a scrapaddict's ramblings

Foody Friday #4

2011-12-17T01:04:00.001-05:00

Hello, All! With the holidays drawing near, I wanted to take a moment to share a couple of holiday-themed recipes with you.

This first recipe comes from Better Homes & Gardens via Pinterest.

Peppermint-Eggnog Punch

Ingredients

1 quart peppermint ice cream

1 quart dairy eggnog or canned eggnog

1 cup rum (optional)

1-2 10 ounce bottles (1-1/4 to 2-1/2 cups)ginger ale, chilled

Additional peppermint ice cream (optional)

Peppermint sticks (optional)

Directions

Place ice cream in a large chilled bowl. Stir until softened. Gradually stir in eggnog. If desired, stir in rum. Transfer to a punch bowl. Add desired amount of ginger ale to reach desired consistency. If desired, top each serving with additional peppermint ice cream and peppermint sticks. Makes 18 (4-ounce) servings.

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe: 18

Calories: 148

Protein: 3 grams

Carbohydrate: 17 grams

Fat total: 7 grams

Cholesterol: 47 grams

Saturated fat: 5 grams

Monosaturated fat: 1 gram

Sodium: 63 mg

This next recipe comes from babycenter.com's blog via Pinterest.

Candy Cane Cake Truffles

Ingredients

1 box devil’s food cake mix (cook as directed on box for 9x13 cake)

1 can chocolate frosting (16 oz.)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 package almond bark
8 candy canes, crushed
Waxed paper

Directions

Bake cake according to directions on the box. After the cake is cool, crumble into large bowl. Mix the frosting with 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Mix the cake thoroughly with about 3/4 of the frosting. (Get your hands in there and get dirty.) Add more frosting if you think the mixture is too dry. When you can form it into a ball in your hands easily, you’re good. Use a tablespoon-sized scoop and roll mixture into balls. Place on a cookie sheet. Chill or freeze cake balls for several hours. They can also be placed in freezer bags and kept for later use. Melt almond bark according to the directions on package. Dip each ball about 3/4 way into the almond bark. Tap off excess place on wax paper, cake side down, until firm. Quickly sprinkle a little bit of crushed candy cane bits onto the top of the cake ball before the almond bark hardens. Cover the truffles tightly and store where it is cool.

Be sure to stop by next week for some more yummy holiday ideas!

*hugs*

Michelle

a Midnight Rooster reveal & 2 chances to win a kit!

2011-11-22T12:55:00.001-05:00

I can't *wait* to share some exciting news with you! First is Midnight Rooster's November reveal. This month's kit is called "A Random Story," and I absolutely *adore* it!

Below are pictures of the projects that I created with it. I decided to dig though some old photos for these layouts.

And, how could you not make a "home sweet home" card with these little wooden houses?

I'm totally in-love with this mod flower design. Remember it from one of last month's layouts?

Last, but not least, I upcycled an old coffee sleeve to create this gift card holder.

My second announcement? Starting today, Midnight Rooster and Crate Paper are hosting a blog share! Stop by both blogs using the links above and leave a comment for a chance to win one of two "A Random Story" kits! How awesome is that?! Please have your comments written and submitted by 8:00 p.m. Central Standard Time on November 28, 2011 to ensure your participation in the special giveaway. Good luck!! :)

Wishing you happy turkey dreams!

*hugs*

Michelle

Crafty Monday #1

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my first installment of "Crafty Monday!" Since today is Halloween, I thought that it would only be fitting to feature some Halloween crafts. Below are a few of my favorite Halloween-themed crafty finds from Pinterest. Enjoy!

(source)

Have a fun & safe Halloween!!

*hugs*

Michelle

Foody Friday #3

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the 3rd edition of Foody Friday! It has been an incredibly busy week here - which has lead to some really bad food choices. :( Unfortunately, quick & easy doesn't often equal healthy. Sad, but true. The problem is that I often don't get home from work until 6:30 or 7:30 at night; and, by the time I walk through my front door, I'm usually ready to chew my fingers off. (Not literally, of course! ;) Taking the time to fix a healthy, balanced meal is usually the last thing on my mind at that point. I wracked my brain, trying to come up with a possible solution. So, of course, I went to my favorite website for suggestions - Pinterest! I found a pin with a very helpful tip attached: to prepackage slow cooker recipes in gallon-sized bags and store them in the freezer until needed. How smart is that? All you have to do is throw the contents of the "freezer meal" bag into the slow cooker before you leave for work, and it's ready for you when you come home that night. AWESOME!!

(source)

Happy cooking!

*hugs*

Michelle

Foody Friday #2

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

Hello, Everyone! Welcome to another "Foody Friday!" I hope that you've all had a fantastic week! (Wow, that was a lot of exclamation points! ;)

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I ab-so-lutely {heart} fall! Well...usually. I have to admit that this week has turned into the exception. It has been so incredibly rainy this week, and I would give just about anything for just a glimpse of a blue sky! On the flip-side, the yucky weather has gotten me thinking about warm, yummy soups and chowders. There's just nothing like a bowl (or mug) of warm soup on a wet, gloomy day! With that in mind, I decided to share a Weight Watcher-friendly chowder recipe that I found on Pinterest.

Corn Chowder

Points Plus+ 5 per serving

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp. canola oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 bay leaf
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 potato, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 12-ounce can nonfat evaporated milk
salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:

Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add celery, bell pepper, garlic, and cumin and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 more minutes. Add broth, thyme, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add corn and potatoes, return to a simmer, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, for 5 to 10 minutes. Place cornstarch in a small bowl and slowly add the evaporated milk, stirring until smooth. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the soup and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne.

Makes 6 Servings (1 cup per serving)

Nutritional info per serving: 200 calories; 2 g fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbs; 10 g protein;
4 g fiber; 208 mg sodium

Happy cooking!

*hugs*

Michelle

Welcome to my first Foody Friday!

2011-10-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

TGIF and welcome to my first Foody Friday! I absolutely {heart} everything about fall - especially all things pumpkin! So, to celebrate this wonderful season, I wanted share one of the pumpkin recipes that I found on Pinterest.

Pumpkin Pie White Hot Chocolate

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
3 cups whole milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces white chocolate (roughly chopped)
pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Heat the milk, pumpkin puree, and spices in a sauce pan until the mixture starts to simmer, then remove it from the heat.
2. Add the chocolate, then stir until it has melted.
3. Pour the hot chocolate mixture into mugs. Top with whipped cream and garnish with cinnamon.

Have a great weekend!

*hugs*
Michelle

Midnight Rooster October reveal

2011-10-11T19:30:00.000-04:00

Hello again! It's time for the newest Midnight Rooster monthly reveal. I absolutely {heart} this kit! Here is a picture of October's kit, Cuckoo's Nest.

And, here are the projects that I created using it.

Be sure to stay tuned for a "foody" post on Friday - compliments of Pinterest!

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster sneak peek

2011-10-10T22:15:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday, All! It's almost time for another Midnight Rooster reveal. So, in anticipation of that, I wanted to share a couple of sneak peeks at my October projects. (I'll be making another post tomorrow night with a full project reveal.)

There are all kinds of goodies in this kit! I can't wait to show it to you tomorrow!! :)

Have a great night!

*hugs*

Michelle

weekend merriment, a great kit, and some new projects

2011-09-13T02:28:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday, All! I hope that each of you had a fun and relaxing weekend and had the opportunity to spend some of it with the special people in your life. I was lucky enough to be able to spend mine scrapbooking with some of my favorite people. I honestly can't remember the last time that I laughed so hard! ("Snickerdoodle!") Here we are posing for a quick picture before leaving the Essenhaus Inn on Sunday.

"Thank you!" Allison, Heidi, Tobi, Marcia, and Jennifer for a rip-roaringly awesome weekend!!

Without further ado, here is Midnight Rooster's September kit, Friday Night Lights.

And, here are some of the projects that I created using this incredible kit!

Hope you have a creative week!

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster August project reveal - part 2

2011-08-15T13:25:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday, All! I hope that each of you had a great weekend with your families. I traveled back to my hometown for our annual Meehan family reunion. It was so good to see everyone, but it never seems like it's quite long enough!

I wanted to share two more of my August projects for Midnight Rooster. For this first project, I purchased the wooden letter from the dollar section at Target and sanded the edges to give it a distressed look. Then I took a strip of the fabric and wrapped it around the letter. I covered one of the Maya Road butterflies with the Echo Park paper and inked the edges, pushed the pin through the middle, then adhered two of the flowers to make the butterfly's body. To add a little more dimension, I lightly inked the flowers, too.

