Happy Spring Card

Well, here it is Memorial Day and I still have "Spring" projects I haven't gotten posted. Wow.. where does the time go?  Tomorrow I leave for TX.. so I'm hoping you will ..again.. hold down the fort here for me and welcome my guest bloggers. I'm excited for you to meet them!

  (I will be posting when I can also).

And if you are attending the Great American Scrapbook Convention in TX... come by and say hello okay?

The card below is done with an image the Birds and Blossoms Creative Scraps, from Crafty Secrets.

Being a "non traditional" Craft Blogger, I always seem to feel the need to share my life through photos here.  I always tell people, I show a project first and then start in with the photos and chatter, so that way, if your just here hoping to get some crafty inspiration, you can see if first and you don't have to muddle through all the rest. lol  But.. I will always share my family , my pups, and my sometimes boring, sometimes crazy life.......because it's just who I am.   I think it's only natural to want to share the things you love, don't you?  :)

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Saturday I picked up mom, and we went out to the cabin to see the kids for a bit.

Riley and Kate were chill'n

I think that pup thinks shes human. lol

I feel like I should have a " you might be a redneck if...." saying to start off THESE photos. lol

This is the potato launcher Jarad made.    Yep... everything Jarad creates is over the top. haha

Okay.. need a laugh.  geezzz.. no make up , messy hair... packing a huge potato launcher?? nice!

I'm not one shooting anything..but I have to admit this was so fun.  My kind of "gun", doesn't kill anything.. and just shoots potatoes out into the field for the deer to eat.

yeah... we're fairly easy to entertain.

Riley thinks shes the queen of this stump.

seriously.. she really likes it. lol  Worlds biggest chew stick.

Yesterday was the "Dunn" family reunion.  My dads side of the family.  Dan had to work, so mom and I packed up and headed there for the day.  Always so great to see the cousins ect..

This shirt just cracked me up.  ( I guess there is a baseball player named Dunn)

It just make me feel so good the way everyone is so good to mom. They all took turns coming to chat with her, and reminisce.    Our crazy cousin Jay came over and asked mom why she wasn't in the food line.  He said.. "Isnt Vicki looking after you??... come on Aunt Ev.. I'll get you some food! " lol

He took her by the arm and right over to the food line.  Everyone just smiled and stepped back...leaving a place wide open for him to take her right to the front of the line. 

Everyone treated her like gold.  Heartwarming I tell ya :)

We got back in time to go to the cemetery with flowers for Dad and my brother Gary.

It was a good weekend.

Hope all of you had a nice memorial weekend also.

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May we all take time to remember the men and women who have served our county.

 Those who have lost their lives,... paying the ultimate price

..... for our freedom.

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Scrapbook New and Review Featured Artist / Faux mini Polaroid Banner Fun

I'm honored to be Featured Artist for Scrapbook News and Review.  Below is a project I share there, which is using Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L products in different ways to create this banner. The super cute banner is an AccuCut Die. {LOVE it}

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LOVE

I'd love it if you popped over to SNR to see the post with the directions for making this mini faux Polaroid banner.

I love the look of Polaroids, so I thought it would be fun to make some little mini ones to add to my banner using photos of my boys from "back in the day" lol.  

This banner hangs in my studio and makes me SMILE every single day.  Oh.. makes my heart happy to look at these great memories from when the boys were wee ones.  The photo above is from one of the many trips to the Children's zoo with Aunt Jan.  They were feeding the goats..and the goats were EVERYWHERE all the sudden.  The boys are smiling but I think they were getting a little alarmed. lol  Check out the look on Jarad's face.  (it's like... I'm outta here!) ahahahahh

When the boys were growing up we made many trips to the Black Hills of SD to spend time at my Aunt and Uncles cabin.  Oh..such great memories!   Jarad looks like hes ready for some serious fishing in Dans rubber boots (above). Geezzz..they are almost hip waders on him. lol

Little Wesy in Yogis  pick-a-nic basket :)  ( in my best Yogi  voice)

silly kids!

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Hey, I also have some other links I wanted to share.  whew.. so much going on these days. lol

First of all Congrats to the newly announced Tattered Angels EDUCATOR Team!   You can see them listed here.    Yes... I still love TA!!  I've just decided to Stay with the Design Team aspect of things, but step back from the Educator Team.  I just have not been traveling and teaching as much , so I feel  TA Design Team is enough right now.  These girls are amazing educators! 

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AccuCut is now having Guest Designers, and they are showing off great project ideas HERE in the AccuCut blog.  And you HAVE to see the amazing dresses made of paper from the National Stationery show in NYC. WOW!  You can see them here

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AND... another reminder about the Crafty Secrets DT call.  If you are interested.. you can see the information HERE.  you still have a little time.. hurry:)

Hope you all enjoy your weekend!

One of those photos...

