Spring Has Sprung!

Spring is officially HERE!!  The first day of spring is March 20.  We have had beautiful days recently.  I don't think I will find spring weather though in Ireland and England.  I have packed for the cold!  According to the AccuWeather site, it will be in the 40s and 50s next week in Ireland.  So, I guess I will be taking my boots instead of my flip flops!!  

Last Friday when our friends were visiting, we went to Old Salem in Winston Salem and had a wonderful day.  The cherry trees were in bloom and were just spectacular!  Check out my blog heading - it was made with My Digital Studio and pictures I took of the blooming trees!  Here are a few more pictures from our visit.

Camelia Bush

Graham & Margaret

Margaret & Sonny with one of the Salem ladies

We finally got the delay feature to work on the camera!

The guys waiting for us gals!

Trees lining the driveway of Salem College

Close up of the blooms

Margaret & I under the tin tea pot

The year's at the spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven -
All's right with the world!

(Pippa's Song by Robert Browning)

My posting will be sporadic the next few weeks.  I've scheduled a few postings in advance.  We are leaving March 21 and will return April 9!! 

Blogger Award

Thanks to Jackie (Scrappy) at Scrappy Knitters Blog  for awarding me with this award!

Rule #1: Link back to the person who gave you the award  (see above)
Rule #2: Share seven random things about yourself, so here ya go -

• I watch too much TV - My favorite tv shows are American Idol, Off the Map, Brothers and Sisters, Parenthood, Army Wives, Amazing Race
• It's very seldom that I eat at the kitchen table!  For breakfast (and usually lunch), I eat in my craft room while playing hearts.  For dinner, Sonny and I eat on tv trays in the den while watching Jeopardy!!  That is our dinner routine.
• I'm addicted to playing games on the computer - spades, hearts ...
• I'm not a neat person but I love being organized.
• I regret that I never graduated from college
• I am a big procrastinater but work well under pressure.
• My pet peeve is all the inserts in magazines (like postcards for subscriptions).  I always know if I've read the magazine because all the inserts will be gone!!!

Rule # 3 Award seven newly discovered bloggers with this award.

QBee
Debbie's Design
Created by u
Pink Buckaroo
Card Monkey
Valita
Workin Out the Inks

St Patty's Day Cards

I made St. Patty's Day cards for each gal in my Stamp Club.  I kept them pretty simple but thought they turned out cute.  I only had two shamrock stamps that I had gotten from M's so I downloaded some images from My Digital Studio today.  So easy! 

Margaret (my Tx stampin' buddy) is the hostess this month for stamp club.  She and Graham flew here Tuesday night and we have been enjoying catching up with each other.  After we picked them up from the airport, we visited a new sports bar and had a few drinks before coming home.  When we got to the bar, they were just finishing up a live trivia game.  We love trivia and game shows so I'm going to remember this place and try to go back again in time to play trivia!  When we lived in Gig Harbor, we played trivia with Ashley and her friends every week at the "Stelly-deli."  It was a lot of fun.

I'm getting packed for my trip .... not long now.  Ashley is doing her own count down on the other side of the world.  It will be so great to see her as well as enjoy the sights of Ireland and England.  I'm still deciding whether I will be taking my lap top (heated debate at our house!) and keep you updated on my travels.  If not, I will be taking a journal and documenting my trip in it.

Here are a few of the cards I made for St. Patrick's Day.

 Hope you had a good day of "wearing the green."

American Idol Night

Naima Adedapo, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” (1984). She got off to a bad start then stayed flat during most of the song.  Tina is a powerhouse singer and Naima did nothing to even come close to that greatness. She didn’t even sing the chorus. She probably put herself back in the bottom after redeeming herself last week.  

Paul McDonald, “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues” (1984). I think Paul could’ve chosen a better song. When I think of Paul, I don’t think of Elton.  But he sang in his unique voice, did his wacky dance moves and smiled that crazy-perfect smile  I like Paul, but tonight, I thought his performance was just OK.


Thia Megia, “Colors of The Wind” (1995).   I liked what I heard from her but it was boring.  I agree with Randy.   I do hope she steps it up next week. I’m tried of all the sleepy songs! 

James Durbin, “I’ll Be There For You” (1989).   James is such a performer.  He had me singing along.   James did something smart - he’s planted himself in the finale. He got Steven Tyler to agree to sing with him AT the finale. That was brilliant. He’ll have people voting for him for that reason alone. 

