Michaels Contest

Michaels is having a contest called "Handmade Holidays". You are supposed to make something (gift, holiday decoration, etc) for under $20.00. So, I decided what the heck!! I entered a Disney frame. So, now people can go in and vote! If you get a chance - go check it out.

http://www.michaelscontest.com/uploads/3101

This is the frame that I entered. If you get a chance, check out some of the things in the gallery. There are some great ideas there!

Blanket Day!

I know that it has been quite some time since I posted. I would love to tell you some great story about traveling around the world... but alas... I have just been SO busy! I mean, seriously busy! I have to say... I am really looking forward to the Christmas break!

This past weekend we had "Blanket Day". Several friends wanted to make blanets, so we all bought material and met up for the day. It was the PERFECT day! It was cold and rainy! (YIPPEE) A perfect day for making nice, soft, warm blankets, don't you think?? WE had hot sausage soup for lunch - and pizza for dinner. We made a total of 16 blankets!! Here are some pictures from our blanket adventure!
We had 2 tables set up. Everyone took turns cutting, tying, working at this table, working at that table, etc., etc.

Here is a picture of all the blanets we made!!

Ahhhhhh! So cozy!!
:o)

Home Coming Dance

Ryan went to his first dance... his High School's Home Coming Dance. He went two of his other friends (Kyle and Liz) and their dates. They met up with lots of other friends at the dance. Ryan said that they had a blast! And he was even a dancing fool! I think I only went to one dance, in junior high. And all the guys were lined up on one wall and all the girls on the other. No one would dance! Now-a-days, everyone is decked to the nines... and everyone dances! What fun!!

Doesn't Ryan look awesome!?!
Ryan and his date Alaine.

Ryan's best friend, Kyle, and his date.

The three couples... They all looked so handsome/beautiful... Ahhhhh...

I am so glad that they all had fun. It is so much fun to see Ryan enjoy life. I love that he loves to have fun. He has the best smile... and the best personality. He is such a charmer! I am so proud of him.

Snowflakes and butterflies

As usual, life seems to be cracnked up a knotch or two lately. This week is no different! Of course, if it the kids activities that seem to have us running! Taekwondo Monday and Tuesday. Back to School nights for each school, Wed and Thursday. Friday is Taekwondo testing. Trevor is testing for his brown belt. Ryan has doctor's appointment on Friday. Then Monday we start all over again... and get to add the orthodontist appt! Does it ever end?!?

Little by little I have been working on the butterflies and snowflakes for my friend Deborah's Christmas tree. She is part of the Mother Goose Guild. They do this fundraiser for CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County). Her theme this year is butterflies and snowflakes. These were all chipboard. With a little paint, patterned paper, die cuts, glue and glitter... the butterflies took flight! They are coming out so nice!

Skull Candy

No - I am not talking about head sets! hehehe I was given some digital graphics. I have to tell you - I am not too good at the digital thing. I do get it! I have played with some digital graphics, etc. And it can even be tempting sometimes... But I walk in my craft room - that is FULL of paper, scrapping and stamping supplies, die cut machines, cutters, dies, etc., etc., etc. And I think - what would I ever do with all this stuff?!? But I think there is room for digital and traditional! This week I was asked to be a guest designer for Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays. The skull below was one of the graphics I received. So, I created a little skull candy!

Snowflakes

Hi everyone,

I know that it has been a little while since I last posted. I have been busy - just like all of you - with the end of summer stuff... school shopping, school paper work, back to school, school supplies, etc., etc. But alas... the kids are in their 2nd week of school and are starting to fall into that all too familiar school routine. I, too, am hoping to get back in to that "normal" routine. Although, I ask.... what exactly is the normal routine?

A friend of mine, Deborah, is part of the Mother Goose Guild. Every year they decorate Christmas trees and they are auctioned off to raise money for CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County). This will be Deborah's 20th year decorating a tree. This year, I am lucky enough to be able to help her make some decorations. Her theme this year is butterflies and snowflakes. Here are some of the snowflakes. Each of these are about 5". The original piece is just plain ol' chipboard. Each was decorated with paint, patterned paper, and glitter. Each side is different.

The snowflakes below are smaller. They came in little packs of 3 chipboard snoflakes, the biggest one was about 3", with each one smaller. I decorated each one then layered and popped each layer up! They came out so nice!! now I want to make some for my tree!

I will try to post the butterflies I have done later on... They are looking pretty cool, too!
:o) Erin

Long Beach, CA (Shoreline Village)

Last Friday we packed up and headed down to the boat in Long Beach. Mal had some work he wanted to do. We met him down there... brought steak, etc., for BBQ... and just hung out. The weather was absolutely amazing!! It was perfect. It even got a little chilly in the evening - which was awesome since it has been so dang hot lately!

So - a few pictures that I took... Here is a view from the shore.

Trevor brought his friend Kevin. We went walking around Shoreline Village. The jazz festival was setting up and started later that night.


