Hot Days=Wet Friends and Fun

Whew! My eye checkup went well today. I just need to continue eye drops in my right eye for a few extra days to relieve the throbbing. Thankfully I have no damage to my corneas. It's been a long week in the dark! I missed getting glued and inked and stamped and messy all over.

After getting home and before Emily dropped Ella off for a play date with Gramma, I made this super-simple two-page layout of a day we three spent together at the pool this summer. Double click to enlarge a photo.

I used Close To My Heart Life Delights papers and Stickease, white flower brads, cranberry mini brads, cranberry ribbon, and Flip Flaps to get more photos onto each page. The Stickease letters are on papers punched with the Giga Marvy scallop punch. The photos aren't great since I took them with the Memory Protectors on the pages, but that's the best way to show the Flip Flaps. These products make scrapbooking so fast and fun, especially when it's so hard to choose only a few photos on a traditional layout. Now we can layer the photos and do a little flip-flappin' to tell the whole story!


Page 1: Page 1

with Flip Flaps flipped up and out:

Page 2:

Page 2

with Flip Flaps flipped up:

I'm gettin' back into the groove slowly here!

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer's Last Blooms & Signs of Fall

We got rain over the past weekend! And we could benefit from more!

My prayers are for those in Georgia who have lost loved ones and their homes in the massive flooding.

One of the Bible passages I read this morning:

Rejoice in the Lord always...The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

JOY and PEACE in knowing the Lord is with you!

Shadow Shot Sunday

One can stay in the dark and do very little only for so long! So, while totally bored and wearing dark shades, waiting for antibiotics to rid my eyes of this bacterial infection, I sneaked out of the house to snap these shots of shadows today--

A metal butterfly sculpture and trellis that supports a browning clematis in one of our backyard garden areas ...

and the oak trees' shadows in our shady backyard bird & wildlife sanctuary, where the sprinkler was on full blast. We're so dry here & praying for rain ... I really hate to see our next water bill. God's heavenly rain would do a much better watering job!

Skip on over to HeyHarriet to see a variety of awesome shadow shots from shooters world-wide. Then grab your camera, look for shadows, and join the fun.

Happy new week!

C-U-Later

I just got home from an eye appointment because this morning my eyes were this RED... no white areas showing at all...after I got them "unglued." It was so gross!

Diagnosis: an infection (otherwise known as conjunctivitis or "pink eye" -- aren'tcha glad you don't live in our house?!) that is VERY contagious.

Treatment: a week of antibiotic eyedrops (otherwise known as "liquid gold" at $140 a tiny bottle--thank God for antibiotics AND insurance!) and prednisone drops for inflammation.

I never had this before & wouldn't wish it on anyone...as a teacher I remember kids had it in my classes & they were banned from school for a while. My resistance must've been much better in those days. From now on, I'm taking antibacterial wipes along for those shopping cart handles and door knobs!

We take our eyes for granted most days ... until we can't use them. Right now mine are screamin' angry with pain, and I'm going to come back to blogging and paper crafting when they feel MUCH relieved. C-U-Later!

Remember to wash your hands well during this flu and germy season!

"Game On" Memory Showcase Album

Today I worked on Justin's Memory Showcase Album to go inside his Memory Box Keeper. (See yesterday's post.)

I decided to make the 6 x 6 inch album to allow more space in his box for his "treasures" from the soccer seasons.

Here's the cover with the Game On papers, Stickease, and a Foundry Frame:




Pages 1-4 ... Papers, Stickease, pewter brads, foam squares, black CTMH ribbons ... (Click on a photo to enlarge it.)



Pages 1 & 2 ... Page 1 has space for him to write his 3 things he likes best about soccer.



Pages 3 & 4 ...

Back cover, pages 5-6, front cover ...

Back cover with circle Window Charms ...

A tiny redo of Page 3 -- After I took the first set of photos, I decided to outline the "a" with a black marker to help it stand out ... now you can see it!

It's just as fun to make papercraft items for boys as it is for girls! The "Game On" papers and Stickease are really cool IRL.

Hope your Monday was marvelous, magical, and most abundantly blessed!

"Game On" Memory Keeper Box

I've been working on a few gift items, and here's one for our great-nephew who is a star soccer player. When I finish the coordinated 9 x 9 inch accompanying album, I'll post that too.

Though I hate to see summer come to an end too soon, I do enjoy the local Friday night football and soccer games, the cooler evenings, and the smell of Fall in the air.

I used Close To My Heart "Game On" Level 2 papers and Stickease along with pop-up foam squares, clear buttons, and waxy flax in Bamboo and Olive. I put star patterned paper behind the clear button on the magnetic lift-flap of the box.

I wish we could see Justin play a game--he's built for speed! He lives hundreds of miles away, and we have to be thankful for photos right now. Maybe someday...

Everyday Celebration Cards

I've enjoyed a little more studio time with the new card kit & papers & some old favorites too!

Jingle with Twinkle brads & embossed snowflakes ...

