tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10987994022593538512024-02-02T15:36:56.460-06:00Christy's Creative ThoughtsThoughts on crafting, holidays, having a house full of adults and a preschooler, and anything else relatedChristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-39747506153387464112015-06-24T22:02:00.002-05:002015-06-24T22:02:36.769-05:00It's been 3 busy weeks<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been spending every spare minute on a piece for the Fresh Ideas Show, and when I can get the pictures from the camera to the computer, I'll put them up here. I also started a new blog called <a href="http://momscelebrations.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mom's Celebrations</a> where I can share family stories centered around holidays and also give you some holidays to celebrate I bet you never thought of. That will let this blog go back to work in progress and finished pieces. There will probably be some flow back and forth, but as of now, this blog is art and that one is parties.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Speaking of art, I have a dilemma. I just finished a steampunk Valkyrie, which is the piece in the show. I have ideas for 2 more, so should I go ahead and make them whether the first on sells or not, or wait and see if the first one sells? Reply with your thoughts in the comments.</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-64605333699616740132015-05-31T14:39:00.000-05:002015-05-31T14:39:26.344-05:00Thank you teachers!Thank you gifts for teachers are hard for me. I know how much stuff they get that they can't use. And I'm always busy with end of year stuff, and money is usually tight. But I think I could do these candy bar covers. They are pretty cute and it's more the thought that counts. The link is here: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/rulerwrap" target="_blank">freecandybarwrap</a>. I can't get the picture to show up, but it is really cute and a great idea. Thank you claudine hellmuth!Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-70513018963112616932015-05-12T18:57:00.002-05:002015-05-12T18:57:32.968-05:00Always spring!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in Texas, summer has usually arrived by now. But we are having a cold, wet spring. So I guess it may not always be spring here, but it is for now!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqU8_LHDrWYhJlUBPpHOUfj22hX6Oo_meo4IMce7OyPy9Mlduw-bOR7hq3Kgl8sgAbGnfhbgoSdE21TR0V7ZmWuk9K60FgzcxpHwSsg2t0qQjhhgWcWk8d6CBl0XzhSOcvl6LqueNrjcD/s1600/spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqU8_LHDrWYhJlUBPpHOUfj22hX6Oo_meo4IMce7OyPy9Mlduw-bOR7hq3Kgl8sgAbGnfhbgoSdE21TR0V7ZmWuk9K60FgzcxpHwSsg2t0qQjhhgWcWk8d6CBl0XzhSOcvl6LqueNrjcD/s320/spring.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is a wooden block (left over from one of my husband's woodworking projects) that I covered in paper and edged with old book pages. The sentiment is actually a sticker my mother had and I inherited. The actual size is 2 7/8"x2 1/2".</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-56506469512323386902015-04-18T10:18:00.000-05:002015-04-18T10:18:40.826-05:00Blog Hop Extrordinaire!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxIl_jcYSwbzjilm34ptTsHV3ew3yeAadLzCntXPtpIZtA25gReGCrloZ68huoVpBqPbJULR19ZFgxTw1ITlQKWA9a2F0UFepVH0TPeXQL-9H6yiSvHdgrJKgNsiJeOUlhVYFJ0gkNq2U/s1600/blog+hop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxIl_jcYSwbzjilm34ptTsHV3ew3yeAadLzCntXPtpIZtA25gReGCrloZ68huoVpBqPbJULR19ZFgxTw1ITlQKWA9a2F0UFepVH0TPeXQL-9H6yiSvHdgrJKgNsiJeOUlhVYFJ0gkNq2U/s1600/blog+hop.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click <a href="http://blog.clearsnap.com/2015/04/tombow-blog-hop-2/" target="_blank">here</a> to go to the Clearsnap blog and get started.</td></tr>
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I've been blog hopping with Clearsnap and Tombow since yesterday! The designers and products are all outstanding, and they have a really great giveaway package. Get over to the <a href="http://blog.clearsnap.com/2015/04/tombow-blog-hop-2/" target="_blank">Clearsnap Blog</a> and get started!Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-75174626394647928072015-04-15T04:00:00.000-05:002015-04-15T21:45:10.547-05:00Taxing!