CeeCee's Creations

sometimes i knit things

a few weeks ago, i got this interesting yarn and my little fingers had been itching to make a scarf with it. sometimes i buy things and they get put away for later use. but the cold weather hit us and i thought: "NOW" ... now is the time to make this scarf. we shall not procrastinate! i'm glad i did.

here's my awesome scarf.

isn't it fun? i love how i can loop it around my neck to make it all fluffy. here's another view:

this scraf is 88 inches long and is knit on 6 stitches only! what makes it so fluffy?

this yarn.

it looks like a tube.

you stretch it open...

... and it looks like this mesh. you use only the top 2 strands to knit. it makes a beautiful ruffle. the yarn is called "Sashay" by Red Heart Boutique, a Coats & Clark product.

i'm in love :-D CeeCee

 

shimmery gift card holder with viva decor

happy monday, everyone!

i made it, i made it! LOL i was able to put my act together today and devise some time to post here, make a video here and line up my ducks for this coming week! here's a small project i made with Viva Décor products.

it's a gift card holder that started out as 2 pieces of cardstock (1 grey and 1 very vanilla) that were embossing with a folder. unfortunately, i don't have the template for this project since it was done as part of a class i took in houston back in october.

each piece was sprayed with Forever Red Perfect Pearls Mist by Ranger Ink for a nice shimmery effect. the embossed designs were treated with Modelling Cream and Pearl Pens by Viva Décor. the butterfly was made by punching through 3 different color of cardstock with a Martha Stewart Crafts butterfly punch. the sentiment on the tag is from a very old and retired stamp set by Stampin' Up!. to hold the card closed, i used a piece of Melon Berry satin ribbon by Papertrey Ink.

have a fantastic day! CeeCee

ramblings + mystery project

i went to see a friend of mine yesterday who's going through a rough time and i wanted to bring her a little something. it turns out SHE had a little something for me PLUS a gluten-free cake and cupcakes. isn't that something? i have the best of friends, i tell ya!

let me start by sharing the project i made for her gift. it's a box that i have recycled.

can you guess what that box was originally? i'll have more details for you tomorrow in my first "let's alter this!" video which is going to be a regular segment on my YouTube channel. (pauline, you're not allowed to guess :-))

i started by painting the edges of the box with Viva Décor's Precious Metal Colour in mother of pearl (my new addiction). then i layered some cardstock and dsp over each panels.

for the embellishment on top, i made a flower with the island floral bigz die from stampin' up! and some retired dsp from SU as well. i inked the edges of each pieces with marina mist, sprayed with my homemade shimmer mist, scrunched them up and added a decorative brad in the middle. the tag is also made with stamps by stampin' up! (Four frames and a retired stamp set).

her gift fit perfectly! and look what she gave me:

isn't she cute?! this is the most adorable packaging i've ever seen! those build-a-bear people have marketing down to a science! and now mama glitter won't be so alone...

they're already decked out for hallowe'en. trick-or-treat, anybody? thank you so much, pauline, for the great afternoon and the gestures. and say hi to your lovely mother.

have a blessed tuesday! CeeCee

singin' in the rain, anyone?

hey there, bloggie friends!

i just wanted to pop in here really quickly because it's a gorgeous day and i've decided to go for a walk in Centennial Park near my house. i'm off from creating today. i will continue cataloguing my stamps tonight and tomorrow.

so we're leaving in a bit but i just wanted to chat with you about this movie that i rediscovered this week:

oh, how i'm in love! this movie was made 8 years before i was born. wow, now that's a looooooooong time ago. it cracks me up to watch the actors exagerating their pronounciation and expressions. almost like theatre play-acting. i love it!

and that Gene Kelly sure can move. i was watching his dance moves closely and let me tell you... the modern dancers can certainly learn from him. he is graceful and manly at the same time. i loves me a good dance!!!

oh the charm (sigh). gene kelly is so dreamy... and the flirting with debbie reynolds... and the whole romantic feel of the movie (sigh-sigh). it's so funny though that they fall in love just like that, at the drop of a dime. too cute!

