"Sharing Down Syndrome" Christmas Party!

We spent our morning at the Rock'n R Ranch for the annual Sharing Down Syndrome Christmas Party. The girls had such a good time eating donuts, making holiday crafts, playing games, dancing to a live D.J. and of course sitting on Santa's lap.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hugs,

Shirley

Christmas Advent Calendar creations!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's that time of the year again! I just love the holiday season. Just about everyone seems to have a warmer smile and a happier spirit.
We are looking forward to all of the fun holiday festivities for our daughters to enjoy. We will be attending Katie's "Sharing Down Syndrome" Christmas Party this Saturday at the Rockin' R Ranch like we have for the past 6 years. Sharing Down Syndrome is a wonderful non-profit organization (www.sharingdownsyndrome.org) that we have been a part of since I was 5 months pregnant with Katie. We have met some exceptionally special parents and their little "angels" and we have felt the comfort of knowing how blessed we truly are for being given the responsibility to raise Katie in this tough world that we live in.
Hugs,
Shirley

Halloween fun!

We had such a fun time on Halloween! Justin and I dressed up and the girls loved it. I don't know what I was (I thru something together silver make up and all).

Justin was a scary man, Allie was Major Flirt and Katie as Dora!

Allie and Katie new friends were Hannah Montana and a Detective.

Allie's 8th Birthday Party at Build-A-Bear

Allie and her 5 favorite friends had a great time at her Build-A-Bear party!

Katie had fun with her best friend Amanda!

Upcoming Class

Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar
What: Christmas Matchbox Advent Calendar
Class fee $60.00 includes all materials
When: Saturday, November 20th
10:30 a.m.- 5:30
Where: Mystic Paper (Mesa, AZ)

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Calendars for Sale

"Junque" perpetual calendar (front and backside) $120.00
This is my favorite calendar to make. I love shopping for all of the vintage finds for it! It is the perfect gift was someone that has just about everything!



Matchbox Perpetual Calendar $100.00

This calendar has a lot of fun and unique doo-dads. The colors are beautiful and eye catching!

Allie's turn!

Sunnyslope Art Walk on 10/9/10

Here's Justin, Allie and our friend Gary!

Allie brought a few of her favorite handmade projects and was happy to make $20.00.
Of course Allie was giving me a few tips on how to sell my calendars~

Here's the latest with Katie Bug!

Daddy is shares his toy with Katie

We are letting Katie use the lap top which she loves to play Curious George.

She is usually mean to our loving 3 year old lab named Toby. One day while she was playing on the computer I couldn't resist to take a pic of where her feet were!

Charlies new doo!

Charlie is modeling Allies Build a Bear wig

My husband Justin loves to keep us laughing with his great sense of humor!

Katie bug with our friend and her Speech Therapist Renee

We just love Renee! She has been working with Katie since she was about 18 months old. Katie will be 7 in January!

Allie's new 3rd Grade teacher!

Meet the teacher night

It's so hard to believe that my little baby girl is almost eight. She loves school except for doing her homework. I am the "Homework Police". I am so very proud of her!

Bling Calendar for Sale!

This is one of my perpetual matchbox calendars for sale. The empty matchboxes come in handy to store small items. I used a lot of bling items and pink colors. The months are stored on the backside

$120.00 + shipping

Private Class with Deb!

Deb and I had a fun Saturday at her home making a custom calendar for her studio!

She chose brown and pink colors with lots of bling.

Art Unraveled..the best shopping ever!

I hope that some of you were able to make it to Art Unraveled. I did get to see several of my friends that stopped by my table to say hello. Joanne Hassing, Mike and Leslie Putman, Kim & Rick Johnson, Judy Bidwell and Donna Eyring just to name a few.

My husband Justin was a big help to me. He is my eye candy! I couldn't of done it without him.
Plus I was able to sneak away and shop alittle.
I found an awesome place to find items for my calendars. Check out Pamela Medaglia business at: http://www.stampindamour.com/ .

I will be posting my next class photo of the Christmas Advent Calendar which I will be teaching at http://www.mysticpaper.com/ in mid November.

Have a wonderful week!
Hugs,
Shirley

Another hump day!

Hello there!
My girls are back to school! I miss having them home with me. However... Katie Bug was sent home from school on her 1st day back! That is a very long story.

