Nature's Beauty

The beauty in nature is one of my many delights in life! Here are a few pics I took last week.

Kevin's mom gave us this lily just after we moved into our house. It has bloomed each year without fail and is such a welcome delight. I am in awe when I really look closely at how complex each of God's creations are. He is truly THE artist of life! The rest of the pictures were taken at my parents' house. They live just outside the city limits and have luscious green grass, gorgeous trees, blooming flowers, several birds and little creatures. There's always something fun to see and watch there.

Oh I love the gradation of colors in each flower petal. It goes from that sunny yellow to a deeper golden hue. Look at the fuzzy texture of the brown centers. Doesn't it make you smile!?! :)

Hydrangeas are one of my favorites! I love the contrast of the creamy lavender against the deep green leaves of this one. The jagged edge of each leaf reminds me of my pinking scissors. I love that each leaf has such deliberate and noticable veins.

If you look closely, you'll see a sweet little hummingbird resting on the metal butterfly. It was flapping its wings. There were a few there this particular evening and it was fascinating to watch them drink from the feeder and rest on the metal butterfly. They just zip around so fast!

Macy kept watching the hummingbirds. All she could think about is that they are about the size of a chicken nugget. She loves chicken and would probably eat the hummingbird if she could catch it. LOL She is yet another of my life's delights. She makes me laugh so much.

Thank you Lord for all the beauty that surrounds me!

Delight In Life

I had a leftover packet of pre-cut cardstock and ribbon from Saturday's Hostess Event. I decided to make this little 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" card using the retired stamp set Delight In Life. It was from Sell-a-Bration 2007 and is one set I think I'll always keep. You can see oodles of great ideas using this set HERE on Splitcoaststampers. Have a blessed day and remember to delight in this wonderful life God has given you! I'll share one of my delights in tomorrow's post.

You Mean Everything

I used the 5-in-1 template to create the envelope from one of SU!'s retired paper packs. I love using the double-sided paper. That way the inside is just as pretty when the recipient opens it. I created this card for my upline Wendy. I made it on Sunday, which was my 3rd year anniversary as a demonstrator. I wanted to let her know just how much her friendship, guidance and support has meant so much these past three years. I pulled out the new In Color paper in Pink Pirouette and Riding Hood Red. I love that the pink is much lighter than Pretty In Pink. I think I will get lots of use with that softer pink shade. The new In Colors will be available in the Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog that begins 8/11/08.

Cardstock: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamp set: Always
Accessories: paper piercer, circle punches (scallop, 1/2", 1 1/4", and 1 3/8"), Stamp-a-ma-jig, CM corner rounder

Yummy Breakfast Recipes

I got both of these wonderful recipes from my upline Wendy. She serves them at her Hostess Brunch and I had to follow suit since they are so delicious.

Sausage/Egg Casserole
Brown and drain 1 pound ground sausage.
Grease 9 x 13 pan.
Beat 6 eggs and 2 cups milk with a fork in the pan. Add the following:

• 8 slices of bread torn into bite-size pieces
• Sausage
• 10 ounces shredded mild cheddar cheese

Stir to combine ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Uncover and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Crock Pot French Toast
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of cinnamon
1 1/2 loaves cinnamon raisin bread torn into bite-size pieces

Tear bread and place in crock pot. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over bread. Gently stir to coat the bread pieces. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake on low in the crock pot for 5 hours. Serve with syrup and powdered sugar.


or...if you wake up in the middle of the night to turn on the crock pot for your own Hostess Event and forget to PLUG IN the crock pot...don't worry....you can simply place the above ingredients that have been refrigerated overnight in a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Ask me how I know! :)

By the way, my husband got the leftovers and has already requested I make both of these again! Yes, they are quite yummy!

Hostess Appreciation Event Highlights

It touched my heart when Valerie arrived with this bouquet picked right from her own yard! I have them in this vase we received at our wedding and they are by my large kitchen window. I just smile each time I see them. :)

I was inspired to use a new folding technique for one of the make 'n takes. This is called a spring card. I changed the paper size to 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" so it would fit into a regular A-2 envelope. You can see the original idea that inspired me and step-by-step details HERE on Splitcoaststampers using other measurements.

