TTIC #32

This week's Twilight Tuesday Challenge had us creating something about the Northwest, to which I've never been. So, since I have no personal stories I can draw from, Gene did a little quick research for me on just "stuff" Northwest-ie. He found old Native American tales about various animals, one of which being the Raven, which is one of my favorite creatures. The Raven is a very important animal in Native American cultures for lots of reasons. One of which is that he put the moon and the sun in the sky, which is what I have written on the card I made. Here's a link to one of the websites he found. It's pretty cool, so you should check it out! http://www.nhusd.k12.ca.us/ALVE/wow/Northwest%20Cultures/stories.htm Now, about my card... First of all, the colors are all off, I don't know why. I must have had my camera on the wrong setting, because I was going for a dawn/dusk sky effect for the background. Second, I really don't like this card. The idea I like, but my execution is way off... probably because I didn't make the card when I was first inspired (a lesson I should have learned years ago!) and I rushed it at the end. With all that's been going on with the store and the sudden onslaught of custom work I'm doing (I'll blog about that another time!), time really has slipped between my little fingers. You can't even tell that I used really cool black opal embossing powder for the raven. So, basically, when I have a free moment (ha ha) I would like to do this one again (I know, I know... I still have to do the Jasper TTIC... I haven't forgotten you Jasper!). I think my idea works, it's not just trees and stuff... (not that there's anything wrong with thte tree theme!) but I really hafta redo it because, I'm actually a bit embarrassed by this piece 'o work. I just wanted to turn somethingin to the challenge. As far as the comment portion... where would we like to visit in the Northwest most of all? Anywhere really. I have not gone further North than LA... and that was only for like 2 hours! I really must travel more. So that's that for this post... I will make a sincere effort to redo this card in a way that is more in line with what I was thinking... Until then, enjoy the good laugh you'll get outta this card! :}

PS Make sure you check out all of the other submissions to this week's TTIC! Go to http://www.twilighttuesday.com/!

One Door Closes...

This has been a difficult bunch of months regarding my store. The economy is in a terrible place, my store location isn't the best, not enough folks know about my store and my web site needs revamping. Put all this together and you have a recipe for disaster. I am miserable, but I've gotta close my little shop. I am hoping that I will be able to reopen in a couple of months. We're going to run some crops at different locations, and look for a new place. My landlord has someone who's wanted the spot for a while, and we're just not going to make it there. I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this will all work out. That our customers will attend the crops, and then come to our new location...wherever that is... But I'm sad. Really, really sad. My family and I have put so much into our little store, and everyone loves it... it's just that everyone is having a tough time right now.
We are going to keep doing custom work (which, amazingly, I've been getting a lot of in the past week or so), and our website will be updated with a better shopping cart. I just have to remember, that when one door closes, another opens... I just hope that next time, it's the right door.

TTIC #31

It's Monday and I finally made my Twilight Tuesday Challenge for the week! This week's challenge was to make something suitable for graduation. It's supposed to be a gift... but, I'm shy on time so, I made a card... suitable for putting a Gift Card inside!!! I was gonna do something with grad caps and tassles... but yawn... that's already been done. So I decided to go for some words of encouragement. "May all your dreams come true." I used some refreshing blue and lemonade yellow, I wanted to keep the card light and happy... not serious like many grad cards I've seen. I punched 2 stars out for a little dimension too. Not my best work, I know... but, I think it's cute! Make sure you check out all of the other projects at www.twilighttuesday.com!

We're also supposed to talk about something graduation for this challenge... be it from our own, or someone else's. What I remember most about my college graduation (which is a moment that still brings tears to my eyes), is while I was leaving the auditorium after receiving my degree... I saw my parents up in the stands. They were watching my walk out. I held my hand up in the sign for "I love you" in American Sign Language. My Dad (who was never known for showing affection) shot it right back at me. He loved me. He was proud of me. He showed me that in front of an entire audience (yeah, I know no one was paying attention to us, but still...). He signed that he loved me. And the tears welled up then, and they are doing it even now. He passed away 3 1/2 months later. I know that most of you reading my blog never met my dad, and won't get why this is still so important to me (aside from the fact that he's no longer here). I always knew my dad loved me... but he just never showed it. Never really said it. Emotions were not my Dad's friend.

