A Change is A Comin'

A personal change that is. ;)

So yeah, I get it. I bombed out on the last few Days of Christmas.

Things just got so busy. And I spent 3 days in my kitchen. And oh freakin' well, life happens. If people don't know what to get my by now, then they never will. ROFL
Moving on...

Welcome to Pink Cupcake Arts, ladies and gentlemen. If you look to your right you will see a brand spankin' new badge for the year 2010. This officially declares that, I, Cheri, am a First Class ticket holder on the Magic Carpet express. What's this? You ask. Well, click on it and find out :D

I will also be participating in the 2010 Creative Every Day Challenge (you can read more about that HERE)

AND, I am joining in with a group of fellow artists from A4A and we are starting Julie Cameron's 'The Artist's Way' beginning the first of the year.

Why so many new and creative things? You may ask. Well, it is quite simple really, I would like to grow as an artist and dive right into my creativity pool head first.
Will it change the fact that I draw like a toddler? Not likely.
Will it make me appreciate that fact more? Most definitely. :D

Stick around, 'cuz I plan on going places in 2010. And I think that you'll like going with me. :D

Day 9 and 10 ~ Sheepishly Catching Up Here

Soooooo I realize that I never made it back last night to post Day 9's giftie. I totally blame it on the sugar coma. :D The youngest girl child and I spent our day making sweet treats to pass along to our friends and family for the holidays. And believe me when I say that they are amazing :D
Anyway, I will just cram Days 9 and 10 into this post and pick up tomorrow with Day 11. It can't be that hard, right? ROFL
Yest., as I was working in the kitchen, the only thing I could think about was how nice it would be if I wasn't getting flour and chocolate all over my shirt (Good thing that the shirt was black or else it would have been quite a ruined thing by the end of the day.) Perhaps something like THIS would have kept that from happening.

The seller does have several other styles available in her store (note the AWESOME name of said store as well :D) I just happen to like the classic style of this one in particular. The cupcakes are great too, but either this one or this one would be FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC as well. LOVE THEM!!!







For Day 10 (which is today), I thought I would explore my serious love of all things 'tote bag'. :D I like to go places, and I like to take crafty stuff with me when I do. Hence the serious love for my tote bags (I have, like, 10.) I stumbled across this store a while ago and actually bought myself one of these. And I LOVE it.

I think that it would be awesome to have another. Well, to be honest, I think that it would be awesome to have half a dozen more. Then I would have one for every single day of the week and I would never run out of bags for all the things I want to do with them. But I would settle for just one extra ;) They also sell bumper stickers, but the Man-Child refuses to drive around with cupcakes on the car so those are a no go. (I realize that they sell aprons as well, but I am not fond of the style they carry.)

So there's Days 9 and 10, painless as promised. :D Day 11 will be on time and equally as fabulous.
Oh yeah, and today we're making traditional Scottish Shortbread. Jealous much??? :D

**Disclaimer**
No, these are not my stores.
No, I do not know the people that own these stores.
No, I did not make any of the stuff for sale in these stores.
No, I do not vouche for their business practices or ethics.
No, I am not receiving any 'benefits' from blogging about these items (although that sure would be nice :D)
No, I have no idea if the stuff you purchase will arrive by Christmas. In fact, I'm pretty sure that it won't 'cuz Christmas is only a few days away.
Look, I am just posting a blog about a gift I would like to receive if I had the option of doing so. Take it as what it is. If you buy something from either of these people and the deal goes South, it is...
A) Not my problem. And B) Not my problem. Any transaction that happens online comes with a certain amount of risk. It is not my job to inform you of those risks. It's your money and your choice. So, if something goes wrong, consider yourself on your own when you deal with it. ;)
Be aware. Be informed. Be reasonable. But most of all, Be Happy!!

Day 9 ~ Today's posting has been interrupted with....

CANDY MAKING!!
Well, marshmallow and toffee making anyway :D I haven't had time to browse for Day 9's present yet 'cuz I have been cooking it up in the kitchen making all kinds of yummies for this holiday season.
I will, however, be back before the night ends to post what I find for Day 9.

Day 8 ~ Something From the Cupcake Gallery :D Or would that be Galley? ROFL

I have to admit, I :heart: Johnny Cupcakes logo. It just screams the whole 'Punk/Cupcake Love' thing that I attempt to harness in my secret superhero everyday life. It, to me, is the epitome of 'cool'. :D
Anyway, for Day 8, I chose to express my love of all things Cupcake by picking out this lovely tshirt for myself from the Johnny Cupcakes webstore.

The only words that come to mind on this are 'Freakin' Sweet' :D The only thing that would possibly make it any better is if the damn thing came with a hot pink logo instead of the standard white. Then it would truly be a thing of perfection. Ah, well, if I can't have pink, I'll take white. ;) It does come in several other color combos (and they do advise to keep an eye out for the occassional additional combinations that may be available ~ Pink, possibly? :D One could only hope.)


Anyway, I LOVE it. And that's Day 8 of the Perfect Presents for ME Days of Christmas. (So there. ROFL)

**Disclaimer**
No, this is not my website.
No, I do not know the person that owns this website.
No, I did not make any of the sweet-ass stuff for sale on this website.
No, I do not vouche for their business practices or ethics.
No, I am not receiving any 'benefits' from blogging about this (although that sure would be nice :D)
No, I have no idea if the stuff you purchase will arrive by Christmas.
Look, I am just posting a blog about a gift I would like to receive if I had the option of doing so. Take it as what it is. If you buy something from this person and the deal goes South, it is...
A) Not my problem. And B) Not my problem. Any transaction that happens online comes with a certain amount of risk. It is not my job to inform you of those risks. It's your money and your choice. So, if something goes wrong, consider yourself on your own when you deal with it. ;)
Be aware. Be informed. Be reasonable. But most of all, Be Happy!!

Day 7 ~ Someone that Really Knows ME would know Why I LOVE this

But for everyone else, here's a clue ~ It is bright pink and it has the cutest little cupcake on it. (Notice a theme here -- Blog, Pink. Cupcake stuff, Pink. Get the idea that I really like pink? :D)
On Day 7, my first thought was why not try somewhere other than ETSY for Perfect Cupcake gifts? However, after searching and failing, I found myself there once again. And, imagine that, I found another great present that I would LOVE to receive. Not really a surprise. ROFL
I have to admit that some of the other stuff in this store caught my eye as well, but nothing more so than this Coffee Cup Cuff.

See, I love my Starbucks and I love it HOT. And this adorably decorated little cup cozie would be the PERFECT thing to wrap around that steaming Latte so as to save my little hands.

Everyone that knows me would know exactly why it is I would love this, just by looking at it. As for the rest of you, well, you know now too ;)
That's Day 7, short and sweet. Day 8 is the day I plan to scour the internet for something that strikes my fancy, and doesn't start it's life on Etsy. LOL Should be interesting.

