Dec1

A bit zonked

Posted on by
Standard

I just realized that I was pretty much on the go for over a week, since my birthday on the 19th. Our house is much quieter now since Sean is back in State College again. We figure he has 5 more trips up and back before he graduates. That’s if he doesn’t stay up there and work-he had to lease his place for a year-which is until next August. We do miss him like crazy-what can I say, I lucked out and enjoy being around him.

We tried to eat chicken fingers for dinner, too much like turkey! We had turkey Reubens for lunch-the sammie you usually make with corned beef-Swiss cheese, cole slaw and Thousand Island. Friday I had made ‘Bobbies’ like a local hoagie place is famous for-turkey, stuffing, whole cranberry sauce and mayo. Both very good, but I am all turkey-ed out.
Many blogger pals, and even cousins at the wedding last night have decorated their homes already. I still think it’s a little early for me, plus I need to take Autumn stuff down. I may start with a festive wreath to replace Mister Turkey wreath who is still hanging up! It was really too lousy of a day here to do anything outside.
I’ve been having fun trading ‘skinny cards’, which are 3″ x 5″ with artists on a Flickr group. I have had American lady swappers, but I’ve also traded with two Finnish ladies. Almost everyone sends me papers, stickers or ribbons too and I learned to send some to them too. I’ve always loved getting mail, so this is great. What’s also neat is someone who looks at my skinnies or ATCs in my photos and asks if they can trade with me just because they like what I’ve made.
Here’s the latest one I am sending to Tarja in Finland:
Peace on Earth Skinny Vaihto

Another paper artist friend shared this little girl image and many others with us on Flickr.

I need to work on my Christmas card this week. I have a great idea in mind and hope it turns out. I then will get color copies made into cards so I don’t use all my printer’s ink. I did this last year, but didn’t make a stand-up card-I will try to this year.

Have a great cyber Monday. I may  browse around a bit on Amazon for Sean’s gifts.
Update-About 15 minutes after I wrote this I picked the cat up to put him down the basement and aggravated a muscle pull that I somehow had gotten, I think on Friday. Well I tried to go to sleep and it was bugging me as it was in the chest area. I had Bri awake too. Finally I put my bra on under my nightie and stuffed it with tissue where it was aching (stop laughing) and it helped! I was thinking the worst for myself. Having Lyme Disease means it’s so easy to get aches and pains. Now I have an ache on the left side, so I guess it moved. I guess so much being on my feet lately did me in. I did toss some laundry in though. I want to decorate!

siggie

Nov30

Sunday’s I Recommend vol. #5

Posted on by
Standard

Welcome to the fifth edition of ‘I recommend’. As the name implies, this is a share to recommend just about anything you like or have tried. It can be a book, drink, food, movie, music CD-anything. Mister Linky will open to another page (that’s how it works on WordPress). Please add your link there and don’t forget to leave me a comment here.

I thought I’d recommend some online shopping places. Over the last few years, I found it easier to shop online. Not to say I don’t go to a few of my favorite stores (TJ*Maxx, Home*Goods, Wally World), but I do not like to have to stand in long lines. It helps that I don’t buy for a ton of people. I find that doing a search on Google is great too. I believe there is a Google shopper where you can bookmark interesting finds.

My favorite place by far is Amazon.com. Sean and I both have wishlists there. Amazon isn’t just books, it’s clothing, appliances, etc. I like that you can find a book you like and have the option to buy it from an Amazon associate if it is gently used (or even new) at a lower price. I just went on there and bought my mom a few paperdoll books for her collection.

I also like Overstock.com. I believe during this season, they have free shipping or very low shipping. Sean is getting PlayStation 4 as a gift to himself (his grandfather gives him money) and is getting a lower priced, refurbished model. I had an Entertainment.com coupon (I get the coupon book for this area each year and it includes .coms and stores also), so he saved another 10%. I think he is saving close to $100 buying it there. Not bad.

I like Dover Publications-a book site-where they sell amazing books on just about anything from paperdolls to cliparts. I utilize their Friday freebies. You sign up and can get a sampling of their books each Friday. I have an huge folder of them for my artwork.

There’s always eBay, Cafepress, Imagekind, Current and the various stores online. I ordered both my mom’s camera and printer and Sean’s camera last year from Wally World. They were last minute thoughts and thank goodness they came in time.

Happy Shopping!

siggie



It’s your turn:

Nov30

John & Stefanie’s Wedding-Nov. 28, 2008

Posted on by
Standard

John & Stefanie's Wedding-Nov. 28, 2008
We had a nice evening, though eating dinner at around 9 was late, but we had delicious appetizers too. The actual ceremony was just the bride and groom reading their own vows to each other-very sweet. We sat with the groom’s three children, a bit younger than Sean. They were very nice, but the youngest girl was emotional seeing her dad remarry. The Faunbrook is really a lovely bed and breakfast. It was nice to see Bri’s family.

siggie

Nov29

Photo Hunt- Metal

Posted on by
Standard
PSHunt

Look really close here-you will see this represents the head of a horse. This was taken at the Philly Flower Show this past March. I like the different elements used like the phone dial for the eye and feathers for the mane.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I finally ordered an Amazon Kindle-but I waited too long at it takes 11-13 weeks for it to arrive. I saved up over half of what I needed. I think watching Martha Stewart ogle over it again on the site’s video was the turning point.

