Friday, July 30, 2010

Dance, Dance, Dance

Cuttlebug Challenge 94 is to create a card with music, dance and energy. I grew up in the 50s and 60s where the jukebox reigned supreme everywhere. Diners would have them in every booth and after getting off work at Steak & Shake where I worked during high school, we would head for the local diner and listen to the Turtles. I had a friend named Steve who would push his dad's car out of the garage (so no one could hear it) and then start it. He ended up at Mexico Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri, instead of jail. He made a career out of the military so I guess you could say that car theft is a good thing. Sorta. I miss those days when getting to work on time and decent grades were the only problems in my life. And I miss chili 3 ways so I think a trip to Steak & Shake is in order soon.

Paper: DCWV Linen Closet; Stamps: Magnolia Ballerina Tilda; Pink Cat Studio; Inkadinkado Ticket & Sentiment; Tim Holtz Embossing Folder "Bricked"; Spellbinder Labels 9; Distress Ink Broken China; Spica: Clear, Baby Blue; Martha Stewart Ribbon; Stickles: Mermaid, Arctic Ice, Turquoise; Diamond Glaze; Copics: [skin R20, E00, E000][Hair Y23, Y21, YR31][Clothes G0000, G00, G000][Jukebox T2, BG72, BG18, E0000

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Bluebird Update - July 29th - 12 days old...

First of all, this is not a picture of my current babies. The parents get so stressed when I check the nest box, I didn't want to stay any longer than I need to stay in order to make sure everything is going well. It's amazing that bluebirds, like people, all have different personalities. Most are passive and just keep an eye on me when I check the nest box. This couple panics and actually flies over my head; I can feel the wind as they pass. The current nest box only has 3 babies, one egg was unfertilized and didn't hatch. Which is funny because my first nesting in the north box also had one unhatched egg in it. BUT this is what the new babies look like. They have touches of blue in their feathers now. If they hatched on the 16th, they will be twelve days old and within a week of fledging. The parents could even have another brood before the end of the season.

I LOVE pelicans. It's just been recently that the white pelicans have come back to the Illinois River. In the spring and fall we can see the large flocks circling our house, appearing and disappearing as they turn into and away from the sun. They just glide on the airstream and it looks like ballet. From the deck of a restaurant on the river that we frequent, you can see sandbars covered with pelicans and watch them fly from one sandbar to another. They fly single file, very close to the water. For such large birds they are surprisingly graceful. We've seen a small nesting colony at Homosassa Springs State Park in Florida. In their nesting colony they are loud, disruptive and dirty. Their babies are very unattractive, but when they grow up, they are truly impressive.

Bluebird Update - July 29th - 12 days old

First of all, this is not a picture of my current babies. The parents get so stressed when I check the nestbox, I didn't want to stay any longer than I need to stay in order to make sure everything is going well. It's amazing that bluebirds, like people, all have different personalities. Most are passive and just keep an eye on me when I check the nestbox. This couple panics and actually flies over my head; I can feel the wind as they pass. The current nest box only has 3 babies, one egg was unfertilized and didn't hatch. Which is funny because my first nesting in the north box also had one unhatched egg in it. BUT this is what the new babies look like. They have touches of blue in their feathers now. If they hatched on the 16th, they will be twelve days old and within a week of fledging. The parents could even have another brood before the end of the season.
In the new Magnolia summer kit, a pelican stamp was included. I LOVE pelicans. It's just been recently that the white pelicans have come back to the Illinois River. In the spring and fall we can see the large flocks circling our house, appearing and disappearing as they turn into and away from the sun. They just glide on the airstream and it looks like ballet. From the deck of a restaurant on the river that we frequent, you can see sandbars covered with pelicans and watch them fly from one sandbar to another. They fly single file, very close to the water. For such large birds they are surprisingly graceful. We've seen a small nesting colony at Homosassa Springs State Park in Florida. In their nesting colony they are loud, disruptive and dirty. Their babies are very unattractive, but when they grow up, they are truly impressive.
Even though this is a very simple card, I was pleased with the way it turned out. I've had the Spellbinder Impressionabilities for some time and had never even taken them out of the package. When I was doing inventory of my embossing folders for "the book" I decided to break one out and airbrush it. I used it as a stencil rather than an embossing folder and WOW!

