Laundry

Laundry is one of the necessary evils of life. Doing the actual wash is not an issue, it's the folding part that I don't enjoy. But this week's wash was easier than usual since a good portion of it gets put right back in the suitcase for the next trip. Brilliant - no folding and hanging up the clothes!

And guess what I also noticed? My newly modified t-shirt, now all clean and ready to go. Well, it does need to have the one sleeve fixed. Here's a picture showing my AMAZING sewing skills.

Let me know if you want me to help with your sewing needs.

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Fun times at home

After a long day at work, what do you do when you get home? After I acknowledge the tail wagging that greets me at the door, I drop my work stuff, change to comfy clothes, grab dinner (usually made by J and waiting for me to reheat), check on K and J's days, and then settle in for....

• TV - from the night before. Yes, the DVR has changed our lives. Why watch it live when you can watch it the next night with no commercials? Plus, some of the shows come on later than everyone is up. Not later than me, but it isn't nearly as much fun to watch by myself.
• Catch up - on Facebook, Twitter, personal email, and my blog. Pretty much in that order too.
• Play - a few favorite games: Words with Friends on my iPad (or at least check to see if anyone has played since I did last); Solitaire; FooPets (through my Facebook account); and Angry Birds (if I'm not too disgusted with my current losing streak).
• Hound loving - whether it's stroking ears or rubbing bellies, a day isn't complete without a little one-on-one hound time. And once in awhile we get a game of retrieve going or chase around the kitchen with the laser light. That would be me retrieving and throwing again in hopes of a hound getting the toy and me running around the kitchen with the light while the hounds follow at their houndly pace barking in pure enjoyment.

After this much fun, bed is beckoning me, which means peaceful reading time. The perfect way to wind down and end a fun evening at home.

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Surprise Card Swap

This weekend at CKC-Portland a couple of gals showed up thinking there was a card swap happening only to discover that there was not. I felt so bad for them. And so I posted a sign saying we would hold a card swap on Saturday at noon and if anyone wanted to participate, bring 20 cards. I also stated we may not have many swappers, but we'll swap with whoever shows up. And of course, I would participate.

No biggie except I didn't have any cards to swap and no supplies to make cards (although I happened to have brought my tools with me, just no paper and other stuff). Luckily, there was a Vendor Faire full of supplies I could purchase. So off to shop I went.

We had green card bases for the Friday night crop - grabbed 20 of those.

Stopped at Technique Tuesday and found two stamp sets that I HAD to have. One was Thank You sentiments in Ali Edwards' handwriting:

The other was a stamp I saw earlier this year and fell in instantly in love with (the tree/swing image is one stamp and the words are two other stamps):

Next came the ribbon. I found this crinkly brown ribbon that was perfect. Not sure who makes it but I found several references on the Internet for making something similar (wrinkled rayon seam binding).

Then I was meandering down the aisles and spotted Flower Soft (their web site wasn't working when I wrote this so here's a link to their blog). I have wanted to play with this for quite awhile and this stamp seemed perfect for it. So I picked up two little jars of peach. In case you are wondering what Flower Soft is, it is little pieces of something that resembles flocking but seems more like little pieces of fabric. Not sure what it is, but it is used to add dimension to projects and is beautiful for flowers, trees, bushes, and more.

More wandering and Boxer Scrapbooks suggested some paper, which was perfect with the brown ink I had planned and the peach Flower Soft.

Then adhesive. I had brought a little with me, but not enough to make 20 cards. A friend suggested trying the Embellishment Glue Stick from Pioneer Photo Albums. I was quite skeptical as I have used glue sticks in the past and they typically don't stick after a few hours. But Roger with Pioneer said I would really like it, so I gave it a try. It was AMAZING!!!! I used it to adhere the ribbon to the paper and it is still stuck (even after being smashed into my suitcase). I have a couple of their regular glue sticks to try too so we'll see how that goes as well.

Supplies in hand I was off to create. I think that creating late at night and under pressure were a pretty good combination. I didn't agonize over the design too much and opted to not include a sentiment. Here's the final card:

It's a simple card, but I like it! It was fun to create and fun to swap with the ladies in Portland.

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Sunday Afternoons

Cleo falling asleep

The comfort of a good pillow

Mabel trying to decide if she should nap or not

Decision made

Nothing better than a Sunday afternoon nap!

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Show Clothes

When I travel for work, packing is relatively simple because we wear the same thing for every show. Thursdays are always t-shirt days to help sell one of the t-shirts from the event's store.

