Her Name Is Von And She Is A Craftoholic...

Welcome to this week's edition of Craftoholics!

No idea what the what I'm talking about? Go here to find out more!

This week's Craftoholic is special and so much fun because not only is she a major Craftoholic, but she also owns Life Preservers Scrapbook Kit Club! Help me welcome the fabulous Von Tinney!

Please list any crafts you enjoy making.

"Scrappin'!"

What is your favorite?

"Scrappin!"

Easy enough! lol


I love this envelope mini album! Such a great use for those seasonal decorative envelopes I will never use! lol

When did you start making crafts? Was there a particular reason or event that got your started?

"When I was growing up we owned a ceramic shop and it seems like I've been doing crafts forever."

What do you like to do when you aren't crafting?

"Read, surf, chat online"

Surf? As in the ocean? Where the sharks live?! Impressive! lol ;)

What makes you a craftoholic? What drives you to create?

"I am a Craftoholic because I am in my scrapbook room when I'm not working the scrapbooking business. I collect scrappy supplies-it seems like there's always something that I "need". It gives me balance and peace...I feel like I'm actually doing something for myself."


Oh boy I love that paper distressing...*drool*

**I was dying to know some inside info on running a kit club and luckily Von was more than willing so share! Click the button to check out LPS!**



What made you decide to get into the scrapbook kit business?

"I was approached by the previous owner of Life Preservers and I didn't even have to think twice before I said YES!"

What’s the best part of owning a kit club?

"I get to work around and with the products I love! My research involves checking out the newest and hottest items and trends and that's a blast!"

How you decide what to put in each kit?

"Okay...now you're asking the hard questions! I try to keep myself abreast of what scrappers are loving at the moment. I listen to my client base and make my selections based upon their likes/desires. I do better creating a kit with papers that I'm really into also; I know that not everyone has the same taste as myself and sometimes it's a stretch to put together a kit that is a different style than what I normally scrap with. I love it when a kit comes together and the finished product is a bag of goodies that I would go out and buy myself (because if I wouldn't buy it then how can I expect someone else to?)"

What is your favorite food?

"Peanut M&Ms"

Oh boy oh boy, I live for M&Ms!


What food do you hate to eat?

"LIVER (eww)"


What a perfect gift certificate holder!

How long have you been blogging?

"Over a year-(I'm not as good as I should be about keeping it up)"

What do you like best about blogging?

"Having a place to post pics for far away family (BUT I really love looking at blogs by other crafters)."

What craft have you always wanted to try but, for whatever reason, never have?

"Crochet"

Oh no! You've been ship wrecked on a deserted island! (Luckily you grabbed your adhesive and scissors before you jumped ship!) Name 3 other crafting supplies that your creative survival depends upon! (Note: Capt. Jack Sparrow is not a crafting supply!)

"LOL! Distressing Inks are a NECESSITY for me, buttons and ribbon (I'm assuming the island has an endless supply of cardstock,...hehe!)"

You can visit Life Presevers Scrapbook Club by clicking here and Von's Esty shops here, here and here!

Thanks for letting me interview you Von! You are definitely a Craftoholic!

Be sure to check back next Monday when another lucky victim...ahem, I mean crafter will be added to the Craftoholic family!

Pin Me Up Buttercup

The last of the pin-up ATCs is upon me! Hurray! These are the final ATCs for my vintage swap at LPS. Now I just have to finish up a couple more pages for the circle journal, the glitter ATCs for Ally's swap and then get started on some Halloween ATCs for yet another swap.





In other news, the hubby is off to a work conference and I'd be upset that he'll be gone for our wedding anniversary on the 1st except that he'll come home with tons of free stuff sooo... :P

Friday Night Fab Five: You Tube To The Rescue!

Hello all and welcome to another addition of Friday Night Fab Five where I list 5 things that I love or want or need or watch or have or well you get the idea. This week is called "Panic Fab Five" because I'm rushing to make my 5:00 deadline before having to leave to pick up Chris so can I just say: "thank God for You Tube!"

1. Charlie and Lola "I Just Love My Red Shiny Shoes" episode:



I love this episode because a) Charlie and Lola is the best mixed media show on TV and b) I hate when I can't fit into my favorite pair of shoes...

2. Reading Rainbow (Old School Reading Rainbow!):



Holy crap I lived for this show as a kid! And in 1984, this episode was my absolute favorite because I wanted to be in this "Teamwork" dance number SO bad! lol



3. Arrested Development, episode "Good Grief":



Okay, if you've never seen this show before there's no way I could explain this clip in any way that you would understand...lol. Basically throughout the episode characters are seen doing the "Charlie Brown Sad Walk" with Peanuts music in the background. This clip is all of those scenes put together. And by the way, if you've really never watched this show, it's on DVD. Go get it...now.

