Happy 4th of July!

Project Life Week #2

Just a typical week in my life, busy with work and day-to-day errands.  Saturday started off a relaxing weekend.  I worked on completing week one of project life and continued with my scanning project of childhood photos.  I am about half way through album 2 of 4.  On Saturday night, my mother, sister and I had tickets to a ballet documentary "First Position".  The movie followed 6 young ballet dancers on their journey toward the finals in the Youth American Grand Prix.  What a wonderful movie and an eye-opening look into these young lives. Sunday was quite typical, 11:30 Mass followed by lunch with the family (Dad grilled steaks) and then a little shopping at Tj Maxx and Marshalls.  It has become Sunday ritual!  Monday started off a busy work week due to last week's roll out of the new system, but I managed to squeeze in a few fun things.  The adorable Amy Tan was able to save me a kit from her most recent class.  It came on on Monday and I got started creating right away.  The company kids did a showoff for family and friends of all the dances competing at nationals on Tuesday night.  WOW! Our kids are gonna kick some butt!  Nationals will fall right into Week #4 of project life and I can't wait to spend 6 days with my girls in Orlando at Tremaine.  Wednesday was a "work from home day".  I always manage to get a lot more done on these days when the phone isn't ringing off the hook or people are stopping by my desk.  I even managed to get a little online shopping in.  The 27th was Studio Calico's reveal for their July Kit "Elmwood Park".  Reveals make me so nervous!  I usually spend a couple of days before digging through the message boards trying to decide what I am going to buy and stay within a "scrap" budget.  Everything goes so quick on reveal day.  The plan was to pick up two add-ons ("Twisty Slide" and "Four Square") along with more color and more patterned paper this month.  I managed to get both add-ons into my cart but somehow had two of "twisty slide".  Well there is no way to change the quantity and i had to delete both from my cart and tried to re-add just the one but it was sold out.  Good news, stayed up till 11 PM and managed to snatch "twisty slide".  I was able to get more color but not more patterned paper.  I went with 3 kits (main + 2 add-ons) because i loved the color combinations and last months kit is practically "killed" with 3 completed layouts and week #1 of PL.  SC released, for the first time, digital elements to go with the July Kits.  Being a silhouette owner myself, I picked up 5 cutting files along with a printable of journaling cards and shapes.  Oh SC, you never fail to impress, I now have more elements for PL!  My order also included Mistery Huey's Sunshine Mist and more color from the Take Note and Abroad collection which were part of Last Call.  To top off my Wednesday, my package from "Swap Your Stash" arrived.  On SC's Forums, I joined in on Caz's "Sway your stash" were she pairs you with another member and you send a package stash items.  I was match with Maria from AZ who likes teal, yellow, white and kraft.  She sent me a packaged filled with pink, Amy tangerine, and project life elements.  Oh i was so excited to see those PL pages and blank journal cards! Although Thursday was filled with work projects, I did manage to squeeze in time for my submission to American Crafts Design Team.  This is #29 on my "30 things in Year 30". I have applied twice before and am hoping this is my year. Friday rounded out the work week with a half day followed by some grocery shopping at target and house cleaning.  All in all a typical busy week, just the way i like it!

Here is the loot i received from Maria for SC's Swap Your Stash.....

Project Life Week #1

As stated an a previous post, I decided to start a project life album for the first time.  I started on Saturday June 16th, my 30 birthday.  Here is the complete post. on the b-day celebrations. So on to project life.  I completed three pages for week one.  Supplies used where mainly all from Studio Calico's June Kit - So Cal along with a few random extras from my stash.  Along with my birthday celebration, the week was filled with shopping trips to prepare for florida, my grandmother's 82nd birthday and major system roll-out at work.

Loving project life so far. Currently working on putting together this past week's layout.

"Fabulous, Flirty & 30!"

So Saturday marked the end of my 20's..... That's right, I'm officially "Fabulous, Flirty & 30".

