Pebble Pages

Fast, Easy, Tasty, Healthy...

2012-02-09T23:08:00.001-07:00

My husband and I were at Costco the other day, and dh likes to try all the taste tests. I on the other hand, am a bit shy, especially when it comes to jalepeno poppers, which burned my skin and mouth once, and other strange unknowns. One time we all tried a blue cheese sample that was so strong we were tasting it for days... But this time I must have been hungry because I tried at least three things.

Amazingly we came home with two of the three. One was this Trio of Sprouted Beans. They cook so quickly, and are healthy and pretty good considering they are beans...but we cooked them in chicken broth and they are tender and tasty, and oh I told you how fast they are to cook right? Boil for five min, let set for 10? Easy and good for you, nice side dish!

The other was a jalepeno greek yogurt...I know, what's gotten into me? Hot stuff? Jalepeno? But really, it was so creamy and yummy and good on those tender multi-grain chips, full of protein and probiotics...I just had to plop some into my cart right? I've had it daily since. I don't even have to cook it, instant spicy snack. Mmn..
I don't work for Costco either, but I do like the things I find there. Enjoy.

Oh and the third? Some probiotic drink that was very expensive...so it stayed at the store...for now.

2012

2012-01-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

A New Year! I'm working hard on my goals this year. I can certainly do better, but I CAN. My word for the year...I Can. And yes I know it's two words, but hey, it's only four letters. I CAN! I can choose that for my word, I can reach my goals, I can make changes, I can, I can, I CAN!

I have wonderful goals to be more active, to make better food choices, to blog more, and to make it a great year! I CAN!

SLC Quilt Show

2011-05-06T22:50:00.006-06:00

There were so many works of art displayed at the SLC Machine Quilt Show!. My sister and I went and had such an enjoyable time looking at all the fabulous quilts. I only took a couple pictures, I kept forgetting and getting distracted by the wonderful art, there were so many awesome quilts! I also bought some great gadget that puts in quilt tacks with ease, some baskets handmade in Ghana-my favorites! Of course who can pass up the jewelry at these shows, and I also picked up my favorite summer sandals from Walk the Walk.I will see if I can find some time to link you up and show you these very favorite of things sometimes soon. I Love going to the quilt show!

Little Egg Hunt

2011-04-24T22:29:00.000-06:00

We decided at the last minute to have our first Easter Egg Hunt...

We put two dozen hard boiled eggs and all our plastic eggs out in the front yard.

It didn't take long for our two little two years olds to sweep the yard clean, with help from Mom's and Dad's of course.
Happy Easter Everyone!

Oregon Rain in my Parents Backyard

2011-04-16T13:14:00.000-06:00

The day we left I snapped some quick snapshots with my cellphone. I didn't think to take any pictures when the weather was wonderful, but here is the backyard in the rain. It was pouring and not much after 6am in these pictures so still a little dark. This is the house where I grew up, my parents have lived here for over fifty years. I love this yard and wish I could visit more often. The backyard goes all the way back to that camper you can barely see in the background, which is parked in the neighboring yard.

Relief Society Jimmered!

2011-03-22T16:08:00.000-06:00

Our Relief Society this Thursday was postponed due to BYU Basketball...:) Our ward is very excited about it! Our Bishop's family has TWO players on the BYU team, and we all wanted to see this playoff game. Kyle Collingsworth (the freshman) is the one we are all keeping our eye on. GO KYLE! (his brother Chris not playing currently but on the team) And of course Jimmer...can't not watch him! Here is the fun announcement that arrived in my email today. It's signed and everything!

Lindsay's Birthday Cupcakes....

2011-03-14T10:24:00.000-06:00

Yummy! We had Lindsay's Birthday Bash with Sunday Dinner yesterday. These were just the leftovers...I didn't snap a photo soon enough to get all the pretty cupcakes in the picture. I made the cupcakes...Lindsay made the frosting, a new frosting recipe made with flour and granulated sugar...turned out nicely...but not necessarily the "best ever" it claims in the recipe title. But a nice option. Lindsay made the pretty fondant flowers and they were soft and nice to eat.

Baby Blessing

2011-02-21T16:05:00.000-07:00

Adorable Sweet Jack was blessed yesterday, with both sets of Grandparents and all his aunts and uncles and cousins in attendance. It was held at home, the bishopric came and we had a wonderful time.

Lindsay served a lovely dinner, Pork Barbacoa, Cafe Rio style black beans, and lime cilantro rice, in freshly baked tortillas, with fresh salsa, cheese and lettuce. Apple juice to go with it all. YUMMY! For dessert we had jello cake with fresh cream topping and fresh strawberries and mango, plus Kristi's oh so rich Carmelito's, and apple pie for anyone that was so inclined. Everything was so gorgeous and tasty!

Valentines Day

2011-02-14T10:01:00.001-07:00

Tulips are what my husband got for me this year. Beautiful Red and White Tulips, two dozen. I love how they move and change everytime I look at them. Roses don't do that, but tulips.....they have their own mind, there is just something interesting about that.

Here's the tulips from the entry way...

Tulips on the mantle, too

And cookies and candy on the table...

The kids all came over for dinner last night. Meatloaf, baked potatoes both white and sweet. A tossed salad, a medley of steamed veggies and Lindsay made a fruit salad, all with fresh fruit from Bountiful Baskets. I've had a real build up of fruits and veggies, we chopped, peeled and diced our way to dinner last night. So many fruits and veggies! Cookies and ice cream for dessert and it was a casual fun evening. So good to see them and the grandbabies...loved all the fun. Thanks you guys!

Husband and I watched Romancing the Stone the other night...I'd forgotten how fun and silly it was, with enough action to keep my husband interested...I sure like that movie..fun choice for valentines day! Joe vs. the Volcano was another one we were talking about last night. Gotta love romantic comedies this time of year and that is another favorite! What are your favorite movies to watch on Valentines day?
Enjoy your day...

December Home

2011-01-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

Here is our house...what it looked like the week of Christmas..or maybe a few days after. Lindsay took this picture from her cell phone...I think her new phone camera is probably better than my old digital one. Anyway, we have had lots of snow this winter, and still haven't got all that snow off the driveway. It's been there for weeks, we shovel, but it's so frozen it's nice and icy now. I like this picture because I can imagine us sitting inside by the warm fireplace sipping hot chocolate and munching on buttery toast while watching the lights twinkling. What's really probably happening is Scott's working in his office, I'm reading a book, the dog is barking to turn the Christmas lights off and on because they are hooked to "the clapper" I got for the Christmas lights...

Baby Jack and I

2010-11-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving with family is grand, especially with this baby! He's so sweet!

Thanksgiving Pies...Yummy!

A Pair of Wild Turkey's

2010-11-03T11:42:00.001-06:00

Monday started with me hearing a gobbling noise. At first I thought it was my son's Android phone, he has a turkey sound for November that you hear every time he gets a text message. He loves annoying ring tones...so I kept looking around for him, even though I knew he was at work. Even so, I kept hearing this gobble noise, it sounded far away. Then I realized it was coming from outside, was my son outside? I looked out my office window...and nope, nothing out there, but suddenly, a big huge bird jumped off the roof right above the window. And yes, it gobbled. OH MY! And then a second bird, not as large also flew down off the roof, right in front of me. They didn't stay put long and were soon over to the side of the yard. I did grab my phone, and lest no one believe me, I snapped a few photo's. Not good photo's however, through the window, and of fairly camouflaged birds, but proof nonetheless! They are beautiful birds, with many colors, all hard to see in this photo, but they were amazing. What a great way to start November!

October Tomatoes

2010-10-14T22:21:00.000-06:00

Look at this bounty! My daughter picked them tonight. She only picked part of what's still hanging out in my garden. She's the one that planted, weeded and picked this year, I'm just along for the goodies. She just took this quick snapshot before she brought them in. This is a huge bowl! We are planning to make some fresh salsa, and whatever else we can think of! Probably bruscetta too! (did I spell that right?) You know that good tomatoey goodness on toasted bread? mmmmn.

