MORE BLOG CANDY!

OK, it's not fabulous blog candy, but how would you like a brand spankin' new EK Success Notebook border punch? I'll even mail it to another country! You can't beat that! Here is what it looks like -


I will even mail this where ever you are - in the States or outside the States! Come on - take a chance! It's a great punch!

The contest will be open for a little while to give others a chance to check in and give it a try! Here's all you need to do.

1. Go to this link.


2. Look through the New Arrival section (See menu on left side of page) and determine 3 things (in all) you'd like to
have from pages 1 - 5.

3. Then, leave a comment below telling me what three things you'd like to own.

That's all you need to do! I'll use RANDOM.ORG to determine the winner. The winner will need to contact me via e-mail so I know where to send the punch!

How's that for blog candy? Please tell your friends to give this little contest go as well!

I'll be back later. Thanks for stopping by.

XO
Chris

My Genesis Trimmer is On Its Way!

I thought they forgot about me. I thought the state of the economy may have closed the company. I just couldn't believe it when I got my e-mail telling me that my Genesis Trimmer was ready to ship! I ordered it in February of 2006! Each one is hand made and comes with the most wonderful reputation! I ordered the 16" size with the edge light. I can't wait to give it a try! I hope it is everything everyone says it is! Here's what it looks like. Cool, huh?



Today, the temp was in the 80s. Ewww! That means it won't be cool here until November. This is the time of the year that I dread.

Last night, we had the window in our bedroom open. I could hear a coyote barking not too far in the distance. There is a river about a 1/3 of a mile (or less) from our home. I think the animals go there at night to drink and, in some cases, feed on others. The coyotes have been active as DH heard them the week before last. He said he could hear a group of them yapping their hearts out. Behind us, is a rock mesa. We live just above its base. My friend lives a couple of streets away, and she was awakened that night by their yapping, too. She figured they were on the mesa as she can't hear the river from her home. It is such a treat to hear them!

Here are some new LOs to share. I hope you like them! I'd love if you commented so I know what you thought.

This layout was done is light beige and grey. I love this photo and its colors so much that I decided to pick them up on the layout. The large alphas are pewter metal while the smaller ones are grey MM rub ons in the Beach font. Down the right side of the photo is machine stitching which I did in silver metallic thread. It looks so cool because it gives a touch of sparkle. The grey strips were punched with a border punch. The flowers are all grey and tan as are the buttons. I added journaling to the raw chipboard swirly.

The Common Teasel

This was a quick challenge based layout. The background card stock is a deep green. The colors on the Creative Imaginations paper are deep green, tan, and white. I used a punch to create a lacy border on the photo mat. The alphas are Thickers and the buttons are from Bag-o-Buttons.

Spring Treasure

We had the lovely opportunity to celebrate Valentine's Day at a fondue restaurant called The Melting Pot. Ladies were given a gift bag which contained a camera, a chocolate scented candle, chocolates, a pen, a stuffed animal, and a couple of other things. The chocolates were in the heart container seen in the layout. The shredded foil strips were also in the heart as well as the bag. I took the menu and reduced it. Then, I took the bag, cut it apart, and applied adhesive to the remaining piece by running it through a Xyron. I chose to add the best photos taken that night. It was a four course meal with a cheese fondue, salad, main course fondue (shrimp, beef, chicken, veggies in a boiling, seasoned broth), and chocolate fondue with fruit and baked treats. We had so much fun! I wanted to remember the event and chose to scrap it.

The Melting Pot

Thank you for stopping by! I love having you visit and hope you will return. Please share my blog with others. I'd love to see my number hit 6,000! You can help! LOL

Take care and be well!

XO,
Chris

BLOG CANDY, BLOG CANDY, BLOG CANDY!

Congratulations to Annita in Denmark who was the 5000th visitor to my blog! Oh my gosh! I had no idea how the number was running until earlier today when I uploaded my most recent photos!

Annita, you have won a Martha Stewart border punch! WTG! I hope you like it. Please send your address to me and I will get it into your box!

Congratulations! Thank you so much for leaving such a nice comment, too!

XOXO,

Chris

"Funner" is NOT a Word!

I cannot believe that a day goes by when I don't hear someone use the pseudo word "FUNNER!" Who is teaching that this is a word? Whomever you are, STOP USING IT! My gosh! They are using it as a verb. OK, here are the three principal parts of the verb FUN - fun, more fun, most fun. That's it! I am hearing it on TV, in stores, and reading it on blogs. Maybe it is a regional thing. I don't know. All I know is that when we hear it, my DH and I just groan! OK, enough. (I just had to get that off my chest - or mind)

I am so sorry I have been so delinquent on my blogging. I have been really busy. During the month of February, at Happy Scrappin' Scrapbooking, we had a sketch-a-thon. We had sketch after sketch each week to use as a guide for layouts or cards. I was having vision issues, but managed to get a ton of stuff done! Then, I need to make sure my DT uploads are ready by the second Tuesday which is also the same day lovely gals from my church come to visit. I like to have something ready for them each month, so I've been working my heart out!

