady drizzle had been falling for the past several hours. It was the day before Christmas Eve. We had been busy with Christmas tree customers all afternoon, but no one had been here for the past hour, so I closed up for the night. The wreaths and swags were taken off the front of the barn and put inside to keep them dry. I covered the pile of evergreen boughs and collected the saws and clippers and hung them where I’d be able to find them in the morning. I was bushed. We had opened the farm at 8 o’clock that morning and had been very busy all day. Even though our customers cut their own trees from the fields in the back and we had little physically to do all day, being outside in the cold, damp air had tired me out. I shuffled to the mailbox to get the evening paper and through the fog, noticed headlights coming up the road. Our farm is located on a dead-end road and we were the last place before the road ends. Any cars heading this way were either coming to our place or the driver was lost. This is probably Bill and Tammy, I thought. We had invited them for dinner and a Christmas get-together. They were due any minute. The vehicle signaled a turn and a white pick-up truck emerged from the fog and drove into the yard. It was a tree customer. 

 

          I suggested to the heavy set young man who stepped out of the pick-up that it might be a little too dark to look for a tree, but he was undeterred.  Brandishing a flashlight and a hand saw, he asked me to tell him where the trees were, which I did. He and a young lady and a little girl plunged into the darkness heading for the back lot. I watched as the thin beam from the flashlight turned along the path next to the pond and disappeared. 

 

          Having customers arrive after dark with the intention of selecting a Christmas tree by flashlight is not uncommon for us. It happens a couple of times each season. It doesn’t happen often, however, in a steady rain and a heavy fog, which was the case this night. I was concerned that they might become lost, but the happy voices I could hear coming from the back lot put me more at ease. I saw a flash from the flashlight occasionally. If they hadn’t returned in a half-hour or so, I thought, I would go out and rescue them. We’d done that before, also. 

 

          I went out to the road, picked up my newspaper and started back toward the barn.  I could hear another car coming up the road, then saw headlights penetrating the fog.  Another customer coming for a tree or, perhaps, Bill and Tammy. It was the later.

 

          We exchanged happy greetings and stood on the porch looking at the fog. Voices from the back lot pierced the darkness, more strident that joyful this time, and hurried. As we waited the voices came closer. The young man broke the darkness first and ran into the light where we were standing. The lady and little girl were close behind. All of their faces were terror stricken. The lady was wide eyed and the little girl clung to her coat.

 

          “You either have a wildcat or a bear back there,” the out-of-breath young man exclaimed.

 

          “Probably deer,” was my response, “they come up into the orchard every night about this time to eat apples.”

 

          “Deer don’t growl,” retorted the young man. “I’m sure it was a bear.”

 

          Behind me I heard Bill snort and Tammy whisper for him to be quiet. 

 

          “I’m not afraid for me, but them,” the young man said, nodding to the lady and little girl and flourishing his flashlight as though it was a weapon.  “They can’t run very fast.”

 

          Again a snort from behind me, then Bill said “I’ve been back there a hundred times, and there’s no bears back there, and you couldn’t out-run one anyway.” Tammy tugged at his arm.

 

          “I’m sure it is a bear,” he replied and looked at the lady and little girl for validation. They both nodded.

 

          It then occurred to me that numerous times that day I had heard the neighbor’s Rottweiler pulling at his chain and growling in response to tree customers going to the back lots. I imitated the Rottweiler’s growl to the young man, which brought another snort from behind me. The young man seemed convinced.  He looked at the lady and the little girl and said “I’m not afraid, but they can’t run very fast.” He nodded his head in the direction of the lady and the little girl. 

 

          “I’m sure you heard the dog,” I assured the group.  “Here, take my flashlight and go back and cut your tree.” I handed the lady my flashlight.

 

          Unconvinced totally, the trio reluctantly headed back into the darkness. As they passed behind the barn, I heard the Rottweiler lunge at his chain and growl. The little girl screeched. In less than a minute the trio emerged from the darkness dragging a scrawny Fir tree that had been growing right behind the barn and which had been passed-up by dozens of customers that weekend. The young man thrust a handful of bills into my hand and tossed the tree into the back of the truck. The lady and the little girl jumped into the cab. The young man never took his change. He jumped into the truck, started the engine and sped out of the yard and down the road as though he was being chased by something.

