Summer!

Whew!  The school year is done, and I just finished wrapping up my classroom for its hiatus.  I even got in a few extra days to recycle and sort/rearrange files.  If you're a teacher or are close to someone who is, you understand the amount of work that goes into maintaining and constantly revamping everything you use!  I was so grateful for these few extra days (before the district locks us out! GASP!!!), and put every minute to great use!  I was also very thankful that I didn't have to move classrooms, AGAIN.
I'm at the point, where I have quite a few things prepped for fall, and have all my packing up finished.  With that being said, today, I gave up what little was left of my control, and TURNED IN MY KEYS for the SUMMER!  I'm sure I'll have forgotten something, or think of some absolutely AMAZING idea during the summer, and wish I could run right in and copy, create, laminate, and cut, BUT...I'll be forced to wait until I can reclaim my keys in August.  I really abhor the fact that we get locked out, BUT, I know I will live.  I know the next month will fly by, and it will be time to prep more for 50 kinders, again.  Now, the weather just needs to cooperate so that we all BELIEVE it's summer and not January!  Mother Nature needs some bipolar meds here in the Seattle-Tacoma area!
Now I can concentrate on the many needs and goals I have for the summer!  We already crushed one this past weekend by staging a rather successful yard sale!  (Epic, I know, considering school just ended!  What was I thinking???)  Even though the weather absolutely didn't cooperate (it poured!), we had room in our garage, and got rid of a ton of our treasures!  Next on the list?  Well, the list is SOOOO long, I think I'll tackle a ton of the small things to make myself feel better (like doing the touchups of paint for walls that have gotten scratched/scuffed, and making raspberry jam.).  I've already started cutting, scoring, and folding a TON of new cards, and have ideas dancing around my head like disco inferno!  I'm itching to create!  I also need to update this blog...sorry!  My CrAzY school year was just. too. much.  I have a great deal of awesome creations to blog!  I just need to fix my computer and download some pics, and I'll have a blogfest!  :o)  Stick with me, crafty friends.  I know I've been MIA for a while, but now it's summer!  Summer is....the time when teachers can feel human again.  :o)
~Hoppy Crafting!

Creative Hiatus

Apparently I've been taking a hiatus from posting.  I can't believe we're a month and a half into the new year, and I haven't posted!  January flew by!  I had the best of intentions, but feel like I hit one of those crafting blocks (like writer's block). 
Also, we had a snow storm, followed by a freezing rain storm, which led to trees breaking everywhere and our power being out for a few days.  We even had a week "off" of work with the crazy weather! 
This weekend I had a guest over for about five hours, and we had a fantastic card-making frenzy!  In addition to that, I have also finished 50 Valentine's for my kinder kiddos, and another 60+ other special treats in bags with toppers!  I will have to download the pics and share everything!  I'm hoping that I'm back in the craftin' groove (even though my work remains crazy-busy!!!)! 
~Hoppy Crafting!

Resolutions

NYE 2010 @ Friend's house

So, I'm not one to make a lot of resolutions.  I set goals throughout the year, and once something is accomplished, I make another.  I don't think it's practical to make resolutions for the next 12 months of your life to share with the world on one crazy (often alcohol-induced) night.  BUT, I found these 10 resolutions posted on the Scrapbook Expo's Facebook page, and had to share!  These resolutions totally feed into everyone's scrapbook addition.  Enjoy! 

Scrapbook Expo

Top 10 New Year's Resolutions

1. Spend more time with the family  and friends- more pictures to scrapbook!
2. Get more exercise - Deep knee bends while picking up dropped brads and buttons from the scrap room floor!
3. Give up drinking, at least for the first week of January - Spills and scrapbooks don’t mix!
... 4. Get out of debt- so you can buy more scrapbook supplies!
5. Learn a new skill or take up a new hobby - scrapbooking DUH!
6. Put something back into the community - help others learn to scrapbook!
7. Get organized - clean scrapbook room you’ll find a lot of hidden treasures there!
8. Become more security conscious - lock those permanent ink pads in a special place. Permanent ink and kids uh-oh!
9. Start  (or religiously maintain) a journal or blog - Best place to showcase your beautiful work!
10. Give up a bad habit - replace with scrapbooking!

~Hoppy Crafting!

