Post Hop Drop Down

So it's the day after the weekend long hop and we're back again to no comments.  That's ok because I feel like writing and sharing.  I worked on a birthday card for my mom last night - her birthday is today and I couldn't post it last night just in case she took a look at my blog.  It was highly unlikely but I didn't want to ruin the element of surprise. 

I knew I wanted a flower on my card but I wasn't sure of the design so I went back to the hop and looked at http://polkacabana.wordpress.com/author/polkacabana/ because I had seen a lovely ladybug card that I kind of wanted to copy.  I didn't but I tried to tie in part of what she did.  If you haven't been to Jeannie's site go check it out - she's awesome!

The Project:
The paper is Colorbok and the flower is random cardstock that I wet down and molded.  I popped a nice pearl in the middle to add some class.  I brushed it with a dark blue stamp pad along the edges for depth. 
Here's what I came up with:

I also downloaded some great fonts from http://www.clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/ and used the CK Andie font.  I thought it looked really cool.  I also stamped it with this cute little hummingbird stamp that I picked up at Joann's for a song.  I hardly stamp - I just can't get into it.  My boyfriend picked up a bunch of them at a yard sale last year for me.  Not sure I'm going to keep them.  They may become a RAK in the future when I get my new craft area.

Well, I hope you enjoy the card.  I had a really good time making it and my mom liked it so I guess I did good.

On a different note, I took my seedlings outside today for a little while to weather them.  Here you can see the way I transported them back into the house - on a silver platter!  Nothings too good for my future food!

National No Housework Day Winner!

The weekend is over and the housework looms!  Thanks to Deb over at http://www.ifitsgroovy.com/ I'm going to be seriously busy this week!  It was a fun weekend and although I really didn't do any housework (much - I did end up doing dishes and vacuuming my bathroom - couldn't help it!) I did get some much needed time outdoors with the gardens!

The best part about this weekend blog?  I got to see some pretty awesome projects and am following some pretty terrific artists now!  I've already gone back to reference a card from a new friend already!  I want to thank everyone that signed on to follow me- I will try to be a responsible and interesting blogger.  I have some pretty cool projects in progress right now that I'll be sharing soon!

I know that as followers you are wondering who won the blog candy from my blog this weekend.  I actually wrote all your names out on little slips of paper and folded them, put them in my dog's dish (it was clean!) and had my boyfriend pick a name.  I love the good old fashioned way of the raffle.  Well, the winner is...

KELLYISASCRAPDIVA!!!

Congratulations Kelly!  I'm so glad you've signed on to follow and I will contact you through a pm to get your address!

Thanks again to everyone who participated - it was a great time!

It's National No Housework Day!

Welcome to the National No Housework Day Online Blog hop! If you have arrived not knowing until now about the hop, no problem...just go back to

If It's Groovy

http://ifitsgroovy.blogspot.com

where this hop starts and work your way through!

You may find games, prizes, projects and how do-you-dos along the path :) We would appreciate it if you sign up to keep in touch with us by "following" and would love your comments!

Perhaps you arrived here from Crafty Go Lucky (Valerie)
http://www.craftygolucky.blogspot.com/, Great!

Hope you enjoyed that stop and the others so far!!!

We celebrate this national holiday by scrapping today and into the weekend with projects that remind us of housework or getting away from it!!! Take the day off, put up your feet and let's hop!

MY PROJECT

I tried a couple different projects for my no housework day.  My first project was a postcard that feature's the wording "Apron's Away" with a couple aprons I made out of cardstock, ribbon, Studio G glitter glue, and a couple stamps.  I was trying to capture the thrill of not having to take care of a house for one day!  (Those are aprons by the way...They kind of look like a really cute dress and skirt, I know!)

My second project was a flower embellishment.  I found the idea in the April issue Scrapbooks Etc. and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to try it.  I used a Martha Stewart border punch on plain white paper and on patterned paper.  I sprayed the white paper with Tattered Angels Lime Twist glimmer mist and let dry.  After a couple tries folding I finally figured out how to get the paper to fold correctly and to lie flat.  Using Aleene's Tacky Glue, I glued the green flower to a cardstock circle, followed by the patterned flower.  I then layered it with a silk flower and finished it off with a pearl. 

I am offering a small giveaway to be awarded at the end of the National No Housework Day Online Blog hop.  All you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment.  At the end of the hop a winner will be chosen at random.  Please make sure you leave your email address so I can get in touch with you.  The winner will also be announced on http://ifitsgroovy.blogspot.com

HAVE FUN!!!

Thanks for your visit, please head over to see Just a Glimpse...(Jenneke)
http://jenneke-justwhoiam.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Without further ado...

