oh it was a fine day...in blueberry land!

My Mom and I went out blueberry picking this morning, and it was almost like a dream. We couldn't believe our eyes really!! On the first bush I started picking at I picked 1 QUART in less than 10 minutes. That's the one where the berries were bigger than my thumbnail!!

Between the two if us we picked 10 quarts in less than an hour...and between the three of us (little V included) we probably ate a whole quart...they are so yummy and fresh and gorgeous! don't you just love the color blue?? I am going to freeze some for smoothies this winter and then we're going to eat some too. I do plan on going back again before they're done, oh my gosh we had so much fun. When we closed our eyes all we could see was blueberries!! WHAT fun!

We outsmarted the thunderstorm!

We had a decent weather day yesterday - and I was thankful for that! It was a success in that we all (three of us) sold things, but we ALL wanted to have sold more. The biggest hit were the jars and bags of sea glass that I put together - after all it was the Harspwell Festival - and it was overlooking the ocean....Hannah had a lot of people interested in her Summer Art Camp for girls, and the local Art store wants me to bring my book and collaged cards by...so I think it was a success! Malia had her really pretty graphic images that I think she's going to start an Etsy shop with. Her images (behind my collaged postcards in the bottom photograph) are all made by making a potatoe print!! Brilliant!

Later in the day (getting close to packing up time) the sky started getting dark - we made a group decision not to pack up until we saw the first rain drop - but changed our minds when we saw the first flash of lightning! We all got our things packed up and in our cars before the rain started to fall - it was a good thing! It was nice to hang out and relax with my friends - even Big Valentine came down and bought me some lunch and went fishing for a little bit! I would say overall it was a GREAT day!

I'd rather be here right now!!

I'm up early to get ready to get out the door for my trunk show/craft fair today, though I am kinda tired. I think today I'd rather be going to the beach, but it isn't beachie weather right now...I love the process of these venues, but I really dislike the uncertainty of it all and judgment that sometimes people pass on your creativity. I'll post some pictures later when I get home if I'm not to tired...I think it's supposed to last until 7pm...so maybe in the morning..we'll see! Have a great Sunday!

The weather is Frightful!

I can't believe the weather we're having here, torrential rain right now, and earlier tonight tornado warnings - WE NEVER have those! At the moment the TV is running the flood warning notice at the bottom of the TV for many counties in Maine and New Hampshire, you'd never know that it's summer around here!

Little V and I were stuck in the house all day, it didn't matter to me much at all because I've been busy like a crazy woman creating things for that craft show I'm in this weekend. In a week moment last night I asked my husband why did I even bother, because sometimes I feel like I'm wasting my time...and then today as I flitted and fluttered and cut and pasted - stitched and snipped - I kept thinking about that question I asked him...and the answer is - because I enjoy the process. I love making things...and being creative with my stuff. Even if no one wants to buy it, I've had a good time, and I'll just add it to my Etsy shop and hope that someone buys it there! I decided the key in these hard economic times is to have MORE things that were less expensive and a sprinkling of things that are moderately priced...yeah, I'll get back to you on that :-)

My pal Vicki took this picture of me at the EK booth holding up one of the things I made with the Zig Writer and Brushables...I loved the way it looks - though I wish the person that had taken it wouldn't have done that!

ps...this picture looks like I have a ton of food stuck in my teeth - and I don't - I PROMISE! :-)

I'm home...

and so totally exhausted! Plus, it's been raining a little everyday, so YUCK on that! I'm glad to be home from Chicago, and yesterday tended to my garden....I ate the first cucumber of the season and picked a fresh batch of beans too! It was great fun.

Just wanted to post this really cute picture of Vicki and I...since I didn't have a room mate I palled around with her and Sandy (from Crafty Secrets...) and we did have a great time!

I totally forgot that I have a craft fair this Sunday so I've been spending ALL my spare time trying to get things finished for that!! Plus, I need to get my I Inspire Me Challenge project finished....I'm late with that too!!

...so with that I'll say ta ta for now!!

