Last of the Challenges: Tags

I love to make tags! They are such a great way to try out a new technique without using reams of paper. They also make great cards or book marks so can easily be turned into little gifts.

Who I am tagging: everyone who wants to play and if you will link your posted tags (or any of the other challenges)in a message here, I'll put your name in a hat and have a random drawing in a week for a goody bag from me.

We are off on a road trip today to Homosassas to a giant flea market and to watch the weighing in at a big fishing tournament. The latter is not the lure for me but rather the fish fry after that! (and sorry about the pun)

We went to Gavel and Wine festival here in Tarpon Springs last night and had such a nice hour or so just roaming our tiny town's streets. I even bought a blingy 'wine diva' tee shirt from one of the vendors for my collection. There were not one but two bands performing, an antique car show, a boat show and, of course the wine tasting...we took a pass on that this time. Pictures tomorrow!

HOpe everyone is having a great weekend!

Favorite Five: Altered Objects

This sure covers a wide range of things, doesn't it? As many of you know, for a while I was in my 'bird phase' and did quite a few bird houses. Before that it was torsos and wire dress forms, and then was my canvas period which I feel coming back. As a friend of mine said, if it isn't nailed down, make it prettier! lol.

I had a tough time picking but am trying to abide by the rules I set, for a change! lol and only posted five of my altered projects...my top five favorites.

Here are my five tagged people for today: MaryGrimm (from KnK), Teri (who is on vacation but will see this when she gets home I hope), Mama Jayne who does wonderful work, Di whose work with inchies and ACTs and soldering is wonderous and Pam B, whom I am hoping will post some of her altered window frames.

Tomorrow is Tags day! I love making these, sending them and using them as cards and book marks. Let's see your tags!

Directions for the tri-fold card...

will be posted on my altered blog on Monday. Garage sale at Ruban Rouge tomorrow, Gavel and Wine event in Tarpon Springs tomorrow night and day trip to Homosassa on Sunday.

Today's Favorite Five Challenge: layouts

This was so hard to pick. I've been scrapping for over twelve years and have tons of albums and stacks of layouts everywhere. I did manage to narrow my picks to these 7 (I know I know...only 5...ha!)more recent layouts. Each is my favorite for a different reason: the photos or the colors I used, or the papers or how it came together or the memories I relived during the creation process or a combination of these. All I know is that they have a special appeal to me and hopefully others will sense that.

So, here are the tags for today: Laura B, Tammy Dee, Darlene (from the G45 paper forum), Twinks (aka Kath) and my friend Barb in Ft. Myers. You have one week, ladies, to post your top five ( or more) favorite layouts on either your blog or in a gallery and let us know which one...and tag five other people. Thanks for playing and have fun!

Last three layouts

These last three hold special places in my heart: this great picture of my honey, the shot I got of my great niece, Kaela and my son who is so patient with her when she visits and entertains her and the "Putting on the Ritz" layout of my mom and her girlfriends taken in Chicago in the mid 1940s. This is one of my favorite photos of her.

My top five favorite cards (and check out who I tagged today)

Actually, I have six favorites so I cheated a tiny bit today. You will have to scroll down to see the next three. The brown one in the second batch is a graduation gift card holder (used June KnK kit papers for that one). The others are done with assorted papers. The tri-fold one is a lot easier to make than it looks. If anyone would like the directions, please let me know and I'll post them on the A Toast to Altered Art blog. The last on this group is a faux watercolor tag and slip case card. I learned the technique at Owl and the Pussycat Stamp Store in Ft. Myers and addicted to the process as the result are so lovely. I stamped and embossed on this one too.

So, today I tag Smoochie Girl Roz, Chris who is the card queen at knk, Kelcey from whom I am taking a card class at the Boxer Crop, Cathy (W.O.T.E), my blog buddy and Michele who sends us all the sweetest cards ever. So, you have been tagged...within a week post your five favorite cards you have made and tag some others. Love to all.

My top five favorite cards continued

More early birthday fun!

What a great evening! We were picked up by Suzie and Justin and met up with Bob and Becky at Angellino's in Palm Harbor for supper. I was feted with a bottle of very nice Merlot in a beautiful wrap and a lovely friendship angel from Suzie. I had the best veal picata and so much that I'll be dining on this for quite some time. E got something very Italian that neither of us can remember the name of with lots of peppers, veal and chicken. After dinner, I was toasted and sung to and given a huge flaming cannolli that I shared with everyone. We came back to our house for the Merlot and good conversation until the no see ums starting nibbling. Thanks all for a great evening!

Later today I will be posting Part II of the Show Me Your Top Five Favorite (after all, I am originally from Missouri, right?)and today's Show Me is Cards. I'll be tagging five people so watch this spot and have a great day.

Top Five Favorites Challenge: mini albums

 
 
 
 

This is a tough one. I adore designing and teaching mini albums. They are the best way I know to teach techniques and to end up with a finished project for a class. Of course, my very favorite of all times has to be my Italia album that was published by Somerset Memories and about which I was asked to write an article. And my next favorite is my "Love" album class. In addition to a mini album, we created a lovely box to hold it safely. My next three favorites are posted below since my blog only allows 5 images at a time...maybe it is time for me to upgrade?

