Because Summer is still TEASING us

Just because Sunday felt like fall was about to arrive...and now we are back into the summer like heat!

And then they say this weekend will be COLD, down into the 30's Friday night. Of course, so it might make it too cold to go out on the boat this weekend, which could mean we're at the end of another boating season.

And in some ways that is sad!

There is something relaxing about being out on the water on a beautiful day.

Something that says SUMMER about it, and even though a part of me is thinking FALL, a part of me is not ready to let go of summer yet! I guess it is ALMOST the middle of September.

These sailboat photos were taken by me on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

I wish I could be out on the water today.

Change of Plans

So we met Katie and Brian at the marina to go out on the boat, but the air had a definate FALL CHILL to it- and a few clouds that blocked the sun and made it feel even chillier, so Dave decided it might be too cold on the water, so instead, the 4 of us took a FUN roadtrip up into Maine- we went to Cabella's (I ordered some great BOGS winter boots), had a huge early dinner at Famous Dave's Barbicue and then drove up to Portland and we got to go to Trader Joe's- and those who know me know I LOVE Trader Joe's.

So instead, these photos are some I haven't shown you before.

Photos are from last Sunday when Dave and I went boating.

View of Portsmouth, NH from the water.

Portsmouth Headlight, New Castle, NH.

Another view of Portsmouth from the water.

View of some of the fleet in Portsmouth

Route 1 drawbridge...still lifts but is now only open to bikes and foot traffic as it was deemed unsafe. Good things there's 2 other bridges to cross over from Portsmouth into Kittery, Maine.

Happy Monday everyone!



Another beautiful day

Yesterday kind of fizzled for me. Not the weather, but my mental state kind of drooped. Between being annoyed with my hubby and being tired and maybe hearing all the sad stories about 9/11 tenth anniversary, been into one of those retrospective slumps lately too.. I did get a couple of grab box goodies from Frantic Stamper-it is a thrill to see what you get and I use a bunch of the stickers and stuff in scrap journal pages...and I read and napped on the screen porch, but it wasn't the most productive day...

Today we're going boating and Katie is joining us with her friend Brian...am looking forward to that.

So here's a journal page from my Outer Banks scrap-journal.

Pirates!

You see a lot of pirate references there since it is on the Outer Banks that Blackbeard was killed. This page contains I pirate lady who I cut out from a postcard that was advertising some product...sorry to the company if you happen to see this, not trying to downplay you. I stamped the grasses (Tatterred Angels-great beach set with BIG stamps). I added a little sandwich sword and some skulls (gosh, wish I could rememebr or find who made this set) (eeks, but I can't think of the name...another compnay I think is defunct...I think...and who can trust this brain? I also added from the same set the little starish map on the top right corner and then I made my fun banner...look below.

Same stamp set as the skull and crossbones. I die cut the pieces with a Spellbinder's Nestability pennant die, then distresed them. The OBX letters are from an older Legacy letters set by Hero Arts, the pirate blob and skull and crossbones are from???????????? (this is killing my brain). I punched little holes with my Japanese screw punch and then used some waxed thread to connect them. I love how they came out and I think they make the page...

Do you agree?



Beautiful Day ahead

It's a gorgeous sunny day here in New Hampshire...suppose to be mostly blue skies and in the 70's-LOVE IT! Me and Harl went for a great morning walk-let him into the woods along the way and he ran like a crazy dog, leaping over downed trees and all those happy dog things dogs do. I was just checking into this online class  Jennifer MacGuire is teaching in at Inspiration Showcase that I subscribed too...can't wait to learn some fun new techniques. Class starts Monday and I can't wait! This class was taught at my favorite craft store, Aboslutely Everything in Topsfield, MA last spring but due to an email change I never knew about it until it was too late. Everyone has been raving about it, so I am SO excited I get the chance to take it.

So here's a card for the day... I made this for Katie last weekend. Most of the stamps are by Kim Hughes, but when she designed for Cornish Heritage Farms. I wanted to say moose you, something that was in my head when I was making the moose...so I wrote them in on the clouds, just for fun.  When finished I still thought the card needed some kind of design element, so I added the dotted circle which is from Fontwerks, I believe another extinct stamp company from the past. I use this design set a lot...and I got it in a set of used items from eBay and not even the stamp I bought I set for. Funny how that happens, you get something for 1 item and end up using something else from the bunch more.

