May 28, 2008

Sweet Joy

This is the finished plaque I made- starting with the .50 cent item I bought! Not bad, huh? Sometimes you just can't pass up thses buys- .50 cents for a wooden plaque with the wire hanger already on it!

I layered lots of yummy things- stickers, vintage text, stamps, and a reproduction picture. I added ribbon, crepe paper, buttons and some pearl and crystal-like beads. It was fun to make, and the JOY title fits it well (which is embellished with black Stickles- love that stuff). I bought more plaques the other day, so there will be more of these made soon.

Layering like this is hard for me. I tend to be more clean and simple when it comes to scrapping. I am learning a lot as I go. For instance, I probably should have really concentrated on layering the background first, before putting the picture on (see previous post). It worked out just fine in the end, but I am approaching my other ones more carefully and thoughtfully. My goal is to just keep improving. Marilyn Healey is the master of layering- go check her out. Of course, there are many artists out there who layer well, but I go to her site often for inspiration.















The crepe paper rosettes are easy and quick to make. They've been showing up on quite a few of my tags lately!
I hope you enjoy looking at it! Thanks for looking!
hugs- Lee

May 24, 2008

Sales and French Paper

I hit the sales bins at Michael's the other day. I scored big! I bought little cement cherubs for .50 cents. Wooden plaques, beautiful stickers, notecards and the like- from .50-1.00.

This plaque:


became this plaque. I covered it with this French inspired scrapbook paper, which I bought for .25 cents per piece (probably got 50-75 % off).


Any ideas as to what else I should put on it? Joy? Enter? Welcome?
I bought 4, so it gives me some room to experiment. This week Michael's is have a sale- 50% off one item each day. I'm going to try to get a shelving unit for my 12x12 paper.

May 20, 2008

P.S.

I tried to get the social security card for my son- AGAIN. I came prepared with two- not one- but TWO medical cards with his name on them. Oh, but that's still not enough- it must have his birthday on it........... She didn't mention that the last time.

I am thinking that if this is the way all of the government works, we are seriously screwed.

Getting ready for the party.

My peeps


are dressed and ready. They're wearing new dresses,

pretty crowns, and their best wings.
The party banners are being hung, and soon the cake will be served.

May 16, 2008

Graduation and Goodies

As promised, here are some pictures of Jason. The end of the year ceremony was pretty long, with each class putting on some type of program. There was singing, reciting bible verses, and discussion of typical class days. Jason's part in his classes' program was to answer "carbon dioxide" to the question 'what do we breathe out?' He did really well, remembered his 2 words, and said them loudly, clearly, all the while standing up straight and tall. LOL! After the program, he received his "diploma"- very cute, and certainly going in his scrapbook!
*************************************************************************

Now- for the goodies. As many of you readers know, Tammy and I were college rommates, and best friends ever since. We have seen each other through good times and bad, all the while laughing whenever possible!

When I had my first child, I started scrapbooking. When Tammy's little girl entered the picture, I got her started. We went to an amazing scrapbook weekend last year together- which was a blast. Tammy has always been crafty, but with the introduction of scrapbooking, she was on her way. Enter our new-found love of vintage stuff and collaging- and the two of us have been on a new path together! How lucky we are to both love the same thing! We decided to open our Etsy store (please go buy something so I can keep my habit going!). Just recently, Tammy has rented a space in her area of Georgia to sell her TLuCreations. (you go girl).

So- you ask yourself- what does this have to do with Mother's Day goodies? Well, my blogger friends, take a gander below and see what this crazy, loveable woman sent me- a bucket chock full of YUMMY stuff:




some toile, a beaded glove, b/w tissues, and bling! Oh, and that's not all: trims, ribbons, buttons, and old photos:


Who could ask for anything more?

May 15, 2008

Lovin' the Banner!

I love my new banner- courtesy of BFF Tammy. Go check her out! I think she should start selling these, no?

Much going on around here this week. Jason's last day of pre-K was today. Tonight was his program, unfortunately I was the only one from my family there. Oh well.

Much too tired to write more now, but I have pictures to post of it later.

AND- some serious Mother's Day goodies to show off!!

hugs- Lee

May 12, 2008

Thirfting the day away.

Jason and I headed out this morning for 2 reasons; 1. I need a replacement social security card for Adam, and 2. there is a Good Will down there. I picked up: some Fire King bowls; a little angel basket; an old wooden toy horse; a chopper that turns out to be probably a mish mash of things, (but the jar is French); another cheese board (to be repurposed as a cloche); a birdcage votive holder (can't you just see the possibilities); a satin covered box; and something sort of Lenox-looking, but I have no idea what it is for. It probably had a clock in it at one time. I'm thinking that if I can, I will make it in to a photo frame. The way it is shaped, it can almost be like a shadow box.


