A Thankful Post

So I know I'm a day late getting this up...but it was a late night coming back from Molalla and and early morning today for me working retail Black Friday madness. I'm so glad to be home. Hubby has run up to the corner Irish pub to grab me a reuben sandwich and then we are watching the new episode of Gold Rush on dvr. I told him he has to wait on me tonight since I worked almost 14 hrs today!!! Anyway, I did want to take some time to share some things I have been really thankful for this  year, people, places & things!


1. My sweet, crazy, loyal hubby, without which the first year of marriage would have been dull :) we made it through together and are better people on the other side of all the changes, trials, and tribulations.

2. My sweet little sister, who traveled with me cross country from AL to OR in  loaded down Toyota Celica for 4 days with my kitty, without her this journey would have been so much harder, she kept me sane and reminds me everyday how grown up she's become:) she's a rock for strength for me when I have been unsure of decisions, reassuring  me along the way that things will get better.

3. Jimmy's mom and my parents, who never for a minute questioned our motives to move across the country only 6 months after marriage. They have been awesome, understanding, and so so supportive of Jimmy and I.

4. My best friends, Heather, Jenni and Crystal who have already been out to visit in my new Portland diggs and who I can pick up the phone and talk to for hours even if it's been weeks or months between calls. They are always there:)

5. The wonderful company I've worked for for almost 7 years, who allowed me to transfer and gave me a job immediately, and who's people, upper management and mentors have put faith and time and training  into my career a  I continue to grow as a manager in this business.

So many other little things that I can't even begin to list now, but a roof over my head, our  gorgeous surroundings in the Pacific northwest, and the life ahead. Thank you Lord, for all these blessings, small and large. Sincerely, The Hollisters

Goodnight friends!! Wishing you a happy thanksgiving to you & yours.

my quirky turkeys inspired by t!m holtz.

Good evening, everyone! I feel like once again, it has been FAR too long since my last update, although I know it wasn't that long ago! Things have been pretty hectic around here, as you know I was on VACAY for 10 days, where J and I got ENGAGED!! Since we've been back it's pretty much been work, work, work for us both. I did get Thanksgiving eve and Thanksgiving day off, which was nice, and got to spend the whole day with my family! I am so thankful for each and every one of them and the important role they play in my life! It was a great day...lots of yummy food, pumpkin soup and homemade bourbon croutons, just to name a few! We know how to throw down some good eats down south!!!! LOL. This weekend was of course, the shopping weekend from you-know-where, and since I work at the mall, it was some really crazy long hours. Just thankful to say it's over with now and I have the next 2 days off! Cyber Monday being one of them of course...this could either be a bad a good thing depending on how you look at it. Forecast is cooler temps and rain! Yay! So like I said maybe I can get some much needed 

crafting time in! Let's hope so!

Ok, now the part you've been waiting for. I did actually stay up until like 1:30 am Thanksgiving eve finishing these little guys! I was originally inspired by the ones on Tim Holtz's blog, that post is HERE. I was really inspired because I was like hey, ok I have that paper, and also I figured it wouldn't be that time consuming. However, even with some much appreciated help from J, I still was up past midnight doing 12 of these little guys. I think the project would have been alot simpler if  I had that die cut with the perforated slits, could have skipped like 3 steps there. But it's okay. I really had alot of fun making them and although they didn't turn out as picture perfect as Tim's, I really like them, and my family did too. We even did the game with the words as he suggested, by the end of the dinner we were coming up with all these ways you could use the words again, replacing them each year, like each person has to make a sentence using their word and you have to build on it making a story, or you have to guess what their word is...anyway it was alot of fun. My parents are saving them now in a box for us to use again next year and replace with words...maybe it will become like a little tradition for us! 

Here are a few pics of them on our thanksgiving table. Please visit Tim Holtz's blog for the detailed tutorial, because like I said my version was not as quick! I even ended up doing only 2 paper rosettes per turkey instead of 3 cause my measurements for the scalloped paper strips were off.

 our thanksgiving table...pre-food.

 I thought they looked really cute tucked inside the table decor. 

 I used  bronze stickles to hand write each word on the 'word tiles'. 

 And here is a closie. Isn't he cute?!

This is my helper,  J in the craft room. I cleared him out a spot on my 6ft table and put him to work. It was chilly out, we had the window open, the scentsy pot going, drinking iced coffee and crankin' some tunes. He says he was miserable the whole time and kept saying I was a slave driver....he had to take a break like every 15 minutes, but I have to give him credit, he did good! He helped me cut all the paper strips and make the word tile holders out of garbage bag ties, which we curled up ourselves, then colored with brown permanent marker and sprayed with caramel mocha smooch spritz. When I told him the name of that stuff...he was like uh, really? what the heck?I think I might be too manly to use this stuff.... then after he had used half the bottle, I told him it was kind of expensive, so he could buy me more for Christmas :) LOL

 giving me the evil eye for making him miss football updates! 

HA HA! makes me happy to see my man finally on the blog....he's famous now! LOL. So, as I start my 'weekend' I would like to wish everyone a great holiday season, and remember, it's all about family! :) Until next time~ VV

Supplies List:

Tim Holtz papers- 'Lost and Found' collection

burnt sienna, dark brown, and tangerine cardstock

Tim Holtz distress ink in tea dye

24 garbage bag ties

brown/red permanent marker

Smooch Spritz in Caramel Mocha

Colorbox chalk ink in Chestnut

The Robin's Nest dew drops in light blue, green, and light brown

Bronze Stickles

a Bone Folder

Zots mini glue dots

low-temp hot glue gun and glue sticks