Meet Baby Jack

2010-10-10T10:01:00.003-06:00

Baby Jack came home from the hospital this week. One clip is Jack yawning, he's bored in that hospital! The other two clips are Jack's brother George, meeting Jack for the first time at Grandma's house. We were all delighted, George most of all, to have Jack home from the hospital. He'd been in NICU for 12 days, and yay, he's home! And yes, that is me in the last clip with the tissue, I can't leave the kid alone for even a few minutes I guess. :)

Tending George

2010-09-29T16:41:00.007-06:00

I've been taking care of George every day, while his parents see to his new baby brother Jack, who is still in the hospital. Jack is improving every day, and we hope he gets to meet George soon. George in the meantime is having fun at Grandma's. He's met Wallace, and loves to watch Wallace and Grommit with Grandpa and Andy. He loves to play with Wallace and this purple plastic vase...very fun. He's also loving his fort under Grandma's big oak table...

Oregon Coast July 2010

2010-08-16T06:03:00.001-06:00

Jeremy and I, along with mom and dad, started our daytrip with Ecola State Park, which was so beautiful, the drive in was lined with gorgeous firs dripping with moss, sunlight streaming through. We had lunch there, then went to Tillamook, toured the cheese factory and ate ice cream. Then we headed out to Cape Mears and walked down to the lighthouse. The views were spectacular along with the weather. We finished off our trip by eating fish and chips and oysters at Pacific House back in Tillamook.

Love YOU Dad!

2010-06-20T13:18:00.000-06:00

Happy Father's Day to the Best Dad!

Birthday Cake

2010-05-03T23:03:00.000-06:00

Here's the best cake I've had in a long time! My daughter made it, she took requests, and this was mine! Lemon Cake with Lemon Filling, With Lemon Cream Frosting, with sliced strawberries piled on it, more on the side! It was very good! I had to add the picture of G and his plate, notice his cake is gone! (even the dog behind him wanted more) Oh and this last little sliver, was breakfast the next day. This light fruity cake was really divine. Thanks so much Lindsay!

Eight Cow Woman Cake

2010-03-13T18:17:00.003-07:00

This is the cake Lindsay made for 21st Ward's Relief Society Birthday Party. The theme was eight cow woman...and this is her lovely cake. I got to make the buttercream frosting that goes under the fondant, and she did the fondant. I also got to do the cute little flower topper. I think it seemed much larger in real life than this picture makes it appear, it served 70 and it tasted great. The top three layer cake was Lime, and the bottom 12 inch cake was chocolate with raspberry filling. Yummy!

Wedding Cake

2010-03-03T09:10:00.001-07:00

Lindsay (my dd) made this wedding cake for a demonstration cake. It is currently residing in my living room window. Sort of different Living Room decor, but I've enjoyed it for Valentines Day. I did all the flowers on it, and she did the frosting. It will last forever, (it's not real cake or real flowers, but hard to tell that, even up close) so if you or someone you know has pink as a wedding color, or needs a wedding cake at the spur of the moment, let us know. I am currently trying to figure out how to store it, so it will stay dust free and lovely and doesn't fade in my window. Got any ideas for a tall thin not too big storage container? And it won't fit in a food storage bucket (too tall) and a plastic garbage can is too big. Wedding Cakes are so happy, this one is is so spring, and very cheery!

Yummy Supper

2010-02-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes having a daughter in culinary school, and watching her baby pays off. The other day...this is what she brought us and made for dinner. Baked Orange Acorn Squash, Zuchinni Pasta, Fresh Wild Salmon baked with lemon butter and a lovely rice pilaf. Yum, Thanks Lindsay!

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

2010-01-28T21:54:00.002-07:00

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities
I had fun making this...my friend Glenda posted her lookalike on facebook, and I told her I didn't have one. But apparently I'm mistaken...so here it is, entertaining anyway. :)

Take Your Own Picture!

2010-01-22T19:10:00.000-07:00

OK so I'm holding the camera, pointing it right at the toddler. He's not standing still for anything, but I'm trying to keep him in range. So he suprises me, lunges forward, and pushed down on my hand, esentially taking his own picture. Of course my hand was in the way a bit...but still, pretty funny. Gotta love this kid. :)

2009 Ends...

2009-12-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

Winter's Beauty! This is the same shot I took of the Golden tree a couple months ago from the front walk of the house. The seasons are dramatic here. The sun is shining today after two days of snow. It is beautiful fluffy snow, the snowflakes sparkling in the sun. I can hardly believe a new year is ready to start.

Christmas Fun

2009-12-28T00:34:00.000-07:00

My daughter decided to use up the Gingerbread houses I purchase after Christmas every year...her brother wanted to decorate one for a date, but needed a little help in the doing of it. She got her oldest brother to bring a date, and she got her husband involved, and soon all three couples were merrily spreading icing and glueing the houses together. I got the job of babysitter and was summarily ordered out of the house with my own dh and grandbaby. We went to Chuckarama and had a delicious time feeding the baby macaroni and cheese, madarin oranges, and green beans. But when we came back we found these cute houses. Oh, and the ornaments on the chandelier idea came from Better Homes and Gardens web site, it sparkles and shines light all over the place...fun!

Georgie in the Living Room

2009-12-21T08:55:00.001-07:00

George and I were playing hide and go seek in the Living Room yesterday. Mostly that meant I hid behind the wall or the Christmas tree and he laughed his head off. Lindsay started it all, and then she took pictures. I just thought he matched the room in his cute Sunday Christmas clothes, and he got to enjoy the Christmas tree from the safety of the play yard. I just think he's fabulous!

Autumn's End

2009-11-09T22:12:00.001-07:00

The leaves are gold, and soon to drop. This picture is taken from my front yard looking east. We have so much raking to do. :) If you look really closely you can see the corner of the roof of our house on the upper left.

I Heart Motherhood

2009-10-23T16:01:00.005-06:00

Georgie in his jumper...so cute! Today my daughter featured my blog on her brand new blog! I figured I ought to put something on my blog too. My daughter is an artist and a great mom...check out her new blog, not too much to read yet, but she's trying to blog daily! She had a fun adventure with a chicken yesterday...first time she's ever cooked chicken with bones..she's a good cook but that meat with bones has just been eww for her- so yay, I'm glad she conquered! Oh and she brought me a piece of her banana bread, yummy! Go and visit www.iheartmotherhood.blogspot.com Enjoy!

Tonight's Sunset

2009-09-17T22:30:00.001-06:00

My daughter called me on the phone and said, come outside, you have got to see this. The dark cloudy sky over our house reflected the sunset back off the mountain. I think I came out about five minutes too late, most of the pictures were just too dark. But I got these few. The first three I am facing south in my front yard,you are looking at Maple Mountain, in last one I am facing west. I need photography lessons and a different camera, but still, aren't sunsets nice?

Maple Canyon Fire Aug 17, 09

2009-08-17T18:28:00.000-06:00

This is pictures at around 6:00pm. The helicopter is getting water out of the pond across the street. These pictures were taken from my driveway. The fire is right on the mountain beside my house, they have much of it out. The next canyon over Hobble Creek is on fire as well. I do not know how big that fire is, but there is more smoke over there, you can see fire and smoke on the mountains in the front and the back of our house.

