And The Winner Is . . . . Comment on Your Spooky Experiences!!

Lizziebusy!!! Lizzie you have won my first blog giveaway!! :) Email your address to me so I can get your prize in the mail. My email addy is: staceybarrett @ netscape dot net (no spaces).

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my blog and all those who had entered. I hope to have some more fun giveaways soon, so visit often for your chance to win.

And, since it's Halloween, how about anyone who stops by my blog, leave a comment on something "spooky" you might have encountered or heard. I'll start with a "haunted" happening that occurs to me from time to time . . . and yes, I do believe in ghosts, I do, I do, I do!! Just as the cowardly lion believes in spooks.

Every so often I am visited by my friendly ghost or whatever he/she may be. Oftentimes I see a flash out of the corner of my eye and wonder if he/she is around at those times as well. Who knows. The thing that oftentimes happens in my home is this friendly invisible being will turn on the water in my bathroom sink ~ full blast. I spoke with a plumber to see if there is any way the water could come on by itself, as I have handles you have to physically turn for the water to come on. The plumber knows of no possible way other than physically turning them on and looked at me oddly as I told him what happens from time to time. This usually happens during early mornings while I'm in the shower. No, it's not a family member sneaking in either. Not only has this happened at my present home, but has also occurred in my condo that I previously had lived in and the home I lived in prior to that, so the little invisible being is following me with my moves. Weird, huh?

Snowman Giveaway

Take a peek at Simple Thyme Primitives blog for your chance to win this wonderful prim snowman!!! I love it! http://simplethymeprimitives.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-first-give-away-in-honor-of-my.html

~*Cute Vintage Little Girls in Mason Jar*~

These cute little girls weren't bothering anyone, sitting in a wicker basket playing with their teddy bear. But lo and behold, someone grabbed them wicker basket and all and shut them away in a mason jar!! Meanies!

I had fun making these sweet hang tags, using a sweet vintage photograph image and these awesome mason jar graphics from Krista of http://www.countrycharmgraphics.com/.

I'll be adding these to my website if you wish to purchase for your gift giving.

Fractal Art!

I recently discovered fractal art. How very interesting! Thought I'd share a couple of my fav fractal art pieces.

If you'd like to view more intriguing works, take a look here: http://www.enchgallery.com/index.htm

Christmas Giveaway

Take a look here for your chance to win a snowman ornie my friend Dawn is giving away: http://abusymommyonthego.blogspot.com/2008/10/on-first-day-of-christmas_22.html

Blog Award! :)

Creations from Sew Practical Patterns has given me the "I Love Your Blog Award!" You must take a peek at her wonderful blog!

Here are the rules and my picks for accepting this award:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated.

My picks for this award:

http://monicazuniga.blogspot.com/

http://cedarhillrustics.blogspot.com/

http://oakleafhollow.blogspot.com/

http://shweetdoodlings.blogspot.com/

http://pywackitprimitives.blogspot.com/

http://gollywobbles.blogspot.com/

http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/

Glass Glitter Hang Tags

I decided to get my glass glitter out and make some Christmas hang tag ornies. These and more are now for sale on eBay.

My First Blog Giveaway!!

Here's your chance to win two (2) of my OOAK vintage altered hang tags. Leave a comment and you'll be entered in the drawing which will be held this Halloween, October 31st. Post about this giveaway on your blog and you'll receive three (3) entries in the drawing. :) If your name is drawn, here's what you'll receive:

Altered Vintage Halloween Hang Tags

I stayed up late a couple of nights this past week to make some more vintage Halloween altered hang tags. I LOVE making them. Here's a few of them, though they do appear a bit fuzzy, as my scanner isn't picking them up the best due to the gem clips making a gap so they don't lay flat on the scanner. These are listed on eBay now :)

Vintage Image Freebies

Here's a few more vintage images for use in your arts & crafts projects. :)

Tag - You're It!!

I've been tagged by The Spotted Sparrow. Check out her blog; she has wonderful ACEO's and altered art, and excellent tutorials.

