Our annual family fall harvest get together

Lori and Philip hosted our annual fall harvest party Sunday evening.  The weather was perfect (in the 70's).  I was in southern Indiana (will tell you more about that tomorrow) so, I wasn't able to help Lori cook.  She spent a ton of time getting ready for the  party and it was perfect.  The food was super delicious, she had everything decorated and even planned a craft for the kids after we ate.  We couldn't have asked for a better time.  What a blessing to have us all together, healthy and loving one another.

Working hard to play!

 

Most of the kids!

 

 

Leaf fight

 



Kara (oldest Granddaughter taking pictures)

 

Kelsey, Todd and Branch (Youngest Great Grandson)

 

Kara and Travis

 

Philip, Lori and Jeffery

 

Nathan

 

In the beautiful Kitchen

Craft at the end of the party!

 

 

 

A wonderful time!

Adam and Even . Notice the serpent in the tree.  Made me cringe just looking at it.

One of the Life Size Dragons.

Jon and I, along with 2 other couples went to Lawrenceburg, Indiana for a few days.  Lawrence  burg is right on the borders of Ohio and Kentucky.  We visited the Creation Museum and I am telling you it was a fantastic experience.  We heard and saw all about the creation and why the book of Genesis is so important.  Many facts that we were unaware of were discovered and questions we have had were answered. 

The Creation Museum (if you can call it a "museum") is a $27 million park (all raised from donations) located in Kentucky just a few miles from Cincinnati. It was founded by Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis. It is devoted to proving that "The Bible is true from Genesis to Revelation!"

The creation story was told with true life wax people that talked and moved.  We spent all day and had the privilege of hearng Ken Ham speak for an hour.  That was one of the best parts of our visit.  He is an awesome speaker. 

  In 2016 the replica of Noah's Ark will open.  It will be the length of 2 football fields.  Lord willing, we anxiously plan to go see it.

If you can possibly go and take your family to the Creation Museum it will certainly be worth the time and money.

I leave at 5:00 AM tomorrow morning for Newburg,
Indiana.  Three of my crafting friends and  I are
going to this quaint southern Indiana Village to take classes with Ken Oliver.  We are over the edge excited and can't wait to learn lots of new things.
Friday night we will learn to make jewelry using the Ice Resin technique and then there are 2 classes on Saturday. 
There will be 100 in attendance and Ken has lots of fun things planned, lots of prizes and great gifts from several suppliers.  I can't wait to tell you all about it next week.

You can read all about it at http://www.kensworldinprogress.com/p/art-at-edge.html
 

Challenge card for next week~~~

You can see a video on how to  make this at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZA3O6kp9Js

 

 

Shutter Card

 

 

I have a 5 stamping friends visiting this week, and this is one of the project we learned to do.

A shutter Card.  When you open it appears like a camera shutter.  It closes as you close the gate.

I will write more about this a later as we are getting ready to leave to have lunch at an Amish home.

 

You can make 3 cards this week!

 

Below is what you need to do for this week's challenge

• Use Polka Dots
• Make a Gate Fold Card
• Use a fancy "belly Band" around the card
• Use a product that can be purchased at Joan's Gardens (www.atjoansgardens.com)

 

You will have until Friday October 17th  6:00 AM EST to link your project.

 

A winner will be chosen from a random drawing for week #24 and the winner of the challenge will be announced October 18th
 

 

 

 

And the Winner is~~~

This week's winner was chosen by a random drawing and Judy is the winner. 

   Congratulations Judy!!!

You can see the cards by clicking here!

 

I am sorry more of you could not join us this week for the challenge. But, be sure and check out the two cards that were entered.   Both are beautiful. You can see Judy beautiful vintage card here! Be sure to to leave her a comment. She did a great job with this frame. I got to see it in person this week and it is stunning gorgeous. Thanks again for joining us for this challenge.

 

Random Integer Generator

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2

Timestamp: 2014-10-11 12:46:35 UTC

Card for New Challenge

First of all just call me a dingaling......All year I have done the challenges on Monday and the winner was announced on Tuesday.  So this Tuesday I announced the winner. (Priss)  Priss wrote to me to tell me the challenge doesn't end until tomorrow. duh.... So, you still have one more day for that challenge to enter more cards. 