Paper: Stash; Stamps: Magnolia Pelican; Spellbinder Petite Scalloped Ovals, Spellbinder Petite Ovals, Spellbinder Impressionabilities Sea Scape; Copic Air Gun; Copics: [Background Y35, Y32 sprayed with air gun][Pelican Y38, T6, N1, ), N)]

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

SSSC Challenge #2 - Water

This is the first time that I've inked up Picnic Tilda. Given a choice between housework and sitting on a pretty quilt gazing at a swan and her cignets, the swan would win everytime. I can't tell you how many days I've lost sitting in our gazebo and watching the bluebirds fly into and out of the nest box to feed their young. I only mean to stay a few minutes and suddenly the day is gone. To see the other cards in this challenge, please click here.
Paper: Stash; Stamps: Flourish Swan Lake, Magnolia Picnic Tilda & Quilt, Whimsy Ticket Sentiment; Stickles: Orange Peel, Crystal; Spellbinder Labels 8; Prima Flowers; Cuttlebug Japanese Scales Embossing Folder; Copics: [Water B0000, B000, B02][Swan N0, Y19][Vine YG03][Quilt BV13, Y08, BG11, R11, R21, YG23][Skin R20, E00, E000][Clothes YG03, YG63, B91, BV13, Y08, BG11, R11, B93, T3, T1][Hair Y11, Y38][Ticket R11]

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Dancing Cranes...

We saw a lot of animals in the three national parks we visited this year: Moose, grizzly, antelope, mountain sheep, elk, bison and coyotes. But the one I'll remember the most for being unique is the dancing crane. We saw three cranes in the Hayden Valley (the only ones we saw in Yellowstone) and one was dancing. This display is mating behavior for cranes, and although I've seen it on television, I had never seen it in person. Awesome.

We love the Rockies and all the parks that border them, but the Tetons occupy a special place in my heart. I call them "the in-your-face" mountains. In other parts of the Rockies, you go through the hills, then the lesser mountains, while looking up at the heights. The Tetons pop up out of the prairie immediately. They don't rise gracefully, they just are. The only way to get on them is to hike, there are no roads. This picture shows an old homestead in Grand Teton National Park. How would you like to wash dishes while looking at that view?


Dancing Cranes

We saw a lot of animals in the three national parks we visited this year: Moose, grizzly, antelope, mountain sheep, elk, bison and coyotes. But the one I'll remember the most for being unique is the dancing crane. We saw three cranes in the Hayden Valley (the only ones we saw in Yellowstone) and one was dancing. This display is mating behavior for cranes, and although I've seen it on television, I had never seen it in person. Awesome.

We love the Rockies and all the parks that border them, but the Tetons occupy a special place in my heart. I call them "the in-your-face" mountains. In other parts of the Rockies, you go through the hills, then the lesser mountains, while looking up at the heights. The Tetons pop up out of the prairie immediately. They don't rise gracefully, they just are. The only way to get on them is to hike, there are no roads. This picture shows an old homestead in Grand Teton National Park. How would you like to wash dishes while looking at that view?

This card is from the new Bon Voyage collection from Magnolia. I just received them after arriving home from vacation and just inked one up. I do plan to use them all soon.


Paper: Debbie Mumm Baby Girl, Bazzill Basics; Spellbinders Label Eight; Elements Hemp Jewelry Cord; Stamps: Dangling Sea Tilda, JustRite, Kraftin' Kimmie; Distress Ink Shabby Shutters; Pebbles Inc. Pearlescent Chalk; Copics: [skin R20, E00, E000][anchor T2, T3][clothes B12, T2, Y11,Y18, Spica Baby Blue][rope E34][Shoes N1, No, Spica Baby Blue][Hat B12, T2, Spica Baby Blue][Hair E37, E34, E35]

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Oops...

Have you ever gotten yourself into a situation that you didn't know how to get out of? Leaving Wall, S.D. one year on vacation, heading west on I90, we started down a hill and met an RV going east on I90 in our lane. I'm not sure who was most surprised, the elderly man in the RV or my husband. He must have gotten turned around during the construction we ran into a little further down the road. It's many miles between exits on I90 in S.D. so we don't know how many miles he had to travel, terrorizing other people, before he had a chance to get into the eastbound lane, if indeed, that's where he wanted to go. That's just one of the many frightening experiences we've had while traveling. This year's vacation actually went pretty smoothly.

