The Miss-Adventure

Spent the whole weekend with these girls and miss them already!

I only have a million more pictures.
But they will have to wait.
We had quite an adventure trying to leave the warm weather of the south to return to a snow storm!
Josie, Max and I had 12 long hours of traveling across country just to make it home by 4am today.
We took the route from New Orleans through Denver to Chicago....
Yeah, it's a long painful story.
More to come.
Happy Big Fat Birthday to my buddy, Elizabeth!

Copic Card- Video

As if you weren't spoiled enough with the peek into Michele's room of crap the other day, I present you with a little something to tide you over while I am on my MS-adventure.

I'll be back Tuesday with more videos, a look inside Miss Greta's craptabulous room and Elizabeth's craplicious area, as well as interviews with some of my most favorite girls!

Mississippi....watch out! Here I come!!!

Copic Markers - some basic info as I know it.
I am by no means an expert in the field of Copic Markers.
In fact, I would say that I dabble in the field of Copic and mostly marvel at the beauty.
So, these are just some info that I have found in my Copic experiences.
Or should I say, in my awkward attempt in using them.

Here's just a few questions I hear all the time.

1. Should I get some? Are they worth the money? Do I need them?
Well, being the self-proclaimed cheapskate as I have said many many times.
You don't need them but you may want them.
They aren't a necessity.
And if you don't own a good set of markers already, I would suggest that you consider these because even if you build your collection slowly, they are a great investment:
* They are refillable
* The nibs are replaceable
* They are artist grade
* There are like a zillion colors
* You can colors on all kinds of stuff

2. Are they easy to use? How long did it take you to "learn" to use them?
Easy to use....No!
I'm still learning.
Much like playing an instrument, I feel like when I don't use them for a while (a couple) weeks, I almost "forget" what I am supposed to do.
Seriously.
It took me about 2 weeks of constantly playing with them just to get some basic idea of what I was supposed to do.
I also watched, intently, the Copic lady show me how to use them for about an hour at CHA last summer.
And Michele gave me some basic pointers too in person.
So, it's not easy and there is a huge learning curve but if you are a little patient and like to play with coloring, the process will eventually become fun as well as challenging.

3. If I already own some markers, should I get these too?
If a friend asked me this question, I would say no.
If you have markers you like and you're getting the results you want, stick with those.
Again, it may just be the cheapskate in me that is advising you.

4. What kind do YOU own?
I have the sketch variety.
Yes, the cheapskate owns the more expensive version.
The only reason really is that I wanted to get the most bang for my buck.
The sketch work with the airbrush, there are more colors available and they have more replace-ability.
I also own the airbrush system but haven't even tried it yet.
It scares me.
But Max has and he LOVES it.

5. How do you store them?
I store them in the box they came.
Standing up, you don't have to lay these down.
I am sure I will eventually change my storage plan for these babies because as I buy more, I need a bigger box or something.
But I want to be able to travel with them as well.

6. Are you gonna make a video showing how to use them?
Sure.
I just wanted to show basic process for this one.
But I would be happy to add a little video tutorial to show a little more how it is done.
Just let me start playing with them again to focus my skills.

Let me know if you have any other questions.
See the part at the end of this post where it says...Comment?
You can comment there!
Or ask a question!
Or just say hi!

I also have a tutorial HERE and some more information about these amazing markers.

Now, on to the show!

Copic Marker Card Video from spazzgirl on Vimeo.

Tagged

I got tagged by Linda over at A muse.
So here it is...fast and brief.

Stamping style - simple

Inspiration - everywhere but mostly online.

color - green. love green so much I could use it on every project!

work space - packed with crap

perfect day - jammas all day, clean house that I didn't clean, crafting and movie watching and delicious food that I didn't have to make or clean up after.

first job - day camp counselor at 13. Man, I have been working forever!

wildest dream - birds grabbed hold of my shirt sleeve and carried me to a blimp so I could try and save the people...it actually is probably not my wildest but it is recent.

ink - always winds up on my hands, my clothes, my face...man, I am sloppy.

beverage - diet soda. It is my weakness.

biggest challenge - sticking to things. I always try to commit but I suck at commitment.

