over the weekend...

Well, over the weekend...I didn't get much accomplished!  However, I did work on Hazel's First Day of School mini album...I used the Thursday tutorial from My Sisters Scrapper.  Honestly, I love her creations and her tutorials are awesome!  

I've assembled the cover and binding...and I got the pages figured out...kinda?!  I might be moving them around before they are adhered down.  However, I'm at a stand-still...I only had a 6x6 paper stack of Simple Stories, Smarty Pants.  The cover is about 1 inch larger than the paper...so I ordered some accompanying journal pages, brads and the 12x12 paper stack.  I know that I'll have more than really need but I'll make many cards as well as possible another mini album with whatever is leftover.

Oh, and on Monday, Minnesota became Minnesnowta!  We got over 12 inches of snow...UGH!  And did I mentioned Darling Hubby left for the week...and he didn't hook up the snow blower!  Yes, the same snow blower that I didn't know how to operate last year! And last night, I learned that it IS mechanically possible to get a Subaru AWD Outback stuck in the snow while in the driveway! 

So let me paint the pretty picture....Car stuck in the driveway...me walking in knee high snow up the LONG driveway to get the cat liter and a shovel!  Okay, yeah! I got the car unstuck and in the garage!  However, now I can't get to the wood pile which heats the house!  Yeah, get the shovel ready...nope! Darling Hubby is driving home from his workplace in Wisconsin to hook up the snow blower and clear the driveway as well as a path to the wood pile!

But for now...here's a picturesque snow scene from INSIDE the house!

But before he gets home...I'll have enough time to page through and start planning for projects during another LONG winter!

Hope you have an amazing day! Laterz!

I was the worker B...this weekend!

Oh my, I've had a busy weekend.  Friday, hubby and I went to Fargo, ND to visit his daughter, Brittany and her family!  Truth be told, we just wanted to go Trick and Treating with the grandkids!  We had lots of fun...things were...um, shall we say...a little unpredictable...but honestly, you need to be with a 6year old, 4year old, 2year old and a newborn!  However, I'm still chuckling at the weekends events!

Saturday, I helped Brittany at the Festive Flea Market...she's the creator/developer and entrepreneur of The Honey B Soap Company...oh, I forgot one last word to describe her goods...Chemist! Check out her website...she has a great line of bath goods!

Here's some pictures I took:

Not the progress I was hoping for....

So far, I haven't been able to keep up my end of the bargin...posting on Mondays and Fridays.  I need to make adjustments....how about I try Mondays and Thursdays.  These days fit better into my weekly routines and such.

Anyho, here's what I've been up to:

Hubby still thinks I'm a seamstress...he's had me fix a zipper in his work jacket!  At first I thought I would have to cater to each stitch with my seam ripper! Finally, on a whelm, I just grabbed hold of the zipper and R-I-P-E-D...thankfully, it worked!

In the rush of the weekend, I forgot to get a final picture of the outcome.  So last night, I text darling hubby to take a quick picture of him wearing the jacket...and this is what I got!

Isn't he the smart one! Honestly, next time I will not forget the final picture...

Oh, and I got the cutest card from my Oregonian peep (and BFF), Stephanie!  I love it! Thank you for being so thoughtful! And I'm glad she's loving the Stampin' Up! products I got for her as a birthday gift!

What else have I accomplished?  Oh, I remember! Friday, I got up early as usual...and well, I got a bug in my bonnet...I started a mini album for Hazel, my oldest granddaughter...she started kindergarten this year...definitely, a pretty big occasion! My guess...Brittany would have done the mini album herself, but she still has 2 toddlers and 1 newborn at home...simply, too much going on!  So I'm doing it for her...hopefully, she will like what I created!  

