MDS Monday Challenge

I have enjoyed not having to go anywhere for the past couple of days.  Tuesday I didn't even get dressed except to put on some soft warm lounging pj's.  I spent the day making a few cards and working on my New Zealand scrapbook on MDS.  Same thing for Wednesday except I did get dressed in sweats!  Don't you love days like that???  I remember when I quit working.  At the time, I was not involved in playing bridge, doing cards, etc.  I really don't know what I did during the day after quitting work - I think play computer games and read - but I do remember that I wore sweat pants and sweat shirts almost every day. Sonny called them my uniform.  I was sorta depressed at the time and missing my job but also enjoying the freedom of being able to do anything I wanted during the day.  That probably lasted about 3-4 months before I got a part time job and joined a few groups to do crafts, play bridge, go to coffee's, etc.  Now I wonder how I ever had time to work!!

Here is my take on the sketch for MDS Monday.

This week I dug into my pictures from our trip(s) to Hawaii several years ago.  I love the bright colors in this layout.  I used the kit Paradise Found.  Instead of the flag banner that is in the sketch, I decided to create my own lei across the page.  I used an alphabet punch for "Hawaii" and paper filled it with the same paper that I used for the background - just using different shades of the orange and yellow at the top of the page.

I hope you will take the time to check out the pages the MDS Monday Design Team made.

Here is the sketch that Cindy challenged us with:




And here is what is included in the Paradise Found kit:

Celebrate Today Bundle Plus MDS Challenge Winner

Wow!  I just checked on MDS Monday and my fall picture was chosen this week.  I am honored.

Here are a few more cards that I made last weekend on our Girls Weekend:

This one uses the bundle found on page 11 on the Occasions Catalog - Celebrate Today.  The DSP is found on page 12 - Birthday Bash.  I decided to cut the DSP a little different for this card.  I used Candy Dots next to the "birthday" tag.  I forget to use those Candy Dots!!

This card also uses the Celebrate Today Bundle.  I decided to make a shaker card for this one.  The DSP behind the shaker is from the Irresistibly Yours DSP in the Sale-a-Bration catalog.  I used the dauber and sponged the paper with Pink Pirouette.  The bow is made using the Build a Bow Punch and DSP from Sale-a-bration, Best Year Ever.

This last card uses a stamp set that you can earn when you are a hostess.  I don't usually order the hostess sets but I have ordered two of them this year!  This one is called Hello Love (pg. 239) and I think these birds are just so cute!  The other hostess set I have is a keeper - Bloom With Hope (pg 240).

I have been using the Ninja Blender that Ashley left with me to make all kinds of smoothies.  If you have any good recipes, please share with me.  I bought a lot of fruit and try different combinations every day.  This morning I mixed up Cranberry Juice, frozen banana chunks, frozen Mixed Berries, a little fresh ginger, a handful of carrots and some Vanilla Yogurt.  Sonny just shakes his head but it really was delicious!  I took advantage of the mangos when they were on sale last week and bought five, cut them up and froze them.  I usually throw a bit of kale in with my smoothie too.  Friday, I made some fresh salsa with jalepenos, fresh tomatoes and spices.  It was very good - even Sonny thought so!  So, tell me what you have tried - either making them at home or buying them at Jamba Juice!

Using Photos in Punches with MDS

I am playing around with My Digital Studio today.  I am determined to finish my New Zealand scrapbook in the next few months.  It's only been a year!!  I worked on the scrapbook a lot last spring but have neglected it since.  The problem is I have soooo many photos (plus Ashley's, Courtney's and Taffy's) and I want to include them all.  It's hard for me to select just a few.

In the meantime, I thought I'd do this page for MDS Monday before the deadline.  I actually couldn't decide which one I liked best so I did two pages!  They both are meant to go on the front of a 2015 calendar.  Wish I'd thought to use it on Ashley's calendar this year, but I will remember it for next year!

The challenge this week is to use pictures in punches.

The pictures above were taken last fall when we returned from New York.  We walked around this beautiful fall area at Ft. Belvoir.  Funny what is hidden on Army posts!!  I used the Timeless Junior Numbers Punches for "2015" and a square punch for the background, lowering the opacity to about 50.

