Blogging Break

I'm off to have some time for myself and to relax and have some fun...just like this sign says. Vacation is here...Dave and I are off to Vegas and the desert for awhile...I'm not pre-posting any entries...tell you all about our trip when I get back...

Its Bon Voyage for me and Bon Journee for you.

C'est Vendredi

Its almost time guys and gals...Vacation awaits after just one more day of work. Tonight we have a hockey game...if we can dig out the foot of snow on the ground...tomorrow we fly...away from the snow and the precipitation that's here in New Hampshire...I'm not getting too descriptive because precipitation is a dirty word right now. Both directions to work today were horrible and my driveway has yet to be snow blowed...feeling a little time stressed here...wish our flight was later tomorrow! But when I'm in the air tomorrow, it won't matter 1 bit!

So another bird card...since  flying is on my mind.

I die cut this card with green cardstock with a sizzix card die...I used a mover and shaker's die cut to add the center bracket cut out and then filled that opening with some 7Gypsies paper. Then I outlined the edge of that paper with black just for some contrast. The bird is die cut with another Sizzix die on tagstock. I then colored it with various Copics and some white pen and some gold pen and also ended by distressing it with some Mango Memories ink. I added a dimensiona pearl drop for an eye and then set it aside. I used a CHF backgrounder stamp to stamp the background design on the green cardstock. The postmarks are stamped from 7Gypsies Avignon set. The top dotted swag is an older stamp which might be Savvy Stamps and I added the dimensional pearl dot and used white and brown pen to add the little tassels. I attached the bird and made a crown for her by taking some brown colored German metal scrap paper( the same trim I used along the bottom of the card) and cutting off 3 points and then attaching each like a crown. Then I put on a few Hero Arts gemstones to finish off the crown. The heart is free cut, glued down and then outlined and the words are from Hero Arts. Funny, I didn't like the bird while making her but now on the card, I like her. Well I should say I didn't like my coloring of the bird at first, and now I do.

So LOTS to do including a day of work...

Until next time...I bid you

Adieu

getting Ready to Flutter Away

We're slowly getting closer to travel day...ok, I can't seem to talk about anything else and that makes me BORING...I know...but I am SOOOOOO excited, you can't even imagine. Well maybe you can. I've spent so many nights this week grading papers to get caught up and doing laundry and then packing...I could use studio time but don't think its gonna happen until we get home. The good news, its Thursday...the bad news, poor Hubby is sick-hopefully its just a cold and not the flu but I'm suspicious its more than a cold. A bummer for him, for sure.

So this card was super easy except for the fact I got carried away with the butterfly and diddled with it too much.

So a made a long card out of red cardstock. Then I cut a sheet of 8x8 paper in half and attached it. I love this paper. Its by DCWV paper and I love this set. So I set eyelets in the corners and then on some white cardstock I stamped the buterfly twice. The first time I cut it out and Copic colored it (both sides) and then glued down only the left wing down. I then cut out the second stamped image from the white cardstock and cut out the middle body. I pasted both individual wings down on the other wings and then colored them with various dimensional pearls and then added dimensional pearls down in a different color to make the body. The antenna are done with a black Sharpie and then outlined in a white pen with a little blob of dimensional pearls down on the end of each antenna and in blue to make butterflies trail. I stamped the word (Stampotique) and then outlined the background paper with the same black Sharpie, et voila! A very simple but sharp (if I say so myself, hee-hee) card. The thing I found tough was what color to make the butterlfy...the redish one may blend in a bit too much, but other colors clashed too much...so I stuck with red.

Oh revoir for today. Enjoy!

This is what I have right now...

You can't blame me for wishing for some green grass and warmer air, can you? Its been a tough snowy last few weeks...even though we haven't had any BIG storms for a few weeks-thankfully...let's hope it stays that way.

So last night I started packing...I am so READY for that too. 3 Days and counting...

Anyhow, let me tell you about this card. I started by brushing torquoise ink on a white cardstock card. Then I took some bright green stock that I texturized with flowers. Then I ripped and stacked the paper. I stamped the flowers-CHF/Kim Hughes. I colored them in with some Copics. The sheep are also Kim Hughes and I stamped them on white paper, cut them out and then colored them also. I stamped the little bugs-more CHF and put some sparkle jellyroll pens. I added the dots.  The words are from Technique Tuesday-they're now retired spring words set. The little dancing sheet I added is from a French stamp company-Aladine. Love this dancing guy. He's such a hoot.