4. 100 vs 1



I think I've shown this here before but it's worth sharing again. This is from a Japanese game show where 100 people sneak up on a random person on the street. The results are hilarious...

5. State Fair (1945 version) "It Might As Well Be Spring"



Based on a book that is decidedly not as happy and bouncy as this musical, it's nonetheless one of my very favorites. I think Jeanne Crain was stunning in this movie and although this is not her singing (she was dubbed), I love this number!

There, how random was that?! lol Have a great weekend everyone! :D

Let The Circle Be Unbroken...(please let it be unbroken!!!)

First of all, I have to thank all of you for your mega sweet comments on my last post. I really appreciate all of your encouragement and just think you're fabulous so thank you from the bottom of my blogging heart!

Today I wanted to share a couple of things I made for the new circle journal I'm doing with a fun group of artsy type peeps over at Gauche Alchemy. I chose to do an 8x8 album and the theme I chose is "Vintage Bling" (I know big shock, right? :P). As a way of signing in, I'm including blank tags for everyone to decorate with a request for them to include their favorite decade. Here is my tag:



I picked the 1950's (another huge shock, I know!) and included my name and why I love the 50's on the back of the tag. I'm also done with the cover sheet for the album:



For the cover I used an old picture and book page I got from my favorite haunt, Sleepy Poet Antique Mall, a few Thickers, some patterned paper the August kit and Basic Grey bling I got in a group buy over at LPS, some ribbon I bought in NY and a touch of the Blue Streak mixed media color kit from Gauche Alchemy. I've still got some more work to do on it before I send it off to its first stop but at least I'm getting somewhere! lol I'm excited for this project and really hope my journal makes it back home safe and sound!

A reminder before I go: I'm always looking for more Craftoholics to interview so if you're interested, be sure to read this post and e-mail me! :D

See you all tomorrow for another Fab Five!

"What's My Destiny Mama?"

I'm itchy...

Not in the physical sense. Maybe the metaphysical sense is what I mean. I've always been a creature of no habit. I find a new craft or skill or object or whatever and obsess over it until I either A) master it or B) lose interest and move on to something else entirely.

And lately I've been "itchy" which is what I call it when I'm feeling discontent or just...stagnant. Now don't misunderstand me, I love my life: my marriage, my husband, my Toot. My discontentment is with something in myself, like feeling like a balloon with too much air and I have to let it out or I'll pop. The feeling like something is there I just have to find the right thing to get it out. I've started calling it my "Forrest Gump Feeling". As the title of this post suggests, this line from "Forrest Gump" comes to me whenever I'm feeling this way.

In the scene, his mother is dying and Forrest asks her, "What's my destiny Mama?" This scene has always struck me and that line reverberates in my head when I get that feeling. Being in my thirties you would think that I should have this all figured out, eh? But as Homer Simpson has said, "I'm a candy wrapper caught in an updraft!" and I'm dying to break out of this whatever that seems to be holding me back.

I mean mainly creatively. I feel like there's more to me and what my abilities are, know what I mean? I have to apologize at this point because I'm "typing out loud" as it were and I think this may be the most disjointed post I've ever written. lol I hope I'm not coming across as a whiny depressed lunatic. I'm not saying any of these things in a depressed frame of mind but rather a wondering, excited one. What is my destiny anyway? A part from the Wife, Mother, Lover roles (which I adore!) where am I headed in terms of my creativity? I bounce from one thing to another never really resting like a butterfly on flowers.

So anyway, I'm in thinking/planning/listing mode at the moment. lol I try to keep this blog as fun, cheery and non serious as possible because quite frankly I realize that a lot of my dearest readers come here for frivolity not presidential addresses but I must (at least in print) get out what I've been thinking lately before it drives me nuts.

Have you ever felt this way? About anything? Like something's coming, something's right there, you just have to grab it?

You know, when I was a kid I watched "West Side Story" with Natalie Wood and my entire world was rocked. I knew every line, every song, every dance and to this day I cry like a baby at the end. There's one song in particular that still rings in my head and is very applicable to my current state of mind. Feel free to play it if you wish and thank you so much for "listening" to me.

And don't worry...I'll get it figured out! And if anyone has been here before...HELP! lol :D

Odds and Ends

While feverishly trying to finish up some projects for swaps I'm doing, I found a couple of things I haven't shared yet...

A couple more pin-up ATCs:



This is a double page layout I did for a challenge contest at LPS (click for larger):



Can you believe August is practically over?! September brings our 2nd wedding anniversary and then comes October when Toot will turn one year old and I will turn thirty-*signal lost* years old...Time is flying!

