Fall Peak

The leaves are finally at peak here and it is so beautiful, I am just in awe at the beauty! Terry and I walked back to the lake at the property and I put my camera on zoom to get this photo. I took a regular photo but you couldn't see the color as good so I zoomed in.

Now I will patiently wait for these trees to be covered in snow! People keep telling me we are going to have a bad winter this year, I'd just be happy with a few inches of snow!

I love this gingerbread man die from Sizzix, I think it is retired now so I really cherish it! I cut the little guys out using a lightweight chipboard, then painted them and put some snow tex around the edges for their icing. When dry, I coated them with a chunky clear glitter to give them a sugared look. I also painted the little hearts that popped out of the centers with red paint and coated them with glitter too. Papers are a mix from My Mind's Eye and Hobby Lobby.


And lastly, my project for Custom Crops this week. You can find the directions and supplies by clicking on the Custom Crops Blinkie on my blog. (I'm up early this morning so it hasn't been posted yet when I did post so I can't give you the direct link).

The sheetrock is getting installed tomorrow, looks like I will finally get to paint this weekend!
Have a wonderful week!
Annette

Fun at the Dentist

I started my day bright and early with a visit to the dentist today. I have to say that I really don't mind going as everyone is so nice and my dentist has the greatest personality and always makes me laugh. I had to get a very old filling redone so the left side of my mouth is all numb, makes me wish I would of eaten breakfast before I went because I am so hungry! I tried to drink something and didn't have alot of luck so it looks like I'll have to wait a bit before I can eat.

I have a couple things to share. I brought out my Martha Stewart bird stamps and stamped on some watercolor paper and colored it in with watercolor pencils and blended with a blending pen. I painted the inside of the flower with acrylic paint as I didn't have an ivory water color pencil. I cut out the image, added some stickles and then coated the entire thing with some Crystal Lacquer.

Many years ago I had a cactus and every Christmas I strung a small string of colored mini lights on it. The cactus didn't make the journey across the United States and ended up dying from the cold, I was so disappointed as I had had this cactus for years. I saw these little wooden cactus's at the craft store and it made me think of my cactus so I thought I would make some tags. I bought the chili peppers over 10years ago, one of those things you buy and store away because you think you might need it one day!

And lastly, my Custom Crops project for this week. You can find the directions and supplies here.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Annette

Rainy and Dreary Days

It has been rainy and dreary these past few days and cold, Brrrrr! I actually turned the heater on this morning to get the chill out of the house. Because of this weather, we weren't able to get the sheetrock installed. If sheetrock gets wet it just falls apart so it will have to wait until next week. After waiting two and half years, another week isn't going to make a difference! heehee It's getting really exciting though as more things get done with the house!

Seeing the weather has been so gloomy, I've been in my craft room making crafty things. My first card is embellished with Basic Grey chipboard which I painted and used two different glitters, papers are from My Minds Eye.

This card has a Crafty Secrets Cotton Scrap with Making Memories Mistletoe Collection paper and I'm not sure about the holly paper, it's just a scrap that I had. The little glitter leaf is Making Memories also and the berries are from a Christmas spray from Michaels.

The Angel Snow image is a Crafty Secrets Cotton Scrap and I used Melissa Frances and Basic Grey Periphery papers. The lace is from the fabric store and chipboard is Tattered Angels that I glittered.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Annette

