Card Ministry

Yesterday was the first meeting of the Card Ministry at my church and I had such fun! I wanted to use my rubber stamping hobby in some way that would benefit St. John's. I asked our minster and the Director of Discipleship Resources what type of cards were sent to the congregation. It turns out that they send a quite a few for various reasons. I thought by forming a group of ladies to create beautiful hand-made cards it would give us the opportunity for fellowship while creating something for others to enjoy. Our first group was small, but I'm confident it will grow. Yesterday we made 30 cards. I'm excited that we already have donations of card stock, now I'm working on envelopes.
 Our purpose is to provide hand-made greeting cards to the Church to use for:

• Shut-ins
• Get Well
• Senior Birthdays
• New Babies (to go with the Christening blankets given at Baptisms)
• Sympathy
• Fundraising efforts such as Honduras and Apple Fest

I only have one to show, because the rest are in the hands of our church staff:)

I'm Back!

I so glad to be back home!! Hospitals are just no fun ya know? lol  My new knee is doing very well and after an infection scare, things are lookin' good. I'm so anxious to get enough range of motion so that I can sit at my desk and create!! I have been doing some things from my recliner. I got a label maker from Christmas and labeled all the containers in my Stack n' Store.

Secret Sister Swap

Our blogging group Paper Pajama Party Girls, had a swap and I wanted to share. Jackie sent me the nicest bunch of things:) I felt totally spoiled when I tore into that package. We were supposed to wait until Sunday.... but I didn't. <evil grin> Not only did I open it as soon as it arrived, but I played with things too!
Thank you so much Jackie!! Big hugs!!

I just love the colors and the design. I have to figure just the right pictures to put in it.

Adorable card that Jackie made.

Life With Aussies

Woke up this morning, trudged into the kitchen, turned on the coffee then went outside to pet the dogs. Cricket kept disappearing around the corner, while I kept petting Sydney. This was weird, cause Cricket is always pushing Sydney away so she can get all my attention. Cricket would come back for pets then disappear again. I thought this was really weird behavior for my little shadow, so I finally walked around the corner to see what had her interest...
another dead varmit, all chewed up! She was happily playing with it and throwing it up in the air.
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
It was a dead squirrel!!
BLECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I texted DH and he said to get it away from them Now this man has known me since we were 13 years old, what part of him even considers that I would touch a dead icky critter? ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Innocent looking aren't they? You know why Sydney is closing her eyes though right?

I packaged up 17 of these with mini gel pens for craft shows.

You know all those birds I made the other day? Well some of them flew over to the display board. I guess they thought the birdhouses needed owners.

Fun Design

This is another card featuring the Fresh Vintage set from Stampin' Up! The cardstocks are Pool Party from SU, Olive Green from Paper Studio and the white is Pure Luxury from Gina K. The image was stamped after sponging Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass) and Memento (Bamboo Leaves) right onto the rubber. The decorative paper is from a KC & Company, (Merryweather) from Joann.

I miss  you Daddy

Adventures Under The Desk

See that butt sticking up in the air? That's me. The good news is my new knee works really well. Wait til I tell Dr. O'Shea how well I can crawl on it. See I was getting out the grommets for a card. I keep them all in these little tins which I used to think were so clever and adorable. Now I just think they are evil inventions of some MAN trying to drive women crazy! The tops get stuck on, and I was trying to get the dumb thing off when whoosh.... it came off with a burst of energy scattering grommets alllll over my studio. Many naturally landed under and behind the furniture. The only way to get these little things was to get down on my hands and knees and crawl under the furniture. What's the big deal you ask? My new knee hasn't been used like that yet, but it worked! I'm happily crawling around gathering grommets and there was one elusive little guy waaaay on the other side of the dresser. Well I'm tall, I have long arms, so I reached and stretched and scootched and squirmed and shimmied myself all around underneath the desk and.... I got it! Then I realized getting out wasn't so easy. In fact it was downright difficult. So difficult in fact, that I was stuck. Yep, that's me stuck under my own desk. I kept telling myself, "you got in here so you can fit through to get out." It took several interminably long minutes, but I finally managed to unwind my long arms and legs and get myself free from the clutches of my childhood desk. I was hot and my head hurt. It wasn't dusty, because I just vacuumed under all the furniture last month. Must have been from all that hard thinking. I no longer think the tins are cute. In fact, I'm going to look for a replacement storage solution for my grommets. But not right now, I have to go take a nap, my head still hurts.

