Sniff---Sick on Saturday...

I am sick.

Still.

And worse than yesterday.

What happened to my magic Zyrtec I took?

It ALWAYS works...?

Or used to.

Sigh.

So I am sitting here feeling sorry for myself.

There was SO MUCH I wanted to get done today...

Summer clothes down-winter clothes up

sort more attic stuff while I was at it

so another room could finally get done...

but, sadly,

it just ain't gonna happen according to my plan.

We plan-God laughs as the saying goes...

and now, as I am typing-there's even thunder

so blog hopping will be cut short for sure!

But I am not giving up  the ship hope.

I did get the bedroom back together last night...

I'd desperately like new bedspread and curtains---

but it's not in the budget right now...oh well...

I slept well

until Bad Cat decided he wanted breakfast

at O-dark thirty...

trust me-there's no sleep alarm on a cat!

Anyway-enough whining.

I've had some coffee and decided

that there are some things I can get done today

even if it's not what I had planned--

I can do 15-minute room rescues

and straighten up a few hot spots

(aka the craft room worktable, dishes,

swish and swipe the bathroom...)

taking time outs in between.

On my way to refill the coffee cup

I saw the bedroom rug I had put on the back deck to dry

and rescued it from the rain

bringing it in to toss in the dryer instead...

when I got close I heard a meow...

so much for my clean bathrobe that got left in there!

That Bad Cat! Lol!

Until next time--

happy stamping and scrapping.

Blessings,

 

Flying on Friday -- Part 2

There's a reason

Flylady says...

only take out what you can do in an hour...

no more...and then

I did the dresser-go me!

And promptly moved on to the closet.

I took out all my clothes...

shelf and rod...

and by the time I ende up with this...

I was tired and overwhelmed.

When that happens-go to Wal-Mart!

Lol!

I did-I took a break-ran some errands

(I actually wanted some Zero

Kiwi Strawberry carbonated water from WM--good excuse!)

and came home.

I looked at my old clothes dividers

and decided I needed new ones...pretty ones!

So I detoured to the craft room.

I used the AP CTMH cartridge to cut the scallop--

I used some old circle templates to cut the center out-

I ran it through the Big Shot

THE PERFECT STAMP to go with it

from Find Your Style

stamped in CHOCOLATE of course

(part of the reason a lot of those clothes are a wee bit small---

nah-it's the dryer's fault!)

Since we live at the beach (high humidity)

I decided to encase it in clear contact...

all the layers-just make a sandwich

and trim around leaving about 1/8-1/4" edge to it

so it stays sealed...

I used the AP cartridge to do the label shapes

and I cannot remember the name of the alphabet set---

but I liked the random letters...

added a lace bow--and stopped there!

Oh-pop dots--of course-

that popped up the label and the dress shape...

You also have to make a slit for it to slip over the rod...

Here it is in my closet..

I hung it up-and ran into technical difficulty

because of even though the weight of the embellishment

isn't much 

it is on one side-

so my marker immediately did a summersult...

sigh.

Back to the craft room-the glue gun...

what to use to "weigh it down"?

26 cents worked just fine-had to fiddle a little

to get it in just the right place...but it's good enough for me!

Now...

to go unload this
so I can sleep there tonight!

Tomorrow's another day, Scarlett-

I'll make more dividers...
swap out winter for summer!

Until then,

happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings,

p.s.

that first photo?

The stop sign?

This is the reaon I took it...

if you look to the bottom right

you will see...

these guys sitting in the sun!

Flying on Friday...

not sure

if a food allergy or the potent pollen

caught up with me but something did

and I don't have much voice today!

Some sniffles and tickles--

cough-sneeze.

Seems that I have some time to myself on my hands

(including two holidays and my birthday...)

so...

I am working on another list of

things I want to get accomplished-for me.

That's the flylady key I think...we do it-for us.

At least that works for me!

I love decluttering and getting organized

when I have "extra" time...

