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Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts

14 December 2020

2021 Read with Michelle Book Challenge

 Good day to you all.  I hope this finds all of you doing great and planning out those 2021 reads.


Every year I do multiple challenges and create my own too, but for the first time ever I am sharing my challenge with you.  There is only one rule....... you do what you want to do.  While I do hope you like some of the categories I have chosen, my goal is to help you be the reader you want to be. If you don't like a category, feel free to change it.  If you fill there are too many, mark out six of them.  If you want one book for each category, on one book to cover multiple categories, all of that is fine. You are in charge of your reading challenge.  I am hoping my challenge ignites that spark in you, and I would love your feedback too!!


You can download the form here.  




Missed the 2020 challenge?  Click here to download.  


16 September 2018

I have no time to read

I have no time to read, ugg, I used to say this and I hated it.  There has to be a way to better manage my time. I started doing many things in my life to "get things done" and while I am always busy, I feel I maximize the time to the best of my ability (for now at least--it is ever changing).

Before I tell you how I cram time in for reading you need to know that I have a strict schedule I follow for household chores and unless there is emergency cleaning to do, it helps carve out more reading time.  I have covered my weekly cleaning schedule here if you are interested.

I do the same thing every single day because I am one of those people that do better with a routine.  My daily schedule allows more reading time because my goal is 100 pages a day and I achieve it almost every day.

Mornings: I get up and brush my teeth and drink water and do at least 2 miles.  After I am done with that I settle down with my breakfast, coffee, and a book. I often have Law & Order or Dateline on in the background. I read for almost an hour then spend 20 minutes getting ready for work.  This is DEDICATED reading time and whether I go to work or not that day, I eat breakfast and read...7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Evenings: I read every night before I fall asleep.  There have been evenings when I only get about 10 pages completed and others where I stay up way too late, but I read.


I mainly read on my Kindle Voyage so it goes wherever I go. I can sneak in reading at the spur of the moment, such as:
1. While stuck in traffic on the interstate
2. While soaking in a bath or hot tub
3. While cooking dinner
4. While walking my miles indoors
5. While waiting on hold on the phone
6. When I eat lunch alone at work
7. When I eat supper/dinner alone at home
8. Anytime I am waiting on something or someone
9. I can also read while ironing, drying my hair, waiting for the concert or ballgame to start,  watching tv, folding laundry and brushing my teeth.


Tips to help you maximize reading time:
1. Start with a goal you want to achieve, say reading for 10 minutes a day or 20 pages a day.  Maybe choose a short book to give you a great sense of satisfaction that you completed the book in a week!

2. If you don't like the book don't be afraid to say, "you are not worth my time" and put it away.  My rule is if the book doesn't grab me in about 50 pages, I am done.

3. Maybe keep a list of the books you finish.  I find I get a great sense of satisfaction to see that list grow, and if you like to complete goals then this may work to give you more time to read.

4.  Along the goal lines, maybe join a reading challenge. I do lists to explore other genres of books because I am mainly going to read historical fiction, history or biographies if I don't do a list challenge.  PopSugar is my favorite of all time and I do it every year.

You can find me on Goodreads at www.goodreads.com/michellechampion

18 August 2018

Michelle's Musings PopSugar Reading Challenge




Every year I do a Reading Challenge and in the last few years, it has been the PopSugar one.  They have fun lists that tend to challenge me to get out of my reading box.  I encourage you to Google "reading challenges" and see all the variety of lists out there.  There are some that are based on certain tastes, some to get out of your rut and even some off the wall lists.  PopSugar (to me) seems to be the perfect list.  They have a variety of book genres on their list....and more that suit what I can handle. I am never going to read that horror book but I will read a book based on the illustration on the cover!

