Thursday, June 30, 2011

Journal Pages

Got to love having some studio time. Yesterday I finished up 3 cards and several journal pages and spent 4 hours in the studio. LOVE IT! None of these are recent since I need to photograph some things...spending time playing not taking pics. So these pages are from my 2009 California trip-still. The top page is made by first drawing that heart on the page and adding the words. Then I took a playing card which I loved the back of-those clouds are great, and I stamped the sun on it-and I love the attitude this sun has. Then I added just a bit of color.  I attached it and then added some orange distress ink which I brushed on. Then I added the 2 cents stamp (Impression Obsession) image and I ripped some purple paper and attached it. Then I cut out the hearts...added them and finally added some Dimensional Pearls by Ranger.
This page introduces us to Mendicino.  I won that triangular sun stamp in a lot of stamps on eBay-have no clue who made it but I like it. I stamped on white paper with yellow ink and then colored in with a different shade of yellow and cut them out to edge the page. Then I added the photo, outlined in black and die cut the swirly, which I then added my writing on. I also die cut the little frame-did that twice once in yellow and once in blue. I stamped the words (Technique Tuesday). I also stamped the road trip car in black and colored in the words (Cat's Life Press). Finally I stamped the little hearts (I think Basic Grey) mutliple times and then I stamped once on white paper and cut that out and added it over the frame.
Finally this page. The flowers in Mendicino were GORGEOUS!!!!! I love this photo.  I simply covered part of a page in printed paper and added the photo. Then I cut another swirly ric-rac with my Big Shot machine and attached it and finally I used some small typewriter letter stamps to stamp the word bloom over and over. I love decorating the page but some photos should not be overpowered by the design-they should be the main focus.
So yesterday besides studio time I planted 1 of the 2 rose bushes I need to plant, and got the doogie-man groomed and also went to Old Navy (big sale-buy 2-get 1 free) and got some shorts for my trip to the Outer Banks in 2 weeks! Can't wait to explore some place new for me! And I had book club last night....Today...who knows? But that's the best part of summer...spontaneously!  It's a perfect day- breezy-about 72 right now...my kind of weather! A bit cool for the beach- but great for gardening!
Happy Day!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

More photos from the boat

The Route 1 bridge we go under when we head out to the mouth of the Piscataqua.
Sail boat in Great Bay.
I didn't go boating today, mostly I did some more studio cleaning and also did a bit a scrapbooking and started a couple of cards. I took a nap, finished 2 books and started a new book (Bonobo Handshake). I made strawberry ice cream and had crepes with nutella and sliced strawberries for dinner. Got my hair cut. Took a walk in the morning. Did laundry and changed my sheets. That was my day-a great day-my kind of day- but not wildly exiciting.
These photos are all ones I took on Sunday when we did go boating.
We clouded in this afternoon, not this photo, but I also took this last Sunday when we were out in Great Bay. Talk about a dark ominous cloud.
Thanks for visiting.

Monday, June 27, 2011

A Good Day

So day one of summer vacation. I worked all morning cleaning up my art space...made HUGE improvements in the closet and in cleaning up the mess laying everywhere around here. It's not finished...but it's well on it's way and I can use a lot of the space now. YAHOO! I love the feeling when you clean up the mess, I can only take a mess for so long...and this mess...well it was far past my taking it point.
And it was a gorgeous day! I walked this morning, went up to my mother- in- law's and chilled on the dock and read and chatted and took a quick dip and then Dave took me for a jet ski...and I've never been on a jet ski before. It was a blast. What a successful day!
So since I've been cleaning the art space lately, there hasn't been much new in the art department. So here's a card from a while back...I used green cardstock which I stamped multiple times with the word HI from Paper Smooches. I die cut the red circle and then on the center circle that I punched in white I stamped this crazy fun Paper Smooches flower. I colored her and then colored the background yellow and added some red marker dots. Then I scribbled the black rings around the yellow center circle. Added some Viva dots to the red ring and then added some cute little smiling bees and the spray of red tulips in the corner.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Wrapping up a Weekend

