_Smiley Face Here_

Lookie Lookie!! It's gonna be a Senior Craft Class project eventually, but today this small pin was the "make and take" T & I did at the Stamp & Scrap Expo!

Eco Art Board
Stamp of choice
Inks of choice
Clear Micro Beads
Sticky Sticky Tape
small glass marble/bead
Thermal Foil Rolls

It's a 1-1/2 inch square, edged with the thin sticky tape (which is double-sided), which as metal foil along the side (which you can't see) - I chouse a brilliant blue. Stamp the white Eco-Art Board & color. (I used regular colored pencils). Then use the 1-1/2 inch sticky tape and attach to the top of the colored image. Attach the bead/marble, then dip in a container full of the clear beads. Attach the jewelry finding to the back.

Seriously a very cool effect, with very little effort!!

T & I had a nice day at the expo - and of course I come back all inspired!!

Right now I'm working on getting all my craft class photos in one place, so I can create a tri-fold brochure to explain who I am, what I do, and why it is necessary for Senior Citizens to have activities, and why someone should pay me for it.

I also found out what an ATC is today -- Artist Trading Cards - with very specific dimensions for crafty people and artists to exchange in person or by mail.

It is so easy to just look at all the cool stuff, and not actually do any creating (just buy all the tools...), so today was fun for the productivity we got to participate in!

Has it been that long since I posted last? Sorry!!!

Went to Mammoth Lakes... not as cool as it should have been for the 24 hours driving back and forth... 7900 feet above sea level should have afforded me some COLD!!! Did some scrapping, did some sleepin', enjoyed being all by myself for 4 whole days.

This weekend is Quartet Retreat... haven't even unloaded the van from the CA trip yet... leaving tonight or tomorrow, haven't decided yet. Not sure where my phone is... which could be a problem.

Miserably Hot.

Chorus is fun.

Hubby's doing great... heading home for 3 weeks... hoping he'll be shipping the rest of our (MY) stuff home.

Going to be doing some more craft classes... like I have time... but cutting out tv will allow me to do more crafting... and more money!

Also will be doing more scrapbooking... invested in a Cricut after coming back from CA, where I dropped off 54 pages (which I scrapped the week before... how much more I could make if I'd not procrastinate!).

Work is busy... scary times for non-profits who are extracurricular activities that aren't sports.

ttfn!

More Movies!

So ~ last night we watched "88 Minutes" with Al Pacino -- I thought it was excellent! We then watched "Mamma Mia!" and I loved it! I really would like to see it live ~ but have to say Meryl Streep was terrific... thought Colin Firth probably should have been more featured in the singing, he has quite the nice voice... I love Pierce Brosnan, and he did an admiral job; but watching him sing made me uncomfortable because he looked so ill at ease for most of his stuff.

Had a really good conversation with my dad last night, which was something I needed. I read about people who are screwed up because their fathers are emotionally distant... my dad and I are so intune with each other it is kinda spooky ~ and he definitely is the polar opposite of emotionally distant! So ~ Love You Dad... oh so much :D.

Today I loaded up a bunch of photos onto facebook... for my two expat buddies (you know who you are) ... well, I just encourage you again -- in the light of the new year... to seriously consider being on FB. It is faster than blogging, easier... and in real time -- you can have the page up while doing other things... go away then come back and read your friend's updates and it is cool. Of course, it is a time vortex, which will suck away your time... but time-schwime, right?

I've updated my barbershop music database (yes, as exciting as it sounds *Yawn!*), and my barbershop audio database... our quartet gathering this weekend will be a music choosing and image discussion meeting, with maybe a little singing thrown in for good measure.

I have the craft class tomorrow and haven't done one. single. thing. And I'm here, bloggin like I have time (!!) It's gonna be a long night...

Catching Up With Photos

These are the "Pebber Nodder" Danish Christmas Cookies ~
recipe to follow... (these are the ones that call for white pepper in the
recipe -- and so far have been a favorite of all who have tried it)
I know they're not much to look at ~ but they're good!


