Creative Chaos...

Have you ever had one of those weeks when you feel like you should be wrapped in Creative Chaos Caution tape?
I've been busy crafting and working on several projects that will be wrapped up and photographed shortly (I hope). I'm TRYING to get caught up on some of my scrapbooking. Is there such a thing as being 'caught up'???
So, one of my projects, determine which Chipboard Album Class to teach in October/November. Which album would you take a class for? I'd love to get your input!!

I have two goals tonight - finish & photograph the two LO's I have been working on AND finish cleaning out the messy closet (Got that 'spring' cleaning itch over the weekend.....guess my body clock must be off......DOH!).
I hope your are all finding creativity today!

Min

What Holiday are You?

You Are Thanksgiving

You are a bit of a homebody who enjoys being in the company of people you love. It doesn't take a lot to make you happy. You're enjoying life as it is. You have many blessings in your life, and you are grateful for each one. You believe that life is about what you *do* have. You feel like you have enough of the good stuff. What makes you celebrate: Family, friends, and the changing of the seasons. At holiday get togethers, you do best as: The host of the party On a holiday, you're the one most likely to: Spend so much energy preparing that it's a full time job

What Holiday Are You?

My favorite string of holidays are right around the corner, Halloween, Turkey Day & Christmas.

So, take the quiz and tell us, WHAT HOLIDAY ARE YOU?

Wishing you sunshine & creativity!

Min

I Pity The Fool....and so does Mr. T

Who doesn't take a look at these super cute invitations!
I can't get over how well they turned out. (I still have about 1/2 of them left to finish assembling, but I'm just about there!!). So, I thought I'd show you one of the finished invites.

The photos are a little rough - bad light today.....

Here's the Front...

Here's the front, partially open... Here's the inside & the inside so you can see Mr. T better. The concept was supposed to be the back of the A-Team van. What do you think?

Mission Accomplished?

Wishing you a day filled with sunshine & creativity!

Min

HAPPY FALL!!

Wishing you all a Happy Fall!
So, tell me your FAVORITE thing about Fall??

Mine?

I Love the Beautiful Colors of Nature,

The Crunch of Apples picked from the trees,

And the Pumpkins!!

Wishing you a day of sunshine & creativity!

Min

A Great Cause - Alzheimer's Association

As I was checking out some of my favorite blogs today, I visited Cammie's Blog and had to link it here.

Today, is World Alzheimer's Day. And like Cammie, those who suffer from Alzheimer's hold a place in my heart. My grandma passed away last April of Alzheimer's and dementia after complications. Glen's grandma passed away the previous June, also suffering with this disease. It is a terrible disease, not only for those suffering, but for the caregivers as well. It is thankless work, mentally, emotionally & physically. My mom & dad took care of my grandma before she passed away, and Glen's mom and dad visited his grandma many times each week while she was being cared for. Glen and I both experienced first hand, just how difficult and trying this disease is on everyone.

Cammie is sponsoring a $1000 Blog Candy contest on her site (http://myblogbycammie.blogspot.com/2008/09/heart-to-heart-blog-candy.html), and asking that people make cards to thank caregivers of Alzheimer's patients. You can send it to someone you know who is a caregiver of a Alzheimer's patient, or, if you are lucky enough not to know anyone dealing with this disease, you can send it to a local Alzheimer's care facility in your area or check out Cammie's blog for the address of the facility her grandma was at.

So, for all your cardmakers & crafty folks out there, please support this fantastic cause - there is SOMEONE whose day would be made with a simple Thank You card!

Thanks for participating!

Wishing you Sunshine & Creativity!
Min

Mr. T Has LEFT the Building

And he's completely clothed, Bling included. So this is what I've been working on all week! This is my Mr. T Army! My nephew is having his first birthday the end of October and my sister chose the party theme of the 80's (as in the era in time when Parachute Pants, Super Tall Bangs, Madonna & AC/DC- were in their prime - yep, those 80's).

And because Tommy will be dressed up as Mr. T for his first birthday party, it was decided that an A-Team themed invitation was in my future.....

There's a lot more that goes with the Mr. T invitations, I just haven't finished that part up yet....but I just thought I'd show ya what I've been working on.

