Historic Tour of Homes

A quick post before I hit the sack.  I'm so tired!  I was a docent today at the third annual Historic Mooresville Tour of Homes.  Check out the lovely homes HERE.   The home that I was in was the original home of Annie Rankin.  There are three houses side by side that were built by Annie's father, S.C. Rankin, the first President of the Bank of Mooresville. Mr. Rankin built the three homes for his daughters. Two of the Rankin sisters were married in a double wedding ceremony in 1902 and set up households at the same time in twin Queen Anne cottages on South Academy Street.   The housees have undergone extensive renovations.   While the other two sister's houses take you back in time, the Annie Rankin home has been "modernized" but still has kept the historic look.  A young couple live in the house now and have updated the kitchen in particular.

I finished the wedding cards that I will be taking to the weddings I am going to in Texas next week.  I CASE'd them from a card I saw at the Kernersville Quarterly.  The DSP is the Bride DSP on pg. 158 of the SU catalog which I brayered with black ink.  I used decorative punches in the comers. 

Rag Purse

Lookie what my sister made for me!!

Isn't it pretty?  We picked the fabric out when we were in Kernersville last month and she made it using her Big Shot ... and her sewing machine, of course. 

This is the cell phone holder that is hanging on the purse handle with a fabric flower.

I love it!!  Thanks, Marianne!

Sorry I've been MIA!

Sorry I've be MIA for a couple of days.  Yesterday I left the house at 9:30 AM and didn't return until 8:30 PM.  I started out playing Mahjong and was on a winning streak.  We only play with $2 but I wiped 2-3 people out of their $2!!  After that, I had a lot of errands to run all over town - Belks, WalMart, Dollar Store, Staples, Stampers Alley ....  I picked up the collage pictures (from THIS post)  from WalMart and they turned out great.  I am so pleased.  I ended up buying some super large binder clips which I am going to decorate and clip the pictures (8x10) in them.  I'll have to support them somehow from behind so they don't flop over.  After all my errands, I met Sonny and Marianne and her family at Fusion Bowl for dinner. Yumm!! Marianne and Greg had been in Asheville for a conference.

I went to Stampers Alley to see the BEE-U-TEE-FUL Northwoods Board that had just come in.  I will be doing a class on June 19.  We will make 6 of the cards.  Then, later in July or August, we'll do the other 6 cards.  You can view the cards HERE.  The Northwood cards are always so beautiful and glittery.  Call Stampers Alley (Mooresville) to sign up!!  If we get a full class, I can add another date.

Today was my Stamp Club.  We had a small group today - one gal was sick, another out of town and the third had Book Club earlier in the a.m. and couldn't make it.  But, we had fun anyway!!  We made two great cards and a tea-bag (chocolate squares) holder. 

This card is a great one for using up your scraps.  The stamp set is Circle Circus and the colors are Chocolate Chip, Barely Banana and Brocade Blue.

This is a great cheerful card!  We made that speckled background using Itty Bitty Backgrounds stamp in Only Orange, Pink Passion, Turquoise and Old Olive.  We put Crystal Effects on the drink.  Just wish I was in Hawaii!!

This is one of the tea holders.  They had their choice of this one or another one.  This one has a belly band that slips off.

This is the inside.

This is the second tea bag holder.  It has a ribbon closure and uses the truck from Loads of Love.

inside

I got the directions for these little tea bag holders on Splitcoast. 

My Digital Studio & Idol

My nephew is getting married in a couple of weeks in Austin, Texas.  The wedding is to be outside with a Carnival Theme - complete with picture booths, corny dogs, cotton candy, etc.  I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures!  I am helping out my niece with the rehearsal lunch.  When Ashley was in Seattle a couple of weeks ago, she took a bunch of pictures at the Seattle Center of a carousel, hot dog stand, ticket booth, etc.  So, using My Digital Studio, I downloaded the pictures and a few others I found on the 'net.  Then I put a picture of Jack and Katrina on top of the whole collage and made it transparent so you could barely see them with the carnival things in the background.  I love using MDS and love what you can do with it.  I've sent these off to be printed and will pick them up tomorrow.  Can't wait to see them!  I'm having them done in 5" x 7".  I'm either going to find some clear frames for them at the Dollar Store or get some binder clips at an office supply store, decorate them and use them for a picture holder.

