I WON!!!

Look everybody...I won an award!!! This one is from Rachel over at Home Is Where The Heart Is. Thanks Rachel!!

Now I'm going to pick my 7 favs....7 is really hard cause I have over 100 listed on bloglines but I'll start picking anyway.

The rules with this award are to:
1) List 7 things you love.
2) Link back to the person who gave you the award.
3) Pass it along to 7 other bloggers


Seven Things I love:
1. God
2. Sweetie Man, kids and all my family
3. My animals (4 dogs, 1 turtle, 1 cat, 1 rabbit)
4. My Church family
5. My crafts and books
6. Sweetie Man's cooking
7. Nice cold glass of wine

Seven Bloggers who are deserving of this award...


Gaggle of Geisslers (you really need to check this one out as it's my niece and family and
she did an awesome job of posting our recent vacation there--may need to scroll down a day or two. Not to mention the videos of my nephew are hilarious....please visit her's tho)
The Twisted Stitcher (lots of good tutorials and ideas on stitching)
Black Belt Stitching Wizard (Dani inspires me)
Musings From A Three Bedroom House (family and stitching...fun!)
The World According to Ollie (love the animals she posts)
Crochet and Other Stuff (Mimi has always been a favorite of mine when it comes to crochet)
Meari's Musing (I just enjoy reading about her day to day life...very uplifting and funny)

And Rachel's blog could be added here as well as so many others that I enjoy connecting with....I give you all my Lucy Loves Ya Award (okay, I made that up). Anyway, enjoy visiting these all and maybe you'll find some new cyber friends in the process...don't be afraid to leave them a comment.
Till next time yinz crazy guys...

In case you are wondering....

...I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth....just spending some quality time with this awesome little man....my great nephew, Owen!!!!

Till next time, yinz crazy guys....

2009 River Car Show

For those of you who don't know, The River, is Sweetie Man and my church, and today was our 4th Annual Car Show (all for the community...all FREE). I recently discovered a book by Squire Rushnell called GOD WINKS and how God speaks to us through coincidences that happen in our lives. It's sorta like when someone winks at you and it means, "Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" or "You really understand what I want you to do!" Well, it seems to me, that when The River's Car Show has absolutely PERFECT weather the fourth year in a row, enough FREE FOOD made and donated by our members to feed 1000 people (almost exactly...talk about bread and fishes), an incredible huge stash of donated prizes and awards, an awesome outdoor church service and music.....and smiling exhausted workers (from young to old) every year (not to mention smiling vintage car owners)....I would venture to say God was definately speaking to our church through these incredible coincidences.....saying, "Now that's how to do church!" So with that said, enjoy the pictures and remember that God IS WATCHING.....AND TRUST ME....TODAY HE WAS WINKING!!!

There were so many beautiful cars there (100-150?) and bikes (and an airplane). I ran Ed's Hot Zone as you can see and had to have the pepper painted on my face. Sweetie Man was out of town but he made his incredible "Sodom Salsa" and "Gomorrah Guacamole" and I made 300 "Temptation Brownie" bites which of course has jalepeno juice and cayenne, cinnamon and diced jalepenos in them. Everything was a hit. It was just a fabulous day! Now I'm off to relax a bit and get ready for new week....so till next time, yinz crazy guys!

INCHIE NATION!

I was in a swap at swap-bot where I had to do four inchies...you remember....one inch square pieces of artwork. I checked out the profile of who I was sending to and tried to match up her likes. This first one was with a cross charm since she collects crosses.

Ok...I threw this one in cause I liked the vintage ladies in swimsuits and I bought this cool vintage paper with submarines on it.

She liked pink and black together so I made this one.

And she loves penguins (like someone else I know, dear niece of mine), so I came up with this little inchie.

I haven't heard from her yet, but I am anxious to find out if she liked it. I haven't received mine yet, but I do tend to have the worst luck with receiving in swaps.

I also managed to squeeze in this cross stitched bookmark for my grandson. He likes the camo look and those are his initials. I also threw in a book...It's the journal companion for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. His mom said that he actually put down the Nintendo DS to write in this journal....it's a pretty funny journal, like the books.

