The adventures of a housewife

my week in photos

2011-08-05T10:38:00.000-04:00

it's been a while- and life has been crazy but I wanted to stop by and say hey! and share some photos- on a recent trip to universal studios i dropped my camera in one of their lakes- so please excuse the photo quality- they are all taken with my phone...

downtown miami - after a day at the beach

brunch with my besties at brio- LOVE their lobster bisque and this bistecca insalata

magazine article on how to outsmart a bitch - lol

everyone was pooped

pithaya/dragon fruit- in season now! It's not only delicious but oh so beautiful too!

off to enjoy a day of crafting and catching up on my soap- will share, i promise

clutch in a pinch

2011-07-04T16:56:00.000-04:00

Saturday afternoon I was frantically running around trying to get ready in time for a wedding...
{we ended up missing the ceremony}

I totally forgot that I needed a purse and searched through my pile of randomness and found this...

a makeup bag from bath and body works

with glue gun in hand i did this...

06.23.11

2011-06-23T13:51:00.001-04:00

Nothing like an am visit to the dentist.

twillight inspired keepsake box and mini album

2011-05-01T15:45:00.000-04:00

Hi there, Happy Sunday..
just a quick post
to share my upcoming class

want to take it?

time for a change

2011-04-19T21:35:00.002-04:00

i'm getting old!
no really i am!
I can't eat the same things- or stay up as late- or handle loud music
this is not fun nor fair!

new change in the miller home... eating right.... well as right as we can
i mean c'mon we are foodies at the core

hubby made thing- with soya chunks

not too shabby

2011-03-25T20:04:00.001-04:00

Sorry, I have been MIA this has sorta been my view lately... Just thought I would stop by and say hey. Happy friday

my little canvas garden

2011-03-23T08:35:00.001-04:00

continuing with the canvas pages to add to my book i used this beautiful chipboard gate from scrapfx - crackled it in silver and used a webster's pages pattern behind... it's still not complete- i need some super tiny flowers for it ... but just wanted to share my progress!

some canvas love - another donna page

2011-03-16T08:32:00.000-04:00

i am on a roll!!
canvas is the new black- well at least in my scrap room it is!!

here is another page to add to my 4x6 donna downey canvas book

Yum

2011-03-10T17:22:00.001-05:00

Had to pick up my hubby from work today (flat tire) so we decided to pick up dinner from a.peruvian place that we wanted to try... Got one of these today, its a spanish cream soda which I am addicted to these days

spring is here, well almost

2011-03-10T08:42:00.000-05:00

doing a little cyber window shopping
getting some ideas together for spring- which by the way is just around the corner!

all items can be found at

anthropologie.com

see a colour trend?

another donna page

2011-03-09T08:30:00.000-05:00

continuing with my mini donna downy album here is another page using a photo from our wedding ... so loving the canvas and tons of texture!

My tuesday afternoon date

2011-03-08T23:26:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to share what I did today
I spent the afternoon watching elmo, coloring the sidewalk with chalk and being in total awe of my little nephew

babies babies everywhere!!

2011-03-07T23:31:00.000-05:00

yes, another baby shower is around the corner!!
we are doing a parisian flea market/ vintage tea party inspired shower

here is the invite

more photos to follow!

a donna page

2011-03-02T07:53:00.000-05:00

i was sooo inspired after my class with donna downey that i came home and scrapped a page in the book!!
i decided to use some wedding photos - yeah i'm ready to look at these and relive the horror-
the size of the book 4x6 is sooo easy to work with i just adore how this is shaping up!
happy hump day!!

atc cards

2011-03-01T07:45:00.000-05:00

I am trying to schedule some time for a little of this and a little of that... the one thing that always seems to get neglected... craft time!!
one of my must do projects... atc cards- i love the notion
and am trying to give it a go
hopefully i will have enough to fill a holder soon!!

Here is my first try

i stamped the background with one of my few but favorite stamps and added a few trinkets laying around my office

sorry about the terrible photos-

desperately.need.new.camera

my double d weekend {donna downey that is!}

2011-02-28T08:06:00.001-05:00

Donna Downey came to paper niche this weekend!!

I L O V E her!! the bff and i took her butterfly moments class and i am soo happy that we did!

