Simply Stated

Christmas Goodies @ SU! Christmas Card Club

2011-12-24T23:47:00.000-08:00

As hostess for December 18th's Stampin' Up Christmas Card Club, I provided the group with refreshments. An earlier blog post showed off my penguin appetizers, and here's the rest of the goodies I took. All baked goods were made by Floyd.

Floyd's 12 mini-loaves of Pumpkin Nut Raisin Bread
made using fresh pumpkin, walnuts, and raisins.

Here are two of the mini-loaves before slicing.

Presented on a pretty Christmas tray,
slices of Pumpkin Nut Raisin Bread.

Floyd's Pumpkin Bread Plus (not just raisins and walnuts,
but also chocolate chips and orange rind!)

More of Floyd's baked goodies:
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies

Garlic Cheese Dip (center) with sourdough bread cubes,
cheese, and multi-grain crackers.

The entire spread which was all but gone
when it came time to leave for home.

Love my lovely Poinsettia napkins!

If anyone is interested in recipes for any of the above, let me know in a comment, and I'll be sure you get it!

Thanks again for visiting!

hugs,

Christmas Greetings from Floyd & Jeanie

2011-12-24T20:43:00.000-08:00

December 2011

Dear Family & Friends,

I'm happy to be visiting with you again as another year comes to an end. I love being in touch with each of you. Here are some different ways to contact us including my beloved US Postal Service (P.O. Box 996, Inyokern, CA 93527) and the good old telephone! (You can remove our landline number from your files because it's gone. Floyd's cell is 760-677-9162 and mine is 760-677-9174.) Email Floyd at salyer@iwvisp.com and me at jeanie1951@yahoo.com. Visit the blog upon occasion at simplystated4u.blogspot.com and please leave me a comment! I'm on Facebook (search for Jeanie Salyer). I turn to Facebook quite often to get snippets of news from those important to me and to send out little slices of our life as the year proceeds.

As our card and letter arrive in your mailbox, I hope you're doing well and have had a good year. Overall, our year has been a good one! Floyd completed a couple of neat projects for his buddy including a large shed and a fancy chicken coop. Both buildings were Floyd's own design and turned out very nice. The chicken coop was especially challenging to put up because it needed to be built in a very narrow side yard and on an incline!

Interpreting assignments are way down lately, and so I might have had only ten assignments this year. I had plenty of scrapbooking events, cardmaking workshops, books to read, letters and blog posts to write, plus time spent with family and friends whenever possible to keep me busy.

On April 20th, Floyd & I celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary at a new restaurant in Ridgecrest called Maddy's Cafe. We had a wonderful time and a delicious dinner.

It was a great year for La Leche League of Ridgecrest with the ideal number of 10-12 moms (plus their little ones) attending each monthly meeting. In May, the new Leader I was training was accredited, and several of us attended the LLL of So. CA Conference. July and August were busy with preparations for and holding an event for World Breastfeeding Week which is 1-7 August every year. I am now training another Leader Applicant.

In the Spring, two longtime interpreting friends, Diane and Derby, and I went to the Deaf West production of "Pinocchio." We had a great time, and Derb treated us to a wonderful dinner afterward.

We were very sad to say goodbye to our beloved Mollie the Blue Tick Hound in May. She was such a faithful, well-behaved dog who will always hold a special place in our hearts. I remember 16 years ago when we went to choose a puppy, she picked me by sitting on my foot and not moving till we picked her up to take her home with us. One of our kitty-cats, Sunshine, had grown especially close to Mollie, and it was obvious he couldn't figure out where his friend had gone. We would find him lying alone on the bedroom floor where Sunshine and Mollie had spent so much time snuggled up together. Eventually, Sunshine has accepted the loss and now spends more time with us than he ever did while Mollie was living.

All of our other cats are doing well, although Blaze was anemic and feeling out of sorts recently. We improved her diet, added feline vitamins, and are generally trying to boost her immune system. Her normally pink pads had lost all color, but they're now pink again. Blaze is our little mischief maker, and she is again getting into all sorts of things, so we know she's feeling like herself again. Sadie, our Great Pyrenees watchdog is outstanding at her job and is such a sweetheart!

When I turned 60 in September, I threw a big party and invited people from all eras and phases of my life. It was a good turn out and a fun time. Jacqueline, Pine, my dad, brother & sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, and a whole bunch of friends joined us to help celebrate! Every day we have is a Gift!!

We hope you'll have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2012!

{Snowman card at top made at Nov. 2011 Stampin' Up Christmas Card Club!}

An Army of Penguins

2011-12-24T20:40:00.000-08:00

On Sunday afternoon, 18 Dec, we had another meeting of the monthly Stampin' Up Christmas Card Club. Each of us takes a turn being hostess, and December was my month.

I had seen a photo online of these little penguin peeps and decided I wanted to make them for CCC! They were a total hit. Many commented how adorable they were, and others took their photos!

Following is the recipe and the process I used, in case you'd like to make your own little army of appetizers.

Penguin Appetizers

Ingredients
18-Jumbo, pitted black olives
18-Medium, pitted black olives
1-8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 carrot, peeled

Directions
1. Slice 18-1/4" thick rounds from peeled carrot.
2. Cut a small notch out of each carrot round to form feet (base).
3. Save the cut out notches for beaks.
4. Set the carrot bases on the cutting board in a single layer, ready to accept the penguin bodies.
5. The hole end of the Jumbo olives will be the bottom. If it is not level, slice a small amount off the olive so it will sit level.
6. Cut slit from top to bottom of each Jumbo olive.
7. Using the tip of a butter knife, carefully (gently) insert softened cream cheese into each Jumbo olive. Use knife edge to smooth cream cheese along bottom and front of olive.
8. Use a clean paper towel to remove any cream cheese that remains on olives.
9. As you complete steps 5-8 on each Jumbo olive, set the stuffed olive directly on a carrot base.
10. Repeat step 5-9 for each Jumbo olive.
11. Cut a small slice in each Medium olive to insert a beak.
12. If necessary, cut beaks to 1/8" thickness for easier insertion.
13. Carefully (slowly) insert beak into Medium olive, and then center the beak on face.
14. As you complete steps 11-13 for each Medium olive, set the head on the Jumbo olive body lining up the beak, white chest and notch in feet, then secure with a toothpick inserted from head to base.

If you're transporting these babies
1. Line your plate with waxed paper.
2. Lie penguins on their backs side by side.
3. Wrap plate for transport.
4. Stand them up in rows on the plate when you're arranging your refreshments.

Don't forget to snap their picture! You never know how attached you might get to these little guys: one person told me, "They each have their own personality!"

Look for another post, sharing the other yummy refreshments I took to Christmas Card Club this month!

Thanks so much for visiting with me!!

Happy Birthday, Little Lucky-13!

2011-06-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

Here she is, the Birthday Girl.

June 8, 2011 marked one year since we found a tiny little kitten under our deck steps. We call the 8th her birthday because as close as we can figure she was newly born hours before we heard her incessant crying and eventually brought her indoors to baby, nurture, and love.

Now, the pocket on the tee-shirt I'm wearing is clearly too small for Lucky to squeeze into like she did around June 10th, last year. You can see she is a small cat, but she continues to gain and is solid muscle.

It's been an adventure, and Lucky still believes she rules the roost. She's always ready for a game of chase with any of the other cats whether they're in the mood or not.

Her most endearing quality at this time is the way she jumps up on the bed as soon as Floyd turns in for the night and begins padding with both her front and back paws. She purrs loudly while she rhythmically kneads the blanket. We call it Paddy Paws or Paddy Purrs. She moves around as she pads and puts her face near Floyd's showing that all is right with Lucky's world.

Happy Birthday, Little Girl!

Below are more shots of her taken this month.

Thanks for stopping by!

hugs,

Book Recommendation::THE HELP

2011-04-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time reading. More often than not, I've got a non-fiction book in front of me, and then I pick up an easy-reading mystery (Grisham, Parker, Grafton) to relax.

I can't remember now how I heard about THE HELP, a first novel by writer Kathryn Stockett, but I loved it as soon as I began reading it. It can't be called a mystery, and I wasn't terribly relaxed when reading it, especially when worrying for the safety of the women in the book. THE HELP tells a story of incredible women that has stayed with me, and this book currently has the honor of being called My Favorite Book.

