Oink! Oink!

One final Halloween card! This is a holdover from last year because I loved it so much I wanted to keep an example. NOTHING got done this week-- I'll bet you guessed why from the title of the post! Yep, the dreaded flu hit Wednesday and I am just now surfacing on Friday night. Bless my husband (did everything for the kids, and hit the commissary too) and Giant's Bakery Dept (I thought it was much safer to get them to make the cookies I committed for Russell's school party). One quick trip out to get those and I was on the couch for the rest of the day. Even the cat avoided me (can cats get swine flu?). Not entirely sure that is what it was, I didn't go the doctor-- I guess I will know for sure if it returns, worse, in a day or two as it did for my friend Lori (who didn't get BOO-ed because I was in bed! Sorry, Lori!).

Have a safe, HEALTHY Halloween!!

julia

More Halloween cards-- Booglie Eyes!

I'm having such fun with this set!! I stamped these, colored, cut them out (thank goodness Tracy gave me the really sharp SU! snips as a gift one year--lots of little angles!, added googlie eyes, and popped them up with dimensionals. These are already in the mail on the way to family and friends. Next week-- Halloween treats for teachers, bus drivers, and some special "Boo!" bags. Have a great weekend!

julia

I love Halloween pencils (and erasers, and decorations.....) Every year I make pencil toppers using Batty for You, circle punches, and the Scallop Circle punch. After noticing one the kids in Russell's class last year had used a stapler to put his back together again, I experimented on how best to keep the topper on the pencil: dimensionals (NO), glue pen (NO), sticky strip (NO), double-sided tape (NO), hot glue gun (NO). The inevitable champ? a slit in the bottom circle scallop to thread the pencil through, and CRYSTAL EFFECTS! I laughed to myself-- yet another use for CE! Did I tell you I had to order a separate bottle for Byron to keep in the garage? He stole-- sorry, USED-- mine one too many times! I'll take these in on Thursday morning for Russell's class.

Say Thank You to your Bus Driver!

Wednesday is National Bus Driver Appreciation Day! I was called at the last minute to sub today (yea!! and it was a great day, the kids were really good and sometimes too funny) so with that, homework, and drum lessons, I did not have a lot of time to play. I quickly threw dinner on the table and ran to Target for some chocolate. I love wrapping chocolate bars as a small treat-- it is very easy to do and looks super when you tie a bow of wide ribbon on it. The tag I made with my Big Shot and some off-center nesties, and by now, everyone recognizes my "thank you' Sizzlit! Viola! The sheath is slipped off and you can even reuse it (just buy a new chocolate bar and change the tag). Russell will give it to Miss Vickie tomorrow.



If you haven't had time to whip up anything for your bus driver, take heart-- this entire week is Bus Driver Appreciation Week, you still have time!

julia

Getting ready for Halloween!

My friend Tracy came to stamp today and we both worked on Halloween cards in between catching up on everything that is going on each other's family and some mutual friends. I thought her card was adorable, and she was nice enough to leave one for me (I'll post my cards over the next few days). I love both the Booglie Eyes set (now retired unfortunately) and Batty for You (still current).

Staff Appreciation at church

October is Church Staff Appreciation Month! At times like these I am so glad I am a crafter, because there is no way I could buy gift cards for all the people at church I need to thank for their efforts with my children. Even if my kids were little angels, a thank you would be in order. As they are NOT, I start planning for October in August! Notice I said planning because execution usually is the night before. This year, 1/2 was done in advance (progress!) and 1/2 on Saturday.




Recognize the mini composition notebooks and jumbo paperclip bookmarks? We saved them for this, paired with some Hershey's Bliss chocolates and packaged in a cello bag with a cardstock topper. I LOVE cello bags, they make packaging a breeze! My Sizzlits "thank you" was perfect for this. I no longer put the Big Shot away, it stays on the side table, because it truly makes crafting easier. These 5 went to Molly's middle school Sunday School teachers.



Russell has 2 Sunday School teachers this year and I am always amazed at how cheerful and loving these ladies are, despite the uproar of a HUGE class of 4th graders all eager to contribute, talk, play games, talk, hunt for Bible verses, TALK! I help out once a month and it never fails: Miss Amy and Miss Melinda are smiling when the kids arrive and smiling when they leave (no small feat, that). For them, and Miss Shari, the Children's Ministries Director, post-it note books bound with the BIA. In the middle of the flower embellishment is a circle that reads, "In everything, give thanks- 1 Thess. 5:18" which I thought so appropriate! That's from Happy Harmony, a SAB set from a few years ago that I hung on to. I painted a clear round button with Crystal Effects and put it directly over the saying-- it really pops in real life. Each bag also has a RSVP pen (with coordinating paper in the barrel) and what else? Hershey's Bliss Chocolates (thankfully, the last ones in the house, so the diet is safe for another day). The tag is from God's Blessings: Blessings brighten when we count them. Thank you for blessing my life in such a wonderful way!



Did you know tomorrow is National Bus Driver Appreciation Day? I forgot too! We just have one bus driver year, and Russell is not on the bus at all tomorrow, so she'll get her thank you on Tuesday. That gives me time to make something for her.....it is so chilly today that maybe a collection of teas, coffees, and chocolates would be welcome........ I'll post it after I figure out what to do and make it!

Blessings to you!!

julia

Goodie Boxes!

Molly's middle school is hosting All County Chorus auditions on Tuesday. She really enjoys Chorus-- keep your fingers crossed that she makes it! I'll be there for a shift at the snack bar, and I volunteered to make goodie boxes for the judges. Why? Not quite sure!! The judges do receive a little bit of money for 6+ hours of work. I think I just needed another project. I forgot that October is Staff Appreciation Month at church, plus there are at least 10 Halloween card designs buzzing in my head, not to mention Christmas cards for Operation Quiet Comfort....what's that, honey? the house? Oh, yeah, I'll get to it when I can! LOL!!Anyway, I hope the Chorus teacher -- and judges-- like them!



Each box contains a post-it notebook made with the Bind It All. I LOVE that little gadget! I loaded up on post-it notes when Staples had such a fantastic deal many moons ago (2008?). I'm down to my last few chipboard coasters though. The fall-themed paper for this project came from a big box retailer, because I volunteered to do these only last week-- I didn't have time to order the wonderful Autumn paper in the mini. Recognize that shiny middle of the flower? That's right, a clear round button! Of course, a matching RSVP pen is in the box too!




Hershey's Bliss chocolates-- light and dark-- are in these sour cream containers. These are soooo easy to make-- I think all 6 took me maybe 10 minutes. I threw those chocolates in there lickety-split-- trying to stay on my diet!




Mitzi gave me these gable boxes a while back-- I've used some for other projects. I was thrilled to see I had 6 left for this! Inside the boxes, wrapped in tissue paper, are the post-it notebook, pen, sour cream container, mini bottle of hand sanitizer, packet of kleenex (it is flu season, after all!) and Tic Tacs.


have a great first full week of October!

julia