         

          I yelled after them, "Merry Christmas, come see us again next year."

          They've not been back. Haven't seen my flashlight since that night  either.

Christmas Eve

Phew!

Successfully slid into Christmas! I always love Christmas Eve. We spend it just the four of us as my Mom and Dad run a Christmas Tree farm so they don't come 'til tomorrow morning. In fact, if you stop in tomorrow for a quick read, there will be a funny story about their farm that my Dad wrote.

I've got the Christmas Ham ready for baking tomorrow and potatoes all cooked.

And, as you can see, I couldn't leave the Santa Key well enough alone.

While out shopping last week with Kristy, she suggested I buy this open faced tray. It was actually for something else I wanted to frame, but then on the way home I found what I was looking for. So, I decided to make a "house" for my door using this tray.

My tray itself was bare wood, so I inked up the edge in black to match my appliances since this is hangnig in my kitchen for Christmas and used gesso to make the inside while. Glimmermist added some splashes of color here and there

Shirley had given me this little slatted box ages ago she picked up a auction and the top board was bit wobbly. It had made its way out the shop in hopes that THE MAN would find the urge to repair it. Well, I reclaimed it as it made the perfect backdrop for my little house. All I did was remove the slats, ink up the individual boards and spray them a bit with some glimmermist and then use hot glue to attach them all in a row. Love how it turned out. And I reused something!

A few more got used under as a "step" that then got covered with gesso, hot glue, and some glitter.

My little tree was rather easy to attach. I had found these glittery trees earlier this month in Walmart and a little bit of hot glue on one side melted all the needles easy and let it stick flat. I was rather surprised as I was trying to "part" the needles and run hot glue down.

Of course had to add some bling on the upper corner that is super fun.

They are Jolees pinecones, some of Shirley's eye lash ribbon, and a cool flower from The Mad Recycler.

Don't you just LOVE that folded sheet music? It's so pretty that flower.

If you don't mind, stop back here on December 30th. I am giving a few of Janessa's flowers away for my birthday! If I have time, I will even make a fancy box for them!

Have a very Merry Christmas tomorrow and God Bless!

Mitra

The Salvage Collection "Ashbury" and a new centerpiece

Goodness Gracious.

You'd think I'd just settle down and eat Christmas cookies. But no, Christmas brings out the nesting in me.

And I wanted to share this awesome blogger lady with you. Please check out Amy at the Salvage Collection.

She writes the funniest of posts. Sometimes she is talking colors, sometimes the fun things her kids have done, and other times writing about her furniture that she is selling. There is also the recent post on Bacon Flavored Frosting too...which is also a good read.

I HAD TO HAVE THIS PIECE.

No, seriously.

Like bad enough to start begging people I work with that live near Amy to be a delivery person 'cause we are seriously almost an entire state away from each other. I was at least heading to her state where I could meet up with my coworker last week. So, me and Ashbury made the ride home together. It was dark and snowy. And, no, the table didn't talk...but...she was carrying other precious cargo that made my ride much better.

I may have also mentioned that the Christmas cookies she had blogged about looked delish as we were setting our deal and said it wouldn't bother me if she sent some along with the table. HINT HINT. So, when I spotted an itty bitty little baggy tied to my table....I wondered. Being the relaxed sort, I waited until I was driving 70 mph down the interstate to try that whole snake the arm back around to the back seat and pull idea. I couldn't locate a small baggie tied to the table leg.

Used to be I could put a baby's binkie in it's mouth in a backward facing car seat while driving but evidently if you don't practice, those arm gymnastics don't remain.

Did find a McDonald's at near Syracuse and made looking for cookies a top priority once my truck had come to an almost complete stop. YES COOKIES, happy dance!

I alternated cookies with nasty fast food.

