Sunday, December 31, 2006

Sympathy


For my Mother-in-law, my Father-in-law passed away today.

The last bit of life to be featured here, but so many of you knew what was going on, I had to finish this. Thank you so much for your support!

I really liked this sketch when I saw it on 2 peas and I was going to do something else with it but this is perfect.

life

is going on a different blog. This one was intended only for art.

I have to thank all you lovely talented generous ladies for your thoughts and prayers. That means the world to me!!!!

Have a wonderful, safe and Happy New Year!!

{{{{Hugs}}}}

Friday, December 29, 2006

a small update on life and art

my fil is no better or no worse. I'm looking on that as the longer he stays as is, the more he's healing. Probably doesn't make sense but it's the only way to look at it for me.

On a sadder note we lost DH's aunt, fil's sil, last night after a a very long battle with CA. She finally has peace.

ART - none happening right now but come Sunday, the start of a 3 day weekend for me, I have a lot to get into, including brainstorming about a white on white swap. I know what my brain is seeing but I'm not sure I can pull it off.

Peace!!!!

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

sorry

I got real tired of the black b/g so I changed to one I've seen and really liked and am much more comfortable with. But... I lost all my links, dummy me didn't save the template. Lesson learned. LOL

Please bear with me while I get them back on. I have so much to learn about HTML .. soooo much!

On a happier note, fil is doing better, not good but better and .... WE HAVE HOT WATER!!!!!!! Only after we called the plumber back cause one of the connections blew off after they had left from installing the new one! Had to laugh.

Monday, December 25, 2006

and more last minute!





These are the last I'm making! I don't feel like making any more after the last 12 hrs we've been through.

DH and I were at the hospital til 6 this morning with his family, his Dad is very ill, then when we got home I discovered that our hot water tank had let go. Water freakin' everywhere. Bathroom floor - flooded, storage room floor - partly and the floor of the closet with the tank - overflowing. I used every single set of towels save one to mop up the mess. Christmas day without hot water. This is not going to be fun.

Hope you all have a better day than us!

Merry Christmas

I want to wish all of you talented people who visit my blog a very Merry Christmas. Thank you so much for th sweet, kind comments you so generously leave. It makes my day when I read, and reread, LOL, all the lovely things you say about my art. Thank you so very much.

Have a Joyous and Magical Christmas Day

Hugs
Mary-Beth

Saturday, December 23, 2006

more last minute!




These images were already done so I just put them together with whatever paper I thought would look good. LOL

4 or 5 more to do, on top of everything else I have to do tomorrow after working midnights tonight. Just a typical birthday for me!! LOL

Thursday, December 21, 2006

last minute



These are real quick cards that I need at the last minute. I'll be doing that a lot in the next 3 days.! The poinsettas are coloured with Twinkling H2O's love them.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

2 vintage Santas





I'm not ready to stop playing with Santas!! Both these cards are using images from a clip art cd by Joanna Banana Designs I got off eBay.ca. Gorgeous images on this cd.

The grey border around the blue Santa is silver glitter - darn scanner robs the sparkly!! The 1st time I've used it! Love it but man do you have to be careful - I can just see glitter all over the place!! LOL

Sunday, December 17, 2006

My UHU experience





A couple of weeks ago I was blog hopping and noticed on one that UHU (adhesives) was offering free samples. I'm always looking for a good glue so I clicked on the link, I have it in my links (Maria Filosa's UHU Project Blog) and emailed them for a sample, forgetting to give them my address. They mailed me back the next day and very graciously agreed to my request and asked for my snail mail. D'oh!! Should have remembered!

About 2 weeks later I received my samples of the UHU Creativ Scrapbookers Pen and the UHU non permanent glue roller. I love the Scrapbookers Glue Pen, it is a very strong glue and doesn't buckle the paper as much as other clear liquid glues do. In small amounts, it doesn't buckle the paper at all. The only thing I have found so far, I've been using it for a week and haven't delved all it's applications yet, is that it doesn't appear to like to adhere flat back gems. I adhered all the gems to the front of the Piano Hinge Book in the previous post with it and 2 of the gems popped off 2 days later.

The UHU Glue Roller is a neat little tool. I don't scrap but in making my cards etc, I have used it to adhere a piece of card to my glass cutting mat so I can cut it without the paper moving all over the place. I like that it dispenses in micro dots as there ARE no strings left when you lift the dispenser off the paper. LOVE that!!

