Our Fantabulous Mini Vacation

 So many of you have asked when my wonderful hubby and I were going to take that surprise trip he came home with.  Well, we did it over the Thanksgiving Holiday!! It was amazing. Here are just a few pics of our fabulous trip!  My husband's family had vacationed at the Outer banks of North Carolina during his childhood.  I had never been there, so he decided it was about time!  The weather was made to order. Low to mid 70s during the day and a low of 60 at night.  A light jacket needed for the breeze off the beautiful Atlantic Ocean.  Of course we took our Yorkie-Poos, Riley and Miranda.  They loved it, as well.  If a trip to this precious place is at all possible for you,  I highly recommend it.  The Outer banks is truly a national treasure!!! We are already planning our next trip!

View from our Villa looking South

Currituck Lighthouse on Corrola

   

                            

Jockey's Ridge State Park
( the ever changing sand dunes of the Outer banks)

                                  

                   Hubby and the "ladies", the smaller of the two,  Riley wanted to catch a seagull!!!  LOL

ATTITUDE AWARD

First I want to thank Rhonda over at http://scraphappenswithrhonda.blogspot.com/ for giving me this award.  She really got me pegged right.  I am definitely one with attitude.  LOL.  Please go and check out Rhonda's blog, she is a very talented paper crafter. I am especially fond of her grandma mini!  It is so cute. 

In order to receive this award, you must list 3 things that give you "tude" from everyone else.  Then, nominate 5 other blogs that you believe also have attitude! Lastly post this award in your side bar with a link back to didis with attitude challenge blog. 

My 3 things are:

1)  I don't drink coffee, don't like the smell, make DH brew it in the garage.  LOL

2)  I make the best chicken pot pie in the world!

3)  She who dies with the most designer shoes and purses wins!

Now for the five blogs that I believe have attitude:

1) http://thegreenbeanscrafterole.blogspot.com/

2) http://cuteandsome.blogspot.com

3) http://papergirl11077.blogspot.com/

4) http://ladybuglair.blogspot.com/

5) http://lilgreenbugville.blogspot.com/

BIG NEWS

I have received so many emails asking why I haven't been posting projects or layouts lately. Really all I have posted has been those great coupons for all of you.  I have decided to spill the beans.I am so very excited.  I have done craft fairs for a while now and have thoroughly enjoyed it.  I have accepted a few commissions here and there, but this is big.  I have accepted a major commission (several dozen) of one of my projects.  I do not want to say to much (yet) as these will be Christmas presents.  So, as you can probably imagine that I am busy making the "goodies".  It is a lot of work, but so cool to have my name out there.  I am enjoying the job, but haven't much time for anything else at this point.  Good thing I have such a pretty new studio to work in, it is all I have seen for a while now!  I will take a few days off for the fabulous holiday and then back at it.  I will be seeing these in my sleep.  LOL.

I do hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Do stop by and let me know what fab deals you got on Black Friday.  I know where I am heading first.  I hear $20.00 lites calling my name!!!!

A BEAUTIFULLY STYLISH BLOG AWARD!!!!!!

I am so thrilled and honored. Audrey at   http://cuteandsome.blogspot.com/  has awarded me with The Stylish Blogger Award. Isn't that exciting! Thank you so much Audrey. You totally made my day!!! Everyone should go check out Audrey's fabulous blog !! She is a very talented lady.

The Stylish Award comes with some fun to do's!!!! 

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you 

2. Share 8 things about yourself

3. Pay it forward to 8 bloggers that you have recently discovered

4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about their awards

Eight things about me:

1. I love paper.  I am so fascinated about what one can make out of it! 


2. My husband and I have been married for 27 adventurous years. Saying I do to him was the best thing I ever did! 

3. My home town is Key West, Florida, yes there really are people from there!  LOL

4. I have four pound dogs (two yorkie poos) and  two twenty pound cats! :) Love my furbabies!

5. I am a Law and Order (tv show) junkie all five versions, or is that groupie? 

6. I am a shoe nut, nothing lifts my spirits more than a new pair of designer shoes. So severe that my DH built me a shoe closet! 

7. My dream vacation would be to visit the Galapagos!  Maybe someday soon!

8. I love to container garden.  I have some plants that are nine feet tall and 20 years old! 

This was hard, to choose only eight of the many talented ladies I have met in the crafting blog world! But, I had to narrow it down to eight.  The following are my eight deserving and talented ladies.  