It is beginning to look like spring outside. Our fruitless trees are just ready to show their blossoms. The temps are in the 70s. It's going to be another LONG summer - they always are in the desert.

I have some layouts to share. I hope you like them, too. Here they are.

Granted, happy little bees flying around on the paper is not quite an age appropriate match with the photo, but I just HAD to use this adorable paper. It is one of the first papers I bought when I started scrapping a couple years back, LOL. I saved it because it was too cute to cut up. Well, I gave in and cut it up only after I realized I had four sheets of it, LOL. There is lots of layering on this LO of DS. I miss you, Son!


Bee-You-Tee-Ful You

These are my two guys. We were out to dinner at a great restaurant that is no longer here. There was a horrible reflection off the background because of some metallic fibers, so I chose to print it in black and white.

This paper is My Mind's Eye which is available at Happy Scrappin' Scrapbooking. You cannot tell from the photo, but the large owl in the upper left is three-dimensional. I purchased four of the owls, cut them apart, and they placed them layer upon layer with pop dots separating each layer. It looks great IRL. Also, the branch in the lower left is part of a transparency which I cut and turned sideways. This new Penny Lane line is fantastic as so many parts work well together. Check it out!

Birds of a Feather

A few years ago, when our son was still living at home, we were under the threat of snow. Our DS asked me how he would know that it is snowing while he was in bed. I explained to him that it will get very, very quiet outside. Well, at 1:30 AM, he came into our bedroom and woke us up to tell us there was a lot of snow outside. DH told us to get up and get dressed. We drove around Las Vegas until 5:30 AM just having fun in the snow and looking at all the different features of the city covered in snow. We weren't the only ones at the park at that time of the morning, either! Wherever we went, there were others out and about! It is such a fun memory. This is snow falling in the beam of the Luxor Hotel. The journaling is on the large tag under the photo.

The alphas in the title are all the metallic aqua blue if the "S." They reflected the light of the flash. Sorry about that! Also, the felt snowflakes are covered with a thin layer of silver fabric. I added matching snowflake brads and gems.


Snow Much Fun

I just couldn't get the colors of this LO right when I took the photo. The green did not like the camera. This is one of the designs I did from a sketch. I just had fun!


My Sweetie

Thanks so much for stopping by! I'll have some cards to upload tomorrow!

I am so glad you've visited. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

XOXO,

Chris

Some Days are Better Than Others

I'm in my comfy chair with the footrest up. I have Precious between my lower legs. She's all snuggled in and sleeping soundly. She's been there most of the day as I have been - sitting in my comfy chair.

Some days are just better than others! I am so blessed. Things that affect me could be much more serious than they currently are. We went to the dentist yesterday. I got an A+. I love clean teeth. I also know that it's been said that if you keep your mouth very clean, the chances that your arteries are also very clean is very good. I hope that's true in my case!

I have glaucoma. I also have an auto immune disease that is attacking my eyes. Things have been so good, but last week, I noticed a blurring in both eyes. I can see better without my glasses, but not perfectly. I have floaters that look like jellyfish, black spots, and hair impeding my vision. I have a bag filled with eye glasses because I just never know which pair will work which day! I did find a pair that has helped with the up close vision. I need to make my appointment to get in to see the doctor. I wish my Las Vegas opthamologist had a branch office here. I miss him. He was the best in Las Vegas. I feel like I'm getting cataracts, but I've already had them removed and implants put in. The meds caused the cataracts. It's been such a struggle. Throughout all of this mess, I've really tried to stay positive. I am just in a slump right now, I guess. I worry that I'm going to lose my eyesight. That makes me want to scrap faster all the more.

I did a couple of layouts this weekend. They aren't very fancy. I had to work BIG! Not much detail on either one. It was just too difficult. Here they are:


You Stole My Heart

It's hard to see, but under the black rhinestone key are small rhinestones that spell "heart." I also added pale orange rhinestones to the scalloped Crate paper edge. I am trying to use up the BG Ambrosia I bought. I bought soooooooooo much in addition to all the accompanying goodies - buttons, chipboard, stickers, stamp, brads...

This layout is of me. I've had the pink scalloped paper for years and decided to cut it up, LOL. That was really hard as I really love papers with the scalloped edge. The background cardstock is a beautiful pale green. The photo just didn't pick it up. It looks like an ugly gray green in the photo. I don't know why the camera didn't like the cardstock. I added some bling here and there and painted some wooden flourishes. It looks so much better IRL. LOL Note the sunglasses. They were a birthday, Mother's Day, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Christmas, be nice to Chris gift, all wrapped up in one. I have never had expensive sunglasses and my getting these was an accident! These are sunglasses that movie stars buy! My sweet husband was there when the gal told us the price. I tried not to choke. My sweet husband said, "That's fine. We'll take them." That was three years ago. They are still in perfect shape (but I think I'm afraid to wear them all the time). I should journal how I got them and add it to the layout.


