Ria's Blog

Be My Valentine

2012-01-22T14:02:00.000-05:00

Today I've been making Valentine cards. I hope you enjoy!

This first card is for the Ribbon Carousel Challenge RCC36.

It's a recycled card using an old Valentine's card and part of a paper bag (the checked pattern). The other paper and the ribbon have been in my stash forever and were fun to add.

Here's the sketch:

These next three cards were made from some papers and embellishments I received as a prize over at Scrapadilly. I had a lot of fun using these papers and embellishments.

This first card is for the Skipping Stones Designs Sketch #111.

I love using card sketches and this is one of my favorites.

This card is for the Third Thursday Sketch Challenge over at Crafty Steals.

This was a fun challenge and I enjoyed using flowers and bling.

This last card is inspired by the sketch at CPS (Card Positioning Systems): CPS 252 Part 1.

They have a whole bunch of card sketches to inspire you.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

What is inspiring you this Valentine's Day?

One More Layout

2012-01-15T20:45:00.000-05:00

Here is one more layout I completed today. I had a blank spot in the middle of my scrapbook and I needed to fill it with a page, so here it is.

Flat Tire Layout. I had a flat tire on my bike while riding on the Tri-County Triangle Trail. Luckily, we were right by a crossroad and Todd was able to ride back and get the car to pick me up. I took some photos while I was waiting.

This is for the Go Fish Challenge #9.

Cardstock: DCWV

Lettering: Basic Grey

Patterned paper and embellishments are from Scenic Route.

I love how this patterned paper matches the color and flowers on my bike.

Scrapbook Pages? Really?

2012-01-15T14:18:00.000-05:00

Guess what? I scrapbooked! Actually put pictures on paper and made pages! Those that know me, know that is a rare thing. But guess what? It was fun.

On Christmas Day, 2011, the weather was unseasonably mild here in Ohio, so we took the dogs for a hike to Ash Cave. They really enjoyed it and we have decided that we should do this more often.

This first layout uses papers from Sassafras Lass. I love their papers. The burlap banner was a RAK I received from my friend Michelle. They are from Canvas Corp. The flowers are Flora Doodles from Petaloo. The background card stock is DCWV.

This second layout is three different views of the same waterfall. I love the red sun artifacts in the first photo. The ricrac is something I've had in my stash for years.

Thanks for looking! Where are your favorite places to hike?

Thanks to you times two

2012-01-14T18:02:00.000-05:00

Hello and Many Thanks to You and Thank You Very Much!

Thanks to all of you who check out my blog and leave me happy comments, it really brightens my day.

Today I made two recycled cards. Someone had given me a stack of Thank You cards because she spilled something on them and was going to throw them away. She knew I was crafty and could probably do something with them. It just so happens that I love to recycle greeting cards, so I really enjoyed this project. I cut away the ruined portions of the cards and worked with what I had left.

This first card is for the Stampendous Saturday January Bling Challenge on Just Jingle.

I love Jingle, she is so full of energy and spunk. Thanks Jingle for all of the happiness and inspiration that you spread.

The flowers and vase are glittered and there I added holographic blue bling to the centers. The blue background along with the words are metallic for added sparkle.

Here is a second card I made today. The red flowers and green background are metallic.

Thanks again to all of my blog readers and followers! I appreciate each and every one of you.

So... what are you thankful for today?

Three More Cards!

2012-01-12T12:35:00.001-05:00

Hello Everyone and Happy Thursday! I've been working on some card challenges and I thought I'd share them with you.

This first one is for Skipping Stones Design Sketch #110.

I love using card sketches as inspiration.

The balloon and landscape are stamped with the Skipping Stones Uplifting stamp set.

Everything else is scraps from my stash. I love using up my stash.

This card is for the Go Fish Challenge #8: White on White.

I hardly ever do tone-on-tone, so this was definitely out of my comfort zone.

I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder and a glitter pen for the background.

This card is for the Michael Strong Rubber Stamps Love is in the Air challenge on his Yahoo Group.

This is also for the Pixie Dust Challenge #109.

Spreading Sunshine in January

2012-01-08T19:05:00.000-05:00

Here we go! I made two cards today. I decided to use bright yellow to spread some sunshine in January.

This first one is for the Skipping Stones Designs Sketch Challenge #109.

I used the cover sheet for a Basic Grey Origins Collection Pack. I love recycling things and thought this fit the sketch perfectly. I also used two rub-ons from the same collection.

I stamped "Sending you sunshine!" from the Skipping Stones Uplifting Stamp Set.

This second one is made from the scrap of yellow card stock left over from the card above.

I used a card front from a thank you card I received long ago.

The lace is stamped from the Stella and Rose collection (MME) - new stamps I got for Christmas.