 

I am announcing this challenge today, as I would like to start doing the challenges on Thursday with the winner announced on Friday.  I am not promising there will be one every week, but I will do them as often as possible.

 

 

First, I stenciled a 5x 5 piece of paper using Tim Holtz Honey Comb Stencil. I didn't cover the entire card stock, but left some space on the bottom right corner.  Then I started playing with ink.  I used several colors, spritzing with water and drying in between.  I inked the base card edges in many of the same colors and after it dried I stamped it in several place with Tim' textured stamp.  It is still one of my favorite stamps.  I repeated this on 2 or 3 different pieces of paper, stamped one with some text and on the honeycomb bottom I stamped some music. The lady was cut from Graphic 45 paper, that was inked to make it more vintage.  All the papers were distressed with my Zutter machine.  Cheesecloth was inked and butterflies die cut.  Then I started assembling the card, popping up some of the layers.  The Memory Box Flower was already cut and lying in my drawer, so it was inked and attached with Glue and Seal.  Earth Glitter was added to the lady's hat and also at the base of the flower for texture.

 

Products I used on this card are:

 

Distressed Inks by Tim Holtz - Evergreen Bough, Vintage Photo, Brushed Corduroy

Earth Elements by Art Glitter

Ranger Texture Paint

Wendy Vecchi Archival Ink - Potting Soil

Tim Holtz Slight Alteration  Stamp - CMS060

Tim's Seasonal Reflection - CMS112

Winter Collage G1830 by Memory Box

Delightful Peony Outline - 98742 - Memory Box

Butterflies - DL113 - Cheery Lynn

 

Below is what you need to do for this week's challenge

• Use a vintage picture. Can be stamped or a picture
• Mix colors of ink together
• Do some stenciling
• Use a product that can be purchased at Joan's Gardens (www.atjoansgardens.com)

 

You will have until Thursday October 9th  6:00 AM EST to link your project.

 

A winner will be chosen from a random drawing for week #24 and the winner of the challenge will be announced October 10th


 

Things that make me happy today!

•  Whisker 5 turned 4 months old.  He has been such a fun puppy (most of the time).He is "almost" trained.  Some days (like yesterday) he was like a "wild" thing".  I thinkhe resented the change from beautiful 80 degree weather to 50 degrees.  (I didn't like it either).
• I have a card ready to post tomorrow and working on 2 more today. 
• Jon is in Michigan helping our daughter and grandson with their building projects. 
•  My outside work is pretty much done.  I thinned out my gardens to about 1/2 of what they were.  It will be so nice next spring.  I ordered 75 tulip bulbs this week, so will need to get those in the ground when they arrive.  I still would like to move a couple of things, but if that doesn't get done I can do it in the spring.

I am getting apples today to make applesauce and then doing some fall cleaning.  I wonder how I ever worked. (don't most retired people say that).

After the applesauce, my canning will be done!  Yipeeeeee!!

This rose is "The Doctor"  It was given to my Mom when my Dad died.

It has bloomed non stop this summer and is almost 6 feet high.  From what I have been told you can't buy them any more.  I moved it from Mom's and cherish every bloom.  Makes me think of her all the time as she so loved it.

And the winner is~~~

This week's winner was chosen by a random drawing and

Priss is the winner.    

Congratulations Priss!!!

 

 Thanks to those of you who joined us for last week's challenge. We had some beautiful cards

made for this challenge.  Be sure to check them out by clicking here!

Priss, please email me at jfricker@fourway.net so I can send you the badge for your web site.

 

 You can see Priss's beautiful quilling card by clicking here!  Be sure to leave her a comment.  She did a great job learning how to do quilling and gives us lots of wonderful information about it.  Great job Priss.

Thanks again for joining us for this challenge.

 

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5 

Timestamp: 2014-09-30 12:07:25 UTC

Fall Challenge Card

When I was cleaning and organizing my supply cabinet, I found lots of workshop kits that were left over and also die cuts in packages that I had cut.  My goal this year is to use them and see what new design I can come up with using these kits/diecuts.

