One More Sleep til CHA Winter 2010

My bags aren't packed.
I still have a few errands to run.
There is still food to make for the men to eat while I am gone.
Lists to write with explicit instructions.
But tomorrow I leave for California to attend the CHA Super Show and CHA Trade Show in Anaheim and I can't wait.

I am covering the event for CraftCritique.
See my name in the right hand column.
Yep, that's me!!
New gig, new opportunities but still in my realm of what I consider awesome.
And I couldn't be happier to be joining those talented ladies again.
But this time I am wearing a bigger hat.

So, if you want to know what is coming up for crafters in 2010, you can follow my tweets.
Click Here...

Love to tweet.
I'll be posting pictures and instant reviews and comments on the big show(s).
And follow along with CraftCritique because we have amazing coverage during CHA.
Photos, videos, interviews, sponsors.... more info than you can imagine!
And I can't wait to see all my crafty friends and talk crafts for 6 whole days.
Can you imagine?!!

If anyone has seen any sneak peeks of products they would love to see or hear more about, please leave me a comment.
I'd love to find it at the show and report back.
And if you are gonna be in CA for the show, where?
I'd love to run into you.

Off to prepare...

Party Animal Stamped Tag Tutorial

Last week's tag challenge over with Louise was to make a birthday tag.
And since you can never have too many birthday greetings, I decided this was a good project of the week.
In fact, the only thing I made all last week.
Seriously.

Here's a little video of the entire process, start to finish.

Stamped Tag with Copic Markers Tutorial from spazzgirl on Vimeo.

Also available on Youtube... HERE.

I am getting ready for CHA this weekend and trying to get all my ducks in a row is a much harder job than I expected.

But I can't complain because I get to leave this freezing cold town for 6 whole days.

Yahoo!

Hope everyone is starting the week off right!

Tag Details:  Cardstock by Bazzill, Patterned Paper by American Crafts, Gingham Paper by A muse Art Stamps, Rhino Stamp by Stampin Up,  Ribbon by Creative Imaginations, Labels by Martha Stewart, Button purchased from Oriental Trading, Twine from Target Dollar Spot, Colored with Copic Markers in C1, C3 and BG15, White Gel Pen is Inkssentials by Ranger Ink, Traced with Copic SP Multiliner in Black size .05, Genstome by Hero Arts, Adhesive from Glue Dots and Scrapbook Adhesives.  I use 3M ATG gun on all my projects!!

I want to Thank You!

If there is one big thing I learned in 2009, it's who my friends are.
And how thankful I am to have them in my life.
I have friends I know online that I have never actually met and known for years that are some of my very best friends.
(try explaining that to people!)
I have friends I have known for years and have stuck by me through thick and thin.
I have friends I hadn't seen in decade and when we reconnected, it was like a moment hadn't past.

It's those friends that really deserve a card like this.
Although I would have to make about 20 more to cover the great friends who have been emailing their kind words the past couple weeks.

Stamped on Kraft cardstock and colored with Copic Markers, I love the results.
When you color on Kraft, the color will appear darker until it dries.

I colored my Glass Gem Stones with the Copic Markers to match.

I haven't embossed in a LONG time.
My embossing needs a little work.
You may be seeing a lot of embossing in the next couple weeks.

And one of my very bestest friends, Elizabeth, sent me this cool card...

Tiny cross stitch, isn't it cute?!!

She sells these in her Etsy Shoppe.
All different tiny stitches.
It totally made my day yesterday.

Off to start more cards for those cool people I call friend.

My card details:  Stamps:  Hero Arts CL304, Cardstock:  Bazzill, Gem Stones:  Hero Arts, PP: Basic Grey, Colored with Copic Markers, Ink and Powder:  Stampin Up

Valentine Tag

Today snow has blanked Chicago and it is gorgeous.
All this white makes everything look so clean and fresh.
Spoken like a true unemployed gal.
If I had to drive out in this mess, that would be a whole different story.

I've been in a bit of a slump lately.

Got a serious case of the blahs and just not feeling like doing much lately at all.

I've been cooking and cleaning and caring for the family but other than that, I am just blah.

So, in an attempt to get back in my groove, I made a super huge list yesterday of challenges, pub calls and project ideas.

And I put a call out to my 301 friends on Facebook to see if people wanted to swap some stamped images with me and luckily, 4 friends agreed.

Sometimes new stuff is just the push ya need, kwim?

One of the first things that I saw in my blog surfing was my buddy, Louise's tag challenge.

This week was polka dots and stripes.

Her vintage valentine tag is so cute and I thought that attempting to make something Valentine like would really be a challenge since it is my least favorite holiday.

My stripes are a loose interpretation but I had them in my scrap stash so I must get points for that.




I love these colors together.

And that stamp is one of my favorites.

I know just the man who deserves this and about 100 more.

Anyone else making anything Valentine? And who do you make them for?

Card details: PP is Stampin'Up, Stamp is Pink Paislee, Ink is Versacolor embossed, Ribbon is May Arts, Button and Ribbon is Stampin'Up

Hello 2010

Yep, twenty ten is here.
Or do you say two thousand ten?
Whatever the case I couldn't be happier a new year is upon us.
It's like a clean slate, starting all over, a brand new beginning.
And I am ready for it.

2009 totally sucked.
There, I said it.
And have heard it a lot in the last week on Twitter and Facebook.
Sure, there were a few great things that happened in the year but as a whole, it pretty much stunk.
The year just flew by, working way too much and there were so many sour notes that I am happy to welcome the new.

When I was looking back at the 'ol blog for posts about previous holiday seasons and new year's thoughts, I found it VERY interesting.
I forget how long I've had this thing.
Almost 5 years!!
And I forget how interesting and insightful it is as a journal.
Well, back in 2005, I wrote this about what I had learned that year.
And I thought, "That was a great idea, wish I did that every year".
So I am again this year.
And I HIGHLY recommend it.
So, here it is, the good, the bad and the ugly...

What I learned in 2009

1. Buying a house is not as fun as you would think.
2. Even the best dog can do bad things.
3. Sometimes doing hobbies can feel like more of a chore than a joy.
4. Friends you've never met in real life are sometimes your closest friends.
5. It's never too late, for anything.
6. Puppies are a good substitute for a baby, they sleep in cages.
7. I'd rather a BBQ in our backyard over a restaurant any day.
8. Living together is much easier with more square footage.
9. Parenting a teenager is very frustrating.
10. The kid is way more like me than I ever thought.
11. Sometimes your very best friends aren't who you thought they were.
12. Labeling boxes for a move cannot be underestimated.
13. I'm not married to the most amazing man.
14. Vegas with this same unmarried amazing man is not as much fun as I thought.
15. Sacrifice should never be at the expense of family.
16. Holidays at home are the only way to go.

17. Working at a craft store is one of the best jobs on earth.
18. Working at a craft store is one of the worst jobs on earth.
19. I've missed a lot of my old friends, thanks Facebook.
20. I am one lucky girl to call this my family.
2010 is seriously a new chapter and I am excited for what it will bring.
Hopefully all good stuff. (fingers crossed)
And I'm not making any resolutions this year, is anyone else?