These are the "Cookies in a Jar" Orange-flavored Cranberries & White Chocolate chips.
YUM! (Recipe to follow)



These are "Grandma's Ginger Snaps" or something like that -- very very good!
crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside! One of my favorites!
(you'll see evidence of the white pepper for the other cookies on the counter - ignore the dirty stovetop...)


These are the Holiday Cards we made in the Craft Class in November --
I don't have a picture (yet) of the snowflake ornaments...

I remembered this morning that my new computer at work has a multi-card reader
built into the base... and I can transfer photos from my camera card to my thumb-drive
and take those home and download via USB. YAY!

More photos coming... but wanted to prove that I've done a FEW of the many cookies to bake ... more cookies (and recipes) coming soon!

Craft Class - October 2008

Craft Class Toilet Roll Napkin Rings

(Try to ignore the distracting mess of my desk...)

Technology Today

So... after our van was attempted to be stolen (just no good grammar way to write that thought when I'm in a hurry), we had to get the starter mechanism repaired. And there is a computer chip that has to connect with the ignition key (van key) in order for the van to go.

Well -- himself's key is all fine and good.

Mine... not so much. So this morning I had 15 minutes I'll never get back -- thinking the van was broken forever in a weird way that wasn't the battery or that anything was really *wrong* with the van -- when, in fact, I was just using the wrong van key.

My key opens the doors too. It just doesn't make the van go.

Who would think that changing keys (which you think are exactly the same, when in fact they are not), would make the van go.

I tell you -- not such simple times we live in, ya know.

- - - - -
so, now I'm off to teach seniors how to make napkin rings with toilet paper tubes.

I know you want one.

Craft Class Again

We're doing Autumn-Halloween pocket door hangers -- it has been fun putting it together.

Right now I'm sitting in my 'studio' -- I had to find a corner rounder (found it!) and knew where it was, but it was two or three layers of stuff to go through before I could get to the box they were in... So I figure I might as well re-arrange a little -- himself wants my desk for his work-at-home that starts end of this next week, so I'm losing a great (second-hand) desk -- gaining some space -- so I'm trying to think how best to re-arrange.

And I'll be returning to Sweet Adelines, and so have to have access to all that stuff.

I'm going away to scrap for a weekend in October, and it sure would be nice to have all the stuff I've been saving to scrapbook "someday" in page kits ready to go...

Not impossible, and now that it is cooling down slightly (I actually turned the blower of the evap cooler up to 70 last night!!!) I am much more likely to stay in here and get some work done.

- - -
I've not been to the gym since August 14th. My knee is really really hurting, worse than ever before... and I know that walking will strengthen what needs to be strengthened... and do my back a lot of good too.

I got my can of pepper spray (they were out of the pocket/purse size, so I have a MAJOR can of pepper spray) and the silver police whistle -- now for the flashlight and the massive something in which to hang all this stuff and wear while I'm out walking my dog. Cuz when you have a handful of dog poop (which also could be a formidable weapon....) and a dog leash in both hands, you don't want to be worrying about the flashlight and the pepperspray -- but yet you want it handy and ready-to-go.

If I'd left T.'s earlier than 11:15pm (if I'd been leaving closer to 9pm) I would have gone to the gym and walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes. I'm going to do that today. Sometime today. I miss the workout, I miss feeling proud of myself for doing something good for me that I don't necessarily enjoy.

Not Much New

Where DID the week go?

It's been miserably hot & humid -- work has been a big blah for me... too much to do and too many meetings and too many people in my office... (which means very little work getting done on my part).

- - -
Today's Craft Class we're doing Memory Albums or, more accurately, Memory Pages...
There are only 5 or 6 people signed up -- but I think it will go well.

Now I have to shift my room around so himself can install my window A/C unit.

YAY!!!!

- - -

Making Soap

How much fun did I have this weekend?!

First -- Saturday morning worked -- two more girls auditioned for the Tucson Girls Chorus before we have camp this weekend...

Then -- Taught the craft class in the afternoon -- we did Puzzle Frames, and they turned out really really cute -- and the ladies had a good time. My friend T and I are still finding puzzle pieces all over ( my carport, her dining room floor...). She was a star and fed me for three nights, and allowed all our stuff to be spread out all over her dining room -- it is a good thing we started this craft early!

