Put The Kettle On!

Nothing like a good cup of tea with a friend!  Hard to do these days but I do make a cup tea to sip while I enjoy a weekly Zoom call with friends.  Of course I did knock the cup over yesterday during the call.....what a circus.....but it did make everyone laugh so there was that.....

It is time for the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop again!  I used the sketch from the Paper Players for my design.

Stamp Sets:  Get Grounded (Ink Blot Shop), Make Tea (Cat's Pajamas)

Ink: Copics, Soft Suede, Memento Black

Paper: Whisper White, Soft Suede, Pleased As Punch DSP

Fusion: Beach

Two weeks ago there were snow flurries in the air and overnight temps were below freezing,  The last two days have been almost 90......welcome to spring in the Adirondack Mountains!

                          A friend's camp in mid May.....

                                               

Our camp yesterday.......

We are not quite the tropics as seen on my card but I'll take it! I was inspired by both the sketch and the photo at Fusion this week!  Hope you join us!

                                            

Stamp Sets:  Waterfront, Beach Happy, Friend Like You
Paper:  Whisper White, Tropical Oasis DSP
Ink: Calypso Coral, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Mint Macaron, Blushing Bride, Daffodil Delight, Soft Seafoam, Seaside Spray, Petal Pink, Highland Heather, Flirty Flamingo

An Interesting Week.......FMS437

It has been a very interesting week around here  My daughter organized a "Quarantine Library Retirement Party" for me and sweet treats and cards arrived all week.  I also received several delightful bookmarks in the mail as well.  So I made a few cards to send back to friends to say thanks!

Then one of my good friends had a baby boy - all 11 pounds 1 ounce of him!  Yeow!  All is well - he is beautiful - and yes she had a C-section.  But this crazy quarantine means there will be no playing with that baby for a while yet!

And we had our yearly visit from the Bat family.  Every year one seems to find its way inside.  Well lucky for us there have been two this year - or maybe it was the same guy who came back a day later!  Friday night as we were eating dinner it came zooming into the kitchen as bold as brass.  I bravely dropped to the floor and scooped up my 18 year old five pound deaf and half blind poodle.....who was totally focused on possible table treats.....and started to duck walk to the back door to make a quick exit.  The Big Guy headed to the cellar way to grab a tennis racket to engage that flying beast but as I opened the back door the bat flew right over my head and out across the lawn!

But very late Sunday night I awoke to a fluttering sound and soon realized a bat was circling the bedroom.  I calmly shrieked BAT and the Big Guy once more headed for the tennis racket.  As he shut the bedroom door behind him he said keep your eye on it and make sure it stays in the bedroom.  Seriously?  And that's when I realized I was alone in that room with a bat and a snoring five pound poodle.  There was only one thing to do - become a mummy and get totally under the covers and don't peek out for anything!  The Big Guy returned and handled the situation and was wise enough not to ask if I "kept my eye on it" while he was gone......I can't wait to see what next week brings!

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Cecile has designed a fabulous sketch for you to be creative!  Join us at Freshly Made Sketches!

Paper:  Whisper White, Highland Heather

Ink: Distress Oxide, Shaded Spruce

Stamps: That Thing You Did (Ellen Hutson), Get Grounded (Ink Blot Shop)

Die Cuts: Trees in the Forest (MFT)

Enjoying Retirement.....FMS436

I have had a job of some sort since I was 17 and I can honestly say I enjoyed them all - except for one.   I retired from teaching after 34 years and decided to substitute but after having my own classroom I didn't like being the sub. So when a part time library clerk position opened at our local library I applied.  And here I am 14 years later retiring from that position.  It is bittersweet for sure since it was the perfect "retirement job."  My plan was to stay one more year but Mr. Covid got in the way.  Our library has been closed for two months and is scheduled to open in June with lots of changes, restrictions and safety precautions for working with the public.  At my age I decided not to tempt fate since New York has been hit hard by this disease so I retired.    

Spending time outside up at the lake sounds good to me right now after a long cold winter and two months of quarantine.  We opened our camp this weekend and the porch is ready for business!

