7 Random Facts about me...

I was tagged by the lovely Lana last week to share 7 random facts about me....not that hard - but how about some really off the wall ones:

1. When I was in my VERY early 20's I trained for a body building competition, yup me a body builder. I could leg press over 550 pounds, I was pretty strong. I remember being in GNC and hearing some man say "wow, you can tell she's a body builder" but in a nice way :-)
2. I am the only daughter and only granddaughter on my Dad's side
3. I used to smoke, like a chimney. I started when I was 13 and quit when I was 26. I became a social smoker until I was 38. Haven't smoked a butt since. I did quit in the body building phase though.
4. When I was in high school I got D's or worse in Math and A's or better in Art, go figure :-).
5. My first car was a 1977 metallic blue VW Rabbit, I got it when I was a senior.
6. Speaking of driving, I got my license on the first try and lost it for 60 days 8 months later due to speeding.
7. I recently (last December) quit eating meat, dairy and sugar. The ulcerative colitis that I have suffered with for years has gone away! yeah - that's incentive enough to stay away!

Thought I'd share the one picture I took at the Memorial Day Parade today. Isn't he a cutie!!

Field Trip, Ear Ache, WebCam and Gardening

I'm such a bad blogger lately, I don't even have an excuse for why, just that I haven't felt much like blogging. Between having a super ear ache for the last few days, going on a field trip to the Scarborough Marsh with my Little Valentine's 3rd grade class, planting a garden and just LIVING I haven't had a chance to stay up to date. The picture above is of the saltwater marsh as the tide was coming in. The picture just below is the Little V himself enjoying a candy bar on the beach at Old Orchard. It was a nice day, but the bus was pretty dang loud and LONG!

I'm sorry a thousand sorries for not posting much, I'll try to post more ...:-) In other news, I'm happy to report that I booked my flight to Nebraska to visit my lovely friend Vic in August. I am pretty excited about that as I haven't taken a vacation just for myself in years, I mean YEARS!! It's gong to be a great time - I just know that we're both going to get Laryngitis from non-stop talking...I've got another trip scheduled for this summer to, but I'll talk about that at another time!



Wanted to share some art, made the above page for my local scrapbook store Scrapbooks & Beyond. Kelley has the nicest little store down town, and I drop by every time I go to town...Hi Kelley

If anyone has any advice to give on video chatting I'd appreciate it. Nat and I are getting our webcams installed so we can talk but I have no clue what site works best for it. I picked up a cute little Creative WebCam yesterday and am in the process of finding time to get it installed. Do you recommend Live Messenger or Skype?? Nat, have you figured out which one is best?

Well, ttfn. I'll try and take some pictures of my gardening attemps tomorrow to share with you. So far I've got cilantro, arugula, basil, curled parsley and green onions planted. Tomorrow I've got some tomato and cucumber plants to get in the ground, and some purple beans, radishes, carrots, and a couple of other things which escape me to put in the ground. :-) My first vegetable garden!

My Dad is a GEM!!

New Storage Unit - entire thing, originally uploaded by CatherineScanlon.

Last Fall I asked my Dad to make me bookshelf like the Ikea Expedit style...only longer to fit the long wall in my studio. We had cut down a billion trees on our land when we were building our house and had the wood turned into lumber so it was a matter of choosing the wood, coming up with a design and getting it done.

To be honest, my Dad has had this finished for a while. Sitting in his shop waiting for me to paint it. I was dreading the job for sure, but finally got it finished on Sunday and moved that baby in.

Between Sunday and yesterday I got it filled up with all my goodies...I've been buying storage boxes, bins and what not for weeks now in anticipation of getting this thing done...and now - I present to you - my new Storage UNIT. THANKS DAD, you're the best!

4 Page Spread....

Having a great day today, GREAT. Beautiful weather, people are beating down my door :-) and I got my preview copy of Sew Somerset. I have a 4 page spread in it, and yahoo that makes me so happy. I am also happy because when I look at these pictures it shows that I have lost 20 pounds!! I'm going to get into the studio tomorrow and make something, I 'm feeling inspired right now. Hopefully I'll have something to share with you!! TTFN everyone. And, I'm still waiting to hear from the winners of the drawing!!

and the winner is..

sorry it's taken me so long to get this post posted, I actually picked the winner (well the little V picked the winner last week) but I just haven't posted it until now...I know you have all been waiting so patiently for this, and I promise not to drag it on to long.... he he he

In other EXCITING news, I still haven't announced the winner yet...but I promise, I will. And she'll be happy. But the news, I sent in a big box of lovely cards to Stampington for the Holiday Issue, and it looks like they spread them all around their publications and they'll be publishing them everywhere, doing the happy dance!