have you got a favorite old movie? please do share and i'll add the title to my want list.

have a fantastic saturday! CeeCee

a world full of good people

i'm always amazed when one of my friends or acquaintances surprise me with sweet gestures. but then i shouldn't be so surprised... after all, i do have the best friends and customers in the world. a few minutes ago, sandra dropped this into my arms when she came to pick-up her stampin' up! order:

two of the most gorgeous and fragrant yellow roses! this was her way of wishing me good health. unbelievable!

i was so surprised that i must have appeared weird to her - i didn't know what else to say except this: it is people like you, sandra, that make our world an amazing place to live in.

indeed!

thank you again, sandra. i am grateful and blessed to know you.

have a fantastic weekend, all. CeeCee

 

weekend reflections : housework, anyone ?

right, so... i've been at it since this morning and before i mop my studio floor (the last thing i need to do), i just want to ask you guys something.

who likes housework? i'm talking about vacuuming, dusting, mopping the floors, clean the appliances, the toilet bowls (yuck!).

who actually enjoys the process?

 

really?!

 

seriously?!

 

 

 

 

come closer....

 

 

 

closer...

 

 

 

 

 

 

closer still...

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOW LET ME SLAP YOU SILLY !

 

 

what part of the grunting and the sweating and the blistering do you enjoy? some people call this a workout. i call it torture. a workout is when good thumping music is playing and i'm dancing.

the only enjoyable part of doing housework is the END.

really? some people like this?

wow...

off to jump in the pool now - THAT's my reward...

i guess life is good all over again... until it's time to start all over again  :-D 

 CeeCee

foto friday - fuschia peonies + ferns

happy canada day! i hope that wherever you are, it's not raining for the local canada day parade.

it's such a treat to look at pictures of my garden when it's raining outside. the peonies are wilting at the moment but luckily i was able to take a few decent pictures 2 weeks ago before they're completely gone.

it's funny because i don't remember them being so open the previous years. i thought they were more like the white ones, all full and puffy. i wonder if they've mutated into something else...hmmm.

here's the complete shrub peeking through the white peony and ferns. and speaking of ferns...

love these. they remind me of palm trees which we can't grow here (sigh). oh well, maybe when i live permanently in hawaii, i'll have a full garden of palm trees. one can only wish big!

have a great weekend! CeeCee

pet peeve + WOYWW = a bit of humour

it's "What's on Your Workspace Wednesday" !!!

as i write this, it's just past midnight and i'm literally drained out of creative energy. i spent the last 4 days cooped up inside my studio (thank goodness i absolutely adore my work) fulfilling an order... 20 cards. it might not seem like a lot to most of you but my close friends know that i'm very slow and meticulous. i finally delivered the order tonight... on time.... with 20 minutes to spare (thanks Helena for coming tonight and not this afternoon :-)) !

what usually follows this kind of work frenzy is total numbness. so instead of staring at my computer,  i pushed myself to get out of the house -- picked up stuuph at work, enjoyed a heavy rain downpour whilst sitting in my car (loved that), playing wurdle on my iphone... and this banal errand felt soooooo good. i felt like i was a free bird... it was dark, the sun was long gone but i didn't care.

stay with me - i have a point here LOL

then i got back at around 10:30 and thought of catching up on youtube or google reader. it was a nice thought... until i saw THIS.

and please allow me to not give a crap about the quality or color of the photo -- i was too busy being depressed.

now, this may not look too messy for most of you but to me...? it's horrible. because what you don't see is one of my worst pet peeve : EMBOSSING POWDER ALL OVER THE WORK SURFACE! you know that freakin' little powder that flies all over the place no matter how  carefully you try to contain it?! then i remember the incident of my last project : i literally aimed my heat tool in my clear embossing bucket !!! it was like a geyser. my fingers weren't quick enough to get to the on/off switch. Arrrrrgh!

it's not so bad, you'll say. it was the clear one. it could have been black... yeah, well at least the black is easily seen and easily picked up. when it's clear, you end up going over every surface at least twice, just to make sure...

