My Minutia

More Celebratin'

The celebrations just keep on coming at our house! Drake enjoyed a wonderful Birthday. We ended up going to the Cheesecake Factory instead of Kobi. Saw some friends there which made it even more fun. It was fabulust, we all agreed. His big present was an iPod Nano. Lots of the green stuff and gift cards, too. He's a happy boy.

Happy Anniversary to us....18 years. Wow!

This is a layout I did for The Look Book that came out recently. It was for a Chapter that there just wasn't room for in the book, so I think it's okay for me to share. I don't like the lettering...too spaced out....but I like the rest of it. The photo is a fav. It expresses it all for me and thought I'd share it today. Love you sweeeeetie!

And, today is also my favorite sister's Birthday! You know, the taller, younger, skinnier, ubber talented sister I have! Happy Birthday Sassy!

We had a few silly sister moments in front of the camera when she visited over the summer. This was one of them. I love that girl. I am so glad I have a sister...and one that I can share so much with!

It's rainy here today. Another rainy day. We wish it was snow but not so lucky. Lots of stuff to do around here. Debating on taking down the Christmas decorations. I love them so much though. Andrew is asking me to take them down.

I think Jim and I are going to see Dreamgirls tonight. I'd love to see it. If we have the stamina for it! Starting to get partied out a bit....and we still have New Year's Eve!

I hope you all have a wonderful, safe and Happy New Year! Isn't this the best time of the year?! It is.

It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

Ya so it's a special day around here! This guy is officially a teenager.....wo nelly! Happy Birthday Bud! That was fast. 0 to 13 in 60 seconds if let my memory have it's way.

"Where would you like to go to dinner on your Birthday, Bud?" knowing full well what the answer would be.

"Kobi Steakhouse!!!!" Followed by the Peanut Butter Jelly dance. Not familiar with peanut butter jelly time? Turn up the volume and click here: Link. Drake and his pals sing it a LOT. Just a happy dance of sorts!

Anyway, Kobi is one of our favorite family restaurants. We have a thing for the shrimp being tossed at you and catching it in your mouth. We are pretty good at it, too. ;)

These are some pix I took a few weeks ago downtown. Oh, he's giving that "I'm tough and oh so cool " look but I still see pinchable cheeks there my man! Call him 13 if you must, but there is still a whole lot of baby face in these pix. Thank You, Lord for that.

A friend asked me recently why I put a copyright on so many of the pix featured here. I certainly am not a good photographer, though I'd like to claim to be.....I'm pretty mediocre I admit. However, when you put photos on your blogs (of any kind) they are released into the world for all to see and enjoy. That part I am okay with. What I'm not okay with is seeing my photos pop up in other places (blogs, websites, etc.). Like some italian photography site...several months ago. The trackback option on Typepad followed me right to it. So, I read that if photos have a copyright on them, that lessens the opportunity for that to happen. There you have it.

In other news, it's been a fabulous week! I'm getting so much done around the house and love Christmas break!! Now, I'm off to do the peanut butter jelly dance some more with Mr. Birthday. I love this guy so much. :)

A Tatta Belle Bouquet!

Hope your Christmas holiday was great and Santa was oh, so good to you! He was to me! That's a topic for another post, and there are no edited pix yet. But, there are some fresh new Tatta Belles on the Paper Bella site! As mentioned earlier, I have been stitching more flower lovelies. Got some of the dearest emails of from the first batch. Thanks for the encouragement! Always makes my day! So far, folks have been wearing them as pins on sweaters, coat lapels and shawls. Perfect winter weather perk me ups!

Don't worry, I have not left my first love of paper. Hush your mouth!  I like to focus on other mediums once in a while. I've been known to do this every so often.....and have always had a love for accessories and jewelry. Plus my poor fingers can't take all the layers of stitching for long! Guess that makes these exclusive....once-in-a-while treats.

I had so many ideas in my head and was eager to try them--which always seems to push me to get them done. Ideas can be so motivating. Check out the two Tatta Belle's with the ballchain fringe. Love those!!! Oh, the Tatta Belle's come in neato mosquito packaging, which is great for gift giving. I invite you to go over to the Provision area and take a gander.

Bring your basket and pick a few!

Edited: The Tatta Belles are all gone. Thanks to all who ordered! I'll make more sometime soon.

 

2 Days Until....

Christmas!!  Now it's a 3 day weekend!!  WOW! It's so great to think it's an extended celebration! Gotta love that! Plus, the kid's Christmas break is now in effect which means a little relaxxxxx-ing. For a few days anyway.

