{ musings }

Beautiful Allison...

Allison Proof 1, originally uploaded by bebe beaux.

From another recent HS Senior session...just a beautiful girl!  Can't wait to give her these images - she's gonna love them!

Another beautiful Allison in my life surprised me on Friday with a brand new copy of this book ------>

If you're a Stephanie Meyer fan like I am, you KNOW what a big deal this is!  Thanks Allison - you ROCK! (An yes, Marilyn, I'll mail it to you when i'm done!)

In other news, we had a really fun "open house" party at our pad yesterday from noon to 7pm.  Actually, it lasted till about 10pm, and I was exhausted, but it was sure fun seeing so many friends and neighbors.  In addition to good food, drink and conversation, our friend Eric came and cashed whoever was interested out of their broken, mis-matched and unwanted gold and platinum jewelry.   People were flipping out over leaving with a few hundred dollars (or more!) in "found money" in their pockets!   I think I may have been the biggest "winner" of the evening coming away with enough cash (from broken chains, charms and junky jewelry I'll never wear again) in my pretty pockets to buy myself a screaming fast, MACKED OUT new laptop to take to Cali this summer AND to buy a few new cute pairs of summer sandals!  Happy me! 

I am out of my mind with excitement to get this bad-boy at the end of this week - I loaded it up with the most extreme stuff I could and got all the bells and whistles - it will be a HUGE improvement to my 4 year old Toshiba laptop which moaned under the pressure of even the most basic Photoshop applications.  I am such a geek, I know!

Hey...if you want to unload some gold and/or platinum (gold is trading at an all time high and closed at around $900 an ounce last Friday!!) contact Eric...he's a top notch guy and will take good care of you...just tell him you're a friend of mine!  Southwest Jewelry Buyers.

I Love My Mail Carrier...

....especially when he brings pretty boxes like this to me:

When the box comes from THIS GIRL, you know it's gonna be GOOD!

And then you have to FORCE yourself not to rip open the gorgeous packaging too fast...

But when you see the deliciousness wrapped inside of the amazing, vintage box, you almost SCREAM!

And then, just when your kids start thinking you've totally lost your marbles, you dance around like a nut  showing off the beautiful new treasure your friend sent you which was made by another amazingly talented friend from (dare I say it?) baubles and trinkets she procured on our recent trip to Paris!

And then you get a little misty thinking about how lucky you are to have such amazing friends, and think to yourself that doing favors for friends seems to be working our JUST fine!

Thanks Pam! You never cease to amaze me!!  Glad you're my pal! :-)

See John Run? Run, John, Run!

Is it Friday again already??  My oh my!  Where has the week gone?  Since I have too much to do and too little time in which to do it, here's a Phriday Phunee for you!

McCain Vows To Replace Secret Service With His Own Bare Fists

Been Gone Too Long...

Damn computer needed a new power supply and the Geeks at Best Buy apparently had more important things to do than deal with my simple little problem!  Not having my trusty electronic right-arm made me realize 1) the AMAZING amount of time I actually spend on the computer, 2) the shit I can no longer do without technology, 3) how out-of-freaking-touch I feel without it and 4) did I mention how I hardly know what to do with my spare time without it?!?!?!  Shit.  I need a 12-step program!

To make up for lost time, I spend a ridiculous amount of time sending people pieces of flair and taking dumb-ass quizzes on Facebook.  Yah, I know...get a LIFE, Kim!  Scary part is that MANY of you were responding to my Facebook posts as quick as I posted them...so I'm not the only techno-loser out there!  ;-)

Simultaneously, I'm catching up on e-mails, furiously off-loading camera memory cards, updating software and re-calibrating my monitor with my newest toy.  After a whole week with no contact with the outside world, I am finally BACK and I have a FUNNY to share with all of you.   

This one is in honor of my old pal The MacDaddy of Scrap, who used to post the best Phriday Phunees ever.  Hey Kenny, I miss you, dude!

Follow the link...it is HEE-LARIOUS!

GO WHITE GUY!!

She cannot be trusted...

