A Bit East-coast

fall decorating.

[Sorry for taking so long to do an update on this blog! I really meant to update last week and I just had a lot of stuff going on. Last week (or so) I jazzed up a couple of grapevine wreaths I have had for over a year-I just didn't know what I wanted to do with them. The Halloween stuff is gone...the pumpkins and pine cones are out!

Count down--I really can't wait to pull out the Christmas decorations this week!]

I am sad to say that I must step back from blogging about/posting photos of my girls for a while-or even for good. I am still in a situation that makes me really uneasy and uncomfortable. I have had to pull a few old post that include Kiela and some of Amira. This shouldn't be a big deal for most visitors-I will always blog my scrapbook projects & decor updates. 

fall decor.

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Switchig moods-time to focus on fall decorating. I pulled out all the pumpkins I save for Thanksgiving and picked one to use for this little round box. There is a box I love by Wendy Addison-and this is my take on her box. I am trying to think of other fall projects for decorating the house with, but I really just want to dive into Christmas. I guess because it's up in all the department stores and has my head swirling with ideas.

This weekend we will start painting the family room-finally!

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so long halloween 2012.

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Oops, I totally forgot that I had this post scheduled to go live this morning! With the time change I fell asleep by 8(last night) and since the girls have today (& tomorrow) off from school-I slept in longer.

Today-I plan on packing up Fred and the gang-it will be so hard! I love having them hanging out on the sofa and seeing the crows here & there around the house. The house looks so empty when it is all put away, but I must move on to Thanksgiving...and then Christmas! It all comes and goes too fast...

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I made these butterflies & mask freehand with some sculpey, something I definitely want to do again next year.

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Heaven said:

Hope you came through the storm ok. Up here in Maine it got bad depending on where you live. The coast (where I am) took a beating, but we're fine. Hope you and yours are as well. Love the cards, gorgeous as always!

Reply | Edit | View | 6 days ago on three cards.

 

 

Hi Heaven, so glad to hear that you and your family are doing well after Sandy. It was sad to see how bad the storm had been for so many people on the east coast. We lost power for 24hrs-so we can't complain. I was stunned to see how bad it was in NY & NJ on Wednesday.

let the haunting begin.

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Last week I was thrilled to start pulling out all the crows, Fred the skeleton(I made him a sign), and his buddies for Halloween 2012! I am still working on placing things and need to stop at the local farmers stands for a few white pumpkins. I was so excited to see that this year two of the stands I pass have loads of white pumpkins-love the competition between the two farmers!

I also have ideas swirling around in my head of stuff I want to make-but where is the time? This weekend I felt like I was all over the place-drove to Cindy's house for her Thirty-One party on Saturday. Sunday I took Mira and a couple of her friends to the mall for Homecoming dress shopping-by the way, did I ever mention she now has her driver's permit...and she has a certain amount of driving hours to achieve before getting her license. The 20 mins we spent driving through the neighborhood was super fun;-)

Today-I am staying HOME! In my studio...I hope to finish a couple of layouts I started last week and doing some Halloween stuff. And maybe do some cleaning-Lulu's hair is everywhere!

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Q & A

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D said:

I have been wanting to leave a comment for the last month or two when I came across your blog through Making Memories. Quickly I added you to my "favorites". I simply love your blog and style. Everything you post from crafts to photography is chic, elegant, simple and beautiful. It not only shows in your craft but design, decorating and home. I LOVE popping in to see what other marvelous project has been posted. This is truely one sight I never get tired of looking through and spend sooo much time looking at photographs for ideas, inspiration or to simply look at pretty things like I would a favorite magazine. Your so blessed to be very talented. Thank you for taking the time to post all these pictures and share all the lovely things in your life. Looking forward to all your future post. -Jasmin : >

Reply | Edit | View | 2 days ago on halloween mini.

Hi Jasmin...well, I just don't know how to thank you enough for taking the time to leave such great compliments. It's always wonderful to hear what people think and I always hope that everyone enjoys each visit. I love it when I go to a site and it makes me want to make something right away...or makes me go rearrange the decorations in a better way somewhere in my house-a site that makes me feel inspired makes my day...and then makes me want to also inspire those who come here to my blog. I am thankful when I read a comment like yours(or any comment left)-thank you Jasmine & all others who may feel the same way!!