CKC 2011

Scrapbook Survivors around 5pm! (Cindy, Lynda, Terri, Kelly).

Woo whooo!!!  It's finally CKC time!!!  Several friends and I attended the Creating Keepsakes Convention near Seattle yesterday, and had a total blast!  Some of us took classes, while others shopped the vendor faire.  Kelly and I carpooled and spent the ENTIRE DAY at the convention.  We met up with Kate and her sister-in-law.  I also saw friends and fellow crafters Terri and Lynda.  I know our stampin' friend Deb was there, but we were so busy shopping and taking classes, that we never saw her! 

Kate and I took "The latest and greatest with Basic Grey, Simple Stories, and Crate Paper", and enjoyed a FAST-PACED class.  We nearly completed 4 pages, and have extra supplies to finish more.  The rest of the day we shopped, grabbed a little lunch, shopped, shopped, and shopped some more! 

I found some neat stamps at Technique Tuesday and The Stamps of Life.  I enjoyed some make and takes, and shopping at Embellish It and Queen & Co.  I even found some major deals at Scrapbuck and Scrap Mart.  Can you imagine 2 packages of cookie-cutter dies by Quic-Kutz for only $10, total (I saw each clearanced out online for $11 apiece)?   Or, getting 100 yards of grosgrain or sheer ribbon for only $2-$4???  I also got a grab-bag of bling for $2.99, which should last me for quite some time!

If you ever have the chance to go to a scrapbook expo, I definitely would recommend it!  It's a fun day for all, and you may just find a few things that you may not normally find in your LSS (local scrapbook stores).  ~Hoppy Crafting!!!

Birthday Surprises!

Today is my birthday, and I felt very special on this day!  Not only did I have many friends wishing me happy birthday, sending cards and other goodies my way, as well as my students being super excited that yes, their teacher has birthdays, too, but I had some other amazing things happen.  I first noticed something was up, when I walked out my front door this morning to find a green blinged envelope and cupcakes with flowers and numbers heading down my walkway!  The special card told me that I would be receiving quite a few surprises today! 

Each of the gorgeously decorated flowers had a number and a "reason why I am wonderful, exceptional, and so very loved" from my very special friend, Brenda!  I am SO lucky to have such an amazing and thoughtful friend!  She managed to get so many people at my school to randomly deliver and/or "hide" cupcakes in my classroom at random times, that my students and I had to keep our eyes sharp for the next arrival!  Each time we re-entered the room, I would hear shouts of  "I see another cupcake!" or "there it is!".  It was almost a game of "Where's Waldo"! 

Towards the end of our day, I had almost 30 cupcakes with flowers, and it was time to share the cupcakes with my kinders!  They had been "tortured" and "starved for sugar" all day (according to them), and were thrilled that I shared!  (As if I could, or would, eat over 30 cupcakes myself!)  :o) 

Though I LOVED each thoughtful gift, and more than a few made me giggle and almost cry, here are some of my favorite "reasons" on the flowers:  Craft Cave; You love when I sing Disney songs; You can hold it together in front of 25+ midgets; you shake the minds of our future serial murderers; you make amazing fudge (almost as good as Martha, haha!); you nearly always have green toe nails; frogs; you are unbelievably patient; you never give store-bought cards; your cellphone "ribbits"; you're always willing to hear your friends vent...no matter what you have on your plate; you make me feel sane when the rest of the world thinks I am crazy;  and,  you are a craft queen!  ~Hoppy Crafting!

Hammered!

I know it has been quite some time since I have posted.  It's sometimes a fact of life, that things can just get away from you and you become so incredibly busy, that there is no time left to enjoy or share the projects that are keeping you sane!
I hope to get back to posting more regularly!  My husband had surgery, school started again, and my husband FINALLY returned to work just a couple of weeks ago (after being out since April!).  My school has been SUPER crazy this year!  I'm a kindergarten teacher, and I not only had to move classrooms over the summer, but started a new schedule, AND we've been overloaded with TWENTY-SEVEN 5-year-olds in each class for over a month (that's 54 kids I have!!!)!  We just finally hired a new section of kinder, and most of our kids have moved over to get our class sizes down to acceptable levels.  I would say it's smooth sailing for a while, but with tons of assessments left to finish (I still have 45 kiddos), and conferences a week away, I fear that, sans tonight, I will have little time for blogging.  The pic kinda shows how all the kinder teachers have been feeling at my school with these incredibly high numbers!  I know "hammered" gives a different connotation, but we've been through a brutal battle of 5-year-old midget alligator invasion! BTW-Midget Alligators are my affectionate name for my kinders.
~Hoppy crafting!

