Michelle ~ mother & scrapaholic!

My latest layout!

So... I have like a bazzillion things on my TO DO LIST, but instead of getting right down to business I decided to scrapbook this morning!  (Fun, fun... don't tell the boss, heehee)  I came across a scrap of Christmas paper from the new LYB Sharon Ann Christmas Magic ~ BEAUTIMUS!!  It's a Santa Sleigh image on a green background and it really spoke to me.  It said "Oh, look at me.  I'm already the perfect shape for a simple photo mat."

Well, I couldn't help myself.  I grabbed a colorful patterned paper, some die-cut mats, a set of 3-D ornament embellishments, a pack of ribbon, and little bit of stickles.  That's it!  I can't wait to insert a family photo on the red mat and then add some journaling on the green mat, maybe a title and then VOILA - My first Christmas 2008 layout, done!

Have a look:

 

Whipping a layout together in under an hour is unheard of for me.  So, I'm particularly pleased with this one that I just threw together today.  Thanks for looking.

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Have you already played with the new LYB Christmas line?  Well, I showed you mine, so now you have to show me yours.  :)  Post a picture here or e-mail me a copy & I'll make it worth you while!!!

Jessica Sprague's FREE on-line class

FYI:  I finally got a laptop!!  Whoohooo!!  I'm loving my new wifi freedom & the shiny silver keyboard makes me smile.  :)  Now I can do e-mail and blogging from my couch.  A laptop AND DVR?  Whoa - I may never leave my livingroom again.

So back to the name dropping...

I was blog hopping on my new laptop today, went over and checked in on our local celebrity Keri Sereika, and she's got a link to Jessica Sprague's latest project.  It's a FREE Online Class!  How cool!  I am totally spreading the word.  We will definitely have a follow-up at The Pink House. 

Another night at the ER

You may have read about how I had 9 kids sleeping over last weekend.  It was all made tolerable knowing that my kids were all supposed to be staying at their friends' houses this weekend.  Friday was my hubby's birthday, and we were going to go have dinner together, just the two of us and then maybe a movie.

Well, plans change!  Friday, My husband and my son, Zane, went downtown to pick up Mike's birthday present... a brand new bike.  (Michael is a cyclist, you know those guys like Lance Armstrong.)  Mike says he turned his head away from Zane for just a second to look at helmets and then Zane came running over, holding a bloody hand.  Seems like he must have been spinning the wheels on a bike and got his fingers stuck.

The bike store staff was on it right away, grabbing towels & holding pressure.  Someone called an ambulance.  Mike called me as the EMT's were getting Zane into the back and he told me which hospital they were going to.  Thankfully, Mom was able to come over and watch the girls so I could drive downtown to Roper.

Zane's middle finger on his right hand got really torn up, nearly severed.  He broke his finger at the knuckle, right at the growth plate.  The hand surgeon said that he would likely have to insert a pin, but after just an hour in surgery, Dr. Buckaloo came back out and said all was well.  No need to insert the pin, and the tendons & nerves and blood vessels and all were fine.  Whew!!!

We actually got to take Zane home the same night after a brief stay in the recovery room.  The bad news is that Zane's football season is over.  He's the defensive Captain, and he was going to start playing both ways this weekend.  Saturday was going to be his first start at Fullback!  We were anticipating his first TouchDown this weekend.  Well, like I said... Plans Change!

So, thanks to God that Zane didn't loose his finger.  He was a trooper during the whole experience, no tears, no whining.  Now he's taking his antibiotics like clock work, and keeping his hand elevated.  He just wishes he didn't have to stay rested for awhile.  It's killing him not being outside running around with the rest of the kids.

Here are a few shots of Zane in the ER and then in the wheel chair as we were leaving.

     

   

Yeah, I know... who takes a camera into the ER?  Well, have you met me?  I take my camera everywhere!  I always stay freakishly calm in these kinds of situations, so I was able to remind my son that this was a part of life.  Knowing that he'd be okay, of course I had to grab a couple shots for his scrapbook.  :)

Insanity, Party of 9

This weekend was only our second so far in the new house.  (Oh by the way - we recently moved into Tanner Plantation.  Love it!)  So, the kids wanted to have a sleepover.  Saturday I drove over to our old neighborhood and gathered up as many kids as I could find, kinda like the Ice Cream Man & the Pied Piper all rolled into one.  :)

Seriously though, we had 9 kids in the house this weekend.  Now of course 5 of 'em were mine, but the extra 4 was crazy!  Saturday night was waaaay too loud.  Especially when our 70lb. puppy got into the mix.  Lots of running around screaming.  Bedtime was forever telling the girls to stop talking and go to sleep.  Thankfully, Sunday went fabulously.  I basically stayed in the kitchen all day making breakfast, lunch & snacks and then doing 4 loads of dishes and 2 loads of laundry all before 2pm. 

In between meals, I brought out the ol' standby... Perler Beads.  It kept the kids entertained all freakin' day!  They come with a bunch of different shape templates that the kids set the beads on.  When they have their design finished, I iron the beads which melts the top layer and keeps it all stuck together.  I should have taken pictures.  (duh!)  I highly recommend you get them for your next kids party.  Brilliant!

Yard Sale #'s are in.

