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Fast & Easy Glass Lanterns
August 31, 2007 in Crafts(and I mean Easy!)
You can't do this wrong! Wrinkles and tears are part of the charm when you make these colorful glass lanterns. Perfect for a late summer party, your kitchen table, or as a hostess gift, these cute lanterns are fast and fun and amazingly pretty!
Supplies:
Vase or Glass Surface
Tissue Paper or Party Napkins
Decoupage Glue -- GLOSS!
Inexpensive Bristle Brush (Sponge kind doesn’t work as well)
Supplies are available at Jo-Ann Stores or any craft supply store
Making the Lanterns
1. Cut bright colored tissue paper into 1 1/2"- 2" squares or long strips for the striped lantern.
2. Pour some decoupage into a throw-away container
3. Starting at the bottom of the vase, spread glue on bottom half of vase.
4. Randomly place tissue squares on decoupage, overlapping as desired. Smooth down with brush, applying more decoupage and making sure that tissue is totally saturated. Places where two colors of tissue overlap will create a third color. Wrinkles in the tissue just add texture. Have fun with this! You can't do it wrong. 5. Continue applying decoupage and tissue until entire vase is covered. Fold tissue over edge at the top and cover with decoupage. Use bristle brush to push tissue into any indents in the glass.
6. Vase will be sticky, so turn it upside down over a glass bottle or set it on a small flowerpot to dry. Allow to dry overnight or until all stickiness is gone.
Embellishing the Lanterns
Use tacky glue or jewel glue to adhere small appliqués or beads. Or string beads onto an elastic string to make a "necklace" for your lantern.
Do not submerge lantern in water! Clean with a damp cloth when needed.
These are festive, fun and perfect for your last Patio Parties of the season. Enjoy! Debbie
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How Cute is She?!
August 30, 2007 in Friendship
My dear friends Jennifer and Robert recently showed my Blog to their 3 1/2 year old daughter, Lena. Being the empathetic little soul that she is, she thought she would give it a try too. I laughed out loud for several minutes after seeing it. I think I should try it in my princess costume – I’ll probably get better results!
Debbie
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Video how-to: mosaic projects
August 30, 2007 in TelevisionMy recent appearance on KXLY's Good Morning Northwest demonstrating how to make mosaic projects (full instructions).
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Any excuse for cake!
August 29, 2007 in Friendship
One of our VIP's from the office, Kat Rickel (Art Studio Manager) is taking a leave from work to do a three month stint of Student teaching second graders. Another VIP, Kris Clifford (Executive Asst. to me!) is taking over her duties. Kris made a cake that expressed her (and our) feelings about life without Kat in the studio.
Kris, the scrapbooking queen of the office, made a darling decorated "Teacher Survival Kit" pail. Inside the pail were an assortment of survival provisions essential to any teacher - such as Tylenol, hand sanitizers, bandages, Kleenex, chocolate, stickers and a variety of caffeinated beverages. Doesn't Mrs. Rickel look like the kind of woman you'd like to know is teaching and tending to second graders!?! We know she is!
Best to her. Debbie
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Lying down on the Job
August 24, 2007 in Well-Being
This looks pretty bad doesn't it?
"Careful, don't trip over the boss - She's lying around on the job, again!" Yes, I do have a very good explanation. I threw my back out and after returning from the Chiropractor I was just following his instructions. Honest. My eyes were open and I was thinking about art the whole time. See, that's the problem with having a photographer right there in the office. Next thing I knew, my disregard for decorum had been captured on film. Talk about a vulnerable position. So, why fight it - I might as well let you see the real me at the office.
At least someone is hard at work at her art table. (That's my super duper wonderful painter, Gil-Jin)
Take it Easy! Debbie
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Roadtrip!
August 20, 2007 in Friendship
It was a Ladies road trip to Seattle this last weekend. Jackie, Carolyn (co-workers), Jackie's daughter, Jenni (29) and I hit the road at 6:30 am last Friday for the 5 hour drive from Spokane to Seattle. It was not my idea to leave that early - but Carolyn insisted we leave early to hit the "Tent Sale" at Ikea. I normally avoid anything called a Tent Sale, because it sounds suspiciously too much like camping. So even though I was the driver I agreed to it as long as our first stop of the morning was Starbucks.
On the ride over, we caught up with "this and that" and all the little dramas that needed discussion. Jenni (who was really hitching a ride to Seattle to visit friends) seemed amused by our familiar, sisterly-like way we conversed and laughed. We work together everyday - so we are pretty comfortable teasing each other to no end.
