Something new...

I've been working on some fall themed ATC/ACEO's for the swap over at Ulixis crafts. I'm not sure what I want to use for the swap but I think I've decided against this pumpkin one and I listed it on Etsy. I just keep going on them and I'm having fun!
Have you seen the Boo Banner project over at Joli Paquet? I think my 5 year old daughter and I can do this together, she loves making projects and she's learning to spell. Boo should be easy enough for her :) Hopefully, I'll post that next!

Back from sabatical

Wow! Never intended to take such a long sabbatical from this blog! I don't even know where to start. Is anyone even still subscribed to this lol! So I've been through a really bad creative block the past year or so. I don't know how to describe it, except it's like a depression. I had some ideas but lots of excuses. I left my craft space completely untouched, in shambles. I kept up on my digital scrapbooking and that's about it. It's been a difficult time for me. However, I feel the creative urges again and it excites me! I'm starting slowly, organizing my craft space, cleaning out the excess. Dabbling in this and that, the tried and true, I paper scrapped for the first time in YEARS. I went back to my roots and started sewing again. Made some gifts for family. Then I decided to start the blog back up.
The really ironic thing is that my "Abandoned Blog" post was my 100th post! I had always planned to do a really neat giveaway for that post to celebrate. Instead I "gave up." So I see a giveaway in the near future to celebrate my 100th plus post and my comeback! I'll have to do some brainstorming on that one.
With all the organizing and cleaning out I have updated my Etsy shop with new items! I'm also running a sale on all the previous year's leftover Christmas bibs. Buy one get one free! I have more ready to make and list so I want to clean out the old and in with the new.
I have a lot of new ideas flowing like a river, I just hope I can sort them all out and bring some of them to life. I have been encouraged to pursue my photography and I have ordered up some note cards with my photo's on them. I think I'll open a separate etsy shop for those items. Look for those soon.
To get back in the creative mode I've signed up for a swap. I always do good with swaps, it gives me a purpose for creating. The swap I've signed up for is hosted by Amanda at Ulixis Crafts, her ACEO-X (v. 2.0) Autumn swap. I decided this was the perfect "size" (pun intended) project for me to get back into. There is still time to sign up so head on over there!
And for those of you who don't know what an ACEO or ATC is... my good friend Bonnie is hosting an online ATC class! There is still time to sign up for it, hurry to her blog for the details!
So I'm off to bed for the night and hopefully it won't be a full year until I update this again. Give me some encouragement and leave me a comment, letting me know you're out there ;)

Brief Update

Just stopped in to let any remaining readers know that I have restocked my Etsy shop with some de-stash items. Be sure to check it out!

Abandoned blog alert

Just wanted to pop in and let my friends know that I'm having a hard time keeping up with this blog. I'm going to take some time off from it, well, more time off lol! With the summer here and being outside alot I just don't have the time to dedicate to it. I'm still here and everything is A OK! My number one responsibility is my kids and since I've started an evening job I have even less time for my things. But you gotta do what you gotta do to survive right?

If I have time to do something crafty I may pop in here or flickr and share so you might want to add me to your favorite subscription reader.

Ok, so now I can stop feeling guilty about not updating it and get back outside with my kids before it gets too hot today :)

Got some scrapping done!

I've been busy scrapping today, sshh, don't tell hubby! Well, go ahead, I also had the kids from sun up to sun down all by myself while he worked until 11pm, I scrubbed my floors on the main level, steam cleaned my living room carpet, did HIS work clothes laundry, 2 loads in the dishwasher...and on and on. I've gotten behind on Bonnie's CT stuff so I buckled down tonight, hoping a storm didn't kick me off the puter! Here are the pages I did for her...

With her Happy Endings kit

Her Stealing Beauty kit

And By the Moonlight These are all brand new kits in her store at Snap and Scrap, go check them out!

This one is a bit out of my comfort zone... something new I tried. I've been seeing these boxes all over the galleries and wanted to try one out and I got the chance at Scrapdish. Caroline B has some great sets out! I used a bunch of other stuff too, credits in my gallery.
That's about it for tonight, I'm tired and ready for bed :)

As promised!

I got my birds and bonnets photo'd! I totally love my piece. It truly is amazing how so many different artists can take the same images and create totally different pieces! I scored pieces from Marilyn Butler, Ann Tatum, Cheryl Stoneham and Bethany Hissong. All I can say is it's gorgeous!



