Donna Downy Wreath

So I know I have been away from my blog for a LONG time now and what's funny is that I have done a ton of layouts that I want to share as well as a few little projects but just haven't taken the time to do it.  So that being said I am going to MAKE myself start posting again tonight with some things that I have done. But I totally want to start with this since I'm working and can't be home to take pics of things right now.  This is a tutorial that Donna Downey did of a burlap wreath.  And with spring around the corner (actually it's been feeling like summer here all week we have had high 70s and today maybe 80) I thought was a fun spring/summer project.  I was thinking that if you made a few of these you could use glimmer mist or the ranger spray inks or any spray ink for that matter, and mist the flowers different colors.  So even though she does not color them you could and use summer colors, or fall colors when fall comes or even Christmas/winter colors.  I'm going to definately try one of these because I love the whole natural feel of them kinda like the Pottery Barn/earthy look.  That's kinda my thing but if you do make one please post it on your blog and post a link here to it in the comments so I can see your creation.

http://donnadowney.typepad.com/simply_me/2012/03/gorgeous-muslin-wreath-tutorial.html

Lots of Pics - And a big thank you to all who donated to Pugapalooza 5

So I have been MIA for most of the summer and now most of the fall.  I thought that once Elias went to college I was suppose to have more time ha, fat chance of that.  Below is a pic from this summer of Budha laying in the grass enjoying the sunshine by our patio.

Here is a pic in our back yard of a deer - we live in a very very residential area and the woods behind my house is very shallow so for us to have a deer in it was pretty cool! 

 And we also have baby turkeys, not sure if you are able to see them back in the clearing, the larger one up front is the mama - she's pretty small as well and only had 2 babies, then there was another larger mama with 4 babies not in this pic.  Whenever I see them I go out and throw them some bread, makes the pugs made they want whatever I'm giving the turkeys lol

Here is a pic of my new love, pumpkin spice latte.  Maxwell house has some that you can make at home, so yummy, love this in the fall!

 Made some fall cupcakes awhile ago. Last night I made an apple pie, but no pics.  I was lucky to get it done and out of the oven by 10pm before I went to bed :)

And because I'm still blog challenged here is a pic of the coffee mix that I made the pumpkin spice latte with in the above pic.  They sell it at Target, I couldn't find it at Wegmans, I'm sure there must be other stores out that that have it though.

A paper flower I made from 2 different flower punches.  I had downloaded a bunch of pics of things I made etc and of course we got a new computer and I lost a bunch of my pics I had saved stupid me for not backing up ugh so pics of how I made this, sorry!

 Did up Halloween care packages for Elias and his girlfriend who are both away at college last week and sent them to them.  I Enclosed a Halloween card for each of them.  Andrea's was the little purse below, inside the paper had skulls and was pretty cute.  Sent Elias a little pumpkin, a little skull I found that blinks on and off.  Along with some fresh apple and a variety of teas, you wouldn't think that most kids including his roommates would find what I sent appealing, but they were all hovered around he said saying "your mom sends you the coolest stuff" , made my day!!! :)

Here is a pic of the fountain at Suny Albany when I took Elias over the summer for orientation.

Here is a pic of Elias with the SUNY Albany Mascot - the great dane - This was at orientation in July

And last but not least the Graduates.  Seems like so long ago now!

Well I'm headed off for a weekend crop in MA this Thursday, Pugapalooza a fundraiser for the pug rescue of New England.  Going to be a blast can't wait to see all my MA peeps!!!  I wanted to give a quick shout out to all my friends who donated some scrapbooking goodies for our raffles:  Karen Barber, CTMH Consultant,  Kathy Greenia - Stampin and Scrappin Time in Bridgeport, NY, and Kathy Coogan - We B Scrappin.  Thanks so much ladies, you are all a huge help in raising money for PRoNE and helping all those puggies that are in need!  I can't express my gratitude enough!!! 

An Amazing Give Away ....check this out

Here is an amazing blog that I foung thru the Bo Bunny site.  Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE my Bo Bunny!  Gabrielle is having this amazing give away and all you have to do is leave a comment on her blog.
I'm totally addicted once you see her work it's like I just wish I could watch her create a layout.
http://gabriellepollacco.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-favourite-embellies-give-away.html

Going to try to get some layouts photographed and posted soon :)

So much to catch up on

Hi everyone, I know it's been so long since I posted. I've got so much to share and so little time to do it. Below is a layout that I did for our Friday morning crop at Stampin and Scrappin Time. Kathy let me teach and this is the page I taught. It was a lot of fun to be up there helping others, but a lot of work too, I give all you teaches out there lots of kudos for all the work you do. Esp. Kathy from Stampin and Scrappin Time she creates a unique layout for us each week!!!


