Creative Challenge

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try” – Dr. Seuss

I am what you might call a craft shopaholic.  I looked around my craft studio and took inventory of all the die cuts and stickers that I have.  At first I thought book you purchased a certain die that it could only be used one way. Oh and if you purchased at a scrapbook store then it only could be used for scrapbooking.  

To my amazement I started playing around with different ideas.  Let me just say die cuts are not just for scrapbooking or card making. Now do not get me wrong I love to make cards especially pop up or cards that have movement.

Let me show you the fun that I have been having lately.

 So I got to thinking what could I make using Shimmer Sheetz, Die Cuts, metal, faux flowers and a planter box.  

 I made dragonflies using Elizabeth Craft Designs Small Dragonfly die cut, Shimmer Sheetz, and springs.  the butterflies I used Karen Burniston Butterfly Accessory Dies (a part of her new collection with Elizabeth Craft Designs), Shimmer Sheetz, small metal jewelry items.

With the cold days we have been having lately here in Texas, I guess I must have Spring Time on my mind.  

I had purchased some Gelato Colors and had only used them once or twice.  Let's just say that is about to change.  I had so much fun playing with different textures on this project.  I also have all this tissue paper left over from Christmas gifts. ( Look Honey I found something to do with my stash)  On this project I used the Gelatos, tissue paper, water, Mod Podge, Elizabeth Craft Designs peel off stickers, can you tell I love the dragonfly and butterfly die cuts.  The dragonflies are made with Shimmer Sheetz and Bazzill paper, the butterflies are made with Shimmer Sheetz that I embossed and their bodies are mad with bazzill paper, Transparent double sided adhesive.  Using the adhesive I was able to use the silk microfine glitter to give their little bodies a little glitz.  The bees wings I used Shimmer Sheetz.  Next to making the background I think making the flowers was one of my favorites.  The flowers are Peel-off stickers adhere to Bazzill white paper.  Found a new way to use my distress inks either the pad or markers and a water brush pen.  I like the watercolor look.  So yet another way I can use my markers and ink pads.  I love it when I can use a product for more than just one way. I feel like I have used my money wisely.  

This was a fun card to make.  What I like about this die is that you can make as many as you would like.  what I mean is do you only want two ovals or do you want more.  So you can use this die to make a card or a banner.  I decided to make a card.  I am into Shabby Chic and Country.  It must be the Texas Girl in me.   When I make a card it normally is not just made of paper.  Note on this card I have burlap under the boots on the front and I have rope on the back of the card.  I used Karen Burniston's Oval Flourish Frame Edges die to give it a little bit of lace look.

My family thought that I was crazy this year.  I did not wrap my Christmas gifts with Christmas wrapping paper.  I used regular brown shipping paper.  I decided to devote my time into the tags. For a make n take project 

(tag in the upper left hand corner) I used Bazzill card stock and Elizabeth Craft Designs Ornament Set 2 die.  Note the middle ornament has a little bit of dimension to it.  I adhered several ornaments together to get the effect of an old fashion ornament I would see on my Grandparents Christmas tree. The tag in the lower right hand corner I once again used the Transparent double sided adhesive so I could add the silk microfine glitter.

Go Texas Mini Album

I admire bull riders for their passion and the uniqueness each one of them has.

 ~Chris LeDoux

                         

I recently took part in a Lickety Slip page swap  " Go Texas Mini Album" at Scrapp'n Savvy.  Thought I would share my layout and instructions.

Supplies:

Moxie Paper Line - Western Round Up and embellishments

Bazzill Card Stock - Mud Pie, Kraft, Curry Spice, Cajun

Star Plastic

Favorite Ink - I used Distress Ink Vintage Ink

Score tape

Favorite adhesive for small items

Tape Runner

Cut two 4 x 6 from Wagon Train (note wood grain is horizontal)

Cut one 3 3/4” x 3 3/4” square from Kraft

Cut one 1” x 3 3/8” from burlap print

Cut three 1/2” x 3 3/8” from Mud Pie, Score in 1/2

Cut three 3 3/8” x 3 3/8” square from Mud Pie

Cut one 3 3/8” x 3 3/8” square from Star plastic

Rodeo, Rodeo shadow and Bull Rider - used Silhouette Cameo

Cowboy Hat and Boots are from Embellishments

Cowboy Hat and Boots have been fussy cut

Rodeo was cut out of Curry Spice using Cameo

Rodeo Shadow was cut out of Mud Pie using Cameo

Attach Rodeo to Shadow using your favorite adhesive. Then attach

to center of 4 x 6 Wagon Train

Attach Cowboy hat tilted on O.  Attach boots in the left lower corner.

I have slightly tilted them.

 Attach the 3 3/4” x 3 3/4” Kraft square on the right side leaving

about 1/8” of inch border on right side and top and bottom. 

Attach Bull Rider to the lower left hand corner of the 4 x 6 Wagon Train

using your favorite adhesive. Bull horn may overlap the photo mat.

