Crate for Thursday...

Let's have a little Crate Paper for Thursday!

Anyone who knows me, knows I will list the manufactures that I LOVE and have followed from the start on one hand.  I am so old school...I can remember when I first discovered them and I thought I had gone to heaven. They had just put out the first line, it was wonderful, I am fairly certain that if we looked hard enough in the studio we just might find a piece. Those were the wonderful days of  the creative and inventive LSS.  Sadly those days are gone from our area, and if only the world around me could support a LSS, I feel the creative women miss out when we don't have a place to be inventive in our areas.  A Big Box just doesn't do it...if I only had the funds!

I will say though, I traveled 2 hours to an Archivers and they didn't quite,  have what I was looking for.  Then this gal asked if she could help.. I told her that I wished, they had this and this and Crate Paper.  She smiled and said we have Crate, we just haven't put it out yet.  "Would you like to see it?"  I'm thinking really at Archivers...she not only offered to show me but she let me have one of everything!!  From unopened packages in the back...She made my day and my trip..That's so some service!  How wonderful.  I think it helped she was just as excited about it as I was.  To my Archivers girl I say "THANKYOU"

Got to love it...

Every once in awhile a layout appears and I am in love.  I am in love....

The flowers are stamped and then white embossed.  From there I love to machine stitch, I feel it is often times "the finish"  to a layout.  The title work is one of my favorite fonts from Sizzix, it is Curly Girlie, and it is cut out of craft foam. 

Thank so much for stopping by and I love to hear from you...

If you didn't have a chance check out yesterday's entry, I am so sure you will agree with me that adhesive is nothing more than toilet paper...hahahaha

Be creative today!~L

adhesive vs toilet paper...

Adhesive is just like toilet paper.....Face it!  It is true..

• You need it..
• You have no choice..
• Quality does matter..
• We always use to much..
• It is not fun to buy..
• Your always running out..
• It's always on the list..
• You need coupons..
• It is not fun to buy..
• You toss it in the cart without love..
• It gets no respect..
• Cheap isn't better..
• Bigger isn't always better..
• You can't see it when your done..
• We love to complain about the cost..
• Yet we don't like to share..
• It is always in a sticky situation..
• It is not fun to buy..
• We are always comparing..
• We have yet to find the perfect one..
• We debate the way it rolls..
• We try to decorate it, like that makes it better..
• We hoard it..
• We often wish we could take more time..
• It is not fun to buy..
• It is to expensive..
• We'd drive miles to get it..
• You have no choice, you need it..
• It never unrolls the way you want it..
• We don't like to use other peoples..
• We often use to much at a time..
• We hide the supply it not get displayed with love..
• Our men don't get the brand differences..
• When it is empty it is a pain in the @$$..

It is not fun to buy..  It doesn't matter how cute we get it, it is still a thing that binds us.

We need it and sadly John Wayne hasn't made an adhesive yet..To make our hubbies happy..

I need adhesive can you tell....I am starting to twitch...Just like when the tp gets lows..~L.

(Oscar is in the back thinking Mom's nuts!)

welcome tuesday...

well hello there Tuesday and how's it going....

for us sloooowwwww...we had a wonderful weekend.

Belle had Honor band all day Saturday.  She had a great experience, she is still talking band.  It couldn't make me happier.  So we are working hard to catch up on her rest.  Which leaves me plenty of scrappy time.  Yum!  I am however in need of new goods.  So I am looking forward to the weekend, have to stock up. I know the week has barely started.

I love this one...of course it is of my sweet Jorgie when her health was good...I miss her everyday!!
The card stock is dark dark brown!  Pattern papers are new from My Mind's Eye!  I can't not get enough of that brand, I have yet to find a collection of theirs I am not in love with. I have had  a couple of questions about the orange chipboard...Yep I made it!  It began as a naked chipboard, I painted it mustard yellow and while it was wet I painted a layer of  monarch color.  Once dry I began the many layers of Ultra thick embossing enamel...before that final layer was fully set up I stamped Today is beautiful..then let it dry....isn't it delightful?
A little bit of machine stitching and a few vintages pieces, including a zipper. The font is painted foam I made from my big shot.  This is the finished product.

Thanks for stopping by be sure to let me know your thoughts....
Be creative every moment~L.

light the path...

