Saturday

Whew! What a day! Kevin and I worked outside for about three hours in the 80+ degree weather. We trimmed bushes and put in fresh mulch out front. We still have to finish the backyard beds, but we'll do a little bit each night this week when it's cooler. It was too stinkin' hot today. We finished just in time before the rain poured here about 3pm. When I got my shower, I literally said "thank you Lord" outloud about three times. It's the little things like fresh, cool showers on a hot summer day that make me grateful.

This afternoon I got a call from my friend Lisa who wondered if I'd help paint polka dots on her girls' ceiling fan blades. She and her husband are having a house built in the north part of the county and they're finishing up little details before the carpet is installed Monday. The girls each chose a shade of purple for their bedrooms and they wanted a fun "girly" look to their white ceiling fan blades. We could only do the first coat of paint on them as it is humid today and they don't have their a/c installed at the new house yet. I'll have to go back later this week to finish them and I'll share some pictures of how they turned out. It's "crafting" in a new home kind of way. LOL It's pretty exciting to see the girls giddy over something as simple as polka-dotted fan blades.

I left their house about 9pm tonight and to the northwest was the most beautiful "marbled" sky. I had to take a picture of course! This doesn't do it justice, but it's still nice, huh? Wow! God truly is the ULTIMATE artist!

Well, it's church and more weed pickin'/mulch spreading tomorrow....I'll try to share something crafty soon!

Graduate Layout

I had shared the photos from Kevin's graduation last month, but finally did some layouts regarding the occasion. Here's the two-page layout with the main pictures. I also created a page with pics of the shop where he trained and then a pocket page to keep his cards, program, etc. in for safe keeping.

Instead of using the numbers overlay on just one page, I cut it in half for a different look. *click any pic for close-up* I used silver metal letters for the title and accented with the screwhead snaps for a manly touch. Love the yummy SU! textured cardstock in Mellow Moss and Blue Bayou. The patterned paper is from a retired Simply Scrappin' Kit.
I had a sheet of silver Magic Mesh so I used SU! stars punches for both sizes. They punched so easily then since this mesh is self-stick it was a piece of cake to add them to my page. I added the date with my little black rub-on letters.

Ok, have a good weekend. I have to deliver stamp orders and enjoy a night out with Kevin on Friday, then Saturday I'm sleeping in and doing chores around the house. I am also busy working on details for my hostess event, so I'll be back next week. I have to DO something so I have something to share...Thanks for stopping by...

We Ain't Right-Part II

Me+Mom+Connie+Joan=croppin' fun with jokes, laughs and a bit of scrappin'....LOL ! Certainly a "you had to be there" kind of day, but I still have to share the blackmail evidence from last weekend's crop at mom's. Last time it was Connie and I with our paper "glasses" and this time mom got some hillbilly teeth and mustaches to add to the fun. Dahlin', you look mahvelous! NOT!

Yes, we are nutty. Man, do we have fun though. Uh, excuse me but you have a wooly worm on your upper lip. Bwahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaa!

Hmm...I think I'll "brows" the catalog. nyuk nyuk nyuk She looks like Groucho Marx. LOL!

Hey, you can even dress up your favorite tools! Ok, it was after midnight at this point and things can get a bit hairy (pun intended) when it's late.

Macy got to join the fun the next morning. This was the only place I could put it near her face without her whipping it off in a second. Eww, mom...get that OFF of me! LOL She's a good little furball.

Hey, if all they can think to put on my grave stone someday is "lived a happy life", then mission accomplished. I am so grateful God gave me a wacky sense of humor.

Ok, next time I'll get back to posting crafty stuff. Later!

Home

I got this white chipboard word on clearance at Target last year. My mom admired it and just this past weekend I finally got it decorated for her (me, procrastinate? nah!). She is going to hang it in her craft area beside a framed art piece that uses the same color scheme. It's kinda sweet...the framed piece she made is about my dad. *smile*

I used my Mono Multi-purpose glue to adhere the cardstock and sanded the edges with my sanding block. I left them kind of "raw" instead of inking them. I added some die-cuts, ribbons and buttons for a finishing touch. To get the cardstock cut to the size of each letter, simply lay the paper face down, then the chipboard piece face down over it. Trace around the letter with a pencil, then cut out and adhere. To get the inside of certain letters sanded just use a small nail file or something like the Basic Grey precision file kit for those really tight spots.