 Mini Album: you will need the three 3 3/8” x 3 3/8”  Mud Pie square and three 1/2” x 3 3/8” Mud Pie.  Using score tape adhered to the back side of the 1/2” x 3 3/8”.  Taking one of the 3 3/8” x 3 3/8” square then adhere 1/2 of the 1/2” x 3 3/8” to the top of the square. Fold the rest of the 1 /2” (non sticking side down) take the second 3  3/8” square and place on top of folded 1/2” . The second piece of 1/2” x 3 3/8” adhere to top of 3 3/8” square you just adhered. Fold the rest of the 1/2” (non sticking side down) take the third 3 3/8” square and place on top of folded 1/2”.  The third piece of 1/2” x 3 3/8” adhere to top of the 3 3/38” square you just adhered.  Fold the rest of the 1/2” (non sticking side down). Now you will adhere the Star plastic to the 1/2” x 3 3/8” piece.  The burlap paper will be adhered to the top and folded over to the back.  This should give it the book binding effect.

 Place Bull Rider layout in page protector.  Then adhere mini book to the outside.  Center the mini book to be in the center of the Kraft square.

Top Layout:

Kraft  - cut one 3 1/2” x 3 3/4” , cut two 2 3/4” x 3 1/2”

Mud Pie  - cut one 3 1/8” x 3 3/8”, cut two 2 5/8” x 3 3/8”

Wagon Train - cut two 4 x 6 orange side up

Adhere Cowboy to Cowboy shadow using your favorite adhesive. Adhere 3 1/8” x 3 3/8” Mud Pie to 3 1/2” x 3 3/4” Kraft.  Adhere 2 5/8” x 3 3/8” Mud Pie to 2 3/4” x 3 1/2” Kraft  then repeat.

Adhere large photo mat to the left side of the 4 x 6 Wagon Train leaving about 1/8” on left side and top and bottom.   Adhere Cowboy to right side. (see above for placement)

Adhere the other two photo mats to the second piece of the 4 x 6 Wagon Train.  There is about 1/8” border on the right side and left side, a little over 1/8” boarder on the top and bottom.

What's New with me

With the holiday season coming upon us I have been busy on the visual team with Pottery Barn in the Woodlands.

With my creative genes working I have been working on my traditional scrap-booking and card making using Karen Burniston's diecuts.

Outside of Flip-up Flower

Inside of Flip-up Flower with flower close

Inside of Flip-up Flower with flower open

Outside of Floating Frames

Inside of Floating Frames

Outside of Friendship

Inside of Friendship (zig-zag insert)

Outside of Chandelier "Phantom of the Opera"

Inside of the Phantom of the Opera

 Also hosted a baby shower at my house. Here are some of the items I made for the shower using the Cricut.

Borrowed some of the ideas from Pinterest.com

Cupcakes made by Cakes by Jules, Thankful Tree in the background also an idea from Pinterest.com

Food Spread created by the hostesses.

Missing Tominac Fitness Center

Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.

-Vince Lombardi

I have to say Vince Lombardi said it best.  I have managed to get out of my exercise route and it is hard going back.  I got on the scale today and about died from a heart attack.  I did not weigh this much when I was pregnant with either one of my boys. (okay I know that was almost 22 years ago).

Before I left Savannah I was in the habit of going to Tominac Fitness Center (gym on Hunter Army Airfield) I had a great trainer plus it was free. :)  After my workout I would then go walk the Savannah Squares with my daughter in-law and grandson.  It really does not feel like you are exercising when you walk in Savannah.  There is so much to see it takes your mind off of the fact that you are working out.  I would always lose track of time and think I was only walking for maybe a hour and the next thing I knew it had been walking for four or five hours.  When I worked downtown it was even better because I always took the stairs in the office building and parking garage. 


I now I live back in Texas not close to a military post so no more free gym for me.  Now my husband keeps reminding me of the lovely gym we have in our subdivision that is included in the HOA fees.  It is nice but I still do not have the free trainer.  Then there is the Biggest Loser game I just purchased last Friday for the XBox 360 Kinect. It is so much easier to come up with excuses not to exercise but reality is I only have 43 days to lose 30lbs. I have to get to my ideal weight before JK's graduation from The Citadel.  Wish me luck... :)

Houston Rodeo Time

It has been a long time since Mike and I have been to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The last time we went the Rodeo was still in the Astrodome and George Strait rode in on his horse. It was kind of sad seeing the Dome looking so empty and in bad shape. Does anyone remember when you had to get up early to be the first one in line to purchase tickets(because you wanted the best seats)? Now you just go online or pull up an app to purchase them.