This is probably my favorite!  It is similar to the cover for Ashley's calendar except I didn't think about adding pictures to my punches at the time!  This picture is from Lake Tekapo in New Zealand.

There are some great ideas for photos in punches on MDS Monday's blog.  Make sure to check them out here.

MDS Monday Chalkboard Sign

The new Stampin' Up spring / summer catalog 2015 is here and it is bursting with new and exciting products!  I think my credit card will be working over-time in the next few weeks.  Enjoy browsing online by clicking HERE.  If you would like a paper copy, please contact me. The good news is that you can start ordering from my online shop RIGHT AWAY!!  If you are one of my Club members, I will be using new products this month so get your "wish list" started.  I attended a Shoebox Swap last Saturday and came away with 14 cards using new product!!  I can't wait to share them with you.

Since this is Monday, MDS Monday has a new challenge for us My Digital Studio fans.  In the new Stampin' Up! Occasions Catalog, there is Chalkboard Paper.  (I am dying to get some and give it a go.)  So the designers at MDS Monday thought it would be fun to show how we can use chalkboards on our digital papers.  There is not a sketch this week; this is an open challenge.  There are a few kits that have chalkboard downloads - Convention 2011 (I think that is the year); Back to School and Hello World.  I ended up finding a chalkboard paper on the internet and downloading it into MDS for my page.  You can also find some great chalkboard fonts to use HERE.

My sample is pretty simple.  When we were at one of the shops at the National Harbor in DC in December, Sonny found a sign with this saying.  He really liked it but it was pretty pricey.  I took a picture and told him I could made in in MDS for him.  (I haven't yet but .... the year is not over!)

I have a whole collection of Subway Art that I take pictures of when I see plaques and signs in stores - just for this purpose.  Don't you just love this one?

I have a new story about my crazy cat - actually 2 stories.  Last Tuesday (the day after Ashley and Bogart went home), I spent most of the day in my craft room cleaning up and making cards.  After a couple of hours, I went looking for Sammie - she is usually in the room with me or in my spare bedroom laying on the bed in front of the window soaking up the sunshine.  I couldn't find her in any of her usual spots.  A few hours later, I looked for her again with no luck.  So I decided to straighten out the blanket that she usually sleeps on top of in the spare room.  When I did, I discovered her completely under the blanket sleeping.  She stayed there all day.  When I showed her to Sonny late in the afternoon when he came home, he asked me if she was alive!  She was just worn out from dealing with Bogart for 4 months!

After Christmas, I bought her a new collar.  I have had her for almost 3 years and she has had the same collar all those years.  I just thought she could use a new sparkly one.  It has a bell just like the one she had - not much different in the two.  Well, every time I pick up the new collar, the bell rings and she runs away as fast as she can like a scalded rabbit.  I have tried now for a couple of weeks off and on to put the collar on her.  Tonight I finally got it on her but only by capturing her in a room with no exit.  But I can not get the old one off of her.  I tried to hold her and let Sonny get it off, but she hissed at us and tried to bite us.  I don't know why she is having such a fit about this collar.  But, for now she will be wearing both collars although she is trying like heck to get it off by herself!

MDS Monday 95

Time for my MDS Monday challenge.  This is my last week as guest designer for MDS Monday.  But you can believe I will continue to submit scrapbook designs for MDS Monday on my own.

This time I used a picture taken when we were in London several years ago.  It was so cool to see the Changing of the Guard up close and in person!!

Here is the sketch we were to use:



Make sure to check out the other designs submitted by the crew at MDS Monday.

Off to finish up my Christmas shopping!!

Christmas Cats - MDS Monday

I have been super busy as I am sure everyone is at this time of year.  Last week I went to 4 parties where I had to take some kind of food and gift.  By Friday, I was worn out.  Maybe if I didn't wait till the last minute, this wouldn't happen every year, but where is the fun in that??!!  On top of it all, my sciatica has been acting up on top of really tight ham strings in my leg.  So, I scheduled time for a massage in the middle of all the craziness.  It really helped.  Now I continue on with finishing the shopping, wrapping, Christmas cards, ....... the list goes on and on, doesn't it?

