Ho Ho Ho

Merry Christmas to All,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas weekend.

Mine was fun and very full.

Here a few photos of my decor around the house.

The tree (which is in the kitchen bay window - due to 3 frisky kittens not being able to get into the kitchen ;)

At the beginning of December I went to the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall and bought them out of retro vintage ornaments. I had seen a gorgeous wreath online which was priced pretty high...so I thought "I can do that"....which as you'll see below I DID! (however not sure it was for less than I could've purchased it online for when all was said and done....however I'm glad I made it myself since it'll mean more in years to come.)

Jennifer Murphy is one of my favorite artists. I am always excited when she has her website updates to sell her handmade pieces. I try and make sure I am near a computer at the moment the update is opened as her pieces FLY, and I mean FLY out the door within minutes. This time I was LUCKY enough to send in my request quickly enough to get my FIRST choice!!

Take a look at the cutest ornament! It is a vintage mitten filled with a mini mouse handmade by Jennifer, and a snowman spun by hand by Crystal Hanehan. Jennifer collaborated with Crystal on a few pieces, and I think their work nicely compliments eachother, don't you?

I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Wendy Addison's shop while I was in Northern California earlier this month. Jackie Cate and I ventured to the little out of the way studio and shop to be amazed by all the beautiful pieces. This was the ornament I picked out for my tree.

I purchase an acorn for my MOM for Christmas. (given her business is Acorn Ridge Quilting ;)

Speaking of her business and her work, take a look at this adorable quilt she created for me! My mom had asked me for pictures of my cats, the faces especially. I didn't know what she was up to, but when she sent me a number of JibJab greeting cards with my cats singing Christmas songs, I figured that was it!! Little did I know she was also creating this amazing quilt.

More to come on my holiday activites, but for now, I'm exhausted, and need some sleep. Working 2 days this week, so tomorrow morning is coming along quick!

Goodnight,

Rach

Creative Connection

Looking back at September I packed so much in that I am happy to have made it through to the other side. One good reason I did, was that it was ALL good stuff.

I flew from Salt Lake City, (Spark 2) to Denver so I could have a work meeting. Then I flew back to Nebraska Tuesday, went to the Dave Matthews Concert that evening, then got up the next morning to drive to Minneapolis for the Creative Connection Event. Just a quick little 6.5 hr drive, no biggie...it wasn't like I had to drive to Denver the next week for a MOVE...oh wait, I did....but that is another POST..

The Creative Connection. My goodness! This was the brainchild of Jo Packham and Nancy Soriano.

I had already booked so many creative weekends this year, that I was hesitating on this one. After talking with Jo at the Savannah weekend I did back in May, I was leaning towards going....then leaning even more after realizing that Jennifer Murphy, my fav, was teaching, and then fell flat over and signed up once Lisa decided she'd go! I think Lisa and I are both enablers....which is one of my favorite qualities of hers!! :)

Anywho, the weekend was so filled with fun, and shopping at the Handmade Market, visiting with friends, it was great!

One friend I somehow didn't get a photo with was Shelly from Oklahoma! She brought her mom and friend Leslie who I had met in Savannah as well. It was fun to see them again, but it is never enough time to really get to hang out!

Here I am with Jessi. We are now practically neighbors! I can't wait to get my studio set up so we can have some fun crafty time together.

Ree Drummond was such a treat to listen to. She has such a cool story of how she became the "Pioneer Woman". Can't wait to get the first issue of Where Women Cook and she will grace the cover.
How excited were Lisa and I that our Brave Girl Sisters Melody and Margie stopped by the event! They were teaching classes at the Mall of America where Scrapfest was being held....(little did Lisa and I know at the time we drove over there for lunch)...anyhoo, so excited to see both of them!

Melody and I.

That would be me, my project - Harold, Jennifer Murphy and the little mouse I purchased that she handmade.
The work table as we created our handmade heritage bunnies.

The mouse I bought and the bunny that Lisa purchased from Jennifer.

I took Jennifer's 2nd class in which we made a cute bird ornament. Most were writing something holiday-ish on the little sign, however Jennifer suggested I have something more timely for me! So she wrote Welcome Home 2010 on my ornament for my new home!

As a special treat Jennifer also showed us how to make our own pom poms to create another bird ornament.

So we began with this yarn.... (sorry hotels have the worst lighting!!)

From that we made the little bird below! So easy and fun! I do need to learn how to make knots though....Cub Scouts or in my case Girl Scouts would've come in handy for crafting!

My third class was Dara DiMagno's class making necklaces out of spoons and old belt buckles! I will have to share a photo of my finished project sometime soon. Dara also was more than sweet to us and gifted us all a one of kind necklace of her creation! What a treat!

Here she is showing us how to use power tools and a HAMMER! Man take up necklace making out of spoons and you may see positive side results of your stress going down :)

At one of our lunches we had Ree share stories with us along with Jo Packham moderating. It was a fun talk. For lunch we were treated to a really tasty noodle dish with chicken from one of Ree's cookbooks. For dessert a red velvet cake! YUM.

At the Cupcake Fairwell, saying goodbye to new friends. Lisa what a great trip!

Krista, me and her friend, sorry I can't remember your name!! Krista and I met at Spark 2 the weekend before!

And would it be an art event weekend without a Cupcake???

All in all this was a super event, next year I believe they will be tweaking things that will make it even better. The organizers always learn a little each year, and the best events keep getting better!!

Until 2011 TCC!

-Rach