Hostess Gifts and trying to get back to normal....

I know, always a dual topic post for me...Anyway, a lot to catch up on....busy week.

Last year, I was short a gift for a family member that I don't know all that well. She's very elegant and has oodles of money so she can buy what she wants and I definitely cannot afford to shop at the stores that she shops at....so I was a little stumped...Derek wanted to get her a bottle of Bailey's but that sounded so plain to me...so an idea blossomed. I decided to use one of the cutsie wine bottle holders that we had and make it into an elegant altered wine bottle holder. So this is last years version.



Just start with a wine bottle holder...paint any edges that might be exposed a little....you should also sand the surface a little bit..they are usually a slick shiny paper and it will be easier for you to adhere your paper if it's a little roughed up.

This one I did using Pink Paislee's Tinsel Town, Pixie Stix glitter and a Maya Road Scallop frame. It's also on the Pink Paislee Blog right now.


another one...the pics aren't great on these next two..trying to take pics at night with poor lighting doesn't make for pretty pics!


A square one....it turned out so pretty!


For a small amount of money and a little time, you can create a beautiful Hostess gift....imagine the possibilities...birthday champagne, wine parties, bunco gifts etc...

Next....the evening of the 23rd, while my sister and I were sitting at my table making these wine bottle holders.....the doorbell rang. Odd, not expecting someone...heard the grumble of the motor, just like a UPS truck...hmm...they're working late tonight....opened the door to see Nikki and Keri Long (Hannah's best friend from last year and her Mom, the sweetest of all people)at the door...a surprise visit for Hannah...but they opened the door and behind them was this--->

Danny, Keri's Dad is the Youth Pastor at the Jamul Church and they had driven the bus to our house to sing Hannah some Christmas Carol's...
Derek carried her out there in the cold and they sang to her. She was so surprised, touch and a little tiny bit embarrassed. It was great, totally touched my heart. We don't even go to that church. So sweet of them to think of her, housebound at Christmas....I need to make more of an effort to be friends with them, they are a nice, nice family.


Speaking of Hannah...she's doing much better. She is SO heavy though...oh man, when Derek goes back to work, I am going to have such a hard time....trying to get her to the bathroom is so hard....yikes.
We took her back to Children's Hospital the day after Christmas because she was having incredible pain in her right ankle. They cut the heel out of her cast to look at it..and turns out, she had no padding...it had become saturated with blood and when it dried, was all hard and crispy...and had moved around...so it was rubbing on her wounds...so they repadded it and taped the cast back together...and she is much better now.
So, now what to do with Maddy...she is bored out of her mind...she has lost her #1 playmate...we're trying.

We're headed up to Julian to stay at Derek's parents house for a couple of days...we HAVE got to get out of this house...

A couple more things..............Maya Road is doing an early release give away. They have made some Valentine's Products...to see the giveaway and the products go HERE.

This is my last couple days of being a Pink Paislee DT member....my term is up. They will be picking a new team and announcing it on January 1st....exciting times for some lucky girls...can't wait to see the list!! DT Contest Announcement.
What a great time I have had being on the Pink Paislee DT...the product is just incredible....so darn pretty...and did you hear that they have 4 new releases for CHA-W! Can't wait to see them, sure we'll be amazed! Holly McCaig is just an incredible designer, her product lines rock the world...and Rebecca and Barry are the nicest people..so easy to work for and SO generous!! Thanks for having me be a part of your team!!

Holiday Madness....Every Year, why? And Yes, I know that I use the Treading Water Punch backwards!!

Oh Man............wow, I am so ready to sit back , listen to Christmas Tunes ( my fave this year is THIS , the first few songs on my playlist are from this CD, just press the play arrow on my playlist at the bottom of the page) and drink Bailey's....but alas.....Santa is broke so his ONE Christmas elf (she's a little tall) is busy making Christmas presents............Story of every Christmas....and I know that they love handmade...but man, when it's the day before Christmas Eve and I'm still busting stuff out...I feel anxious. It always comes together.....I always finish what I need to and SWEAR that next year will be different...but it never is.

