New Stamps

So...I went on a little spending spree. OKAY...a big spending spree. Really I spent too much at one time and am feeling a tad bit guilty about it. But, I am determined to make up for it, and of course I am the only one that knows I did this. LOL I hit some great sales though, so it was justified and I didn't buy anything that I didn't really need.

I bought some great new stamps. At least great for me. Still not exactly what I am looking for, but definitely a lot more usable than past choices. I am thinking that maybe I should try and unload some of my "poor choice" buys on Ebay, but part of me is positive that I will absolutely need what I get rid of two weeks after I do. Most of the stamps are all great for collage projects, but are great sizes for cards or ATC's. For some reason I am really hooked on vintage and collage style, so of course that is what I lean toward these days.

This card is another collage style card. The card is a green background, the next layer is a paper that I just fell in love with because of the colors and print design. I bought it for the opposite which is purple nautilus shells. Now why I wanted purple shells, no idea. Maybe needed purple for something and just picked up a few colors of purple, seem to remember a project with purple, at any rate, I turned it over and found the treasure of the other side. Kind of a vintage form of long hand script but with corral and jelly fish printed over it. Now I wish I had a few more sheets. Why can't I learn to buy more than one sheet of a design? At any rate, this is the card that came to be.

I stamped the image on one of the sheets I made from the alcohol inks. This particular sheet was one made by adding blending solution to clean the pad a bit. Kind of crazy, I figured with all the darker colors that totally blending them together would have mad a mud or brown color instead of the really interesting yellow and cream tones. I finished it off with a black frame from my Cricut then added some dimensional stickers that co-ordinate with a totally different paper stack and a little ribbon know that was ribbon I found in the clearance bin on this last spending spree.

I really like the end result, will have to do this a little more.

I have a couple of things I need to finish up for a swap and get them in the mail. Then I need to take a couple of days to do some housework around here. I think I will also do a little re-arranging in my craft room. I need to make a little more arm room and see if I can make things move a little easier. I don't really mind having to go up and down a step stool so often to get to things, figure at least it is a little exercise. But the constant moving around the room back and forth is just not working. I need to find a better set up for my computer so I can get it off the desk I use for my projects. That is the worst of the mess at the moment. I spread out the papers and cutter or stamps and ink, am working on something then inevitably need to pull up something on my computer so I have to move everything aside and make room for the laptop then move it out of the way to get back to the papers, well you get the idea.

The weather today is so gorgeous. I have the doors open, a window open and sunshine. In fact, it is so nice that I decided to cook supper outside. Albertson's has whole chickens on sale really cheap, so I bought a few. I am thinking beer but chicken for supper. Another grocery had red potatoes on sale so bought a few and will season them and bake them in the oven, or maybe put them on the grill with the chicken. I wanted to make a salad, but at 1.99 a head for lettuce, that will have to wait. Wow, the sign at the store stated a "severe shortage" on lettuce due to a freeze that destroyed crops. Stupid global warming.

Thanks for stopping by.

These are some new cards I just made. They were kind of fun and went together fairly quick. The only one that took any time was the Easter egg card. I used alcohol inks to make some background pages, posted those pages earlier, took one of the sheets and stamped Easter eggs on it and then cut it out. I love the multicolor effect. At any rate, the original card was nice, just needed a little pop so I added the black strips and then layered some butterfly punches with smaller punches from the egg paper. I really like it now.
















These are some cards I recently made and sent off for a swap with one of the groups I belong to.





























I went on a little spending spree, okay it wasn't little, but got everything at sale prices. I bought some more alcohol ink, different colors, a template of clocks, a lot of stamps too. I will post some of the images later, I have just fallen in love with one of the stamps and am sure I will wear it out in no time. It is vintage looking, reminds me of a cameo in a way. It will really be a great focus point for some more collage projects.

My oldest son called and wants me to go eat lunch with him when he gets off. So, I am not about to pass that up. I have turkey soup in the crock pot for supper, will make some cornbread to go with it. It is nice and warm today, but it is Ash Wednesday which starts lent and for some reason soup on Wednesday seems to be a lent thing.

Thanks for dropping by.

Alcohol ink

I have been playing all morning. Made a few cards.


This card went together quickly after I figured out what I wanted to do with it. The image is from the stamping class last month that I did not really care for. I am still learning to blend, but am liking what I do a lot better these days. I am sure it just takes lots of practice. I colored in the image with chalks.

I am still playing with the collage technique that I read about. A tutorial can be found on Splitcoaststampers. They are a great resource sight. I actually think that at the moment this is my new favorite technique and will be doing a lot more experimenting with it. It is a very forgiving technique as you can just add something over any mistakes.

This is a new stamp for me. Got it off of Ebay. I love the clay pots, reminds me of the Native American culture that was strong in the mountains of New Mexico where we went often for week end camping trips when I was growing up. I like the crossing over of Native American and Southwestern arts. Hoping to find a stamp of some chile peppers some day. At any rate, this card is nothing like what I had in my head, but I just can't seem to figure out how to have a light touch on the ink when making a background. Maybe some day I will. I have decided that I think the biggest problem is that I have all the wrong colors of ink for what I am wanting to do. After I finished with this card, I was putting everything away and learned that all my colors of ink are water based dyes. Wow, I could have used a little water to blend and soften, had I used a better card stock. I had a lot of fun working it up though. Have no idea what I will do with it, but I am sure that down the road a need will be met with this card.

