Sugar*Sugar

tiny christmas update

Hey friends!

Today is a rainy day... and I'm kinda glad. The kids are on a week long vacation from school for Thanksgiving. We have been resting, reading, drinking lots of hot cocoa and watching every good movie on television.

It's so nice to just rest. 

I'm taking advantage of the yucky weather and staying in the studio. I've got a million unfinished projects I hope to complete this week.

I've just listed these new and improved sugared candy canes in the etsy shop. I added more "frosting" and some ribbon and sparkle with vintage mercury glass beads and tinsel. The photos are not that great, thanks to the rain, but I promise they are sugary sweet and better in real life! :)

I've also added these fun ice cream ornaments... they look so yummy on the tree!

Last week, I added these mini trees to the shop.  Believe me when I say "mini"... they are really tiny. Perfect for those small projects and mini village houses you are all making this year.

Well, I'm off to glitter something or make something or drink some cocoa... not sure which or in what order... Hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving!

chat soon friends,

xo/Analise

the blog you never saw

Well, I had this whole blog written... and ya, it guess it wasn't meant to be. It was a little sad and down and said that basically 2010 sucked. 

As I went to save it as a draft, it disappeared. Completely gone. *sigh*

I will tell you this, I feel better after writing it down. Even if you all never get to read it, I helped me. 

:0)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

So, now I guess I'll show you the pictures! 

I found some great goodies this week while hitting the thrift shops. Christmas stuff is out for all you thrifters out there, happy hunting!

 

 

Happy Sunday Everyone!

xo/Analise

 

Amy Powers' Inspired Ideas Magazine

I'm so excited to share Amy Powers' new Holiday issue of Inspired Ideas with you all!!

(photo courtesy of Amy Powers)

You will *LOVE* this issue, there are so many great projects, decorating ideas and inspiring photos. 

(photo courtesy of Amy Powers)

Click HERE to go directly to Amy's Inspired Ideas!!

Go check it out and share it with all of your friends! You might see yours truly hanging around the pages too... *wink*

xo/Analise

 

Election Day

Hi Friends! Just a little encouragement for all of you girlies out there...

Hope you take the time to vote today!!

xo/Analise

what's up

Hi Bloggers!

I can hardly believe it is already November 1st! This year has flown by for me. We've been keeping busy with school activities, after school sports and 3 birthdays in the month of October. 

I am still working part time, helping out my husband. I am really enjoying that, but missing my blog and studio!! I have so many ideas for Christmas and hope to get to all of them in the next few weeks. I will share a couple of ideas with you all as tutorials... fun, yes?

My camera decided to throw a fit and stop working. Sooo, until I can buy a new one, I've been using the camera on my phone. Not ideal, but it'll have to do. :) I see lots of photoshop in my future....

I have really enjoyed seeing all of the creative costumes from everyone on facebook and other blogs. Thought I would sign off with a few Halloween pics.

Super Mario

Ethel, the Lunch Lady

Corn on the Cob

The Mad Hatter

and last but not least, me... as a "sweet witch". 

chat soon friends!

Analise

 

 

some new projects

A little peek of what I'm working on... I just may skip Fall altogether...

xo/Analise

Welcome to my world!

Hi friends!

Popping in to say hello! If this is your first time visiting my blog and/or came from Crescendoh.com I want to welcome you!

I am so happy you stopped by to visit my blog! I am beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to be one of the guest curators for Crescendoh this week!! I've shared a lot of links to my favorite blogs and websites that are total inspiration for me year round. They will change daily, you can find them all HERE. :o)

Also, my ART SAVES story can be found HERE. It is my personal story of where I've come from and how art has been so influential in my life. My story is very personal and to be honest, more details than I've ever shared on my blog. So, if you want the juicy gossip, go check it out. *wink*

Feel free to browse around and check me out!

A few things you may enjoy seeing...

My flickr photos can be viewed HERE. Photos can be viewed in sets and by date.