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I find it very taxing to try to start something when I am out of ideas. Every January <a href="http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/" target="_blank">Cloth Paper Scissors</a>, along with a myriad of other magazines and blogs, publish ideas for jump starting your year. I love those, and they are great, but they are a little hard to find when spring has sprung and you are bursting with new energy from being out in the sun. As an interesting aside - all cats are solar powered - that's why they sleep in sunbeams - they're recharging. Humans recharge in the spring too. After all, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the adorable baby animals are everywhere - it's hard NOT to share in the new life. So now is another time you need all those "Try something new!" "Prompts for when you get stuck," posts & info. I'm linking to some here, and I'll also have them on my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/christilyn72/taxed/" target="_blank">Taxed? Pinterest</a> board.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvSHiWPea9kz23ewqvp9QPRKD39UTQJTI042iHxx3GZ-wIw9nz1zAB_FBA_PahMbiU66hGHfSjktx1LUP6d7pfTpOd99nh3pSA2XAH7PgH053DhHQST6G90LpVCxmwAi7ERVWC44DZZrN/s1600/Prompts.JPG-500x375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvSHiWPea9kz23ewqvp9QPRKD39UTQJTI042iHxx3GZ-wIw9nz1zAB_FBA_PahMbiU66hGHfSjktx1LUP6d7pfTpOd99nh3pSA2XAH7PgH053DhHQST6G90LpVCxmwAi7ERVWC44DZZrN/s1600/Prompts.JPG-500x375.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/media/p/21799.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Click here for the page to download these prompts!</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's another resource: <a href="http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/media/g/onlineextras/default.aspx" target="_blank">Cloth Paper Scissors Online Extras.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://stampington.com/blog/2012/03/19/15-art-journaling-prompts-from-guest-artist-traci-bautista/" target="_blank">Art Journaling prompts</a> from <a href="http://www.treicdesigns.com/" target="_blank">Traci Bautista</a>, courtesy of <a href="http://stampington.com/" target="_blank">Somerset Studio</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What are some of your favorite ways to get unstuck? Let me (and everyone else!) know in the comments below!</span></div>
Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-70554768467298508532015-03-27T11:28:00.000-05:002015-03-27T13:27:50.286-05:00Springtime brings changes...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">...and one of the biggest is that I am no longer living with the rest of my family. I chose to move out after my husband continued an intimate relationship I asked him to stop. However, this almost pales in comparison to the car incident I had.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">See, I was trying to load a whole bunch of stuff into my car after my move. I wanted to back up the driveway, which has a curve, and it was raining. It had been raining and snowing and raining, so things were very wet. I managed to get my front wheels off the driveway and into the mud. And since my poor Tiggy is front wheel drive, the tires got deeper, and deeper, and deeper into the mud. It finally took our neighbor's F-150 to pull me loose enough to get up on the driveway.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAYZt4aoY0N1IXQwy2DOFUNc0FIYP0Z1BUIljyFtmUIJaBLyEvYa7Hys7lKJuPPqvV9iTFMi9qcpmnrQf-Lh0gMQkw16fMcYP2X-6flHjHJ6TvMj2umg3tqtf5gPO5HRS63b4nwSaUd1g/s1600/Spring+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAYZt4aoY0N1IXQwy2DOFUNc0FIYP0Z1BUIljyFtmUIJaBLyEvYa7Hys7lKJuPPqvV9iTFMi9qcpmnrQf-Lh0gMQkw16fMcYP2X-6flHjHJ6TvMj2umg3tqtf5gPO5HRS63b4nwSaUd1g/s1600/Spring+Card.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So now Tiggy is all muddy and needs a bath. I am hoping to get to the dealership this weekend to have the door hinge tightened and the whole car washed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This card had a nice brown that reminded me of mud, but pretty spring colors to lift my spirits and remind me of spring (which finally arrived on my birthday last weekend, thank you!) It's also my week 3 project from the Making Matters challenge. The challenge was to spend $5 on supplies, then use them (as well as items already in your stash) to create a project. I got the flower brads and kraft strip on sale, then used them with a couple of blank cards I've had for years and some rub-ons I bought just because they were on clearance several years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">BTW: Easter symbols concentrate on signs of birth and rebirth - eggs, butterflies, rabbits. These symbols were used before Christianity came, but we know a good idea when we see one! Speaking of, check out my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/christilyn72/april/" target="_blank">April Pintrest</a> page for Easter ideas galore.</span><br />