And here's my latest read. I enjoyed the last Louise Penney book so much that I picked up this, the first Inspector Gamanche novel.

So last evening Katie surprised me by coming home for dinner...she was here when I arrived after school, so we went shopping and had a nice supper...then she left. I was a bit miffed at the hubby, well more than a bit miffed, and still am, since we wanted hockey game tickets for when UNH plays UMO at Fenway Park in January, and he kind of dumped it in my lap, and when I managed to get lucky and get some tickets, he didn't even thank me....and he knows since I just got paid yesterday (after no pay all summer) I had a lot of bills to pay out this check. A "that's great" or a "thanks" or a "good job" would have been NICE!  I am just wanting to go off to my fav. craft store today and leave him all day...

MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyhow, it is TOO nice of a day to waste complaining (but I feel SO much better getting ti off my chest)!!!

Thanks to those of you who stop by to visit!

10 things right now

I've done these posts before, but not for awhile. It is fun to go through and list 10 things about yourself right now...and then down the road to read them. I did this about a year ago...and that is WAY TOO LONG! I think at least.I should try to do one at least every couple of months.

1-I am in the end of summer but not yet fall limbo, wanting the cool days and nights but not wanting to let go out the summer weather

2-Am -really focused on school as it is only week 2 and so far really like my classes-they all have their own distinct personalities

3-Into scrap journalling my summer vacation photos from the Outer Banks. I could do that about 6 hours a day. Would love 6 hours a days of free time to work. Maybe I could give up sleeping?

4- Waiting for my paycheck since I haven't had one since June. Feeling really broke.

5-Tired of doing garden work-especially picking tomatoes but loving having good things to eat-this is the time of year the gardens start to get a little ratty looking.

6-Wishing I had a long weekend away planned for Columbus weekend (feeling too broke to plan one)but am thinking about a couple of fun day trips I wouldn't mind taking in a few weekends once we clean up the boat

7-Missing Katie being back at school

8-Missing having as much outside time as I did when I was home for summer vacation

9-Really enjoying reading right now-really big into mysteries

10-Jealous of one of my friend's at work who is going back to Southern France over Christmas break and wishing I had a European vacation planned for February-I really want to go back to Southern France and about 1000 other places. That could still happen though...well maybe not Europe but maybe someplace else. Maybe?

How about you?

Can you tell me 10 things about yourself right now?

So since I mentioned my scrap journalling addiction as of late in my lis above, let me show you 3 more pages...

So you ask who journals a water tower? Weirdo me obviously. I did it because the street we stayed on in Duck, NC was right across from the water tower so it became a focus of our driving. You know, let's look for the water tower so we don't miss our turn...after an evening out and a few glasses of wine it also helped when we walked back to the house my friend was renting...Got it? I photoshoped some journalling about that in right on the photo, and to make this page I used a piece of 8x8 paper on my white watercolor paper and then layered a 6x6 square. I put down a stripe of post marked sticker. Added the photo on top of that. I drew in the arrows...this not so great photo seemed to need them. I used a Cat's Life Press road trip stamp which I embossed in blackcolored in lots of black dots with a Sharpie, added a bring on the fun sticker...not that the water tower promised fun but once we could find where we were going we could have fun and then I added the blue label sticker which I stamped with a duck, colored it and added the quack.

OK< I am a major geek and I photographed this sign as my hubby buzzed by in our rental car. I did have this question, because in New Hampshire we don't ever have alligators (just bear, moose, eagles and deer...plus a few other elusive critters).And, I did have to look up to see if there really could be alligators here. I was hoping one would have walked across the road- and there are red wolves here too and I have never seen a wild wolf.

Anyhow...before I geek out too much...I used some Martha Stewart would grain paper for the background, laid out a tage that I colored and outlined, used some Distress stained grungeboard letters, some 7Gypsies tape, an old EK Success paper clip with a die face on it that I found in my stash, and I stamped the FUNNY Ken Brown stamp on white-he has some fun stamps like ladies in bacthingsuits riding alligators, which I colored and cut out. I think I had about as much chance of seeing a woman riding the alligator as I did seeing an alligator.