Her Name Is Jordiegirl And She Is A Craftoholic...

Welcome to this week's edition of Craftoholics!

No idea what the what I'm talking about? Go here to find out more!

This week's Craftoholic is a fabulous card maker from the UK, Jordiegirl!

Please list any crafts you enjoy making. What is your favorite?

"I enjoy knitting, bobbin lacemaking, cross-stitch, embroidery, cardmaking. My favourite is cardmaking because you can make a quick card or you can do a project which takes a lot longer."


I love the idea of a real photograph on a card...

When did you start making crafts? Was there a particular reason or event that got your started?

"I have been crafting since I was a child when I learned to knit at about the age of 7. My mother and our neighbour taught me to knit but had to teach me the right-handed way although I am left-handed because they were both right-handed!

Now cardmaking is a different story - I actually got involved in that because a young friend with special needs went to work at a new local store and they stocked craft products. She wanted to make Christmas cards and got me to help her with them - from then on I was hooked - that was in about 2003."

What do you like to do when you aren't crafting?

"When I'm not crafting I am researching my family tree, it is my goal to write it all up into a book complete with photographs of people and locations for future generations of my family to read and enjoy."


The foil techniques on this card are so pretty...

What makes you a craftoholic? What drives you to create?

"I'm a craftoholic because I cannot resist buying more and more items even though I know I already have far too much stock. If I see something on one of the shopping channels I try to sit on my hands but the temptation is always there. I'm driven to create because I love to see the end result and it gives me a sense of achievement."

What is your favorite food?

"I don't really have a favourite food - I eat most things to be honest - although I am partial to carrot cake."

What food do you hate to eat?

"When it comes to food I hate, it would have to be peanut butter - yuck!!!! Both my husband and son like it with strawberry jam on a sandwich - I tried it and hated it!"

How long have you been blogging?

"I only started blogging this year, I think it was about March."

What do you like best about blogging?

"I absolutely love following blogs and love chatting with so many wonderful people around the world. All the bloggers seem such lovely people."


The photograph cutout on this card is the perfect personal touch!

What craft have you always wanted to try but, for whatever reason, never have?

"I would love to do parchment craft/Pergamano. Your question does really ask about something I've never done - so I shouldn't really include this as I did have one go at it and haven't got back to it.

I have seen parchment craft demonstrated on TV and I am really drawn to it because it is so like the bobbin lacemaking that I used to do and have given up now because my eyes aren't so good these days. So I would love to sit down and have the time to master this particular craft and be as good as Christine Coleman."

Oh no! You've been ship wrecked on a deserted island! (Luckily you grabbed your adhesive and scissors before you jumped ship!) Name 3 other crafting supplies that your creative survival depends upon! (Note: Capt. Jack Sparrow is not a crafting supply!)


"1) Well the obvious thing to take would be some basic cardstock because that is the basis of any card and you could look around the deserted island for items to attach to it.

2) My Karl cutter - I love this as it has so many different cutting wheels with it.

3) My crafting mat so I would have a decent surface to work on."

Thanks for letting me interview you Jordiegirl! You are such a Craftoholic!

Be sure to check back next Monday when another lucky victim...ahem, I mean crafter will be added to the Craftoholic family!

Life At Random: Hats, Times Square and the Smartest Kit Club Ever

Hello all!

I hope everyone has had a fab-u-lous weekend so far! We're heading off to a friend's house for dinner but before we go, I had some fun stuff to share!

1. Gauche Alchemy is having a contest to name their brown mixed media color kit so click here to add your amazingly awesome names to the entries! Also, everyone that comments (whether you suggest a name or not) is entered to win the brown color kit so go go go!

Speaking of Gauche Alchemy, I've decided that they are the smartest kit club in the world. Why is that, you ask? Click here and then scroll down but keep your eyes on the right hand column...go on, I'll wait!

*humming*

You're back! Did you see, did you see?! If you didn't, I'll just tell you why they're so smart right after our new segment called *drum roll* "Fun With Hats!"


"Arrrr matey! Me be a pirate, searching the seven seas for rum and Johnny Depp! Arrrrrr!"

"Am I Russell Crowe yet?!"

"Um yeah...I'm totally not doing this..."

Yes, we loved living it up at the FAO Schwartz store while we were in New York City! Have a great night and I'll see you all back here tomorrow for a new Craftoholics!

P.S.-Gauche Alchemy asked me, moi, yours truly to be a guest designer for one of their fabulous kits! See, told you they were smarties! Mmmmmm...Smarties...

