Inspiration Alley

Update from my Long Weekend

I had Friday off for the 4th, and I took a vacation day on Monday to make it a long weekend.  I still have about 9 1/2 weeks of vacation time banked.

So Friday's fireworks were a little rainy - Palmer Park ended up shooting off the finale almost a 1/2 hour early because it was starting to rain harder.  This is a picture I took (or tried to take) from my home.This is zoomed in.  I'm standing in my front yard looking between the houses across the street from me.  The fireworks are about a mile or two from my home.  No traffic, No crowds - just the way I like it.

Saturday was the car show and the weather held out pretty nicely.  We went to what used to be Fudruckers and brought out the '66 GTO.  At one point we thought it was going to rain, so we took the car home, and then headed back with the daily driver.  It never did rain, so we were being overly cautious.

Sunday and Monday - I read like a maniac.  I finished reading Island of Lost Girls and started on Harvesting the Heart.  Let me tell you both books I couldn't put down either.  If I could be reading Harvesting the Heart now, I would be.  I was still reading at 4:30A this morning (in bed by flashlight).  I finally had to tear myself away and get some sleep.  I'm more than 3/4 of the way through, so should be done soon.

And ... I was bad ... I didn't scrap or stamp the entire weekend.  I alternated between resting my eyes (aka sleeping) and reading.  Man it sure felt good (although a little guilt crept in once or twice).

News of the Weird

So last night when I got home from work, I had a toothache.  One of those mouth and head pounding ones if you know what I mean.  I couldn't even concentrate on my TV programs, so about midnight I decided to call it a night and go to bed (not me at all, I'm usually up 'til way past 3AM).  Hubby stirred and I told him to get me up early so I could call the dentist.

This morning I called the Dentist and he said come over right away and he'd fit me in (I've known him since he was a resident, and have been his patient since he started his practice, and with all my dental work, I have probably paid for one of the treatment rooms, but that's another story).

He couldn't find anything.  No cracks in the crowns, no pain when biting down, nothing showing on the XRays, etc. etc.  I couldn't believe it.  Yes ... the pain had subsided, but I was sure there must be something brewing because I had real pain, and I have a high tolerance for pain.

So I've just got to let the suspected tooth rest abit and eat on the other side.  I have his cell phone number in case I have problems over the holiday weekend, and I know they have openings on Monday.  But still, there has to be some reason for the pain wouldn't you think. 

Maybe not ... I'm weird that way.

On the up side ... I did get to meet his daughter.  She's 16 and working the summer with him as a dental assistant in training.  I've got to figure out a way to bring my 18 yo nephew to the office because she is beautiful, in a  girl next door sort of way - just fresh, wholesome looking.  I asked her if she wanted to be a dentist and she said No Way - which made me laugh.

Holiday weekend here I come .. no plans.  You'll find me at plugged in at Panera, and in the evening watching fireworks from my front lawn.  I'm lucky that way.  I can sit in a lawn chair and watch the fireworks at the park which is about 8 blocks away.  No traffic, no crowds, the show without all the hubbub.

I hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July!

Reality Break

Hells Kitchen - I'm rooting for Petrozza.  I can't wait to see how their restaurants turn out.  I could not believe that he picked Bobby for his team right out of the gate.  He would have had the show wrapped up if he had picked Cory because Christina I think will benefit greatly with Cory on her team.

Big Brother - can't wait for it to start.  I'll have the live feed again, and right now, I am just counting down the days.  It can't get here soon enough - it is by far my favorite reality TV show.  The commercials are not even showing new people yet - it just shows players from previous seasons.  Now usually, I'm all over the web looking for spoilers but I haven't had time.

The Mole - jury is still out on this one.  I had never watched the previous seasons.  I like the challenges, but I am having a very hard time figuring out who the mole is.  Everytime I think it is someone, they get evicted.  I do find the show interesting because it involves not only skill but trust of your fellow team members.

I watch other reality shows but these are the top ones.

Stamp Store Moving

I'm ashamed to say that I tried to go to my favorite stamping store - and they have moved.  The store was empty with a sign that had the new address and said it would reopen at the new location on July 2nd. 

It saddened me that I had not been by often enough to know the scoop.  Hubby said ... "How'd you miss that" Well ... the new store is on my list of places to visit this coming weekend, so I'll at least get to see the new place shortly after they open.

Also dropped by the local scrap store and can you believe it -- I could find nothing - absolutely nothing to buy.  The store has shrunk in size, and just didn't have anything that I was looking for.  Oh well -- I guess I saved myself a few bucks this weekend.