This is a view of the back of the card. It folds flat, then when it is taken out of the envelope, it "springs" up. (The lighting is different on both pics of the card, so ignore that.) I used Wild Wasabi, Perfect Plum, Barely Banana and Whisper White cardstocks. The stamp set is Polka Dots & Paisley. I love this saying. I often find joy in the goofy little things of life, so it seemed oh-so appropriate to use for my last stamping event.

The other make 'n take was this medium-sized canvas bag. Just use the "no sew" Heat 'n Bond tape to iron on the ribbon and add a few layered felt flowers with gold brads. (the paper piercer is great for creating the hole for your brads since the canvas is woven) The pumpkin ribbon adds just a little girly detail on the handle. The funny thing is that my upline and I were both inspired by the same project that was in one of our demo publications. When I attended her brunch, I was tickled when I saw a stack of canvas bags on her table. I knew we had both thought of the same idea and we just laughed. Hers were a bit different as she added some stamping and sewn-on buttons. I kept my design simpler and used the wider grosgrain ribbon. We just said "hey, great stamping minds think alike." I wish I could personally thank the SU! demonstrator who came up with the original idea so she'd know that she inspired two different demos who hadn't even shared their hostess event plans with each other. Kinda neat, huh?! This size bag is perfect for a purse, a lunch tote or a Bible tote. I took mine to church with me this morning. It was perfect to put my Bible, water bottle and offering envelope in.

Here are the honored guests: L to R (front row): Connie, Chris, Wendy, Melissa. L to R (back row): Brandy, Valerie, Joan, Chris, Wendi. Thanks to each of these ladies for being a hostess and for the blessing your friendship gives me!

Recognition Awards went to Melissa for Highest Workshop Sales and to Connie for Multiple Workshops. I gave Melissa the Just B stamp set and a Crimper. I gave Connie the Sprinkles stamp set and the Photo Corner Punch. I had sent a sneaky little e-mail to just those two for some "investigating". They were to respond with their fav stamp set and fav accessory. Bingo...that's what I needed to know so I could surprise them! hee hee

Door prizes were all items I pre-ordered from the Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog. Valerie won the Bella Rose paper pack and white organdy ribbon. Melissa won the other two (honestly, she was the first ticket I picked from each bag!)...the new scallop edge punch and the hostess set Serene Spring. I just told Melissa that God knew she needed to be super spoiled at my event. You see, she just lost her father-in-law days earlier and it was so appropriate that she received a little extra special winning surprise. It was great to see her smile!

Well, all that's left is the food! Guests enjoyed Sausage/Egg Casserole, Crock Pot French Toast, fresh fruits, juices and water. Since this post has gotten so long, I'll share the two recipes with more details later this week. Thanks for stopping by...remember that you can scroll back up and click any pic for a closer look.

I'm alive...

....barely it seems! LOL I am just super tired today after such a busy week of preparations, an exciting morning with my hostesses and a visit to the new scrapbook store in Mansfield. After I got there, I was just so overwhelmed with my day that I only spent a mere $12 and the fatigue starting kicking in. I couldn't even think creatively as I browsed all the new stuff! I came home, took pics of the project samples from the Hostess Event, then I hit the couch. I rarely take naps, but this one couldn't be helped. It's now 9pm and I'm heading to bed. After church tomorrow I hope to find some energy again and get all the info from my day posted. Until then....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! LOL

Celebrating Brooke

We gathered at mom and dad's Wednesday night to celebrate my niece Brooke's 20th birthday. She was born on July 22nd, but she was in town from Akron on the 23rd. It was nice to sit down, eat good food, and share laughs and love. Our family gatherings are always a blessing.

Twenty years went by really fast! I remember the first time I saw her in the nursery at the hospital. She had soft, dark hair and was all bundled up. Now she has grown up to be a hard-working, fun-loving independent young woman. I am so very proud of my niece!

She is the one that I can share my true goofiness with and she "gets it". I love that she has her mom's dark hair and her dad's blue eyes. She has a gentleness that for a few years she hid away as she was becoming her own person (aka teenage years). She is a good friend to those who love her and she is always willing to give a good hug.

She probably has secrets and things I'll never know about her, but I do know this...I love her so very much! She is thoughtful and appreciative. She also knows what she wants!