Window Cleaning

That is what I did all day yesterday and I am so sore today! Do you wonder how by cleaning windows that someone could be so sore? Well, the attic space, which is my future craft room has double hung windows, this means we can take both of the panes out to clean so each pane was one trip down two flights of stairs and outside to clean and then when dry, two flights back up carrying one pane at a time. Luckily, I only had to do one window (2 panes) because Terry has a window unit in the other window and I couldn't get to it so that will have to wait for another day. Then I started on the windows on the second floor, 14 single pane windows, (only the bottom pane comes out) with four of them being double windows. That's 14 trips down the stairs carrying a pane, 14 more windows to wash and 14 more trips back up stairs with the panes. Terry did help with a few trips and I really appreciated it! He was working on the HVAC so we both busy. Then to top it off, I had to clean the vinyl frames where I took the window panes out using a toothbrush, scrubbrush, cleaner and water which I had to refill a gallon jug several times by filling up with the hose, outside. It took several hours but I finally got all the windows cleaned on the second floor. Now you know why I am sore! The bad part is that I still need to do the windows on the bottom floor, there are only 8 and I won't have any stairs to go up and down - yay! The windows had dead ladybugs, hornets, wasps, bees, bug poop, dirt, cobwebs, you name it, it was on the windows! You wouldn't think that windows would get so dirty just from building a house but these windows sure got dirty, I guess from the house not being sealed up all the bugs got in. I'll finish the rest of the windows this week and then I'll be finally be done! After the sheetrock gets finished, (which will be done by next week!!) then it will just be vacuuming to remove all the dust and then a light cleaning with windex.

I wanted to share another project I did for Custom Crops, a Halloween wall hanging. You can find the directions and supplies here


(Click on photo to enlarge)

I hope you have a wonderful week!
Annette

Sweet Christmas

I know Halloween is in the air but I am really looking forward to the holidays this year. It will be our first Christmas in the new house, something I have waited so many years for so it will be extra special for me.

I moved to the east coast 10 years ago this month but when I lived in Washington state, there was the cutest little town on the water called Poulsbo and they had a couple little craft stores which sold scrapbook items and rubber stamps. One of the stores was called Basic Bear and I always made sure I stopped by with each visit to town. A few years ago I was searching for vintage items on-line and came across a store that sold Crafty Secrets products called Basic Bear. It just happened that it was the same store I used to shop in! It brought back fond memories of the cute little waterfront town and all the wonderful little shops. I just knew I had to support this little store, even if I was on the other side of the United States so I became a fequent customer. At one time they had a big sale on all their Crafty Secrets Cotton Scraps and other items at half price so I snagged up several items and tucked them away. I know it's been at least a year, if not longer that I have been hoarding them so I finally decided to start using them.
I just love them so much, they are right up there with Melissa Frances!

I made a set of cards using the Cotton Scraps and papers from Creative Imaginations, adhesive pearls and a Maya Road snowflake, which I painted and glittered.



It's Friday today! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Annette

My First Project!

My first project for Custom Crops got posted today! Here is a little sneak peak and you can see the completed project and directions here.



It's a rainy day and I am hibernating in my craft room today, I love this weather!

Have a wonderful week!

Annette

Happy Friday!

I am patiently waiting for our leaves to turn color so I can get a good photo. There are dead leaves all over the driveway but very little color, hopefully in the next few weeks with these cooler nights we have been having, they'll start turning.
I have a couple cards to share that I recently made. I used Melissa Frances papers, lace trim, german glass glitter, eyelet trim and chenille ric rac.


I used a sizzix frame, which I cut from chipboard and painted and coated with german glass glitter. I used the same technique with the little Maya Road butterflies.

Now for my bit of good news I have been waiting to share!
A few weeks ago, I was contacted by one of the owners of wonderful online scrapbook store called Custom Crops. They sell everything Cricut and Cuttlebug (among other things). Kelly, one of the owners, had said someone who shops at their store, pointed them in the direction of my blog and they loved my designs. I couldn't believe their email as I was reading it, I was completely humbled yet so excited! She told me they recently put together a design team of 8 to produce Cricut projects for them (or whatever else they feel like making; they have very few restrictions as possible). I was asked to be on their Design team and I accepted!! I have already made my first project and will be posting a sneak peak of it on Monday. I am so excited for this new opportunity and look forward to being on their team!

And, I'd like to say Thank you so much to whoever it was that told Custom Crops about me, you are so sweet my mystery friend! :):):)

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Happy World Card Making Day tomorrow!!!

:)
Annette