The Rat's Pajamas

Better Late Than Never

2012-02-15T07:55:00.003-07:00

I figured I'd start with the people. :)

Top Photo (l to r): Kaari Meng, Charlotte Lyons, Pam Garrison
Second Photo: (the totally awesome) Dawn

Third Photo: Michelle of Paper Tales

Fourth Photo (l to r): Chris, Terri and Terry

Fifth Photo (l to r): Me, Lonnie Jenck, Julie Baxley, Cheryl Stoneham

I didn't get as many pictures of people as I would've liked....I was busy talking, crafting, eating and drinking.

This and That

2012-01-24T08:08:00.002-07:00

Time always goes so fast...when you are on a deadline. :) My Vintage Christmas ABC Pages were due to the hostess on the 20th....I got mine in the mail on the 19th. I had T and V.....T ended up looking like something to hang in a man cave. :) I included a little tree trimming kit, so that everyone can do up their tree how they want. The pictures suck due to the fact that it was a Thursday and I have a limited amount of time on Thursdays (early release day for the school...I hate early release days....we didn't have those growing up). I had to get them packed up and mailed. I love how my V page turned out.....I stickled the edge of her tutu....it's all sparkly. You probably can't read it, but it says, "Visions of sugarplums danced in their heads." above the velvet.....there aren't a whole lot of V words for Christmas. :)

My swap partner, Cari, from the stocking swap posted about what I sent her...go here for the scoop: www.luckygirlgifts.blogspot.com/2012/01/last-of-christmas-swaps.html . I happy she liked everything and I have to say I love her new header. :) I need to remember to bring her little piece of embroidery she made me to LA with me this weekend. I think it would be perfect in one of the projects (actually...a few of them). I really need to start thinking about what to bring with me. I am excited. It's Charlotte Lyons for goodness sakes. I just adore her classes...she's a nice woman as well. I'm excited that Pam Garrison is co-teaching that class....I never managed to take a class with her at Silver Bella. I'm going to bring my camera...I just hope I remember to take photos....I never remembered to at SB. :) Last, but not least- I marked everything down in the shop...no coupon codes to remember. Everything has been marked down by 50%....I figured it would be easier for shoppers. So, hopefully, you'll take a peek and see something you can't live without. :)

Adventures in SLC Bluegirl Style

2012-01-23T12:25:00.004-07:00

When we figured out that we were going to Utah for Christmas.....I decided to convo a fellow etsy seller and blogger, Julie Collings (http://www.theadventuresofbluegirlxo.blogspot.com/ ), to ask her for a list of favorite haunts. She obliged (thank goodness) and gave me a list of places. We got a late start (Hubby was nice enough to take me) and hit all but one thing on her list. Here is the list (just in case you find yourself in SLC):

Capital City Antiques (http://www.capitalcityantiquemall.com/)- 959 South West Temple, SLC

I loved this mall....they had great displays, but not too much. I found some great smalls here.

Decades- 627 South State, SLC
We both loved this one. All that vintage clothing....it was awesome. The prices were not bad either. If I didn't have a little Mr Sticky Fingers....I would have bought all sorts of stuff.

Retro Rose- 207 East Broadway, SLC

All their displays were color coordinated- too cool. :)

*Jitter Bug Antiques- 243 East 300 South, SLC

It is a few steps away from Retro Rose....all sorts of vintage toys, ephemera, and other gooodies.

A stop at the Anthropologie at Gateway Mall.

Not the best Anthropologie that I've been to, but they were having a sale...I got a shirt and a copy of Anthology.

Vine Street Antiques- 4854 South State Street, Murray
This was my least favorite.....they had great displays of vintage toys, but were overpriced. No picture...it was too dark.

The * was for the fact that it wasn't on Julie's list. It was fun and nice to see the city from someone else's prespective. :) If you get the chance to try that in a similiar situation, you should.

The reason for the late start...the day before, my Father, took Jr and me on a marathon thrifting session. We started at 0800 and came home after 2100...we hit 10 Deseret Industries, 2 Salvation Army stores, and 2 Savers. It was insane....do not attempt that ever. Oy. I didn't find much for the shop...mostly things for myself. Lots of books. I love books. :)

I'm Having A Sale

2012-01-06T08:24:00.004-07:00

I decided to embrace some of the new technology that Etsy has and made a coupon code (I know it's been available for a few months now...give me a break). If you use NEWYEAR20 you can get 20% off anything in the store. I've still got Christmas/New Year's items, loads of trim, some fabric and fun vintage items. www.MayMouse.etsy.com Go check it out...I need to make room for the new old stuff. :)

A Year Ago Today

2012-01-04T10:46:00.002-07:00

We moved to Arizona from Georgia. I can't believe it has already been a year...oy. We got back from our trip on New Year's Eve.....I figured we were on the road last year, so we should be home for this one. Utah was cold...not as much snow as I had hoped for, but enough that the boys could throw snowballs at each other (and their Dad). It was nice spending Christmas with my parents. I've got photos....I just haven't downloaded them yet. My Dad took me on a day of thrifting that lasted around 12 hours, 280 miles, and 15 thrift stores. I found a few things for the shop, but for the most part it was books....lots of books. Some for me (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden and Agatha), some for wee one's school bus, some for my b-i-l, and some for hubby and Jr. I, also, had a special trip into Salt Lake just to go to shops recommended by one of my favorite bloggers. We all went and saw "Alvin and the Chipmunks: ChipWrecked"...it was cute and wee one really enjoyed it..he kept screaming "Alvin" and "mango and banana"...he knows his fruit. We had two bottles of German wine, that we had my parents bring back for us and have been with them since 2004. Good times. I promise a better post in the future....still getting back in the groove of things....first day where all of them are in school/work....it is so quiet....that is a good thing. :)

LPS Stocking Swap

2011-12-21T11:29:00.003-07:00

Cari of Lucky Girl Gifts was my partner...I was the lucky one. Look at this loot. Awesome. She embroidered that sweet little girl and made me earrings....is there nothing she can't do?? I didn't have time to take photos of what I sent her. Hopefully, she did and got better photos than me....I was too excited and rushed so that I could open everything. Here is her blog: www.luckygirlgifts.blogspot.com . Thank you, Cari.

Naughty or Nice?

2011-12-21T11:20:00.002-07:00

Wee one came home with this house from school last week . He was good about not touching it for about a day and then destruction....massive destruction. I'm just glad we got pictures. :)

Keeping it real

2011-12-06T13:30:00.002-07:00

Or "When Crafing Goes Very Wrong" may be a better title. Or "Good Adhesive Goes Bad"....whatever the title is....my White Christmas tags (the first two tries) went badly. There was crying, cursing, throwing of crap tags....it wasn't pretty. The last picture shows what I ended up making....a total departure from my original idea. I finally got them in the mail yesterday. I remembered to take a picture or two.....I had etsy photos I needed to download, so it was win win. I will be updating the shop tonight and tomorrow....there are something like 45 items I need to list...it might take awhile. Some Christmas, some not. Back to work. :)

The Art of Craft 2012

2011-11-28T19:46:00.003-07:00

I just signed up....I had to wait until Hubby got home...double check his schedule. :) I'm so excited....I've missed out on everything else. The line-up of teachers is awesome.....Kaari Meng, Charlotte Lyons (and you know I just love her), Anna Corba, Molly Meng, Pam Garrison, and Michelle Jorgensen. Boxes, bracelets, beeswax and more. Go here to read her blog post www.frenchgeneral.blogspot.com and here to just go ahead and sign up www.frenchgeneral.com . You can just take a class or two or the whole kit and caboodle. But hurry sign-ups are limited to 30 people a class. Twenty nine since I signed up for the whole kit and caboodle. I'm so excited....oh, I already said that. :)

Thanksgiving in Vegas

2011-11-28T19:15:00.003-07:00

We drove up to Vegas to join my parents for Thanksgiving. :) Don't think I got out of cooking entirely...okay, baking...Pops requested pumpkin pies and date nut bread. We stayed at the Embassy Suites-Las Vegas. The swans live in the lobby.....Priscilla and Elvis. Hubby and Jr went sight seeing on the Strip on Thanksgiving. My parents took wee one to the aquarium at Mandalay Bay. I fell asleep watching the National Dog Show.....I woke up in time to see a terrier take it all. :) That night we hit a buffet for dinner (with all of Vegas it felt like). Friday, I got to hit a few thrift stores and snagged some awesome stuff for the shop. Jr and Hubby hit went on the Strip again and then we all went to the Hard Rock for dinner. Hubby and I hit the casino not long after that.....oy, things have changed in casinos since our Honeymoon. I felt like a total dumbass. We all went home the next day and we stopped for a potty break in Wikieup and took advantage of the photo op. I hardly took any photos....I just relaxed. It's nice to travel, but it is nice to get home as well.

Last Friday Night

2011-11-09T11:10:00.003-07:00

We made calamari. Jr has been picking out some form of sea creature for me to fix every week for the last two months or so. This week he picked squid....yummy....for them...not me. It wasn't as bad as touching the baby octopus. We used this recipe: www.allrecipes.com/Recipe/Calamari/Detail.aspx . We added 1/2 Tablespoon of Parsley and 1/2 Tablespoon of Garlic Powder as well (the first reviewer suggested it). Hubby and Jr were very happy with the results. Still not fond of deep frying...the popping and sizzling scare the hell out of me. It was pretty cool...you could add a clump of squid into the oil and the rings would separate. It doesn't take much to get me all excited.
In other news......I stocked the shop with a whole bunch of Christmas goodies. I've still got a few more things to photograph and list...I was on a roll on Monday with the photos until my battery starting dying on me....argh. I'm still blah about no Silver Bella this year....I would be on my way to Omaha right now. Bummed..so bummed. I've got a few swaps to keep me occupied....White Christmas Tags, ABC Pages, and a stocking. I need to dig my sewing machine out of the garage...it has been there for almost a year. I need to clear off a space for it first though. :) I used up almost all the apples from apple picking....10 gallons of apples is a lot....it made 5 cobblers, 4 crisps, and 5 pies. That was 68 cups of sliced apples. Oy. I think I ate one slice of apple pie. Too many apples....yes, you can have too many apples. I learned the hard way. :)

Crafting Christmas- Amy Powers Style

2011-11-07T08:50:00.002-07:00

It's out...the newest Inspired Ideas issue. It's happy and bright...just like Amy. If you'd like to know more...go here: www.inspireco.blogspot.com/ , but if you are ready to pony up the $3.99...go here: www.amy-powers.com/mag/christmas2011subscribe.html . All sorts of fun stuff in this issue (including two stocking ideas). Yes, I already ponied up the cash. :)

Crafting Christmas- Little Pink Studio Style

2011-11-07T08:39:00.002-07:00

Cerri is going to have tutorials and a stocking swap and all sorts of fun stuff this holiday season. I signed up for the swap.....I've never made a stocking before...should be interesting. :) She is only taking 20 people, so if you are interested head over. www.littlepinkstudio.typepad.com

Wiener Schnitzel and Home Made Fries

2011-11-04T13:57:00.003-07:00

I suck...no picture....too busy frying the fries. :) The wiener schnitzel recipe came from the book "Tender at the Bone" by Ruth Reichl. Really good book...she has two others as well. If you like food, you'll like her books. They aren't cookbooks...memoirs. The home made fries are what our Mom makes...she just cuts potatoes into thin pieces and fries them in vegetable oil....yummy....even better when she makes them. :)

Wiener Schnitzel

1 1/2 pounds of veal cutlets
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup finely ground bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
6 Tablespoons butter
1 lemon

Pound each cutlet thin between two pieces of waxed paper.
Place flour in a flat dish or plate large enough to hold cutlet. Place beaten egg in another dish, bread crumbs in a third. Season each with salt and pepper.
Dredge cutlets in flour. Dip into beaten egg. Dip into bread crumbs until thinly but thoroughly coated. Place on waxed-paper-covered platter and place in refrigerator for about an hour.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in large skillet. When sizzling, brown cutlets quickly on each side until golden. Remove to platter.
Melt remaining two tablespoons butter in same pan. Squeeze lemon juice into butter, stir, and pour over cutlets.
Serves 4.