Saturday Night - the bass of my former quartet was in Tucson and we had a fabby time -- dinner at the Blue Willow, she came over and met my dog - saw my house, which himself had spent a considerable amount of time making look more presentable than when I'd left that morning!

Sunday afternoon -- Making Soap!! 4 of my favorite people who are connected to the TGC all went to the treasurer of the board's house and helped make soap: pumpkin, lavendar & luxury mint. It was cold processed and was extremely fun and informative.

Yes, of course I want to start making soap now -- and it takes up a whole closet in her house, so I've decided I need another house/apartment/condo to do my business. Cheaper to buy a "Condo" (former apartment) for $45,000 than rent for $400 a month... of course I investigated!

But before I can formally investigate, I need to put together the binder of 2 years worth of craft projects; the business plan; and probably book a class at at least one other property, and have saved $1,000 for a down payment. How much fun would it be to have a craft space that is big enough to have over 6 to 12 people, be able to have a full kitchen for crafting and eating, and enough space for music in one bedroom and supplies in the other??

Ahhh... nothing like pie in the sky.... pipe dreams... hey -- If I Can Dream It, I Can Achieve It!! :D

Ow OwwOwwOwww....

Yep, workout today kicked my be-hind!

Killer aerobic and weight workout (the first half of which I was queen of the whinebabies...!), I finished with 40 minutes on the elliptical and then about 30 minutes of stretching.

I then got home and fixed killer stir fry with brown rice -- watched a couple "Friends" and then floated in the pool for about 30 minutes -- and even did some leg lifts in the water, and some waist twists -- not sure if they do any good, but it felt great.

My good friend and former bass of my Phoenix quartet will be here Saturday, so will be fixing killer stir fry & tofu again after my craft class that afternoon.

We're doing puzzle frames and that is basically what T & I did all weekend... yes, we're seeing puzzle pieces in our sleep (!)

got to sleep now!

Happy June 2nd ~ month of many birthdays in my family!

I'll post pix of the pool fun when I can get the photos off of my camera... my card reader is hiccuping.

Went to church today... third time in a row, but the first time at the church I'm a member of for at least 3 months... it was o.k.

Went to Michael's and spent $50 -- they were having a 25% off your entire purchase, even things on sale -- and I only spent $50!! Oh the self control.

I'm going to be painting more rocks soon. I know y'all are waiting with baited breath!

Talked to my dad for an hour lounging in the pool yesterday. It was great. :D

Craft class yesterday went really well -- would post pix of the very cute masculine (isn't that an oxymoron - "cute masculine") vest cards for Father's Day... if my card reader would work.

Himself's not been smoking for over 4 weeks now... I'm so proud!! He's not been grumpy -- he has been a little more irritating in ways when he thinks he's being cute and funny, but not really... ya know? But I can only imagine how hard quitting is -- and I'm really really glad for him :D And he bought AND assembled my pool. I love him very much.

Went to a memorial on Friday afternoon -- have been to what seems a lot more funerals in the past two years -- this gravesite memorial gave me the opportunity to think about what I would want at my funeral (sounds morbid, but I don't mean it to be...), and to have that talk with himself... along with setting up a will.

Will be scrapping tomorrow!

COLD!!!!

Today is Freakin' Cold - yesterday it rained pretty much all day -- I had some great Volunteer Management Training -- went home early and went to a crop where I punched tons of Sizzix Birthday dies for Craft Class today -- am still in my pj's, with pants on and my robe, drinking coffee and procrastinating getting the rest of the stuff ready for class.

Himself was upset that there is a tiny imperfection in the cover of the console in the two-seater couch, so he made me call Sam Levitz and get a new one -- he was hoping they'd offer a price reduction, but since he didn't talk to them and I'm not the haggler/negotiator, we're getting a brand new couch delivered today.

We have to finish clearing out the guest/himself's room and set up the double bed and make it presentable for guests -- I'm so excited that we're going to have 6 people staying with us for a weekend -- it'll be crowded but I think we'll all have fun. Family from Oklahoma and California coming for the Open House a week from today. :D

oh, and I'm enjoying triple chunk brownie from Betty Crocker for breakfast with my coffee. yum!