I don't think I mentioned the real intention of the trip was to attend the Seattle Gift Show, and not to get lost at every turn possible in Renton and Tukwila. (which seemed to plague us) Even though I'm a Seattle native, I don't know those areas well at all. At the end of our driving expedition, shopping, and getting lost and confused.....we finally landed at our hotel. We wound down with dinner and cocktails and solved all the problems of the world over many chuckles. 
The Seattle Gift show was fun and inspiring - but the real topper, was finishing up our day by getting Make-up Make-Overs at Nordstrom.
By the time we drove home on Sunday, our chattiness had subsided. We filled the time by taking turns reading out of "The Book of Useless Information." It was full of useless tidbits like, "For a deck of cards to be mixed up enough to play with properly, it should be shuffled at least seven times;" and "Most toilets flush in E flat." Bet you didn't know that, we sure didn't.
There's nothing like a road trip with "the girls!"
Debbie
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Australia Visitors
August 14, 2007 in Friendship
How sweet these two are! I met them a couple years ago when I visited Sidney, Australia. It brought back great memories of that wonderful visit. (loved seeing the Koala’s, Kangaroo’s and of course all the quilters!) They looked me up when they were visiting the states and we posed for this picture together.
The quilt behind our heads is called “Friendship Hearts.” We designed it for American Patchwork and Quilting magazine and it appeared in their April 1999 issue. (that sounds like a long time ago now) We found out there are no longer back issues available from that month – but “no worries,” we will publish the instructions for it on our website in the near future.
G’day! Debbie
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My strong desire to eat prevents me from Cooking
August 10, 2007 in Food and DrinkIt sounds like a contradictory statement doesn't it? Don't most people cook for the actual PURPOSE of eating? My problem is I just can't wait! As I'm driving up the hill on my way home from work, my brain is thinking, "what should I have for dinner?" As I walk in the door, my stomach starts churning big time. I throw my bags down and whip the refrigerator door open...."is there something that I can grab and eat now?" Next are the cupboards. One after another, I open each food cupboard door looking for just the right thing. "I do want it to be kind of healthy - but what I really want is something now!"
"Okay, what will it be? I really should make us some stir fry OR grill some chicken and veggies on the BBQ. But that would take too long. What can I eat now?"
"Let's see, which of my quickie meals sounds good? Yogurt over a bowl of fruit? A bowl of shelled peanuts? Perhaps a bowl of Grape Nuts? A big bowl of Popcorn?"
You can see, all I really need is bowls! Well, silverware comes in handy too. To smear celery with peanut butter or to cut up an apple and cheddar cheese.
"Can I wait long enough to pick a few leaves of basil from the garden - because that is great with sliced tomato and Havarti (w/dill) cheese."
"No, not tonight, I think what I really want is a good meal. Once again, my strong desire to eat prevents me from cooking."
"Hey Murphy! Get in the car, We're going to "Taste of Thai" NOW!"
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Back to School Preparations
August 1, 2007 in FamilyBack to School hasn’t taken on such significance for me since Murphy’s early school days. 
This fall it’s off to College for the first time. We just went to College Orientation and it was so great to get some of the unknowns addressed, especially for Murphy. He started out the morning nervous and stressed and ended it excited and smiling.
He spent his first night in the dorm and his roommate for the night was quite the social butterfly. Apparently it was a little hard to sleep with visitors coming and going until the wee hours. The kids and parents split up to learn about a lot of the same stuff – but addressed from our differing perspectives. 
Drama students acted out some of 
the phone conversations that many kids and parents exchange early in the college experience – you know like, “Mom, I’ve made the worst mistake of my life,” or “Dad, send money now unless you want me to starve, “ or “I can’t keep up with my classes– but my social life is great,” or “My roommate and I aren’t speaking,” or “I’ve made my own plans for Christmas Break – but I need you to make my reservations and pay for it,” etc, etc…. They helped us plan ahead as parents and students for some of the inevitable transitional issues that are just around the corner.
And of course, we learned about meal plans, dorms, philosophies of a Jesuit education, talked to other parents, and saw a bunch of kids who didn’t look old enough to be going to college.
All in all, I am SO PROUD and THRILLED that Murphy will have this kind of opportunity.
Oh, and he started his summer job working at a restaurant – it was a banner week!
Debbie
