Monday, June 30, 2008

Butterfly Collage



I made this butterfly collage yesterday for my kitchen. My kitchen colors are black, red, yellow and white. I added the verse as its sure fits me, and was just a "fun" addition to my kitchen wall! I used the Martha Stewart butterfly punch and the paper was perfect from Cosmo Cricket. It has all those colors in one sheet! The shadow box frame I purchased from Target. The second photo is where I hung it!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Happy Sunday~The Garden Gate


My brother-in-law gave me this old vintage garden gate last week. He knows I like primitives and he knows I love to garden. When he had me come over and come into his garage, he had this wonderful Victorian gate sitting in full view, he must of seen my eyes light up, because he said "Don't get too excited, because thats not the gate!" Dang it, but this is a neat old gate, too. We just put it up yesterday in a section of my gardens that I am in the process of redoing! The rabbit I just purchased in Shipshewanna, Indiana (Amish country) at a neat prim shop. My garden is full of rabbits, but none of the "cutsie" ones, I like the Alice In Wonderland type rabbits!

Hope you enjoy visiting my garden, I again used some of my new photo software, that stuff is addicting!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Bouquet From My Garden




Had to share this beautiful bouquet I picked from my garden, but I have to admit, I probably need flower arranging 101 as I am not the best at arranging them in a vase. The purple flowers are larkspur, they are annuals, but I learned that if you spread the seed on the snow in Februrary, they start growing every year, and they multiply fast, though, it took me about 3 years to get the look I wanted. Funny thing about them though, as they spread from their own seed, I never know for sure where they will appear. I forgot to spread the seeds on the snow this year, but I will try to remember to do it in Feb 2009!

I was messing around some more with my new photo software and added the frame, what do you think?? Bubba the cat is also included in the photo!


Another Fresh Cut Card


Another card I made using SU's Fresh Cut set, I wonder if I will ever tire of that one!

It's Probabaly hard to tell, but I stamped on the flower, too, and of course I used the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, again!

Friday, June 27, 2008

All Dressed Up!


These are a few of the many dress note cards I made a long while back, as usual, they were addicting and I made way too many!

Poppy From My Garden







I bought new software for my new camera. I am still messing with it and trying to figure out how it all works...whew, what a job. But this is a photo I took of a poppy in my garden a few weeks ago, I used a few effects from the software on it...what do you think??


The first photo is the original photo I took.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Stampin'Up! New Fresh Cut Stamp/Notes Set




When Stampin'Up! let the demonstrators preorder a sneak peek set, I jumped at it, and I am soooooooooooo glad I did, as I LOVE this set. I have been making more with this set then any of the other sets I have, not sure why, but it is so fun to use.


The first card I used my ever faithful Cuttlebug Embossing Swiss Dots folder, if this was the only (its not) embossing folder I owned I would be perfectly happy, as it is fantastic! Anyhow, I used DS paper from Su, embossed it, and its the background of the flower. I stamped all over the card with the stamp from the above mentioned set. I added a brad and some of SU's Flower Fusion flowers, I wasn't sure if I would like these, but I can't leave them alone!!! I kind of like the matching envelope, too!


Second note card (by the way, these note cards come with the flower already die cut, you just punch out the petals and you are good to go) is also made using the Cuttlebug swiss dots folder. I used a Basic Grey DS paper for the background, added a little pearl center for bling, and what a pretty card!


The Fresh Cuts set and notes are still available til June 30th, the note cards are only $5 if purchasing the stamp set, its $21.95. Both will be in the new Catty Aug 10th, but the note cards will be at the reg. price of $8.95. If you would like to order these, please let me know in the comment section, but hurry, last day is June 30th for me to place the order!

Fall Card for SCS Sketch Challenge


I am back trying to do some of the Split Coast Stampers challenges. They are always so fun, and help to keep me motivated! This card did not photgraph well, due to the dark colors, but it is a really neato card! I used Stampin'Up's! Lovely As A Tree set. I used black cardstock and used my SU chalks and rubbed the colors on with a sponge dauber, then I inked my stamp with VersaMark. The Versamark takes the chalk off leaving the image in black, now how cool is that??? My layout of the stamped image is a little bigger then the challenge one, but because of the size of my stamp I had to make it bigger.

My Paper Stacker



Wow,I am on a roll...this is my 4th post this morning!! This is my paper stacker I put together using 2 sets of the wire crate sets from Target! It holds alot of paper, but I need another one for my SU papers...the thing is almost as tall as me. I love it! On the side I have a pants hanger that I cut the rubber off and have my SU wheels on...love how that works, too. I saw that idea on someone else's blog. I will have to add another one as my "wheel collection" grows!

Party Invite




I posted a few invitations I made awhile back. My daughter's friend choose this one to use for her hubby's surprise birthday. She made it in Green Bay Packer colors, which I thought was a great idea for a man! I used my QuicKutz for the grill tools. I had gone into our local scrapbook store and they had the die on clearance for 60% off, it was the only one, so it worked perfect for me. I know its hard to tell, but the grill tools are made with some heavy metallic paper I have had forever. I cut all the tools out for her and added the little black pieces to the handles. I did 25 of each tool, it tool awhile, but I didn't mind! The invite card was made using a Stampin'Up! set called "Please Come". This is a nice set of 5 different invite options, very much worth the $23.95 cost. If you would like to order this set, just post me a comment with your email address and I won't post it to keep it private.

More Pictures From The Island




A couple more pics, one is the large flag outside the Grand, another private home on the west bluff, and the yellow one is the mayors home.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Wouldn't You Love To Live In One of These!!!




My hubby and I try to celebrate our anniversary every year at Mackinac Island, and we made it this year again! We were married on the West Bluff and so we have to make the walk up to the bluff thru the Grand Hotel. They charge $15 just to enter the Hotel, but I know my way around and we can just "pass thru" on our way to the bluff. Here are a couple pictures of the Grand and some of the homes we walk by on the bluff.....they all have a story.....I love them, but all these houses are on leased land owned by the state of Michigan. I would love to "see" inside these, the homes are as "grand" as the hotel. Two more pictures to follow.Enjoy!!

Monday, June 23, 2008

Fall Card for SU


Here is a card I made to send to SU for the monthly contest.....have more, but no time for photos! Speaking of photos, I got my new camera after taking the other one back. This one is great, I love it, love it, love it! Its a Kodak easy share, and it is so easy, but the best part is it takes fantastic photos and the software to load it is great, too! So now I will be able to post "normal" again!!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

4th of July Items I Made Last Year



These are just a couple of the primitive 4th of July items I made last year and sold on Ebay, both were my own ideas, I am in the process of getting some more items ready to list. When I get them done I will post them here for you to see!

First is a cone I filled with all kinds of Patriotic goodies! Second is a flag I made and put an Eagle, Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty and and old prim crow popping out the top! Until I get the camera issue resolved, thought I would share these!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Wacky Moon



Here are a couple of photos of a moon that I took a few nights ago. The weather in the Midwest has been unusual to say the least. The moon was out, but yet it was thundering and lightening, what makes it eerie are the black clouds that were over it. This was taken at night with "the new" camera, if my old camera was still working these would of been fantastic pictures!

Friday, June 20, 2008

Still More Garden Photos




Here are yet more photos! These are some of the different Yarrows I have. The yellow is "Moonshine" and the one that looks pink, is really a wonderful red called "Paprika", these two are my favorites of all the Yarrows I have. I bought a new one this year called Terra Cotta, but it has not bloomed yet, my new one last year was called Tropicana,I will photograph it later. The last photo is a blanket flower.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

More Garden Photos




I hope you all are not bored with photos of my garden, but I am still testing my new camera. The new camera is being returned tomorrow as it takes "okay" outside photos, but inside ones are blurry. I am going to get the one I should have in the first place! I have always been a firm believer "that you get what you pay for", so thats what I get for "trying to save a buck"!!!

These garden photos keep showing up, as they are all I have to share until I get this resolved!
These are just a few of my lillies blooming in my garden now!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Stampin'Up! Retired List

Please note I have posted the Stampin'UP! retired list on the left of my blog, these are all going to "stamp heaven" from the catalog. Last day to order is Aug 10th, so if you "have to have" any of these, you might want to place an order.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Happy Father's Day*Wish You Were Here!



My Dad has been gone along time, he passed away at a very early age of 58, but every year I still want to remember him on this day! I thought I would share one of his military photo's and a photo of my Mom and Dad together. Don't you just LOVE old photo's? I only have about 5 total, and hopefully someday I will be given some more to add to my collection!


Happy Father's Day to my two sons too!!!

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Frustrating As Heck New Software & Camera!!!


Here is an attempt to put a new pic on with my new camera, the software I bought will not load, and the camera loading is too dang technical for me.


This is just some goodies I bought to play with...look at all those yummy colors of the flocking! I love the versa Dew Drop chalk inks, too, great "flavors", key lime, grapefruit...yum!!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Lake Huron Freighter Taken With OLD Camera


I got my new camera, it is NOT at all what I went for, so will try it and see if I like it, sorry I am not telling yet, lets just say it was very inexpensive, so I want to see if I like it before I tell! I have to download its CD, and a new photo program I got, too tired to do it tonight, so hopefully it will be up and running sometime tomorrow.