Caitlyn and Weston's Cake

2009-06-26T22:54:00.000-06:00

My daughter made this fabulous wedding cake for her cousin! We were happy with how it came together. It matched the reception perfectly, and it's massive size fit the huge Provo Library Ballroom where the reception was held. It's covered with fondant, and the square layers are white cake and the round layers are chocolate cake, it had a yummy cherry filling in all the layers. I got to make all the buttercream for under the fondant, and my dd made the fondant, and did the majority of the work. I got to carry things, drive the car, and tie the bows on the wedding knife and cake server. We were happy with our mirror for the base, and the pretty flower topper too! It was all super fresh, she baked it last night (most of the night) and decorated it today. My oldest son helped her figure out the cute quilting pattern on the square cakes...they made a template and went to town, he also helped with the pearls and ribbon. DD's hubby also helped, took care of the baby, and carried cakes too. (not to mention herculean cleanup efforts) It took all three of them to get that fondant on the huge bottom cake...but it worked really well. Great job, great cake! Thanks Lindsay!

The Maybrook

2009-05-29T07:15:00.000-06:00

The Maybrook has more water now!

2009-05-07T09:51:00.000-06:00

You can see it has more water in it today. I couldn't decide which picture I liked better? Which one is your favorite?

The Maybrook and Backyard Flowers

2009-05-04T00:11:00.001-06:00

This is our Maybrook in the backyard. It is the overflow ditch that runs when there is alot of water coming down from Maple Mountain in the spring. It just barely started running. Someyears it doesn't run at all, but it has run the last three or four years. So far this isn't much water, it hasn't really warmed up yet. This is probably because we had almost an inch of rain yesterday. The other pictures are the lilacs and cherry blossoms, plus the cute flowers my dd got for her flowerbed.

Rat Tail Cactus

2009-05-03T17:29:00.001-06:00

Several years ago my mom gave me this cactus plant. It has grown too big for the pot, and likes being root bound because it has given me a bounty of blossoms this spring. I neglect it woefully, but wanted to share it's beauty!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T21:41:00.005-07:00

This is just one of the beautiful pictures my friend Brekke took of little George when he was two weeks old. If you want to see the rest go to Brekke's blog at http://feltphotography.wordpress.com/
I have so enjoyed the pictures, my daughter made amazing Christmas Cards and Thank You cards with them, and we think Brekke's the greatest!
This Merry Christmas is day late, because tomorrow my family is opening gifts, so this is not quite, but sort of, Christmas Eve for us. We are all separated due to circumstance this year, my husband is with his parents this week and our prayers are with my husbands father, who is in ICU in Missoula MT and we are praying that all will be well with him.
Enjoy your Christmas, ours is snowy here in Mapleton UT, over a foot in my driveway this morning. Even the mail carrier got stuck in front of our house today! I brought her a shovel and shoveled a path in front of her, and eventually between the two of us we got her out. I am so grateful my eldest son shoveled my driveway this afternoon, it took him three hours...of steady shoveling with only one break. Yay for strong men!
Have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Grandbaby Boy has arrived!

2008-12-22T17:50:00.002-07:00

I have become a grandma times two! Whoohoo! My new little boy arrived at 9:12 am on Saturday after a long and hard labor. He's a cutey and very bright and alert! 8 pounds 7 ounces and 20 inches long! No pictures to post, sorry about that, you will have to go find his parents and see if they will let you look. But I just wanted to tell you that Baby George's cousin is here and seems a pretty healthy little boy!

George Douglas Putnam

2008-11-27T11:12:00.004-07:00

Here he is, our new precious grandbaby. He was born last night, November 27, 2008 at 12:52am. 7 lbs. 2oz, he's 20 inches long. Isn't he something? And me with no sleep at all, well maybe twenty minutes. His mom, our daughter Lindsay did great with an amazing four hour labor, and he was born with a knot in his cord, so he's a little miracle boy scout! We have so much to be thankful for today, Happy Thanksgiving!

Garden Eating Deer

2008-08-06T11:22:00.003-06:00

These are the deer that keep coming back to visit, each day, several times a day. I really should work on getting a better picture of them. There are three, two bucks and a doe. You can only see two here, the other one is over eating the apricots. They pretty much eat all the fruit before it gets ripe, and as it falls off the trees. They also break the branches and eat them too. They live in our neighbor's backyard pretty much full time . Pretty soon I will name them...any ideas?

Monkey Man's Birthday

2008-06-13T17:32:00.000-06:00

I made this for my son's twentieth birthday! Wow, he's my youngest, time flies by! We called him and his stuffed monkey both Monkey Man when he was little...so I like to make him Changito Monkey Cards. I used Naturals Ivory and SU Designer paper on this one. I stamped the monkey's in Basic Brown and colored them with SU Markers. I got carried away with the corner punch and a piece of textured no name card stock. I sponged it with Holtz Distressed Inks in Vintage Photo and Tea Dye.

Super simple and inexpensive...

2008-06-12T19:40:00.000-06:00

My sister is helping with her Women's RS Stake Retreat, (speakers, crafts and activities) and she had to come up with several designs for cards. She isn't really a card maker, so called me, but there were some difficulties. There was next to no budget, and there would not be a demo or teacher at the card station, the women would just come, and have to "see" what to do and do it. And of course these are not card makers really either, so they are new to the craft...so. It had to be an easy card, it had to be able to be made with any donated or inexpensive supplies, and it had to be just a good simple design-so you are happy with the final result. So here is what I did. I used double sided paper, though they may sub single sided with two types also if they choose. I also did the second card with inks and a stripe paper, both cards are very simple. I did two of the one design to show different stamps and one of the other design. I figured my sister will be able to find an inexpensive Happy Birthday, Thank You and flower stamp, even though they are not exactly like mine.

Chicken in with Andy

2008-05-07T23:39:00.000-06:00

My son is in Minnesota. I like to send him cards...well more accurately I make him cards but forget to send him them. I do send some, but make more than I actually get in the mail. I'm much better at emailing him, lol. Anyway, he took care of our chickens when he was in high school and didn't like it very much...OK already, he hated it. This chicken card will make him smile. I will remember to send this one!
I made it with the SU retired stamp set, Best of Cluck. I stamped the image on SU Whisper White, and layered it with Basic Grey Infuse Designer papers from a 6x6 pad. (print, red, brown) The base is SU Cranberry Crisp (retired). I used Roseart Colored Pencils to color the chicken, and Holtz Distress Ink to stamp the image. I then colored it, then sponged with Holtz tea dye, then Holtz walnut stain ink. I adhered the image to the red layer, then the brown and print layer together. I added the ribbon and brads to the print layer, the adhered that to the base. Added the image layer, and it was done! Simple, quick, fun. I hope I will be able to get back to stamping more often. I'm optimistic this is two original cards in one day! Well as original as I get anyway...Yippee...

Card for Mother, All About The Bow

2008-05-07T23:33:00.000-06:00

My husband wanted a quick card for his mom to send with the gift we'd gotten her. So this is what I did, she likes these colors I think, and hope she likes the card. I used Basic Grey Infuse Papers on an SU Pretty in Pink Base. I layered the print, the brown with the pink for the sentiment over the top. I stamped the sentiment in SU Chocolate Chip. Added the brads, tied the bow, and finished adhering it all together. Trimmed the ribbon and it was done. Isn't this SU Satin Ribbon something?

Sage Joy SC173

2008-04-25T10:05:00.000-06:00

This card was made for the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge 173. It is a fun, easy to work with sketch and I'm sure I will reuse it! I worked with SU Western Sky DSP, Sahara Sand, Not Quite Navy and the card base is Blue Bayou. Inks used, Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand, Sage Shadow, and Old Olive Marker. I also used SU White Grossgrain rubbed on a Sage Shadow ink pad, and SU Hemp. I inked the Polka Dots& Paisley flower stamp with Not Quite Navy and marked the stem and parts of the flower with the old olive marker before stamping. I also used the Sanded Background stamp, lightly inking it with Sage Shadow and laying the small sentiment over it, only pressing at the edges...I wanted a light center. Then I stamped the sentiment, then I sponged it with sage and sahara sand to age it. Then I wrapped the hemp, glued all the layers of the card together, and then added the paisley...which I stamped on a scrap of SU Whisper White, then layered with Sahara Sand, then Not Quite Navy, cutting out with scissors and then distressing. This card made up fairly quickly, under 45 minutes, even with planning time and fussing with what to do.

