Happy Halloween!

Do you like my ring around the rosie ghosts?

I'll admit, I'm kind of like a kid when it comes to holidays - I love to decorate.

I'm going to blame it all on my mom - when we were growing up she always made such big deals of the holidays and of our birthdays.

Besides, it's fun and we are never too old to have some fun, right!?

Waiting on my first trick or treaters - hope we get lots!

Halloween Tag Swap

Since tomorrow is Halloween, I thought I would share some of the *amazing* tags I received from the Halloween Tag Swap that was hosted by Wanda Clark. What a treat for me to receive these in the mail last week! Wanda did such a fabulous job organizing the swap and was so generous to send each of us a goodie bag filled with gorgeous Halloween embellishments. So a big "Thank you!" to Wanda.


Aren't these women talented!?!

Look at the diversity of these tags. It is amazing to me that we can have the same theme and everyone's tags come out so different.

Although I love each and every tag that I received, I'm going to just focus on a few that totally blew me away.
For instance, this one by Jane Palmer. I don't think she has a blog but isn't this tag just gorgeous with all that Halloween Goodness! ~*AND*~ she is the hostess for the Christmas Tag Swap I'm participating in. Yay!!

The detail on this tag was pretty amazing with stitching around the edge, the eerie witchy woman and the cool embellishments. This tag was created by Kimberly Laws at Art Joy Stuff.

"All Hallows Eve" was created by Alisa Noble of Life is a Beautiful Place To Be and is covered in Beeswax which gives it texture and depth. It also has a real twig that the owl is perched upon.

I finally finished all my pages for the upcoming Cupcake Book Swap and got them in the mail to Rachel. I also created and sent off my sister's baby shower invitations. I'm starting to get my supplies ready to head off to Omaha in a week and a half for Silver Bella! It will be my first time attending and I can hardly wait! Now I'm off to make my treat bags for handing out candy tomorrow. Bye!

Folding Tray and Dorothy Tag Swap

The lighting up in my craft room isn't the best so please keep that in mind when viewing these pictures. As promised, here is a picture of the cute folding travel tray I made during craft night:

Remember when I talked about the Dorothy Tag Swap that I participated in over at Karla's Cottage? This was my *first* swap ever and I am so happy that I joined in. The creativity of all the tags are so inspiring. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted my tag and I was happy with what I came up with:

Karla made these adorable tag book covers with an image she painted and the cutest little lollipop charm. Can you see the little tag with Toto on it? That slides in and out of the basket - isn't that awesome?!?

This tag was created by Ruth Flowers. I don't know if she has a blog or not. Isn't it cute - I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture but the balloon is raised off the tag and Toto has a shiny coat. Precious!

Jeanie Croope at The Marmelade Gypsy made this one. The contrasting scary texture, color, and picture of the scared lion with the word "Courage" at the top is very cool.

The creator of this tag made it out of canvas and cut into a house shape with pictures of the characters from the Wizard of Oz. How creative is that!

Charlott Smothers added a beautiful embroidered flower embellishment to her tag. Don't you just love it?

Stephanie Oyler's background has the music to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and a the picture of Dorothy and Toto Sleeping while being escorted by the scarecrow and tin man. How fun!

The final tag in my book is by Cindy Hamlin and it is made from fabric with yellow beads sewn on for dimension. Just incredible!

I just can't even believe the creativity of these women and their tags. I keep looking at them over and over and discovering things I hadn't seen the first time I looked at them.

Check back as I'll be posting the tags from the Halloween Swap I participated in.

A Birthday and Folding Travel Trays

Happy Birthday Gram!


This sweet lady is my Mom's Mom. I don't call her as much as I should because she just can't hear me on the phone. Not only is she a little hard of hearing but there is something about my voice that she has more trouble hearing me than some of my cousins. I usually send her a card or a letter to let her know what is going on and to let her know how much I miss her. But today, I'm going to call her - so if you see somebody hollering into the phone it's probably me trying to wish my Gram a Happy Birthday. ;)

Back in May I took a class with Charlotte Lyons at the Mary Engelbreit conference in St. Louis. We made these cute little folding travel trays.



My friend Kathy saw them and wanted to learn how to make one. We have tried since summer to get together to craft and finally got together last night. I invited my friend Lisa and Kathy invited her friend Laurie and we had so much fun laughing and crafting! Lisa worked on a Christmas Stocking for her granddaughter and we worked on our Christmas themed travel trays. I'll get a picture of my Christmas Folding Tray and post it here later. Which reminds me - I still need to get pictures up for my tag swaps. Better get on that!

