Friday and Falling Leaves

 Hi there everyone....hope you had a great week!! Despite all the terrible news, fires, hurricanes, mass killings....my gosh! Makes a person want to hide in a closet and never come out!!!! But thank goodness, it is Friday....I love this little white dog...reminds me of my dog Hyko. We still miss him and he has been gone 5 years now.

Well, I am excited......FINALLY got an Etsy sale....what a great surprise. I just have to finish the order tonight. The lady will pick up the order tonight, I will get it in the mail by Monday. The lady is going to use these leaves for her wedding in 35 days. Printing  names on them plus use the leaves for decorations. I have 100 made already and just need to make another 100 and maybe 20 extra as a bonus.

What's really neat about these leaves is you can peel the leaf off the backing and stick it on an envelope, mirror, vase, etc. the ideas are endless.

I finally learned how to scan stuff into my computer. Is that not amazing???? I guess this old dog can learn new tricks. Never give up!!!! My next blog, I will put a bunch of pictures up of JP when he was racing cars....that's the man I fell in love with!!! A man that JP works with wanted to see some pictures of JP when he raced....so I figured out how to scan....now I want to scan everything!!!

Well time to close here. Nothing much is planned for tomorrow. Collected all my tomatoes from outdoors....need to make some canned tomatoes before they go bad. Maybe make some salsa tomorrow too. It's almost time to rake those falling leaves....our backyard is covered right now.

Have a great evening and keep looking up ~ better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Class Cards and JP's Birthday Card

Hi there everyone....I think it is finally Spring. According to the weather forecaster on my computer, for the next 10 days the temps will be in the 70's. Now that is perfect weather to me. Spring like and not too hot. Gosh, I sure do hope my air conditioner works this year, I may have to think about getting a new one for sure. But I will cross that bridge when I get to it....not sense running towards it if I don't have to run.......

So following are 4 cards I made at Betty's card class yesterday......the top one, as you can see is a bride and groom.....very simple and easy to put together.

The tulip card was fun to do. Stamped the tulips on black card stock with white ink. Then colored with colored pencils.....very relaxing, now I know why those adult coloring books are so popular now a days. Just gabbing and coloring can sure relax the mind.

This little birdie was told it was your birthday.....a simple card and fun to put together. We cut the tree in half then added the black and green strips that were punched out with a border punch. Betty had the bird cut out for us, so we just had to glue dot him in place.

I love this card and those two peanuts....it was fun coloring them. The inside verse says "Oh nuts, I forgot your birthday" The two nuts were colored in with copic markers then layered on a die cut frame and printed paper. I shall have to look for these two nuts at the different sites I visit.

Now here is a card I made for JP for his birthday. I thought he would really like this one. I got the stamps and folder from one of those magazines that come from the UK.

Here is the inside of the card....don't you just love this card. It did take a long time to put this card together and I made 5 of them. So I actually spent a whole evening on these cards. One already went to Kylie's groomer for her birthday, JP got one and another one is going to a friend. Two more left.

Well, time to close this quickie post and go walk Kylie. Hopefully I can get up the energy to do that. I wanted to work outside, but for some reason....the motivation was not there....Oh now I understand that saying and how true...."the mind is willing but the body isn't."

Note: After Kylie's walk, I did work outside for about 1/2 hour, raking leaves and moving them to under the tree. I moved the swing a bit, turned on the water fountain and sat on the swing with Kylie for awhile....I think a mosquito found me. Well, I am armed with Vicks Vapor Rub, which I did not have any on. I read that Vicks keeps the mosquitoes away.....we shall see.

Have a great day and keep looking up, better days are coming.

Cheers ~ Louise

My December Special on Etsy

So, I just put these cards in my Etsy store today. A special deal if I have to say so myself. A set of 12 cards priced at $21.00 + postage and shipping will bring the price to $24.50. I usually sell my cards for $3 a piece so I am selling these cards in this set for $1.75 a piece. My inventory has gotten so large, thought I could do this as a special for December. Maybe this will be "Special" for every month in 2012.....just to keep the Post Office busy with cards and letters in the mail.

Please check out my etsy store at: http://www.cards4ubylouise.etsy.com.

This is a pretty short blog for today, have to go do some decorating of the house. My Christmas cards are in the mail, as a matter of fact, just recieved the card today that I sent JP and the dogs. After decorating the house I can think about baking. I have only one gift to send in the mail to Pops in Las Vegas. Not sure what I will send yet, maybe zuchinni bread and cookies and a crossword puzzel. Well, I shall close this blog as it is acting really silly today so you keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh.
Cheers ~ Louise

New Cards For My Etsy Store

This is my Christmas card for this season. A simple background embossed in gold then the tree was cut out and strips of red, green and gold papers cut to make the iris fold. I will be adding this card to my etsy store this week sometime. This will come as a set of 3 for $10 + postage. You will also receive one free bonus card and thank you card. Each one of my cards comes with an envelope and clear plastic sleeve for protection.

