Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Did Somebody Say... Cupcakes?

Candles... and coffee mugs... and bedsheets... oh my! Well, I guess everybody knows me because I got so many awesome cupcake-themed presents this Christmas. And all from different people! Mom got me this awesome sprinkle-topped candle that looks yummy enough to eat! My brother's girlfriend got me the oh-so-true coffee mug... in my favorite color! And Mary—a very good longtime friend of the family—got me these ridiculously cute bed sheets! Who knew?

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas... Everyone!

I hope that on Christmas morning... you awake to find just what you wanted under the Christmas tree! Enjoy your time with family, friends, and furry ones!
Lots of Love,
Michelle xoxoxox

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Snowed In...

A Major Nor'easter dropped about 2 feet of snow here at the Jersey Shore this weekend... with snowdrifts up to 6 feet high! So, leaving my Christmas shopping till the last minute... not such a good idea. But I know not to mess with (fight) Mother Nature. So instead I stayed home and enjoyed the beautiful scenery...

Little "snowdrifts" were on all the windows.

Me digging out the car!

Mom and I took a walk down to the beach. Here's a shot off the Ocean Grove pier.

And... the Bed & Breakfasts just look even prettier with snowfall all around... don't they?

Monday, December 14, 2009

Have A Holly Jolly Christmas...

For a couple of days I was on a press check at Holly Label Company. What does that mean? It means I was on-site for a print run of several labels being created for my employer—Ranger. Now... I can't tell you what they were for, because it's top secret! But we'll be introducing this product at the Winter CHA Trade Show this January... so stay tuned!
Holly Label is a little off the beaten path... on top of a very, very large hill in Nicholson, Pennsylvania. This is the afternoon view from atop that very large hill... gorgeous, huh?
Upon my arrival... everyone made me feel right at home. I really felt like a member of the Holly "family". They are a fun, close knit group!

John Carr Jr., pictured on the left... is the owner of Holly Label. A savvy businessman, he always puts the customer first and even meets our impossible deadlines! I used to call him a Saint... but he professed that he would rather be a Sir... as Saints are people who have passed! Did I mention he was a funny guy?

On the right is Dan... the Printing Press Operator. He's also a Taxidermist (no cats, please!), and a Martial Arts Instructor. He was very patient... explaining the Flexographic printing process to me and he had a great eye for color. It made everything go really smoothly on press.

All-in-all it was a great visit and all goals were not only met, but exceeded. Not a bad couple days' work!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Me-ow!

Okay, so it's a little late for Halloween... but I finally finished my Kitty Kat Petite Doll collage. I made the background dark so the girl and the moon would stand out and really pop. I wasn't sure if having just the tree on the left made that side too plain... so I was debating whether or not to add an owl on the bottom branch.

It's really interesting to see the difference between this piece and the first doll I created in the Suzi Blu style. I actually drew that one in 5 minutes because I just couldn't wait to get started with all the techniques I had learned! I do love these "dolls" because it's the first technique in a long time where I feel like my style is coming through. I really am finding myself... and getting my creative confidence back! Me-ow!