 Here is my challenge list as of today.  I will update this by adding more books until December 31, 2018, when the list is closed.  Please share any books you know of that fit a category that I am missing as I am always looking for my next read.

https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Reading-Challenge-2018-44138581


A book made into a movie you've already seen

True Crime-Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly (if you haven't given this a chance, this reads like a Grisham book, but it really happened)

The next book in a series you started-Prisoner in the Castle by Susan Ella MacNeal

A book involving a heist-The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

Nordic Noir

A novel based on a real person-Shadow Queen by Rebecca Dean

A book set in a country that fascinates you-Between Here and Gone by Barbara Ferrer (Cuba)

A book with time of day in the title-Alaskan Dawn by Edie Claire (I am reaching a bit, but dawn is a time, kind of)

A book about a villain or anti-hero-

A book about death or grief-The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

A book with female author who uses a males pseudonym-Women and Children First by Gil Paul

A book with an LGBTQ protagonist-City of Myths by Martin Turnbull (this series is soooo good)

A book that is also a stage play or musical-The day the world came to town by Jim DeFede (play is based on the book)

A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you-Falling Up by Leslie Odom, Jr

A book about feminism-Room on the Rue Amelie by Kristen Harmel (she can do the same thing her husband did, just watch)

A book about mental health--This is Me by Chrissy Metz

A book your borrowed or what was given to you as a gift-Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines (this was soooo good)

A book by two authors- You can't spell America without me by Alec Baldwin and Kurt Anderson

A book about or involving a sport

A book by a local author

A book with your favorite color in the title

A book with alliteration in the title-Espressos, Egg Nogs and Evil Ex's by Harper Lin

A book about time travel

A book with a weather element in the title- The Cloud Atlas by Liam Callanan

A book set at sea-Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

A book with an animal in the title-The Rooster Bar by John Grisham

A book set on a different planet- William Shakespeare's The Force Doth Awakens by Ian Doescher

A book with song lyrics in the title

A book about or set on Halloween

A book with characters who are twins Sister's First (nonfiction) by  Jenna and Barbara Bush

A book mentioned in another book

A book from a celebrity book club  Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

A childhood classic you never read

A book that was published in 2018-As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner

A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner-Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin Manual Miranda (2016)

A book set in  the decade you were born-The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis (some of it is set in 75)

A book you meant to read in 2017 but did not get to-Margot by Julian Cantor

A book with an ugly cover-The Lost Letter by Jullian Cantor (I have since seen a different cover that is much nicer)

A book that involves a bookstore or library-Alaska Skies by Debbie Macomber)

Your favorite prompt from 2015, 2016, 2017 PopSugar Challenges-A novel set during war time...The War Bride's Scrapbook by Caroline Preston (beautiful book)



03 July 2018

Michelle's Book Choices

I am an avid reader of many a great books and folks are always asking, "What do you recommend that I read?"  Well, I decided to try and get back into this little blog thingy by posting the books that I am currently passionate about.

I try to read brand new books along with classic books and I have some rules that I hold myself to when reading.

1.  If it doesn't grab my attention in the first hour or so, ditch it.  There are too many good books out there to waste on something that is mediocre or difficult to read.
2.  Reading Challenges are fun and I try to participate, but if a category is something I hate or don't care to read, I will ditch the challenge and make my own.  I find Goodreads Reading Challenge is a better way to go for me because I can say, "I want to read ___ books" and be done with it instead of trying to find a book to fit into a category so obscure that it makes me nuts.
3.  Put up my phone!  I don't sit it anywhere where I am reading. I have wasted entirely too much time answering an email, checking facebook or looking up a city on Google that I had lost too MUCH reading time, so I put that stupid thing away.
4.  I always have a book on me.  I read in lines at the store, waiting in traffic, while waiting on a friend....etc.  My Kindle goes where ever I go.  My rule is the purse MUST be big enough for the Kindle or I don't carry it.
5.  I always know when my favorite authors have a book coming out and pre-purchase those books.  It gives me something to look forward to and makes sure the authors have at least one book sold.
6.  I utilize my library every single day!!!  I have 3 library cards, my local library, another KY library and I pay for a non resident card to a library out of state (I will try to do a post on this later).  I have close to the maximum amount of books on hold on each card.  I primarily read via Overdrive so I loaded all my cards on there and click back and forth looking for books at each one.  It is very easy on Overdrive to go back and forth between the libraries and I can read just about everything that I want to read. If you don't know Overdrive I would LOVE to talk about it.
7.  I am not afraid to listen to an audiobook in the car or at work, that counts.
8.  I never forget the classics.  I go back to them whenever I can. I can't count how many times I have read "The Great Gatsby", but I can tell you I have read "Gone with the Wind" 41 times.  As a teen it was one of the only books I owned so I read over and over and over.
9.  I keep a journal.  I started in 1996 on paper and still keep it that way, but I also keep an excel spread sheet that calculates how many books I have read, were they paper, audio or ebook and other stats.  My reading journal just logs the author, dates read, whether I liked it and a few lines for notes (I may share this at some point too).
10.  Read around 100 pages every day. It is easier than I thought it would be when I started.