I think this is my favorite house of all....mainly because of the wreath on the front...I used the Martha Stewart Rose leaf punch.

and the beautiful October Afternoon red paper.......drool...







OK, so YES, I do use the treading water punch backwards (have had a couple people mention it), upside down or whatever you call it...I use ALL my punches this way...I guess it's because I NEED to see what I am punching...I know that the punch has grids on the top but I seem to always screw it up....so if I turn it over and see it from the actual punch, I can make sure that it's lined up perfect. It's a quirk I guess...but yep, I know I use it wrong...maybe I need a little lesson myself! Whatever works, right?


Little Hannah...she is doing MUCH better! Off the valium and not in tears all the time. She is getting a little bored...thank God for the Wii and our new Animal Crossings game......she loves that.

My sweet friend Lisa Pace sent Hannah a little care package (darn cute stuff)and my daughter, being the non-procrastinator that she is has already made thank you cards for the people that gave her stuff for the hospital. Thanks Lisa, she loves it all...and had so much fun making her cards...yours is on the top there!

Maddy, however has the flu......and threw up all over the place yesterday..today has an upset yucky stomach and a fever but no barfing...thank God!

Just a little album that I am working on for our holiday photos....perhaps a gift for my MIL, we'll see.....I used a Maya Road 4x4 binder album, Pink Paislee and a vintage doily.



These are our big gifts (and they are BIG) this year for all the family in our lives...from the etsy shop called The Back Porch Shoppe.

We ordered a monogram letter for each family....they are so darn cute. I have a big W on my wall that I ordered from them a few months ago. Can't wait to give them out this year!!
Well, that's about it.........
Have a Merry Christmas!!

We're Home

We got home from the hospital today..thought I would share a few photos with you since I don't have the alert mind to write much...long night...Thanks for all your support!
Hannah is in a lot of pain..and we are trying to help her work through that...I have a feeling we are in for a long few days with no nurses to help. She is twitching now, it's muscle spasms..but they are incredibly painful. They have been giving her Valium to help to relax her muscles and it does help.
Thanks again for all your support. We really appreciate it.

Deep asleep on the first day of the surgery.

Kitty from her Auntie Chandra...so cute and soft.

First smiles with her cousins and sisters last night.

Sissy and Hannah...
Reading her cards from her class...with tears pouring down her face..she said that "she didn't know that she was that important to them"...so sweet.

Maddy and Daddy wheeling her out of the hospital today.

Update on Hannah

I just have a minute, as I have to run out the door back to the hospital but wanted to update you all a little.
The surgery went well, they didn't run into any unexpected problems....but my poor little Hannah is in a world of pain.
Her legs hurt so bad....and she is swelling, which is normal...she says that her legs are going "Beat, beat, beat..."...so they cranked the casts a little looser (they put little cuts in them with a crank screw thingy to make the looser when swelling occurs)...and she has drains in her cuts to drain out the extra fluid...I just try not to look at them because they are yucky!
The poor girl is still throwing up though....I guess it's her Morphine...but it's made her puke for 24 hours now. She is not feeling well at all. They are going to take her off of it today and put her on Tylenol (we'll see how that goes...with the amount of pain she's in...I can't imagine Tylenol doing the trick).
The other thing is that she has a bad stomach ache. It started actually a couple of days before the surgery, we chalked it up to nerves. But it hurts to even touch her stomach at all...she won't let us feel it or let us put blankets on her even. They had a general surgeon come up to look at her and she said that it seemed OK but ordered some blood work. We'll see.
So, Derek took first shift last night and I came home around 9 to take care of Maddy and get her off to school. He was up all night...poor guy. I'm off to break him so he can get some sleep.
She is supposed to come home tomorrow but it's not set in stone so we'll play it by ear and see. Anyway, gotta run...wish us all luck today!

