Yesterday DD and her best friend decided to get creative. They used tape, pipe cleaners, paper, a shoe box, ribbon, markers and cardboard. Not sure what exactly they created, but they had a lot of fun. They were only a few feet from where I have my sewing machine set up on the dining table, and unable to use the kitchen table because I had some items on it that I used to make my DT submissions. You would be right if you said that we like to be creative. I put her in a high chair when she was a year old and let her paint t-shirts with her hands. DH was apoplectic. She was covered in t-shirt paint, and giggling.

Years later, her preschool teacher told me that DD was lucky to have a mom who let her be creative. I replied that she had no choice: she comes from a long line of crafters.

I never really thought of myself as creative, just crafty. I like to sew, used to crochet and obviously love to scrapbook. Maybe it is genetic. My mom sews - mainly quilts and has an embroidery machine. She has put cabinets in her root cellar to store crafts, mainly material. My late stepfather had a large metal garage to store his truck and other vehicles and Mom has turned half of that into a large sewing room because there is not enough room in her basement sewing room.

Her mom, my Grandma Maizie, was an excellent cook (her cookies are the stuff of legend), she sewed, refinished furniture and I don't know what else. If she were alive, I know she would have become a scrapbooker.

So, it MUST be genetic, something that carries along our X chromosome, but it also has to be nurtured because my female cousins on that side are not that crafty, but the never-married-aunt is.

Guess I am just lucky that I inherited my creativity and that it has been nurtured and I plan to keep doing the same with my daughter - and if I am lucky, my granddaughters.

Martial Arts Dies Wanted!!!

DH, DD & DS all take Martial Arts classes and I have been working on the first album. I need more dies!!! My friend Cheryle led me to Delta Cuts that has a Hapkido die in two different sizes that I have purchased. It is a guy doing a side kick and very useful, but I need more! Other

I really owe one to Cheryle, she is a die detective and can find ANYTHING. When she first offered me some cuts, I was unsure. As soon as I saw it, I sent the link to DH. He told me to go ahead. I even talked to the owner of Delta Cuts and asked her for more. I really hope she comes out with more and I would love it if Quickutz would come out with some.

I have become frustrated with the QK kimono, especially since DH keeps telling me that it doesn't look right. I would love some Korean or Japanese characters for strength and perserverence.

So, that is why I have no new numbers on my list: I have few QK dies to use on what I am doing!

Halloween Cards Done!

Whew, I finished the cards for Vanessa's Halloween Swap. I had a ton of fun and felt rather creative. I really hope that the recipients like them.

I used vellum for ghosts and vapor, I love how putting vellum through the Xyron helps the vellum to take on the texture of the paper it is applied to. I also decided that black bats didn't show up on the black background, so I used embossing powder to make them shiny. They came out with a strange texture, but I like it.

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Today my aunt and uncle that live in Arizona met us for lunch and then came to the house for a short visit. They travel during the summer, visiting several different states and this year we were lucky that they chose to return via North Texas.

Turns out that my aunt is a scrapbooker! My poor uncle said that they were hitting every Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's that they saw. They have lived in so many countries (Morocco, Spain, Japan, Turkey, The Netherlands) that they would have the most incredible scrapbooks - but I am not sure she is willing to do all that work. Forty years of scrapbooking is probably just too much to contemplate.

1st DT Assignment!!! (& A Dragonfly Stabbing)

I got the box yesterday, but we had plans and so I didn't get to work on it as much as I would have liked. Today will be different!

I am really jazzed about this: it is so exciting to know Frank & Sherri trust me enough to represent RW.

As soon as I am able, I will describe what I have been creating.

One thing I will say however, is that Dragonfly has some sharp corners. I have been cut by alphas, but never stabbed! I was just moving some things and the upper right corner jabbed into my hand, hurting like Hades. It even drew blood. DH was present and offered sympathy - along with a query on how the heck I managed to hurt myself like that.

Ooo, need to get to work; Frank wants this stuff asap!

Contest and Swap Work

I thought it was going to be more difficult using my dies than what has been - at least this week. I decided to participate in Remember When's 'Win It Before You Can Buy It' contest for its newest die. Remi is hosting and we need to create a layout of some fun on a trip that Remi has taken, along with a story. I decided to go with a Six Flags theme. I used a lot of dies (listed to the left with the 8/18 date), some that I think I have never used! I know I will not win, but it was fun creating memories for Remi. I cannot wait to see what Sherri's Useful Unknown is! I decided to christen the die with that moniker because Sherri stated that it would be very useful and it is unknown.

In addition to the WIBYCBI, I joined Vanessa's Halloween post card swap. I am having a blast! Last night I made my first one ( I will post them later) while DH and I were giving each other a bit of the silent treatment. Satisfied with my creation, I turned around to show it to him. Let's just say he gave a visible start and wanted to know what was up - it definitely broke the ice! (I wonder if it was the skeleton or the tombstone?) I am still debating on doing just two designs or three. DS saw the second design and is not agreeable to my giving it away

I need to get as many done as possible before my first SRWDT package arrives since I have no doubt that the turn-around time is going to be short.

I Woke Up in Oz!

Okay, not really. I had applied to the Remember When Design Team earlier this month and today was the big announcement. I had figured that I didn't have much of a chance, especially with people who have been published applying. I applied because I adore Sherri and Frank wanted lots of people to try out.

I read the post and there was my name. Shock is a mild word to describe my state. I let it sink in, then I went running to call DH who was already at work. I got his voice mail. He was surprised and proud. DD is thrilled: she wants Sherri to have a Junior Design Team.

So, now I am taking a interesting route that I had not planned on. I am excited, and nervous.

And, just in case you are hoping for nuggets on the new releases, you are out of luck: I am keeping my secrets! I will not be listing any dies in my Challenge list until they are officially released, either!

My Die and Paper Challenge

HOW did I get SO much stuff???

I have:

-paper I do not remember buying.

- dies I bought for a reason, but have never used.

- half-finished albums.

-empty albums.

-page protectors for aforementioned albums.

-page protectors that go with no albums.

-so many brads and eyelets I dare not count them.

-Disney stickers up the ying-yang.

-dozens of O-wires for my Bind-It-All.

-ink pads and stamps that may have never been used.


I cannot go on: the list is too horrible to contemplate!

So, I devised a plan: I must use a new die everyday on paper I already have. To keep myself honest, I will post which die I used; if I use more, that is great. I will also post my creations.

And yes, I will also post my accidents!