Hello there!

*WHEW*. Ok, so..... I do realize that a kinda left you hanging on my last post~ which by the way, seems like forever ago! I'm sorry about that. Where do I begin? This may seem quite silly to some, but I have been lucky enough to get my "dream job" back!!!!! Yes, back. A few years ago, I was employed at our local public library. I made an extremely hasty and poor decision and left my job for reasons that were extremely petty. I have regretted that decision ever since. I recently, stumbled across the chance to reapply~ all in thanks to my wonderful friends and co-workers for putting a bug in our new director's ear. :) I interviewed, was hired and started working there again last week. I am absolutely on cloud nine! I was a bit nervous coming back into the atmosphere knowing that I would need a refresher course... well, that took about 10 minutes!! It was like hopping back on a bike again, it all came right back! With the exception of a few computer changes, it worked out beautifully. I am familiar with the services and systems offered at our library, so there was really no training involved. YIPPEE! Again, I could not be happier and I am so very grateful for the opportunity to serve the community again! Thank you to everyone that put in such a good word for me! For those of you that already do know me, yep, I'm still at Lopez....... I'm working six days a week and splitting shifts between jobs. Normally, I would dread the thought of that, but I really am very content doing this. I love the library with a passion~ it is such a rewarding and fulfilling job for me. I love to help people and deal with the public. Crazy? Maybe..... but, I think I'm pretty good at it. I don't mind working my butt off when it comes to doing the things I love.
The kids are doing great! Poor Beth is being very patient with my new schedule, shuffling alot more and running around like crazy people but we're doing good! She has her Homecoming dance this Saturday nite, she's really looking forward to it. We already got her dress and shoes, she's good to go! Spirit week here we come! Brendan is working his tail off and commuting back and forth~ he loves the weekends as much as the next person! They (he and his girlfriend, Katie) are down to one car and both work hard at the whole carpooling thing. They are enjoying the new place though and live in such an artsy~fartsy college town! KU campus is just out the back door! He loves that town!
Oscar (Cory's business partner) is flying in on Saturday, art class on Monday, AND.... more news, the Director and Young Adult librarian have asked me to hold altered art classes at the library bi-monthly for our YA patrons!!!!!!!! These will start on October 14th! I am very excited about all of these new developments~ my life finally seems to be in order! Next, I'll be getting some Christmas projects done a bit early......hopefully! I really have to budget my time better now, I must admit, I have neglected, but checked the blog and FB every nite, just haven't taken the time to get involved the past few days!
*Whew*.......... alot to catch up on, and no pics but I'll get around to those, I promise! Hugs to all and thanks for putting up with me.............. and my absence! :)))))))
TTFN,
Christina :)

more makes....

Pricing these to take to Melissa's!! I, by the way, am one of the happiest people on earth today!!!! I'll fill you in later on!
Hugs!
Christina

My flea trip finds were all pretty tiny.....

You know how I love the cake decor.... my new belt buckle in the post below totally ROCKS!!! I can't wait to sport the junk gypsy look with that buckle and my old ragged blue jeans! (my usual get~up!) The Valentine stickers... I think I had the very same package many moons ago, not a single one is missing, by the way! :) Oh, and check out the "greeting card negatives"?????? below.... (wth???) I'm not quite sure what they were used for, but I definitely know what I'll be using them on! Collage, he we come..... again....Muahahahahaha!!!! TTFN
Hugs,
Christina

some flea finds.....

Forgot to download pics of First Monday @ Melissa and Karen's~ here's a few.....

Went to a flea market today!

I'll be posting pictures soon of my findings, but right now I have to get ready to go and see my son's new apartment! I can't wait...... he's having us all for dinner!! Love it~~ what a nice way to bring this weekend to a close! :))) I'll be back later on sometime...........

May God bless America on this Sept.11th. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

princess in progress...

I'm not quite satisfied with my little pink birdhouse yet...... she needs a teeny bit more bling, in my opinion.

