Sewing on Paper......

The class tonight was great, lots of fun and the ladies were all so talented....I really enjoyed myself. It was nice. We all had a good laugh when I passed the old etiquette book to Wende and asked her to pick a page or two and rip them out, she thought it was sacrilage - come to find out - she's a librarian!! You can see the look on her face on the picture above that she wasn't to happy to be ripping out the pages! LOL. It's all good Wende, all good! I saved all those books, REALLY I did ;-) I would have loved to have her read to us for the entire class, she has a very soothing and lovely voice.... I am sure she's a wonderful librarian. You can also see what an awesome stitcher she is, she just about finished her project and it turned out lovely!

The one above is of Leslie stitching her heart out....she was making a funny face.....the one below is Hannah...two very fun ladies that I am happy to have met.....can't wait to have coffee on Monday!

THANKS Michelle, Kasey, Leslie, Hannah and Wende for coming to my class, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Memorial Day Parade (better late than never!)

Ian and I marched with the Cub Scouts in the Memorial Day parade. It was the perfect weather - not to hot - not to cold - and not rainy. I enjoyed the 2+ mile walk from the High School down and across the big bridge and to the town next door. I saw so many people that I have not seen for years - it was nice to smile that HEY, I know you - how the heck are you smile -haven't seen you in years - you look great - OMG your son is ONLY 7 - he's almost as tall as you - just a thirty 30 second exchange, but meaningful non-the-less.............and move on to the next step.

I painted the mudroom after that. Yup, couldn't resist in choosing a color that would allow the dirt to blend in....LOL.

In other news, still feeling not so optimistic about moving into our house any time soon. Even though it feels like we are talking to the right guy - I think there is ONLY so much he can do to help us. He wants to. He's trying to. We need him to......but we still have a lawyer on retainer to keep them on track.

TTFN, teaching at the local scrapbook store tonight.

There is GOOD in this world!

I've talked about Bernie Berlin and her quest to help the animals that can't save themselves from the people that neglect, abuse and abandon them. My little Valentine raised money over the winter to give to Bernie for her rescue by selling the Godiva chocolate he got in his Christmas stocking.....it was an idea he came up with on his own, and well...since you may not know, Bernie needs OUR help. You can read about the details on Claudine Hellmuth's Blog...please do what you can and if you can't help monetarily you can help by adding the 6 Degree's badge to your blog or website! PS. The adorable artwork was designed by Claudine Hellmuth!! THANKS Claudine for letting me post it here! I've hinted to my husband that he could order some custom art from you for my birthday ;-) PSS! Thank you BERNIE for your devotion to the animals. I wish there were more people in the world like you dedicated to doing good things to help this world we live in!! YOU Rock!

Thank you Friend!

Once again the power of a friend has touched me and made my heart feel so much better. My good friend and very talented artist Vicki Chrisman mentioned me on her blog, not just a casual mention.....but she said I was the most inspiring scrapbooker....thank you dearest, sweet friend....you totally switched my day for me! The issues of the day remain the same, but my heart is a bit lighter....
So, who inspires me the most? I must say that the woman that most inspired me when I first started scrapbooking my memories was Rebecca Sower....and she still inspires me... she inspires THE WORLD.....but, there is another artist that totally BLOWS my mind and drops my jaw when I see her art that deserves mention. She is on the ScrapMuse Design Team, and her lovely name is Lana Rappette. THANKS Lana for all the cool things you do to inspire me! Now, you're it! xox. Plus, her journaling is very touching and often times I get teary when I read her words, like on this page "Just Ask" that she has in her ScrapMuse gallery!

How do you Stay Optimistic?

When life seems to throw curve balls at you left and right (ha - that sounds funny) what do you do to stay optimistic and believe that good will prevail over evil? I am struggling with this issue, as I always do. It's hard not to let the turkeys get me down ! Today I just feel like succumbing to these turkeys and sign on the dotted line so I can get on with my life an move in our house. Is it so wrong for a company to be honorable these days and do the right thing, the thing that they promised? Is it so wrong to ask for what was rightfully promised to us? Is it wrong to ask for a home that is free from defect? These are my struggles today. I have no art to share with you as I have visions of snakes in my head anyway!

I had to SHARE this!

I told you about my Engineering book I picked up right? Well, check out what I did with it. Of course, I love it so much I haven't torn any of the pages out....but I did scan something - and then an hour later came up with this from Photoshop 7!

Soooooo Happy!