Art and Weight Watchers

So what on earth do those two things have to do with each other you ask? Well, I've gained weight and I seriously need to lose it again!  I have all my Weight Watchers books and things so I'm going to do it by myself without paying to attend meetings. I am determined!! The art? You know I love art right? I NEED to have things look pretty. I'm obsessed with things looking pretty. So I decided to make my tracker (food log) look pretty while functioning better too. I liked the old style tracker better but needed some information from the new plan, so I combined the two, using tables in a word processing document. I also don't want to do any unnecessary math to keep track of bonus points, so I put some check boxes on a weekly page to mark off as I use the points. I printed information four to a page, front and back, then I used my spiral binding machine and decorated the cover. To me, my format is much more functional.

My artistic theory is, it will look pretty sitting out on the kitchen counter or table, which will keep me from shoving it in a drawer, and thus entice me to actually write down every single morsel I put into my mouth.

I cut up a card from my stash to decorate the cover. I love this image from Impression Obsession and it just happens to go beautifully in my blue kitchen. I am somewhat analytically challenged, so it took me all afternoon to get all the information evenly spaced in four quadrants and determine how to place the paper in the printer so it would print front to back. That took a couple trials; printed twice on the same side, upside down... but I finally got all together:)

Please wish me luck on this weight loss journey. I want to lose 45 pounds.

For you, I have a treat! Trust me when I tell you these are very good, and NOT like most low calorie food. They taste great and are very moist. I got the recipe from my friend, AnnMarie.

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

1 (18 ounce) box spice cake mix

15 ounces pumpkin

1 cup water

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in mixer.
2. Makes 24 muffins.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F.

That's One Giant Stamp

You know how I said I would NEVER unmount another Magenta stamp? Well... this is absolutely the last one! I have an excuse too. This stamp was 7 1/2 inches by 9 1/2 inches!!! I kid you not. This monstrosity retailed for $45.00 when I got it for cost the Stamp Store I demoed for. I thought the image was soooo elegantly beautiful that I just HAD to have it. Want to hazard a guess as to how many times I used it? Yep, once. And I can't even tell  you what I did with that image either! I had thoughts of framing it... Yesterday the practical Scotch half of me, decided that I needed to actually use this thing and get my money's worth. It's really not like me at all to have things and not use them. The playful, fun-loving Irish half of me simply will not allow it. As I studied this gorgeous image I saw three distinct images within it. I really needed to unmount it and cut it into three images. I tossed it in the microwave and prepared to do battle with the ultimate stickiness of the foam. Then, I got an idea. What if I pulled just the rubber off, separating it from the foam and wood instead of pulling the foam and rubber off the wood? I did, and it was MUCH easier!  I wonder if allll the others would have posed less of a problem if I'd used this method? NO, I am absolutely NOT going to try another one to see if this is the case.

Here is the stamp before, remember it is 7.5 by 9.5.

This is how I cut them apart. One piece would not fit in a CD case so I used a photo mailer.

I found these photo mailers at the Dollar store. They come two to a package and are nice and stiff. Sturdy and cheap for unmounted rubber.

Out in the woods yesterday, my husband and I rescued this baby bunny from a trap. It was unhurt, and soooo adorable. It liked me better too, I could tell because it was much calmer when I held it:) I tried to take another picture as we released it, but it scampered off much too quickly.

War With Mounted Stamps

As God is my witness I will never unmount another Magenta stamp again! The foam on those things is some indestructible stuff!! It's really quite a testament to Canadian craftsmanship. I felt as though it was an all out war... and I was General Patton. 'The enemy was quite the formidable foe. I was outflanked and outmaneuvered. There were many casualties: my hands, my fingernails, my back, my sanity, and the Tack n' Peel on my acrylic block.

How did unmounting stamps mess up my Tack n' Peel you ask? That foam would not come off!! I was desperate. I decided to leave it on, but it was soooooo sticky! So I put baby powder on the foam backing to get rid of the stickiness. I rubbed and rubbed to get all the residue off.

Big mistake, the baby powder caused my Tack n' Peel to lose its stickiness. Even water did not resuscitate my TAP. I played taps, gave it a burial in the trash can. I had lost the war and was exhausted. What was I to do? Well, I'm General Patton so when the going gets tough..... I took a nap!

Note to self... when the label on a chemical (uh that would be Goo Gone) says to observe caution when getting in contact with skin... heed the warning!!!

Pictures from our brave war correspondent:

After using the powerful microwave weapon

Time to bring out the heavy artillery

casualties

under heavy attack, reinforcements called in

The enemy refuses to be subdued, even after heavy sanding

I did not surrender, but I will not go to war against this foe again. The worst casualty, the hands bore witness to photographs that are too graphic to publish.

I won!!!! I organized, and I Played With Mousetraps

I'm so excited!! I won the challenge at Impression Obsession!!! Doin' the Happy Dance:)  I just LOVE their stamp images. I now have a gift certificate and you should have seen me looking at their stamps. I was drooling all over the keyboard:)

No, the mousetraps didn't have any mice in them, they were clean. Otherwise I couldn't have touched them. When I was a kid and lived on a farm, we'd get mice sometimes. Whenever one got caught in the trap, Mom and I would sweep it up into a dust pan and take it to the burn barrel (where we burned paper trash). Then we'd burn the dead mouse, trap and all, with the papers.  We NEVER touched a trap or a dead mouse. Mom said they had germs and were icky and I believed her of course. Oh, so why am I playing with mouse traps? Well I'm making something with new, clean, unused mouse traps. I bought them at Lowes and then took them out to my husband's shop so I could operate on them. I found some plyer grabby thingys and performed a trapectomy. I removed the plastic gizmo that the bait goes on, then, I removed the trigger gadget. Next, I used a sanding block to sand off the picture of a mouse and the words. I remembered to carefully put the tools back where I found them after wiping them off of course. I painted them with spray paint. As soon as they are dry, I'm going to glue a magnet on the back and a stamped image on the front, and put some designs on with my paint pens. Then I'll take them back out to the shop and put some sort of varnish or spray clear coat over the top - which ever I can find. See I don't want to ASK himself,  because then he'll just take over and do it for me. Which takes all the fun out of it ya know? Do you know what I'm making yet?  A note holder! You magnet it to the fridge or the storm door, and the killing/snapper bar holds the paper note for you.

I have been reorganizing my studio and I found the best idea on Pinterest. You take 2-gallon zippy bags and clip them to pant hangers. Then you can hang them in the closet.

Now I can use that wasted space better. The closet in my studio also houses the Christmas ornaments.

All the stuff in these boxes are now in the hanging bags and the box below.

This box holds all my jewelry making stuff and all my Vera Bradley patterns can stay together and be pretty.

I got all my binders and catalogs off the floor, on these shelves, turned the card basket around to the front, and all the boxes that I covered with this book print can be together and match. Yeah, I know I am such a dork!

Studio or Craft Room?

What do you call yours?  I prefer studio, because it elevates what we do to art. Crafters are artists too. I mean seriously have you looked at some modern art lately? A painting that looked for all the world like a fried egg sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. We could SO do that! Even rubber stamping is art. Can just anyone produce beautiful cards and stamp art projects? No, they can't and besides just read the definition of the word art: "The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, or what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance." I visit a lot of blogs and belong to a few stamp art forums and the work people post is most definitely "more than ordinary significance." So, I say crafters unite in calling your rooms studios!

 Okay so here is my studio. There, I said it and I refuse to feel the slightest bit pretentious. Although I must admit it doesn't look much like a studio. It's filled with old things, leftover things, and things I made. And then there's that stupid futon. I want that thing OUT OF THERE. My husband says we can't get rid of it, because it's perfectly good and we might need the bed space some day. Humph. I know just what I'd do with that space too. I have this large folding table that belonged to my late mother. I'd cover it with a pretty vinyl tablecloth to cover the utilitarian parts and make it easier to clean off. Then I'd have lots of space to spread out my projects. I'd love to have some of that specially made furniture to store stamps and large sheets of handmade paper.... oh and have all the same color too, so it matches. And I would love to have a bulletin board on the wall to post some current work, photos, inspirations and the paintings that I'm too embarressed to frame. But my husband says, "NO MORE HOLES IN THE WALLS, and besides a bulletin board would look tacky." This coming from a man who has an alligator skin and deer antlers hanging in his shop. I would make it pretty, I'd cover it with fabric and tie it to the wall with pretty ribbon. Of course I am running out of wall space. Since he said no more holes in the wall, I've hung three more pictures in there. You'd think he'd learn NOT to tell me not to do something, I mean seriously, when have I ever listened??

