Help [ME] Ronda

ten for 2010

  
 

 

 

I did this last year per Anna's urging.  I totally love looking back at all my work.  It so hard to narrow down my top ten of last year.  My favoritess may be different from you favorites.  I thought i would throw in a couple of my favorite projects as well:

I am proud of the work i have done in the past year and am eager to see where this year takes me creatively.  I know its part of my journey and i totally love the process as well as the outcome.  Take a look back on your year and see what gems you find.

Creative Love,

starting to

letting it out slowly.  I need to journal more and not keep it bottle up.  But i totally loved playing around.  These pieces come slowly, a bit here, a bit there.  i love the journey.  seriously love it and don't do it as often as i need to.  that will change. 

The wax play was at Ali's encouraging.  it was mutual encourenabling.  Encourenable: to encourage and enable fellow artists in crafty purchases & endevours.  The conversation i am sure had a lot of "Dudes" in it.  Me saying "Dude what do you mean you haven't played with mists yet?" and her saying "Have you played with wax yet, duuuudeee."  i love that about other artists....the encouragement to play. 

Waxy Love...it leaves an impression

around the net

 Jenni Bowlin Guest Star.  so Love her products and love being part of their december guests.  Their reds & blacks make me happy.  I love this photo of the family with this paper.  It just goes so well together.

Pink Paislee December Guest Designer.  Father Christmas line.   I had so much fun creating with this beautiful antiquey line.  I always love chocolate browns in a christmas line. 

Paper Love

5 Favs, Holiday

He looks like Max Headroom to me.  He's kind of goofy, so a perfect match for me.  We spent Christmas morning with him which is the next best thing to him being here.  It has been a rough month for me.  I feel so overwhelmed in some ways.  Add in a cold & constantly feeling behind.  Not such a good time.  I keep it all bottle up too.  I am working on letting go.  And now that i am letting some of it out, i feel better.  I feel like things back on track.  I thank all those who volunteer to help me out around the house.  I am going to set my pride aside and start taking people up on their offer.  I think the Lord is letting me know, i am not alone.  What a beautiful thing. 

too Fast

are you feeling like this time is really flying by?

My lists seem longer.  It probably didn't help that i was feeling blue most of this month.  I always forget how busy this time gets.  Every year i say not again, but here we are again with Christmas approaching in days.  I am thinking about how to be better organized.  I have some ideas to share.  I am letting them stew a bit but will share.  In the meantime, back to the lists & things to accomplish!

Yuletide Love,

December Daily, 5-11

I finally had a chance to sit down & post some pictures.  Right now, i am fighting a cold.  You know me & colds so i must get some rest.  I cannot afford it to turn into anything else. 

Sniffles of Love

Andy's life

  

A little video from the hubby about his life in Qatar.  I feel as if i should explain the drying rack.  His furnished apartment comes with a washer/dryer combo.  And i mean that literally.  It is one machine that is supposed to wash & dry the clothes.  It doesn't really dry them so he had to buy a clothes drying rack and a fan apparently. 

December Daily catch up coming soon.  Life has been hard lately adjusting to everything.  I want to go to a 36 hour clock so i can actually accomplish all i set out to do.

More Hours

When Crate asked us to do Christmas projects, i was kicking around the idea of 12 days of Christmas Tags.  I wanted a unique way to display them.  After seeing Christine's beautiful Tag art (seen here), i knew i had the answer.  I love how colorful & joyful this project is.  Make sure you stop by the Crate Paper blog for your chance to win $100 worth of Crate Paper, not to mention all the jaw dropping inspiration from the uber talented designers.  Gosh i just want to drop everything and create some of those projects!

You can click on each tag to see a close up.  I used a variety of Purple onion stamps (Early 1900 Music, late 1800's script, vintage damask, Antique Ledger, vintage snowflakes) on the background of the tags, repeating the 6 colors of yellow, blue, grey, pink, brown, and green.  If you haven't checked the Purple Onion blog lately, go...especially this post.  I so want to make the candle & the stars!  I need more hours in a day. 

Remember the You, Me, & a Cup of tea layout?  This is the fabulous coffee & tea set that is now available. 

a Latte Love,

feeling scrappy

Man this has been quite a week.  Being a single parent right now is taking its toll, especially with semester finals happening this week.  Not to mention all the extra curricular activities.  I think i am trying to be so busy so i don't have to think too much.  It's getting to me. 

On top of that, my computer decided this was the week to fight with me.  Ugh.  I had to reinstall Windows 7.  Ugh.   My days were spent on the phone to Andrew, trying to solve one issue after another.  Finally last night at 11:30 we managed to get it working.  So far so good. 

But today i got back to scrapping with paper.  I could feel the tension leaving my body as i had paper & ink in my hands.  Played around with Lily Bee Christmas Town & Maya Road Kraft items for the Lily Bee blog.  I love these colors.  They make me happy.   Today i got happy back.  A very good thing.

Scrappy Love,

Peppermint Bark

I made some peppermint bark this past weekend.  It was so easy to make!  IF you want to get the kids involved, have them crush the candy canes, spread the chocolate, & sprinkle the crushed candy canes.  This is a combination of two recipes, one i found & one was shared with me by my friend Tina.  I like the cool peppermint taste so i also used some extract but that can be adjusted to your liking. Also important to note that the better the chocolate, the better the taste.  The chocolate should have Cocoa Butter and not so much vegetable fats.  Read the label on the back to check it out.  ;)

• 4 oz Bitter/Dark Chocolate (60% Cocoa or higher)
• 4 oz semisweet Chocolate
• 8 oz White Chocolate
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 - 2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes

other tools....

• cookie sheet
• parchment paper
• heat proof spatula (optional)
• baking/cake spreader
• parchment paper
• sauce pan & heat proof bowl or double boiler
• whisk

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Melt both bitter & semi sweet chocolate with 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil & 1 tsp of peppermint.  I used a sauce pan filled with water & my stainless steel mixing bowl to melt the chocolates. whisk chocolate as melting.  Pour on cookie sheet & spread evenly.  Scrap bowl with a heat proof spatula to get all that chocolate from the bowl.  Place in refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes. 

 

Next crush candy canes.  Place in bowl & set aside.  Melt White chocolate using same method above again using 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil & 1 tsp of peppermint extract.  Pour melted white chocolate on top of the dark chocolate & spread until even.  Sprinkle with crushed candy cane chunks.   Refridgerate for 30 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet & parchment paper and break into pieces.  Store in containers in the fridge.  So very yummy. 

Peppermint Love