This is my favorite picture I took of her today. It shows her beauty and reminds me to always encourage her as she pursues her dreams. In twenty short years, she has emerged from a shy little girl to a beautiful butterfly. I love you, Brooke! Happy Birthday!

Licky Dog

Hi, I'm Macy. I wanted to share with you a little tutorial on how to enjoy summer delights. First, you must sit still in front of your human parent and STARE. Then, you must jump up on her leg, dig in your nails and really give her puppy dog eyes....all this while you have your eye on the Taco Bell Frutista Freeze cup. Drooling is optional. Then, once your human parent "gets a clue" you then proceed to the following steps below:

First, you lick the rim of the cup until the drooling is in full swing....

Then you give your best "pirate eye" stance while licking the leftover strawberry syrup in the cup. Ah, then the fun begins...

Just drown yourself with plastic while licking all the way to the bottom of the cup. Man, is life good! Closing your eyes will protect you from strawberry syrup getting in your eye. Please note: I now have strawberry syrup in my eyebrows. I am a funny dog!

Ahhhhhhhhh...now a full lick inside the cup one last time will ensure that your day is complete with the delights of summer! Enjoy! Now, you try it, too!

My mom has been busy, so I had to get on here and show you sumpin' cool. I am an adorable dog. Can't you tell by my pictures? I just had a bath recently and am super soft. Now, I just have to hide the evidence in my brows. Red goes nice with white I think.

Mom said she's sorry if you really wanted sumpin' crafty today. She's got her mojo hiding in the basement and will reveal all the surprises after Saturday. I did see that she planned a project with the colors Perfect Plum, Barely Banana, Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi and Whisper White. I can't tell anymore or I'll never get any lickin' again! Bye now.

Uh...remember, I'm a cute dog. Maybe if you bring me chicken or baby carrots I'll tell more secrets. Shhh...

*giggle*

Women of Faith

This weekend I attended the Women of Faith conference in Cleveland with my mom, sister and five co-workers. We laughed, cried, danced, listened, praised, and were ultimately reminded that the love of Jesus will carry us through whatever happens. As women, we take on such a load. I know for one I often feel overwhelmed by either what life hands me or what burdens I carry deep inside. I often forget to let go and let God. I have such a love for life, yet I rarely if ever love myself. Instead, I layer myself with guilt, shame, despair and fear. It was a refreshing reminder to take His hand each day and let Him do what needs done...even if I don't like it. I don't really have much more to say except that it meant a lot to me to "be still" for a few days and let Him remind me who is in control. Every aspect of the Women of Faith conference was such a blessing. I got two of Nicole C Mullen's CDs and this is one amazing song by her. Just click HERE and choose the first song Redeemer to listen to some wonderful words of hope.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I'll post when I can catch a second during this coming week. I am going to have a full house Saturday and have lots to do! :)

Keepin' It Simple...3 Ingredients

These two cards only have three ingredients to their "recipe"...cardstock, patterned paper and ink. The first one is the missing anniversary card to my parents. I have decided that either the post office troll ate it or I forgot to add postage to it before putting it in the big blue mail bin in Ashland. *sigh* Mom and Dad...I'll make it up to you with a new handmade card soon. :) xoxo

The second card is one of the thank you cards I made for my husband to send to loved ones who attended or acknowledged his recent graduation. I kept both cards very simple and flat for easy mailing. I did add some detail of punches or inked edges so it wasn't so boring. Sometimes all you need is the basics...paper and ink. I love easy! All supplies are Stampin' Up! On each card, I have used retired stamps and patterned paper from my stash. *click for a close-up*


I've had kind of a bum day. My crazy neck has been killing me so I got a Rx from the doc. I hope to relieve my pain and sleep like a baby tonight. See, I told you I have HAD IT with mulching. I think it's why my neck is wacky. It all stems from my shoulder injury five years ago. The weirdest things bug it and it flares up with pain/stiffness in my jaw, neck and shoulder. I'll be back to my peppy self soon I hope.