I hope you enjoy my splash of summer in January!

Thank You from my dogs.

2011-11-13T17:07:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, we walked in the Puppy Up! Walk to help fight Canine Cancer. We walked in Honor of Bosco and Marty (that we lost last year from Canine Lymphoma). Thank you to your generous donations I was able to raise $125 for this great cause. You can read about our story on my fundraising page.

Oscar and Jonah walked with us and we had a great time. Stevie and Jessica also joined us for the walk.

Here Oscar Sporting his Puppy Up! Bandana. He is so handsome.

Jessica, Stevie, and Todd walking with Jonah.

Oscar isn't very fond of his Gentle Leader Collar and decided to roll around in the leaves trying to get it off. He's a nut.

Oscar and Jonah were so happy for all of the donations, they decided to make some cards to say Thank You to everyone that donated.

These were inspired by the sketches at Scrapadilly.

These also will be featured in November's Sneak Peeks at The Crafty Table.

Scrapadilly Card Crop

2011-11-06T18:54:00.001-05:00

I made these four cards for the Scrapadilly Card Crop this month. I enjoyed crafting with paper this weekend.

This one is inspired by 365 Cards, Day 251, Super Sketchy Sunday.

This one is for the Sketch Challenge I posted at Scrap Sisters Studio.

These two are inspired by Oscar to help thank those that donated for our Puppy Up! Walk to fight Canine Cancer. We had a nice walk in the park today and raised a total of $165 to the cause.

As always, these cards also will be posted in the November Sneak Peeks at The Crafty Table.

Same Papers, Different Cards

2011-11-06T18:47:00.000-05:00

These cards were made for the Card and a Half Extra Challenge #5: Same Papers, Different Cards.

This was a fun challenge. I like using the same supplies on two different cards.

Butterflies, Balloons, and Girly Girls

2011-10-23T12:51:00.000-05:00

I'm in a card-making mood today. Here are three cards that I created.

Butterfly.

This card features the Skipping Stones Designs "Healing Wings" stamp set and Webster's Pages Robin's Nest background paper. The branch is a die cut that I had (it was bright green and I inked it with some brown ink). I stamped the butterfly on to a piece of blue/purple transparency film.

This is for Skipping Stones Sketch #98

And for The Crafty Table Sneak Peek Challenge.

Here is the sketch:

This card was made for the Chrispea Memorial Crop at Scrap Sisters Studio.

This uses the Reflection Stamping Technique by Michelle. You can see the tutorial here or here.

This card features the Uplifting Stamp set from Skipping Stones Designs.

This Girly Girl card was made for the Chrispea Memorial Crop at Scrap Sisters Studio.

It also fits Use Your Stash challenge (metal embellishments) at The Crafty Table.

Fall Card

2011-10-14T21:09:00.000-05:00

Here is a quickie Fall Card I made.

I made it for the Go Fish Challenge #2.

And the Fall Color Challenge at The Crafty Table.

Trick or Treat

2011-10-10T17:35:00.000-05:00

I made this card for the Skipping Stones Designs Sketch Challenge.

Here is sketch #96:

I used a tag I made from one of The Crafty Table Tag Challenges.

The hostess sends out some supplies and everyone makes a tag with them. One lucky winner is chosen at random to win a Crafty Prize.

Check out the October Tag Challenge - there are still openings, so come join us!

Hurry, signups close on October 18, 2011.

Need a Pick Me Up?

2011-10-04T19:22:00.000-05:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so I decided to make this card for the Skipping Stones Designs National card making day challenge.

I figured it was appropriate since it features Skipping Stones Designs Stamps.

I will be sending it to a dear friend of mine who needs a pick me up.

If you're a crafter that would like to help fight breast cancer, please come join our Chrispea Memorial Crop at Scrap Sisters Studio. You can tell them CraftyRia sent you (that's me).

This is also for the Think Pink challenge on The Crafty Table.

Guess who?! Owl show you....

2011-10-02T16:28:00.000-05:00

I made this card for the Card and a Half Challenge.

This is from their Sketch Challenge #5.

I used paper and embellishments from Sassafras Lass.

The mesh was from my stash (I had it for years).

I'm not sure where the flower is from (bottom left), it was the last one in a package.

Here is the sketch:

Some Sunday Cards

2011-09-25T17:07:00.004-05:00

Here are some cards that I have worked on today and over the past few days. I've been inspired by lots of online challenges lately.

Super Sketchy Sunday. 365 Cards, day 202

The Crafty Table: Back to School Challenge: Science

365 Cards, Day 203. Back to School, Masculine Style

The Crafty Table: Back to School challenge: Math.

