another swap on it's way!

I am making headway..the artful Christmas swap for the 12 days of Christmas was a doozy...man sometimes I wonder about myself..i pick these forever huge undertakings and then it takes forever to get them done..especially when you are making 11 of them! Well, of course since i made such an eloborate gift for these ladies..i have got to think of something equally as cool for the Diva 12 days of Christmas swap...although i still have a bit more time for those.!

I have to finish charms for the holiday swap and make my vampire book and then the 12 days of Christmas gifts and that is all the swaps..i will be done phew! I have so many ideas i want to implement and the classes for may...i need to have samples created for that by January..and havethe product deadline for Dream Street around Dec 1st....and not to mention Christmas and stuff!..lol

well here are the wrapped gifts i just mailed out...

oh and Fran...if you still read my blog...well, i am not sure if you saw that you had won that purse way back in the beginning of September..well after many times of it being forgottne before th party...then the attempt to mail it..but it got sent back home because it was ina whiskey box..you cannot mail things in alcohol boxes...so it needed wrapping in plain brown paper...well,I finally got to it and it is on it's way to you!...lol! sorry for the huge delay! I hope you enjoy it when it gets there...

okay off to see what else i can play with...or clean?..mystudio is a disaster now after creating that last batch...now to re-clean, maybe....ha!

the other day I found a fairy in my backyard...

my arm was twisted and i played photographer for my daughter Stephanie a few days ago..I set up the area by the pond in the backyard with a gazillion strands of sparkly fall garlands that I had bought for our theater party(and never had time to use)...they were the same color as Steph's hair...we had so much fun! Here are some of the most favorite pictures of the session....so maybe there is hope for my dreams of being photographer....i want to come up with some really cool sets for fantasy types of photos!~ I actually have my first real photo session planned..for a family portrait for my neighbors! fun fun~ i think stephanie had changed the contrasts on these....so if they look dark that is why~

angels around me.....

I have been working on catching up the last of my swaps..I had made that list earlier..I am almost there...here is the start of my tttteeeeennnnsssy angel charms that I am making for my holiday charm swap..I stopped and skipped over to another project that is top secret...the 12 days of Christmas swap..that is due out by Monday..and since i have a couple of stragglers on the charm swap , I pushed it aside for the moment..hopefully the stragglers come in by the weekend so I can get that swapped out ASAPm too..i have Dream Street deadlines looming soon after~

any way..these little felt bodied cuties are about an inch high..i am still wondering what in the world possessed me to sew so tiny~..woah..i am a nut~
here is the result of my latest swap..mailed out Monday..we had a few international players..so fun!!..notice the cute crown on the right..that is actually a pin and from one of the gals in Australia...this was a very fun swap..many newbies that made absolutely wonderful charms~ and I am under the weather a bit today...so I treated myself to a quickie project for me!...a little angel..about 5-6"tall, inspired by the book mark on the left..I love that artist and for the life of me can't remember his/her name, from Germany if i remember correctly...what adorable fairies...so i was playing a bit today..the swaps will have to wait half a day..i am actually working on the top secret one simultaneously..hahaha, it's like me to jump back and forth in between 3 projects..lol~ I think this one would be fun to make more of one day...in all my spare time...I think though that i want to art up her dress some how..not sure what with yet!!..another day when i feel better...'creativity to the max' does not happen on sickie days..
so nothing else too exciting..it finally calmed down around here...for a couple more weeks..then the rush to get ready for our Thanksgiving family reunion will come..hope some of my family wants to come, other than my Dad and Carol. Although, I am excited about them coming..so very much...so even if it is just them...i would be happy..okay I am exagerating! and being paranoid, there is more coming! As far as I know, my mom and Russ are coming, my brother Michael and new SIL Dominique and new baby Kai and my new step niece and nephew, Sophia and Sasha are also coming...

but it sure would be fun if my biggest brother Stephan and one or two of his boys would come(Amy probably can't since they have their new store)..and my older neice and nephew Rachel and Benjamin...and my step brother and family and step sister and family....see what i mean, there are a ton more around?...okay any way I am excited..i love my family and really enjoy seeing them~...so the more the merrier...

so off to see what else my poor headachy and bodyachy body can handle doing...i just don't want to waste the day off..he he

xoxox
angela

I am starting to wonder if we have mischieveous faires around!!!

