Heading out!

I'm leaving early tomorrow morning for Tresa Black's scrapbook retreat! YAY!

I may or may not be able to post while I'm there - it depends on how the internet access is. I will have a wireless card, but it just depends on if I can get a signal. We're kind of out in the middle of no where. (But it is an INCREDIBLE location just on a lake in Idaho - GORGEOUS!)

If you don't hear from me, I'll have some cool things to share when I return!

=) Nona

the Princess Ball

Sammie and her daddy had an incredible time at the Princess ball at church last Saturday. She has asked about it almost every day since last year's ball - so when the day finally came she was giddy with excitement!

I took a few pictures before they left, and these are my favorites! I'm so happy to have the skills I learned from Karen Russell's photography class! My pics this year are so much better than last year, and I can't wait to scrap them!

And my favorite shot of the bunch...

A Satisfied Customer

Christine purchased two McSteamy hats from me for her sons. This is Blake modeling his hat - isn't he just darling!?!?

I love how his blue eyes just sparkle - and they match the hat!

Thanks Christine!

Jessica Sprague - Assignment 4

This is the last assignment for Now We're Rockin' - the digi scrapping class by Jessica Sprague. I'll be starting the final series of classes soon.

Hope you like this one! It's a 2 page 12x12 layout. Try to imagine it with drop shadows. I got the pages all saved and added the watermark, and then realized I forgot them. So my final version will have them, but I'm just feeling too lazy tonight redo the watermark and save again. For those who aren't into digi all this means is that the layers have a shadowed effect to make them look more realistic and not so flat.

I have some fun things to share, but a lot on my plate. Hopefully this won't be the last post of the weekend!

An Experiment...

I was recently inspired by an ad in Knitpicks for baby legwarmers. Oh these suckers were beyond cute - and I just HAD to try to make some.

Finding *free* baby legwarmer patterns on the internet is impossible, and I really didn't need another $17 baby pattern book or the $45 in yarn that I could purchase to get the knitpicks pattern for free....

Soooo... I designed some from scratch! The ones pictured below are my trial pair. They use steeks (basically you knit both legwarmers together in one large tube, then cut them apart and stitch up the seams), but I think individual leg warmers knit on doublepoints would produce a nicer finish. (And the stripes need to be smaller too, and less scratchy yarn is a must.)

So of course, then I did have to go and buy some new Knitpicks double pointed needles so I could begin making these en mas... and while I was there had to get a few other things, darn it! $100 later... sigh.

Anyway, I hope to have them up in my etsy store sometime in March. :) Feel free to leave a comment for your favorite color combos. Also be praying we get a baby soon because I need a good model!

Some hats for sale

Dave has had so many compliments on his "McSteamy" hat, and I've had a few requests to sell these, so I've added them to my etsy store. Feel free to shop there, or send me an email if you would like one - nonapearl@firebin.net

The hats are 100% baby alpaca wool and are the softest, coziest, WARMEST hats you've ever felt. Keep in mind they are handwash only, and you'll need to lay flat to dry.

These are adult sized and I've made them a little longer than the one Dave is wearing here. So on an adult they will cover the ears. On a young child you'll have just enough length to roll up a section over their eyes - see the Sammie pic below.

If you want one they are $25 each, plus shipping ($3 for first class, $4.95 for priority, Shipping to Canada is extra). Colors available are navy, maroon tweed, and light blue tweed, as well as black (not pictured).

Finally - a scarf for me!

I found this awesome pattern on the Stitch Marker (Larissa's blog). It's called "Mable's scarf" and I've been wanting to make it for months but never had time! It's a repeated pattern of squares that make a spiral shaped design. I'm sure there's a more technical name for it...

After recently cleaning out my yarn stash I discovered a skein of Blue Moon yarn I had been saving for something special. (And I'd finally caught up on orders and had time to do a little "me" project.) The mable scarf instantly came to mind, and I was giddy with anticipation as the knit and purl stitches flew on my needles.

After one square was complete I was hooked! The design is so elegant, and yet with the Blue Moon yarn the scarf is super funky and playful at the same time. It ended up being 18 squares, and it measures about 68" long. I just love it!

Since I have so much yarn left I'm going to try knitting fingerless gloves to match! Oh happy day!

If you want the mable scarf patter, click here!

An Easter Swinger

Remember my "Swinger Lion" valentine card? This is also a swinger card - the large butterfly swivels back and forth.


This is the last card I'll be teaching at my March card class. It's an Easter card, and though some of the papers are from last year, I really love the way it turned out.