This time of year is when My Digital Studio saves my butt!  Here is the page I designed for the MDS Monday Challenge as the Guest Designer this month.

Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Team pages HERE..

These pictures were taken last year at Christmas.  When we were at Ashley's, we could not keep her cat, Bogart, out of the Christmas tree.  We ended up having to throw the tree (artificial) away after Christmas because he had broken so many of the branches.  Sonny and I were dreading going through that with him at our house this year.  Ashley helped us put the tree up when she was here at Thanksgiving (as well as decorate my house!!).  Bogart tried to climb it a couple of times while we were decorating but after that, he left it alone.  We were really surprised.  Well, guess we bragged on him a little too much.  A couple of nights ago while Sonny and I were watching TV, the tree started shaking.  Yep, Bogart decided to try to shimmy up it.  We took turns yelling at him and pulling him out of the tree.  So far, he has only tried to climb the tree that one night.  Not sure what is going to happen next week when we leave the two cats alone for a few days while we go out of town.  Maybe the tree will not tempt them if the lights are not on!!  (Who am I kidding??)

Here is a second page I made showing the two cats this year.  The picture at the bottom of both cats - they are in my lap.  They both love that blanket I throw over me while watching tv.  Sammie always sits in my lap at night.  Well, Bogart has to find his spot too.  Sammie tolerates him for a short while; then she hops down and gives Bogart space.  They are too funny! (You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.)

MDS Monday Challenge

Here is my page for this week's MDS (My Digital Studio) Monday.  I'm enjoying being a guest designer!!

I love these pictures that were taken at a vineyard in New Zealand.  It was New Year's Eve - our first full day in New Zealand.  We took a ferry from Auckand to Waiheke Island where we found a nice gentleman who drove us around the island for the day - dropping us off at different wineries and coming back to fetch us an hour or so later.  He was a retired school teacher and was really knowlegable about the island.  As it turns out, New Year's Eve is the busiest day for Waiheke Island but he was great about knowing back roads to get us where we wanted to be.  Ashley and Courtney hike up the hill with their wine and got this great view.

MDS Monday Double Page

I am so honored to have been asked to be a Guest Designer on the MDS Monday blog design team for the month of December.  This is my first post in that capacity.  Each Monday this month when the new challenge sketch is posted, you will see my design idea for the challenge along with those of the deign team members.  Be sure to click on the link above each week to see the challenge designs and what all the team members have created.  You can join in with your own design if you like.  If you don't have My Digital Studio (MDS) yet, you can download the free trial.  I would love to help you get started!!

 I discovered MDS Monday several months ago, and I think I have only missed one or two weeks following along with the challenge and submitting my MDS layout.  This week's challenge is for a double page spread.  I decided to use pictures from my recent New York trip - specifically, our Culinary Tour that I shared with you here.

MDS Monday Challenge to use Numbers

We are all so busy this time of year.  I was in the kitchen most of the day so I won't have to spend the day there tomorrow!  I made my mashed potato casserole that is always requested by Marianne's boys, the cherry jello salad made specifically for Sonny, a pumpkin pie and have made a start on the cranberry salad that is my favorite and a recipe I got from my daughter-in-law.  Tomorrow, I'll do the apple pie (afraid to make it today in case certain people in my house decided to sample it!), a new recipe for a creamed corn recipe and put together Marianne's dressing.  Ashley will do a green bean casserole and deviled eggs.  So, I think we are set on food!!

Because of everyone being busy, MDS Monday is doing the challenge for two weeks this time.  Since I need my MDS fix and love using the challenges to make my pages, I made this page.  Tara made a simple sketch for the challenge but the tricky part of the challenge was to use numbers on our page!  It took me a while to think of something to do using numbers.  Then it hit me ... where was I when 2014 started!  Auckland, New Zealand!!  So I did a New Year's page.