For this card, I covered one of the Maya Road butterflies with the Studio Calico paper and inked the edges. Then I took the Studio Calico Fabrips, tore a strip, inked the edges, and then twisted it, making a rosette. I cut strips of the My Mind's Eye and Crate papers and inked the edges. I cut strips of the kraft cardstock, used a border punch to scallop the edges and then inked them.

Hope you have a great week!

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster August project reveal - part 1

2011-08-11T01:41:00.005-04:00

As promised, here are pictures of the mini album that I created using this month's kit, Summer Shandy.

The handmade flowers, butterflies, and pins are amazing! And, I love the wooden alphabet by Studio Calico. The letters are so versatile. I chose to ink and sand mine, but they are just as lovely "as is." Click here to see how fellow designer, Emily Spahn, altered hers. How will you use yours?

Happy scrapping!

*hugs*

Michelle

August Midnight Rooster kit reveal and project sneak peek

2011-08-10T12:59:00.003-04:00

Now, don't tell my parents, but they were right. Time really does seem to pass by more quickly as you get older. I can't believe that it has already been a month since Midnight Rooster's last kit was released! Here is a picture of the kit. Isn't it beautiful?! I probably say this a lot, but I think that it is one of my faves so far!

For one of my projects this month, I created a mini album. This isn't something that I do often, but I think that there might be more of these in my future! Earlier this summer, one of my friends asked me if I would be willing to make an small album for a young lady who has been a special friend to her family. Of course, I said "Yes!" I was super excited - and a little nervous. (It's always a little different when you're making something for someone to give to another person as a gift versus making a gift for someone.) Well, this special young lady has no idea that my friend is gifting her this album tonight. And, just in case she should happen to chance across my blog before this evening, I'm only going to post some sneaks for now. I'll post the whole reveal later this evening.

Have a great day!

*hugs*

Michelle

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

2011-08-02T22:24:00.004-04:00

Hello, All!

The summer heat has been making me crazy for ice cream. So, I thought that I would share some of our local ice cream shops with you.
The Chief
Urban Swirl
Let's Spoon
The Chocolate Cafe
Bonnie Doon

I *love* The Chief's peanut butter. Urban Swirl has the best toppings bar. The last time I was there, I got red velvet/cake batter swirled and topped it with mini yogurt and chocolate chips and red raspberries. So, what's your favorite flavor?

*hugs*
Michelle

my poor little blog...

2011-07-23T18:25:00.002-04:00

My poor little blog has been so neglected lately. So, let's catch up. Yeah?

First, here are my July Midnight Rooster projects. I created both of this month's layouts using pictures from a trip that I took in June 1990, the summer before my senior year of high school. Yes, that's right. I graduated 20 years ago! (It sure doesn't feel like it, though! ;) Back to the layouts... Several of us from my school's Foreign Language Club planned and fundraised our hearts out to take a 10-day trip to England and France. Both of these layouts focus on the second leg of our trip, France.

One of the first places that we visited was Mont Saint Michel. Located in lower Normandy, it has been a monastery since the 8th century AD. Prior to that, it had served as both a stronghold and prison during times of war. Mont Saint Michel is surrounded by marsh and quicksand, and at high tide it is completely surrounded by water, making it a "tidal island." The perfect prison.

My second layout focuses on the gardens of the Chateaux de Versailles, the former residence of the royal house of France. The palace is absolutely breath-taking and is truly a place that "you have to see to believe." The aristocracy lived and entertained in a grand home filled with opulent fabrics, rich woods, guilded gold furnishings, and wall-to-wall marble. The gardens, the focus of this layout, are equally amazing. Covering 8 square kilometers, the meticulously manicured grounds include 200,000 trees, numerous marble statues, 50 fountains, and an orangerie.

My remaining 3 projects include 2 all-occasion card and an altered over-sized clothespin. TFL!

*hugs*

Michelle

I am speechless.

2011-06-27T13:04:00.004-04:00

I was making my daily trip to Facebook at lunch today and noticed that one of my friends had posted this on my wall. I am incredibly humbled and absolutely speechless. I *love* October Afternoon's products and was so excited to see some of my favorites in Midnight Rooster's June kit! And, I am so happy that a couple of my Midnight Rooster projects have been noticed recently on the OA blog -- great press for us!

On a side note, I know how incredibly discouraging it can be to submit over-and-over-and-over and not even receive a "Thanks for your submission." To be honest, I had pretty much given up and decided that, if some of my favorite companies had galleries, I would post my work there and then forget about it. So, I want to encourage all of my fellow scrappers to continue to "put yourself out there." You never know where or when your work might catch someone's eye. :)

*hugs*
Michelle

June Midnight Rooster reveals - part 3

2011-06-15T00:12:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday! I apologize for this post being so little late in the day. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I fell asleep reading after dinner. I guess that I must have been sleepier than I realized!

Well, as promised, here are my last two Midnight Rooster projects for the month. I was going to retake the pictures of the second project (I'm just not happy with how they look), but a promise is a promise. I'll try to get some better shots of it and post them later this week.

The little guy in the layout is so cute, but so N-A-U-G-H-T-Y! He is puppy through and through - chews on everything, doesn't like to pee outside, etc., etc. Funny story. His momma let him outside Saturday night to play in the yard. He was harnessed and on a staked lead by the back patio door near where I was scrapbooking. Momma Tobi had run back to the bedroom to get something, and, the next thing I knew, Milo was romping into the living room! (Romping is the only word I can think of to describe it, because he runs like a rolly poly bunny. :) That little Houdini had wriggled out of his harness, run to the front of the house, and managed to let himself in through the storm door that had apparently not latched when we came from running errands that afternoon. What a little stinker! His family definitely has its hands full!! ;)

Have a great day tomorrow!

*hugs*

Michelle

more June Midnight Rooster reveals

2011-06-13T22:37:00.042-04:00

I am *so* excited to share the rest of this month's Midnight Rooster projects with you! As you can see, the first is a candy box. You can find the "how to" instructions here on Midnight Rooster's blog. The next is a simpler card. (I needed a little change of pace after the 4.5 hour box! ;)

I will be posting my last two June Midnight Rooster projects (a layout and another altered project) tomorrow evening, so be sure to stay tuned! =)

*hugs*

Michelle

June Midnight Rooster projects - part 1

2011-06-09T23:19:00.000-04:00

Hi, All! I can't believe that it's that time again - time to reveal Midnight Rooster's next kit! The June 2011 kit, Calico Days, is super cute! And, the handmade items are SO unique! (Okay, I just realized that those first three sentences are all punctuated with exclamation points. But, it really IS awesome!! ;)

So, without any further ado, here are the first two projects that I created with this incredible kit.

Be sure to stay tuned this weekend to see my other three projects!

*hugs*

Michelle

What a surprise!

2011-05-25T13:00:00.000-04:00

It's amazing what you find when you're not looking for it! One of my friends contacted me today about making a small album for her as a gift for a friend. So, I started surfing some of my favorite blogs to find a few examples of altered albums, just to give her some ideas of what we could to. Well, long story short, I went to October Afternoon's blog and found this. What a surprise!! :)

Have a great day!

*hugs*
Michelle

some lovely Etsy finds

2011-05-20T08:00:00.016-04:00

TGIF! I wanted to end the week with a short, whimsical post. In addition to butterflies, I have a slight obsession with owls. So, I thought that I would post a few photos of some of my fave Etsy finds from this week. Here are some of the adorable little creatures that I found.

Lou Lou by pinchface

Belle the Sweethoot by Sweethoots

chubby minky plush owl (Riley Blake) by aprilfoss

Hooter the Owl by bedbuggs

mini owl plush magnet by vivikas

Have a great weekend!

*hugs*

Michelle

Hello. My name is Michelle, and I have a sweet tooth.

2011-05-19T13:00:00.001-04:00

I wanted to take a moment to give a little plug for a locally-owned business in my area. I recently discovered the delicious-ness that is Rise 'N Roll Bakery.

(from their website) "Since Rise' N Roll opened its doors in 2001, this Amish bakery has produced the highest quality and tastiest baked goods. Buy for yourself or give as gifts. We offer a wide variety of products from which to choose."

They're not kidding - they have THE best doughnuts! My favorite is their cream-filled cinnamon caramel doughnut. They take their yummy plain doughnut, dip it in a caramel glaze, then roll it in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. And then, they fill it with a homemade cream that is actually closer to a light custard than a traditional cream filling. If that sounds a little too rich for you, they have a mini version (minus the cream) in the form of a doughnut hole. It literally melts in your mouth. They're a little piece of heaven!

*hugs*
Michelle

more Midnight Rooster reveals...

