Music in the Garden

 

I'm having and planning a Garden Party here, A Celebration of Celebrations.   So... there are so many details I have got to say and what is a dinner and evening party without Music?  The Celebration will begin at 3:30 and go on till the wee hours.  The DJ will be starting at 7:00pm but will need some music to play during the social hour, dinner hour and after the DJ packs up and leaves.    Umm, have I mentioned I am musically challenged along with everything else I am challenged with?  I am.  SO.. to pick out music when we don't have much, I mean my husband has some which is a little too hard rock and rock for easy listening so I am passing on that.  I did however ordered some CD's from the 1960's and 1970's that I saw on TV late one night I quick jotted down the number and called.  But, I have wonderful friends who know I am challenged musically, technically and directionally.  My friend said come on over and pick your music, I have tons.  Well, she has quite an eclectic collection.  I wanted to snatch and run but she had other ideas, LOL.  We spent hours listening and singing together, we laughed  and we cried and yes, she made fun of me not knowing the artists well.  I said, hey, I'm a white girl, {Grin}.
I'll tell you what I walked away with, I am well aware that this music 'dates' me but then all my siblings and most of my friends are also the same age so I am hoping that they will enjoy the selection.  I got R&B, POP, Easy listening, Country, Lite Rock, Jazz, Sole and a few Disco.  I got John Denver, Johnny Cash {not John Deere}, Anne Murry, Chicago, KC and the sunshine band, Three Dog Night, The Judds, CCR {Have you ever seen the rain?} Moody Blues, Eric Clapton, Carly Simon {you all know how much I love her as when I did have a play list on my blog, it opened up with "Your so Vain", in reflection maybe not the best song to open a blog with LOL}, James Taylor.
Now, thanks to my hubby, we have ITunes software on our computer so in goes the CD, then it lists the songs on the CD, open a file and drag the song you want into a folder.  You can also listen to the song if you want.  Then you are done, upload to your IPOD and with cables and such, will be hooked up to speakers that will be out in the garden so we will have hours and hours of wonderful music that will not need {I hope} any attention from us during the day and into the evening.  We will be shuffling the music so the different types of music will be mixed together.   Did I tell you I get by with a little help from my Friends?   Thank you, this one's for you.

Challenges:  I decided to play along with these 5 challenges, this card is fairly simple plus one of the challenges allows to to enter in 5 challenges total which today works for me.  I went to the eye doctor for my annual exam, an annual only because I am so lucky to be blessed with an eye disease that thankfully has not changes within the last 15 years but still not pleasant to undergo the eye photos, flashing lights and press the button and the eye dilations and other drops, sigh BUT happy to be done for yet another year.  Not to mention eye focusing and on the computer, my mind is not focusing on your challenge blogs, I was too busy looking at the cards to then I would have to go back and read what the challenge was about!!!

 Blessings to my blogging friends, Jane

2 sistersStitching
Cute Card ThursdayWhateva {grin}
Dutchdare Anything goes
FabnFunky Favorite Colors
Paper Sundaes Metal (pin and heart)

New tools and toys.

I have been thinking of getting a Circut ... Oh, on and off for about a year (takes me a while, doesn't it?).  I just was not sure if I would use it enough to buy it and take up space in my craft room and have yet 'MORE STUFF'. I think you know what I finally decided. Regardless of how much I will use it, I decided to just purchase it and welcome it into my craft space. To do that, I needed someplace to put it so I found this cabinet at the Goodwill, I believe it was at one time a Microwave cart.
In the drawer I put my Wizzard die cuts and embossing folders. Inside the cabinet you see that I have more room to buy yet "More Stuff", huh.   At the same time I purchased my Circut I picked up four cartridges.

 Of course, this "new to me" cabinet and other purchases made it clear to me that I needed to clean my craft room.  What started as a fairly quick project now was not.  The day started out rainy which is a great day for the craft room and it now sunny out so I am off to enjoy the outside.  Hope your day is nice and sunny too, Jane

My little helpers

Happy Wednesday, looks like a nice day today in Minnesota. I took these photos of my two "lovely" kitties a while back, I'm feeling a little lazy on with posting to my blog and card making the last few days but getting some other things done, it's all a trade off, ya know? So.. I thought I would show you something from me and in just so happens to be cats in the dog days of summer they want a little love too.

Nothing like bringing the outside in.  I clipped a few of these branches to place in a vase in the house, I knew I would be seeing my little helpers on this project.  Yep, sure enough, here they come, they are very predictable!!  This is Charlie, she is the gray one and next comes the black one Joey.  I think Charlie enjoyed the flowers more, sigh! 

 Hope you all have a nice day and don't forget to smell the flowers.  Hugs, Jane

"Be Jolly", Christmas in July.

Phew, I barely was able to eek this card out in July.  I wanted to post this as this card is featured in "Raise the Bar" challenge this week, the theme of the Challenge is Stickers.  YES, that is a sticker in the center of the Tim Holtz ornament, it would be great to pop on over and see what they are brewing up this week at Raise the Bar.    I do like this card, I think it is classy, understated and elegant.  The pictures are not the best, I think the batteries are getting low on the camera, I have noticed at least in this camera that it does make a difference in the quality of the photo.  But on to give you an idea of how the "Be Jolly" card turned out. 

