Forever and ever

Well, my parents anniversary is coming up (as I write this---as you read it, it is past). I decided a long time ago that I wanted to do something special for them. How many people do you know that make it 40 years? How many make it 40 years and still like each other, much less love each other?

Yes, to celebrate is no brainier. The thing is how to do it, how to make it special, how to make it not cost a fortune?

That is where I sit this day. I am trying to find someplace that is not too expensive, better yet free. I am trying to plan things that are "easyish" to make/do (this is a time problem).

My first step was to decide what I wanted. A meal at a restaurant or reception? The reception was my answer. A meal or reception food? reception food....Wait!!! Reception food. I want to have a wedding type of thing. I want them to proclaim their love for everyone. Being from poorish sort of families they never had a "proper" wedding. I want to give them that. If not a preacher ceremony, a re-dedication ceremony. With a proper reception.

The first stop was coloring (for me because I want to make the stuff).  I found a pad of paper at Hobby Lobby that very much fit my mothers' style.  Very country styled patterns, with blues, maroons, yellows, greens, and browns.  I think it was a delight.

 

The next part was to make the stuff. I got lucky and had a Cricut cartridge that made boxes.  I used 2 Cricut mats and about 70 sheets of cardstock, but I got all the favor boxes, all the centerpieces, and 2 journal type books done.  

I started work in January.  Yes, it takes quite some time to do all this.  I worked on it every Saturday until June 18, when it all was put together into the reception.

Now the reception was a bit of perfectness.  We had people attend that they had no idea about.  My dad did make me crazy the last week or so panicking about who was invited and who was not, but this is a time when he needs to learn TRUST.  It was lovely.  If you were invited and did not come, why then you missed out.

I think it turned out to be a great time.  Their song redeclaring their love for one another was just about the sweetest thing ever. 

I feel fine

you know my name (look up the number)

Today I decided to have a scrapbook day of my own.  I was inspired because I am reading a book about the Beatles.  About  their creative process, about how they came from nothing and achieved it all  (at least in the music world).  I want to achieve so much in the creative world.  I want to be a scrapbook artist! One who gets paid for her designs and people talk about her designs as they do someone like Tim Holtz or Theresa Collins.

With this Beatles story in my mind, I thought...mmmmm they got famous with their songs, maybe I could use their songs.  Here is an attempt to use Beatles titles as the titles to my pages.  All of these pages were done on 3 July 2011.  The "you know my name (look up the number)" page was done for this week CR84FN challenge. 

Mr. Moonlight

Mojo Monday 197

This week's card is a tribute to Love!  Some of the things I love...Purple, Technique Tuesday, flowers, swirls, and scrapbooking.

I made this with recollections purple card stock cut to 8x4. Fold that in half and you have the perfect 4x4 card.  Add a white backing (4.25x4.25), round the corners and use Stampin UP Eggplant Envy ink on the edges.  Cut a 3x3 square for the middle.  Round the corners and ink the edges with the same ink.  Use Stazon ink in black and the lovely "Love Makes the World Go Round" heart, and sentiments.  I took a white prima flower and used the eggplant envy ink and a watercolor brush to "paint" the white flower.  I rubbed the purple flower along the top of the eggplant, put it all together and BAM!!!  A sweet little card for someone I love....Maybe ME!!!!!




Just for fun I made the round one too!   Same sheet of purple cardstock, using the leftovers.  Using the Everyday Life stamps by Technique Tuesday. I turned the star upside down and used the eggplant to stamp my white paper.  Then I turned the star stamp over and using the stazon stamped the "correct" side of the stamp.  The white paper square is 3x3, the white square is 3.25x 3.25.

The flower is from prima and the leaves were hand cut,colored, and painted by ME.  Font is also by me.

My nook color

 Rooting my nook color was not a difficult thing.  There was a moment when I think that my heart stopped because I finished the rooting process and the thing would not come on.  Patience my friend, about 4 minutes later the little droid dude pops up and I have my very own rooted nook.

I have lived with it for about a month now...my opinion on it??? Well, I agree with those that told me that it would be one of the greatest things ever.  I now run Honeycomb and have a full-fledged Android tablet.  I can use my Kindle, Nook, Laputa, Amazon app store, Words with friends and the all-important ANDROID market!!!!  I recently installed the library's overdrive console so now I am able to use even more books.  My reading has increased too.  I was sick and tired of reading books under the cover with a flashlight by my cheek.  Now I simply pull the covers over my head and read until my battery dies.

