Category Archives: pals

Apr25

Solar power

Posted on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 by Dianne

I did a little shopping in Big Lots earlier and you guessed it, I bought two new solar power lights for around the pond. They aren’t the ‘yellow glow’ kind, they are the blue LED ones which look neat. I also got a ball that floats in the pond as the one I have now doesn’t work anymore-it lights up at night too. I saw the manager and since I looked spiffy (I’ll explain why later) I told him that Sean was going to be free in a few weeks to work. He said to tell my boy to give him a call. I looked nice in my flowing peasant skirt and orange top that I found in a bag next to the closet. The weather has been so warm, I had nothing summery that is where I can get my hands on it. Mom got me the top last year and it even has beads and buttons that hang down in the front-I looked like a modified belly dancer!

We’re trying to decide where to stay for my friend Karin’s wedding in June. It looks like midtown Manhattan! I’ve never been to NYC, so I am excited and scared. It’s not going to be cheap, but the place where we will probably stay is within walking distance of so many places, especially the cruise ship where the wedding will be held. We were thinking of staying in New Jersey and getting a cab-but that’s about a 14 mile trip and would cost the same as staying right in the city. I have to book the place soon or we’ll get in a jam.

Update!!! We are staying here! It has parking garage near by and it’s about 1/2 mile or so from the ship. I was looking at the map and Allentown, PA, where I’ve been before is parallel to this area (like an hour away or so like us to Philly).

I must do some more yard work one of these days. I can’t do it in all this warmth and in clothes I don’t want to sweat to pieces in.

Apr20

Catching up with a friend

Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 by Dianne

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We did get to go out to dinner to eat and visit with Bri’s pal Kathy from college a few hours ago. Seems she was all around our house today, but didn’t plan to stop in-I don’t know why. I thought maybe it was too far for her to drive. Anyway, we went back to the restaurant where we couldn’t get a seat last Saturday. I called about 3:15 for ‘call ahead seating’. I bent the girl’s ear back about how awful it was there with people sitting and waiting while there were empty tables sitting empty. I suggested it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the people there to discuss how to make a bad situation better. We got a nice booth in the back-right away, like it was waiting for us.

Here’s a couple of photos that Sean snapped, which I should have cropped because of the big white napkin there. I like the first of Brian a lot!

Dinner was delicious, but this Carrabbas isn’t as generous with their food as the Springfield Mall one we usually eat at. I had lost a few pounds (I think because of my new med) but my dinner tonight added them back on. The guys ate some of mine and I had no leftovers. It helped my head to go out. When I came home I felt better. Even Kathy, who never had sinus problems, is saying how hers were bothering her.
She too just celebrated a big birthday (the same as Bri, but back on Nov. 19th-so she is exactly 3 yrs older than me as that’s my bd too).
She just purchased a lovely new house last summer (TN) and has wild turkeys running around-we saw photos. She’s a single lady and works at a community college to help disabled students. I gave her a mini scrapbook and an Art trading cards graced with tulips as I remembered they are her favorite flowers. I also printed out some photos and stuffed them in the bare pages.
I asked if Sean reminded her of Brian at that age (same age when they first met) and she said yes, but Sean is more outgoing. : )
The pal where Kath is staying called on her cell and said she had to take her son to Children’s Hospital as his injured and patched together knee of 3-4 weeks ago was causing him a lot of pain. Her friend sent her twins to a pals house, so Kathy has the place to herself. Tomorrow Kath is headed to near where my mom lives to stay and visit with another pal.
We are welcome to come to Tennessee anytime.

Apr16

4″ of rain Sunday

Posted on Monday, April 16, 2007 by Dianne

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That nor’easter sure did blow in and is hanging around. That’s a lot of rain for a single day in these parts. Mom’s yard was like a swimming pool (so she told me) as my brother was preparing it for grass-the seed is surely gone now!

I made a nice roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese biscuits, which was very good and perfect for the cool, rainy weather. Brian peeled the potatoes and mashed them to perfection. I didn’t use the ricer as the russets had weird looking skin and I didn’t want to cook that.

I haven’t been up to par, I had indigestion Saturday, ate the Chinese food (uh oh), but slept ok. I had a sore stomach all day until I wised up and took a Tylenol. It felt better within a half hour. I tried mint tea, Gas-X and assorted tummy remedies when I probably had a muscle pull! My mom had had a wicked tummy thing on Easter and I am knocking wood that I avoided that one.

So here is what I made today. I am using old flower, bird and kid’s books (shown mostly in the first example). I hate to cut them up, but I feel I am giving them new life through art. The second card has a definition for ‘dreaming’. I was using the water sphere from the flower show and rubberstamped a face on it, but the embossing power was put on thick and melted too much, hence an entire new idea crept up in my brain. The children were part of a CD collection I found on eBay.

These were photographed on a trio of cute wicker chests my mom gave me for Easter that I am using to store a lot of my art supplies in.

And last, but not least…my latest cross stitched piece, a The Prairie Schooler church for Su’s neighborhood (see link in sidebar).

Apr14

23 years

Posted on Saturday, April 14, 2007 by Dianne

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Our friend Kathy (who is visiting next week) is behind Brian in the black and white striped dress. And look at the two curly heads-the last perm I ever got as it fried my hair when we went on our honeymoon to Cancun, Mexico. I had to get a very short haircut when I got home.

Apr13

Photo Hunt-Hobby & Art card JAM 1

Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 by Dianne

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I’m a little early…

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Before I show you my awesome Art Cards, I guess I should have said my anniversary is tomorrow. I was just referring to ‘the day before’ my wedding 23 yrs ago which was also Friday the 13th.