Haley Reinhart, “I’m Your Baby Tonight” (1990).  This just wasn’t the right song for her voice. And I agree with Randy. Who is she? Who does she want to be? I’m  confused. I still like the blues vibe we hear, but song choice is her downfall right now. She had some good moments but moments aren’t good enough. 

Stefano Langone, “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” (1989). Loved it!!  His performance was absolutely flawless. Great vocals. Believability. He owned it. 

Pia Toscano, “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” (1988).   I love Pia.  She is in it to win it as the judges said!  Her talent is undeniable. 

Scotty McCreery, “Can I Trust You With My Heart” (1993). I got physically angry when I heard Scotty was once again singing a country song. I know he sings country and shouldn’t stop, but I want him to take a rock song and put a country spin on it. I was so mad! And I wanted to hate his performance, but I couldn’t. He has this weird power over me. I can’t not like his performance or that voice.

Karen Rodriguez, “Love Will Lead You Back” (1989).   No - not for me - another snoozer. She brought nothing new or exciting to the song and she’s probably in big trouble.  

Casey Abrams, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991).  He was SCREAMING in my opinion, but this is not a favorite genre of mine. I thought it was awful. Like Jennifer said, Cobain had this mad intensity when he sang that song, but he didn’t scream it.  I knew Steven Tyler would love it though. 

Lauren Alaina, “I’m The Only One” (1994).  Can she not say “hell”?  Did she really change the lyric from “burning hell” to “burning flame”?  Her performance was good. She completely redeemed herself from last week’s not-so-good performance. And she’s sick. That’s star quality right there. 

Jacob Lusk, “Alone” (1987).   I think this song has been done every single season. It’s time to retire it. I   thought it was weird for him.  He  blew out his pitch at one point that made Jennifer make a funny face.  He needs to hold back a little bit. I respect the power in his voice but he just can’t keep in under control.  


Probably the Bottom Three: Karen Rodriguez, Casey Abrams, Naima Adedapo
Probably Going Home: Karen Rodriguez

Celebrate

Saturday night my cousins had a birthday party for their mom who turned 80 on Friday.  They told her they were going to celebrate her birthday on Saturday but it would just be the family.  Her daughter drove up from Raleigh and her son came up from Charlotte to celebrate at Candy's home.  So, she was really surprised when my mom, sisters, brother, Sonny and I showed up.  I wish I had remembered to take my camera to take some family pictures.  It's hard to think up presents for 80 year old ladies!!  But I decided everyone needs cards!  So, I made a few cards and a card box to put them in for her gift and it was a big hit.

I used a 6x6 paper pad from SEI that I got at CK last summer for all the cards and the box.  Stamps used are all SU.

Card Box - Stamp  from Oval All

 

Card #1 - I used the Sizzix Butterfly Die with a brad in the center.

Card #2 - Stamp from Occasional Quotes.  Nestabilities dies

Card #3 - Martha Punch; SU Daisy Sizzix Die with SU brad in center

Card #4 - stamp - Occasional Quotes

Card #5 - Occasional Quotes stamp and Owl Punch.  Also used SU embossing folder.

Close up of Ms. Owl!!

This is the birthday card I made for Aunt Carol - a CASE from last month's Monday Mailer!

Look on the Bright Side

Have a great week & make it a happy one!

Look on the Bright Side

 

For every negative that consumes your happiness,
Affirm two positives that sustain you.
For every should've you wish you’d done,
Acknowledge something you’re glad you did.
For every loss that has altered your world,
Count from it something you have gained.
For every limit that has ever beset you,
Consider your possibilities.
You can’t always change the way things are,
But you can change the way you wish to see them.
Never stop looking
For the brighter side and beyond. 

--- from The Language of Positive Thinking by Eric T. Moore

Idol Results

American Idol results show was weird tonight!  It was just a lot of fluff with guest singers and commercials.  They really should make the results just 30 minutes and be done with it if that is the way they are going to do the results show!  There was no suspense tonight or stretching it out.  They pretty much announced the bottom 3 right away - Ashton, Karen and Haley - and told the rest they were safe.  Then Ashthon was sent packing.  J-Lo had to tell her they wouldn't be using their "save" tonight (duh!!).  It is as though the program is all about the entertainment and not about the contestants.  

 
In my opinion, they wasted a save vote on Ashthon last week.  They should have saved one of the guys instead of 3 girls.  The guys were ALL so much better than the girls I thought. 