We love the sunrise in Yellowstone. My husband gets up at 5:00am to drive the Hayden Valley along the Yellowstone River looking for the perfect sunrise picture. I pretend to hate getting up early but we always see the best stuff before people with children hit the road. One morning heading into the Hayden Valley we passed a wolf on the road heading in the opposite direction. He ran right next to our car. We'd never seen a wolf that close before, he took our breath away. The next morning it was a grizzly right next to the car, traveling on the road in the same direction we were going. I could have opened the window and touched him/her. Of course, these encounters take place in low light, usually too early to take pictures, but the pictures in our memories will last forever.

Oops

Have you ever gotten yourself into a situation that you didn't know how to get out of? Leaving Wall, S.D. one year on vacation, heading west on I90, we started down a hill and met an RV going east on I90 in our lane. I'm not sure who was most surprised, the elderly man in the RV or my husband. He must have gotten turned around during the construction we ran into a little further down the road. It's many miles between exits on I90 in S.D. so we don't know how many miles he had to travel, terrorizing other people, before he had a chance to get into the eastbound lane, if indeed, that's where he wanted to go. That's just one of the many frightening experiences we've had while traveling. This year's vacation actually went pretty smoothly.



We love the sunrise in Yellowstone. My husband gets up at 5:00am to drive the Hayden Valley along the Yellowstone River looking for the perfect sunrise picture. I pretend to hate getting up early but we always see the best stuff before people with children hit the road. One morning heading into the Hayden Valley we passed a wolf on the road heading in the opposite direction. He ran right next to our car. We'd never seen a wolf that close before, he took our breath away. The next morning it was a grizzly right next to the car, traveling on the road in the same direction we were going. I could have opened the window and touched him/her. Of course, these encounters take place in low light, usually too early to take pictures, but the pictures in our memories will last forever.


So, elderly RV driver, this card's for you....




Paper: My Mind's Eye Home Matstack, Stash; Stamps: House Mouse Mudpie Holds Jellybeans, PaperTrey Friendship Jar, Cornish Heritage Farms; Kaiser Pearls; Spica Clear; Spellbinder Deckled Rectangles; Ribbon - Offray; Copics: [Jar B0000, T1, N1, N0][Mouse R20, E55, E50, E51, E53][Jelly Beans Y08, R81, YG23, R27]


Friday, July 23, 2010

Go West Young Man....

I'm going to share pictures of our two weeks of vacation with you - and some stories of people and events along the way. We left for Yellowstone National Park on July 2 and drove up to Le Claire, Iowa that evening. There is a wonderful restaurant called Sneaky Pete's that is covered inside with the remains of ties that men have unknowingly worn. Ties are cut off with scissors and hung from the beams inside the restaurant. You can trace the decades by the tie styles. They also have the very best wood grilled catfish. Yum! At O'dark-thirty the next morning we headed to Murdo, South Dakota. The place for burgers in Murdo is the Rusty Spur. The Super 8 in Murdo is is very shabby with sheets that are too small for the beds and indifferent maintenance.

My husband likes to take photographs in South Dakota. There is an old 1880 town near Murdo that has been created by moving old buildings from their build sites. From Murdo, we toured The Badlands National Park. Early in the morning is the best time to drive the park and is almost essential if you want to hike. It can get really hot in the afternoon and most of the animals are in the shade somewhere. We saw a gazillion Meadowlarks, deer, antelope, pelicans (which we had never seen before in the park), prairie dogs and turkeys.

The night of July 4th we stayed in Wall, S.D. For you Bob & Tom fans, you can tune to 100.3 outside of Wall. We left Wall early the morning of the 5th heading for Cody, S.D. We met a couple from Dunlap, IL at a Flying J in Gillette, WY. Dunlap is just 10 miles or so from our home. Small world. The wildflowers in the Big Horn mountains were at their peak. We usually head west the last two weeks in July, so we were two weeks early this year. I have never seen the spring flowers so lovely. A new restaurant on the outskirts of Cody is the Terrace. I had Hazelnut Shrimp which is a dish I'd never eaten before but surely will order again the next time we're in Cody. Cody is the home of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. If you visit, plan to spend several hours there. The Center has many wings and will take some time to see it all. For you mothers, there is also a super Walmart so you can stock up on all the stuff you forgot. There is also a scrapbooking store near the Super 8 but it doesn't open until 10:00am and we are usually on the road long before that. Tomorrow Yellowstone...