Sheetload

I found this site (I'd say new site, but they've been around for awhile and I didn't know it).  Every month they make a whold bunch of cards from just one sheet of printed paper and some cardstock.  It's pretty cool really and a great way to stock up on cards for all occaisions.  I'm going to play around with some from their back issues, but a new issue will be posted for the first of the month, so it's a great time to check in and see what they've got.  From the sneak peak, it looks like July will be related to Christmas or the holidays.

The link is a blinkie in the left column of the blog.

Scrap Envy Again

This weekend is the HilltopMemories birthday crop, which is where I want to be.  Of course, end of the month at work and all that so I decided that I didn't want to push it.  Jackie tried to convince me to go, but I didn't cave.  So now, I'm a bit jealous because that's where most of my scrap friends are.

I'm going to focus on the good .... I'm looking forward to the HilltopMemories crop the beginning of August.  It will be in Sebring, Florida at an old historic hotel called the Kenilworth and it is one of my favorite places to crop.  Just about a 2.5 hour drive (which isn't too bad), and the ride is enjoyable up US27. 

That's what I'm focused on and I know I can hold out till then.

Would You Pay This ?

So I was visiting my local Target, and stopped to look at cards.  I find inspiration for my own handmade cards by looking at the cards for sale in stores.  So to get to the point, I picked up a beautiful Birthday card by Papyrus.  The paper was glossy and sparkly done in a metallic (think Bazzill bling cardstock) and three purses on the front (think Jolees). 

The card was simple and elegant done in coppery tones, and I thought about buying it - that is until I saw the price.  They wanted $7.50 for the card.

OK ... I've paid $4.95 for cards that are musical, but I don't think that I've ever paid that much for a card.  Not that some of you aren't worth spending that, but still I don't know that I would spend $7.50.

So, has inflation hit the price of cards? or is this the standard for a fancy three dimentional card?  Inquiring minds what to know.

Finished "Promise Not To Tell"

This is the debut novel of Jennifer McMahon.  I really loved it.  Close to my genre (there was a murder in it), but not police procedural type.  It's one of those books where you're reading about the past and the present.  It was a short book (compared to the Jodi Piccoult books), but did hold my attention.  It was entertaining and suspenseful and I loved the ghost story feeling it had.  I didn't figure out who the murderer was until it was disclosed.

Since I like this read so much, I dropped by the Target and bought her next book which is "Island of Lost Girls".  This one is about a missing girl, but I'm just getting started.

She's got another book out called "My Tiki Girl" which is billed as "for young adults" but I will probably read that one too.  You know me, once I find and author I like, I read them all.

Christmas Already !?!

Yes, it's true.  I have officially started my Christmas shoppping.  I usually get an early start (August), but this year I came across this on Ebay, so just had to buy it for hubby. It's a 1953 Buick Skylark, which is his favorite car (we don't own one).  It's some sort of mens cologne and is new in the box.  I think Avon put it out in 1973, so I was just happy to find it.

Our hopes of ever owning a real one are slim to none since they go for 6 figures now.  I saw this Avon one and just had to have it.  I think he'll get a kick out of it.

I was also shopping with my sister, who threw Disney's 101 Dalmations DVD in my cart and told me to buy it for her for Christmas, so that's two things so far.

I know some families pick names, and some families only give to the kids, and some families don't exchange gifts with their adult siblings, but my family we still buy gifts for everyone.  The brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and moms.  Which is fine by me because I really love everything about Christmas.

So, I'm on my way kicking off the Christmas shopping season just a little earlier than normal.

Creative Output

First I started playing with a pad from Masterpiece Studio which had cardstock, paper, letters, strips and sayings.   The paper is smooth and slick and very nice to work with. The flowers are brads by Creative Imaginations - they are velour with metal centers.  Very rich looking which I felt went with the richness of the paper. Although I like them all, the Live Laugh Love one is my favorite.

From here, I moved back into my Cosmo Cricket stash and made the bookmark.  I used the Jitterbug line Lil Suzie paper.  The saying is from the paper kit I was using above, which is what triggered me to do a bookmark.  I stamped the brackets from a Studio G stamp set, and then used rubons for the words. I then got hooked on the Cosmo Cricket Be Good line for awhile and used thier Believe paper to make this card.  Since it's not too Christmaslike, I may send it to mom in the near future.  I was still playing with the Be Good line, and altered the card file box.  I'm going to use it to keep track of Christmas gift ideas, and items bought.  I have a huge shopping list, and I think this will help quite a bit.  Since it will be kicking around in my purse, I put mod podge over the whole thing. So that's all I have for right now, but everything is still out ready to be played with.  I have to go grocery shopping tonight, so I might not have time, but if I get anything else accomplished I'll be sure to post it here.