She's traveling {again}

When I started this blog, my husband and I were travelers.  We went everywhere.  All over the US and Canada and even Europe.

I still love Europe and it will always be my favorite place.

Now, with Mr. Fussy Pants in tow, we don't travel as much and they are easy trips.  He's getting better and we figure the more he goes with us, the better he'll be in a few years.

This is just a quick trip to Las Vegas to see my boys play.  Its an annual tradition for us.  A bunch of diehard fans make the trip by car, bus an plane to see the two teams play every year and its always a LOT of fun.  Even though its a preseason game, the atmosphere is always that of a playoff game.

See last years post.  And 2007.  Yes, that was the REAL Neil Diamond.  And that stein of beer IS the same size as my son.

One of these days, we're taking him to Germany to eat in the REAL Hofbrauhaus.  He's going to be a true German baby!

So this year.....

Its more quiet.  We stay off the strip at a timeshare - the family friendly way to do Vegas.  We'll take Nick to the Strip to see the lights because he'll think it Christmas.  The M&M store and to see the lions before the game at MGM.

The fans usually line up along the food court, just outside the entrance to the arena and chant things as players and Avs fans walk by.

Just to see how much fun we have:

Photos from 2009

I am hoping to get some crafty time in during the 5 days we'll be gone so look for some fun stuff when I get back - or during the week!

Winners!

Thank you ALL for stopping by last week and leaving comments.  For those of you who don't, make sure you leave some love each week for the DT on their blogs and in the Gallery.  We all love a little praise now and then.

So who won???
Sundays Winner($10.00 in Stash Cash) : #3 Melanie said...

I can't wait to see the new blog!

Tuesdays Winners : #19  Laurie $10.00 in Stash Cash)
I really love the chicago layout! That building paper is super cute!

#15 : Chrisd  (One month subscription to the new Blog)

Great project especially with such limited time in your life!The hop is wonderful and the ideas so helpful.

Fridays Winner: #7 Denise ($10.00 in Stash Cash)
Oh my goodness, I LOVE your masks!!! I love G45's Halloween paper. Fabulous choice!!!!!

Email me at bmw (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your prize!

Last creative post of the week and last chance to win.....

Last chance to win!  Post a comment on this post for another chance at some Stash Cash!

Just a few more projects today.  My focus is now Halloween so for the next few weeks you'll see Halloween ideas posted here.  My son is totally in love with Halloween.  When we walk through the store, he wants to stop at look at the decoration section.

This year, we decided to invite everyone over for dinner that night and let them help Nick celebrate the day.  Last year we had a few people over (grandparents mostly) and he LOVED showing off his costume and the candy he collected.  We only hit a few houses because he didn't have the concept down.  When people answered the door he just walked right in.  They all thought it was funny.

This year he knows what to do.  He's going to be Buzz Lightyear and save the Galaxy from the evil Emperer Zurg (Rascal).

Back to the party.  I bought a few magazines at the bookstore that had a ton of ideas for baking, decorating and more.  I'm now making a Halloween idea book (more on that next week).  I'm putting all of the ideas in there that I really like.  I'm including Fall/Thanksgiving ideas too.  I'll be putting a Christmas one together too.

The first thing I did was make a long list of things I wanted to accomplish.  I used my iPhone to keep track of ideas as they came to or I saw them.  I'll work on everything as the month goes by so that I have a box full of fun when the party day arrives!

First - Invites!

I LOVED Martha Stewarts mask invites from last season.  I have some Echo Park papers picked out for this one.  And that Drippy Goo punch (can't find that?  I can special order any Martha punch for you.  Drop me an email.)

My invites will be made from the Echo Park paper while the Masks will be a combination of Echo Park and Graphic 45 Halloween in Wonderland.

I downloaded the template for the mask on MarthaStewart.com and started cutting.  I used black cardstock for a template.

First, cut the template out of paper and trace it onto black cardstock.  The cardstock acts as a support for the mask AND it hides the ugly end of the stick.  Just sandwich the bamboo skewer  between the papers.

Next, cut out items from the paper.  I used various small characters from the playing card paper.

To decorate, I used clear glimmer mist (These are available from every mist company.  Tattered Angels, Shimmerz, Maya Road etc).  Just to give it a little shimmer.  I painted with the new paints from Shimmerz and Smooch.

Final result?

Some really cute masks for the guests.  These will not be mailed with the invites but will be on display for guests to choose from when they arrive.

For the men, spiderweb mustaches.

Next week look for pictures of invites and the guys mustaches!
ETA:  Just saw that Echo Park is hosting a Halloween contest.  Click HERE for details.