Casey Abrams was not on the Idol stage. Early in the episode, Ryan said he is in the hospital again but didn’t elaborate. According to other blogs, Casey might have a stress-induced bleeding ulcer.  That's not good!  Hope he gets better and is back on the stage next week.

Adam Lambert was back on the Idol stage tonight performing a song he wrote.  He looked really good - not all made up with loads of eyeliner, etc. that he usually wears.  His performance tonight will be remembered for it's poignant simplicity, it's relevant message, and the fact that a traditionally flamboyant artist shed his glitter and glam in the interest of something bigger than himself.   His song was aimed at troubled youth struggling with their identity and with the prejudices they face as a result of being different.  

Here is a card I made last week.  This one is a little different for me.  I saw a similar card in a magazine and decided to give it a try in my own style.

 

The DSP is from Sale-a-bration catalog.  I just wrapped the various ribbons around a piece of twine that I adhered behind the DSP.  The "wish BIG" is from the Happy Birthday stamp set that is in the Occasions Mini although mine is a digital version (printed out with My Digital Studio).

Top 13 perform for Idol

The “American Idol” lucky 13 took the stage Tuesday night to deliver songs from their own personal idols. There were a couple of obvious, and not-so-obvious standouts.  The judges are beginning to bore me!!  We need someone like Simon.  It should not fall to Randy every time to be the bad guy.  I don't expect J-Lo to criticize but I sure thought Steven Tyler would be a little more honest.  Maybe as the competition goes on, they will express how they really feel.

Lauren Alaina, “Any Man of Mine.”  She does Reba a lot better than Shania. She didn't do anything for me this time.

*Casey Abrams, "With A Little Help From My Friends"  I liked him!  One star from me.  

Ashthon Jones, “When You Tell Me That You Love Me.” Did Wildcard Ashthon do anything to reverse the fact that she didn’t make America’s cut last week? Not in my opinion. I liked her at one time, but I’m losing interest. It was all just OK. Even Steven was bored with her.


**Paul McDonald, “Come Pick Me Up.” Paul is shaping up to be my favorite.  I wasn't familiar with the song that he sang but I loved it and his performance!  Two stars from me.  He’s definitely fun to watch and listen to. His voice is incredibly unique. And those moves.  He’s a weird one. But good weird. 

*Pia Toscano, “All By Myself.” After last week’s performance, Pia had a  lot to live up to.  She did good with Celine Dion's song which is a tough one.  She brought a lot of power.  One Star!


***James Durbin, “Maybe I’m Amazed.”  His performance tonight was the best. From that soft and crystal-clear start to his powerful and James-esque range, he showed his versatility. He proved that he’s not going to scream at us every week.   Very well done. 

*Haley Reinhart, “Blue.”  She pulled off some Patsy Cline and Lee Ann Rimes business tonight. She was twanging and yodeling. Very nice. I’m not sure why Randy Jackson was being a jerk when he judged her. I thought he was way off.


*Jacob Lusk, "I Believe I Can Fly"  I liked his performance.


Thia Megia, “Smile.” Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.  She doesn’t seem to have much charisma. Maybe it’s nerves.  The song just kind of happened then it was over. Nothing fancy. Nothing fun. Nothing that even showed what she’s capable of. 
 
*Stefano Langone, “Lately.” Our second Wildcard pick of the night proved he deserved to be there. His energy was refreshing. His stage presence is spot on. Great tone. And he did a dance mix version of that song.  

Karen Rodriguez, “I Could Fall in Love.” Oh Karen. If you’ve been singing Selena all your life, then why did it sound so bad tonight?  She brought nothing new to the song despite her saying she was going to. It was  bad.  

*Scotty McCreery, “The River.” I knew he'd do Garth!!  I was expecting more from Scotty. I like him a lot but I didn’t hear anything special tonight. It just felt like he was holding back too much. The judges liked it - I was afraid they wouldn't.



*Naima Adedapo, “Umbrella.” A wildcard pick in the last spot? Wow.  She was good.  I  liked the rap and reggae she did, but overall, I think the production and her dance moves were better than her singing. 

My picks for bottom three:  Karen, Ashthon, Thia
Probably Karen going home

What say you?

More Sweet Summer

As promised, I am sharing the rest of the cards I made over the weekend using Sweet Summer.  I now want to make a little coordinating card box to put these in.

