Off to Copic Certification

Well the day has arrived...when we close the store today Deb & I will be headed south for out Copic Certification at Absolutely Everything in Topsfield MA. Not sure if I'm not more excited to got to the store or the class. I've always wanted to go to this store.......ahhhhhhh!!

Will be back Monday for an update...til then have a Wonderful Weekend!!

It's Monday Again....

How does that happen......;)

Well it's a snowy Monday...the phone rang at 5:30 am to inform us that there would be no school...something about that just isn't right......5:30 am....could they have called at 6:00 am at least...so that's my RANT for today.

I am thankful for the snow...I love it! There is such a peace and beauty to fresh fallen snow. It's totally awesome!! These pictures were taken of my back yard...can't wait to build a snowman when I get home!

So, I am off to the Arts Gallery to teach the first class of our week long Arts Kids Kamp!! There are so many great classes being taught. It's our first time out of the shoot...we received a great reponse. I will be teaching eight 7-10 year olds how to create a Collage Frame. Have the logistics all figured out...they will go from station to station creating different elements...then as a group we will put it all together. It should be a great time. I am looking forward to it.

I lifted the idea from a Mirrored Frame that I created in a class with Tim Holtz at CHA last year! Techniques are limited for the sake of the kids. I hope the kids like it. Will be back with picts from the class!!

Never...GIVE UP!!!

I was driving into work the other day and a segment from Focus on the Family came on the radio....they are always a thought provoking commentary. This time they were talking about....Abraham Lincoln, a man who never gave up. They began to list all the things he tried and failed at, businesses, runs for different congressional seats, and more. The list was quiet lengthy....but he never GAVE UP....regardless his defeat!!!

It's hard when you lay your heart and soul out there, bear it for all to see, then your hopes are dashed!! Part of me says.... don't put yourself out there, don't allow yourself to be hurt.... settle for the mediocre.... you cry.... but I have to acknowledge those feeling and move onto the next step, the most important step.... PULL UP YOUR BOOTSTRAPS and try again... Keep trying until to you accomplish your goal. NEVER GIVE UP!!! For when then the day arrives that you reach you goal.... Watch out world... then watch your back so you don't get shot in the head!!! hehehehehe

On my long weekend, I created a few layouts.... here they are! I love my boy but I find it to be very difficult to create LO of him... I can do a girlie girl page without reserve, flowers, flourishes, all those things...but God gave me a boy....so here it goes ...I used Prima paper...TDF!!! the layered circles are cut out of fabric, and an added touch of hand stitching!!!

Here is the other page I did, of my Diva Niece!! I cut the flower with my Slice...gotta love it!! The stitching around the edge finished off the page!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Today..........Love is in the air.........a day to tell all those special people in our lives that we love them and that they are important...thought about...special. I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!

Last night, was a special night for my daughter, Lysie. She was Queen of the 10th grade at the Winter Carnival....Her and her brother did a Sneak Peek on Thursday night....Lysie never ceases to amaze me...She said,"To bad Doug's not in 9th grade...I'd have him be my date?" Kids say the most amazing things... sometimes!!!

So, I can't wait to pick up my pictures from Wally Land and scrapbook them!!! Two BEAUTIFUL girls!!!

Here is a picture of a page I did about Dougalo... "Session" ....my extreme boy!!! I got to use Embossing Paste...how fun was that to work with...then surprise...surprise....I inked it....This was a fun page to do!!

A new discovery.......

I don't know if you noticed the Project 52 link on my blog........it is a way cool blog to PUSH you out of your box, to expand your designs and make you look at things differently. Here is my inspired project for week #4.

I had ssssooooooooooo much fun creating this box....It was created using scraps off of my craft table.

Things I had taken out to use and never did, scraps of paper from previous projects and a "Few Finds" that just fit perfectly on this project....now to create a brag book to fit in there and it will be a complete project.......if you get a chance take a wander over to Project 52...it will be well worth your time!! http://wendyrago.typepad.com/project52/>

What a creative day........

Yesterday I spent my day at the gallery.....you should see me bring in all my wares....bags, totes, cases......I literally look like I am moving in...and usually there is something I want that I didn't bring. So as I was doing my time, I decided to make more card faces as my inventory at the gallery has become rather depleted. I had made the background paper at my last gallery duty...now it was time to embellish them.

As my students always hear me say........IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TEXTURE!!! The background is created using my Mini Mister filled with Distress Ink Reinker ink and water...sometimes with the addition of a little Perfect Pearls to add a little bling. I love that you can use the same three colors over and over again and never have the same look...run the paper through your Cuttlebug...add a little ribbon and buttons and there it is a....a one of a kind original!! My Frameable Art Card!!

And what would life be if I didn't add some form of the cardboard ripple. So all in all I had a very productive day!!! Now to mount them onto their black cards....and back to the Gallery the cards will go!!!

Who do you love??

The day of Love is right around the corner... the day to let all those special people in you life know how much they mean to you!!! I created this layout about my mom...my hero, my rock....

MY MOM!!!

I used one of my favorite manufacturers paper....Webster's Pages....the flowers are colored in using my Copic Markers...you can't see...but I used Perfect Pearls to accent the flowers and leaves...it was rather tedious cutting out everything but the effect is WAY COOL!!! I rolled up my "Love Letter" to my mom and tied it to the page...

To my mom,

I know I don't tell you enough just how much I LOVE YOU!!...

You have been the anchor in the storm with your reassuring words, prayers and even your silence... listening to my ramblings.

You are my Hero, my rock. Thank you.... Love me