Set in the racially tense south of the sixties, we meet several woman, three in particular who join their voices in an effort to change "the way things have always been done" in Mississippi as well as in other areas of the USA.

I urge you to read this book, and only if you are not a reader, to wait for the movie which (produced by Dreamworks) will be in theaters in August 2011.

hugs,

Introducing Miss Lucky LuckinBuck

2011-03-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

These 2 shots show Lucky when she fit in my

pocket at 2-days-old (left), and then me (in the same
tee-shirt) when she was 3-1/2-mos. holding her(right).

I'm amazed by the number of bloggers I know who blog DAILY. I don't even blog monthly. I think blogging is all about inspiration, and apparently I'm not nearly as inspired as my blogger friends!

In June 2010, we gained a new kitty (because 12 just wasn't enough). In reality, we never set out to *get* any of the cats we now love and adore. They all came to us in a moment of crisis. Our newest addition is no different in that respect.

Our most recent addition is Lucky-13, named that because she's our 13th rescue kitty. Her story is the most extreme because she was abandoned by her mother under our front porch steps the day she was born. Lucky has shown physical strength as well as strength of character since that first day, crying incessantly after being left under our steps so that we couldn't help but hear her and bring her indoors. (I suppose it's also a credit to her mother for giving birth to her close by our house rather than any number of remote areas on our property.) We waited a respectable amount of time (hoping her mother might have a change of heart) to bring Lucky inside.

Following are some photos showing her progress:

Little Lucky at one-day old and 2.8 ounces. At this point, we
were feeding her by eye dropper, 1 ml each feeding.

Here's the little spot of a creature with me at
9 days old, gaining steadily.

At just over two weeks, she graduated to a small nursing bottle.
Floyd takes kitten rescue very seriously.

Even though she looks just terrified in this shot at just over
a month old, I don't think Lucky has ever been terrified since we
brought her inside on June 8, 2010.
{The scar on her face is left after coming to us with ringworm. With
medication, it cleared up quickly and did not spread to any of the
other cats or to us, but it left Miss Lucky with her own
Harry Potter scar on her forehead.}

Another shot of me and Lucky when she was 6 weeks old
and clearly growing.

Floyd and Miss Lucky the smart-aleck sticking out her tongue.
Just over 6 weeks old.

At a little over 2 months old, Lucky naps on the big bed.

Little Miss Lucky looking ferocious (when really, she's just
yawning) next to Blaze our smallest full-grown kitty-cat.
Lucky is 2 mos., 10 days in this picture.

Lucky hangin' out on the kitchen window sill at 3-mos.

Another shot of Lucky (just over 3-months-old) asleep on the
big bed with Big Old Bodie nearby.

Lucky started out at a mere 2.8 ounces on Day 1. There were some critical days where we weren't sure she'd make it, but she pulled through and is now just over 9-months-old and around six pounds as close as we can measure. Initially, we fed her 1/15th of a tablespoon (1 ml) per feeding using an eye dropper. Now, she takes her meals with the other cats.

As I write, she's lying next to me where she inserted herself in a small sliver of space along my left leg. She loves, loves. loves to run through the house challenging all the other cats, learning how to climb higher and higher, and how to jump broader distances. But, when it's time to be calm and peaceful, she's happiest in Floyd's arms or snuggled right up against Floyd or me.

None of the Original Dozen are too big for her to challenge. When she was smaller, the others tolerated her silly antics. The novelty has worn off, and sometimes Lucky and her chosen playmate get into wild, paw-slapping battles. No one ever loses or suffers, but Lucky rarely backs down.

Since she was about 3-days-old, she has responded immediately when we call "Lucky." Until she turned seven or eight months old, as soon as we'd say her name, she'd hop right on over to us even if it was just to touch base quickly then dash off for more play. Now, she really has to be In The Mood to respond with anything more than a backwards glance because as a rule, Lucky's dominant Mood is Playful!

I really appreciate you stopping by. Leave a comment below and tell me what you'd like me to write about!

Thanks & hugs,

Floyd & Jeanie's Annual Update -- Dec. 2010

2010-12-07T22:12:00.000-08:00

Christmas is less than three weeks away, and I still have so much to do. The one thing that stays at the very top of my to-do list every year is writing this letter and touching base with everyone during the holidays. We've had a good year and hope yours has been good, too.

Highlights from this year include a brayer workshop; the rescue of Lucky-13, our thirteenth kitty-cat; a summer visit from Jacqueline; Floyd's big birthday party; a trip to Wisconsin with my Mom; a couple of short visits with my Dad and Reen; and our holiday visit from Floyd's Mom.

Riverside, CA: Site of a Michelle Zindorf Beginning Brayer Workshop. My friend, Sandy, and I joined a small group of stampers to learn brayering from The Queen of Brayering who travels around the country from her home in the Dayton, OH area to teach her technique. We made three gorgeous cards and had a fun time crafting for three uninterrupted hours.

In June, we found an abandoned newborn kitten under our steps. She was a fighter from the get-go and was not going to be overlooked. We brought her in, fed her by eye dropper and bottle 'round the clock, and are watching her become a beautiful little cat who is the life of the party. All of our other cats, Mollie the Bluetick Hound, and Sadie (our new watch dog) are also doing very well!

Summertime was another scorcher, but that didn't stop Jacqueline from visiting. As always, she divided her time in the U.S. between three cities and at least four households. She timed her visit with us to coincide with a 60th Birthday Celebration I held for Floyd in July. It was wonderful to have her here with us to visit and celebrate Floyd's big day.

Traveling to wonderfully green Wisconsin with my Mom in late August was a neat experience. We stayed with Mom's cousin, Shirley (and hubby, Milton) where we were given the royal treatment. We spent time in beautiful Door County, took side trips to Madison (where we witnessed a lot of family history) and Freeport, IL, plus saw cousins we hadn't seen in decades or met others for the first time!

Most years we have a couple of short visits with my Dad & Reen while they're in Southern California on other business, and this year was no different. It's a pleasure to spend time with them, although it's always too short. We also enjoy an annual holiday visit from Julia, Floyd's mother. This year she arrived before Thanksgiving, and we hope she'll be with us until after the new year begins.

As another year comes to a close, we're looking forward many more blessings in 2011. I imagine I'll find myself busy with more of the same...interpreting in the community and for China Lake; La Leche League work; crafting cards, scrapbooks, and earrings; reading; writing, blogging; and, my favorite, spending time with family and friends.

Season's Blessings to you and your family. As Calvin Coolidge once said, "Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." Here's to keeping our Christmas spirit the whole year through.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Michelle Zindorf Beginning Brayer Workshop

2010-05-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

If you run your eyes down the right hand margin of this blog, you'll see one of *my* favorite blogs is Michelle Zindorf's at Split Coast Stampers. Why? Because Michelle is Queen of the Brayers and is a card artist extraordinaire. From the Dayton, OH area, she began teaching her brayer technique at Marco's Paper, and I wished, wished, wished I lived near Marco's. (I have to admit, I'd wished that before I ever knew who Michelle was, too, because Marco's is a paper lover's dream come true.)

As time went by and her blog became more popular (currently it's clocking approximately 8,000 hits a day, I believe she said), more and more stampers began asking her to come to their area to teach her classes. The first time I saw a California location on her growing list of workshops, I **seriously** played with the idea of making the 8-hour trip (one-way) to Santa Rosa or wherever it was being offered.

Last fall when I spotted RIVERSIDE, CA on her list, I jumped for joy!! Riverside is in my own backyard!! (Only 2-1/2 hours away, one-way.) I contacted a couple of stamping friends to see if they'd like to join me. One was able to, the other had plans to go to Europe to visit her family. We mailed our registration money, got our confirmation from Michelle, and everything was lined up...all but the waiting, waiting, waiting.

FINALLY, on Saturday, May 1st, Sandy and I set out for Riverside, and brayering with the Queen. It was a fabulous workshop. Michelle is a wonderful teacher. She has a delightful, warm style as she works with her students. Her workshops are the ultimate in organization and pre-planning. I thought, my gosh, she's a perfectionist just like me {blush}. (Later on, I found out her birth date is 31 Aug. Ah-ha! I thought. A Virgo...just like me. Well, no wonder!) The two cards here were made at the workshop! And yes, I made them. (I know, I can hardly believe it myself.)

