Monday, March 28, 2016

Easter Weekend

Easter weekend is busy at the McKinney household.

Good Friday services, then boiling 7 dozen eggs for the family Easter egg hunt Sunday was Friday's agenda. 

My sister with her 3 kids,  Ryan's brother and sister with their kids all gathered at our home Saturday for the annual egg coloring followed by spring cookie baking.  While the woman were inside with the kids, the men decorated the outdoors hanging plastic eggs from the citrus trees.

Sunday morning the girls were up at the first peek of sunshine to see what goodies the Easter Bunny left in their baskets.  Chocolate bunnies and jelly beans with crayons, markers, coloring books and shopkins.  They of course were happy to find that EB ate the carrots and cookies left  for him.

Church services, brunch with our loved ones, followed by the Easter egg hunt at our house.

Baskets in hand the kids scurried the yard looking for their colored eggs.

It was a day with joyous laughter and love.

Love and Happiness,
Morgan





Thursday, March 24, 2016

Broken Fairy's Design Team

Today, I am pleased to officially announce my Broken Fairy Design Team. 

I would like to 'thank' all who applied.  This has been a very difficult decision and after careful consideration I have selected 8 gifted designers.

I would like to introduce you to my new team.

Melanie LaBelle- DTC
Hi, I’m Melanie or Mel and I’m a stay at home mom with 13 year old twins, one girl and one boy and have been married to a wonderful man for over 24 years. I have been paper crafting for about 10 years now and just love it. I mostly color images with copics but occasionally you will see images colored with watercolors, distress inks and gelatos. Cards are usually my thing but you never know when a mixed media project may pop up.

Caroline Woodhall - Designer
Hi I'm Caroline. I'm 53 , i've been married for 33 years. I have 2 grown up sons Peter who is 30 and Michael who is 28, and I have 4 grandchildren, and 2 budgies. I did have a little dog but sadly she died in september. I've been crafting all my life and used to be an adult education tutor teaching mixed crafts and sugarcraft and pottery. I also used to take children with special needs to school on a taxi which I used to love. I had to give this all up a few years ago when my back condition worsened so now i'm house bound most of the time and crafting keeps me going.  I'm only on one other dt team so it gives me plenty of time to color for both teams.

Audrey Ernst- Designer


I am Audrey Ernst aka Hippieaud Ernst in the crafting world.  You can find my blog at http://hippieaud.blogspot.com and I am Hippieaud Ernst on most social media.  I am a stay at home mom of 4 children ages 11-16 and 4 dogs.  I have been crafting as long as I can remember doing everything from scrapbooking, to jewelry and tie dye.  I fell in love with card making back in 2003, and I have never looked back.  I became Copic certified in 2012 and continue to take classes and practice coloring every chance I get as I find it so fun and relaxing, even when I am trying to perfect my technique.  I also still tie dye most of my own tank tops that I wear literally every day.  I am so excited to be part of Broken Fairy Designs and I know you will love working with Morgan's images as much as I do!  Hugs:)



Elisabeth Sarkis - Designer
Hi, I'm Lisa Sarkis from Brasil-São Paulo, I'm married, I have one 15 year old son, 3 dogs, I do crafts for many years, today I give painting classes in porcelain, painting with color pencils, markers and scrapbooking.
I love making cards and scrap projects, I'm addicted and happy to create designs that delight the eyes and hearts of the people!


Eleonora Fonseca - Designer
I'm Eleonora..
I'm a mother of two girls, retired engineer, but madly in love with Scrapbooking Art.
I love to create cards, LOs, albuns..It's really a therapy for me. When i'm working, I can't feel the time passing.I have been paper crafting for about 4 years now.
 
 
Davinia Wood - Designer
 
I'm Davinia and I am an English girl living in Australia with my husband and pet hermit crabs. I have been making cards for about 4 year and I just love to colour. Xx 


Lucinda Lucker - Designer 
 Hello, my name is Lucinda Lucker, I live in the UK, Bristol England. 
I am 35 and run a restaurant and public house with my husband, John of 10 years. Together we have 3 children, Sebastian 11, Josephine 9, and Benjamin 6, we share our home with 4 cats, Digga, Tink, Thomas and Wellington. I have crafted for many, many years, starting with sewing, knitting and crochet. After my daughter was born I moved onto papercraft, I haven't looked back. I started with peel offs, progressed to printing images and then stamping and digi stamps. I have a long way to go but have most certainly improved during my journey.


