0 Having Fun...

All the kids snug on the sofa bed! LOL Alright, gotta go but hopefully I have some more fun stuff to share soon ;) Happy Holidays!!!

0 Need Last Minute Christmas Ideas?

The Zutter Zisters have been hard at work posting lots of projects on the Bind It All Blog! If you need a last minute idea, head on over to check out the projects. I posted about some easy to make cute gift tags: http://binditall.blogspot.com/2009/12/last-minute-gift-tags-using-round-it.html

For more ideas, check out the Bind it All Blog!

Happy Holidays!!

0 Sassy & Easy

I found this fun little printable calendar on Etsy from Little Brown Pen:


You buy the image and they email it to you. Then you just print as many as you want, bind them, and instant gift! I've made quite a few this year for gifties. And they would be great to use on your scrapbook pages as well. Here's how to make one:

Supplies:

• 7 sheets of white 8.5 x 11 cardstock
• Color Printer
• Bind It All
• DreamKuts
• 6 Loops of 1/2" O-Wire
• Tape or Adhesive

Print the pages out on the cardstock.

Run the pages through the Dreamkuts to cut them in half, inserting the 8.5" wide of the paper into the machine.



Stack all the pages in order by month and insert into the Bind It All. Center by eyeballing it and punch the holes.


Flip "Dec" to the front of the stack and insert the O-Wires.


Close the O-Wires using the Bind It All. Flip "Dec" back to the back. Wrap the label (comes with the printable file) around the calendar and secure with a little adhesive. Voila! Easy, sassy gift!

If you want to make these for yourself, check out Little Brown Pen's Shop on Etsy ;)

Happy Holidays!!

1 Ooops!

I made a boo-boo and my scheduled posts were for 2010! LOL I got so busy with all the crazy stuff going on in my family that I forgot to check on my blog. I will start the posts in the New Year for things to make in January. Sorry for the delay!

Enjoy the holidays!!

2 Twelve Days of Christmas Starts Tomorrow!

I'll be posting 12 Christmasy ideas here, one each day until Christmas Day! Each day I will also be doing a giveaway ;) So make sure you check in to see if you have won and what fun little something I have to share ;)

0 Merry Christmas!! And More BEST OF....

Hope your day is especially "Jolly"!

Here's the best of I missed posting during my 12 Days of Christmas:

December 9 Challenge. Something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you? (+ Mondo Beyondo Giveaway)

Seeing soooooo many people get divorced this year it served as a reminder about the vows we took when we got married and made me want to make sure our relationshiop is strong. We're going through stuff like everyone else but we know the "D word" is off the table so we gotta make it work. It's made me want to always try to improve, even when I don't feel like it. We gotta do this for us and for the kids. Xaver and I know the grass is NOT always greener on the other side -- we tried it already! It breaks my heart hearing how people are getting divorced.

December 10 Album of the year. What's rocking your world?

Black Eyed Peas "The END" I think it is on non-stop at my house. Even Matt asks for us to play it! It's got a great beat. Some of the political stuff I can do without but no one listens to Black Eyed Peas for the lyrics or because they are smart ;)

December 11 The best place. A coffee shop? A pub? A retreat center? A cubicle? A nook?

My car. I love my car. It still smells a little bit new, it is roomy, plays nice songs, and I spent over 30K miles in it this year. I can even take a nap in the back!

December 12 New food. You're now in love with Lebanese food and you didn't even know what it was in January of this year.

Curry. I hated Curry but then I tried it again at this place in town called Go Bangkok (I wonder if the know what that name sounds like?). I love the sweet peanut curry they have. mMMMMmmMmMm!

December 13 What's the best change you made to the place you live?

I love that we cleaned out the garage. I've never been able to park both my cars in the garage. After my car got broken into we cleaned the garage out. Sucky reason to do it but now I love that I have no ice on my car, it isn't broiling in the summer, and I feel alot safer bringing in groceries and stuff like that.

December 14 Rush. When did you get your best rush of the year?

Waking up after my first night with my CPAP machine. I felt like a new person! I did not realize how many years I had been going around in an irritable exhausted fog. How on earth did I function?!?!? It was hard to wait 3 weeks after the sleep study (and sleeping well despite how many times they woke me up) to get my own personal machine.

December 15 Best packaging. Did your headphones come in a sweet case? See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves?

I bought a print off etsy from Helen Dardik. She drew a cute little figure on the envelope and I cut it out and saved it--it is soooo cute! I am waiting for the right project to use it on.

December 16 Tea of the year. I can taste my favorite tea right now. What's yours?

Chai, definitely! Since I am trying to save money, I have been making my own and experimenting with additives, flavors, and so on. I still love me some Starbuck's though.

December 17 Word or phrase. A word that encapsulates your year. "2009 was _____."

Challenging.