Here it is!!  I am so excited to share....I have been working on this little number and whallaaaahh...

I love dimension and texture.   I love My Mind's Eye Stella Rose collection.  It is just yummie.

I used a versamark and SC doilie stamp, with a bit of Zing Mustard embossing for the background.  I started with the first layer and added some machine stitching.  I made sure that every edge was finished somehow.  I inked and painted most of them.  

The photo is touched up with photoshop to give it a watercolor effect. 

  Finally I know my handwriting is tough to read so.  "Light the path..it will lead to your hearts passion!"

Thanks so much for sharing today make it a great weekend!!~L

• be sure to check back Monday with another yummie...I hope you'll like!!

2 4 thursday....

the yuckies...

This house has the crud.....the yuckies....the lay around....moaning kinda of yuck!!!

Well not me personally but I think even the dog has the ickies..Here's to bleaching the joint and opening all the windows and air out the bugs.  Spring just can't arrive soon enough..  The last couple of days it was working its way there.  Sunshine glorious sunshine.  Yesterday thunderstroms, with down pours of rain, lightening and the crackling of the sky.  The wind came and the people around thought for sure it was the start.  Then old man winter knocked on the door of the neighborhoods and slowed the world down with more bus stopping snow.  It is filled with the thickest, fluffiest beautiful white.  A true wonder.

I have to tell you the water is a rising around us, it is cause for concern.  All you can do is wait to see how far it will go or shall I say how high.  We lost a MNdot worker in the area yesterday to the flooding waters.  His backhoe slipped into the water and with the cold water and current they weren't able to save him.

They continued the search this morning, I pray for his family. News to note they found him late yesterday.  Thank goodness, I don't know the family personally but I am so sad for this family.  They just lost his brother a few weeks ago to cancer and he leaves behind 2 small children, his wife, and family and friends...May God be with them...  

Life is on its own time.  Be grateful for this day.

~L....

read.....

This girl just reads.......and then she reads some more........She is like a sponge....which is just plain fabulous...

Now days though her reading is electronically.  She was a lucky girl with a Nook for Christmas.  I was surprised to find she read even more, we have to often at times we have to tell her it is time to do something else.  If you are on the fence with this purchase, think about how much more "techie" our kids are and then decide if it would entice them.  I do think if they are a reader they will read and more.  But I am not sure that it would make them read more if they are not.  I only wish I could find more age appropriate books that entice her to read. Once in a while her Nook will offer free books that are not appropriate and I wish I could turn off that feature. 

She loves a little suspense and a bit of mystery.  I think she is finding that I am the one who struggles mostly with types of books, than she does. I have often said that even though a Twilight series or to Kill a Mockingbird is an easy read, is it a appropriate or would she enjoy it now, compared to a few years from now?

Reading what a wonderful gift, what a joyous passion.

I loved preteen, young teen books recommends. 

~L

it's all about the details....

It is all about the details with one....Love it!! 
Let's get to it-- First of all the "Grateful" title was cut with my big shot...really I found thin foam in the kids craft aisle of our local crafty store.  For cheap!  Then I die cut away and look it worked!  Score!  It is so pretty and I love the flow of the letters I reminded me of the breeze in the woods that day.
The white piece behind the photo is embossed with white and then inked to get the texture I was looking for.
The page is all about dimension I first created a portion of the layers, attached them to card stock and cut that out.  Attached with foam adhesive and stitched down the bottom layers.  No detail got left behind on this one.  I hope you enjoy it and much as I do.
~L

Now there's 3!!

Winter 2009 revisited....this is just something too good to miss....
Since I shared this originally we have adopted a third dog Charlie last spring so as you read this keep in mind that now days this is even a Bigger deal in our yard....

Blog Post Originally entered: Jan. 12, 2009.

We'll start with the first adorable smooocher
Tobon (Toby), a 5 yr old Golden Retriever weighing in at a healthy 90-95 lbs on a lite day...

