...until after MACM. I was going to post the top ten tonight, but I'm in the middle of editing this week's MACM video, and I'm about to drive to my brother's for a family dinner, so...

Please be patient. I'll have the selected top ten and random top ten probably tomorrow night.

In the meantime, just a couple answers to questions...

- The pearls on my last card where spaced out using a ruler and then making pencil marks. You can still see one of the mark I forgot to erase in the enlarge photo at the top of the entry.

- Yes, I handwrote the word "for" on the card.

- Nope, I'm not a popcorn and candy girl. We never really got popcorn or treats when we went to the movies when I was little, so not having it now doesn't bother me. :)

- As far as where I'll be working at the SU! convention, I'll be all over. They're really workin' us this year. :)

Anyhow, see you all tomorrow morning for the video! :)

Hi all! The Make a Card Monday video is uploading to YouTube right now. It's taking forever! Anyhow, it should be ready in the next few hours. :)

I decided to upload a larger file (higher quality) but then realized after I'd already uploaded it once that there was a glitch in the file. So... I'm uploading it again. Joy. :)

But that means that if you watch the video over at YouTube, you can click on "Watch in higher quality" and the video will be MUCH clearer. Seriously, it looks as good as when I'm editing it on my computer. No more pixelation! :)

Until then, enjoy your Monday morning (or Monday afternoon depending on where you live--whassup, my Aussies!?) :)

National Splurge Day! If you had $500 to spend on anything--really, ANYTHING!--how would you spend it?

Leave a comment telling us how you'd spend your "money." I'll randomly pick a commentor and send them a $5 Amazon gift card (via email, of course). Not exactly $500, but you could get 5 songs from their MP3 Store... LOVE IT!

NOTE: I've closed the comments for this entry. I just draw a random winner and the details are in the next entry. Thanks for all your answers, everyone! :)

NOTE: This has nothing to do with papercrafting. I'll post my card and picks for the latest color challenge tomorrow evening. :)

Some of the blog buddies asked about my nails, so I thought I'd show how I give myself a French manicure. By no means am I a professional. This is just how I do it. :)

Products used:
Orly Rubberized Bonder (base coat)
Essie Nail Polish - Marshmallow
Essie Nail Polish - Mademoiselle
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Also mentioned:
MakeupAlley.com

Ya'll must go see these cupcakes! This baker is AMAZING! :)

and watched the following video. I love presentations like this. Reminds me of the "quintessential random number" also known as 47, which became a strange numeral companion to me after watching 5 years of Alias. See it everywhere. Seriously.

If anything, this guy is amusing to watch. :)

According to random.org, the winner is Barb Hendrickson! Congrats, Barb! Watch your mailbox for an email from me with instructions. I just need your mailing address so I can send you some goodies! :)

My word, there's a lot of comments from both the Color Inspiration Challenge AND yesterday's entry. Forgive me while I go through them all. :)

I'll post the selections/winner, etc. tonight after I'm home from work.

...uninspired.
Tired.

Taking a break.
Be back tomorrow.

:)

Hi everyone! I'm back from New York. It was a whirlwind trip and I loved every minute. :)

90% of the trip was for work so I won't go into that, but I did get to do some additional fun things. I went to The Phantom of the Opera with Amy (of YouTube and Glamour magazine fame--check out her awesome makeup tutorials) Really, I totally geeked out when I realized we would be in NYC at the same time--Amy for The Makeup Show and me for The National Stationary Show. We're totally YouTube BFFs now, right Amy? We bonded over mutual love for shoes and New York. :)

I also did a little inspiration shopping and wandered around Brooklyn with the girls from work. We found an awesome antique shop where I accidentally looked at a 1950s magazine of questionable nature (AHH! My EYES!). Then we boarded a VERY crowded bus where we obviously annoyed people around us by talking because one guy in particular stuffed earphones in his ears the minute we sat down and started talking around him.* But we were lost! I consulted my iPhone for a map of the city as we tried to quietly debate whether or not we were anywhere near a subway stop. BTW, yes we were near a subway stop. The Jay Street stop.

We stayed the Marriott Marquis at Times Square which has the most awesome elevators--glass tubes that allow you to see out of the elevator to the atrium below. Go ahead. Gaze down and imagine yourself plummeting to the bottom. Weeeee!

A few of us ate at Pongsri Thai Restaurant (great food, mediocre service) before going to see Spamalot. As we were walking to the theater I had my first real celebrity sighting--TIMES TWO! We saw the actors that play Amanda and Marc in Ugly Betty! Okay, so she really is as pretty as she is on television and possible even more skinny looking. Seriously, Christy--who you'll all remember from the origami star video--commented on her legs: "Like two little sticks... She could barely stand up!" I'm of the opinion that possibly she may have been drunk. Marc was partially holding her up. But who knows!

We also possibly might have seen one of the guys from The Dukes of Hazzard on our way into the city after we arrived, but I can't be positive since I didn't get a good look at him from inside our van.

Anyhow, it was a fun trip! Hopefully I'll get all rested up over Memorial Day weekend. :)

*EDITED: Apparently, the description of the scene I had earlier came across in a negative way. I sincerely apologize. A couple readers caught it and it's been corrected. Thanks, guys! :)

Yes, those masks feature my face with different hair! And each one has a little talk bubble that says, "It's my birthday." LOL!

