SuzeBlogz

Hello New York

I'm so lucky that I live so close to 'the city".
The Lenster and I got up this morning and he said...let's try something different.

Instead of driving into Manhattan (an hour) and going nuts finding a parking garage, he said, "let's take the train to Penn Station". Then we can relax and leave the driving to someone else. Five bucks to park for the day and $14 for the two of us to take the train (pays to be a senior !!) -  round trip  - Off we went. Weather was gorgeous.

The Lenster is a very good sport.

 I wanted to visit Tinsel Trading, M&J trimming and as many bead stores as I could find in one central location. He schlepped with me.

Along the way we passed the dancers and acrobats from the Cirque du Soleil troupe who were handing out fliers for their winter show at Madison Square Garden called Wintuk.

We zipped past Macys which had stunning Xmas windows and mobs of people shopping. We breezed through the store just to get the holiday flavor ! Their theme this year was called "Believe".

We had a very full day....our feet ache.

but.....Here's some of the highlights.

Empire State Building.


Outside of Macys. More gorgeous when the sun goes down and the lights shine and form a tree.

and to think...we took a train !

Visiting Tinsel Trading. Martha Stewarts favorite store.

Fighting the crowds at Macys

The actual New Years Eve Times Square Ball. All crystal. On display at Macys. The crystals change color every few minutes.

A fantastic display in one of the jewelry stores. Crystals everywhere. Love the lollys, also love how the beads are stored in those apothocary jars.

really funny misspelling in one of the jewelry shops !

Horton was a favorite at Macys & certainly a favorite of mine too!


Next trip will be to see the tree at Rockefeller Center after they light it. We do that every year.

So, let's see.....

.....I decided there could NOT be a single thing in the jam packed, crazy people pushing and shoving stores that I had to have or needed to buy today, the biggest shopping day of the year. Not a single thing.
I made a promise to myself that I would NOT do the shopping thing today and am proud to say...I kept my promise. ALERT THE MEDIA...this is a freakin' first for me.

Instead....daughter Jen (who was visiting) and I compromised, (that meaning she didn't want to do what I wanted...LOL !) which was to see 'Australia'  so, we went to see 'Four Christmases'.....what a stupid choice that turned out to be.

Except for the very hilarious manger scene where I almost wet myself, I could have taken a nap through the rest of it. Vince Vaughn makes me nuts...he's so hyper. And I have no idea why an academy award actress like Reese Witherspoon took an insipid role like this one. Not to mention all the other first rate actors that have parts in this nutty movie.
Okay..I know there will be someone out there who thought it was a 4 star movie...please don't tell me who you are !

After Jen went home I finished up on a little project inspired by my friend, (writer, author, crafter), Judi Kaufmann, who suggested using Claudines sticky back canvas with our chipboard bracelets.

I printed collage images on my Epson R1800 inkjet onto the canvas. Epson makes really good printers and this one does a beautiful job on her canvas.

I painted the 1 inch chipboard bracelet with some acrylic paint.

I peeled the backing off a cut piece of the canvas & attached it to the bracelet.

Cool, huh?

Okay.,that was the serious stuff....

Now...it's fun time again....The second "I'm MELTING" contest.
In case you don't remember how it works from last month...
1. You send me a comment on the blog
2. I randomly pick a name
3. You email me a good clear jpg of your face and I alter it and "melt" it digitally and you win a prize ! Something way cool. A surprise prize.

So...remember..you have to be a very good sport because I'm going to do some pretty weird things to you... this little contest will end on Sunday at 9 AM EST...so...just comment here and we'll be on our way.
Here's an example of what you're in for.....quit laughing...this could be YOU !
 

Is there a good sport out there ??!!

The Whole Story

hope YOUR thanksgiving day was as fun as this little card !

Circular Thinking

I've been on a Michael Connelly kick this month....trying to read all the Harry Bosch novels. I needed a break from my more serious reading material. I try to do a book once a week.
I tried 3 times to get into the Edgar Sawtelle book because Oprah told me I had to read it...but...bless her little Oprah heart...it's just not hitting me.......yet. I won't give up.

