Birthday Celebration

This week was my nephew’s 20th birthday!  Wow …. doesn’t seem like he should be that old.  Or for that matter, that my sister should be old enough to have a 20 year old!!  I used to change HER diapers and his!!  Like I’ve said before, how time flies when you’re having fun!!  We celebrated his birthday Friday night at a local Japanese restaurant and a good time was had by all.  I think he is set now with gift certificates from grocery stores, Wal Mart, etc. to stock his apartment when he returns to college next week.

I made a gift card holder from the Top Note die and it was so easy! 

Remember …. click on the pictures to see them larger.

Here’s the birthday boy! 

Here’s the family (minus Harrison – think the food got to him - he escaped to the bathroom for about 30 minutes!!)

Here’s a cute picture of Marianne & me -

Adventures from Myrtle Beach to Kenya!

How life changes over the years! When I was a teenager, I thought I was being daring and adventurous by finding a summer job away from home one year. I went to Myrtle Beach, SC with a college friend and waitress-ed at a hotel restaurant. What adventures we had that summer!! Another summer, I volunteered for Head Start as a teacher's aide. I had never been around that many poor children and it was a heart warming adventure - quite different from my Myrtle Beach experience!!

Well, I guess if I were a teenager now, in order to be adventurous or daring, I would spend my summers overseas or perhaps on an African Safari!! That is what my daughter is doing. She has been in Kenya for 2 weeks doing Infectious Disease research at a local lab there. She has finished with her work - very early - and has changed her reservations to return home next Wednesday. Depending on flight delays, etc., she should be back in DC Thursday or Friday and will begin out-processing from Walter Reed for her move to Brooks Army Medical Hospital (San Antonio). In the meantime, she has had her own adventures and I can't wait to hear all the details! Last weekend, she went to a village with one of the medical school students who is working with her and they stayed with his family for a typical Kenya weekend. Here are a few of her comments to us about her visit:

Lunch was "a typical Kenyan lunch (although certainly a feast) of rice, ugali (which is a "loaf" of flour which tastes somewhat like grits), cabbage, sukumawiki (a green similar to spinach), and beef stew"

"As everywhere else, CocaCola has a huge impact here with the standards of Coke and Fanta along with some new names -- Krest ("bitter lemon") and Stoney (ginger beer)."

"breakfast (the Kenyans have this food thing down well!) of donuts, chapati, pound cake, and bread with jam. And, of course, tea -- good Kenyan chai tea. "

"time for church...definitely an experience. African Pentecostal Church...no less than 3 people collapsed in convulsions and had to have the demons "cast out." They translated their traditional tribal language (Luo) into English especially for our benefit -- we were introduced to the congregation and they said special prayers for our "safe journeys." After church was lunch -- more typical Kenyan fare plus roast and fried chicken that we had watched them pluck the night before! "

This weekend, she is on a Safari in the Masai Mara National Park. Because of doing work there in the lab, they were able to get a good deal of the safari rates so they decided to splurge on their accommodations. They were originally going to pitch a tent in the park but instead made reservations at Kilima Camp. Here is a link to their site where you can see pictures and read about it. This is the high season for the wildebeasts so she is hopeful she will get her money's worth!! I think she will. Looks like such fun!! Sure can't compare to Myrtle Beach but I have my memories too which are precious to me.

Shape Class #2

I’ve been busy this week getting my supplies ready for the class I am teaching tomorrow at Stampers Alley.  It is another Shape Class.  I am doing three separate shape classes and this is the second one.  The final one will be August 22.  Here are the cards we will be making tomorrow afternoon:

I found this frog template on a blog.  It opens up and also fits in a regular envelope.  Isn’t he cute?

 

 

This flip flop card also opens up and there is small post-it note pad inside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The watermelon card is called a “Spring” card because it springs up when taken out of the envelope.  The instructions for it are on Splitcoast Resources.  I used Crystal Effects for the seeds.

I think these are my favorite!  I found the instructions for these on the ScorPal website.  I used Dew Drops on the chocolate one for “sprinkles”.  On the vanilla cone, I ran it through my Big Shot with a Cuttlebug folder.  The “chocolate sauce” is actually Crystal Effects with a little brown ink refill mixed in!  The strawberry cone has Liquid Appliqué with some pink embossing crystals mixed in.

Inspired by Nature

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a white frame at the Dollar Store (at least I think that’s where it came from!)  Anyway, I wanted to do something different with it.  So after many different attempts, this is what I came up with:

I used brown StazOn ink to color it and then I used Ritzy Ditzy Glitz in Bronze & Copper and sprayed it.  Then I used my heat gun to set it.  I have had this Ritzy Ditzy spray for several years.  I saw a demonstration at a convention somewhere and just had to have it.  But after I got home with it, I didn’t know what to do with it.  I have it in Bronze, Gold, Copper and Silver.  If you have any ideas for it, I’d love to hear about them!! 