Seaweed on a dock. At the marina on Little Bay.
Depth marker on one of the bridges on the Piscataqua River, Portsmouth, NH.
View in Great Bay.
My afternoon, a relaxing afternoon on the boat in Great Bay. Salt water, warm air, not too much sun...
Been a great weekend-yesterday I did major work on the closet in my studio/spare room...still more to do which I can do tomorrow since I don't have to go to work...but that hasn't sunk into my brain yet. But it's gonna be SOOO nice to have some organized space there. Then last night Dave and I went to see X Men which I enjoyed. And today... we went boating...booked some rooms for next summer in Glacier Nat. Park...talked to my mommy...
and tomorrow, I can sleep in if I want...gonna do some major cleaning...that is how I am going to spend the first day off of my vacation but I want to get this done!
But first, tonight, gonna watch the last 3 episodes of last season's True Blood.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

I'm addicted

This season 3 of True Blood is addicting-probably with all the Eric Northman in it. I've been sitting in front of tv the last couple of nights because I want to see all 12 episodes. The actor who plays Eric-Alexander Skarsgard- is such a hottie. I know, I'm not the drooly type, but I can be!
Wish I got HBO so I could watch the new season that starts Sunday night. I know as the books go on Eric is more and more important and I'm hoping it'll be that in on the tv  show.




Friday, June 24, 2011

Blogger's Challenge-Things with Wings

Here's my entry for this week's Blogger's Challenge. I used green cardstock which I textured using some CHF backgrounder stamps-small leaves and a grid. I didn't want the background to be too bold, so I used a similar green, just to make the paper a little less plain. I also added some 7Gyspies paper tape. The butterflies are from Impression Obsession-I've had this stamp for years and I love it. I stamped them on white paper, colored them and cut them out. Once attached I added some blue Dimensional Pearls on their leaves and drew in the antennae. Then I added some clear Viva glass effects dots to do the little bitterfly trails. Finally, I stamped the word.
Thanks for looking and taking the time to stop by my blog!

Last DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey everybody, today is my last day of school (well work) for the summer. You think the kids get excited about summer vacation? I think the teachers are just as excited.
And it's another dark wet day so it's not the worst day to be in work today...in meetings today, all day! Not looking forward to meetings but am looking forward to the start of vacation. And tonight- is the best time of the summer-right when vacation starts and the whole summer is a big potential to be wonderful ahead of you. Tomorrow Dave is doing closet construction in my studio for me so first plan this summer is to clean up the MESS upstairs and get that closet organized. I am excited about cleaning up the mess and excited about having my studio well organized and more usuable.
So here's a California journal page. LOVE it! On white watercolor paper I started by stamping the scribble writing with a Stamp in the Hand stamp. Had to stamp it several time. Then is used a backgrounder CHF stamp in brownish-orange mango ink on the opposite edge of the paper. I added the white flower photo and covered up most of the CHF backgrounder image but left some on the right as an edge trim. Then I added the white die cut flower, some of the paper has been textured with dots. Then I added some Viva dots around the photo and wrote in the words...I love when pages just work and go together easily.
And pretty soon there'll be a lot more journal trip pages for me...like tomorrow once I get a bit more time on my summer vacation!
Happy Happy Friday everyone.
Thanks for looking.


Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Kids are Gone

It's teacher workdays time. Classes are over for this school year. Yesterday we wrapped that part up. I actually got out of work a bit early and went and met Katie...we went to my fav. craft store that was having 40% off all rubber stamps in stock...too good of a sale not to go, then we hit Trader Joe's and Costco. My next couple of weeks are going to be low key spending wise.  But I needed to replenish my larder, we were pretty much out of a few cleaning items and my refrig was pretty empty. But not now. Plus Katie and I had fun going out- we stopped and had  junky food for supper, but I've never been to Sonic and they've been advertizing their chilly cheese dogs which looked pretty yummy. Wasn't bad for fast food.
So now it's work day #1 and it's a wet cool day, so I have to say, since I need to go to work, it might as well be icky.
Anyhow, my card today. Its plain white card stock stamped with a Kaiser Craft clear stamp image...this is a whimsical fun flower set, which I colored with Copics. Then I stamped the saying right on the white, it's an oldie from Postmodern Satmp. Added a bit of color to that. I like this card, liking simpler cards more and more.
Have a great day...and thanks for the visit.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Feels Like Summer

