Breakfast Smoothies

I have been trying to get more dairy in my diet to fight my osteopenia.  Plus I've also been trying to cut back on bread.  It is always so easy to just pop a couple of pieces of toast in the toaster in the morning, spread it with margarine and/or jelly and enjoy a lazy person's breakfast while catching up on news and e-mails.  

I have been a fan of Weight Watcher smoothies for breakfast for a few years but I get tired of them after a while.   My favorite one though is Weight Watcher chocolate powdered smoothie mix combined with about 1/2 cup of low-fat milk, 1/4 cup brewed coffee and 3-4 ice cubes.  I am not a coffee drinker so I keep instant coffee in the freezer, make a cup and leave it in the fridge for a few days.  These smoothies are so yummy - they taste like the Mocha Cappochino drinks you get at Starbucks and places like that. 

A couple of weeks ago, I read an article in our local newspaper (HERE) about making easy fruit smoothies that aren't full of calories.  The columnist said she liked to use Greek yogurt with a variety of frozen fruits and non-fat milk.  The more colors, the more variety of nutrients you're getting.  The added touch is adding a handful of frozen spinach because it will boost the fiber and iron you're getting.  She said with all the blends of fruit and colors, you wouldn't be able to taste it or spot it in your cup.  Well, last week, I bought a package of frozen spinach to give it a try.  I like spinach as a vegetable so figured it would be ok.  Wrong!!   Number 1 - I could see pieces of the spinach in my drink - not appetizing!  And, worse, I could taste it.  Not good!  I ended up drinking about 3/4 of the smoothie and then it met with the disposal!  Oh well - I gave it a try!  I'm sticking to my fruit smoothies.  They are much better and also pretty easy.  This morning I had half a banana and half a mango with my milk and Greek Yogurt.  Other fruits I've tried are strawberries, blueberries and peaches.  If the fruit is not frozen (my peaches, mango and banana were fresh), I throw a couple of ice cubes in the blender.  I like the Greek Yogurt but my favorite is Light & Lively Vanilla.  So get out that blender and make you a quick and nutritious breakfast.  Let me know what flavors are your favorites!

Stop the Merry Go Round!

Stop the merry go round and let me off!  That's the way I feel ... too much to do and too little time to do it.  Since I was gone all weekend, I felt like I needed to spend a little quality time with my hubby on Monday.  So, we went to the Y, out to lunch and ran a few errands.  Yesterday, my sister's (and mine) "girlfriend" came over to learn a few stamping tricks while she was in town.  (Marianne calls her girlfriend although her name is Sharon.)  I showed her how to make a few flowers - the spiral ones I made HERE and the ones that you run through the crimper and then peel the paper apart like THESE.  I taught her the Black Magic Technique and a few other things.  Then we worked on some of our projects we didn't get finished at CKC.  After all our hard creative work, we went out to dinner with our respective husbands to Prickly Pear and shared a pitcher of their wonderful Pricky Pear Margaritas!  They are the best!!  Today I played Mahjong and have been working on the newsletter for Newcomers all evening.  I will be glad when my year is up as Secretary of Newcomers.  I have held this position for almost 2 years now and I am SICK of it!!  I need a break!  I just have to hold on about 5 more months. 

I think I told you a few weeks ago that my computer monitor died on me.  My brother in law lent me a smaller monitor that I have been using.  But, last week he sent me info about a super deal on a huge monitor so I ordered it.  It came today and ... WOW ... is it big!  It is 24".  I was previously working on a 16" or 18" screen.  This one takes up half of my desk!  It sure is nice though.   Well, you can also see my messy desk!

I do have a card to share with you.  It is a birthday card that I sent to a friend .... just a little late.  But you know, better late than never!!  I used an ice cream stamp that I bought from a big box store for $1.  It is colored with Copics and blinged with Stickles.

