Asian Zing

A fun doodle on a really pink card.  Yep!  I have to admit some days it's kind of hard to come up with a great post.  Nothing is really happening.  As Elmer Fudd says.... "It's vewy, vewy quiet!"  But I guess that is a good thing, no drama.

DH is working in Columbus Ohio for two days, and again some time next week and then after that he is working in NYC.  I went and had an x-ray done on my lower spine yesterday.  I really hope they find something because this pain and discomfort has to go.  I've got (so strange to say) floors to clean and gardens to weed, furniture to be moved and swept under... it's a full cycle.... you sit more cuz the back hurts, but then you have more time to see all the things you can't do.

Yesterday I found it quite humorous as I was watering my hanging fuscia plants.  Since it is difficult to hold a full watering can, I leverage myself on a chair. And as I'm pouring and pouring.... lifting the can higher the water is NOT coming out.  I make an adjustment on the nozzle, but it still seems weird.  But I'm able to drip a little into the baskets.  I go back to the hose for a refill and to my surprise as fresh new water is pouring in, this soused, doused waterlogged little froggie climbs out the opening looking bewildered.  He must have been in the watering spout and going along for quite a ride as I kept on tipping it higher and higher.  The rush of water trying to pass by him as he hung on for dear life at the end of the spout trying to get air.  This little froggie had to jump up two porch steps, then the height of a bench, maybe 16" then up the watering can another 12 inches to the hole.  Well, I guess those dudes climb with their suction cup fingers.  I made him hop away into my garden so I could finish at least one job! But can you imagine what it was like inside the can as I was tipping it back and  forth trying to pour water out and shaking it and re-adjusting it.  He must have felt he was on a tidal wave.

Pleases wherever it goes

Butterflies are self propelled flowers ~ RH Heinlein

How many more cards are there to make? 
Yes hundreds, maybe thousands! 
Cards for sale! 
Whimsical and unique creative greetings!!
For those friends and family who deserve more
than a last minute grocery store card, that 10,000 other people have!

The embossed swirls on top mirror the fun patterned paper below.  And when I say 'thanks' out loud, I think of  Flo on the Progressive insurance commercial as she says thanks out of the side of her mouth.

Week of school under their belts.  Going to be a sunny hot Monday.  Life goes on.  What should I do today?   There are so many possibilities!!

Happy hellos

 The week has come down to this, Yippee! Friday. Here's a cute little card that I CASed the layout.  Thinking it would be a nice one postage stamper to put through the mail, to let someone know I'm thinking of them!!! No extra embellishments making it too thick and bulky to send through the great USPS!

If I say this here, I must do it... clean my creative studio, messy!!  PUT STUFF AWAY I tell me!!!!

Sissy had her first  v-ball game last night.  She is on the Sophomore team.  They lost in 3 games.  It was the same way they played against this school last year.  It was the only team they lost to.  It was fun to see her play again.  Can I say, I am so happy not to be in high school.  And just by going into my kid's high school I will probably now have dreams about dreaded high school drama!  So many helicopter parents get involved in the drama!  Sitting on those bleachers for more than an hour has not helped my lower lombard any.  Oh man, I don't want to get old... yet!  I have too much to do!  Somewhere!  Somebody has something they want me to do!!!!  Happy Friday!

Blue Posies

Simple two layers on the card stock.  I always love to draw flowers,it is always a challenge for me. I'm a little Georgia O'Keeffe.  I believe the image is SU!

 What up?  I think it's funny, the dog next door is named Cosmo and the dog across the street is Kramer.  Seinfeld fan?  put the two together, it's Cosmo Kramer.

We are the world

I think all any true artist needs is crayons!  You can sketch, you can color in, you can mix colors, you can use it for resists, you can choose a mood SUNSHINE YELLOW, Cotton Candy or Fuzzy Wuzzy!! You can sharpen them, you can smell them, you can get them under your nails, you can melt them and create one colorful BLOB!!

