Butterfly wannabe's

I went out a little while ago to do chicken and pond duty. And as is my ususal habit, I look to see what, if anything is blooming in the yard. Imagine my surprise when I saw my volunteer Passion Vine covered in caterpillars. Munching happliy on leaves, stems and unfortunately, the soon-to-be but now-won't-be blossoms! But that's why I originally planted the Passion Vine ON THE FENCE! To attract the butterflies. Problem with Passion Vine is, it likes to move about. So I've got vines popping up all over the yard. Probably shouldn't complain! They are green. Unlike the rest of my lawn which is brown and crunchy as you walk about. I came inside and Googled what kind of butterfly lays it's eggs on the Passion Vine. It's the Gulf Fritillary. Gulf Fritillary - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia They are a beautiful bright orange (which means Jill wouldn't like them because she doesn't like the color orange!) I took the camera out to snap a few pics. Hopefully I'll remember and we'll watch them as they get big and fat and go into their chrysallis stage and turn into butterflies! And since I was out with the camera, I also found the gardenia bush is blooming. Well, it has one lone bloom, all the way at the bottom of the bush in the back! But there are oodles of bloom coming on it. My Mr Lincoln rose is blooming, as is the magnolia tree. I wish there was a way for me to send the scent out because it is truly wonderful!

So stay tuned. We'll watch the metamorphasis of the butterflies together.

CardPatterns challenge

Another simple but so versatile sketch this week at CardPatterns. Love them!!

Since I already had the new CTMH Bella paper pack out, I figured I'd just go with it! I pulled out a couple of old stamp sets, Make My Day and Just Because for the sentiments. The small squares are from Make My Day and the "friends forever" sentiment is from Just Because. I used my Winding Vines Cuttlebug folder which I inked up with Creme Brulee in before I ran the cardstock thru, then I inked the edges for a bit more definition.

CPS Challenge

Before Jill starts whining that I've not posted in a week again, I thought I'd best get the rest of my challenges for this week done! (Mwah Jill...loves ya bb!) I've got a project on my table that's been taking up a good bit of my time for the past 4 days, but I needed a break from it. So without further mumblings, I bring you this week's http://www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/ challenge!

The more I work with the new CTMH Bella paper pack, the better I'm liking it! Stamp set is also new. CTMH Endless Friendship. The flower is pop dotted. I used my Winding Vines Cuttlebug embossing folder and added Creme Brulee ink to the folder before I ran the cardstock thru for a slight distressed look. Then I further distressed the edges.

All of the new CTMH products I've been sneek peaking for the last month will be available to customers May 1. Start your engines!!

Amy R's challenge

Amy's not feeling her mojo right now, so she dug into her archives and updated an oldie but goodie sketch. I think everybody should go to her blog, Prairie Paper & Ink and show her some love and do her sketch this week.

I turned the sketch on it's side to make the new Nestabilites Deckle Mega Rectangles fit! I used the new CTMH Bella paper pack, along with a new stamp set, Endless Friendship for the flower. There is Prisma Glitter on the flower center swirl, but it doesn't photograph well. Some of the petals are also pop-dotted but it doesn't show well either. The sentiment is from an old SOM, Simple Beauty.

OCC challenge

Silke gave the Our Creative Corner participants an interesting challenge this week. In honor of Earth Day today, we were challenged to recycle something.

I had saved a nut can to do "something" with. We found out recently that John's Japanese cousin Akiko-san is pregnant with her first child, a boy! This is the first boy in their family in over 20 years, so there is much excitement in Japan! I decided to recycle the nut can into a cotton ball holder. I covered it using CTMH Animal Cookies pp and a couple of my EK Success punches. I stamped and cut out the train pieces from CTMH Childhood stamp set. The Kanji on the top says I Love You and it was stamped with CTMH Kanji Phrases stamp set. I've got a few other things I'll be making and send one huge Baby Box to Japan soon!

CPS challenge

Yet another fabulous sketch this week at http://www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/

I needed a quick birthday card. Completely forgot about my Weird Unkle Grumpz's birthday the day after tomorrow. Good thing he lives close. I'll get it in the mail today and he'll have it tomorrow!

I used the new CTMH Tinkerin' paper pack and Express Postage stamp set to personalize the card just for him. A couple of buttons and jute from my stash.