I tag the following scrappers to post their own top five favorite mini albums of the ones they have created: Kip, Chris P, Pam B, Liz (java girl), Deb, and Amy! And the next Top five challenge is to post your favorite 5 layouts you've created and cards and altered projects after that! I'll try to name different people each time...are you game?

Top five favorite mini albums continued.

Happy Anniversary to us!

 
 
 
 

Today we drove to Palmetto, about an hour south of our home, to a place E read about, The RiverHouse Reef and Grill. The day was perfect for eating outside and the prices were so reasonable for what appears to be a very upscale place. When there are pretty irredescent tiles in the women's room floor in each stall and a double glass door with a reed fiber between, you know this is not your local McDs. We decided to split a couple of meals and an a teaser so we ordered the Bacon Wrapped Scallops ("six sea scallops wrapped in bacon, baked and flash fried to a perfect crisp. Topped with brown sugar glaze and tropical salsa"), Graham Cracker Crusted Stuffed Chicken ("5oz. encrusted chicken breast stuffec with brocolli, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. Topped with mushroom gravy"...this was a bit dry and the gravy just made the whole thing too heavy IMHO) and MY FAVORITE, the Mediterranean flat ("Sun dried t omato pest, marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, spinach and feta cheese").

We watched the boats go by, toasted ourselves and had a wonderful afternoon. We stopped by Snookers and have decided to extend our anniversary through Wednesday...we can do this...it is our anniversary, right? So, tomorrow we are having a lobster fest here and splitting a wonderful Chianti that my Movie Club pal, Gerry gave us and on Wed. we are meeting Bob and his wife, Becky, for supper at Angeleno's on HW 19. Anyone want to help us make it the week long anniversary?

Love to all,

Happy Early Birthday Present to me...(sing along now)

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We got these wonderful wines, a coolie cup holder (for E), a baseball hat (for Chris)and a cute tiki god tea light holder (me) in the mail from our pals, Steve and DeeDee. Thanks pals. I managed to surprise them by sending a photo of the wines via text message to DeeDee's phone. Will wonders never cease! I had some practice yesterday at Kristen's Pampered Chef party. Rob walked me through a few fun things on my new phone. At the party, I ordered some salad servers and a few other summer type items and then 'won' a half price off any one item: E wants the boning knife so we'll order that when we go to supper at the kids tonight.

I have the finishing touches to put on an article for Scrapbooking.com on photo transfer techniques and I need to finish up this month's tech for KnKclub. Since tomorrow is our anniversary, I want the day free to celebrate. E picked out a restaurant on the water clear down in Palmetto that looks like fun and perhaps we can even hit the outlet mall near there on our way home! It will be our 14th. anniversary and we've made progress in our savings for the two week Med cruise we saw in one of the cooking magazines E gets. We found still another cruise of 18 days that also sounded divine and doable. This is our dream for our 15th. Anniversary. Slow and steady is the course!

Hope your Sunday is a good one!

Reward for hard work

While I ran errands yesterday (the search for the illusive new shower curtain continues), Rob and E leveled the hole, filled it with crushed shells, added sand, leveled again and placed the pavers for the new charcoal grill in the lower garden. They were hot and sweaty and suffering from a few bites from the swarms of skeeters on the prowl. After a dip in the pool, I rewarded them (and myself) by treating us all to wings, fish sandwich and crab legs at Hooters. The Hooters up in New Port Richey is one of our favorites as it sits right out over the water just a hop, skip and a jump from the bay. The breezes were lovely, the beer icy cold and the food hit the spot.

Today, E is back down filling the separations between the pavers with sand and planting another 5 or 6 plants which arrived yesterday. I am off to bike and then try to finish up a project for Genuinely Jane Studios before I head to Kristen's for her Pampered Chef Party today.

Hope your weekend is a great one!

Happy Almost Pay Day

We get paid tomorrow which is always cause for celebration here in Paradise. I love waking up on pay day morn, knowing the coffer is full again, at least for awhile.

The second graders finished up their scrapbooks and even got through the autograph page on the back. The moms were there again and sweet and helpful as ever. It will be nice to have Kristen with some time off so we can go to the beach, shopping, lunch ...hang out a bit more! She has a Pampered Chef party at her house this Sat. afternoon so if you need anything, let me know!

The calendar is filling up for June with Deb White's Boxer Rescue Fund Raiser the 12-13, our anniversary on the 1st., Ruban Rouge's garage sale on the 6th. (I got a table inside this year), and my b'day on the 9th. I am going to miss the Hilltop Birthday crop but if you have not gone to one of Linda's crops, you really need to...a great time! (www.hilltopmemories.com).

July is even more filled to the brim with fun stuff but I am getting way ahead of myself.

Have a great day. Tomorrow is my second reveal for KnKclub.com with the wonderful June kit so watch this spot. And how about a little teaser for Genuinely Jane Studios? tons of new product in the July release and they are all ooooh la la!