Middle of Nowhere

First of all I have to say that our mouse is dead (and batteries aren't fixing it) so I've had my fill of the mouse on the laptop. Every time I type my hand hits it and makes me start typing somewhere else...uhg! Oh well if that's the worst of my problems I'm doing good!

I mentioned that the craft fair was in the middle of nowhere in an OLD dance hall. Here's a few pictures...

Here is the stage, and no, not the one where the bathroom is. Didn't think the old timers would understand why I was taking pictures of their bathroom.

This is the view from the window near my table. It's really pretty there, rolling hills and all.

This is the front of the serving area in the kitchen. The Rx brand is D's grandfathers.

Here's another topic coming out of the middle of nowhere. I thought it was funny that hardly anyone knew what those cookie sheet memo boards were for. I mean when I showed them the little magnet buttons, they were all like "oh what a cute idea!" They really had no idea. If fact I'm always surprised at workshops when people don't know how I did something.

I've always been able to look at something and usually tell how it's done. My mom is the same way and so is my best friend. So I guess it surprises me when someone can't just look at something and figure it out. I'm not trying to be rude, I just was a little surprised when I started doing workshops and had to explain even the simplest of things to someone. And I'm not talking about people who are new to papercrafts. I talking about people who have been doing it for a while.

I was also amazed when I first started looking at the bulletin boards on CTMH and if someone posted something cute or new, about a million people would ask that person for the directions. I would just sit down and try to work out a template myself. Again, I guess this sounds rude. I am not speaking poorly of these people, I am just talking about how it opened my eyes. It made me do workshops a little differently. I now try to explain stuff in greater detail and I even make charts of instructions for especially complicated stuff.

Oh well, just thought I would mention that. Do any of you have any reflections on that topic? I guess it just shows how everyone learns differently. Okay enough pondering...off to do laundry!

Halloween Weekend with pictures!!

Here's the two little witches! Cute as can be!

Another one with grins.

Little d...

Little m sticking her tongue out...

Craft fair pics. These are Lindsay's wreaths....

My dad made that pegboard display...it worked perfectly!!

Some of Lin's bridal bouquets...

I have more pics of the hall but they will have to wait...have a good night!

Our Halloween weekend--without pictures

Just wanted to update on how the weekend went. Hopefully later I'll get pictures loaded.

Friday, we had a good dinner at IHOP and a nice time at D's aunt's house to celebrate his Grandpa's 96th birthday. The girls were mostly the center of attention being the only kids there. D's aunt was very impressed with Little d's coloring skills and Little m's dexterity. She works with children and kept telling me how advanced the girls are. Makes a mom proud!

Saturday night we trick or treated. Little m acted like she's been doing it for years. It was so cute to watch her trucking around in her cape like she'd been wearing a witch costume her whole life. There is this picture I will have in my head of her walking alongside Little d, sparkley broom in one hand, pink pumpkin bucket in the other, and she just turns up to look at big sis and gets this huge grin on her face. As if to say "can you believe what we're doing?" Of course I didn't take a camera trick or treating, but I love that image in my head. She acted much the same way Little d did on her first "real" trick or treat trip.

So then Saturday night was the time change. Yea! An extra hour of sleep...not. I woke up at 3:30am and could not go back to sleep. Sunday we left for the craft fair at 7:30. I set up and sold...are you ready for this...$30 worth of stuff. And twenty of that was to D's aunt. Yeah, major bust. So other than the cards and card set that D's aunt bought, I sold two cards and one post-it note coaster thingy. (I'll have to post pics of those--I forgot to.) D's aunt also wants me to make her 15-20 Christmas cards. On the other side, no one else was selling anything either. There were I think seven other vendors. All but two had handmade stuff. Truly it was a sad little showing. Very few people came--apparently it wasn't advertised. Oh well, I got to spend time visiting with D so that was worth it.

Oh and I have to tell about the bathroom at the hall where this craft fair was. It's an old (like over a 100 years old) dance hall in the middle of nowhere. (I'll have pictures later.) So the bathroom is old too. I've never gone in it before because normally I when I'm there I don't have to pee every five seconds--like now--and also because it's on a stage. I mean you have to climb up a ramp to access it and get this...the top is completely open. And it's in the corner of the hall. Not very private to someone like me. So yesterday was the first time I had ever been in it. The exterior walls have cracks in them that just barely mean someone on the outside can't see in. You can actually see daylight in some places. The stall door has a hook closure, which is fine except that of course it's not aligned and when trying to free my self of it I succeeded in shoving a huge splinter under my finger nail. That means, if you keeping track, that I'm typing this with a really sore index finger adorned with dried blood under the nail.

