Latest food find

I think most people who know me know of my affection (or addiction as the case may be!) for Dirty Bloody Marys. For me, it's almost as much about the dirty and fresh squeezed lime juice that I add as it is about the vodka! I am also about the accoutrement. No boring stalk of celery for me! Though I have been known to throw one in, in addition to the other schmuck I put in it. I've been known to use pickled asparagus, pickled green beans, pickled carrot sticks, cocktail onions, wonderful green olives that I get from Temecula Olive Oil Company (thanks to my friend Jill!) and cucumber stalks; just to name a few. Not all at once, of course, but a couple or three at a time. But I'd never thought about pickled okra. I'ma good Southern girl. I {heart} me some "okries" as my cousin and I used to call them! So imagine my surprise when I opened my June issue of Southern Living that came in the mail a couple of weeks ago and found a one piece spread on Wickles Wicked Okra. To put in your Bloody Mary. OMG! WHAT a concept! I had to have me some! But being the cheapskate I am, I was not going to pay S&H for one jar, especially since the S&H was more than the actual jar of product! And not knowing if I'd like them or not, I didn't want to pay for more than one jar and end up throwing them out if I didn't like them. So I checked my Publix when I was there last week. And lo, what to my wondering eyes did appear? Wickles Wicked Okra! They'd had it all along! So a jar jumped right off the shelf and into my cart. I'm addicted! They have a sweet/hot taste that is so good. Starts out sweet on your tongue and you get a bit of good burn in the back of your throat as you swallow. Yummy! (Jeanne, you REALLY need to try these! They are in the pickle section on the top shelf!)

Ramblin Rose

or roses as the case may be!

We got a butt.load of rain Sunday. Twice. It was the tail end of the system that brought the killer tornado to Yazoo City Mississippi. Thankfully we didn't have any tornado damage here. We were just finishing dinner and they came on the TV and said that we should be expecting heavy rain, lightning, hail and possible tornados. So I ran and took a shower just in case. I told John I wanted to be clean if a tornado did hit! To which he rolled his eyes and told me it wouldn't matter that I'd just had a shower. The lights flicked a few times, but we never lost power. But hoo boy did we get rain. It rained so hard that the gutters couldn't get it all off the roof and it was just spilling over the gutters like they weren't even there. It was dark as night and what sky you could see was an eerie greenish color. Freaked me right out. In 30 minutes, it was over. Then we got round two about 1 AM Monday morning. This time we lost power for over 4 hours. Poor John was out working in it. All told, with both storms, we got almost 6 inches of much needed rain.

Which bring me to the roses. They must have loved the rain because almost every one of my bushes has at least one rose on it. And the ones that aren't blooming have buds coming. And they smell so fragrant! Too bad you can't smell the pictures!

CardPatterns challenge

Michelle created a simple but lovely sketch this week at CardPatterns. I'm still playing with the new line of CTMH papers that will be available for customer purchase on May 1. This one is a "vacation" theme set called Passages. Stamp set is new as well. It's called Live Inspired. I used some of the new Cocoa Ribbon Rounds collection. This is the widest of the ribbon in the collection and it has a bit of a gather to it, but I gathered it a bit more and used staples to hold it. The mesh ribbon is from my stash.

Just call me copycat!

In keeping with the Toilet Paper Origami post of the other day, friend Jeanne posted this little ditty on her blog silly to sane. . . . this morning. Justtoiletpaper.com - Printed Toilet Paper

Now you can custom order your rolls AND fold them into pretty origami shapes as well. There are a few varieties I wouldn't mind having handy when those you are not so fond of come to visit!

I have truly sunk to a new low!

Happy Spring

Lots of layers for the http://www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/ challenge this week! Love that!

I used my Nesties scalloped circle and a bunch of layers of mulberry paper and made a paper flower. I fluffed the layers and inked the top layer with CTMH Blush ink. Paper pack is the new CTMH Cherry-O that will be available to customers on May 1. I used one of my EK Success punches and tied Blush Waxy Flax in some of the holes. Sentiment is from the old style CTMH April Word Puzzle that is no longer available.

