A Few of My Favorite Things

WARNING! Picture heavy post ahead!

Okay time to get caught up around here!  Last weekend we went up to Seattle to watch the girls so that the kids could go to a work related Christmas party.  They left around 6:30 and our goal was to hopefully have them stay out until 10:00 but that didn't happen.  Reagan decided she was hungry and got a tad upset with us when neither of us could breast feed her!  I ended up calling and saying that they needed to come home.  Mind you Shelly had just called about 10-15 minutes earlier asking if they should come home.  Of course all was well then so we said " no don't come home - have fun!"  LOL!  Sounds like they were ready to come home anyway and wouldn't you know...Reagan was sound asleep when they arrived!  The next day Shelly and I got went out and got some Christmas shopping done and then later went to Jason's work at Sears.  He is a maintenence manager at a big Sears warehouse.  It was pretty cool seeing the place.

Goodies piled high everywhere you look!  I would like one of each please!

This area is nothing but TV's.

Jason asked Shelly and I if we would decorate the Christmas tree in the breakroom and lets just say we did the best we could with what we had and leave it at that!  LOL!  No snickering please!

 
As usual Riley gave Sage quite a workout and I think to get away from her Sage climbed up in Larry's lap and went sound asleep!!  She thinks she's a lap dog.

When we got home I felt a little more excited about Christmas and decided to get busy making my Christmas cards Monday morning.  Took me 2 days but I got them done and in the mail.  Then on Wed. I got 10 cards made for Larry's work place.  Here are the one's for family and friends.  They are a mish mash of papers I had on hand:

This one and the one below were made using Stampin" Up papers and cardstock.  The red ribbon is not SU however.

The next two cards styles are the 10 I made forLarry's work crew.  These cards are all SU.

I just wish the camera would pick up the shine on all the cards.  I used glittler pens all over the Santa's face and in real life they shimmer and shine.  So do the bottom two cards as I used glitter embossing powder on Dasher and Merry Christmas.  You will just have to take my word for it.

I went into Portland today to (hopefully) finish up my Christmas shopping.  Yesterday I decided to call the nursing home where my great aunt lives and see if she needed anything.  Every year I order flowers for her, which she loves, but I got to thinking she might be in need of something else.  I am still doing the flowers and already have the order in.  A social worker went and talked to her and later called me to say she could use some clothes!  So armed with sizes, colors, etc. I think I found a nice pair of slacks and a sweater that I hope and pray she likes.  She is such a sweet lady who is well into her 90's and until a couple years ago lived at home on her own!  So I need to get her package in the mail tomorrow in hopes it will be there in time. 

Tomorrow we are off to Hood River as Sage is due for her vaccinations.  We will also get started on some serious grocery shopping.

Glitter balls

Here is how I did the ones in the post below.  I took the Stampin' Up re-inkers, the little bottles of ink that you freshen up your inpads with, and put about 20 drops or a couple squirts inside the ball.  Gently roll the ink around intil the ball is coated and then pour the excess ink out.  You don't want to shake as you will get air bubbles and the glitter might not adhere in those spots.   I tipped mine upside down on a folded paper towel for a couple minutes.  Then I added Martha Stewart glitter inside and I shook mine with my finger over the opening.  Then pour the excess glitter out and "ta-da" you have a beauttiful ornament!  On my way to Shelly's this weekend I found the Pledge Future floor care product and used that and I like it just the same.  In fact I like it better than the inks as my hands didn't get as messy.  Plus it's cheaper than using the ink.  Shelly and I hit Jo Ann's and they must have just got a shipment of balls in as they had tons and all at 60% off!!!  They had them in 4 sizes too ranging from 1" to 4".  I stocked up and plan to make a bunch of these.  HTH.

Pretty balls!

After seeing so many gals making the glitter balls I thought I better get mine out and give them a whirl.  I bought a set of the clear 2" balls at Craft Warehouse a few weeks ago.  I am using the Stampin Up re-inkers to coat the insides and then using Martha Stewart glitter.  The camera doesn't even do the balls justice, they are so glittery.  Even Larry was amazed how pretty they are!

Nugget tins

We are having another very cold day here in the PNW.  Now we are hearing that we will be warming up a bit and then getting snow and or freezing rain.  I just hope it holds off until we get to Seattle tomorrow evening.  Larry will be taking off work at noon so maybe we will miss it.  But at this writing he is putting the studded snow tires on the car.  I spent most of yesterday getting these Nugget tins made for Larry's work crew.  I then noticed this AM that the paper around the Nuggets was coming loose so I had to take all 10 tins apart and re adhere the paper! Ugh!  What a headache.  I use the Glue Glider Pro High Tac adhesive and I have to say I am having lots of issues of things not staying together.  I had a card up on a shelf here in my scrap room and the front fell off!  Had to glue it back on.

