#5

This is not my favorite layout that I've done.  I feel like it's too busy, and I don't really like the basketballs that I used, but...I hate trying to redo something once I have it done, so it will stay.  The first page is of Treven's game, and the second page is Chris playing basketball.  I didn't get to see any of their games, so their mothers were kind enough to give me some photos.  I hate missing what the kids do, but sometimes it just happens. 

#4

I took these photos at the same time we did the photos of Chris with his saxaphone.  Taylor is even less enthusiastic about posing for photos.  He was pretty good, but I know he just plain doesn't like doing it.  Thanks Bug...for letting me take pictures of you.  You're such a handsome kid and so much fun to have come.  Love you!

Layout #3

Again...sorry about the glare I seem to always get in the lower left hand corner.  I'm experimenting with different locations and using a easel...maybe I'll improve.  Also, the photos look a little blurry, but in real life...they are great. 
These are photos of Chris from last spring.  I was taking that photoshop class, and we had to do a "flyer" or announcement looking piece, so we set up a chair by my south windows, held up black fleece behind Chris, and took some photos.  I used my point and shoot, and then Robin let me use her Cannon...oh, I wanted one super bad!
The announcement in the upper right hand side of the second page is what I made for my class.  Got an A...I loved taking that class, and keep thinking I should just sign up again, because it made me take photos and do something with them.  And, I could always use more help in photoshop.  Love that program also.
Thanks to Chris for being such a good subject.

Another layout

Here's another layout that I finished this week.  Sorry about the glare.  I try to place my layouts where my lights won't shine on them, but I have alot of light in my room and sometimes I just can't miss it.  But, you can see what a fun birthday party Danelle had for Ellie on her first birthday.  She had a cupcake to begin with, and that was the bright pink frosting.  She shared that with Grandpa Jones, and he didn't even seem to mind.  The photos of her in her high chair, are of her eating her birthday cake.  She didn't quite know why we were all making such a fuss and taking pictures.  She did have fun eating it until she got full and then she just started crumbling it up all over the floor.  What a fun theme...cupcakes.  I made a paper pieced cupcake to go on the front of the gift bag we took her present in.  I thought it was pretty cool...even if I do say so myself.

We sold another spot for the retreat today, so we're down to one open spot.  We're getting pretty excited about it, and we're all working towards our particular job.  I'm food...and I'm busy trying recipes and making plans for yummy meals.

I'm all jacked up!

I'm all jacked up about scrapbooking again.  I really haven't done any since our last retreat in October.  Seems like forever, but I've been so busy making hats, sewing, and Christmas, that I just haven't had much time to do any.  But I'm on a roll now.  I've done several layouts, so I'll probably share one a day with you all.  This one is of one of the past retreats...I think our very first one.  Can't remember for sure...it's been too long.  I just kept putting it off because I wasn't sure what colors to use or what paper...you know.  I'd pick it up and then put it away again.  Finally, I decided I had to just work through it, and when I was done, I actually quite liked it.  In the last photo, you can see one of the buttons that I made myself.  I just went through a tutorial on SCS and learned how.  I thought it turned out pretty cool.   I'll share another one tomorrow.
Now, the other reason I'm all jacked up!  I got a call from the camera shop that I took my camera to on Friday tonight, and guess what?  He got the filter off, and said that's all that was wrong with the lens.  He said he'd just charge me $15.00...he thought if he hadn't gotten it off and he would have sent it off, it would have been more like $65.00 plus the shipping.  I'm so excited.  Now I just have to get back to Boise and pick it up.  Whoooohooo.  I'm jacked!  I was so afraid it would just be ruined.  Jeff asked me tonight if it was worth all the crying ...well, maybe not...now that I know it wasn't so bad.

More scrap cards

 More of those tags I found.  And of course, a scrap front I made and had laying on my craft desk...forever.

 This was a piece of paper that came from SU.  I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do with it, so I just sponged ink over it.  Then I took a white flower and put pink pearl x on it.  The only problem with that is it takes forever to dry.  Guess I should have used my heat gun on it.

 I had this skater stamped on a circle...not even sure where it came from.  Janell I think.  Anyway, I just put a scalloped circle behind it and put it on a scrap front, then tied some silver ribbon out of my jar around it.  I thought it turned out kind of cute.