Little Fisher Boy was listed on Saturday, no bites yet but still hoping for that "hook, line and sinker" to go under the water and catch that big one.

This pretty card is called "5 Roses for Your..." could be a Birthday, Anniversary, Wedding, Thinking of you what ever your hearts desire. It's not on Etsy yet, but sometime this week.

To see all my cards at Etsy go to: http://www.cards4ubylouise.etsy.com Have a great day and see you on Wordless Wednesday ~ cheers ~ Louise

♥37 Years of Marriage and My 1st Wedding Ring♥

Yep, that's right, you are reading the title right!!!!! It was our 37th Wedding Anniversary on Friday. This was the first time ever that JP bought me a ring....and a wedding ring at that. As you can see there are 3 rings, the pinkie ring is my mother's which I inherited, the middle fingered ring is a ring I bought at Kohls maybe about 15 years ago and that lovely ring in the middle is my new wedding ring. Can you imagine it was in JP's budget too. The pawn broker said to take it to a Jeweler for an appraisal, you might be surprised at how much it is worth......I shall do that.

FOOT NOTE TO THE READER........Now you might ask, why was JP buying me a wedding ring now, after all these years? When JP and I got married (by the Justice of Peace in Chicago in 1973) I had to buy my own ring, cause he didn't have time to look and/or buy a ring for me cause he was in the midst of racing and just could not take time off. He just did not have time to get married and a marriage licence, he felt, was not that important. It was to me though. He thought we could live together forever, but we had found a house and I said "I will not move into that house unless we are married". So he repented and we got married at 11am August 27th, signed the papers to the house at 3pm and moved into our little house in Arlington Heights, Illinois by the late afternoon.

So here we are in August 27, 2010 and JP is buying me a ring for our 37th wedding anniversary and we are beginning the hunt.

We went to a couple of pawn shops, and a jewelery store. At the first pawn shop, there were at least 5 large cases of rings to choose from, found a couple of rings but they were way out of JP's budget. He had saved $90 and had an extra $10 to top it off. Many of the rings were $200, $300, 4 and 500 all the way up to 1k or more. The salesman showed us the 50% off rings and the 30% off rings.....I would pick a ring and he would take it out, one ring at a time. Finally came up with 3 rings I liked. Then I had it narrowed down to one ring which was $149.00 ~ just a little over JP's budget, oh gosh but did I like it. We ended up not buying it, we left that store to go to another, thinking we would come back.

We were told to go to a jewelery store where they sell estate rings. So we tried there, didn't really see anything I liked, really didn't know what I was looking for, but you know......when you see what you like, you will know that is the one. It will yell out your name and say "I am the one ~ buy me"!!!!!! The saleslady then took us to some "NEW" wedding rings (gosh, I just knew they would be out of JP's budget for sure) Well, wouldn't you know it, I found the perfect ring, it was gorgeous and fit perfectly......but alas..... it's sale price was $2,800.00.....just out of curiosity I asked if there were any discounts and she calculated and came down to a whopping 2K. Gosh I liked that ring alot. We left there, I was alittle bummed, cause I really liked that ring (LOL)

We decided that Saturday we would go looking again, I had to go to the Share program and would stop at "Mr Money" on the way back home. This was a little-er pawn shop....with one case of rings, there the lady showed me the rings one and two at a time.....till finally I said, show me rings for $100, then she started bringing rings out and telling me what she could give them to me for.....then I spied this ring you see at the top of this page......tried it on and said.....this is the one. They were asking $149 but could come down to $110....I said I would bring back my husband.

To make the long story short, we bought the ring.....cause it was calling my name. Plus it just looked like it belonged on my hand.......don't you think???? We ended up paying $120 for the ring and that was including tax, I think we got a good deal, and both JP and I are happy and HE FINALLY BOUGHT ME A RING!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a "glad day" all day going out to eat at Red Lobster then shopping around for a ring, nice date, here is a picture of JP and I. Hope your days are glad too!!! Louise

ANOTHER FOOT NOTE......I had an extra $20 to add to the total cost of the ring.

More Cards

Here's a few more cards, plain and simple and too the point. I am hopeing to have more of the wedding cards made, so I have a few on hand and a few at Inches A Weigh and a few on Etsy. Well, I am making this blog short and sweet as it is getting late and I have another full day tomorrow. Take care and Take Jesus ~ Louise

Hel.....looooooo? Where did Summer GO?

I must have closed my eyes for a season and missed summer..........where did it disapear to? I know I have been busy, but here it is August already and I am not even sure we had a summer. Good grief and September is right around the corner. I was doing dishes this morning and actualy saw a leaf on the backyard tree starting to turn to it's lovely orange and yellow colors of FALL.......yikes winter is not far behind.

Well, I have been pretty busy making cards lately. Was able to put some cards in the "Inches A Weigh" establishment and have actually sold a few cards. (or should I say, they sold themselves)I am trying to refresh the card basket with new cards every couple of weeks just to keep things interesting. Following are some of my newest cards that I will soon be adding to my etsy store also.

