Nancy Wethington

*Hobo Halloween*

My DT challenge this week for Frosted Designs was to do something that was layered and popped-up. Easy for me because (as my students know) I LOVE chunky! (No comments here  ; ) please.)

So, I search in the treasure trove of photos I have and found one of my Mom & Dad's house in 1956.  I remember moving into this house.  I was just 6 years old when we moved.  I had already been to kindergarten with the publix (remember how we used to call the kids that went to public school *publix* - which meant public school kids vs Catholic school kids.  Too funny.)  and had to repeat kindergarten in Catholic school because I missed the age requirement for the Catholics.  I could go to kindergarten as a 5 year old with the publix, but the Catholics required a child to be 6 years old.  I didn't mind.  I loved sandbox.  Hated naps.  There I go again .  . But seriously, who couldn't pass kindergarten back in the day?!

Anyway, the bar that you see in the photo was something one of my Aunt's had and didn't want anymore.  It was enormous - a bar from a tavern so you can imagine how heavy and big it was.  My Dad wanted that bar, but the builder told him it wouldn't fit in the basement.  So my Dad had movers bring it in before the basement steps and the first floor were done.  So in essence, the first piece of furniture in the house was that bar.  He was really proud of having that.  A year after we moved in, Dad completed the entire basement into a rathskeller (prounounced rat-skeller for you young-uns).  And where did that word come from?  Creepy huh?

And check out what my Mom did:  Theme Party at Halloween: Everyone dressed as hobos (what happened to all the hobos that used to jump trains and carry napsacks on sticks?) and Mom must have served food out of big old cans.  You can see the cans on the table setting.

And the story I told above is why we all need to journal in/on our scrapbooks. My intelligent knows-all kid wouldn't know what a *publix* or a *rat-skeller* is, now would he!

The paper is mostly

Pink Paislee

(how cute is the *Anonymous Society* on the paper!)

with a bit of

 some very old d-Originals & Making Memories thrown in for good measure.

*Fall Frolic* is from an old ?????? sticker sheet I found in my stash.

 

Here's some close-ups:

This is a piece of some very old yet timeless Design Originals paper

with a bit of Magic Mesh underneath.

Martha Stewart punches all around the background

and then put that on top of black Bazzill cardstock

to make the color pop.

The photo is triple matted.

Have to add some hardware

and what better on a Halloween layout

than an old skeleton key

with some Tim Holtz Idea-ology hanging from it.

The pumpkin (also from a piece of Design Originals)

is looking up at the photo and popped up

with some pom-poms hanging from the photo.

Debating whether this pumpkin needs googly eyes.

 

I purchase all my supplies

@

For Keeps Sake Scrapbook.

 

 

PS from Webster's Dictionary: 

raths⋅kel⋅ler/ˈrɑtˌskɛlər, ˈræt-, ˈræθ-/  [raht-skel-er, rat-, rath-]

–noun

1.	(in Germany) the cellar of a town hall, often used as a beer hall or restaurant.

2.	a restaurant patterned on the German rathskeller, usually located below street level.

 

This is why . . .

I get side-tracked.  This morning, I completed a layout for the Frosted Designs DT and sent that off to Meg.  It's a Halloween layout, so naturally I started going through the bottom drawer of my file cabinet to look for Halloween papers and embellishments.

That bottom drawer

houses paper and embellishments for holidays and special pages in categories:

• New Year's stuff
• Valentine
• Easter
• 4th of July
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• Building/Construction
• Cooking
• Sewing
• Marines (USMC)

You get the picture I'm sure.  Hadn't been through that drawer in ages.  Occassionally I go through my papers and embellies to see if there's anything I KNOW I'm not going to use anymore.  If I don't want it, it gets put into a box and donated to a school. (Don't send your requests.  I already have a school/kids I donate to.)

So, I start going through the drawer and look what I found:

Do you know how old this is? 

When I first started scrapbooking (the way we know it today), Beau was in grade school (he's now 25). The only thing available as a true scrapbook supply was from that home-based business.  It was all white with stickers.  That was it.  I loved color and techniques and stamping and heat guns and was already hooked on all of that.  So plain white paper really wasn't up my alley.