Battery life?  The battery life is not as long as it would be had I kept it a Nook Color.  Mainly because I am using more apps, more internet, and well, just more.  If you have more, you use more.

Touchscreen?  Sometimes it is glitchy but it is not a big deal.  I believe it is more the ADW launcher than the tablet itself that is glitchy.


The specs?  I am running Android 2.3.3  Cyanogen Mod with the Iron Man theme background. It is actually the Iron man Droid.  The rest is just mumbo jumbo that you probably don't care about.

The result? Happiness...it performs in the exact manner that I dreamed it would.  I have a full-fledged Android tablet that cost me 194.00  PERFECTION!

Creating Keepsake July 1, 2011 challenge

One hour is hard to do when you hand sew. I am trying hard.  My hand is aching so I have to take a break.  I am uploading the before product here so that you can see what it entails.  The after will follow very soon.

Here is the completed project. I got finished at 12:29 pm central time and began at 11:02am.  Whew...I like it. Thank you this was fun!

Mojo Monday 196

I decided not to make a card this week.  I have wanted to use this "Hannah" element for some time.  This was something that Hannah got from a girl scout leader about 5 years ago and I keep holding onto it.  It was perfect for this semi floral page that I wanted to make for her.  She is like a little flower.  Beautiful, funny, goofy, and pretty smart.  I forgot to say she was a wonderful flute player (what is the special term for that?)

I have no idea what the Hannah element is made from.  It used to be a Hershey's chocolate bar wrapper.  And it was a wonderful idea (wish I had made it).  The brown paper is recollections, the orange is from Autumn Splendor by Making Memories, the pink is from my scrapbin.  The background and the floral patterned paper is by K and Co, I bought this in a pack of K&Co greatest hits. If I am correct in my deductions, this paper is the Wild Raspberry line.  If I am wrong would you please tell me?  It is very important to me that I have the right names on my collections.  My scrapbook space is like a label OCD perfection zone.  I like it all labeled and correctly.

The 3d flower was made by me.  I used a piece of all the papers on the page, some shimmer ink (sea glass) and lots of water.  I think it turned out great.  The tiniest little pink flower is from the Brides collection at Michael's.  The photo was taken at my baby's 8th-grade graduation.

Life's a Beach card

CR84FN 32

This weeks challenge is a very summery color combo.  It makes me think of lemonade and blueberry pie...yummy.  I did two cards.

This one is a small card 3x3.  It features a Hampton Art Steampunk stamp.  I used my crayola watercolor pencils to color in the butterfly.  His trail is made with raven Palmer acrylic paint. The green flowers are Prima and they are fabulous.  They feature a frosting on each one.  I adore them.  The brad is a making memories.  Cardstock is all from my scrapbin.  Glue is Scotch.  Background stamp is Baroque border by Stampin UP!  

the acetate with the painting on the front in raven by Palmer

The next card is the prettier one.  It was fashioned after an old fashioned animation cel.  I did the black outlines on the front of the acetate and the colors are painted on the back.

the title and the design element. I was laying it out to see how it would look.

Finished product

I used only 4 colors of paint.  Mustard Yellow by Craft Smart, Spearmint by Craft Smart and Green Middle by Winsor and Newton (love this paint) and of course white.  The ink on the card is black by Stazon.  All cardstock is from my scrapbin.  I believe the yellow is bazzill, it sure feels like it anyway.  This was fun, thanks for letting me play along. 

Funny Face Artwork 6/14/11

Today I finished a few sketches that I have been working on for some time.  They are inspired by random things.  The first set is inspired by the movie Funny Face with Audrey Hepburn.  I haven't seen the movie in a long time but I just got the soundtrack and it is really taking me back.  Boujour Paris!!!  I decided to make a scrapbook page with the them "Think Pink" which happens to be my favorite song from the movie.  In the movie Audrey is posing for a magazine and in one shot she is posing in a typical 1950's high fashion (maybe Dior?) ensemble with balloons.  Here is my take on it:

Step 1 the sketch of the Eiffel tower

Finished Eiffel Tower

Painting the skin

Painting the dress

adding the black

Balloons

finished product

ready to put on the page...that is coming later

Mojo Monday 195

I missed last week's submission by 15 minutes.  What was I thinking?  Dork!  OH well, I am back this week.  I did not make a card this week, I made a 12x12 layout for my Carnival cruise ship vacation in October.  With the way I have been working on this, I am going to have it scrapped before I even take a picture.  Anyhoo, this is the front page.  I thought it was a good layout for a "now that I have your attention" kind of page. Hope you like it!

