525,600 moments

Got home from work and the sky was just amazing! What a way to end 2008. Happy New Year everyone!

P.S. 525,600 minutes measure a year (that's from the show Broadway show Rent, "Season of Love"). I love that song. I hope every one of those minutes or moments in 2009 is a good one.

Do you like show tunes?

I LOVE Broadway! I took a few minutes to add some of my favorite show tunes. Check out the Fine Tune box on the right if you want to hear them too. Enjoy!

Christmas Memories

I'm working on a top secret gift for my mom but here's a sneak preview...it's a 1962 photo of my brother and me (probably taken with a little brownie camera (remember those?). Christmas Eve was always, and still is, a special time to get dressed up, have a nice dinner and go to church. We would be allowed to open one gift and it was always a new pair of PJs, a coloring book and crayons. I still keep a box of crayons in my desk drawer at work for a little aromatherapy on those awful days when you think you just can't make it through the day. It works!

Here's some fruit to make you smile!

Have you seen this? When John first hit the DVR rewind and said, "You've got to see this!", I thought it was the dumbest thing ever. Well, we started laughing, maybe because it is the dumbest thing ever, but we couldn't stop. Now it's one of those 'ear worms' that gets in your head and won't leave (sort of like It's a Small World at Disneyworld). Maybe you'll get tickled too....



...and have you watched the grandpa's expression in this one? It's priceless!



ok, back to wrapping presents!

....and here's my version....

...courtesy of Tesse, the recipient, here's how she displayed the garland I made for her. I think she's having fun opening each box each day and finding out what's inside. My mom asks me all the time, "well, did she open another one....and did she like it???". Mom, she loves them all. and isn't her mantel just gorgeous? We are two victorian peas-in-pods.

Jane, this is for you!

Ah, when I saw this, it reminded me of you, Jane! Colored Pencils! Aren't they gorgeous? Just like paintboxes, I never knew there were so many photos of colored pencils in cyberspace. Amazing. Makes me want to go doodle, right now. Enjoy the new photo album of the first 30 or so that I came across!

Sneak Peek

My bestest bud Tesse received the Advent Calendar I made for her just in time to open it for December 1. Here's a peek at the inspiration for it that I found on Artchix Studio:
http://www.artchixstudio.com/create/classroom/class_adventcalendar.htm:

I'd show you the real photos but dummy me only took pictures of it with the boxes open as it lay on the table so I can't show you my version of it (as that would ruin the surprise for her). Actual pictures later!

Makin' My Christmas List

ok, I'm a country junkee lately. I just discovered Randy Houser. Enjoy this video:



Sort of reminds me of Ronnie Dunn. And then check out Jimmy Wayne:



I think I'm gonna ask for a Crest Spin brush to use to clean my stamps (my Sonic for my pearlies is not leaving my bathroom---it's awesome). Have you checked out Ed Hardy designs? The bags are shoes are to die for (get it?). Then there are the ginormous sets of Prisma design markers. What fun would that be?

Ok, back to reality. Gotta get busy on makin' my christmas goodies.

Country Living....

....If I could live in the pages of Country Living Magazine, I'd be able to have this in my kitchen for Thanksgiving. Yumm! Oh, the creativity that exists in this world. I've got to get away from this computer and get busy!

Hurry!

Isn't this a funny image? It's amazing what you can find when you look for vintage images on the Googlenet. I feel like her. I'm running around in my 'uniform', trying to get ready for the Thanksgiving invasion and I see Christmas right on my heels. Take a deep breath....enjoy the season and don't sweat the small stuff, right? That's hard to do but I'm trying. Ü

Harvest Moon?

Going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark is a drag. But the moon on the way home tonight was spectacular! It was a big yellow harvest moon....just huge! Hannah would have loved it. As soon as I could get in the door and accept all the sweet doggie kisses, I grabbed my camera and ran outside to grab a quick picture. Well, I'm a little disappointed but none-the-less, here it is for you to share. It's the same moon wherever you may be....think of me when you look up. Ü

Where have I been?

...making invitations again. Can you believe it? I agreed to do the honor for my niece's baby shower. Here's a sneak peek....

Cholesterol Counting?

No. I'm hungry for pork chops and potatoes the way my grandmother used to fix 'em. Brown the pork chops on both sides, add peeled potatoes and then cover the whole thing with a can of cream of chicken soup and a can of water. Simmer for 45 min and it's ready to enjoy. Delish!

Wedding Candy Buffet...

....becomes Halloween Decor.....with a little help.....

....becomes Thanksgiving Decor.....

Happy Halloween!

Boo!

Happy Halloween!

Happy 25th Anniversary, Rhonda & Roy!

Here's a peek at a star book that I made for my friends Rhonda and Roy for their anniversary:



Now, if you look closely, you will see that I only used 6 of the 7 pages I created. As I was gluing it all together at about 1AM (the night before I needed it of course), I couldn't figure out why I had extra book pages and not enough artwork. I knew I had created all the artwork I needed but by then, I was too tired to figure it out so I just glued the extra pages together. It wasn't until the weekend when I was cleaning up the disaster I had left on my desk that I discovered the extra page that I should have included. I may be the only one who's working space grows smaller and smaller as I work. The scrap pile gets bigger, the tool pile gets taller, the stuff, the stuff, the stuff, it just turns into a disaster...creative disaster but nonetheless, a mess. Rhonda, I'll have to add your page to your book sometime. Ü

P.S. Tess, the bull nose clip is on the second page....click on it and you'll see a close up of it (maybe blurry but still a closer look). It's the library clips from Stampin Ups' newest catalog that have me hooked! I love these little gems. There are four colors a cute little divided circular storage container. Gotta get more!