2011-05-18T00:06:00.000-04:00

Here are the two layouts that I created using Midnight Rooster's May 2011 kit, Fairy Cottage. You probably noticed that the first layout is missing a little something. Well, the picture that I wanted to use - of Heather & me at the Kenny Chesney concert a couple of weeks ago - wouldn't load from the memory card to the computer. Sometimes you just have to *love* technology, right? The second layout was meant to be "photo free." It's a list of some of my favorite childhood memories. I loved playing with all of the embellishments in this month's kit. Wonder where the "ONE" and "TEN" came from? I cut apart some of the letters in the Studio Calico rub-ons, turning the days of the week into a couple of numbers.

Well, that's all I have for now. Hope you're having a great week!

*hugs*

Michelle

some more Midnight Rooster yumminess

2011-05-15T20:44:00.000-04:00

As promised, here are a couple more of my May projects for Midnight Rooster. The first two pictures are of the outside and inside of card #2. It folds like a matchbook. Card #3 has lots of fun layers.

I'll be posting my two layouts within the next couple of days. One just needs to have the picture added, and the other one needs to have the journaling strips added. I hope to post at least one of them tomorrow night after I get home from teaching my card class at Pages In Time Forever. I have had *so* much fun with this kit. I'm sure that you will, too! :)

*hugs*

Michelle

Fairy Cottage - Midnight Rooster's May 2011 kit

2011-05-13T12:54:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for patiently waiting for me to post photos of the rest of my May projects. In the meantime, please allow me to introduce you to Midnight Rooster's May 2011 kit, Fairy Cottage. Isn't it just lovely?! I think that this might be one of my favorite kits ever! <3

I'll be taking some more pictures tonight, so be sure to come back later this weekend to see this month's full reveal!

Have a super weekend!!

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster partial reveal!

2011-05-10T12:56:00.001-04:00

Well, I'm still plugging away on this month's Midnight Rooster projects. The best-laid plans, right? Here is the first of my projects for this month. I absolutely LOVE all of the goodies that come in the Miscellany packet from October Afternoon's 5 & DIME line - just a little bit of the yumminess in this month's kit! Here is a card that I created using just a few of those items.

I will continue to post my projects as I complete them, so stay tuned!

*hugs*

Michelle

And, we're LIVE!

2011-05-05T13:01:00.000-04:00

WooHoo!! Midnight Rooster's new site is LIVE, and it is absolutely bea-u-ti-ful!! Steph Anne from Yellow Savvy Design did an incredible job of bringing Tobi's vision to life! I called it our "new" site, but the web address hasn't actually changed - just the format of the site.

And, we're going full-throttle, so there will soon be TONS of inspiration at your fingertips! Tobi has gotten the ball rolling with an adorable Mother's Day gift idea that she found on dandee designs blog. A-dor-a-ble!! (Make sure to check out her "projects" section for more super-duper cute gift ideas, too!)

I'll be posting some May project sneaks this weekend, so you'll want to stay tuned for those. Then, on Monday (the 9th), I will be posting a full reveal here and a partial reveal on MR's blog. Monday is my day on the MR blog, and I'm planning to squeeze in some other goodies, too! ;)

To all of you who are called "Mommy" and those who have a "Mommy," I hope that you have a wonderful Mother's Day with your families! <3

*hugs*
Michelle

Yikes! Finally...

2011-04-14T13:02:00.000-04:00

After many headache-filled days, I'm back! Sorry for the delay in posting my completed Midnight Rooster projects. There are some exciting changes coming to MR's webiste (same web address), so be sure to keep an eye out for those, too. TFL!

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster April 2011 sneak peeks!!

2011-04-10T03:52:00.000-04:00

Hi, All! I can't believe that it's already that time again!!

Here are some sneak peeks at this month's Midnight Rooster projects.

(I'll post a full reveal later today. ;) Enjoy!

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster March reveals

2011-03-10T13:02:00.000-05:00

Hi, all! I haven't been happy with my projects photos for the last several months, so I decided to scan my projects this month. Unfortunately, that means that there aren't any close-ups. (Sorry!) But, with no further adieu, here are my March projects for Midnight Rooster. Enjoy! =)

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster February 2011 kit reveals!!

2011-02-10T00:56:00.000-05:00

Here are my newest projects for Midnight Rooster. The February 2011 main kit is called Mad for Pink and the add-on is called Fresh Anthologie. I have another layout that I'm still tweaking. I'll post it as soon as it's finished. ;)

We have an awesome guest designer on the blog this month, too! Read Barb's story and check out her great projects using this month's kits here.

*hugs*

Michelle

February Midnight Rooster sneak peek!

2011-02-03T12:56:00.002-05:00

Here is a sneak peek at Midnight Rooster's February 2011 kit! Doesn't it look absolutely yummy?!

*hugs*

Michelle

playing catch-up

2011-01-16T12:25:00.000-05:00

I *love* my new-to-me MacBook! I'm still trying to get used to all of the differences between Mac and PC - haven't figured out what the Mac equivalent is to right-click for copy, cut, paste, etc. ;) I think that I'll make a trip to Border's to pick-up a "how to" book. I still have a lot of computer work to catch-up on at home, and skimming a book has to be quicker than trying to figure it out on my own. LOL! I've been adding some of my old Midnight Rooster projects to my 2Peas gallery and was absolutely tickled pink to find my Simply Amazing layout in both the 3 Most Liked and 3 Most Bookmarked sections! I still have to add my November and December projects, then I'll finally be caught up. YAY!! Today's project, though, is to start on this month's MR assignments. So, I'm off to Panera to pick-up lunch, then to Pages In Time Forever for some creative time with Alice & Freida. Wish me luck! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

And the winner of this month's Midnight Rooster mini kit is...

2011-01-11T12:54:00.000-05:00

And the winner of the January mini kit from Midnight Rooster is . . .

#1: Michelle Wegner! Congrats, Michelle!! E-mail your contact information to me at michelle{dot}burry{at}sbcglobal{dot}net, and we'll get your kit right on out to you! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

Midnight Rooster January kit reveal

2011-01-10T12:26:00.000-05:00

Here are my January projects using Midnight Rooster's kits, Farmer's Daughter (main) and Needle in a Haystack (add-on). (I'm not sure why the first set of pics wouldn't stay formatted like the others.)

And, with a new month of kits comes a new mini kit giveaway!

Here is January's mini kit:

Post your answer to the following question for a chance to win this little beauty!

"What is your favorite wintertime activity?"

*hugs*

Michelle

Better late than never, right?

2010-12-20T17:33:00.001-05:00

I have to admit that the "hustle & bustle" of the season has run away with me! I refuse to believe that Christmas is only 5 very, very short days away. Eeks!!

Some of you might think that my insistance on planning my days/weeks/months is a little OCD. And, maybe it is. But, if I don't, this is what happens: cards don't get made or sent out, Christmas presents don't get purchased or made on time, and I get incredibly stressed out - and melt into a puddle of frustrated tears. That's not exactly my idea of a "holly jolly" Christmas.

So, first, please let me apologize in advance for the lack of Christmas cards again this year. Ironic, I know.

Second, if you have an IOU gift coming your way, it should be done by the end of the week.

For those of you waiting to see who wins this month's mini kit, your wait is finally over! The winner of Midnight Rooster's December mini kit is Angie Gutshall! Congratulations!! Please e-mail your contact information to me at mburry{at}midnightrooster.net, and we'll get your mini out to you lickety split! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

december Midnight Rooster projects and this month's mini kit giveaway

2010-12-13T12:58:00.119-05:00

I apologize for being a little late in getting this entry posted - still haven't figured out why my bestie's computer doesn't like my modem - so I have to squeeze in all of my internet "stuff" in before/after work or at lunch.

Below are my projects for Midnight Rooster using Ralphy's Christmas, the Christmas kit.

Here is ornament #1 using the printed paper and chipboard buttons from Jenni Bowlin.

Here is ornament #2 using one of the printed papers from Crate and some miscellaneous gems from my stash.

I created this card from the "backside" of the Crate paper I used for the ornament above, the Fancy Pants rub-ons, and gems and Stickles from my stash.

I created this gift envelope using the My Mind's Eye paper and ribbon. I attached the scalloped circle on the back using foam squares so that I could slip the tip of the envelope under the circle to open and close the envelope.

This box is *super* easy to make with the paper from The Girls' Paperie! All you need to do is score along the "lines" where the prints meet and fold. I closed the box using one of the snowflake embellishments, also from The Girls' Paperie.

More December projects coming soon!!

*hugs*

Michelle

---------- PART #2 ----------

And, here are my projects using the December kits. A little out-of-the box for me. I think that my style might be evolving a little bit.

And, here is this month's mini kit.

Leave a comment with your answer to the following question for a chance to win.

"What is your favorite holiday tradition that you observe as a family?"

I'll be drawing a winner tomorrow night. Good luck!!

