Cooking with 3rd Graders

(grrrr.....don't know what I hit...but I was almost done with my post and POOF!! It's gone! Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to know how much frustration I'm willing to go through just to give you some eye candy!! Aren't I just the greatest?! BWHHAAAAA!!)

Ok...enough jabbering, on with the goodies!!

The second week of October was the birthday of my son's 3rd grade teacher. On the fact list that was given to me (because somehow I ended up being room mom by default, i.e., no one else volunteered to to do!) the teacher listed her interests as 1) Grandchildren 2) Cooking 3) Crafts. This got my ol' brain turning. Hmmmm.....what could be better than kids coming up with their favorite recipes to share with a grandma wanting to cook for her grandkids? And, if it was put together in a cookbook to treasure forever, all the better!! So I snuck home a note along with some pre cut recipe cards (that would fit the size of book I had in mind) asking the kids to write down one or two of their favorite recipes and to decorate the cards if they wished. Luckily, there are on 11 kids in the class so it wasn't a huge chore to call everyone and make sure we had 100% participation! Here is the outside of the cookbook:


I pulled out my SU set of Voila and stamped the chef on Gina K's 120# pure luxury white. He was then highlighted and colored with my Copic Ciaos. I cut and adhered the checkerboard patterned paper to some chipboard. I then cut out the chef and layed him on the DP. OH! MY POOR EYES!! Yikes!! That DP was just waaay too busy!! So I cut a piece of SU textured white cardstock, leaving just a small border of the checkerboard. Ahhhh!! Much better!! The title was cut using Real Red cs and my Cuttlebug/Olivia word set (originally, I had cut out "Cooking With 3rd Grade". Uhhhh....too big for the cover! Had to modify the title!). I then used self laminating sheets to protect the front and back covers (the back cover is just the checkerboard dp over more chipboard). The inside recipes were also laminated to protect the kids art forever. A couple of examples for you:



I then used my Bind it All and put the whole thing together using red binding. I think it turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself. It is kind of funny how some of the kids wrote their recipes~when you flip them, they are "upside down". And I love their handwriting (for the most part, there were a couple that the parents did) and how they chose to decorate their cards.

OH! For those of you who might care~the book is 6" in length x 5" in width. I wanted to give the kids more room to write out their recipes if needed.

Wellll....I will have another post for you tomorrow. While I had considered sharing more today, I decided that I owe you some steady eye candy spread out over a few days vs a stomach ache from too much all at once!! Aren't I just the most considerate blogger ever?! BWHHAAAA!!

With that being said~Thanks so much for dropping by! For those of you who will be hitting the streets in search of goodies, have a SAFE Halloween! I think we will be heading out to the church's Fall Festival. My oldest has never been real fond of Halloween (hates the "scary" costumes. When he was younger I would explain it was just someone like him dressing up. He would tell me "My head knows that, but my heart forgets when I see them!"). My youngest (age 9) informed me that "he and his brother were really too old to trick or treat". When I asked him why, he told me that he really didn't "get" the purpose of Halloween. "All you do is go door to door begging for candy that isn't good for you. What's the point?" How do you fight THAT logic?!

Have a SAFE one and we'll chat again tomorrow!

Spiraling......

.....out of control!

Howdy folks!! Like that post of my project on Monday? Whaaat? You missed it? Oh, maybe that is because it is still sitting on my desk waiting to be photographed!! As the young girls at work would say, OMG!! My life has just been crazy since we got back from our bike trip down the coast!! (Notice that I haven't even uploaded THOSE pictures!!) I got called into work for this week and we have been playing catch up at school for the things we missed (as our poor scheduling put the boys out of school at the end of the quarter...YIKES!!)

Since I'm about to be named Flakiest Blogger of the Year, I'll just promise this: Some projects are coming...cross your fingers for the weekend!!

Got Run Over by the Wagon

WARNING: That nice lovely cold that was starting to enter my body has turned into a big ol' MEAN and NASTY cold. I feel for those who are getting hit by the flu. If I feel this icky, I can't imagine how they must feel.

