Izbzee

It's FRIDAY! SWEET!

The recent storms and wind have left many of the branches on the trees and plantings nearly bare. And those leaves that are still holding on are changing to their beautiful Fall colors.  Mini heaps and piles ofeaves litter the yard and patio.  Hopefully, today's breezes will help dry out the "bog" in the side yard.  Wading to the garden area to pick the last of the veggies is a tad bit mushy and messy!

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Today's thought is:
He who forgets the language of gratitude can never be on speaking terms with happiness.  Unknown

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Today is day three of a major migraine -- even sleeping hasn't lessened the pain or intensity.  Was up several times overnight -- and finally broke down taking another tab this morning in hopes to finally have this thing under control for good -- the pain is lessened, but even with the screen dimmed, there still some sensitivity.  OH well.  So goes the day!

And since I haven't posted for a few days, here's a couple of pictures of some recent crafting moments:

 stamping and embossing on chipboard...a few fun ornaments for the Thanksgiving tree. They're also stamped on the other side inked and sealed with modgepodge.
 This is pre-inked.  I used the same fall colors on this side too.  There's a hole punched now too to allow for some cording for hangers.

I also saw some cute ideas using a house shape and pictures -- I think they'll make cute ornaments too pics coming as soon as I get them sealed and some notes of gratitude added to each on the reverse side.  The house shapes were from a Maya road mini chipboard album.  There were only six pages -- so I've cut a few more so there will be one for each of the kids and one for Ted and me.  After Thanksgiving, we can put them together in an album.  Cool stuff.  Now to find some other ideas to add to the tree..  like some harvest angels and some other ideas that are cooking!   

Have a wonderful day!  TYGITJ

who's playing with the barometer?

I wish they would just stop!  I don't really want to have to take a second Maxalt today!  

Have a bit of playtime slated for this afternoon and evening along with game one of the series.  What about you?  

Now that Halloween is nearly upon us, it's time to start thinking and creating some Thanksgiving decor and a few cards.  Now, the cards aren't all that difficult to come up with and a few decorations can be pulled from the closet -- but I'm thinking I need to decorate the trees -- with more than just a few leaves and some lights this year...so I pulled out some stamps and I'm playing with an idea with some hopes of finishing up some ornaments this evening that can "dress"  the tree come Sunday or Monday.

Hints and pics tomorrow.... in the meantime, TYGITJ!  Have a fabulous day and evening!

I thought I could....

sneak in a bit of an afternoon snooze before Ted got home from the Camporee, but didn't quite get there!   

Today's crafting session with the gals was a lot of fun -- I got a couple of sets of cards done and finished up one more wood piece and put some glaze on some jewelry pieces I'm playing around with.  Now to just get the findings and beads added...but I have to make another trip to the craft store to pick those up this next week. 

We've had a beautiful day here in the heartland.  Temps in the 70's and lots of sunshine - until this afternoon.  It clouded up a bit - adding even more beauty to the sunset a little earlier this evening.

 Inspired by a recent email from Erika Martin, these pieces are created on chipboard.  Cool huh?  The glaze wasn't on these and I hadn't put the holes for the jump rings in yet with the crop-o-dile.  Gotta love what you can do with chipboard!!!! Great re-purposing!  

 This card was inspired by a card in an SU demo mag.  Kind of fun and I'm thinking this might be cool done in Christmas papers and using a traditional pine tree stamp with a holiday sentiment. Maybe that's something to try out in the next day or so.  

 My friend, D shared these and a few others she'd found on the internet.  We'd been looking for some ideas for some Halloween treats for her grandson's class -- we did the spiders last year, but these were fun and pretty easy.  I have to admit, I got a bit carried away with the ink and folds on the mummy!  LOL  Maybe that was because I hadn't done a whole lot of stamping and inking today....

One last picture for the day...using a cut file on the cricut -- using vinyl and applying it to a painted board.

 

Time to move another load of laundry!  ;)  Have a fabulous weekend!  TYGITJ!

