An Oliver Visit in the honeysuckles.

Yesterday, we were getting ready to have some rains and I knew Oliver was sitting at home all by himself since his mommy had to go to work and daddy was visiting the new school he will be teaching at this year. SO, Auntie M to the rescue. I ran over before the rains so he wouldn't be alone. I think he does OK in storms but why take a chance if I'm around. Well, the rains eventually came but not bad. Oliver set on the worktable by me (while I worked on special effects on tennis photos) and watched the rain. He also dozed. He is just too cute for words....my little nephew. I then took him home and ran to work out with my trainer - at his place since the tennis courts were wet...... oh well.

However, later in the evening, the rains came and came and came. WOW, we haven't had a storm like that in a while. I knew it was coming when I walked on my patio and saw the belly of the passenger jet flying low over my condo roof getting ready to land at Dulles International Airport. They don't usually fly in that direction. So, I popped back in, watched the All-Star Project Runway show and sewed on my Xmas ornaments for the swap in November.

It has probably rained all night so I am NOT headed to cardio tennis this morning but am up way too early thinking we would have it. Taking Oliver's mommy (Larcy) out for her birthday lunch (yes, Oliver and his daddy, Phil, will also be coming along) and then Oliver comes home with me in the convertible while his mommy and daddy run some errands. I plan on finishing the "poultry" lay out for the gratitude journal. Got papers sewn together last night. Will then head out to dinner and a play tonight. Busy day today. Already sounding like nap time to me..... like right now. : ) Is it 7 am yet somewhere?

Staycationing in the Breeze

This is now my third day on my vacation. The last two days have been fun and I am doing stuff, not necessarily what I planned, but fun. The majority of the activity is creative along with sleeping in, catching the new premier episodes of Top Chef and, OMG, Project Runway. Also loved the return of Ghost Hunters. All three shows summarize me..... LOL.

I did get another page in the Gratitude Journal created and played with the journaling side. I like it. I pulled out my color spritzer tool which I bought YEARS ago and haven't used in YEARS. Had to google instructions .... yes, I kind of remembered but wasn't **surprise**surprise** patient enough to trust my instinct. I like the effects but, man oh man, it is tough on the hand and wrist. May go to an "electric" one I saw a few days ago....... Not jumping in to pay the $ 70 yet.


Several items on this page.... I used the "turkey" netting from last Thanksgiving. I knew I was saving it for something and the color matched. Next trick was to attach it since the page behind was already finished and no room for staples on that side. Oops. But the 7gypsies Gaffer Tape is always wonderful.


Used two stray clip art images and various rub ons. Also had to use my new stamp I picked up. It is from B Line Designs and is called Chat Noir. I love her stamps!! You can also see the ink spritzes better.... I did limit the spritz - do tell, can't believe it myself....

Whew..... now let me catch you up on the latest unplanned venture. I showed you my little moo cards a while back and my "do you wanna" play tennis card.... remember? Well my trainer, friend, tennis instructor/coach James wanted me to design a card for him. OH MY, I have never approached something like this and of course, hyperventilated, as I always do before I start an important project (to me).....

Over the last week I have prepared several designs (using my brother's tennis photos of James from two years ago) and we finally selected one he like and I got it ordered yesterday. This was the first time I played with "photoshopping" the different effects and used the glowing neon on this one. Fingers crossed that it comes out looking the way I want it. I trust my "moo" cards......

Now we will start on the second trainer, instructor, friend, Mary. However she weighed a lot more two years ago than now and my brother's tennis photos of her will not work. Yesterday I borrowed a camera and was out on the court taking photos (yes, in a cute tennis outfit) -- did I know what I was doing? Nope, but isn't that the name of the game -- fake it till you make it! Yes, I am laughing out loud. I am getting ready to download the photos so we will see. This camera is like so NOT ME. I love my little in-your-basic-black Sony digital camera.

