Spring Has Sprung!

It's Spring!? Where does the time go?! It's hard to believe that January was my last post....
So here I am ready to post the latest...

We didn't have big plans over Spring Break, but it turned out to be a good week. We had friends we haven't seen in a long time come in town and spent a little time with them.

Elizabeth, Teagan, and Perryn met us one night at Chick-0-flays (as McKenna says it), for some fun playtime and conversation.... It was a hoot to get a picture of all of them...

Katie, Liam, and Allison made a surprise visit up at the church on Friday while I was working... that made my day! Then all of us met up with the Romo bunch for dinner and then a movie. It was sooo good to see them all! I'll post to my Facebook the pictures....

But to top the whole week off, we started the first weekend of spring break with some warm and fuzzies.... we've been wanting to get a cat or kitten for a long time now and so we finally did it. And we now have two sweet and adorable little kittens, Bunny and Bella (Belle), as additions to our family. Both girls came from a litter of five. So they are sisters, and they love each other as much as they love their new home and family....
There's a new life about this family now.... everyone is excited to get up in the mornings, get chores done, and eat their dinner at night, so they can play with the girls before bedtime. I love it. There's new energy seeping everywhere. I guess that is what springtime brings, in and of itself, too. The blooms on the pear trees are disappearing in amongst the big full green leaves. Today, it's hard to imagine it just snowed inches less than a week ago! Crazy Texas weather....

Some fun creative happenings coming..... haven't been on top of anything much lately... but there's Silver Bella 2010 registration right around the corner, and Paper Cowgirl registration today? tomorrow? perhaps! And I'm sure there will be another Gilded Life Event at the church down the road.... I am in need of some creativity that doesn't involve construction paper and coloring sheets (just a different creative breed, Brandi! ;) )

And so... since I probably won't get another post for at least a (week) lol, I am wishing everyone a Happy Spring and a Blessed Easter. I pray that you and your family feel the energy of spring, and the glory of our Savior!
Hugs!

Bella Sneaky Peeks and Agenda.....

It's almost time! Are you ready? Me, I'm ready to hop on the plane without my bags, swaps, supplies, and PJ's... but that wouldn't be all that smart, now would it? I can't believe how fast this fall has swept by. I am still working on my last swap, and pennants have mostly come in for my Vintage Sparkle Winter Banner swap I'm hosting. The Bella Board is swarming with flurry about this and that. Everyone is soooo excited... including me!

Well, if your just tuning in.... Here's a little of what I'll be doing this coming week....
Monday and Tuesday will be spent tying up ends at the church for curriculum, so I hopefully I don't leave Lauren with any holes! ;) Along with packing, packing, packing- or figuring out the Silver Bella Packing Puzzle! Every time this year, the Bella board is buzzing with questions relating to how to pack for the event... ;) This is my third year, I'm not sure I have it down yet!

I will fly out Wednesday with Valita, Heather, Alisa, Joanna, and Marie. I'm not sure what Wednesday will be like, but probably settling in, a quick lunch, and maybe a little downtown shopping, with an evening of last minute swap preparations. It's time to catch-up with my Bella friends that I haven't seen since June.

Thursday, Miss Jessi Nagy has rented us a BIG Bella bus to take us on tour to the Brass Armadillo, Hobby Lobby, Archivers, and a fabulous lunch! She's quite a Bella girl- Love that Jessi!
Thursday afternoon/evening we check in at the register table to get our classroom assignments and name tags (the ticket to Friday's 100 Aprons Vendor Market!) and meet and greet with the rest of the Bellas coming in on Thursday... Then that evening we meet with ALL 150+ Bellas for dinner and class taught by Stephenie Hamen. And the night won't end there. It will be time for some Bella Swappin'! There were SO MANY swaps this year! I wanted to join in every one of them, but alas, there's just not enough time.

Friday starts classes.... I will be taking Kaari Meng's Vintage Rosary Necklace, Jennifer Murphy's Snowman Clip Ornament, and Rebecca's Cigar Box Assemblage classes- a full day leading right into the long-awaited evening event: 100 Aprons Bella Market Faire. The doors for the Faire are open (then quickly closed again) for us Vintage Bellas at 6:30, while the public eagerly awaits the doors to open for them at 7:00 pm. You will never see so much glitter, glam, and sparkle anywhere!

Then, bright and early Saturday morning, after not much sleep Friday night, classes resume with Pam Garrison's Holly-Days Countdown wreath class, and finishing off the fabulous time with the stars ;) I spend time again with Kaari Meng and make a Vintage Charm Bracelet. We will all meet again for the luncheon and get to meet guest speaker Jo Packham, the creator and Editor in Chief of Where Women Create! Oh, I simply cannot wait!