Recently, My Sisters Scrapper started posting Tutorial Thursday on YouTube! She's amazing! I love her creations...all of them! I've been missing her tutorials...until now!  Check her out if you're looking for some SERIOUSLY great inspiration!

and finally, one last thing I'm working on:

I've pinned the Vintage Christmas quilt...I wasn't sure if I wanted to machine quilt or hand quilt this beauty...I think I've decided to hand quilt...BUT one small problem...well, a couple small problems! 1) I've never hand quilted anything EVER and 2) I can't find my handy little book on how to hand quilt!  Today, I think I'll have time to search the craft room!  I won the book for some festivity at the local quilt store, probably a shop hop or something! And thought I would never use it! UNTIL now!  

I'll keep you posted on the results of the search!  Thank you for stopping by!

Have a great day!

There was a hiccup....

There was a hiccup in my plan....I had Tim's sister and nephew visit on Saturday...kinda unexpectedly.  So I had to CLEAN a little more than usual, since I worked this past weekend, I needed to get it done on Friday....YUCK!!!

It was great to see Josh...check out the picture of Josh and Odessa!  Odessa LOVES him!

I was working on a couple of things later in the week...it has been a project that I've been working on for the last five years...that might be a bit an over estimate, but it's not a far off!

There's a lot more progress which needs to happen but at least it's on the sewing machine again!

First, I got everything organized and set up...

Then the sewing begins...I have 2 plastic shoe boxes which I have 1 inch strips cut...1 plastic box for the dark colored fabrics and 1 plastic box for the light colored fabrics.

It takes me a little longer to sew each block, because I'm sewing 1 block at a time...I'm trying to have the scrappiest look ever...I'm afraid there will be a couple of blocks which have the same fabric...that's out of 144 blocks....crazy, isn't it!

Then I cut the strip...

and finally, the block is ironed...then I start all over again!  Just NUTS, isn't it!

Oh, and I had some time to create a card....LUCKY ME!

The Paper Pals Arts supplied a (sketch) challenge #244; not too complicated, which was nice...that way I could use some great designer paper!  I always like to maximize at most 2 challenges if I can...so I took a peek at the Color Throwdown colors...Red, Pale Yellow and Pale Pink...well, I went a little brighter than what was intended but I really like how it turned out! Don't you?!

Recipe for card:

Stamp Set: Hi Cupcake (Fiskars)

Ink: VersaInk Dazzle (frost)

Paper: Serendipity (BasicGrey), SU! Pretty In Pink, SU! Real Red, and SU! Whisper White

That Little Something: Static Pal, Red Embossing Powder, 

That Little Helper: VersaMark Watermark Stamp Pad, Coffee Filters, SU! Dimensionals 

I didn't like how the embossing powder speckled itself on the paper; I even used the anti-static thingie to help!  Perhaps it was the cheaper than normal powder...I'm going to have to do some testing!

Anyho, that's it...for now! Have a great evening!

The start of new routines....

I'm on the start of a new routine; my new part time job: crafting and blogging! I have dedicated myself to at least 1 hour Monday - Friday on crafting then posting on the blog on Tuesdays and Fridays! My hope is that I will be able to work through my addition to everything crafty...ALL of my crafty stuff!  Eventually, I would like to start MAYBE selling some of my items....which gets me to the FUN part...REPLENISHING my stash!

So today is Tuesday and here's where we start:

This past weekend, hubby asked that I "just sew up" his vest!  I do a lot of crafty things but a seamstress, I am not!  I told him I would try! He burnt a hole in his safety vest! Scary...yes, that's what I thought! 

Here I cleaned up the hole...

Here's the hole fixed! Then he asked for a pocket for his phone! What the heck! I AM NOT A SEAMSTRESS! But I did it anyway! 

And these are the pics he sent me! What a goof ball! (it's the face only a wife could love!)

I must have done a good job!

Saturday, my friend, Jody came over! She's just as crafty as me! Any ho, her sister and brother-in-law just had a baby, so we needed to sew up some burp bibs, right?!  I got pattern free via the Internet! And I loved it! I would definitely make them again! And It was fun spending the day with her!  