 

On the bottom picture is what I started with.  This card has nothing new, just things already cut.

I changed the color of everything, from pink to orange, white to green, bright sun flowers to dark sunflowers, lime green to olive and used only what I had already cut or embossed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are the colors I started with.

 

Product used on this card:

Tim Holtz - Tattered Florals - 656640

Tiffany Frame - 98401 - Memory Box

 Floral Frenzy Embossing Folder - 401787- Crafters Companion  

Moss Green Distressed Stain 

Spellbinder square die has been discontinued    

All above items can be purchased at Joan's Gardens 

       

You can make 3 cards this week!

 

Below is what you need to do for this week's challenge

• Do a fall theme
• Alter things you already have cut or used
• Use an embossed background
• Use a product that can be purchased at Joan's Gardens (www.atjoansgardens.com)

 

You will have until Friday October 3rd  6:00 AM EST to link your project.

 

A winner will be chosen from a random drawing for week #23 and the winner of the challenge will be announced October 4th

 

 

 

And the winner is~~~~

I will be posting a new challenge just as soon as I have time to sit down at my craft table. Right now we are taking advantage of this gorgeous 70+ degree weather.  We are putting sealer on our porches, I am thinning out most of my flower beds  (I have help with that), we have put cement/sand on all of our brick walks and patio and the list goes on and on.  We  will also be closing up our pond before the leaves starts to fall in buckets.  But, somewhere in there I will make our next challenge card.

You can see all last weeks challenge entries by clicking here!

This week's winner was chosen by a random drawing and

Kitty is the winner.    

Congratulations Kitty!!!

 

 Thanks to those of you who joined us for last week's challenge. We had some beautiful cards

made for this challenge.  Be sure to check them out by clicking here!

 Kitty, please email me at jfricker@fourway.net so I can send you the badge for your web site.

 

 You can see Kitty's pretty card by clicking here!  Be sure to leave Kitty a comment.  She did a great job with all the layers and isn't the vintage image she used a adorable.  Great job Kitty.

Thanks again for joining us for this challenge.

 

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

9 

Timestamp: 2014-09-23 13:21:40 UTC

 

Dylans 6th birthday card box

Dylan (my Great-Grandson will be six next week.  He is sure a sweet boy and he loves dinosaurs.  So, I thought it would be fun to make him a dinosaur card box so that they popped out at him when he opened it.  I found all of these free images of dinosaurs on the web, printed them and then cut them out with my swivel knife and glass cutting board.  (I love that thing).  Darlene Pavlick taught me how to use the swivel knife and I like it so much better than using scissors.  I added some grasses from Impression Obsession for interest and the Happy Birthday die is from Cheery Lynn.  The background is a Spellbinder die Labels 23.  The paper is some I have had in my stash and I loved it with the dinosaurs.

You can purchase all these products from Terri at www.atjoansgardens.com

 

 

My card for a new challenge

I have been getting requests for a new challenge, so today (and yesterday) I worked on this card.

I have lots of hours creating this card as it just didn't come together.  I can't tell you how many times I changed the color of the heart.  Then when it dried the color changed and was totally different from what I had planned.  Have you ever had that happen?

 

I first cut out a country looking heart, covered it with gesso, then covered it with gauze.  After it dried, I fan folded it to get it a pleated look.  The paper is an older collection from Heartfelt Creations.  It is actually more olive green than it shows here.  I distressed all the edges to give it a vintage look,  sewed some on the sewing machine, added 1/2 of a dolly.  Oh. I also used a new embossing folder to make the lines.   I hope you like it.  Please let me know what you think.

 

 

 

You can make as many cards this week as you have time to get done.

 

Below is what you need to do for this week's challenge

• Do a vintage theme
• Distress the edges
• Add several layers

 

You will have until Monday September 22 morning 6:00 AM EST to link your project.