Jane Proffitt  - Designer

Hi, I am Jane Proffitt from SE Pennsylvania. I met my husband thru eharmony and have been married since 2007. I have four grown children and 5 grandchildren. Also 2 dogs, 3 cats and 22 goats that I use the milk to make soap and lotion. My husband and I run a campground and love it. I have crafty all my life but just started coloring and card making in Oct. 2015! No turning back now. I am a colourist on another team am will have plenty of time to share your lovely images.

  
If you would like to visit my designer's blogs, their links can be found in the menu on the left hand side. 

Love and Happiness, 
Morgan 

Monday, March 21, 2016

The Zoo. DT Reminder.

A fun family filled weekend.

We visited the Phoenix Zoo.  Had so much fun, especially the girls. 
Later on a trip to the movies to see Disney's Zootopia.  Really a great movie. Highly recommended.

Sunday night the girls were busy coloring in their zoo books while I did some coloring of my own on some new BFD's  images.   I have some mermaids that will be in my store today.  Here is a colored sample of Jelly Walk.



Just a reminder, Broken Fairy Designs is having a DT Call. 
The details are as followed:

Broken Fairy Designs is looking for designers for our new design team.

  1. Do you currently have an active blog and facebook page?
  2. Do you love to create projects and inspire with digital images?
  3. Can you take good clear pictures of your work?
  4. Can you meet a deadline?

If you answer yes to the above questions, this team is for you. I am looking for DT members to join our Team, to showcase my Broken Fairy Designs.
 
Requirements:
You are required to do atleast 3 projects a month.
You must be willing to promote Broken Fairy Designs on your blog and  facebook.
You must be willing to submit your creations to magazines for publications. 
You must be willing to display our team badge on your blog.


What you need to do:
Please submit the following via email to brokenfairydesigns@outlook.com
Name, location, brief bio, blog address, facebook link.

If accepted to our team:You will be provided with  images from Broken Fairy Designs to work with and use  for our challenges and hops. Your name and blog link will be displayed on our  blog.

This is an open call for now until all available spots are filled. We are currently looking for at least 5 people.

This DT Call is open to everyone, international applicants welcome.
I look forward to reviewing your applications and creations. You will be notified via email if accepted to the team.
Love and Happiness,
Morgan




Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Reminder For DT Call

Broken Fairy Designs is looking for designers for our new design team.

  1. Do you currently have an active blog and facebook page?
  2. Do you love to create projects and inspire with digital images?
  3. Can you take good clear pictures of your work?
  4. Can you meet a deadline?

If you answer yes to the above questions, this team is for you. I am looking for DT members to join our Team, to showcase my Broken Fairy Designs.
 
Requirements:
You are required to do atleast 3 projects a month.
You must be willing to promote Broken Fairy Designs on your blog and  facebook.
You must be willing to submit your creations to magazines for publications. 
You must be willing to display our team badge on your blog.


What you need to do:
Please submit the following via email to brokenfairydesigns@outlook.com
Name, location, brief bio, blog address, facebook link.

If accepted to our team:You will be provided with  images from Broken Fairy Designs to work with and use  for our challenges and hops. Your name and blog link will be displayed on our  blog.

This is an open call for now until all available spots are filled. We are currently looking for at least 5 people.

This DT Call is open to everyone, international applicants welcome.
I look forward to reviewing your applications and creations. You will be notified via email if accepted to the team.

Love and Happiness,
Morgan

Monday, March 14, 2016

Hot Dog Pizza and Sunday Tailgate Party

Every have hot dogs on a pizza?

We did Saturday night.  Instead of ordering a pizza for delivery,  we decided making our own, together as a family, would be better.  Two pizzas, one Hawaiian style  and the other was  our girls creation, Hot Dog Pizza.  They  decided instead of pepperoni, hot dogs would be better, with  lots of cheese of course.  With dads help the hot dogs were sliced and arranged on the pizza which looked like  a work of  art.

The girls were over the moon with their creation.  In the oven it went and several minutes  later they were baked and  on the table ready to  be devoured.  Grace was said and then it was time to dig in.  I was sitting there just looking  at it and the question came, "Mom are you going to eat your pizza?"
"Of course." I replied with a smile.   After one bite, I have to say, it wasn't all that bad. What  made it more ok was the fact it was created by our  girls and  made with love.

Sunday was date day.  The girls spent the day with my parents, and Ryan and I were off to Phoenix International Speedway  for the Nascar Race.  Met friends, watched the race, and tailgated afterwards. Had the most  delicious Asian Slaw  with ramen noodles. Truly a must have for any tailgating party or get together. I will get the recipe for you and  share it here in the next  couple of days. Trust me when I  say  you must try it,  so delicious.

