Gettin' By

Spring Break Hiatus.

It's officially Spring Break in Colorado, which means I am probably hitting the ski slopes (with plenty of apres ski micro brews), planting my bum in the sand on a tropical beach (with plenty of fruity umbrella drinks), or riding down the Grand Canyon on the back of a burro.  And if you read this blog with any regularity, you can put in order the likelihood of each of these events.

In any case, Spring Break in Colorado many involve many things, but not one of those is blogging.  However, should you wish you to entertain yourself in my absence, please feel free to browse these past posts for giggles and grins:

The One Where I Pump You Up

The One About Comic Sans

The One Directed at One Horrible Hummer Driver

The One Where I Talk About Dog Poop

The Overheard Stuff at Our House

The One About Me Being a Total Klutz

The One About the Stick in the Ground

The One Where I Complain About Running. And the Wind. And Dog Poop.

The One (of many) Where I Talk About Boobs.

And those posts should firmly solidify the fact that this blog exists solely on the substantive material of farts, dog poop, and wine. With some boobs thrown in for good measure.

Happy Spring Break!  See you in a week!

 

 

 

Blog Hop: Art of Layers!

Welcome to the blog hop for Art of Layers! My very talented friend, Ronda Palazzari has recently authored this fabulous new book that features her amazing creations with paint, ink, fabric, and scrapbook supplies. I know firsthand the love and passion that she poured into this book, and the resulting projects are a definite reflection of that. It's a must-have resource for every scrapbooker's library!

ABOUT THE BOOK: “Basic scrapbooking has you place photos and embellishments on cardstock or patterned paper - easy and...well, basic. The next step for most scrapbookers is layering. But trying to get that rich, interesting layered look can be very intimidating. Where do you even start? "Art of Layers" teaches scrapbookers and beginning mixed media artists just how easy it is to get to that layered look in any papercrafting project. Author Ronda Palazzari teaches readers 50+ techniques that will serve as tools to pull out whenever a layered look is desired. The chapters allow the reader to build their skills, from paper techniques they won't be afraid to try adding fabric, embellishments, and stamping to finally giving spray inks, paints and gesso a try.”

You all know what a fan I am of grids in design, so this piece from Ronda's chapter on Fibers makes my heart go pitter-patter!

THE GIVEAWAY:Here's your chance to win your very own autographed copy of this book! Just leave me a comment below. Comments will stay open until Sunday, March 25 at 8pm EST and the winner will be posted here.  Internationals are welcome to enter!

And if you'd like more chances to win, be sure and post on all the blogs participating in today's hop. The next stop is Birgit Koopsen's blog, so head on over!

Happy Thursday!

UPDATED WITH WINNER: Congrats to Helena Vripi, winner of Ronda's book! Helena, shoot me an email and I'll get your info to Ronda! Yay!

Giveaway: Kelly Purkey's Sketchbook 4!

I was thrilled when Kelly asked me to contribute to her new class, Sketchbook 4, and am just as thrilled to give away one spot in that class to a random blog reader today!

ABOUT THE CLASS:  Join Kelly Purkey in another installment of her popular Sketchbook class! Sketchbook 4 is a four week class filled with fresh sketches, easy instructions, beautiful examples, and lots of fun. This class is designed to be used at any time and over + over again when you need inspiration.

Sketchbook is different from any other sketch class out there because Kelly and the contributors offer design tips and detailed explanation of what makes a page work. It's more than sketches - they’ll deliver valuable pointers for creating great layouts.

By the end of the class, you'll have a complete sketchbook of 12 original sketches, 38 layouts, and an ADDITIONAL 38 sketches based on those creative pages. All the examples are brand new layouts, exclusive to this class... you won't see them anywhere else! You will be receiving an example layout from Kelly for each of the sketches, along with two example layouts from a Studio Calico Design Team member and some of your favorite SC Guest Designers.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: If you'd like to be entered to win a spot in this class, just leave me a comment below. Comments will stay open until Thursday morning, March 22, when I've had enough coffee to wake up, at which point I'll post the lucky winner here (approximately 6 am MST).  Giveaway is open to everyone - internationals included!