Then we have 1yr Oscar Clement De Man De La Hoya (the golden boy) , a Yorkie, who we like to say weighs 5lbs but, some days that's giving him a pound or two......
So, I got 2 dogs--

Toby is the sweetest dog you'll ever meet, love love love....when he wags his tail his whole body wiggles.. His is so giving and tender hearted, to say I adore him is just a small statement.
But, don't let that sentiment kid you, he is still all puppy at heart and mouth, and the stories I could tell you would bring you to tears of laughter and frustration. This dog ate the bumper off my hubby's truck, the mud flaps and the tires on that truck, the siding off the house, every rug I own is a chew toy, the dog kennel, part of the deck and that's just a start. He is a moose, period!

The "new" guy in the house is the Yorkie a sock warmer, a dog smaller than my hubby's boots. A dog that believes he is bigger than Toby. A timid little man with a gentle heart who loves to be loved. A true lap dog, he is so tiny that his collar, outside rope and many of his toys are cat ones. The dog ones are just too big!!! ( don't tell anyone I told you that they are "cat toys" it's too embarrassing) besides, I wouldn't want to give him a complex or anything...Cause he IS a dog..

OK well, here's the most recent moment where I have to say ,"you never know what life throws at you"

We live in the frozen tundra....true, we currently have a sheet of ice with 6 to 8 inches of new snow on top. Blizzard conditions and -20 to -40, not so bad you may say....Back to the dogs, I got 2....
Toby might be all brute but he isn't a fan of weather (any kind of weather) so to get him to GO outside these days is a challenge... He would simply like to hold it until spring!! or at least until something greener comes along.
Frankly if he goes AT- ALL- ANYWHERE we are please as punch, because it's outside!! His leftovers are huge!!!
At about this time of the winter we don't always get the leftovers picked up right away. If you know what I mean(uggghhh) So when it gets above zero we'll scoop up the giant poopsicles, but in alot of cases with all the snow we're getting, the poopsicles are hidden before we can get to them. Imagine that..

We have a great "dog" backyard, lots of trees and buildings which are his domain to selectively place his leftovers properly in the back corners. Every dog needs a little privacy right?

Oscar Clement, on the other hand, tip toes his way out the front door on a properly sized, thin, long, catlike rope( 0f which I keep a good share of it in the house warm for him to tug). Mind you this rope with the snow tends to be a bit hard for him to manage...No kidding....So very often, this creature chooses to do his business on my front stoop. Saving himself the hard work of getting down 4 steps to a nicely shoveled area special for HIM....
Unfortunately this dog is a runner to the neighborhood hotties, so to clip him to the leash is the only option in the winter months. Cause I AM NOT CHASING HIM ANYWHERE....in below zero....

Finally did I mention I got 2 dogs......
The other afternoon it's like freezing, flippin' cold out and Oscar's got to go. Then in a moments notice, yep- he's done. Which was a little unusual because, that was fast and he usually doesn't ever bark ( for the first few months we didn't think he could) So here I am busy and I get "yip yip yip yipyipyipiypip yipyip"
He is caught just one step anyway from the door, ugggghhhh---So, I tiptoe on the snowy stoop to grab him quick, heaven knows he's going to fall all the way to the bottom...
He's stuck. He's stuck on something on the sidewalk, he is so darn tiny that now he is stuck on an icy mud chunk. How'd that get there?..

I give it a tug, no luck, man he's stuck hard! Jeez!!--did I mention my toes are freezing.... once again, I figure a tug and whip to the rope ought to do! Success!
The thin rope made its way to the stoop. In a spilt second I realize that so is the icy mud chunk he was stuck on!! But it is not an icy mud chunk it's Leftovers!!!!!
I however, duck just in time for the giant poopsicle that is hurdling right at me. At my head!! It is stuck on poop bigger than this dog!! The leftovers then are coming right at my head and it hits me square on the shoulder..only to bounce back and glide across a frozen front yard. Ouch that really hurt. Then it dawns on me....
Well, look who dropped a load on the front sidewalk. Score!!
At first I looked around to see who laughing at me and then realize it's me... I got 2 dogs and I just flung giant turds at myself!!
I think there's something to be said about this moment in the my life.

Maybe, I need to be careful what I tug for.. You never know what life will throw at you today... No matter what some days just add up to giant turds...

Morale of the story keep your eyes open you just might have to duck from what your loved ones leave behind. Always pick up your sh*#! Life's just better that way!!

Ohhhh, and did I mention I got 2 dogs....... -L.