I was invited by the City of Phoenix to attend their annual Recycling Convention as a vendor featuring "Go Green" art. I brought my "junque drawer calendars".

I spent both Monday and Tuesday getting to know some of the "Go Green" art vendors around me like,
-Brenda with Kika Paprika which is a offers a great line of "eco-chic clothing. Check them out at:
www.brendamiller.kikapaprika.com.
-Donna who specializes in homemade paper and recycling paper art such as books and things. deyringphx@yahoo.com

-Shelly Brooks with Mystic Pieces (Time Traveling Jewelry) which is made from steam punk watch parts. I just had to buy an awesome silver ring from her!
Check her out at: www.mysticpieces.etsy.com
And... Ben Bedell with Time Recycled (Computer Art Timepieces). I just had to trade a calendar from one of his clocks which is made from a computer hard drive. Check them out at www.timerecycled.com . These clocks are perfect gift for a computer geek or a lover of truly unique art.

Thanks to all of you who said that they would check out my blog and take my Christmas Advent Calendar class coming soon!
Have a wonderful week in the hot heat!

Hugs,
Shirley

Check these out!

Here are two of my calendars that I have made for Art Unraveled which will be held on

Saturday, August 7th, 2010

For additional information check out the link below at: www.artunraveled.com

This will be my fourth year as a vendor!

This one is my Vintage retro theme calendar

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Alice in Wonderland perpetual matchbox calendar
This one is made from a 1940's gold frame that I spray painted black. It is magnetized to adhere the matchboxes. The months are stored in an altered cigar box pictured below.
I was inspired to make this one after finding some really cool Alice in Wonderland paper.
I searched high and low for the embellishments.

Recent photos of Allie and Katie

Katie catching lots of fish with her
Barbie fishing pole!

Allie's trip to Bass Pro Shop

My next class...

Grandpa's Junque Drawer Memo Board

Class fee $45.00

All materials included (several junque items to choose from)

(Check out class description on "My Class schedule" below)

Memo Board on display at Mystic Paper!

Allie & Mrs. Stover after art project

Monthly Update...

How have you been?
I have been keeping busy with mommyhood! Katie Bug was out of school for nearly two weeks due to health issues. So I was close by her side at all times. I was a chaperon for Allie's 2nd grade class to Tempe Center of the Arts to see the play The Big Friendly Giant. Her class loved it!

I teach an art class 3-4 times throughout the school year for her class. We recently made a collage decoupage flower pot. I used all of my scrap papers from my calendars. The kids just love the projects and I love to see their creative side hard at play!

Justin and I took the girls out on the boat for a little fishing. Allie was such a big girl with Daddy's fishing pole and Katie bug is so sweet with her Cinderella fishing pole.

I am getting my energy ready for the girls "summer break" from school. Today is the day that Allie and me go to Joann's for fabric to make her talent show costume.

Hugs,

Shirley

My day...

Kevyn, Kari and Debbie

loving their finished project

Hi there it's me again! Today I taught my very first "memo board" class at Mystic Paper. Kari, Debbie and Kevyn had such a fun time creating a unique and elegant memo board for their homes. I brought along a lot of extra flowers to brighten it up even more.
My next memo board class will be a vintage "Grandpa's junk drawer theme". If your style is more vintage "junque" stuff this is the perfect class for you.

Have a wonderul Sunday!
Hugs,
Shirley

Happy Wednesday!

Good Morning!
So far today has been very productive. I am working away at cleaning out our third bedroom and making room in my cluttered studio for all of my "stuff" that I have accumalated over the past three years. Does anyone need any cabinet doors or any other free stuff??
My seven year old daughter Allie will be finally getting her own room. She is so excited. Of course everytime she watches the show Trading Spaces Boy verses Girl she has another idea what theme she would like. As of this week she would like Daddy to paint the room pink with big blue polka dots. I wanted to the "Shabby Chic" look but that is not going to happen.
I promised her the room would be ready in May! To Allie this means May 1st. So today I will work on moving out all of those Somerset Magazine's.

Hugs for today!
Shirley

My wonderful husband with his two closest friends!

My friend Debi after the calendar class

What's new with me!

How are you? I am doing pretty good! I am so behind with "journaling" so I have "old" news and "new" news to write about.