I was enjoying a peaceful Saturday morning puttering around the house, drinking my coffee, reading the paper while the girls played outside.  The Hubs is in Omaha visiting Warren, so I had MY tunes playing on the stereo (Siouxie, Oingo, the Furs...all my old school faves...too loud, of course), still in my jammies at 11am.  Perfection!  The only thing that could possibly improve this day was to make some sugary goodness: 

Then, I step away for one minute to answer the door and return to find this little sneaky swiper stealing cookie dough!

She must have been watching me.  Laying in wait...hoping for the perfect opportunity to sneak in and nab some of the delicious dough.  Fast, this little one.  Cagey, too.  This cute one is NOT to be trusted.  Nope.  Nosiree.  Not when there is a big old bowl full of cookie dough right there within easy reach (if you stand on your tippy toes)!

Can't blame her much...I think the dough is actually better than the final product!  Yes, happiness DOES come from inside of a Kitchen Aid mixer!

May Day! May Day!

Happy May Day everyone! 

I remember this holiday from when I was a kid.  While we never did the May Pole dances like the girls in this 1911 photograph, we'd spend DAYS decorating those little, green, plastic pint baskets they used to sell strawberries in.  We'd weave ribbons and paper through the plastic holes, and use pipe cleaners as the handles.  Then we'd we'd strip our yard of all the flowers we could find and leave baskets of posies on the doorsteps of all of our favorite neighbors.  We'd also, of course, take them into the teachers, too.   It was such a wonderful celebration of Spring and it usually meant that Summer was right around the corner!

I also wanted to share this cute little note I found on the sink next to a half-eaten bowl of oatmeal the other night.  At about 7pm my littlest one came and snuggled up to me on the couch and with a HUGE yawn asked "Mommy, can you please make me some apple oatmeal?"  How could I say no to those big, sleepy brown eyes and cute little button nose all clean and fresh in her jammies and bunny slippers?   I made her the oatmeal, set her up on the kitchen island to eat it and then got sidetracked helping her older sister with homework.  When I came back out into the kitchen to check on her not even 10 minutes later I found a half-eaten bowl in the sink (she had moved her stool over to the sink so she could reach in!) with this note next to it.  I then went to peek in her room and there was one sleepy little princess already snoring amidst about 100 small, stuffed friends..  Precious!

I had a BLAST on Saturday at Devine Memories!  All the usual suspects (my uber-creative posse) were there...Michelle, Sandy, Kim, Sherry, Colleen, Melissa and Maija, plus a couple of new girls.  It was a blast...these girls are so dang creative on  their own...they don't need a teacher!  :-)

In other family news, my eldest ended her fist softball season on Saturday (sadly, while I was at Devine Memories).   The girls had SUCH a great experience!  In spite of their 3-13 record (yes, they suck), the "Troopers" all improved in their skills and really melded as a TEAM.  Alexis made HUGE strides...in spite o getting badly hit by the ball two of the last three games, she got a hit at every at bat except for two, over the entire season.  She had several RBIs on her scorecard and is now interested in learning how to pitch!  They were all so sad to see the season end, and are all excited to play together again, perhaps in a Fall league, and most certainly next Spring.

On Monday I got to spend about a half hour with a dear friend and artist genius in her beautiful home...she's got some BIG stuff in the works and needed some new head-shots...I was honored to do them for her...isn't she gorgeous?  I tell ya...when I photograph people I love, MAGIC just happens!

Let's see...what else?  While I'm totally all-over-the-page with this blog post, I'll share this dorko layout (click to see it larger) I did this morning using the new May kit from Songbird Avenue.  SUCH great digi stuff in these kits, and all the proceeds go to a great cause.  AND, my dear pal Jan busted her ass to get the new site design up in time for the site's ONE YEAR Anniversary!  Congrats, Jan!  Of course, for digi-newbies like me, the added benefit of a layout template doesn't hurt either:

Phoenix Area Classes!

Just a reminder that I'm teaching two classes this Saturday (4/26) at Devine Memories (480) 813-2093 in Gilbert.  I'd love to see you...and the store is offering a big discount if your register for both classes!

Also, my dear friend Carolyn Peeler will be coming to the Valley to teach at a very special, limited engagement at the lovely Melrose Vintage (602)636-0300 on Saturday May 3rd.   This is an event you WON'T want to miss!

