Daughter at Seafair Hydro Races

We had absolutely PERFECT weather for the hydro races...and I'm finally uploading the pics....many weeks later...

The kid and I got to check out the hydros up close! What fun to be up close and see all the action and all the work as it's happening! Lots of fun and lots of spectators!

You know I like to share the message when there's blog candy involved, right?

Well, since I never got any decent pictures of the Making Memories Vintage Groove jewelry, I'm sharing this for now instead:

http://suchins.blogspot.com/2010/12/studio-3-solutions-christmas-wish.html

It's a link to a Color Cubbie Blog Candy Giveaway on Wee Memories (a terrific blog full of fun & inspiration!) You can win it if you go to the link and enter! :)

Many hugs - hope you all are having a wonderful Holiday Season!

♥Elaine

New jewelry :) -- SO excited!!!!

I'll have a post and a new 'creation' for you all later today!

Did you all have a great WCMD? I was out of town at the Jack Johnson concert at the Gorge in Quincy, WA....BEAUTIMOUS!! I took my 15 year old daughter (it was her first real concert!) Quite a lot of fun to travel with such a cute and fun kid with a great sense of humor!

Great music, awesome scenery, and now I'm craving more Jack Johnson tunes....this is our favorite song....sadly, he's so much better LIVE and in person! This clip just doesn't do justice to the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXyiyc4_gRg

Hope you all are having a FABULOUS day! Be sure to check back later so you can see the new jewelry! :)

hugs,
E

What's this? A brand NEW Game??

That's right!

There's a new MAIN SQUEEZE in my life now. :)

I've been off enjoying life without scrappy necessities for many months now. During that time, I found a new LOVE that I think you'll enjoy as much as I do and I want to introduce you! Check it out: Making Memories Vintage Groove CUSTOM jewelry by Jill Schwartz! http://www.makingmemoriesjewelry.com/#/strand-combos/5
The BEST part of all this is that it's available at 20 Michael's locations across the country including.....the one RIGHT HERE in MY neck of the woods at the Factoria Michael's Store! How totally COOL is that??

It's a sunny morning in Seattle (and in September that's a big deal), so I'm heading over as soon as they open to pick up a little somethin' something and will be back later to share! We'll also be looking for a homecoming dress for my daughter. Teenage girls can be SOOOO picky!?

Then we have plans to join our neighbors this evening for dinner at a nice French Restaurant in downtown Seattle :) ...who knows - maybe I'll even remember to snap some pictures and share on here later! Can't wait to show you all the fabby cool things from Making Memories Vintage Groove Jewelery!! It's so hip and fits perfectly with all the accessorizing that we're seeing right now in fashion! Go check it out at the Factoria Michael's if you're in the area and let me know what YOU think about the line!

Thanks for stopping by - hope you have an awesome, amazing day where ever you are! :)

Hugs,
Elaine

I think we need to add a new family member...keep your fingers crossed that we get Louie!!

Want a chance to win your own Color Cubbie?

Isn't this a fabulous storage system for markers? You can win one on Cindy Coutt's blog~ Go enter now!
Enter at Cindy Coutts Blog : http://cindycoutts.com/?p=4483


I use mine specifically for Copics and I don't have quite this many (Mine fill only ONE storage unit)

My plan is to order a 2nd and 3rd one for my SU Markers and Marvy markers, and Prismacolor pencils! I can't wait!

The units are very well made and sturdy. They clean up easily and have a nice narrow profile with a flat surface on top. The pens are held mostly horizontal but with a slight angle so the pens don't come whipping out when you pull a pen out. It's totally worth the 16.99 for me!

I might have some other pics to share tomorrow....It's been such crummy weather around here and I only like to take pics when it's sunny/warm out which explains why I haven't been around posting on my almost extinct blog!!

Today I met one of my online friends that I have known for more than 10 years!!! Renee Kurtz and her hubby from Gingerwood were in town for a Mariner's game this evening (all the way from Great Falls, ID)! Now the team's been doing great, but that's not the only reason they came to town...they're leaving for a cruise tomorrow! How lucky, huh? Today before the game, Renee and I went over to the A-Muse store in Greenwood and had some fun there~ It was a short visit but definitely FUN! I can't wait for her to come back again so we can spend more time shopping and playing~

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Elaine

Tweeting at night...

and my photo of the tweets leave much to be desired. However I wanted to get this posted before going to bed. It's from a challenge I saw on Nichole Heady's blog and it looked soooo easy and so cool! I was having a lot of fun and made this one super quick (under 10 minutes I think!). Normally copying a card takes me longer than coming up with my own idea.