Last time

it was my craft room...

Today

I am tackling a bedroom.

I have decluttered my dresser

(an entire tall trash bag out the door! Go me!)

and wiped down the horizontal surfaces
(I LOVE Murphy's Oil Soap smell!)

and swept up at least enough hair

for an entire cat!

Ick!

The closet

is next.

And then it will be back to the attic project

as summer clothes need to come down and winter clothes need to go up

along with the Christmas decorations...

don't ask!

I do have some fun things planned, too.

There's a free concert to go to...

a craft show next week-end in the park

and then the Easter sunrise service

so it will not be all work and no play for this girl!

For now--

I tackle a little-and take a break.

Blog hop a little--look at Juxtapost

(ohmygosh---I LOVE that site-

except for the posts that don't have "close" buttons

and you end up back at the very beginning!)

You can find tons of interesting things there!

I hope to get some time in the craft room as well...

maybe later today or tomorrow.

Need to work on some Easter goodies for the preschool kids

and a few other little projects for me...

so stay tuned!

Just never know what little surprises I have

up my sleeve!

Whatever you do--

until next time-happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings,

 

Like magic...

A shout out and HUGE thanks to

Tresa Black

The StampGoddess herself

for taking the time to fix my photo!

I am sooo happy all those ugly brown spots are gone...

in case you missed it-

here's what she started with...

Nice improvement, huh?

I'm happy!

Now if only one or any of us could wave our magic wands

and make my furry friend reappear...

Cocoa Puff (r)  is still MIA---

and his buddy (Moe-left)

is sooo sad.

Breaks my heart.

But---

Moe did let me actually pet him this morning

not once but several strokes several different times!

Unheard of...

even though they've both been around us since kittens

they are feral...

Hubby did contact our local animal control

and they've not seen him

(good news---hopefully...)

and I may just fax a photo to the local vets

just in case.

Back to the photo for a moment if I might...

it is hanging on my wall

in my newly-decorated craft room

next to some wall art that says

"Create your own happiness..."

Things haven't been going well for me of late

and I've been pretty miserable...

emotionally, mentally, physically

and yeah, one affects the other

and once that downward spiral starts...

it's hard to stop.

I can see some heads nodding

uh-huh...you've been there, too...

That's when we need to put the brakes on---

take a nap.

eat something good.

GET SOME TIME WITH A GIRLFRIEND.

get a hug.

get some QUIET.

exercise a little

(yoga!or a bike ride!).

take another nap.

don't let yourself get

too tired. too hungry. too angry.

stay in the moment...focus on the now

(tomorrow has enough worry for itself)

give yourself the "down time" you need-

give yourself permission to take the

down time you need...

Easier said than done.

I know.

A shout out to another THERESA

for giving me some girltime yesterday...

ahh, those "business meetings" we have

certainly help!

Don't know what I would do without her--

don't want to find out, either!

Thanks, girlfriend!

You saved what little sanity I have left--again!

Until next time,

happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings,

Sunday Smorgasboard...and Louie the Leprechaun update

Not blogged all week!

At least not on mine--so today is kind of catch-up day...

It's not been a good week...seems like everything I've touched

went ---well, south...most everything anyway...

First up-to the CTMH sisters--

or anyone else out there who's talented with

Photoshop or the like

and would be willing to help restore this photo...

please contact  me -- sentbysharon@aol.com

as you can see, there are some small brown spots

particularly on the face---

I've tried and tried to post it to the CTMH bulletin board

and nothing works...been the theme this week!

Yesterday after all the paper projects failed

I attempted some felt flowers...

the sewing machine had been fixed for sometime

and I found the felt I had purchased for these sometime back

and never tried because the sewing machine needed fixing...

anyway---here's my attempt at felt flowers...

no two are alike...and they are not hard to do--

but I was less than pleased with my inconsistency

in their look...

I know-no two flowers in nature are exactly alike, either...

and practice makes perfect...so I will try my hand at some later

there's a multitude of things I think these could be used for!

