Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Scrapbooking Meets Quilting....


So as if I do not have enough hobbies...
I fell in love with an applique quilt and,
when I couldn't find someone to make it for me...
I found someone to teach me how.
So here's to yet another hobby!
 
I had my first lesson
to see what I have, what I need (to buy!),
and to identify all the parts of the kit.
 
which had virtually no instructions.
I had no clue where to even begin!
While I was searching for someone to help,
I fell in love with this quilt....**
(**note that the link goes to the PATTERN ONLY--not the quilt kit!)
which sounded easier as it was precut and backed
with fusible web.
So I got it, too.
 
Well,
there are a lot of itty bitty teeny tiny pieces
to that turtle's shell---
and one of the things suggested
was to trace the pattern on clear plastic
so you can lay it over your pieces
for proper placement.
Easier said than done!
The plastic slipped and slid and...
then I remembered my ancient Basic Gray Magnetic Mat
that almost got tossed out/resold.
And the tons of cheapy page protectors from various scrapbooks
I bought.
I cut the page protectors apart,
put the pattern down, covered it with plastic,
anchored it with my magnets
and off I went!
My pattern was traced in no time!
 
 
So!
Now when I put kitties to bed
I can begin putting the puzzle-er, quilt pieces together!
 
Speaking of kitties,
this little gal had her spay surgery last week
was vomiting over the week-end
and yet....she does this...
Too funny!
Crawling inside the pillowcase!
Bummers-Blogger won't play the video---boo hiss blogger!
She is climbing in, out, tumbling over, chasing her tail...
being a completely normal kitty--except for stitches!
I sure wasn't up to that after any of my surgeries!
 
Now back to the craft room to work on yet another project!
That involves stamping and big shot and tape and...
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,
 


Saturday, September 12, 2015

ATG GUN: LOCKED AND (RE) LOADED!



So anyone who knows me or has followed my blog
can probably guess what, compared to pop dots fun foam
is my next absolutely-cannot-craft-without item...
so much so...
that I now have back up!
So when I run out of "ammo" I can "throw it down"
and start again without having to stop and reload.
Ammo--throw down---reload...
get it?
It's my Scotch ATG gun!
Yep, I have two.
Because Murphy's law---if I am in the middle of a project
and particularly if under a time constraint
it's a given that I am going to run out of tape.
I LOVE my ATG gunS!!!
What I don't love however
is after having to travel 2 hours round trip
to get more ammo
and pay a pretty penny for it...
to go to load and discover the roll was loaded
BACKWARDS!
I've done the contact Scotch to get replacement thing
several times-
more often than not the rolls get pulled out and tossed aside
and I go to pack 2 that I picked up and pray that it isn't the same way 
('cause the second roll in the first pack inevitably backwards too.)
WELL---
NEVERMORE!!!

Weather here has been sunshine-rain-sunshine-rain-and more rain.
My fibro is off the charts so I just put myself down for the day-
and have been on Pinterest and Facebook all day.
After hours and hours I came across a video
on how to fix a roll of ATG tape that's loaded backwards!
I ran to try it-only to discover
my tape gun was on the opposite side of the door Inky was on
(all the other kitties were with me).
Of course-there was a break out--
and of course Momma and Poppa had to break up the cat fight that almost ensued
not once but twice.
Everyone re-corralled and back to the trial.
It didn't work.
So I Googled it
(no clue why I never thought to Google it before---)
and I found
video-
and it worked!!!
Thank you, Tammy! 
So easy.
And since I was down to a small tidbit of tape
besides the backwards roll---
I'm good for a few more rounds!
Give it a try!
It really does work!

Maybe some projects later in the week.
But not today.
The kitties and I are back to Pintrest and Facebook.
And the storms are rolling in again.

Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

For the birds....


Long week-end
but I didn't get much accomplished-
rain = pain
and I had plenty of both unfortunately
and as my grandmother would say in exasperation,
"it was for the birds!"
I did create a gift bag and card
and while I can't show you the contents...
I will say---
both were created around the contents...or the theme of the item therein!
I had help....Lady Liberty was inspecting the final design...
 
smelling the flower...!
 
The base is just a plain old lunch bag..
the designer paper (dp) is old old old Stampin Up from my stash-
except for the tag--that was from a small atc sized stack


Lace, twine and other trims from my stash




Washi tape on the clothespin along with a burlap bow
This was going to be the front side of the tag (Happy Birthday)
But then I decided to make it the backside.
Or maybe not---can go either way!
Of course that blue sentiment oval is popped up
with fun foam (my new cheap pop-dot alternative!)


And that's about all creatively that got finished this weekend.
My mojo and focus has left the brain, body and building!
Did lots of blog hopping---just couldn't seem to settle in to create beyond this.
 
