Michael Jacksons Passing

Michael Jacksons Passing

I feel really compelled to write about the passing of Michael Jackson and how it is affecting me. This is a blog afterall and we all have the write to express our thoughts and feelings here.

First of all, for just a few days I would love everyone to put their personal feelings aside concerning his personal life and the struggles that he faced or caused for others and simply try to focus on his talent.

I am Michaels age and grew up with him and his music... I remember singing and dancing to "I want you back" and the song "Got to be there" was my favorite. Through the years his hits just kept coming and many times with artists who produce so much, we lose track of just how many he brought us. In the 80's "Off the Wall" and "Thriller" took over my life and I could not get enough of his music once again. When he danced it caught my full attention and I could not get enough.

On Thursday, Renee had informed me that MJ had died and I instantly felt this emptiness inside, almost as if he were going to take all his music with him. So I immediately went on itunes and bought as much of it as I could (wish I had bought Apple stock that day.) Friday at the Bank we played a radio station that played his music the entire day, it made us all feel good.

I know that some of you may have terrible feelings about him and the accusations that will always be a part of his legacy. I certainly struggle with this also. I think Michael Jackson was a tortured soul who never had a chance for a normal life. Psychologists tell us how important it is for human beings to experience each stage of life normally or we will suffer as adults. Michael Jackson never had his childhood and this is apparent in the song "Childhood". He expressed that no song hit deeper to him than this one.

In years to come the world will talk about him, we will be honest and express the negative and well as the positive and we should. But for just a couple of days, I want to remember the positive..the "We are the World" and "Heal the World" and watching him dance to "Beat It".. and my one regret is, I wish I had been able to see him in concert.

Well that is all from me about Michael Jackson.. feel free to express your thoughts.

Let's Talk About Embossing

Embossing can be achieved using a versa mark pad, rubber stamp and embossing powder and set using a heat gun. This technique is called "wet embossing". You simply pick a rubber stamp... one with a simple design, not a lot of detail, works best. Stamp it using a versa mark pad or an embossing pad. The next step is to cover your design with empossing powder immediately, use a fairly heavy coating and then shake off the excess really well. The last step is to heat the powder with a heat fun until the embossing powder melts. Your design will shine!

The second embossing technique known as "dry embossing". This technique uses a light box or your window at home, a metal templet and an emobossing tool with a round tip. Simply turn on your light box and lay your metal templet on top or lay it on your window at home... it must be light outside to use your window in place of a light box. Next step, lay your paper to be empossed over your templet and then run your round tipped embossing tool over the paper around the edges of the templet, which you will be able to see clearly using the light to guide you.

Both of these techniques are easy and fun but achieve really different results.

Please let me know via emal or on my blog if you have any questions about these techniques or other papercrafting techniques you may have. I will do my best to help you.

Happy Papercrafting!

Susan

Here are some ATC's that I have created over the years.

my simple taste

Here is my package of three cards..I love to keep my decorating simple. Then you will see one of the cards in the package

Pretty decorated Box

I decorated this box as a gift for my mom. The scrapbook inside will be decorated and tucked inside of the pretty box. The paper and box are by CTMH.. Reflections.

My Niece June

I put this together using a little scraplifting, a page found in my Memory Works Catalog. Enjoy...

Simple pretty cards made with the Cricut Wild Card Cartridge

Simple pretty cards made with the Cricut Wild Card Cartridge

Simple pretty cards made with the Cricut Wild Card Cartridge

Something New

Here are 2 kits created through Memory Works. If you want to purchase any of these kits, drop me a comment and I can arrange it!

MY FAVORITE QUOTE FOR THE DAY

I'm stronger than I was yesterday

Professional Communication

I just completed the work for my first week of class in Professional Communication. It was interesting because it helps me really reflect on communication in my workplace. I think I'm going to like this course.

It is raining like crazy here and I just found yet another leak in our roof, in the den this time. We are getting a new roof on the 17th and it couldn't come soon enough. When it rains we have 3 bowls that we put in the kitchen to catch the water leaking from the ceiling..now 4. Ahhhh!