Changito SCS Sketch Challenge

2008-04-02T19:20:00.001-06:00

I used up papers from the scrap pile with this great sketch, and am happy with this Masculine Card for my 19yo son. I used up Navy Ribbon saved from some flowers and added the jute for some casual masculine feel. Easy fun sketch that I will use again!
Stamps used are Lots of Thoughts, Changito by Stampendous
Paper: Old Olive , Night of Navy, Infuse Basic Grey
Ink: Stazon Black
Accessories: Rose Art Pencils, Navy Satin Ribbon, Natural Jute, Crop-A-Dile Eyelet, Tag Punch and Scalloped Punch trimmed after to fit the tag.

Moms Yahoo Group Card Swap Cards

2008-03-30T22:55:00.000-06:00

These are the cards I put together for the Swap our email group is doing. I can't wait to see what the other ladies have done. I kept it simple but I am happy with the results. I used Daisy D papers, oval scalloped punch, oval punch, with the Harmony SU stampset and lots of sponging. Added a pretty red chiffon ribbon, some distressing and I was done. The cards are really a soft ruby red, in the picture they appear a much brighter real red, but they are actually quite soft in color. I used Ruby Red and Always Artichoke Green with Shimmery White for the design.

SU Challenge LS161 Why Oh Why?

2008-03-28T09:42:00.001-06:00

The challenge today was to use embellishments that you hadn't used before and can't remember why you bought it, or even liked it. I haven't been able to participate in a challenge in so so long, and I was happy to be able to do one again! I used SU Ivory Scalloped Notes for the base, CTMH pink waxy flax , Pink SU brads, SU Ice Brad, Big Pieces Stamp, Much Appreciated as well. I used both the scalloped punch and the large oval punch. And that Pink and Green Polka Dot ribbon is from the dollar table at Micheals if I remember right! I used the Pixie Pink SU Marker to embellish the scallops and lots of sponging with the pink as well. I also distressed the edge of the green oval, I hand cut that one, and distressing it helped it look better! I had fun...and I hope I can jump back into the SU challenges!

Lindsay's Welcome Home Cake for Megan

2008-02-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

Lindsay made this cake for Megan when she came home from her LDS Mission. It matched conversation hearts that decorated the cake plate and the tables, along with ribbons and roses. I didn't help at all with this cake, Lindsay made the cake, frosting and fillings, she used my kitchen so I took a picture. It's a lemon cake, lemon frosting and lemon filling...I got to eat the trimmings and wow, it is fabulous! The pictures really does not do justice to the size of this cake, I think it is a 14 inch cake and very very large. It served over sixty. I like it's Springtime appearance, very sunny and happy!

Christmas Cards On Display!

2007-12-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

This simple ribbon Christmas Card Tree decorates my front hall. I belong to several online groups that exchange cards, plus friends and family, so this is a mix of both homemade and purchased cards. I use mini clothes pins purchased at the craft store to clip them onto the heavy ribbon. I've glitter sprayed the pins, so they sparkle! I like this way to display my cards, I've tried so many things, and my dd thought this up for me this year. Last year I clipped them to the ribbon, but the tree arrangement is new for us...so cute! Since we still have almost a week left until Christmas, I'm sure this will fill out nicely and as many more cards will be arriving soon!

Christmas Card

2007-12-13T10:41:00.000-07:00

I did four of these last night and finished working on them this morning. I was wanting a card that was flat with no ribbon knots or brads. I wanted it to go through the postage machines without trouble. This is what I did. Old Olive CS, Real Red, Shimmer White. I used a sentiment from Star Studded Season, the image is Baby Jesus Is Born, and the Merry Christmas is from Fancy Flexible Phrases. I sponged it with Holtz Antique, the image is stamped on Shimmer white, and watercolored with reinkers and an Aquapainter.

Quick Christmas Tag

2007-12-13T10:38:00.001-07:00

This is a fast tag for this big gift! Just a 3x3 card with a nice ribbon wrapped around it and the ornament stamped on shimmer white, punched with the scalloped square. Decorated with stickles and I will write the to and from info at the bottom of the card. Punched a hole for the ribbon and threaded it with red grosgrain SU ribbon.

Merry Christmas Cards from Jasmine and Harvey

2007-12-11T00:27:00.001-07:00

My daughter and her husband took this picture of their parrots. She brought it to me and asked me to transform it into a "cool card". Well this is what we put together. She is exchanging cards with her Eclectus Parrot online group she belongs too, so needed some Christmas Parrot cards! I cut out the main pieces, she punched out everything, and I sent her back to apartment with stuff to make twenty! The main card is black CS, the frame of the pic is Handsome Hunter. Gold Cording wrapped around the bottom finished off with the punched ovals in Real Red CS and Shimmer White. We used big Office Brads to accent the gold in the picture on Word Window Punches in the left corner. The Merry Christmas is stamped in Real Red with the Fancy Flexible Phrases and sponged and edged with Encore Gold on the shimmer white. Inside it is stamped in Encore Gold with the star from Solemn Stillness and a saying from Star Studded Christmas.

Harvey and Jasmine, Eclectus Parrots

2007-12-08T15:08:00.001-07:00

My married daughter and her husband moved into our basement apartment a while ago. Over Thanksgiving weekend look who came to live with us! This is Harvey and Jasmine, Eclectus Parrots. They are so pretty! When Harvey flaps his wings you can see the beautiful reds and blues underneath. Both of them are surprisingly quiet. I think the parakeets make more noise. They are eating their oatmeal here over the parakeets. They get a wide variety of healthy foods, my daughter has taken to making sprouts every day for them plus a host of other fun goodies. I think they are wonderful Christmas Colors...such bright incredible colors nature give us!

Quick Gift Tag

2007-12-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

I finally got back into doing a challenge, yay! It is a quick one, cute little snowman, perfect for a red wrapped present I have in mind. Easy with craft white stamped with Snow Flurries, and Stazon stamped with Tags for All Snowmen. Colored with gel pens and there you are...tied with a blue ribbon, couldn't be easier!

Time Well Spent, Limited Supply Challenge

2007-11-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

I used my new set, Time Well Spent, and created this card which fit the SCS challenge. It was the limited supply challenge LSC142. We were to limit our layers, only use 2-3 stamps including sentiment, only use one embellishment...and this was my result. I think it came out very Valentine looking, especially if you think Love when you read the sentiment!

Time Well Spent My Free Set from Stampin Up

2007-11-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

Stampin Up decided to give all demonstrators a free stamp set this month, mine came yesterday. It's called Time Well Spent. It will be a Level 3 Hostess Set in the next catalog. Lots of stamps, all flowers and two sentiments! I made this card using the papers on my table from this weeks Color Challenge on SCS. Pomegranate and Kraft...I added black and here it is! I used Pomegranate Wide Satin Ribbon and narrow black satin ribbon, plus my glitter pens for some color and shine...:)

Fabulous Pomegranate Color Challenge

2007-11-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

This was the SU Color Challenge CC140. I added black to the Kraft and Pomegranate colors of the challenge. It was fun to make...I used a Maple Leaf Punch to do the leaves behind the flower, and lots of layers and brads...fun! The hardest part was the satin ribbon I tied it a dozen times...the picture was hard to take as well...I wanted those stickles to shine, so I chose not the best pic...I need to study photo taking a bit more!

MommaKat's New Kittens

2007-11-12T22:50:00.001-07:00

We felt bad MommaKat had to live outdoors...so we found her a new owner! They came and picked her up on Saturday.... All were delighted with the new situation, she loved her new place in Sandy, playing with their dog and it was working well. Until today we found MommaKat's hiding place for her kittens! Who knew? We certainly didn't. Luckily MommaKat has great new owners who were happy and excited to be brought the new kittens so Momma can finish raising them. Already the kittens have been spoken for and new owners are lining up...so we were happy for the kittens, they are now warm and safe. We felt bad we couldn't keep them, but allergies are so severe it just was not possible. But I thought you'd like to see pictures of the pretty kitties...and MommaKat...