Update-Zoey asked what the benefits of this are-you can upload books, newspapers and blogs here without an internet connection. You pay $9.99, but you can have the book forever in electronic form.

Here’s their description of it:

We designed Kindle to provide an exceptional reading experience. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time.

We wanted Kindle to be completely mobile and simple to use for everyone, so we made it wireless. No PC and no syncing needed. Using the same 3G network as advanced cell phones, we deliver your content using our own wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never need to locate a hotspot. There are no confusing service plans, yearly contracts, or monthly wireless bills—we take care of the hassles so you can just read.

kindle

Places like e*Bay are trying to cash in on the high demand for these. I am seeing them trying to sell for double or more of what I am paying. I’d rather wait. Geez.

siggie

Nov27

Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on by
Standard

thanksgiving

The above is a desktop I made a few years ago. If you click on it it will be bigger and you can add it to your computer.

I have a big dinner to get together and need to put the turkey in to roast by 11:30 or so as it says it takes at least 5 hours to cook all the way. My oven is pretty efficient, but I hope it’s thawed out well. I do use the Reynold’s cooking bags that help to keep the moisture in.

I hope everyone takes photos of their meals. I wish we thought to do that years ago at mom’s-especially when my brother made the turkey dance. : )

Have a great one!

siggie

Nov26

On her way

Posted on by
Standard

Just a quick post to let you know Sean has gone to get his grandmom and is bringing her here for a few days. She had a scare this morning with pain in her right eye and called me briefly, not giving me too much info, thus scaring me a bit. She called later to say she has an infection behind her new implant in her eye. She had some drops, but the doctor gave her other ones.
Trying to get things done like running to the produce place and baking pies (I didn’t make them from scratch). I wanted to try a few new veggie recipes, but the place was out of Brussel Sprouts. I drove by the grocery store and saw the parking lot and thought fresh green beans would work fine. And on top of all this, I have a groin pull from sitting on the floor wrapping that humongous vase! It’s better, but I was hurting everytime I opened the oven to look at the pies. I got Mincemeat for the men (Bri’s dad loves it-ick) and pumpkin. No Cool Whip either.
Looks like pizza for dinner. ; )
I hope your Thankgiving Eve is going well.

siggie

Nov26

Plugging away

Posted on by
Standard

Seems like I’m moving in slow motion today (Tuesday). All I managed to do was clear off the coffee table in the family room and move some stuff around in the basement trying to find a box for the below named gift. The box I found was not that great, but I added some stickers and pretty gray pearl tissue paper to it inside-much better. I did make a spaghetti dinner and some banana chocolate chip coffeecake (pictured below). My main thing tonight was watching the finale of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ (I won’t say who won for west coast readers). That is one awesome show to watch in HD. I sat and went through the Lakeside.com huge Christmas catalog and ordered about 19 things, a few things for most of the people on my list (and me to save Bri). I did order these to split up with mom. I have to hop over to Amazon (probably on Friday) and order a few things for Sean. I will then hit Wally World and Tuesday Morning and call it a holi’day’-hopefully. : )
No word from mom yet. I so hate disagreements!

siggie

Nov25

Shopping and a stitching finish

Posted on by
Standard

I’m posting late as I just did finish my swan and waterlily cross stitch piece. I believe I started it around 13 years ago. It wasn’t an easy stitch, but it was on 14 count aida (before I started stitching on other nicer fabric). I think it turned out pretty. It came with a frame too! I have the chart up for grabs for anyone who would like it!

Also had to go shopping for a wedding gift for Saturday. We decided that a $25 gift card was too cheap and a $50 one was too much. I got a German made lead crystal vase at a price somewhat in between price. I plan to add a little note  to remind the groom that he should always remember their late November nuptials with a big bouquet of gorgeous blooms. Glad I found something.

I did buy a few Christmas gifts too. I bought my niece, Bri and my mom things. Sean bought a few gifts at Wally World tonight. This year we aren’t going overboard because we don’t really need anything. We are planning on concentrating on the decorations and food. : )

Had a phone spat with my mom and she hung up on me. She bought her new eyeglasses at the eye doctor’s office and in my opinion was terribly overcharged for them. I was going to take her to one of the stores I’ve used in the past. My new eyeglasses are from Wally World and I just got a compliment on them. I think I paid half of what she did. She’s talking about having her friend Jim move back in. That would infuriate my brothers even more. I know it’s her house, but the situation was not good when he lived there as he is a messy person. I swear it’s always something.

Swan and Waterlilies Cross stitched piece

Thanks to my friend Carole over at Pea’s Corner for the lovely birthday gifts-a cute basket for bread or muffin with a red cloth and bells that says ‘Jingle All the Way’, a miniature coffee cup candle, Christmas themed cheese spreaders and some yummy soap. I plan to make muffins out of a gazillion bananas I have, so I will show you the goodies later.

siggie