The tags of Christmas

One of my favorite times of the year are when Tim Holtz introduces his 12 tags of Christmas.  This year was "doubly" fun because he is allowing us to show off our versions of the tags.  I have put the first 3 in a blog, why?  Because I can that's why.  I even got inspired to do one of my own.

I have done them all but tag 3.  I could not do that because I loaned out all of my Christmas stamps. So that was impossible.  I had to change a few elements on each tag because I did not have what I needed.  The largest difference was anything Tim used with his Sizzix dies (pinecones, reindeer, snowman, leaves, Noel, 25) I had to create myself.  So I had to make a pattern and then go from there.  It took more time, but everything is 100% made by me, no computer, no cricut...just Tim's wonderful designs.

These were loads of fun, and I look forward to the next 8!!

CKC and growing up

 This was an event that I had looked forward to for months and months.  I planned the classes and activities with a friend then the countdown to the event began.  Life somehow got in the way during the 3 months it took to countdown to the event.  My life began to take a drastic turn.  I began to question life and my career.  I realized I was missing out on so many things...my kids were growing up, I was never home, and had no insurance.  Plus, there was a drastic feeling of my wheels being spun over and over and over with no end result.  I had hit a wall, a burn out?  Probably, so I began to change course.  Focus, on my home life.  To learn to be at home.  Change was coming.  I went on a few interviews and almost had a couple of jobs.  I felt that maybe God was telling me to wait.  I waited.  It happened over the course of 4 days.  Four very fast paced, but very welcome days.

Then began more of a growth, of a goodbye.  A goodbye to so much.  So much I will not bore you with here.  You came to learn of my CKC event.  It is just that the backstory of a life beginning over was part of it.

CKC was to be in September and I could see that it was going to be a solo event for me.  I decided to put on my big girl britches and do it myself. I was outgoing, I was going to have fun and I would have no regrets about it.  I called my aunt to arrange for a place to stay and called a scrapbook company and asked to work the event in their booth.

It turned out to be just as wonderful as I had planned.  I proved something to myself, I CAN DO IT!  On so many levels, I proved I can do it!  I still have bridges to cross, roads to pave, mountains to climb, but with God and my family.  I CAN DO IT!!!


I am not to old to GROW!

I adore a pink scraf, especially when I make it!

So I had this great pink t-shirt.  Fit great, great color, was WELL made and in typical Michelle fashion, I washed it......WITH AN INK PEN!!!


Yes, the lovely shirt had ink on the back of it.  For a while, I wore it under a shirt because the front was fine.  Until that one day when I was sweating and I needed to take off the over the shirt.  I decided then and there that wearing it under something just was NOT going to work.  Next step?  To repurpose it.  I thought about it for a couple of weeks.  What did I want to do?  How did I want to do it?  etc...I decided that a scarf would best serve me. I wear scarves all the time (I am sort of like a Cullen in that fashion) and the pink color would be perfect to wear with a black or brown t-shirt.

I first made the shirt as flat as I could on the table and then cut off the hem.  The next step was to cut the midsection just under the armpit area.  That left me a tube and from this tube I just 1/2 (ish I don't measure) strips.

When I cut strips out of the entire tube I put all the strips together and pulled as hard as I could to stretch out the strips.   The t-shirt had two side seams so I would have to deal with them.  On one seam I made a band out of the t-shirt remnants.  I tied the strip around the seam, wrapped it and then tied again.  I tried to hide my tying inside the bulk of the strips.

On the other side, I put a flower that I made from the sleeves.  I did not come up with this design, this lady did.....it is brilliant!!!    http://gonetoearth.typepad.com/gonetoearth/2009/03/tutorial-fabric-flower-brooch.html

In the end, all that was left was this pile of scraps. I do intend to make a couple of flowers out of this stuff. 

In the end, I had very few scraps left, I made a bracelet, a flower and had 4 square left that I intend to stamp on and place on a scrapbook page.

Books of 2011

I keep a reading diary of the books that I read each year.  I have to write down each book and whether or not it was good.  I also note if it is a library book (or borrowed) or my own.  Last year was the first year I started reading digital books and this year I am reading digital almost exclusively.  This year marked a big milestone to me....I turned 39 and finished my 39th time reading Gone with the Wind.  2011 was also the 75th anniversary of the publishing of this grand book.

Actually, I sort of did  the GWTW thing all year.  I reread Rhett Butler's people (which I really like) and Scarlett (which I am indifferent about) and spent a lot of time in the wizardly world.

Listed are my top ten books of 2011

1.  Gone with the Wind ---I love spending time in the home of Miss O'Hara.  I love her little mind and trying to figure out why she does the things she does. I love Rhett Butler.  A man who is handsome, rough, tough, but has a genuine heart of gold.  He won't let you know that he does though.  I love Miss Melly, who gives and gives and gives and eventually she gives her life.  Ashley, who is stupid and caught up in a world that doesn't exist but he won't move on until it is too late.  Sue Ellen, who is selfish to the end, until Will shows up to save the day.  Gerald...who poor guy can't live without Mrs. O'Hara.  I adore Pittypat, who is an airhead if I ever saw one.  Mrs. Tarelton...who is bold, daring, chooses horses over her boys, but it a good woman deep inside.  Mammy, who I wish I could take home.  A true loving soul, who was underappreciated, who was the wisest character in the book.  Who gave all....and then some.  Scarlett did not deserve her love.  Rhett earned it!  Just bought my 3rd copy. the other 2 have fallen apart.


