I went to some garage sales yesterday and didn’t find anything crafty that I wanted to buy.  I did find two great big stuffed animals for the dogs, and they’ve been carrying them around the house like they are their babies.  If you’re a dog person, it’s really cute to watch.  One of them fell asleep with her head resting on the stomach of her animal.  I should have taken a photo of them.

I have a frustrating story to tell you and see what you think.  We went to our local Sears to buy Rich a new riding lawn mower.  He’d already picked out the one he wanted at Sears.com, but he wanted to buy locally, so we went to the store.  They told us they basically “rent” the Sears name and if the Sears chain goes away, they will still be functioning.  We thought that was kind of odd since the name is “Sears”, but went along with it.  Rich gave them the information on the tractor he wanted and they said they didn’t have one in stock, but could get one from “Sears.”  The delivery fee would be $82.11 (not sure where that number came from), but we could get that waived if we applied for a Sears card.  The price of the tractor online was $100 less, but they said they would price match it.  Also, they were having a special and we would get an additional 5% off and $50 if we applied for and used the Sears card.  So we decided to think about it.

Since both of his tractors aren’t currently working (don’t ask), time is of the essence, unless we want to live in a hay field.  So we went online and applied for the card and were approved, but, you can’t use the online approval to purchase anything online, you can use it in the store however.  (I thought it would be easier to use it to order the tractor online, get the online price and free delivery that they offer, but I’d need to wait for the card that we’d get in 7-10 days…hay field time.)  So we take the online approval and go back to our local “Sears” store.  The man that helped us must have been new, as he wasn’t really sure how to do a lot of what needed done on the computer.  He did ask for assistance and here’s what we got.

They would price match with Sears.com, and since we now had a Sears credit card and were buying a Craftsman tractor, were eligible for free delivery.  (At this “Sears” store, you could only get free delivery on a tractor if you used a Sears card AND, bought a Craftsman Tractor, but not the more expensive Husquavarna tractor that Rich thought about buying, but didn’t.)   And that’s when things fell apart.  Keep in mind, if we’d have bought it online from Sears, we would automatically have gotten the price we had to fight for, and would also have automatically gotten free delivery.  Also, online we would have gotten an additional 5% off the tractor price (but couldn’t get that in the store because they had given us the price match.)  Online we would also have gotten $50 and be able to use a $25 coupon, but couldn’t because we weren’t technically in a Sears store.  So in the end, we gave up $160 in savings because we bought locally from a store that wasn’t really Sears.   I have no idea why they show the offers that real Sears stores use, as they wouldn’t honor them, because they aren’t really Sears.  Could you follow that logic?

My head was spinning by the time we left there, because we had to have the tractor, and it still won’t be delivered until Thursday, but isn’t that the way it goes when you have to have an appliance in a hurry?

Long story short.  All things called Sears, are clearly not Sears.

I had to make a bridal shower card, and made one that turned out pretty well.  I wanted to show people how to cut 12 x 12″ paper pads to make a card and how to use the ATG cards that come in those paper pads for cards.

I worked on the album again, and am getting closer to finishing it.  It seems like I’ve been working on it for a year, but I’m repapering certain pages, as I didn’t like having red based pages when the album cover was no longer red brick.  It’s been a drag ripping the covers off and changing out the colors, but I think in the end, the album will be much nicer, and have a much more cohesive color flow.  Oh, who am I kidding?  I just want it done, haha….I had Rich ask our friend for a photo of their bricks, and I’m pretty sure he thinks I want to copy his brick work for something, (not sure what,) but he gave us the name and manufacturer of the bricks.  Won’t he be surprised, when he realizes I have no interest in copying his bricks for anything other than this album.  (I hope he’s happy with it.)

I started with a robin’s egg blue card stock cut to 8 1/2″ wide and 5 1/2″ tall. I used a stamping tool called Stamp Perfect that’s not available outside of ebay….I scored the paper at 4 1/4″ and 4 1/2″ then trimmed off the excess paper I had when closing the card to make both front and back even. I needed the extra score line for my shaker component. The stamps were from the stamp set “Congrats” from Hero Arts and used Simon Says Stamp Intense Black ink to stamp the sentiment that said “We’re so proud of you on your graduation.”  I practiced stamping it on a scrap paper to make sure the words were spaced evenly and were straight.   I used a die that creates a shaker look and here’s the link to it. http://tinyurl.com/y857rh9q
I used a piece of plastic that I got with a stamp set and cut it to 5 1/2″ tall by 4 1/8″ and ran glue dots to attach the acetate to the back of the card front. I like the little medical bag that came in the set of stickers I got for nursing from Michaels and wanted to use it in the card. I put foam tape along the bottom and top edges of the back of the acetate (to avoid it showing through the die cut portion, then cut smaller pieces of foam tape to go around the circle and not allow and gaps. I took the medical bag and put it in the center of the circle and put some Mermaid shaker components (not a lot) and shook them inside the circle. I cut a white piece of card stock to 5 1/2″ tall by 4 1/8″ and laid it on the foam tape, lining up the left side and bottom to ensure it covered the acetate correctly. I used some of the other stickers from the Nurse set inside the card, and stamped the back with my personalized stamp. I used one of the stickers for on the envelope, as I was going to hand it to our nephew. I hope you enjoyed this shaker card, as it was a lot of fun to make, and really simple.

