Wordle

Wordle

This site will grab words off your blog and make a cool header. I just can't figure out how to resize it yet. But go play anyways.




Click photo to enlarge and see all the words!

My Mosaic

Thanks Allison for giving me something to do at midnight. Here are the deets on what to do.....

Answer each of the questions below.

Surf over to Flickr and type your answers into the search bar. From the choice of pictures shown only on the front page, click on the one that moves you. Once the page with your picture opens, copy the URL. Surf over to the Mosaic Maker, set up your mosaic, and paste your URLs. Click Create. Voila!

The Questions:

What is your first name?

What is your favorite food?

What high school did you attend?

What is your favorite color?

Who is your celebrity crush?

What is your favorite drink?

Where would you go on your dream vacation?

What is your favorite dessert?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

What do you love most in life?

What is the one word that describes you?

What is your Flickr name?

Below are the credits for each photo---they did not come out in the right order of the questions. Odd. The lower right is actually the first question and the middle is for the last. Then from upper left to right.

1. Witchy, 2. peanut butter and stuff sammich, 3. most precious blood, 4. End Of The Day, 5. "Captain" Jack Sparrow and The Fair Elizabeth, 6. "Captain" Jack Sparrow and The Fair Elizabeth, 7. Gingerbread House - Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, 8. Thursday's Miffy Bento, 9. Taller in many other ways, 10. Each war is different, each war is the same, 11. A cozy chat., 12. Old scholl Tram, 13. 10 Jan 2008: Palma Old Town

Free Stamps? Doodle Me In!

I said I was gone but I ain't, at least for this minute or so. Blurfing away and I came across this giveaway for stamps that made me laugh (not a good thing to do while snorting hummus and olives). So get over there and check it out.

That pirate penguin is almost as hunky as Johnny Depp and there are two other plates with funnies on it also up for grabs. Do you pillage at the site a bit.

Hydrangea Blues

I wanted to save the best for last. Before I took the embossing paste class from Lynell Harlow at Dreamweaver Stencils, I had played a bit with the stencils and paste but was never happy with it. Guess I had to learn the finesse ideas. I was more open to dry embossing with the stencils and even that wasn't all that. I am a convert! If you can't take a class, buy the DVD. I saw it at Joann's. There are several quality brass stencil companies (and even some stainless steel) but Dreamweavers is, in my opinion, the most versatile and grown up of the ones I have used.

So here is the last one I made. I am taking a break from crafting and posting for a few weeks. Been reading a lot of computing and code books and perhaps will be doing my own website (I need to reserve the domain) so the possibility exists somewhere down the road, this blog will go and the actual domain will take its place. I haven't decided as it's a pretty big endeavour. But I do want to save the domain name anyways. Paper Tango is taken-it is owned by Gartner which you may have noticed is sold by Target in their card department. I often pick up clearance items to use such as plain card fronts and stickers. Never pay retail!! It isn't where I got the name tho. I imagined the ink pads and stamps dancing and put it together.

When I made this card front, I didn't know which way was up. So I photographed it both ways. It works either way. The hydrangea stencil is huge! So the resulting card is very large,too-it would definitely take extra postage to mail. I placed the stencil on the watercolor paper and oil colored the image after swirling the colors on wax paper as a palate.Use a small stiff stencil brush for this. When you have your "look" place the stencil back on, swipe the transparent paste across and remove excess and before it dries, add your transparent micro glitter to the flowers. I did not put glitter on the leaves and branches-not on purpose, only the blossom. You know how glitter is, right Allison? It was very easy to variegate the oil colors on the individual blossoms and I was even able to make leaf veins, using a curved edge.The oil crayons come in 5 packs and 20 packs that I know of. I bought seasonal-so this is spring. Before adding to the card front, I distressed the edge of the watercolor paper and added a bit of brown ink on the edges to bring out the color of the branch.

My card base color was pulled from the embossed flowers. The same went for the green of the leaves. All eventually was layered on a plain black card. When I did the green layers, I didn't have much paper left, so I did L's. It all gets covered up so no one knows. I am anal about not wasting paper. Maybe that isn't always a good thing but it's who I am-a heartfelt recycler and hoarder.

