Just in the nick of time.....

TGIF!! Especially when it's a 3 day weekend!! It's been a busy busy week -- school year end activities ..... baseball practice has started...... busy at work.....I meant to finish this card a few days ago but I just couldn't get to it. I was sure I would get it done today during daylight hours ...but that didn't happen either. So, the pictures aren't great -- always an excuse, lol!




I wanted to do a card for this week's Sketch Saturday --- & it is still Friday here, but not sure what time zone they are in so it'll be a close one, lol. I did color the image with Copic markers -- all except her dress because not only do I not get along with red while taking photos -- I also don't get along with my red Copic markers. I love the color red -- I use it a lot on my cards --- but it doesn't love me :( So, her dress is colored with colored pencils. Papers are Basic Grey --- Nook & Pantry, I think? And the sentiment is Hero Arts.




I am also entering this in the Just Magnolia challenge --- Friends


Hope you all have a fabulous holiday weekend! Hoping to get lots done outside --- since last weekend was unproductive. That's ok, it's dangerous to plant outside in Wisconsin before June, we could still get a frost! I think it was 40 degrees a few days this week when I woke up ***shiver***

Listed on Ebay.....

I haven't listed on Ebay in a while --- most of my cards are listed in my Etsy shop (or sitting unfinished on my table). But I missed my Ebay friends so I listed this card tonight!



You can find the listing HERE.

And here's a shameless plug for a wonderful seller group I belong to. Even though I've been a bad bad seller, they haven't kicked me out, lol. They are such good friends & soooo talented! They make tear bears, cards, scrap pages, borders, & one seller even make miniature bears for doll houses. Please check out the group's listings HERE. You will not be sorry!!

Sunday dinner......& another awwwww moment

I haven't posted a recipe in a while ----- & since I'm such a crafting slacker lately -- I thought I would share what I made for dinner tonight.

BBQ chicken in the slow cooker, seasoned potatoes & buttery carrots. I'm not a fan of barbeque anything, but my kids love it so being the FAB mom I am I made it with them in mind. It was a hit --they loved it! I even had a small piece myself & lived to tell about it.



I know ---isn't the plate DIVINE?!?! Some of my best dinnerware, lol!! Yes I still give my kids their dinner on *sectioned plates*. I started doing it when they were little & just never switched over to *real people plates*.

So.....here is the easy peasy recipe for the chicken:


SLOW COOKER CHICKEN THIGHS

9 chicken thighs (um, yes, I guess you could use ANY chicken part, lol. We love thighs!!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-1/2 cups BBQ sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp prepared mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8-1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce

Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper. Place on a broiler pan. Broil 4-5 inches from heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Transfer to a 5 qt slow cooker.

In a small bowl, combine the BBQ sauce, honey, mustard, Worcestershire sauce & hot pepper sauce. Pour over chicken; stir to coat. Cover & cook on low for 4-5 hours.


So simple!! I don't make BBQ often so I don't know if this is a "standard" recipe. I wasn't sure about the honey -- but it turned out great according to my taste testers!

And for dessert......



Root beer floats! One with whipped cream, one without. I know, what is a float without whipped cream? But that's how he ordered it :)

I am also not a fan of root beer so I just had a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Yes I have boring taste buds!


So I know I just posted pictures of Elwood the other day, but I just had to share these too. He *loves* Michael -- he is always sitting either on him or right next to him. Here was the scenario this morning.....



He wasn't adjusting himself -- he was actually sitting like that. It was hard to get a good picture -- I think the light was too bright in the background -- but you get the idea of just how laid back this cat is!




Then he decided he needed to stretch out so he wedged himself in between Michael & the arm of the chair.....




He's looking a wee annoyed that I was taking a thousand shots of him. I think he was thinking "Good grief, just take the picture & get on with your day".




I'm telling you, this cat has it ROUGH!!!

I hope you had a terrific weekend. Monday tomorrow again already.....sigh.....

The card that almost wasn't

WHY am I so incapable of making a card, from start to finish, all at one time?? Sheesh -- I had this image colored for almost a week before it slowwwwwwwly became a card. And it's really not that complicated --- it just wouldn't come together!

I knew I wanted to join in the High Hopes challenge so I started going through my pages & pages of rubber....




I decided to use Sweet Little Thing, a sweet oldie from the fabulous days of Crissy. I idolize her no matter WHO she draws for! I also wanted to enter the 7 Kids challenge this week -- this is where it got tricky. I started with a circle shaped card -- but my biggest Nestie wasn't as big as I wanted the card. So I used my Creative Memories cutter -- it just didn't look right. Nothing cuts like a die, even when I have a template to use! So I decided to make a regular square card -- a bit smaller than usual -- & just add lots of circles. I'm going to have to invest in some BIGGER dies! I used Basic Grey Urban Prairie papers --- I paper pieced the cupcake liner -- & added lots of glitter to the frosting.





He will always be the cutest ant around!

I am entering this into the following challenges:

High Hopes -- Anything Goes (always my favorite challenge)

7 Kids College Fund -- Circles (clearly a hard one for me)

Papertake Weekly -- Fancy A Punch

Bunny Zoe's Crafts -- Lace


I'm never been more glad it's Friday -- I did something to my back & have been in agony the last couple of days. I am enjoying some heating pad time right now & have taken my quota of Ibuprofen. I hope it's better by tomorrow because I have loads to do. Even though it's supposed to be COLD here in Wisconsin this weekend, I want to go to the plant store!! So far I've bought: 2 Shasta Daisies. LOL -- I usually have a whole arsenal of flowers by now!!