so of course what ensued is full clean up duties with the vaccuum cleaner and the mop.

cuz i'm that kind of a freak.

but i love myself, i swear :-S

so let me ask you this: what is your biggest pet peeve when you craft or art?

please share. CeeCee

weekend reflections : friendship + talent = generosity

c'est le weekend, mes amies!

yup, the weekend is here and i hope you've got great plans. mine will be one of work but that is good -- i love what i do for a living. plus, the weather is really horrible here in montreal. rain, rain and more rain the forecast.

today, i ponder about friendship. it is so important to have good friends. when they're into art as much as you are, it's even more intense. these 2 gifts were given to me just because... i love "just because gifts" - gifts without any expectation of reciprocity.

this is my loot from a week + ago. my bff sophie (aka miss kool aid) has made me this amazing art journal from a recycled box of ice cream cones (she knows me so well!) and the beautiful images to color in the background are from her mom, angelle (maman kool aid). how awesome! merci sophie et angelle!

sophie is a multi-disciplinary artist but i think making journal is her favorite thing to do. the binding is exquisite. the pages are watercolor grade. the temptation is gnawing at me - temptation to fill those pages with beautiful whimsical drawings. alas, it will have to wait a few more days.

this is a close-up of her binding method. aaaaaaaaaaaah, i can hear the angels sing! LOL go check out Miss Kool Aid's artfire store here as well. she's got some cool stuff.

tomorrow, i'll be back with a show&tell of a mini.... have a great day! CeeCee

foto friday: white peony

 

happy friday + bonne St-Jean-Bapstiste à toutes mes lectrices québécoises.

i'm having so much fun taking pictures of our backyard gardens. last week, the white peony was in full swing and i was able to snap pictures from bud to bloom.

this round goodness of white, green and burgundy looks very promising...

"well...hey there, little fellow... are you comfy?!"

of all my peonies, i think i prefer the white the best. it is so full and fluffy.

the petals are so creamy-looking: nature's perfection.

i took a picture of the same flower but at a different angle where the sun was hitting it the most. i love the contrast between the two pictures.

are you inspired by nature? use the bounty that surrounds you as a source of inspiration to create!

CeeCee

 

procrastination + newfound inspiration + WOYWW

today was going to be the first day in a while without any interuptions, errands and mishaps so i could be fully into work mode... until my mojo left and was found adhering to my go-to frame of mind: PROCRASTINATION.

you know that word? in my book, it's very dirty and should be eradicated from this side of the planet. BUT... today, it paid off.

my favorite way to procrastinate is surf YouTube. and normally it serves its purpose as i sit still in my big comfy office chair for hours, imbibing all that digital energy and wishing that i could be as productive as those talented creative geniuses who put up videos almost every single day. but today, as i pondered on what to put on this big ole blog-o of mine, i found inspiration and genius. through a video, i found my mouse potato designs' blog and a wonderful idea was copied -- WOYWW or What's On Your Workspace Wednesday!

THIS is mine:

i'm in full production of a mini album and this mess is as big as it gets. i hate chaos and cannot function in it. so i try to keep the mess to a minimum.  and now that my post is done i can resume work and hopefully finish the project.

hmmmmm, who woulda thunk it?! procrastination came to the rescue today.

CeeCee

escape : a bookmark

i have a very quick project for you today inspired by summer + reading.

whenever i think of summer, my very first thought is of reading by the beach. or, as the case maybe here, under the gazebo by the pool. i love reading and when summer time comes you can find me in my backyard indulging in a good romance (yes, guilty!) or mystery book. that is when i take the time to do so. it's my form of escape.

of course, you have to have the proper bookmark to put you in the mood. here's what i came up with in a flash:

hmmm, i had a hard time photographing this one so forgive me for the very dark background. i wanted to capture the high-shimmer effect but it wouldn't work for me.

