Another Sketch Challenge

Yes...another autumn card. I can't help myself. Since I have all my autumn-themed stuff out, I thought I might as well use it for this week's sketch challenge. I'm trying to keep up with them, and this time I actually did what I said I was going to do and didn't look at any of the samples or anyone else's work before I did it.

Here is the sketch (the writing along the left side says "something here" so we would put something in that spot).
Here is my card. As you can see, I used raffia for my "something here." For some reason that raffia looks gold in the scan, and it's totally not in real life...weird! I don't really care for the look it gave. I should have used hemp, but I only have that in white and didn't feel like trying to color any of it. I originally had a brown ribbon there, but the color was way off from the brown in the patterned paper. I used the rock 'n roll technique on the flowers (notice how the edges are darker).

Ugh. The more I look at this, the more I don't like that raffia. I'm going to have to do something about that tomorrow.

Beautiful colors

Wow...two posts in one day! It's feast or famine around this here blog, isn't it? Anyway, looking forward to autumn has gotten me in the mood to make some autumn-themed cards. This is my favorite theme as it involves my favorite color family and my favorite colors to work with. Here are the ones I worked on over the weekend. The first two are for my assignment for the SCS RAK Welcoming Committee, the third one...well..I don't know where that one is going.

I picked up that fun striped paper and cool plaid and printed ribbon at Joann's this weekend. The background of the third card was stamped using the "ghosting" technique. Cool, huh? I think it looks really cool with this particular stamp set. I also used that technique on the pumpkins in the background of the second card.

Now...should I go to bed or should I make another card? Hmmmm.

Addendum: Did you really think I was going to go to bed? I needed to get a card in for last Wednesday's SCS Sketch Challenge before tomorrow morning.

Here is the sketch:


Here is what I came up with:

Now I'm going to bed!!

It's getting to be that time of year again!

I may be getting ahead of myself because autumn doesn't officially arrive for 10 more days, but I just can't help myself. I love, love, LOVE this time of year. It seems like the older I get, the more I love it. I saw an idea on another blog, and I'm going to steal it for myself!

Pictures copyright Country Wide Tours

REASONS WHY I LOVE AUTUMN

• Cooler weather! Oh yeah! It was such a hot, hot summer. I'm so looking forward to the jeans and sweatshirt weather. I love the crispness of the air and being able to turn the air off and sleep with the window open.
• Trips to the apple orchard. Honeycrisps just became available on the 6th. We haven't made it out there yet, but one of my coworkers brought in a peck for us to share today. That was an awesome treat! Just thinking about the apple pie, donuts, and cider is making my mouth water.
• Autumn decorations. Pumpkins, scarecrows, corn stalks, bales of hay. I need to go shopping!
• Making a big batch of chili and some corn bread for dinner. That's actually on my menu for this week. I'm going to pull out my crockpot and let it simmer all day long!
• Peaches! Okay, I'm fairly sure that peaches aren't harvested in the fall, but Abby and I are sharing a peach right now, so I have to throw that in there. There just seems to be an abundance of them at the grocery stores right now. I just love them. I especially love peach cobbler...with vanilla ice cream...in case anyone is interested.
• The beautiful, vibrant colors! Reds, golds, oranges...the colors of autumn are just magnificent. This is one time of year when I actually enjoy driving to work...the trees around the college are just gorgeous and the way the morning light filters through the leaves just takes my breath away.
  
• The sound of dried leaves crunching underfoot. I will purposely go out of my way just to walk through a bunch of leaves to hear that sound.
  
• The smell in the air. You know...that slightly smoky smell of someone burning leaves somewhere. I feel bad about that because of those people with asthma and allergies, and for that reason I think leaf burning should be banned (I have to admit, it does bother my sinuses too). There is, however, just something about that smell, so I had to mention it. Oh, and the smell of the apple cidar donuts at the apple orchard!!
  
• New shows on TV. After hardly watching any TV all summer long, I'm ready to veg out in front of the tube and catch all the new episodes of House, Bones, Lost, Smallville, Supernatural, CSI, and Las Vegas. Whew! Thank God for DVR!
  

That's a lot of water!

Well, portions of the town are busy today cleaning up after the flood. Fourteen homes have to be condemned in the area between Charles, Broadway, 20th, and 7th and hundreds of homes and businesses were damanged. I guess it was a real nightmare for some residents. People and pets had to be rescued by the fire department. Here are some pictures.


The next two are of the parking lot at the corner of State and Mulford where Old Time Pottery is.



The next three are by CherryVale . The truck is at the corner of Perryville and Charles and the other two near Dairy Queen and Taco Bell.

All photos copyright RR Star 2006.

