McSquirrel

I like to go to the park near my office for lunch.  This guy was rooting around in the trash barrel and up he comes with a french fry.    He ate 5 or 6 more by the time I left.  Tragically, he had no ketchup. 

Star Light, Star Bright

A pack of scrapbooking papers, ribbon, double sided tape, waxed thread, and some embellishments went into making this 5 1/2 inch star book.

The papers include glittered, metallic and flocked accents and

were

all a nature/garden theme.

A little trouble with the coptic sewing. I could not recall exactly how to connect each of the 7 signatures. And, once I knotted the thread I couldn't go back and re-do without damaging the paper. So, I covered them up with more ribbon 'n bows!

Apple Store They are Geniuses

I'm back from the Apple store with a brand new battery!  Whoo hoo!  Yesterday I noticed when I typed my mac was wobbly.  I looked underneath and the battery was bulging like it was just going to explode!  I quickly made my appointment online and fully expected to pay the $129 for a new batt.  Nope, it was covered under my extended warranty.  For once I actually got use out of a warranty.  It even covered the battery.  So, since I got over 3 years out of the original I've got quite a bit more life out of my machine.  Not that I don't want a new one.  Of course I do.  As soon as I buy one, a new model comes out with more goodies and I want that too.  I think you should pay a one time lifetime fee and just get the new model every year.  That's what I think.

Clipboard Art

Been experimenting with gel medium transfers.  I'm getting the hang of it now.  Except that his eye tore out.  Oh well, easy fix.  That is the great thing about collage.  If something does not work, cover it up.  The image is from a magazine, artist unknown.   The eggs are a color photocopy I had and the "stamp" is a vellum sticker.   This piece is rubber stamped with different patterns on the back.   The whole piece has been coated with the medium for protection and waterproofing.  There are a few dimensional elements; a little cattail in the right bottom corner and some mica glitter.  Don't we just love to glitter?

Erin the Graduate

Okay, my niece is now an ex-high school student and on her way to college.  And, doesn't she look happy!?!

The Saga of the Topsy Turvey Tomato continues

I'm nothing if not persistent.  Try try again is my motto.  I am bound and determined to make this thing work!  My topsy turvy upside down tomato planter has been my nemesis.  To start, I bought the thing because I thought the idea was great.  Hang your plant above the ground, no staking, no limbs dragging the ground or dirt splashing up on them.  But the box did not show how you how to hang them nor really give you the proper equipment.  I hung it on a shepherds hook but didn't have enough soil so back to the store.  Add some more miracle gro, water it and watch it bend the hook all the way to the ground!  Which did not help  the plants.  Some of the limbs broke off.  Back to the store to buy a stronger hook, plus a chain plus an s-hook.  Probably spent about $30 by now.  But my original plant died.  Back to Lowes, buy a new tomato plant, no more beefsteaks left so I got an Early Girl, whatever that it.  I tucked that in this evening, watered it real good, noticed some yellow buds on it already so I have high hopes of getting some tomatoes out of it.  Talk about the fruit of your labor!

New Rule!

New Rule: Instead of killing 99.9% of germs, Lysol has to just go ahead and kill them all. Why spare the remaining .1%? So they can return to their villages and tell the other germs, "Dude, do not mess with Lysol."

- Bill Maher in his “New Rules” segment

Gold Leaf Stamping

Experimenting today with glue pad and gold leaf sheets.  These two examples are a Penny Black Queen Anne's Lace stamp, stamped with glue pad twice and gold leafed.  On darker color and white cardstock.  Lovely.  This glue pad is great.  Just apply, no need to heat it.  I never had much luck with the others.

Our beautiful niece Erin is graduating Tuesday night.  Erin is an accomplished twirler of batons and waiver of flags in her marching band.  She plays guitar.  Her intended major for college is journalism. We wish her the best for a bright future.

Niece Erin is Graduating

Japanese Iris

Japanese irises are blooming.  They are so dramatic.  My photograph isn't the best but I was rushed.  Going to run a bunch of errands.  I just had to get a quick shot because I missed photographing my hot pink azalea.  The blooms fell off all in one night!  

Don't read if you're the sensitive type

A guy walks into a psychiatrist's office wearing only saran wrap for shorts. The doc says, "Well, I can clearly see you're nuts".

Great news for Stamp Zia friends in St. Louis.  Zana Clark is giving 3 classes at the Ink Spots in June, when she is here for convention.  I'm posting my photos from a class I took a couple years ago.  Lots of vibrant color.  I highly recommend the classes.  Even though you can do it yourself with the supplies, a structured class will take you through the piece layer by layer and help avoid some of the pitfalls with the expert guiding you along the way.  Major pitfall is muddy colors.  How do you keep them from becoming mud?  It's much easier when you see a 'master' do it.

Tim Holtz

Donchajusluvhim!?  I am so jealous i could spit.  I read a little about his background and it is truly amazing.  Yes, it is possible to be crafty/artsy and come up from nowhere to become a millionaire doing what I do.  The only difference is that I don't have the guts (I was going to say something else) to give up a 9 to 5 job, go out and meet the right people at the right time and take enormous risks that could lead, and probably will for me, to failure.  Guess I'm one of those who fears failure.  I'm not the only one right?  Anyway, the purpose of writing all this was to recommend his videos which can be seen on his own site and You Tube, and probably the Ranger Inks site as well.  Fabulous new product is the alcohol ink refillable pen.  Forget Copic!  This is for me.  I already have the inks and they are cheap enough when you run out to buy more.  Plus, that blender is awesome!  Go and check it out!

Baby is sick

The worst sound in the world is my doggie's yelp.  She had her vaccinations yesterday.  She was so good for the Vet.  They have great vets at Kirkwood Animal Hospital, they are so gentle and affectionate.

But today Smokie is hurting.  I don't know what happened, she did not have this reaction last year.  If you touch her back, where they pinch to inject the vaccine she yipes.  She gets up and down on furniture with a squeal.  She walks so slow with her head down.  For a while I thought she was going to die.  The vet said to give her a baby aspirin.  We gave her 1/2 of one and now, 4 hours later she seems to be resting well.  So to make sure she didn't get up and down I stayed on the bed with her all night surfing the net.  Looked at a bunch of Tim Holtz videos... more later.

Have you seen Star Trek yet?

Like Obama "I grew up on Star Trek".  Can't wait to see the new movie.  Bonus: one of my favorite actors, Bruce Greenwood, is in it.  

What am I doing here?!

So, what am I doing writing a blog?  I don't keep a diary.  I rarely read other people's blogs.  Now, I do like to look at photos.  I like some of the art blog sites with pictures of what people are making.  Perhaps that is what I'm aiming for.  I'd like to sell on Etsy.  I've started to make some clipboards and cover notebooks with lovely papers.  Plus, I have a few more things to sell on ebay.  Well, let's see how this goes.