50 Years and still Laughing!

Uh oh - I thought I posted this already - oh well, here it is - Marianne turned 50 Tuesday!!


My baby sister, Marianne, turns 50 today!!  It is hard for me to believe she is that old!  Our winter has been one for the books this year, but in 1960 when Marianne was born, it was another one to remember.  It snowed or sleeted every Wednesday that month!  And Marianne was born on a Wednesday!  It was really weird because we don't usually have that much cold weather in March.  I remember that we got out of school a day or two every week that month!  I was 11 at the time so that was a big deal especially since I had to walk to school!! 

We celebrated Marianne's birthday a little early this year.  Her husband, Greg, surprised her Saturday night by taking her to The Melting Pot Restaurant.  We surprised her by picking her two boys up earlier and beating them there so we were at the table waiting when she got there.  Oooh that chocolate was good .... as you can tell by the picture of Marianne licking the plate!

Last night, we continued the party at my house.  My mom and sister, Angela, came over.  Angela brought balloons and decorations and the guys cooked Ka-Bobs out on the grill.  I made a chocolate cherry cake (yea - we like chocolate!!).  It was a fun family get-together.

Here's Marianne and her husband, Greg.  She's trying to blow out the candle!

This is one of the cards I made for her.

Here's the other card I made her.

I also made this photo tray.  It is from 7Gypsies and I bought it at AC Moore.  I tried to find different pictures through out her life to put in it as well as family sayings.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!!

Fifth Avenue Floral Gift Set

I made a card box a couple of months ago with some cards from Fifth Avenue Floral.  I've just realized I did not share them with you!  What was I thinking???  I used the set for a hostess gift.  I enjoy making a gift set of cards and a box to give away.  It always impresses the recipient.

This is the acetate box I made to hold the cards.  I used the paper from Night and Day DSP.

The roses are the watercolored roses.  You spritz the Shimery White Paper with water and use your Aqua Painter with reinkers.

Picture Perfect Challenge

I promised you a card today!  I found a new blog today that was offering a challenge so I took the challenge!

I decided to work those colors into an Easter card.  Here is what I came up with:

This stamp set is part of a clear set from Inky Antics that I forgot I had!!  I used my Nestabilities ovals for the bunny.  The black scallops are from the Scallop Trim Punch in the Saleabration Catalog.

Don't forget .... only a couple more weeks to get FREE items from the Saleabration catalog.  It will be all over March 30!!

American idol Top 12

Just a quick post before going to bed.  I'll be posting a card tomorrow afternoon for you.  Today I attended a luncheon at a friend's house.  There were 7 of us there and each of us chose a recipe from Jan, Feb or March issue of Southern Living Magazine.  It was really good and I got to taste some things I probably wouldn't have tried. I don't eat asparagus but I tried the salad and it was good.  Our menu was:

Appetizers - Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese & Pears & Spicy Pickled Shrimp
Tomato Soup
Roasted Asparagus Salad
Linguine with Sun Dried Tomatoes
Lemon Drop Squares (my contribution)
Maple Coffee and Mango Tango Tea

We were also supposed to have Oven Chicken Risotto but the girl who was bringing that forgot and didn't show up!! 

I watched Idol earlier and was shocked at the results tonight!!!  I hate that Lily Scott went home.  I think that was not right.  The others that were voted off were Toddrick Hall, Alex Lambert, and Katelyn Epperly.  So, I only got one right this week and that was Toddrick Hall although I did mention in my previous post that Katelyn might be in trouble.  Next week they will be performing songs from Rolling Stone so it should be interesting!  I thought Crystal Bowersox didn't look well.  She never even smiled when she made it to top 12.  I hope she is ok. 

Off to playing mahjong tomorrow. 

Week 3 - The Guys on Idol

Lee Dewyze singing Fireflies - he's one of my favorites.  Sonny & I both don't think he beats the last two girls from last night though but he was good.

Alex Lambert singing Trouble - he's not one of my favorites but I thought he did ok tonight.  Just hope he doesn't become a "cocky banana" as Ellen said.  Don't really know what that means!!

Tim Urban singing Hallelujah -Wow!  Just when I thought it was his turn to go home, he surprises me with that great performance.  I'm with Ellen - she ran on stage and hugged him and told him "fantastic."

Andrew Garcia singing Genie in a Bottle - This one didn't do it for me tonight.  I hope this doesn't send him home.  The judges feel like maybe he peaked too early.  He was so great during Hollywood week and I thought he was going to be THE one.

Casey James singing You'll Think of Me - I love this song!  He was pretty good - not great but good. Ellen loved it - Kara is getting back on the "Casey train"; Randy thought it was safe; Simon thinks it's forgettable but he sounded great.

