Tuesday Art !

It was a rough day at work so I am not into writing much. Just wanted to show case some of my wonderful mail art that I have recieved recently. Below are my wonderful Dotee Dolls from my swap at my friend Dot's blog.

Aren't they precious? I Loved doing that swap, and I am so proud of my Dolls. Below are the Dotee Doll ATCs that I received.

And yes,,I do Love them also!! What wonderfully creative friends I have out in the blogging world. I got both of these in the mail yesterday. Thanks Dot for the wonderful swap!
Next are some tags that I received recently in a tag swap that I was in. Maryellen hosted at swap bot and it was a fun and simple swap too. First off is the wonderful one that Maryellen sent me.

It is a Fun tag,,just so colorful,,thanks Maryellen! And this is the other tag that I received, a wonderful bird tag. I Love Birds and have really been using them alot in my art.
The next photo is a very cool ATC from Maryellen that I recieved this month from our group we are in. She had my name as her ATC card of the month partner. Thanks ME,,,Love it,,Love your art!!!

Next, I was in a "House Mouse" ATC swap at Swapbot. I just Love House Mouse. They are so cute. I have alot of the House Mouse stamps. Here are the cards I received.


And then below is the ATC that I made.
I hope you enjoyed todays Art. And also wishing every one a wonderful springy week!!!

Spring again!!!

We are back in Spring time again!!! What a absolutely wonderful week-end we have had. So amazing to think that only last Sunday we were having Rain, Sleet, and Snow.
Daniel and I have been in the yard all week-end. We have weeded and mulched and are wore out tonight. It was almost 80 degrees today. The yard is looking so pretty. Some of my plants that were burned are starting to recover quite nicely. Still worried about my Rose bushes, they are not looking so great. Daniel said I might be getting some new ones for Mother's Day. That would be just fine with me.
I was in a Conference most of the week at work. It was really interesting and nice being away from the school. It was a local conference but alot of Attendance workers from across the state were there. Lucky me won a beautiful Fern on friday as a door prize. I gave it to Mom as she loves Ferns and they look so pretty on her deck.
This evening I say out in the yard with the camera and took some cool pictures of a Bluebird.

I hope every one has had a wonderful week-end. I miss you all and I might be busy in the yard again for awhile but don't forget me. Hugs to all!!!

In rememberance

Thinking of the Students, Faculty, and others at Virginia Tech and wishing them Peace at this very sad time in their Lives!

Good day for some Art!

What a dreary, rainy day we have had today. But I kind of enjoyed it. I just sat in the Art room and created most of the day. Didn't have to feel guilty about not working out in the yard. It started raining last night. Daniel and I sat out in the sun room and played cribbage last night, and of course he beat me 2 games. He has been lucky lately, I usually beat him. It was nice sitting out there and listening to the rain and some good music.
Its suppose to get colder tonight. Not as bad as last week-end but they are saying some flurries in the morning. This has been the craziest spring I have ever seen. I think March thought it was suppose to be April and vice-versa.
The picture above is one of the ATCs I made today. My dear blogger friend Janet, sent me one last month that was made this way. She sent me a copy of book that had the directions in it, so I had to try it today. It actually opens up and this is what the inside looks like.
I really had fun with it. My scrapbook store that a friend owns is going to start having monthly ATC swaps. So I made 5 of these for the swap in May. The theme is Spring. I also made some in Pink too.
You can't really tell but the flowers on the inside have some glitter glue on them. I am going to make some more with different pictures on them. I also practice on my Donna Dewberry one stroke painting today too. She makes it look so easy but, ha,,its not. I have the DVD and I pause it alot and say "huh?" LOL. I may take a class at Michaels this summer on the technique.
Last month a dear friend that I work with went to the mountains on our spring break to renew her Wedding Vows for her 25th Wedding Anniversary. We had a little surprise shower for her the friday before Spring break. It was a gag gift presents. I had to make her something a little special to put her gift in. Its a box that I collaged so she can keep mementos of their trip. I didn't post pics of it when I made it but here are some pics of it now.

It was a fun little box to make. And she really liked it alot. This is what was inside of the box.
Hey, a girl's got to have some fuzzy, red cuffs for her 2nd Honeymoon. Pam has red hair and her face was as red as her hair when she openned up some of her presents. Of course we all forgot to bring our cameras to take pics of her, but it was fun!
I sure hope every one is having a wonderful week-end. I am even if it is rainy.

More Sweet Nostalgia

Yes, it was fun posting the "old days" picture yesterday so I am going to post some more. The picture up above is of me and my Dad. And yes, you guessed it, we were in Florida again. Not sure but I think this was in Ft. Walton, Florida(the panhandle). And you can see Daddy's camera around his neck(mom was using my little camera so the pics wasn't that great). And you can see were I get my long legs from. He was 6'4". I can smell that salt water now.
I know you can't see my face in that one either,, so here is another one. And yes, another Florida pic.

That was in St. Petersburg again. I am on the right and my bestfriend at the time was Tammy and she is on the left. We were about 14 here. And Oh Boy,,did we have a blast,,,we had "boy fever" lol. But we were good girls,,just did ALOT of flirting!!! Oh why can't I be that skinny again,,lol. Next pic, please,,,,,,,
Hey, at least its not another Florida pic. Believe it or not this was my dress for chorus in middle school. Uh,,what where they thinking? Laura Ingalls? I remember all of our Moms had to make them or pay someone to make them. Luckily my Mom was a great seamstress. I also remember being really pissed because the boys in the chorus got to wear nice blue dress pants and white shirts with red ties, and here we are in the dorky dresses. Most of us girls did not like the dresses AT ALL!!! I think I was 12 or 13. Hey,,you can see my face though, right? And you can see the disgust wrote all over it, right? Not a Happy camper!!!
One more pic,,,

Hey,,its me and my Mom,,and guess where we were? You got it,,in Florida,,he he!!! Now were we looking hot or what? Me, Mom , and my Aunt Addie went to Panama City, Fla back in 1994. We rented a beautiful condo right on the gulf. We had a great time, just us girls. It did rain a lot during that week but we just played cards, had boil shrimp, and played cards when it rained. Ahhhhh,,that was a fun time.
Well thanks for letting me show some more pics,,Its just fun to do because it takes you back and you can remember it just like you were there. Sweet Nostalgia!!

Photo Challenge

Today I am doing a photo challenge that my dear blogger friend Vicci posted on her blog. The photo had to be at least 20 years old. Well this is 32 years ago when I was 13 years old.
My family always went to Florida every summer for vacation. That was the only place we ever went. My father loved Florida and so did my Mom. So naturally my brothers and I Loved it too! My parents worked hard all year long and saved their money for our week long trip to the wonderful beach. We would alternate between the Atlantic side of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. This picture was made in St. Petersburg, Florida, which is on the Gulf. The Gulf side has the most beautiful sunsets. We would get up early every morning and walk the beach looking for shells. Go back to our room and have a wonderful breakfast. We always got rooms that had kitchenettes in them. After breakfast we were on the beach or in the swimming pool all day long. I can remember my Dad and I would get on our floats and go out a ways in the ocean and just float along and talk and just have fun. Mom wasn't a swimmer. By the time I was 13 I was the only one going with Mom and Dad as my brothers were married and had familys of their on. Sometimes they would bring their familys and come with us to Florida.
After having fun on the beach all day we would go in around 4 and clean up and then head out to wonderful seafood restaurants to eat. Then maybe go buy a few souvenirs. Then come back to the motel in time to go down to the beach and watch the sunset. My father was also a big camera buff so he always took alot of pictures. This is one of my favorites that he took of me.
Oh how I wish I still had that body now,,lol. But most of all I wish I had my dad around to go to the beach with and have a wonderful summer vacation!!!

Just a little damage.

I guess I really lucked up as far as losing any flowers during this terrible cold snap that we had this past week-end. Most of our trees have dead leaves but I think they will revive. The picture above is my tulip tree. I am worried about it and hoping it will come back. My Rose of Sharon trees are looking the same way. From what I have read they will probably come back out but may not bloom this year. I also have alot of wilted daylilys.
I am hoping they will bloom but I have alot of lilys and the little plants didn't wilt. I think it was worth the effort of covering every thing during this cold spell. It took alot of sheets and plastic and alot of time. My yard looked like a bedroom, forgot to take a pic of it. It has warmed up and we are going to get some much needed rain tonight and tomorrow, and then chilly again but not freezing, Thank Goodness!!! I was so lucky to have a sweet hubby who helped me cover them every night and uncover every morning. Alot of folks in our area were not so lucky.
Today I was lucky to get a very sweet award from my dear blogger friend Lisa. It is the banner to left called "Bright Light Award" which is over to the left of post. Thanks Lisa, I have never had a blogger award before and I am proud to display it.
I hope every one had a wonderful Easter holiday and have a wonderfully creative week!

