The Christmas Scrooge

I made this card for a sketch challenge a few days ago for SCS. Everyone over there is worried about getting started on Christmas cards. Me? Not so much. But this will put me ahead of the game for Fourth of July preparation. The image is from Inky Antics and the patterned paper is from Paper Source.

I did venture out to Michaels today. I had a coupon for 25% off my whole purchase, including sale items. Unfortunately, very little was on sale. I did score some Boku yarn at my local yarn shop. Now I am all ready to knit hats....if only they could find the hat pattern I want. Seriously, they have a cool hat on display, but no one seems able to find the pattern and I have been asking them about it for a week now.

Scott spent the day putting up outsode lights. I just don't get it. It's a lot of work in cold weather and you can't see them from inside your own house. I guess the neighbors enjoy them. I don't know, the closest neighbors to us don't decorate so it isn't like this is reciprocating action. I have always felt pretty good if we get a tree up. The kids love to decorate the tree and see the lights both in and out of the house. As for me....well, Christmas has just never been my thing.

Don't get my wrong. I love the love and kindness of the season and the highlight of the year will be exchanging homemade Christmas presents with my favorite girlfriends. I like Christmas carols, too. I even love to bake. Maybe it's the excess of the season I don't love.

Noah is of an age where he is hard to please and that will make him much less pleasant to be with this year. Maybe I will just give him money and gift cards, which is what he is asking for. But I have to be able to come up with a few toys or items he'll love. There has to be something the boy wants and I hope like hell I can find out what that would be.

Anyhow, it's the official start of the Christmas season and Scott is doing what he can to make my home a festive place. He is a good man who tries hard. I should be much more appreciative.

The Good Wife

Before I dazzle you with my life story: Look! I made more art! This was for the Hanna Stamps Challenge to make a bookmark with Read My Tee Hanna. I made one earlier, but really didn't like it. Not only did I improve on the bookmark, I used the color challnge colors at SplitCoast, so more people would pull it up and see it. If you compete in one of the challenges, more people are likely to view your work and comment on it. This makes me feel like at least somebody saw what I did and I am not in this world alone, holed up in my basement/cave creating alone.

My kids went to see the Lion King last night. It was one of those Broadway on tour shows that costs an arm and a leg. My mother bitched and moaned at me for a while to get tickets, as she knew the boys wanted to see it. Unfortunately, my kids want a lot of stuff they will never get, and this was one example. We did look for tickets, but we needed reasonably priced tickets for a night that was not a school night and that just never happened. So my mom broke down and bought the tickets and took the grandchildren (the boys have two girl cousins). Everyone had a great time.

Scott and I had dinner out at Red Robin. Neither of the boys really likes to go there. We don't know why. Then we went to the new James Bond movie. I don't know what possessed me. I hate James Bond. Always have, probably always will. But Scott wanted to see it, and I hated to go home and just watch TV of our choosing, instead of some cartoon channel. I had "Date night" and didn't want to waste it. I did not enjoy the movie, but complained NOT ONE BIT. I am after all, trying to be a good wife. Scott enjoyed the movie and I enjoyed the scenery of the places Bond travels to.

Tomorrow we will be home all day, while we await going to my parents for 5PM dinner. It's late to me, but that's the way it is. I hope you have a nice Thanksgiving Day as well.

Guinea Pig Fun

Noah wanted a guinea pig and we were lucky to find Steph's sister in law Alaina, who had 2 who could go to a good home. Above is Pearl and below is Emerald.

This little piggy is so stinkin cute and the photo does not do her justice. Noah has renamed her Emily, and she loves to cuddle. Actually they both do. These two are the loves of Noahs life and I don't know when they sleep, hopefully when Noah does, as he often has one or both with him around the house. He even picked up some poo today. It's a small vistory for me, but a happy one.

I survived Noah's birthday party and about 10 12 year old boys who came storming through my home. We made flubber, we buried treasures in plaster, opened presents and had cake and ice cream. That was the first hour, and we had planned on the kids being here for two hours. The second hour they just played with the piggies. Thank God for small favors, because I was all out of ideas!

I finished the Hanna I started for Hanna Challenge #44 over at Splitcoast. The challenge was to make a scene card. I made Hanna in her kitchen. This is really me, whenever I am in the kitchen, my dog is underfoot. I really like the monogram I addeed to her apron, it's so Bree Van de Kamp-ish. (Forgive me if you don't watch Desperate Housewives and understand the reference.) The paper is from Flair Designs and the punch is from Martha Stewart, appropriately enough.