I will be out of town Friday night and all day Saturday so no blogging until probably Sunday or Monday. It might be slim pickin' next week, too, as I'll be racing to get last-minute details done for my lovely hostesses. Everyone have a good weekend and I'll be back as soon as I can. :)

With Sympathy

Just a quick post to share a card I made for a dear family who lost their mother/grandmother. *click for a closer look*

Cardstock: Bazzill & Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Papertrey Ink & Stampin' Up!
Flowers: Prima
Misc: button, 1/16" punch, linen thread, woven ribbon, inks

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

The Invitation

Here's the invitation each of my hostesses received. I am really excited for them to arrive and be uber spoiled on July 26th! I have some neat surprises planned as well as two fun projects. Hmm...oh, and there's food, too! The card was totally inspired by one of the samples in the Occasions Mini which ended June 30th. I kept going back to that sample and decided to sit down and try to recreate my own version, measurements, etc. I love a card that opens in a different way than just 1/2 sheet folded in half, blah blah blah... LOL I did want it to fit in a standard A-2 envelope so I put my math skills to work. You can get THREE cards from one sheet of 12"x12" cardstock and they fit in the standard envelopes! Yeah! Rock 'n roll, baby!

Colors= whisper white, certainly celery, ballet blue
Stamps= Always, Think Happy Thoughts, Itty Bitty Backgrounds
Cardstock= 4" x 12", scored at 3" & 8"
Belly Band= 1" x 12", lay under card and gently fold up and around to front, then adhere ends...so much easier than scoring it and it not being just right...I know from experience!
Accessories= scallop circle punch, corner rounder punch (remove guide), 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circle punches, brad, paper piercing tool/mat


It's 11:45pm Monday as I type this. I have mulch brain right now. Yes, I am an idiot. I decided to pull weeds, sprinkle Preen (whew, that stuff reeks!) and spread mulch at about 8:30pm tonight. I figured since it cooled down this evening and all I had going on was towels in the dryer, then why not!?!? I have about had it with mulch and weeds. It takes forever and yes, being the anal retentive gal I am...I have to get root and all! I can't just tear them off and later watch them sprout again! Nope....gotta use the elbow grease and get the whole sha-bang outta the dirt. As the darkness grew, I looked over and saw Macy laying on the concrete patio half asleep. Poor dog just wanted momma to go in and "lax" (relax). She got her wish about 9:50pm when I finally came inside. Yes, I did stand back and admire my work...what I could see in the dark. I love everything neat and orderly so it was right up my alley! Only one more spot to pull and one corner to mulch. With my schedule these days, I should get it done by October! LOL Since I did some manual labor (aka exercise?), I was sure to reward myself with ice cream and a Papertrey Ink release party! What a hoot!

Cherish

This is the third and final wedding card for my co-worker. The embossed paper was purchased years ago and I'm so glad I had it in my stash. I think it lends a very elegant detail to the design of this card. The scallop chipboard piece is inked with Very Vanilla craft ink. The sentiment is heat embossed clear over Basic Black craft ink. A few added details of punches, ribbon and pearls finishes the look. I tried several times to get this picture just right so you could really see the embossed paper details. The living room lamp was the ticket. LOL

I wanted to carry over the black/ivory theme inside so I matted the Very Vanilla with Basic Black cardstock. This also helped make the card sturdier since the embossed paper is more lightweight. I really hope Katie is pleased with my last card for her. :)

Don't forget...Monday night (June 14th, 10pm EST-midnight) is the Papertrey Ink release party for their new goodies in July. The 14th of every month has my mouth watering! LOL Everyone can begin ordering the new items at midnight.

Hope everyone has a fabulous Monday! Thanks for stopping by...

Upline's Brunch Highlights

My upline Wendy graciously invites her dowline group to her Hostess Appreciation Brunch. We can partake of her awesome food and projects and she has a gift for those of us who attend. Her hostesses earn tickets towards door prizes and also receive recognition for high workshop sales, multiple workshops, etc. Fortunately, I have been able to attend the past several years. She had such a fun morning for all fifteen of us who could attend.

Here are the cards I received in the card swap at the brunch. *click for a closer look* The first card in the second row was Wendy's. She used the Fresh Cut Notes that will be in the upcoming catalog. The card next to that was one of our make n takes. We were all in a circle and I don't quite know whose is which for the remainder of the swaps.

