tainted with a positive view

It's all the rage...

2012-03-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

repurposed. recycled wool sweaters. The first time I came across this was a couple of years ago when I went to Junk Bonanza in Minnesota. I bought a purse that had been sewn out of a pine green wool sweater. I love it. Since then I have noticed that "recycled" wool sweaters are everywhere. Take a look...

leggings made from the sleeves of a sweater

sofa pillows

mittens - love these!

baby booties - so adoreable!

someone even unraveled sweaters for future knitting uses

This sweater was made into a winter cap and the sleeves were made into sweater headbands (for outdoor use)

Really cute mittens - the watermelon mittens caught my eye.

Christmas trees made out of circles cut from sweaters.

These are just a few items, but they definitely show how creative people are. It's fun to look at the "new" items and try to "see" the sweater they were before. I have not yet tried to find sweaters at any thrift stores, but I plan to. Wonder what I'll find.

My daughter has a visitor

2012-03-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Katie and her roommate, Katie, have a visitor tonight - well, it has actually been on their patio all day and tonight it is crying - it wants to go home but doesn't know where home is. I asked Katie to take a picture to share and it is a little blurry because it was taken through the glass door.

My advice? Don't name it, or the cat will be yours.

Who Remembers This?

2012-03-06T05:57:00.001-07:00

Silly Putty!!

I found this picture on pinterest and I have to honestly say I sort of forgot about Silly Putty.

Didn't we all love playing with it?

About the best thing it was used for was lifting print off of newspapers.

A few facts about Silly Putty:

It was introduced in 1950 (actually created in 1943).

Something that is older than me.

It was made by mistake, while trying to come up with a rubber substitute for use during WWII.

(During WWII all rubber items were rationed - I did not know that!)

It bounces.

But you can also break it.

It is owned by Crayola.

It is flammable.

Still sold in plastic eggs - originally for $1.

It's first target group was adults.

20,000 eggs are sold EACH day - that's pretty amazing.

It can be used as a cleaning agent in your home.

It is also used in physical therapy.

Pretty amazing stuff actually.

Who would have imagined this Silly Putty, which had a somewhat rocky start, could have so many uses and be around for so many years?

Looked who dropped in...

2012-03-03T09:56:00.002-07:00

I was crafting with Cindy last night when I got a text from my older brother, Ed, who lives in California and evidently was passing through on business.
Ed: Are you home?
Jean: I am at a friend's house, do you need me?
Ed: I am stuck in the Phoenix airport.
Yes, he needed me!
Well, that made my heart leap. I don't get to see Ed and his family as much as I would like, so I was thrilled that his trip back home was interrupted and he was actually stuck here, 10 minutes from my home! After he confirmed they were not able to get him on a flight home last night, he asked if he could stay over and then take him back to the airport in the morning. Absolutely!
I finally connected with him at 10:30 p.m. (there was a lot of construction and road closures around the airport) and of course we stayed up way too late catching up. I am not even sure if we actually finished a conversation before moving on to the next one. We had to get up early to get him to the airport to catch his flight home.

This first picture was probably taken about midnight.

We got up, had coffee and toast (I was not prepared for company) and headed off to the airport. This picture was taken before 7:00 this morning - at the airport saying goodbye.

Great visit, Ed, just way too short!
I didn't even get a chance to call my girls and have them come by for a hug.

Great Card Layout

2012-03-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

My friend, Cindy - not the same one that had her 65th birthday this week - we'll call this one Cindy B. Cindy B. bought one of the Tim Holtz pads and came up with the following layout.

I think this layout is so great! Using a background, border or die cut punch mounted down the left side and then a solid piece in the middle makes for a great base for a card. You could either use a saying at this point or you could stamp a character or picture and then pop it up. So many things you can do with this layout. Thanks, Cindy, for sharing.

Birthday Celebrations for a Couple of "Old" Friends

2012-03-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was the 70th birthday of Lois and 65th birth of Cindy, so a birthday crop was in order. There was food from Someburros...

One birthday girl, Cindy, is at the end of the table, on the left side. Her big sis, JoDean, is the one behind the surprise party for both Cindy and Lois.

The pic below is Lois and JoDean.

There's Cindy - a great picture of her...

These are the napkins - so very cute.

We had a very nice day with the two Birthday Queens.

Happy Leap Day!

2012-02-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

February 29 - do you know anyone who was born on February 29?

It only comes every four years, so make it a great one!

Special Cards for my Parents

2012-02-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

My parents are 86 and 87 years old. Due to my mother's recent decline in health, my father is having to take over the task of cooking. I say "kudos" to you, dad, for learning to cook at 87 years of age. It is my habit to call them on my way home from work and dad is almost always fixing dinner or baking cookies. I can't ever remember my dad baking when I was growing up. He would cook, but pretty much only when my mother was sick or gone. So for dad to start this journey at the age of 87, I have to say I am proud. Here are the cards I sent to them today. For my dad...

The stamps are from TooMuchFunRubberstamps. I love the stove.

The card for my mother...

Part of the reason I love this stamp is because my mother always used a cast iron skillet. In fact, she had several. The inside joke? My mother has been getting a little more cranky in her old age. I thought this card was fitting for her - hopefully a little encouraging.

I love the lace-look trim. It is a Martha Stewart border punch.
Mom and dad don't have a computer, so they will never see this and that's okay.

I finally broke down...

2012-02-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have been mulling over the idea of a reader/tablet/??? for a very long time now. I have a Literati reader and it is okay for a simple reader, but nothing to write home about. Before I bought any more e-books, I wanted to find something different. So I finally went with a Nook Tablet. I have had it one night and I absolutely love it!

As you can see, I purchased a few games and a few books. I need to figure out how to manage them, but I am very excited about it. I should have stayed home and played today.

Yep, more stamps

2012-02-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, I was on a roll the other day when I was ordering humorous stamps. The rest of them finally came...
I ordered them from Toomuchfun Rubberstamps in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You know I got excited when I saw Indiana - so not only are they cute, and funny stamps, they are from Indiana! I have a little bit of pride going on.

Here's a sneak peek...

Still in the envelope but I hope to put them to use on Friday night - I have a small group of friends coming over to craft and make some "fun" cards. These should do the trick.

The best Valentine's Day Card

2012-02-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Kate, is a first grade teacher. For each holiday, her kids always bring her gifts and cards. She received the best card from one of the boys in her class...

Be sure you read it carefully. It just makes me laugh.

Dr. Suess

2012-02-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter's very good friend, Sondra, is having a baby - her first one! We are all excited and happy for her ... and I am the one making the invitations. Kate wants a Dr. Suess theme. Try and find paper. I don't think they make it. I have looked everywhere! So the next best thing was to purchase (used) books and cut out the pages. That was SO hard for me to do. I have always taught my daughters to take care of their books, but here I go and cut these up. The first cut was the hardest. (Isn't that song? Oh, wait, the word is the deepest.) Anyway, here's the "dummy" card...

The card is a panel that folds into 3 parts. The ribbon slides off so the card can be fully extended. The words are printed on vellum and then adhered over the design, making the design "muted." I used my 5" Xyron and it was slick! Each card is unique since each page of the books are unique. I used Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches the Egg.

They turned out very cute and are definitely one-of-a-kind invites. I hope Sondra likes them.

It was a WICKED night!

2012-02-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Kate LOVES Wicked - loves it! She got together some of her friends and a group of 7 of us went to dinner at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant in Tempe and then on to Gammage to see Wicked. My other daughter, Kim, had a conflict with that night and I was able to invite my friend, Cindy, to go along and use her ticket. I had seen Wicked a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. Cindy had never seen it so she was in for a treat. Here's a photo of the playbill. We were not supposed to take pictures of the production, but I snuck one with my phone. I am such a rebel and rule breaker.

This is the stage during the intermission - I don't know if you can tell, but it is a large dragon hanging over the stage with a map of Oz behind it.

We had a GREAT time. It was a late night, but a wonderful time. It makes me want to check out the musicals playing in New York while we are there.

New stamps

2012-02-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

In a few months the theme for our card exchange is "humorous" cards. So... that started my quest for just the right stamp. I found a company called "River City Rubber Stamps" and purchased a few to get started. They really did have quite an assortment of funny stamps, but I ended up with these sayings...