Melinda Wharton said:

Keisha, I love this - it's beautiful. Just love how your photography blends so nicely with the album. Good work! I have the same questionsas those above! Melinda Wharton at scrapkit studio

Reply | Edit | View | 4 days ago on halloween mini.

Melinda, I'll answer below for you!!!

Heaven said:

Awesome!! This is fabulous! How big is this album? :)

Reply | Edit | View | 5 days ago on halloween mini.

Hey Heaven...it's a 4x4-perfectly mini mini, lol!!

Tammie Eberhart said:

You are so darn creative!!! Patty said it best - "SPOOKTACULAR"! What adhesive do you prefer for adhering the pages of your mini album?

Reply | Edit | View | 6 days ago on halloween mini.

Tammie, I really like to stock up on Tombow permanent tape or Scotch double stick tape.

Joan Fowler said:

Keisha, I love this mini album. I recognise the skeleton stamp from My Mind's Eye but what company or companies is the paper from? Also those labels (Spider Fangs, Deadly morsels)are amazing but have no idea what line they are from either. I would love to use something similar for a mini album for my granddaughter if you could provide some company names for me.

Reply | Edit | View | 6 days ago on halloween mini.

Joan...Lots of old stash stuff with a bit of new stuff! Ok, the Deadly Morsels is Martha Stewart from 2 or 3 seasons ago-look on Ebay for those stickers. All the other stickers( SpiderFangs, Hemlock, Trick or Treat and Oct 31) are new K&Co sticker set I grabbed from Michaels-the witch sticker too. The papers are all from My Minds Eye-a mix of two lines. One is their Halloween line and a line of black & white papers called Meadow Lark...I love doing Halloween in blk/wht with bits of orange. Yep, the stamps are My Minds Eye...and the skeleton at the end(or the first photo on black cardstock) is a Michael's stamp. Lots of old Making Memories stickers(letters/numbers and word stickers) & some Jenni Bowlin bingo cards and journaling cards. Studio Calico stamps(2006)...te glittery spider might be Jolee's...some black sequence...OMGosh, I am just noticing that there are a couple pages missing, lol. 

 

multi-tasker or distracted?

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I am not sure which I am-so lets just say both with a hint of being all over the place. I am still working on the Halloween mini album, but I saw an idea in Matthew Mead's new Halloween magazine I had to replicate. He had this large glass case with faux spiders in it-this is my take on that idea. I bought one of those unfinished glass boxes from JoAnn's and painted it black-I added some glittered spiders & moss-viola!

I also was flipping through a BHG Halloween issue and saw a Scupley ad-which then lead me to wanting to make my own mini pumpkins & a witch's hat. Forgive me-this is my first time playing with clay in YEARS!! I wanted to make white pumpkins and had to go with black since they were out of the white. This was a learning experiment for me(not the greatest, but not too bad for my first try)...and I am now eager to try making more this weekend...

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First day of school TODAY!! Mikiela started 4th grade and Amira is a sophomore...it was nice to have the house stay clean for most of the day!! Not looking forward to when they come home, lol.

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Heaven said:

Oh wow!! I love love LOVE this!! I simply adore mini albums. Have you ever considered doing a video of "start to finish" type of project? I'd like to watch how you come up with these sleek, clean albums/layouts.. :)

Reply | Edit | View | 5 days ago on things mini.

Heaven, my friend!! I think about this A LOT. I want to and I am super scared of the idea. I *think* a few other blog vistors would enjoy it if I did some videos-I just need to figure out how to do it myself. I love joining in on classes taught by others-because they do the hard work of putting the classes together. The easy part for me is making the project-the other stuff is what scares me. But I might surprise you one day!!

 

 

Elena Chamberlain said:

I am absolutely blown away by this mini album. Your designs on the pages are absolutely beautiful. Not over-done...it makes me think of all the people I would love to make one for. I am so GLAD I found your site. I've only been following you a couple of weeks and I love your work.

Welcome Elena, I am always thrilled to have a new visitor/follower. Thank you so much

 

 

 

Angela M said:

Keisha...I am getting excited for the fast approaching Autums season and this project makes me even more excited. Love it! Thanks for sharing!

Reply | Edit | View | 2 days ago on teaser: halloween m…

Angela, I have been stalking stores watching all the new *stuff* come out and planning on what to get!! I am so ready to decorate for Halloween NOW.