Back in the day, there weren't any scrapbook stores that I knew of in the St. Lou area so I shopped at locally owned art stores.  Purchased extra large pieces of art paper and cut them up for my scrapbooks.  Also perused wallpaper stores where they gave me outdated wallpaper books.  I'd bring those home and Stacey & Sonja and I would go through them and save the *good* paper patterns to use in our art work. 

When For Keeps Sake opened, I was thrilled beyond words. Kid in a candy store.  Wow what a selection of products (and this was at their (former) teeny store on Telegraph.  Now it's a 6500 square foot superstore - so you can imagine!)

Anyway, this was one of my first purchases when they moved their store from Telegraph to Lemay Ferry.  It was in their clearance box - literally a cardboard box on the floor.  Loved going through that box as there were always treasures to be found.  Can't give it away.  I know I'll use it someday. 

And now you know why my scrap art room looks like it does!

What's your favorite old scrap item that you just can't part with?

Here's another *side-tracked* question for you:

We always said ANYWAY - but kids today say ANYWAYS.  Why?

 

PS: I really don't have A.D.D.  These thoughts just rush through my head and I feel the need to share. Have a wonderfully creative day!

Your Opinion Counts!

Planning my classes for 2010 and want to add classes to the schedule that YOU want.  So had to visit my LSS (For Keeps Sake Scrapbook) to see what they have that peeked my interest for newly planned classes.  Brought home bags full of beautiful papers and embellishments:

So, what makes you sign up to take a class?

 

What type of classes do you like?

• Two page layouts
• One page layouts
• Mini-Books
• Book-binding (you know I'm planning more of these!)
• Jewelry
• Tag classes (you'll see more of these as well!)

 I do have some things in the works and really need your opinion - and it will count!

What price point do you like to pay for classes?  The current minimum charge per class is $18.  Of course, everyone wants to pay the minimum per class - that's a given.  You are aware that the price depends on what is included in the class.  What's your *breaking point* in today's economy?  Is it $20 - $25?  More if there's plenty of inclusions + you're learning something new? What's your class budget for 2010?

• Are you willing to pay more for a class when you

(a) are learning a new technique

(b) have many inclusions and ephemera included in your kit

(c) have leftover papers and trinkets that you can use on other projects

(d) all of the above

(e) none of the above, but here's what I'm looking for

Please send me your comments on what you'd like to see for classes.  Either post your comment below in the comment section or send an e-mail to [email protected]

I value your opinion and hope to design the perfect class for you!

 

Cute Alert!

I love this hobby because of all the sharing that goes on.  Can you imagine any other craft where you tell each person exactly how you did something, with what products, where you bought the products, who had the best deal on those same products and then show colored photos of not only the finished piece but each step along the way - without receiving any compensation whatsoever for sharing any of that?

Gotta love paper arts!

And with that in mind, I present another cute alert:

found on Melissa Bove's blog:

http://keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com

Isn't it sweet?

And once you get to her blog,

scroll down to see the stinkin' cute button tree.

 

I think (at least last time I was @ the store)

all these supplies can be purchased

@

For Keeps Sake Scrapbook.

 

psssst:  If FKS is out of the pre-cut acrylic snowflakes,

you can purchase the plain acrylic sheets

& die-cut your own snowflake on the Accu-Cut with one of their dies.

Add a Melissa Frances frame

Some pink ribbon & pearls from the ribbon wall.

Pretty and dainty snowflakes from the Christmas collection.

Done.

Too cute to pass up!

TFS Melissa!

 

 

"JOY" Christmas Album

This Friday night I'll be teaching a re-vamp of the popular

"JOY" Christmas Album class.

Basic supplies are required as follows:

• Wet (Zip Dry & K&Co or similar) & dry glue (tape runner). 
• Scissors (we recommend Tim Holtz Tonic)
• Cutter
• Craft Mat (Really important for this class.  We do have some for classroom use.)
• Pencil
• Crop-a-dile
• Piercer
• Distress Ink:  I used Brushed Corduroy but any brown colored Distress Ink will be fine; Fired Brick Distress Ink; Shabby Shutters Distress Ink (or any of your favorite red and green inks)
• Black glaze pen

In addition, we will be using the following supplies:

• Old rag or towel that can get inky
• Gold Dabber
• Glossy Accents
• Red line tape (that really sticky red tape that gets peeled off)
• Adirondack Alcohol Inks:  Mushroom; Meadow; Pitch Black; Pesto; Pearl & Silver Mixatives  (Don't worry if you don't have these.  I have them and you can borrow mine for the class.)
• Tim Holtz Ink Applicator with felt pads (not the spongy pads - must be felt for use with alcohol inks)
• Ranger's Coffee Archival Ink
• Large background-type music stamp.  (I have some but if you have one, please bring to class.  There will be 20 of us stamping at the same time!)