1. If It's Groovy (Groovy Deb)
http://ifitsgroovy.blogspot.com

2. Life With...(Julie)
http://thetuckerwolekclan.blogspot.com/

3. Leading a Craftastic Life (Kristin)
http://craftasticlife.blogspot.com/

4. Scrappy Side of Me (Jen T)
http://jentscrappysideofme.blogspot.com

5. Peg's Crafting Corner (Peg)
http://www.pegscraftingcorner.blogspot.com/

6. All Things Crafty (Erica)
http://www.allthingscrafty-erica.blogspot.com/

7. Scrapping the Guys (Heather)
http://www.scrappingtheguys.blogspot.com

8. Let's Get Peachy (Laura)
http://getpeachy.blogspot.com

9. Creating Sensations (Vanessa)
http://www.creatingsensations.blogspot.com

10. Everyday Me (Michelle)
http://www.everydayscrapbook.blogspot.com/

11. Basement Chronicles (Maya)
http://mayadahan.blogspot.com/

12. Love to Create (Misty)
http://mistybrune.blogspot.com/

13. Scrappy Go Lucky (Darlene)
http://scrappygolucky.blogspot.com

14. Dragonfly Destiny (Jean-Marie)
http://dragonflydestiny.blogspot.com/

15. Andrea's Metta (Andrea)
http://andreasmetta.blogspot.com/

16. Red Car Productions (Krista)
http://redcarproductions.blogspot.com/

17. Greets N Treats (Becky)
http://greetsntreats.blogspot.com/

18. Paper Universe (Silvana)
http://ununiversodepapel.blogspot.com/

19. The Limitations of Thought (Irini)
http://thelimitationsofthought.blogspot.com/

20. Step Into My World (Becky)
http://www.beckythackston.blogspot.com/

21. From the Owls Nest (Sharon)
http://fromtheowlsnest.wordpress.com/

22. Creations with Becka (Becka)
http://Www.creationswithbecka.blogspot.com

23. Crafty Go Lucky (Valerie)
http://www.craftygolucky.blogspot.com/

24. Crafty Diva Lounge (Jen) - YOU ARE HERE
http://craftydivalounge.blogspot.com/

25.Just a Glimpse...(Jenneke)
http://jenneke-justwhoiam.blogspot.com/

26. Scrap it Girl (Kimberly)
http://scrap-it-girl.blogspot.com/

27. These are a Few...(Julie)
http://whatisyourfavething.blogspot.com/

28. Really? That Just Happened (Doreen)
http://thefourvs.blogspot.com/

29. Nikki Sivils (Julie c/o Nikki)
http://nikkisdoghouse.blogspot.com/

30. Marci's Scrapping Spot (Marci)
http://MarcisScrappingSpot.blogspot.com

31. Scrapbookers Anonymous (Theresa)
http://scrapbookers-anonymous.blogspot.com/

32.Intrepid Thread (Julie)
http://intrepidthread.blogspot.com

33. Scrapbooking SOS (Michelle)
http://scrapbookingsos.blogspot.com

34. Flamingo Scraps (Amanda)
http://flamingoscraps.blogspot.com/

35. Scrapbook Abundance (Jana)
http://preprostobogastvo.blogspot.com/

36. Artful Delight(Leeanne)
http://artfuldelight.blogspot.com/

37. Mommy of 5 Kidz (Misty)
http://mommyof5kidz.blogspot.com/

38. Designs by Diana(Diana)
http://designbydiana.blogspot.com

39. Polka Cabana(Jeannie)
http://polkacabana.wordpress.com

40. A Day in the Life...(Kelly)
http://kellyisascrapdiva.blogspot.com/

41. MarBare Scraps (Mary)
http://www.marebearscraps.blogspot.com/

42. One by One...(Karel)
http://www.kareljcreations.com/

Gettin' My Scrap On!

This past weekend I was able to get some scrapping done.  Tonight I was able to get even more done!  The only thing I seem to have trouble with is journaling.  I keep telling myself that it's because I need a good journaling pen.  This weekend I will pick one up and sit down to document my life.

Sunday night I was cruising www.customcrops.com (they were having a sale) and I came across a few things I've decided I have to have.  One was the Heritage cartridge for my Cricut.  The other thing was this stuff called Grungeboard.  Never heard of it before but I did a search on youtube.com and there it was!  With the fabulous Tim Holtz demonstrating!  Check it out here:

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gODmW_qULL8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Well, the IRS must've been granting wishes that night because on Monday morning my return (though very small) was sitting in my bank account.  So last night I placed my order.  I'm eagerly awaiting the cartridge, grungeboard, and some distress ink.  No journaling pen.  I didn't see one I liked.  I am now officially stalking the mail carrier! lol!

With all this scrap stuff running through my head, not to mention trying to think of ideas for the blog hop I'm participating in in April, I finally got my scrap on and finished a couple pages!  I also had a little helper - AJ, my cat.  She loves to grab on to the small bits of paper and maul them while I'm working.  It's pretty cute, but sometimes she goes too far.  One time I took a break and when I came back she had attacked my photos and ruined quite a few of them.  I blamed the other cat until the other day when I caught AJ being her bad self.

The things scrappers have to go through in order to preserve memories! 

Happy scrapping!

First Day of Spring!

What a glorious beautiful day!  It's still chilly here in upstate NY but the sun was shining and the air was mild and there's a hint of green on the ground.  For the first day of spring we took the kids out for Maple Weekend!  It's a two weekend event where folks can go around to the different places that collect sap and make their own syrup.  We have a favorite place - the Orebed Sugar Shack.  Every year, at least since last year when we first started attending, they have alpacas set up in the yard.  I'm getting ahead of myself here, though.