Dashing Merry Christmas

2007-11-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

This card uses Dashing SU Design Paper. Also shimmer white, Real Red and Old Olive. I made it for today's SCS Card Sketch Challenge SC149. I like how it turned out, I used my new Inkadinkado stamp with the oval and pretty swirls, the bird is from SU's It's Snow Time and the pine branch from SU's Lovely as a Tree. I used markers to ink them up and had a great time putting it all together. The swirl clip and brads are silver, the ribbon is white chiffon and SU's red grosgrain. I am enjoying doing the Christmas Cards. I still haven't found one I want to mass produce yet though...hmmn, I better get busy. :)

Horizontal Pocket Card

2007-11-05T09:35:00.001-07:00

Here's my Horizontal Pocket Card for today's Technique's SCS challenge TLC141. I used Stampin Up Stamps It's Snow Time and Glad Tidings. SU Old Olive Real Red, Very Vanilla Card Stock. Real Read and Old Olive Ink, along with Stazon Jet Black. The Ribbon is SU wide Grosgrain ribbon, which I LOVE! Also SU corner punch. I liked the way it turned out...had a bit of trouble with the glitter pen smearing, so I'm not sure I'd use that again...but it does add a nice shine. I also used a white gel pen to color in the snow areas. I like the way that you can see the sentiment on the insert, but that there is plenty of "hidden" room to write under it.

Pumpkin Party

2007-10-30T10:53:00.001-06:00

Family Pumpkin Carving. We took time out and went over to my son's house and all carved Pumpkins. We all carved our own, and with the extra one they popped Jumbo Mr. Potato Head Parts in him, we had a fun evening full of eating chili and goofing around. Fun, Fun.

Anna's Embroidery Card

2007-10-29T22:21:00.001-06:00

My sister Anna embroidered the penguin and snowflake square on the front of this card, isn't it cute? It is a pattern done on with machine embroidery the pattern/software is by Dakota Collectables in their Christmas Card Collection. If you want to know more go to www.gonutsgocreative.com Anyway, we worked put together this layout today. Background is in Bashful Blue, with Brilliant Blue Mat and real red word window punch tabs with silver brads. The ribbon is the new wide SU grosgrain ribbon. She plans to give this to her friends and family...so if that is you...don't let on that you had a sneak peek, lol! The inside has a Wild About You Penguin, and Merry Christmas from Glad Tidings. Enjoy...

Mellow Harmony Card

2007-10-20T00:13:00.000-06:00

I made this last night when I couldn't sleep. It is a quick and easy card for the SCS Friday Challenge. I like how it turned out, it's a lovely soft color, and was easy to do. I used Mellow Moss SU cardstock with Very Vanilla CS and CTMH Designer Paper. I used SU Happy Harmony stamp set, in mellow moss ink, sponging, and a Mavy Scalloped Oval Punch, and a smaller Mavy Oval punch. Also the two SU circle punches for the sentiment. I used a grosgrain ribbon purchased at Roberts on sale, and it is the same color as Mellow Moss, the ribbon appears darker in the picture, probably because I photographed the card night with no natural light.

I haven't made a card in forever. My dd and her husband moved into our basement for a while, and I moved all my stamping stuff upstairs to give them room, and my new space still isn't organized. So I have a hard time finding anything, I still have so much to do to organize the papers, everything else too and to figure out where to put everything. I was in the kitchen so I had a sink, counters, cupboards, drawers, a table and chairs, etc, so I was really spoiled. Now I have to figure out storage for everything. I did get a few plastic drawer sets, but I have a long way to go to find a spot for everything. So I have my work cut out for me. I went in tonight to make another card, and I got all discouraged because I couldn't find anything in there. So obviously I need to work at unloading the crates and rearranging all the stuff! Wish me luck, I really want to get back to making great cards.

Two Minute Wedding Card

2007-10-11T23:39:00.000-06:00

My son's best friend got married today. He wore a tux, stood in the line at the reception with four groomsmen, and there was four bridesmaids too...the whole thing. So my husband and I went, it was an hour drive, so we had to hustle to get their after work. I was the one that went, bought the present, wrapped it, then of course put a card on the present. Sounds easy right...ha! My married daughter and new son in law moved in last week-and my stamping space got moved. It currently is in boxes in the spare bedroom...all over. So I couldn't find my wedding cards-if I have a few left...so OK, I guess I'll make one. I look at my watch...I have like five minutes until time to leave, plus I have to wrap the box still...arrgh! I have my stamps on shelves already, so I grab my new set True Friend and Warmest Regards, which luckily were right on top. Grab a piece of shimmer white, cause my solid colors were in the file box still. Grab the silver ink pad, cut the card stock in half, and fold, then stamp with the medallion on the other half. Rustle through my punches for one that is big enough, no circle punch is big enough, but no time to cut it out, so I grab the scalloped square, I'm in luck it fits fine, punch. Hmmn, I rub it a bit on the edges in silver so it doesn't fade in too much on the shimmer white. Grab a brad and pop it in, grab a few dimentionals and adhere them. Stamp the Congratulations in Silver, then adhere the square careful not to smear anything. Wave the card around hoping it will dry...while running to wrap the huge box. (gave them a French White Corningware set, pretty) After I do that in record time I write in the card, snap a fast picture, pop it in an envelope and run out to the car....all in five minutes. That's why I call this a two minute card. Now that I look at the picture I wish it had some silver and white ribbon...but the ribbon was still in a box somewhere! Anyway then it would have been a three minute card, lol!
I wish my fast picture had captured the shimmery card stock or the shimmer the silver had. It looks like plain white and gray in the picture...but it isn't...it was pretty with a soft sheen!

Maple Mountain Week Four Oct, 11, 07

2007-10-11T11:57:00.001-06:00

I have been taking pictures out from the front of my house every week for my son Andy, who is serving an LDS Mission in Minnesota. This is this week's picture...you can see the tree that broke last week in the early snowstorm we had in the foreground.. Most of the evidence of the snow on the mountain is gone now, the last two days have been in the high 70"s, but today it is cool again, it's only in the 50's outside, but it looks lovely. I live in a gorgeous area beside the mountains... They are thinking of building houses on this mountain that my view looks upon, so I am taking the pictures while I can...this view may change soon, sigh... It is lovely for now, you can see the atmosphere today, and that the colors are indeed changing, not just up in the mountains, but down in the valley now as well.

Thinking of YOU, LSC136

2007-10-05T11:36:00.001-06:00

The challenge this morning was to use Designer Paper and to only use a sentiment stamp and an optional border/trim stamp. No main image...so here is mine. I really like how it turned out, it has a simple clean look to it that I really like. I used the large Mavy Oval Purple Punch for the sentiment, two cocoa ovals and one pretty in pink. All SU Paper, the DP is SU's Rebecca. The paper is all SU, Pretty in Pink and Close to Cocoa. The ink is SU Chocolate Chip and Close to Cocoa sponging. The ribbon is also SU.

Charlie and This Morning's Card

2007-10-04T11:32:00.000-06:00

This is the card I made for the WT134 this morning, my dog Charlie kept wanting to be in the picture so here he is.....the challenge was to use Twill Tape on a card. I had fun with the little dots on the twill, I used my perforation guide, and used a pencil point as the stamp, that turned out pretty well!

