Friday Fill-Ins # 174

1. I was going to blog about something, and then it slipped my mind.

2. I was so thrilled with my hair cut and color, I got carried away talking and I left my book at the hair salon.

3. Why can't we have 5 day weekends?

4. Calling in "sick" was in my thoughts today.

5. One of my favorite sayings was retired once I had children.

6. Thrilled because I found a hundred dollar bill in your pocket -- I know that feeling!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to leaving work early, tomorrow my plans include hanging out with my girls because Danny is going to a race with a buddy, and Sunday, I want to see what happens.

Thursday Tease...

Just a little teaser.

A little something I am working on right now for Opus Gluei Groupeis.

It'll be revealed on Saturday.

The whole thing.

Blurf Fav's and Pay It Forward

I haven't shared some of my 'local' hang-outs with you in a bit. So here are a few places I find myself lately AND a little Creative Person bonding opportunity. We all make things and share them here in Cyberland. But wouldn't it be nice to share a creation or two in REAL LIFE with someone else who creates? Read on to find out more, but in the meanwhile, here are a few of my favorite loitering locations. They are chock-a-block full of inspiration. In no particular order - except for Amy, cuz she had to be last because of the additional blurb, but enough of this, go on now...

* * *

1. Valerie at THE SUM OF ALL CRAFTS generously shares incredible images with us all, makes incredible art, shares her artistic journeys with us, AND she is a Star Trek fan. Talent and Trek: Can't beat that! Above is one of the MANY images she shares. Are the gears of your imagination turning yet???

* * *

2. Jenny at ALLSORTS creates, well, Allsorts of things. Above is just a sampling of Spring related items. She has a real love of all things British and whimsical. Not necessarily together though. She's certainly worth a visit.

* * *

3. Amy at Tsuruta Designs comes up with some of the cutest cards. She also belongs to a few Design Teams. I haven't even tried to count them. Just go to her place and have a look-see. She also posted about Pay it forward.

* * *

And now on to the ♥♥Pay It Forward for Creative People♥♥ information:

You take a pledge, sign up and mail things.

So here's the pledge:

I hereby promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment that they want to participate in the PIF challenge. In turn, they promise to post this and send something they made to the first 5 posters on their blog. Items must be received before the end of June 2010.

I don't know about you, but 5 seems like a whole lot to me, so although I will send to 5, I am going to change my requirement for you to send to 3 people. Just let me know and I'll add 2 additional people to my list to make up for the difference.

Won't you join me in the fun?

Menu Monday (on Tuesday)

(image source)

Mon: Really big salads (lettuce, shredded chicken, bacon bits, cucumber, tomato, cheese, feta cheese, strawberries, mandarin oranges)

Tue: Sandwiches (Has to be quick. I am usually in the car from 3:00pm to 6:30pm on Tuesdays)

Wed: Chicken Enchilada's (Megan had a really sore throat last week, so I waited on these since she REALLY likes them.)

Thur: Beef Kabobs, Rice and salad

Fri: Calzone's (messed you up with this one, didn't I?)

Sat: Italian Hamburgers a'la Megan/Rachel Ray, oven fries and salad

Sun: Beef Chili, rice and a BIG glass of milk

Friend Makin' Monday

Amber over at Silver Linings hosts Friend Makin' Mondays.

This week we are to share 5 things (aside from the obvious) that we love right now. E-A-S-Y.

*

1. My new phone.

*

2. Strawberries

*

3. Birds

*

4. Peach Tea

*

5. My silver bangles


Thanks for sharing my special things with me.

Now show me yours...

52nd Challenge on OPUS GLUEI

This is the 52nd Challenge posted on OPUS GLUEI. I can't believe that we have managed to stick around so long.

