I don't know why I'm on a card run....

but I am. These are variations on a color, basically.

I made the grey card at Stampalooza, hosted by Heather who is my TAC Angel. I liked the paisley set, so I bought it (along with the file folder coluzzle) and I'm glad I did. Using stock on hand (those stamps and coluzzle were purchased in January or February), I was able to make something really close to the original, and with a variety of colors!

For my cards: the paisley and small flower stamps are TAC (The Angel Company), ink is Stampin' Up!, flowers are Prima. The #4 is actually a # sign which I masked to make a 4 (I guess this means I really need a number set or two!) and the word "you" is from Hobby Lobby. The white cardstock is Stampin' Up. That's it!!!

Grey (original card) & Cranberry


Lilac and Rose pink



Marigold and Caribbean

Beautiful Day...

Today was just PHENOMENAL as far as weather was concerned! Scott left early for his midwest tour with the band, and the kids and I were going to kick back all day and do nothing...nada, zilch. But I got the paper and started reading the flyers. Well, Aldi had a GREAT price on a "High Speed DVD Maker" which is used to make old video tapes into DVD's. Scott's been searching the net for prices on these and they were just AWFUL. But Aldi came through with a kit for $39.99. You can hook up your VCR to your computer and copy the movies, then convert them to the appropriate format to create DVD's. Oh YEAH! I'm going to wait, as much as I want to play with it now. I think Scott's going to have fun with it, so I'll leave it for him to play with.

After we left Aldi, we headed to Walmart; I was looking for a cute hat to wear. I got the haircut from HADES on Friday, and until it grows to a respectable length, i.e. long enough that it doesn't SPIKE on top, I will have a hat on in public. Of course, there were nothing but baseball caps and tennis visors. I HAVE a baseball cap...I was hoping for something cute. Oh, well...I'll hit Target tomorrow, and hope for better luck. So, we were wandering around Walmart, and of course we found the new Peter Pan DVD that was released. Wally's had the special pack, which not only included the remastered PP DVD (2 disc, platinum edition, lol) but had Return To Neverland as well. For only $3 more than the PP DVD alone. So we got it, even though we have a PP DVD already (thanks again, auntie Sue). Can't hurt to have TWO of them, right?

On to the toy department to see what's new in the Tinkerbell and fairies aisle. At the end of the aisle is the summer toys - and BUBBLES. GAZILLION BUBBLES. WITH GAZILLION BUBBLES MEGA GUN. I got two of them, and a HUGE Gazillion Bubbles refill. And sidewalk chalk. On to the clothing department, so I could find some cute shirts for summer (FOR ME). Nothing I like there. So it's checkout time. As I check out, I realize that I didn't buy a single thing for me, and that was the SOLE reason we went there!!!

Headed home...and then after lunch, I let the kids go play outside. Now, that means I have to be there too, since we don't have a yard where they can play safely. I set up their bubble blowers and they headed across the circle to get our neighbor boys to come out and play (we have NO young girls other than Hannah - 3 other girls, 2 are babies, one is 14). Will and Tre came out to play shortly after. They had a blast with the bubble blowers. While this was going on, I pulled the mats out of the van, vacuumed and then shampooed them (the sun dried them in less than an hour!). By this time, the kids were getting bored with the bubbles...so they came and made chalk drawings. Then took out the bikes to ride around a bit.

Since they were still occupied, I decided to make something I was supposed to do for Christmas for the kids in the neighborhood. We'd (Hannah and I) seen these at a craft fair, and I decided they would be SO easy and fun. I got some packages of foam pipe insulation (about 2 inches diameter and 2 1/2-3 feet longs) and some "fun foam" crafting foam. I cut a 4" length of fun foam, and on each end, about 2 inches in, I cut an X with scissors (fold over the foam to make it easier). Then I threaded them onto the foam tubes. INSTANT PLAY SWORDS! They're not dangerous like sticks (to which my kids gravitate) and they're fun! Here's Hannah and Will (I think she's got a crush on him, honestly! He's a cute kid!) with their swords, play fighting.



(Suzanne, right above Scotty's head is that oak tree we were talking about - ain't it a BEAUT????)

And of course, if you're outside for any length of time with bubbles, sun, dirt, running, etc...you're bound to get a bit dirty. Well, Scotty is no exeption. He is THE definition of boy: a noise with dirt on it!

See the dirt on his cheek? Well, 5 minutes later, he looked liked he'd been bathing in the mud puddles! Took me several minutes to clean his face, and his hands were another story. The clothing? Well, suffice it to say that my Spray N Wash bottle will be empty by the time we're done.

All in all, a gorgeous day, with good company (Will's mom Lori came out to hang with me), and the kids had fun playing everything from Limbo and Snake to Pirates and bubbles....and I got a bit of sun (well, my nose says MORE sun than I needed - I FORGOT I'm on antibiotics for my kidney infection...OOPS!)