I bought the Fire King and the chopper because I hoped I might sell them for a profit on eBay. Well, don't think that's going to happen. There are tons of the little french onion soup bowls around. And the jar appears to be from preserves, married to a chopper top that doesn't even screw on! DARN. Buyer beware- I need to do more homework.

Anyway, so far I've remade the planter in to a pincushion, and spruced up the wooden horse.




Now, the second part of my mission was to get Adam a new social security card. I printed out the form, filled it out, and took his birth certificate with me. Turns out that a birth certificate is not good enough- my 2 y.o. needs a photo ID. Yes, you read it right. Where- I asked not too politely- would a 2 y.o. get a photo ID? Oh, you can bring a print out of his shot record (HUH, how's that better than a birth certificate??) or a medical card. BUT they medical card must have his name on it. Well- big shocker here- ours plan doesn't list names, just the parents. Great. So I travelled about 45 miles round trip, wasted time and gas, and bought some clunkers at the thrift store. It's Monday, all right.

May 8, 2008

Birds and Broken Eggs

I have two bluebird boxes on my property. One of them was here when we moved in, the other I put up about 3 years ago. The newer box had attracted much attention, but until I found this site for bluebirds (Sialis) I had no idea is was the wrong kind of attention. Since putting it up, the bluebirds look at it, but get kicked out by other birds. Then, they go back to the original box, which they raise babies in every year.

This past year, when I cleaned out the boxes, I noticed that the second box was filled with a stick nest from the wrens. One year it was a dummy nest. The next year it was used (the spiders webs are the tell-tale sign). What I didn't realize was that wrens destroy nests and crack eggs.

This year I was thrilled that the newer box was inhabited by bluebirds. But, they were soon kicked out by black capped chicadees. I was thrilled. I watched them every day as they went back and forth. I figured eggs must have been laid, and soon we'd have hatchlings. Then I noticed 2 days ago that a wren flew in and out of the box. OH NO. And, unfortunately, this is what I found.






Broken shells! I opened up the box, and it was empty, save for a stick. Those bad birds cleaned out the chicadee nest! Grrrr. I checked again today, and the box is filled with sticks and some spiders webs. The momma stood by and sung at me, telling me to get lost. I guess I'll leave her to raise a family there. She does have a sweet song, after all.

On a brighter note, about 10 feet from the nest box, some mockingbirds are building a nest. It is really close to the edge of the forsythia bush, so it should give me some good glimpses into the nest. And they also like to perch on the nest box- maybe they'll chase the pesky wrens away.
**I just went out and looked, and the bird (I don't know if the male or female builds it) has started to line it with soft materials- bits of cat hair, twine, grasses, and even a little bit of moss.

May 6, 2008

As We Speak

My youngest child, Adam is eating a fluff sandwhich! Yes, you read it right- FLUFF. How, you wonder, does a 2 y.o. come to know what fluff is? Well, that would be my dear husband's fault.

First, let me back up a step. I don't like fluff- never have. I love peanut butter- but NOT with fluff. That white stuff is just awful- sweet and sticky. But hubby likes the occasional fluffanutter sandwhich, so we have some around. Up until very recently, Adam had never had it, and Jason had only eaten it a few times (he likes it, of course).

This past Sunday I went grocery shopping. When I arrived home, at 11:00, I saw the tell-tale signs of fluff on Jason's face. Hmmm, I thought, he was eating fluff this early? So I carry the first round of bags into the house, and this is what I see:
Adam- covered in the sticky stuff from eyebrows all the way down the front of his new shirt (yes- new). And he was loving every minute of it!

Fast forward to this morning. We ate early, as Jason had to go to pre-K. When we got home, I needed to eat. So, as I'm scooping a healthy dose of cottage cheese and cut up bananas into a bowl, Adam goes into mini-meltdown mode. He really wanted something, but it wasn't what I was eating. Finally, he made it clear that he wanted something in a particular cabinet, and then I knew!! Not only does he want fluff, but he knows exactly where it is kept. WOW- this kid is going to give me a run for my money.

hugs- Lee

May 3, 2008

Scenes from my garden

lots of tulips.
red carnations, also called sweet william.
these coral tulips are my faves.
Peanut, my precious 14 yo cat.
grape hyacinth.

I forget what this purple ones is called- took a long time to get this big. I almost yanked it out.
azaleas.