I handpainted this water color on a blank card and it doesn't have a "flower", per say. The sentiment inside said, "April Showers bring May flowers". I sent it to a friend in the UK, so she would have it on time. Forgive me for the lack of flowers, but the thought of flowers was with it!!!!! *smile*

My new friend Rosemary tagged me for this... so here goes, and not in an order of importance:



Eight Things I'm Looking Forward To:

1. Warm Weather

2. School being out (I'm a teacher!)

3. A vacation down to New Orleans in June

4. Spending time with my best friend at her house in August (* I hope)

5. New Carpet in my living room

6. Being a grandmother someday

7. Writing a novel

8. Retirement



Eight Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Taught 9 classes of art

2. Cleaned the kitchen

3. Cooked dinner

4. Did some laundry

5. Interacted with over 200 people

6. Checked emails

7. Worked on my Memphis Memory Book

8. Watched HGTV





Eight Things I Wish I Could Do:

1. Be more forgiving to myself and others

2. Be a better writer

3. Know how to light a grill and cook on it

4. Heal the sick

5. Know thyself

6. Lose weight quickly

7. Spend more time with my family and best friends

8. Grow flowers



Eight Shows I Watch:

1. Andy Griffith

2. Snapped

3. That's Clever

4. Biography Channel

5. Lingo

6. Sell this House

7. Divine Design

8. Any movie on TV that stikes my interest

(Yeah, I'm pretty boring on the TV shows!)



Eight things I'm grateful for:

1. My wonderful family (husband and daughter included on family!)

2. My friends

3. My mind.... beleive it or not, I am smart.....

4. My workable hands

5. My eyesight

6. My home

7. My creativity



Eight things that I randomly like:

1. The smell of freshly dried laundry from the the clothesline

2. When my cat "walks" on her hind legs all by herself

3. Making things that are pretty and useful

4. Going into "junk" shops and finding a treasure

5. Playing practical jokes on friends

6. Pleasant surprises

7. Chocolate Chip cookies right from the oven

8. Making people laugh

Its harder than you'd think - to limit the lists!

No, not the kind you eat... This is blog candy for crafters! The gals over at Opus Gluei are having "blog candy give-aways"!!!!!! I just saw the pictures and let me tell you, my mouth is watering. It is a huge amount of all kinds of crafting "stuph". You should hurry on over and read all about it. Or, maybe not... if you don't, then that means there will be more entries for me to win some of it... Seriously, just click HERE if you'd like to win some free crafting "candy". These gals are being so generous and if you have never heard of Opus Gluei, you should go check out their blog...it is as great as they are. Good Luck and tell 'em Craftola sent ya!!!! *grin*

Read this quote today over at 60Piggies...It fits me for today...humm, maybe it has fit me always but I didn't know it. I'm so ready for summer, this is how I feel:

"There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line." ~Oscar Levant

Then I can add my own teaching philosophy for the day:

"I am underwhelmed by that ~ please redo and add a little more."
~ Kathy Roberson (a.k.a. Craftola)

I have been working on and tweaking my newest Murder Mystery Script for several weeks. This is the Mardi Gras themed one that takes place in New Orleans, LA. I thought I'd give you all a sneak preview of the characters:

Victim: Louisiana Williams - Writer

Rufus Reme - Plumber

Mama Carriba - Fortune Teller

Alligator Dundee - Swamp Hunter

Grace Fulle - Debutante

Louie Armsweak - Jazz Musician

Simone Quatella - Chef

Beau Monde - Playboy

Mia Cherie - Exotic Dancer

Selma Page - Reporter

Dooley Slicke - Gambler

Gilda Robey - Lawyer

Will Waitonous - Hotel Manager

Take a guess on whodunnit....?????? You'll have to find out on your own! *smile*

Please remember that this is a sneak preview of my own ideas and characters. This should be a FUN one when I get it finished! Hope its in production by the middle of May! :>)

It was great afternoon... We had our monthly meeting of our Red Hat Society Club. We are not your "typical" group, as our ages vary from 25? - 60? As always, too much food, fun and of course our frivolous follies. We decided in June, we will have our "Farewell for the Summer" party, with spouses. We are gonna have a Western Ho Down, complete with Bar-be-que, square dancing and hay. I enjoy the group so much... Yeee-Hawww!