I have to tell you how happy I am to FINALLY get to an Etsy vintage wallpaper package BEFORE they are all sold out. I have been reading this lovely blog Art Tea Life for quite some time and just love how she stitches things together and practically everything she does. So this morning I was pretty happy to find that she posted some vintage wallpaper packages for sale in her ESTY shop. Yahoo, thank you Sandy!!

In other news, Congratulations to Carol Banks for winning the Sewing on Paper book I donated a while back for the Fund Raiser to help Jen Gallacher and her son. Carol, expect your book SOON and I hope you like it!! The fund raiser RAISED OVER $12,000 to help the Gallacher family with their brave fight to help their son. Wow. The power of people amazes me and I am honored that I could be a part of that wonderful thing! Sadly, Jen's son lost his fight with Colin Cancer. Kudos to Tania Willis for taking this project on.

Have a great Monday everyone!

He Didn't like this Picture!

I didn't feel like printing out a picture so I found one from the "I forbid you to use it in public pile" LOL. Enjoy! It's been a long day of errands and running around. This is another layout from the May ScrapMuse kit!

Catch UP time!

Sorry it's been so long, all I can say is we've been LOVING having Joe around full-time instead of just every other weekend or whenever he could come home from RI.

• The retirement ceremony was awesome! So many letters of appreciation from so many IMPORTANT people. (John McCain, Arnold Schwarzanegger, President Bush, Bill and Hilary Clinton, the Gov. of Maine John Baldacci, Former President Bush....and that's all I can remember at the moment.) Ian was made an Honorary Firefighter - and I got a certificate of appreciation too! It was wonderful - and now on to our life OUTSIDE the military. So many uncertainties, so many possibilities - so exciting! Here's a picture of Ian receiving his honorary Firefighter shirt!

• I was sick with some kinda stomach bug / dizzy head yesterday - laid out on the couch most of the day. The good thing was I got several naps in and relaxed most of the day.
• Took the Dog for her Heartworm/Lyme Disease and other spring shots. Good News, she doesn't have Lyme or Heartworm....ya. But, I have to put that chemical stuff FrontLine on her and that grosses me out. I made Joe do it....HA!
• I finished the ScrapMuse Newsletter for May. Wow, we used to have a NL that was 8 to 10 pages and I could breeze right through it. Now we're doing 15 to 17 pages JAM PACKED full of layouts, articles and inspiration. It takes me at least 5 hours to get it JUST right. Designing that kind of stuff still makes me happy.
• I also whipped up a fun little layout for ScrapMuse with my Kit. If you have any questions, I 'll be happy to answer them! I have another one just waiting for me to print a picture and put it on. I loved the Crate paper in this kit! LOVED it!

Bernie Berlin talked about Ian on her blog the other day! It's the post from May 13th! Thanks Bernie. That made Ian so happy!

I've got classes scheduled at Absolutely Everything for June and July. Both great fun.....hope you can make it...

Well, that's about it. I keep promising to be a better blogger...but life is so busy....

Absolutely EVERYTHING!

I'll be teaching this perpetual picture frame at AE on June 9th. It's a beginner Sewing on Paper class - and the advanced class will be in August..... Anyhoo, this has a canvas base, uses Crate Paper, Heidi Swapp flowers, Bazzill (love love them) buttons and a page protector. The page protector is left open on one side so you could slide a photo, calender, to-do list or whatever makes your heart flutter inside.

It was fun to make......

On another Martha note. Page 106 in her book "The Martha Stewart Cookbook" has an awesome banana bread recipe. If you don't have sour cream......try this is EXCELLANT! Whip up 1/2 cup of small curd cottage cheese in a blender and use as a subsititution!! OMG, awesome!

Well, we're off for the next couple of days for the Big V's retirement from the Navy.....wahoo!

Martha or MomPlait..... you decide!

I've become very domesticated in the last couple of years! And, most recently - even more so... and I can tell you why. Everywhere I read - people have cancer, stomach ailments, diabetes, heart troubles, skin issues....and I've decided that my Little V needs the absolute BEST start in life that I can possibly give him. How are you going to do that you ask??

