Oh Shelly O!

Shelley O. received her stitchalong kit just in time to take it with her on her anniversary celebration trip with her husband.

Here's a picture of the kit all ready to start on the plane trip out of town.

And next is a picture of her stitching along at Coronada Island...

Isn't that adorable? Thanks so much Shelley for letting me know how delighted you were with the kit!

To see more photos of Shelley stitching along while on vacation, click here.

And to buy your own stitchalong kit, click here.

I think I'm all set physically and mentally for my class renion tomorrow night. Did I tell you that it's going to be 5 classes at once? So my sister Jessica and my brother Shawn will also be there. That'll be fun. My strategy is to remember that people like to talk about themselves so I will conduct mini-interviews, be charming, and limit the drink intake to 2 for the night. (The last thing I want to do is have one too many and end up giving out table dances) Wish me luck!

okay!

I think I'm going to do it!

If you want to be an inspired ideas designer, click the link in the sidebar for more information.

thinking...

Do you remember the inspired ideas magazine I did in 2008? I'm thinking of resurrecting it...with a few changes.

Namely, I think I'll do it monthly instead of semi-monthly. Just crafts...no artist profiles. And I'll have a few paid advertisements. I was also thinking of having a guest artist project each month too. Maybe I'll even have a design team...

What do you think?

Would you be interested in being a guest artist or being on a design team for inspired ideas? How about advertising? How would you feel about leafing through a few advertisements on your way to the next inspired ideas, in exchange for the magazine remaining free?

Comment here to cast your vote...the more comments, the more likely I am to do it. I just need to know that it's something you'd be interested in...

random

I'm on the mend but, my goodness, what a nasty virus!

Here are some random things...all blogworthy if I had the time...

1. love that new ad campaign from Toyota. Check out all the videos...hilarious!
2. I have my high school reunion on Saturday and I'm a little nervous. I wish I'd whitened my teeth, narrowed my hips, and gotten that thing on the tip of my nose taken off but I'll have to settle for some Crest white strips, a new pair of spanx, and extra concealer. I hope at least one person is amazed that I am the same person. I was like a female Napoleon Dynamite. Truly. And I hope that at least one person notices that I'm less so now. (Note to self: be less like Napoleon Dynamite and more like Grace Kelly on Saturday night)
3. I was looking for something in the dump we like to call our basement and there, in a bucket, was a baby snake. I thought it was a rubber toy of Alfredo's and I almost picked it up. Perhaps you heard me scream?
4. Alfredo is a breakdancing fool. He's been perfecting his moves and you won't believe how much he can do. He puts on a show for me everyday and with every song he has to be introduced and runs into the room...very dramatic. I'm working on capturing it on film.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day!

Daddy, I love you! Hope you have a really wonderful father's day and I hope you know how much all of us love you.

Happy Father's Day, too, to Rich and Omar! You rock it!

cute things

They've changed things around in my Michael's so that it's harder for me to spot cute new things like these two.

I got the set of alphabet cards for Alfredo so that we could continue the exploration of letters. He likes to divide them up into groups, putting all the animal pictures together, etc.

Here's a look at them...aren't they cute?!

And just look at this set of pins from Brenda Walton...

Adorable!

I caught some sort of bug earlier this week and have been feeling really yucky...no energy, dizzy, nauseated. I went to the doctor yesterday and he said it was a virus and to just take it easy.

felt letters

We were in a store not too long ago and Alfredo pointed to a box and said "That box says 'ZOO'!" And indeed, it did.

Since then we've been talking a lot about words and what letters are in them. He even knows how to spell his name.

I made these little felt cards last night. I just cut out the felt (just the cheap craft store stuff) and then ironed on a flocked letter (the kind that's meant to go on tee-shirts). I had wanted to blanket stitch around each card but he said he likes them just like they are.

Just look what started happening just seconds after I shot that first picture...

I'm going to make a set for Shelby and I'll stitch those.

naptime today

This is my view from here...

Alfredo's favorite thing to be these days is "independent". We've been encouraging him to do things on his own, like to take off his own clothes, go to sleep by himself, etc. I can't believe how much he's growing.

