Happy New Year - Almost

Yes, the countdown begins my little Honeysuckle Breeze Peeps. And wanted to be sure to get a quick post in to wish you all a very Happy New Year. 2010 has sped by and it hasn't. Been an interesting time this year and am looking forward to 2011! The photo above is a Christmas gift from Larcy - which she made and I just got it hung in the "red bathroom" downstairs. Enjoy the New Year and I will be back with you to in 2011.....


*confetti toss* *confetti toss* *confetti toss* (I do that so well, don't I?) Stay safe tonight if you are driving on the mean streets!

The day after Christmas Past

Hello dear Honeysuckle Breeze peeps. Today, the day after the Christmas Past post, I decided to go on and tackle my bedroom and get it clean. I could breathe so much easier with the swap art for Duane (Trees) finished yesterday that today was wash curtains, laundry, and rehang them, dust and sweep.

I loved the "retro" curtains I changed from the craft room to my bedroom and put the blue check curtains into the craft bedroom to go with Aaron's bed in there.

Of course he only gets his bed once to twice a year so - I use the bed as another work space. Woooo Hooo. Now this took me all day to do these various jobs including getting the vacuum out and the ladder, you see, I have to get this done before San Antonio and my second surgery since I am feeling pretty good right now.

Changing the subject on you ...... boys and girls we will now revisit the Salon des Cent brown paper bag book. Would be hysterical to resubmit it since they don't have a clue when they got it or even if it was published which it was not.... Oh well, just a silly thought. Now on to pages 5-6. Here is page 5: Apply papers. (These are bits and pieces of the Lynne Perrella papers from Stampington.) Stamp quote (The Queen’s Ink) and distress. Stamp face (Cats Life Press). Very simple layout.....


Page 6: Apply papers and page torn from old book. Stamp image (Cats Life Press) on velum, glue to card and adhere to page.


The pull out tab from the pocket on the left side was really fun to make. Using some clip art and various images/stickers were applied. Various alpha stamps were used to create words. Add an eyelet and ribbon.


Hope you enjoyed these few pages and will show you more tomorrow. Tomorrow will be an early start for me with an appointment with my cardiologist to discuss my blood thinners and upcoming surgery - he has to sign off on my surgery on the 12th. Then trainer James has already started texting me today to see when "we" are going to do cardio. Told him I done mine today with ladders and things. Will get by to see him tomorrow. And then I will visit with you all! Have a lovely evening. And hugs to all and to all a good night.

Christmas Past

What a Whoop! Enjoyed my Christmas next door with my friend Jenny. We "grazed" most of the day while we watched a Dr. Who marathon on BBC America.

What a great way to spend Christmas. She did decorate this year since her neighbor will be coming up this week from Florida. Love the tree topper!

The day after Christmas I lounged around in my lounge pjs and cleaned. You see because I head to San Antonio next week and then a few days home and then back to the hospital, I need to get everything cleaned up now, because I won't feel like it right after surgery. So, on my check-list yesterday was dining room and kitchen - DONE!

Dining Room: - Check!

Kitchen: Check!

Christmas decorations down and tree with bird house moved into the dining room..... Check!

So, instead of tackling the living room today - I got a piece of art work done which will need to be mailed next week. This is my 6X6 swap group and I finished Duane's piece - once again if not today, I would have a hard time getting it to him by the deadline, since, yes, the surgery kind of falls on the date! LOL - this surgery is throwing a lot of stuff off.... Duane's theme was "Trees" and he is doing a Star Book.

The measurement I needed to deal with was 9" tall x 12" long. The tricky part is the page when folded into the star book will be 9"x 9" so I had to keep in mind where the "9" was on the 12 inch page. I like the way it came out.

The center piece of the creation is a photo I took in St. James Park in London back in 2005, printed on a transparency - 8 1/2 x 11" - then to "stretch" the page I used an inch wide ribbon and titled the work, "Weeping Willow," and used a poem by J.C. Hall. Here are some sneak peeks - you know I can't show you all of it until Duane receives it.....