It was pretty good...my lemon was a little big, so it was very lemony. Use a smaller lemon or half a lemon, if you don't like too much lemon flavor. I sprinkled Pommes Frites Wurzsalz on the fries after they were done frying. It is a cool seasoning from Germany...they put it on their fries. Or you can just use salt (I did that on the ones for the wee one).

Happy Birthday, Zombie Boy!

2011-11-01T15:30:00.002-07:00

Today is his birthday..happy, happy. He is such a big boy. He still won't tolerate wearing a costume, but he wore a ton of fake blood last night. :) He had a little container of body parts to carry around with him. He finally "gets" Halloween and he went trick or treating. His Dad said he did great and was very well behaved. I passed out candy (as usual....even when pregnant to the gills...which I was with both boys....I am the candy passer outer). This is a busy week for us...Halloween and two Birthdays. :)

P.S. I don't do the decorating for Halloween....I like cutesy, not gorey. :)

It's Apple Picking Time

2011-10-28T08:49:00.002-07:00

On Sunday, I had the brilliant idea of going apple picking. :) We went to Brown's farm which is about an hour and a half east of Fort Huachuca. We had a great time. We picked way too many apples.....I'm still figuring out what to do with all of them. If you have any good apple recipes send them my way. We sampled their apple cider (and then bought some). The boys got to see sheep, pigs, chickens, and horses. Whenever they see animals it is a good day. We hit the new IHOP in Sierra Vista on the way back. It was a good day. I meant to blog earlier this week, but I've been really busy with my shop...so exciting...I had a bunch of orders this week. If you know me.....I get all kinds of excited if I sell one thing....I sold more than one this week...so happy. I've been trying to gather up some more things to do another update, but it is slow going. I put things in safe places and then can't remember the safe place. Yes, I need safe places...wee one emptied a whole bottle of MS black glitter in my "office" the other day....argh. I got a little crafting in.....I finished a project I started months ago. There is a picture somewhere on this blog of a stack of paper and an old BH&G decorating book. Well, I can't show the finished product yet...I need to mail it to the recipient. It feels good to finish it.....I was worried I was going to screw it up. But the other day I just said the hell with it and did it. :) I wish I was like a lot of you and could just craft to craft. I need it to be for a swap or something specific. Silly, I know. Well.....back to the unearthing. :) Have a great weekend! (If you get bored pop by the shop...I still have more stuff for sale.) :)

Crock-Au-Vin

2011-10-18T07:57:00.002-07:00

This was dinner last night. I got the recipe here www.vocalpoint.com . It was really easy and took no more than 30 minutes to prep and your house smells fantastic for hours.

CROCK-AU-VIN

4 bone in chicken legs and/or thighs
4 slices of bacon, cut in pieces
2 onions, cut in medium wedges
4 carrots, roughly chopped
3/4 cup red wine (Burgundy)
1 Tbsp flour
A few leaves of thyme

Combine all the ingredients in the crock pot, give it a brief stir to cover chicken with ingredients, and turn on LOW for 6-8 hours until chicken is cooked through and beginning to fall apart, and the vegetables are tender. If the liquid needs thickened, stir in another tablespoon of flour with the heat still on until it thickens. Ladle into bowl, top with a chicken leg, and serve with a side og green beans or a salad.

I made a few changes.....I used 6 drumsticks....there was plenty of room in my crock pot. I, also, used a few sprigs of thyme. I served it with french bread. I used Burgundy wine (in the original recipe they screwed the pooch and had Chardonnay as the other red wine choice...which is all kinds of wrong). So if you have cooked with red wine before and want to use a different red wine...go for it.

Scallop Couscous Paella

2011-10-13T10:10:00.003-07:00

I actually made this back on the 29th of August, but never got around to blogging about it. Here is the link to the recipe: www.familycircle.com/recipe/scallop-couscous-paella/ It makes a whole lot (like ratatouille a lot), so be prepared for leftovers. :)

Two In One Day

2011-09-20T10:59:00.002-07:00

Last Friday was OD (Organizational Day) for hubby's unit. We all wore our new ugly shirts with our call signs on the sleeves ( Secret Squirrel, Household 6, Confidential Squirrel, FOUO Squirrel). We actually missed most of it...the boys were in school and by the time we got there it was pretty much over. That was fine with us....the boys enjoyed playing in the water and we enjoyed watching them play. :) I was trying to catch up last week after being gone for a week. I got my little books done for the Halloween Little Book Swap...I still need to take a photo. I've got 27 pages to make for the Christmas ABC Book Swap and goody bags for the PC Witches Tea. Behind, behind....that doesn't include needing to update my shop. I had a whole game plan for the shop and poof those plans are gone (I should've written down my ideas...that will teach me).
Oh well.....back to work. At least I can cross update blog off my to do list. :)

The one where I explain my absence

2011-09-20T10:30:00.004-07:00

I was doing better about the blogging and then on the 1st of September my Aunt died. I flew back to Pennsylvania on the 3rd and stayed for a week. That was the first time in 18 years that I had flown into Pittsburgh. Not quite how I wanted to come back...but hey..it is what it is. :) We had three viewings and I was bad...when given the opportunity to leave early from the last one....I took it. The service was nice and it rained at the graveside....which coming in from Southern Arizona I was loving. Rain with no thunder and lightning...wouldn't you?? My brother, sister and brother-in-law all drove up. I got to see all my cousins and their children. It was kind of neat seeing everyone together. They had a wake at the church and those church ladies totally rock.....they even had made from scratch angel food cake.

I did get in some thrifting. I have to say....I love Pennsylvania and their insanely low prices. If I had an extra suitcase....oy. I found a few nifty things....I got a bunch of vintage playskool puzzles (the wooden ones) for a quarter a piece, a vintage ravioli form for $1.99, and vintage linens/lace for 50 cents a piece. I can't wait for my parents to retire, so that I can drop the kids off and shop. :) I got the required PITT shirts for me and the boys (and a Penguins shirt for hubby...he wouldn't wear a PITT shirt even if he was naked and needed clothing). I brought home cookies which wee one helped me eat.

The another thing I love about Pennsylvania is that it is so green. It is so pretty. I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked to, but you can see some that I did. Yes, I had to take picture of the mushrooms in my Uncle's yard. Hell....I took a picture of the grass for wee one....he loves grass and misses it. Yes, we now have some grass in the backyard....thanks to monsoon season....it won't last long though. :( The first photo is the side yard at my Grandma's house.....you can see an outline in the grass.....that used to be a giant garden. Oh well. It was a nice trip under the circumstances. It was nice to go back. It's probably as close to a home base as I have....especially after my parents retire.

I did it!

2011-08-26T14:12:00.003-07:00

I finally updated my etsy shop. I figured it was about time. It is just a small update. I've added paper and ephemera packs (pictured above), more vintage books and a few other items. It took all morning and afternoon....oy. This has to be quick...wee one's bus will be here soon. Have a great weekend!

The Rest of Summer Vacation

2011-08-10T12:01:00.003-07:00

I guess since as of this morning Summer Vacation is entirely over (high school started on Monday and wee one went back today) I had better finish up all the stuff from summer break. I managed to read 11 books and go see 4 movies (Cars II and Winnie the Pooh rounded out the month of July). I, also, got adventurous in the kitchen. The picture above is ratatouile. High Schooler decided one day that we should make some (he tried a grilled version at the Hard Rock Cafe in Phoenix at the beginning of summer and wanted to make the old school version)...turned out I made it...that is a lot of slicing and dicing. It made a huge ass pot. Here is the link to that recipe: www.easy-french-food.com/ratatouille-recipe.html . It went over well. About a week before that we made this www.foodsessed.com/2010/04/20/baby-octopus-with-garlic-and-parsley . Since the ratatouille I've done this www.whatscookingamerica.net/Seafood/OystersPanFried.htm and made these www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2010/05/smoked_salmon_with_black_pepper_potato_chips_and_lemon_creme_fraiche Oy...that has to be this longest link ever. :) Big disclaimer here....I love food....I just don't each much of it. Everything made above was for hubby and high schooler. I got some thrifting in this summer....hopefully, I'll get pictures taken and things listed in my neglected tiny Etsy shop in the next few weeks. I'm going to go enjoy the silence some more before they return from school. :)

Mini-Vacation, Part 2

2011-08-08T06:43:00.003-07:00

Saturday morning we headed to the Reid Park Zoo (www.tucsonzoo.org). Wee one has actually been there...that is where they had a field trip in the Spring. It is rather nice..not too big, not too small. I did take pictures of the giraffes, but about a week after we visited one of the giraffes died. :( It was starting to warm up, so we went back to the hotel for a dip (okay, I didn't..they did). Hubby and Jr went here www.funtasticks.com for some father/son bonding time. For dinner, we ran across the road to here www.monkeyburgerrestaurant.com. The burgers were excellent, they make homemade chips to go with them and they have beer on tap (not that I drink beer). We hit a few shops the next day on the way home (Trader Joe's, Super Target, a new B&N for us). It was a nice, little last minute trip.

Our Mini-Vacation, Part 1

2011-08-04T10:44:00.008-07:00

Hubby got his leave approved at the last minute, so choices of where we could go were limited. We decided on Tucson..close enough that the drive didn't suck, but far enough to get away from work. :) We drove in on Thursday (stopping at a few thrift stores to appease me and a Toys'R'Us to appease them) and stayed at the Embassy Suites- Williams Center. They are quite affordable in AZ during the summer. :) We walked over to Target and got Pizza Hut that night for dinner...real exciting, I know. Friday was a busy day. We started here
http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/, then hit this http://www.theminitimemachine.org/ (which has a great deal going on until Labor Day...active duty military and their families get in for free), then we hit a mall and saw "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II", and ended with a trip to Olive Garden for dinner. The photos are from the Tucson Botanical garden....I took over 60..hard to pick which ones to post. There is no photography allowed at the Mini Time Machine Museum...it was cute though. You go through and can pick up storybook sheets to build a kind of choose your own adeventure book. They give you a cover and some brads at the end to put it all together. Part 2 will cover Saturday and Sunday of our mini vacation. :)

Fourth of July Weekend

2011-07-26T13:35:00.002-07:00

My parents drove down from UT and we met them in Phoenix. We stayed with them at the Embassy Suites for the night. The next morning, they all went for a swim and I took photos. Hubby and I headed back to Fort Huachuca and the boys stayed with my parents. We hit Barnes & Noble, Michaels, and Jo-Ann's (which turns out to be right across the street from the Michaels). On the Fourth of July (since we were kid free) we went and saw a movie. Bad Teacher was pretty funny. The boys were returned to us a few days later (after being spoiled rotten). I guess I need to download the photos from our "vacation" we took about a week later. :)

Shadowbox Swap

2011-07-20T15:22:00.003-07:00

I never remember how to order my photos. The first five are items that I made for inside her shadowbox...her being Stevie (www.myartcanvas.blogspot.com). I had the worst time painting this shadowbox. The first one..the colors were too bright and I tried painting over them...not my best work. So I ordered two more shadowboxes...good thing I did. I settled on white, because she likes Shabby Chic and Rachel Ashwell paints everything white. :) I was stupid and left the paint for the inner boxes out and wee one decided he wanted to paint. He painted the outside box green....not all of it. I barely had enough green to finish the inside boxes, so I used the outside box of shadowbox #3 and started over again. I decided against the birthday theme, so that she can have it out year round. She is the only female in her household as well. I can feel her pain. I, also, did not glue anything down.....I thought she might like to pull things out to touch them....which led me to fill the last boxes with handmade items she could wear and put back. I made a brooch (with reclaimed Simply Shabby Chic fabric), a ring, and three bobby pins with vintage findings. I had a good time making those and I am tempted to make more. Her favorite colors are pink, mint green, and aqua. The bottom photo is the little box of adorable she made me. :) There is a little fairy sitting on a cake and a fake strawberry....she makes her own strawberries and that is why she got a pea pod from me. She loves fake food as well. :)

Overdue Swap Photos

2011-07-19T11:51:00.004-07:00

Loads of swap goodies came my way in the last month. Little books, bling and summer lovin tags. My contibution to the tag swap was the snow cone in the upper right hand corner. I used glittered paper for the ice part....it glimmers like a real snow cone (thank you cheap Target scrapbooking paper....99 cents for two 12" by 12" sheets and they have eight packs of other paper for the same price...check it out) and a real snow cone holder for the snow cone holder....you can't fake that waxed paper cone...so I cut up real ones. Next post will cover the Birthday Treasury Shadowbox Swap...what I sent and what I received. Then I'll cover what we've been up to the last few weeks.....I remembered my camera and took photos. :) Woohoo...a few more weeks and school starts.