Stay tuned...Tomorrow I have a little treat for ya.
Off to run errands for my trip tomorrow.
If you haven't seen Michele's Room...you can see it HERE.

Michele's Room of Crap

Ok people...you ask, I provide.
An all new video!
A little look inside Michele Kovack's room of crap!

First, you should know, Michele and I are the best of buds.
I think we were the second we met actually.
I spotted her out of an entire crowd at CHA last summer.
And the first time we chatted, I knew we were cut from the same cloth.
Me a little less straight of a cut, but all the same fabric.
So like all my other buds, she humors me when I suggest...Hey, let's make a video!
She's good like that.
And when I tell her, I'm gonna ask ya some questions, OK?
She doesn't even ask beforehand what they are or if I know what I am going to say.
(I didn't)
And she let me take these pictures of her stuff too!




So, I just love her.
And she is just the cutest and one of the best gal pals a girl can ask for.
This video is a little goofy, but a good glance at her room.
And the little voice you hear chiming in would be her son Kyle who couldn't help but comment while he watched the moms acting all goofy.
For more about Michele and her awesome creations, you can check her out HERE.
Be sure to let her know you saw her here.

And if anyone else wants me to visit their room of crap, all it takes is an invite!
Enjoy!


Chelemom's Scraproom from spazzgirl on Vimeo.

(ps. This is the tool that Michele regrets buying...HERE.)

Dear Prudence...It's a Brand New Day!

What a nice relaxing weekend.
Went to see my buddy Michele on Friday night, beer and pizza was had.
No stamping was done.
Get the two of us together and you can't get a word in edge-wise!
I did tape a little video of her awesomely full room 'o crap. (coming soon)
She gave me an awesome birthday present, tons of scrapping goodies, none of which I already owned and plenty of skullz and rockin' embellishements!
And a card.
You may remember my rant about these stamping images a while back.
Well, Michele used one to make up a birthday card for me, but added the nose and mouth herself.
Thank God!
Now the poor little dear can smell and eat!

On Saturday, it was warm here and wet.
So we stayed indoors, in jammies and played the day away.
I scrapped up a storm and got all 5 challenges done over at Scrap-diner for their CHA Challenge...woo Hoo!
This one was the hardest of the challenges.
The countdown challenge.
Use:
6 brads
5 ribbons
4 patterned papers
3 flowers
2 chipboard
1 stamp
Yeah, it was a real stumper!
But I got it done.

Saturday night, we watched Across the Universe....
This movie was awesome, beyond awesome.
The music, the photography, the trippy effects...I loved it all.
I haven't stopped singing Beatles tunes since.
Mimi, if you haven't seen this one, add it to your list pronto!
It had everything I love in musicals too, I am a fanatic about musicals. As a kid I had always hoped that people would spontaneously break out in synchronized song and dance.

On Sunday, we laid low again.
It was very wet and miserable outside.
More scrapping was had, Max was enthralled with a video game that came from his gamefly subscription.
I made some porkchops in the 'ol crockpot for dinner, gotta love 5 minute prep times.
And we were in bed relatively early, even thought today is a non-school day.

I was awakened a few times last night by a rumbling sound coming from above me!
I am not a light sleeper.
I was when Max was a little guy but in recent years I have become increasingly good at sleeping through just about anything.
Which is why it is so shocking that something woke me up about 4 times last night between the hours of midnight and 6:30am!
I am on the top floor of my building.
The sound was definitely coming from above.
I am thinking there is a vermin in the crawl space/attic....or several.
Tonight will be the test.
Then someone's gotta come out and git 'em.
I can't lose any beauty sleep, I am not a happy camper when I don't get my 8 hours!
Fingers crossed there are no more mystery sounds tonight.

There is a new challenge up over at Scrap Your Crap...it's the holiday paper one.
Great challenge for card makers, scrappers and crafters alike!
So come on over and join the fun.