I have spent the better part of this morning...3 hours or more hunting and for one out of 5 pairs of a certain kind of scissors...one of which I had spotted yesterday. It is those Fiskars craft scissors...I know I should have 2 pairs of orange, one hot pink,one light pink and a 3 week old pair of red handled ones....last week i had one pair of the orange ones...and now for the life of me can't find them...i even cleaned my studio up searching for them....all bedrooms and every where else i can think of. You would think i would have found at least one pair..but none! *sigh* I did however locate every other pair of scissors in every other style...at least 6 pairs or more...rofl!



well any way Salina is grabbing me a pair so i can create this afternoon...

I am catrching up more swaps..last night I created these: I had purchased pile of misc yo-yo's and the tiny ones were perfect for these charms!!
...i am looking forward to getting all of my pages back for the flat sissy swap. I have now handed over all future swaps..including the valentine charm swap to the hostess with the mostess Kari yay!
...it is so weird..not one of the other players have shared any of their artwork with the group..i wonder why?!!
okay off to see what i can do in the meantime while i am waiting for my new scissors....til later~xoxox

WOW!!!!!

this must be the month of exciting new adventures and good news~ I just got an email from a woman I had conversed with at the summer CHA show about teaching at her store's annual retreat in Niagra falls...I some how must have not responded or something...i may have done my famous..save it for later when i have time for a proper answer and had let it slip by me! WEll it is official~ I am teaching up to 4 clases at the retreat in May! I am so glad it is in the spring..this fall has slipped by me with almost no time for any art other than quick swap catch ups...with more coming here this week...I did the smart thing though..once I am through the next batch...2 charm swaps and 2 12 days of christmas swaps...I am done other than one altered book RR..and that is what I am keeping it at...that one book rr....I have so much to do with developing new product..new paper lines, I will be a co author of a book soon...workshop now..CHA winter...being a featured artist on Stampingtons newsletter....and creating a project here and there...WOW!!!! I am just so excited with these things....I am amazed that the pace is always at one that I can handle without comprimising being a mom...that is cool~

so go check out the location of the retreat...Niagra Falls area..as of earlier today they have 30 spots left~ http://www.thescrappingnook.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3142 so hurry go sign up!..lol~

today was a bit busy but fun..it is Turner's 8th birthday..he is currently playing with his giant remote control race car...oh my it was soooo cute. when he opened it he said he didn't know that there was one sooooo big! he loves it....

well no pictures at the moment...i will find something to share again visually later this week~

oooh i know...my dad called me and let me know that I need not worry, his form of cancer is like a very curable skin cancer..and is very very slow growing. the treatment he is receiving is a biological form of treatment(made from live cells of some sort) where it attaches itself to any cancer cells and his own immune system will react and eliminate the cancer cells...totally non invasive like a chemo would be...so i feel so much better! I can't wait until he and Carol come visit for 10 days at Thanksgiving..YAY!!!
well that is all for tonight!
xoxox

you know..i thrive on chaos...hallowen around the house

ha ha! Okay it really does seem to the naked eye and some days also to myself that I thrive on chaos...but I am telling you for now I have had enough!