These are my four cards that I sent out to three of my friends who participated in the JAM who each added one or two elements as they received them.

And here’s what I received back yesterday. Aren’t my pals from California talented. Take bows gang! BTW, I’ve got panty hose, lace, a feather and beads on these!

Apr13

Feeling unlucky?

Posted on Friday, April 13, 2007 by Dianne

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Are you superstitious?

Exactly 23 yrs ago it was also Friday the 13th and I was getting ready to ‘take the plunge’ into matrimony. I guess it’s the way you look at things don’t you think? Sean’s car is at the inspection center and we hope everything will be fine with that. I’m feeling the chilly weather to my bones. I remember last year I had a nicer looking yard than this one and the lilacs were budded and about to bloom. This year I don’t see the buds at all. The pond needs cleaning and I just can’t do it until the aches ease up. I don’t want to end up like my mom who is dependent on pain meds to get through her day. I am happy to report that a Tylenol usually helps me and some nice, warm weather.

The heater guy adjusted the furnace yesterday and fixed the leaky filter. The banging we are hearing is from the duct work and he can’t do anything about that. He said our last heater was way too big for the house. He made a big fuss over the cat as he has 3 of this own. Cos was not use to a big hand rubbing his head so brisking, but he didn’t nip at the guy.

John Corzine, the governor of New Jersey, was in a serious car accident around 6 last night. He broke his leg (upper) and about 12 ribs. He’s in critical, but stable condition. He was said not to be wearing a seat belt. The police are looking the the vehicle that appears to have forced them off the road.

Next Thursday we are planning on getting together with Brian’s old college pal Kathy. She lives in Tennessee now and comes back up to PA every few years to visit mostly friends. She is divorced with no children. And we share the same birthday. We are thinking of Carrabbas, the yummy Italian restaurant to meet at.

I have the Neighborhood Round Robin #6 cross stitch project finished up for Su except for my name. I am done a month early! I figure since the next person to stitch on it is Su’s mum, she can get it early (she is finished with her lady’s design anyway) and then send it to her other daughter to finish up the 8th square (we had planned on eight people, but one dropped out) if that is what they are going to do. I’ll show you a photo soon.

Have a great weekend!

Apr5

Easter like 1970

Posted on Thursday, April 5, 2007 by Dianne

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The local weatherman is predicting a chilly Easter (in the 40s) like we had in 1970-the last time it was this cold. Sean thought he’d be smart and say-bet you can’t remember that Easter. I do have a pretty good memory-I was in 5th grade, had a gem of a teacher-Miss Brown-who gave us interesting postage stamps from all over the world for perfect spelling tests. I did get mostly 100s if I remember. That was the year mom gave me a cute little stamp album (about 5-10 pages with the places to tuck the stamps in a row-like 5 to a page). I have it around here someplace.

I went to the doctor and saw a new, young lady doctor. We discussed me and I am trying something for three months. I hope it agrees with me. Have to mention the Amish couple in the gyn office-what a surprise! I guess some are coming around more to western medicine.

Here are some gifties that I received in the mail this week and my little pal Bunny Woodstock:

Love them gals! These are the best kinds of gifts to me.

My Ode to the Philadelphia Flower Show 2007

Mar28

Feeling a little la la

Posted on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 by Dianne

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Dang medicine! At least I slept much better and only had to get up a few times. But the medicine is bothering me. My head is up in the clouds today and my tummy is saying-what the heck? I’m giving the med one more day and if I feel worse, I’ll ask to switch to something kinder and gentler like Amoxicillin that I took for 3-4 weeks when I had Lyme Disease back in 1998.

I want to make Art Trading Cards for all my pals! Sometimes the perfect cards come into play, sometimes I have to think about it. Carole/Pea got hers recently and I must say, it came into play in a snap. If you want me to make you a card, just send me your address at diadsieatcomcast.net (writing it out because of spammers). Those of you whom I have addresses for, I am slowly getting cards made for you.

Here are some nests I made from scratch as part of a spring/Easter exchange for a group. It’s still kind of a surprise, but I don’t think they read my blog that often. So if any of the 6 of you happen upon this, you are getting this and something else, though 2 are getting different looking nests.

These are made from excelsior that I first formed around the bottom of a pint sized plastic container. I poured fabric stiffener on it (I think watered down white glue would work too) and let it sit for a while. Then I flipped the container over and put the nest inside to get the form of it. This part takes a few days. I did use plastic wrap to save from a big mess. The eggs and pink berries are from the Dollar store. I added some snips of embroidery floss, Easter grass and feathers as real birds would use things like that to make the beds for their babes warm.

Mar12

JT and NRR

Posted on Monday, March 12, 2007 by Dianne

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First of all, Happy Birthday to my favorite singer, James Taylor who turns 59 today!!

Then a finished design for our Neighborhood round robin. It’s for Carol in New Hampshire. This was a bit difficult for me, but I was up for the challenge as Carol wanted flowers galore on her project. The hummingbird and kitty were added as requested. There were 42 colors used.

You’ll be seeing more Flower show photos along the way too when I am wondering what to post about. : )

Mar10

St Paddy’s Poem

Posted on Saturday, March 10, 2007 by Dianne

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I made these for 6 friends in my tribe (tribe.net) crafting group. I think all 6 may have gotten them by now, so I can share a photo with you. I ‘collaged’ St Paddy’s napkins on green card stock. I found the scroll clip art on the web. I wrote the poem and saved it as a ‘jpeg’ so it would fit inside the scroll. The back has a photo from Ireland with the Celtic design in it. I also used St Paddy’s stickers. I found some raffia to use as a hanger.