This year the t-shirt we are wearing has what I consider short sleeves - probably because my upper arms not as young as they used to be. What to do. The ladies I work with opted to wear another shirt underneath it, but I'm on the move most of the day and two layers of clothing would soon have me sweating buckets, especially in the warmer locations. That's when my brilliant idea came to me - add sleeves to my shirt. Perfect! I have a white t-shirt with 3/4 length sleeves that the neck is really weird on so I don't wear it anymore and is the perfect donation subject.

I put the plan in place the morning I was flying out. I carefully cut the sleeves from the white t-shirt, pinned them to the short-sleeved t-shirt, and sew them in place. It worked beautifully and I was thrilled.

Today I put on the newly altered t-shirt and I'm loving that the sleeves are longer. I'm finishing my hair and when I raised my right arm noticed that I had sewn the white sleeve into the t-shirt inside out so the seam was showing. The left sleeve was correct (seam inside). Lovely! Too late to fix it since there's no sewing machine and no chance I'm taking it out and enduring the short sleeves.

And so I sported a new fashion today - one sleeve seam out, one sleeve seam in. I can't wait for tomorrow to see how well this new style is adopted (and yes, I'm joking). What would life be if we can't poke fun at ourselves. At least I didn't overheat today or have to show off my less than flattering upper arms.

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iPad favorites

Yes, I have an iPad and it goes everywhere with me, well, almost everywhere. It has become part of my daily ritual that includes reading, checking Facebook posts and Google Reader articles, playing games, and more. So what are these applications I can't seem to live without? Here's a quick list of my daily iPad fixes.

• Words with Friends - a Scrabble like game that you play with other people. I believe it is available for the iPhone too, but I'm not positive. The great thing is, you can have multiple games going and it passes back and forth between you and the person you are playing with. A lot more fun than playing against the computer.
• Kindle Reader - because I had a Kindle before my iPad I am hooked on e-readers. I love having a book that is easily accessible without the bulk of a book. Plus there are tons that are free as well as the latest releases.
• Flipboard - it took me awhile to understand this app, but now I LOVE it! Flipboard lets you select feeds that you want to follow from a variety of locations like Facebook, Google Reader, news (like USA Today), magazines (like National Geographic), and more. The thing I love is that it brings the feeds together in a magazine type format. If you want to read a feed in detail, you click on it and it loads the full entry. Like I said, I love this app.
• Angry Birds - I have three versions of this addictive game - free, Seasons, and Angry Birds HD. And when I say addictive, I mean hard to put it down until you wipe out those little pigs. So beware if you are trying to avoid time-eating games. Luckily someone shared that there are cheats online which has saved me hours of frustration.
• Gospel Library - this is an LDS application that downloads publications from the LDS church including scriptures, magazines (Ensign, New Era, Friend), manuals for all ages, and conference reports. I love this because again, when I travel it is nice to have my scriptures with me without having to carry a bulky book.

Lest you think this is the extent of my iPad content, it is far from it. This is just a small glimpse. There are so many apps out there for iPads - some free and others not. Part of the fun of owning an iPad is discovering new apps. And so the adventure continues.

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This morning.....

I couldn't sleep last night and so it was midnight before I settled in for sleep.Not a problem, until it was time to get up. I set my alarm last night for my usual time but during one of my jaunts during the night I reset it for a later. When the alarm went off, I rolled myself out of bed and opened my door to be greeted by Mabel and her ever wagging tail.

Now granted it didn't take much encouragement, but seeing that sweet hound made climbing back into bed even more inviting. And so I asked Mabel if she wanted up (which she rarely turns down) and up on the bed she went. We both settled in, after resetting the alarm, and soon I feel asleep with Mabel curled up at my feet.

The alarm sounded the second time, which this time could not be ignored if I was going to make it to work only slightly late, so I got up and started my morning routine. What about Mabel? Well, I did get a small tail wag and a belly to rub, but no interest in getting off the bed.

Fast forward to when I'm ready to leave but I still have a hound curled up amongst the blankets trying not to make eye contact in hopes that she can stay there all day. But her dreams were dashed as I lifted her off the bed and she made her way to the family room where she had to settle for a pillow or couch for a day's worth of lounging.

You're probably wondering how I got her off the bed since she had no interest in vacating the comfort of down and blankets. That's a little something between Mabel and I.

As evidence of how much she enjoys my bed, here's a photo from a few weeks ago. Notice how the blankets surround her - a little scruffing is a helpful technique for achieving such comfort.

