How Ya Doing??

Hi there everyone, how ya all doing??? This Coronavirus has sure taken over our lives.....unbelieveable isn't it?? Hope you are all taking care of yourselves. 

JP has gone back to work, his back is much better, but now I think his company will be shutting down next week. Bills are getting very hard to pay....guess I can only pay what I can pay.

So glad to hear that the IRS will allow us to pay our taxes by July 15th. Just did not know how I was going to pay Uncle Sam by April 15th??? I have been told if I call the IRS, I might be able to get an extention for 120 days if I am still having a problem paying. Was hoping for a refund, but that did not happen this year. Did you know your Social Security checks are taxed. Hard to believe, aren't we taxed once already, then taxed a second time?.......my goodness, that makes no sense to me.

Following are some cards I made for Hospice last month. Pretty simple, but fun to make. The background is an embossed folder and the 'hello' is a die cut. Just added a few gems.

Here again, the background embossed with a cross with the different names of Jesus. Then I added some flowers and gems.....a good one for Easter which is coming up April 12th....gosh time flies.

Did you know....tomorrow is the first day of SPRING???? Surprise!!!!! My crocuses are popping up now. They sure are  pretty and there seems to be more popping up each year.

If the weather stays nice, maybe I will get outside and rake some leaves that I never got raked last fall. Will have to see how the weather goes, if not, I have plenty of things to do in the house. 

Can you believe.....I still have my Christmas village up, thought I would take it down on the 7th, but that did not happen, now it is starting to get old and I did not even turn the village lights on tonight. Oh well, see what happens time wise.

My Chicago Blackhawks have not played since March 11th (I know that is just last week....but it seems like a month ago) because of the virus. All the teams were shut down, that has to be hard on all the players. Especially if the teams were in the top 3 and in the  wild card position. But supposedly Hockey will start up again in July/August. Probably then the Ice will not cooperate....who knows what will happen, every day is a guessing game.

Well time to close here, hope in the next few weeks this coronavirus will be but a bad dream and life is back to normal. So far 2020 has been a TUFF year for many people. Going to have to go out to the store and see if I can find some toilet paper.....just using Kleenex right now (I have maybe 4 boxes, that should last for awhile)

Take care and keep looking up....better days are right around the corner. Cheers ~ Louise  

Some New Cards

Hi there everyone. Hope you had a wonderful weekend. Mine was interesting. JP had his tooth pulled on Friday at the oral surgeon. We also picked up our income tax papers. We will be getting a refund....Yay for that!!!

Also on Friday, I went shopping for a dryer. As long as JP was home convalescing with his pulled tooth and did not go to work. I. Got. The. Car. for the afternoon. Checked out 3 different stores. I almost bought a New Frigidaire for $400 + delivery, set up and take the old machine. ($490)

A New Speed Queen washer and dryer was priced at $2000.00......out of my budget (but it sure would be nice to have!!!) Off to the second store, a new Amana $420. A new Maytag $422. Off to the third store which was a used appliance store. A Kenmore, $250 including everything. Then there was the Maytag for $220 + delivery and pick up = $300 and from the looks of the condition it was brand new. I like Maytags....they last longer.

So I am excited about getting the dryer, but, have to wait till our refund comes, which might be in a week or so. Then it just might be another week till the dryer is delivered. In the mean time, it's hanging the clothes in the basement. What a chore!! So much easier to put the clothes in a dryer.....spoiled much????

Saturday was spent watching the Chicago Blackhawks lose 5-3 and tonight....they lost again 5-4 oh well....now I understand why my step father got so disgusted with them. Hopefully the 2018-19 season will be better.

In these next couple of pictures are some cards I put together Saturday night. I got the idea at Hobby Lobby. They give card making classes there and always put the sample cards they will be making on the bulletin board. I always check out the bulletin board every time I go in there. I bought my Giraffe stamp a year ago, and finally used it with this idea.