As her downline, I was surprised with one of the new Decor Elements items. It is the smaller chocolate word "happiness". I didn't preorder any of them so it was nice to see it in person. Each item comes in a sturdy cardboard tube, similar to those used for mailing. Since they are kraft color, it can easily be altered, decorated and reused. I love to alter the unexpected item in my house! This tube will be no exception. LOL

Mom came over Saturday for some scrapping fun. We got pizza and she left about 10:30pm. I worked on some fun details of my own Hostess Appreciation Event and am getting excited for that to take place on the 26th. I want each hostess to go home super happy and feeling spoiled. My lips are sealed on any further details.... :)

We attended church this morning, then did the dreaded (but quick) Wal-Mart run. Kevin helped Dad get a door at Home Depot for my grandma while I mowed the front yard. It is really sunny and breezy here today and only about 77 degrees. While Kevin and Macy sit outside enjoying the blessed weather, I am heading down to work on more hostess event details and do some laundry. You know, a woman's work is NEVER done! Thanks for stopping by...

Simple Swaps

I decided at the very last minute (precisely midnight!) to create 15 swaps to take to Saturday's Hostess Appreciation Brunch at my upline's house. She is so gracious to invite her downline, too. I kept the design simple (time crunch!). Sometimes I love black and white paired with just one other color.

Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Blue Bayou
Ink: Basic Black
Stamps: A Little Bit of Happiness (level 1 hostess), Itty Bitty Backgrounds
Ribbon: Blue Bayou Stitched Grosgrain

Mom is coming over Saturday to scrapbook, so I'll most likely share more details from the brunch on Sunday's post. Have a blessed weekend! Thanks for stopping by...

Wedding Cards

I created these wedding cards for my co-worker who gave me that adorable purse. She knew colors and last names so I was able to add some personalized details. I hope she likes them!

Cardstock: Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Shimmer White

Inks: Basic Black, Pretty In Pink, Ruby Red

Stamps: Papertrey Ink, Stampin' Up!

Accessories: Prima flower, ticker corner punch, adhesive pearls, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Thanks for stopping by. I am so in love with this Guide Lines set from Papertrey Ink!

Wonderful Wednesday

Our sweet neighbor Wanda turned 87 today! Wow, that's amazing! I made this card for her tonight and took it over to wish her a Happy Birthday. The saying inside says "Life is not a matter of counting years, it's a matter of making years count". I used the Papertrey Ink set called Guide Lines to create the patterned piece and the SU! set It's Your Birthday for the greetings on the focal piece and inside the card. It brought me joy to see her smile today!

Here's a closer look at the details. *click pic to see*
This is Wanda's cat Toby. With a face like this his name should be Mr. Stinkerdoodles! LOL He's quite an ornery boy. When I first visit he's all about the petting. By the time I leave he's ready to pounce and show his teeth if I touch him. Goofy kid...

Look what my co-worker gave me today! She made it from a placemat! She loves to sew like I love to stamp/scrap. We decided to trade a pile of cards for a handmade purse. Good deal!

This is what the sky looked like before Macy and I took a walk tonight. Sometimes I forget to look up at the sky. I'm so glad I looked tonight. In the top pic I see an armadillo or a skunk. It kinda looks like fish bones, too. In the bottom picture it is neat how the cloud shape has gaps or "stripes".

Nature truly is the art of God!

Thanks for stopping by...

Goofy Tuesday

Ever have one of those days that seems to start off on a bad note, then ends with you counting even the smallest blessings? Well, yep that was Tuesday for me. I woke up to no phone, no internet and a case of "wanna go back to bed". I think the fact that I work alone on Tuesdays makes me feel very overwhelmed before I even get to the office. It can get psycho in medical records of an office with over 20,000 patients! I know it's a blessing to work where I do or to even be employed in today's economy. I don't take that for granted. I just think the cranky monster wakes me up some days. As women, aren't we allowed to be cranky some days as a given? LOL *wink*

It rained HARD here this afternoon. As I heard the rain hitting the office roof and watched it pour over the gutters of our building, I dreaded to think what I might discover in the basement at home. ( Thank God it was dry! Yeah! ) The one bummer is that the drain in our back yard always overflows right into our landscaping and washes out the mulch. It is right behind where Macy is in this picture. Remember I told you we worked in the heat for FIVE hours the other day? We pulled weeds and spread bags of mulch. It is amazing how much time and effort it takes.
So when I got home I noticed the "flood" in our far back yard. I made supper, called the cable company about our phone/internet outage and finally went out to survey the "swamp". LOL This spot near the dogwood tree was exposed down to raw dirt and remnants of weeds I must have missed. *rolls eyes* I had done Preen and probably a whole bag of mulch here. It got washed to the left almost to the neighbor's fence.