And lastly, another sign I snapped from car as we drove by. Great saying I think, and all of these pages are at the begining of my journal, setting the stage so to speak. For this page I used some paper that has been sitting in my stash forever, some more 7Gypsies tape, a stamped saying on the photos, some white chipboard flowers from forever ago that I filled the centers with red Stickles, a small clear ticket ephemera I had in my stash, a few added words. Think it is nice way to sum up what we hoped our days at the beach would be.

Thanks for visiting.



What should I show you today?

A butterfly card, I think.

Something bright and with a touch of summer since it has been cold and raw and rainy (the left overs from Tropical Storm Lee) since Tuesday. Not that I mind the icky weather when I have to be at school, but it does kind of get to you after a couple of days.

I've got to photograph some more of my scrap-journal pages to show you...but I must admit, I've been a little too self-critical lately. Not every page you make needs to be a WOW page, but that doesn't make them a bad page, and I know that. But I hate when you get like this.

So this card, which was REALLY simple and fast.

First stamp the daisies (Hero Arts) and color the centers yellow with a Copic. Die cut the butterfly (Cheery Lynn Designs), attached, color in the center body and then color the openings...add a bit of Viva yellow dot dimensional paint. Stamp the words of white paper (Stampotique big word block), cut out and attach the words. Then take some clear Viva dimensional dot paint and make little flutter dots. Round your corners, and you have a fun litle card.

Enjoy you day!

Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge

Thought I'd give this a whirl. Here's my entry for the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge.

I created this card by first using a splatter stamp (Tim Holtz, not Paper Smooches). Then I punched the circle to look like the moon and  stamped this FABULOUS bat fromPaper Smooches  Falling for You set. I gave him a little grey color too.  I stamped the branch from the Hang Ups set directly onto the paper and colored it, then stamped the little branches, from the same set.  The Greetings word is from the super fun  Swanky Snowdudes set and then I went back to one of KIm Hughes older sets from Cornish Heritage Farms for the Chica word.  I can't find the name of the set but it is a cool one with lots of fun birdies all over it...

There's lots of fun stamps at Paper Smooches, check them out-www.papersmoochesstamps.com

I must say that playing with these stamps is FUN-that is NO LIE! If you aren't family with them look at all the other fun cards to see what other creative chicas (and guys too) are up to.



More OBX journal

Here's some more pages from my Outer Banks, OBX, travel scrap-journal---for lack of a better name- it is my scrapbook done in journal format.

Today's theme is me trying out some different things.

1)A doodle page. I want to make this "scrapbook" more like a journal so I am trying my hand at adding these pages where I present info in a different format. On this page I wanted to tell about our trip to the Outer Banks. It is all done with black Sharpies, a white uniball pen and assorted colored Copics. I'm happy with it.

2) A colorful splattery background. This page is a great footsteps in the sand photo showing the ENDLESS stretch of beach. I wanted the background to be fun, playful and to try something different-always my motto. So I stamped the words in a golden brown ink (Rusty Pickle) and added a bunch of red and blue smudges (Tim Holtz). The saying is from Postmodern Design. Then I added a torn strip of matching colored paper, the photo and a tag. Finally to finish the page I added this cardboard bunched little bingo dots sized circles. These I bought EONS ago in a big bag from Postmodern Design-they haven't been in business for years.

3) Something softer. I used Crafter's Workshop stencils and some light brown, aqua and pink inks. Then I added the posycard from a set of ocean papers by Tweety Jill. I stamps is also in this set, put it looks as though it belongs on the postcard. I stamped the postmarks (Autumn Leaves), added the 7Gypsies tape, put down the small photo and stamped the word July (Hero Arts). Quite different from the other page but I think it works just as well.

4) Finally, silly stickers. I found this Duck sticker while visiting. So I left the page white but first I stamped the chicken (Tweety Jill) in black and then I stamped the silly duck (????) and colroed the duck. I added some Martha Stewart paper tape and then made the silly Duck sticker into a lift up tag by sticking the sticker on some white paper and then folding it over so I cut 2 copies of the sticker shape, with a little tab added at the top. You can't see it here, but this sticker lifts and I left a little note on the underneath.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my OBX pages!

