Aloha Friday #39

It is Aloha Friday! In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that people take it easy and look forward to the weekend.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your comment below and link in Kailani’s blog. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

This weeks question is:
How was your 2010?

Mine was great!  Personally and professionally it was fantastic and I definitely can not complain.  I am definitely looking forward to a wonderful 2011.

Here is just a portion of the custom orders I created this holiday season.  Some are one of a kind, some were added to my shop this year after creating them and some will be definitely added next year.  (I do create ornaments all year round, so if there is something you would like for next Christmas please keep that in mind.)

A BIG thank you to all of my customers this year!  I am very grateful for all of you.

A few stats as of today:

I have had 605 sales in my etsy shop.
367 of those sales on etsy were from 2010!
My etsy shop has 1212 "Hearts".
My blog has 923 Blog Followers and 986 google reader subscribers and 123 e-mail subscribers.
There are 1077 Fans of Whimsical Creations on Facebook. 

Those numbers are just mind blowing to me.

Here's looking forward to a Fantastic 2011!  Have a safe New Year!!

Sunday Citar

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."  ~Norman Vincent Peale

Hope everyone had a magical Christmas!

Thank you for stopping by Sunday Citar! This blog quote meme was created by Fresh Mommy. You can stop by her blog to see the quotes and photos that she and everyone else is loving right now.

Christmas Celebrations

We celebrate Christmas with my husband's family the Sunday before Christmas.  My in-laws started this tradition many years ago and it works for everyone beautifully.

This year my father-in-law did the shopping.  If you know my in-laws, this is VERY odd.  My mother-in-law LOVES to go shopping for each grandchild.  But my mother-in-law has been sick for the past couple years (she has an overactive thyroid).  At the beginning of November the drs finally decided that they would give her the radioactive pill to kill her thyroid.  Well....the pill has not killed it yet.  :(  She is still not feeling well.  Hopefully everything will level out soon and she will feel better.

Onto the gifts...my father-in-law explained that he found someone to help him with his "list" he was given by his wife.  It was hilarious.

This year Lily got lots of Squinkies

and Ian got a Paper Jam Guitar.

They were both very happy children.

On a different note...when did my baby get so big?!  I have to share that I am very proud of him.  He would have made the honor roll this marking period (the new principle did away with the merit & honor rolls this year).  He has been working his tail off.

Hope you are enjoying all of your holiday celebrations.

Finally Finished

I took some time this week to make my daughter her Lalaloopsy necklace for her birthday.

(Pendant made out of polymer clay by me for my daughter.)

Which Lalaloopsy doll is your favorite?

Now I just have to make Spot Splatter Splash's zebra and make a bracelet to go with the necklace. Never to late to give her a present.  =)

I am linking to these fabulous parties, here.
and here...

Wordful Wednesday - Happy Birthday Lily!

Yesterday was my daughter's 4th birthday.

We celebrated on Monday night because Jeff had to work late yesterday.  From mommy & daddy she got what she asked for, Spot Splatter Splash Lalaloopsy Doll.  We also gave her 2 sets of clothes that come with the shoes.

Ian gave her handmade clothes that I found on etsy & ebay.  I am LOVING all of the cute little clothes.

Lily was so excited she had gotten "the one" she asked for.  On a side note, it took us many stores and days to find "the one".  We finally found one at Target.  Spot Splatter Splash seemed to be one of the most popular Lalaloopsy dolls.  I also ordered the clothes on-line a month ago at Toys R Us and had a NIGHTMARE of a time receiving them in time.  The first time they were mailed to me they were refused by the post office.  Turns out UPS delivers smaller packages to the post office so they deliver them.  By the time this all happened the clothes were sold out again.  I spent many hours on the phone with Toys R Us customer service.  The adventure is over and Lily had a wonderful birthday celebration.

I had every intention on making her a Spot Splatter Splash necklace & a zebra bracelet, but my shop has been so busy I haven't found the time.  Maybe next week.  =)

For more WW check out 5 Minutes for Mom, WW & Parenting by Dummies.

Wordful Wednesday - Nativity

I am smitten...

A longtime customer asked me to make her daughter a nativity bracelet.  I LOVE how the focal bead came out!  I love it sooooo much that I am going to be making this into an ornament. =)

I entered 6 ornaments and they picked the ornament pictured here to be in the running to become this weeks winner in the Better Homes and Gardens Ornament Contest!  Please go and vote for me.  You can vote daily.  =)








For more WW check out 5 Minutes for Mom, WW & Parenting by Dummies.
I am linking to these fabulous parties, here.
and here...

Reindeer Tutorial

I have been wanting to do another tutorial for a while.

Here is how to make this cute little reindeer photo holder.

You will need:
Wire (I use 20 guage)
Chocolate Brown Clay
Black Clay
Red Clay
White Clay (for eyes, you can also use seed beads or marker or just black clay for these, too)
I use liquid clay between all of the joints for a better bond, but it is not necessary.

LOL, I noticed after I baked him that one of the hoofs lines were not in the front.  Oops.

**Please note this tutorial is for personal use.  If you make it & blog about it, I would love the linky love.**

I entered 6 ornaments and they picked the ornament pictured here to be in the running to become this weeks winner in the Better Homes and Gardens Ornament Contest!  Please go and vote for me.  You can vote daily.  =)







I am linking to these fabulous parties, here.
and here...

Holey Snow Batman!!

We had gotten lots of rain Tuesday night and yesterday morning.  When we get that much rain, it comes in my basement.  *sigh*  Then it turned to snow.  It snowed most of the day, but really did not stick.

It was ok, because I spent most of the day yesterday packaging orders. (Thank you to everyone who has purchased one of my creations!)  When I left the house to go to the post office around 4pm there was a dusting of snow on the ground.  I didn't even have to clean off the car.  I got 1/2 way across town the roads were terrible and it was snowing REALLY heavy!!  Crazy!  I got to the post office safely and then went to the grocery store to pick up a couple things.  When I got home it had started to snow here a bit.  I watched it snow for the rest of the night and we even had some thunder & lightning.  It was wild.

I woke up this morning at 5am to the beep beep beep of a front loader trying to get a snowplow unstuck in front of my house.  It took them almost an hour to get it out.

When I turned on the news I found out that most of the thruway here in Buffalo (I-90) & the 400 had been closed all night....as I started to write this at 3pm, it is still closed and there are tractor trailers and cars stuck all along it.

So when we finally went outside to dig out around 7am this is what we saw...

It has not stopped snowing!  It is supposed to stop around 11pm tonight.  Nuts!  The grass was green yesterday.  Alright, I know I live in Buffalo, but usually we don't get this much in that short of time.  Typically that much snow is south of here in ski country. 


We ventured out this afternoon to this...my white picket fence at the end of my driveway

Behind Ian's head is a car that is buried.

My neighbor's fence in the front is almost gone...(and those lumps are my neighbor's cars)

I just shoveled the snow off the porch ROOF because it was covering the window.

A photo of my backyard.  (Remember I took photos of the kids in the leaves there a couple weeks ago!?!)

Seriously!

At least the kids are having fun.  They had a snow day today and have called for a snow day tomorrow.

Loving her forced smile and shifty eyes...but look at that snow on the hat.  ADORABLE!

It's kinda freaky when you look out the front window and your you can see your son like this...

Because it looks like this...

Currently there is a driving ban in West Seneca (where I live) and South Buffalo.  (I live by the border of the 2 towns.)

I have a favor to ask, could you go and "like" my santa ornament that I submitted to the Better Homes & Gardens Ornament Contest.  Thank you sooooo much!!