365 Cards Day 207. Sweet Treats, Masculine Style

The Crafty Table: Sneak Peeks, Show and tell.

GoFish Challenge #1. Anything Goes!

365 Cards Day 206. Love, Masculine Style.

The Crafty Table, Sneak Peeks, Show and Tell.

First Friday Mini Card Crop at Scrapadilly

2011-09-05T18:16:00.000-05:00

I made these six cards for the First Friday Mini Card Crop at Scrapadilly.

All of the cards also qualify for the Back to School Show and Tell Challenge at The Crafty Table.

Day 188 Super Sketchy Sunday at 365 Cards.

Back to School: Shapes Challenge at The Crafty Table.

The papers and embellishments are from Sassafras Lass.

Back to School: Writing Challenge at The Crafty Table.

Papers and embellishments from Sassafras Lass.

Back to School: Art Challenge at The Crafty Table.

I used a piece of handmade washi tape made from masking tape.

Sunflower and Butterflies card.

Using up lots of goodies from my stash.

Scalloped Celebrate Card.

I was in Hog Heaving using up some of my Sassafras Lass Stash.

Two More Cards!

2011-08-22T19:05:00.000-05:00

This is for 365 Cards Day 171: Vintage Plus Pink

This is for 365 Cards Day 172: Vintage Plus Green

They both qualify for the August Sneak Peeks at The Crafty Table.

Three new cards for 365 Cards.

2011-08-17T14:14:00.000-05:00

I've been home sick the past couple of days, so I decided to make some cards.

I love the challenges over at 365 Cards.

Here are three:

Day 168 Vintage Plus Red.

Day 169 Vintage Plus Black

Day 170 Vintage Plus Blue

They also all qualify for the August Sneak Peeks at The Crafty Table.

Just post photos of any projects you make during the month and you have a chance to win a prize.

It's a great way to share ideas and maybe learn something new.

It's Time to Stamp Out Cancer!

2011-08-17T05:34:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Second Annual Blogs 4 Boobies FUNdraiser!

Welcome to day three of the three-day Blogs 4 Boobies bounce!

Today I'm auctioning off this set of three handmade cards.

These cards are handmade by me and include envelopes.

Here is a list of the participating hoppers today:

*You are Here* --->Ria Johnson

Be sure to check out the Skipping Stones Design Blog for complete details.

How to place a bid:

Step #1: Place your bid in the comment section for this post.

Step #2: Fill in the dollar amount of what you are willing to pay for the card/project. We recommend a starting bid of $5 or more. Remember your bid includes shipping as well as the card/or project. 100% of the money from your bid will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Step #3: Next to your bid please type in your email address. Typing your email address is the electronic equivalent of signing your bid. Also it will help the blogger contact you if you are the highest bidder.

Step #4: Watch and wait. Once you have entered your bid/comment sit back and wait. If someone out-bids you then you may bid again. Bidding will continue until 8:00 p.m. Mountain time August 23rd, 2011. The winner of the auction will be the highest bid in the comment section of the most recent auction post.

Blogs 4 Boobies Fundraiser Blog Hop!

2011-08-14T20:30:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Second annual Blog 4 Boobies Fundraiser Blog Hop!

Monday August 15 is day one of a three day blog hop where every card or project is up for auction! Last year Skipping Stones Design raised $1108.99 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. This year's goal is $1500 and we need your help!

There are three ways you can join in the FUNdraising.

1. You can help by shopping!
For every stamp set that you purchase from the Skipping Stones Design Stamp Store between August 15, 2011 and August 23, 2011, Skipping Stones Design will donate $2 to the Komen Foundation.
Click here to start shopping.

Check out these Bras!

Bras Volume #1

Bras Volume #2

So... get over there and do some shopping! They have lots of great stamps.

2. You can help by bidding.

Another way you can help us raise money for the Komen Foundation is to bid on a project or card along the blog hop (bounce). Every card or project along the Blogs 4 Boobies Blog Hop is up for auction. We recommend a starting bid of $5 or more. Your bid also includes shipping. If you are the highest bidder on August 23, 2011 8:00 pm (mountain time) you win the auction. Please see the official bidding rules on the Skipping Stones Design website.

3. You can help by Telling Your Friends.

Please help us spread the word about Blogs 4 Boobies. The more people that know, the more money we can raise. You can post this on your blog, on Facebook, or Twitter. Please also post on any message boards that you are a member of.

So have fun Bouncing from Blog to Blog. Please go to Skipping Stones Design for complete details and a list of all the bloggers that are participating on each day.

I will be bouncing on Wednesday August 17, 2011 so please bounce back over here and see what I have up for auction!

