Speedy sale!

I've been so busy catching a couple of great shopping deals this Black Friday that I totally forgot to set up some sales for YOU! That means we've just got time for a speedy sale. ALL of my files at Paperthreads will be 40% off on Saturday and Sunday, Nov 27 & 28.

But it gets even better...if you've been eying that Countdown to Christmas file, you've got to get moving! So to speed you on your way to completion I've marked it 60% off for the next two days as well. That means you can pick up that entire file collection for just $5.98! What a deal!

Did you see Sue's lovely creation?


Isn't it awesome? She is so speedy and does so much with love, you can just see it in her projects. Don't miss out on this, you can use all those files individually as well for cards, tags, and so much more.

BTW, I shop vicariously too, not such an adrenaline high, but still...
So...share you awesome finds this weekend in the comments below. I'll draw a winner from the comments on Monday to win my next file to the store (it's a great gift card holder, so perfect for this time of year).

Counting down the days...

What, you want to see more? Well, I'll link here as soon as everything gets set in the store, but here's the photo from the file...

(You can click to go to the file at Paperthreads!)

It's just what you need to make your own Countdown to Christmas Calendar! I've included 25 paper piecings you could use alone, the digital stamp for the retro quirky numbering, and the title. I've also got instructions to help you complete your own masterpiece!

Sneaky, sneaky...

Whew, I'm so glad to be done with my part in my next file...now I just need to get it all done and up in my part of the store!
But what is it you might ask? Only me and a little "fishy" know right now...Want just a peek to pique your interest?


It's just a tiny part of the whole piece...stop back soon to see the rest!

Some older things to "wrap up"!

I remember mentioning my project I needed to complete before the Baltimore Paperthreads Retreat...but don't think I ever actually shared pics of the completed project.

It was honestly the first sewing (other than knee patches and waist "take-ins") that I have done for some time!

I wanted to take my copic markers along on the trip with me, and have used a clear tupperware style box to travel with previously, but spent too much time sdigging through the box trying to find the color pairings I had available. I tried rubberbanding the groups of 3 "side-by-side" shades, but spent so much time unbanding and repacking. So, I decided to make a roll up marker wallet.


It looks much like a make-up brush roll, I just measured my markers and figured out how big it needed to be to hold 72 markers (24 sets of 3 color pair-up). I use a mixture of sketch and ciao pens, and wanteed both variations to fit in the same sized pouch. It's snug for three sketch, and a bit loose for 3 ciaaos. Here's just a peek as you unroll it. I wanted to make sure when it was rolled up that none of the markers could fall out, so folded it back over itself.




Once it's completely open, you can re-roll it inside out with the center tucked back out of the way. Now I have a roll that can stand up on the table in front of me...and is perfect for keeping all the colors in order!

I was even able to color in images on the plane this way!


Thanks for looking!

Why does it always happen...

...that you never can catch them both looking at the camera, smiling, acting HUMAN, at the same time? Here's a few snaps from yesterday on Halloween. We have some other photos of carving the pumpkins, but that was in the basement and they're a bit dim. Here's some before getting into costume...see the mean monster on the left?


Okay great, now she's smiling...


She must have burped...or crossed "over the line"...(Don't you remember that from car trips...MOM, she touched me...she's on my side of the line!)


Isn't it time for trick-or-treat yet???


So, I decided just to take their pictures by themselves (and got great ones, HAH!)





Now where's the candy???

So, my daughter was a "fairy princess", Tinkerbelle, to be more accurate. I told her to smile for the camera...she thought for a moment...(btw, she was over the moon with her glittery purple pumpkin, er, I mean fairy dusted bucket)


and told me she knew EXACTLY how Tink should pose...


I have to admit it, I think she's got it! Check out the car decal below sold by the Diseystore.com .


Now, her brother...well, you know he's a Star Wars addict. He dressed as a Jedi knight. I think he finally decided he was Obi-wan.


Thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful weekend!

It's looking like it's going to be a beautiful weekend around here...the weather is cool, crisp in the mornings (just like fall SHOULD be, LOL!) but not too chilly to be out and about.

It's time for a big celebration at Paperthreads too! The store opened up 4 years ago, and it's Michelle's birthday too, so quite a few of the designers have joined in on a spectacular bash of a sale! All my files are on sale for 50% off, and I know many others' are as well.

So, come on over and join us in celebrating this weekend with some fantastic deals. (Sale starts Friday, Oct 1st and goes through the night of Sunday, Oct 3rd EDT.)

While the cat's away...

That's right! The mice get to play!

What does that mean for you? Well...since I'm away having fun in Baltimore, you should get to share in some good times this weekend too, right? So, to help you along with your fun, I'm putting all my files at Paperthreads on sale for 40% off!

But, you better hurry, cause the cat never is gone for very long, so grab the deals while you can! (Sale starts Friday, Sep 24th and goes through the night of Sunday, Sep 26th EDT.)