We had a wonderful Easter Weekend. We attended the Sharing Down Syndrome Easter Egg hunt for the fifth year in a row. Katie bug had such a blast dancing and sitting on the Easter Bunnies lap and Allie always has a great time wherever she goes. She meets lots of new friends. Check out the photo's. I realized that I don't have any photos of my husband on my blog. I found one of him doing what he loves to do with his spare time...fishing!

I will be teaching another class at Mystic Paper on Saturday April 17th 1:00-3:00 ish. We will be making a small size magnetic memo board with an "Elegant" style. You can check it out by clicking "My Class Schedule" below. I do private classes for those of you that have conflicting schedules so email me if you would like more information.

Well it is time for bed! I had a very long weekend.

Hugs,
Shirley

Happy Monday!

Today has been a very lazy day! I started my day at 4:30 am when Katie Bug woke me up by yelling for me. Of course she didn't want to go back to sleep. She wanted to watch ICarly.

It is sometimes hard for me to have these "lazy" days because there is so much for me to be doing. Oh well!

Tuesday is my play date with my good friend Dayl. I met Dayl when she took one of my classes at Mystic Paper. She is the nicest, kindness lady and I am happy to have her at my friend.

I have started a new project idea. I will be making smaller size memo boards out of cabinet doors. I have about 30 of these doors sitting in my garage. The are a perfect size 11x14 for a smaller wall that just needs something unique. plus I could use one for my kitchen.

Well I think that I am getting my second wind. Just in time for the school bus to arrive.

Have a great week!

Hugs,
Shirley

How are you?

Hello again~ Isn't this pretty good? Two new posts in the last two weeks! I am getting better.
I had a wonderful weekend.
Friday evening we went to Allie's "Family Dance". The girls had so much fun. Allie danced with all of her 2nd grade friends while Katie Bug ran around looking for someone to dance with her.
Saturday was my play time. I met my friend Joanne at Paper Vineyard where I soldered. I have been making some solder pieces for my calendars.
Sunday I was a art vendor at the Willow District Home Tour. I got to chat with a lot of really neat people. My booth was across from Cathy Manthey, Classy Critrque. She is very talented and loves vintage art like I do. I also met the owner Leslie Christensen from Frilly Frocks an awesome boutique on 7th Avenue in Phoenix.
Thanks to all of you who stopped by to see my calendars. I really appreciate your feedback!

Have a fun week!
Shirley

Check it out!

Hello there!
I am finally back to check in on my blog. I have been busy making a lot of calendars for the upcoming event on Sunday, February 14th (Love Day). The event is called Willow Home Tour in Historic Downtown Phoenix. www.willowhomedistrict.com .
My week has been relaxing so far and it's only Tuesday. It feels so weird having both of my daughters off to school by 8:04 everyday. I have been scheduling my days out with certain chores and of course play dates. I haven't been shopping at my favorite thrift stores lately. I have found a new addiction called "EBay". It is so fun to do and I can shop with my PJ's on. I love it!!
I took my girls on Saturday to the "Fishing for Friends" event which is help annually for people with special needs. Katie was such a good girl. Usually she runs off and I can't run as fast as she can! This time she would get so excited every time that a dog or stroller trotted my us!
Allie was such a big help to me as it is very stressful taking Katie out with my husband not there.
Anyway, I will check in and let you know how the Willow event went!

Hugs,
Shirley

Happy New Year!

How are you doing? I have been extremely busy keeping up with all of my responsibilities in my life. My family had a wonderful holiday. Allie, Katie bug and Daddy loved what Santa brought them for Christmas.

My warm and fuzzy memory of Christmas will be the story that I will someday tell my daughter Allie (age 7) when she is all grown up. I will tell her about how much mommy and daddy wanted you to have that "Barbie Camper" that you really really wanted Santa to bring you. After calling every Walmart and Target store in Arizona my husband Justin finally found one in Globe, AZ. so he hopped in his truck and off he went for his 1 1/2 hour drive (one way) to Globe. Aren't Daddy's the best.

My daughter Katie just turned six on January 7th. She is doing very well in school. She can count to 20 and is starting to write her name with our help. I am so very proud of her accomplishments. I am so blessed that I have been able to be home with both of my daughters especially Katie bug our little" Angel".



I will try to stay in touch a little more often. Sometimes my day is over before I know it!



Hugs,

Shirley