Hello mojo!

Ahhhhhh...finally! I got my scrap mojo back! I got one page done last night, and started on a new mini-book for the latest ScrapMojo challenge. First, here's the LO:







It's so much prettier, and sparklier in person, but this is as good as it gets for internet photos. The best part is all of the glitter! Man, I am IN LOVE with the Martha Stewart glitters! Especially the White Gold color:



It is mostly silver, with a very fine mix of gold. So perfectly vintage. So prettiful!

Now about that mini-book... I don't have any photos to share...YET. But, I am so happy with the way it is turning out. I finally got ahold of some of the Clearly Heavy Overlays from Hambly, and I'm using them for the mini-book. I have to wait for my kit from Poppy Ink before I can put the finishing touches on the book. It has been a while since I have participated in any challenges, but this one was so much fun, I couldn't resist!

In other news, I have received all of my ornaments from the Red Velvet Art ornament swap. These are my absolute favorite, FAVORITE!



Sushi ornaments?!? Get out! Too freakin' cool! Here are some of the other lovelies that I got:



Our friend, DeAnn, came over for a visit this weekend. And, with her, she brought this lovely gift for me...



*sigh* So cute! Definitely my fave scrappy gift in a long time! You can't really tell, but it even has little strips of ribbon that have skulls with holly on them. Too cool! I added the lime green raffia flower to the top. DeAnn couldn't find something that she liked as a "topper," but I knew that flower would be perfect! I had been saving it for a while from a Poppy Ink kit...never quite sure what I was going to do with it. But, it appears to have found a happy little home. :0)

Oh, and Luka can walk! He's not completely off and running yet, but he'll take a couple of steps without holding on to anything. It's all fine with me if he doesn't walk until after we get home in a couple of weeks. I certainly don't need 2 of them that feel like they need to get up and move around on the airplane. *wink*

Hope everyone's week is off to a great start!

P.S. I know I've been bad about keeping up with everyone's blogs lately. But, I'll be playing catch-up tonight after the little ones are fast asleep. I haven't forgotten about all of my dear bloggy friends...the holidays are just busy, busy, busy!

***And, a plea...any of my bloggy friends (maybe you, K?) that happen to be in a Target and spot the knit wine bags featured in this photo:



Please, please, please pick me up a couple?!? I will be more than happy to pay you for the cost of the bags plus shipping, and a little extra compensation for the trouble. I found a DIY project that I really want to make with them. I've tried to find them online to no avail. And, by the time I get back to the civilized world where they actually have Targets, I'm sure these will be long gone. TIA!

20 of 20

Sad. Only 20 days left of my twentys. Blah. I'm so not looking forward to turning 30. And, at least if I HAVE to turn 30, I wish that Bryan was here to celebrate with me. Unfortunately, I probably won't be doing much of anything on my birthday. Maybe that's good though...I can roll quietly into my 30's, and just try to pretend it isn't happening. LOL!

I am finally finished with all of my gifts that need to be mailed out. Yay! My last trip to the post office will be tomorrow. I finished up these sparkly pretties...



I filled the acorns up with yummy chocolates, and the pinecones with some pretty old-fashioned hard Christmas candies. They wil be on their way tomorrow to a couple of lucky ladies.

I spent the rest of the afternoon working on filling up my Christmas idea book. It felt so good to finally purge all those stacks of magazines that I have been saving. I clipped what I wanted, pasted it into my book, and deposited the remnants of the mags in the trash. Ahhhhh...! Such a good feeling to actually get something accomplished! I even bit the bullet and finally submitted to a couple of design teams. We'll see how that works out. It's been a while since I've done one.

Well, I'm off to stalk Poppy Ink for the limited number of Silverbella kits that are supposed to be going up for sale in a few minutes. Happy Thursday!

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas...

Have you ever heard that song? It's old. But, it's definitely worth a download from iTunes. Gayla Peevey sings it. Anyway, Hazel heard it for the first time a couple of weeks ago on the all-Christmas radio station. It was love at first listen. Unfortunately, for her audience, she only bothered to learn one line. Now, she walks around all day singing, "I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS!" at the top of her lungs. Imagine my surprise when I took her to see Santa today, and she jumps right up on his lap and says, "Santa, I want a hippopotamus for Christmas." To which Santa bewilderingly replied, "Well, we'll have to see what we can do about THAT." I don't think he'd ever heard the song. But, I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. And, this year, finally, we got pictures of her on Santa's lap without tears streaming down her beet-red face.



Luka was more interested in petting Santa's beard. It was so cute! The pictures that I actually ordered enlargements of, have him looking at Santa with fascination, and running his hands through his beard. But, the quick print that they gave me to take home today was cute as well:



My mom took the kids shopping while I ran into Build-A-Bear Workshop, and had the kids' annual teddy bears made. It's a tradition in our house. Every year, Santa brings them a special bear dressed up in something appropriate for whatever they are into, or something important for that year. I was going to dress them up in army gear, but the B-A-Bear in Alaska only has army uniforms with black berets. Bryan would die if I gave them something with a black beret. He's Airborne, and they wear maroon berets. Apparently, Airborne guys make fun of the guys that wear the black berets (mostly people with office jobs). Whatever. So, I decided to dress them in the limited edition Christmas outfits for this year. And, Bryan recorded messages for both of the kids on voice recorders that were placed inside of the bears. Very special. I'll have to post pictures of them when I get the bears all dressed up.