The picture is the flowers from Inspired by Nature.  I sponged a little bit of blue on the top of the cream card and sponged green and Creamy Caramel on the middle and bottom of the card.  I stamped the “weeds” in Close to Cocoa craft ink and stamped the flowers in Baja Breeze.  I first put my stamp in Versa Mark; then the Baja Breeze so I could emboss it.  Then I framed the picture with the Parisian Breeze DSP (retired). 

I’m really happy with how it turned out!  I think I’ll be using this for a donation.  My Newcomers group is having a fashion show in October and we will be soliciting donations for prizes.  Would you like to win this?

I just have to share a conversation between my grandson and his mom (that she posted on her blog recently).  It just cracked me up!!

Jayce: I haf ew go poddy.
Mom: You do?
Jayce: Yes.  I haf ew go poddy.  A’cause my menis (he can make the “P” sound only selectively) is gettin’ on my nuhrve.

Relaxing in the Mountains

We enjoyed a nice little get-away in the NC mountains Sunday and Monday.  We just decided on Saturday to drive up to the mountains and enjoy the cooler weather.   Sonny remarked as we were driving up there that he didn’t think he’d ever been on the Blue Ridge Parkway!!   What’s up with that?  We arrived in Blowing Rock around lunchtime and found a restaurant that had a lot of cars parked in front.  That’s always a good sign for a good restaurant in my opinion.  Canyons Restaurant used to be a liquor store back in the early 1900’s and supposedly there are hidden areas in the building.  They were serving a Sunday brunch with a little Jazz quartet playing.  I had a Southwestern Omelet and it was delicious!!  I would recommend Canyons to you if you are in Blowing Rock on a Sunday!   After brunch, we wandered around downtown Blowing Rock and then drove up to Boone and wandered around the Mast General Store there.  We ended up driving back to Blowing Rock and getting a room in a local motel downtown and walking over to the Speckled Trout for dinner.  Another great choice!  I had fresh mountain trout … yum!  After dinner, we wandered over to the Six Pence Pub (you surprised?) where we ended the evening with a few nightcaps. 

Sunday was a gorgeous day (it rained off and on on Saturday) and we headed over to view THE Blowing Rock.  Glad we only had to pay $5 to view it …. not worth much more than that!  But the view was great and we had a nice walk around the grounds.  Then we headed over to Grandfather Mountain where the admission was a little more than $5 ($15) but was worth it this time.  We were inspired by the views from the highest point in the Blue Ridge while we crossed over the famous Mile High Swinging Bridge.  I remember going to Grandfather Mountain many times as a child and being scared to death to walk across that bridge!  It’s funny what you perceive as scary when you’re young.  I thought I remembered a wooden bridge that was actually swinging back and forth.  Yes, the bridge does swing, but you can barely tell and it is NOT wooden!  I actually went over the bridge with my arms in the air!! 

A great view of THE Rock

I climbed up on the backside of the Blowing Rock and was holding on so I wouldn’t slip off!

Sonny & I with Grandfather Mountain & The Swinging Bridge in the background.

Halfway across the Swinging Bridge (those are Sonny’s feet)!

This bear was almost posing for the cameras!  There were 3 bears in captivity – pretty sad!  I remember when we used to actually see them on the side of the road when we went to the mountains.

This was really sad.  This beautiful Bald Eagle was shot by a hunter and now he can’t fly.  He was trying to flap his wings but as you can see, he could only flap one side.  He was making a pitiful sound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We can’t wait to go back in the fall to see the changing colors of the foliage.

Taking a Break and Saving a Life

I'm headed for the mountains for a couple of days so probably won't be blogging until Monday or Tuesday.

I want to share a newscast with you though. Remember my story about my grandson's near drowning (HERE). Well, here is a follow up that was on the news in Tucson. Darcie is doing what she can to make the public aware about how important it is to keep an eagle eye on your child in the water. Hopefully, this will save a child's life. Watch the Video HERE and share it with your friends and family. Isn't my grandson adorable? Hard to believe he's not even 3 yet (2 more weeks).

Summer Fun Specials Galore

Beginning today - August 1 - Stampin' Up's Country Living Cookout Set is ON SALE. You can view the kit HERE. It is now just $14.95! And with plenty of summer left to celebrate, it's a great time to take advantage of this huge discount. The Summer Cookout Refill is also still available at its regular price of $9.95. This special offer only goes through August 31, or while supplies last.