I am participating in memory of my dear online friend Chris Hertel. She lost her battle with breast cancer last month. She was a beautiful lady and a great inspiration to many of us in the online Scrapbooking and Card making community.

365 Cards, back at it again.

2011-08-14T14:06:00.002-05:00

Here I go again. I love the challenges at 365 Cards and I'm sorry I don't have the time to do more of them.

Here is Today's Super Sketchy Sunday Sketch:

Here is the card I created from that sketch:

This card is also eligible for the Productivity Challenge at The Crafty Table.

Card and a Half Extra Challenge #3.

2011-08-14T14:03:00.000-05:00

This challenge was to use flowers on your card. That's easy for me because I love flowers.

Here is my card:

The flowers are from Imaginisce Petal Pail.

The papers are from a RAK I received long ago.

The bling is Rhinestone Stickers that I found at Tuesday Morning.

I'm a sucker for Fowers and Bling.

Card and a Half Sketch #3

2011-08-14T13:58:00.001-05:00

I recently discovered Card and a Half. They have some really great challenges.

Here is the sketch for this challenge:

Here is the card I made using this sketch:

I used some paper and ribbon I had in my stash from a swap several years ago.

The flowers are from the Imaginisce Petal Pail.

The Adore card is from Jenni Bowlin Studio.

The bottle cap is from Li'l Davis Designs.

Skipping Stones Card Sketch

2011-08-13T11:31:00.000-05:00

This is the SSD#88 Sketch from Skipping Stones Design:

Here is the card I made from it:

The white shiny background is a scrap of wallpaper that I had in my stash for several years.

Everything else is scraps from my stash, too. I love using my stash.

Stay Tuned.... next week I will be participating in the Blogs 4 Boobies Blog Hop by Skipping Stones Designs. I'll be participating in memory of Chris Hertel (Chrispea).

I made six cards this weekend!

2011-08-07T19:04:00.000-05:00

I have been very busy this weekend! I made six cards for the First Friday Mini Card Crop over at Scrapadilly. They also fit some of the challenges at The Crafty Table.

I had a lot of fun making these cards! I used up a lot of my scraps from my stash, so that is always a good thing. I hope you enjoy!

A Chillicothe Vacation Day

2011-07-10T17:14:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Stevie and Jessica came over and wanted to go eat dinner at Dock at Water in Downtown Chillicothe. Todd and I have never been there, so we were excited to go. It was delicious. I got the chicken fingers and Chili and it was very yummy. Jessica and Stevie go there often and I think we will too.

Jessica and Stevie at Dock at Water

It turns out that Chillicothe was having their Shop and Stroll evening. The downtown shops stay open later on the second Saturday of every month. We decided to take a stroll and do some shopping. We went to BBB Music and some other shops and browsed around. They have a nice History Shop that Todd really liked. There is also a consignment boutique that I really like and will probably spend a lot of money there in the future.

Downtown Chillicothe

Then we went to Lloyd's Sweet Shoppe. We bought some yummy caramel chocolates topped with salt. Oh yeah, those are worth the Weight Watchers Points! We each bought a candy grab bag. Mine had a chocolate bar that said, "I love Werewolves." It's chocolate so I'll enjoy it anyway.

Todd and Jessica started talking about the local history and the Hopewell Indian Mounds. Jessica is an archaeological expert at the Hopewell Mound City Group. By "expert" I mean she went to a dig there for a school project. So we decided to go check it out. The park ranger there remembered Jessica and told us we were in good hands. We walked along a nature trail and came to the Scioto River. It was very pretty. Stevie sampled many wild berries along the way. I think Oscar would really enjoy it, so we need to go back and bring him with us.

Todd, Jessica, and Stevie overlooking the Scioto River

Yesterday was so much fun and it felt like a mini-vacation for me. I wish I had brought my better camera, but my iPhone's camera seemed to do a good job.

I enjoyed the day so much, I scrapbooked three pages today about it. I was inspired by the Friday Night Sketch Night Challenges over at Scrapadilly.

Here are the layouts:

Shop & Stroll. I enjoyed using papers and embellishments from Webster's Pages for this.

Hopewell Mound. I used lots of supplies from my stash.

Scioto River. I used papers and embellishments that I received from my Scrap Pal a long time ago.

I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have.

Three More Cards!

2011-07-09T10:13:00.000-05:00

I made these three cards during the July Mini Card Crop at Scrapadilly.

I used some papers and embellishments that were sent to me as a RAK. I love the bright colors.

Priceless Card.

Also for Sneak Peek Challenge at The Crafty Table.

Big Flower Card.

Also for the Inspiration Challenge at The Crafty Table.

Hi Weave card.

Also for the Sneak Peek Challenge at The Crafty Table.

