Friday, October 15, 2010

Birthday Bliss

The sun is shining here this morning after yesterday's rain. A little more chilly, but so beautiful! I get so much energy and happiness from our sun!

I was able to take photos of my latest page for you. I created this page just for fun...not for assignment of any kind! I love to squeeze a little time here and there to do my own thing!


If you follow my blog, you probably remember my darling husband's birthday was this month and I made him a card, homemade macaroni and cheese and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies? He's pretty easy to please and was quite happy so I wanted to scrap these photos to remember his day.


I love this picture! This is how I see Dan, a content happy go lucky sort of guy!


I'm typically a less is more kind of paper crafter, but on this page I piled on quite a few goodies! I enjoy stepping outside my comfort zone, mixing things up and trying something different once in a while.

That's my artsy share for the day. I have to keep this short because I have to get ready for my friend to arrive for our cooking lesson! If you were here yesterday I mentioned that the two of us were getting a little tired of the same old dinner menu and decided to try some new recipes. Tonight's dinner will be Ranch Style Chicken from The Pioneer Woman Cooks. For desert, pumkin cupcakes with maple frosting! Oh boy! I'll share some pictures and the recipes very soon. Hopefully, it'll be a successful adventure or at the very least a fun story to tell you about! ;) Kathy

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Lilly's in Apex

Hi! I was going to show off a scrapbook page today, but the weather here in North Carolina is quite cloudy and pouring down buckets so photos would be difficult to get! However, I have something even more fun to share, a recent shopping adventure!

Last Friday evening my friend and I were on foot heading for a small Mexican restaurant when we stopped dead in our tracks in front of a brand new gift shop called Lilly's. We were mesmerised, oohing and awing at their beautiful window displays and sparkling lights! I knew right away this was a shop we wouldn't walk out of empty handed and it would be a place we would frequent!


Feast your eyes on this display! I recommend clicking on the photos to enlarge them since there are so many goodies to behold!


Do you see the little glass jars on the table in the forefront? They have beautiful little blue eggs in them? They went home with me and are currently residing on our dinning room table! :) I replaced the eggs with pretty mini pumpkins. I love to use everyday items for holiday displays so that I have less to pack away at the end of each season and it's less expensive to use these items over and over again. Come Christmastime, I'll exchange the pumpkins for peppermint candies or little ornaments.


Look at all those hanging acorns! Clever! And the pumpkins perched on top of tall candlestick holders. Fabulous idea! These are inside the window display we were gawking at from outside.


As I'm uploading these photos for this post, I can't help but see things I want! Goodness! I want to make a trip to Lilly's right now! Too bad it's raining and about 40 minutes away from me!


One of the things I adore about this store is the mix of antiques with new treasures. Oh, and did I mention the prices! I was just as blown away with them as the items themselves!


The displays at Lilly's are amazing! I don't think my photography skills do them justice! If you happen to live local, Lilly's is the place to go shopping at 223 N. Salem Street, Apex, North Carolina. Or if you if you fall in love with an item in one of these pictures call (919) 267-4480, maybe they'll ship it to you???

If you don't live local, the next time you have a day to play, take a drive to a little downtown area you haven't been to in a while and visit your local mom and pop shop. Maybe you will stumble across a new favorite?

Have you heard of The 3/50 Project? What three independently owned businesses would you miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say hello. Pick up something that brings a smile. Your purchases are what keeps those businesses around! If half of the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 Billion in revenue!

Thanks for popping in today! Perhaps the weather will cooperate tomorrow for pictures and a post of my scrapbook page? Also happening tomorrow...my friend and I recently had a conversation about our spending habits and that we need to cut back a little! We've been taking the 3/50 project way too seriously! ;) We talked about what other things we could do besides antiquing and shopping and decided we could expand our dinner menus. We both feel that we've gotten into a rut, cooking the same things over and over. Tomorrow that will change. We plan to get together and try a new recipe. I have the fire extinguisher at hand since neither of us is a Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray! ;) I'll take pics and post about our experiment. This should be a hoot! Stay tuned!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Falling Leaves

Hey! So great to have you stop by! I have a fun fall project to share with you today! If you are not familiar with the talented Two Peas in a Bucket Digital Designer Wilna Furstenberg, I will introduce her work to you with this project. Almost all of her digital kits contain beautiful watercolor paintings that she does herself! Yep, no stock images here!


These leaf prints are from Wilna's latest 'Leaves Collection' kit. Look at these gorgeous watercolors! I think they are absolutely beautiful and perfect for framing! Talk about an inexpensive way to decorate! And you will not find these paintings mass produced anywhere!


I'm embarrassed to admit how simple this project was! I want the designers at Two Peas in a Bucket to think I stress and slave to make their kits look awesome! ;) But all I did was take four of my favorite leaf accents from the kit and added one of the quotes to the red leaf and framed them! The frame was tucked away in a closet with baby photos of Christopher...it was time to re-purpose it.


Look how pretty it looks hanging within my bookshelves!

Well, I have some more fantastic kits from Two Peas in a Bucket to go make projects with. I can't wait to show them off. This week it was difficult to choose since so many beautiful kits came out. I'll be back tomorrow to show you a page I'm finishing up this morning. Until then...make it a great day! :) Kathy

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Digital Doodles Tuesday & Giveaway

Great to 'see' you! It's Digital Doodles Tuesday and the design team and I have a second round of 'Night Before Christmas' kit projects to share with you! Have you started any holiday projects? Do you make your Christmas cards? Hopefully, the projects you see here today will help inspire you with some holiday craft ideas.




Tin of Gift Tags
by Kathy Martin


Paper Stocking



Shadow Box Decor


Christmas Card Set


Gift Set & Tags


Christmas Village Cards


Christmas Card


I love these projects! I really think Patricia's shadow box is not only creative, but such a great way to use the packaging that our scrapbook supplies come in! And what about Cheryl's Christmas Village cards? Darling how she used the 'Home Sweet Home' stamp in addition to the 'Night Before Christmas' set! Arielle's stocking was created for a family tradition they have to place surprises on the tree for each other before Christmas morning. Cute idea isn't that?!?!

Now for the winner of last week's 'Thankful' stamp set....Kay! Congratulations! Please send me your e-mail address so I can mail you your stamps. This weeks stamp set giveaway is 'Happy Howl-loween' pictured below. Just leave a comment on this post by this Friday and a winner will be drawn at random and announced next Digital Doodles Tuesday.


Once again, I'm thrilled that you came to visit and I sure do appreciate that! Tomorrow I have a unique project to show you that uses a pretty darn cool new digital kit from Two Peas in a Bucket. Until then, make it a great day! :) Kathy
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