new release!

the day started off with a tow truck and no school for my little guy…but it got way better once i saw the new rusty pickle releases. this is super exciting!!!!!! the very first new release in my chefdom! i can’t wait to get a hold of these papers and create, create, create! so enjoy having a peep and try and wait patiently to get a hold of some for yourselves:)

birthday bash

thriller



p.s. for a more up close and personal look...click on any of the images above. it will take you to the rusty pickle web site and you can look at the individual lines.

did you know i'm a pickle?

yes…i’m as thrilled as a pickle! i am so happy to be a rusty pickle chef. after two weeks of racing and three publications i am now a full fledged pickle girl! super exciting! thanks to everyone who helped me along the way. thanks to my family who put up with a very messy house (still to be cleaned…btw), fed themselves and well, were super encouraging. thanks to my sis…who stayed up late…well actually all night to keep me company. thanks to my nieces and nephews who only got to see me for a couple of days, but still let me get my work done. thanks to all the pickle girls and amazing racers for the support along the way (especially at the end when i needed to get my three pubs). thanks to my friends for all the encouraging words! and of course thanks to rusty pickle for the opportunity. you all ROCK! so make sure you stop by the rusty pickle blog to see my name as a chef…and if you want to see my publications..check out ready, set, create. not sure which issue they will be in…but go ahead and subscribe anyway! thanks again!!!!!!!!!

american girl b-day party...final stop on the amazing race!

for this last leg I created an “american girl” birthday party for my little maelee rose. i know she won’t be 4 until next march…but let’s just say the amazing race gave me an opportunity to get an early start. and i’m sure she’ll still be into the American girl dolls. i looooooooove party planning. so this was an absolute blast (no pun intended). i hope you enjoy looking!

the whole shabang!

banner



centerpiece that has take home goodies inside the pieces of cake. the small top tier is for the dolls and the bottom tier is for the girls.







inside the "cake pieces" is a decorated crayon box and a mini book for the guests to take home.

invitation



party hats for girls and dolls!



as a thank you and a craft the girls can make their own little american girls...of course the pieces are already cut for them...they just have to choose which pieces they want.





matching pin wheels for girls and dolls.

and of course my reason for the party! love ya maelee!

amazing race stop #6

the clue read:
i watch the world pass me by
a pen in my hand to doodle as I lie
it wiggles and squiggles, never a line
flowers and stars designed in a Scrapbook and Doodle time.

so off to scrapbook doodle i went...

the assignment was to make a fabric bound recipe album. the first thing that came to mind was a recipe book for love or something along those lines. but i felt as though i should keep it “simple” this time. there were a lot of pages in this album. i wanted it to stand up on the counter so i made a cover for it that was supported by a triangle cs base. the album includes the favorite recipes of my favorite women…or at least some of them…there were to many great people that i’ll have to make another one for. iI’ll catch you on the next one ladies if i missed you this time:)

i hope you soar...#5

the race is going by so fast!
this is for my littlest one maelee rose.

the title sticker originally said "pirate princess" so i painted it and then stuck it through my printer for the new title "i hope you soar"

you are my treasure

when i see you standing there
and searching for the word
i wonder what is going on
deep inside your head

i wish i could just take my hand
and dig around in there
and flip a switch or plug it in
or turn your world around

instead i stand and wait and wait and stand
until it finds it’s way

sometimes it comes
sometimes it goes
and so we sit and wait.

(the paint on this page is "crackled"...you can't see that deail in the pic.)

word by word
and sound by sound
not even syllable
i hang on them like monkey bars
and dangle sometimes impatiently
waiting for the rest to come
sometimes so easy
sometimes forgotten
somehow they will come through.

(i layered the color photo on top of the b&w.)

most see you when you are quiet
few hear your heart.
i am one of the lucky ones
i know who you are
i hear your words
i hear your silence
i hear who you are.

my dream for you:
to find your wings
and fly so high you see?
to not be bound by anything to be so free you see
i will believe for you and me
i will be standing by…you
for you will fly from hear to there
and spread your wings so wide
and when you do I will be hear to listen to all of you.