There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. --Helen Keller

Hello everyone!
Hope you people in Canada are enjoying the long weekend!?

Ray got back from Phoenix Wendsday night.
Sicker than a dog!
The funny thing is, he didn't get sick from anyone or anything in the U.S. of A.
He got sick cause his BIL arrived sick from Canada, and they all stayed at the same house!
I hope I don't get it....knock on wood!
He did good in the shopping department though!
Our coffee pot crapped out a few days before he left; I bought a cheap one at Fields until they go on sale.
He came home with this!
Oh Happy Day!!!
He also picked up some new phones that were desperately needed!
Oh yeah, the wedding was wonderful, he figures there were about 100 people there, and except for the 4 neighbors they'd invited, the rest of the guests were Team Canada! hahahaha

Anyhoo, I was going to make my go-to wedding card to send the new bride & groom;
of course I had to look it up again because I can never find the template! It's here!
I dug out my Xyron I got at the Garage Sale, and can honestly say I'll be using it more often!
For everything!
It turns what ever fits in there into a sticker!!!
Who knew!?

 

I put all the pieces through.....

 

Stuck them on some light (cereal box type) cardboard......

 

Cut them out, and put them in a marked envelope!

Of course I'll remember where I put it! HA!

 

Here's a crappy picture of the finished project!

 

It's a gatefold, her dress closes it with a little magnet;

I put a little envelope inside so we can send some cash.....

US cash, cause they have a condo in Phoenix!

 

The weather's been lovely,

Shadow & I will go for our walk today before the sun heats everything up to slush & muck!

 

Vanessa will be here today after work!

Also one of her friends from town is coming for supper!

I'm cooking today, the scalloped potatoes are already in the slow cooker!

Making an amazing dessert, I'll try to remember to take pictures!

 

Vanessa's also bringing me a little present I bought myself over the phone yesterday!

A treadmill!

It was advertised for $2199.99.

I.KNOW!

It was on sale; I used the points I'd accumulated on my credit card,

and paid less than $700.00! (With GST)

It has a lifetime warranty on the motor & frame.....

I shopped around!

Ray's sister took hers back, and I really need excercise of some sort in the winter!

I'll be setting it up next week,

because it won't be long before Shadow & I have to take a break....

It will just be too muddy!

 

Hope you're all well!

Thanks for popping in to say HI!

Your comments alwasy make me smile!

Happy Easter everyone!

Don't forget, it's not about the bunny!

 

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

House Mouse & Friends

There's a new Challenge over at the HM&F site!

 

 

*** E a s t e r ***
Include something that relates to Easter somewhere on your project. ie., Bunny, Chick, Egg, Jelly Beans, Cross, Easter paper, Easter colors, a sentiment....Anything that relates to Easter as long as you use a House-Mouse, Gruffies and, or, Happy Hoppers image.

I used this image, and cut up a ready made card for the background!

 

 

I used lots of Glossy Accents on the jar!

I LOVE that stuff!

 

Anyway, you still have over a week to play!

What are you waiting for!?

 

Hope you're all well!

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

 

The world is divided into people who do things and people who get the credit. Try, if you can, to belong to the first class. There's far less competition. --Dwight Morrow

Just popping in to share a recipe I got on this site!

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/KarensKreativeCooking
It's about 1/2 way down the page on the left, and it's called Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake.

While other people were "LIKING" & "SHARING", after my walk with Shadow, I whipped them up!

Here they are, just before I took them out of the oven.

 

Here they are with the glaze!

 

I need a day off I've been so busy!

You know Ray's away, so I've been cleaning drawers & closets!

Kinda like when the kids were little.

When they went for a sleepover, I cleaned their rooms.

Those kids never missed a thing!

 

Better go, just wanted to 'SHARE'!

Hope you're all well!

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

I try to only worry about things I have control over... --Steve Nash

Happy Weekend everyone!

Ray & his sister left Wednesday for Phoenix.
YUP, they got there.
Horrible weather we've been having in Alberta!
Humongous car pile up by Edmonton!

We had snow, and evil winds, but nothing like that!
I'll be firing up the snow blower tomorrow!

I've vacummed & scrubbed floors & bathrooms, had dinner with the gf's twice this week (different gf's), went to classic movie night at the theatre last night! Dirty Dancing, one of my favorites!
It was also a fundraiser for Food For Thought; it's a breakfast program at the schools!
Did laundry, Shadow & I went for our walks!
Taken out the bottles, burnt garbage, drove the handivan yesterday morning too!
I've saved a load of laundry for tomorrow, the snow blowing, and then I'm going to do what I want....it might include a nap!
I'm having a beverage, then I think I'm ready for my bed!

Lookit what I got this week!

I don't know where to start!
Or what to play with first!
I won the back row of Spellbinders and crafting foil!!
I played along with their new release blog hop a while ago!
I also won the Lil' Buckaroos stamp set (it's pink on the left, under the Homemade Trinkets), and the rest of the stuff I ordered!
Some is from Kraftin' Kimmie ( Damn Kraftin' Kimmie & Frugal Friday!),and the rest is from my favorite Canadian online store!

I also made some coffee mixes up for my gf's....nope....guess I didn't take a picture!

Vanessa sent me a picture of what she wants for a birthday cake!
Hahaha, it's in May!
I have to text or e-mail Kalen to see if he got his card; and the gift I ordered online and sent to his place! He's sailing, but is home on the weekends.

Oh yeah, here's the cards I made and rejected!

This one,

 

Uh, no.

 

This one,

 

 

Really liked those little camo pinwheels, but they weren't doing it either!

 

This was the one I sent.

 

 

Maybe I should've had a vote!!!

 

Well, I'm getting sleepy, maybe it's the beverage! Hahaha

 

Oh I forgot, I took a picture of a fat little chickadee.

They make me smile, always singing!

 

 

 

Hope you're all well!

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge

Over at the HMFMC

there's a

 

NEW CHALLENGE

Our super talented Teamie Kate Wiles is hosting this Challenge and has chosen...

* Ribbons and Pearls *

 

 

To incorporate the Ribbons & Pearls, I made my flowers out of ribbon, and painstakingly sewed the pearls into the centers!

Only because they wouldn't stay when I glued them-sigh!

I also used pearls on the butterfly, and some Grass Green pearls in the corners!

 

You still have over a week to play!

Hope you're well!

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

Change is not only likely, it's inevitable. --Barbara Sher

I'm fine you darling peeps that e-mailed!
I've had an adventure!
Vanessa & I went to Dawson Creek, BC last Friday night for the CMT Hitlist Tour!
A MA ZING!
It was awesome!
3+ hours of music, no intermission! REALLY!
While we were there for a sleepover, we looked up this milepost!
Drove around the block twice!
It honestly is smack in the middle of an intersection!

 

Had to park to take pictures, because there were lots of RCMP driving through!

 

On our way to Grande Prairie on Saturday, we stopped at Beaverlodge to take a picture of the humungous beaver!

 

We also got this in the windsheild.

On the pavement!

Vanessa ducked!

Hahahahaha!

 

We had lunch with one of Vanessa's friends that just had a baby.

Shopped.

Then I took her home to Peace River, & shopped some more!

I got home about 7 pm Saturday!

 

Shadow & I are still walking, but Tuesday & today we didn't go as far as we usually do!

It's -20, with a windchill straight from the North Pole!

Wednesday's a wash, cause it's dinner with the gf's.

One's in Mazatlan!

And every second week it's Avon sorting day!

 

I'm on my 3rd (THIRD) card for Kalens birthday.

OMG!

The ocean/sea theme isn't working for me.

The camo pinwheels aren't doing it either!

They're very cute though!

If this one isn't right, I guess he'll just get something out of the drawer!

Which would be a little disappointing, cause I designed the cards with a flap cut out, that turns into a pocket on the inside!

 

I got the 'Aunt' cards made!

Better get them in the mail so they know when I'll be passing through, and they can come or not!

 

I'm still here, just trying to make a birthday card for my boy that will work!

 

Oh yeah, I'm gonna try to add a picture of him & his girlfriend Racheal; he's getting presented his Sailor of the Quarter!

 

 

Look at that!

I DID it!

Out of a zip file & everything!

And it's not H U G E!

 

Hope I don't get in trouble for that!

It wouldn't let me copy & paste, or watermark it, or anything!

Maybe don't tell anyone I stole borrowed Gov't property!

 

Hope you're all well!

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

Wisdom is learning what to overlook. --William James

Good evening!

Shadow & I have been walking.
Taking advantage of the sunshine (pretty sure we're gonna get a dump of snow this week),
and the warmer temperatures!
Before you get all excited.........by warmer I mean around 0 degrees!
Still have to wear stylish toque (and mitts), cause it's windy!

 

Shadow wears a halter so she doesn't 'walk' me! hahaha

Every time I put it on her, she tries to rub it off!

No leash yet.......we learned the hard way!

 

 

There...........

She's smiling.........

She's ready!

 

She still has no problem dragging me down into the icy ditch if she thinks she smells something!

 

 

She weighs close to 80 lbs.

I'm a bit more than that, hahahaha, but she's pretty persistant!

 

 

Don't think she found anything!

 

I made a St. Patrick's Day card!

I got this cute little feller over at Bugaboo!

If you sign up for their newsletter, the freebie Friday image is included in the e-mail!

 

 

I'm hoping his gold (which I stole out of the Christmas embellishments)

 is still flat enough I don't need extra postage!

The butterflies cover up some unfortunate shmeers........

I don't know how they get there!!!!

 

I probably won't talk to you again until the weekend or after......

My girl Vanessa & I are going to the Emerson Drive, Doc Walker and Aaron Pritchett concert in Dawson Creek!

And to my happy place....Michaels!

I haven't been anywhere since Vanessa moved to Peace River (an hour away) at the end of November!

 

Aaaaand my gf who owns a house in Arizona, e-mailed me to say my room was ready!

I'm seriously thinking about it!

I've been, and had a great time here!

And here!

And here!

 

Anyhoo, have a great rest of the week!

Hope you're well!

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round

WARNING:

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN A CHRISTMAS CARD!

 

Sparkle & Bling

 

Create a card with lots of sparkle and bling. This can be dimantes, glitter, pearls so long as there is lots of sparkle.

 

That's the March challenge over at

Christmas Cards all Year 'Round!

 

I've been a card makin machine lately!

For some reason, this shiny peel off thingy has been on my desk forever!

Maybe because it was the only one left on the sheet!?

I poured the glitter on..................

 

 

 

 

Trust me; it's really sparkly & glittery IRL!

 

 

The gold paper has it's own glitter going on that isn't showing up!

 

Found another sheet of these peel off things, so will turn them into cards too!

This week............

 

Hope you're well!

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

Things With Wings

* NEW CHALLENGE *

Our mega talented Teamie Heather is hosting this next challenge and she has also chosen another super fun theme ;

*WINGS*

Make a card or project with anything that has WINGS and let's fly. Like, birds, butterflies, ladybugs, etc....

 

 

Here's mine:

 

 

 

Have a great Sunday!

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

 

PS
In case ya didn't know, this is the current HOUSE MOUSE CHALLENGE!
Click the link that says New Challenge.
Sheesh,
you'd think this was my first rodeo!!!! 

Brenda's Challenge

I want to congratulate Brenda over at Floral Fantasies on her 4 year Blogversary; and she's closing in on 4,000 followers.......isn't that mind boggling!?
I've put the link in my sidebar!