i started by white-embossing my palm tree on a piece of white cardstock. then i sponged various pigment inks for the background. i heat set the ink with my heat tool then i went with the direct to paper technique and the cat's eyes color box chalk inks to add the waves and grass lines. i also added some froth over the waves with a versamarker and white EP before heat embossing it and wrote the sentiment with a brown marker.

as a very last step, i sprayed the whole thing with some white shimmer mist made with forst white paint from SU and rubbin alcohol. and here's my best attempt at capturing the shimmer:

happy reading! CeeCee

weekend reflections

as i help my husband ripping a counter apart in the laundry room to make room for the new washer and dryer we were forced to buy, it dawned on me that the we've had a strain of THINGS busting up on us... if i sound angry it's cuz... well i am!

here's the list

- the air conditionner (not your typical small-ish ones - noooooo, a big industrial one)

- the diswasher

- the washer and dryer

- the lawn mower

- the weed-eater

all this within the last month or so. and that's not counting 3 different pool filtration systems! now, let me ask you this: you know when one thing starts to go, others follow?

how many will we be good after this for the next round?

we've been in our house for 9 years - everything was new then and we figured we'd be good for at least 5 more years. when did they start building appliances and such to last under 10 years? i remember my parent's appli...... well, yeah, let's not get into that one. i'll start sounding like them.

so i'm offering myself a flower banner on this post to remind me that things are beautiful and it could be a lot worse. LOL

humoursly, CeeCee

foto friday - pink peonies

oh those colors... they make me so very happy. 

i have 3 peony shrubs in my backyard and each of them is different. two are the same species but of different colors. the third one is a different species and quite beautiful. it opens up like a poppy but has a center that reminds me of a sea anemone.

i'm not very educated in the botanical field so i've searched the web to find the name of it. but none of the photos i found were quite like mine... the closest i've come is something called paeonia caucasica.

 

i'd really like to find the proper name for it so if anyone out there knows what kind of peony this is, please tell me in the comment. i'm really curious

have a fantastic weekend, everyone! CeeCee

 

mid june randomness

hey there, readers of mine blog!

it occured to me a few minutes ago that i didn't blog today. it's probably because of this:

my workload for custom cards and mini albums... it's gotten a little difficult to keep track so i made a spreadsheet with requirements, due dates, payments, etc.   the downside is that i'm crazy busy but i couldn't be happier! and sometimes i forget to post. so now, i've decided to take a break and squeeze in a little hello in here and talk about what the month of june means to me.

• longer days
• reading outside until i have the turn the outside lights on
• eating breakfast by the pool
• swimming
• the opening of outdoor markets
• montreal's grand prix
• strawberries......mmmmmmmm
• la saint-jean-baptiste
• bike rides
• montreal's international jazz festival
• watching the clematis and peonies bloom

what about you? what does june bring? what do you associate it with?

discuss amongst yourselves... CeeCee

 

pictures of my new car...

nah, i didn't buy a new car... my friends bought me one!!!

people that know me well are aware that i am a huge F1 racing fan. i'm obsessed with it. it's one of my guilty pleasures. the montreal grand prix was this weekend but unfortunately i couldn't go. then i went to a party last night given by my new friends, helena and tony, and was presented with ... a brand new car.

although i know i won't be driving this car on the streets, i'll definitely put it to good use. when you pull on the rear end, this is what happens:

how cool is that?! it's a USB key! perfect to put all my grand prix pictures from years ago. and it's no flimsy thing either -- it weighs quite a bit. ooh, how i like shiny things, especially on cars :-)

thank you again, helena and tony, for thinking of me and for entertaining and feeding us last night. i truly appreciate the gesture and the car.

sunday reflections + napkin lotus flower

sundays have always been a day of reflection for me. i'm not entirely sure if it has anything to do with my early catholic upbringing or with the fact that it's the day after saturday where you've partied or had fun with family and friends... or maybe it's the "organizer" in me that appreciates this day where i plan the week ahead. whatever the reason may be, i'm always doing my thinking on that day.

for some reason, this morning i felt lonely when i woke up. it has nothing to do with being alone because i wasn't. stuuph was happily snoring away on her well-deserved day off. nevertheless, the house was quiet and i had this bubble inside the pit of my stomach that made me react in a negative way. so i immediately turned it around and looked outside at my pretty flowers, the birds, the water in the pool. and i was happy in that moment. then i became aware of more things that made me happy.