On one of her shows she raved about Middlesex. The Lenster read it...My apologies Miss Oprah....I couldn't even get past page 4.

but.....in between Detective Bosch (who so totally reminds me of Lt. Columbo of TV fame) and voting for Brooke on Dancing With The Stars (c'mon now...you know she deserves it !), I've been making bracelets from chipboard dies. They come in 1/2 inch and 1 inch widths and they are so inexpensive, lightweight and fun to play with.

 
What I love is that you can paint them, glitter them, wrap Wonder Tape around them and stick anything you want to it (like tissue, napkins, beads), alcohol inks, colorwash sprays, beeswax them, wrap wre around them, use rub on transfers.
It's total relaxation.

Now...that isn't all....I'm still on my Leandra Bead kick. After I show this in my Orlando Florida class (Dec 18th) I'll explain the how tos. But look at this piece...

I made the side parts with UTEE and attached it to an old brooch I had for over 10 years.

Remember...I'm still only at the "I know how to crimp" stage...so..this effort really thrilled me !

 

Girls Day Out

Birthday bashes with girlfriends are the best ! Absolutely the BEST !

I don't know how we all pulled it off but ten good friends got in their cars this morning and drove from different areas of New Jersey to meet up in the historic town of Lambertville NJ. to have lunch & celebrate Lisa Kettell's birthday.

Lambertville was founded in the 1700's and sits on the Delaware River.
Think George Washington.
It has a very short walking bridge that connects Lambertville to the town of New Hope, Pennsylvania. Lambertvile and New Hope are famous for their antique stores and their quaint shopping. So....shop we did.

First, we gave Lisa her princess crown

then she began opening her cards & gifts. I bought her a Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana card and switched it out with Lisas picture (look really closely)

Lisa thought it was completely hysterical...and it looked so real...it brought tears to her eyes....

they were very happy, laughy tears....


I brought along some bubble wands...

then we went outside (it was coooooold !) and blew some more...
 

and we stopped shoppers and asked them to take more pictures....A bunch of crazy women!
(front row) Theresa, Bonnie, Patti, me, Michelle, Joan and Jackie and, in the rear, Lisa, Linda and Debbie.
 

Lisa made all of us the sweetest little doll pins as "party favors"
everyone got their own indivdual doll..they were all completely different.
 

Lambertville has a terrific bead shop.....I think, between us, we paid their monthly mortgage...I made a beeline for some lovely baubles...

what a fantastic girls day out.

We're already planning our next group get together ...we don't even need a birthday excuse..we all just really love each others company.

This is one of the canals in town. Winters a'comin'. There's no more leaves on the trees.

High on Wax

Well...I guess I'm still having my love affair with wax....Honestly......I have fallen in love with this medium. Of course it can never take the place of UTEE....whoa..let's not even go there...but..it really fascinates me no end.

I'm going to do a fantastic UTEE class for Ranger at the January CHA (we'll cover that on a different day) but I'm also doing a wax class called "Queen Bee" for Kandi Corp who manufacturers my Hot Wax Stylus Tool and beeswax cubes which we'll be using in class.

We're gonna create Queen Crown books from Creative Imaginations and waxing them up....Tim has donated some grungeboard, we'll use Ranger's Perfect Pearls and Glossy Accents, and my GLITZ Stickles. We'll have huge fun and make great projects.
Here's a look - up close and personal - on some of the waxy FX !





Everything you see is wax. I used some of the tools from Ten Seconds Studio to make textures in the wax and I also rubber stamped into the wax. There's nothing hard about any of this and that's why "its so cool it's hot"  !

All Stars

I'm so damn excited.... the new Scrap & Stamp Arts Magazine "All Stars Issue" came out today and I got to be in it. And...guess what...I didn't even do a UTEE project...nope...I took a leap and submitted a box that I painted, stamped on, applied rub ons to, glued some collage imagery to & dotted with the Ranger white gel pen.