Well, I'll leave you with those googley eyed little Mr. T's to chuckle at today (By the way, they're all 3.5" tall, Bling included. :o) Here he is up close - (sorry for the blurry photo)

Glen and I are off to take on Tiger Woods again tonight. He MUST be BEATEN!!

Wishing you Sunshine & Creativity this weekend!

Min

Happy Birthday Mrs. Dettloff!!

Wishing my Dear Friend Susan
A Happy First Birthday as a Mrs!!!

Here's wishing you a fabulous birthday!
Your GO BLUE Friends!
Min & Glen

We have a diagnosis!! WOO HOO!!!

AAADD

I have now finally figured out what I have!!
- KNOW THE SYMPTOMS.....PLEASE READ! -
Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder.
Somehow I feel better,even though I have it!!
Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. -
Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.

As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where
I find the can of Coke I'd been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.

The Coke is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter
catches my eye--they need water.

I put the Coke on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.
Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote,
but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table,

so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day: the car isn't washed

the bills aren't paid

there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter

the flowers don't have enough water

there is still only 1 check in my check book

I can't find the remote

I can't find my glasses

and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all the day long,

and I'm really tired.I realize this is a serious problem,
and I'll try to get some help for it,
but first I'll check my e-mail.... Do me a favor.
Forward this message to everyone you know,
because I don't remember who I've sent it to.

Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming!!

Hope this at least gave you a little chuckle!

Off to add the Bling, Facial Hair and Mohawk to Mr. T!

Wishing you a productive & creative day!

Min

Freezer Jam & Kittens - Chapter Two

Isn't this the most beautiful Jam?
Mom titled the jar on the left, the one the 'elephant sat on'.

My mom and I had a wonderful time this weekend!

The Freezer Jam experience alone is worthy of its own page in the ole' scrapbook! Because neither mom or I have ever made the freezer jam, we had no idea how much 'STUFF' we'd need (peaches, jars, sugar, pectin etc.). So, on our FIRST trip to Mejiers for some munchies, necessities and Jelly Jars, we thought we were set. So home we traveled (this was AFTER the trip to pick up not one, but 2 kittens--photos below, a trip to the yarn shop and a stop at Kohls).

We started peeling our peaches, cleaning the jars, boiling the lids and reading directions (good call here). So, we got our first 2 large bowls of sugar & peaches mixed together, and realized that we were going to need more pectin and and A LOT more jars too......Who would have thought that 14 pouds of peaches could make so much Jam! Hence, trip number 2 out into the monsoon rain to Kroger we went.....of course, we had to pick up more salsa and chips as we put a large dent into the one we'd picked up on the FIRST trip....

And wouldn't you know it!? They were out of the pectin, but had jars, chips & salsa. So, we picked up those things and BACK to Meijer we went (it's still raining and about 6:30).

It was a comedy of errors, but my mom and I had a good laugh all the way home.

Poor Glen - not only was the weekend a TERRIBLE football weekend, I think he officially figured out where I get my ADD - doing 25 things at once, mass chaos syndrome from!!!

We had just enough of the jars for 4 batches of Peach Freezer Jam - not enough jars for strawberry.....maybe next year.....

Okay, so on to the kitty photos....mom & dad were only going to get 1 kitten. There's a wonderful Animal Care Center not too far from our house (Auburn Hills Animal Care Center for anyone who is looking for a new best friend who wants to love you....). The folks there were absolutely WONDERFUL! So, we went in and looked at the 70+ kitties they had - kittens, little-itty-bitty kitties, toddler kitties and some adult kitties too. I wanted to take them ALL home. About 1/2 way through, we found the sweetest gray & white tiger. She was waving to us from her cage. She's such a lover kitty! And boy, what a little motor she has. She's got the biggest ears and the longest tail and body and is just a sweetheart. (Glen playing with sweet kitty - he called her 'Squeeks'. She loved his wool slippers for some reason - they were fast friends!)