Oh, and here's the free baby burp bib pattern: Cloud6 Fabrics blog/website

Oh, I did get to make a halloween card using the Sweet Sunday sketch challenge #240. It was a perfect sketch for a shaker card! I loved how it turned out...and I'm going to make more with other stamps....I was thinking the SU! stamp set, Batty for You, would work perfect for additional shaker cards.  I'll include them in one of my upcoming posting...

Recipe for card:

Stamp Set: Hampton Art Halloween set (front and inside lower right), SU! Wacky Wishes (inside)

Ink: SU! Basic Black, SU! Basic Gray

Paper: BasicGrey Eerie (DP), SU! Basic Black, SU! Whisper White

That Little Something: Spellbinders Hexagon die, SU! Texturz plate (weave/distress), Martha Stewart Glow-in-the-dark acrylic paint, Darice sequins, PaperTreyInk envelope liner die

That Little Helper: Toothbrush for splatter paint, a huge roll of 3M foam tape

Thank you for stopping by; hoping to be posting more fun things on Friday!

Laterz!

 

What happened after Monday...

Well, let me tell you what happened after the last posting...not that much...but I think it looks like a lot!  Yesterday, I finally completed the last of the mesh bags...well, for the most part. I still need to make 2 backpacks for my nephews...I don't think I have enough to make 2 different backpacks, so I'm combining some fabric which I saw at my local quilt shop!  However, I went through my thousands of patterns...and I guess I don't have the drawstring backpack pattern. So I'll have to check around to see if I can find it on the internet or something.

Check out the fabric: (they are going to love it, I hope! Totally, up the alley!)

Here's a pic of the remaining bags which I wiped up yesterday:

(Still only used supplies which I had on hand!) even the zippers...I purchased ZERO zippers...I had them all in my stash...which might explain why some don't really match, but they will work great for my WIPs needlework stuff.

And here's my progress on the stocking: a little disspointed that I haven't completed it, yet! Perhaps I will need to come up with other ideas for my brothers family....oh, we'll see!

And I, also, started a little project which I thought would be an easy WIPs....Boy I was so wrong! The linen is 32ct....and well, I'll say that I need to get a stronger magnifying reading glasses to stitch easier! I'm thinking the strongest you can get, which I don't even know. Currently, I'm using a +2.00 reading glasses...it's not cutting it...maybe +4.00...I'll have to see what Target has tomorrow!  Here's the picture of the little halloween project.

Well, that's a wrap for the week...have a great weekend!

Laterz!

I still have more mesh to sew....

Hello! And Happy Labor Day! Hopefully, you didn't start out your day by working like me! But I'm home now and chilling!

So I've been busy...overwhelmed by all of the craft things which I collect....quilting stuff, cross stitch stuff, knitting/crochet stuff and stamping stuff....my craft room is bursting at the seams...my darling hubby laughs when he says, "I should have put more support beams under your craft room" but I think he's right!

Anyho, in the mist of being overwhelmed, I started some things to GET THEM DONE! Like to instance, I have a bag of zippers which I've collected over the years...being a huge purse freak, I need them...lots of them! I guess! Because I have a WHOLE BAG of them! A WHOLE BAG! And I had a bag of pet mesh to sew bags....(do see where I'm going with this)...so I combined the two along with some fabric and here's what I got:

Any I haven't used all of the mesh, yet...so there's more coming! But I'm determined to use it up!

And just in case you are interested, yes, I am willing to sell each of them! The two text/phone mesh bags are for my nieces, so they are spoken for...sorry!

Well, I didn't meet my deadline...

So my deadline to have my stocking completed...is not completed...bummer! I've enjoyed the day with minimal house cleaning and with the majority of the day stitching!  I was able to finish the row of houses as well as most of the flowers on the bottom....well, almost finished the flowers...I think I have the stems to complete, which I'll finished tonight.

I'll post more within the next few days...and hoping to have a card created also!

Enjoy your evening!

A little here...a little there...

Good afternoon, I've been stitching a little here...a little there...all day.  I've wanted to head upstairs to make a card, but I'm already a week behind.  I wanted my brothers family to have the stocking before Christmas so that means I need to KEEP stitching! 