You know my theory...if it's got too many steps I just won't do it....I'm too old for that kind of stuff now ! Seriously, I am !....it has to look like a million bucks but it has to be simple.......minimal effort.

I find Rub On transfers to be my BFF (best friend forever )......They cover up every mistake and they are instant art. My favorite rub ons come from GLITZ company (see the grid look on the box back....a rub on...I mean it.), but I love just about everyones' rub ons....doesn't matter what company...if it rubs on, I buy it !

The magazine should be at your local craft stores, almost definitely at a Michaels.

Go grab a copy and see projects from some of my very good friends. It's a keeper !

BTW...if you live in the Orlando, FL area......I'm coming to teach at Gemstone & Bead Imports on Thursday evening, Dec 18th and you can call Angela for all the info about signing up, cost, etc. 407-249-2409. It's either a great evening with YOU guys, or another night at Disney...c'mon...make my day !!!

 

Bizzie, bizzie

There's always stuff going on...not too much time to just be lazy.

The Lenster and I managed to see the new James Bond movie this weekend "Quantum of Solace" and we loved it ! Daniel Craig...yum..yum...you can argue with me all you want to..he is the BEST Bond ! I know..I know...some of you will be fans of the other Bonds, but this guy has got it ALL !

Then, I continued on my beading bender...I found an old earring in my stash of stuff left over from the 70's (cause who throws away such treasures ??) and used it as the centerpiece of another necklace....

It's hard to imagine I actually wore that big dangly thing on my ears !!! LOL

Then, today was volunteer day again at the Spay and Neuter clinic in my town. Joining me was Nicole, the daughter of Maureen my office manager. She loves animals too and wanted the experience.

Nicole brought her own cat in to be neutered.

and the poor fella, (who of course was completely "out of it" for the longest time ) peed all over her - several times !!!

Hope Nicole doesn't think of this as a stinky experience  !

On A Roll

I know absolutely zero about beading....other than I L-O-V-E shopping for them, admiring them and buying someone else's finished work.

Then I decided to take a beading 101, easy as pie, simple 1-2-3 class, and, when I learned the sweet little crimping technique it took all the scare out of it. Now, of course, this does not a beader make....tra la la..let's get serious.....I'm still only at the crimping stage and the learning to make a loop part......but, it did take away the intimidation. So then I went on a beader bender.....like an all-nighter - only worse !!!

and....those cool purple "balls" are the "leandra bead"...made of UTEE !

Yes..I said UTEE...using the Violet UTEE Brightz. I know...you wanna know how I did it. I'll be teaching it on December 19th at Gemstone & Bead Imports in Orlando, FL. I owe it all to Leandra Franich, owner of Paper Artsy..she thought it up. Brilliant !

Then..while I was still on my roll.....I bought some beautiful copper color mesh leaves at a local bead store and made these

I can't tell you how excited this has made me....imagine when I learn some really cool stuff.

OK...it's back to business....Heaven knows....I have 8 bazillion more loose beads upstairs!

Lets Do Lunch

I haven't seen my old friend Nancy Gall in umpteen years. We used to hook up at rubber stamp conventions all the time, but who has time to go to those any more...and beside..they are so few and far between. The sad thing is....Nancy and I have been friends for 17years and only live about 90 minutes apart...but, have we made time???

Well....FINALLY....we each drove 1/2 way, met in the middle,  and hooked up for a fabulous sushi lunch and caught up !

We talked so much they couldn't close the place....we had to take it outside.....!!
Then we got to talking about how much "stuff" we've both accumulated over the years and how we need to completely sort through it and overhaul. We even talked about doing a collaborative giant market sale of our "stuff" sometime after Xmas.

But then...what did we do....?????. stepped next door to check out the goodies at Pearl Art & Craft....Good grief....it's a disease !