This week has been another one of those crazy weeks!! I finished and mailed swap stuff and then took a day out and played...i created a wonderful and fun Halloweenscape around here~

starting in the front yard

welcome to our haunted house~

Frankenstein has been up to his old tricks with the help of his spider friends

enter if you dare!!!!!

the spider friends seem to take preverse pleasure in scaring the guests away....even hanging on the lights...ugh*shudder*

as you enter this wonderfully haunted house...oooh scenes of scary enchanted fat books and missing arms and jack-o-lanterns all over
as you walk in magical frogs and flying witches greet you!
the fall winds have brought in magical sparkling leaves all over, with enchanted frogs and witches flying and landing here... mysterious skulls waiting for magical spells of wicked nature

a sinister shrine of witches spells and wishes for tricks or treats with almost innocent witches beguiling you into the game... the most innocent witch wishing you "twick oh tweet" from the most magical creator of all Kirstensinister bat pictures and greetings from the "black hat society" continue the intrigue as you tour this most haunted house... vintage greetings and witches riding the moon under the light of the flickering cauldrons create such a spooky air....
with horrid creatures lurking in every corner!! witches brooms waiting for their riders to appear..with wicked cats lurking about with their horrid rat friends....
and rather than bats in the belfrie, you discover a gaggle of bats hovering in the bar..... so as you try to reason this horrid picture in your head and resolve!!....a stiff drink will solve it all..you realize it is all of the imagination of this crazy artist named angela..who loves to play and create fun!

so here she is trying to retain what little sanity she can claim!..she had created the latest of her swap of the flat sissies..and here shares them with you!..lol

with her page of her own flat sissy...Gossamer Moonbeam..with her big ears and sweet disposistion, she hovers in the moonlight in the midst of winter with gossamer webs on her wings....
so here we are with Angela's long awaited conclusion for the week and update on her life...life is really good! Football for Tyrus is over...we had the party for all the boys that lasted until 4am..ugh...those stinky boys wouldn't sleep and now after meeting another beloved diva...Diva Jan....tomorrow a synopsis of our meeting...I will close..this was a waaaay too long post and my hands are tired....

until next time....

xoxoxo

crazy lady angela(as Salina calls me...rofl)

a few more...

phew!!! I think 8 pieces in one evening is enough...i am craving some popcorn and a movie now!~...lol! although i do have to say it was a very productive evening....here are 4 more!


no more talking tonight...i have to go with Tyrus and the gang to a football game in the morning, so staying up late is not a good idea...see ya tomorrow..I have 2 more to go..plus my background and my own collage to do...so I am almost there.....yay!!!

tonight is art therapy night!

and i am in serious need of it! It seems in life that when it rains it pours...Let's see; not only am i recuperating from the let down of 2 or more months of 'Adrenaline Let-Down'...and all but one of the kids had "issues"this week, plus my dad was diagnosed with a form of cancer...now in his eyes it was a good thing because he can get the treatment he needs for his degenerating disease...and please don't ask what it is..and Dad I know you read this...you are welcome to add to the comment section of what it is called and eloborate on this stuff....okay so his last email made me feel better..sort of....and here come the tears again... Let me explain to you, even though I am 42 years old..my dad is still my daddy and i am a daddy's girl through and through...and nothing in this world holds a candle to that special 'first love' that I have with him. So, no matter how reasurring his words are, I am still worried and the word cancer just scares the shit out of me. I have had 3 friends die of cancer in the past 3 years. Not to mention other people that are close to my friends that are also battling this horrible disease! so I am worried!~

so on to the kids....lets start with the oldest still in the roost..Salina...my easy one...my sweetheart that is spoiled rottne just because she is always such a sweetheart...well some birdie told me her grades weren't so good...i check online on power school....ACK!!!!! 2-E's, a D and a C????? what the heck? Why can they not go on auto pilot and just want to get good grades. Needless to say her car has been grounded..she can ONLY drive to and from school...and if the grades do not improve dramatically, her trip to visit her bf will be cancelled. Child #2...tyrus..sick, he had fluid behind both eardrums and a constant headache(my guess a sinus infection....) he is on antibiotics and seems better today...finally

