pomaika`i: my work, my thoughts and my reflections. living with aloha

Friday, March 28, 2008

The answer is...Chocolate!!!

Aloha mai, 

Good Friday morning!

I've posted a really easy challenge for you to close out the month over at Secretscrapper.  I hope you get a chance to do this fun little project and maybe some of the others before the end of the month for a chance to win an cool RAK from me and the grand prize album from the site.  

I've added how to links to my projects in the right hand menu bar.  If you ever need instruction for altered projects, please check these out! 

Class with Lance from Rusty Pickle last night was totally awesome.  As you might know, Lance has traveled the world teaching scrapbook classes and is a master in motion!  I learned a lot about what makes a great teacher by watching him last night.  He also shared some tips afterwards that I plan to work on!

I appreciate Lance's down to earth style and genuine kindness.  If you have a chance to take a class from him.  Go-for-it! 

In last night's class, we used the School Daze line of paper for a mini-album.  I love this paper!  I have to admit that when this paper line came out, I didn't really look at the designs closely.  I saw the name of the line, and I skipped it since I don't have many school "theme" photos to srap, but it's not only for school photos at all!  It's a really colorful and very versatile!  Lesson learned (pun intended LOL)! 

Most of the night we focused on building an amazingly creative photo pop up  ball created by Karen Burniston.  You can take a look at the project we did at her site.   I can't wait to finish this album and decorate the ball!

Oh, and the answer to my previous post:  What would you put in a Rusty Pickle Road Trip Survival kit?
     


The answer is:   

                            CHOCOLATE!



A big Mahalo to Lance and Rusty Pickle for their wonderful inspiration and generosity! 
Check out the Rusty Pickle blog for monthly challenges and Lance's Blog to see where he will be teaching next!  

until next time! 
a hui hou! 

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Life is Good!


Aloha Mai,
I was able to do a few more projects today.  Here is one that I like a lot!  Yup, the paper is really old, but I love it soooo much I have just hoarded it!  It's old Scenic Route.   The inspiration for the fruitiness is from Caardvarks Challenge Blog and the sketch inspiration is from CPS Challenge Blog sketch #57. 

Gotta run!  Rusty Pickle class tonight!  Hooray!  
Have an awesome day! 
hugs!!!

A hui hou! 

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

What's do you think would be in a Rusty Pickle Road Trip Survival Kit?



Aloha mai,
Another busy day at the ranch. LOL.  I finished a little gift I'm taking to Rusty Pickle class with Lance tomorrow night.  Here's the outside.  Can you guess what might be inside?!  LOL  I'll post the rest tomorrow!  


Tonight I finished a really fun challenge from Theme Thursday.  these little babies are 1 x 1".  How fun is that!  I used Rusty Pickle paper and Inkadinkadoo stamps.  


One more challenge, Pink and Brown for the upcoming week at Theme Thursday, and at the same time fulfilling April's challenge at Secret Scrapper for layered flowers.  I will be posting a how to for these fun flowers soon.  The paper used here was BG and the beautiful stamps are from Queen Kat Designs

Well, it's pretty late, so I'll sign off for now (but not before checking the latest Fiskadeal)
Have a great one and thanks for visiting me!
a hui hou! 

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

An EGGciting Story...LOL

My final challenge for March is up at Secret Scrapper...it's really easy! You will get entered into a RAK drawing and a Grand Prize drawing!  

Aloha mai! 
I hope you are having a wonderful last week on March!  It's going out like a Lion that's for sure! Temps were almost freezing here today! 

I wanted to share a fun project for you.  When the eggs are dyed...


and you have your L"egg"mosine ready to roll...


what can you do with the left over dye besides throw it down the drain?!


I took an informal survey, and asked these P"egg"ple what they thought...

and they said ...

What did they say????We're dyeing to know!!

...that any crafter would of course use the dye to make embellishments!  LOL

so here are some fun tags that I will be happy to use on my future card making projects! 



These are just some white office tags I had in my stash.  BORING.  LOL.  Not any more! 
What do you think? 

Enjoy life!  
a hui hou! 