Hilarious. I actually sat there peeing (you're welcome) and thought of how the blog post would go. Although the splinter was an unexpected bonus. Okay enough of that.

I came home Sunday so exhausted I could hardly keep my eyes open. But blissfully I slept well last night and so did the girls! Ready to tackle a new week! Keep your fingers crossed we close on the construction loan this week!

I'll try to get the pictures loaded later today...

Everyday Details

Here's one of those random bits and pieces posts.

Still waiting on the final closing on the construction loan. We're thinking it may be next week! I am so excited. We actually (thanks to my brother and his wife) caught a great deal on low-e windows at Lowe's this week. (energy efficient windows) We were able to buy 18 0f the 24 windows we need HALF PRICE! Isn't that awesome?!?

Tuesday I took Little d to the doctor regarding her tummy issues. We had tried lots of fiber, prunes, cutting back on milk, and nothing was solving the problem. Thankfully there is a no-taste powder called Miralax. She takes half a cap (about two and a half teaspoons) in 8 ounces of liquid a day and so far we are seeing some improvement. No more upset tummy and more pooping. I know TMI! But if you have a kid going through something like this I thought I would share and let you know that your doctor may have a solution! He also told me something surprising. Apples, carrots and bananas are foods that cause constipation. Bananas I knew, but the others I didn't. So there's that.

Little m. Is. Cutting. Four. Eye. Teeth. I was beginning to think she would never get those teeth and here they are showing up all at one time. Vampire teeth just in time for Halloween! She's doing well though. I had to give her Tylenol a couple of times for pain, but other than that, she's her usual self.

Tomorrow night we are going to IHOP to eat with the in-laws to celebrate D's grandpa's 96th birthday. Should be fun. Hope this time to get a table that doesn't slope.

Saturday will be trick or treat night. My mother in law made the cutest little witch costumes and I am excited to see them both dressed and ready to go---will take pictures of course!

Sunday is that Flea Market thing I've been preparing for. You should see the pegboard displays my dad made. Well, you will. I'll take pictures when everything is set up.

Morning sickness. Seems to be getting much better. I'm cleaning house again (sporadically) and even (gasp) cooking!

What a completely blessed life I have! Thank you all for stopping by! And thanks also for all the sweet comments--seriously you make my day! Oh and I forgot to say...I'm glad you like my little baby blinkie over there. I thought it was so cute when I saw it on another blog, but I was hoping it wouldn't creep anyone out. I figured if my five year old liked it, it was okay. ;)

Hey There Cupcake

Who wants frosty glittery icing?!? Me too! This is a birthday card for the {all together now...} "craft fair!" I know I should just stop saying that because duh all the cards I'm making right now are going with me to the craft fair.

Which brings me to an interesting mix of emotions. On the one hand I am thrilled at the idea of people actually buying my cards (I've never sold them before) and also getting rid of this huge stash. On the other hand I have some sentimental attachment to some of my cards. Like the ones that won a challenge, or the one I did as a guest designer. I remember what kind of day I was having when I made a certain card or how hard or easy or pulling out my hair exasperating a card was to make. So I think it may be a little weird if someone buys one of those cards that have memories attached.

Or it's just all these pregnancy hormones making me wacky. Either way, should be fun!

Details: all CTMH unless noted

Paper: Daydream, white daisy cs

Ink: Lilac Mist, Blush

Stamps: Cupcake Sprinkles

Other: bonding memories glue pen and prisma glitter

Simple Card Set + Simple Kraft Cards

Some more craft fair work. First is a very simple set of four cards I did with Fringed Phrases and a vase image from Solo B. I didn't photograph the card individually because...well...they are almost all the exact same.

I got the idea (I'm sure from something I saw somewhere!) to stamp white on kraft cs. I loved the look of this plus I thought the simple images worked so well with these cards.

And this one IRONICALLY I forgot to photograph before I put it in the package so I thought I would just show you these clear bags that I'm using.

Here's the back. The little foldover adhesive tab is awesome. You can unpeel it and re-stick it!

So while I'm showing you packaging...here's the little clear boxes that I am putting the card sets in. They are really sharp looking. They ship flat and you just fold them into boxes. I opted to get hanging packaging and then sweet talk my dad into building me a peg board display. Oh yes I will take pictures of the whole set up!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome Baby Cards

More craft fair cards. I know I should be making birthday cards but I had a hankering to make baby cards!

