tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15432705876625131142024-03-05T05:47:19.108-08:00Granny Panty Chica little shabby, a little vintage with 'tudeCasiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-58574988005487703702015-12-05T09:23:00.001-08:002015-12-05T10:51:35.181-08:00Whose Rights? Who's Right? <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I doubt anyone will see this to read, so I'm deeming it a safe(ish) place to vent. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Earlier in the week, a couple gunned down an office party in CA. The same office that threw them a baby shower. Thus far, many signs point to this being a terrorist act. Okay, I accept that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">What I don't accept is how they managed to amass such a gun collection. CA has, for the US, fairly stringent gun laws. The states they are bordered by do not. I don't know where or how they got their stockpile and frankly, at this point, I don't care. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I also don't care that when you were young or when I was young, guys drove to school with gun racks in their trucks. Loaded guns. I don't care that people got into fist fights instead of shooting each other up. I don't care that you keep quoting about the 2nd Amendment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I especially don't care to see anyone posting an actors opinion about guns. An actor is paid to act. I don't care what he has to say about growing up in the South, guns or how it was when he was young. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">The fact is, the world is not what is was when you or I were young. And it never will be again. Not ever. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">You know what? Less than 100 years ago, women weren't allowed to vote. Should we wax eloquent about that too? We also didn't have the right to birth control, limited property rights, limited education opportunities and Title IX didn't exist, so should we go back to the good old days? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">And it's also not simply a sin problem, nor a heart problem. Countries all over the world, no better than we are on that score, do not have the problem with mass gun violence that the USA has. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">We are the ones with the problem. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">What I do care about are lives cut short. Lives full of promise. Babies in elementary school shielded by brave and selfless teachers. Middle school or high school students full of promise, angst and hormones. College students who should only be worried about finals and (crushing) school loans. People enjoying a movie or going to work on a sunny morning. Anyone gunned down. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Your rights end where theirs begin. I choose to value their lives over your insistence that your rights matter more than theirs. Don't say some limits are okay, but let's not get crazy. Who defines what's acceptable? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">It's sad and wrong that the flagpole erected in the middle of the road in Newtown, CT in 1876 is at half mast more often than not. But, hey, let's not get crazy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-43272173699317346972011-12-06T07:55:00.000-08:002011-12-06T08:32:54.525-08:00Fresh Recylcing for Christmas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pWuseDVosLovN_jpoYXGyue7_5P5VACizy9Pqs-fExX5_Vu6Qjms3De7KUP5QCRISkctWfhIXp0F3rCyv5O0wB3vEQciBJzAE4N-p8JO-LURwBoz-PHpm0bWH6mI9YAt_KHPJsWru8g/s1600/retro-xmas.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683052312856816738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 206px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pWuseDVosLovN_jpoYXGyue7_5P5VACizy9Pqs-fExX5_Vu6Qjms3De7KUP5QCRISkctWfhIXp0F3rCyv5O0wB3vEQciBJzAE4N-p8JO-LURwBoz-PHpm0bWH6mI9YAt_KHPJsWru8g/s320/retro-xmas.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Isn't is true that old saying? Everything old is new again. We have only to look at fashion trends to know it's so. </span><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">For Christmas, it is truer than one might think. Oh, I know from reading that 44% of children under the age of 10 have a iPad 2 at the top of their Christmas list, but did you also notice this past summer than when Toy Story 3 came out, the new reduxes of old toys flew off the shelves? Who can resist a slinky dog or a Mr. Potato Head? I have Mr. Potato Heads for different seasons. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Think about giving some of these 'old' things new life for gifts & stocking stuffers: </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~I don't care how old you are, a new coloring book and a box of 64 crayons (with the sharpener in the back) instantly brings out the kid in all of us. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Mood rings. Admit it, you see these in stores by the cash register and still check your 'mood'. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Jacks. The real metal ones. Get down on the floor and see how you can still do 'sixies'. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Sea Monkeys. Remember when you really believed you could train them to do tricks? </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Razzles. The candy that turns into a gum. The candy part tastes great. I can only last about a minute once it turns to gum, but getting there is the real fun. These have made a real resurgence in the past several years. I think you can get a big container of them at Sams Club, but they are also at Wegmans or places like Cracker Barrel. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~A Lifesavers Story Book. Admittedly, these are nowhere as cool as they used to be when I was a kid and you got 10 assorted packs of Lifesavers, but they still provide a cheap thrill to a stocking.</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Love's Baby Soft. Yes, it still exists. I even saw it at Urban Outfitters. It doesn't smell like funky socks either, so for a retro flashback gift for a girlfriend, this would be serious fun. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Support your local thrift stores. Found recently in thrift or secondhand shops are these nifty things that might make great gifts if I didn't hoard them for myself: </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Cashmere sweaters. That's right, the real deal. They may be missing a button, but I can do that if the sweater is less than $10. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Vintage milk glass coffee mugs with retro advertising or logos on them. My faves: McDs and Christmas themed ones. Pair this with some great coffee, biscotti and/or chocolate (isn't any gift improved with chocolate?) for a very cool gift. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Cute little handbags. For grown-up girls, tuck in a vintage hankie, pocket mirror and a great lipgloss or lipbalm (may I suggest Rosebud which is produced a couple of miles up the road from me? It's also Sephora's biggest seller:<a href="http://sephora.com/browse/brand_hierarchy.jhtml;jsessionid=FQHBWFZZRCZL0CV0KRRQQAQ?brandId=Rosebud"><span style="font-size:100%;">Rosebud Perfume Co. at Sephora</span></a>) Even better, for a little girl, you can get candy jewelry, lipstick, etc at the dollar store. Tuck that in with a coin purse full of quarters for an AWESOME gift. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Some of the best record albums ever made for less than $1. Baby, nowadays some of the covers qualify as bonafide art. If the record is good, you can still play it. If it's scratched, Google directions for making cool bowls with them or use the records as placemats for a fun party. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">~Seriously great old books. Sometimes you'll stumble upon a first edition. Sometimes autographed copies. I'll admit, if the cover is pretty without the jacket, I buy it for decoration or to turn into an altered book. Sometimes an old book that is really tattered gets upcycled for gift wrapping, tags, shredded for filler, etc. </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Don't forget to take time for yourself though. Doesn't matter how cool or amazing your plans are if you freak yourself right out of the Christmas spirit. You are hereby given permission for at least one guilty pleasure if not two guilty pleasures WITHOUT the guilt. Be it a Starbucks run, a new book (Christmas themed of course!) or a very chick-flick Christmas movie from Lifetime or the Hallmark Channel, go for it. ;-)</span></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-55399942605635437332011-12-02T12:22:00.001-08:002011-12-02T12:43:35.966-08:00Kicking off Christmas<div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Ashley and Kirsten below totally freaking out over the hotel room view in NYC on Thanksgiving weekend. The Macy's Parade and Thanksgiving with my sisters was a huge part of our Christmas kick-off. </span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03tUfom0IkfUxhuiQvMQFUKPmveGkp1Ix7Wb3w8kt2LkAP1XXndseMxipMIfd05geqipM62nxNhrKOdY_HEn2k0YYUim6atg5RsPRD-Pk7VPjgy_idKBJP1rtrEdRKy0Yb-wCwnWoKqY/s1600/Ash+Kirsten+Times+Square.jpg"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;color:#006600;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681629184435610738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03tUfom0IkfUxhuiQvMQFUKPmveGkp1Ix7Wb3w8kt2LkAP1XXndseMxipMIfd05geqipM62nxNhrKOdY_HEn2k0YYUim6atg5RsPRD-Pk7VPjgy_idKBJP1rtrEdRKy0Yb-wCwnWoKqY/s320/Ash+Kirsten+Times+Square.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> <span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Just spending a few moments to remind anyone who may venture here to take care of yourself this Christmas season. Generally if you're reading this, it's because you are a girly girl who likes to play with art supplies and skews towards vintage, eclectic style, but all are welcome! </span></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;color:#006600;">But...if you are a girly girl, you may also be the one in charge of Christmas in your home. That may also mean you get what amounts to a third full time job for the month of December, sometimes stretching into January. So, take the time to care for yourself. You know the saying, if Mrs. Claus ain't happy, ain't nobody happy! (or something like that, but it's true)</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;color:#006600;">If you do get some time to take a few moments to yourself to play with art supplies or make heartfelt gifts for your loved ones and friends, check these links out for great ideas, tutorials and more: </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><a href="http://www.oneprettything.com/"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">One Pretty Thing</span></a><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"> <span style="font-size:100%;">~tons of links to tutorials for everything under the sun, you could get lost for hours here</span></span></span></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://www.littlepinkstudio.typepad.com/"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Little Pink Studio</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> ~if you're into vintage chic, Cerri will show you the way</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;"></span><a href="http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#cc0000;">The Graphics Fairy</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> ~loads of vintage images to download for creating to your hearts content</span></div><br /><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">If you're in the mood for guided Christmas creating, check out these workshops or tutorials: </span></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://www.teresamcfayden.typepad.com/"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Teresa McFayden</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> ~offering her 5th annual Christmas e-course</span></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://www.margieromney-aslett.typepad.com/"><span style="color:#cc0000;">I'm Just a girl</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> ~Spark your Christmas workship with a big emphasis on transforming what you already own. You know I'm a green, tree-hugger, so this speaks to me. </span></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://christytomlinson.typepad.com/christytomlinson/12-artsy-ornaments-of-christmas-workshop.html"><span style="color:#cc0000;">christytomlinson: 12 Artsy Ornaments of Christmas.. a mini workshop</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> ~12 different talented artists will guide you through not only ornaments, but also home decor and gifts as well. </span></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://www.timholtz.typepad.com/"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Tim Holtz</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> ~I think this is Tim's 5th year of his 12 Tags of Christmas. Free for you to enjoy, duplicate or use for inspiration. You'll learn lots of new tips here too! </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Through December, if you like, keep checking back to the Granny Panty Chic blog for more Christmas ideas and (hopefully) inspiration. I'll admit, I get totally giddy over this month. It's just gotta spill somewhere and it's gonna be here I decided. ;-)</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-70232703681461815222011-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:002011-04-06T06:49:43.342-07:00How time has flown by<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Today is my oldest child's birthday. My little cuddle bug with the big giggle and even bigger sense of adventure is...a man. (and yet, I mysteriously remain forever young!)</span> <br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I can tell you this; I have a friend who says "Little children, little problems. Big children, big problems." It's true. When you are in the midst of colic and diaper rash and potty training, it can be truly, mind-numbingly exhausting. When your teenager comes to you after some incredibly bad decision and is facing extreme consequences, it is true that when they're heart breaks, your heart breaks right along with them. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">We can't dwell on the valleys because the moutaintops are numerous and rewarding and life is a terrifying, wonderful thing. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Cliches are grounded in truth. The cliche that they grow up before you know it is absolutely true. Oh, to redeem the time wasted when I was 'too busy' or 'too tired' as he grew up, but I am trying to choose to treasure all the moments, the milestones and the memories. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Zach is a guy's guy, so I made him a pretty simple, but bright card. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 238px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592465403188955522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TDZbTSmV0S-63g8fbDTBgI3KXnOmMbFPSo7nV2oEX_AFd5LDp9i4-kUdFPPR9x723gKq6iGU2mwyOe2Y8eNlW6hgCoJFqmWiUmiSel13GD1k2CrXI7owReBdif-lZ7kPVYeVRJmH1gA/s320/P1000499.JPG" /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">One of his little secrets is that he loves flowers and gardens. He won't tell you, but it's easy to observe. When he was younger and we lived in a townhouse, we built some raised flowerbeds. I bought loads of perennials and annuals. He is the one who arranged how they were planted. When he badly hurt his knee and realized he was a horrible patient at home, he asked his dad to help him shop for a rose bush as an apology. He walks around the yard smelling flowers and brushing his hand over herbs and he takes an active interest in the vegetable beds, but his big request is to plant watermelons.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592465406692938610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsFqUIHwOkeszsmWHfy99psgY438tpdbBPmboe_HODKMHOr1lIsO7QB5rCnWmhTDOg7Dg_uSk44S55wX3gZU3zITIMLtkHiuZjd4KU-cEqaTdC3yywdZSJAk6-Tn4K9qW4_WvRo0ivkw/s320/P1000501.JPG" /> So, a little spring bouquet for him. How appropriate that the world is coming awake as his birthday arrives. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592465413369638226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5Ta28AVJkb-VQuwMfRAfuPwtSnpsroHhD4uZrHXvstschMM0txbPyESPMECGn7duJUNl5c77QyUD3OMxu6ps3Xo4TKk0n8M7OgOI9Hm3McjxmaPJDeKxWJogMTDBf13CfoTOEB4pGfY/s320/P1000500.JPG" /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">And this is super late, but last week <a href="http://opus-gluei.blogspot.com/">Opus Gluei</a> had a challenge to use material in a project. I have an older friend who is extremely ill and I know that she loves flowers, so this little embellished burlap bag will hold a tiny bud vase and several tiny daffodils. Hope she likes it! </span></div></div></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-14060532573318419122011-03-29T08:08:00.000-07:002011-03-29T09:16:07.114-07:00It ain't pretty, but it's home<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I love spring! Now, if only spring weather loved me. Can you believe there is a wintry mix in the forecast for tomorrow?!? Nevertheless, some early spring can't wait for me to be having a comfy 'jeans and t-shirt weather' day. They need to go in now if we want to enjoy later. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589526766197210754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidbZhpE9EXZPBvSMkC9M3sdMXnG6J37LzMu32Wvsk7-qfS7MQLzJoQ9_vhK95GiaXMxCZM4Uq79QzNlNFx0xuURKnOgH08kaSCof2AmnOlTAJXuic30h-t1GImZT6OdiFgLv2DDMUQXeQ/s320/P1000487.JPG" /></span> <span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">So, already planted last fall were 2 varieties of garlic. Nom, nom, nom, not only tasty, but protects us from vampires and people who invade our personal bubble. I also transplanted a few dozen strawberry plants into a new bed. It was time. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589528035537763330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolZvfMo38-ncGrxFiKp8_4vzWQ_Xny-OAgLS11xU0licY2ixOh3ddY0dEsh8ViNq03oJk8BwZuRbxAsTaxR7Jx1Rq4LiepNlgnPHw2CUxkaYoLObJ5sPCgb9GdjEoUtKfxnZX-Vtc9H0/s320/P1000496.JPG" /></span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">The asparagus bed is well established. I was so very excited when it started sending up a few tender shoots last week. I even steamed a few. Spring weather being what it is though, we've had some frosts that have halted those messengers of spring for another week or two, so my little asparagus feast was premature. </span><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">This spring, I've got more beds to work with thanks to some very hard work on the part of the youth missions team doing a work-study project and to a few intensive weekends of work for Tim and I. Last week I started the early spring planting by putting in a few different types of lettuces and seeding Swiss Chard. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589526773233388882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvlkduZl2S2zlnLKnkevR91BA7Jfx7EGXEoK0eEauocKOYoffJJYyn4KV587HUSBRAIzxgy32-aiC13KBdBMsG_joEzz4fflZ3u9qCrVuGtLehmXkL0l-BnZ1Bb4RM5DdP2gXS5E_w0w/s320/P1000494.JPG" /></span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">This past Saturday, when we had a surprisingly nice day, I hurried to spend a little time planting kale, cauliflour, broccoli, shallots, spinach, onions and spring peas. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">We have an inquisitively nosy neighbor who pointed out that we were supposed to get snow that night and all of my plants would probably die. I was also warned that both spinach and kale contain chemicals that inhibit the absorption of calcium. I planted anyway; sure the babies would survive since they'd been hardening off on the front porch through a few frosts anyway and don't worry about kale or spinach. You'd have to eat a bucketload at a time to worry about calcium absorption and cooking them even briefly deactivates the calcium hindering chemical. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I let him boss me around a bit and send him off with fresh eggs (but not before he tells me how I should grow flax to feed to the chickens raising their Omega-3 levels) before he goes on his way. :)</span></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589526777970542210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDEoph8xt3kEqwacIa2Ao3FPAUVneummmBIwtBZfU8_qXtt4L8KgKOqpbj7sOt0yu2sXUrFkB94YDElZqGGZ2PHojEaf1l1mGE7OcllWyFvF1PNfZInVPRw-M6b7yjLi_PptRVM_PpjM/s320/P1000495.JPG" /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">All of the plants don't look so hot right now because until they are a bit larger, we have to protect them from Peter Cottontail and his voraciously hungry family members. It's so disheartening to put in several hours planting a garden, anticipating the harvest, going to sleep feeling you've done a good turn for the earth and your local food system only to wake up and discover your freshly planted garden has been mowed down by killer bunnies. It's ain't pretty, but the coffee cans and old pots work as a barrier. </span><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">But, there are signs of a beautiful spring...in new baby chicks<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589528049374796978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81FdCPA-0pFMDs9PU5N8JE0pn5tBEhrXltHuw1lsAC9qSVfzF27stq9dw7asDuGPuY2xIUdQpqbCIxpfsZ53ieMd56mpB4ig0nSnVz-L0Fotj0B4-KWgahJFRdbztvTXDq4b014kroRw/s320/P1000485.JPG" />...and old stands of sunny daffodils. </span></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589528043122888578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBrl3xq33SZgKCSu0k37W-tWyYeRXFMqT-_RFgAL0AT4rYY1BGpSGrxDvhsU5XdcPV_Nl1sXt0e9lNJR3biyJAaAua6pKx5V4176GRsXNgC0HhvAvzeJQZuEf2RhPT8C5jWYBmORheMo/s320/P1000497.JPG" /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Speaking of spring crops, if you garden, this year consider planting extra to donate to your local food bank. In the mid-90s, a group of gardeners founded <a href="http://www.gardenwriters.org/gwa.php?p=par/index.html">Plant a Row for the Hungry</a> to do just that. Some news sources say a recovery is well under way, but in my area, local food banks have seen a large increase of families in need of assistance. What better way to help out than with homegrown produce? </span></div></div></div></div></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-62314534944345910572011-03-10T09:25:00.000-08:002011-03-10T09:53:22.507-08:00That 70's Chair<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#006600;">After a wonderfully amazing weekend at a youth worker's conference in Chicago with 3000 other crazy people, tim and I decided we really need a night of pure, unabashed retail therapy...at Goodwill. </span><br /><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Yes, the Goodwill you donate your old toasters and ugly Christmas sweaters to. :) </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">We went to the store nearest our home where there was nothin' good to be seen...until we went over to the furniture side. There I saw, sat and briefly noted a chair and then dismissed the idea of it. I couldn't find the price tag and since I was pretty sure that didn't mean the chair was free (always a faint hope, right?), I passed and we went on to the next store. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Tim was incredibly upset to find the most deliciously soft, supple Italian leather shoe. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">One. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">One shoe. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Either someone donated only one or perhaps a one legged man bought the other shoe. He moped about for a few minutes until I found a milk glass coffee mug for $.48 and his faith in a good bargain was restored. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">While we're leaving the store, I suddenly blurt out that we've got to go back to the first store for that chair.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Tim does a double take because he doesn't remember any chair at all, but he dutifully drives us back to the first store while I'm trying to describe the exact color of this chair, how comfortable it is and that I have the perfect place for it. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">We get to store where I excitedly lead him to the chair. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">"Oh" he says. Not "Oh!" as in cool. Not "Oh" as in wicked awesome. But "Oh" as in "Didn't the 70's do enough damage to our young, impressionable psyches?"<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 312px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582509446558986914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbFcApMIC7lG0ENES8GM7I-148d_nFOdX3-q7DDqIZqfVsbwDLRKuBsaIx363Bpxh8BYKSE0n_w6EM8aqKOjIMY4wvm5pH8iIkAsuMJQazQn60STDGzccaUapIbQVS1jQQQ1w1hkVRAU/s320/P1000469.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I tell him to sit in it.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">"Oh" he says. as in "Oh, thank you Lord for creating an instantly amazing place to snooze, read a novel or watch a game." And in the wink of an eye, we were loading this much too large chair into his much too small trunk and driving home with flashing lights all the way. (when I get really happy, I either chatter away or fall completely silent. this was totally a chatter away ride home. Tim probably wanted to put me in the trunk and let the chair ride up front.) </span></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582509440785298482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LKUsnGO20mT-ea6xPbECuHRK8vFsqxSYXk6HmgTIJZA0SGUTM7yXG8_jH7il_v4GoX1fl0NMmfbKGtUqPDMHYcoL_9_vBAxjldjDOoYXuNu67wC2UnALlgloFbdZXvhT0aGwSN_wakg/s320/P1000470.JPG" /><span style="color:#006600;">It does have great lines. And I like the green, just so you know. I think I'll paint the feet black, but for now, I think I'll take a snooze in my new 70's chair. :) </span><br /></span><div></div></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-524679882785226012011-02-19T15:01:00.000-08:002011-02-19T15:23:52.287-08:00C-H-R-Y-S-alis!<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I'm a volunteer youth leader in my spare time. What does that mean? </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">A lot of the time, it means sleep deprivation, heart ache for them, overwhelming joy for them, advocating for them and way too much caffeine while sharing the message that God loves them and longs to be in relationship with them. Some days it leans heavily to the sleep deprivation side and others it leads heavily to the sharing God side. Any balance isn't of my own doing, but from the Big Guy. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Lately it means I won't have one free weekend for well over a month due to youth related activities, but I'm having an awesome time this weekend. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">You see, last night we dropped off one of our teens for a special weekend retreat. Just last year, this girl was so shy, so introverted that most of the time it looked like she was trying to escape. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Slowly, slowly we got to know her and she got to know us and Look Out World, here she comes! All by herself, she asked to join the church and be baptized. A lot of us fully mature adults are too hesitant to make a decision like that. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">She also stepped out of her peer group and joined us at Creation with about 100,000 other crazy teenagers. I'll never forget the night she came up to me, jumping up and down, covered in glow sticks, hugging me and screaming "I love Tobymac!" Gone was the shy flower. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">And she just keeps surprising me. So, this weekend she is at the retreat getting treated like a Rock Star and showered in love. One of the ways we show our love is through all of the little details (and I can't go into those because I don't want to spoil the surprise for anyone else who might go). </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I do think I can share these...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 247px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575540142188419314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQcRWbMLVD6y8Uu4UVB6d5foI_zN3Y0T_Ihr5tbwxbTa-U1qkWiCv0u0zb-gkxD8Su4MrDBz9-r5hehF0Doho4ZOthYx5Hk_PrVB-eGTO1xrFBCcX0TY3lbu474FoN9qeUKTYfL2Cc0Q/s320/P1000429.JPG" />Sometimes they may find a personalized placemat at their meals. Sometimes. I made her a couple and took them to be laminated, so they're safe from spaghetti sauce. They're pretty simple. Couldn't go wild with the embellishments since they were going to be laminated, but I have to say my favorite is the big layered butterfly I cut with my Silhouette. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">That's her, a beautiful butterfly. :)</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoj19eiNK-CIUcrF-JsIYpShSPnL4jQ0MHQRIJhzLD0aCB_hW6JHjA_X5FuNGQMwrqLo5J9cKRAux3Ci8asd9_H8QRWYlZ4Iyeqv_BCqVen532ANsBlD20vSGwU8x4O__kgAromg-Hl8/s1600/P1000428.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 246px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575540134838497970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoj19eiNK-CIUcrF-JsIYpShSPnL4jQ0MHQRIJhzLD0aCB_hW6JHjA_X5FuNGQMwrqLo5J9cKRAux3Ci8asd9_H8QRWYlZ4Iyeqv_BCqVen532ANsBlD20vSGwU8x4O__kgAromg-Hl8/s320/P1000428.JPG" /></a> </div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-16420887036344337032011-02-08T12:18:00.000-08:002011-02-08T12:43:42.379-08:00Sweetness for the Sweethearts<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571417068511782642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGgP1SvkPad1K1H3jYykMgp30AEa1waoGE3vfoEmmPI2IV6O_rLKx7lNVFB0k4b22d1EDk-upDpUTdnNuk0M3jdEft4gkWPDf283bdzVW01uS4lqYRtfx5CYULIMW-MMZsajADIVeX7o/s320/P1000413.JPG" /> <span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Sooooo, it's about time to pack up the Valentine goodies because I need to move on to some top secret projects for someone, but before I finish sealing these up in envelopes, here are a few more sweet, funny Valentines...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 241px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571417054967493090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvSk4V6MMeZoSpfNNPntD2ArPt0ovRjLfLKcLf7saHbggFrdJZLirGw7bAhQswb-zVi0du7TBefkI7JJVklzCkYhOiJRizIJ5y69UGehyphenhyphen3u-5T_KZXG4-go9RQiDIOOlakr8Egj8t0CE/s320/P1000406.JPG" />You'll note the copious use of those little honeycomb heart cupcake decorations. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571417058127395074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOpmVLg0xFbQgm3jIl2I9B1jsesfHtj4-5htM0fY4cOekROPJj0ZfEXGf3yE9zI_bsBuFZ1tiT61yIW_eNIl7pWh_AHHqourQU5Cntxg4iB0kiLEkDFGC5-5f7KyxumD4u0Y1aP0b5Pw/s320/P1000407.JPG" />And I found these bags of vintage buttons I had packaged up for a flea market that got rained out, so I decided their creamy patina was perfect to frame a heart. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 242px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571420227957845282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5p0Gcf_HJHr-dIXevfqj0pSvjUkt6Qi2UEcT799mR0HA0Mra9RWWkC4uslEp86iWTJxT6bMEVA_cOqc2ClehnfUUCGWDtrDrp5c3Soz4dwfY_wKw1RjiSL7K3q2wV3c6O4IXYn6orSQ/s320/P1000415.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571417066374423874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtfU-A6zmSbRvI0XiuM0j79uW5l3yKSWJPnLuxEPOxprBapzRi4dN4E0zeccSJfaIaFDQq0sCxGDQljA14UsImQHuxGTLUFgpfhEsWTe_kDg1DCOIv5olDoDqvmr2y5DlbourROxYh6k/s320/P1000414.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 310px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571417657407878818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWfhmUqY0GI3m0JYZSbCvZ5QFAqY2ehKJUyK4_DMUZwHJAVd733QXipAroGo5cWwLFeAYqrS2_wzG83dRPKaOYSfhR8az14SeCnIGDV0cYBqSDb-gp7R6gR6YaqbAFodwAJUs5Ro7frA/s320/P1000416.JPG" /></span> <span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">For a soft, simple Valentine decoration that wasn't blatantly red & pink, I cut out a heart old-school style; fold, cut and unfold. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571419584406739010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyhoYIGsuiZiVMuvajeGHRQ0cCn9z16YjvIhpwr3dK0cpRgFoJvoASoeEZfSMWcZaHw7aEUKcfdMxS1yMZcj-zsJdDE0KsDprdkTtISh3qF8kDhDf9qTtqL9SyBFIWpcx19XkpBW-vFE/s320/P1000403.JPG" />Pulled out cards of vintage (and not so vintage) laces & trims and hot glued them. A banner covered in antique German glass glitter with I Love You and a vintage earring finished it all off. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571419587139033346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bHOCC9gIiVEkUujTWDboxypd57XLyEb_dBLY6LVEotmdG2IsHcSOTAq19ryOmJm0U5OnMCTelNOwuDC9RbmgZTyriMDPyDntHHJITWcGC0rSCnq6hqySd-oTzH8gJURWmoRB97dc25U/s320/P1000404.JPG" />I'm adding this heart decoration to the Opus Gluei challenge of creating a decoration for your home. Doesn't have to be a Valentine's decoration. You are free to get crazy. :) Be sure to check out their other entries! </span><br /><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=74672" type="text/javascript" ></script>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-39966208791383246632011-02-02T09:30:00.000-08:002011-02-02T09:48:47.406-08:00The Season of Lurve<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Have I asked you to hold me back from buying any more Valentine's Day papers because I already have more than I'll ever need? If I have, apologies. If I haven't, for the love of Pete, somebody stop me! </span><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><div><div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">And half the time I make cards, layouts, canvases for different occasions using supplies that have nothing do to with the intended holiday. So why do this stuff continue to work its way into my supply? I'm pretty sure it's because we're all a bunch of happy enablers. Our 12 step program involves tips for finding the latest & greatest, new sources and coffee places in close proximity to our supply meccas. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Faced with all of these supplies, lovely and amazing though they are, I sat down to try and actually use some of them. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569149707211745234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqe-UkbgnyUEs0iKqP_djXWtqaJYAfQ_zBcgewMFg5kN5_cvo5i-6pydpfMWJccchO5tZN0WWhd0TZr7bPPgeNhW6lfgEZvB1GVXViZUtVpgA1wP-eAb7wbiStIwTCuP70-glm9BHc38/s320/P1000367.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I made these cards with a mix of Teresa Collins, K & Co, Basic Grey and Heidi Swapp (super old stash, yikes). And you know what? I still have a LOT of Valentine's stuff from Teresa Collins, K & Co and Basic Grey. I love it all though. I mean, how could you not love a big pile of soft blush, pink and red with frilly stuff all around? <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 235px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569149700433118786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbk7HKDmqwcrFiJ1MM3LMzTrFHyL6GztWmLDDOrE399RinqSoIcsezVF7qIIgVOVPHkgTeTpVbmYTqSFY8-wjaH-CW8mExTtRXt95OFUKDVQREj1QDM0PKMCqHAvS3ocmm0TLr1HnXZU/s320/P1000366.