Live Like We're Dying

I had a great time at CKC (Creating Keepsakes Convention) but, boy, was I tired last night!  We spent Thursday and Friday nights in downtown Charlotte at the Hampton Inn.  So much better than where we have stayed in the past - Hilton - as far as nearness to the Convention Center (across the street!), parking (FREE) and breakfast (FREE - a full breakfast - bacon, eggs, etc.) plus a little cheaper.  I took a lot more classes this time than I ever have.  I think we took 4 classes on Friday and 4 or 5 on Saturday.  You would think I didn't have much time left for shopping ... but you would be wrong!  In fact, my arms were sore today and the only thing I can contribute that to was carrying all my "loot" around.  Here is a picture after I unpacked all my bags:

I piled a lot of the packages on a tv tray until it got too tall.

This is what wouldn't fit on the tv tray and I piled on my desk.  Now to find storage for all this!!

I'm not that much of a scrapbooker but mostly what we were making were little albums - chipboard, acrylic, etc.  I enjoy doing those.  As I complete them, I'll share them with you.  My final class on Saturday was a Dimensional Elements card class by Technique Tuesdays.  I learned a few new tricks but I was frustrated that we did not even complete one card!  I finished them today though.

This flower was so cool!  Here's how you make it:

Take a 4" x 4" piece of paper and draw a spiral pattern on it.  Cut along the spiral line.  Ink the edges of the spiral.  Starting at the outside edge, begin the process of rolling the paper strip all the way to the center.  Place a glue dot on the flat end (middle) of the coil and stick the top layers down.  Attach the flower to your project.  You can crumple it if you want before you start rolling it up.

This is the inside of the above card/gift holder.

I know these were all the rage not too long ago, but I never made one.  It was really fun.

Those scallop around the page were stamped onto the paper and cut out.  I used stickles on the center of the paper flowers.

I need to redo this one - I'm not liking it.  The saying "celebrate one cupcake ...) is stamped on twill tape.

This is a little gift card enclosure.

My grandson turned 4 yesterday.  It's hard to believe he is that old already.  Unfortunately, things have gotten worse with our relationship and I did not get to wish him Happy Birthday.  Someday .... 

One of the classes that I took was Life's Lyrics.  We had to take the lyrics to several songs to class.  While looking through song lyrics last week, I came across some really thought provoking ones.  One in particular has been going through my head all day (from Live Like You Are Dying)

So if your life flashed before you, what would you wish you would've done?

we gotta start lookin' at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got, then we gotta start thinkin'
If every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying

We only got 86 400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying


And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye?
Should be so careful who we left out of our lives
And when we long for absolution, there will be no one on the line

Gotta live like we're dying ....

August Club Cards

My Club ladies were here today - all except 2 who were out of town.  We worked on sponging and daubing on cards today. 

This card I featured in an earlier post HERE.  It uses a set of stencils from the Decor Elements brochure.  Details can be found on the prevous post.

For these cards, I used a stencil that I made.  I cut a rectangle and an oval out of a piece of cardboard and sponged Pink Pirouette inside the opening.  Then I stamped the flower from Watercolor Trio (Summer Mini).  I used a Regal Rose marker and Old Olive on the stamp.  I used Chunky Glitter for the center of the flowers.  I stamped "From the Heart" on a scrap of Vanilla and glued it inside the Hodgepodge frame - one in vanilla and one in silver.  I attached the frame to the card with the brads.  The final touch is the little half pearls!  I love this card ... so simple but gorgeous.

Another fairly simple card using the Sizzix tropical flower die.  The stamp set, Tropical Flowers and DSP are both from the Summer Mini.  I sponged the turquoise flower and curled the edges up a little.  I used my bone folder to crease the leaf and then sponged it.  Happy Birthday is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.   

Corkboard

 have started making things for a craft fair that I am going to participate in.  It will be in November and those who know me will be surprised that I am already starting to prepare!!  I am usually a last-minute gal!  Today I made a corkboard using a 12"x12" picture frame that I bought a couple of months ago.  My inspiration was my sister who made one of these last spring.  Hers was so cute!   Here is mine:

I painted the wooden frame with some green acrylic paint that I had - 2 or 3 coats.  I took the glass out and replaced it with the 12"x12" piece of cork.  On one side of the cork, I put a piece of designer paper and a piece of ribbon.  I did not glue them down so they could be changed.  I made a crimped flower using Poppy Parade cardstock.  The stem and petals are Kiwi Kiss that I ran through my crimper. 

