Some Cards........Part 1

Hi there everyone....well, I decided to come back for awhile. Guess I just needed a small break....there really was not much to report at this end, nothing too exciting going on.

I did manage to make some cards for the Secret Stamper Group I am involved in. The lady that had my name sent these cute caricatures. Lots of coloring with copic markers. My favorite card is the card below....a little ladybug. I especially liked the color combos of the red and beige card stock. Someone told me these were all Whipper Snapper images....cute, cute, cute.

Here you see a cute little frog....it was fun coloring these guys, my biggest challenge was deciding what kind of background I was going to use for each card.

This next card was a fun to make. I found a way to fold the card stock, using a double sided card stock. Fit the card stock to the card, cut down the middle and fold over, using glue to keep it together.

Here we have a possum peeking out of a pot, smelling the flower. Easy background, a stripped background.

Here's a cute turtle. I cut her out and placed her on the double sided card stock.

This was a fun card to make for a birthday.....I like the saying, "Maybe a cupcake will help?" I just happened to have that stamp and thought it would go great with the mouse and cupcake.

My next batch of cards will be the images I sent to my secret stamper, "Linda". She happened to be the owner of the stamp store we met at. She said she liked the images I sent her, she had no stamp or die cuts in her store like what I sent her. So they were all new to her.

Tomorrow I have a Blood test for my A1C....where did those 6 months go to. I did manage to lose 8 lbs. Hopefully the Doctor will be happy with that loss. I am.

I am going to close here for now....hopefully I won't be gone so long. I will try to get back. Have a good evening and don't forget to vote tomorrow.....this is a really big one. It will tell us if the people want to stay Americans or go the Socialist way....which we all know, never turns out good for anyone.

Keep looking up....better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Here We Are....Two Weeks Into September!!!

Hi there everyone. What can I say.....I guess my blogging has been lacking lately. Not much happening, but then, a lot has in small ways. Least we are not facing hurricanes and typhoons and fires. Here, it's lots of rain, heat and lots of mosquito's that seem to find me no matter where I am. That's one good thing about winter, NO MOSQUITO'S!!!!

So JP lost some hours at work, which means finances have been a little tricky of late. I had to sell some old gold and silver jewelry  left by my grandmothers, mother and myself. Total income this time around was $315 which will go partially towards paying the rest of our house taxes. Then, we start all over again next January 31st 2019.

My doggie, Kylie has not been feeling well lately. I am so afraid that I will have to have her put down. I don't want to....God, could she just die in her sleep???? Not sure what is wrong...she is going on 14 years...hope it is old age. Now why, do we put dogs down and not people??? I asked my Vet that question, she said, because we care more for our animals then we do people!!!

Next Saturday, we are having company from Chicago. JP's brother and SIL...they usually take us out to eat, we visit a bit and then they leave late afternoon, so they are home for the evening....it's a "Kwik Trip" like the gas station. If you live in this area, you would know what I mean. We probably won't go out to eat though and just may order out and have it delivered to our front door. I am going to order a Pumpkin Cream Pie from Schwan's, which looks delicious....I always have the dessert.

Some good news, poundage wise, I have lost 30 lbs since last July 2017. Losing has been a very long and slow process....still have much to lose. My blood sugars have been much, much better. Hopefully I can eliminate the pills after a 50 -75 lb. loss. I am still doing the Atkins/keto diet which has proven to work the best for me. I have to admit though, I don't make it a religious thing, as there are some days I eat potato chips and popcorn, oh, and tater tots too. But pretty much stay close to eating the right things.

Well, I guess that is about all that is going on this month....and there is still 2 weeks left to go. So I thought I better put some cards up, as this is a "Card Blog" so following are some cards I made at Betty's last month....just a little slow in posting. Our next meeting will be this next Wednesday already....time flies when we are having fun???? Card making on my own has been at a minimal....as I have not been in much of a mood....need some inspiration, that's why I like to go to Betty's....there is always something that gets my juices flowing.

So this was a fun card to make, I actually made quite a few of these cards for Hospice. Birthday, Thanks and Thinking of you. I have the stamp set and the background stamp....so yeah, I think this will be my "go to" card for everything....easy and fast to make.

This was a fun card to make, punched out owls. We made the branches for the owls to sit on then pieced together the owls. Bright and colorful.

This was a pretty card. The flowers were embossed. The background???? You know, I forgot what we did. I shall have to ask, was it water color??? Anyways, it turned out really pretty.

This card was stamped and embossed, we colored it in with copic markers and sponged in the blue sky and water. Stamping the birds and verse. Betty always has the pieces cut, so we just have to piece it all together.

