Candy crafting.

So, as you can imagine, my treats are also OCD. (See prior post on Star Wars cookies last year).  So true.  Anyone know how to hand-dip pretzels without getting a flat side?  

Here's the finished product.  Not without time and trouble, though!  First, I used those plastic Wilton Candy Melts.  Painted on dots with a very fine paintbrush, chilled, then spooned candy into the melts for the base color.

Finally, how to hand-dip pretzels without getting a flat side?  Shot glasses.  See, I knew those had more uses than vodka.

Genius.  Now on to the next project.

Home on a Saturday for once?

Getting ahead on my thank you cards.  You know, for all my gifts?  Silver cards from Impress in Seattle.  Purple/silver background made with Ranger Alcohol Inks put on with applicator on glossy.
Snowman made with Cricut Winter Wonderland.  Snow is just some flakes I picked up somewhere, just some glittery swag.  Awesome.

Perfected card.

Let's pretend I sent you a Christmas Card... it would look like this. Too bad if I didn't. So, tried a few things. Used watercolor paper as background.
BACKGROUNDS:
1) Tried Ranger Adirondack sprays, diluted. Used some Tsukineko Potion #9 as well to spread around color. I think the Ranger inks are discontinued, but they are water based. So, you could make your own spray with water based refills. Then spritzed Tsukineko shimmer spray as well on paper.
2) Tried to paint blueish background with Twinkling H2O's. Made paper warpy. Hard to glue down.
3) Tried some darker backgrounds than this as well. Looked pretty cool, but then bird and leaves didn't stand out.
GLUE:
Gluing on watercolor paper is tougher than it looks.
1) Tombow glue in dispenser. Didn't stick well after a week it came up.
2) Glue stick. Worked ok, but comes out hard.
3) I have not perfected this. On the edges that came up, needed to use Stampin up glue pen to glue edges back down.
BIRD:
1) Twinkling H2O's. Had to get pretty thick on brush. Had some screwups with too much water on brush, bleeding. Make sure paper is really dry.
LEAVES AND HOLLY BERRIES:
1) Twinkling H2O's. Thick. Looked really nice.
2) Then I got smart/lazy. Used Copic Atyou Spica glitter pens. Looked pretty much the same, but didn't bleed.
STAMP:
Got at Impress in U Village Seattle. Also totally plagarized card from there, but it was easy and fun.
That's all for now. I need to wrap gifts, and get inspiration for thank you cards.

Christmas Cards

Totally copied a card I saw at Impress in Seattle, but hey. It was hard work. Water colored Memory Box stampwith Twinking H2o's, sprayed background with diluted Ranger Adirondack spray ink, spritzed with Tsukineko shimmer spray.

Trial and error.

Meetings, meetings.

So, I went back to Seattle for a great weekend of meetings, eating, and uh, shoes.  I'd tell you all about the Huskies v Arizona game, or the Seahawks debacle, or my Jacuzzi suite at the Silver Cloud, but I suspect you're reading this for the shoe porn.  So here we go:

Badgely Mischka Lexie, regular $225, Nordy's Rack $45.00.  I could not pass up this deal.  I have no idea where in this town I will go in these, but believe me, I will find somewhere. 

Next we have some "sensible" "comfy" sandals to wear around.  Calvin Klein "Liz", $49.90 at Nordy's Rack. Regular $110.00 on Shoes.com, sale $69 Endless.com if you "need" these.

If you are wondering, no, these are not "similar" to the ones above.  Just FYI.  These are much less dressy, wooden heel, thick straps.. uh, ok.  Next is the Michael Michael Kors "Zoe" that I picked up for $36.90.  What a steal, considering they are regular $98.00.  You can also get them on sale at Nordstrom.com for 48.90 in case you have the burning urge to be like me. Just remember, I paid less. Bahahahaaa!

 Finally, as my feet hurt from all this shopping, I could not pass up the Cole Haans on sale for $45.00.  The Lunetta is very similar, but I can't seem to find these online in Black Snake.  So... here's the actual pic.  Any Nike Cole Haan's for this price are a steal.  So, I can now walk in comfort... 

That's all for now.  See ya later.  Let's hope for shoes for Christmas!

Skrillex show!

So, I went to the sold out Skrillex show last night at the Knitting Factory.  For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a pretty awesome DJ that plays dubstep - basically club music.  Sounds like bad news, but it was a really cool show (considering my other genre is metalhead and 80's)... 

So what to wear?  I had to be semi-conservative as there were clients in the midst...  cool clients, but still.

So, out come the Madden Girl "Oaklannd" shoes!  The pics on top are from online, they apparently come in different colors.  The bottom ones are the ones I actually got at some cheapie store like Ross or TJ Maxx for I think $12.00.  The multi-color glitter was good for this show.  I figured I'd need going out shoes that I didn't mind getting wrecked, but they were a score as they're still $39.00 on Zappo's etc.  The only disturbing part is that they are in the "Juniors" section, etc.  When am I ever going to grow up.   Wore with BR black silk mini w roses on bottom, and the infamous Michael Kors silk tank I picked up for $6.99 at either Ross or TJ Maxx.  Anyway, it was epic, and the shoes are still intact.

Meeting in valley causes problems.

So... while I was on my Nordy's rack kick...  I had to go to a meeting in the valley for a client.  Then I had to wait for my cousin to get done working... so, I went and waited at the Rack.  You know, look for some basics like nylons, maybe some winter shoes... uhhhh

The Coach "Sheri".  Lo and behold.  I realize these are like my Calvin Klein Olive shoes, but they didn't have more of those in my size (they had patent CK's very close to this).  But... they did have these.  They were Coach comfy, and have a little Coach inscription on the heel that no human will ever see.  Just what I need for my suits, right?  Uhhh.  Crap.

So then I also perused the clearance racks.  Some Badgley Mischkas for $40, from $200?  Uh yes, please?  I also have nowhere to go in these, however, for $40, I can't pass that up.  I will have to find an event to go to, just for these.  This meeting sure cost me...