Back to the Routine

Sad the weekend is over but it was a GREAT weekend. I feel quite refreshed and ready to get back into the real work routine-four days this week. I know I'll be looking for a vacation in about 2 weeks when the grind of the routine starts to get to me, but hey, I have a job I like so I am not trying to sound like I'm complaining. I miss Katie terrribly now that she is back to school, but I will work past this.

On the GOOD news, I have OODLES of photos of all kind of things to show you over the next week or two.

So today, some of the scrap journal pages I am working on for my North Carolina, OBX book from this past summer. (OH to say this past summer...it is PAINFUL!)

I love doing my pages on watercolor paper which I "art up" and then punch and put in a 3 ring binder. I don't do them all this way, but I do quite a few this way since I LOVE big photos and this way also gives me some good SOLID workable paper to paint, stain, etc.

So this page above called Beach Bum. Watery paper first, trimmed to size. Holes punched. I took this little beach stamp saying from a set by Darkroom Door and stamped it mutliple times. Then I added some thin blue paper sticker trim and then my loving hubby's photo from the beach. I added the sticker words above his head and the 3 blue stars (7Gypsies). Then I punched out a white circle and Ranger Distress stained it brick red and then stamped the Life is good (7Gyspies) and embossed it in yellow to match the beach bum stickers. Then one little embossed starfish which I cut out and added a bit of darker brown stain to the brown paper.

OK, a little different beach view. Of course what's a day at the beach without beach chairs-these holding some people's place-which seems to be common down on the OBX beaches. I added the sticker words (Hot Off the Press) right to the photo. I used some more Darkroom Door shell stamps in various colors to the bottom of a white page.  I kept the page white, there's enough other colors so why not keep it white? Anyhow, I attached the photo at a slight angle and added this little saying I had from EK Success. Then I took some of those Hot Off the Press stickers, this time 3 little seahorses and some bubbles- which I colored in, et voila!

Love this page. I started by using brown ink and stenciling in the starfish using a Crafter's Worlshop template. Then I used the Antique Linen stain over the whole page. Once dry I added this COOL postcard I bought in DUCK, OBX. Finally 3 small Hot Off the Press starfish stickers and colored in the space in the sticker with a Copic marker.

Last page for today! I started using a Tim Holtz Papillon stamp in brown ink stamped several times and then after that I stamped the Tim Holtz Floral Tattoo stamp in the corners. I used a sheet from the Tweety Jill Ocean paper set and then I put down my photo of the seagrass and  beach. I added little bits of 7Gypsies paper tape and I little postcard froman  EKSucess travel ephemera set. Finally I die cut the 3 little starfish, distressed them and added them before putting some blue gemstones along the outer right hand edge of the page.

Need I explain any more.

Thanks for visiting.

Weekend Wind Down

The weekend is in wrap up mode today. I need to clean and Katie has her last shift at the lake for the season-kind of sad about that part because it means we are really wrapping up some of the best parts of summer. Surprisingly, there is a lot of color already starting in the leaves...fall is starting to show its face...but today we are still pretty warm and humid and not the best of days on the sun end...but that's ok. Yesterday we had a great boating day, and my weekend has been FANTASTIC. No complaints. It didn't even seem to blow right by either.

So as I have done the past couple of mornings, here's that same photo just "tweeked" differently on photoshop. This looks more like a minilmalist painting of a sunset...though it is early morning. Not sure which of the 3 is my favorite; How about you?

So here's a silly card I made the other day- I love this giraffe!!!! I'm not sure who made this stamp, but it was in a set I got off of eBay full of older used stamps.  I stamped it in black on white paper, colored with Copics and dusted the white background with blue ink. Then I used a Sizzix oval frame die twice, once to cut out the giraffe (but didn't use the frame part) and then again on white paper and this time I used the frame. Before I glued it down I distressed it. I then added yellow Viva dots on the scallops and added this great saying from Cornish Heritage Farms.

So to sort of quote this card, whatever is on your day's agenda...even if it's just chilling...make it a good one!

Summer weather is back

Back into the summer weather...it is HUMID!  I walked this morning and came back dripping.  But it is foggy...and not super sunny. Not sure if it will be a boating day or NOT!