Today I did work on the album.  I pulled both covers off and tried to color the white brick paper.  What I discovered was this.  Thin scrapbook paper is not made for coloring mediums.  It was a mess and I couldn’t figure out a way to redeem it.  In the end, I spilled a small container of water onto the paper and decided to throw it out.  I can’t decide how I could have done anything differently, so my next move is to take gray paper and use texture paste on it to make it work.  I think I’ll make the texture paste a mixture of gray and tan, as the photos of the bricks make it look brown in one light and gray in another.

I guess we’ll see how that plan goes, but for now, at least I have a plan…not a great one, but a plan.

I really wanted to say that I have finished the album, but, unfortunately I’ve failed yet again.  I know it’s starting to sound ridiculous, but I’m completely exhausted.  I’ve never made excuses for myself, and find I’m doing it so often now.  I’m so sorry to tell you that I haven’t done anything else crafty, but I have slept about thirty-two hours in the last two days.  I feel like I’m really letting all of you down, and hope I start feeling better, and have more energy.  In the meantime, it’s a good thing that I have a backlog of videos for you to watch and for Rich to upload.

First let me tell you about Dead Pool 2.  It was funny, gory, and not suitable for children, but if you like Ryan Reynolds and his humor, you’ll enjoy it immensely.   College friends who have relocated back here from Maryland love movies as much as we do.  The only difference is the wife doesn’t really like action movies.  Almost forty years of watching them with Rich have made them a staple for me, but at the end of the movie, she turned to me and said “That’s two hours I’ll never get back.”  I can’t tell you how hard I laughed at that.

So today was going to be the day I finished the album I’m making them for their new house.  Unfortunately, I didn’t see the house during the bricking phase and relied on Rich, who said “It’s brick colored.”  I made the cover of the album “brick” and guess what? It’s not really “brick colored” at all.  It’s more of a beige/tan brick, so the brick colored paper I bought and re-bought is not going to cut it.  Luckily I bought some white brick paper early on, and I think (keep that in mind) that I can color it and make it match their home better.  Of course I did say “think” so we really have no idea what my end result will look like.

I didn’t get up for the royal wedding, but did see (on YouTube) the beginning of Meghan’s walk down the aisle.  When the trumpets started, the little boy on the right holding her train was astounded, and utterly adorable.  If you haven’t seen it, he’s now an internet sensation.  Rich got up and asked if I watched any of the wedding and I only showed him the little boy and he just smiled.  You could tell that kid will remember that moment for the rest of his life, and what a moment to remember!

Mid-afternoon, we got a call from another of our college friends, wanting to go to dinner and gambling.  They texted the rest of our gang, and the eight of us met to donate money to the casino in Erie, PA.  We had a great time at dinner, and donated some money, then headed home in a horrific rainstorm.  It was hard to see the road, and I’m glad we left when we did, as I don’t think it would have been safe to drive after dark with it raining that hard.  We were glad to get home and the dogs were really glad to see us.  Honey hates wind, rain, basically anything unexpected, so she was super anxious when we got home.  She’s finally calmed down after an hour of laying with me.

I am committed to finishing that album tomorrow.  I’m going to have to remove the covers (YIKES!) and replace them with much sturdier cardboard, and change the color of the white bricks.  It might be a long day, but it’s not over until the fat lady sings.  Where did that saying come from?  I know it has to do with opera, but geez, can’t they let us sturdily built women have a break?

Today I went to a couple of garage sales with my girlfriend and I found some really fun metal plumbing tape that should be able to be die cut.  I can’t wait to try it, and when you only spend a quarter on it, it’s not too painful if it doesn’t work.  I also had to buy more cover paper at Joanns, for the album I’m making, as I punched holes through the back cover when it should have been the front….these things happen.