I will be in downtown Charlotte the next few days.  Marianne, Sharon ("girlfriend") and I have rooms booked for Thursday and Friday nights for the CKC Convention.  Marianne and I have signed up for a lot of classes!!  Friday we will be taking hour long classes at 8:30; 10:00; and 12:30.  Then we have a 1 1/2 hour class at 6 pm.  Not sure when we will find time to shop and eat but I'm sure we will.  On Saturday, we are booked for a 2 hour class at 8:30 and one hour classes at 11, 12:30 and 2!!  After all our classes, we hope to get over to a scrapbook store that is in Charlotte.  We have never been but we have coupons that we got on Groupon that is burning a hole in our pockets!   Saturday night we will meet the family at Galway Hooker for some yummy fish and chips.  I'm sure on Sunday, I will be exhausted!!  So, I probably won't be blogging until Sunday or Monday.

August Monday Mailer #2

Here's the Monday Mailer I made for Naomi this week.  Our theme is fall.  I don't have a lot of SU fall sets (except ones that are retired) so I may be looking to get one of the new leaf sets from the catty.  But in the meantime, this Autumn Days set will have to do.  I like this set and think it is pretty versatile.

I sponged the white circle (from a Sizzix die) with More Mustard, Daffodil Delight, and Soft Suede.  I used a sticky note punch out for the moon and sponged around it.  The wheat is stamped in Espresso as is the pheasant (and cut out and popped up with dimensionals).

Last week when Ashley was here, we met Marianne's boys at the ice cream shop in Mooresville.  Ashley had not seen Harrison since she had been here.  She saw Derek at his birthday celebration on Wednesday.  I got a great picture of them:

Then they had a discussion as to how tall everyone was.  I think she was on her tip-toes in the picture!  It is an ongoing joke in the family that Ashley is short!  Too bad we didn't have a measuring tape!

Segway Charlotte

I promised more details on our Segway Tour of Charlotte.  It was really cool!  I got the trips for us through Groupon.  Groupon is a great site!  It is free to sign up.  They list great deals every day and they have to have enough people to sign up for it to be a "go".  For instance, I paid $30 each for the segway tour and it would have been $50 if I'd gotten it on my own.  If you are interested in signing up, click here - http://www.groupon.com/r/uu4114616.  (I get a $10 referral fee if you click it so thanks!)

I wasn't nervous about the segway bike until everyone kept asking me if I thought I could do it without falling off!  It is a litte scary at first to balance on it.  They give you a little 20 minute training and start out pretty slow.  I never fell completely off the thing - only once did I just jump off but I was trying to turn and go up a little ramp all at the same time.  We started right in the heart of uptown Charlotte at the corners of Church & MLK. From there we went through the Wells Fargo Cultural campus and down to the Square (the corner of Trade & Tryon.)   We cruised around the Panther football stadium by the practice fields.  We were supposed to go under some bridges but it had been raining and the water was too high.   We drove through Frazier Park and the Irwin Creek Greenway, places I didn't even know existed downtown!  Then we went through the Historic Fourth Ward district and looked at some of the historical homes there.  We went through the oldest cemetary in Charlotte - Elmwood Cemetary.  We had stopped to take a quick rest in the cemetary when Ashley spyed some graves of my ancestors!  My maternal grandmother was a Kuester and there were a whole bunch of them there.  I went over to take a closer look and took some pictures.  It started raining on us about 30 minutes into the tour but we kept on going.  At one point, the rain was coming down really heavy so we took refuge in a building downtown.  But we were good sports and kept on going once the rain let up a little bit.  I would really recommend this tour even if you have lived in Charlotte all your life!!  Check in your city if you don't live here and see if there is a Segway Tour for you!  It is really a lot of fun!!

This is the three of us in front of the Firebird statue at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.

Hard to see us, but .... this is at the Panther Stadium.

Me with the skyline in the background.  This was in the Elmwood Cemetary - you can see Sonny & the guide way ahead of me!

