My Top 10 from 2010

This was a fun trip down memory lane, the only thing is I realized that there were projects that I did not photograph that would have for sure been on this list.  I am going to "try" and photograph most if not all of my crafts this year.  I really want to focus on Graphic Design this year and maybe take a few classes and maybe take a few classes for sewing, by hand.  I want to make some cute felt change purses but I need to learn a few stitches first.

So there you have it. 

 I hope everyone has a 

HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Happy Birthday Amy!!

Today Jenn, Laurie, Barbara and myself are having a little party for your friend and ours, AMY!!  

~~~HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY~~~

You are always so inspiring in all of your work not to mention a 

TOTAL SWEETHEART!!

I wish for you a FABULOUS DAY and the 

BEST YEAR!!

Your profile photo was my inspiration for my card today.  A card that is sweet and simple.  No rounded corners but a nice edge just like your hair..... you know I always love your hair!!!  A bit of ink around the edges to make it soft and of course the flowers in a beautiful hue just like YOU!!!!

The second part of my post was inspired by all the great music on your blog.  Emma always knows when I am looking at your blog and she always comes right over to sing and dance.  Please be advised that I have a HORRIBLE cold otherwise I would sound like maybe Kelly Clarkson or Taylor Swift (NOT)

I tried to play this in a preview and it looked like one of those old Godzilla movies .... you know the ones  where the voice and mouth movement are not synced up?? LOL  I am not sure if it is the computer or me being blonde ......... 

Do not forget to visit Laurie, Barbara and Jenn's blog for more of the celebration!!!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my friends!!!  Do you see Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (they are behind the adult beverage and Spitzbuben )??  Little Ava is IN LOVE with Toy Story!!  We watch it before breakfast after nap and before bed ........ YEE HAW!!  So for Christmas I went to Pottery Barn Kids and got her a grocery cart and we filled it with all the large toys from Toy Story..... Woody and Jessie were in the front of the cart!!!  The girl is just pushing them and hugging them and watching her movie in total amazement of her new "babies".  That is one of the many examples of how I have seen Christmas through my kiddies eyes today!!!

LOTS OF LOVE TO ALL ........

Christmas card and gift card holder

Here is a little something I made to put the gift card in for Emma's teacher and TA for Christmas.  I used my Spellbinders for cutting out the center.  Real easy just cut a piece of card stock 4 1/4 x 11 and scor at 3 51/5 and 8, I use my scor buddy so I scor 3 51/2 and then rotate the paper and scor at 3 again.  Fold the inside pieces and use scor tape on the edges and bottom, it will now be all sealed up.  Cut out the top with something big enough that will give you room for your gift card and you are good to go.  And the other photo is the card to go along with the gift card.  We are collecting money to give them a gift card to Best Buy to purchase a data projector.

Here is photo of Ava..... we had a dusting of snow yesterday when we went to see Santa.  Ava had NOTHING to do with that, she crossed her arms and made her famous "sassy" sound, of course she still wanted the candy cane.  Anton did not speak ...... he was a bit skeptical of the whole thing and Emma asked if he would please bring her a Nutcracker so she could help me crack nuts for when I am baking.... LOVE HER, last year she asked for a candy cane!  I was trying to get a Christmas photo but they were all in a daze over the light snow.  Oh well I will try again this next weekend :)

Hope everyone is having a GREAT Sunday!!  I am making Christmas cards, watching the Giants play the Skins and waiting for my sister and crew to come over, oh and her hubby is a Skins fan YIKES :)

HEY THERE~~

I cannot believe it has been so long since I have updated my blog!!!  I have been one busy girly with the move to NC and unpacking boxes.  Emma started school and lost her first tooth in one week and Anton is learning to survive without her during the day but true to form he is brining Ava right into the mix ...... I call her my Cinnamon Girl because she is so spicy ....... like her momma :)

I am taking a few minutes away from Toy Story 3 and baking Spitzbuben to try and get some photos on here. 