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">The next card has mostly stash; some Teresa Collins, Basic Grey, K & Co, Making Memories. But what isn't old stash is something I found in the cupcake supplies at the store. I saw these honeycomb heart cupcake toppers and said to myself "Self, those would make killer cute embellishments on a Valentine's card!" </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569149718607349586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaI536ZDiglxVyPvC7yG3nDWUCCY8AmERWzXxWl9DWNeWQhmnTKIBedRobGcYSzywAVfwAjue6WECh6Nqo0i37DKDsra3JPxmyjF4rDsFSVkNN0wIlzO_Lq9DI_z0tOgfALWgwtoMmMyA/s320/P1000365.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">You know what? They really do! Just snap the wooden toothpick off and you are all set. If you're mailing the card, don't open the honeycomb. Let the sender do that (send a little set of user instructions of course). The honeycome hearts are getting used elsewhere too. Hope to show that off eventually. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 246px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569149709785843474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYoUYGUcK9euCi_t-l6WSgHCbqYmKaG52ZMBRCTohGRbmT5tzrD3TO30UnnUF4r6HP53tp08ctt-jRZWbpKkRIo_sBgYNvR2sbx6kt23BPjBRAP4EEFFC5TOgdLmTMP61q6wyx6vYH8k/s320/P1000364.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Until then, it's less than 2 weeks til Valentine's Day! If your honey doesn't do something special for you, do something special for yourself. You deserve it! :) </span></div></div></div></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-10539107472572545302011-01-24T11:03:00.000-08:002011-01-24T11:56:00.357-08:00My Funny Valentine<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">After having an amazing time for <a href="http://grannypantychic.blogspot.com/2010/12/making-merry-revisited.html">Making Merry</a> in December, Rosemary, Kim and I decided to get together for a day to celebrate Valentine's Day. </span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">This time Kim was hostess at her lovely home and she fed us incredible food. Nom, nom, nom. I'm still dreaming about that white lasagna...</span> <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565836295969454306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxorOYS_gGyJXaAp9sB1y7w0PsxY8eeg-e6mIpZ7BNPZL25TTogmY0D6CgrYdQ2Gn8qDD6_YGBiR05cBgdv3PNkP6AFZJR8cT58eCpYTyM8_TXzbz3vf7stAot-3aKMVi7vZbXtL8w0Y/s320/P1000354.JPG" /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Kim had us create 2 beautiful cards. I love that she didn't use a traditional Valentine's Day palette with the lavender card. For the other card, she had us beading which was soooooo fun! I could've kept making little beaded petals all day long. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 197px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565836286331305394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHZc-qILtt765YDG-MEncLR4P4IylY589vPEFT4cI87SAx5CMX0ULx1YrOagJMw7wiCGbl3dfyufnEF5vLN4C3r58HhHsJQyHPNSumL23BN-5Ms4xTS5gl_sMaVt6nyR26xRUoWm8Je4/s320/P1000347_r1.JPG" /></span> <span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Rosemary used her wicked cool Cricut creativity to cut out matchboxes with acetate windows and brought an awesome stack of vintage images for us to fashion adorable Valentine's decorations. I hung them up right after I got home to show them off! </span><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565836287332795842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISEM9fQB1C69W40dAb7JOZwVTaDXA_O3JKL2Jqgx0RzbcZGawE3YjbuT2Le3qlZuxUzC1Hy2yDj3s4jGqzIXBvTaGA1mOGpaFRcgegqxHe4Q79di0viktrqGosLJzCj6NncovEXCqHlI/s320/P1000348.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 210px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565836294698734306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYr6Q9dsLdrKlRwacicuSbwQCLfER0Daz96jgII-221dK0_9v3_3XPI_KEB5RqS5XsCD7-luZZ8dolfJt2lr_SkshZ7sOZlXBwGzIKKSeNOHJ72jdIJ0NRorMg9HZiozFlgcyhD-3Ja8/s320/P1000350.JPG" /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I had bought a stack of chandelier ornaments after Christmas at Target (love Target!)for 50% off. I had a stash of honeycomb wedding bells because I always go to the party supply store for something like napkins and can't help but peruse the wedding & baby aisles for art supplies. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 222px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565837374430715890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJIwWya8B9BX6KOyjhbz2jMAUeic7gueiK7zkcjYLw3DaFADfN7lw1u3bZKVONIBZpkZsBYvvd1Gxy43_u7Kypp6Vg-gwYI7GerEPjdpZOy3oCYp3MJCYg92MyBoDvOe_eG941RYfUrM/s320/P1000351.JPG" />Take some Paris slide images, vintage sheet music and a bit of glitter to alter those chandelier ornaments and they become gilded bell ornaments for Valentine's Day. </span><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 270px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565837378324524498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlz16MjV7nXr-27cAvH5LWKAdTd-WY_tW9VyBO1rEYLt10f4Uf5pDdtRCmKL-md23ymzA5qelBo2GiIVizbg8Ikn_OIhPoc1MjtfuO_vE4YMV00zAxAhUrNo72TzJ9Vk8OB_5-_7Mz7c/s320/P1000353.JPG" /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">One of my favorite things to do (it seems), is to create holiday projects with supplies that aren't holiday themed. A few years ago, I bought a stack of Foofala papers from a friend who was having a scrapbook yard sale. 100 sheets of fun. None of them holiday themed, but some of them with a romantic, dusty palette that was ready to be fashioned into a Valentine. </span><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 222px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565837383274189650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHckXDFWHaGFanS4VueXf9JNGN2gBQPwZJrODmk-JtrHp226PikeASZ5elrayaqjNOyiSHC-lRTOJuagHES_LKE2GTuirvzczGYG2IMWFlTQK5_WmFEiML_C8MbBOpSElskf33nj0D7M/s320/P1000355.JPG" /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I always sketch card designs or layout designs in my notebook. If you ever see my scribble-scrabble, you will look from sketch to finished project and wonder to yourself, "I don't see the resemblance." It helps me thing and work through the design process. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565837392647654914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwkQrE9Gn7qjbccQGtObjl3BVO5DkrQXj0K9vBgJVwreAZ5nzo9ssiP9LO3e_Hp-bBKgO7jwHJk-lZN-gMA-CR7YSTx_8CKtQY3T50gqiZARX1FSh9gHlMZZgFRNNcjQSfj8oi7vfYEE/s320/P1000356.JPG" /></span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">For this card, I sketched (ha!) it out and started to measure, fold, play with different patterned papers, etc. I pulled in the grade school trick of folding paper in half to create a heart and used that as a template to cut a heart from a page torn from a vintage German book. I printed and distressed a love poem to use as the card sentiment. Added some bling, distress inks and vintage crepe paper and hope it fulfills the romance quota. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565837394549210258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LhhanRs8slW7lKPCVMQ2QxzaGwOlM1mruOGIBUSClzkY1V9nO0n0Y4tfviNtAS4xqUMRzqQhgLd3L-Ujfy3vJjhRte2PZ5rxGZJ87MdJQ8QPXUdt8HSSHMyAZ6ViF2gzcmSfTwI1yvE/s320/P1000358.JPG" /></span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">But even more than the projects, it is the decision to take the time away for the purpose of creating, sharing and oh, the laughter that is food for the soul. We really did laugh over some funny Valentines. And I can't wait to come up with an excuse (perfectly good reason) to do it again! </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">These goodies also go perfectly with the latest <a href="http://opus-gluei.blogspot.com/">Opus Gluei</a> challenge. If you haven't checked them out before, head on over. Low pressure, high-octane creative fun! Come as you are and be embraced by the Poobahs. :) </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=71246" type="text/javascript" ></script>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-62693229665694291362011-01-12T10:38:00.000-08:002011-01-12T10:56:30.138-08:00Fabulous Fifteen!<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Oh wow! Just. Wow.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">My baby is turning fifteen this Saturday. She was a blizzard baby, born right after the crazy blizzard we had in 1996. I remember my neighbor, who was a firefighter, freaking out when he saw me shoveling snow. I was ready for her to ARRIVE. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">He very kindly offered to help me deliver her should I go into spontaneous labor. I think after I picked my jaw up off the floor, I thanked him and said something to the effect of "I will walk to the ER in snowshoes before you deliver this child because no way would I ever be able to look you in the eye again."<br /><br />Fortunately all the roads were cleared of snow and the skies were full of stars on the night she came into this world. When I remember the night of her birthday I always think of this line by Shakespeare, "There was a star danced and under that I was born."<br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561373540789521650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWz-GgU_wA5q31IlbqlPjVSUX8g-y3s-K6JQWDsej4YJC77HfJNoRuhmVBqogz95llOLDFGNJ7tSFVxdyxPoLC9rqrREgZsND8Ehj9Gv-3zwlHoqiDMKQDlgIHg4dMhLXWyrzr3E7DYAA/s320/Ashley+Noelle.jpg" border="0" />And she is a star. Happy Birthday Baby Girl! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561373552626449906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpMguxu2hCZ8ypzEwdlQdX8CHveHKdWCtYoQJd645Budkc1YfXRX_aDw_UepKE7q6aM8otNNMNCHVMGsC5FX3EylCutV966DpIc8vFe0lMzBeVaAOhbzjgDVlwNqy8P2QcpRcSh7mRx8/s320/P1000332.JPG" border="0" />(I made this very girly card for her. She's starting to actually like bling-bling, so I'm milking that for all it's worth!)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561373551432799234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFodmHR08KsB3BkKqujJUAmDGvW-n3wk4BKVSWh-ftWdSxuw-CoRtuj17SHo3GuFDzxTP2lsUkVkFN2wq_mF_6Drfmsp76s-kB9sPk_PX8slky9HvIE8dIbv6UUqXMjE4xVF14ikEXGgU/s320/P1000333.JPG" border="0" /> So much glitter on here. And rhinestones, pearls, Glimmer Mist, paper lace, old tulle, vintage seam binding, etc. It's an homage to a young lady who is growing up on me, but it still very playful at heart. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561373553713139538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJSId-LMctis3UJqti1LkHSM0QB-TbS27QjKV9wDsmWYjM_950yHS86GiotKFPEHX7My_pY9SJzZuKvFzhzePuX7ILJG2-mcTTe4QXsVdtpkhgZiZFJowIwik97xTPs45EOWYPjSEV3U/s320/P1000335.JPG" border="0" /></span>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-3261020578010493272011-01-06T12:10:00.000-08:002011-01-06T12:38:17.282-08:00Return to the Roots<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Long, long ago, a friend tricked me into scrapbooking by asking me to host a Creative Memories party to help her launch her new business. LOL Little did I know that as I was cutting wedding photos into star shapes and smattering them with sticker sneezes that I would become so hooked. </span><br /><br /><div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">But I was. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">It was a tether back to the creative little girl that I had been; who had been choked by the weeds of life, the real world and the admonition to 'grow up'. (as I type this I can't help but think of the John Candy movie, 'Uncle Buck' where he tells off the principal who wants him to crush the spirit of his imaginative niece, what a hilarious and sweet moment that was. Look it up!) </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">To all those who think scrapbooking is something soccer moms do in their myriad hours of spare time, I'm sorry you feel so negatively. I've met incredibly talented women (and men!) with rich, full lives who pour their creative spirit into documenting a life well-lived. Some are married, some are single. Some have 10 children, others have no children. Some are doctors and others are stay at home parents. ALL are valuable. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">And yet, as much as I enjoy it and continue to invest in new product and/or tools, I hadn't scrapbooked at all in quite some time. I made a lot of art that I had a great time creating, but I'd gotten away from the heart of what got me back to creating in the first place: scrapbooking. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">So, while others dressed up to go out and party on NYE, I pulled on some yoga pants, brewed some hot coffee and went to the studio to play. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">And I loved it. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559172169097061938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 314px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYJKknU2t9Ftbf-Au1ada4BuXKIzV757qLFsF-uN4sXxVnewa4AEQZDaNU_WM2azUSMK5Jf4NdZVVDmlB15VxSw_4NTF9ziiFUO7Yl1bkRT2iOMtZ6LI8AOAWxbaKHY4GsT-Dyo5G-8o/s320/P1000329.JPG" border="0" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">What I did isn't elaborate or newsworthy, but it was nourishing and renewing and most of all, it made my 2 oldest feel treasured because they are the subject of my time and effort. They laugh and weakly attempt to hide it from their friends, but then they pull all the old scrapbooks out and spend hours looking through their own lives. Lives well lived. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559172163237297554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 317px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfs0_kGrdrwR2t1_DdvUBvSXaw4xj0XrJeQbipOY61a6jeNEHtunrrx9SwFY5DidTJTzDI3VYjpCbUrEoFmKdUPEVf5YFI-7ie84U0nChOIg-zGpT0isW07GpmGwf_kZEJBi8B7ZMjw0/s320/P1000328.JPG" border="0" />(forgive the cropping of the photos. I'm still trying to figure out my new camera and its photo editing software!)</span></div></div><br /><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=65776" type="text/javascript" ></script>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-10451343553511350012010-12-30T17:18:00.000-08:002010-12-30T17:24:05.889-08:00Upcycling En Masse<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Elsie Flannigan and Rachel Denbow are about to kick off a year of repurposing, remaking and renewing old, worn or damaged items. In other words, they have tapped into a passion of mine: Upcycling. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556650523226970450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOwredD8IQroOn8T7ZgGBGkf7KeQeGerMdt0vwKLi9uRquPs5-4mkrKDrHNX4KuB4_kcIHsoeEd2xjwnj2R-pgrD_OyOz19zBJKt7F_AuC91UR56JYAzTkouc4St3M0R-tFrD7iFf_zM/s320/Project+Restyle.bmp" border="0" /></span><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Join in the effort here...<a href="http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/project-restyle.html"><span style="font-size:100%;">Project ReStyle - A Beautiful Mess</span></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Go against the grain of New Years exclamations of Out with the Old and In with the New. Embrace a new resolution of In with the Old and Who needs the New! </span>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-16955448190683143562010-12-20T08:02:00.001-08:002010-12-20T08:44:27.302-08:00Making Merry Revisited<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 235px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552798900516857362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4YA6V2SnrYxv32BH2Gso3P9jU64hoeYyG6USeWosN8Xw8ODke1DAlGPYZZ-an761h76tDe-irDES4zRgyOPeWaM5-CRkZg-juRvbqtJjqBMJZFMpSxLRrPq-TrOoPP9FW01t0Hu4QU4/s320/P1000207_r1.JPG" /> <span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#006600;"><span style="font-size:180%;">During this time of year when, in general, women all over the world are busy doing, going and buying for others (and quite happily too), I invited <a href="http://freeadvicewortheverypenny.blogspot.com/">Rosemary</a> and <a href="http://toomuchstuff.typepad.com/">Kim</a> over to put the breaks on the Christmas crazy and spend an entire day Making Merry. What better way to recharge and refuel in the midst of the Christmas season than to indulge in a bit of top notch retail therapy and ultra creative play? </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#006600;"><span style="font-size:180%;">We went to one of my favorite places to get decorating inspiration, </span><a href="http://www.chartreuseandco.com/"><span style="font-size:180%;">Chartreuse and Company</span></a><span style="font-size:180%;"> and then we stopped in at a new store down the street from my home, </span><a href="http://larosesauvage.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size:180%;">Wild Rose and Co.</span></a><span style="font-size:180%;"> that also does an amazing job of merchandising the goods. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">Then it was back to the house where we said hi to the City Chicks and then got down to the business of creative play...</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">Rosemary had brought the motherload of Christmas stashes (I want to go shopping in her studio!) as we embellished wine boxes. We were so proud of our accomplishments that they all got an impromptu photo shoot (mine is on the far left). <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552798908544945810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImVZ9SI9yp5qo837ZD_YXccRBhQIFD2LYF0hlMs__5hpbj9eCivZqBeG0NcmhFgoM22n9wlsOwkzdr9iTrZ1R2AkTbHYzdNIh2OZGVPTEJq86nQNXNT0ZkS_LgLXVO3SObIVocqGeu24/s320/P1000206.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">I decided to give mine away to my mom (She never reads my blog, so I'm safe. Did I tell you about the time Mom went skinny dipping with my Dad when I was a little kid? hehehe) and put some very delicate, breakable Christmas ornaments in it. Voila, perfect vehicle for a fragile gift. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">Then we stopped for snacks, nom, nom, nom. There shall be no art without serious carbo loading. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 210px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552801065426080930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhv19p06tpfVsGabLYpg8AaVdOZZ-vFhjhudbxShNxgHWzMzrSm7vPCG69kkTPZ186W2m1JwsKQtlnHxWB_v5vYf571QP80NbXfi_1XA4VhdmCN56GsBc4I3-KN53sVolvlI9e3N0JZc/s320/P1000213_r1.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">After that, we started on my very long, very messy project. Let's just say that cotton batting, cotton balls, glue and mica make incredibly gorgeous finished clouds and snow scenes, but the process is like you gave a kid a roll of duct tape and a bottle of paste then told them to go to town with it. The final result was a snow laden cloud with a vintage Christmas light to lead the way through the dark night with a vintage goodie laden tin in tow (or that's what I hope it looks like). </span><br /></div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 314px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552801068662484146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Urp2GIoBPyUa1IJT8l15DuvEBVlPC05sSCUO_M9zMQv4BFNzNYqWEO-w4g35NfOBPizGrNnGfAXk2g9Qdjp2Cf_dQlcf8kMALuTgpnrwLVCAmnPI3RjdXRBsmEPZrajjYu6-Ftgtqoc/s320/P1000214.JPG" />The inspiration were some vintage cotton batting ornaments, some 'travel' related ornaments my children have the involve zeppelins, or cotton batting sail boats and another project where someone used a vintage tin as a balloon basket. (I've come to the conclusion that a truly original idea, if it should ever suddenly hit me, will probably happen long after I've gone gray and senile) <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552801074354052322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA08iy4ru3xBgkUikMtwnFEHV86pMmBb9OHEFNdFZnmQbg9_qw0VwFG48vaLA8W2d9ITexHs5fkMNzcXPw31Gs9xjR4EA13Q0_FYkc53l8WmCUuWDE9oQUxX6Y7Ay-8ua8OtDusIKdWCo/s320/P1000216_r1.JPG" />After all that creating, we were wiped out, so it was dinner time! Tim, otherwise knowns as Pizza Boy, took our orders and made us homemade pizzas which was followed by more carb loading because being covered in glue and mica burns serious, um, brain cells? </span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">For our final creative endeavor, Kim taught Rosemary and I how to make flowers from ribbon. Both Rosemary and I kind of shivered with intimidation until Kim guided us through beautiful petals, leaves and more. Seriously we had no idea how cool it could be and all of the amazing projects that can be done with ribbon flowers! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">Of course, I don't have a photo of mine because we didn't finish. Our spirit was willing, but our bodies were weak. I've had my pieces in a basket by the sofa so I can slowly put it all together, but I think Kim enabled us to explore yet another new creative outlet! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">(And I think we ate some more as we packed away all of our projects. Who are we to waste perfectly good carbs?) As we hugged each other goodbye, cries were heard of Making Merry to all and to all a Good Night! </span><br /><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=61870" type="text/javascript" ></script>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-51143134675159514502010-12-10T19:59:00.000-08:002010-12-10T20:15:52.947-08:00Egg-static, lol<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">Today we had our first 'real' snow that stuck to the ground. All in all, it was maybe 1/2 inch, but it was enough to cause several accidents and cancel all after school activities. </span><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">This also meant the first snow for the City Chick(en)s. I went out to check on them and they were all cowering inside the coop, hovering around their pop door looking out at me. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549272295837546578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQ2TsLvJRlNa2VNW5KrPNUy6vmSlYp9GxENkVnN4RHKZGgPuf4r3shCcTF23IkU4R-wimswDXzzzIkP4FyBwXMwF9Wp9xJouNfaU1Ck1xfCTuZWC9p-PEPKurLUEHbaqbS9-S10AvWjc/s320/P1000195.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">I meant to tempt them with some sunflower seed and a few brave girls ran out for about 10 seconds to gobble some up before running right back inside the coop and scolding me loudly as if to say "You half-wit woman, can't you see the sky is falling?" <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549272301292243154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrMMmrqXhzmr3VT8EWp-6OphEKdKXzzNl3OHM19lKtmKIwXi0BTPqKwuKks-uvGmgV5KeMLS-G1YxQbygNtvoERW5S0Ns1Pz7uDJ5b7lUrE3pfj1WUR6K8GNhR5yruzUTGEBL71RnovI/s320/P1000196.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">They returned to their vigil of hovering around the pop door and clucking about the end of the world that was surely nigh. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">Biology got the best of them and several still layed their lovely little eggs. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 238px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549272319324939810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmkV8i46OpUABU_GJS3pMg4A5ujLq50A70GLfeQNOs9hWauktw5SHHUZVmirowzBzt2MkcdpCotXaQE_CuSZmhy0kLQISQR-ovafe4LItybSMMLX81at-pY40MtWyF0Kj51IySIqo8H4/s320/P1000194.JPG" /></span></div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">We are getting a kick out of giving away fresh eggs to neighbors and friends. I suppose if you had a highly developed palate, you might say "Dayum, these are downright amazing eggs." I'm not one of those people. But I can tell you that their yolks are brighter & sturdier than any store bought egg. I can also say that I've been told because our chicks eat a well-rounded diet that their eggs are healthier than their store bought counterparts. </span><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 245px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549272304853669298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3bjRfq61_Dyrhcoqu9GUHzcUVAP1c56WHVM0QhdQhNGV7M4hBUNekX_SnZPCgOiNNUtWiF0jjCEGHmjDZ5EBfTMsxcVjLuqbfkDNUkhRL0uCP1nNOZ76E983xtjza8N2FMODO77yBBI/s320/P1000192.JPG" /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">And, by golly, they are pretty! Each day going to collect eggs is a bit like Christmas morning. Or maybe I'm just incredibly easy to entertain. :) </span><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 274px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549272311360119794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpXxV4ag-i88zMOpBj81k8fcktAyNF51OVhy6BTK-LDJ78undA9EK8sUzPgPx78fmCfTMXw5IPrs48yo0AHr3XYY93MsBiLOafEHoW77vr1BjerFt0C9BlkUZwfZICz9AxdUdGcJfRlHQ/s320/P1000193.JPG" /></div></div></div></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-34512783020300576502010-12-04T05:13:00.000-08:002010-12-04T05:38:32.126-08:00The Circle o'Vintage<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 315px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546815768429080354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsx_WeFD9k5GWkW-SjSdvR7aJJnF6xXP_suSZ9XK2gAtJpGqMIBpcnScteOt8y7eGe4p37sSVvCwfLdMFfwtVSChWZLPi_WUH6dCC2ubffGyYGak8FXScxbHqbr1qETarfkVK84fTfOYM/s320/P1000182.JPG" /> <span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">My old house has something that often foils my attempts to hang things on walls: loads of windows and plaster. I am determined that this beauty IS going up this year rather than languishing in obscurity. I may be scaling back, but I still love the shiny (oooh, shiny). <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546815770653354738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpK-fNOOzrZCvlyBVnpzjiQUQOK2WEku6iS9gSTtu_w0wxiqF2H8f7o3oTI0uSxnYu8fBmnHJCMzByVw-5-AM_qyksfdyskZ1IGd2_FxO70UHx8IiFAVxCoiuXNk-w_lpgBPekbNixIZw/s320/P1000183_r1.JPG" />Sweet angel on her cloud...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546815776679807794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkmFrvr22cYBlHJ1gB-uGEb0KpjsSXgwKzDSrReblz5pi0N3OycACnxfH2YdVbSeSUm-IMhFlpeIeVplSfCqHQm62DZtIMOtwmMXxPhV4y7rqsKIuOTO3QItPzOxStBLhy5FW3px7UBk/s320/P1000185.JPG" />Love this bell! <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546815782578664914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_AitZWsysMEOoLGLesDeTzfsOs9unWwiPJHcfJDLvGYtazBgnXlsnsJwUicONF-BLf2vyHQO0-NSepcNXwfdtqRJfbPZf32OB1L-sk8738emjxoVf9gTGf59ArcjlrIeOn6rzoL2BXaQ/s320/P1000186.JPG" />Full of vintage love. It will go up. I may crack some plaster, but it's one of my projects for the day. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546815793058443058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQWR7tlcQwLvRJ4S1SNZ4pTFD59-VUre2fnJZHg5JqDwU1-_KcsFhf17wcpD8a2ATc0VG_hxGOfQ8kHwN3ksD9NjBYS43FiSyHT-jrP1AdECRMBFr0-7IKYgPqVJjbGWxzng9r7lSiEU/s320/P1000188.JPG" />And I carved out some time to play with Opus Gluei for their current "Getting Frosted" challenge. It was like carved out while watching Jimmy Fallon late at night carved out, but I was having too much fun for sleep. </span><br /><br /><div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">When I make stuff purely from old stash I start to feel bad about shopping for new goodies.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">I mean, really, really guilty bad. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">For about a minute. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">And then I'm over it. :) </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">But, I do quite love pulling together a project from old stash and creating something new. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 293px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546816873999463314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vbodH9u10Y8IbB0FCZtYHrW3B_UQsGIIIXZbUOdRXISq2TCysLDiLIfee_Z56o7Z9ZLZUNqIkp85_NIsnClK51fhDjUAQGurdBdblG6Gim_B4fFvUBdhHjtI_pewNNSlGvPR-VgFnk4/s320/P1000190.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;color:#006600;">This wintery, frosty card uses old Heidi Swapp, Ranger, Martha Stewart, Making Memories, Basic Grey, vintage flowers and I used vintage tinsel to make a nest. If you figure out how to removed my camera covered face from the reflection, let me know. I'm not fluent in Photoshop, so it'll stay there for now. ;)</span></div></div><br /><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=58936" type="text/javascript" ></script>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-12194594106407331432010-12-02T12:59:00.000-08:002010-12-03T10:20:41.898-08:00We Need A Little (Smaller) Christmas<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">right this very minute...</span><br /><br /><div><div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">My poor husband. After years of careful training on my part, he has finally learned to fully embrace that Clark Griswald Christmas spirit while his wife is beginning to recite 'edit, edit, edit' in her head. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">What does this mean? While Tim is wandering around the attic and trying to hand me every single Christmas thing we own (and it's a lot), I'm yelling up "Not this year." Hence the grumbling and muttering from up above as he tells the rejected items they are going to the cast-off corner. </span></div><div><br /> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I'm not getting rid of anything, but I have been trying to pull back, refocus and refresh our decorations for the season...without buying anything new unless it's living like wreaths or swags. My BFFs might faint dead away when they read this that has been typed by my own two hands: There can be too much of a good thing. (Thud heard in MA, I know) </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Instead of putting out every single snowman I own, just a few came out to play this year. Instead of spreading out our Christmas trees into several areas, I grouped them in a miniature forest.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546196417675159970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KP1pgH2fOc4Tw_Azrs-8jiqdSqWREmdNYb9lrlUE-5gXqkyxmLzMwHGANHYkY6QCx_M-K2KrQOQ2TGE6xo5K-KCq8QnwlbzIUDxnMnSvoD1pxgQekBylgrYXisXrdWk49e_v2CanwBU/s320/oh+christmas+tree.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I like it. It's not the heavenly displays from Anthropologie or Kate's Paperie, but it seems...new...even though it's all old stuff. </span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546196421536119122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 251px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1socTUPtTyBsp93-ZbSQi3bY_y3T9RJKYP8_kqho1bq_BwlVJsmuiHRbK5MA-imQSUKD4KYZDM7DCOYzhDlQxVNVMubqeb_Jr7bJb5rwg86V1EhPSpuJvTVmAtjt-igkP8ojx4QcEubU/s320/P1000154.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I did give in to dressing up the chandeliers a bit. </span><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">And Sozo kitty was overjoyed to see her annual December napping spot return again. The minute that tree skirt went down, I swear she was sprawled out on it in less than a minute. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546196428925693826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 238px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qhS0ZJlmcIIlnAbWVr6ngbUzspsa7sAN_0__KMKdNlfS9akbpTTO74ZbDVMi1hZtW0fk6Wfab0W-uUPKiEVIBrQkbdg-LJ5dC3Dggu3pCI0thkT3WnV2etOrzvTD9R9QgF19mi9wWyk/s320/P1000151.JPG" border="0" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Tim will thank me for all that editing later when he's not carrying all that stuff back up to the attic. ;) </span></div></div></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-60326746564507489392010-11-27T08:57:00.001-08:002010-11-27T09:10:21.744-08:00Opus Gluei Challenge<span style="color:#006600;">Yeah, I managed to squeak in another Opus Gluei challenge this weekend! I probably went off the color palette a bit by throwing a blue in there, but when it feels so right, how can it be wrong? :) <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 243px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544275061131614098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9h2zkSM1RJ3teR3bP9yOFw29w2vGKEqW5fAwHrPEUOFmkV9y1jpK6jPeytifAFAuEHdPO9dmyIJf_YhkLkCJuEpHd7tvxelz5HgCnyKWQYtIkU5BzJzXTWEpI6gsrP8jhRgkJtCUTwSI/s320/P1000148.JPG" />I pulled from MME, Heidi Swapp, 7 Gypsies, Ranger, Basic Grey and Target $ Spot for this one. It's not too complicated, but it is cute (I hope).</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Wonderful I hope! Now on to....</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Christmas Crazy! </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Ok, if you've been here before you know I get totally geeked out over Christmas. I'm insufferable really. To that end, I have put the Christmas playlist back up on the bottom of the blog. If you don't like it, mute it. If you do, turn up the dial and sing along! </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">And, I'm losing sleep in the name of merriment. As in Making Merry! A couple of friends and I are getting together for a little holiday experiment. If it works out, we may expand it to other holidays as well. As it is, I'm can't wait to share my project with them; a little vintage chic with a bit of a nod towards Steampunk style (Loved that Steampunk storyline on Castle a couple of months ago!)</span><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Time to get back to decking some halls...</span></p><br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=57654" type="text/javascript" ></script>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-75228740142465031482010-11-15T15:49:00.001-08:002010-11-15T16:10:34.361-08:00Merry Inspiration<a title="Little Christmas Robin's Nest by passingthyme, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/16878802@N02/3100319386/"><img alt="Little Christmas Robin's Nest" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/3100319386_20b01571b3.jpg" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><span style="color:#006600;">I think it's fairly evident by now that Christmas is upon the horizon. I knew it was here the moment I polished off my first bag of Candy Cane Hershey's Kisses (drat you Hershey!). When the Cadbury Mini Balls showed up at Target, I nearly had a happy seizure (Did you know in Canada, they have these all year round? Dude, no fair!)</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">Just a few links to get you in a merry mood...</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><a href="http://issuu.com/inspired-ideas/docs/christmas"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Inspired Ideas, The Christmas Issue</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS, this online issue is full of Christmas love. I know at least one idea that I'm tweaking from this and about 10 more ideas that are on my 'must-do' list! </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com/"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Holiday...with Matthew Mead</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"> Seriously, I danced a jig when I opened my mailbox to find this gift in it this evening. A flippin' full on jig, I tell ya! (while holding eggs in one hand too) I haven't even gotten past the first few pages and I'm already salivating at the joy contained in the pages of this lush magazine. Only 'magazine' isn't the right word for it. It's a revelation of Christmas pleasures supported online by links to patterns, recipes and more. You can only get it by ordering online or from a store that specially ordered a box of this goodness. </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="color:#006600;">I have followed Matthew Mead's creative trail for years and he's assembled a fabulous team that has put together "Holiday" so thoughtfully that you won't regret getting a copy of your own. </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><a href="http://joli-paquet.