Whipper Snapper design

What up? I have been watching Seinfeld reruns lately.  I really couldn't stand the show when it first came out back in the 90s.  I thought it truly was a stupid show about nothing.  But I've gotten older and more mature, ha!  I get it now, and laugh out loud.  And it helps having been to New York, I get an idea sometimes of what they speak....my attempt at satire...

  So, what is it with 'guests' in Wal-Mart or any super store?  They waddle down an aisle, STOP without any  directionals and park their big ole fat cart in the middle of the lane, and they are TOTALLY oblivious to the fact that you are coming down the aisle behind them... going about your business because you know what you came for.  And with their big ole cart, they often have a big ole @ss and at least two snotty nosed brats running in circles around the cart and climbing the store shelves! You say politely "Excuse me" and they don't hear you.... so you say it louder.... and they are totally shocked that you spoke to them.  They pull the cart toward themselves and are wedged between their muffin top and the store shelve, leaving room for one brat to stop and stare at you from the fraction of a space. There is barely enough room for you to squeeze the cart past. And as you get around this obstacle and find the few things you need, you say to yourself  "Why did I come here in the first place? and get me the hell outta here!"And when you are done, of course you find that only 2 check out lanes are open and that lady is in the line ahead of you!

Have a nice day!

Shady character

Monochrome describes paintings, drawings, design, or photographs in one color or shades of one color. Had some blue scraps laying around (really literally laying around {I must clean my creative studio}), saw a sketch for a layout (while blurfing, blog surfing) and added my elements.  Now that I see this complted card in a photo, I realize how important matting is.  Everything would 'pop' so much better if there were a slightly darker shade behind each element, however then making this card about 9 layers.

Ketto girl from StampinBella

School, first day, appears to have gone well!  I can almost remember being a senior in high school, not like it was yesterday, but walking the halls knowing it was my last year of being seen as a child.  Bubba really likes his Humanities class. (The humanities are academic disciplines which study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytic, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural and social sciences.) Sissy was voted in as one of the three(?) co-captains for the Sophomore volleyball team. Her comment was about this one particular boy who was in all of her classes.... hmmmm.  At that time it didn't sound like it was a good thing.  

 It's nice right now having a quiet house... well empty? That's sad to say.  All summer long at 8:20am it was quiet, someone was still sleeping and someone was hidden away in the cave watching tv, so it WAS quiet....there is a difference between quiet and empty!  Day two.... life goes on for a mom.... piles of clutter, laundry to fold and I need to challenge my mind and my lower back!  Happy Day

First Day of School

My (our) annual picture shoot by the door on the first day of school.  Here is Bubba 17 years old, he is a senior this year.  Keep May 28, 2011 open, it just so happens to be graduation day.  Well, just keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he goes on his last leg of high school journey.

Next up is Sissy. She is 15 and a sophomore.  This is her 2nd back to school picture with braces.  She had her first phase in 4th grade when we lived in Wisconsin.

And a proud moment for any mom.  Both kids gathering their stuff for the first day back to school, 2010-2011.  As Bubba drives off into the masses of kids driving to school. Keep your fingers and toes crossed, there is construction near the high school, which means a higher volume of traffic on our route, in the back way.  Stay Safe!! Be leaders not followers!  And surround yourself with happy things and happy people, because they will make your life much more happy!

 

Fluffles

Yippee!!!  I like that word!!!  Yippee!!! I made a card.  My Fluffles cat figure.... oh, who is that by???... obviously it is not mine, (some wonderful artist) but it has been in my sketch bin for a while and decided I needed to make a card this week. I had to make a card this week!  Or my creative juices would disappear!!! It's just simple.  Used stickles to make the flowers shimmer.  Finally found a use for that ribbon, now it's done, just using up my supplies!!

Mostly cloudy last day of summer break, fitting.  We are going to meet Dad for lunch near his work, meet the fall sports teams and have a 'pep' really with the high school boosters cookout at the football field tonight.  School has officially started.  And all the moms cheer! Yippee!!

Tab it and Tag it... or Tag you're it!

