Iowa county fair

This year I decided to enter some items in the community section of the county fair. I took two pictures and two scrapbook pages that were judged together. I was pretty happy with my results considering I've never had anything judged.



The red matted picture of Buddie had a comment of "nicely presented Blue". At first I wasn't going to enter this picture because he had the doggie hollow eye but I love the pic. I'm glad the judges could see past that.

The ornament picture had a comment of "no center of interest red". Whatever I love the picture and will enjoy having it on my wall during the holiday season.

The scrapbook pages had a comment of "good craftsmanship well done Blue" I think these were the only scrapbook pages entered so the comment made me happy. Plus I had 2 things that were cut over both pages.

All in all it was an interesting experience. Next year I will be more particular about the pictures I take if I take any. I really want a pink ribbon so I need to research what's needed to get that. Hopefully I can plan ahead. =)

Forget Stella, Martha got her groove back...

I'm feeling a bit like Momma Bear from Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  This morning when I went into the craft room and started working, I discovered many of my assorted adhesives were bone dry.  Hmmm, I haven't made anything in a long time, how could that be?  Oh yes, my birthday last week...and I received many beautiful handmade cards from my family.  Oh well:  twas for a good cause (and like any good crafter, I had refills handy...the men just don't know how to change an empty roll.  See, you thought that just happened in the bathroom.  Nope, it happens everywhere!)

This first card is one I was "hired" to make.  That's something I've started to do for friends:  they need a specialty card?  They ask me and I make one.  I've not decided how to charge for this.  So far, we've been working on a bartering economy and it seems to be working just fine.  Buzz is apparently entering the battle of his life:  cancer.  ENOUGH I say, enough with this blasted disease!
These cards are creations of my own challenge.  I decided rather than put away the supplies that were sitting in my scrap basket of leftovers, I would just use what was there.  Most, if not all, were from a CTMH set called Perfect Day.  The base colors are pastel and a bit too "blah" for my own personal preferences (I prefer more of the earthy tones).  But I do like how they turned out.



Oh no, the children have found me...I guess that's it for today.  But just like Arnold, I'll be BAAAAAACK I promise!  

Practical Scrappers new blog

I found a link to this on a friends blog and it fits in with what Martha and I are trying to accomplish - scrapping your stash. We've both been sidetracked this summer but I have a feeling we're going to come on strong when fall hits.

I look forward to following the Practical Scrappers blog and being challenged to use the supplies I already have.

~ Karen

Christmas Planner

It's Christmas in July! Can you believe in 5 short months it will be Christmas?

In 2007 I heard a great idea....making a christmas planner. A way to organize and consolidate my all of my notes and ideas on Christmas. And to organize all of my totes full of decorations. I'm not at liberty to disclose the amount of decorations stored in my garage and basement but there are more than 5 boxes. ;)

I've been revising what my binder contains and I think I finally have my perfect solution.





I have the following tabs:
0) Index


1) Calendar and to do list - this is where I'll have my plan for decorating and everything going on in the holiday months.

2) Advice & Tips - all of the articles on great stocking stuffers and how to re leave holiday stress, etc. etc. etc.

3) Debriefing - each year I answer a set of questions - what went right, what needs to change or be improved, did I feel comfortable with my gift giving, what would I change. That kind of thing - I think it will be fun to look back over this.


4) Crafts - because I always have lots of grand ideas on holiday gifts. =)


5) Recipes & Baking - all of my favorite holiday recipes - some are duplicates from my recipe box and it makes planning much easier. Hmmm, I just realized I need to make a yearly summary area so I can track what we Loved, Liked or want to skip. (I so want to get the CTMH stamp set with the coffee cup ring just so I can add it to this page.)


6) Holiday Favorites - lists of some of our favorite things about the holidays. Events, movies, music.

7) Holiday Collections - Need to get my lists of all my different ornament collections in here.

8) Past Christmas Cards - an image of the cards we've sent in the prior year. I don't like to send out the same thing each year.

9) Christmas Card List - who we've sent cards to and received cards from. With addresses.

10) Card Ideas - notes on what I want to do for cards.

11) Past Decorating - pictures and descriptions of how I've decorated in the past.

12) Decorating ideas - I love pulling ideas for decorating my house. This is a list of my current favorites and things I'd like to try this year.

13) Decor Inventory - My master list of all of my different totes and boxes. Their color, label and what is in the box. I've tried to organize all of my christmas decs by room so that I can decorate a room at a time. It mostly works.

14) My Wish List - All of the wish lists - mine and the families.

15) Gift Ideas - my list of ideas and a tracker for what's needed.

16) Gift Inventory - list of all the stuff I have packed away for gifts.

17) Receipts - all the receipts for this year incase of returns.

18) Wrapping - How to pack things for shipping, decorative wrapping ideas, etc.

19) New Years - our list of new years resolutions.

20) Master Lists - copies of all the forms I've gathered for this book.


Wow that's a lot of stuff.

I love that this is a working binder, a scrapbook and an idea book. And I look forward to looking back over this each year. I hope that some day we have children and can use this to make our own traditions and keep track of everything.

Looking back this was the start of my use your stash challenge. I was determined to create this using some of the christmas scrapbook papers and stamps that I'd collected and never used. I love the simplicity and homespun feel.

cake, again.

Last week I had my final cake 3 class and we learned how to stack cakes. The teacher told us we could do what ever we wanted.

Here is my cake:


I was very happy with how it turned out.

Next up is class two and learning how to make more flowers....

We interupt this challenge...

to pause for Summer Break.

I didn't intend to take time off this summer...but I'm finding myself pulled in other directions. Directions I want to be pulled so it is all good (hello: nothing says summer quite like a good book, a cold glass of lemonade, sitting in a comfy chair and watching the clouds pass by).

I hope to return to my crafty ways in early August.

But until then...see what's happening over on the Family Blog.

Got Cake?

We do!

Finished Course 1 a few weeks ago and this was my final cake - Loved making Wilton Roses once I figured out how to hold the tip.



Now we're on to Course 3, I'll take course 2 next.

This class introduced me to fondant - not so sure I like working with it but mine turned out awesome. The teacher was shocked at how well I did.

So without further ado I present my present



And this is why my scrapbooking and card making has been on a decline.

Anyone want to place an order?