Hang Ten's Paper Art Kit for June

For those of you who are not on the Hang Ten e-mail list, this is our kit for June. You get ten Fancy Pants papers, 5 Rusty Pickle 8 inch chipboard circles, a clasp, a chocolate mini accordion album, flowers, ribbons, lions and tigers and bears...oh my! No animals...just seeing if you were paying attention. lol

In addition to the above mentioned directions, you will get to play with some alternative photo printing mediums: 2 sheets of 8.5x 11 printable vellum, a large sheet of canvas paper, and a blank transparency. The kit comes complete with detailed directions and color photos.

To get more information, to sign up for the Hang Ten E-mails or to order one (or several) of our monthly kits, go to www.hilltopmemories.com. Remember, we are not a subscription kit company. We believe if you like it, you'll buy it and if not, you can always come back for next month's offer. We do only a limited amount of each kit and when they are gone...they are gone!

Thanks for reading this. I'll return to my life later today when we see where Tropical Storm Barry is heading...

I have died and gone to Scrapper's Heaven!

and it is our anniversary to boot! E says his anniversary present will come when all my scrapcrap is put away and out of 'his' garage! lol

The computer side of the room has tons of room for Harry and his pals, Zorro, the Wishblade, Big Bertha, the 12x12 printer and Big Boy, the 11.7x 17 scanner. Little Guy, the small scanner will sit next to Harry on the desk top. A drawer will pull out for the wireless keyboard. E will have two file drawers to the left so he can have some of his closet back.

The work area is so cool! Tons of counter space and E is getting thin plug strips for two area. My heat gun can stay plugged in all the time! The top two rows will have doors and crown molding will be all across the tops of both the computer shelves and the the work area.

The closet is so cool. One of the installers (Closets Unique)said the shelves are so study that he could sleep on the top one. And look at the spacing on the bottom....my 45 plus albums will finally have a home! We do have to move the guides for my closet doors back at least 1/4 inch as the left one does not open all the way.

The doors and knobs come in next week.

Now, off to shower and spiff up for our big night out. (we are old...we'll be home by 8pm...lol)! Will try to get a waiter to take an anniversary pic of us.

Thanks to all for the wonderful congrats you have given E and I on our special day...you have added to our joy!

Twelve years ago today...

E and I were talking last night about what we were doing twelve years ago. We were probably still cleaning and rearranging the condo as our wedding reception was held there after the ceremony at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. Twelve years ago today, we were getting ready to teach our first hour classes. It was a Thursday and it was also the night of our faculty banquet. Kenny, the athletic director, had tried to bribe us into coming to the banquet after our wedding but we bowed out on that invite! lol. Half way through my day, my dept. chairman sent a sub to my room. I had intended to work the entire day as we were not getting married until early evening. This was part of her wedding present to E and I.

After E dropped me off at the condo, he headed over to Nick's to get ready. Sharon H., one of the school secretaries and her husband came by the condo with a wedding cake as their gift and taped the gals and I getting ready for the big event. Carla came by and did our hair and make up and we all had a calming glass of wine before heading over to the church where it promptly started raining. Pastor Dan said that God was throwing us a wedding shower. Our ceremony was lovely and memorable.

Twelve years ago today...

Last day of May

Tomorrow, not only is the June Hang Ten kit revealed at www.hilltopmemories.com, but it is E and my 12th. Anniversary. June is a busy month for us. Our anniversary tomorrow, Kristen and Chris' 4th. anniversary on June 6th, the Tampa Expo ("Things that Touch My Heart" class by Hang Ten)on June 8-9th,and my 60th b'day on June 9. And then I am taking a long nap....lol.

Tomorrow also starts the installation of my work room and I can hardly wait. This chaos of having things spread out everywhere and organized no where is driving me nuts. The doors to the cabinets will not be in until early next week, but the cabinets and shelving units and the formica top will be done by mid day tomorrow.

We are off to join either SAMS or COSTCO today. I miss the cheaper bulk inks for my printers and E misses the larger sized spices for his pantry.

Staples did a fantastic job turning the Hang Ten business card into a heavy weight poster and I can hardly wait to show it off at the Tampa Expo. They are printing the directions for the class now and then I can finish loading the kits.

I may be off-line for a day or two as everything in this room has to be unplugged, moved out and reinstalled over the weekend and we are at the mercy of our boys, Chris and Rob and when they can come to take care of us! Love those boys!

Have a great day!

Party pics as promised...

The first pic is of my daughter, Kristen, and her friend and Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority sis, Dena. Dena was my daughter's attendant at her wedding and probably her best friend. The next pic is of my favorite, and only, son-in-law, Chris, Rob's friend, Tracy, and the Kipster. The next is our realtor, Linda (facing back towards the camera) E, Shilo, a friend of Linda and Kristen's and Shilo's husband, Mike.

And the last is a pic of Tracey and Rob.

A good time was had by all...or at least I hope so.

The on going search for the perfect dive!