Now I've seen it all

I was looking for something yesterday. Don't remember now what it was. Clicking links. Going where the Internets took me. I ended up here

Toilet Paper Origami

For when your world gets really dull and boring. OR! The next time you're in a hotel room, YOU can fold the toilet paper for the maid!! How funny would that be?!

CardPatterns challenge

Michelle created another great sketch this week at CardPatterns.

My favorite Weird Unkle Grumpz has a birthday coming up, so I used the sketch to create his card. I used the new CTMH Zippidee pp, along with my Happy Birthday Cuttlebug folder which I sanded to distress. I free-hand cut the candles and they are topped with yellow Stickles. The three button brads are from my stash as is the jute.

Phield of Phlox

Somebody...I don't know if it was the state or the county...planted phlox seed in the median of the highway that leads to our subdivision. The flowers have been just gorgeous for the past few weeks. I decided I needed to get some pictures of them before they start dying. Only to return again next spring...

Hot Diggity!

This is the last paper pack of the new Summer CTMH IB release that is coming up on May 1. This one's called Splendor. Pretty florals, stripes, clouds and checks for all those outside summer pics. I used this one for this weeks challenge at http://www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/.

The stamp set is called Hot Diggity. It's got frogs, fish, butterflies, flowers, birds, a cute earthworm and snail along with several sentiments. All sorts of outside critters that will go perfectly with the Splendor paper pack. I double stamped the bird and cut one out and pop dotted it for some dimension. There's a Bitty Sparkle for it's eye and a bit of Diamond Stickles on it's wing. The three brads are part of the Designer Brad collection and is called Splendor as well and coordinates beautifully with this pp!

Cherry-O!

is another of the new for Summer paper packs from CTMH. I chose this one for this weeks challenge at CardPatterns.

This uses the cherry and the stripe B&T from the set, along with A Little Buzz stamp set. The bee has Diamond Stickles on his (her?!) wings and antennae. The small Crystal Blue flower at the bottom right of the bee is new Irresistables. The design resists whatever color you apply to the chipboard! Pretty cool!! There's also some Hope Diamond wannabe blue bling from my stash. I used my MS lattice punch and my Nesties as well.

Just once...

it would be so nice to have something happen the way it's supposed to. With no snafus.

When I was brushing my teeth last night, the temporary "fix" for the root canal came out/off. Whoops! Now I've been through this before. When I was 14, I broke my top two front teeth off even with the gum. It was 4 years before I got root canals and crowns for those teeth. The dentist put this gum-like stuff on the open end of the teeth and it would harden. Eventually it would snap off. And I'd go back and he'd put more of the gum-like stuff over the exposed nerves. For four years. Once the root canals were done, I've always had crowns on those teeth. I've never had the experience of having a root canal with nothing on/over the tooth to protect it. Until now. I called my regular dentist office, but because it was after hours, I got the answering machine. And they have the standard, "if this is a true emergency, call blah, blah, blah" message. Well, I didn't know if it was a "true" emergency. So I didn't call. And it was bugging me. I know the mouth isn't the most sanitary place. And now I've got this open spot going straight up into my sinus cavity. And since my brain function can be questonable at times, why take a chance for some germie to get up there?! Then I'd end up in the loony bin for the rest of my life! It was bugging Debbie too, once I told her about it! And she said she would hound me until I called to see what their recomendation was. So I finally called. His office manager gets to man the emergency phone on the weekends. Poor girl! She said so long as I don't chew/bite on that side and keep it as clean as possible, I will be fine until Monday when I go for my appointment. So that's what I plan on doing. If I start talking to the walls and making funny faces, someone please call the men in the white coats!!

Just once...I'd love for my mouth to do what it's supposed to. Is that too much to ask?!

Sneak Peekage-Passages

This is my second (and last) set of cards for our team swap. I've got LOTS of new schtuff on these! CTMH is introducing a new clear card in this Idea Book. You get 4 scallop edge and 4 rounded corner square cards with clear envies. The paper pack, Passages, is "vacation" themed and I snorted when I saw that the map that they used was of the greater Washington, DC area! How appropriate since Convention is in DC this year! The stamp set is Live Inspired and it too has a small Washington, DC postmark type stamp in the set. There are new Marks Passages; a bookmark type of embellishment. CTMH has also added Cocoa Ribbon Rounds to it's lineup, so that is represented as well.