So, I use what I already have, my childhood furniture, with paint worn off in places, and the dent where my best friend kicked off her clogs in the 8th grade. I do love the two prints that belonged to my mom, the collage of Dublin doors my son helped me do in Photoshop, and the photos of my favorite Grandparents, and their wedding certificate from Washington state in 1907.

The futon I want to disapear. It did come in handy for propping up my watercolors to see if I had the nerve to frame any of them. Maybe the two doors could go next to the Dublin door collage. Two more holes in the wall lol! The Iris carts hold stamps and if it weren't for that stupid futon, I could put them all next to each other.

The wood table in the corner was in the "to be disposed of" pile in the school where I taught. I brought it home, sanded and restained it all by myself. It's missing a drawer, but I just turned it to the back. The monstrosity on top is my son's old printer that was damaged by lightening. It still prints in black and white so I'm going to use up the toner before I throw it away. Then I'll have that nice table space.

No fancy shaped storage, just drawers and I cram them full of stuff.

I love making and decorating pretty boxes, but then what do you do with all of them? Put stuff in them of course! These hold brads, buttons, sea shells, sea glass, postage stamps and currency from other countries and 6 round boxes for charms and beads!

I just put my embossing powders, glitter and Pearl Ex in plastic bins and shove the heat tool on top.

Fibers, ribbons and book binding thread are in balls, wound around pieces of mat board or in plastic baggies. The baby wipes to clean stamps of course.

No fancy contraption for storing ink pads. I just stack them in those plastic bins. All my Cat's Eyes are in that fishing tackle thingy that sits on top.

My husband made one thing for me: three pieces of wood with indentations drilled in them to hold all my Radiant Pearls paints. I won 50 jars in a contest and then bought a few more of course!

My art supplies share the closet with the Christmas tree and decorations. The shoe hanging gismo has my stuff in it as well as some of the boxes.

The bookcase is a dorm room cast-off from my son. Iris carts are full of stamps and I covered all the boxes to make them pretty. Flower press and postcard collection are there too as well as binders full of templates and directions for various techniques. The basket on the end holds completed cards to be sent, or taken to the gift shop for sale.

Over-the-door towel rack with skirt hangers hung upside down. That way the clips can hold my decorative papers.

Behind the papers, tassels and mizuhiki cord hang on knobs arranged by color.

That's it. Nothing extraordinary, but I like it. Know anyone who wants a futon?

Unmounting Stamps, and shopping in the city again:)

I drove into the city again yesterday! My car drove right to the mall, and I didn't do anything silly! lol:) I met a friend, and we used coupons for Joann, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby! I've decided that Joann is my new favorite craft/art store! I love the huge selection they have, and the fact that they accept competitor's coupons! Plus, they had Tack N' Peel, which I am now in love with!! Hobby Lobby had all their cardstock on sale for half off. At 22 cents a sheet, that's a good buy. I like to able to buy just the colors that I want/need. I had a list, so I selected the plain colors that had a bit of texture. Oh, and you know girlfriends are such enablers right?  We found this gorgeous fabric in Joann that would look perfect in my kitchen and dinning room. Of course my girlfriend (who can REALLY sew) told me that I can make curtains. You see, I kind of play at sewing. I can make curtains, but clothes.... not so much. Unless of course you actually LIKE the waistband in  your skirt sewed on upside down, or the collar in your shirt backwards. I've also been know to sew pant legs shut (don't ask) and put zippers in upside down and wrong side out. Then there was the blouse with one sleeve longer than  the other. You get the picture right?  Curtains I can handle, they are rectangles:)  Hmmm if I make new curtains, that wallpaper will have to go, and then the walls will need to be painted... What a great day with a friend. We both scrapbook, she sews, crochets and decorates cakes, I rubber stamp and paint. We both have great husbands and we all have fun together.