December 18 Shop. Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year?

I spent a TON of money on Etsy. I am addicted to watching the "Recently Listed Items" pages scroll on by for hours.

December 19 Car ride. What did you see? How did it smell? Did you eat anything as you drove there? Who were you with?

Definitely our Arizona Trip. Xaver just got me the new Black Eyed Peas "The End" CD and we listened to that the entire 4 days. Smells? Let's not go there since we were stranded in the car on the freeway in 114 degree weather with nowhere to pee...the whole fam was there, even my parents, sister and her family. I drove. We had pie and ice cream at Trapper's, ate a Cracker Barrel, stopped at the Dairy Queen in Holbrook...lots of eating was done during tis trip!

December 20 New person. She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service. Who is your unsung hero of 2009?

April. I had met April before this but never really spent much time with her--she is an AWESOME friend.

December 21 Project. What did you start this year that you're proud of?

Home Improvement. We really got alot done on our house this year--did the whole front yard with drought resistant plants, cleaned the garage so we cna park our cars in it, and just made our house more of a home.

December 22 Startup. What's a business that you found this year that you love? Who thought it up? What makes it special?

Bodacious Bundts. It wasn't started this year but this was the first year I learned about it. Cool coffee shop here in my little town and I love the name. And they have yummy bundt cakes ;)

December 23 Web tool. It came into your work flow this year and now you couldn't live without it. It has simplified or improved your online experience.

Facebook without a doubt. I feel more connected to alot of people I rarely saw. I don't feel as connected to some so in 2010 I hope to fix that. But yeah, Facebook is the best web tool for me.

December 24 Learning experience. What was a lesson you learned this year that changed you?

Alot of people I know are getting divorced this year and it makes me really sad. With all the stress of our finances this year, layoffs, our health issues, and the kids, life, etc...I leanred that no matter what Xaver and I are there for each other. I really think alot more before I do stuff now in our relationship because I want to be together our whole lives. I am not saying there are not good reasons for divorce because there are. It just isn't in OUR vocab in anymore. We WILL work things out no matter what.

December 25 Gift. What's a gift you gave yourself this year that has kept on giving?

My Quickutz Silhouette. I don't know that I would call it a gift but I useit all the time, we even used it to make Christmas gifts!

1 2010 Already?!

Yeah, I know!!!! But it's only a few weeks away so that means time to start thinking on new classes for the new year. Check out this little gem -- the sample is on display in real life at Collective Journey right now.

"Family Deerest"
5x 7 Mini Book with Custom Sewn Felt Album Cover

January 17, 2010. 1-4pm
@ Collective Journey
Ph: 909-793-2200

The sweetest memories are those about the ones you love: family! This "sweet" mini book features Bo Bunny's "Love Bandit" paper line as well as plenty of Quickutz details. We'll bind the book with the Zutter Bind It All.

I'll sew the cover for you unless you really really really want to do it in class ;) I will bring the machine and all the necessary supplies in case anyone wants to learn how.

Please bring: Liquid adhesive, 3D Foam squares, foam paint brush, chalk cat eye inks in various colors (pinks, reds, greens, blues, browns).

Happy Scrapping!!

1 Elsie Inspired--the Last Ninja Challenge

The last challenge during my term as a Pink Ninja was posted today: Elsie inspired layouts. Here's mine:

OH SNAP!

Katie's school pic was soooo whack this year--the first go around they even printed that she was in Kindergarten! LOL I needed something to rein in her hairdo. I've been cruising elsie's blog the last couple weeks looking for inspiration. Tonight I kept thinking "polaroid" and "doodles". When I turned this paper sideways, I thought it looked like cameras so here goes.

Supplies:
Cardstock - Bazzill, Bo Bunny
Paper - American Crafts
Pen - EK Success

Pretty simple! GO check out the other Ninja interpretations and take part in the last challenge of the year.

Happy Scrapping!

0 Best of 2009:

December 7 Blog find of the year. That gem of a blog you can't believe you didn't know about until this year.

Oooh this is really hard! I share most of the blogs I think are really cool every week in my "Fun Little Somthing" section. So just check that list out ;) Really, a cool website I just found was Scrapbook Update. I love all the industry news!

December 8 Moment of peace. An hour or a day or a week of solitude. What was the quality of your breath? The state of your mind? How did you get there?

I am rarely alone. So it is hard for me to find one moment but I can say that alot of my most calm and therapeutic moments have occurred in my scrapbook room. Also having a garden this year was really nice. Getting in the dirt, being outside, and just checking on the things you're growing is really nice. In those moments I feel like I am experiencing on of the things that life is all about.

Wanna do you own "Best Of 2009"? Check it all out on Gwen Bell's Blog.

0 A New Look

for the old blog. I'd had the last header up for over a year so I figured it was time for a little change-o. Enjoy!