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Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-51607574416731131472015-03-17T07:26:00.001-05:002015-03-17T07:27:59.757-05:00Happy Saint Patrick's Day!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfU2YxYpa9lRLVRj5WUhonrkoXwIbKMw8m9rXvYn7WlYdiTCEuMZEfB-YruswFpiEi90tDRqcOXN_7xOQ3MAsF0JHvIe2Xe3q8Y0Z5csmbCZWChiALb3o1XRYFK9y2yrbA-B6Mc0hk0chyphenhyphen/s1600/St.+Patrick's%2BDay%2Bsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfU2YxYpa9lRLVRj5WUhonrkoXwIbKMw8m9rXvYn7WlYdiTCEuMZEfB-YruswFpiEi90tDRqcOXN_7xOQ3MAsF0JHvIe2Xe3q8Y0Z5csmbCZWChiALb3o1XRYFK9y2yrbA-B6Mc0hk0chyphenhyphen/s1600/St.+Patrick's%2BDay%2Bsign.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just bringing you a quick note on appropriate usage,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">seen in the Dublin airport...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Slainte! (Cheers!)</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-43740506808032013682015-01-18T22:08:00.002-06:002015-01-18T22:08:47.149-06:00Bear with me..<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Tea2J69ExAJZgZ5DcteGZBgpm5TLzIF1MxLw_YjXGQ4PUJOFk0w_ZIPTwX1aULiQZKGVX5Lvl5pVbO1vOURT6ff6WE-hc8XglNbljA3yGcpSk1FeJcq7xiDImcTXVB6JuRHadnBn0O-u/s1600/2488639216_3cfba32bdb_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Tea2J69ExAJZgZ5DcteGZBgpm5TLzIF1MxLw_YjXGQ4PUJOFk0w_ZIPTwX1aULiQZKGVX5Lvl5pVbO1vOURT6ff6WE-hc8XglNbljA3yGcpSk1FeJcq7xiDImcTXVB6JuRHadnBn0O-u/s1600/2488639216_3cfba32bdb_o.jpg" height="320" width="176" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">...as I bring you the prototype of my Snowbelly collection! He's actually pretty old, but I'm thinking about making him some more friends as the months go by. Any ideas for the various months?</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-5607002570583436482015-01-11T10:14:00.000-06:002015-01-11T10:21:29.459-06:00Paint Club - Poor Y'all! (long post)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AIjjP90Wd5KeooozSjQgzl7j8X42lAN2XO5O7BjWk6ynjXihnMH25j2jU6g9ZoLzai2D5XS7J8jqBsDhTmdrpMuF7IzY_0RP52pRbrwsajmpryjmuiR6JJgY3kTFDRNdCoaP6CNOHugz/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AIjjP90Wd5KeooozSjQgzl7j8X42lAN2XO5O7BjWk6ynjXihnMH25j2jU6g9ZoLzai2D5XS7J8jqBsDhTmdrpMuF7IzY_0RP52pRbrwsajmpryjmuiR6JJgY3kTFDRNdCoaP6CNOHugz/s1600/image.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aly's Fire Dragon</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have played my share of Role Playing Games (think: Dungeons & Dragons) over the years, but this year I have gotten really involved with one called <a href="http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG" target="_blank">Pathfinder: Rise of the Rune Lords</a>. The players include my husband Rob, my 17 year old daughter Elle, Elle's boyfriend, and our best friends. We've been using little cardboard cutouts to represent where we are in a room, forest, wherever. I don't particularly like the cutouts and wanted to personalize my figure to better represent my character. Luckily, we live only 20 minutes from a company that manufactures figures for RPGs and has a retail store. Our friend Christina had even worked there! So off we went to <a href="http://www.reapermini.com/" target="_blank">Reaper Miniatures</a>. Not only are the staff incredibly kind and helpful, (to the point of giving my four-year old, Aly, paints of her own, albeit used) they also have a Paint Club, led by one of the best painters in the industry, <a href="https://www.reapermini.com/Artists" target="_blank">Anne Foerster.</a> We came to Paint Club to paint our models, and Aly came along because all six of the adults were going and there was no one to watch her. It wasn't crowded, so we all got to work and she got to watch. We had only a few issues, and she admired the paints available to use and kept showing us her favorite colors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now, you need to know that Aly's favorite art medium in the world is paint. She got paints, nice brushes (for a four-year old) and a giant pad of paper for Christmas. But she saw us all painting figures and wanted to be just like the big people (it's hard to be four in a house of adults.) Reaper has a great line of plastic miniatures called <a