Stay tuned. I've got a couple more stamp sets and two more paper packs to sneak peek before customers can get their hands on the new stuff May 1!

Sneak Peekage- Zippidee

It's time for the CTMH Summer IB! As always, Consultants can order a month in advance of the IB release to customers on May 1. Our team is doing a swap again to let customers see what-all can be done with the various new stamps and paper packs. I have to admit that the way Zippidee is shown in the IB, I wasn't a fan. They show a "Disney" theme with these papers and I am so not a Disney girl. But I've learned to order one of each paper pack, even if I don't like what they do with it! Because I generally change my mind once I have it in my hot little hands and I can do what I want with it. And this was no exception. I think this may well be my favorite of the 4 new paper packs. I paired it up with the new A Little Buzz stamp set and I think my cards are pretty darn cute! I shamelessly stole Debbie's card idea from the Easter card she sent John and I.

Kyle's Eagle Scout Project

This is the last layout I'll be sharing from this project. Once again it's time to move on! Another scrapping project for the books...so to speak!

I used a play on words for both of these pages. Worker with the bees, and Super in a Nesties circle with visor for Supervisor Joy! And a mahvelous job she did at supervising too!

This was a fun project. Having the Boy Scout paper pad from K & Co made my job very easy. The papers all coordinated and if I wanted a "plain" paper, all I had to do was flip it over since it's double sided. I've got a few pieces left over, so I'll give it to Kyle as well in case he has anything he'd like to add to the album. I bought a refill pack of pages, so I put that in as well for some extras pages.

The mouth saga continues

Oy vey! Where to start!

I had my 6 months post-op check at the Perio Monday. They cleaned my teeth. And I'm still having "issues" with tartar build-up on my lower front teeth. Sooooooo I got to go buy a Sonicare electric toothbrush. And while the $100 price tag is pretty steep, it is by far, the BEST $100 I've ever spent. My mouth feels like I've just had them cleaned every time I brush.

Where the new bone was put in 6 months ago, he was very happy with. The new bone is growing and the back molars have all tightened up nicely. The second to the back molar (tooth 14 I found out!) is still my Waterloo! He was none too happy about the ongoing sensitivity issues, so he referred me to an Endodontist...a root canal specialist. His office was on the way home, so I stopped to make an appointment. They could see me Tuesday. Yesterday! Wow! So I went back yesterday with no expectations of what he would do. He did a couple of tests holding hot and cold cotton swabs to that tooth and in a matter of minutes said, "The root needs to come out." So after numbing me up, 30 minutes later, I was rootless! I was numb most of the afternoon. But once the numbness wore off. NO PAIN. NO SENSITIVITY. It's a wonderful thing. The sensitivity has been ongoing for over 6 years now, with it getting 1000 times worse since the surgery in October. I have a temporary fixative covering where the root was removed. I go to my regular dentist on Monday to have a permanent fixative placed on the tooth. I don't know if that will be a filling or crown. I am able to drink hot and cold without having to contortion my tongue around my teeth. Something I'd gotten pretty good at over the last 6 months! I can't eat, chew or bite on that side of my mouth until the permanent fixative is put on Monday. I stand a very good chance of breaking the tooth if I bite down wrong. Then my only alternative would be pull that tooth. Which would really suck, considering all I've gone thru with it!

I am a bit tender to the touch this morning. That's to be expected. But I'm drinking my hot tea with no pain. That in and of itself is a miracle to me! Now once this heals compeltely, I can schedule the next round of bone replacement. Before the rest of my teefs fall out my haid!

Oh, and happy 21st anniversary honey! I love you!

Kyle's Eagle Scout Project

Another layout finished for Kyle's album. I am really liking the way this is turning out. I'm not doing much journaling for this project because I don't know who most of the "helpers" are. I plan to take some plain cardstock with me when I give the album to Kyle and if he wants to journal, I have left space on each page where I can put a journaling box.

Treasure Life

Very cool sketch this week at http://www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/

I pulled out an old CTMH favorite pp called Silhouette. I love the blacks, creams and whites in this paper pack. I used CTMH Treasure Life stamp set. This is another favorite! Three buttons from my stash complete this card.

Woo Hoo!