I changed out her images and just replaced with some other stamps and colors. The birdies are so sweet, aren't they?

I adored this until I saw my card photographed - blech. It's boring, the colors are off, it looks crooked (but it's not) and it's really lacking something. But in real life I rather like it! :) In fact it might be the card that I make lots of to send off to friends on Valentine's Day!


My work week was most excellent....I hope next week is just as great as this week! I work with some pretty fun people and they help make my job wonderful most of the time!

I have a girl's day of fun planned on Saturday. It's been a long time since we've gotten together and I'm really looking forward to it! My friend Janell is THE Martha Stewart of our little group. You know the type...perfect clean house, cute but not too cute furniture, charming, great cook and bartender and she is the hostess with the mostess if you you know what I mean! It should be lots of fun!

Happy card-making, everyone! I hope you all have a great weekend too! :)

hugs,
Elaine

A new and different blog candy (one that you might not expect to see!)

Just in time for Valentine's Day!

Check it out:
http://www.scrapcandy.com/2010/01/platinum-titanium-and-diamonds-oh-my.html


I'm working on Valentines....but they're slow goin....no mojo these days and still getting over the flu bug! :(

Ever wish you had a light box for better pics?

Well now's your chance to get one!

check out this supah cool blog candy opportunity! Winnie is giving one as blog candy! The drawing is on the 18th...so hurry over and enter your chance to win!

http://winnieswhimsandmycrafts.blogspot.com/

I've slowed down on finding cute and fun new things to buy....last time it was the new Martha punches...and then a couple embellishments at Impress....but other than that, nothing new. I did make a prototype for something totally OUT THERE that I will share when it's finished...I can't wait...it's fun, whimsical and I hope you get a laugh out of it!!

Until then, adios, Amigos!

That light box sure would come in handy when I finish the project....hmmmm....

More THz tags!

I was going to try to finish up the last tags this evening but came down with a nasty cold bug. Came home from work early yesterday and just felt like poop! So tonight even though I've taken some cold medication, I'm not quite moving as swiftly as I'd like, and have another few tags to tackle. I know it won't happen before midnight, but at least it was fun trying!

I do want to say how fun Grungepaper is!! I didn't think it was going to be a big deal, but I just LOVE working with it!

The orange green and turquoise tag have the metal corners that match the Distress embossing powder but the color got washed out by the flash :(
I was able to track down an I-top brad maker but it was 34.99 at Michaels (used a coupon though) - and I got it for 40% off...Dying to play with, but it'll have to wait until after I feel better.

For the most part they turned out pretty neat. I have the last 4 that I've finished but still need to get some pictures of. One has a Grungepaper rose...it's sooo cool!! :)

Well, I hope you all have had a wonderful year in 2009. I've met some really fabulous people and have enjoyed surfing all of your blogs! Here's to lots of cheer and love and health for 2010! Happy New Year , everyone!


xoxo
Elaine

The 12 Days of Christmas Tim Holtz style!

Well I'm not finished, in fact I've only done ONE day's worth of the THz 12 Days of Christmas tags. I loved all of his creativity, but am disappointed that I didn't get to use the stuff that I bought....and on top of that, the ONE set of Christmas stamps that I bought which are his, I lost!!! My husband needed to do some tuning on his big piano so I had to clear space for him to take the top apart and set them down...that meant I had to move my scrap & stamping stuff off the chairs and move my boxes out of his way! Now I can't figure out where I've put that one box with the Tim Holtz stamp set - darn, darn, darn!

Anyway, I had a lot of fun with the tag and wanted to share. The stamps that I used on the purple/pink/green/blue tag are from an unmounted vintage set that I got last year.

I'm showing one picture in the sepia tones because it looked cool :) The plaid is the part of the tag that I got from Tim Holtz' day #3. He shared how to make those icicle looking things too. Behind it, the paper is pearlized with one of the plumy colors of alcohol ink. There's also stream, lettuce, and meadow alcohol ink in there.