Page details: PP by Dude Designs, Cardstock by Bazzill, Chipboard by SU, Letter stickers by Doodlebug, Stamps by KI memories, Flowers by MM, Prisma and the $1 store, Brads from Target $1 spot and Heidi Swapp

Sad Friday

This whole NIU tragedy is really too close to home for my liking.
I am always amazed that things like this actually happen but when it is closer to me in proximity I think it upsets me more.
Plus he was enrolled at U of I, which is where my baby brother is currently attending and sent my mother into a whole state of "what ifs" last night.
I watched the news briefly as it unfolded right after the assault on the school took place but didn't leave it on long because things like this upset Max and trigger his anxiety.
But I watched last night after he had gone to bed and kept thinking to myself, "these poor families sent these young kids off to better themselves and some won't be going home."
This morning the news was on briefly and some student was recounting the episode, so I quickly turned it off but I can't help but think about the kids who weren't hurt physically but would be forever changed just by being in that room.
It is a sad time in the world today.
And in just 6 short years I will be sending off my very own offspring and I fear for the state of the world then.
It seems that very few places are "safe" anymore.

We are off to visit my buddy Chelemom this afternoon for pizza and beer.
Oh and probably a little stamping too.
Hopefully Max is having a good day and visiting with his buddy Kyle will keep his mind off this.
And my mind too.

VD

I love referring to today as VD.
Makes me giggle and amuses me to no end.
I am not a Valentine gal.
My man gets off scot-free today and Sweetest Day for that matter.
I just don't like the whole obligation part of these Hallmark holidays.
I am a simple gal who loves a simple lovenote on the third Wednesday of April, just 'cuz.
Forced romance does nothing for me.
But these showed up last night with an apology that they came from the grocery store with the gallon of milk I had requested.
Are you kidding me?
I love you because they aren't from a florist and they came with milk!
I love romantic guestures that have grocery essentials attached.

I don't usually buy any sort of Valentine for the kid either.
He doesn't care because he knows his mom will buy him candy or a Weekly World News in a checklane any 'ol third Wednesday.
But last week, I bought one of these because it reminded me of those necklaces that were so popular back in 1985.
Remember?
Half a heart for your BFF, half for you.
Well, he offered me half of his BFF kitkat.
More evidence I am raising that kid right!
And see the picture of the roses?
It was taken this morning.
People, we are having a heatwave today...40 degrees! (and sunny...woo hoo!)
This was the first morning in a very long time that I didn't have to brush snow from my car or try to pry open frozen doors and the kid didn't have to suit up like this...
Lucky for me, my Valentine loving friends still send me cards for VD, so I've gotten a little happy mail in recent days.
This little Octi came from Miss Elizabeth.
She drew this little guy...cool, huh?
She had some available in her etsy shoppe at one time, you can go there and check it out, they may have sold out because they are awfully cute.

And my buddy Paula sent me this little non-Valentiney looking greeting and I love it!!
She usually sends me a little sunshine in my greetings which I always appreciate but from now on, if you could send pure HEAT, it would be great!

And this is a leftover Birthday greeting I totally forgot to post, sorry.
Awesome Rita sent it to me and I love the shopping bags...looks like me coming outta the Target. She also tagged me with an Excellent Blogger Award which I greatly appreciate and am flattered.

I am resolved to lose a little pudge before my tropical getaway, I just have to.
I am not a person who is happy being scantily clad when I am not looking my best and if I am uncomfortable in a bathing suit it will make for a very long miserable vacation.
We are talking beach, poolside vacation....me in shorts the whole time.
Not gonna work.
So I will make an attempt to eat more often, that is actually the majority of the problem and maybe workout just a tad.
I'm sure full reports to follow.

And about the videos....
If anyone knows anything about Youtube, .mts files, conversions, Sony Vegas Pro, formatting...oh heck, videos in general....shoot me an email.
If you can help a techno moron out, there are gifts involved.
Retrieved the videos off the camera now, look great on my screen, then I post them and they look like total crap!
So if you're looking for a video, that explains a little of my current headache.

Happy VD People!

Bee RAK

I am so slow in posting this, man how time gets away from me...

My buddy, Debbie, I can call you my buddy right?, is asking for a favor so that she can pay it forward with cards for the troops.
So scrounge through your stamps and if you've got any little bees in your collection, pass them along.
All the details are HERE.