**Disclaimer**
No, this is not my store.
No, I do not know the person that owns this store.
No, I did not make any of the awesome stuff featured in this store.
No, I do not vouche for their business practices or ethics.
No, I am not receiving any 'benefits' from blogging about this (although that sure would be nice :D)
No, I have no idea if the stuff you purchase will arrive by Christmas.
Look, I am just posting a blog about a gift I would like to receive if I had the option of doing so. Take it as what it is. If you buy something from this person and the deal goes South, it is...
A) Not my problem. And B) Not my problem. Any transaction that happens online comes with a certain amount of risk. It is not my job to inform you of those risks. It's your money and your choice. So, if something goes wrong, consider yourself on your own when you deal with it. ;)
Be aware. Be informed. Be reasonable. But most of all, Be Happy!!

Day 6 ~ Sweet and Dainty. All at the Same Time

Before we rush head long into the Perfect Present for Day 6, I would like to take a moment to remind everyone what John and Jen Yates over at CakeWrecks are doing with their time this holiday season. Each and every single day for the 14 days leading up to Christmas they are choosing a charitable organization that touches their hearts to donate to. They have asked their readers to join together and donate to these charities as well. Readers can donate to one or all (or none) of the causes as they see fit buy using designated 'Team' pages set up by Jen and John. Each day features a different charity and each charity has it's own link to donate. They literally could not have made it easier for people like us to spread some of the joy of the holiday season to those less fortunate than we are.
Anyway, go check out the Charity today and give, give, give where you are able. LOVE146 has a purpose and a goal, and it is a FANTASTIC organization to lend your support to.
Now, back to the Perfect Presents for ME!!

Day number 6...well, not quite halfway through the 13 days of Presents for ME, but close enough. :D
I decided that I wanted to make it a little bit girly today 'cuz I'm feelin' kinda girly here. So today's pick is the most adorable, tiny, shiny ring EVER!! ROFL
Turning to ETSY once again, I managed to stumble upon this sweet, little store that sells something called an 'Itty Bitty' ring (these things are TINY) and I fell in LOVE!

Particularly with THIS Itty Bitty Cupcake ring. I adore it. It is so tiny and shiny and PERFECT! I can't believe how freakin' cute it is. The best part is that it is not already sized. That means that I don't have to worry about it not fitting me 'cuz I can have it made in whatever size I wear.


So, that's Day 6 of the Perfect Presents for ME Days of Christmas, some food for thought and a Perfect Present with an adorability factor of about 1 bazillion. Day 7 should be fun, so stick around (we're almost done :D)

**Disclaimer**
No, this is not my store.
No, I do not know the person that owns this store.
No, I did not make any of the awesome stuff featured in this store.
No, I do not vouche for their business practices or ethics.
No, I am not receiving any 'benefits' from blogging about this (although that sure would be nice :D)
No, I have no idea if the stuff you purchase will arrive by Christmas. In fact, I'm pretty sure that it won't 'cuz their store is closed for the holidays at the moment. ROFL
Look, I am just posting a blog about a gift I would like to receive if I had the option of doing so. Take it as what it is. If you buy something from this person and the deal goes South, it is...
A) Not my problem. And B) Not my problem. Any transaction that happens online comes with a certain amount of risk. It is not my job to inform you of those risks. It's your money and your choice. So, if something goes wrong, consider yourself on your own when you deal with it. ;)
Be aware. Be informed. Be reasonable. But most of all, Be Happy!!

Day 5 ~ The Littlest One of All

On Day 5, I thought that it would be perfect to ask for something for the smallest of the small ones in our house ~ the dog. Now, I know what you are thinking, 'But, Cheri, these Perfect Present Days are supposed to be about presents for YOU?!?! If you pick out something for the dog, then wouldn't that go against every selfish principle that this list implies?!??!' Considering that I think it's fun to look at the doggie when she is all prettied up, and add to that the fact that she really doesn't like to be prettied up at all, I would say that, all in all, it is a present for me. :D Besides, I'm the one that has to look at her all damn day and I deserve a treat for the eyes. So back to ETSY we go to search for Day 5's gift for ME (and my little dog too!)
Now I am going to preface this with the fact that you can literally find any freakin' thing you could ever possibly want on Etsy (and even a few things that you might think NO ONE would EVER want ~ as proven by another one of my favorite sites of all time REGRETSY.com Some of the things that she 'finds' just make you think 'Who in the HELL would want something like that?!?!?") Anyway, browsing through the pet listings on Etsy is like sifting through an aisle of doggie treats at the pet store ~ Cookie, Cookie, Pupcake, Bone, Cookie, Dress.....What?!??!.....Dress! FINALLY!! Navigating through the listings for dog treats, I manage to stumble across store that sells doggie clothes that I deem worthy to grace my darling poochie. And decided that Penny (that's the dog's name) would be appropriately eye-candy-a-fied if she had something like this snazzy little number to strut around in. :D

I know what you are thinking, "Why would ANYONE pay that much for clothes for their DOG!??!" Look, it comes with FUR trim! :D And it's PERFECT for little Penny (well, at least it's perfect for those of us that have to look at her all day :D)
I LOVE it. And, when one gives me a gift, that's all that matters.
Well, that's Day 5 of our journey to complete the Perfect Presents for ME Days of Christmas. I can't wait to tell you all about tomorrow's present, so stick around! :D

**Disclaimer**
No, this is not my store.
No, I do not know the person that owns this store.
No, I did not make any of the Doggie clothing featured in this store.
No, I do not vouche for their business practices or ethics.
No, I am not receiving any 'benefits' from blogging about this (although that sure would be nice :D)
No, I have no idea if the stuff you purchase will arrive by Christmas.
Look, I am just posting a blog about a gift I would like to receive if I had the option of doing so. Take it as what it is. If you buy something from this person and the deal goes South, it is...
A) Not my problem. And B) Not my problem. Any transaction that happens online comes with a certain amount of risk. It is not my job to inform you of those risks. It's your money and your choice. So, if something goes wrong, consider yourself on your own when you deal with it. ;)
Be aware. Be informed. Be reasonable. But most of all, Be Happy!!

Day 4 ~ Something Yummy for the Tummy :D

Okay, so Day 4 starts out with me in the mood for an actual edible cupcake, but not wanting to bake. (Trust me, anyone that knows me will understand how rare this situation is as I am always in the mood to bake and really don't like eating cupcakes all that much. But once in a while.....) This situation brings us to Perfect Present #4 :D
Cupcakes in a Jar delivered directly to your home!!!
Now, understand this, there are TONS of Cupcake sellers out there that are cramming whatever they try to pass off as a shelf stable baked good into a jar they can find and popping it into the mail. But they can in no way compare to the King (or Queen in this case) of all Cupcakes in a Jar from Bangerang Bake Shop. Seriously, these are the best, most melt in your mouth, tastiest little bits of heaven crammed into a wide mouth, glass jar you will EVER find.
I found Bangerang Bake Shop back in the day when they were still called 'Fat Daddy Cupcakes' on, you guessed it, ETSY (in fact, my family still referres to them as 'Fat Daddy Cupcakes'.) Since that point the lovely lady that came up with the steller idea to put her gourmet cupcakes into little jars has expanded her business, set up a website, and has made a HUGE name for herself as one of the leaders in the Cupcake in a Jar business (You can see on the front page of the site, her products have been featured in several different National publications and on television as well.)

The Berry Berry Dark flavor happens to be my favorite. (And yes, it is just as moist and delectable as the picture would lead you to believe that it is.