No, there are no photos of me jamming cookies in my mouth in the dark. (Thankfully)

I do have a few more shots of this awesome table. It did have a purpose. Lexi takes piano lessons these days in the house and I needed a spot to set this up permanently. Also, I plan on getting some clear plexi glass to cover the top so I can rest the keyboard directly on it. I don't want to mar that awesome game board that is there. So pretty.

I am not sure how long piano lessons will last, but this table will last for many more years.

Alright, one last photo showing the little green and turquoise accents! They are both my daughter's favorite colors, so I thought it was fitting. I love the super worn look. So pretty and those colors are just peeking through.

And on the subject of birds, I made this little centerpiece for my table the other day. I went with wintery vs. Christmassy so I could leave it out for a bit. It's not a real candle, but one of those ones you add batteries and it flickers like a real one. LOVE IT!

How is your nest lookin'? I hope it's fabulous and lovely!

A Box for Kristy and some words of wisdom (not from me)

Generally speaking I do consider myself clueless at times.


I have been told by guy friends that I think like a guy and that is cool.

FOR THEM.


'Cause every now and again I realize that I have missed the boat on something. 

Take for instance this post that Kristy made on my blog the other day. 


kaybee has left a new comment on your post "Expect the Unexpected Page for Once Upon A....Sket...":

I have something more to add about the Season. The first thing you should know is that I love Christmas so much that I used to work in a Christmas store. The second thing you should know is that there is nothing more important to me than seeing my children inspired/happy/excited. The third things you should know is that I see life lesson in every single day. As a family we just adore Christmas... the lights that people put up to bring a little joy to passersby, the gifts that you pick for the ones that you love, the "wishes of the season" you hear in just about every passing conversation as the days count down. I too agree that the overconsumerism of our society is hard to take, especially when so many people do without the basics. Since I can't change other people's lives in one magical day we do what we can. Buy a couple extra gifts for kids we know that can use them, drop toys off to charity, add to the kettle, buy food for a needy family and all the while remind the kids just how good they have it. Today, much to our surprise, our 8 year old daughter informed Santa that she didn't want anything for Christmas because she doesn't need anything. Our mouths hit the floor as we stood in awe of this little person who has been taught to consume from Day 1, who does not see technology, toys, or anything else that she sees on tv as something she needs. Yeah, I love Christmas, and this year is a magical one! 


YUP. Had no idea that all the lights people put up are for me to enjoy. We don't put lights up ourselves. THE MAN isn't into it and making him grouchy by begging isn't my style. If I asked, he'd do it. Made me look at the whole thing differently. Thanks Kristy! And she has some other good things she wrote there too. 


ALTHOUGH, I do see technology on TV as something I need...but that is year round.....


Something else she wrote the other day had me giggling. The e-mail was entitled: It's NOT Stripper Dust I Swear:

I just had a scrapping meltdown.  OMG.  I am absolutely covered in glitter.  I look like a stripper.  This wouldn’t be a bad thing if I were drunk.  Which I’m not.  I’m angry and sparkly.  Sheesh.  Now I feel like Edward.  Just what I need - to want to fight a werewolf over some forlorn chick with no personality.  You can see how this is a bad night for me.   And reading this back I see it’s worse than I thought.  I wish Sam Adam’s had a delivery service…. 

In honor of that e-mail I did not put real glitter on the cheese box from Shirley that I made for her. OH NO. I used stripper dust. Why do I have stripper dust you might ask? Honestly, (although I do attend many balls here in the North Country) I couldn't find glitter and thought this might work. On the upside, when she handles this box, she WILL get glittery but it will be LEGIT glitter and not the kind you put on a card. 

See? I kinda think it looks like snow. Not like the green grass that is showing in the photo behind the box. 

Here is another close up. Some cheese cloth I had left over from Christmas cards, a paper rose, a snowflake behind everything and a little golden bird. PLUS, a fun fabric button. 

Good stuff. Just like Kristy. She is made of good stuff. 

The best kind of friend who did not tell me for YEARS I was spelling her last name wrong until one late night  around a campfire drinking wine coolers. For the record, I think it bothered her MIL more. Besides, Anika's last name will change when she marries my son Luke anyhow. 

Happy Thursday and hope you have a glittery sparkly Christmas!