It was so nice to take instead of teach! It definitely got my juices flowing!!

sunday morning started with my bestie making me breakfast

donna's sample book

donna & b

donna autographing my very unfinished messenger bag

donna signed bonita's book!

last nights dinner via weight watchers

2011-02-25T08:36:00.000-05:00

beef stroganoff- for the first time

Ingredients


	1 cup(s) canned beef broth, low-sodium
	2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
	1 tsp dry mustard
	1 pound(s) raw lean beef tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat and cut into 21⁄2-inch strips
	1/2 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
	2 tsp olive oil
	1 small onion(s), thinly sliced
	10 oz mushroom(s), cremini, white, or baby portobello, halved or quartered
	1/4 cup(s) water
	2 Tbsp light sour cream
	2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped
	4 cup(s) cooked egg noodles, hot

Instructions

With a whisk, stir the broth, flour, and mustard in a large nonstick skillet until blended and smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 2 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and cover to keep warm. Wipe the skillet clean.
Pat the beef dry with a paper towel; sprinkle with the salt and 1⁄8 teaspoon of the pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef and cook, turning once, until browned but still pink on the inside, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate; keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining half of the beef.
Add the onion to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until translucent, 3–5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, water, and the remaining 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, 3–4 minutes. Add any accumulated meat juices to the sauce mixture in the small bowl. Return the beef to the skillet with the onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer the meat mixture to a platter; keep warm.
Rewhisk the sauce mixture and pour into the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Pour the sauce over the meat, then sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with the egg noodles. Yields 2⁄3 cup stew and 2⁄3 cup noodles per serving.

really?

2011-02-24T08:14:00.000-05:00

i have been searching for a dog house for our pup mojo the boxer
and i want something beyond the ordinary.. something with a bit more imagination
i came across these...

photos courtesy of womansday.com

awesome huh?!? they range from $7,000-30,000- if only...

salads for everyone!

2011-02-23T08:17:00.000-05:00

we always try to pair salads with our dinner.. ya know meat, starch and salad.. with a yummy dessert to top it off

found these this weekend at publix and they were BOGO!! woohoo! gotta love that!

they have added the perfect touch to plain salads..yum

lacquer love

2011-02-22T18:02:00.000-05:00

my obsession with nail polishes is an on going love affair...
although some weeks you can't tell that from the chipped old polish that i simply haven't found time to change

i just adore OPI & Essie - the colours are right up my alley
but i often peruse the drug store make up counter searching for must have colours
and came across this one:

i am in L O V E with the burlesque inspired line from OPI - it's all shiny and glittery and lovely

i am also crazy about these:

opi burlesque

kisses & bises

texas

topless & barefoot

sand tropez

it's raining, it's pouring

2011-02-04T08:14:00.000-05:00

New Nikki Sivils!!

I used the
It's Raining, It's Pouring
line to scrap this favorite pic of mine
for the copy cat series at Paper Niche

seeing red

2011-02-03T11:21:00.000-05:00

February ... already?!!? sheesh
well it's all red this month
it's national heart awareness month
and valentine's day i just around the corner
as well as my bday- 27 to be exact...

working on my new wreath- and i am really unsure of what i want to do - i was thinking of incorporating a few of these elements

and on my v-day wishlist

how cute is this!!!

it's a crumpled up piece of paper that is a paper weight.

love it!

ahh .. this ring.. when we got engaged i wanted THIS ring

i think it is so ME

still waiting...

this little guy is a paperclip holder... loooove

no ipod here- but these speakers are fun

all can be found at

momastore.org

colour for the year

2011-01-13T11:24:00.000-05:00

Well one of my news years resolutions was to blog more... uh and that hasn't worked out so well

but i am here now!

and i see my colour for 2011 is ...

...really pretty turquoise
the beautiful damask pattern is my kindle cover!
bought at rogue theory - a shop that can be found on etsy

quick gift card holder idea

2010-12-24T14:50:00.000-05:00

hey guys

i am stopping by to share a last minute gift card holder that i put together using scraps from my stash

christmas came early when my new cricut imagine got here!

i am still learning so - so far so good

happy holidays

2010-12-22T11:44:00.000-05:00

i was prepared, i swear!!
i designed my holiday card weeks ago and it all went down hill from there... i lost the file! and had to redesign it, then our photographer bailed and i had to take the photo- not cool at all- i got so fed up that one night- no make up or proper lighting - i just decided to do it!
then sent them to snapfish to print and then i would mat, stone and glitter- well two weeks later they still did not arrive and when they finally did - they were horribly pixelated... i think i am officially through with snapfish... who do you like for printing?

so .. no holiday card from the millers this year- i am dissappointed because i wanted each year to represent a progression in our lives
last year i sent out a photo from our wedding in september
this year i wanted to do one of us at home
and next year...a photo of use from COMICON!!!

anyhoo
here's to wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday...

shatter

2010-12-14T10:16:00.000-05:00

I am a nail polish freak and am crazy about opi and essie

Well i am just so excited by the release of serena williams' release in january

her new line of colours comes with a black that is designed to shatter once layered on your other polish colours... it's like crackle paint for your nails!!

and my countdown begins! i HAVE TO HAVE IT! i NEED it!

this is the effect using katy perry's new line

{also launching in january}

baby it's cold outside

2010-12-09T11:41:00.001-05:00

I had grand plans to post everyday- sadly that did not pan out very well... sorry i have been mia- just the season of busy

but now i am free- at least for a few weeks

until school starts again in january!