Friday Night Fab Five: 5 Toots and a Wink

This week's Friday Night Fab Five was originally going to be about current things that fascinate me. Then I started looking through some NY pictures and it is now about one thing in particular that I find utterly fascinating: Toot's new picture faces.

I mentioned in my last post about Toot not smiling anymore when she sees the camera. I admit that I find her new looks much more interesting and they always make me smile. Did you know she'll be one year old in just under 2 months??? What the...?!

So without further ado, the many faces of Toot...

And just because this is too fascinating not to give an honorable mention, please to enjoy...

"Winking Pants"



I almost lost it with the ducks...lol

Have a great weekend everyone!

A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Blogging Please

Lots to talk about, lots to talk about y'all!

First things first: how did my child lose the ability to smile in pictures? Lately every time I hold the camera up, I get this:



Don't get me wrong, still cute but EVERY TIME! lol She's a nut...

Speaking of Toot, the other day she started choking on a biter biscuit and being home by myself, I ended up having to go halfway down her throat to dislodge it and have been having mini panic attacks ever since. Not.Fun.

Anyhoo, announcement time YAY!

1. If you look to your right, you'll see notice that Gauche Alchemy is giving away some Graphic 45 fabulousness so make sure to get over there and leave a comment for a chance to win, tell them Maggi sent ya! (I won't get anything for it but I like seeing my name in print. :P)

2. And for our readers on the left side of the blog you'll notice that the ever fantastic Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist is hosting another fabulous blog party!



You may remember that Vanessa hosted the Mad Tea Party blog party I participated in and I'm looking forward to this one as well! I'm already thinking to get my mom to come over and watch Toot because I'm sure to be partying all day long if the Mad Tea Party was any indication! lol Check out Vanessa's party announcement HERE and join us for some muwahahahaha type fun!

3. You will never guess what I got in the mail today! I was fortunate enough to get some happy mail today which really brightened up my day! The amazingly talented Y from Do More With Less made me a little thank you gift for hosting the Christmas in July blog party and I was so excited to see this fabulous little box:

And the inside:

Not only that but she gave me this fabulous pin!

Thank you so much Y, this was so thoughtful of you! And listen dearest readers, if you do not visit her blog on a regular basis, you are truly missing out because she is awesome so drop by and say hello!

4. The last thing (I think) that I wanted to mention is that I bought one thing while in New York that I stumbled on by accident and have been looking for one for years. When Chris and I were dating and I went up to NY to see him, I saw these dolls called "Pullip" at FAO Schwartz. Not being cheap dolls, I was unable to get one at the time and have been thinking about them ever since.

While on our way to NY recently I told Chris that I was getting one, so there! lol And of course FAO no longer sells them! BOO! (Yes, I could buy on online but I'm an instant gratification kinda gal thank you very much) So enter a comic book store Chris used to go to years ago and there it was in the collectibles case: a Pullip doll! This particular one is called "Kirsche" and if you have no idea what I am talking about, check out Wiki. Since these dolls eyes move back and forth and close, their "lifelikeness" has started a brush fire of photographs and forums. Check out a Pullip search on Flickr HERE.

Speaking of which, here are a couple of pics I took of mine:





Plus, Top Chef is back and Project Runway starts tomorrow! WOOOOO HOOOOO! :D

I hope everyone is having a great week! I do have some crafty stuff I'm working on that I hope to show soon and will hopefully be able to do a Fab Five this week. Thanks for visiting and thanks so much for your lovely comments!

If Loving Vintage Is Wrong, I Don't Wanna Be Right

While riding the bus in NY, we passed a vintage store called, "Cheap Jack's Vintage Clothing". Our stop was a few blocks up from there but Chris was lovely enough to make the hike in the opposite direction we were heading so I could check it out. And let me tell you, if you love vintage and you're in NYC, you gotta go here.

No pics of the place itself as they had HUGE signs saying they would essentially eat my camera if they caught me taking pictures but they had an AMAZING selection of clothes, hats, shoes, bags etc from the 1940's through 1980's. Here's what a I snagged:

A 50's day dress in excellent condition (and half off!)

A hat, too cute (and Chris picked this one out. I paid an ungodly amount for it! lol)

And this was the first hat to catch my eye, pink and sparkly! It needs some TLC though!

