12/31/07

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
To you and Yours!
A year full of pleasant suprises, fun and laughter.
May your new year bring you a fresh appreciaction of the lives you touch with your art, your blogs and your generosity.
May you have new inspirations, and may all your dreams come true!
~Michelle, Brian and Dyllan Cummings

12/24/07

All done wrapping!

Hello, hello!
~I'm all done wrapping! I stashed the gifts in a tall laundry hamper in the garage so Dyllan won't see them. We are headed to my Mom's in Borrego for Christmas and I fear we have more gifts than luggage! I guess that's what "black" trash bags are for. ;)
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I was also all 'set' to do some more baking, but decided to save it for when we get back. Anyways it's more fun to decorate the cookies with Dyllan at our own pace.
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Speaking of fun, Dyllan had a blast delivering cookies and little gifts with me to the neighbors! He always said, "Merry Christmas!" , but his "Happy Holiday", usually sounded like "Have a Holiday"
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Below, you'll find the cottage I made for Kim over at Running on Ink.
~ Please visit her site to see what she sent me! The pic's I took came out fuzzy!

So here's my cottage. I really challenged myself and made her a "scrapbox" cottage!
I glued glitterized coffee stirrers from starbucks on the cottage for a fence, and added icicles to the roof.

The inside has inspirational stamped words, distressed pages for photos and a pretty glitterized ornament!



I really like how this turned out and am already dreaming up new ones for my shop and for swaps!

12/23/07

Merry Christmas!

~ The other day while in walmart buying replacement lights for some outdoors ones that shorted in the rain, I was almost tempted to buy a set of those bubbling lights that I've enjoyed as a kid. But with no price to be seen , I opted out knowing I could always find them somewhere else-anytime, online.



~ I spent the better part of yesterday organizing my closet and sorting clothes for next years artistic altering,cleaning the master bathroom, tossing old lotions and expired products, smelling and keeping all my perfumes in a special spot because they bring back so many memories.
Since my last big post,I've received alot of support from fellow blog friends and I appreciate all this very much. Thank You.
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~I've also received a few obvious signs that are hard to ignore. My friend Etta from Ireland sent in her Christmas greeting a newspaper clipping that she thought I might like in a artistic way. I do, very much.
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My other sister has been in contact with one of Lorena's kids, Kelly. I asked for that info. I was told that she forwarded it on to Kelly and that I might not hear from her right away since it took her a year for any contact. I received a warm and inviting e-mail from Kelly yesterday. Another sign.
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Today it's little item grocery shopping and laundry then on to my Mom's in Borrego Springs for Christmas eve to the day after Christmas. When we get back it's on to re-organizing my studio, making a useful space for me to work with out overflowing into my husbands computer area.
I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Holidays!
~Michelle

12/20/07

It all started with the eggnog

~ This is sister Lorena. She died last year of Ovarian Cancer. She was a mother of 4 kids, 2 girls, 2 boys. Her life had alot of turmoil in it from her husband to her health to just life in general. It's a really long story and makes me extra sad to think about it.

About 3 weeks ago, I started to really feel down. Home stuff, holiday pressures, and crafters block. Out of the blue I started to think of Lorena and really began to miss her. I think I was finally starting to grieve for her. I started hearing her voice in my head with her smile and New Jersey accent telling me that I was going to be famous someday with my art. She really "believed" in me. I don't get alot of confirmation on my art. People tend to take my art for granted and pretty much consider it as a hobby but of no real value. Lorena was a artist too and that's why she understood me.

In the course of totally missing her and feeling sad and lonely, strange things started to happen. And it only happened when I was in the heart of thinking of her, hearing her and crying for her.

I was in the kitchen and had just poured myself a mug of egg nog. As I was taking a quick sip, Dyllan came in to show me "something" in the living room. I quickly put the egg nog in the microwave and pressed the 1 minute button. When I came back from Dyllan's little show and tell, the mug of egg nog was on the counter. And hot.

Another time, as I was snuggeling with Dyllan in part to get him to fall asleep for nap time and for me to get a few winks, I clearly heard the sound of one of our kitchen table chairs move. We have wooden chairs and tile floor. And the sound was very distinctive.

In the kitchen, I have a large craft size roll of white butcher paper. I use it for crafting , baking, everything. It stands on end next to the fireplace and near the kitchen table. If it falls over, it makes a whumph sound.
~One day while Dyllan was napping and I was at the computer in the studio, I heard that familiar whumph. I went downstairs to find that it had not fallen at all.