As of today, these are the items that are SOLD OUT and no longer available:

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  Sweet Pea Designer Series paper stack
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  On Board Heart Book
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  Sweet Pea stitched felt
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  Sage Shadow 12 x 12 card stock

I watched Idol tonight.  The contestants each sang two songs - one they chose and one chosen by the judges.

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  Casey was up first singing "It's All Right With Me" and it was only just all right with me.  His second song was "Daughters" chosen by Kara and Randy.  I like that song and he did it well, but was it worthy of making him a finalist?  I don't think so.
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  Crystal sang Melissa Etheridge's "Come to My Window" and did it well!  She was on the harmonica and I loved that.  Her second song was chose by Ellen, "Maybe I'm Amazed."  She is amazing!  She has not compromised herself once during this show.
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  Lee sang "Simple Man."  I loved it!  He's finally feeling comfortable on stage.  He could edge Crystal out!  Lee's second song, chosen by Simon, was "Hallelujah" and he knocked it out of the park!  He is in the contest to WIN.

I have been pulling for Crystal the whole season but Lee has started to sway me.  He has improved sooo much and has a great attitude.  He graciously accepts the judges criticism.  Sometimes I just get the feeling he wants it more than Crystal.  Anyway, I won't be disappointed in either one being the winner.

I am assuming Casey will be leaving Wednesday night and it will be down to Lee and Crystal.  What do you think???

June Birthdays = Retiring Colors!

I have been making birthday cards for a couple of days.  I have a bunch of friends having birthdays in June.  Since I will be out of town for a couple of weeks, I wanted to make them now and have them ready to pop in the mail.

This one uses the stamp set, Flight of the Butterfly and the Butterfly Punch.  I stamped them in white and used Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder.  I drew the antenna onto the cardstock.  The background is a retired butterfly wheel.  I used retiring Gable Green cardstock.

This card uses Party Hearty stamp set and a Cuttlebug Birthday Embossing Folder.  I used another retiring cardstock, Glorious Green.  I have a bunch of this color left - it's probably one of my least favorite colors.

This card uses Fifth Avenue Floral.  I stamped the flower in Versamark and embossed it clear.  Then I sponged Pink Pirouette ink over the flower.  The DSP is one I just got.  Don't know why I waited so long!  I love it.  It is the Bride carstock (pg 158).  The paper is white embossed on white.  When you brayer or sponge a color on it, it changes the paper.  This one I brayered in Pink Piroutte.. 

This card uses Inspired by Nature.  The grass and the flower are stamped in black and embossed clear.

This card uses some of the retiring purples - Orchid Opulence, Perfect Plum and Almost Amethyst.  The stamps are retired.

This card uses a stampset from the Summer Mini - Watercolor Trio.  I love, love, love this stamp!!  Again, I used retiring colors - Summer Sun and Only Orange.

If you are interested in ordering any of the Retiring Colors, you should do so ASAP!  Here is some of the info I have received from Stampin'  Up about these orders:

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  For re-inkers in retiring colors, as we run out, they will be placed on backorder status and those orders will be filled as quickly as we receive the product. We will continue to do this to the best of our ability through May, and then the re-inkers will be available while supplies last in June.
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  As for cardstock, we can't order significant quantities at this point in time without putting the production of the new colors in jeopardy.  We will be substituting textured paper for some of the smooth colors--including card stock in 8-1/2" x 11" as well as 12" x 12"--where the smooth is no longer available. These colors will go on backorder, and we will be filling as many of those as possible with textured card stock. Because the demand for each color varies, we are unable to provide a list of what colors of card stock will be substituted with textured, or at what point that will happen. However, if you receive a package of card stock that is textured instead of smooth, there will be a sticker on the package indicating that change.