See you next time!

hugs,

Kitten Update

2010-02-28T16:45:00.000-08:00

[Forthcoming: photos of the kittens.]

Here I am again. There aren't any really good reasons for not posting since December, but now that it's the last day of February, I wanted to check in and make sure everyone is having a good 2010. Ours is going along pretty well, even though Floyd is still searching for work in the area. The upside is, he has a lot of projects going around here. :)

JEWELY is 9 years old now, and coming around little by little with the other cats. There are certain ones she will always hiss, spit, and swipe her paw at. But others, such as Coso, don't elicit a negative response. In fact, Jewely and Coso will sit a few inches apart in front of the window or some place, look each other in the eyes, then go back to watching out the window. No hissing. No growling. No aggressive anything. This no doubt has to do with positions in the Salyer Cat Hierarchy which we haven't entirely deciphered.

The Bigz--Blaze, Fireball, Rainbow, and Sunshine--turn a year old the first week in March.

BLAZE is ever affectionate and cuddly. When I'm standing, she'll walk over and rest her two, front (soft)paws on my leg. I reach down to lift her up, and it feels as though she jumps into my arms. Soon we're having a lovely snuggle- and purr-fest! Regardless of which cat(s) may be resting on my lap, Blaze has a supernatural way of injecting herself into the spacelessness that isn't there. She is quite petite even though she's all but full-grown. We expect her to be the smallest of all our cats when all three litters have reached their full growth. Little Blaze's emotions run on high at all times. Whether she's playing, cuddling, or tussling with the other cats, she's a Drama Queen. She's also an escape artist, along with Rainbow and Sunshine. We try to foil their attempts, and usually we win...but not always.

FIREBALL still turns into a shapeless, flop-ball when I pick him up. Putty in my hands. He's entirely too large to be doing this anymore, so I support his back so he won't wrench his spine. He comes to me several times a day, almost like a toddler, just to check-in, make sure I'm still here, when renewed, he wanders off for adventures elsewhere. He loves to lounge on my lap, sleep with his head on the pillow next to mine, or lie along my side with his face resting against mine.

RAINBOW, while not as nearly affectionate or dare I say, needy? as Blaze, she becomes a lap cat from time to time. She was the first to dash out the open back door then run wildly around the property, and up the trees. No manner of talking to her about the downside of being an outdoors cat convinces her that she should stay safe indoors.

SUNSHINE has always been a delightfully calm cat. He tends to sleep alone in a corner, only joining early morning snuggles on the bed when it suits him. He's not the least bit skittish and welcomes our petting, he just doesn't seem to have that much of a need. In spite of his ever mellow mood, he waits by the back door to see if he might make a run for it so he can dash like a banshee all over the yard.

The Littlez--Bodie, Coso, and Opal--should probably be re-named The Bigz2 and are ten months old.

BODIE is enormous and not just because he is as fluffy as can be. When I look at photos of different cat breeds, I notice he looks very much like a Ragamuffin or Maine Coon Cat. He's more independent than most of the cats, much like Sunshine. He has a nose for food no matter where it may be or who's eating it. He becomes quite friendly when I have food I just might share. Otherwise, he can be fairly aloof.

COSO is a perfectionist. She grooms herself more than any of the other cats, but not overly so. She likes things just so. In recent months, she has decided I'm the Cat's Pajamas. She loves to cuddle next to me as long as there's enough space for her to sit beside me and not on my lap. She's absolutely beautiful with her velvety, black fur, and pure white highlights.

OPAL is a lovey-dove like Blaze. Unfortunately (for me), she has not grasped the concept of soft paws like Fireball and Blaze have. I can barely have Opal near me without a resultant scratch. She loves to cuddle early in the morning and insinuates herself into any tiny space left by the others, then she reaches up for my face with her claws extended. I've learned to hold her paws while I pet her fur. She never misses the opportunity to greet Floyd when he emerges from the shower, rolling on her back at his feet.

The Minis--Dusty, Jasper, SnowQueen, and Taboose--are not so mini anymore and are five months old. Their neuter/ spay surgeries are looming. We take the boys on Tuesday and the girls on Wednesday. The vet didn't have room to take all four the same day, like he did for the first two litters.

DUSTY looks so much like Smoky, it's kinda spooky. Her reticence with us and personality are very Smoky-like, too. All of the Minis are a bit skittish (especially when down on the floor). However, when they're up on the bed, the back or arm of the couch, etc., we can approach them and pet them. They seem to enjoy this and purr their little hearts out.

I suspect they may have been closer to five weeks old when Floyd brought them in, and that would explain the lingering feral behavior. Both Buster and Smoky were about five weeks old when we got them, and they preferred not to be held ("confined," in their minds), and only petted occasionally, just like The Minis.

My research has shown that five weeks is the limit for rescuing a feral kitten and making it socialable enough to be a human companion. The younger the kitten, the easier the task. The closer a kitten gets to five weeks before it is handled by humans, the harder the task. Buster, Smoky, and the Minis are all what I'd call borderline, especially when compared to the behavior of the Bigz (3.5 weeks) and the Littlez (2 weeks).

JASPER is probably the all around friendliest of all the Minis. He's such a little fluff-ball with the sweetest face. Floyd has determined Jasper is Bodie's Apprentice because Jazz follows Bodie everywhere and gets all his tips on how to get into this and that trouble.

SNOWQUEEN is friendlier than her sister. She socializes more with us, but also prefers not to be held. She's very sweet and playful, especially with her litter mates.

TABOOSE is a bit of an anomaly. Much like Sunshine and Bodie, he doesn't mind being by himself, but he shows up as the mood hits to hang around with the other cats and get a few scratches behind his ears and under his chin. If we pick him up, he doesn't object in the least or struggle to get down, but the instant we stop petting him, he leaves.

Now, that we've established each cat's likes and dislikes, it's easy to treat each one as they prefer, eliminating most negative behavior.

Till next time,

Floyd & Jeanie's 2009 Update

2009-12-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Family & Friends!

What a Year! We've had some trials, but mostly we've been blessed! First, the downside... As a result of the current economy, construction projects are way down, so Floyd's been working more for us than anyone except for a couple of outside projects. Like so many others, we've tightened our belts and become quite resourceful using what we already have. I was hospitalized a couple of times this year (but even so, my health is almost perfect). And now, to share our blessings!

Floyd is finishing a storage building for me ... a place to house my myriad books and other good stuff in my craft room that I want to keep but don't need daily. In 2010, I will reestablish a workspace in my craft room rather than using the guest bed as my “work table.”

Apparently, Floyd & I have become unofficial Feral Kitten Rescuers. During the year, we've taken in 11 kittens from three separate litters. All three mama cats disappeared without any traces, no doubt, victims of roving coyotes. We bottle-fed the first two litters, but because the third litter was approximately four weeks old when we got them, they didn't need the Kitten Replacement Milk.

Jewely (9 yrs), who’s been with us a year, wishes in vain that she was still an Only-Cat. All the other Kittles are the bane of her existence which is sad because the remaining 11 get along wonderfully; it’s as if they were all a part of one gigantic litter.

We have Blaze, Fireball, Rainbow, and Sunshine at nine-months old; Bodie, Coso, and Opal, at just over seven-months; and Dusty, Jasper, SnowQueen, Taboose who are about 2-1/2-months. The first seven have all been spayed or neutered, and in about 2-1/2 months, the youngest litter will have their turn. Each kitty has unique likes and dislikes, plus a cute personality. Although I adore each of them, I'm partial to Fireball and Coso. When Fireball wants me to pet him, he gently places his paw on my forearm or leg and looks me in the eye. I call Coso "My Cat with the French Manicured Paws" because her solid black front paws are white at the very tips. Then Blaze captures my heart with her big, golden eyes gazing at me. And I could go on and on about each one of them! Floyd is partial to Opal especially since we almost lost her when she was teeny-tiny. He also favors Jasper who is a sweet, little fluff-ball. In the midst of all this Kitten-Chaos, we have good, old Mollie, our Blue-tick Hound (14 yrs). Overall, Mollie loves the cats except when they get a bit too playful, and then they just plain annoy her.

This and the following three pictures were taken when our youngest litter

was about two or three weeks old and still lived outdoors with their MamaCat.
Meet Dusty!