Wait IT IS SUMMER!
Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum)
So it was a gorgeous day yesterday...and I thought I had the house to myself until like 11 p.m.when Dave finally got home from a meeting and Katie home from Target/work. So I stopped at Target and got this paperback after school because this series is fun but light and silly and an easy brainless read and makes me smile. Then I bought a pint of coffee heath-bar crunch Ben and Jerries ice cream for my supper and figured I'd sit out on my screen porch in sheer heaven and eat my ice cream and read.
But guess what? Dave didn't have to go to his meeting and he came home and I'd already eaten 1/2 the ice cream...which was enough...and I did read a bunch but still...not disappointed to have him home but was disappointed not to get a evening all to myself in the house.
Go figure, huh?
So today the kids are DONE at 11:22 a.m.!!
Hurray...that gets me so much closer to my summer...and since its gonna rain the rest of the week after today...that's ok when you have to be inside at meetings and more meetings and I don't like meetings...
But anyhow, today is the first full day of summer-
Happy Summer!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

A New Attitude

I'll be honest, my attitude about work stinks lately. I just want to be off for the summer-badly. More than usual actually. Not that I don't love being off for the summer- always have, but this year...I just am sick of work and my co-workers and want to be away. I want it to be summer and I want to be home and getting some brain readjustment.
But now I am going to take a new attitude. Even though my house is a disaster and my studio is a mess and seems like there are things I need to do everywhere I turn around this place...well, I'm almost there! I really am...it's almost summer vacation. Take a BIG breath and slow it all down.
YAHOO!
And today is the first day of summer!
My card today is a cheery summer card. I started with green sanded cardstock which I stamped with the word cherry from CHF. Then I took some distressed looking green gingham paper and stamped this bowl of cherries (Hero Arts). I colored the cherries, but then stamped this again on white paper and colored and cut out the bowl, then attached it to the original stamped bowl...gives it more of a 3D affect.  I then stamped the bees... 2 of them from CHF and their honey do sheet and then one from some very old stamp set of insects. I added the green string, some strips of scrap paper...some white punched scrap paper and some white lace-on the lace I added some red Dimensional Pearls. Then I did a 4th bee, the big one, also from the Honey Do set, and I cut this guy out. I stamped a 7Gypsies ovalish tag on red cardstock and cut it out, then I used an Aladine stamp to put in the French jellly/jam stamp. The 3 honeycomb hearts are from the same bee set by CHF. Kind of a distressed but fun summer styling.
Thanks for visiting today.


Monday, June 20, 2011

A Beautiful Day

Yesterday was a beautiful day and we took our shake-down cruise in my hubby's boat for Father's Day on my favorite local lake-Merrymeeting. Me, the hubby and our dog Harl.
This is such a funny photo. Harley wished that this boat had a front cushion seat so he could sit and let the wind blow over his face-but the hubby's boat is a fishing boat and not built for comfy cruising...but its not uncomfy, just not a party boat.
Beautiful New Hampshire. I LOVE living here-even if our winters don't end very early-(my 1 complaint- we have long cold winter with way too much snow)
But look at this summer sun.
 And this happy guy!
Another beautiful view of my  hometown.
***
So today is my last Monday of school until next school year. So excited! Exams start tomorrow...we really are at the end of this school year!