My secret stamper friend sent me the "Hello" image.....it took me awhile to put this idea together, cause when I saw the giraffe sample at Hobby Lobby, the first thing I thought of was using the "Hello" with this giraffe on this card.

I used different colored card stock, which was fun. Some of the "Hello's" were colored in with copic markers depending on if there was contrasting colors. Some I just left plain. I rounded some corners and ruffed up edges on some of the cards.

I made about 20 of these cards, some will be for Hospice and some to just keep, maybe make them into birthday cards or thinking of you cards.

Two cards have been set aside for my secret stamper friend that sent me the "hello" die cut. I still have 12 flower images my stamper friend sent to make cards with, plus the two images I sent to my other secret stamper. I should get all these cards done by this week, as soon as I do, I will post them for you to see the finished products.

So this next week looks pretty quiet NOW....but who knows what will transpire in the next couple of days. Wednesday is "Betty Day" when I go to her house to make cards, I always look forward to that. JP gets his SS check....so I can pay a few bills.....bills, bills bills, never ending!!!

Hey....Spring Begins on the 20th.....it sure has been nice these last couple of days. My crocuses are up and I noticed today the tulips are pushing up. I better cover them so the rabbits don't get to them first. I noticed the crocuses are being eaten up!! Must be the rabbits!!

Well, time to close here, you have a great week and keep looking up ~ better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Spring has Sprung....Look At My Pretty Crocuses

Hi there everyone. Hope you are enjoying these beautiful days.....I have been enjoying the little flowers that pop up, it's always good to see them. God's creations are always a joy to the soul and spirit.

Saturday, I went out to straighten the garage and brought out some of the lawn furniture and grill and move the pots out for planting. I started about 5pm and did not stop till 8pm.....it was such a nice time....but I am paying for it now. Aches and pains....my back started hurting last night....I should have known better then to over-work this 70 year old body!!! I think from now on I will do just one hours worth of work rather then 3 hours. Why the rush???

We got our refund from the Government and State.....soooooo, I think this year we shall order some red mulch. My little gardens look so pretty when the mulch is spread.  I shall have to pace myself and not over-do. First I have to rake the old leaves and spread them under the maple tree....hopefully in the fall we can get that tree trimmed by Habitat for Humanity. That is another post though, within the next month, I have to see if we will qualify.

These little flowers are spreading themselves....maybe in a couple of years this section  of my garden will be all crocuses....I really should look for some white crocuses.

I think I might have a garage sale sometime this summer....just as soon as I gather all the things that need to be sold. We were given a large manger set....I am not sure I want it....but we'll see. Last summer my motivation ebbed very low. I had lots of energy in my head with lots of things I wanted to do, but my body did not want to cooperate with my head. A battle raged within me.....neither one won the battle and not a whole lot was accomplished last summer. Hope the story is different this summer.

Well, I think I shall close this post for now, need to go take a shower, maybe I will feel better. We have to take 276 aluminum cans to the "golden goat" for recycling. The price was 42 cents per pound....but better then having the cans sit around. After recycling we got $3.65. Not bad.....We calculated that it was about $125.00 worth of sparkling water that JP drinks. Me, I might have a can here or there....I drink mostly coffee, tea and water and a pop every now and then.

So have a great day and keep looking up.....better days are coming.

Cheers ~ Louise

Food, Flowers and Crafting

Hi there everyone....hope you are having a good day. Was reading a few blogs today, gosh, a few bloggers are really going through some sad trials. Prayers for you all, only God will see you through.

Then the bombings in Brussels today and Obama in Cuba talking to the Communist and at a baseball game??? I don't know....these are my thoughts, I think he knew about what was going to happen and planned to go to Cuba and after this, he is going to Argentina, is that another Communist country??? Oh my, nothing good is going to come out of all this.

All that happened today, sure got us distracted from the elections, seems the elections took a back seat. It's all a ploy and diversion to get our eyes off of what is going on.....really going on behind the scenes. As I said....nothing good is going to come out of all this, nope, nothing good.