Happy is she who knits

I have to hope you didn't come here for the knitting pictures. I could give them to you, but they are unfinished projects and not that interesting to show off. Having unfinished socks going did not stop me from going to my local yarn store today. I went in search of a certain yarn for a scarf project. They lead me astray by showing me the perfet yarn for a hat. And I bought it. Anybody else got ADD and the attention span of a gnat when it comes to crafting? How that happened to me, I'll never know! But I have to finish the sock before I start the hat, so my knitting will all get going again.

It all started with these cookies this week. I made five dozen Snickerdoodles. I fell like if it is worth doing, it is worth doing big, so most of my cookie recipes I make in triplicate. I kid you not. We gave some away and the kids ate most of them. Look what's left, only five.

So yesterday I made Apple Pie. Yeah. It's one of those frozen ones, but I had to thaw the Dutch Crumb Topping and add it all by myself.

S we ate almost half a pie last night. But tomorrow we are celebrating Noah's birthday and a bunch of 12 year old boys are coming over. That calls for cake. Chocolate Cake. Homemade. MmmmmGood.

So if you don't hear from me this weekend, I'll be here, just sleeping off the sugar coma.

The Christmas Creep

We are all experiencing it, Christmas is creeping up and I know of no one who is prepared for it this year. Want some homemade granola? That's all I got for ya so far!

Tomorrow is Twin Day at school and Seth has no one who will dress like him, so he is worried/bothered/freaking out. You also have to send in two cans of food for Dress Up days. I wish I'd been prepared and bought something the food pantry could actually use. So far it's beans and soup from my house. I learned long ago not to send in food in boxes, like mac and cheese, because it gets crushed under the cans.

I have no plans for dinner and wish I did, I usually have something cooking or thawing or preparing at this pint, but today my mind is empty. Maybe it will be pizza night. Everyone here loves the delivery of pizza and breadsticks.

I have been painting with Maria this week and last, but don't have anything back from the kiln to show you. Painting takes many layers and coats of paints. so it feels like it takes forever to finish any project.

I am looking for a giant jug of Elmers Glue. Noah is having a birthday party on Saturday and wants to make goo/flubber. Don't even get me started on why the boy had a birthday in August and is only now having a party. Flubber only takes borax and glue. I have the borax. I thought I could get glue at Hobby Lobby, or WalMart, or Michaels, So far, no luck, only small containers. Joann's tomorrow is my only hope or I will be going door to door in the neighborhood borrowing everyone else's glue. If I happen to contact you, know I am not sniffing the stuff, I really do have craft plans.

Dear Auntie

Dear Auntie,

No, I am fine, thank you very much. I just don't have much to say. My arms are so tired from carrying other people's purchases. I think my left arm is still longer than my right one. I did reply to your email, but I used your work address, even though I shouldn't. I don't trust that you check your home address daily.

And after NCIS there is nothing good on TV tonight. I don't like Tuesday nights.

I made pot roast and gravy and mashed pototoes for dinner. I put roast in the crock pot and cook it all day long so at dinner time it is so nice and juicy and fall off tender. MmmmMmmmmmGood. Then Seth needed to go to WalMart and get "Baby boy item" for the Giving Tree at school. We chose a nice warm outfit and then stopped at Dunkin Donuts so the boys could pick out some breakfast items. If I were ever going to eat myself sick it would be on Apple Cinnamon and Bavarian Cream donuts. Oh so delicious! And they have a very tasty Pumpkin donut right now, Oh My Goodness, don't get me started on the delicious flavor and real spices I can taste inside every moist mouthful.

The sad news is that the father of Kristi, the owner of Hanna Stamps, passed away today. He had a massive heart attack on Friday and could not recover from the time without oxygen. They had a Priest come this moring, then they removed life support. Our hearts are breaking for her, and we hope that anyone who has an order to be sent out will understand she is a one man band with her small business.

Homecoming

I was out of town this weekend with my friend Jenny. Her sister Susan had a birthday and wanted to go outlet shopping so we went to Ohio and shopped all day Saturday. Let me tell you, those ladies can shop! I got some nice warm socks, some pajamas for Seth, some gloves for me. Sad as it may sound to some, I am so happy to have some new warm socks. Usually my socks are a bag of 6 for five bucks at walmart-or some ridiculous price like that. This time I bought pretty socks. The kind you pick out one pair at a time. Oooohhh La La. I am a a simple girl and easy to please.

Mostly I carried people's bags. Jenny said "You know, I never spend money like this." But really she does. I have seen her shop before, and if I am never going to let myself spend money with wild abandon, at least I know someone who can! She taught the boys at their local elementary school, and her husband will soon be a doctor. She deserves to spend all the money she wants. I did have a good time and we spent the night at a hotel and came home Sunday. It was nice to eat out and not have kids around. But, I did not read or knit as much as I had hoped. I was a team player.