It's been gloomy here weather wise, but I have a few pix to share of last minute holiday project making. This shadow box was from Becky's fantastic class at Silver Bella. I loved it and it was a hit I heard. I was lucky enough to get a "partial kit" so I added a few things. I think I showed the sweet little house ornament in there a while back. It was from Jenny at Everyday is a Holiday. I added some old flocked wallpaper (a la Pam) which was hard to use....because I love it so. But I did!  I suffer from that Pretty Paper Syndrome (a/k/a P.P.S. ) wherein I dont want to use the prettiest pieces because then I won't "have" it anymore. The shadow box turned out to my liking, and I will treasure it!

Thursday was AJ's school Christmas party. I survived! We all did! The kids were good and not as spastic as I had thought they would be. I took lots of shots for the class scrapbook and thought this one was cute. Our little lefty was working so intently on his cookie plate for Santa. A sweet grammy of one of the students gave gave each student this little Santa. She made 60 of them! I thought these two Santas had quite a resemblance, sans the beard anyway!

Oh, Heads Up: Tatta Belles are popping up around the studio! I plan to feature them early next week.

Lots of people emailed me wishing I would make more, and I have been here and there. Be on the look out and I hope you check back then because the ones I've done so far are just loverly!

There are a few more gifts to wrap, and a couple meals to make, but other than we are ready to rock around here!

From all of us here at Chez McFayden....we wish you a warm, happy, spirit and grace filled Christmas!

Smooches!!

A Griswald Christmas?

Okay going to get random today...

Shake, Shake, Shake-Shake Your Booty
Got Sassy's gifts yesterday. She wraps the gifts and doesn't put names on them. On purpose of course. So we all just pick one and see what we get. Extra fun! Last year I remember Andrew got a sweater from Hollister and I think Allie got a PS2 game.

Go Ahead. Make My Day.
Allie's locker was broken into at school yesterday. Someone took her new winter coat. About a month ago her cell was stolen at school, too. Very very angry and frustrated over this one. Quite a damper on my spirit. The school has cameras in their hallways and they may find Mr. or Miss Sticky Fingers. If so, I pity the fool that tried to mess with me/her. I am a really nice person, until you mess with my stuff, or my children. Then I turn all Clint Eastwood on you.

Birthday Mayhem
Today I go to help with Andrew's school party. Theme: Jesus' Birthday. Oh, I need a quick prayer and I wish for a couple swigs of Jack Daniels (JOKE MOM...JOKE! I am more of a vodka gal) to help me get though that long long hour. Their excitement level will be off the Rictor scale.

The KISS Method (Keep It Simple Stupid)
Our Christmas card making this year. I got the stuff needed, set it all on the table. Started pointing fingers....you....cut and paste this. You...address this. You....verify addresses. You...seal and stamp. So, our cards are not masterpieces this year but they are done! They did a fairly good job though! The way I see it-ther'es nothing wrong with a group effort now and then.

Bag Lady
That's me at the moment. I have almost finished the shopping. Few more things to get...oh and a new coat has been added to the list. Should be a real challenge trying to find one at this late date.

Crooked Candy
What's the deal with the candy canes? First Allie wanted a box. Okay. Then Drake wanted a box for himself, too. Now AJ is pouting because he didn't get a box, too. You'll poke your eye out kid. Lucky for me, the dog picked a bright stain your carpet blue one to munch on. Guess she wanted candy canes, too!

This Present Tastes Like Lime Jello
Another gifting tradition here: I wrap the each of the kid's gifts from us in the same paper. Allie's is one color, Drake's is another and Andrew's is another. They have so much fun trying to outwit me and figure out who's are who's. Only trouble is I forgot who's wrapping paper was who's yesterday. Had to give myself a few hints yesterday and open a few! Need to take better notes don't I!!

No Jelly Club Membership For Me
I've gotten so many great gifts lately. Gifts from so many friends, near and far, and I treasure them so much. I will post them when I get a chance!

Bring on the Laughs, please
Jim Gaffigan. Friday night. Comedy Central. Can't wait. I'll surely be a frazzled wreck by then and the laughter will do me some good!

Extra Credit
The new banner above.....so much fun to play with digi stuff now and then! The oval frame and sweet birdie pies are by the amazing Hope Wallace and I got them at ScrapArtist . I like it there a lot!

Joy to the World!

