It's a CSN shopping Giveaway!

Wow! I am so excited to be able to do this. CSN contacted me and offered me a 45.00 gift certificate for one of my blog followers to spend at one of their 200 online stores. Everything from pendant lighting to things for kids and pets! They also have shoes, not that I need more shoes, but shoes are a great thing!
















I think if it was my 45.00, I would get some bakeware. you know, for cupcakes!










I took some time to look and they have some excellent buys and products.





It is time to ENTER!

This is only open to US and Canadian readers....
click on the pendant lighting link and comment on what pendant lighting you like the best.
let me know you are a follower of my blog....
Write about the giveaway on your blog.

Easy Peasy Pudding and Pie......up to three entries!

I will run this for ten days....Make me proud you all!!

finding ceativity again....

When I was in the fog of depression, I learned that being creative does not come easy....Especially when it took all my energy to work...It is getting better every day and I look forward again to going upstairs and making things. I am starting to get back to myself and I like that a lot!
Julie came over with Jace and baby Ava last week and she wanted help to decorate some wood letters that spelled out Ava's name for above her crib. This is what we came up with.









We take turns holding baby girl and playing with Jace while the other one paints or glues. Jace is a such a good boy upstairs. Having the playroom next to the art room is a great thing. He runs back and forth with his toys chattering the whole time. He is two and Ava is a month so Julie has two in diapers. Our time ended when she had two little ones with full diapers.....haha.











Sometimes you think you have it really bad and then someone you know gets it worse...way worse...A guy at my work, Kevin who started the same time I did is going through the worst thing a parent can imagine. He just got over a battle with brain cancer, missed a year of work and now his 14 year old girl has bone cancer in her leg. Maddie just started a years worth of chemotherapy. Because they are treating it aggressively, all of her treatments are inpatient. I was making a pink quilt for an orphanage project but it turned into a quilt for Maddie.....









I asked Kevin to make sure she is the kind of girl who likes pink...He told me that hot pink she likes...My kind of girl. I got some hot pink cuddly fleece to back it with. I am going to get it on the quilter for her tomorrow before work. I figure if I do it a little at a time I can have it done by the weekend. I am going to zigzag on the binding and do a lot of quilting because I imagine it will be washed a lot. I hope it gives her something to snuggle with.









Val was my partner for the YOE swap. I showed the dress ornament I made her and look what she made me!








A snow fairy ornament and the most beautiful blue scarf! The fairy is on my tree and I already wore the scarf...She also sent me M&M's, hot chocolate, bath salts and a book....I don't think it gets any better.....
In December Deb asked me to do a pet portrait of her three Jack Russell's...well I finally got busy and got the background done and the first dogs face done. Everyone always asks how I do it...I draw it while looking at a close up of a picture on a white cotton and then I start sewing and painting in the details...I hope to have this one done and ready to mail by Monday.










I usually use some pretty bright background colors but she asked for sage and cream. I think with three dogs on one piece it will look really nice. Let me know what you think Deb.......

Happy Valentines Day!

I actually did more for this holiday than I did for Christmas...Considering what the holiday is, it is a bit ironic. I had fun though, and that is what counts...The cupcake venture was a huge success and they all were delivered today and paid for. It worked out that Missy did the baking and made the frostings and I did the boxes, the fondant hearts and the decorating. We made a great cupcake team. I am glad the cupcake fest is over. I would weigh half a ton if I made them all the time! Missy got a treadmill and I already have one so if you dont see us, we are walking off cupcakes. Really!
I also made Jean's grandkids fabric Valentines for their teachers. It is the third year I have done them and I have declared it a tradition. I am happy I can do it for them....







I also made what I call "Bitter Valentines"! It is art therapy at its finest and it gives me a wicked sense of satisfaction...you know Valentines Day is a rotten holiday for anyone who has been dumped....So tonight I ate an ice cream cone from Baskin Robbins for dinner..The flavor was Love Potion # 31 and I finished these two cards....













I am sure there is a market for these cards...What do you think?



This week I also did the first month of this years Enchanted Ornament Swap. This is my second year and I always look forward to the monthly challenge and theme. The theme for Jan/feb was "dressed for winter". I made a fairy's winter dress ornament and some cute little enchanted paper tags....











Tomorrow is my day off and I am really looking forward to sewing...I have a pet quilt to work on for Deb and I want to finish the pink quilt top for the orphanage. I also want to go get some seeds and do some cold weather garden planting....I had no idea that things could grow even with snow on the ground....
Sending you all love and wishes! xoxoxo

Cupcakes!!!!

Cupcakes and chickens, two of my favorite things. But first, let us talk about the cupcakes. I know today was the Superbowl and I appreciate that but Missy and I had better things to do. Today was the cupcake test run. It went really well and we had a great time. We ended up with two different kinds of little beauties....