Pea Pickin Cake

2011-06-15T07:38:00.002-07:00

This was my birthday cake. It is a Pea Pickin Cake...it wasn't pretty, but it was really tasty. I got the recipe from my cousin's wife. Here is the recipe:

Pea Pickin Cake

1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix

11 ounce can mandarin oranges (juice and all)

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 box of instant vanilla pudding (small)

Mix all together. Bake in 3 (9-inch) round cake pans for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees in greased and floured pans. When completely cooled, frost and refrigerate. Can be made 2 to 3 days ahead.

Frosting

16 ounce container Cool Whip

1 large package of vanilla instant pudding

20 ounce can crushed pineapple (juice too)

Combine all ingredients; frost layers of cake and refrigerate.

I hope you'll try it. It is really good and it was even better the day after....breakfast cake. Billy was so excited and kept saying "birthday cake" all day. He couldn't wait any longer at one point and took the cake out of the fridge and had it on the couch. Too funny. Summer Break sucks....kids 24/7...argh. Hard on the crafting (or even thinking)....I managed to finally finish my tags for the Summer Loving Tag Swap yesterday. I need to get them in the mail today. I need to work on two more projects...treasury shadowbox and Christmas ABC pages. I haven't had a lot of chance to look for fun stuff for the box. I screwed up the first one and had to order another box....double argh. My partner and I agreed to a later mail out date....so some of the pressure is off. :) I need to cut out the backs for the pages....27 of them...oy. I know what I want to do...it is a matter of cutting out the backs. Lazy ass procrastinater....that is what I am. Before I forget...Amy and Jane win the extra tags/books...congratulations. I guess I need to go and get some stuff done. :) Have a good day!

Happy Birthday To Me

2011-06-04T08:00:00.003-07:00

Today is my birthday....I'm 39...not ashamed of my age. Small blog absence.....things have been nutty. I got three swaps taken care of (as you can see).....charms, little books, and mailed out the tags from my Secret Garden Tag Swap. I had the hardest time getting the backs off of the vintage jewelry.....after that it wasn't bad....I enjoyed gluing them onto bails. I made two little books instead of one....yes, a food theme....I can't help myself. The one example of the fruit book was the wrong one....I needed to get them in the mail. I hand drew and watercolored them. I used the cutest fabric (that I've had for about 18 years) for the covers of the books. I didn't have much choice in paper (local UPS had super thin, linen finish, and card stock), so they are a little thicker than I wanted and not all of them folded up good....I am bummed.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure (it was all theirs) to join my guys in Phoenix for the Comic Con. Think Silver Bella for geeks, nerds, and the like. Everyone wore their badges with pride....everywhere. Billy got to join his Dad and Brother twice.....he took an Imperial Cadet Training Course....he wore the stormtrooper helmet the whole time. I was upstairs bored off my ass in the hotel room most of the weekend. Thank goodness they had USA on cable. :) It is going to be a long summer. They don't have summer school for Special Needs children here, so Billy is going to be a handful. Fun, fun, fun. I've been working on my shadowbox for Stevie...oy. I, also, need to work on 12 tags for Jonnelle's round of the tag swap. Nothing like having a great idea and being foiled by your printer/scanner that doesn't love you anymore. The printer works...the scanner not so much. I need to get a new one...scanners are important....I don't like using original vintage ephemera (photos and such) if I can help it. I have ABC pages that are due at the end of the month as well. I know what I'm doing for those....it will just involve a lot of cutting...procrastinating (as usual). Oh well.

Okay...now for the fun part....since it is my Birthday.....I'm going to have a giveaway. If you would like to win a set of Secret Garden Tags (shown in the last picture), just leave a comment on this post. I will leave it open until the Army's Birthday (Flag Day to civilians). I have two sets of tags, so two winners. I'll probably throw in sets of wonky little books as well and who knows what else. Good luck and now I need to figure out when the commissary opens....I want to bake my birthday cake, but I'm missing one ingredient.

I've signed up...now it's your turn

2011-05-18T15:37:00.003-07:00

All that lovely fabulousness is from the amazing Amy Powers. The top photo is one of the projects in her new online magazine (www.amy-powers.com/mag/birthdaysubscribe.html ) and she turned around and made it into a swap (www.inspireco.blogspot.com/2011/05/birthday-treasury-swap.html ). Of course, I signed up...it is a swap I've never done before and my birthday is coming up....perfect. You fill out a small survey, so that she can match you up with a like-minded soul. I lucked out and got Stevie (http://www.myartcanvas.blogspot.com/) and both like very similiar things...awesome. It will make it a very enjoyable swap. Yes, the partner turn around time is quick...that Amy is on the ball. You have until the 31st of May to sign up.

Another swap to join (because we still need 8 more gals) is the next round of our Tag Swapper Group. Jonnelle is the hostess this go around. She chose the theme "Summer Lovin" and they are due to her by the 17th of June. If you are interested in joining us (and getting on the master list for the next round), email her at scraps4alex@live.com .

I found the cutest little craft store today. Right here in Sierra Vista...so nice to know that I don't have to drive into Tucson for some things. Much better selection than our neighborhood Walmart. I needed bails and they had a better selection than Hobby Lobby did back in Georgia. The prices are reasonable as well. Happy, happy. It left me enough time to get in a little thrifting. I've been working on my little book for Michelle's swap. I still need to figure out my front and back covers. I did something a little out of my comfort zone for the pages....I'm really happy about them though. I just need to pick my favorites and put them on the template. The best part...in today's paper was a 10% off color printing coupon for the local UPS store. Not extreme couponing, but it makes me happy to save some pennies. :)

I almost forgot.....I mailed off the tags in the last round (Secret Garden) of the tag swap. We have two extra sets that I will be giving away here on the blog. I need to take photos first. You know how slow I am at that, plus I want to give the girls who participated a chance to get theirs in the mail. So check back next week for a chance to win a set. It means I will have to blog....because I have been sucking at that. :)

A Happy Birthday and Two Week Re-cap

2011-05-05T08:14:00.003-07:00

Long two weeks. Let's see....top photo is Day 8 of the Easter Swap..made by Sarah (http://www.mamabubbles.blogspot.com/). It is an adorable chick basket made out of a sweater and fabric. Day 9 was Monique (no blog) and she made pins out of rick rack. I've always wanted to attempt that...now I don't have to. :) The boys had a long weekend that weekend....one had a four day weekend, the other a three day weekend. The last photo is Billy with his Easter haul (and some of his brother's as well). This is the first Easter that he had some idea about the Easter Bunny. They covered it at school...he says, "Easter Bunny" pretty good. I had his IEP that following week..always a joy...at least I don't cry through them anymore. We picked up Hubby the next day at the aiport....the drive went pretty smoothly. We went to the Waffle House right after we got Hubby....it's been four months since we've been to one. Billy loves Waffle House...he can get a waffle, bacon and a coke. He ate his waffle and bacon and some of mine....darn him. Poor baby has been home sick since yesterday. :( Secret Garden Tags have been trickling in....I have eight more sets I'm waiting for....the tags are pretty good. Billy is waiting for me....so last, but not least....Happy Birthday, Mommy!! We love you!!

Easter Swap- Day 6

2011-04-21T16:19:00.003-07:00

Day Six was all me. :) I had originally wanted to make something with a plastic communion cup, moss and some mushrooms....that so didn't happen. These were inspired by a basket I found at an estate sale. I had only seen the big safety pin baskets before...the one I got is only about 4" high. These are a tad smaller....I couldn't get 6mm and 8mm beads at Walmart. That purple one behind the green one has killed the spirit of ever making any more of these....I, thankfully, did not get that one back. :) I added a tiny Lindt Easter Bunny to each basket. I figured the chocolate would make up for anyone not liking the color they got....again.....I had to use what I could get at Walmart. There isn't a Day 7 item....she got sick. So tomorrow will be Day Eight by Sarah. I got another postcard yesterday.....haven't taken a picture of it yet. I worked on putting things together for the shop this morning....no pictures yet...that will have to wait until next week. Waffle duty.....I should so win their anniversary game...with the amount of waffles the wee one consumes....but, no..."sorry, you are not a winner"...yet again. :)

Tags and postcard number 1

2011-04-20T13:11:00.003-07:00

I got my first postcard yesterday from Natalea (the hostess). I love the quote. I worked on my tags this morning. Very simple, but I used all those lovely scrapbooking things I got with my gift cards...I just love the Flora & Fauna line by Brenda Walton. It was hard not to hoard. I barely had enough green velvet trim for 20 tags. I used vintage crocheted trim as well....trying to use things and not keep them all to myself. The backs are even simplier (and not photo worthy)...I used pages from a 1990 edition of The Secret Garden. I just need to put my info on the backs and add some seam binding and they are finished. Tomorrow is Day Six of the Easter Swap...my day. :)

Easter Swap- Day Five

2011-04-20T13:07:00.002-07:00

Michelle and her daughter were responsible for Day Five. If you have ever wondered what to do with those Swedish tart tins....here is an excellent idea. Too cute. :) www.thetatteredquiltcottage.blogspot.com

Creating to cure the blahs

2011-04-19T13:47:00.005-07:00

Oy...I'm a posting fool today. :) I worked on the tags for my Secret Garden Tag Swap....since I am the hostess, it would be good to have some done. They aren't finished..as you can tell. But that paper got me to thinking and I decided to use some more of it. I bought all the paper and most of the fun stuff that was in that line with my Xmas gift cards. I figured I needed to use it. So I'm taking the paper and that Better Homes and Gardens Decorating book (I got three of those in Opelika, AL and haven't used them yet either) and making something. It has been a good distraction. I never just make anything.....I usually need a reason to create. So I'm kind of excited. I got my postcards from Moo yesterday. So those went out today. I wasn't sure about making postcards, so I ordered postcards of some of my favorite photos I've taken through the years. Some of the photos have been used on mini moo cards. I figured out a great quote and sat down and wrote them all out this morning. I mailed them after a quick jaunt to the Post Thrift Store. I usually don't get to go....Clark gets the car on the days they are open. He's gone, so I went. :) I've been a busy bee, but my "me" time is almost up. Thanks for all the suggestions for a SB replacement. :)

Easter Swap-Day Four

2011-04-19T13:43:00.003-07:00

Kim is Day Four of this little swap. She made this little piece of happiness. This is so close to a snowglobe, I will have to hide it from wee one (he loves a snowglobe). www.craftytriathlete.blogspot.com

Easter Swap- Day Three

2011-04-19T13:40:00.002-07:00

Amy (the hostess) was Day Three. She is a sewing fool...she made this little daffodil bag. She is very talented. It is pretty neat. www.craftingbycandlelight.blogspot.com

Easter Swap- Day 2

2011-04-19T13:36:00.004-07:00

Wendy (who I was partner's with in Heidi's Vintage Tin Swap) was Day Two. She made this little egg to hang up...very sweet. www.weinkswonders.blogspot.com/

Easter Swap- Day 1

2011-04-19T13:34:00.002-07:00

Amy had to pull some stuff out of a rabbit's bum to make up for a drop out....not bad. She made the bags herself....very cute. A paper mache egg to get all creative with and some shabby chic clothespins.

Easter Swap

2011-04-19T13:31:00.001-07:00

Here is the stash we got for the swap.