*hugs*

Michelle

Look at these little cuties!

2010-12-09T12:36:00.000-05:00

Someday, I would love to learn the art of needle felting. There is one crafter in particular whose projects I just absolutely love. Her name is Lauren Alane, and she makes the most adorable little owls. Below are her newest little additions. They are currently for sale here on eBay.

I hope that you are having a wonderful day!

*hugs*

Michelle

some holiday inspiration from me to you

2010-12-07T17:20:00.000-05:00

I am really in the holiday crafting mood - which is a very good thing, since I lost my entire crafting weekend to a 3-day long migraine. (boo!) I flipped through my BOS (book of scraps) and visited some of my fave crafting blogs to find some inspiration and to help get the creative juices flowing.

Here are some of my favorite holiday projects:

Christmas wreath by Amber Packer

embellished hat & gloves by Jennifer Gallacher

Christmas ornaments by Laurie Cinotto

vintage ornament wreath by Whitney Smith

tiny gingerbread house by NotMartha{dot}org

I hope that you were able to find a little holiday inspiration from them, too!

*hugs*

Michelle

Remember to take time to enjoy the season.

2010-11-23T17:23:00.001-05:00

This is my absolute favorite time of the year for so many different reasons. First and most important, it is a time to celebrate Jesus's birth and to reflect upon that first Christmas gift. I love listening to and singing Christmas music, both spiritual and secular. (Except for Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. I hate that song.) I love the festive and the elegant decorations. And watching all of the Christmas specials on TV. I love making and giving gifts to the many special people in my life.

It is so easy for us to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of it all. The frustratingly slow-to-stopped traffic of the holiday shoppers. The crowded stores. Rushing here-and-there to all of the holiday parties and school programs.

It is so important that we keep the real meaning of Christmas in our hearts. It is a time of both promise and possibility. A season full of love and hope and joy. This is what Christmas means to me. So, I'll remember to take time to enjoy the season.

*Christmas hugs*
Michelle

Midnight Rooster's mini winner for November is . . .

2010-11-18T13:02:00.000-05:00

And the winner is . . .

Corey Jane R.!

Congrats, Corey! E-mail your contact information to me at mburry{at}midnightrooster{dot}net, and we'll get your yummy little kit out to you lickety split! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

Midnight Rooster's monthly mini kit giveaway!

2010-11-16T13:01:00.000-05:00

Hi, All! My laptop is still out of commission - one of the reasons why I have been posting so infrequently - so this is going to be a short post. Below is a picture of this month's yummy little mini from Midnight Rooster! Post a comment with an answer to the following question for a chance to win this sweet little kit.

What is your favorite thing about fall?

I will be drawing a name and posting the winner on Thursday, so stay tuned! =)

*hugs*

Michelle

And, the winner of Midnight Rooster's October mini kit is . . .

2010-10-15T17:22:00.000-04:00

And, the winner of Midnight Rooster's October mini kit is . . .

Mary S.! Mary, please e-mail your contact information to me at mburry{at}midnightrooster{dot}net, and we'll that your yummy package to you ASAP. :)

(btw, I'll be making your yummy taco soup for my parents when they come up on the 23rd! ;)

There was one layout that wasn't included with the projects I posted the other day. This sweetheart is a very special little girl with amazing parents. Thanks J & C for letting me use a few of your pictures for my September projects! (I hope that I left you enough room to journal on this one! ;)

I hope that you all have a terrific fall weekend!

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster project reveals!

2010-10-13T13:04:00.000-04:00

Well, here they are - my Midnight Rooster projects for October! I was in a creative rut for most of the month of September, so a lot of sweat and tears went into that final week of the month. ;) Below are the fruits of those labors. (lol) Enjoy! =)

Here is a layout using some of my friend's pictures of the St. Joseph County Fair.

Here is my altered coffee sleeve and "slopper stopper."

This is a magnetic dry erase board that I altered the magnets for.

And, finally, here is a card that I made using one of the exclusive MR pins from the kit.

*hugs*

Michelle

october mini kit giveaway & this month's big reveal!!

2010-10-12T12:54:00.003-04:00

as you might have already heard, my laptop has decided to get quirky. it seems that the video chip (by nvidia) has caused my mother board to sort of short circuit. i refuse to think about what that might actually mean. are all of my pictures lost? were those hundreds of hours of photo editing in vain? i don't know, and i have way too much going on this month to even take the time to think about it. so... i will be doing most of my posting from my computer at work - at lunch and before/after office hours.

first order of business: Midnight Rooster's October mini kit giveaway!! here is a picture of this yummy little kit.

paper

Jillibean Soup - Egg Drop Soup, egg yolk

Pink Paislee - Imagine

American Crafts - Letterbox

American Crafts - Botanique

embellishments

Purple Onion - stamp

Maya Road - brown velvet ric rac ribbon

American Crafts - brown alphabets

milk caps

buttons

Midnight Rooster - handmade chiffon flower

for a chance to win, simply post a comment with your answer to the following question:

"What is your favorite slow cooker recipe?"

to add another fun twist, i will be making the winning recipe and incorporating it into one of my november layouts! good luck!! I will be picking a winner wednesday evening. =)

*******************************************************************************
sooooo, on to part 2 - the reveal!

are you ready?

here is the october main kit, Dorothy's Prep School!

and here is the add-on, Team Flying Monkeys!

these kits are *so* versatile! boys, girls, puppies, kittens, the turtle next door... there's something for every type of layout! and, speaking of layouts... check back tomorrow for pictures of my projects made using these super-cute kits!

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster's October sneak peeks!

2010-10-06T12:50:00.000-04:00

Hi, All! I can't believe that it's that time again - time for this month's sneak peeks!

The picture immediately below is the sneak peek of October's kits. Yummy!!

These next pictures are peeks at 3 of my 5 projects for this month. Can you guess what the final projects are?

Don't forget that the big reveals are on the 9th. I'll be posting my completed projects on this blog, and Tobi will be posting full views of the kits on Midnight Rooster's website!

*hugs*

Michelle

And the lucky winners of the exclusive Midnight Rooster kits are...

2010-09-29T13:03:00.000-04:00

Well, there's actually only one winner. :( There weren't any comments left about being referred to my blog by a friend, so I only have 1 kit to give away today. That's okay - I'll hang on to the other one until my 150th post! ;) So, back to the order of business. The winner of the exclusive Midnight Rooster kit is...

#4 AliBaba37

Congrats, Ali! I'll get your kit to you ASAP! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

And, the winner of this month's mini kit is . . .

2010-09-21T13:31:00.000-04:00

(I originally typed this on Monday, but I guess that I must have hit "save as draft" instead of "post." Oops!)

You all thought I forgot, didn't you? Nope! Just trying to keep the suspense going! ;) And, the winner of this month's Midnight Rooster mini kit is . . .

Jackie! Please e-mail your contact information to me at mburry{at}midnightrooster{dot}net, and we'll get that out to you lickety split! =)

I had a fun-filled weekend. Saturday was spent working at the office in the morning, prepping tonight's card class in the afternoon, and helping with a little prep work for my friend Alice's daughters' birthday party (which is this next Sunday) in the evening. It was loads of fun!! =) Yesterday consisted of a much-needed nap (didn't sleep well the night before) and a photo shoot for my bestie's entire family: bestie & her husband & their 2 boys, her brother & sister-in-law & their 2 girls, and Grammy & Pappy. Oh, and Butterscotch the kitten. What can I say? The kitten was adorable, and it kept the kiddos focused - for the most part. ;) They really did do a great job. (Hopefully the photographer did, too...) Did I mention that the kids are almost-5, 3, 8 months, and 5 months? They were so stinking adorable! I hope to have a sneak of one of the family pictures posted by the end of the week.

I have to do some crazy, mad cleaning this week - the parental units are bringing my "new-to-me" sofa up on Saturday - so I may not post much until this weekend. Don't forget about the "125th Post" giveaway, though. Each person who is signed-up to follow my blog is automatically entered for a chance to win the first kit. Each new "follower" should leave a comment on this post to let me know who referred him/her. The person with the most referrals at the end of the week will win the second kit! Good luck!! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

Midnight Rooster September reveal and mini kit giveaway!

2010-09-15T17:10:00.000-04:00

Hi, All! Sorry that it's been so long since my last post. This one will make up for it in spades, I promise! ;)

First, here are this month's Midnight Rooster projects.

I'm not sure why the layout pics are so itsy. I will post them to my 2peas gallery tonight, so you can get a better peek.

And, here is this month's Midnight Rooster mini kit giveaway!

kit contents:

paper

Life is Good - echo park paper co.

Fly a Kite: Garden - October Afternoon

Think Big - Pink Paislee

Katie - Crate Paper

embellishments

Strip of fabric

Felt clouds

Sprouts - Lilybee

Crochet Trim - Maya Road

Flower Trim - American Crafts

Damask shape stamp - Purple Onion Design

How can you win this adorable little mini? Simply leave a comment on this post with an answer to the following question: What is your favorite dessert? I will pick a winner at random on Friday.

AND...this is my 125th post! As promised, I am going to be giving away 2 one-of-a-kind Midnight Rooster kits worth over $25 each! (I will be posting pictures of them later this week.) There will be two ways to win. First, I will choose a winner at random from the list of official followers of my blog. So, if you haven't already, you'll want to make sure to sign-up! The second winner will be the person who sends the most new followers to my blog. For example: Linda has been an avid reader but has never registered to follow the blog. She decides to sign-up and now has one chance to win one of the kits. She really wants to win a kit, so she has several of her friends sign-up to follow my blog and leave a comment to let me know that Linda is the person who referred them. The person who sends the most "followers" to my blog will win the second kit. Make sense? If you already follow my blog, you automatically have a chance to win one of the kits. To increase your chances, have all of your friends register to follow my blog too! This contest will start on Sunday, September 19th, so stay tuned! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

Midnight Rooster sneak peeks

2010-09-02T22:49:00.000-04:00

Here are some sneak peeks at a few of my Midnight Rooster projects for this month. Have a wonderful and safe holiday weekend! TFL! =)

And, this is Ollie's friend Stanley. =)

*hugs*

Michelle

a couple of Midnight Rooster projects

2010-08-31T22:11:00.000-04:00

Here are the Midnight Rooster projects that I created for the blog last week. Enjoy! =)

*hugs*

Michelle

slow and steady, right?

2010-08-25T16:53:00.000-04:00

"Slow and steady wins the race," right? Well, I'm finally starting to tackle the "stack" of photos that I need to edit and print. This can sometimes feels like an insurmountable task, since I have to be very careful about not triggering a migraine from too much eye strain. So, I have made a promise to myself that I will edit 5 photos each day to try to "catch up." Which should be sometime around...well, never. And that's okay. I usually edit as I need my pictures for different projects. It's random, but it works for me. For now. ;)

So, all of that blabbering so that I can share this photo. I have to say that I absolutely *love* this shot of my little chunky monkey! He is so roly poly - just like his Auntie Shell! LOL!! ;) Sorry that this has taken so long, Heather. I hope you like it. (fingers crossed)

*hugs*

Michelle

And the winner is ...

2010-08-18T01:14:00.000-04:00

And the winner of this month's Midnight Rooster mini kit is . . .

. . . Nitasha! She posted: "Hmmm...more like 'what don't i want from CHA?" heehee...but if I had to narrow it down it would be Pink Paislee's new releases especially their Old School line and Studio Calico's new mists- Mister Huey."

Congrats, Nitasha! I can't wait to see what you create with this month's mini! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

Midnight Rooster August reveal!

2010-08-10T13:05:00.001-04:00

Here are my August MR projects. I'm trying to push myself to be more "embellishy" with my layouts, which you can tell on the first two. The third layout is light on embellishments, but very heavy on technique. The title is raw chipboard that I inked, chalked, inked again, painted, sanded, inked, chalked, and heat embossed w/clear powder. (Yeah, it took me a few minutes, but not nearly as long as my Lion King layout...a long story for another post. ;) I also sanded the photos, paint splattered the entire layout, and used a paper piercer to poke a gazillion tiny wholes to accent some of the edges. I'll try to get better close-ups of those - the first batch didn't turn out very well. My last project was a little "congrats" card that I made by stamping the camera onto the backside of Crate Paper's Tangerine using VersaMark ink and clear embossing powder. I cut out the camera, added an older Basic Grey brad that I had in my stash, and popped it all for added dimension. Let me know what you think! =) TFL!!

*hugs*

Michelle

August mini kit giveaway!!

2010-08-09T16:48:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that it's that time again - time for another Midnight Rooster mini kit giveaway!! Below is a picture of the August mini - talk about yummy! =)

And here's what all it includes:

Papers

Jenni Bowlin - Geo Flower

Sassafras - Nerdy Bird, sprightly

October Afternoon - Fly a Kite, Picnic Table

My Minds Eye - Quite Contrary, Jack & Jill "How Sweet It Is"

Embellishments

Brown Fabric with White polkadots - 6x11

Vintage bingo card

Jenni Bowlin buttons - 2 cream, 1 orange

2 Brown misc. buttons

Purple Onion pointing finger stamp

1 yard vintage eyelet trim

1 yard brown string

Simply leave me a comment with an answer to this month's question:
"What product from CHA are you most anxious to get your hands on?"

The winner will be drawn at random on Sunday. Good luck!!

*hugs*
Michelle

Midnight Rooster August Sneaks!!

2010-08-09T12:35:00.000-04:00

Wowzers! It's been a really long time since my last post! Things have been super crazy busy here, but I'm finally starting to catch up. Well, as caught up as I ever am! ;)

Below are sneaks of my August Midnight Rooster projects.

Layout #1...

Layout #2...

Layout #3...

Card...

Stay tuned for the big reveal. I have to admit that these are some favorite projects yet! =)

*hugs*

Michelle

looking forward to a wonderfully busy weekend

2010-07-15T07:01:00.001-04:00

The next several days are going to be pretty busy - just the way I like it! =) Tonight, it's a birthday dinner at Gino's for my dear friend, Tobi. Yummy yummy pizza and time with great friends. What could be better than that?! Tomorrow, it's off to Reactions for a much-needed haircut. Saturday morning, my bestie and I are getting pedis at Vogue - my first ever! My sad-looking little piggies can't wait!! Then, the pièce de résistance Saturday evening - my friend Jamie's wedding. I am *so* happy for her and her Bo and am so excited to be sharing in their special day! Sunday means more time with my bestie and her family - lunch and a photo shoot. I can't believe that my littlest godson is already 3 months old! He is growing up w-a-y too fast!! Oh, and sometime in the middle of all that craziness I need to prep for my card class on Monday. =)

Well, gotta run for now!

*hugs*
Michelle

And the winner is ...

2010-07-11T22:57:00.000-04:00

A big "Thank You!" to everyone who took place in Midnight Rooster's July mini kit giveaway!

And the winner is . . .

Debbie!!

Debbie, e-mail your contact information to me at michelle{dot}burry{at}sbcglobal{dot}net, and we'll get your mini kit right out to you! Congrats!!

*hugs*

Michelle

Another Midnight Rooster giveaway! =)

2010-07-10T02:03:00.002-04:00

If you haven't already, make sure that you check out the new Earth Party kits at Midnight Rooster! This is my favorite so far - papers in beautiful, harmonious tones and lovely coordinating embellishments. Below is a picture of this month's mini kit giveaway.

This precious mini kit contains:

Paper

Crate paper: Paper Doll, Katie

American Crafts: Dear Lizzy, Lazy Ladybug

American Crafts: Dear Lizzy, Sunny Spot

Jillibean Soup: Egg Drop Soup, egg yolk

Stamp: Purple Onion Designs

Fabric: 6x11

Lace Ribbon: 1 yard

Label Stickers: Jenni Bowlin

Mini Mark Rub--on's: American Crafts

How can you win this little gem, you ask? Simply leave a comment below with your answer to the following question: What is your favorite flower and why? I will be drawing a winner at random Sunday night. I can't wait to read all of your responses. Good luck!

*hugs*

Michelle

Now Starring: Midnight Rooster July Reveals

2010-07-09T08:00:00.005-04:00

I am *so* excited to share this month's projects with you! I have to admit that these are some of my favorite Midnight Rooster projects yet. July's kit really rocks! Don't forget to check out all of the other designers' projects on our website for even more inspiration. TFL!

*hugs*

Michelle

Can this really be post #113?

2010-07-05T15:10:00.001-04:00

I can't believe that this is post #113! I had been thinking about holding a big contest or giveaway to celebrate my 100th post. Guess I'm a little late! ;) So, I'm going to plan waaaay ahead this time.

For my 125th post, which will probably be in a few short weeks, I will have a week-long contest - complete with 2 drawings at the end of that week. One winner will be chosen at random from all of the contest entries and one winner will be chosen at random from everyone who "follows" my blog. And the prize? Two one-of-a-kind Midnight Rooster kits that I've created using some of my very favorite products from all of the kits that we've released so far! Each kit will have a retail value of approximately $25.00 and include a little original creation from me, too! How does that sound?

So, here's what you will need to do. Create a layout or card (using any product of your choosing) and post a comment on my 125th entry, remembering to include a link to your project. You have a few weeks to create your beautiful masterpieces, but don't wait until the last minute - my 125th post will be here before you know it! ;) And, don't forget to sign-up to "follow" my blog. One lucky reader will win a kit, too!