Today's thought was:
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.  Aesop

 

a perfect day....

although the skies are dark and gray this morning, it doesn't mean that the day is any the less than yesterday or the day before that.  Here are a couple of pictures of yesterday's sunrise -- who knows, someone else in this great world of ours may be experiencing the beauty in the skies:

 

 
 

  

 

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Today's thought is:

This moment contains the seeds of every possible tomorrow.  Ray Davis

What seeds of greatness are we planting and nourishing today?  

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I got some wood primed and painted yesterday -- looked through some mags with a friend and jotted down a few ideas.  I'm really looking forward to the gathering this evening!  More creative time with some of my favorite people!  ;)

TYGITJ!  Have a glorious day!

 

it's a blustery morning

 I can almost see that illustration of Pooh Bear walking with Piglet and leaves swirling around him (The House at Pooh Corner) and hear Pooh creating some kind of leaf or windy song.  Can you?  There are plenty of leaves swirling around in the yard this morning...a little difficult to see, but you can hear them has they scrape the concrete or bump into the fence or chairs on the patio. 

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Today's thought is:
Happiness is a limitless resource not a zero-sum game.  There's plenty ot go around.  Ray Davis

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Made a HUGE dent in some writing yesterday -- hoping more of the same today - hoping it will be a bit easier to get the flow though.  I felt I was really have to reach rather than have the words just flow -- maybe it was just that I was pretty tired.

We enjoyed a couple of emails from Mike last evening.  His last transfer prior to his coming home took place yesterday.  He has the same companion he's been with for the past 6 weeks.  It sounds like he's experiencing the normal waves of ups and downs that come when a mission is coming to an end.

One more project completed yesterday.  It so feels good and I'm hoping to get 2 more boards painted and sanded today -- and ready for the vinyl tomorrow.  A new mag arrived in the mail yesterday -- need to take a look at it a little more closely today.  I saw a couple of ideas that could be adaptable for some fun coasters as gifts.  Sweet!  I have two more vinyl cuts to do this morning too.  So I guess I should get things finished up here. 

We are truly blessed!  TYGITJ!  Have a wonder-filled day!

 

a new day and week....

It's a pretty quiet morning at the moment.  Busted has just come back in from his morning foray around the back yard -- he's gone back into the bedroom and from the sounds of things is trying to take over the bed!  Silly dog!

I'm looking forward to a great day and hope you are too!  We're heading out in just a bit for church and looking forward to a quiet Sunday and a few phone calls with kids. 

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Today's thought is:
Count your joys instead of your woes.  Count your friends instead of your foes.  Irish Proverb
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On a Crafty Note: 
The room filled with chatter a little later than normal -- I think everyone took a few minutes to stop and shop before coming over.  We had a good time and lots of crafting got done during the day.  Everyone took home a stack of cards -- I think Halloween was the theme for most -- I was the only one who did something other than Halloween.  It was a fun and productive day -- and from the all the glitter that was adorning the tables and floor; I'm sure everyone had a good time!  L left a stack of cards she worked on to dry -- I'll be packing them in my bag for church to deliver to her.  I'm sure she'd like to get them on their cardstock bases and ready for mailing!  Cute, cute!

A couple of pics from the day.
A case from a card in the October issue of Cards.  I don't have the mag handy, or else I'd give the designer the credit she is due -- will come back later with that.  These are fun and quick once you get the cuts made.  All the gals want to make them now that they've seen it up close and personal!  More deets to follow.

Another case - great way to use up some scrap CS!  I used my label maker for the word strips and a little dimension.  Wiggly eyes from the stash too.  CS and punch from SU. 

That's it for the moment!  Have a wonder-filled day and Enjoy the Journey!
 

Happiness

 Happy Saturday!  It's sure to be a fabulous Fall day of crafting and creating!  I'm so looking forward to it and spending time with good friends later this morning and afternoon.