My Boy (and the new lens!)

new lens, originally uploaded by bebe beaux.

This is the boy of the household, Sam, courtesy of my new lens.  He's 7 years old and 90lbs of pure lovin', but he simply will NOT allow me to take his photo!  He's either barking at me because obviously the large black thing in front of my face must be something which can be thrown and fetched, or else he's charging the lens to give it big, sloppy Golden Retriever smooches.  Either way, I love him!

Here are a few more snaps I took with the new lens...this is actually the very first photo I shot, straight outta the box (with blood dripping from my hand from where I sliced it open trying to get into the box).

This next one was of a little girl celebrating at a friends' 3-year old's birthday party.  Isn't she just delicious?  Now THAT is the way to enjoy a cupcake!

 

Is It My Birthday?

No...but it sure does feel like it!!

Lookie what the Man In Brown delivered to me about 15 minutes ago:

Oh my lordy lord!  I've been lusting and dreaming about this big, beautiful, bad-boy for a LOOOONG time and today The Hubs surprised me with it!!  Woo Hoo!!  Yippee for me!  It was on the camera within 2 minutes of opening the box and I even cut my finger slicing into the box like a kid on Christmas!

This lens is a bit excessive, I know, and yes, I have some overlap in my glass arsenal now, but this beauty is so freakin' SOLID!  It is a fierce piece of glass...I think I could actually use it to defend myself in case of personal harm!  ha!  With my shooting style (at least for portraits) I love to be up-close with my subjects and the 55mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.8 fixed lenses just require me to be too dang far from my subjects!  I hate that!  This lens allows me to be right up close and, more importantly, opens wide up to a static 2.8 no matter what my focal length (some of my other lenses adjust the aperture with a longer zoom and that bugs the crap outta me!).  Just WAIT till you see the depth of field i'm gonna pull with this bad boy...and you can bet that it will rarely be anything EXCEPT wide open!!  YOWZA!

It is GOR-GEE-OUS and my Hubby is the best hubby in the WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD!   We just closed escrow on a piece of land we've had since the 1980s and on the very day we closed, the sneaky sweetie ordered me this baby off my B&H wish list as a sort of special celebration!  Ain't he the BEST?!?!?!  He's gonna get some special attention tonight, alrighty!  :-)

So yes, it certainly feels like my birthday around here!!!!

Paris Class Kits, Anyone??

The bags are unpacked.  The laundry is done.  The refrigerator is full again.  The kids and The Hubs are sufficiently snuggled (for a little while!).  Time now, to get down to business!   

Each of us three teachers, Pam, Tena and I have a limited supply of project kits left-over from Version Scrap.  In order to make room for the next projects we're working on, we're offering our left-overs to you at a discounted rate of $30 each (plus $5.00 Priority S&H in the USA).  If I am shipping to an AZ address, I will also need to charge tax.  Of course, all the project kits contain excellent written instructions, color photos and ideas to make the projects your own.  If you order more than one kit at a time, the shipping on each additional kit (after the first) is only $1 if shipped to the same address.  So call your crafting buddies and let us know what you'd like!!  (International shipping is always an option...let us know where you live and we'll get you a price!).  If you want some, e-mail me!

SPECIAL INCENTIVE:  By one kit for $30 (plus $6 S&H), buy two kits for $55 (plus $7 S&H) or buy one each of all three of MY kits for $80 (plus $7 S&H)!

(Oh...please give the other girls a few more days to get their kits up on their blogs...Tena stepped off one plane onto another to teach at the Inspired Artist Workshops and Pam is still catching up from jet-lag!  I am clearly the insane over-achiever of the group, but then we all know that already, don't we?!? ha!)

The Sweetest Things:  Sparkly, splashy, sassy and splendidly sweet!  This mini-book project is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth with a combination of popsicle-colored papers, bold black accents, transparent overlays and sparkly fairy dust.  In this project, you'll cut and re-pattern some of Bazzill's wonderful book-board and create a darling keepsake in honor of the sweetest things in YOUR life.  The Parisian artists at Version Scrap Paris for whom I designed this project had a blast with this sparkly project and you can see some samples of their beautiful works-in progress here and more "teaser" photos of how I did MY project on the link over there in the left side-bar under Version Scrap. (Sponsored by Daisy D's, Bazzill Basics Paper and May Arts). 

