Giving Thanks

Thankful for family today. Spending the day with my inlaws (and a few outlaws!) in Oregon. Here are a few photos.

Watch out for mad dogs!

Greetings from Oregon!

We made it! We're here! We had a great ride up! No rain, but lots of laughs and family bonding. Shot a few cool photos from the road that we wanted to share! Enjoy and Happy Turkey Day!

Susan

Over the river and through the woods....

To Grandma and Grandpa's house we go! Looking forward to our little adventure this weekend! I just had to do a quick post because we will be gone 4 days and I have been trying to do at least one per week. So... I decided to post a pic of my beautiful apple pies! LOL They came out so pretty! Apple Hill eat your heart out! My mile high looks and tastes good! My pumpkins looked beautiful too, but I wrapped them up and put them away before I thought of doing a pic.

Everyone went to bed already as we are leaving before the crack of dawn at dark-thirty something or other. Crafting is on hold for a couple of days while we tour Oregon and celebrate Thanksgiving and Grandpa's 70th birthday. I am excited to shove off and spend some time with the fam! I hope that you all have a wonderful and blessed holiday this year. Times might be tough but you always have those you love. Hold them close this holiday!

Take Care!

Susan

A Few More...

I have been a busy little crafter lately! I am in the narrow window of time where I have finished classes for this year and I need to start making samples for next quarter. So.... I have been taking advantage of the time and experimenting with some of the new (and old!) products form Tim Holtz and other companies as well. I would like to get my own Christmas projects done this year too! I have gotten a lot faster, so I think I will be okay for that. My Craft Cave is much more efficient the way I have it arranged - although I still can't find some things! No big deal. I know they will turn up sooner or later! Probably right after I buy a new one!

The photos tonight are of a little book I made with the photos we took at Bishop's Pumpkin Farm back in October. I know they are not the best photos of the project, sorry. The lighting in the Cave is not good at night and I was getting weird shadows and flash reflections. I hope that you can see the stamping - that's my favorite part next to the pictures! I think I took over 190 pictures that day, and out of that I printed 80! I didn't use them all, but I did use about 75 or so! Not bad, I think for a little book!

I am really excited about the classes I will be teaching next quarter. I tried to listen to all the feedback I received from my students and put those ideas into play. I so appreciate feedback! These classes are for you and I want to be sure that I meet your needs as well as share some cool ideas with you! One of the things I heard over and over again was how students liked all the detail and creative ways to use stamps and materials. I did have one class where I had a little too much detail and the class ran way over time! I have tried to remedy that by keeping the detail, but limiting the projects so that we can complete them in 2 hours. If the project requires more time we will probably hold the class during the day or on the weekend. I am listening to you guys! I have a million ideas for classes, but not that much time to plan, prep, and teach them! So please be patient and keep checking back to see what I'm up to! I am trying to get it all in!

I have a few new items up on Etsy as well. I told you I have been busy! Actually, some of them were completed from last year and the year before and just waiting around for the holiday season again. There are a couple of cards and tags right now, but there will be more very soon! I am just putting the finishing touches on a few things. They are not photo ready yet! I am excited because it is something I have not really done before! You'll have to check back soon and see what I did... (What a tease!)

Okay, I am running out of steam, so I'm calling it a night! Have a fabulous day and do something creative today!

Susan

Projects!

Finally! I have some project photos for you! The tags will be for sale in my Etsy shop (http://www.qdesigns.etsy.com/) and the little pink seaside book was a project we did at Artsea Escape back in October. We could decorate the inside any way we wanted, and I just wanted to share what I did. More pictures are in the shop. I had fun with the tags using Distress crackle paint, Distress stickles, and Distress inks and fragments. So much fun to play! I haven't had time to do that in awhile. Enjoy the pics!

Last night was the last football game of the season and we beat the #1 team! Well Varsity beat them, JV tied, but we'll take it! It was a good game for JV. They played their hearts out. Good job, boys!

Have a great day!

Susan

A few new pics for you, but no project pics today! They are coming, I promise! I have a few completed and just need to photograph and post. I have been sharing the camera with the kids lately and the battery is endlessly dead!

Nick and Michele and I went to Apple Hill this weekend. We had a fabulous time running around. Lots of laughs and giggles, ahhh young love...

I was watching the CMA awards tonight and I was so emotional! Music, art, and dance do that to me sometimes, I'm not sure why. It made me think of all kinds of art and creativity. I am definitely an artsy person because it stimulates something in brain that is unlike anything else. I don't know how to describe it, but I know not everyone shares the feeling. I can see it when you get that blank stare when you show someone something that really gets you going and they say, "uh huh" without even looking at it! I feel so thankful and blessed to have the ability to be open to those beautiful things that touch my soul. I also feel so blessed to have 2 creative jobs, and many friends that share my love for all things beautiful. I am truly a lucky girl.

Gosh I am so sappy tonight! Listening to all that country music has fried my brain! Just kidding! I really do enjoy it sometimes, (sometimes it is too much!) but I can relate to a lot of the lyrics of everyday life and love stories. Our family life and our love story is so ordinary in a wonderful sort of way. ( okay, I don't know what is wrong with me tonight, feel free to barf at this sappy nonsense at any time!)

Okay, moving on... I taught my last class for the year at The Stamp Art Shoppe last night. It is sad to be through for the year. I love teaching and sharing with my students what I have learned, but I know my own projects are waiting patiently in the wings for my attention. I also have the next round of classes to prepare for. The students at the Shoppe are amazing and so supportive. I will definitely miss them for a few weeks! I never did get a picture of my students. Next round, maybe?

Okay last word... I encourage you to find something in your life that touches you deep in your soul. Whether it is art, music, or family, friends, or your career, your dog, a charity, whatever. I challenge you to open the door to your soul and let something wonderful in! Send me a comment when you find it!

My sappy self says goodnight!

Susan

Busy Doing Nothing

Last weekend at The Stamp Art Shoppe was fabulous! Tim Holtz was there teaching classes all weekend and Sandy's Anniversary party was Friday night. I took 2 classes from Tim (awesome!). I wish I could have taken more. Every class is so layered with technique and learning to use his products and just great Tim tips. I was trying to absorb it all in! I also try and pay attention to teaching ideas and styles. He is so good at all those things and seems like a genuinely great person too.

I have been waiting to post until I had a project to show, but I just haven't had time to start anything new of my own, so I guess you'll have to wait! I have been working on a few things, but nothing is finished yet! Thanks for checking in!

Susan