My Minutia

Walk much?

Hooray for Friday!

First, off...
Thanks so much my bloggy friends for all of the dear comments yesterday. It's great to feel understood.

Today's pickle is that I was carrying a tall stack of boxes to the garage (for mail man to pick up) and I tripped on the door frame and twisted the stinking stew out of my ankle. So. much. pain. It's really swollen and I have been keeping it propped up for a couple of hours now. Thankful it's the weekend! Moving on quickly...

Oh, take a peek at what landed on my doorstep earlier this week. These two sweet bun buns from Heather Bullard. And a bag of vintage paper treasures. So great!   

Her blog is overflowing with beauty and inspiration. Beautiful. She is promising to have a new website soon. Looking forward to that and I am sure it will feature amazing things. Thank you for the bunnies Heather!

Lastly, take a little peek at what my 8 yr. old calls an *amulet*. Call it what you want, little fella, amulet or just intense bling....I like it. Cindy  told me about this great jewelry site  a while ago and I fell in love!

Have a swell weekend!

Love, Hop-a-Long

perk me up, k?

A small break from kit making to perk myself up. My son had soccer tryouts earlier this week. Made the second cut (from 110 guys to 33) and found out today that he didn't make it thru to the 1st cut. I guess it's a 7th and 8th grade team, which makes it hard for the younger ones. I remember Allie not making it in 7th grade either. But, I am sad for him. It's so hard to try out for things--put yourself out there. Hard enough to do that as adults, let alone at his age.
He told me there are try outs today for a one act play written by a student. I hope he tries out for that. Dang it. I am so bummed for him. Not because he didn't make the team (even though he's a good player) but i know that it's so important to kids that age to connect. To fit it. Somewhere. So critical. I hope he has a better day today. May need some perk me up cupcakes after school today!

So, I popped online a bit to write out my thoughts and plunked over to my friend Cari's blog. She has the greatest stuff on her Etsy shop right now.

Oh, and lastly, how cute is this? Becky and I gone junkin' last fall. Pam recently sent it to me. We don't have enough pix of each other...except under fluorescent lights at trade shows....so I am treasuring this one. Thanks, Pam!

Okay, back to work...

Under the influence of color

And it's all b'cause of these two girls...
Check out the goodness I recently got in the mail from Kim.  She delighted me with ribbons, button cards, sequins, flowers and all this great stuff when shopping with Jill the other day.  Imagine the smile on my face!! She's such a sweetheart. Well, they both are. Good friends. Good stuff,

Love all the color. It's like a turquoise-tini...on the the rocks!! I am looking forward to shopping with Kim in June. She knows some great places and I am saving my pennies for the Sparkle Bella weekend, you betcha.

Check out these felt layered flowers from Princess LaserTron, one of my fav. college students. I found her handmade flowers, ordered some for an upcoming birthday girl. They are so well made, and just cool with a twist of cute and sugar on the rim.

Her Etsy shop is: right here!  Plus, she's cute as a bug....a stinkin bug. Just peek at that little Moo Card she tossed in.

(edit: Had the Etsy link wrong, it's corrected now!)

Weekendness

Track Meet. She was runnnnnnningggg (Forrest Gump voice)!

Meeting K-k-k-urt Angle, TNA Wrestler! AJ and his Bud, Anthony, were wide eyed and loving this. Testosterone levels off. the. charts.

Sunday was a great day for a Snickers bath and a long walk. Go dog go!

Also worked on lots of projects. Pushed and stretched myself creatively to do some things for a project with the Bellas for this Fall. Dang, those gals are goooood. And, worked on Paper Bella Kits. Record numbers ordered this time. Wow. Looks like I'm gonna be busy for a while! I am guessing there are less than 8 kits left! Thanks so much to all who ordered. The comments and kind words you send make this all worth while for me.

Drake has soccer try outs this afternoon. He's played since he was 4, but I'm still very nervous for him. Never had to "try out" before. AJ has his first game tonight. Jim coaches a/k/a sheep herds the team.

Lots of planning for Silver Bella has been underway. Hope to have lots finalized this week. Sa'weeeeeetness!

flowers velvet silver & a tin can...

...that would constitute the makings of Easter decorating so far. It was sunny for a while so I snapped some pix of Easterville at our house to share. Finally started! The kick in the pants to decorate was when my Sassy box came. She taunted me for a good week with the lure of this cutest velvet hip chick and bun-bun on their store website. Mr. Bun-Bun is so eager for spring. Love his paws up-titude!

So, those are the newest cuties in our spring nest! Thank you Sas! I owe you one! Here are some of the other things I put together...

That lemon was for lemon cheesecake.....it was delish.

Yup, that would be hyacinths in the can. Saw that done in a magazine recently....sorry I forget which one. Their can was much cuter, too. I just liked the green and the simplicity of this one. The lovely vignette on the wall is from Rebecca. So great!

Yeah, so gimme some velvet cuties, a pile of books, silver and fresh flowers, and there. I'm decorated and ready for Spring. :)  The tulips are even sprouting in the front yard. Awesome.