Thought you would like to see a few cucumbers growing in my garden....gosh these cucs made a great salad and tasted so good....just wish I had more.....maybe next year.

Well time to close here, you all take care and have a great couple of weeks. I may be back before the month is over....depends. Keep looking up, better days are coming!!! Cheers ~ Louise

Some Wednesday Card Making from 2 Weeks Ago...Already!!!

Hi there everyone....can you believe it....May is almost over!!! This sure was a tough month on all sides. Physically, financially and emotionally....still trying to come up for air!!!! We had Doctor appointments, a tooth pulled, extra $$$ spent for co-pays and teeth, taxes due on the house, sometimes it seems like I just get done paying a bill and it shows up in my mail box again! How does one keep their emotions at an even keel??? I don't know, have not figured that out yet and here I am...71 years old!!! My mother never told me....everything was always "calm and quiet" by her. Geez....I'm still waiting for calm and quiet days.

Well, probably the only thing that keeps me sane is my card making. At least I can make sense of that. Made these cards 2 weeks ago at Betty's. The top card was interesting. Sponged in the brown, then stamped the trees and embossed. Then colored in the brown with copic markers...stamped the ducks and Thinking of  you. The bird is a die cut. Really nice card, maybe this could be a sympathy card also.

These next two cards....I have always liked these two girls....they come from Stampin'up. Betty got these stamps from www.wish.com for 1 dollar for the set. The only thing different is that the girls are smaller then the original set AND you have to wait 4-6 weeks for the stamps to show up in your mail box. Guess they come on a slow boat from China. They still make for a nice card though. I really like the bottom card the best, the girl and saying are stamped on a grey card stock then white and grey pencil used to color in the girl.

The above card was embossed with a folder, sponged in the blue and then speckles to outline the swirls. The girl was stamped, a second stamped girl was colored and cut and pasted to the original girl....cute huh??

The card below with the birthday mouse was cute...just colored in with copic markers. Sweet and simple.

Now this card.....was not made at Betty's. I have a friend whose birthday was coming up, and found this pug saying and doggie at the Revealing party last month. This is what I came up with for a card for her. She loved it!!! 

The side panel is braided. I had seen this technique a long time ago and wondered how it was made. Finally found the directions to make it myself. Colored in the pug with copic makers, the blue is iridescent blue taped on white card stock, then run through the cuttlebug with a doggie paw print folder.

It has been SO warm here...we go from cold and snow to warm and 90 degrees in about a month....how crazy is that. But I guess I will take this weather change, it's a breeze compared to being in flood areas and volcano areas!! That's for sure!!! So much going on all around the world, such devastation everywhere. Do you think God is trying to get our attention???? He has mine!!!

Well time to close here....need to get something done around the house...like maybe the dishes in the sink. I have some planting to do....a few tomato plants. Got my onions planted, radishes, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, pepper plant. We did something different this year. I got 2 big planters and dirt. I have one on the drive way, where it will get more sun. The other planter is along side the fence, it should get about 4-6 hours of sun. I don't have to bend down to plant....the ground is not so far away at least!!! I took pictures of the planters...JP and I were putting wheels on the planter in the driveway, so I can roll it around to catch the sun rays....we'll see how that works. Next blog I will show you how my garden is growing.

Have a good evening and keep looking up.....better days are coming, here, there, or in the air!!!! Cheers ~ Louise

The Day After.......

Hi there everyone. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Mine, it was quiet....but as I get older, I like it like that. My family is pretty much gone. My daughter lives in another state on the east coast and is busy with her own life. My step-father is in Las Vegas and busy with his life. JP's family is in Chicago and....busy with their lives. That leaves us pretty much alone at Christmas, and like I said, we like it like that.

This was our Christmas dinner and it was scrumptious. The main course was from Blue Apron their site. This was a "Spiced Roast Chicken & Collard Greens with Maple Butter & Thyme" Oh my, this was extra delicious. I never cooked with collard greens before and we really liked them. The greens were cooked with onion, salt and pepper, the chicken layered on the greens and a cooked sauce of butter, maple syrup and vinegar poured on the chicken. The right combo of tastes. The Chicken was fried, skin down till browned then roasted in the oven till the meat reached 165 degrees in the breast and thigh parts. I most certainly would make this recipe again and again. I shall be looking forward to my next whole chicken cut in half.

So we had the chicken with collard greens, baked potato with sour cream and chives, bread dressing with chicken gravy and cheese cake for dessert. Yum.....a very good meal to say the least.