May the force be with you...

My DS has been wearing a special color shirt each day the last 2 weeks for 1st grade (it's related to a color themed book they're reading each day). This Friday is to be "Rainbow Day". I took it to mean that he could wear any color in the rainbow, but in his mind it meant that he had to wear a shirt with a rainbow on it.

Now, he's a typical boy, and really doesn't have any rainbow patterned shirts. We've left most of those, along with the tweet birds and butterflies, to his sister. So, I decided to drag out the ole inkjet printer and a very old pack of iron-on transfer paper. Do you know how hard it is to find an inkjet printer to use these days? I called up the library, Kinko's/Fed Ex, Office Supply stores, etc in the hopes of being able to pay to print the single sheet as opposed to buying new ink for my old printer. No luck! They've all changed to ONLY laser printers too.

Anyhow, I vaguely remembered an old retro styled image with one of his favorite subjects...Star Wars! (i know...who'd of thought it...LOL!) I made the image in illustrator (using Star Jedi font) using the Atari logo as inspiration for the rainbow. Transferred onto a white t-shirt from Michael's, and voila!


So, there you have it...a Star Wars rainbow shirt...perfect for my 6yo boy!

Bringing gifts for you (at 40% off!)

Don't forget my Christmas in July sale continues through Saturday night! Check out the post below, or my section of the Paperthreads store for some fabulous savings.

Merry Christmas in July!

Merry Christmas in July!

I've got a special gift for you today! All of my designer files at Paperthreads are on sale for Christmas in July. All my files go on sale for 40% off starting tonight at midnight and continue at this great discount until 1159 PM EST Saturday, July 31st.

This even includes all the new files you may not have seen yet, including my Snowflake Card Collection and the Retro Flower Border Digi. So, what are you waiting for? Get shopping!

Mojo Monday...on a Sunday!

I decided to play around with the Mojo Monday 148 sketch this week.
It was a little hard to fit everything in. I mirrored it so my sentiment worked the way I wanted...otherwise pretty straight forward.


Sorry the colors are so cool, it was shot outside, but I can't seem to get the right balance of shades.

Here's the starting sketch, in case you haven't seen it...



I've had this CC Designs Swiss Pixie Heidi colored for awhile now, waiting to be used. The colors here are much truer to the "real life card".


Colored with my Copics,
Hair: E08, E09, E35
Skirt: V12, V15, V17
Boots: RV21, RV23

It was designed as a birthday card, so I'm also entering it for caardvarks "My Favorite Things"/July challenge.

Thanks for looking!

New stuff at Paperthreads...Digi Stamps too!

Hi! Woo-hoo! I have some new stuff up in the store at Paperthreads...including the fabulous Retro Flower Border digi stamp!

And, I've been working on a new type of file, I call them Oodles & Doodles. They're intended to use your pen tool in combination with your blade for a whole different type of decorated diecut. Check out the first one...


I've also got a new 4th of July inspired tangle, one for you java nuts, and a few to get you well on your way with your Christmas/Holiday cards.
Anyway, if you'd like to see all twelve of the new files, you can click right HERE.

Sweet as can be!

I know she can be sweet when she wants to be! Just had to share this snapshot of my DD in one of her summer sundresses. She even insisted on the turquoise bows in her pony tails.



This is definitely one of those pics to have handy when she's having one of those "oh, so very 4 years old" kind of days!

A peak at me treasures, me hearties!

I wanted to share some of the pics from the kiddos recent "pirate party". Aaaargh, me hearties...

Here they are at the beginning of what turned out to be a fairly prolonged "sea battle"... (That's my DD, the 4 year old B-day girl hiding squatted down in the back...she's always very hard to get photos of.)




One of my DS jumping out of the pool to attack a rival pirate with his water cannonball...



My DD's cake; it's supposed to be a desert island with buried treasure. I made a chocolate cake with a tunnel of vanilla ice cream inside, frosted with gold frosting and then sprinkled with crushed graham crackers to look like sand. Decorated the top with some cut Mike & Ikes, gold coin sprinkles, and bone shaped sprinkles. I cut the palm tree from my KNK kind of last minute that day...



This year my DS got the cupcakes! Evil skeletons pirates clutching their buckets of gold, gems, & a few old bones!

Finally downloaded some pics from the 4th...

So, I finally decided to try and take some fireworks photos. They completely frighten me! I am using my old Sony DSC-P100 (point and shoot) and had very little time before we left for the fireworks. I didn't have time to find the tripod or the remote trigger...so these are as good as I got! I did manage to figure out how to change the "dummy" preset scene to fireworks before the lights went out...


In some respects, I'm actually surprised they came out as well as they did considering I was also supposed to be the "ear covers" for my four year old who's afraid of the "BOOMS!"


I cropped them in photoshop, sharpened a little bit, and adjusted the contrast just a touch.

I think I can manage to get some decent 4 by 6 prints out of these anyway this year.