Sunday, March 23, 2008

Rusty Pickle Fun


  

Aloha Mai,

Today is a fun day.  Marble fun to be specific!  This month's Rusty Pickle Blog challenge is to create an altered item using 4 paper lines.  I had a blast with this one.  DS has a marble track that he hardly plays with because we have wall to wall carpeting that makes it hard to balance anything.  I thought it was time for a face lift.  


Here is the result: 


I used an old RP line with vintage Sepia images, Adams Family, French Market, Merry Grinchmas, Holiday Collection, and Florish Chipboard.  I also used Capt’n Jack Alpha stamps, Capt’n Jack stamps and Journal stamps.


We spent an afternoon playing with the new track outside.  It’s amazing what a little paper and adhesive can do! 


Altered Challenges of my Own:

There is still a week left to finish my altered challenges at the Secret Scrapper site.  You can find all four challenges here.  If you complete and upload any of them by midnight your time on March 31st you will be entered into a drawing for a RAK from me and also be entered into the wonderful March Grand Prize drawing at SS.  (Totally great albums folks!) 


Take care and have an awesome week!  

a hui hou! 

Happy Easter



Aloha Mai,
Have a blessed Easter!  Happy New Beginnings! 

aloha nui from scrapaloha and 'ohana

a hui hou


supplies: Basic Grey paper, Inkadinkado Stamp, ribbon, embossing powder, rhinestones

Friday, March 21, 2008

Doodling for fun!

   




Aloha mai! 
Yum, I'm munching on a chocolate cupcake from Top Foods and drinking my cup of Yogi decaff green tea.  I love the taste of the tea and the warmth it brings me, but I have to confess that my most favorite part of the cup of tea is the little saying that is printed on the tea tag.  I call it my fortune, my thought to live for the day. 

Today my "fortune" is "The universe is the stage on which you dance, guided by your heart."  
ahhhh....

Check out our review for Ethnic Scrapbooking Idea Book by Lisa Sanford.  My first official non-blog review ;)  YAY!  Shoot me an email if you are interested in this book.

I finished a challenge that was given by Chis over at Scrapfriends during our little monthly chat last week.  I used some adorable Inkadinkado stamps and Sakura Gelly Roll Glaze Pens.  

The challenge was to make an accordion card.  This was the first time I did that.  If you want instructions, you can check out Chris' blog over at the Scrapfriends site.  (can't get to the direct link just now, I think they are doing some migrating LOL computer speak for changing over a website).

On this little card I did some doodling using my Sakura Micron Pen.  Look closely and you can see the little trees and pebbles and stars and things.  It was fun.  This was Art Girlz Blog challenge #26.  
DS is on a hike today, so I'm going to get my booty down into the dungeon and work a LOT!  ;) 

Have a great weekend and Happy Easter! 

a hui hou!  Thanks for visiting! 

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Easter Bunny and a Card


Aloha Mai,
LOL,  the Easter Bunny finish shopping while there was still stock in the stores. ;)  YUM!   Last year by the time the Easter Bunny got to us there were only ear-less bunnies left at the Easter Hole in the ground.  YIKES! 

I better hurry and post before DS comes in .  I wanted to share a card (challenge #56) with you that I did for the CPS challenge blog.  It was inspired by a challenge by April at SecretScrapper.  

I used BG paper and die cuts from their Infuse collection. 

I have a few more things to post, but this will have to do for today.  

Take care and have a wonderful weekend! 
a hui hou! 

Monday, March 17, 2008

Altered Mini-Tin Challenge Posted

    
Aloha Mai!
Happy St. Patty's Day!  I hope that you are enjoying yourselves!  My Aunty used to work at the Our Lady of Peace Cathedral in Honolulu, and since there were lots of Catholic Priests who were Irish, this was a special day for her.  I remember that she gave me lots of little trinkets with 4-leaf clovers and Irish blessings too. I remember receiving a button with "Kiss me, I'm the Blarney Stone" on it LOL.  I love corn beef and cabbage, though I haven't had it in a while.  I didn't plan early enough this year...Oh well, I hope you have some for me! 


I wanted to let you know that I just posted Altered heART challenge #3 at Secret Scrapper. Come play and earn a chance to win a RAK from me and also be in the SS Grand Prize Drawing for the month.  Last month, beautiful albums were given away!!!  You have to get one!  This challenge is a mini-altered tin.  I have instructions and pictures for you if you have never done this before.  I hope you will take a look.  