Sunday, June 19, 2011

Counting Down-1 week left

This is it! 5 more days of work until summer break. 2 1/2 days with kids!!!! I am SOOOOOO ready.
Happy Father's Day to all you Dad's out there too.
Today is beautiful, sunny with a bit of a cool breeze. I think we'll be doing the shake down boat cruise today...since its Father's Day and that's what Dave wants to do. I have tons of things to do...mostly grading to get caught up with since I start exams Tuesday.
So yesterday was SOOOOO productive. Started pulling things out of the studio closet so I can get that organized and make it usable. The problem with the closet is that the clothes hang right in the open doorway and then you have to walk in through them to get to anything in the back of the walk in-my only walk in closet in the house. And there's these not really useful shelves on the back wall. So the clothes are out and the rack is going to be changed to a side wall of this closet. The shelves are coming out so I can put storage towers back there to store my fabric, yarn and sewing supplies. Right now there are things in there that haven't seen the light of day since I last cleaned the closet, maybe 3 years ago. Time does fly. So my goal is to get the closet emptied this week so next weekend Dave can come in, take out the shelves and put in more useful clothing poles.
Yesterday I also worked in the veggie garden and got some green beans planted and I gave my screen porch a GOOD cleaning-get rid of the thick yellow pine pollen that was everywhere out there.
It was a busy day, but a good day. I feel satisfied. Plus I had a BIG bowl of steamers for dinner and Episode 4 of Starwars-the original-was on Spike TV and I love the first 3 movies of that series.
So now after all that babbling on to the art.
Travel Journal Pages
Here's a page for Dave for Father's Day. I used a sheet of this star paper and I cut and used a Jenni Bowlin  journaling tag on the far right edge. Some Tim Holtz tape with a Tim Holtz postcard stamp and some red star stamps. Then I finally added some little brass ocean charms. We were in Crescent City, CA in 2009 when I snapped these.
More CA coast in 2009. For this page I took an old sheet of striped caredstock I had laying around. Added the photo which I then outlined. The words are from Stamper's Anonymous. I die cut the dragonfly and used some Mica to make the wings in the hollow part of the die cut. I just colored in the body and added the antennae. The blue loops at the bottome are also a die cut, and then I added some plain cardboard bingo pieces I happened to have.
Lastly, this sign I saw on the CA coast. I made the nautical chart by stamping a B Line stamp. The life guard chair is on some Hot Off the Press ocean sticker sheets, I colored in some of the paces. I punched the wavs and drew in some x's along the bottom. I added a die cut shell and a HOTP sticker sheel which I colored and then finally added a yellow Martha Stewart sticker that matched the danger sign in the photo and had the perfect ocean theme.
Thanks for stopping by and Happy Sunday/Father's Day!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Blast Off

Here's a card for a co-worker of mine who's leaving for DC. I used white cardstock and used a CHF astronomy background stamp first. Love this constellation map but don't get to use it much. Then I stamped the roadsign tag from the latest Technique Tuesday/Allie Edwards monthly set. I didn't use it as a tag though, but more as background. I'm not sure who makes the flag stamp, but I stamped that on white paper, colored it and cut it out. Needed something DC-ish. Now my friend is into out there things...(and I don't mean that in a mean way) like aliens and possible creatures like the Loch Ness Monster, so I chose the Technique Tuesday space set which I bought marked down. I stamped the Saturn on the top right and the rocket on a seperate sheet of paper, colored that and cut it out. Then from an earlier Allie Edwards set also by TT I stamped the compas. The main saying came from another monthly Allie Edwards set and the your part of that comes off of another TT/Allie Edwards set.
So it is Saturday-one week from now I will be on an extended sumemr break which I desperately need. Work has WORN me out this week. I've hardly been in the studio except to do this card, and this morning I am going to empty out my clothes from the studio closet with the hopes of getting the rack moved so I can start that end of the studio cleaning/renovation project. It's another semi-icky weather morning and so I'm going for it...can't seem to get myself moving for a walk, but tomorrow should be nice so then I will go. Of course I'm also beat...Katie had to be at work for 5:30 a.m. this morning after working until 10:30 last night so her moving woke me up and I never got back to sleep...that and a rattling bag which sounded like an animal gnawing the inside of one of my bedroom walls...that's another story.
So have a great day...I am now waking up and going to start emptying that closet...