Tonight is Renee's show at DAAP and we can't wait to see her work on display.

Another day,

Susan

More projects from the crop

I also worked on a couple more projects beside the chunky book. I did this 2 page spread about family and made this wonderful christmas page that I will fill this month. We also had our annual christmas gift game exchange at the crop...this of course was really fun. I was fortunate enough to get a package from Mitzi Smith.. lots of yummy scrapbook supplies and a darling christmas ornament.

Day after the Crop

We had our good share of fun at our montly crop last night. I had yesterday off work as well as today so I headed over to Teri's early. I was the first one there! Nine of us had signed up to make a 4 x 4 chunky book page for our holiday recipe book and I was going to bind the books with my rubicoil and hand them out. Below is a video our our book. This is about the 6th chunky book I did with this group and each one is better than the next.

My Little Christmas Treat Bags

Here are the treat bags that I created yesterday...I made 20 of these. At first it was really fun than after about 12, it became a job. You know the drill.

Packing up my toys for Friday

Today I worked all day on little gift bags for my girls on Friday night. We are having our December/Christmas crop on Friday night at Teri's. We usually make something for everyone...just a little something to make someone else smile. I made thise little bags with this little bag making kit I bought years ago from QVC. I embellished the heck out of them with eyelets and chalking..and will fill them with christmas candy. ..it took me all day. Tomorrow and Thursday I work. I am using my final vacation day on Friday and I am off Saturday...this never happens so i am taking advantage of this long weekend and will stay late at the crop and arrive early. I am going to bind our chunky books, we have 9 participants on this one. Then I will probably make Christmas tags and gift card holders. I do have some thanksgiving pictures to scrapbook also. Lots to do and I can't wait to see all my scrappin lovelies.

Bill has gone to bed and I have this ritual where I stay up and watch Law and Order CI...I love the show and love Vincent D'nofrio..what a wonderful and strange character.

Hope everyone had a wonderful day...Good night!

Susan

Moving Ahead

Finally recieved my grade for Management and Leadership and it was.... an A! I am 2 for 2 now. I enjoyed that course but must say that I am happy it is behind me. So much reading and so little time. Now I move on to Communications. I am looking forward to this course, I know that I will have to give a presentation and turn it in on a DVD or CD at the end of the course..if it isn't too bad, I may post it here. I will turn 50 on New Years Eve and I cannot believe that I am back in college. Please never think that you are too old to do anything in life...just grab it and get involved, don't let nay sayers stop you. It's your life, it's the only one you have, go out there and get what you want.

My lovely daughter stopped by tonight to grab up my debit card and get her hair cut. She looked adorable ! What the heck, she is adorable! Such a good student, never has money so I love to indulge her when I have a chance. She is a hard worker and such a nice person, I am so proud of her.

So here I sit on the sofa with my husband asleep on one end, the dog Mojo and the cat Gracie sleeping in the middle and me here on the computer on the other end. It's only 6:30 in the evening and I am going downstairs to my craft room for a few hours to play.

My sweet family, I love them so.

Susan

Things I love about my craft room

I use to have a ceramic studio where the public would come in and paint pottery and I would fire it for them. These are my bisque peices I have left over from those days. I still have my kiln and glazes and paints...someday I may get back to it. I also have two pottery wheels. I took a pottery class once, it was difficult but very fun and entertaining as I would generally see clay go flying through the air on a daily basis. Here also is part of my collection of craft books. I have also collected scrapbooks over the years and, as long as I don't die anytime soon, I will surely fill each one. I have a large collection of paper also that sits in files and waits for it's day to be displayed on my scrapbook pages. I also love scrapbook kits, am kind of addicted to them.

Things I love about my craft room

Here you will see an old viking sewing machine that I truly love, wouldn't trade it for the world. Also my table filled with die cut machines and other goodies. My cricut and my sizzix and my xyron runner and my xyron machine...all these things I love for many reasons. You will also see a handmade paper book I made with an old man made out of clay..I love this guy! Also, I use to work at a scrapbook store that went out of business and I was able to purchase some of thier old displays... gotta love that!