Here, we have Jasper.

This is SnowQueen.

And here is Taboose (rhymes with "caboose")

Other fun stuff: meeting my brother, Steve, & his wife, Kyoko, in Carmel for a fantastic weekend in April; a spring visit from my Mom & Wayne; a short visit from my nieces Elii & Sienna; watching the Space Shuttle landing; a quick visit from my Dad & Reen; going on our area's Artist Studio Tour with my long-time friend, Denise, in October, while her hubby, Steve, and Floyd went on a mountain fishing trip; a fascinating day-long, hiking tour of Little Petroglyph Canyon to see ancient Indian rock art; and now we're rounding out the year with a nice, long visit from Floyd's mom, Julia! Throughout the year, I also love spending time with Pine, lunches with friends, scrapbooking, cardmaking and card clubs, writing, reading, occasional interpreting assignments, mentoring other interpreters, and volunteering for LLL.

We're looking forward to more blessings in the New Year and praying you will have the same!

Experiment...

2009-10-31T12:59:00.001-07:00

This is an experiment.
This in only an experiment.
If this was a Real Blog Entry, it would say something of interest (well, we can always hope) and probably have pictures.

What, pray tell, is the experiment? I'm posting this from my cellphone, a simple Samsung Propel with a slide-out qwerty keyboard but no nifty apps. Will it work?

We shall see.

Another Card Published in _Just Cards! Holidays!_

2009-09-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

Woo Hoo! Another card I submitted has been published in Just Cards! Holidays! which is on newstands now or available from Scott Publications. If you see a copy, check out pages 100-101 for a photo of the card and complete instructions for making it.

Oh Goody, More Kitten Pix!

2009-08-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

Not only can one not have too many kittens, but one cannot have too many kitten pictures!

First, an update: We have stopped all efforts of finding other homes for any of the kittens because we adore each one and are keeping them all!

THE BIGZ: Blaze, Fireball, Rainbow, and Sunshine are five months old tomorrow. They are at the vet's as I write having their spay or neuter operations.

THE LITTLEZ: Bodie, Coso, and Opal are almost four months old. They love to play, eat, snuggle, play, eat, and snuggle, plus they think the four larger kittens are the cat's meow. (The feeling is mutual.)

Now, for the pix:

I thought it was time to show off the babies' mamas. Above is Little Grey, the Littlez' Mom. I got this picture as she looked through the dining room window from the Feral Family's Feeding Station.

Here is Golden Girl (previously known as BusterToo) who was the Bigz' mother. Golden Girl was under the deck when I shot this, so there was enough distance between us to suit her, and I didn't have to take the photo through glass.

A Kitty Ball featuring (l-r) Blaze, Coso, Opal, and Sunshine.

Blaze at 3-1/2 months. She is a wonderfully sweet kitten. When she wants me to pick her up, she rests her front paws on my knee and looks up at me with her big golden eyes.

Sunshine in his curious mode. (As if there's any other?)

The Twins: Rainbow & Blaze. Not quite identical: besides their obviously different faces, Rainbow's eyes are green while Blaze's eyes are gold colored.

This is Coso who in earlier pictures sported a silver gray body with her black face. Even though she appears solid black (except for her obvious white parts), in certain light we can see that like her litter mates, Bodie and Opal, she has tabby stripes in shades of dark charcoal gray and black.

Opal in a position she apparently believes is comfortable enough for sleep.

Opal in a more sensible sleeping position. We almost lost Opal when she was only a few weeks old. She became dehydrated, weak, and lethargic. We gave her IV fluid and she pulled through. Floyd held her in his arms for hours while she was ill, and Opal seems to sense this. When he walks in the room, she runs to him, flips herself on her back, and waits for him to rub her little, white tummy. If Floyd's walking through a room, Opal watches his feet till they stop, they throws herself at his feet with her belly up.

Coso loves to stretch just about more than any other cat I've known. Notice her French Manicured front paws!

(L-R) Coso, Bodie, and Rainbow: The Three Great Hunters...tracking bugs flying around the light on the living room ceiling.

Here's a shot of Fireball sacked out in my arms. Ever since he was just a five-inch kitten, whenever I pick him up, he relaxes so completely, his entire body goes limp and he immediately falls asleep as I hold him. A wonderful characteristic!

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-01T21:18:00.001-07:00

This morning, I made two cards like this for a card swap. One was sent to Michigan, the other to Virginia. I just picked up the stamp of the girl with her kitten yesterday. It's from Stampin' Up! I used watercolor paper, Stampin' Up markers, and a water pen to color the image. You'll note the girl has light brown hair with auburn highlights (much like me) and the kitty is an orange tabby, just like my sweet Fireball!

Happy Birthday, America!!

See That Little White Dot?

2009-05-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

As soon as we heard on the news yesterday morning that the space shuttle Atlantis would be landing at Edwards Air Force Base, Floyd & I jumped in the car and drove about 60 miles to an area where we could witness the landing. This is the first shuttle landing I've ever seen, and it was exciting especially for a Memorial Day Weekend activity.

Floyd is an old hand at witnessing shuttle landings dating as far back as the early 1980s when the shuttle program was still new. He worked at NASA in the early 70s at what is now Dryden Flight Research Facility, so he asked a former co-worker for pit passes to the second ever shuttle landing. He shot some great photos of the returning astronauts that day because he was so close to the center of activity.

The first shot I took with my camera (at maximum zoom) when we first spotted the shuttle following it's explosive sonic boom after shattering the sound barrier.

Below is the picture above and some others I took then cropped and optimized for web viewing.

Now, it looks like the shuttle!

Gliding past us toward the runway.

Angling down for the landing.

Traveling at more than 200 miles per hour, it's almost down.

Just me with the shuttle landing site in the distant background.

Happy Memorial Day!

We Call Him Fireball

2009-05-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

Here he is. The runt of the litter. But not short on making his way in this big old world. He is the most vocal of his litter. Always the first to wake and summon us with a penetrating, screeching yowl indicating that it is TIME to eat.

Yesterday afternoon he raced to his little dish, buried his face in his food, and wrapped his arms and paws along the rim of the bowl to block access from possible interlopers, growling if they dared come near. Fireball's Feeding Frenzy.

I burst out laughing after one look at him when he was done eating. Primo Photo Op! This has been PhotoShopped with an effect called Spatter--very apropos, I'd say. Look below to see the original photo.

Mother's Day Should Be Every Day...

2009-05-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

if I don't say so myself.

Earlier this month, on Mother's Day proper, Pine spoiled me as she always does. I figure Blogging is a license to brag, so check out the goodies I got from my sweet daughter!

L-R: Handcrafted earrings, Miniature Rose, Love picture holder, recipe cards (for Baked Artichokes, Potato-Cheese Soup, and Chocolate Chip Cheesecake) and Mother's Day Card

The three recipes are ones she prepared for me and that we munched on throughout our day together. She also took me to see the new "Star Trek" movie which I absolutely LOVED!!

Can One Have Too Many Kittens?

2009-05-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

It's springtime in the desert which means greening trees, blooming flowers, garden planting, birds singing, and lots~n~lots of KITTENS!

Even though we'd already taken in BusterToo's (aka GoldenGirl) litter, when we discovered another abandoned litter of three tiny kittens three days ago, we brought them inside to care for, too.

In the lower left corner is Rainbow overseeing the new babies (top to bottom):
Bodie, Opal, and Coso

Yes, that's right: We have SEVEN kittens under the age of eight weeks living under foot and in our special kitten nursery (our front shower).

We are in touch with a woman in our area who runs the Tulgey Wood Critter Refuge to see if we can match the young litter with a lactating mama cat. In the meantime, it's kind of a circus around here at feeding time, but earlier today, I did the whole thing by myself while Floyd was in town on business.

I mixed four dishes of soft, canned cat food with kitten kibbles for Blaze, Fireball, Rainbow, and Sunshine. I brought them out of the nursery and put them in front of their respective dishes. While they ate, I heated the KMR Kitten Replacement Milk for the three little guys. When Blaze & Co. had finished eating, back to the nursery they went. I grabbed one new kitten, Opal, and fed her by bottle. I put her back in the nursery and grabbed her brother, Bodie. When Bodie was done eating, I popped him in the shower, and brought the last kitten, Coso, to the living room to drink her milk.