And this one of two old ladies sitting next to each other, holding their purses. This is not one I would normally choose, but I am excited to use it with a saying I already have.

It is always FUN to get stuff in the mail.

A Day of Sunshine

2012-02-18T15:00:00.001-07:00

The morning started out sunny and my little pups truly enjoyed it...

Jack absolutely LOVES sitting in the sunshine... he always has.

Sophie is not so sure...

And I had to coax both of them (with treats, no less) to sit still while I take their picture.

They sit really well as long as I am holding a treat in my hand. The best trained dogs in the world.

A Little Wisdom from SmashBurger

2012-02-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

After church this last Sunday, I went to SmashBurger in Tempe. Maryanna asked for a "to go" box for her leftovers. I guess they want to be sure you leave with a little bit of "SmashBurger wisdom." Let me show you what I'm talking about...

This quote is from the movie "Toy Story" which just happens to be one of my favorite movies! We were told that when the employees get bored, this is what they do. Nice personal touch!

We actually went for the sweet potato fries - without a doubt they were mmmmmmm good!

Carter, the Great!

2012-02-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I work with Carter. His group used to call him OGO (Oh, Great One!). But now we are calling him Carter, the Great!

This last weekend, he was out shopping and at the Brass Armadillo, and he found this wall plaque advertising Carter the Great, The World's Weird Wonderful Wizard. I guess we will have to start calling him Carter, WWWW.
Carter googled this character and evidently there was a REAL Carter the Great who lived during the years of 1974 - 1936. Charles Joseph Carter got his start as a journalist and lawyer, then turned to magic. He started in San Francisco but was better known abroad and was famous for the classic "sawing a women in half." There is actually quite a bit of history regarding his home in San Francisco and it is very interesting.
Our Carter has decided to hang this plaque in his office - just so we don't forget who he is.

Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down...

2012-02-15T05:00:00.001-07:00

Okay, so it wasn't a Monday, but it was a rainy day. I live in Phoenix, so any change in the weather is good. Today we had cold (cool for any northerners reading this) weather AND rain! Thankfully, it didn't start pouring until I pulled into my drive. I took pictures while I was sitting in traffic on the way home.

They don't look so dark in this picture but you could definitely tell that they were rain clouds. This is before I actually got on the freeway, looking to the northeast.

This is in the East valley, heading south. As soon as I got home I started fixing dinner. Both of my daughters came over and we had pepperoni roll ups...

This was the only one left - a nice snack for another time. I took crescent rolls and rolled pepperoni and provolone cheese inside. The girls loved them. Very easy to do. The idea actually came from pinterest.com. I was sad to see the girls go - sometimes... sometimes it is too quiet around here.

Baking for Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Yep, Tuesday is Valentine's Day... I decided awhile back to try to duplicate something I saw on pinterest - cookies on a sucker stick! I thought they were so cute. I wanted to make them for my daughter's 1st graders. Here's my afternoon...

A double batch of Ghiradelli brownies...

A single batch of chocolate chip cookies (to be baked in a pan) with a few butterscotch chips...

After they were baked and cooled, I cut them out with cookie cutters...

I placed a sucker stick in the base of each one, then wrapped them in decorative cellophane bags...

Finally, I arranged them in a basket for Kate to take to school. I do not have a heart or Valentine's Day theme hand towel, so I picked a Disney "Goofy" towel. I figure the kids won't care. In fact, they probably won't even notice.

I used parchment paper to line the inside of my [new] pans. I wanted to protect the pans against the cookie cutters. I was able to lift out the entire pan of cookies. It worked beautifully and I am wondering why I have never done it before. Clean up is a snap and I will definitely be using it in the future!

My thoughts? I would say these were a success.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

My Little People Friends

2012-02-12T17:02:00.001-07:00

If I could have figured out how to upload photos from my computer to the blog sooner, these pictures would have on my blog last week. I know how to do it - I do it everyday, but I couldn't find these particular photos on my system, even though I downloaded them. I know it's weird. I finally did find them, so here's the story...
Last weekend I drove to Phoenix just so I could see Nicole and Sam's girls, Myah and Kylee.
The first picture is Kylee and all of us (except Granpa 'Sota - short version of Grandpa in Minnesota) played Uno. This was like no other Uno I have ever played. They've come a long way.

Miss Myah smiling for the camera.

Miss Kylee showing me her cards - you can't tell, but she probably was holding 1/4 of the deck.

We went out for dinner and ate at Padre's. We were all happy with our Mexican food,

Kylee making her "I don't know what" face, with Myah looking on...

The restaurant. Nicole drove so I couldn't even tell you how to get there, but it is in Phoenix, somewhere near her home.

Kimmy and her friend, Ashley, came by later to spend a little time with the girls.

We had a nice time together and I can't believe how much they have grown!

Do you find this weird?

2012-02-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

I am always - and I mean always - intrigued and attracted to things that are different or unique or just downright strange. You can ask Nicole. She likes vintage. I like things that are vintage, but weird. She will tell you that if you put me in a room, the strangest person will hone in on me. She thinks I am a magnet for anything (or anyone) weird. I came across the following photo on pinterest and loved it! A rug made out of the spines of books - who thought of that anyway?

In the right room, it would be amazing. It would be a bear to keep clean, though. You would constantly be vacuuming it. Maybe it would make a better wall hanging. What is one of the oddest things you have seen?

Maybe I should drink more wine...

2012-02-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

I think these photos tell you why....

A lot of inspiration!
Really cute stuff - but a whole lot of wine.

Just putting this on the record...

2012-02-05T21:38:00.002-07:00

I had the Super Bowl 2012 on the TV today. Anyone who knows me, knows that is unusual, because I am sports challenged. I mainly watched it so I wouldn't miss any of the commercials and half-time show. And I really enjoyed Madonna's half-time show - very nice.

One more thing - it was held in Indianapolis, IN - 45 miles from my home town. That actually caught my eye as well.

A little bit of crafting

2012-02-04T10:19:00.001-07:00

I had some friends (Cindy, Lois, and Jodean) over last night to do a little crafting - everyone working on their own projects - and so I had to clean up my craft room...

I think it looks pretty darn good.

I had to rotate the tables and it gave us much more room to walk around the tables than before.

A view from another corner...

I didn't really have a specific project to work on, but I have been wanting to paint this wood block and give it a little more character.

The wire pieces? They are coat hangers that have been cut and curled.

This card holder was made by Krista Koenig. Since I loved her idea, she gave me this one and I displayed my handmade cards on it in my craft room.

I am not sure I have room for it in this house, but we'll see.

I painted it a kraft color using acrylic paint, then sprayed it with Tattered Angels Chalkboard using 3 different colors.

I think the paint underneath gave it a splotchy, almost dotted look after the Chalkboard spray dried. You can see the muted colors but also the little bit of sparkle.

After that, I used a large floral stamp on the top and front. I hope I gave it character.

So you can see it is great for displaying photos or small artwork.

Doggie Coats

2012-02-02T06:11:00.000-07:00

You might remember my friend, Diana, who has a sister, Carolyn, who sews. Actually, she has many sisters and, well, both Diana and Carolyn quilt and sew. One day Carolyn - out of the blue - sent my Sophie ...

a jacket with a southwestern theme, made of fleece. The only problem was that it was a tad small for Sophie. I always call her my barrel-chested girl. So Carolyn had to make another one for Sophie and Jack...

got the first one. Recently Carolyn made the absolutely most beautiful doggie jackets out of used clothing, wool pieces. The ones she sent over were for large dogs and I tried to find a model (Diana wouldn't agree to do it), but couldn't so you will just have to imagine a dog in these jackets.

My mother would have described them as being "smart." They are really beautiful, sharply made, and I immediately ordered two for my little dogs.

Can't wait to see them. I imagine they will be of different fabric, and Carolyn does such impeccable work - can't wait to see them!

Back Home Again In Indiana...

2012-02-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

... When I dream about the moonlight on the Wabash, then I long for my Indiana home.

Anybody out there know that song? My dad ALWAYS sang it when we crossed the Indiana state line whenever driving home on vacations. It did not matter what time of day or night it was, he sang that song the minute he saw that Indiana State Line sign. Thanks, dad, for the great memories!

Anyway, I must be homesick for Indiana. Not sure why because I don't have family there anymore. I am from a small town called Columbus in southern Indiana. So when I find a blogger from Indiana, I connect. I found this one called www.frontporchindiana.blogspot.com and I laughed OUT LOUD at some of her blog entries. Evidently, the owners are attempting to make their home and land once again a working farm and so they have llamas and sheep. I really enjoyed the stories - check it out. Be sure to look at the cast of characters. Such a positive way to look at life. Meantime, meet Squirrelly Shirley...

You should find her on the blog and read what they say about Squirrelly Shirley. I found it to be funny. Hopefully you will, too.

Recipe of Me mini books

2012-01-31T06:37:00.001-07:00

You might remember that I took a Debby Schuh class last August and we made the Recipe of Me mini book. I really like her books because you don't have to paste or adhere paper onto chipboard, which can be messy at times. It is just a different look. At the class I bought an extra kit - well, because she had one and I liked the book. My friend, Cindy, liked the book and purchased one on line, so now we both had the same kit to put together. So Friday night, that is just what we did. Here are my two books, with a few small differences:

The one on the left is the new one - the one on the right is the one I made in class.

Top is new - bottom is the one made in class

I really do not like detail work, so in the second book I popped up stickers instead of placing the window down in the corner.

I tried to use the leftover products from my first class - use them up first before cracking open a brand new package of stickers, letters or embellishments. These are the back covers. I also changed the binding. I pulled out my Cinch and used plastic spiral binding rather than two rings. I am happy with how it turned out.

Monthly Card Exchange

2012-01-30T06:37:00.001-07:00

We had the monthly card exchange yesterday, which is always held at Paper Vineyard in Chandler. This month's theme was to make a "red or Valentine's Day card." Here's mine...

I am determined to use supplies that I already have on hand so I used scrap papers that I had left over from making Valentine's Day cards a couple of years ago. The paper line is "Heart Attack" by We R Memory Keepers. I did buy the epoxy hearts this year. They just really added that special touch to the cards.

These are all of the cards made. You can see that most went with the red card theme and there's definitely a lot of talent in this group.

It is always nice to see these ladies and do a little catching up.

Button Crown

2012-01-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

On some computers (like mine at work), you can't see my background photo. It shows up on my laptop, but not at work. I don't understand it. It just is. Anyway, it is a photo of a button crown and I think it is absolutely gorgeous and deserves an entire blog of its own.

Wouldn't a little girl just love to wear this crown on her special day? I would. Well, at least try wearing it. I think it is beautiful. Just sayin'.

Remember I said that I tried a couple of new recipes?

2012-01-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well, at my office we did an old fashioned Minnesota pot luck featuring tater tot hot dishes. Here's a picture that looks just like mine - yes, I totally forgot to take a picture before it was gone.

I actually made a double recipe in the crock pot and it turned out really good (if I do say so myself). You have to be careful when you select a recipe for tater tot hot dish because they are not all equal... and they can look very, very different. Regardless, we had a fun lunch and got a little better acquainted.
Have a happy day!

I guess you could say I needed another break...

2012-01-26T23:08:00.000-07:00

and I took one! I have been busy doing so many things.
I went to a musical,
finished an altered book,
went to the movies (We saw "In Time" with Justin Timberlake - compelling but extremely and futuristically weird),
tonight I went to see the Marvelous Wonderettes - a very entertaining musical show.
I've slept a lot,
celebrated my daughter's birthday,
unpacked a few boxes,
went to my monthly book club,
tried a few new recipes...
and worked my full-time job!
I've probably done a few more things, but at the moment, can't remember it all. I obviously needed a break.
Let's see what photos I can come up with.

I created this mini book for my friend, Josie. Her family did a day trip to Slide Rock this last summer.

Looks like they had a lot of fun.

I know these 2 pictures aren't great, but we were celebrating Kate's 26th birthday at Liberty Market in Gilbert. The lights were low. Her friend, Whitney, made this frame for her. It is a "B" for Ms. Bradsher and it is made out of crayons in a curio box. So very cute! Beautiful job, Whitney!

I don't believe I put this photo up yet. I love the spoons and it looks like they simply covered them with paper. I say "simply" but it may not be that easy to keep it all nice and smooth. It would be great in just the right kitchen or dining area.
I just want to say Thanks! for coming back.

Map Art

2012-01-16T10:00:00.002-07:00

As you know, I just LOVE pinterest! It really is inspiring to me, but it also sucks my time. I am always looking for new ideas and never sure if I will get around to them, but I can dream, right? I have a place to go back to and just .... day dream.... I think this is very practical and wanted to share some of the photos I took off of pinterest and the internet...

Checkbook cover

Butterflies - to either frame or use in scrapbooking/cardmaking

Simple hearts - perfect for this time of year when we are all thinking of Valentine's Day.

Posies - I believe these have a finish on them and are definitely sewn, but still, something to consider.

Envelope liners - and they could actually be used for making unique envelopes.

Confetti.

Gift wrapping.

When I googled it, I found more sophisticated art...

Amazingly creative!

Coolest little table...

2012-01-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

You've heard me talk about my good friend, Cindy. I've included some of her paper crafts in my blog and we get together to do our crafting. Well... anyway... her parents are snowbirds - and they are the sweetest couple. Her dad does beautiful woodwork and we asked him to make me a side/chair table like Cindy's. I just picked it up Saturday and I have used it...

while sitting here watching tv. It held my dinner. It holds my water bottle, the remote. And it holds my laptop.

It is the most convenient table ever and I love it!

Altered Mini Book

2012-01-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am behind in making and giving a few Christmas gifts. Since I moved the week of Christmas, my focus was getting the house packed up, and trying to get somewhat moved in, and set up Christmas - it was crazy. So the time I normally would have used to make gifts was used for those things. I made the following book for my friend, Pat, who went back to Indiana.

There were a lot of photos that I was able to incorporate into this book. I fashioned this book after a class that I took from Debby Schuh. The paper line I used was by Authentique. I am not a "yellow" person, but I just love the yellow and gray designs. I had fun putting this book together for Pat.

Jack

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

I spent a lot of time in my craft room this last weekend working on a mini book for my friend. I think Jack missed me...

He jumped up on my lap, stepped onto the table, and laid down... right in front of me. I think he was "screaming" for attention. Isn't he dapper in his little striped sweater? Yeah, he's cute.

Sophie

2012-01-08T20:48:00.002-07:00

Have you ever seen the YouTube video of pets who have been "dressed" in sweaters or costumes and they literally freeze? I washed Sophie's sweater the other day and never put it back on her because it has been kind of warm. With the temps dropping a little, my house is a little cold. So I put the sweater back on. When Sophie saw it in my hand, she took off the other way. I caught up with her and put on her fleece sweater. She froze. Here are some photos...

I realize these are "still" photos, but she would NOT move. I tried to coax her to come with me in the other room, but she would not budge.

She took a couple of steps... stopped...

Headed toward the wall...

Then when I wasn't looking, she laid down in her Elmo bed. She has been there all night. She cracks me up.

Happy 2012!

2012-01-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Wish all of you a prosperous, healthy and HAPPY New Year!

Be safe on New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Have a safe - and fun - evening!

Hand-crafted gift

2011-12-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter's friend, Tiffany, came by our house on Christmas Day and had waffles with us. It was so nice to see her - seems like forever. Kimberly and Tiffany have known each other since junior high, maybe? I think that's when they met. Anyway, Tiffany brought me a beautiful, unique gift...

She took two serving spoons and wrapped beads around the handles - so unique and beautiful. I love that Tiffany took the time to make these. They are really a special gift. She gets her talent honestly - from her mother.

Here's a closer look. I am excited to use them. I am sure they will make great conversation pieces.
Thanks, Tiff!

Christmas breakfast...

2011-12-28T17:42:00.002-07:00

I have been wanting to make - for a very long time - waffles with Dutch Honey Syrup. I finally did it on Christmas morning. It is a carmal-ly kind of syrup that my mother used to make all the time. The waffles don't look that impressive, but they tasted great. Hey - no one turned me down.

Mmmmmmm! It was good.

Merry Christmas from me to all of you!

2011-12-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Happy 2012!

Spirit of Christmas AND helping a stuck Santa!

2011-12-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

At Kate's school, there is a corporation - and I'm sorry, but I don't know the name - that sponsors the school at Christmas time. I think what they do is buy a gift for each child at the school. Each child gets the same gift and it changes from year to year. This year the gift was a bicycle. This photo is so amazing to me and definitely shows the spirit of Christmas:

They are lined up in the gym just waiting for the kids to take them home. Love it!
Yestereday I told you I would let you know what to do if Santa got stuck in your chimney? Well, here are the answers you might be looking for:

Call Ms. Bradsher for help - yep, she might be able to come up with a solution.

Hmmmm. Not sure what this one is, but I'm sure it is a good plan.

Tickle him - yes, that might work.

Finally, Francisco would push him down [the chimney].

Happy Christmas Eve!

Hope tomorrow is a wonderful day for you and your families.

Application to be Santa's Elf

2011-12-23T08:02:00.001-07:00

You all probably know that one of my daughters is a first-grade teacher. I just love going to her class and interacting with the little people. They are so darn cute. Kate always incorporates art activities into her class projects. One she did this year was having her students apply to be one of Santa's elves...

Maria would make a good elf because she helps her mom - a great attitude to have.

Emanuel believes he would be a good elf because he could get the reindeer.

And Abel would make a good elf because he wants to live at the North pole.

I love the pictures they drew of themselves.

The kids also learned about graphs while eating gingerbread cookies...

Evidently the majority of people eat the head of a gingerbread first!

The reason I went to Kate's class this week was to share the cookies from our cookie exchange.

My contribution were Magic Bars - they turned out so good this year.

The assortment of cookies

And Kate's class holding up their cookies before they took a bite.

Check tomorrow's blog for what to do if Santa gets stuck in your chimney!

I miss when my girls were little and -

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

I could entertain them by driving around looking at Christmas lights. They are not so easily entertained today. However, the other day Kimmy helped me take a load of stuff to the "new" townhouse and I was telling her how I missed looking at Christmas lights - so we did it! I took some pictures with my phone, and of course, they are not great, but here they are anyway:

I just love holiday lights -

and sharing them with someone!

All weekend and yesterday...

2011-12-20T07:18:00.001-07:00

I was MOVING! I am now in my new place - and loving it! Sadly, I am not unpacked, of course. My kitchen is almost done, and the living room looks pretty good, but I have a long way to go.
I am wondering, would you say it is hopeless?

Here they are moving the scrap box - it doesn't look that big in this photo, but it is the size of a big refrigerator. I had the same company (and I requested Jerry and Jacob) move me. They didn't think the scrap box looked as big this time. Pretty funny.

The first photo is the new craft room - and stuff is just crammed in there! My landlord came over to look at the disposal, and I told him not to be scared of that room when he sees it. I can't imagine what he thought.

This is the second bedroom - full of more stuff. Next step is to weed some [a lot] of that stuff out.

And the living room - dark picture because I am literally standing in the dark taking the photo.
Some of you are probably saying "didn't she just move?" Yes, I did - 7 months ago. But you probably also know the story of the scorpions? Well, I decided not to fight them and instead made the decision to leave them behind. As beautiful as that house was, I just would never be comfortable there.
I just wanted to share a little bit of my world with you. My goal today? Make it through the cookie exchange and keep on moving more stuff.

My Home Town - Columbus, Indiana

2011-12-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

I was on Facebook, going through photos, and one of my friends had multiple photos of my hometown. Columbus, Indiana is a small town (about 35,000 to 40,000) in southern Indiana. I have such great memories of growing up and of that town. It was a great place to raise a family. Sometimes, I am sad that no one in my family lives there anymore. I really would like to go back and visit - it's been way too long. Anyway, these photos are of Columbus generally during the '50s, and maybe later.

This is the downtown area about 1958 - I was just a baby, but I can definitely remember this street because it looked like this for years.

My oldest sister, Susan, worked at the A&W Rootbeer stand. We LOVED going there and getting a rootbeer in a baby mug. I bet my parents gave her a big tip. :)

This was the only theater in town (until my high school years). The old Crump theater. I saw many great movies at this theater.

Before McDonalds, there was The Red Barn. Best place to get a burger and you could walk there during our lunch period.

A great walk down memory lane - thanks for letting me share.

Candy Cane Ornaments

2011-12-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

These are the cutest Candy Cane Sleeves (ornaments).

They really are so cute - these were given as a gift to two ladies I work with. I put them together and hung them from my name plate for the photo... and they are still there. :)

Man, that was fast!

2011-12-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

It seems like I was making the cards for November's card exchange just last week. Well, our exchange is this Sunday and I just finished my cards tonight. The theme this month was "masculine" or as I like to say "manly." I have a lot on my plate right now, so I went with a very simple design...

I used a combination of Kaisercraft paper and American Crafts. The orange prints and brown overtones almost give me a tropical/African feel... and I'm lovin' it.

Whew Hew! All done!

You guessed it - It's Friendsday Wednesday

2011-12-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love Pinterest! I hope that when things settle down, I can do more than pin photos, recipes, etc. I want to try some of the recipes I found. I want to make some of the crafts I have seen. Until then, I will keep pinning. I found a blog: A Whisk and a Prayer. Mmmm. The photos make your mouth water. I especially love mac 'n cheese. This photo caught my eye...

... and my stomach. Totally looks like comfort food. Check out her blog. I think you will be amazed.

Sunday was class day

2011-12-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

My last card class at Paper Vineyard was Sunday at 1:00. It was a quiet group, but I got them talking and we had a good time, as usual --

Kits are being cut...

The tables are set...

Debbie

and her friend, Syd. Linda (in yellow)...

Colleen

and Valerie.

Wait - we had a visitor - Miss Lois.

sporting her very cool hat (LOVE that flower!)

It was a fun day. One more class to go.

Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

I decided this holiday season I would try to snap photos - sometimes you gotta be fast about it - of things or happenings that represent the Spirit of Christmas.
My first photo op was while I was driving home one day this week. I was pulling into traffic when I saw a beautifully refurbished VW van with lights across the grill and snowflake lights hanging around the sides and back. It went right past me. I tried to get in front of it, but couldn't do it. So here's my first photo of this series...

You may need to click on the photo to make it bigger so that you can see the snowflakes better. I'd say this driver has the Spirit of Christmas.

I absolutely love [most] everything weird and unusual...

2011-12-10T09:33:00.001-07:00

I also have an account on pinterest and while viewing photos one evening, I came across these:

It is a treehouse built in Brooklyn. It is so shabby chic and I absolutely love it - I want one, too! What a beautiful retreat. You can see more pics and read the story behind this treehouse at The Nautical Wheeler blog. The link to her entry about the treehouse is:
photoshttp://thenauticalwheeler.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/a-tree-house-in-brooklyn/

Enjoy!

Jean For Hire

2011-12-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have done a few books for co-workers and the latest one I did was for a Mud Run. Here are photos of a few of the pages...

I painted the edges of a cardboard tag book, rather than distress them with ink. Gave it that messy, mud look.

I used a lot of flaps in this book, so there were multiple pictures.

Embellishments were kept light in order not to take away from the paper. I used an old line by Cosmo Cricket and it worked out beautifully.

More flaps and hidden pictures.

It was a lot of fun doing this book. I loved how it all came together.

What's Your Image of Christmas?

2011-12-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Christmas has so many faces to it, don't you think? I mean, there's the Nativity, Baby Jesus, Santa, trees, boots... the list goes on and on - and it is different for each of us. Yes, there are common things we think of...

Ornaments of any kind - these happen to be like the ones my parents have.

Winter scenes - there's always snow at Christmas - except in Phoenix.

And we can't forget good ole' St. Nicholas.

Oranges and nuts - Santa always left those in my stocking - quite different from today. My girls would not know what to do with an orange and a handful of nuts.

The traditional Christmas dinner - what's your family's traditional dinner?

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

Christmas candles are everywhere - in every room.

But the real reason for the season is the birth of Jesus Christ.
All of this makes me reflect back on my Christmases as a child, what traditions I chose to carry on, how all of this shaped me, and what Christmas means to me today, as compared to 5, 10, 20 years ago. I guess I was just doing some heavy-duty thinking as we start into this holiday season.

It's Friendsday Wednesday!

2011-12-07T05:57:00.001-07:00

I follow a blog called Michele Made Me and this crafty lady makes things, decorations, gifts, whatever ... out of stuff she has around the house, usually things that are from her recyling bin. I am amazed at some of the things she comes up with. Here are a few photos...

These snowflakes are so pretty and are made out of newspaper circulars/ads. I would never have guessed that. They really caught my eye.

This wreath is made out of milk cartons. Before I read the blog I had guessed it was made from a Cool Whip container.

These small ornament wreaths are made out of spiral notebook rings. I think I would maybe go one step further and sprayed them with some glimmer mist. Still, a great project to do with your kids.

The point is - she makes "stuff" out of whatever we would normally throw away. Go to her website and check out her posts. I love the fact that she has me thinking about the materials I throw out every day. I do have a (full) drawer in my craft room labeled "green supplies." You guessed it. It is full of packaging, cardboard, plastics, paper coffee cups, whatever I think I might use on a project or as the base of a project. It makes me feel good when I have saved something from the trash and given it a good use. With that happy thought - have a great day!

Debby Schuh!

2011-12-04T20:10:00.001-07:00

Today Paper Vineyard hosted two classes taught by designer Debby Schuh (a designer from New York) - I attended both and had a great time. It was busy - we got right down to work and here are photos from today...

The kit for the first class of today - Grace Notes (inspired by a book titled A Thousand Gifts.) This picture shows Nicole and Cindy working hard on their books. Maryanna was next to me, but we were so busy, I did not have time to take photos of everyone in the class. We moved at a steady pace and didn't have much time to visit, but everyone had a great time.

I still need to finish the cover of Grace Notes. I want to use some personal family photos.

Inside pages...

We used Unibind products and actually created a bound book. The paperline used was October Afternoon - Farmhouse, I think.

Debbie Schuh taking photos of everyone in the classes.

This was the second class - a Christmas album

We had a busy day - but A LOT OF FUN! Debby Schuh is always so organized and extremely personable. Thanks to Paper Vineyard for hosting such a great day and providing us with a wonderful lunch!

Delivering of the tree

2011-12-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

The tree saga... you know that Nicole found her (now "my") tree. Here is the transfer of hands...

Nicole pulled up outside of my office where I was waiting to take back the tree.

I see she has a little stowaway - Miss Myah - so, OF COURSE, I had to have a good morning hug!

The tree - here it sits on my desk. I have not had time to decorate it yet, but no worries. That will get done.

Ready for tonight's card exchange...

2011-12-01T13:14:00.001-07:00

The theme this month is Christmas cards...

I started with a Sizzex die cut of a dove/bird.

This die also came with an embossing folder.

I then pulled out my Tim Holtz/Ranger Distress Inks in Pine Needles and Crushed Olives.

I used the distressing tool to add both colors to the doves. The buttons are all different and they are antique (or close to) buttons from a friend's mother. Once they were put together, I sprayed them with Glimmer Mist - just for a little extra something...

Love this saying: "Always leave a little room in your Holidays for Miracles."

The finished stack!

We exchange tonight and I'm one step closer to getting out my Christmas cards.

Friendsday Wednesday

2011-11-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

I was skimming the internet, looking for sites and I came across this one through Pinterest.com.

http://myblackbook.free.fr/

There is so much to look at - so many postings that are definitely eye catching and very inviting.

homemade snow globes - so very cute!

Christmas trees - art decor. Love it!
I don't quite understand the website, but I do know that there are so many things to look at - so many photos to view and tuck away for future inspiration. I hope you enjoy this website.

Found it!

2011-11-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

A little story: one year at the "after Christmas" sales at the mall, I found two very natural-looking trees at Linens Plus. The price was $2 each and I just couldn't pass them up. So I bought them and gave one to my friend, Nicole. I loved it, so would she! Well, many years have gone by and I don't know if she ever used it, but I put mine out every year at work. Another friend, "no frills" Sheridan, absolutely loved that tree. I looked all over for one like it and couldn't find one, so to make a long story short... after 3 or 4 years of her admiring my tree, I gave it to Sheridan, actually traded it for another. I immediately started missing that tree - so much so that I asked Nicole if I could have hers, provided that she didn't use it. Yes, I asked for the tree back. Guess what? Nicole and her daughter, Kylee, found it at home and the tree will soon be mine!

Kylee is holding MY tree. Is this what they mean by "what goes around, comes around" ?? Maybe it fits in this case. Thanks to Nicole and Kylee for finding it and giving it back. They made my day.

12-month Round Up!

2011-11-27T21:28:00.001-07:00

My next card class is a bargain - it is 10 cards for $15! I named it "12-month round up" because I am using papers purchased - and used - in the last 12 months. So, the savings are passed along.

The layout will be the same for each card - and each card is a "thank you" card. Perfect timing for saying thanks for your Christmas gifts! There is no guarantee on what kits you will get, but you will get ten cards kits.

Sunday, December 11, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. - Paper Vineyard Scrapbook Store in Chandler. Hope to see you there!

I took a little break...

2011-11-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

sometimes you just have to. I have been meaning to post my friend, Cindy's, photos of 2 altered boxes that she made as Christmas gifts for her family. As you can see, they turned out really cute...

I love the 3-D flowers on both of these boxes.

And the knobs really put the finishing touch to the boxes.

Of course, they make the perfect "wrapping" for Christmas gifts.

She then went on to make Thanksgiving cards. I love the one with the turkeys in the background.

Cindy had a very productive weekend and I appreciate her sharing with me, so that I can share with you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

So cute!

Precious little nuggets!

The hat fits this baby!

Whose up for this one?

This looks like it was from a Miss America pageant.

I was really torn as to what kind of blog to post today. I thought about sentimental, turkey dinners, turkeys, family, etc. and I just couldn't pick one. So, of course, I went to "google" and found photos of turkey hats. It made me think about how when you get together with family, sometimes you do funny, crazy things, and that is what makes the holidays so special.

I hope your Thanksgiving is memorable and fun!

More of Friendsday Wednesday

2011-11-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine turned me onto the blog of Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. Julie has a blog titled "Balzer Designs" and I have enjoyed going there. I am amazed at how Julie literally makes rubber stamps, templates. She is extremely artistic. She lives in New York and teaches classes all over, and also on line. The link to her blog is:

http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/

One of her recent blogs caught my eye - Christmas tags...

And I was able to check out her booth at CHA last January...

Go to her blog and you will also be amazed.

Cute Thanksgiving decoration

2011-11-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

My friend, Cindy, and I were out and about a week or so ago and we went into a Sally's Fabrics because we saw the sign indicating they were closing and everything was 40% off. As we were leaving, we saw this:

The shape of the pumpkin is cut out of cardboard and the individual pieces are covered with an orange print fabric. The cardboard was painted brown. It was so very festive. They had several pumpkins of different sizes and fabrics. Very cute!

Another Friendsday Wednesday

2011-11-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I like to see what blogs my friends are following and my friends at Paper Vineyard list a designer whose blog, Love, Mindy, I checked out: http://mindy-mindymoo.blogspot.com/
Her blog header looks like this...

Isn't it funny how you can read about somebody else's life and get totally caught up in it? I have found several people who write about their lives and I have to tell you, I find myself wondering what's the latest and what's happening with them.
Mindy shares photos and stories of her family but she also has some great crafting and cooking ideas.

Happy Wednesday!

Converted Coffee Holder...

2011-11-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to a cul-de-sac garage sale. It was h-u-g-e with lots of stuff! I spent $3 on miscellaneous stuff, but I was so excited to find this for only a dollar!

It is an EMPTY Keurig coffee holder. I didn't realize that at first. I thought it was an empty spice rack. It didn't matter what it was in it's old life because I had plans for it's new life!

It makes a wonderful tool caddy. It rotates and is very sturdy. I like having my small hand punches at my fingertips and this makes it possible. It rotates beautifully and holds quite a bit actually. This was a dollar well spent.

Kate's Project...

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

You have heard me talk about my oldest daughter, Kate. Well, she decided that she wanted to make a wall hanging out of wood slats, so we...

went to Home Depo and purchased these thin slats and thin strips to be used as supports. She laid them out on the floor to be sure the size would be good...

Who is it behind those Foster Grants? (Okay, that was a private joke for Kate - I used to always say that when they were little, wearing sunglasses.) She's at the checkout buying her wares...

She watered down brown paint and painted the wood. I believe she may have used sand paper to rough it up a little.

And she ended up with this. Her roommate, Katie, traced the letters on and then Kate painted within the "lines." Nice job! I really like it and am thinking I may need to do something similar. She got her inspiration from something she saw on Pinterest. I get my inspiration from her.

Happy...

2011-11-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Veteran's Day!

As usual, I was afraid

2011-11-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

of a new contraption. I bought this Xyron 500 at one of the sidewalk sales held at Paper Vineyard for $3! What a smoking deal - I just couldn't pass it up. I just hoped that it worked. I bought it about a year ago and as is typical of me, I wanted to use it, but was fearful. So tonight I took it out and replaced the cartridge.

I had already purchased several of the refill cartridges - what a snap to replace. Just pop one out and pop the new one in.

Feed the paper in, original side up.

Turn the handle, and it pulls the paper through.

It comes out the other side. You just peel it off the paper.

You can see the "sheen" - that's the sticky part. It is completely covered.

Ta da! It makes it one big sticker.

So glad I finally tried it.

It's Friendsday Wednesday

2011-11-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

I happened to be searching for card blogs and through my friend, Lori Barnett, I came across this one: Lucy's Cards. The link is http://hedgehogsandladybirds.blogspot.com/. Lucy's bio is:

Lucy was first introduced to stamping in 2008 when her sister gave her a scrapbooking kit. Not long after, Lucy bought Hero Artist Sally Traidman's book 'Simply Cards', and a new obsession began. She was introduced to the world of rubber stamps, and more specifically Hero Arts. Lucy creates cards that are clean, simple and fun. She loves to combine patterned paper with stamping and particularly enjoys paper piecing with stamped images.

In 2009 Lucy was asked to create some samples with Hero Arts digital stamps, and a new craze started. She has now had cards published in a number of magazines, including CARDS and Paper Crafts.
Lucy lives in Manchester, England with her husband and their naughty cat Dennis. She is a full time high school teacher. And... she is expecting a baby in 3 weeks!

She has a very nice blog about card making. She has multiple samples of cards, but the ones below really caught my eye:

I am a sucker for Christmas cards. And I absolutely love the peacock card. I can already feel the inspiration. Lucy has lots of followers and is on, or has been on, several design teams. Be sure to check out her blog. Enjoy!

Painted Piano - This should be on Pinterest

2011-11-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know which site I took this from, but it appears it came from "Addicted 2 Decorating."

I love the piano - and the whimsical way the plates are hung on the wall, nothing symmetrical about it.

It is kind of like a cloud ... or maybe a breeze.

What a bold statement to paint the piano turquoise - that took one brave soul.

It's perfect.

We've been having some gorgeous days here...

2011-11-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

I let my two little dogs out for a potty break and Sophie immediately started sniffing around the yard. She always monkeys around, plays with her ball before getting down to business. I have to remind her multiple times over.

Not Jack. He goes right out and does his thing, then on this particular day, he decided to lay in the sun and work on his tan.

He has always loved sitting in the sun, even when the pavement is hot. I don't know how he does it.
I guess you just have to be a dog to understand.

A shorter name would have been easier...

2011-11-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, my daughter's name is Katie and her roommate's name is Katie. Katie squared. Katie 1 and Katie 2. Thing 1 and Thing 2 - no, I'm just teasing, girls. Katie 2 (not my daughter) has a friend who recently had a baby girl and they named her Kensington. Katie's gift to her was to cover wood letters spelling her name. This is when you might had hoped the name would be "Ann" or something similarly short. Both Kates stopped by to see my assortment of papers, Katie came up with a plan, and ended up with the letters above. Aren't they adorable? They are cute on the floor but I'm sure they are even cuter on the wall.

Thanks for sharing, Katie.

November's card class...

2011-11-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

You can guess - it will be a Christmas card class. I absolutely LOVE Christmas, and it's right around the corner, so ... it only makes sense, right? I am using the Reminisce Christmas lines and we will not only be decorating the outside, but also the inside of each card. We are also using Cosmo Cricket's sheet of Christmas sayings - so you can individualize these cards to your preferences.
Here are the fronts of four of the cards...

and now the insides...

They will be lightly embellished so that it makes for easier mailing. Oh yes, and you will go home with TEN cards and envelopes - all for $25.

Date: Saturday, November 26, 2011

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Location: Paper Vineyard Scrapbook Store

To Sign Up: 480-656-2058 or

www.papervineyard.com

"Sliders" Class

2011-11-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I taught my monthly card class - I called these cards "sliders" simply because they are two pieces and the top piece slides into the bottom piece. Check out the event and all the smiley faces...

Linda and Betty are all smiles. These two really work as a team - not only in putting their crafts together, but also in getting to the store. One drives and the other navigates. That would be the perfect kind of friend to have!

Cindy and Laurel - another couple of friends who spent the day just having a great time.

Lois and Amanda, who are now new friends.

Colleen and Amanda, mother and daughter, on the far end... then Valerie and Gayl . The finished product?

Thanks, Ladies, for taking my class - it is always a pleasure to see you again! See you again soon!

Friendsday Wednesday

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

You know, while I was looking through numerous blogs to feature on today's blog, a light bulb clicked on over my head.

Why am I searching the internet when one of the best blogs is done by my friend, Deb, called the Paper Turtle. I always find her blog to be inspiring, and the photography is always spot on. She might discuss things that happen in her day, or crafts....

She is always doing some sort of craft that turns out very cute. Or she might give you a recipe...

... for pumpkin heaven... or cupcakes, show you what they had for dinner, or give you a quote for the day. Whatever it is, I always enjoy her blog. So go on and check it out. I know you will, too. It is usually the first one I go to when I am reading my list of blogs. So even though Deb isn't a new friend, she is an "old" friend and I am glad to share her with you.

Debby Schuh! Whew Hoo!

2011-10-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

I don't take many classes, but you might remember that I took a couple of classes from a designer by the name of Debby Schuh. She lives in New York and was visiting here in August. At the last minute, she offered some classes and I signed up. I am so glad that I did! I should tell you that I have been "stalking" her for 2 years. Yep, 2 years! I saw her at CHA and felt like a groupie. She's coming to Paper Vineyard Scrapbook Store in Chandler the first Sunday of December to teach two classes. She is most definitely one of the best instructors I have ever taken a class from.

I took the following classes:

The Recipe of Me

Anthropologie mini book (made from a shopping bag)

Debby is known for her special folds and creative pockets.

I liked her classes so much, that I bought one of her kits from her online.

You should check out Paper Vineyard's website - there are photos of the mini books she will be teaching. The mini books are different than the ones pictured here. You might not want to wait too long, these classes will fill up. Come spend the day making books - if you don't keep them, they will make great gifts. It will be a fun day!

Friendsday Wednesday

2011-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

I LOVE buttons. For some strange reason, I am totally drawn to buttons. I don't know why, but I just can't get enough buttons. I have a friend who loves ribbon. What can I say? We all have our evil addictions. Some of my buttons are in a 12x12 basket...

You can see the basket more than half full.

I have more in two antique jars...

So.. . I went in search of a button blog. And I found one that gives me inspiration. It is http://www.buttonfloozies.blogspot.com/. The blogger, Laurie, has had so many beautiful, and some odd photos of button art. A couple that attracted my attention are:

This button art - I can't imagine having the patience to put this together, but I absolutely love it!

And this sewing machine makeover. I don't think I could do this to my machine, but it sure is interesting. Seems like it should be something we would find in a vintage store. Check out her blog. I think you will like it.

Fun Halloween Treats

2011-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever eaten candy corn and peanuts - at the same time? The idea is to eat them together and they taste like a Payday candy bar. They are so good! I learned this from my Minnesota friends and usually put it together every Halloween. So I came up with the following treat to take to my office and I love the presentation...

I didn't want to lay them in a basket, so I stood them up in a vase that I bought at IKEA. It is perfect!

I bought skinny little cellophane bags, used my paper scraps, and bought some stickers at the Dollar store. My tiny attacher was perfect for closing these little bags. I can't want to take them to the office on Monday.

I put together treat bags for my daughter's first grade class. I also have Halloween pencils for each of them. I think they will definitely like the candy!

Have a great Halloween!

I'm sharing a lot with you today...

2011-10-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

by showing you this picture. Most of you know that I am a paralegal and I am in what I call "trial mode." You know that saying "a picture is worth a thousand words...???"

Well, keep them to yourself. :) I am getting ready for trial and actually have three trials set during the next 6 months, so yeah, it is just a little crazy. I just can't wait for the week to be over.

Punch Card

2011-10-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

Our next assignment for the card exchange is to create a card featuring a punch/punches. A couple of years ago, Cindy showed me a card made out of punches. While I couldn't find the photo, I had in my head what I needed. We purchased the appropriate punches, so I had what I needed.

These are the punches I used - you could use so many others.

This is a Fiskars product that I bought at a sidewalk sale. I have never used it, but have found that I really like it. I am hoping to find additional punches that fit into this handle. These small punches fit inside the handle and it makes it so much easier to punch.

I used this small flower punch by trimming off the stems. This was the hair for my lady.

And here's my finished card...

I had to use a border punch - I just really love those! They add so much to a project.

So at our card exchange on Sunday, we will all be making these cards.

Friendsday Wednesday - Something New

2011-10-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

You know, I sometimes listen to Beth & Friends on Phoenix radio station 99.9. Every Wednesday she throws a dart at a map of the United States and then finds someone in that town to call and chat with. I really enjoy that and think that it is an effort to make the world a smaller place. I like that. So I have decided to steal their idea and do a "Friendsday Wednesday" kind of thing by featuring a new blog, and hopefully making a new friend.
Let me introduce One Pearl Button (OPB)...

Nice Things

Alli is in her twenties, is an anthropologist (interesting!) and I believe she lives in Cincinnati with her husband. Please take the time to click on this link. I was actually led to this blog/website by Carrie of Rosalind Revival. What caught my eye was this photo:

I find her blog to be enticing and it truly draws me in.
I hope you enjoy it!

Vintage Christmas Cards from the '40s and '50s

2011-10-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

You might know that I have been collecting vintage Christmas cards. I have found them at craft stores and estate sales. My plan has always been to cut the cards and make them into new cards to send out. I thought it might be hard for me to actually cut the cards since they are over 50 years old, but I found I had no guilt cutting the cards. I am also using my scrap papers to make these cards. Here are my new "creations"...

All of the cards are folded into panels, which I open up to use as much of the card as possible.

On most of the cards, I used Stickles, added ribbon, metal embellishments, or maybe stamped a message. Above is the outside of my first card.

Inside....

"Before" photo

"After" photo

Inside panel of the square bell card.

This one is my favorite. I love the scene of the winer creek and the holly bush. I have to confess that I probably won't send this card out.

This is not the last card I made. I'll post more on another day, once they are all done. Have any of you started making your holiday cards? Is anyone done? I generally make about 100 cards, so to quote my dad, "I need to get the lead out."

Have a great day!

My phone camera came in handy

2011-10-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

while I was standing in the check out line at Michaels. On of the cover of one of the magazines was a photo of an altered picture frame and I just wanted to look at it closer later, so I took a picture.

Everything is white, and it is really cute how they hung the photos with clothes pins on wire strung across the frame. I really like this idea. Wouldn't it be cool with a Christmas theme? A place to hang Christmas cards mixed with family photos, maybe?

Friends on Friday!

2011-10-15T10:10:00.003-07:00

Okay - I walked in the door, returning from California about 6:30 on Thursday night. I still had to run to Safeway, check things out at home, and set things up for Friday's "craft day." Before I went home, though, my oldest daughter, Kate, asked Kim and I to stop by her apartment for a surprise that she brought back from New York. Yes, she was in New York while Kim and I were in Oceanside!

She brought us two cupcakes, a vanilla cake/coconut icing cupcake (from Crumbs Bake Shop) and a red velvet (no photo, sorry).

Sorry you missed it! Kim forfeited the vanilla cupcake to me and I have to say it was one of the best I have ever eaten. I was also impressed that the cupcake liner was imprinted with the store's name.

I stayed home Friday and spent some quality craft time with my friends - Loretta, Nicole, Cindy, Lois, and Adriana. They each had a packet of "Bliss" paper from Crate Paper with chipboard pieces, rubons, and a naked frame waiting for them. We had lunch, and for those who could stay, we had dinner. I was having such a good time I forgot to take pictures before Nicole left - I try never to miss photo ops, but I sure did yesterday. Here's what I caught:

The photo above is what Adriana accomplished before she left to spend time with her boys.

Adriana and Cindy (who worked on two Christmas altered books).

Lois (working on her dog mini book - it is like a build-a-book that you make with others through the mail, a very interesting concept) and Loretta (who brought many pictures and worked on her scrapbook pages).

Miss Lois again. Notice Lois' new punches on the left side of the photo? I tried to slide them closer to me, but she caught on to that. Lois always has the "bestest" border and corner punches.

I was able to finish my Christmas cards (designed by Cindy). Now I can move onto another project, without any guilt.

Remember the company Unique Pages? Well, the previous owners retired, but this is one of their frames, painted, and then distressed with white paint. A little ribbon and a tag. Put a photo or saying behind it and you've got a Christmas ornament or a door knob decoration. Thanks, Loretta, for sharing this.
I REALLY enjoyed spending the day with my friends, at my house, doing crafts, and just chatting it up. Can't wait to do it again! I think next time I might be able to add another 2, maybe 3 spots!

Sticking with "green" Fridays...

2011-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is unbelievable...

I am just not sure about this one. From the article, it does appear that this car is actually driven on the road. My personal fear would be that it has bugs and other critters living in it. Green is still my favorite color. Happy Weekend!

Another Day in Oceanside

2011-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

We have walked to, and on, the pier several times, visited San Clemente, drove around the streets of Oceanside and Carlsbad, and went out for breakfast at Beach Break Cafe...

My oldest daughter, Kate, suggested we go there for the banana crunch french toast. That's Kim's plate.

I chose biscuits and gravy, etc.

Nice place and good food. Very good service.

Then we stopped by a couple of second hand/"vintage" finds places...

The first place was called Treasures on the Coast...

A lot of rooms with a lot of interesting stuff...

This antique perfume bottle caught my eye. I didn't buy it, but definitely think it is beautiful.

Then we headed to Estate Sale Warehouse. I bought a corning dish that goes with my recently purchased electric skillet - for only $4! Now that was a bargain.
Back to the pool and jacuzzi, more walks on the beach, then home tomorrow.

Cupcake Wars!

2011-10-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

My friends, Nicole and Sam, got together with their family and put on their own cupcake wars. Here are the entries...

Choc w/cherries Red Velvet w/cream cheese icing

Choc w/Coffee frosting Choc w/cream cheese

Oreo cookie Cookie dough

Grandma Toni and Great Grandma were the judges.

The winners? Great Grandma chose Red Velvet and

Grandma Toni had a tie with the Cookie dough and Chocolate w/Coffee Icing. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

First full day in San Diego and Oceanside

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

We woke up in San Diego and checked out Seaport Village and drove around Coronado Island before heading to our destination in Oceanside. Here are more photos of our trip so far:

Lots of pelicans at the marina.

I was kind of amazed at how the white egrets would perch at the top of a very large tree. These are large birds.

We saw sea lions... sunbathing.

It was a sunset cruise after all, and we did see a magnificent one!

Kim and I after a long day of travel and finishing our boat ride.

Sunday we headed off to Pole Park right by Seaport Village. This is the USS Midway.

Kim wanted very much to see the "larger than life" statue of a sailor kissing his girl goodbye.

Shopping at Seaport Village.

Kimberly is very good at writing, and even sending, postcards. Here she is sitting at the bookstore writing out her postcards.

The view from our patio - we are on the second level, which is the ground level.

At least we have a view of the ocean.

Dining room and kitchen...

and living area.

We are having a great time and hoping to get out the door soon to see more of Oceanside.

I am sitting in a dark hotel room...

2011-10-10T05:00:00.001-07:00

sounds scary doesn't it? Well, Kimmy is trying to sleep and I am sitting in our room, lights out, so she can. We are in San Diego at the Mission Bay Lodge. We arrived in time for our sunset cruise and found a hotel room. The cruise was very relaxing and COLD on that water! Some photos of yesterday...

Here we are on Interstate 8, not too far out of Phoenix, about 300 miles from San Diego. Yep, I took it while I was driving.

I put the camera away for the rest of the driving time. When we arrived at the marina, I just really enjoyed watching the pelicans. They were all over the place.

It is hard to see, but the boat we went out on is straight out, in the middle of this photo. It doesn't look very big, but it was pretty good size.

After the cruise, we found a pasta place called Devine Pastabilities whose claim to fame is their "Torpasta."

When Kimmy read the back of the menu about a fourth grader named Damien who used to eat spaghetti sandwiches - well, let's just say she felt right at home...

Because Kimberly LOVES spaghetti sandwiches. She started making them when she was a kid probably about fourth grade. It started with dipping her bread, then eventually it became full blown sandwiches.

We started our meal with garlic bread which is actually the inside of the garlic rolls. Very light, not real heavy with butter and garlic. Then dipped into a homemade marinara sauce. Very nice.

This is mine - it is italian sausage, green peppers and onions with a ziti kind of pasta. It is placed in this hollowed out garlic roll. I tell you - it is so very good!

Kim opted for the tortellini in a marinara sauce. She loved it and really enjoyed the restaurant. She did admit, though, that she would not stop making spaghetti sandwiches.

After that, we decided to go back to the hotel and snuggle in. Kim is still snuggled this morning as I write this blog.

More to come later.

A quick little craft

2011-10-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

I just love the $1 frames that you can pick up from Michaels. You can really make some cute frames with very little product. Tonight, I put the following one together.

I used an older line by Crate Paper called "Bliss" and it uses different shades of pink, green, and black. I just love the paper line. I distressed it by using a black Distress pad - just barely touching up the edges.

This is the back of the frame. I think I will go back and cover the back so that it looks good on both sides. These frames can be used for any event and they make wonderful gifts. Try it. I would love to see what you come up with.

Info About Me...

2011-10-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

You've seen these. I have done them in emails, but I thought it would be interesting to present this in a blog. I was inspired by Deb and Carrie.

A. Age - 54
B. Bed Size - Queen
C. Chore that you hate - there are so many, but if I have to pick one, it would be cleaning the tub
D. Dogs - I have two, Sophie and Jack
E. Essential to start your day - Reading, even if it is only 10 minutes
F. Favorite color - Green, without a doubt
G. Gold or silver - gold
H. Height - 5'5"
I. Instruments you play - nothing now, but I used play the flute. Oh, and I whistle a lot!
J. Job Title - Paralegal
K. Kids - two beautiful daughters
L. Live - Tempe, AZ
M. Mother's Name - Mary Lois (she goes by Lois)
N. Nicknames - Jeano Beano, Jelly Bean Jean, Green Bean
O. Overnight hospital stays - Just let me simply say "yes"
P. Pet Peeves - Someone who cuts me off in traffic simply because they have to get ahead by one car
Q. Quote from a movie - "He hates these cans!" from The Jerk
R. Right or Left Handed - Right
S. Siblings - Two brothers AND Two Sisters for a total of 5 kids
T. Tattoos - No way
U. Underwear - Every day!
V. Vegetable You Hate - I don't see a reason for artichokes and brussel sprouts, but I will eat them if I have to.
W. What makes you run late - Trying to pack too much into my mornings
X. X-rays You've Had - Check out "O" above - numerous ones
Y. Yummy Food That You Make - chicken 'n dumplings, meatloaf, baked goods - I see that Deb and I have this in common.
Z. Zoo animal - polar bears are cool to watch but can be hard to find in some zoos

Now that was fun ~

Another "green" Friday...

2011-10-07T05:00:00.001-07:00

What's my favorite color?

Oh, yeah, green. While it looks a little "tickly," this also looks soft and relaxing. Have a great weekend!

Jinglebobby

2011-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love the word - jinglebobby. Say it. Say it again. Say it fast. What are they?

Simply, it is a bobby pin with beads that jingle. I learn stuff from my girls all the time. This is something I learned this weekend from Kimberly. It is very cute in her hair. Thanks, Kim, for the word lesson.

October All Occasion Card Class

2011-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am really, really excited about these cards! They are "slide cards." So they do not open up the typical way; they are two pieces that slide together/apart. We are also going to cover a tin to be used as a gift box - great for a small gift or gift card.

Here is one, closed...

and now open.

This shows several of them open...

and closed. Only four cards are shown, but there will be 6 or 7 different cards, along with the gift box.

Because of the number of tins available, I have to limit this class to 14. I am using the North Pole paper line by Crate Paper. It is an older line, but as you can see, the colors and prints are gorgeous! The class is being held at Paper Vineyard Scrapbook Store in Chandler on Saturday, October 29, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. Price of the class is $25. You are going to love this class, so be sure to sign up.

More of Saturday...

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Baby shower for friends, Holly (and Kenny) at Adriana's house...

Here's Holly - all of her glory. :) There were a lot of people there, and several babies...

Adriana was watching her grandson, Andreas - he was all over the place, but finally decided a bottle while sitting in Adriana's lap didn't sound so bad after all.

Among other treats, we had very cute cupcakes. Mmmmmm!

Whew - Sept 30 is turning out to be a busy day!

2011-10-01T12:52:00.001-07:00

I am up and out the door for Bountiful Baskets...

Remember this is only half. I pick up Kimmy and we go together to pick up our fruit and vegetables. Then we split it all. From there, we went to ...

Bunna Coffee - I had a coupon and treated Kimberly. I really enjoyed my non-fat dirty chai.

That is Adolfo behind the counter.

Then I dropped off Kimberly at her apartment, ran my produce home, then took off for the Antique Mall on Arizona Avenue, south of Warner. Big flea market going on there today...

This was the biggest cast iron skillet I have ever seen. I am sure it has seen a lot of campfires.

I hooked up with Pat because I called her for directions and as it turned out, she was on her way over there.

Okay, I think this is the strangest thing I have seen. It is a cardboard lager box, made into a cowboy hat. I wanted Pat to try it on, but she didn't. If she had, that picture would be here, too.

A quick bite at Pittsburgh Willy's - great hotdogs, by the way.

I purchased the two enamel trays for a total of $3 - a smoking deal. Not sure what I will do with them, but they remind me of my mother.

This enamel pitcher/measuring cut was my mother's. I remember her cooking with it all the time. My sister, Gail, rescued it from my dad who was using it as an oil container years ago. It goes with the two trays.

I thought these earrings would make beautiful rings - one for me and one for Nicole. She is the one who is going to make them. Not me.

My day is only half over. More things coming.

Just a Photo Today

2011-09-30T07:58:00.004-07:00

Do you ever just spend time on your compuer googling photos? I do. It can really suck my time, but I enjoy it. I do it while I am watching tv. Today I googled "lush yards" and this is one of the photos that came up...

I love it! I love the messy, yet green-ness of this yard. I think I could be safe in saying it probably isn't in Arizona, although it could be - you know, an older part of the Valley. Just this photo today. Have a great day!

Thank you, Carlos and Celina!

2011-09-29T06:09:00.000-07:00

I understand this is not Celina's interest, but she knows that I absolutely LOVE Project Runway - although I have to say I am a little disappointed in this season's challenge (to put it mildly). Last week was pitiful. Celina takes my card classes whenever she can and on Saturday she surprised me with this:

It is a Project Runway pin cushion! Now I ask you, how cute is that??11??

It comes with a little storage area attached to the base...

and a tape measure with it's own holder.

Celina and Carlos, thank you! I absolutely love it!