So, as mom is telling me, okay, no more pets, she finds a cute little black, white and brown calico kitty with a tiny face and body, and a voice that is much larger than her tiny body. She too was waving at us - mainly mom! Mom fell in love with her. (This is her Sunday after we picked her up from 'camp'. She was feeling a bit owie!).Our rational - you can't just have one kitten! So of course, I had to call my dad and tell him mom was bring two kitties home - their kitty and 'MY' new kitty who would like nothing better than to stay at mom & dad's.

My kitty had already been fixed, mom's kitty, had not, so we took one home and the other one spent the night to go to 'camp' as we call it around our house. We picked 'Cali' up Sunday afternoon.

Aren't they just the sweetest little things??

So, project wise, other than the Freezer Jam and the Kittens, I'm currently in the process of dressing 50 Mr. T dolls for 80's themed birthday invitations I'm working on. I think I made my mom chuckle when I told her I had 50 little clothes-less Mr. T's with only their boots on on my craft table. Kind of comical if you think about it! I'll be sure to post the completed invitation.

Okay, so off I go to dress the little Mr. T's!

Wishing you all a dry week (it has finally stopped raining here...), with sunshine and creativity!

Min

Hairapy, A New Kitten, Freezer Jam, Prototypes, Knitting & Football...

That's what the weekend is turning out to consist of.
And what a perfect weekend for it all, as it sounds like it's supposed to rain the entire weekend!

I'm SO READY for a good haircut & style. Do you ever get to the point where your hair takes on a personality & mind of its own? And this unfortunately is the "I'll do what I want, when I want" personality....not the "Sure, I'll work with you this morning" personality (a much nicer personality to deal with. We'll, the Ugly personality seems to be with me - EVERY MORNING lately!!

I'm ready to look like a new woman and get an ugly personality attitude adjustment!

I'll be SERIOUSLY SMILING about 10:30 tomorrow morning!

Since my dad is going to be out of town this weekend, my mom decided she is coming to spend the weekend with Glen and I. I always look forward to any time we get to spend with either of our parents.

We always manage to have a good time (and the food's not 1/2 bad either!)

This weekend our itinerary includes:

Mom's arrival - 1 pm

A trip to Oakland County Pet Rescue to pick up a kitten for Mom & Dad (and I've been informed, a KITTEN and nothing else - I'm supposed to have a strong talk with Mom per her direction if she tries to bring anything else but the kitten home).
A trip to the local Yarn Shop to touch everything & find something fun & new to knit for winter.

(and of course, pick up the wool yarn to make our trademark felted slippers - photo to follow at a later, more complete date :o)).

At this point, Glen be watching Michigan whoop on Notre Dame.

Arrive back home, with wonderfully yarn treasures & get football update.

Begin squishing up ripe peaches and strawberries to make freezer jam.

I'm not sure about you, but I've never made freezer jam before. Or done any thing that involves 'canning' anything. I'm a pretty good cook, but when my mom went through the canning phase, I didn't think I had any interested in trying to funnel all those silly string beans into the mouth of a canning jar......

In any case, I'm very excited about making of this freezer jam! Can I tell you what a time I've had trying to find ripe peaches?! But have no fear, 'Have Peaches, will Jam!'

After freezer jam is done, we'll be making a yummy recipe we found in the Taste of Home Light & Tasty magazine. I LOVE these Taste of Home magazines. Mom K (my mom-in-law) got me a subscription to Cooking for 2 when it first came out, and I've become ADDICTED to all the Taste of Home magazines. Thank goodness you can view all the recipes online!! YIKES, something else I'm addicted to!

Here's the recipe for this weekend's yummy tummy meal. We were going to make it earlier in the week, but decided to wait as we thought mom might really enjoy it as well!

Chicken with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
4 boneless/skinless Chicken Breast halves

1/4 tea Salt

1 T Canola Oil

2 Med. Onions, chopped

1/2 c Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth

2 Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and minced

2 tea Ground Cumin

3 oz Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese, cubed

1/4 c Reduced-Fat Sour Cream

3 Plum Tomatoes, seeded & chopped (we'll use the Roma's from our garden)

2 cups hot cooked rice or pasta

We'll also add 1/2 a Cubanelle Pepper, a bit of fresh minced garlic (you can NEVER have too much garlic) and some freshly ground pepper.