• Pattern Paper –  Poppy Parade In Color stack (pg 175), Whisper White
• Stamps –  Sweet Summer (SAB); Make It Count (retired)
• Color Mediums –  markers
• Embellishments –  Bling with imaginisce tool
• Tools –  Martha Scallop Punch

• Pattern Paper –   Concord Grape DSP, Whisper White, Concord Grape
• Stamps –  Sweet Summer
• Color Mediums – markers
• Embellishments –  Concord Grape ribbon

Here is a close-up of the flowers that are popped up:

• Pattern Paper –  Melon Mambo, Ice Cream Parlor DSP (SAB), Whisper White
• Stamps –  Sweet Summer (SAB)
• Color Mediums –  markers
• Embellishments –  Bling with imaginisce tool; Green ribbon
• Tools –  Nestibilities scallop; SU Wallpaper embossing die

Which is your favorite????

Gallagher

We went with some friends last night to see the comedian, Gallagher.  He was performing at the Galway Hooker in Cornelius which is one of our favorite restaurants in the area.  I have never seen Gallagher perform live but used to watch him back in the 80s on tv. His shows were always filled with long monologues of social commentaries, but he gained attention for his surreal, incongruous props - a giant couch-shaped trampoline, an oversized Big Wheel bike, and of course, the Sledge-O-Matic. He was always so funny and at the end of his acts, he would always smash a watermelon with a mallet spraying it all over the first few rows of the audience.  We were a little concerned last night because The Comedy Zone at Galway is pretty small.  But, it was ok - he didn't smash a watermelon.  Although I think he may have earlier in the week when he performed in Charlotte.  Gallagher has definitely gotten OLD!!  He's now 64 and makes fun of the aging process.  Sonny and I could relate to a lot of his observations!!  His comedy is probably not for everyone - he makes fun of gays and blacks a lot.  But, if you can overlook that, you will laugh at him.  We had a great time.

I've been on a spree making cards lately.  Sunday I concentrated on one of the stamp sets in the Sale-a-bration catalog, Sweet Summer and made several different cards in the in-colors.  I will share a couple with you now and show the other ones tomorrow.

For this card, I used the In-Color Patterns Designer Pack (pg 175) - Blushing Bride.  Since it is double-sided, I used the stripe side for the top and the pattern side for the bottom of the card.  The green "happy birthday" strip, I created in My Digital Studio but you could also easily do it with any word processing program.  I stamped the flourish from Sweet Summer on the striped paper and used markers to color it.  I stamped the leaves on a white 1 1/4" circle that I layered onto 1 3/8 pink circle.  I stamped the flowers, colored them with markers and cut them out.  It's hard to see but I dotted each middle with a Pearl Pen.  I wish I could tell you where the sentiment came from, but I don't remember!!  I put some bling on either side of the sentiment and "poofed" it up in the middle.

Again, I used the In-Color pack but this time it's Peach Parfait.  I used the Dotted Swiss embossing folder on the white card.  I cut the scallop pieces - Peach and Pear - with my Nestabilities.  I stamped the flourish from Sweet Summer directly on the striped paper.  I stamped the leaves on Pear Pizazz and cut them out.  I stamped the flower onto Peach Parfait, colored it with markers and punched it out with the 1" circle punch.  I added a little bling to the flower and a piece of Peach Parfait ribbon to the bottom.

Baby Blossoms Monday Mailer

I wasn't so sure about this stamp set at first but after seeing all the pretty cards different people had made with it, I changed my mind.  Plus, it is a 2-step stamping technique set.  SU's two-step stamping is what attracted me to the company in the first place.  I love that technique.  There are several sets in the SU catalog that feature this technique.  They are noted in the catalog by this symbol:

The way two-step stamping works is that you stamp the first image in your lightest color.  Then you stamp the second image on top of the first image in a darker coordinating color.  For the Baby Blossoms stamp set, there are a lot of small images.  I ordered the clear set (less expensive plus better for space purposes!) and after putting the set together, I kept the rubber piece that you punch from and put my stamps back in the holes.  That way, I can tell at a glance if I am missing one of them and it is easier to find the stamp that I need.  

I also made a "cheat sheet" for stamping the images.  This is helpful to see which stamps go together.  Here is a close up picture of it.

 

Of course, a lot of these pieces can be interchanged to be used with each other - like the different size leaves, etc. but this is a good guideline if you need it.

So, on to the card I made with this set.

Doesn't this look like springtime???  I just love the colors - Baja Blue, Regal Rose, Old Olive and So Saffron.  The card base is Sahara Sand and the "white" piece that I stamped on is Confetti White.