This has been a pretty wild week for us, I really think that we are ALL glad to see the weekend!! Beth is playing a half-time show tonight at the football game, Cory went to watch the game and I'm just at home farting around on the computer. I just haven't been feeling myself for the last few days and today, it finally got me down and out. I'm exhausted~ and a bit sick to my stomach. Yuck! :{ I'll feel better in the morning, I'm sure..... I just need to get that good nite's sleep! :)

Saturday approaching.....what to do... what to do..... Who knows, if I wake early enough in the morning, I may even throw together a yard sale! We really need to have one, poor Beth sorted boxes and boxes of her old stuff about a month ago and still has piles around~ she's waiting for me to pick a date and finally get one set-up. I still haven't even sorted through our stuff yet. UGH! It'll all depend on how I feel. Uhhh...... okay, no.... it's safe to say that I will not be doing this tomorrow morning. Maybe next Saturday! Actually, I think that I'll want to be doing a lot more of my artwork instead this weekend because.... after all, my art is my therapy! :)

Welp, here it comes, a bit of R&R.... very much needed, if I do say so myself. Sorry if I seemed to ramble.......T.G.I.F.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reuse, Remake, Restyle....

Thought I'd share something SpOoKy that was made tonight...

I guess I'm in rare form, tonight! Muahahahahaha
Hugs!

I am really in the Halloween spirit, can you tell?

This one was made this morning...... very simple, but it may have turned out to be my fave so far.

found these treasures a few weeks ago..........

the pipe cleaner packaging is filled, waxed and best of all.............HOT PINK! i love the name, "twisticks"....... so pretty for something so practical! i ran across 8 yards of this awesome lace for....ready?........ $.75!!!!!!!!!! the blue and white pearl necklace is stretchy, i think it'll eventually get wrapped around a bottle neck or something! who knows! have a great rest of the weekend!
hugs,
christina

boy, could i go for a cupcake right about now...

Saturday's stuff...

"Paperwaits" and spooky stuff.......oh my!

My o my....I haven't posted in a few days.

I've been busy creating and I actually got a few new items finished. It's way too dark outside now to try and get a good picture, so I'll post snapshots tomorrow. I really appreciate the natural light........... Hope everyone had a great day~~ mine was yet, another stay at home Saturday.
Hugs,
Christina

So much to do...

I think I'll be going back to what I originally loved doing... drawing homes. Nothing permanent... I'll give these "altered" eyes a rest for now. HA! I find myself constantly dabbling in so many different art mediums and go crazy wanting to create so many different types of art...I've realized that I have way too many unfinished projects going on. Ahhhh, this takes me back.... I really love the old architecture~ especially in our small, historic town! Here are a few examples of my work.... not the best quality photos, but hopefully, you can at least, see the detail. Excuse the "Windows and Doors", my flash bounced off of the glass pretty badly....A special thank you to Liz and Linda for commissioning me to do this~ about 5 years ago! :) I sketched our Abbey, an old house on the corner and the home that we rented 14 years ago is at the very top~ it was never inked, so it's a bit hard to make out, sorry! The gazebo was changed a bit from the original view. I've done a handful of commissions and it's always a joy to see the owner's face upon completion. The Holidays are right around the corner~ what a unique gift. I can sit on location or draw from a snapshot. If I do have photos, I just ask for a clear frontal view and possibly, an up~close of ornate details around the home. I have so much fun doing these, I'll keep you posted on my progress! Thanks for looking!
Hugs,
Christina

Pretties today...

Pet butterfly...

My totally awesome daughter was lucky enough to have a butterfly land right on her hand.... and guess what? It remained content right there for longest time... she finally had to MAKE it get off of her hand by scooting it onto the school desk on the porch~ after about a half an hour! (She was SO over entertaining me by that time.) I ended up taking 46 pictures of this beauty... yes, 46! I know.... BUT~ I have a good reason, some didn't turn out...and I just couldn't get enough of it... let alone the fact that it had the fastest little wings ever! This is actually the image I wanted to capture. Every time I snapped the picture, she would close her wings. Only a few turned out this pretty with a flattened, clear view! Of course, my daughter got pretty frustrated with me and lost interest after the first 20 pictures... "enough already!!!!!"

Hopefully, you can't see all the dog hair on the porch runner! :)

Happy day!
Christina OxOx

Very special thanks to Amy at Such a wonderous place this faerytale space!

I never really thought that it would be possible to make such lovely friends online. Most of my friends...I don't know on a personal level. I've never even met them, but for some reason, I feel very close to most. This package came in the mail today... it really, could not have come at a better time. It was a bad day and when this package arrived from my dear, sweet friend, Amy... to say the least, it really cheered me up! Amy is so creative, so wonderful. Whenever she pops by for a visit to this place, she signs her comments to me with the words "Blessings and light". Today, when I really could have used some Blessings and light the most.... there it was! Thank you dear, Amy from the bottom of my heart! My treats are beautiful, the most wonderful and softest colors and look.... even the giftbag was decorated beautifully with real clovers! My necklace, tin, sea glass and your amazing illustration are all treasures to me. I just love my friend, Amy! Thank you so much!

pinkie...

