COOKING, BAKING, NO CARD MAKING....

I have been quite busy harvesting some of the fall garden produce, and the photo to the right shows some of my 'hard work'. I have baked acorn squash with butter & brown sugar, baked 2 loaves of zucchini bread, made and baked stuffed green peppers, and finally baked a dozen blueberry muffins. Of course I had to pick one of the "hottest" days to do all of this, but thanks to fans, air conditioning and a dear husband (who kept doing up all of the dishes and making lunch whilst I was doing this).

Yes, you're right, you can't create cards or other paper crafts while you are baking. Don't ask me as blueberry stains just don't come out of paper!!!! I suppose I could have soaked the card stock in some watered smashed blueberries - hmmmmmmmmmmmm, now why didn't I think of that while I was doing the muffins - Duh!!!! Oh, well, there will be a next time I'm sure and when it happens you'll be the first to know. If you would like any of these yummy recipes, just e-mail me at huffpede@yahoo.com and I'll be glad to oblige you. Enjoy.

GOOD DAYS/BAD DAYS

Wow, I haven't posted in almost 1 1/2 weeks. Must be slipping. Not!!!! Just been running to the doctors, having tests done, and now the reports are starting to trickle in. My EKG is normal, I have diabetes, which I already knew, my cholesterol etc. is way out of whack, and a few other minor things is wrong. So what's knew?!!!! I'm now on diabetic medicine, which I have been on for some time but I think I'll see if that can change as he thinks my levels are too high - so we'll have to see what happens there. He put me on some meds to lower the cholesterol etc., and we'll have to see what the results are after a month. He did set me up with his nurse practitioner to go over my eating habits etc. - this should be interesting to say the least. Although I will say I've been a good girl, and am trying to do even better. He also has put me on an anti-depressant med and I think it is too strong as I can't even function with the smallest of tasks. Thank goodness for a dh as sometimes he does all of the cooking and housework for me. We'll have to see about this med for me, as I think it not only is too strong for me, but the side effects are a killer. Well, I'm going to try to create today, so I'll share with you when I have something done. Thank you for looking.

A DULL DRUM KIND OF DAY

Today has been a dull drum kind of day. Gloomy then sunny, but very humid. It has been a welcomed cool kind of past two days, then today came along and I thought for me it is just best to stay in, turn up the fans and the dehumidifier, and create to my hearts content.

I happen to see an "origami" style card and decided I needed to try this. These are my interpretations of that card I saw. On my web site of Inky Fun Stampers ( inkyfunstampers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ) we have a lot of fun trying new techniques in our swaps. One of the swaps is "Summertime" - create your art using flowers, so I think this will fit the bill for that swap, plus one extra one. These were rather easy to make once I got the measurements down. The inside of the (green - bottom card) seems a bit larger than I really wanted it, so I "adjusted" the measurements and came up with the top (pink card). I had to "color" the flower on the pink card as it just didn't seem like it should be "plain white"...LOL

The paper I used on the pink card I made by using tissue paper adhered with spray adhesive on a white card stock. I have a lot of different styles and colors of tissue paper and this is one way to create with what you have. On the green card I used a double sided paper from http://www.cratepaper.com/ in the "birdie collection" named peacock. This paper seemed a bit heavier and harder to crease even though I was using my Scor-it. Okay, onward to my next artistic endeavors.

I had some scraps of the Pearlized Gesso Technique found in the August 2008 Technique Junkies Newsletter and a lightbulb went off - make a couple of ATC's. The "dance" ATC was created using the Faux Cloisonne Technique which can be found here:

http://b-muse.com/Techniques-Embossing-C.HTM then adhered to the background with art glitter glue ( http://www.artglitter.com/ ) This glue dries clear and fairly quickly is the reason I love this stuff. Well that was pretty easy and quickly done since I already had the images pre-stamped and pre-cut. The images are from Della Warr and I Brake For Stamps.

The next ATC background was done on the Pearlized Gesso Technique also. The pear was also done with the Faux Cloisonne Technique and adhered with the art glitter glue. The pear stamp I believe came from Frances Naeve of Hearts in Touch. I really don't remember as I have re-mounted some of my stamps and "forgot" to list the company's name. That is a big no-no in my book, so if Frances is looking in I do apologize for this oversight, and thank you for the EZ Mount system that you have on your website of Hearts in Touch ( http://www.heartsintouch.com/ ).

I had fun creating these and I do hope you enjoy viewing them. I now have to shut my craft room down and return to the reality of a wife and cooking dinner. Then it is onward to watching the Olympics. Please leave a comment if you care to as this is how I learn - from you.

SOME THANKS YOU'S

My cousin, Lois came to visit me this past weekend and it was a blast from the past, so I owe her a Thank You for making the 12 hour trek to my home all by herself. (More nerves of steal than me....LOL) I thought she deserved a "special" card as she is so special to me, and we have shared so very much in our lives. I hope she will enjoy it. I tried the Shimmering Resist that is listed in the August 2008 issue of the Technique Junkie Newsletter ( http://www.techniquejunkies.com/ ) and I am pleasantly pleased how it came out. The Flourish stamp that I used came from Clear Stamps by rhonna farrer, Autumn Leaves, a Division of Creativity, Inc., Van Nuys, CA. I bought these clear stamps while I was in AZ, and I don't remember the name of the place I purchased these, but I sure have used them a lot. The ink I used is Petal Point Magenta from Color Box - Arboretum set. The spray ink I used was "homemade" with reinkers and alcohol with a bit of Adirondack "pearl" mixed in. The background is made by stamping with Versa Mark and clear (or white) embossing powder. It sure came out shimmery, just like my cousin's personality.