The green/red tag uses an old PSX stamp and Tim's roman numeral clock, there's also a smattering of the SU itty bitty background on there, and a swirly stamp from Tim too.

The trinket pin has tiny writing on it-- they say, 'memories' 'trinkets' and stuff like that...really cute! There's also a metal clip of some sort from WeRMemory keepers. I tied the sheer red bow on it and added a snowflake rub on & Amuse red bling across the bottom. If my red metallic dresden had come, I'd have added that too. In fact I left some room for it at the bottom - hope it gets here soon! :)

Happy Holidays everyone! Stay warm!

hugs,
Elaine

There's a new blinkie over on the right....

Check it out - from 7 Gypsies. If you're a fan, you can click on the link, go to their blog and pick up the blinkie for YOUR OWN blog; after you link it up, then post on their blog and be entered to win a fabby 7GYPSIES prize-a-rooni!

Here's the blog link:
http://sevengypsies.blogspot.com/

Give Thanks...

We have so much to be thankful for....not just this year, but every year. Most everyone in my family is doing well (health wise) and is happy. I can't begin to list everything that I'm thankful for - from family, to my job, to friends (especially the friends that I've met online/through blogging), and being able to find time to create! We are blessed and I am very thankful. (Even when my internet is out for a week at a time -- I know that Bruce will come home and be able to fix it...and in the meanwhile, I get to spend time with the kids who go through withdrawal from not being online as much as I do!)

I hope you have many things to be thankful for as well.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Here are some cards that will arrive late at their destinations but nevertheless I actually got them into envelopes this year rather than having them sit half finished on the kitchen table!

Thanks for taking time to visit! :)

Hugs,
Elaine

CK Convention in Seattle at the Meydenbauer!

You know it's that time again! The Creating Keepsakes Convention in Seattle/Bellevue! This year I didn't sign up for any classes - instead I got to help work at the booth of one of my absolute favorite companies ever....Crafty Secrets! Spending time with Sandy Redburn the owner, and Jessie, a shop owner from B.C. was just about the highlight of my year! LOL These ladies are sweet, funny, amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my time with them! They have the neatest accent but it isn't that harsh british-y, "EH?!" sounding accent! Didn't get to shop quite as much as I would have liked, but that's probably for the better.

And gosh darn, I forgot to get pics right after we set everything up- but at least I got a few snapshots of some samples right before we tore down the booth. There were so many more pictures that I wish I could have taken.... but there will definitely be a next time so stay tuned!

At the bottom, it's the three of us...in the middle is Sandy, then Jessie- They are so awesome! I ♥ them!!

Neglected blog?

Well maybe, but it's not as if I wasn't stamping. I just wasn't having any luck with pictures! The icky wet, dark weather means terrible pictures and little no posting for me.

I persevered though and came up with these photos of my cards...I love the knobbly gnome set! I got it on the aftermarket but didn't realize it was cling mounted until after it arrived...I have no case for the darn set! WAHH!!!

The top two are my Halloween cards - I didn't get nearly as many done as I had hoped! :(

Then those gnomes colored in copics. I'm so proud of that coloring! lol...I kept showing my son...and he was saying yeah, yeah, without even looking! :P Then he saw the strawberry one and was intrigued...but we found out coloring is NOT his thing...so off he went back to the video games :(




Also got this little "Over the top" tidbit of fun from the Lovely Ms. Tsuruta at Tsuruta Designs:





I need to pass this award onto 5 peeps, post on their blog to let them know I left this award, and then I need to answer a list of questions in ONE word.

Fun!

1. Where is your cell phone? purse

2. Your hair? shiny

3. Your mother? generous

4. Your father? funny

5. Your favorite food? Bruschetta

6. Your dream last night? not

7. Your favorite drink? DiSaronno

8. Your dream/goal? Happiness

9. What room are you in? Media

10. Your hobby? Collecting (you thought it was going to be stampin or cardmaking, huh?)

11. Your fear? slugs!!!!

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here!