Here is Emma wearing a "Sprit" tag I made for her.  It was spirit day at her school but I did not have anything so I got this clip art and used some of my PTI goodies to make sure she was showing her spirit.

 This is the first day of school for Emma ........ we cruised in the Beetle with the windows down and Taylor Swift blasting ....... she loves her.  She will always remember her first trip to school!!

Two weeks after we got here it was my sisters birthday so we had a dinner party :)  My BIL brought a burlap sack of oysters from the coast and I made Oysters Rockefeller with marinara pasta and garlic bread...... the oysters were AMAZING!!!!

This was our view from our backyard of the moon coming up a few days ago ....... it was so beautiful

 And here is a little treat I took to Emma's class for "special snack" day.  I did 17 and then 2 notebooks for the teachers, I also made a matching pen ....... thanks to Laurie and a couple of magnet clothes pins.

And lastly here is photo of our property where we are going to build a house.  Please send positive vibes that Curt finds a job that he likes down here so we can start to build late winter / early Spring!!!!  And of course you are all welcome for fun food and cocktails!!!  

All the boxes are unpacked, the beetle is in the garage and I am a bus line waiting mom but no mommy shoes ........ I am trying to remain somewhat cool in my grocery getter.  I always laugh at the people who think they are all that and give you a smug look like they are so much better then you are ......... I just want to say "Hello you are driving a grocery getter too"  




Now let's see if I can get in a routine again.  xoxoxox

Christmas Card

I am suppose to be doing other things but I needed a mental break and Curt had to go out for more packing tape and a book donation run so I came up with this little card for my stress relief.  I cannot believe how many boxes we have packed and stacked ........ CRAZY!!!  And now the break is over ~~  Chat soon!!!

Close up of the Snowflake with all the yummy glitter

The snowflake is 2 layers held together with foam tape.  Have GREAT DAY!!!!

xoxoxo

Sue Ann

Christmas Card and Bookmark

The rain and clouds do not seem to give me a break so these photos are not too good, not to mention my usual complaint that I have NO light in this house!!!!

The bottom part of this card looks the same as my table but it is not....... arrrrr.... it is Scarlet Jewel with a text stamp that I just got on Ebay from SU.  I have so much of this ribbon it is crazy so I wanted to try and come up with one of the cards we will send for Christmas.  I try to do all the cards and then mass produce.  My intention was to use this ribbon 2 years ago for Birth Announcements for baby Ava and I had it all cut and ready but needed a photo, sadly we lost Curt's mom a few days before Ava came and I never made the announcements.

There is brown scallop under the ribbon, it looks really nice and for sure I will make maybe 10 more of these.  I also used a Gold gel pen to highlight the pinecone.

I would have tried to wait for a nice day but that is not suppose to come until the weekend and my time for doing blog posts for a few weeks / month is coming to an end.  Any vols to help me unpack ??

This is a bookmark I made this morning after my PTI box arrived.  I am putting this with the gift that was in my last post.  She is an avid reader and her mom would always tell me how she falls asleep reading so I thought this would be perfect.  

I love how this turned out.  When I was thinking about the sentiment I was going to use I thought it needed something around it so I thought about the small die from 2 for Tea and then I thought that I needed a layer for that but I did not want it to hang over the edge ...... enter scallop die and felt ....... it matched up perfectly so I layered the felt between 2 bookmarks and took out the ol sewing machine.  I also used that same stamp from SU for the background on the front and the back.  The blue bead is a Greek Evil Eye that one of my Greek friends brought back while she was visiting family.  I have one I wear all the time and thought I would share this one with this sweet young lady.

Thanks for stopping by today and off to do some more packing.

Do you feel my STRESS ??

xoxoox

Sue Ann

A Gift and A Cherry on Top

Ah the beginning of college and being away from home.  

 A sweet girl *I ADORE* has just left for college and I thought I would send her a little treat.

This is the card I made for her...there was always a hug and smooch for her when I saw her.