Don't you agree?

Saturday is Getting Closer

Can you tell I'm just a little bit excited to get away from the snow? At least I hope I'm getting away from the snow. I've enough of winter, thank you!

So last night I skipped book club which I love to go to but decided I needed to continue the check off the chore list a bit more. I also needed a little nap...but I had laundry to do, labs to grade and wanted to get a few other little things done because this week will wrap up quickly and I need to be ready to leave Saturday morning around 5ish to get to Manchester to catch an 8 a.m. flight. Friday night we have hockey tickets too...so I need to be ready by Thursday.

Oh yes, I am SO into travel mode right now.

Anyhow, since I am in travel mode, here's some photos of my ready to go travel journal...nothing inside since we haven't arrived any place yet except some "finished pages"...you'll see what I mean.

So I like using a blank board book of some sort- just in case it should get jostled in the suitcase the pages won't bend or tear. I covered this with various shades of VIVA paint. I stenciled some letters randomly on there but using the waste sheet of a die cut alphabet. Then I die cut some hinges  and distressed them by first inking them with brown ink and then inking them and embossing them with distressed ink. I attached and added dimensional pearls to fill in the holes and make them look like they were drilled in. The main middle tag is die cut and then inked in tourquoise, distressed with brown and the edges Copic markered. I embossed 2 very large brads to faux attached this to the book and I stamped the journal block and the out vacation words on. The little post card is a bought tage which I adressed with trip info, a stamp sticker I managed to find in my mess and then a postmark. I die cut the stars...some are just inked and some are embossed, some also have dimensional pearls on them. I stamped a few other items and added an old type writer key sticker which I also found in the mess after cleaning up after the dog's disaster last week.

Anyhow, here's a bit of a close up.

 And here's a few inner pages ready load up.

This page I covered with random paper. I stamped distressed dots on the corners and stamped various plane/flight images on the center papers. There's also some 7Gypsies paper tape across the bottom. Then the center orange paper got slightly white with a skim coat of paint. After that dried I punched out 2 circles-1 within the other-so I was left with a ring I could stencil around. Love how that looks!

This page is just a nice way to use up random scraps of paper in my scrap pile.

This is obviously a page for us in Vegas...I stamped card suits on the blank pages then attached some white paper for the center part, outlined it in black marker. In the corners I punched some black horseshoes and attached them.

There's a couple of other papered over pages too...but it will be far more interesting when I get home and its filled with random things and facts and the likes from our trip.

I'll show you more then.

5 Days and Counting

Until vacation...YAHOO!  I must admit its tough getting moving today though since I know this is a holidayday off  and lots of people are able to stay home and sleep in...but I can do that next week when they all have to go to work.

So here's another of the St. Patty's Day cards I made a little while back. The green is SOOO springy-got to love it. For this card I layered some paper on green cardstock-the yellow one with the brown swirls is flocked paper which you can't see in the photos very well. The circle patterned paper has a glossy sheen to it which the photo also doesn't show. So I used some 7Gypsies gaffer tape and punched some shamrocks with a Martha Stewart punch. The luck saying and the post mark both came from the TweetyJill St. Patrick's set. The postage stamp is a rubber stamp, which I stamped in green on the white paper and cut out with stamp edged scissors. I got it through StampDiva and its made by Missing Link. Lastly I added a few Dimensional Pearls dots.

What I like about this card its not kind of more Irish than just St. Patrick's Day...the luck of the Irish could be with you any day...

couldn't it? Even if like me, you're not Irish.



Sunday Chores

I know Sunday is supposed to be the day of rest...but I'm getting my checklist down a few notches. Just finished doing our FAFSTA form for college aid- which is a joke because  basically we do it to get Katie her federal loan. At least it doesn't take very long to do. Since that needs to be done by 2/28 and Dave and I are gone as of next Saturday....YAHOO....YAHOO I needed to do that form today. I'm also washing my quilt and some blankets on my bed just because when you get spring fever...its nice to freshen up the house. You reach that point when everything's been closed up for weeks/months at this point-time for some freshing up. Now that its cold again. Sunny but cold...and they're saying a bit of snow tomorrow...and we do have school even though its a holiday...I'm hoping maybe a delay would be nice...but NOT a snowday since we've had 4 and we're off in a week.  And, keep your fingers crossed we get no snow early next weekend since we have a hockey game Friday night and we're flying early Saturday.