It was really muggy here today, which screamed “nap time” to me.  I was really worn out from all of the sweating I was doing (standing in two garages), that I couldn’t take it, and came home and took a much needed nap.  Is it me, or do naps become a rite of passage as we get older?  I’m thinking everything that goes around comes around.  We take naps as children, and as aging adults we take them as well.  I’m hoping I’ll be able to hold off the diaper phase as long as possible, and am seriously crossing my fingers on that one.

Rich took the dogs for a walk and they came home exhausted from the humidity, making me feel less old, and more sweaty.  They always run into the house and find me wherever I am, and hang with me.  Today, I was laying in bed (yes, back to the nap) and they were panting on me for as long as I could take it, which wasn’t very long.  I just am not equipped to have two big dogs pant on me (or is it at me?) when I’m already warm.  It was 95 degrees in North Carolina, and I was more warm here at 80 degrees, and I really thought it was humid there.  Huh, weird how these things work….Tomorrow, we’re spending some time with friends watching the Dead Pool movies, and I’ll give you my opinion of the second one when I update you tomorrow.  When you’re married, you normally mainly attend manly movies, and it’s the least I can do for Rich, considering the work he does for my YT channel.

I have to say, I think I’m a big baby.  I used to be able to travel, change time zones, and never have any issues.  Now, I took a one hour flight and I’ve been exhausted for three days..Who does that?  I really need to get a grip because we promised friends that we’d get up early on Friday, visit their new house, watch Dead Pool and then go see Dead Pool 2 in the theater.  What are the odds that I won’t sleep through the movie..Maybe both movies?

Today we took Bella to get her spring hair cut, and the groomer said she thought Bella has lost some weight.  Geez, why doesn’t anyone ever say that to me?  Probably because I’m Chubby McChubberson, and haven’t lost weight in years.  It’s not that I’m really whining about it, it is what it is.  I’ve been on steroids for so long that I can’t remember being less chubby.  The best part about this spring, is that I went through every drawer and closet and got rid of all of the clothes that don’t fit me.  Trust me when I tell you that I have had clothes for at least fifteen years.  It’s time to donate them.  Could they possibly even be remotely in style?  Yes, for an almost sixty year old woman.  Anyway, they are gone now and I feel revived. I think I need to do the same thing to my craft room and get rid of every stamp set I don’t think I’ll ever use.  It’s just a thought.

David Miller, one of the owners of Rubbernecker Stamps, showed us how to line up their detail stamps, as well as how to watercolor on them. Here are some of the products he used:

Single Rose Stamp: http://www.rubbernecker.com/product-p/1038.htm

Ken Oliver Color Burst: http://www.rubbernecker.com/searchresults.asp?Search=ken+oliver&Submit=

Rose Image he holds up and explains it is all one stamped image:
http://www.rubbernecker.com/product-p/1130.htm

I couldn’t find the felt paper on their website, but I’m sure they’d be able to help you to get it if you contact them at (909)-927-8244 or
or Customerservice@rubbernecker.com

We really enjoyed this demonstration by David Miller and hope you do too.

 

Rich and I got back last night from spending the last four days in North Carolina with our nephew, who just graduated from University of NC Nursing School.  We spent the first two days with him and then my sister, my brother-in-law and his brother and wife came for the event on Saturday.

We’ve always been really close to our nephew, so spending quality time with him made the trip so special for us.  He took time off of work just to hang out with us.  We got to meet his girlfriend, who we loved, and spend some time with her as well.

Graduation was OK, in the basketball arena and kind of hot, long speeches, and a lot of waiting for the two minutes when your student walks across the stage.  They have a “pinning” ceremony, where the nurses have a significant person put their nursing pin on them.  Our nephew chose him mom, my sister, to pin him, as she’s not only his mom, but also an RN.  It was something special for them to share, and a lovely moment.  My sister has type one diabetes and has had it since age 4.  She’s 60 now, and she’s done remarkably well considering life expectancy when she was diagnosed, was twenty-five years with the disease.   She isn’t very stable on her feet, so they had a wheelchair to make sure she could get to the right spot and stand to pin him.  I was really proud and happy to be there, as was Rich.  We took a lot of photos and I’ll make sure to post one on my facebook page.

As for crafts, I did find a Jerry’s Art-a-rama there.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with their online website, they sell just about every art related thing you can think of.  I had so much fun just walking around and trying to figure out the uses of certain tools.  I didn’t buy much there, but it definitely was a lot of fun to roam around…

I’ll be posting videos again tomorrow and apologize for the big gap on the blog.  I wanted to write on it while I was away, but didn’t think you’d want to read a recap of the things I ate every day, as that was basically the focal point of our time there.  (OK, when isn’t it?)