But in that one brief moment, his emotions were on display for the entire world to see.

My Dad loved me.

4 Generations

My daughter is a very lucky girl. She is fortunate to not only have her grandmother living right next door, but her great-grandmother living just 1 mile away. It's not too often that you can have 4 generations in one photo! We ladies were all together at my store the other day, and I had enough sense about me to have my sister Pam take a picture of us. Surprisingly enough, my mom agreed with NO hesitation! And for those of you who know my mom, that's quite a big deal!!! So this is the picture. I think it's awesome. Grandma-ma, Nana, Me, and Rhi. 4 generations of strong, smart women. It's a beautiful thing.

A Riceball in a Sailor Suit

This is a layout that I just finished yesterday. In these photos, Nix is dressed in a Sailor Suit with a Sailor's jacket on. Here's why it was important for me to complete - yes, this is gonna be weird - before he was born, we nicknamed him "Riceball." Gene and I weren't fond of "Peanut" or any of those other silly nicknames we parents to be give our unborn babies. So, we fluctuated between Spawn (yes, Spawn) and Riceball. There's this anime that I love (and I'm not usually a fan of animes) called Fruits Basket. Awesome show... you should watch it... Anyway, it's about the Chinese Zodiac and how all the main characters in this one family (the Somas) represent each of the animals n the zodiac. But the most important character is Tohru. She is a girl that discovers the secret of the Soma family. Basically, she doesn't have an animal that she becomes but the Somas think of her as a Riceball. There's a lot more to it than that but... I don't want this post to be miles long, and I don't want to give the whole story away (you really should watch it!). So to make a long story even longer, there's this song about a riceball (Tohru) dressed up in a sailor suit. Take note to the little drawing in the layout. That's Tohru, as a riceball, in a sailor suit. Ok... so I dressed Mr. Nix up in this friggin' adorable outfit the other day (I usually dress him like a rock star... but he is only 2... and I am his Mom, so I can get away with cute outfits once in a while can't I???), and Gene started singin' the Riceball Song. No, they are not the right lyrics for those of you freaks (in my family) that are checking, but he adjusted them to fit the moment. Yes, it was quite funny to hear Gene break out into song... about a riceball!!! Hence, the layout. Ya see why I just had to scrap it almost immediately? It's hilarious! At least... to us it is. But the layout is pretty cute, I think. I used Imaginisce cardstock from there beachy collection which worked perfectly (thanks Mon), and some Rain Dots which I love plus a couple of stamps. I'm happy with it. It's got a collage type feel to it and it's cute, just like my boy. He's gonna hate me one day for these pictures huh??? ;)

Supplies: Cardstock: Imaginisce, Prism. Rain Dots: Cloud 9. Stamps: Fancy Pants , Inkadinkado, Art Gone Wild. Ink: Color Box, Distresser: Heidi Swapp Drawing of Riceball: Fruits Basket.

Mother's Day 2009

I am a Mom. It's still weird for me to say that even though I've been a Mom for over 2 years now. I guess I still feel like a kid myself sometimes. But, I am so proud to have the title. My babies are awesome. Phoenix is the cutest, funniest little kid and he never ceases to amaze me. Have I mentioned that he recognizes every letter of the alphabet? Yes... at 2 years old! But I digress... And my little Rhiannon is getting prettier every day. I love those HUGE smiles that she's always giving me. I look so forward to the many things she will do to amaze me. Mother's Day this year was nice. We got to see both my mom and my mother-in-law... But, honestly, I think it's kind of a silly holiday (don't get me wrong, I will always want handmade cards from my kids on this day!). Mother's Day is a day when you're supposed to tell your mom how much you love her; which is great... we should all tell our moms (or anyone that's important to us) how much we love them more often, but I don't need a special day. Every day that my kids smile at me, hug me, and kiss me, is Mother's Day to me. It doesn't get more special than that.