Its the trip countdown!!!!

Hurray!

Speaking of hockey-UMO beat UMass Lowell 3-0 last night-it was fun and we sat right behind the UMass Lowell bench...was a nice evening out- even though we didn't get home until a quarter to twelve...tried out a brew pub and before hand Dave and I hit Costco and Trader Joe's for just a few things we needed. Was nice to get out do something different...especially during this spring fever mode.

So here's another of the cards I made with the sheet of Peanuts stickers I found the other day. For this card I stamped white cardstock with red using Impression Obsession's cover a card stamp (Scratches). Then I took some paper I texturized with dors and ran the red ink over it and cut the edges with deckles scissors. I put on the sticker, added some 7Gypsies paper tape, stamped a 7Gypsies Avignon little blip and a postmark over that, added an older round sticker (for an ancient sheet of stickers) and then put on some red Adirondack Dimensional Pearls. Its a fun little card and was pretty easy to make.

So I'm off like that Prom dress to do another little chore and then go into my studio to play for awhile...we have the Daytona 500 today (another sign of the oncoming spring...along with pitchers and catchers and spring training for baseball starting down in Florida)...a new Amazing Race on tv night and I have a bunch of papers to grade later on. So aptly title my post and I'm off to do some more of those Sunday Chores.

Ta-ta for Now!



Mud Season Weather

Yesterday was a gorgeous day! About 60 degrees! Love it.  You cen see my road getting soft and muddy-since I live on a gravel road. Today is much colder though-but still beautiful blue skies for those of you that have a long President's Day weekend. I don't, have to work on Monday, but in 1 more week I'm off-Yahoo!

So yesterday I went and had my back looked at by the doctor- luckily it is just a strained muscle...but while waiting for my prescriptions at the pharmacy I went out for a little drive and here's some camera shots I took in that little journey off my normal beaten path.

So tonight we have another UMO hockey game- very excited...trying to get our plans sqaured away and also trying to book my hotel room for Vegas in a few weeks...yeah...

Talk about multi-tasking.

Guess I better call this a post and move on so I can focus better...

Happy Saturday!

Hip Hop Hurray! Its Friday!

So its Friday-well I'm writing this Thursday night when I turned on the tv and NatGeo channel was on and there's this awesome show about the origins of life on Naked Science...I need this show for my honors bio class...but you can't buy it yet...I did look.  Love when this happens-just too bad I can't figure out how to show it to my kids at school.

Anyhow, yesterday was great- back in the 50's temperature-wise. Got to LOVE it! Just wish it would LAST!!!! But alas, it won't-its still too early here in Northern New England to count on it staying spring like.

So today's card is a fun one I made for Katie.  I folded this card similar to the Artistic Outpost bird card I showed you Wednesday. I took some white cardstock and folded it so that there is a second fold in the front about a 1/4 of the way down from the top. I colored this top folded part blue with some Memories Ink, and then I punched out the grass with a Martha Stewart Punch and glued to bottom edge into this fold and then taped the fold close. This allows you to hide the bottom of the grass and put the frogs more up in the front to get a more 3D affect.

I die cut the frogs with a Sizzix frog, insect set I picked up marked down on the Sizzix website. I punched them on the polka dot paper...and I colored in the eyes and the tongues. I flipped the paper and punched it in the opposite direction just to change up the frogs. Then I attached them after coloring the front visable part of the card with green and mango Memories ink. So I stamped the saying Hip Hop Hurray across the bottom (Hero Arts) and then stamped the Hi (Hero Arts) on white cardstock and colored it with the same blue as the sky. I also put a very thin strip of woodgrain designed paper across the bottom for a bit of design...

I think this is a very cute card and I love these frogs. I'm sure you'll be seeing more of them soon.

So what's up for you this weekend? I've got grading to do, a hockey game Saturday night, hopefully a bit of cleaning if my back isn't bothering me...its not a long weekend for me like it is for so many other folks...but next week is our last week before vacation, so that's ok...and I can't WAIT for vacation.

More later...

Getting Restless

That's what I wonder?

So the  late winter restlessness is setting in. I want to get in my car and drive someplace where there is NO snow and the weather is warm and spring like...just counting the days until our trip...and it doesn't help my back still isn't perfect and I want it to feel good so I can get some things done around here. I want to get outside and get some sun... Last night I got home fairly early, decided to read a bit , fell asleep and napped until 6:30...never made it into the studio which is my escape. I did enjoy spending some time with some extra heat on my back...but...I  love getting some daily studio time- especially on a day when the routine just seems to swallow you up. So nevertheless, I'm feeling restless.

(Hopefully today will make me perky though-they say its going to be around 40 degrees...spring-ish and snow will melt...maybe by this evening I won't fel so restless...won't want green so badly...won't be  so desperately dreaming of spring)

Anyhow, I think I mentioned that Tuesday my dog got under my studio table in a noise panic (he has noise phobia) and ripped the rug and knocked over a bin I had some things in. The bad part was cleaning it up but in that process I came across this sheet of Peanuts stickers I'd bought quite awhile back and forgot I had. My daughter and I are both big Peanuts fans-especially Snoopy...got to love him... and so I decided to use these stickers to make some cards to send to her at college. I don't really use stickers a lot on cards, at least not big stickers that form the centerpiece of the cared, but it was an interesting artistic endeavor.

So to make this particular card I made a white cardtsock card and then distressed the front with some Memories Mango ink. Then I took a piece of 7Gypsies Lille paper and ripped off a corner to fit the card. I stamped the hearts (Stampotique) and colored them. I also stamped the Uh oh... stamp (not sure off the top of my head who made it but its great) several times. Then I attached one of the stickers from the Peanuts sheet and added some Red Pepper Dimensional Pearls and also a paper clip...that was it-pretty easy and I like it.

I Wish

I wish the sentiment on this card were true...you can see a bit of winter out from behind the top of this card though and so you know...spring is NOT here yet. Rather unfortunate I think...

Anyhow, my new stamps from Artistic Outpost Arrived the other day- I want to thank you A.O. for combing my 2 envelopes shipping wise!!!! Can't seem to find an e-mail to send you a thank you reply...so hopefully you'll see this. I haven't yet had any time to make anything with those stamps, but this weekend I did manage to make this card with The Birds of a Feather set. Its another great set and I love the images.

So how did I make this card? I started with a piece of paper folded into unevenly...so the back is higher than the front...and I put the fold down on the bottom. I stamped the egg beckaground stamp twice on white paper, colored the eggs with Copics and then distressed with Memories Mango ink. I then attached these to the back.  I then took some blue paper that I texturized with lots of polka dots and colored over that with the Mango ink-I like how the yellowish ink looks more brown on the blue. I attached that to the front of the card. Then I rounded all the corners. I die cut a Tim Holtz Sizzix bird cage in the same blue cardstock as the dots, and used the Mango ink to distress it. I glued that down on the back of the card so only the top shows and put a blue gemstone in the top. I punched out some branches with a Martha Stewart punch and attached it across the top back.

Then I stamped the A.O. bird in brown ink, colored it with Copics and then attached its bottom on the back side of the front blue polka edge- that way when I attached the front of the card to the back the bird is popping up and not attached flat to the egg background. (Does this make sense?) I then punched out a white oval...stamped the saying from the same A.O. set and both distressed it in Mango also and took a brown Copic and outlined the edge. Before I attached that I  ran some paper tape from Tim Holtz across the bottom and also some sheer ribbon with little blue flowers on it...its hard to see that in the photo...and the put the spring oval on top of that.

I'm quite thrilled with the card, actually. Check out Artistic Outpost at this website:

http://www.artisticoutpost.com/index.html

Mid-week arrives

Its already Wednesday...well, it hasn't gone quite that fast since Monday...but I will so say far, this week isn't dragging. I got home last night to discover Harley had ripped up the rug under my studio table, pull stuff out of a bin and made a HUGE MESS!  GGGRRRR#%*&!!!!! He has noise phobia and its getting worse as he ages, and now that he's 11. Poor babyboy...but grrr...makes me rather aggrevated too.  My studio is alrady a  disaster...and there seems to be no time to clean or if there is...my back is sore.  I can't stand it its so messy!!!! But after I cleaned up after the dog...well I left the rug mess to show the hubby-Dave's due home late from a meeting-and I want him to see the ruined edge of the rug. Between there and the back of my bathroom door that Harl has eaten and clawed...poor Babyboy...poor my house!

So todays card is a bit of the Irish for you...using the set from Tweety Jill and  I bought awhile back and some other stamps. I started by stamping the Celtic background with a Judikins background stamp. Then I punched out the 4 leaf clover and used the remnants from that as a stencil. I stenciled assorted clovers over the backrgound.  I then stamped the boy from Tweey Jill, colored and cut him out. I punched the tag on polka dot paper and added the boy to that. After attached this, I stamped the postmark (also Tweety Jill) and then punched that out, colored it in and then attached that to the card too. I finally drew on some green scribbled around the edge of the background and attached the clover I punched out and gave it some green Stickles bling. Think  I should go over the edge of my green doodle...me the perfectionist...and maybe put some green dots in the corners of the Celtic background part...I need to stop doubting what I do also...that only brings you down.

Have a great day and don't let your self doubts bring you down-at all!

Last Night...

After work, I was the laziest woman on the planet. So tired I lounged on the couch, made eggs for dinner...watched tv from when I got home until I went to bed...didn't even download the photos I was going to show you. And when I left work it was 54 degrees...54...and beautiful and I thought I'd have so much energy but I stopped at Michael's to pick up a card booklet I wanted and had seen before...and saw they had their Sizzix stuff 40% and I got a few basic dies I thought would work...and was exhausted by the time I got home. yawn...that's whats happens when you don't sleep so well the night before and hurt your back sleeping and just want to sit up against the heating pad.

So the art today is a couple of things I made for my travel journal-first here's a pocket-thought it would be great to stick airline stuff in...basically its a pocket I die cut, colored with inks and Copics...the tag in the middle is a Cat's Life Press stamp punched out, the bottom silouettes are new from Hero Arts and the words are an older stamp I've had that's made by PSX. I added some copper colored Ranger dimensional pearls dots.

And here's a tag for my Las Vegas page(s). I die cut the tags, outlined in black marker, stamped the little words win and lose from a retired Technique Tuesday set, then distressed the background and stamped the dice-also from a retired Technique Tuesday set. The Las Vegas letters are stickers and the luck word is a die cut in red which is outlined in black.

Now I always have problems getting my travel journal ready because I try to second guess what I may want and I want to finish up pages...which of course, I can't do since I haven't taken the trip yet. Plus, I can make changes to tags and backgrounds once I'm actually doing the book, while I'm away. Now I just need to find my little mini travel art metal suticase (4x6 inches) perfect to carry the few supplies I'll need . Its someplace in the mess that is my studio right now.
Oh yeah- and here's my latest read...getting my travel groove on...

Its all about the trip right now...and getting away from the cold wind (which is blowing pretty strong right now...so much for 54 degrees yesterday...)

What I Love

(Photoshop brushes photo borrowed from the Internet)

For Valentine's Day...

Not brown paper packages tied up with string...

But here's a few of my my favorite things...

1-Family and friends-Bien sur!

2-Practicing my French and knowing what to say the correct way!

3-The first day of a vacation when the whole rest of that time off is still ahead of you with so many possibilities

4-Getting packages in the mail (good things like art supplies)

5-On-line shopping for fun things like books and art supplies

6-Going out to breakfast or lunch

7-Go out for an early morning walk when the world is still pretty quiet and empty except for nature

8-Books-and poking around a GOOD book store for a while

9-Poking around a good craft supply store for a while

10-Puppies and kittens no matter what age they are

11-TRAVELLING and having a great adventure and also planning a trip-I like that part!

12-warm SNOW FREE days

13-creating beauty and yummy veggies in my gardens

14-I hate to say this-but a snow day...not for the snow, but being able to go back to bed on a cold dark morning and then having a day off...which is like a gift day off and you don't have to do anything (except unfortunately shovel...)

15-Playing in my studio uninterupted for a whole morning! And having inspiration too!

16-clean sheets on my bed

17-reading a good book-especially on a warm afternoon  on my screen porch

18-getting up on a day off and having my house all clean and not having that to do

19-having my studio clean and organized

20-watching a really good movie with a tub of popcorn

21-roadtrips

22-seeing a wild animal I didn't expect to see

23-walking the beach

24-learning and trying new things

25-looking at old photographs

26-discovering something exciting

27-a good cup of tea

28-realizing you can do something you didn't think you could manage

29-snapping photos

30-a big yummy breakfast

31-not cooking meals because I have to but cooking something you want to eat because you want to

32-watching a UMO hockey game and we win!