Well, tomorrow is the day....send good thoughts and prayers for my sweet little Hannah...

Tomorrow at 6am we have to be at the hospital. Hannah's surgery is at 7:30. I thought the doc said that it would take 2.5 hours but my hubby says he said 3-4. So by lunch Hannah will be done. If you need a background go to Hannah's Surgery.
Last night the wheel chair got delivered...it was a sobering sight. It made it all real...4-5 weeks...could be worse I guess...

We had family over to hang out for a little while. I didn't cry all night until I saw Maddy hugging Hannah before she left to spend the night at her auntie's...and she held her so tight...I think she may have been a little forgotten in this whole process....

I took a picture of Hannah's ankles tonight..just to remember..this is with her standing straight...if she's not paying attention, her feet turn inward alot and collapse even more. When she's walking, those ankle bones almost touch the ground...this will soon be fixed...as will the legs (can't believe that they are breaking my little girl's legs....)and feet.


So, tomorrow...say a prayer for my daughter Hannah...It will be a couple of days until I can post again...we'll see how it goes..wish I had a laptop. I'm sure she will be fine and all will go well..but I'm still scared...I'll keep in touch, soon!

5 part Video Series- Holiday House Tutorial

Yay!! My Dear Sweet Hubby figured out how to post the video of the Holiday House Tutorial that I made. This was a first and it turned out pretty long, so it's in 5 parts...maybe next time I can figure out how to do it a little easier...but this was a chore. Not to mention the few cuts he had to make of me messing around...I did a few screw ups.
So, I am NOT a professional on video and since I was still in my pj's I wouldn't let him film me...and my crap is piled everywhere...I really thought it was a practice run, but it was a ton of work (for us first timers) so I didn't want to take the time to start over. Plus, I have crafter hands..yep, these almost 38 year old hands have seen a lot of stuff...if only hands could talk!
I'm a chatty girl..so I talk you through each step and kind of don't stop talking...Sorry, it's just me.
I know that the quality is hard to see the details..and I am working on pics of the details on the next house that I am working on so then I can post some close up pics of the steps..but for now, this will have to do.
I used Pink Paislee Jack Frost Snowflake paper, it's so pretty in the light because it is actually a metallic silver..so it's glimmery. I accented with Silver Berry Pixie Stix glitter.
The windows are made from the Maya Road Scallop Frames. The scallop border was made from the Maya Road Border Sheet.

The houses are made by Craft Pedlar.

I use Fabri-Tac by the gallon (and is what I used on this project)...it's the best glue I ever met.
I also use Designer Art Glitter Glue for ALL my glittering. It also rocks!

I use the Finger Tip Craft Knife (razor knife with incredible control)by Fiskars throughout the project. I also use the Tim Holtz Tonic Scissors.

Of course the Treading Water Punch by Fiskars is pretty important, yep..couldn't make the roof without it.

Holiday House Video Part 1


Holiday House Video Part 2


Don't get confused, I was working on my 3rd house and thought that I needed to make the window cutting more clear, so I redid that part with a different house...Then it was too hard to cut out...so it stays.

Holiday House Video Part 3


Holiday House Video Part 4


Holiday House Video Part 5


OK, so please...remember that this was a test...and I am not that great on video..plus I was winging it..it was only my 2nd house that I created..so I was a little shaky.
Enjoy!

Tutorial is coming....:) I didn't forget...!!

It just took a lot longer then I thought....oh yeah, maybe it's because I decided to have Derek put it on our digital camcorder....and it was like a class...and we still have to figure out how to upload it to my blog. This is new ground for us and my poor hubby now knows how to make Holiday Houses...which is a good thing because they are what we are giving out as Christmas presents this year to family (don't worry, they don't read my blog...so I didn't ruin the surprise!)!
Here is a little peek to hold you over, I did 2 new houses...the medium and the little one. Hopefully, we can get the videos posted in the next day or so...