This was another card made from scraps.  I like embossing this stamp in white on black.  It just stands out so well.   Not sure I like the coral (looks pink I know) matting paper though.  Just doesn't seem much like a sympathy card to me, but I'll probably still use it sooner or later.
Enough cards for awhile now.  I've been scrapping again...after a LONG time off.  I've already finished several layouts, and I'll start posting those tomorrow.

Challenge #4 for the retreat

Scraps, scraps, scraps

A long time ago in Papercrafts, they showed a set of tags made with this SU set.  I made the little container full of the tags and gave it away, but I had made quite a few extra tags at the same time.  While I was down with my surgery, I thought I could at least clean out a drawer or two, and guess what?  I found these tags.  I decided to just use them on cards. (of course, the card fronts are ones that I already had put together from scraps)
I didn't think they turned out too bad.  The green ribbon on the above card was just a scrap in my jar that sits on my desk.  I always try to use up little pieces to empty it out, but it never seems to go down much.

This was another "scrap" front I had made.  I stamped the cupcakes, and then used crystal effects on the icing.  While it was still wet, I sprinkled beads in it to simulate "sprinkles" on the icing.  I sort of liked how it turned out. 
I've been in Boise for a couple of days.  Took my camera into to be repaired...can't wait to get it back.  I actually only left the lens, as the camera will take photos.  Then I went to Idaho camera and bought a 50mm lens...so now I can at least use it.  I also stopped at a few scrapbook stores and a craft store.  The craft store was having a big sale on all bolt fabric, so I got several backs for quilts.  I know...I said I wasn't going to do that, but this was such a good buy.  I just had to...Jeff said I'd better get out of Boise...quick.  I have to agree with him...I went a little nuts.

February Exchange Cards

The theme for the February card exchange was "brads, buttons, or eylets".  I think we just did this in December, but it's an easy one.
The first card is the duck one, and below that I folded a paper strip to and then used buttons on it.  I used stickles to highlight the feathers on the duck.  The second one, I used buttons glued all over a heart cut out of cardstock.  I like how this one turned out, but I'm sure it will probably take extra postage to mail.
The third one is a paper pieced one, with stamped butterfly.  I used eyelets on it, and stickles to highlight the doodle on the left hand side.  It's been awhile since I made a pieced card.  I actually like doing them because you can use up some scraps.
The last one, I used a large eyelet flower for the O in love.  I like this one also.  Everyone will probably think it's a little late for the "heart" cards, but I think they can be used all year long.
Hope more people do the exchange.  It's always nice to have enough that we don't get our own cards back.

Aprons again

Well, remember when I was going to get a bunch of aprons sewn up before Christmas?  Well, I got half of them done...finally.  I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with them now.  But...at least three of them are finished.  I only have three more cut out and ready to sew.  I actually like the colors and think they are cute, so I guess they might make gifts for a wedding shower or something like that.

Receiving Blankets

Awhile back, I learned how to make these cute receiving blankets, and had cut out several for boys, and then they just layed there...waiting for me to find time to sew.  So, I finally got around to it.  I love how these have the mitered corners, show both sides of the fabric, and are so easy to do.  I really liked all of them, but my favorite was the black background with the elephants and giraffes on it in orange and lime green.  Just loved that pattern.  It was the only one that wasn't flannel on both sides, and I even liked that about it.
Now if someone just has some baby boys!  I'm set.

Retreat Challenge #3

The 3rd challenge was to pick a topic that we had a strong personal belief in.  I love the USA.  Whenever I hear the Star Spangled Banner I cry.  I think it's because I've aged to where I truly appreciate what we enjoy in this country.  I also see it slipping away.  We have too many greedy people.  Not only in offices of the country, but in business.  It seems we've forgotten that we are all in this together.  I hope I can get involved and help to keep our freedoms.  I want my children and grandkids to have the same opportunities that we've had.

Brittney's shower

I really wanted to make something hand crafted for Brittney's shower that Marcy gave last week.  But, with my hands the way they are, I was afraid there wouldn't be anything I could do.  Her kitchen theme is "Americana", so I kept trying to think of something...Friday night, I could not sleep.  It was one of those nights where I would lay in bed for an hour or two, finally get up and do something, thinking then I'd go to sleep.  Trouble was, I just couldn't sleep.
So, I started planning on sorts of scrapbook pages and layouts, crafts I wanted to do, sewing I wanted to do, quilt tops....you know.  My mind was going a hundred miles an hour.  (No wonder I couldn't sleep)
Anyway, I got this idea for an Americana picture I could embroidery and tea dye, and it wouldn't be very hard.  I thought I could stamp on the muslin with permenant ink, then just draw lines (like a waving flag) and it would be all straight stitching.  I did this, and added a few stars...still straight lines, and then tea dyed it, dried it, and framed it all Saturday morning before we left for the shower.
I know it isn't the cutest thing I've ever made...but I was handicapped!