I am not talking about air tanks and beautiful underwater vistas. I am talking about a bar/restaurant that the minute you walk into it, you feel like you are home. I am talking about a place with no pretensions of grandeur and no false bravado and no white table cloths for sure! I am talking about the kind of place country singers croon about such as in the song, "I've got friends in low places..." .

In Ft. Myers, we had our beloved Mulloch Creek Marina. The beer was cold, cheap and on Friday nights, you got karaoke and spaghetti w/meatballs, salad, Texas toast and desert for 6.00. The view of the boats on the river was free. We were always welcomed and everyone was friends, season or off season.

We have been on a quest to find "our place" since we arrived. Yesterday, on the advise of Rob's friend, Tracy, whom we met at our party Sunday, we tried Miss Vicky's on the river. It sits back in a marina as most do on this river. There is no food service on Monday's and that was not going to change just because this one was Memorial Day. We did look at a menu while we drank a cold brew or two and chatted with the bartender,Liz. This is a place that fits most of our requirements. It is a "locals" hang out for sure and we were greeted with great warmth by the patrons and Liz as well. We were even treated to the one food that was being served, boiled peanuts in cajun sauce. These taste like pinto beans and must be a regional thing because E and I have never seen them before we moved here. Not too bad but as Liz said, people either love 'em or hate 'em. I fell somewhere in between.

I'll post a couple of pics from Sunday's party later today. E is painting my work room closet and maybe one wall today and I am working on a couple of kits. Have a great day all.

Greetings on Memorial Day Weekend

When we lived in Ft. Myers, my sister and I always tried to get by the cemetery to put a red/white/and blue decoration of some sort on both my Uncle Harlan and my step-dad, Papa Joe's burial sites. Today, I am 2 1/2 hours away but they are sure in my thoughts. Both of them were in the US Army and Harlan was assigned to Patton's army as a clerk. He saw the D-Day invasion and I have many of his pictures from that time.

I am always amazed at what a fantastic job the Am Vets, the VFW and the Boy Scouts do at decorating the graves of those who served in our armed services on special days such as this one. I know that a flag has been placed for both Harlan and Papa Joe.

We are having friends and family over for a cook out today. E has been fixing an amazing potato salad of his and much much more. Looking forward to our first party in our new home.

Whatever your plans for this wonderful weekend, be safe and enjoy!

Emeril's picture is hung...E is officially home!

I had to laugh the other day when E hung his signed photo of his hero, Emeril. He sighed and said, "I'm home now!" This is way too funny. Pete and Moni (the Scrappin' Sister of Cleveland gave E this photo of his hero a few Christmases back. Pete found it on E bay and it has been my E's pride and joy ever since). Actually, the Scrappin' Sisters are the ones who dubbed Gene (my husband 'real life' name) with his nomiker, E short for Emeril, natch! I miss you too muchly girls!

Had a great day cropping at Ruban Rouge. Lisa is too much fun and some of the Cabana Crew (or, as Kip now calls us "her people") and several of the Smoochie Girls all hung out, scrapped and had such a good time. Many thanks Lisa!

Happy Birthday to my Mom who would have been 81 today. She was 21 by 2 wks. when I was born. Miss you more than you can know!

Happy Early Birthday to me....

everyone sing along now! Last weekend, my pal, the Kipster gave me the cutest little kleenex holder that has the wonderful picture of our Cabin Cuties on the front. What a great time we had. Love it, Kip and many thanks!

Then yesterday, I got two more early birthday gifts. Our fun pals from St. Louis, Steve and Dee Dee sent me three bottles of Missouri wines and the vignole is so hard to get that I shall save it for The Big Day! I am sipping the Little Hills Winery's Main Street White as I blog...talk about great inspiration! and as if the wine was not enough, look at the cute little pink flamingo wine bottle holder that the Schmidt's sent as well. You two are too much! Love ya!

And then, after Mike's not letting me use my 50% off coupon on the the die cutting machine I wanted, E and I stopped by Jo's for some silk flowers and more grape vines for the kitchen. Low and behold! and throwing in a Eureka for good measure, Jo's had the machine at 40% off w/no coupon required. E sent me on an errand in the store and when I returned had paid for it for an early birthday gift.

I am very blessed, great friends who come up with clever and fun gifts and a husband who is a treasure!

So join me in singing, "Happy Early Birthday to me..." (and I still have a good two weeks plus to go...)

At the Winn-Dixie...

while waiting for E to finish his shopping, I almost passed the bin with the surf board pillows and beach balls. Out of idle curiosity, I went back and found just one that read "Hang Ten". Of course I had to buy this for my workroom. E laughed the whole way home. I may have found my 'theme' for the room...kitchey 50s beach! Ya gotta love it!

Lunch at Mango Mama's

About one pm today we had both had enough of the unpack/dress the top of the cabinets in the kitchen/laundry etc. work ethic we had embraced since about 7 am. We cleaned up and drove about 4 minutes to a place I found on one of my biking adventures. Mango Mama's (just named a few weeks ago) is a hidden treasure opposite the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs. I had the fried clams w/fries and cole slaw and I have to say, these are some of the best I've had. Think the old Howard Johnson's clam roll good! These are the fried clams I use to love at Mantazas on the Back Bay in Ft. Myers before they changed the clams they used.