So just another quick post to until I can figure this camera out......another freighter I took from our lake home on "Lake Huron"!! Kind of blurry, but I took thru the slider with screen from inside the house!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

My Camera Died, So This is a "Fill In"


What a week! They say everything comes in 3's, and I sure do believe it! My 3rd thing to ruin my week was the "death" of my camera! So I have to "fill in" with a photo I had to keep my post up. Since this is Shades of Inspiration week (green), thats what I will post for tonight! As you can see, there is lots of green, the rain we have had in the midwest has had fun knocking petals off in the hundreds!


I am purchasing a new camera tomorrow, and I can figure out how to use it by tomorrow night, I will put a few new pictures on! If its not one thing its another!!! So since I am in a limbo here on my blog, I am keeping busy making some new cards which I will be ready to photograph hopefully tomorrow!


Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Flower Bouquet From Garden


Just a quick second post for today, flowers I barely got picked before the deluge of rain we, in the Midwest are getting.....the peonies were on their way out!

Finally! A Few New Cards




When I did my first SU workshop at my daughter's, her friend that was a guest wanted to know if I would do a few samples of invites for a surprise birthday party she was having for her husband. I made 3 different invites, she chose one that was a barbque apron, it was so cute, but I forgot to take a photo of it before I let her take it to make...darn it.


She did purchase the stamp set from me to make them!!


The two I have left to show are made mostly using Stampin'Up! products!

Monday, June 9, 2008

Shades of Inspiration*Going Green



Today is my first post for Shades of Inspiration, this week it is green! I will have to give this challenge alot of thought, as there is probably as much green around the cabin as there was red! Because its Monday and back to the "grind" and because of a busy weekend, I haven't had time to get many photos, so I will share my creek side "green" ferns, (I promise I won't show my green lawn). I am also showing a small portion of my rock garden that grows along the front walk. The piece of property the cabin sits on, used to be a mill stream, with mill and all. The cabin actually sits in the place where the mill used to run, but was re-routed long before we bought the house. At the front door embedded in the walk is the original millstone from the mill, (you can just slightly see it in the photo)...at some point I will post pictures of that and the cabin as well! Have a great week!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Last Day of I saw Red




Today is the last day of the I saw Red. It has been lots of fun and I visited lots of other blogs for more red "ideas". I did, however, spend way too much time "looking" and now have to pay the price and get something done here at the cabin, first things first though is to get my strawberry pie done, that was suspose to be done yesterday! Today is my casual place setting at the cabin, the lighting is bad onthis one, but thats "cabin life" for ya!!!


There is going to be a new group starting using green, I might participate in that one, if I can find the time. I hope you all had fun visiting my blog!!

Saturday, June 7, 2008

I Saw Red Day 5 for me!





Day 5 of I saw Red for me......this one was a hard one, as we have had so much rain, and it has been so dark and gloomy, it was hard to get good photos inside the cabin and outside is steamy and everything is wet and droopy! So, that being the problem, I took a picture of our old red barn, weeds and all! This barn has a little history behind it, it was on my father-inlaws property on his farm down the road. My hubby got the bright idea to move it here and my sister and I made it into a "craft barn" one time a year in the fall and had a 3 day open house. It was great, but in about 3 years we grew so big in our sales, that we outgrew the barn and had to have it in the cabin! Thats another story! Anyhow, he loaded that old barn somehow on some old electrical poles that the electric company had replaced with new ones, bolted the floor to them, and between a bull dozer, backhoe and a front end loader they drug it down the road. Took most of the day, and took up all the road, now keep in mind its a two story barn, it worked pretty good until they tried to make the turn into its new location, and the road was blocked, lets just say "for awhile"! And, can you believe, I never even took one picture of the entire operation! Now the barn is full of some old furniture, lots of mice and those pesky red squirrels have taken up residence, and the cat that was dumped off on us had 6 kittens in an old barrel upstairs, so at least its being used!!

The second picture is of an outside mirror I have on our patio, you can see the trees reflecting in it! Next picure is of our dining room in our lake house "Up North" as we like to call it and the last photo is a vintage apron that is my "curtain" on a small window in my kitchen "here at home"! Tomorrow is the last post for the I see Red.....its been fun!

Friday, June 6, 2008

More Garden Photo's Before The Red!!





Thought I would post some more of my garden photos before my I saw Red post tomorrow! We had alot of rain and wind today, so I am so glad I took all those photos of my garden yesterday morning, as it "ain't so pretty now"!


I have a few new "babies" to share, the first is called "Bears Breeches"...this is a rather unusal plant, it is very "pokey"! The second is called Silver Sage. The third is a new blanket flower called"Oranges and Lemons...so pretty!