i signed up for a holiday ornament swap over at freshly blended {one of the blogs i stalk}

and i have just had such a wonderful time making ornaments- i decided to do a rosette with dupioni silk and will be shipping them out to the nine ladies in my group-yay! and by the 15th i will have 9 handmade ornaments from across the country from fabulous crafty women- can't wait!

check out my ornament mates here:

http://cardigansandcoffee.blogspot.com/

http://blondebrunetteandredhead.blogspot.com/

http://minedamnesia.wordpress.com/

http://organicpinklady.blogspot.com/

http://claresadea.blogspot.com/

http://green-canary.blogspot.com/

http://fullofspaghetti.com/#531615/Full-of-Spaghetti

http://frugalhostess.blogspot.com/

oh and it's frickin freezing outside

so i pulled a floridan today and broke out

the knee high boots and

pea coat for the 60 degree weather

{but it is rainy and with the wind chill

it gets near into the fifties!}

these fabu boots can be found here

new season, new wreath

2010-11-30T16:10:00.000-05:00

Well the holiday season is upon us and i have been debating on a theme

and judging by the decorations i purchased- i'd say i subconsciously made that decision already!

glittery and shiny stuff in silver, gold and platinum

i'm doing the holidays

goddess style

here are photos of the new wreath

on to the tree- it's up

but that's about it!

Christmas countdown -Fashionista gift idea

2010-11-27T09:57:00.002-05:00

Christmas is slowly {well quickly approaching} and that issue of what to get your beloved ones is

stressful enough!

sooo... join me for a Christmas countdown and some of my favorite things that are definitely on my wish list

for the fashionista on your list:

i just adore these rings

like what you see?

shop here

Canvas class at PN

2010-11-26T13:08:00.000-05:00

I am crazy about canvas and home decor!

I used some canvas corps, glimmer mists and screens and a handmade rosette

Sat & Sun Dec 4 & 5

at PN

contact me if you are local and interested

krista.r.miller@gmail.com

thanksgiving pt 2

2010-11-25T13:09:00.000-05:00

Today is one of those wonderful days where if you are not the one slaving away in the kitchen, you are enjoying the Macy's parade, beautiful weather and some free time on your hands...

I keep looking at these bo bunny papers and wishing/wanting to do something with them

on another note

we stopped off at publix last night to get pie fixins

and found this little guy

apparently he is a puggle {pug + beagle}

we couldn't just leave him there!

{according to the officer who was taking care of him,

someone just dropped him off in the parking lot}

so mr. miller and i took him home with us, bathed, fed, took care of

although he is a doll we simply can't do another dog {unless it's a tiny one}

so i am searching for a loving home for him

if you or anyone you know wants another addition to your family just let me know!

chocolate truffle pie + turkey + stretchy pants = happy me!

2010-11-25T08:42:00.000-05:00

Happy turkey day!

We are splitting our day between my familia and Rob's so let the eating begin!

I have made pies to bring along with me to both dinners

My tried and true chocolate pecan pie

and a new one : Chocolate Truffle pie

courtesy of allrecipes.com

things you need:

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) prepared chocolate cookie crumb crust

what you need to do:

In microwave dish combine chocolate chips and 1/2 of the cream. Cook on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Stir in sugar & vanilla. Set aside.
In small bowl, beat the rest of the cream until soft peaks form. Beat in chocolate mixture on high speed 1/3 at a time. mix well and spoon into crust.
Refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving.

Paper Niche - Design Team- November Kit

2010-11-24T13:03:00.000-05:00

I am on the PN DT for the last two months of 2010

and here are my designs - I went vintage and pulled out some

baby pics!

Harry Potter

2010-11-23T12:34:00.000-05:00

Well it took a lot of time and energy but boy it was worth it!!

This is certainly out of my comfort zone and grunge is not my style but i had tons of fun.

{i took home tons of stuff from the store}

{tons of pull outs and hidden pockets}

{luminarte, glimmer mist and wood paper!}

{distress embossing, distress paint- just tons of distress}

{crackle paints, dies and even metal sheets}

{notice hedwig in the cages?!? hee hee!}

I will be teaching this class on Sunday, December 5th at Paper Niche

so if you are close by and want to join the fun be sure to contact me krista.r.miller@gmail.com

a very magical day

2010-11-11T11:25:00.000-05:00

very exciting news Harry Potter has arrived at the Niche and i am super duper excited!

I decided to do a 2 pager class but Tammy suggested a book- and it took off from there!

Last night i packed up half of the store {i kid you not} and cam home with tons of excitement and glee!

I can't wait to work on this awesome class idea!!

(i'm a nerd and proud) i love all things harry potter - well all things fantasy really but just adore all of the well written books and world that j.k.rowling has created.

I just hope i do this class justice!

tammy sent me home with all of the TH dies and emb folders!