2.  Song of the Siren-  I read this book at least twice every year.  The magnificent Carlotta Main, spoiled, loved, adored and extremely selfish.  She was born under very strange circumstances and had a surprise when she was older...a surprise about her birth.  She runs away with a Jesuit and marries another man.  A wonderful man who did not deserve the things she did to him.  Oh, but Carlotta got hers in the end.  Thank goodness for her dear sister Darmaris who ends up saving EVERYONE!   I have been through 4 copies of this book. 

3..  The Hunger Games-April Rambo got me to read this and I am so glad that she did.  I think this was a wonderful book and I could not put it down.  2 times this year.  I do not own it.

4.  The Help-  I have only read this once, but I did just check it out from my virtual library branch and will begin reading it for the 2nd time this weekend.  I don't hate any character in the book.

5.  Deathly Hallows-  I read this book in preparation of the movie.  I read it for the first time last year...very quickly and I was sure I missed something.  I did miss a bit, but only small pieces. I will read it again this year.  I do think it is the best of the series.

6.  Travels in Alaska -I have read this every year since 2008, the first year that I went to Alaska.  I find that when I read this book, I go back to Alaska...but back with John Muir.  In a time that life was simpler and the country was pure and unchemicaled.  John paints a lovely picture of exactly what Alaska looks like. I feel I am in that canoe, on that glacier or casing Stika right along side him.  You can also feel how close John was to God.  His faith was strong and that faith flows through you while you are traveling with him.

7.  A funny thing happened on the way to the future-a very short read by Michael J Fox.  This book tends to be about education.  And his lack thereof....a very nice, very fast read (about 1 hour)

8.  Breaking Dawn-had to read this again in preparation of the movie.  I still find portions of this UGLY.  Stephanie Meyer sucks me into her vampire world and I cannot get out. I adore this series.

9.  The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe-a nice little world that begins in a closet.  I enjoyed this, but had much trouble reading the second one.  I will try again one day, just not anytime soon.

10.  The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud-I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book.  Finally saw the movie and the movie is NOWHERE as good.  Read this book.  

Year of the film

Every year I do MANY top ten lists. I am hoping in the event that I lose my mind (no comments needed here thank you very much), I shall be able to look back on my top ten lists and spark some memories.

Movies:
1.  Gone with the Wind-I simply cannot move this movie from the first place

 2.  Titanic-extraordinary movie...about the ship that made me fall in love with ships

3.  The Band Wagon-Simply the greatest musical ever made

4.  Back to the Future-why don't you make like a tree and get out

5. The Deathly Hallows part 1&2, because they can't be split apart

6.   Three Little Words-second greatest musical of all time

7.  Oklahoma-Oh what a beautiful morning

8. Robin Hood-Robin Hood and Little John running through the forest laughing back and forth at what  the other one has to say

9.   Seven Brides for Seven Brothers-Howard Keel I needn't say anything else

10.  Eclipse-JASPER!  JANE!!  love this film

May I have your card?

This week's challenge was so much fun!  What a great color combination.  Thanks to the wonderful design team for getting it done.  This is my first challenge in a few weeks because I was on vacation and then I was recovering from vacation.  Oh well, I'm back baby!

I made ATC this week because I needed more and well it just seemed like the right thing to do. I usually make these from "leftovers".  ATCs are perfect for leftovers!!!

You can see that I added more cards too, these cards are so much fun.  Once I start I cannot stop!!!

You expect me to put my clothes in there????

Generally, I think that cruise ships are BRILLIANT in taking a space/corner/nook and creating a storage place. You may see a shelf with a large angle on it but it will be perfect to hold your snorkeling gear.  You may find a drawer in a place you never thought could hold anything, but it ends up being the exact fit for your makeup bag.  As with any hotel, you will have a  closet and maybe 2 if you are lucky.  We generally end up with 2 (YAY!!!).  This last cruise on board the Carnival Dream was no exception, but I did have a HUGE problem with one of them.


A closet has a bar that goes from left to right and you use this bar to hold your hangers, correct?  I have seen many closets in my life and only ONCE did I see one that did NOT fit this description.

Here is a photo of a typical cruise ship cabin closet.....you will notice it is exactly like your home closet only smaller.  











Now for the closet, I mentioned.  This closet features a "stacked" design.  This design yields a frustrated woman because you cannot access your clothing in the manner you are used to.  Hence the woman, "gifting" this funky closet to the menfolk in her life. Hey, she that unpacks the clothes gets to choose where the clothes go.  That is the law!.

I imagine this closet would not have been such a bother to me had it been wider and not contained the life vests.  I did manage to shove the life vests on the shelf, but then we lost that space for shoe storage.