I am thinking this ain't something for the scrapbook....................

dogalicious....

yep we are Dogalicious!!!

These sweets are a girls best friend......I love to scrap our pets, every photo is a delight and I love the spirit they bring to the layout.  They make me smile....have a dogalicious kinda day!!!

John's Fault....

It is all John's fault...

I am sure of this.  It is most definitely, undoubtedly, absolutely John Travolta's fault.  I can say with the utmost confidence.  Now let's begin this, I love John Travolta..he is hot and the older he gets, well....enough said there..

However 3 days ago while he was on TV in some random program,  not sure what because he was my background noise dance art while I read a good book.  Something very bad happened, something that is beyond understanding and I can hardly breathe a word of.

Mr. C had just finished saying goodnight and tucking in our sweet bean, and was making his way to bed for the night.  "She all set?", "Yep, are YOU watching this?"  No, I answer.  With that he snatches up the remote. 

Oh the remote, one would have to think it was some "man made" power tool.  The way "they" ( the men in the house) have, to have control over it during all TV time.  I am fairly certain since the invention of the remote, is when programming meet its demise.  Corporate TV people have struggled ever since.  Trying hard to get our attention in a click of a button.  We rarely watch one program from start to finish without jumping channels a dozen times during that show.  The only time during the year we even see a commercial is during the Superbowl.  On a side note I love how channels are now in cynic and most times every channel has their commercials all at the same time. 

I can't help but wonder if we had less reality TV and more I Love Lucy, Gilligan's Island, and Little House on the Prairie, we would stick around on the channel longer.  Something that truly took us away from 'reality' and the unpleasantness of "real TV".  We spend most of our time either at the Discovery Channel or History Channel, mostly due to the content of sitcoms and family appropriate programming in my household.  Let's face it ever since we changed ratings for movies TV has gone down hill, too.  PG-13 is simply the new R half the time. (I can say it if I want this is my stop  and no one really reads this anyway. )  

So anyway off track, it's John Travolta's fault....with that dreadful night and the click of a button.........POOF...it was gone.....no more sitcoms of Charlie Sheen, no more reality TV of loggers and alligator hunters (uck!, they should be nice to one another, just saying)  NO MORE (not that with those we're missing anything)NO MORE..........anything, unless you wanted to snuggle up and listen to the program.  Frankly we tried this and it doesn't cut it.  This TV of less than 3 years gone, toast, junk, big black box of ugly metal art on my wall.  Sonofa #$^*!!!!  No lie....No flippin' way?  Whatever happened to things lasting until you wanted new. We have tried everything, including banging it on the wall a number of times....HARD!!!Stinking thing.

You know, a few years ago my parents got a new refrigerator, with that came the desire to have a stove to match.  I  am all with that, same thing going on in this house.  She simply wanted them to match, but the problem with that is her avocado green was still perfectly fine.  THE ONE SHE GOT 30 frickin' years ago!!!Needless to say she did get her stainless flat top stove. (Yay Mom)  But, you can bet out there somewhere, right now a gal is perfectly happy with her "retro" avocado green stove.

Not me I have a newborn flat TV that I am not only going to have replace, but that I am going have to pay to stinking to recycle. 

This is simply all John's fault....Had he been dancing in one of my favorite movies rather walking around with a gun in hand we would have stayed there.  We wouldn't have clicked to the next better viewing moment.  Or maybe if Mr C. hadn't found the remote and automatically changed the channel without looking first, we'd still be here with a "new" TV that actually produces a picture.  I my camera fund wouldn't have to keep retitling itself...sadly it will soon be a doctor fund anyway so what's the difference.  Any way you look at it Sony is still probably going get my monies, it'll just come in a different shape and size.  It definitely won't fit in that cute bag and strap I have waiting for it.  It won't get to go everywhere with me, it'll have to just hang there and hope it doesn't die in less than three years....or John's sure to hear about this..... 

WE have a black picture and a number of vertical color lines at random on the screen.  At least the volume still works right?  What are you kidding me, my piece of junk will have to hang there until the cows come home.  That will be how long it going to take to replace this job.  I am sure, I jinxed myself talking about this sweet camera I have been saving for.  I 'll never see that little number any time soon unless you take a picture with a big 39" flat screen TV..ugh  I am not meant have a DSLR 16.2 mega pixel Sony camera....I am meant to let life get in the way again. 