To get the look:
Teal cardstock is from the HObby Lobby 4 for $1 sale
All other cardstock is from my scrapbin  (so that I live up to this week's self impose challenge---I have to do a page using paper scraps)
Flowers are made by me...one is tulle from a wedding, one is white fabric from who knows what and one is a ribbon from a little girls headband (mmmm, recycle challenge too)
Sewing is all done by me using DMC thread B5200 (white) and 3348 (green)
Button from my sewing box
pen by sharpie
All I need is the first picture of that beautiful cruise ship.

I'm your biggest fan

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fan in the sample photo. I have never used a fan in anything I have done and thought what a great way to start.  The color choices, I think, could go either male or female so I made my card that way. A generic pick me up card that I could give anyone.  I actually have someone in mind all ready.  Thanks CR84FN for this week's "think outside your box" moment.

To do what I have done you will need:

Paisley pattern by My Mind's Eye-Bohemia

Pink (2 shades used) and Green cardstock by recollections found at Michael's

Scallop circle punch by Stampin UP!

Brown ribbon found in my scrap bin (I believe it was for the .50 rolls found at Michael's

Brown ink by Stampin UP! Chocolate Chip

Patterned paper circles were drawn and cut by me

Thanks for letting me play along

Private Eyes

My Mind's Eye Challenge:

This was so fun, my favorite paper line ever (which btw I am running low on) and my beautiful kid with a little Hall and Oates mixed in.  I loved this!  Thank you for letting me participate, I hope I win!!!!!


to get my look you need:
MME Bohemia paper...the green and blue collection (I am finishing up my 3rd pack of this paper)
Brown ribbon from my scrap bin
Brown paper from the same place
Rhinestones from Bling Bling by Bead Party
Pen by Martha Stewart black
Circle punch (sm) by Stampin UP!
Large circles drawn by me
Pop Dots by Elmer's
Sewing by me
Letters by Cricut Calligraphy cartridge
buttons from my sewing box
Thread by DMC
stamp by Stampin UP!  Broque Motifs
Chipboard by Technique Tuesday
wire was something I found in a box, I have no idea where it came from or what it is for

So Long Tree

When we first looked at our home, there was a beautiful tree and a huge window that I saw at first glance.  I was excited because I never had a tree like that one.  The tree was perfect, straight up and down and a Christmas tree shape.  It was TALL to boot.  The window was a great big, huge, massive window (do you get it was big?).  The window won't change I hope, but time, however, has not been good to that tree.  We enjoyed those birds that nested in her branches.  I planted things at her trunk and they all died so there she stood, the lone proud thing in our front yard.  In the winter's snow, she was at her peak of prettiness.  She was like a giant snow-covered bell.  A lovely decoration for all to see.  Then the ice storm came!  It killed so many things in its wake (like my 10-year-old giant rosemary plant), but the tree seemed to be fine.  It was surviving covered with all that ice and snow.  Maybe, just maybe it would be ok.  It was!!! The next year, there she stood tall and proud "I made it through". She was still tall and proud in 2010, or so we thought....sometime around the fall needles began to fall.  Branches began to lose their luster...She was dying! John was hoping it was dormant, but that was not to be, she was DEAD! Everyone began to be scared of her because if she fell, she could take out a house, a car or BOTH.

2008, so pretty

2009---the ice storm

Yesterday at approx 9 am, the tree guy (who is good if you need a tree dude) began to climb her, on his way up he was cutting off her branches.  Approximately, 4 hours later she was gone.  My front yard is lonely. One of my favorite parts of my house/yard is to be no more.  I shall miss you tree.