Words simply cannot describe how deliciously tasty I find these things. I have tried several different kinds and have yet to find one that doesn't ooze with rich, moist perfection the moment you open the jar. Sometimes, I even share with the girls. (That is if I don't horde them and eat them all by myself in the middle of the night. ROFL) I don't think that there is a flavor I have tried yet that I *haven't* liked (even the Chocolate Envy cupcake was tastylicious, and I am not a fan of caramel. :D) The site even offers a Recycling Program for the empty jars, so that they don't end up in a landfill somewhere clogging up our environment.
All in all, I would say that this gift presents a Win/Win situation for all involved. I get the most amazing dessert on the planet. The giver gets the satisfaction of knowing that I am extremely happy with it. And my carbon footprint remains the size it was before I started (if not a teensy bit smaller.)
Be sure and come back tomorrow to see what WONDERFUL present I pick out as the 'Perfect Present for ME' Days of Christmas marches on to Day 5!

**Disclaimer**
No, this is not my store.
No, I do not know the person that owns this store.
No, I did not make the Cupcakes in a Jar featured in this store (although that would be FABULOUS if I could bake like her. I'd never leave the house! I probably wouldn't be able to fit through the door ROFL)
No, I do not vouche for their business practices or ethics.
No, I am not receiving any 'benefits' from blogging about this (although that sure would be nice :D)
No, I have no idea if the stuff you purchase will arrive by Christmas.
Look, I am just posting a blog about a gift I would like to receive if I had the option of doing so. Take it as what it is. If you buy something from this person and the deal goes South, it is...
A) Not my problem. And B) Not my problem. Any transaction that happens online comes with a certain amount of risk. It is not my job to inform you of those risks. It's your money and your choice. So, if something goes wrong, consider yourself on your own when you deal with it. ;)
Be aware. Be informed. Be reasonable. But most of all, Be Happy!!

Day 3 ~ Cupcakes Reign Supreme!!

Honestly, Day 3 was a little tricky for me. Once again I found myself browsing ETSY for another perfect cupcake giftie for myself ('Why Etsy'? You may be wondering. Well, **shrugs** it is because, in theory, I agree with their 'Support the Little Guy, buy homemade' practices. I realize that they don't always adhere to the principles that they started out with when they created the site, but when money is changing hands it is difficult for any business to stick to their original ideals ~ look at what mass money earning has done for eBay. YUCK! I'm sure that when Etsy becomes too 'corrupt' I will move on from there, just like I moved on from eBay when they started to suck. Anyway, soapbox issue over. LOL)
Today, I am feeling a little under the weather due to a horrible cold that was given to me by my youngest daughter (Thanks Baby!! Nothing says 'Merry Christmas' like a head cold in December!) And so, I thought 'Wouldn't it be nice if I had some comfy, cozy, snuggly, and warm Cupcake gear of some kind that I could wrap myself in while I ride out this 'coughing, aching, sneezing, stuffy head, no fever, but it sucks' illness?'
Yes, yes it would be nice :D
Etsy never lets me down. In the Grand Scheme of things, there are more Cupcake scarfs listed on there than one can throw a stick at. However, the majority of them are shaped like, you guessed it, cupcakes. And, while I ADORE most everything 'Cupcake', I would like to look like a Grown Up while I enjoy flaunting that adoration (and not an over-grown 10 year old with the cupcake shaped scarf my Grandma made me for my last birthday. You know, the one where I actually turned 32.)
I found the PERFECT Cupcake scarf for me in this lovely little store with a kick-ass name.

The best part is that if I don't like the blue that is featured in the photo, I can ask for either black or dark gray. The seller also has both matching gloves (which you can see pictured in the listing for the scarf) and a matching hat available in her store.
So, even if I didn't have a cold and want the scarf for it's Neck Warming Super Powers, someone that loves me could just gift me all three pieces and I would have the PERFECT cold weather ensemble. :D
So, that's day 3 of the 'Perfect Presents for ME' Days of Christmas! Tune in next time as we visit the wonders of something NEW and Wonderful.

**Disclaimer**
No, this is not my store.
No, I do not know the person that owns this store.
No, I did not make the scarf, hat, or gloves featured in this store.
No, I do not vouche for their business practices or ethics.
No, I am not receiving any 'benefits' from blogging about this (although that sure would be nice :D)
No, I have no idea if the stuff you purchase will arrive by Christmas.
Look, I am just posting a blog about a gift I would like to receive if I had the option of doing so. Take it as what it is. If you buy something from this person and the deal goes South, it is...
A) Not my problem. And B) Not my problem. Any transaction that happens online comes with a certain amount of risk. It is not my job to inform you of those risks. It's your money and your choice. So, if something goes wrong, consider yourself on your own when you deal with it. ;)
Be aware. Be informed. Be reasonable. But most of all, Be Happy!!

Day Number 2 ~ Merry Christmas to ME!!

Day 2 of our journey (you know, the one where I figuratively give myself presents for the 12 13 days of Christmas) begins with a visit to one of my FAVORITE artists of all time, Emily Martin. She has a shop on ETSY and she also sells her things in a variety of other online marketplaces (You can check out her blog (Inside A Black Apple) for more info on additional sites to buy her products from.)
I stumbled across Ms. Martin's shop a couple of years ago while searching for, you guessed it, 'cupcakes' on Etsy. At the time she was selling this amazing print of a girl selling cupcakes with her little hedgehog helper. I purchased a set of notecards featuring the duo of cupcake pedalling lovelies and fell in love with her work, all in the same day. (I have since purchased several more sets of her amazing notecards and even a print or 2.)

Anyway, I think that a print from her store The Black Apple would be just about the perfect gift I could find for myself (particularly if it were THIS PRINT. LOVE her!) I think that she is just about perfect. ('Why a Print and not an Original?', you may ask. Well, it's quite simple. An original painting costs about 16 times more and is not as readily available as a print, and her original paintings are gone in about 1.4 seconds after she posts them.)

Thus concludes day 2 of the 'Perfect Presents for ME' Days of Christmas! Tomorrow will be just as good as today's, if not better, so stay right where you are or you might miss something GREAT! :D

**Disclaimer**
No, this is not my store.
No, I do not personally know the person that owns this store.
No, I did not make any of the artwork featured in this store.
No, I do not vouche for their business practices or ethics, although I have shopped here several times and have never been disappointed.
No, I am not receiving any 'benefits' from blogging about this (although that sure would be nice :D)
No, I have no idea if the stuff you purchase will arrive by Christmas.
Look, I am just posting a blog about a gift I would like to receive if I had the option of doing so. Take it as what it is. If you buy something from this person and the deal goes South, it is...
A) Not my problem. And B) Not my problem. Any transaction that happens online comes with a certain amount of risk. It is not my job to inform you of those risks. It's your money and your choice. So, if something goes wrong, consider yourself on your own when you deal with it. ;)
Be aware. Be informed. Be reasonable. But most of all, Be Happy!!

On the First Day of Christmas....

(Okay, so maybe it is the First Day of Christmas + 1 But, it's close enough if you ask me :D)

My 'true love' gave to me....