Pity Party

2011-04-18T11:47:00.002-07:00

My hubby left for TDY this weekend, I'm sick and Silver Bella was cancelled. I'm just bummed. I'm so sad about Silver Bella. It is the one thing I do for myself. I don't have the flexible schedule most ladies have...my husband's work takes precedence, I don't have family nearby to watch my children. I love being a vendor at Silver Bella....it is the only chance I get to do something like that. I do need to figure out what to do with the items I've been stockpiling for SB. I have over 70 jello molds/tins. I couldn't find them for awhile and then I found a bunch of them...argh. There are just some things that I can sell at SB that it just isn't feasible to do on Etsy. I just need a few more days to get over it. I have a bunch of fun things I got in my Easter Swap (I know because others have been posting about them)...I haven't opened any of mine. My postcards I ordered for the postcard swap are on their way here.....I need a good quote. I've got tags to finish and a little book to start on....one of the Bella's is hostessing a Bling Necklace Swap....I need to check my stash to see if I have enough vintage bling for that one. Her blog is www.backatyababe.blogspot.com if you are interested...she needs 23 ladies. Blah, blah, blah....I will get my head out of my ass...it will just take a few days. :)

Kandeland's 'Mail Love' Postcard Swap- Round Two

2011-04-11T11:09:00.003-07:00

Natalea was kind enough to have another round of this swap. I couldn't think of what to do when she had the first round, so I sat it out. I know excatly what to do this time....well, except for which quotes I want to use. I actually have a notebook full of cool quotes....now only if I can find it in time. :) www.kandeland.typepad.com Head on over if you want to give it a try....sign ups only open until the 13th of April.

Nine Days of Easter Packaging

2011-04-06T16:22:00.003-07:00

As you can see....I am Day 6 of 9. Those bags are tiny...they are 6 1/2" tall when not folded over. I found them at an estate sale in Columbus. I'm very happy to have finally found a use for them. They arrived at Amy's the other day, so I figured it was safe to show them...I was worried that I'd posta picture of them and then they would get lost in the mail. :)

Have You Seen This???

2011-04-04T11:06:00.002-07:00

Michelle Geller is hosting a tiny book swap....so cool. I missed out on the one Julie Collings hosted last year, so hopefully Michelle will let me in this one. Michelle is such a sweetheart and I was lucky enough that she joined one of my Silver Bella swaps...so I have a little bit of her work. So if you might be interested....go here: www.michellegeller.typepad.com and check out what you need to do.

All Signed Up

2011-04-02T14:25:00.006-07:00

Here is one of the few projects I finished last year at Silver Bella. Mine is on the left. Well, registration for Silver Bella 6 (www.paperbellastudio.com/pages/silverbella.htm) started last night. I'm all signed up. Here is what I'm taking: It's Ornamental ,Reverse Canvas, Forever Love Bracelet, Grace To Grow, and Creative Mise En Place. I hope to see you there. I have to download my photos of what I made for Amy's Easter Swap (http://www.craftingbycandlelight.blogspot.com/) ....actually, you'll just see how I packaged them. It is supposed to be a surprise....I think. :) They went out in the mail yesterday....I had a hard time with the last one and hope that is not the one I get back. With my luck it will be. :) Blogger sucks today. Argh.

Confession is good for the soul

2011-03-24T11:31:00.004-07:00

I am the biggest chicken shit when it comes to driving...the anxiety and panic make me want to reach for some Zoloft. I finally drove off post today....silly, I know. I've driven elsewhere...Columbus, Birmingham....you would think that basically a straight line off post wouldn't worry me...you would be wrong. I've had the car for the last few days....hubby went TDY...normally, I'd be happy about that, but Autism Boy has lost his mind. He emptied half a bottle of baby powder in my bedroom. Oy. He did do cute stuff...he gets to go swimming today...he wore his swim trunks around the house yesterday while saying "swimmy, swimmy". He doesn't do shorts and after awhile he realized they were shorts and wanted jammies. :) I digress. I went to Walmart today. I'm in an Easter Swap and my initial plan for my craft has not worked out. I came up with a new plan, but I didn't have the right supplies. I was going to wait for hubby to get home, but thought better of it. I'm friggin 38 years old...I can go get my own shit...by myself. Wow....Walmart on a Thursday morning is pretty quiet...nice. I got to look around at whatever I wanted. I treated myself to two new cds....Sara Bareilles and Pink. I got what I needed and headed home (one place a trip...baby steps). I did stop at the Post Thrift Shop on the way home....it is inside the gate, so it doesn't count. :) I'm quite happy with myself. I've been going out and buying the paper everyday...not a horribly far walk, but I'm getting out of the house. It works out really well when I've had an Etsy sale....there is a paper machine in front of our post office. The major things on post are a five minute walk from the house....very convinent (when I don't have the car....today was the first day I used the car). :) The flower....our first poppy...I took it weeks ago, but am finally posting it. Oooh....poppies are pretty ugly before they bloom...hairy nasty things. Another confession....horribly unpatient...still waiting for Teresa to list classes for Silver Bella....I check fifty times a day...argh....she is killing me. :)

Registration is nearing....

2011-03-16T13:27:00.003-07:00

for Year Six of Silver Bella.....so excited. I'm signed on as a sponsor again....I couldn't help myself. It is kind of fun to come up with goody bag stuff. I did that and donated goods for giveaways last year. I packaged trim and lace in leftover baked goods containers...too fun. How I'm going to top that is my main question. If you have a shop/business....Teresa can always use sponsors. It is a great way to get your name out there. She just put a few photos from last year on the Silver Bella blog (on my sidebar). Registration starts on April 1st....April Fool's Day..I wonder if that is wise?? I hope to see you there this year. :)

P.S. I would leave a lot more comments for my fellow bloggers on Blogspot, but my computer hates me and I haven't figured out how to fix it. Argh.

Good Shopkeeper, Bad Blogger

2011-03-10T14:05:00.002-07:00

I've been taking care of my neglected little shop lately. I've been going through my six rubbermaid tubs of trims, lace, and lingerie lace. I put the ones listed in my shop in two smaller tubs (one trims/lace and one for lingerie lace) and re-marked them for easier finding. :) I filled two other small tubs with what I love and want to keep (again, one for trims/lace and one for lingerie lace) and then the two largest tubs are full of everything I want or need to get rid of at some point. I spent most of this morning, pulling stuff out of the two large tubs to measure and photograph to sell. Kind of a bulk sale...instead of offering them up by the yard. They will be at discounted prices. If you ever wanted to start designing your own clothes (mostly lingerie) here is a chance to get some fun stuff. Unfortunately, Spring Break will soon be upon me and it probably won't happen until after that. I got a lot of other stuff listed as well...loads of books, some supplies and other stuff. As I unearth it, I've been trying to be good and get it photographed and listed. I got to take a break this afternoon...I got to go see my little Billy ride a horse. His Special Needs class goes on outings every Thursday and they have been horseback riding for the last two months. It was the last one of the school year, so hubby and I went and took photos. It was so cool, but it threw him off. They get to go swimming after Spring Break...that will be one happy autistic boy. He loves water.
Oh, before I forget...I'm hostessing the Tag Swappers Tag Swap again...we take turns. The theme is "Secret Garden". If you'd like to join let me know. You need to make 20 tags and get them to me by NLT 1st of May. We've got seven slots left. We do take newbies...not everyone can do it everytime and fresh blood is always good. I need a nap, but I signed up for an Easter Swap and need to start working on that. I know I'm not getting anything done next week. :)

Petite Inspiration Boxes- Flea Market Edition

2011-03-04T15:01:00.007-07:00

This is what I received from Nicole.

This is what I made for Nicole.

This is what I received from Anita.

This is what I made for Anita.

Nicole has a blog (www.gibbysgirl.com) , but Anita does not. I had some problems with this swap...mostly second guessing myself. I am happy with how they turned out. I love what I got in return. :)

Mini-Fabric Collage Swap

2011-02-14T12:16:00.003-07:00

This is what Sandi made for me.

This is what I made for Sandi. I hope she likes it.

I promise there will be photos next time

2011-02-11T14:15:00.002-07:00

I need to take a picture of what I received in the mini-fabric collage swap. I did remember to take one of what I made. I re-opened the etsy shop...not much in it for now. I'm going to work on that this weekend. I hope you all have a great weekend. :)

A good way to start and end the month

2011-02-01T14:52:00.003-07:00

Heather is hosting another Petite Inspiration Box Swap....sign ups are on now..but join quickly...the slots go quickly. www.speckled-egg.blogspot.com She is taking the first 50 players and they are due to your partners at the end of February. I've come to realize I have way too much stuff and this will be a great way to use some of it up.

Calling all knitters and crocheters

2011-01-25T14:03:00.002-07:00

My sister just did a post about this project..it is awesome. If I could crochet or knit...I would be all over it....seeing as I have a special of my own. :) A lot of the state deadlines are fast approaching, but if you are a super knitter/crocheter you might be able to bust out at least one scarf. Here is the website: www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/ If you can help, please do.

January is looking up

2011-01-21T20:44:00.003-07:00

Well...we finally have a house, our stuff, cable, phone and internet. Both boys are in school and hubby will soon go back to work (it's about time....he's been up my tush for three months too long). It has been a long three weeks. It's going to take forever to dig out from all the boxes. I wasn't going to join any swaps, but A Swap For All Seasons offered up one too good to pass by..a mini-fabric collage. I even got Wendy to sign up for it. :) Fort Huachuca is going to take some getting used to.....it's in the 70's in January, but our yard is rocks. We have a tiny patch of "dormant" grass for a backyard, but a cool little courtyard thing in the front. I wonder if I can grow some citrus here?? I need some plants...soemthing green and colorful. Everything will have to be in pots...that is okay....that is what I've used the last three duty stations. I guess that is enough for now.....I am exhausted and hurt like hell. :)

Welcome to Arizona!

2011-01-04T18:53:00.002-07:00

We finally made it to Fort Huachuca. Texas seemed to go on forever. :) The part of New Mexico that we went through went quickly. We made great time and go here around 4:30pm MT. We'll be in Army Lodging for awhile, but we are here and that is all that matters. I am going to miss out on some great swaps though...argh. What everyone waited until my household goods got picked up to decide to host some swaps?? Oy.

E-X-A-S

2011-01-03T19:24:00.002-07:00

Man...we drove and drove and drove some more and we have yet made it to the "T" in Texas. Even Mr. Texas was getting sick of Texas. :) We had a good time visiting his adoptive family in Scurry this weekend. I will be happy to move on to another state though. Here's to hoping for New Mexico tomorrow.

Don't Mess With Texas

2011-01-01T20:08:00.002-07:00

Especially, if you are married to a Texan. :) It took all day to go from Birmingham to Texas. It's been a really long day...time to rest. Happy New Year!!

Back In Birmingham

2010-12-31T15:04:00.002-07:00

We are staying over in Birmingham for the night. We couldn't resist eating at The Olive Branch (and hopefully, Wan's) one last time. The Olive Branch has the best gyros ever. The best donar kebabs are in a little stand in front of Dehner's in Augsburg, GE....I digress. Yep...I'm on the evil laptop. I got to go into Anthropologie and I didn't buy anything...they had some great mushroom ornaments for 75% off...but the line was insane. We will be back on the road tomorrow...heading for Texas. If you haven't gone to your local B&N...go and get the Nov/Dec issue of Marie Claire Idees...great ideas...even if they are in French. If nothing else...you'll look cool toting it around the store. :)

Ho, ho, ho...

2010-12-25T19:18:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas!! It is snowing!!!! Friggin awesome! I guess it was Santa's way to soften the blow of his other present to us. Santa gave us a big ole PCS (Army Speak for moving time). I've been going through the whole house for the last month trying to get rid of stuff. I will be sad to leave...we've enjoyed living here in Georgia for the last few years. Billy's teachers wanted to keep him.....I said no. They pack us up in a few days and then we are off on the next adventure....Arizona. Road trip. :) So this will be my last post from Georgia. I have to pack up my computer tomorrow....I'd use my husband's lap top, but that piece of technology is pure evil and hates me. I hope everyone got what they wanted for Christmas.....Santa brought me a little Olivia dressed as an artist...hey, I was a good girl this year (for me). Take care and Happy New Year!!

