And The Award Goes To

Hey, Ya'll!!  I hope you had a great weekend!  Miss C, Mr. Inspiring, Lucy and I went AWAY for the weekend!!  We went camping at Cloud 9 for the weekend and it was HEAVEN!!  We ate well (seems we ALWAYS do when we go camping - - the food always tastes better there!!), rode 4-wheelers for a few hours, laid around by the pool, drank wine, played cards, ate s'mores, sat by the fire, rode 4-wheelers in the dark, and did I mention that we ate well??  It was a very relaxing weekend!!!

When I got back, my internet wasn't working!!!  I spent an hour and a half on the phone with AT&T yesterday morning.  Seems when we decided to disconnect our home phone (who uses those things anymore, anyway??) we had to re-register our modem with the 'special' number they assigned for our internet connection.  Well, we didn't do that.......  So we HAD to do that to get back online.   THREE WHOLE DAYS WITHOUT MY BLOG-FRIENDS!!!  Kinda nice (to get away) - kinda not-so......

When I got back online, look what I found!!!  J and M's Eye Candy sent me an award!!  You can visit their blog here:  http://www.jandmseyecandy.blogspot.com/

   

Thanks, Kristine & Britney!!!  (Love your blog, Gurlz!!   And your 7 secrets!! {**wink**wink**}

So, to follow the RULZ of the award, I'm to tell ya'll 7 things about me that not just anyone knows.....

#1 -  I'm the youngest of 4 kids.  I am 17 years younger than my sister, Bec.  I'm 15 years younger than my brother, Dave (who passed 2/2/04 - 'member?  Cancer SUCKS!!).  I'm 14 years younger than my brother, Gary.  Basically - I was raised like I was an only child.  Did I complain?  Only when I was bored!!!

#2 - My Daddy had a crazy nickname for me.  It was Princess Painintheas........  Well, right before I 'graduated' from 8th grade at St. Peters (Catholic grade school) we had to tell a few things about ourselves for the final issue of the school paper.  One of the questions was:  Nickname?   Well..... I put down what my Daddy called me.  But - - I had an extra "S" at the end........   WHEW - - Mrs. Bordewick was so NOT happy!!  She didn't see it until ALL the papers were printed (think mimeograph machine - - NOT copied)  They had to take a black marker and go through my nickname on all the papers for the whole school - probably close to 500 papers!!  (It was the largest parish in the town I grew up in!)  My Daddy thought that was the greatest thing EVER!!!   I was sooo happy to get out of there!!!

#3 - Mr. Inspiring is the best thing that EVER happened to me (outside of motherhood).  I am the luckiest girl in the world!!  He totally 'gets' me.  He makes me feel like the Princess my Daddy always said I was.  And yes, I can still claim the WHOLE title at times!!

#4 - I'll be 45 this year, and I have a full head of GRAY hair (that I keep well-colored with BLONDE).  You might think that isn't all that unusual for my age, until you hear that I've been coloring my hair to hide the gray since I was 23.......   Premature gray is dominant in my family - from my mom's side.  She turned 37 the month after I was born.  She colored her hair while she was pregnant with me because how would that look?  Pregnant and completely gray??

#5 - I believe that God has a plan for us all.  And while you may not know how His plan is working in your life right now, if you look back on your life, you can see it.   Everything happens for a reason and all past experiences lead you to right here, reading my little blog, for instance!! I believe that He led me to Mr. Inspiring - we were meant to be.  There are just too many close calls from years ago that we could have met back then.  But God had a plan, and the timing had to be right.  And here we are.  Thank you, Lord!!

#6 - I HATE WORMS.  Always have - always will!!  My Daddy used to say that when I walked to the bus stop, I walked twice as many steps than I needed to because I'd walk from one side of the street to the other just to walk around the worms.  When it was the really rainy season, I'd be late getting ready for school on purpose so he'd have to take me to school so I wouldn't have to walk around the worms.  When I'd go fishing as a little kid at the neighborhood pond, I'd take my fishing pole to the neighbor, he or his wife would put a worm on my hook and I'd fish.  When I needed a new worm, I'd go back to them and get one.  If I got a fish, they'd take it off my hook and put it on my stringer for me.  But - - when I got home, I'd clean the fish!!  I know - - makes no sense.....   First husband and I once rented a house that was built on a spring.  The basement was ALWAYS wet..... and ALWAYS had worms crawling around.......  eewwww   I would go down there (NEVER BAREFOOT - ALWAYS WITH SHOES - AND I MEAN ALWAYS) and pour bleach on them....  They didn't like that.....  ugh..........  I get the heebie jeebies just thinking about that....YUCK!!