Supplies:
CTMH - Paper Garden patterned paper, Noteworthy stamps, Come Unto Me stamps, March SOTM Butterfly Wings stamps, Pewter Foundry Bookplates, Petal ink, Sweet Leaf ink, Buttercup cs.
Other - 3d foam, pink stickles, diamond stickles

Another March Card Class Card

Inspired by my "poo" card from yesterday, I made another version, using the stamps as they were intended. I really do like this set, so please don't take my tomfoolery as anything but.

I'll be teaching this card at my March card class, along with the Asian inspired "thank you" card from a few days ago, and one I'll show you tomorrow. This cupcake card has a pull out tag (as seen in the second photo).

Supplies are all CTMH - That's Amore paper, Cupcake Sprinkles stamps, Confidential stamps, blush, chocolate and hollyhock ink, colonial white edge anchors, colonial white and chocolate brads, chocolate polka dot organdy ribbon, and 3d foam.

In other news, Dave and I had a *wonderful* Valentine's Day together. We went as a family to Ikea in the morning (after his Lasik post-op appt - which btw went awesome! His vision is perfect!). We picked up a new computer desk and a few other fun things. Then we came home and I helped Sammie put together her new stepstool while Dave built our desk and cleaned up cables.

In the afternoon, Dave's parents swung by and picked up Sammie, and we went to our favorite Indian food restaurant Clay Pit. MMmMMmmmmm. We went all out with a curried mussles appetizer, naan, mango chicken curry and we even got drinks! (We're usually just a "water to drink/no appetizer" family at restaurants). We split a beer and a mango lemonade. Oh it was fabulous, and so relaxing to just sit and talk.

We thought about seeing a movie, but nothing in the theater looked good to us, so we just came home and watched a few Lost episodes (we're slowly catching up to the current season). All in all a fantastic evening.

I hope you all had wonderful Valentine's celebrations too!

A Ro-tic Day???

Are you having a Ro-Tic day? That would be "roMANtic" without the MAN. (Thank you Jenn for that lovely sentiment by the way.)

If so, perhaps you'll like this card. As much as I *love* the new cupcake stamps from CTMH, I couldn't help but see something a little different.

Yes, yes, I know... EEeEEeEewwwWWWwwWWwWWwWwwwwwwwwww! Sorry! Sometimes I have a sick sense of humor.

I made this card for Christine who is putting a TON of work into an upcoming open house for her CTMH business., and the inside reads - "Hope your Open House doesn't stink!"

For you, my blogging friends the caption reads - "Hope your Valentine's day doesn't stink!"

Love you much! Happy V-day
-Nona

My Valentine

Tomorrow Dave and I will celebrate our 10th Valentine's day as a couple! Way back in 1999 he was studying up at Western (WWU) and I was still a wee bairn - a Junior in high school.

I sent him a care package full of candy, chocolate, and a sweet little red teddy bear he named Fuzzy. I think he just gave me a card, but that's okay because he was poor. That was around the same time he started bumming rides home from his friends, and selling his textbooks to buy greyhound tickets to come visit me on the weekends. Ahhh young love. ;)

I remember he came home that weekend, and we had an amazing few days together. It was so hard to see him go back to school, knowing it would be several weeks before I'd see him again.

This valentine's day is a quite different from the one 10 years ago. Now we're an "old" married couple, we have a mortgage, a preschooler, and all the responsibilty of being a grown up. But the spark is still there even after all this time. Dave has planned some kind of outing (it's a surprise) - and overnight babysitting for Sammie! WOOOHOO!

I treated him to something a little different this year. Today I took him down to Renton to get Lasik Eye Surgery. It was a little bit out of the budget, but I've been very blessed lately with my CTMH sales, and had enough to pay what our insurance didn't cover. I'm so excited for my hubby to be able to see clearly, without glasses, for the first time in his life! Happy Valentine's Day sweetheart!

I'd love to hear your valentine stories! Feel free to post in the comments section. Or display a link to the card you made for your sweetheart!

Dave is sleeping now, recovering from the procedure, so I had time to whip up this cute card. The lion swivels back and forth. For a tutorial on how to do this click here to go to Tresa Black's blog.


Supplies: CTMH - Life's a Jungle stamps, Safari paper, Black ink, Buttercup and Autumn Terracotta CS, Safari stickers
Markers - copic
Dies - nestabilities circles
Other - Scotch 3d foam tape, Misc. foam circle, penny

Blog Anniversary!!!