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Joys of summertime...

Do you remember the days when you caught bees and lightening bugs in a jar? Or crawdads in the creek? I grew up in the country where my step-father raised rabbits, ducks and turkeys. He farmed a few acres and worked in the city. He let me drive the tractor. He had tiny Morton salt shakers for his lunch and we used to steal one and pick all the ripe tomatoes in the garden, sprinkle them with salt, and devour them warm with sunshine. I put crawdads in the horse trough and threw in my little sister. I had to ride my bike a mile to play with a girl my own age. We used to swing in tire swings and play in the hay in the barn. Our school had one big room for all the classes and we could walk to the church across the street. I never wore shoes during the week and now I can't go outside without them; my feet are way too tender. I miss those carefree days when my only responsibility was to be a child.

Joys of summertime...

Do you remember the days when you caught bees and lightening bugs in a jar? Or crawdads in the creek? I grew up in the country where my step-father raised rabbits, ducks and turkeys. He farmed a few acres and worked in the city. He let me drive the tractor. He had tiny Morton salt shakers for his lunch and we used to steal one and pick all the ripe tomatoes in the garden, sprinkle them with salt, and devour them warm with sunshine. I put crawdads in the horse trough and threw in my little sister. I had to ride my bike a mile to play with a girl my own age. We used to swing in tire swings and play in the hay in the barn. Our school had one big room for all the classes and we could walk to the church across the street. I never wore shoes during the week and now I can't go outside without them; my feet are way too tender. I miss those carefree days when my only responsibility was to be a child. This card is my tribute to that childhood.

Paper: Bazzill, DCWV Linen Closet; Stamps: Stampin' Up Bee, PaperTrey Mason Jar & Cap, Stickles: Gold, Clear; Offray Ribbon; Copics: BG72, Y06, T2, N0


Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Magnolia Stamp Lovers Challenge - Piecing

I love piecing. It's always fun to add designs to plain paper, so I was glad to see it come up as a challenge. Edwin's shirt was pieced from a texured piece of Latte Card Matstock. The pants were stamped on Debbie Mumm's Baby Boy cardstock, cut out and pieced. This card was a lot of fun to do. I hope this challenge encourages you to try this technique.



Paper: Debbie Mumm Baby Boy, DCWV Latte Card Matstack; Stamps: Magnolia Sea Background, Edwin w/Binoculars; Stampendous Stickers; Copics: {Skin R20, E11, E00][Hair E43, E42, E44][Binoculars T1, T4, N0][Porthole B21, BV000, BG000, T4, T6, E34, BV000, N1][Clothes R24, N1, R27, T4, T1]

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Breaks my heart...

Going into town yesterday I saw two dead cats on the highway, one was an orange tabby and one was a black cat with white stockings . I used to 'agree to disagree' with a friend I worked with about a cat's need to go outside. She said they had to, it was part of their nature, so she let her cats roam at will. I have a cat I love to distraction. And we live in a wooded area with coyotes, raccoons, cars and foxes. All are lethal to cats. I have never been able to understand how people who love their pets could care so little about their safety. There used to be a couple of cats running free in our neighborhood. I haven't seen either of them in months. It's hard to tell what happened to them - did their owner's move? Or did they run into something they were not equipped to handle? An article by Scott Shalaway enumerates the many dangers that cats face while running free outside - and some suggestions for keeping your indoor cat happy.

Cats are notorious for hunting songbird young. There is no defense for a fledgling robin from a hunting cat and the bird's parents cannot protect him. This New York Times article "Give Birds a Break. Lock up the Cat." quotes studies about cat predation on songbirds.

If you are on the fence about letting your cat out, please, keep him/her in. Your cat will live years longer than a cat allowed to run outside and who doesn't want that?

Breaks my heart

Going into town yesterday I saw two dead cats on the highway, one was an orange tabby and one was a black cat with white stockings . I used to 'agree to disagree' with a friend I worked with about a cat's need to go outside. She said they had to, it was part of their nature, so she let her cats roam at will. I have a cat I love to distraction. And we live in a wooded area with coyotes, raccoons, cars and foxes. All are lethal to cats. I have never been able to understand how people who love their pets could care so little about their safety. There used to be a couple of cats running free in our neighborhood. I haven't seen either of them in months. It's hard to tell what happened to them - did their owner's move? Or did they run into something they were not equipped to handle? An article by Scott Shalaway enumerates the many dangers that cats face while running free outside - and some suggestions for keeping your indoor cat happy.