In the most EXCITING news of the day, the winner of the copy of Art from the Heart is Stephanie from On the Funny Side of Life...email me with your mailing information and I'll get the book out to you this week Stephanie - and congratulations! Since I'm feeling pretty bad about dragging this out for so long I've decided to send another little ditty to someone else.

Stay funny said...

ohhh would love to add this book to my collection! Thanks for letting us play!

Dee Dee said...

Oooh la la. My inky fingers are crossed in hopes of new inspiraton arriving via your book. :)

So, dee dee, send me your address and I'll send you a little goodie too! Sorry I don't have any pictures today...maybe tomorrow. TTFN everyone and thanks for playing my silly game with me!

Post Number 249!!

Art from the Heart Give Away....

Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner when I make my 250th post, which is only 1, yes, ONLY ONE post away. Spread the word, leave a comment and maybe you could be the winner!
My husband went fly fishing this week and this huge turtle came and rested on his flippers. You can tell it's huge by looking at the last picture. The straight thing on the right is the fishing rod and the straps on the bottom left are the straps keeping the flippers on his feet. AMAZING...and, it was a snapping turtle! He said it hung out there for at least 10 minutes.

Post Number 248

Art from the Heart Give Away....

Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner when I make my 250th post, which is only 2, yes ONLY two posts away. Spread the word, leave a comment and maybe you could be the winner! And, since I'm feelng kinda guilty about being pretty busy this week I just might have two posts today.... Just a quick quote for the moment, I've got to get back to Minnie Mouse.

Happiness resides
not in posessions
and not in gold;
the feeling of happiness
dwells in the soul.
Democritus

Post Number 247

Art from the Heart Give Away....

Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner when I make my 250th post, which is only 3, yes ONLY three posts away. Spread the word, leave a comment and maybe you could be the winner!

__________________________________________________________________

On to new business... It's Monday, beautiful Monday. I was so happy to wear my flip flops all day, but the space between my two toes aren't so happy right now. A random list is in order for today because I'm a little (ok a lot) scattered:

• If you haven't seen or purchased Donna Downey's new book, Fabric Scrapbooking, you must. I picked up my copy before I went on vacation and just now have gotten a chance to look through it. Wow. So many awesome, step by step projects.... I was gaga over the letters and the canvas - thanks Donna for the great inspiration!

• If you haven't commented on my post for the give away of Art from the Heart you probably have a few days yet. This is post number 247 and I expect to do the drawing at 250. Spread the word, I'd like to get some more comments on that post.

• My dear friend Nat gave me this award a while back. Thanks Nat, it totally made my day!! I keep forgetting to post it , but not today!! This is the award:

This award is generally given to bloggers based on their creativity, design, interesting material, and contribution to the blogging community, no matter what language. Very cool.There are some rules that go with it. You have to pick 5 blogs who deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material and also contributes to the blogging community no matter what language. So, I'm giving it to:

1. Bonorama Mama: for her wonderful photography and lovely creations that she shares with us.
2. A Bird in the Hand: Colette never ceases to amaze me with the beautiful things she posts on her blog all the time! You've got to spend some time at her place drooling over her creations!
3. Jacqueline's Craft Nest: Jacqueline is the loveliest person, and she makes the nicest cards! She has an amazing way with color, and stamps!
4. Tammy Tutterow: a kindred spirit. Meant to be friends, plus she is an awesome artist!
5. Outside the Lines: Marilyn Healey. That's all I need to say. Everything she creates is a home run. Beautiful, elegant and a must have!

So many more to list, so little time!! So that's it for my random post today, time to get the Little Valentine in bed. I promise to have some interesting photos tomorrow, promise!

Tussie Mussie Swap

Tussie Mussie for Vic, originally uploaded by CatherineScanlon.

I got into a swap with my two dear blog friends Shawn and Vic. We decided to make these Victorian things called Tussie Mussie's. they were supposed to be mailed and at their new homes by May 1, but I was so derailed by things going on around here and vacation that I didn't get to the post office until May 1! You can see a few more pictures in my flickr.

Here's a little sneakie peakie of the flower that's on Vic's. HOPE you like it!! I think we're swapping pincushions next, and I can tell you I WILL be on time this time!!

Have a great day everyone, and don't forget - this is post number 246 so you have until my 250th post to reply to the post BELOW to get your name in for the drawing of my book, ART from the Heart!

Art from the Heart GIVEAWAY!!

I am still trying to think of the details for the book give-away....I think my brain is still on vacation!! I guess we'll just make it simple. . . Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner when I make my 250th post, which is only 5 posts away. Spread the word, leave a comment and maybe you could be the winner!