Another card I made this morning.
I don't have a need for a sympathy card, but for some reason after I got this put together, the card was just telling me it should be a sympathy card, not the spring card I had started out to make. I guess that is how it works though, just start making it and then it takes on a life of it's own. I bought a box of metallic pencils thinking it would be a cool look to the card. Well, I just wasn't impressed. I really like the end result of this card, just think it is the wrong stamp design to really show how great those pencils look.


Okay, now that the finished cards are out of the way, let me show you some backgrounds I made.

There are four separate backgrounds here. I had so much fun playing with my new alcohol inks. I love them, must have more of them. I only bought five colors, a blue, red, purple, yellow, and green. I need a deeper green, a redder red and a darker purple. Not that I would trade the colors I have, they were about all that was in stock when I bought them from the local scrapbook store. I have since learned that at Michael's I can buy the inks, three colors in a set. They are Tim Holtz's brand and I am sure that I will be burning up the gas hoofing it back and forth to Michael's with my coupons to get the sets. I have a couple of ideas in mind for these backgrounds, which since I was playing figured I would make up several at the same time. It is just impossible to make two the same. I have one that didn't make it in the scan, a total of 5 backgrounds. I did figure out very quickly that I will go to JoAnn's and buy a piece of felt and cut my on pads to put on the handle.

When I first learned about this technique, we were told to use glossy card stock or glossy photo paper. We used the photo paper in the class. That gave me an idea, our dollar store has photo size sheets (4 x 6), 25 sheets to the pack age. I figure that is cheap enough, and a great size for card making. I purchased a package of invitation envelopes that are just perfect for a 6 x 4 inch card, or the standard 5 1/2 by 4 1/4. At any rate, the photo papers worked great. The thing I like about the alcohol inks are that they dry pretty much instantly.

Now, look at these two backgrounds.




They are much lighter and a bit softer, but wait until you hear how I did them. I took the alcohol blending solution to clean the pads and then stamped that out. This is the left overs. I think that it is so cool that even the clean up leaves a great background.

I was going through my fair sized stash of paper this afternoon, still didn't find the paper I was looking for, but found it interesting to explore my choices. You know, look at something and think "what on earth was I thinking" but am stuck with now. One set of papers is called "Once Upon A Time" I bought the paper pack, 8x8 paper pack, the 6x4 paper stack, ribbons and letters that coordinate. I still love the colors in the paper, but when looking over the stack think "what a waste" at so many pages that have beautiful artwork but the proportions are way to large. There is absolutely nothing you can do with it that won't take part of it away or cover it up entirely. Guess I can see them a spacer sheets.

I have to go pick up my daughter from skating, had every intention of dropping in the craft store on that side of town, they are having a stamp sale. Had it all figured out, since hubby was off riding with some friends, he won't be home until dark...I thought. He showed up quite a while ago so that trip is off. Guess I will have to sneak over there next week.

Like I said, I have to go play taxi driver, then I will do some more playing.

Friday

It is Friday. That usually means a yeah for most people, but since I have to get up early EVERY morning, it just means that the whole family is home and the taxi service is going, which at the cost of gas these days is going to be really cutting back. On the way to bowling this morning I noticed the gas prices at the corner station had changed. $3.79 a gallon. Most of places it is now over 3.80 a gallon. A few days ago I filled up the car, a little over 16 gallons was almost $60, ouch! It is expected to go even higher, thanks to all the violence in Libya and Egypt.

On to crafty matters. Yesterday I put together a couple of cards using some dimensional stickers. The brand is Jolee's Boutique.


This is one I did for a replacement card. A masculine birthday themed card. I just thought it was too cute. Especially the little sign that says "No Girls Allowed". Oh how I wish I could have found a sticker that said "He Man Woman Haters Club" then it could have been a Little Rascals card.

The other card is for a swap too, "teddy bear" theme. I never really have been much of a teddy bear person, even when I was little. I had and "Elsie" cow stuffed animal, a promotional item from the early 60's by Borden Milk. Our milk man, back then they came door to door, liked me and brought it for me. I think he may have had a little crush on my mom.

At any rate, it is a little simple, but sometimes less is more I think. This is the first time I have used jewels on a card. Pretty neat look in my opinion.

