December Denial and a Linky Love Fest!!!

Happy belated Thanksgiving to all, and off we go headlong into December. I didn't get all my projects finished before Thanksgiving but I am doing very well on the project to day ratio.
Just to keep myself on the straight and narrow I have a little panic inducing chalkboard up, next to the coffee pot now.

This is yesterdays tally.. I finished 2 projects and a day has gone by.


Okay, Kreative Blogger Award which was bestowed upon me so very kindly by both Turkey Feathers and Frippery. (Seriously? I didn't even know you ladies read this old blog o' mine!)

6 plus things that are inspiring me right now:

Upping the ante on handmade holidays like This.

I have to make one of These.

This Movie..

and this one too

The idea of combining this and this

This tree.

and these.

And if any of you don't spend all December on the edge of your seat waiting for what is next in the Lego Advent Calendar of No Appropriate Behavior... you are seriously missing out. It is my favorite new holiday tradition

so wow...
now I need to tag some great bloggers (I usually avoid this to avoid putting any pressure on anybody) but here goes:

Leah
and Leah
and Amy
and Kristin
and Julie

If you don't play along... I totally understand. But just consider it a vote in favor of the kind of inspiration and fun you provide!

On top of all that fun Bridget gave me an I *Heart* your blog and listed a bunch of blogs that are always on my "Must Read First" list too! Thanks Bridget... I totally *heart* your blog too!

Oh... and did anyone else notice? Simmy's Back!


Stumble It!

It's a little Meme-ish here today

What a lovely week it was for me to get tagged last week.

Ms. Cleaver tagged me for 7 Random things:
so here I go:

My grandma used to chaperon for Tim Burton on Burbank Police Boys Band parade trips.
She said he was "a nice boy, a little strange."

When I was little my mom made almost every one of my dolls herself from the old McCall's patterns. They all had extensive wardrobes as well.

I am really afraid of snakes. I won't even go into the reptile section of a pet store.

I can not knit or crochet. Not at all. Never even tried it. Maybe someday... but really, I can't get a yarn stash or we'll have to move.

My signature scent used to be Coco by Chanel (when I was young and believed what I read in the magazines). Now it is Aveda Rosemary shampoo and Arm and Hammer Biodegradable laundry detergent in Mountain Rain scent.

I went to a two room school house during elementary school.

I watch the bonus features on dvds. Almost without exception. Even for bad movies.
I also like the director's commentary. I know... weird!!!!

I have a really great Birthday present I need to blog about from this great lady. But time is Not On My Side so far this November...( in a fun, hurry-scurry kind of way.)


Then To Top it off, Turkey Feathers tagged me for the Kreativ Blogger Award!
Thanks so much...
I am working out my list and will post it next week.

I also have been wanting to say thanks to CraftMag, Dabbled, Instructables, One Pretty Thing, Crafty Crow and Whip Up for the Linky love...
I can't even list everyone who linked and built and tried the Halloween stuff.. but I have been cruising around and have been loving all the cools stuff I'm seeing.
You guys are the BEST.

Thrift Thursday: The Frame Game

Well, I am beginning to see how it works with me.
If One Is Good, Then 3 Must Be Better.

frame tack board covered with upholstery fabric
and filled with acetate pages from a anatomy book in bulldog clips

Can't pass up a nice frame anymore. I fill them with pinboards, so I can have a great casually ever-changing art display. Frames without glass come cheap, Homosote board (noise dampening fiber board) bigger than your car is 10.00 and batting and fabric tend to be spilling out of the craft cave.

board covered with vintage pillowcase, usually filled with the pattern I am sewing up.

It takes about 25 minutes and a box knife, straight edge and a staple gun to make these.

You've seen this... but I did thrift up some new brooches since it's last appearance.
(Oooh.. these are a bit blurry. soorrry.)

Grab those frames! Make yourself a gallery of delights. Just buy every little print you see on etsy and change them out weekly.

I'd get

This One,

This One,

and This One ...

Just for starters.



And A Huge Hurray and Thanks to GeekCraft who featured the robot doll I made for my nephew, way back when, and to Craftzine who picked it up...
super-groovy. I'm all a twitter!

Oh- PS:
Hey... Anybody else going to the Maker Faire this Weekend?
I never miss it. My kid would kill me.
Email me if you wanna meet up.
I'm going Saturday for sure and we'll see what Sunday brings.

I Have a Posse!!

The Posse after a couple Margaritas

Well, all you, self depreciating "not cool enough for Betty" folks... You are all my official BBI- BFF Posse, (including Michelle, and if she wants to bring Heather Ross over for Margaritas.. I say, "come on down". She does seem so very cool.) I was so totally amused and cheered by your comments and all your links and near links to celebrity.

Which Brings me to "The You Make my Day Award" which I so was pleased to receive from
Drewzel. Man, she is a talented thrifter and crafter and glorious in her wealth of good embroidery skills. (Dear god... she has like 3 blogs and I can't keep up with one.) It really did make my day. These fantastic Australian Ladies... They all blow my mind.
( and I was tagged by Futuregirl too... but by now I expect the whole world knows that the respect there is super mutual. We got a thing goin' on.)

Yesterday, these were the people that made my day:

Alice and Stef and Angelina feel like craft sisters to me.

Sonya is a partner in crime, plus she taught me to needlefelt.

Amber has her own fabric store and holds an incriminating picture (or two) of me.

Maddie has been a fantastically funny new friend. And she has a cat like mine and she sleeps with the toy I sent him. Devoted!

Mary- Laure takes gorgeous photos and saves her pastry boxes.
(and I swear it is like a life goal to have a friend who lives in Paris and is a dancer.. and she is as sweet as can be. because she eats pastry. even though she's a dancer.)

Ambika makes me want to try harder to pay attention to my outfits.

Susan make me want to take a photography class and redecorate. Plus, I have her earrings on right now.

Wende makes me want to be a better mom.

Amy has a quality of elegance that is simple and unpretentious.

Dorie reminds me that it is quality that counts and detail matters.

Pam has a way with color and people, she is charm itself.

Moonstitches shows art in the everyday. Composed photos that reinvent their subjects. And crafty too.

Minnie is a Brand New Friend . Coooool! Relatively local and a spats pattern? She's in.

Catherine is a Treasure Hunter Extrodinaire and designs good handbag.

You can forward the award, if you are into it. I found it hard until yesterday.. and then suddenly it was easy.

Oh and BFF dream candidate, Bre Pettis?
He * hearted* my Etsy Shop. I am in Craft Geek Heaven.

I am going to make a video podcast to celebrate this momentous occasion.