When they'd all finished eating and were back in the nursery, all seven kittens curled up together in a big, multi-colored Kitty Ball. Happy, content, purring, and ready to nap.

As I write, I hear stirrings from the nursery, so it must be time for Round Three.

500 Miles and Still Counting

2009-05-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, Floyd and I walked Mile No. 500 during our two-mile-a-day walk. We've been tracking our progress since 16 June 2008. While our goal is to walk every day, if you do the math, you can figure out that there are some days we've missed. I guess the really important thing we've learned is even if there's a reason we can't or don't walk a given day, we just get back out there the next day rather than throwing in the towel because we missed a walk.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Introducing Blaze, Fireball, Rainbow, and Sunshine

2009-05-07T13:31:00.000-07:00

If you've been following this blog, you know we have a number of feral cats on our property. These cats come and go. Some stay and set up housekeeping while others pass across our land to other haunts.

Last August, I wrote about a teen-aged cat we called "Mini-Buster" (and eventually BusterToo) because he reminded us of our cat Buster. As it happens, other than the orange tabby coat, they weren't much alike and BusterToo was female. I figured this out when I noticed in mid-March she was quite pregnant. On March 29th, I saw BusterToo and she'd had her litter. They were well hidden and we had no idea where.

On April 21st, BusterToo didn't show up for breakfast which concerned us greatly because she was a regular and made sure never to miss a meal especially after her kittens were born. She hadn't shown up by mid-day, so Floyd went in search of her litter. He found four three-week old kittens safely tucked away in an old bus. There are two tortie females and two orange tabby males.

Toward box front: Blaze
Toward box back: Fireball, Rainbow, and Sunshine
Photo taken 21 Apr 2009

THE KITTENS

BLAZE: Tortie female with large "blaze" in the middle of her face
FIREBALL: Extremely energetic orange tabby male
RAINBOW: Tortie female with every color of the rainbow on her coat
SUNSHINE: Orange tabby male with white face, white tummy, and white tip on tail

Their mama had taken excellent care of them during the three weeks she had with them. Each was strong and healthy. Their coats were in beautiful condition. Thankfully, they had all the advantanges of their mama's milk for their first three weeks.

For the fourth time in the 18 years we've been here, we're sharing our front shower with kittens. We confine them in the glassed in full-size shower when it's their kitty-nap time and overnight. We bring them out several times each day to bottle feed them using KMR Milk Replacer for Kittens. Now five-and-a-half-weeks old, they are also feasting on canned cat food from time to time.

In the past week, they've begun washing and grooming themselves, plus started play-fighting with each other, as well as playing with strings, empty paper towel rolls, and pieces of cellophane. Their playfulness and antics are adorable.

Sunshine & Blaze tussling on the bed, 25 April 2009

Thank You Card for My Long Time Friend!

2009-05-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

At the end of April, a box arrived with my name on the label. After opening the flaps of the box, I could see that it held a coffee mug that I knew I hadn't ordered. Then I thought, oops, maybe Floyd had gotten me a surprise and quickly closed up the box.

I asked Floyd about it and found out he hadn't ordered it either, so I completely opened the package and was thrilled when I realized a good friend since the 9th grade, Carol, had had a special coffee mug personalized just for me!

On the mug's outside are three brightly colored owls along with the inscription, "Jeanie's Mug...That's Hooo!" Tooo cute! I love that the inside is burgundy colored and will never show any coffee stains! It's also the perfect size for me delivering 8 ounces of liquid. PLUS...about three days before it arrived, the coffee cup I'd been using for years had broken. Now, that's perfect timing!

First thing in the morning out on the deck, me in my jammies, hot mocha in my mug, with sun in my eyes!

Pictured below is the thank you card I made Carol.

I used a white base card, scored, and folded to make a 5.5" x 4.25 card. I added a burgundy colored card stock by Bazzill. The printed floral by Close to My Heart (CTMH) was die-cut using Spellbinders' Nestabilities Scalloped Oval and Paper Shapers' Photo Corner punch. The white oval on which I stamped the owl using Ancient Page Bordeaux ink was die-cut and embossed using Nestabilities and popped with foam tape. The owl is from Prickly Pear Rubber Stamps and was colored with Prismacolor markers. The owl is from Prickly Pear Rubber Stamps and was colored with Prismacolor markers.

Inside the card, I repeated the burgundy Bazzill card stock, CTMH floral, and added a computer printed sentiment.

Carol called the other day to say thanks for the card and that she loved it. Woo Hoo! That's why I love cardmaking!

Chasing Windmills

2009-04-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring!

Following are photos I took at the Kiewit Family Day this past January. While on tour of the work site (before the yummy BBQ and winning our new TV), we were able to witness the rotors added to a windmill tower. A truly amazing sight considering the towers stand approximately 340 feet, and the diameter of the rotors is 253 feet. Most interesting to me in these shots is the comparison to the size of the men in the photos. Talk about ants.

For more info about and to view more photos of Kiewit Pacific's Pine Tree Wind Project (Farm), click on the title of this blog entry.

Yummy Blog Candy at Crafters Kitchen

2009-03-20T19:05:00.000-07:00

Jak Heath over at the Crafters Kitchen has a boatload of Blog Candy she'll be giving away in a few days: 85 rubber stamps, paper, ribbons, and more! Click on the title of this post and it links directly to her blog so you can see all the great stuff she's giving away!

More blog posts coming from me...I promise!

More Photos of Jewely

2009-02-04T13:43:00.001-08:00

The same shot as yesterday's,
just larger for a better view!
Photo snapped: 3 Feb 2009

Here she is basking in the sun behind the computer
- a favorite place of hers to lounge.
Photo taken: 21 Dec 2008

A bit closer up...
Photo taken: 21 Dec 2008

Well, Whadda Ya Know?

2009-02-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

I recently learned a piece of exciting information about the newest member of our family.

As you see here, she is a beautiful Tortoiseshell cat in shades of black and gold. Notice her paws: the front left is gold, while the right front is black. Her back left paw (not shown) is black, while her back right paw is gold. I just think that's so cool. She is perfectly balanced, but not symmetrical!

Her eyes are also golden and usually, very serious. We "inherited" this sweet, affectionate kitty when we lost my dear, former brother-in-law, Art, and she needed a good home. Originally, she was my former mother-in-law's cat. When Grandma passed away, she lived with Grandpa till his passing, then with Art. I had heard her name many, many times over the years, and even "met" her during my visits to Grandpa.

But until yesterday, I'd never seen her name spelled out and mistakenly assumed it was spelled: J-U-L-I-E. When she came to live with us, I began calling her Miss Julie-Jewels because she is such a jewel of a cat. Loving, well-behaved, well-mannered, never a bother!

Yesterday, Pine showed me the Christmas card Grandpa had written her in 2001. In among the other treasures contained in his handwriting, there it was...the CORRECT spelling of her name: J-E-W-E-L-Y. Grandma & Grandpa obviously saw what a jewel of a kitten she was when they brought her home some eight years ago.

So, it's now official, she is Jewely, a.k.a., Miss Jewely-Jewels, Baby Girl, Sweet Girl, and who knows how many more names she'll earn over the coming years!

Happy Inauguration Day!!

2009-01-20T22:57:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama's Inauguration was amazing! I would have loved to have been in Washington, DC, again to see his swearing in and hear his speech in person, although I know I had a better seat in the comfort of my living room.

If you'd like to read Obama's Inaugural Speech in its entirety, click on the title of this piece above ("Happy Inauguration Day!!") and it links to another page with the full text of his speech.

The ceremony and celebrations were wonderful, and now the real work begins.

It's up to each one of us!

Too Good to Be True?

2009-01-12T16:46:00.000-08:00

The company Floyd’s now working for, Kiewit Pacific, held its annual Family Day on Saturday, January 10th. Floyd, his mom, and I drove 15 miles up Jawbone Canyon and parked our car in the business office area. Then we rode on a school bus to different areas of the Pine Tree Wind Project. We were able to see 64 of 80 windmills that they’ve already put up including watching them put the rotor on a tower. (Read all about that in a future blog entry.)

Next, we were treated to a wonderful BBQ which included barbequed tri-tip, pork, or chicken; macaroni and cheese; potato salad; coleslaw; baked beans; cornbread; rolls; and frosted brownies for dessert. YUM-O!