2 More Best of 2009...

I'm going to do this every couple days just to keep my blog scrappy on the other days ;)

December 5 Night out. Did you have a night out with friends or a loved one that rocked your world? Who was there? What was the highlight of the night?

A few months ago I went out with Elena, Jessie, and Carrie in downtown San Diego -- it was pretty fun ;) Made me feel a bit old but it was a reminder about the good times I had when I was young. And I was really thankful for my hubby when I got back home ;)

December 6 Workshop or conference. Was there a conference or workshop you attended that was especially beneficial? Where was it? What did you learn?

Oooh I rarely go to classes. This whole exercise is making me think I need to do more different things. I did go to Reflections in Newport Beach to help Scrapbook Royalty. It was pretty cool and I really wished I had been able to afford to go. The last few National Scrapbook Days I have "worked" so this next year I signed up for Reflections and am going to go have fun with a bunch of friends who have signed up as well. I didn't really attend but it did make me learn that I need to make time for me and "working" all the time doesn't really get me what I want out of life.

Happy Scrapping!

1 Treasuried

I've been featured in a treasury! How cool is that?!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=98272

Now off to finish up samples for January classes -- crazy to be thinking "2010" already, huh? But it is that time so I gotta run ;)

Happy Scrapping!

0 More best of 09

December 2 Restaurant moment. Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind?

Going to the Red Mango Grill in Phelan, CA. It is a super small town and the red Mango is the nicest restaurant there. They have yummy sushi and great "mango chicken". We meet my parents there every once in a while.

December 3 Article. What's an article that you read that blew you away? That you shared with all your friends. That you Delicious'd and reference throughout the year.

Reading about Somalia in National Geographic in the September 2009 issue. It makes me thankful for what we have, angry with our leaders for doing nothing USEFUL about it, and upset that we all too easily forget about those who have less while we are in pursuit of more more more. I think of going overseas to do work in nations like that but I am torn because I also have a family that needs me.

December 4 Book. What book - fiction or non - touched you? Where were you when you read it? Have you bought and given away multiple copies?

"Common Sense" by Glenn Beck. Seriously awesome. Do I agree with everything he says? No. But he has got a point--people just depend on the government to solve all their problems and look at this mess we're in. I remember people saying that "they" would not let all these people lose their homes if interest rates went up. Well, it happened and "they" are throwing OUR tax money at it and it isn't helping at all, just ruining the future for everyone. What was that? Taxation without representation? Why do all the losers and people who make bad choices get to determine what happens to the rest of us? People really need to pull their head out their you know what and get a civics lesson. Be responsible. And yes, the book has been passed on ;)

Wanna join in? Check it all out here: Gwen Bell's Blog

I am thinking of turning this into a mini book or a couple of pages at the end of my 2009 album. Gotta keep it scrappy!

Happy Scrapping!

1 Now Open

My new etsy shop at hydrangeahippo.etsy.com!!! I've got bottle brush trees that I have custom colored and glittered, paper piecings, and more. Here are a few things I've got up in my shop right now:

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade hydrangeahippo.etsy.com

Check it out for Christmas gifts or bookmark it for a little shopping after the new year. I've got big things in store for next year so I hope you'llcheck back often. My old etsy shop, jenniferpriest.etsy.com, will stay open for the next few months. I'll be announcing some clearnace sales at some point to get the inventory moved out, but likely not until after the new year. I'll keep you updated ;)

Happy Holidays!!

0 Kawaii

New challenge up at the Pink Ninjas blog today: KAWAII!

Supplies:
Paper - KI Memories, MAMBI, Bazzill, Bo Bunny
Fonts - Impact, Hurry Up
Diectus- Quickutz Silhouette, Hydrangeahippo.etsy.com
Journal Spot - KI Memories
Sticker - K & Co
Ink - Copic, Tattered Angels
Brads - American Crafts, Basic Grey, Bo Bunny, Heidi Swapp

You can get the monkey paper piecings in my etsy shop along with a bunch of new paper piecings. I am moving my shop over to hydrangeahippo.etsy.com -- the move will be complete in about 3 months or whenever everything in my old shop, jenniferpriest.etsy.com, sells. You can shop in either shop -- both have different kits, supplies, and more.

And don't forget to enter the Kawaii challenge over at Pink Ninjas this week ;)

Happy Scrapping!

0 Best of 2009 Challenge

Got this link from my friend Gloria--she is super talented and nice -- the best!

Here's where you can get all the info on the Best of 2009 Challenge. In hard times it is really easy to focus on the bad but what makes our life meaningful is how we find the good -- that's what we'll remember ;)

Today's prompt: December 1 Trip. What was your best trip in 2009?

Arizona with the family. We got to go out of state, check out new places, see national parks, and have lots of silly stories to tell.

Happy Scrapping!