You can see the embossing paste better with this photo. When you look flat on, the paste can look flat and you won't see that it's quite substantial and this card is heavy. I didn't want to use ribbon or stamped words, so I dug a bit and found some mini brads that captured the colors of my oils and added sets of two in the same color on each corner except the middle one. I pop dotted the layers for more dimension using teeny poppers. I think these are from All Night Media and I have had them for forever.

I would like to thank all the independent stores I visit especially Stacey . I may not leave the ideas the way they started out but the ideas multiply and I usually get carried away, which is what happened with all this embossing samples recently. Who knows what may happen next?! Today I bought some metallic paper, so my head is full already. I just need a break and some extra arms or hands to do the crap stuff so I can do the craft stuff. See ya later peeps.

Hobby Lobby Coupon!

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A Warm Hello

So a question for all you stampers out there-how often do you buy used stamps such as SU and when you get them, they are a mess? Do they not give out those little brochures anymore that tell you how to mount them? I have also purchased several sets that are so inked up and dirty-and more and more the photos only show one side. I may get a good price on them, but the time I spend cleaning and remounting them is not fun. Hubby wanted to know why I was microwaving my stamps. Men are so so clueless.

This is a fun card. I used several punches to make my flowers and another to make the leaves. The corners were also a punch (there is also a die for Sizzix too that will do these). Many scraps went into this and you can change it all around to make whatever colors you have or like. ( I don't think a whole lot of explanation is needed for this card either).
Here is a close up on the flowers and you will see that I have used dotted buttons for the flower middles.To fake a stamen, I used some fibers that I looped thru the holes and tied in a knot. Just pop dot layers for more definition. If you only have plain buttons, use an alcohol based marker for the dots or stripes or whatever you make. These were in my button jar, so already done. But you can make your own.

Needed A Giggle

I am sorta sad today-raining and yucky and watching the sofa slug slug ain't fun. But this made me laugh. I can always get a giggle from LOL Cats. Today's were all pretty darned good-especially the drunk kitty.But this one-almost peed my pants!

Questions and Answers

Who's the last person you flipped off and why? I was in high school and someone was tooting his horn at me---little did I know it was a cop. And yes, he wanted my number. (didn't get it)

What's the worst job you ever had? doing pap smears for Planned Parenthood

What do you really think of GWB? I pity him.

What was the last argument you had with your spouse about? our whole life is one big argument-but it was about whether or not he was listening (he wasn't)

What did you do afterwards? same old, same old. I went about my stuff and he fell back asleep.

Dill or Sweet? Gerkins

Worst habit? Letting people take advantage of me-knowing I don't mean anything to them-unless my wallet is open and free flowing.

What do you watch on TV-for real? Sports, news, weather and Roseanne reruns.

What is the most embarrassing thing you ever did? had sex on a golf course during the Indy 500 (in Indianapolis)

How good are you on Jeopardy? very very good but too scared to go on TV.

Can you finish a Sudoku? I prefer logic problems or challenger crosswords. Hubby likes sudoku. a lot.

What about your face would you change? What's wrong with it? I have a weird brown spot on my lip-looks like a chocolate blob. It showed up while I was sick and never went away.

Do you hold doors for people? all the time-and few ever say thank you.

When you pout, what do you pout about? being ignored

What would people say about you if they thought you would never know? I don't know and really don't care.

What makes you laugh out loud? I Love Lucy. Babies giggling. People running into walls (myself included)

What do you most regret? Not going into the Peace Corp like I wanted (I met hubby a month before I was to leave)

What is the best thing you make in your kitchen? all sorts of hodge podge soups and cheese biscuits.

Do you believe in UFOs? I was brought to earth by one-waiting for the mother ship to return for me.

Do you kill bugs or take them outside? take them outside-except skeeters.

When was the last time you were drunk? drunk or tipsy??? drunk maybe mid 80's, tipsy hmmmmm. Courtney's open house in Clarkston.

Last book read-really? Veganomicon-cookbook and Leo LaPorte's computer book.

If you weren't what you are, what would you be? a giraffe.

Even if you don't believe in reincarnation, what were you in a previous live? a door mat

Why do you think that when people are asked that question, they never ever say some ordinary Joe? I wasn't even a person so don't ask me.

You have an afternoon all to yourself-what do you do? go to the gym, come home, watch the game, make dinner at midnight, play with my paper and ink. Nothing special.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? a nun, then left fielder for the Detroit Tigers.