Now as I type this July has started....the year is half over. I have read 40 books of varying types....here are my favorites of the first 6 months of 2018.

1.  The Great Alone-Kristin Hannah.....WOW!!!
2.  As Bright As Heaven-Susan Meissner ......She is one of my faves!!
3.  My Dear Hamilton-Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie....just as good as America's First Daughter
4.  Margot-Jullian Cantor
5.  The President is Missing-Bill Clinton and James Patterson
6.  Magnolia Table-Joanna Gaines
7.  The Day the World Came to Town 9/11 Gander-James DeFede
8.  City of Myths -Martin Turnbull...this is a series that I highly recommend for old movie buffs
9.  Failing Up-Leslie Odom Jr and This Is Me-Chrissy Metz
10.  Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers-Sara Ackerman


02 February 2015

2015 Reading Challenge

So I have not written in forever.  Life got in the way.  Actually, I have posted my artwork to my Michelle's Musings Facebook page instead of here.  I kind of like that immediate response you can get when someone hits "like", it's very good for your self-esteem.

Today I decided to come back to you, Mr. Blogspot.  No promises I will be here all the time, but I will work on it. If you have ever read this junk that I put on the internet, you know like to read.  Every year I set reading challenges for myself.  Usually, the overall goal is to read 100 books and I add other elements in like so many non fictions, and not so many Hollywood bios.  This year while wasting some time on Pinterest, I discovered this PopSugar reading challenge.  It was a wonderful collection of stuff.  Varying stuff to get me to think out of my box.

http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-Challenge-2015-36071458I  thought I would share the books I have read in the hopes to inspire you to pick up a good book.  I had to tweak the list, just a tad. I will update this list every few weeks.  I hope to finish by the end of May....we shall see.