Pretty crazy, huh? We were extremely lucky where we're at because this is just a mile or two away. Mom didn't have any problems up by her either. We didn't even lose power. Like I said in my last post, the lights only flickered a few times. I feel so bad for the people that have lost their homes. They showed pictures on the news this morning...standing water up to the door knobs.

I didn't have any problems on my way to work at all. Paul had to turn around because Mulford is closed from Harrison to Sandy Hollow because the rain took out the railroad crossing signal.

Well, I have to go. We're going to take Abby to the pet store and get her some food and then stop and get Applebees carryout for dinner. Yea! Then, best of all, the new season of House starts tonight! Can't miss that!!

So Long, Long Weekend

Well, the long weekend has come to an end. Not that we did much. We both pretty much laid around all weekend. Paul was going to cook out on the grill today, but we had soooo much rain that that was pretty impossible. You want to know how much it rained? Well, I think they are estimating that we got 6 inches in just a few hours. Parts of the city are flooded...I'm talking flooded like cars are under water. The police were going door-to-door in some neighborhoods via inflatable boats to rescue people. Pretty wild, huh? All the while here Paul and I sit in our cozy little home watching a movie. We had no clue! We knew it was raining...that it even hailed at some point. The lights even flickered a few times. We didn't know things were so bad until Paul's aunt called to make sure we were okay! Yep...that's Paul and I...totally clueless to the outside world! Now we're both wondering if we're going to be able to make it to work tomorrow. I will, I'm sure, since I work to the north. Paul, however, has to go south and a lot of those roads are flooded. Yeah, I don't think he's too worried about it. He definitely won't lose any sleep over it!

Anyway, after I pulled myself up off the couch, I did manage to make a few cards. I had to finish a swap I'm in that is due this week. I'm actually going to be late with it because I didn't even think about the fact that there weren't be any mail today (there is that clueless thing again). I'm mailing it out Tuesday morning by Priority, but it's due Wednesday so I just might get it returned to me. It was for get well cards using a current Stampin' Up set. I don't have many current SU sets since I'm more involved with TAC at the moment, su I did the best I could. Here is what I came up with...
The butterfly itself has CTMH Liquid Glass on it, so it's shiny but you can't tell that in the scan. This is using the Flitting By wheel. I'm NOT a big fan of wheels, so I don't even know why I own any. TAC actually stopped carrying wheels, and that doesn't break my heart at all. It was a pain to cut all these butterflies out, but I only had to do six of them, so I could live with that. The multicolored thing I have going on there was done using the cling wrap again. I just love doing that! It gives such a neat look. I'm not sure if I like this or not. I guess it's not too bad. It will have do to anyway because I'm mailing it on my way to work tomorrow morning. That is unless the mailboxes have floated away.

I just haven't been in the mood to stamp this weekend. Of course, I guess I haven't been in the mood to do much of anything but sleep and surf the net. I did force myself to do one of the SCS challenges, though. I like participating in the challenges. My problem is that I start looking at all the beautiful work that everyone else does and never get my butt out of this chair to make my own. So tonight I told myself that I'm going to try to do these challenges on a weekly basis before looking at all the other posts. I started with last Wednesday's sketch challenge.

Here is the sketch that Roxie posted that we had to work from.

Here is what I came up with...

I shouldn't even be posting this for all to see, and those that were with me when I bought this stamp know why. My answer to your next question is, no I haven't. You can add the title of lazy onto my title of clueless. ;-)~ Anyway, these bubbles also have the CTMH liquid glass on them, but you can't see it on here either. Check out that ultra-cool argyle ribbon. I got that out of the Michaels $1 bin. It's always a bonus when you can find cool cheap stuff!

Well, I better hit the hay. It's back to the normal routine tomorrow...no more sleeping all day. I told Paul I need a job that will accommodate my nap schedule. Something like work for two hours, nap for two hours, work for two hours, nap for two hours, etc., would work fine. I hope everyone had a nice long weekend. Talk to you later!

No pets left behind!

I was involved in a conversation with a group of people sometime this week, and a comment made by one of the individuals has disturbed me ever since. I'm not sure how the conversation started, but we somehow got on the subject of hurricanes. It's that time of year again! This week marks the one year anniversary of Katrina. To make a long story short, this individual was talking about how a relative of theirs refused to leave the path of danger of a hurricane because the place they were going to go didn't allow pets and they didn't want to leave their dog behind. I got the impression that this person didn't agree with that and thought that this family should have left the dog behind. Now, as most of you know, this didn't sit too well with me (or anyone else in the group for that matter). It bothered me enough that I stewed on it all day and still think about it whenever I'm around that person. I think it ultimately changed my perception of this particular person. I guess I just don't understand people that don't share my love of animals...dogs in particular. I don't understand people that aren't "dog people." I mean, how can you not love dogs?!