Well, not really. But if my 'True Love' (or anyone else for that matter) *were* planning to give me something, they could do no better than to head straight to ETSY and plug the words 'Punk', 'Pink', and 'Cupcake' into the search box to find the PERFECT gift for me. :D

For the next 12 days (leading up to Christmas Eve of course :D ) I plan to feature one product listed on Etsy that strikes my fancy as being just about the Perfect gift for a girl like me. (Hell, I may even buy a few of those 'perfect' gifts for myself while I'm at it :D)

So to kick off the drool worthy gift browsing, I found THIS lovely little thing.

Now, I think that it would be just about the most PERFECT gift EVER for someone like me who loves Cupcakes, punky things, and the color pink. (The seller's entire store is just cram packed full of super fun, punky stuff that you might want to check out too. It's freakin' fantastic :D)

So, that's Day 1 of the 'Perfect Presents for ME' Days of Christmas! Tomorrow it will be something entirely NEW and possibly different ;) So stick around, ya never know what might happen.
(Oh yeah, go check out CakeWrecks for some FABULOUS ways to share your good fortune this holiday season! Jen and John have come up with a great idea, but they need all of us to make it work! :D)

**Disclaimer**
No, this is not my store.
No, I do not know the person that owns this store.
No, I did not make this necklace.
No, I do not vouche for their business practices or ethics.
No, I am not receiving any 'benefits' from blogging about this (although that sure would be nice :D)
No, I have no idea if the necklace will arrive by Christmas.
Look, I am just posting a blog about a gift I would like to receive if I had the option of doing so. Take it as what it is. If you buy something from this person and the deal goes South, it is...
A) Not my problem. And B) Not my problem. Any transaction that happens online comes with a certain amount of risk. It is not my job to inform you of those risks. It's your money and your choice. So, if something goes wrong, consider yourself on your own when you deal with it. ;)
Be aware. Be informed. Be reasonable. But most of all, Be Happy!!

Sunday, Sunday

Let me preface this by saying that Sundays are quite possibly my FAVORITE day of the week. Why??? Because it is the only day of the week that we are all located in one place and together for more than 5 hours at a time. (Well, except for the Man-Child. He's at work. But, he drives a truck, so he's at work all the time and that doesn't count :D)
Sadly, this only happens every other weekend out of a month, 'cuz the oldest girl visits her 'Other Family' every other weekend (and has for YEARS.) And, during this time of year, it happens ~ NEVER!
That's right. Never. Holiday time supercedes regular normal visitation time. So when the weekends fall just right, she's gone for 3 of them in a row. Which totally messes up my 'Sweet Sunday Family day' vibe.
Now, I have had multiple years to get used to this, so it doesn't piss me off it's not as annoying as it once was. And there are times when the shoe is on the other foot and she is here for 3 weekends in a row. But I don't think that I will ever be happy about it.

(And, yes, I do know that I should be very thankful that she has an extended family that cares enough about her that they want to see her for their visitation time, and I should be even more thankful that they ask for more time on top of their regularly scheduled time. And I am, I really am. But, I like routine. And this 'holiday time' messes with my routine. ROFL)

(In my best Southern accent)

Ah have endeavored to fix the Blog Roll that Ah messed up when Ah attempted to change mah background template. And Ah have added a few new ones to tha list as well. Hopefully, everyone that was on thayer before is back on thayer again. If not, Ah apologize for missing ya this time ahround.
Thank ya. Thank ya very much.

And the Winner is....

CONGRATULATIONS Malin!!! HURRAY!!!

I would like to thank everyone who posted, and Tweeted, and ReTweeted, and followed, and, well just EVERYONE that made this First GiveAway so much fun.

I can't wait to have more! :D
(Malin, I'm PM'ing you next :D)

Dun Dun Dun (((Enter the Suspenseful Tone)))

So, remember that I posted that I had joined a gift exchange on the Mother Henna blogsite? (If you don't, you really should. But I'll help ya out anyway. Just click HERE to read about it.)

Well, I am now the proud owner of 1, count it 1, completed prezzie for that swap. HURRAY!!!

No, I won't tell you if it is for my partner or Ms. Kara. And, no, I won't tell you what it is. But I will tell you that it is DONE, and it is FABULOUS! ;)

Additionally, I CANNOT believe that the end of my First Ever Blog GiveAway is fast approaching. It seems like just last week I posted about wanting to give stuff away and how I planned to do it.
Okay, so it was just last week :D Anyway, there is still time to get in on the action soooooooooo... Tell your friends! And cross your fingers. 'Cuz the clock's a tickin'. :D

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

(Wow! That sure is a TON of o's. ROFL)

I am freakin' bored. There, I said it. (Well, I typed it anyway.) Somehow it becomes more 'real' when it is out there in the open, and available for censure by the whole of the free world. But, it is what it is. I am freakin' bored out of my damn mind.
I literally have ASSLOADS of crap that I need to get started on, and projects that are half started and half finished. Things that are just waiting for me to complete them and cross them off my monster To Do list as being finished. I just can't bring myself to get started for some odd reason (or in some cases ~ to get finished.) I have no idea.
Welcome to Procrastination. Pull up a chair. It may be a while.

Party Over At My 'House'!!!

A 'Blog GiveAway Party', that is!!! :D

Last week I put the question out there 'cuz I was considering hosting a giveaway here on my blog. I had decided that when my Twitter account hit 100 followers (yeah, I know, 100 big freakin' deal 'cuz everyone else has, like, 10 BILLION ~ Well, Ashton Kutcher does at least LOL But for me, 100 was a big deal) I wanted to celebrate by giving someone the chance to celebrate along with me. And I hit it last Wednesday (A few have since dropped like flys, but we won't count that!)
Soooooo...It is now time for the First Ever Pink Cupcake Arts Blog Giveaway Extravaganza!!!! :D
Since I consider a lot of the people that follow me on Twitter to by my friends, and because I like to share the things that I like with my friends, I decided that this would be the perfect chance to share some of my favorite things. And that is exactly what I am giving away, a container/bag that I have STUFFED to the brim with some of my favorite arts-y, crafts-y, super fun goodies!
Anyone wanna see a pile of all the Fabulous stuff? Nod once for yes!

I gathered all this fun stuff from the TONS of supplies that currently take up residence in my studio. There is stuff in there for art-ing, for crafting, for sewing, for jewelry making, for....well, for just about anything you can think of and more! (I like to think that I suffer from 'Crafter's ADD' :D I like to do A LOT of stuff, but never do anything exclusively for very long LOL)
A short list of some of the stuff included in the Big Bad Pile O'Wonder is...
Calligraphy marker, Sakura Gelly Roller, sketch pencils, yards of fibers, wooden beads, paper flowers, star confetti, Prismacolor blender pencil, FQ of fabric, samples of some of my favorite glitters, embossing powders, and acrylic mediums, Twinkling H2O watercolor paints, water soluable oil pastels, grungeboard, cross-stitch kits, metal findings, assorted beads, library cards, ribbon, ric-rac, and sooooooooooooo very much more. :D

Then I attempted to stuff it all into this bag...

The bag is about 6 inches wide by about 12 inches long, and I'd say about 2/2.5 inches deep. It zips all the way around with a dual zipper and has a nifty little handle that you can carry it around with.