I just learned how to make those ribbon rosettes too and was so excited that my first one actually turned out!

You need 10" piece of Seam Binding Ribbon (satin will probably work too), 1" circle punch, sticky tape, Crop a Dile.

Here is what I did:  punch a 1" circle from Baja Blue cardstock and a 1" circle from SU's sticky pages (or you can use red-line tape instead).  Cover the Baja Blue cs with the sticky circle (this will be the front side.)   Leave the protective cover on the sticky circle for now.  Punch a small hole in the middle of the circle with your Crop-a-dile and then cut a slit from the middle circle to the edge of the circle (just one side).  Put a piece of red-line tape on the opposite side of your slit.  Now, feed your 10" piece of seam binding ribbon up from the FRONT of the circle and stick the end down to the tape you put opposite of the slit (back side of circle).  Now, on the other end of the ribbon, cut it into a point so that you can grab 2-3 threads and pull them, gathering the ribbon.  Work your gathering down through the whole ribbon until you have about 8" length of ribbon.  Now, take the protective cover off the circle and begin rotating the circle while you stick down your gathered ribbon, creating a flower.  When you get to the end, pull your end piece around to the back and tape it down with red-line tape.   Voila!  You should have a rosette!

For those of you who do better with seeing the project, there is a video tutorial,  HERE.

This is my first Monday Mailer to Brenda.  Hope she likes it!!

I still have not been able to skype with Ashley but at least I am reassured that she is ok.  Her internet has been down in her building since last Friday.  She was able to send me an e-mail at the clinic although she cannot access her personal e-mail there.  I'm sure she knew I was worried.  She hopes it will be working later today and we can talk.  She has been really busy since she is the only doctor on site now.  The other docs are relieving people on leave at other bases.  She told me that the weather has been bad there for a few days.  I thought this was interesting - "The weather has been crappy the past couple of days...last night and this morning it is actually raining mud which is really disgusting.  After walking home with a to-go plate last night, the top of the white styrofoam was covered with orange colored rain drops...The sky in front of the aid station this morning was bright orange which was pretty cool although I guess it was actually mud containing rain clouds."  So I guess we can be thankful for the weather we have here in the states!!

John 3-16

Last week a friend asked me to make a card for her.  She wanted it to have a church and the Bible verse John 3-16 on the card.  Well, I don't have a church stamp and couldn't find one online that I liked.  So she told me to go ahead and just make something pretty.  I am really thrilled with the card that I made for her.  I found the stamp online - it is a digital image.  I just love that I can do a search, find an image that I like, purchase it ($3), print it out and voila - make a stunning card with it!  You can also do that with Stampin' Up's My Digital Studio images.

The card base is Concord Crush.  The DSP is retired from SU (Bride) that I just love.  It is white paper that I sponged Concord Crush onto it and the white swirls pop.  I used various markers for the flowers and a tad of Stickles to make them sparkle.  I cut the image out and popped it up on Nestabilities Label Six.  The label and the book pages were sponged slightly with Soft Suede.  I used a Martha lacy punch for the vanilla cardstock at the bottom..

I even prettied up the inside of the card!

I hope you had a good weekend.  I took my mom shopping on Friday.  I picked her up at 10:30 Friday a.m. and I didn't return home until almost 6 pm!  Whew!!  We had a nice day and I didn't buy too much - got a jacket, shirt and Coldwater Creek jean capris - all for $30!!  Not bad, huh?  We went to lunch and on the way home, we stopped off at Kohl's.  Mom was looking for a spring purse but they didn't have a lot of them so she settled for a real pretty black and white floral bag.  I also got a couple of pairs of earrings and a necklace.  

Yesterday was supposed to be rainy and I had already decided I was going to make some cards.  I have an order for a few cards so I made great headway with them.  Plus, I need to get my club cards made.  Anyway, it didn't start raining until last night but I card-ed anyway and made about 6 cards.  Today was rainy all day and cold again!  Our yard looks like a swimming pool from all the rain.  

I have not talked to Ashley since last Thursday.  We usually "skype" every day or two.  She has not been on-line and I am freaking out a bit.  Hopefully, it is nothing and I will skype with her tomorrow.

Final Feb Monday Mailers

I am going to be sad not to receive Monday Mailers from Beth Fox any more.  She sent me some wonderful cards!  The card she sent me this week uses my favorite color combo - pink, green, blue.  I'll be CASE'ing it soon - maybe even for my club this month.