This first one is one of my least fave of the group.

Here's a near duplicate with some distressing (just for you Penny!)

Here's a green one I think will work for gender-neutral.

And here's my favorite--pink! With lace!

I made two of each. You can knock out a lot of cards that way. The pile going to the craft fair is getting higher and higher. I think I'm over seventy cards now.

Inks and Stamps are CTMH but paper and ribbons are mostly from my stash.

Oh and here's something fun. I swear (and I know all the books say it's too soon) that I've been feeling the baby move. I am pretty in touch with my intestines (thank you IBS) so I can differentiate between gas bubbles or not. I have to be sitting a certain way, but I swear that's what it is.

Thanks for stopping by!

Gold Embossed Manger Christmas Card

Wow. Catchy title.

Anyway-this is a card I pulled together pretty fast. I think I might do a couple more for the craft fair. I've never used gold embossing powder before. I love the way it turned out. I didn't want to screw it up by coloring in the image even though I really do want to see what that would look like...we'll see.

Details: CTMH unless noted

Paper: colonial wht cs, juniper cs, patterned paper (K&Co)

Ink: versamark, juniper

Stamps: Christmas Story

Other: edge distressor, gold ep (HL) cream ribbon (HL)

Birthday Card Set

Really nothing special here. I wanted to create a four card set for the craft fair that I could sell as an assorted birthday set. I made two of each of these, so now I have two sets out of the way. (Really loving that CLEAR BAGS DOT COM--super cute packaging there.)

These are all CTMH. Pretty simple, like I said nothing too special.

All are stamped with Happy Birthday on the inside.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cinema Challenge {and plenty more craft fair stuff}

First up is my submission for the Cinema Saturday Challenge. The requirement was to use a crown in your project and when I pulled this paper from my stash I knew it was perfect.

Their movie this week was Elizabeth. (Either one) I didn't see the latest yet, but I did see the other one....a while back. I do remember that the Queen was quite her own person. So the sentiment "Be Yourself, everyone else is taken," seemed to fit the bill. I love making these DVD tins. (Not my original idea--I've seen them all over the web.)

They make really cute gifts and I'm hoping they will be popular at the craft fair I'm participating in. Perfect Day papers....

I decided to do some with a little decorated magnet in them. Key to my Heart papers...

One for Christmas lists. Evensong Creative Basic papers...

One for keeping score. This paper is not CTMH...

I've made several of each design. I've been a busy worker bee today. Time for a break! Thanks for stopping by!

(Most supplies from CTMH) You can find the DVD tins at THIS page.

More dry erase frames

I'm like a dog with a bone. I am working feverishly (ha) to finish enough stuff for this craft fair that's coming up November first. This is the last of the frames that I bought. Not sure if I'll try to get anymore. I heard the dollar store has some cute ones...will definitely try that before heading back to Hobby Lobby...

On this first one I wrote on it in case you were wondering what they look like when they are being used as a dry erase board. Also-this is my favorite one!

I wanted to make a Christmas one, but I'm not to thrilled with this. I also thought people would say "yeah but what do you do with it after Christmas?"

Voila!! It's reversible....

I saw this frame and thought 'well it is out in the country, they probably like cow prints there...' Although picking a paper to use with it proved challenging!

I originally wanted to do this one as a kitchen-themed one. Not sure I really like the end result...

Just say when...

you get tired of seeing all the cookie sheet memo boards. I am having fun using up patterned paper that I've had forever. I think I'm going to make ten and then switch to something else for a while. Maybe the DVD tins?

Anyway here's all of the latest ones...again mostly all CTMH.

A detail of the brads...

You can't see it in the photo, but I used the Easter egg stamp set to make little patterns for the magnets...

It says "Treasure Life's Little Moments"

Black and white paper not CTMH....

A sideways one...

Thanks for looking!

Busy Busy

I decided to take off a bigger bite than I can chew and sign up for a flea market/craft fair table. It only costs $7 and there will probably be only 100 people there total, BUT it only cost $7. So what do I have to lose?

Here's stuff I did today and yesterday...

This is my favorite saying on any stamp I've seen yet!

I need to amp up my supply of birthday cards, because I think those would sell better than others...

I still have almost fifty of those cookie sheets in my closet...time to use them up! (The stamped image at the bottom is just awaiting a large window charm.)

I know, my pictures are horrible, but I am so lazy I just wanted to get them on {film} and be done with it.

Pretty much all supplies are CTMH. I'm too lazy (see above) to list them all, but I'll be happy to answer any questions if you want to know about one of the products!

Later!