Today he asked if he could nap on the family room floor in his big boy underpants. So I put a vinyl tablecloth under him just in case, put on his sleepytime music, and he drifted into naptime. Yesterday he napped the same way and awoke with dry pants. I'm really hoping for the same today.

Okay, but do you see what a wreck my family room is? It is like that all the time now. As soon as I tidy it up, everything looks so new and happy to him that he digs right in and the room ends up the same way within, I'd say, 10 minutes.

And I can't possibly do anything about it now without waking him up. Maybe I'll take a little nap myself. 

Art Sisters: Chapter 4

On Saturday morning, we started bright and early making some needlefelting projects with Vivian.

It was meant to be a bird in a nest but I liked them better separately.

After a little rest and relaxation (and shopping for some), we met up again in the afternoon to make this adorable bird mobile with Jenny.

Can you believe how cute it is?!

And then because we'd worked ourselves into a crafting frenzy, we continued crafting into the night. Jenny, Vivian and I each made a needlefelted bear. Jenny gave hers to Viv. I gave mine to Maija. And Vivian gave hers to me (above).

Here we all are, my art sisters and me. Seated in the front are Sandy and Maija. Standing in the back, from left to right, are Natalea, Jenny, Martha, Me, and Vivian. Art Sisters for Life! What an amazing weekend! Can't wait for next year!

Art Sisters: Chapter 3

We did a blind swap for our fun weekend. Everyone made one really wonderful thing and then we picked names to find out who got what. Isn't that fun?

I made that purse up there...it was a real labor of love. Sandy got it.

Perhaps you remember it from this stage, when I posted a sneak peek?

Well, I just kept adding and adding until I nearly lost my mind (and the feeling in my right index finger!) Looking back at it, I really loved the simple beauty of it at that stage...I think I'll make another less bejeweled one soon.

Want to see what I got in the swap?

This very sweet needlefelted bird atop a soft pink mohair heart from Vivian. Isn't it adorable?

I wish I had pictures of what everyone else made...Really amazingly beautiful stuff!

Next, I'll show you what we made in our classes.

new stitchalong kit

I sold out of all of the ones I made up. Thanks to all of you who were waiting patiently to snag one. You can advance order a kit to be shipped out next week by clicking here...

I sold out of all the advance order kits for next week (THANK YOU!) but I'll have a BUNCH more coming up in 3 weeks. If you want to advance order one of those (not shipping until the week of June 21) click here:


Kit to ship week of June 21

new stitching kit!

Hey, guess what...new stitching kits will be listed on etsy tomorrow morning!

Check here tomorrow morning. 

Art Sisters: Chapter 2

It's the little things...

We made each other little gifts and you won't believe how sweet.

Vivian made this sweet little bird swing.

Jenny made us these cute hair accessories!

From Martha we got...

This adorable birdy zipper pouch...

And these sweet little barrettes! 

This tiny beautiful basket was from Natalea...

Look at this sweet little egg on a spool pedestal!

A wonderful sachet...

And she made us each funny little necklaces out of vintage optical lenses!

Maija gave us a bath bomb, fabulous soap, and a beautiful flower...

Isn't it luscious?

And she gave us a challenge to make something out of the soap packaging...

I can't wait to get started...I think I'll make a sweet little world inside this little shadowbox.

And last, but certainly not least, Sandy positively spoiled us...

Look at this super fun tee shirt!

And she made us each a little egg...

And this necklace is the funniest thing ever!

Next up, I'll show you the big swap gifts we made for the blind swap. Try not to be jealous!

To be continued....

Meanwhile, back at the ranch,

We're catching up on hugs and kisses. Isn't he getting big?
I'm working on convincing him to sing Usher's OMG for you.

Art Sisters: Chapter 1

I just got back from my amazing weekend at Niagara on the Lake, Canada. I have a bit of an inspiration hangover so let me break it down a bit at a time. First, let me just show you the wonderful vignettes Sandy created for us to set the mood...

To be continued...