Our waitress, Jackie, was friendly and made us feel like the regulars we will probably become. This cute little place serves breakfast and lunch now during 'summer' hours and has a party/dinner night about every 6 wks. As we were leaving, another of the gals who work there asked us if we were coming to party night (June 8th) and Jackie immediately introduced us to Tara. Now how nice is that?

Here are a few pics of the place...don't ya love it? Oh, and the beer is Land Shark which is brewed in Jacksonville, Fl out of the Margaritaville Micro Brewery. Tastes a lot like Coors!

Kits for sale

I've gotten a couple of e-mails asking if the Tampa Expo kits are for sale. Yes, and I will take orders after the Expo if I have any kits left. The price will be the same but all that will be missing is me! and all that will be added is the shipping cost. I know not everyone can come to Tampa for the Expo even if it is going to be a monumental birthday for me...lol.

Thanks to those who asked about ordering a kit!

Tampa Expo class preview

Wonder what would happen if you mix Basic Gray and the Biscuit book by Delish? Quit shaking your head "NO". Of course you did/do! Well, what happens is the Hang Ten Paper Art Kits company class I am teaching at the Tampa Expo June 8 and 9th. You will get 6 sheets of BG's hot new line, "Phoebe", tons of ribbons and flowers to match, a Biscuit book from Delish, lots of beads and glitz and you get to play with Twinkling H20s and paints. These are truly "Things that Touch My Heart". You can register by going to www.scrapbookexpo.com

And, if you take the class on Sat., you may get something fun as it is my birthday!

Big Thanks to Michelle and the Kipster

You gals were wonderful. Michelle, next time bring your suit. Many thanks to you both for the help with the Tampa Expo kits!

Biking through Paradise

Last Sat. I set out for another adventure with Hank, my hybrid bike. We went up Old Dixie Hwy, made a left onto Alt. 19 (a funky old Florida type road), crossed the two lane bridge over the Anclote River and made a right at the Sponge Docks. Total biking time: 5 minutes. It would have been less but I walked my bike over the bridge. The biking/walking path along side the bridge is not finished and the bridge is narrow.

I love the fact that these views are available to me any time and quickly should I find myself in need of my water fix. I must have been either a MerMaid or a sailor in another life.

Michelle, Dee, Kip, Linda, Kim and many others have told me the other house deal fell through for a reason and that I would not have been nearly as happy there as I am here. I truly believe they are right!

The sigh of contentment you hear is brought to you by my new locale!

10,000 hits as of today

And the person from Glassboro, New Jersey was no. 10,000. Thanks and if you e-mail me (eeickmeier@hotmail.com) I have something to send you for being No. 10,000!

Drink of the Day mini album

I still have 3 Drink of the Day kits left. You get the Delish Biscuit Book, 6 sheets of Paper Salon Cabana papers, an embellishment pack with 3 stamped drinks complete with embossing and "ice", a Heidi Swapp white daisy flower, and a chocked full embellishment pack with paint and a brush. Add your pics and you have a great momento of your favorite drinks or those from a cruise.

If interested, please contact me at eeickmeier@hotmail.com for more information.

Why I like to go to crops...

I belong to a retreat group called Hilltop Memories (www.hilltopmemories.com). Linda, the owner, does a crop almost every month and has weekend retreats from time to time like the cruise, CreepOver, Winter Retreat and the upcoming Birthday Crop and the Fried Green Tomatoes Retreat. I can not tell you how much fun these events are or how good the food and how amazing the company. You've seen some of the fun photos taken at these events which take place pretty much all over the state. Some times I'll teach a class and sometimes I just go to play. Keep up the good work, my friend, Linda!

Another upcoming retreat that sounds like fun is the one in September by Kim Hodges (www.scrapbooksnsticker.com). She is holding her retreat on Marco Island and you can check out her site for details. There are going to be some big names there teaching classes and little ol' me as well.

The best thing about retreats and crops for me is not the fact I get tons of my scrapping and projects done (because I don't) but the Group Therapy that takes place and laughter amongst friends. On the cruise, the ages spanned from cute Amanda at 20 to the old biddy, me at almost 60 but we all had a blast. We have come to share far more than scrapping. We are friends!

Afternoon at the Tiki Bar...

Three cheers for the Rubber Suit Brigade and a shot of one of the beaches in the Bahamas for your viewing pleasure.

And, after a long day of hanging pictures, getting the best bid for my workroom, checking into solar heating for the pool and a nice bike ride down by the docks, it is time for that Cabana Boy Hunk, er ah Hank to serve a round or two of those tall frothy concoctions with those oh, so cute paper umbrellas...

Oh Cabana Boy! Make mine a double!

Belated Thanks to Hambly Screen Prints

I want to thank Hambly (www.HamblyScreenPrints.com) for the gift I won by posting on the blog. I have been a long time fan of Hambly and getting all these goodies from the company is such a delight. Thanks to all!