It's baking time! Yeah so even though the house smells heaven-leeeeee, I know why I prefer crafting to baking. All that work.....mixing, cutting, chopping, grating,sifting, baking, dipping, frosting, waiting, cleaning, and then POOF it's all gone.
At least when you paint or collage or scrapbook, it stays done and isn't gone in a matter of hours! I made my Mom's yummy Thumbprint Cookies....that I could seriously eat all by myself....I should have made myself a personal stash on those.
The others are my Mom's Peanut Butter Balls. The kids anticipate the making of these all year long. So do I. Today was their lucky day. I must admit it was pretty cool to see the boys's eyes light up when they came home from school and saw the mini bakery going on in the kitchen!

I am trying hard to save some for the others who come home later! And then there's the platters for the teacher's luncheons the next few days. Those were quickly stashed away in the downstairs frig.

So, I feel a little silly posting this, but look at my spiffy apron! I feel so June Cleaverish in it!! Holly gave it to me recently. The black and white and needlework stole my heart and it definitely came in handy with all the kitchen time I've put in lately. I love it!! Here's the recipes from the baking adventures:

The recipe cards are from Rhonna Farrer's beautiful Holiday Memories digi kit. I'm printing them out on cardstock. Photo frames above: Scrap Artist Schmoozy Frames.

Anyone have some yummy cookie recipes to share?

Off to sneak myself a cookie before I wrap more presents :)

 

Did you Vote Today?

Happy Monday!

First, thanks to all for the emails and kind words about those cutie cute Tatta Belles. I will make more....I love them, too!

Second, please take a minute and pop over to Mary Engelbreit's Site and vote for your favorite magazine cover! Sweetpeas and Snapshots, that cool LA paper arts store, has been waving their wand over this Cover....#1. :)  It's the prettiest one by far I say! Isn't it cool that Mary E.'s gang let's you help decide on the cover? It is.

Off to finish last minute details on about ten different things. It's that time of year isn't it? I love it though. It's gonna be a great week!

*Tatta Belles*

Come.
Meet the ladies of the Garden Club, circa 1968.

Mabel
Clara
Madge
Gerty
Silvia
Darlene
Dottie
and all their Club members invite to enter their colorful world of whimsy. This time of year, they gather and laugh and stitch beautiful handmade flowers. They wear them as pins on their lapels, pockets and aprons, in their hair, and on their vinyl purses. They are the talk of the town with their Tatta Belles!

This story is adapted from my Grandmother's Garden Club as remembered when I was a little girl. I loved to visit the sweet old ladies.

See them and meet them for yourself: HERE in the Provisions section!

Each Tatta Belle was handstitched, and baubled with care from my collection of favorite old ribbons, trims and finery. Secured pin back on back side. They are one of a kind. They each have their own personalty! I like to think that the Garden Club Members made them just for you.

You can order them on the Paper Bella Studio website in the Provisions section. If you click on order and see that the item you wanted is no longer available, you read it correctly. Mr. Mc-Tech Man (a/k/a Jim) will try and update the site as best he can to let you know what 's available. It also may help to hit your refresh button now and then. Thanks for your patience with me...posting them on the website seemed like the easiest option!

Complimentary gift wrap. Orders placed by December 20 will get to you Priority Mail just in time for Christmas!

I've made 12 of these lookey loos...one of each style. That's it! I love them and I hope to get a chance to make more again sometime.  Let me know what you think!

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Edited: Tatta Bellas are sold out! Thanks to all who placed orders so quickly! I can't wait to wrap and mail them!!

Something New!

Friday Stuff

Isn't this lovely?

Had a chance earlier in the week to make some of my Silver Bella Kits from the Instructors. Here is the Garland over a mirror. Love it. Talk about fun to make! It seems so rare that I have time to make things for myself, so this was a double pleasure. It's almost as if Pam were in my house! Sewing the papers and mesh felt great. I've been on a sewing kick lately.

I did her stocking Kit also, but the photo I took is blurry. Shoot. I love it though and it's hanging on my studio door, which means I see it often when I look down that hallway.

I hope I get a chance to do some of the other Kits, too. I can't wait! Kits are a blast! It's great to be on the other end of Kits once in a while....as in making them rather than creating them,  Thanks Pam for the gorgeous kits!!

The turkey front and center is mine! AJ had his Christmas Program last night. So stinkin adorable. They are still excited about singing at this age and full of joy. He was looking forward to having us there to watch. Their music teacher is new and she did a great job. Too bad AJ's class were turkeys and about to be gobbled up for a holiday feast! He stood in the front row anyway, with his hands in his pockets just singing away!!

"You're gonna flip when you see my great beak, Mom. You'll probably want a picture!" He told me a few days ago. He was right! Thanks bud, for your joyful spirit and for making my week with your beak!

I am hoping to have some time this weekend to show you something I've been working on. Cross your fingers...