Leap Year!

29 days in February this year.  Who invented Leap Year and why?  Makes no sense to me.  But nonetheless, we get an extra day this month.

I have been more crafty this month and I am loving it!!  I started a Smash Book.  'What's a Smash Book?' you ask.  Well it's this lovely little book that you literally smash all your miscellaneous goodies in.  Anything you want.  It can have a theme or not.  I just put in a bunch of stuff that I don't want to put on a scrapbook page but do want to keep like business cards from my favorite stores, notes from friends, pictures I love.  Now most people make their own Smash Books but since this is my first one, I purchased a cute pre-made one at Michael's by K & Company.  Here are a few pages:

So far I am happy with the result. I'm kind of  a neat scrapper so my stuff isn't really 'smashed' but it's in there.  Top pages are just random pics I took, a list of songs from a contest Nancie and I did at a scrapbooking retreat 7 years ago (yes I hang onto that crap).  Bottom is more pics I took and a tag.  Just random hoo-hah.  Fun though.

I have also been embroidering a lot.  I LOVE to embroider because it's a kind of mindless thing I can do while I watch TV or something.  Plus that's my go to project to take with me for a short craft day with the girls.  I don't have to haul as much stuff with me as I do when we go crop.  So, to celebrate Jim's and my (?) 13th anniversary, I made this:

OMG it's my FAVORITE!!!  13 years ago on Valentine's Day we had our first date.  Actually, we both kinda got dumped by our prospective Valentine's so I invited him over to watch movies.  "Slums of Beverly Hills" was an embarassing choice but we've been together since.  So 13 years, 3 kids and 4 dogs later, here we are.  Still going strong and I love him more now than I ever did.  Lucky me!

And the second one I created I stole from a Starbuck's cup.  Yes, we crafty people can find inspiration just about anywhere.  If you went to Starbuck's during February, they had this really cute Valentine's themed cup.  So I cut it out, scanned it, enlarged it and then traced it to sew.  This is the end result:

I love the way it turned out and the colors make me smile!!!

And I actually made a canvas the other day.  I am really trying to break out of my shell and do more artsy type stuff but my brain isn't having it.

The dress from is a chipboard page from a Maya Road album, used a rub-on from My Mind's Eye and the quote is from Teresa Collin's new line.  So pretty.

On the home front, we're all trucking along.  My brother is in Afghanistan for the next year and we are praying for his safety and that of his unit.  I can't wait for all of this conflict to be over!!!

And of course, let's talk about FOOD!!!  Now anyone who knows me has heard me brag about my mother's homemade tortillas.  This lady woke up everyday at 4AM to make homemade tortillas for my dad before he went to work.  Then made them again in the afternoon for dinner.  And they were literally mouthwatering.  They melted in your mouth and Lord help me, we would eat them as fast as they came off of the 'placa' (Griddle to you gringos).  Well once they divorced my mom didn't have as much time to make tortillas and well, mine came out like frisbees.  Really.  So last week I go to Safeway and find these in the refrigerator aisle:

I have tried many a 'like homemade' tortillas in my time and I have been disappointed time and again.  But no more!  These tortillas were JUST LIKE MOM'S!!!!!!  Now it was $3.49 for a dozen but that's just about what you pay for the premade ones.  And these are BETTER.  I will never buy any other tortillas again.  So go get some.  NOW.  They are in the refrigerated section of the store and they are amazing.

Last but not least, we made a couple of trips out to Hazel's in Antioch.  I was raised in Antioch and had never been there.  I know, bad me.  But about a month ago my mom, Vincent and I were driving through and my mom said, let's go have a Willy Burger.  So we pull in to this old drive-in diner.  Check it out:

Mom said back in the day you would pull up, flash your headlights and a car hop would come out and take your order.  So we go in and there's a large party having dinner there.  And it turns out to be one of the ladies who used to be a car hopper there having a birthday dinner with her family.  The nostalgia in this place was amazing.  Just tons of stuff from the 50's.  So much I actually had to go back with my camera to take pictures.

It was so cool!  The service there was great, very friendly and the food came out in a timely manner.  And check out the infamous Willy Burger:

It was HUGE.  And soooo good!  My mom and I split one but Jim and Vincent were able to polish off a whole one by themselves!!!!!  And not bad for $11.

OK that's it for now.  Long one huh?  Well I've been storing this up for awhile.  Now I can go take a nap.  Have a wonderful day!  And post a comment!!!!!

xo

Tab

Hey, I'm Back!