The photo below is a travel mug that I made for her that I saw in

this post from Lisa Johnson.  I bought the travel mug from the same company Lisa mentioned in her blog post that day.  I LOVE Life... the images are so perfect for a project like this because there is that really long image that will take up some height.  

The next photo is of the packaging for the Banana Bread I am making for her Monday morning.  How much do I love Everyday Treats??  

I bought her some napkins with her initial on them for her room but of course I could not send them in the original packaging so I put them in a wax paper bag and made a cute little tag and decorated a clothes pin to keep them closed.

Banana Bread

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt

3 mashed very ripe bananas

1/2 cup sour cream or Whole Yogurt ( Brown Cow is the BEST!!!! )

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat to incorporate. 

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt  and mix in with butter mixture until just combined.  Add bananas, sour cream and vanilla and then stir in the chocolate chips.

Bake on 350 for 65-70 minutes.  If you have a dark pan then reduce your temp to 325.  

Oh and do not forget to use your butter wrapper to wipe over your pan before you flour :)

I love to do these as muffins also :)

For this I did the small paper like pans from Sur La Table for .50.  I can get about 4 from one recipe.

So that is it for the project and now for the present I received

 My friends Laurie and Nerina gave me the Cherry on Top award ~~  so excited ~~  love you girls!!!  

You both inspire me every time I go to your blog's and for sure make me a better crafter ...... 

And now I am suppose to share a photo and tell you something about myself 

How about a fun fact~~

I took Belly Dancing for months, hip scarf and all.  I was very serious about the class because it is so good for your abs but sometimes when I realized what I was doing well I would start laughing......
 I mean come on I am wearing a black unitard and a Hawaiian Shores hip scarf with hundreds of "coins" hanging off the double layered edges.

Can you believe I got kicked out of class one night

I still do it sometimes at home and wear my hip scarf and act like Barbara Eden in "I Dream of Jeannie"

And here is a photo ........ of the kiddies who are a few sandwiches short of a picnic.

And now I am suppose to pass this along to some of the people who I think are the 

"Cherry on Top" 

Lindsay and Ingrid 

because they are totally amazing putting patterns and papers together.  These 2 ladies really amaze me every time I see they have a new post.  LOVE YA

Barbara

well because I look at her work and think OMGracious and of course she is always tempting me with goodies from MFT.

Rhonda

She always has something fun on her blog and she is a total sweetheart~~~

Melissa

She always has the most amazing creations on her blog 

Boy I have made so many friends in this short amount of time...

Thanks for the award Laurie and Nerina. 

 I did not get dressed for the red carpet to make this post because I have a house full of sick kids :)

Birthday Boys

Hey there ....... Curt is packing and I am doing a blog post...... hummm sounds a little unbalanced but I have to be ready to jump into action with Little Miss Ava at a moments notice and he is packing stuff in the basement ...... or as we call it, The Man Cave!!!  

So today I have 2 cards and a Smilebox.  The cards are for my dad's birthday ....80 years young and my handsome nephew Andre'.  The Smilebox has photos from Anton's birthday weekend and some other photos that I love of him and it is playing the "Anton" song ....... groove version!!!  Cracks me up every time I hear this song.  Okay down to business.

The first card is for my handsome dad ........

I used the "letterpress" technique from this post by Heather and this post by Maile.  I wanted the center to have a bit of background stamping so I cut another exact layer and stamped it with my Text and sentiment and put it right in the impressed spot ........ 

My nephew Andre' is the one on the right ..... he never fails to tell me that he is taller then me and I will mention that my sister is wearing a bit of a wedge .... he is a tall boy.  His brother "Jr." is on the left... 

I LOVE these boys~~~

My stitching is CRAZY but hey that's how it goes :)

If you have time ........

 Here is a Smilebox from Oktoberfest and The Planting Fields 

The song is in German it is "Anton Aus Tirol" 

All good Bavarian's have an Anton in their house.

Opa is Anton and Curt also has an Onkel Tony (Anton) he also has an Uncle Hans and Uncle Franz

not sure why I wrote that other then it makes me smile!!!

