Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger

I guess the creative juices have really been flowing the past couple of days, because I was able to squeeze in another challenge. The inspiration picture for this one is:



And here's my finished card:


I am loving all of these owl-inspired challenges! I've even got two new owl stamp sets on the way for Christmas. Can't wait to break them open!

Card Supplies:
Stamps: Sassafras Lass "Oliver & Friends," PTI "Shapes by Design;" Ink: Versamark, Brilliance Graphite Black; CS: PTI, Autumn Leaves, Georgia Pacific; Accessories: Cuttlebug, Spots & Dots embossing folder, clear embossing powder, white Signo gel pen, corner rounder punch, dimensionals.

Embellish Owls Color Challenge

Isn't this just the yummiest color combo? When I saw this challenge over at Embellish Magazine, I was immediately hooked. The wheels started turning, and this is what I came up with:


I cut the owl with my Slice, then embellished it with some coral buttons and rhinestones. The wing was made by crumpling up some patterned paper till soft and pliable, then folding accordion-style and gathering at the top with a needle and embroidery floss. The legs were made from silver wire. I stamped my own background paper, added a sentiment, and voila! A perfect little card to cheer someone's day.

Card Supplies:
Stamps: PTI "Friends 'Til the End," Martha Stewart "Holiday Accent Stamps;" Ink: ColorBox Fluid Chalk "Rose Coral," ColorBox Pigment "Chestnut;" CS: PTI "Spring Moss," "Dark Chocolate," "Vintage Cream," My Mind's Eye pp; Accessories: buttons, rhinestones, scallop scissors, wire, dimensionals, Making Memories Slice / Just Chillin Teen design card.

Caramel Apple-tinis

Last night I made my very own caramel apples. I've been dreaming of caramel apples all month, and the other day at the grocery store they just happened to have perfect, unblemished Granny Smith apples imported from the States. (I'm of the opinion that the perfect caramel apple starts with a nice, tart, Granny Smith.) I quickly gathered the rest of my ingredients (a can of sweetened condensed milk and some salted peanuts), and I was set. The process took a little longer than expected (caramelizing the sweetened condensed milk took forever), but the results were everything I'd hoped for.

The martini glass is an idea I saw years ago at a party (they also had red candy apples displayed this way, so cute!). I bought my glasses at Ikea for the sole purpose of recreating my own "apple-tinis," but I've discovered they're a fun and chic way to serve all kinds of dessert!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

When we left Xi'an three years ago, we couldn't imagine why we'd ever want to go back, save to see a select friend or two. The city was polluted, dusty, a little behind the times; our day-to-day life was consumed with the tediousness of language school, and all we could think about was the day we'd finally be able to move on to the city of our own choosing.

And how did we find Xi'an on our return? Well, Xi'an is still horribly polluted, dusty, and a little behind the times (especially compared to fashion-forward Shanghai). Westerners are still a novelty - we drew our fair share of glances, stares, and gestures. One local woman in her mid-30s who was walking about 5 yards away from us, met my glance with a start of surprise then loudly exclaimed in Chinese, "Foreigners! Two of them!" as she gestured for her young son to come quickly for a closer look. We just had to chuckle.

What amazed us was how much the city has changed. Our old apartment complex, which used to be off of a quiet road at the very edge of town, is now surrounded by a busy intersection - with its own McDonalds! A previously nondescript thoroughfare has been dubbed "Art Block" for the scores of sculptures and statues that have been erected along its length. What once was a sleepy nod to the advent of Buddhism in China in the form of a tilted, crumbling pagoda (pictured above) has been transformed into a bustling pedestrian area filled with fountains, statues, parks, and restaurants, all constructed in traditional Chinese style.









The best part of the trip was the time (short as it was) spent catching up with old friends. Of course, socializing in China revolves around food - every meal for the whole three days was spent with a different set of friends! Our bellies and our hearts were full.

It was good to see how our little town has grown up. Revisiting it not as students but as "old friends" allowed us to experience it through fresh eyes, as a place of nostalgia and not simply as a means to an end. It was just the closure we needed.

"Road" Trip to Xi'an

This weekend we're going on a little trip - technically not a road trip, since we're flying, but a fun little trip all the same. We're heading back to where it all began, the first city we lived in in China. We'll be seeing some old friends, making some new ones, and reminiscing about language school days. I'm especially looking forward to the food - it's garlic-y and salty and spicy; so flavorful, and so cheap! I miss it. The food here in Shanghai just isn't the same.

We'll take the dog over to the kennel this afternoon, then finish packing and tidy up the apartment a bit. Tomorrow morning our little adventure begins!

Take That, Interwebs!

It is a happy, happy day. My dear, sweet, wonderful husband signed us up for a vpn service, which means that I have full access to all the blogs, videos, etc. that were previously deemed "unsuitable" for China viewing. I am positively giddy! The very first thing I did was head over to kwernerdesign to see how many videos I'd missed. My, oh my, I'd forgotten how much fun it is just to watch a little cardmaking video! And my blog here - all the functions are back. I can manipulate photos, change the font, add links without having to type in my own code... Yep, life is good.

Less Than 10 Weeks Till Christmas!

I spent the afternoon listening to Christmas music and leafing through digital copies of Scrapbook Trends’ 2009 “Holiday Cards” and “Holiday Idea Book.” Have you tried these things? They even have a little audio “rustling” sound as you click through the pages. I still prefer a real paper version, but there’s NO way I’m spending $185 for an international subscription – a digital copy every now and then will just have to do.

I am proud to say that I have all of Seth’s Christmas presents ordered. Every year we say we’re going to plan out our Christmas shopping early enough to order things from America, and every year we procrastinate and end up trying to scrounge up gifts for each other here in China at the last minute (not a pretty sight). But not this year! Of course, since most online stores won’t ship to China, it involves having the various packages sent to my in-laws’ for them to box together and ship here (we’ll pay them for the overseas shipping costs, of course). A tad complicated, but so worth it in the end!

Next I’ve got to figure out what kind of Christmas cards to make; I’m having a hard time narrowing it down. I also still have a couple of fall projects to finish – these end-of-year holidays all just seem to rush together, don’t they? But I’m not complaining – not one bit. This is my favorite time of year!