The girls at work used the hair makeover thingy over at InStyle.com to make all the different heads. And, yes, the other faces on my cubicle are their faces!

They also decorated my cubicle with hair ties and bobby pins... and shampoo and conditioner... and curling irons and straightening irons! I've always thought it'd be awesome to be a hairstylist and I told them that a while back. :) Hilarious!! I love these people. Seriously, I work with the best people EVER! :)

One of the girls at work (Jodi) just had a baby! These are just a few snapshots from the baby shower that her team threw for her.

Didn't the girls did such a great job decorating the atrium at work? And HELLO! Look at those cupcakes! :) And the butterflies? SO cute! I think one of the girls cut out the butterflies at home and then attached them to the balloons. So cute!

NOTE: I haven't forgotten the CI Round-Up. I'll post that tonight after the deadline. :)

So, this morning I braided my hair a la Reese Witherspoon:



Which prompted a braiding session this afternoon that resulted in:



That's Amy and Jen. I braided their hair. It was a totally flashback to third grade when I braided Cammie Rowley's hair during recess. :)

Sorry, no photo of me... My arm doesn't stretch out far enouch to get a pic of the back of head. Go figure!

Oh my gosh! OH my gosh! OH MY GOSH!!!!

I'm the featured video on YouTube today!!!!

I'm going to need an extra day to go through all these Color Inspiration #7 submissions! Ya'll have seriously outdone yourselves. :)

Back on schedule tomorrow night. I'll post my card, my picks, and the randomly selected tomorrow evening after I get home from work. :)

P.S. Can you believe how many people at YouTube are still debating over my use of the word "your"? Really, now.

Heads up! For those who were waiting for the Maya Road Name Stamp I used in this week's MACM, the it's back in stock over at scrapsupply.com. Happy shopping! :)

Hi all! Just a quick update for ya. :)

I'm in the middle of packing up my office at home because my mom is moving to Arizona and she's taking the office furniture with her. She has an awesome new job and is moving away real quick! Anyway, my computer will be packed away for a bit until I can get my desk out of storage.

What does this mean for you?

It means that I will not be posting this week's Color Inspiration Challenge Round-Up until tomorrow night. So even though the deadline for submissions is tonight, I won't post my top ten or randomly selected until Friday night.

Sorry for the delay and we'll get back on track ASAP. :) Thanks!

(WARNING: Non-papercrafting related rant)

Okay, so some of you might know that I use Bare Minerals foundation (since I've mentioned it in the past). Anyway, I started using it about 5 months ago and I absolutely love it.

Anyway, when you order the starter kit, they offer to sign you up for their Bare Minerals Club. As a member of the club, they send you 2 jars of the foundation and 1 jar of the Mineral Veil powder every other month (or any other interval you specify up to 6 months) at a "20% discount." You also receive free gifts.

Well, I thought, "Why not! It's a great deal! And I won't have to drive to a store to buy it." :)

WHATEVER! I just realized that I'm being completely ripped off! Here's why...

As I mentioned above, you can buy Bare Minerals foundation and setting powder from Sephora (or sephora.com), at makeup counters in department stores, or at Bare Escentuals stores. (Bare Minerals is made by Bare Escentuals). You think you're getting a great deal buying from the club, especially considering that just one jar of the foundation costs $25 in-store, whereas you get 2 jars and 1 jar of the powder from the club for $39.98.

Good deal, right? Um, no.

What I failed to notice is that the in-store jars are HUGE compared the ones they send you in the mail from the club. Need some math? BTW, I've omitted the cost of shipping.

BARE MINERALS CLUB SHIPMENT - $39.98
Foundation - 2 jars, 2 grams(.06 oz) each. You get 4 grams of foundation total.
Mineral Veil Powder - 1 jar, 2 grams (.06 oz)
Actual cost - $6.66 per gram of product

BARE MINERALS (in-store) - $44.00
Foundation - 1 jar, 9 grams (.3 oz)
Mineral Veil Powder - 1 jar, 13.5 grams (.47 oz)
Actual cost - $1.96 per gram of product

Excuse me? HELLO! It's such a better deal to buy it from a store. Especially when you consider that fact that it's safe to store and use opened powder cosmetics for up to one year!

What about the "free gifts" you receive when you're a club member? Not even an issue for me. They sent me the same eye shadow twice. Um, thanks. Already have that one.

Bottom line: I LOVE Bare Minerals makeup. However, I learned my lesson. Do your homework. Don't get ripped off.

So, for a while now, the web has been obsessed with these Cupcake Pops invented by Bakerella. Well, not too long ago, Annie made these little darlings for Cupcake Tuesday at work (yes, we have Cupcake Tuesday). Every Tuesday someone brings cupcakes (or muffins!) to share. Seriously, it's the best day of the week.

Here's Paula holding one of Annie's cupcake pops:



And then, guess what? Bakerella was on The Martha Stewart Show last week for Martha's Cupcake Week... Hello! WHY oh why did I have to be on a cruise when all this was happening!!