Crazy, frantic chicken!!

I don't have time for a proper post today as I am running around like a crazy, frantic chicken trying to get all my things done for tomorrow. See, I'm getting up at 3am to get ready and out the door at 3:45 to get to the airport for 4:30...park my car in the garage...and get on a 5:30am flight out to Chicago...I'm not ready. Not anywhere near being anything CLOSE to being ready. Plus I've got to take a half hour to go to my Mom's for cake for my big V's birthday...and do my toes...gotta do my toes and get some pictures printed...and pack my suitcase - or and figure out what I am going to wear...and and and and and.

So, I'll catch you all on the flip side of the weekend. And, I promise to share my favorite pictures of CHA!!

Three posts in one day..

Thanks Colette (and Shawn) for this lovely award...Shawn awarded me with this last week and Colette this week...and I am just now getting around to posting it on my blog. THANK you ladies for this! In accepting this award, I agree to: 1. Display logo and link to who gave it. 2. Nominate at least 7 blogs. 3. Add links to those 7 blogs. 4. Leave the nominees a message that they received the award. I'm going to give this award to:

• Nat
• Lana
• Vicki
• Donna
• Wendy
• Deryn
• Linda

THANKS again Colette and SHAWN.....Have a great day!!

Lemon Tart...

Lemon Tart..., originally uploaded by CatherineScanlon.

We had a family get together over the weekend and we had family from VT and my Uncle from the Kennebunk area visiting...it was a great day. I made this yummy Lemon Tart. I love this! The recipe comes from the Martha Stewart cookbook, the everyday one. Page 583..or 582... something like that. I really don't need to look at the recipe any more as I've made it so many times! It looks pretty here, but better than that - it tasted GREAT!

Here are a few other pictures from the day...and did I mention we had lobster?? I didn't eat much, just the tail on one...but I must admit it tasted pretty DANG good. I don't know how many lobsters my Dad got but it seemed like he was cooking them forever!

We also celebrated my niece's 9th birthday...and my Big Valentine wasn't here...to celebrate his 43rd birthday...but we won't let him forget that he's the oldest around here!! he he.

In crafty news I made this little card to include with my submission for Sew Somerset. I collect fortunes...love them. I recently made a little mini-album using them...I'll share that soon. I hope!!

Craft Critique

Check out the CHA Carnival over at Craft Critique. Looks like you'll find a TON of sneak peaks for the Summer CHA releases!! More later!

Happy....

Taking a break to check my mail and a few other things...we've got company in town and it's ben a busy evening. Wanted to quickly share this AC Moore ad with you, my little V is in this advertisement for EK Success products. He's the one under "activities". I need to get to a local AC Moore and pick one of these bad boys up for his memorabelia box...and maybe to scrap too.... :-)
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In other news, I did not make the Scrapbook Nook team. But they did choose a bunch of really talented ladies out of the 25 that were finalists. I am not sure how many they chose, didn't bother to count, but it looked like there were 10. Bummer. Good Luck to those that were chosen, can't wait to see what you come up with!

Nighty night everyone!

Another EK Success SNeak Peak

Craft Cleaner

Make cleaning up your scrap space a snap with the new Craft Cleaner. Simply run this little tool along your tabletop space to pick up small paper scraps, glitter, & embossing powder. It has a sticky roller to capture small pieces which can be cleaned with soap and water. It also contains a small tray underneath which contains all waste. October release.

I am hoping this will be at my work stand at CHA next week, I can't wait to give it a try!

In other news, there was another challenge over at Scrapbook Nook and this is what I came up with. The challenge was to use a product (or products) that you have a lot of and don't use, or can't figure out how to use. For me I used the Elsie fabric, oh how I love it - but I have had the hardest time putting it use. I have SO MANY of these sheets of fabric - unused - unloved - until now. I also have quite a few of those 7 Gypsies tags...also - love them. Try to use them. Just can't make them work. So on this page I used them both, and I'm pretty happy with the way they look on this page about my girl Guinness!

Puppy Love

this week on I Inspire Me....