My Christmas present this year was Chute Seat tickets for the night Sugarland was performing. If you are going to go to the Rodeo that is the way to go. I was two rows up from the actual chute. You can watch the real cowboys in their Wrangler jeans (don't tell Mike I said that) prepare to ride. It brought back memories of when I use to watch my Dad during his Rodeo Clown days.(too young to have seen him bull ride) I am not one of those people who just goes for the music entertainer that is performing that night . I like all the events from the Horse Cutting to the calf scramble. My favorite event is of course the Bull Riding Event. Although it was nice sitting on the dirt with our folding chairs watching Sugarland. (note the guitar pick in the picture above) Kristian Bush threw it out towards some young girls. They missed it and I got it LOL


This year was also special because we were able to take our youngest grandson Tre. ( would have been even better if Aaron was here too). I had so much fun going to Cavender's with Tre getting him ready for the Rodeo ( thought Mike was going to kill me once he saw the bill) Tre was so excited about his John Deer Boots and George Strait hat and of course his Big Texas belt buckle. The first time he walked with his boots on, you would have thought he just got off his horse from a long Texas trail ride. We tried to get a picture of him on the Longhorn but he would have no part of that. ( maybe we can pull that off this summer at my Dad's) He loved looking at all the animals. His favorite was the chickens, gee I wonder why I guess because he is use to them from visiting my Dad who has Tyson chickens.

I will end this post with cowboy Tre singing.

Cancer $@(&$

I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that. ~W. Dayton Wedgefarth

First I would I like to apologize for my bad word. I could not find another word to describe it.

A couple of days ago we learned that our 7 year old lab Gretchen has Lymphoma.

The "typical" canine lymphoma patient is a middle-aged dog brought to the veterinarian because one or more lumps have been found. The veterinarian rapidly determines that all of the peripheral lymph nodes (those near the skin surface) are enlarged and firm. Usually the dog has not been showing any signs of illness. The next step is a blood panel and urinalysis to more completely assess the patient's health and one or more lymph nodes are aspirated or biopsied to confirm the diagnosis of lymphoma.

It is believed we caught it early and with treatment she will live another 1 to 2 years. Without treatment she would only live maybe another 4 to 6 weeks. My question is why do you even think about if we are going to have your beloved animal go through treatments or not. Yes I know the treatments will cost us up to $5,000.00. My youngest son is in his last year at the Citadel and my oldest son just left to go over seas. The thought of them not being able to say goodbye to one of their best friends just breaks my heart. Gretchen is also so good with my grandsons and loves running with her Daddy. Tre loves feeding, playing fetch, and hugging her. How do you tell a 2 year old?

When my Mother was diagnosed with IBC stage 4 back in 2006 I did not even give her a chance to say she did not want treatment. I pick up my cell phone and got her the best doctors in Savannah. My Mom was 76 years old she had lived a full life. She had great accomplishments in her life she was one of the first Medical Navy Waves(what they called females during Korean War), first female pharmaceutical rep (she worked for Smith Kline and French) and these are just the ones I know about but I was not ready to let my Mom go. Now remember she was at stage four and chemo treatments for humans is not pleasant by any means. She did not have her get up and go like she use to and she was always nauseated after treatments. Thank goodness we had great insurance because her treatments were very expensive over $10,000.00 a treatment. With this being said the treatments only gave me one more year with Mom. Yes a year that I am grateful for but was I wrong in having her go through that. Then when the cancer moved to the rest of her organs and she was moved to Hospice. It was so sad watching someone who was so intelligent go to not making any sense in what she was saying. But yet you could see it in her eyes that she knew she was not making sense and could no longer communicate. So now comes to my second question why do we let our love ones live in such pain? When our animals get to where they cannot function we give them meds and let them go to sleep and out of pain. Why don't we do that for those that have done so much for us? I really hate these questions and having to come up with answers. I know I am not suppose to question GOD but sometimes I just wonder how strong he really thinks I am. Mom waited until I was in church the response was "I have asked and you have answered me" I knew she had gone to Heaven that very moment.

After much thought and research we have decided to have Gretchen go through treatments. Everything we have read stated she will be the same. She will be able to run with Mike and play fetch with Tre. Still give me a hard time about wanting to be on the furniture. She had her first treatment today.

To decide is to walk facing forward with nary a crick in your neck from looking back at the crossroads. ~Betsy Cañas Garmon

Once Asked

Several weeks ago I asked how I felt about my son maybe working for HPD or becoming a cop else where. Without hesitation I said "I am ok with it, it cannot be any different from being a military wife, mother and mother in-law." My thought process is that they love this country and what a great honor it is to protect what we believe in. Now I would be lying if I said I do not worry about them. In regards to my son and daughter in-law that our serving our country. I know they are with highly trained soldiers.
This morning I must admit I thought about the question again. The words "Special Report: HPD Officer Shot" first I prayed for our friends who are HPD Officers. (update the Officer is doing fine and is asking if he can go back to work now. He was shot in the arm and hip) The news was showing the ambulance going to Memorial Hermann. The freeways were still a little crowded with people heading downtown to work. As I watched news footage I wondered 1) why didn't they call LifeFlight? 2) why aren't these people moving out of the way? My husband who is now a Lifeflight pilot said think about it this way that if the Officer was in really bad condition they would have been called. So look at it that he is going to be ok. Still watching the news they showed the hospital and it was surrounded with HPD (on motorcycles, on foot, in car and on horse) This reminded me of our military family and we surround each other in good times and and bad times. I feel better now and I will be very proud to wear the name tag saying "Proud Mom of a Soldier and Police Officer"