Note: The album itself is exactly the same as the original class - an 8x8 with the exact same number of decorated pages.  The inside pages had to be reworked as we could no longer get the same paper as the first class.  I think you'll be equally pleased with the inclusions - and, of course, it's an *innie & outtie* album with an extra technique thrown in for good measure.

Also, please check back to see if I added anything to the list.  I'm creating this list from memory with me at home and the album at For Keeps Sake - and you know how my memory is!

Thank you girls.  It's the first Friday night class in a long time.  The class is full at 20 people so get ready for a rip-roaring, girls night out!  We WILL complete this album in 4 hours!

The most delicious trade . . .

full of creativity . . . amazing detail . . . collage work . . .

our For Keeps Sake puzzle trade.

 

You can guess my theme!

 

Denise Mitchell:

 

Bonnie Heggemann:

 

 
Mary Walker:

 

 
 

Sherry Packer: 

 

 

 

Carolyn Krassinger:

Carolyn sent for a French Franc!

Thank you to your sweet cousin in Texas for the FF donation!

 

 

 
 

 

Carol Blankenship:

Evelyn Rozycki:

  Thank you girls!

This is cute . . .

and unfortunately so true! 

Dena sent me this and there's some things in here - well, you'll see!

Observations on Growing Older

• It's harder to tell navy from black.
• Everything old is new again, but if you wore it before, you're too old to wear it the 2nd time around.
• Your kids are becoming you -- and you don't like them, but your grandchildren are perfect!
• Yellow becomes the big color -- walls, hair, teeth.
• Going out is good; coming home is better!
• When people say you look "Great", they mean, "for your age"!
• When you needed the discount you paid full price. Now you get discounts on everything -- movies, hotels, flights.
• You forget names, but it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you.
• The last 2 outfits you wore had spots on them.
• You ask your husband or friend how your outfit looks, and they tell you the truth.
• The five pounds you wanted to lose is now 15, and you have a better chance of losing your keys than the 15 pounds.
• You realize you're never going to be really good at anything -- especially golf.
• Your husband is counting on you to remember things you don't remember.
• The things you cared to do, you don't care to do, but you care that you don't care to do them anymore.
• Your husband sleeps better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring then he does in bed. It's called his "pre-sleep".
• Remember when your mother said "Wear clean underwear in case you GET in an accident"? Now you bring clean underwear in case you HAVE an accident.
• You used to say, "I hope my kids GET married; now it's, "I hope they STAY married!"
• Who wants to wear 3 inch heels anyway?
•  You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch; GOOGLE, i-pod, email, modem were unheard of ,  and a mouse was something that made you climb on a table.
• You use more 4 letter words -- "what?"..."when?"
• Your husband has a night out with the guys but he's home by 9 P.M.; next week it will be 8:30 P.M.
• Notice everything they sell in stores is  "sleeveless"?
• Many of the people in People Magazine you've never heard of.
• Your concealer doesn't conceal.
• You don't have hair under your arms and very little on your legs, but your chin needs to be plucked daily.
• Everybody whispers.
• You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet, 2 of which you will never wear again.

This could be a mini-book waiting to happen. 

Great for a girlfriend's birthday, right? 

Leave spaces for photos and you're ready to go! 

Check this out!

Rachel Carlson designed this adorable tin

(with an equally cute party idea)

for

7 Gypsies.

See the entire tutelage here: 

http://sevengypsies.blogspot.com/2009/10/atc-tin-challenge_16.html

Friday's DT Challenge

My DT challenge for Frosted Designs is to use a marquee:

My first project included a die-cut marquee

from

Maya Road

with a hanging Tim Holtz Idea-ology mini-frame.

 

Gotta show you this.  I finally upgraded my Adobe Photoshop.

There's going to be a HUGE learning curve.

