A bittersweet Christmas

We had such a lovely time at the cabin again this year for Christmas.We enjoyed playing games, cooking and visiting. We even went down to the pool and sat outside in the hot tub in below freezing weather. Christmas was everything it should be together as a family.

It has been hard to even write this post, as going on about all of our happy times over our Christmas holiday seem so bittersweet after the news we received December 26th.

We all arrived home with the most devastating, heart breaking news. My grandma Wheeler, my mom's mom was in a car with 5 of my family members when they were struck head on by a truck who had hit ice. We lost my grandma that day and it's been really hard to grasp. I am grateful my other family members, though injured will recover and be okay. I am thankful no other lives were lost in this tragedy.

I have so many wonderful memories of her and I'll cherish them forever. She taught me how to sew, how to knit and crochet. She was patient with me as a child and would read to my sister and I, allowing my sister to "pretend" read the books by making up stories based on the photos :)   She would play in the river with us and take us roller skating. I remember how she would let me steer the car on country roads when I was getting ready to learn to drive. I loved watching movies with her and trying to guess the plot with her. I remember how much she loved Christmas candy (the hard candy in pretty swirls) and how her spot was on the love seat next to the fireplace...where her coffee, glasses and cigarettes would rest near by. I remember her smell and how she would record my height on the wall in the hallway each visit. I loved her. I miss her.   So, sorry about not posting a new update about Christmas. I just didn't know what to say.

I'll leave this post with photos of our time at the cabin. It truly was a memorable Christmas, despite the sadness at the end.

I hope everyone had a beautiful holiday. Wishing you ALL a safe and happy New Year.
Love,
Tessa Ann*

Sunday's Sale Of The Day

NEW!!!

Each Sunday I will choose a set of buttons in the shop to significantly reduce in price. This is a good chance to try out my buttons if you have not had the chance to!

Our 1st Sunday Sale is for this lovely set of 3 snowflake buttons. A beautiful set of buttons for many of your crafting projects!  

Wouldn't these be lovely stitched to a beautiful hand knitted scarf or cowl?  What about stitched to a beautiful silvery sweater, or even as an embellishment for a quilting or scrapbooking project. 

All of my buttons are machine washable, so the ideas for creativity are truly endless here! 

Only $3.00 a set! Get yours now while supplies last!

NOTE: I will be back next week with an announcement for details to enter our Creative Team search!  If you are a well-rounded crafter and enjoy knitting, sewing, quilting and scrapbooking this call is for YOU. 


Have a wonderful Sunday!
Tessa Ann*

The good stuff

Today is just a silly, random post about what I am loving this season.
What are you enjoying this season?

Here are mine!

♥Sparkling Mineral Water♥

It's no secret with my family. I am addicted to this water. Each week I stroll over Wholefoods and load my cart up with Italian Sparkling Mineral Water. They are amazingly refreshing. Water, Carbonation and a hint of fruit juices and the best NO SUGAR! These have totally replaced my once diet Pepsi addition.

♥Apples and cookbooks♥

With the cold temps we have felt like staying in more. And, I have felt like cooking and trying new recipes. My collection of cook books is growing and I've been itching to try them! The not-so-healthy goods go with Steve to work. No temptations, no thank you ;)

Apples are wonderful so many ways. I love to slice them up and eat them with a wee-bit of peanut butter or plain. Have you tried baked apples? They are AMAZINGLY delicious.....not healthy, but quick and so good. Here is the simple steps.

1. Using an apple core scoop, gently scoop out the core of an apple (sorry I don't know the correct term. ha!)
2. In a small mixing bowl add oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter and mix together.
3. In a glass baking dish add water about 1/4 way. Add apples
4. Sprinkle the inside of the apple with cinnamon, a few pats of butter and fill with oatmeal mixture.
   