So here is yesterday's lake photos played with a bit, cropped and light adjusted, then put through some filters. love it, especially how orange the sun and its reflection look.

Fits since yesterday we went for a jet ski on the lake and ended up staying for drinks and dinner at out friend's place...totally SPONTANEOUS and what fun!!!!!!!! I love when you have are open and things just happen!

So totday's card is another fun card using Paper Smooches (by Kim Hughes) and Cornish Heritage Farms Kim Hughes stamps. I must say I have fun making cards with these stamp sets.

For this one I started with my blue cardstock and I trimmed it with a torn scrap of polka dot paper. Then in a square of white cardstock I stamped the silly shark, bubbles and seaweed. I attached it and added the saying. I added the the 2 sheels in the left corners and then used the edge of the shells along the white square. All colors are Copics and I did use some blue ink which I tinted the white square. I also added some little Viva pastel blue dots along the left edge and in the middle of the bubbles.

So MUCH FUN!!!!



Labor Day Weekend

This morning at the lake ---when we went up to visit Katie at work. It was CHILLY but calm and pretty. We got the call at 7:15 that her paperwork was missing (most likely put away with Irene coming through last weekend) and she needed us to run her up some paper and a writing utensil. But it was worth rolling out of bed and going over for the view, I think. (and of course we got to visit Miss Katie too!)

So here in the US we are in our Labor Day long weekend.  The end of the summer season and the start of fall...school is rolling almost everywhere now and the leaves are actually getting a slight tinge...you can see a few here and there starting to change (though we're still several weeks away from that), apples are getting ready to be picked, nights are cooler and the days are substantially shorter.

We don't have much for plans this weekend- I was also off yesterday and it was gorgeous yesterday! I slept late!!!! Took a fantastic morning walk!!!! Made cards!!!! and then went up to my mother-in-laws on her lake and sat in the sun, took a swim and helped her clean out the debris from Irene that had gotten jammed in and around her dock. I even had a fire in my chiminea out on my deck- though it was COLD last night but I sat out for a bit with Leo cat and looked at ALL the stars- and there was a lot out there. No one else would come out since they said it was TOO cold. To bad they missed ALL those stars.

So speaking of night time and stars, here's one of the card I made to send to Katie at college. I started with some yellow-orange card stock and stamped little white stars all over the center of it (Kim Hughes July 4th set from CHF). Then I stamped the owl (KIm Hughes for CHF) in black on white paper and colored it with Copics. I added in the dotted area in the middle and then I used Spica glitter markers to give it some umph. I cut out the owl and set it aside one moment. I use the woohoo and XO stamps from the Kim Hughes/Paper Smooches Chubby Chums set and then added some little brownish circles from a Hero Arts clear set of circles. I glued down the owl and using Viva dmensional dot tubes I created the branch for the owl to sit on. I especially like the background on this card- the owl and branch I'm not sure I LOVE they way they came out but I'm most likely being too picky. Katie will love it when she gets it in her school mailbox especially since we have our pair of owls around here that "hoo" a lot of nights.

Hope you have a great weekend, whether it is Labor Day or NOT!

I need a cupcake

Snapped this photo through my windshield in front of a local cup cakery. That's how I feel tonight-Wednesday night-though I am posting this Thursday. 

My exhaust in my car has an issue-had to drop it off in the shop tonight. UGH! Hopefully something inexpensive, since I don't get paid for another week.  But I sound like I am riding a Harley- me the middle aged moma in the station wagon-LOL!

And amazing how going back to work for 3 days, and Katie not even home, and how messy the house is!

Man...it is amazing how spending just a few minutes each morning picking up-like I do in summer when I'm not at work, keeps things a little cleaner and neater. Not enough time before work though- since I leave the house by 6:30 a.m. and I don't want to get up any earlier to clean my house. No way!

And on top of that-it is SEPTEMBER!

Wow- summer really is winding down-Labor Day weekend almost here! Today is my first day with all the kids and my classes back on schedule. School is really in session now.