33-seeing the first spring crocuses blooming and hearing the phoebe that lives under the shop eaves...and hearing the spring peepers, knowing spring is here and getting to sleep with your window open at night for the first time and those spring like days in the middle of winter when it gets warm

34-when the days get longer in February and you know eventually winter will end

35-laughing and laughing and laughing

36-a good day in my classroom

37-knitting and brousing a good yarn store

38-it feels good to fufill (is is forfill or fufill-they both look wrong) something on your bucket list or your want to accomplish within a time frame list...like getting a project done and finally crossing it off the honey-do or other list

39-getting emails/texts from friends

40-being HAPPY down into your soul

41-paying off a bill

42-being healthy with no colds, tooth pain or back pain or hives or anything else

43-getting a really nice surprise

44-finding something you "must have"  on sale

45-getting complements on how you look or something you made

46-having a good conversation with your mom

47-chocolate and chocolate yummies like brownies, etc.

48-browsing art magazines and getting ideas

49-small gatherings of friends when you can sit and talk and catch-up on life and philosophize and analyze

51-getting blueberries on something and they're those little tiny native Maine style berries

52-being by water and the ocean

53-donuts-since I don't buy them very often-jelly filled and chocolate ones

54-feeling like you're a part of something

55-having a good idea and having it actually work

56-loosing weight (oh I wish)

57-self confidence when doing something

58-When the last snow melts in the backyard

59-Going on a date with my honey

60-the smell after a summer rainstorm

61-and the smell of the Christmas tree in the house

62-a clean dog to snuggle with and a cat sleeping on your feet and keeping them warm

63-having all your laundry washed and put away and having all those choices of things to wear

64-remembering fun moments and telling those stories

65-when Katie comes home from college

66-getting asked to do something you want to do and having someone to do it with

67-really liking how something you made came out

68-people watching

69-a Sunday you can spend in your grungies and sit on the computer all morning after sleeping in late

70-having just enough alone time and just enough people time during the day

71-when you can leave work on-time and get home earlier than you planned

72-good shows on tv when you want to zone out in front of it

73-feeling mentally sharp and having that good come back instead of having nothing to say

74-your dog's (and cat's) happiness when you return home from work (or kid too, especially when they were little and ran into your arms with a welcoming hug and laugh)

and

75- last but not least-writing this and other lists

Wow, that's a lot on this list. I was definately inspired to write it.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you.

Lots of LOVE!

Another Heart For You

Sharing a little more "love" to you on this day before Valentine's Day. This card was made to be distressed...I think my favorite style. I started with white American Crafts cardstock that I stamped with a CHF background stamp (Vintage Chintz I believe its called) in black and then added some red, pink and brown ink which mostly covered it over but gives more a textural feel which is what I wanted. Then I added a piece of texturized pink cardstock which I did with my Big Kick I got for Christmas...which I am really enjoying...and added some eyelets to the corners there. Then I added a bit of Martha Stewart paper tape and another pink texturized square, which you've seen earlier this week which I outlined in white and then used a little Martha Stewart stamp to add the inner message. Finally I stamped Tim Holtz's XO stamp several times in brown on white paper, colored the X and O and then cut them out seperately and added them all over the page. I must say this year I really was in a heart mood and made tons of cards for this usually go by with only a glance (in my house)  holiday.

So today I am going to do a bit of studio organizing-YAHOO-I can't stand it in there- I've NEVER in all my life had such a messy room...it won't finish the cleaning by a long shot but only want to push my back a tiny bit plus Dave got my shelves I picked up at IKEA assembled last evening- they're just a DVD stand so not exactly going to hold mega-supplies but should hold some things I want held. Also need to assembled my Valentine gifts and do some art...yesterday never made it at all in the studio since we went out car shopping for the hubby a bit (not rushing to buy on but his Passat is 10 years old with 275,000 miles on it) and hit the grocery store and needed to vac up the first floor...always so many chores, isn't there?

Anyhow, Happy Sunday. Enjoy your Day!