#7 - I like raw oysters.   Seriously.  Especially when they're available AND my niece, Katie is around.  I love to gross her out by eating them.  And she gets really grossed out..........    Too funny!!

Ok - - those were random!!!   Now I need to send this to 15 people.  Here we go:

http://bittybitsandpieces.blogspot.com/

http://www.brownpaper--packages.com/
http://chippingwithcharm.blogspot.com/
http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/
http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/
http://www.freckledlaundry.com/
http://home-frosting.blogspot.com/
http://iowajunkgypsies.blogspot.com/
http://sweetbeebuzzings.blogspot.com/

Ok - - it's 11:49 pm on 6/28 - - I'm sleepy!!  I'll add 6 more tomorrow! Until then?  Happy blogging!!



Have a great day!!! 

Hugs ~~ Suz



My Eyes Hurt!!

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned that I was working on the decorations for my son's girlfriend.  This Saturday, she's having a graduation party, and has picked Hot Pink and Zebra as her theme.  I think my eyes are crossing from looking at the crazy lines of the zebra print.

I made a couple of banners for her.  "Congratulations"  "Shelby" "Class of" "2011"

Instead of making all the scalloped circles the same (who likes monotony anyway??), I did a few different designs.  At first I was questioning my wisdom with this decision, but last night I finished it.  After seeing the finished project, I'm thinking I like it!!  Here are some pictures:

The sample I made for her was about 5 inches in diameter.  Without thinking about how long CONGRATULATIONS was going to be, I asked her if she'd like them bigger..... and she said YES!!  I increased the circles to a little more than 7" in diameter.   So now, congratulations is probably about 10 feet long......  I sure hope they have a big wall for it!!

For the "Class of", I cut the letters out of the zebra cardstock, put clear packing tape behind the letters so that the sticky was facing out.  Then I sprinkled glitter on them.   I love that technique, and use it for my Christmas cards - A LOT!!  (You gotta have sparklies at Christmas!!).

For the year, I did the same circles as the "Class of", but instead of cutting the letter out of the cardstock, I cut the numbers out of black and hot pink vinyl and stuck them on.  I guess I didn't take a picture of that, though.....

Lastly, I made pinwheels for the table decorations.  All of the zebra cardstock I found was only printed on 1 side, so I made my own.   We have a really great (brand new) color copier/printer/fax/scanner machine at work.   (SSHHHHH  I borrowed it!!)   I found a website (http://www.scrapbookscrapbook.com/) that had free downloads of animal print papers.  They had hot pink and they had black.  I printed one side of white cardstock with the pink, then turned it over and printed the black.  I was usin' my noggin.... ha!!

I cut 4" and 5" squares and made pinwheels.  Secured the middle with white brads and then hot glued them to dowell rods that I spray painted pink (actually, the color was watermelon..... not an exact match, but it works).  I think they turned out cute!

I hope they take lots of pictures and send them over to me so I can post them for you.  I'm not going to the party and I'm really struggling with my decision.  My ex will be there.  The divorce was NASTY (and that's putting it nicely) and even though it's been almost 10 years, I choose NOT to be at the same location as him.  He lives in Chicago, so I don't have to deal with him.  In fact, I don't think I've spoken to him in nearly a year.  I prefer it that way.  I'm not going to the party because I don't know how he will behave.  He's either going to be over the top nice and everyone's friend (to show everyone how wonderful he is and how stupid I am for divorcing him) or he will make a scene and ruin the party.  (He seriously is bi-polar - in denial....)  I don't want Shelby's party to have the chance to be ruined, so I'm not going.  I would much rather have people in this small town talking about my absence, rather than them talking about any kind of possible confrontation.