So, ignore the pile of trash on the floor and the crooked wreath...darn kids.


I also wanted to thank the ladies that took my class last Sunday, I had SO much fun. You guys were a great group. I know it was crowded but nobody had a panic attack or got an eye poked out by the wire and you all did a great job...A very pleasant class, really!

We even had a little birthday party!!

~Holiday House~

OK, this will be a super short post....as I have to be somewhere QUICK. Anyway, I finished one of those super cute Chipboard houses from Paper Tales that I showed you the other day.....Just one so far...but don't worry, the rest will get done..and I'm going to do a free tutorial this weekend on how to do them.
So real fast, here are some pictures of it. I used October Afternoon papers, Maya Road chipboard frames, Diamond Dust and Pink Paislee Glitter.

CLICK on the pictures to make them full size, my blog cuts off the right side....I gotta figure it out soon!







So.......promise some step pictures and a tutorial on this...but we are taking off for a SURPRISE trip to Knott's Berry Farm today...picking up the girls and taking them, they have no idea.....Once Hannah has her surgery she can't do anything fun like that for 4 months...so off to surprise them!! So this weekend promise!!!

~Katie

~Going Banner Crazy!~

Ok, it's official...I'm in LOVE with banners (do not tell my husband that I might love banners more then him...well not really, but it's close)! They are so festive and can sure soften up harsh lines (as you'll see later in my post)!

So, I have a friend named Lori Gentile who is a quiet little mouse but a super talented one and a very, very kind and sweet person. She has done some videos to go with some kits from A Million Memories. I just wanted to share with you some of her work. She made a video with her banner and some cute very ornaments.
Click on the photos to make them full size...sorry, my blog cuts them off, but if you click on them they come up bigger!


Her video is HERE. The AMM kits are HERE and HERE(this is the kit you can purchase to make the projects that she demonstrates).

So, speaking of banners....I have been busy making them also...and can't get enough. I'm rather fast at them now.
This is one that I made for my husband's aunt. We went to Julian to stay the night before Thanksgiving and I took all my supplies and made a Thankful banner. This is it hanging on my in-laws fireplace, pictures aren't great, sorry.





I had in my stash waiting for the perfect project..the October Afternoon Holiday line (it is so darn cute) and made it into a banner...remember when I mentioned above that a banner softens lines...well, I have this awful arrangement on our living room wall (I got tired of staring a white wall that was waiting for me to figure out what to put up...I'm still looking, but in the meantime put up a bunch of odds and ends from our garage)..it's is too many lines..it needs something but for now the banner is super cute (or was, it's on loan to Paper Tales for a display)...and softens up all those angles.





The pipe cleaner candy canes are from Paper Tales also...they are reproduction and look like the real thing.

Speaking of Paper Tales, I have a class there tomorrow with lots of Maya Road and Pink Paislee Tinsel Town stuff...and I'm ready to go...

IGNORE the Dixie cups....they are just to hold stuff until I get to the store and can put them in these!
(Thank you Kerry Lynn for the vintage paper(I made the cones out of it)in this months kit from Kenner Road, we got a ton of it!!)
One more thing about Paper Tales......when I went in to pick up some class supplies...I saw these houses.......

Oh My Dear...I have been looking for these things forever....and Michelle has them, they just came in..3 different sizes...the big one is about 11 inches tall...so it's roomy...as SOON as I do something with them I will post them on my blog...she only has about 12 sets as of yesterday, so you should get them while you can.



I had Pink Paislee Blog post yesterday...we are doing a cool thing, all the DT members made 2 ornaments to put together for a charity event at an LSS. We have saved the pictures though to do a Dec event..each day we will be posting our ornaments..so I made 3 and they are HERE...but here is one of them. I know, another banner piece, told you...it's pure love.



MAYA ROAD WAREHOUSE SALE !!!
Maya Road is having a warehouse sale again...last time they sold out in 36 hours...$45 for $125 worth of stuff..the details are HERE.