Just started another paper bag scrapbook today, for ME! This one is totally different from the travel one I made for Mom. I used 3 normal brown lunch bags and some very heavy chipboard scraps for the covers to construct it. I wanted the covers to be heavy and protective of the pages. The color scheme is not my usual ... but since this is a memory book from an all girls' trip to Memphis, I wanted to go "bold and fun". Usually I go with more muted colors in the ivory, greens, rose and gold tones in my work. The book measures approx. 5.5" x 5.5". I did tissue paper collage in red, on the edges, before binding and adding the vintage wall paper and sheet music accents. I haven't decided whether I will paint the bag pages or not... time will tell... here is a shot of the inside, I used scalloped scissors on the edges of the bags and made some pockets for tags, too...

I'm so excited about it... haven't made something for myself in a while!!!!!! I really wanted to have all the memories of that trip in a tangible form... such a wonderful trip with my daughter and my dearest friends... it was one trip of a lifetime that can never be topped.

The theme for the Opus gluei challenge this week is "Wisdom". My entry is "tongue-in-cheek" words of wisdom... a mixed media on a 4" x 5" canvas panel. When I saw the picture, I KNEW I'd have to use it! Here it is:

:>)

1. Apparently there's some sort of mistake.
2. This has been a sunny day.
3. 2009 has been cloudy so far.
4. But that was it.
5. For too long I've been inside.
6. I am not obsessed with weather; I am not!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to warmth, tomorrow my plans include an outing with my friends and Sunday, I want to sing and dance!

I thought I'd share this Vintage Photo that is in public domain. Isn't the little girl a cutie? Its hard to beleive that someday all of our photos, as children, will be considered "antique" and will be sought after by collectors. When I was young, a lot of our family photos were placed in those "magnetic" photo albums. It is now impossible to remove them without damage. I have to scan the pictures while they are in the album. The originals will remain in there, slowly losing their color and sharpness. Below is one I scanned from an old pix that was from my Great Aunt, from the Early 1950's or Late 1940's. They all went on a trip to Colorado. Its fun to look at the old photo's and realize how much everything in the world has changed since then...

As I know the little girl who is getting the custom ordered Cup Cake Purse, I had to try out an idea that came to me...how about a little "cookie" doll that could go with the purse. After 3 attempts, I finally got it the right size. It was a big hassle to make, but I am pleased with the end results. Will I ever make another one? Probably not, so enjoy the pix!!!!! :>)

I finished the plaque today! I was going to add a few more embellishments, but thought it looked understated and very simply finished this way. Hope to get it sent tomorrow. I don't know why, but when I send things down there it seems to take forever with USPS...

This is a surprise gift for my best friend since childhood. I started it a couple days ago...She lives 950 miles away, but despite that fact, we have always remained very close, almost like sisters... Its a 3.5" x 5" wooden plaque that I painted and distressed, then I've collaged pictures and ephemera also. I still want to add some ribbon and lace...perhaps some drilled holes with wire and beadwork, too. Just wanted to share the progress. Hopefully, I'll have it finished int the next couple of days. :>)

Better late than never!!!!! Here's my Friday Fill-In:

And...here we go!
1. Join me in the weekend.
2. Put a little sunshine in your day!
3. Happiness is in your mind.
4. Serene and confused.
5. I'm waiting for my next creative thought.
6. Sloth is hard to resist.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to being at home, tomorrow my plans include doing whatever I want and Sunday, I want to sleep in!

My friend and mentor, Joanne Smedley, is creating an online Murder Mystery for people to play. It sounds awesome and should be a lot of FUN! She has some marvelous ideas she is putting in place for this new type of Mystery Party. You can read more about her plans here. I can't wait until it is completed!!

Speaking of completing...I am hoping to have my newest Murder Mystery Party completed within the next month. This one will take place in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Then on to a summer themed one, then it will be time to start a Halloween themed one! It usually takes me at minimum 6 weeks to write one. If you've never played this type of game, you should really try one. Its the best two - three hours you will ever spend with friends or family!

Photo Courtesy: http://oogletutorials.com/website-graphics-photoshop-tutorial/make-a-detective-or-spy-magnifying-glass

Two years ago I ordered the super neat Xyron 510- a laminator, sticker maker and magnet maker. Guess what? Its discontinued and you can't readily buy re-fill cartridges for it. The machine is great, works perfectly well. I DO NOT understand why companies do this. Now in its place, they have the Xyron 900 series...and it doesn't do the magnets! That was the main reason I bought it!!! It must be a marketing ploy, who knows. Puts me in mind of the "Igia" personal paraffin waxer. If you bought one, you were supposed to get a life time supply of wax for it ...have you tried to look up Igia? Good luck on that one.... :>)

