I was cleaning my room the other day and I came across a lost treasure.

Many years ago I had a victorian holiday tree. For a gift my aunt made me this ornament. 

She also made this beautiful lace trim to adorn my tree. I have since gone country. These were still in the original box I rec'd them in. I called her and asked her permission to use them in my art. She has given her blessing. Now I need to figure out what I am going to do with them. Any ideas?

Travelogue

A while back I did a travelogue swap and met a group of wonderful women whom I think we are on the road to becoming life long friends. 

I included a spot for a photo and some journaling

A secret place to write some personal information about myself

Obviously the information is not too secret...

Now my friends whom participated know this information and a lot more...I just wanted to say I am thankful that you have come into my life ladies and this is a look back at how it all started..

I hosted a Fall/Halloween tag swap at Scrapndaze ning site.  

The first two tags to arrive were Kathy's . Can't you  just hear the wolf howling at the moon.

Christine made the tag on the left. It is amazing...Check out the embellishments  The one on the right is mine. The witch image was taken from the Halloween 2 CD  found at Blissfull Elements.

Mini Album Swap

Hello everyone! I just wanted to announce a Halloween  mini album swap over at Scrapndaze It's a new site and the membership is building. It would be great if you would check it out. I have participated in a couple of swaps on the site. Including the one listed below where I made the micro-mini. Everyone is nice and it is a great place to get ideas and make a new friend. It is not required that your pictures be posted...It's up to you how involved you want to get. So stop by and check it out.

FYI: This image is borrowed from Graphicsfairy

Micro Mini Swap

I joined a swap over at Scranndaze. It's a great little community just starting up. The swaps are small and personal..We had four people in our group, myself included. We had to make a mini for each member of our group and it had to be 3x3 or smaller with a nature theme.This is what I came up with.

I recycled the chipboard from the back of a paper stack. Cut four 3x3 pieces out. Painted with $0.99 arcylic craft paint than distressed. Next I cut 2.75 x2.75 piece of Prima decorative paper and distressed the edges.  Placed a button shaped brad. Cut a piece of Early Express paper by stampin up and embossed it for the binding. Sticky taped the binding and finally glued the Prima paper onto the cover. Next I embellished the cover with a Prima bird, and raffia folded into a bow with two Recollections flowers wrapped around it. The inner pocket pages were added next, and finally I punched a hole in the back, Grabbed the string off an old shipping tag and tied it to the back, wrapped it round the front of the button for the closure.

Here is one of the inner pocket pages..Although the vine was glued on with a hot glue gun It was not strong enough to be a permanent fix. I should have used Aleens fabric glue.

 My final step was to make tag's for the inserts. I combined many different medias to provide some interest to the album including fabric, embossing, and transfers.

If you get a chance check out the video Kathy made of my album the ones I rec'd in the swap...They are  just beautiful.

Micro Mini Swap video

Where In The World Was Mel?

Was I on a Safari

Did I visit the ocean?

Or on a trip to Asia?

One last clue...

You guessed it!!! Orlando was the destination..Visiting Mickey Mouse and his friends...We had a wonderful time....As you can tell..It's not all cartoons!

UFO project

A few years ago I started this quilted wall hanging. It has been done completely by hand...Life got busy and it has sat on a vintage sewing machine displayed in the  quilt hoop that has been handed down from my husbands step-grandmother to his mother to me. The air is getting crisp and pumpkin displays are showing up all around. What better time to finish than during the fall season where it will fit in so perfectly.  So as the nights get cooler and the new season of television viewing starts up I plan to sit by the television and finish hand quilting the remaining few squares and place a binding on this project...It will do double duty by keeping me warm at the same time...Do you have a UFO that is calling your name? I would like to hear about it.Whether it is a quilt, scrapbook, painting or other project. It is always nice to I am not alone..

Journal pages

Just thought I would share a few of my journal pages using an older Graffic 45 paper line called "On the Boardwalk"

They have summer vacation written all over them.

Check it out....ScrapNDaze

Hello! My friend Kathy has launched her new scrapping community. The idea is.... a site where we can display our creations... make new friends and participate in swaps...Right now is the best time to join. It's a opportunity to get to know everyone on the site and see how a community like this evolves...A chance to build new friendships and learn techniques from others...She just launched the first swap and I hope by the end of the day to post a second swap opportunity. So stop on by ScrapNDaze and sign up... I will be looking forward to meeting you...

No more couch potato!

As I sit here with the back door open, no television or radio blaring in the backround and listening to the birds, I got the urge to go to the lake. I know the time is almost here but not quite. We still have the occasional frost on the window's in the a.m. and it's at least 10 degrees colder by the water.

While looking at these pictures my daughter and I decided to do a lifestyle makeover...Dinner for lunch and salad for dinner. No more eating a full meal at 7p.m. and going to bed shortly after. Getting ourselves off of the couch and outdoors. We were so happy last year we spent a lot of time outdoors exploring nature. Than I started developing couch potato syndrome.

The first step is to start using these more...My daughter exercises daily. She has offered to get mom back into shape. We are going to start with a nice hike today. Why don't you join us. Take a walk, bring your camera and post pictures of the sites your saw along the way.

Play Time

It's Sunday morning playtime.. This is what I have been doing while having my morning coffee...My craft table sit's by the window. The sunshine's in and I get this invigorating feeling. It seems that when this happens I do my best work. This card was made with Stampin Up cardstock whisper white and daffodil delight. The patterned paper is from Hobby Lobby free stock. I had the image in my stash for a long time but I am pretty sure it is K & Company. Ribbon was purchased at Michael's.

Peek at my craftroom

Don't you just love hidden storage. These books hold all my bling, ribbon and misc. items.

Hubby picked up the canning jars at a garage sale. They are perfect for my charms, button's and flowers

He also made this spool cabinet which houses a large portion of my 12x12 paper.  It sit's on his grandmother sewing cabinet and to the right is an old dresser  that is designated to item's to be scrap

booked. I have designed a drawer to each member of the family.

Circle letter

Have you ever heard of a circle letter? I first learned about it at A Joyful Chaos. In the Amish community a family for a group of friends would all write a letter's chronicling the events that have occurred since the last letter and holding conversations with each other. The letters would all be added to one envelope. When it arrives at your home you would read the letters and catch up on everyone's lives, take your letter out and keep it, write a new one to add to the envelope and send it onto the next stop. I have joined such a group. Although we are not Amish we all have followed A Joyful Chaos and decided to create our own journey with a wonderful network of women that I feel are becoming a new second family to me. It was hard keeping everyone strait at first so I created this journal. I have a tab for each women and when the letters arrive I write the important tidbits that defines whom they are and sparks my memory when the next letter arrives. I find myself scanning this book occasionally just to keep that happy feeling that is always felt when thinking fond memories of times spent with a friend. If you ever get a chance to join in a circle letter I would highly recommend it.

Sunday afternoon

Lazy Sunday afternoon... I just love lounging on my bed reading a good book. The sun is shining in the window, warming my back as I find myself completely engulfed in the story...How do you like to spend your lazy Sunday afternoons?