Worn Out

2010-11-22T05:06:00.003-07:00

Sorry, I haven't been blogging. Silver Bella prep and the event itself took up a lot of time. I had two birthdays in the first week of November to take care of and now we are prepping for a trip to MD for turkey day. When we get back, I'll try to put projects back together (my tree had to be disassembled to travel from Omaha) and get pictures. I finished three out of 6 projects this year...up from the lone one I got done last year. We've also got a big move to get ready for when we return. Oy. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Birthday, Billy!!!!!!!

2010-11-01T09:52:00.003-07:00

Today is his sixth birthday. Yes, I let him eat a cookie for breakfast today and I didn't wait for him to finish before taking his picture. That boy is always in motion, so I take shots when I get them. He got a haircut yesterday and was really good...the lady cutting his hair has a nephew with autism and she was just wonderful with him. We are about to go get a few surprises for him before he gets home from school. I'm hoping it will help him get that today is a special day. :)

Our Tuesday Night

2010-10-06T07:50:00.002-07:00

While most of you were getting your Glee on...this is what we were doing.

Waiting and waiting and waiting a little more.

Then they were finally released.....Billy did realy good for waiting for over an hour.

Now I have one more mouth to feed and not as much free time. :)

Details

2010-09-30T11:27:00.002-07:00

It's the little things...the details that will get you in the end. Oy...simplicity..I should have stuck with that. :) The details means you have to work more. Well, 400 tags are ready for trim now. I covered 400 little shipping tags with vintage ephemera on both sides....had to cover the ugly reinforcer. That meant punching 800 holes. I finished glueing on 380 little paper punched hearts to write names on (in pencil...so that if they want to re-use the tag they can). I've cut all but 20 pieces of trim for them. There were 20 slots and only 14 of us....we are going to give the extra six away at Silver Bella. I'm just waiting for all the trim to come in and I can attach it and then I'm done. :) I finished up my Halloween Tags this week....we ended up with 19 of us total. I made 20 tags....making an odd number just messes me up in the head. :) Those tags were more detailed than any other tag I've made before.....there are eyelets (more friggin holes..I'm hating my crop-a-dile right now), beads, trim, wire, metal flowers, and tulle. I even used pop-up dots for the first time ever.....you just can't tell. I even inked the edges.....I now finally feel like a real artsy craftsy person. :) Paper arts....oy. Now I just have a custom charm bracelet to make...I'm actually excited....I have most of the the charms thought up or bought. I just need to make a few and then I can assemble it. I hope my partner likes it. I need to price my goods for Silver Bella. I think that is my least favorite part. I like finding things and even packaging them in cellophane baggies.....but I hate pricing. Other things I hate.....getting my picture taken. I had to get a new ID card today...it is bad enough you have to get a driver's license picture, but with the military you need an ID card as well. My only consolation is that everyone who gets their picture taken with the lady who did mine today will look horribly fat. She was the nicest lady, but the way she has her camera set up...very close. My hair hates me and so that looked like crap as well. Fat and like crap...happy day. I figured I now had something to blog about. :)

Bad, bad blogger

2010-09-16T16:35:00.002-07:00

I suck, I know. I've just been busy getting things done for swaps. I've got 400 mini tags to make, 20 Halloween tags, and a charm bracelet. I've still got to finish up giveaway prizes I want to donate to Silver Bella....the trim has been cut....I just need to assemble them into packages. I've been covered in glue for much of the last month...blah. :) I did get to a nifty book sale held in Columbus...twice. :) I got 17 lovely ladies to sign up for my Halloween Tag Swap. I can't wait to see the results. That is about it....nothing really exciting. I had hoped to be a better blogger, but the next few months are going to be crazy. Oh...the real kicker....Bloglines is shutting down, so I had to move my blogs over to Google Reader...oy. I'm technologically-challenged so that was fun. The move has been made...I just need to get used to how it works. Poor me. :)

Our Weekend and ABC Swap Page

2010-08-25T14:16:00.003-07:00

My parents drove up from Florida on Friday. On Saturday, we went to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. It was neat, but there were way too many people for my comfort. :) I got to see my favorites...belugas. They have whale sharks and they were impressive. We all had a good time...especially the wee one....he loves sea creatures. My parents took the boys back to the hotel that night and they got to go to the pool.
I've been working on my ABC pages for Marian's swap. Here it is....the letter M page. Very simple.....just a mouse in a cup of mint tea. The "M" in the corner was stamped with metallic ink on part of a peppermint tea bag. I needed the string for the tea tag. The background is mint green dotted swiss. We were to add a virtue..mine is mirth and is on the tea tag. I still need to write my "M" words on the back. I know it is a miracle that I showed you a finished swap on my blog. :) Speaking of swaps....I am hosting the next round of the tag swaps and it is a Halloween theme. You would just need to make 20 tags (shipping tag size) and get them to me by the 1st of October. If you are interested just leave a comment or email me. I have 11 spots open right now.

Seven Hours A Day

2010-08-18T15:12:00.004-07:00

That is what I have now that the wee one has started full-day Kindergarten. I am so happy, but the house is so quiet.

Here is just a little of what I have done since school started. I got 200 goody bags assembled for Silver Bella. I've worked on my ABC pages for a swap.....27 copies of multiple items to cut out...oy. I need to work on the backgrounds tomorrow. I got to volunteer with the FRG last week....something I haven't been able to do in forever. They were prepping beds for single soldiers....making beds and such with donations from the USO and Operation Homefront. I was bad and didn't make a single bed....I was downstairs the whole time. My organizational skills are way better than my bed making skills....I hate hospital corners with a passion. :) I started prepping things for the charm bracelet I'm making for a Silver Bella Swap. A lot of research on Etsy for neat things. :) I read a book. I just don't know what to do with myself most days. I am so used to 2 1/2 hours that 7 is unheard of for me. I'm happy...trust me...so happy. :)

Rest and Relaxation

2010-08-01T14:55:00.004-07:00

The first week of R&R was eating fast food, lying around, playing the Wii, hitting a few stores, haircuts for the boys and just relaxing...letting him adjust to being back in the States. Clark and Jr did have a Father/Son outing to the National Infantry Museum and then they went to the movies. The second week is when we went out and about. We went to Callaway Gardens one day...it was a nice day trip. We went to Red Lobster afterwards and ate til we could eat no more (the leftovers were breakfast one morning for the two of them). We decided to go into Birmingham for the last weekend he was home. We drove in on Friday and hit the McWane Center, then to the Olive Branch for lunch (that is one reason the three hour drive is worth it), and then we went to the hotel. I met up with Susan (one of my Birmingham buddies) and we hit some thrift stores. I found a few things. Saturday, we got up for our free breakfast....it was nuts down there and some kid burnt his sausage patty sandwich which triggered the fire alarm. Billy did pretty good. We went to the Zoo that morning and then back to the hotel for a dip in the pool. Billy loved it....big shocker....it is water. We hit Wan's Chinese restaurant for dinner (another excellent reason for the three hour drive). We ordered so much food the waiter couldn't believe it....we only didn't finish two dishes....brought the leftovers back with us. I do believe we shocked him with how much we ate. It was so good. We decided to walk around The Summit afterward. I got to go to Anthropologie. It isn't a large one, but always fun. We drive home the next day. We did get hooked on the show "Cake Boss" in the hotel....if you haven't seen it...go watch it. The baked goods alone are worth watching for....the family is pretty funny as well. Clark left on Wednesday and we've been running around getting Jr registered for school. He starts on the 9th...poor Billy starts on the 6th. Poor babies...happy Mommy. On another happy note...I am going to be a vendor at Silver Bella again....I got my acceptance email while he was home. I've decided to stop hoarding and have bagged up many things. I really need to destash. We will be moving early next year. I did get a little thrifting in while he was home...not as much as I would've liked, but Kindergarten is full day and that opens up a 6 hour block every day....think of the places I can go. My table will be very much like it was the first year...very crowded and you might have to dig. I'm thinking I should've gone for two tables this year. Oh well.

The Squirrel Has Landed

2010-07-13T04:50:00.002-07:00

He got home yesterday. We had to go pick him up at our tiny airport. I actually like the tiny airport. :) We took him to McDonalds and Target right off the bat....that was really more for the boys who had been cooped up all weekend waiting for their Father to come home. Billy is getting good at saying, "Target"....it is really kind of cute. Yes, I know the boys have hippie hair and that will be taken care of really soon. It took Billy a few hours to warm up to his Daddy, but all is well and they had a grand time playing last night. I made them a cheese and cracker plate (and veggie tray) for dinner. The cheese tray had Cheddar, Havarti, Danish Blue, Brie, Limburger, and Port Salut. They like cheese (not unlike Wallace and Gromit). :) We watched some "Glee" last night...trying to get Clark caught up....they need to put the second half of the season on DVD. It's nice to have another person in the house. We aren't used to it. :)

Fourteen Days

2010-07-01T15:39:00.002-07:00

Wow...that is bad even for me. Lack of interesting things to blog about....I guess. Just trying to survive the summer. It shouldn't be too bad now...we finally got a date for R&R. It will be good to see the Hubby (I want to sic the boys on him and escape, but that is just cruel). We can all go out and do something. It always helps to have an extra set of arms and legs to keep track of Billy....he is a quick one. I do need to get the house ready....yes, it is a mess...I've been using the couch to work on the Silver Bella goody bags. I guess I should clear that off, so that he has a place to sit and watch tv. Screw it..he can sit on the floor with the boys....he'll be down there wrestling with them anyhow. :) I forgot what a big number 200 is....crazy....finding things in increments of 200. That is basically what I've been up to....working on goody bags and cleaning up after Billy. He is a troublemaker and gets into everything. Blah. I love him anyhow...he looks at me with that sweet little face and I can't stay mad at him. I'll probably be MIA most of the month. I can't believe their summer vacation is half way over already. I can't wait for school to start. :)

I LOVE Summer School

2010-06-16T13:48:00.004-07:00

I love my Billy, but I love that he has to go to Summer School. He has been in everything the last two weeks. Oy. Jr and I have been enjoying the two hour break from crazy boy. We have gone thrifting and out to lunch (don't worry we get something for Billy as well...we aren't totally heartless). It only lasts for a month, so we are going to take advantage of it. :) I finally finished my tags for Wendy's swap and they will go out in the mail tomorrow. I had Germany and I hope I don't disappoint her or the other ladies. I've got one swap left to complete with the tag group....it isn't due until September. I am co-hosting a charm bracelet swap with Wendy for Silver Bella...that shouldn't be too bad...it is one on one. I thought about joining one of the 22 other swaps being offered this year and have decided against it. I still have 200 goody bags to complete for Silver Bella and I just mailed my application to be a vendor again this year. I'm trying to take it easy this year. I think I over did it last year a tad. :) Happy news....Wendy won my giveaway and as soon as I fill that box it will be on it's way. She was my partner in Heidi's Vintage Tin Swap....so she is getting more stuff from me. :) Congratulations and I think I may add some really bizarre stuff just for kicks. :) One more thing.....I just devoured a book this afternoon (I just bought it today at Goodwill) "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shafer & Annie Barrow. It was excellent. I loved it. I was going to buy it for my birthday at full price....good thing the cheap bitch in me said no....I got it for way cheaper at Goodwill. Go check it out, buy it......just read it....you won't be sorry. And if you are too bad...I got you to read. :)

Helping a friend

2010-06-08T08:34:00.002-07:00

A fellow member of the Tag Swapper group I belong to is having a little giveaway for this adorable book. Kimberly is asking so little to have a chance to win this book....just sign up to follow her blog.....once she reaches 50 followers she will pick a name. If you post about it....you get a few extra chances. :) So go here: www.artjoystuff.blogspot.com/2010/06/little-help-from-my-friends-please.html and sign up to follow her blog. Then come back here and sign up for my giveaway on the last post. :) Thanks.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

2010-06-04T15:31:00.003-07:00

I love my birthday (for the most part...there have been a few occasions where I had to share it with graduations and the like). Happy, happy....I'm not ashamed of my age either....I am 38 today. :) We just got back from my birthday dinner....we went to Outback Steakhouse. No, I didn't have a steak...I got the Bloomin Burger. I've been craving a hamburger.....no, not pregnant...that would be a tad awkward. :) It was good, but I couldn't finish it. Billy was pretty good..he amused himself with a small plate and melting ice cubes. I got two kinds of dessert to go...it's my birthday and Billy will help himself to one or both of them. Well, in honor of today.....I want to have a giveaway. I like giving stuff out on my birthday......I used to do it all the time. One of the best things I've ever won on blog giveaways was a flat rate box of just stuff. I love shifting through box lots....you never know what you'll get. If I ever get over my fear of buying something for way too much...I'd like to go to an auction some day. I digress....I will mail one lucky winner a flat rate box of surprises from my stash...don't worry I didn't give all the good stuff to Ms Rita...there is plenty to go around. So just comment on this post and in a week I will pick a winner. I know I should make it more difficult, but I don't have the brain power to come up with something clever right now. See....aren't you glad you actually read the post without a photo. :) Good Luck. It is time for some carrot cake...yummy, yummy.