BUT! I love the internet. You know why? Because you can watch the archives! Click here for the recipe and video of Bakerella and Martha making the cupcake pops, and here for the archives of the entire Cupcake Week (March 31 - April 4). Wahoo! I'm currently catching up on all the cupcake segments. :)

Anyhow, hope ya'll are enjoying your Sunday. Here in Utah, it's a beautiful sunny day. :)

Hi kids!

Unfortunately, there will not be a MACM this week. I got back home from the cruise late late Saturday night (more like early early Sunday morning). I spent the day in bed, sleeping and icing my leg.

I'm actually going to my doctor today because I think the injury is a bit more serious than first imagined. :(

I keep looking down at my leg and thinking, "My gosh, it looks like I've been in a car accident or something." And then I realize that essentially, I have. I have bruises everywhere, including my right hand which you would have seen had I had the energy to make the MACM video.

This sucks.

No pictures of the leg. Sorry. I did take one, but was all grossed out just looking at it. And it's my leg I was looking at! No one, I mean NO ONE, needs to see it. Seriously.

I will have a Color Inspiration Challenge for ya'll tomorrow, though. :) Watch for that.

Apparently, some people people on our cruise can drive scooters. :)

And most Bermudians drive scooters, too.

Went on a tour of Hamilton and St. George yesterday. Bermuda is acutally only 21 square miles, with the widest portion being only 1-1/2 miles wide, so we covered nearly everything on our tour.

The view of the water near Hamilton.

We went to one of the lighthouses here in Bermuda and I was fascinated with the bright red shutters on the lighthouse's windows. Love it!

Outside some shops in St. George. The street were pretty empty because we're actually the first cruise ship of the tourist season. Generally, people don't start coming for a few weeks from now.

A home in Bermuda. The owners collected old apple juice bottles, and filled them with colorful waters. I guess the bright colors keep stray dogs and cats away.

Taken from the bus window as we drove by.

This is the view from my bus window as we sped across a bridge. Bermuda is made up of many little islands, so there are many bridges.

At John Smith Beach. We got out of the bus for a few minutes. Sadly, we couldn't stay longer.

One of the historic homes in Bermuda, this is Verdmont. It was so awesome! What makes this home unique is the fact that even though it was built hundreds of years ago, it still is in its original condition. Only three different families have owned it, the third being the historical society in Bermuda. For some reason, the owners have never upgraded the interior to include indoor plumbing or electricity. It literally is just as it was when it was built.

We finished out the day by going on a glass bottom boat tour over one of the many reefs. I didn't get any good fish photos (the glass was super thick), but I did get a photo of the gorgeous sunset. My word, the sunsets here are amazing.

As for today, I've spent the day on the ship. I finally went to the infirmary on the ship last night because my knee was looking pretty bad. Nothing they could do except to tell me to take some ibuprofen and try to relax. Thanks. Oh, and they gave me a tetnus (sp?) shot. Joy. Now my arm hurts, too.

Basically, the doctor said I'm lucky I didn't break anything. I hit one side of knee really bad, and it looks like the bruise goes all the way through to the other side. Believe me, it's not pretty. A war wound. Seriously.

But, hey, for those from work who are checking in, I have to say that I'm not the only one who's had some adventures on and falling off a scooter. Angie had a run in with a palm tree, but no worries. She's just fine. No injuries, the stinker! I hit a curb and come back all black and blue--she practically drives a scooter up a tree, and rolls over onto the grass and starts laughing! :)

BTW, thanks for all your well wishes. If anything, I think my stupid injuries are making me slow down a bit and relax. In fact, this morning, I went to the hydrotherapy pool, thermal beds (some heat for my back), and then read out by the pool. I was pretty slathered up with sunscreen yesterday so I don't look like I've even been in the sun, but today I didn't wear any. I was laying in the sun for about 20 minutes. Didn't want to chance it. I think I have a slight bit of color, but let's face it. I'm either red or white. There's no in between. So I"m just trying to not go home extremely red. :)

At sea yesterday mid-afternoon. The patches of light coming through the clouds were gorgeous.

Our view just as we got off the ship. It was SO cold! We walked into the Royal Dockyard, and rented some scooters to drive around the island. However, that is a long story. Keep reading and I'll fill you in.

And this is our ship! I'll have to film a video from this view for ya'll. When you look to the right, there's shops and things, and you get an idea of how HUGE our ship is! It really is a big hotel on water. :)

Okay, so the scooter story. Scooter & me vs. the curb and the curb won. I learned the hard way that I'm not too coordinated while driving a scooter! Ouch! Believe me, I'm a very safe driver when in a car, but apparently put me on a scooter and I can't drive whatsoever. I tried to make a u-turn, hit the curb, and became intimate with the sidewalk.

So, after I turned in my scooter rental, I went back to the ship to lick my wounds and ice my knee. Lisa kept her scooter for the rest of the day, but turned her's in today, too.

Tomorrow, as long as my back isn't hurting too bad, we'll go shopping. Seriously, though, I could just stay on the ship all day! There's so much to do, and I've never slept so well in my life. I always get a little drowsy when in cars, and the ship feels like one big car! I'm in a constant state of drowsiness. But I don't mind, I needed the sleep. :)

Anyway, catch ya'll later!