What you'll Need to Add: 7-10 small photos (color or B&W), paper trimmer, scissors, craft knife, cutting mat, ruler, paint brushes, water cup and palette, Crop-A-Dile (or Japanese screw punch or Big Bite), black pen that will write on photos/transparencies, double-sided foam tape or adhesive pop-dots, wet & dry adhesives, clear dimensional adhesive (like Diamond Glaze) or glue pen, black ink and candy-colored craft paints!  You may also wish to add rubber stamps, colored inks, opaque white paint pen, different colors of glitter, flowers, brads and rhinestones.   If you have a Zutter "Bind-It-All" you may also wish to use that to bind this project!

*** I will be teaching this class in person at Devine Memories in Gilbert, AZ on Saturday 4/26 at 12:30pm-3:30pm if you want to come play! ***

***I will be teaching this class in person at Creative Paradise Scrapbooking in Sherman Oaks, CA on 7/26 if you want to come play! ***

Funky Found Art Journal:  Re-cycle. Re-use. Re-Purpose. In this thoroughly unconventional mixed media class kit, you'll explore the many beautiful and magical ways you can "go green" with art! In this project I'll inspire you to transform mostly recycled items (and a few yummy new things) into a fabulous, one-of-a-kind art journal in which to store your sketches, inspirations, thoughts or even cherished photos. Not for the faint of art, this project will push you outside your normal creative "box" and hopefully inspire you to create an imaginative and useful journal! The Parisian artists at Version Scrap Paris for whom I designed this project loved this free-style project and you can see some samples of their highly individualized works-in progress here and more "teaser" photos of how I did MY journal on the link over there in the left side-bar under Version Scrap. (Sponsored by Bazzill Basics Paper and Hambly Screenprints).  (Please note that this is a very free-flow, mixed media-type project, not a mini-book kit...if you have questions, please e-mail me!)

What you'll Need to Add: A sense of adventure, a used (but not vintage) hard back book suitable to cut covers off and paint pages of (no larger than 8"x 10"), assortment of papers to make the interior pages of the book (scrapbook papers, vintage papers, recycled envelopes, watercolor paper, card-stock, notebook paper, paper grocery bag, file folders, cereal boxes, tags, etc…), Gel Mat Medium (or matte Mod Podge), paint brushes, water cup and palette, gesso, heavy-duty wet adhesive, assortment of paints (watercolors work best), rubber stamps, inks, scissors, black pen, Crop-A-Dile, Big Bite or Japanese screw punch, paper towels to cover your desk. If you have vintage papers, fabric trims, or cherished ribbons you wish to use, Go for it!

*** I will be teaching this class in person at Devine Memories in Gilbert, AZ on Saturday 4/26 at 9:30am-11:30am if you want to come play! ***

Grant Me A Wish:  Have you ever wished on a falling star? Blown the seeds from a dandelion? Wishes do come true, and there is power in affirming them! In this project you'll create a delightful scalloped mini-book to track your wishes, be they for yourself or a loved one. Playing with semi-opaque plastics, chipboard shapes, ink paint and ribbon, you'll create a mini-book you'll be proud to display or give as a gift. You are, of course, as with ALL of Kim's projects, welcome to change the theme of this mini-book as you wish. The Parisian students at Version Scrap Paris for whom Kim designed this class each made this adorable little project their own and they were beautiful (look here).  You can also see more "teaser" photos of how I did MY project on the link over there in the left side-bar under Version Scrap.  (Sponsored by LUXE Designs, Maya Road and Bazzill Basics Paper)

What you'll Need to Add: 10-16 photos smaller than 3" x 2" (black & white are best), opaque white paint pen, black pen, Staz-On ink pad(s) (black, brown, orange?), acrylic craft paints in coordinating colors (sage, tomato, brown...), paint brushes, palette and water cup, paper trimmer, scissors, wet & dry adhesives, stapler. You may also wish to use (optional) rubber stamps, alpha stamps, felt, fabric, rhinestones, paper punches, etc.