Here's to #125!

*hugs*
Michelle

July's sneak peeks!

2010-07-02T21:55:00.002-04:00

Here are some sneak peeks of my Midnight Rooster projects for July.

Can you tell what my new favorite tool is? ;)

*hugs*

Michelle

Midnight Rooster July Sneak Peeks

2010-06-28T02:28:00.000-04:00

Here is a little sneak peek at the July kit.

Stay tuned for more peeks later this week!

*hugs*

Michelle

only 8 more days...

2010-06-22T00:36:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that it is only 8 short days until the premier of Eclipse! I am *so* excited - both for the movie and to have a night out with the girls! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

June's Midnight Rooster projects!

2010-06-15T12:58:00.000-04:00

Here are my Midnight Rooster projects for June! TLF! =)

*hugs*

Michelle

And the winner is...

2010-06-11T00:31:00.000-04:00

And the winner is...

My favorite number...

#8: Denyse Kritschgau!

Congratulations, Denyse!! E-mail your address to me at: michelle{dot}burry{at}sbcglobal{dot}net, and we'll get our June mini kit out to you lickety split! ;)

*hugs*
Michelle

june mini kit giveaway!!

2010-06-10T00:06:00.000-04:00

I am SO excited to pass along this chance to win this cute mini kit from Midnight Rooster!

Simply leave a comment with your answer to the question below. At the end of the day, I will pick a winner at random from all the responses. It's THAT easy! =)

QUESTION: What is your favorite kind of scrapbooking embellishment?

Good luck!

*hugs*

Michelle

some Midnight Rooster sneak peeks...

2010-05-28T12:25:00.000-04:00

Here a couple sneaks of my projects using Midnight Rooster's June kit. I'll post a few more this weekend, so be sure to stay tuned! ;)

*hugs*

Michelle

October Afternoon project #5

2010-05-25T12:55:00.000-04:00

Below is the last of my October Afternoon projects. It was a true joy and pleasure to be their guest designer this month. Thanks, October Afternoon! =)

You probably recognize these pictures from a blog post a couple of months ago. Well, Miss "E" is going to be a big sister later this year! Congrats Cris & Bryce! I can't wait to meet your new little bundle! =)

*hugs*

Michelle

Another project for October Afternoon

2010-05-20T12:53:00.000-04:00

Here is another one of my projects that I created for October Afternoon as their guest designer for May. TFL!

*hugs*

Michelle

more Midnight Rooster projects

2010-05-15T19:15:00.001-04:00

Here are my other three projects using Midnight Rooster's May kits.

Have a great weekend!

*hugs*

Michelle

Here are some better pics =)

2010-05-14T13:02:00.001-04:00

The pictures that I took of my layouts weren't the best, so here are some better scans of them. TGIF!

These first two were created using Midnight Rooster's May kits. I hadn't scrapped with a kit before; and, let me tell you, I'm in love!!

These are two of the layouts that I created for October Afternoon as May's guest designer.

*hugs*

Michelle

5.....4....3...2..1. WE'RE LIVE!

2010-05-11T12:56:00.001-04:00

The quirks have been worked out, and we're finally live. WooHoo!

Click here to enter the scrapbooking world of Midnight Rooster.

Welcome! =)

*hugs*

Michelle

{breathe}

2010-05-10T12:59:00.001-04:00

It has been an insanely busy, crazy, chaotic week and weekend! Scrap. Photo. Scrap. Computer work. Sleep - a little. Edit. Drive 3 hours to parents'. Niece's birthday party. Go see Grandma. Mother's Day lunch with parents. Go see Grandma. Drive 3 hours home. Goddaughter's birthday party. Spend time with my wonderful friend. Go home... Breathe.

I'm sure that you've already read that we've had a little snag in the launch of Midnight Rooster's website. The website looks wonderful and works great - until you try to purchase a kit. The payment button doesn't seem to want to work. Why is it that a seemingly small thing can cause such a big problem? The boys are working on it, we promise. They aren't sure why it isn't working properly, because everything worked fine when they tested it out. It's as frustrating for them as it is for us, I'm sure. Makes me glad that I'm not the computer tech. ;)

On a more pleasant note, here is my third project for October Afternoon. If you follow my blog, you probably recognize the photos and that there is a bit of a glare on them in this picture.

And here are 2 of my projects for Midnight Rooster using the May kits.

*hugs*

Michelle

October Afternoon project #2

2010-05-05T18:48:00.002-04:00

Here's my second item for October Afternoon.

I knew that I wanted to do some sort of altered project, but I wasn't sure exactly what. Well, it was Earth Day, so it only seemed appropriate that I repurpose a coffee sleeve! I love altered projects, and this one was pretty easy and really fun to do.

Here's how:

Sand any design and/or writing from a coffee sleeve.
Punch a 2" scallop circle from cardstock.
Die cut letters and a 1.5" circle from patterned paper.
Cut a strip from the middle of the circle wide enough to fit the letters.
Ink the edges of all the pieces, including the coffee sleeve.
Adhere together. (see picture for layout)
Glossy accent the letters and let dry.

Voilà! Now you have your very own custom coffee sleeve! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

I just had to share. =)

2010-05-05T02:31:00.003-04:00

For those of you who may not already know, I was asked to be October Afternoon's guest designer for the month of May! OA is one of my favorite companies, so I was absolutely tickled pink when I received the e-mail from their design team coordinator. They will be revealing each of my 5 projects throughout the month, so check back to see all of my little creations! =)

Here's the first. Isn't Wyatt absolutely adorable?

*hugs*

Michelle

It was a crazy busy weekend...and I loved it!

2010-04-26T12:50:00.001-04:00

The last several days have been kind of a blur.

Go to scrapbook retreat...
Complete all of my OA projects and 2 MR layouts...
Finish some MR embellies for the add-on kit...
Go to bridal shower...
Pick up crew and bring them to visit the girls at the retreat...
Take them back home and return to the retreat...
Take pictures of my OA projects...
Pack up projects and supplies...
Head back to Heather's to take a few pictures of my little Jellybean...
Be rude and nod off while there - sorry!
Go home and fall asleep before editing my OA pictures - crud!
Get pictures edited, write up the supply list, and e-mail everything to OA.
Double-check to make sure e-mail goes through...
Relax.

Like I said - crazy busy. But, I *loved* every minute of it! =)

Here is a picture of my little Jellybean. He loved to wriggle down until he was nearly in a ball. He hadn't had a nap and it was pretty gloomy out, but we were still able to get a few good shots. Enjoy! <3

*hugs*

Michelle

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T06:53:00.000-04:00

Today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day! We've made some progress, but we have a long way to go. One of my personal goals for this year was to be more green. I believe that it's the little things that will make a difference. Instead of throwing my leftover paper scraps into the trash, I add them to my recycling bin. I drink bottled water at work, but I use the same bottle every day and refill it from our water jug. Take time today to be a little more green by recycling something that you would normally throw away or by buying a reusable shopping bag for your groceries. Have a happy green day!

*hugs*
Michelle

He's here!

2010-04-18T20:47:00.001-04:00

At long last, Wyatt Henry Hahn has arrived! He made his entrance on Thursday, April 15th, weighing 7 pounds 9 ounces, and is 20 inches of absolute cuteness!! He loved to curl into the crook of my neck when I was holding him, and he makes the most adorable chirping/squeaking sounds when he sleeps. He just melts my heart! Below are a few of the pictures that I took yesterday.

*hugs*

Michelle

a little sneak of Miss "E"

2010-04-15T09:27:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick little sneak of Miss "E's" pictures from this last Saturday.

Thanks again, Cris, for allowing me to photograph Miss "E's" first year. <3

*hugs*

Michelle

My, how she's grown!

2010-04-10T01:12:00.002-04:00

I am taking "E"s 12-month photos tomorrow afternoon, and I can't wait! I absolutely *love* spending time with this little angel! I was going through the pictures we've taken over the last year to make this little collage as a surprise for Mommy & Daddy - I can't believe how she's grown! I feel so blessed and honored to have been asked to help document her young life.

Happy Birthday, "E"!

*hugs*

Michelle

CHANGES COMING SOON!!

2010-04-09T12:25:00.000-04:00

You will notice some changes over the next few weeks. I am going to be reformatting the blog so that it is more reflective of me and my current interests and endeavors. Some of the links with be changing - at least the organization of them. All of this is probably going to require me to spend some serious time at Starbucks with a *strong* latte close by, I'm sure. For some reason, I just focus better there. So, stay tuned for the construction zone! ;)

he's almost here!