Anyway, to make myself feel better, I just want to pass on this little bit of news that I learned the other day. I get emails from the United States Humane Society regarding actions that they are taking for certain animal causes. I've sent a few letters to our congressmen in my day. I just want you all to know that the US Senate just unanimously approved a substitute to H.R. 3858, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act. This bill that was introduced by the House of Representatives will require that state and local disaster plans make provisions for people with household pets and service animals in the case of a disaster. So many people in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina had to make the heart-wrenching decision to leave their pets behind or risk staying behind in life-threatening conditions. This bill will help ensure that something like this never has to happen again! Where it stands right now, the House can either accept the Senate's amendment or a committee will be formed to hash out the difference between the bills. The Senate's amendment is actually better, so hopefully the House will agree. I'll keep you all posted on that! If you would like to read more about this, you can read the HSUS press release here or here (if you get a bunch of gobbledygook, either give it a second or scroll down...their website is doing some weird stuff).

There was a poll done during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that showed that 61% of the people wouldn't leave their pets behind in case of a disaster. At least I know I'm not alone. Just look at this face...
How could I ever leave her behind? As for the other 39%...well, you know how I feel about them.

What the heck!!!!

I swear this must be the year of the bug. First it was the ants outside our back door. Then it was the HUGE beetle thing in the garden. I thought we were done with bug problems for the year. Things seemed to pretty much calm down after the beetle episode. I figured the local snake must have a pretty full tummy. Yesterday, however, I found out I was wrong. I was cooking dinner and left my tortilla in the pan a little too long because I was engrossed in separating some bacon (see...it's that pork fat thing again). The kitchen got a little smoky, so we thought we better open the back door and slide the screen shut for a couple of minutes just to air it out, so that's what I do. HELLO...huge wasp nest staring me right in the face on the INSIDE OF THE SCREEN! Not to mention some pretty upset wasps! I swear I never shut a door as fast as I did then! I'm surprised the glass didn't shatter when I slid it shut...and poor little Abby almost lost her nose! Fortunately, none of the wasps got inside the house! Here's a picture of the nest. It's not a good one because it's taken from the other side of the glass (obviously), but you get the idea. What the heck, man!! I didn't have time to pick up any spray today, so you know where I'll be heading tomorrow after work!


Now I'm feeling all buggy again! I hate that feeling!!

Inspiration

So I'm making Paul a tuna sandwich for lunch today and I go to rip off a piece of paper towel, which happens to be printed (we usually buy white...long story that has to do with cooking bacon in the microwave and me not liking the ink in the paper towel coming in contact with my food--weird, I know). Anyway, I looked at the paper towel and thought, hmmm...this would be pretty on a card. Soooooo, this is what I came up with. The first pic is the card, the second pic is my inspiration piece.



When I stamped the flowers I kind of twisted it to give it a slightly blurred look. To make the dots I used the pencil eraser on a mechanical pencil. Anyway, I guess when you rubber stamp you look at things in a whole new way...even paper towels!

RIP Rusty

Today was what I consider to be a good mail day. No bills and no junk. All that was in there was the LTD catalog and a copy of the apple orchard's yearly newsletter. Yea! Paul and I love it when that arrives because that means the apple orchard is opening soon for the season (actually it opens next week)! It also means that autumn is near! Yea! Paul always wants to go right away. I prefer to wait and go later in the season. Honeycrisp is my favorite apple, and they're not available until Sept. 6th anyway. My favorite time to go is late October/early November (they're open all the way until Thanksgiving). I LOVE it when the air is crisp outside. It's not as busy then as when they first open and you don't have to search and grab a seat in the cider Cellar for that fresh piece of apple pie with ice cream (or cheese if you're like me) and a nice cup of their delicious cold apple cider (or hot if your like Paul). Yum!! I like to try to get a table close enough to feel the warmth of the crackling fire. I can feel it now...and taste those warm cider donuts. Mmmmm.

This years newsletter had a bit of sad news. I always enjoy reading about what the family has been up to and, especially, what Rusty, their 10-year-old golden retriever and orchard mascot, has been up to. My heart broke when I read that Rusty passed away back in March due to bone cancer. Rusty was your typical golden. He loved welcoming people to the orchard and especially loved the kids. Gentle and so well-behaved, although he has been known to steal a hotdog or hamburger right out of your hand if you weren't watching. He may have been well behaved but he was still a golden, and we all know how they love to eat! I'll miss seeing Rusty this year and will probably still catch myself looking for him. According to the newsletter, they have a new member of the family now...a mascot in training if you will...a little golden boy named Oliver. We won't get to meet him this year, as he is still in that gangly stage and just a little too friendly! He will be ready and waiting for us next year, though.