MDA lock up

On June 7, 2011, I am going to jail to help raise money for MDA.  Please consider donating a little money to this very worthy cause. I am doing this for a small child that I know.  His mom and dad are friends of mine and this little guy is inspiring...He and all the kids suffer from MDA need OUR help.  Please consider donating something in their honor.  It is a tax-deductible donation and look at the good you will do.  Thank you for your time now go to my webpage and give some money.


https://www.joinmda.org/MyLockup/MyHomepage/tabid/221835/Participant/championam/Default.aspx

Mojo Monday 192

This was a challenge from MM and myself. I was NOT going to use anything that was NOT in the scrap bin.  Ok, I allowed myself to use punches, inks and ONE slice of ribbon.

Get the look:
Go to your scrap bin and dig out cool stuff. I know the black cardstock is bazzil.  The gold is from a poster board that I bought at Michael's.  The wine paper is from ravenhood manor by recollections.  I have NO idea about the rest.

Ink used Stazon in black
punches used by stampin UP!
stamps by inkadinkadoo dawn houser
ribbon is actually a Nautica ribbon from a shirt
stickles by Tim Holtz distress antique bronze

Happiness

Happiness is defined as a "mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy"  I do believe after a long hard week, a busy week, or just an average week that happiness begins with simple things...Paper and scissors.  I have always loved to create things.  As a child I made elaborate settings for Barbies, as a teen I painted every single day of my life, after marriage I worked on the road and my creative genes were used in creating training sheets and stationary to write letters to people.  In 1990, I begin making memory books for myself.  Seeing as I have NEVER had a great memory, and the desire to remember every detail about some things made me create these books.  They are ugly and very much NOT the way you should preserve things, but they are MINE.  I made them.  The memories make me happy and knowing the memories tickles me pink.  In 1997, I discovered Creative Memories and learned how to preserve my memories and mementos the "right" way.  I have made 48 book (large books not mini albums) since 1997, and that number keeps growing.  Why do you care?  You don't but look at the pictures of how far I have come. 


And I cannot get these photos to turn right. I put them in photoshop, in Microsoft digital image, in word...NOTHING.  They will NOT turn the way they should, any suggestions???????

This could only happen to me

So I am a creature of habit...every Saturday morning, I get up and go to the bathroom.  There I brush my teeth and comb my hair and put on my clothes.  After that, I walk down the hall (still brushing my teeth) and feed the cat because usually at this point she is begging.  Yesterday however she was not begging and slowly I made my way to the kitchen.  I was finishing up with the brushing of my teeth. I spit in the kitchen sink, tore off a paper towel and placed it on the bar.  I rinsed my toothbrush and placed it on the paper towel.  UH, the kitchen is a mess. I started seeing things that needed to be picked up.  I started with the corner of the bar.  Here there was a jug of Hawaiian punch, 3 tomatoes, a butter dish, and a toy snake.  I reach for the toy snake, all the while getting angry with my son for leaving his toys on my kitchen counter and it MOVES!!! I scream LOUDLY because at this point I realize...this is not Trevor's toy snake...there is a snake in my house.  I run down the hall and throw open the bedroom door. John is at this point sitting up in bed because he heard me scream.  I tell him there is a snake in the kitchen and he runs to the kitchen.  At this point, the snake has left the bar and we can't find it.  Callie is in the utility room looking funny and we figure out that he is in there.  He was around Callie's food bowl. 

We thought about what to do. I went next door to the game cop's house and he was asleep.  So John decided to trap him in one of Hannah's plastic drawers.  Then I pulled the board out from between Trevor's mattresses and John figured out a way to get the board under the drawer.  In the process, he cut part of the snakes tail off and that snake was very angry with him.  Together we picked up the board and the box and placed it into the back of the truck and John got into the truck and I drove to an open field.....there we left that little bugger go.  The End!

the purple has it

I did a second design in the color choices for this week. I am not submitting this one because I think I can only enter one per week. I only made it because I HATE having extra paper lying around, so using the same papers I created a wedding card.  I am thinking of giving it to the bride that will get married in just a few days.  A bride that I work with.  It sort of reminds me of her...romantic, light, moral...yeah that's her.

To get  the look:
all papers are open stock at Hobby Lobby
Stamps are Thank you by Inkadinkadoo
flowers are prima
rhinestones are by bead party
all pens by sharpie
butterflies and trails are drawn by me

ink is eggplant envy by Stampin UP!