Saturday night is always a big ending to the weekend with a dinner, most likely at the Upstream Brewery Co., downtown Omaha. It's a favorite among many Bellas. The atmosphere is fun and energetic (what we need after two days of straight creating), yet is warm and cozy with a great Nebraska corn-fed beef steak. It's our last "hurrah" before saying our good-byes to good friends (old and new).

Then it'll be back to reality without all the glitter and sparkles (unless you track some home with you) on Sunday, but not until all of us figure out how we'll get all that Bella goodness back home on the plane with us! (Last year, I had to undo my luggage AT THE AIRPORT to take out/rearrange jeans, shoes or something to keep it from spilling over the weight limit!) Course, there were other bellas (and I won't mention any names-you know who you are), who had to take out the 5LBS OF CHOCOLATE they packed! LOL

Even if we leave behind a glitter trail all the way from Omaha, we will have brought back glittered pieces from swaps and classes and sparkles of memories of time spent with some really great girls who love vintage art, jewelry, paper & sewing just as much as I do! See you when I get back....

Here's a couple sneaky peeks for ya.... and I'll post more of the event when I return. It's time for some Bella Bliss...

Silver Bella Excitement....

It's going to be another fabulous year!

Are you going?
;)

SILVER BELLA POST ~ Part 1

Wow! What a Bella party.... this year was sooo different (in a good way). It was nice to know that I knew girls BEFORE I went. Though I wouldn't change last year for the world! It was fun to see "new-found friends" from last year and meet new faces... Blogging is truly amazing... It has changed my world forever. I am so glad to have met the people I have. We talked all weekend about the fact that we all connect so well because we "get each other". Vintage art, vintage inspired art, vintage crafting... it's all very strange to some people, but for others (like the 160 or so) girls of Silver Bella (among others), we all know what it's like to find a special treasure- whether it's found, unwanted, at a local thrift store or flea market, or up for grabs at an estate sale, or passed down within our own families only then to use it to create a wonderful gift for someone else, or add it to our own homes to tell a story of who we are... THAT'S Silver Bella in a nut shell... ;)

There is so much to talk about, that I think it would be best for me to break it down into bits....

So....I left a day early (Wednesday) with other Texas Bellas- Valita, Heather, Alisa, and JoAnna, to browse the downtown shopping... Our first stop was most definitely SECOND CHANCE ANTIQUES:

They, of course, knew the Bellas were headed into town, so they were definitely ready for us! We had a ball going through all the wonderful old treasures that they had lined up for us. I realize now, that Heather is not in this picture. But with her pregnancy, she was a bit exhausted, so she stayed back to nap a bit...

Then it was back to the hotel to meet up with Jessi for a little chit-chat, and where she showered us with a sweet little gift (big thanks, Jess!)...

Then Thursday came, we did some more shopping and fun before it was time to pick up our packets meet up with our other roomie and fellow Texas Bella, Jana, and get ready for the "meet and greet"...

and finally to our dinner and group class later in the evening... Our table was set with a goody bag full of fun stuff, and our class kits all neat and boxed up...

Amanda & Maija

Jana and Valita

Kim, Suzanne, Jessi

Heather, me, Valita

After class, it was time for swapping.... Come back in a couple of days to see all that fun...

Texas Bellas, pajama-style!

Woohoo! Silver Bella!!

Well... I was going to have a whole weeks worth of sneaky peeks for Silver Bella... but getting ready/packing, etc., etc., got in the way of that! And I needed to give some attention to my poor family. I think they will ever be ready for the day when I say "I'm done with Silver Bella!"... just a few more days, my sweets...

Tomorrow's the big day! Valita, Heather, Joanna, and Alisa are headed to Omaha... Jana will be joining us on Thursday.
Anywho- here's a few more shots before I go... I will post the real deal when I return! Have fun swapping, feeding kiddos, going to the movies, or whatever you'll be doing while I'm gone! :) "See" ya when I get back!

Silver Bella 2008 Sneak Peek~ Day Three

It's getting closer...
One whole week away!!!
;)

Silver Bella Sneak Peek- Day Two

So I'm a little behind on this post... tons going on around here! Though, at any rate, these pictures will keep you guessing...
I'm getting... no, I ALREADY AM so excited for Silver Bella to be here!
So many emails flying back and forth, plans being made and finalized Ooooo! It's crazy, yet so exciting at the same time... I just can't wait... ;) I'll be back!

