Scrappin Saturday

Look what we did today.... First of all, it was such a gorgeous sunny day in Houston today.  I spent the morning making Spinach Bacon Roll Ups which Michelle had made at Christmas.  I made them with cream cheese instead of sour cream, oh well.  I put a pork tenderloin in the crockpot, something else Harriet & Michelle talk about all the time.  Harriet was my neighbor for 18 years and Michelle is one of her 3 daughters.  I also got them hooked on scrapping and for a while Michelle was a Creative Memories rep and now she's going to be a doctor nurse.  She also raised three kids, who are now grown and out of the house...  Both of these women make me laugh all.the.time.  The pork tenderloin in the crockpot gig is simple.  You should try it.  Set it in the c/p, add some onion and garlic, salt and pepper it up and after 6 hours or so, tear it with a fork, add bbq sauce and let it warm up and its good to go.  So yummy.  We also had cole slaw (because I like it on the pork sandwich), edamame and some grapes.  And then this lucious chocolate pound cake that Cindy V made.  It has Kahlua in it and is to.die.for.  And Michelle makes the best coffee and we drank a pot with the cake.  Wish I had more of both...

Okay, am I talking about food too much?  What is wrong with me?  I started inviting people over about 4-5 months ago, on a Saturday from 2- 10 pm with  crafting in mind.  We try to make it very relaxed and no pressure and usually have a group project.  Last time it was grapevine wreaths with fleece flowers.  This time it was vintage Valentine decor - a project that Julia made at Halloween and we're going to do every single holiday from now on.  ha.  It is very simple, do you want to make one?  First, go to Home Depot on a Monday and look at their miscut pile of wood - pick out a 1.5 x 8 (its 3" across)  and ask the guy to cut it to 6 inches - you'll get a bunch and it will cost about a dollar.  Yes, the miscuts are super cheap and you'll get about 20 pieces.  For a buck.  Sand it down on all sides and top/bottom and wipe it with a wet paper towel.  Find a vintage design - Flickr is a really good place to look under Collage Images (Not for Sale). (search for Vintage Valentine)  Suzee Que has posted some gorgeous images to use.  I love generous artists!  Graphics Fairy is another great place for vintage postcards to use. 

I printed the images on cardstock and some of us added some patterned paper below the image.  We painted the wood two thin coats of acrylic paint.  This time we added some gold glaze too.  We outlined the vintage image with a Krylon gold leafing pen.  And then we spent about an hour trying out different embellishments, which to me is the best fun.  I added a heart with some wire and some velvet ribbon.  And it almost never fails but adding stickles in various colors to pump up the image - well its just brings it up a notch.  When you're ready to add your image and/or paper, apply Mod Podge (and note - its NOT modge) below the image and on top of the image and on all sides of the wood.  On the top we added some ribbon, a red glass leaf/heart and I added a pom pom.  Harriet used tulle and a scalloped wooden heart and brad from Making Memories.  She has some really cute My Minds Eye paper on the sides that say XOXOXO. 

Michelle added a bell and a Tim Holtz tag (with white paint smeared to fill in the word/number).  She popped the wooden scalloped heart with a piece of cardboard and this Martha Stewart pointed circle punch from a book page.  She has some super cute paper on the sides and back, along with a gold cupid on the back.

Before I forget, I have two things to mention in my next post.  Remind me to tell you about various scrapbook/art events.  Its one thing I get asked alot, when I attend events.  How do you know about all these things?  I guess you just hear about them at different events.  And secondly, I'd like to state my goals for 2011 - craft-wise just as a good baseline to work off of.  We're going to Las Brisas in 3 weeks and I want to make sure I have projects lined up. 

And finally,  I was trolling and saw this post.  Now go down to the fifth picture and look at that book.  That book title is PERFECT for an altered journal.  And look at the yummy color, kinda Tiffany-like, do you think?  I'm off to Amazon to buy about 5 of them... I can't do anything singularly, right.  Oh, and one last photo of my cleaned up studio.

Starting with Inspiration

OMG OMG OMG.  You know how when you find something new on TV or Oprah and you're all excited about it and you want to learn more and when you learn more... you learn that this person lives in your town?  Have you watched TED speeches/interviews?  I get the emails and don't watch very often.  I mean of course, I've watched Randy Pausch's talk and Elizabeth Gilbert on creativity - but, really, who has the time?  For some reason this morning (procrastination is your name) I clicked onto this talk and hello, when did they start having TED Houston?  Apparently last summer.  I found Brene Brown's talk interesting and inspiring.  And hello, she lives in and teaches at U of H.  Love it.  I'm adding the authenticity badge.  Still thinking about my Word for 2011.  But I am going to work harder on being vulnerable and real and speaking my truth.

The Big House Reorg is continuing.  Today is Wednesday, so its Room of Shame time, formerly known as Grandmas room.  Selected only because there was no furniture in it which meant there was more room for stuff...  I love first of the year time - it is so invigorating and exciting.  I love to organize and clean up, taking it all out and rethinking the set up and seeing what happens.  I also realize that I've jumped ahead on a few initiatives like having sofa/loveseat and chair recovered.  I need to wait til I have the cash and that won't be for a couple of months. 

Do we need a few photos before departure?

My new niece, Ray-Lynn born in San Diego.

My nephew, Kyle amid his constructed fort in the sunroom.

Junior and Killer went to the vet yesterday.  They are both in great health, (yeah - Killer is 10.5 years old!) but it was pretty traumatic for Junior.  He was tuckered out and still not really speaking to me after the fecal sample incident.  Eewww.

Family Time

What a great weekend ... and its not over!  Last night my nieces and nephew came over for a sleepover.  We've decided to do it regularly and definitely make it a New Years tradition.  We had dinner at a nearby Chinese restaurant (after driving by Pappy's which was closed!) and then a stop to Crave cupcakes because two of them had never been there.  We also went over to Transco fountain and then home for a little craftiness.  We picked two paintings from a local paint studio, which the girls completed today, we played a little Wii fit and did a bit of stitching.  In the morning I made monkey bread with my nephew, which was fun to do and yummy - I'd never made it.  I also clicked a few (hundred) photos of them today.  I love the look of youth, with a few pups thrown in for good measure.  It was so nice to have a houseful...

 

I also wanted to mention that the big house/studio cleanup will commence this week, while I'm off of work.  And one of my first steps for 2011 was to backup my computer with Mozy.  For $50 a year, I don't have to worry about losing my photos.  So glad I can cross something off my todo list.  I also returned 2 new purses to Coach (two years later) and used the gift card on a new little black number (Signature Tote).  Now, if I could only get my car situation straightened out - I need to sell my old one, return my company car and buy a new one.  I wasted Saturday talking to car dealers on the phone - hopefully tomorrow will work out swimmingly...  say a prayer!

New Year, New Beginnings, New Baby

There is so much to look forward to with this new year - I am giddy!  We also welcomed the next generation into our family last night when my niece, Rachel had a baby girl, Ray-Lynn, 6 pounds, 12 ounces and 20.5 inches long.  She's a beauty and I am so happy for her and Nik.  She was born to two sailors on the Navy base in San Diego.  Oh possibility!  Life is grand!  And as she stated so apropos, there will always be fireworks on her birthday!