Ring in the old, ring in the new! Well here we go again! It's now that time to start thinking of a new beginning again. Dust off your resolving mechanism and get it into high gear - and watch out everybody -here you come. Wipe the slate clean and start thinking of your New Years Resolutions for 2009. A chance to change the way you are living now and start your new year off right. So we make those determineding lists and eternal promises and by the time February comes you've lost that list and forgotten the promises. too bad, you meant well. It was a good idea: everyone needs to take stock and do some starting over occasionally, and the first day of a brand-new year is a good time for a new beginning. What do we do wrong? Sometimes it's a question of giving up way before you even start. You are so sure that you've got weak kneed will power that you play it safe sometimes to safe. You pick something so insignificant that it isn't worth being so firm about. You know darn well it doesn't matter with you stick to that or not, and when your determination gets the best of itself on the small stuff your conscience won't nag you at all. Or perhaps you are horn blower. Standing up and make a loud announcement of your good intentions. You may do it because you enjoy the pat on the back that you get for all the wonderful things you are going to do with your new resolutions. More often, however the biggest stumbling block to staying true to your resolutions is the newness of it all. Once you start thinking about the ways to improve yourself its hard to know where to start or stop. You can get too big about the resolution itself and try to demand impossible perfection. You reach a point where you have to work so hard at resolving to keep your resolution that the positive change you were trying to make in yourself gets lost in the shuffle. Now wonder you don't get anyplace. Tradition dictates that every 365 days, you should try to kick bad habits and start your life anew. So sit down with a cup of coffee, a paper and a pen, and reflect: What kinds of New Years Resolutions will you make for yourself this January 1st? Step 1 Be realistic by setting achievable goals. Step 2 Describe your resolutions in specific terms. Instead of "I don't want to be lazy," opt for "I want to exercise regularly" or "I will cut down on my television watching." Step 3 Break down large goals into smaller ones. For instance, commit to losing weight by resolving to join a gym and improve your eating habits. Step 4 Find alternatives to a behavior that you want to change, and make this part of your resolution plan. So you want to quit smoking but you smoked to relax yourself? What other forms of relaxation are available to you? Step 5 Above all, aim for things that are truly important to you, not what you think you ought to do or what others expect of you.New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. News Years Resolution Post Card Swap This is a swap for you to send out postcards to old friends or new all over the world! For this swap you will be given at random 10 partners that you will send 1 postcard to each person. That means 10 different locations! Send 10 postcards out - you will get 10 postcards back with everyone’s 2009 New Years Resolutions listed. Who doesn't love to get postcards the old fashion way - snail mail. Be as creative as you would like. Use store bought ones or make your own. How to play along: If you wish to join the swap please email me no later then January 5th with your name and home address to: lancarrowmaltby@yahoo.com With the title "New Years Resolution Post Card Swap". On the 6th I will then send out the address of your 10 partners that you will be sending your Resolution post cards too. Invite your friends to participate - the more the merrier. Please send out your cards on or before January 31st 2009

I'm asking all artists, designers and crafters 101 reasons why you are going to buy or make handmade/vintage gifts for this holiday season (Please add your reason - so we can make it to 101) If you wish to participate, please follow with a comment starting with the #1 and then continuing till we get to # 101.

Please vote for my T-Rex Cookies over at Instructables in the holiday treats contest. Only 1 day left - votes ends tomorrow 12.10.08 I am trying to get into the holiday spirit so last night my husband said let make some cookies. Oh what fun - so I went digging through my collections of recipes, ingredients and cookie cutters and thought "no cookie says Christmas more than a gingerbread man cookie - right. All I could find was this T-Rex cookie cutter, so here is my twist on this classic cookie.

I'm posting in the near future on some gift guides for this holiday season and am curious about what you are planning to spend this year on holiday gifts. Of course this is entirely optional and completely anonymous. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

I just picked up the lasted copy of Venus Zine winter issue and let me just say I am so excited! My Elle Tie-On Slippers was runner-up in the Craft Off Contest and are featured in the magazine. Go check it out!!!

Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving 2008 - Tissuepapers

I will be having a contest and the prize is this lovely mini digital camera. As a artist/ crafter/photographer I am always on the look for great ideas and inspiration. Having a camera with you at all times makes it easy to take a picture so you won't forget your image and file it away in your inspiration notebook. This mini camera is perfect to keep with you at all times and have ready when ever that great idea pops in your head.   Info on the fabulous prize: The mini camera is a 3-in-1 that hold up 243 photos, you can capture several seconds of live action or you can connect to your Mac/PC to send images simultaneously through the Internet. You also get the USB cable to connect to your computer, easy to use software and "AAA" battery to get you on your way. The Contest will run until 12.15.08 midnight EST I've added the blogger "follow" gadget to this blog --> follow me and I will follow you.

Lately, I have been getting home really late from work ( after midnight ) and my dear sweet husband has made me dinner every single night. I would come home and setting on the coffee table were the great little notes telling me where the dinner would be. I just have to share - they make me smile. 

Today while shopping at one of my favorite thrift stores, I came across this amazing wall paper. So I thought how beautiful would that look in my ugly closet - I could transform my closet it to a chic boutique that would just scream put your clothes away in me! Here is how I took my closet from boring to oh la la. Step 1 Find an ugly closet! When I took a piece of the wood away I came across this wonderful little treasure of the past. I found this small piece of what was small green leaf wall paper- my house is about 90 years old and this closet once in its glory was just as fancy as it is today. Step 2 Paint and add the wall paper of your choice. I took out the old hanging bar and replaced it with a new one. Step 3 Add the Oh La La Here I hung a mirror that I purchased at a decor store along with the small frame to the right. I added a chandelier that I had gotten a few years ago to add some light - I am in LOVE with my new closet and can't wait to hang all of my clothes in it.

So over the last few weeks I had the great opportunity to be featured in a great site www.PNN.com for a craft contest.  As part of winning this craft contest I will be given the chance to write for PNN as a featured author of the Crafts/DIY section of the site.  Each week I will be posting articles on the crafting world, DIY greatness and maybe even feature a crafty goddess like yourself. I am still getting all of the details this week, so when I am ready to start writing for the section I will have lots of juicy information to share. 

Getting ready for the colder months I came across some really wonderful milk recipes. For me I personally don't drink milk - icky. However these dainty little recipes makes me want to whip up a few to make me warm and toasty in the upcoming winter months. If you try them let me know what you think - I would love to hear you thoughts on how they may taste. I'm just sticking with the coffee and chocolate mint flavors. Start with dry powered milk - this is a good way to make a rich base for any frothy beverage. In making these Mild to Milk recipes, add dry milk to the liquids and blend together thoroughly by using your blender. All these recipes are for 1 glass - enjoy!

I just finished decorating my house for Halloween. This year I decided on a theme - Alfred Hitchcock's " The Birds ". I was totally inspired while shopping at my local craft store and I came upon the great black crows birds in all different sizes. I true fan of Alfred Hitchcock, I thought this was perfect. With a little help and past inspiration from her majesty Martha Stewart Halloween magazines, I arranged the birds on my front door and a few on my orange and white pumpkins I have setting on the stoop to get that I'm being attacked by birds look. A few here and there faux spider webs compliment the front while a scary skeleton and black cat grace the windows to the left as silhouettes ( Martha Stewart Crafts  

I just have to share a picture of my dear sweet pug Bailey Floyd. He is getting ready for Halloween and posing with his new mullet wig - doesn't he look adorable.