My web shop, The Sugar Sugar Shop... more unique supplies and a few handmade items, updated seasonally. 

My etsy shop, more bright, fun and sweet supplies.

 

Thanks again for coming by and taking the time to read a little about me. Like I've always said, I am so lucky to be able to do what I do, to connect with all of you and share my small part of the world with you.

love love...

Analise

I'm here and I'm trying

Hi there! I made a treasury today! I've never made one before, and always just added things to my "favorites" list on Etsy. So, I heard that anyone can make a treasury now, and I jumped on the chance, finally! :) I think I'll be making a lot of these...

Check it out Here! 

   

So, what's going on with me??? 

I was chatting with my friend on the phone today and confessed that I am totally burnt out. Now I'm confessing to you all, I'm going through really hard time. Things in my life lately have been really difficult. I can't go into details but I can tell you that my family is facing some really difficult things and we could really use your prayers. ;0)

My studio has been clean and sitting quietly for months now. I haven't worked on anything... no projects, no orders, no nothing! It has been a much needed break and I really want to get back in and work, but it's probably going to be a slower process than I want. I feel stuck. I really want to get in and make and create, but it's almost like I can't MAKE myself do it! I feel like my creative side has completely shut itself down for the time being. It's still there, but resting and waiting for the rest of me.

For now, I am taking it slow, looking for inspiration (the treasury took me all day!) and reminding myself of why I love creating in the first place. It takes me somewhere... to a better, happier, more expressive and more fulfilled me. 

I hope you will all stick with me through this... my blog has suffered and gone unattended. Just want you to know I'm working on it and hope to be back in some capacity, no matter how small. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Analise

A Book for Baby

Hi friends!! Long time no blog! ha ha 

Summer is in full swing and I am in full MOM mode, thus less blogs lately! My studio hasn't seen any action lately, but I'm okay with it. :0) We've been busy playing board games, running in the sprinkler, reading lots of books, movies and video games. 

Every day the kids have at least 1 hour of quiet reading time, where I can either take a nap, read or catch up on DVR'd television. Today, I took the time to stop by and say hi to all of you!!

In my last blog, I showed you some peeks of a project I made for Holly and her new baby. Since she's now received it, I can show you some more pics of what I made. 

 

I started with a stack of vintage hankies... I've had this idea for a fabric book for a while, but wasn't sure how I would make it work. To make the hankie pages, I used double sided fusible interfacing (Stitch Witchery or Fusible Web) to fuse them together then stitched them with the sewing machine.

 

I added lots of fun trims to the sides and edges of the details. I love trims so much, this is how I love to use them because they don't get lost underneath and get the attention they deserve! ;0)

After the pages were made, I added some simple papers (again using the fusible web... just iron to adhere the paper to fabric) so that Holly can embellish, journal or add whatever she likes to the scrapbook.

 

 

Here I added a vintage hankie case, it opens like a little pocket to store little what-nots.

 

 

 

This was a really fun project and turned out better than I had envisioned! If you make one for yourself, I suggest using a strong interfacing between the hankies, to make a bit of a stronger page. Keep it simple and let the hankies show themselves off a little, after all they are so pretty just by themselves!

 
 
 Enjoy Holly!

XO/ Analise

 

something for baby

I've had this completely project sitting in my studio waiting to be shipped for quite a while now... I guess with all of the hustle and bustle of the last month or so it became one of those "out of sight, out of mind" things. My apologies to Holly for such a delay!! :)

I thought I would at least show a few sneak peeks of the gift I made for her and her new Baby boy. I'm shipping it today, so I'll wait until she receives it to show you the rest!

 

 

 

  I can tell you this much, her little baby looks like such a sweet little snuggle bug!! Such a cutie!! Holly has also recently released some new adorable illustration prints I know you will all really love. You can see Holly's work (and little pic of her new baby boy) at her website, HollyAbston.com.

xo,

Analise