After Louie the Leprechaun (more on him in a minute...)

last Sunday, I made some of these...

inside of the antiqued chicken box...

stamped sides of the bunny box--CTMH My Peeps stamp set--

I love this set!

the bunny "jumps" right  up once you open that ribbon!

and there's a sweet little treat inside the hidden drawer, too!

Just don't leave them on your work table too long--

I had a few visitors (ants!) that they attracted! Ewww!

Now-for Louie the Leprechaun!

(if you didn't read last Sunday's post-

scroll down and read it first-we'll wait! ; )  )

He made his way with me to work on Monday

and to the teacher of the 3 year olds...

who immediately set to laying out the shamrock trail

which led to "Louie" and the treasure chest...

She read her class the note

and they took off in search of Louie...

I heard them first in the preschool director's office

and then they made their way into mine...

Surprisingly,

the fact that they found CANDY that Louie left

was not what had them most excited...

the very first thing that I heard from each one of them

was that he (Louie) was "saw-rrry" (sorry)

for making a mess in their room!

It was only after they made that point--

several times (!)--that I heard he left them candy!

And I could have some-

which was the second thing that surprised me-

not that they were willing to share-

but that they often offered me their own piece

rather than telling me to take one from

the tresure chest full!

The teachers were laughing about my

not-so-Irish name--Louie? Really?!

Well---I was going for the alliteration--give me a break! Lol!

Ms PJ told me that they had a leprechaun-

and his name was---

Patti  O'Furniture!

groan...

On top of everything else...

the guy on the right

our outside/feral cat "Cocoa Puff"

has been MIA all week...

and the guy on the left (aka "Moe")

has been looking very lost and forlorn...

they are the very best of buds---

so I am praying that Cocoa either comes home

and/or that, regardless, Moe  will stay put

and not wander off, too...

Well, that's certainly a smorgasboard of stuff...!

I have to go and try and make a

Happy 21st birthday card today...

and I am fresh out of "WOW" ideas...so it may take awhile!

Maybe a bike ride will blow away the cobwebs...

and yep, that's mein the photo above--probably forty---something years ago!

I still have a bike--with basket and new "ooga-horn"...

I guess I will have to make my own streamers

for the handles of my bike

(our bike for two has them on my handlebars!)

 as they seem hard to find this year...

unless I want to purchase the Barbie basket, too!

Whatever you do today-

and until next time,

happy stamping and scrapping!

Louie the Leprechaun...

I know I'm  he's a wee bit late!

Let me tell you what happened...

On Thursday I was working away in my office

(at my real job!)

when the class of 3-year olds came rushing in my door

all excited---at least 10 of them all talking at once...

"Ms. Sharon! Ms. Sharon!

There was a LEPRECHAUN in our room

and he made a HUGE mess-

and he left FOOTPRINTS--

and we made a trap and tried to catch him--

and we're looking for clues-

did you see him?"

All in one breath--all at once-

each at different points of the story!

LOL!

It was BY FAR the cutest thing I have seen

in a long time!

I had to think fast on my feet---!

I said yes, I think I might have-

when I came in the door that morning

there were footprints in the hall---

"HOW BIG MS SHARON---?"

oh...about your size

and he was about---oh you're height...

and he had RED HAIR like Ms. PJ (their teacher) and I!

One little guy even had a clipboard and pencil

and was taking notes!

"WHICH WAY DID HE GO, MS. SHARON?!"

He went that way (pointing down the hall)

Boy-did that set them off!

They took off like lightening...

except for one little girl

who, as the pastor poked his head out of his office,

she greeted him with
"Pastor Walter! Pastor Walter---

There was a ----"

and in one breath, again, with hands flying

face lit up and MUCH EXCITEMENT

she relayed not only the first part of the story---

but what I had told them as well!

She finished and ran down the hall after her classmates!

I was laughing hysterically! 

The look on his face...."Huh?"