My revised goal is to have this stocking completed by the end of the week...hoping I'm able to keep it! If I'm able to keep the goal...I'm rewarding myself by going to the Anchor Paper store...(lots of fun stuff for any paper crafting obsession)...then i would like to go to the cross stitch store in Minnetonka to get things for the next stocking...so with that being said...here's my update to the stocking...I'm going to stitch some more before I head to bed...

Early morning...

Another early morning...and plenty of time to put a card together.  I saw the Retro Sketch challenge and I thought I would tangle my try at it.  I wasn't sure if I could pull it off...it's not as cut out as I'm used to, but I did create...a card.  I made my best hand at it...and here's what it looks like...hope you have a great day!

P.S. I've been watching the season 4 of Downton Abbey and I think my writing is starting to reflect it....oh, dear me!

Recipe:

Card Stock: Whisper White (SU!)

Designer Paper: Sycamore Street (SU!) 

Stamp Set: Unknown

Ink: Island Indigo (SU!)

Embellishment: hearts (Freckled Fawn OhDeerMe! Kit) 

Early morning finish...

This morning I woke up at 2:34am....yes, you read it correctly...2:34am! Honestly, it's no surprise to me...I am usually up for work this early....but I don't have to be at work this weekend! Oh well, I might as well make the best of it...so I got up and finished a card I had started mid-week.  What does one do that early in the morning...

Anyho, mid-week Stephanie and I had some quality crafting time together via FaceTime! I can't tell how amazing it is to do things this like when she lives on the west coast and I'm in the Midwest! I love this technology!

I started a card using the Mojo Monday sketch challenge but wasn't able to finish because I couldn't find "just right" embellishment...but it came together this morning! Yeah! Very thankful!

Here's the pic:

Supplies used:

Card Stock: SU! Very Vanilla & Early Expresso

Designer Paper: Shabby Chic (BoBunny)

Stamp Set: SU! Vintage Vogue & Tiny Teeny Words

Ink: SU! Early Expresso & Baja Breeze

Embellishments: Hero Arts Lace Ribbon pack, Spellbinders Large octagon die and Corduroy brad in Baja Breeze

Sweet Sunday sketch on a Monday...

Good morning! Just wanted to post a card before I head out for a couple days! Over the weekend I got  a couple of packages delivered to my house...1) Freckled Fawn monthly embellishment kit, Oh Deer Me...2) and a mystery box from Mellisa Phillips...if you have a few seconds, check out her blog: LilyBean Paperie...seriously, her blog is so inspirational...just gorgeous! The mystery box was packed FULL of goodies which she had no creative juices for...check out the pics...anywho! 

Freckled Fawn Embellishment Kit, Oh Deer Me (july)

Mystery Box of goodies from Lilybean Paperie

Needless to say I had to play with some of the goodies!  Which brings me back to the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge; here's the sketch:

And the card I created with a couple of the goodies in the mystery box from Melissa Phillips:

Cardstock: whisper white

Designer paper: Homemade 6 bean soup (Jillibean Soup)

Stamp set: cute as a button (unknown)

Accessories: SU! linen thread

Ink: SU! chocolate chip

Time for a break...

It's time for a break from the cross stitch posting...tomorrow I'll have an update for the Christmas stocking...but today I wanted to create a card...and I remembered that Retro Sketches posts new challenges on Saturday...I liked the challenge, but I had at least 3-4 try's  because I couldn't get the raises just right...

I cut paper which I had to throw away...I hate that! But I did it and I didn't give up...I have a tendency to not work on a card if I have to experiment or test as I go...so I was happy when I did get it right! Or at least to my likings...

Cardstock: SU! whisper white & strawberry slush

Designer paper: unknown...paper I got from BFF a long time ago! Felt good to finally use it!

Stamp set: SU! Four Square

Ink: SU! strawberry slush

Accessories: SU! Scallop square punch