I am anxious to watch Americal Idol tonight!  Who will the final two be???  My bet is Crystal and Lee.  I just heard that Chris Daughtery, a former idol star, and his wife are expecting twins!!

Sticky, Icky Humidity!

In the three summers we have lived here, we have been pretty lucky with the weather ... mainly the humidity.  It hasn't been as bad as what we remembered when we lived here some 30+ years ago.  But this summer may just be different.  Yesterday was sticky, icky!!  We went to Newton, a small town near us, for a street fair.  We had read about it so figured we'd give it a try.  We walked the whole downtown area in less than an hour and weren't too impressed!  There weren't many people there - hopefully, they had been there earlier or came later.  It's a lot of work to put something like that together - bands, craft booths, games, car show, etc. but we noticed a lot of empty spaces on the street like maybe they had some no-shows.  We didn't even eat any funnel cake!!!  We decided we'd rather go to a restaurant where we could sit down in air-conditioning to eat instead so we drove to Hickory for Mexican food.  Today we had storms but they didn't come until dinner time.  I bet tomorrow will be another sticky one.

I worked on a few cards today.  I have a lot of friends having birthdays in May so I made a couple of birthday cards.

This one uses the new set from the Summer Mini, Watercolor Trio.  I also am trying to use my retiring colors.  This one is Pale Plum, Perfect Plum and Mellow Moss.

Another birthday card.  This one uses a retired set, Older & Wiser along with retiring cardstock, Cameo Coral and Apricot Appeal.  The DSP is some I just off the Clearance Rack.

This car is for a class I am doing in June for a neighbor of my mom's church group.  There will probably be at least 20 ladies there so I needed to come up with a simple card.  I am going to give them the option of using one of the stamps from Pun Fun or Fun & Fast Notes.  For a simple card, it's kind of cute, don't you think?

Cotton Ketchie

We had a little excitement last night.  My mom has been having back pain for quite some time - or as she describes it, pain in her butt!  It's her sciatica and I know from past experiences how that feels!  She's gone to a chiropractor for almost a year, but the last time I took her to the doctor, he suggested she try Rehab instead.  So, for the past month or two that is what she has done.  She called me Tuesday night and was really hurting.  It got so bad yesterday that my sister took her to the doctor.  They sent her to the hospital - in an ambulance since she hurt too much to get in my sister's car.  They gave her an injection for pain and sent her home with a prescription for pain pills.  Today she was much better so let's hope she continues to feel ok. 

Tonight my two sisters, myself and my mom had dinner at the Prickley Pear Restaurant in Mooresville.  Marianne and I love their Prickley Pear Margaritas!  Yummm.  After a delicious dinner, we headed to the Mooresville Library to hear Cotton Ketchie speak.  Mr. Ketchie is a local artist who does some wonderful watercolors.  He also has started writing and has written 3 books.  Pulling out two of his books, "Memories of a Country Boy," and "A Country Boy's Education," Ketchie read passages from two of his books.  His purpose in writing the books and doing some of his art is to portray Mooresville the way HE remembes it and to preserve the town's heritage.  Excerpts Ketchie read included tales about his former neighbors; sleeping on a corn husk mattress with his siblings; his school, which had the greatest lunchroom cooks he knew and his family.  If you are in the area, I would suggest a visit to Landmark Galleries to look at his work.  Check out some of his paintings HERE. 

Scrapbooking Promotion

Take your scrapbooking to a whole new level with Stampin' Up! during National Scrapbooking Month from May 1-31. Choose one of the handpicked sets featured for National Scrapbooking Month or My Digital Studio™, and you can add a package of our Designer Brads to your order at no additional cost!

Watch THIS VIDEO of three quick scrapbook projects using stamps from this month's promotion.

Carry Over Items and New Digital Downloads

Were there items in the Holiday or Occassions Mini Catalog that you thought you missed and have been kicking yourself for since?  Guess what?  They might not be gone after all!  Stampin' Up! has carried over a selection of items and they are still available!  Check them out - CARRYOVER PRODUCTS.