Our upstairs hallway is extra creaky lately and I've been hearing sounds when no one is there. I've also been seeing moving shadows and at one point during the day, I was scared to go into the dark master bedroom.

I'm a sensitive. And in the winter months my ability gets stronger. I believe Lorena has come to me for two reasons; to reassure me of my artistic talent and to ask me to find and be family to her kids.

As for the other weird stuff, I think it's a "Seasonal" haunting and will pass after the new year.

So I hope all you wonderful blogging friends will forgive me in not visiting you daily as I usually do. I've had a lot on my mind lately.

I'll see you soon!
~Michelle

12/18/07

Almost Done

This is card # 3, made up then scanned for our possible family christmas card. My holiday banner is card # 2 and if you scroll down a few post, Card #1 "Believe" is the one that made the cut.
I believe I'm almost done with Christmas shopping. I won't see some of my friends and family untill after the new year, so that gives me some time.

Wed, I plan to get the oil changed then have a hopefully stress freetrip to Hilo Hati at the block of Orange. It's a yearly thing for me to get Brian and Dyllan matching Hawaiin shirts. I also scour the papers looking for their annual 40% off coupon to which I scored two!

Then possible lunch at Johnny Rockets and then home for a nap(both of us) cause I have a potluck party later that night.

I'be been recieving the swaps from the 12 days of christmas swap I hosted. I'm very excited that it's going well and can't wait to show off all the wonderful mini-masterpieces soon!

Another note, remember way back when when I had my 100th post winners? There were 14 of them and I'm just now getting their goodies out! Sorry !

I also asked 12 people to send me their profile pic. I got 12 total. These suprises will be going out in Jan-2008 because of the detail involved. I really hope the girls like what they will get!

I have not added to my shop in like a month! and I'm not happy with that, but then I have to blame the holidays cause I always take on more than I can chew even when I scaled back a ton!

I have alot of "new" surprises to add to my shop that I can't wait to share with you next year! Some of it is old school talent that is starting to re-emerge and the rest is myself really applying my energies to what I've never done before! I'm very excited!

~ So now I'm off to finish "crafty" things while I watch the DVD series "House" - I'm so hooked!
Thursday is my "finish the baking or bust" day.

12/17/07

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Since 3 this morning, when Dyllan woke me up, I knew today was going to be "a day". Gone were my plans for a early morning oil change and a leisurely shopping at the Hilo Hati store at the block of Orange. This has all been postponed till wed.
~ Dyllan in all his cuteness has been a absolute terror all morning. And I need someone to either shoot me or give me a sanity pill. I'm so super grumpy, tired, and still have not finished my 1st cup of coffee! Earlier, it got just too quiet. I found him downstairs in the bathroom washing his hands. Water and foamy soap every where.
He's in the stroller now, strapped in as the final straw. It's a little quiet now...let me check...
Darn! As quiet as he was, he was not sleeping!

I've got a last minute craft to finish up downstairs, maybe I'll put a show on for him to watch while I work. Is it nap time yet? I'll put him down about 1:30pm and maybe I can take a "cat nap" too!

Thanks for letting me rant~Michelle

I Believe, do You?


12/14/07

Birthday Giveaway!


It's my friends Birthday and she's having a giveaway!

Please visit her blog for a chance to win one of her custom jewerly creations!


Click here and good luck!




* See more cakes here!*

12/13/07

Disneyland Splendor

~Last Sunday, Dyllan, Grandpa Jim and I went to D-land. As we got there around 5:30pm, we got to see the parade. Then we had dinner at a mexican place over by Big Thunder. Rode the train once, Pooh Bear twice, saw the fireworks and snow, rode Casey Junior four times, and did Small World twice!













12/12/07

Rogers's Gardens

~Last Saturday, Dyllan and I were supposed to participate in a community parade. But I got sick, (again) on Friday and could not see myself pulling Dyllan in a decorated wagon for 2 hours.
So I suggested to the hubby for us to have lunch at Fashion Island and to stop off at
Rogers Gardens for a look see. Brian watched Dyllan out in the garden area, Dyllan being entranced by a electrical train, while I purused, dreamed of fairytales and took lots of pics to share with the rest of you! I also left my wallet in the car, on purpose. ;)

~ So enjoy, feel inspired and click on every pic for beautiful details!


















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