Creative Chaos

Some people......

 refuse.....

to play by the rules.  

Just a small sample of the lunchtime sandwiches created by Andres. 

Wishing Everyone a "Rule Breaking" New Year!  Karin

Well, the weather outside is frightful......

 

But the fire is so delightful,

 

And since we've no place to go,

 
 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Actually there's no snow here in San Diego except for our little snowmen.   I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  I managed to get sick on Christmas Eve but we still had a great time.  I just slept through it a little more than usual.  I honestly don't even know if anyone knew I was missing due to this......

I swore up and down since he was in uetero that I would never get a video station.  Never say never. 

Talkto you soon!  Karin

Merry Christmas!!

I'm supposed to be cleaning up my craft room........

 I'm so embarrassed.....I just fixed my title to reflect the fact that I know the english language......carry on......

I'm a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of it all........it's a disaster.  I know. Big surprise.  So instead of cleaning and organizing I will show you some of the holiday happenings at the chaos household......

Holiday inspired tic tac toe........

 

Joy banner class kits......

Snowmen fighting it out for local piano-top turf.......

Another snowman intercedes by asking "can't we all just get along?"........

All sorts of thing happening in the holiday forest.......

People putting up favorite ornaments......

Convincing people for twenty minutes that the picture on the bell ornament is of his brother not him.

Finally giving up and saying to people "yes...you are "so cute" on that bell ornament."

Bumble and friends show up looking for fun.......

And, guess what!  They found it....the drunk guy from the Karaoke bar is back.......

Not missing a beat he jumps right back in to a resounding version of Jingle Bells......

Putting up all the fun Christmas items from blogging friends near and far......

Kari at Artsymama

 

Mary at oh merci.......

Tricia at Vintage Bliss

Jenny at Polka Dot Pixie

Favorite ornaments from years gone by........

Alrighty.....back to cleaning!  Talk to you soon! Karin

Reason number 5,687 why I hate Michaels..........fa la la la la la la la........

Seriously.  I really believe that management sits around their big conference table drinking spiked egg nog and decides what will annoy customers the most.  Disgruntled workers...check.  Not enough cash registers open during peak shopping times....double check.   Having cashiers answer the phone to answer questions stopping any form of service they were giving you at the moment...triple check.  And a brand spanking new one to add to the list ......a big invisible sign that says "Line Forms Here or Not depending what time of day you come in and who happens to be working" 

So, it's my second to the last stop before heading home with the boys.   We perused the aisles, grabbed needed items as well as not so needed items, made an emergency trip to the potty and finally head  towards the cash registers.   After standing in front of the endcap debating whether Carlos should get Swedish fish or M&M's and grabbing the last package of Ghiradelli peppermint bark chocolates (which by the by are to die for....) we turned the corner and plopped our stuff down on the counter. 

Of course, the cashier immediately disappeared....family emergency?  Bathroom break? A fire?  Who knows.  While waiting for her to return, I was told by the nicest couple that there was one line to wait in.  Really?  I turned to the now present cashier and said where's the line? To which she vaguely pointed and said "over there."  I turned to look for the sign indicating that there indeed was a line in which everyone was waiting, but all I saw was a row of shelves with christmas floral and scented candles. Befuddled, I then asked her when this new line business started. While giving me a blank look, I hear this snippy little voice from the next register, "we've been doing it for a month."   Really? A month?  Because, that's funny.....I've been in this same Michael's three times over the last week and not once did I form one line.   So as to not cause any more confusion and delay, as Sir Topham Hat would say, I walked over to the nonexistent sign that would indicate one needs to form a line.   I asked the  lone person in the line how she knew she was supposed to stand there given there was nothing to indicate that this was even a place for a line.   She said when she walked in she saw some people standing there.  Retail peer pressure.

Ok. At this point, I honest to God thought someone was going to come out with a camera and "Punk" me.  Now, let me tell you that a love the "form one line" concept.  I practically, led the revolt at my neighborhood CVS to have them do a one line system after they did their remodel.  People would aimlessly wander to the big bank of bored cashiers looking around at each other confused as to who was next, where they should go and why they were even there in the first place.   I LOVE form one line. It totally make sense.    However, you can't just decide as a group of cashiers on the fly that this is how you want it done without taking the proper pre arrangements.  For the love of poster board, it's a craft store!  There's got to be some paper and pencil somewhere to whip up a sign to tape to a shelf.....  

Ok...are you still with me people.  Good.

 

I finally walk up for my turn and nicely ask the young 20-something cashier, "Let's say someone walked in for the first time to this store.  How would one know where to stand in line?"    The look on her face clearly said "listen lady. I hate my job, I hate you. I hate your kids who are bouncing those damn noisy balls on the counter. And, I don't even like crafts. I'm just ringing up sales until I can get out of here, text my boyfriend and get on with my life."   However, the actual words that came out of her mouth were  "over there."  I then responded with (very nicely, I might add) "over where?  There's no sign. How is anyone supposed to know where to go?" as I pointed to the now empty line.  She then sighed very loudly, and said "I don't know."