Quite by accident, I got this yesterday:

  
LOVE this.  Now to figure out how this was done!

If you have any good tips for learning  Adobe Photoshop Elements 7

please post a comment below.

 

Here's my 2nd DT entry:

The Marine photo of Beau was taken almost 4+ years ago

upon his graduation from MCRD.

It's amazing how much he's changed in just those 4 years in the Marines.

He looks like a boy in that photo

and such a man-look today.

Just typing this reminds me of what one of the officers said

upon graduation from MCRD:

You give us your boys.  We return a man.

(Sorry, there I go again. 

Have you noticed how I can talk about

3 different subject matters in the same sentence?)

 

Here's a close-up with a

Maya Road clock

Tim Holtz Idea-ology

and a beautiful heart charm from Dena & Muffy.

Thanks girls.  Love those charms!

E-Mail Frosted Designs a jpeg of your marquee layout, greeting card or project

and you could win a prize!

 

PS: I purchase all my supplies @ For Keeps Sake Scrapbook.

In a million years . . .

I don't think I could duplicate in any way the experience I had today. 

Inadequate words but . . .

phenomonal.  unimaginable.  unpredictable.  chance of a lifetime.  incredible.

My Morning With Mary Engelbreit

a true unedited story by Nancy W

 

• 8 a.m. Central Time: Deciding what to wear to Mary's studio.  Can't decide.  Dressed up or down?  Don't want to look too business-like.  Have to act as if I meet celebrities every day, right?  Decided to dress down and wear one of Tim Holtz' sweatshirts (well, not Tim's exactly, but one he designed).  Thought it was appropriate for the morning:

I know it's a sweatshirt, but I did iron it.

• 9 a.m. :  Leave the house.  My appointment is at 10 a.m., but Mary's studio is near a Starbucks.  Always a good idea to regroup before meeting the Queen. Right?  So just to make sure, I set the trusty GPS with Mary's address and off I go.

• 9:30 a.m.:  This is absolutely NOT the correct way to Mary's.  Where in the world did my GPS take me.  And why am I listening to this body-less voice?  I'm in North County (near Florissant I think) what the h*&^%  !  Turn this d*&%$ thing off and get me to the church on time!

• 9:55 a.m.:  Yep you read this right.  What should have taken me 20 minutes took me 55".  That's what I get for following that phantom voice. Finally, I pull up in front of Mary's studio.  My heart is pounding.  I leap out of the car with my Copics in hand.  In the front door:

Whew.  In the right place.

I climb the steps to see this:

I was buzzed into the waiting area

and the first thing that caught my eye was this:

 

 How cute is this!

 

I'm allowed to take photos (WOO HOO) and Mary said it was OK if I posted them on my blog.  Sit back and enjoy this show, ME style!

So far, this is all in the waiting/reception area!

 

 


 

This is in her *conference* room:

 

Above: Mary's glasses.  They're even cute and Mary-like!

And Jan takes me down the hall to peruse

The latest line of children's classics, illustrated by

Mary:

 

Sweet, energetic Jan telling me about Mary's illustrations.
 

 Then we get down to busy-ness with Mary & Copic Markers.

I took some tags (ala Tim Holtz) with me that were pre-stamped

so we'd have something to color and practice with.

I was coloring a pear tag - the colors pears normally are -

and then there's Mary coloring her pear.

GORGEOUS!

I wanna blue pear too!

In her talented hands:
 
 
 We colored for a bit.  Practiced with various tips

and then she started drawing.

I am sitting across from ME watching her draw and color

in her studio with my markers.

(Think any of that talent rubbed off on my Copics?)

By the time Mary finished coloring in that beautiful little face

she drew, it was angelic and the shading and highlighting were beyond reproach.

 

I was able to meet 2 of Mary's artists

 as well as her son Will

 and adorable Nina

(whose tiny little hand you see in the foreground) 

So sorry, but Nina did not want her picture taken

although she showed great artistry.

Guess I need to talk to her agent!

Look at the two photos above done by Mary's artists.

Their shadings are unbelievably real.

And near the end of my time at ME Studios,

here's Mary working on that dainty face.

 

What an experience.

 

And we're invited back for a complete studio tour

(once Nancy & Timi can make it)

with Jan (Queen of tours)

&

Jan, plan on lunch for sure!