Finally posting something creative

Somewhere in the last few posts I mentioned that with the business and a very active 3 year old, I don't get to scrap as much as I'd like.  But I set aside one day a month and thats MY day.  I take off for 12 hours and spend time with friends.  I usually talk more than I scrap.  I was actually productive this month!

Just a few of the things I got done: (please excuse the funny lighting on these.  our weather is has been off for this time of year and we've had a marine layer every day)

Summer Mini (started)  I used a combination of papers from Echo Park, October Afternoon and Little Yellow Bicycle.

My favorite part of the LYP line was the 10 Things I love about summer pocket and tabs.  We are sold out of it in the store and since this is a seasonal release we cannot order anymore.  HOWEVER, this is one of those things that you can easily recreate with papers and any kind of sticker number!  Some ideas for cute pockets are the Maya Road Kraft envelopes.  We just stocked up on those because we know you love them!

And some layouts.  This is based on a sketch by Julie Bonner:

Based on a Sketch from Sketch Inspiration: 

A baby frame made for a friend (We don't sell this line from My Minds Eye but I couldn't resist a few pieces from it)

OC Fair using Hipstamatic prints and some Studio Calico exclusive papers.  I added one of those Maya Road kraft envelopes to this layout to hold all of the ride tickets we had left.

Lastly, a layout from my Chicago trip this Summer.  Mom and I stopped by the Bean on our quick city tour.  I was fascinated with this and wish there was one in NYC.

Here is your next chance to win.  I'm giving away a $10.00 Stash Cash certificate AND one free month to our new Subscription Blog.

Leave a comment on this post for a chance at one of these.  Make sure you hop to the next blog for more chances to win!

Stash Blog
Alyssa
Susan
Valerie
Lady Grace
Erica (you are here)
Heidi

Blog Hop time!

I love Blog Hop weeks because it forces me to be creative and to post my ideas on the blog.  I'm usually so busy running the store that I don't get a lot of creative time.

I do set aside at least one day each month where I leave everything at home and scrap!

I have a few projects to share this week but first....

A little something we have up our sleeve!

Alyssa and I think alike.  Thats one of the reasons she's in charge of the store blog, contests etc.  She approached me about an idea she had brewing and it was something I'd had on the back burner for most of the year.

I like selling kits but the kit process is pretty intense.  Planning, obtaining products, kitting, selling etc.  Its a pretty huge deal but I know our customers like them.  I wanted to make these more available to you on a regular basis but at the same time, I didn't want to turn the store into a Kit store.

This led to instructions and other issues with kits.  How do you instruct you on the cool part of the kit - the techniques.

We developed (by we I mean Alyssa) a separate blog that will house our kit instructions.  These will be available to you via a PDF file when you purchase the kits.  In addition to the printed instructions, we will be offering you a place to go and actually see the videos and get step by step instructions on HOW TO do something in the kit.  When you purchase a kit, you will automatically get access to the blog for a period of time.

Now, if you don't want to buy the kit but you want access to the blog and everything it has to offer then this will be available to you on a subscription basis.

This is just a teaser!  I will reveal more about this later this week along with sneaks of the first kit AND give away a few subscriptions!

If you haven't checked out the other blogs in the Stash Hop, make sure you do.  We're all giving away prizes and gift certificates (Stash Cash) this week!

Erica (you are here)
Heidi
Stash Blog
Alyssa
Susan
Valerie
LG

Lets start the prizes!  Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win $10.00 in Stash Cash!  Winners will be announced at the end of the Hop!

Cleaning out my room

This was LONG overdue and the purging process has been healing.

I just kept accumulating and never using.  I kept moving from one room to a bigger room.

No more.  I'm downsizing.  Working on some new storage space ideas that I'll review in a little while.  For now, pictures of the empty desk that I designed and my dad built.  Its all made from the laminate closet pieces at Lowe's or Home Depot.

First Day of School

Technically he's still in daycare at Tutor Time but he did move to the next room.

We stopped into Ms. Corinne's room this morning to say one last goodbye and then headed down to Ms. Marlo's room.

There were a few tears but I'm sure he's going to love being with the big kids now.

Rewards

Remember this post?  Where I said we were rewarding him with a ride on the real train?

Well, we went.  We took the Surfliner down to Solana Beach and back.

He was mesmerized the entire time and he never let go of the safety instructions.  In fact, we accidently walked off the train with a set.  Whoops!

Since there are limited trains on the weekends, we had a few hours to kill.  Brunch in a little hole in the wall place followed by a quick dip in the ocean.  Well, someone didn't want to get his feet wet so *I* played in the water a little.