Create your own slideshow

September Blog Hop

This month for the BLOG HOP we are suppose to focus on tips, tricks, tutorials or ideas we have learned from fellow crafters.  I learn everyday from all of my fellow crafters and here are a few things that I did this week using tips, tricks and tutorials that I have learned along the way.


I wanted to make a notebook for someone and wanted to use my mat stack 1 die but felt that since I was not using a stamp that would give me a boarder I needed one.   When that thought entered my over crowded mind thankfully 2 conversations were still up front so I did not have to put too much brain power into my solution.  In this post from Ingrid and this post from Laurie you can see how they had a boarder around the mat stack.  I asked and the answer was to flip over the die trace and hand cut.  Quick, easy and looks great.  Here is a photo of the notebook that I made with the mat stack and boarder.

I have to say that I love how this notebook turned out and the leaf paper with my rock and roll technique 

The next project for the Blog Hop is a tea cozy that I adapted from a tutorial by Dawn.  I do not often make something for me but since I am a total Chai Tea Latte FREAK I thought I should have something cute and perky for my yummy tea.  I only get this as a treat on my way to work and that is usually only twice a week.  They have some of these for sale in Starbucks but they are grey and BORING!!!

The flowers were placed perfect for my hand so I do not have to put my fingers over them ...... my sewing on this is not perfect........ it is kinda quirky like me!!!  

And last but for sure not least.  I was visiting Jenn K's blog a month or so ago and she has a tutorial on there about how she did her PTI stamps.  I have been having issues with my stamps and CD cases for some time and I had to do something ASAP.  I have always been a notebook kinda girl myself so I started to look for products that would help me accomplish this new storage system.  I knew I would use top load sheet protectors because that is what I use in my kitchen and I LOVE THEM!!!  My hang up was what I was going to use for the stamps.  I finally found these and they work perfectly!!!  I slice off the bottom that is sealed and about 1/8th inch on the opening side.  This has changed my life of stamping.  For the sets that I already had I printed the stamp set photo off the website but now all my new sets I adhere the label to a piece of white printer paper.  I love having the white backing because that helps me see the image or sentiment.  I love how easy I can flip through my stamps and I can combine so that helps me with space.  I can get 3 background sets into one sleeve and it is not over crowded at all.  I can put 4 Fillable Frames in one sleeve and 2 YOF on 1 page.  I like that for these 2 particular sets because the sentiments can be used with the frame or the flower and I can have them all grouped together and just flip between 2 or 3 pages. I typed out what sets I have in each binder and slipped it right in so I know exactly where everything is located.  I saved the file so if I do need to change anything it will be very easy.

Here is a photo of the page with Fillable Frames

And here you can see the notebooks put away in my cabinet and the area that I have to be creative.

This is a 100 year old built in that was originally the Butler's Pantry in our house.

The drawers under the work surface are filled with ribbon in one and my hand made paper for books in the other.

The doors below swing open and I have my cricut, cuttlebug, ext all under there.

I cannot wait to have a space that is a bit larger.  I have the storage but the depth of the work surface is only 12 inches.  I cleaned up a bit for the photo ....... it never looks like this.

Oh and that foot on the wall is for reflexology.  Since I am a massage therapist I love studying all different types of healing and I tend to surround myself with books and photos that I can refer to on a regular basis...... I really need to get my books out tomorrow and get some acupuncture points down to help out one of my clients this week.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!

xoxox

Sue Ann

Papertrey Peeps Tag Challenge

Normally I cannot even get my own group challenges for The Papertrey Pals done but Rhonda has been making me crazy with all the tags she has been making lately and then she gave a challenge over on the Papertrey Peeps blog.  So here I am today posting tags.   These are few that I have done so far and there are more in the starting phase on my work bench.  I am using some for cards and then some to attach to brown bags with clothes pins that will be filled with Halloween goodies!!!

Thanks for the challenge Rhonda ........ it was fun to get my tag mojo flowing!!!

Have a Spooktacular Day!!!

xoxox  Sue Ann