Big Surprise...It all fit (but just barely LOL :D)

(I AM a Master Packer :nods once for yes:)

I am guessing that by now you are wondering what exactly it is that you need to do to get in on the Giveaway part of all of this, right? Well, it is VERY simple.
The chance to sign up for this GiveAway will run from December 1 thru December 10. On December 11, I will assign everyone's entries a number, and plug them into a random number generator to decide the Big Winner!!!
The person chosen will be notified by email that they have won, so be certain to leave your contact info when you comment.
Every person that comments to this post will receive 1 entry in the GiveAway. In order to qualify for any of the Bonus Entries, you have to leave a comment here first. (Please feel free to let me know what additional things you have done to get the word out there so that I can be certain to add the entries in to your total. :D)
BONUS ENTRIES ARE AVAILABLE
Every new person that signs up to Follow my blog will receive 1 additional entry.
Every new person that signs up to Follow me Here on Twitter will receive 1 additional entry in the GiveAway.
Every person that Tweets about this GiveAway will receive 1 additional entry.
And, as an added bonus :D, if the amount of individual entrants reaches 20 I will include the extra special prize of a handcrafted 'Carry-All' bag made especially for the winner by ME :D HURRAY!!
Sooooo...be sure to tell your friends, neighbors, co-workers, people on the street, the grocery checker, well, anyone that you know that likes free stuff :D Get the word out there, and JOIN THE PARTY!!!

Wanna see what I am doing right now? :D

I signed up for a gift exchange on MotherHenna. :D

I LOVE making stuff for other people (as I mentioned before) So I decided that I would join the WONDERFUL swap going on over there. I can't wait to see who my partner is and to get started making something just for them.

 


Anyone want to join me? ;) You can find the info on the Mother Henna blog.

Possible Blog-y Giveaway?

I have been thinking about hosting a giveaway here on the ol' blog. However, I am at a total loss on what I should give away (I am not entire certain that it would be legal to offer one of the girls up as a prize ~ or that anyone would WANT to win one of them for that matter! ROFL)
SOOOOO...if anyone has any thoughts on what they might like to receive as a gift (and not, like, a MILLION dollars or anything supremely expensive) then please comment here and let me know.
:D

Which One Are You?

Pulled from an email...

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if as soon as one problem was solved a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen and filled three pots with water.

In the first, she placed carrots.
In the second she placed eggs.
And the last she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them sit and boil without saying a word. About twenty minutes later, she turned off the burners.
She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she said, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did, and noted that they felt soft.
Her mother then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg inside.
Finally, mother asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked, "So, what's the point, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid center. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its insides had become hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water...they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your
door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot , an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, I wilt
and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?
Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial
hardship, or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my outer shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? Which actually changes the hot water - the very circumstances that bring the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor of the bean. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you instead of letting it change you.

When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?

How do you handle Adversity?

ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

My Hardware Store LOVES Me.

Yes, yes, they do. ((nods)) Or, at least, they LOVE to laugh at me. ROFL

Yest. afternoon I decided that I wanted to try something new. So I made the rounds through Google, looking up different projects for handmade projects that used 'odd' objects to make jewelry. I happened upon a tutorial for necklace pendants made using washers (like the kind that you put underneath the head of a bolt or a screw.) I thought it looked pretty easy (it has since become clear to me that nothing good can come from this) and the finished product looked really kinda cool. So I figured I would go for it!
I loaded the girls into the car and we raced to the hardware store, 'cuz I *thought* (again with the thinking) they closed at 4PM (they don't, they close at 5), to pick up some washers for my little project. Having been there before a time or two, I knew where the washers were located and headed back there straight away to find what I was looking for ~ the largest flat washers they carried with a large hole in the center (this is exceptionally important as the largest flat washers that they carry actually have a tiny little hole in the center and would not make a cool looking pendant.)
The lady (Yes, we have 'ladies' that work in our hardware store. They are, like, 60 and only know what they are selling you 'cuz they have been selling it for the last 40 years, not because they have ever taken the gloves off and actually *used* any of it.) behind the counter asked me if I needed any bolts to go with my giant washer purchase. And when I told her 'No', she asked me what I was planning to use my washers for? (What, 'cuz I *don't* look like the type that *needs* to buy 12 3/4 inch flat washers for the heck of it?) When I told her I planned to experiment at making jewelry pendants out of them, she looked at me like I had grown a third head (add to that the fact that I could hear one of the men behind the counter suck in his breath, and the farmer standing at the register next to me had to stifle a chuckle.) I am guessing that this is not something that occurs very often in my small town. ROFL
Anyway, I brought my heavy ass bag of washer home and started to follow the directions. I didn't have some of the supplies that it called for, but I thought 'Surely something I have will work?' And it did, fairly well.
Let me tell you what I learned...
E6000 adhesive is HORRIBLE. It clearly warns you on the tube (and on the packaging, and everywhere else) that you should only use it in a well ventilated area. Fine. What it doesn't tell you is that the 'well ventilated area' better be smack in the middle of a open air park and you had better have someplace else to go for the next 2 days 'cuz that's how long this stuff is going to take to dry and let off fumes while it does. It also includes the standard 'This product contains stuff that has been known to cause cancer in the state of California' warning. (Now, if you are anything like me, you are probably wondering why exactly it is that the ingredients manage to cause cancer in California, but not anywhere else? ROFL)
It also 'strings' when you use it. So if you apply the requisite 'dab' that you might need to seal something (say the opening of a jump ring that you don't want to come open again) and you just touch the little end of the tube to the thing you are gluing. You will pull back the tube and have this big, long, stringy line of wet glue that comes with it. Not to mention that when you try to clean up all the glue that you inadvertently get EVERYWHERE, it rolls/balls up like dirty rubber cement that WILL NOT come off your fingers.
It gets everywhere. It sticks to everything. And it REEKS!! Needless to say, that washer was destined for 'File 13' before the glue had even dried.
On to the scrapbooking adhesive by 3M. WHOO!! to the HOOO!! This stuff worked awesome. Not to mention the no strings, no smell, and easy clean up. I was a bit worried how the paper would glue to the metal, but it worked like a charm. So I was good to go there.
Once the first washer was dry it was time to start with the 'resin'. Now, I am not a huge fan of 'smelly' projects, so most of the time I don't use actual resin (especially when I don't have a TON of projects that call for using it.) I just use either Diamond Glaze or Glossy Accents It gives the same effect without the massively smelly, long ass, drying time. And honestly, I don't worry a whole lot about things like 'yellowing' or 'fading' or anything like that 'cuz I don't expect to still be wearing/using the things that I make by the time that kind of stuff occurs.
So, I take my paper covered washer and I cover it in my pseudo resin. Then I set is aside to dry overnight thinking that would be enough time. (Again with the thinking! I seriously need to QUIT that.)
When I wake up this morning to check out the finished product I find that the Glossy Accents I used to cover it has dried to the 'touch'. Touch meaning that if you don't put your FINGERNAIL into it, you should be good. I, however, was not so lucky and gouged a large HOLE into the shiny surface of my washer pendant (kicks self once.) Add to that the fact that the Origami paper with the lovely print and flowers I chose for my project, which I had the forethought to back with another heavier piece of paper, has absorbed some of the moisture from the Glossy Accents. Thus, making the Origami paper an odd see through kind of paper with flowers (kicks self twice.) And the paper I chose to go underneath the Origami paper with the flower, has bled it's color into the Glossy Accents (which should have dried to a *clear* finish, but dried to a bright HOT PINK color 'cuz the paper bled. Ask me why I couldn't just have used WHITE freakin' paper!!??!?! ~shakes head~)
Sooooooo...there goes washer #2 into the trash. And I go back to square 1 (kicks self for a third time.)
I have learned some things though. Mostly things like...Jewelry is meant to be PURCHASED; not MADE (or at least NOT BY ME.)
Glossy Accents takes a LONG time to dry (but it does not STINK.)
And, last, but certainly not least, when in the hardware store purchasing things for 'arts-y' type projects it is always best NOT to tell the little ol' ladies behind the counter what you are *really* intending to do with their stuff lest you cause them to take to their beds from the horror of it all. ;)