Time for work, vet visit (all paws crossed for good blood work results!),
and then helping a friend with a computer project
so long day ahead after a long week-end!
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,


Friday, September 4, 2015

All About Cats...

 
 
I am slow---very very slow going this am.
My fibro pain level is off the charts.
Must have been the rain yesterday--or more on the way that they haven`t predicted yet.
I was blog hopping in bed when I looked over and saw this...
Actually, he was sound asleep on it when I first saw him
and of course my getting up and getting the camera woke him up...

 Doesn`t he just look like ``I don`t know why they haven`t texted me..!``

And, when I downloaded these pics from the camera...I found ones I had forgotten about.
We are at the vet`s office so much with so many cats...
we graduated from a mere file folder
to a 2`` binder notebook!
The front desk gals know I scrapbook and wanted me to design a cover for it...
This is what I came up with...


I am sure none of the front desk gals are old enough to remember
The Brady Bunch
unless they have seen reruns!
But when they asked me for a page-that immediately popped into my head
and I was doing a cat count while I was standing there!
They haven`t actually seen Moe---he was taken care of by another vet
and is feral---taking him even as gentle as he is with me
I think would undo him.
We do the best we can with him on our own.
 
Our first girl...

I added the heart with halo and wings to Ms. Dolly, Poppa Cat and Bad Cat
since they are now our angel kitties...


For some reason---I didn`t take a close up of Sir Stirling`s picture...
he`s the guy in the upper left corner upside down!

There was always confusion with new staff when I would make appointments for Bad Cat!
Bad Cat was AWESOME at the vets office! They could do anything and he could care less!
Inky---just the opposite.
He was the one plastered on the front window of the office with a vet tech on either side of the vet
and they were trying to figure out how to get him where they needed him.
 And the next-runner up for the bad Russell cat was Poppa Cat
(he BROKE the blood pressure machine and ran off with the thermometer cover
stuck in his butt and hid under the bench!)


 
The boys pics I matted in the aqua and the two girls in the pink!

Not sure why my close up pics are fuzzy-sorry about that!
I made a similar layout for a shadow box for us
only added a ball of twine to The Russell Bunch with the end
wrapped around that square.
And it`s back to the vet this afternoon with Lady Liberty.
She`s been vomiting and with a holiday week-end coming up
I want to be sure to settle that tummy down and have something on hand if I need it.
She is acting completely normal otherwise-
in fact last night she came running into the bedroom,
bounced on all fours off the edge of the bed and went tearing back out
into the living room.
And we`re going for a sick cat visit...eye-yi-yiii!
Lol!
 
That`s it for today.
I had so much I wanted to get done---
but it is a definite be gentle to myself day like it or not.
Better mimic Moe up there-or Sir Stirling!
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,




Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Breaking News....!

 
It's been forever since I posted again...
and the few projects I've done have been
last minute and run them out the door so fast things
that I haven't even taken photos!
 
And the Magic Kingdom aka craft room
is in desperate need of cleaning---
(some things never change from post to post!)
 
So-what is my breaking news?!
No, NOT ANOTHER CAT!
The Russell Inn is full!
Lady Liberty is still sweet as ever and holding her own with two of her three brothers.
Inky still doesn't want anything to do with all the littles---
but has been much more cuddly (for him, anyway!) at night
when it's just the two of us.
He misses his big brothers and (first) sister as we do.
 
So---if you've followed my blog you know my go-to-absolutely-cannot-craft-without item
is pop-dots.
LOVE THEM!
But...
drumroll please...
I am giving them up!
I found something better!
Cheaper.
Just as amazingly good
and no funky liner paper you have to try and peel off.
What is it?
Fun foam!
Seriously!
An huge sheet of Fun Foam is less than $1!
My ATG tape works fine to hold it-low temp glue does, too.
And you can cut it to whatever size you need!
I have to be careful with little bits of things---
Lady LOVES to get on the worktable, look at me,
grab something, grin at me (I swear she does---she looks at me like,
"Ha! I got it! Do you see me Momma?! I dare you to try and catch me!),
and runs off with it!
I don't want to hear Dr. Travis say she's stopped up with Fun Foam
(and I have had to secure the roll of cork as well!).
I do not know if a deep-cut Cricut blade will cut FF---but that would be
interesting to know/try!
I know you can die cut it through the Big Shot!
I typically keep white on hand and if I need to
I color the edges of the FF with Sharpie so they match the paper
and don't show.
So that's my tip for the day.
 
Sadly,
the church I work for
chose to close its preschool.
Breaks my heart
and so I really don't have a lot of
 kiddos to make cute holiday things for now.
I usually make things for our vets office staff---we're there so much-
so looking at ideas for Halloween things for them.
Holly Days is coming up
and I got fabric for catnip toys last week
and just ordered the catnip!
Not sure what other items I will do this year--
may just stick with cat-themed things.
Time will tell!
 
Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,