Wednesday

Here's another card that I did last night.

I used a rubber stamp that I got from Robin and colored with watercolor pencils.

I've been on the embroidery machine tonight doing a test sew out of a design that I am going to use on denim tote bags for myself and Robin. I used gold metallic thread in part of the design and since I have never worked with metallic thread, I decided it would be a good idea to do a test sew out of the design. I am pleased with the way it turned out. What do you think?

Now I will get the tote bags cut out and ready to embroidery and sew together.

Luck, love and laughter,
Judy

Monday, Monday

Here is a card that I finally finished tonight...slowly but surely I am getting the hang of making cards. Just have to work some more on my coloring.

I used a stamp that I found at Hobby Lobby and couldn't resist it.

Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

Sewing Room Overhaul

We got a new super duper computer last week and I swear it will do everything except wipe your bottom for you. Let's see how long it takes hubby to figure everything out that it will do. Anyway I wanted to set up our old computer in my sewing/scrapbook/craft room since it has all my embroidery machine designs on it. This necessitated a major overhaul of the room but I finally have it set up. I just need my son-in-law, Bill, to see about getting an internet connection on the computer.

So I now have the big sewing machine cabinet that my Brother ULT 2001 sewing embroidery machine sits on, a desk to use for scrapbooking, a desk that the computer and backup sewing machine share, and a folding work table. With the two storage cabinets that are also in the room, there is not an inch of available wall space left over. I need a room three times as big as what I have.

Naturally after I finished all the hard work, I just had to use my new scrapbooking station so I did this layout. This picture of Addie was taken last year -- she loves to play around with her Great Uncle Earl's guitars.

I did the title on the new computer -- I think this is a neat font and one that I have not had before. I printed it on Calligraphy Parchment that I got last week at Office Depot. I love this paper for printing out titles and journaling.

I am ready to crawl in bed...I really wore myself out working on my room. Have a great week.

Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

My First Award

Arte Y Pico

I'm so lucky. Deb gave me this award a few days ago and this is the first opportunity that I have had the time to prepare a post to share it with you. Thank you so much Deb -- I was really excited to receive it.

This award is given to bloggers who share their art and creativity making their contribution to the blogging world. Here are the rules:

1. Choose 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and the link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4. Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte y Pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

I have given much thought to who I want to give this award to and I have decided to award it to the following:

Carol

Lisa

Amy

Flossie

Robin

Be sure and check out their blogs. Their page layouts and cards are always fantastic. I always enjoy visiting.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend.

Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

Embroidery Machine Time

The embroidery machine seminar that I went to today was okay but not fabulous. I did, however, pick up a few tips on stablizing and using metallic thread. After the seminar, I went to Robin's and raided her rubber stamp stash. Looking forward to using some of them making cards.



Went to Wal Mart with hubby this evening and found a pink tee shirt that I just had to have. But then you know I can't have just a plain shirt so I did a machine embroidery design tonight using a Jacobean Flutters design by Designs by JuJu http://www.designsbyjuju.com/. I just love her designs and use them a lot.

I glitzed the design up with hot fix crystals.

Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

Look What I Got Today

Today is Administrative Professionals Day and I got some beautiful yellow roses and a Dillard's gift card from my boss today. The roses really brighten up my work area and you know how much fun a gift card can be.



I went through old pictures over the weekend and here is a layout that I did last night of my grandsons Matt and Jesse. The picture was taken when Jesse was a baby. My guys are now 15 and 12 and this picture sure brings back fond memories of them when they were little.

I am looking forward to a fun day tomorrow. I am taking a vacation day from work so I can attend an OESD machine embroidery class. My day will be a full one....starting out at 8:30 with a haircut appointment. Then it will be on to the 3 hour class. The class location is just a few minutes from Robin's home so I plan to visit with her for a while when I get finished. We are going to go through her stash of rubber stamps to see if there are any that I want to use for a while. I also hope to squeeze in some time to shop for shoes.



Everyone have a great evening.

Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

Picture Was Left Out

I just discovered that the picture of my new door wreath is not in my earlier post. This computer is doing strange things....hubby added some new anti virus, anti everything software....and I'm not sure that I like it. Anyway, here is a picture of my wreath.

Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

I Made My Very First Card

My Mother-in-Law has a birthday in a few days and I decided there is no time like the present to try my hand at making her a birthday card. So here is my very first attempt at card making.

I adhered to the K.I.S.S. principal so it is a very simple design. I started with white cardstock and then used a very faintly patterned blue paper from a $1.00 pack that I got at Dollartree. I stamped Happy Birthday on blue cardstock using an alphabet stamp set that I got on clearance at Hobby Lobby. I chalked around the cardstock after I affixed it so that it would stand out more. Then added a strip of white ribbon and applied hot fix crystals to give some bling. Finished it off with a K&Compay dimensional butterfly sticker from a set that I got at Michaels.

I also did some crafting this afternoon and made a new wreath to decorate my front door. Yes, Robin, the blue and white wreath that I put up for Hannukah has been taken down finally.

Our Passover Seder last night was beautiful and enjoyed by all.

Everyone have a great week!

Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

Busy, Busy Saturday

Looks like today is going to be a very busy Saturday for me. Lots to do before ending up at my sister-in-law's tonight for our Passover Seder. Grocery shopping first thing and then making my assigned dishes for the Seder Meal. But I do plan to pop into Michael's for a look around when I make a trip to our local Kroger that carries Kosher products.

I just have to get in a short request for my very talented daughter, Robin. She has entered a design in Kroger's design a reuseable shopping bag contest. You can check out her blog at robindiane and her design for the reuseable shopping bag can be seen at http://www.designagreenbag.com/vote-for-designs/bag.aspx?BagId=6672. Check it out and vote, vote, vote!