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Joli Paquet</span></a> <span style="color:#006600;">Back for another Christmas with free tutorials (and these are GOOD tutorials too) and teasers about their famous kit sales from a group of talented artists, make sure you don't forget to check Joli Paquet often.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.oneprettything.com/"><span style="color:#cc0000;">One Pretty Thing</span></a> <span style="color:#006600;">Here you will find ideas, inspiration and free downloads on a daily basis. If you can't get excited about something on this site, the Whos from Whoville need to grow your Grinchy heart a size or two. </span>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-54215632451430892102010-11-12T06:41:00.000-08:002010-11-12T07:11:29.622-08:00Opus Gluei, the Gratitude Edition<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I hope Rosemary and Jana haven't kicked me off the rolls for Opus Gluei. I know I've been a bad artist. Having my entire studio flooded and torn apart for months really threw me into an art funk (in a bad way). It's still not completely put together, but I had to get in there and do what I could to pull a Tim Gunn (make it work). (And I will digress here and say this about Project Runway: Mondo got robbed. Humph.)</span><br /><br /><div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Then, to just totally throw me for a loop, my trusty camera went kaput. It began putting out images that looked like negatives from the film reel for the original Excorcist. I don't care what Tim Gunn says, I could not make that work at all. I frittered away for months using only my camera phone to capture shaky images. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">When dear hubby and I were about to leave for vacation, I stomped my little feet (or long, wide, plantar fascitis plagued feet) and announced via text message whilst at Costco, that I WAS getting a camera before the trip. Remind me of my behavior next time one of my teens gives me attitude. Who was going to believe I was viewing lava if I didn't have the proof? (Uh and I still don't have proof. They wouldn't let us that close to the lava. But I do have a 'Beach closed. Shark sighting.' photo!)</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">So folks, I hope this means I'm back in the business of creating and occasionally participating in some Opus Gluei fun! <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538677139857560482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFYKG4GYUJemg6qH3WD6XjpacwsLrNysKdnkw0H1PPcOGTNUnjV8BSAp_AeSLK6FB4XRfpR4vN1lRIePE0pvE7vcY2Bg0cYRtBFQTNtyignxhFVwuCGjMlswb23yM7AY8CAgkeYIjvoI/s320/P1000085.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Their latest challenge was Attitude of Gratitude. Someone recently went above and beyond for me, so I wanted to give her a little somethin' somethin'. She loves herself some good chocolate. That can be had from the store, but it needed some presentation, some panache, a little something extra. I pulled from the gorgeous fall palette for color inspiration and glued a lush Prima flower that I'd been waiting for the perfect project to use it because it was THAT special to a golden organza bag. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538677147037425970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUA-_GSwfSrUG3675olcIzPlOqwj26Tg-AsKh3WO4CpgojNuXwdCLcB5AvFDdJf2t7xripPbcIwoEKgoqfgbmf1d6wOgp62gGpa6s8FgUesVU4TAcyPiw_VXr5j2WHRsnn-S4oIzoH7Dg/s320/P1000086.JPG" />For a card, I did several scalloped circles held together by ball chain embellished with a glass leaf charm, a silver letter charm and some vintage seam binding. Then those teensie circle letters from Jenni Bowlin nestled into the little scalloped to spell 'Grateful'. I wrote her a note of thanks upon the circles and will be giving it to her this weekend. Since she never reads blogs, I think I'm safe in showing it here in advance. I hope! </span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div></div><br /><br /><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/thumbnail_linky_include.aspx?id=54920" type="text/javascript" ></script>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-30323285353543531712010-11-09T06:14:00.000-08:002010-11-09T09:06:25.817-08:00Egg-citement!<span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">So, no comment on the long, uncomfortable silences on this blog. Same story women have told for ages...<br /><br />Last weekend, the hubby and I were running around doing errands and it occured to me that Maryland at this time of year is wildly beautiful. The colleges deftly schedule their tours to coincide with the perfect scenery. Numerous fall festivals and craft shows abound. Most importantly, our chickens have started laying!<br /><br />Yes, the previous freeloaders are slowly beginning to come off scholarship and earn their keep. Surprisingly, the first little layer was Peanut, our black silkie and the tiniest of the flock. Peanut is our youngest daughter's personal chicken, so young daughter is especially proud that her chickie is the chickie who could. (We all need to start refering to Peanut as a she since we've previously called Peanut a he. Our apologies Peanut!)<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537596950882160002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8AjhxLuJORZ1dgUBxyaPQUWMaY2cYJAP44QYrPxm_0k-fvygDlOqRmG4T0kzAAnbPugbiOpZ87aEIIOCPAkSeBANAgbBj0AtUbYaI2oZgQbzCuI03dc5g5anhYxEKG27DV-e4Gp_Wjw/s320/P1000088.JPG" />Peanut lays the cutest, half-size bantam pullet eggs.<br /><br />The next little chickie on the production line is Duckie, our Buff Orpington and acknowledged chicken public relations ambassador. Duckie is the calmest, most inquisitive little lady who enjoys attention, so she is the one to comfort and reaasure those who view chickens negatively.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537596965692348962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56Jk1AqqlyYnRjXGytN4a10XNfw60-Y9WwljR5Z2NSz1zUJx5SR7lJlbvFgw5EzQHn-sA6id808eeiNA7TXzNKnfrk1KW8PfzrCMkodALOeG9GakcQWbsKigCyXStfo_cyx17bm6v1Uk/s320/P1000087.JPG" /><br />And most recently, Patches, our pretty Easter Egger with a funny, floppy comb has begun laying a lovely blue-green egg. She sings her quirky egg song beforehand, arranges the nest box just so and then puffs up before dropping off her contribution to the egg carton.<br /><br />We do have a mystery layer who hasn't figured out that dropping your eggs willy-nilly in the chicken run isn't so wise. We are hopeful she will watch her chickie sisters and follow their lead.<br /><br />Most of the others show signs of joining the production line soon including one little white silkie who I was quite sure was a rooster and it now most assuredly a little lady with a really odd comb.<br /><br />So, soon quiche, omelets and angel food cakes will abound! If it begins to get too crazy, we'll resort to tossing eggs in unlocked cars and leaving them anonymously on neighbors porches (must like our practice with zucchini and tomatoes in the summer).<br /><br />Don't even ask hubby how much that first egg cost!</span>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-66219427452074484642010-07-14T13:15:00.001-07:002010-07-14T17:25:52.552-07:00A Product of Their Times<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Yes, yes, yes, this blog has been collecting dust for months. Sorry if you sneeze! No promises that it'll get any better, but who knows? </span><br /><br /><div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I was on a forum the other day and there was a discussion of products our mothers bought (or prepared) when we were children that we now despise. I remember my mom used to buy imitation chocolate chips for her cookies. Not only that, but she would double the cookie recipe without doubling the chips! Not just one crime, but two; especially to unwavering chocolate lovers like me. I don't know that they even make those chips anymore or perhaps that my eyes refuse to register them on the shelf. </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">That wasn't the only bizarre food choice in our household when I was growing up. When my mom was expecting my little sister, she craved sardine sandwiches with mustard. Guess what we had for lunch a lot? A whole lot.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span> </div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Sometime in the late 70s or early 80s (I think) was when generic foods came into existence. There was a warehouse store that was totally foreign to me. You bought these enormous boxes of food, but all the packaging looked the same; either white or yellow with a checkmark and plain black font. Duh, all the food tasted the same too; like crusty sock fungus or remarkably like the cardboard boxes they were packaged in. I know several store brand foods are quite alright now, but back then, it was social death to have a friend glimpse into your cabinets to see a flash of plain boxed puffed rice insta-dinner. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Now, if I go further back a generation as it related to me, I remember the meals my grandparents made and their attitudes towards food. My maternal grandparents had a large garden each year (and still do though they are both well seasoned in years) and canned many, many vegetables, fruits, jams & jellies. Prize winning cans in fact. My mom has groused on more than one occasion that Nana cooked the vegetables to mush (true a lot of times), but at least Nana knew where they were grown, what they were grown with and what they were grown without. Though her cinnamon squash will go down in infamy (because it most certainly did not go down my gullet), Nana and Papa approached food in the same way they were raised with food. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Surely they've all grown. Nana now buys store bought pies and several convenience foods. My parents are once again growing much of their own food and have farm fresh eggs from their motley crew of chickens. </span></div><div><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">What am I a product of? Pretty much an unhealthy amalgam of what was first taught to me in school as the 4 food groups. Now it's the food pyramid. And a lot of the food on the shelves in the grocery come with ingredients lists that are longer than the ingredients list on my eye shadow. Now that's freaky. And I can't pronounce the ingredients either. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span> </div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">We've swung back and forth between low-fat/no-fat, sugar free, high fiber, no carbs, good carbs, omega-3s, whatchapeas, etc to the point where frankly I think most of us are more confused than not about healthy eating. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span> </div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">The author Michael Pollan tells us it might help if we shop the aisles of our local grocery and only buy things our great-grandmother would recognize. That would pretty much cut out all the interior aisles. Not to go label crazy, but if my Great Grandma Rae wouldn't buy it, then I should think about leaving it on the shelf myself. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">As Richard Dreyfuss tells Bill Murray in "What About Bob", baby steps. What are my baby steps right now? </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span> </div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Today I picked fresh peppers, cherry tomatoes, my first 'big' tomato (a Cherokee Purple), burgundy okra, basil and Italian flatleaf parsley. I also dug up all the sweet onions. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /> </div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Oh, and I fed these little girls watermelon rinds which they gobbled right up. Should be weeks though before they are off 'scholarship' and start earning their keep by laying eggs. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">The first girl is LaVerne (we have a Shirley too). She's a Silkie bantam which means she's like a miniature poodle prissy poodle chicken. The second girl is Cream Puff who has a lovely feather pattern of a red head cascading into silvery blue tail feathers. She's an Araucana (or Easter Egger), so she'll lay blue or green eggs. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493864812717633842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjE3TUddOSz7f6Ie8XqUWHcWxzdQlryfskcJjpqH8xpzevQjtNYHLnm0ZK32by6gDa7UmxsY36U9M965kRhqmdcHB1Har6xD4Q9mT84AoJTM7jGjkWlnCr2DE1LkuRQXxK0S5yjajRs9o/s320/IMG_3882.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493864822618154002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7W0aGwcD61KJTku9HN-EJY7HTWHirWw3Zxbl5mXfk5pXWaaMl5GtbbWWHN9WYZW2fFbe2Ec7COIhjHvMgOD8yl_cQfCl5JfjElBBQ2ig3aTosu-JrPG70uMbO1GButqU8z1Y1QlPgIE/s320/IMG_3884.JPG" /></span></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-42005231487029511282010-06-28T11:12:00.000-07:002010-06-28T11:12:25.509-07:00Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming: Summer!<object style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/cYQJ_SIVUVE/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cYQJ_SIVUVE&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cYQJ_SIVUVE&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-84528888992227353202010-02-13T20:04:00.001-08:002010-02-13T20:45:15.244-08:00Happy Lurve Day!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437945447431142290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TYGcsnih_YuInZBO_Qof7lr_QaekEPL1qxpV8ngoSPvBftPH6WMwtp3UZtfm7F_-d3bdARkKPUfbvMOJJ78uOvYRGCS6mEzDt0JXGV852yB6X3tFSAB9BPFHlBl0WC6gadj6j6V8Ws4/s320/IMG_3764.JPG" /><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Once again that day of the year again that is sure to inspire thoughts of love or sure to bring sad & lonely disappointment is here: Valentine's Day. My hubby is out of town all weekend, will be home for only one night (a late one at that) then leave to go to LA for the rest of the week (poor baby, his team has a rented beach house, lol), so I won't have much Cupid-like activity. I do have my 3 children home for Valentine's Day though, a rare treat since 2 of them are halfway out of the nest already. As usual, in the morning, they'll find a few surprises waiting for them. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">I made this lollie (above)after being inspired by a tutorial on the House of 3 Inspiration blog done by Rhonna Farrer. She also did a great tutorial on making blossoms with coffee filters, so when hubby gets home, he will need to run out and buy more. Whoopsie! Hey, I got carried away! </span><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437945449187154450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RAvunhtY2HHkjNKmX-iy5IInz5TxKrCaJK6hAoN53EijS0PEoK_1xZQjaVTzHe2bvACng2qull8obCJ56_Tms-HWugie_cFQ-M7jOvbuCeHqe3Nkx8WJeKudg-mGVZoBJMm6nBCzltE/s320/IMG_3762.JPG" /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">To make our Valentine's weekend more festive for the kids, I hung a few banners and paper lanterns. All of the pink even catches the light and reflects a soft, romantic light around the rooms; an unexpected bonus. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Friday night, I took my daughter, her boyfriend and I went out to see the new movie, Valentine's Day. It was frothy and cute. No big, deep life lessons, but I got to hang with my girl, get to know her young man better and laugh at the crazy parking jobs in the snow around the theater. The government had declared a state of emergency, schools were out and our mail never arrived, but by golly, that theater was packed to the last seat. Cabin fever had everyone aching to get out! </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Look what was outside of our 'cabin'...a supersized and scary couple of icicles. We have very tall windows, so these would be lethal should you be under one the moment they decide to break loose from their perch. Had a bit of a "Psycho" shower fright when I opened the curtain to see those! Maybe, just maybe, at this rate the icicles and snow may melt in time for summer break. I hear we're supposed to get more snow on Monday. Noooooooooooooooooooo! </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXehhbN-q_ZukTSQUHvVDSrSYFMfWQQTxsa2GXixKQJazwideLRufM1fvXiNAlSVaXfEXVHzktFOx3DaogU2UY8z2gnNqW-z7VDqD4eZiEuaHfreuerBiP2WXgXsx9YGnL0zEyzNzPhyphenhyphenc/s1600-h/IMG_3760.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437945459890511282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXehhbN-q_ZukTSQUHvVDSrSYFMfWQQTxsa2GXixKQJazwideLRufM1fvXiNAlSVaXfEXVHzktFOx3DaogU2UY8z2gnNqW-z7VDqD4eZiEuaHfreuerBiP2WXgXsx9YGnL0zEyzNzPhyphenhyphenc/s320/IMG_3760.JPG" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1543270587662513114.post-73983472057712087062010-02-10T08:14:00.000-08:002010-02-10T09:15:54.793-08:00So, it's snowing. Yet again. :P<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 228px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436661847074603298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpx70tBWQFcxy0b3RUOJWLyh_Ic530E_J1AJM0lxN0H4GWsV3biVyTxwsP7Q84TedJYRFeKRIbUu0DRd039S8gAB_bZqowhvyGV3cGdHTZvs7JR_IqVbAiklIk3W8sBxwo-rcj44UF6VU/s320/IMG_3759.JPG" /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">The artsy craftsy pictures were going to be on the bottom of this post, but blogger won't let me move them, so here they stay. I made this heart banner after being inspired by a project on Teresa McFayden's Paper Romance e-zine. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">The necklaces below are little surprises for some special people. The card the necklaces are mounted upon is simply cardboard that's been masked and Glimmer Misted to within an inch of its life. Up close, they are dripping in shimmer. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 222px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436661860324440322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelN7h2ZNjuK67sGqbabOEey9Gue7n4uu6uWgfsuGxUwUOuyc68ilUHU9gDT_We6IcCMZvYjmBwh7gO3We8cfE9xcFnP-BpDX_wQZNSa3EaqLctXjFEUM4FXF6BzdsF7qTKRrCE644Mw0/s320/IMG_3757.JPG" />To make the "Beautiful One" word strip, I cut patterned paper down to the width of Dymo label tape and ran it through the Dymo. Then I swiped a fairly dry Old Paper Distress ink pad across the letters to help them show more clearly. I hope they like them! </span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsYL4eZsbZ9FlwhiMXHAXC0j9YgACMgRosnaHnSeIccYKZwxylieCsJB0ckrhPhLRfugdboB4gpjaOhu-zB7UpOoHYxhGxOGwZh67IRC9M2sjvo31E3mArzOPD59O0fDHcZzS80S5dsQ/s1600-h/IMG_3758.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436661855117591986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsYL4eZsbZ9FlwhiMXHAXC0j9YgACMgRosnaHnSeIccYKZwxylieCsJB0ckrhPhLRfugdboB4gpjaOhu-zB7UpOoHYxhGxOGwZh67IRC9M2sjvo31E3mArzOPD59O0fDHcZzS80S5dsQ/s320/IMG_3758.JPG" /></a> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#006600;">It would've been a disservice to any of the few readers of this blog to read me waxing eloquent upon the evils of snow. Yet here I am, to wax eloquent upon the evils of snow while it is (no surprise) snowing out with blizzard (sometimes hurricane forces) winds. </span><br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;">School has been out and will be out for the remainder of the week. Fortunately, I live in a little town that is managed with a velvet-covered iron fist, so our roads are usually fine. Unfortunately, the hubby hadn't been further than the local grocery store (honestly, one we could walk to if we needed), so he thought the rest of the state had to be fine (he also works from home). This sheltered view led to him expressing disbelief when I told him that the rest of the state is, indeed, not fine. That major roads aren't quite clear and many neighborhood roads are nearly impassable. Traffic lights are flashing which leads to replays of Drivers Ed in our heads as we battle the 'polite driver' vs the 'I'm first and I don't give a rip about the rules driver' and me, the 'did all you people forget basic drivers ed?!? driver'. </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span></span><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#006600;">Enough of my whining (but, seriously folks, why do they not issue frequent customer cards for liquor stores?), life goes on, right? </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#006600;">A couple of weeks ago, I won a fabulous prize on Heidi Swapp's blog, <a href="http://heidiswapp.typepad.com/my_weblog/">Still Me</a>. A necklace made by <a href="http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/">Lisa Leonard Designs</a>. This is the necklace I won: <a href="http://www.lisaleonardonline.com/inspired-designs/illuminate-necklace.html">lluminate</a> and I was able to choose what I wanted stamped onto the necklace. I chose "Walk in the light" in reference to a few things. 1 John 1:7, Matthew 5:16 and jumping off of this performance by artist, Tobymac (turn off my music player at the bottom of the blog to watch if you'd like):<br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5_MpGRQRrP0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5_MpGRQRrP0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object></span><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#006600;">Apparently the mail carrier went through the snow because it showed up at my home yesterday and it is beautiful. A big thanks to both Heidi Swapp and Lisa Leonard for such a generous gift! I will wear it often as a reminder to not only talk the talk, but to walk the walk. </span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">Here are a few pics of our lovely snow from last weekend without the addition of the snow we're getting today...</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">1) Our garage<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436656178101916354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidDFQ6-U5BaBAMYguYRPGcyOCSyks_Ea1AEaffwHP7534SXCEzUdA7lmTkWpEqY1vCaYJNoPLHhg47lIsbjy0MjBM-jNOlwvFldfOfZdc2uv7Ni3Rin8DPbNGGIC7o-2V_vIDLKYHEl8/s320/IMG_3753.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">2) The view down our street<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436656183942165858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVnwm6Z21CpNgp-tjRqzPAZjZrVhzrHGoPYwUaFIvw6ixClbPq_YbneVTOpjCGG8yaXA72frXiL3lRcfxcATdB6kO5uMrf66hoyVpHsVocDCfcAopbXMK9EU0pDKKGnlOYcSUacQjipw/s320/IMG_3752.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">3) My car is under there somewhere!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436656190829531650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5YOJf71CVXg3sjan027uR981Q61fLU0eDLHIrgV8txbV5VVjS06RxesK06k5x3MJVaSSUHZtQIors8lnS0LLKjBRXf79_8uEAb5f56e1u9KQCffR0j6irpa1XXtF9Q8605BVYbCN0Z0/s320/IMG_3751.JPG" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#006600;">4) Ash & Jack galloping down the street <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436661846002577810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJrOEJXaK99Q_tc9-CeSHIlMC1qucpH84ZnVAyNCTWLKJVOhcsQtD-sPGMKT_QP78z-PDIgyN8MxQBx-88BQS0P35_yDHEgxJH53gfa_YjvTFVYui_878dPVAn1vav0crskwDKlV5I0k/s320/IMG_3755.JPG" /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Casiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06846469609585903465noreply@blogger.com4