Using Up Some Supplies

Not really new, just using up more of this Christmas paper stack. The stack was purchased at Michael's and it is from Provo Craft. It is a "bitty scrap pad" and it is entitled It's Christmas


The envelope was stamped with SU "Riveting" in Old Olive ink.

A New Addition

I have a new addition to my family.
I adopted a ???? (I think she may be a yorkie-poodle).
She is about 7 months old and comes from a family that doesn't have the time for her.
I have named her Maggie and she met my Gidget this weekend.
Here are pictures of their first meeting out in the yard and then some of Maggie making herself at home.

P.S. I did some internet investigation and I think that Maggie is a Choodle or Chi-Poo (a chihuahua poodle mix) more so than a yorkie-poo.


























My friend Debbie Jo and her husband Tom celebrated 25 years of marriage so I got this card out in the mail to them Saturday morning.



A new home card for my friend Rhonda.



I found this paper stack of X-mas images and decided to make a few cards for the two upcoming craft fairs this fall.

A New Card

Here is the birthday (belated) card that I made last night for my nephew Mike out in California. (I have two nephew's named Mike and they both live out in California).
This Mike is a musician and I thought the Rock Star paper stack was fitting for his card. The black cardstock is SU, the patterned paper from Michael's, the metal embellishmensts are Memory Makers and the stickers were bought at Michael's but I don't remember the mfg, sorry!



The front of the envelope.

Crocodile Tears

Well, my sister Cindy is making her journey back to California.
I made her promise that there would be no good-bye tears shed just like back in December when I was leaving California to come back home.
We did it.
I can say though, that as I walked to my car (she met me for lunch near my office)that I was crying, but she couldn't see so I guess it doesn't count.

It was WONDERFUL to see her again and despite what she thinks, we will see each other sooner than later. Next time, Bruce (Cindy's hubby) has to come.




P.S. Not once did Cindy show any signs of heart palpitations over the clutter in my house, whew! Next time I hope to be even better organized and have the bedroom closet door shut so the "monsters" won't have the opportunity to scare Cindy.

Dinner with the Girls

Went to dinner last night at Chili's with my Mom and my sisters. My Mom and sisters (Caryn & Jenny) live in the suburbs. Cindy and I met them 1/2 way for dinner last night. Caryn and I got the heat for ordering fajitas and having too many plates on the table, LOL.



From left to right starting in the back:
Cindy and Caryn
Mom and Jenny

How Do You Spell Doofus????

You spell doofus: C - O - N - N - I - E

Yep, how do you go to a once in a lifetime event (the graduation) and not have your digital camera charged up to full power? Well, if you are me, the doofus then you go to the graduation with only two bars on battery life and have to censure your picture taking so that you get that one "money shot" of the graduate.


Here is a picture outside of the auditorium right before the graduation ceremony.
My brother Bob, Brian the college graduate, Colleen, my sister-in-law, Nickie, Brian's significant other and my sister Cindy. The front row is Hannah and Zaine, Brian's two children.


The money shot!
Here is the college graduate, Brian.
He earned the degree, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
Brian graduated with honors.



I thought these pots were sooooo cute and they were ON SALE!!!!


This is the first year that I have seen these Martha Washington geranium's.


Daisies are so cute!


I just love carnations!



The dwarf irises have bloomed and I am amazed at the way they multiply each year. This group stared out as five plants.



Fuchsia Calla lilies (spelling?)



The new irises have bloomed and the rose bush is filling in quite well.



The hollyhock have begun to show some life.



I am not sure of the name of these small flowers but I love the bright blue color.



The dwarf canna has it's first bloom.

Arrival Day

Well, my sister Cindy arrives tonight!
Yeah!
I just have to scrub up the bathroom. Figure I'll do that tonight after work and before her flight arrives.
My room is as decluttered as I could possibly make it without just causing havoc in another part of the house.
I hope that now that most of the crafting supplies are down in the craft cellar and the warmer months are coming that I will enjoy being down in the basement creating. The supplies are down there, it will be cooler and hopefully I will be able to use up some of the massive amounts of stuff that I have accumulated.

Nothing New, AGAIN!!!