Never mind that we all had different versions

of size shape etc--

a "heads up" would have helped-

(the teacher did clue me in that the footprints were green---

they asked-I had not idea-glad I can read lips-well, in a pinch!)

So---

I decided that since they tried so hard to catch him

and he had made a mess in their room

leaving a note and something nice-like gold candy--

would be a good thing.

We made a special stop while in town last week

and got the candy---

DH also found a treasure chest he had in the attic

cleaned it up and loaned it to me...

and I created

LOUIE THE LEPRECHAUN...

I cannot take credit-

it's a blend from Family Fun project shown here...

and a leprechaun face

from Tracey's blog...

I didn't have the colored pipe cleaners--

but learned a little marker and a heat gun

will make do--mine were white to start with--

(great red hair, huh?! ; )
Just heat carefully-while nothing actually caught fire
or burned--
I did see smoke at one point!

And a small gold coin?

Gold embossing powder and a penny

will do in a pinch!

And of course...he needed to leave a note...

my prose isn't perfect-you will soon see-

so please oh please-don't be to harsh on me!

Louie says:

Top of the mornin’to you Little Lambs—

From Louie the Leprechaun-a wee little man!

I had such fun seeing your school-

I think it is really, really COOL!

I visited the chapel and sat in a pew,

There was sooo much to see-and sooo much to do!

Ms. Sharon surprised me when she came to work

My hat almost flew off as I turned with a jerk

I dashed by Ms. Marilyn and Pastor Walter as well

Who else I saw I shall not tell!

Up and down the halls I ran-

And I know you tried hard to catch

Louie the leprechaun— a wee little man.

But us leprechauns are tricky— and lick-splitty

One minute you see us-the next you don't

A glimpse of my red hair-the green of my coat

If you are lucky is all you might see

of Louie the leprechaun—wee little me!

I made a mess of your room—  I am sorry to say

So I came back to visit on Saturday...

A treat and a TREASURE I have left— 

To say "thank you" for cleaning up my mess!

Follow the shamrocks and youll see-

a sweet little gift from little ole’me.

Under the flowers or in the leaves-

keep your eyes open —For thats where I'll be

Until next year when I come again to play--

On or around St. Patty's Day!

Louie the Leprechaun

Whew!

Now I am off to make the shamrock trail!

Ya know-what fun these kids had!

What a blessing they were to my day--

and every time I think about it since then as well!

As adults, we often forget to PLAY...

but today I did.

Louie isn't perfect-

heaven knows there's glue strings galore

and that snoz is a bit big (the Jimmy Durante of the leprechaun world!)

but I bet to the kids---it will be AWESOME!

And hey, if nothing else--

there's CHOCOLATE CANDY involved!

Sounds like a good way to start my Monday!

Until next time,

happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings,

Silly & Sweet Little Somethings on Saturday...

I have spent most of the morning

up in our attic...

and if yours is anything like ours...

oy vey!

I was working fast and furious

and managed to hit my head

no less than three times

(earlier this week-I wonked it on the outside deck handrail

trying to catch a cat...

and yesterday I hit it on the treadmill

while cleaning that room!)

I jokingly told my husband I needed a hard hat---

a comment about my head followed--

we won't go there...

So today he gave me this...

Yep-it helped!

It needs a little bling dontchathink?!

lol!

It got to hot upstairs...so I headed back down.

When I did the craft room makeover

a lot of things ended up stashed in another room...

it's time to tackle that!

I grabbed some baskets that had misc. items that needed sorting

and, if you have cats, you KNOW what happened

the minute it was empty...

love that little paw sticking out!

time for a cat nap...

Then I came across this little gem

something I made eons and eons ago...

don't want to get rid of it...

but where oh where to put it...

this is a little band aid tin...decorated, of course...

think this has to stay...!

that's it for today!

Break's over-

it's either back to the bedroom that needs flyladying

or a bike ride...hmmmm?!
Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings,