HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!

While I was on vacation at the beach (good times, good times), I had a birthday. Now, if we must get older, celebrating it at the beach is just the ticket. But, be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. So lookie what I had waiting for me when I arrived back. If there is anything that I like as much as making cards for people, it would be receiving cards. It just brightens your day, know what I mean? So, drumroll, please......

This first one is from my friend and SU! sideline, Cindy Blekas. This link here will give you the card details. She is a whiz with DSP. And the inside is just as pretty as the outside. Not sure if you can tell from the picture, but she topped the cupcake with Dazzling Diamonds. And she is an ace at making bows, too. Love it!!!!

The next one is from Cindy's sister, Debbie Naylor, who just happens to be my upline. This is a WOW!!! factor card. Check out this link here to see how she did this. Pretty cool, huh? I love how she placed the bow on the corner. I think I may be CASE-ing that touch very soon.

Now, onto the card from Sherri Gough, another friend who is also my sideline. Can you tell that she knows my love of bright colors and punches? She also added some Dazzling Diamonds to the flower center to give it a little bling. This card just makes me smile...

Another friend and sideline, Debbie Williams, sent me this gorgeous card. She doesn't have a blog, but she sure needs one. I just love the colors and the satin ribbon is too die for. Did you see the little pearls on the side? Such a nice touch.

This last one is from a non-SU! friend, Rita Johnson. She made me card using a picture she took herself in her front yard. Did I mention that she is an artist? Check out the work she has on her blog --- it is amazing!!!!

Thanks to everyone who sent me birthday wishes, either by mail or by e-mail. They were all appreciated.

Now, onto my next year..............

BACK TO SCHOOL TIME.......

It is that time again ---- Back to School. So, we have done the shopping for supplies, the meeting of the teachers for Logan, touring the new Middle School for Lindsey, and getting the bus schedules straight. I just cannot believe that summer is over (maybe not calendar-wise, but it is for me). We will be starting soccer practice next week, also. Nothing like doing everything at one time. It should be a challenge this year to fit everything in. Logan is going into 4th grade, so his homework will be kicked up a notch.

Then, there is Lindsey. She is going into 6th grade at the Middle School. When we toured this week, of her 3rd through 6th period classes, she has only 1 friend from her old school in 1 of her classes. There are 5 feeder schools coming into this one. So, she is going from a total of 35 fifth graders last year to 250 students in 6th grade this year. Quite an adjustment. But I try not to worry too much. She is a great girl (no bias there), so she will not have trouble making new friends.

One of the items that Logan needed was a canvas bag to carry his books from classroom to classroom. I didn't have, in my stash of tote bags (one of the many fetishes I have, like stamps...), any that would work for a guy --- or so Logan said. So, I went to Michaels and picked up a ready-to-finish canvas bag. I wanted to get an iron-on transfer (I needed it the next day, of course), but they must not think guys would want any --- everything was very girlie, girlie. I didn't even see anything I thought Lindsey would have liked. So, in true crafter's fashion, I took matters into my own hands. I had been wanting to try stamping on fabric, but never seemed to get up the nerve. I had done it once at my upline, Debbie Naylor's, house, but that was way back when I first started. I was very indimidated by it. I don't know why, it is soooo easy. This is what I ended up doing for him.

The name is done with the one of the very first sets I purchased, the Tall Tales Alphabet. It is, of course, now retired. The dino's are from Prehistoric Pals, also retired.  I used craft ink in Brilliant Blue (retired), Pumpkin Pie, Real Red,Glorious Green (retired) and Chocolate Chip. The weave of the canvas was very high and I may not have let the ink soak in as long as I should have, so the image didn't come out solid, But I really like how it turned out. More importantly, Logan liked how it turned out.

Here is a close up.

Good luck to all of you parents that have kids going back to school and extra good luck to the teachers teaching them.

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!!!!

TAKE ME BACK..... PLEASE....

Okay, I am home again and back into to everyday grind. Boy, was it hard going back to work!!!! But work is a necessary evil. Anyway, here are a few more shots of our trip. This first one is from the trip down. Zoey was just worn out......

This is from the trip coming home. Zoey and Logan are worn out.....

This is Lindsey and Logan on the pier in Myrtle Beach (not sure which one).....

This is my SIL and BIL that went with us on the same unknown pier.......

Me and my DH on ditto.....

This is the kids in the Lazy River. What a way to float................

Then we have Logan in the ocean.........

Prepare for this next one --- it is Lindsey and me boogie boarding. I swear, that is me doing my own stunts. It is actually a lot of fun, but it does tire you out pretty quick.

That was my week in a nutshell. It really went by very, very quick. Now we are in the back-to-school mode --- now that really puts a damper on things.

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!!!!!!!

AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!! THE BEACH............

Hello to all of you good folks out there working your little fingers to the bone. I am beaching it this week. That is not to say I am not working, because I am still with the family. But I am at the beach.....aaaahhhh...... It will all end soon enough, I'm afraid (and much quicker than we like). It is really sad that we need to work all year for one measley week of vacation.

It has not been all sunshine and good times, though. This is what it looked like when we arrived.....

Quite a thunder boomer!!!! And this was our front door.....

We only had this site for the night and then we would be moving to our site for the week, so we left the camper hooked up to the truck and angled it in the spot to miss the little lake. Luckily, we have not had anymore thunderstorms since. We did have a short shower on Tuesday morning, but it was over by the time we all woke up. It has been HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!!

This is what it looked like when I walked Zoey this morning...........

And this is Zoey enjoying rubbing in only God knows what........

Well, back to the grind --- beach, pool, nap....

See you in the real world & have a Great Day!!!!!

TAKE NOTE.......

At the Little Debbies's summer meeting, we all sign up for a gift exchange. It has a $5.00 limit and, though you may think you can't do much with that, you can come up with some cool stuff for that or less. Of course, our group is so stinking talented, they can come up with some great altered stuff. The item I contributed may not be great, but it is altered. I picked up a small dry-erase board which is also magnetic at my local Walmart. I added a few touches and here is what I came up with.

The little Daffodil Delight and Melon Mambo flowers at the bottom are covered magnets. I also added a little bit of twine and a couple of mini-clothes pins to hang projects, if desired.

My sideline Delores picked my gift and, since I forgot to take a picture of it, was kind enough to send me a picture to post. Thanks for that, Delores, and I hope you enjoy your gift!!!!