The sunset was so pretty... and taking pictures at that time of day is so much fun! This is a picture of Trevor....
and a picture of Ryan... Love the silhouettes!
We all had a great time!
:o) Erin

SUMMER pennant

Hi everyone,

This is a pennant I made using the Stampin Up! die for pennants. I love this die!! it is so much fun to use. Have you tried making a pennant yet?? The paper is also from Stampin Up! (last year's catalog, "Summer Picnic"). I have to say... I love SU's themed paper sets. Everything just goes together so nicely!
I did add some other embellishments. I mean - how could I not add stuff when there is SO much cute summer things available! The letters were cut using my cricut.

Pennants and banners are such a fun way to make something decorative for your home. Something nice, simple and fun! Easy to put out... and best of all - easy to store!! You will have to try one!!

:o) Erin

Mickey Mouse Stadium Album

Hi everyone,
Just a quickie post to show you what I have been working on. I made an acrylic Mickey Mouse book from an 8x8 "stadium" album. It was so much fun!! I am only posting a few pictures here. This is the cover... A stadium album is fun to work with. Each page is about an inch longer than the previous page.
I also played with adding acrylic shapes as an embleshment. I took a star - heated it up with a heat gun - then ran it through the Cuttlebug in an embossing template. WHAT FUN! It came out awesome!!

The one thing I can tell you about doing this - make sure you have everything ready... cuttlebug, pads, embossing template - open and ready. It doesn't take long for the acryic to "harden up"!
If you are interested in seeing more pictures, check out the K2R blog. If you are interested in an acrylic stadium album - click here! I have to tell you... I LOVE Kits2Remember acrylic. It is the BEST! Great quality... not flimsy to work with! Simply the best out there!! :o)

It is late... I am tired... and 5:30 a.m. comes way too early! So, off to bed I go. I have a summer pennant that I will try to post tomorrow.
Sleep tight!
...Erin

Christmas in July

Christmas in July?? What?? I know - it is hard to even think about any of that... but none the less - here I am! I went to an all day event yesterday and finished up my Christmas cards!! Woo Hoo! This is my Christmas card this year:


I also finished a little Mickey album for my sister's two little ones. They were here in June and of course did the Disney thing!! So of course, I had to make a little momento of their visit there! :o)

Kits2Remember Contest!

I wanted to pass on some fun info... Kits2Remember (K2R) is having a contest to celebrate their anniversary! All you have to do is submit pictures of something you made with K2R products. Send up to five photos of your project and email them in one email to customerservice@kits2remember.com. You have until August 14 to submit pictures.

K2R will be accepting emailed entries in to their Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest. One lucky - and talented - winner will receive a $250 K2R prize package featuring K2R products and more! There are five different categories you can enter your project in to: Acrylic, Metal, Mixed Media, Kits and Rubber Stamps. And the grand prize winner isn't the only one getting some prizes! One finalist will be chosen from each of the five categories and receive a prize package worth $50. Now how can you go wrong?? A chance to win some awesome products from K2R? Oh yea!!!

Click here for detailed information: Kits2Remember Anniversary Kontest

Cuttlebug Spot is having a CONTEST

The Cuttlebug Spot is having a contest - "The Journey to 1,000"! They are trying to reach 1,000 followers by the end of July and need your help. To enter all you have to do is go to their site, sign up as follower and complete a few easy steps and you could win a $1,000 gift certificate to Custom Crops (http://www.customcrops.com/)! GO NOW and check it out at http://www.thecuttlebugspot.com/

Summer Banner

Summertime is officially here! And let me tell you - the heat is here, too! Whew! This banner was designed for Jeanne. It uses all Stampin up! products. If you are interested in purchasing a kit, contact Jeanne at: stampwithjeanne@cox.net

A closr up of th cherries...

I hate to admit... I am tired! So, it is foo to bed for me!! Sleep tight!

:o) Erin

Happy 4th of July!!

I hope everyone had a nice 4th of July!! We had a great day. It was beautiful out! We kicked back at home... BBQ'd. Had some great carne asada!! Yum, yum!

Acrylic "Family" album

Ok - So, where does the time go??? It has been beyond busy at home with end of school, family, people getting sick!, etc.,etc. And I have been super busy at work, too! (of course - doesn't it always happen that way?) So, I have not had a lot of time for anything! But I did finally get to play last weekend. I made an acrylic album for my sister. Her family came down and we went to Disneyland. Woo Hoo! SO much fun! So, you just know... I will have to be playing with some Disney themed things! But in the mean time, here are a few things I have made recently.

"Family" acrylic 8x8" tabbed album. Everything in Black & White.

And of course, I had to make a couple of frames for the kids while they were out here! Here is a Disney frame that they can put a favorite picture in when they get home:

Mari is in a Gynmanstics team. So, I had to make a little frame for that, too! The name of here team is "Beach Ball Gumdrops"!

So, until next time....

:o) Erin