After the tour, we met Margaret and Graham at Black Finn Restaurant downtown for lunch.  If you have never eaten there, I would recommend it.  They have great burgers and beer!  After lunch, Sonny took them to the airport for their flight back to Dallas.  Ashley & I had the rest of the day to explore Charlotte before the Paul McCartney concert that night.  We walked all over Charlotte and I pointed out things I remembered from growing up here.  We visited the Harvey B Gantt Museum for African Americans.  I have been to other museums in Charlotte but this was one I had not visited.  It is worth the visit if you enjoy art.  Our best discovery of the afternoon was the Press Wine Restaurant/Tapas on Trade Street.  The place is a little quirky with a great selection of wines and food.  They also serve beer so Sonny should like it too.  I can't wait for visitors to come see us so we can take them here!!  I'll look forward to going there in cooler weather and sitting outside with my wine.  Won't you come join me?

Monday Mailer X 2

Here are a couple of Monday Mailers that I have received the last couple of weeks.  This first one uses the darling Owl Punch.  I really love this punch.  This was my last July card from Arial.  It's simple but oh so cute!

This next card uses Tropical Party from the Summer Mini.  The items in this mini will only be around a few more weeks.  So, if you have your eye on any of these great stamp sets, you need to order now.  This is my first August card.

 

Sales Tax Holiday

This weekend is Sales Tax Holiday here in North Carolina (also in Texas).  The following items will be tax exempt:

2-Way Glue Pen
SNAIL Adhesive
SNAIL Adhesive Refill
Dotto
Dotto Refill
Anywhere Glue Stick
Sticky Strip
Stampin' Dimensionals
Mini Glue Dots
Paper Snips
Craft & Rubber Scissors
Craft & Paper Scissors
Watercolor Pencils
White Uni-Ball Signo Gel Pen
Blender Pens
Stampin’ Write Markers (individual)
Many Marvelous Markers New Color Kit
Many Marvelous Markers In Color
Many Marvelous Markers Subtles
Many Marvelous Markers Regals
Many Marvelous Markers Brights
Many Marvelous Markers Neutrals
Watercolor Wonder Crayons New Color Kit
Watercolor Wonder Crayons Subtles
Watercolor Wonder Crayons Regals
Watercolor Wonder Crayons Brights
Watercolor Wonder Crayons Neutrals
Basic Black Stampin’ Write Journaler
Multipurpose Liquid Glue
Stampin' Pastels
Stampin’ Pastels New Color Kit

Your order must be placed with me by Sunday, August 8.  If you are interested, please contact me OR place your item on-line using the "SHOP NOW" button on my website.

I'm sad

Well, I'm sad today.  We took Ashley to the airport EARLY this morning.  She had a 6:10 flight to Texas which meant we got up about 3:30 to leave the house at 4:15 a.m.!!  I was really surprised at how many people were at the airport that early in the morning!   After we dropped her off, we came back and got a couple more hours of sleep.

Sonny and I went to a retirement seminar today sponsored by the Golden Boys.   It was pretty interesting.  It had to do with finding balance in your life.  Each person (or couple) should assess their own balance and brainstorm the areas of your life that are important to you and put these on a wheel (see below).  Then you rate each of these areas to determine if your "wheel" is balanced.  After that, you should plan a 30-day action plan to help get your life in balance. 

What would you put on your wheel?  The items I included on mine were:  Financial Security; Family; Friends/Social Life; Fun; Giving Back to the Community; Health/Fitness; Travel; Love.  If you would like to make your own Wheel, check out the article HERE.  There is a template included in the information.

Wednesday was my nephew, Derek's, 21st birthday.  The family met at Kobe Steak House for his birthday celebration.  That is the restaurant that Derek and Harrison always choose for their birthday dinners.  Almost the whole family was there.  Unfortunately, Harrison was at soccer try-outs (YEAH - he made Varsity!!) so he wasn't able to join us.  Here is a scrapbook page I made from the pictures I took that night using My Digital Studio:  (you can click on the picture to see it close up - just remember to hit the arrow button to come back to my blog)

These are the birthday cards that Ashley and I made for Derek:

This one was mine.  I used a Jumbo (retired) Wheel for the bottom piece.  Unfortunately, I did not have a beer mug, so used the drink from Tropical Party.

This was Ashley's card.  Isn't the Sock Monkey the cutest?  He has new accessories in the new catalog - check them out on page 83.

OK - I'm falling asleep at my desk.  It's time to hit the sack!!  Good night & sweet dreams!