Autumn Leaves for MDS Monday Challenge

It's past my bedtime but I wanted to do my page for MDS Monday before the Saturday deadline!  We returned to DC from our New York trip on Tuesday.  I ended up staying an extra couple of days with Ashley.  I was supposed to fly back Wednesday evening but I got a call from US Air around 4 pm while Ashley and I were walking around this beautiful nature walk that is right off post that my plane would be leaving at 9:30 instead of 8 pm!  BUT I was supposed to arrive at the airport at 7 just in case they got everything going and left earlier!  I really didn't want to sit around the airport for 2 1/2 hours!  So after our walk, I contacted US Air and got a flight out on Thursday afternoon which worked out just fine.  I got an extra day to visit with Ashley and got home before the big cold front hit.

The challenge this week was to use a cluster of embellishments, stamps, etc. at the top left and bottom right of the page.  I thought these fall leaves were just perfect for these beautiful fall pictures.

Here is the sketch:  You can check out the entries at MDS Monday.


Here are my supplies:

Background
     Designer Series Paper\Distressed\Soft Suede Distressed

Embellishments
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge - embellishments\Downtown Grunge - frame3

Stamps
    Lovely as a Tree\Lovely As a Tree - oak leaves, Color = MORE MUSTARD 212,161,80
    Lovely as a Tree\Lovely As a Tree - oak leaves, Color = MORE MUSTARD 212,161,80
    Lovely as a Tree\Lovely As a Tree - oak leaves, Color = MORE MUSTARD 212,161,80
    _Designer Kits\Grateful Heart Thanksgiving\Grateful Heart Thanksgiving - autumn leaves, Color = EARLY ESPRESSO    

MDS Monday Stripes Challenge

I took time today to do the sketch for MDS Monday.  I took a few pictures while Margaret and Graham were here and decided to incorporate them into the challenge.  Of course, all the pictures are taken at a bar!  What does that say about us???  Never mind - don't think I want to know!  Monday we all went to Horsefeathers for dinner and I got the waitress to snap a picture of all of us.  Wednesday Margaret and I went to the Newcomers meeting.  We had a guest speaker talking about Service Dogs.  I didn't realize how expensive they are!  The girl told us the cost of the dog, training, etc. can run between $20,000 - 30,000!  Wow!  After our meeting, we met a group for lunch at a new restaurant in Mooresville, Pic-Nik.  It was really good and Sonny and I will be going back again.  Then we did a little shopping - Hobby Lobby, Stampers Alley, Kohl's Ulta .....  We were ready to head home around 5:00 and decided to let the traffic die down and pop into Duckworth's for a couple of drinks and dinner (which we took home and ate).  The guys are headed home today and I have made a Tortilla Soup for dinner.  Tomorrow Sonny will take us to the airport - me flying to DC to meet Ashley and head on up to New York City for a few days and Margaret and Graham heading back to Texas.  

I was excited to once again have my MDS Monday page chosen last week.  You can see it HERE.

Here is this week's challenge to use stripes.  I used a piece of striped DSP from the All Time Fave kit and cropped it several times to get individual different colored stripes which I put behind the pictures.

Embellishments
    WASHI TAPE\Nobody's Business - gray tape
    WASHI TAPE\This And That Retro Fresh Washi Tape - washi tape 1
    WASHI TAPE\This And That Retro Fresh Washi Tape - washi tape 2
    WASHI TAPE\Merry Delightful Digital Tape 5 - sahara sand (re-colored) Color = BLACKBERRY BLISS
    Designer Kits\Convention 2013 - embellishments\Convention 2013 - awesome friends (re-colored)

Stamps
    Splatters\Ink Splatters\Ink Splatter 6,
    Splatters\Ink Splatters\Ink Splatter 6
    Friend by Definition\Friend by Definition
    _Designer Kits\Blossoms Abound\Blossoms Abound - friendship,
    Friendly Words\Friendly Words - friendship is the only cement,
    _Designer Kits\Blossoms Abound\Blossoms Abound - friendship,

Photos
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\All Time Fave - designer series paper\All Time Fave - 4
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\All Time Fave - designer series paper\All Time Fave - 3
    Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\All Time Fave - designer series paper\All Time Fave - 11

 

Paradise Found for MDS Monday

I had fun doing my page this week for MDS Monday!  The theme was to follow the sketch (below) and make it PLAYFUL and COLORFUL!  Well, if you know anything about me, you know I love color!  I am not one that wears dull clothes .... or if I do have on black, I usually have a pop of color somewhere!  I like bright colors and my wardrobe and my cards are a testament to this!