Directions: Sprinkle Chicken with salt. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, brown chicken in oil on both sides. We usually grill the chicken, but if weather prohibits, inside cooking is just fine. Add the onions, broth, jalapenos & cumin (cubanelle, garlic & ground pepper if you wish). Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and let simmer for 5-7 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. Remove chicken and keep warm.

Stir in the cream cheese and sour cream into the onion mixture until blended. Stir in tomatoes, and heat thoroughly. Serve with chicken and rice/pasta. Makes 4 servings.

As Rachel Ray would say - YUMM-O!!

Provided we're not all passed out with full stomachs after dinner, mom will be knitting and I'll be working on parts & pieces for the 80s Bash Birthday invitations. I've got a LOT of little Mr T's Mohawks & goatee's to attach - not to mention the amount of gold chains he wears!

So, now that I feel like I'm all over the place and have adult ADD, I wanted to share a creative project! Pardon the photos, like a doof I forgot to take photos before we were en route to our Girls Day Out Festivities when I was going to deliver this little container to the Bride-to-be! DOH!

I used the Accent Essentials Cart for the frames and then attached a shadow to it as well. Both on the lid as well as the front of the cute little paint can. The paper was Heidi Swapp I believe (it was the same paper that she used as part of her wedding invitation packaging). The flowers on the lid were a few extras from the Wedding Shadow Box I did for her bridal shower, as was the beady lace.

The Buttons - my mom got me hooked on buttons. But that's a story for another time.

Thanks for looking today and listening to the incoherent babble!

Hopefully I'll have a few somethings to show for on Monday after our creative chaos this weekend!

I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend - filled with productivity & creativity.

Min

One of my most favorite Holiday is right around the corner....

And I couldn't help but "start" to get some of my orange pumpkin stuff out!

These 'Punkins' are courtesy of my crafty mom (HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!) and dad

(dad does the dangerous stuff - the electric saw cutting!)

Aren't they just the CUTEST?!

With Halloween right around the corner, Glen and I need to start seriously contemplating our costumes for my Godson Colin's 3rd Birthday (he's a Halloween Day Baby)! This year's birthday theme is Cooking. Colin is going to be a 'CHEF'. Hmmmmm - what to be?

Suggestions? I'd love to hear ideas you all have!

Happy scrappin'!

Min

What Font Are You?

I'm sure many of you that scrapbook are a Font-a-holic like I am.

You can NEVER have too many fonts!!
So, click the link above and take this quiz and let us know WHAT FONT YOU ARE!

You Are Palatino

You consider yourself to be creative and artistic. And you'd like everyone else to know it! You take design and aesthetics seriously. You like everything in your life to be unique and beautiful - but never gaudy!

What Font Are You?

I'm off to start working on 1st Birthday 80s BASH invitations for my nephew.

Wishing you an evening full of relaxation & creativity.

Min

Happy Birthday to My Dear Friend Amy!

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday - Happy Happy Birthday to my Dear Friend Amy!
Happy Birthday to you!!
Here's wishing you a wonderfully enjoyable Birthday!

It is a very good thing that there is NO sound to this Happy Birthday Song!! I'm sure Colin will do a much better job singing!!!

Happy Cake Eating!!!

Hugs - Min

The Great Pumpkin.....

is complete & making his appearance!!

For sometime now I've found inspiration in Regina Easter's beautiful cards and works that she's posted on the Cricut website. And I make it a habit to frequent her two blogs, Hand to Paper and Bitten By The Bug (both listed to the left). I always read through her challenges to her design team and the contests she posts and say to myself, 'I wish I had the time'. Well, for the first time, I HAVE the time and I'm entering contest.

Since last winter, I've had so much fun making chipboard albums. In my first post, I showed you one of my most recent albums, the Bridal Shower album.

Earlier this month I ordered the Pumpkin Album. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with it, but when I saw The BBTB contest, I KNEW this was the prefect project for the contest! Well, here's the fall edition- My Too Cute Pumpkin Album! Thanks to Debbie Gillett at Laser Lady (check out her website, she does awesome work) for designing & cutting the Chipboard Album Pumpkin shape.

