Getting Ready for Christmas!

Yes I am already on the lookout for great Christmas ideas. I don't do very well following tutorials, however I saw this one over at Kay's Creations on Paper and had to give it a try. Kay has made some very cute Christmas boxes and was kind enough to set up this easy to follow tutorial for them. If you want to copy her creation exactly, you can purchase a kit for $1.00 per box plus shipping and handling. Seems pretty reasonable to me! I may purchase some kits because I love her color combinations and matching tags. Kay has many other great ideas at her blog. Definitely worth checking out!

This is my sample. They will get better as I go along. (I didn't have a scallop edge to use and this is not Christmas paper.) I look forward to making lots of boxes for Christmas to be filled with my homemade candy!

Retired Women Rock!!!!

My mom is 66 years old, soon to be 67. She and her friends Pam 58 and Wanda 57 planned a 9 mile hike today at Lake Chabot in Castro Valley CA. Since I was on vacation they invited me to tag along. Although I did ride my bike this weekend and did a yoga and ab workout on Comcast on demand yesterday I would say I am not in the best shape. My workouts are just not as consistent as they should be.
Nevertheless, I decided to take them up on the challenge and hoped I could keep up. Keeping in mind, that Wanda and Pam have played soccer, Wanda belongs to a rowing club, walks everyday and does these hikes a couple times a month. My mom and Pam walk and go to Curves several times a week. All 3 of them had also done this hike before.
Well I made it! (They did too of course) The uphill was a little rough and my feet and hips were a little sore after the hike. After lots of liquids, a motrin and some good food I am happy to say that I am feeling fine!
I am so inspired by these active women!!!! I hope that I can be as healthy and fit as they are when I am their age!!!!
Mom, Pam and Wanda you truly rock!!!!!

In case you were not aware there are many beautiful hiking trails in the Bay Area. There are weekly Wednesday hikes and you can get all the information at East Bay Regional Parks. I think the next time my son is on vacation we may try one of the Wednesday hikes.

I hope you are inspired by my mom and her friends to get out there and move!!!!

The last of the Halloween Crafts I promise!!!

Thought I was about done with Fall crafting, but my friend Julia sent me this link Hearprints . Yet another idea with the Stampin' Up Top Note die. This die cut has been the best crafting investment I have made so far! So just before I packed it all up and put my kitchen table back in order I had to try a few of these cute little bag/baskets. I have made them before, but a little differently.
I used the Top Note die from Stampin' Up to cut the scrapbook paper for these baskets. I adhered ribbon to a small white bag cut down for a handle. More scrapbook paper for the words and the scalloped circles and stickers from Target finish off my last project.

I hope you are all enjoying Fall, and looking forward to Halloween. (and then comes Thanksgiving and Christmas yikes!)

Now I have to start thinking of clever ideas for Christmas! It will be here before you know it!

If I could just win the lotto!

I often dream of winning the lottery, especially when I am on vacation or on the weekends. Why you ask?? Well, let me begin by telling you that I was able to sleep in until 7:30 the last 2 days. I got up to a quiet house and had a cup of Constant Comment Tea and a Medi Fast Peanut Butter Bar! Yum! I then went for a nice long bike ride on my cool cruiser bike!!!! Then I was ready to face the day! Housework, yardwork, errands, my son's football game! All good!!!

If it had been a work day I would be up at 5:30 am at the latest and out the door at 6:30, no time for tea or a bike ride. I guess I just love my little bit of solitude in the mornings.

Secondly, I am on vacation this week because my son is on break. We are headed to Monterey to visit my daughter Val who is going to college there. We will hit the beach and aquarium. I love Monterey!!!!! Wish I was going to college there haha!!!!

Thursday I am off to the Bay Area for a 9 mile hike with my Mom and her friends. Hope I can keep up with them!

Friday John and I will be taking our kids to the San Francisco Zoo and Pier 39. It may not be a trip to Hawaii, but this is going to be a good week!!!! If I could only win the lottery I could have my tea and bike ride everyday! And make nice little mini trips like this whenever I wanted to!!! And of course there would be many trips to Hawaii and many other wonderful places!!!

A girls gotta dream!
Monterey!

Still crazy for my Little Pumpkin Snowman!

OK, I know you are sick of this little guy! But I just can't help myself. I promise this will be the last time you see him this year. But I can't make any promises for next year ;)
I had some round coasters leftover from a Christmas project. I cut round circles out of scrapbooking paper, 2 for the front and 1 for the back. I made a loop out of black ribbon and hot glued to the back of the coaster, I then folded crepe paper like bunting all around the back of the circle. I covered it all with 1 piece of scrapbook paper cut in a circle. I like it!

Sew Girlie Monogrammed Scrapbook Giveaway!

Gotta love the crafty bloggers giveaways! I enter many, and have actually won once!
Here we have a new one from SewGirlie. It isn't even Halloween and I am having Christmas shopping ideas. I think the monogrammed items are so nice to give as gifts!!! Go to SewGirlie,
and check out all of the great items she has available!
Here are the entry instructions:
Good luck!!!

Bunco Party Decorations

I have two crafty bloggers to thank today for inspiration of these Fall themed Bunco decorations.
First, I saw a Bunco decoration kit over at A Cottage Industry. She used red and turquoise and everything looked beautiful! She made a banner, a vase with pennants and tiny little pennants for cupcakes. So clever! She went all out!

I thought it was a great idea for any occasion! Baby Showers, Wedding Showers, you get the idea.

I used a regular empty clean veggie can for a vase, decorated it with scrapbooking paper, twine and a button.
I made small pennants with 2" X 8" strips of scrapbook paper folded in half. I used my trusty Cricut for the letters and ice cream sticks for the stems.
Then on to the banner. I use banners for every occasion nowadays. I love them! I seem to tweak them a little more each time thanks to all the cool banners I see over at Cherry's Jubilee . She is all about vintage and designs beautiful banners and pennants. She has an online shop where you can purchase her beautiful creations.
I used fall scrapbooking paper for this banner. Julia gave me tons of paper and this nice fall collection was in the mix.

One last little Bunco decoration. A little vase, the caramel flavored candy corn nobody liked anyway a ribbon and a couple of pennants and now we are done!

You know this is such a nice little way to put a little "POP" into a party!

These are all going to my friend Jenni's house for her Fall Bunco party. I will just have to tell her not to let anyone eat the candy. It's for looks only LOL!!!!!