I decided that the pictures that would look the best with the challenge would be my Hawaii pictures.  I visited Hawaii in 2005 (I think) and 2008 with Ashley.  Well, finding those pictures turned out to be a challenge since back then, I printed most of my pictures from my camera.  But, I forgot I had saved them on Shutterfly so I was able to access them.  If you have never been to Hawaii, you have missed a beautiful place.  The flowers there are the most gorgeous I have seen.

This page was so easy to do.  I used a pre-made template and just dropped the pictures in.  The background is from the download kit called Paradise Found and I just recolored it to Turquoise.  With all the beautiful pictures on the page, I didn't think embellishments were really needed.  I added the flower behind the text and the Hawaiian girl (from the same kit).  The title (Hawaii) is actually a punch called Smitten Alphabet that I love.  I use it a lot.

SKETCH

The first time we went, Ashley had just had eye surgery but she thought she was "good to go."  Well, the day after we were there, she had problems with one eye so we had to go to the Army hospital to get her taken care of.  A few days later when we went to Maui, she had problems with the other eye so we had to find an eye doctor in town.  She ended up wearing dark glasses during the whole trip!  So, it is pretty easy to tell which pictures are from the first trip and which are from the second!!

 Here are a few pictures from the trips.

If you watch Hawaii 5-0, this building is their headquarters and is seen in most episodes.

Ashley enjoying a fruity drink - 2008

Ashley & I at the luau.  It was dark so no glasses!

USS Arizona Memorial

Ashley reading the names at the Pearl Harbor Memorial (USS Arizona)

USS Arizona

sunset

Ready for the luau!

MDS Monday Challenge

A little late posting today but give me a break .... it's my Birthday!  (Not that I'm counting the years any more!)  I am going out to eat tonight at Firebirds with the family but other than that, nothing special planned.  Just doing what I feel like doing today and not doing anything I don't want to do!

I played around with My Digital Studio today creating a page for the MDS Monday challenge.  Another tricky one this week.  The first challenge was to change the size of patterned DSP when you fill a punch with patterned paper (DSP).  The way to do this is fill a punch (or photo box) with DSP; then double click on the shape and you can zoom in or out on the patterned paper by clicking on the "plus" and "minus."  The next challenge was to insert a picture in a group of photo boxes.  To do this you select the photo boxes you want to fill; group them together; then drag your photo in.

I can't tell you how many times I aligned these boxes!  Every time I thought I had them all lined up, I'd look again and see a "boo-boo."  Just don't look too hard or you might see one but I think I got them mostly aligned!!

So what do you think?  I love this picture of the peacock strutting and showing his beautiful feathers.  I took this several years ago at Fort Sam Houston while Marianne and I were visiting Ashley.

MDS Monday Challenge - Herringbone Background

I missed the MDS Monday challenge last week since I was out of town so I wanted to try and do this week's challenge.  Well, what a challenge it was!!  We were to create a Herringbone Background . This was a new one for me and it took quite a bit of time to create.  I tried it first with different DSP's in autumn colors but it was just too busy.  Then I tried in-colors - not the look I was going for.  Then I decided to keep it simple (stupid!) and just do black and white patterns - that did the trick!  I got most of the papers from the Night and Day DSP.  To do the herringbone technique, you create a square punch and elongate it making it into a skinny strip.  Then you insert your paper.  There is a step-by-step tutorial by Juanita Golson on mydigitalstudio.net  if you are interested in trying it.  I did a lot of cut and pasting and when I got it the way I wanted, I "grouped" the items and saved them.  Here is what the page looks like with out the embellishments.

Here is the page after I added embellishments:

This picture was taken last week at the hockey game in Pittsburgh. Looks real, huh?   I posted the picture a few days ago and had a friend ask me how we were able to get in the box with the players!  Well, sorry to spoil it but this was actually a cardboard cut out.  Just wish we had the pull to sit down there with the players!!

I used a lot of elements from the Game Day Kit and I recolored the burlap ribbon to Crushed Curry. Check out the other pages using this technique here.

.