....you just HAVE to scrap.  Yep..this photo was just one of those I knew was going to be fun to do a layout with.  My cousin Becky had this photo posted on facebook and it just made me smile. I asked her if I could use it for a layout.  Becky puts together our family reunions (for my Dads side of the family), and puts so much work into it, I wanted to give her this as just a little thank you.  We have a reunion coming up this weekend.

Isn't her outfit cute? oh... so fun. And his shirt almost matches lol.

It's been a long time since I've done  a layout not using any specific manufacture.lol  I just grabbed things from here and there, and had fun with it.

It seems as the years go by, I find myself drawn to simple layout designs...but I still to love little bits of interest.  For some reason I've been into making hand cut flowers. Why? unsure..just loving the process of it. Weird I know :0   especially with so many cute dies out there. 

I can always find something fun to use in my stash of Fancy Pants Chipboard.  So you know.. if chipboard ever goes completely out of style "I" WILL still be using it. lol

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Just a reminder: You still have a few days left if you are interested in trying out for the Crafty Secrets Design Team.  Info HERE.

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I've been busy gathering things together and checking through class stuff for Great American Scrapbook Show Texas next week.  Cant wait to see my Texas friends!  Classes are sold out so that's exciting. We (Crafty Secrets) will be doing make and takes in the booth also, so if you plan to be there, please come on over :)  

After the show is over, we will be planning to do the same as we did last year and head for Puerto Penasco Mexico. Looking forward to seeing Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers at Circus MexicusXX, and spending time with great friends.  

While I'm gone, I have some awesome Guest bloggers lined up for you... that I know you'll love.  I will also be taking my laptop and post photos from TX.  No Internet once we head for Mexico, but trust me, I'll be sharing plenty of photos when I get home.  

 

With the Internet troubles I've been having here lately, I'm surprised I haven't thrown my computer out the window. lol   I know... I'm like a broken record right?  I know I live in the hicks but this Internet thing is getting really annoying.  Dan and I both had conversations with the Internet provider today :(

I am so frustrated...but never like it take it out on the person on the other end of the line. They're just answering phones.  I was SO frustrated by the time I finally got through to someone, I  was really read to give them a piece of my mind. Then the guy came on and said "Hi, my name is Ian , how can I help you?"   Geeezzz... I'm such a softy.  He sounded like a kid about my boys age.. and geezz.. he had to be nice and tell me is name (now he's a real person) lol.   So I say, " hey Ian, I hope you can help me, cause I'm kinda grouchy",   He started laughing.  He proceeded to help me as much as he could.  I thanked him... and then he said " I don't think you are grouchy at all".    lol

well, my Internet is working "for now"... but I'm not holding my breath. It's been an ongoing problem for a long time. Keep your fingers crossed.  I don't want to have to be "grouchy" (for real) lol

I thought I would share some things

  I've learned over the last couple of days.

You always think you can get more into a suitcase than you really can

My dogs snore as loud as my husband. (and probably ME..but I'm sleeping, so I dont hear myself) lol

Talking( I'm using that word lightly)  to your computer when you are having Internet issues really doesn't help.

plucking your eye brows when you have a headache, is not a good idea.

just a little insight to the start of my week....lol

Tomorrows going to be a great day! :)



Dressing up an apron

I've been having so much fun creating things with Designs from the new Crafty Secrets  "Creating with Vintage Patterns" CD.  (available May 30/11).    There are so many beautiful things on this CD.  I printed a couple of the paper patterns on Claudine Hellmuth STUDIO  sticky-back canvas sheets to dress up my apron.

So basically, all I had to do was pop the CD in, choose my image and run one of these sheets through my printer (one with the pink pattern and one with the green pattern)  Hand cut, or die cut my flower shapes, peel the backing off, and start my hand stitching.    Like I mentioned before, I am loving getting back to embroidery and hand stitching...it's so relaxing!  I could blanket stitch forever~! lol

I didn't have the best light for the photos of the apron ,but you can see the actual colors of the papers below.   This is the cover of the upcoming CD.   I'm excited about all the possibilities this is going to bring.  Excited I tell ya! lol

I also want to be sure to mention here, in case you have missed it  Crafty Secrets now has a Design Team call in progress.

                                           Crafty Secrets Design Team Call!

You can get ALL the details HERE

They are looking for talented and enthusiastic paper crafters, stampers and digital designers who love vintage and have time to commit to designing samples each month using our products and to promote our products online and be an inspiration to others!
This is a 6 month position running from June 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. Team members off both teams can reapply for 2012. This call is open to English speaking residents worldwide. Deadline to submit is May 28/11.

Please email submissions to sandy@craftysecrets.com

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Saturday after the Flea Market, my sis and I were looking at moms iris with her.  She is very proud of them!  They are all just so beautiful.    I don't know that I have ever looked at them so closely. They are pretty amazing up close. ..and so detailed.