My birthday celebrations kicked off a week early with the June birthday luncheon at work. The whole department gets together once a month and celebrates all those with birthdays. For June we went to one of my favorite places, La Carreta. I got my usual, "Flaunta Special" and spent a wonderful two hours chatting with co-workers. Once back at work, we celebrated with cake. Love me some strawberry cake!

After a long week at work and teaching summer dance classes, it was good to have a half day on friday. I enjoyed an afternoon of scrapbooking! Way too many layouts to post here, but i do post all in Studio Calico's member gallery: http://www.studiocalico.com/users/agtsnowflake. Also have a new addition to the scrap room. I like to enjoy my layouts before i file them in their permanent Photo Freedom albums. I hung a basic drapery rod on the wall and using binder rings and page protectors turned sideways, I can display 5 at a time.

Saturday's celebration kicked off with a FORMAL lunch with the family.My mother and sister cooked all morning. On the menu was Crab-topped catfish, butter potatoes, green bean casserole and Jungle Juice. To stay with the healthy theme, instead of a traditional birthday cake, I was given an Edible Arrangement filled with fruit. Best Birthday Cake Ever!

After lunch followed "present time". Even at 30 (wow that was hard to type), I still get all giddy on my birthday. I ended up with all kinds of goodies; money, a double hammock for my back porch and a sewing machine.

My official birthday concluded with a night of scrapping with Izzy. Perfect end to perfect birthday!

"The 30 List"

Well lets first start off with an apolgie.  I have not blogged since DECEMBER, its MAY!  Life got a little crazy busy, buy hey thats no excuse.  To my 8 followers, I deeply apolgize.  On to the reason for this post.

I turn the big "30" in 37 days.  Whoa, life is passing me by!  Around my 28th birthday, I made a list of 30 things i wanted to accomplish by the time i turned 30....let's see how that turned out

The "30" List

1. Meet Scrappy Friends - I have made so many between CCL and Weekend crops at Memory Mania
2. Save $5000 - nope didn't happen and doubt it will in the next 37 days
3. Sell My Craft - my feather headbands have been sold at both the dance studio and in my aunt's booth at The Courtyard
4. Read 20 books- not sure how many i read but i know it wasn't 20, will lower the number for next year
5. Take a Road Trip - I've driven to Houston twice this year
6. Learn to sew- hoped to get a sewing machine for christmas but never happened, got a pivi printer instead
7. blog every week - we all know that didn't happened
8. have a project published - nothing major, a few hits on pinterest and on LSS blog
9. make a design team
10. hold a crop- didn't have room in the last two houses, do NOW
11. de-clutter my life - done, with the move to the new house
12. achieve wellness - actually went in the opposite direction, will work harder on this one
13. visit a new place - I went to Nassau Bahamas in March, visiting Hawaii in May
14. art journal
15. fall in love
16. attend a crop - I attend CCL in January and I have signed up for it again in July
17. buy a house OMG! never thought this would really happen
18. make 5 new friends
19. travel by trainu
20. library of memories class - started but not complete
21. learn 3 new things - im sure i did, have to think about this one
22. scrapbooking cruise
23. daily album - started "Photo a day" this past janurary but didn't last too long
24. grow out my hair - done, cut and working on it again
25. photo shoot - took pictures of the kids durning easter in 2011
26. go camping
27. get promoted
28. appear on tv - my little buddy and I are in the new Big Buddy Program commerical
29. throw a party - Halloween was celebrated at my house this past October
30. have a true picnic

#31 was to make a layout of the accomplishments....im sure i can get that done before June 16th.

Wow! only 11 out of the 30, not too good.

I have put together "30 in Year 30".....

Some have been carried over, others re-evaluated but I go.....

