Farewell to July!

I simply cannot believe that July is over! Where did the month go? It's funny, when we were children, time flew by unless we were bored. If we were bored, time just dragged. Now, even if we're not doing anything, time is still flying by! When I was teaching, I would always go back to school the first week of August to get my room ready. I'd spend about a week and a half or so getting my room all dressed up and then was able to stay home for the two weeks before the kids actually returned. That gave me the feeling of having a second vacation, LOL.

I'm still working with my knee issue. I've got a script to go for physical therapy to build the muscles to help hold the joint in place. I've not scrapped for over two weeks, I think! It hurts to keep the knee bent for any period of time. I've been in the recliner with the foot rest up and an ice pack always on the joint. I thought that today, I might try scrapping a little bit. We'll see how it goes. The last thing I want is knee replacement surgery! I don't like to take meds - especially the pain meds - because they just make me so loopy. So, I've been "biting the bullet."

I thought I'd share some recent layouts, though. I just fell in love with this Pink Paislee paper line. I bet you couldn't tell! I've been using them with photos of our DDIL. She is such a sweetheart and a good sport about my scrapping her. I think I even have more paper left from what I got, too! I think I overbought!

The first LO celebrated DDIL's position of Pub Quiz Master! She was asked to be the moderator providing the questions for the participating teams.


The Grand Poobah of Pub Quiz

Here, our sweetie models her new hair cut. Oh, how I wish I had her thick, thick hair! She is just so lovely in every way!


A New "Do"

OK, so I had to throw in one of DS! He will always be my baby. Have you ever read the book, "I'll Love You Forever?" If not, please do. It is a children's picture book that will touch your heart! Again, I used the Pink Paislee along with a strip from BG Archaic. I'm not comfortable with paint, but do use it sparingly. I'm afraid I'll wreck the LO somehow. LOL


You Are My Heart Forever

I just couldn't pass up this delightful tree! I love the color of the Bazzill cardstock. The butterflies are from when I was a child and caught them. I kept them in a little box all these years. While teaching, I ran them through the laminator, LOL. Now, they're part of this LO! How does one spell packrat?

Mother Nature's Wildflowers

Thank you for stopping by. I sure wish I knew who my visitors are. Please leave a comment so I get to know you. I do appreciate your visits. I'd love to have a name/face with where you are from. Be kind to this old bird!

Have a good one,

Chris

Just a Bit of Humor

I was looking through my layouts today and found a two page spread I had done based on this poem. I thought I'd share the poem with you in case you want to use it or pass it on. Here it is:

Ode to my Wife, the Cropper

She learned to crop on Monday,
Her shapes were going fine.
She forgot to thaw our dinner,
So we went out to dine...

She added die cuts on Tuesday,
She says they really are a must.
They actually were quite lovely,
But she forgot to dust...

On Wednesday it was stickers,
She says the designs are fun.
What highlights, what shadows, what colors!!
But the laundry wasn't done...

Her journaling was on Thursday,
With Sakura pens, including red.
I guess she really was engrossed,
She never made the bed...

It was more acid-free paper on Friday,
In colors that she adores.
It never bothered her at all,
That crumbs were on the floor...

I found a maid on Saturday,
My week is now complete.
My wife can crop the hours away,
The house will still be neat...

Well, it's already Sunday,
But don't call me a great Pop.
I cursed! @#$, I raved *#@, I ranted!!!
The maid has learned to CROP!!!!!!

Author: Valerie Consolo

I have been making cards like mad. For someone who dislikes making cards, I've sure been as busy as a bee making them! I gave two friends a set of 12 cards each yesterday. Some were water colored while others were made from my scrapping supplies. I think my supplies multiply when I go to sleep at night. Then, as a challenge for a website, I've made, so far, 16 cards with matching envies to send to those serving in the Middle East. I guess they need cards for their family and friends, so we've been asked to make some to donate to the cause. No problem. It's the least I can do for those who are so far from family and friends.

As soon as I move them from the camera to the computer, I'll share them with you.

Here are a couple of layouts to share.

I just loved this photo of DS while we were in Zion National Park. He was such a cutie pie!


The Long Road Travelled

Every once in a while, a good photo happens to be taken! LOL - This is one of the better ones I've had taken lately.


Me @ 60

And, last but not least, is another nature photo - this one of tulips in the wind.


Go With the Flow

Thank you so much for stopping by. I love having visitors! I hope you enjoyed the poem and will return soon!

Have a good one,

Chris

It's a Wonderful Life!

Life is good! The sun is shining and the sky is a lovely azure blue. We had some thunderstorms the past couple of days. It's monsoon season in the desert. Rain is always a welcomed site!

I hurt my knee a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't even walk on it. Since then, it swells and hurts - even with the cortisone shot the doctor gave me in that knee and the meds he's prescribed. I can't sit at the scrap table for any long periods of time. Just having it bent causes pain. It's always swollen, too. Getting old is not fun! So, I park myself in the recliner. Do you know you can scrap while sitting in a recliner? LOL Thank goodness for bed trays to use as a work surface. Also, those small paper trimmers do come in handy!