Technically, Rosemary and I have been posting to OPUS GLUEI for over a year, but we took a couple of breaks due to really busy times for both of us. Our reasoning for starting OPUS GLUEI was that most of the challenge blogs we saw were taking themselves WAY TOO SERIOUS. They wanted new projects. They wanted only one type of project. Granted, that requires creativity and thought. We wanted a challenge blog that let people run with their ideas. AND we have NO DEADLINES. I don't always get inspired by a topic right away. Sometimes inspiration will hit me days, weeks or even months after the idea is introduced. So we did away with deadlines. We do a re-cap every week, and include projects submitted for ANY of the OPUS GLUEI challenges, past or present.
.
We really have NO restrictions. No real guidelines either. Take our topic and run with it. We don't demand any certain medium, but rather embrace them ALL.
.
This weeks 52nd challenge is to MAKE SOMETHING.
.
Anything. Just make something. Doodle, cook, garden. As I have here. But this is no ordinary garden.
.
.
.

This garden is the brain-child of my youngest child. Melissa decided that she wanted to plant a garden. Since we don't really have a spot in our yard (it's big enough, but neither DH or I want to deal with a garden) we offered up a window sill garden, of sorts. It's really located on the ledge between the kitchen and family room. On the pass through. Her idea was formed weeks ago. Deal was a garden for a clean room. She finally cleaned her room. LOL.

.

.

Amongst the plants to be grown are: Basil, Oregano, Chives, Grass, Baby's Breath, Sunflowers, Marigolds and a Pine Tree. She picked all the plants. And what garden is complete without a Garden Gnome or two.

Friday Fill-Ins # 173

1. Where are my brains?

2. If wishes were horses they'd be saddled and ready to go.

3. I'd like to see the top of my craft table today, or anyday really.

4. When I was a teen, I thought I could do ANYTHING.

5. One of my mother's favorite sayings was "Where ever you go, there you are."

6. I'd have a hard time doing without my husband. He's also my best friend.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Survivor and Pizza, tomorrow my plans include helping with the Girl Scout Powder Puff Derby and Sunday, I want to play with my girls.

Mojo Monday # 135

I have to admit that when I saw the MOJO Monday sketch for this week, I really didn't get too thrilled.

Then I remembered these Fairies, and thought that flowers behind them would look great....

I got a bit carried away...

I couldn't help it...



I even put a little matching decoration on the inside...

Aren't they cute...

Aren't they playful...

Can you see why I made FIVE of them?!?!?!?!

Thanks for looking.

A Day at the Beach ATC

As promised, here is the ATC I sent off for the Swap-bot "A Day at the Beach" ATC swap. I used a bunch of little stamps that I have had for years, and the packaging from the 7 Gypsies photo holder thingie. You can't really tell, but the beach sign is popped up as is the sun. I think my favorite part is the little crab peeking at the bottom.

I took the picture at work. I had to rip open the envelope 2 times. I forgot to write my info on the back the first time. And I forgot to take a picture (cause of the second rip open). My partner got it and liked it. Hurray.

Opus Gluei Challenge # 51

The challenge over at Opus Gluei this week is to:

1- make a set of whatever it is you are making

2- use NO patterned paper.

I made two sets of cards, based on a card I made at a Stampin' Up club meeting recently.
Each card uses 4 stamps and 2 inks.

I also made envelopes to match.

I stamped either the branch or the rose onto either a white or kraft envelope.

(Sorry, no pictures of those. They just seemed really boring.)

Just a simple little note card.
But pretty I think.

(Stamps: Owl-Unity: Rose-Unknown: Letters, Butterfly, dots, branch-Stampin' Up)
(Ink: White cards:Stampin' Up-Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry)
(Ink: Kraft cards: Stampin' Up Old Olive and Dusty Durango)

* * * * *
Next up is this set of ATC's. I really wanted to see the difference, up close and personal using watercolor crayons, colored pencils and Copic markers.

I am in LOVE with the watercolor crayon ATC. The colors are more vibrant. And you all know I love the bright and cheery colors. I used a Tyggereye Arts stamp. One of my all time favorite stamps. Somehow in the scanning process these little guys were flipped around. And being the observant sleuth that I am, I just now noticed. Hmmmm.