Happy Birthday Witch for SCS Limited Supply Challenge

2007-09-28T22:29:00.001-06:00

This card was made for Splitcoaststampers Friday Limited Supply Challenge. The challenge was to make a card using Halloween Stamps, but the card wasn't to be a Halloween card, but for another purpose. (like humorous, get well, thank you, thinking of you, etc) I choose a Birthday Card. I didn't think I had any Halloween Stamps at all, I've never purchased any because I don't give cards around or about Halloween, but in looking through my stamps ran across this little witch in the Tag Time Hostess Set. Didn't know if I could make an entire card around her, she's really tiny, but in adding this and that, she still pretty well dominates the card, lol! I added a dotted border on the bottom of her dress, colored her in with SU markers, then distressed the image and the scalloped punch layers with antique and tea Holtz Distress Ink by Ranger. Pressed the natural white card against a perfect Plum inkpad for the distressed edge, then layered it with the mustard and black card stock. I used the SU polka dot background stamp to stamp black dots on the Old olive layer, and then tied the wide black ribbon around that. I punched the ovals, found that the Happy Birthday from Little Hello's fit in the small oval nicely, stamped and sponged the ovals with the antique ink, then inserted the black brads. I stamped the Birthday Sentiment from Circle of Friendship, cut that out by hand and distressed it, then punched the purple and black layers with SU circle punches. Adhered everything on the olive layer, the oval and circles are raised on dimentionals. Then I took it out to the front porch for some light, snapped the picture, and now you see it too. :)

Maple Mountain Autumn, Week Two, Snow Dusting

2007-09-27T10:58:00.000-06:00

It's been a week and the mountain is a bit different now. We got quite a bit of rain for several days last week, and you can still see the dusting of snow on it this week. I love autumn and the changes it brings.

CC133 Perserverance Rose

2007-09-25T11:38:00.000-06:00

This is for todays, Splitcoaststampers color challenge. Old Olive, More Mustard and Bashful Blue. Not colors I would ever choose on my own, but quite the challenge. This is the results...I was amazed I had all those ribbon colors and it was fun to stack them. Anyway, this is the results. I had fun with the window tabs and the wood ring thing I got at the scrapbook store...six of them for 25 cents in the clearance basket. I added stickles to the middle of the rose, but it doesn't show a lot in this picture.

Finest Flourish

2007-09-25T11:33:00.000-06:00

This card was made with the stuff sitting around on the stamp table, I went through my scrap pile and pulled things out and did all the layers, and the blue twine, then I got really stuck, so left it. When I came back my daughter had stamped this image, and left it beside the card, I think it is in Navy and had Ruby Red marker dots on it...but that is my guess. Anyway I liked it so I cut it out with an oval punch, added the brad thing, and the sentiment. I liked the small oval paired with the word window punch, I'd not done that before and I like how it came out. Very different colors for me to try, but I like the result. Then I added the extra ribbon on the top corner, with some SU twine to match the casual nature of the card. Anyway, I thought it was fun for just the leftover card stocks.

Maple Mountain Changing Colors

2007-09-20T09:37:00.000-06:00

I took this picture this morning. This is the end of Maple Mountain, looking south east from my driveway. You can see the apple trees lining the road, and the hayfield beside them. The autumn colors are just starting...they say they won't be very vivid this year, due to our hot summer, but they are starting to look quite nice to me...I have acorns lining my walk...the oak tree is already dropping them. I think summer is really coming to a close.

Bodacious Sweet Tent Topper

2007-09-16T22:04:00.000-06:00

This card was made with scraps from the stamping table. A bit of this and that. The paper wasn't long enough to make an big card, so I made a tent topper. The scallop was left over from a different project, and since it was white, I sponged it with Ranger Tim Holtz Distressing Ink in Aged Mahogany to match the Ruby Red paper. That worked OK until I got carried away with doing the flower. But I used it all anyway. The leaves were done with markers, colored right onto the rubber in Mellow Moss and Old Olive. Put everything together, added brads, added holes in the scalloped circle. Then I sponged everything again with Aged Mahogany and a little bit of Tea Distressing Ink as well. Then I did the Basic Grey recess papers, distressed and sponged stuff again, than added the Oval Punched the Sweet, which is done in Night of Navy, and then added brads and tabs. Two different ribbons, both on the table...I didn't even get up...the CTMH waxed string in blue, and the little spool of red/pink strip ribbon my dd got me 40 percent off at Roberts, cause the one in St. George UT is moving, and they have a great sale going. I had used a pink polka dot ribbon, but took that off and replaced it with this one. Then I added the tabs. Still needed more, so I added the perforations on the side and bottom, then added faux stitching. Then it still needed somthing so I put the black staples in. Sponged the thing again (why? who knows) and well I think it is as done as I can make it. :) Enjoy.

Bonus Round Circle 07

2007-09-12T20:54:00.000-06:00

This card was for a Sketch Challenge Bonus Round, the circle. Not very many stampers took it on, but here is my try. I used all Basic Grey Infuse Papers from the small pad. I used my Cricut to cut out the circles and put them together. This entire card only took three of the small sheets, plus a scrap of Whisper White. I used markers to do the flower directly to the stamp. I also used the Sanded Background Stamp.

SCS Sketch Challenge 141

2007-09-12T20:49:00.000-06:00

This Challenge was a good one, I used Basic Grey Recess Paper that I got on sale at CP Scrapbooks in Springville, UT yesterday...it was a great sale. One of those small pads, fun! Very Bright happy card! I used Ruby Red as a base, strips of the Dark Blue for matting the sketch peices, and matting for the image. Used the Sanded background stamp on the Ivory Card Stock of the main image, and stamped it in Blue Bayou, and sponged the edges with Holtz distressing and fingerprinted a bit of Blue Bayou on it. After it dried I added the Crystal Ice Brad in blue, the adhered the entire main image together. I then added the brads and ribbon and stuck that together. Then for the finishing touch I stamped it with the happy from Polka Dots and Paisley.

Nature Pocket Card

2007-09-06T11:37:00.000-06:00

This card was for the SCS Ways to Use it Challenge 130. To make a card with a pocket. I hadn't made a fun pocket card for a long time, so I did. It took me a while, I started out using Unfrogettable, but just wasn't happy with it, so I started over. I love Touch of Nature and knew I couldn't go wrong with it. I had fun using the new In Colors, I thought I would never like them at first, but I do now! Still missing Cranberry Crisp though, lol. The Bird is colored with Pastel Chalk in Blue and Yellow and the Bird is stamped by coloring the stamp directly with markers. Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa and all sorts of shades of brown and greens. Distressed everything with Holtz Inks and some Mellow Moss, and there you go.

Rejoice Christmas Doodle!

2007-09-05T02:30:00.000-06:00

I made this for Splitcoaststamper Sketch Challenge today. (SC140) It was fun to make, but really hard to photograph! The ribbon did not like the camera. It was fun doing Christmas colors, and I love Ruby Red and greens are lovely. I used Fire Ice Brad in the middle of the flower, lots of red and green sparkle gel pens and silver brads for the corners. Ruby Red, Wild Wasabi, Always Artichoke and Very Vanilla paper. Red Chiffon Ribbon that I bought at Expedex in Orem Utah.

Groovy Artichoke Garden Sillouettes

2007-09-04T11:43:00.001-06:00

I had fun with this color challenge, another groovy guava card! I like this stamp set, currently it's my fav! I used Markers for the main image, and cut the sentiment with a punch, mounted it on artichoke and cut around that with scissors, then distressed. I used the word window punch for the brad accent, and cream satin ribbon dragged in the guava ink, plus cream. Used a green velvet ribbon along the bottom to give it some grounding. Anyway, I like the result, fun challenge!

Garden Groovy Skies

2007-08-21T10:52:00.001-06:00

This card was made for SplitCoast Color Challenge CC128, and I love how soft and pretty it turned out. I was able to use up some scrapbook snaps that were given to me, they matched perfectly! I love Garden Silhouettes, such a pretty stampset, I put it with the linen background set and lots of layers. I used a Hero Arts Sentiment that I picked up at Quilted Bear last week, I really like it.

In My Prayers

2007-08-21T10:48:00.000-06:00

This card was made for my son, with Cranberry Crisp Ink, Flannel Background, textured paper that was in my stash forever, and the new sentiment I got last week. I love the colors and textures, the sentiment is popped up.