2010-04-07T23:21:00.000-04:00

I was graciously reminded by my bestie that I haven't posted any sneaks of her maternity pics. I was a little surprised that my fairly conservative friend would want her belly pics posted on my blog. Thrilled, but surprised. So, Heather, here you go! I picked a few of my faves. I hope you like them. I can't wait to meet my little jellybean next week! <3

*hugs*

Michelle

A quick update. And my other little secret...

2010-04-07T18:32:00.002-04:00

I have the flu. And, it sucks. There really isn't any other way to put it. It started yesterday afternoon with terrible nausea and aches & pains so bad that I almost cried on the way out to my car after work. Then the fever set it, spiked, and broke. Thank heavens! I still feel a little achy, but TONS better than 24 hours ago. I think I'll get a flu shot next year.

So, for my other little secret...

I am ecstatic to announce that I have been chosen to be Midnight Rooster's Design Team Coordinator! I have truly missed having the monthly challenge of scrapbooking with a deadline (crazy, I know!) and can't wait to get my fingers on these yummy yummy kits! And, I am *so* looking forward to getting to know and working with all of these very talented ladies!!

So, "Congratulations!" to Midnight Rooster's Design Team:
Charity Hassel
Emily Spahn
Jill Cornell
Jing-Jing Nickel
Keri Babbitt
Kirsty Wiseman
Wendy McKee

Thanks, Tobi & Janelle! I'm SO glad to be part ot the MR Team!

*hugs*
Michelle

Miss "E" is 1!

2010-04-06T03:00:00.005-04:00

Here are a couple of pictures of "E" at her birthday party. I can't believe she's one already! Who gave her permission to grow up? ;)

She had fun playing with her sunglasses, but she couldn't quite figure out what they were really for.

I was playing with a couple of different filters on this last one. I used "soft autumn glow" on the center picture and "cross processing" on the third. I like the funky vintage/polaroid effect that they give. What do you think?

*hugs*

Michelle

My first little secret...

2010-04-05T23:31:00.001-04:00

Okay. I was given permission to share my first little secret.

So... Late last fall, I posted a few of my layouts in the public gallery of October Afternoon's blog. No reason, really. I was just interested in getting some feedback. And I did. I received an e-mail from their design team coordinator asking if I would give them permission to use (one of) my layouts on their blog. I was absolutely elated! So, long story short... Instead of being featured on their blog, I've been asked to be their guest designer for the month of May!! I could not be happier!! My box of scrapbook goodies came in the mail last Monday. I seriously squealed out loud when I opened it. Such absolute yumminess! I can't wait to start scrapping with it!! I'm not able to post my projects here until after they've been posted on OA's blog, but I'll be sure to take a couple of pictures of all my wonderful goodies for you. ;)

I'll share my other little secret with you later this week, so stay tuned...

*hugs*
Michelle

Congratulations, Madisons!

2010-03-31T03:41:00.001-04:00

A big "Congrats!" to my friends, Joy & Jon Madison, on the birth of their new little girl, Jovi Moriah. Computer genius Jon has created a website to update family and friends on their new little addition. Perfect for those of us who are thousands of miles away! (He even created an Etsy gift registry - which I'm honored to have an item on.) Jovi looks like such a little sweetie pie! Big sisters Jaylie & Journey and brother Jaden got to welcome her home today. Blessings to your family, Madisons! And, welcome to our little world, Jovi! =)

oops!

2010-03-26T23:56:00.000-04:00

If you had already read Wednesday and Thursday's blog posts prior to today, you might notice that something's different now. Well, I kind of jumped the gun a bit by announcing something a little early. Oops! *blush* So, I needed to go back and edit my last two posts and a couple of the comments left by my wonderful friends. If you did read my original posts and know what was edited out, please help me keep my little secret. I'll be able to share more in a couple of weeks. Promise. Thanks for your understanding! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

okay, so i guess i fibbed...

2010-03-25T12:58:00.001-04:00

(disclaimer: i am typing this entire post without any uppercase letters. it's not a mistake. ;)

i really did plan on posting more last night, but i was completely wiped when i got home from work. i fell asleep around 8 and slept in 2-3 hour increments until about 6:30 this morning. i felt fairly rested when i got up, but i could definitely tell that i hadn't slept a solid 10+ hours. :( anywho... i want to say "thanks!" to everyone who said a little prayer last night. i do feel better today.

i have a couple of secrets to share soon, so be sure to stay tuned! i can't wait to share them with you!! ;)

*hugs*
michelle

lots to say...here's a little bit

2010-03-24T13:00:00.001-04:00

If you know me at all, you know that I like to talk. A lot. And, for once, I have a lot to say! ;) This post will be quick, though. (I'm at lunch right now.) I'll be sure to post more tonight.

First, "Happy Birthday!" to my little model "E" who just turned 1 on St. Patrick's Day! Where has the last year gone?! We should be taking her 1 year pictures soon. (Right, Cris? ;) So, sneaks to come soon!

I've really been lovin' my camera lately, taking tons of photos and having fun editing them - thanks to my good friend Jeri. Thanks for introducing me to the "band aid" - it saved me tons of time!

Also, our local scrapbook store, Pages In Time Forever, reopenned on March 11th. I like to shop local whenever possible, so this makes me very happy! It was great so see some of the girls again, too! =) And, speaking of shopping local, if you knit or know someone who does, you have to check out Red Purl in Niles! The owner is super nice and has a great selection of yarn. She even spins her own, which is absolutely gorgeous! I knit with some a few weeks ago, and it turned out great. That's a credit to the yarn, I assure you.

I had a great time with some of my scrapbooking buds last weekend. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get there until Saturday afternoon, so I didn't get to spend as much time with them as I would have liked. :( I'm glad that I got to spend a little time with you, though! =)

I don't usually do this sort of thing, but if you wouldn't mind, could you say a little prayer for me? I have this pesky sinus infection that just won't go away. We've already done the antibiotic thing, so I'm guessing that it's viral. Ugh. This thing seems hell-bent on making me as miserable as humanly possible and has been giving me the worst sinus headaches ever - even worse than some of my migraines. I can't seem to find anything to get rid of them. One minute I'll feel fine and the next minute I'm all but writhing in pain, feeling like my eyeball is going to pop out because of the immense pressure. It sucks! I've had this for several weeks now. I'm not contagious or anything. I'm just miserable. Which is really starting to fray my nerves. So, your prayers are welcome and appreciated. Thanks for listening! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

a few of my favorite etsy finds

2010-03-04T13:01:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to post a few pictures of some of my recent faves from Etsy:

these owls at talkproof,

this coat at wanderlost,

and these a-dor-a-ble crocheted cozies at TWiNKiE CHAN.

*hugs*
Michelle

Meet Herman.

2010-02-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

This is Herman. He is currently at Pet Refuge. Isn't he beautiful? I fell in love with him at first sight! If he is still there in October, I want to adopt him and give him a "forever home." And, ironically enough, his name is my maternal grandfather's family name! I think it's fate.

Have a good night!

*hugs*

Michelle

some general randomness... and some exciting news!

2010-02-09T22:41:00.000-05:00

Let's start with some general thoughts.

First, larger vehicles usually have great tires for zippity-doo-dah-ing their way through the mess that we like to call "lake effect snow." HOWEVER, the drivers of these vehicles seem to forget that there's this little thing called Newton's Law of Inertia. Loosely paraphrased: a body in motion tends to stay in motion, and a body at rest tends to stay at rest. My point? Slow the heck down! For the 2nd time in 3 weeks, I have gotten stuck in a traffic jam on my way to work. The cause? Some yahoo in an SUV who thought that driving 40+ mph (in a 30 mph zone) on snow-slicked, ice-covered roads wouldn't be a problem for his big ol' manly ride. Guess he was wrong. Enough about that.

I would like to say "Congrats!" to one of my favorite designers, Elsie Flannigan. Within the last couple of weeks, her store, Red Velvet Art, celebrated it's first anniversary, she was nominated for and won an award for her blog, and she is featured in the Spring 2010 issue of Studios magazine. "Yay Elsie!!"

I love the Girl Scouts. I was even a Brownie when I was a little girl. And, I *love* Girl Scout cookies - especially the Caramel deLites (fka Samoas)! However, I think I'll just make a financial contribution next year. That's all I'm gonna say about that...

Now for the exciting news...

I'm going to apply to be a foster parent this fall. For Pet Refuge - a local nonprofit no-kill shelter. I hope to become a foster mommy to 2 cats. Pet Refuge relies soley on donations to cover their operating expenses. They do such important work, and I want to help in any way that I can. I would also like to begin volunteering there a couple of days each week starting in March. Also, because my apartment complex doesn't allow pets, I will be moving this fall. Something that I swore I'd never do unless I was moving into my own house. Oh well. I started researching apartments and kitties last night. I'm really excited!