Hope you can play with us over at Opus Gluei this week.

4 x 6 Recipe Card - Sunshine Chicken

It all started with a coupon. You know how it goes: You go to the craft store with a coupon. Don't really NEED anything, but that coupon is just burning a hole in your pocket. So you find yourself aimlessly meandering through aisles, slightly drooling.

WARNING: It happened to me. It could happen to you.

I had a 50 percent off coupon. 50 PERCENT. How could I ignore that one! So I am trying to decide which item I just can't live without, when I see "IT". The 7 Gypsies 4x6 Photo Stand. I really didn't know what I would use it for, but HOLY COW, have you seen them. They are mouth-watering gorgeous. It was snatched off that display quicker than my new dog can get the hunk of cheese out of your hand. Know what I mean?

I brought it home and assembled it. Because there is a bit of assembly required, but for half price, I can assemble. I did this at the kitchen table because my craft room is, well, full of crap. But it turned out to be a good thing. One of those gift horse situations. If I hadn't put it together on the kitchen table, it wouldn't have been put on the counter whilst clearing the table for dinner and my 15 year old (who is the MOST craft challenged in the family) wouldn't have asked if it was a new recipe holder.

BRILLIANT. I love that idea. And SO it was born. Yet another project for me. Cuz you really can't have too many, can you?

Here is the second recipe for my new Recipe Holder. (The first is a brownie recipe from Stacy Julian. It was sent in the mail for one of the 4 gazillion classes I have taken at Big Picture Scrapbooking.)

Feel free to use it. Let me know how it turns out for you. You'll love it. I just know it.

Menu Monday

I skipped last week. We just didn't eat, so there was nothing to report.

Just kidding. We ate.

I just took a week off from thinking about what I was going to cook.

I winged it. And it felt good!

Back on the wagon this week. With a bonus recipe card.

* * *

Monday: Steamed shrimp, french bread and salad

Tuesday: Hot dogs, chips and salad

Wednesday: Chicken enchiladas, refried beans and salad

Thursday: Chicken with green beans and steamed rice

Friday: Pizza

.

.

Saturday: Sunshine chicken, pasta salad and steamed broccoli

Sunday: Steaks, baked potatoes and salad

* * *

Look for a recipe 4x6 card tomorrow. I'll share the Sunshine Chicken recipe.

ENJOY

I am now an ADVENTURER. Officially.

(You will have to excuse the picture. It was taken in the office with my phone. My next class is how to take better pictures. Really. It starts next month.)

I am taking yet another Big Picture Scrapbooking class. (shocking isn't it)

Everyday Adventures should prove to be a hoot. The instructor, Tami Morrison, was named Funniest Scrapbooker either last year or the year before. We are using Keri Smith's book, HOW TO BE A WORLD EXPLORER. First assignment in the class was to make a FIELD JOURNAL. I wanted mine to be ULTRA portable.

And I want to actually finish this class on time. So, I figure I would work smaller.

You can be an official ADVENTURER too.

You can still sign up. Until 21 APRIL.

Friday Fill-Ins # 172

1. I'd like fries with that.

2. One of my most favorite romantic memories is someone else's.

3. Last night, I had eggplant parm with angel hair pasta for dinner.

4. Sorry for the headache.

5. Can we glue something now?

6. One of the worst temptations is chips and onion dip; damn hard to resist.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Survivor and the new storm/doggie door, tomorrow my plans include laundry, purging the excess and playing AND Sunday, I want to just see what happens.

ATC's and some Bowls

I think you all remember me finding, and really liking, SWAP-BOT. If you can swap it, there is a swap for it there. Well, I had signed up for "A Day at the Beach" and "Butterflies" ATC swaps. (Nope, I don't have them for you today.) I sent them out and was marking them sent when my eye caught the "I (heart) Owls" ATC swap. I really HEART Owls, so I signed up for it.