I finally figured out how to deal with all this unmounted stamp business. My clear acrylic blocks already have some clingy stuff on them. My newer stamps from Impression Obsession and Flourishes stick to that just fine. However, when unmounting my older stamps, this Tack N' Peel is the stuff! I just put it on the other side of my acrylic blocks, so I can use either type of cling. The Tack N' Peel is cushiony so I can take my wood mounted stamps down to bare rubber. This makes storage a breeze as most of you know. I think I'm the last person on the planet to unmount her stamps! I'm going to continue to store them in my Iris Carts by theme. I've been doing that for 20 years, and if I change now, I'll probably forget and get all discombobulated ya know? Every time I move something in the house to what I think is a better storage place, I forget where I put it! I am sooo my mother!! So now, I've begun putting sticky notes in the old location telling myself where I moved it to. My husband asked me why there are all these sticky notes in the drawers and closets. When I explained, he simply said, "I'm with ya." Don't you love a man who "gets you?"

Now all I have to do is figure out whether I need to store the bare rubber stamps in CD cases, or just stack them in the Iris cart drawers????

Some of my Iris Carts, I have lots more on the other side of the room.

I just finished this Easter card yesterday. I think it was waiting for this gorgeous ribbon I found yesterday in Hobby Lobby. The stamp is from Peddlers' Pack and it was done in Prismacolor pencils.

Where Has Common Sense Gone?

I belong to a political message board/forum and we were discussing common sense, and how the lack of it can account for so many of our society's problems. Someone posted this obituary and I thought it was worth passing on. I've highlighted some of my favorite parts:)

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in  charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place: Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sunscreen or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; by his wife, Discretion; by his daughter, Responsibility and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers:
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I am a Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

Lucy-itis Strikes Again!

I'm so not a morning person. I'm retired, I don't even have to do mornings anymore. However, I had a doctor's appointment first thing in the morning on my birthday. I had to have my new knee checked out, as well as a muscular injury obtained in physical therapy. Yeah, I know, who gets hurt in physical therapy? Well, that would be me. Anyway I got up early, chugged my caffeine and threw myself in the shower. Did the hair and makeup in record time too. At that point I was reasonably awake which is quite a remarkable feat! As I got in the car and began the thirty minute drive to the city, I was busy congratulating myself for getting up and ready on time. I kept driving while singing along with the CD.  As I crossed the river I was totally oblivious as I was having such a good time singing along with Jaron to the song, Pray. This song is hysterically funny! I crossed the river into Georgia when it dawned on me, I'm going the wrong way! I'm headed for the mall!!

I'm not supposed to go shopping, I'm supposed to be downtown at the doctor's office in ten minutes. So I’m thinking, ‘Do I go straight ahead through the dangerous part of the city? I think that road goes near where I need to go. I've been that way before it's near the jail and it will look familiar. But what if it doesn't?  Not a good part of the city to be if I get lost.  I could get on the interstate and go backwards a bit, and take the new Interstate - then I know I would end up at the Doc's office.  Of course that might take longer, and I could be late.’

I'm basically a big chicken, so I decided to go back across the river hoping I wouldn't be too late.  It was shorter than I thought despite having to cross the river back into Carolina, and then back across into Georgia again on a different highway. Confusing? Try being an allergic to morning, time challenged, blonde Lucy.  Guess what? I wasn't even late!  How cool is that?  Sometimes I amaze myself.

Oh the song you ask? It's meant to be tongue-in-cheek, you wouldn't REALLY pray for such things of course. I think it is so funny, and Jaron, the singer?  He is so hot!!!!