What a wonderful mail day today!  I received my Guest Designer kit from Kelly over at Keep In Touch.  It's full of wonderful goodies which you can see when this kit debuts in May. Meanwhile, Kelly has a wonderful selection of kits, and is the sweetest person!!  Also, be sure to check out her Limited Edition kits while you there (they're amazing!).  

I also received my prize package from Rusty Pickle Chef, Alycia's Blog Challenge.  It is the RP Chocolate Bunnies Collection with tons of wonderful paper, rub-ons, tags, Cardstock Stickers, letters and more!  Thank you so much Rusty Pickle and Alycia!  You ROCK! 

Well, 'nuff said for now.  DS is home with a sinus infection, poor thing.  I am sneaking some time on the computer while he naps. 
Take care and have a wonderful day! 
a hui hou!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Coconut-Pineapple Dream Cake

Check out my Easter Cards and things in my Etsy Shop!  


Aloha Mai! 
What do you have in store this weekend?  
Ikaika and I made a cake this week for DH's birthday.  LOL.  It's an awesome recipe I got from my Hula sister Kau'i.  It is a regular white cake, but the frosting has pineapple, cream cheese, coconut and whipped cream.  YUM!  

It's totally rich and totally yummy.  It even works when you are like me and don't like to cook and sometimes space and put all the ingredients in the frosting instead of layering it LOL! 
The pineapple made the frosting a little runny, but I managed to get it on the sides of the cake somehow and after refrigerating, it was fine. 
 

Kau'i's cake

Cake: make a yellow cake according to the package 9 x 13 or two round 9" pans

Frosting: 
8 oz cream cheese softnened
1 cup coconut milk
1 pkg (3.75 oz) instant vanilla pudding
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1 container (13.5 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed  (we use hip whip--tofu base)
1 1/3 C shredded coconut

Beat cream cheese with coconut mild and pudding; spread over cooled cake.

Spoon pineapple mixture over pudding mixture, then cover with whipped topping. 

Sprinkle with coconut.  

Chill.

Serves 20 (if you are not cake lovers LOL)

Pomai's tip:  ****Or you can just dump it all in (except whip cream) and mix it up LOL

Have a wonderful weekend!  I'll come back with a tutorial later this weekend. 
until then...
A hui hou!

Sunday, March 09, 2008

Spring Cleaning! Books and Mags for sale!

Aloha Mai,

My Etsy store is well stocked and I have also done some:

spring cleaning...

and have some books and back issues of Magazines for sale or in some cases trade.  I hope you will take a look here at my Scrapfriends blog, I have pictures and everything there, so it will save me time if you go there to look.  ;)

While you are there, take a look at my newest review for Flair Designs Easter Surprise Collection.  It's the next entry down.  

Today is cake baking day.  We are in desperate need of canola oil.  We are making waffles with olive oil LOL!  Better get moving.  

I created the little altered box above for "Mr. Mush's" altered item challenge at Scrapfriends.  It is now in the Fiskar's Gallery.  You can see the tools I used for them. 

BTW, Niki won the survivor contest at MMFY like I thought she would.  She does awesome work.  Congrats!  

Take care and I'll post a picture of the cake when it's done! 
A hui hou! 

Saturday, March 08, 2008

My Scrapfriends Review: Flair Designs Easter Surprise Collection


Aloha Mai, 
Good morning!  
I was lucky enough to review Flair Design's Easter Surprise Collection.  
It's published now, so you can see it too!  



I am finishing up my new listings in my Etsy Store.  
Lots of Easter items and a few others as well! 
Have a great day.  I'll update later in the day.  
a hui hou!

Friday, March 07, 2008

Basic Grey Online Gallery Toot!


Aloha mai!
Totally cool!  I had three projects accepted into the Basic Grey online gallery!  Totally awesome!  
I even have my name under designers in the little drop down menu!  How cool is that!!!  The BG paper that I used came from the March Secret Scrapper Kit.  Thanks Mandy!