href="http://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Bones" target="_blank">Bones,</a> so I let her pick one to paint. She chose the <a href="http://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Bones/latest/77109" target="_blank">Fire Dragon</a>. He's nice and big for a miniature, so I thought this would be great. So she and I went off to Paint Club yesterday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let's just say it didn't go well. Several of the people there thought it was incredibly adorable that a four-year old wanted to paint a figure. But Aly didn't want to just paint a figure. Being the chatty and opinionated child that she is, she wanted to talk to people and tell them what colors THEY should use. The casual painters didn't mind, and thought she was cute. But it really bothered the serious painters, to the point Anne had to say something to her. Anne was completely in line - Aly was interrupting people, and I was trying to fix a problem and hadn't realized how obnoxious she was being at that moment. So we packed up and went home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway, this is a very long post to apologize to everyone at Paint Club for her behavior and assure them that she isn't coming again until she learns some manners. I will be back whenever I can!</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-47397986761846603052015-01-07T17:47:00.001-06:002015-01-07T17:50:52.317-06:00How much stain remover will we need?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAk-k2S1rRE8WSOwjG_hFV_qD8dlWYlBORPblV5RD_z99_WrG_KbHNh5xkLyZQnp-KMegQuaPYVqE9aGxT7gEpOCHSy8bWG9g2ybre2TGTpRVkUCKjKHS_0IiQm6Dcq8sMamAgDn1Igy-m/s1600/king_cake20091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAk-k2S1rRE8WSOwjG_hFV_qD8dlWYlBORPblV5RD_z99_WrG_KbHNh5xkLyZQnp-KMegQuaPYVqE9aGxT7gEpOCHSy8bWG9g2ybre2TGTpRVkUCKjKHS_0IiQm6Dcq8sMamAgDn1Igy-m/s1600/king_cake20091.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Yesterday was Three Kings Day, or Epiphany, or El Día de los Reyes (The Day of the Kings). This holiday commemorates the visit of the Magi to the child Jesus, and in some traditions, it is the day that Jesus was baptized. Children in some Spanish-speaking countries receive their gifts on this night, brought by the Wise Men's littlest camel. Some cultures believe that all Christmas decorations must be removed from the house by this date (I personally follow the other tradition that says you have until Candlemas, Feb. 2, to remove Christmas decorations - procrastination is my friend!) It is also Twelfth Night, the end of the twelve days after Christmas which were marked with feasting and revelry. In New Orleans, a King Cake is baked and eaten, and the person who gets the slice with the bean (or doll) in it is responsible for providing the next year's cake. It also marks the start of the festivities that will end with Mardi Gras.<br /><br /><br /> All I have to say is: Every mother of a preschooler is looking at that cake and thinking, "None of that is going to come off faces and hands, much less out of clothing." Any other favorite sweets for this time of year?</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-67347255062501564792014-11-28T23:04:00.001-06:002014-11-28T23:04:26.713-06:00It's the Holiday Season! (No matter how obscure)<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My mom loved to celebrate holidays - decorations, activities, everything. My husband once told me that we had a holiday for every day of the year. Mom replied that she would feel complete when she had Groundhog Day dishes.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkeVKig0qoUj6AWkU5K8juJqlu7O2zepnXbHu5XC7yYQ5LSMaYr0dTvdvEUKHzzXl5yaVpvO3AR4ZOjHXF3hOgEbD69wUWjFfKKuOevnSb9oADnrleXayHsi0C4Nc2nivSQoPCPwzWhBR/s1600/St+Nicholas+ornament.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkeVKig0qoUj6AWkU5K8juJqlu7O2zepnXbHu5XC7yYQ5LSMaYr0dTvdvEUKHzzXl5yaVpvO3AR4ZOjHXF3hOgEbD69wUWjFfKKuOevnSb9oADnrleXayHsi0C4Nc2nivSQoPCPwzWhBR/s1600/St+Nicholas+ornament.jpg" height="200" width="118" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">However, one legitimate holiday she liked to celebrate came from her German heritage (several other countries have similar traditions.) Every year, on December 5th, we put our shoes outside the doors of our rooms and looked forward to the ornament and candy that St. Nicholas would fill them with the next morning. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The ornament might be from a series we had already started, or something that tied into an activity or sport we enjoyed the previous year, or just something that, "looked like you." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">By the time we left home, we had our own collection of keepsake ornaments to start our own trees. My parents kept up the tradition by sending ornaments, wrapped in brown paper with straw accents (St. Nicholas comes on a horse, and Mom figured it was hungry.) We were only allowed to open them on December 6th, when they would have been in our shoes if we were home</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My question for you: What is your favorite ornament? Feel free to attach a picture if you have one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Information on the origin and stories surrounding St. Nicholas can be found <a href="http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/who-is-st-nicholas/" target="_blank">here</a></span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-1828830040950248832013-12-16T11:55:00.002-06:002014-11-28T23:05:02.740-06:00A confession about markers......<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> see, I've never liked them much. Although I have enough markers for several art classes, I just don't feel like I know how to use them. In elementary school, when the teacher said, "and you can all use markers on this project," my friends were wildly cheering and I was thinking, "<i>you said we CAN use markers, not we HAVE to use markers, so I'll stay over here with my crayons, which are MUCH easier to control."</i> I was the designated filler in of large spaces that had already been outlined by my much more competent teammates.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhBYLUpRNTq1lV_GTSHOMkJtmAdnQycmxgfZvYouTImEv8nA7eTwjp2g0PKARu-9_tbnN6WqDrxTYJWZot1p24eX8NjY7IBaSSlsOGjIAQIgizYLp2wekG60s8ywD9i9lFFVZNc_Ld2W9/s1600/practice+makes+perfect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhBYLUpRNTq1lV_GTSHOMkJtmAdnQycmxgfZvYouTImEv8nA7eTwjp2g0PKARu-9_tbnN6WqDrxTYJWZot1p24eX8NjY7IBaSSlsOGjIAQIgizYLp2wekG60s8ywD9i9lFFVZNc_Ld2W9/s320/practice+makes+perfect.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And now we come to the present day. I have books on lettering, I've attended workshops on lettering, and I still can't make myself do anything but the very simple font I developed in high school, while everybody else was decorating things with wonderful names and cute icons on <i>their</i> notes. I've decided I must learn to letter, so I'm taking a wonderful online class through <a href="http://www.mycreativeclassroom.com/">My Creative Classroom</a> and starting to get the hang of it.</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-78735952278549648782013-11-25T16:24:00.001-06:002013-11-25T16:38:06.782-06:00YAARRGH!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have been trying to clean up the mess left by spending the week at my father's house. Unfortunately, I have been home 2 weeks and only can say my studio is usable today. This wouldn't be so bad, except that I have Thanksgiving cards yet to make! They will get done, stuff always does, but everything takes twice as long when I get the whole litany of, "Mom, I thought you said you would take me to get my hair done today," "I thought we could go buy Christmas lights tonight," "Mommy, my babies need you to take care of them right now!" And I can't work as long as I once did, due to age and getting out of the hospital not to long ago.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2fVh67od_dYMvcdea3m6MGytFwAgEJxY5qlONku9BGQbwUZ7pPG6grGyfi22ionjTugQIZp77MmRbZcW0Jtg3nnvdqo8dQOST2fCTNIIGFv3hZ_1swxQyJQkqG-VBtzY0bYRHrpj5t4a/s1600/DSCN0111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2fVh67od_dYMvcdea3m6MGytFwAgEJxY5qlONku9BGQbwUZ7pPG6grGyfi22ionjTugQIZp77MmRbZcW0Jtg3nnvdqo8dQOST2fCTNIIGFv3hZ_1swxQyJQkqG-VBtzY0bYRHrpj5t4a/s320/DSCN0111.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, enough of that. Here is an autumn ATC I made a couple of years ago for a show on PBS. It's fairly understated, but tasteful. The stamp is from <a href="http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/inkadinkado/productlist.htm?bid=1426" target="_blank">Inkadinkdo</a>, the colored pencils are from EK Success, the ribbon is a scrap I had left over, and the card itself is watercolor paper. I computer generated the text and and added the rhinestones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(And yes, I want to be a Viking, for those of you who followed Backyardigans)</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-51331380974330455792013-11-17T19:23:00.002-06:002013-11-17T19:23:34.921-06:00Santa's Pocket Watch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2dgR2uLWqN5w_Yv6-HHyEJLBoUZ2gbP5MJxspD3iI7D2B_ZMKPrNAEzhqPSRkwh3e0zL1CRS7fQI_d_0iCphuQamLaCMh-VliLt23nxGnseiSKthWGxto1qDZJlxzVmzljePJ4BxiK4V/s1600/20131108_132344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2dgR2uLWqN5w_Yv6-HHyEJLBoUZ2gbP5MJxspD3iI7D2B_ZMKPrNAEzhqPSRkwh3e0zL1CRS7fQI_d_0iCphuQamLaCMh-VliLt23nxGnseiSKthWGxto1qDZJlxzVmzljePJ4BxiK4V/s320/20131108_132344.