The flowers are made out of patterned paper and flower punches in different sizes. I just punched them spritzed them with a little water and then crumpled them up. After uncrumpling them I took some ink pads that would match the paper the flowers were punched out of and ran the ink pad over them to make the creases stand out. The stems were just made out of green patterned paper that I distressed and inked the edges and kinda just rolled them in to give them dimension. The leaves were stamped with a hero arts leave stamp on to some pages out of a book with green ink and then I cut them out and kinda crumpled them up as I glued them on. The background was made with lemon glimmer mist and lily pad glimmer mist. Then inked the edges with my pool paint dauber. The journal block is Prima and the "Enjoy" tag is the back of a tim holtz tag that I stamped with the word enjoy. Captured Memories is from a Close to My Heart Stamp set that was a special they had a few years ago. The pic is of my oldest sister and I last summer at a family party.

Here is a pic of my baby who isn't so much a baby any more, here he was at just one year old.

And here he is in one of his senior pics, so grown up, I can't believe it. Time just goes so fast!

This was his senior ball with his Girlfriend and his 2 closest friends since elementary school. Elias is on the end in black and gold. He had decided to grow his hair out from January so that he could get braids for Prom.

Here is a pic of Elias and Andrea. As crazy as I am I volunteered to host an after the ball party up to our camp for him and 30 of his friends. I know CRAZY, but I have to say that they were all very well behaved I had no problems and Elias did an amazing job of cleaning up after. Needless to say I didn't get to bed that night until like 3AM but it was worth it because I knew where he was and him and his friends were where I could keep them all safe!

Graduation Pics to come next....:)

Vintage Give Away - You've got to check this out

http://rustyroostervintage.blogspot.com/2011/04/giveaway-time.html Click on the link above in order to enter to win all the goodies you see in this pic. And you just need to check out her blog if you love vintage soooooo fun!

Hand Died Crinkle Seam Binding

I followed a couple links on Janes blog which she has some awesome projects and cards on here:
http://anythingbutplainjane.blogspot.com/ and I came across this site which has an awesome video tutorial for hand died crinkle binding. Which is something I've been wanting to learn how to do and here is the link below I thought I'd share it with all of you it's pretty cool : )

http://tammytutterow.typepad.com/tammy_tutterow/video-tutorials.html#tp

Hello out there

Wow I think this is the longest I've gone since I started my blog without posting. The days have just been whizzing by.

I want to start off by first going backwards in time and posting what I should have posted at Thanksgiving time.

I want to post about the many things that I am truly thankful for (may be a long post but I'll try to cut out the blah blah blah : ).

I am very thankful for my family of course but I do have to elaborate on this is bit....Last January my Dad who is 76 ended up back in the hospital for almost a month and had to have open heart surgery again. This happened to him back about 6 yrs ago prior to this where he ended up having quadruple bypass surgery. Well one morning I was getting ready to leave for work and my cell phone rang the name that came up on my phone was my oldest brother Carl, Jr. now mind you this is like 7am. Upon answering the phone my brother proceeded to tell me that my dad has gone into heart failure over night and that he didn't really know much because he had just gotten the call from our mom and he was on his way to the hospital. I hung up the phone thought I could compose myself since my son was right there. Dan asked me what was going on and I burst out crying. I just couldn't believe that this was happening as literally 2 nights before they sat beside me at Elias' basketball game and he looked fine. It was a long 3 1/2 weeks of running back and forth to the hospital, picking my mom up and bringing her, then going back to bring her home although I had 2 brothers that did help with this as well. Anyways this was not meant to be a sad story but a thankful one. My dad made it thru this and he is with us today although he can't do as much as he used to he is alive and well and living life and I am so Thankful that he was here with us this Thanksgiving and all year thru!

I am thankful for Dan my better half who has been there for me thru thick and thin for the past 11 years. He has been the one for me to lean on, to hold me to, tell me that he loves me when I'm down. He is an amazing person always putting me first and I really don't know what I'd in lfe without him he's just an amazing person and I am so lucky and blessed that he's in my life!!

I am thankful for my son Elias, who even though he can drive me crazy at times as most teenagers can, he has a kind and tender heart, he is a very giving and loving person. He is a hard worker and would do anything for the people he cares about (family and friends) and I'm very proud to be his mom and Proud of the person that he has become. I am truly thankful that God gave me him as my son.

I am thankful for my friends around me who always listen to me when I need them and are there for me, for my pugs who bring me so much joy each day and love me unconditionally (even when I make them go pee outside when it's snowing)

I am thankful for the roof over my head, the food that I have, the air that I breathe, the happiness that I'm allowed and the amazing people I have met thru scrapbooking. To all of you out there who take the time to read what I post, to comment and to follow my little blog I am thankful for all of you and feel very blessed to have all of you a part of my life!!!!