Everything else from there is courtsey of my Halloween Creativity (I LOVE HALLOWEEN) and my trusty Cricut! My Paper Dolls & Stretch your Imagination Carts have gotten quite the workout for this album.

The Printed Paper is both Doodlebug (from my stash) and flocked Heidi Swapp (some new stuff I found). Most everything else is stuff I've had in my stash or scrap bin!
How cute are the little googly eyes? I'm sure I got a little 'googly eye' happy, but thought were absolutely ADORABLE!
Well, that's the Creativity from this weekend!
Wishing you sunshine & rainbows!
Min

I've been tagged....

By my cousin Teri -
TAG - YOU'RE IT! If you opened it, you have to do it (it only takes a couple minutes I swear!) Then, send it to the rest of your friends!
Two names you go by 1. Mindi 2. Min
Two things you are wearing right now: 1. Blue Jeans 2. Fleece Pull-over (It's gettin Chilly!)
Two things you want very badly at the moment 1. To go to the beach 2. To spend a rainy day scrappin
Two people who will most likely send this back 1.Amy 2. ???
Three things you did last night: 1. Had a bonfire 2. Made Kielbasa & Kraut 3. Watched football
Two things you ate today: 1. Taco Dip (watching football) 2. Left over basa & Kraut
Two people you last talked to: 1. Glen 2. Jessy
Two longest car rides: 1. Florida 2. Myrtle Beach
Two favorite beverages: 1. Iced Tea 2. Water, no lemon
Now, here's what you're supposed to do ... And please do not spoil the fun.
Hit forward, delete my answers and type in your answers. Then send this to a whole bunch of people you know INCLUDING the person who sent it to you!
I invite everyone to participate!

Pumpkin Progress is being made....

But I can't share the photos quite yet.......
Hope everyone is having a terrific weekend!

Happy Crafting!
Min

A Welcome Creative Haven

Welcome to Kaymin Kreations - A Creative Haven for Ideas & Inspiration

I've had such a great time with our 'family' blog, I decided it's only fitting to create our Kaymin Kreations 'crafty' blog - my own little Kreative Paradise.

So, no more babble - Let the creativity begin!

This was a wedding shower gift I created for my girlfriend Sue who got married last weekend. The Shadow Box was done in colors that matched her wedding color scheme. It has a place for a 5x7 wedding photo of the bride and groom on their special day.

My mom who owns an Embroidery Store in Ann Arbor, MI (Unique-A-Peel Embroidery), embroidered the hankies with Sue & Kris' name and their wedding date. The hankies were given to special family and friends at the wedding. The Bride and Groom both carried one as well.
Lastly, my most recent favorite creations - CHIPBOARD ALBUMS!

This Bridal Shower Album was purchased through Debbie Gillett, owner of http://www.laserlady.net/. She's a pleasure to work with and I LOVE the albums she creates.

Page by Page photos are below. I'm addicted to my Cricut, and anyone who is a Cricut fanatic like I am knows I used a TON of Cricut cuts! Here's a quick Laundry List of 'stuff' I used on this album, I'm sure there's something I left out, but you get the idea.

Carts used: Walk in My Garden (for flowers/wheel barrow), George (for hearts), Tear Drop (for text - with multiple features used. . . . ), Jasmine (for Photo Corners), Christmas Cheer (for gifts & swirls) MM for Scalloped square

Sizzix die for some add'l swirls

Also used Primas, misc. buttons, skittles, pearls, inks, stamps & cuttlebug embossing folders(Dvine Swirls & Swiss Dots) for photo mats. The photo mats are for either 3x4 photos or 2x3 photos. Because she had 2 bridal showers, I did 2 separate sets of pages for each shower and in between the adjoining pages, I shrunk down the invite and laminated it so she would have it in this album, but it wouldn't take up precious photo space. There are a lot of little places where I have pull tags for additional photos and journaling as she LOVES photos.
Thanks so much for stopping by, feel free to comment, or just say hi.

I'm not quite sure which direction this blog will go, but I'll figure that out as we go along!
Tonight includes working on a little creation for a contest entry on the Bitten by The Bug site.
Hope your day is filled with Sunshine & Rainbows and LOTS of Creativity!!

- Min