Below is a picture of Rusty that I took last year. He's chillin' out and soaking up some rays...waiting for someone to wonder by to say hi and praying they just might have a hotdog that's being ignored.

Rest in peace, Rusty. We'll miss you.

Fabulous Frog

This is the first pocket card I've made in a long time...since Christmas actually. They're not really my favorite kind of card to make. I'm on the Welcoming Committee of the SCS RAK group, and I'm late for my assignment! I made two of these. Tomorrow one will be headed to Ohio and one to Japan! Off you go little froggie!

Check it out!!

Paul and I went out to the county fair with a friend of mine from work, Cindy, and her husband Friday night. We happened upon one tent just in time for last call to have your picture taken with a tiger cub. Is this COOL or what! Here I am feeding a tiger! This little kitty, believe it or not, is only 9 weeks old!! Look at the size of his PAWS! Yikes!!

Hog Wash!

When I saw this stamp, I just had to have it. Are these two piggies cute or what?! Like the little pig tail? I didn't even think about that when I attatched the clip. I just wanted something that I could use in that corner to attatch the ribbon. I was showing this to a couple of girls at work today and they thought the pig tail was so cute. I'm like, "What pig tail??" LOL! Anyway, the stamp is by Whipper Snapper Designs, and I colored it using Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits. I used a glaze pen on the bubbles, but you can't really tell on the scan.
You can kind of see the glaze in this picture taken with my camera. I don't like the pictures itself, though, because the colors are washed out. I'm just not having luck in that department.

Please Don't Eat The Daisies

Remember that show? I barely do. Reruns, of course, because it only aired from 1965 to 1967 (yeah, I looked it up). I think it was a movie first starring Doris Day (saw that when I was looking up the other thing). All I really remember about the show is the big shaggy dog. Leave it to me to only remember the dog!

What's with daisies, you ask. It's 'cause I've been making cards this week using my TAC Gerbera Daisy stamp. All of these were made using Stampin Up' cardstock and inks. I watercolored all of them using the watercolor pencils and a blender pen (except for the blue "Thinking of You" card...I used Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits on that one). The backgrounds were done using crinkled SaranWrap (okay...so it was Cling Wrap) as a sponge. That was pretty cool. I apologize for the crooked scans. I'm too lazy to remove the pile of papers on top of my scanner to really positions the cards correctly!

I think I like the yellow/green best. What about you?

On the good ship Lollipop...

I'm not one to get up hours earlier from when I have to be somewhere. I have to be to work at 8, so getting up at about 6:50 should get me there in time. With that said, now that my hair is getting longer, I have taken to letting it air dry (except for my bangs, of course...can't stand curly bangs). I try and let it dry for about 15 minutes or so before I put any gel on it or anything. I've been too broke to buy my usual hair gel (Paul Mitchell), which is like $12 a tube or so, so I picked up the gel from the new Herbal Essence Totally Twisted line. It's supposed to "make a curl's life happy" and define the curls without all the frizz. Boy, does this stuff work!! What is with these curls?! I feel like Shirley Temple.

Wanna see some pics?

Jerry was over at mom's today, or yesterday...I don't know, and gave her copies of a couple of the pictures taken at their anniversary/wedding thing. I think this one of the three of us turned out pretty good.



This is of Bob and Jerry and everyone who was sitting at our table. Notice Paul's cheeks in this one...are they pink or what?! That's after two beers. Hee hee

Holy Rubber Stamping Batman!

Wow!! Mom is on a roll! Ever since I dragged her to that Stampin' Up party the other night, she's been working like a fiend. She's been making new cards and handmade paper every day. She even got Jackie in on it! Everybody is rubber stamping but me, and I'm the one that started it all! She's been really wanting an angel stamp, and today she finally found one that she likes. She says it is a little bit too big but easy to watercolor. Check out the cards she made today (if one of you should get one of these in the mail, I appologize for showing you here first...but I just had too). They're totally different than the cards I create...they have that style that only mom can do!



She told me on the phone yesterday, after working all day on her creations (not these...others that I can't show you ;-)), that she rarely thought of Gary all day. Now that's good news!

It's a pork fat thing.

I thought that if I'm going to creat a blog I need some brain food first. Paul is off at his "Golf Play Day" through work and met up with everyone for breakfast, so it's just me and Abby here. It's breakfast burrito time! Mmmmm pork.
Abby waiting for her pork fat...Sorry goober...you only get the scrambled egg.

I have no idea what I'm doing, but this could be fun. Blogging...who knew.

Yikes! I've gotta go. Gotta take a shower and go get mom for garage salin'! C-ya.