Outside the Lunt-Fontaine Theater, where we saw The Little Mermaid. Let me tell you, it was awesome! I absolutely loved it. But of course I expected to love it because I've loved the movie since I was a little girl. :)

Our ship, ms Noordam. :) This picture was taken just as we got off the bus and before we went inside to check-in and receive our stateroom keys/cruise IDs.

On the Lido Deck.

Our room is on the starboard side of the ship, so we got an excellent view of the Statue of Liberty as we left New York City. This photo was taken from our verandah.

Lisa and I ate breakfast at the Gramercy Café. Highly recommend it. It was yum-o!


Lisa lived in NYC a while back and just raved about Conran. It's an awesome store! So much color and cool items.


Awesome lamps and Conran.


A view of the Queenboro Bridge while I rode the Roosevelt Island Tram for the fourth time!


Another view of the bridge.

We going to chill at the hotel for a while (super tired from the red-eye flight this morning), and then we're off to see a Broadway show! More later. :)

LIVE CHAT
Today, March 22, 2008
12:00 pm MDT (noon)
Link to chat: http://www.livevideo.com/liveshow/starofmay

Time Conversion - If you're in a different time zone, be sure to convert the time by clicking here. Then put in March 22, 2008 and the 12:00 pm. Select USA - Utah - Salt Lake City (my timezone) for the first location, put in your location/time zone and hit "Convert Time."

Join us by text chatting or hook up your webcam. Those with webcams might want to register early for a Live Video account so they can test their webcam settings.

See you in a couple hours! :)

Ya'll are officially Blog Buddies (a la Ross Mathews)!

I got the cutest email from a reader named Christine who has three MACM fans at home. She sent pictures...



Aren't they the CUTEST thing ever?! LOVE it!

Okay, and I have a reader question for the Blog Buddies from Sabrina:

"I was [wondering] if you could help me out with some ideas for a graduation party. My cousin is graduating from high school in May and of course my Aunt asked if I could come up with some ideas for the party. I don't even know where to start. Her school colors are red, white, and blue. I just don't have a clue on what to do. Maybe you might have an idea or two?"

Can you help her out? I've never planned a graduation party so I'm probably even more clueless than Sabrina! :) If you can help Sabrina out, leave a comment!

Hi all! Looks like the live chat will happen this Monday at 8:30 pm (MDT). I choose 8:30 because even though 9:00 was the poll winner, 8:00 was in a close second. We'll chat for at least an hour... but I imagine it will be longer. ;) Hopefully that will work for many of you have voted! :)

Once again, if you're in a different time zone, be sure to convert the time by going to this link. Then put in March 10, 2008 and the 8:30 pm. Select USA - Utah - Salt Lake City (my timezone) for the first location, put in your location/time zone and hit "Convert Time."

Once again, I'll post a link directly to the Livevideo.com chat area on Monday within my MACM entry. See you there!

I am so addicted to this.

The numbers are in! We're gonna have a live chat! Hmm... when is the best time for everyone? I'm thinking sometime next Monday... Oh, here! Take a poll!



Poll closes in three days so get your vote in! And don't forget to do some simple math in your head to figure out what time it would be in your time zone. :)

Have a great day, ya'll!

EDITED TO ADD: My time zone is -7 hours from GMT. If you're not sure when your time would be, click here. Then put in March 10, 2008 and the time you want. Then select your locations (select USA - Utah - Salt Lake City for my timezone) and hit "Convert Time".

Also, the day of the chat, I'll include a link to my liveshow area over at Livevideo.com within my MACM entry. All you have to do is click on the link at the specified time, and you can join the chat!

You will not need to register for an account to see the chat happening (including seeing my video or the videos of others chatting), but you will need to get a free Livevideo account if you want to join in either with your webcam or by regular text chat. For those with webcams, you might want to get an account prior to the live chat and test out your webcam. There are a few different webcam settings within Livevideo and I had to try them all out until I found one that worked for me. You might have to do the same. I'm sure it will be different for everyone. :)

Just saw this over at YouTube. Apparently, the little girl has only seen Star Wars once and it was over the course of 3 days in little bits here and there.

SO CUTE!

Just kidding about the "I won't be around all weekend." I just can't unplug!

BTW, we totally sound like we're on crack in this video. Apologies. Really. Oh, and yes, I really did type DYI instead of DIY. :)

This video initially was for my sister's kids. She took a cue from the AT&T commercials they've been playing, and brought along a stuffed animal to send pics and vids back to the children so they feel like they're a part of the trip. But then, we got excited exploring the suite and totally forgot that this video was for kids. ;) Not that there's anything bad in it, but... Anyway, here it is.

Hey kids!

I'm going to be MIA (missing in action) for a few days while I galavant around Las Vegas this weekend. It's an all girls scrapbook weekend with my sisters, mom, aunt, and cousins. :)

Until then, enjoy your weekend. I'll be back on Monday for another MACM.

Do NOT wear two new pairs of shoes two days in a row.