Halloween is my favorite holiday ever and I can't wait to start working on my costume...hmmm I don't know who I will be this year quite yet. I can remember learning this tiny little song in elementary school and to this day I love singing it to myself to get me in the Halloween sprite " H A double L O W double E N spells Halloween " My blogging friend Dot at Dabbled.com is having a fun little Halloween contest to help celebrate. Here is all the information - Good luck and happy haunting. Here's the official rules for the Halloween Extravaganza Contest: The Rules: Your entry can be art, craft, or food. For Halloween, this includes Costume and Decoration ideas as well. Post a link to your entry preferably IN THIS THREAD (or you can email it to me). Entry should include a link to the item. You can link to a blog, website or etsy, or flickr pictures. Post pictures, and extra credit for instructions or recipes Judges are still in the works, i'll update this post with the info. If you're a past winner, and are not participating this time, you're eligible to be a Judge - email me. Also Sponsors are eligible. Deadline: A few days before Halloween, I'll update with the exact date and time. Prizes: Fame! Fortune! Well, a tad of fame, anyway! There will be prizes, including a link over to your blog for the coolest submissions. Prizes will include several donated prizes by our Sponsors, plus original artwork. Also you'll receive a nifty "I Won" button for your site! Other details: - you can enter as many items as you want, but you can only win with one entry. - post each entry in a different comment, please. - If you're featured during the Halloween Features, you'll still need to enter on this post with whichever items you are entering. - I'll update this more later with the Sponsor info. - If you use flickr, please add your item to the Dabbled flickr pool too! (The pool is http://www.flickr.com/groups/dabbled/ , but still link it here if you want it counted.)

Contest has closed! My friend Nathalie's blog RÉCUPÉRATION NATHALIE BRAULT is turning 1 and to celebrate this joyious blogoversary, she is having a giveaway. Here are all the details and please check out all of her great crafting projects too, they are in both English and French. Happy Blogoversary Nathalie!

I came home two nights ago from the longest working week ever...so tired and found this happy little surprise. My post " My Stepped-Up Stoop" was featured in Decor8. WOW - They used my before and after photos of my little house.  "Jen is a reader looking for some help today with her front porch. She cannot make any structural changes but needs help with color and perhaps some furniture ideas and placement.Do you have some tips to help Jen add a little curb appeal to her porch? Visit Decor8 and give Jen some of your ideas."

Dot from Dabbled.com is having a wonderful contest and the theme is "Summer Doldrums". Here is all the info - I am one of the guest judges so please take a look and enter one of your creations for a chance to win great prizes. Deadline will be July 31! Good Luck and happy crafting!!                                                   Summer Doldrums Beat the heat (or cold, if you're in that part of the world)! Arts & Crafts that celebrate summer, particularly stuff for kids (or for kids at heart). Accepted are: artwork, crafts, & tutorials. I'm going to ask some of our past winners to be judges this time (unless they want to enter themselves!). There will be prizes (TBA, but they will include both fun kids stuff & original artwork... Plus the fame and fortune that comes with links back to your blog! Good luck and happy crafting, Tissuepapers -

I am so excited - I am participating in my very first swap on Crafter. The theme is Breakfast at Tiffany's . This is one of my all time favorite movies. I found out who my partner yesterday and I have decided to make her the Holly Golightly dress - with a few other fun little projects from the movie too. I am going to buy a simple dress pattern and reconstruct the back of the pattern to look like the famous dress - or at least I am going to try too!! Any words of wisdom out there would be greatly appreciated!!! Over the next month I will take pictures of everything that I am making so please check back to see my progress!!!

Over the past couple of weeks I have had the great chance of corresponding with really great people from around the world. I just wanted to take the time an say hello and thank you to all of these great new friends. Please go and visit their gems - here is a list of all the sites. Jewelfaerie Recycled Frockery Darcia Ray Nathalie Brault Nikki Shell Tipnut My Half of the Brain These Little Pieces

My husband and I are getting ready to go on a little holiday... We're going to Boston. I've never been and I am so excited to go!! We've put together a ToDo list of things to see... Red Sox Game, Whale Watching in the New England waters, Salem and some shopping. But I would love to know of some other great places to visit ...good eats, thrift stores or antique shops would be perfect. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated - so send me your ideas! When I get back I will share my stores and photos. Talk to everyone soon... Bon Voyage - Tissuepapers