Prep

Today my husband is having surgery, and I remember how incredibly BORED and UNDER PREPARED I was the last time he had a surgery......Sooooo, I spent a few hours preparing some scrapbook/card projects to work on during the wait.  Hopefully you all saw the Advent Calendar from The Scrap Yard Chicks that I posted a few days ago.  I also bought another kit from them, in preparation of the upcoming surgery. 
I did all the cutting and laid all the pieces out that go with each page. (Using separate plastic bags for each set of pages with their embellishments.)  I made a list of tools and inks I would need, and it is all neatly packed in my rolling tote, hospital bound.  (Hope I didn't forget anything!)  I also ended up prepping 16 cards. Yes, 16!  I made sure all the pieces were cut for each card, then slipped them inside of the card base, and into each envelope.  Voila!  Instant project in a package!  I even remembered to add an extra roll of ATG adhesive....I think I may need it! 
Here's to hoping all that prep didn't go to waste (and, of course, that the surgery goes well!)!  I guess we'll see if I actually have the time to work on things....I know my mother-in-law will be there too.  I warned her I was bringing projects.  ~Hoppy Crafting

Crafting Withdrawal

I had spring break planned perfectly!  I would work on a few minor projects for the first couple of days, clean my craft cave, and then craft away for at least a day...or two (okay, maybe just evenings, but it was wishful thinking!).  What was NOT in my plans, was an entire bathroom renovation!  What started as a small toilet leak, led to pulling everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, out of the bathroom and redoing the entire room. 
Well, after multiple trips to the home improvement store, local hardware store, etc., etc., the bathroom is done and presentable.  I LOVE the new flooring, vanity, paint, moulding, and even the towel and toilet paper holders.  While the project took away any hope of crafting I had budgeted during my vacation, this new bathroom is a project that we've been talking about doing for a few years...it just took a leaky toilet to MAKE us do it!
 For anyone wanting me to come help them redo their bathroom now, please hire someone.   I love designing, but I swear my husband and I hated each other at times during this project. :o)  Though, I must admit, we worked way better together on THIS bathroom than the other one we redid two years ago...there is hope! We use the new "Allure" flooring, which is kind of like a floating floor, much like Pergo, but specifically made for bathrooms (25 yr warranty).  I love how it looks, and in a larger room, I know it would be MUCH easier to install.  It says it's easy to cut, but it proved a bit challenging to have exact matching grout lines.  We were going to use DuraCeramic Congoleum, but there was none available without ordering online.  We loved working with that product last time, and it holds up phenomenally!
 I promise I will get back to adding more of my projects here, soon!  I've been doing more "crafting on demand" for people who NEED a  card ASAP, than having time to enjoy and create posts.  I need to change that for my own sanity-sake!  ~Hoppy Crafting!  

Scrapbook Haul!

I made a trip up to my local JoAnn's, and found that they are now carrying linen textured 8.5x11" cardstock in value packs!  Not only that, but they were also on sale!  I scored NINE packages (w/approximately 40 sheets, each), plus new trimmer blades, red candy melts, a clearanced stamp set, AND the DCWV Rockstar paper stack, for........(Hold onto your seats!!!)  ONLY $12.73!!!!!  I LOVE when I get deals like this!!! Watch out stores, the Deal Predator is on the loose again!!! ~Hoppy Crafting!  

Crafting and Football

Yesterday, my husband and I got together with our friends, the Halls.  While the guys watched football, us ladies crafted the day away!  What could be more perfect than football and crafting on a Sunday???  :o)  Brenda and I crafted the entire afternoon! We stamped, we punched, we distressed (or, is that DE-STRESSED???  Ha ha!).  She was anxious to try out the Stampin' Up Build a Blossom set and punch that I recently bought, and I was ready to make some Valentine's cards.  You can see the amazing flowers Brenda made, on her blog (http://happyhall4.blogspot.com/2011/01/sunday-with-larremores.html).  We had a totally fun time, and hope to do it again soon!  I am SOOO happy that I have friends that I can craft with!  I've crafted solo for so many years, and to finally find a "circle" of friends who enjoy the same things, is awesome!  :o) 

Motivation



View from my Craft Cave.



