Day 181, Thursday, June 30

For this card, I followed the color challenge.  Purple, Pink, Orange and Sky Blue.  I used a Hero Arts background stamp and thank you stamp.  I stamped the thank you image twice, so I could cut out the flowers and color them, then pop dotted.  I colored the flowers and frame using my prisma pencils and MCPT.  Added some bling and stickles.

This card I stamped the background and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.  I inked the outside edges with spiced marmalade distress ink.  I cut the center out with an oval nesties and inserted acetate that I stamped happy birthday on.  I cut a purple scallop and the pink oval with nesties, too.  The butterfly is a hero arts stamp that I heat embossed with white again.  I inked the butterfly with light blue ink, added stickles and bling and pop dotted it.

I had cut the circle card from wild card with my cricut.  It was laying on my desk...so I picked it up and started layering the frame and acetate.  The flower is a hero arts stamp...stamped it twice so I could layer the petals and center.  I made a happy birthday banner and punched some vellum butterflies...stickles and bling, too!

These 3 cards are the samples I made from the Summer Card Class that I am taking on-line.  I have been following Kristina Werner and Jennifer McGuire's blogs for a while.  They are hosting a 4 week class that I registered for.  Each day, I get an email with ideas to make cards.  All 3 cards were made with the same color palette...even though the colors are not my usual feel good choices.  But that is what learning is all about.  The circle card is supposed to be an asymmetrical card and you can see...it is not.  I am not an asymmetrical card maker!  I can't wait to see what the next 3 weeks brings!

Day, 180, Wednesday, June 29

I had to go let Riley out and feed her.  She is Scott and Elaine's dog.  She was excited to see me at first, but then she realized that I wasn't going to stay with her...so she just sat down on the ground.  She hasn't been the picture of the day before...so she is today!

Day 179, Tuesday, June 28

I finished this frame this morning.  Peyton and I worked on a "project" yesterday.  His was red crackle paint over gold and he put frogs, birds and dinosaur charms on his....and two white skulls.  (It was supposed to be a frame for his mom with a picture in it!  He made it for himself!)  Anyway, I added some butterflies and flowers and bling to mine.  (sorry Jim, you get to be in the potd and you aren't even home!  lol  love ya!)

Day 178, Monday, June 27

Played a little skee ball today!  Peyton and I went to Chuck E Cheese for lunch.  I love to play as much as he does.  He can hit that 10,000 point target just about every game he plays.

Day 177, Sunday, June 26

We went to Springfield today, to browse the new Scheel's sporting goods store.  It is a huge store and it was very busy.  It opened yesterday.  The ferris wheel was inside the center of the store.  The line was really long to get to ride...so I just took a picture of it!  We ate lunch at Outback with John and Stacie.  They were traveling back home from their trip to Kansas City.

Day 176, Saturday, June 25

We went to Matt and Ana's wedding this afternoon at 4:30.  It was an outdoor wedding and it rained.  We all sat under umbrella's during the ceremony.  I was amazed how calm the bride and groom were during this stressful situation.  We went to the reception and the food was great.  We enjoyed seeing these two young people start their lives today!

Day 175, Friday, June 24

We have been eating these crackers with cheese (Jim eats Pub Cheese....I eat Laughing Cow Swiss!).  Stacie brought them with dip recently and we have been buying them ever since!

Day 174, Thursday, June 23

This is the game that Peyton and I bought to play this summer.  He didn't think it was going to be a good game to play, because he wanted to buy a $30 Lego game.  I didn't want to buy or play a Lego game and since I had the money...we got this game.  He doesn't always get what he wants contrary to what everyone thinks! 

Day 173, Wednesday, June 22

Peyton and I spent the day together. We were really busy! We went to Hobby Lobby, Toys R Us (for a new board game to play this summer), Chuck E Cheese, the Zoo and Culver's for a little afternoon treat! This is my favorite picture from the Zoo! We had already visited the lion's den and I looked across from the other end of the exhibit and both of the lions were sitting on top of the rocks. We went back around to the observation deck and I snapped a few photos. The big guy was staring right at me! There is a sign along the walkway that says, "Stay off of the rocks or you may become Lion lunch!". I believe every word of that warning! (the giraffe's are still my favorite!)

Day 172, Tuesday, June 21

We hired a contractor today to remodel our bathroom. I will be spending a lot of time in the next few weeks picking out tile, grout, and fixtures. I guess I better shop at Menard's first or I will never hear the end of it from Stacie! Construction won't be until the first of September. He will call us with a start date.

Day 171, Monday, June 20

We had our layout swap tonight at Linda's. The theme was "summer". I was going to put 2011 above the word summer, but then I thought someone might have pictures from previous years (like I do, because I am always behind!). I used doodlecharms to cut the sun and walk in my garden to cut the flower pot. The flowers are prims and I had cut the leaves.