5. Bake 350○ 25-30 minutes....or until apple is tender.
   

♥ Decorating ♥

I love that once a year I get to transform my home into a beautiful Christmas wonderland :)

♥Breakfast♥

I love making breakfast for Steve each morning. I didn't always do this, especially when I was working outside of the home. I just didn't have enough time. Steve loves breakfast bagel sandwiches. We typically eat eggs and turkey bacon or oatmeal, but on special occasions, I make this sandwich for him.

Cook it all up and you get this!
I don't get to eat this though. The bagel alone is 260 calories. YIKES. Simple eggs and turkey sausage for me ;)

♥Baking♥

Last year, my parents gifted me a Kitchen Aid. I don't know how I baked before I had one. I love using it. I made Steve's work Chocolate chip cookies and over the weekend I baked Snickerdoodles and Peanut butter cookies. They all went in to the freezer for Christmas at the cabin.

♥Cinnamon♥
When I was in Portland with my family a couple months ago, I found this most decadent, yummy smelling soap at Sephora.
It smells just like Big Red gum. My bathroom smells so good after a shower using this. This is my 1st Philosophy product and I am now hooked. Have you tried any of the other scents? What should I try next?

♥Movies♥

We subscribed to Netflix recently and I love being able to listen to movies....I say listen, because my head is down working most the time..lol while working on button orders. Turns out there are a lot of great movies that I have not seen.

♥Skin Care♥

Living in the high desert means DRY skin. And with the cold winter weather, and walking duffy in it, my poor skin takes a beating. I have been using this product from www.LUSH.com called, Sweet Japanese Girl. I buy this each winter season and use it a few times a week to exfoliate and moisturize my face. It makes a HUGE difference.


What are your current favorites?

And the winner is.........

Brianna Soloski !

Thank you for your comment! You have won a $10.00 Gift Card to The Button Shop! To redeem your gift card, simply visit The Button Shop and pick what you would like to use your gift card for. Email me at shoptessaann@yahoo.com with your selections. {If you go over, no problem! I'll simply invoice you for the difference. You will also receive FREE shipping! }

Thank you everyone who left comments in the last couple of posts and especially those who shared their favorite ways to use buttons on projects :)

The Button Shop has been busy creating new buttons. I will be doing shop updates likely today and tomorrow with fresh new designs. I have a beautiful set of Cherry Blossom buttons that I can't wait to share with all of you. We have lots of new designs up our sleeves EVEN new sizes! JUMBO sizes!

In closing, I would like to leave you with some inspiration from an amazing site called, http://www.weheartit.com/

All things......pink, pink and MORE pink!

There will be more giveaways coming very soon! I am also going to be doing a feature on "Customer Creations" that I will discuss more in the next post. I am also toying with the idea of putting together a *small* design team. So many thoughts for the upcoming year.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Tessa Ann*

December Featured Artist Rachel Mason -leave a comment to win a $10.00 Gift Card to The Button Shop!

I am proud to introduce the beautiful work of Rachel Mason for the month of December. Rachel worked with my "Snowbird" collection, as well as my "Snowflake" button collections to create these amazingly detailed projects below. Enjoy and be inspired by what Rachel has created for us! Grab a cup of warm coffee, tea or cocoa and sit back read Rachel's interview and see her amazing projects!

.:Win A $10.00 GIFTCARD to The Button shop:.
Leave a comment below about what you ♥ about using buttons on your crafting projects or a compliment to Rachel's work today and you will be entered into a drawing for a $10.00 Gift Card to The Button Shop! (GC details will be posted along with winner's name on Friday 12/11/09 NOON PST.)

.:The interview:.

1.) 1.) Tell us a little about YOU and how you are involved in the scrapbooking industry?

Hi! My name is Rachel. I am wife to a handsome and supportive railroader and mom to 2 crazy boston terriers, 1 neurotic jack russell terrier, and 1 needy cat. We currently live in an adorable old home in Kansas City, Missouri. Because of my husband's career with the railroad, we live an exciting life, moving every couple of years. While this lifestyle can occasionally be difficult, it does provide lots of scrapbooking inspiration! I began "officially" scrapbooking in 1996, while still in college, after a friend introduced me to Creative Memories. I have continued to evolve my style over the past 13 years, working for a local scrapbook store and designing pages for other people. I have also been blogging since 2006 (www.rachiesplace.com) and just opened an Etsy shop that offers vintage love and crafting supplies (www.rachiesplace.etsy.com).