I've got to say, there's nothing like a little motivation (in the form of snow), to whip a crafter into Christmas card-making mode!  Of course, I may have had extra motivation (to finish), due to the fact that my school has been CLOSED for TWO days!!!  Yes, we will need to make up those missed days, but this extra time right before the holiday craziness, has been utilized well!  In just under three hours, I managed to mass-produce 17 Christmas cards!  That includes: making the card bases, scoring, stamping, cutting shapes, punching, layering w/pop dots, cutting out pieces w/the trusty Sizzix machine, and adding glitter and other finishing touches!  It also included deciding on a design, which I have been thinking about over the past few weeks...I just needed to see how the "mind-design" compared with the actual product.  It obviously worked well, and now I'm about halfway done making all my holiday cards!  I love this design SO much, that I've decided to switch color palettes (from red/green/silver, to blues/purples/greens) and make another set of around 20 cards with the same design!  I will have to share this card....soon.  :o)   ~Hoppy Crafting!!!



Reason WHY school's closed (view from my classroom).















Drippy Goo & Martha Stewart

I made a quick trip to my local JoAnn's tonight, and, to my surprise, they had the Martha Stewart Drippy Goo border punch!  Now, as much as I loathe Martha, and believe she is pure evil, some of her stuff isn't half bad.  I have found that her border punches are some of THE BEST working punches I have ever used! 

Well, onto "Drippy Goo"...I feared that I would never find this punch again, since it was released LAST season, but THANK GOODNESS they brought it back!!!  I'll admit that I texted half my friends, updated my Facebook status, and all around, acted like a big dork when I found this punch.  I felt like I had won the lotto (and may have secretly done a fist pump, in pure "sah-weeet, I scored this punch" glee!)!!! 

The only drawback to "Drippy Goo," was the fact that when I tried to use my 40% off coupon on it (because it wasn't on sale), dear MS was EXCLUDED!!! GRRR!!!! @#&%!  Did I not mention that Martha is pure evil???  Well, since I wanted this punch soooo badly, I guess I'll keep it....or wait until it goes on sale...hmmm....decisions, decisions....In the meantime, here's the 'goo'.  :o)  ~Hoppy Crafting! 

Relaxing?

I'm going to keep my post as short as possible.  No, I haven't been sitting around, taking in the sun, and popping bon bons like this frog appears to be,  I have been working like crazy (with the help of my visiting mom), to do a complete transformation of my scrap room (a.k.a. the Craft Cave).  It has take three days of blood (literally), sweat, and tears, plus alot of muscle, to not only empty out a completely different room in my house & paint it, but to also reset it as my new scrap space.  I LOVE the new color (you'll see it soon...hehehe)!  I will miss my old space, BUT the new room was just a little bigger....and if you're like me, space is a huge bonus! 
I want to share a link to my friend, Brenda's blog ( http://happyhall4.blogspot.com/2010/08/cindys-craft-cave.html ).   Brenda came over right as the transformation was beginning, and had a quick project she wanted some help with.  This was the first time she had ever seen my space....and you just HAVE to read  what she wrote!  I think it's SO nice, and yes, I'm also embarrassed (people don't usually gush over me!)!  I know I'm fortunate to have a craft room, but am always willing to share some time and space with a friend. 
Hang in there fellow bloggers, as soon as I can unbury my Cricut, I will be back to posting daily.  This has been a HUGE undertaking (not to mention the 90+ degree heatwave), and I will say that my mom and I have both been exhausted every night (haha!  I wish!   Usually around 2 or 3 AM), when we head to bed.  In the meantime, I will also post some really cool cards I got to make Saturday at a Stampin' Up class/party, that my friend Terri hosted!  :o)  ~Hoppy Crafting! 

CKC-Seattle!