Happy Easter!!!!

Good Frigid Friday!!!

What Happened to Spring?????

Picture above taken on April 13th, 2004

Hope everyone has had a GOOD FRIDAY! I enjoyed being off today but it sure has been a cold one. I went and got my hair highlighted and cut this morning. Lee, my stylist, got a little carried away when he styled me and I ended up looking like Farrah Fawcett,,I had the BIG hairdo today. I just am not use to that look,,lol. And no,,I didn't take a picture of it even thought Daniel wanted to when I got home,,uh NO WAY!!!
So after I finished with that excursion, I went and picked up Mom. We head to Michaels with our 50% off coupons. I bought a Donna Dewberry water and paintbrush caddy. Its really cool. I have been trying to learn how to do her one stroke painting technique. I saw it on PBS one saturday and thought "wow that looks really easy" ,,,HA,,,its really not that easy. I did purchase the DVD a few weeks ago and have been practicing, and when I master it(if I ever do) I will post a pic of one of my masterpieces,lol.
After I dropped Mom off I came home and Daniel and I went out and covered up all my sweet flowers again as it is going to get down to 25 tonight. The wind has been horrible today too.
After that I went out to the sunroom and soldered several pieces of pendants that I have been working on. While I was doing that I looked out and it was snowing! Last Saturday we had the air conditioner on and had shorts on and it was 88 degrees. What a difference a week makes.
I am so ready for spring to come back. Its not uncommon for snow in April, we had about a inch of it on April 2004 (Above Picture) . It didn't stick today and stopped after a short while, thank goodness.
Tomorrow night its going to get even colder with a low down to 20 degrees. Guess I will be wearing my heavy coat to Church on Sunday, no Easter bonnet, just a stocking cap,,lol.
Well I hope every one has had a wonderful Friday!

My Weekly Post!!

Well I guess I am just posting weekly now, at least it seems that way doesn't it? But, soon, very soon, I will be off for the summer and can post every day!!! 38 working days left,,YAY!!!
So just a little catch up. Of course the weather has been splendid here for the past few weeks. Highs in the mid and upper 80s and lows in the 60s. Just delightful. A lot of my flowers are up and looking gorgeous. And I, of course , have been in the yard most of the evenings and week-ends. Now its coming to a screeching halt. Winter has made a surprise return. It started with some very strong storms that moved in last night. Luckily no Tornadoes this time, thank goodness. But strong wind, hail, lightening and rain. Now for the next several nights we are going to be in the lower 30s and upper 20s with Freeze warning for every night. Wonderful! So guess who is going to be outside in just a few covering up her precious babies? Yes,,I have my sheets and clothes pins ready. I so fustrated and worried. Mid to upper 20s can kill even tender plants that are covered up.
I have seen so many folks buying all the annuals to plant the past few weeks while it felt like summer. Not me,,well just a few baskets that I can bring inside. I have made the terrible mistake of planting annuals too early and then having to go back and buy a whole new patch. Now I mostly have perienials that come up every year. Just a few annuals for window boxes and pots.
I haven't been very artistic lately, working on a few things here and there and finishing up a special box to send off this week-end.
Sunday night I got a phone call from my son who had his tonsils taken out almost 2 weeks ago. He was back in the emergency room with his throat bleeding again. I got up there about 1 a.m. and they had to operate again on him for the 3rd time. This time they corterized and stitched the places that were bleeding. They kept him most of monday and he got to go home around 4 that afternoon. He will be 22 next month and he hasn't taken very good care of himself after the operation 2 weeks ago. Got dehydrated so the scabs dried up and fell off. At 22 you are indestructible. Well now he has learned a lesson hopefully. I hope that will be the last time he has to be operated on. Third times charm right?
Well enough of the chatter. Here is a link to some more of my garden pics in my webshots album. You can use the slideshow option as it is really awesome. The picture at the beginning of the post is of my Columbine that is blooming. Hope everyone is well and having a good week.