Celebrate!

Why, you ask? Is it because Friday is near? Because summer is almost here? Because I had my first sale since I returned to Etsy? Because the kids helped clean up their toys last night?


YES! To all those things!


Plus I like cake.


But let's face it. What is the best part of a party? Well, we have already covered cake... so what is the next best part of a party? Presents! Yay presents! I have decided to have a little giveaway present. All you have to do is leave a comment here to this post! You can sit and watch my slideshow up there and tell me what layout you like best, or click on my latest from Etsy offerings and leave a comment, or read prior posts and chit chat about those... Just make sure you leave a comment to THIS post so I know who is eligible to win :) To select a winner, I will take all the posts, put them in a blender, create a collage, blindfold myself and circle the first name at random, then mail the collage to myself in a nondescript mailer with inadequate postage so it gets returned to sender-

Just kidding. I'll just write down all the posters' names on scrap paper, put them in a bowl, and let Johnny pick one (Mikey will get to pick my next giveaway to be fair). June 7 , Sunday night, I will post the name of the winner! You will have to contact me with your address and such so I can mail you your pretty! And what is the pretty prize, you ask?

I'm so glad you asked!

The winner of this giveaway will get one of my "pixie neighbors" sets... two little pixie homes and a tree :) A paper piecing trio that you can use on scrapbook pages, ATCs, a collage... you could even just put them on pretty paper and mat them...

So good luck! I am off to bake a cake...

A cup of herbal tea is steaming in front of me, I have my well-worn CD of Mary Chapin Carpenter playing, and my studio desk is clean and waiting for me to start a new project -

"Mama! MOM! MOM MOM MOM MOM! Mikey ruined my PanCakems!"

... and that is the reality. My sweet, sleep deprived daydream is interrupted by my darling (yes, even though he is shrieking about his pancakes, he is still my darling. Really. I swear it!) darling sweetpea Johnny. Substitute the green tea with a mega can of Monster, the CD with the wavering tunes to the latest episode of Dora, and a studio desk full of paper, paints, clays, and a random stack of Legos and art stamps. That is the reality.

We took the boys to the bookstore today. By now our routine is set. I swing through magazines with Johnny and scoop up as many Somerset magazines as I can without actually stopping, then while Daddy chases Mikey to the children's books, Johnny and I head to the cafe. I order a coffee, and he gets his Cream. Yes, I let my child eat a little dixie cup of whipped cream. He is content for five minutes, I get to scan the pages of Somerset, and all is right with the world...

When the cup is empty and the whip cream is effectively all over his nose and chin, we clean up, get a sip of water from the pitcher set on the counter ("I want to do it. I can do it myself, seeee?) then clean the complimentary water stand and pick up the knocked over cups.... we make it back to the Thomas the Train display where Daddy and Brother are playing.

I have the latest copy of Artful Blogging in hand. Yum! Savory pictures, pretty prose, and page upon page of inspiration. I tell myself that I, too, can have an artful blog. And I will. At first intimidated by all those professional looking wwwPublications, I stop and think about how the majority of these blogStars are probably a lot like me.

Covered with sticky kisses.
Dreaming of nap time so I can create.
And itching to get crafty.

Hello Etsy!

After a short hiatus, I have returned to Etsy! I have found that while I love making complete page layouts (which will still be auctioned on eBay), I also love making unique piecings and scrapbook embellishments. I have so much fun making a little tree, or piecing together a little clapboard house... And I also wanted a venue to have custom pages available, and Etsy is a perfect place :) I love that artist community. There is so much talent there, I could sit and browse all day long....

... if only the twins would let me.

So be sure to find me on Etsy. You can find a link below...

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5583375

Spring has sprung!

I know, a cliche, but it's true. My Korean Spice is sweetening my backyard, the lilacs are looking like they will bloom any second, and the grass is green and lush... I love spring! I was actually outside barefoot the other day, and there is nothing like having bare feet in cool grass, the sun filtering through the branches of a cherry blossom tree to make you feel like a seven-year-old again. Plus I had a fudgesicle in hand, so that helped the nostalgic feeling as well. I think I had about five of those delicious little frozen goodies yesterday.

With Mikey at preschool, I looked for four leaf clovers with his brother Johnny, and then we played circus in the yard. This involved a hula hoop and a variety of balls unearthed from under the deck. Not only was this entertaining (for the neighbors I am sure) but it also tired out the child. Johnny took a three-hour-nap. That's right - THREE hours! I was almost giddy to the point of feeling guilty. Almost.

Back to Basics...

Finally, I am getting a layout done for Ebay! I have been crazy busy working on Etsy with my sister (the Poet's Daughter) and doing local arts fairs, that I have been "going to make a layout" for ages. So here it is...

I love paper dolls, and this sweet little trio is just the right touch to this floral layout.

My sis and I are heading to the Farmer's Market in Flint, which was soooo much fun last week. I hope we have another gorgeous day!

Eight Days a Week...

The Beatles had it right - eight days a week would be lovely, if not only to love but to craft as well! Actually, I think I would like not only the extra day, but better yet more hours in that day. And tell the rest of the world to time out a minute so I can sneak a nap in there somewhere, so I can stay up later and get more done...

I know I can't be the only one who wants more time. More time to create, more time with the kids, more time to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer... but I digress. I wonder, though, if I had more time, would I use it wisely? It is my New Year's Resolution (I know, I know - it is almost May) to manage my time better. I just keep thinking I'll start managing my time better once I get "caught up."

I hear you snickering.

What I have come to realize is that even if I had 49 hours each day, I would still be "behind" only because I have 50 things I want to do each day. I get easily sidetracked, to put it mildly. I will start with thinking I want to work with paper, then make some flowers, then decide I should add a charm in the middle, then bust out my clay supplies, then want to go online to shop for a new mold, then stumble upon a blog with tips for clay that also has tips for soldering, then the next thing you know, I am on the hunt for microscope slides, then remember that I have some already in my Cupboard of Good Intentions where I then find those oversized playing cards I meant to make art dolls with.... so then I decide I need to clean my studio so I can find those metal shoe charms that would be perfect feet for the doll that is dancing in my head, but instead find some random paper on my worktable that would make a perfect skirt for that miniature dress form... But wait-

... that paper was supposed to be used for those paper flowers. Oops. Maybe I should just go shopping at the scrapbook store to get some more paper...

Is there a support group for this kind of crazy?

Flowers, Blogs, and Crispy Quilts

So I just discovered BlogWear from Shabby Princess, and am completely hooked. I love my pretty new header and buttons. I keep looking at them. I keep coming back to my own blog just to admire the aesthetics. Then I feel like a complete nerd, and figured I ought to actually post something since I am visiting so often.

But it is such a pretty view...

Anywhoo, who knew there was such a thing? Shabby Princess has really cute digital stuff (though I am a diehard paper scrapbooker - but that doesn't stop me from buying digi kits. I know. I know.) Upon discovering the super fun concept of Blogwear, I started looking around, and found Shabby Miss Jane, another awesome site. I have made banners and such, but these lovely little sets go beyond just a pretty header or banner. And so now I feel inclined to admire my blog and its pretty new accessories, to stop and smell the digi roses, if you will...

What am I doing browsing blog kits, you ask? Well, I was innocently cleaning my scraproom studio, and then decided to have a destashing sale of the bucketloads of Primas I have, and then had to edit my pictures of my flowers I am selling, and then had to upload them... and since that was taking forever, I started looking around at other blogs and found some true gems out there. Check my blog list for some new additions.

Now that Operation: Destash All Those Flowers is well under way, one would think that I could quietly go to bed, get some sleep, and not rely on three cans of Monster Energy drink to get me through tomorrow morning. It isn't my pretty new blog banner keeping me here (although who could blame me if it was) but I am baking some quilt blocks and don't want them to burn. Got a little project cooking (pun is completely intended) and you wouldn't believe how long it takes to properly tea stain squares rescued from a vintage quilt... I must have gotten them too wet. So now it is after 1am, and I should be in bed, but no. I have an oven full of soggy quilt squares. Of course, I would rather they be soggy than crispy...

Speaking of which, I ought to go check them...

Spring is in the air...

It is 51 degrees here in Michigan, and I want to put my sandals on. Seriously. After months and months of snow, I get Spring Fever when the mercury manages to climb past 45 degrees. Sad, I know. The funny part is, I am not an "outdoorsy" kind of gal. I prefer to cuddle up with a book and a pot of coffee, cozy fireplace, and a supply of chocolate nearby. It is absolutely delightful - for the first three months. But by February...

Lush landscapes and festoons of flowers are what I want :)

You make me smile...

I say this all the time to Johnny, my little boy. He makes me smile with the silly things he says and does. He always has some contraption he wants to make, a game to play, a story to act out, or a costume party for us to attend instead of taking a nap!

