Christmas Dammit! And Other Good Things...

Remember that flu I mentioned in my last post? It just kept coming around - again and again! My poor mom ended up in the hospital for 5 days with the stuff, and still felt terrible for another 5 days after they let her out!  I was back down for three days, and my dad had to have 2 rounds of antibiotics to quash his resulting sinus infection. Just a mean and nasty bug that I hope we have finally beat for good!

Due to all of the sickness and the hospital stay, we had to postpone our family Christmas celebration again - for another week. There has been so many obstacles to all of us getting together that I started referring to it as Christmas Dammit! Because in spite of all the road blocks, WE WILL HAVE CHRISTMAS DAMMIT! Festivities take place tomorrow (God willing), and then life will resume as "normal" again (she says with her eternal optimism firmly installed).

In the meantime, some really wonderful things have been sprinkled into the mix. I was contacted by a miniature publication and asked to write a few veggie tutorials for an upcoming issue. Of course I said yes, even though the level of confidence I have in my mini abilities is not a truly comfortable one. But, I know that challenges are how we grow, so I welcomed the opportunity. It will cover how to make an easy raised planter and include four different (paper craft) vegetables. It's been fun to work on, and I am about half way finished!

I hope to start the next project just as soon as I finish the tutorials - it feels like my mini life stopped when I got sick in December, and I am looking so forward to delving into projects and the community once again. I get so cranky otherwise! :O) I'll be using another chipboard kit from Alpha Stamps as the structure for the flower shop. I really enjoyed making cooking scenes in the secret book kits that are offered from them! The chipboard kits are:

1. Affordable.
2. Easy to assemble.
3. Easier than wood to alter.
4. Small enough to finish (and enjoy looking at) pretty quickly.

I also love that I can use scrapbooking sets to paper and coordinate both the inside and outside of the structure. It's really like miniatures meets collage art - so much to get creative with and enjoy! I hope that it will inspire you to branch out, as well!

I am using the Gilded Lily papers from Graphics 45. They are wonderful!

Monday I'll work on the Swiss Chard (for the third time - my leaf veining really stinks!) and lettuce, then hopefully turn to the floral side of mini botany - speaking of which, the working title for the flower shop is Botanique. A little French, you say? Oui, oui!

Have a wonderful and healthy weekend!

And Then The Flu Happened...

Uh huh... and it was all going so well! I won't bore you with the long and painful story. Suffice to say we are alive and breathing. Nearly three weeks have gone by but I am starting to resume normal life again... I truly hope that all of you had a much better ending to 2016 than I! I hope to be reassured of this as I go back and catch up on all of the posts and happenings that I missed!

Because the hubs and son were working out of town for most of December, and because The Flu Happened, we will be observing Christmas (and all fall/winter birthdays)with our closest family on January 14th. Hey! Better late than never, right? But party prep and planning are in full swing here, so the minis have been demoted to the end of the priority list.

 Let me just tease you with a few up-to-date photos of the cookbook projects and tell you that many new and exciting developments are afoot in my mini world and I can't wait to share it all! Soon, very soon!

Mine...

Tasha's...

Hope to see you all back here the week of January 16th! Until then, I hope you are all well and off to an exciting 2017, too!

Just Checking In...

Congratulations to all of the participants in this year's HBS Creatin' Contest. I know that we are all so excited to finally be able to see everyone's secret entries! No doubt there will be incredibly creative ideas and some amazing mini works of art. I wish all of the entrants the best of luck!

I've managed to keep myself busy in the 21 day absence of my wonderful husband, but am excited to report that he is on his way home for the weekend! He'll have to head back up to the job site for final inspections Sunday night, but I should have him back home for good next Thursday - just in time for Christmas!

This is about where I've gotten to this week on my kitchen-scene-in-a-cookbook (of course I had to do one for me, too). The (not so) secret one from my last post is just about completed. A special little detail is in a package from New Orleans. It was supposed to arrive Monday, but it somehow ended up in Opa Locka, FL! It stopped in Montgomery, AL for a visit too! This is it's ninth day in the mail. I sure hope it arrives in one (or two) piece/s!

I have lots still to make and to add, but I am loving the vintage colors! The bottle tells me that this is celery green, but come on! It's totally avocado!

I hope to fit Nancy's wonderful succulent kit into the queue soon, too! She wasn't sure about the green colored leaves, so she sent me a white set, as well! I have enough to make 14 adorable succulents - I'll need every one to fill up the upcoming flower shop project. Can't wait to get started on both!

I hope you have a happy, happy weekend and get to enjoy all that the season has to offer. A hot buttered rum sounds just about perfect to me!