Will show you more of the Salon des Cent paper bag book tomorrow..... I need to send a few "work emails" off to San Antonio! See you tomorrow - in the meantime - remember, "God danced the day you born" - oh yes she did..... OK, excuse me, I've been watching too many shows on the History Channel about the Goddess myths.... you know pagan and all of that stuff. Leave me alone on my own and you just never know what might happen and where my mind wanders toooo! Whoop, whoop... and no my nose does not wiggle....

Count down to Christmas. . . .

And are we having fun yet? Seemed today was one of those running around days and you never ever think will come to an end. Started out really early going to the grocery shop! Check-off list.

Got to the office to exchange Christmas gifts with friends! Check-off list.

Had lunch at Subway. Check-off list.

Managed to get over to my friend the trainer, James, and my other friend the trainer, Mary, their Christmas gifts. He demands to see me tomorrow at 9:00 am for cardio on the bike. Ugh. Check-off list.

OH my, and then the fun began. An appointment for an echo-cardiogram at my cardiologist's is not fun to get to on a Good Day - let alone on December 23 when you have to travel through roads under construction (bringing subway out our way) in an area called Tyson's Corner - two big malls, movies, Tiffany's, hotels, congestion on a good day. Barely made it to the doctor's office but I did call and warn them I was sitting on Highway 7 stopped for no apparent reason (she laughed and said two days before Xmas and you have to go down 7?) and would most likely be late for my appointment. Got to their office's and we had a jam-up in the parking garage. OH my. But all is good with the heart, they say it is very strong.

Yesterday I did manage to create a notebook for my friend Mary and took it to her today. It was really fun to do for one of her Christmas gifts and was just a simple $1.00 composition notebook as we all know and love. Used a "sea" theme cover stock to begin with since she is from Florida and then began layering:


I need to get color ink for my Epson printer and tried to print out one of my computer clip art - came out purple/pink. Yuck. So it drove me into my printed stash and I love this ArtChix image which I have had for years. Helga's clip art is luscious and I am so happy she also has downloads and on top of that I used a 7Gypsies Document 5 Transparency below the image:


And now before I run down to fix dinner, my honeysuckle peeps, I want to share with you pages 3 and 4, of the "Thanks but No Thanks" Stampington reject brown paper bag book called "The Voyage"..... (see yesterday's post) -- Bahama Beach and Toilers of the Sea:

Pages 3-4: Paint and distress. Stamp various background stamps. Apply ephemera using old clothing tab and pages from an old book. (I so love this Lynne Perella paper from Stampington)

Second “pull out” tag: Front side: Stamp face (A Stamp in the Hand) on cover stock. Glue on a transparency. Apply page from old book. Stamp dapper men (Paper Artsy) on collage paper. Apply a decorative slide.

Been a busy day and so must run. Am working on the cross stitch apron for Larcy and her beloved cupcakes! Take care, stay safe and warm this evening. All is going well in my Honeysuckle Breeze! Hugs to all.

Yes, the Twinkle is Back

Yes, as Patty told me the other day, seems the twinkle is back and it is. Been getting a lot of things "checked-off" my to do list including finally making home made minestrone soup.... and it was pretty darn good if I say so myself!

Promised you I would show you the little brown paper bag book that was finally returned to me by Stampington after 3 1/2 years - July 2007 to be precise submitted for an "Odds & End" Challenge in Take Ten.

(Lesson One: I have learned over the years with Stampington - when editors change - take a deep breath and wait for your submission to be returned eventually; Lesson Two: If you give them return postage, they do eventually return it).) To be totally fair to Stampington, because of an editor change, they really did not know (as they said in the form letter) if this work had been published or not. So here is a little bit of "The Voyage" - with instructions! LOL

Please note: No items were bought to make this book - "Odds & Ends" - what I call using up the stash!