From my new creative greetings!! line.... mini scrapbooks. Here are two different views from two different books.  The top one is a 'top' loading mini book where tags can be pulled up and out for either journaling or holding memories or you can slap on your fav. picture.  The tabs to the right extend off the page and add a bit of fun and whimsy as you flip to through.  What's neat about mini scrapbooks is the crafter can create whatever size... I have seen and made 6" x 6".... 6" x 9".  And every tab, or tag, or fiber looks awesomely cool when it sticks out beyond the boundries of the book.... like going outside the box!

The picture on the bottom is an envelope mini scrapbook. Made with regular #10 envelopes.  It creates mega pockets. The pocket area holds two tags (or more)for journaling or adding small photos, or what ever... inked the edges, added a cool swirly stamp, a little fiber and it makes a fun page.

Had friends from Racine, WI come down and visit us yesterday.  The visit time was too short.  I really had to talk fast!  The heat and the humidity are coming back.  We had a beautiful few days there... only draw back are the huge mosquitoes!!  Tomorrow, my children experience their last day of Summer 2010.  Yippee!!!

Re-runs

I had to go into the belly of the archives to bring up an old picture to post. No new creative grettings!! cards to post.   Eight months ago I started my other blog, Creative Greetings Too!!!

That one is just my paper craft blog, in case anyone who doesn't want to know my personal blogging can just take a look at what I have in stock to purchase!! Oh, I so wish I knew how to use this stupid computer to make my own blog stuff, web pages, designs etc... Because our computers had that BLUE SCREEN of death around Christmas time, things just haven't been the same.  And for me to do any designing through PrintMaster or Kodak, I have to go back and forth between the kitchen computer and the lap top.  (Life should be so bad, huh!)

While I still have him home, I'm going to USE Bubba to help me get a bit of cleaning done, since my lower back is still not 100%.  It is so hard to do chores when you have pain in your lower back.  Sometimes I can't get back up when I bend over.  That is so funny!!!!! Aargh!

Scrapping the bottom of the barrel

Well, not that that is a bad thing... but I guess this past week I made two mini scrapbooks and no cards, except for this one that is not finished.  It's missing a sentiment of some sort.  Based it off of a 12x12 scrapbook page, where the orange boxes  would be small pictures framed by the different coordinating colors of the page.  So, just imagine!

I had physical therepy for my back issue early this morning and now I am hurting.  I have to type quick and go stand up and stretch and whine in the corner.  I'm so upset that this 'thing' is just so bad and doesn't seem to be getting better.  It is very hard to keep my house clean and do all my mom stuff with a back that has pain!  Whine, whine .... whine.  Gotta go stand up. 

Ciao! 

 as Liz would say in Eat Pray Love!

Inspired to Shine!

In a world where we have come to expect quick results and immediate gratification, how resilient are we?

CKB

Force behind the House of Shine

Powering the Planet with Shine

This weekend I saw both Eat Pray Love (in the movie theater) and Julie / Julia ( borrowed from the local library).... both total chick movies, both books I read before seeing the movie.  Books recommended by Oprah, NY Seller bests lists, book clubs everywhere....books and stories woman of ... what would you call it, it was so easy to call it the 80s or 90s....woman of the oughts, what are we calling this decade anyway???.... I looked it up... nobody knows yet. The Zeros, the Two thousands, the Naughts, the Oughts, the Oh Ohs, the 'me' decade?  Women who were writers, who lost themselves in their lives, but then either started a blog or went on a journey to find themselves. And every woman in the audience be her a 20 something or anywhere in-between, up to a cotton top (my word for gray haired people....I'm not there yet)... can relate to these stories of finding a purpose, exploring your world, feeling worth in your every day existence, to feel good!

Both of these cards were made to go in the Awning Shop at the HOS,.... one day (stay tuned).  A creative greeting!! card someone can write a profound note, a silly little quote, a grand compliment and send it off to that special someone who SHINES.  Someone who spreads a ray of light in what they do!

