WELCOME!

WELCOME!

Hello everyone! I am thrilled to have you visit with me and I hope you enjoy your stay. I absolutely love company, sharing, and making new friends so I hope you find something here that inspires, motivates, or just pleases you in some way.

Of course, I love to visit and be inspired also. So if I don't already drop in on you, please let me know where I can find you and I'll hop on over to see what you're doing or to just say "hi".

Before you go, I would love it if you'd please leave me a comment letting me know you dropped in! Actually, I'd just love to hear from you -- comments, opinions, or questions you'd like me to answer.

In the meantime, relax and make yourselves at home... you're family here!!!

I'll be seeing you!


Monday, January 3, 2011

HELLO EVERYONE!!! I'VE MISSED YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! AND IT'S MY ONE-YEAR BLOG ANNIVERSARY!!!

Hello and a Happy New Year to you!!!  I hope you all enjoyed the holiday!!!

Our families have all returned home (California, Washington State, Louisiana and Mississippi).  The hubby and I dropped the last of our family off at the airport today.  I can't say I was happy to see them go, however, I wasn't sad either.  Between their arrivals for Christmas and staying through the New Year, it was just exhausting -- all the running back and forth!!!  As much as I was relieved for them all to leave, I've already started missing them -- but NOT enough for them to come right back!!! LOL!!!  I've been going non-stop and I need a very looooonggg break!!!

I have so very much missed my regular crafting and all of you!  I didn't think much of my time would be monopolized during the families visit but it ended up they took up all our time.  The hubby and I had the task of chauffering them from one family to the next.  My poor little car has never been driven as much as it has the last several weeks!!!  My son was lucky, he had work to use for an excuse -- ha!!!

Our New Year celebration was amazing!!!  I think it was the best one yet because we had more family to all come and be together at one time than we've ever had!!!  And we were combined families -- mine and the hubbys!!!  It was one big party instead of our having to share the evening between his and mine!  It was terrific and I truly enjoyed every moment bringing in the New Year!  I hope you all enjoyed such love with family and friends coming into this wonderful new year, and that it will go on forever!

Anyway, I'm back now and ready to go!!!  I did do a little quick project for you. I have done some personalized pencils and they are so easy to do.  I think school kids would just love these tucked into their school bags with little messages on them.  Now when you do yours, don't do as I've done and show them before they're completely dry -- I just couldn't wait to do something and get back here.  Here they are still wet and all but in all their glory:


As I said, let yours dry first; but aren't these so cool?!!!  Let me tell you how easy they are to make:  find copy paper close to the color of the pencil(s) you will be using or use a word processing program to create a cell and fill with the color closest to your pencil(s); type in the name or message then print it out.  Cut out, very close around the edges, the wording and decoupage to your pencil using white glue or decoupage glue.  It's just that easy!!!  I used  the Times New Roman font for these set at 10" to fit between one of the sides on the pencils.  I have a couple ready to decoupage onto more pencils in red.  And, I'm going out to find more colored pencils!!!

Did I mention it's my one-year blog anniversary today?  Of course I did and, within the next few days, I'm going to have a surprise for you in honor of my anniversary celebration!!!  With not having the time to spare from our families, I was not able to get prepared in time for today, so be on the lookout!!!

Now that I've dropped in to say hello to everyone and to let you know how much you've been missed, I'll do a bit of visiting, and then I'm off to play around with my Imagine.  I haven't had time to do anything but look at it with all the families here.  So far I'm not too impressed with what I understand of it, so I can't wait to explore to see if I can come up with something exciting.

Well, I'm off to have some fun!!!  I may not get to you all this evening but (for real this time) -- I"M BACK!!!  And I'M COMING!!!

I'll be seeing you!

Glad to be back and able to hang out again!!! 

25 comments:

shari said...

Audrey this is a great idea! Thanks for sharing. Happy Blogaversary!! Shari (cricutrookie)

~BridgetL~ said...

Happy New Year and welcome back to the world of crafting. I can only imagine all the fun you all had. As much fun as it is to spend with family its always nice to get back to a little normalcy.

Cheryl Boglioli said...

Happy Blog Birthday, girl!!! Glad you are back.

lovemypaper said...