Last weekend, we had a good turn out for our Annual Fall Yard Sale... nearly twice as many sellers as before.  As usual, the ladies started lining up 30 mintues before we opened the doors at 8am.  The rain held off for us, but the cloud cover kept it from being hot. So, I'd have to say perfect weather!  Kelsey took some great pictures, but they are on my Aunt's camera and I wasn't able to get them uploaded before she left.  :(  I'll have to post those later.

I finally have it all added up and the seller's totals are already posted to the appropriate accounts.  Ladies, it's time to come cash in!!  Our biggest seller award was a close one, but Becky Woods pulled it out with over $150 in sales.  Whoohooo - congratulations, girl!

Gotta love those big baby blues!

So we all know that our one time Pink House instructor/designer, Keri Sereika, is extremely talented.  We miss her much, but are so happy for her continued success.  We keep seeing her cards and layouts published in all the top magazines.  This week, I saw her Prism layout on the back cover of my Scrapbook Retailer magazine!!! 

 

Congratulations, Keri - (again!)

Tons of new stuff!

This just in...  American Crafts Christmas Ribbon  4ft/$.99

   

FYI:  We only have about half of the Autumn Ribbon Box left.  These are perfect additions to any scrap project, home decor piece, or even table settings!  Be sure to think "off the page."  :)

    

We've received a re-stock of the very useful Tim Holtz tools.  These are must haves!

        

New to The Pink House... Rouge de garance by Sandylion.  These papers and embellishments are so vibrant and bold.  The blues are brilliant, the oranges pop, and the greens are almost neon.  These colors are so cool they're hot!  Take a look at this video from YouTube...

 click here

      

Also new to The Pink House is Glimmer Mist & the brand new Stickles colors.  Unfortunately for y'all, these have flown off the shelves before I could even announce their arrival.  We do have a few colors left, so I strongly suggest you get yours now. 

             

   

Come see me soon!  These great goodies won't last long.  :)

Message of the day

Got an e-mail this morning from Chris.  Just a little pick me up that made me smile.  Thought I'd share a bit of it...

Today's Message of the Day is:

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you smile.

New Calendar Link!

Progress on our calendar has been made.  Thanks so much for all of your suggestions.  Becky sent me the link to a program I had considered, but her e-mail finally lit the fire unber my butt.  So, now we have the beginnings of a new calendar format.  It's easy to update & easy to read.  I'll be tweaking the look of it some more, but it is already operational.  Thanks to Kelsey for inputting all the class info for October.  :)

click here:  Pink House Class & Event Schedule

This weekend:

Sat. 10/4 - 9am 12 Hour Crop $25

Sat. 10/4 - 10am  30 Cards/3 Hours $45

Sun. 10/5 - 1pm  Michelle Van-E follow-up crop  FREE

Next weekend:

Sat. 10/11 - 8am YARD SALE!!!

Sat. 10/11 - 11am Steel Magnolias Crop  $10 to charity

Sun. 10/12 - 2pm Card Swap  (group #1 is full)

Sun. 10/12 - 3pm Card Swap  (group #2 has 4 spots open)

Lots going on.  Be sure to check our calendar & yours.  Come see us soon!  :)

My Michelle Van-E contributions

So of course, our weekend of classes was full of fun and inspiration.  These shots are from the Christmas album.  The first 3 pictures are mostly Michelle Van-E's design with just a couple tweaks from me.  She showed us how to cut the title words from patterened paper and cover the letters in glossy accents.  I love the look!  Michelle is also into vintage lace and I have to say that I like it.  I was afraid it would look a bit old ladyish, but I think it turned out beautifully.

     

These 2 pages are my contribution.  Michelle says she plans on adding them to her class.  How cool!  My pages will be taught across the country.  :)  Michelle designed an acrylic window page that is really cute.  I added the red ribbon frame using a mitered corner technique that I teach in my Ribbon 101 Class (which by the way is scheduled again for Friday, Oct. 17th.)  The last page of the book is only 3 pieces... one patterened paper, a red ribbon & a swirl.  I love the classic simplicity.

   

This is the Dream Book.  I did my own thing with this class.  Michelle was teaching a beautiful butterfly themed album.  (Mom's got a great sample!)  I decided to make mine with a Tinkerbell theme.  It isn't finished, but I'm really proud of it so far.  I painted the "D" with acrylic paint and then smeared it w/ stickles.  I added a Prima rhinestone swirl and layered some leaves and flowers that I had decorated w/ glimmer mist, glossy accents & stickles.  The butterfly page was definitely a group effort.  Michelle Van-E brought the paper and showed us how to line it up for the front of page "A".  Then Shere and I went to town with the stickles!!  We added some of the Kaiser pearls that Michelle brought, and this page is stunning.  Thanks ladies.

     

This page is from Michelle's Prima Paintables Class.  I started off doing the alcohol paint on a printed transparency, but I didn't like how it was coming out.  I enjoy painting w/ acrylics, but the alcohol inks felt more like coloring.  (Most of you know that I am sooo NOT a colorer.)  So, I decided to use the Prima Paintables paper & the glimmer mist.  Who knew you could paint w/ glimmer mist?  It's awesome!  After I painted the edges of the paper, I tore out the center (definitely inspired by a Shere technique.)  Then I rolled the edges and distressed everything.  It's coming along, but I have like 8 more layers of stuff to do.  :)

  

We a few class kits for each of Michelle Van Etten's designs.  Come by The Pink House to check them out.