 

Beth sent me a note telling me her 7 year old daughter added the bling on the photo corners while she wasn't looking!  A future stamper in the making!  The stampset is the single stamp - Elizabeth

 

 This is the card I sent to Beth.  I love these colors together (Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point and Poppy Parade ribbon).  I stamped the image from Bliss in white on the blue and embossed it.  The bird is stamped in Pacific Point on white paper.  I used the Beveled Windowpanes to frame the bird.  The Daffodil piece is scallop punched and embossed with Elegant Lines die and the Big Shot.

I got a big shipment this week and I have to share the boxes Stampin' Up is using for Sale-a-bration!  

 

Going to the Birds

I made a couple of cards last night while watching TV.  One of the stamp sets I picked up locally last week and the other one is a Stampin' Up set that belongs to Ashley.  It is one of the stamps that you can get FREE during Saleabration!!

I bought a card making magazine this week at M's that I have been wanting and used it tonight for my color choices.  I usually pick my colors with SU's Color Coach which I love!!  But decided to try something different tonight.  Picking my colors is what usually takes me the longest time in making cards!!

The magazine along with my two bird cards

 

 I just realized that I haven't stamped the chain for the birdcage in the center!  Glad I saw it.  The colors I used for this card are mostly retired SU - Brilliant Blue, Cool Caribbean and Chocolate Chip & Certainly Celery (not ret'd). I also used the Modern Label Punch.

This card also uses some retired colors - Brilliant Blue, Gable Green, and YoYo Yellow.  It's funny - I hardly used these colors when they were part of our color family and now I am drawn to them.  Aren't these little birdies cute?  The stamp set is Happy Together.

I'm taking my mom shopping today and out to lunch.  Keep your fingers crossed that I don't buy too much!  We are going to a place in China Grove that has overstocks and that type of deals.  They only open a few times a year with some pretty good buys.  I have only been once before and ended up spending more that mom and I didn't even want to go!!  I did get a pair of black jeans from Coldwater Creek for a steal.  I would love to find another deal like that.  Last time there was also a shoe warehouse open for a limited time across the street and of course, I had to buy a pair of suede boots!

Top 13 for Idol

I'm posting a couple of cards tomorrow - I promise!!

It was a crazy night on “American Idol.” Somehow in two hours they managed to cut 14 contestants, make six sing, bring back three and premiere Jennifer Lopez’s new video.  After naming the top ten, the judges, on the spot (yeah right… as if the entire night wasn’t rehearsed), picked six contestants America did not vote through to the top ten and made them sing again.

The top ten that America voted for are:

• Scotty McCreery 
• Jacob Lusk
• Casey Abrams
• Paul McDonald
• James Durbin 
• Pia Toscano 
• Lauren Alaina
• Karen Rodriguez
• Thia Megia
• Haley Reinhart 

The judges had six contestants sing for their life.  The were:

• Ashton Jones
• Stefano Langone
• Kendra Chantelle
• Jovany Barreto
• Naima Adedapo
• Robbie Rosen

Ashton, Stefano and Naima made it through so now we have a top 13!

I’m bummed that Lauren Turner, Robbie and Tim Halperin are gone.  I just hope that Scotty can show off his talent on other genres than country.  Don't get me wrong - country is great, but all of America doesn't like it.  If he can, I think he will be a top contender along with Pia.

American Idol Girls Performances

I was expecting a lot more of the girls' performances on Idol, but they were only so-so for me - except for a few of them.  The top five vote-getters from both the top 12 boys and the top 12 girls will be automatically sent to this season’s  finalists spot, but it’s not over just yet for the other 14 singers.  There will be a series of wildcard saves decided upon by the judges to keep a little balance between what production wants and what America wants, assuming we make a mistake or two. There will be some serious “sing for your life” moments if this plays out with those bottom 14 singing for a still unknown quantity of Judges’ Picks.   I've read in different places that we'll have the "sing offs" on tonight's show and I've also heard that the  "sing-offs" will happen next week  If they don't do the "sing-offs" tonight, it could get very boring waiting for Ryan to do his suspense thing for TWO hours.  In my opinion, they are really stretching this thing out but that is nothing new  for Idol I guess!!

So here are my thoughts on the girls' performances:

Ta-Tynisa Wilson, “Only Girl.” Her performance was a bit weak. Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez were much kinder than Randy Jackson.
 