Silhouette with Big Pinks and big & little brads ...

Delight in the Everyday ... what a FUN, versatile card kit!

Thanks for looking!

God bless your weekend!

Everyday Celebration Layout

Rarely, rarely do I create a layout before I have even taken the photos! This was somewhat of a brain-drain for me. :)

Today I played with the new Close To My Heart "Everyday Celebration" card kit papers & embellies along with some chocolate rub-ons and CTMH buttons & waxy flax to create this layout (and a few cards that I haven't photographed yet). Friends, this kit is available only through Sept. 30th or while they last! Contact me to find out how you can get a kit FREE!

DH's two brothers are visiting this weekend, and I'll probably have to bribe them with Budweisers to allow me to get their photos together--maybe some real action shots. Argyle, football, beer, hoagies, recliners ... we'll see what shows up in the photos tomorrow.

Page 1 is for a vertical 5 x 7 photo (Reflections, p. 46 recipe for "Sidebar Photo Accent"), and page 2 is for a horizontal 5 x 7 photo and 3 small photos along the bottom (Reflections, p. 49 for "Sidebar Understated"). On page 2 along the left side, I'll add a strip of vellum on which I've journaled over the vertical blue dotted paper. Will post when finished!

But now I must bake brownies and a birthday cake for a celebration tomorrow evening--THREE September birthdays in the family!

Thanks for looking!

Card Workshop--Something for Everyone

Jingle papers & Twinkle brads ...


Twitterpated paper & "Treasures" Stamp of the Month ...

Everyday Celebrations card kit (available through Sept. 30th) ...

Around the Holidays circle card from the card kit -- love the Stickease & sheer ribbon & the easy-peasy-ness of these card kits! I used a lot of Liquid Glass for shine on these ...

Perfect Day papers & Fancy Cuts botanicals, colonial crocheted ribbon, with Liquid Glass accents for a note card ...

"thank you" with Bella papers, autumn collection of leaf & flowers, big brad, and smokey plum ribbon ...

Six ladies came on Wednesday evening for a card workshop. Most had never experienced the Close To My Heart art of card making and stamping: Faster. Simpler. Easier. We had fun! Had I asked them to make an overnight party of it, I think each one would have gladly stayed and "inked on and on ..." But some did have to get up and go to work this morning.

I was so thankful that the UPS man had brought my new winter paper packets and an assortment of new stamps, inks, and embellishments on Tuesday afternoon. CTMH and UPS simply rock.

Before the man in brown had shifted truck gears, I dived into the new stash and began to make an assortment of easy cards to show and tell ... and also added some of my oldies but goodies papers too.

The ladies did a great job creating their cards with personal "twists" to each one. They've been smitten with the awesome CTMH products--how I love to watch workshoppers! They're like kids in a candy store!

These were their evening's Favorite Close To My Heart products: the MyAcrylix blocks and stamps, the VersaMat, Liquid Glass, Bonding Memories glue, and the new Twinkle Brad Jolly Assortment ... and you just can't beat that Fiskars paper trimmer scorer.

It was a very fun, productive evening with a great group of eager learners. I truly thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to teach and share the passion for paper crafting, and to meet new friends in the process.

Now I'm really anxious to get to work with more of the new items these next few days! I just may lock myself in and eat only when I'm hungry ...

How Many Days 'Til Christmas?

And would she fit in my stocking?

I'm making a little wish...

Shadow Shot Sunday

We visited the Jefferson National Park--Gateway to the West Arch along St. Louis' riverfront yesterday with friends who visited us from Cleveland for the holiday weekend.

The shadows were subtle on the south sides of the Arch legs.

It was a clear, sunny, beautiful day to ride to the top and look over the bi-state area of Missouri and Illinois and all the city blocks.

I love it when the people appear as busy ants on the sidewalks below.

Al succeeded in keeping the Arch standing tall, and another nice man took over the position when we left to have a picnic lunch in Tower Grove Park.

Here's a shadow shot of Wendy, Becky, and Al as we left the Arch grounds.

The Eads Bridge spans between Laclede's Landing near the Arch across the Mississippi River to East St. Louis. It supports both road and railway traffic. On some summer weekends, the bridge is closed to traffic and it's the site of a fantastic "Food Fair" where we can eat and watch riverfront fireworks displays.

Wendy, Al, and Becky had lived in St Louis for a while, so they wanted to re-visit some of their favorite spots. Here are Wendy and Al enjoying a dessert treat at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard--a tasty St Louis landmark famous for their "concretes." (You can turn your cup upside down and the concrete is frozen firm.)

The flavor of the day was pineapple. Some of our favorites include "Cardinal Sin," "Dutch Apple," "TerraMizzou" and "Fox Treat." Lots of fruity flavors, hot fudge, pecans, pistachios, and macadamia nuts, and cherries in these.

Becky, how did you eat yours so fast?

Visit HeyHarriet to see interesting collages of Shadow Shots each week. Thanks, Tracy, for keeping your great blog collection going, going, going!