 

A winner will be chosen from a random drawing for week #22 and the winner of the challenge will be announced September 23.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I am also entering this card in the http://frillyandfunkie.blogspot.com/2014/09/from-heart.html

FRESH PASTA

I prepared this dish for our supper last night.  I do have to say it was probably one of the best (not counting our family goulash) I have fixed all summer.  And, Jon like it too so that is always good. 
I created this recipe last summer (and fortunately saved it) by combining a couple recipes I saw online.


1/4 cup fresh basil
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley
2 garlic buds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used herb and garlic)         Salt and pepper   

Run this through a food processor or chop by hand and then add the olive oil.

Then add: 2 large Chopped tomatoes and pulse until everything is combined.Add 1 pound Italian cooked and drained sausage. Cook 1 Pound Angel Hair or regular Spaghetti, drain and add the above mixture.
Once slightly cooled add 1 1/2 cups Romano cheese

Jon asked me to add some meat next time, hamburger or sausage.  So I did.  Personally. I would just soon to have it without it.

Even better the next day.



 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FALL CARD BOX

I have several friends with birthdays this month, so I made this Happy Birthday Fall card box.

Lily and I had started them when she was here, but ran out of time to get them finished.

I just love these boxes, as I think they are fun for someone to open and they are very easy to make.

The pumpkins are 2 does that over lay each other.  I really like them as they are a perfect size.

I have a tutorial on making this box that you can see by clicking here!

Products use below can be purchased from Terri at Joan's Gardens.

 Happy Birthday - B211 - Cheery Lynn

Small Exotic Butterflies #2 -  DL113 - Cheery Lynn

Pumpkins - Elizabeth Craft

Here is what I have been doing!

First of all, I want to wish you a very happy Labor Day.  I hope you are having a great weekend and getting to do some of the things you enjoy. Since the very first celebration, Labor Day has been a time for families to relax ... The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882.

I have been organizing my Storage Cabinet all week in between canning, appointments and taking care of a puppy.  I am down to the last drawer and this is a drawer that I have put all the extra die cuts that I didn't use and they are a mess.  I am trying to figure out how to organize them so that I will use them and know what I have.
Any ideas?

I was labeling all the drawers and then my label machine quit working :( , so I wrote on post a notes and put on the drawers until I can get a new label machine.  One thing that drives me nuts...is the labels are not straight or the same size.  It was impossible for me to line them up without tipping up the drawer and after I had it organized, I didn't want to do that.  I am hoping to figure out something and redo them because everything I look at them I cringe. LOL

I also had lot of kits cut for workshops and I plan to start using them to see how many ideas and cards I can get made.  I would love to get stocked up so I always have cards to send.
 

Hungarian Vegetable Goulash

 

 We are going to our daughter's (Lori) late afternoon and fix a family favorite meal.  Recipe below.

When my Mom's Mother died, (during the depression) a kind neighbor brought this dish to the family and she was kind enough to share the recipe with Mom.  We have fixed it ever since. 

We are also having grilled chicken, fresh corn on the cob, pickles, tomatoes and I am sure Lori

will have desert.....she always does.  I am taking all the ingredients for the goulash fresh out of the garden.  We are so blessed with so much good fresh vegetables to eat.

Has anyone ever had a dish like this?

Hungarian Vegetable Goulash

 

5 cups green tomato, chopped

8 cups red tomato , chopped

5 cups green pepper, chopped

5 cups onions, chopped

5 cups potato, chopped

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1/2 cup flour 

  1 cup corn meal

 

1. Mix all of the above ingredients together. Have a iron skillet or Teflon skillet (won't brown as nice) very

hot. Melt about 3/4 cup lard or part butter.

2. Fry, turning consistently so it doesn't burn. Best if it browns some.

3. Cool about 1/2 hour before eating.

4. This is one of the Salyer family favorite recipes.

    

 

 

 

ORGANIZATION

We are getting lots of rain these last few days and I decided it was a perfect time for me to start doing some organizing.  I had not done much of that since I sold my business, so it is time.

Whiskers is being such a big help and I just couldn't help get his picture.  Hasn't he grown in the last 3 weeks?