The other thank you card that I needed to make is for my hair dresser. I

don't ordinarily make a thank you card for my hairdressers, but she

did such a marvelous job and very patient with me while I was answering questions of what I was doing with my hands, by herself and other patrons. I have a take-a-long bag full of stamped images and my Derwent Water color pencils, that I color while I need to be "patient" or "quiet" (which is hard for me to do so this is my salvation). She too has a sparkling personality so I tried the "Pearlized Gesso" in the August 2008 Technique Junkies Newsletter ( www.techniquejunkies.com ). The stamp that I used came from I Brake For Stamps ( www.ibrakeforstamps.com ). The "thank you" stamp I don't know where I purchased that from - sorry.

After applying the Gesso and Pearl Ex, letting it dry, I was pleasantly surprised how it turned my card stock into what felt like "canvas". With the Pearl Ex it sure made it shiny and the cross hatch pattern pop. It was a "messy" project, but it turned out to be very fun one to do. Yep, I'll get over my "messy" hang-up if it kills me...LOL Thanks Pat Huntoon for having the newsletter.

I hope you all will enjoy my endeavors and leave a comment or suggestion. Have a creative week.

NAKED LADIES

After learning that I should have been going to an Internist Doctor instead of Family practitioner, I'm finally getting all of the tests that I should have had before. Oh, well I'm now on to enjoying my "naked ladies".

The Arkansan's call this type of lily the "Naked Lady" and the folklore that goes with it is quite funny. It is something about when a male spouse dies the widow plants these on his grave. Not sure what the context of the message is, and maybe I shouldn't know...LOL In the spring these plants come up as a very pretty green bush with lush green slender leaves. Then about mid May the greenery dies and a couple months later or so, a slender stalk that reminds me of a white asparagus stalk comes up and pretty soon you have these gorgeous lilies. Like I said, I'm not sure of the meaning of the word Naked Ladies for these flowers, and please don't ask me what their floral names are as I don't know that either. All I know for sure is that I really enjoy their beauty and protect them as much as possible from our pesky city pets - Deer.

Today I have a diabetic support group meeting at 10:00 a.m. so I'd better go and get dressed for that. I really enjoy these meetings as they are quite informative not only of diabetes itself, but for the health dangers this disease has for us, and how to stay as healthy as possible. Thank you for taking this peek at my ramblings, and if so inclined, please leave a message.

ANOTHER "ALMOST"

If I spent the rest of my time trying to recreate the "original" of this card, I'd probably not have enough days to do it. The "digitally" created one I will admit it a much prettier one because of all of the "overlays" etc. you can create . If nothing else I have showcased "some" of my flowers in some of my flower gardens and I got a lot of satisfaction out of just that aspect. I hope you will enjoy looking at the flowers too. Have a wonderful and creative day today and leave a comment if you wish. Thank you.

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

After scurrying around this past week with Inky Fun Stampers business - come join the "inky fun" at: inkyfunstampers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com - I finally got around to taking a photo of some flowers in my garden and making the "old fashioned" challenge. As the heading above says, "close but no cigar", as I noticed in the original the photo covered the "whole" of the card stock with just a bit of the photo covered with vellum and the Apache saying. OOOOP'ssss. So back to the drawing board for me and I'll have to post a closer looking card. Sooooooooo, stay tuned to this station as I'm bound and determined to get this done properly...LOL

CHALLENGE BORE "REAL" BEAUTY

I happen to come upon a gorgeous digitally enhanced card that was created by Annapurna Jones (see comments), made the comment to her that I thought it was gorgeous and that I was going to try and make it the "old fashioned" way - with papers and a photo of my garden. This wonderful young lady accepted my challenge and to the right you will see her gorgeous outcome. Annapurna, if you're reading this I thank you for such beauty. To answer your question as well as others, I just haven't had the time to try and do my own challenge. I have made a promise to myself that if I "open my mouth and insert foot (feet)" I will keep that promise...LOL Now to go and fix dinner and hopefully find a suitable photo to try and recreate what she so beautifully has done both digitally and in "reality" before this weekend is out. What a great work of art even when she said she had made an error on the card - I personally think it is perfect and if the person receiving it doesn't want it I'll take it....LOL Thank you for reading my Blog, leave a comment if you wish, and have a very creative weekend.

MAN'S INTERSANCTUM

Have you ever ventured into your dh's workshop or garage? It can be a very scary place for a female type person...LOL Yesterday I did exactly that and I got some very sticky fingers as I "lifted" his "self stick tape for sheet rock". (I think we rubber stampers call it 'mesh tape'.) Crept back to my room, placed it on my table, and wouldn't you know it but got caught...Darn! After explaining what I wanted to use it for he said, "...I have a "small roll" of it out there that you can have..." yep, wouldn't you just know it. After applying the tape to my card stock I sprayed all of it with Walnut Ink (antiquing solution) by Tsukineko. Note to self: Don't over spray next time. I then stamped my image which is from I Brake for Stamps and can be found at: http://www.ibrakeforstamps.com/ , colored the image with my Derwent water color pencils, which can be seen here: http://www.pencils.co.uk/ , then I mounted the image on some brown card stock (unknown type) which then was mounted on white card stock and affixed to the sprayed larger card stock. The word of "Friends" (Everyday Object Alphabet Stickers) came from the Dollar Store here in my hometown. Now I'm off to practice spraying this marvelous ink on another "texture" card making, and finish my "garden card". Enjoy, and please leave a goor or bad comment if you wish.