No, I didn't go anywhere.  I've just been AWOL for a really really long time.  Honestly, about a month ago I spent about an hour on a new post and guess what?  The damn thing wouldn't upload.  Don't you just love technology?

So it's a new year and I decided to actually make a resolution this year.  I mean really, who keeps those things anyway?  Well this one is one I intend to follow through on.  OK (deep breath) I joined Weight Watchers.  Yep, I bit the bullet and decided it was time.  I mean there's a point when you have to admit that it is no longer post-baby fat.  It's just freakin' fat.  That point came about 6 months ago but I had to come to grips with letting go of my beloved cupcake/pastry/frappacino obsession.  The family is being supportive and encouraging.  Except when Jim came home last weekend with a box of danishes 'for the kids' and I about lunged at him for one.  Seriously, keep the danish away.  You will get hurt.  So far I've lost 2 lbs.  I know, whoop-dee-frickin-doo but it's a start.  Plus I started working out and started eating fruits and vegetables.  *Gasp!*  Yes even the green ones Mom.  I really do like the WW plan but I swear, if I see Jennifer Hudson's skinny ass singing about how much weight she's lost one more time, I'm going to kick the TV in.  OK we get it Jenn, you're skinny now.  I'm still fat.  Can you just give me some time?

This Christmas was by far the best Christmas we've had in YEARS.  My brother was actually home for the first time in ages and we all spent the holiday together including my dad, step-mom AND my mother.  It was amazing and nice to have everyone together.  As always, his visit is never long enough but we are grateful he was home.

Vince is in his 3rd quarter at school now and doing fabulous.  It is amazing to see you little boy turning into a man.  I'm like, when did you start growing a moustache?  It is so weird to see hair on his face!  As for the wee ones, they run me ragged as always but they seem be growing out of their terror stages.  Thank God for that!  Seriously, you have 4 rambunctious boys and tell me the thought of selling one doesn't cross your mind.  Can't do it huh?  But honestly, they bring me so much joy.

When my brother was home we took a ride out to Napa to visit some wineries.  What a bunch a fun!!  We went to Robert Mondavi which was really pretty.  Tasted some reds there and then drove down the road to the Berringer Winery which is my favorite.  Joined their 'free' wine club.  Not so free but totally worth it.  So once a quarter I get 6 bottles of wines I like (the sweet white wines) for $36!!!!  What a deal!  Plus we get access to the 'exclusive' area of the main house and their special tasting room.  Plus all of our tastings are FREE.  Now who can say no to free booze?  NOT ME!!!

  This last weekend Jim and I drove out the get our first order. It was a beautiful day in Napa and we took the time to stroll downtown.

We stopped at this beautiful kitchen store I think it was called Olives.  They had the most amazing stuff in there.  These huge vats of different olive oils that you could sample, different dips.  And really nice kitchen supplies and dishes.

Then we stopped in a shoe store called Footcandy.  Now I've seen Laboutin's and Manolo's on TV but never in person.  And lo and behold, right there on this table were a stunning pair of each.  OMG.  Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not a super girly girl.  But what girl doesn't appreciate a beautiful pair of shoes?  They literally beckoned to me from the sidewalk.  'Come on Tab.  Look at how I'm sparkly and pretty.  You can just come in and touch me.  A touch is free."  I couldn't resist.  I dragged my poor husband in there, grabbed the shoe excitedly and shoved it in his face.  "Look," I said enthusiastically.  "Do you KNOW what these are?  DO YOU?"  And being the man he is, shakes his head not sure if he should be afraid or not.  "These are freakin' LABOUTIN'S!  Here, in the open for anyone to touch."  He's like, "oooookay."  I grab the next shoe.  "And this," I say shoving it in his face.  "This is a Manolo.  They wear these on 'Sex and the City'."  His eyes light at the one thing he does know.  "Now, look at the bottom."

He takes the shoe from my hand and his eyes about pop out of his skull.

"What?"  he exclaims.  "What freakin' idiot would spend A THOUSAND DOLLARS ON SHOES????"  I sheepishly look at the lady at the table across from us.  The lady looking at another paid of Laboutins.  Yes, that idiot over there.  She's spending a thousand dollars on a pair of shoes.  Needless to say, we left VERY soon after.
The moral of this story: NEVER bring a man who does not understand the concept of fancy shoes into a fancy shoe store.  He WILL embarass you.

All in all, it was a fabulous day.  I got a box of wine.  And not the 'box' with the spout on the side.  I spent a lovely day with my lobster AND I got to hold not only a pair of Laboutin's but also a pair of Manolo's.