Time Flies

2010-06-02T15:23:00.003-07:00

This picture has nothing to do with anything...I just think it is cute. Wow...things have been nutty since I last posted. The very next day as Cutie Pie and I were driving to the post office...the mirrored part of the driver's side view mirror fell off...scared the shit out of me. We had to go into the dealership, so Jr's plan for that day was ruined....I needed his help merging. We had to wait a week to get it fixed. Good thing I had plenty to do.....I was busy gathering art supplies for Ms. Rita....6 paper bags and a diaper box...I ran out of time. I had to give them to her a day earlier than planned. My oldest brought home a flyer for an 8th Grade Award Ceremony for Thursday (the day I had planned to bring everything over). I had to re-register Billy for next year......dumbass that I am lately.....the last three times I went to the school in the last month...I forgot the paperwork. I had to pass out 12 thank you bags as well....they went over very well. Turns out teachers love junk food as much as Billy. :) I went to the Award Ceremony...got a front row seat (that never happens....I'm short and always get stuck behind tall people)....turns out he got two awards...a gold medal for Math and a Presidential Award for Eductional Achievement. I can't post the pictures I took...they have other peoples' children in them. The ceremony ran over by thirty minutes....it was crazy. It was the last day of school for both of them. I'm not happy that school is done....Billy goes ape shit when he isn't in school. We've taken him for walks, to the playground, out shopping...he still has way more energy than is fair. :) Saturday was crazy.....we had to drive through a rain storm to get to the car place. We dropped off the car and walked to the IHOP to eat....that was fine, but as we walked back we got caught in another storm. Wet is an understatement. :) I've been reading a lot....."The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest", "Ya-Yas in Bloom", and "The Art Thief". I need to get to work on a the two swaps that are due this month. You'd think filling a tin full of art supplies would be easy.....oy. Sometimes I think my attention span is worse than Billy's. I still have 20 tags to make as well. I suck. I did get around to ordering some new autism shirts for Billy for summer school (which doesn't start soon enough for me)....Cafe Press has the best shirts. I love smart ass shirts...I think my favorite this time is going to be the one that says, "Hey, keep staring at me and you might cure my autism"...how friggin cute is that??? Oh well....I think I have babbled enough for now. :)

Teacher Work Day

2010-05-21T16:09:00.003-07:00

Or what I like to call it "Drive Mommy Bat Shit Day". :) They have been up my ass all day. It got to the point that I took them out for a few hours this afternoon. I mis-counted on Monday when I was getting Thank You items for Billy's school. I need things for 14 bags and only got 12...he had 4 teachers, 6 aides, 2 therapists, a bus driver and a bus aide this year. It takes a small village to educate a special needs child. They all adore him and I love each and everyone one of them for it. Some of them only worked with him for two weeks, some a few months and others most of the year. They are all wonderful. I'm having him decorate paper bags with foam letters and numbers (two of his favorite things) and I am filling their bags with his favorite things. They are things that if he could...I think he would give them. So they are getting bubbles, snacks and a hanging butterfly thing like the ones in his tree out front. Now...if I can get him to sit long enough to cover 13 more bags. :) So we hit the Hobby Lobby and a Walmart to pick up the remaining items.....I didn't do too bad...I was short two bags and one tube of Mini M&Ms. :) I decided since Billy has done pretty good the last few trips to the Waffle House and Steak & Shake that we would try another sit down restuarant. Mom...I know, I know..he doesn't get to play...next time McDonald's or Chick-Fil-A. He did pretty good...he did stand up in the booth and tried to sit on the back of the booth, but he ate some of his chicken, not just the fries. We used to not be able to go out to sit down places.....it was too much for him to handle. Not only is he autistic...he has some sensory issues. He is doing much better.....in part to the excellent care and education he is getting from those aides, teachers, and therapists at the school. He has made such huge strides this year..it makes his primary teacher almost cry when she tells me....which in turn makes me cry. He peed in the toilet a couple times for me this week. HUGE. I was so excited to tell his teacher that yesterday....I was dropping off some more toys for the classroom. It worked out great that I stopped in...his teacher told me one of the aides had put out an email asking for art supplies (I had asked about a whole bunch of pom poms I had donated earlier...see how they used them..I'm so nosy)...she was Billy's aide for part of this year and I happened to run into her as I was leaving. She is teaching an art class this summer for a week and needs items. I asked her what kinds and she said anything, but she really likes repurposing items....dude...she has no idea who she was talking to....that is what I do...that is the same kind of stuff I sell at Silver Bella. I am so pumped....when I got home I started filling up a bag of stuff...it is full and I'm on my second bag and I haven't even started digging yet. I love the idea and helping her and the kids out...it is a summer camp type program...she is working to become a teacher. She has a BA in Anthropology.....freaked me out....I have a BS in Anthropology. I know the BS sounds about right for me, doesn't it?? That goes on the list of crap I need to accompish in the next week or so....school ends on Thursday. I have two swaps to finish, goody bags for Silver Bella (I'm a sponsor again), laundry, recycling, I want to go through the boxes in the closet thing in the carport.....I know I have a whole summer for some of that. I need to make a list...always telling my sister to make one and normally I am a huge list maker....I've just been out of sorts since hubby deployed this time. :) I think tonight I just want to go squish the little one...he is just so squishy....yes, command decision....off to squish. Have a great weekend!

A call for MOO cards and artwork

2010-05-19T04:01:00.007-07:00

I know two days in a row...that blows my mind as well. :) I was reading my bloglines this morning and saw two blog posts that I though were pretty nifty and wanted to share. The first one was on Jenny Doh's blog. She is enamored with MOO cards...aren't we all?? Well, she has put out a call for MOO cards...you send her one and....go read it yourselves....hop over to my bloglines (I can't get a link to work here) and she is listed as Jenny Doh. The MOO cards I had made for Silver Bella 2008 are slowly dwindling, but I have one left of my favorite and I think I will send it in. It was taken at the top of the Eiffel Tower....I stuck my camera over the railing to get the shot. It was with my old film camera, so I had to scan it into my computer to upload to Flickr...so old school. If you have a MOO card send it in. The second blog post I thought interesting was on Tina Wright's blog....she unfortunately died of cancer. She and Cindy Mayfield (Yapping Cat Studio) are the founders of Paper Cowgirl. Well, her daughter keeps her blog running and has put out a call for artwork to be sold to fund a scholarship in Tina's name. So if you feel like donating some of your artwork or it inspires you to create something new to send...here is that link www.tina-wright.blogspot.com/2010/05/calling-all-bloggers.html . Have a great day.

A caterpillar and fake food

2010-05-17T16:34:00.004-07:00

I get such crap when I don't post any pictures on my blog (you know who you are)..so here is a random shot of the evil that was eating my miniature roses the other day. Billy enjoyed meeting him though. Let's see...what I have been up to...I spent a great deal of time last week cleaning off all of Billy's wooden food...it tends to get everything he owns sticky. When I went in for his IEP last month....I talked to his teacher and asked if she might like the food and a wooden kitchen that Bilyl never plays with....okay, he used the kitchen for a jungle gym and would empty the food on the floor. One of the joys of autism....they don't play with toys like normal children. Well, she said yes and had me wait two weeks to bring it in. Boy, I shocked her....she thought it was a few items. Oh, no...I am a fake food whore. We bought all of it before we knew he was autistic. It was a little hard to let it go....but it has made more room in his room for him to run around. I stayed and helped set everything up and go through it all with her and some the aides/therapists. Everyone was so excited. I didn't just want to donate it to a thrift store....I wanted it to do good. So, she had a Little Tikes bulky play kitchen that took up a load of room....we donated that to a new Preschool teacher at the school who didn't have one....the kids in that room swarmed it like locusts. It was so neat. We ended up swiping a sweet, wooden cabinet from the Special Ed Kindergarten teacher (don't worry...I saved some of the fake food for her) that matches the kitchen pretty good. His teacher sent home pictures the very next day....of course, stinky pants played with the kitchen and food at school. That was the first page of photos....the second page showed his classmates and the smiles on their faces made it all worth it.
Enough about that...head over here and see what I sent to my Artsy Mama's May Day Basket Swap partner, Rochelle. www.lolasmommy.blogspot.com/2010/05/dont-hate-me.html It doesn't even compare to what she sent me. I was sick that week and mailed it the day it was due in the mail...so I didn't take any photos. I've been going through a few boxes..trying to get organized. Don't ask how that is going. Well, I need to hit Facebook..my husband posted some photos and now I actually have to go get on Facebook...I try to avoid it if I can. :)

Treasured Tin Swap

2010-05-10T05:36:00.003-07:00

Heidi of Dreams Intertwined is hosting a swap. You fill a vintage tin with all sorts of fun goodies. I had to sign up...Heidi is such a great lady. She is a fellow Bella....we actually sat together during the Shadowbox class....I was between her and Heather (Speckled Egg Heather)...very cool and their shadowboxes were excellent. Here is the link for the swap...go sign up: www.dreamsintertwined.blogspot.com/2010/05/treasured-tin-swap.html .

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

2010-05-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some roses for you. :)

Markdowns in the shop

2010-05-02T11:54:00.003-07:00

I just got done marking down the prices of some of the lace and trims in the shop. Trims 1-13, Laces 1-4, and some of the lingerie laces have all gone down in price. Remember if you want more than one yard of any particular trim/lace...I can set up a reserved listing for you. I'm thinking of retiring those items after the 15th of this month....so if you see anything...I would get it now. :)

Happy May Day!!

2010-05-01T13:08:00.008-07:00

I participated in Fated Follie's May Day Petite Basket Swap. This is what I received from my partner, Lynne (www.englishteacup.blogspot.com/).

This is what I got from Rochelle (http://www.lolasmommy.blogspot.com/). She was my partner in Artsy Mama's May Day Basket Swap.

I said I wanted girly and look at this girly, pink loot. She is one talented lady. She has an etsy shop...you need to check it out.

Who says that a quarter isn't worth much anymore?? I got this vintage lamp at a Church Sale last weekend. I have two other similiar lamps (Humpty and Hansel & Gretel) I spent way more than a quarter on those.

I lost a photo....friggin Blogger can bite my ass. I finally get around to doing this and argh. This is my son's school bus. The bus....all special children get taken to and from school by bus here on Post. My son's bus driver loves to decorate her bus. The kids love it, the teachers love it, the parents love it....someone must not have and complained back around Easter/St. Patrick's Day. She had to take a lot of it down. I thought about it and came up with a way to make the bus happy again. Those children have it rough enough in life that whatever we can do to make their days a little happier..we should. I found the butterflies at Hobby Lobby (we have some hanging in our yard for Billy and the driver & aide are always saying nice things about our yard). It just wasn't enough. I thought it through and one day asked her if a magnet would stick to the roof of the bus....we checked it and it did...then I went nuts. I bought more magnets and a crap load of fake flowers from Michaels. I took them off the stems and hot glued those puppies to magnets. I had won a set of fifty magnets in a box of junk on a blog almost two years ago and finally used them. :) Hoarding pays off on ocassion. I had little wooden ladybugs and they got glued to magnets as well. Now the bus has over 150 flowers, 60 ladybugs and 18 butterflies and everyone loves it. It makes my heart happy. The lost photo was the side of my fridge with ladybugs and flowers on it. :) I don't know about you, but I am so glad April is over. The last fifteen days have sucked. Between stuffy head/sinuses, PCS issues that had me jumping out my ass, appointments and just everything bizarre that life hands you.....I am just bushed. I've been too tired to do anything. I'm hoping May is different.

