Ketchup

Guess I can't make it a month without blogging... Ah, me. Guess what? I finished the message board for my sister - wanna see it? This is from Heidi Swapp's Creative Escape class last year - it is two canvas attached with brackets. I masked a bird and butterflies using Distress Ink and decoupaged (mod podge) some old book pages and added tons of details (that are hard to see). I love details. The devil is in the details... Here's a second photo - perhaps you can see more of the details there. Anyway, I'm pretty proud of it - it's only taken me 10 months to finish it... but its done! I hope she likes it. I collaged photos of her family on Picasa and added it to a library pocket, good holder for tickets and such.

I signed up this week for Silver Bella! Yikes! I know its expensive but I really wanted to go last year and regretted not jumping in and doing it. I hope it is as great as it was last year - the raving was deafening!

I have to thank my brother for a great reference - actually two! I am looking for a hotel in London for next month and he recommended skoosh. They provide "tried and tested" hotels - I feel really good about the one they recommended - I don't think I can go wrong with that.

I've been lamenting about all the chores that need to be done around the house (now that the man person is gone) and was thinking about hiring a handiman once a month, to clean the a/c filters, clean the gutters, fix the door bell - all those little odd jobs that need to get done. Brother recommended Angie's List. I joined for a year and I am thrilled! They provide detailed reviews about the company/person, with a rating and how much was paid. And it's not limted to handimen, it's for everything: calligraphy, dog walkers, cake decorators, painters, etc. I am amazed! For $63 a year, how can you go wrong? I am going to finish my list and call someone this week. Love it.

Monday is a historical day for me 7-7-75 I started my career in marine insurance... 33 years. I always think of my Dad since he got me started.

Last month when I went to For Keeps Sake's Scrap St. Louis, this was my favorite project: it's a small box with a light and a little boy sitting on a stack of hay. Tracy Niehues of K&Company was the designer and I think she's just AMAZING. Her project for Creative Escape 2007 was ingenious and my favorite - a clear envelope folded and embellished. Anyway, she created another masterpiece - she is terrific and talented. The box is coming out from K & Company soon - I would love to make Christmas boxes, Valentine boxes... you name it. I bought a large pack of the lights at Mike's when I got back. Also have been searching for the boxes (guess it will be after CHA Summer).

So happy for the girls at Scrap-A-Ganza Expo that they had such a great turn out. I went on Saturday morning and the parking lot was full! I was amazed that the various stores all had different product, very little overlap. How do they do that? Nice mix and I found a few goodies that had to come home with me.

I'm sure as soon as I hit Publish I'll remember something else. I guess that's what edit is for. I'm going to go out and enjoy the sunshine at the pool. Aren't 3 day weekends the best!