After that, the raffle began. Each person received one raffle ticket upon arrival, and only one prize was allowed per family. They were giving away $5,000 worth of prizes including electronics, tools, gift cards, and toys. We sat and watched Floyd’s co-workers winning all sorts of things. Next was one of the Grand Prizes: a Sanyo 32” flat screen TV. I heard them say One-Eight-Eight and flew out of my chair and up to the front. 188 was MY number! It seemed too good to be true. But it was! I won the TV! Tooooo Coooooool!

Me & my TV

Do You Believe in Santa?

2008-12-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

"Santa in a Box" by Teresa Kogut, pccrafter.com

The following was submitted by Jodi Tatum to the HugClub Newsletter, pccrafter.com

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid.

I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars.

That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, and the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker.

He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!

I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood on it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."

The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby. Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes.

That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team. I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

A Merry Christmas to All!

2008-12-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

Following is this year's annual update for those of you who did not receive it by mail.

December 2008

Dear Family & Friends~

As another year comes to a close, I find joy once again in touching base with each of you. I hope you've been blessed with good health and happiness during the year as we have.

Floyd's work on the Pine Tree Windmill project finally began this month. The weather in Jawbone Canyon has not been conducive to long hours out in the elements, but they are making progress nevertheless. This project is the largest U.S. wind farm to date having eighty 340-foot windmills with propeller diameters of 253 feet. We enjoyed vegetables from Floyd's small garden where he also planted a large collection of gorgeous daylilies, cosmos, and other blooms. On his lathe, he crafted many beautiful pens from native and other woods, as well as acrylics.

We were delighted Jacqueline visited this fall. We took her to Death Valley for a day trip. She, Pine, Floyd, and I were on the road by 5:00 a.m. We hiked, admired rocks and land formations, picnicked, snapped photos, played in the sand dunes, and marveled at the national park's amazing beauty until 8:00 p.m. The day before, we took Jacqueline to Lone Pine (also in Inyo County) during their annual Film Festival. We visited the Film Museum which houses exhibits of movies made in the area, especially Westerns shot in the Alabama Hills over the past few decades. Badwater in Death Valley is the U.S.'s lowest point (-282 feet) and Mt. Whitney located near Lone Pine is the contiguous U.S.'s highest point (14,505 feet). Jacqueline moved to Sweden earlier this year as she continues work with the online dictionary -- ordbogen.com.

Those of you who've read my annual letters for years know I always write about Pine's evolving work at Mervyn's. After 16 years, Pine left the company in February. (Just in time, too, because all Mervyn's stores will close by year's end.) She now enjoys helping manage the front office of a small, family-run heating and air conditioning business. Pine is the best cook I know. She is a marvel in the kitchen, and she's never made anything for me that wasn't absolutely scrumptious! She celebrates all the holidays with us, and we're so happy she always makes two or three delicious dishes to share. YUM-O!

I've kept busy during the year with my two favorite papercrafts: scrapbooking and cardmaking. In May, I made digitally created albums for Mother's Day and Pine's birthday. I made lots~n~lotsa cards at workshops, at card club meetings, at Stamp Camps, at Stamp-A-Stack events, and to swap with my CrazyCardMakers Yahoo group and Scrap & Stamp Arts pen pals. I'm so excited to tell you my first card is published in Just Cards!, Winter 2009 issue. In the spring, I rediscovered beading and have enjoyed making earrings, necklaces, and beaded bookmarks. I started a blog just for the fun of it and enjoy writing short pieces about our lives. Check out simplystated4u.blogspot.com if you'd like know what we're up to during the year. In addition to several interpreting assignments throughout the year, I kept busy with volunteer work for La Leche League speaking to parents at the local hospital's birth classes and taking over the treasury for the two local groups.

On the furry front, there are several changes, starting with Sissy's disappearance on June 13th. She was 14 years old, in perfect health, and we believed she'd be with us forever. The night after Thanksgiving, our delightful little Smoky cat bolted out the open back door, and sadly, all evidence points to a fateful meeting with a roving coyote or bobcat. It has been so difficult for us because we adored that little cat and all her happy antics! We took 13-year-old Mollie the Bluetick Hound to the vet a couple of months ago when she slowed way down. We thought we were losing her, but the vet diagnosed diabetes, put her on Vetsulin and a prescription diet, and now she's like a brand new dog. Feral cats come and go, so now, we have four regulars who show up twice a day to eat.

Pine & Jed's Uncle Art died unexpectedly on 2 Dec. It is such a sad loss for our family. At Mark's request, Floyd & I have taken over the care of Art's cat, Julie, an 8-1/2 year old Tortoiseshell who was originally Mark's mother and father's kitty. She's a very sweet, affectionate cat with beautiful black and gold markings and bright yellow eyes.

We hope your holidays are filled with love, peace, and memory-making moments and that the new year is full of promise!

Free Christmas Printables from Lisa Vollrath

2008-12-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to have some neat gift tags and other Christmas graphics, copy and paste this URL into a new browser window: http://countdown.tentwostudios.com

Lisa's cool stuff is "linkware" which means you only need to add her link to a group or blog, and you're welcome to download her special holiday collection at no charge.

Fudge, Anyone?

2008-12-21T15:53:00.000-08:00

Simple ~ Quick ~ Yummy!Mitzi the Duck graphic from pccrafter.com

Just Published in Just Cards!

2008-12-18T22:39:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait to share the news that I've had my first card (above) published! Last week, I got a complimentary copy of the Winter 2009 issue of Just Cards!, Volume 12, with a letter to "Dear Contributor" tucked inside. And there on page 25, was my card with accompanying instructions. Wow! This is really cool!

Chocolate Series Blog Candy Winner

2008-12-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who posted a comment at "Blog Candy Alert." I took the names and put them randomly into Random.org, then told it to do its thing. I decided the name that appeared at the top of the re-ordered list would be our winner.

And the winner is Donna J who wrote:

"Hi--I think there are thousands who like chocolate..Here are some words from a coaster I have...COFFEE, CHOCOLATE & MEN ARE SO MUCH BETTER WHEN RICH....anyway, my sister gave it to me several years ago as a joke. I enjoy your Blog, and, am so glad I can comment now..."

Donna, please send me your snail mail address privately, and I'll mail out your set of notecards.

Blog Candy Alert

2008-11-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

Seems I've been a blogging fool the last few days. That's the advantage of Blogging Without Obligation...I blog when I have something to say.

It's always the right time for Blog Candy, though. This time I'm offering a set of notecards I like to call my Chocolate Series. Pccrafter.com distributed a set of graphics by Beth Yarbrough which included a cool frame that looks like a box of assorted chocolates. It inspired me to research the web for catchy quotes about chocolate (a very renal unfriendly substance which I eat in moderation). I found more than ten cool quotes, but limited the set to ten notecards. Perhaps one day, I'll have to make a sequel! A favorite quote that's included in the set is:

Forget love--I'd rather fall in chocolate!

Leave a comment by clicking on the word COMMENTS, and I'll draw a name from all of those who comment here at the blog. (If you need further info about commenting, read "How-to Post a Comment" in the right column.) Because more and more people are able to post here at the blog with my instructions, I'll only choose Blog Candy winners from those who comment at the blog by 30 Nov 2008.

More Fall Cards

2008-11-26T09:17:00.000-08:00

Happy Fall, Y'all

2008-11-25T17:29:00.000-08:00

Just sharing a card made for my good friend, Brigitte. After stamping the scarecrow image with Staz-On Jet Black ink, I colored the image using Prismacolor 4-in-1 markers which are so much fun to work with because the colors blend so easily with one another.

I used Stampin' Up's (SU) inverse corner rounder on the image layer and the blue border behind it then adhered them together. Using SU's Really Rust ink, I stamped fall leaves on the rust-colored Bazzill cardstock. After I wrapped three coordinating Autumn Harvest Sassy Strands from Close to My Heart (CTMH) around the rust cardstock, I popped the framed image layer with foam tape. I took the entire assembled panel and adhered it to a white, textured card.

