Check out the other ARTFUL LEGACY DESIGN TEAM MEMBERS at www.artfullegacyrubberstamps.blogspot.com!

So...what was my inspiration for this week’s Artful Legacy blogspot post? A paper bag. Yep. A small, plain paper bag that was laying on the floor of my craft room! I knew the moment I saw it what it was going to grow up to be. A wall hanging! I added some corrugated cardboard (just stripped the paper off the flap of that overflowing box that’s been sitting there..), whipped out the paint brush and some off-white paint, gave the cardboard just enough to make it look like Tom and Huck took one or two swipes at it, stamped Artful Legacy’s Love Background (SKU # AL 507 O) on the bag, tore the edges right off, then went to town with other (beach-themed) embellishments. The worn-well look is vintage beach! Ever need to make "sand"? Simply mix 1/3 silver to 2/3 gold microbeads! Adhere with Crystal Effects and you have instant beach. That’s the pretty gold tones you see along the edges of the paper! Add sunglasses, starfish, flip flops and of course some mesh (um, that’s really latch hook rug mesh!), and more shells from Artful Legacy -Small Shell Cluster (SKU # AL 347 G, a charm made from a bottle cap top (Thanks, Tommy!)...and instant wall-hanging! Oops-forget the white cord and "Sharon knots" along with yet another shell by AL – Channeled Welk (#SKU AL 351 G) to top it all off. I love it. I don’t know about you, but I am going to be myself, treasure the moment and put my sunglasses and flip flops on and head down to the beach to take a long walk, dream, RELAX, count my lucky stars and watch the sunset... Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

Stump the Vet...

Note: Don't forget to scroll down for this week's ARTFUL LEGACY project & post.

Ok. So today, before I took Ms. Dolly to the vet, I decided to continue cleaning the ever-messy craft room. I even took a "before" picture thinking that, once I was done for the day, I would take another one to show my progress. Um, well...the part that I worked on? Was on the other side of the room from what I took the pic of! REaLLy! Under my shelves I have 5 milk crates. They were packed full to overflowing with magazines--stamp magazines, scrapbook magazines, Mary Englebright's Home Companion, Martha....no room to put a piece of tissue paper in any given section! So, last week-end I started...pulling out a stack, removing what I wanted to save, and setting what was left aside to donate to the library's free bin. Today...with one milk crate to go--I decided to finish. I had already emptied a basket, put some albums away, labeled, packaged and priced stamps to sell...so it was time for a "sit down" job. I finished the magazines! I have stacks and stacks by my front door! I will be carting magazines to the library until Christmas, I swear I will! And the ideas and articles I took out? Well, I've already gone through 200 page protectors...and probably need that if not double or triple! I neatly cut edges, stapled what needed to be together, and divided them out as I went. Now they just need to go into page protectors, then into notebooks. They will probably take up maybe one crate's worth of space! And what a resource!!! Far better than thumbing through tons of extra stuff-now I can just go to the appropriate book, take a glimpse through, and be done. It will be 10x better and they will be put to use other than simply collecting dust! Ok-I confess-there were some that I just couldn't part with-but--I've limited myself to one crate's space for the "keepers". That's going to be it. So if a whole new magazine needs to stay---another one needs to go out! New rule! We'll have a 2-day one way car ride coming up soon so I will stock up on page protectors and stuff those while Brook drives. I hate having to sit still that long even if we do listen to books on tape.

Then, this afternoon, it was off the vet with Ms. Dolly. As you can see, her left eye has an issue. We've been putting otc drops in as well as a high-powered antibiotic (I have to wear rubber gloves and, in something like 1 out of 100,000 it can cause irreversible anemia in us humans if it come in direct contact with skin...?!). Sadly, there's been no improvement. Dr. Travis has no clue and is stumped. Not unusual with my kids, tho! She is going to consult with a cat opthomologist and see what we can try next--or not. The good thing is--it does not seem to bother Ms. Dolly at all. She can see (doesn't bump into things or miss when she jumps-not even by a little!, she doesn't rub at it, doesn't seem to hurt if I rub close to it...) so it may be just something that happened to the eye that she has to live with. We shall see. I found this ADORABLE collar for her---the little crystals form paw prints!---but she's also related to Catadini (Houdini...catadini...?!)-as it spends more time off in obscure places with me looking for it than it does around her neck! She's a little prima donna though! Still walks on her tiptoes and is VERY dainty! She takes very small bites and, if she gets real meat (chicken, deer, fish) doesn't "shake it" like the boys do! She's IN LOVE with her shedding brush which is what she is rubbing against! Lol.