She really does stunning work!
She would like us to do more than just enter our name:

What I have planned is aimed at ensuring my genuine friends and followers will benefit, so it will not be an all out giveway, there will be a little competition which I think my crafty pals and followers will enjoy, I certainly hope so, here's what I have planned:

• Make anything you like based on your take on my blog, be it the header, the name, my style of work, or even case one of my cards or projects. I think it gives a fairly wide range, fairies, flowers, bold colours, inkyness or something totally different that you alone can see. And I would love it if you tell me in your post what inspired your work.
• Add your creation to Inlink below
• Add the logo at the top of this post to your sidebar with a link back to this post to help me spread the word so it can be fun for everyone.
• As I am running this for my crafty friends and followers, in fairness to them any none followers or those leaving just a comment and not entering a piece of work, will not be included in the prize draws.

Brenda,

I'm inspired just looking at any of your creations!

They're beautiful!

Your header ALWAYS inspires me!

I can imagine being there!

 

Here's my entry!

 

 

Have a great day!

Good luck with the followers, I know I like going to see what you've made!

 

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!

 

 

Change your thinking... change your mood. --Larry Senn

I've had a stressful week.
We all (at one time or another/ or still do) have friends that suck the life out of us!
I've been 'friends' with one such person for about 30 years! I. KNOW.
I can't do it anymore.
What. Am I a slow learner?
I don't think so.
I always look for the best in everyone.
I have some really good 'friends' I see a few times a year, and it's like we talk all the time!
We just pick up where we left off.
I LOVE those friends.
I've had a headache (migraine) 3 out of the past 5 mornings.
Oh yeah, I've got drugs, ones I don't like to take, cause I can be stoned and still have a headache!

I can't tip toe around this 'friend' anymore.
I can't listen to her problems, which are always the same.
I can't fret about getting together with her, never knowing what mood she'll be in.
I can't stress over making her a card, worrying she'll take any sentiment I put in it or on it, the wrong way.
I can't offer solutions and suggestions anymore.
I've done it for about the last 10 years....or more. Really.
I've decided she doesn't want a solution, she just wants to be miserable.
I'm trying to come to grips with that.
Are some people just happy being miserable?
My mom said: "You've been friends a long time, you must have been at the end of your rope."
I guess I was.
Pretty sure it's the end of that 'friendship'.
I said some stuff......no, I don't think I'd take anything back.
I said I wouldn't want to hear about it anymore.
Like I tell the kids: "Everything's good in my little world, til somebody screws it up!"
I've dealt with depression, and I don't like feeling like this.....
Like the headaches, it makes me tired.

Anyhoo, I read some good stuff on the internet.....well, I don't know how good it is......
Pretty sure I've tried it all.
It makes for interesting reading anyway!

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7212/energy-vampires-who-they-are-how-to-ditch-them.html

http://www.life-with-confidence.com/how-to-deal-with-negative-people.html

And a humorous look at friends.....

http://www.angelfire.com/ri/luckyman/types_of_friends.htm

I'll try to lighten up, just had to get that off my chest!

And yeah, she reads the blog...........................................

March 1st/ oh wow!
There's some new challenges I'll be trying to come up with something for!
I put one up with blogaversary candy over there on the sidebar!
Brenda makes gorgeous cards!

It's tropical here today!
Sun is shining, birds are singing, and it's light out for about 10 hours in the day!
Gotta love that!
I've got a UFO on my desk that I just can't get right!
And yeah, some of it is GLUED down!

I got some new stamps today; Bugaboo, from Stampalicious!
They make me smile!

I sent Kalens congratulations card.
He got promoted to Leading Seaman.
It was a ceremony, and he also got whatever he was getting for being picked as the Sailor of the Quarter in December!

Note to self, use a darker ink on these!

He's sailing now.......for months.

Maybe I'll be able to talk to him this weekend!

I also made this birthday card.

Sorry for such crappy light for both!

Hope this finds you well!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Talk to ya later!

Ta ta for now!