Thanks to a member on one of my Yahoo groups, I was able to print off and use a Michael's coupon for 50% off. I was so happy because when I was there yesterday I noticed they had gotten some of the 2.5 inch Xyron sticker machines in. I have the small one and the 5 inch one. The small one is just not quite big enough sometimes, and the 5 inch is too big to mess with a lot of times. I wanted to buy it yesterday, when I really went a little over my budget for so close to the end of a pay period, but it is justified. At the time, all I have had to color in stamped images in the way of markers was a cheap set bought at Walmart in the school supplies. The tips are pretty broad for some of the detail work and not especially compatible with learning to blend or shade. But, it was a lot of colors for little money and I have been using them with some success. Well, I had noticed a week or so ago that Michael's had some LePlumme sets on clearance. The colors are kind of weird colors but for learning how to use markers, the price was too good to pass up and the more I thought about it I was afraid they would be gone. As it was, there was only one set left of each of the clearance sets. One is called Victorian, one is called Renaissance. They are double tipped markers, one end is extra fine which is just was I was after. I also bought the blender pen. I normally don't buy all the things that go with some product, but a couple of demo videos I have watched all made a point of listing the blender pen and showing it used. The sets are 12 markers to a set, normally they run $21.99 and they were on clearance for $8.49 each. That is less than half and way less than a coupon would get me. Now I know that they were probably on clearance because they are being discontinued or such, but I don't really care. No colors are duplicated in the sets and they are colors I can work with, especially while learning. Then if I find out I can use them fairly well I can use the sales and coupons to buy the other sets as I find a need for them. I mean really, this same set is at the local scrapbook store listed at over $30.00 and the ladies at the shop all swear by their LePlumme markers. Oh, and these are LePlumme II, don't know what the first ones were like. Of course I also bought a few other things I needed, blender sticks and sponge applicators for blending, and a few things in the clearance and dollar bins as well. Walked out with a bag for about $40 or so. Next major purchases are to invest in some Ranger Distress Inks and embossing powders along with a few more colors of alcohol inks. Michael's sells the inks in three color sets which is great for me because I can never figure out which colors to get. I need to make a list of the colors I do have, bought five colors to start out with last month, the pads and blending to go with it as well. I used the alcohol inks during a class I took called "ink boot camp" and really fell in love with it. I am breaking them out tonight to play with for some Easter cards.

I bowled a great game today. First game was 114, my second game, a record breaker for me was 154, but then my arm wore out and I ended with a 71. Now remember, my average game is 95 and last week I didn't break 90 in any of the 3 games. I had a 95 pin handicap for this week's game. WOW, it was great. I even treated myself to lunch at the grill there and had the best liver and onions I have had since my aunt made hers. I should not have spent the money, since I spent so much at Michael's yesterday and today, but hey, I am making a good day better for myself for a change and I think there is nothing wrong with taking a little me day for a change. Thanks for stopping by and check back soon.

Today

This afternoon I decided to try my hand at making a collage card.

I like the technique, it is pretty forgiving. I am sure I will have to play with this some more. The part I am most happy with is the background colors, I feel my blending is getting better. It is defiantly not my usual style but whose says I can't have more than one style.

Off to clean up from today's stamping projects and then off to a warm bath and my bed.

Friday Night

The sound of the rain coming down is soothing for a change. I am sure tomorrow is going to be mess weather wise. They are expecting snow down to 1,000 feet which is very rare for here even in dead winter. It also means that more than likely the roads out of town will be closed a while. It doesn't snow here in town, like ever, so for them to even forecast a chance of it is all the talk. At any rate, it is just pouring down. I think rain is still a hard concept for me since moving here. We moved here from West Texas and when it rained, you had drops of water or sheets of water pouring down. Now granted, it might not be raining across the street, I have watched it pour in the front yard and leave the back yard dry. But it was still rain drops. We moved to California and here the rains are more like a heavy mist. No true drops, is a little damp, but not much more. I mean really, is it truly rain if you can't hear it on the roof or against the window? I think not.

I really got on a roll the last couple of days. Where do I begin? My little craft room is half straightened so many papers, ribbons, glues, you know. I got the Cricut carts put back in their place, the Cricut up on the shelf and decided to post on the old blog spot. I have made 3 cards for one group's swap, 4 cards for another group's swap (still need to make one more for that set) and also made a replacement card for one of the group's hostess that was in need of some. It is a card called "Never Ending Card" and is just the coolest thing. I am sure you all already know about these, but go check it out if you aren't. I had never made one so was really fussing over the final card because I wanted to make sure of the quality before sending it out. But, I did good with it.

Here is the side story to that. We have two local scrapbook stores in town. The one I usually go to is literally only blocks from my house. That is where I have attended some classes and to buy the more specialty items that the general craft stores may not have. It is also the home of the classes I have been a bit ...put out with...lately. So, since I was headed to that side of town anyway, I thought I would just pop in that store and give the place a look over. First impression is the difference between Macy's and Walmart. Only the prices weren't much different. The staff was quite friendly as was one of the owners that was in the store putting an order together. Got started talking and she asked what my current project was, I told her about the card and that I had not made one before. She asked to see it, I showed it to her and next thing I know she was asking for my name and phone number to see if might be interested in teaching it to a class. OH MY GOSH! Guess the card is good to go at any rate. Now, I don't know if she will ever call me, but just the thought is pretty awesome for me. I did notice, that they must have the same phobia about handouts as the other store. There were signs up asking us to please not take photos of the class samples. I just don't understand this mentality that the directions are not meant to be shared. REALLY NOW, do you think that your little project is so special and only thought up by you? I may try one of their classes just to have some idea of how a different class would be held. I was overwhelmed by the amount of papers and flowers this store carries, disappointed in the amount of stamps and products. She carries no Flower Soft at all, I took her last paper distress tool, her last set of small sanders, and she is ordering some water pens so I can buy one. They are very pricey so may have to wait a bit on that. Sure wish I could find them somewhere cheaper.