Mayo or Miracle whip? eggless mayo

Favorite ice cream topping? nuts and fudge (without the ice cream)

When was the last time you drove a car by yourself and where did you go? Did you break any laws? Yesterday, drove to and from Fowlerville and talked on my cell phone (it's not against the law here but could be soon in Detroit)

What do you order on a pizza? eggplant, roasted tomatoes, red onions and garlic at Uno's. home town pizza is black olives and green peppers.

What is your greatest fear? pain as bad as what it was-and doctors didn't believed me.

When was the last time you operated a washing machine? I just put in a load now.

What's on your Ipod? John Williams soundtracks.

So I tag Courtney and Johanna and Allison and Jen.

The Autumn Leaves

I made myself leave the house today. Even tho my jaw felt like Rocky popped it and the Vicodin was making me toss my cookies (well, I hadn't eaten anything so I tossed the imaginary cookies I wish I had eaten), I got out into the sun for a while. I had to feed my rubbah addiction. It had been cold the last time I saw Stacey's place and she is in the middle of a massive redo of the store.

Stacey has three kids-boy girl boy and they are all beautiful but that little one Chase! OMG-I hope I am around to see him when he is in college. I told Stacey he is a mini Brad Pitt right now. I hope when I am in my 70's, I can still say hubba hubba!
Here is another embossed and gold leafed card. The same idea as before using a brass stencil and gold embossing paste. When the paste is dry, tamp on heat and stick glue, heat til tacky with a heat gun and then tamp on with a stiff stencil brush the gold sheets or pieces to your design. Round swirl the image to remove any extra flecks and save for later.

I then just added several layers to a plain card in colors of card stock I felt were pulled from the gold leaf. I used a small awl to punch tiny holes in the corners before attaching so the under layer color would show thru. It just didn't very well. That odd circle you see in the upper left-not an illusion. It's just my time honored tradition to spill something on at least one of the cards I make. I have a bad habit of not closing the pop topper on my water bottle.

You could add a rub on or stamped sentiment on the lower part under the tree or leave plain.

I have one more embossed card for you this weekend and then I am taking a long break. I need to refresh and get some actual work done in the next few weeks AND recover from this jaw surgery. I am only a third way thru it and it's been more than I bargained for-and the worst one is next time.

PC or CP?

Anybody reading here got those initials? Or are you married and your first names start with them? I have a weird stamp that says either CP or PC entwined and it's from a now defunct stamp company called Stamp Cabana.

It would be a cool signature stamp for the backs of cards. If you have those initials, let me know via an email or post. If more than one person posts, I will do a random draw. It's new as far as I can see and was in a lot off eBay I recently acquired. Oddly, that was my mom and dad's first name initials.

If no one does, I will have to find a boyfriend for daughter or grand daughter who's names starts with P and pay off the current buds to get lost. I cannot let a pristine never used stamp go to waste.

Shopping With Marley

Marley loves to go everywhere with me and I like taking him. He sits in the back seat looking out the window (he has his own seat belt harness, which he manages to wriggle out of when I go inside), When I come back out from shopping, he is usually sitting in the driver's seat patiently waiting for me. Sometimes I even have a treat for him if I have been dining. He likes toast a lot. So do I!

Last Friday after spending several days at home because of storm watches and warnings and the roofers blocking me in my driveway, I decided I HAD to use my 50% off coupon at Micheal's. I knew exactly what I wanted. So even after another storm watch was issued, and looking at radar and seeing nothing to worry about, I left. Jackson was left outside to chase the squirrels (he is obsessive compulsive about that). I wasn't gonna be gone long anyways. So Marley and I set off.

I even stopped for a tea at Speedway and got the mail. The sun was shining too. I left the windows cracked on my car (it was mid 80's) and I went inside Micheal's. The item I wanted was already on sale-phooey! I poked around a bit and found something else I thought I might never want-but after reading the package, I did. The Cropidile II. Half off ladies and only 20 bucks! Happy as a clam and armed with my tool and some dollar stamps (I am missing October and December), I went outside. It had started to cloud up.

Looking north toward my house 8 miles away.
Getting a bit more of the wide shot-but no rain yet.
A close up on the clouds-mind you to the south, the sun was still peaking out.

The rain starts to come down toward the south but dry where I am.
I just like these colors and am gonna try stamping landscapes or skyscapes on them.