1. http://doxiemeldesigns.blogspot.com/

2. http://www.2bea.blogspot.com/

3. http://withglitteringeyes.blogspot.com/

4. http://susanbluerobot.blogspot.com

5. http://scubascrapperbrandi.blogspot.com

6. http://papertreats.blogspot.com

7. http://jensbrainthings.blogspot.com/

8. http://cardztv.blogspot.com/

Fabulous Stickles storage

The Fantastic Solution

 This is the most amazing quick fix I have ever seen.  In fairness, first let me say it is not my original idea, secondly I have gone back and searched and cannot find where I first originally saw this awesome solution.  We all know that we are supposed to store our beloved Stickles upside down.  I have seen lots of manufactured solutions, most are very pricey and also quite a few have come across many homemade versions, none that really seem great to me.  Well, that was before I saw this!  Fantastico!!!!  Brilliant!!!!  Stupendous!!!!. You get the idea.  I am super thrilled about this.  This version of the upside down storage of our beloved Stickles is made with plumbing parts.  Who would have ever thunk it???? For the smaller bottles (original size) you will need 1/2 inch coupling, for the newer size (just released larger bottles) 3/4 inch coupling.  Coupling is connecter pieces for PVC piping, it is a straight joint! I bought a ten piece pack for under $2.00.   I found mine at my local Lowe's, but sure Home Depot or any hardware store will have these on hand. Found in plumbing supplies department, I had to search a bit, but did finally find them. All I did was hot glue( Queen would be proud) pieces together.  Because you did not cut a piece of PVC, edges are smooth and no sanding required.  I did off set the pieces, thus more glue points.  It is firm and heavy enough to be moved as a unit and stable enough to not tip.  It is perfection.  Easy to move by just grabbing and placing fingers thru open coupling. I have less than 12.00 in both of my two storage units!!!  LOL~~~~~~~I see a rush for couplings all across America!!!!!!

side view

1/2 inch coupling for smaller bottles

3/4 inch coupling for larger  bottles

OMG my hubby surprised me with the best present ever

Look at this paradise!  Isn't it just beautiful?    My wonderful hubby came home and surprised me with the best vacation ever!!  This is the view from my villa.  Can't give to many details, DH says that is not safe to tell to many details.  But we are going soon and I am so excited!!!!  I am so looking forward to warm fab weather and a relaxed atmosphere.  I can already smell the salt water breeze and taste those fab tropical drinks.  Let's see, lobster or shrimp for dinner tonite??  Hope your DH is as good to you as mine is to me!!!!
More info to follow!

Sophisticated Heritage Anna Griffin Quilted Lay Out

This is another Anna Griffin favorite pattern of mine.  I did one for each of my children.  It almost looks like an old-fashioned baby blanket to me.  I have altered the look for a few other pages by changing the pattern and colors. I do a heritage album for each child and then other albums of  every day life, like school, awards, trips, etc.  The heritage album is more sophisticated in feel and style  Lay Outs.  This photo was taken in black and white, when my son was small. The little outfit was so sweet and reminiscent of years ago.  The yoke on the blouse worked perfectly with the feel of this Lay Out.   The page looks complicated, but the weaving of this pattern is really quite simple.  It is the cutting that must be precise.  It does take ten papers, 2 solids of different colors and eight of similar and matching colors in patterns, all different.  Cut  six of the patterned papers into one inch strips.  Then, let the weaving begin. Once the weaving complete and fastened in the edges only.  It is double matted in the one remaining solid and one pattern. The interior frame is a purchased AG, but could so easily be made.  Using the remaining solid paper I  shadowed the oval frame in the  coordinating color blue and cut by hand.  Accent cream satin ribbon on the corners and center bow are 1/2 inch wide.  Name plate information computer printed.  I am very pleased with the finished page.  It really does have that wow factor as a two page spread, one page for each child.  Hope you like!!!!!

Tea is for Teacher

Tea is for Teacher.  I bought a box of a beautifully and colorfully packaged flavored teas.  Each flavor was in a bright and exciting color of packaging. They were so pretty!  I must confess I am a tea drinker   (never tasted coffee and have no desire to join that craze).  I find a cup in the afternoon soothing and at times invigorating.  I thought what a perfect gift for teacher!  On the hunt for plain mugs I went!  I found white ones at my local discount store.  I used the Cricut cartridge Doodlecharms to cut a 3" apple out of white contact paper. I used that to make a template (adhering the negative image) for the alcohol inks to color in the apple.  I used watermelon, cranberry for the apple and lettuce for the leaf.  A little filler in the bottom of the mug, then 8 different flavored teas.  I wrapped up with plastic and a ribbon that looks like a ruler and attached the poem.  Just perfect for that grade schooler to give their teacher for Christmas.  Below is the poem I came up with.  Hope you like it.  Tell me what Christmas gifts you are busy making.  Thanks for looking.

Santa has a belly full!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Santa has a belly full of sweets!  I used an oatmeal container and transformed it into Santa's belly!  So easy and CUTE!!! Red card stock is 8.5x11 inches cut at 5.75 inches lengthwise (not to worry that the red card stock will not completely cover container, the white piece will cover that opening). The white cut at 5.75x3 inches,trimmed with one of those fabulous Martha Stewart edge punches, black grosgrain ribbon and a buckle cut out of dark yellow card stock. Buckle is actually two square punches, a 3/4 inch and an 1 inch.  First punch the smaller, then align the larger over small square, holding punch upside down.  Wrap black grosgrain ribbon around container as a belt, then add buckle. I just added some buttons (hot glued for extra hold), then just stickle the buckle.  Inside is peppermint and spearmint candies.  Top inset circle is cut at 3 3/4 inches and stamped with a "to and from".  A little wreath applique added, that is it, you are done. Who can resist Santa! This cute project is sure to please all.  A cute Christmas present, easy on the pocket book and you recycled!!!