I came home, and no one seems to have noticed I was gone. The house was clean enough and the kids were fine. The dog and Seth did miss me, and that was nice. I did call on the way home and ask Scott what kind of shape the house was in. I don't enjoy a messy home and really don't want to come home to one.

The card above was made for the Friday Hanna Challenge at SCS. It was sketch challenge, and I used paper from Basic Grey. The man is "Anthony" and the dog is from one of the dog sets, I can't remember which one. Well, there are three dog sets, how can I remember? I am getting older everyday!

I did buy a couple of surprise presents for friends while I was gone. Lynn, did you hear that? Something is for you, and it's not homemade. Get your smile on. You are going to pretend to love it.

Slump

Maybe I am in a slump. I haven't stamped much lately. I do a little something everyday, but some things are for holiday presents so I cannot show them.

Mostly I am wishing Seth realized he has two parents. He keeps tracking me down and asking me questions, when I am clearly busy/preoccupied and his dad is sitting right next to him upstairs. I keep sending him away to ask his dad. Seriously. I know he likes me, but I am not the only capable one in the house.

I am just checking in so you know I am fine. The stamps above are from Rubbernecker and the paper is from a DCWV pack.

Normal Day

There's just not much happening here. It is a nice quiet day. The weather went from warm and hospitable to cold. Overnight. We usually have some cooler days move in and let you know that winter is coming. We had none of that this year. Just all of a sudden. Bam! It's freakishly cold! I don't like it so much.

I did get a scarf at a friend's jewelry party though, and have been wearing it ever since. It matches my coat and makes me look like I have some style. At least till I take my coat off and you can see I don't. It's only a little silky thing, but it sure does help keep the cold out. I guess my mom was right. Is it too late to call her and thank her for her advice from 30 years ago, which I have just now found to be true?

But I can't call my mom right now. She is in Paris. My afraid to fly mother (seriously afraid, she took classes to overcome her fear) drugged herslf up (I'm just guessing, she said she would) and got on a plane with my dad to Paris. My dad gets in one good trip a year, always by himself or with a group. For the first time EVER my mom decided to go. They fly into our brand spankin' new airport tomorrow and I will hear about the good and the bad soon after that.

The top photo is of a bookmark I made for a Hanna Stamps Challenge. We are to use this set, Read My Tee, and make a bookmark. Bookmarks are not my thing, so by being one of the first to show what they have made, I have ensured everyone else that they could be winners, because it sure would not be me.

I made a little Riley Moose pendant to wear. I saw a tutorial on SplitCoast and thought I would try it. On SCS they melted ultra thick embossing powder and glazed the stamped image. I didn't have a melter thing, so I used a couple coats of clear craft varnish. I decided it would not be thick enough so I then coated it in Glossy Accents, front and back. I coated one side and waited for it to dry before coating the other. Still not sure, I sealed it with Krylon Triple Thick Spray. I added a pin to the back with glossy accents and plan to wear this on my coat till thanksgiving.
Despite the fact I made this harder on myself than I had to, I like it, and it is thick enough to wear. I may make a variety of moose for the holidays. I do like how it turned out.

Misery

Tonight finds me recovering from food poisoning so this will be a quick post before I go back to bed. Seth wanted to go to Fazoli's for lunch yesterday and I have spent the last 30 hours or so paying for it. I am better now and no longer praying for a quick end to the misery.

I thought I would divert your attention to two Hanna Challenges I posted on Friday at SCS. Above is an answer to Candice's sketch challenge and below is an entry to the non traditional baby card.

See? Baby Moose is sick so his friend Bedtime Moose packed up a bunch of toys and brought them over for a visit with his friend. The toys and wagon are from Hanna's Vintage Toys set and the birdie is the parrot from Pirate Hanna. I stamped them and cut them added and put them together and popped them all up on pop dots. The white paper is scored to resemble wall board, you just can't tell in my photo but it is a cute room scene if you see it in person.

Tomorrow Scott and I are both getting our teeth cleaned so I don't know if I'll have time to create anything in the morning before I go. Normally before I go to the dentist I am really good about flossing for weeks in advance so it's not so obvious that I forget to do it most of the time. Not this time, the visit sort of snuck up on me and I am sure I will get a lecture about my poor dental hygeine habits.

Reality Bites

I made this with my Riley and Sophie Moose collection. Can you tell I have been married for nearly 20 years? I used the words before and after from the Hanna Stamps Thansgiving set. I stamped my moose moose, colored them in, then cut them out. They are attached to the card with pop dots to add some dimension and life to the poor moose.

I have ironing to do, mainly because I never get anything out of the dryer in a timely fashion. When I get to the dryer, it all cold and crumpled in there. I am torn between turning it on and heating it up to get some wrinkles out and realizing what a waste of energy that might be. Someone please tell me that the extra time in the dryer uses the same amount of energy as a quick steam with the iron.

Today is all about cleaning. Laundry, Kitchen cleaning, vaccuuming. Most of all clutter busting. Where does all this paper come from? Egads! I have piles all over the house. I will take a break for the Hanna Release Party at 9PM on SCS tonight. Come join the fun and see if you can win prizes.

The Winds of Change

This is a new Riley Moose from Hanna Stamps available tomorrow at the hanna party on SplitCoast. I made the card for the Sketch Challenge today. The quote says "Chocolate is the answer" and is from Amuse. I love the little quote stamp so I am sure you will be seeing it everytime I have some a chocolate themed card. It just makes me smile.

Today though, democracy is the answer. Except in Alaska, where I hear they re elected convicted felon Ted Stevens. (Is that his name? It suddenly doesn't seem right.) Having been to Alaska I can only say, people there certainly are their own breed. Years ago there were lots of news stories that there were a lot of single men available in Alaska. When I was there I saw T shirts that siad "The odds are good, but the goods are odd. Never were there truer words. Scott loves the Alaskan wilderness. He longs to go back. Me? Leave me on a Hawaiian beach.

Let's just say the last two states added to the union give us both reasons to be happy. Was it Eisenhower who brought them to us? Best thing a Republican President ever did. They are both great vacation destinations.

As for lunch yesterday, it was decent. The other ladies claimed to love it. Love it very much. It was resonably priced and I had chicken. There was no red meat to be found on the menu. Mrs. Ukraine ordered soft shell crab. I had bever seen anyone order it before so I had to watch her eat. You just put the whole crab piece, shell and all in your mouth and chew. Hmmmm. I was born and raised here in Indiana and we are not known for seafood. I am very willing to try new food places, mostly so I can see what other people eat. Me? Not so adventurous about food really. I blame my upbringing, which I am in no real hurry to overcome.

Follow Your Destiny

This is my offering for the daily SCS Challenge. The colors to use today are : Kiwi Kiss, Red Riding Hood and Pixie Pink. I used paper from Daisy D's and Stampin Up. The image is from Hanna Stamps, a new set called Read My Tee. I added some images from the Travel set, the Eiffel Tower in the background and the camera in her hand. The blueish paper looked like sky to me so I used it in the background. The Hanna in this set looks like Kristi to me, the owner of Hanna Stamps and seeing her smiling face will make me want to use this set all the time!

I feel like I should mention that it's Election day. I voted last week so after I got Seth on the bus I went straight back to bed. Now I have to go meet friends for lunch at a sushi place. My friend Mrs. Ukraine wants me to meet some people she knows. I put on my prettiest shirt and have to find some jewelry to add bling to my ordinary-ness. After all, I am making a first impression and I know I can spice up whatever I am wearing.

The weather is beautiful and I am ready to go out and see the world. Though I am praying for some real meat on the menu besides sushi. It's just not my thing. If I have to get dressed up and go out, I better find some red meat!

Flurry of Activity

This is the start of anew Release Week over at Hanna Stamps, so you should see a lot of new posts and cards from me this week. I am starting with Get Well Hanna. I love the little accessory stamps so I had to incorporate them as well. This will be one of those great sets that I will love having on hand. I am deficient in Get Well stamps so this will see a lot of use. I colored it with copics and used a sheer ribbon, so as not to cover up too much of the design.

Seth was Elphaba from Wicked for Halloween. You may know her by her other name, the Wicked Witch of the West. His nails are still green and he is quite happy about that. He got quite a lot of candy even though he was out with Scott who did not feel well all weekend. He arose from the half dead and was able to make it to work today.

Noah was Obi Wan Kenobi. I think I counted seven Star Wars lasers in my house, so I know I am safe from an enemy invasion. Look out Storm troopers! Noah hit every house in the neighborhood, despite the fact he felt two hours was not long enough for Treak or Treating. He even had time to stop and make S'mores at a neighbors home, they had their fire pit out and were cooking up a storm for the kids.

I am babysitting my friend Steph's kids today and as an added bonus, made a batch of Turkey Tetrazini, half of which will go to her house for dinner. I even baked a cake so I can get the kids high on sugar before sending them home. Don't worry though, it is only a cake from a box but it does have some kickin' sprinkles all over it!