All in all I will be looking into getting more UHU products as I'm happy with the samples I have recieved. Thanks UHU!!!!! LOL

I'm back ... for now...

Yes I know, it's been a while. I don't get much creating done during my work week. Not enough time to get into anything. I still have about 25 cards to make this weekend on top of everything else to finish, another small gift, cleaning .. etc.





This is my 1st piano hinge book. It's 1 3/4 x 2" made with red text weight paper, stamped with images using gold ink, the cover is a piece of Basic Grey folded in half and glued so it's stiffer and I used round toothpicks for the skewers. I 'distressed' them in a mixture of Pesto and Stream alcohol inks diluted in water. I made it for a member of my Holiday/Christmas Mingle on one of the groups I'm a member of. I really hope she likes it.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006



The cards for the swap showed up today. But as I slowly panicked this was the replacement I made for the originals. Now I'll use them for Christmas cards!! The ribbons on the side are a silver layered over a gold. Neither shows well. The green frame is so the white base card doesn't disappear. The lid of my scanner is white.

Yeah, I got 11 more cards done today! I'm amazed. LOL

I'm getting in the spirit!!!!

A friend sent me this e-mail and I thought it was fun. Share your answers!

2006 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends

Welcome to the 2006 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends! You know the drill. Highlight, copy, and paste (not forward) and change my answers to your answers. Be sure to send back to me. Enjoy!! Everyone has time for a few moments of fun! Don't be a scrooge!!!


Your Name: Mary-Beth

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

Wrapped.

3. Coloured lights on tree/house or white?

Coloured on tree inside but I want to go white.

4 . Do you hang mistletoe?

Absolutely!

5. When do you put your decorations up?

Usually about 2 weeks before Christmas. Earlier if I can get away with it! LOL

6. What is your favourite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

Turkey and fresh cranberry sauce!

7. Favourite Holiday memory as a child:

My Mom doing Christmas dinner and having so much company we’d have to bring the table into the living room with a ‘child’s’ table.

Also my Aunt Evelyn’s amazing baking.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I was about 8 and I was so upset!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Not any more but when we were 1st married and before kids we did.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
‘Crystal’, gold, and matte silver ornaments with pearl bead garland, with some very old and treasured ones from my childhood and my kid’s childhoods.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Absolutely love it at Christmas but not so much any other time. Too many idiot drivers who forget how to drive in it.

12. Can you ice skate?
Yes but I haven’t in years.

13. Do you remember your favourite gift?
My engagement ring! But I got that 7.5 years after we were married. LOL

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for
you?
Spending time with my family.

15. What is your favourite Holiday Dessert?

Mince meat pie.

16. What is your favourite holiday tradition?
Having the family together.

17. What tops your tree?
A beautiful Angel. (surprized? LOL)

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?
I love both.

19. What is your favourite Christmas Song?

Too many to name.

20. Candy Canes?

Yes and Turtles!

Merry Christmas one and all! (a little early, I know)

Mary-Beth

Sunday, December 03, 2006

amid the chaos

that is my stamping area, I have done 3 more cards. One is kinda cased from Holly but hers reminded me of one I'd done a couple of years ago for a swap. I hate redoing cards but I'm almost desperate this year.






I've got some absolutely gorgeous (to me anyway) paper that I want to use but I don't want to take away from the images. I'll find a way!!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

more Christmas

For Holly, but you've already seen the sprite and I'm sooo not happy with the other one. I have some gorgeous French ribbon that I'd love to use but I can't seem to get it to work in a design. Boohoo.





That's it for now but more, definitely tomorrow. I've got one cooking that so far I really like.

Geez why is this so hard this year?

playing with the blog

Many thanks to all the people whose blog I have visited and got ideas from, I think you know who you are, and to J@cqueline who gave me the nudge to get larger pics on here. I'm still playing , totally new to HTML and I'm afraid I'm going to really screw something up. oops!

As for the music, LOVE the Peppers but I really want to get something Christmasy up here. Soon I hope.

And I love stripes! I could sit for 'hours' playing with that. So soothing!! So sad!!!!! LOL

Back to art. I really need to get some Christmas cards done this weekend. I called in sick tonight so if I'm feeling better later, I'll try to get to it. Otherwise, tomorrow and Monday are going to be card making days.

