Busy, busy, busy...

...but today I can play in the craft room :)

Good morning, I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday. It was fantastic here, although quite busy. I hosted the big meal this year, and with a 24 pound bird, it was a day full of cooking. It was DELICIOUS though, and it was wonderful spending time with my family. Not so wonderful: the next day full of dishes and cleaning. The day after: Andraia's 12th birthday!

She had a great day, starting out with a special surprise (although it is a little cruel, but what can I do? My brother had already sent them.) She received a flower bouquet from the one and only Justin Bieber (a.k.a. my brother. Andraia doesn't know this, and actually believes it somewhat!) She was a little confused as to how he was able to get her address, and when asked when she met him, she replied "I don't know!!!!!"

I'm sure you can't read the card...it says, "Andraia, when I met you girl my heart went knock knock, and now the butterflies in my stomach won't stop stop. Love, J. Biebs." Yeah, my brother is pretty hilarious. I took a video of the moment, and it's hard to see it, but she turns 8 shades of red and starts shaking when asked to read the card out loud :) It was adorable!!

The new iPod Nano made her day :) (However, in typical 12 year old fashion, she said "Cool, now all I need is an iPod." I said, "But you got one for your birthday!" Her response: "You can't play games on it." Oh, I guess your DSi isn't good enough...)

Besides this wonderful *gag* JB holiday CD, she received protective skins featuring JB for her DSi, a bottlecap necklace featuring his face, the JB perfume/body wash/lotion set (which she FLIPPED over), and a JB keychain. This girl is keychain obsessed.
To complete the wonderful JB theme, a friend of mine who makes the most WONDERFUL cakes (if you are in southeastern NH or southern ME and want her info, just let me know. You won't regret it.) made this cake just for Andraia. It was the most delicious cake (the last thing I needed after all of the Thanksgiving feasting and sinful pies), a dark chocolate cake with chocolate chips inside!! Yum!


After the festivities, it was yet another morning full of dishes and cleaning. Can I just say that I am not lifting a finger today when it comes to cleaning? I'm doing strictly laundry today. Sorry, honey. After rearranging the living room to make room for the Christmas tree and then actually putting it up yesterday (we didn't finish decorating it until 9:30!!) I am exhausted. A perfect day to play in the lonely craft room! It needs a LOT of cleaning, but I just don't have the energy for that.

I've posted pics of the cute little family-themed CD tin album I made on my Facebook page, but plan to take better pics outside for the shop. It is actually sunny today, AND dry! A winning combination for taking pictures of paper goods :) I have also whipped up more Christmas cards I'll get around to posting later, and must make 2 DT projects or else I'll miss a deadline! With all of the holiday festivities, I did miss one deadline...the newest challenge over at Dream Valley Challenges. Just because I missed the deadline doesn't mean you have to! Head over to check it out and see what my other teamies have made and enter yours for a chance to win a wonderful prize. You have 2 weeks :)

Until later,

xx

Khristen

Repurposed gift box featuring Humphrey

Good morning, I hope that everyone is doing well today. I am preparing to make a couple of pies for Thanksgiving. This has to be my second favorite holiday...I love turkey and gravy and all of the fixings. I love the leftovers more, and will confess I eat my fair share of turkey and potatoes for breakfast after the big day! I especially love being the one to cook the meal, this year we are having my parents over. Baking the apple pie is my very favorite, and even make the crust from scratch.

Today is my day to post over at the Crafter's Companion blog, and I decided to use the box my iPhone came in and transform it into a cute little Christmas gift box.

I lined the inside of the box with some great Christmas paper from my stash.

I went to work tracing the sides of the box onto the paper and adhered it with my Eco Green Crafts all-purpose Green Glue (love this stuff!)

Once all the paper pieces covered all of the Apple logos and images of the phone (don't want to get anyone's hopes up that an iPhone might be inside), I added this adorable Humphrey 1st Christmas stamp which I colored with Crafter's Companion's new Spectrum Noir markers now available for pre-order. You'll want to head over and check it out, they are fabulous alcohol ink markers that won't break the bank. They glide on so smoothly! I'm playing with them a little more so that I can start combining colors and shading, as I've seen so many other crafters out there doing. I used a fine glitter on Humphrey's hat and a thick glass bead glitter for some snow for Humphrey to sit on. Ribbon, jute, a cute snowflake brad, and the sentiment complete the box.

The bottom of the box:

That's all for right now...I have to go crazy baking pies! I hope you all have a great day, and if I don't have the chance to post again before Thursday (highly likely!), I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving. Don't forget to check in all week over at the Crafter's Companion blog all week to see wonderful projects, and if you get the chance, head over to the challenge blog as well for a shot to win 6 of the newest Humphrey stamps.

what a day...

Today started out great, and up until it was time to pick up Rileigh at school...then it kind of went downhill. All of my running around is over though, and despite missing the person who was supposed to get one of the boys I bring home after kindergarten by mere minutes, the crisis was averted and I got him home. All of the road construction around the highway in our town delayed my arrival back home to get the twins back to their mom on time, but now they are gone too. Thankfully, a friend brings Rileigh to and from band practice across town, so I can now stay home. *phew*

I wasn't able to play in the craft room today, but I wanted to share these cards I made with a friend this weekend. They will end up being mailed to friends/family on my Christmas card list :)

This first one features Bo Bunny papers, buttons, and Santa brad and MM Fa La La trim. Burgandy ink, Imaginisce iRock green bling and distressed edges thanks to my Heidi Swapp edge distresser.

Last year's leftover Christmas papers worked nicely here, MME glitter papers. The sentiment is an Imaginisce acrylic stamp. Twinery twine. MM ribbon and glass beads that are gorgeous :)


This is my friend's rubber stamp, embossed with red powder, colored with some alcohol ink markers, and MME Christmas papers to finish it off.


That's all for today! Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to make a bit more for the shop (like finish that Family album!) Until then, I must now go give a friend a ride to work (got the call in the middle of this post...I jinxed myself saying I was done for the day!)

xx

Khristen