Amanda Faye's swap

I do two swaps with the release of each new CTMH Idea Book. My third upline Susan does a team swap and Amanda Faye does a swap that is open to any Consultant. With AF's swap, I always pick paper pack three, never knowing before hand what it will be. And so far, it's been a winner for me. This time, the paper pack is called Animal Cookies. It has an obvious animal theme with a really cute stamp set to accompany it called It's A Zoo. Colors are Clover Meadow, Dutch Blue, Sunflower and Tulip.I also used bitty brads, our new felt shapes, Nestabilities, buttons, edge distresser,and EK Success punches to complete this swap. I have 5 rounds that I am in. Altered item, acrylic album, card, circle album and 6x6 layout. I made a box with coasters for my altered item, and since the name of the pp is Animal Cookies, I couldn't resist buying some animal cookies and including a small Xiploc of them in everyones box!

CardPatterns challenge

Yet another two-fer! I used the CardPatterns sketch to make a set of swap cards for Susan's swap!

This is another new, not yet available to customers stamp set called Childhood. I used my Cuttlebug Wacky Squares embossing folder on Twilight cardstock, then went over the embossing with Twilight ink sponged on for a soft look. The frame is from a new Nestabilities set called Polka Dot Frames. I left the Nestie in place and sponged Sunny Yellow ink to make the polka dots pop. The buttom is a new CTMH clear button that I used one of the papers from the new Tinkerin paper pack to cover.

Amy R's challenge

Vacation's over, so it's back to my challenges! I'm sorta combining things with this challenge. With every new Idea Book release, I do a swap with my 3rd Upline, Susan. So I'm using Amy's sketch to make my cards for the swap.

This uses the brand new, not yet available to customers, Moon Doggie paper pack and Extreme Happiness stamp set. Colors used are all CTMH, Desert Sand, Indian Corn Blue, Cranberry, Garden Green and Sunny Yellow. The flower has black embossing powder on the center and extra shading done with a sponge and ink. The leaf, flower and stamen all are pop dotted for dimension. The ribbon is custom colored using CTMH Create A Shade paint and Cranberry Reinker.

Getaway

So loyal follower Jill has pointed out that I'haven't blogged in a week! We've been away. We snuck over to Orlando for a few days of R&R, lounging poolside with fruity umbrella drinks, recharging our batteries. We stayed at a new place this time. Staybridge Suites Orlando Hotels On I-Drive. A very nice hotel. We had a suite overlooking the pool, and since we were celebrating our 20th anniversary, the staff sent up a very nice fresh fruit basket and a bottle of wine and a card with 2 Herseys Kisses attached. We thought that was very sweet.

We took one day and drove to the East coast and ate a late lunch, early dinner at Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant - Titusville Florida. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their rock shrimp! I had 4 dozen and John had 5 dozen. Along with the free corn fritter appetizers that everyone gets, our potato and salad. Then we found a seafood market that sells the rock shrimp, so we bought a cheapie styrofoam cooler and got 4 lbs of rock shrimp to bring home, a sheepshead fish that we had them fillet and some Kingfish steaks. They packed the cooler for us, and put it on dry ice to keep til we got back home.

We had a very nice few days and are now back to the daily grind! Don'tcha wish vacations lasted just a bit longer!

CardPatterns challenge

As soon as I saw the sketch at CardPatterns this week, I knew I had to make a caterpiller type bug!I used a circle stamp and used the rock and roll method. First I inked up using CTMH Desert Sand ink, then rolled just the edges in CTMH Cocoa ink. Gave him a few legs, a googlie eye and some green grass to wander through! I used two different colors of yellow CTMH textured cardstock for the sun. The stamp is from the CTMH April Word Puzzle stamp set, as is the Spring sentiment. Course I had to add a bit of bling in the dot over the "i" in Spring!!

OCC challenge

Great sketch this week at Our Creative Corner.

I used CTMH Perfect Day paper pack, along with CTMH Treasuse Life stamp set. Ink is CTMH Juniper. A white button from my stash, along with a piece of jute and Sorbet ribbon.

SheetLoad April challenge

Great sketch this month at SheetLoad of Cards - Free Monthly eZine! If you haven't checked out this blog, you certainly should!

Iused the brand new, not yet available (except to Consultants!) CTMH Stamp of the Month for May, called Be Yourself. Eight ladies doing everything from running to dancing with sentiments to match. I embossed the "Elegant Evening Dress Lady" with Sparkle -n- Sprinkle Golden Follies EP. I chose the CTMH Perfect Day paper pack to make my card with. I folded the fans and used a button with Tulip embroidery thread and a Juniper brad as centers for the fans. I used my edge distresser for a bit of visual interest.

CPS challenge

I finally found a few minutes to take care of the http://www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/challenge for this week!