Okay, next up today? It might be a stormy late afternoon, so not sure if I will get on the courts with James. In the meantime, I need to put up a new shelf (this was going to be a staycation on organizing, wasn't it?) and will work on the next layout for the Journal. Remember the "poultry" paper I bought??? Well, I got bits and pieces cut out last night watching Project Runway. Will get the sewing machine out and start creating.

Where Women Create Customer Service

In this age of technology, customer service being shipped overseas, and a "not my problem" era, it is sometimes rare to find someone who cares, really, really, cares. Where Women Create is one of those organizations who sincerely cares about its customers. I know. Since day one, I have been all over their web site. I have to admit I have always loved this place and their Where Women Create magazines. I have each issue.

I have ordered items from them, yes, from day one before the site was really ready to accept orders and working properly. Jo Packman (the creator and editor-in-chief) and I corresponded both by email and phone calls on that first order. And, what did I order that took all of this effort on both our parts? I ordered the "Its All on the Cards" by Sandi Genovese. The most beautiful multi-colored cards for your Rolodex (Remember my Rolodex Swaps?) - yes 365 colored cards and 30 black tabbed dividers for $30.

If you remember, I told you about my wonderful packet of old sheet music along with other items a few posts back. Well, I decided to order two more sets before they sell out. I received in the mail -- ONE set. OK, no big deal I will send them an email to let them know I need one more set. I did and Jo sent me an apology saying she packed it and did not see that I had ordered two sets, etc. etc. I told her not a problem. SO, what do I get in the mail..... besides just the one more set of sheet music I ordered.... Besides a lovely apology note, an autographed copy of the latest copy of Where Women Create, Aug/Sept/Oct 2009 copy.

Please make a note here -- not ONE autograph but 15 artists. Count them, 15. Jo told me that she saw one of these issues on E-Bay selling for $125 and it is no longer there - someone bought it.

All because she forgot to include one item in my package.

Thank you Jo, from my humble heart, thank you. They don't make many like you.

And now my friends, I want you to go visit her web site, I want you to go out and buy the latest copy of WWC. It is loaded with some wonderful stuff!

While you are visiting there check out their Silver Suitcase Society. Yes, I am a member of it. I know that like really shocks you, huh? Not really? Well, I do get a discount on items I purchase in the lovely Where Women Shop shop. I love the free ephemera and art image downloads and also the how-to projects. All right, enough of my soap box here. BUT, this kind of customer service doesn't exist much around the world today and I want to publicly *applaud* all who bring us this site!

Love and Scandals -- why not?

Here in the Breeze we are getting a little excited about our upcoming time-off from the job. Oh boy, oh boy....... Wednesday is the first day and I'm pumped. During the two weeks, time will be taken to travel to NYC to see a few shows (Wicked and Jersey Boys), go to a favorite restaurant (Gotham Bar & Grill), and, of course, a favorite stamp store, The Ink Pad. Did a similar trip two years ago and even got the Rainbow Grill in that trip. Expensive but worth it.

I also plan to do the usual things on my time off in August - clean the chaos in the craft room. Yup, gone back to chaos again but such atmosphere.... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Today, got my tennis game in this morning with my mixed doubles partner. He runs me hard in singles. He thinks I need to run. He thinks I need to work on my game. He thinks - at times I don't think so and tell him so in the middle of a game.....

Did get one more "image" page finished in the Gratitude Journal. Those blank pages between the 30-day writing are filling up one by one.

I used an image from the digital sheet from Jeanette Janson titled "Melancholy Collage Sheet." Wanted to match the look to the opposite page I showed you a while back:

I used the "Love & scandal are the best sweeteners of Tea" from Stampington & Company. I have used the stamp especially in my Marie Antoinette booklets. Fits well with her story. Also added net corners on the two outside page corners:

Need to get a few chores done before I face my long two-day week..... oh boy....