And happy Hump Day!

UPDATED WITH WINNER: Congrats to Karen Haworth, who wins the spot in Sketchbook 4! Karen, please shoot me an email!

Party On.

Last Wednesday, we kicked off Mike's birthday with obligatory presents, cake and candles (and I feel obliged to share that is was the MOST amazing red velvet cake. Should you have a Target nearby, grab one of these sinfully delicious creations. It's totally worth the 2.5 hours of cardio required to burn off the calories in one slice. Seriously.)

This weekend we extended the birthday celebration, joining up with Mike's twin brother, Ryan, and wife Ali for an overnight stay at the Omni Hotel. The guys played golf, we enjoyed the sunny views of the Flatirons from our hotel rooms, consumed lots of adult beverages, enjoyed an incredible meal at Village Tavern, and crashed a 14-year-old's pool party that took place at the same hotel (which wasn't as much fun as it sounds.) The obligatory photos follow, but, sadly, none involve red velvet cake:

And apparently while we were out reveling in the birthday celebration, a little leprechaun visited our house, turning all the water green:

He also scattered glitter everywhere and apparently broke the compressor in my refrigerator, which is now groaning like an angry old man in the kitchen, reminding me that Call Refrigerator Repairman is at the top of my to-do list today. So I guess that means the party's officially over.

But I'm totally having Red Velvet Cake for lunch.

Five on Friday.

With a week of temps in the 70s, it appears spring may have sprung here in Colorado. And it's gotten me thinking about warm weather wardrobes! So here's five inexpensive things to freshen up my closet for spring:

 1.  Old Navy Fold-Over Jersey Skirt ($19.94). This easy, a-line skirt is perfect with a tee and sandals (or a jean jacket thrown on top when the spring breezes blow.) The crisp navy & white chevron would pair great with aqua, yellow or kelly green, too!

2.  Embarcadero Top from Hollister ($24.15). I'm a sucker for ruffles and bows, and in pink? Oh yes, please! This girly top would work equally well with white pants or denim capris and show off (soon-to-be) sunkissed shoulders.

3.  Either Oro Sandal ($34.99).  These strappy gladiator sandals are the perfect footware for a multitude of spring outfits. And the subtle gold straps mixed in with the neutral stone color adds a bit of bling without being obnoxious.

 
4.  Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in Mermaid's Dream ($18.00).  Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, this sparkly glitter polish has flecks of blue, green, gold, and aqua and is ideal for adorning those bare tootsies!  And bonus - it  contains no toluene, formaldehyde or DBP.

 

5.  The Paris Maillot ($72.00).   When I stumbled upon The Red Dolly etsy store via a Pinterest link, I immediately added it to my favorites. The retro swimwear styles are adorable and so reasonably priced for custom-made suits. My fave is this striped maillot in graphic black & white.

Wishing you a wonderful spring weekend!

Give-It-Away Thursday: Freckled Fawn

I recently discovered the delightful little online shop Freckled Fawn and their lovely collection of ribbons, lace, doilies, and assorted trimmings. And if you're a fan of washi tape, you need to check out their unique designs...from chevrons to polka dots, florals to stripes, they offer whimsical and colorful tapes you won't find anywhere else.  I used their Chevron Washi Tape in my latest Project Life Spread:

S U P P L I E S : The washi tape was a perfect way to adorn my layout with simple, graphic flair. I added in a few pops of green and orange to complement my photos and went all retro with vellum journaling blocks.

•   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •  

So how would you like to win a little shopping spree at Freckled Fawn for yourself? They are generously offering a $10 gift certificate to one of my readers.  If you'd like to be entered to win it, just leave me a comment below telling me your favorite Freckled Fawn product and how you'd use it. **

Comments will stay open until Monday morning, March 19, when I'll post the lucky winner below. Enjoy your Thursday, my dearies!