* * * * *

This is what I sent out:

It's a hybrid. I made a digital image of the background, owl, corners and flowers. Printed that out, then printed out the flowers and the owl. Fussy cut them and popped them up with foam mounting tape. Glittered the corners. Metallic penned on the flowers. AND added a little twig from the yard using that really sticky red tape.

I really love the way he turned out. Yup, it's a boy. Cuz I say so, that's how I know.

* * * * *

This is what I received:

Isn't she cute. (Same here. She's a girl cuz I say so.) I love the tissue paper background. And the "thought bubble" flower. I can imagine she is making lists of things to create and place to fly.

* * * * *

And speaking of ATC's, check out these marvelous morsels sent to me by Electra.

I nearly shot iced tea out of my nose when I pulled them out of the envelope.

That curling one is HIL-AR-IOUS. It is PERFECT for me. And I have to confess that I ran my fingers ALL OVER the ART one. So many things to see and feel.

ELECTRA, YOU ROCK!!!

Thank you a gazillion times over.


* * * * *

Now, take a gander at this adorable little set of tea cups.

YUP, tea cups. Each one is 8 ounces.



I was getting a cuppa at Starbucks, and my eye got stuck on the colors and patterns.
So, now they are mine. I don't know exactly what they will hold. I'm sure I will find something, or other. Tea, buttons, pens, ice cream, margaritas....

* * * * *

Haiku

Kristen at KAH-Wink-E-Dink, has issued a challenge. She has been getting her creativity flowing a bit differently with a book. She is reading, and taking on the challenges in Caffeine for the Brain. I haven't looked at the book, or even seen it's cover. But, I know Kristen, and she is very creative, so I trust her when it comes to creativity. (I am going to see about getting this book right after this post goes up.) Anyway, the challenge is to write HAIKU (Japanese poems written in three stanzas. First one is 5 syllables, second one is 7, and the last one is 5) about the following subjects:

.

Typical Day, Your Boss, Grape Jelly, Country Music, The Eraser, Garbage and Cheese.

.

.

My first reaction was probably much like yours is now.

.

What??? I can't write poetry.

.

But guess what? YOU CAN.

.

I did it in about 20 minutes.

.

Before you read mine, take the subjects and go write your own.

.

Trust me. It is mentally liberating.

.

You can do it. And I'll be right here when you get back.

**********

.

.

.

.

.

Back so soon? WOW - You're fast.

Okay then, here are mine...

.

.

Typical Day

.

Alarm sounds at five.

Work from six thirty to three.

Home again. Hurray.

.

.

.

Your Boss

He is demanding.
Knows what he wants and gets it.
He praises me too.





Grape Jelly

It makes me smile.
Put on biscuits or on bread.
Purple, sticky YUM.






Country Music

Listen long enough,
you get your wife and dog back.
Get your boots and go.






The Eraser
.
Mistakes made by me.
Easily taken away.
Thank you Eraser.
.
.

.
.

Garbage

Stinky smelly stuff.
It has to go in the can,
where we won't see it.

Cheese

Havarti, Gouda,
Provolone, Parmesan, Swiss,
Cheddar, Romano


**********

Now that you have written yours, and read mine,
go and post them on your blog,
THEN go and add your link to Kristen's blog.


(And of course leave me a note and let me know that you played along.)
(Images were all found on FLICKR)

Opus Gluei Challenge # 50 - For the Birds

Bird is the word.

At Opus Gluei that is.

Create something inspired by birds. I chose to make a digital image. A whimsical one at that.

I am paying tribute to all the wonderful ladies that have visited Opus Gluei and played with us over the past, almost, year.

I used several images that are available on the internet. I can't remember them all, but Pringlehillstudio, the Vintage Moth, Dover Publications, Crowabout and several others come to mind. I am not sure which images came from where. :-(. That's just how much of a bird brain I really am. I used a couple of pieces that were made by our Opus Groupies too. They are the gifts being offered in the above image. (If you really need to know where something came from, let me know and I'll do my darnedest to figure it out for you.)