Speaking of pictures...I am now the proud owner of this amazing vintage photo (or I will be after the guy I won it from on eBay pops it in the mail):



Not the greatest picture of the photo, but you get the idea. It's so neat with the Santa and reindeer. I'm going to use it to make a collage hanging. I subscribed to Teresa McFayden's 12 Days of Comfort and Joy blog. Normally, I would never pay to read a blog when there are so many FREE ideas available on the internet. But, this was SO worth it. It's like a little gift just for me on my computer everday! You can still pay to subscribe. Just go here to sign up. I promise, it's worth it. Anyway, one of her projects was a beautiful Christmas collage that is the inspiration behind the project I plan on completing with the gorgeous photo above.

Well, I am going to try to squeeze in a nap while my kids are taking one. Happy Hump Day everyone!

Colder than a...

Well, I'll spare you the inappropriate analogies. But, it's freakin' cold! I don't do 14 degrees. And, after being away from Alaska for the last couple of winters, I still don't miss the frigid temperatures. Don't mind the snow...HATE the below freezing temperatures. All the more reason to anticipate going home in a few more weeks. I finally bought my tickets...YAY! I'll be heading back home Jan 4th...on a plane...with 2 little ones. Ugh. Wish me luck. I suppose if it gets unbearable, I can rent a car on my lay-over in Salt Lake City and drive the rest of the way home. Hazel was less than an angel on a couple of the plane rides that I've taken her on. But, this one leaves at 1 am, so I'm praying that both of them will sleep the whole way.

Don't expect much crafty eye candy from me in the next couple of weeks. I've been boxing up all of my craft supplies the last couple of days, and mailing them home. I did have an extra suitcase to pack them all in. But, after careful consideration, I decided that paying to ship them was the safer option. At least if they get lost in the mail, or damaged, I insured them. There's nothing to do if someone steals from my suitcase, or my luggage gets lost. Trust me...I've learned the hard way. After having my jewelry bag stolen not once, but twice, out of my luggage, I'm very careful about what goes onboard a plane with me.

But, I did keep some supplies out that I am positive to use. So, I may have a couple of pages to share in the coming days. But, when I get home...it's going to be a craft explosion! I have so many great ideas that I want to get working on! I would start now, but some of them involve wood and some shadow boxes, and I'm not paying to ship something that heavy back home. So, just be patient. I'll have something to share sooner or later.

In the meantime, I am anxiously anticipating these:





These were the two TOTALLY popular add-ons for the December Poppy Ink kit...Sugar Plum and the Banner Project Kit. I feel so priveledged to have gotten my hands on these yummies. They sold out in a hot-... ahem minute! I can't wait to play, play, play. I think I'll be making the banner this month. It'll be a crafty project that will keep me busy for the rest of my stay here. And, then, I will have it all ready to hang for next year!

And, since I will be lacking in projects in the upcoming days, I don't want you to have to read through all my blather without something pretty to look at. So, we'll do a little window-shopping again. I thought of Michelle when I got an e-mail the other day from Z Gallerie featuring all of their skully gifts items for Christmas. This was one of my absolute favorite stores when we lived in Dallas. A little on the expensive side, but there was always something interesting to be found. And, these skull-themed items were not to disappoint!

A skull and bones version of Jenga?!? Seriously...<3!


A skull flask...my husband would appreciate this!


And, this fancy little skully serving platter:


There are several oter skull-themed items that are way cool. So, if you have someone on your list that loves skulls (or you just want to treat yourself), head on over to Z Gallerie. They're all reasonably priced...especially for Z Gallerie! Happy shopping!

The first day of the last month...

of the whole year! Happy December everyone!



1. Red Cardinal in the Snow, 2. *Untitled* [Santa Claus Time], 3. Untitled, 4. Very happy Christmas Eve!, 5. Untitled, 6. Sujet Non Epineux, 7. so this is christmas..., 8. The Holly w/o the Ivy, 9. wish, 10. tinsel tree, 11. Belly & Tree, 12. Red, 13. Untitled, 14. my favorite time of the year, 15. The Trio - Pug Christmas Portrait, 16. Merry Christmas!, 17. candy tree, 18. Tomtar, 19. Merry Christmas..., 20. A Nightmare Before Christmas, 21. You Can't Catch Me......, 22. Christmas Colors, 23. Untitled, 24. trimming the tree.

December? All ready? I can't freakin' believe it. Where in the world has this whole year gone? This time last year, I was 7 months pregnant and ready to just have that darn baby! Now, I have a little boy that is nearly a year old. Amazing. Thankfully, this year has gone by quickly, and this delpoyment is almost over. I really appreciate all of your messages on my last post. Thank you all very much, and please don't pity me. That wasn't my intention. I just find the whole process of blogging to be incredibly cathartic at times. And, after I wrote that last blog, I felt better. Much better.

We have been busily getting last minute things put together to get the last of our packages in the mail on Monday. Then, I can finally concentrate on finishing Tina's Christmas present, and the calendar that I am making for my mother. I hate feeling so rushed around the holidays. For once, I would like to just sit back, and enjoy. Every year, I vow to finish things up earlier. And, every year, I wind up with a million little last minute things that keep me busy until Christmas Eve. Oh, well...there's always next year.