Sk8er Boy Layout for The Color Room Challenge #89 and Bird is the Word

I cannot promise my colors match all that well. AND I added black with my title and skates. 

I love love love this color palette and I love the layout. Anything to play along!

AND, I promised myself I'd use a layout FROM The Color Room soon, as in this year. Well, I had to hurry up to accomplish that promise I made to myself!

This page is all about the pinch you feel as a parent when somebody little asks you nicely to come check them out and you worry.....about what you are leaving behind. 

It happened to be I was leaving for PA directly after lunch this past Thursday, so was trying to fit packing and e-mails and all that into a condensed space but I didn't want to make my son sad. So, a limited amount of time and a cutie pie little face.....

He was so excited to show me his skating and thrilled I was there.

And, since the sport of choice here is HOCKEY, most little people here learn to skate when they learn to walk. Or at least it seems that way. Those are the little four year old tykes skating backwards in circles around me while I make one lap around the rink. 

When I got to the rink, there was a mix up and the bus was a half hour late. I was beginning to think they weren't coming. 

Next thing I knew, there were a whole skating rink of 3 graders lacing up their skates and gym teachers herding them like cats. 

Luke is a penguin. Just like swimming there are categories. If you are real good, you are a Canadian. 

He refuses to hang with the Penguins. He doesn't see himself as a beginner although he spends more time face down on the ice like a little Bambi than not. 

But, like a true hockey player, he brushes off the ice dust and keeps on skating. 

He is making lots of improvement and in fact, dragged me back to the rink on Sunday. Got the sore muscles to prove it!

Do really love the Jolees I used on this. I bought them last winter and have been hoarding them in my stash. 

You will notice I used the word "time" in my journaling which is one of the current challenges for Bird is the Word. It's a great word, great challenge, and fit my mood perfectly. I just wanted a little bit MORE time....but it worked out perfectly.  

The title, is not my fault. I had Sk8er Boi by Avril in my head. I just couldn't use boi for boy though. It was too.....wrong.......... I know, she wasn't talking about ice skating...but still.......

My theory on work by the way, is that it will always be there. My son however, will only be skating in 3rd Grade once. 

Christmas Card Photo Page for The Color Room Palette #88

My first scrap page of Christmas, I think. Is it? Hmmmm. Nope, second.

I have been pretty busy making gifts and cookies oh yum!

Thought this was a really pretty color challenge so decided to put my best card photos together and make a page. Used to be years back I'd stress about getting this photo. This year in a quest to reduce stress, I asked my kids to pick outfits and tell me when they were ready so I could snap a few photos for me for Christmas. Lexi arranged the outfits and made sure her brother's hair was combed and came and found me. I wasn't READY to take photos, but they were, so in about five minutes it was done. Here is the one I picked.

She even swiped a few of the "flowers" I had arranged in a vase I found at North Country Neighbors as props. I got these for winter to sit in my vase. Right now wandering downstairs through "Christmas" set up in my house it's like I couldn't decide what colors to go with. One spot has traditional red and green while others are lime greenish and this turquoise. Oooopsie!

I also want to post this to the ScrapFit challenge of using mini photos, wallets or smaller. There is some really amazing DT pages for this challenge so go check them out.

Mine is like doll house sized. I wanted it to look like I put one of my Christmas cards on this layout, only itty bitty as I didn't have a whole lotta room.

Here is a close up of my chip board title. I reused a sticker title I had by adding gesso and various reinkers and glimmermists to get the mottled look. Then I punched little holes through the side so I could string this grinchy green ribbon!

Home made flower with ice on the leaves was fun too although now as I look at the green I was supposed to use, my green velvet leaves aren't matchy matchy. My snow flake does a better job. I used more reinkers on a white snowflake to get that look.

Love the fabric buttons I found the other day from TPC Studio. They were perfect for my "O" in photo since I was all out of "O" in my letters from Websters anyhow! Those started off as dark blue and got a gesso treatment too.

Anyhow, hope this post finds you stress free! If not, please have a nice cup of hot coco and get your fingers inky...it might help!