It's opening day of the regular season for the Tampa Bay Rays! It's been a loooooooong 6 months! John and I have tickets to the Sat May 1 game against the KC Royals. It's notsomuch about the game that night, but more about the Summer Concert Series on Sat nights after home games. We will be seeing the Oh So Fab ZZ Top! Can't wait! Meanwhile, I'll be enjoying the games on TV. Sports Illustrated has the Rays as AL Champs again this year. It's a loooong way to October, so we'll see!

Kyle's Eagle Scout Project

In keeping with the "I will scrap no pictures before their time" theme, I am finally working on Kyle's Eagle Scout Project pictures. Which was done on Sept 15, 2007! I think the pictures have "aged" quite nicely! Sadly, everyone's hard work was for naught. Mom told me that the golf course let the weeds grow back in the creek and all of the plants that were put in along the creek and along the fairways have died. So many people worked so hard on this project, it's just sad.

I blatently stole this idea from the upcoming CTMH Summer Idea Book, which Consultants can view online now. It is adapted from a Reflections layout called Main Frame-Vertical Window. All papers for this project are from a K & Co paper pad and called Boy Scouts. {How clever!} Stickers and rub-on's are also K & Co. Various ribbons, buttons and other ephemera are from my stash. Stamp sets used are Grown With Love, Star Struck, Treetops, Posterboard Alphabet and Wishing Star. CTMH ink colors are Olive and Chocolate.

The Best Thing

About Honey Baked Ham and potato rolls?

Leftovers!

That's all I'm sayin!

So Sweet

Using up the last of the old CTMH promo pp called Tickled Pink for this weeks challenge at

CardPatterns.

In addition to the paper pack, I used CTMH So Sweet stamp set, CTMH clear buttons that I backed with the back side of the B&T paper, then tied White Daisy, Blush and Crystal Blue Waxy Flax on. The hummingbird has a bit of Turquiose Stickles for the required bling! The mesh "ribbon" is from my stash.

Joy!

When I was cleaning my hole, I found a bunch of things that got buried and forgotten. Can't imagine how something like that could have happened...since there's a place for everything and everything's in it's place. :::cough! cough! cough!:::

I bought the letters J-O-Y at CHA last year, intending to do something with it for Joy's birthday last year. Didn't happen. So she'll be getting it this year. And be none the wiser! This used up the last of an old CTMH promo pack called Tickled Pink. There wasn't really a lot of room to put places for pictures, so there's just one spot on the last page. Flowers are different ones from my stash. There's CTMH Blush, Sweet Leaf and Heavenly Blue ribbon, bling, CTMH Waxy Flax, crochet flowers, all things that a soon to be 8 year old girl loves!

Blooming things

Just finished mowing my weeds. Can't say grass because it's just starting to turn green. But the weeds! Now that's a horse of a different color! We've got these spiky purple headed weeds. We've got short ones with yellow flowers. We've got tall ones with reddish plumage. More short ones with white flowers. And the oak leaves. My lord, the oak leaves. In FL the oaks shed in the Spring. And bloom. John has been messed up for weeks now with allergies. First the cypress. Now the oaks. I get it a bit with the oaks, but mine is mainly pine pollen, which bloomed back in December. I don't rake the leaves. We've got a double bladed Kubota mower, so I just mulch the crap outta them and let them make fertilizer for the yard. Less work for me!!! And better for the yard than commercial fertilize.

While I was mowing, I noticed a few new blooming things. The Bradford Pear tree is in bloom. I don't know as it's ever bloomed before. Maybe it needed a record cold Winter to bloom?! Who knows! It's pretty nonetheless. And the mulberry tree is gonna be loaded with fruit this year. Some are already turning red. When they turns deep purple, they are ready to eat. And you have to be there the instant they turn purple or the birds will get them! And the white seedless grapefruit tree is blooming. And it smells soooooooooooooo good. It's the first thing I smelled when I opened the back sliders this morning. And the bees and wasps are having a heyday! I could only take a couple of pictures before I got bombarded! I did get one close-up of a bees hiney!!

The hummingbirds have returned for their 6 month stay. I filled the hummingbird feeders the middle of March and have filled them twice since. Now that more things are starting to bloom, they will rely less on the feeders.