Today is Sunday

For those of you who are wondering, except for our power being out all afternoon, I enjoyed my Saturday on Friday.  My Saturday on Saturday was even better, though.  Lisa and Bill and the girls came over for corned beef and cabbage dinner, which to our collective surprise was delicious.  I usually only make corned beef once a year because throwing an entire meal in a pot of boiling water is not my favorite cooking method.  This time, though, I decided to try something a little different.  I cooked the meat in my slow cooker all by itself.  Instead of boiled cabbage and potatoes, I made Polish fried cabbage and noodles.  I steamed the carrots separately so that they would still taste like carrots, and since I was on a roll, I made some Irish soda bread, too.  What a fantastic meal!  I will never, ever make a boiled dinner ever again, and I just might make corned beef more than once a year now.

The dinner I made yesterday is pretty exciting stuff to be sure, but here's the real subject of today's post.  Are you ready for this?  That photo you're admiring is a picture of an actual pair of socks knitted by my own two hands to fit my own two big feet.  No kidding!  I finally overcame what I thought was an incurable case of Second Sock Syndrome!  This is truly cause for celebration.  Maybe I'll declare another Saturday.

Thanks for stopping by, and whatever day it is where you are, have a great one!

Really? It's only Friday?

I've been thinking all morning that today is Saturday.  I've been telling my brain all morning that it's not Saturday; it's Friday, but apparently my brain wants it to be Saturday.  I suppose I have no choice but to just go with the flow.

Fortunately, I did convince my brain that it is Friday long enough to get my Friday posting up for the TJ Design Junkies blog.  I used a technique from 2007 called Cottoned Color for my card along with a digital stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  I printed my image on Solar White Neenah Classic Crest and colored it with Copic markers.  The layout is from this week's Card Positioning Systems sketch, CPS #206.

Thanks for stopping by, and you all have a happy Friday.  I'll be enjoying my Saturday.

New stamps in da house!

Starving Artistamps has a brand new collection designed by Nina Aaslund--Antidepresstamps Royalty!  Can you say cute?

I used the adorable court jester stamp to make this Valentine for my hubby.  He's probably going to say that I'm a fool all the time, not just for him, but we won't go there right now, OK?  

I did my coloring on this one with Copic markers and pulled my colors from the Basic Grey Green at Heart papers.  The gold frame is a Technique Junkies technique called Hammered Hardware and see that ribbon?  It's from a Coldwater Creek shopping bag!  My layout is a challenge sketch from Splitcoast Stampers, and my colors and theme fit today's Free for All Challenge over there as well.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Just one more to go!

I finished the Paint and Mix Color unit of the Draw and Paint in Your Pyjamas course leaving me with just one more unit to go before I can claim my certificate.  The final unit is Compose Original Art, and I'm so excited to finally be here.  It will be a proud moment when I get my certificate, but at this moment, right here, right now, I feel like I've reached a destination.  This is what I came here to learn.  I'm finally here! 

This was my final project for Unit 2, a copy of Cindy Wider's "The Holiday Makers".  In the dead of winter, it was fun to work with Cindy's bright, tropical colors...it truly did feel a bit like being on holiday.

Thanks for stopping by my studio today.  Happy Friday!

Emboss or Die Sneak Peek Blog Hop

Welcome to the Technique Junkie Newsletter Design Team sneak peek blog hop! We're celebrating the launch of the NEW TJ Emboss or Die CD!  This Cd has 79 pdf tutorials with ideas for getting the most from your Embossing Folders, Die Cut Machines and Electronic Cutters.  The tutorials are in step-by-step format with pictures for each step and include fabulous artwork examples from the TJ Design Team. The CD is $17.95, and you can order yours here from my sidebar or from the Technique Junkies site. Pre-orders are being taken today, and the CD will be mailed the first week of March.

This card uses one of the techniques on the CD: Kissed Folder.

Okay now you are in for a real treat! This sneak peek blog hop is in a different format than what you might be used to. All you have to do is click on one of the pictures below to be taken to any of the team's blog and to view their work -- and the thumbnails are on everyone's blogs, so you can hop around anywhere all you like! Note: all of the entries from the Design Team will be up by Tuesday morning at 8 am.

I hope you enjoy the sneak peek -- and make sure to get your CD ordered today!

Progress

A few weeks ago I told you about my goals for the coming year, and I'm glad to say that I've made some progress.  I'm working on the final project for the Paint and Mix Color Unit in Cindy Wider's Draw and Paint in Your Pyjamas Certificate course.  If all goes well I should be done with it by Monday.  These are the rocks I painted the other day.

On the card-making front, I'm happy to report that I've been chosen for the Class Act Design Team.  My term starts at the end of February, but I'll be adding links to their site and challenge blog before then.  The Class Act image collection strikes just the right balance between cuteness and realism, and they're versatile and very usable; not gimmicky or overly trendy so I'm really looking forward to working with them.

Speaking of things to look forward to, it's almost time for the next edition of the Technique Junkies Newsletter. I've seen all of the beautiful artwork created by Pat the design team so I can tell you that you won't be disappointed!  Pat is also releasing a new CD soon.  We'll be doing a blog hop on February 1st to introduce the CD so be sure to stop by.

I have one more card to share with you from the Dec/Jan newsletter before we move on to February's edition.  I used the Bricks technique with scraps of printed paper in pastel shades and copper patina colored embossing powder.  The butterfly image is from I Brake for Stamps, and it's stamped in Adirondack pesto ink and colored with Prismacolor pencils. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Really? Haven't we had enough?

I'm dressed in polar fleece from head to toe today.  This is why:


Issued at: 3:18 PM EST 1/23/11, expires at: 12:00 AM EST 1/24/11

Wind chill warning in effect from midnight tonight to 9 am est monday,
The NWS in taunton has issued a wind chill warning, which is in effect from midnight tonight to 9 am est monday. The wind chill watch is no longer in effect.
Locations, southwest New Hampshire, central and western Massachusetts and hartford county Connecticut.
Hazards, dangerously cold wind chill values.
Wind chill values, 25 to 35 degrees below zero.
Winds, northwest 5 to 10 mph.
Temperatures, 10 to 25 degrees below zero.
Timing, late tonight through mid morning Monday
Precautionary/preparedness actions,
A wind chill warning is issued when the wind chill index is likely to fall to -25 degrees or colder for at least 3 hours. A wind chill index below -30 can bring about frostbite in as little as 10 minutes. Outdoor exposure should be limited. If you are heading outdoors, dress in layers and keep your hands and head covered to protect against frostbite


Oh, and there's more snow headed this way for Wednesday.  Really?  Is that entirely necessary, Mother Nature?

At least this crappy weather means that I have plenty of time to spend in my studio.  I've been working through the acrylic painting unit of my Draw and Paint in Your Pyjamas course.  I painted this tree the other day, and at the moment, I'm painting some rocks.  It's fun, but boy do I have a lot to learn!

Thanks for stopping by my Studio.  Stay warm out there!