There is the sticker pack I used on this card, I hope to use more of these stickers on future Holiday cards.  There are some beautiful ones out right now, and stickers have vastly improved in style the past several years.  I had hoped to hook up of some card challenges with this card but I am afraid I am SO tired that it just is not going to be happening today/night but hopefully tomorrow.  Hope all is well with you, Jane

Challenges I was able to enter once I woke up:
Aud's Sentiments Christmas Sentiment
Cute Card Thursday TEXT
Stamp-n-Doodle Anything goes
Creative Cottage Touchy Feely
Stampin' Royalty Keep it simple
Tuesday Throwdown Christmas
Tuesday Taggers Christmas
2 sisters Challenge Christmas

Christmas in July, "Peace on Earth"

Christmas in July.  A very hot day in Minnesota.  I was just thinking how nice it would be if we could mix the weather up to suit us, today I wouldn't mind some snow and cold weather.  We were blessed with a marvelous weekend and my husband and I were able to get out of town at a friend's Cabin.  Thank you for that!  On  our drive up and across the border to Wisconsin, you go through many small towns.  I have to tell you that many of the residents love to sell things along side of the road.  Strange stuff I have to say and really, you all know I love Vintage but at some point some items are just trash.  Old rusted tractors, trucks,  and you name it and we even saw half of a house 'For Sale', yes, half of a house.  I don't know where the other half went too, it's not like it walked away.  My Husband and I were commenting on all the stuff we saw and I asked, who buys that stuff?  Then he said, remember when your dad bought ...   HA!  Husbands always recall what you don't want them to remember and forget what they should remember.

Here is the "Peace on Earth" card.   I would tell you all about it but I think you already know.  You folks know stuff.   Okay, let's see, the gold snow flake which is underneath the main image is a Christmas Ornament from last year on clearance, umm.  Otherwise, you know the rest.  I do have another Christmas  card made but the photos need to be done, let's see if I can post this Christmas card and still be in July.

I have hooked this card up to the following Challenges:
ABC Challenge ZigZag (stitching and rickrack)
Creatalicious 3-D
Friday Sketchers Sketch
Fussy and Fancy Stitches/Scallops/Sparkle
Pennys Challenge Recipe/1,2,3
Polkadoodle Christmas in July
Practical Scrappers Use 7different Items or more
TuesdayTaggers Christmas in July
2sisterschallenge Christmas in July
Christmas cards all year round Anything goes
ABC Christmas O for ornaments


Thank you for stopping by, have a great week.  Jane

My blue Doily on a card front.

On my last post I did mention that I picked this doily up for a song, the price I paid did not reflex it's true value.  I did try and avoid making this card for at least several days but even that pledge did not last and this has been finished almost a week ago, just have not been able to blog and link until now but I'll going to show you what I did with it.

There you have it, in all her glory.  

On a personal note, I am having a large party in September so if this blog seems a bit quiet know that I am going crazy getting it organized.   It's all in the details.  I would love to show you what I have done so far but some of my viewers are guests so Shhhhhhh, I want them to be surprised!  

I have hooked this card up to the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge L is for Lace

Crafty Angels Shabby Chic

Creatalicious 3D

Fab~N~Funky Reuse

Fussy and Fancy Stitches and Scallops

Incy Wincy Alter Something {Doily}

 Raise the Bar Recipe

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Build using plans {Doily using pattern}

The Wildflower Patch Lace and Sparkle

Tea Time Easel Card

Hello,
I have a card for you today. I know I have been missing, LOL. Enjoying the summer and then not enjoying the summer. I have been taking a break from crafting and then our AC went out and took us a few days to figure that out, LOL and then getting someone out to look at it and in the end, we replaced the unit. A bit of a disappointment since it was only installed 7 years ago but this new one will last FOREVER or at least the warranty will. Nothing worse then a cranky crafter plus dear daughter and husband, well that is worse then a cranky crafter!

If you enjoyed the Tea Cup image, although this is a stamped image, I know of another lovely set that is digital that has a Tea Cup and Tea Pot, it is over at Priscillastyles Store.  I have entered the envelope in the Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge using the simple sketch and then by flipping it.  The rest of the challenges are for the Easel Card front.

 The last picture is my latest garage sale find.  I bought the wooden stamp and the doily which still has the sale price ticket on it. The Doily measures about 5 by 5 and I plan on using it on a card in the near future.  Hope you are all well and staying cool during the lazy crazy days of summer.   Blessings, Jane

ABC Challenge 2 images on card
Flutterby Wednesday Butterfly
Dutch Dare Flowers
Crazy Challenge Hip to be Square
Lexi's Creations Stitching
My time to Craft Butterfly
Paper Sundaes Layers
Penney's Challenges 7 of something, I have 7 half pearls in the upper right hand corner.
Rosie Dees Colors
Stampin' Sisters in Christ Brings you rest
Sweet Stamping Wings
Artful Inkables Stitching
Your Next Stamp Flowers
Midnight Madness Sketch