To John I say thanks alot, be more careful what movie you let them replay, make it a good one.  Help conserve our resources and don't let another TV die under these conditions.  Mama wants a new camera!!!

If any of you know me I have been raised to find good in this...sooo, this is for my Mom....I am  so very grateful that John wasn't on a few weeks ago when I was on bed rest...cause having the TV blow then would have just plain sucked!!

 We will now Resume regular programming.....(Maybe if I am lucky it'll come in avocado green) No Winner, Winner, Chicken dinner here....ugh!!!

~L

5 4 friday

five for Friday.....

1. Happy I have the day free....doctor appt.'s can't wait to see my spinal results

2. Happy to have lunch with my hubby, we never get to do that anymore.

3. Happy to do some shopping on my own, you'll find me at the yarn shop and scrap store.

4. Happy it's the weekend, can't wait to get in some girl time, tomorrow with my sweets.

5. Happy to just be, be healthy, be happy, be me...

Have a great weekend everyone! Keep our earth and Japan in all of your thoughts and prayers today many aren't as blessed with the weather. ~L

Love is the greatest refreshment in life....

~Pablo Picasso

There's nothing finer, more delicate, than the love you hold in your hands. Yet if your lucky it is bold and strong. Whether it is love for someone, a pet, a job, or a passion. We can not possess love we can only be grateful for it. We can relish in it and rejoice. Today I love my scrappy stuff. I am relishing in all the goodness of supplies.

(Bet you wondered where I was going with this?)

With this love, I am throwing it all out. That's right I love this hobby so much that I am letting go. I am cleaning house on the old stuff that holds me back. I look at this paper and think "Oh there has to be something I can do with it" even thought I still loved it, but I realize I will probably never use it. Paper is like fashion it is ever changing and it always regenerates itself. But seriously will I ever want to cut it again. No. Lesson learned don't buy with the hopes you'll use it or "find" the photo. Buy smart, buy with the knowledge that paper is all but cut before it gets in the door. If you buy use it and when your done pitch it.

I think I have decided that in some ways we are scrap hoarders and--- I for one, fear the TV show. I envision this scrap room with stacks and stacks of scrap stuff still in the bags untouched. Untouched because it is just to pretty, it smells to good, or we just don't have that "photo" for that paper. Oh come on, let go and cut that smelly, shiny piece of paper today and set yourself free.

Can you guess what I plan to do this weekend, yep I plan to find the floor and that desk I once had....I am sure I have spring fever, it is spring cleaning time. I plan to let go and I will NOT try to think of a use for any of it....just let it go....be free, to get some new goods. Yep a 110 sheets waiting in my shopping cart, it is already cut once it's in the door!!! Nothing saying I won't take a moment to feel the texture and smell the paper. (What did you really think, I would not want some new goods with all that room.hehe {:0 So what have you cleaned today? ~L

gotta love a good dog...

Got love love love your sweet smoochers......

another day....

So. I spent a couple of minutes in the studio and whaala!

It is a deep, dark brown card stock. I love this choice of background because often times the color will "pop" off the page and the aqua then is delicious. I embossed the white accents in the corners. By stamping a Studio Calico and Tim Holtz Stamp. One hint to offer is brush lightly the excess after you have tapped the embossing powder, this will offer you a crisp clean definition of the stamp. Best thing also is take your time when your embossing it will be well spent, in the finished product.

Other details include wonderful vintage goodies from the map page from a dictionary to a bit of a zipper to buttons.. Machine stitching is always one of my favorite finishing touches and a dab of ink or paint to the edges. One wish I have is that you could see this in person it is difficult to enjoy the dimensions of the layout from a crazy camera.

Journaling reads: "in our world we don't have to go far for peace and simple beauty it's in our backyard...ahhhh...."

Looking at the photos I realize I Need a new camera, this one is just not doing it anymore. So I am saving my pennies, but life keeps getting in the way. Some day the images will better I promise.

Exciting news for this layout I posted it in one of my galleries yesterday and within the hour creativeinspiration, a creative little site grabbed it and added to their inspiration of the day. Thank you Thank you!! That really made my scrappy day!

Ok my friends, scrap on.~L