It was a  wonderful weekend with  family and friends. I am so blessed.

Now Monday is here and it's time to get back into my artistic mood and draw.

Love and Happiness,
Morgan  

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Penelope Potter, The Ground Squirrel

After breakfast, my girls wandered outside, before heading off to kindergarten.

While doing dishes, I heard them screaming.  Dishes went splat!  I ran outside to discover both were fine! Except we  had a visitor  in our pool,  a precious little ground squirrel, named Penelope Potter. Yes, my girls had to name this squirrel.

I quickly grabbed the pool net and rescued the little one.  Girls ran, got some towels and I carefully  wrapped it up.  I really thought there was not much hope but to our surprise, thank God,  "Penelope" came around and scampered off.  Girls were ecstatic as was I.

We returned inside the house, to a wet kitchen, and broken dishes.  Grabbed my car keys, got the girls in the suv and off to kindergarten, in the knick of time.  I am  sure "Penelope" will be a star during show and tell today.

When you live in  the desert its not  unheard of for animals to end up in your pool.  Most never survive the ordeal but today we managed to rescue one of God's creatures,  "Penelope".

Love and Happiness,
Morgan










Monday, March 7, 2016

Design Team Call.

Broken Fairy Designs is looking for designers for our new design team.

  1. Do you currently have an active blog and facebook page?
  2. Do you love to create projects and inspire with digital images?
  3. Can you take good clear pictures of your work?
  4. Can you meet a deadline?
If you answer yes to the above questions, this team is for you. I am looking for DT members to join our Team, to showcase my Broken Fairy Designs.
 
Requirements:
You are required to do atleast 3 projects a month.
You must be willing to promote Broken Fairy Designs on your blog and  facebook.
You must be willing to submit your creations to magazines for publications. 
You must be willing to display our team badge on your blog.


What you need to do:
Please submit the following via email to brokenfairydesigns@outlook.com
Name, location, brief bio, blog address, facebook link.

If accepted to our team:You will be provided with  images from Broken Fairy Designs to work with and use  for our challenges and hops. Your name and blog link will be displayed on our  blog.

This is an open call for now until all available spots are filled. We are currently looking for at least 5 people.

This DT Call is open to everyone, international applicants welcome.
I look forward to reviewing your applications and creations. You will be notified via email if accepted to the team.

Love and Happiness,
Morgan

The Weekend.

A weekend at the McKinney household is always full of adventure especially when you have children.

Sleeping in is a rarity.  The minute the sun started to rise on the horizon, the girls were up and about ready to start  their day.  Saturday and Sunday, my girls, invaded my craft room. Coloring was on their agenda.

Even though it was a  beautiful spring weekend,  in the 80's, citrus blooms in the air, with a few clouds here and there,  perfect kite flying weather I must say,  my girls stayed inside and colored up a storm. Their beautiful colorings adorn  our refrigerator now and my craft room, even though looks like a marker and crayon bomb went off, was filled with love.

Even at dinner, on Saturday night, at Buca di Beppo, coloring books along with my designs were in tow.  Ryan and I  watched them with love in our  hearts, thanking God for moments like these. How blessed we are.  Life is grand.

It's moments like these that make wonderful memories.

I will add, there was  one time this weekend coloring was  second on their mind.  The reason, a trip to the Sugar Bowl for ice cream with their dad.

Love and Happiness,
Morgan

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
1 Thessalonians 3:12

Friday, March 4, 2016

Taking a leap.

Today, finally, my store opens.  I am really excited.  Thanks to the encouragement of my wonderful hubby,  I decided to take the leap with my art and venture into the digital world.  I am a watercolorist at  heart.

New ventures are really scary.

I'm new to blogland.  I have been setting this up for days, with the  hopes of doing this correctly. Made sure all my i's are dotted and t's crossed.  Then when that looked great, there is the first initial post.  What on earth do I say?  This journey for  sure is going to be a work in progress.

I'm  also new to the whole digital stamp world, in regards to selling my digital images.  I am sure there will be mistakes along the way,  but any venture worthwhile is worth the risk, right?
Right!  At least that is what my Ryan keeps telling me.

I am going to try to blog on a daily basis, should life permit.  With two twin girls, age five, life can be pretty chaotic.

To find my stamps, visit the menu on the right or click here.

Love and Happiness,
Morgan