Baby Shower Gift Card Matches Scrapbook Pages

2007-08-16T21:55:00.000-06:00

This card was made in a big hurry, I forgot I had to have a card to go with the cute matching blanket and cap gift I gave. So I made this up very fast. (15 min) I don't really like the baby stamps I have very much, so I grabbed an extra image from doing the scrapbook pages, and this is what happened. I felt like the card looked better in real life than in this photo...but maybe I just like the card, lol. Anyway, the scalloped square was done on the cricut, a leftover from the scrapbook pages that I didn't want to use, so I already had it. The sentiment was pieced together from some random stamps I had along with the cowboy Howdy from a Stampin Up set. The card uses Barely Banana Card Stock, Bashful Blue and Very Vanilla. The dotted chiffon was from Walmart. Chocolate Chip Ink, Tim Holtz Distressing Tea Ink, and SU Brads. The image was colored with Rose Art Colored Pencils. Anyway it worked, and I think it's cute...and new mom to be liked it too!

Baby Shower Scrapbook Pages

2007-08-15T18:22:00.000-06:00

I'm invited to a baby shower tomorrow evening, and the hostess asked us all to whip up a couple of scrapbook pages, so the new mother will have a wonderful book to fill with pictures! Our hostess brought us all some paper, so things will go together nicely. Since the name of the paper was Cowboy, that's the SU stamp set I chose, along with Office Accoutrement's and Petals and Paisley. Also the stars from Love it are in Versamark on the yellow background paper on the cute baby page. I like the way they turned out, even without the pictures yet! I've already dropped off the pages, and she will present them all in the scrapbook, I can't wait to see everyone elses pages....

LDSMoms Card Exchange

2007-08-09T09:51:00.000-06:00

I belong to a group of great ladies in a yahoo group called ldsmoms. We did a card exchange this summer, and here are the cards...now sometimes when you do an exchange with people who are not on card sites or "into" just cards you get some strange looking stuff back. Not with these ladies...look at this fun stuff. Thank YOU so much ladies, fun, fun, I love looking at these, and it will be hard to send them to anyone else! That's why I had to take a picture of them, I want to remember each card! Thank you again, and I'm looking forward to doing this again.

Star Just Be U!

2007-08-09T09:04:00.000-06:00

This card was inspired by my entry decor. I've been thinking I need to find some fall decorations and been looking at the space often. When I wanted to use up the scraps of Outlaw Dsp with the stars, I thought Big Big Star, like in the entryway. Anyway, here's the card.

Birthday Friend

2007-08-08T23:22:00.000-06:00

This one I made for a friend's birthday. I had fun trying this long card, I think it turned out OK. I used Outlaw Designer Series Paper from Stampin Up. Plus Very Vanilla, Daisy D red printed cardstock, Sanded Background stamp, All Holiday's sentiments. Scallop Punch, brown grosgrain, twine and pewter brads, plus a designer brad.

Smiling Outlaw

2007-08-08T23:18:00.000-06:00

I call this card the Smiling Outlaw because Outlaw is the name of the Stampin Up designer paper. Actually in looking at it it maybe should be called smiling sheriff...that star is sort of more sheriff than outlaw, lol. Anyway, this is for the Sketch Challenge on SCS today. I will send it to my son in Minnesota!

Charlie and 3x Puppy Love

2007-08-07T09:40:00.000-06:00

Charlie is our dog. He came to us when he was only a few months old from the Orem Animal Shelter a day before my dd's thirtheenth birthday in 2000 I think. We think he is the best, he's a mixed breed, Poodle and something... When my dd left home last fall Charlie got very ill, but the vet couldn't figure out why. He lost so much weight until he was a little skeleton, and we were so worried! I changed the food, (Bil Jac is fab) worked with him, and though it has taken months and months, he has regained his weight and once again has energy! Charlie is pretty smart, my daughter taught him tons of tricks that he will do, and if he is wanting some treats will come over and do a trick or two for you to convince you he deserves a treat or two. He spins and rolls over, shakes hands, speaks, sits, lays down, catches treats in midair and our favorite is if you shoot him with your finger he will fall down dead.
The puppies live with my dd. She just gave Mia, the black puppy, to her inlaws, who had a tradgedy with their own dog, and so she got the red and named her Dixie. I get to meet Dixie this weekend, she's bringing her down for the weekend, fun plans in store! I think she is bringing both Max and Dixie....we'll see!

Cherish Rose Tole, Paper Tole Technique

2007-08-06T15:22:00.001-06:00

I tried a new technique today, from the SCS challenge. Paper Tole! I did an easy version with Roses In Winter, and I like the way it turned out. All done with one sheet of SU shimmer white, and a square of Pretty in Pink SU Cardstock which I ran through the cuttlebug with an embossing folder, then distressed.. Then I rubbed it with luminere, then frosted lace stickles, it has a wonderful sheen to it. Then I traced a ribbon spool over the Cherish Image, cut around it with scalloped scissors and sponged. Traced the C with a gelwriter glitter pen for more sparkle and a few dots on the flourishes. Then I stamped the rose on the leftover shimmer white, cut out, sponged, rolled, sponged some more, distressed, and rolled again. Put it all together with SU dimentionals, added some frosted lace stickles to finish it. Then I put the card together with dimentionals, adding the pink chiffon ribbon. I really like it's soft glowy look, very pretty in pink!

Another Card on a Dare!

2007-07-25T18:11:00.001-06:00

This card is for the SCS Dare Challenge that is going on today, and well all week actually. It was for the sketch challenge. I thought this stamp set was quite challenging to use for it-but it turned out fine. I used Daisy D DP, Mellow Moss, and Cranberry Crisp Cardstock. Mellow Moss, Artichoke, and Black Ink. The stamp set is Elegant Notes, and Linen Background Stamp, also the note is from Mini Medley. I like the sketch and would love to try it with some of my other stamps as well! I wish I had a one inch round punch though-that is next on my list! I cut this little red circle out by hand...

Dare to Get Dirty Challenge SCS

2007-07-25T12:00:00.001-06:00

I call this card Toile Touch. Sharon Stamper issued this challenge to celebrate the third anniversary of the Dirty Dozen Gallery on SCS to make a card in a Toile style. There are four challenges a day all this week. This is the one I chose, I'd love to find time to do more of the challenges. You need to be a member of the Fan Club to participate. I love being in the Fan Club and have really enjoyed those cards every month! The card needed to be red/white or ivory, or black and white/ivory or blue and white/ivory. She had a few other color choices as well. I went traditional, but used ruby red and ivory instead of real red/white. I did a straightforward card, I almost decided to sponge, distress and wrinkle this up, but left it clean and pretty in the end, so it would be like a nice crisp toile sheet on a bed! I loved doing this one. Smiles...

Happy Joy Tent Topper Card

2007-07-25T01:05:00.001-06:00

This card was made for the Splitcoaststampers.com Wednesday Sketch Challenge. It was to make a tent topper card. It is 4.25x4.25 with the top extending another inch. The top could be any shape, square, circle, oval or anything. I chose to do a simple one, I've never made one before. I loved making this, what a fun layout! I did four layers on the topper, with dimentionals between two of them, and the vanilla were stamped with the sanded background. The top on was then stamped with the sentiment, they were all distressed and sponged with mellow moss. I then wrapped it in the red hemp and mounted it on dimentionals. I then make the flower, rock and rolled the ruby red with chocolate chip marker, and cut it out and popped it up on a dimentional and a bit of Dotto on the stem. The base of the card is using Outlaw SU designer papers. I started with the striped layer, used the small punch to start the brads, and put those in. Then I put on the cranberry stitched ribbon. I stamped happy in ruby red and always artichoke on the twill tape and adhered it. Then I fastened the papers onto the artichoke card base. Then I inked up the paisly stamp with markers and stamped on vanilla. I cut it out and adhered it to ruby red CS, then cut that out and stuck it on with dimentionals. Then I mounted the topper onto the card, and walla, it was done. I fussed for a while with some large decorator brads, but finally decided it would do better without anything else. I'm really happy with the result and can't wait to try another tent topper card sometime!