For a coordinating envelope, I printed out a fall plaid paper pattern from pccrafter.com at 70% color then traced an A2 envelope template onto the back of the paper. After cutting it out and folding the 4 sides, I glued the edges. For a finishing touch on the envelope, I stamped the same leaf stamp used on the rust-colored background (above) along the front bottom of the envelope.

Recommended: Corduroy Mansions

2008-11-21T18:53:00.001-08:00

Read a good book lately? Enjoy an eclectic group of characters? Like dry, British humor and laughing your fool head off?

Then, have I got a book for you!

Alexander McCall Smith is writing his first ever online novel Corduroy Mansions exclusively for Telegraph.co.uk. A new chapter will appear each weekday until mid-February 2009. As of this writing, Chapters 1-50 are published.

A friend and fellow cardmaker in Israel suggested this read. I'm a tangible sort of person when it comes to books, scrapbooks, and things like that, so I wasn't sure how I'd like reading a book online. My daughter Pine expressed my feelings perfectly when she said about herself, "I like the feeling of a book in my hands." Even so, I wanted to check out my friend's recommendation.

In practically no time, I'd begun reading the published chapters enthusiastically, wondering what new situations would arise? McCall Smith provides fascinating insight as the characters' lives play out, and his turns of phrase are amazing.

I soon caught up with all the chapters and am now forced to read the rest of the entries day by day! If you think you, too, might like reading this fun book, click here to go to the Corduroy Mansions home page and, Enjoy!

Blog Candy Winner!

2008-11-21T15:37:00.000-08:00

Although the previous entry shows no comments, I did receive 4 comments privately. Had I received any "official" comments (at the blog), I would have only chosen a winner from those, but because there were none, the winner was chosen from the private comments. Clear as mud?

And the winner is...Wendy J. in Michigan!! Congratulations, Wendy! Because I already have your snail mail address, I'll be sending your Elvis Collection notecards shortly!

Many have noted that they aren't sure how to post a comment at the blog, so I'm going to go through that now.

As you're reading this, glance down to the bottom of the post. See the where it says: POSTED BY JEANIE AT [the time]? See the word COMMENTS directly to the right of the time?

--Click on the word COMMENTS and a new window appears that says Post a Comment On: Simply Stated.
--Type your comment in the box on the right hand side.
--Next select your identity. Most likely, the only two choices under identity that fit you are either Name/URL or Anonymous.
--Select the radio button, for your identity choice and fill in the appropriate info.
--You are welcome to leave a comment anonymously, but if it's a Blog Candy give-away, it might be hard to give you your gift if you win and I don't know who you are.
--Click on the Orange Button to submit your comment.

I hope this helps!!

Blog Candy from Me to One of You

2008-11-06T14:54:00.001-08:00

Some of you may be wondering "what's 'blog candy'?" I'm clueless who coined the term, but it's used here, there, and everywhere by different bloggers who have something to give away in exchange for comments on their blogs.

One of the terrific dialysis techs at my clinic (Gordon) occasionally draws a sketch of something in the most unlikely places like the back of another tech's lab coat. One day, I saw Elvis zoom past, riding high on the back of Don's shoulders. I called Don over and said, "I know you throw out those coats at the end of the day, but I want that sketch!" I brought it home, scanned it, then started making cards I call "The Elvis Collection" with Elvis's song titles or lines as the inside sentiments. (All with Gordon's blessing, of course!)

Courtesy of Simply Stated and Gordon Greene, I'll draw one name from all of those who post a comment telling me their favorite color (or colors), and send the winner a box of ten Elvis cards and envelopes. I'll pick the winning name on Thursday, 13 Nov, and let everyone know who the lucky person is! [I told you this blog was just for fun!]

200 Miles and Counting

2008-09-23T12:22:00.001-07:00

After a late start, long past sunrise now that our early morning temps are running in the mid-fifties, Floyd and I headed out on our 100th trip around our property. We've walked 200 miles in 100 consecutive days since June 16th. Frequently, while we walk, we discuss all the different places we could have walked to by now had we headed in a straight line instead of around and around in circles. ;-D

How 'Bout Them Republicans?

2008-09-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

The Republican National Convention ended on a much better note than it started thanks to both Cindy and John McCain who took higher ground than at least two of the speakers on Wednesday night: Fred Thompson and Sarah Palin.

Sarah Palin, Sen. McCain's vice-presidential choice, has dynamic public speaking skills, but I was disappointed in her tendency to puncuate her speech with mean-spirited zingers which I believe are simply uncalled for no matter what the situation. Modeling that type of negative behavior in front of the American people and our children is not helpful. It is that attitude that it's acceptable to treat others without respect or kindness and as lesser than ourselves that leads to bullying in our society.

I could not understand Mrs. Palin's mocking attitude and the audience's hearty agreement--marked by the entire arena bursting into laughter--when she referred to Barack Obama's work as a community organizer. How is that any less important than the work she has done? Community organizing is what people do when they feel they are not being helped by the government that serves them.

Most of this nation's greatest movements and moments of growth can be traced directly to community organizing, also called "grassroots action": Take the Civil Rights movement and women seeking the Vote, just to name a couple.

As I said at the beginning, the McCains reached higher in their speeches and did not use them as opportunities to mock others or label others' accomplishments as less important. For that, I'm grateful.

And now, the race is on.

How 'Bout Them Democrats?

2008-08-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

Last night's opening of the Democratic National Convention was a breath of fresh air! I love the positive, upbeat tone each speaker projected and the way they looked to the future, as opposed to re-hashing the past or mudslinging. The overall goal to improve the lives of all Americans, not just a select few, dominated the evening.

Caroline Kennedy's introduction of her Uncle Teddy would have made her father, mother, and brother proud. And Ted Kennedy's powerful speech in support of Barack Obama was especially touching in light of his recent brain surgery and continuing battle with brain cancer. The risk he took to travel from Massachusetts to Denver and deliver his speech were apparently inconsequential to him compared to his commitment to being at the DNC and showing support for his candidate.

My favorite part was Michelle Obama's heartfelt and inspiring speech supporting her husband. Her easy-going, down-to-earth style makes her seem like a woman who might live up the street from me--something I've never felt about any other First Lady or potential First Lady.

I think the DNC is off to a great start!!

Hand Beaded Earrings, Etc.

2008-08-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

Ta-dah! The first pair of earrings I sold (just this week)!
These were custom made for a teen-aged girl after her mom saw
the lime green glass cube pair (shown below) I was wearing.

It's funny how I got back into beading earlier this year. I was at a rubber stamp workshop making cards with a group and complimented the woman sitting next to me on her beautiful jewelry. She graciously thanked me, and then it was the Close to My Heart Consultant who said, "Oh, Kelly makes all her own stuff. When she's not stamping, she's beading." Then Kelly offered, "You can always find me at the bead shop."

BEAD SHOP?? Huh? We have a bead shop in town? (The last one I knew about had closed decades earlier.) I started gathering info about the local bead shop, and then I had to go there and check it out.

The Spirited Bead is a branch of the original shop located in Tehachapi, CA and was established by Karen Lewis (a.k.a. Klew), an amazing artist who makes extraordinary beads, jewelry, and wearable art using polymer clay. To see what I mean, take a peek at her website: http://www.klewexpressions.com/

It turns out, the local bead shop has been around for over four years. Okay, so I'm slow on the uptake, but just think how much money I've saved! Oh, no, that's not right. I spent the money I might have spent on beads on rubber stamps, cardmaking supplies, scrapbooking stuff, and books. (Not to mention a foray into Claire's Accessories in the mall where I picked up a huge number of earrings right before I began making my own.)

Ten or fifteen years ago when I first tried beading, I was feeling my way in the dark. I didn't take any classes or find any books with instructions. This time around, I've taken two hands-on classes at the nearby Spirited Bead as well as found a number of great beadmaking books to refer to.

Here's a photo of my recent creations. I really enjoy making earrings for myself and others. But you can see, I've made a couple of necklaces to coordinate with earrings, and even an anklet (the project from my Basic Beading class, not shown).

The lime green glass cube earrings referred to above are in the bottom right of this photo.

I have to give credit where credit's due: the frame with chicken coop wire which is home for my creations was an idea my older daughter told me about. I passed the word to my hubby, and he made me three!

I use a variety of beads: Swarovski crystals, clear glass, crackle glass, cultured pearls, and wooden, to name a few. I work with colors I like together or drawing from clothing I'm trying to match.