And what did you think about Idol last night?? One word......conspiracy......nuff said.....

Misc ramblings..............

I know how much you all *love* when I talk about nothing......so here are my Tuesday ramblings..... (hey!! I could make that a theme ......Tuesday ramblings!!)

It is spring in Wisconsin when something other than sparrows visit our feeders. In the last 2 days we've had a Rose Breasted Grosbeak, an Indigo Bunting & 2 Baltimore Orioles (1 male, 1 female) all make an appearance. We also have bluebirds -- we have a house in our backyard & get them every year. Not sure if it's the same pair each year, but they always show up 2nd to last week of April, right on time!

So.....I was outside trying SO HARD to catch the Grosbeak at the feeder. At one point the Bunting was sitting on the branch just above the feeder the Grosbeak was eating from, I grabbed my camera ---- & my batteries were dead!! Grrrrrrr........

So I realized my crappy camera was not going to zoom in well enough to even tell what it was, so I parked myself outside to try to catch him by surprise. I'm pretty sure my neighbors thought I was nuts, peering around a tree with camera in hand.

Well I still didn't get a GREAT picture. But it was the best I could do with my crappy camera.




I got a little bored at one point waiting, & took a picture of our birdbath, lol. What can I say, I thought the reflection was pretty :)




Next was the Oriole. My son saw the female visit this morning during breakfast, but I didn't have my camera handy. But -- when I got home from work the male was having a snack. I ran & got my camera & got this shot through our very dirty patio door.




I still haven't gotten any shots of the Bunting. He's so pretty....kind of a neon blue. I will stalk him next!

So for all you floral experts.....



This flower pops up every single year next to our garage. All by itself. Any ideas what it might be?

Finally, some photos of my very gorgeous fur-baby Elwood. He is 15 years young & is still a kitten at heart. You're only as old as you feel, right??



And here he is after a little fresh catnip break.....



Ahhh.....the life of a cat!



Well if you've made it this far, thank you!

Also, I want to ask for some opinions -- you *may* have guessed that I'm not thrilled with my camera lately. I'm looking for a new one & am leaning towards a Canon of some sort since that is what my idol-of-all-things-in-life uses exclusively. She did give me a suggestion -- the Canon G11 -- but I am open to suggestions. If you love your camera, I'd love to know what you have!! My current camera is a Fuji Finepix, 5.1 megapixels, 3x Optical Zoom (which explains why I'm not getting great photos of my birds!). I would love a SLR someday, but right now I don't have the time to learn. So a really GREAT point & shoot will have to do!!!

Thanks so much for your suggestions -- comments -- & all the love :)

Happy Mother's Day!!!

To all my visitors who are mommies, grandmommies, mommies-to-be, step-mommies or any other kind of mommy -- I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!!!!


The boys & I visited my mom yesterday. Today is just the usual -- I get to clean & do laundry -- I'm hoping to get some time in my garden. I still haven't cleared out the weeds & I'm anxious to go buy some flowers! No new flowers until there are no weeds, that is my rule!!!

I hope that however you spend your day that it's fantabulous!

Tilda as ladybug

Hey all! Happy Thursday! Wow where did the week go --- I tell ya since I went back to work my week FLIES by! It's Monday.....then it's Friday.....& I'm wondering what happened to the days in between!



I made a card using the sketch on the Magnolia-licious blog. Well I *thought* I followed it, until Cheryl pointed out that she forgot the sentiment on her sketch card. Sentiment? Oops!! I never even saw that there was supposed to be a sentiment, lol!! Well my photos were already taken & edited so hopefully they are an understanding bunch!! I used Tilda as Ladybug ---- colored her with various colored pencils & gamsol -- used papers from Basic Grey Wassail (I know, but I love the dark shade of red!) -- glued it all down, took it apart when I realized I forgot the very important ribbon. Important, because I had other challenges I wanted to enter this card into, & since "Ribbon" was the theme, they would probably want to see some ribbon!




I am entering this into the following challenges:

Magnolia-licious -- sketch (sans sentiment)

Just Magnolia -- buttons, bows & bling (well I have 2 out of 3!!)

Papertake Weekly -- anything goes (my favorite challenge!) with the option of using something round

Stamp with Fun -- ribbon or lace


Thank you so much for visiting -- we were at a school talent show for 3 hours last night so I am quite behind on things around here. I missed American Idol :( but I will be there for the results tonight! Go James!!!

Yay for May!

Happy May to everyone!! Beautiful day today....in fact it was a beautiful weekend! Too bad I spent the whole day yesterday in bed! Ohhhhhhh I did not feel well :( Still not 100% today but much better than yesterday!!!!

I have nothing new to show you.....other than a few springy photos. I had about 10 spare minutes today so I took a few pictures of my flowers that are blooming.....figured I'd better do it today because we are expecting frost tonight & they may not look this pretty tomorrow! Ahhhhh...spring in Wisconsin :)





Something white other than snow!!!!





THIS will be the year my gardens are PERFECT!!!!





Hope you all have a great week & I'll see you in front of the tube for Dancing With The Stars :)