The Beginning of The Insperation Line

Today I took these cute little clips from Ikea and turned them into a display for inspirational items. I seem to always have these little inspirational bits around with no where to put them but not now, oh no! The best part is that I used only two $.99 cent kits how cool is that?






I also bound the pages from my last chunky book swap today. The theme was a few of my favorite things. Chunky books are so cool once you get them put together that they make you want to do another and another.

Journal Pages, Gift Cards, & Ikea Revealed

First, here are three more black and white pages. At the rate I'm going my Black & White Journal will be done before break is over. While I love this journal I am excited to start working in color. (Probably as excited as I was to work only in black and white. Go figure.)

Santa brought me a $10 gift card to Walmart just in case he forgot anything. While he did not forget anything I did remembered a few things. I am attaching the photo because I am sure Santa will be checking in. He sees you when your sleeping, he knows when you're awake. To the untrained eye this may look like first aid and office supplies but oh no my friends these are all art supplies (and one water bottle).

So, you may still be waiting breathlessly to find out about my Ikea shopping trip just before Christmas. Well, the biggie was a new bed spread cover that I just got on my bed today. It's funny, I had to trade the bed pillows and the couch pillows. I guess the funny thing is that trading them worked. I also bought small spoons and drink glasses for a surprise appetizer drink for our Christmas of appetizers. Wrapping paper for next year at only $.25 a roll and a cute little clothes line that I will use for an inspiration line. I promise to show it off when it goes up. And the best part besides the bed cover is a garbage can with a lid so that Bentley, my dog, will quit eating everything I throw away. Jim says that she loves paper just like me. I say she likes to be annoying but she's cute so I forgive her.

Also, today I went to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. This is always fun but today I found these cool stencils on the 40% off table! They are 8 1/2" x 11" I can't wait to put them to use!


I also found Khaki pants that I love at GAP in Scottsdale Fashion Square. I had been looking everywhere with no luck. They were also on clearance for 50% off. It was a good shopping day! (Ayesha, I checked out J. Crew they had 0 pairs of khakis for women can you believe it?)

Secrets Revealed! (As Promised)

Secret #1
I made this little planner for Buffy for Christmas. It was my favorite gift that I gave this year. I started with a little calendar from the dollar section at Target and embellished the cover to make it worth much more than $1. Actually, I loved it so much that I made one for myself with Jim and I on the cover.
Secret #2
I have been reading Journal Revolution for the past few weeks, I also gave a copy to my mom for Christmas, oh my gosh! I love it as much as Visual Chronicles, which is the first book written by Linda Woods and Karen Dinino. If you are artsy or want to be artsy you should run not walk to get your hands on a copy of this book.

More Goodies

Today was another great day. I received more goodies, visited with both Jim's mom and sister and my mom and sister, ate loads of appetizers, and enjoyed Kake's first Christmas. When I was all over I also enjoyed a nap on Jim while he watched basketball and now I am off to play.

Kakes and her mountain of presents.

Buffy and I with our appetizer dessert.

Today Was Perfect!

Here's the play by play...
Jim has asked me every day for two weeks to open our Christmas presents. Every day I have said not until Christmas Eve. We have always opened on the 24th so we have to enjoy our gifts and each other before racing off to see family and friends. With this information it should come as no surprise that at about 6:30 this morning, I slept in, we were opening our gifts. (My loot is pictured above-I am so spoiled!) The dogs even received their Christmas treats and spent most of the day enjoying them. The dogs actually received a second round of bones when their grandpa stopped by later in the afternoon with bones for them as well. (How cute is that?)
After opening gifts Jim went with me to Walmart to purchase all of the food to take to our families houses. It was just as exciting for Jim to accompany me on this mission as it was opening gifts.
Next, I spent some time trying to figure out how to play Dance Dance Revolution on the Wii. Jim was offering support and trying to help figure out what was going on. Although the game is frustrating, it is fun none the less and I will figure it out.
After a trip to pet sit for three of my favorite felines I ran to Recollections to pick up some envelopes for my Christmas cards. Recollections is going out of business next month but kept swearing they weren't going to have a sale. Their plan was to sell their inventory to a liquidator, anyway the whole store was 20% off. I didn't go crazy, after all why buy anything you can get somewhere else with at 40% off coupon. I did but a couple of bottles of distress ink reinkers, a stamp pad rack similar to the paint rack form Ayesha and some white rubons in addition to the envelopes I went for.
Back at home it was more Dance Dance Revolution practice until my legs could not take it any more. I hung out more with Jim, received my owl stamps by Sassafrass Lass in the mail, reorganized a little in the studio, and then we went to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. I had a grilled cheese and White Chocolate Carmel Macadamia Nut Cheesecake. Yes, you heard me right-you should run right down and get yourself a piece too it's heavenly.
To end our adventure out we went to the Arizona Celebration of Lights which is this really cool light display that you drive through at a local church. This is not a rinky dinky display either it is huge. We love the display so much that we do it every Christmas Eve. (Normally we get a hot chocolate at Quick Trip first but didn't have room this year due to the delicious Cheesecake.)
When we finally got home I got a chance to play with some of my new art supplies and organize a little too. My day couldn't have been more perfect.