So many possibilities with Jen Brum's wonderful sketch!  Have fun with it at Freshly Made Sketches!

Stamp Sets:Timeless Tropical, Waterfront, Country Home

Paper: Whisper White, Tropical Oasis DSP, Grapefruit Grove

Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Grapefruit Grove, Crumb Cake, Seaside Spray

Die Cuts: Diagonal Stripes (Avery Elle), ADK Chair (TE)

Fusion: Enough

A simple sentiment today for all of us as we navigate these uncertain times.  I am hoping to see some light at the end of the tunnel as our county slowly starts to reopen more businesses after a two month shutdown.  Anyone else need a haircut besides me?  I might have to go see if Miss Emma can trim hair since she helped her mom out this week with some root touch ups!

In the meantime I did a bit of colorblocking too. I colorblocked the background of my card by using actual clear stamping blocks.  First I stamped the block on the ink pad. Then I spritzed it with water before stamping on the paper.  Easy technique and I love how texture of the watercolor paper shows through.  



I used the photo and the sketch as my inspiration for today's card.  Hope you join us at Fusion!



                                     

Stamps: Beautifully Braided (SU), Simple Strips (TE)
Ink: Versafine Black, Flirty Flamingo, Balmy Blue, Highland Heather
Paper: Whisper White, Mercury Acetate, Watercolor

It's Not Always Black and White.....FMS435

We drove to my son's this weekend to pick up our lawn tractor now that their yardwork is finished.  The drive is just over an hour on the main roads.  But why would you ever take the main roads when you can drive through the mountains and around the lake on twisty turning back roads hauling a trailer carrying a mower? But that's a subject for another blog post.

As the Big Guy turned to head home through the mountains I reminded him there were no drive through places to grab dinner on that route.  No problem says he - the Edinburgh Diner is doing takeout.  (Edinburgh is basically a crossroads on the way home but they do have a great diner there.)  I am rapidly losing cell service now as we head into the mountains so I google Edinburgh Diner and hit the green call button in a flash.  I managed to order two dinners complete with pie before I lost contact.

A half hour later it is pouring rain as we get to the diner.  The Big Guy goes in and comes right back out saying they don't have our order.  I show him the phone and say look I called them.  So back in he goes and back out he comes and says they don't have it.  And I say fine I will call them back.  

When the gal answers I tell her we are in Edinburgh and ask her exactly where her diner is located.  And she says just down the street from the high school.  Wait - there is no high school in Edinburgh, NY!

So if you were in the Edinburgh Diner in Edinburgh, Indiana Sunday night and got two free dinners on the house, you're welcome........

Kim's creative sketch was fun to play with! I kept my design CAS.  Hope you join us at Freshly Made Sketches!

Sentiment: Easy Expressions (The Ton)
Ink: Memento Black, Lovely Lipstick
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Golden Honey DSP
Hardwood Embossing Folder (SU)

Birthdays....FMS434

Birthdays don't stop for quarantines......they just get celebrated a bit differently. Thursday Gram turns 95 and next week my dog Abby turns 18 - both of them are setting records for longevity in our family!  Gram's gifts have already been delivered to her living facility where they are in quarantine for a few days and will be given to her on her birthday.  We will be singing Happy Birthday to her outside under her window!   

Abby will probably snooze through her day and enjoy a bit of bacon as a special treat.

And this card is headed to Will's mom who is having a birthday next Monday.  Since everyone has been at home her birthday present is a new front yard!  The yard was cleared in the fall so this month my son and the Big Guy worked to level the top soil, plant the grass and roll it level.  Cross your fingers for green stuff to show up next week!  We will be sending a pair of hydrangea bushes her way as her gift.

Meanwhile the foreman has found a way to supervise when he is not out there "helping!"

I am hosting this week at Freshly Made Sketches - celebrate with us and play along!

Stamps: Loads of Happy (Avery Elle)

Ink: Lovely Lipstick

Paper: Whisper White, Lovely Lipstick, Petal Pink, Best Dressed DSP