I'm back

Didn't know I was gone? My internet service provider was changing this week so I pre-blogged a bunch of posts and then scheduled them to arrive each day.  Now I'm up and on the new provider...but slower thant the old so lets see what happens over the next few days or so. I was annoyed with the new provider...we got the box and had 24 hours to switch over, and between my back laying me out on the couch after a day of work and then having open house at school Thursday night and not getting home until almost 9, I had to go without home service until I finally got around to it last night.

Happy to report the back is improving-not perfect but I'm more mobile now.

Since Monday is Valentine's Day, here's another "HEART" themed card I made. This one has the main focus a tag...I stamped some Hero Arts Be Mine words all over the back of the tag, outlined the edge, stamped a bottle by Paper Relics which comes with various words for the label- I added the Love Potion-of course- and then I added the keys and the little hearts which I beleive are also Hero Arts. So are the heart fumes, I believe at least. I actually made the tag a couple of years ago and just to show you have when you feel like making cards having some pre-done tags are handy and save on lots of card making time.

So on the pink cardstock I ripped up some Martha Stewart paper tape, then added the tag. I have some made up rosettes so I took this white one, attached it, added a small punched out heart and some pink Stickles to it. When I die cut the heart I also got the love word- its from a big seasonal set by Sizzix, which I outlined in black, attached and then added some glitter from one of those Sakura glitter pens I so love. And a few Prima heart gemstones...J'adore! Its beautiful, I think. I actually lvoe th bright HOT pink color. Makes it very fun and not so romantic-since I sent the card off to Miss Katie at school.

Anyhow, its Saturday and I have so many things I want to do...not sure how much my back will allow and what I should actually do...need to get some stuff together for my trip-we leave in 2 weeks! and should clean and want to play in the studio...oh my...wish a day would be twice as long...at least, I wish every Saturday was twice as long.

Have a good one!

Just loving these hearts!

Friday-Yeah!

Here's an easy Valentine's day card. I cut out the background paper (7Gypsies Lille line) and attached it. The Crazy Love words are already on the paper. How easy is that? I did outline the paper in a red marker, just to set it off a bit. Then I laid down the 7Gyspies red paper tape, added some die cut hearts, stamped the post mark which is an older Tin Can Mail stamp that I use a lot, and stamped the saying which is assorted words from the Keys to My Heart set by CHF. Oh yeah, and I added the cancellation marking to the Je t'aime postmark. How simple and fast. But its still a fun card I think.

More Valentine's Day cards

So its Thursday...have open house tonight at school so it shoud be a late one getting home. Always dread these nights but if we can get them over with...that is good news.

 Anyhow, want to continue showing you some Valentine cards I've recently made. This one is a bit on the Gothic side-just a bit.

First I die cut the fleur de lis on rose paper. Then I used the cut-out scrap to stencil some red fleur de lis on the white card. Then I attached the die-cut and on some white paper I stamped a frilly edged heart in red. I cut this out and attached it. Then I stamped the same frilly edged heart in black on some printed paper. This time when I cut it out I left off the frilly edges and just cut out the heart. I over colored the paper so it would be really red. Attach this inside the original frilly heart. I used a stamp I have that says love rocks in this great gothic print-I think its made by Rubber Soul. I cut out and slightly distressed that and then attached it in the center of the fleur de lis.

In the bottom right corner I stamped a B Line design Italian collage stamp in brown and then overstamped that with a plain heart in red, which I then double colored so it would be really red. Added the words- both the heart and the words are from a Martha Stewart set which I bought last year or so. Finally I put gold ring stickers in each corner and added a small dab or red Adirondack dimensional pearls.

Remembering

Today, if my Dad was still alive he would be 87.

To celebrate remembering him, today's post is exclusive showing some old photos of him...when he was young and before my time.

Here he is on an earlier birthday...not sure if it from the late 1940's or early 1950's...with my Aunt Gurlie in the background.

Same birthday, guess he got some cool birthday cards.

And this is him and my mother-I bet they weren't married yet in this photo.

And here's a photo back from when he was in the army during World War II.

That's him on the left...he was in Asia during a lot of the war with military intelligence. I don't know if this was in India or Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). He was also in China too.

And if we got back even further, here he is with his Dad and his sisters and his dog whom I think was named Roadie...I think he's most likely about 12 here so it would be in the early 1936 most likely. He lived on a farm in  Charlton, Massachusetts then. Both of his sister's are still living. My oldest aunt will be 92 this month and my other aunt, the one on the left in this photo is 88 and will be 89 in the fall.