You know what? I did start out with a cranky day, but it didn't last long. See, you thought I was going to complain through the whole post and you may have already clicked off here. I had told myself if the phone was out at home, no big deal. We were both at work and I was thankful we had the cell. If the internet was down, it's only an inconvenience. I started to literally count my blessings for today and the list continued to grow. When I got to work I checked the office schedule by my desk and assessed who was where, who was on call, what nurses were on, etc. Then, I saw it....the little saying of the week was on the bottom of the sheet. I have read it continually since posting my new schedule. It says: "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it." Bingo! Ah-ha! Yes! See, it was the kick in my fanny I needed.

So, no phone...We've got the cell.
No internet... No big deal.
Water in the basement perhaps? Ah, it will wipe up.
Working alone on a busy day....Hey, I've got a job!
Flooding in the mulch?....Nothing a rake won't fix.

I simply had to change the way I was thinking about a lot of things and man did God open my eyes to the smallest blessings around me. *sniffle* Stop every now and then and really think about how you think. It will amaze you I bet.

Once my eyes were opened, look what I saw. Fresh raindrops on the hosta flowers. Beautiful. It was so quiet and fresh and calm outside this evening. I just drank in the blessings.

I love little lightning bugs. Look at this little guy on the leaf of the hosta. For all I know he was the same one who was flying through the yard after dark....just doing what he's supposed to...shining his little light for us to see. *sniffle*

Ok, I really think there needs to be a hormonal intervention here SOON! LOL This is gettin' crazy now.

Oh and now you are wondering why there are no crafty things to show today? Well, mom and dad's card still hasn't gotten to them. I mailed it here on Sunday night and it goes to Mansfield post office for processing then back here to be sorted/delivered. I'm shocked they didn't get it today. Once I know they have it, I'll post it. I will also post the Hostess invite once they're in their hot little hands, too.

OH and one final thought....the cable guy HAS to be related to Mel Gibson. Hands down. LOL Even Macy liked him! LOL Can you say ice blue eyes? *faints*

Yes, I love my husband. Yes, I love my husband. Yes, I....well, just don't get any ideas girls. I just said the guy had NICE ICE BLUE EYES! The most important part....my internet and phone work again! *doing the happy dance*

Uh, anyone got any chocolate? Whoops, I already had a snickers today. *chuckle*

Brooke's Card

Here's another creation from Sunday night stamping. *click for a closer peek*

This card is 4"x12" and is scored at 2 1/2" and 8". I used the 3 1/6" corner rounder to create the scalloped edge. I used the stamp set Time Well Spent (Level 3 hostess set in Spring/Summer catalog) that was FREE to all demos from Stampin' Up! How generous are they?!!! The sentiment is from a retired set. Sorry, it's downstairs and I don't know the name. Colors are Gable Green, Pumpkin Pie and Brilliant Blue. I was inspired by a color combo I saw in one of my magazines. Details: I stamped the tiny flower in Gable Green ink. I then used my Versamarker to "darken" a part of each flower. The Versamarker is so neat because it gives a tone-on-tone look with so little effort. I then dotted each center with my white gel pen. Love that thing, too! I created a "pattern" on the Brilliant Blue strip by randomly stamping the medium size flower over and over. Sometimes I like to use my stamps as "tools". This card will go to my niece Brooke later this month. I simply took a previous sketch and turned it around for this look. Once I know all my hostesses have received their invitations I'll post that picture and you can see a different way to use this sketch.

I had a nice, relaxing Monday night. I had time to do whatever I wanted. I managed to watch tv (which I never do), sit outside in my jammies and read the paper (time with Kevin and Macy), watch the birds, water my plants/flowers outside (I even saw a dragonfly on my hostas...its little wings so beautiful and delicate) and there isn't a dirty dish in the sink. Ahhh....I like this easy week! Unfortunately, Tammy can't come to crop Saturday, but I think mom and I will still meet here. We cherish that time together.