My retreat challenge #2

The challenge was to scrap about a favorite hobby or something I really enjoyed doing.  I don't know if I'd call making these hats a hobby or an obsession.  I started making these crocheted hats last fall because when we went to Boise shopping, we saw the cutest brown hat with a pink flower on it, but it was too small for Ellie's head.  I started looking for a pattern and when Robin and I were in Porter's one day, I found a little "free printed" pattern.  It was for a baby, and the first one I made was pretty small.  But I've crocheted for a long time, and it wasn't too hard to figure out what to do from then on.  Lots of people asked for the pattern, but it was so far from what I started with, that I couldn't really give the pattern to them.  I did explain it to Margene, and she made all of Ashley's students hats for Christmas.  Once I had one made, Danelle's other girls were asking for hats...in browns, purples, etc.  So, I just kept making them!  It was fun because they all seemed to really like them.
To begin with, I was going to keep track of how many I made and take photos of all of them.  Somewhere along the way though, I gave up.  I just made too many.  But I had so much fun doing it.  I tried to make every hat original.  I never made the same color and pattern combinations. 
For Christmas, I made every grandchild and the adults hats. 

GO PACK!

I was really happy when the Packer's pulled the Super Bowl off.  Thanks to Dave, I had a sweatshirt to wear for the game....he brought it back for me when he went to a Green Bay Packer's game.  I was also super happy that Cory Hall got to play in a super bowl, and especially, that he got to play as much as he did.  Jeff commented:
What a career.  When he played for Glenns Ferry, they took their state championship, then he played with BSU...and they won the Fiesta Bowl...He's played with Green Bay under Bret Favre and now he's gone to the Super Bowl.  Is that awesome or what?  And he's from little Glenns Ferry, Idaho.

Valentine containers

I wanted to give a couple of our neighbors (older widowers) some cookies for Valentine Day.  I made a double batch of oatmeal, raisin cookies and they fit perfectly in these raisin containers I'd just emptied.  So I decided I'd cover them with Valentine paper and then deliver them just before Valentine's Day.  Last year our neighbor's wife had just passed away about a month before, so I put a bunch in his mailbox.  His grandson ran into me one day, and told me how excited his grandpa was that he got "treats" for Valentine's Day.  It's amazing to me what small things mean to people.  I just don't know why I don't do more of it.
A while back, one of my daughters called me and said:  "I just wanted to thank you." I wasn't sure what for until she explained that we helped them move, helped them tile, etc, etc.  I don't even think I do anywhere near enough for my kids, much less others.  It makes me want to do so much bettter.  Getting a little thanks means alot...so thank you!  Thank you to my kids, my husband, my family, my neighbors, the people I work with, the people I do business with...some of you are my favorite people...so many, I can't begin to name them.  Whomever said it takes a "village" is certainly right. 
And I'm committed to doing better.

Complete quilt top

This is the completed quilt top.  When I finished it the night before my surgery, I spread it out for Jeff to see.  His comment was:  "It's colorful."  Guess he isn't that excited about this one.  I thought it was okay.  Probably not my favorite, but nice.  I always like pinwheels.

Get well wishes

People just don't realize what a phone call, or a simple card  can mean when you aren't feeling well.  I received several get well cards, and it was so nice.  I also have had some phone calls that meant an awful lot to me.  Wishing me the best, and offers for help.  It's wonderful that people take the time to help others.  It makes me want to do more for others as well.
Thanks to everyone, I'm feeling much better today.  I'm actually up doing a little bit.  I've read a couple of books, and my hands are slowly starting to feel a little better.

Thank you everyone

Keith Ramsey brought flowers into work for me on Friday.  With a note saying they would get by without me for a "few" days.  I thought that was very sweet of him.  Danelle brought food on Friday, which kept us eating for about three days.  Jeff's mom and Viki have both brought food over.  Mom came and helped me on Monday, and Sally is bringing food tonight.  I won't want to go back to cooking!
I took a couple of photos of some cards I've gotten also, and I'll try to post those tomorrow.
Thanks everyone that has wished me well!  It makes a huge difference.