It starts to get much darker to the south and I am thinking of leaving. I call hubby who is on I75 at the Oakland/Genesee County line and he says it's sunny yet and nothing going on, so he tells me to stay put and we will get dinner. I remind him I have the dog with me.

I keep snapping away and people walk in front of me. I am using hubby's small pocket digital as it fits in the same pocket with my Flip Video camera and we had used them both the day before and later at the art festival. It's just annoying sometimes to carry around a fully lensed-up D-SLR. So this works.

I feel rain drops finally and turn to climb back into my little Aveo ( I am parked north but photographing south) and oh shit! Look what is to the north!!

Wall cloud!
Wind!
Rotation!

I just stood there mesmerized! No sirens. No frantic movements by anyone. In fact, some stopped and watched me snap away. They said they paid no attention until they saw me photographing and then made a dash for the store. I wanted to dash too but if I left and drove north, I would have run right into this. I had Marley and surely the store would not have let us in-I had no leash for one. Marley was spazzing in the car-he hates the noises of storms just like me.

Then the rain started and I could not see out the window and certainly could not have driven with the rain intensity like this. So I waited and trembled and wondered what county or country my final resting place would be. At least I wasn't alone-my Marley was with me. It started to eventually let up but I spoke with hubby and he said wait instead of driving. No warning sirens ever went off for my location but they did in the Clio area and into Tuscola county where there was a touch down.

As the rain abated, I tried to amuse myself. I took photos of my shoes, my junk mail on the floor and Marley's hanging out tongue. Then I took the above photo. Sorta interesting but a bit cluttered. So I used the zoom which to me is just unstable at times. And I got this one below. I didn't know what I actually had until I downloaded the photo just a few minutes ago. I took only one. I just think this one is perfect. No photo shopping. Not cluttered. A lot of textures. And lonely.

This one is the keeper.

Raise The Red Lanterns

I almost forgot I promised one of my favorite cards ever. Well, I got distracted adding map links to Wikimapia. Sadly some of the items I wanted to add don't exist except in my memories. For the Flint area, the former site of Buick Motor Division AKA Buick City is noted on the map but is now gone to the great brick conservatory in the sky. Check out that Buick City link-a terrific blog and worth spending some time with.

I had a hard time deciding which one to show you-so I chose this one. Have any of you seen the wonderful movie Raise the Red Lantern? As soon as I started to make this card, I knew what my title for it would be. You have to see the movie to understand but it's so worth your time to do so. Most good rental shops have it as does Netflix.

I had already done the embossed piece. It used metallic embossing paste-silver in fact. If you go back to my other recent postings, you will find the directions for wet embossing-this is a Dreamweaver stencil and I used a variegated package of gold leaf flakes. I saw how the flakes took on the colors of orangy red and gold and knew I had some scraps left over that would go so well as mats. I almost just added that and matted to my card but I knew this card needed something special. I remembered having a textured 12 x 12 piece tucked away that I wanted to use with an Asian stamp set so I had to go digging. And I found it! The back is plain brown on this gorgeous sheet of blossoms.

The base card is simple black and when the layers were added, I tied some metallic Christmas ribbon (it has wire in it) into a flat bow and after using a Trio to lay a piece across the top, added it. I think this is my most goose bumpy card because of the reference to the movie. Sadly, there is an odd connection too. Just the fact that Buick is so popular in China (and not coming from here!) made me quite nostalgic tonight. Both my dad and hubby worked for Buick on opposing ends of the plant system (and polarizing sides of the picket line)-but I myself haven't owned one since 1980 (I am a Chevy girl now.)

I hope you will visit the history lessons above. And maybe just smile remembering your dad's old Buick.

Quote of the Day

Star Light Star Bright

I have noticed in the last week that my visitors are predominately coming from Star Light Stamper . Did I miss something?

So I am returning the link- go visit Wanda for a spell. And come back here tomorrow for a card I really really loved making. I am going to bed early-I think I ate too many blueberries. Blerbf.

Birthday Pansy

It was an odd day today. I woke up feeling sorta yucky and so did hubby. He mowed the law (as much as you mow with a rider) and he didn't duck. He was riding along and a branch smacked him. There is a red scrape and bruise across his forehead (I tried to get a photo but the glare off his bald head was all that showed up).