Love Yourself Wholeheartedly

Gosh, I feel happier after writing about the sunglasses purchase. That was so funny! I couldn't even find my voice when the gal asked me if I wanted them (after she said the price.) DAH! **choke, choke** Move over Paris Hilton!

Thank you so much for stopping by. I so love that you cared enough to visit. I'm almost to 5,000 hits!

Come back soon!

XO,

chris

Love is in the Air

Before I start yammering too much, I would like to ask you to say a prayer or send a positive thought to those in Victoria, Australia who have lost so much in the recent, tragic fires. So many lives have been lost and so much devastation has been left in the fire's path. For those Aussies who read my blog, I have had you in my prayers. Stay safe!

Love is truly in the air. You can't get away from the Valentine's Day hype! We're going out to dinner and that's it! My next task is to make DH his card. I can't believe some of the things they are "hawking" on TV. Have you ever noticed that the Open Heart necklace that Jane Seymour is pitching for Kay Jewelers looks like a "Z" for Zales Jewelers? Ha! Look at the very end of the commercial. It looks like a fancy "Z!"

We had snow flurries yesterday (LOVE IT) and now it is quite cold and windy. I savor every day of cold temps because I know what is soon going to be here - temps over 100 for months!

I've done some love themed layouts. Here they are:


I Give You My Heart

When I saw this paper, even though it was Christmas, I knew it would be a perfect Valentine paper! Those hearts were meant for Valentine's Day! There is a sheet from this line that has all those hearts printed on it. I decided to cut them out and turn them into a flower. Each heart has been elevated on a pop dot to give some dimension. The yellow heart and the butterfly are made of felt. The handsome man in the photo is my sweet DH.


Once Upon a Time

This is DH and me on our wedding day. Look at how happy DH's face is! Love that mustache! You can't tell from the photo, but on the heart paper, all the white hearts are glittery as is the white cardstock on the flowers and the circle surrounding the photo. The LO just sparkles! I had this ribbon that I've used so sparingly in the past. It's almost gone, and I'll be heartbroken when I haven't any more, LOL. Also, there is a space between the bottom layer and the top layer of flowers which gives the LO much dimension. I love elevating things on pop dots. The papers are Doodlebug in case you were wondering.


Two in Love

I wish you could see how pretty this layout is IRL. I used papers with glitter so there is sparkle on some of the squares. I also took the chipboard alphas and circle, covered them with red Stickles and then dumped a very fine red glitter on them while the Stickles were still wet. I let that dry overnight. I also did the same with the little white hearts which I have also elevated on pop dots. I cut each of the squares using my Nestabilities scalloped square set available through Happy Scrappin' Scrapbooking.

The best investment I have made is my Cuttlebug. With that little gadget, I can use the Nestie dies as well as all my Quickutz and Sizzix dies. If you don't have a Cuttlebug, you would be smart to get one. They are also available through Happy Scrappin' Scrapbooking

Here is the last LO with the Valentine theme.


Young Love

My two sweeties look so young, don't they? This was only four years ago! The four of us had gone out to dinner at a local casino that has a fantastic Chinese restaurant. We had so much fun! Love you guys! XOXO

For this LO, I used some heart embossed cardstock. Then, I cut out parts of KI lace cardstock for the flowers. The patterned paper behind the photo has flocked hearts. The flower in the upper right is elevated and built up with layers of flowers, heart shaped stick pins, and doily. I cut the circle from my last sheet of this red and white striped paper. *sad face* I liked it because it doesn't compete with the rest of the design. I added red rhinestones to some of the flower centers and added buttons and smaller flowers to others. I love all sorts of textures on a LO.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you like what I've done!

XO
Chris

Peanut Butter Recall

OK, here is the greatest product around. It's called PB2 - and made by Bell Plantation. What is it? It's peanut butter powder (and it comes in chocolate peanut butter)! All you do is add water to make a paste to use. It has 85% less fat calories than regular peanut butter.

With the current peanut butter recall, I decided to contact the FDA as well as Bell Plantation to ask if their product was safe. Would you believe I actually got a response from the FDA giving PB2 the green light? I was stunned. I figured Bell Plantation would say their product was safe, but I never thought the FDA would take the time to answer.

Now, on another topic. There is some sort of number that Feedjit (the box on the right) applies to blogs. The title, "Today's Top Blogs in Washington County," ranks blogs by something I don't understand. Today, I went to the link and got to page 40 something and never saw my little blog. However, topics like "My Milky Orange Cabbage," "Things to do with Pudding," "Chicken Chimichangas," and "Suzie's Pretty Hair Bows" managed to be on pages before I gave up. What's with that?

So, please pass my blog on to the universe! LOL Maybe, then, I'll wind up on page 25 or 26! LOL.

I just had to whine.

Love ya,

Chris