Cats are notorious for hunting songbird young. There is no defense for a fledgling robin from a hunting cat and the bird's parents cannot protect him. This New York Times article "Give Birds a Break. Lock up the Cat." quotes studies about cat predation on songbirds.

If you are on the fence about letting your cat out, please, keep him/her in. Your cat will live years longer than a cat allowed to run outside and who doesn't want that?

This was the card I sent to my friend, Cindy for her birthday. We are eternally linked by our love of frogs. It is wonderful that I can make cards with all the great frog stamps and embellishments I have and can send those to someone who appreciates them. Cindy, hope your birthday was fabulous - as you are!


Paper: Stash; Stamps: Art Impression, Flourishes, Hero Arts; Martha Stewart Punch; Cricut Cartridge Create a Critter, Copics: [Lily Pad G40, G82 airbrushed][Frog YG97, YG93, B00, R02 airbrushed][Lotus YR16, RV13, RV14, RV11, YG03, YG05] Stickles: Orange, Grape.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Trashing the planet...

I was traveling back from my dentist on Tuesday, he's in the 'big' city of Peoria about 40 minutes away. I was following a white SUV with "Stamate" on the license plate. An arm came out of the driver's side and threw a lit cigarette onto the pavement. And it made me really angry. It looked like an expensive car, too bad it didn't come with an ashtray. Back in the day when my husband and I used to smoke, we would never have considered dumping our garbage on the ground. We used half filled water bottles to dump our cigarettes in, emptied them into a garbage can, rinsed them out, and reused them. My fondest wish is to follow these people home and dump trash all over their yards. To return the favor, you know? I dream of the day we can drive down any highway anywhere and not see McDonald's bags, soda bottles, cans and plastic bags caught in the trees. I can't tell you how often I've seen trash fly from the back of a pickup truck. It's too bad we can't make citizen's arrests for littering.

Our portion of Illinois is in the dark ages when it comes to recyling. Luckily, my husband's employer has a recyling bin on their property so we can recycle plastic, glass and newspaper. It's a perk for their employees.

Trashing the planet

I was traveling back from my dentist on Tuesday, he's in the 'big' city of Peoria about 40 minutes away. I was following a white SUV with "Stamate" on the license plate. An arm came out of the driver's side and threw a lit cigarette onto the pavement. And it made me really angry. It looked like an expensive car, too bad it didn't come with an ashtray. Back in the day when my husband and I used to smoke, we would never have considered dumping our garbage on the ground. We used half filled water bottles to dump our cigarettes in, emptied them into a garbage can, rinsed them out, and reused them. My fondest wish is to follow these people home and dump trash all over their yards. To return the favor, you know? I dream of the day we can drive down any highway anywhere and not see McDonald's bags, soda bottles, cans and plastic bags caught in the trees. I can't tell you how often I've seen trash fly from the back of a pickup truck. It's too bad we can't make citizen's arrests for littering.

Our portion of Illinois is in the dark ages when it comes to recyling. Luckily, my husband's employer has a recyling bin on their property so we can recycle plastic, glass and newspaper. It's a perk for their employees.

This is an old card, made before I started keeping records on colors, papers and embellishments. I remember that I took a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper and marked out the A2 sized pieces that I could use for a decent background. I thought this one came out well.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Organization

OK, tell the truth, do you have supplies in so many nooks and crannies that you sometimes have trouble locating or even remembering the supplies you own? Have you ever ordered something that you already had but didn't remember you had? When I was Copic Certified, one of the things the instructor told us was to keep a book with those color combos that you really liked in it. I carried that a bit farther and put lots of other things in my book. I punched out every punch I had and put an example in my book. I printed out the picture of every Spellbinder die that I owned and put it in my book. I keep track of which Distress Inks match which Copics. You know all those little Cuttlebug embossing folders? They're in the book. The Cuttlebug die/folder combinations - in the book. The book also tells me WHERE those supplies are [my drawers are numbered]. Ideas for cards and hints on how to do things better or differently - go in the book. This is my stamping bible and it's on my craft table all the time.

