Hello Again From Shibuya

We just finished our first day of classes here. The Japanese people are so nice! Some have traveled for more than 10 hours to come to our class. Some flew in from other islands, some came by bullet train and some came on buses. We are very honored to say the least!

We have had our photo taken so many times and Eric and I look even taller than we really are.

Tonight we are going to try Sushi..... I'm a little nervous about this.

I can't wait to post some photos, especially of Eric in our hotel room (think Alice in Wonderland, when she eats the cookie and grows too large for the house).

Hang in there Becky, we'll be back soon!

Hello From Shibuya

Hi Everyone,

I am posting from Japan, where it is around lunchtime. We had a safe trip here, but would like you all to know that our computer is not working. Our cell phones are not working. We are completely cut off from all communications!

So, this is the only way I know to tell my kids I love them and I:ll see you on Sunday afternoon!

Be good for Becky.

Any blog readers that know Becky:s email address, please update her with this information. We can:t email because the cosmo cricket server won:t work from this computer :(

Any blog readers that want to contact Lindsay and let him know why I:ve not replied to his email or started up any video chats that would be great too........... although I:m sure he:ll figure it out when he goes to update the blog again.

By the way, Eric has got to be the tallest person in Japan right now. I almost hit my own head on the ceiling of the shower this morning!

I:d update with photos, but again, technical issues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sarah Smile....

Because you Sarah, who has a fear of clowns,who has a dog named Riley, who's husband hates spiders, have just won $100.00 worth of Cosmo Cricket products of your choice.

Simply email krista@cosmocricket.com with your wish list of the goods, and she will take good care of you.We want to thank all of you for sharing your "phobias" and in time, maybe with a little counseling, okay, allot of counseling, you will be able to overcome them.

With me....... I can't see that happening anytime soon!

OK, Julie's out of town and I'm not the most creative guy in the world, so I asked Krista to create a candy box using our "Oh Joy" Christmas collection and our Black Memory Box.


I love what she created! This is something that you can make and fill with homemade candies, dried fruit, or fresh baked cookies.
Every year at my house we struggle on what we should do for "neighbor gifts."

Helpful "safety tip":

Every year there are those neighbors, that aren't really neighbors, that live beyond the "neighbor zone", that bring you something and you have nothing for them. Make a few extra, just in case....

They will be shocked that you spent all of your time on them and may even begin humming the theme song to Mr. Rogers!

Enough of that, let the project begin:




Start out with Cosmo Cricket Memory Box and 3 patterned papers. I used Merry & Bright, Wrapping Paper and Reindeer Games, I also used the Oh Joy Strip Tease.

Decide which paper you would like to go on the lid and trace the lid onto the paper. Cut out. Once you have cut it out, ink around the edges.

Then Glue the top onto the box, I use Quick dry adhesive but spray adhesive or modge podge would work as well

Once you have the top glued on, decide which paper you would like on the sides. I used Wrapping Paper. Trace the side of the box onto the paper to get the length and width and cut 4 strips out. Ink the edges.

Adhere the strips to the edges.

Next, choose some ribbon to go around the bottom edge. I chose a scalloped velvet ribbon and I adhered it with scrapbook adhesive. Regular glue or hot glue would work well also.

Adhere the ribbon all the way around the box.

Now, lets do the inside (optional) I chose Reindeer Games. Trim the paper to fit the inside and adhere. I used Quick Dry adhesive.

For the ornament on the front I used our Buck Naked ornaments with the Ornament Fashions. Easy, glue the fashions on the ornament and ink around the edges, done!

Now I took the Journaling Cards and I cut out “Happy Holidays” ink around the edges and glue onto the box.

Now, I attached the ornament to a brown piece of ribbon, already tied in a bow. I ran scrapbook adhesive along where I wanted the ribbon to go and adhere. Trim the edges of the ribbon to fit.

Now, we need to fill the cut-out window. I took a piece of white cardstock and using our Jolly rub-ons I placed the rub-on where I wanted it, rubbed and done!

Glue it to the underside of the lid and you have a finished project!!

Have fun and remember, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's.........................

If you saw yesterdays video and blog, the picture to the left is what he looked like- Okay, Except for the super hero outfit of course.

No really, he possessed super powers, as our office can attest to.

There are very few things that I'm afraid of, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why it's mice.

My wife reminds me and all of her friends, quite often about when we first got married, and we had a mouse in our house. She re-tells with great detail how her strong brave new husband jumped, okay leaped up onto our couch, to avoid one of those cute, sweet, dirty, disgusting, dreadful, field varmints.

That being said, I do like Mighty Mouse, Tom, Jerry, Mickey, and Minnie. Does that count?