Well, off to straighten up the things I've pulled out into other rooms, have dinner, read and relax. Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon ps/please say an extra prayer for Ms. Dolly---Dr. Travis is awesome and she persevered to successfully diagnosis and treat Inky so I have all faith that it will be the same with Ms. Dolly! Thanks!

FRIENDS... ...Take time to sit by the Sea...is my theme for this week’s card. Since I live at the beach, it’s only natural that I gravitate toward beach-themed stamps! While you can’t see it in my photographs, we had so much humidity here Friday-Sunday that my step-card actually warped quite a bit! My husband actually whipped up a shadow box for the anniversary card I had made him last year as it, too, was suffering from the damp, salt-air. If I could only bottle that smell...! Back to my card-I stamped Artful Legacy’s Ladies at the Beach (SKU AL 495 JJ) on watercolor paper and embossed it with clear embossing powder. AL’s deep-etched stamps give a great, clear image even when it comes to fine detail! That, coupled with the embossing that provided "raised" lines that help capture the paint, made the water coloring a cinch. I cut the ladies out and attached the image to the front of the card with brads. I thought about adding shells or the sentiment itself to the bottom of the image but decided I liked the "uncluttered" look better. The center "step" has three layers of shell scallop punch borders to make the "waves". To the last "step" in the card I added a large slide-mount die cut that I covered with designer paper. I stamped and clear embossed the sun image on the back layer so it would peek through the opening of the slide-mount. I added a layer of Pop-Dots in between these two layers to provide room for the card to easily slip in and out. The "Friends" image was stamped on white cardstock and then a layer added to the inside of the card with Artful Legacy’s "Take time to sit by the sea" sentiment (SKU ALS 1003 G). Hmm...on a shelf in our bedroom I have chipboard letters (decorated, of course!) that spell "RELAX"..this card just might have to sit next to it! Until next time, wishing YOU sunny days and blue skies–and happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon
ps/wondering...if a little drink umbrella would work well with this image... ; ) something to think about and try!

"911-What is your emergency please?"

First, let me set the background. I spent yesterday afternoon (my last workday of the week!) in my hairdresser's chair! I was so relieved to be there I couldn't believe it! You see, he does the best haircuts I've had in years. When my hair is short, I have tons of natural wave and curl--not everybody knows how to cut that! And, at Christmas time, I got really brave and let him color (my hair is red...red is hardest to do...and get it to look natural) and highlight my hair. It looked great. I got tons of compliments. So a month or so ago I called to set up a repeat. I was told he hurt his back and was out. I let someone else just cut it. Big mistake. But the other day, my "secretary" (aka Theresa) called and found out that yes, David was back to work and he had time yesterday. Not really a big deal if I was just hanging around OKI but we are going to my stepson's wedding the first week in June and I wanted it to look nice. And it does! I am so pleased and we all know we just feel better all around when we know we look better! I felt like a princess getting pampered-two shampoos & conditioning--wow did that feel nice! To top that off, I met Theresa for dinner as Brook was out of town overnight so we had time to chat and catch up, compare notes. That's always fun, too. Thanks, Theresa! I was all set for a nice, quiet, relaxing evening.
Then I came home. We are surrounded by rental properties. We do not have "real" neighbors and the rental homes are still somewhat vacant through the weeks yet, busier on week-ends. That will change with the end of school. My computer is by the front door and I suddenly heard voices around my deck...coming up the deck...no clue who it was. I was not expecting company and my husband was out of town overnight so it was just me, myself and I and 4 cats. I immediately grabbed the phone and had just dialed "911" (better safe than sorry) when I heard my "intruder" say that yes, I had indeed talked to her earlier in the week and I said I liked living here except for hurricane season. Then I knew who I was talking to, opened the door and, thinking the 911 call had not yet dialed through, I hung up. They called right back! I apologized, explained what had happened while the ladies were flabbergasted I had called the police and was informed they had to come out anyway. It turns out they locked themselves out of their rental house. We chit-chatted until the officer arrived. Having made sure I was the homeowner who had called and had not been harmed by the ladies in anyway, he then whisked them away to find the on-call person for the rental company. He was extremely nice and patient---assured me that I should call should I need anything else at all. I saw lights on in the house after a while so I assume they made it safely inside. I had to laugh. I was somewhat embarrassed but at least I was safe. They have a now funny (it wasn't then!) story to tell about their vacation. I even considered making them a small scrapbook to do it! And I think the local PD deserves a plate of cookies-or doughnuts! Off to clean the craft room.