Happy Happy Thursday-keep your fingers crossed that when I hear about my car it will be CHEAP!

the work week is half way over

So today we have freshmen orientation day at school. Shouldn't be too bad and I will say that work is eazing itself in. But I am tired at night, a bit at least. It is from getting up-a little earlier each day and also not being outside. I do miss my morning walks, and my time in the sun. That's because I get cooped up inside at school. Not too big of complaints though, especially since I have Friday off and it is suppose to be beautiful. YAHOO! Plus I am not staying really late this week at work..those days will be here soon enough.

I like this card. I started with a base of pink cardstock and then took a piece of torn watercolorpaper and stamped a rose background (I believe Stampa Rosa) and then washed the whole background with some pink watercolors...just a light wash as you can tell. And I took a light green Copic marker to color in the leaves. Then I stamped the dragonflies, bee and butterflies (all Hero Arts) and colored them also with Copics. I added the twig-which is from one of those K and Co. packages. Then I stamped the saying twice, once on the card and once on some clear acetate, cut out the acetate and match it to the writing underneath and glue it down. I like to do that because it makes the black words so very distinctly black and visable. I also restamped the glittery butterfly on white paper, colored it and glued it down over the one below it to make it pop up a bit. I also added some glitter to it using some Spica gel pens. Fina 2 steps, I added the twine and then I put some tiny Viva orange dimensional dots in the corners.

I hope you get out and enjoy some of your day in sun...do it for me!



Made it through day 1

Not that I had any doubt I would. This was the first day of my 27th year teaching at present school, the first day of my 28th year teaching high school.

It wasn't even a stressful day.

I think the biggest stress I had was when I came home and scrap journaled my NC photos for a couple hours...had a general dissatisfaction...thought it was my pages...and then decided it wasn't the pages but it was the flow of one page to the next. They just didn't work together.

Glad to figure it out-it does take one thing off your tired mind...if you know how it is when you just don't like the way something you create. It kind of gets under your thoughts and nags at you, keeps picking and poking and your brain just keeps turning it around.

Latest read. Have never read one of her Tracy Chevalier's books but am enjoying it.

So here's a couple of quick snaps I took yesterday morning on my way to work- of the minor damage from  hurricane/tropical storm Irene.

Don't know if you can see it or not but there's a tree down in the road pulling an electrical wire down with it. And you can see all the leaves down and some little branches down on my road and driveway.

We were lucky...no basement/house flooding, only lost power for a couple of hours...I am grateful.

Happy Tuesday

Back to School

It's the official start of the work year for me!

Summer has been great, went at a nice pace, was a lot of fun, and now it is ALREADY time for routine, schedules and productivity.

I don't mind working but don't want to give up my laid back mental mode.

But in another way, the schedule will feel good.

Tough to give up the can do it today or tomorrow mind frame.

Tough to give up the morning walks and the hours in the studio playing.

Not that I can't do either AFTER work.

I do hate the having to get up and be on a time schedule.

But I've done this for so long I can do it some more.

I am writing this Sunday evening and so I am assuming we have work and the storm hasn't changed anything. Since our power is back and we didn't get the storm as bad as they originally said-Irene moved a bit west of here-but we did get TONS of rain and some wind...my yard is covered in leaves- but not the issue some people had so I will count my blessings.

So my card for today is more because of my mental health rather than physical health. I started with a long pink cardstcok card and I stamped red crosses over it, using Kim Hughes' feel better set from Cornish Heritage Farm set. Then on white I stamped the little buggies from that same set and colored them with some nice bright Copics.  I also added the stethescope. Then I attached it, added the sayings, and that was it. VERY SIMPLE but a fun little card to cheer up anyone, even me in my back to work mode.

Have a great day yourself...and if you're a bit down in dumps yourself

feel better soon!

Irene

Posting this Sunday but writing it Saturday night as I am NOT sure whether we'll have power Sunday...not sure what this storm will be- a big wet blow or a big bust? Plus I am watching a DR Who mini-marathon before the new shows start again tonight at 9. Can't wait.

Spent my Saturday running around-LOL-here's a card for that kind of day. Not that I've done much art this past week-I did finish scrapping some OLD Grand Canyon photos from 6 years ago in a travel journal, but this past week was more cleaning, moving things, getting cleaned up for the storm. Yesterday we moved Katie off to school, and I'm both happy and sad about it. I MISS her terribly, but I want her to go to school and have fun and work hard and get an education. I took some moving photos but as usual for me, they're not yet on the computer.