That's about it for now. Just keeping busy crafting and stitching on the front porch. So till next time, yinz crazy guys...

THANK YOU....

...TO ALL THOSE WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY
AND HAVE SERVED IN THE PAST
TO KEEP US SAFE AND FREE!!
MEMORIAL DAY 2009

Swappin Frenzy!!!

Well, as you know I'm in this swapping frenzy! My problem is is that I don't get the pics posted quick enough and I promise to try harder. So, with that said, this is a Dotee that I made for a swap. I couldn't wait to show her cause I thought she was so cute. Can you guess the theme of the Dotee Swap? (she's clickable to enlarge)

Not too difficult...it's Alice in Wonderland! I didn't receive mine yet but this was an international swap on Swap-Bot so it may be enroute.
I'm not one to cause a big stink if for some reason I don't receive something in return as I really do just enjoy making and sending things.....and I know things happen in people's lives that cause them not to be able to send. Well, in the case of the mailart swap in the HoE group, I didn't get a mailart, and then the second person who was to make me one didn't send, so the admin of the swap made one and sent it (which I pictured in a previous post!) Well, it turns out I recieved another just recently from France (I'm so sorry I can't read the name on the postcard enclosed) but it is a beautiful piece with my initials. My address was a couple numbers off which could be why it may have been delayed in the mail. Thank you so much, Lamence(?)

This was the bookmark exchange from in the HoE group. OMG...I love this awesome colorful bookmark from Jean.

Jean is from Singapore...I LOVE receiving international swaps!!!! My name is even on the bookmark and she also was so sweet to send some additional goodies. Fabrics are another fav of mine!!! Thank you so much Jean!!!

Don't think I posted this but it's the washcloths I received from the washcloth swap in Swap-Bot! I love cotton crocheted washcloths which is why I signed up for this one. But look, Shannon also sent me these great wooden hooks....I drooled on those!!! Thank you so much, Shannon!

So, now I'm off to work on more swaps I got into....an Inchie Swap and a couple more Dotee swaps! I love to check out people's profiles and blogs and see what they like then come up with something to match. So, enjoy the day and till next time, yinz crazy guys.....

"I'M HOW OLD???"

No, it's not me......but it is someone near and dear to my heart!!!! It's my wonderful niece Alexis and it was her birthday on FRIDAY (I thought it was today...oops!!!)

And not only is she a wonderful niece, she is my "soul craft sista"!!! She is pretty much the only one in my family who is as craft crazed as I am!!!

But even more than that.....she is wise beyond her years! She is as adorable now as she was when she was a wee little one! She has always accepted me for who I am, been totally honest and straightforward with me and has not only been my niece but one of my best friends!! Her husband is awesome and so perfect for her and she has the most adorable son (aka my great nephew) ever!!!

So, with that said......(I won't reveal her age but she is catching up to me..tee-hee!) I love ya, Alexis.......You are my favorite niece (okay, my only niece)....but I still love ya...hope you have (had) the most awesome birthday ever (any many many more healthy happy years)....you deserve it, Girl!!!!!

Look Out American Idol!!!

Happy Birthday, Casey!! Our grandson, who's gonna be a big brother in September, turns a whole decade old today!!!

More creativity...

I'm just feeling so craft crazy and exchanges and swap-bot are definately keeping me busy. Some things I've made I can't show you yet and some things I've just received I haven's taken pics yet...but I will show you what I do have...sound good?
This is from a dishcloth exchange...my partner liked pink and black together so I did a washcloth and one of those dishbottle dresses in those colors. I really liked them and so did my partner.

She also likes fantasy things and this is supposed to be a dragon which you cannot see but trust me it's in there. And then I threw in a little knitted scrubby.