I believe these papers are some old DCWV I've had forever.  This next one is done with papers by MME:

The tag punches are by Stampin' Up as is the Merry Christmas stamp.  I have 3 more tins on my Stampin Up blog where I used all SU papers and ribbon.
 
 

A new look

Decided to dress up the ol blog for the holidays.  I like this banner as it will get me beyond Christmas so I won't have to change it again for awhile.

It sure has turned cold here in the PNW.  It was 11 degrees this AM!  Right now it's 29.4 so it has warmed up quite a bit but doubt we get above freezing today.  Larry left on a 2 day trip and poor Sage will have to go without ball throwning today as no way I'm going outside. 

Today is my aunt's birthday and I always try to find her a funny cat card.  This year I forgot to buy her a card and had to scramble to make her one. I've had these vintage cat stickers for forever and decided to try using one.  I think it turned out cute and think she will like it too. 

 
Then I played around with my Stampin Up Dasher stamp and made this card.  The details can be found on here.

It's soooo sparkly in person!!  I'm still playing around trying to get my design for this year's Christmas cards.  Spent all yesterday afternoon on a card and hated it when I got done so back to the drawing board.  Hopefully I will have a design this week as I need to get busy and get them done!  Do all of you have your cards bought or made?  Have you mailed them too?
 

Sage

I peaked at Sage yesterday from my scraproom and saw her sleeping with her tongue out!  I've never seen her do that before.  I snapped this pic from my scraproom but had to zoom all the way out so it isn't that great:

But she was sleeping so soundly I was able to sneek up on her and get this one!  Notice how she is sleeping in "her" chair?  Yup, pretty much it's all her's now.

I also bought this cute bobble head Christmas decoration at my favorite gift shop in Hood River called Dream Street.  It plays "How Much Is That Doggie In the Window?" which is one of the first songs I ever remember singing and knowing the words to as a small child!  Had to have it!  Isn't it darling?  Looks just like my Sage!

 
I managed to get somewhat out of my funk yesterday to get a little more Christmas decorating done and to also make this:

It's a tin of Hersey's Nuggets.  I plan to make these for my husband's work crew.  This one I made for some friends of my mom's and needed to get it done so I can enclose it with her box of gifts I will be shipping soon since she has decided she prefers to stay home alone this year.  Anyway I used all Stampin' Up stamps, punch, papers and ribbon on this tin.  Larry thought it was neat and gave the A-OK for the crew gifts.  Good thing as I have no other ideas and I do NOT want to bake this year. Hey, just the other day I wanted to take down all the Christmas decorations I put up and say "screw Christmas!"  So I am making some progress from "bah humbug" to "yippee"!  I would make more tins today except...well...I ran out of Nuggets.  I'm thinking it might be the Nuggets that is helping to get me out of my holiday funk so I consider it cheap, but tasty, therapy.  Oh and a couple glasses of wine were also very helpful!  I'm either on my way to becoming quite happy or becoming a fat (or fatter) drunk.  I think my new tag line should be "when life throws you lemons, make Lemon Loaf."  Recipe is below!  LOL!

One week later...

Can't believe a week ago it was Thanksgiving!!!  Wish I could say it was a good one but it ended up not being so great.  Beginning to think we are becoming one of those dysfunctional families that can't even leave the "fun" in dysfunction!  Oh well...it is what it is unfortunately.  I think Sage and Riley had a great time so all was not lost.  And I did get a cute pic of Miss Reagan...or...It!  "It" being an inside joke.  Sorry.

Is she too cute or what?  LOL!  She is so darn smiley!

My SIL has been in Reno that last couple days for a job interview.  I sure hope he gets it as if they have to move Reno couldn't be more perfect.  We used to live south of Reno in the town of Gardnerville where Larry was the manager of Lahontan Nat'l Fish Hatchery.  We have talked quite often of maybe moving back there one day and of course lately we have been talking about it a lot.  I would not want to move back to G'ville but I could definitely live in the Reno area.  So last night we were talking about maybe putting the house on the market next year and relocating after Larry retires.  If the house sold before he retires we could move into hatchery housing.  The big question we had to ask ourselves is would we want to move to Reno whether the kids did or not and for both of us the answer was YES!  I think it's the one place I lived where I really had a life.  I have always felt in limbo here where we are now.  I have never made any friends mainly because I don't work and we live so rural.  With all the travel to my mom's I am so reluctant to even get involved with any groups or organizations which would be another way to meet people.  But with the recent Thansgiving I have also realized I can't put my life on hold for my mom.  So it looks like a plan of sorts is emerging for my husband's retirement and I'm starting to get excited instead of dreading it!  LOL!  Everything will hinge on selling this house though and who knows how long it could be on the market.  Our neighbors have had their's on the market for 2 years now!!
 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Larry and I will be hitting the road when I pick him up at work at 11:30.  Looks like we have a very nice day for the drive too!  Yay!  That's something to be thankful for!  My friend Madeline sent me the following picture and I just had to post it on the blog for the holiday!  Thanks Madeline!