This idea, along with some of the altered art and found items I have been playing with lately, were the inspiration for my latest layout. While done in pinks, and more suitable for a little girl, I loved how the title worked out with the game pieces and various flowers...

Sales, sales, sales!

I know that next week, we will all be thinking of the Pilgrims, and be thankful and such. We will eat too much turkey, ask for another slice of pie, and take home leftovers so we won't have to cook for at least three days....

...and then we can really get down to business - shopping!

I don't know about you, but even though I enjoy the "thrill of the hunt" I don't like the "chill of the a.m." so I plan on staying home, eating pumpkin pie for breakfast, and doing some online shopping :)

My design team is planning a great sale for "Black Friday" and the weekend after. Some deals are only good on Friday, so be sure to check us out!

LolliShops, LolliShops, Oh la-la-Lollishops...

I am sooooo excited! I am now a member of the LolliShops Guild, a juried website of unique artisans that is a marketplace for lovelies and pretties! Specializing in vintage, shabby chic, cottage style, whimsy... I think I am in heaven! Click on the link to apply to this fabulous group of artisans, and be sure to check out the LolliShops Blog!

The LolliShops will be opening near the end of November, so be sure to keep an eye out for some sweet and unique pretties!

If you do apply, tell them that the Queen of Nostalgia sent you :)

Frost on the Pumpkin...

The witch has stored her broom in the closet, ate the last of the chocolate, and is now getting ready for Thanksgiving...

Hard to believe that October is here already! My favorite holiday (tied with Halloween of course!) is coming up - Christmas! But before I get all my jinglebells in a row and start trimming the tree, here are a few Autumnal pieces that I recently created...

Happy Haunting

I love Halloween! I love to decorate, and a few weekends ago my husband and twin boys helped me to "haunt" our house. I still need to finish up the inside of our home, but with two three-year-olds, I am somewhat leary of putting out all my breakable pretties :)

Here are some pictures of my husband and his "helpers"

Come Scrap with me... Vintage Teapot Class

I am sooo excited to be teaching a how-to class the first Wednesday in October! Participants will be creating a vintage teapot album using the fabulous new papers by Graphic 45. Very nostalgic and perfectly pretty, this album has a ton of olde fashioned charm. Lots of ribbon and flowers, tags and pretties.... and lots of pockets and mats to add your pictures and other little bits of memories! This is the first in a series of teapot albums I will be teaching at Capture A Memory , so be sure to check out their website for future projects!

Something Witchy This Way Comes...

Now that school is in full swing, time to focus on that most glorious and ghoulish time of year - Halloween! I am so excited! Costumes to choose, candy to eat, decorations to hang, candy to eat, pumpkins to carve, candy to eat, apples to bob, candy to.... you get the idea.

I love to make Halloween projects. Scrapbook pages, altered books, picture frames... There is something about pumpkin orange and raven black, the jarring but lovely juxtaposition of purple and green...


I love the vintage and shabby look. A little ink here, some sanding there, and a piece of new paper looks like it has been in a witch's broom closet for years and years...



I have been making scrapbook pages almost exlusively the last seven months or so, but while perusing my gallery, I feel the need to do some altered books. I love working with paper bag albums. So many nooks and crannies to tuck in unexpected trinkets! Working with vintage photographs and postcards is always a treat - I haunt local antique stores searching for some "new" old photographs to work with.



The lovely thing about altered books is that the can be displayed as decorative pieces themselves, and to me, the chunkier the book, the better! One of my favorite embellishments to put in these little pretties is a homemade witch broom. Made with stems and twigs from my gardent, along with some tightly tied raffia, these little brooms are a nice primitive touch to Halloween projects. A vintage inspired tag that reads "broom parking: 5 cents" adds a whimsical touch.


One of my first projects was an ABC board book devoted to Halloween. I hadn't discovered rub ons yet (they may not even have been available then) so I used large letter stamps. The paint seemed to take forever to dry, but the effect was worth it. The letters worked well with the transparencies and scrapbook paper. Using transparencies has been such an exciting technique - much better than vellum. From printing on the transparency to painting on it, I love the flawless effect.


I also created a Witch Book, altered from yet another board book. I included some "spells" written on handmade mulberry. Vintage photogrpaphs and carefully selected bits of ephemera created a hauntingly pretty effect... one of my absolute favorite projects.