I.CAN'T.WAIT.

2 bags and a box full of goodies!!

so i am contemplating how to actually go about this - i think i want to make it the ultimate HP addicts scrapbook- complete with recipes, quidditch tips, rare known facts and more!

i am also playing around with the idea of a hogwarts year book- we shall see

i'm off today and locked in my office with a bag of tricks and tv shows to catch up on!

Have a fabulous thursday

mini bunting art banner

2010-11-01T09:45:00.000-04:00

I am just so crazy about this bunting trend

these mini triangles are from canvas corps

{PN just got in a ton of stuff}

the patterned paper is 7 gypsies

the pleated rosettes were made from TH's new die and the letters are making memories

sweet indecision

2010-10-31T13:08:00.001-04:00

lately i have been baking, and thinking about baking, and wondering what i could do with my culinary degree... so i have started testing out some ideas

this is part of the process

petite pies

my kinda holiday

2010-10-31T09:23:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween everybody!!
I love this holiday!! Ooh the crafty possibilities...
we were trying to plan a boo bash but just couldn't do it this year- but rest assured i will be hitting up some stores on monday when everything is like 200% OFF and stock up for next year {i am thinking of doing a mad scientist's lab}
now don't get me wrong i really hate being scared and things like ghosts and monsters and such but
c'mon a day when candy is in abundance and you can dress up like lady gaga or static cling and no one looks at you twice- sign me up!

ooh and for those of you who think that October 31 is steeped in satanic rituals, human sacrifices and just plain ol devil worshipping - it is actually tied to catholicism and christianity.... do some research here

an elmo par tay

2010-10-30T09:05:00.000-04:00

ahhh weeks of planning and spending many nights working on little details,
well the day finally came and - i swear mother nature has something against... first it was my wedding and the monsoon that incurred and not gail force winds!! the red and orange poms, banner and garlands were too delicate to even put out!
maybe i should stop planning events outdoors- maybe that's the problem!

anyhoo on with some photos

favours

cupcake toppers

bags for the cookie monster bar

utensils

and a very happy little one

a busy little day off

2010-10-20T09:13:00.000-04:00

my little nephew is going to be 3 this weekend- my oh my where does time go?

anyhoo it's the last year that i can do a sesame street party before he starts having an opinion on what he wants, so it's a chic elmo partay

all reds, oranges & yellows

today i am shopping (last minute)for favours, decorations and more!

i will post pictures of my obsession for the past few months

i am making a little coloring book with images

a little card tutorial

2010-10-12T20:42:00.000-04:00

Unity Stamps came in and i just could not resist doing a little card- i am not a card person at all but c'mon

look at this! how could any one resist this little stamp..

supplies needed:

mini stamp of your choice {i used a unity stamp}

luminarte twinkling h2o's

{i used:lemongrass, yellow rose, blue ice, apple blossom, teal zircon and guatamalan}

fine tip paint brush

water {mister or dropper to activate twinklings}

black ink {i used midnight black from versamagic}

and a piece of cardstock cut to card size { i used natural in smoothie from bazzill}

and most important {bling for the centers of the flowers!}

stamp pattern all over stock

start to colour in your design with the twinklings -

spray a little water on them and just paint!

finish with a sentiment and some bling and voila!

a simple card by a non card maker

{if you have the patience this would make a great background in 12x12}

the fall me

2010-10-08T15:51:00.001-04:00

i have been excitedly awaiting the fall season

all the fall baking!

a new fall haircut

fall nail polishes

the swiss collection from OPI

and a fall closet!

now i just need it to stay the way it has been!
We have been so lucky to have FABULOUS weather!

another lil layout

2010-10-07T22:45:00.000-04:00

another little somethin' using October Afternoon's Seaside

thrift shop finds

2010-09-30T19:38:00.001-04:00

I just adore the October Afternoon line Thrift Shop and could not resist this vintage polka dot as my background... i really wanted to turn this into a "26 things about me at 26" but it sorta morphed into a wedding pic thing...oh well there will be other pages

the chandelier is scrap fx and i glimmer misted in silver sugar

i glimmer misted {in viva pink} these white prima flowers

a scary little layout

2010-09-30T07:58:00.001-04:00

i just love the haunted line from my mind's eye

i had to do a double page layout for an upcoming class at the niche

jewelry class at niche

2010-09-29T19:53:00.000-04:00

i just adore the fabulous things that

you can do with these rosette flowers

i created a bib necklace using dupioni silk ribbons and added a photo using TH/Ranger memory frames

it is going to be an upcoming class at the niche!

a reoccurring nightmare

2010-09-26T09:40:00.000-04:00

is it me? am i the only one who gets fanatical when it comes to eyebrow shape?

to me eyebrows are IT! they are one of the most important features on your face and a proper shape is important!

ahh i remember not too long ago- the compliments i used to get "you have beautiful eyebrows" now? nada!

several years ago my "eyebrow girl" moved and it has been a long, dark journey in search of someone who knows what i am talking about- and sadly all of my trials had led to butchered brows that i fear will never get back to the way they used to be!