At any rate, like I said, I only have one more card to make and my March swaps are good to go as soon as the name for our swap partners are listed. The next card to make is another new technique, but will get to use a rubber stamp. I also need to go through my stash and find ten stamps that will give great stamped images to swap as well. Ten different stamps that is. I am up for the challenge though. I just pulled a bunch of acrylic butterfly stamps out of the dollar bin at Michael's. Also got some rather unique shoe images that I feel could be really fun to use as well. Even a purse to go with them. LOL Next week, I have cleaning and sorting all over the house to do, will have to take a little break from the papers and do a little laundry. I need to better sort my punches and do some playing with them. Don't won't them to have any hurt feelings, I know they are already feeling very left out.

I don't want to post the photos of the cards just yet, but will as soon as the partners have been announced and will know which one is going where. So, check back for the photos to come.

No More Classes

Yesterday was total disappointment. The class was just not what I had expected and feel like I just wasted money. Here's my thinking. When you pay for a class you are paying for the materials, the teacher and learning a new technique. The shop gave me a list of things to bring, like adhesives, heat set tool, cutters, pen and paper. The session was supposed to be from 10 - 1. I ended up leaving early, had just had enough. I will, in the future, be a little more thoughtful before choosing to take a class.

For this class, here is my opinion of what I got.

This is the single image I ended up with for a project. I used chalk technique for coloring it in. I have a piece of pink card stock that was given to us to make a card. I used my chalks, so, I spent $22 for the use of one rubber stamp, one piece of card stock, and one small set of acrylic stamps. They are button shaped. That is it.

I admit, that this is the third stamping of the image, the first one she had us color all in the same colors, in other words no shading or blending, to show us how flat it looked. I KNOW THAT, why do you think I am taking the class. Then she had us stamp a second image to practice the shading. I would really like to figure out how to use markers and blend them, but that was not part of this class. Then the third image was stamped and we used our new blending knowledge to make the image for our card. Great, I learned that chalks and colored pencils can be erased. She was amazed that my watercolor attempt made the paper soggy. DA? Water and card stock?

I should also back up and tell you that the first hour of the class was spent making a color wheel and her going on about the technical aspects of the colors, their hue, their tint, their properties, then telling us that she was getting too technical and too deep for us at this point. DO YOU THINK she could have decided that about thirty minutes earlier?

Well, you get the point. I am now more confused than ever about shading and blending. Everyone I have seen doing these techniques has always stated to do the lightest colors first, but she told us to color in the darkest areas first. So, I will go back to spending time watching the tutorials on You Tube and Splitcoaststampers. There are a few more forums, if you go to any for ideas and techniques please leave me the link in a comment so I can try them out too.

Now, on to more positive things. I posted earlier about the card making class. Here is what I made in that class.

I really enjoyed this last card as I love the watercolor effect. However, if you read my previous post, this is the card that she let us use a set of watercolors for the flowers that is no longer available to purchase. Why showcase or teach a product that we cannot buy and use again? I don't know, but at any rate, that is about how this teacher goes. Here is another example of how this class goes. She gave us these two cutouts of an apron.

She did have this done as an example, but she had done it as an invitation for tasting party. She gave us a brief run down on how she used the computer to print the info and then cut the apron afterwards, telling us to just take them and do what we want with them. By the way, the aprons were done with the Cricut and the Kitchen cart.

I went to Michael's yesterday and really hit on a tremendous sale. I finally found the "Woodless Colour Pencils" that were used in the demo for the "Black Velvet" technique. They have all their art pencils, pens, and paints on sale as well as canvas and drawing pads. I am going to go back today and see about some more water colour sets. I saw yesterday some water colour crayons that I want to check in to a little more. I think those would be great for making backgrounds. I also want to check in to some type of color that I can apply to give a pearl like finish.

Now, you decide. "Card Making" class, $15 and two hours, all materials are furnished, come home with 5 cards. I do believe that is a much better bang for my buck. Of course, it is always the same techniques. One water colour, one embossed, one distressed, one die cut, and one that is kind of a mix. At least this month's class had only one holiday themed card, in January every card was hearts and love. I joined some more swaps, so when the theme fits I will use some of these cards for that. I have a list of about 10 cards I want to make so will busy with that this week. I can't wait to play with the Black Velvet technique, alcohol inks, and some more water colour projects.

My cake decorating class is over. The next class is flower making, then gum paste. However, this current class was cancelled mid session and will be made up in May so I will wait until then to see about taking the flower classes, but at the moment am just not inclined to further invest in that hobby. I mean really, my goal is met, I learned enough to decorate for a family cake. You really need to just practice, like anything else, and honestly there isn't a one of us in this family needs the practice projects sitting around the house to eat.

Wow, with this laptop I got a love that "control + z" to recover lost text I am writing. I guess I am touching the mouse pad that is built in to the laptop as I will be just typing away and suddenly be on a totally different place in the page and deleted half of what I just typed. Unfortunately, it only works with what is written between automatic saves.

I need to check my mail, go to the grocery store, and make out my menu plan for this week at least. It really does work so much better to know what is going to be made. It also helps me to manage my time a little better as well. I am going to try and take advantage of the gadgets I have accumulated such as the pressure cooker and slow cooker to save time so I can keep working on my projects while I try to remember to keep some laundry going. The laundry doesn't win most of the time.