Naima Adedapo, “Summertime.”   She sounded good but  I'm not sure if that was the song to get her through.  I like it but I'm old - don't know how the younger people will like it! 

Kendra Chantelle, “Impossible.”  I just don’t think she did enough to stand out even with the tight leather pants!
. 
Rachel Zevita, “Criminal.” From her drag queen opening to her pouty attitude to the judges, Rachel didn’t do herself any favors tonight either.  Rachel still has a good voice, she just freaked me out a little bit tonight. 

Karen Rodriguez, “Hero.” Her performance gave J Lo goosebumps.  She was good but I can't say I got goosebumps!  She sang in English and Spanish which was really cool.


Lauren Turner, “Seven Day Fool.”  I didn’t take any notes during her song because I was busy enjoying her fantastic performance. She’s got soul.  I loved it!

 Ashton Jones, “Love Over Me.” She just needs to skip this  show and cut an album. That is all.  

Julie Zorrilla, “Break Away.” The judges did not like her but I didn't think she was all that bad.

Haley Reinhart, “Fallin’” I thought the song and act was a little too old for her.  She put a sexy spin on it and her voice is pretty unique to this competition.  Judges like her though.

 Thia Megia, “Out Here On My Own.”  She is a great technical singer. Her tone is flawless. But her stage presence isn’t there yet.  She’s also coming off a lot older than 15.   


Lauren Alaina, “Turn on The Radio.” Lauren is a natural.  This was one of my favorites tonight!

Pia Toscano, “I’ll Stand By You.” Wow. Just wow.  What a performance.  People were even crying. She got the only standing ovation.  No one can say that wasn’t the best performance of the night. I don’t care who your favorite is. 

It's American Idol time!

Do you watch American Idol?  If you're a reader of my blog, you know that I am a big fan.  I wasn't so sure at the beginning of the show how I was going to like the new judges.  I am still not totally sold on Jennifer and  Steven Tyler.  I keep wondering how Steven Tyler is going to keep his mouth shut during the live show.  I'm not a prude but I don't care to hear the "F" word all the time.  There are a lot of young people who watch this show and he's not such a great role model in my opinion!  My updates will be a day late (at least) this year.  Since Sonny is not watching the show with me, I am having to tape it upstairs in my craft room and watch it the next day by myself.  The top 12 guys performed Tuesday night. Our votes this week will create the Top 10 with the 5 highest vote-getting guys and girls each. On top of that, the judges will add their Wild Card picks. 

So, here are my thoughts on what I just finished watching - the top 12 boys. 

Clint Jun Gamboa, “Superstitious.”  It was an OK performance. He can sing but he wasn't a favorite.


Jovany Baretto, “I’ll Be.”  His performance was boring and weak . Randy Jackson agrees with me. 

Jordan Dorsey, “OMG.” OMG is right.  He’s been a good singer but tonight it just wasn’t there. That clearly isn’t who he is as a singer and he is a TERRIBLE dancer.  I think he is gone.

Tim Halperin, “Streetcar Symphony.”  The song choice was just bad - it  was not his best song.  Maybe he’ll get the wildcard from the judges.

Brett Loewenstern, “Light My Fire" He can do better.  How many times did he toss his hair???

James Durbin,” Another Thing Comin.” Wow. He was pretty amazing. His voice was powerful, yet controlled. He showed great confidence. His high notes didn’t make me want to leave the room.  

Robbie Rosen, “In the Arms of an Angel.” His performance tonight was weak. He showcased his soft and vulnerable voice but he was pretty flat through most of the song.  I think he’ll still be safe, but not because of his performance tonight. 

Scotty McCreery, “Letters From Home.” I am a FAN!!   He’s got such great control over that low voice of his. It’s an impeccable sound. And the way he ended that song. Amazing.  Doesn't hurt that I love that song!  He'll make it big as a country singer.

Stefano Langone, “Just The Way You Are.” This guy is so likable.  And he’s cute so he’ll be getting a lot of votes for those reasons. Those reasons also means he’s incredibly marketable. And he can sing, too!  He’s very believable. 

Paul McDonald, “Maggie Mae.” His performance of “Maggie Mae” could be a hit today. It was so unique and enjoyable. One of the best of the night. I also love this Rod Stewart song!

Jacob Lusk, “House is Not a Home.”   His singing is technically perfect.  His performance tonight was flawless and its going to earn him enough votes to secure a spot in the Top 12. 

