Friday, November 30, 2012

Secret Santa Exchange

I know I haven't posted anything for a while, but I promise to do better in the new year when my life returns to normal with my new job that I start next week.  To kick off that promise and begin celebrating the holidays, the first presents that I've received this year have been from a Secret Santa gift exchange among the Simply Betty Fan group.  I was lucky enough to have Ginger Paige as my Secret Santa and she was absolutely wonderful to me.  I couldn't have asked for a better gift package based on my wish list.



I absolutely love anything Tim Holtz and Travelling.  Ginger picked out the most wonderful travel themed paper pack from The Paper Studio, a great Tim Holtz stamp set, letter embellishments, Distress Stains, and stickers.  Amazingly enough, there were no duplications in my current stash!  A big thank you goes out to Ginger!  Hope everyone has a very merry Christmas and Joyous holiday season!

If you came to my blog on the hop, then you are almost done and you should be off to Katrina next!  If you want to start back at the beginning, here is the entire list of blog hop participants:


Betty Roberts, Vanessa Bland, BreAnn McFarland http://simplybettystamps.blogspot.com/

Robin Bogle http:// www.rcz28.blogspot.com
Aeryn Kelly-Reitmeyer http://www.aerynkelly.com/
YOU ARE HERE => Stacey Stratis http://www.anastasiasarts.blogspot.com/





Monday, September 17, 2012

Tumbler Buddy #3 Hot/Cold Swap

After threatening the postman with bodily harm these last few days, my missing Tumbler Buddy package finally arrived today from the UK only 5 days after the scheduled blog hop where we were to share what we got! That blog hop (that I missed participating in) is where I had also planned to unveil my new personal blog...Anastasia's Arts!  But better late than never so here goes....welcome to my blog site of crafty creations and other artful finds! 

I joined the Simply Betty Fan Group on face book a few weeks ago, was fascinated
 by the international makeup of its members and quickly decided to participate in my first SB event--the Tumbler Buddy #3 Hot/Cold Swap. I have since learned a whole new vocabulary, have seen the work of some very talented people and have made some new overseas friends in the UK.

I was lucky enough to have been paired with Erin from the UK as my Tumbler Buddy, and we have both learned that the UK Postie is not the speediest of delivery methods and that it is a wise idea to take a photo of what you're sending prior to sealing the box just in case it goes MIA as mine did! But after much anticipation for my box of goodies to arrive, my excitement and waiting wasn't for naught...check out all the wonderful things I got!  Thank you Erin!

Yummy goodies, hot chocolate and a kitty tumbler! 
Can't wait to try the Horlicks and of course the chocolates too! 

Some beautiful new acrylic stamp sets and embellishments
along with some fun socks and a cupcake stand!

And a wonderful handmade card in my favorite colors
made with a  Simply Betty Digi!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Fall Creations With My Cricut

I love my Cricut machine, but the thing that makes Cricut die cuts extra special is the way they can be embellished to make it a personalized creation.  That being said, after covering 15 crows with Flower Soft, assembling and inking 5 scarecrows and gluing umpteen little pieces of raffia and burlap to each one, I was able to create 5 sets of this adorable Cricut die cut grouping ready to be swapped and used in a fall scrapbook layout...


Cricut Cartridge:  Simply Scarecrow Seasonal Cartridge