Lolly, lollie, lolly pop

What's old is new again?  So, I thought this was a new kind of flower, crafters were making on their blogs, now I'm seeing the tutorials came out last year.  Something has been rejuvinated.  But I like it, cuz I missed it the first time around.  So, these lolly flowers are just tiny fans made into a circle, to create the folded flower shape.  But so cool when you remember making those paper fans in 6th grade, now on a smaller scale you can create a fun embellishment.  I used a page torn from a book to add this one.  If interested here is a tutorial I found on Rhonna's blog

I really like the tiny ones that measure less than an inch in diameter.

In other news.... Yay, Sissy made the sophomore v-ball team for high school.  It was kind of scary there for a day, cut throat!  But life is happy, but a little sore in our house.  Registered Bubba for his senior classes.  Had to reschedule a few things, he had lunch 8th hour (9 period day)  they only have lunch 5,6,7.... so it was weird the schedule could even be printed that way.  But now, everything is ready for him!  Yay, and boo!!!!  And it's Friday, going to go see Eat, Pray, Love.

Zindorf- August

Although I love, love, love Michelle Zindorf and her great tutorials on her blog, I haven't done any of her cards for a while.  Either the subject is not something I'm fond of, or I can't doodle the stamp she is presenting.  But I love these beach scenes.  So cool! So relaxing!!  Now that I know the brayer technique, I think I lost a bit of what I learned in the class.  I love what she does with the punched stars and how you can squeeze them to give them dimension.  I've got to go back and add a 3rd star, everything in design goes in odd numbers, I guess... it's missing something.... maybe brads too!

Woo hoo! Got a new shower door installed in the master bathroom yesterday.  After the heat index goes down a bit from the projected 110 degrees, we are painting.  A few new updated accessories and a I will have new fresh master bath.  Yippee!  I like the word Yippee, it sounds like you are having so much fun!!

Back Drop

Here's another inspiring background paper and layout inspired by Mish Mash.I think she is a very talented card maker.  She has step by step instructions how to make her paper, layouts, embellishments & cards etc.... She also sells her products on Etsy.  But in the post I followed recently, she just showed how to use the stamps, one at a time to create the background paper.  Sure makes the card very unique with a lot of thought behind it!

Gotta run, shower door installer is coming soon and I need to finish a few things before the heat index makes it up to 110 again!!!

Back to School

This is a fun, fun library card pocket card I made.  Tell me if you can spot the mistake.  Sort of a where's Waldo.  Got this cute idea from Mish Mash.  It's fun to re-create things on my computer PrintMaster program.  Some people have to buy embellishments.  I even designed the school background paper. I had found the date stamp in a clearance bin, duh... it only goes to 2009... not good for anything I make this year.

Went up to Wisconsin to visit the Grandparents for the last time before school starts.  Summer 2010.  We went down to Lake Michigan and had a photo shoot.

 I'm behind today.  Early morning PT appointment, then getting haircuts and running errands.  V-ball tryouts for Sissy tomorrow.  Cross your fingers for her!!!

Wish Fairy

Love the subtle colors and how I got the soft pinks to look old and mysterious.  Like an old fashioned post card.  Don't know who this design was from, but I'm still impressed with me, me ME....this blog is all about me you know?  I copied this picture straight from it's original image, first time, in proportion with a pen. I used to have to sketch in pencil, erase then line over it and then erase and ruin the paper!  My copying skills are getting better!  Is that a good thing? Very simple layered card, but I think what ever saying I put inside will make this card even more special!

Trying to  pick out paint colors for the master bathroom.  We are getting new shower doors soon and just need to freshen the look of the entire room.  Did you know we have an 8' x10' rug in the middle of the master bathroom?  It's huge!

Just a note

Card making has come a long way baby!!! We've got layers, it's brads, it's sewing on the card, it's using notebook paper and punches, embossed backgrounds, it's ribbon and it's computer words and it's coloring and shading.  Not just simple stamp in the middle of a card with a stamped word... that's old news!!!! My shading makes this look 2D and it does seem to be popping off the page. I have to admit I'm kinda proud of this one!

