ah, ATCs...

check out this book. needless to say, i want it! lol

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1592533345/ref=nosim/navylanestudi-20#

oh, so pretty.....

Whimsical Art online course

ever wanted to develop a whimsical art style? i know i have! in fact, it's something i'm VERY interested lately! and, as the Muses would have it, i noticed a link on my own sidebar just a few minutes ago, one that i had not remembered, and clicked on it.
and here's what i found:

http://www.arttradermag.com/node/7

check it out! awesome!!

i think i'm going to sign up... post a comment if you're interested, too! :)

SAFETY ALERT - scrappin supply recalled

just so you know... Health Canada has recalled some dollar store scrappin embellishments due to high lead content. here's the link.

http://tinyurl. com/6ywmhv

just thought i'd let you know.

oh, these are stunning!!!! especially the celtic one... and the third one... and, for that matter, the first one is pretty cool, too

http://bigartadventure.blogspot.com/2008/10/tin-can-alley.html

i'm really digging #3 in the category of "i think i could do this, if i had to." the celtic one? definitely "i wish!!!!" as for the first one? well, that would be "i like it, but i don't think i would do it, because it's not my style."

but still... check them out!

you need to see these!!!!

http://dansmamaisonilya.blogspot.com/2008/10/echantillons-dans-ma-maison-il-y-une.html

i went checking out a couple challenge blogs tonight, and when i got to "Dans ma maison il y a..." my jaw absolutely dropped! literally! these samples are stunning.

oh, i wish i wish i wish i could do stuff like this!

ok, you have to check this out

just click on the link, and look at this layout. and drool. it's ok. no one can see you. but i promise you, you will salivate like pavlov's dog!

http://inspirationalcraftblogs.blogspot.com/2008/09/heavenly-ice-cream.html

ding!

playing this afternoon

it's Mufu's birthday today, so blithe wanted to go to the art gallery in town. there is an exhibit there right now, on till october 26 by Aidan Urqhart (sp?). there are giant boot pieces, which are cool, but my favourite pieces were the minis. little 3x3 delights, mixed media, lotsa fun! well, i was inspired.

i'm going to start incorporating brighter colours into my work now, i think. and get a little quirkier sometimes, too. i love this little bird, i think she's adorable. (for those who have heard the rumours... this is the stamp i licked to make sure i got it. stop laughing. if you know me, you shouldn't be surprised. lol)

this little 4x4, which is really just a first attempt at something cooler (i wanted to make sure i liked the idea before i put in all that work into it (it involves paint and some other mixed media lovelies). so, here's the first attempt. i think i like it.

yeah, i'm really digging this piece. i'm especially pleased by the visual triangles: check out the coral, the turquoise, and the flowers. and you know, i didn't even notice any of them until it was all done. how fun is that?! :)

i'm really inspired by 4x4 right now. it's so much fun! give it a whirl, you'll fall in love! and if you need any inspiration, pop over to the St Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre and check out Aidan Urqhart's work. here's the link to STEPAC: http://www.stepac.ca/ (i'll put it on the sidebar, too, so it won't get lost in post-land).

Faithbooking... the course

i don't know how many of you know this already, but i'm going to be teaching a course at Cut N Paste, starting 10 September. it's a course on Faithbooking, scrapbooking your faith. classes will be every third wednesday, with samples in the store (and on my blog) at least 2 weeks ahead of time. here's the schedule:

1. Sacred Words. our favourite verses, passages/texts, quotations.
2. Sacredness. spirituality/faith defined. "what i believe."
3. why i believe. "faith gives me..." "faith makes me..."
4. my spiritual heritage. what my family believed. where i come from.
5. my spiritual legacy. core beliefs i wish to pass on.
6. my spiritual role models.
7. "i feel closest to the Divine (or whatever you call It) when..."
8. my sacred spaces
9. "I Know This Much Is True." my sacred truths.

i'm trying to keep this course as "spiritually neutral" as i can, so that as many people with as many different belief systems can participate. granted, i'm an evangelical christian, but if you're muslim, agnostic, catholic, jewish, or "miscellaneous" (as rev lovejoy calls it), please feel free to join us.

if there's any topics i've missed that you feel would be beneficial or important to preserve creatively, please let me know, and i will do my best to accomodate you. but there's the list as it is now.

i've included a link to CNP's website on the sidebar. check it out for the calendar and class descriptions. and if you're interested in the course, please feel free to visit Cut N Paste in St Thomas and sign up. hope to see you there! :)

ps - i'll also post the samples here, as they become available.

My Garden

my latest scrappy creation - a 2-page layout, with 3 pictures and DOODLING!!! i could really get hooked on this doodling thing. it still takes me forever - i want it "just so" - but i think i'm starting to get the hang of it. oh, and did i mention, i didn't use a sketch! and pam, check out all that journaling! are ya proud? lol

how did this happen?! oh, yeah, i'm a slob.

ok, so, we all remember why i started this blog. or, maybe you don't, in which case, may i suggest you go back and check out the first few posts. you will note that one of my reasons for this blog was to inspire me to organize - and use - my scrappin space (hence the name of the blog). and hopefully, to keep me accountable and organized, due to the likelihood of my desk showing up in pictures on posts.

well, that last part hasn't really worked, thanks to the genius who invented scanners. and so, in the spirit of openness and transparency (and blissful semi-anonymity) that can only truly exist in cyber-space, i am coming clean (oh, the irony) and showing you what has happened to my desk in the intervening months. so, brace yourselves, and take a look:

well, even i cannot work like this! so, i decided to clean up my mess. and here's my progress, as of a couple hours ago:

see? look closely - you can see the desk! woohoo! here's some of the changes i made:

1. i bought another shelf to put on top of the desk. i left a space between them for books that i consult frequently, current magazines, my vintage children/fairy pictures, and my crop-a-dile.
2. i bought a couple more photo boxes to put my stamps in. i already had a box with some random stamps, but i put all the SU stamps i'm keeping in another box. (these boxes are now on the shelves.)
3. i put the multitude of gel pens in the cupboard.
4. i call them, "catch 'ems." i acquired some baskets to put on the shelf, as well. one is for my acrylic stamps (i don't have many at the moment, so they fit in there). another one is for scrap paper. the third one is my miscellaneous basket. little what-nots (random embies and such) that are lying around, but that i plan on using in the next couple of minutes, go in there.

that's about all i've done in so far. still a lot to do, like where will i put my funky black box which keeps my skinnies and such. probably along the short side of the desk, but i'll get to that later this afternoon.

so, there you have it. i'm a slob. but at least now annie can forget any ideas about an "intervention." i'm not disorganized. i'm just lazy! lol

where are they all coming from?! oh, yeah, utah.

so, i'm moving a bookcase up to my room this afternoon, and that means i have to empty it first (kinda awkward to carry a bookcase up the stairs when it's full. don't know if you've ever tried it, but i wouldn't recommend it... not that i've ever tried, mind you, but i digress...). well, i cleared off the first couple of shelves, then i look at the bottom shelf, and what do i see there? yup, you guessed it! more stamps!!!!! arg!!!! it's like they've been breeding, making little baby stamp sets, which in turn breed and create still more stamp sets!!! what's up with that?!

well, i'm posting my most recent discoveries on the sidebar, and removing the ones there that have been taken. thank-you, everyone, for your enthusiasm and help getting rid of my stuff. what great friends i have (or maybe i just hang around people who are as much the obsessive SU! collectors as myself).

i will likely have bundles of paper in the near future, as well, as i will be dealing with all of that in the week to come. so much purging, so little will... ah, well, so it goes. ttys! :)

i have a biggie SU thing to get rid of, now, too!

i have a full set of Rich Regals Classic Stampin' Pads, never been opened let alone used! they're still in the box, which also makes it handy for storing. Stampin' Up! sells this for $73.95 (plus shipping and taxes). you can have mine for $20. this is 12 brand new stamp pads in beautiful colours. but i already have the ones i want, and i already got rid of the rest. so, yeah, full set of Rich Regals classic (dye ink) pads for $20, complete in box.

leave a comment, or email me (address on the sidebar). thanks! :)


UPDATE: the pads are spoken for. thanks! :)

a heads-up for all you stampers and scrappers out there

as some of you may know already, i'm in the process of purging my home. and now that i'm refining my creative style and organizing my scrappin' space (that's right, i'm still in the process), i am also purging my space, and therefore, supplies. so, in the next few days, i will be doing an on-line yard sale, of sorts. i have WAY too many stamps and page kits, and i am NEVER going to use them all. stay tuned for great deals on stampin' up stamps, idea books, and paper/page kits.

My Soccer Star!

last night was blithe's first ever soccer game, and my first night as a "soccer mom." yikes! when did she (and i) grow up?! how did that happen without my noticing? ah, well, these things happen, i suppose. anyway, here are some photos from the game.

look at blithe (on the far left). she looks like such a pro, eh? :)

look at her, right in the mix!

i described her like this: she is totally the right in there throwing elbows to get at the ball win at all costs running with her tongue sticking out kinda kid! hilarious! and of course, between plays, she chatted with the coach. too cute! she had so much fun, although she was disappointed that she didn't score a goal herself. but she can't wait till next week; she keeps asking "when is thursday, mommy?"

a little off-topic, but i don't care! :)

check out this blog. my frind annie posted this awesome recipe. i've got it in the crockpot right now. i'm so excited about this recipe. can't wait to taste it. the salsa smells delicious (i used PC mango & lime salsa). i'll let you know how it turns out! :)

http://myrecipestash.blogspot.com/2008/03/mango-crockpot-chicken.html

UPDATE: it was awesome! thanks for the recipe, girlie! :)

Giggling Goldfish

during my random meanderings through blogger one day, i came across a blog (Melissa Vest Designs - i added a link on the sidebar). well, every week or so, she showcases an artist on etsy - an on-line marketplace for handmade everything. last week, she chose the Giggling Goldfish. totally cute name, and totally cute products! so, since i always do as i'm told (you can stop laughing now - lol), i checked it out, and I COULD NOT RESIST!!!! such awesome merchandise! even the packaging is great! and pretty good prices, too.

so, my package arrived today, and i was so impressed, i had to show you:

the package it comes in, as yet unopened.
yeah, like i could wait. this is how it's packed inside the box.
comes in a co-ordinating tin, tied in a pretty bow.
check it out!

ok, so the one that i got is called "totally subLIME" and it is! you doubt? i'll be wearing my new necklace a lot from now on, so if you see me, you'll understand.

and the extra square? that's a nice little bonus, apparently. a co-ordinating magnet. delightful! the service was excellent, the shipping was quick. love it! :)

so, really, check it out - i'm putting a link to etsy on the sidebar, and you can peruse at your leisure. enjoy!

check out these papers i bought!!!!

like em? i picked these nuggets of joy up at michaels this morning. i've gotten pretty intrigued with this whole collage scene, so when i saw these packages at the store this morning i gasped, "oh, i simply must have this!" and for about $6, i got several sheets of paper, some tags, a sheet of quotations, and some pages pull of images to cut out. isn't it lovely?! i can't wait to start playing with it all!

i'm also working on another paintable page. i'd completely forgotten about this pattern, but i re-discovered it last night and, after exclaiming, "my life is complete!" i pulled out my watercolour pencils and quickly got to work! maybe i'll post a pic later on. right now i'm all about these papers! h