I've gotta get a bunch done today, so I'll make this quick.... but, I'll be back later on. Hope today brings you happiness and enjoy this beautiful Saturday! See you in a while....

Why am I taking pictures of my chandeliers?

I'm not really sure... they just make me very happy. You know how I feel about anything that SpArKlEs!!!!!!!!!! I'm not sure if you can tell from the photos, but I still haven't taken down the icicles and snowflakes that were hung from them last Christmas!! UGH! Didn't I just recently have a conversation with someone about this? The hidden, leftovers from the holidays? About how occasionally, I run across a tiny elf or reindeer or whatever~ that may have been tucked away in that secret spot~~ in the dead of summer!!!!! Pretty funny... I guess if I didn't have so much crap, things would be so much easier to find and put away! :) I must admit, though... the chandelier "danglies" were planned...I don't think that I even had the desire to take them down. Ever. (and still don't~ I like 'em that way) Why, how convienient, the holidays will be approaching again soon.... One less thing to decorate! I like the silver and whites~ AND It makes me feel a bit cooler looking at them on hot days! Yeah right.............. :) Lame excuse, but at least I don't still have Christmas lights hung outside of the house, right? :)!
Hugs, Christina

hmmm, not the best day ever... good finds, though!

Oh yeah, more vintage cards... baggie for a quarter!! L.o.V.e. my new curly~cue mirror... now, THAT was expensive... ONE dollar! :))))) Man! Last week I bought a small chest (bottom left) for 4 dollars... not knowing the drawer didn't fit, it was still quite a steal, I think~it's actually pretty old, but most importantly, I like it. Welp, this is what it looks like now~after a coat of black spray paint on the top of it, and adding a separate shelf on top, kinda like a hutch or something, I guess. I really don't mind if it's not perfect... nothing is..............even I have a crack! HA! Sorry... I hope that wasn't offensive to anyone. I'm just being silly. Had a bad day....
Hugs!

I wish I could grab a button!

Happy Sunday to all of my fantastic friends! Just an idea for all you glam~junkers out there...here is one awesome chickie... you should really check out this place: http://glamarellajunk.blogspot.com..... it's wayyyyy cool!!!! I am totally and uncontrollably falling in love with this style... feeling like quite the gypsy these days~can't get enough!!!! Just click on the title of this post to take you on that trip to funland!
Hugs!

Pink!

Say hello... to my hairy little friend!

He keeps me company in my studio..... I hope that everyone is doing well...happy Wednesday! ~ I had a moment that made me just want to scream! Well, actually, a few moment-s! This may sound kinda lame, but you have to understand, I'm totally in love with all in blogland now. Last night when I logged in, my dashboard said that I was not following any blogs! I thought, ok..... it's just temporary, the site must be down or something. I logged out and restarted.... still, no blog updates. This morning, the same... I really thought that I had lost all of my favorite links to you forever! Believe this or not, that made me very sad! I love knowing what all of you are up to, I keep tabs on you guys... all of my favorite blogs. Not being able to reach you with just a click really did upset me. How else was I supposed to know when you had something new to say?! Turns out, it must've been a glitch.... thank goodness, it's up and running again for me! WHEW! That made my day....... petty, I know....................

Hugs! Christina :)

Look what else came in my cake decor loot! :)

Eeeeeeeekkkk! I forgot to show you this, and then I promise I'm done with the garage sale, loot-box, jackpot find from last Saturday....deal??!! Now, as much as I love the traditional vintage wedding stuff.... THIS, to me is........... *sigh*............. PERFECT!!!! (whatta bonus round!)

Hugs!
Christina

"BLiNg RiNgS"...

Okay, all... take a looksie at these *fantabulous* rings made by one of my favorite local artists around! Belinda makes THE most whimsical and beautiful rings... the colors and crystal cuts on these cuties just make my head spin!!! Whether you like large, dainty, loud colors or modest jewelry~~ she's got the designs for you! Sized to fit and plenty of eye~candy to pick from, you can find these fun rings at Cottage of the Seasons... located in downtown Atchison at 515 Commercial. Check this gal out at Melissa and Karen's shop, wouldya'! Hugs! :)