This card was created with paper from my stash. The butterfly is a Cuttlebug die/folder combination on a Spellbinder's Dahlia. The ticket stamp is from Whimsy. All the embellishments were sprayed with Copics using the airbrush.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Magnolia Stamp Lover's Challenge 14 - Take a Trip


I'm honored that Anary picked "Take a Trip" as the subject for this challenge because it was my vacation that inspired it. The sentiment was computer generated and it's how I feel about my husband. I hadn't really traveled much before we started dating; he opened my eyes to the wonders of the United States. The prehistoric look of the rainforest in Washington, the beauty of the ocean in Maine, the towering mountains of the Rockies. We've even ventured into Canada and relished the kindness of the Canadian people and the beauty of their country. We never wonder where a road goes, we just find out. Every trip with him is an adventure.
Paper: Stash; Stamps: Flourish Antique Map, Magnolia Tilda Traveler, Magnolia Luggage; The Paper Co. Studio Travel USA; Copics: [Luggage E43, E42, E31, E55, Acrylic Paint Antique Gold, YG93, Y28][Skin E00, R20, E000][Clothes E50, E53, E55, Spica Sand][Hair YR23, YR31, Y21][Shoes E53, E31, E55] Distress Ink: Old Paper

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Welcome to the Stamping Scrapping Challenge Central's first challenge - "Wedding"

I loved this image the second I saw it. It's so sophisticated. I couldn't wait to ink it up but I don't know anyone getting married right away, so I was really happy when Cindy Echtinaw decided to combine some of her blogs to show off more stamp manufacturers in one place and decided on weddings as the first topic. This is the first challenge for this blog which will highlight more than Magnolia stamps. Most of the materials can be purchased from Cindy's shop: stampingscrapping.com. Cindy's customer service is exceptional - she begins as a 'store' and ends up a 'friend'. To know her is to love her. OK, off my soapbox...
These are the supplies that I used to make this card: Paper: Making Memories Wedding, Stash; Stamps: Magnolia Bride & Bridesmaid; Krylon Silver Leafing Pen; Smooch: Illuminate; Smooch Silver; Kaiser Pearls; Copics: [Skin R20, E00, E000][Hair (E33, E21, E30)(E99, YR23, Y21)][Veil R00 - Illuminate][Dress R000, R0000][Bridesmaid dress RV00, Y000, Illuminate][Flowers R83, R81, Y17, YG25, Y08][Basket E30][Shoes W8, N8]; MS Scoreboard; Glue Glider Pro, Spellbinders Pendant Fleur de Lis; Spellbinders Classic Squares Large, Glimmer Mist - Silver

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Planning a vacation...

When my husband and I plan a vacation, we really plan. He's got a list and I have a list. Usually we travel in places where multiple seasons of clothes are necessary. Since mountains are almost always on our list, sometimes we scrape frost off the windshield and sometimes the heat melts the tar on the road. So, we have to be prepared. Our favorite park, Yellowstone, has long stretches of road between cold drinks and snacks. And it's not just the length of the road, but the tourists who get in your way. The speed limit is 45 mph, but in fear of missing something, tourists (we don't consider ourselves tourists, btw) will drive 10 mph. And then there are the buffalo jams when you become one with the buffalo as they come down from the hills to drink at the river. Traffic comes to a complete stop as they mill around the cars. I once had one scratch himself on the nose mask of my brand new Eclipse. Nothing you can do but scream - and they don't react to screams. So, we need to pack a cooler and cold drinks which means ice every morning for the cooler. Then there is my husband's photographic equipment, cameras, tripods, wind screens (which come in handy for protecting scrapbooking paper), lenses, filters. Since he can't just walk into the house and get what he needs, it all goes with him. I used to pack a bag of books but since he got me a Kindle, we've reduced tonnage in the car. But, I have a snack bag and a "keep Cindy occupied" bag which holds the portable DVD player, my computer and DVDs. In Yellowstone there is no TV and no telephone. And, after dark, nothing to see. There are no street lights in Yellowstone.