Poetic License

So last week on TTIC, the question was asked if reading Twilight has gotten you into reading (again). I added my 2 cents to the inquiry and then resumed reading Betrayed from the House of Night Series by PC Cast and Kristen Cast. More about these books another time... Anywho, I was reading a bit this morning, as I was nursing The Girl (as we affectionately call Rhiannon), and I was reading about a girl in the book (I'm now up to Haunted) who writes poetry. I thought, "Hmmm, I haven't written a poem in, like, years." And put it out of my head. Shortly thereafter, I was eating my delicious Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal (mmmmmmmmm...) and pop! A poem bubbled up from wherever my creative thoughts come from. It's about rediscovering my love of reading. Enjoy!

I turn the pages
-awakened.
I lose myself
-elated.
I longed for this
-forgotten.
I turn again
-revived.

TTIC #30: Best Friends

This week's Twilight Tuesday Inspiration Challenge is about the relationship between Bella and Jacob, and how they're best friends. I am very fortunate to have 2 Best Friends, other than my sisters and husband. My Best Friends are Lisa and Terry. Sorry Lisa, but this time I'm gonna talk about Terry. Terry an I have been friends for... over 10 years. I lost track. We met at work. And, although she was afraid of me at first (a manager dressed in goth could be a bit intimidating I suppose!), we soon hit it off. We've been through a bunch of crap together, but she has always stuck by me, when no one else would. One of my favorite things about Terry is that we can be total dorks together... which we do often. The things we have in common are so... I don't know... campy, I guess... our relationship could be viewed as silly, but it's much deeper than that. I could talk to her about basically everything, and she knows that she could do the same. We're always brutally honest with each other. Neither of us like to sugar-coat things, and I love that about her too. I could go on and on... But, let me just rewrite what I put on my page. That'll give you a good idea as to what our relationship is like!

You Know She's Your Best Friend When...

*She stands by you when no one else will

*She tells you when you're being an a**hole

*She delights in guilty pleasures like NKOTB, and Twilight with you

*You reserve drinking Midori Sours and Kahlua only for when you're together

*When you kick, scream, and whine about how badly you want the Twilight t-shirt from Walmart and that she should buy it for you for no other reason than she's your Best Friend... and then she does!

A couple of notes... No, I do not drink while I am nursing... so we have not shared a Midori Moment in like 3 years! And no, I do not typically go to Walmart (not that there's anything wrong with going!), but it was during the Midnight Release Party and we had to scope out all the Twilight stuff that everybody was selling!

So, there you go... Terry, I love ya. And, I told you I'd blog about you soon!!!

Make sure you visit http://www.twilighttuesday.com/ to check out all of the other entries!
Supplies: Cardstock: Tinkering Ink, Prism, Embellishment: American Crafts, Extras: Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels.

Where's Rhi-Rhi? Layout

So this layout I was so excited to make... but had a helluva time at first. I put Rhiannon in Phoenix's high chair for the first time a couple weeks ago to try to keep her occupied so I could maybe get some work done. But then I looked at her... she's just so small in that big high chair! She kinda disappeared! So, instead of doing my work, I pulled out the camera and started snapping. She's just so tiny! I love this high chair because of all the bright colors. So of course, when I made a page, I knew it needed to be just as bright. But, as luck would have it, NONE of the paper in my ENTIRE store was what I needed. I went through my paper at home... still nothing. The greens were always just a little off... and of course, that just won't do!!! I was vending at a crop this past Sunday, as was another store. I was passing by their stuff (it's always fun to see what other vendors have!) and saw the green leaves paper. I freaked! I just so happened to have printed the pics in case I found something at their "store." Well, it was EXACTLY what I was looking for! And the green was purrrrfect! So, I ran back to my table and practically threw the page together! When you find just what you've been looking for, things usually fall right into place. I made the layout in like 10 minutes, barring the title of course. No need for fancy-smanshy embellishments here! It came out just how I had envisioned. I love it. It's bright, cheery, it mimics the leaves on the high chair perfectly, and Rhiannon is just friggin' adorable!

Supplies: Cardstock: Prism, Leaf paper: Creative Imaginations, Title: Sizzix Dies, Adhesieve: Kokuyo, EK Success