Red Velvet with homemade cream cheese frosting and "from scratch" white cake with a cream cheese, cinnamon, cocoa and whipped cream frosting...The cocoa is very light so you can color it, which we did....


They both taste wonderful, but I think dressing them up all pretty makes them taste even better!









All wrapped up and ready to give as a "sweet little I love you"...Nothing says it better than a cupcake...












Except maybe a chicken or two! Missy, my blogging friend has chickens...In fact she has a little chicken house in her dining room for her miniatures right now..It is too cold to have them outside and I was absolutely enchanted with them. The tiny little rooster even crowed a couple of times. Why do chickens make me happy?














I dont know, I guess I am just strange like that.....gonna go eat a cupcake....night!

Calendar, vintage goodies, Valentines and my new Niece!

(BE SURE AND CLICK ON THE COLLAGE TO SEE IT ALL!)


I have been working a whole lot and just came off a terrible January. I guess it is the roughest month of the year in furniture sales...I am pretty stressed about how I am going to make it on what I made thru February! I just keep plugging along and rely on faith, hope and grace...What else can I do? Pray for me guys....I need it so I am not under the %$#@#@#$$%%'s thumb. I need to be self sufficient again and it has been a struggle for me.
There is happier news though! My new little niece, Ava Suzanne was born on Wednesday. She is a little doll and I was able to sneak out of work and be with Julie when she was born. I don't think anything is better than a new baby and I have smiled all week about her! We expected Jace to be jealous and he has his moments but he loves his sister. All is wonderful on that front.
I have been making cupcake boxes for the fancy cupcakes that Missy and I are making to sell for Valentines Day. I am starting to hope that we dont get TOO many orders or it is going to turn into cupcake hell....I love these little boxes though. Next I will use my cricut cake and cut out toppers from fondant.
I am still working on the pink quilt. It has grown quite a bit and it is ready for borders. I may do a black dot just cause I love black with pink and there are bits of black in the pink fabrics. I also finished Jen's row for our round robin..Everyone is starting to get their quilts back. I cant wait to see them finished! I decided to machine embroider my blocks for her with flowers. At first, I wasnt real thrilled with them but once I finished them with some of her fabric, I decided I really like the row. It is a beautiful quilt top so far!
I am making fabric Valentines for Jean's grandkids again this year. They give them to their teachers and I enjoy doing them. This actually will be the third year I have made them. Boy, does time fly.
I alos want to thank Laurie (indulge your shelf) and Deb (garage sale gal)!!! Deb sent me a box of the greatest vintage stuff in return for me doing a doggie portrait of her three dogs...I have already got it started and it is going to be fun to see it come together...In the picture all the little treasures are lying on a vintage apron. I am hoping that I can bear to use some of these pretty things...I can be a hoarder at times! Laurie gave away a Holocaust Museum calendar on her blog and I won it. It has excerpts from diaries and pictures that are heart rending....I love it and it is already on my wall.......Thanks again you too and I hope everyone has a great week!!!

voodoo and karma.......

Ok, you all remember my talk of voodoo dolls. Well, I made one and he is a looker I tell you.....Missy, who has become a good friend sent me a link on how to make one and I let it slip that my lack of moss was the hold up...She came right over with a baggie full to help me out. She also brought me more eggs from her chickens and a lavender and tea tree oil mix for my shingles.....a whole other tragic story but I am not going to go there....Isnt she awesome?
So the voodoo doll? I made one and here he is....He is made with one of &^%$%$$#'s shirts, some of his hair, a pair of glasses made out of wire and lots of laughter...







this is me sticking the first pin in his....um, you know......











Isnt Mr. $#@$$%^^&^$%$$# a happy doll? More pins to come, stay tuned.








Now the directions for the doll also talks about Karma....so in order to balance the whole pin in the you know thing I have to do a good deed too....My good deed is working on a quilt for an orphanage of blind kids that jean from http://quiltingranny.blogspot.com is spearheading. She knows a missionary who is going to take quilts for the children in the summer...She wants to send quite a few...I committed to two...I actually started sewing pink scraps together and this is what I have so far.....








These are'nt sewn together yet so it will probably look totally different when finished because I have to go dig out more pink scraps to get it to a twin size....If you want to help please go to Jeans blog and volunteer...She even suggests just using eight fat quarters to make a quilt top....I am going to back mine with a really soft pink fleece and forgo the batting....I am also going to make a boy pirate quilt...Please help if you can....
It has been really fun getting to know a fellow blogger... I mentioned that Missy came over for another visit. She also brought some of her beautiful hand painted eggs to show me....It is a Russian art form and boy are they amazing...She is going to teach me how to do them and may teach a class at a local community college too.













