Valentine's Day came a bit early here...

Because sometimes words get in the way, I will refrain.

Today, in the mail, my Valentine ATC swap arrived:

cover by Joanna Lewis
http://sweetfinds.typepad.com/sweet_finds/

Cindy Gilstrap
http://cindygilstrap.typepad.com/junqueart/

Maija Lepore
http://www.maigirlz.typepad.com/

Gina Grable
(you are here!)

Heather Ales
http://www.heatherales.blogspot.com/

Jenny Morgan
(no blog yet, but we are working on her.

Her stuff is too amazing to go unseen!)

Ali Sunlia Gripp
http://aligripp.blogspot.com/

Alisa Noble

http://lifeisabeautifulplacetobe.blogspot.com/

Joanna Lewis
http://sweetfinds.typepad.com/sweet_finds/

Jana Perenchio

http://scrappinjana.typepad.com/

Cindy Mayfield

http://yappingcatstudio.typepad.com/

Valita Baxley

http://valitas.blogspot.com/

The final page was a short note to all the girls who participated and a beautiful end cover to the book completed by Joanna as well.

Can I just tell you that it is the yummiest book of all sorts of goodness?! So many wonderful people participated in the making of it, but the biggest thanks goes out to Joanna, what a doll!

She packaged it all up and included so many little Valentine goodies...

I feel so very loved.

~xo

Catch up time...

In this blog I will let my pictures do most the talking. I have so much to catch up on and so much to share. It seems I am living life more than I am documenting it, but isn't that what it is all about? I will do my best to keep it short...

One more Marie photo, don't you just love her??!!

(Thanks again Kim for an absolutely over the top time!!!)

The 4x4 Valentine I made for the Love Me Tender Collage Swap hosted by the fabulous Danielle Muller at http://thevintagedragonfly.typepad.com/the_vintage_dragonfly_stu/


The banner I made for sweet Sherry on her very special 40th birthday (it says "create")
a special thanks to Jenny M. for the silver tinsel idea for the nest on the last letter e!!!

A photo of us on the beach at Sherry's girl's weekend where old friendships were celebrated and new ones were made... thanks Sherry!!!

(Pictured left to right Sonia, Kelly, Michelle, Sherry, Rhonda, Christie, Me and Natalie)

My Obamicon (thanks to Michelle Geller for the inspiration!)

A sweet little cupcake gift April Clemens made me for hosting the Christmas swap at the Pink (too cute!!!) Thanks Chickie!!!

And finally, last night's Valentine Banner Swap. It turned out amazing and the girls involved were so wonderful!

The Valentine Banner Swap Reveal Party was complete with heart shaped cookies, pink lemonade, and even Eiffel Tower cookie treat bags (thank you April!)


We had Teah and Joanne drive 2 hours to attend!!! I am still so tickeld that you made the trip!! AND some of my original swappers from the Christmas swap joined too! All involved were such a treat and brought such different and creative ideas to the table.

As I told them, it was smaller than usual, mainly because of CHA but warm wishes and creative energy filled the room, you all were buzzing with it! (and I don't think it was the sugar in the cookies either!!) What a treat to swap even more ideas and creative outlets. There were so many blogs and web address mentioned I know I missed most. If you have them, send them my way, PLEASE!!

Teah Borrow and April Clemens

Terri Kinjo and Krystie Whillock

Gina Grable and Christianne Penaflor

Christine Penaflor and Joanne Anderson

Gloria King and Kimmi "Seahag"

In the true spirit of swaps and our French theme, she made Eiffel Tower cookies complete with silver adornments she had to purchase from another state for EVERYONE!!! They were packaged up so sweetly! Just as soon as I got pics for my blog the kids made short work of it. Sadily I cannot say how delicious it was but the kids agree it was awesome. Here is a picture of it and the other goodies she gave me.

I want to publically thank you all! I know I said it before but you are a very special and great group of girls. I will always cherish my love banner and all the love each one of you put into your personal piece of art!