Well, it's getting late, so I think I'm going to call it a night. I'll post more about PR and the move later this week.

*hugs*
Michelle

Here they are...

2010-01-27T01:41:00.008-05:00

Introducing the newest additions to my coffee cozy collection...

Showers of Love...

'Shroomie...

Play Ball...

Love Ya...

and Love Grows.

I will be listing these on my Etsy shop within the next day or two. If you would like one of these styles customized for you, please feel free to either leave me a message here or e-mail me directly. Have a great day! =)

*hugs*
Michelle

HAPPY TUESDAY!

2010-01-26T12:26:00.003-05:00

Finally, after a week-and-a-half plagued with migraines, I'm feeling like myself again! Woohoo!! (Actually, I'm feeling a bit on the hyper side - likely a side-effect of my migraine meds which contain caffeine. ;)

Well, I'd like to start by again apologizing to my two wonderful winners. Sarah and Anna, you have both been so patient! I promise that I will have my five new cozy designs posted tonight. I have three of them completely finished and have the patterns for the other two ready to go. I am really excited about these new ones and hope that you will be, too! =)

Well, I need to get back to work now. I'll leave you with this adorable creation by joojooland.

*hugs*

Michelle

And the winner is...

2010-01-21T19:36:00.009-05:00

First, I want to thank Sarah and Anna for their great ideas. "Thanks!" Well, since the drawing is a little late, and I don't want to flip a coin...You both win! I will post pictures of my newest 5 cozy designs by Sunday or Monday. You can send an e-mail with your choice and any color preference to: michelle{dot}burry{at}sbcglobal{dot}net. Thanks again! =)

Well, I should get back to crafting. I'll leave you with some of my current faves. Enjoy!

Crushing on this cute little crab by joojooland on Etsy ...

... lovin' these little birds by Lauren Alane ...

... and this beautifully yummy latte ...

... dreaming about this beautiful yarn at Knitting Off Broadway ...

... and a purchase I'll be making soon ...

... and munching on my favorite cereal in the world. I just can't get enough! =)

Have a super weekend!

*hugs*
Michelle

Happy Monday!

2010-01-11T12:42:00.006-05:00

Well, after a fun-filled sunny day with the girls in Chicago, it's time to get back to work - at the office and the shop. I found the furniture for my dream studio yesterday at IKEA. Now I have all of these wonderful organization ideas running through my head. That has to take a back seat. At least for now. First thing's first: fill my Etsy shop! I have a pretty big goal for the week: design and create 5 Valentine card sets, 10 yarn/ribbon flowers, and 5 coffee cozies. I have some basic ideas for the cards. The flowers are pretty straightforward. The coffee cozies? Well, I thought about maybe a "love" theme, a hedgehog, a mushroom, a frog, some clouds... What do you think? As a little incentive for some feedback, let's do this. Everyone who leaves me a message this week will be entered into a drawing. Sunday night, I'll draw a name and that person will win a prize: a customized cozie of your very own! =)

I'll leave you with this cute plushie set by My Paper Crane.

*hugs*

Michelle

I'm feeling crafty today!

2010-01-06T12:57:00.007-05:00

I have a million ideas running through my head right now. I want to make some yarn and ribbon flowers, little felt pins (for my hats, etc.), some more cozies, and anything with big googlie eyes. Thanks, Elsie! ;) She is such an inspiration! Here is a collage of some of her cute creations.

I also found a few really cool websites with all kinds of crafty things on them. One is called Crafty Daisies. Another is craftevolution. Both have some really cute project ideas! And, My Paper Crane has the most adorable plushies ever! You just have to check them out! =) Well, I think I'm going to go for now so that I can do some of my own crafting. Toodles!

*hugs*

Michelle

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T00:04:00.004-05:00

I usually avoid making New Year's resolutions. They're just so cliche. - and no one ever keeps them. But, this year is going to be a little different. To avoid being cliche, though, let's call them "goals." Okay? ;)

So, here are my goals for 2010 (in no particular order):
Be greener. I've gotten out of the habit of recycling. It's time to get back in.
Set aside at least 1/2 hour each day for "creative time." And not just to work on Etsy projects. I will take time to explore my artistic side.
Learn to crochet. I would really like to make a scarf like the one I bought at Wal-Mart earlier this winter.
Be a better blogger. At least 1 post each week. Promise.
Work on my faith and personal relationship with God. I guess that's pretty self-explanatory.
Get healthy. This one's going to be the hardest. Baby steps, right? I'm certainly not getting any younger, and I'm tired of feeling like I'm 70 years old. A wise person once said that, once the pain of staying the same is greater than the fear of change, we will change. I guess it's time to utilize that lifetime gym membership. Hello Fitness USA. Goodbye McDonald's.

I hope that each of you had a safe New Year's celebration. May God bless you in the coming year.

*hugs*
Michelle

Some Christmas Inspiration

2009-12-20T23:11:00.007-05:00

If you're anything like me, then you are probably still trying to finish up some last minute crafting and/or shopping. I wanted to take a minute to share some pictures of Christmas projects that have inspired me. They are definitely on my "To Do" list for next year.

This project can be found here at MarthaStewart.com.

I absolutely *adore* this vintage ornament wreath created by Whitney Smith. Isn't it lovely?

I think that I will make some table decorations similar to these for my shop next year. You can find these at Felt-o-rama.

I might even try these yummy little gingerbread houses by Not Martha. Maybe. ;)

May your dreams be filled with sugar plums and your home be filled with joy.

*holiday hugs*
Michelle

Look at that face...

2009-12-16T23:10:00.010-05:00

...And, yes, he is mischievous. These are some pics that we took in mid-November. Gotta love the blue raspberry ring pop! Whatever works, right? ;)

*hugs*
Michelle

a scrapaddict's ramblings

Foody Friday #4

a Midnight Rooster reveal & 2 chances to win a kit!

Crafty Monday #1

Foody Friday #3

Foody Friday #2

Welcome to my first Foody Friday!

Midnight Rooster October reveal

Midnight Rooster sneak peek

weekend merriment, a great kit, and some new projects

Midnight Rooster August project reveal - part 2

Midnight Rooster August project reveal - part 1

August Midnight Rooster kit reveal and project sneak peek

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

my poor little blog...

I am speechless.

June Midnight Rooster reveals - part 3

more June Midnight Rooster reveals

June Midnight Rooster projects - part 1

What a surprise!

some lovely Etsy finds

Hello. My name is Michelle, and I have a sweet tooth.

more Midnight Rooster reveals...

some more Midnight Rooster yumminess

Fairy Cottage - Midnight Rooster's May 2011 kit

Midnight Rooster partial reveal!

And, we're LIVE!

Yikes! Finally...

Midnight Rooster April 2011 sneak peeks!!

Midnight Rooster March reveals

Midnight Rooster February 2011 kit reveals!!

February Midnight Rooster sneak peek!

playing catch-up

And the winner of this month's Midnight Rooster mini kit is...

Midnight Rooster January kit reveal

Better late than never, right?

december Midnight Rooster projects and this month's mini kit giveaway

Look at these little cuties!

some holiday inspiration from me to you

Remember to take time to enjoy the season.

Midnight Rooster's mini winner for November is . . .

Midnight Rooster's monthly mini kit giveaway!

And, the winner of Midnight Rooster's October mini kit is . . .

Midnight Rooster project reveals!

october mini kit giveaway & this month's big reveal!!

Midnight Rooster's October sneak peeks!

And the lucky winners of the exclusive Midnight Rooster kits are...

And, the winner of this month's mini kit is . . .

Midnight Rooster September reveal and mini kit giveaway!

Midnight Rooster sneak peeks

a couple of Midnight Rooster projects

slow and steady, right?

And the winner is ...

Midnight Rooster August reveal!

August mini kit giveaway!!

Midnight Rooster August Sneaks!!

looking forward to a wonderfully busy weekend

And the winner is ...

Another Midnight Rooster giveaway! =)

Now Starring: Midnight Rooster July Reveals

Can this really be post #113?

July's sneak peeks!

Midnight Rooster July Sneak Peeks

only 8 more days...

June's Midnight Rooster projects!

And the winner is...

june mini kit giveaway!!

some Midnight Rooster sneak peeks...

October Afternoon project #5

Another project for October Afternoon

more Midnight Rooster projects

Here are some better pics =)

5.....4....3...2..1. WE'RE LIVE!

{breathe}

October Afternoon project #2

I just had to share. =)

It was a crazy busy weekend...and I *loved* it!

Happy Earth Day!

He's here!

a little sneak of Miss "E"

It was a crazy busy weekend...and I loved it!