I've been buying Magnolia stamps left and right. I wish the US dollar had a better exchange rate! *YIKES* I have some photos to post. They look horrible, though. I just don't know what to do about the flash bleaching out the colors. I am using a Canon Rebel XT. I know how to adjust the flash is in the manual somewhere. I haven't found it yet. Because my knee hurts, I can't go outside and stand to take the photos. So, I'm stuck inside trying to do a decent job. You'll have to use your imagination knowing that the actual colors are deeper and richer. I'm using watercolors. It is so very relaxing to paint. The amusement park card was modeled from one I saw at SCS. I think the original artist was Claudia from Germany. She is amazing! I love looking at her designs. I took the concept and applied it to the farm yard card. I am SO NOT A CARD MAKER! I am trying to improve, though.

Here's what I've been up to:


SO CUTE

This is our DDIL. She is just adorable! We are so proud of her! We always wanted a daughter and finally got one - a fab one, too! In the LO below, I cut the flowers and then doubled them up with a pop dot in between. Most of the flowers have been elevated to give some dimension.


Always Be a Free Spirit

This is an old photo of the three of us. The ribbon isn't crooked. The PP was bending backward at that corner for whatever reason. I used BG Periphery everything!


Family

This is the sweet Maine Coon cat that we rescued from the Salt Lake City animal shelter. We drove 600 miles round trip to get this little one - who is NOT so little! If you know anything about Maine Coon cats, it's probably that they are huge! This little one is sooooo sweet. Her name is Precious because that is exactly what she is! I used BG Sultry for this LO.



DS is just over a year in this photo. He refused to keep his clown hat on! I just love this line of PP.


Our Little Baby Faced Clown

This is DH's favorite photo of he and DS. This was taken on our first trip to Oregon. We were so young - we were camping and DH said, "Have you ever been to the Pacific Northwest?" We packed up our campsite, left, and returned home 9 weeks later! We had such a wonderful time. That was the first of about 25 summers in Oregon where we eventually bought a little house on the beach.


A Dad is a Friend Forever

Here are the cards I was talking about. The photo quality is just horrible! I apologize! I need to find what I'm doing wrong!








The little girl is elevated on pop dots to give some dimension. There is also Stickles applied to the cloud tops.


This was an attempt at double stamping. The hay bale is stamped on the card in the foreground with the farm yard in the background. The little girl has been elevated on pop dots to give dimension.





Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by. I hope that I've given you some inspiration. I love your comments. Please don't be shy.

Have a good one,

Chris

108° and Rising...

It's too hot - too hot to go out, too hot to swim, just perfect with the a/c on. Even the birds are hot and panting!

I promised you some photos of the Condors we went to see in a nearby canyon. Here are the photos I got for a two page LO.




The Day of the Condor



I've not been able to scrap for over a week because it hurt to bend my knee. It really hurt! I finally went to the doctor and got a cortisone shot in each knee. So, today I was good and able to take photos of things I did during the two weeks before my injury.

Here they are:

This was my way to use my my "x" alphas. Good thing I had lots of zeroes, too! I love taupe, black, and white. Photo is of DS and DDIL.


XOXOXO

The next layout was a challenge. I loved this PP so much, but wanted to find a unique way to use it. I decided to do some cutwork and insert the photo under the cut circles. I'm also trying to use up some "stuff." I have too much "stuff." So, with this LO, I was able to use a whole package of clear page pebbles. Do you remember them? I stuck them on some of the circles to give some dimension, LOL. One package gone 11 to go. *sigh* The photo is of DS and DH where we have our beach house in Oregon.


Together

I found this LO today in a pile of papers. It was from at least two years ago! I decided to use more "stuff" and finish it up while using more of the things I manage to squirrel away. So, today, I added a title, some brads, buttons, nails, and Jolee's Dodger goodies. I managed to use up yet another package of embellies. The LO looks so outdated compared to what I currently do. It's funny how we evolve. DS gave DH a trip to LA and a Dodger game as a Father's Day gift. I love my guys! It looks like such a bad LO, though, LOL.


Father - Son and the Dodgers

I keep ordering more stamps. I hated making cards. It seemed like such a waste of time. Now, I'm able to find some enjoyment in process. I love water coloring the images. I find it quite relaxing.

The first card was sent to DS a bit ago when he was under the weather.


This is a card I sent to a friend who was kind enough to bake a wonderful loaf of wheat bread for DH and me. DH's first thing was to look under it to see if there were bread machine marks, LOL. There weren't! It was perfectly made by hand. Do I have DH spoiled or what?


Thank you for stopping by. I love to see that you've returned to see what's new. I'd love to have some comments to read - don't be shy!

Have a good one,

Chris