Christmas Fun Fold

Brrr was what we were saying this morning!  A cold front moved into our area Friday night.  Yesterday was a beautiful fall day - crisp and cool!  Loved it!  We opened all our windows and about 5:00 pm, we were shutting all of them because we were both really cold!!  This morning I think it was in the 40s when we got up and the temps were in the 50s all day.  But I think it is going to be short lived.  The rest of the week I think it will be in the 70s which is ok with me.  We are going to Pittsburgh later this week and I'm sure it will be pretty cool there too.

Saturday was National Cardmaking Day.  I tried to get Sonny to come up and make a card with me but I wasn't successful!!  But I made several cards.  I found this fun fold card on Sandy Hancock's blog.  It was made by Cheryl LeFore.  She used All Is Calm DSP and I changed it up and used the Trim the Tree DSP stack.

Here are the instructions if you want to make one:
Cut base cardstock (Real Red for mine) 8"x 8".  Use the Simply Scored Diagonal Plate and score all four sides at 3".  Cut out the small triangles where the score lines criss-cross.  Flip the cardstock over.  Use the regular Score Board and score at 1" on all four sides to the triangle.  Fold the large flaps in toward the center and fold the small flaps in the opposite direction.  Decorate with DSP.  Trim one end of DSP diagonally and adhere to the small flap.  Close the card clockwise and place the fourth flap under the first flap.  (Note:  I may have done mine backwards because I had to close the card counter clockwise to get it to work.  Just try it and see what works for you.)

Belly Band:  3/4" x 9 3/8" cardstock.  Score at 1/2", 5/8" and 5-1/8".  Decorate.  (since the DSP stack is not long enough to go around the belly band, I cut two pieces and put one on top and one on bottom.)


I found out today that the vintage scrapbook page I made this week for MDS Monday was selected as a challenge winner.  I loved that page with the picture of my mom.  Check out the nice comments and the other challenge winner HERE.

Our house guest is still entertaining us!  Sammie loves my Stampin' Up boxes and I always keep one in the family room for her to curl up in.  Well, of course now Bogart wants the box and I know if I put another one out, they wouldn't have anything to do with it.  So they just have to take turns!

Whose turn is it?

Where are you Sammie?  Lookie - I'm in your box!

I'll show that white cat whose box this is!

 Today I caught them exchanging cat kisses!!

Just hanging out!  Bogie thinks he's king of the mountain on the scratching post!

I really goofed up this week though!  When I cleaned out the litter box on Thursday, I mistakenly put the lid on backwards .... the lid with the hole that they go in to do their business.  Sonny noticed it Friday I think and fixed it.  He told me about it and we checked around but didn't find any surprises UNTIL I was folding the laundry on Saturday.  The laundry basket had been in the laundry room and I carried it up to our room to fold the clothes.  Normally, I just dump it out on our bed.  Well, glad I didn't this time!  Guess where they did their business?   As I was reaching in to pull some clothes out, my fingers touched something squishy .... ugh!  I couldn't blame them but I did wonder why they were both sniffing around the laundry basket when I brought it upstairs!  So, yesterday I got to do the laundry all over again!  Never a dull moment with these cats!

MDS Vintage

The challenge this week on MDS Monday is to use a vintage photo or just create a vintage page.  This is one of my favorite pictures of my Mom.  She looks so cute!  I'm guessing she was about two years old??  Well, she celebrated her 86th birthday this past July so I guess this qualifies for vintage!  I hope this page will make her smile today.  Today marks 41 years since Daddy died and I know she will be remembering that day.

I used so many overlays on this page that it was really slowing down the program.  I kept saving it - I was afraid I would lock it up and have to start all over.  I've had to do that before so I try to remember to save often.

Make sure you visit the MDS Monday blog - there are some great vintage pictures there!

Here are the elements I used to create this page.

