Cutter Bees are SHARP!

In case you were looking to buy some --- they cut paper, wire, & even fingertips! Ask me how I know......

So I finally got my card done! I got this adorable Tilda weeks ago & was finally able to do something with her. I was starting to think the snow was going to fly before I got this summer card finished, lol



So I AGAIN used my Copic markers to color her -- are you impressed?? I've been using them even more than my pencils lately! The papers are Basic Grey Sugared -- I added some raffia around the flowers -- & added a butterfly JUST so I could enter this card into the Just Magnolia challenge this week! Well, also because that spot was bare, lol.





Believe it or not, I also finished the inside of the card AND made an envelope!! It's already to be listed on EBAY tonight. Thanks to my wonderfully talented friend Deb for the tips on making the envelope. I needed a thicker one than I'm used to making, & she shared the dimensions with me. Thanks Deb!! Deb just started a blog -- Deb's Designs -- be sure to go check it out! She is AMAZING!




Thanks so much for visiting!! I don't post often anymore so I'm thrilled when you visit! My 3 year blogoversary is coming up quick --- just a few days -- so I'm trying to get together a wee bit of candy to celebrate! That will probably be late too, just like every thing else, so patience, little grasshoppers!!

photo fun....

TGIF!!! Have I finished that card yet??? That would be a big NOPE!!! I finished coloring the image -- & I've been searching for challenge blogs to find just the right layout. But you know how that is ---- 2 hours later after blog hopping & playing on Facebook --- my card is no further along!

But I have been having some fun with my new photo editing program, thanks to my buddy Tab. I noticed she was creating some fun photo layouts of her darling Teddy -- I wanted to play too!! So she gave me the info --- & I've been playing ever since! I took some new pictures tonight & look what I can do now!!!!





Thanks, Tab!! Just what I needed -- another distraction, lol!!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! We are due for some GREAT weather -- it's been rainy & chilly all week. We've had 2 baseball games & 1 baseball practice canceled, plus Michael was supposed to go swimming at a birthday party yesterday. That activity was deleted from the agenda but that's ok -- a bunch of 8 year old boys can have fun no matter what they are doing :)

I also just listed some new charms in my Etsy store -- click HERE for the listing!

Happy Father's Day .....& a trip to Urgent Care

3 days into summer vacation & already we have been to the Urgent Care. I got a call at work from my husband the other day, saying the neighbor's dog bit Michael on the lip & he was gushing blood from his face. Oh boy.....not what a mom wants to hear! I felt so helpless. I won't go into all the details......the dog is not malicious in any way.....it's a dog that Michael has played with numerous times, I think she was just overly excited.....& all is fine now. The doggie Feds visited & she may have to attend obedience school, but thankfully they can keep her. He got his stitches out today......& hardly even winced. Even though it had scabbed over.....bleah....I was great at holding his hand but have to admit I had to look in the other direction. But what a start to our summer!! My motto is IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE! At first my husband thought he fell off his bike (do you KNOW how much blood is in the face?!?!) & when he first told me he had been bitten & had a hole in his lip ....well I imagined MUCH worse!

Before stitches........







After stitches......



Sorry, the pix are blurry, they were taken with my phone. Yes, the after pic looks much more painful ....that numbing shot not only produced a LOT of blood......but it made the area swell up & turn white. Poor kid ......he is such a trooper!


Such is life with kids! I felt horribly guilty that this happened while I was at work, but I am thankful my husband was home. In fact, with the amount of blood involved, it may have been a BLESSING that I was at work & my husband was there to take care of it!


So......I've been a bit preoccupied & still haven't had time to create. I did get a new Tilda stamped & I colored her face, lol, maybe I will get her hair done by the end this week :)


Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!! Hope everyone is having a great Sunday!

S'More muffins!

I apologize, peeps -- busy busy busy & I have been a blog neglecter! The last week of school was really busy, but now baseball is in full swing & I just finally finished planting my flowers today & there is just not enough time for everything! That's my motto -- NOT ENOUGH TIME!

So today I have a yummy recipe -- I bought one of those JUMBO muffin tins & the first recipe I tried was one for S'More muffins -- what a great summer treat!



Warning -- these are just as messy as real S'Mores!! LOL


S'MORE JUMBO MUFFINS

1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-1/4 cup mini marshmallows, divided

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Combine egg, buttermilk & oil; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips & 1 cup marshmallows. Fill greased JUMBO muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle with remaining marshmallows. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.


Ok well I had a teensy more batter so I just shoved it into the 6 cups --- resulting in even JUMBO-ER muffins. You can't really get how big they are from the pic, but they are big & they are GOOD. Well, OF COURSE I had to taste one -- can't give my kids something that may not be good :)


So summer vacation officially starts tomorrow. My son is officially a middle schooler. Yikes, not sure I am ready for that. Middle school is a WHOLE different world. He will need to catch the bus at 6:45 which is just rude. Ahhhh....thank goodness for a couple of months of relaxing summer to get us ready for that crazy schedule! Even though *I* no longer get a summer vacation ***sniffle***


As you can see Elwood is *thrilled* to have the boys home all day -- Matthew left a shirt or something on the floor of his room & Elwood promptly went over & parked his orange furry behind on it :)



Ahhhhh......summer......

Betty Bug

Yay!! I finished a challenge card BEFORE the deadline. WAY before -- that almost never happens!



I jut received a small order from 7 Kids College Fund, & included in that order was this cute little Betty Bug from Pink Cat Studios. I colored the image with Copic markers --yes, the WHOLE THING! Nary a pencil anywhere on this image! I did bling her up with some Stickles though -- the papers are Basic Grey Urban Prairie -- & the layout is the sketch from Papertake Weekly.




Can you see her sparkle??

Besides the sketch challenge, I am also entering this into:

A Spoon Full of Sugar (Flower Power)

All Sorts Challenge (Things with Wings)

Truly Scrumptious (Summer Sparkle)

Bunny Zoe's Crafts (Lace)



Of course it's that time of year when I just have to add a photo or two of my flowers!



This is just one of the many different colored Columbine plants that are growing -- and growing and growing. If you want a plant that reseeds every year, aren't a lot of work & come in an array of colors, this is the flower for you!




These are the flowers from a bush we call Bridal Veil in these parts -- not even sure what the horticulturally correct name is --- but it's pretty & it also takes care of itself!





My grandma used to own a ceramics shop -- she made me 6 of these adorable guys when we bought our first home. Nothing like napping on the deck, under a pot of flowers while listening to the birds chirp. I want to be a ceramic gnome in my next life :)


That is all for today --if you made it through this whole post thank you!!

Tomorrow I am off to the 6th grade field trip. It should have been to Chicago -- that is the annual trip our district takes -- except this year, of course. We are going to the local YMCA -- sigh ...... well I am just happy that my 12 year old actually still WANTS me to go on his field trips with him!