Oh, my parents celebrated their 45th Anniversary on Sunday. I can't post the pic of their card just yet. I mailed it and they should get it Tuesday (yes, I confess...it's late). I know they visit my blog and don't want to spoil it. I am so blessed that they are still happily married after all these years! Wow! I think part of what keeps them going is acting like kids or teasing each other. Hmmm...wonder where I get it? LOL

Rhonda's Frame

My sister just redecorated her bedroom in these colors. This is one of her throw pillows. She is deciding accessories and she needed a small frame on top of her chest to fill a spot. I told her I'd decorate a frame for her (it's from her own craft stash...lol). I painted the frame brown, but it wasn't the right color. Then I added some Really Rust craft ink randomly and it wasn't quite right. I finally dug through my paper scraps and found a patterned brown piece. I glued it on, then inked the edges brown. Well, it wasn't dark enough so I used the charcoal ink on the edges. Well, it STILL wasn't what I wanted so I got out my Twinkling H2Os and added some shimmer. I used my stipple brush and a mesh pouncer tool to get just the right amount. So, are you wondering if it was done then? Uh, no....LOL....I added some 1/4" punched cardstock squares on the frame. I figured she could use this as a regular frame, but I decided to make it something special from me so I stamped the sentiment on cardstock vellum. Under the vellum are more cardstock squares which mimic the pillow pattern. (colors used: Soft Sky, Basic Gray, Really Rust, River Rock) Ok, now it's done. I won't even tell you about the glue puddle that happened when I glued in the peg that helps the frame stand up. Let's just say I was kinda glad when I got this project "just right" after all. *sigh* LOL!!! *click pic for a closer look* Note to self: don't squeeze the glue bottle so hard next time!

Frame...free from sister's stash
Cardstock, ink and H2Os...mere pennies
The fact that my sister will see this every day and know she's a blessing to me...PRICELESS!!!

I have to tell you about Sunday. Kevin and I spent FIVE hours outside in 80+ degree weather! Oh my! I hate weeds. I hate mulch. I hate pulling weeds to spread mulch. I hate sweating. I hate bugs. Yes, I said hate. I might be a bit harsh in my description, but man was it hot and sticky and buggy and weedy and mulchy. I can see why we don't do this every summer. Are we done yet? Nope! Got two more spots to do still. Oh brother! *faints* Ya think PMS is getting the best of me right now? LOL! Dude, there were A LOT of weeds out there! Thank God for Gatorade. That stuff rocks!

I have nothing on my calendar this week! AMEN! I plan to rest, relax and rejuventate. I did find time Sunday night to craft while I did laundry. I have a few more things to share later this week. Shocker? I have been so mojoless lately.

Oh, and guess what? I took the Hostess Appreciation Event invitations to the post office Sunday night! WOO HOO!!!! *doing the happy dance, bobbing head and raising arms in air*

Balloonfest

Ok, lots of pictures to share from Saturday....It was time for the annual Balloonfest here in Ashland. Freer Field is literally about two blocks away so it is fun to walk there and see the Balloon Glow at night. About 7pm there were over a dozen balloons flying right over our house. Macy was scared again...you'll see her picture below, too. :(




This one came right over our house. We waved to the people and they waved back. :) Neat! I took these pictures as it got closer....and closer...and closer.


You'll see this one again in the balloon glow pictures below.

I had to zoom in pretty good to get the strawberry one. It was south of our house way in the distance.
This was Macy's reaction before she hustled back in the house. Her tail was totally FLAT! She does not like the sound the balloons make! No way! She kept looking up for the "monsters".

Mom and I walked to Freer Field about 9pm so I got this one picture of the balloon at dusk. I left Macy at home this year since she was spooked. It was a good thing since the field was still quite soggy from Thursday's rain. Kevin stayed home and watched tv (party pooper!? LOL).

One, two, three....GLOW!

See the celestial one on the far right in this pic? That's one that went over our house, too.

The Fourth of July weekend is quite fun in this small town. Lots of families gather to celebrate the freedom we enjoy in this country. God Bless America! Hope everyone had a great weekend!