It's another bi-week, and that means that Lana has posted our I Inspire Me creations on the blog. I had so much fun with the challenge this week - it was kitchen. For this challenge I was inspired by the way the green on this box looks with the tabletop - and also the wood grain really intrigued me...and it just so happened that I had some Hambly to use to show that... I just LOVE the way this page turned out...I hope you'll join us and play, be sure to comment and tell me where you've posted your page!

Another EK Success Sneak Peak!!

Paper Shapers® Punch & Stamp This new product can stamp an image and punch a shape in one smooth motion! Each package comes with 1 punch shape and 4 coordinating stamp designs. The product eliminates the step of stamping a design and having to line it up with the punch shape. It can be used with ink pads purchased separately.

This product can also be used separately as a punch or to stamp. The individual stamp designs can be used with existing acrylic mounts. Stamp sets are sold separately. The punch itself is approximately 5.5” long x 2.5” wide x 3” tall. All stamps are approximately 1” in size. October release.

Scrapbook Nook

I keep forgetting to post this....I've been chosen as one of the 25 finalists in the Scrapbook Nook Design Team search. The competition is fierce I'll tell you, but I'm hopeful! Over the weekend we had a couple of challenges that we needed to make things for. One was a card, any kinda card. Nat had sent me some lovely papers that were designed and printed by Daniella so I used that and some other vintagey things....and the plastic butterfly. I finally found some plastic bugs. I just love this! On the inside it says "happiness".

The other project I made for them was a scrapbook page about where we're from. This did NOT TURN out the way I had imagined it would, but I'm happy with it. The map papers are from an old geography book.



We had a great 4th of July. The place we went to was so gorgeous, on top of a mountain with beautiful views of the water. They had a pool and the Little V stayed in most of the time we were there. I would LOVE to have a place like these people had, it was huge, immaculate with a great vegetable garden. The only thing missing was the dog - we left her home!

Anyway, happy Sunday. I picked 4 more quarts of strawberries this morning so I can make another batch of jam. I figured out how to make jam using only 1 cup of sugar for the sweetener - and it totally rocks! If you want the recipe I'll be happy to type it up and share....but you need to get the Sure Jell that says it's for low or no sugar.

Back to the old grind tomorrow. I've got another EK Success Sneak Peak to post sometime on Monday! TTFN.

EK Success CHA Sneak Peak

Happy Thursday everyone! The days are just flying by, I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. I think it's because it's summer vacation! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Little V and I went to the beach yesterday, a last minute kinda thing, had a great time - though I missed a few spots with the sunscreen and that looks kinda Today I want to share a few things with you that are coming out from EK Success. These are not samples that I made, but my team mates created them. I'll be posting mine in a few weeks. I'm pretty sure Nicole Ratzlaff made the gingerbread house, love it Nicole and Becky Cates made the Boo! House. Two very talented ladies that I'm honored to know! And, if you're going to be at CHA stop by and say hi to me at the EK Booth, I'll be demoing pens (brushables, writers and what ever else they have for me! ) I'd love to say hi! As a sidenote, I love the new paper shapers.....scalloped circles and square - to die for!! P.s. I'm not sure why the images are so small, sorry about that!!

Art Blanche®

What shape will your imagination take? With the Art Blanche™ new collection of customizable shaped books and chipboard shapes you will be inspired. Themed customizable books give you a blank canvas with the flexibility to paint, ink, chalk, stamp, distress, decoupage, or cover with paper.

In August, the Autumn/Halloween shapes of a spider web, ghost and maple leaf will be released.

In September, a gingerbread house, snowman, Christmas tree and a double mittens book will round out the seasonal assortment.

EK Success will also release 19 new sets of chipboards alphabets, numbers and popular shapes which coordinate with our existing nesting Paper Shapers® punches (sizes small – XL). You can punch out paper and completely cover the chipboard shape in one step, without the hassle of tracing and cutting the shape! August Release.

Well, have a great day everyone. We're going strawberry pickin' today! Looking forward to that for SURE!!