Stamp and Alter on!!! LOL

Monday, November 27, 2006

it's starting!


The beginning of this card makers most stressful time of year. I'm always in swaps, sometimes 4 or 5 at once and I get really stressed about what am I going to do but I swear Christmas comes and my darling muse decides to take a nice long vacation. I have all these great ideas for gorgeous cards but when I start making them, they NEVER turn out as I'd envisioned. These 2 took a weekend!! JUST 2! I have about 40 cards to make and 2 weeks to do them in. HELP!!!!! Plus a 'Holiday Mingle' that I have to make a small giftie for. Plus living room to move around, house to clean, .... gosh ...... when am I going to be able to do cards? (sob) LOL

Sunday, November 19, 2006

atc chain



I made these today for an atc chain a friend 'invited' me to join. I'm not big on these and I have turned down this animal before. If it had been anyone else sending it to me I would have said no. I'm the only 1 of her 6 contacts who didn't bow out. LOL And as far as I know none of my 6 did either.
Now I just have to get 2 mingle 4x4's done with a December theme and a couple of Christmas cards done this weekend, plus change the living room around and do more housework and ...and...and.... God it never ends. I just want to do art!!! LOL

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

something new



This is all I've managed to get done in a week. It's for a 5-4-4 snowflake swap and has a pop up inside. I wanted this card to be 'SOMETHING'.

Christmas cards next but I'm not really looking forward to it, yet. I have some gorgeous papers to play with tho', so, .... whatever, I have to get to them soon.

I made this atc for the hostess of the swap. This is the 1st time I have ever used collage images for an atc. Feels weird not stamping.

I remembered that I have to make 6 atc's for the members of an atc chain I'm taking part in and I just started a Holiday mingle on one of the groups, to try to shake things up and get it moving again.

2 weeks later and this swap still hasn't reached the swap hostess. I have to do another set up today and send it E.P. . Not sure my heart's in that. But this taught me a {valuable} lesson - ALWAYS BRING A ROLL OF TAPE WHEN YOU GO TO THE P.O.. Don't ask! Crap.



Wednesday, November 08, 2006

New stuff

I haven't been very ambitious lately and the art is suffering as is the blog, But I have 2 new pieces and I'm working on a snowflake (surprized? if you knew me you wouldn't be! LOL) card swap. I want to do pop up cards but we'll see.


This is my entry in another artists deco. It's theme is Scottish Proverbs. My quote reads ' When thecup is full - carry it even!'

This a Rememberance day 4.5 x 4 for a 'year long' all holiday mingle with one of my groups.

Monday, October 23, 2006

My Paperbag deco

I did a paper bag book for another artist a couple of years ago and I was so happy with it, I didn't want to give it away. Well, when I joined Canadian Altered Book group on Yahoo, I found that among altering books, they also did their own decos and sent them out for others to work in. I decided almost right then and there to do another PPB. The idea came from a tutorial by Corinne Stubson.


The 1st image is the front of the deco. I just love the vintage Santa that's on the back.

I only have 5 players for this but I hope that as it's travelling it might get a little more TLC.

Monday, October 02, 2006

Rainbow atc swap











A lady on one of my groups came up with the marvelous idea to do an ATC swap with the colours of the rainbow as the theme. Over the next 7 months we did each of the colours and it was fun. Then we decided to do a metallics round and finally Black and White with a touch of colour. I really enjoyed doing all these combinations. I forgot to scan Orange and Blue, darn it!

This was a ton of fun and I hope we do something like this again, soon.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Hallowe'en already!



a card made for a 1-4-1 return and a 4.5x4 for the Holiday MIngle swap on one of my groups. I think I'm going to turn that one into a type of fat book.

I'd like to get more Hallowe'en cards made this year. I'd like to get some use out of this stamp set. I bought it for last year but only got it 3 days before, so I didn't use it at all.

Monday, September 25, 2006

My latest


These are the 2 spreads I did in a friend's 12 Days of Christmas deco. These came really easily so I was very happy.

I've cut back on what I do for now with Christmas coming and the cards to do, I don't want to feel pressured . As it is I have 3 more decos to work in, my own to get ready and get out, Alpha Christmas tags - 2 sets, Oct. holiday Mingle and Black and White atc swap, I think that's enough for now. LOL

Thursday, September 21, 2006

earlier stuff





I am Woman swap
Black and White with a touch of Colour







Artful Stamper swap