 

Victorian Card

This is a 6x5.5 card made from the Maja Design Paper Vintage Autumn Basics.  Some of the papers were torn, curled, pleated to give a different look.

This paper is from Sweden and I just fell in love with it.  First, I dropped some Distressed ink on the paper, spritz with water and dried.   A small section of it was stenciled using Wendy Vecchi's Diamond Stencil and Tim Holtz Paste.  The flowers were made using Spellbinders Blossom 2, and crepe paper, then painted with Distressed reinkers. 

Products used on this card:

Lorelai Outline #840,

Exotic Butterflies #2, Dl113

Marianne LR0228

Summer Foliage M12 - Magnolia

Swirl - 040250 - Magnolia

These dies and stencil can all be purchased from Terri at Joan's Gardens.

 

Teaching Lily how to make noodles!

Lily, our Great-Granddaughter (12) is spending the week with us.  Today I taught her

how to make homemade noodles and we are now working on a pop up box card.  We will post that later.  I love this precious time.

 

New Bird Card

I cut this bird out months ago and it has been lying on my craft table, so I decided today was the day I needed to use it.

 

The card is a 6x6 card. A white layer that was embossed using Craftwell's Quatrefoil  Embossing Folder was added under the purple cardstock.

Both of the purple papers are from Memory Box.  After lightly misting the papers, I crumbled them and let them dry.  Then the 2 top layers were stitched  on the sewing machine.  I  had a white feather and some pink self adhesive lace, but no purple.  So, both were inked with Shaded Lilac Distressed Ink.  The nest of eggs were painted with Seedless Preserves Distressed paint.  A piece of cheese cloth was sewn and gathered then placed under the purple papers.

 

I wanted to add a tag, but nothing felt right.  My friend Judy stopped by after taking a Heartfelt Creation class and showed me a card they made where the tag was inserted underneath and pulled out to read.   I really liked the idea, so that is what I did.  I think I might add a ribbon to the tag.

The card has so much dimension, but it doesn't show up on the pictures.

I also darkened a purple pearl and added to the birds eye.

 

You can purchase the die and embossing folder from Terri at Joan's Gardens.

www.joansgardens.com

 

 

 

CCE008

           

CottageCutz Elites Die 4.3"X3.9"             

Bella Springtime Bird

Lily takes a 3rd and a 5th place today!

Lily  ended up with 2 -3rd place ribbons, 2 -5th place ribbons and 1- 6th place ribbon.
We are so proud of her.

Lily with her 3rd place ribbon at the fair.  Plus another 5th place later in the day.

Wow, this Great-Grandmas is very proud of her.

This is a fairly new horse this year as her other one died.  What a sad day it was for her, but God blessed her with another beautiful horse.  A fun day for sure!

Victor is her horse's name.  Isn't he beautiful.  Lily rides Western.

 

Waiting for the judges to announce the winners. 

 Following the commands of the judge in the arena.  Love this picture.

 

Thanks for bearing with me this week and watching my "girl".  Hopefully,

next week I can get back to a normal routine.  Of course, there is outside work that

needs to be done, probably more canning and the daily routines.  But, I sure hope to squeeze

in some card making.

 

What are you all up to this 2nd week of August.  Where or where is summer going?



Fair Week and pictures

 

Lily got 6th place at the 4H Fair this week in Showmanship.

She is our Great Granddaughter and we are so proud of her.

Her group is honoring our military this week with their signs etc.

Lily is the daughter of Kara and Lori's Granddaughter.

Tomorrow she rides her horse and is so hoping to place.

 

Now these cute studs are our great Grandsons.

Kelsey and Todd's boys.  Branch, the baby is not in the picture

On the left is Benaiah, Beckon and Bleydn.

 

I have been asked what I  have been doing since I have not made any cards in the last week.

 40 quarts of beans and 18 of corn is what I have been doing, plus chasing after a puppy.

 

Whiskers favorite way to sleep in the car.  Hi nose stuck between the seats sitting up.

 

 

 

Nap time this morning.

He does sleep a lot, but after his naps we call him the "wild thing".

Such a puppy!!!