• Well, first we watched Fast Food Nation, right after New Year. We don't eat at McD's any more, well I don't but the Big V and the Little V love it. I think they sneak it sometimes.....but I may be wrong. Who knows?? ya, mom KNOWS everything kiddo!
• I have also implemented a NO PLASTIC in the microwave rule. It gives to many chemicals off, and where do they go?
• I've been making my own jams, jellies, relishes, tomato sauces and the like. We don't buy muffins at the local Stop and Rob anymore - I try to make them when I can. Other than that, we don't eat them.
• I discovered an awesome recipe in Martha Stewart's little food mag. for Granola Bars....I made some revisions to make it more the way we like it, but YUMMMM.
• I try to avoid products with corn syrup, maltodextrin (corn syrup solids) and other fake sugar stuff. AND absolutely no artificial sugar subsititutes.....except stevia!
• We don't drink soda!! If we want the fizz, we reach for sparkling water.
• I make my own instant oatmeal. Easy peasy Lemon Squeezy!! Let me know if you want the recipe.
• And the best thing I discovered.....how to make my own yogurt with NO CORN SYRUP. Another EASY thing. Little V calls it MomPlait (because it has the texture of yoplait) Big V calls me Martha. I love Martha. I think MomPlait is cute. You decide!

To make your own MomPlait you'll need:

32 oz. Dannon All Natural Nonfat Plain Yogurt, fine metal strainer, cheesecloth, 2 teaspoons of REAL vanilla, 1 package of stevia, 1/4 cup home made fruit preserves - or to taste!

To do it: Place metal strainer in a bowl large enough to allow the liquid to drain from the yogurt. Place a large piece of cheesecloth in strainer and plop the yogurt in the center. Fold the cheesecloth over the top of the yogurt and place in the refrigerator either over night or for several hours. When strained, scrape the yogurt into a bowl, add the vanilla, stevia and fruit preserves and blend. (You can use a food processor at this point - but it makes to many dirty dishes....and I'm kinda a non-dish washing kinda gal.) When completely mixed measure out 1/2 cup portions and store in small containers in the refrigerator.

We've made blackberry and strawberry from jelly I made last year. Next up is Apple using some apple butter I made in the fall....YUM. Let me know if you like it. I might send it to Martha :-)

A Beautiful DAY!

The Little V is growing up. I can hardly believe that he's all grown-up at almost 8! Today he made his First Holy Communion/Confirmation. It was a nice ceremony at the church (LOOOOOOOOOONG). He wore a suit (and my was he HANDSOME) and Gams was his Sponser. It was lovely. Joe was bored (I think it's because he doesn't know the songs ;-) after church we all went to lunch at 99. The lunch was good. It felt nice to dress up and look civilized for a change! He asked me to take this picture and look up to the peak of the church and have him and Jesus in the picture! So sweet. I was also very happy, in the almost 9 years that I have been with the Big V I have ZERO pictures of us together with nice smiles! I love this picture - one because he has a nice smile - two because my skin looks GREAT and I think I look really YOUNG, like no where near or close to 41 - and three - GOOD hair day! That's a reason for anyone to smile I tell ya!! Happy National Scrapbook Day everyone! Off to chat at ScrapMuse for a while crocodile!

My Spinner Class!

I'll be teaching this fun spinner class on May something (ha ha can't remember). It'll be so much fun using manly man tools to get this tres cool organizer done. If you don't have time to take the class, I'm taking orders for them. This is the medium one - just one tier - and a 12" base. The price for it will be $25.00. The small one will have an 8" base and will be 17.50. The large, which has a 14" base and has two tiers will be $40.00. And, if I ship it to you shipping will be extra. The fun thing is I will make it custom for you. Your choice of color and paper (or no paper just ALL color) to match your scrap room or other items in it! Leave me a comment with your email address and I'll get in touch with you. If you want to take the class, contact Kelley at Scrapbooks & Beyond. 729-0203.

Sewing on Paper (and everything else).....

I've been busy, or did I already use that as an excuse last week? ha! Well, this time busy not only with the same ol' same ol from last week but also with some FUN stuff that I totally love! {it's help take my mind off of all the crap....} Preparing class samples for two classes I will be teaching at Scrapbooks and Beyond in Topsham. The first class is Sewing on Paper (and everything else) - go figure huh? LOL. I've had a lot of fun preparing this sample today, it's ALmost complete. I just need to change the white birdie out. I got a bunch in the mail from my cutie friend Vic but seem to have misplaced them somewhere in the mess I am in. She, the wonderful friend that she is has agreed to send me some more! THANKS Vic, you are amazing!! The birdies are from an Accucut Die that she has....lovin' those dies! Anyway, on to the good stuff......the unveiling of the class....wanna see? huh? huh? The other sample is an organizer that I saw on-line made and designed by Amy. It's the cool spinning rack. Anywho, if you don't have time to take the class I am taking orders for them so email me or post a comment and we can strike up a deal or something mutually agreable to each of us!