The Blackflies are Here

Well nice weather is finally here.  The snow is gone, the rain has stopped, and the sun is shining.  But along with the beautiful weather comes those nasty little black flies.  The other day on my day off I finally made it to my garden to clear the dead leaves and pine needles out of it.  Pretty bad ehh? All my spring flowers have pushed their way through the mess, so I had to be careful.  I think old leaves is the favorite spot for black flies to hide, because I was in a cloud of the little black guys the whole time.  I should have taken hubbies fashion advice when working outside, pull your socks up over your pants.  I had track pants on and ankle socks.  My ankles are a red mess of bites.  So bad they are swollen.  But the job got done. 

If you remember me metioning my little mother daughter shopping trip.  When I purchased a couple of panpastels to try out.  Here is one of the cards I created.  What a soft looking background it creates.  I placed a mask down in the centre of the card, then brushed on the green color.  I then stamped with a letter stamp in versa mark, and used the same green to dust over.  Removing the mask, I stamped three images of a tulip (I think this is my favorite flower stamp).  I then colored in the flower with pink panpastel, and the leaves with green.

 

Todays fun is completing an art journal page.  I've seen several posts for art journaling and thought it would be a great way to try out new techniques before doing them on a card.  So I've started my first page.  Although right now it under a stack of book to try and flatten it, since it curled on me.  The disadvantage of living in a small town is not always being able to get your hands on supplies when you decide to do something.  So you make the best of what you have.

 

happy crafting

 

dee ;o)

Saying Good-bye

This is a sad post today.  The last over the week end I have lost three dear women.  So it's a good thing when I had the chance last week to make cards that I focused on sympathy.  Isn't it funny how things work out.  The first one was Dorthy an elderly lady.  I have not seen her since my childhood, but my mom has kept in contact with her.  She was the owner of one of the housed we rented when I was a child.  I remember going with my mom to their house to pay the rent.  It was usually a lengthy visit.  In the summer was great because they lived on the river, so I was able to go swimming.  Next was Tanya.  A dear sweet lady that I had the pleasure to work with at Metro.  Her time there was cut short because of a stroke.  It was always nice to visit with her and catch up when she came in shopping.  And the last was a family member, a cousin.  Lorna has battled with lymphatic cancer, melanoma and rheumatoid arthritis for the past 8 yrs.  What a courageous women she has been.  They will all be fondly missed.  But we still have all the great memories to remember them by.

On another sad note.  On Tuesday when the newsletter from the local craft store arrived in my in-box.  I was shocked to find out the they were closing.  This so sad for a small town.  It is run by a mother daughter team.  With the mother deciding it's time to finally retire, the daughter has decided to move onto something different.  Not wanting to stay and run the store on her own. 

That's it for me today.  One more day of work, then I get to rest for a couple.  Maybe I can manage a couple more cards.

keep smiling

dee ;o)

Play Time

Well, I'm still waiting for construction to start.  The snow is all gone finally, and we are able to set the saw up outside.  Now it's just finding the time to get it done.  In the meantime I have carried supplies up to the dining room table.  On the weekend Sam and I had a mother daughter shopping trip for mothers day.  A whole day of just her and me going the stores we wanted, and not having the hurry.  What a great day we had.  I picked up a couple colors of panpastels, and have been itching to try them out.  So that is the plan for today. 

Later this afternoon it's off to the greenhouse for our flowers.  What a great day despite the grey outside.

happy crafting

dee ;o)

Happy Star Wars Day!!! #maythefourthbewithyou