Well, on to a lighter mood.....food, flowers and crafting. So below are a couple of meals I made from Blue Apron. Yep...."Cuban Sandwiches with Sweet Plantain and Kale Salad" Man, this was really good. The Cuban sandwich was made with pork, Swiss cheese, marinated pickles and mustard, the bread was grilled and pressed down....yep, I would do this again. I guess, after reading comments on the "real" Cuban sandwich...it also has ham in the sandwich, I shall try that next time.

Did you ever cook a plantain? Looks like a banana, but is harder and bigger. Peeled and sliced and grilled in oil, then salted. The kale was sliced fine combined with garlic paste and the juice of a lime, salt and pepper. Mixed with the plantain made for a very delicious salad. I gave this meal 5 stars.

This meal was the "Chicken Cacciatore with Fettuccine Pasta & Mushrooms" Oh yummy, this was really good and a very easy meal to put together. The chicken fried in olive oil then cut up in pieces. The mushrooms fried then garlic and red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you want it) then the tomato sauce and water is added, cooked then the chopped chicken, cooked pasta, butter and some reserved pasta cooking water. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.

A very delicious Blue Apron meal......another 5 star recipe.

In these next three pictures are my pretty little purple crocuses....

I thought I better take a picture of them from my kitchen window today.....

Because we are supposed to get a foot of snow tomorrow and they will be crushed under the weight!!! Pour little flowers, they thought it was spring and all chances of snow had passed.....I guess not.

I saw this on Facebook and had to save it to my files....it brought a chuckle for me today. Would be nice if I had a real craft room, but my craft room is down in the basement. Sometimes it is a bit dreary down there. But it is a good place to run to. I guess I do have a lot of card crafting stuff....but it is an accumulation of 20 years of making cards....yep, I have lots of stuff, but not half as much as some people do, oh well, to each his own.

Well, time to close here. I guess the next few days I will be crafting and making cards.....not planning to go outside in the snow.....one good thing, it won't last long and the temps are supposed to get warmer....at least in the high 40's by this week-end. Anyways, I need to make some cards for Hospice and get some new cards up in my Etsy store, guess I have been MIA there too.

You all have a great day and keep looking up.....better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Cards, Crocuses and Kylie

Hi there everyone......Beautiful Spring Day here in Appleton, WI!!! Oh yesssss, weather is in the 50's and it's even suppose to be in the 60's tomorrow. Hope this is not one of those teasers.....where it really warms up then BOOM it gets cold again. It would be nice to be able to turn off the furnace for a while.

So today I shall share one of my cards I made for Mother's Day.....made 6 of these...and gave them to Hospice. I think I shall make some more.....I love the effect of the Butterfly. The background is a Darcie embossing folder and I chalked in the flowers then sprayed some pearl mist over them, you can see the shimmer.....cute card...wish I had a mother to give this too. 

In these next two pictures are my little crocuses that were blooming this morning....aren't they sweet. I am not exactly sure how these crocuses got here to this spot....cause I don't remember planting them here. Must be the squirrels do the planting, or the chipmunks and mice.....because Louise didn't do it.

Here is a close up of these crocuses. So pretty in the 10:00am morning sunshine and the Robins tweeting in the background. Made me want to go grab a coffee and enjoy the morning.

And here is Miss Kylie greeting me at the back door after taking a few pictures of the crocuses. She is always so happy to see me....like, was I gone that long....was only a few minutes Kylie.

Well, after the "meet and greet patrol" met me at the door. I got ready to go to the store.

Went to Festival Food for a few things, dinner for tonight will be a little beef roast salted with some pink Himalayan salt, (ohoh...just read the directions, NO SALT because it will dry the roast out, well, I am hoping because it is Himalayan salt.....that won't happen) and onions, cooked in a 500 degree oven for 10 minutes, then the oven shut off and kept in the oven for 40-60 minutes. It should be still pink in the inside. Yum...can hardly wait for some roast beef sandwiches and fresh green beans.