I prefer threading and hav searched high and low for threaders in miami and broward

and it has been a tear jerking, wanting to pick up the chair and throw, strangle the stylist kind of experience, i don't ask for much - just some well defined and structured brows dammit! is that too much to ask for?!!?

i am seconds away from tattooing them and saving myself the heartache- i swear it would be less painful if my husband left!

ok that is all - can someone please help me down from my soapbox?

BEFORE- i grew them out for about a month- so i think there was enough to work with!!!!!

AFTER- not a happy camper- i am in chair throwing mode

why are we cursed with one brow that - no matter how hard we try- it just doesn't conform

oh and if you are curious as to what threading is :

it is a technique that indian women have been using for years and years and years to shape their eyebrows

you simply use regular sewing thread and run it across the hair- it picks up and plucks it out-

* lasts longer than waxing and the hair grows in finer

here is one of my favorite youtube obsessions showing how to self thread

2010-09-25T08:39:00.000-04:00

Waking up to this... makes ya just want to stay in bed today

sadly i did not marry rich so i am off to work!

Happy Saturday

a day off

2010-09-22T19:27:00.000-04:00

and feeling kinda crafty!

I spent much of today locked in my office creating and it was great!

I purchase this tee at charlotte russe and it needed a little something

so i glued {with fabri tac} two strips of Webster's Pages bloomer ribbon

and ta da

and while i had my glimmer mists and masks out {creating a class for the niche}

i did this

love those new prima stencils

it makes me smile

2010-09-18T07:44:00.000-04:00

i found this SUPER cute mini vase at michaels in their dollar spot

they measure 3" tall and come in white & black

i just couldn't resist!

and of course i had to adorn it with a gardenia from my tree:)

FALLing for the season

2010-09-17T08:25:00.000-04:00

Fall is here- and although you can't really tell by the weather in miami- the stores have already gotten into the spirit!

I am so excited because this is our first year- in our home- unpacked and ready for the holidays

I am still researching my theme/color scheme for this season

i am debating between a few:

~~{go~~ddess}

(a mix of metallic gold/silver and bronze)

{jewel tones}

(little tough working with blogger's standard colours but you get the idea)

{red/aqua}

[popular last season- but i still love the combination]

and a few more to come...

any suggestions? let me know!

My husband also wants to get a real tree

(i have never had one before- i see a blog post in the making!)

anyhoo- i am concerned that the pups may think- ya know?! - that they are OUTSIDE

i guess we will have to wait and see..

and finally i want to share a sneak of my new fall wreath - still a work in progress- stay tuned for a full shot-

i purchased the wreath at the dollar store!!!!!

and found ribbon on sale at michael's

TIP these rosettes were tough because i made them out of satin and it was too smooth

i would recommend something with more texture.

dupioni silk rosettes

2010-09-16T08:40:00.001-04:00

sharing a little photo {love}

these are for a jewelry class i am working on for the niche

happy!, finally! and yum!

2010-09-15T18:24:00.000-04:00

wow i can't believe it has been two weeks since my last post!

but life happens i suppose!

This weekend my husband and i celebrated our wedding anniversary with our parents-

i just can't believe that it has been a year already! scary!!!

The night before our anniversary, he surprised me with a mini shopping spree at some of my fave stores and champagne - my fave!

my wonderful hubby also finished the floors in my office and now it is completed!

I bought the white side table from IKEA for $7.99!!!

and decorated it with some scrappy stuff for an upcoming class at the Niche

and that's it for now!

a nesting shower

2010-08-29T12:14:00.000-04:00

a few weeks ago i shared this invite with you

and yesterday it all came together- beautifully if i might say so myself!

The theme was nesting- with brown, turquoise and yellow to accent.

a favorite shirt- repurposed

2010-08-26T23:07:00.000-04:00

Sadly i noticed that one of my favorite shirts had some holes in it

(all my cotton stuff seems to end up like that)
anyhoo i decided to cut it up and do something with it.. i have had my eye on bib necklaces for a while and got to work with this shirt.. i got super duper fabulous instructions from here

of course my husband tells me it looks weird- does he not know me by now?

ah, sundays!

2010-08-15T12:28:00.000-04:00

There is nothing like the lazy spirit of a sunday...