1.   A book with 500 pages---Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars by Jeremy Simmonds
2.   A classic romance--- Special Delivery by Ginny Band
3.   A book that became a movie---Serena by Ron Rash 
4.   A book published this year---I was here by Gayle Forman
5.   A book with a number in the title--Million Dollar Mermaid-Esther Williams
6.   A book written by someone under the age of 30: Call of the Wild-Jack London
7.   A book with nonhuman characters--Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the stories behind them by Isaac Fitzgerald
8.   A funny book-The Jerk by Steve Martin
9.   A book by a female author-Anything but Normal by Melody Carlson
10. A mystery or thriller----Gray Mountain by John Grisham
11. A book with a one word title---Frozen by Sarah Nathan
12. A book of short stories ---The Caretakers by Matt Jaeger
13. A book set in a different country---Rubber Soul by Greg Kihn
14. A nonfiction book---Disney by Rees Quinn
15. A popular author's first book---Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green
16. A book from a author you love but have not read: Family Room-Mia King
17. A book a friend recommended---El Deafo by Cece Bell
18. A Pulitzer Prize winning book: Goldfinch
19. A book based on a true story---Romance is my day job by Patience Bloom
20. A book at the bottom of your to read list: Cup of Murder
21. A book your mom loves
22. A book that scares you: Christopher Walken from A to Z (he freaks me out)
23. A book more than 100 years old: Call of the Wild (sorry for the cross post)
24. A book based entirely on it's cover: I'm so glad I did - Cynthia Weir
25. A book your were supposed to read in school but didn't: By the Shores of Silver Lake- Laura Ingalls Wilder
26. A memoir---Seriously, I'm kidding by Ellen Degeneres
27. A book you can finish in a day----Maleficent by Elizabeth Rudnick
28. A book with antonyms in the title: Seriously, I'm Kidding -Ellen DeGeneres
29. A book set somewhere you have always wanted to visit Tinseltown:Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood by William J Mann (Always wanted to visit 1920's Hollywood!!!!)
30. A book came out in the year you were born Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers
31. A book with bad reviews: The Way I see it-Melissa Sue Anderson
32. A trilogy---Just one day, Just one night, Just one year all by Gayle Forman
33. A book from your childhood: The Long Winter-Laura Ingalls Wilder
34. A book with a love triangle: The Beautiful American
35. A book set in the future: Birthmarked -Caragh M O'Brien
36. A book set in high school: The Duff
37. A book with a color in the title: Man with the Golden Gun-Ian Fleming
38. A book that made you cry---This Star won't go out by Esther Earl
39. A book with magic: Life and Death-Stephanie Meyer
40. A graphic novel---Baby's in Black by Arne Bellstorf
41. A book by an author you have never read---Winter in Sweetwater County and Spring in Sweetwater County by Ciara Knight
42. A book you own, but have never read--- Sweet Memories by Steena Holmes
43. A book that takes place in your home state---Love finds you in Miracle, KY by Andrea Boeshar
44. A book that was originally written in a different language
45. A book set at Christmastime
46. A book written by an author with your same initials---Double Take by Melody Carlson
47. A play: Twelve Angry Men
48. A banned book: Face on the Milk Carton 
49. A book based on or turned into a TV show: I read every Little House book for a class
50. A book you started but never finished: The Story of the Von Trapp



26 January 2013

Finding Your Happy Place

This Saturday started out earlier than I imagined...the cat started meowing at 4:15am.  Does she not realize it is Saturday?  Silly Cat.  I finally gave up all hopes of sleeping around 6:00am and got up.  First things first, I fed the cat...then I sat at my art table.  My brother-in-law had saved me some old photos and I wanted to use some in something today.  I thought I would look at my favorite creative site CR84FN and do the challenge colors.  The owner had made a new post with this challenge's best projects.  They were lovely!!  I read the post, Mona (the owner) was closing the challenge.  WHAT?  No more CR84FN!  I was so sad. I have played along for a couple of years and the challenges have inspired me to try new things, to think outside of the box, and most of all to not be afraid of my least favorite color.....YELLOW!!!!

I picked myself up and decided to think about something happy.  I thought of a friend who has been on my mind a lot lately.  She is going through an extremely tough time, but you would not know it.  She smiles all day, she offers to pray for others, she works hard, but she is hurting.  What is her secret?  I think it's her faith in God.  She has given her problems to God...praying everyday.  She is pretty wonderful.

I decided to paint and I was going to paint what I thought her soul looked like.  A colorful world, with many flowers, lots of things going on, but still she is wearing a pretty dress.  Her castle represents the Kingdom of God.  It's a pretty deep painting for one afternoon.  As you can see from the painting, I think her soul is a pretty happening place. I am grateful to be her friend and grateful to know her.

What started off as a rough day ended up pretty swell.  

Luke 6:31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.


********************************************************************************
The painting contains many different types of acrylic paint...apple barrel, craftsmart and Americana.  I used stamps from Technique Tuesday.  Inks by Stazon, red flower made by Ina Champion (my mom-in-law) and is about 30 years old, paper flowers in purple made by Michelle's Musings (hey, that's me), green flower by Prima, yellow flower by Creative Memories.  Leaves cut from green cardstock scraps and the die is by Sizzix.  Castle, clouds, bubbles, happy word and all shapes designed and painted by me.

This painting is dedicated to my friend....may she display it proudly.





25 November 2012

Mojo Monday for the holidays


I found these great little plastic cups at Kohl's for $2.10 and I could save 20% off that...so they were a no brainer.  The issue with them was that they were graduation cups, but upon further inspection, I realized the inserts came out and you could customize with a photo of your graduate.  Then I thought, "think out of the box".  I took out the entire insert and put in one of my very own.

I used the Mojo Monday sketch and created my new and improved inserts to go along with this week's sketch.  These things were very hard to photograph and for some reason, they appear to be sideways.  I am still having the issues with the Mac portion.

I can't wait to give this to a certain special someone.


All materials are from a kit that I bought years ago by Westrim Crafts, with the exception of the flowers.  The paper flowers are from CM and the fabric flowers are from an arrangement at my house. 






21 October 2012

The wild 1930

Lately, I have been watching TONS of 1930's movies and reading 1930's books.  The later stems from not having any extra funds to buy new books so I browse the free section.  I have read some interesting books and some that well were horrible (maybe it's a changing times thing).  Anyway, I have noticed that the entertainment is coming into my work.  And influencing my choices on the materials I purchase.  

I recently got this stamp and die set from Spellbinders (featured above), that is move of the Art Nouveau time, but still it is old fashioned.  While at Trace Creek this year I found many stamps that featured ladies from olden times (flappers, gothic, classic art works and victorian).  I bought them all!!!

One of these stamps is featured on this weeks Mojo Monday entry, do you recognize her?  She is exquisite!.  

My last new purchase was a die that made the cute flowers. I have the scoring board, but I found this easy and fun.  I love the look on the Thanks card below.  

Now I will give you recommendations just in case you too are bitten by the old fashioned bug.

Read American Rose (about Gypsy Rose Lee the queen of burlesque)
Watch "You can't take it with you" featuring Lionel Barrymore, Jean Arthur and Jimmy Stewart
Watch "It happened one night" featuring Gable and Claudette Cobert
And read Hollywood Babylon...it's gross but interesting.

Next I am back on my 1950's kick.



16 September 2012

Sunday afternoon work

This Sunday afternoon, I had laundry to wash, dry and fold; lunches to fix, clothes to put away, regular lunch to fix, bathrooms to clean, floors to mop and on top of that I had to teach Trevor how to do some art things.

The kid whined but he did it, he made some great creations.  Even had time to go to church.  And in between it all I had time to make three cards for CR84FN.  Yay.


I will go backwards one day and tell you about the Trace Creek Crop.  I love this day for many reasons but my favorite reason is that this day provides the mixing of my very favorite thing with Jesus!!!  The fellowship with some fine ladies is a little bit of perfection.  The shopping divine (I only spent what I made yesterday).  I completed an entire album.  I will have to show you that later because it is for a Christmas present.  I will show you my cards.




09 September 2012

Loretta Young

I don't know if you are like me or not, but I got through phases with the actors I watch. Most recently I was watching Gene Kelly and Marilyn Monroe, but this week I started watching Loretta Young and Clark Gable.  Not everyone knows (especially not back when they were alive) that Clark and Loretta had a mad affair while filming Call of the Wild (if you have not seen this you should).  The result was a baby. Loretta went away to have the child and then she "adopted" the child.  That's right the child we all thought was not hers was really hers and the baby daddy was Gable.  
Call of the Wild was on TCM the other day, and I made all the kids watch it.  For one it was about Alaska, Two Clark Gable and three it is a wonderful story.  Today I was thinking of Loretta Young and I knew she had said something about God once and I wanted to remember so I googled it.  

That quote inspired my entries for the CR84FN color challenge and this week's Mojo Monday sketch challenge.  
The quote is "I'm grateful to God for his bountiful gifts...He gave me courage and faith in myself" (I featured it as the inside of the top card)


And while I was looking I found one more that was worthy of remembering.
"No one is ever too old, too rich too poor, to pray"
Then I painted my version of I perceive Loretta to look.  Both cards today feature what I think Loretta looked like as a Follies girl. 



