Category Archives: craftiness

Feb21

About 28 yrs old

Posted on Thursday, February 21, 2008 by Dianne

This little guy was down the basement, covered with dust and grime! Even though he’s under glass, the fabric is showing signs of foxing. Though dirty, he made me smile. I probably stitched him back in 1980 when the Phillies won the World Series. I brought him up and cleaned him up, but I guess I should wash the fabric too. This is one of my earliest cross stitches.

And the ‘what is the world was my mom thinking’ department:

Jeepers! She bought this for herself-the squares of paper are only about 2″! I have trouble with the larger sheets of paper! I got ‘stuck’ with this, but I don’t know, I may pull my hair out if it’s too hard.

Did some cleaning as earlier mentioned (sorta), but my post nasal was miserable (I was wearing a dust mask). I also managed to disturb a large spider too! Not thrilled. I did stuff a bunch of stuff in the giveaway bag. I am finding I have too many plastic things for the kitchen (left over from the remodel almost 2 yrs ago!) like storage containers, cups with straws. Too many metal tins and Easter baskets.

Doing the above killed my back, but Tylenol, Icy Hot and finally the heating pad did their magic.

By the way, I tried to sell these on eBay, no takers-anyone need rubber stampers of animals skeletons?

These were Sean’s and he hardly used them. Let me know.

And for the ‘oh no, I thought I was through with the dentist for another 6 months’ dept-I chipped a tooth on the top right with a Necco wafer-darn! I hope I can get it fixed soon and it’s diagonal toward the gum like a sliver and I hope it won’t start to hurt.

Wish me luck. : )

Feb17

Calming activity

Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 by Dianne

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I woke up with a terrible ‘storm’ in my sinuses. I knew I was probably in for a few hours of torture, and I was correct. It’s almost 3 pm and I just sneezed for the first time today. It’s my fault. We pulled out three pieces of furniture in the family room yesterday (oy vay) so I could pick up coins, scissors, needles and assorted things before the rug got a thorough vacuum. Me without my dust mask. I should have know better. But at least I have my beloved Gingher scissors back!

We went to church last night as we usually do, and I noticed a familiar face a few rows up from me (when she turned to the side). Here it was a lady I graduated from high school with! I hadn’t seen her in at least 20 years, but I know that she lives in the next town over, but I’ve never seen her anywhere! She was with her brother (I’m assuming) and his family and they go to church there all the time. She was with a guy about her age. Wonder if she’s tying the knot? I know she never has. Interesting. We didn’t speak as Bri and I leave most times after Communion. How do you feel about someone using Purell right after you shake hands during mass? I smelled the stuff and it was the lady behind me! I would never do that.

~Update-after doing a wee search on Google, found out the lady above just lost her father who was from the same town as my mom! So I called my mom and she believes she remembers the man from high school as being popular in shows! Small world. Both the lady and her brother do reside in the next town.

So my calming activity-paper crafts. I think making my clipboard collage (will show) and my little ATCs, really relaxes me. Cosmo the kitty tries to help to, but I know his fur bothers me. He cuddles up on my lap several times a day. Checking out Sean’s paper about polar ice, etc. didn’t do anything for me, just make me tense. My boy is smart, but not a writer. He’s technical minded like his Uncle Dave.

My next door neighbor is cutting down two huge trees. He will have no shade in the side next to us anymore. He is getting help, but he’s my mom’s age, late 70s, so he better watch himself. Probably healthier than a mule!

Clipboard collage I painted the moon graphics with this awesome shimmery watercolor paint from ‘Five Below’ which was $1 (same as the clipboard-$1)

Never grow old ATC

Sailor Boy ATC

Feb10

Two finishes!

Posted on Sunday, February 10, 2008 by Dianne

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Since it was such a brisk and good day to stay in, I made two flat holds out of cross stitched projects. I will post Ground Hog Day and my works in progress (Giggles in the Snow and Zebra) throughout this post. Watch for the other hopefully in the next week or so! I will say that I keep Von’s tutorial for making these up on the screen so I could refer to it many times. I can’t wait to try her other items! Please visit her at The Twisted Stitcher to see the awesome basket she just finished off!

I made little messes in almost every room, even Sean’s as his dad needed his bank statement for his taxes. Sean has the exact statement they need up at school with him and his dad needs it now. You have to do your income taxes before you can apply for grants, etc.

Speaking of Brian, he went to visit his dad on this freezing, blustery day. I made some meatballs as I had defrosted the ground turkey over the last few days. I’ll eat some tonight and tomorrow with him! I have some lobster ravioli I’ll toss in the hot tub! (Rachael Ray’s expression)

Last night, I watched Casanova, a movie that Heath Ledger starred in about 3 years ago. I had only seen him in Brokeback Mountain. He was so talented and had so many more roles to fill-so sad.

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For Erika, a little sick girl I read about on a Flickr group who would like some fairy art. My little calendar had fairies on the 5th, so I turned Becky Kelly’s fabulous watercolor into an ATC for Erika.

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A little bit ago, I answered the phone and it was a lady from a breast cancer org. I think they have been calling here for weeks and then hanging up! There is no number displayed on the caller ID. Does anyone else have that issue? I asked how she had gotten our # (unlisted) and she said the computer dials until they get a connection! So I heard BC and I told her about me and how we are paying a fairly large sum out of pocket for my procedure. She asked if I was ok and I said yes. But I did say that I click on the BC link on my blog everyday so women can get free mammograms, my little way of helping out.