Sigh....

I hate you Michael's. I am never speaking to you again. I've had it.......I'll be by later tonight to pick up glue sticks and glitter.  Love,  Karin

So much for Tutorial Tuesday.......

Another Tuesday had come and gone.  I think I'm going to have to wait until after the first of the year to pull this off.  Things have been a bit hectic lately.  Let me explain.   See this cute little face........ 

 
I am totally sucked into a whole other genre of crafting.  Paper clay.   I was lucky enough to take a class with the extraordinary Jenny Hernandez of Polka Dot Pixie fame.   I've known her through blogging for the last couple year and LOVE her work.  She manages to capture the most whimsical faces on her little clay figures.  I started collected her pieces last year.  Although my collection is small (ok. I only have one piece)  I want to add a Christmas figure every year.  I figure I will do so until she is super big and famous and then I won't be able to afford her anymore and stops taking my calls.  By my calculations of her talent, that should be some time next year.  So I better get shopping while the getting is good! 

She came to Paper Tales last week and I couldn't wait to meet her in person and take the class.  She is as wonderful as I expected.  We went to lunch and talked as if we've known each other for years.   She is so gracious and warm.  She shared all her little tips and techniques with the class.  Now I'm hooked.  I love my little guy.  As much as I would love to take credit for it, that face is totally Jenny's design.  I had the hardest time with the mouth.  She took my little snowman out of my clumsy hands and into her capable ones and turned the former jack o lantern mouth I had into this cute little smile.

 

Am I the only one that gets over the top excited about learning a new craft?!?  Although, I will leave all the professional snow pixie making in her talented hands, I was excited to get home and do this with the boys and make some snowmen and Christmas ornaments.  

I just wanted to note that one should not do this project at 6:00 pm after children have been housebound the entire day due to a rain storm.  The results will not be what you expect.  The evening will start off with the wistful phrase "this is going to be so much fun!!"  And then end with a high pitched shrill of "if you two don't stop fighting right now everyone is going to their room and going to bed!!!"    However, even after several delays due to explaining why a bionicle would not be a good first project because of the complexity of the design,  we finally managed to make our snowmen.

Carlos' snowman had another arm.  Unfortunately, due to a tragic snowblowing accident he lost it....

 

Andres' has an over sized mouth and one ear.  Apparently, it's a common trait in the farther reaches of the North Pole.....

A quite formal snowman appeared out of nowhere with his top hat and no eyes......
  

They welcomed him to their village with open no arms and one arm.   We finally get to paint them tonight.   It took a while for them to dry because of the rain. 

I'm off to do errands and make some Christmas gifts.  Stay warm!  Talk to you soon!  Karin  

   

Lots of chatter in the chaos household lately.......

mainly revolving around Santa.  I'm getting the standard questions and proclamations such as "I fink Santa my best friend", "I scary of Santa" and "Santa gonna bring me lots a toys"  from Andres.  Those I can easily handle with a simple nod of the head and a smile followed by "you better get writing your letter" and "yes, he really, absolutely, without a doubt knows if you've been naught or nice. So start cleaning that playroom." 

But this year has been complicated by a nine year old who is smack dab on a very narrow fence in between wanting desperately to believe and having a feeling it's all been one big fat and jolly deception.   Let me back track a bit to a conversation we had around Halloween.  He sidelined me with a question about the Easter bunny.  I was completely taken off guard.  He point blank asked me if the Easter bunny existed.   I was trapped. I didn't know what to say.   Do I lie to my child knowing that I was working against whatever playground conversation happened that day or do I keep the fantasy alive with a simple yes.   Sigh.  I told him the bunny was a fake.  It was me and poppa.  I swear in that moment he grew 3 inches and sprouted a mustache.  I actually felt a shift in the universe.   His reply?   "Well at least Santa's real! Right, mommy?"  Trapped again.   His response was said in such earnest it practically begged for a yes...... But then I would be lying...... But then again, who am I to fill a kid's stocking with coal when his eyes are pleading with me to say he's real......but, again, I would be lying....The pressure was mounting.  He looked to me for answers.  He trusted me. 

So I said, "of course he's real honey.  I believe in him."  To which he responded, "I knew it!" 

I don't think I was lying.  I really do believe Santa's real.  How do I know this?  He gave me the gift of another year of magic with Carlos.    

I think I time traveled.....

Because I swear it was just yesterday that I was posting Tutorial Tuesday.  I can't believe it's been a week.  I'm off to teach my Christmas card class at Paper Tales......

Saturday I taught the Snowflake class.  So much fun.  We had a full house so there was lots of glitter flying.  The night before I was almost in glitter panic mode because my antique silver was running out.  Of course I had forgotten the "recipe" I had made so I was mixing a bunch of glitter at 11:00 at night trying t get the perfect blend...I think I nailed it...... 

So here's what I've been doing in between dentist appointments, blood tests, avastin treatments, major holiday get togethers and throwing a semblance of dinner at my children.......

   

Talk to you soon!  Karin