When I think of the word home, I remember my childhood home in Kentucky. I didn't realize how much that home meant to me until after we moved away in 1994. I often dream of being back in our old house, even in my bedroom. In my dreams I remember the sights, smells and sounds of that place I called home for 22 years. I am so blessed to have been raised in a loving, happy home. Thanks mom and dad! *sniffle*

Be Yourself

I decided a while ago that it was ok to scrapbook about myself. Not in a conceited way, but I realized it is just as important to scrapbook my personal life as well as about others I love. As the main "photographer" of a family, the scrapbooker usually appears the least in pictures. You know, somebody just might want to remember me as the nut I proudly confess to be...LOL So, with digital camera in hand, I hold it out and snap a few shots sometimes. Try it, it's truly ok to capture yourself in pages.

I have naturally curly hair. On this particular morning before work (notice the flowery scrub top) I decided to take a pic of my wacky 'do. Of course, one had to be a goofy face as usual. (Yes, I laugh at myself. I have to sometimes in order to deal with life.) LOL Thus, the two pics for this layout. The title explains it all! I am truly goofy most days and this one was no exception. I like...no, LOVE to have fun in life!!! *smile*

Here's a close-up of those delicious sheer white blossoms I just got the other day. Love that white sharpie for dots. I used glue dots to layer some shiny plastic flowers and a woven "laugh" circle to the centers. *click for a closer look* You'd probably never guess I was painfully shy as a little girl. It's true!

Remember, life is too short....HAVE FUN, Lots of Fun!

Thanks for stopping by...now go take a pic and do a scrapbook page about YOU!

June 22nd Workshop Highlights

My hostess wanted to recreate something similar to the cute little jar on page 116 of the catalog. I was fortunate to find these adorable jars at Wal-Mart in a 3-pack. I kept everything bright and cheery by using the Bold Brights colors. To create the fun flowers, simply stamp and punch out your circles and adhere to the scallop circle punch-outs. Make a "sandwich" by first taping the skewer stick onto the back of one scallop. Add four dimensionals (two of them stacked two-high) on either side of the stick. If you add brads to the center, be sure to add them before you make your "sandwich". I used the pliers in the Crafter's Tool Kit to cut the skewers in varying lengths. Add ribbon and trim ends, fill jar with candy, then insert flowers. Easy peasy!

So many variations! I love to see how creative the guests get with their projects. The second from the left was made in red/white/blue to match an Americana kitchen. Cute! *click any pic for a closer look*

These little pups were too tired to stamp. LOL Aren't they adorable? Chubs and Annie! They greeted me at the door and licked my toes. They like lotion just like my Macy. LOL

I made the hostess gift to coordinate with the workshop project. I created a hanging frame from a photo mat. Simply stamp the mat with the stamps of your choice, add some Hodgepodge Hardware "hangers" and ribbon. See the next photos for close-ups and details...

I used craft ink to stamp the letters and images. The letters were stamped directly onto the mat, but these circles were stamped on cardstock then glued on. I arranged the colors in reverse order of the stamped name. I am a bit anal with details, you know. Made ya look! LOL

To make this a "frame" you need a place to insert a photo. Simply cut off the flap of a clear envelope just below the adhesive strip. Place Sticky Strip around the photo mat opening then carefully adhere the envelope. Be sure to adhere the envelope with the front of the envelope facing the front of the mat.

Ok, that's all the details. As you know, this was my last workshop today. I will now begin preparing for the Hostess Appreciation Event that's here on July 26th. So glad I found my mojo yesterday...I'm gonna need it to make some groovy things for that day. *wink*

Thanks again Brandy for being a hostess!

Absolutely Fabulous

I made this card using the new Papertrey Ink set called Guide Lines. I think it's going to be one of my favs as I can create any color background. With so many smaller stamps, the variations are endless! The words are from the PTI set called Mixed Messages.

ink colors used: SU! Certainly Celery and Always Artichoke, PTI Lemon Tart
cardstocks: SU! Whisper White, Hobby Lobby textured olive, PTI Lemon Tart
punches: Marvy Uchida Extra Jumbo Scalloped Oval & Super Jumbo Scalloped Oval

I tore the front right edge and let the flower overlap the edge. This one will not fit in a standard A-2 envelope, so I will either put it in a larger envelope or handcarry to the recipient.

I added some white dots with my Sharpie on both the cardstock and the Sheer White Blossom.

I'm off to my very last workshop today. I'll be back tomorrow with highlights. Thanks for stopping by...

Mojo in a box...

Mojo can appear in many forms. Today it appeared in this cardboard box from Papertrey Ink! *cackle*
Ahhh....the glorious new products inside the said mojo box. I allowed myself to place an order with commission I made from Saturday's workshop. See, I can "work" my part-time "job" to pay for my highly addictive hobby. LOL After August, I'll just have to have more restraint once my business ends. It's ok, I have PLENTY to work with as of now! LOL

In the mojo box I found:

• Lemon Tart 8 1/2 x11 cardstock
• Lemon Tart stitched grosgrain ribbon
• Lemon Tart 1" ink pad cube
• Marvy extra jumbo scalloped square punch
• Guide Lines stamp set
• Sheer White blossoms
• Clear card boxes
• Out on a Limb additions

Oh, my....now I have to get it all organized so when I pack for Saturday's crop I can play! I hope to have some fun new creations to share after the weekend. Thanks for stopping by...

Beer, Burgers and Corn

What do you get when you mix a husband drinking beer (yuck), burgers grilled with charcoal and some fresh sweet corn boiled to perfection? Entertainment and dinner in a small town on a Tuesday night. LOL!

Nice pj's, huh? We both love to be comfy. Kevin is perfectly content sitting outside with a good book. Macy was daydreaming about some squirrel that might appear near the fence. LOL
Kevin has been grilling the old-fashioned way lately. He likes the taste of charcoal-grilled burgers best. Takes longer, but it is good.
I had corn duty. I love to boil these bad babies up, add some butter and salt and chow down.

I guess for those of you who came here to see something crafty, let's see....I can pick out Stampin' Up! colors from these three photos.
Pic #1: Night of Navy, Garden Green, Whisper White and Going Gray (ahem...Kevin's hair...LOL)
Pic #2: Basic Black, Going Gray, Garden Green and Close to Cocoa
Pic #3: Summer Sun!

My world exists in SU! colors on a daily basis. Look around, yours just might, too. LOL!

P.S. I'm looking for my mojo...anyone seen it?

*looks around, shrugs shoulders* :)

Special Announcement

As posted in my mid-month update e-newsletter to customers:

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

After much thought and prayer, I have decided to close my Stampin' Up! business when this current catalog ends on August 10,2008. My business has been such a tremendous blessing! I have gained so much in the way of friendships, self-confidence and personal achievement. I want to personally thank each and every one of you for your continued support in the last three years.
My only reason for ending my demonstratorship is to regain a sense of balance in my life. I decided it was time to exhale mentally, emotionally and physically. I have pondered doing less with my business versus giving it up. I have been so torn about my decision because creativity is my passion! I want to give nothing less than 110% to my customers and simply came to the point where I felt it was time to focus on my personal life more and to recharge my "batteries". I always told myself that if life got too hectic and I needed to cut back on commitments, my business was the logical thing to go. There is no doubt I will miss it in a lot of ways.
My family has listened to my thoughts and tears regarding my tough decision and has supported me through every step of the process. You know how some people end something good in life when they are on the top? That's how I feel. I have a very successful business, a great customer base and a terrific company to work with...Stampin' Up! To those on the outside looking in, there really is no logical reason at this point to end my business. I have great support from my husband, family and friends. However, it is time to say goodbye to the business aspect and return to customer status...for myself.
During the next few months, I will not change my business in any way. I am here for each of you as we make this smooth transition together. Please call me, e-mail me or stop by with your questions or orders. It is hard to break this news to you, but I know it will help me be a better person to recharge and rebalance my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for what each of you has given to me these last three years! I couldn't have asked for a better experience! The main thing that is important to me is that none of you read anything into my decision or speculate for a minute. I have tried to word this carefully so that there is no room for speculation. This decision has been months in the making and I decided that the end of this catalog seemed like a logical transition for both myself and customers. God Bless you all!

Sincerely,
Natalie

I really don't have anything to post for Tuesday, so I thought I'd share this here, too. It took me hours to get my newsletter done as I didn't want to come across negative in any way regarding my decision. I hope everyone understands this is from my heart. I am so very tired today and I think a lot of it has to do with the emotional exhale of simply announcing my "retirement". *sigh* I hate the idea of letting anyone down with all of this.

I'll try to get crafty again later in the week. I have to prepare for a fun cropping day at mom's Saturday and my last workshop on Sunday.

Thanks for reading this far...

Father's Day

I decorated a clear plastic pillow box with the Basic Grey Archaic paper line. I used Sticky Strip to adhere everything. That stuff really sticks! Inside I put the pocket knife my dad wanted, plus his little wallet keepsake album. He liked it all. :) Here's the "man of the day" with his three kids: Rhonda, Steve and Natalie.
Here's my brother with his son Charles. Steve had just gotten off a 12-hour work day and was so tired. He commented to me that he felt like he looked like Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs with his hat on....LOL

Whether you celebrated with your dad or simply remembered him in your heart, I hope you had a good Father's Day. Thanks for stopping by...

My Dad

Today is a special day. It's when we honor our dads. I have quite a special one. I remember silly songs he'd sing, teaching me to ride my bike without training wheels, the smell of printing ink on his hands after a long work day, his love of mowing and keeping things nice, waking up to fresh-made pancakes, endless advice, holding me tight when I had a broken heart, teaching me to drive, his stories about the birds or chipmunks in the yard, "How's my kid?", my toes/feet being shaped like his (seriously, but not as big! LOL), the pen always in his shirt pocket, his generosity, integrity and honesty, the love he shows my mom and our family....and on and on. I have always known I was loved. I am so very blessed to call him MINE. I love you dad!

I saw this really awesome wallet album idea HERE. I can't take any credit for the idea or measurements. I simply copied Jackie's idea and made it my own. Be sure to check out her blog. It is loaded with free tutorials for great projects, including this one. She is so generous with her ideas and information. I just wanted to share my version for dad. Sorry for the poor pics. I did it in a hurry.
This is the back view so you can see how the flap is attached. Also, when assembling the wallet layers, be sure when you bend the prongs on the brads that they lay in the crease/fold of the wallet. It will help it open and close smoothly. *click pics for a closer look*
I started with a picture of me and the words "your baby girl" stamped by my pic. On the opposite page I stamped the bird from the set Always and wrote a little bit about how I enjoy his stories about the birds, etc. He loves watching the birds. The center pages are pics of my sister and brother. The next to last page has a stamped quote. The last page has a handwritten message to him from me. It came together quite easily once I found the pics I wanted to use.

I made this card weeks ago. I work in a doctor's office and we give stickers to the kids. I found this one in the basket and had to have it. My dad's nickname is Brown Bear. I created this card and will give it to him along with a new pocket knife he wanted. The brown flower has a velvety texture that I thought resembled a bear's fur. The sentiment inside is from the Papertrey Ink set called Out on a Limb. It says: To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.

Now this is blackmail material. It goes to show that my goofiness is truly genetic! LOL Oh and see the pen in the pocket? LOL Always there!! That orange thing is a baby carrot. At Thanksgiving we called him into the living room for family pics and this is seriously how he showed up. What a nut! Wouldn't have it any other way!

Happy Father's Day, sweet dad!

Love, Your Baby Girl

June 14th Workshop Highlights

Project #1: Fun and bright 8x8 scrapbook layout! I chose colors from the Bold Brights group (tempting turquiose, real red, only orange, green galore). Stamp sets: Little Pieces (pg 116) and Think Happy Thoughts (pg 122). I used the Cutter Kit to create the freehand wavy pieces. Add a few punches, some ribbon and a button for a fun page. If you wish for your layout to be more girly, simply replace the stars by stamping the flower from the Think Happy Thoughts set and replace the orange tag with the scallop circle punch. It is easy to adapt a sketch or idea by changing stamps, colors or accessories. Imagine this layout in the Soft Subtles colors for a darling baby page!

Project #2: Simple and cute! Just buy the large binder clips at any office or discount store. Add a few rub-ons, ribbon and a cherished photo! Easy!

Hostess Gift: Since rub-ons were featured with Project #2, I decided to carry the theme to the hostess gift also. I found these cute little silver frames at Pat Catan's and simply added some rub-ons. This would be a great gift idea for a birthday or thank you. So fast and easy!

Thank you Wendi for being a hostess!

You'll receive a special invitation to my

Hostess Appreciation Event in July!

Stay tuned as tomorrow SU! will reveal the list of retiring stamp sets. I will include the list in my mid-month e-mail update also. I am so curious what will be leaving this time! Hope everyone enjoys their weekend! On Sunday I will post a project I made for my dad. Can you believe he reads my blog?! I love you, DAD!

Irene

This is a layout I did about my great aunt Irene. This picture is from her b-day in January 2007 when she turned 91. Her wish every year when she blows out her candles is the same...that we can meet again in one year to do it all over again. She still lives alone and has a sharp mind. She tells the funniest stories from way back when or even funny things about my dad when he was little. She is the last surviving sibling from my paternal grandmother's family. My dad's mom was her sister. My dad looks a lot like Irene to me....same eyes and smile. If my grandma had lived longer I like to think she'd look a lot like this.

We had a prayer meeting at work Thursday night. It really put into perspective how truly blessed I am to work at Ashland Family Practice. This meeting was a praise and prayer time in regards to the founding doctor's current health. He is currently at OSU and will be entering rehab hopefully tomorrow. He has a long road ahead of him after this last neck surgery and bone infection. Please keep Dr. D in your prayers.

I am overwhelmed. I am saddened. I am encouraged. I am humbled. I am blessed. In the midst of good or bad, we must remain faithful. Here's a good song about being full of praise despite the good or bad we endure...really really listen to the words
--click-> HERE (2nd song)

Thanks for stopping by...

Bob

Ever meet someone who just touches your life in a special way? For me, one person is Bob. His real name is Andrew, but an inside joke with his brother means everyone calls him Bob. Bob worked at our practice the summer of '06 while on break from medical school. He is going to be a great doctor someday! He is so caring and so very brilliant!

I made this layout to commemorate the friendship we developed while working together. He has a great sense of humor! One time we collected misc. from around the office (aka unwanted or junk drawer items) and sent him a whole box of funny junk. LOL I guess you had to be there. I literally went around the office and asked people for stuff they no longer wanted. OH, but one nurse did add in some homemade cookies, so it wasn't all bad. He laughed!

I used vellum cardstock for the journaling box. The first part of the title was a pre-printed vellum quote that I cut down. I colored and sanded some misc. chipboard letters to spell Bob. I attached the silver grommets with my Crop-a-Dile II. I punched out some smaller circles from the striped paper and added them inside the smaller grommets. That helped add some color to the upper right corner.

Right now, we are all praying for Dr D who is in the pics with Bob. He has already endured one back surgery and one neck surgery. On Sunday he had yet another neck surgery due to a bone infection! The other docs and staff have really pulled together in his absense to ensure top-notch care for Dr D's patients. We are all hoping he can return to work, but he has a long road ahead. If you want, please say a little prayer for this dear man. I am blessed to work in a loving place where the doctors care as much for the staff as they do their own families!

Oh, yeah...the ice cream with Wanda was fabulous! Kevin ended up getting black cherry ice cream. Wanda had a hot fudge sundae and I had a sherbet/fruit sundae. Yum! :)
Thanks for stopping by...

Wanda/Just The 3 Of Us

I was stumped when I tried to think of what to post for today. My mojo has left town (due to the heat?)and so I decided to take some pics of layouts in my stash. I literally have a 4"stack of layouts that need to be put in my albums. *gasp* Here's a few. I'll post a few more this week, then after Saturday's workshop I'll have more stampin' goodies to show. Oh yeah...I gotta get crackin' on that, too! LOL
Our next door neighbor Wanda is absolutely precious to us. She will be 87 this year and lives alone with her feisty cat Toby. She has been such a blessing to us since we moved in our house six years ago. Macy just adores her! We do nice things for each other and on Wednesday night she is treating us to ice cream. Kevin said he's getting a banana split! Yum! I told him he better pitch in a few bucks as they aren't cheap at Friendly's. Can't break the poor lady, huh?
Just the 3 of us...I did this layout using pictures of us from November 07. I loved this funky paper and added a lot of shabby details. See the next picture for a close-up of the bottom right corner of the layout. The journaling says: We are so blessed to have each other. Our little family consists of you, me and our sweet little Macy. I pray that someday God will trust me to be a mom and we will become FOUR. The 3 and the puzzle piece are chipboard I colored with inks. This ticket was a pre-made tag that matched the paper collection I used. Sorry I don't remember the brand. *smacks self* The center of the 3 is used in the title part of the page.

Thanks for stopping by...Happy Wednesday...or in our case, Happy Ice Cream Day!

A layout and some silly facts

Here's a layout I created on Sunday. This picture was taken at Kevin's graduation last month. I used kraft, basic black, groovy guava, blue bayou and soft sky cardstocks. The stamp sets are Sweet Thing and So Much. Accessories are crop-a-dile (to create dry embossed looking dots on photo corner and soft sky), photo corner punch, 1/8" circle punch, sticky strip, blue bayou stitched grosgrain, whisper white craft ink and Versamark ink. *click for a closer look* Someday I'll have to do a tutorial on the crop-a-dile trick.

I've been tagged by Lisa (aka lisadwb)! (Be sure to check out her blog. She is a demonstrator for The Angel Company.) I am to list 10 weird facts or habits about myself. So, here goes nothing...

1. I like to make silly noises, make up silly songs, etc. ...all the time! Yes, I will forever be a kid.

2. I have never had a broken bone.

3. I was painfully shy when I was younger. College cured that! LOL

4. My parents are still married....they celebrate 45 years in July!

5. I love water with lemon!

6. My middle name is Clare, after my mom's sister. I have always loved my name.

7. I played flute and piccolo in high school. I still have my flute and play it now and then.

8. I have a fear of drowning.

9. I used to work at the Mall of America when we lived in Minnesota.

10. I love soft sheets!

As the Church Lady on SNL would say: "Well, isn't that special!" LOL

Thanks for stopping by...

Summer Strawberry Bliss

On Sunday, it was a scorching 86 degrees here. I went to the store to get pie crusts, glaze and whipped topping so I could make the strawberry pies. I wish I could share a slice with each of you. When I was cutting the berries, Macy was at my feet whining for a bite. Well, when one toppled accidentally off the cutting board to the floor....she scarfed it up, then promptly spit it out. Too sour for a pooch! After that, she literally went and laid down. Enough of that stuff! LOL I managed to pop about four whole ones in my mouth. They are so sweet, sour and juicy all at the same time. I hope each of you keeps cool with a sweet treat such as blissful strawberry pie. Yum!

I made two...one for us and one for my parents.
Now sure how the spatula ended up in my mouth

after I spread on the whipped topping....LOL

I literally licked both sides of it! LOL

Well, my Heavens...how on Earth did it end up there, too? LOL

I know, I'm a nerd! Yes, I am easily entertained.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh....sweet bliss!!!!!

Have a blessed week!
Thanks for stopping by...

Orangutan, Organizing and Strawberries

With a title like that, you gotta wonder what I'm up to, huh? Well, I decided to post one last zoo page. It's been a week...time to move on. I have 4 other zoo layouts (fish, birds, gorillas and another misc. animals page). I have to actually finish two of them, but I won't be posting them so we can get on to another subject or cards or whatnot... :)
This orangutan sure looks ornery and bored! LOL The cute little colobus monkey was pulling up handfuls of grass and eating it. Kevin commented that he'd hate to see what he could do to a nice golf course. Yikes! He was pulling with all his might! LOL
Here's a close-up of the title. I colored a chipboard ring with various colors of craft ink, then added some felt Thickers, a Cricut "&" and rub-ons for the colobus monkey words. I used my brown journaling pen to outline the green felt letters for some definition. I used one larger eyelet and added linen thread around the top part of the layout and through the eyelet. At the very top of this picture you can see that I add some woven "paper" under the orangutan picture.

***Ok, now to other things...This is how I entertained myself Saturday tonight after cleaning house, doing laundry and running errands all day. I wish I had everything in my house as organized as my spooled ribbons! I had the loose strands of ribbon in each Rubbermaid container, but they ended up in a bunch and I couldn't really tell what I had. Now I can see everything, and it will be easy to grab a spool or two when creating projects.
I have one of those three-drawer plastic cabinets. These Rubbermaid containers fit inside the drawer perfectly! I turn them upside down so I can see at a glance which colors are in which container. I have various other loose ribbons coiled in stackable drawer organizers. Some ribbons are just too bulky to spool or I have several colors of one style grouped together. This type of thing is just organized bliss to me!

****Ok, one last thing. LOOK at these luscious strawberries! Yesterday, I found a quart of fresh-picked strawberries in our breezeway and was sure it was from our neighbor. Nope! It was from our friend Irvin. He brought over another quart tonight. I washed them and will later cut them when I make two fresh strawberry pies. Oh my...that is going to be yummy! They are hand-picked on an Amish farm nearby and he gets them for a great price! I have always loved this saying and it applies to things like this: "How beautiful a day can be when friendship touches it." How true indeed.

One last 80s tune. It isn't related to anything in this post. It is simply by my absolute fav band of the 80s....Duran Duran. Ohhhhh....man are they great even after all these years! Macy and I went for a long walk after dark and I could hear this song playing at the high school stadium. Saturday was our local Relay for Life and they jam all night! Click HERE to listen to a great classic from them. Choose the first one on the list.

Have a blessed rest of the weekend! I'll be back later in the week...Thanks for stopping by.