I also wanted to let you all know that all supplies and music used in my videos are listed in the rolling credits at the end of every video. I've had a few questions recently, so I thought I'd tell you all to check the video credits. You might find what you need listed there. :) Happy crafting, all!
Kristina

P.S. I've got two bonus videos for ya'll this week. :) I'll post the first one tomorrow and follow it up with the second part on Friday.

[VIDEO DELETED] - Sorry, kids--I was getting weird and disturbing emails from sickos with foot fetishes... Thought I better just delete the video. Not worth it, ya know?

Okay, so what girl doesn't LOVE shoes?! Two of the pairs I show in the video can't be found online, but here are some links to the other ones (of course, they were MUCH less expensive at DSW Shoes than anywhere else I found online):

Steven Madden, Diane (sorry, couldn't find these online)
Madden Girl, Eddiie (but in red, not brown)
Bobbi Blu, Amberlie
Rocket Dog, Angel-Love (sorry, couldn't find these online)

And the fashion girl I listen to on the radio, Alicia Richmond, can be found at Chic on a Shoestring.

Hi all!

My card club is tomorrow night so I've been designing the cards, but other than that, not much is happening. I do want to direct ya'll over to Erica's blog for a cool project using some products from Stampin' Up!'s Occasions Mini Catalog and the new Pockets & Pieces. Awesome hostess gift alert!

Also, mama got a pretty nice tax return (oh yeah!) and has been throwing down some cash on things that I've been eyeing for a while now. So Sephora's sending me a Clarisonic. Anyone have one of these? I don't feel like my makeup is completely washed off after I clean my face, and I've heard awesome things about the Clarisonic so I thought I'd give it a try. Plus they have a full 60-day return policy. I'll let you know how it goes.

In other random bits of news, what's up with the Utah primary polls that require you to say which party you're voting for before you're even given a ballot? And what if you want to vote for a Republican candidate, but don't want to register as a Republican voter? Hello? Stupid. Shouldn't it be that you just walk in, get a ballot and vote? With no questions asked. Without having to tell the workers at the precinct which party you're voting for. You shouldn't be asked out in the open who you're voting for when there are twenty people behind you waiting to vote, too.

I'm sad to say I didn't make it out to vote yesterday, but people I know had similar experiences yesterday. Tell me, do other parts of the country have ridiculous primary voting requirements?

UPDATE: There are some really great explanations in the comments section about closed primaries. Thanks for all your input and info. I think I understand it more clearly now. :)

I guess my issue isn't with the fact that you can only vote within your party. My issue is with the way the voting is handled in general. Living in a state that is overwhelmingly Republican, it can be a bit intimidating declaring yourself anything against the majority--especially for first time voters. After one of my co-workers told the poll workers she needed the Democratic ballot, someone said, "Another one? What's happening to this place?"

What?! Who wants to face those type of comments or dirty looks (as one of the commenters experienced) because of their party affiliation?

Personally, I believe that because voting is nearly all electronic now, that there should be some sort of preliminary/opening question on the computer you're using that first asks you (not in front of everyone, but after you're in the booth) which party you'd like to vote for. THEN it brings up the names of those running within your party. You pick your candidate and then you're done. The ONLY thing they should verbally ask you is, "Are you affiliated with either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party? Yes or No." If you're not, then you can register to one or the other right there before you vote.

Just my opinion. Basically I have a problem with rude people--whether it's while I'm voting or while I'm driving down the street. In every imaginable situation, rude people bug me.

I'll hop off my soap box now.

Discuss.

A few weeks ago, we had our annual Winter Celebration at work. This year, we had it at the Grand America Hotel and it was gorgeous!

Our Events Department did such a great job and everyone I talked with was so impressed. :) It was a Black & White Gala, so it was so much fun to see everyone all dressed up in black and white.

Anyway, everyone was given a photo ticket to have their photo taken. I used mine on a group photo with some of the girls in my department and on my team. We are so cute!



------------------

As a follow-up to my last entry, I'm feeling much better now. Still a bit congested and foggy in the head, but all in all, I'm nearly at 100%. Thanks for all your well wishes and comments. :)

Hi everyone! Just wanted to say thanks for all the great comments on yesterday's card, and all the wonderful suggestions. I'll have to look into those different types of needles and other sewing tools.

Also, thought I'd just let ya'll know that I'll be incommunicado (sp?) for a couple days. I've been a bit sick (actually I'm on my phone while waiting for my prescriptions at the pharmacy) and I've got a couple crazy days at work ahead of me (catching up from missing today because I was at home sick).

Anyhow, just thanks for being patient with me. :)

Oh, I think they're about done with my drugs...

Made a little trip to my Mazda dealership tonight and... brought home a new car!

I turned in my leased 2005 Mazda3s for a newer 2008 Mazda3s Touring! Yep, I got the same car, but better: it's black! I've always wanted a black car, but when I got my previous car everyone talked me out of it (black cars are hotter in the summer, dirt shows more on the paint, etc.), but this time I was all, "I DON'T CARE! I WANT BLACK!"