We are also celebrating kids during August and September. Spend $35 on stamp sets from the Growing Up section of the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog (pages 74-90) and receive a FREE package of Designer buttons--a $7.95 value! Eligible buttons are listed found on page 181 (Playground, Sherbert and Button Latte Designer Buttons.)

In addition, if you purchase the exclusive SU Decor Items Growth Chart, you will receive the applicator FREE! Look HERE for details.

ALSO, if you are interested in becoming a Stampin' Up demonstrator, we are offering a Mini Starter Kit for just $85!! That is a great deal. The mini kit includes:

• For All You Do stamp set (p 118)
• All 6 of the In Colors Stamping Pads (p. 155)
• Whisper White Card Stock (p 155)
• In Color Card Stock (p 155)

During this promotional period, there will also be a standard Starter Kit incentive for new recruits who choose the standard Starter Kit instead of the Mini Starter Kit; new recruits who choose the standard Starter Kit will receive the following, along with the standard Starter Kit supplies:

• All six of the new In Color Classic Stampin' Pads
• One pack of In Color assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11")

Contact me if you are interested in any of these great specials!

Loads of Love to New Neighbors

I’ve been a bad blogger this week!  Sorry.  Thursday I went to Charlotte and did some volunteer work at the Red Cross office.  I took my mom and dropped her off at a friend’s house.  That was nice for her since she doesn’t drive so she doesn’t get many chances to see some of her old Charlotte friends.   I ended up finishing my work about 1 pm so I went to Park Road Shopping Center and had lunch and walked around the shopping center.  I can remember when that shopping center was the main shopping place in that area of town and I spent many a day wandering into the shops back in the 60’s! 

Today I went to Charlotte …. again!!  Can’t believe how many trips to Charlotte I’ve made in the last 2 weeks!  Sonny had a doctor’s appointment this a.m. in Charlotte for a second opinion on his hip replacement.  After sitting in the waiting room for an hour, we walked out!  I get so irritated when they over-book patients.  I guess they don’t think our time is as important as theirs!  Heaven only knows what is going to happen down the road if this new health plan gets pushed through Congress.  Anyway, I guess Sonny won’t be getting a second opinion.  He is thinking about getting his hip replacement the first of 2010.

Some new neighbors moved in this week just one house over from us.  (There are only 3 houses on our cul-de-sac.)  The family is actually just moving from another house in the neighborhood.  I made a casserole and some chocolate chip cookies for them tonight and took it over with this card:

I took the picture before I colored in their hair & skin and it’s too late to take another picture – I’ve already given her the card!!

Background Technique

I played around today with making a background for this card:

Isn’t it cool?  Here’s what I did:

I used Craft Inks and “smooshed” them onto Mellow Moss cardstock.  I started with White and smooshed it around in 2-3 places; then I used Mellow Moss and Perfect Plum and “smooshed” them in several locations.  Then, I used different colors of Pearl Ex and dusted them over the inks.  After that, I sprayed the whole thing with a clear sealer.  Next, I stamped the pine cone branches in Brown Craft Ink and embossed them with Hologram Embossing Powder.  I edged the card with a brown Copic.

For the focal point, I stamped the wheat on Elegant Eggplant in Versamark and embossed it with Copper Embossing Powder.  Then I stamped the pheasant in brown craft ink on Really Rust cardstock, embossed it clear, cut it out and popped it up.  I tore the edges of the Eggplant piece and edged the edges with Gold Encore Ink and dusted it with Pearl Ex.   I layered the whole card on Elegant Eggplant. 

What do you think?

Here’s another background I did.  I just haven’t made a card out of it yet:

A Friendly Challenge

Saturday after my Shape class at Stamper’s Alley, I saw a really cute tri-fold card that was on display.  Debbie, Judy and I examined the card to figure out how to make it.  I told Debbie I’d put one on my blog and for her to post one on her blog.  I tease Debbie because she is not great about keeping up her blog.  (It may have something to do with the fact that she works full time but I don’t know!!)  Anyway, lo and behold, Sunday night, Debbie had made the card and posted it on her blog HERE.  Isn’t it great?

Well, I actually made my card on Sunday after we got back from the Lake as my Monday Mailer.  I wanted to wait until I got it in the mail to Ellie before posting it though.  So, even though Ellie won’t receive it for a day or two, I’m going to share it with my faithful blog followers!

Here is the card open:

Card Recipe

• Stamp:  SU Wings of Friendship (Hostess)
• Paper:  Regal Rose; So Saffron; White, Tea Party DSP
• Accessories:  Circle Maker; Dazzling Diamonds; Celery Ribbon; ScorPal; Hole Punch; Rhinestone Brad
• Ink:  Regal Rose, Certainly Celery (SU)