They were not only pretty..but smelled SO good!

And if this just wasn't the cutest~

The two little neighbor boys came running over ... "Hi Evelyn!"  lol   The had stuff they needed to show her. lol   The really cute thing is ... I used to babysit the boys mom when she was their age.   Her family has always owned the house..but they have rented it out for years.  Now her and her hubby live there with their little guys.   She was outside with them on Mothers Day when we were in moms backyard.. so I got to see her for the first time in ...oh.... 30+ years.  SO fun!  She is a kind and sweet as she was then.

I love how her boys adore mom.

                                                                      Just makes me smile.




PS. If you want to see some really fantastic photos of the flea market and tail gate breakfast from Saturday.... check out the beautiful photos my friend (photographer Becky Novacek) has posted on her blog. 

Flea Market Tailgate

I know I said I'd post a project today ..but I have lots of other photos of the day, I'd really love to share.  Projects coming promise.  Today was the last day Sandy was here.... and she didn't know it  but we had a little something planned to send her off.   All I can say is thank goodness the ridiculous RAIN stopped and we had a gorgeous day, because it rained every day she was here! grrr      My sweet sister (and partner in crime) Jan pulled together this little "girlie" tailgate party in the parting area at the flea market this morning.  I was trying to think of a time when I could have a little gathering while Sandy was here, but knew the days would go by so fast , and with it being such a busy time of the year, it would be a hard time to try to get everyone together. (esp in the middle of the week) So...

Since I knew alot of my friends would be going to the flea market anyway... this seemed like the most logical way to pull it off.  Thanks to my sweet sis, the best friends ever, and SUNSHINE, it was great!

My sis and I had so much fun gathering our pretties... and putting together some yummy "eats".

 We had lots of delishious fresh fruit, 4 different kinds of homemade muffins, mimosa, and coffee.

... topped of with Amazing friends!!

We started early .. so we were ready to start shopping right at 8am when they opened.  We had to leave to get Sandy to the airport straight from here..but 3 hours of power shopping ahead. lol

It had been raining for days, so it was muddy in places..but I really thought it might be worse.  We all brought extra shoes or boots, so nothing was stopping us. lol

There were lots of super fun things.

This little beauty below is now my sisters!

I've found all kinds of fun things this week..but with so much going on and me feeling "sicky" with a cold, I havent even brought things in from the garage yet..but here's a few things from today.  I think all of us found things we were really happy with.  It was just a nice, nice day all the way around.

              I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends! Blessed, I tell ya... truly blessed!
                                                   Wish you could have all been there!

 


                                  **** HUGE thanks to my sis!! Janny.. you are the BEST! ****    




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                                                                     Announcement


****  Crafty Secrets is having their first ever Design Team Call!!!   If you would like it try to be part of the team.... all of the information is posted on the Heartwarming Vintage Blog HERE.****


          



A little work .... a little play

Well Sandy arrived yesterday, and I'm happy to say it was a beautiful sunny day.

 Dan , Sandy and I met up with Jarad and Kate for dinner and a visit when we got into town from the airport.  It's been fun having Sandy here "in my state", for the first time:)   Of course we stayed up late last night, chatting, and looking through files of her amazing images and designs.  Always so fun talking about all things "creative" with someone who you share very similar tastes with.  We always seem to ahhhh..and ohhhhh over the same things.

Although we chatted late we were ready for my sis Jan this morning , when she arrived for a little road trip, to take in some fun places.    Here is a bit of our day.

We haven't sorted through our treasures yet, so I haven't taken photos of what we came home with.  No big purchases per say, but fun little things for each of us.  Oh my sis did find an awesome metal porch chair to re do. Great deal too!

No..this isn't the chair she bought ..but she looks pretty comfy there, doesn't she??

loving these colors...

All of three of are are defiantly Vintage at heart.. so you can only image how much fun we had pointing things out and chatting as we went.  I realize how we all have things we gravitate towards.. even more than others.  Jan and Sandy are book lovers, old print, images, photos, poems and sayings.  Jan is the cakeplate/dish/and glassware queen.  I find myself pulled towards fabric table cloths, doilies, and TRIMS. Speaking of trims.. I found an awesome one today.  I show you as soon as I get it photographed. I love it.

Today  is a new day... so I'm keeping this post brief.   We don't want to be on the run everyday.. so I left today open for whatever we choose.   It seems like when Sandy and I do get a chance to connect, its at a show or when we are working on a project, so things are always a bit rushed.    It's SO nice to have her here and just talk face to face, not on the phone. I don't care if it's out and about, or just sitting around in a pjs chatting about designs.... it's a good time!

Promise to share a project in my next post.  But thought it would be fun to share bits of our week with you all.


Enjoy your day!