Publish Post

Silver Bella Peeking... Day One

Okay, I can't leave town, and not leave you with something:

Here's a peek at my part of some

Silver Bella Swapping....

Part of my workspace- (well, what it looked like yesterday... today it's not NEAR as neat!

I know, not much. But I have to spread this out a bit and keep ya guessin'. ;) I'll get to the glitter and sparkle next week! (Plus, it's LATE, and my day was a bear...) I'm gonna get to bed!
Have a FABULOUS weekend!
TaTa!

Colorado, Here I Come!!!

Hiya! I don't really have a great post for y'all. This week is super busy... I leave town tomorrow for COLORADO to see my SISTER! Yay! I am so looking forward to some time with her. ( I love you Tammy! See you in the morning... don't have to talk on the phone on the way to work!!!) We will be going to WOF- yes, you read it right... I'm going again! This year she didn't win tickets, but wanted me to go with her. And frankly, I am looking forward to it!

And then....NEXT WEEK is final preparations for The Paper COWGIRL RETREAT in Waxahachie, September 26-27. Valita and I are so excited! How's about you, Nancy? (can't wait to give you a big ol' HUG!) I have recently learned that Cindy of Junque Art will be attending, as well! And then there's Cindy, Tina, hmmmm.... so many!
OH! Go take a look at Valita's new look and new NAME.... very cool! And I just saw a little sneaky-peeky of Silver Bella Swappin' goin' on over there.... ;) (nice job V!)
Okay, back to WILD Vintage Cowgirls and a couple of days of nothing but thrifting, VINTAGE shopping, and crafting! Vendor night is going to be in this cute little pink house!

Well... off to pack, finish packing/mailing swaps... and hopefully a trip to Michael's to get some supplies that are on sale for Silver Bella/Paper Cowgirl. EEK! Ms Heather had to give us the countdown to how many days left (I have promptly forgotten, since it kinda freaked me out how close it REALLY is!
Have a wonderful rest-of-the-week, and fantastic weekend!

Oh, on another note.... Hurricane Ike is long gone.... but the mess he left behind is not. In fact it'll be around for a long time to come.... I just saw satellite pictures of the condos/townhomes today... not a pretty sight at all. The message board I ran across had people that owned one, or had RCI weeks for those townhomes, and everyone is really bummin' that they are such a mess. There isn't a beach left, a pool that once had water to splash and play in, is filled with debris and rubbish. Very sad indeed. Even more sad, many of the beach homes nearby, belonging to residents are gone... ;(

I'll leave you with this perfect little picture... look at ALL those smiles!

COLORADO, HERE I COME!!!

ATCs and some PAPER ARTS FUN!

So, in my last post I said I was feeling a creative jive... joined some swaps, and here's a little bit of what I've been up to:

ATC International Swap

Crowns and Tiaras ATC
Bailey joined in with me, and even swapped ATCs with another girl her age! Here's what she's been working on... quite a little budding artist, I must say! I am so thrilled she loves to be right at my side creating, it's a ton of fun when were singin', inkin', paintin', cuttin', gluein'... hmmm, there's a little jingle in there somewhere. ;) (She's a little busier than I am, hence more production takes place). lol

Then... I am sooooooo excited! Last year I attended Silver Bella Paper Arts Retreat for the first time. I went by myself, which was a little bit frightening ( I have never traveled by myself before). But it was in Omaha, Nebraska- How bad could it be? That was practically back home where I grew up! So I felt like I was in some-what familiar territory... I was so lucky to have been able to register after someone had canceled, because it ended up a sold out event. (Miss Foof sure knows how to put together one doozy of a retreat!) I then made flight and hotel arrangements, and Little Miss Cinderella was on her way! I am so glad I went, it was total paper arts heaven! And now I'm attending again this year, and I am sooo excited to go and see friends I met from last year! Yay!

And not only Silver Bella, but I'll be headed south to the Paper Cowgirl Retreat in September. Tina, who hosted the Cowgirl Swap a couple months ago, along with her friend Cindy, are going to be hostesses of this big paper pow-wow! (Tina will also be one of the talented artist, teaching a class!) I am so excited because I'll be going with Valita (who I met at Silver Bella last year), and I'll be meeting Ms. Nancy ,(whom I've never officially met in person... we met via swapping over the internet and have been blogging "friends" ever since! I never thought when I started blogging, that I would have met soooo many talented and absolutely wonderful people. Oh so much fun and excitement!