02 September 2012

Labor Day weekend projects











I have accomplished tons this weekend!  Friday I took the girls to the mail and met up with my buddy Andrea.  We had $2.00 grande frapps!!  Saturday I woke up early drove to Mayfield to get my mom in laws haircut and do a bit around the house.  After that I headed to Paducah to watch Trevor play football.  Trevor then took a much needed shower and we headed to the lake for some ocean boneless fish.  

Grandma needed groceries so we headed back to Mayfield and did some walmart shopping for her.  What a long day.


Sunday I worked on some projects...All the ones featured here.  Oh and I did 3 loads of laundry.  It is now bed time and I am just now eating!! 

Enjoy my stuff....oh, why are there no photos on the layouts?  Because I am out of photos to scrap. I have to take more.  Being caught up stinks when you need to scrap.  













26 August 2012

A little man in your life (but don't forget the girl)


Today I was working on some more manly cards.  It worked for me for some time and then I just had to make some girl cards.  I wanted to make some manly cards so that I could prepare myself to make this shower curtain for a friend.  She wants a patchwork curtain from super hero fabric.  I have high expectations for this curtain. I will feature it probably next week.
The first two cards were made using this weeks Mojo Monday formula.  What a great way to showcase my new gears die cut...love it!!!  Materials used:
Gears die cut by Sizzix
Paper by The Paper Company
Patterned paper by K&Co (Wild Saffron)
Lines embossing folder by The Paper Company
Script stamp by Technique Tuesday
Umbrella man embossing folder by Tim Holtz
All inks are Distress inks by Tim Holtz (Peeled Paint, Wild Honey, Mustard Seed, Walnut Stain)
Paper for gears is from my scrapbin
For my next man card, I used the Tim Holtz car embossing folder, the large gear from my Sizzix set, Stickles in Gold, and ribbon from my ribbon jar (and I have no idea who made it).  The rest of the supplies are the same from the previous two.


Time for some girly cards....This one uses my new Sizzix circle die, a stamp by Hot off the Press (that I painted with watercolors), the girl image was stamped using StazOn, all other papers and inks same as above.






And lastly, Marilyn.  I cut the Marilyn stencil from a plastic icee cup from Hucks.  It took me a very long time, but it was worth it completely.  The music stamp is by Close to My Heart, the flower by K&Co, the embossing folder by The Paper Company, ink from music by StazOn, all other ink by Tim Holtz (Peeled Paint, Evergreen Bough, Spun Sugar).  Paint is raven by Americana. 

My final project was attendance taking awards for the people I work with, let's hope they work.  I have not pictured them because I want them to be a surprise.

20 August 2012

The Aquas have it

A couple of weeks ago, my mother-in-law complained to me that her great-grandkids played in the freezer and then it made a puddle of water under the door.  She cleaned it up and that was the last I had heard of it........UNTIL Sunday!!!!!


It's Sunday around noon and I get a phone call.....my mother in law was taking a nap and a boom happened.  She then heard the carbon monoxide detector going off, but she could not get out of bed.  She said it took her a few minutes to get up and when she did she unplugged the detector.  She had her smarts to call the neighbor (but not to get out of the house). And they called the fire department.  Turns out the freezer (that was about 40 years old) decided it was time for it to die.

John and I head that way with trash bags and coolers in tow.  Our goal to save some of the food.  We get there and the house smells like an electrical fire smoke.  Pretty strong and pretty terrible, I am surprised my Mom-in-law could stand it.  I open the freezer and there is water everywhere.  I start looking at things NOTHING is frozen....this thing has not worked for a while.  Meat has started turning brown, things are starting to smell.  I am throwing things in trash bags while my mom in law is not liking that and she is trying to save things by putting them in the fridge.  John gives her a Popsicle that was completely melted and she puts it in the fridge!!!!

After 6 trash bags and one cooler, the freezer is empty and still a big smelly!!!

We decide she does not need another freezer because nothing in there was touched for probably 5 months, so we clean up the floor while John removes the freezer from the home.  There is evidence of a fire under the freezer, a nice burned area.  Well, we know why the house smelled like an electrical fire.