Something Blue: A Penguin

2011-06-19T11:43:00.000-05:00

365 Cards: Mega Movie Monday, Day 105 card.

The Crafty Table: Something Blue Challenge.

Super Sketchy Sunday!

2011-06-12T19:12:00.000-05:00

Here is my card for 365 Cards, Day 104 Super Sketchy Sunday.

I also entered it in The Crafty Table Sneak Peeks for June.

Eggstra Eggstra! Read All About It!

2011-06-12T19:08:00.000-05:00

We have Chickens! We built a Chicken Ark and we bought four Golden Comet hens. They are my Golden Girls and I call them Sophie, Dotty, Blanche, and Rose. They all look the same and I can't tell them apart, so I don't know who is who. I have to rely on them to look at me when I say their name. Sometimes I can tell who is who by their actions. If one is strutting around like she's sexy, that one is Blanche. One was clucking a lot today, so that must have been Rose telling St. Olaf stories.

Here are some pictures:

This is the first day we brought them home. Don't worry, they have food and water.

This is the attic of the ark when it is opened. There are two nest boxes and a roosting area. Both long sides and small sides come off for easy access and cleaning. Those long handles are for moving the ark around the yard (similar to a Chicken Tractor).

Our Frist Egg! His name is Sheldon.

We are on our way to a dozen. Actually, we've had over a dozen eggs produced to this date. We've eaten some already. They are delicious.

Stair Stepping, Color Scheming Card

2011-06-05T20:31:00.000-05:00

I made this card using the Stair Stepping Technique. It was fun and very easy to make.

I got the idea from a card crop challenge at Scrapadilly.

I chose these colors: 365 Cards, Day 91: Color Scheming.

I also used a new sticker tag for the Something New Challenge at The Crafty Table.

Lounging Lady Card

2011-06-05T20:23:00.000-05:00

This is my Lady Lounging Card.

I used an old vellum printed die cut that I had from way back when I first started Scrapbooking, my last big scrap of script paper, and some silver photo corners to complete the vintage look.

365 Cards, Day 90: Super Sketchy Sunday

The Crafty Table: Something Old Challenge (old vellum die cut with vintage look)

White Space

2011-05-22T19:30:00.000-05:00

This card is for the 365 Cards: Day 77 White Space challenge.

It is also being posted in The Crafty Table Sneak Peeks challenge.

Super Sketchy Sunday, from last week.

2011-05-22T19:26:00.000-05:00

This card is for Day 76 Super Sketchy Sunday at 365 Cards.

The colors and designs for this card were inspired by the Spring Inspiration Challenge at The Crafty Table.

The flowers and butterfly are from various RAKs I've received at Scrapadilly.

The papers are from my scrap drawer and the ribbon is from Big Lots.

A whole week of cards!

2011-05-15T15:02:00.000-05:00

There! I did it... seven cards in seven days. Okay... maybe not quite one-per-day, but I did all seven daily challenges at 365 Cards this week. They were all sketches and I really love sketches.

This is my Tall Flowers card. I really like how it turned out. I used some flowers I got in a RAK from Scrapadilly and a strip of scrap paper I found in my scrap drawer.

This card was inspired by 365 Cards Day 75.

It also qualifies for either the flower challenge or the button challenge at The Crafty Table.

Vintage Telephone

2011-05-15T14:57:00.000-05:00

In staying with the Vintage Black and White theme, I decided to use the telephone die cut in the set. Then I simply cut out a column from a phone book to use on the front of the card.

This card was inspired by 365 Cards Day 74.

It will also go into the Sneak Peeks at The Crafty Table.

Clara Bow Card

2011-05-15T14:54:00.000-05:00

Here she is, Clara Bow in all of her glory. She is a Vellum Die Cut from Paperbilities that I have had for years and years.

This card was inspired by 365 Cards Day 73. I loved this sketch.

I will also post this card in the May Sneak Peeks at The Crafty Table.

Mean Green Hummingbird.

2011-05-15T09:03:00.000-05:00

Well, maybe he's not really mean, or green. I found him on a card that I had received and thought he was worthy of recycling into a new card. So... yeah... that's green. Right? And the papers are green, so it counts.

This card was inspired by 365 Cards, Day 72.

I also entered it in the May Sneak Peeks over at The Crafty Table.

I'm So Glad We're Friends

2011-05-15T08:57:00.000-05:00

Yup. I am. So here is a card dedicated to all of my Friends!

This card was inspired by 365 Cards, Day 71 Tuesday Sketch.

The flowers are from Scrapadilly, from a RAK prize.

I chose buttons for flower centers for the Shop Your Stash Challenge over at The Crafty Table. Got some buttons sitting around in your stash? Stick them on something and come join us!