Around the World in Twenty Tags

2010-04-16T06:29:00.004-07:00

My sister is hosting her first swap ever....."Around the World In Twenty Tags". She needs 20 players and has twelve slots left. Head over here: www.wendy-hue.blogspot.com/2010/04/around-world-in-20-tags.html to find out more. I'm in it...so what more could you want. I know...so much more. :)

I'm a Junior

2010-04-06T21:16:00.003-07:00

I am signed up and I managed to get all the classes I wanted. Happy, happy....even better...I had to register for Wendy (my sister) and she got everything she wanted as well. I know you are all just dying to see what I signed up for....so here is my schedule:
Friday @ 0800- Project Runway w/ Colette Copeland
Friday @ 1100- Bonaparte's Gift w/ Kaari Meng
Friday@ 1400- The Gilded Cage w/ Kerry Lynn Yeary
Saturday @ 0830- Chatelaine Necklace w/ Charlotte Lyons
Saturday @ 1130- Oh Tannenbaum w/ Kerry Lynn Yeary
I'm excited about all my classes. I can't wait until November. :) If you haven't signed up...go, go..what are you waiting for??

No pictures, but links :)

2010-04-01T16:35:00.003-07:00

I've been busy, so no pictures. I got our taxes done yesterday....my favorite benefit of the military...free tax prep and filing. Screw the commissary and px...the tax center is hands down our best benefit. The soldiers who took care of me yesterday rocked...I basically begged the soldier at the front to let me get them done. If you have rental property or other "harder" tax issues you are supposed to call for an appointment (that is new this year and I didn't know). I walked in after making sure I had someone to pick up Billy off the bus if it ran late. I lucked out and he said he'd find someone for me...a soldier popped in not a minute after that and he was free to do my taxes. I was so happy. I baked them cakes today...one for each of them and dropped them off after I got Billy on the bus. They were shocked (but happily so). That was so much fun....I used to bake for soldiers all the time. I got to play in the front garden a little bit before Billy got home. I planted a cayenne pepper plant for my Mom...we freeze the peppers for when she visits. :) I planted pea and bean plants that we started from seed and were too big for the little greenhouse thing. I need to go get some sticks or something for them to grow up. I weeded a little....not fun...blah. Links....don't you love blogs....they help you find the neatest stuff. Where to start....hmmm...candy. I was reading the yummygoods blogs the other day and she mentioned some key lime items (www.yummygoods.com/blog/2010/3/18/366-design-blogging-and-key-west.html ) and I had to go order the Key lime and White Chocolate Clouds. They arrived today...very yummy. I love supporting small businesses...she has all sorts of candy. I got a sampler box as well to share with the boys for Easter. Next link....soap...the best smelling, in the cutest packaging ever soap was mentioned on Jo Packham's WWC blog (www.wherewomencreate.typepad.com/blog/2010/03/fabulous-friday-2.html ) and I ordered some of those as well. They arrived today...smells even better than imagined, the paper and fabric she uses is cuter than all get out. The paper on the bagged soap has craft patterns. It is organic soap. I love soap.....Crabtree & Evelyn is where I usually get my fill of hoity toity soap...now I can alternate. :) Last link....my Bella Buddy , Sheila, had a nifty post today (www.blessedanddistressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/glimmer-of-hope.html). Tattered Angels have a special color of glimmer mist out this month and part of the proceeds go to Autism Speaks....how cool is that??? Yes, I did my part for autism and ordered some. It is limited, so go and get some...it is turquoise with some gold in it. I haven't used the product before, but if you check out Sheila's blog..you can see some of the great thigns she has done with glimmer mist. Oh..I guess I should remind all you Bellas (old and some hoping to be) that Teresa posted class descriptions today on the Silver Bella blog. I've got a "schedule" worked out and I hope I get all the classes I want. :) Now if I can just be patient until the 6th....we are so not going anywhere for Spring Break...we have to be here so I can register for Silver Bella. :) Okay...go shopping and stimulate the economy.

The Sun and I came to an agreement

2010-03-30T11:15:00.005-07:00

I told him that if he would come out...I would be less of a bitch...voila...it is beautiful today. I got to take pictures and I went for a walk and took more pictures. Happy Day!

This is my tag for the "April Showers Bring May Flowers" tag swap.

Here is the best fabric ever. Don't you just love all those mushrooms.

This was last night's dinner. The chicken/noodle to veggie ratio was a tad off. Yes, I watched Jamie Oliver's show Friday night. My autistic five year old can name and sign more vegetables than those 6 year olds in West Virginia. Very scary.

I took this on my walk earlier. I need to upload a butt load of photos to my neglected Flickr account. :)

I know you are all just so impressed...posts two days in a row and this one had pictures. I'm impressed. :)

Busy as a bee

2010-03-29T14:09:00.003-07:00

Oy..I've been busy working on crafty stuff for the last two weeks. I made up some tiny cellophane bags of fun stuff for goody bags at Art Opera and sent two Chinese take-out boxes of trim & lace as well...a lot of cutting was involved. I worked on some bags & boxes for Paper Cowgirl as well. I have a lot to share and basically begged Lisa and Cindy to let me give them free stuff for their art retreats. I haven't finished the Paper Cowgirl ones yet....waiting for May for a better head count. :) This past week....I worked on my tags for the "April Showers Bring May Flowers" swap for the tag group. If the sun will work with me tomorrow I can take a photo of the last tag remaining...we are a group of 20, but 2 couldn't participate this time and we are donating a set to Rebecca Sower for Haiti relief. Being the slightly off bitch that I am....I couldn't make 19 tags...I love odd numbers except when making crafty things. It has to be even....I have an extra atc laying around from Silver Bella, because I couldn't just make 11 of them. It drives me apeshit. I like my tags and finished them Friday morning, so to celebrate I hit two estate sales. I figured the eldest was on a field trip and I'd have more time....didn't have to be at home by the normal time. It took me less than an hour to drive to and get back from both of them. I found some things. Well, Saturday morning, I made the boys go to a church rummage sale with me. :) I found the world's best fabric...it is vintage..it was still on the bolt (maybe a yard left if I'm lucky) and it was only $1. I have to take a picture....it has mushrooms on it. Those poor church ladies thought I had gone mad. I spent a whole $2.85 at the rummage sale. I love those ladies...we've been there before....cheap prices and baked goods. I spent another $2 on those....brownies and buttermilk cakes. I woke up with a stuffy head today....friggin weather. But there was good stuff to wake up to....Teresa posted the teacher list for Silver Bella. Some old favorites and a whole bunch of new ladies. I've already have their blogs on my favorites, so that I can read up on them and their art before class lists come out tomorrow. That is what I'll be doing tonight between making homemade stir fry (Mom's recipe..that was quickly jotted down during yesterday's call) and watching Chuck (not loving this season so far).

Forget Liberty of London & Target

2010-03-18T12:22:00.003-07:00

You need to run to Michael's and look in the dollar bins. Everyday Is a Holiday Goodies (www.everyday-is-a-holiday.blogspot.com) are now available. I was a tad worked up at first..I thought they had ripped Jenny and Aaron off, but after flipping over one of the products..I saw that they were licensed. How friggin cool is that?? They have note pads, journals, magnets, note cards, and dimensional stickers. I had to grab some....it goes nicely with the few pieces of Jenny & Aaron art that I have from their etsy shop. Have you ever been in a store and gone apeshit when you saw something?? That was me. :)

Don't worry I didn't really blow off Target and Liberty of London. I lucked out and got these on Saturday (some stockperson put them out early). Our Target had some things left today, but not a whole lot.

I was a good girl

2010-03-14T14:45:00.003-07:00

I just updated the neglected shop. There are 18 new items...mostly books. If the sun cooperates this week..I may just find more things to list. Do you hear that laughing?? That is my lazy ass. Just scroll down to the bottom of the blog to see the newer items. :)

Wilmi, Don't Look..please!

2010-03-13T07:39:00.003-07:00

This is what I'm sending my partner in The Netherlands. It was for the Dutch Sisters Spring Surprise Swap...oy..that is a mouthful. I didn't attach any ribbon...I figured she could either hang them individually or string them all up together (i.e. bunting). Wilmi loves Tilda-style stuff...I ordered every book I could and found that most of the projects were big ones that wouldn't fit in an envelope. I did get the cake patterns from the book though..I'll have to go back and figure out which one. I'll list the books later...some great ideas in there. We were only supposed to send two fat quarters of springy fabric....I couldn't make up my mind, so she gets four. She sent me three. I forgot to take pictures of what I got..when the sun comes back out I'm all over it. :) I sent her some goodies from Sugar*Sugar (including seam binding for her to hang the cakes with). It all goes out in the mail today. It did nothing but rain and storm yesterday...so we stayed home. The boys had the day off for a teacher workday. A trip to the post office is planned for today. :) It was good that we were cooped up yesterday....I continued the great excavation of my office/junk room. I've got boxes of things to donate (and things I need to find homes for...things you can't donate to thrift stores...crafty stuff leftover from the shop/Silver Bella). I finally started going through my leftovers from SB...breaking some things down, getting ready to donate some things..oy. I did get some photos taken for the shop and will try to list things this weekend. I've primarily just worked cleaning things up around the hovel. I did join two swaps this week....May Day Basket swaps....one with Artsy Mama and the other Fated Follies. It will be fun to fill up a few baskets and make people happy. I know other things occured this week...I was so tired most of the week that it just didn't stick in my brain. Have a good weekend.

It's Wednesday already?

2010-03-03T14:58:00.003-07:00

Man...this week has flown. Well, the library sale wasn't as good this year as in previous years. They didn't have nearly as many books...it was really noticeable....kind of sad. It makes me want to donate my leftover books to them for next year....only if i'm not there shopping. :) I found a few things....for me, the shop, family. I spent less than I did last year, but the things cost me a little more this year. I may have to raise my book prices a little in the shop. I've been debating that in my head this week. It has worked out that the sun hasn't been out and I can't find my husband's tripod....I can't take pictures, so I have time to think about prices. :) Susan (my book buddy) and I hit one thrift store and another library's book store. It was fun, but I didn't find much. The creative block is slowly going it's way....I've been working on my Dutch Sister's swap the last few days. I hope it works out. :) I have a Pre-K Parents Forum thing tomorrow...I was sick about it....it falls during the same time as a meeting at the middle school about which High Schools are the best ones for kids in Special Ed. I hate being torn between two things for my boys. It sometimes feels like Jr gets pushed aside because of Billy. I wrote his Special Ed teacher a note and she said it was fine that I miss it...I had been asked to the Pre-K Forum a month or so ago...they just didn't have a set date at that time....argh. Blah. In between all that I've been reading a new book, "Cream Puff Murders" by Joanne Fluke...I love a mystery with food involved. :) I miss the Olympics...it was so nice snuggling on the couch with Billy watching the Games. I got flowers twice this week.....my dear ShabbyCraps had a giveaway for Valentine's Day for some of her photos and she sent me a set....it was pity, but I'll take it. I got those in Monday. Today, the Fed-Ex pulls up and I'm freaking thinking I forgot that I had ordered something...Clark sent me tulips and a little balloon on a stick for Billy. It was a nice a surprise...I just hope Billy doesn't try to eat them....he has been known to try out different forms of plant life. Ah...the life of an autistic child...such a happy, strange little boy. :)

Nine

2010-02-27T04:14:00.003-07:00

I said it nine times...that was bad...even for me. :) Vintage Sandy....if you email me your information...I'll send you a little something this week. Today, we are headed to Birmingham for the book sale. I came to my senses...cheap books and someone to watch my kids....how could I not go. :) Enjoy your weekend!