This week, my entry for the Opus Gluei challenge is "semi" crafty/"semi" digital. Mac and cheese is one of my main comfort foods and wanting to spread some comfort to a couple of friends who need some cheer, I decided to make use of my time to create a unique card for them. Since we just had some Stouffer's Mac and Cheese the other night, I saved the box, used "adhesive" tape to put it back together (thus the glue - Opus Gluei Gals!), scanned the pix, manipulated it a bit in Photoshop, and printed out these "comfort" post cards. Here are the pixes from the process:

As I go through life there is one thing I will always remember...I LOVED Barbie... Yes, I even had the blonde, striped bathing suit, stiletto heeled Barbie with her ponytail. So when DD posted this pix on her blog, I HAD to put it on my Easter gift list! It arrived and let me tell you, we had a blast making up during our family get-together for Easter. My niece, dear daughter and I all used the blue and black eye shadow, black liquid eyeliner, pink blush and red lipstick. Since we look like a "hussey" from the 1950's, I will not post the pixes from our makeover, but let me tell you, I laughed so hard that day, I had raccoon eyes for 2 days after. (Yes, that makeup stays on even with soap, water and cold cream...good stuff!) So, if you are a Barbie buff and enjoy nostolgia, take a blast from the past and do a 1950's make over. It was well worth the $40 it cost to have the enjoyment of that afternoon! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, BARBIE! :>)

(Photo Courtesty of Sephora.Com)

It's probably an overdose of Easter Treats, but these little cupcakes are really kind of fun to make... I had a custom order for the pink and white icing "vanilla" cupcake and thought I'd post the plain white icing vanilla cupcake purse, too! Sometimes its nice to just sit and make something that is so "cheesey" cute. Speaking of cheesey, hummm, I think that will be in the forecast for the Opus Gluei Challenge this week!

Finished the Travel Scrapbook for Mom...at least it is as finished as it will get! No thanks to my little helper here... Mystery, my beautiful blue-eyed, docile, mentally challenged cat. She's a keeper, but always a "Mystery"!

I wanted to participate in the challenge over at Opus Gluei this week, "The Silver

Screen", but didn't have much time with working on the travel scrapbook and all. After seeing what Jana did, I decided to go the "digital" route myself... so here is my entry, thanks to Google Images, picture2life.com and Adobe Photoshop Elements:

This took about 20 minutes to do, hope it looks like it took hours! :>)

So far, so good! I think I will have this "finished" by Friday. That's a GOOD thing, because I will be seeing Mom over the weekend. I won't see her again before she leaves for her trip to China the following Friday. The Accordion Folded Spine has given me fits and I finally used rubber cement/ contact method to get everything glued securely. Tomorrow I will sew the signature in, add some journaling and a few more embellishments, including ribbons on the ends of each sack. Oh, did I mention that I am using those tiny sacks...I think they measure 3.5" x 5". I'll take more pixes when its done.

I started my day by watching the DIY Scrapbooking Show with Sandi Genovese. I was inspired by the Paper Bag Travel Scrapbook! It would make a great project for my High School Art Class, as well as a neat gift to give my Mother, as she is gearing up for a trip to China in a couple of weeks. So... I started one today! Its going wonderfully and I promise to keep you posted on the progress as it goes... although I don't think it will be quite as detailed as this one:

Photo Courtesy of the DIY Network

Finished an idea I had...a Little Cupcake Purse! This is the prototype. Started another one this morning, only slightly bigger and a bit more "bling". I think its so cute and for anyone who still has the "little girl" in her. The one that's a bit bigger can hold a cell phone, coin purse, lipstick, etc... I used a recyled plastic fruit cup for the bottom, so it can stand on is own and is sturdy (nothing can slip out thru the crochet). Of course, had to add two wooden bead red "cherries" on top! Everyone loves a cupcake now and then!!!!!!!! :>)

Look what I won!!!! During the UBP, I visited the wonderful blog, Just Add Dots and ended up being the winner of a gorgeous Easter Basket Bucket. Hazel makes so many wonderful things and is very talented. Can't wait for it to arrive...Thanks again, Hazel!

Here is my entry for the "Go Green Challenge" over at "The Order of the Opus Gluei" this week! This is one of a set of 4 tile coasters that I made from a big terra cotta tile which I cut down into 4 squares. I used recyled gift wrap, tissue paper and junk mail envelopes for the decoupaged tops. The cork bottom was recycled from an old bulletin board that I found in the basement. The edges have gold marker trimming and swirls on top. Several coats of Mod-Podge and several top coats of varnish to seal them were needed. I loved making them.