Top 10 for 2011

 It's the end of another year and time for me to reflect on the year's worth of work!  I love looking through what I've done over the last 12 months and picking my favorite projects.  It helps me to see my own trends and techniques that I focused on.  I have a few that I can't include because they are being published, but the rest are the 10 that I can share from 2011.  This year FLEW by and it wasn't just me that thought so.  Everyone I've talked to agrees that the time flew by!  Months went by in a flash! I hope 2012 goes a bit slower and brings a lot of creativity and patience with it... Here are my top 10 favs for this year:

Well, looking back, this year was full of altered art, scrapbook pages using COLOR, and fun art mediums!  I like that I'm using more bright colors and think that will continue into the new year. We'll see what 2012 brings.  I am grateful for the opportunities I have to create for some seriously wonderful companies and blogs!  I hope that 2012 brings even more creative energy! 

So how will you be ringing in the new year?  I have absolutely NO plans... I will probably make a special dinner at home for my family, have a yummy dessert and bottle of champagne ready.  Everyone will be asleep by 9-10pm and I'll be watching the ball drop on TV in my sweats by myself.  Sounds sad, but really... I kind of like it.  Of course if my hubby told me that we'd be going out on the town all dressed up, I'd jump at the chance, but I plan to make art while having some champagne!

Link up your top 10 favs of this year in the comments so I can see what you have done all year too!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I wanted to pop on here and update my blog before the big holiday rush!  It's been so crazy busy getting ready for Christmas.  We are hosting the dinner and festivities for our families at our house and I haven't even started baking yet!  Not to mention how much wrapping I have to do tonight!!! 

Gingerbread house from Nikki Sivils papers!

It's been hard to get into the holiday spirit this  year.  I'm not sure why I feel like such a "Bah Humbug" lately! Maybe it's the rush and the stress at school.  Maybe it's the lack of snow here (which is totally unusual!)... I don't know.  I'm just ready to be on break and get this holiday over with.  I guess I need to just be with my kids and remember the reason for this holiday.  I wish you all wonderful holiday greetings and time spent with family this week!  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Busy Busy Busy

It's been a while since I popped on here to update my blog!  I have been so busy!  It's been a whirlwind of a month.  I had my professional state conference last month and I agreed to teach 3 hands on workshops.... yep, you read right... 3!  That was crazy!  I spent the ENTIRE conference either worrying about, setting up, teaching, or packing up my workshops!  I took one other workshop and attended one keynote... other than that, I was a stressed mess.  I love teaching workshops and each one was very successful.  People packed in, I ran out of handouts, and there were lots of positive responses and sharing going on!  I LOVE  that!  That's what art teachers do.  We share and support each other.   I did get lots of good ideas. I learned about different ways to introduce curriculum and assess.  It was in Long Island and the drama from the hotel was not to dampen the positive vibes of our teachers!  Here are some highlights through photos:

Printmaking - Monoprinting workshop!

My Mixed Media Mania class!

Using Faber Castell Aquarelle pencils!

Texture paste relief

Loving those Gelatos!!!

Image transfer onto canvas with Gel medium

 Some of the results of the evening's fun mixed media playing with DMC products!

My student's work at the Student Art Exhibit

Love getting ideas from other schools! 

 On the scrappy side, I have some exciting news!  I was selected to be on the Scrapbooking From the Inside Out DT!  I am so super excited!  I think I found a community of women that are honest, willing to try new techniques and explore their own emotions and life.  It's perfect for me right now! Check out the site!  They have amazing kits that come with all the big name products!  I have also gotten on another DT that is still hush hush... I can tell you that it's a really cool opportunity and I'm excited to be a part of a huge group of rock star scrapbookers on this team!!!  YAY! 

My term ended at Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker and I was so sad about it, but I've been with them since they started and it's time to move aside and let some new scrappers in to enjoy Nikki and Dan's generosity and creativity!  I will never forget my time there and want to THANK them for having me on their DT for so long!  I loved working with Nikki's papers and stickers while making some of my favorite pages!  It was fabulous! 

That's it for now... I'm setting up holiday decorations, celebrating family birthdays, and getting in the Christmas spirit!

Scrapbook updates and a Steal!

It's definately Fall and the air is growing crisp with that bite that happens before winter.  I'm getting excited about the holidays too, but I'm also having some very creative bursts of energy right now.  Wish I had the time to sit and do it all but I plan to start this weekend!  I'm going to White Eagle for a scrap retreat with some girlfriends!  We are going to laugh, drink, scrap, make art, gossip and maybe get some good girlfriend pics in!  It's always a blast with these girls!  So, I packed my entire art room (okay maybe not that much but at least half of all my stuff!) and have some projects in mind!  I plan on making layouts, altered items, maybe even work on some necklaces and pins for a craft show coming up.  Whatever my little heart desires.  No kids, no hubby, no responsibilities!  I'm bringing 2 bottles of wine and some creative inspiration!  But before I go, I wanted to leave you a little peek at some of my new creations.  I also have an exciting opportunity for you to steal some Nikki Sivils tomorrow!

Pumpkin using Nikki Sivils Boo-tiful papers.  Tutorial here:

 Some cards that I did with Studio Calico papers and veneer shapes!  This card is a gift card holder upcycling a coffee sleeve from Starbucks!

 Let it Snow card using Studio Calico papers and chipboard shapes!  So cute!  The snowflakes are wooden and colored with DMC Gelatos in Metallic blue!

That's it for now!  I'll be back to post what I made this weekend later.

Tomorrow at 9am there will be a Scrapbook Steal for all of you who love Nikki Sivils papers!  Check it out here tomorrow (Saturday 11/12).   I'm off to scrap the weekend away! Ciao!