1. Have a Picnic
2. Learn to use chopsticks
3. do something that scares me
4. visit two new places
5. throw a party
6. attend CCL or another crop
7. blog weekly (shooting for wednesdays)
8. fall in love
9. start walking
10. see 5 broadway shows
11. scrap weekly
12. work harder and play harder
13. learn to use manual mode on dslr
14. scan childhood pictures
15. teach tap classes
16. complete "2012 Travels" Smash ablum
17. be more grateful
18. decorate for each holiday/season
19. finish "photo freedom"
20. go camping
21. try 12 new recipes
22. learn to sew
23. hold a crop
24. read 5 books
25. christmas dinner party
26. attend a festival
27. follow through on all projects
28. save $5000
29. submit for two design teams
30. complete "project life - Year 30"

SMASH "Dance" Style

At the end of each dance competition season, I put together a scrapbook for my cousin. It usually takes me the entire summer, up until the start of the next season to complete. With the introduction of Smash books, we decided to "smash" the season as it went along. On the ride to and from, we smash a little and then each night if we have time. We are using the "Pretty Pink" folio.

1st Master Workshop at the start of the dance season

2nd & 3rd Master Workshop

1st Convention – Camp Pulse

School Talent Show

Showoff at studio for Family and Friends

2nd Competition/Convention - Tremaine….. instead of all the misc. papers to keep up with, we had the teachers autograph straight into her book and then using my pogo printer, we stuck in the mini prints

1st Scholarship of the season….hopefully many more to come!

She was also chosen as the “Studio Dancer of the Year”

She loves smashing in her “dance” book and I love the fact that come July the book will be complete.



"It's beginning to look a lot like christmas....." part 1

My four day thanksgiving weekend was filled with family, lots of food, shopping, sleeping and christmas decor.  Since I was able to get my black friday shopping done online and on thanksgiving day, that left my black friday free for decorating.  The weather here in south louisiana didn't lend a helping hand.  It rained all weekend so i focused on the inside.....

Let's start with the tree....

For many years now, family and friends have asked the process i use to decorate my tree, so here we go.

• my tree comes in three pieces.  i fluff as i go and always arrange the top design before placing the last piece of the tree
• using a large roll of ribbon( purchased at hobby lobby, the 100 feet rolls) in gold, i loosley wrap around the tree starting at the top.  Ribbon is tucked in the braches.  This is mainly as a filler.

• repeat with red ribbon, tuck extra ribbon still on the roll under the tree skirt
• add beaded garland, this garland was given to me by my mother so not really sure where it came from

• add ornaments, gold picks, birds, etc
• starting at the top take a strip of the black wide mesh ribbon and attach to branches making poofs
• add umbrellas

• stand back and admire

thoughts for next year's tree.....

this is my first time christmas decorating in the new house.  I basically went with what was done in the last house with a few changes.  I would like to add a revolving tree stand next year.  Along with something new to the top of the tree.  Also i need to rember to move the rug before setting up the tree.

now on to the rest of the house.....

I do not have a mantel/fireplace, so i always decorate the top of the tv armoire.  The presents are empty boxes wrapped in kraft paper.  The nutcrackers were purchased from walmart a couple of years ago.  The gold sconces are from hobby lobby last year.  The red trees are actually a christmas card holder.  The reindeer are older than I am and use to reside over the fireplace in my parents house, but since have been handed down to me.

On to the christmas village.....

I picked up two dickens village houses at a trash to treasure sale a few years ago and have added pieces from walmart's classic village collection each year. I have finally filled the entire ladder shelf, so i doubt i will add any other big pieces.

Next is my Fontanini Nativity collection........

As a young child, I always admired my aunt's extensive Fontanini collection and was given a starter kit the first christmas when i moved out.  My collection has grown since then.  My grandmother gives me a few pieces each christmas and I have found others on sale.  In the old house it filled a round decorator table but now it resides on the shelves a my new chinese cabinet.  I hope to add many more to this collection.