 

**Please be sure to leave a contact email in your comment if you are not signed in to Typepad.  Comments will remain open until the morning of March 19 (whenever I drag my butt out of bed, make coffee, and log on to Typepad) and the winner will be randomly drawn from the comments, announced at the bottom of this post, and contacted via email (if possible). Giveaway is open to everyone - internationals included! And that concludes the fine print. Yahoo!

UPDATED WITH WINNER:  Congrats to Erin T who is the winner of the $10 gift certificate! Be sure and stop by this Thursday for another great giveaway!

currently...

...enjoying the early morning darkness in the company of my coffee mug, computer and cat.

...trying to shake the feeling that I'm running an hour behind.

...reveling in the warm spring temperatures forecasted for the week. Short-sleeves, sidewalk chalk, and sandals on the agenda.

...preparing to pump you up as Design Coach at Ella Publishing's Spring Training. (And psssst...if you register before April 1, you'll save $5!)

...logging some quality mileage on my running shoes as training for spring races kicks into high gear.

...crediting new tunage on my ipod for faster mile paces and a renewed adoration for hitting the pavement.

...catching up on Project Life. And for that matter, life in general. (see item #2).

...designing (& building) a Leprechaun Trap with the girlie.

...dreaming of spring vacation.

...trying not to panic as my To-Do-Before-Spring-Break List seems to lengthen every day.

...contemplating a pedicure. With green polish.

...plotting surprise birthday plans for Mike that will include golf, dinner, an overnight at the Omni, and of course, March Madness. (Go Duke!)

...printing NCAA tourney brackets for the family basketball pool.

...making sure all my Blue Devil garb is clean, ironed, and ready to don for Round 1. (Though I will be cheering for both CU and CSU in the first round as well - way to represent, Colorado!)

...anticipating much smack talk to ensue as our household divides into Those Who Cheer for Duke and Those Who Cheer for Anyone Playing Duke.  Any guesses as to who's on what side?

So what are you up to...currently?

 

Five on Friday.

Just a random assortment of things I am diggin':

1.  Arbonne Deep Cleansing Mask ($32.00) Back in high school I used to be slightly addicted to a clay mask made by Arbonne because it magically made zits vanish when applied to your face at night. When the mask was discontinued, it was a sad day for me and my skin and I spent many years trying to find a suitable replacement. Recently, I discovered this version and I'm loving it.  It's a tingling clay mask that tightens up pores and leaves silky matte skin. And I'm hoping (fingers crossed!) it wipes out wrinkles as well as the old version zapped zits.

2.  Authentic Vintage 50s Cool Gold Fleck Sunglasses ($20.00).  I love retro shades, and these sparkly cat-eye versions are pretty dang fabulous (and cheap - so I can feel less quilty when I inevitably sit on them.)

3.  Mix & Munch Cutlery Set ($29.99).  How cute is this happily-colored polka dot silverware? I think it'd be perfect for those summer meals al fresco, and a full set of four place settings is a steal at $29.99!

4.  Guilt Trip Notepad ($4.99). Are you tired of feeling let down by the inadequacies of others? Let them know how disappointed you are with a little trip to Guiltville! I love this saucy tongue-in-cheek note pad and have a feeling I'd be using it up in no time flat.

5. iBrew Case for iPhone 4S ($37.20).  I've yet to decide on the perfect case for my new iPhone, but this one is definitely in the running. And since I'm quite likely to actually spill coffee on my phone, I might as well have a case that starts off that way in the first place.

Enjoy your Friday!

Would you take a quarter for that?

So you know from my post earlier this week that there's some serious spring cleaning going on around the Dickinson household. No room is exempt from my ruthless organizational fury, especially not my scrap room, which has resembled the aftermath of a small tornado ever since I got my new scrap table back in November. And the supplies just keep multiplying (probably because I fed them after midnight) so it's high time to clear some stuff out.