I stood to the side of the doorway to capture this without her waking up.

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A Blog....

About a year ago I decided to start a blog. Why? Well partly because a lot of people I know have one. Partly because it seemed like a great way to write down my thoughts. And partly because I like to hear myself talk (funny, huh??). Really, I don't know what I hoped to accomplish with a blog, but I've decided to try to figure that out and make it something more and maybe even meaningful.

For me, that means learning - so I signed up for an online class: Blogging for Scrapbookers. This class intrigued me because I do scrapbook and I also blog (and I took another class from Shimelle and really enjoyed it). What a thought - bringing those two things together. Plus, the description said I'd learn what to write, when to write, keeping it fun, and more. And I'm all about fun, so here I am starting this class adventure.

What do I really hope to achieve? A better understanding of what I want my blog to be and how to make it more interesting. I tend to only blog when I have something I think is of note or when I feel guilty that I've neglected my blog. But that's not working for me. Over the next three weeks, I want to find my voice, find my blogging rhythm, and make this blog a reflection of me (without ALL of the weird and quirky things - just a few).

As part of the class, I took a picture of what it usually looks like when I blog - my laptop on my lap in the comfy chair with the lights out (it's usually between 9:00 and 11:00 that I find time to blog). But as luck would have it, I had to reformat my laptop today and I don't have all the programs installed yet, one of which is Photoshop so I can't download my photos from my camera. So stay tuned for that photo!

Meanwhile, I'm off to browse some blogs and see what other people include. Here's to a new adventure!

P.S. Here's the picture of my laptop sporting my blog on it's screen.

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Lucky Life

In a week with plenty of discussion regarding luck I'm taking a minute to record a few ways that my life is full of "luck" or maybe "golden" items. And no, I'm not Irish, but that doesn't mean I can't follow rainbows, look for four leaf clovers, or count myself lucky! (Items listed in no particular order.)

• Friends - friends that I live with, friends that I work with, friends through Facebook, and friends that are always there even when we haven't connected in awhile.
• Work - I have a job and one that I enjoy. I have side projects that allow me to express myself creatively and connect with other people too. And my job involves a hobby that I love and get to share with so many people, which makes me happy.
• Hounds - I know I talk about the hounds all the time but I cannot imagine life without a dog in my life and these hounds have left big footprints on my heart. I love their silky ears, their playful natures, Mabel's constantly wagging tail, Cleo's truly Basset personality, their wrinkly paws, and the Frito smell they have after a nap.
• Knowledge - my knowledge of where I was before this earth life and where I will go after wards. My knowledge of a Heavenly Father that loves me and watches over me. The knowledge and skills that I learned as a child from my parents (cake decorating, fishing, gardening, and more). The knowledge I've gained through formal education as well as on the job. And the opportunities I have to continue learning and gaining knowledge.
• Stuff - I love my iPad and am lucky, so very lucky, to have one (and yes, I'm a tech junkie!). All the stuff I have to create with - scrapbook supplies, paints, cake decorating supplies, cook books, etc. And the chance to not only have stuff, but to have a place to put my stuff.

I think that about covers it. I know there are more, but these are the things that come to mind immediately. I am a very lucky person. Life is good! Happy St. Patrick's week (even if it is already past). Here's a picture of the happy hounds - they make me smile and remind me just how good life is.

Mabel in the yard last summer

Cleo sleeping - love those wrinkly paws and the ear over the eyes

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Good Things Wednesday

Yep, it's Wednesday and it was a good day, partly because I was did a segment for Good Things Utah. And I have to confess, while I usually enjoy doing the projects I make for the segments, this one was especially fun. Maybe because it was so easy, but also because I made a sample of the page we use in the featured class (15 Minute Pages) and it includes photos of my adorable hounds (look closely at the clip and you'll see it in the background).

So here's the link to the segment: Circle Your Scraps Card.

Here are two additional photos of the card. I don't have a photo of the layout, but if I get one I'll definitely share.

Hi card made using circles

Side view - the circles under Hi had foam tape under them

The thing I loved about this card is that it uses scraps and is so quick to put together. The layout is also very fast - cut a few squares, add some stickers, photos, journaling, and voila - a completed layout. You'll love this class too. This is just one of four pages that you complete, so if you are going to a CK Scrapbook Convention and looking for ways to make quick layouts, check out this class.

Happy creating!

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Life....