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is my first Christmas project of the year. Inspired by a Tim Holtz project for Hobby Lobby (http://ow.ly/i/3ysnY), I gave it a seasonal spin. Note the hour/minute hand points to 12 because Santa always makes deliveries at midnight, doesn't he? The red and green compass helps him find his way. There are some cookie sprinkles and bits of snow in the watch - he's had it a <u>really</u> long time. The charms just make him smile, and that's really what the season is about: making other people smile (and the birth of Jesus, but I'll save that for another post.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I used Tim Holtz <a href="http://timholtz.com/prod_cat/distress-paint/" target="_blank">Distress Paints</a>, <a href="http://timholtz.com/prod_cat/findings/" target="_blank">Compass Coins, Game Spinners, Pocket Watch</a>, and <a href="http://timholtz.com/prod_cat/paperie/" target="_blank">Seasonal 8X8" paper pad</a>. Ranger's <a href="http://rangerink.com/?product=liquid-pearls%E2%84%A2-2" target="_blank">Liquid Pearls</a> provided the shimmer. <a href="http://www.iceresin.com/category/products-page/ice-resin/" target="_blank">ICE Resin</a> filled the charm and part of the watch. The bezel on the Santa and candy cane charm is from <a href="https://spellbinderspaperarts.com/products/p-973-circles-one.aspx" target="_blank">Spellbinders</a>. Beads and small charms are from stuff I've had so long I'm not sure where they came from anymore. Cookie sprinkles are glass microbeads, and the snow is from <a href="http://www.hobbylobby.com/home.cfm" target="_blank">Hobby Lobby</a>, where most of the rest of the items were purchased.</span><br />
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Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-78228650068798911582013-11-04T14:43:00.001-06:002013-11-05T19:29:52.271-06:00Thank you Tombow!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhbCC89PAM1mCUDELOQsmMGUbBAzpdV1yoyyi-R3bAclgENQjmNi7nWlxw53awUWBFdW8qBwAn6IQErCdWaASo9z_rsuI6sDllcKcx5M4_mwCTIe4N88och4mF_2umvsFafAAgdtPzvm8/s1600/Blog-Hop_KW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhbCC89PAM1mCUDELOQsmMGUbBAzpdV1yoyyi-R3bAclgENQjmNi7nWlxw53awUWBFdW8qBwAn6IQErCdWaASo9z_rsuI6sDllcKcx5M4_mwCTIe4N88och4mF_2umvsFafAAgdtPzvm8/s320/Blog-Hop_KW.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just learned that I won this great set of adhesives from <a href="http://blog.tombowusa.com/">Tombow's</a> blog hop last week! Yay! More fun new toys to play with!</span><br />
<br />Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-79538839237346598042013-11-04T13:56:00.000-06:002013-11-04T13:56:00.233-06:0021 months later...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRexatSKgB4jv121SNR7xPoNhGvh_w3M62IaF9KAtljtWWOyoUXEEA4HRJq1EgjivgJfG3eoS578xN9Hoeui0CA7b5vjYrrLopyE665eaYqgPDyTXmYMo458TNj80_mEmPuBLmYukPmFKi/s1600/Handmade+Holidays+Blog+Hop+2013+Logo_New.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRexatSKgB4jv121SNR7xPoNhGvh_w3M62IaF9KAtljtWWOyoUXEEA4HRJq1EgjivgJfG3eoS578xN9Hoeui0CA7b5vjYrrLopyE665eaYqgPDyTXmYMo458TNj80_mEmPuBLmYukPmFKi/s320/Handmade+Holidays+Blog+Hop+2013+Logo_New.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been extremely ill and am still recovering, my youngest has started occupational therapy, my oldest has her chronic disease mostly under control, so over all, it has been bad, but things are starting to look up. I've been getting back to my crafting and other creative activities, which is helping me feel better. I ran across the Holiday Blog Hop and it has been really inspirational. So I'll be working on some projects and hope to have something to show later.</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-6095618427279134052012-01-10T21:17:00.002-06:002012-01-10T21:21:34.661-06:00See me on the web!