Digital Scrapbooking...

So I spent about an hour putting this page together. When I work in paper, it would take 15 minutes. But I am going to follow through and really learn how to do this better. I am teaching myself Photoshop Elements 6 from books and some Scrapgirls video lessons. I hurts my brain a little, but I hear that's good for not getting Alzheimer's.

Anyway, I am so proud of Xander for loving Scouts so far, and Nash was an enthusiastic singer for sure! What fun!!!

Also, I know that I need to credit the designers for the graphics that I used. How do you digital scrapbookers keep track of all that information for when you "publish" your pages on your blogs?

Princess's all the Way!

Remi and Ava spent the last couple of days with me.

All they wanted to do was "make crafts"!So, they painted their own jewelry boxes.
Then they glued jewels on top...

And then we went to the store and they picked out some play make-up!
This morning we made paper dolls with their own faces!
We had a fun time, and I'm a little tired, but I sure do

love those glam-children of mine!!!

What have I been up to?

Making invitations... with friends and family illness's, busy lives and just plain ol' living, I had the pleasure of being able to make my daughter Kelli's invitations to her baby shower. (I say this, as the whole etiquette thing is weird sometimes as to who does what, I say whatever!) Anyway, I finally finished yesterday with the total number of 85 invites, and late last night figured out I counted wrong and needed 15 more! So I'll finish those up today. It's been a fun project, but labor intensive as each piece of paper is distressed with ink and then taped and layered. I enjoy the repetition a bit, it's kind of stress relieving. Isn't it funny how that same "job" would throw another person over the edge. It's good that we are all have these wonderful unique personalities or nothing would get done!

Anyway, that's why I haven't blogged in a while about a project...

FYI: A lot of those invites go to people out of town, so we really don't have 100 people show up to our parties, but we do have so many FABULOUS friends and family that support one another, it's is truly unbelievable! I guess that is what happens when you live in one place for 30 plus years!


"Thank you for being my friend...." I'm singing to myself.......

Everyones Blogging!

Well, my middle daughter Kelli finally made her blog! I told her it was a requirement to have a blog especially if you have children. She is expecting her very first baby in July. We are all so excited. So check out her blog once in a while. Kelli is an amazingly talented girl. She makes these wedding cake toppers out of Fimo Clay. She sculpts the couples clothes in the same fashion as the brides and grooms original outfits. She also adds such wonderful detail, I can't wait for you to get to know her!

How to Make Fairies in a Jar Instructions

I've had a lot of people ask me for the instructions on How to make the Fairies in a Jar, so here they are. You can right click on the instructions and save them to your file of Fabulous Fun Stuff to Make and print them off for yourself.

I won't be posting for a few days, as I have another virus on my computer and it keeps freezing! You don't KNOW how long it took me to get through this post. My computer Guru Comeau will be doing his magic...So now I will start to unplug the beast.

A Belated Mother's Day Card from my BabyGirl

Yesterday, my daughter Devan gave me this wonderful card that she made for me.

Nothing means more to me than those handmade cards and notes that I have gotten thru the years from my girls, and now my grandchildren. When I think of the notes of encouragement from friends and family that have lifted me up and made me feel loved over the years that I have saved reminds me that I need to do the same for others more often.

And don't you find that even a short sentence in a comment for your blog can do the same thing? Yeah for Words, their power is great.

Can't forget the BLING! Thank you Devan!!! XOXO

My Fairy Filled Bird Cage...

So I finished putting my little glam-children fairies, flora and fauna into the old bird cage that I bought at the Rose Bowl Flea Market last month. It's cute, but doesn't have the "Wow" factor that I was hoping for. There are two little plastic birds that chirp when they "see" movement, but the sensor that detects it is under their bellies so it only works when you get down low to look in. I guess that's OK since it could get annoying for adults. I saw a frog that I wish now that I bought that "ribbits" at movement. I have to put that on my list...

Finally, a blog enty...