I'm participating in a White Christmas Tag Swap and Cheryl Bass made this sweet blog button that you will see here and in my sidebar. Can't wait to get started on that swap.

Free Art Journal Workshop

So, in my blog-hopping adventures I've come across the opportunity for a Free Workshop on Art Journaling. If you are at all interested, you should check out this link: http://effyswild.blogspot.com/p/why-not-free-art-journaling-workshop.html and consider participating with me. Let me know if you do - I think it will be an amazing and transformative process.

I have a nephew!

He's finally here and what a cutie he is! Baby Joao - that's John to those of us who don't speak Portugese - was born on October 19th. What a sweet little angel! Manda says he is such a good baby and we are all thankful for that.
My friend Elena pointed out that the blanket in the picture makes him look like he has wings.


I'm so wishing I could be in Connecticut right now cuddling on my sweet little angel. I'll see him next month though when Doug and I go home for January's shower. Can't wait!

Remember when I said I broke the glass on my craft table - Yep - here's the damage:


I was a nervous wreck taking that glass off the table and getting it downstairs loaded in the car and off to the dumpster. As we loaded it in the car a huge jagged chunk broke off - just what I was afraid of. Thank goodness it didn't slice us into bits. We got it thrown away and a new piece of glass is upstairs waiting to be put on my craft table - once I clear off all the scrappy supplies.

All kinds of stuff going on!

This week was the Oklahoma Association of Realtors conference and I attended and was the lucky winner of a 5 day Cruise for two! Thank you to Exit Realty from Arkansas! My choices are either Mexico or Bahamas. I think we going to choose Bahamas just because I have never been there.

Yesterday, down at Riverwalk in Jenks there was a fundraising event for the Tulsa Humane Society including a 5K run and a 1 mile walk along with all kinds of vendor booths and animals up for adoption. I met Tonya there and we did the 1 mile walk and admired all the cute furry friends walking too. We decided next year we would bring our furry friends too.


This cute little angel was checking out all the sights. You can't see from this photo but there were two other dogs in that stroller too. They weren't as interested what was going on. I wish I could take them all home with me...

I love these events and try to attend and support as many as I can. Today I am going over to Oklahoma City to attend the annual Free To Live auction. It is their biggest fundraising event of the year and is always so much fun. The silent auction and the live auction always have fun things to choose from.

On the creative front I've been working on some "swaps". I got my Dorothy tags in the mail last week from the Dorothy tag swap I participated in over at Karla's Cottage. I finished my Halloween Tags and got them in the mail and I finished my fabric banners for the banner swap taking place at Silver Bella in November. Here is a picture of my finished panel:

I'm also participating in a White Christmas Tag Swap and a Cupcake Book Swap. Actually my pages for the Cupcake book were due on Friday and I'm not finished so I'd better get going on that!
I'll try to get some pictures of the awesome Tags I got back from the Dorothy Tag Swap and post them in my next post.

Manda is due to have her baby tomorrow - so I should be an Auntie very, very soon! Can't wait!!!

Married in Maui one year ago today...

This time last year we were in paradise and making a promise to each other.

It was a beautiful day and even better than I had imagined it.


Happy Anniversary Honey! I love you with all my heart...

Fall Flowers and Halloween Decorating

I stopped at this cute little nursery yesterday to pick up some pansies for the front flower beds. Wish my front yard looked this festive.


Love all the beautiful mums - can I have one in each color? For now I chose this pretty raspberry color but I suspect I may have to go back and get some more.

These orange sherbert pansies are going to look so pretty in the front flower beds.

Last night I got all the Halloween decorations out of the attic and made these creepy eyes for a project I'm working on. Check back to see!

Dangerous Crafting

Still feeling a little under the weather but definitely better than earlier this week.

I'm *so mad* at myself right now - I broke the glass that was protecting the top of my craft table. Ugh! I was making some banners for a banner swap that I'm participating in next month at Silver Bella. I was ironing some fabric on top of a pad and the glass just "popped". Scared the life out of me but thankfully I had so much fabric and stuff on the table that only a couple little pieces went flying. Hopefully I will find them before I get cut on them and tomorrow I'll call the glass company for a new piece of glass. I feel like an idiot though - I should have known better but honestly it never crossed my mind that the glass would shatter. So - be forewarned!