Catching Up!

I've been away for awhile -- work has been crazy busy with an over-500 person Valentine Mailing... with yours truly Sizzixing over 1,000 hearts -- I was reimbursed $146.00 for the supplies and stuff -- and I can't believe I heard myself say... "I'm tired of going to JoAnn's" (!)

With the addition of another 180 names -- we decided that store-bought valentines would do -- and wow -- it has been awhile since I bought children's valentines. Things have come a long way baby! I bought Hello Kitty, Tigger (so cute!), Shrek, and Strawberry Shortcake -- I refused to buy Barbie Valentines... but they come with stickers -- and kids get to fold them and do more than just write their names! I remember when I was in 2nd grade and I think mom and I must have chosen a Disney Pack -- and I saved the best valentine (Snow White) for my best friend Laura -- the teachers didn't want kids picking through his or her stash for the best one to give to best friends, you had to rush around the Valentine Circle -- but I remember taking Laura's out and putting it at the bottom of my handful so when it came to her I just grabbed from the bottom.

But I digress.

Since many of the hearts were run through the Xyron machine, I kept those scraps for other smaller projects -- that adhesive is expensive -- but oh-so-wonderful. A mom who came in to volunteer at TGC... I put to work using the Xyron and the Sizzix... and unbeknownst to me she is a card maker/stamper who hasn't had a chance to get together with people who do that since her friend who got her into that moved away. awwwwwwwwww.... so I'm walking her down the garden path to the papercraft craziness.... I'll be sure and invite her to the next gathering *heh heh heh* She says she has hundreds of Stampin' Up Stamps -- I can't wait!!

But I digress again.

At Coffee Gal's blog she always does such a nice job of posting photos of things she is working on... I'm such a copy cat that I'm going to post a few of the things that I've been doing since January... along with photos of my "Studio" (studio sounds so much nicer than craft room, or even office -- doesn't it?)




The first image is of a paper clay pin -- paper clay is clay that once dry, is like paper -- you can color it with chalks, pens, pencils etc... add glitter, beads or whatever, then a final layer of glaze for protection and to help it last longer. I'm self-teaching myself a little about beading, so the hanging beads are just me learning how to do that and use the beading tools etc... very fun!

The second image is the Stampin' Up Demonstration I went to at my friend T's last week -- we also decorated a frame -- though like my craft class for seniors -- while it looks great, we didn't do a lot of creative stuff with it, we just copied the demo. I like the results, but I like taking the ideas myself and doing something different (I'm such a rebel)... the card on the left is an example of what I tend to do -- it is kinda different from the sample that was shown. I love the card on the right -- but it is pretty much exactly the sample that was shown at the class.

I try to give the seniors in my class options within the framework of what we're doing -- next week we'll be doing a pop-up card... I'll have all the stuff for the 'kits' - but leave the decisions on which paper they'll want to use, and which 'Happy Birthday' greeting pre-stamped or printed they'll use. That way they're all making the same card, but with their own 'stamp' of creativity on it. Some of them don't want to choose for themselves and do it exactly like I've done it -- but I encourage people to 'create out of the box' and do something different.

There is a balance, however -- too many choices leads to being unable to make a decision -- and we only have an hour. It is a fine line -- and sometimes I've been rigid in what they're making, and other projects give them tons of creative choice. The prep-time is longer for me/us when we're getting ready for the class, but I believe in the process and want to give them all the options I can.

Now for my Studio:



Picture [1] is what you see almost immediately upon entering; Picture [2] is the far wall, and Picture [3] is where I sit at the pc. (Coffee Gal's post is still on the computer screen ;-)

This is actually pretty organized -- but did you notice I have empty spaces??? Gotta get busy and put more stuff away!! I'll be getting a shelf unit that used to be in the living room (new couch photos later on down the post), so will have some more places to put things. I tend to like to put everything for a project in its own container -- rather than having all my components together -- for things like flower fairies it makes sense -- I don't use those materials for anything but making flower fairies -- but for paper crafts it doesn't make as much sense. It would be better I think if I put everything away like we do in kitchens -- utensils, consumables, embellishments... like with like -- and I've started labelling things more -- but I'm still unpacking from the move, so lots of things were put in with other un-like things and I'm still in that discovery mode... "oh THAT'S where I put that!!" :D

Now for the new couches.... for those of you who knew what my living room looked like (T is the only one who has been allowed over I think....) -- this is so different than what it looked like before. Oh. My. Gosh. It's awesome. Last night we watched Spiderman 3 -- it was great!!!