The no good, horribly bad blogger strikes again

2010-02-25T16:21:00.002-07:00

It has just sucked lately. I'm am so tired. I don't remember any deployment ever sucking this much. It is just crazy. I'm usually the wife telling all the other wives to suck it up and drive on...I just want to go back to bed. Blah. I had to take the wee one to the doctor last Friday....it wasn't too bad....until he saw the doctor. :) He is fine. I will respect his privacy and not tell you anything. :) It was the end of a crazy week. It was a short week..they had President's Day off. The thing that really blew was that it started on a Tuesday.....Tuesdays suck for parents...the kids get out early on Tuesdays. I wouldn't mind so much, but Billy's bus schedule is all wacky that day and I have the hardest time remembering it. This week...I am just tired....I haven't been sleeping well. I'm so tired that I'm thinking of skipping the big book sale in Birmingham this weekend...crazy talk..I know. I love that sale and I have someone there who will watch Billy for me. It is just that three hour drive. Whine, whine, whine.....it is so bad. I suck. On top of that....I have the worst creative block known to man. Two swaps to go and I can't get going on them. Suggestions...anyone?? I'm just thinking of all the cool swaps I'm missing out on, because I won't sign up for anymore until I get my mojo back. :) The lady I did the "Thing With Wings" charm swap with is holding another charm swap.....Alice In Wonderland...too cool, right?? Wrong. There is a Tussie Mussie Swap out there.....I convinced Wendy to join and I will live vicariously through her. Someday....it will back and I won't suck anymore (okay, maybe I can suck some more...totally possible). I have been enjoying the Olympics with my boys. Billy loves the Olympics and will watch anything that is on. At 8pm sharp he comes in (and if we haven't changed the channel yet) and say, "NBC"...he can't quite say Olympics yet. He gets his happy hands a-going....he has really enjoyed skiing and the bobsled action. Figure Skating...he likes all the spinning. Go figure. :) It is really going to suck when they end and he wants to watch them some more. Somebody....please....count how many time I used "suck" in this post and report back to me. I may send you something. How's that for a giveaway?? I told you I need some sleep.

Snow Day!!!!!!

2010-02-12T15:09:00.002-07:00

These are two shots of my backyard...four hours apart. I'm so friggin happy. I got a call from the middle school at 2221 hours last night saying that school was canceled due to the weather...I didn't want to get my hopes up. It hasn't stopped snowing since..it started around 1000 hours this morning. I love it!!

The Supreme Chicken Shit Speaks...

2010-02-09T17:46:00.003-07:00

that would be me. I'm still shaking a little...we just got back from Jordan High School's Open House. I hate driving to start with, but at night...even worse. We made it there and back though. The Open House....the middle schoolers here at Fort Benning have about eight million options for High School...there are two schools that they are zoned for..depending on county (yes, the whole post is on two different counties..makes registering your car a real bitch) and a bevy of magnet school options as well. That doesn't include the religious/private high schools. Oy..is right. Well, Jr saw a program at Jordan he was interested in and their open house was tonight. The school is an older one, but they've got great electives. Culinary Arts, Welding, Health Care...all sorts of good stuff. You actually need a map to get around...they provided those (thank goodness). He has pre-applied (I mailed that last week)..so we are just waiting to see if he made it. Wish him luck. :) I'm waiting for some sunlight to take good pictures of my Inspiration Boxes from the swap. I took some not so pretty ones on the stove, but that wouldn't do them justice. You will see the stovetop pictures of the boxes I made....I had to get them out and I was really tired from the night before....the Great Flood of 2010 (thanks to Billy..such a joy) and I just didn't have it in me to set up something special. I figured the fact that I remembered to take a picture before sending them gets me some points this time. I've got three swaps left..one private swap (with my Bella Buddy, Marian), the Dutch Sisters' Swap, and the tag swap (April Showers Bring May Flowers is the theme this time...same ladies from the V-day tag swap..aren't you sorry you didn't get into that swap...we are an exclusive little club now). I'm so getting kicked out for that comment...they are probably only letting me stay in because I send them free shit. Well, TSCS (that is still me) has to make dinner and go sit on my ass and watch NCIS. :) By the way.....Dad, are you happy now...I updated my blog....it's not like we don't talk every weekend. :)

Dutch Sisters Spring Surprise Swap 2010

2010-01-30T07:15:00.004-07:00

I went here (www.dutch-blue.blogspot.com/2010/01/dutch-sisters-spring-surprise-swap-2010.html ) and signed up for another swap. It didn't look too hard or complicated. You have one partner and send her two fat quarters of beautiful spring-inspired fabric and then you make one item. You have until the 21st of March to send it to them. The real kicker for me (okay...other than the fabric) is that it is an International Swap. Those ladies overseas have access to some beautiful fabric and you can make some new friends. If any of that sounds interesting or fun.....you have until tomorrow to sign up. I've been hanging out with the boys quite a bit (as you can tell by the neglected blog). My 14 year old wants to hang out with....with the help of the Wii. I bought another controller last Saturday and now I can bowl with him. We've also played skeeball and a cooking game that is kicking my ass. Billy sits and watches us play. I've baked a little in the last two weeks, read a book or two, hit an estate sale all by myself, talked to the German lady across the street a couple times, finished up swaps and signed up for new ones. That is it. It has been nice. I'm trying to take it easy this year and spend more time with the boys. So it has to be a really good swap...come on ladies, blow my mind with something new. I did sign up for the follow-up tag swap...April Showers Bring May Flowers. We actually have a yahoo group now....we enjoyed swapping with each other so much. I got my tags and two of my inspiration boxes. I'm waiting on the third and some decent weather to take pictures. Today is Post Office Day.....I've got five packages and two envelopes to mail. I actually had a sale in my shop. I was shocked. Happy, but shocked. :)

Helping Haiti

2010-01-29T15:50:00.002-07:00

Here are two excellent ways to help the people of Haiti. These are two etsy shops that have been opened to help those in need. What a great way to help...you get great handmade items and you are helping others. Here are there links (if you are interested):

www.haitibyhand.etsy.com

www.crafthope.etsy.com

I was lucky enough to get some of the Haitian handmade goods...beautiful, metal wall hangings. I got one for my sister...she has a picture on her blog. I, also, was one of the lucky ones who responded to Rebecca's post about sweet little crocheted purses made by Miraclid. I love that the money if going straight back to the artists...very cool. I have purchased two things from crafthope (neat animal alphabet poster and an embroidery/doll pattern). I can't wait for those...the pattern is a pdf and should arrive soon. It was designed by Jenny of Allsorts (her blog is in my bloglines) so you know it is adorable. I even purchased a string of hearts from Robin (ThriftyMissPriss- a V-day tag swap buddy) and she is donating the proceeds to Doctors Without Borders. Every little bit counts and it doesn't take much. I was going to get on my soapbox, but I won't. :) If you can....give something.

Re-cap?

2010-01-21T07:42:00.003-07:00

I've been working on these two swaps. I decided to join the swap I mentioned in the last post (the one I got Wendy to sign up for). It is being held by Wendy (no-relation) in Australia (www.hartylittlepeaces.blogspot.com/). It only seemed fair to join after suckering my sister into it. I got some fabric on Monday at the Jo-Anns. I need to backtrack. Let's go back to Friday and my decision to drive to Birmingham on Saturday. It wasn't horribly bad...I did screw up and forgot to get off on the right exit...that cost me 30-45 minutes. After that....it was smooth driving. We went and ate (and took a well-needed potty break), before heading to Susan's house (she lives in the neighborhood we used to live in). Her husband watched the boys and we hit six thrift stores. I didn't find much. I was a tad disappointed. It wasn't as good as it used to be. It was still fun though. The boys and I stayed in a hotel that night. We got up and had our free breakfast and hit the B&N and SuperTarget....I miss both of these...way better selection than our smaller versions here (it is only a Target here...I miss the food selection). We drove home and bummed around the house for the rest of the day. Monday was a holiday and the boys had it off, so I took them to Toys'r'us, Party City (they each got a free balloon..very cool) and Jo-Ann's. I think the free balloons made up for Jo-Ann's. :) We then went to Best Buy to return my Christmas present from my brother. I had never driven to the Jo-Ann's before....I figured if I could drive to Birmingham....I could do that. I found some fabric and came home and joined the swap. :) I had some in my stash that I used as well. I cut all 200 blocks out yesterday and I should be able to mail them today. I tried something for the other swap (Inspiration Boxes) and it didn't work and so I get to go buy two new matchboxes to rectify that mistake. :) I am having the hardest time with swaps lately. It is driving me mad. The ladies in the Valentine Tag Swap want to swap again and I am debating whether or not I should. Hey, it isn't all doom and gloom, driving and swapping around here.....I've read a few more books and watched the entire fifth season of Weeds this week. The fifth season of Weeds was only 13 1/2 hour episodes....it didn't take long. :)

I thought I'd suck it up...

2010-01-15T14:26:00.002-07:00

and drive to Birmingham tomorrow. Yep, you read correctly..my butt is going to drive the three hour trip that it takes. I need to hit some real thrift stores....I'm hoping it will get me back in the groove of things. If nothing else...it will get me out of my comfort zone...it was my old neighbors..they kept pestering me about when we were coming up again. :) We'll find a room somewhere and drive back on Sunday. There is no way I can drive another three hours after thrift shopping all day long. :) I, the great enabler, also convinced my sister to sign up for another swap. You'll have to head over to her blog (that Wendy one on the sidebar) and check it out....the Wendy that is hostessing it still has room. It is a great time to spread your wings and try new things...it's not that hard....cut out 200 4" squares. :) But it may motivate you to learn how to sew or quilt. Plus, you would have an excuse to buy a rotary cutter....a fun tool. :) Have a great weekend!

Oh, yes...I do suck at this blogging thing

2010-01-09T17:22:00.003-07:00

This is how I've been feeling. I have way too much to do and rather lay about and do nothing. This was one of the hotel rooms we stayed at on our way home from my sister's house. I know...no shoes on beds...I don't allow that in my own house and I let him do it there...bad Mommy. I did read five books over Christmas break..finished one on the very last day of break....it was sad and made me cry..so I haven't read for a few days. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs. I hate sad books. It is going straight to my sister...cry, Wendy, cry. :) This was the week of catching up on two months worth of stuff. We went to Opelika to the bank on Monday...yes, I drove. Smart asses. It wasn't too bad...we hit the Salvation Army and ate at a WaffleHouse. Tuesday, I wrote a thank you note and made appointments for Billy and I. Billy went to the dentist on Thursday (which was also my Dad's Birthday)..he used the word "no" quite a bit. Our other appointments are this upcoming week...perfect month to get a Pap Smear...just in case some of you have put it off as well. We've spent quite a bit of time watching NCIS DVDs...nothing good has been on tv. Hey, my 14 year old wants to hang out with me...I'll watch NCIS until the cows come home for that. I've been working on my Valentine tags for Natalea's swap...I was doubting myself and actually wrote to her for guidance...she is too nice. I think they are about done...it feels like they are missing something...I still suck at the embellishment thing. I'm getting there. I've had tons of emails back and forth between my swap partners for Heather's Petite Inspiration Box Swap. I don't know what I did with their blog information..I'll have to post that later. I've been second guessing myself....which is unusual for me. I hope it will pass soon. It makes it hard to create. At least their boxes will be full. :)

Home Sweet Home

2009-12-31T11:30:00.003-07:00

I actually missed it this time. :) We got back last night and I'm trying to get caught up. The comissary was a mad house...I can't believe all of Post and all the retirees in a 100 mile radius chose to shop today....oy. I hope you have fun doing whatever you are going to do tonight. The boys are with their grandparents visiting the National Infantry Museum and who knows what else. Happy New Year!

We're going bye- bye

2009-12-22T07:49:00.001-07:00

We are leaving today to drive to Wendy's house for Christmas. I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!