Kentucky Wool Festival

Thought you'd enjoy the rest of the pictures from the Kentucky Wool Festival. The twin lambs were born the day before these were taken. Some of the faces and noses are priceless!

Kentucky Wool Festival

We had a fantastic time at the Wool Festival today. The weather was PERFECT and we shopped (and ate too much). I've got what I need now to attempt felted wool beads for bracelets thanks to several helpful ladies in the wool exhibit tent.

staind

How Long Will I Love You?

God Bless America and God Bless OSU!

We had a terrific time at THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY football game on Saturday for Alumni Weekend. Archie Griffin spoke at the Stadium Dorm Alumni meeting which was exciting and we saw a winning game. It was HOT and of course crowded. I'm the one in the red. Ü

I took these pictures a few weeks ago when the moon was just so big and yellow. It was a beautiful summer evening, no humidity, no bugs--just a lovely little breeze and me and my camera. I could have stayed outside all night but I'm afraid of the skunks, the deer and the coyotes. Ü It's nice to know when you look up at the moon, you're seeing the same thing. Reminds me of an old Camp Newaygo song:

Bed is too hard for my tiredness.
I'll take a hill soft with trees.
Tuck a cloud up under my chin.
Lord, blow the moon out, please.

Labor Day Labor

I started this table runner for my mom a few weeks ago thinking that it would be an easy project and something patriotic for this Labor Day weekend. I never dreamed it would take as much time as it did! Look closely....it's not quilted but woven. It required lots and lots of fabric tubes sewn up and turned inside out and three layers of weaving. Ten horizontal rows (one white, two blue, one white, two blue, etc.) and then a layer of rows woven on the diagonal facing left and a third layer on the diagonal facing right. The directions were nearly impossible to understand. I gave up many times. Mom gave up completely and I was about to trash the entire lot of fabric (about five yards) but I just couldn't let it go. It was like a jigsaw puzzle that occupies every brain cell. It was all consuming....I did not want to give in and finally I figured it out. Don't ask me how...I just did. I will never ever ever make another one! It does look beautiful on her table and she's proud to have it.

Paintbox Obsession

I am OBSESSED with paintboxes. I saw a paintbox photo on the web and I wondered how many other photos of paintboxes are out there. Well, I quit after a few hundred pages of browsing but I did manage to save a few of the really nice ones. Thanks to all the folks across the WWW who took the time to share their photo, I enjoyed my little get away! I know, I have more projects in my studio than you can shake a stick at (huh? where did that saying come from???) but sometimes it's just too late to start anything and surfing the web is about all I have the brainpower left to do. So, here's to all you artists out there who love the simplicity of a paintbox and have your own to take out and use as often as you can. Enjoy my little collection I gathered up in the album above. (ok, so there's one photo of wool felted beads that just reminded me of a paintbox.) Ü

Wordle is FUN!

Check it out - Wordle is a fun way to create an image out of any group of words. Give it a try!

Post-Wedding Fun

Happy Father's Day, Dad! We had a great time at the Reds Game (as you can see). Pete Rose was at the game, too (he's in the pale yellow hat in the row where there's a man in an orange shirt.) Anyhoo, Mr. RedLegs honored us with a visit to our row. The game went into extra innings and we came away with a WIN! Whoooo-hoooo!

The Wedding is over!

Life as we knew it before THE WEDDING is on the horizon. I'm finished with all of the projects, the wedding was beautiful and the details a huge success. Here's a glimpse of all that has been happening in my studio for the past few weeks. Place cards, table numbers, favors (evil eye paper weights in black chinese take-out boxes) and candy buffet bags (which were a huge hit! I had no idea the candy buffet would be so popular and thought there would be a ton of left over candy. Not so!). I used a lot of Basic Grey paper and still have a good supply left - about 25 sheets. They will come in handy for the thank you cards, next up on the agenda. I also used a lot of ideas I found in Somerset Studio's Wedding edition and highly recommend it and the internet for tons of inspiration.

June Flowers

While I work on more things for the wedding, enjoy this show of John's Photgraphic Artistry -- the flowers in our yard.

Darius Rucker is a hit!

I have always been a Hootie and the Blowfish fan but I'm really liking Darius Rucker's move over to new Country. He is awesome! Enjoy

New Camera!

John bought a new camera body (Canon 40D) to go with his 30D and now he doesn't have to "change lenses in the field". Ü Here's a really tight photo of the magnolia tree blossom. Isn't it a beauty?

Where have I been?

I've been busy making wedding invitations! First time I ever tackled a project of this magnitude....don't think I'll ever do it again. I was too stressful! I do so appreciate all the nice comments that I've received and am glad the recipients have enjoyed getting them. Now I'm off to make placecards to match the invites. Wish me luck!