With the Scrapbook Expo hangover fading, I have turned my attention to the next big scrapbooking/crafting event coming to our area.  The CKC (Creating Keepsake's Convention) will be coming to Bellevue at Meydenbauer Center, November 12th & 13th!  Registration is opening in about two short weeks, on August 4th!  My goal, this time around, is to take some classes, as well as hit the show floor!  Anyone who knows me, knows that I am self-taught in crafting.  I have never relied on others to teach me.  I seek information and devour it, then practice, practice, practice.  Taking classes and going to crops have never been my style.  Maybe that will change?  :o) 
In quickly surveying the CKC info, there are almost DOUBLE the amount of vendors that were at the Scrapbook Expo!!!  EEKK!!! Good thing I know now and can start to budget for it!  :o)  A double bonus for that weekend...my work already has that Friday as a "no school" day!  Yay!  No need to use one of my coveted personal days! 
If you want more information on CKC 2010 for our area (or any area), here's the website I found info on: http://www.scrapandpapercorner.com/index.html  I went to 'Events', then 'CK Conventions' in the drop down menu to find the city closest to me.  I'd love to hear if anyone is planning on attending!  There is already a  link set up for CKC-Seattle 2010, from CK Scrapbook Convention's Facebook page.  Check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=357125933578&ref=mf   As always, ~Hoppy Crafting!!!

Expo Hangover

Yesterday, my friend, Kate, and I trekked out to the Scrapbook Expo at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.  We were armed and ready to attack the nearly 40 vendors available.  We each had our bags to carry precious purchases, and I brought my Crop n' Style Navigator to check into the baggage claim....you know, to carry the "extra" purchases.  Ha ha ha!  :o) 
Since we didn't buy our tickets online, we arrived at 10am, just as they opened to scrappers w/o the VIP pass.  The first booth we stopped at, was FULL of Basic Grey.  I LOVE me some BG!!!  Of course they had Oliver & Olivia, and Capella, as well as Origins and other lines and MANY coordinating embellishments!  I was in Basic Grey Heaven!!!  Kate and I scored (haha, not a paper pun...yet.) some great deals on random paper packs ($5 for over 20 sheets, plus a sticker sheet of letters), and on their 12x12 element stickers ($1.50 a page)! 
Next, we hit the Rusty Pickle booth, and again scored some great paper and some chipboard....mmmmm....chipboard...(insert: Homer Simpson drool, here).  At Scrap Happy, I found some of the new Cuttlebug embossing folders that I've been looking for, and of course we had to stop at Stampin' Up. 
The scariest impulse purchase I almost made, was at the Paper Wizard.  There was an A-MA-ZING laser-cut representation of Las Vegas.  It would have been THE element on my layout.  The price tag, you ask?  $25, excuse me, $24.95.  I drooled over that cut the entire day...and almost went back to get it, but maintained my willpower.  (After all, $25 could buy me ALOT of eyelets and brads, right?)  Speaking of eyelets and brads, my true weakness was unveiled at the Eyelet Outlet booth.  There were "deal bins" of $1-a-package brads and eyelets.  HOW DARE THEM!  They're as bad as Queen & Co.'s $1 booth!!!  Between the two booths, I dollar'd myself to death.  Ugh! Note to self: must stay away from dollar deals. 
Towards the end of expo aisles at Scrapbook 'N' Stickers, I FINALLY found my Cosmo Criket "Cinnamon" paper, that I've been looking for, since March.  YAY!!! 
By the end of the day, I had bought two things that I REALLY thought I needed, and a whole bunch of other gorgeous papers, brads, eyelets, felt borders, buttons, glitter-flock, chipboard, etc., that just fed my addiction to this horrible, awful, downright despicable hobby. (Insert: HEAVY sarcasm)   :oP 
What were the two things I thought I REALLY needed, you ask?  I found the Crafter's Companion stick away and stick & spray to refurbish my Cricut mats!  I've been longing to place an order on http://www.customcrops.com/, but they always seem to be out of the stuff.  I really hope they live up to the hype!  The other item I was excited to find?  Ribbon organizers & dispensers from Best Craft Organizer (http://www.bestcraftorganizer.com/).  I have drooled over their shelving before, but most kits are at least $200!  Since I've been struggling with how to organize my ribbon, I watched their video (prior to the Expo), and subsequently purchased some ribbon organizers.  I'll let you know how that works out for me, in a future post...and just keep my fingers crossed that I win their $250 drawing (haha).   :o) 
I can't wait to use some of my new haul (pic below)!  Until then, Hoppy Crafting!!! 