• my daughter's first "hello" and hug of the morning
• a nice breakfast
• my bamboo shoot finally growing after 5 years - good luck charm? i think so
• changing the bed sheets - aaaaah nice, clean, fresh smell
• rediscovering sandra brown as a good mystery writer (why did i wait so long?)
• a good cup of tea

speaking of tea which is immediately associated with dessert for me  here's a quick set up i put together a few minutes ago.

eating for me is as much a visual as it is a tasting experience. i love pretty table settings.

a red napkin turned into a lotus flower can enhance a tea/dessert experience. i'll have to remember this when my bff comes over for tea next time :-)

what about you? what makes you happy today?

 

foto friday - fuschia rhododendron photos

wow, the week got a away from me... dentist, blood tests, running errands, offering a son a shoulder to cry on and then to laugh on (sweet moments), cards to make...  i just realized that my last post dates back from monday, yikes! well it's time for another photo friday.

i love my tiny corner in the backyard where there's an explosion of colors at the moment. i have 3 rhododendron bushes flowering right now: one with purple flowers, another one with white flowers and the last one with pink/white buds coming. here's a photo of the purple one.

i'm in love with this color. so so vibrant! it's a perfect color to kick start a very exciting weekend here in CeeCee's household -- the F1's Monaco Grand Prix. i'll be glued to my tv set and internet.

and you, dear reader...what are your plans for this weekend?

purple hugs, CeeCee

health update and great news to share!

hello everyone!

i truly believe that life throws obstacles and hardship your way to make you stronger but also to make you more aware of the joys and triumphs, however small they may be. lately, i've had all sorts of setbacks, healthwise and others.

but today, i feel like i've been empowered. i'm more in control of my life because i now know about the illness that has been plaguing me since ... well actually all my life but one that had manifested itself on a greater scale since last january. and the verdict: i have Celiac Disease. i finally know what's wrong with me. of course, i was floored by the news because none of the specialists i had seen so far had suspected this finding. it only took a minute for the hematologist to figure it out! i was so surprised! but now i'm equipped -- i can take action. i will have to be on a diet for the rest of my life but hey, as long as i can eat my potatoes and my chocolate... life is good :-) i have more doctors to see and tests to do but at least i know why.

but here's the news that got me dancing and screaming with joy:

remember this post? well... I WON, I WON, I WON!!! embellish magazine has picked my card as the winner of their decorative trim color trends challenge. i'm so tickled pink! this news has put a little balm over other problems i've been dealing with recently and i couldn't be more appreciative.

you can check out the embellish magazine blog here and go visit the other hot designers as well. there are some amazing cards over there. thank you, embellish!

i also would like to send a shout out to my bff, Sophie (aka Miss KoolAid) who's always been there for me with a good shoulder to cry on and encouragement. merci Sophie; tu es extraordinaire!

i'm hoping to be more productive and consistent on this blog real soon now that my health will get better. oh, and i'm nearing my 500th post so stay stuned for a major giveaway real soon!

have a fantastic thursday! CeeCee

 

so grateful you're in my life

right this very moment, i'm so grateful you're in my life. this is a message for all of you, blog readers. for your continued support, encouragement, humour and all the rest. today, in my crazy busy schedule, i took a few moments to stop and smell... the tulips. my dear daughter, Stuuph, bought those for me last week and today the sun was shining down on them. i couldn't help but take a picture to share with you.

i'll be back later with a project! CeeCee

time to go back home

MAHALO, Hawaii. you are so beautiful.

CeeCee

mai-tai and pupu, anyone?

taking a break at the Mai-Tai Lounge in Lahaina. you got your mai-tai's...