OK, now almost everyone of my daughters has called me to see if I was OK because I hadn't written a blog entry in a week! (cute of them to notice, and very nice of them to care...) Anyway, I have been absorbed in PROJECTS!!!! and none of them are finished enough to blog about. So let me give you a teaser. I made these fun little baby fairies for a centerpiece for a baby shower that my girls and I gave for my friend Sue's daughter Wendy last year. I am currently decorating the old bird cage that I bought at the Rose Bowl Flea Market last month with these baby fairies, flora, fauna and the "Jar Fairies" that I made of my grandchildren.

Aren't these babies riding on the "fauna" just FABULOUS ?!!! (if I do say so myself)

My Family Tree Wall Mural...

Well my Family Tree Wall Mural is going to take longer to finish than I thought. What was I thinking?!!~! Anyway, I have many more photos to collect and to re size and print. Oh, I did choose the Sepia toned prints. I also decided to add more color in the frames as It all was getting a bit boring with just the ivory colored frames.

Here is what I have so far... The neatest thing are the "frame vinyl stickers that I bought at IKEA . I was helping my daughter who lives in Maricopa with an Activity Days class and IKEA is on the way home. I had stopped to find some more small frames. I liked the idea of being able to hang the 3-D frames slightly over the vinyl ones. I sort of looks like an over sized scrapbook page don't you think?
These are the stickers... $14,99 for four sheets. You can really make a nice combination with them.

My Family Tree Wall Mural

After MUCH pressure from her mother and sisters, my oldest daughter Brooke has FINALLY created a blog!!! She is so funny and creative (as are all my daughters) that I am sure that you will adore her as much as we do. Check out her blog: Brooke ala Mode.

So today I finally started on the "family tree wall mural" that I have been wanting to paint for some years now. The greatest obstacle was finding the right spot to paint it. When I moved some things around in my bedroom to make room for the old vanity that I have been restoring (will unveil soon...) the right spot came to mind. The wall is about 8 feet long and 10 feet high.

I googled "family trees" and downloaded some images to look at. I can not paint ANYTHING with out looking at some images first. (That is why I am soooo bad at cartooning. Just can't do it.)

This photo is when it was just about finished. I did some more fine tuning and added my signature. I have now just finished priming a bunch of frames that I will paint and distress the color ivory. I have not decided whether the photos of all my family will be in color, sepia or black and white. I think I need to see a few examples in the frames and on the wall first. I'll show and brag about it in a few days...
One of the things that I just LOVE about blogging is that when I "brag" there are actually people out there that are interested in my projects! So thank you fellow crazy art girls (and boys) everywhere!!!!

My Dolled Up Flea Market Basket

This week I have been sewing like a wild woman. When I set up my machine, I try to get a lot of projects done, as even though I have a "sewing room", there is really no room to sew in it. It is really a quest room where I store all my sewing stuff. I still sew in the kitchen like I used to at the other house. Anyway, I have wanted to line my basket to hold treasures found at Swap Meets for a long time, and now was the time to do it!

I used left over material from the bedding I made for our quest room. The cover is from a remnant from the curtains I made out of these wonderful tablecloths that I got for 90% off last year at Bed,Bath and Beyond. The table cloths where 120" long and the fabric is really nice. They worked out perfectly.

I used more tablecloth remnant to make this pocket to hold a memo pad and pencils, my notebook of measurements of my home's windows, rooms,etc. and of course the ever useful tape measure when I am on the hunt. Boy, I never would have imagined how useful the math skills that I learned in school would be in all the artsy/crafty things that you do in life. Yeah for math and remnants!!!

My Kentucky Derby Hat Swap ...

Since I live in the Grand Canyon State of ARIZONA, I decided to go Cowgirl Fabulous! I covered an office box with retro western fabric, and I glued a Tupperware bowl open side down to make a "hat holder"
Here is the finished box and tag the goes with it.
And here is the hat! First, I glittered the brim of the Cowgirl hat, then I made a bow out of ivory netting and weaved in some copper conch's. The grand finale is the crown with "Genuine Fools Gold Nuggets" that I glued on to add a touch of Cowgirl Fabulousness Class!!!! (ha-ha)
I sure hope my "partner" enjoys wearing it. "YE HAAAAAA !!!!!"