Challenge Central

If you are like me, you enjoy a good challenge.  Well, this site has all the challenges out there in Blog World listed - or at least they have all they know about!  Check them out.

More Cards and a Box

I did my Flower Brooch class today and it went so well.  I was really pleased.  I had about 15 ladies.  One of my friends from Club came to help me.  The only problem the ladies had was figuring out how to weave the pieces.  But once they tacked that, they were off to the races.  Most of them made 2 pins but a few made 3 or 4.

Tonight one of Sonny's groups had a raft-up on the lake.  We had about 8 boats and it was a beautiful night.  We watched the sun go down and the full moon go up.  The weather has finally started to cool down a bit and I'm loving it!  Although that is not the case everywhere in the country.  When I spoke to Ashley yesterday, she said they were breaking records there and it was miserable.

I want to share another project I made this week.  Here are four cards and a great box to put them in.  I got the box directions from Andrea Walford.  She really does some great projects.

The box has an acetate cover over it.  It opens from the back.

These cards use Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip and Bermuda Bay (retired) card stock.  The stamp set is Watercolor Trio, which will be retired real soon.  I stamped the flowers in white craft ink and embossed them.

Tote-ably Awesome Tote

I had a full day of playing today!  Most of the morning was spent getting every ready for tomorrow.  I am showing the Garden Club how to make the fabric flowers.  I think I have everything packed and ready!  I've got about 20 ladies signed up and a one of the gals from my Club is going to help me out.

This afternoon I made a this little tote for four of the cards I made last weekend.  This is Becky's Tote-ally Awesome Tote (Inking Idaho).  It took a little more time than I had planned so I don't know that I will be making too many of these.  But I thought it turned out cute.

These are little bookmarks or tags in the outside pocket.

This is the top closure (velcro underneath).

This is the box open.  I made acetate pockets on either side for the cards.

And here are the cards:

The DSP is called Urban Garden and I got it several months ago from the Clearance Rack.  The stamp set I used is Friends Never Fade.

"Will you walk into my parlor?"

"Will you walk into my parlor?" Said a spider to a fly" 

Sonny and I watched the most fascinating spider do her weaving today.  I just have to share the pictures that I took.

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEE THE WHOLE WEB!!

The web is just huge and right in the center, she is making her weave.  I don't know what kind of spider it is, but she is really pretty!  I know my sister is skipping this post.  She HATES spiders!! 

Sonny was so good today - he worked out in the yard just about all day pulling those dratted weeds while I whiled away the day playing bridge!  Our yard is just awful and all my flower beds are overgrown with weeds.  It has just been so hot and humid that I would not go out and work in the yard.  This weekend is supposed to be in the low 80's!  I'm looking forward to fall!!

Several of you have inquired about my daughter, Ashley.  Well, she reported to Ft Hood (in Texas - about 2 hours from her home) last Monday.  She is by herself in a barrack and had to bring her own set of sheets.  She called that night after getting settled in to report - no wi-fi, no pillow, no shower curtain and only a small refrigerator & microwave.  Going out to eat for a month will get old.  The next day, she showered to no hot water!  So after she was done, she drove to her cousin's to spend the night (an hour away).  Wednesday didn't get much better - she went out to dinner and locked herself out of the barracks!  She couldn't get anyone to respond to unlock for her so that night was spent in a motel.  She'll probably be glad to get to Iraq!!  Luckily, she has her weekends free so she can go back home or to Austin to her cousin's home.  She was successful this weekend in renting out her house while she is deployed so that is one worry off her mind.  She will be leaving September 12th for Iraq.  Don't know how long it will take to get to her final destination of Mosul or for her to have a mailing address.  Many have requested her address for sending letters.  I will let you know when I receive it.  Thanks for all your kind words and prayers for her safety.

OK - I do have a card to share with you.  This is my Monday Mailer I did on Sunday.  I was on a roll this weekend and actually got quite a few cards made for my craft fair which I will be sharing with you later this week.

This card uses the Seasons of Friendship stamp.  I almost forgot I had this stamp.  I used some DSP from the mini catty (which retires next week!) for the grass.  I sponged clouds behind the tree with Bashful Blue.

Flip Flop Art

I thought you might like to see my flip flops that I made a couple of years ago.  I get comments on them everywhere I go.  Tonight we went out on the boat and stopped at a restaurant for dinner and several people wanted to know where I had purchased them.  I actually saw a pair of these flip flops at Myrtle Beach 3-4 years ago and told my family that I could make my own.  So I did!  I started out with a pair of rubber Okabasi flip flops in blue and green.  I bought a couple of bags of long skinny balloons at a party store and cut them in half.  Then I just tied them onto the top of the shoe.

Aren't they the cutest?  Of course, the flower on my toe gives it that little added touch!!  When Ashley was in town, myself, my mom and Ashley all had a pedicure and all had a flower painted on our big toe.  So, if you want a conversation piece on your feet, get you some balloons and tie them on!!  Wouldn't it be cute to do a 4th of July shoe with red, white and blue balloons???

I finished another CKC project today.  It was one of my favorite classes taught by The Button Farm.  We made a recipe book out of an acrylic album.  Here are a few pages of mine:

This is the cover.

This page has an envelope glued down with recipe cards inside.

This is the back of the book.

I'll be having this for sale (I think) at the Newcomers November Craft Fair.

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.