... and your pupu grills...

today, i won't tease you with the view but just to let you know: the restaurant is on stilts in the water and we might have spotted some whales...

have a great day! CeeCee

another day in paradise

touring the island of Maui...

untamed and beautiful...

black sand beaches...

... gorgeous vegetation.

have a great weekend! CeeCee

aloha, blue hawaii

i don't want to rub it in but while some of you are knee deep in snow, i'm in hawaii...

enjoy this picture of black rock! CeeCee

video: friday randomness and a big thank you to tema!

i received a wonderful card yesterday in the mail. it's a beautiful get well card from my friend Tema. unfortunately, she doesn't have a blog to display her gorgeous creations. she made me this beautiful easel card:

there are such details on her card -- the beautiful glittery pattern paper, the glitter on the stamped flowers, the embossing at the bottom with the bling and the cute flower. thank you so much, Tema. your card really touched me. i also want to thank everyone who have sent their positive vibes my way. it must have helped because i do feel better! i have the best friends in the world and i feel so very blessed.

i also wanted to share with you some ramblings in the form of a video. you can watch it directly on YouTube here or down below:

 

have a fantastic weekend! CeeCee

a tiny update...

hi everyone,

just wanted to let you know that i won't be posting as often here for a little while: i'm on a health break, having just gotten released from the hospital (with 3 extra bags of blood in me - woohoo, talk about your booster!).

the object of this post is not want to alarm anyone but to answer to a lot of questions and emails in one fell swoop -- it's the lazy way :-)

in the next couple of weeks, there are more tests to be done, some unpleasant but necessary. but one thing's for sure: hurray for private health care in Quebec... trust me on this one! my new private doctor may have very well saved my life.

i will update you on this as soon as i know more and remain positive of the outcome. thanks to all of your concerns; it means a whole lot to me!

stay warm and snuggly, CeeCee xxx

grosse vente d'avant-noël chez CeeCee !!! *** mega pre-christmas sale at CeeCee's studios!

bon lundi à toutes!

j'ai toujours été fière de l'ordre qui règne dans mon atelier... mais regardez-moi ce bordel?! Et ceci n'est qu'une petite partie du désordre, la plus "propre" section. :-)

pourquoi ce remue-ménage? je me prépare à vous offrir une

MÉGA VENTE D'AVANT-NOËL pendant 2 jours

samedi, le 11 décembre, de 1h00 à 4h00 p.m.

dimanche, le 12 décembre, de 1h00 à 4h00 p.m.

absolument tout doit être liquidé, à des prix imbattables!!!

qu'est-ce que vous y trouverez? plus de 500 cartes, incluant des cartes de Noël, d'anniversaire, pour toutes occasions, etc., des jeux d'étampes retirés, des papiers et cartons retirés, des perforatrices. EN PLUS, des petits cadeaux déjà tout prêts pour offrir à Noël, des étiquettes-cadeaux, des petits sacs cadeaux, etc. !!!

c'est le GRAND MÉNAGE mes amies et vous êtes toutes invitées! parlez-en à vos amies et voisines! nul besoin de réserver mais si vous comptez venir, envoyez-moi un petit commentaire ci-bas pour que j'aie une idée du nombre de personnes qui viendront. je vous enverrai également les directions pour vous rendre à mon atelier.

je vous attends!

hey everyone!

my office is suuuuuuch a mess! why? because I'm in cleaning mode. or i should say i'm in garage sale mode. i'm gearing up for my

2-DAY MEGA PAPER CRAFT SALE

Saturday, December 11th - 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 12th - 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Everything must go - at unbeatable prices!!!

I have over 500 cards, including Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's day, All Occasions, etc., for sale. Also fun little gifts, perfect for stocking stuffers, gift tags, gift bags, etc. Plus retired stamp sets, punches, cardstock and DSP.

I'm cleaning house, my friends, and you're all invited! Talk to your friends and neighbours! No need to reserve but if you're thinking of coming, just drop me a comment here so I have an idea of how many people to expect. and I'll give you directions on how to get to my place.

à bientôt!