And... I am the proud winner of Karla's drawing for swap prizes! I won one of the clutches! Yippee! The pictures totally don't do it justice, it's goregous. I can't wait to use it! And... of course they didn't send it empty! It had a pair of opera gloves and some blingy pearls inside SCORE! How thoughtful! My almost 4 year old daughter thinks she needs the pearls, we'll have to discuss that later lol!

So I've also decided who I shall bestow with the awards I was honored with...drumroll please...OK it's Karla and Beth for all their hard work they put into the swap! And they both have excellent blogs, they post often and have lots of interesting things to share. Definately deserving!!!! So congrats ladies and thanks again for the swap and goodies! It really is hard to choose someone for these awards as everyone in blog land is so kind and thoughtful. However, I this choice was determined by the timing :)

Great mail day!

Whoop whoop! The mail has been good to me! First of all I can show you my fab find on Etsy. We celebrated my mom's birthday last night and I bought her gifts on Etsy of course! I'm sure she's getting tired of pictures of my kids for every holiday so I went out on a limb this time lol! I bought her this pendant. photo taken right from the Teresa's store, mine wouldn't be so pretty! She was so generous, she sent me a second one free! So my mom got a gift and so did I! Can't beat that!

Then I found this card for her in a shop called EnFluer. Once again, her photo as she's a great photographer!

Then I was snooping along the time machine, yes it does work, and I found a mermaid ATC for my dd! I've mentioned before what a big mermaid fan she is. So I snatched it up out of Wendy's store, to add to her ATC collection.So that's my little shopping spree!

I've also been gifted an award by my friend Carolyn from across the big pond! How nice of her to think of me, especially since I haven't been around much lately!

Again, so thoughtful of her! Of course she rightfully deserves a kind blogger award, as well as an Excellent blogger award, she just hit her 250th post! You go girl! LOL! And last but not least....drumroll please! Today the mail brought me my swap package from Beth and Karla's birds and bonnets swap! Yippee! My project is awesome! I am now off to take pictures of my swap and figure out who in blogland will be the next winners of the awards :) And of course get ready for work and clean my bathroom....boo!

Not that long since my last post!

I'm doing better at this! Less than 2 weeks since my last post! My life has been pretty eventful... I've been sick since May 4th, my son has been sick for a month now, and he broke his arm last week! My daughter has had her spring dance recital and end of the year swim class party, and a performance for the end of the year at her preschool, so busy, busy am I! But that makes for lots of pictures to capture in a scrapbook right? YAY! Just thought I'd pop in here and show you a couple things I've done recently. I made these journals for my daughter's preschool teachers. I used the complimentary images I got from The Vintage Workshop for participating in Beth and Karla's Birds and Bonnet swap. My daughter helped with the glitter, she calls it sparkles, and she picked out the ribbon. In her world there is only one color, and it's pink. And I did a couple scrapbook pages for my creative teams. This first one is for Bonnie. Full credits in my gallery. This one is for Scrapdish. See credits here.
I did some shopping on Etsy today too but I bought mymom's birthday gift so I can't share yet what I bought! After June 3rd lol! That's about it for now :0)

MIA again!

This spring weather has really had me outside, I love it! I've also been battling a stomach flu and then a head cold, back to back. Ugh! I never get sick but when I do... We also lost my husband's grandmother last week. She was 92 and was tired and ready to go but we still miss her. I wish I knew how many pot holders that woman crocheted in her lifetime. She could crochet in her sleep I believe. I myself own at least a dozen of her potholders and I've only been in the family for 13 years. She made my kids baby blankets and we have an afkan that she made for our wedding gift. I really love these gifts the most! I always thought it would be fun to open an Etsy shop for her! She could do the work and I'd list and mail her creations out, I bet she'd get such a kick knowing that people were buying her work! My DH did some great journal ling on my family blog about the matriarch. I decided his words needed preserved and I made a scrapbook page about it for my kids albums.
And I've finished my project for Beth and Karla's Birds and Bonnet swap! I don't know why I procrastinated so bad on it, once I got going I whipped them out lickity split! The Vintage Workshop images were so inspiring, it was easy peasy! My dd even had a go at it lol! I'll have to wait until the 6 oz of glue dry before I post her project :) I did one side of the panel digitally and one side "paper". Here are the paper sidesand here are the digital sides...