Peachy in the Honeysuckles

Yes, life is just coming up peaches.... or it is just peachy..... this rave is all about Magpie's Nest and the beautiful peaches she showed yesterday...... Naughty, naughty.... yes, I had to go right out and buy some after tennis today. And I had one... a white peach. OK, I am now hungry and want to go fix dinner..... and afterwards, peach cobbler. Patty you are such an enabler. And it all started with your yearning for peaches with fuzz?

Cardio tennis was pretty good today - hot and sweaty - hmmm must mean it was good. My trainer is such a sick sick sick person. Yes, he is. If you don't run, he says words about you that you don't like and he stands far enough away so you can't hit him with your racket.

OK, enough of that. I did get my next PaperWhimsy Hilda Conkling Poetry Challenge done! It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Her poem (I chuckle) is called "Waking the Moths." When I first read the title quickly, I read, "Walking the Moths" and couldn't figure how to get leashes around their little necks. OK, I know I'm a sick puppy but I can be at my age. Read in here - sitting at computer with evil grin....

I took words from the poem and put them on the image page.

This is the first time in a while I went back to printing the challenge images on a dictionary page. Forgot how fun it was to work with.

The poem page turned out fun.... but I still think it should read, "Walking the Moths."

Have a good evening - I get to watch some more tennis this evening.... and who knows maybe a sci-fi flick! Life is peachy....

SMooChs to Julie

You know, I owe Julie Prichard BIG TIME -- I owe her.... yes I do. In one of her recent posts discussing her next online course, she absolutely turned me totally around and helped me in the Hilda poem challenge over at PaperWhimsy. If you remember, I had posted about the Joy Poem which we had to create using material. Last Saturday I found the tye-dye felt at Michaels and proceeded to make the two pages.

And then on Julie's August 7 post (which I found on August 10) she opened my eyes and reminded me that I have quilted before, I have put material together to make projects before - so what was my bottleneck? Maybe I was being lazy?

Maybe I was just blocked and tired? Maybe -- I still don't know to this day BUT I am pleased I kept at it and happy to report that I posted my second creation over at PaperWhimsy.


What jumped out at me in Julie's example of journaling with material was her (what I will call) a "crazy" quilt look to one page. I have never done a "crazy" quilt, but her example reminded me to start piecing together a different variety of materials to be used as a background and just build it up (like she demonstrates in her Layer Love online course teaching a variety of painting techniques) build, build, build.... and yes, you will see I still had a few feathers left over which I had to use! I also added some letters to spell out "joy."

The image I decided to use from PaperWhimsy are two of my favorite girls. I "dyed" the crochet lace with different ink pads to match the background material. And, yes, these are materials I have used in previous quilts so they hold a special meaning for me. And that is always nice.

Have a great Friday night..... I have another weekend of early tennis tomorrow morning and Sunday morning. I have to admit to you, I am in a kind-of-funk over my tennis game lately. I feel I am going backwards, but then I have the "Rogers Masters" tennis match in Montreal on the TV as my background noise only to find out that # 1 Roger Federer lost today on a double-fault in a tie breaker. OUCH. OK, I still love tennis and know my funk will eventually go away with just one good game. Yup, it is all in the attitude!

"The thirst after happiness. . ."

Love that quote.... "The thirst after happiness is never extinguished in the heart of (woman)." Jean Jacques Rousseau. And with that in mind I did get one page created in the "blanks" that are in the 30-day gratitude journal from last May.

A couple of things on this page are significant to me. The little tag, "I love you" was one I found in my mother's belongings after she died. I have been saving it for something special and decided to use it on this page. The silver leaves are vintage 1946 I purchased at the convention in July.

I also used antique music paper, sewed on it and highlighted the word Medusa peeking out from the dictionary page.

This page was really fun and now I think I am ready to go fix dinner and work on little Christmas X-stitch ornaments I am making for a swap in November in Baltimore. Life is good. From Simple Abundance, "The revelation that we have everything in life to make us happy but simply lack the conscious awareness to appreciate it can be as refreshing as lemonade on a hot afternoon."