Spazzisms

It has come to my attention that we are about 6 weeks into the new year and my resolution to drop at least 10 pounds of the pudge has taken a backseat.
To what you may ask?
Nothing really, I guess all this snow has made me extremely lazy.
And I don't have a gym membership.
And I live above someone, so crazy cardio is my apartment is out.
And I've come to the realization that I love to eat and don't want to "diet" really, so exercise is the only way....
Are you buying any of this?

Well some of the motivation for the weight loss, besides feeling better about myself, is my upcoming (quickly approaching) trips.
Next week I will be visiting my Mississippi girls and would hate to think that I am fatter than the last time I saw them.
And even worse...I have to put on a swimsuit in exactly 30 days!
I am nowhere near bikini ready.
I have no one to blame but myself and plenty of time to workout, I guess.
Anyone with a quick 30 day cure?

The kid was playing with my video camera yesterday and seeing as how we are the only 2 people who live in my house, his choices for subject are pretty limited.
I told him, "Please don't tape me."
I really wasn't doing anything tape worthy anyways.
"Please mom."
"Fine...but shouldersUp me."
"What?"
"ShouldersUp me! Only shoot me from my shoulders up."
Feel free to use the word and pass it along...

SYC Challenge #2

The second challenge is up over at Scrap Your Crap.
If you are a person who has a lot of stickers, this one's for you.
Ahhhh-Chooo!!
Check out my sticker sneeze people.

That's 17 stickers on one layout!
Lucky for me, I had these Chatterbox stickers that matched their paper perfectly and worked together so well it was simple.
If you are a card girl....Try 5 stickers on one card.
I know, it's hard, that's why they call it a challenge.
And with 5 stickers a card, you can realy plow threw your stash pretty fast.

ps. Full episodes of My So Called life are now available online for free over at abc.com, which is what totally inspired this layout.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Snapped these pictures Wednesday during our whiteout.
It was insanity.
The kids were coming back from dodgeball at the park and I had to get a good perspective of just how snowy it is here.


These were taken late which is why the color is a bit off.
The snow is mostly still there, we had some sunshine today so a tad may have melted but for the most part my street still looks like that, slush and all.
Lovely driving and parking conditions.

So, I have been snowy.
And unproductive.
I have videos taped and trapped in my camera.
HD formatting is holding my videos hostage and they aren't playing nice with the mac at all.
Totally makes me want to throw my camera out the window.

And I hear more snow is on the way this weekend.
Whoopee!
Can't wait for summer when I can complain about the heat again...

There are some great challenges over HERE this weekend, if you're looking for a little inspiration.
I'll be attempting to complete all the challenges if the weather cooperates and I don't freeze my patootie off trying to sit in the back porch crap room.

Makes me Wish for Warmer Days!

Looking at this Layout totally makes me dream of warmer weather.
I yearn for the day I can tell the kid..."Go outside, you're making me nuts!"
And we are so lucky we live across the street from the public park.
A playground, field house, ativities...all across the street.
It's perfect.
Max thinks it's HIS park.
The other kids are just lucky he lets them use it really.
He walks around the playground as though he is the mayor, waving politely and kissing babies.

In August 2006, yes during wonderful weather, they closed the playground to remodel it.
I figured they were trying to get it done before the end of the year.
I was wrong.
They didn't re-open that park until June of 2007!
It was a long fall and spring, let me tell you.

Then one warm June day, the protective fence was down and I can't tell you how fast the kid ran over to that park, you would've thought they were giving away money over on the slide.
He had to be the first to check it out, swing on the swings, attempt the monkeybars.
Then report back his complete Ebert-like review.

These pictures were taken on that first day of the new park.
The paper is very old Fancy Pants that has been in my stash of crap for a very long time.
But now that we are doing weekly challenges, I am hoping to use up a lot of the stuff that has, up until now, just been taking up room.

This page was originally entered for a multi-photo challenge over at ScrapDiner!