Today i decided to bake some banana chocolate chip cookies

you can find the recipe here

i am also watching twilight for the umteenth time and baking a veggie lasagna for dinner.

enjoy your sunday.

comp re-do

2010-08-14T14:04:00.000-04:00

11 days til back to school and i am starting to get in the mood.

these comps are on sale everywhere and using just a few scraps and bonita's trusty super fabulous flower punches, i created these... i printed the "notes" out and coloured them in with glimmer mist. I think more comp books will be popping up, they are so easy and they are using up my scraps, and best of all... they serve a purpose!

a funky sketch

2010-08-10T08:48:00.000-04:00

last week it was my turn to create a sketch for PN

and here it is! Believe it or not this is all done in photobucket.

canvas tag album

2010-08-05T05:31:00.000-04:00

I always pass by this canvas tag album from Maya Road and wonder what i could do with it...

well i took it home, along with some Luminarte, Glimmer Mist, bling and more and came up with a class that i am absolutely in love with!

I will be teaching it in September at Paper Niche

and am so excited to share my new found love for Luminarte!

august kit

2010-08-04T08:23:00.000-04:00

it was tough but i got through it! i haven't done layouts in a while and it took alot from me but this kit was great and i really enjoyed it!

photos are awful... but you get the idea!

nesting

2010-08-03T17:23:00.000-04:00

a friend is expecting her first child and a few friends and i are hosting it

she is having a boy and i immediately thought of brown, turquoise and yellow and a nesting theme!

you may recognize the branch with the two birdies- it is from hambly

canvas wall hanging

2010-07-30T13:08:00.000-04:00

i love anything donna downey.. anything . she is just fabulous and i love the possibilities of her canvas accessories. i did this wall hanging using the refill pages for her fabric album. i used some metallic acrylic paint to cover the canvas and it was so easy to work with

( i am really into goddess colours right now- metallic: gold, silver and bronze)

and of course i had to add some prima and bling!

to my one and only

2010-07-28T09:23:00.000-04:00

taken in nicaragua at volcano masaya

Today is my hubby's birthday, he is celebrating a golden one (he turns 28 on the 28th)

i am going to do a scavenger hunt to find his present. It starts with breakfast in bed and a clue card which leads to another clue card and so forth leading him through the house until he eventually finds his present. and then we are off to a gourmet veggie restaurant that i had to search and search for (they are not easy to come by it seems) and then maybe drinks, or a movie.. just very relaxing.

Happy wednesday

a basic bread

2010-07-27T17:07:00.000-04:00

my husband recently vowed to become a vegetarian and so far he has kept up with it... me on the other hand.. i love meat and always will... if i had it my way i would have steak and potatoes every night...

anyhoo.. his latest requests for better eats has been homemade bread... so i set out this past weekend to bake our bread.. and my experience? not bad, not bad at all.

i got the recipe from my favorite celeb chef Ina Garten and as always it was gourmeasy.

a card... that is all

2010-07-25T23:16:00.000-04:00

I am not a card person at all.. but it was a friends birthday.. and these new accucut shapes were irresistible!

I used a little glimmer mist (love that stuff) bling, and flowers

guest designing

2010-07-20T10:03:00.000-04:00

I know i have been MIA alot lately... i have been so swamped with school work and just counting

down the days to the end of the semester... it has been a challenge but i am learning what my organizational style works for me.

Anyhoo... i am sooo exited to be the guest designer for Paper Niche... Gine gave the fabulous kit yesterday and it is filled with fabulous goodies.. i just can't wait to break it open and get to work!

altered

2010-07-14T10:40:00.000-04:00

i just love these mini keychain acrylic shapes from Maya Road.

I have been wanting to use them for other projects besides scrappin' and finally got the chance tonight.

i covered both sides with patterned paper

and buffed the edges with a nail file to make sure it the paper was flush with the edge of the butterfly

then i sealed it with mod podge (in matte)

re-popped the hole with a cropadile and ta da!

this can be a cute keychain

or even a pendant on a necklace!

a new love

2010-07-12T21:59:00.000-04:00

I am so in love with the new scrap company, echo park paper..

the colors are bright and refreshing! i just love it all and can't wait to see more!

fabulous fabric find

2010-07-06T10:06:00.000-04:00

I am so into these handmade fabric flowers... i found these fabric pieces at wal mart for $1 .

I have no clue what i will do with them but i had to get them!

finally!

2010-06-26T19:50:00.000-04:00

Well it has been a labor of love- and still not completely finished...

but all the junk is off the the floors and my office is starting to look complete!

and a mini fridge stocked with lots of yummy goodies.

a sunday afternoon treat

2010-06-06T21:42:00.000-04:00

I don't know what it is but lately i have been feeling the urge to bake- and that's weird because i HATE to bake.
but the food goddess ina garten makes it soooo easy.