Pray For You

I haven't been to church since I don't remember when
Things were going great '˜til they fell apart again
So I listened to the preacher as he told me what to do
He said you cant go hating others who have done wrong to you.
Sometimes we get angry, but we must not condemn.
Let the good Lord do His job and you just pray for them.
I pray your brakes go out running down a hill
I pray a flowerpot falls from a window sill and knocks you in the head like I'd like to
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you're flying high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know wherever you are honey, I pray for you
I'm really glad I found my way to church
'Cause I'm already feeling better and I thank God for his words.
Yeah I'm going take the high road,
And do what the preacher told me to do,
You keep messing up and I'll keep praying for you.
I pray your tire blows out at 110.
I pray you pass out drunk with your best friend and wake up with his and her tattoos.
I pray your brakes go out running down a hill.
I pray a flowerpot falls from a window sill and knocks you in the head like I'd like to.
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you're flying high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know wherever you are, near or far, in your house or in your car,
wherever you are honey, I pray for you.

On a totally different note, I finished the last Valentine's Day card with accompanying teabag folder.

 

• I just used the picture as a guide. I saw this newsprint decorative paper at Hobby Lobby and used it for the strips.
• I cut them on the paper cutter trying to eyeball the angle (next time I'll use a quilt ruler). 
• I used my Tombo tape runner on the back of each strip, adhere to a piece of black cs. I alternated the angles - northeast/southeast then northwest/southwest. I used Distress ink to age the edges.
• Wanted message on the computer then used Distress on that too. The heart stamp (Hero Arts) was colored with Prisma colored pencils.
• Teabag folder - used Spellbinders Lacy Squares and Hero Arts stamp there too.

Just Call Me Elly May Clampett

I drove into the big city today. I swear, all I needed was a jalopy and a rockin' chair. I was armed with coupons from Michaels, Joanns and Hobby Lobby oh and I had money too! I sold this ugly old ring that was my Grandma's - not the good grandma that I loved, the other one, so there was no sentimental attachment. Anyway, I took it to this jewelry store that bought gold and sold it. Let me just say this.... gold is really really high right now know what I mean? I may live down south, out in the country, but I know that it is $1,700 per ounce right now.

So I get in the big, no make that HUGE Michaels and Wowwee! There was so much stuff! I really felt so out of it. There were products I'd never seen before and some I had no idea how to use. The variety was mind-blowing. I kept my mind on what I wanted though, got a couple things but saved the rest of my money for online shopping. I didn't fall for just any ole' thing they had, no huh uh... I want Edgeabilities and Heartfelt Creations dies.  Because of online friends, I know exactly what I want for that new Big Kicks!

I did get some magnetic vent covers and colored folders to make a storage system for my dies and embossing folders. (Their Target had a grocery department by the way.) While cleaning the other day I re-discovered this gorgeous box I had forgotten completely about. It's one of those sturdy fabric covered boxes from TJ Maxx. I bought it last summer on sale for about $7.00. It contained all the research and notes for a book I thought about writing. Out came the notes, and in came folders, dies and embossing folders. I'm in the process of cutting down the file folders to fit inside. Each embossing folder and die will have it's own file, with room to keep some already cut out pieces, and sandwich directions as well. The magnetic vent covers will hold the Nestibilities in their folders.

I've seen pictures of how other people store theirs on large sheets of magnetic material hanging on the sides of desks, cabinets or walls. I think I'd rather have mine covered, to keep the dust out. Besides I want all the dies and embossing folders in one place. Some people collect nestibilities, but the Scottish half of me is too practical for that. The Irish half of me LOVES to shop, you know live for the moment, and carefree. What a combination. My husband says living with me is NEVER boring. Poor man.

Ya know I bet my husband is very glad we don't live closer to that BIG city!

Shoes with Tailfins Vrrooomm

Prada's new spring line includes a group inspired by 1950's automobiles, called “Greased Lightning.”

Gee, my idea of fashion footwear is Keen, SAS or Birkenstock. Why on earth would I buy a pair of comfortable shoes for around $100 when for a mere $1,400 I could have 4 and a half inch heels that look like a car. I mean seriously, what WAS I thinking?

Article

You can buy them at Bergdorf's

I wonder if DH would be turned on at the sight of me wearing rocket boosters on my shoes? Then there would be the sight of the price tag which would quite literally send him into congestive heart failure. Or the sight of me tumbling to my death from 4 and a half inches.

Seriously, how does one walk in 4 ½ inch heels? It must change your gait and your posture. I bet the air is different up there, you could get nosebleeds, or altitude sickness. Prada could make even more money selling insurance policies to wear these shoes.