and last Turner..we had problems with his behavior and language and being really behind last year...no news until today at the meeting..well i did get a couple of discipline referalls early this week(first sign of trouble so far)...he had called a girl a "f*cker" and had stolen an eraser.....We had a meeting scheduled today with the whole team at the school..it included the Harper Creek School system psychologist, the teacher, the social worker for the school, the reading recovery teacher, the special resources teacher and principal. So we talked about his behavior and sort of set up a plan of action and agreed to have him tested to see if there is a possibility of a learning disability. My guess....a possible slight dyslexia and a developmental delay in his learning. That child is highly intelligent and also a VERY VERY creative sort....gees wonder where he got that? I think he will all of a sudden "get it". He has always been more physical in his personality so it doesn't suprise me that he isn't catching on to the reading as fast as others...Ashton had similar issues when he was small. I finally tried buying him 'Goosebumps' books..way beyond his level..but he loved them so much he just started reading them and has been a voracious reader ever since. I took the long shot and got Turner the very same books...he almost fell over in excitement a bit ago when I showed them to him....I hope it works!.....So i just feel like a failure in some ways....but more like they act like my child is some 'jeffrey dalmer' sort or something because he used the "f" word and no other 7 year old ever has in the history of the school. And gees where did he learn this in the first place?...ha!...Ashton..the big brother..okay i have to laugh...and yes I am not perfect and swear sometimes and so does Art on occasion.....not always, and I am really trying to not swear at all. *sigh* so it has been a trying week..today sent me almost over the edge, so doing art tonight is highly important...and you should have seen the look in my eyes when Art told me his movie projector wasn't working!!!!!! OMG!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Well, fortunately it was fixed back to where it was..still flickers..but his babysitter was revived enough to get him into his sanctuary....so he can recharge and let me do artwork in peace, too~

and here after that loooong whine, here is what I have accomplished so far on the art table tonight:

oh i did get a bit of fun and exciting news this week. I was invited to participate in Stampington.com's (the publishing mother company of Somerset Studio magazine) new weekly inspirational newsletter. I am not sure if it is a one time thing or an on going one. They will send me a preview of a new product that they want to highlight for me to choose if it would suit my style and I would be the featured artist of the week, with a sample and instructions that I created~ they said there is around 17,000 readers of that particular newletter....wowowowow!! I am reeeeally excited~

okay back to the art table before too much of this wine kicks in..lol...only 6 more flat sissies to go...

I get giddy....

When i get to do art....too funny! I seriously really get all excited and my heart starts pitter-pattering when i start digging through my papers and collage supplies. Okay i don't mean to sound big headed or anything, but at times I really amaze myself..... I am horribly embarrassed at my lateness on a couple of my swap commitments, so I am trying to fit them in inbetween normal household duties. It is sad, even though I am a stay at home mom..i seriously only normally have time for artwork on weekends. I mostly catch up laundry, household chores and any errand running/shopping during the week,so my time in the studio is limited most weekdays. Any way, I got the night off from football pratice duty and made use of the time i had in my studio..first hour I dinked on the computer(not so productive)but i dug in, the last hour that I had and create all five of these 4x4" collages for a "flat sissy" fatbook page exchange.

Each person contributed a character and we are to create a page of things that we did with them. Okay i have to admit mine are sort of made up...but it might be possible that we did them...except maybe the paris trip...so the amazing part!....I created 5 collages in about an hour..and I like them!
first collage:
bird watch(i ran out of room for the "ing" but like it this way..lol~)
trip to paris rainbow jumping....now doesn't that sound fun...I was just digging through a drawer of collage elements and the rainbow seemed perfect for this character....i have to say spontaneous collage seriously is fun and freeing...no thinking..just let the muse play!!!
fun in the sun...now that says it all....this is made with papers that i created that did not make the cut to go to print...i still think these would do really well..but ahhh wait til you see my newest ones that will go to print...I love them and can't wait until i can share...sometime in January or february...*sigh* so far away!

last one for tonight "let's play"..we do play games on occasion around here....good night!!!... until tomorrow...Art has the day off...other than a meeting about Turner and the gym, tomorrow is free...so back to my studio in the afternoon...i bought 4 dvd's for Art...so that should entertain him enough so I can come play in my studio for the next 4 days!!!~ After that party, I am in dire need for major art therapy!.....aaaaaaaaaahhhhh so good to back in my studio...i think i am going to go shufffle stuff around once more before bed...