Check back in as I post my progress. Feel free to leave a comment, I love knowing that someone has read this.

Ready to Rest

I am so ready for a rest...just can't get it.

First, the cake decorating saga. For my Wilton Basic Cake Decorating class I made a practice cake this week. Lemon cake with raspberry filling. My drop flowers were just awful, my roses show a little bit of promise and with practice may get those figured out, the leaves were pretty decent, but my scroll/squiggle was dead on. Over all, think it turned out pretty well.

For Lesson 2 I have to make another cake and ice it to take to class Tuesday where we will decorate it. Going to learn to use piping gel to transfer a pattern to the cake. A cupcake design will be on the top of the cake. The last thing we need around this house is a flood of cakes sitting around. So...this flower cake (and let me mention that we have not had the class on flowers yet) went to the Ink Boot Camp workshop, about half of it was eaten. Then my mom's place is finally back to normal after the quarantine measures from the flu outbreak so her little group got together for a hot game of rummy cube so I took the rest of the cake up to them. WOW did they hit that. Not a crumb left. YEAH, that is just what I wanted. I admit, I did have one thin slice just so I could taste it, to know how it turned out. Now, Tuesday's cake will be taken to the bible study group on Wednesday morning. May just make a third cake on Wednesday, a red velvet cake with cream cheese filling, and decorate it up for my birthday. I always have red velvet cake for my birthday.

Ink Boot Camp with Jenn Starr for Tim Holtz products. What is there to say? The class was one of the best attended and best organized that I have attended. Jenn is a great educator and did a phenomenal job of show casing the products. The ink techniques we went through were dye, pigment, alcohol, archival, distress, color wash, masking, embossing and then some. Even showed us how to use embossing ink and etch some glass. Later this week I will photograph the technique pages we made. The watercolor technique was quite interesting to me, but the alcohol inks were I think my favorite. They dry quick and the colors are so rich. I think embossing is still my favorite thing to do, but this class gave me some great techniques to use with the embossing to really make it pop. I also think that my new favorite inks are the Distress Ink's and will probably begin investing in all the colors of that line. I must say, the other ladies that took the class were all so friendly as well. A complete turn around from the way the crops have all gone. Now, to make some time to play with some stamping projects. I may just have to use that alcohol ink stuff for Easter cards. Maybe some Easter scrapbook pages. Those glimmer sprays were messy but a lot of fun as well and gave a really nice shimmer result. Monday night is the long awaited Cricut class. Thursday is an ATC class, will be a monthly class, but think I may wait until next month to do that as Mom is taking me to lunch that day for my birthday, going to the Elephant Bar.

Today I also made up the bowling league game I missed yesterday. I have to say that I am rather pleased with the out come and hope I do as well next Friday. Bowled my best game in a long time. Only a 129, but that sure beats the 58 from last week. Am thinking I should get J. a pair of bowling shoes so she can go with me more often.

Well, I am off to eat my chicken pot pie and try to figure out what I will cook for the next two weeks at least. We get paid on Monday and I will be grocery shopping on Monday or Tuesday. Of course tomorrow is the great Super Bowl so know that will be going on, may just spend that time on the computer or pull out some stamps and play a bit. Yes, I do think that may be the ticket after all.

Thanks for dropping by and come back soon.

What a Crazy Week

What a crazy week. I am so behind on all my computer fun, a little behind on the house, but have had fun.

I didn't realize how much of my life is associated with computer use. My laptop is what I use to post to the blog, check my mail, read other blogs, look up things on the spur of the moment. It is so infected with virus critters that I cannot do a single thing with it. Pretty nasty little guys as one of them, or all of them, have managed to disable the anti-virus program so it cannot even begin to detect them to remove them. I have some photos on there that I need to save to CD, but have been afraid I would end up saving the virus as well. Hubby assures me this is not how it works, but I am still not sure. Checked in to getting it fixed, looking at $200.00 there. For $300 can get a brand new computer. The computer guy said that probably couldn't save any of the files on it, so why not just start from scratch?

The desk top computer has a few little issues, but is workable. No one much used it, mainly it is set up because that is where the wireless router is located. At any rate, when I bought a new computer desk for it, I did not get a user friendly one. It is physically painful to use for any length of time, like more than 10 minutes. I have my eye on a new desk set that is compact. You would not believe how many of the cheaper computer desk are not set up for towers. Guess that is soon to be a thing of the past. At any rate, the desk I am looking at has a little printer stand that comes with it and it is large enough to put the tower on. If I am going to get back in to scrapbooking, or even printing off of a photos, I need to set my printer/scanner where it is a lot easier to get to for scanning. It sits on a shelf now as it is a wireless printer, which works great for printing off calendars and recipes and letters, but not at all for scanning. It can be done, but I want to scan a lot of my mom's photos and standing on tippy toe to get the paper changed and photo on the scanner glass is just really not working. So...while hubby is gone this week, I plan to work on moving things around a bit in our bedroom and just putting the desktop and printer together in a corner like it used to be. I would like to have it in my craft room, but the main connection for the internet and the wireless set up cannot be moved easily and I can move my personal schedule around to work on any computer or photo needs during the day so not to disturb my hubby who goes to sleep way early.