Thanks for all your well wishes for good health. I haven't had another episode of the vertigo since starting on the medication and I hope that continues. Of course, I've been careful about leaning my head too far to one side also which seemed to trigger the extreme dizziness.

Everyone have a really great weekend.

Luck, love and laughter,
Judy

Hump Day Again

It's hump day again... and I am ready for the work week to wind down.

Here's some more blog candy for you to check out. Be sure and mention my name in your comments.

Deborah

Wendy

Lim

They all have some great things. Also, don't forget to check out the new blog, Page Plans.

Luck, love and laughter,
Judy

Check these out

Here are two sites that you should visit....Michele at http://faeriedustdreams-michelle.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-could-not-stop-myself.html and Misty at http://mistylynnwhat.blogspot.com/. Be sure and mention that I sent you to their blog. They both have goodies that they are giving away.

Azaleas in Bloom

The azaleas and dogwoods are in gorgeous bloom here. I'm so envious of this gorgeous yard that I pass every day on my way to and from work and I just had to pull over today and take some pictures.



I've had some problems with dizzy spells the last few days and went to the doctor yesterday about them. I was so nervous about going to the doctor (imagining all sorts of bad things). Robin came into town and went with me. Turns out I have benign positional vertigo which stems from an inner ear disturbance. Got a steroid shot and I am on medication for 10 days. Bless Robin's heart ... she wanted to pull out her camera and take a picture of me getting the shot in my hip. Said she thought it would be great to post on her blog LOL. Needless to say, I nixed that idea very quickly.


I have managed to get another purse and a larger tote made. Joy asked me to make a tote for her to give as a gift to a friend's daughter who is graduating from high school this spring. Holly is into camo (she loves to hunt). I had some pink and brown camo material and this is what I came up with.





Then I made myself another purse -- this one a little dressier than the red one.



I have been giving some thought to taking orders for custom made purses. I have had several people ask what I would charge to make one. After much deliberation and figuring, I have come up with prices. A denim purse with either a name or monogram embroidered on it would be $30.00 and the larger tote in denim with a name or monogram would be $35.00. If you are interested, e-mail me at designsbynanny@aol.com.

Happy Anniversary to my daughter, Robin and son-in-law, Bill. They are celebrating their 8th anniversay today. http://mylifeexpose.blogspot.com/



I'm going to start work again on my ATC's for Amy's challenge http://caffinatedcropper.blogspot.com. I only have about 7 more to do and I want to get them finished. I feel much better about the ones that I have made since Robin looked at them yesterday and told me she thought they were "awesome".



Guess I have rambled on long enough. Hubby has made dinner and has it in the oven. Supposed to be ready in about 1 hour. I just love it when he cooks.




Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

Rain, Rain, Go Away

I know they say April showers bring May flowers but the amount of rain we have had is just a little too much. When I watched the weather this evening, they said we had over 3 inches at rain measured at the airport! And the forecast is for more rain tomorrow and potentially severe storms/tornados. Enough already!






I just finished getting Addie's apron marked and am going to go start the sewing on it. I had planned to work on it last night but it was stormy with lots of lightening and I don't work on my embroidery machine when it is storming. Not going to take a chance of a power surge or lightening zap. It's too expensive a piece of equipment.






I made Robin a denim purse over the weekend. She told me she wanted purple and green trim and I think the color combination turned out pretty cool.

I used green rick rack and then did decorative stitching in purple. The lining is purple and white gingham.

Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

Stormy Weather

We had some really bad weather move through last night...heavy rain and tornados touched down in several areas. Sirens were going off....you name it, we had it last night. Thankfully, all my family stayed out of harms way.

We've had so much rain lately that the ground is very saturated. So also are having flooding problems..part of I-30 was closed this morning during rush hour traffic because of water covering the lanes of traffic and it took my daughter Joy almost two hours to get to work.

My office is not too far from one of the areas that was hit last night and when I got to work this morning, there was no electricity in our building (that means no telephone, computers, lights, etc.) Finally after three hours of sitting in the dark twiddling our thumbs, the powers that be at corporate told us to go home. Seems Entergy told the corporate facilities manager, that they had no idea when power would be restored. As soon as I got the call on my cell phone that we could go home, I wasted no time getting out of there.

So now I have a few extra hours at home. Do I want to get a headstart on housework or should I take a nap? Hm.........decisions.

Luck, love and laughter,

Judy

Thursday

It's been a dreary, gloomy Thursday... rain early this a.m., then fog, then clouds. We're suppose to get heavy rain moving in after 10:00 tonight. Just what we don't need more of. This kind of weather is murder on my old bones so I feel about like it looks outside.

I finished another purse earlier in the week. This one is for my daughter Joy. She loved mine and headed for the material and trim and picked out what she wanted hers made of. It's denim with a bright cotton stripe lining and her monogram.

Hubby took my sewing/embroidery machine in for service and maintenance on Tuesday. I am totally lost without it. He said it might be ready on Saturday but not to count on it 'cause they are backed up right now. Anyway when I get it back, I will make Robin's purse. She also gets a denim one and she said she wanted purple and green trim. Hmmm......we'll see what I come up with.

I have had two people ask me what I would charge to make a purse for them. If they are willing to pay my price, I just might be in the purse making business.

I am still working on my ATC's for Amy's challenge. I am really struggling with them. I have about decided that ATC's are not my thing and may never make another one after I finish this challenge.

Have you checked out the really neat giveaway that Lesli has. If not, be sure and visit her blog and check it out. Boy, Robin and I both really would like to be the lucky recipient!

Luck, love and laughter

Judy