As i mentioned above, it rained almost the whole weekend so i did not manage to decorate the outside.  I plan to do that this weekend, weather permitting.  I did start on some of the outdoor decor that is staged in the house.  I have seen the large ornaments hung in store window display a many of times and always wanted to do it on a smaller scale at my house.  The windows in the old house did not lend well to this but in the new house they do.  Simply using numerous types of ribbon and shatter proof ornaments, hang in different lengths from the inside of the windows.  I also added some lighted garland wrapped in white mesh ribbon.  i only got one window done but will be completing the second on with the rest of the outdoor decor this weekend.



Once the outdoor is complete, I will post more pics......

Halloween Wrap-Up

I know I am five days late......its been a busy week on top of being sick

but here is the last of halloween post for 2011.

Final decor pics:

 Front door all lit up for trick or treat

Make shift graveyard

Trick or Treat  TREATS.....

 Halloweenies, Mummy Faced Pizza's, Pumpkin Guts, Veggie Skelton with brain dip, Mummy Brains

 Treats Table: Vampire bites, Teenie Tiny Witch hats, Strawberry Ghosts & Dirt Cake

Our Trick Or Treaters.....

A Tradition Continues.......

Last year, Trick or Treat party was held at my house as I was the only house left in the avenues willing to have a party.  Post here with last year's decor and party.  The new tradition continues this year even though I have moved.  The new house, still in avenues, has bigger enteraining area plus it more appealing for those cute trick-or-treaters (Im located on the main blvd).  Knowing this would be, I have been working on decor since the beginning of September.  Mostly everything is handmade with a few bought items added in.  Most of my inspiration have come from pictures collected on pinterest or ads out of magazines like pottery barn.  Here we go:

Let's start withe of the house......

The SPOOKY letters and candy corn garland are from last year with added pumpkins and sign purchased from TJ Maxx (last year)

Continuing in the living room.....

In the display box is one of the many layouts from last year's Trick or Treat.  We love to look back and see how the kids tastes in costumes change just within a year.  The spider plate is a new diy addition.  Gotta give credit to "Crap I've Made" for the idea.  I used a white plate from dollar tree, black puff paint and a spider ring leftover from last years goodie stash.

Next up is the Sofa table with the Subway art and Glittered Witches Hats......

The subway art is from Eighteen 25 and the other print is from Craftily Ever After.  The Witches Hats idea came from Oopsey Daisey. 

 The Boo Banner is my own creation.  I used Glitter cardstock and "Boo" line details from American Crafts

The glitter spiders where purchased at Micheals.

On to the kitchen/dinning room.....

More candy corn banners above the kitchen sink

 A little fall decor above fridge... all puchased in previous years from Tj Maxx/Marshalls

 Can't really see it in the picture above  but if you look in the lower right corner the are some spiders crawling up the fridge door.  I simply cut the ring part off and with a little sticky tack attached them to the door in a curved line.

"EEK" letters are also from Eighteen 25.....

If you notice in the background above there is a jar of candy corn, a better picture of this to come....just need to fill the third jar.   The idea came from Eighteen 25, i just updated their easter theme with halloween and used wooden candle sticks I already had on hand.  The plan is to use these year round for each holiday.

Moving on to the outside.....

This is a work in progress as i have run out of tulle.....

The jumbo spiders and the web were purchased this year from my local Dollar Tree.  When its dark outside and the light in the dinning room is on, the web looks like it glowing...so cool!

 The start of the front entrance......

All the pumpkins are fake craft ones from either Micheals or Dollar Tree (small orange and glittered brown).  I simply wrote my initials and bats on the white ones with a sharpie. The black poka dot was done by using garage sale stickers and painting the pumpkin black with acrylic craft paint. Glittered pumpkin were done with Krylon's new glitter spray paint and dollar tree pumpkins.  Scarecrows were purchased from walmart two years ago.

 My skeletons were made using my silhouette and this file.  I enlarged the pieces and attached them using brads.  Since we are dancers in this family, "S" is in a perfect tilt and attitude jump.

 Underneath "S" is a spider family and two pumpkins.  Both purchased last year from Marshalls.

 Just a small wreath on the bedroom door.

MOre decor to come.  Party pics will be posted after Halloween......Stay Tuned!