We also got a new Kitchen Armoire (Martha Stewart from K-Mart) -- and Himself was saying it was the best piece of put-it-together-yourself furniture he'd ever seen. Quite quality, as a matter of fact. Himself will finish painting the kitchen today and I'll get the kitchen put away tomorrow (fingers crossed).

The Open House/Housewarming motivation to get my house in order -- never fails!!

Just for Coffee Gal ;-)

It's not a lot but:

I've been sick with a cold/sinus thing since my Root Canal Dec 14th

I have another Dentist appointment tomorrow to get at least 2 (maybe more) cavities done.

I have a Dentist appointment *next* Thursday for Root Canal & Crown #2

The permanent crown I had put on last week is wonderful -- that temporary crown really sucked.

I just pulled a literal all-nighter putting together the TGC Winter Concert Program in order to get it to the printer for them to be able to start printing this morning. Yes -- I left the TGC office this morning at 4:45 am -- heard Mrs. Grant & Bobby Rich at 94.9 MixFM start the morning show at 5:08 am with a review of the Impossible Question ~ which, by the way, was answered by my friend Gail, who sings fabulous bass with Tucson Desert Harmony Chorus & "Havin' A Blast" quartet. So cool! [The question was - 2 or 3 new ones of these are created every day, and there are tens of thousands around the world - what is it? Answer: Religions. Kinda scary...]

My card reader isn't working, so I can't get pictures off my camera. Hate when that happens.

Had a craft class last Saturday - spent 2 nights prepping with my friend T, who punched 240 circles and scored 240 triangles within the circles while I finished up the Perpetual Calendar project, which was suppose to be a 4 month on-going project and turned into 6 months. ack.
The class was one of the hardest they've done -- a simple project that is not easy... making a Christmas ornament from the circles -- and if I could get the pictures off my camera I'd post some!

The Saturday before that I sang at the Fellowship Square Villa 2 Tree Decorating Party ~ led a sing-a-long which was way fun... always is!

This Saturday is the TGC Concert, so I'm up to my ears at work....

We've moved -- and I'll post the drama later. We've painted two of the 3 walls that will be painted in the kitchen - a 'lemon fluff neon-in-the-wrong-light yellow' -- and hopefully himself will do what needs to be done to get the fridge moved to the new location, which will allow us to purchase a pantry type storage, paint the 3rd wall, and then allow me to really get the kitchen put together and get the massive boxes that are sitting on the dining table cleared.

I have 3 fabulous shelves in the craft room.... need about a dozen more, but I actually worked in the room for the craft class and just need to tweek some craft homes for my supplies.

In the meantime, I'm not sure when I'm going to get our tree up -- our front door and front closet (which holds the Christmas stuff) are blocked by dining room chairs, there are still boxes in the middle of the living room and nothing really put away yet... so I don't want to decorate it now, which is making me a little sad... last year my Christmas stuff didn't come down until March. All I'm saying is if I don't get it up sooner than later we might run into the same issues....

I'm re-committing to eating healthier ~ went online and looked for natural remedies and holistic approaches to sinus infections ~ and did you know that often times (according to Chinese Medicine) sinus issues are related to constipation (another area of the body that is blocked) and Candida - abundance of yeast... directly related to too much sugar. So I went out and bought Soy Milk, Stevia and ginger -- made some ginger, lemon & honey tea, am taking garlic pills, cutting down on the fruit juices and diluting with water, and while having a whole night of non-sleep hasn't made me feel better today, at least I'm breathing out of both nostrils most of the time now.

Also saw a lot of Craft logs/blogs/forums this weekend and I'm now in crafty mode and want to pursue doing that more than anything else.... could be connected to this time of year, I suppose.

Well... do have to go to work for a little while today -- much to do!