I hope you have a great rest of the week.  I'll post pictures of the decorations at the party when I get them!

Hugs ~~ Suz

I'm linking up with these great blogs!!

Happy Father's Day!!!

I hope you all had a good day! We did!

I spent most of my day in my craft room (and it's totally trashed, too - - yeck!!)  But I made good progress on the decorations for the graduation party.   Here are some sneaks peeks!

I cut the following parts of the banner with my cricut.  I've been using my 12" x 24" mats for this project!  You don't have to load your paper as often. 

These are all parts of the banner I'm making.  I'll take more pictures as the project evolves.

I also made this for Mr. Inspiring.  I saw on someone's blog they had made this but said Daddy instead of Pa-Pa.  I loved it, and made it for Pa-Pa.

I used one of those Krafy Bloks from Hobby Lobby and painted it first with some more wonderful paint I found - Rustoleum's Frost Paint.  It's soo cool!!



It dries in 5 - 10 minutes.........  sooo cool!!  When you spray it on glass, it actually looks like you had it in the freezer and brought it out on a really hot day.  I love spray paint!!!

Have a great week and I'll be posting more onthe party decoratons!

Hugs ~~ Suz

I'm partying with these girls:
















(This is a new Linky Party - - Go check this blog out - - It's really cute and the girls are adorable!!)

Been Busy!! - Quick Post

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!  This post is going to be short - I'm on my lunch hour.

I wanted to show you what I was busy doing last night!!

I decorated these cups with vinyl that I cut out with my cricut using my Sure Cuts A Lot software!  Easy Peasy!!  And I sold them for $12 each!!   Since they are going to 3 young girls, I put each one in a sack with this note printed on the outside!!  

The first cup has orange and hot pink vinyl.  The second has teal and hot pink vinyl.  The third one has orange, hot pink and lime (ish) vinyl.  I think they really turned out cute!!

(Sorry for the orang-y-ness of the pictures.........  I guess that's what I get for taking pictures before the sun is awake!!)

Have a great day!

Hugs ~~ Suz

BTW - #1 Son's girlfriend and her mom have asked me to make the decorations for her graduation party.  It's Hot Pink and Zebra!  I can't wait to get this one going!!!  (and share it with all of you crafty peeps!!)


I'm partying here:

Subway Art - Or Something Kinda Like IT

In April, our daughter  (Miss C) moved back home.  And since we are (sort of.... slowly) remodeling the house, or parts of it, we are all three sharing a bathroom.  Miss C needed a place to hang her towels, instead of over the door.

I had a picture that I purchased after Christmas for CHEAP, because it was missing part of the embellishments.  It's sort of been hanging around my craft room with nothing to do.  Inspiration hit and I decided I'd paint it up and put hooks on it.  Then - - No More Towels Hanging on the Door!!

I didn't take pictures of the before.  I sanded it down and then painted it in my trusty creamy Eidelweiss that everything in the house seems to be getting a coat of.   I got some hooks at WM, and I didn't like the color.  They were a satin nickel and they needed to be dark.  Oil Rubbed Bronze?  Rusty??

I got a can of this paint:   (OMG - - LOVE. IT.)  I think the color was called 'burnt umber'.

I sprayed it on the hooks and now they really look rusty -- like they've been in a coffee can in someone's leaky barn for years!!

Since I needed the screwes to be painted, too, I used them to hold the hooks on the cardboard box.  I put 3 coats of the paint on them.

Here's what they looked like after the first coat.

And after the second coat.

I cut my words out of vinyl with my cricut.  I weeded out the letters, and left the stencil.  I tried to center it on the board..........   Then I used brown craft paint and stippled the paint on.  I removed the vinyl before the paint was dry, and as I removed it, some of the Eidelweiss lifted off, too.  But that's ok - - I really like the effect it gave it.

When the paint was dry, I painted Mod Podge over it.  Added the hardware when the Mod Podge was dry, and TAA - DAA!!

(the hinges really ARE rusty!!  I didn't do anything to them!!)

And here's a picture of the whole thing.

I think it turned out ok.....  Actually?  I really like it!!! 

Thanks for looking!!

Hugs ~~ Suz

I'm linking up with these cool parties!!