Last month when Artie (my nephew) was here, they both would duck at the same time. I didn't get a ducking photo then but here they are de-thatching the lawn. This was the maiden voyage of this mower-the blood and dollar sucking Yard Man was not getting another penny from my pocket and Ben has agreed to take it off our hands.

I have below a card that shows so much better in natural light. There must be a better way to pick up the glitter from Spica pens, but I haven't figured it out. The pansy flower was colored using Copics and a blender pen, then it was highlighted using the glitter-it just soaks in, I think. Another layer of glitter wouldn't be a bad idea after it dries.

The printed card pieces are edged in Distress Inks. Two different pieces as the bottom layer and then bisected across the seams. I added the brads before gluing and cut the brad backs off . I just don't like stuff showing on the inside of my cards. The flower image was punched out using a scallop punch and then another contrasting color was done using a slightly bigger punch. If you don't have circles, try ovals or even rectangles. It would be fine that way, too

Layer on a textured card to match a color in your patterned papers. Maybe you can pick up the glitter a little better here but it is much shinier than this.
Stamp whatever phrase you want across the bottom This is a bit feminine but change the printed card stock and your stamped image to go more neutral or even very masculine.

And I really need to go clean up as I am caked with mud. I finally got the eggplants in and the rest of the flowers. I caught Jackson digging in my pepper plants again-I think the whole neighborhood heard me cussing at him. What would it take for him to bite a Habanero? Bet he never would again!

Loopy Glitter Tree

I found something rotten in my cabinet where I keep the potatoes, onions, and other root type veggies. It smells so bad and honestly I can't remember what it was other than I got it at Whole Foods in May. I have washed and sprayed the shelf and it still stinks. Time for some baking soda I think. And a spray from Glade too. I have a very sensitive nose and smell things that others don't so if you walk by me and fart, I WILL know!

This is another embossing paste card and I think it was the first one I made. Not one of my favorites for sure. I was super messy and moved the stencil a bit while scraping the excess off. I just don't like to throw anything away, so tried to salvage it. I used white embossing paste and sprinkled it with sparkly fine glitter and then let it dry.

Then I just added several layers under the finished embossed piece-a thin silver piece on top of a remnant of home made cream, on which I distressed the edges and these were layered on a golden textured card. This is bigger than an A2, maybe an A5. I tied a golden grosgrain ribbon on the side and made it lie flat with the Trio.

I added some varying sizes of colored crystals but wish I had used something different. If I had filled each dot with a crystal , it would have been too much. I don't know what to add here-maybe dots of less fine/chunky glitter in another color? Any suggestions?

I really don't want to think of snow, Christmas and gloomy sunless days-give me the heat! OOOH-I hear thunder. Again. But the roofers are finally gone and good riddance to the noise!

Octopus Tree

ETA-Jo thinks it's more a squid-I agree. Visit her ETSY shop here.

Thought you might want to see the photos of the weird tree I spoke of last night. I have other photos of the building in the background, which is unoccupied at this time. This is across the street to the north of the D.I.A. in downtown Detroit.

So am I off the mark thinking this looks like an octopus or not?

Together Forever

I would like to thank all of you who stick around thru my ups, downs and sidles. I have a lot of things going on sometimes, and don't always feel like creating or even posting what I have created. Now I have several messes complicating my days and some are open for photographing and adding here. I just don't know how to create with sidewalk spittle and write about it. I think it was spit-maybe a looggie. Maybe a dead leaf. You decide.

This was at the Art Festival in Detroit on Saturday. Maybe this is urban art.Eww-maybe a flattened frog?

Oh, so now you really want some paper art? Okay. Below you will find another of my embossing paste and gilded flaked cards. I also used many a scrap in this. If you saw my scrap bucket-you might smack me for not giving you some. I just cannot throw anything away-even a piece of junk mail goes into this.

The dark teal card is a 5 x 5 square. It's textured as are all of the pieces I used for this card. I took the dark blue piece from a junk mail car ad (it was a non-GM car ad, so it was not something I was interested in at all). I used a brass stencil and translucent embossing powder. After it was dry, I used a glue and heat glue pad (again use the stencil as a guideline) and then heated til tacky. Take the flakes and tamp on using a stiff brush. Swirl the brush and it will take off the fly aways (save them!).