Too Much of a Good Thing

2011-05-15T08:36:00.000-05:00

Is a good thing. Right? That's what I always say. My Dog, Oscar agrees with that. His favorite good thing is Arby's and he'll be happy to have too much of it.

Here is a card I made using that sentiment:

This card was inspired by 365 Cards, Day 70, Monday Sketch.

I received the cool flowers from Sandy over at Scrapadilly for winning their Card Crop.

I'm also listing this card as a Sneak Peek over at The Crafty Table.

Happy News and another Ladybug Card!

2011-05-15T08:28:00.000-05:00

Last week, my Ladybug Card was chosen as a Spotlight Designer over at 365 Cards!

It was quite an honor for me because I've never been chosen for anything like that before. I love their blog and their card challenges. They've inspired me to make a whole bunch of cards. Now I just need more reasons to send cards.

Here is a new Ladybug Card I made for String 2 of the Ladybug Card Swap over at The Crafty Table. If you like either one of my lady bug cards, hop on over and join the swap and you'll get one of your very own!

Inspiration from this card came from 365 Cards Day 69, Super Sketchy Sunday. They are doing sketches all this week and I really love sketches! I'm going to try to do them all.

Three Cards I Made!

2011-05-08T08:42:00.001-05:00

I finally unpacked and organized my craft room! I'm 98% done, I just have a few more things to do (pictures coming soon). Of course the process never really ends, does it? I love that I'm able to find things now. I can actually craft and not have to hunt trough boxes.

I found a new blog called 365 Cards. They post a new card challenge every day. I doubt I can keep up with it and make seven cards a week, but I will surely try. I also posted some new challenges at The Crafty Table, so you might want to check that out as well.

Here are the cards:

This is the Round Flower Card.

365 Cards, Day 62 Super Sketchy Sunday.

This Card also fits The Crafty Table May Flower Challenge.

I used Goodies I won at the April Card Crop over at Scrapadilly. Thanks Sandy, I love the prize package!

This is the Rhyming Inspiration Card.

365 Cards: Day 63 Rhyme Time.

I used Scalloped Scissors for The Crafty Table's "Dust It Off" Challenge.

This is The Lady Bug Whitespace Card.

365 Cards, Day 64 White Space.

It's also for the Ladybug Card Swap on The Crafty Table. There are sill two spots open, so come join us!

The red trim is also from the Prize package from Sandy. I thought it went perfectly with ladybugs.

Move In Day! November 6, 2010.

2011-01-02T10:43:00.000-05:00

Finally! After devoting every spare moment (evenings after work and weekends) for over a month, we were ready to move in! We thought this day would never come. Now our new house is a place to live, not just a place to "go and work."

We had about 15 people come help us move on Saturday. They all worked really hard.

Todd drove the rental truck. It took several loads.

There was quite a caravan of cars behind us - our moving help.

Thank you to each and every one of you that came and helped us move! We couldn't have done it without you. Special thanks to Aunt Dawna for the Texas Sheetcake and also for coming back on Sunday to help us finish up.

Some work needs to be done!

2011-01-02T10:36:00.000-05:00

The home we bought was a foreclosure and therefore, some work needs to be done.

Oscar says this carpet needs to go.

So we replaced it with laminate. Oh the woes of doing that. It was no easy task.

The master bedroom had the same gross carpet, so we did that as well.

We left the wallpaper, but painted it the bare walls red.

These steps were carpeted, so I covered them with some vinyl. Todd did the wood trim.

The kitchen walls were avocado green, so we primed them twice...

And painted them a pretty butter yellow with white trim. I got some pretty sunflower curtains, to match. Our kitchen theme is Roosters and Sunflowers.

Todd got himself in some dangerous positions to hang curtain rods. Underneath him are basement stairs. Good thing he has The World's Best Ladder.

Where have I been?

2011-01-02T09:56:00.001-05:00

Oh my! It's been a while since I've posted anything on my blog. I've been a little bit busy... just a tad. I'll try to tell the story in pictures. I still have been taking photos nearly every day, but I won't bore you with every single one. I'll just hit the highlights.

September 28, 2010

We closed on our new home! Yes, those are the keys. We were so excited.

Now... we have work to do! The home was a foreclosure and will be a work in progress.

P365. September 26

2010-09-26T19:20:00.000-05:00

Sunday Drive.

I love how this turned out.

P365. September 25

2010-09-26T19:18:00.000-05:00

Todd went grocery shopping and brought home these sunflowers for me! He knew that I LOVE sunflowers. We have had such a stressful week, this was a nice touch.

We went the Outlet Mall and I saw this wonderful Owl purse at the Kate Spade store!

I love it so much, except the price tag was $345. YIKES!