Before I forget, the rules are:
Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay, so here's my 7 "about me" facts:

1. I work full-time as Secretary of Construction/Engineering/Facility Services at an area healthcare center, while dreaming of having my own art studio and time to work on my art projects.
2. Mice FREAK me out!!! I'd rather walk barefoot in cow poop than to stumble upon a mouse (and I have - hey, I grew up on a farm!)
3. Not only have I walked in cow poop barefoot, but I've wrestled a hog at a local fest with my sister and her girlfriend. LOL ~ You can see it here: Hog Wresting Video.
4. My favorite bands are Nickelback, Pink Floyd, Metallica, & Queen.
5. I LOVE PrisonBreak and make sure to never miss an episode (it's the only TV show I watch faithfully).
6. I LOVE thunderstorms.
7. I'm a night owl. :)

Tag, you're it:

Renae, My Little Raggedy Blessings
Dawn, Prairie Girl Boutique
Julie, My Raggedy Dolls
Pea, Pea Pickers Primitives
Janell, Pumpkinseeds Originals
Jenny, Wonders of Whimsy
Tina, Black Crow Hollow

Fall Photos of the Kids

Jacob has about the same expression on his face in both these photos! LOL. He was tired and not in the mood for a photo shoot. Abbie and Taylor enjoyed posing for the photographer this past weekend when we had family photos taken. I took these shots with my camera, but can't wait to see the photographer's photos :)

Jacob's First Haircut!!

It was hard to do, but I finally broke down and had Jacob's curls cut off this past Saturday. He was starting to be mistaken for a little girl and we had family pictures taken yesterday; therefore, the main reason I went ahead with the cut. What a difference - he doesn't appear quite so much like a baby anymore. Awww, my baby's growing up so fast!

Altered Hang Tag Ornie

Now on eBay (along with several others!):

Another Wonderful Prim Giveaway!!

Take a peek at Renae's cute pin tag giveaway! http://mylittleraggedyblessings.blogspot.com/2008/10/pumpkin-pin-ornie-giveaway.html

Prim Giveaway

Take a peek at MaryBeth's giveaway! You can enter here: http://ragggedyangel.blogspot.com/2008/10/here-i-am.html

Sign of the Times - Happy Halloween!

My Newest ACEO/ATC's!

I had a lot of fun making these this weekend! Note: These are actually much clearer in person. They are Artist Trading Cards, made using vintage images, papers, and colored pencils.

New Altered Art Hang Tags

I decided to make a few of my altered paint chips into hang tags. These are currently for sale on eBay.

I can't wait to show you the new ACEO/ATC cards I made this weekend, as I think they turned out even "cooler" than these paint chips. I hope to find time to upload the images this week.

Prim Vintage Halloween Hang Tags

I began making prim vintage style hang tags several years ago and truly love making them. Here is a picture of some I have now for sale on eBay. Some are made using Halloween photos that I own myself, as I also love collecting vintage/antique photos of children.

Vintage Children Image Freebies

Altered Board Book

I LOVE this idea and can't wait to get some board books to try this out myself! Take a peek at this site to see the inside of this altered book: http://www.craftstylish.com/item/2466/altered-board-book

My Favorite Views

I just love to spend time at the family farm where I grew up. My parents have a lot of farmland and a few great pastures with nice meadows. Here are a few of my favorite places.

Happy Birthday Abbie!!

It's hard to believe 7 years have gone by already since Abbie was born! But they have ~ my little girl is now 7! Not only did she turn 7 today, but she also lost a baby tooth while eating supper - the 5th tooth she's lost so far.

Happy Birthday Abbie!! Mommy loves you!!!!!!!

Another Wonderful Prim Giveaway!!

Shay of Olde Colonial Peddler is holding a wonderful giveaway on her blog. The first place winner will receive these awesome prim Halloween noise shakers. Second and third place prizes are just as wonderful! Take a peek and enter here: http://oldecolonialpeddler.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-first-giveaway.html

Martha's Blog Contest

Martha Stewart is having a blog contest! To enter, visit her blog entry, leave a comment, and include a link to the contest on your own blog.