This blue piece will be your center image. I then picked scraps to highlight the colors that emerged from the flakes. Two were squares and two were oblongs. Distress the edges with a razor (do the blue piece too). Arrange them on the card in a manner you find balanced then pop dot that main blue image to the center. I added a rub on to the lower right-you could stamp here. To add a little more sparkle, I added some flower crystals I found in the dollar bin at Micheal's.

I imagined this as a wedding or anniversary card but with a little adjustment, could be birthday or thank you-it's not overly feminine, so play with it.

Now I am going to see whatever other weird photos I ended up with from my day in Detroit. I do have one almost creepy one-of a tree that reminds me of an octopus with one eye. Maybe it will show up here.

My Downer Blog

I know, I know-it's been sad lately. I see I have had most of my readers and email updaters un-subbed. Such is life. I can't make a pretty every day. I promise the next few will be worth your staying around.

I will return and upload a "purdy" later tonight but I am gonna let the eye doctor poke me in the eyeballs (maybe that is why I am nauseous?). My contact lens does not want to stay contacted for some reason. At least I see much better with these ones.

The clouds are rolling in and the sun has disappeared. And so will I.

Iowa Flood Waters

My son and his wife live in Iowa-they are north of Cedar Falls/Waterloo areas in a tiny burg called Nashua, population about 1600. It has certainly turned into an adventure to say the least. Ben sent 4 photos tonight to give you an idea of the depth of the waters.

This was the neighbor's farm. At least the cows found some green area to graze on. I have no idea of the death toll on local animals. The water was at least 11 feet deep when this was taken before the upstream water went thru.

This is Ben's father-in-law's campground. From Memorial Day to Labor Day is the most busy time for them with camping, tubing, all sorts of exotic animals to observe. They had moved this back hoe to what they thought would be high, safe ground. Underestimation by a long shot.

Ben is at the edge of a new river. This one crossed the road between his home and his in-laws.Most of the roads into town were blocked at some point, and a few just re-opened tonight. Just as they issued another tornado watch. Nashua is just northeast of the deadly Parkersburg tornado of a few weeks ago.

This is the water lapping at the registration building for Ben's father-in- law's camp. There is a play area, a fully stocked kitchen and laundry facilities inside for the entire camp. If you would like to see a map of Nashua, click here. He also has some tornado video from yesterday he is trying to upload to You Tube. When it's there, I will update here.

There are still hundreds of thousands without power in Michigan from Saturday's storms, which rolled in before the tornadoes Sunday. Detroit is giving out free ice and water but I think anyone who has gone this long sans power better throw it all out and start over. I have been there (last summer 3 days). And I see another watch was issued for the Midwest as I type and there was a tornado that hit a Boy Scout camp and killed 4 about 8PM. Just incredible.

Seashore

By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea..... I wish I had my toes in the sand and it was toasty hot. It's been a long time since I saw the ocean. Ask my kids what happened. We never went again and we found out daddy does not like sand in his back seat. My kids almost because hillbillies thanks to dad banishing them from the car for a spell. That was also my last vacation. 23 years ago May.

I used a circle printed card stock that I folded in half and rounded the bottom corners. The bottom half was layered with a print of ocean phrases and those corners met the same fate. I then edged the whole card in dark brown. I punched the bottom corner with a sea horse before taping it but for a peekaboo look, punch all the way thru. A scrap of red was butted on top of the print and then a piece of ribbon was added at the seam with a Trio tape runner.

A couple of corner holders and brads were attached on the right with mini pop dots. The starfish was inked on cream with brown and cut out and added on the left. Very quick and easily transformed with other colors.

I used to try and fake the beach with a sand box-but the local kitties thought it was a place for archaeological deposits. I think there are still some buried GI Joe action figures in the back area too.

Biking My Fat Butt Off

I recently competed in a biking challenge at my gym. We were allotted 31 days and all the competition had to take place inside the gym unless you could show you participated in a sanctioned outdoor race. I was in the running and biking categories. I was first overall for the women (there were two age categories) and I did 156 miles more than my younger counterparts. I also ALMOST beat the guys. I had 10 miles less at 396 than the male leader. Had I known it was that close, I would have stayed another half hour on the 31st!

Here is my trophy-notice the plate is off center and my name was on the box (and no stand-it comes with a metal peg?). My cheapo gym really cut back this year as I think these come from a local dollar store! Oh well-going for a run now before it rains.