Soooooo...Wanna see my Charm Bracelet? ;)

Way back in August I blogged about making these fairy bottle charms for a Charm swap on ATCsforAll.com I LOVED making them and was so happy to send them in for the swap. But I was equally just as excited to see what I would receive in return :D And, let me tell you, the span of time between August and November was a L-O-N-G wait LOL
Anyway, I opened the mailbox Saturday night when we got home from my parents' house to find a nicely padded bubble envelope had arrived just for me (all the way from the UK.) It's a good thing that I was sitting down when I opened it, 'cuz if I hadn't been I might have woken up the girls when I fell over in amazement at the wonderful variety of artwork I received. I was so pleased, and I couldn't wait to get them onto a bracelet (although the arrangement and the findings used to attach them will likely be changed as time goes by. :D)



In the order they appear on the bracelet:
A Fairy Bottle charm by LisaB
A Three beaded blue/green charm (2 crystal, 1 handmade clay) by susietex
An Altered Scrabble Tile charm featuring a Fairy's face by The Mad Catter
A Three part charm featuring large spangle sequins, a glass bead, and a metal 'Inspire' charm by messmaker
A square charm featuring a mini Tarot card (The Hierophant) by spaine
A 'Death's Head' wrapped Leek button by Gina-B
A Altered BottleCap charm (featuring an awesome medical textbook face image) by DaDreemer
A Heart shaped charm by icequeen07
A square charm featuring a cool cat face by corduroy cat
And last, but not least
A dangling charm featuring a clay Flower bead by SunSwirlGirl

There are 10 in all, and they make a fantastically interesting bracelet. :D
I can't wait for the next charm swap, so that I can expand my collection and gather more great art charms from artists around the world!

The LONG awaited STUDIO TRANSFORMATION post!! Part IV

The final installment in our Saga!

Day 4 -- The End

After several trips to the hardware store for the correct stuff (The first one would have done it if it hadn't been for the fact that the person that owned the table before me used a freakin' hammer to put it together when the bolts wouldn't go in easily on their own!) and a couple more hours of throwing stuff out cleaning up. I FINALLY had a place that I could call my own!! A place that I could create in. I wanted to spend time painting in there and crafting in there and making friends with my machines again. Hell, let's be honest here, I wanted to *MOVE* into there!! It was AMAZING!!

The sheer amount of stuff that I threw out to make it possible was totally worth it.

Every single, agonizing, 'I'm not sure this was a good idea.' moment was totally worth it.

Gettin' by with a little help from my friends (Hello!! A4A!!) was totally worth it.

All the frustration, sweat, tears, feeding my girls PB&J and cereal and shooing them out for 3 days, late nights w/ 3 hours of sleep, totally worth it.

Nearly breaking my foot while setting up the table was totally worth it too.

I cannot tell you how much I LOVE having a studio. How comfortable it is to be somewhere that is dedicated to the creation of beautiful things. Cleaning out this room was quite possibly one of the best things that I have done for myself as an artist. It was exhausting. It was long and frustrating. It was soul cleansing. And I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to share it with you all.

The LONG awaited STUDIO TRANSFORMATION post!! Part III

On to day 2!!

Day 2 -- The Light at the end of the tunnel!!

It was all I could do to convince myself that I *wanted* to go back into the disaster area on the morning of day 2. But, by the time I went to bed that night, I could see the creative place I had been envisioning this whole time beginning to emerge from the rubble.
I could finally see the floor!!! It was PHENOMINAL!! There was still a TON of work to do (including putting up that massive table you see in the pictures :D) But the end was so much closer than the beginning, and I could almost taste it.


I decided that I wanted to put all of my sewing machines onto one table so that they weren't all over the place (and so that the girls would have a desk to do their homework on.) But first I had to clean off the table for them to go on (Yes, their was a table underneath all that crap.)

(See!! A Table!! LOL)
Anyway, by the end of day 2, I still had some work to do and I needed to run to the hardware store to get bolts and nuts and stuff to set up the big table I intended to use for my art stuff (This table had taken up residence in my hallway for about a year or so in pieces waiting for me to get the studio put together and get it set up.)
I was actually breathing a bit easier when I went to bed that night 'cuz I was starting to feel like I was accomplishing something great :D

The LONG awaited STUDIO TRANSFORMATION post!! Part II

(That last one was kinda long and I thought it might be better to break it up into a couple posts, covering each of the 3 days separately :D)

Day 1 -- What a NIGHTMARE!!!
It started out okay, I guess. I originally had thought that if I moved everything out of the back corner of the room and then cleaned my way towards the door it would make much more sense. However, what I didn't factor in was the sheer amount of crap I was going to be throwing away, the fact that I still needed to be able to get out the door to throw said crap away, or the fact that there were things in that room that I couldn't throw away if I wanted to (Namely all the junk that the Man Child that I call my husband just stuffed into there after he lost his job the last time ~ He drives a truck, so when he cleaned out his truck he just brought all the crap home and shoved it in the room. When he started driving again, he didn't take it all back out with him. His reasoning -- this new truck is smaller than his old one was. BOO-freakin'-HOO!)
At the end of the first day, the room actually looked WORSE than it did before I began. I seriously began questioning if I had made the right choice in cleaning it out, or if I should have just left well enough alone.

Again, the FABULOUSNESS that is A4A was there to talk me down from the ledge. ;)
The corner I started in was messier than when I started, the fabric pile on the floor in front of the Wall O' Fabric was higher than when I started, and the pathway to the door was non-existent at this point.


At this point, I just shrugged my shoulders, turned out the light, and went to bed.

The LONG awaited STUDIO TRANSFORMATION post!!

If you say that with a slightly deep, echo-y voice and add the sound "Ahhhhhhhh" like they do in the movies, it makes it all much better :D

A few months ago, I posted about cleaning out my studio (Well, at that time it was just a dining room with not a whole lot of potential. However, I did have hope :D ) Then I *swore* that I would post pics and illustrate the process for you. But I never quite managed to have enough hours in a day to get it done (yes, it does take me a long time to figure out how to do all this stuff. I am NOT technologically inclined.)
Well, guess what Peeps!!?!??! I FINALLY have some time on my hands and will be glad to introduce you to my studio as it was a couple of months ago :D (I'm trying something a little different here with the whole photo thing, so hopefully it works. If not, I will have to go back to the ol' drawing board.)