Friday, June 17, 2011

One more week

It's Friday...one more week until vacation after this. Works been crazy...crazy kids, expected...manipulating awful adults...who needs them? And they're coming out of the woodwork...I can't wait until summer!
I have so much to do around here once summer gets here too. My studio cleaning and organizing needs to be finished...there are piles to clean up...gardens that need more tending...decluttering...I need to cut the end of the year work strangle cord and I need to get into summer mode.
So to celebrate summer's close arrival...(Kids are done on Wednesday...so its the getting ready for exams mode) here's a fun but simple card. I started with green cardstock, which I stamped with 2 background stamps by CHF in the similar green...just to give the cardstock a bit of texture. First with a graph paper stamp, and then with some tiny leaves. I added the 7Gyspies tape. Then I stamped the butterfly 3 times (one of my first stamps...a very old one from Impression Obsession) with this stamp I love.  I colored the butterflies and then attached. I gave them 3 little Viva texture dots and then I used Viva clear glass affects to make the trails, I love how they look like dew. Then the stamp with the word....
So today is suppose to be a bit cooler and rain this afternoon, a few of us are getting together to say goodbye to a co-worker leaving for DC this summer. My weekend...hmmm...maybe boating...maybe cleaning...maybe yardwork...I just don't know. But first, today awaits. I hope the sharks at work stay far out to sea.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

BRUINS WIN THE STANLEY CUP!

OK, this isn't a hockey card, but to celebrate, it's a slightly different style graduation card (made for my niece who graduated from college last month). I began by stenciling the stars in purple and then die cutting out the from the over center-twice-ince in textured purple paper and once in cream cardstock. Then is used Kim Hughes/CHF graduation set and stamped the flying hats in purple on the top of the card. On the oval I stamped in purple the winged clock (Pink Paislee) and gave it a bit of color I laid down some 7Gypsies paper tape, added my frame and oval...added some Viva pearl dots on the frame and then stamped the words which are from the same set as the flying hats.
And love those Bruins-I remember (EEKS) the 1972 team that won the Cup...I stayed up until 11 last night to see the game (4-0) against the Canucks...and 4:45 came aweful early, but it was great!
Yahoo!!!!!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

I'm Down

I'm really down in the dumps this morning-yesterday was a tough day for me to get through...and now I am really bummed out. Not that anything really really horrible happened....but everything just through me into a ditch and I'm BLUE. Really blue. I feel like I've hit rock bottom.
Now I don't feel this way right now, but here's a clean and simple page layout from the beach book I made my friend...
And here's another page, this one is made by watercoloring the background (nothing fancy at that, just whisks of color), a palm stamp by Tattered Angels that I colored with Copics and water colors. The saying is River City and the happy birthday is Technique Tuesday/Allie Edwards. I think I've obeyed too many rules and that's why I am NOT having fun right now.
Anyhow, maybe we'll see a little sun today...maybe that will help me...
Smile for me, ok since I'm not smiling.



Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Count Down-7 Days

7 more kid days...now I'm really counting down.
Another raw, dark and damp morning. Same kind of day ahead. But the Bruins won last night- 1 more game to go.
Today I need to bring my car in and get my AC checked since its not working- HOPE this isn't an expensive repair. GGGGGRRRRRRR. If it was September I'd wait to get it fixed, but its June and there's lots of hot days ahead-I hope. I don't want it to rain all summer like it did a couple of years ago.
Here's some more pages from my gift book for my friend. This one is one of my least favorites...A die-cut sailboat, a stamped and colored lighthouse (MSE) hand drawn and cut out clouds and some punched waves which are lightly colored.
Crabbies bordering this page (Martha Stewart Punch), colored strips of paper and the word Memory stamped (Technique Tuesday/Allie Edwards). I trimmed the page in this great crepe paper orange and gold ribbon. You can't see it well here- but the colors are fun and very cheery.
I love this page. I used a backgrounder with BIG dots from CHF to stamp the background...I added 7Gypsies paper tape, some die cuts, some little glass fish (you can't see them very well) and some card board to trim the inner edge.
I've got a bunch of cards to photograph, will try to do that today...
Have a great day and hope you have some sunshine-again!