Has anyone seen the hat that Sarah Jessica Parker wore to the London premiere of her movie?
Am I the only one that thought it was a bit too large for a movie premiere?
Did she take it off in the theater so that those behind her could see?
Do they really watch the movie at the premiere or is it just a party?
Hmmmmm, points to ponder today.
Your thoughts and observations are welcome.

Mindless Clutter

I don't have any new cards to post so I'll just share a quirk of mine. One that my co-workers make fun of whenever they see it.

I like to eat M&M's.
M&M's with peanuts are my fav.
When I eat a bag of M&M's (usually bought from the roach coach, um, I mean catering vehicle)the first thing that I do is empty the bag's contents onto a napkin or paper towel. I then separate them into color and eat either the color with the largest amount of units or I start with the smallest.

Is this an OC disorder?

Finally!!!!

Finally I worked on getting these cards done. I have a nephew and a second cousin who are graduating this year. One from college (nephew) one from high school (cousin).


Girl graduate.



Boy graduate.
Both cards are made with SU Basic Black cardstock. Sandylion graduation caps patterned paper. The Paper Company 8x8" graduation cardstock pad. The grad boy & girl stamps are from Stamps by Judith.


This is how I stamped the envelopes since I won't be mailing either of the cards.
The image is from the retired SU Tassel Time.

Working Like a Whirlwind

My sister Cindy is coming in from CA next week (5/15) for her son's college graduation. For those of you who do not know Cindy, she is much like my sister Caryn. These two are "clutter-free" personalities, whereas my sister Jenny and I are more alike, "organized clutter & chaos".

Since Cindy recently had extensive back surgery and because I only have a two bedroom house (our brother Rick lives in my other bedroom) Cindy will be using my room while she stays with me.

My frantic concern:
My bedroom was my sole source of craft storage for all of my crafting venues. It has been less than a year that I carved out a crafty place for myself down in the basement. I have been s-l-o-w-l-y working on getting things in the basement purged and into new homes and organizing the stuff that is down there. I have been making "homes" for all of my crafting supplies and will not take something down to the craft cellar until I have a place for it. I am making progress and some order has been produced (example: rolling plastic 4 drawer cart to hold all paper punches).

So it is my goal to get my room in order so that my sister does not have a breakdown when she comes to stay with me. I have one week and the minutes are ticking. This is the challenge and by George (that's an odd saying, I wonder what it means and how it was started? Something to Google later on) I will get the room in order. If nothing else I need to get the vacuum up there and tame the herds of dust bunnies that are currently running amok. (I wonder if that is spelled correctly?)

Getting Dirty

I have been busy playing in the dirt as that along with crafting are my means of relaxation. I have two cards in the works but they are not finished. Maybe tonight. So instead of paper crafty fun I leave you with the fruits of my labor so far in the yard.


Here are some of the double petal petunias. I am working around to getting some of my smaller containers planted. Yikes, look at that giant weed. I hate when they have those spikes on the leaves. I will have to get that nasty boy out of there before is gets any bigger.



This bed is mainly filled with wildflower daisies. Recently they have spread their seeds everywhere but back inside the bed. I fortified with two new daisy plants and hope to cultivate some of the plants that have begun to sprout outside of the bed back inside.



Used an old hanging basket from last year and added some of the double petal petunias.



I picked up two varigated petunia hanging baskets on Sunday while at Home Depot. The remaining hanging baskets I will plant myself and will not look as spectacular as these for a few months.



The rose bush is beginning to sprout some leaves and the lavender is beginning to look alive.



Two pink tulips came back from last year, yeah!!!



This area is where the construction will take place. The peonies will be saved and the space will be a bit narrower but eventually the remaining area will become my veggie garden.






Here are two views of the east side raised bed. The forefront is where the lilies are beginning to sprout. Mixed in are a couple of irises. There is a foxglove and a bleeding heart.

Here are the containers that surround my patio. I have two types of canna, snapdragons, martha washington geraniums and double petal petunias, carnations and some daisies.










Three new containers to put my cherry tomato, regular tomato and green pepper plants. I don't think that the area near the shed by the peonies will be ready for awhile and I would like to have a harvest this summer so I am trying my hand at container gardening.



The shady area on the north side of the house (back of my house) has even had it's perennials sprouting.

The lilac bush in the front of my house is blooming. I just LOVE that scent.