 You can order these products any time of the day or night by visiting my on-line website HERE and clicking on Shop Now at the top of the page.

While you are there, also check out the NEW Digital downloads for My Digital Shop!  You can find them in the left column under Digital Crafting.  There is a great new designer series paper called Summertime Splendor that is fabulous!!

Deployment news and Raffle Prizes

Wow!  I had a busy day yesterday.  I was up pretty early (for me!) and headed to the Soup Kitchen to help prepare meals for those less fortunate.  It always makes me feel good to do that.  Somehow, I have gotten to be the "go-to gal" for meal preparations when I am there.  Jan, the head of our group is one of those cooks that is not very adventurous and follows a recipe to the "T".  I have convinced her it is ok to add a little of this and a little of that to make a recipe your own.  Today the dish that was chosen to prepare was a Hamburger Casserole.  They got it out of a book the Girl Scouts put together for a badge and presented to the Soup Kitchen.  The recipe called for mixing hamburger meat (already cooked) with Cream of Celery & Cheddar Cheese soups and  mixed veggies (ugh).  You also mix up Bisquick into a dough and put on the bottom of the casserole and then spread cheese over the top.  Well, we decided that sounded pretty bland.  So, I found a few green peppers and scallions that someone had donated and we chopped those up and added them.  The gals who were preparing it decided to put the biscuit mix on top instead of on the bottom.  Sounded good at the time!  Luckily, we fixed one pan first as a test model without the biscuit mix - we were going to add it after cooking the dish for a while.  Well, after about 20 minutes we took the pan out of the oven and it was really soupy!  I think the biscuit mix is supposed to absorb some of the liquid of the dish.   We already had 4-5 pans made up and ready to go in the oven (without the biscuit mix).  So, we got another pan and put the biscuit mix on the bottom and dumped the casserole on top.  That came out much better!  It tasted ok to me - probably not something I will make and serve at home but the patrons of the Soup Kitchen loved it and many came back for seconds and requested to take a plate home with them for dinner.  So, that is what counts!  We served about 100 people today.

After Soup Kitchen duty, I headed over to a Board Meeting that lasted way too long!  We had a lot to discuss with our big Horse Racing Fund Raiser coming up in early June.  Unfortunately, it is on June 8 which is when I will be returning from Texas so I will not be able to attend.  From the Board meeting, I met Sonny at Red Eye Bar and Grill in Mooresville for a late lunch/early dinner.  We had a couple of beers, some food and played a little trivia.

I have not shared publicly the news that my daughter is being deployed to Iraq - probably because I don't want to believe it is real until I have to.  We have known that it was probably going to happen for a couple of months now.  Well, this week, she finally got some specifics on the deployment.  As it stands now, she will be deploying with a unit out of Fort Hood.  She reports to them in mid-August for a mid-September deployment and will probably be gone 8-9 months.  She is scheduled for training at Fort Polk in Louisiana in June just after my mom and I leave her in Texas.   Although she is an Infectious Disease Pediatrition, she will act as a Brigade Surgeon with her unit.  I told her that sounded pretty impressive to me.  She told me she will be basically the unit's doc - treating the soldiers in her unit if they are sick or wounded.  Although if the injuries are severe, they will be sent to a CASH (which is today's equivalent to MASH.)  We hope that she will be able to spend a couple of weeks with us in July.   Several people have requested her address when   she is deployed.  When I know, I will let you know.  I will miss her terribly, but I am so proud of her and of her commitment.

Here more of the raffle prizes I made for my Newcomers's Horse Race Game Night.  I gave the items to the chairman today and the ladies really "oohed and aahed" over them.  Made me feel good!

This is a Flower Brooch that I made out of upholstery material with the Kiwi Kiss button in the center.

This is a box I made that holds cards.  I stamped the box with the butterfly from Flight of the Butterfly and the swirl in Priceless.  I scalloped the edges.

This is the top of the box - I just love the flower!  It matched the paper great.

The cards ar all made using Inspired by Nature and the Embosslet Butterly.

I really like how this gift came together.