Archive for December, 2007:
Changes to My Blog–Please take my poll
Hi folks. Are you all back to work now that Christmas is over, or are you taking extended vacation? My extended vacation is over. For personal reasons I have been off work for 18 months, and I’m excited to say I’m looking forward to returning to my old full-time position. With me returning to work, I need to look at how to better serve you, while being mindful of the long hours it takes to put into blogging.
There are many new ideas swirling around in my head. I’d like to push myself to the next level, but I need your help. How can you help, you ask. Well, on my side bar there are a few quick questions that I would like you to answer. My poll is set up so you can answer with the click of a button. No writing is necessary. Simple.
Please, if you are a subscriber, would you mind taking the time to click to be linked right onto my blog site, because my poll cannot be viewed through your subscription.
I wanted to offer up some blog candy for your participation, but I really want to listen to my viewers rather than having people filling in a poll just for the chance of winning blog candy.
How about this. If I have a good response, I will offer up some wonderful blog candy, valued at $20+, once the poll is closed in a week. Donnie has been watching me clean and reclean my studio for the past month. It’s been torn apart and now I have unused rubber to share with you folks!
Happy New Year to you and your family. You have made it so enjoyable to blog. I treasure the friendships I have gained over the past few months, of blogging, and look forward to getting to know more of you.
Hugs,
Beth
Subscribe to the comments for this postMore Links
Howdy folks. It looks like I’ve had a severe case of the surfing bug. There is so much talent out there and when I find it, I like to share with my friends, so here’s a third installment:
Are you a bead lover like me? Look at what the Stamp Queen created with Christmas balls.
Have you heard about the new rage of altering a puzzle? Well A Mark in Time has the coolest one. Take a peak here.
Kathy Wasilewski of Art Pub Studios is a collaboration of 13 well-known artists who provide their art-tips, give-aways, and free images. Kathy’s personal blog can be viewed here.
What girl doesn’t love purses? Take a look at these by R2Art Studio.
Are you interested in signing up for a free newsletter that offers free tips & techniques plus quilting and mixed media trends? Then click here. This link takes you to the Cloth Paper Scissors site.
I have the sense that you enjoy these types of posts, and will try to do this once, or twice, a month. Let me know how you enjoy these sites, and if you would like to see more.
Enjoy.
Merry Christmas to Me
What a second posting from me in one day? What gives? I have some very exciting news to share with you (doesn’t it seem like everyone is saying that these days?). Pat Huntoon has offered me a position to be on her design team with the Technique Junkie Newsletter. I will be photographing and writing tutorials, and making samples of cards, using the latest techniques. My cards and tutorials that I shoot specifically for the Newsletter, can only be viewed by you if you are a subscriber. How do you sign up, you ask. Simply visit Pat’s blog for details. You still have time to sign up for her year-end special. Tell her Beth sent you.
What does this mean to you, my loyal viewer? Well, you aren’t losing out at all. In fact, it will encourage me to look for bigger and better tutorials for you, and for Pat. As you know, I am a technique junkie, but now it’s official–LOL.
justjohanna in June
Doesn’t June remind you of spring? And who, who, do we see in June? Why, justjohanna birds and owls of course! Even the birdie house is from justjohanna. Do you think they are starting a nest in there yet?
Elegant Extract
This darling stamp, by Sandra Evertson, has been patiently waiting for me to use. With the holidays, it has been hard to find the time to sit down and create. Well, today I did just that. I spent the entire day working on my Scrapodex calendar for my office desk. For those of you who are in my area, you will be happy to know Lasting Impressions carries the Scrapodex. I’m addicted to working with these, and will be going back to buy another one to decorate for my studio desk. If you ask nicely, Cathy will even print you off a calendar for a minimal fee. The month of October is just a sneak peak into my yearly calendar. Stay tuned for more.
Elegant Extract was stamped onto watercolour paper with black Stazon, and watercoloured with Tombow markers. How did I achieve all that blended colour? By colouring with the markers and with a #0 brush (winsie teenie tiny brush) I blended the colours with water. Stay tuned for a tutorial on Tombow markers in January. Image was then cut out with an exacto knife and glued to chipboard. October was matted onto polished stone background that I made previously. When I am creating backgrounds, I like to make a lot of extras so that I have them on hand to readily use.