And for now, I will end with Moira the Tiny Pink Mohair MouseI found on etsy. Isn't she just the sweetest?! She was made by http://www.violetpie.typepad.com/ and we just love her here in the Grable home.

~xo

So exciting...

I am too excited! Through several circumstantial events (working with Jenny M., meeting Rebecca in Ashland, Kim missing Ashland so I got to sit with Rebecca G., and meeting Kim C. at the Silverbella)
I was able to attend the Marie Soiree which leads to the next creative endeavor. I am just giddy to attend ~ La Petite Maison Blanc. Pam Garrison, Amy Hanna and Teresa McFayden will be joining us for an exclusive day of inspirational projects that will be sure to be completely amazing. AND you know when Kim throws a party, it is one not to be missed!

AND I get to go with Jenny & Joanna!!!

Oh what fun we will have!

~xo

this sweet little girl...

... is 60 today.

Happy Birthday Mom!

xo~

ooh la la...

The Marie Antoinette Soiree was all that and a box of Madelines to be sure! I would love to cover it all in one posting but I doubt that is even possible. First of all, our amazing hostess Kim Caldwell went all out to make us all feel like we were Marie. She prepared her home to accept us in the most gracious way and everything was just, well, over the top incredible! Très Magnifique!

I was so honored to be asked to host a swap so I jumped on it did a book titled "If I were Marie, I would..." and I have to say, I was tickled pink to see the finished product. The ladies all did an amazing job! Here is a shot of them completed and ready for delivery.

I will post more on the book soon. It is just amazing, thanks to the lovely ladies who participated! Here is a shot of the group who were there that day: Jessi, Cheryl, Sylvia, Kelly, Rebecca, Kim, Me and Maija. There were 5 other lovely ladies who will be attending the 2nd installment of the Marie Soiree who were there in spirit.

The wand swap was equally as fun. I was paired with Louise and she made this amazing wand out of a vintage wedding dress!

Here are close ups of the wand I made...

I was really intimidated to do this but it made me think "outside the box" for lack of a better term. It was a fun exercise of creativity.

One of my favorite pictures from the whole day is this one of the girls I spent so much time crafting and giggling with...

Rebecca, Cheryl, me, Jenny, and Candice. Could I ask for more?

More pictures to come...

xo~

Breathing a sigh of relief...

The Christmas decor is all put away (well almost) and my Valentine goodies have started creeping out for their display through the month of Feb. I just love all the warm reds, pinks, silvers and whites. After sadly putting away my 2 awesome 12 days of Christmas books from previous swaps and my Twinchie advent calender, things were looking bare. But bare to me is a blank canvas waiting for its first smears of brightly colored acrylics and creativity. Oh what fun!



My next exciting creative endeavor is this weekend and I am just tickled about it! I am preparing myself for the Marie Antoinette Soiree hosted by Miss Kim Caldwell. It is going to be the event of the season for sure!



I spent the better part of tonight assembling books for the swap I have hosted "If I were Marie, I would..." and the girls each made a page telling what they would do. After the reveal on Saturday, I will post them. They are truly amazing. I am such a lucky girl to have such crafty friends!

I am also participating in a wand swap. Goodness knows why I signed up for this one, I always have such grandiose ideas and then... BLAMMO! I am hit with the reality that I actually have to make this stuff! I will post whatever I come up with. It should be nothing less that interesting. Send crafty vibes my way... I need them!

~xo

Tomorrow...

I am so excited that tomorrow I get to meet with the new group of swap gals at the Pink! We are working together to complete 2 different banners for Valentine's Day and I am sure they will be nothing less than spectacular! We even had some girls who have signed up for this who are from out of town and doing this long distance! (of course I will be mailing their things to them as they will not attend the meeting or the reveal party)

I am just so excited about it all!

Love is in the air!

I posted samples 2 posts ago (scroll down for those) and will bring the actual banner to the Pink tomorrow for ideas along with others. There are still a few spots available so if you even think you want to join, call soon to join the girls. It will be a sweet treat and a cherished decoration you can get nowhere else. We would love to see you there!!!

xo~