What a complete mess and waste of money (all that food)!

I came home and made a couple of cards to destress from the conversations that were going on while all the above was happening.  And there is NO way you want to know what was said.


The beach card was made with:
Balmy stamp set by Stampin UP
Buttons from my stash
String by DMC
Grungeboard sign frame by Tim Holtz
beads and star from my cross stitch bin
string paper and torn papers from my scrapbin
inks
Evergreen Bough, Mustard Seed, Iced Spruce, Old Paper, and Crushed Olive by Distress/Tim Holtz
Black ink by Ranger/Archival







brads by Making Memories



A thing of beauty:
Photo of Theda Bara from the internet
Doily from my stash
script paper from a Prima package
Font is bleeding cowboy (inside font Calli)

inks
Evergreen Bough by Distress/Tim Holtz
Black by Ranger/Archival




12 August 2012

First week of school

Here we are after the first two days of school.  It has been an extremely busy week, but I have found time to do some of the things I love....such as shop at Michael's, Kohls and Hobby Lobby.  I ate a meal at Chili's.  Went to the Goodwill store.  And watched some of the Olympics!!!!

Today I spent a little time helping Trevor make some notebooks for school and while his glue was drying I wiped up these cards.

For the flower card I drew a spiral onto a sheet of cardstock.  I cut little petal shapes around the edges as I was cutting.  I then inked the shape with distress inks (Dusty Concord, Peeled Paint and Chipped Sapphire).  I wet the flowers thoroughly and did some shaping. I bended them, folded them, curled them...whatever suited me and dried with a heat gun.  Then I hot glued them together. I used all scraps on this project.  The edge was cut using a Tim Holtz Alterations Die.  The Happy Bday stamp is by Fiskars.



This card was somewhat of a departure for me.  I have never made a halloween card.  I decided to "write" boo with wire and adhere it with wire to the card.  I then fashioned a spider from velco leftovers and I wove ribbon onto wire for the legs.  All paper is scrap paper and the edges are cut from the same Tim Holtz Alterations Die, I just used the other side of the die.  I used Dusty Concord and Chipped Sapphire only on this card.  This was a fun card!!!




29 July 2012

Fall just fell in my lap

I must tell you that I have enjoyed each and every day of this summer. I was just telling my hubby yesterday that this was the greatest summer of my adult life.  Mainly I was referring to work.  I have gotten to do things with my kids, relax, and frankly enjoy every day.

However, time moves on, this week starts the back to school bash.  Can you believe it?  I have to taken Hannah shopping, Trevor is all ready practicing football, and well, let's face it summer is over!!!

Today's card reflect my desire to enjoy some fall colors.  This weeks CR84FN featured coral, brown and tan.  Perfect for a fall scheme.  I am making cards to give to my LOHS co-horts.  This is going to be a year of celebration, the last year of LOHS.  I am going to enjoy every day, give cards to those I appreciate and this weeks cards are where it all starts.







How to get the look:

Tim Holtz Sizzix flower die (I have fallen madly in love with this die)
Patterned paper by Recollections
Coral paper open stock from Hobby Lobby
Brown paper by Bazzil
Green patterned paper by MME
Script stamp by Technique Tuessday
Smile and believe stamp by Fiskars
You leave an impression on me stamp by CTMH
Gold Distress Stickles by Tim Holtz
All thread by DMC
Tan paper from my scrapbin
Walnut Stain, peeled paint and seedless preserves inks by Tim Holtz
Brown archival ink by Ranger
Spray mists by Michelle's Musings
Embossing folder by Tim Holtz Damask
Pennant punch by Stampin UP!
Happy Birthday stamps by Inkadinkadoo
brown ribbon from my scrap jar
Scallop die by Sizzix

15 July 2012

Sunday afternoon

I haven't time to say much today.  We have spent most of the day on the Ohio River and visiting Superman.






Here are the cards that I made this weekend.  I will also share our photos.  We don't have much to offer here in Paducah, KY....here is one thing SUPERMAN!!!

Have a great week!!!

Review: The Wildest Sun