I have what's referred to as Musophobia. I fear mice, not so much rats, but mice. I get hives when I see them and start coughing like I'm going to throw-up. ( see the video)
My body was once covered completly in hives after seeing a large group of them in my wood shed.

What I'm not is Agrizoophobic- I love wild animals and like being out and around them. Nor am I Arachnephobiac. When I was a kid I would let them crawl on my arm or play with them like a yo-yo by grabbing part of their web.

I love heights, chopsticks and clowns. So I'm neither Acrophobiac, Consecotaleophobiac, nor Coulrophobiac!

I'm guessing if you went to the link below, you might find something that bothers you like mice bother me.
http://phobialist.com/

When you get a second.......Take a look and get back to me!

P.S. Did I mention that those who we here back from, there names will be entered in a drawing for $100.00 retail value of free Cosmo Cricket products of there choice.

A Mouse in the House

Since Eric and I work from home...... on Macs........ we sometimes video conference in on the Monday morning meetings. Have you ever wondered what goes on in a Cosmo Cricket meeting? Well, this morning we just had to tape part. Unfortunately, we missed most of the good stuff. But, it's still pretty fun!

The Bird Holder Tutorial

Ok ladies, I have had many requests for this tutorial. But first, today's winner is.......Rachel @ 11:07am. Congratulations Rachel, send your address to Krista@cosmocricket.com and we'll send you your prize!

And Second, did you know that Monday is Digital Scrapbooking Day? Well, according to scrapblog.com and Digital Scrapbooking magazine it is. So, how many of you do the digital thing? How many of you do hybrid stuff? How many of you have never tried anything digital?

I guess you could say that I am a hybrid girl, but only because I design all the paper and stuff I'm using on my mac before I use it. And, I guess I also take all my photos digitally, import them into Photoshop, play with them a bit and then print myself. But, I have never really done a digital layout. How about you?

If you are into the digital thing or would just like to give it a try, here is a contest that might interest you! Now through Nov. 1, users that log in or sign up on scrapblog.com and design their digital holiday greeting cards, tagging them as “DSD” will be entered in a contest for 50 printed Scrapblog greeting cards featuring their designs and a free one-year subscription to Digital Scrapbooking Magazine. There is no cost to participate and users can enter as many holiday card designs as they’d like. There will be five winners.

Now, for the tutorial!!! Hopefully it makes sense and you can tell what I was doing in these photos..... they're not the best. Oh well...... wire is hard to photograph........ especially in a basement!

Start with some sturdy wire (I'm sorry, I don't know what gauge this is) and needle nose pliers. Pinch about one inch in from end.

Twist wire around like in photo.

Squeeze together as shown.

Bend wire so that you can repeat the process.

Like this! Make three front toes by repeating these instructions.

Once you have your three toes, pinch the wire about 1 1/2" away from what will be the center of the foot, as shown.

Bend the wire around to make the back toe.

Pinch it together, like with the other toes.

You'll notice that your back toe is wider closer to the foot. If that doesn't bother you, continue, but if you like, bring your wire up between two of the front toes to finish the first foot.

You'll want the wire to be about twice as long as your finished leg length. Estimating that length, fold the wire down to make the second leg.

Following the same steps as before...... even in the same order, make the second foot. Then clip wire.

Pinch leg at about center point (this depends slightly on how long you want the leg to be).

Fold foot up as shown. Then, repeat on other side.

After you bend both legs, flip it over and you should have this. (Are you still with me?)

Pinch in center of the front part, as shown.

Bend it up and then repeat on other side. (If this looks confusing, skip down to the next photo, and I think you'll get the idea).

TaDaaa. You should now have a completed wire holder that looks like little chicken legs! Make some cute cards to fit in there and enjoy!!

The Flock, The Day and The Game

Good Morning,

Let's start with the game. No weight change this morning. That's two weeks for me on this little plateau. And, this is the last weigh in before Japan (I leave on Tuesday). I will be 12 pounds lighter than when I started my quest!! So, even though I didn't lose any this week, I am still proud of myself.

Regulars to the blog know that if they post a comment today, they will be entered into a drawing for a prize. I never really say what they will win, because I usually haven't decided that yet. Usually it's a new line of paper, and older line of paper and something fun to go with it. Today I am thinking of Fleuriste and Oh Joy with the Buck Naked ornaments so that the winner can make these cute birds if they wish.

The instructions are in the post below, if you didn't see that yesterday. And, I will do the wire holder tutorial, but probably not today.

Why, you ask?

I have kids home from school because of parent teacher conferences...... mine are in 30 minutes. Abby has a doctor's appointment at 10:30. I have a hair appointment at 1:30, but it's a two hour drive (that's a long story, I might have to share it sometime). Anyway, I don't expect to be able to breath all morning!