So dad, if you can hear me or sense me...

Happy Birthday!

Have fun and go fishing or jif you're just sitting outside, drink a big cup of coffee for me, ok?

More Valentine's

Today, a center folded card. I used that Hero Arts cut out flower cling stamp I am LOVING so much and stamped some flowers in white on the background. Added some Martha Stewart mini-heart paper tape. Then I embossed on pink paper the love box and the heart box. I also embossed the heart box on red paper too. The love box was easy...cut out around the box, then highlight the word and the embossed edge with black marker. I used a white en to polka dot the love word. The heart box was pretty easy too- I used black marker on the embossed edges-polka dotted the x's to make it blend with the love box. Then I cut out the inner heart from the red embossed heart box, glued it down and added red Stickles.

The love ticket is from Tim Holtz...stamped on the pink, cut out, outlined in red and then distressed with some brown ink. Finally, I added some eyelets and red string to tie the card closed and little dabs of red stickles on the rounded off corners.

Eh Voila!

We have a delay today...I like delays...day still counts...not having to rush out...short classes...will help my back not having to move all day...but its definately improving...just got to keep myself from doing too much...and that's the hard part.

Happy Day!

Sleepy Monday Morning

I'm actually writing this Sunday night while we watch the Superbowl...not at any parties...couldn't go if I wanted to since my back is still out of commission. Means today all the kids will be dragging though since lots of them stay up to watch the game last night and all the festivities that go along with that. Wondering if there will be any snow in our week...will catch the weather shortly to find out.

3 weeks until vacation and our trip...YEAH! Can't wait for a little snow-free time. HOPEFULLY that is!

And I week until Valentine's day and I have a bunch of cards to show you with a LOVE theme this week. Here's the first. Enjoy!

This was pretty simple...embossed a piece of paper to the same as the card which I then attached, added some Martha Stewart paper tape...stamped the saying on white- its from Studio 490 and I just love that line from the Beatles...most probably most absolute favorite...then I layered 2 white Prima fowers with a punched pink center and a candy heart brad. I zipped up the flowers with red dots and a bit of pink edging-love it.

*** edit at 1:30 p.m.

So I ended up staying home to rest the still sore back...having another day of hanging out in my pjs...definately feel a bit more on the mend...but still can't bend...man...I hope I never have any back issues ever again.

All Kinds of Things

Welcome to Sunday. Yesterday, while lifting the vaccuum to carry it upstairs I wrenched my back. I am in SUCH PAIN! Talk about stopping me just about dead in my tracks...never had pain in my back like this before. I can't bend down...or get up and down off chairs etc.  Yeeks.

And also Dave's computer got a virus and he's obsessing about it...rightfully so but its driving me nuts because he's cranky and expects me to help him fix it...just wonderful. (Now's he's using my iPad..eeks).

Anyhow, now that the neurotic dog is outside being neurotic, but at least he's not inside and not bugging me...I need to relax and take a breath here..

***

So lots of other events have happened here. Last night was the second night of Maine/UNH hockey. I went to the University of Maine and I LOVE Maine hockey. Dave and I had tickets to sit in the Maine section, and it was the best hockey game ever-though we lost in the last 15 seconds when UNH scored to change the score to UNH4/Maine3. It was crushing...but a fantastic game! We also lost Friday night, we watched the game on NESN. Last night I saw tons of people I know too...and we met up before the game with Dave's sister, husband and their UNH daughter along with my UNH daughter and her boyfriend for dinner for pizza, which was fun. The drive home however...wasn't so fun since there was TONS of ice on the road and our road hadn't been touched and Dave slid right past the driveway and I only made it (we picked up Katie's car from the bus lot from where it was sitting since the the snowstorm the other day) because I braked the entire hill and just slid in-luckily. 

So here's my latest read...very interesting. Its more scientific too, which is makes it good in my point. Learning a lot, and I've had dogs most of my life.

***

Also, here's some photos from my yard lately...

Wild Turkey Mania!

These guys thinking they can hide behind the snow on a cleared off path...think its pretty funny.

Its turning into a regular wildlife park just a few feet from my back door lately. Love it though.

Happy Sunday...be back tomorrow with some new art!