Totally cracks me up!  I have been busy baking some yummy Lemon Loaf to take with us to my mom's.  She actually rerquested it!  This is a double batch and the recipe will make either 1 regular size loaf or 3-4 small loaves.

Here is the recipe:

Lemon Loaf

 

1 medium lemon

2 ¼ cups flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

sugar (1 ½ cups plus 2 tbs.)

¾ cup butter or marg.

3 eggs

¾ cup milk

 

1.    Preheat oven to 350. From lemon grate 1 tbs. peel and squeeze 4 ½ tsp. lemon juice; set aside.  Grease or spray a 9” X 5” loaf pan or 3 or 4 small loaf pans.  I like to make the small ones for Christmas gifts.

 

2.    In large bowl with fork mix flour, baking powder, salt and 1 ½ cups sugar.  With a pastry blender cut in butter or marg. Until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in peel.

 

3.    In small bowl with fork, beat eggs slightly and stir in milk; then stir this mixture into flour mixture until just moistened.  Pour into greased pan and bake for 1 ¼ hours.  It will be less time for the small loaves, maybe 1 hour.

 

4.    In a 1 quart sauce pan over medium heat, heat lemon juice and 2 tbs. of sugar to boiling.  Cook stirring until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  With a pastry brush, brush sugar mixture evenly over top of warm bread.

 

5.    If you making these for gifts I use the throw away aluminum tins and then place the loaf still in the tin into a cute cello bag and then use a cute handmade tag, some jingle bells and ribbon to close the bag.  This Lemon Loaf has always gotten a nice response!  If you love lemon you will love this recipe.

Well last night was the finale of DWTS and I am happy that Donnie won!!  After Davy Jones, Donnie was my next big crush growing up.  We are the same age and I am thrilled an old timer won!!  LOL!  Technically it should have been Mya but to me there was no personality showing, at least not for me.  Gorgeous girl though and very talented.  But my favs all season have been Donny and Kelly and how thrilling that they made it all the way to the finals.  

I sure wish everyone a wonderful thanksgiving.  Also wish you safe travels if you are to be on the roads or in the air.  And then it's.................CHRISTMAS!!!!  Ack!
 

Busy, busy

We decided going to Seattle this weekend was not the thing to do.  Larry is still not 100% and also with him having to start his colonoscopy prep today it would just be too much.  In fact I haven't seen much of poor Larry the last hour or so if your know what I mean :)!  I ended up in Portland yesterday for a very full day of errands, shopping and groceries.  Another good reason for staying home is the horrific weather we have been having today, pouring rain and very high winds.  Glad we aren't out there driving in it.  This morning Larry had to move a branch from the road when he went down to the store for the Sunday paper.  I am bummed about not getting to go to New Moon with Shelly and Riley though.

Instead of decorating the livingroom tree we got up this AM I have been working on this:

 
 
Got the idea from here.   Everything but the alphas and frame is Stampin' Up!

Long time...no blog.

Yikes I can't believe it has been so long since I last blogged.  Things have been busy; a couple days spent shopping in Portland, a couple days where I didn't feel well, trying to decorate for Christmas and...well you get the picture.  Now Larry has been home the last 2 days sick. He got the sore throat that I had over the weekend plus a few other symptoms.  No fever so I don't think it's H1N1.  He has had a lot of employees out sick lately.  Out of a crew of 10 he had 5 people home sick one day. 

Last week I thought it was time to start using this for my morning cup of joe:

I have also been busy trying my hand at these flat marble magents.  I made this set for Larry's mom's upcoming birthday.  She actually asked for some for her fridge and I thought this paper would be cute to use:

Then I made my first easel card, also for Larry's mom's birthday:

 
Larry has been very busy in his shop.  This past year he got into pen making.  He made this set for my mom for Christmas.  He made another set that included a letter opener and a magnifying glass.  These sets are so beautiful and he is really doing a nice job on them.

And finally here is a recent pic of Freckles and Sage.  That cat just loves Sage!