Remembering The Beecher Tornado

55 years ago on June 8, 1953 an area north of Flint Michigan was hit by a devastating tornado. It was the catalyst in this area for sirens, better weather reporting by the television stations and airport spotters and while horrible to a large community, brought a lot of neighbors near and far together to mourn and rebuild.

My mom was pregnant with me at the time and I have often thought that in utero experience is why I am so terrified of storms and wind in particular. Sadly, the Beecher area that was rebuilt has fallen to poverty, drugs and indifference. The high school that was rebuilt after the storm does not even have a sports field to play on but has turned out some of the best football, track and basketball players both college and pro from this county. There is just little parental influx into the education system and many will remember the area for the Kayla Rolland shooting story that Micheal Moore featured in Bowling for Columbine.

It rose from the ashes once before. It can be done again-but someone has to think it can . If you would like to see the original newspapers from 1953, click here, here, or here. It just is so eerie that today on the anniversary the area is hit again by wind, storms and tornadoes just as it was on the 50th anniversary.

Tealed Birthday

I guess you know summer is close when the skeeters are eating you alive, and the humidity is higher than the actual temps (93F and 100% humidity). I don't have curly hair but even mine was frizzing up. We have had 3 straight days of tornado warnings and a ton of much needed rain-but nothing compared to my hubby's home state of Iowa (where son now lives). They are nearing the record setting flood stage of 1993 and most of the state is under a state of emergency and flood warnings. My son spent most of the weekend working for his FIL keeping the water away from the people areas. He was wearing a life preserver and he wasn't even in an actual normal water area. Pretty bad. I hope someone got pictures.

This card used a little bit of everything. I started with a textured green card and punched corners in two opposing sides. I then cut a piece of blue card stock to fit and ran that thru an embossing cover. Popped it in the corners and made sure it aligned and then used tiny piece of tape runner to secure.

I had a piece of printed white card and stamped flowers all over. I then punched the corners on top using a corner and hole punch set. A stamped message was overlaid on the flowers in an opposing color.This was made to fit in a mini envelope (there are dies for this size or use a gift tag one). I edged the envelope in green distress ink. It was then pop-dotted on the embossed piece at an angle. I then hand tied a mini bow and added it to the front of the envelope. If you wanted, a gift card would fit in this envelope as would cash! Or a hand written message below the lip.

For a little more eye pop, I added a tiny pearl stick-on at the corners that were cut to hold the front piece. This made it a bit more elegant.

Coupon For A Stormy Sunday

I lived thru another storm and didn't panic! So I am rewarding myself by hopping over to Michael's. And sharing! If you can't print this, click here.

Fives

What were you doing thirty years ago?

1978 and we had almost finished building the house we live in now. We moved into the house in early August after spending several months in an apartment (we had sold our old house way too fast I guess).

What were you doing twenty years ago?

1988-my daughter was graduating junior high and off to high school. I was in training for a marathon that never happened and in the early stages of Fibro (I thought it was a bad flu).

What were you doing ten years ago?

1998 I was very ill and I have a hard time remembering a lot of the details because of a bad seizure but some have come back to me. I did the Crim with Karen Bentley and our kids-Karen was very ill, too. We were crazy but I treasure that day.

What were you doing five years ago?

2003 Nothing much different than usual. I moved my herb garden to the present spot and spent the summer adding new plants like my first lilacs. It wasn't a biggie that year. I still had Clancey and Fletch and Alex-all gone now.

What were you doing 1 year ago?

2007 and I had just seen my son get married in late April. My daughter had just moved for the umpteenth time and I gave up my addiction-to Superman comic books!

Name your five favorite snacks.

1. peanut butter from the jar
2.pretzels and peanuts mixed together
3.saltines with peanut butter
4.peanuts from the jar
5. peanut butter girl scout cookies


Name five things you would do if you were a millionaire.

1. Move somewhere warm
2. Plant all my favorite flowers that I can't grow here in Michigan
3. Get the car of my dreams-a 100% all electric non-polluter

4. Hire a personal trainer twice a week

5. Set up a non-profit like I always have wanted to send kids to Space Camp.

Name five things you would never wear again.

1. A thong-horrible butt/rubber band thing-nasty.
2.An under wire bra-I feel so "wired" shut-let them flow freely.
3.Open toed shoes-I have nasty looking toes from running.
4.Bikini-scars will do that and three kids!