Mojo Monday 191 and CR84FN 29

This card was in answer to two website challenges.  I LOVE the color choices this week...love love love them.  Since they are some of my favorite colors, I chose one of my favorite songs to go with the card.  I chose the lyrics to "In my life".  If you are not familiar with the song, by all means please read the lyrics below:

There are places I'll remember

All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
In my life I love you more

And set to music, it is simply astounding.....wow! 

Anyway, back to what we were talking about.  The card....if you want my look here are some of the things you need:

Kraft and purple cardstock from open stock at Hobby Lobby

purple pen by Sharpie

green ink by Close to my Heart clover meadow

brown ink by Stampin UP!  chocolate chip

black ink by Stazon

pattern stripe paper by recollections ravenhood manor

the purple patterned paper was found in my scrap bin...and I found it originally in the scraps of some lady's while at a crop.

Leaf by me---I drew them on paper and cut them out...they are inked with the stazon black and the clover meadow green

flower by me---I hand cut each petal and stamped each petal in eggplant envy by Stampin UP!

then I layered the petals on top of each other in a flower fashion.  The middle of my flower was made by cutting out a swirl and rolling it up the "wrong" way ontop of itself.  

Cuchi cuchi

There was once a TV show that I loved. It came on ABC so it was not a show I could watch often, but when I could I was in love with it. It was called the Love Boat. I know you have heard of it, many have; but have you ever seen an episode? I have been watching all the shows on the TV.com app on my droidX and it is bringing back so many memories. Patrick Duffy, Joyce Bulafant, Kristie Alley (in her Saviak days), Willie Ames, the lovely Morgan Brittany (from Dallas), Barbi Benton, Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls) and half pint too (Melissa Gilbert), Cyd Charisse, as well as Gene Kelly (ah) and Howard Keel, Donna (I love her) Mills, Jack Klugman, and my favorite CHARO!!! This is only a SMALL portion of the celebrities that graced the promenade deck. This is where I fell for ships! A hot tub, pool, cabins, a cruise director....it's a lot like real life ONLY smaller.

If you have never checked out the show, please do. It's campy, 1970's, but loads of fun. There are many storylines in each episode and somehow everything rights itself by the time they dock in Los Angles.

Crazy 4 Challenges: CR4C87

I was THRILLED that I found another challenge website.  This weeks challenge speaks to my very soul...CHOCOLATE!!! What girl does not love CHOCOLATE?  Ok, I admit about 5 years ago, I did not much care for it, but that is when I really got into scrapbooking and a friend turned me onto DARK chocolate, truffles and Java Chip Frappicino..yeah, I am hooked.

I made this card for someone like me that loves chocolate...it is a bit romantic like the feeling you have when you have some good quality chocolate....oh wait, this comes with a piece of good chocolate too...who would NOT be cheered up by this card?

To get the look:

Pink card stock from my scrap bin
ALL pattern paper is Cut and Paste by K&co
Tulle from Amanda's wedding pew bows

flowers by prima and from an arrangement that I took apart
Chocolate by Ghirardelli
paper ribbon by a gift tag that I received from a preschool friend
quote by Lucy Van Pelt

Mojo Monday 190

Here is my version of this week's sketch. Actually, before I show it to you, I would like to say this is my first week playing along. I am looking forward to participating with everyone. From what I have seen you are all TREMENDOUSLY talented....I am inspired just by looking at your work. Thank you for sharing it with us.


My recipe:

Cream card stock and Kraft card stock....open stock HObby Lobby

Blue flower paper, and blue splottching paper Magnolia by MME

Font by CK Ali Edwards Handwriting (love her)

bingo chip by Maya Road

Buttons by Making Memories

Flower by Prima

Stamps by Technique Tuesday (love them the most)

Black Stamp ink by stazon

Thread by DMC B5200

Brown ink by Stampin up! (chocolate chip)

Blue edges by my crayola water color pencil

Pink card stock from my scrap bin (did not cut, just inked)

my scrapbook space

This is an area that evolves as I get new things or discover new furniture to fit into my corner. Actually, I have two corners of the kitchen that I occupy. In one corner is my cart. In the cart are my paper scraps, punches, greeting cards, and DMC thread. In my working corner, I have ALL my paper (and there are lots of sheets here), my inks, embellishments, ribbons, well just everything that I have....
what you can't see...Elvis looms over me on the far left, as does Hedwig, and Skip Shumaker, on the right John Champion's face looks over all my work. He approves, he just doesn't know it.