BOO

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Woke up to another morning of frost on the ground. This is pretty unusual this early in the season!!! It was 31 degrees this morning but warming up to a nice 70 degrees so that will be great. The kids still do not know what they are doing for Halloween. Emily had the nerve to ask me if I would take her to the store to get her a mask. On Halloween? Does she think there is anything left? We'll see what tonight brings. I am off to buy a bag of candy now. DH is worried we may actually get a trick or treater or two and I have no candy in the house! Last year we didn't get any so I don't know why he thinks this year we will. LOL Men!!

My Holiday Planner I just made at my class is to the left...

This was a fun class. Only 3 people were there so it was a small class. We made this really neat holiday planner and it has a November calendar and a December calendar in it so I can actually start using this on Thursday (yes, Thursday is November 1st). This album kit comes just like this, its by Bo Bunny and I believe they sell the "kit" for like $30!! But I figure I can cut my own chipboard, add my own holiday paper and it would be much cheaper.

Huh? Dairy Queen?

Dairy Queen has PUMPKIN PIE blizzards starting November 1st. So run - do not walk - to your nearest Dairy Queen. You will love them!!!!

New Elzybell Stamps out by Amuse

Sending you scoops of birthday wishes. I copied this saying from a card on Splitcoast. I am sorry I don't remember where it is right now but I thought it was perfect to use with this penguin with the ice cream cone. Again, I tried to build a small scene (again, like Erin) and I think it came out pretty cute. I will have to send this to someone having a birthday this winter. Hmmm, who can that be?

The card on the left is one my newest stamps I just got from Amuse. This stamp is called Ice Skater. Isn't she cute? I totally CASED this card from: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/702521. I used my Amuse oval stamp for the ice pond. Of course, Mr. Penguin from Memory Box wanted to join in too. I'm not telling who I am sending this to. They have to be surprised :). The card on the right is also using a new Elzybell image and that one is called Girls with Tree. Now on this one I tried to be like Erin and compose a little scene. Erin is so good at this and this was my first attempt. How did I do? I stamped my little tree by Endless Creations multiple times and then I added that sentiment from my computer. I love the simplicity of this card!!

I wish this saying was a rubber stamp ....

All I Need to Know About Life I Learned From My Girl Friends

Good times are even better when they're shared.
A good long talk can cure almost anything.
Everyone needs someone with whom to share their secrets.
Listening is just as important as talking.
An understanding friend is better than a therapist; and cheaper too!
Laughter makes the world a happier place.
Friends are like wine; they get better with age.
Sometimes you just need a shoulder to cry on.
Great minds think alike, especially when they are female!
When it comes to "bonding," females do it better.
YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD FOR SLUMBER PARTIES!!!!
Girls just want to have fun.
It's important to make time to do 'girl things'.
Calories don't count when you are having lunch (or any other food) with your girl friends.
You can never have too many shoes.
GEMS MAY BE PRECIOUS, BUT FRIENDSHIP IS PRICELESS!!!!!

My frustrations with acrylic or plexiglass ....

Ok so I am all pumped up to make a Christmas album or two to give as gifts this year. I go to Lowe's and buy a big sheet of 28x30 plexiglass for like $12. Ok, I get a special knife to cut it with. It was like $2.50 so I wondered then how it would do. I come home, Charlie agreed to help me cut it since I hate exacto knives. I hate working with them so he did everything that I was told to do at my class. We drew a line down where to cut it. We scored it at least 10 times on one side, flipped it over and scored it again MANY times on the other side. We went to break it in half and it just shattered. So much for the $12 plexiglass!! Then we got out the saw. Nope that didnt' work either. By now I am so frustrated I was about ready to give up. I ran over to HL and they had 5x7 sheets but it was very thin. I got 4 of those and I was determined to get this album done. I got it done but I don't love it like I did my Halloween album. I should post photos of it but I just don't love it so just use your imagination! LOL So I have decided its not worth the stress and I am not going to make any clear albums this Christmas. Maybe next Christmas the clear albums will be readily available everywhere, pre-cut and ready to decorate. THAT is when I will make an album or two.

Looky what I found at Target !!

This neat frame to display cards. It was $9.99 and it will hold something a dozen or so cards. They just clip right on. I thought I would display all the cute Halloween cards I have gotten from all my stamping buddies :). Thanks ladies!!!

I took a Halloween Acrylic Class today at Scrap Shack in Mooresville ...

It was super easy and would make a great gift!! The instructor had went to Lowe's or Home Depot and bought a huge piece of plexiglass (make sure you get the plexiglass for crafts - it is not as thick as normal plexi) and cut it into several pieces using a special knife (I will find out what kind of knife she used as I want to make more). This album is 6 1/4 x 6 1/4. She used a dry erase marker to draw them out so she knew where to cut and then she was able to erase it right off when she was done cutting. She ran the knife over it several times (as in 7 times each for each piece) and then put it on the ground, stepped on it and kind of snapped it till it broke. Then she sanded each edge so it wouldn't be sharp. Punch your 2 holes using your Cropadile. She said it works great in it. Then add your rings. In the class we used ALOT of rub-ons and then just glued the paper on. I really like how it came out. The back page is supposed to be a pocket but I noticed I accidentally put my pocket upside down. There is a tag inside the pocket. So now its ready to hold photos. It was SUPER easy and there were 6 of us in the class and we were done before the 2 hours was up. I can't wait to make a Christmas one next :).