Salon des Cent—The voyage . . .
5 ½” x 5 ¼”

Take four brown paper lunch bags and fold in half. Punch and secure with a Rubicoil. Distress all pages with acrylic paints, and various background stamps. Do not forget to do the same with the inside folds of the paper bags. The majority of left over paper used for this project is from the Somerset Artist Papers by Lynne Perrella. There are four pull out pages ( 5” x 4.75”) cut from cover stock. Cover: Distress page with paint, general background stamps, and walnut inks. Stamp woman (All Night Media) and watercolor. Add rub-ons, attach starfish with adhesive, and keyhole brad..

First “pull out” tag: Front side: Distress and paint. Apply various papers in collage fashion. Stamp quote on paint chip sample (Stampers Anonymous).

Page 1-2: (left side): Paint, distress, and rub on. Use clip art and a die cut slide from sand paper. (right side):

(right side): Stamp sun (Rubber Stampede) on cover stock and distress. Add college paper.

Those are the first few pages for today..... Yes, there are more which you will see. Changing the subject, yesterday I FINALLY finished the cross stitch I have been working on since September (just a small confessional - if I had not had those two surgeries and cross-stitched my little heart out while recovering - this might not have been finished in time for Christmas - yes this is a gift). I found this over at The Stitchery.... why would I think it would be quick? (I always do)...

Found the perfect candle over at The Yankee Candle Store:

And the back:

And the next cross-stitch project as a Christmas gift - OK, OK, it is not getting done by the 25th but she knows it is coming:

Need to get a few things done today but before I go - Remember as you wander through life today, miracles do happen. Your prayers, thoughts, and love, keep me going and please keep the coming. I visited the Chemo doctor yesterday for a prescription - no chemo needed, thank you very much, and a copy of my Oncotype DX test:

Yes, the doctor said it is the best score you can get - but I say it is based on statistics and I still need your prayers while I walk through my next surgery Jan. 12, and then radiation. Love you and remember, Think Pink! And to those of you out there also diagnosed with this disease - you are in my thoughts and prayers and I hold you close to my heart and soul.

Ho Ho Ho

Yes, slowly getting into the holiday spirit, and spent yesterday wrapping gifts, making brown bags into Xmas bags, "spoke" by email with a close cousin who has walked through breast cancer (worse than mine and diagnosed nine years ago in early 2000) and came thorough it wonderfully - she inspires me. I received a wonderful t-shirt from a very special gal - Korie - she made it for me and you should go take a look at her blog (We Will Always have Paris) and visit her ebay shop. She has some wonderful Nancy Drew Calendars... to make. On her blog - right now, boys and girls. I love Nancy Drew and love the new t-shirts/hoodies in the catalogues: WWNDD (What Would Nancy Drew Do?)

OK, I had to put on my new Think Pink with my Pink Turtle Neck and Black Jeans and head out to get a few more little items and then got back to decorating bags!

William & Somona worked out pretty well with Big Red Buttons and the front of the Sundance catalogue and a few red painted stars! LOL

The Starbucks bags work well also,

When I went to college in Oklahoma City I met up with a wonderful family -- he was my Episcopal priest, his wife was an actress, and they had a daughter in high school who adopted me as her big sis. We are talking the end of the 60s - like '68. Last year she found me on Facebook after all these years and have been following this blog. After reading my blog post from yesterday, she sent me an email last night admonishing me for not doing any holiday decorating.
OK, Vicki, I found some stuff not "under the stairs" - are you happy now.....


Hixley is, Harley refuses to play....

Love the elf I picked up in Helsinki, Finland. Well dinner is calling as usual. I did get over to Larcy and Phil's to exchange gifts. Oliver loved his gift and just got tuckered out while Phil was holding him.... such a party animal - Oliver that is, not Phil....

He did perk when I got ready to leave. Love that pup!