Jacob & Daddy

The other day Michael was outside mowing the lawn. Jacob LOVES being outside and loves going for rides on the 4-wheeler or anything with wheels, and knowing his Daddy was outdoors, he kept peering out the window and whimpering that he wanted to go back out. He had just been brought inside a few minutes earlier as he had fallen asleep while riding with Daddy on the mower, but of course brightened back up the second he was brought in. He put in a good amount of time helping Daddy - his hair is frazzled and his face filled with dirt from all the "hard work". I know he should get a haircut soon, as after this he looked like "Einstein" when he came back inside, but I can't bear to cut his hair quite yet.

Beautiful Morning!

It sure was a beautiful morning on my drive into work today. Here's a couple pics I took quickly along the way . . how I would have loved to have had time to sit and watch the sunrise and take in the view a bit longer.

Implant - Joy, Joy!

Yesterday was a day of excitement in the dental chair - oral surgery. Joy, joy. I had the misfortune a few years ago of taking a direct hit to my #9 big front tooth with a steel door. Due to the impact of that hit, my dentist discovered last summer during a routine exam that my tooth was slowly dying from the inside out ~ "internal resorption" in technical terms. It's rare, but my luck is such that it would happen to me, afterall, I have already endured jaw surgery when I was 17 to correct an overbite that would have resulted in unmanagable TMJ.

So, after consulting first with an endodontist to see if it was possible to save the tooth with a root canal and finding out it was too late for that option (oh wooh is me, I was not too happy to hear that news), and then consulting with a peridontist who's mannerisms caused me to shudder (he was in his 70's, a bit shaky, had an unorganized slightly dirty looking exam room, and had informed me I would have to go without anything in the place of my front tooth for up to a full month after it was removed and healing), I consulted with an oral surgeon who made feel a bit me more at ease. Apprehensive, but better than how I felt after consulting with the old shaky peridontist. Not only that, I would be able to have a tooth bonded in place immediately after my front tooth was removed so I wouldn't have to walk around looking like a hillbilly (and feel like one!).

So anyway, yesterday I had the second step in my implant process done - about 4 months ago I had underwent the dreadful tooth removal (oh my word, I was soooo scared, but it turned out to be "better" than I had imagined, though I did end up with a bone graft at the time as well. The second step was the implant - not the finished tooth - but the implant of the screw into my jaw which will hold my finished tooth. It went okay, but low and behold I discovered while using the restroom before final x-rays that they had BROKEN OFF PART OF MY GOOD TOOTH to the left of my implant when removing the "fake" temporary tooth that my dentist formed for me, which was bonded to the adjacent teeth. Oh my word, I couldn't believe the surgeon had broken off part of one of my good teeth without even saying a word to me about it! Again, such is my luck.

After being at the oral surgeon, I drove back to my dentist for him to again form a "fake temporary" tooth so I wouldn't feel conspicuous as it would be quite obvious I was missing a front tooth otherwise, and he fixed the broken tooth with the dental bonding agent as well. I explained my concern that when this is removed for the next step in the process that perhaps they would break my adjacent teeth again causing further damage. He eased my worries in that next time I'll see my dentist the same day to have the bonded temporary tooth removed CORRECTLY before going for step 3 in my oral surgery. I can't believe the oral surgeon of all people didn't CORRECTLY remove the bonded tooth. My gosh!!!

Well anyways, I'm alive after the screw was put in my jaw . . . and, no I don't have a screw loose! LOL It's in there good. I ended up with another bone graft around it and several stiches. Today my face is puffed up larger than a chipmunk with a mouthful of nuts, but I came in to work anyway. The pain is not great considering how it looks. I might take a photo of myself to share, but I haven't yet.

Next step is in another 5 months after this heals, they will cut open the area where the screw is to prep it for the final finished tooth. Right now they have my gums stitched over this area so it heals in place well. Hopefully this entire process will be done within a year and I end up with a nice smile once again. :)

Altered Art ~ Halloween Clipboard

I spent some time today making some more vintage Halloween altered paint chips, then decided to use them to make an altered clipboard.