26 years ago

tomorrow someone special entered into my life.  Since then, I have laughed and cried,  lost sleep and found joy, created memories and made mistakes.  Watching him grow over the years has brought me more joy than I ever imagined.  While I miss not seeing him more often and not talking to him as much as I would like, I feel so blessed to have an incredibly intelligent and caring son.  As midnight strikes, let his 26th year of life begin.

Do Me A Favor...

is coming up one week from tonight.  Come make four little favors that even Cupid would approve of.  This workshop is lots of fun and with everything precut and scored, you can focus on catching up with a friend or simply relaxing while assembling the class projects.  While most students are done within an hour, we don't make that common knowledge.  It gives you time to sit, shop or hang out without feeling any guilt...and honestly, when is the last time that has happened?

Projects include a double heart hanging pocket made from one of Bazzill's printed papers; a large cardstock box trimmed with a printed paper from Crate Paper; a ruffled muslin bag adorned with a velvet trim and paper flower; and a high backed short box made from a printed paper from Bazzill.

a large cardstock box trimmed with a printed paper from Crate Paper {middle}; a ruffled muslin bag adorned with a velvet trim and paper flower {bottom right}; and a high backed short box made from a printed paper from Bazzill{bottom left}. 

It's an all chocolate class because honestly, when it comes to Valentine's Day...is there any other treat that tops chocolate?  I think not!  :) 

I am also working on the little favor I am making for the people I work with.  This simple and quick fold over treat resembles a match book, but without the stapled bottom closure. 

This treat would be super simple...just a few teeny clear bags filled with festive cupid corn, tied close with red seam binding and a sweet little title tied onto the top with a really fine strand of jute.  {PS thanks to Suzi and Lori for helping me create this mercury glass knock off dish from my $1.50 Goodwill find!}

I love the red, white, black and pink combination.  And Dale, you know REAL men can create with pink and can quilt!

If you haven't been into ETC lately, you have to stop in...everything Valentine's Day is going fast. 

If you are looking for a quick and easy valentine exchange project check out this amazing girl. Scroll down to her Jan 20th post.  http://thepaintedarrow.com/ to download a sheet of this cuteness!




If you want to make an a.door.able wreath check out Lindsey Neill...the creative wreath maker at ETC
http://www.verytrulyme.blogspot.com/ 
There's still room in her Feb 6th class if you don't already have plans.

Here's to a creative week,
Kelli
:)
 

Mom's Christmas Magic

You have been asking and I have not been ignoring.  Just want you all to know how hard it is to sort though 2,000 photos.  That's what happens when you have a novice photographer trying to capture an entire house filled with Christmas Magic.

Here are a few of my favorites

 

 I will sort through the 2,000 photos within the next month and compile them to share with you.  She really does have quite the knack for decorating and entertaining!

Off to Dollar Demos at Etc.  If you are a local, consider stopping by.  It will be going on until 3:00!

First Weekend of the New Year

and we are half way through it.  If you are anything like me, the weekends fly by and there always seems to be enough to keep me busy!  :)

Sad to say, but it's time to pack up the holiday decorations til next year.  That includes these things as well...

 These were some of the decorations I added to the house this year.  In the top picture is an ornament from Patty that I got in an ornament exchange.  All the ornaments were just this good!  The little snowman jar topper was made in a little crafting group.  The adorable noel tray was a gift from a sweet friend, thanks Debbie C...I LOVE it!  :)

This was also one of the ornaments from the exchange...Suzi you are the soldering queen!  I tied this sweet ornament onto an old thrifted plastic wreath using some old vintage Christmas ribbon.  I tied it onto a stand I bought when I was shopping with my friend Kim.  I think it is an old advertising stand.  When I saw it I just couldn't pass it up, and I am so glad I bought it.  

Now that the holidays are over, I can paint this chair, which I have been trying to do for a couple of months and finish up this bedroom.  I still have lots to do, but I wanted to share a pic of the cutest pillows my mega talented friend, Lindsey Neill, made for me. 

I love them so much.  And they really do look amazing on the bed.  :)

These little guys are stacked up in between the two chairs in the room.  Still lots to do to finish the room and I hope to have it done by the time these two come home again.

I must admit, the room looks a little different, but it is still the one he grew up in.  :)

I am anxious to finish it up so I can move onto Jenaye's old bedroom.

Happy New Year!

It's really hard to believe that 2012 is behind us!  It was certainly a busy {and exciting} year for the Collins clan.  We had 4 graduations...two from U of A and two from UC Denver.  If that wasn't enough excitement, we had a wedding.  Ashley Dorson officially joined the family in August.  LOTS of blessings and things to be grateful for.  We also had a nephew graduate from Red Mountain, a niece get married in California and another niece get engaged!  WOW.

I can hardly wait to see what 2013 will bring.  The highlight in January is a job change for me.  No, I won't be leaving the City of Mesa where I have worked for the past 28 years, but I will be changing responsibilities and will have the opportunity to go back into our customer and sales area.  While I enjoy my current position, I get to go back and work with all the business owners and managers which I LOVE!  :)

While I want to share some photos of my mom's spectacular Christmas decor, I still have 900 photos to upload.  So, in the meantime, I thought I would share the photos of the upcoming Do Me A Favor projects that we will be making on the 8th of January.  In preparation of Valentine's Day, here they are:

as the days fly by

I wonder how I used to do it all when I was younger.  The tree's been up only a week, no stockings are hung, a few decorations are scattered about and only a handful of gifts have been bought.

While I haven't been very productive around here, I have been enjoying the company of friends and co-workers.  A few little gift exchanges, a crafting group, a get-a-way to San Francisco with my mom and a gift project for 130 employees with the management team at work...this elf has been busy!  :)

A handmade invitation to a get together that my mom does each year.

The beginning stages of the paperclay ornaments with vintage trim bows and music note paper hats.

I added some metallic silver pipecleaners as handles to the vintage silver jello molds before embellishing with silver-y floral picks.  These diamond dusted snowmen started to come to life. 

 Their little stick arms held a strand of tarnished silver balls.

Of course I couldn't resist adding some custom colored trees to some.  

 These little red trees were one of my favorites this year!

Of course I thought the green was stinkin cute as well!

Hopefully you will find time this holiday season to create something from the heart...something handmade.