Monday, June 13, 2011

Monday Again

Oh it's Monday again, and I can't say my last one before vacation-unfortunately. I think it  could be a tough week, 5 days of teaching- we all want vacation-but it's still cooler and damp and gray so perhaps that will help, I hope.
So here's a fun little card. I used red cardstock and this distressed polka dot paper (don't you just love polka dots?). I also cut a piece of embossed paper down and after attaching it I added some hand doodled edging. The critters are from Paper Smooches-and then I attached the little saying. Finally, red Dimensional Pearls on the corners of the yellow and polka dot paper. I love these fat critters-Emma, Harl and Leo top to bottoms as they represent my fur babies.
Have a good Monday-


Sunday, June 12, 2011

Washout

So this weekend will be a total wash-out with rain, I guess. No walking for me. I can't sleep this morning though...which is such a pain...since it's a dark wet morning and sleep is the perfect thing. Maybe its the 22 pound cat who is stretched out horizontally between Dave and I, squishing me out of my space.
So yesterday didn't make it to work but did make a big pot of French onion soup, did get my 2 graduation cards made, took a nice nap, and did scrap 4 pages in my California travel journal. I did watch the Michael Jackson movie that came out a year and a half ago (we have a free HBO/Starz weekend this weekend!) and I did start knitting a Fair Isle cap for myself. A very good day all around. Today I should clean a bit and play in the studio and grade some tests and I will most likely want a nap since I've been up a bit. And I want to finish my Sookie book since I got NO time to read at all last week.
So yesterday I showed you a couple of spreads in the beach book I made my friend...and here's the cover...I did add some antiques eyelets to the 4 corners which did not get photographed and did finish it off a lot I think. I also left the big center tag blank so she could write in whatever her little heart desired. I covered the boardbook with this great striped paper and used tourquoise duct tape on the binding. All the other items are die cuts in various papers.
The is the front page which I made by first watercolor painting some watercolor paper. I added some colored Copic details, stamped the grass (Tatterred Angels), added the saying and also added a die cut moon which I used white metallic Viva Gold paint on. Then I used black ink to distress and slightly darken since the saying is more about walking on the beach in the moonlight. I really like this page.
This is a double spread that is also watercolor painted and then a few Copic highlights added. I stamped the trees in brown (Tattered Angels- it their COOL GIANT beach set) and then also watercolored and Copic colored them. The saying is a new one from Stampendous about walking barefoot in the sand, and I put in a few reinforcers to hold the holes better.
Finally today I did this FUN beach page. I covered both watercolor sheets with light blue polka dot paper. I added the striped and polka dot 7Gypsies tape and the stamped and colored bathingsuit pieces (CHF/Kim Hughes) and the shells which are a die-cut. The saying is Allie Edwards/Technique Tuesday. My friend is pretty creative herself and she might want to fix up the pages...which she can to make them more her. I do feel bad as there was one spread that didn't match at all once I put the book together...I try to keep things even but...sometimes art just does what it wants to do! I'm sure you all know that if you do art.
So since no one is up yet I am going to keep babbling here-and those who know me know I'm GOOD at that.
So there's a commercial for some computer technology that talks about the most amazing thing you've ever seen. So I've been thinking about that- and since I LOVE lists, here's something I've come up with...though I must admit I have seen a lot of amazing things-major and minor-big and small-important and trivial...
Amazing Sights
1-a new born baby right when she was being born
2-the loss of life on a face after their last breath (a very sad one, I KNOW but it is kind of amazing have life can just leave a body-well maybe not amazing but memorable)
3-love in my hubby's eyes
4-a bald eagle with a fish in its mouth that landed just 50 or so feet away from me at Seawall, Acadia National Park, Maine
5-the light that comes on when someone finally gets something
6-the loving look in a dog or cats eyes when you baby talk to them
7-the northern lights out over the ocean from Thunderhole, Acadia National Park, Maine
8-a black bear sitting with his legs out through some arm chairs under my bird feeder having a feast-my house
9-the owl and turkeys about my birdfeeder and those birds that appear as a surprise, like a bluebird once.
10-some of the most amazing places I've been lucky enough to travel to-too many to list but here's some highlights
11-sunrise at the Grand Canyon
12-the view from the TOP of thje Eiffel Tower
13-Pompeii and those ancient chariot ruts
14-Is it register cliff where the Oregon Trail riders did their grafitti
15-seeing President Obama speak-not so much his speech but to think I was a few feet away from the President of the US-that is amazing
16-sunset on Rust Pond, NH
17-sunrise from Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park
18-flying over the Alps which were covered in snow
19-seeing something new and beautiful
20-so famous art and thinking about the people who actually made them
21-seeing historical items...like the Constitution..I think its amazing to see things and like with the artists, to think about the people who created the items and their time and place
22- my own art when I make something I just LOVE
23-being on a fishing boat once and having about 200 dolphins go by us and under us
24-snorkeling the reefs in St. John Virgin Islands
25-why I'm a biologist, tide pooling as a kid in Maine and finding starfish and sea urchins and seeing seals and seeing sea cucumbers, sand dollars...
I've seen SO many amazing things...as I keep thinking...I come up with more and more.
Happy Sunday everyone!