Plus, it's super spy sexy. I can indulge my secret spy fantasies while I sit behind tinted windows and drive down twisty European roads. Why yes, I'll accept the super secret mission... Do I get Michael Vartan as a co-pilot? ;)

So, I got it in black with leather interior... oh, so luxurious. It's a sweet little ride that's perfect for just me. :)

I'll have to post pictures when I have a chance. I have to take it in to the dealership to have a rear spoiler added (my old Mazda3 had a spoiler, but this one doesn't and looks... naked). Plus, I've yet to have the windows tinted. Until then, its not quite spy material, and I want to wait to take pictures until he (yes, the car is a he) is fully equipped and ready for high-speed car chases. ;)

Until then... Zoom-zoom!

(Oh, and by the way, I shamelessly borrowed the above pictures from the Mazda website).

We had a fire drill yesterday at work. On one of the coldest days we've had in a while. At least it felt like the coldest day while we were outside waiting for the word to go back inside the building.

"Huddle for warmth! Take turns on the outside like penguins!"



Annie is our safety person in our area so she got to wear her stylish bright orange vest. I particularly like the fact that she's wearing the cutest coat ever with black heels and then... an orange vest! Ha ha! Annie, we love you, you know that, right?

Last I heard it was only a drill. There was no smoke as far as I know. On a positive note, no one tried to take the elevator. ;)

I got an email today (hey Sandi!) asking me what are my top 5 things to buy for a crafter eager to step up their card making skills. After mulling it over, I realized that nearly all of the things on my "top 5" were tools of some sort. So, let's talk tools. :)

When I was in college working on my graphic design degree there was an aspect to every project that always had to be perfect: craftsmanship. Craftsman is defined as "one who creates or performs with skill or dexterity especially in the manual arts." In my design courses, craftsmanship meant making sure that all our presentation boards were cut neatly, that there was no glue or adhesive showing... basically that everything looked neat and tidy.

In relation to card making and scrapbooking, craftsmanship is so important! I can't stress this enough! And one of the major things that will either help or hurt you is your craftsmanship.

Are your scissors sharp? Do you carefully cut your ribbon so there is no fraying? Does your card stock crack when you fold it? Are your cuts straight? Are there pop dots or dimensionals showing? Is your card stock adhered straight?

Some styles of paper crafting allow for a slightly less strict craftsmanship (shabby chic, distressed, etc). However, simple cards (which I assume you like since you're here at my blog reading this) should be simple and clean. When your creation has such a straight forward approach, your craftsmanship has to be impeccable. It's simply more noticeable.

A lot of this comes down to the tools you are using (or not using). Here are my top five tools to always have out in your crafting space. No hiding these things in drawers!

1. Sharp scissors - I actually have 5 sets of scissors on my desk. Granted, two of them are the same scissors (I should really throw out the gummed up and neglected pair). Anyway, get yourself some awesome scissors. Sharp, precise scissors are a ribbon lover's best friend. Try Stampin' Up!'s Craft and Paper Scissors. They are awesome.

Also, designate which scissors are for ribbon and which are for card stock and paper. Paper and card stock is very hard on scissors and can dull them quickly, but you need super sharp scissors to make great cuts in ribbon. Try tying a piece of ribbon around your scissors' handle to remind you they are only for either card stock or ribbon.

2. Bone folder - A bone folder is multipurpose. You can either score your card stock with a ruler and bone folder, and you can use it to flatten the crease after folding it over. Seriously, a nice fold is the first sign of an experienced crafter.

3. Sharp paper trimmer - Find a paper trimmer you absolutely love and can depend on. Nothing screams a sloppy card like uneven edges and none perpendicular corners. I love my Tabletop Paper Cutter from Stampin' Up! Tonic also makes a similar model. One of my co-workers, Lauren aka X-acto, uses an x-acto knife for all her cutting. Not for the faint of heart, but she's in total control of getting a straight cut.

4. Various adhesives - Always have the following three adhesives on hand: tape runner of some sort (think Tombow Mono or SNAIL), liquid glue (I love Tombow Mono Multi Glue... That's the Tombow Multipurpose Glue for all you SU! demos out there), and a three-dimensional foam adhesive (I use Stampin' Up!'s Stampin' Dimensionals or Scotch Foam Mounting Tape).

5. Grid paper - I'm not sure if other companies out there have a similar product, but Stampin' Up!'s grid paper is awesome! It's both scratch paper and ruler. I keep my pad of grid paper right on top of my cutting mat and that's my permanent workspace. It's the white grid you see on all my videos.

Anyhow, I hope that was helpful. It's always a good idea to check up on your craftsmanship and make sure you're doing your best... in other words, let your perfectionist side show a bit. ;)

What are your top 5 essentials?

Flower - Friend By Definition background stamp, Flower Fusion felt flowers, clear button, Purely Pomegranate card stock and ink: Stampin' Up!; patterned paper: Scenic Route; staples and embroidery floss.

Answering some questions left at You Tube and here at my blog.

Links mentioned in video:
Jessie & Pasha
Jamie & Hok

NOTE: When I talk about Stampin' Up!, I am not officially representing the company. I'm just telling you what I think and from my perspective. Thanks!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope your holiday is shaping up to be the best ever!