Messy Messy Messy!

You know, a while back I posted on a forum about my art/craft space being neat...

This is NOT neat! I mean look at the tiny little space where I'm actually working. The rest of the desk is covered with stuff.  And  you should see the futon on the other side of the room! On one end of the futon are the Ireland scrapbooks that I finally finished, in the middle there's a pile of stamps I want to sell but am too afraid to use PayPal, and current projects take up the other end. Geesh! Oh, so why am I afraid to use PayPal?  No matter how many people tell me they've had no problems, I am NOT going to give anyone any bank account numbers - identify theft is too much of a pain in the neck. So this pile of stamps has been sitting there for over a month.  It's crossed my mind to post it on a forum and ask for money orders only, but I don't think anyone would be interested.  Then I think I could trade, but that would be a hassle. I could just keep them, but I need more space and these are images I just don't use. So they just sit there, waiting for me to do something with them!  This is sooo not like me.  I'm not usually so indecisive. Actually I'm almost never this indecisive!  I think this early retirement thing has just messed up my mind! lol   I'm not even supposed to be on early retirement. I'm supposed to be using this Masters Degree to get some ridiculously high paying job that I love. I did have a job with a Government funded agency.  I took early retirement, the federal grant funds dried up and no job. (Stupid economy) I've had offers, but relocate out west or to DC for a job?  What exactly would I do with my husband and our home? Everyone said, "oh get your masters in some technology field, there are tons of jobs out there for the computer savvy". Stupid economy tanks just when I get the degree! And WHY is there a train on my desk?

Are you neat or messy in your art/craft space?  Or, like me, do you think you are neat and really aren't?

Dog Tales

It’s been eight weeks since my knee replacement and no more cane for me. I did all my errands today without it, AND I am down to one day week for Physical Therapy. I do still carry it when I walk though.

You see I am owned by two Australian Shepherds, Sidney and Cricket. When Cricket came to live with us, Sidney was immediately jealous of the new puppy. So, I told her that the puppy was hers and she had to take care of it. I did this repeatedly, and of course she understood since she is the smartest dog on earth. (Seriously, Lassie has nothing on this dog.)  As a result, Cricket has grown up thinking she is Sydney’s dog. She will not make a move until she looks at Sydney and gets her approval. She NEVER goes anywhere without her. Sydney has trained her puppy very well. In fact so well that I had not been able to get Cricket to go for walks with me unless Sydney comes too. Which is now rather difficult, because age is slowing her down quite a bit (she’s 14).

Cricket on the left, and Sydney on the right.

In the last three weeks I finally got Cricket to leave Sidney and walk with me... as long as I keep her occupied.  I talk to her, and then when I run out of things to say I sing to her.  She really likes it. You can tell because she perks her ears up and looks all happy and she smiles at me. Initially, I tried to play fetch with her too. Cricket however, had no inclination what so ever to bring a stick back or to even pick it up half the time either. She just loves to run flat out and 'chase' the stick. She absolutely loves it, so that has become part of our ritual too.  Sidney lays over under a tree on the edge of the field and stands up to get a pet when I walk by. Oh, why do I carry the cane? Well, Cricket being the dilligent Australian Shepherd that she is, tries to herd me and in doing so, she runs close to my feet and runs into me. So I carry the can in the wrong hand at an angle for protection. It's really a rather ingenious plan actually. She runs into the cane instead of tripping me. This is very important, because my doctor told me not to fall down!

You ought to see Cricket climb stairs with me. I use the longer set of stairs on the deck. At first she wanted to climb them up and down with me. Since THAT'S not safe, I taught her to wait for me at the top. Of course she is impatient and wants to be with me constantly, so she now runs down the other set of stairs and meets me at the bottom. I pet her, then I walk back my stairs and she runs up hers, and meets me at the top for another pet.  Sidney just waits at the bottom for her pets, as she’s not up to all that running around.

Cricket loves all the extra time I spend with her while I'm exercising and I do as well. I've learned she is really a smart dog too... in her own way.  She has learned several new words like "play chase the stick," and "climb the stairs.”  She also knows the difference between, "go for a walk" and "go get the mail." She takes off running in the right direction when I tell her where we’re going.

Sydney