Also while in New York, I went to a fabulous book store that carries used and new books, along with out of print and rare books. I was in heaven! I immediately ransacked the film section and found these beauties (all out of print I believe):



"Life is a Banquet" by Rosalind Russell, "A Book" by Desi Arnaz, "Ava" by Ava Gardner and "Sunshine and Shadows" by Mary Pickford. And one night while going to a friend's house, I found this:



See? God wants to me collects books so there! :P lol

But the vintage discoveries did not stop once I got home! I decided to go into a little shop that is within walking distance of my house and it was a treasure trove! I couldn't believe all of this awesomeness was right under my nose all this time! She had stuff from the 1800's! It is amazing and I've already been there twice again. lol I got a January 1953 issue of Better Homes and Gardens and these hats:






But then, best of all, I found this GORGEOUS 50's dress, covered in cherries!




Vintage heaven....

Her Name Is Carrie And She Is A Craftoholic...

Welcome to this week's edition of Craftoholics!

No idea what the what I'm talking about? Go here to find out more!

This week's Craftoholic is the scrappiest Carrie!

Please list any crafts you enjoy making. What is your favorite?

"My fave craft is scrapbooking, by far! I do love other crafts but like them best if I can find a way to include them on my scrapbook pages. I love to get messy with my girls and create glittery crafts for every occasion. The most unusual craft we made last year was the milk jug skeletons. We painted them with glow in the dark paint – they rocked!"

When did you start making crafts? Was there a particular reason or event that got your started?

"I made tons of crafts as a kid with egg cartons, wall paper, pipe cleaners, glitter and glue. I got started scrapbooking years later and didn’t really like it! LOL 'They want me to CUT UP my pictures? Are they CRAZY?'"


I love the label maker journaling and omg that baby is too cute!

What do you like to do when you aren't crafting?

"I love to read. I am a voracious reader and have read over 100 books this year alone. Yes, I am counting. If I were a Sesame Street character I’d be the Count while my DH would be Snuffleupagus!"


What makes you a craftoholic? What drives you to create?

"I am driven to scrapbook because I want to capture all the sweet, quirky, wonderful moments of our lives! I love taking pictures and shopping for scrapbook supplies and combining them to make something beautiful and fun!"


I love this movie! (Although the layout is much sweeter, lol) And Tim Holtz himself commented on Carrie's blog re: this layout, wow!

What is your favorite food?

"It’s gotta be KD! Seriously, sad but true, I could live on the stuff!"

How long have you been blogging?

"About 2 months now!"

What do you like best about blogging?

"I love all the inspiration out there in the blogosphere. There is so much creative mojo out there that people want to share! I like being part of this great community!"


Love those pleats!


What craft have you always wanted to try but, for whatever reason, never have?

"Crochet. I recently fell in love with crochet flowers and bought a whole bunch from a fellow Scrapbooker. Sue has now offered to teach me how to do it myself – how sweet is she?!"

Oh no! You've been ship wrecked on a deserted island! (Luckily you grabbed your adhesive and scissors before you jumped ship!) Name 3 other crafting supplies that your creative survival depends upon! (Note: Capt. Jack Sparrow is not a crafting supply!)

"No Jack??!! Will there be Rum? I’ll definitely need the Rum!!! LOL

I’d need fancy brads, ink and patterned paper!"

Thanks for letting me interview you Carrie! You are one scrapper of a Craftoholic!

Be sure to check back next Monday when another lucky victim...ahem, I mean crafter will be added to the Craftoholic family!

Sugar Takes Manhattan, New York Part Three

Okay y'all, I'm going in a million different directions at the moment: some creating, new vintage finds, still uploading NY pics, playing with my newest toy, waking up with Toot several times a night and visiting all of your fabulous selves so please forgive me for not keeping up with the 'ole blog like I normally do! :D

One day while we were in the City, we were walking to our bus stop when all of a sudden something caught my eye. Something that I never thought I would find in the concrete jungle that is New York (at least until I turned the corner anyway). I'm, of course, talking about...Crumbs.



This shop has about any flavor of cupcake you can imagine and they are HUGE. They had other things like dessert pizzas and coffees but please, go for the cupcakes. (Though their iced coffee was fantastic.) We walked away with four of their amazing creations:



From left top to bottom right (descriptions from their website):

S'mores: *I couldn't find this one on their site but just trust me, it was freaking awesome. :)

Peanut Butter Cup: "Rich chocolate cake filled and frosted with our peanut butter cream cheese frosting and topped with whole peanut butter cups and rimmed in peanut butter and chocolate chips."

Key Lime: "Vanilla cake filled with vanilla buttercream and frosted with a tart key lime cream cheese, decorated with white sprinkles around the edge" (This one is seasonal)

Cappuccino: "Chocolate cake filled and frosted with our signature coffee cream cheese, decorated with mini chocolate chips and lightly dusted with cocoa powder" (and my personal favorite!)

They have local delivery from their locations in NYC and LA but they also just happen to ship them to wherever you are. Oh snap! I know what I'm having for dessert!