Feb4

Easter giveaway

Posted on Monday, February 4, 2008 by Dianne

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Nancy Malay of Notes and Notes from Nancy is giving away a gorgeous Easter basket of her own designs! Be sure to click on her name to go enter yourself. If you mention this on your blog also, you have 3 chances to win! Good luck!

Thanks for the heads up for this C!

Feb3

Craftiness abounds

Posted on Sunday, February 3, 2008 by Dianne

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Most of what I am showing below were made from recycling or from a sheet of $1 stickers, etc. I got 40 paper heart doilies in one package!

For my niece-a butterfly angel with a vintage little girl

This is suppose to be a cake! I made it out of a tea bag cylinder-there is a lid under the frill!

This is for my mom. It has a plastic heart ‘cover’, meant to be like a ‘snow globe’ with loose hearts inside. That is my favorite rubber stamp.

Some of this ATC is made from an old magazine of my mom’s (Oriental rug and Cherubs)

I got a Valentine’s Day card making kit at Big Lots and promptly added my own things. I made 3 for the Make A Child Smile kids

Found this kicking around my mom’s -it’s a key chain box about 3″ long. The bottom slides open to put some change or something small in it. I added some Wizard of Oz images from junk mail, some ribbons and charms. It’s for my niece.

And finally, an ATC on a quilted hot pad Zoey over at Perennial Passion gave me for Christmas!

Feb1

One World, One Heart Blog event

Posted on Friday, February 1, 2008 by Dianne

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Let’s start off February with a fun event thanks to Lisa/Oceandreamer’s 2nd time around hosting it! It’s for bloggers around the world with active blogs. It’s Lisa’s way to introduce us to each other and help to build new friendships. Below are my groupings of 3 giveaways! Yes, that’s right! I decided the more the merrier and I have fun making some of the goodies. I’ll be picking winners on the 13th and announce them on the 14th.

The grand prize:

Here is an Art trading card I made, a little book with blank pages that I decorated the front of, A little ‘cake’ with a few Dove chocolate hearts inside and a little box of Russell Stover chocolates!

Prize 2:

A Valentine I made, Conversation hearts and very fragrant rose potpourri.

Prize 3:

Some pretty heart stickers, a bracelet that you can add a photo to and a box of Conversation hearts!

All you have to do is leave me a comment about your favorite Valentine’s Day treat-chocolate, dinner or anything yummy you enjoy on this day. Visit the other participates by clicking on the link under the event sign above.

Remember-winners will be announced on Valentine’s Day! Good luck!

Jan10

Mail art

Posted on Thursday, January 10, 2008 by Dianne

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Here’s what I mailed off today. I loved that I got the New Lunar Year postage stamps to go with the theme. There’s nothing in the envelope, you just mail it because of what’s on the outside! My friend who organized this said we had to add a monkey to the envelope somewhere. Do you understand why I added ‘that silver item’ to the back of the envelope?

And here’s my $6 mother of pearl earrings and $3 rust colored top from the Kohl’s sale (the necklace is older and one of my favorites):

And I have another paint program Adobe and was playing with that:

Gee, my eyebrows look different in these! I will say they need a little trim.

Jan9

A giftie

Posted on Wednesday, January 9, 2008 by Dianne

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Here’s a few of the pages from my friend’s collage book I made as a gift for her graduation from culinary school. I wanted to use all vintage prints and such. The middle is the baking section and I made a pocket to hold a Swann’s flour baking pamphlet from about 1917 and some bookmarks to save recipes (Brian gave me these and I gave some to her). It was fun to make to get my mind off my sinus cold. I hope she likes it (and doesn’t see this!). I’ll probably mail it today.

The tabs say ‘eat, drink and be merry’; ‘Food’, ‘fun’ ‘friends’, etc.

She just got married this past June so the one cake is a wedding cake. I’m from PA., so that’s why I chose the Hershey cookbook cover.

So I want to go to the post office and maybe Sean and I will head to Kohl’s as they sent me $20 in coupons (if I spend increments of $50) for buying my galaxy ring. This is a good time of the year to check out the winter clothing too. Not to say I’ll buy anything. I do need a change of scenery, though most of my tree ornaments are laying on the dining room table right now! I broke a pretty one today too. : (

Jan8

Getting things done

Posted on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 by Dianne

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This is getting ridiculous. I don’t want my pals to think I’m slowing down in my advanced years! Ok, I’m not ‘that’ old, but this isn’t like me to send gifts so late. It’s all the stuff that happened between Oct.31-Dec. 7, and then the mad Christmas scramble-the sinus cold and something else now that has me moving slower. But, I did get two things wrapped up and ready to send to England and Ireland. I have something almost ready to go to Canada. Another item, a grad gift, was assembled over the weekend and that’s wrapped. There are still things on the little love seat that need to get in boxes and mailed too! Some aren’t expected, but my one friend needs something to make her smile as she just got diagnosed with pneumonia and may have an autoimmune disease.

My mom’s range top and oven went out. She had someone there to look at the situation and he said she needed new appliances! The oven is fairly new, but I bet it’s the wiring and he didn’t want to get into that. She is waiting on someone else to come now.

Sean took advantage of the warm weather and ran in the park today. I wanted to go, but wasn’t up to it. I did have the cat out on his harness yesterday and we had a nice walk, though he was in a hissy fit mood. Sean’s off for his 6th semester at PSU on Saturday.