A lovely elagant wedding card in light blue, I have a wedding card in light violet and teal and may add those at a later date. Isn't life Sweet and a little note card that you can add your own sediments to. I am going to try and add a few more cards to this blog................if it will let me.

Next on the agenda is a little aligator birthday card. It tickled my funny bone when I first laid eyes on it. I really must buy this stamp so I can have him close at hand. In the mean time I will have to borrow him from Betty. My Thinking of You card was made from a tag punch.........another item that I need to purchase (hopefully I can sell enough cards to buy these two items in the near future. Well, I will add a few more cards on my next blog at: http://www.cards4ubylouise2.blogspot.com/ keep you in suspense so you will have to check that blog out also.

We have been pretty busy, doing lots of yard work, house work, body work..................I am still stuck at 10 lbs and 20 inches, well, guess that is better then nothing. 10lbs is 10lbs and 20inches is 20inches, can't bark at that, that is for sure.

Goodness, alot of things have happened this summer. Micheal Jackson and Farah Fawcet died, Obama wants to put us under bondage with his health care regiem, Farve is not going to the Vikings and is actually retiring, Jeanene won "So you think you can dance" (I was hoping for Brandon), Adam Lambert lost to what's his name on American Idol oh and Paula will not return to Idol...........I think she will go on to judge on So you think you can dance..........my prediction.

This will be the summer of surprises............well, I think I will close this one for awhile...........I await your comments................have a great day and keep looking up. Louise

Yep, life is sweet!!!!!!

♥♥Inches A Weigh♥♥

To the tune of "Anchors Away" (dum..dum) Anchors Away (dum..dum), That's what I think of when think of Inches A Weigh..............well, it has really been fun!!! Have lost 4-5 lbs and 8 inches since April 24th. Not bad for me, that is for sure. Just think in 6 weeks.....8 weeks.....10 weeks....gosh, maybe by Fall I can buy a bathing suit 50% off!!!

I am feeling better, don't know if I look any different, but that is okay, it will come all in time.

We bought JP a new suit, yellow shirt and fancy tie for the big Chicago wedding on the 23rd. I am still trying to figure out what I will wear. MMMMM, I might go back to Catherenes, try a find a nice pair of slacks and top. We'll see. Catherenes is what sent me to Inches A Weigh in the first place............maybe just maybe things will be different this time.

Well, I think I will shut down, really not in a talkative mood and I am starting to get tired. so talk to you later and a great day.
Louise

Easter and Monday Ramblings.........

It's going to be a quiet day today. So far today, I pulled up some of the merchandising jobs that I need to do tomorrow and Wednesday (taking down all the Easter cards, counting and tearing them and putting up the Mother's Day cards.........that will keep me busy. Plus, I just checked out Etsy and made a few changes in the store, added a card for Mother's Day and changed the announcements. Check out my store at: http://www.cards4ubylouise.etsy.com/ Oh, and while you are reading this blog, press the play button on my new gadget and listen to some David Archuleta music>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Perhaps today I will go into my studio (sounds so much more professional then "going downstairs in the basement....lol) and make a few cards for the store and build up my inventory. Was reading on the forum, what people look for in cards that are made. Mostly note cards with it being blank on the inside, so they can write their own sediments. Maybe a few wedding cards, baby cards, congrats cards. Oh and cards for men. Someone could not find a Valentines card for a male...............so I need to keep that in my mind for next year.

JP is talking to his mother right now..........she still lives in Chicago. She is giving him the low-down on what happened at yesterday's get-together for Easter with the family. I talked to my step-father on Saturday, he lives alone in Las Vegas, he was going to make a chicken in his "NuWave" oven. I made a turkey on Thursday, so now we have the left-overs to eat. Yesterday we went to a friends house for Easter, we had Ham, potatoes, asparagus, spinich salad, relish tray, cherry salad and dessert was a double chocolate brownie with whip cream......oh yummmm!

Let's see, what else is going on today and this week. As I look at the calendar........going to Betty's house next Tuesday, she teaches card making, for $12 we make 4 cards of different designs, it is always fun going there and learning something new.

In May we are looking at going down to Chicago for our niece Callie and her fiance Matt's wedding. Should be fun, I hope, but the older I get, the more I just want to stay home, have become quite the home body, I guess. Everything is costing so much, there is not much you can do now a days and keep it under $100. Ha......that is a laugh, by the time Obama is done with us, we will need to be bailed out. My step-father says JP and I should be doing okay what with social security coming every month. I honestly have not seen relief yet, if it wasen't for that check I get, we would not have been able to pay our mortgage, it has been that tight. Thank God for social security.

Well, I think I am going to shut this blog down, as I need to go make JP his sandwiches for his lunch box and also make something for him before he leaves for work. No problem though, Turkey is on the menu oh and turkey soup.

So you have a great day and keep looking up! I
{{{{hugs}}}}
Louise