Wow, it's amazing how fast life can pick up its pace. Spent the weekend in Louisville, KY at the first CK Scrapbook Convention for 2011. It was a great show, saw several people I haven't seen in awhile, and got my convention groove on. But I forgot how long the days are and how hard it is to do anything once the convention day is over, other than climb in bed, watch TV, and fall asleep. Even with the long days, the trip has its rewarding moments - seeing people so excited after class or while cropping, hugging someone who had a hard day, and laughing at dinner about the silly things that we said or that happened during the show. Somehow it all balances out.

Today is a new day! Feeling more caught up and ready for a new week. Even went for a walk with the hounds. Now if I can just get my internal clock back on track from all the time changes (not to mention "Spring forward").

Plans for the week? Good Things Utah on Wednesday, She Art Workshop in the evenings, and random other things. Mostly though, just enjoying being home and hanging with the hounds.

Life is Good!!!

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Baby Shower stuff

As mentioned yesterday, I worked on party items for a baby shower for a friend/co-worker. We had so much fun at the shower/lunch. We had chicken pesto sandwiches, Snicker apple salad, green salad, chips, and raspberry lemonade (the kind with the chunky raspberries), with chocolate cake for dessert! It was delightful. Lisa, the guest of honor, is having a boy (Nolan) and his room and accessories are in the jungle theme, so a jungle party was in order.

Another co-worker made the cute accordion centers and I cut some leaves and the word baby to create a banner. I cut a few extra leaves to use on the top of place mats and then stamped using Versamark ink four jungle animals along the bottom of the brown cardstock place mats (forgot to take a picture of the place mats).

The banner displayed on our banister at home.

But the major project I've worked on for a couple of weekends was sewing a diaper bag. Several months ago, Lisa was saying how much she loved this kit that we had leftover from a quilt event, but she mentioned that it wouldn't be worth her getting it since she didn't sew. I wasn't there at the time, but later when I was looking at the kits, another co-worker mentioned this to me and I decided I would get it and make it for her. What on earth was I thinking???

You see, although I come from a long line of seamstresses and home economics people, sewing is one of those things I learned because it was required but have never developed a passion, let alone a love of the skill. But I'm attracted to fabric, buttons, patterns, etc. and once in awhile, I let that overtake my sanity. Apparently this was one of those times. But, the bag is finished and as long as you don't look closely it turned out nicely. Mostly I'm just glad to have it finished and that Lisa was surprised AND liked it. Yeah!

The diaper bag in all it's glory!

So that completes my creative weekend. Phew, I'm exhausted, but pleasantly so because that's what creating does.

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Gettin' Creative

This afternoon was quite creative, especially for me. It started with creating a banner and place mats for a baby shower at work tomorrow (I'll share pictures tomorrow after the event) using a few cute accordion centers a gal at work made to go with the theme.

But the real creating started when I delved into my first She Art Workshop project. It took me all week to watch all the videos. They were so amazing and inspiring. And so today, with a vision in mind I gathered my supplies, covered the table, and started the creative process.

I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one that has a picture in their brain of the finished project that some how doesn't match what is really produced. But sometimes, that is a hard thing to deal with. This canvas was one of those experiences. Don't get me wrong, there are parts of it that I love - like the background. But the girl, well, she struggled from the start.

The class provided templates for the girls, but I was convinced that I could do it myself so I didn't bother to print out the templates. I did fine on the head and legs, but somehow the dress looks like the girl added 10 pounds. And, I forgot to grab paint for hair, face, and shading and by the time I remembered that, the sleeping downstairs deterred me from pursuing those paints. So I made do with watercolor crayons. Which add color, just not heavy enough for what I needed. I also learned that a good pen is a necessity - there's one on the way, thank goodness. Also, I need to watch where I'm placing my background items - one of the papers is quite thick and cut through the girl's face; not a pretty sight. And, sprays bleed, and bleed, and bleed, unless they are sealed with mod podge early on (thus the bluish hue to the girl's neck).

But I'm glad to say that I have completed her and am ready for a new week of learning. Each girl typically contains a saying of some sort. Since I wasn't totally thrilled with the outcome, I thought the phrase I wrote was quite appropriate: "She has potential."

So here is my first girl. Done using product I had forgotten I had, with more layers than I think I have ever used on a project (I'm pretty much a clean and simple girl), and using my favorite colors - purple, green, and yellow. Here's to an improvement on the next one!

Week 1-She Art Girl - She has potential

Closeup #1

Closeup #2

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