And that's about it.  I am looking forward to a wonderful, prosperous year.  And a year where I will finally get a handle on being a healthier person, get back to creating more and spending some quality time with my family.  Where does the time go?  So what do you have planned for 2012?  I hope this year is a blessed one for you and yours and as usual, I will try to post more.  But don't hold your breath.  Lord knows you could die if you do.

I Saw Jesus at BART Today

No really, I did.  I don't mean like, he descended from the clouds and appeared to me.  I mean he came walking out of the train station and waited for his ride to pick him up.  Guess Jesus doesn't have his own car.  Someone picked him up in an Explorer.  I guess I kind of expected him to be more of a Hybrid car type of guy but go figure.

Anyway, I'm 44.  Turned 44 about 3 weeks ago.  A long time ago I decided I would pick an age and just stick to that.  I don't feel 44.  I feel about 25 maybe 30.  But then I started thinking this year.  This 44 year old body has held up pretty well.  I mean, I'm not as pretty and skinny as I was when I was 25 but dammit, a lot has happened.  I've had several children, 3 husbands (that's another story), many jobs, 2 bouts with pneumonia in the last 4 years.  Other than that, no major illnesses, no surgeries.  I'd say I'm doing pretty damn good.  Knock on wood.  So yay 44!!!  We'll see how I feel when I turn 50.  I have a few years to adjust.

So we are gearing up for Halloween on Monday.  I think I will dress up for the first time in a few years.  Going to be a witch (what else?).  Figure I have the name, got a pretty cool broom, why not use it?  Kids are super excited as usual.

Been venturing out with the camera more and more.  Got some fantastic photo ops while working at Brownstone Gardens in Oakley this season.  Who knew weddings could be so crazy?  The amount of money people shell out for these events is outrageous.  I mean, I appreciate it's your special day and all but $8000 on flowers?  FLOWERS?  Really?  Good lord.  Who says we're in a recession?  But a lot of the weddings were just beautiful.  Even got to photograph their bridal faire which was really cool.

My friend Mary and I also did a craft faire at a local church.  We didn't make squat but it was so much fun creating everything.  I have been sewing like crazy and  finished my third quilt and just started my fourth.  The kids love them and I am happy giving them something that I hope will last them for many years to come.

This is one of my little tiered cake pincushions with a stamped cutout of the Farm Girl's series.  So flippin' cute!!!!  I made about a dozen different ones.  Love it!  I am a pincushion freak!!!!!

So enjoy the last days of somewhat warmth we have because I have a feeling it's gonna be a cold Winter.  Thank God for all these quilts to keep us warm!!!!  Have a wonderful Halloween and hope you get more treats than tricks!!!

xo
Tab

End of Summer

Yep, it's the end of Summer.  No more swimming, no more bbq's and time to pull out our warmer clothes.  I am so glad it was a mild Summer.  The kids had a blast with our new pool.  I had fun just watching them and taking pictures.  Summer came with lots of changes.  The 3 youngest gained a year.  Jamie turned 11, Kieran turned 10 and Gavin turned 7.  Vincent graduated high school and started college.  Still can't believe I have a college student!!!  But it has been a fabulous Summer.  Spent lots of time creating with Vanessa and Mary, lots of time with my lobster, Jim.  And worked a cool new job at a local wedding location, Brownstone Gardens.  Fun stuff.

So with that being said, what's in store for Fall?  Working on my photography, sewing more, cooking and baking more.  Summer,  I just wanna laze around and enjoy the weather, not having to take kids to school everyday. Oh, and surfing on Pinterest.  Have you jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon yet?  OMG..... It is like HEAVEN.  Go check it out.  Now.  Pinterest.Com.  I'll wait...........  SEE?  Isn't it amazing???  Now don't blame me if you spend hours on end looking through pictures.  That's my late night guilty pleasure.  A little glass of moscato, a little Pinterest and mama is a happy girl.  So many fabulous ideas.

Things I've learned the last few months: Just because people have money doesn't mean they have class.  Lord, that was the big one.  Oh, and there really ARE bridezillas.  That shit ain't fake.  On a happy note, there are some truly in love couples out there.

Sewing a quilt isn't as hard as I thought and soooo much fun and rewarding.

Getting sunburned still sucks.  But it helps having a really cool husband who will put aloe on you every few hours so you don't tweek from the itching/burning combo going on.

I can bake the hell out of a cupcake.  And cookies.  Next feat: PIES!!!

I really REALLY missed having a truck and am so glad to have one again.

Getting up at 5:30am to take Vincent to BART is actually nice and relaxing.  I get some Vin time and some me time.

Spending days on end with my husband was really nice and we grew so much closer.  He is really an amazing guy and I am sooooo blessed to have him.

Having a nice big German sherpard rocks.  Sam is the best dog EVER.

Last thing: I need entirely too much sleep.  I mean, is 12 hours too much?  How can I sleep that much and STILL be tired????

So there you have it.  My Summer in a nutshell.  Now aren't you glad you stopped by??

Oh and by the way, that crap music over there>>>>>>>that isn't my playlist.  What the hell happened to my good music?????  UGH!  Technology!!!!!!!

OK, I'm officially a slacker

How long has it been? Yes, I am a bad blogger. But you know how it is, life gets away from you and before you know it, it's been months since you posted. I know you are all dying to know what is going on in my exciting life.

Well my baby finally started college today. I can't believe it. Art Institute of SF ended up being his choice and the school is amazing. I cannot say enough about how great the school is and the staff is so amazing and helpful. I don't know who was more nervous, him or I. But it is an exciting time for Vincent and I look forward to seeing him grow into an amazing young man. He is majoring in Graphic Design and I am sure he will excel in this.

Life moves too damn fast. Summer is already almost over for all of us. Jim bought the kids a humongous pool for the backyard and we all love it. Gavin has taken to the water like a little fish. He even learned to swim on his own and has gotten so dark I hardly recognize him. Who knew? I thought he'd be the one to burn to a crisp since he's so fair.

I have been on a creative roll for awhile now. Mary and Vanessa inspire me constantly and we work well together. I have gotten more done in the last 6 months than I did all of last year. And I've branched out from the scrapbooking. I've been sewing, doing altered art, all kinds of new stuff that is out of the box for me. But is so fulfilling and gives me such joy to use my hands and all of these supplies that I have accumulated.

I a finally made my first quilt, made a few pincushions, a couple of dolls, and so much more. Began embroidering again and it is just so much fun.

So life is divine. Enjoying the last few weeks of Summer with the boys. Hope to make a trip to Santa Cruz in the next week or so to hit the boardwalk. It has been ages since I've been there and I think the kids will love it. I have been dying to go to the beach all Summer and with my mom working so close we are going to go.

I am also trying to spread my wings on the cooking front. Trying more recipes to actually get a 'menu' down if I ever decide to sell my goods. So far my favorite is the homemade caramel. Who knew that a bunch of butter and sugar could turn into such a fantastic thing? YUM!

This bewitching little goodie is a pincushion I made for Miss V. I love the colors and the little graphic on top. She is so pretty!!! Also been taking a ton of pics. FINALLY!!! There is just never enough time to do all the things I want.

I made these beautiful cupcakes for Mary's daughter's graduation from high school. Red velvet with cream cheese frosting and they came out delicious. I am starting to do everything from scratch now and it makes such a huge difference. Love it!!

So here's some of my goodies down below. Let me know what you think. Don't be shy. I could use all the input I can get. My next step is to start selling on Etsy. Wish me luck!

This is an Altoid tin I glittered with Martha Stewart glitter, lined with flocked paper from Anna Griffin, added a little potion jar and some hoo-hah and it came out pretty cute.

Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Summer!!!

March Already???

What happened to February? DAMN!! It has been a whirlwind of activity in the McIntyre household. Kids are excited about Spring Break next week as are Jim & I. If all goes well, we might actually get to sleep in a day or two. No big plans except to spend some quality time together as a family. So what's up in my little world? Creating like a crazy person! I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a wonderful retreat called Queen of the Crop out in Stockton. Spent time with 2 of my favorite gals, Vanessa & Mary. And met 2 equally wonderful ladies, Diana & Angela. What a blast we had just scrapbooking & enjoying each other's company. And boy did we create!!



These are 2 of the cards I made. I also made some adorable altered clothespins. I have no idea what I will do with them but they are so damn cute I just love them. Made a ton of layouts & just basically had a lovely girl's weekend.


Vanessa has taken Mary & I on some fantastic field trips the last couple of months. Now I am the San Francisco girl but Vanessa is the Berkeley girl. She took us to so many places I couldn't even keep up!! This last weekend we went to the 50th White Elephant Sale in Oakland. They had everything & I mean literally EVERYTHING you could possibly imagine in this humongous warehouse. It was like a huge garage sale of everything. Sooooo much fun!!!


We also went to a huge used book sale at the Pleasant Hill library. Talk about fun. They had tons of books for ridiculously low prices. Mary & I snagged 2 boxes full of books.














After that, we headed to Danville where we hit a beautiful quilt store called Wooden Gate Quilts. The ladies there were so nice & helpful & the quilts there were just amazing. They even had Dr. Seuss fabric!! Definitely inspiring for all of us.

Then, off to Berkeley for lunch at Barney's! This place had the most phenomenal burgers! Everything was deeeeelish!! After a quick bite, we headed over to Market Hall which was an amazing grocery store with everything you could need. Bakery, meat counter, cheese counter, wine store & produce. Just fabulous!!

We also stopped at a cute little store across from the market called Maison d'Etre which had some amazing vintage stuff & some very eclectic items. After that, on to Scrapbook Territory. Because you know we can't go to Berkeley without stopping there! Then down the street to the always amazing Anthropology. That store is so fabulous & we are always greeted with the scent of their beautiful candles. And the clothes, oh the clothes! Quick pit stop at Paper Source & then back to our little town. Much as I adore San Francisco, I am starting to love Berkeley for the different feel there. There are so many different cultures & things to see & appreciate. You can go a million times & experience something different on each visit. Thanks so much Vanessa for showing me a new locale for adventure!!!

I am also excited to be starting my very first quilt! YAY! With the guidance of Mary & Vanessa I hope to have one completed by the end of the year (Just because I'm a newby).

As for the family, we are very excited to have added a new little member to our clan. NO I did NOT have another kid. We picked up this adorable little guy:

No not Jim. Welcome to the family Cooper Maris McIntyre. Cooper, well, Cooperstown where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located. But I couldn't very well name him Cooperstown. And Maris after my all time favorite Yankee player, Roger Maris. He is a teacup chihuahua mixed with Miniature Pincher. He is spunky as all hell so he fits right in with our brood.

Life is good, we are happy & I am filled with joy & inspiration by my friends. Spring break in less than a week!!! What will you be doing??? Have a great week!!

Lucky

This guy right here makes me feel lucky. Lucky that we love each other even more now than we did the day we married. Lucky that our family is solid & healthy. There are just those days when you sit back & are like, Damn, I have it pretty good. No, we're not rich in money but we are rich in love. Not everybody finds that. I'm one of the lucky ones.

In addition to being lucky with the killer spouse, I have these little buggers to drive me wild. No, seriously. They drive me NUTS. But I don't know what my life would be without them. See the little pixie on the left? He's the instigator. I swear, the kid could talk the Pope into stealing a bike. And the attitude in front? Oh, he's the mouth. Never knows when to quit. Now the one on the right, he's the tattle tail. If you're doing something you shouldn't be doing, don't let him catch you. He WILL tell. And the big boy in back, what can I say about him? He is more like his mom than I'd like to admit. Stubborn, always right and ALWAYS has to have the last word. But you know what? I wake up every morning grateful to have them. Wake me up in the middle of the night because you had a nightmare, holler for me when you're fighting, cry when you don't get what you want. But then there's the best part. Gavin giving me my special 'cuddle time', Kieran hugging me everyday and telling me he loves me, Jamie leaning his head on my shoulder while I cook, Vincent (who is now taller than me) giving me a bear hug. That makes it all worth it. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

OK, so yeah, life is good. On another note, I am getting to know two very wonderful women. Vanessa and Mary have been such a joy to be around. It is so invigorating to spend time with such very wonderful and creative women. I feel so inspired and fulfilled when I am with them. Vanessa took us on a little field trip to Berkeley to show us the cool crafty spots. It was so much fun. We went to Anthropology, Paper Source, Scrapbook Territory (of course!),Castle in the Air, Sur Le Table, Stone Mountain & Daughter's Fabric Store, Berkeley Bowl and Zachary's Pizza. All fantastic places and ideas galore.

This window display at Castle in the Air was to die for. And all made of paper. So incredibly beautiful. The store had so many great art supplies. Big beautiful sheets of paper, various inks and an amazing classroom upstairs.

Anthropology was my favorite. Their displays were so incredible and I was just blown away by their presentation. Check out this dress. Again, all made of paper. Who thinks of this stuff?

I came home all ready to start making some goodies. Love that feeling of just wanting to dive into your supplies and create!

Also loving this Spring-like weather. It has been beautiful here the last few days. But alas, the wind is kicking up something fierce here now and I think Spring will be put on hold for a little longer. I am definitely ready to venture beyond my little area here and start taking some pictures. Soon enough!!

Take a minute and think about what makes you happy. Be grateful for what you have. And don't let life get you down. Trust me, it does get better. I'm proof.