Saturday, June 11, 2011

Raining...

Its raining pretty hard here...not surprised since Motor Cycle Week starts and they always seem to have icky weather for this. I am suppose to work this afternoon at the lake...but we don't work if it rains...so I'm guessing I won't be going in. In a way that's ok...in another way I was hoping to make some fun money. Oh well, its only June and my grass is drying out so we do need rain! Plus I ran about this morning to get to the PO and get some groceries so now if I'm home the rest of the day is MINE! Love that since yesterday was a long work day with graduation-which was really nice-but then I buzzed home and watched the Bruins lose 1-0 to the Canucks...not what we wanted with the Stanley Cup in such close reach.
So here's a couple of pages I made in a book for my friend who just turned 50 and is having us down this summer for a few days out on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Have never been there...should be fun  (plus it gave me a good excuse to get a new bathingsuit-LOL). The top spread is made by stamping a Hero Arts backgrounder onto white watercolor paper. Then I added the torquoise paper, made the plaid pocket with a die cut and added some punched  seashore trim with a Martha Stewart punch. The words are from Technique Tuesday/Studio AE and the horizontal tape is Tim Holtz. I added the 7Gypsies gaffer tape to the punched edge to give it a little more suppose strength and to finish it off. I'm not sure if my friend with journal, add photos or even cover over the page-though why-it's great unless you're someone who can't stand uneven.
This spread (I admit the right is a bit small compared to the left) started with this striped yellow/sun paper. I attached that to watercolor paper and edged the pages with some smooth side of stripped cardboard. I stamped the cardboard with this Technique Tuesday/Allie Edwards stamp-its from a kids set but I love this saying for any age. Then I made the tage from some of the scraps of the sun paer, adding a reinforcer, some die cut starfish and the saying which is another TT?Allie Edwards stamp from the beach set. The punch edge is reinforced with some blue stripe paper that was leftover from the striped paper I put over the covers...since I used a board book and wanted to dress it up a bit.
Anyhow, hope there's sun in your Saturday...whether it's literal or figurative.


Friday, June 10, 2011

TGIF

It's NOT really TGIF yet, it's Thursday night and it was super hot (like 100 degrees and humid today) and we had NASTY thunderstorms this afternoon-lost power for a bit more than an hour. Lazy night too...watching Season 3 of True Blood...with Katie. I am really enjoying our night together-went out for steamers and now we're watching tv...one of the woman I work with lost her daughter at 31 last week from a quick spreading cancer and that has to be so hard....stopped by the wake for a few minutes today after work and I left just crying in the car to Dave on the phone..so tonight I am just enjoying my time with my baby girl. Every moment is precious. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her.
So today, TGIF, is graduation at 5:30...and I like to go and see the seniors leave after having them in school. Finishes up our business, I guess. Makes it a LONG day though...even if some of us from our department are going to get a bit of a very early bite to eat first. But it's the weekend pretty soon...and tomorrow I get a few hours of work at the lake...and they say next week will be cooler and HOPEFULLY, maybe, a more productive work week. Today (Thursday) I was bad and took one of my classes out to play capture the flag against another class for an hour...they needed some mental energy break. That's how we're all feeling right now...time for some mental energy break.
That's why I'm showing you this card...one I made for my friend who turned 50. Thought these woman from Art Impression were a hoot, and since I'm going to visit this friend at the beach in NC this summer -thought this stamp would be perfect-us turning into "old" beach ladies-LOL. The sun and the trim are Sizzix die-cuts and the word stamps are from Technique Tuesday and Allie Edwards. I added the birthday hat to the gal on the right.
So have a great Friday