My little grandson emailed me the cutest note the other day. My oldest daughter, his mom, set him up a little email account so we can write to each other. Of course, just as it gets set up, I loose my computer. But I will work with what I have and it will be fine. My poor little farm is probably all dried up since I have been spending little time on Facebook.

Along with all this chaos, I joined a bowling league that bowls on Fridays. Thankfully it is a short league, because I am not going to stay on for the next session. Soon it will be summer league season and I will find a league that plays on a different day of the week. Fridays are just good days for me to commit to being there, and you pay whether you are there or not. I am having a lot of fun with it though.

As for menu planning. I didn't this week and the funny thing is how off it feels. Kind of like I am a little unsettled because of it. Hubby has been gone again this week, thankfully this is a once a year thing, and I have been really lazy about the meals with just J and I. Eating out way too much, but I will make up for it and we have been really picky about the cost and nutrition of what we eat. Over the week end, I will get the menus and recipes caught back up. I can just pick up with what wasn't used and start there. Now that I have my freezer and pantry stocked up, pretty well any way, I plan to take a whole day and plan all of February out. Monster task, but I am up for the challenge. Now that I am getting the house back to the point where it is just keep up or maintain, it will go quicker with that as well. I am aiming for better time management so I can craft with out guilt. I tend to get focused in on what I am doing, okay obsessed, and knowing that I am really making an effort to multi-task the essentials. The plan is to spend the mornings with upkeep, afternoon with crafting, then dinner and taxi service, then have the evenings to continue working on what ever project I am working on. Along with the paper crafts I am back in to I hope to add in some fabric crafts (quilting, sewing, embroidery) which for some reason I am being resistant to jumping back in to. I am sure there is some deep psychological reason for this, but refuse to evaluate that area today.

Everything seems to be going fine now with my daughter-in-law and appears to progressing with the pregnancy well. New due date is August 17. Personally, I think they are off by about a month, but what do I know? Her birthday is tomorrow, so we are having a family dinner on Sunday evening to celebrate. It has always been a tradition to go out to eat somewhere for birthdays, choice of restaurant went to birthday person. The size of our family now has gotten it to where the cost has been over a hundred, some times close to two hundred dollars. I know that it has been a real treat for everyone, especially myself, to have those little outings, but that equates to half my monthly budget for just one meal. I made the decision, with great gratitude from hubby, to change over to birthday dinners being at our house. We are going to cook steak and trimmings for every one at a fraction of the cost, and quite frankly I am so spoiled to hubby cooking the steak that the ones at the restaurant just can't compare. Now that I am getting my kitchen all tricked out with great gadgets it will be a real joy to cook larger meals, even the smaller ones for that matter. I just wished that all the things on my wish list weren't so expensive.

With that said, I have to say I am looking forward to my pressure cooker arriving. I returned the defective one and bought a little higher model that had lots of great reviews. It is dual purpose, working as an electric Pressure cooker or Slow cooker which is a bonus, especially since my favorite crock is acting crazy lately, burning everything around the edges. I actually have a few crock pots in different sizes, but am down sizing a few things to make more space in the kitchen.

That about catches everyone up with what is going on around here. Oh, one more thing, next week a national educator is coming to the local scrapbook store and I am taking one of her classes. Her name is Jenn Star and she is with Ranger inks. The class is called Ink Boot Camp and will teach a variety of ink and embossing techniques. Great thing is that the project for the class makes a 6x6 mini-album that is a reference manual for what we will be learning. I love stamping and embossing, more than the other paper crafts, so am really looking forward to this. There was another class that is devoted to techniques, but due to cost I had to choose and this class description seems to be more of what I like doing.

I slept in a little later than usual this morning due to the foggy weather, school had another fog delay, and while it was nice it sure makes the day half gone already. So it seems anyway. Off of here and on to other things. Thanks for dropping in, come back often.

Finally Friday

It is finally Friday. Has certainly been a weird week, but an okay week. Here is a little wrap up.

The menu plan was followed half the time, which beats the previous weeks where it was only a day or two. Things just happen that makes you have to adapt a bit. Like on Wed. when hubby unexpectedly pulled in to a local Mexican food place on the way home from Walmart. Then last night, Miss J went to a friends house to eat so hubby said he would just eat a bowl of cereal, I didn't argue with. Now tonight he said he would take me out since he is going to be gone all week. I have pork chops that have been thawed since Wednesday late, so will for sure make those tomorrow.

I already posted about my sick computer, I guess I will let it go to sleep a while and put it up in the closet until we figure out what to do about it. I can use the desk top, so it isn't like I am with out a computer, but I will for sure be moving things around this week so I can get the printer/scanner in the same room with the computer. Especially if I plan to print out any photos for some scrapbook projects I have going. I would like to move it in to the craft room, but that won't work as the router is set up in our bedroom and the internet cable to that room doesn't work. I will however, figure some way to make it work.

Speaking of scrapbooking, I had great time at a card making class yesterday. She has the class each month and makes themed cards for it. This month was valentine cards. Here are mine.

These were fun little cards that used a couple of different techniques. You can't really tell by the photo, but the red heart with the little silk flowers has tulle netting behind the heart to make it stand out. Here is a closer view.