CeeCee

happy birthday to me!

yahoooooo! today is my birthday and i decided that i'm taking the WHOLE DAY for myself. i will not work (except for one phone call) -- i will indulge in life's small pleasures like:

• reading
• take a long bubble bath with a little glass of wine
• eat some chocolate (that's new?!)
• make some pages in my art journal, doodle, draw, paint

OK, i'm already exhausted!

i have to tell you a little secret: i used to draw quite a bit but i never really showed my work to anyone. but i've decided open myself up and share some of my drawings from back when i was a teenager... the reason behind this? i've signed for a drawing online class and i want to see my progress. i haven't drawn anything in 25 years!!! anyways, i'd like to share that online too with you. so without further ado, here's one i made in 1976:

do you recognize this guy from the hit TV show Happy Days?! i'm dating myself with this but i thought it'd be something funny to post today. the paper is all yellowed and warped with age. the drawing was entirely free-handed (no tracing, please!) with a lead pencil.

anyhoo, i'm typing this message a day early and by the time you read this i'll have already started my fun day... because i deserve it!

heyyyyyyyyyyy! CeeCee

she's back.... and she's off again!

just a quick post to tell you that i'm still around. we just got back from a trip to Chicago for the Crossroads Guitar Festival and we're leaving again for a wedding until sunday night in Mont-Tremblant.

Chicago is an amazing city! we enjoyed a double-decker bus tour of the downtown core to learn about the architecture of impressive buildings. how beautiful, and clean! 

here are 2 photos from our 32nd-floor room at the W hotel on Lakeshore, overlooking Lake Michigan.

our room came with a lakeside view of the beach, water works and the Navy Pier.

be back soon! CeeCee 

meeting an idol

Gen and I are back from the Stampin' Girls convention that Josée Smuck, our sweet fairy godmother, put together for us Stampin' Up! demonstrators and oh-boy what fun we had! the event took place over a 2-day period where we had a chance to meet with fellow demonstrators and exchange ideas and discuss business tips and. 

Once again, Josée put together an amazing event. From demonstrator theater, to wow swaps, to prizes galore, to an awesome catered lunch and a candy bar. Oh, and Card à la Carte (that's Gen and I!) won the Wow Swap Prize. Woohoo! Our project was the coffee cup cozies which we handed out from a vendor-type tray that Gen had attached to... yup, me! Unfortunately, i was so busy all day that i didn't have time to snap pictures, except for the one below taken at the very end of the event.

but i think the biggest event for both of us was meeting Andrea Walford, who was the guest speaker at the convention. if you're a SU demo and have never heard of her... your head must have been in the sand for a long while because she puts together those amazing class and workshop tutorials to help us grow our businesses. if you haven't checked her out yet, click here.

here's Gen and I with Andrea. Her Friday night speech was both inspiring and informative. More importantly, she's an awesome lady who's very sweet and patient -- we had lots of questions for her.  

thank you, Josée, for giving us once again the opportunity to appreciate the SU Demonstrator experience and spoiling us rotten. You're one of a kind! 

so, for those of you out there in the stamping world that are sitting on the fence, trying to decide whether becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator is a fit for them... don't hesitate. i've been one for 4 years now and i'm still lovin' it! Email me or call me for more info.

CeeCee

flower bokeh

no card, no project, no crafting today. i decided to enjoy my day and take some pictures in my very own backyard. 

what's a bokeh? according to Wikipedia -- In photography, bokeh is the blur,^[1][2] or the aesthetic quality of the blur,^[3][4][5] in out-of-focus areas of an image, or "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light."  

i'm in no way a good photographer and quite frankly i often struggle to get the proper lighting or the right angle because i'm a perfectionist at heart and have no experience nor training whatsoever. so the process is quite frankly exhausting. but i persevere and i must admit that i'm darn proud of these photos!!!

we have rhododendrons that are flowering in our backyard and while my husband was mowing the lawn, i got busy photographing those flowers. you can still see the morning rain on them.

here are the 2 rhododendrons in question:

yeah, it's good to stop and smell the flowers sometimes :-)

CeeCee