If you have a tutorial that you would like me to prepare for you, please let me know. Have a wonderful day. Thank you for stopping by.
Eye Candy
Good afternoon. I’m about to go out for my regular Thursday beer & wing night with a group of friends, but before I go I thought I’d share some sites that I came across today. Did you know that Flickr is full of inspiration? I didn’t until today when I went looking for vintage photos for collage. Wowzers, you have to see these sites:
Holiday Jenny’s Flickr photos (pretty in pink)
Fleamarket Studio has lots of inspiration. Click here to see the handmade house.
Holly Doodle Designs has lots of vintage items. Click here to see some houses (can you tell I love houses of any kind?)
Saray-Viola has a love for altered ATC’s.
I’m a member of Trish Bee’s Yahoo Next Generation Stampers group, and she generously placed her recent vintage photos on Flickr for everyone to use, whether they are in the group or not. Trish, you rock!
I hope I was able to inspire you to create.
Hugs,
Beth
Time To Call The Elves In For Help
Time is getting short so I’m calling in favours, our Christmas meal will be something to savor. There are cards to be made for family and friends, drinks to prepare with our favourite blends. So if you find a spare elf that is free, can you tell him to come here and help me?
As I look outside and hope for new fallen snow, I realize there are unfinished things I have to let go. Darling hubby’s card needs to be started. With attention to detail, I have to be quick–as it is almost Christmas and time for St. Nick.
Children are special and full of delight. Their love for Christmas are shining so bright. To have them for Christmas will be such a pleasure, even if severe weather. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
Good afternoon everyone. I’m wondering how many of you are still out there reading blogs when there is probably so much left to do to get ready before Christmas day. Today I used my birthday present from DD and loved it, especially at such a busy time of year. Want to know what it is? A pedicure to a local spa. It was very relaxing.
My Christmas baking is all done, and today I am giving you a peak into my kitchen. Decorating sugar cookies is one of my favourite things to do over the holidays. The recipe that I used is new to me this year, and was found on the All Recipe site. I’m all set up over there and have my own recipe box for future reference. This cookie and icing recipe is very easy and I had lots of success with them. Just in case your baking isn’t done yet, and you are looking for something to bake, I have included my recipes to help you out. Enjoy!
Sugar Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Cream the margarine and add the sugar gradually. Beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition.
Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt gradually to the creamed mixture, stirring in by hand. Cover and chill dough overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll dough out on a floured surface to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick and cut into your favorite shapes. Place cookies onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 6 to 8 minutes or until cookie has a golden appearance.
ICING
INGREDIENTS
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring
DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.
I’m Dreaming of a Pink Christmas
Good morning everyone. How is your day going? Are those presents all wrapped? To help you get creative in your wrapping, today I am displaying what I created for my daughter. Won’t she be tickled pink to see this under the Christmas tree? This cute box came packaged with a Rolodex calendar. I kept the box, knowing I wanted to transform it into a gift box. Somehow I think the sentiment is perfect for this gift box. It reads, “…brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favourite things.” It comes from my daughter’s favourite movie–The Sound of Music. If you look closely you will see the verse, and the tag are embellished with micro beads along the edges.
Pink designer paper by Flair. Blue designer paper by Heidi Grace Designs. Large chipboard snowflake by Hero Arts. Sentiment from Stamper’s Anonymous. Flourish stamp, by Inkadinkado, embossed with white embossing powder. Embellishments: buttons, punched flowers held by brads, punched pink and white snowflakes, micro beads, vintage image from a Yahoo group I belong to, and ribbon.
Tutorial Tuesday Resumes In The New Year
Good morning folks! Christmas has us all busy, and since we are in a time crunch, I thought I would hold off posting new tutorials until the new year. For your reading pleasure I thought I would share inspirational posts for you.
Creative Chaos is a site I stumbled upon this morning. It is filled with pretty paper crafting projects.
Artsy-Crafty Babe has a cute button wreath.
There is a lot of eye candy over at LilyBean’s Paperie. You might recognize LilyBean from Two Peas in a Bucket.
My friend Kim shared Tejae’s Art blog with me. Love polymar clay? Then you’ll love this site!
I’m a huge fan of Mika Arts. Laurie Mika creates beautiful art with polymar clay.
If you love houses like I do, then Friends in Art is the site for you.
Free vintage photos from Vintage Stamper.
Splitcoaststampers
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