A bunch of Zeke's

A little history first. It's recent history, as in the last couple of weeks:

March 20 - We adopt a dog.

March 20 - Danny installs a couple of baby-gates to keep doggie down-stairs. Danny screws one end of gate into the wall, but leaves the other un-attached because our new little darling hasn't shown any signs of pushing against the gate.

March 23 - We discover that darling, perfect doggie can open the gate. He uses his nose to retract the gate a bit and then pushes the gate open. Smart doggie.

Sometime between March 20 and yesterday we had this conversation:

Danny (DH) - I'm going to install the gate on the other wall.

Me - Don't you think he'll jump the gate if he can't open it?

DH - Nah!!!

Me - (give him a look with raised eyebrows, but don't say anything)

**********


Fast forward to last night... I nearly snorted water out of my nose while blurfing.
Notice that the dogs are jumping over the fence from a MUCH lower elevation.

I'm not so sure the baby gate will really pose a threat to Zeke now.

Image Source: Mrs. Harward at The Harward's. (lots of pretty pictures - she lives on a farm near a national park - and YES the house in her blog banner is hers - lucky lady isn't she)

Stamp carving - delayed due to technical difficulites

I said I was going to post about my experience hand-carving a stamp, or several. But due to technical difficulties (I was playing with my kids) I won't be posting about that today.

Instead, here is a pretty picture.

Enjoy.

{Stamp post will happen soon-ish.

Assuming that nothing else comes up.

But I am not making any promises.}

Menu Monday

(Image source)

This is one of the MANY photos of food that will make your mouth water and have you begging for a cigarette...

It's a MUST visit site.

Monday - Danny made chicken burritos. YUMMY. (and not just because HE cooked, they tasted really good.)





Tuesday -





Wednesday -





Thursday - Pizza and Survivor - It's spring break for us, so we get to watch it real time. Woo hoo!





Friday - Chili and cornbread





Saturday - Pot Roast





Sunday -





Plans are still in the works. I'll fill in as we go along...

Opus Gluei # 49 and my first hand-carved stamp

This week Opus Gluei is challenging us to SPARKLE.

I made a journal page with MY version of:

There is nothing to fear but fear itself.

My simpler version is shorter.

.

No special reason, I just like it shorter.

.

Any way, I used this striped patterned paper:

.

I traced the page template from my HEART the ART journal and stamped my own peacock feather stamp, with Staz On brown, in an arc. I was hoping to mimic a peacock's plummage. Then I had to stamp a white edge along the scalloped border because the word FEARLESS wasn't visible. Stamped FEARLESS. I stamped a grid onto a complimentary paper. Then the quote. All in black. I stamped an old Stampin Up background stamp of little dots on the wispy part of the feathers. Then I wrote the whimpy journalling. It looked pretty plain. SO I started to glitter. At first it was just the inside of the bigger part of the feathers. Then I decided to outline in green. Then it needed more, so I glittered more of the feather lines. Now you would think that was enough. NOPE. I colored in some of the dots with metallic Gelly Roll pens.

I am biased, but I think it's wonderful.

AND it SPARKLES. A LOT.

Now, on to the peacock feather stamp. It's all Gina's fault. If it weren't for her tutorial, I would never have tried to carve my own stamp. I am NOT a talented drawer, (nor did I do well in English) but I decided to try anyway. I'll post more Tuesday about my very own stamp and how I got to it. And the others that I now have.

Have a wonderful Sunday and

HAPPY EASTER

Friday Fill-Ins # 170

1. All you need is a hug and some chocolate to make it through ANY day.

2. Viking helmets on anyone fills me with laughter.

3. Each generation, as it grows up, thinks they know everything, and then realizes, too late. that they know hardly anything.

4. How people can hurt other people is something I have a hard time dealing with.

5. A trip to the craft store is what I need.

6. Just hurry, buy the chocolate and you get back.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Pizza and Survivor, tomorrow my plans include NOTHING, we have NOTHING scheduled for a change and Sunday, I want to do more of NOTHING.