Kakes First Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with my Dad today. It was so fun to see Baby Kakes opening her present from her Poppy today. First she was tearing off the wrapping paper and trying to eat it. Then, when she finally got the gift opened she got so excited. She actually recognized her new toy as one she plays with at her Fairy Godmother's house. It was amazing to see how happy she was. You could just tell she couldn't wait to get it out of the package!

Okay, Seriously...

How could you not love a paint rack like this? All of your colors hanging right at your finger tips? I love this rack even more that I imagined, and imagined that I would really, really love it. It clipped right on to the wire rack I had next to my workspace and now I won't need to go digging for paint as often. I love it and it's beautiful too!
It is funny though. This one little shelf makes me want to rearrange some of my other art supplies too! It could get crazy fun. (Here's another view.)

What To blog, What To Blog

Blogging these days is tricky because their are so many secrets. Ayesha and I went to Ikea today, but I can't tell what I bought because some of it is a surprises. I also made a really cool little gift but I can't show a picture yet because it is also a surprise. I can't tell you which book I am reading either again, because It could give away a gift. The upside is that their will be so much to show and tell after Christmas.
I can show you this fun star that I finally finished tonight. Ayesha and I each bought one about a month ago. It took me forever to do mine because once I painted the edges my decorative paper would not stick using a tape runner. I went on strike with the project because I did not want to use Mod Podge when it hit me I could just use gel medium like I do on my journal pages. Anyway I am not sure why this star makes me so happy, it just does.
I should also mention that Deb, Ayesha and I went to the Bentley Projects and the Citybakery on Friday to celebrate Christmas/Winter break. We usually try to eat at non-chain restaurants because they are fun to try and because we love an adventure. I was especially excited to take the girls to this spot because the restaurant is only open M-F 11-3 and we were out on a half day. The gallery was fun lunch was great and I got tons of cool surprises. Deb bought me a book called Bead and Wire Art Jewelry that is very inspiring, a few glitter Gelly Roll pens in pirate colors, black and white Making Memories self adhesive fabric tape and Endless Summer tape from Heidi Swapp. Ayesha got me a very cool paint rack (I will show it off when it's loaded) and some very cool and grungy self adhesive chip board letters. It was a very good day.

Tres Mas

Three more and I am already half way through this journal. I can't wait to take a few Journaling classes with Kelly Kilmer in January at Frenzy Stamper. (You should take Kelly's classes too!)

It All Started Innocently...

I just needed one Damask Heidi Swapp Mask 1) because I didn't have it, and 2) because Tim Holtz used it on day 6 of his 12 tags of Christmas. I looked around town and could not find one and this led me to the internet-a very dangerous place to shop. (There are things on the internet that I have never met but that I need.) I stumbled upon scrapgal.com that not only had the mask, on sale I might add, but also a Whispies mask, and a Damask stamp too! While I was goofing around on this web site I discovered a new line called Sassafras Lass. Oh my! How could I not love Oliver and Olivia? Scrapgal was all sold out so I look all over until I found the best price on ebay. I found an ebay store called fancyscrapbooking and had to get little Oliver and Olivia, a few sheets of great paper, and some owl rub ons from Hambly Screen Prints. I can't wait for the treasures to arrive at my door!

Two Artists You Should Know

If you don't know about Rex Ray & Ryan McGinness you should. Jim bought Rex Rey Art + Design for me for our anniversary. Talk about inspiration. Although Rex Ray has done loads of album art it is his collage that speaks to me. His use of shape, color, and texture are amazing. While I was salivating over Rex Ray's book Ryan McGinness was mentioned as another artist with a similar style. I HAD to order installationview and it arrived today. I was not disappointed! This book is yummy. I love the overlapping and repeating shapes as well as the use of line. Ryan McGinness has several pieces pictured that have been done directly onto walls and the effect is amazing.