Welcome back I'am loving these pencil my GD would love to make some TFS!

Melissa said...

Welcome home and so happy to hear that your holidays were so wonderful!

Melissa

Jean said...

Love the pencils! Glad you are back!

Unknown said...

Welcome back! Glad to hear you got to spend so much time with family!!

Your pencils are adorable!

Hugs!!!

Dawnll said...

So glad you had time to spend with all your family. How wonderful to do that.
I hope you take time to rest and take care of yourself and maybe a little time for fun.
Blessings my friend.

MsJay said...

Yeah! you are back, glad to hear you are back crafting. Love the pencils. Looking forward to your new projects for the year.

Barb Turpin said...

Congrats Audrey on your 'blogiversary'! I missed mine, it was almost 2 weeks ago-looks like we began our blogs at almost the same time! What fun it's been finding all of this great inspiration!

Sandy from Ukiah said...

Oh I am so glad you are back.. you were truly missed. I always get a smile on my face when I see that you have left me a post. I am truly blessed by your friendship. How awesome that you had such a wonderful visit with your family and hubby's family. Some times we just don't realize how precious family is.
AND your pencils are just too cute. sending lots of love and hugs to you my friend.

Norma said...

OMG Audrey!! Glad to hear from you!! I'm glad you had a fantastic time with you family during the holidays:) Happy New Year and Happy Blog Anniversary my dear friend!!!! Love the pencil idea very simple and clever:) I will definitely try it for my son and nieces:) Good to always hear from you Audrey!!!
Hugs,
Norma

Denine said...

These are sweet and a super idea for my pumpkin, she has one of those names you will never find 'pre-printed' on anything. I will definately be trying this, especially since "everything" needs to have their name on it for school.

Thanks for sharing.
Glad your back.. :)

Do What You Love said...

Happy New Year Audrey! It sounds like your holidays were filled with much merriment! I know what you mean about needing a long break - it's great seeing family - all that fun is exhausting. I love the pencil idea! Thanks for sharing that! Happy blog-o-versary, too! I am thrilled to have gotten to know your crafting specialties and can't wait to see more in the new year! :)

Beebeebabs said...

I'm glad your back and thanks for stopping by. Love the pencils such a great idea. Happy New Year to you and your family and looking forward to seeing your new creations for 2011.

- - Sheryl - - said...

Hi Audrey - miss you too and all my blogger friends - been crazy for me these past two weeks. Love your pencil idea!

Hugs
Sheryl

DonnaMundinger said...

Happy New Year Audrey! Sounds like you had a super busy but fun holiday season. Congrats on your blogaversary and I love your pencil idea! Looking forward to your more of your crafty goodness in 2011. xxD

Rhonda Emery said...

so glad to hear from you again. really missed you. hope your new year was great. and I cant wait to see all the new projects you create.
hugs to you my good friend

Rose said...

these look so FUN :)

Ladybug said...

Hello my dear friend. Glad you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's.

Wowsers! An Imagine for Christmas. How cool is that! I haven't ventured into that area yet. I'm hopin' the price will go waaaaaaay down. Still pretty high here ($600). :-(

Those personalized pencils are the bomb!! I see Buster has his very own!! :-) TFS!

Thanks for the sweet comments you leave on my blog. I truly appreciate them!

I have nooooo idea why you weren't able to e-mail me. I'll send you a message and you can check to see if it's the same addy you had.

Hugs,
Linda

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year!!! Glad to see you back! :-) Love the pencils too cute! TFS! -Sam :-)

Angi Barrs said...

Wonderful idea. Love the Pencils & Happy New Year.

ScrapCrazyyyy! said...

Congrats on your anniversary!

Love the pencil idea, thanks so much for sharing your idea!!!!

Happy New Year Audrey!!!

Eva

Curt in Indy said...

Happy Blogaversary!!!! Doesn't the time just fly? It sounds like you had a fabulous New Year's Eve. I haven't been to a party or celebrated it with more than Jay and the dogs is over 10 years. I'm so glad that yours was so special. And what a great idea regarding those pencils. How fun and easy! Thanks for sharing this great idea. Best, Curt

donna said...

Very very cool,and quick idea foe a gift...