HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

OIU ..... it's been a while! First I want to wish all of you a very Happy and prosperous New year full of fun, laughter, creativity, health, and all around great year. I know many of us had a year full of trials and tribulations in 2008!

I changed my background and lost everything I had put on my blog as far as music, widgets, and links to fun sites on the net. Be patient, I will get them back up :)

Chistmas was a little weird this year. I went camping for 2 weeks from 12/22-1/4, which meant I wasn't with my family for Christmas. My son did come out Christmas night and we experienced a wild 60mph wind/sand storm in the desert. He also cooked for us! what a treat! We celebrated Christmas tho as a family prior to my leaving town which was nice and quiet and simple...but it was just weird. Probably won't do that again, it was the first time ever.

I did have a wonderful time camping with my husband for 2 weeks in the desert tho! I will address the trip another day soon with pictures, but I wanted to upload some projects I worked on before I left. lots of charm swaps, my annual ornament swap, and a few things for my not so secret santa pal Cyndi - (yep we share the same name!!)

So enjoy the pictures of my fun projects and I must get busy on making some clay cupcakes or maybe "Cones" for Dareya's ABC swap!!!

MICKY AND MINNIE CHARM BRACELET SWAP - THIS IS MY ENTRY:


I hosted a vintage Christmas tag and charm swap and these were my entries for that:



My friend Pete and I co-hosted my annual secret stocking swap this year. I was very back-logged and she wanted to get her feet wet in hosting swaps. She did a great job and I had a lot of fun this year because I didn't worry so much about the administrative part of the swap. A very special thanx to you Sweet Pete!! she had us do things for our pal on weekly deadlines and one of them that I wanted to share was the recipe one. I love this salsa and althought it may not always be traditon for christmas the colors went well! also there is the card I gave her and the basket I made. The handles on the basket actually lit up with miniture battery powered lights. My pal Cyndi loved it - I'm so glad - it was fun to see my idea come off without a hitch.





This is a matching braclet and earring set I made for my dear MIL..

This is my entry for Dareya's New Year's bling charm swap




And finally this is my entry for my own annual ornament swap....


stay tuned for vacation pictures and a special featured artist........

vv

Take the snow test..... the result was pretty right on!

Your Snow Test Says You're Independent

You feel like something good will happen to you in the next few months. You love to work, especially when work is creative. You have the makings of a successful artist. You are an independent, individualistic person. You thrive when you're doing your own thing. Your biggest worry in your life is your health. You tend to be a bit of a hypochondriac. When it comes time to relax, you have difficulty relaxing. You are a bit high strung.

The Snow Test

Winter Charm swap

Below you will see the pictures of my charm entry for the winter theme swap. I cannot wait to get all these back! There are lots of pics and shows you the steps sorta. At the end is my mom's beautiful charm she made for the swap as well. I hope the girls like our charms!

Beginning stages of my entry for the winter swap
40 later of just one of the charms that goes on the winter piece

Here is the next style

another 40 of different ones

another shot, notice the little snowflake dangles
also in the next picture you will see another long dangle with a bugle bead and a silver ball and the snowflake spacers used as a spacer instead of a dangle. Yes my fingers were sore after all of these!

"wInTer gOoDnEsS"

Individual charms. I beleive there are 4 different snowflakes.

Here is what each individual charm looks like. Ther are 4 seperate pieces to each charm.
A big pile of wintery goodness! 40 charms
All bagged and sealed and ready to go in the box... Off

to AZ they go!
This is mom's artistic entry for the winter charm swap. I just didn't have as much time as I wanted to to do something more artsey. But I just love her winter bird, don't you! Alot of work mom!

BUSY LIKE A BEE

Well I have been a busy little bee as usual. Here are some of my Halloween projects, a vintage halloween ornament for a swap of 18 people, then a 50 person Halloween charm swap that I hosted. My mom's dog yoda was helping me as you can see in one of the photos. Here is a pretty sunset in the desert on Halloween weekend!

right now I am busy on all things Christmas! I am hosting an ornament swap, a vintage tag and charm swap. I am also in a winter charm swap, a mickey and minnie charm swap, a new years charm swap and a Twas the night before Christmas tag book swap! I am up to my ears ladies!

i am leaving for Thanksgiving vacation at the end of next week too, so I must hustle! I probably won't post for another month, but I will be back with pictures of all my projects!
love to you all and a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

You're not so traditional Halloween cards for Mandy's swap

Been a long time

I've been off my blog for awhile. I have just been super busy with lots of different things, lots of projects and I went to Northern Cali to see friends and family. Wish I could share the cute pics of my family and friends but there identity is a secret :)

So here are some of my best pictures from my vacation. I was really pleased with these ones. I have lots more but thought I would share these! I will uploading some of my projects I have been working on too, but for now...