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTf_tlpzn-QSkmSCPZdDFCVk72vsLiO4jpc7VxBFq3cU4NtWK8rB2O1GBF58BHX5DR1dJouli8BXzVVI75HyKDeI6JJPrszzzaagitk2_GqxTbMCYwi3WrsgMr8DrMWNqRmBan0dCLMOWG/s1600/contented+necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTf_tlpzn-QSkmSCPZdDFCVk72vsLiO4jpc7VxBFq3cU4NtWK8rB2O1GBF58BHX5DR1dJouli8BXzVVI75HyKDeI6JJPrszzzaagitk2_GqxTbMCYwi3WrsgMr8DrMWNqRmBan0dCLMOWG/s1600/contented+necklace.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here's another project of mine on the web! Look for the<a href="http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/licensedbrands/Projects/Contented_Necklace.htm"> Contented Bicone Crystal Assortment in the Create Your Style with Swarovski Elements line from EK Success</a>. Included are the directions for this necklace.</span></div>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-52300195053021160592012-01-09T22:52:00.000-06:002012-01-09T22:52:13.963-06:00Learning about myself...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was not particularly calm when I started tonight's Zentangle, but I wanted to do one, because I have missed a few days again, and I wanted to make progress toward my goal, so I did one. I forgot about not making mistakes, and tried to go over lines and fix things that I perceived as mistakes. That was my mistake. The finished tangle isn't nearly as good as it could have been. If I had just let the "mistakes" alone, they would have been swallowed up in the larger pattern. By trying to fix them, I feel like I've called attention to them and screamed, "Look here! I messed up!" Maybe that's a lesson to me - don't overanalyze and try to fix problems that don't exist.</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-74647443078922912912012-01-05T22:38:00.002-06:002012-01-05T22:38:53.440-06:00Day 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0yfqpX2quaWZrVTG4K9lNYyIw3ng_xTulDaV8NdrMW1Wp0Q8v2icwoONhZoTFfFFp0nWg2UigoE3amKq9E1uSOeL6ElyIlVOdBTgJwvp1OgJpz_yRNlzglv9WOtTLDeY6GvYvIk2Sdif/s1600/EED+Jan+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX0yfqpX2quaWZrVTG4K9lNYyIw3ng_xTulDaV8NdrMW1Wp0Q8v2icwoONhZoTFfFFp0nWg2UigoE3amKq9E1uSOeL6ElyIlVOdBTgJwvp1OgJpz_yRNlzglv9WOtTLDeY6GvYvIk2Sdif/s320/EED+Jan+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Well, I'm missing days 2-4 on earrings, and days 2 & 3 on Zentangles, but I got these earrings done for today in the Earrings Every Day challenge, so I feel pretty good (the fact that the antibiotic is actually working on the strep doesn't hurt, either.)Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-65665911475393538972012-01-04T22:28:00.000-06:002012-01-04T22:28:15.159-06:00I hate Murphy!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and his little Law, too. I was feeling a little rocky on the ride home Sunday, but I stayed up, got lesson plans for Monday and my first earrings and Zentangle done for the challenges, and went to bed feeling pretty prepared (see previous post). I survived Monday, but came home that night and crashed, cursing the upper respiratory infection my family had passed onto me. Come Tuesday, I made it until about 10:30, at which point I called my husband to come get me and the school counselor to take over my class until the substitute arrived, as I felt passing out in the library was not in anyone's best interest. So I spent the rest of the day and night and most of today in bed. I don't just have an URI, I have strep!!! So at least one more day at home, assuming this is not a resistant strain and I don't need more antibiotics, and I still don't feel up to jewelry making, putting me at least 3 and probably 4 days behind on the Earrings Every Day challenge, and I haven't been able to do my Strathmore workshop at all, and I'm behind on the pieces I want to make for other competitions. But rather than just throwing in the towel, I'm going to not try to catch up but just to jump in from here and keep going. That is the best I can do, and something is superior to nothing. Now I just have to stay awake long enough to do something.</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-56467965259467655912012-01-01T21:50:00.000-06:002012-01-01T21:50:57.802-06:00Challenge a Day!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm participating in the <a href="http://www.beadingdaily.com/content/Bead-Along.aspx?a=be111226">Earrings Every Day challenge</a>, sponsored by Beading Daily, this month. I'm also challenging myself to make a <a href="http://zentangle.com/">Zentangle</a> every day, just because I want to. I won't post pictures of every one to this blog, but I'll be putting up the best of the lot. Today's Zentangle will go up later, since I don't have it's picture taken yet, but the earrings may or may not make it - they're Judy Belcher snowflake beads on base silver ball headpins with another small base silver bead at the top. Nothing fancy, but I made them today and they count!