Beading is a soothing activity and is even easier since we bought an Ott lamp for the living room!

Desert Sunrises

2008-08-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

Since the end of May or early June, my hubby and I have been up daily before the sun to walk around our property. After we measured the distance of one circuit, we added a seventh lap, which increased the total distance walked to two miles. As of 16 June, we've walked two miles seven days a week. This has turned out to be great exercise with benefits! Being up and out so early means we are able to take in beautiful sunrises every day.

Looking east toward the Argus Range in the background,
mid-July 2008.

Other benefits we've gained by walking daily is a ten pound weight loss for me, over a thirty pound loss for my DH, a general feeling of well being, and a strong sense of accomplishment.

Another eastward shot.

This photo to the west shows
a well known, local landmark, Five Fingers, highlighted by sunlight.

As one season folds into the next, we'll need to adapt our walking schedule accordingly and no doubt we'll walk after the sun has risen to avoid the early morning chill of fall and winter. In the meantime, one of the best things about our walking routine as it is right now is enjoying the glorious desert sunrises!

Our Adventures with Feral Cats

2008-08-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have been blessed to have had six cats during our 17 years together. Most came from a feral background. Sissy (below) just recently disappeared after 14 years somewhere in this big old desert. She was at least third generation feral. [Feral cats are those which have been separated from domestication, whether through abandonment, loss, or running away, and become wild. The term also refers to descendants of such cats. Feral kittens may be re-domesticated, to some extent, if handled by humans within their first 5 weeks of life.]

For some unknown reason, Sissy's mother, FluffNugget, became friendly with me toward the end of her pregnancy. She would let me pet her and even pick her up. After FluffNugget birthed her litter of four kittens, we found their location and catnapped them. They lived for several weeks in our spare shower. Four to five times a day, I'd go outdoors and bring FluffNugget into the house depositing her in the shower to nurse her babies. During this time, we also had a lot of play time with the kittens and handled them a lot.

This routine went on for approximately six weeks when, for an equally unknown reason, FluffNugget began to run from me each time I tried to approach her. By the time the kittens were that age, many mama cats would have weaned their litter anyway, so we felt they'd gotten the best start in life.

Pictured here when they were small enough to fit in a garbage basket, clockwise from top Missy, Bubby, Opie, and Sissy.

We were attached to all four kittens by that time, and kept them all. Sissy was soon the lone surviving cat. She was completely re-domesticated and was very affectionate with humans. She virtually made a 180 degree turn-around because she never became friendly with another cat after her litter mates were gone.

Then, along came Buster. Our Bluetick Hound, Mollie (above), was outside one night barking her head off and causing quite a ruckus. My husband went out to see what was up. When he walked back in the house, he was carrying the cutest little five or six week old orange kitten shown below snuggled on my hubby's chest.

We never did find out if Buster was abandoned or from a feral colony. He was a quite character and couldn't be called affectionate although he had his moments. He liked us, as long as we didn't get too close, too often. Above you see can Buster in all his glory lounging in one of his favorite spots under the dining room table. Buster disappeared in June 2007, shortly after his first birthday, which left us both very heartbroken. (Sissy, on the other hand, was quite happy.)

In the early days after Buster's disappearance, my DH spent part of every day outside searching for him thinking maybe he'd gotten himself stuck some place. On one of these outings, he came back with a little cat he mistakenly believed was abandoned in one of his old cars. She was about five weeks old, and we decided to keep her. She had a smoky color so she became "Smoky," also known as Smoky-Dokey and Mocha. Like Buster, she's not conventionally affectionate, but wherever we end up in the house, there's Smoky close by. She prefers not to be picked up or over-petted, but allows it at times. At night time, she snuggles tightly against the back of my legs as I sleep. As long as we follow her cues, we no longer get scratched or bit. (The sooner you figure these things out, the better it is for everyone.)

During another outing on our property, still in search of Buster, my DH discovered two other young kittens where he'd found Smoky. Oops--she was not an abandoned kitten, she'd only been left alone in the nest for awhile. Each time he went back to the nest, he saw more kittens! I told him to quit going out there because I didn't want the litter to keep growing! Final count was a litter of five kittens, not including Smoky. Eventually Smoky's Mama and some of her litter mates disappeared.

MizzSmoky-Dokey loves being in the middle of everything including my stamping projects!

Until last week, we had two of Smoky's sisters (Pretty Girl & Patches) and a stray (Blackie), who we feed morning and night on top of an upright freezer that sits beyond our deck. Each had kittens although Patches' lone baby was born early in the summer heat and was not able to tolerate it. In the past few days, Patches has also disappeared. Pretty Girl once had four kittens all of whom were healthy and feral--just like their mama, they’d run at the sight of us. Then suddenly, only two remain (Mini-Buster 'cuz he's another orange tabby, and Mini-Black&White).

Those two are the "teenaged" kittens of the clowder. We've noticed this week, they're becoming bolder and not taking off as quickly when we approach or inching their way in our direction. They now eat the food we leave out, too.

Blackie's five kittens are approximately six or seven weeks old and she has allowed us to handle them since they were about two or three weeks old. She sticks close by which means we can continue to socialize the kittens, and we hope to eventually find them good homes.

A couple of Blackie's kittens cuddle for a nap.

Kittens will do anything for their Mama's Milk,
even stand on their heads.

In spite of knowing, in general, outside cats do not live as long as indoor cats, desert life is rough on cats, and that these cats have no attachment to us, we find ourselves growing quite attached to The Feral Family that frequents our freezer top and deck. It's hard when any of them disappear.

Faboo Stamping Techniques Class

2008-07-12T19:21:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday was the last in a series of four monthly Stamping Technique Classes I signed up for in April. I loved this class. Taught by a local Stampin Up! Demonstrator, we learned 14 techniques a month, totaling 56 by the end of the class.

We received a "blank" book with 56 pages secured with two metal rings. Each page had step-by-step instructions for a technique then half the page was left blank so we could adhere our completed, matted example of said technique. Some of the techniques, I had tried before, but most I hadn't even though I've been stamping for a darn, long time!

It was a blast playing with all the inks and stamps Jessica had organized for us. It was like using a "kit" to practice each technique. Even the cardstock was already cut to size.

Who knew baby wipes or marbles made such a cool background papers? My favorite techniques involved watercoloring, re-inkers, or direct-to-paper methods. My head is all a-whirl with ideas I can use, mostly in my cardmaking.

At the end of the class, we had our, fat, little book all done and in living color. I decided I want to protect the pages by laminating each one. This morning, I made the cover shown here using chipboard, pccrafter.com clipArt, my computer, and printer.

Next, I'll buy bigger rings so the book will lie flat as opposed to its current "triangular" shape. I'm hoping I may need even larger rings in the future because Jessica hinted that there may be more techniques to come! Whoo Hoo! Is it time to sign up yet?

Thanks to Leere' Aldrich for the scrapbook page from her "Seasons Spring" collection at pccrafter.com. Fonts used: Angelina & Advantage. Chipboard: Diecuts with A View's "Brights Chipboard Stack"

Why I Scrapbook

2008-07-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

When I first began to keep pictures and momentos in scrapbooks it was simply a way for me to keep things that were important to me. Over the years, I've learned that scrapbooks become a person's legacy and future generations' opportunity to know about their family and where they came from.

I've also learned the process of scrapbooking can be just, plain fun. I started traditional or paper scrapping when I was a kid. All the supplies I used were highly acidic and the books didn't last.

Almost 20 years ago, I was introduced to the concept of acid-free, lignin-free albums, papers, and adhesives. I've got quite a few traditional scrapbooks in various stages of completion.

Not long ago, I ventured into digital scrapbooking which is by far the simplest way to collect your photos and stories in one place. No physical storage needed. Simply a hard drive and perhaps an external HD, too, to keep track of the myriad digital papers and elements that are readily available (many for free) all over the Web (plus all your photos).

My most recent project was an album I created for my middle daughter who turned 35 at the end of May. It was so much fun gathering together all the photos of her I wanted to use and organizing them into themes or topics for each double page spread. Check out the page below which I made using a Quick Page. I downloaded the template, then popped the photos behind the openings in the layout. Enjoy!

Thanks to Jenna Robertson for her Quick Page, "Generations," which I got from http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com.