Traditionally, the eggs are full of symbols but she does all kinds of fun patterns and designs. I love the rooster...We also are getting together and making super fancy pantsy Valentine cupcakes wrapped individually to sell...I already have an order for thirty...My dad got me a mini Cricut Cake cutter so we are breaking it in and Missy has all the pans and tips and fun stuff...Just a fun thing to do together......I am slowly making headway in returning emails and visiting blogs....If I havent got to you yet, watch for me!

OK, I am back.......

It is a new year with new beginnings and all that. I said I would be a blogger again in the new year so here I am! This is the longest break I have ever taken from blogging since I started in 2007 and it actually has weighed heavy on my mind. Not just the blogging part, but visiting my friends blogs. It feels good to be back. Thanks for waiting for me!
I mostly have some things to show that people have made for me. My camera was haywire and I didn't get pictures until recently.
First of all, going back to my Christmas apron swap with Penny...She made me the cutest apron and sent it along with Christmas fabric, candy canes and some cute Christmas themed buttons...I promised her a picture and I finally got one on Christmas Eve with my little nephew Jace. I get to show off him and the apron!











I love the colors and this pattern is one of my very favorites....I think it fits me just perfect too!







Isn't Jace a handsome little devil? He is now two and a half and he talks non stop....I get such a kick out of listening to him. I also tease him which you are allowed to do when you are an auntie!

Penny also sent me a picture of herself in the apron I made her....I just think it is so much fun to see her wearing it. She told me it has been well used and loved and in this, she is telling her son how to take the picture. Looking good girlfriend.











Quite a while back I was in Sherry's paper bag swap....The rules were to make some fun and creative items using paper sacks...My partner was Valrie...She was going thru some very hard times and battling some personal things and asked me to be patient with her...Right before Christmas I got a box in the mail and I was surprised to see all this paper bag treasure from Miss Valrie herself....Bobbins has to be Mr. Snoopy and check it all out as I am trying to get a picture.







I love all the bright Spring colors...I am already entirely sick of winter and the cold. My favorite is this little album to put pictures in....Of course it has my initial and it is in pink....












Thanks Valrie for the bit of spring in a box....It was a great swap!

I rejoined the Year of Enchantment Swap hostessed by Val...I forgot to sign up for January though...darn it. The December theme was Elves and my partner was Kerry. I am so impressed by what she sent me...Her ornaments are handmade, but they don't look it....Her detail is pretty amazing. The pincushion is the cutest thing ever with the little cardinal on it. Again Mr Snoopy felt the need to walk into the picture, so ignore the cat. He wasn't part of the enchantment.











The best part about being in Val's ornament swap has been the friends I have made. Val is wonderful and fun and we always tell each other that if we lived closer we would get in all kinds of trouble! Then in November I met Missy who lives right in Clearfield! I have a blogging friend for real! We are both little girls with a wicked sense of humor and we love to make things. She came over last Tuesday and we made fabric postcards. They are a lot like a mini quilt....I had kind of lost any artistic drive I had and she got me right on it anyway. Between the two of us, we both make a lot of different things so it is going to be fun to share ideas and projects....Plus she is a huge gardener and she has.....(hyperventilation...) chickens!
So here are Missy's first fabric postcards....










And here are the two I made....One is a reflection of my current view on marriage....sorry, it just snuck out I guess......












I am looking forward to 2011 and have decided that once again I am going to overcome. I am going to laugh and love and live a good life and not let myself be defined by lifes tragedies....so put that in your pipe and smoke it.....Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

A Christmas quiltie from my friend Peggy!






Look at this "enchanted pincushion" from Kerry! I just got it in the mail and she sent me so many wonderful elf treasures...I will show the apron Penny made me and Kerry's package later when I have time to get pictures!






A years worth of enchanted ornaments from twelve differant people....My finished tree!






Christmas socks on my feet from Jenny!








More Christmas cards than I have ever gotten!







And look at this card and ornament that Helen made me!!!



girly girl ornaments I painted for my fellow furniture girls all packaged up and ready to go......I did six of them.





These were fun to paint and play with.....



















an enchanted elf for Kerry...The theme for December's swap was Elves.....







She likes kitchen gadgets and when I found the elf spatula and cupcake set I thought it was the coolest thing ever....








And the best thing I did all month? I worked at the Ogden rescue Mission giving out backpacks with necessities for the homeless...It was amazing and sad and it made me grateful to be able to help!
















Life goes on, and I am learning to live it again....After the holidays I have made up my mind to be a blogger again....Just wanted to pop on and share some pictures and greetings.....Thanks for all your support! Melinda