Baby Kakes and the Wii (and other random facts)

Today Ayesha, Buffy, Deb, Baby Kakes and I all went to the Indian buffet for lunch. Yum! Afterwards Deb went off to buy art supplies (I am so proud!) and the rest of us went off to play the Wii. Why does Kakes have such a big smile? Because Wii bowling with Mommy is so much fun of course!


Okay, are they just kidding me with this? These microscopic brownies are only 100 callories-WOWIE. You would expect a 1 3/4 "x 1 3/4", 1/4" brownie to be under 100 calories (Yes, I really measured it.) double frosting or not. I actually had hope that they would look like the brownie on the package- silly me.

Click this link to see me mentioned on the Journal Revolution blog yesterday 12-8. Wow what a great surprise when I looked at their blog today. I had no idea.

More Black & White Pages

I love working in my Black and White journal. Check out these new pages.


Kelly Kilmer's classes were posted on the Frenzy Stamper Website today. Ugh, how am I supposed to decide? They all sound great!

The Black & White Journal

I have been working in my black and white journal and I am loving it! I made a tape journal like the one I made with Kelly Kilmer only no color is allowed. This has been a blast because I am actually completing each page as I go (imagine that) instead of working on the collage base and ignoring the top. Here is a sneek peek at the first layouts.

Three Things

First
We got a Nintendo Wii, we got a Wii! Now I know that I mentioned that I wanted one a few weeks ago on my blog but in reality I was trying to play it cool, I did not tell you that I had called numerous Game Stop locations inquiring about delivery times and what not. I did tell you I even stopped in the Game Stop next to my Weight Watchers meeting this week just in case. I did not post that the manager at my local Walmart gave Jim a tip that 31 systems were to be arriving any day and that he told us to call each morning and I did just that when I woke up at five this morning. And, I am not even sure how often Jim was checking online, or to how many places to try to find this game system. Really, the chase was beginning to become part of our entertainment. Anyway, to our surprise this morning we noticed at about 7:45 that the Bust Buy ad had a guarantee that at least 18 Wii systems would be at each Best Buy store when they opened today at 10 a.m. I flew into action..let's make a plan...there will be a line already..two stores or one...we've got to get in the shower now. Jim, laughed but decided two stores and agreed to get in the shower but would stop for a Coke before going to his assigned location.
It felt like we took forever to get ready. We left and agreed to communicate via cell phone. As I approached the intersection of 83rd and Bell I could tell the line was already huge. I pulled into the parking lot and called Jim..at least 50 people in line...stay or go.. We decide I should check for a line at Circuit City whose add mentioned that they would have limited quantities as well. I got their to see guy just posting a sign that said they were temporarily sold out of Wii. I called Jim again only 3 people in line..no Wii..what should I do...try another location go home... Jim who was much calmer than I was said no go to one more store. I was on my way as the conversation continued. Jim told me he was about number 50 in his line but was staying put and he would call with more info later. This proved to be an important decision. Although Jim was 5 people short of getting a system, the people in line said that the Arrowhead, my first location, was rumored to have at least 100 systems. Jim called immediately and told me to go back to the first store and stay put. Just as I was getting in line for the second time and feeling discouraged by the 30 new people in line in front of my original spot Jim called again, "Some people heard they even have 200 systems, just don't leave that line." This story was getting to good to be true it was only 8:45 and I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Actually, I was planning out my trip to Michael's and Joann while I waited. Skip 45 minutes and lots of people watching and a guy from the store walks out and starts counting people. A guy says, "How many you got?" and the Best Buy guy just holds a finger to say one minute and keeps counting, I am feeling pretty good because he's walked way past us and keeps counting. He gets to the end and yells out, "I've got good news for you, it looks like I have enough for everyone in line right now." We all let out a scream and suddenly everyone became a little more friendly. I call Jim give the good news, he tells everyone behind him in his line, they run to their cars, Jim drives calmly to meet me. By the time Jim got to me I was already holding the ticket that allows you the right to purchase a Wii and singing, "I've got the golden ticket." It was all very exciting. Needless to say I am sore from all of the Wii sports for today.
Second
I did make time to meet Baby Kakes for lunch today. The pictures say it all. How can one little girl (or her mother) have such good fashion taste? Don't forget to look closely at those shoes!
Third
Having a blog is crazy! Linda Woods Googled her book, saw it on my blog, and left a comment too. This is crazy...I love it! What a great way to share art and random thoughts with the world!

*Just for the record Jim did not want to take my picture with the Wii paper in front of Best Buy but I made him. Do yo like my Exploding Dog super hero shirt?