Lately I've... (insta-bomb)

...performed in the faculty's lip sync for my school's Spirit Bowl.

It involved public humiliation.

I was cool with it.

...spent a rather large summer of my Christmas fun-money to get started on "smashing".

*I think this crafting style is a good representation of what is happening inside this brain of mine--chaos.*

...been celebrating my birthday week with some good people.

...been snuggling lots with this little girl. 

She got fixed last week. :(

...been tortured with excessive amounts of grading. 

(And surviving all that grading with some fun filmography.)

What have you been up to, blogging world?

The Paper Porcupine

Alice has ventured into the big bad world of etsy with her

mad paper-embossin'-card-creatin' skillz.

You should visit her little shop,

The Paper Porcupine.

And, if you like what she's created, maybe purchase a little hello note for someone you think deserves a cheery howdy-do.

(Oh, and keep coming back.

She has plenty of brilliant creations she hasn't posted just yet.)

Show and Tell...Rookie Makes a Quilt

I have gotten crafty in my late 20's...sometimes. This winter, Alice and I took up quilting. I even scored a $25 Bernina at a school surplus auction to help with my new hobby (i.e. one more time commitment I don't really need...but somehow I manage to squeeze it in). 

Well, it is high time I show off my skillz. I bought the fabric for this quilt months ago and now, finally, the top is complete. Maybe in another few months I'll show you the final, quilted product. It's called "Gypsy Caravan" and ended up a LOT crazier than I thought it would--but I love it nonetheless.

(Yeah, I know the florescent lighting in my basement apartment stinks...and what?)

Long Overdue Thank You's

Libby over at The Crush, The Glitter, The Gladness had a blog giveaway AGES ago. I won (and I never win a thing). But, like a jerk, I've been too lazy to upload the pictures of my cute niece in the adorable hat and mittens she made. Sorry, Libs! I'm behind the times. Thank you, thank you! She loved them and uses them frequently.



And I've been meaning to post Charlotte sent this decorative ladder to me as my prize for the Feeling Lucky? homemade gift exchange.



Thanks, Char! It is totally fun! I needed a little sumpin'-sumpin' for that spot in my living room--this fits perfectly!

And, to those of you who are expecting a homemade prize from me: I have the idea, the supplies, and the tools. It is merely a matter of me finding time to get them all done. But I'm excited to see your reactions.

Time for Something New

I've been eyeing this designer paper pack for a while now. I finally decided tonight was the night (much to Alice's dismay) for a new blog layout. Many thanks, as always, to Alice, my html "expert" (or at least the one gal I know who has the patience to figure out the frustrating HTML ridiculousness!).

Just so you all know, I LOVE it. There is nothing quite like a makeover.

Feeling Lucky?

Everybody I know seems to be doing this, so I signed myself up. Hope you'll play along.

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me.

My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year (hopefully sooner than later).
4. You will have no clue what it is going to be.
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me you did will win a FABULOUS homemade gift by me!

** Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

Pioneer Day & Update

In my attempt to impress (because really, what else is a blog for but to fish for compliments), I worked diligently for the past two hours to post my fabulous technological savvy in the form of a Photostory movie I created. I made it both at home and in a professional development class I've been in for a couple of days over the past week. But, alas, it won't attach (of course not). The class was "Digital Cameras in the Classroom" and it was, by far, one of the best professional development classes I've taken. I received plenty of great photography/projects tips and fun ideas and I still have the Part II to go to in a couple of weeks.

Beyond that, it was a state holiday last Thursday, so Alice and I headed up to a fun resort town not too far from here and spent the night in my parent's timeshare condo. We walked around on mainstreet, played at the park with my niece and nephew, watched the parade on TV--which, by the way, made me cry twice because I'm becoming one of those weird and overly-sentimental old maids--and played around with our blossoming* photography skills. Enjoy these collages:




*Don't rip on my old-maid-ish-ness (that is its technical term) in using words such as "blossoming."

Projects

I have to show off all I've been working on lately.

There is the photo collage in my hallway with fabulously framed scrapbooking paper as art:

Alice, Ashley and I all got together Wednesday and made these fun magnetic message boards. I'm putting mine in my classroom (and yes, that should say BRILLIANT, not RILLIANT...but I'm a moron and botched the B so I'll have to figure out a solution at my local craft store some time soon):

We still have a project day ahead to make our designer magnets for these.

And this is Alice's magnetic message board along with some more framed scrapbooking paper as art in the kitchen:

I am on a roll. Suddenly, I love projects! All that HGTV I've been watching must be getting to me.