Some of you noticed because I Twittered about, but I bought myself an early Christmas gift! I have been accumulating Target gift cards for a while and I put them all together for a trip to Target on Saturday. I bought a Dyson DC17 Absolute Animal vacuum! It's the best ever! Since it was a larger purchase (nearly half was paid for by gift cards!), of course I named her. Jerrica. Anyone else watch Jem when they were younger? Jerrica was Jem's real life persona.

Yes, I'm a dorky child of the 80s.

Anyway, it's wonderful! It's made for homes with pets and lots of pet hair, and I don't have a pet now, but when I move out I want to get a cat. I was thinking ahead and bought the animal one because of that. It also has a HEPA filter in it so it's great for people with allergies.

Seriously, I'd just vacuumed with my Mom's vacuum right before I went to Target to get Jerrica. When I vacuumed again after bringing her home, I was totally amazed and grossed out by how much dirt and dust the Dyson picked up! I had to empty it after only vacuuming one room! And that was AFTER I'd vacuumed it before!

We had our family (just the siblings and my mom) Christmas dinner last night. I made Kathy's breadsticks and they turned out great! Definitely not as wonderful as when Kathy makes them, but for a first attempt they turned out pretty well. I think I had too much flour and kneaded it too long... oops! But they were all gobbled up so I must have done something right. :)

I opened a gift from my mom last night and loved it right away. It was a pair of slippers. They are so comfy and the first thing I thought of was that I could wear them while making cards! I'm a truly sick crafter if that's the first thing I think of. ;)

You'll see in the video that I had some trouble with a square punch. Well, I figure it out! I was trying to punch off the edge of the card stock. For some reason, the punch needs the resistance from both sides. I tried to punch a square out of the center of a piece of card stock after I turned the camera off, and it worked just fine. :)

Also, this week's MACM was completed in 19 minutes. Once again, Merry Christmas!

Happy 25 Days - Kraft and Chocolate Chip card stock, 1-1/4" square punch, Chocolate Chip ink, Simple Serif Mini Alphabet, embossing powder: Stampin' Up!; chipboard: Scenic Route; patterned paper: S.E.I.; pen: American Crafts; VersaMark ink.

Sorry 'bout the recipe hijacks recently. ;) It's the reason I haven't made any cards. Eek!

Last night, I braved an awful snow storm to drive over to Annie and Amber's to make sugar cookies. Yum! These are the best, if I do say so myself. Here are some fun shots of the evening. The sugar cookie recipe is at the bottom. Seriously it's a really good recipe. Try it. :)









Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

1-1/2 cups sugar
2 sticks margarine
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Cream together sugar and margarine. Add egg, vanilla, and sour cream. Add dry ingredients. Mix well, but only until flour is incorporated.
2. Refrigerate and shape.
3. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 5 minutes (or longer if they're a bit thicker... just watch the first batch and then adjust the cooking time accordingly).

EDITED TO ADD: I changed the "cube" of margarine to "stick" of margarine. That happens when it's a family recipe, ya know?

Also, the icing! It's just Martha's royal icing recipe. See it here. There's also a video of Martha using the royal icing. Enjoy! :)

One of the gals at work is an amazing baker! (WHAT UP, Kathy!) She makes awesome sugar cookies, to die for breadsticks, and I'm sure anything she touches is just as good.

Anyway, a bunch of us have been asking her to show us how to make her famous breadsticks. Let me tell you, these are awesome! With out fail, everyone who tries them, loves them instantly. So, yesterday a bunch of us gathered at Paula's house and Kathy showed up how to make the breadsticks. At least, that's how it started out. Our breadstick demonstration morphed into a hot cocoa party! We had soup and other treats (including the breadsticks) and then we all tried different kinds of hot cocoa.

So yummy!

So here's Kathy's recipe, which happens to be an award-winning recipe! She won a bread recipe contest in Paper Crafts magazine a while back. This is that recipe! Enjoy! Seriously, ya'll need to make them and when you do, leave a comment and let us all know how they were. :)

Kathy's Best Ever Breadsticks

Mix together and set aside:
1-1/2 c. very warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. Malted Milk powder
1 Tbsp. sugar

Add to yeast mixture:
4 c. OR 1 lb. bread flour (Kathy weighed the flour on a kitchen scale)
1 tsp. salt

1. Knead 5 minutes (Kathy used a Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook attachment on medium-low speed). Let rest 15 minutes (or don't let it rest... Kathy's never does).

2. Roll out on lightly greased surface (Kathy uses Pam cooking spray) so that the dough is a 7-8 inch wide rectangle and 1/2 inch thick. Cut into strips with pizza cutter.

3. Gently stretch, double over and twist each strip of dough and place on lightly greased jelly roll pan. You can also just place them on the pan without stretching or twisting.

4. Melt 1 stick of salted butter (8 Tbsp) and brush over top of dough, reserving 1/3 for after baking. Sprinkle with garlic salt (use powder if you REALLY like garlic, otherwise it gets too salty). Also sprinkle McCormick's Salad Supreme, and parmesan cheese.

5. Let rise until doubled.

6. Bake in 400 degree oven until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.

7. Brush with remaining butter.

Makes great pizza crusts (two medium pizzas).