What a wonderful morning!  We have the windows open and it was low of  63 last night with no humidity.  Love that!  I have major clean up duty in my 'studio' today.  Too much creating fun and not putting anything away.  It's Friday!!! Yippee!!

Quack, quack!

A more involved card with 6 layers(?).  There are some designers out there having fun with all these layers and embellishments and doo dads and ribbons and scallops, and stitching!  I know!!! It's someone who works for the post office, because cards like this should be 'hand stamped' with EXTRA postage so as not to mess up their machines! the postal service has it in for the craft makers!!!!

 Baby boy colors for someone with a new arrival.  Not as pastel as some other baby cards, but a solid statement!

Although, and yay! the sun is shining, I'm feeling a little blue.  We have lived in Illinois for over 4 years now, and although I feel our house is a home, I have not felt connected to community, the neighborhood or the people.  It feels like a lonely place.  And some day (soon) I must find out a small purpose of my life.  You can only make so many cards you can't sell, you can only volunteer so many times before someone doesn't call you back. 

Oh, but what joy to have your little doggie laying on his back, spread eagle for you to rub his cute little belly!!! Dream.

Asian Orange aide

This isn't quite the simple three layer card that it looks.  I had to cut out a mask that I could stamp the grid image into.  And it was one of the those 4 x 6 stamps so I had to make sure I covered everything else I didn't want stamped.  Oh, by no means in the big scheme of life, this is a simple little task, just a bit more involved than the average stamp and go type of card!  Always these images with the one stem and the flowers splattered about, give me an Asian feel.  And always orange cards remind me of fall.   Roughed up the edge of the white paper to make it not so perfect. Little gems in the center of the flowers. What say you?

Interesting experiencing Sushi (Sushi (寿司, 鮨, or 鮓?) is a Japanese dish consisting of cooked vinegared rice which is commonly topped with other ingredients, such as fish or other seafood,[1) yesterday.  It was good, and I'm happy my kids like to try different  cuisines.

Got an email from the high school boosters club, 20 days and counting.  Yikes, but the thought of my oldest and his last year of high school. O  M  G!!!!  Our little fuzzy Pomeranian got a hair cut yesterday... we can't help but look at him, laugh, and think how adorable he is.  Gotta take a picture of my baby too!!!

Tray of Sweets

Almost looks good enough to eat! Yum! This is a 'doodle' I had in my doodle box.  Sometimes instead of making cards, I just look up images to draw and shade and color and embellish... then I put them in my doodle box until I feel the inspiration of a layout, or an advertisement or a blog post.  I think I doodle A doodle is a type of sketch, an unfocused drawing made while a person's attention is otherwise occupied. Doodles are simple drawings that can have concrete representational meaning or may just be abstract shapes something every day.  If you didn't know I was a card maker that statement could be quite funny!  I put a glaze on the cherries and the strawberry tops just to give the images some dimension. Can't tell that from the picture, though.

Posting late today.  I had an early morning physical therapy session.  My lower back has been hurting me since May.  It kills me that I couldn't 'fix' this myself.  I was on the verge of having a bulging disc off my lower vertebrae.  It's a good thing I'm home... to take care of myself... but to find the purpose of it all!  Ugh. 

Last night we had homemade pizza one with buffalo chicken (hot sauce) and the other with veggies.  Going to take the kiddos out for our first Sushi experience.

Fabulous

Pretty shoe.  Won't be seeing me walk in anything like that.  It does look fabulous, however!!!  A simple image can conjure up so many ideas when you add words to the picture.
If the shoe fits...buy the matching purse!!

I feel like a heel for missing your birthday...hope it was fabulous!

Card idea from an Archivers add on line.

End of vacation week. Saturday was a great day for some outdoor volleyball.  Families against Sissy's club volleyball team.  We were talking trash.... the day after when I asked her how many games they won, she just rolled her eyes and said they weren't trying very hard.  (We won every game but two!!  pretty good for some old fart parents!!!!)

Age does not diminish the extreme disappointment of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone.

Jim Fiebig