With all the dry embossing and distressed edges I think that this was my favorite to make. Now I am wanting to take another class on Tues. that teaches making paper flowers. I would love to learn, but wonder if I would really make them enough to justify the cost of the class. They are so beautiful, but very bulky in my opinion for adding on to scrapbook pages or a card. The new year is bringing so many classes at the store that I think there are other classes I would get more benefit from. There are a couple of classes that are more of a club than a class and they meet each month. I think I am going to join a couple of those each month as I will really learn a lot from them and it will keep me in the mood to work on things. The two I am thinking about are the Cricut club, which is pretty much a sure thing since not only do I learn what all the Cricut can do, but I get a discounted rate on using the store's cartridges. The other is a stamping club and since I really love stamping the most, I think that would be a great one as well as getting a stamp each month.

Guess that is it for today. I am going to go grab a bite to eat and then see what I can find to work on in my craft den. If I could find my red cards with the envelopes I would start making some Christmas cards and maybe complete them by November to send out. I have an idea for a Valentine card, which will just be for decoration, so may see what I can do about making that happen.

Drop back in to see me any time.

Wish List

Oh my goodness what all I saw today! I went to Home Depot today to pick up some metal shelf strips for daughter's room. Now, I have gone to Home Depot a hundred times with my hubby to get supplies for what ever project or repair was happening, have even gone there a few times to pick up an essential part or such for something hubby was in the middle of. But, today, I had an experience in there that I can only relate to finding the Christmas catalog in the mail box when I was...like nine? I repeat. Oh my goodness.

Here I am dreaming, sketching out, obsessing over the new sewing room I am about to make the now empty bedroom in to. I saw all kinds of neat organizing gizmos. Now, granted most of them are for putting in a closet the size of the bedroom I am working on, but the thought hit me and there it is. I have a 10 foot by 10 foot space to transform in to a sewing slash craft studio. So why not dress it out like a closet? Now, I am not complaining by any means about the size, after all before I packed all the sewing stuff away I only had a little corner of the bedroom and it served me very well. Although, hubby had to learn to sleep with the noise of a machine going, a light in his face, and the sound of the TV going.

I was very happy spending my days and nights making quilts, crocheting, hand embroidery for crazy quilting embellishment and machine embroidery. Joining trades and swap with people from all over the world. Of course, 95% of my work went to various charities, but I felt pretty good with myself when I worked on something. That is until I got a stupid brain fart and filled out an application for a job I saw in the paper. I was hired. Soon after settling in to that full time routine, the commute to and from work, dinners that didn't get prepared, clothes that didn't washed, children's events that didn't get attended, all that was going on and I just got really pissed one day and just packed it all away. No more quilting, no more swaps, no more sewing. I tried to keep doing the embellishments for some crazy quilting as that had been a new and fascinating technique I had just added to my quilting hobby, along with building up a great beginner's supply of all the essentials needed to embellish. All five machines were packed up and put away. All the sewing supplies in the drawers of my wonderfully huge desk (praying that we can manage to get it in the new room) were boxed up and put away, even labelled it all. Gifted away the bulk of my fabric stash as well. So, then I got the bright idea to get in to creating monthly menu plans, wanted to dress them up a little, so wanted to get in to stamping. Even became a Stampin Up demonstrator (huge mistake - too many quotas) and that led to scrapbooking. I admit, my very favorite thing to do is embossing. Just love to see the design and color pop, literally as it heats. At any rate, I dropped a lot of paychecks on scrapping supplies and equipment. I went to some classes, went to some crops. The last crop is when I determined that I was a total idiot when it came to figuring out what to take to a crop, I tried to take way too much of everything. I mean seriously, I would take two boxes of stamps, all my inks, embossing powders, my big case of punches, all my cutters and glues, photos as well. I think the only thing I left home was my Big Shot and Cricut (which I did take to one crop). All for what, to be snubbed. Some ladies just had their set groups and ignored everyone else, some where there and all of life is just about them and what they are doing or need to purchase, then some of them just showed up with their computer because they only do digital scrapbooking. Now, I ask you, what supplies to you need for that other than software? The classes were pricey, the projects were a state secret or something because they never gave you written directions to take home. I realized quickly that I can do the same thing at home, directions for various projects can be found on the internet or You Tube, and will end up being more productive and the best part is I can dress in my lounging attire.

Wow, had a few interruptions, helping to get daughter's waterbed filled so she can sleep in her new room tonight. She is so very excited and I while I am glad to see her happy I am just really hoping that her determination to keep it clean stays around a little bit. I mean really, is it expecting too much that a girl entering high school in the fall do a little housework? Not asking her to scrub floors with a toothbrush here, just that she get the dirty dishes from her room to the kitchen, pick up the bathroom when she is done, put away her clothes. That's all. The room still isn't finished, but all that is left is the little details. Furniture is all in place, most of the clothes, tomorrow hubby will install the shelving and she can finish moving her TV and games in there.