2.) What led you to scrapbooking? Do you remember that *first* time you sat down to create a page?

For as long as I can remember, I have collected memorabilia and photos...scrapbooking was just the logical solution to a "storage" issue!

3.) When you sit down to create, what are the essential items in your environment that you need to feel in the "mood" to be creative?

I am a super picky scrapbooker so setting the creative mood can sometimes present a challenge. My essentials are a clean studio, my iMac and Canon printer, and a happy movie playing in the background (current favorites are The Wizard of Oz, Finding Nemo, and Monsters, Inc.).

4.) I feel most creative when.........

I feel most creative a night when the house is quiet, the pets are sleeping, and my husband is napping on the couch or watching tv...if the family is content, then I am content and feel creative.

5.) How do you decide what you are going to journal about... and what is your favorite way to document journaling?

For me, journaling is more than just the basic facts of the photo (who, what, when, where), it is documenting how I felt or where I was at that time in my life. It is also often a personal reminder to slow down...to enjoy the ordinary and don't sweat the small stuff. My favorite way to journal is similar to my overall scrapbooking style...messy and scattered.

6.) What did you enjoy most about working with my buttons. How were they a good fit for your project?

I LOVE Tessa's buttons. I prefer to scrapbook with lots of loose elements...this gives me the freedom to mix other embellishments together for that "eclectic" look that I love. The buttons Tessa sent me to work with were beautiful in cool colors with a sparkly touch...perfect for coordinating with my snowy photos.

7.) Share with us your most favorite crafty creation! What are you most proud of creating?

My favorite project? Hmmm...I have lots and lots (each new project is my favorite). My most RECENT favorite though is a yarn wreath that I made per a tutorial from the Constant Gatherer (www.theconstantgatherer.blogspot.com).

Thank you for sharing your amazing creativity, Rachel!!!

Sneak Peek! December Featured Artist

Coming this Monday, we have a very talented Featured Artist for the month of December! Rachel Mason of RachiesPlace! You will definitely be inspired by what she has created for us!

Visit Monday 12/7/09 for the full reveal of Rachels amazing projects, as well as get to know Rachel in a fun candid interview. In the mean time, check out Rachel's awesome vintage finds shop at Etsy! www.rachiesplace.etsy.com and her blog at www.rachiesplace.com

Leave a comment on Monday's post telling me what you ♥ about using buttons on your crafting projects. I will draw one name to win a $10.00 Gift Certificate for The Button Shop!

♥ See you there!
Tessa Ann*

Blog Button Giveaway Winner was.....

This readers post really touched my heart. Thank you everyone for sharing! I loved reading your answers :)

*******Amy has left a new comment on your post "Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!":************

Belated Thanksgiving but we went out of town to be with family. It was close to 40 people there (aunts, cousins, uncles) and it was Awesome!!! I'm very thankful for my wonderful husband and three kids. We didn't know if we would ever be parents due to infertility issues but we are!! Best gift ever. :-)

Amy please contact me at SHOPTESSAANN@YAHOO.COM, so I can send you out your buttons!

Leaving you all with some beautiful inspiration.

Sigh. I just adore the tiffany blue room in the photo below. The frames are beautiful against the blue color, and just a dash of pink. So beautiful.



These colors are delicious. Tiffany-blue with tangerine, red and pink and a touch of yellow.


Have a great week!
Tessa Ann*

♥ cozy ♥

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!

It was just Steve and I this year, so I cooked up a storm all day creating a wonderful, scrumptious meal for just the 2 of us.

We all ended our day looking pretty much like Duffy below. Cozy on the couch. ♥

Every since I've set out my Holiday Bear, Duffy has found his new BFF. He loves cuddling with this bear each night. Yeah, it's pretty cute.