(this project will be Challenge #3, so I am not posting here yet, but you can see it at the BG link)

Flower Card


BTW, speaking of Secret Scrapper, I have posted the second Altered heART challenge tonite. It complements the first challenge, but can also be used alone.  I hope you'll check out the challenge. There is a cool RAK at the end and you get entered into the grand prize drawing at the end of the month.  (Awesome prizes!)

Take care and have an awesome weekend!  
Tomorrow is the announcement for the Making Memories For You Design Team (I'm not trying out ;))  and the Survivor winner.  I have a guess who it will be...let's see if I'm right. 
Until then...
A hui hou!


Thursday, March 06, 2008

Before...and after

       
Before: Thrift store find After: Easter Home Decor

Aloha Mai, 
It's another overcast day in Seattle today.  We have been so spoiled the last few weeks with Spring like blue skies and high tree pollen! LOL  Everyone seems to be battling allergies now.  
I am trying something new, a 1/4 tsp of local honey everyday, starting from late winter and through allergy season.  The theory is that the bees transform local pollen, and hopefully that will help to ready the body for the onslaught of pollen allergens during the season.  Hey, it's worth a try!  Anything to avoid horrible allergies!  And if it doesn't work...don't tell me because I LOVE me some honey every morning!!!  LOL   

Isn't this gorgeous!  A big thank you to Teresa Collins!  I have been stalking her blog since I was introduced to her products before CHA.  I was a lucky winner of this beautiful crown.  I feel like a princess every time I look at it.  Its amazing how beautifully it shines.  It has a place of honor above my scrap table.  I'll get my first Teresa Collins paper soon!!!  I'm so excited!!!  


I will be creating Easter Cards today and will be updating my Etsy Shop today or in the next few days.  I'll post when everything is listed.  

Until then...take care and have a wonderful day! 
a hui hou!

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

The Bucket List


Aloha Mai,
Apparently there is a new movie out, and it's good.  I don't know from experience.  It's just what I've heard.  

Challenge: List ten things you want to do before you "Kick the Bucket"

I stumbled upon Frankie's Bucket List Challenge on the boards at Making Memories For You.   Even though there were only two days left before the challenge ended, I wanted to do this.  It has been a while since I reflected upon my life and took stock in where I am and what I want to do in the future. 

Here's my list:

Before I kick the bucket
1. Watch Kai grow into a wonderful human being
2. Work at my dream job in the scrapbook industry
3. Become a Kumu Hula & teach classes
4. Learn to ice skate
5. Move back to Hawai'i to live
6. Make people smile
7. Visit Aotearoa again
8. Write & scrap family history for Kai
9. Inspire people positively
10. Be a better person

As I was thinking up my list, one thing I noticed is that I am very happy with my life as it is now.  I do have a few biggies, like seeing Kai grow up to be a wonderful person, and I am still keeping my fingers crossed for the ultimate Dream Job in the Scrapbooking Industry (one that pays me for doing what I love LOL), and I would like to do my part to spread more Aloha in the world (making the world a better place).  

Most of the other things on my list I work at everyday, and some would be nice, like learning how to ice skate and visit Aotearoa again etc, but I will not be totally disappointed if they don't happen.  

I'm really glad I did this challenge and grateful that I have been so blessed.  If you haven't done your "bucket list" lately, I challenge you to do it.  You don't have to scrap it if you don't want to, just list them. You can post them here in the comments section if you like.  I'd love to support you in accomplishing your list!  

I have tons of pieces to show you, but they'll have to wait until the end of the week.  I have one more deadline to meet.  Until then...
a hui hou!

supply list:
Prima's Paintables
Basic Grey
Lyra Water Color Crayons

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Altered Clipboard Challenge


Aloha mai,
I hope you are enjoying your weekend!  Today is the first of the month and I am so excited!  I just posted my first challenge as a Design Team member at Secret Scrapper
The first of a two part challenge has been listed.  Altered Art Challenge-Altered Clipboard. Each of my March challenges is a project that can stand alone or can be used in combination with the other challenge.  
I hope will be fun as well as practical!  At the end of the month you will have a couple of beautiful gifts for yourself or to give away, and maybe even some new skills you can use over and over.  
Please join me for some fun!  All levels are invited!  If you've never altered a clipboard or have never used Mod Podge, I have included some step by step helpful hints for you.  If you have altered before, come and show us your stuff!!!
More later! 
a hui hou!