Here is a snap shot of all our presents under the little tree.

And.....a picture of my presents. 6 tins of different teas. A new spice rack to organize all my Penzy spices. A new copic marker carrying case. A brand new (el-cheapo) purple watch. AND a new WOK.....healthy meals, here we come.

JP got a pair of slippers (need to get a larger size), socks, Amaryllis plant and 10 little bibles to pass out to truckers. He'll probably get a pair of jeans also.

Kylie got a pair of boots.....now we have to train her to wear them before the snow flies, she will love us for that. Oh and she got some soup bone chewy's.....right now she is hiding her bone so no one can find it....then she moves it to another place, then another place. That bone sure is keeping her busy.

Well, time to close and get to organizing my spices. You all have a great day and enjoy these last days of 2015. Keep looking up....
Cheers ~ Louise

Saturday....Spent a Day Making Some Cards....Finally!!!!

Hi there everyone.....whomever that may be. Well, I finally spent some time in my basement studio, making some cards and also found some time to reorganize some stamps. Sometimes I can be so messy, and not put things back they way they were. So yeah....time to pick up after myself and straighten up a few things..

I bought this Tim Holtz stamp set from "Simon Says Stamp!" Here is their site. This week I need to get some Tim Holtz here is his blog site. distress inks, especially one certain color for my Christmas cards. If I can't find what I am looking for here in town. I will be off to "Simon Says Stamp!" again.

I have been seeing these "Crazy Birds" around a lot and thought they were so cute. There are quite a few tutorials on YouTube that show how to color them with Copic Markers and water color pencils. So far, I am liking the copic markers. So many ideas and so many ways to color these guys.

I like that they are so colorful....and whatever the color you use....they will look funny and appealing to the eye and bring a smile each time. Now I have to find some sayings to go along with their funny faces.

Thank You, Missing you, Hello Friend. I have seen some birds with hats on for Birthday and Halloween. I need to get some cards together for Hospice.....think I will use these crazy birds to bring a smile to a face or two.

Here is the third meal from Blue Apron I made on Thursday....this was really good. The eggs actually came in the box of food and were packed very carefully in an egg container and wrapped up in brown paper and then in a box....nope, they were not broken. I wondered about the transportation of these eggs....but they made the trip in one piece.....lol!!!

This meal was so yummy. "Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower Salad with Homemade Garlic Croutons and Sunny Side-up Eggs" I think I shall make this again....not sure I will be able to find the cauliflower they used.....but white will be fine. The cooked kale and onions with garlic was just the right touch. The cauliflower was roasted with spices and olive oil. Mixed together with the croutons and a fried egg placed on top....yes, a very good dish with lemons squeezed on top.

I found 3 people to receive the free invitations to receive 3 free meals from Blue Apron. Here is their site.  Two Blog Friends and my neighbor next store. I know they will enjoy these lovely gifts and love the meals as much as I do. Happy cooking friends  :)

Well, time to close here, need to take a short nape. I am feeling my eyelids getting heavy. The Packers are playing today at 3:25....that is usually my nape time. So you all have a great day and keep looking up. Cheers ~ Louise

An Afternoon of Making Cards

Hi there everyone, hope you had a wonderful Saturday...it was a very gorgeous day....wish everyday could be like this one. Pretty soon the leaves will be falling off the trees...so try and enjoy everyday until then.

Made some cards at a friends house...the black flower is a die cut, I think. We had to poke the little sections out and then dab some glue on it to stick...basically and easy card to make.

This was our first card that we made. Copic markers were used. the clouds were dabbed on with a sponge and cloud form....I do know a fisherman, so when his birthday comes around next year....he'll get this card.

This is one of the Halloween cards we made....I really had a good laugh with this one..."It just isn't Halloween...without a full moon" Sending this card to a friend in South Carolina....she loves Halloween...I am sure she'll get a laugh out of it too!!! I am not much into Halloween card making, so if I can figure out how to send the bag below....she is getting this one too....maybe I will fill it with some candy...hahahahaha! So she can have her own "trick or treat" bag.

This is the inside of the "full moon" card which I thought was rather fun too!!!

So there you have it.....a little bit of card making for the week. I have been busy making other cards...a few fall cards and birthday cards....that will be in my next blog.

Today I went to a paper sale and made a few cards there also. This warehouse has their annual sale once a year, so I really look forward to it every year...usually find some good deals. and what's really great everything is 25 % off at the register...so that helps.

Well, time to close, you all have a great weekend and keep looking up. Cheers ~ Louise

PS Visit my other blog at: cards4ubylouise.wordpress.com