13. Where were you last night? bed

14. Something you aren't? Singer

15. Muffins? Pumpkinberrystruedel

16. Wish list item? Copics

17. Where did you grow up? Seattle

18. Last thing you did? Mail

19. What are you wearing? Bling (see the sweater/picture from when I was at AMuse last November - wore that same outfit today - hadn't worn it in almost a year!)

20. Your TV? off

21. Your pets? Westie

22. Friends? Entertaining

23. Your life?Busy

24. Your mood? Achey

25. Missing someone? grandparents

26. vehicle? Sophie

27. Something your not wearing?underwear (just kidding!) bracelet is the real answer!!

28. Your favorite store? Fran's (it's a chocolate store - google Fran's chocolates if you must)

29. Your favorite color?green or magenta (watermelon)

30. When was the last time you laughed? earlier

31. Last time you cried? reading

32. Your best friend?lots

33. One place that I go to over and over? work

34. Facebook? YEAH

35. Favorite place to eat? Cutters or Piatti's

yummmmmm...

Do you like Thickers as much as I do? Look what came from American Crafts! Heaven....I am in it... right now.

From left to right:
Soft felt varsity "LETTERMAN" letters

Glittery "GLASS SLIPPER" puffy letters

"MIRROR MIRROR" puffy glitter letters

"NUTMEG" glossy chipboard letters
Reflective
"CINNAMON" foil letters and
Trendy colored "ROCKATEER" letters.... you'd be in heaven too if you were in my shoes today :)

Last minute WCMD

From Ellen Hutson's blog, the CLASSroom, there were several challenges that I wanted to try. I would have done more if we hadn't gone out to dinner with the neighbors on Sunday evening. As much as I love a nice Italian restaurant with our friends, it tends to cut into my weekend stampin time! :( Oh the sacrifices.....

I'm going to try to do one or two more challenges before midnight! :) We'll see. I don't think they'll get posted, but at least I'll get to play and make cards!! :)

#1 - Color Challenge - use Aqua/water blue, chocolate and cream
#2 - Glitz it up - a holiday card with glitz (YEAH!)
#3 - a Halloween item - mine isn't nearly as cute at I THOUGHT it would be - but maybe I'll work on it some more. ETA: I took the photo out and will replace with a before and after :)

Most of the items are from Ellen Hutson's store, but I think you can find similar items if you look - we're surrounded by so many options for crafting these days, aren't we? On a side note - see the buttons in the picture? I got my order from Papertrey today and in two packages of pink buttons there is not ONE flower!! :( I'm so disappointed because that is why I bought pink...thinking I'd get at least a couple flowers...but not even one! Geesh! If anyone has pink flowers and wold like to trade them for some of my plain janes, please let me know! :)

The blue buttons are from my local scrap store - see all the pretty flower shapes? LOL I bought that package specifically for the flower buttons!!

Ok, I'm back to crafting now...and by the way, I hope you are all well....I'm not. Came down with a terrible sore throat today and I may stay home tomorrow. I hope I didn't get my co-worker sick today because we had to team call even though I felt like crap! :(

Card making makes me feel better (kind of)....

Take care everyone!

hugs,
Elaine

Crafty Secrets WCMD Challenge at Splitcoast

I LOVE WCMD! (WCMD=World Card Making Day). Over at Splitcoast Stampers in the Forums area there are challenges all day (and maybe even all weekend long)! One of my very favorite companies there is called Crafty Secrets. They're a sponsoring member company at Splitcoast Stampers....and they make the very BEST Vintage image stamps! I am IN LOVE, I tell ya! :)

So today their challenge was to make a card with Dimension. I chose the Craft Secrets set called Christmas Joy because I love layering the beautiful ornament images. They are designed to work together for multiple looks and can be 'decorated' in soooo many ways! There are just enough 'supporting' images in the set like a holly sprig, pine branch, and great sentiments too....see why I like it so much!? It's versatile, fun, and EASY to use!

Here's the card (you'll have to excuse the color and the warped panel image I so kindly shared in the picture -- it's not sunny here in Seattle so the grey skies make it hard to photograph things with any accuracy). Can you see where I layered the ornament? It's even got a little ornament loop at the top where I tied the sheer ribbon on (and the ribbon matches perfectly - not all dark and yucky like in the picture). The ornament is heat embossed in silver - look at the detail...it's lovely! Then I watercolored with SU inks on the ornament in Mambo Melon and my old Bliss Blue inks. Even the blue snowflakes are from the Crafty Secrets set! Great images, huh?