At least Saturday night we had a new DR. WHO and a marathon of the earlier season shows on BBC America...you know what I did when I was being a couch potato after doing all my running around!

So this card...

White cardstock covered with this great old sneaker stamp by Stamp in the Hand. Stamped in both wine colored ink and black ink. Then I added some 7Gypsies paper tape.

I stamped the Converse in a Box stamp (Postmodern Design) on white-stamped in red and then I colored the background this lovely torquoise. Add. Stamp the saying (Stampotique). Add the off white writing which is a scrap from a piece of October Afternon Seaside paper. Stamped the star word (already in a box by Stampotique) and made my own ALL word in a box. To go with the Converse brand of show-do they still make their All Stars? Finally, some red Ranger Dimensional Pearl dots and the corners rounded. AND baby, you have a CARD! 

Anyhow, hope you are safe and dry and maybe even enjoying some sunshine.

Think of me home in the storm-HOPEFULLY with power and crafting up in my studio...

I will let you know later.

100 Places in the USA

So the other day I bought one of these LIFE magazines special travel issues off the shelf at the grocery store check out. I love when I find these special travel magazines with gorgeous glossy photos...gets me dreaming and wanting to go...since I have a BAD case of travel addiction.

Decided to come up with my own list-100 places in the USA I have NOT been to and want to go to. Just to see if I can do this, of course. (so these are only places in the USA and only places I have never been too. They might be a museum, a National Park, a city...where you pick is VERY open. That's the rules...as they say.)

The first 16 are easy-as I want to visit all 50 states and have 16 left to go to. So any place or anywhere in the following states

1-Hawaii

2-Alaska

3-Washington

4-Idaho

5-New Mexico

6-Kentucky

7-Alabama

8-Mississippi

and then we have the big belt in the middle of the USA

9-North Dakota

10-Iowa

11-Wisconsin

12-Minnesota

13-Kansas

14-Nebraska

15-Oklahoma

16-Arkansas

Now, for the other 84

17-Charleston, SC

18-Drive from Miami through the Florida Keys to Key West

19-Glacier National Park

20-Monument/Navajo Valley and the 4 corners-making a big loop that also includes a visit to Mesa Verde Nat. Park

21-Mesa Verde National Park

22-Volcano National Park

23-Williamsburg, VA

24- Ashville, NC and the Biltmore

25-Seattle, WA

26-Portland, Oregon

27-Way  Down East Maine-on the edge of the Bay of Fundy

28-The Hudson Valley, NY

29-the MOMA in NYC

30-The Columbia River Gorge/area, Oregon

31-St. Gaudens in Cornish, NH

32-The Mark Twain House in CT

33- The Emily Dickinson House in MA

34-The Edward Gory House in MA

35-Thoreau's woods and Walden Pond, MA

36-Pittsburgh, PA

37-the Las Vegas sign- been to Las Vegas 2 times and have never seen this sign

38-Big Sur, CA and Monterey

39-The Saguarro National Park, AZ- becauseI want to go somewhere to see BIG cacti

40-Memphis, TN and Graceland

41-Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

42-The aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia and Stone Mountain

43-Arches National Park and the other parks in southeastern Utah

44-Wakiki Beach

45-Grand Teton Nat. Park

46-kayak  a smooth canyon river (no white water-I am a whimp)
47-Salvador Dali Museum in FL
48-Buffalo Bill Museum, Cody, WY
49-The Sawtooth/Beartooth Highway in Montana-is that what it is called?
50-Evans Notch, ME,NH ???
51-Sandwhich Notch, NH
52-Boothbay Harbor, ME
53-The Queens Ink Craft store and any GOOD/great Craft store
54-Isle of Shoals, NH
55- Stay at the Mount Washington Hotel, NH
56- have a donut at Voodoo Donuts or some place with CRAZY donuts
57-Jumpin Jays Fish Cafe in Portsmouth, NH

This is hard since there's so many places to list AND there are plenty of cool places I'd love to see but I just don't know what they are...
when you travel you discover them
58-climb a local mnt called Moose Mnt which I'm not sure where it is
59-take the boat up the coast into Maine
60-visit an island in Maine or 2 or 3-there's a lot to chose from
61-historic Nachez, Mississippi
62-stay in the Balsams in Dixville Notch, NH
63-Lenox and other town in Western MA

Let me think about this and finish this up later.
Where would you like to go? Where have you been that you suggest going?