Scrapbook Expo!!!

Ok, well...it's not quite Friday, but it is SO close!!!  I am SOOO excited for tomorrow because the Scrapbook Expo will be at the Puyallup fairgrounds! Website here: http://www.scrapbookexpo.com/ .  I can't wait to see all the vendors, and though I didn't pre-register for any classes, there's a couple I'm looking at....we'll see.  I'm mostly excited to see all the vendors and drool over their wares.  Let's hope this is the best one, yet! 
Are you looking for the $2 off coupon for admission?  Click here -->
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30942332&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=102759271113&aid=-1&id=1172915404

Hope to see many of you there!  :o)  ~Hoppy Crafting! 

Intervention

Fellow scrappers/crafters, you will understand... hopefully.  :o)  The past few days, I have been reorganizing my craft room, as well as getting supper excited that the Scrapbook Expo is coming here this Friday and Saturday.  Well, I guess the hours in my craft lair, paired with the endless sorting of paper, and the excitement of the impending expo have snuck into my dreams.  Early this morning, I was having the most wonderful dream!  I was having dinner with Tim Holtz, his crew, and several other AWESOME scrapbook gurus!  This dream came to a sudden halt, when a weenie dog paw landed on my neck, then almost in my mouth!  Grr! The dogs wanted out.  Darn them!  Didn't they know what an awesome dream I was having?  Apparently they, too, are getting jealous at all the time I'm spending organizing and working in "Cindy's Craft Cave".  :o) 

I happened to Facebook a quick snippet of this interaction today, and my brother asked me if I have ever heard of a show called "Intervention"....hmmm....Non-crafters just don't "get it".  Crafting, admittedly, IS like an addiction.  I LOVE new paper, embellishments, inks, CRICUT, Sizzix, Cuttlebug, eyelets, brads, etc.  It is seriously a 'high' when a new line comes out and my creative brain takes over.  Tsk, tsk!  Well, here's my new "intervention"...a humorous ode to my brother's suggestion: 

10 Steps to a Cricut Intervention:
1. Admit to being powerless under the influence of the Cricut (and/or Gypsy, or any other Provo-Craft product, for that matter).
2. Tell loved ones the TRUTH about how many Cricut cartridges you really own.
3. Apologize to the UPS drivers and various store employees for being a deal predator and stalking them.
4. Throw away "will work for Cricut cartridges" sign.
5. Return cartridges ripped from the grasp of fellow scrapbookers.
6. Let others play with your cartridges.
7. Get a life, not a new cartridge.
8. Resolve to restrict scrapbook store visitations to under 20 minutes, preferably less.
9. Remove bookmarked sites of all Cricut and scrap-related products, from computer, Facebook, etc.
10. ...Screw it!  Once a Cricut addict, always a Cricut addict! 

~Hoppy Scrapping! :o)

Busy!

With the holiday, it seems that best-laid plans are hard to implement.  I tried to post on here several times during the weekend, and never made it because of all the other things calling my name.  I have been SO busy and am super-excited to (hopefully soon) show off the scrapbook layouts that I just created, as well as a mini-album I started working on, using the Little Yellow Bicycle Company papers. I have also become good friends with Pink Paislee papers and embellishments this weekend.  Stay tuned! :o)  ~Hoppy Crafting!

Pink....

I am apparently on a roll of using pinks and pinkish-reds.  I was reviewing my posts from the last few days, when I realized that pink has been overused.  Unlike some friends of mine, and various blogs I follow, I tend to NOT LIKE PINK.   Ok, no....dislike is too kind.....I loathe pink....I despise pink....I would rather use greens, blues, browns, etc., than PINK.  Yes folks, PINK is a four-letter word to me.  Ironically, I look good wearing pink, and I apparently like to design with it.  Soooo....I want to apologize for my over-use of pink, and hope that I get out of the PINK rut!  Wish me luck, and hoppy crafting! :o)

Wordle Me This!

I found this cool website called  "Wordle"  (http://www.wordle.net/),  where you can upload text or even link a blog, and it will create a word jumble cloud, based on words that have been used the most. I linked this blog, and this is what Wordle produced! The larger words, are ones that are used most often. Try it out! ~Hoppy Crafting!