PLEASE HELP SAVE LAZY 5 RANCH

This drive through petting zoo is not too far from where we live. We have taken the kids to Lazy 5 Ranch since they were babies and it is so much fun!! The state is threatening to make it where is not agricultural and if they do that, the Lazy 5 will have to close down. Please sign the petition to help save it. http://www.lazyfiveranch.com/petition.asp

Also, check out these photos if you have time and you can see how much fun this place is to all.

http://www.lazyfiveranch.com/Trixies_Pics.asp


THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Got Deer?

We looked out this morning and found about 10 deer in our yard grazing on my "what's left over garden" and our grass. Aren't they pretty?

I made some thank you cards last night

for all the wonderful Christmas gifts I will be getting this holiday. LOL Just kidding but I am not kidding about the cards I made. ha ha

I "cased" this card from: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/690972

Magnolia has some new stamps out for breast cancer

Check them out here: http://www.dreamcottage.nu/butik/index.html?lmd=39363.466250

I don't see their prices yet but I just think they are the cutest!!!!

Another homemade gift for the holidays ....

I found this awesome idea at http://emilygiovanni.com/ and I decided to make a coaster frame. The whole thing took me about 10 minutes. That was it. Super easy!! I tried to add the photos to this post but my blog isn't cooperating so I added it to the left side of this post. First, you need coasters, patterned paper, hardware, brads, glue and a crop-a-dile. Cover your chipboard coasters with your patterned paper. Next, line up the hardware to your coasters and draw a couple of dots so you know where to cut the holes using your crop-a-dile. Add the hardware and attach using brads. That's it!! Now it will be a great picture frame!!!

Ah, it FINALLY feels like Fall out there!!

Woke up to 54 degrees and our high for the day is 72.

PERFECTION!!!!

I got these stamps from Magnolia last week and I am to make 6 cards

and then mail them to Sweden so they can display them in their store. This is what I got and these are the cards I am sending in (still making a few more).

Is it October or August???

I ask this because it was actually 97 degrees on my car temp today. It is so hot. I am so ready for Fall. Is it coming our way? Here are some Fall photos I took ... now if the cooler weather would just come, I would be very happy!!

Have you heard the new Kenny Chesney song called Don't Blink?

Check out this video if you haven't seen it yet .... Its so true!! Life does goes so fast (there's Kenny Chesney on the left)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=p4ySSg4QG8g

I am back and what a fun time I had down in Florida with all my "girlfriends"

They sure kept me busy but that is exactly what I needed. It is about a 10 hour drive from Concord to Hobe Sound. It wasn't that bad!! I think all I did was EAT out 50 meals a day but it was still fun!!! LOL After I got in on Saturday afternoon, I went down to Kathy's house down the street where a few gals were out lying by the pool in their bikinis (not me!!) drinking margaritas. A couple of us went to a brand new mexican restaurant in Hobe Sound and that was real good. Sunday morning Jan and I walked 4 miles, down to the elementary school and back. Yes I was sore the next day but it felt great to walk that far!! Took us about an hour. Lunch I met up with Gerry at Barebones and we got our favorite She-Crab Soup and Barebones Salad. After there we went to downtown Stuart where they were having their annual arts & crafts festival. I bought Tudi the CUTEST PINK flip flop collar and both Gerry and I got one of these Limited Edition Vera Bradley pink elephant wristlets. Isn't it cute? That night I was still full from lunch so I skipped dinner. Monday morning I met Dawn (my twin sister so everyone in Hobe Sound thinks and we look NOTHING alike!) at the bagel place. Then went to Bealls and got some capris on sale. Before I knew it, it was time for lunch (see what i mean? All I did was EAT!). I met Kathy and Jan at the Food Shack for a great spinach/shrimp salad. I ran down to Stuart and went by Betsy's work so I could give her some fresh tomatoes from my garden. Betsy and I both had gymnasts a LONG time ago :). Dinner I went back to Dawn's and she cooked dinner so I ate with them and helped her set up her very own blog (which I have forgotten the name of it already!) and then we went to Stein Mart to look around and got some desserts to go at Too Jay's. They have the BEST desserts!! Tuesday morning I met up with Sherie D for scones then hung out at her house for a few hours. Again, it seemed like it was time for lunch ... ha ha I met my friend Caryn at the Thai Lotus restaurant for my favorite sweet & sour soup with 2 spring rolls. Mmmmmmm!!! Went back to the house and Carol and Jan came over (neighbors on the street) for a little visit. Again, it was time to eat again (think I gained any weight on this trip? LOL) and I met Sherri A at a new place in Tequesta called Grassy Flats. I had a grouper ruben sandwich. Again, YUMMY!!! I woke up this morning at 4 am wide awake so I decided I may as well get going so i got the car packed up and ready to go by 5 am and headed back. I pulled in the driveway at 3 pm. Not bad!! I had a fabulous time!!! It just went by too fast :(.