I'm having a garage sale this weekend so I know I won't be back before then! Hopefully it won't be another month, but thanks for stopping by! I have to get ready for work now :)

I made something!

It's not much but I decided to jump into Karla's call for cards. I made this birthday card! I love making cards so why not help make a 100th birthday special!

I'm also joining in Beth and Karla's Birds & Bonnets Vintage Workshop Swap. I haven't done a swap for awhile and I really like the inspiration they bring. Sometimes I really need a "reason" to make stuff. Plus this really a mixed media project as it combines digital images and paper! I really enjoy my digital scrapping but sometimes miss the hands on of paper. Some of the buzz words for this type of project are tradigi, hybrid, it's quite the rage right now! I love using the computer to enhance my projects because I have no talent in the painting, drawing, and handwriting areas!

Anyway, I will be posting as I go on this project! In the mean time, here is a digital page I did for my daughter. I really like how this one turned out. I've been wanting to make a black page but didn't want it to look graphical, or like an advertisement...

I did this for my Scrapdish CT duties and you can see my credits here.

Until next time...

Hi again!

Another long time since my last post. Can you tell the weather is getting nicer? My kids and I have been spending a lot more time outdoors now that it's warming up. I can't even keep Jace inside without deadbolting the door! He just walks right out, no shoes or socks! It's hard to explain midwestern spring weather to a 2 year old. Yes Jace, yesterday was 70 and beautiful but today we are expecting flurries so no you can't play outside today. I know, I'm the meanest mommie in the world, now go find your cars to play with. Anyway, I got a little bit of scrapping done! You can see the full credits in my Scrapdish Gallery.

My internet switch went flawless! Can't believe it! But now I can't get my wireless network working! Ugh! If it isn't one thing it's another. So that cuts down on my blogging time, I usually surf and blog on the laptop, you know, instead of reading a magazine or good book lol! Hopefully I can get that resolved shortly...sigh!

My daughter and I painted some birdhouses to bling for Carla's party but we only got them painted, we're still working on the bling part lol! Maybe someday we'll finish and I can share that. Rayna used so much paint on hers that they became demensional lol! And very colorful!

Hello!

I'm checking in! Long time no see! Anway, as I'd said I've been having problems with my internet service and wireless network and I seem pretty stable now but...I'm changing internet providers on Wednesday anway. So hopefully I'm not jumping out of the pot and into the fire lol! I had some time to do some scrapping and wanted to show you some pages I did for Bonnie!


I used her new kits Lazy Hazy Days and Mixed Bunch. You can see full credits in my gallery...
So in other news...I have a bad case of spring fever! We've been teased with some nice weather and it's driving me crazy because it keeps turning cold again! I have some crocus flowers blooming and that means spring is almost here yay! I want to snap some pictures of those today. My son has strep throat right now so the past few days have been spent holding him. I'm having some tummy troubles today so it will be a lazy day for us :) My daughter's preschool is on spring break so our schedule is all messed up this week. I'm such a creature of habit that I get off my scheduled and then can't get back into things. Maybe I can get caught up on housework haha! My job is going well. I'm very excited to find out that I am eligible for health insurance as a partime employee! Even for my family! That is such a big deal for us. Up until the first of the year my dh and I were both self employed and we have an individual policy and it's quite pricey and we have a $3000 deductible! So now we will have a better plan with vision and dental and I can afford it with my part time hours! who hoo! Such a relief! My husband can get insurance for himself from work but adding us makes it completely unaffordable so it will be a blessing to have us all on the same plan! It's just one of those thing in life that makes you think it's all meant to be, ya know.
That's about all that's new here, we've been spending the nice days in the backyard and the not so nice ones working :) Thanks for sticking around!

Still around!

Just a quick post to say I'm still here but busy! I've been doing some surfing and checking in when I can. I've been working on my computer network too and it's all messed up so that makes it more difficult for me :( Check back soon!

2-birthday

2-birthday, originally uploaded by amypytlik.

My son just had his 2nd birthday!

Credits- Island Hut Mini, Framerifics 3, Splots, Ribbon Expressions Misc, Glitzy Scribbles all from Victoria Feemser. Font- CK Rugged, PSCS2