See You In 2010!

We just arrived in San Diego from our holiday trip back home to the Oregon Coast- back just in time to relax in my pjs on the couch! Here are the last of my favorite pictures from this week :) See you in 2010!

Still Here

I am still here at home on the Oregon Coast enjoying much needed time spent with family. A few more days left of vacation and then it is back to work in the studio, creativity and lots of new work, ideas and inspiration to share with all of you!!

Peace, Calm & Happiness

Despite a number of last minute things going wrong, meltdowns and just the typical holiday stress we flew home to the Oregon Coast on Christmas day. After a couple of days of eating, lots of family walks, taking lots and lots of photos and more eating...I am finally starting to embrace a little relaxation- something that doesn't seem to come easy. I hope everyone is enjoying some peace, calm and well deserved happiness this weekend.

XOXO

Wishing lots of love to everyone!!

one of those days

Felt Holiday Cookie Tutorial

I have a family FULL of foodies - myself and husband included- so on my list of things to make this holiday is food out of fabric to use as present toppers. This project is so easy and the end result might just be the cutest project I have made so far!!!

Start with pieces of felt in colors that represent the food your are making. I decided to start with making cookies but you could make just about anything!!

If you do not have access to felt, a few alternatives are paper, fabric scraps or even painted fabric.

Cut out cookie shapes.

Add embellishments - chocolate chips out of felt, sprinkles from beads, icing from different colors- get creative with "decorating" your cookies!)

Once satisfied with the cookie, sew the top and bottom together and then stuff with just a little stuffing-this is optional- you may not want fluffy cookies :)

Have fun with color and contrast....

Tiny beaded embellishments that look like sprinkles...

Pretty designs with stitching...

Get creative "decorating" your cookies.

Use them on the tree- I am thinking next year a tree full of cookie ornaments!!

Use them in your gift wrapping.

Stack them on a plate as a fun and unexpected holiday party favor and let party guests each take one.

Or just keep them around to make you smile!

Magic

A tiny Eiffel Tower snow globe found while rushing around today-

just what I needed.

Recycled Tag Tutorial

I have never EVER purchased gift tags- once again why buy when you can create! I have been recycling clothing and merchandise tags for a while now and the holidays are the perfect time for this simple project.

I keep a stash of recycled tags on hand in my studio ( I always save tags in fun shapes and unique sizes!)

Simply paint over tags- I painted mine with simple white acrylic paint for a clean slate and then started creating!

I stitched...

I beaded....

I dripped....

I collaged.... my way to an entire collection of unique tags for all of my holiday gifts!

Meeting In The Ladies Room- Bold and Brave!

I love brave and bold women, the kind that that are not afraid to speak their minds, women who are strong and real with their opinions and inspire others to be themselves. When my path crossed online with Linda Woods a couple of years ago (we shared the same publisher) I knew she was one of these women and I liked her right away- she is honest, witty and has the guts to say stuff that lots of us are thinking (but are too afraid to say) and her blog has been one of my daily favorites.

Linda and her sister Karen Dinino already have two successful books (Journal Revolution and Visual Chronicles) and set out write another book- only this time self published and on their own terms- a bold and brave move that makes me love them EVEN more! Their latest book Meeting in the Ladies Room: Reflections Of Women In A Room Of Their Own is totally thought provoking and like nothing I have read. It is collection of raw and amazing photographs and essays from 68 super brave women who share images of themselves and reveal intimate thoughts from that one place- where we women seem to do our most authentic thinking- the ladies room. I immediately found myself thinking about the many moments that I too have experienced in bathrooms- gossiping at work, the place I go to cry, loving and hating the way that I look, changing my hair, traveling, getting ready for many wonderful events and the list goes on and on. I LOVE this book and it will be given as a gift to many of my girl friends!! Thank you to Linda and Karen for a book that is bold and brave and reminds us just how complex, challenged, strong and amazing we are as women.