I did this today while i should have been doing this
it is so much easier to bake a cake than work it off... why!?!

on another note- today is my mom's birthday- and my husband and i threw her a surprise party last night.

it was alot easier than i anticipated.. seeing as how all of our guests live 1 hr away... but i think the drive is

growing on them all.

my theme was welcome to summer and we had an ol' fashion bbq with

fried rice, potato salad, tomato/ feta salad, pasta salad, corn on the cob, ribs, chicken wings, bratwurst,

bbq chicken and a homemade birthday cake as well

all in all it was a nice night spent with family.

anyhoo i am off to finish up kids summer classes at PN

she sells sea shells.. and i bought em

2010-06-04T23:16:00.000-04:00

well summer is here- how can i tell?

by the fact that this stifling heat just hits you as soon as you walk out the door.

i knew that once summer came it would be time for a change of wreath and i was very excited to use seashells.

i joked with the hubby that i purchased things that are all found in nature for free.

i used a branch wreath and a big bag o' seashells and some fabulous thick wired blue ribbon.

you simply weave the ribbon into nooks in the wreath and glue here and there

then just layer the seashells (there is no wrong way to do this so have fun) and voila!

i love changing out my wreath to give it a fresh vibe. Its a sweet way to be welcomed home.

sketchy wednesdays at pn

2010-06-02T09:51:00.002-04:00

hey all

i hope the long weekend was wonderful.. i certainly enjoyed myself

we went fishing out in the keys, had a girls night and saw sex and the city and ended with a bbq

i did this sketch for the pn blog and i just love how this lo turned out

i created my own flowers with some patterned paper and glimmer mist

i also stamped a damask pattern on some white crepe paper

and used some beads i had laying around.

Chicken Piccata

2010-05-24T22:23:00.001-04:00

it's been a while since i posted on something yummy so here goes..

this weekend i got in the mood to cook- i mean really cook.. so i went out and spent twice as much as i normally do on groceries and i am doing all Ina Garten recipes.

tonight i did a tomato and feta salad and chicken piccata

i absolutely love this salad- for lunch i am going to grill some chicken and serve over the leftovers. yum!

Saturday we threw a black and white asian affair for one of my bffs so i

dipped fortune cookies in white choc and sprinkled with black sugar crystals.

ok i am off to study for a math test. yay me!!

saturday morning creative time

2010-05-09T08:40:00.000-04:00

i woke up this morning bright and early with an eagerness for all things crafty...

so i puttered around with tissue paper, an old dictionary, pencils and my spring wreath..

here are my results

for my spring wreath i decided to do something cheap and easy!

i took inspiration from the wreath that

Marah Johnson has up on her blog!! i still have to glimmer mist it

(i am thinking turquoise) and add two yellow love birds

some layered flowers using two different size flower punches (3 of ea size)

punched from a dictionary, on one i rolled a strip to make the center of the flower, on another i added

crackle paint in rock candy and on the last i glimmer misted in pearl

school- summer term starts on tuesday, and i will be a crazy person at that time

i will be there 8a-8p on tues and thurs... argh!!

but these will sure to make me smile

i just cut a strip of paper 1.5"x7" and used my fave glue to adhere

then i used glossy accents to seal the edges

and then finally- i did some classic tissue paper flowers

...you can find tutorials on youtube...

i made these super small to fit on pages..

i need to get white tissue so that i can glimmer mist them!!

and there you have it.. the result of creative fever and

my husband snoring in my ear at 6a this morning

a sketch and lo

2010-05-08T09:35:00.001-04:00

Hi there- it was my turn to do a sketch and layout for PN

sorry for the bad photo job- but hopefully you get the idea.

i used the new Jenni Bowlin/ Coredinations cardstocks- glitz rub on,

american crafts letters and various flowers, ribbons and bling.

graduation day

2010-05-07T09:34:00.000-04:00

spent yesterday sharing in this fabulous day with my husband.

just though i would share.

i have some goodies to post - hopefully this weekend

poppy t shirt - cool to me , weird to the hubby

2010-04-29T07:03:00.002-04:00

well hello there!

almost the weekend and i can taste it!!

i took a break from studying and hopped online and some how o

r another i ended up blog surfing and ended up on a new blog to stalk

and in the midst of all the crafty magic i found this super easy tutorial on how to make this fabulous upcycled

t shirt using those ever so popular poppy flowers..

to learn more check it out here

soul mates

2010-04-28T07:04:00.000-04:00

Hello and happy hump day.

I guess the spirit of NSD has got me .. it's my 2nd page this week

and although its simple - i really enjoyed doing this one. it is one of my favorites pics.

taken during our engagement photo shoot i love the fact that its blurry and out of focus.

a little like us sometimes.

well- hopefully i'll see ya tomorrow- maybe with another page!!

now i am off to do some much need studying.

decisions

2010-04-27T08:03:00.000-04:00

while stuggling to complete a customers pages

i decided to take a break and scrap something of my own.. this often helps me

just get back into the groove- with my own pages there is no right or wrong i can do what i want

so i dug through my stash of old papers, embellishments and such to create a page about wedding dress shopping..

i am quite happy with the results

spring!