Day 170, Sunday, June 19

Happy Father's Day to the best Dad's ever!

Day 169, Saturday, June 18

We stopped at Alwan's to get some steaks, today! I can't wait to grill them!

Day 168, Friday, June 17

This truck was in front of us on the way home. On the tailgate it says, "Mind if I smoke?". Each and everytime he stepped on the gas.....black stinky smoke came outta his tail pipe.

Day 167, Thursday, June 16

Just pretty clouds tonight. Today was my last day to work for 41 days!

Day 166, Wednesday, June 15

I like these flowers, too. I love how each petal has a stripe in it!

Day 165, Tuesday, June 14

June 14 is flag day. This is our current flag. I like to have a US flag in our front landscaping. Sometimes it is hard to find one that fits on the pole with the sleeve. I am always looking for a new flag.

Day 164, Monday, June 13

I got two new Cricut cartridges today. I have been wanting to buy Toy Story for a while and finally got a great sale price. Car Decals, just jumped in my cart for $15. I thought I could use it too make children's birthday cards and it has the Cricut head logo and an eagle head.

Day 163. Sunday, June 12

Giz has been a very good dog taking his meds. I wasn't sure how he would do with a liquid...but he just opens his mouth for me and lets me squirt the meds in. Good Boy, Gizzy!

Day 162, Saturday, June 11

I thought these flowers were pretty. Again, I don't know the name...but I want to plant some in our yard!

Day 161, Friday, June 10

Tonight was the Zac Brown Concert at the Peoria Civic Center. Our tickets were general admission, so we had to get there early. This concert was supposed to be held outside at 3 Sisters Park, but was moved indoors because of the weather. Sonia Leigh and Blackberry Smoke opened for Zac Brown and they were great, too! We went to the concert with John, Stacie, Bree, John T., Nikki and Rob. I think everyone had a great time...even Jim, who said he didn't know any of the songs!

Day 160, Thursday, June 9

We got an invitation to Panera to sample the new summer menu! Jim and I went to the East Peoria store tonight and enjoyed all of this food. In the bag was a flower cookie and a baggette. The general manager explained the way the bread is made and shipped to them daily. It is baked in the local store, so it is fresh everyday. Anything left at the close of the day is donated to a local food bank or pantry. The baker demonstrated how to "score" the bread before it is baked. I hope we get invited to sample the next new menu, too!

Day 159, Wednesday, June 8

I got a call from Stacie..."Is Aprile's Hallmark open?"

Well, it could be...what do you need?

"A special order, please."

So, I had to make a special birthday card for Evan's 1st birthday. I had gotten this card idea in a card swap...so I copied it. I used punches for all the "characters". Scalloped circle, several different sizes of circles, small oval (big bird's beak) and horizontal slot (grover's eyebrows). When I gave her the card, she thought it was just perfect!

Day 158, Tuesday, June 7

I started working on these "kits" recently. I am trying to get pictures and journaling on all of these pages. I am guessing there is about 30 or 40. Most are from classes that I have taken the past few years and a few are kits I have bought to complete. You can see the pictures on the right side and the kits on the left side. (the "ATE" on the shelf is part of CREATE that I am going to decorate for my scrap cave!)

Day 157, Monday, June 6

Today is the day the asbestos crew came in to our school to start the removal of the tile from the floor in one hallway and all the classrooms in that hallway. They started by taping up all the doors with plastic and posting signs. This door is in our lounge and leads into the gym. They should be done with this on June 20.

Day 156, Sunday, June 5

I bought this heart when we were at the Art Fair in St. Louis a couple of weeks ago. It is about 8" in diameter and about 3 inches thick. There is a story about how displaying this heart will only allow true love into your house. Kinda cute story, but I bought it because it was a purple heart and I liked the wings!

Day 155, Saturday, June 4

Giz went to the puppy spa today! She cut his beard really short! He looks so cute. At least he won't get food caught in his beard!

Day 154, Friday, June 3

Tonight we went to see the play "Bee Hive" at the Peoria Players theatre. My friend, Sally Baker is the redhead on the far left. This play is all about the music of the 60's. These girls did an awesome job of singing and dance their way through the 1960's!

Day 153, Thursday, June 2

Here is my little dog...just sitting on the steps...waiting for someone to come along and help him down. Yes, he can do it all by himself...he just likes to get some attention, I think!

Day 152, Wednesday, June 1

This picture is about the traffic lights...not the car in front of me. These lights are at a crosswalk on a busy street. There is a bike/walking trail that crosses the road. There has been a light here for a couple of years and no one seems to pay attention to it. A few months ago, there was a sign posted that states it is Illinois law...if someone is in the crosswalk...all traffic must stop. Sometimes one lane would stop, but not the other 3 lanes. So in the last few weeks...the red lights were added on the long arms hanging over the street. You can see them from a very far distance. Much safer for the walkers and the drivers!