So why am I sharing this? Because there will be no other projects shared this week. I don't have the energy or inclination to try and photograph the projects and I am suppose to get on a plane in a couple of hours. Lucky for you, I've done an excellant job of preparing you for the lack of posts!!(aren't I the considerate one? I just knew this was going to happen and thought that I would break you in over the last several months!! haha) I WILL have something for you to look at when I return on Monday.


Have a safe and germ free week. Wash your hands more time than you think you should. And most importantly, learn to say NO when people ask you to work on another project when you really don't have time for it! Your body will thank you!! hehe

Going to the Circus

What does this mess have to do with paper crafting?

Our school's fall fair is this coming weekend. The last couple of years the "planning" committee has picked a theme. This years theme: Under the Big Top (or something like that...too tired to go look! ) Each class has a booth or activity that they use to raise $$ for their classroom. Now in all honesty, I feel that this is a HUGE hassle and it usually doesn't make much $$ (more likely, COSTS $$) but supposedly it is fun (can you tell that I'm just worn out?!!). The booths are about 38 inches high (for the table top....doesn't count the "frame" and 8 ft long. Somehow, I managed to open my mouth and say that I would help decorate the 3rd grade booth (we will be gone for the fair....how do I get myself in these messes?!! ANYWOOOS!!! This small portion of mess was used to create this:

This was terribly hard to get a decent photograph of. These guys are on a cardboard panel (that's paper, right?! hehe) that is 8 feet long and 46 inches high. They are to be the front of the booth that will have a circus theme valance and "tent" drapes off each side (like they are coming out of the backstage for the show). I had to draw and paint this with the cardboard leaning against the storage cupboards in our garage. I probably....no...I SPENT waaaaay too much time on this as it will just be thrown away. But somehow, I have forgotten how to just throw on color vs adding all this shading and details (like....the wasted "metallic paint for the motorcycle, that IRL barley shows shine!! grrrrr!!! or the added pom-poms to the hat or the Pretties Kit flower on the blue top hat!) I still need to cut out the green hat and attach it with a paint stick and lots of tape!! I'm hoping that one of the mom's will take a picture of the completed booth so that I can share the "CLOSING" act at a later date. But it is FINALLY done. That is all I care about at this point!!

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On a personal note: We leave tomorrow afternoon for our bike trip down the coast of California. Now, I am really not in shape for this but was looking forward to it. Until yesterday. It would seem that in my over scheduling of myself this past week that I have worn out my poor ol' body to the point of waking up with the start of a lovely cold. I don't know how that is going to affect me on riding on average 60 miles a day for the next 5 days. Luckily, I can always drive the sag vehicle....but that doesn't sound like much fun either. Oh well!! Such is my life!!

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On another note: Can someone tell me how to do a prepost in blogger? I have some more projects to share (I told you I had over scheduled myself!!) and could spread them out over the week we are gone. Or, I can just post one again tomorrow and the rest will just have to wait until I get back (sadly, you all are used to the lack of posts!!)

I'm off to cut off the head of the clown!! BWHWHAAAA (personally, I find clowns kinda creepy!) Thanks for dropping by and I'll be back!!

Thanks for dropping by today!

Sorrow in Fall

Earlier this week I found out that a friend's brother decided that he could no longer face this life. I'm telling you this because I had a long discussion with *K and her feelings about this. She is a high school teacher and was wondering what she should tell her students (since they know that she lost her brother). We discussed talking about his mental outlook and how he could not see an alternative outcome when there were sooo many other options that he could have chosen (obviously, she would omit any "details"). I told her that I felt she should discuss this, his feelings, her feelings (including the anger) and the repercussions of his decision. That deep of a depression is something that most of us cannot fathom. But it exists. And so often young people (especially teens) face this, but are "brushed off" as being "moody" or are labeled as "just going through a rough time". I feel that if ONE person facing this type of mental battle, even 10~ 15 years down the road, can remember that a teacher shared her feelings and wishes that her brother had reached out for help just ONE (more) time, then maybe it will save THEIR life.

Sorry to have such heavy thoughts starting out the week! But, obviously, sorrow exists in this life and sometimes requires a special thought from us. So, here is the card that I made yesterday (on rather short notice as I decided to hand deliver vs. send it in the mail).