Aaron Kelly singing I'm Already There - Well, it's interesting to hear a 16 year old sing this song - how can he understand this song?  He started out not so good but got better as he went on.  It wasn't great to me.

Toddrick Hall singing Someone to Love - Well, that was one of the best tonight!  He was comfortable on stage and singing a Queen song!!  He's definately theatrical and should be on Broadway.

Michael Lynch singing This Woman's Work - He IS my favorite of the boys and he didn't disappoint me tonight!  The judges loved him.  As Randy says, that was DOPE!  Ellen thinks he's the one to beat.

It's hard to guess who's going to get eliminated this week.  My guess would be Andrew Garcia, Aaron Kelly or Toddrick Hall.

411 Challenge

I've had a busy week so far.  Monday, I played bridge.  Yesterday I worked the Soup Kitchen in the morning, making my Chicken Spaghetti Casserole.  It was a big hit!!  But, we made way too much.  The day before they had served 148 people and I bet we hardly had 100.  We made 6 large pans of the casserole and had 2 1/2 pans left over!!  Several people came back for seconds and a few had us give them tinfoil so they could take it home and have it for dinner.  We have decided that that casserole will be the Newcomer's signature dish!  One of the gals I was working with is a big volunteer with the Red Cross and she got a call about a big apartment fire in Charlotte that had displaced about 165 people.  Sonny & I were asked to help with a shelter that they were setting up at an elementary school in Charlotte the next day ... or so I thought.  They said they needed us from 10:30 to 7 and I assumed they mean 10:30 AM to 7 PM on Wednesday.  When I got home that afternoon, Sonny had already talked with the Red Cross and was prepared to go help at the shelter at 10:30 that night!  I wasn't going to go because Linda needed me to help her the next day entering the clients in the computer.  Sonny ended up going to Charlotte and returned home at 4 AM.  He was not a happy camper!  They ended up having only ONE person in the shelter!!  I think earlier there had been 4 people but 3 of them left and didn't come back!  I talked to Linda today and asked her why keep the shelter open for one.  Why not just put him up in a hotel?  A lot of it has to do with $$ - the Red Cross is strapped for funds just like everyone else in this economy.  And of course, at the time, they thought more people would be coming but they evidently found family and friends to put them up for the night.  Of course, today, they are back and needing places to stay - probably only about 15 families and they are putting them up in hotels now.  It just doesn't make sense to me.  I'd tell those people if you don't come to the shelter, forget about a hotel!  Linda did tell me that the local hotels were calling with some great offers.  They were able to get rooms at Howard Johnson for $140 for 7 days!

Here's my recipe for the Chicken Spaghetti if you are interested:

1 large chicken

1 8 oz pkg spaghetti

2 10 oz cans cream of mushroom soup

1 med. onion, chopped

1 4-oz can sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup olives

salt, pepper

2 C shredded cheddar cheese

Cook chicken until tender.  Remove, reserving broth.  Cook spaghetti al dente in reserved chicken broth; drain; reserving broth.  Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Combine all except cheese in large bowl.  Add small amount of broth.  Pour into lightly greased 10 x 13" pan. Top with cheese.  Bake 350 45 minutes.  

Saturday and Sunday I did a little stamping.  I decided to do a challenge from Stamping 411.  You can follow their link on the left side of my blog.  They post a sketch every Saturday and I haven't done one in a while. Here is the sketch: 

Here is the first card I did.  I used a retired SU stamp set, Summer by the Seam my oval Nesties and a Cuttlebug embossing folder.

Then I decided that I didn't really follow the sketch to the "T" so I did another one that was a rectangle instead of an oval.  This card I used Crazy for cupcakes, a felt flower and the background is from a wonderful two step stamping set, Greenhouse Garden.  

Week 3 - Girls Sing on Idol

The night started out with Ellen sitting on Simon's lap ... interesting considering I just heard today that Simon might be engaged!  I was surprised Ryan didn't bring the engagement up. 

• Katie Stevens - She sang one of Kelly Clarkson's songs.  Her voice was good but she needs more stage presence.  She is only 17 years old and just needs time to get better.
• Siobahn Magness - She's singing "House of the Rising Sun" one of my favorite songs.  I look forward  to seeing what  she will bring us every week, and this week doesn’t disappoint. Love how she starts out a-capella.
• Lacy Brown singing The Story.   She has such a great look and such presence on stage. The judges loved it.  I thought it was a little boring though.
• Katelyn Epperly sang Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move"  That girl has some hair!!  I'd hate to have to wash & dry all that hair every day!!  I felt like she was too karoke with that song tonight.  She might be in trouble.
• DiDi Benami singing Rhiannon. This is more like her original audition - kind of coffee shop-ish.  The judges liked it.  Simon and Kara loved it.
• Paige Miles singing a Charlie Chaplin (???) song, Smile.   I love this song (just not her arrangement) and didn't know Chaplin wrote it!   I think she will be going home Thursday.  If not, I'lll be REALLY surprised!
• Crystal Bowersox singing another of my favorites!!  Tracey Chapman's "Gimme One Reason".  I'M A FAN!!  I can see her winning the whole thing this year.  As Simon said, "You are the one everyone else has to beat. It’s yours to lose."
• Lily Scott singing Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces"  I  like her sort of retro vibe and what she does with the songs she chooses.  I really want her to stay!  The judges like her .... except Simon (what else is new?) but hey, 3 out of 4 ain't bad!! 