Casey Abrams, “I Put a Spell on You.”  Casey, you sound sexy. Sure. J Lo thinks so. But I think you still need to trim your beard   Like Jacob, Casey is technically a perfect singer. 

Aside from a few sure-thing goners, none of the other fellas were so atrocious they need to go just yet. It should be interesting Thursday night!

What were your thoughts on tonight’s performances? Any new favorites? Any thoughts on who will be leaving us Thursday?

In Like A Lion .... Out Like a Lamb?

March blew in like a lion yesterday with severe storms in our area.  All we got at our house was a lot of wind and rain but a tornado touched down not too far from Mooresville - in the Statesville area.  I don't usually get scared during storms like most of my family but those winds yesterday had me a little nervous plus I was home alone.  I'm sure my mom's weather radio was blasting away at her house!  But we didn't even lose electricity so that was a good thing.

Hopefully, we are done with the cold weather and ready to start spring!!  I'm ready for it.  I've already started putting a few of my house plants outside so they can enjoy the sunshine.

Plus, now that March is here, my Ireland trip is a little bit closer!  I've read all the tour books, got the reservations made, started planning what to pack - I'm getting excited!

Make today a good day!

Fun Fold

I found this cool fun fold card on Laura Lipe's blog and decided to give it a try.  I really like how it turned out!

Cardstock:  Old Olive, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Greenhouse Gala DSP
Stamp:  Just Believe
Markers:  Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive
I colored directly on the stamp with my markers.  This card fits in a standard envelope.

If you want the measurements and cutting instructions, you can visit Laura's blog HERE.

Vintage Monday Mailer

I got a beautiful vintage-y Monday Mailer this week from Beth.  I'm really going to be sad when I receive the final card from Beth next week.  She does such outstanding work!  And she is really good about acknowledging when she receives my card.  Not everyone who participates in the Monday Mailer program does this even though I plead with them every month to share what they receive.  

Beth used the Wallpaper embossing folder (I just ordered it!!) and the Beveled Windowpanes.  I just love all the details in this card - the sponging, the little bits of lace, the newspaper DSP.

Easter using MDS

I really love My Digital Studio.  I recently downloaded a few stamp sets that I didn't own.  I printed them out on card stock and made a few cards with them.  That is one of the greatest things I love.  You don't have to have MDS to purchase the downloads.  You can purchase the download and save it. What I do is open a Word document and insert a picture (my download picture).  Then you can print it out on cardstock and voila!! Here's a link to tell you a little more about MDS.   AND SU has recently printed a MDS catalog so you can keep up with your downloads.  Here are a couple I printed out yesterday and made into cards.

These are the little girls from Easter Blossoms (Occasions Mini).  I just love her!

This is a single stamp that is not offered anymore so MDS is perfect in that you can buy retired stamps.

 

 Here is the card that I made with Chocolate Bunny.  I also used Beveled Windowpanes that I recently bought.  The butterflies are an embosslet.

Close up of Beveled Windowpane.  These are sturdy acrylic frames.  You get 12 in a package in three different sizes.

This card uses Easter Blossoms.  The cardstock is Very Vanilla and Springtime Vintage DSP.  The little tags are from Tiny Tags stamp set and punched out the Tiny Tag punch.  I tied them onto the Vanilla ribbon with .....dental floss!!

Close up of my bow and tags.

My Jewelry Tree

I did something a little different today.  I was creative but with jewelry!  Remember THIS post at Christmas?  Well, today the Newcomers Garden Club had the gal who created the Jewelry Trees come and help us each make one with our own special jewelry.  My Aunt Love had so much jewelry that I thought I would have no problems making one or two of my own .... except Mom has gotten rid of a lot of her jewelry.  So I scavenged through Mom's jewelry box, my jewelry box and even found some pretty cuff links in Sonny's box!  I had bought some velvet fabric a few weeks ago when I was in Pittsburgh.  Now all I have to do is find a pretty frame for my creation.

I wasn't going to do a tree shape because I was afraid it would look too Christmas-y and I want to hang it year round.  But, I changed my mind and I really like it!  Most of the jewelry are old pieces that were my aunt's - some shoe clips, pins and brooches.  But there are some pieces that are mine - like the spoon pin, Texas rhinestone pin, my name that came from a necklace I had when I was a teen, an earring that my kids gave me when they were young ...  What fun to look at something and remember when!

It was fairly easy to make.  We just glued the velvet to cardboard (hot glue); cut the backs off the jewelry with wire clippers; made the arrangement and hot-glued them down.