And while I could stash them away for a few more months in anticipation of the neighborhood garage sale, the thought of categorizing and labeling everything, getting up at 6 am to haul it all out in my driveway, and haggling with little old ladies over prices kind of makes me want to stick a sharp, sharp object in my eyeball. (FYI: if you ever want to really see me get fired up, offer me 25¢ for a pack of 50 sheets of patterned paper that are clearly marked $1.00 while you're munching down on the FREE donuts I've hospitably offered to early morning garage salers. And you better hope there's no plastic cutlery laying around or I WILL CUT YOU!)

Alrighty then. It's clear that a garage sale would not be good for my metal health nor my relationship with the neighbors. Instead, I'm going to host my own little sale right here on the blog. And while there will be no donuts, there are some serious bargains to be found. 

I've packed up a humongous gobload (yes, I just made that word up, in lieu of using the more crass version, shitload) of scrappy things in flat rate boxes and they are ready and waiting to be shipped to their new homes. To save time (and my sanity) I haven't photographed everything in the boxes, but they all contain newer product from such companies as Jenni Bowlin, Studio Calico, October Afternoon, KI Memories, My Little Shoebox, Making Memories, Crate Paper, and more. There are patterned papers, stamps, stickers, embellishments, mini albums, and vintage items.  Some of the stamps are brand new, others have been (gently) used a few times.  Most of the sticker sheets are missing 5-6 pieces, but have the bulk of the contents intact.

Each boxes is guaranteed to contain:

12 sheets of cardstock (Bazzill or Core'dinations)
35 sheets of 12 x 12 patterned paper
25 sheets of 6 x 6 mini papers
3 stamps
3 transparent overlays
2 mini albums
1 bag of embellishments
lots of stickers & chipboard
1 bag of vintage ephemera

And that's really just a small sampling of what's inside. There's easily a minimum of $65 of product, I promise. Believe me, I'm filling every inch of the boxes that I can:

Here's a sample of just some of the things in one of the boxes:

 So if you want a box - here's the deal:   

I'm offering them for $30 each, which includes shipping to U.S. addresses only.  Just click the Buy Now button below, make payment through PayPal, and I'll ship the goodies out to you asap.  SOLD OUT!!

 

 And thanks for stopping by my virtual garage sale.  If I could, I'd totally offer you a donut. But since I can't, I will go ahead and eat yours for you. (I'm nice like that.)

Whip-Up-A-Page Wednesday

It's been quite awhile since I've hosted an installment of Whip-Up-A-Page and since today is Wednesday and I happen to have a page lying on my desk ready to share, it would seem that the stars are all perfectly aligned in the scrapbook universe.  So let's get to whippin' up that page, shall we?!

S U P P L I E S :

This is a simple page design that could fit a variety of themes: Valentine's Day... love...wedding...open heart surgery...OK, maybe I'm stretching it there. But grab some coordinating patterned paper and let's get creating!

1. Trim a piece of white cardstock to 12 x 3.5. Adhere across the bottom of the Dotted Swiss background.


2. Cut out a variety of hearts in different patterns and sizes. I used some chipboard shapes in my stash as templates for some, and free-handed others. You could also use punches, pre-made die cuts, or a die cut machine to cut your hearts.


3. Layer some of the hearts with accents - a scalloped edge of cardstock, stickers, or vellum (I stitched mine into place with my sewing machine.)


4. Adhere your assortment of hearts across the seam between the white and tan cardstock. Use foam squares to add dimension to some of the hearts.


5. Print photos (mine are approx. 4 x 2.75") and adhere them on the upper left side of layout. Print journaling on white cardstock; cut in to strips and place to the right of photos.


6. Die-cut the title from red cardstock. I used my Silhouette to cut out the font Dancing Script, but you could also use stamps with red ink or red alpha stickers for the same effect. Then add your subtitle in small stamps with black ink.

Easy, right? And in no time at all you've got a lovely page straight from the heart. Full of love. And ready for Uncle Earnest's triple bypass photos. Or, uh, whatever other topic your little heart feels like scrapping.

Enjoy your Wednesday, my dearies!