AUGH! Last Day of Vacation is Here

I'm not moaning TOO loudly. It is time to go back to work but I will need to readjust my brain to work mode...busy structured days compared to long, lazy not always productive summer days. But I feel refreshed and more or less ready.

And we're still on the Hurricane watch. Right now we're suppose to get something Monday...so who knows if I'll be going back Monday. But since it is only Friday we're too far away yet to know anything definately...so who knows what Irene will do.  Later yoday we need to help my mother-in-law clean up and we need to pick up...put the lawn chairs out of the wind and take down the bird feeders tomorrow....that kind of thing. And after we move Katie back to school we need to go batten down the hatches on the boat and be sure there's nothing lose.

And tomorrow I move my baby back to College and I'm sad she's gonna be gone...but I know I'll see her since she's in and out a lot and since she wil be home to work next weekend. But right now my livingroom is FULL of her boxes and bags and assorted paraphenalia...

So I am going to my favorite craft store today to just do something for me and fun and something I LOVE to do-shop for craft supplies! On the last day of my summer vacation before I am back to work and the schedule and everything that comes with another school year.

And yesterday I had a great shopping trip- got a couple of things at the GAP outlet and BASS shoes had buy 1 get 2 free so I got some clogs and black sandals...gave Katie the other pair. It was fun to go shopping with my baby.

BUT

Let me show you something out of my studio...

I've been into a lot of orange lately I've noticed. This was a simple easy card but I like how it came out. I started by making a card out of ornage cardstock-obvious.

Then I cut and used some pink polka dot paper and I cut some white paper. The way this is laying makes the white right edge look a bit curved, which it is not-but maybe not quite straight if you want to nit pick it, I never seem to do anything straight, but don't look too closely!  LOL.

Anyhow, I used these fun PAPERSMOOCHES stamps for the fish and stamped a BUNCH of them. I used Copics to color them and some clear Sakura glitter pens for the bubbles.  Then is used just a blush of blue ink brushed on the white paper.  I don't know who makes the just keep swimming stamp- BUT I love it and use it a lot. (Thanks to Finding Nemo too). Finally, a few Viva dots in orange.

Hurricane Watch

We're on the hurrican watch- a good possibility that Hurricane Irene will hit us Sunday night- depending of course, on how it tracks. Wonder what that means for going back to school for us teachers on Monday. UNH has changed their upperclassmen move in day back to Saturday from Sunday, and I can say I have one very excited girl to go back. Especially since she can move back 1 day early!

So I went in and set up my classroom yesterday-though I will say our custodians did a super fantastic job and my room was in great shape when I went in. AND the computer tech people did a great job and had rehooked up all my computers. YAHOO! Then I got my crown put on (which was an ordeal since it was a little too close on 1 side and the cement got out and sealed up the other side). So one and half hours later I got out and went and had a yummy lunch with my friend Joanne. Took a quick stop at Michael's and they were just putting out Martha Stewart Halloween items- got this FUN punch-

It make BIG pumpkins-which you can't tell here!!! Love their silly scary faces. I also got some Halloween tape and a small stamp set all by Martha Stewart-the queen of great Halloween items. I figured I better pick them up before they aren't there any more...and I'll be making Halloween items before you know it.

So since we're doing orange pumpkins, lets coordinate and I'll show you this card. Simple but fun.

I started with the mustard colored cardstock and used a KaiserCraft stamp to do the big swirls. I colored those orange and yellow and then added the white dots with a Uniball white pen (THE BEST white pens I think).

I stamped the flower (from the same clear stamp set as the swirl) on white paper and then colored it in with the orange, pink, purple and yellow Copics. I added a few white dots in the colored parts but left the very outer edge white paper (it has the black zig zagged stamped lines in it). Then I cut out the flower and attached it right in the middle of the swirl. I added the word which is from an older word set by Hero Arts.

So today Kate and I are off to a nearby outlet mall to do some last minute school shopping-for both of us. Something fun to do before the routine sets back in.

Thanks for visiting.