A little background for ya here, we moved into a duplex about 3 yrs ago that had what the landlord calls a 'dining room'. Originally, we had intended to use it as a third bedroom, but found that the fact that there was no closet in it made it a bit inconvenient for whom ever was stuck in it (oh yeah, that and the room itself has no door. Not that we ever close the doors, but it is nice for a bedroom to have a door.) So we just used it to store junk er, stuff in. I also used it as a sewing room (I like to make clothes and collect fabric. I needed a place to do that. Voila, dining room = perfect.)
After 3 yrs or so of storing stuff (and by 'storing stuff' I mean taking anything that didn't have a place to be or junk that we didn't need/want/use any more and shoving it into the room to be dealt with at a later time) things had gotten a bit, shall we say, out of hand. And it looked something like this...

(Note that the mess LITERALLY comes clear to the doorway, so in order to get into the room, you have to step over stuff and hope that you have L~O~N~G enough legs to find the floor on the other side. I didn't take any pics of this phenominon or of the mounds of fabric on the floor in front of my 'Wall O' Fabric')
This is the Wall O' Fabric...

If you look closely in the dim light you can kinda see the floor in the background. It was covered with crap stuff just like the rest of the room was.
I decided that I was going to clean it out and turn it into the studio I had always intended it to be no matter what it took (If I had known what I was in for when I started, I *might* rather have just shacked myself up on the couch and watched TV for the next 3 days LOL)

I figured that I would need serious encouragement for this one, so I enlisted the help of my friends at A4A for some hand holding moral support and reassurance that this would all be worth it in the end. (LOVE it there!! They are FANTASTIC people. You should check it out, if you haven't already. :D ) And then I braved the abyss...

If I Don't Buy That Fabric I'll Surely Faint!

((Pulled from an email))
Few true sewers, quilters or fabric crafters need an excuse to buy more fabric. We are hooked on cotton. We obsess over silk. We daydream about calicos and ginghams and plaids. But just in case you need to explain to others why you have a million yards of fabric at home, but still need a few more fat quarters and just have to buy yardage of the newest prints ... here's a handy list of reasons you need more fabric! Copy this list and tuck it in your purse for quick reference!

-It is a patriotic duty to support cotton farmers, textile mills and fabric shops.
-"Oh, it's not for me! I'm buying it for MY SISTER . . . . she lives in Arkansas and they don’t have fabric there!!"
-It's on sale.
-It keeps me out of the bars.
-I need extra weight in the trunk of my car for traction on snowy, icy roads. This is important, even in Florida and Southern California, as you never know when the weather will change.
-It's non-fattening.
-Like dust, it's good for protecting previously empty spaces in the house.
-Because it's there.
-It's much cheaper to cover the floor with fabric than new carpeting.
-The devil made you do it.
-It's the only remotely artistic thing I have ever done.
-I can't live without it.
-Fabric is cheaper than alcohol.
-I have new shelves for fabric storage.
-It will go with some I bought last year.
-It's so pretty, and I'll use it someday.
-I want my daughter to have a proper inheritance.
-Without fabric, I would have nothing to do with my rotary cutter and my mat and my sewing machine.
-It does not promote tooth decay.
-It calms the nerves, gratifies the soul and makes one feel good.
-If I don't buy it now, I may never see it again.
-If I don’t buy it now, someone else will!
-A large fabric stash is the sign of a creative mind.
-I owe myself a reward for that half-pound I lost last month.

Say it with me now "Busy, busy, busy"

And that is what I have been.
My finger healed up just fine. Still have no idea what I did to it. UGH! Happens to me all the time though.
I made my oldest daughter 5 sets of PJs for this Winter (long sleeved tops and long pants) that she just LOVES. They are styled similar to 'longies', just knit tops and knit pants. (I really should take pictures of this stuff when I make it ROFL)
I thought today I would go through my studio transformation (I did take pictures of that process. It was amazing! You'll see :D ) Although, that will take some time to set up so I am thinking that it will likely happen after the girls go to bed for the night.
I have been really busy with making cards and sewing and taking care of the house (my LEAST favorite thing to do EVER!!) I just don't get much time to blog about it :D
Well, I double promise to post the Studio Transformation Extravaganza later on today :D Well, I almost double promise....I swear, I'll try....

Ahhhhh....Breathe a sigh of relief with me, will you?

Soooooo, it has been a couple of weeks since I last blogged, and quite a bit has happened since then.
I cleaned out my dining room (which we were using for storage, not for dining) and turned it into a full fledged Studio. It is sooooo stinkin' nice to have my own space to work in, and I can actually get to my machines and freakin' sew stuff. I am LOVING it. I will likely blog about the process when my finger heals up (it's infected. I have no idea. LOL)
I cut out 23 pairs of underpants for the girls (yes, I make their underpants. It's cheaper, they fit better, and I don't have to worry out the words 'SugarBaby' being plastered on the ass end of panties for my 9 yr old. LOL)
This weekend I managed to get 11 of those pairs stitched up and 5 play/day dresses made for my youngest dd. I :heart: sewing! (Can you tell that I am just a teensy bit excited about being able to use my machines again? ;) )
Big plans, I tell ya. Big plans.
See ya on the flip side ;)

Because I like to do nice things :D

About a week or so ago, I answered the call of a 'Friend' on A4A. She was asking if there were members that would like to volunteer to make/send something nice to her mother. She lives in New Zealand, and her mother volunteers her mailbox there so that she can get swap mail and packages and such. She has been doing it for the past year or so, and she says that her mother loves seeing all the different places from which the stuff is mailed.

I was so excited to do this for her and her mother. She is a really sweet lady, and they seem to have a wonderful relationship (kinda like me and my mother :D ) So I came up with this...


I painted a 4"X4" piece of Strathmore, cold pressed, 140 lb. (300 g/m2), watercolor paper with this awesome sunset and fence scene (the colors aren't as harsh in real life, they are softer and more mellow) using watercolors and a tiny bit of white acrylic paint. Then I printed out the saying, mounted the picture, and tied a ribbon through a couple of holes in the top.

I hope that she likes it.

One of my Weekend Projects, and the Long Awaited Jewelry Photos ;)

Sooo, back to the ol' Friendly Plastic. LOL I worked with it for the first time this weekend, and found it to be an incredibly interesting product (although, I did burn my hand attempting to make a bead LOL Hot plastic + the uncoordinated = pain.) I was making these little plastic, bling-y squares to add to some Fairy Bottle charms I wanted to send in for a charm swap at A4A Here is a photo of the finished project.

I LOVED making these, and even made a couple for my girls (the swap calls for a total of 10 charms and I made 12 :) ) I would like to make some for myself, however, I am out of the little glass bottles that are required. I am thinking that I need to make a trip to the Lobby of Hobbies ;) (Yeah, right. Like I ever truly need a reason to go there LOL) Anyway, I plan to attach them to cards somehow, then slide the whole thing into a plastic zip top baggie, and mail them off to their destination in the UK. Where a lovely person will devide them amongst the participants, repackage them with the other charms, and ship them out to their new homes. :)

Now, on to the Jewelry photos!
My oldest daughter started Middle School this year and I thought she might like to have some new bling to start her year with. Her favorite color is purple and I was pressed for time, so I hit my local Wally's for some el-cheapo beads. (Look, she is only 9. There is no way I am investing some serious cash in making pretties for her when she is just as likely to lose them or break them as she is to wear them and love them.