</span>Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-26937518568094492732011-07-27T16:44:00.000-05:002011-07-27T16:44:29.120-05:00It's hot!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdgg0TLkNhViRZc75uUMsnyERh9RO-xJvSGd1Xb2HSE3VT2pc7E2fa31LctnSmeoz5_SE-JqnSGA_gI5ERsdQ8x0hcnrBkt-0W4zIENR3NshXVOUtDmO2aaH27vDdm-4Y4b5tLxdfcrs3/s1600/DSCN0107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdgg0TLkNhViRZc75uUMsnyERh9RO-xJvSGd1Xb2HSE3VT2pc7E2fa31LctnSmeoz5_SE-JqnSGA_gI5ERsdQ8x0hcnrBkt-0W4zIENR3NshXVOUtDmO2aaH27vDdm-4Y4b5tLxdfcrs3/s320/DSCN0107.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It is so hot in our house that I can't get any crafting done! Here is a picture of a nice, cool, ATC. Hopefully it will make you feel cooler - at least for a minute or two. I used watercolors for the background blue, then stamped snowflakes in silver and topped it off with Jolee's Jewels stickers. Uh oh - someone just woke up from her nap and doesn't like being hot either!Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-91880474004844916162011-06-12T17:03:00.000-05:002011-06-12T17:03:03.943-05:00ATCs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7yjyQehrzFZhJzqNKHm_vU5QTv-cQ52zRIIixs4LkZA5DwQRISh34hliL_E3rb2PtKG-sghTa35WqrQPEkt3xfQvpRyJnOaY_4R84gAWkC82ibUEvMqgkNgJ7AmRkgrUrqZ_QZBPv0l5/s1600/DSCN0106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7yjyQehrzFZhJzqNKHm_vU5QTv-cQ52zRIIixs4LkZA5DwQRISh34hliL_E3rb2PtKG-sghTa35WqrQPEkt3xfQvpRyJnOaY_4R84gAWkC82ibUEvMqgkNgJ7AmRkgrUrqZ_QZBPv0l5/s320/DSCN0106.jpg" width="320" /></a>I love ATCs (Artist Trading Cards - my husband gives me a hard time and insists on thinking the acronym means Air Traffic Controllers - silly)! Here is one appropriate for the beginning of summer vacation. The card is made from watercolor paper, the bottom is a strip of watercolor paper I punched with an EK Success border punch and watercolored, the sentiment is written in sepia Pigma Micron on a K & Company piece over a bit of vintage ribbon.Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-69324746210093097942011-05-17T21:24:00.000-05:002011-05-17T21:24:08.136-05:00Well, at least the intervals are getting shorter...But I''m still not posting as regularly as I'd like. This new little one takes up so much more time than I thought, and then the big one keeps getting hurt and needing to be driven instead of walking or riding her bike, and the cat is missing, and the list of things that are taking my time and energy away from art just gets longer and longer. No matter how many times I tell myself "I am going to do the project I want to send away for a magazine TODAY", tomorrow comes and the article still isn't written. Either the house is too much of a mess, or my (better) paying jobs need my attention, or some crisis has erupted in adolescent, baby, or husband land that demands my (and only my) skill set IMMEDIATELY!<br />
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someday I'm going to make some really pretty mixed media and jewelry pieces. The rough drafts are in my sketchbook and when they get to second draft stage, maybe I'll post them here.Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1098799402259353851.post-58538812500612977972011-04-11T17:32:00.000-05:002011-04-11T17:32:38.643-05:00Good to be back at Guild!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAYy9lTmiZULQbVVM4CmCSWbBAtEaLHAUfBs8cf61htUkIWMON5LNuCjNzS0yB9iFTQXOmoKgKubZeOb9g5JzMo1lKGuqCTCBym-9j0rbPnFegYOxSuFoR_h1aZ9iyVyBzvSLvM5ChaZO/s1600/Christy+Minnis+and+Aly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAYy9lTmiZULQbVVM4CmCSWbBAtEaLHAUfBs8cf61htUkIWMON5LNuCjNzS0yB9iFTQXOmoKgKubZeOb9g5JzMo1lKGuqCTCBym-9j0rbPnFegYOxSuFoR_h1aZ9iyVyBzvSLvM5ChaZO/s320/Christy+Minnis+and+Aly.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>I got to go to the <a href="http://ntpcg.org/">North Texas Polymer Clay Guild</a> meeting yesterday - I believe it's the first time I've been since September! I took Aly and everyone was thrilled to see her. Thanks to Sherri and Sandra for helping with my piece and to Babette, Shelly, Nancy, and everyone else who took care of her so I could work! I'll hopefully post a picture of my piece soon - in the meantime, here's a picture of Aly and me at the meeting.Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08411265609448845391noreply@blogger.com0