Planning a vacation

When my husband and I plan a vacation, we really plan. He's got a list and I have a list. Usually we travel in places where multiple seasons of clothes are necessary. Since mountains are almost always on our list, sometimes we scrape frost off the windshield and sometimes the heat melts the tar on the road. So, we have to be prepared. Our favorite park, Yellowstone, has long stretches of road between cold drinks and snacks. And it's not just the length of the road, but the tourists who get in your way. The speed limit is 45 mph, but in fear of missing something, tourists (we don't consider ourselves tourists, btw) will drive 10 mph. And then there are the buffalo jams when you become one with the buffalo as they come down from the hills to drink at the river. Traffic comes to a complete stop as they mill around the cars. I once had one scratch himself on the nose mask of my brand new Eclipse. Nothing you can do but scream - and they don't react to screams. So, we need to pack a cooler and cold drinks which means ice every morning for the cooler. Then there is my husband's photographic equipment, cameras, tripods, wind screens (which come in handy for protecting scrapbooking paper), lenses, filters. Since he can't just walk into the house and get what he needs, it all goes with him. I used to pack a bag of books but since he got me a Kindle, we've reduced tonnage in the car. But, I have a snack bag and a "keep Cindy occupied" bag which holds the portable DVD player, my computer and DVDs. In Yellowstone there is no TV and no telephone. And, after dark, nothing to see. There are no street lights in Yellowstone.
This is my 'travelin' girl. She has more adventure in her little finger than a lot of people have in their whole bodies. I think that's a map of Yellowstone she has in her hand.
Paper: DCWV Safari Chic, Bazzill; Stamp: Kraftin' Kimmie Genevieve; Punch: EK Success + Martha Stewart; Spica: Mint, Clear; Ribbon: Sweet and Sassy; Sentiment: Stash; Copic: (skin E11, R20, E00, E000, eye BV0000) (Dress G24, G21, E43, E44) (Gloves E55) (Map E53, E43) (Goggles E39, E35, N2, T2) (Hair Y11, Y28) (Airplane E42, E43, E31, E50, T3, T4, B000)

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Wildlife update...

Yesterday was glorious. Temps in the mid 70's, the sky was bluer than Paul Newman's eyes, the breeze swept through the house filling it with fragrance. I was sitting at the computer this morning checking my e-mail when a movement out the window caught my eye and my breath stopped. There was a doe in our side yard with twins. They still had spots and long gangly legs and were just the cutest things. On the spot I forgave all the deer for eating my phlox, balloon flowers, Asiatic lilies, zinnias, viburnum and clematis this year.

And....there are now three bluebird eggs. As I was checking the box, dad flew down from the TV antenna and divebombed me. Bluebirds are usually pacifists but every once in a while you get an agressive one. I once saw a male bluebird wrestle a brown-headed cowbird that made the mistake of landing on the bluebird house. He hit the cowbird, knocked him into the honeysuckle and all I saw was the honeysuckle moving while they were thrashing around.

Wildlife update

Yesterday was glorious. Temps in the mid 70's, the sky was bluer than Paul Newman's eyes, the breeze swept through the house filling it with fragrance. I was sitting at the computer this morning checking my e-mail when a movement out the window caught my eye and my breath stopped. There was a doe in our side yard with twins. They still had spots and long gangly legs and were just the cutest things. On the spot I forgave all the deer for eating my phlox, balloon flowers, asiatic lilies, zinnias, viburnum and clemantis this year.

And....there are now three bluebird eggs. As I was checking the box, dad flew down from the TV antenna and divebombed me. Bluebirds are usually pacifists but every once in a while you get an agressive one. I once saw a male bluebird wrestle a brown-headed cowbird that made the mistake of landing on the bluebird house. He hit the cowbird, knocked him into the honeysuckle and all I saw was the honeysuckle moving while they were thrashing around.

My friend, Cindy Echtinaw, celebrated a birthday yesterday. I hope it was terrific and that she took some time for herself.

This card is in keeping with my great wildlife day. The bee is a Stampin' Up stamp and the tiny tag is from PaperTrey. Hope you like her.


Paper: Stash; Stamps: Magnolia Tilda Bee, Magnolia Honey Jar, PaperTrey, Stampin' Up; Smooch Illuminate; Nellie Snellen Flowers; Copics: [Honey Jar YR24, T3, T1, N1, N0][Skin E11, E00, R20][Hair E34, E31][Suit Y32, Y35, N8] Kaiser Rhinestones, Martha Stewart Punch, Tim Holtz Carnivale Alphabet