Cropping Christmas In July Style

Hello Everyone!  I attended a Christmas In July crop this past Saturday.  It was nine hours of non-stop Christmas themed fun!  I thought that I would share with you the "make & takes" that I did.

This adorable ornament was taught by Kelly N.  Super fun to make and I even tried out a product that I had never used before.  It was enamel accents. I used it on his antlers, hooves, & to make the white dots. 

Here is the back side of the ornament.

This was taught by Susan B.  I just love the elegance of this card!

This was taught by Loretta S.  Super cute & easy card to make.  See picture below as it is two pieces.

Isn't that great how it is a pocket card.  There is plenty of room to write a holiday note on it.  I also used a punch to make a slit on the bottom.  A gift card fits perfectly in the slit.

This was taught by Ann W.  I decorated both sides of it.  See the below picture for the reverse side of it.

Here is the other side of it.  I used chipboard in between the patterned paper. 

For those unfamiliar with "make & takes" here is how they work.  The instructor prepares a simple project for you to complete in a short amount of time.  The instructor supplies all that is needed to complete the project.  Make & takes are very common at paper crafting conventions.  Sometimes at convention the instructor will charge $1.00 to $5.00 for a make & take.  At the crop that I recently attended all of the above make & takes were free of charge.  How cool is that?  I really loved all of the make & takes that I did.  I am so fortunate to know such talented gals.

I also have to add that there was a contest to see who dressed the most like Christmas.  Guess what?  This Queen of Christmas won! I had Christmas wear on from head (my Mickey Mouse gingerbread ears) to almost my toes!  It was a magical day!  Thanks again for stopping by! 

This is linked to You're Gonna Love It Tuesday Week 15  over at Kathe With An E.  If you get a chance head on over there and check out her blog.

Pizza Memories

The Big Z

Yes, this is a post about pizza.  Not just any ordinary pizza but a "Zachary's Pizza".  Zachary's Pizza is where I have celebrated many happy occasions. It is also where I have went if I needed cheering up.  Zach's (as we have called it)  is where we went before we were married and where we have gone since.  It is what I have had for my Valentine's dinner with my hubby for the past eleven years.  He always picked up a "Big Z" (our favorite) and brought it home on Valentine's Day (a tradition we started when I was pregnant).  I am sad because Zach's Pizza is closing.  Last week my family ate our last "Big Z".  We will miss not only the great pizza but the wonderful staff and all the charm the place held.
  


This post is linked to the Mom's Monday Mingle #14  at The Naptime Review.  Head on over there and check out all the great blogs.

An "Unfinished" Christmas Project

While I was going through my "unfinished" projects I came across this great little Christmas tree book.  Several years ago I took a class at our local scrapbook store and I made this book.  We started out with plain chipboard, used patterned paper, Snow-Tex and glitter. This is what we came up with.  This book is in my "unfinished" pile because I still need to add the photographs to it.  Once those are in the book will be complete!

This is how it looks closed.

This is how it looks opened up.

I hope that everyone is having a very magical Monday!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

This is linked up at Printabelle Wonderful Wednesday Link Party #12   Head on over there, check out all the cool stuff and link up your own blog. 

Christmas In July Is In The Air

Happy weekend everyone!  I feel like I am surrounded by "Christmas In July" !  It is everywhere and I love it. Michaels is starting to get in their Christmas crafting supplies.  For those home shoppers out there it is "Christmas In July" on QVC this weekend!  It is so fun to see all the Christmas decorations.   To add to the feeling like it is Christmas time, it rained here today (and yesterday).  When it rains in the desert it is a huge deal.  We don't get it very often and it felt a little bit like winter since it cooled our temperatures off just a bit.  Next weekend I have a "Christmas In July" crop to attend.  See what I mean, it's everywhere! Since Christmas is my favorite time of year I am embracing all that this month brings of the season that is less than six months away.  I already have my Christmas shopping list made out.  Some of you might think I am crazy.  No, I am just excited about my favorite time of year.  Whoever thought of "Christmas In July" was one smart person! 

I hope that all of you are getting a head start on your Christmas cards.  I am off to start on mine.  Thanks to all who have recently left comments. I loved hearing your Disney memories!  Have a wonderful day!

Celebrating Opening Day At Disneyland

Today is the anniversary of opening day at Disneyland!  It was on July 17, 1955 that the Happiest Place On Earth opened!  Oh, how I would have loved to have been there on opening day!  Since I wasn't even born yet that would have been impossible.  Fortunately for me at the time my mother-in-law lived in Whittier, CA. (Which is very close to Disneyland.)  She was not there on opening day but frequented the park many times afterwards. I am fortunate to have several photos from her private collection.  Many of her photos include the Mouseketeers.  I will only share a few today and save the rest for another time.

Main Street

1956 and YES that is Annette!!