The First thing that I did was make these 4 necklaces to match a shirt that has a British flag on the front of it. We bought it....somewhere....I don't remember where. But she fell in love with it, and it is all about the red, white, and blue. I found these beads already strung at Wally's and just thought 'I could just take them off the string they were already on and put them onto wire, adding the appropriate findings.' Literally, I think that this is the best idea since sliced bread. 'Cuz I, like many of you out there, have too many things to do and little to no time to do them in. LOL

When we were looking at beads, my dd feel completely in love with these freshwater pearls. I told her that we would go ahead and get them and I would figure out something to do with them. The assortment of toggles that I bought included this really awesome toggle that was intended specifically to be used to make a double strand bracelet and I thought that would be perfect to use with the freshwater pearls. Simple, easy, and pretty. Perfect for her! :D

As I said before, purple is her absolute FAVORITE color, so when I saw these I knew that she would LOVE to have them. The beads are finished with this satiny feeling stuff that makes them feel all silky and smooth. I basically just pulled these directly off the strand they were already strung onto and then put them right onto the wire. I decided to add a charm to both the bracelet and the necklace to add a little something special to the pieces. One says 'Hope' and the other says 'Dream'. Both good things for girls to remember. ;)

Close up of the charms.




















This was made from some leftover beads that I had from the first set of necklaces and some amethyst chips that I bought. Amethyst is her birthstone and so I thought that it would be perfect for her. It fits slightly closer to the neck than the others, although not quite choker style, and she loves it. She doesn't have anything that it matches (yet ;) ), but I am sure that she will soon enough LOL


This piece is one of my favorites. I just strung the beads as they came and added the heart shaped, glass pendant in the middle. The heart was so heavy that I had to use two strands of wire to feel comfortable with her wearing it around. She doesn't have anything that matches it either, but has made me promise that we would find something special to match it 'cuz she loves it as much as I do.




I made this a long time ago when I first learned how to make wire wrapped charms. It still fits her because I attached a several links of chain to one end and a clasp to the other, so it is adjustable. I also added a charm that says 'Love' to the end, another thing that is good for a girl to remember.

Close up of the charm.





















All in all, these were really fun to create and she loves them. We even went and bought her a special little box that she can keep them all in so that they stay fairly decent. She can't wait to wear the to school to show off what her Mama can do LOL
Isn't it great how she still thinks that I am the greatest?

Adventures in 'Friendly Plastic' World

Soooo I went to the Lobby of Hobbies this past week and bought this WONDERFUL stuff called 'Friendly Plastic' (you can read more about it HERE ) And I thought I would try it out for myself. I bought several different 7" sticks and a book and brought it all home fully prepared to melt stuff. (Yes, I do know that I have yet to post the long awaited and previously promised photos of my oldest daughter's jewelry. Boo, I suck.)

I did a little (okay, quite a bit) of research before I set out on my plastic melting journey. I spent most of my time reading through blog entries at The Art of Friendly Plastic. Very interesting. Very informative. And I felt brave enough to start something out myself. Just something simple that I would use in a crafty project later on.
I decided that I would make little squares with some crystals added for a little bit of bling. Then I am going to attach them to these tiny little glass bottles and make 'Fairy Bottle' charms for a swap on ATCsforAll.com. Easy peasy enough, right? LOL

The first thing that I did was figure out how I needed to cut out the pieces for my little 'experiment'. I decided that I would use strips of the different colors of plastic and line them up.

I stacked the cut stripes of plastic on an old Sil-Pat that I cut in half and laid on top of an old cookie sheet.

I got out my griddle, and set the temp according to the book (a toasty 300 degrees F). I just have a cheap-o griddle that I bought at WalMart a couple of years ago, and it worked just fine. However, I am thinking that if someone had intended to work for a LONG time they might want to have a more expensive griddle 'cuz mine got pretty freakin' hot after a while.

I stuck the whole plastic/silicone/cookie sheet contraption on top of the griddle to heat. In retrospect, I would probably have arranged the plastic stripes on top of the silicone mat/cookie sheet while it was sitting on the griddle BEFORE turning the griddle on. The pieces kinda shuffled around a bit when I moved it from one counter to the other. Easy enough to fix, but could have been avoided entirely.

Then, while I waited for the plastic to melt, I decided to have a little snack. YUM! Strawberries :D

I *thought* that I might use some toothpicks to set some crystals down into the hot/melted plastic. But then thought that the toothpicks might stick and make a mess. (Why I didn't think about how I would do this before I started, I have no clue. But I didn't.)

Eventually, I remembered that I had a dissection kit left over from my days in Anatomy class that still had the probes in it (TeeHeeHee, I said 'probes' LOL) So I decided to use those pointy suckers 'cuz they are metal and I can stick them in water and oil and the freezer to keep the plastic from sticking.

Once I got the little gems stuck into the plastic, I stuck a tiny little square shaped cutter that I had bought from the clay section of Hobby Lobby into the melted plastic while it was still on the griddle. Once again, this is something that I did differently later on 'cuz it got REALLY HOT and I burned my finger when I fiddled with it. (Yes, I fiddle with things. It's what I do.)

The plastic wasn't cooling fast enough (In addition to fiddling with things, I also stick my fingers into things before they are dry. It's a curse. LOL) So I put the whole silicone mat on top of my lovely bakery cooling rack for a few minutes in hopes that it would hurry up. (I ended up putting it into the freezer 'cuz it just wasn't going quick enough for me. LOL)

When it came out of the freezer, I popped it out of the square cutter. (It literally popped right out. It was great.) Then I decided to hit it with a blast from the Ol' Embossing Tool. This rounded off the edges nicely and smoothed out the surface a bit. But I decided that I didn't like it so much with the gem already embedded into the plastic.

So I made a few more that didn't have the gems in them and then cut them into quarters (The original squares measured out at appoximately 1"X1". So, when quartered, they were tiny.)

I laid all the tiny quarters out on top of the silicone mat and heated each one. Then I used the Dissection tools to stick the crystals into each individual square before they cooled.

They needed a hole at the top so that I could feed wire through them, so I decided to use the probe again. The first time I tried this, I heated the plastic and then tried to stick the metal through it. BIG mistake. The plastic just kind of stretched and ended up all out of shape and 'blobby' looking. (Blobby? Is that even a word? I am guessing that it is now.) After that, I just heated the metal part of the probe with my Embossing tool and stuck it through the little plastic square. It worked well. :D

Now I have a pile of these tiny little 'charms' just waiting for jump rings or wire or whatever, so that they can be added to something creative.

All in all, it was an interesting adventure into the World of Friendly Plastic. It took a bit of figuring out, and some 'I have to do it my way' ingenuity, but it was fun. (I should probably also add that this tiny pile of squares took me about 5 hours to make. I would assume that this crap goes faster the longer you do it. 'Cuz I just can't imagine anyone taking 5 hours on a regular basis just to make a few little bits. Even if they are FABULOUS!)

Thanks for joining me ;)
See ya on the flip side!