I will just have to enjoy the picture. I don't think I'm crafty enough to make one.

P365. September 24

2010-09-26T19:13:00.000-05:00

This is my photo collage on my desk at work. I need to bring in some photos of Oscar.

P365. September 23

2010-09-26T19:09:00.000-05:00

Schrody loves to sit under the bird cage. Maybe she is waiting for one to fall out?

P365. September 22

2010-09-26T19:08:00.000-05:00

Marty is home... in a box.

He joins Bosco and Roger on the shelf.

P365. September 21

2010-09-26T19:06:00.000-05:00

Oscar has taken his new job of Primary Dog very seriously.

P365. September 20

2010-09-26T19:04:00.000-05:00

It's Monday morning. Welcome to rush hour traffic.

P365. September 19

2010-09-26T19:01:00.000-05:00

Blizzard. Now that is good.

Taken with the Hipstamatic Camera app for my iPhone.

P365. September 18

2010-09-26T18:59:00.000-05:00

We went to the Greyhound races in West Virginia. The dogs run so fast they are a blur (at least they're a blur in this photo). If you look closely, you can see them.

P365. September 17

2010-09-17T14:13:00.001-05:00

This flower was at the vet's office today.

We brought Marty in for his last visit today. He will suffer no more. It's a very sad day indeed.

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P365. September 16

2010-09-17T14:11:00.001-05:00

Today is Julie's last day at work. I will miss her so.

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P365. September 15

2010-09-17T14:09:00.001-05:00

Sunset on our street. I bet it will be prettier at our new house.

P365. September 14

2010-09-17T14:06:00.001-05:00

Marty says hi. He loves all of his online friends.

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P365. September 13.

2010-09-13T18:28:00.000-05:00

Todd made butter burgers for dinner tonight. Yum!

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P365. September 12

2010-09-12T18:38:00.001-05:00

Marty enjoyes a bone today. He loves bones.

This picture shows the bone better. It's a Chewlotta bone, not a real bone.

P365. September 11

2010-09-12T18:35:00.000-05:00

Rare! A photo of me.

Today we went to The Ohio State Buckeyes game.

We had a great time. I posted a lot of photos on Facebook, so if you're my friend there, feel free to check them out.

Here are a couple more:

O-H-I-O!

The Bucks kicked a field goal. Can you find the ball?

They flew the flag at half mast throughout the game today. They had a special half-time show as well.

P365. September 10

2010-09-12T18:28:00.002-05:00

The dogs made this flower for me today. Aren't they sweet?

P365. September 9

2010-09-12T18:27:00.000-05:00

Todd made this Pizza-of-Art for dinner.

It tasted as good as it looked.

P365. September 8

2010-09-12T18:26:00.000-05:00

The old Flint School at Flint Park. I try to come here during my lunch break to walk. The weather was beautiful for a walk today.

P365. September 7

2010-09-12T18:04:00.000-05:00

Fried chicken fingers. Todd made these tonight. I LOVE them.

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P365. September 6

2010-09-06T19:54:00.001-05:00

Happy Labor Day! We decided to take a much shorter drive today.

Buckskin Covered Bridge, CR 54 west of South Salem, Ohio.

P365. September 5

2010-09-06T19:52:00.002-05:00

We went for another long drive today along the Ohio River. This is a dam and lock that er stopped to see.

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P365. September 4

2010-09-06T19:48:00.003-05:00

We went for a long drive today.

Campbell Hill, the highest Point in Ohio.

Oldest concrete road in America. Court Avenue, Bellefontaine, Ohio

Largest manmade lake in Ohio. Grand Lake St. Mary's Ohio.

Young's Jersey Dairy for some of the best food, cheese, and ice cream in Ohio.

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P365. September 3

2010-09-06T19:43:00.001-05:00

Marty stole the whole Subway bag off the counter when we weren't looking.

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P365. September 2

2010-09-06T19:41:00.000-05:00

Marty must have been thirsty and looking for a drink.

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P365. September 1

2010-09-06T19:39:00.001-05:00

September, I see your colors, but I still feel August's heat. It's over 90 degrees. Can we cool it down a bit?

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P365. August 31

2010-09-06T19:34:00.001-05:00

Here is the tag I made for the tag challenge at The Crafty Table.

P365. August 30

2010-09-06T19:29:00.001-05:00

We got this great thank you note from Grandma Dot.

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P365. August 30

2010-09-06T19:25:00.001-05:00

Schrody has taken over my craft desk.

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P365. August 29

2010-09-06T19:23:00.001-05:00

We took Oscar to the park for a hike in the woods.

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P365. August 28

2010-09-06T19:21:00.001-05:00

We went to Guitar Center and Todd made me buy a Ukulele. Now I have to learn to play it.