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Today's thought is:
Learn to see, and then you'll know, there is no end to the new worlds of our vision.  Carlos Castaneda

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The pic above was nearly the sum total of yesterday's crafting time.  I appreciate the G's visit and getting me moving again in that direction!  LOL  Mr. G has some great ideas to share as does Mrs G.  What fun!  I did get a few cuts inked, and ready for some fun wintry scenes and sayings to share as gifts.  Should be fun to see the final results. No peeks today...but soon. 

I spent more time looking for the jigsaw which wasn't where it was supposed to be than I did crafting yesterday -- needless to say, the garage really needs a going through again!  I found nearly every other tool we own - but not the jigsaw.  Wondering if in one of my "moments" I lent it out --- and just don't remember it.  That could well be......

Ted is already out for his Saturday run -- a run around Stanley Draper Lake.  He's already made his first checkpoint and called in.  Good man! 

Guess it's time to finish getting the room ready and some food for the potluck luncheon going.  Have a wonderful day.  TYGITJ!
 

bright and beautiful

I think this is the first morning in a week where the sun is shining and sending beams of radiant rays lighting the skies in our neck of the heartland.  It's WONDERFUL! 

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Today's thought is:

Plant kindness, gather love.  Unknown

Today is your chance -- share at least 5 today!

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Creating time was on and off yesterday -- though Andrea and I did enjoy learning a couple of new things as far as layering was concerned.  I did manage to get started on a couple of gifts -- more to come on those later.

Have a wonder-filled day!  TYGITJ! 

blessed again and always

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Today's thought is:

"The words that enlighten the soul are more precious than jewels." ~ Hazrat Inayat

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This morning as I gazed out the back door, my focus was drawn to a group of sparrows feasting on some seeds and berries that had fallen to the floor of the patio from the trees that line and shade the patio area.  For the birds, the seeds and berries were a blessing in their search for food this morning -- they shared the news with other birds and were soon joined by more.  The floor of the patio was a flurry of activity for several minutes -- The birds reminded me of how blessed we are -- a few of those blessings, I'm happy to share - we don't have to search for our food.  We have a nearly full store in our pantry and storage.  We have a home with four sturdy walls and a roof over our heads to protect us from the elements.  We are blessed to know that our Savior lives and is the Redeemer, the Son of God, our Heavenly Father.  We are blessed to know that families are eternal -- forever families; and that this life is filled with lessons we could not learn in any other way.  I am so blessed -- and grateful for each and every one - they are unnumbered but do not go unrecognized or honored. 

Last evening, we gathered together, some friends and I, to spend the evening creating and nurturing.  We got lots of cuts made using the cricuts that arrived with their owners.  I got a couple of cut files made and a couple of the other gals got some patterns traced and additional ideas in their "books" for future cards and crafts.  I think the holiday crafting bug has arrived.  There were lots of ideas floating around about how ideas could be incorporated in others mediums and ways.  One of the gals spent the evening cutting from one of her Christmas carts -- I was blessed with many of those cuts and visualize several different ways to use them as gifts for this season.  Here's a pic of just a few -- these are all done in black paper - perfect for some cards or framed items I have ideas for.

 

 Have a fabulous day!  TYGITJ! 

Wednesday thoughts....

The day is gloomy and drizzly again -- but not the spirit!  There's plenty to do and joy to be had. 

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Today's thought is:
The eyes are blind.  One must look with the heart.  Antoine de Saint Exupery

Enjoy today -- looking with your heart and sharing with others!  TYG!

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Craftwise, yesterday, I painted a board!  Well, a basecoat -- hoping today to get the next step done and this evening get the vinyl cut and applied -- but first I need to tackle a few other things and cross a couple of items off the must do list -- so I'll leave you with this:

 

I posted one similar to this a couple of days back -- it was all on white.  I'm enjoying using brighter colors!  Stamps, All Night Media and SU; Cardstock, ink, markers, adhesives, blender pens, SU; Glossy Accents, HL.