I hope if you're a stamper you do something fun today! I'll be visiting friends for stampin happiness later today!! But for now I'm off to make more cards! :)

hugs,
Elaine

A little this, a little that....

It's been a cool, wet, and windy day in Seattle. But over the weekend I made some cards. Then I managed to get some pics while it was still sunny, warm (75 degrees) and gorgeous. Summer's gone now. I'd woo it back with stamps if I could!

Top card is made with bats and a greeting from SU; the row of tombstones is from Lizzie Anne Designs (unmounted stamps - love em!)


It has a fun little metal ghostie charm from Making Memories that says "Boo!" and it's tied up with black / white 1/4" gingham, crinkle satin orange ribbon and black WEBBY ribbon... inside is a skull and crossbones from the Lizzie Anne set and an outline of white gel pen (the Stampin Up gel pen - cuz they work the very best for me!)


Second card is hopefully at it's intended recipient's home by now!!? It has some of the corduroy in orange, some splattery glimmer mist (that's what's making it look dingy - close up click shows the shimmer!) and a leaf die cut from K & Co. (The entire package of leaves were clearanced at Tar-jay for a buck!) The background paper is from SEI's Dill collection (bought last year at the Shop hop festival).

At the bottom, you see two of my oldest and dearest friends: (oldest as in old time friends - obviously they're not old women!)

First on the right, is Kim who I grew up with (she had a pool and I learned to swim at her house) and then my hairdresser/old neighbor, Camille in the middle (who was pinching my butt or something which explains my hand behind the back trying to shoo her away)...she also grew up in our neighborhood! We sure used to have fun back in the old days!!!

Kim was in town for a business meeting with her colleague Helen so we decided to go out for a night on the town at the new dreamy shops at the Bravern
in Bellevue. We drank and dined at Wild Ginger Restaurant (mmmmmm!!!) Camille and Jill both know how to flirt big time and got us some extra goodies and nicey-nice treats! After spending four hours and countless howls of laughter there, we wandered around to WINDOW shop (Thank God those places were closed - shoes at 2400 and purses at 3000 - I'd never be able to explain that)...then over to the new John Howie Steak house at the other end of the 'mall' and there we had a little apertif in the lounge.

There was a wonderful pianist - we almost had the entire place to ourselves...until the Bananas Foster show...I had no idea what it was but didn't think I'd like it because I hate bananas.
The showy preparation for the dessert drew a number of people in - so we didn't have the whole place to act silly and goofy but we still had fun and a most MEMORABLE evening! Next up is a trip to L.A. with the girls...Kim and her co-worker Helen are both from L.A. Apparently Helen's place is a beautiful "O.C." place where she said we can live it up!! Wooohooo! I can't wait!

Au revoir~

Ribbon makes my world go round!

Do you like ribbon as much as I do? Hopefully not because my husband says it is a sickness.
I could sit and look at ribbon all day long - it's like a whole bunch of pretty little rainbows inside the house!


I think they're too pretty not to share! You should click on the pictures and see the TEXTURES on each of the rolls...it is amazing!

The BIG ric rac has a ribbed texture and is very soft and pliable. The pom-pom edged ribbons have little fluffy poms on the edges - soft and cute! The webby stuff (in orange and black) is amazing when layered with a solid ribbon underneath!

Then there's the velvet corduroy ribbon - just like the fabric...ribbed, soft, and velvety!

The white edge stitched Grosgrain is deeply saturated with color - and it is a nice WIDE 1" in width!

Ruffled edged suede has been on my list for a long time - but after seeing it at the scrapbook store for $.75 a foot, I decided to wait, save my money and buy it this way instead... it came out to less than a dollar a YARD...not a foot! :) Oh happy day for me, sad day for hubby...there is ribbon everywhere!

Each roll has between 10 and 30 yards. That's a lot even if you like ribbon a lot, isn't it? I do need to sell some of it...the good news is that I will sell it at very, very good prices! I know of two people that were interested so far....if anyone else would like some, please email me at eyp963@msn.com and I will give you prices or do you think it's better to post it here?

Later I might get to post the cards I made yesterday... :)