#13

Let's get ready to play and make something perfect for Spring...and oh, so functional! I am smitten with the colors and old world patterns of this project. I think you will agree....it's a beautiful mix.

I honestly can't tell which was more fun; making the *Her Stashaway* with it's wide pockets, or filling the pockets with timeless tags and notecards.

Having these tags and cards ready to share at a moment's notice is perfect in this often too busy life. I see them on gifts, as well as thank you notes and greetings for folks. This Stashaway would make a great gift. Easter or Mother's Day perhaps?

Check out Paper Bella and get the details! Here's a glimpse at what this Kit includes. Those new 7 Gypsies papers....hush my mouth...so gorgeous.

Don't forget to check out the Provisions section where you will find some new items!

Way fun

she likes it here...

We rearranged the living room this weekend. So much fun to do that. Added a shabby sofa table and took some pieces away. It looks bigger now. Changed the seating arrangement so it's more cozy.
Holly Cat loves this sideboard.

She feels safe up there and can look out the window. Such an old cat. Old finicky scaredy cat who cried all night after the rearranging. She doesn't "do" change very well. Silly old cat.

Oh, looky!
Look at this beautiful eye candy.
My long time artsy friend Elizabeth Shea made it and won a contest for Paper Whimsy. She has a sweet artsy sister, Carol, who proudly emailed me this. I love looking at this.

Love what Elizabeth did. That flower. That face. The colors. The depth. Sigh! I hope she doesn't mind sharing it here. I wish she would get a blog and share her talents....but so far no luck.

Leave her a comment on my blog, won't you?!

Here's a peek at what I have been working on today. 

I've been thinking about this one for a while. It's a peek at the upcoming Paper Bella Kit.
More details coming this week. Soon!

I haven't put out my Easter decorations yet. Dern it. Wanted to do it this weekend, but moved around furniture and cleaned instead. I want to do it soooo badly! Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Saturday Scene

Everything you ever wanted to know about me, but were afraid to ask is in the Spotlight on Designers Interview at ScrapScene!   Angie did her homework and research, she did indeed. Wow. Honored!! Thank you, Angie.

More exciting stuff...the ever talented MARILYN HEALEY   is joining the Sparkle Bella Event at Scrapbooks, Etc.  in Mesa in June!!!! Over the top excited!!  Have long admired her work in scrapping and paper arts and to get the opportunity to work beside her and to get to know her better--well it's just so exciting!

This is a photo one of the great tanks Allie got in LA from the cutest and hippest Amy of  Amy Tangerine. Isn't it great?

Hey, thanks so much for all of the comments and emails about my last post. I love my blogging buds.

The current question in my mind is whether or not to have a 2nd cup of coffee this morning. Caffeine...friend or foe? If YOU have a question that's not been answered in the ScrapScene interview, ask me and I'll do my best to answer.

Powered by Love

Mushballs are floating in the air again....
Yesterday was quite a doozy for me. Several twists and turns in life leaving me most perplexed and in need of some major mood lifting and faith restoring. Ever had a day like that? Well, the most amazing things happenned. Lemme highlight a mere few of them:

My family (most of them anyway) said the dearest things to me and tried most sincerely to cheer me. Seems I am always the one trying to cheer them-so this felt great!
Dear friends old and new with major perk me up factors lifted me up.
The Mass which I was dreading so much ended up being uplifting and affirming (we have such a great Priest!) He spoke about serving others before yourself and enlightened the youth with words like the Holy Spirit being present in their lives in the coming year as they prepare for Confirmation.
Lastly, at the end of the night we happenned upon the MusiCares 2006 tribute to James Taylor on PBS (local style). We watched his songs sung by legends like Sting, Dixie Chicks, Springsteen, Carol King, to name a few. Goosebumpish singers singing "you just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come running...." and "shower the people you love with love, show them the way that you feel..." and his jam session rendition of "how sweet it is to be loved by you..."

Well, I was just filled to the brim with a sense of love. It was inescapable. It was around every corner I turned. Love. Still feeling it this morning. When you are receptive to it, it's there. Really. It is so powerful and gives you such a great outlook on every-thing.

You are thinking I am a whack job right about now....but I know some of you know what I am talking about. The power of love....and being filled with it in a spiritual way.

So, whomever sent this love my way...thank you. Immensely. My PhD in Philosophy friend says it was me doing it and not someone else. Either way...it was exactly what I needed.

Okay so one more thing I had to show.
Recently got these best earbobs from the ever talented Amy Hanna. Soooo beautiful. Gonna wear them tonight to my hubby's corporate dinner.

Word on the Mesa streets is the Sparkle Bella Event is over half full. Lots of folks registered yesterday!! A couple of my fav artists are even signing up! Shoot yeah!!! It's gonna be the best day!

P.S. The cutest glass small pitcher above is from Target's Dollar Section....but it's not a dollar. It's a whopping $2.50. Love it.