A little mini-book for my husband. He turns the big 2-8 today. I got the idea from the previously linked garden girl, and I used the number cards from 7 Gypsies, a little ribbon, and lots of assorted rub-ons. Also, I attached photos of us on the back of each card. A few more photos are at my flickr. Unfortunately we're both working late tonight, but we'll have a big celebration dinner tomorrow at the Atlas (his brother's birthday was yesterday, so we have lots of celebrating to do!).
Artist trading cards for a "raw art" atc swap over at the Embellished Circus. Freezing rain here - yuck.
Not much to report since last week. I've been laying low and feeling very uncreative because I have some kind of head cold/virus that has knocked me on my butt for the past 6 days. I did manage to stamp some wrapping paper. My 3rd graders are stamping patterns with handmade stamps made from modeling clay, so I took the inspiration from that and made my own. Here's a few things I've been enjoying this week: "Turkeys in disguise" by our kindergarteners (I had nothing to do with these - they took them home to work on them, but they're just so dang cute!)
This layout by Elsie - I will definitely have to lift this idea for one of my own. This tradition from Andrea's family. How incredibly sweet and fun! This mini-book from Two Peas - Bill's birthday is coming up next week, I think this would make a meaningful gift that's not *too* cutesy scrapbooky. I love her style. The good news is that school is out until next Monday, so I will be able to rest a little, visit family for Thanksgiving, and put in some quality hours at Reminisce for the after-Thanksgiving shopping madness. And time to get that holiday crafting in gear!
This is an altered canvas that I made for a class I'm teaching at Reminisce on Thursday, November 30. I've been meaning to get the sample done long before now, but I finally got to it last night. I like the way it came together. The paper is by one of my favorite companies - Cosmo Cricket. I hope it will inspire people to sign up for the class!
Bethany and Thor - who turned 18 and 25 respectively on Thursday. Since I finished all my grades (early for once!) and we had a day off from school on Friday, I drove over to Des Moines to help Bethany celebrate her birthday with a dinner at Taki at a cooking table. When we got home I gave her the mini-book I made to house pictures from her 18th year. Friday I got to hang out at my mom's preschool with all the little ones. They're so hilarious. In the afternoon we relaxed at home and then went shopping before going to see Stranger Than Fiction, which I highly recommend. It was great - a sweet, funny, thought-provoking, unique movie. Saturday I roamed around the East Village neighborhood with mom and Bethany. We visited a few of my favorite places including Gong Fu Tea and the Sticks gallery. All in all, an excellent weekend!
We're having a contest at Reminisce for employee-made Christmas decorations. I finished my two entries up last night. We had to use the Reminisce holiday paper lines (which are so cute and shimmery) to create decorations or gift ideas to display in the store for the next couple months. Our VIP customers will be judging and deciding the winners. I made an altered wood frame (above) and a holiday card holding basket-thingie (below). I'm pretty pleased, I think they turned out cute, but the competition will be tough! I also finished a gift for my sister, which will have to remain under wraps until I head to Des Moines tomorrow to help her celebrate her 18th birthday!
A kindergarten student gave me this drawing on Friday afternoon. When I asked him what it was about, he told me that it was him and a friend "scaring away some girls". This cracks me up - especially the way the two boys have legs, hand, and feet, while the girls are still those "cookie people" as I call them. As if the boys are a little more evolved in his brain. And the red eyes and sharp teeth! I'd be scared away, too! This week was really exhausting, due to the mid-week Halloween celebrations and who knows what else riling up the kiddies. Plus, it is one of those weeks when my project & school to do lists are both a mile long (of course, I've procrastinated on many things that could & should have been done by now, but whatever) And we're in November now, which makes me feel a little stressed about starting to shop for and make Christmas gifts. So, today I'm spending the day working on grades at school... one of my least favorite things to do. It is way too subjective to give elementary students a grade on their artwork. I'm rewarding myself for being more than halfway done by taking a blogging break. And I'm meeting up with Bill and his co-workers in about an hour to go to a Roughriders game, which will be a fun way to end the day!
Man, these weeks are flying by. Since I wrote last we drove to Des Moines to celebrate Thanksgiving. Dinner was at my Aunt Jane's house, and we got to meet her new puppy, Pedro. Hilariously ridiculous-looking. Then we drove back Thursday evening to eat with Bill's family (two turkey dinners in one day...mmmm....) Friday I worked the crazy day-after-thanksgiving sale at Reminisce and picked up supplies to make Christmas cards. I finished making 12 Friday night and should finish up the rest this weekend. 
Saturday it was back to Reminisce, and then home to put up the tree and decorate it while Bill and I watched X-men 3 - a pretty entertaining action flick. Sunday we went house-hunting, which has been our Sunday afternoon past-time for the past couple months and we found a house we love and will be making an offer on it this week. So exciting! *fingers crossed*
My mom made this stocking for me the year I was born. Craftiness runs in the family!
Not much to report since last week. I've been laying low and feeling very uncreative because I have some kind of head cold/virus that has knocked me on my butt for the past 6 days. I did manage to stamp some wrapping paper. My 3rd graders are stamping patterns with handmade stamps made from modeling clay, so I took the inspiration from that and made my own. 
This layout by Elsie - I will definitely have to lift this idea for one of my own. 
We're having a contest at Reminisce for employee-made Christmas decorations. I finished my two entries up last night. We had to use the Reminisce holiday paper lines (which are so cute and shimmery) to create decorations or gift ideas to display in the store for the next couple months. Our VIP customers will be judging and deciding the winners. I made an altered wood frame (above) and a holiday card holding basket-thingie (below). I'm pretty pleased, I think they turned out cute, but the competition will be tough! I also finished a gift for my sister, which will have to remain under wraps until I head to Des Moines tomorrow to help her celebrate her 18th birthday!
A kindergarten student gave me this drawing on Friday afternoon. When I asked him what it was about, he told me that it was him and a friend "scaring away some girls". This cracks me up - especially the way the two boys have legs, hand, and feet, while the girls are still those "cookie people" as I call them. As if the boys are a little more evolved in his brain. And the red eyes and sharp teeth! I'd be scared away, too!