Two special anniversaries are happening today. The first is my husband's parents' wedding anniversary (congrats on 32 years Tim and Marie!) and the second is my blog's anniversary!

Today marks one year of blogging for me - and the time has gone by so fast! I won't bore you with stories and photos from the past year (that's what archives are for right?) but I did want to share something fun!

I've decided to start designing card and scrapbook sketches! I can't promise that these will be weekly or monthly because I just plan to do them when I get around to them. However, here is the first sketch, and I hope you enjoy it! If you make a card please post a link to your card in the comments section so everyone can see it!

Also, my sketch was created in photoshop and is actually a template (using clipping masks). I've been giving some thought to trying to sell my templates for digi cards and digi layouts - so if you are so inclined, please also leave your thoughts about whether you would want to purchase these if they were offered.

Quick clarification - this sketch is free and I hope you all use it! What I'm considering selling is the digital scrapbook and card "templates". These are PNG files that you would download to your computer and use with your digi papers.

So without further ado - here is the sketch and my paper card made from the sketch. All supplies on the paper card are CTMH (goldrush and chocolate cs, new pewter foundry plates, pewter brads, Hollyhock paper flowers, chocolate rub ons, Kanji Phrases stamps, Intrinsic Background stamps, goldrush and chocolate ink).

ps... this card is also one I'm teaching for March's card classes. If you are in the greater Seattle area and would like to attend a class just let me know!

Project 365 - Week 4

A matching layout for week 4... same supplies as the previous page.

Project 365 - Week 3

My card classes are over for the month, so I can get back to personal crafting! Here is my Week 3 layout for Project 365!

The template is M. Originals (#47) - see the link in my "digi links" section. Papers, numbers, letters and swirls from Shabby Shoppe Painted Summer Collection, and the font is CTMH Typewriter.

ack...busy, busy, busy

Hopefully I'll have something to share soon! It's my card class week, so I'm teaching every night until Wednesday - busy, busy.

Also, it will be a while before I'm able to do any more classy craft videos. Our camcorder is having issues - and we are going to replace it with a digital one (woohoo!), but that will have to be after we get our tax refund.

Okay - hopefully will be posting again later today with some recent creations, but if not check back soon!

=) Nona

Card Class Cards

These are 2 of the 3 cards I'll be teaching at Card Class this month. The third card is in limbo. I'm waiting for stamp set to ship - and if it doesn't go out today I'm sunk!

I won't say too much about these cards for now, because I'll be doing Classy Craft tutorials for both soon (like today or tomorrow?) So keep an eye out for that. All supplies for both cards are CTMH.


Just a quick note about this one... it is a spinner card. The UFO spins along the cut out track.

Project 365 - Week 2

I'm a little behind, but here is my "week 2" layouts for project 365. I used two templates from Moon Design (see digi link below), and the Organic kit from Shabby Princess. I also used a grungy frame designed by Katie Pertiet - a freebie from Jessica Sprague's first set of photoshop classes "Up and Runing".



Click on the images to see each page larger.

Jessica Sprague - Assignment 3

I just finished the Week 3 Assignment in my "Now We're Rocking" class by Jessica Sprague. It's got a lot going on - and is probably "busier" than any layout I would do on my own, but I loved learning all the techniques that go into it. You can click the photo to see a larger image.

I think the coolest things we learned had to be blending a photo with soft light to the background, and using a mask to change the color of the red elements (they were black but we masked with red patterned paper). Too cool!


Now if only I could find some time to work on my project 365 layouts. But I've been taking the pics at least!

Kid Valentine "Flats"

My customers have been asking for a kid class, so I designed these card "flats" for valentines. They are super simple and very fast to assemble. Flats are just card fronts - they don't open, so any message can be written on the back instead.

I'm doing this workshop on Saturday. These are the 4 kid designs. I've also got 2 adult cards that the grownups can come make (or the kids can make to give to their teachers). The flats are $.25 each and the cards $1 each.

All products used are CTMH.

Boy flats:

Girl flats:

Funky Big Nose

This morning Sammie was showing me a drawing she had made of our family.

(Also included in the drawing are Daddy, Sammie, Sean and Donson -her babies, and Overis -her husband. Don't ask!)

S: "That one is you mom, the one with the funky, big nose. I drew it really big and funky, see?!"
M: "Why did you draw a funky, big nose on me?"
S: "Because I just did!"
M: "Do I have a funky, big nose?"
S: "Yup!"

So there you have it folks... According to four year olds, I aparently have a funky, big nose. (funny, because I always thought it was my HAIR that was funky and big. LOL). I guess you can be the judge...