When we first arrived we went first to the out door processing area.  This little operation was set up the old fashioned way, with a wood stove and a pan of sap on top of it, boiling down.  I love the smell of sap being boiled down to syrup.  It brings back a memory from my childhood when all us kids made maple syrup with my dad and our neighbors.  We made it over a wood fire and a Coleman camping stove.  The kids really didn't know what to think of it, only that they wanted to see the alpacas.  They did wait patiently while the guys around the fire explained the process and showed how they came to the finished product.

Next we headed to the alpacas.  Three little females - Deedee, Evening and ...well, I can't remember her name.  I want to say Evelyn, but the boyfriend wants to say Esmerelda.  I think we're both wrong.  The kids wanted to touch them, feed them and ride them.  One of the guys brought each one over for the kids to feel.  Their fiber was so thick the kids hands disappeared when they touched them.  I was like, you've touched one alpaca you've touched them all, and the guy told me that wasn't true.  I then proceeded to do my own alpaca touch test and he was right!  Each was was totally different!  If you don't believe me find an alpaca farm and try it out yourself!

We then went into the store area where they make maple syrup with more modern techniques.  It's a huge contraption that fills a whole room and makes great syrup.  We got to hear how it was done, and best of all we got to taste it!  It was dark and sweet and I could imagine it on vanilla ice cream- yum!  The kids were a little worried about trying syrup, that is until I told them that this was the stuff we put on mema's french toast, then they were very happy to taste!  It was the very dark syrup and the maker was really surprised that I liked it but I think it has a much better taste than the lighter syrups.  Apparently more people prefer light syrups.  Well, I like my beer light but darken my syrup any day!

We of course picked up a quart for home, as well as alpaca fiber finger puppets for the kids.  Once home I made homemade macaroni and cheese while the kids played with the wii.  All in all it was a really good day.

Today was also very special for another reason.  Ten years ago today I lost my dad.  Although I always look forward to the first day of spring as a new beginning, in fact I consider it the beginning of the "real" year, it also marks the end of my dad's life.  He was a good man, and I strive to be like him in the way I treat people and how I handle situations.  I get my green thumb from him as well as my feet and my urge to homestead.  My dad was a rare breed and I miss him very much.  I love you dad.  Wait until you look down on my gardens this year!

I'm So Excited!

I just signed up to host my very first blog hop!  I love participating in them but I've never had the chance to host so I'm taking the plunge.  It should be fun and I'm totally curious about what I'm going to do!  More to come on this later!

Tonight for dinner we had something real healthy and real easy to make.  We've been trying out new recipes for the last couple of months.  Mostly I think them up by standing in front of the fridge or cupboard and just staring.  Eventually I connect ingredients together and I put together some concoction that might or might not taste good. 

This one is a winner and best of all, it can be custom made to fit your taste buds!  I start with Naan bread and brush a little EVOO on the top.  Then I add thinly sliced tomatoes, onions, peppers, broccoli and mozzarella cheese.  drizzle with a little more EVOO (you can never use too much).  I pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes, raising the heat to 400 towards the end to put a little color on the cheese and to crisp up the edges.  Once it gets the color you like - I like a nice toasted marshmallow tan - take it out and let it sit for a couple minutes. 

Cut it into slices or in half or however you like and eat it.  It's not filling, and depending what you put on it, it's really good for you! 

That's as far as my crafty-ness gets tonight!  I'm looking for a small box template so I can make a leprechaun trap.  I know there's a couple running around here and I know if I catch one I'll find that pot of gold I've been looking for!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I love spring! I haven't seen any sign of it yet but I went out the other day to look.  At that point there wasn't any snow on the ground.  Now there is - again!  Oh well, I know it'll be here sooner or later, which is why I have started dreaming of my garden.  Or should I say gardens?  We have several and they all serve a purpose.

I ordered my seeds this year from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds several weeks ago.  We had used them before, several years ago, and they really are very good seeds.  Last year we ordered from a different seed company but weren't too happy with the results.  We ended up going to Walmart and picking up some seeds there to make up for the bum seeds we got.

Every year since 2009 we've kept a garden diary.  I don't know where the idea came from or why, but it just seemed like a good idea to start.  We picked out a lined journal with a nice thick cover and good binding and just wrote about everything garden.  Included were activities like planting the seeds and when they started poking their little stems out of the soil, plans for each of the gardens, and even when we saw the first goldfinch at our feeders.  I looked back in it last night and noticed that on May 31st, 2009 it hailed!

I find that if I write on one side of the page I can add pictures or drawings on the other side.  I put in the started gardens and then towards the end of the growing season I add the gardens at their fullest.  It is so satisfying and helpful because I can decide what or what not to do the next season!

This year our gardens will definately have a purple tint to them.  We will be planting purple radishes, peppers and cabbage!  I'm so excited and I can't wait to get down to the earth again and sink my hands into the rich dark soil and create!  it'll be fun and I will keep you posted!