Then I went over to WG&R Furniture store. Picked up my FREE.....(and I love anything FREE) potholder mitt and a FREE Continental Breakfast.....fruit, sweet rolls, cheese cake, cookies, orange juice and coffee. Oh yess......got some fruit, sweet roll and an apple for JP.........good wife!! I did look at some furniture and did "Dream" about a new couch!!

JP wants some Hyssop tea. I do have a hyssop bush in the back yard....last fall I dried some leaves and flowers for him to make tea. It should have lasted the winter.....but not the way HE makes tea. Honestly....I have to do everything for him. He threw the leaves and flowers in COLD water thinking that would work....and actually went through the whole container of Hyssop. Honestly, I could really get mad at him. So now I have to get some more Hyssop.

Next stop after WG&R was The Appleton Nutrition Store....I will have to order the Hyssop by the case, which will contain 6 boxes of 24 tea bags or 144 bags at $34.00. This, I will have to think about.

My second stop was the Free Market....there I found the tea comes in bulk. 1 pound of Hyssop for $8.00. I shall have to put the tea in little tea bags and I already told him he has to HEAT the water so the tea can seep in order to get the full benefits of the tea!!!!! A sigh of frustration.......do I have to do everything for you?????? I do think I will order the case of Hyssop for him at the Nutrition Store, that will be the Hyssop already bagged....but I have to buy it by the case....well, it is suppose to be calming.....so maybe this will be good for me too.

So now I am home alone......YAY!!! JP went to the church to play his accordion and vacuum the floors and dust the pews and clean the bathroom. Maybe he and the pastor will have a bible study and order some lunch.....this is JP's favorite day....mine too, cause I am home alone and can listen to Rush Limbaugh or turn on the TV!!! So I turned on the TV.....Heaven is for Real was playing....I have seen that a couple of times......better then some of the movies that are playing right now.

Oh well....must finish this post and go walk Kylie....it's still a nice day outside. I can smell the roast in the oven.....yum...can hardly wait for a beef sandwich. Have a great day and keep looking up!!
Cheers ~ Louise

June is Busting Out!!!

Hi there everyone. How is your new month going so far??? I was hoping to get a post going on June 1st, but had some computer problems....seems my computer got attacked....Geez, did not realize it. Tried uploading some pictures, but to no avail. Finally had to give up.

Today I am back, files are cleaned and got my pictures uploaded, always have some kind of hoop to jump through....such is life!!! Today I thought I would show a few pictures of my house, and garden and flowers around the house.

Here is a picture of my house, we've lived here going on 23 years this July 27th. Where has all that time gone?? There definitely has been lots of changes since we moved here.

A picture of the back part of my yard.....things are just starting to grow and I have lots of work yet to do. Not sure I will put in much of a garden this year. I mostly just want to enjoy the work of my labors and just do fun things around the house. What that is, I do not know as yet.

Another view from the bird houses towards the pond. I am slowly getting some of my garden animals out...they always seem to make the back yard homey.

These are my little flowered crocuses that come up along side the house....as soon as they die off I will be planting some Zinnias along side the house. Big tall Zinnias this year.

This is a cute little Begonia plant I got for JP for his birthday. It is planted in this pot and sitting on the porch.

Walking Kylie around the neighborhood, I passed by this house that had these beautiful purple flox growing outside. The lady was sitting on her front porch...I told her the next time I pass by I am bringing my camera for a picture. I passed by today.....they are almost finished blooming, glad I got the picture when I did. 



This is another picture of a garden I pass by while walking Kylie. I thought it was so intriguing  with the ladder over the garden. The plant growing under the ladder is a tomato plant. I shall be keeping an eye on it as Kylie and I pass by and watch it grow.

Well, time to close here...JP will be home soon and I did not get a chance to get downstairs to make some cards. I have some birthday cards in the process of being made. Take card and keep looking up.
Cheers ~ Louise