Next, everyone asks about the "children" but I have such a difficult time getting them to stand still for pics. They are soooooooo energetic...unless I came downstairs in the middle of the night and took pics this is what you are going to get. I have a great video that I can't seem to get off the camera onto the computer (it's through a new program which is why) but it's a hilarious one of Eros getting bathed outside! Actually Eros and Sweetie Man and I getting bathed!!!
Anyway, here are the kids for what it's worth...First off is the big boy...Eros Caliente in all his 140 lb glory....what a big baby he is....you should listen to him cry in the morning when he wants me to come downstairs and let him out....definately a gentle GIANT! (that's Chloe off to the side)

Next is our older gal (and my personal fav) Katie Sue. She's our laser light chaser and resident floor licker! (don't ask!)

This is my "grand-dog" Reese E Cup. This picture does not do him justice....he's a beautiful chocolate lab and if I had as much energy in my little finger as this dog has...well.....let's just say I wouldn't be counting calories.

And this is Chloe Nicole....Sneaky Sweet....She's the brains of the group! She's out to get Katie out of the picture and become Alpha Dog! She's also the littlest. She's definately all female in front of you but behind your back.....watch out!!!! My DIL said she already is the ALPHA!

So, that's it for now.....next I'll post some pics of things I received....so stay tuned! Till next time, yinz crazy guys!

HAPPY MOM'S DAY!!!!

Mailart received!

It's a doggone shame that my cyberfriends live so far away. I wish some of you out there lived right next door to me (oh heck...all of you!) Listen to what Jill did for me. I'm in a swap recently for mailart and the person who was supposed to send to me didn't. Then the replacement person didn't. Well, I just figured that I wasn't getting a mailart piece and I was okay with that cause things happen in people's lives and such and I really enjoy giving anyway more than receiving (tho I do like to see other's craft talents!)
So in comes the coordinator of this swap, Jill, and sends me this fabulous mailart piece! So bright and cheery....and it went right through the mail, easy as pie! I had the biggest smile on my face when I got this.

Jill, you did a fabulous job on the mailart and thank you again for being so thoughtful and doing it yourself just so I wouldn't be left out! (check out her blog for the details on how she did it) As I told Jill, it's on display in my diningroom right now but I'm currently thinking of a really special place to put it cause it it so cheery.
So, that's it for now...just wanted to share a bit of my good fortune with you all. Till next time, yinz crazy guys....

BRRRRRR.....

....I'm not talkin' about the weather, yinz guys! I'm talking about my newest find in crafts..."ICICLE DOLLS"! (she kept wanting to roll over so the sharpie is there to hold her up!)

Isn't she cool??? (get it? COOL!) Anyway, found out about about them in Swap-Bot where I find all new crafts anymore! I think I've signed up for about 5 swaps which is my limit on being a Newbie, but once I get done with those I can do up to 20 at a time...WOW!
The Icicle Doll is just like a Dotee but shaped like an icicle. If you Google in "Images" Icicle Doll, you'll see alot more. If you click on my pic, you can get a closer view of her cute vintage face which I managed to copy onto muslin by ironing paperbacked wax paper (is that parchment paper maybe) to the muslin (8 1/2 x 11) and running it through my printer. I plan on making more of these cuties for sure.
The next is a purple and red dotee.....her hair is FABULOUS, don't ya think??? Just yarn!

Don't worry, I'm still cross stitching too! Working on the February TEAPOT...remember I finished the teacup. I'm sorta going backwards cause I'm going to do the ones for January after this. I did the January Teapot for a swap but I'm going to stitch it again along with the cup for myself.

I've been feeling so crafty lately....too bad I don't feel that way about cleaning the house and doing the laundry! Anyway, been wanting to mess around with my watercolors again so I pulled them out and played around a little trying to remember what I did that worked best and what paper worked best. I even pulled out one of the last pictures I painted which was a picture we took a few years ago while in Barbados that I painted.

Not too bad for a beginner. I'm much better and more comfortable with scenery than with still life. With still life I find myself using pen and ink with the watercolors for fine detail. When I was much much younger, I always found myself drawing scenery and sunsets, so maybe that's what I need to stick with. Anyway, I have another beach scene from Barbados drawn out that I never painted so stay tuned and I'll post that when it's done!
Hopefully I've inspired you a bit to craft...helps those brain cells stay alive too....so till next time, yinz crazy guys!