Recycled "ART"

I am all about leaving a smaller footprint on this world.  The mark I leave on Earth is not one that trashed the place.  I want to leave a mark that says "wow she made a difference".  Today my difference is in TRASH!

I have started collecting what some would call TRASH.  I am making things from this garbage.  Some things are going to be serviceable and some just a dust collector (so essentially I am leaving a dust bunny trail).

Today I challenged myself with a box of junk and a sundrop can.


Let's start with the can....

I first decided to clean the can and cut it apart.  The aluminum is much thinner than I thought it would be no wonder I have punctured many a sundrop can. Next I decided to use punches and punch out shapes.  I wasn't sure what I could do with that.

Then a vision came to me. The punched pieces would make a great base. I decided to color the pieces with alcohol inks using an inking tip that I got from Tim Holtz. I still needed something else. I needed to make flowers!

I cut a spiral from the can. Let me tell you this was not that easy, you have to be very careful not to slice your finger. Once cut, I inked it with alcohol ink I began to roll it. I started from the wide part of the spiral. This can he tricky as the edges are very sharp. It seems to be worth the trouble. Finish it by adding a dan of hot glue to hold it together. I will probably add these to some canvas art.

Peanut Butter Pie

Please note I am NOT a good sharer of recipes.  The only reason I share this is because well.....I did not invent it, I just changed it to suit ME!   This started as the recipe from Cracker Barrel's own lady that made the pies, but I have changed it to suit me. Also, keep in mind I measure NOTHING!!!  So this is just a guess.

Peanut Butter Pie

Crust:

1 ¼ chocolate cookie crumbs (20 cookies)

¼ c sugar

¼ c butter, melted

Filling:

1 package 8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 c creamy peanut butter

1 c sugar

1 T butter softened

1 t vanilla

1 c heavy cream, whipped

Chocolate chips

Combine crust ingredients; press into a 9 in pie plate.  Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.  Cool.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla until smooth.  Add choc chips into the mixture.  Fold in whipped cream.  Gently spoon into crust.  Refrigerate. Top with whipped cream and chocolate chips...yummy.

Love of my life

19 years ago today, I was blessed to marry Mr. John Champion.  A quiet dude, that takes care of us, takes us places and mows our yard.  Oh, he does lots more too, but we don't want to give him a big head.  I love him more today than 19 years ago.  I am blessed.

Coke it is

I have been a coke user all my life...haha got your attention didn't I?

I am talking about coca cola. I have loved to drink coke since I was a small child. I think it started with those lovely Gibson girls in the ads and then came about the taste. I don't really drink anything else.  Actually, I can't remember the last time I did.

My husband shares this love and we were just talking about how cokes taste different.  Like in Mexico, the syrup is thicker and has a sweeter taste.  In the USA the plastic bottles taste terrible, the can tastes "normal", but the glass bottles are SUPER!!!!!  We have decided we are going to stock up on the bottles you can get at Dollar General, the syrup to water ratio is pretty perfect and we need to buy it before they change it.

That lead the conversation to places NOT putting enough syrup in their fountain drinks.  We have a list of worst and best places to get a coke (or a cherry coke). These are Paducah locations by the way.

Best
1. Steak and Shake
2.  Sonic
3. Hardees
4. Dairy Queen




Worst
1. Pizza by the Pound
2.  Cracker Barrel
3. McDonald's


I would love to know what you think....speak your mind below.

Random Cards and thoughts

I haven't much to say this weekend. I guess I did it all this week.  I have worked very hard in getting our home together during my time off school.  I have hired the painting of the eaves, check.  Fixed the grout in the bathroom, check.  Fixed the hole in the deck, check.  Had my dad build the bookcase, check.  Had the plumber fix the pipes, check.  Repaired all knicks in the living room wall, check.  Talked to someone about replacing my windows, check.  Repainted the bathroom cabinet, check.

I still need to fix that stupid laminate floor in the kitchen, considering ripping it all up.  Still need to refinish the kitchen cabinets, I do believe that I will work on that next.

We refinanced our house.  Got a great rate and will own it in just a few short years.

You can imagine with all this work I have not had much free time to make things. I have not made cards.  I have made three wedding gifts and these cards and that is it.  I hope you like my cards.  There were quick and fun. 

JUN12VSNA-Stone in love

Stone in love is about being utterly and madly in love with someone.  Now Journey meant it to be a passionate soul mate kind of love, but I am interpreting it to mean a parental love.  A love that is unconditional.  Like the one I have for my kids.

The challenge was to take a Journey song and make it into a scrapbook layout. I chose a 2-page double layout because I had photos that needed to be scrapped.  I chose the song Stone in Love because it was my favorite Journey song (my first is Touchin, Lovin, Squeeze).  


Trevor:  I used the CTMH scrip stamp and stamped it onto vellum.  I used a gears stamp from Hampton Arts.  I was trying to be unique in my stamp choices.  The font is Denmark.  The ink used is Ranger Black Archival and Distress ink in Crushed Olive. The background paper is Creative Memories, the tan and striped paper are K&Co.  Layout took 36 minutes.

Hannah:    Background and green circle paper Creative Memories, pink paper Recollections.  Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink, Ranger Archival black ink.  Music stamp and the flower stamp are from CTMH.  Font is Bleeding Cowboy.  Hannah layout took 38 minutes.

Expanding world brings more losses

As you age and you expand your world...you meet new people, form new friendships and get close to people.  That world will lose people that are dear to you here on Earth.  This planet lost a good one yesterday.

Laverne Brown.

I did not know her professionally, I have heard of the wonderful things she did there and thank her for her service, but no she and I shared a friend, Sherry.  Sherry is a dear soul to me, as a matter of a fact I always say when I grow up I wanna be just like her, rats there I go getting off topic.

Sherry and I met 11 years ago and had much in common, one thing was BOOKS!  Laverne would read them, pass them to Sherry and then she would to me.  I would pass them to Sherrie Caylor and so it continued.

One day after a garden was built at Olivet, Sherry brought Laverne to the Prayer Garden and I took their photo. I wish I could find it, but I think it was PRE digital photos. :)

Anyway, Heaven has gained another angel today. A very sweet, kind angel.  She will be missed here, but her suffering is over. 

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."  Psalms 116:15


Today's cards were made while thinking of Laverne.  Have a great day.