5.An Easter bonnet-I hated them as a kid and I look like a dork now.

Name your five favorite toys

1. My talking Jar Jar Binks puppet
2. All my Sims and Sims 2 cd-roms and updates
3. My electric screwdriver with changeable heads
4. My running shoes
5. My food processors-the big one and the prep one.

Mom's Day

Since I did Dad's Day early, here is Mom's Day late. Scraps, distress inks, pop dots, a punch and two buttons. Make sure you snip off the backs of buttons if they have a shank.

Anybody want to adopt me? Or are 50 something grannies too old to be adopted? Maybe I can call Warren....Buffet, not Beatty. I heard he is pretty normal and he likes to play cards. Oh, NOT this kind of card? Dang.

Dad

I am getting down to the last few of my recent midnight craziness. Guess it's time for hubby to go away again. Tomorrow all the craziness starts and I don't think I will have much time to create for a while. Sometimes the creating is the easiest part-the photographing is the hard part. I have to wait for sun, little wind and the dogs to be occupied.

Here is a pretty simple card. I used a plain card base. A printed piece of textured card was edged in blue distress ink and dissected with plain twill and a silky printed ribbon. Tape the edges on the back and layer this on the card. Print or stamp your message and using a Cropidile, add brads to the edges of the oval. Layer on another oval slightly larger and add to the center of the ribbons. Another fast out the door card that can be altered to fit whoever you are giving it to such as Aunt, Sis, Bro, Teacher. Just print or stamp the word and re-size your punched ovals.

Stanley Is Coming Home!

RED WINGS
3

PENGUINS
2

Merry Gold

Christmas in June? Well, I tend to post them as they line up, so that is what you are getting today. I really really love using embossing paste and stencils now that I know how to do it correctly. If only I could learn how to tie a bow better. This one looks screwy.

Take a stencil and tape to a piece of card stock. You can use textured card too as it just fills in when you swipe the knife across the stencil (always make sure to clean your stencils right away-keep a water bath to soak them nearby as you finish your project). Swipe a swath of translucent embossing paste across the stencil and scrape off any extra for a level playing field. I bought my scraper in the kitchen aisle. It's from Wilton and made for icing a cake! 2 bucks. If you go into the art aisle, you will pay a lot more. Same danged thing too.

When the paste is dry, take a glue pad and place the stencil over the design again and tamp on the glue. Remove the stencil and clean. Heat the glue until tacky and place the gold leaf on it and press down to stick. Let cool and using a stiff stencil brush, and using circular motions, rub the leaf flecks off (save them for later) and ta da-there is your image.

I mounted it to layers of scraps that I felt were prominent in the leaf. Gold and teal here-then I layered to a plain textured folded card. It was a bit plain, so scrounging thru my ribbon stash (like others stash chocolate, I stash stuff I can't eat) I found this metallic ribbon and laid a straight piece using the Trio. I then tied a bow in the middle of the piece and fiddled with it to sorta be straight.

As a finish, I found some small pearls in the dollar bin and added them at the bottom. I do need to work on the ribbon deal a bit so that may change but this was pretty quick (other than the paste drying which took about 20 minutes) so you could do this assembly line if you needed to-the first would be dry as you finished the 20th maybe?

A Little Birdie Told Me.....

......That just when you think your kids have it all together, they poop on you. I am too upset to even go into it. And after the crappy "phone" day I had-contractors, salesmen, the gas/electric company (they un-subbed me from the electronic payment list and my bill is now late)-and the one woman who sounded like Selma Simpson but was as dumb as Homer and my phone dying on me twice....well, it wasn't fun........

I am now in the between period of the third OT for the Wings game. Peeing my pants, trying to balance the books, and wishing I had stuck my head in the sand. I had hoped for an outside day before the storms come tomorrow. Not to be Cherie.

Red card-covered with a white piece a bit smaller that is punched on the opposing corners and inked along the edges. Paste it up. Layer a blue patterned piece in the middle and a scalloped scrap along the top and bottom. Take another scrap and stamp your birdie (at least this one won't poop on you) then punch the top and bottom and ink these edges too. Center on the pattered piece but towards the side. Pop dot.

Take a small scrap and make into a faux envelope. Add a button that is tied with jute and affix it to the top right. I love this punch and don't use it enought-in fact I should find a way to have them out more instead of dumped in a cloth bin under stuff.