2010-04-26T09:10:00.000-04:00

Good morning- i am especially joyous today because while

i was walking the little pup

i happend to notice this ...

yes folks my gardenia bush is starting to bear!!!

and although i just killed the innocent house plant my bff got me

this one seemed to survive. and i see more blossoms popping up...

i feel like singing.

HAPPY SPRING - THOUGH IT MAY BE A LITTLE LATE

time flies

2010-04-23T09:31:00.003-04:00

Good morning and happy Friday,

my how time flies

was it not just the weekend?!

Things have been hectic around here with school work, scrappin' jobs, regular job and just life so i have unfortunately neglected this blog..

Lately it's been a battle to see what gets my attention - the things that NEED to be done or New Moon the 2nd book of the Twillight saga- which is fabulous by the way.

the husband and i decided to take the pups to the beach this week - it's wonderful to live just a few mins from the keys.. so we drove to Islamorada where there is a dog friendly beach...

it is WONDERFUL there- the perfect place for little ones because you can walk far out into the water and it is only ankle deep- the water is calm and picturesque - the pups really enjoyed it.

and that's all for now

victor had a sand bath

mojo and dad heading out for a swim

how beautiful is this?!?

Anne's Beach, Islamorada- The Keys

crazy- about scrapbooking

2010-04-14T19:32:00.000-04:00

these days i stumble out of bed and head to my office for my daily doings... and this morning- one by one i received all the components of my daily breakfast

yogurt, banana, coffee and yummy eggs... thanks hubby!

I don't know what it is lately (not that i am complaining)

but i have been swamped with work!

Custom scrapbooks- it must be the season, as soon as i finish one another one is waiting to be done... it has been quite nice spending hours in my office "forced" to scrapbook.

but i do have to say that it makes me very crazy to do my own stuff- sooo many ideas with sooo little the time.. i had to break away from customer's books this weekend and do something for a little "creative release" i found 12x12 canvases at michaels from my minds eye.. they come in a few sizes and colours too! like hot pink and teal.

so i took a break and put this together... can't wait to do it again... i find myself passionate about scrapbooking again, and excited for new goodies and time to actually spend on making things..

until next time!!

a little late- but at least never

2010-04-09T09:10:00.000-04:00

we started doing a few cool things over at the pn blog

a challenge every week and a sketch as well- it's pretty simple but i got to use quite a few more photos than i normally would.

home!

2010-04-07T11:09:00.005-04:00

Oh where to begin?!

Have you ever cried for a vacation be over? Read on and feel my pain.

My vacation started off innocent enough. And then… I felt as if it were on a reality show- survivor to be exact.

The first few days in the capital (managua) was great- the air conditioned hotel room- food at our fingertips, transportation by land- internet and television- what more could a girl ask for?!

During our stay in managua we went sight seeing – saw active and extinct volcanoes and went zippining through the forest - which my SIL loved but somehow left me nervous- too nervous to feel any exhilaration.

We then proceed to travel for half a day from one side of the country to the other to spend the rest of our time on my FILs farm… which is located out in the middle of nowhere- honestly. We drove hours and then hopped in a little speed boat for another two until we reached the farm.. which after all of the travel, was quite welcoming..

Alas this city girl was not up for such challenges as well water, total darkness, bugs not yet known to the world and the temperature so hot that you felt as though you were visiting the sun. oh and did I metion that where the farm was located was surrounded by water so you traveled to and fro on boat-

Oh and of course it’s a farm so there are chickens crowing at crazy hours and pigs.

You wake up at some crazy hour like 5am- ready for the day and by night fall you pass out by 7pm- am I a farmer?

Ah my poor hubby was a trooper- he took all of my whining (which I had total right to whine) in stride.

I think I will be planning the next vacation.

Suffice it to say – I walked away with over 150 mosquito bites- yes I counted.

And a longing to be home- to be in my beautiful king size bed, to take a hot shower, to drink and eat whatever I want, to drive my car and to be comfortable in my own again.

here are a few snaps from this trip

this is what it looks like at night on the farm. with the flash on.

whatever this was - it was in our room

oldest church in nicaragua

frito-fried chicken or fish, with fried plantain and cabbage salad

zipping

up to masaya volcano- currently active

could not have survived without this book - totally addicted now.

sweets at a local market

yes- horse and carriages still exist

breakfast

in the garden

2010-03-23T09:30:00.000-04:00

last sunday i got the sudden urge to garden and change whatever was planted by the builders of our home. This sad little shrub was ripped out (by me) and after countless hours deliberating in the garden center at home depot i decided on a gardenia bush. i am so in love and can't wait til it blooms!

i had a little garden helper

spring forward

2010-03-22T06:29:00.000-04:00

I know this is a little late, but i am so excited to spring forward for daylight savings.
I sooo enjoy leaving work, driving and arriving home while mr. sun is still out.
I always feel renewed this time of the year, refreshed and ready to start .. whatever!