Thursday, June 9, 2011

AnotherHot One

In the 90's...already it's about 70 and it's just after 5 a.m. Oh man, it's getting really hard to be in school.Today we have this long assemblely...and I have to sit with my crazy class-love those kids but they are NOT motivated and this might be a bit of a challenge for them. This week is exhausting and dragging...although our sashing went really well last night- even though I came home and Dave and Kate had gone jet skiing-and tomorrow is another long day with graduation.  But then we're over another hump and 1 step closer to finishing up the school year.
Anyhow, not to sound to whiny (what happens when you're tired) , here's some art...
I like how my background came out. I first stamped a B-Line stamp on the background in brown.Then I added the red starfish on the right hand edge.  I added a strip of scrap paper. Then I stamped a small circle word  mark in black (7Gypsies) and the brown compass. Finally, there's photo of the fishing bouys and the seagull sticker-which is pretty cool as its pretty transparent...oh yes, and the stay the course words...
Very pleased how this page came out!
Thanks for stopping by...


Wednesday, June 8, 2011

A Beach Kind of Day

I'm really missing the photo files I had on my computer...and I don't want to fill up the hubby computer with photos, since he is SO nice to let me use it.
Yesterday was another gorgeous day...another day too hard to be in work...today is going to be beautiful too...and I have to go to work and stay inside all day...but maybe they'll run the ac since its getting more humid and hotter. I HOPE.
So I finished one of my summer goals last night- watched the final episode of season 2 of True Blood. Its addicting once you start watching...now...I'm ready for season 3.
So on the journal page above...I put tan paper down on white, added a blue stripe and some torn strips...I love the blue swirls which are actually CHF, Kim Hughes stamps. The saying is a fairly new stamp I bought...and wish I could remember who made it...I just bought it back in April...
And this page below, I love this page...I love this Sizzix starfish embossing plate which I then cut out...the brown paper helps make them look real too. Background paper is 7Gypsies and the words are Hot Off the Press stickers.
And here, simplicity. White paper, some tan distressed paper die cuts, some little seahorse Hot Off the Press stickers, some white hole reinforcers, and a simple stamped phrase.
With graduation at school on Friday night...tonight we sash the NHS kids...its a CRAZY week at work. Hard to believe that another school year is winding up...I wish I could take a major road trip across country this summer...something I've always wanted to do...even though I am going away...I have road trip fever-travel fever...time to GO! And I hope I get to take lots of little road trip this season...but one summer, most likely once Katie is out of college and working, I am going to take a cross country roadtrip.
And time for me to go to work...the type of going I seem to do the most...
Thanks for stopping by

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

It Seems SOOO Long

Right now, June 24th seems so far off. Its not like I mind going to work or standing up and teaching but prepping and grading...and staying late after school-oh it is torture. Got to get a little attitude adjustment ASAP. I know I will make it, and I know I'll be ok, but that's what happens when the weather is getting summer like again and I want to be on summer vacation.
And I SOOO do want to be on summer vacation.
Wicked River: The Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild
So yesterday I started a bit of this book before I took a nap-read the prologue, and I really want to get back to it...even the prologue was interesting. (I love these geeky kind of non-military non-poltical history books-learning about a place and a time and to get a feel for that place and time...) I'm almost done with my Sookie Stackhouse  which I hope to wrap up tonight (because I've got to see what happens-since Sookie ends up in Bill's crawl space...is he coming back into the picture?) and then read this book. I'm really enjoying my Dead Reckoning book too. Feels good to get into reading again. I seemed to be so out of a reading mode for the last few months that when I get to a point where I want to sit down and read...it feels good. I am a BIG reader usually...but when the spirit doesn't move you...and then returns.
And while I'm on the subject of books, here's a few of the books I picked up last Saturday at the big sale.
Mostly Mittens: Ethnic Knitting Designs from Russia
Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion and Fun
Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Applique: 2000 Traditional and Modern Designs, Updated History of Applique, Five New Quilt Projects!
Adventure & Applique
Stitch Style Hats: 20 Fashion Knit and Crochet Patterns
Got all these books really marked down for a few dollars each- great fun.
Anyhow, will be back with more art tomorrow.