Back from Inspiration Unlimited 2010 - Las Vegas

While it's nice to get away, I'm always so happy to return home. I miss Doug and I miss the dogs and I just miss my "routine".
However, while away it's always nice to have this for a view:

Looking out the window of my hotel room I overlooked the beautiful pool area and could see the city of Las Vegas just past the line of trees. I never did make it to "the strip" because we were just way too busy!

My room was spacious and very comfortable and would you just look at this bathroom!

I did manage to get outside for a little bit on Saturday. Just outside the doors of the Green Valley Casino was a cute little area with some shops. On Saturday there was a little street fair going on. I shopped a little and just took in the scenery before I had to get right back to my classes.

The first class was Teresa Collin's Gratitude Album class. Here are my supplies ready to go!



Here is a picture of my work in progress. The lighting in the event wasn't very good and I wish I had brought my Ott light.


I've got more to share about the event although not too many more pictures. I came home with a terrible cold so I'm a bit under the weather. Just wanted to share a quick post and let you know I will be sharing more so check back!

The Creative Connection in Minneapolis

This past weekend I set off to Minneapolis to attend The Creative Connection. The event was a combination of creative classes and business related topics geared towards artists. I had been so looking forward to attending and the event definitely did not disappoint!
Rachel and I had been planning on attending since very early spring and I flew in from Tulsa and she drove in from Omaha and picked me up at the airport.

We didn't know until a couple of days before the event that our fellow Brave Girls Melody and Margie would be attending. (Photo below is from Margie's phone)

Melody and Margie were also teaching over at the Mall of America at Scrapfest but spent some time enjoying The Creative Connection and the Handmade Market which was *awesome*...

Upon registration we got to choose three creative classes and one I chose was Jennifer Murphy's class. We made an adorable stuffed bunny with jointed arms. Here I am with the bunny I made and with Jennifer. I'm so happy with the way my bunny turned out - not perfect but so cute for my first try.



One of the "make and takes" that Rachel and I did on the first night was this cute little Mama Bird's Nest necklace which was at the "O Sweet Sadie" booth.


I also took a class by Debbie Murray and Shea Fragoso of "A Guilded Life". We made a sweet little necklace made with a glass jar filled with glitter, trinkets and a tiny note inside. See the cute silver glitter jewelry box? We painted and glittered that too.

My friend Shelley who is also from Oklahoma was in my class. I originally met Shelly in St. Louis at the Mary Englebreit conference that I attended in the spring. Shelley and I promised to keep in touch and I actually ran into her just yesterday while I was in Oklahoma City checking out a great little fabric store. Shelley was there with her friend taking a class - fun!



Other event highlights included seeing The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond (she was actually on my plane to Minneapolis from Oklahoma), the Pajama Party with make and takes hosted by Tiffany Windsor, a painting class I took with Laurie Messeroll, and the cupcake farewell party. I'm sure there is much more I'm leaving out.
These events are so much fun but believe me they are exhausting too - that is why I look so tired in my pictures. I don't sleep well when I'm away from home plus it is always go, go, go!
Tomorrow I'm on a plane for Vegas for the Inspiration Unlimited 2010 event - better get off this computer and re-pack for another busy weekend!

Creative Connection!

Tomorrow I head off to Minneapolis for The Creative Connection Event! I can hardly even wait! I'm supposed to be packing and gathering my supplies but I thought I would just do a quick blog post to let you know what I'm going to be up to the next few days. I just know it is going to be awesome...

In Remembrance and Celebration

Today we said our final goodbye's to Doug's mom Carol. The service was beautiful and she was laid to rest next Kenneth Arms - her husband of 37 years. I can't help but think of the both of them smiling and watching the OU game from above. Go Sooners!
During the service the pastor reflected on some of the stories that we will always remember about her and we laughed and we cried. Though our hearts are heavy right now, we will look back on those memories and smile.


Also on our hearts and in our minds today are the memories of 2001 on that fateful day that changed our nation forever. It was a scary and confusing time and we all remember where we were and what we were doing when those planes hit the towers. My family was in Connecticut and I had just moved to Oklahoma a few months prior. I had an overwhelming sense of needing to be with my family - especially my Mom. Those were difficult days and I pray that the families who suffered tragedies have found some sense of peace in their lives and I have such gratitude for the people who work so hard every day to keep us safe.

In a much lighter note, today is my sister's birthday! Happy Birthday Amanda!!!
I hope you had a wonderful birthday today. :)

Amanda and Lier are expecting a baby boy next month and I can hardly wait to be an auntie to my little nephew!