This is a no brainer tonight. Katie Stevens and Paige Miles should be going home. They both have bright singing careers ahead of them, but the other contestants are in a different league. It’s like the majors vs the minors.

Book Board #2

Here's the second book board I made this weekend.  Great for a teenager, don't you think?

I'm off early in the morning to do my thing at the Soup Kitchen!  Wish me luck.

Easter Projects

So, are you going to watch the Oscars tonight?  I think that's all I've heard lately on TV - mostly Oprah, The View, Rachel Ray ....  With the addition of 10 movies up for Best Picture, it should be interesting!  I'm pulling for Sandra Bullock to win Best Actress, Jeff Bridges for Best Actor and Maggie Gyllenhaal for Supporting Actress.  As much as we go to the movies, those are the only two I've seen of all the nominated movies.  I really want to see Precious, Julie & Julia, A Single Man, Up in the Air, Invictus and Hurt Locker.  We were going to go see Hurt Locker today (it's still playing at Concord Mills) but the weather was so beautiful, we opted not to sit in a dark theatre.   We actually took a walk this afternoon around the neighborhood and saw a lot of our neighbors out enjoying the sunshine.

You can call me the Chicken Lady this weekend!  I cooked about 25 POUNDS of chicken Friday!  I am in charge of the team cooking for the local Soup Kitchen next Tuesday and we are going to make Chicken Spaghetti.  I didn't think we'd have time to cook the chicken, chop it up and put it in the casserole which has to cook for 45 minutes by the time we have to serve (11 am), so my partner and I decided to divide up the chicken and cook it at home.  That way all we have to do Tuesday is cook the spaghetti and put the casserole together on Tuesday.  My house smelled like Chicken all weekend!!  I'm having steak for dinner tonight!!

I have been busy being creative this weekend also.  I made a cute Easter frog card for my grandson.  When I finished it, I decided to do a couple of Board Books for two of my granddaughters that I had picked up at Target's Dollar Spot.  They turned out really cute and I think the girls will like them.

I'm getting good with the punches!!   I did the tree free hand in Chocolate Chip and stamped the Weathered Background over it in black.  The weeds in the background is Inspired by Nature and the dragonfly is from Unfrogetable.  I used the Sweet Treat Cup with green jelly beans for the face. 

Here's  the punches I used:

Large Oval - stomach

Small Oval - legs, face and inside of stomach

BoHo Blossom - feet

1/2" Circle - eyes

1/4" Circle - inside of eyes

Here's one of the Board Books.  This one is for Kennedy. 

I used a couple of Prima Flowers with an orange brad, inked the edges in Pumpkin Pie, and inked the "k" with Pumpkin Pie Craft ink and embossed it with Hologram Embossing Powder.

The "girlfriend" was cut from a piece of Basic Gray paper I had.

These pages have SU Felt Flowers and a rub-on (laughter) that I found in my stash.

This one has another Felt Flower, rub on (forever) and FRIENDS is cut from some DSP that I used on the cover and back of the book.

More rub-ons and ribbon.

This is the back of the book.

So, what are you making for Easter???

Published Again plus my Monday Mailer Bonnet Card

Last Saturday, Marianne and I met at "M's" to do a little shopping before we went to the movies.  She was looking for a glue gun so she could make some fabric flowers.  While she was paying for her purchase, I walked over to the magazines and was thumbing through "Stampers Sampler."  Lo and behold ... what did my wandering eyes discover but a card by "moi" on page 12!  This makes about 3 cards that I have just randomly discovered in their magazine but have not been notified.  It clearly states in the back of the magazine "if you are published .... you will receive notification via postcard."   Well .... it ain't so!!  I even sent them an e-mail last year asking why I wasn't notified of my publications so I could at least go out and buy the magazine!!  This was the Feb/March issue and it was the last one in the store.  So, here is a picture of my card:

I received the cutest Monday Mailer yesterday!  Cathy made a little bonnet on the card and, to protect it in the mail, she put a Sweet Treat Cup on top which I just took off when it arrived. 

Here is a close-up and side view of the little hat.