Upside Down Tomato Update

2007-07-23T17:08:00.001-06:00

Here are my upside down tomatoes! If you look closely you can see the green tomatoes on each plant. The big plant is a pear tomato, and the more spindly one is the cherry tomato. It has been interesting to watch them grow, they haven't developed a strong trunk like the plants out in the garden, but they seem to be further ahead in the tomato department. My Roma tomato in the bucket I didn't photograph, it is still very small and hasn't blossomed yet. In it's defense it has been very hot, and most people's tomatoes are not doing much. We've had like eight or ten days over 100 so far this month, unusual for us. They drop the blossoms if they get too hot, at least on my deck they stay much cooler than out in the hot sun. I thought they would not even get fruit, they don't get full sun on the deck, just gentle north light, but so far, so good! You can scroll back and look at them last month, they have grown quite a bit!

Lindsay's Wedding Cake

2007-07-23T16:15:00.000-06:00

This is the cake Lindsay made for her wedding. I got to make the frosting, and buy all the stuff, she did most of the heavy lifting, wrapping and building. It took her several months to convince me that we could do it! There are actually four cakes, all three layer cakes, with different fillings. They were delicious, and yes we served them. I loved having the separate cakes, it was much simpler. We got the very cute stands at Costco for around 30 dollars, a lucky find. We found plate and tableware holders that matched them as well. The cake table had sparkly jeweled chiffon over lights, then the cakes, and had a light under the table as well, so it was all light up. You can't see that in this picture. The flowers on the cake matched her bouquet, and the bride'smaids had similar ones, and there were fresh flowers on every table. If you scroll down to July 2 (just go to the bottom of the blog and keep pressing older) you will see the cake that we made for Lindsay's friend. She made two cakes...the big wedding cake and then the groom's cake. Very fun, go check it out!

Love Birds

2007-07-21T22:47:00.000-06:00

These our our Love Birds. When people see them they always ask me their names. I say, Coco and Loco. They say which one is which? I say, the one on the left is Loco. Then of course my Dad asks, what if I'm on the deck outside? Which one is Loco then? (the deck is on the opposite side of the cage outdoors) The one on the left Dad....
(the birds look exactly alike, and of course the one on the left is always Loco, of course)
I inherited the birds from my daughter. Her second year of college she was still living at home and going to the community college where she had a pretty good scholarship. But she was pretty tired of living at home. She was pretty bored, so she went and blew one whole paycheck on the cage, the toys and the birds. Gorgeous birds they are, but she forgot to ask us if it was OK. Once I saw them she talked me into it, they are very pretty. Skittish and afraid of people, too. They love it by the deck window, it is nice soft light and lots of trees and birds outside. There is a gold finch feeder and a bird feeder nearby, along with the flowers that attract the hummingbirds and they get lots of company on the other side of the window.. They are also noisy! They love to make all sorts of squawks and caws, it sounds just like an African Rain Forest sometimes in here!
Of course the next month my daughter moved away, and left me the birds!

Monochromatic, No Embellishment Challenge

2007-07-20T10:08:00.000-06:00

This card was for the Friday Limited Supply Challenge today. The card needed to be monochromatic and have no embellishments...I forgot how much I like brads and ribbon, at least this card will mail well without any of that? I will have to resist the temptation to go back to it and "redo" it with that. It actually looks totally fine without the embellishments... This is the first time I've used Brocade Basics...it works up really fast, but the lines are so thick you really have to ink it up very well.

Kind Friend in Pink and Cocoa

2007-07-16T11:21:00.000-06:00

I remade this card in pink and cocoa using the new Chocolate Taffeta Ribbon by SU! It isn't really chocolate, and it doesn't seem like taffeta to me either! But it is a pretty cocoa, and is very soft and silky...nice ribbon, the name is just not quite the thing! Used SU's Big Flowers, and the new All Holiday's, and SU DP, wasn't this one called Rebecca? I used a Sakura White Gel Pen for the dots. They helped the cocoa flower perk right up. Easy fun card to make.

Big Flower on Cerise Paper with All Holiday Stamp

2007-07-10T21:52:00.000-06:00

This card was very fun to make. I love the Designer Paper and the how this turned out. It was fun to use the new SU Scallop Punch, I am sure I will be using it often in the future. It uses all SU products, I am planning to use it for a swap! I used Big Flowers, and All Holidays stamps, Cerise Paper, Very Vanilla CS, Real Read CS and red grosgrain ribbon. I used the old SU corner rounder with the guide taken off to do the scallops, and pierced below the scallops freehand.

New Stamp Set Illuminations

2007-07-10T21:46:00.000-06:00

Here is a first try using the Illuminations Set. I chose the Hope Stamp, and dressed it up with Black and Black Stickles. I used the corner rounder on the layers, the Artichoke Marker on the image. Black and Artichoke SU Papers. I put the Stickles on the main part of the H and the Baroque Swirl. Next time I'm going for the embossing, but my cooler went out this afternoon, and I got very overheated, so I couldn't bring myself to pull out the embossing gun and heat some more.

Elegant Notes, New Stamps

2007-07-10T17:24:00.000-06:00

My order from the new Stampin Up Catalog Came! I've spent some time today cutting new rubber! Here's my first card with Elegant Notes...looks like I'm the first to post a card with this Stamp Set on Splitcoaststampers too! Fun, fun! Well it's the second card, but the first was a stamp look alike, not the real stamp! Weird.
For this card I used a River Rock Base stamped with the new Sanded Background. Then it's layered in Chocolate Chip, then has an Old Olive strip down the left that is covered in River Rock stamped with the music script stamp. Under that is a cream layer stamped with Baroque Motifs swirl then the New Theatre's Old Olive wide Grosgrain covers the bottom of that. Over that is a Chocolate grosgrain then a River Rock with the Chocolate Chip Script and a Cream Thank You over that. Also there is two Antique Hodgepodge hardware brads on the left. Everything is sponged with chocolate chip and river rock and the edges distressed. Popped up on dimentionals is the layers of chocolate chip scalloped punches (two layered together) then a River Rock Scallop over that, I used the Marvy Punch. I wish I had the size just bigger as well, but the double layer under worked for me. Yay, first card with the new catalog stamps...off to do another! :)

Kitten Update

2007-07-09T12:15:00.001-06:00

The kittens home has been found. The momma cat had brought them down the street to escape the neighbors dog. The kittens were born two houses up the street...and momma cat was fleeing the new dog they recently got. They have since sold the new dog, and came by yesterday to collect the kittens. Not an easy task. Took us about four tries, but we got all of the kittens back to their old home. I have a few lovely deep scratches on my wrist, but they are feeling better today. This neighbor has many children, who love the kittens, and so the children are very happy. We had many discussions about not chasing the kittens, you won't catch them by chasing them, but I ended up sending the children back home with only one kitty the first time they came to collect their kittens. :) Their mom came by later and collected three more. Finally the skittish ones made an appearance and I walked them home, but one got anxious and scratched me good, and the other little kitty I was carrying. I was brave and didn't drop them but shifted my grip to the scruff of the neck and she went limp, like all little darling kitties do! Her bright light blue eyes glared at me and turned a deep navy blue as I finished carrying her home!
We noticed mama cat back here this morning, I can only hope the kitties family keeps them behind closed doors until they get them given away, I won't soon go through the hours it took to collect all the kittens again, they love our woodpile with all the many places to hide! Mamma Cat likes my husband, she goes out of her way to seek him out...he likes to give her milk! (softy) He knows he is NOT supposed too, and hopefully now he will refrain so the kittens don't make a reappearance!