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P 365. August 27

2010-08-27T20:22:00.002-05:00

The July/August Tag Challenge kit. Here Kitty Kitty!

This is for the Tag Challenge at The Crafty Table.

I received this kit in the mail today. Every month (or two) we have a tag challenge over at The Crafty Table. The hostess sends out a kit to everyone that signs up and we each make a tag and post a picture of it. It's free to enter and you get to keep the tag that you make. One winner is chosen at random to receive a Crafty Prize.I have one week to complete the tag and to post a picture of it on the forum.

P365. August 26

2010-08-26T19:51:00.000-05:00

Here is Marty. He is feeling well enough to take the squeaker out of his toy. Then after that, he raided the trash can and got a container of sauce. Good thing he cleaned up the floor when he was done.

P365. August 25

2010-08-26T19:49:00.000-05:00

We had Root Beer Floats again! The root beer from Lenhman's is delicious!

P365. August 24

2010-08-26T19:47:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Grandma Dot!

Today is her real birthday. We had a great time celebrating it on Sunday, though.

P365. August 23

2010-08-26T19:42:00.002-05:00

This is what was left behind after Todd made Root Beer Floats. Two bottle caps and a smudge of ice cream.

Taken with my Hipstamatic App on the iPhone.
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P365. August 22

2010-08-26T19:40:00.000-05:00

Today we had a surprise 90th birthday party for Grandma Dot!

Jilly was at the door making sure everyone signed in.

It was a grand event with millions of people.

I think she had a great time! The invitation stated, "no gifts" but we were encouraged to give her pieces of blue fabric so she can make a 90th Birthday Quilt.

P 365. August 21.

2010-08-26T19:35:00.001-05:00

We took a long drive to the Amish Hardware Store. That place is huge.

We picked out some kitchen appliances.

Then we went to the cheese shop.

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P365. August 20

2010-08-26T19:31:00.001-05:00

What is wrong with this picture? My coworkers have no sense of order.

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P365. August 19

2010-08-26T19:29:00.001-05:00

My dear friend Kai sent me this card. She is very sweet!

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P365. August 18

2010-08-26T19:25:00.000-05:00

Marty steals the hot dog bun. Good thing Todd was quick with his camera. Later, Marty stole the entire hot dog off of my plate while I was eating. Relish flew in the air and it made a mess.

P365. August 17

2010-08-26T19:24:00.001-05:00

Synchronized drinking.

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P365. August 16

2010-08-26T19:21:00.002-05:00

Schrody the cat. Taken with Hipstamatic App on the iPhone.

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P365. August 15

2010-08-15T16:06:00.001-05:00

Laurelville, Ohio has a flower pot in the middle of the main intersection.

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P365. August 14

2010-08-15T16:04:00.000-05:00

Our floor shopping turned into fridge shopping. Our fridge is failing. On our way home we saw this double rainbow.

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P365. August 13

2010-08-15T16:03:00.001-05:00

We are floor shopping for our new house. There are so many to choose from.

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P365. August 12

2010-08-12T20:01:00.001-05:00

Tonight we signed mortgage papers. A million papers. See how thick the folder is? That is a quarter for reference.

P365. August 11

2010-08-12T19:57:00.002-05:00

I love me some Oreos!

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P365. August 10

2010-08-10T20:15:00.002-05:00

Marty is going retro.
This was taken with the Hipstamatic Camera app for my iPhone.

Lens: Kaimal Mark II
Film: BlacKeys B+W

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P365. August 9

2010-08-09T18:35:00.001-05:00

Oscar takes Ria for a walk.

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P365. August 8

2010-08-08T16:04:00.001-05:00

We drove up to Dublin and saw the corn statues.

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P365 August 7

2010-08-08T16:01:00.000-05:00

We drove by Moss Hollow again and it's not far from the Hirsch Fruit Farm. So, we stopped in and bought some homegrown pears, some yummy blackberries, and some apple cider.

P365 August 6

2010-08-08T15:59:00.000-05:00

We are officially IN CONTRACT on the Moss Hollow House.

I hope everything goes well and it works out.

We went back to the house to look it over and Todd found this Bat up in the carport.

Todd is very excited about this and he wants to build a bat house.

p365 August 5

2010-08-08T15:57:00.000-05:00

We had a really bad storm last night and look at all this storm damage!

Hahaha. I think we need to buy a new house.

And guess what? We are. After some negotiation, they have accepted our offer on the Moss Hollow House! Oh YEAH! We are going tonight to fill out the formal papers.

P365 August 3

2010-08-08T15:54:00.000-05:00

Marty is on Prednisone and it makes him VERY thirsty. Every morning he goes in and licks the shower dry.