He was sound asleep when I was snapping these photos. He didn't even budge.

Cozy ♥

I mentioned in a previous post, that I had purchased a mini pink tree at Michael's for The Button Shop. It stands about 2 feet tall and came pre-lit.

It's hard to see from the photos, but I used buttons and some red and white bakers twine to create a button garland. It came together pretty easily and I was able to use up some of my button remnants.

Another detail that is a bit hard to see in the photos is the tulle. I stuffed clusters of tulle throughout the tree, kind of giving a soft effect against the white lights. I tied a bow around the top of the tree, as I didn't have a topper. But, I have some ideas brewing for that. So, it's a still work in progress :) I'll show the complete tree when it's finished!

Well, with the holiday season, The Button Shop has been extra busy. I've been spending umpteen amounts of hours each day creating buttons being sold in the shop and several really cute custom orders.

I received a request to create buttons that complimented the awesome Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg line. My customer was creating an album using this line and wanted some unique embellishments for it. I created these for her :) I custom-mixed all of the colors in this set to create colors to compliment the papers she was working with. I loved working with this color combination.

Inspired by my buttons in the shop called, Oh, Snap!, a customer requested multi-colored cameras in these colors. This was so fun and totally reminds me of an Andy Warhol art image. I am still trying to master a good vintage Polaroid and other vintage cameras. That and a big book of other things I am wanting to try on buttons :)





In lieu of Black Friday, I am having a little gift with purchase (a set of buttons) sale over at The Button shop. Sign up to be a fan of mine on Facebook, and you will receive free shipping. Click on this link to sign up! *CLICK HERE*

Also! The post below is a giveaway of a set of my frosty beautiful, Snowflake Buttons. See 1 post below for details!

Have a wonderful week!

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Wishing you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving!

There is so much that I am grateful for this time of year and so many blessings to look back upon. Steve and I are going to be solo this year, but I have a nice dinner spread planned for us. I'm looking forward to spending the day cooking delicious food for my guy and I.

What do you have planned for this year? Staying in or going out of town?

What are you Thankful for?

Leave a comment answering one of those questions and I'll select a winner for a set of buttons from The Button Shop!



I will post the winner on Monday 11/30/09. Please leave your email address in your comment so I can get in touch with you!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

November 16 is BUTTON DAY!

Happy Button Day! While on Facebook this morning, I was told that TODAY was BUTTON DAY! Susan Opel kindly shared this link with me:

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/November/buttonday.htm

So.......... Happy Button Day!

I am offering FREE shipping today in The Button Shop!

Here is a sampling of what's hot in The Button Shop right now!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Okay, so I couldn't wait any longer. I usually wait until the day after Thanksgiving, but this year, I just couldn't stand it anymore. I had to DECORATE! Hehe!

Steve had the day off Wednesday, so he got the tree out and we decorated. I always love getting out the box of ornaments each year. It's like finding new treasures each year as I remember where I got a particular ornament. Steve and I have collected a lot of pretty ones over the year. '

I found the cutest pink cashmire mini Christmas tree at Michaels the other day. I am making button ornaments for it and will share some pics of it all decorated. I just had to have Christmas spread into where I work. Plus it matches the button shop perfecty :)


Happy Holidays everyone!

Tessa Ann*

A fun new site to share with you!

Hey there! I just wanted to share a fun site I came across online! It is chocked full of inspiration with featured artists and my favorite sketches by my dear friend, Pam Callaghan. Last year, Creating Keepsakes Magazine featured many of her amazing page ideas and now she has opened a blog to share them, as well as new ones with us on a weekly basis. I know I'll be heading there when I am stuck or want a direction for my layout.

There is also a great giveaway going on at http://www.ideasforscrapbookers.blogspot.com/ for the chance to win $50 in GCD products. I recently picked up a few sheets of their patterned paper at Michael's and LOVED it. The texture of the paper is so different from what I've ever used before. It's really beautiful.

So head on over there and see what I mean. It's full of ideas and fun inspiration!