And, and just 'cause I can (hee hee!) here's a picture from the hot cocoa portion...

I made a difficult phone call last night. I called Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Support so I could resign my position as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.

But by no means am I leaving Stampin' Up! completely. Here's the story so far. And I'm just going to go at this with all honesty and hope that you all will understand why I haven't ever addressed much of this previously.

After I graduated from college in 2005, I was hired by Stampin' Up! to be a graphic designer. I mostly worked on the catalog and other projects specifically for foreign markets (Australia was my "baby" -- one of the reasons why Dave Abbott's passing really affected me). After working there for a year and coming to love the company and products so much, I decided to become a demonstrator and signed up under a good friend at work, Erica. In fact, one of the main reasons I signed up was so that I could attend the convention in Denver as a demonstrator instead of an employee.

Yep, I work at Stampin' Up! Some of you have put two and two together and figured this out (at least from some of the comments you've left), but I've never confirmed or denied working at Stampin' Up! because I absolutely loved the anonymity of just being a regular demonstrator, ya know? In many ways, I'm just another papercrafter with an obsession for anything paper or inky. :)

About a year ago, I transferred departments within the company and became a product designer. I now get to design patterned paper, scrapbooking kits, and other items. I don't get to "play" with product at work, so I stamp and create cards in my spare time at home.

Anyway, this change in positions is one of the reasons I left the American Crafts design team. Even though all work for AC was done at my home in my spare time, it was a conflict of interest to be designing product for one company and then having a standing contract with another company. I love both American Crafts and Stampin' Up!, but as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and employee, I knew I would have to let the ACDT go. :( Sarah (ACDT guru) knew about this and knew that I would be resigning from the team at the end of my contract. I always made it a point to be upfront and honest with both AC and SU!

At the same time, I'm living at home and trying to save up for a place of my own (the current housing/mortgage market isn't exactly in my favor, ya know?). After being a demonstrator for over a year, and evaluating my finances, it was more financially responsible to let my demonstratorship go. I will still have the opportunity to purchase Stampin' Up! product at a slight discount because I am an employee, but will no longer have the other expenses of maintaining a small business.

So, that's the story so far. Where do we go from here? It's mostly going to be the same, but just as a heads up...

This is still a papercrafting blog. I am still going to post here and use products from SU! and other companies. I will still have videos and tutorials. However, this is a blog that happens in my spare time and is a hobby. I have rarely talked about work in the past, and I will continue to rarely mention it. I like to leave the office behind each night when I drive home. My co-workers are my friends, though, so sometimes they will be mentioned or will make an appearance in a photo or two.

I'm sure this is a given, but this is not an "official Stampin' Up! blog" or anything like that. I do not speak for the company. I will never speak for the company. As far as my little space on the web is concerned, it's just me. :)

I spoke with my card club girls a couple weeks ago about this and we decided as a group to continue with our card club. But it will be less formal (was it ever really formal?). Mostly just a group getting together each month to make a couple cards. This format is similar to a card club that my sister in Minnesota is in right now, where each month the group meets at someone's house and they make cards. Each person pays for their supplies and they go home with a few cards each month.

I guess the only reason I felt the need to tell you all this is because Stampin' Up! is such a large part of my life. And by resigning as a demonstrator, I'm not leaving it behind. I'm just doing what's best for me.

Sorry 'bout the novel. I'll be back to the regular cards and such tomorrow. :)

I've received a lot of emails from people asking about how I create my videos. So many emails, that I've added a couple answers to the FAQ page.

Just so you know. :)

Hi all! Many of you requested the list of songs I'm including on the holiday CD I'm sending out to the winners. This is the list! Each of the songs are available to buy from the iTunes Music Store (just click on the links and if you have iTunes, the exact songs will come up).

I've also submitted an iMix of the playlist, so you can just hit "buy" and you'll download the entire list! Here's the link: Kristina's Holiday Mix 2007. :)

EDIT: Just kidding on buying the iMix with one click. Apparently the Dave Matthews song is an album only purchase. At least you have the entire list there as well.

1. Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
2. Jingle Bells - Diana Krall & The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Christmas Songs
3. Winter Wonderland - Chris Botti, December
4. White Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
5. Grown-Up Christmas List - Michael Bublé, Let It Snow!
6. Who Would Imagine a King - Whitney Houston, One Wish
7. The Christmas Song - Michael Bublé, Let It Snow!
8. Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song) - Amy Grant, Home for Christmas
9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
10. This Christmas - Harry Connick, Jr., Harry for the Holidays
11. Mistletoe and Holly - Frank Sinatra, Christmas With the Rat Pack
12. Christmas Time Is Here - Diana Krall, Christmas Songs
13. O' Come All Ye Faithful - Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Lost Christmas Eve
14. The First Noel - Josh Groban & Faith Hill, Noel
15. Still Nacht - Jim Brickman, Homecoming
16. The Christmas Song - Dave Matthews Band, Remember Two Things
17. Thankful - Josh Groban, Noel
18. The Christmas Song - Chris Botti, December
19. White Christmas - Bing Crosby, White Christmas

Enjoy! Also, download a CD insert here.