Read back over the posting and now I know where I was heading. LOL

After putting away the sewing, getting hooked on scrapbooking, I then put all that stuff away. And let me tell you, for a baby beginner I have a lot of stuff. Let's just say that when I dive in I dive in deep and leave it at that. Now, I have had a couple of health issues come up and have had to quit my job because, as I was informed, I have used up all my time off and it wasn't even March yet. You see, we had a family reunion to attend (which only happens every three years, had been eight since the last one, and we had already paid for it all) so needed a week then. Would need at least a week coming up when oldest daughter has the new grand son (will try to take a few days more now that I don't have to be back for work) and of course I am not going to miss that one. Just waiting for her to let us know he is here and we will head that way...19 hours one way. So, now that I am home, had gotten hooked on Facebook games and getting absolutely nothing done. At least nothing that should get done. Now, I am in a time crunch to get these bedroom make overs done because my oldest son and his wife are moving out of there apartment and they have been letting me stash a sewing cabinet I got from mom until I could get the rooms done. Oh, and did I mention that I am getting back the couch I let them have when I got my new living room furniture? It is a great couch, and I will enjoy sitting on it doing hand work this winter. Just wasn't planning on it coming back so now have to figure out how to get my dad's chair in there as well. Maybe though, I will rearrange the master bedroom and put the chair in here. Yeah, that's the ticket.

The long and short of this little novel is this, I am so ready to be done with all of this so I can actually work on something fun. I still have to peel off the wall paper, paint, shampoo that carpet and then move everything in. While I won't be able to get it all done before we have to get the stuff from the kids, if I can just get the room empty I can throw a drop cloth over the couch and paint around it. That brings me back to all the cool stuff for organizing a closet at Home Depot I found and will be getting. Not all of it is for closets, some is for laundry rooms and pantries. But the idea wheel started turning in mind and is still going. They had this set up that attaches to the what like those adjustable shelf units, you know the kind that has the little hook end support brackets you place where you want and then a wooden shelf lays on it. At any rate, there is this set up that is made of wire and has baskets that slide out like drawers. My head can see all my yarn and fabric in those. Of course my mother would hate it because you would be able to see it all still, but tough. I love momma to death and am so happy she is living in the same town with me once again. Oh, along with my health issues did I mention that I have my elderly mom living here now that depends on me more and more and I don't mind at all. For twenty years I lived in another town, the last ten of which was in another state and resulting in only being able to see her once a year. Especially after my sweet dad died. As I said, I love my mom, love all my family, but I have waited too long for this room and thank God above for moving my life to this point. So, selfish as it sounds, after being a stay at home mom for 20 plus years with four children, working full time for three years, now back at home with one child (a teenager, two children if you count hubby) I am now going to create my little hide away to create my own peace, one piece at a time. I am ready, and am determined to get my good life back.

Plan or goals. Get my room created, then get all my play things out. It will be fun finding what all I still have. Then, since it has become brutally obvious (has been for a few years, but made a bit clearer lately) that every bit of house hold chores is only going to get done by me I am going to purge the fat from this house. All the clothes that don't get worn, all books that are already read and reread, all the clutter that lays around waiting to be picked up for months on end, it is all leaving. I want to have a huge yard sale, but now that it is so close to time for the baby to come, it is looking like it may be September for I can have one. But that may be a good time around here for all I have to get rid of. Another goal is to actually get in to the habit of creating and using menu plans, doing big cooking sessions once a month or so for the freezer to have some dinners ready to go. Honestly, planning the menus will save us a lot of money. I did this in the past, it worked very well, and now that there is only three of us instead of six of us, I think it will work even better. Also, I want to get all the Christmas gifts made, Christmas cards made and addressed, then spend some time working on PIGS (projects in grocery sacks) of which I have an over abundance of. I don't think I will get in nearly as many swaps as I previously have, but will always do a few. One other thing I am really looking forward to is having room to get set back up for machine embroidery. I hope to have my mom's shirt made for her birthday in October. She is now in the Red Hat Society and I found a purple shirt and some embroidery designs to make her an embroidered shirt to wear to her meetings. I also hope to finish the scrapbook album I started for her...three years ago...it was to be a Mother's Day gift.

Almost forgot, have to add something about the new green craze. I am not a green person, but I am a person that believes in using something up until it can't be used anymore. I recently found out that some ladies were using up plastic grocery sacks to crochet in to mats and just have to do it. I have a ton of bags and am always bringing home more from groceries. So, I figure why not? Then today, found the neatest article about recycling old t-shirts in yarn to crochet. I have cut so many ones up for rags it is pitiful. While they are great dust rags, they are just not very absorbent for cleaning. Although, I did come across a pattern for crocheting a Swiffer type duster that can just be thrown in the wash and thinking that it would be the perfect thing to crochet out of old t-shirts. Trust me, I am always looking for new uses for an item before tossing it.

Well, I am off soak in a tub. My back is screaming at me for spending the last few days painting, moving furniture, and sewing and ironing today. However, that little voice inside me is screaming way louder to get it done so I can make something. Ah yes, some nice soft fabric, a great quilt pattern in mind, History Channel and Law and Orders on the TV, big bag of skittles, and my Dallas Cowboy mug of ice water and I am set. I will have to do one little project of scrapping first, going to pull out the Cricut and cut out my daughter's name to attach to her wall, of her new room of course. Yeah I know, I will have to take a break from my happy projects to do the boring things like go to the gym, clean the house, cook the meals, but hey, I am going to be so organized it will almost do itself. If I don't get stuck on my farm or in the frontier. LOL