(Once again, I will apologize for the EXCELLENT photography of this card. Since the "creator" procrastinated until the last minute in making the card, the "photographer" was not able to re-take shots once the "proofs" were viewed on a larger scale on the computer screen)

I FINALLY broke down and bought a "sympathy" set. I have been wanting to make one of these tri shutter fold cards since it was a challenge on SCS. I went to the resources page and found the directions here. I have had this retired vellum from SU for about 3-4 years!! I wanted to use it as I LOVE the paper and I felt the leaves repeated the main image theme. I pulled out some wonderful dark metallic brown/copper paper, also retired from SU and managed to ruin one 12x 12 sheet by first making my slit wrong (I probably could have made it work, but that time crunch thing!!) and then scoring incorrectly (the Scor-Pal is wonderful...but if someone is rushing and scores incorrectly, it won't fix it! hehe) I then proceeded to stamp and emboss the main image using Encore copper metallic ink and copper embossing powder. I used my Spellbinders nestie ovals to cut out and emboss the main image (mind you, the above process was NOT a one shot deal. This took me at least 5 times to get right... I managed to rock the stamp a couple of times, ruined my embossing and cut/embossed the image crooked. Why is it what when you have a timer ticking, EVERYTHING goes wrong?!!). The vellum DP was layered over a small whisper white mat using vellum tape. The little scalloped edges on the two long panels have some piercing. The sentiment was also stamped and embossed using the copper ink and embossing powder and cut/embossed using one of my square nesties. I'm really bummed that the little details like the sparkle of the main background paper and the embossing details didn't show up in the photos. Oh well. Maybe someday I'll learn to get these things done in a timely manner so that I can take the proper time to photograph! (bwhhaaaa!! I crack myself up! That is SOOO likely to never happen!)

All in all I'd give this a personal rating of **** out of ***** stars. I like the clean and simple look, and IRL, the sparkle, and little details. And I gave myself an extra star for just getting it done! (wink!!)

This is one project of the three that are being worked on. Off to finish project number 2!!

Thanks for dropping by. And remember~~listen to your loved ones and friends. Take seriously the troubles they share as they may be reaching for help. And give them a hug. Each day is precious!!

Projects, Secrets, Updates

HOLY MOLY!! Are things ever hoppin' over here in my little corner of the world!! I have THREE (yes, count them! 1--2--3!!!) projects that I am working on!! One is a group project involving children (yeah....I know~~WHAT was I thinking?!! (wink). One is a sympathy project that I just found out about yesterday (hoping I'll get that one done today) and the last is a HUGE project that will involve a space of 48" x 96". That one needs to be done by next week (guess what I'll be doing with my weekend?!!)


Secrets......got a good one, but can't share yet (don't you just hate when people do that?!! Me too!! BWHHAAAAAAA)

Updates: Just got an e-mail saying my units from Organize More are shipped!! (insert happy dance here_______). Of course, this means that I will no longer be able to procrastinate in finishing this room. Sigh (hehe).

What else? Family ramblings: will be hitting the beach path on our bikes tomorrow. Now, our family has done this ride MANY times. But this will be the first time that my oldest son will ride his OWN bike (25 miles!). He has progressed from a tag-a-long (basically, a bike that attaches to another bike. Great for younger kids as they don't have to pedal if they get tired), to riding as stoker on the tandem. (sniff, sniff) My baby is growing up! The youngest is now big enough to have replaced me as stoker on the tandem (which he just LOVES to inform me that daddy says that he figured out the starting pedal position quicker than mommy!). As for me? Hoping to get in 50 miles tomorrow. We'll see. Have some legalistics (wondering if I used that word correctly? Probably not!) to work out on that one.

Ok....I'm off and running!! I hope that you will tune back in for a look at all the goodies that I'm working on. And~~HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

?Sinking?

Are you all sitting down? Because I'm about to share a CARD!!! I actually finished this card on TUESDAY. Since I am just now finding the time to sit down and post it, that will give you a little hint as to how my week has been!!

Wednesday was the last work day for one of the office girls. She is expecting her second child and is going to become a full time mom. So, the office took her out to lunch for a kind of baby shower/good bye.



This is the card that was made:



I had bought this stamp ages ago from Rubbernecker with the idea floating (haha....) in my head to use it with a stair step fold. Now~~~in my ever creative head, the idea was that this little boat would be in the ocean looking just as cute as could be. But once again, the idea in my head and the reality that came to be were vastly different. Somehow, I had this image as being somewhat smaller (or perhaps, the ocean larger?!!). I don't know. This card lacks the "WOW" that I had hoped for. I'm sure the struggles I've been experiencing getting the wonderful ideas that are in my head to creation have NOTHING to do with the fact that my stamping/creating time is so rare of late.

ANYWHOOS!! It is what it is and there is nothing I can do about it now!
So~~The creative deets: I stamped the image using Black Stazon on some unknown white paper (the stuff one finds when one cleans!!). I pulled out my favorite coloring medium of late (COPICS!!) and spent an evening debating which browns to use, hehe. After cutting out the centers of the front shapes and deciding that I didn't like that look, I backed them with some textured creamy caramel cs. I then searched for something to put in that area. AHHA!! Lightening struck and I pulled out my trajan monogram alphabet set and the mixed messages set from Papertrey Ink. Perfect fit! (wellllll....almost. The middle initial for the baby to be was to large for the center heart space. So that is where the mixed messages set came in to rescue!)

The ocean was done with t!m Holtz's/Ranger alcohol inks in denim, stream and bottle with a touch of pearl on a transparency sheet. I went over the 8 1/2" x 11 sheet two or three times until I got the look I was wanting. My first thought was to have the colored transparency be the ocean by itself. But it just lacked the pop that I was searching for. So I pulled out some SU Cool Caribbean paper and found my old Wave borderline template from Creative Memories and started cutting the waves to fit over the stair step fold base (which was also made using cool Caribbean). I deliberately made the solid wave a tad larger than the transparency so that the wave had a bit of of "blue (vs a white) cap". The main image was then cut out and adhered over some more textured creamy caramel. The paper that the image was stamped on was thicker than SU's whisper white but still bled when colored with the copics (NEED to place an order for some more pure luxury from Gina K....the BEST paper for coloring with copics, IMO!!) and then cut out again and attached using Stampin' dimensionals.

Now the portion that I find lacking in the creation of this card. The embellishments. By the time this card was done late Tuesday night, I just could not come up with a proper embellishment. Ribbon in the ocean? Didn't seem to work in my mind. Some type of welcome baby tag, when I'd had already stated "welcome" and "little one"? Kind of redundant. So I left it alone for the evening hoping that lightening would strike twice. In the morning, my youngest DS suggested that I draw dolphins jumping out of the waves (which might have been adorable, but not happening with my schedule that morning!!). So. Three eyelets placed. And they might be the holes that sank the ship. I don't know. Just didn't float my boat (wondering how many bad puns I can insert at this point!!).

Again~~it is what it is. Personal rating: Not going there. I personally don't care for the card. It was given away and I'm trying not to cringe. It's not that it was a baaad card....just not what I would have liked it to be.

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More organization rambling if you care. If not....Thanks for dropping by!!

Spent a wasted morning going to Lowes, another Home Depot and in desperation~a Kmart looking for solid shelves for my organizer that I'm recycling. It would appear that this particular brand now only makes the wire shelving (unless I want to buy a whole new base. Which I don't) for these organizers now. I would use the wire shelving (have some already) but I have found that they tend to bend easier under weight. And some of the smaller stuff falls through. So, DH has volunteered to make me shelves. Sigh. Sooooo. Don't know when THAT will get done.
I DID get my stack n store and more paper organizers from SU. Now to transfer that stuff over.

I am now hoping that by Christmas this mess is cleaned up. And I'm also not holding my breath!!

THANKS for stopping by again!! I'm off to find the desk top (only cleared a 4x 5" space to make the above card, hehe!). I have a bigger project that I need to work on this week and NEED all the desk space cleared!