I used SU! Kraft cardstock for the base. Used CTMH Bird Basics for the image. The bird is double stamped, the wing has Prisma Glitter for sparkle and the headdress has additional bling. The branch is a rub-on from the CTMH Love Story rub-on pack, as is the "Love Birds" sentiment which is on one of the new t!m Holtz Fragments. I used my nestabilities scalloped oval to cut out the Emporium Creative Basics flower paper.

April 8, 2009

Today is John's and my 20th wedding anniversary. WOW! Has it really been 20 years? It really seems like just yesterday. We've had a few hiccups, but for the most part, it's been a good run! I guess we're gonna stick it out!

He had beautiful tulips delivered yesterday. I figure he's already got the best gift of all...me...so that's what he's getting! We got cards from Kathy, Jan and mom and my friend Jenn (who couldn't resist being a smart ass!) and an e-card from Chris.

I did make John a card. Twenty reasons why I love you. I'll share a couple of them. You love me unconditionally. You spoil me shamelessly. I can pick on you about your love for John Wayne, Star Wars and Star Trek. When you hug me, it makes everything all better. I told him there were more than 20 reasons, but if he wanted to hear the rest, he'd have to stick around!

Here's to the next 20!

Easter cards

Because I was an idiut and forgot to take a picture of the Easter cards I sent out, Jill was kind enough to take a picture of hers and send so I could post.

I used a mat stack I got for less than $3.00 at Michael's, so the background on each is different. The bunnies I stamped using the CTMH Feb SOM, Easter Eggs, then cut a triangle in each.

CardPatterns challenge

Great sketch this week at CardPatterns. They just keep coming up with the cutest sketches!

I got my CTMH Summer Idea Book and Stamp of the Month Autoship earlier this week. Lots of cool new papers and stamps and some new alterable things as well!! So I'll be showing a sneak peek here and there to whet your appetite for upcoming new things starting in May!

This is the May SOM, called "Be Yourself." It has 8 images of ladies doing a variety of things. From running to dancing with different sentiments to go with them. This is a really cute set!

I flipped the sketch 90 degrees. I used the STMH Stardust paper pack since my order of new paper isn't here yet! I used Nestabilities Labels Four, then stamped the lady in Black ink. The top of her dress is paper pieced. I cut tiny pieces of Sunny Yellow and Star Spangled Blue Sassy Strands to do the layers on her dress. As soon as I saw the dress, it reminded me of the 20's era Flapper dresses and I knew I had to use Sassy Strands on it! I also used my new EK Success punch Embossed Scallop and sponged the edges in Bamboo ink for added definition. I will be duplicating this 5 more times for our Team SOM swap...I think I may lose my mind cutting and attaching all those tiny pieces of Sassy Strands!

Contrails

I love looking up at the sky. Dad and I used to lie on our backs and see what we could find in the clouds. What shape, animal, whatever. And I still look up at the clouds.

This morning, there was not a cloud in the sky. Just crystal clear blue. Except these two contrails which made two giant "X's" in the sky! It's hard to tell in the pictures, but the angle of the sun in the sky gave the contrails an almost orange glow.

Amy R's challenge

Amy's got another versatile sketch up at Prairie Paper & Ink this week.

I needed a card for my friend Evan, who had to have an emergency appendectomy earlier this week. He's doing much better, resting comfortably at home, but it was a couple of scary days while they tried to figure out what was wrong with him.

I pulled out CTMH Stardust paper pack and CTMH Bird Basics stamp set. The bird wing has some Prisma Glitter cuz even guys need some glitter in their lives! I got to use my brand new EK Success Swiss Cheese punch on this card too!

Feel better soon, Evan. Keep the heavy lifting to a minimum!

Happy Birthday Liane!

April starts where March left off! Today is my friend Liane's birthday. She's 29. Same as me! I found these paper mache` letters at JoAnn's and decided she needed one with her name on it. Cuz you know, once you hit 29, you occasionally have temporary insanity moments when you just. can't. remember. your. own. name! So in those moments, all she has to do is look over her shoulder, and there it will be. I also made some peppermint patty flowers for her, but she said the peppermint patties were gone by the time they got to her. I know I've had that same problem with candy that people send me, so I totally understand. Those poor overworked Postal workers get hungry too! Happy Birthday my friend!

Awwwwwwwwww!

I started out to get the mail a few minutes ago and there was a baby gopher tortoise hoofing it across the driveway! They are on the Threatened List because so much of their habitat has been paved over. They like to live in the sandy soil of pine forests and with the rampant growth that Florida has seen, so much of those pine forests are now shopping malls or subdivisions or both, and the tortoises haven't fared very well. This little guy, who is less than 6" long, posed for a few pictures, then continued on his merry way.