Spazzy Love

I don't decorate for all holidays.
I actually don't know many people who jazz up their places for every holiday.
But I do the big ones...Christmas...St. Patrick's day....
I try not to pass along my disdain for certain things on to the kid, so I play along with society.
I send treats to school for holidays I wish would disappear from my calendar.
And I hang a little something on the door for each occasion.

This little number has been in my collection for a few years and I've never really liked it.
I think I bought it because it was $2 at the Michaels.
Each year I put it up and shudder.
Ugh...glitter....Ugh...love....Ugh...cheesy

And then it came to me a couple days ago...
Hello Simone...alter it!

It's not like I don't own just a few supplies that could easily be used to alter this little sign.
I don't really know why I didn't think of it sooner.
So I whipped out my Creative Imagination rubon skulls and such and went to town.
Now, if you have one of these little signs from the craft stores, the paint on them is very slick, so when you are applying the rubons, it requires a lot of patience and care.
But they worked perfectly and now the little sign that used to give me hives just looking at it is the thing that makes me smile when I come home each day.
It's still Valentiney...but in my own special way.

Lesson learned: Just because you don't LOVE something, it can always be altered so that you do!

SYC - Challenge One

I mentioned that I started to do little challenges each week with Greta and Elizabeth to encourage each other to use up some of our supplies.
We are three girls who love to shop for crafty stuff.
Really, it's the only thing I personally like to shop for.
I am not a shopper girl.
I hate buying clothes, shoes, pretties...I just don't know what to buy.
I love great clothes and shoes but would prefer someone to dress me.
But paper...I LOVE to buy paper.
That would explain the room full of paper and clothes in my closet from the 90s still!

So these weekly challenges will push us to use up our crap stash.
Some of us have bigger stashes than others, as I have found out...wink!
But we all have lots.

So we started a new blog to post all our little challenges on.
So they are all in one spot, all nice and tidy.
And at the end of the year we can sit back and feel good we actually used some of our crap.
The new blog is called...Scrap Your Crap!
We do a challenge a week that encourages you to use up some of your crap scraps.

These challenges would be great for cardmakers and scrappers alike.
So join us and take the challenge if you need a little nudge to use up your goodies as well.

The first challenge from Greta is all about using Lots of Ribbon.
Here's my entry.

details: Arrows from Scenic Route, Letter Stickers from AC, Lots of Ribbon from everywhere.

Snowy Days

Dang groundhog, would it have killed him to just come outta his hole and chill?

These photos were taken last Thursday, before our big snowfall Thursday night.
Yes, I said...BEFORE.
Friday was unpleasant to say the least.
There was about 40 minutes of digging and clearing.
I was splashed with slush by a lovely public transportation vehicle.
Then Sunday night it snowed again.
Monday morning there was more digging and clearing.

Now I hear we are getting MORE snow.
Way more.
I heard someone say 10 inches??!!
Can this be true?
If that is the case, pray that tomorrow will be a snow day for the kiddos.
The public schools in Chicago haven't had a snow day in 7 years.
So everytime it is horrid outside, you will be happy to know my kid is at school.
And I am the one who has to get him there.

Looks like my snow removal fairies will be busy tomorrow.


Yes, the kid is wearing goggles to shovel and it wasn't even snowing!
"I have to protect my eyes, they're the groin of the face."

Love Bandit

Last week while driving back from a school pickup, the kids and I saw very large full posters advertising for a lost raccoon.
My first thought...Man, those are some nice posters.
Then...who the heck owns a raccoon in Chicago?
The kids and I speculated on what we were to do if we found said pet.

What his name might be, I suggested Bandit or Cooney.

I don't know if anyone actually found the pet as opposed to the pelthora of coons in the city that feast of some fabulous garbage, but the posters are gone this week.

When I saw the posters I was reminded that my buddy Chele brought over some High Hopes stamps before Christmas and I had a little guy of my own.

And as much as I am an anti-Valentine person (and you thought I hated Christmas!), I just had to work with this little guy and imagine Cooney home safe with his family.

I used the ">Scenic Route Loveland paper for this card, hearts and all!

I colored him with my Copics and used some glitter glue I got in the Target dollar spot to add a little sparkle, at 4 for $1, expect to see a lot more sparkle this week.