Mouseketeers Sharon & Bobby

The Mouseketeers having fun

Aren't these photographs so fun to see?  I just love them and feel so lucky that my mother-in-law has passed them on to me.  Thank you Diane!!

I would love to hear your favorite Disney memory.  Just leave it in the comment box below.  Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope whatever you do this evening has a little magic in it!

(This post was linked up over at Sarah Hammer Designs Link Up Tuesday July 17, 2012 )
(This post was linked up over at Kathe With An E  You're Gonna Love It Party Week #14.  Head on over there and check out all of the great stuff!)

Halloween in July

This past week was "Holiday" week at my daughter's summer camp.  Each day they celebrated a different holiday.  The kids colored Easter eggs, made gingerbread houses and wore Halloween costumes.  It was a very fun and tiring week. As a parent it was hard to keep track of what was needed each day. LOL

For Halloween day my daughter made her own costume.  The day had finally come where I did not have to track down a costume at a store! I have a HUGE box full of stuff in my garage to use for Halloween or any costume party, yet we always buy a costume.

When I found out that she wanted to be Katniss from The Hunger Games I had mixed emotions.  The Hunger Games is about killing.  It is also about survival and a sister's love so deep for her family that she would do whatever it took to protect them. With that positive thought in mind, I agreed to the costume. I left my daughter alone to create.She made her arrows (painted the wood, used duct tape to attach the feathers and styro foam for the tips).  She used a box we had and covered it in red duct tape to carry her arrows. Her bow was made out of duct tape and a rubber band. Her "props" were completed and now the clothes were left.

She would need to wear black. This was another part of  the costume that I was not 100 percent crazy about.  It was at that moment that I turned into my own mother.  My mother NEVER let me wear black!  Somehow, though, at seven in the morning on Halloween day, I found myself cutting the sleeves off of one of my own black t-shirts so that my daughter could wear it as part of her costume.  (Long sleeves in 100 degree plus heat would not do.  It is a wonder she survived in the boots & jeans)

So that is the story of how the Katniss costume came out.  I am so proud that she thought of all the "crafting" techniques on her own.  I am so glad that I did not have to buy a costume and that she used her imagination. Can you tell that I am just a little bit proud of my one & only special girl?

I can't end the post without mentioning that she has read all three of the books by Suzanne Collins.  I have heard it is an excellent series.  I hope to read them myself someday.  I hope that you all have a magical week & thanks for stopping by!

Bubbles Lost Lagoon & Palu

Happy weekend crafty friends! I finally got the chance to play with one of the stamps I purchased at Paper Tales .  The mermaid and octopus are a set from C.C. Designs.  The line is Sweet November Stamps by Amy Young.  This set is titled "Bubbles Lost Lagoon & Palu.  When I first saw it I just loved her adorable 

expression!  The sentiment is by Darcie's. 

To make this card I started with pink cardstock for the base.  Next, using an embossing folder, I ran a piece of plastic thru the Cuttlebug.  The plastic was the box one of my Cricut cartridges came in.  I also used the same embossing folder for the blue frame and the sentiment. I colored Bubbles & Palu using my Prismacolor pencils.  I also used Liquid Pearls on both of them.  Stickles was used on the background and on Bubbles hair.  This was a super fun card to make.   A shout of thanks to my crafting friend, Jo, who told me about using the plastic box with the embossing folder.  I really love this technique!

I have linked this card to Wonderful Wednesday Link Party #10 over at Printabelle. If you haven't linked up to Party #10 it is not too late. Head on over there, link up and check out all the great ideas!

I hope that you all are having a fantastic weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

Delia's Designs

Hello Everyone!  Well since I have yet to finish my own card that I have been working on I thought that I would share with you a few cards that my friend Delia recently made.

This is the card that Delia made for the Fourth of July.  She used patterned paper with the Geo-Die.  I think that this a beautiful card!

This was a very time consuming card to make.  It was so worth it though!  Delia used the Sizzix die, Sunshine Window.

I think that both of these cards turned out super cute!  A big thanks to Delia for sharing her creations with me.  I hope to have one of my own to post here tomorrow.  Have a Magical evening everyone and thanks for stopping by!

Back From The Beach

My girl running in the ocean.

I am back from spending a fun-filled week at the beach!  We had a wonderful vacation filled with relaxation, poolside naps, boogie boarding in the ocean, a day at SeaWorld, shopping and seeing old friends. It was the perfect summer vacation!  When I asked my daughter what her favorite part of the trip was she replied "everything".  I definitely agree with her!

While I was on vacation I went to a great store, Paper Tales. If you are ever in the San Diego area I highly recommend that you check out Paper Tales.  The staff is super friendly and the store is jammed packed full of great products.  Here is what I couldn't live without:

I hope that you all are having a wonderful day!  Now that vacation is over I am getting caught up on all the usual household chores.  I hope that tomorrow brings me time to craft and play with my new purchases.  I hope that you all have a magical day and thanks for stopping by.