Background
     Designer Series Paper designer series paper\Downtown Grunge - 2

Embellishments
    Paper Doilies\Paper Doilies - pool party (re-colored) Color = SOFT SUEDE
    Soft Blooms - embellishments\Soft Blooms - 4 crumb cake
    Soft Blooms - embellishments\Soft Blooms - 4 crumb cake
    Soft Blooms - embellishments\Soft Blooms - 4 crumb cake
    _Designer Kits\Fan Fair - embellishments\Fan Fair - stitching black circle 2 (re-colored) Color = CHOCOLATE CHIP

Stamps
    _Designer Kits\Downtown Grunge\Downtown Grunge - script, Color = 0,0,0
    _OVERLAY STAMPS\Vintage Overlays\Vintage Overlays - texture 4
    _OVERLAY STAMPS\Vintage Overlays\Vintage Overlays - texture 3
    _OVERLAY STAMPS\Vintage Overlays\Vintage Overlays - texture 12
    Torn Edges\Torn Edges - flower edge
    _OVERLAY STAMPS\Vintage Overlays\Vintage Overlays - texture 12
    _OVERLAY STAMPS\Vintage Overlays\Vintage Overlays - texture 13
    _OVERLAY STAMPS\Vintage Overlays\Vintage Overlays - texture 4
    Everyday Adventure Project Life\Everyday Adventure Project Life - oval frame
    _Designer Kits\Seriously Teen Kit\Seriously Teen Kit - grunge 4, Color = 73,56,38
    _OVERLAY STAMPS\Thoughtful Overlays\Thoughtful Overlays - memories,
    Always\Always - sentiment 2
    _HOLIDAYS\Holiday Blitz\Holiday Blitz - mom
    Always\Always - sentiment 2
    Always\Always - sentiment 2

Punches
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch

Freeform Text on Path for MDS Monday

My creation for MDS Monday is a page from my visit with Jeff, Darcie and Jayce last December.  I got some great action shots of Jayce eventually.  The challenge this week was to use the Freeform Tool on the text around the pictures.

Jayce had fun hiding from me whenever I got my camera focused!

My MDS page uses:

Background
     Designer Series Paper Storytime  16

Embellishments
   Designer Kits\Finest Simplicity - embellishments\Finest Simplicity - frame 2

Stamps
    OVERLAY STAMPS\Epic Overlays\Epic Overlays - lines, (along edges of project)
    Designer Kits\Days to Remember - family
    Designer Kits\Family Fun Photobook - fun 4
    OVERLAY STAMPS\Epic Overlays\Epic Overlays - best ever, 

I am going to get this page in on time this week!  Last week I designed my page but forgot to post it!!  I didn't realize it until I checked the MDS Monday blog post on Monday.

We are having a bit of FALL weather here and I love it!  Tuesday I don't know if it even got up to 60 degrees!  And today it has been misty all day and in the lower 60s - a good day for a bowl of chilli. Yesterday I had a dentist appointment in the morning and didn't check the weather before getting dressed.  I put my capris on with a 3/4 length sleeve .... my legs were a little chilly!!  

I also went to Davidson College yesterday for another testing session.  I finally FINISHED the Brain Games I was having to do at home.  I was so glad!  I was doing 4-5 of the games a week and each one took an hour of my time.  That's a lot of time I was losing!!  And they were getting harder and harder.  I will go back to Davidson in 8-10 weeks for my final testing session.  So far, I have gotten $100 for it but believe me, it is worth every penny!!

I Missed the Deadline!

Last week I did a scrapbook page for the MDS Monday challenge BUT I forgot to post it to their blog!!  Oh well - guess I didn't stand a chance of winning, huh?  Anyway, here is the MDS page I made.  The challenge was to use white, vanilla or ivory as the main color.  I thought this picture from our Alaska trip fit the bill.  I used the photo of the snowy Mount McKinley as my background.

As promised, here are a few pictures from the Steeler - Panther game that we attended on Sunday night.  It was really hot - still in the 80s when we left the game about midnight.  I had been hoping for some fall weather and had thrown in my sweatshirt thinking I would need it later in the evening but ended up not even carrying it in the stadium.  The Steelers beat the Panthers pretty handily - it was the first loss of the season for the Panthers so I was not so sure about that win in advance.

We went to the Olde Meck Brewery in Charlotte before the game for dinner.

As usual, Sonny made a few Steeler friends!

Great seats

The Panthers started leaving during the 3rd quarter!!  

Our Selfie!

Here are this week's Weekly Deals - good through next Monday.