More later. Until next time, Happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

Roll the dice...

or, since it's just one is it "di(e)?" Who cares-you cannot go wrong with this one! It's a rainy day and I've been in a mood to match it. I was blog-hopping before lunch and saw this idea on http://www.tethered2home.com. OHMYGOSH! While she put chores on hers--"dust", "tidy", "sweep", etc.---I knew the second I saw it mine was going to be NOTHING but---stamp, scrap, shop and blog! You cannot go wrong! There is no housework, no cooking, no laundry-nada zip nilch. Just FUN! I like it! It is not very big (those are small scissors!), it's a little tedious but really easy-peasy. It's amazing how it just starts folding up on itself once you start it off! (Hint-on the last tab---tape one of the three tabs to the outside-it closes it a bit better-trust me on this!) Just print the template, glue to cardstock, cut, fold, tape, decorate. My printer is out of ink (again! Where does it go-are there printer gremlins who come and steal it while I am sleeping or what? And the cost! Ya would think it was pure gold!) Geesh. I just pulled out my label maker and went to it. It almost gives it that Magic 8 Ball feel! Only other thing I had waiting was-sigh-housework--so why not?! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

Misc. Musings...

It's Sunday-now afternoon. I spent yesterday working on this week's Artful Legacy post so I really have no craft project photos I can share (check the Artful Legcay site on Tuesday--www.artfullegacy.blogspot.com --or even now-there are great tutorials up as well as beutiful cards and pages). If the afternoon plays out as I hope, maye a second post later today.

I just received an e-mail from my good friend, Betsy. We've known each other more years than I (care to) try to count. "My boys" as I call them (aka her sons!)--are both at the Citadel. She just sent me links to photographs on the Citadel website of them. One is of them hugging one another after the younger had received recognition from his brother, aka his commander! She didn't warn me...I probably needed a box of kleenex before I looked at them! The other is of the "commander" leading his regiment in a parade. They are grown up, fine looking solid Christian men. Not the little babies I held in my arms, talked about teddy bears and picnics with and...well, to say I am feeling somewhat sentimental and blue would be an understatement. Better back away from the keyboard before I short it out with tears!

Ok-moving on...I went in the bedroom to read last evening and it wasn't long before Poppa Cat came to join me. He likes to climb on top of me for a hug but soon gets warm and moves to the side. Then, when he gets really warm, ends up on his back upside down! If you look close, you can see that he has the tip of his tongue stuck out (the little sliver of pink right by his teeth! He is really funny! Wasn't panting-he just forgets sometimes to pull it back in!

I think the start of summer is officially June 20-something---but the temperatures here have been warming up and I've pulled out the flip-flops, sandals, tank tops and capris...and thus its time for A NEW TOE RING---fit for a QUEEN! Lol! I saw this and just had to have it!!! Yep, it's a CROWN! I love it! I'm not sporting a pretty pedicure (yet) to go with it so I spared you a photo of my foot! This little pillow (actually a door hanger) set if off nicely. Yes, I am called the OKI Stampqueen---but, if I am to take Scripture to heart, I am also the daughter of a KING. So I really am royalty, after all!

That's all my news for now. Off to check my favorite blogs and see what else happens to happen. Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon