New Header- Yippee

I spent most of my day Friday looking for a new header. I was using my business header, but it didn't fit and just didn't look right. I have been having an urge to buy land, you know the kind that has acres and acres of green farmland. Not that I can afford it.... but just in case my ship sails in. What I am finding is that Georgia has substantially lower prices for lots of land, on the other hand, Oregon is not cheap not even for a little land. What's a girl to do? Look, and look, and wish, and wish, point out to husband (who rolls his eyes) and send pleading looks his way. Yah- I know we are still indentured to the Army, but I can dream right? So this brings me to my point, my new header is of a farmhouse somewhere in the world that is surrounded by mountains and looks so peaceful I can almost envision myself there now.
This image set me off dreaming again and now I have set up a field trip for local homeschoolers to an area (couple hours away) goat farm. See it here http://splitcreek.com/index.shtml
Yep- I love goats, well the idea of them. The only ones I have really seen are in a petting zoo. They are so cute, and look so lovable, how can you not be enamoured with them? I have dreams of making goat cheese and butter. Canning and making jellies and jams. Being somewhat self- sufficient, and maybe making a simple living out of my crafts and farm.
OK- so back to reality! The kids and I have been sick all week- we keep trudging along but I have had no energy to drive the schoolwork bus. So the kids keep checking their schoolwork checklists and they say they are "completing" work, but I have been very lax and have not checked their work. Guilt- Guilt- Guilt! There is always next week... right? Now do you see why I felt the need to escape into my dream world?
While I was searching for pictures for the blog, I punched in Lake Tahoe and winter into the magical google world and out popped this image.

This is Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe. I spent some time every summer up here at Tahoe. It was not hard since I grew up in Reno. Snow is hard to come by here in Georgia, and this made me happy to look at it. Can you see the mountains in the background? Those are the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We don't have those (beautiful mountains) here where I live either. I guess I am a little homesick, it doesn't happen often, but I seems to be happening now. I have many happy memories, including time spent here with my husband (before we were married).
So I haven't done any stamping in a few days, hopefully Monday! Yah- Monday for sure!
Thanks for coming by,
Angela

Hump Day Already?

Oh how the time flies!

We are almost to February and I haven't started my Valentines yet. I must make that a priority in the next few days.

The kids and I are battling a cold. I swore I just had allergies, but now I can tell that this is not "just" allergies. The kids swear they got a cold from cleaning house- hah! It does kick up a lot of dust, but still, give me a break.

I made a birthday card yesterday for my dear friend in Virginia. I found this cute little clip art and thought it would make a great card. I have noticed that I am branching out more and using things that I would not normally use and it helps keep your creativity humming right along.

I wish I had Photoshop to edit and add watermarks, however, money does not allow for that at this time. Maybe tax time. Therefore, I use Microsoft Paint to add watermark and edit photo in Picasa 3. Both are free and that is just the right price for me.

Recipe: SU Blush and Close to Cocoa cardstock, clip art of piggy, ribbon and copics. I used a heart and dust stamp that came to me via a friend, but I have no idea who manufactured it.

See you soon and thanks for looking,

Angela

Happy Birthday To Me!!

So I still need work on this blogging bit- Everybody got to have something they need to work on right? Like this is the only thing I need to work on- Hah!
I am now officially 39 today- No really! 39 today, January 17, 1970 was a grand day for my Mom- Well that is not how she puts it, but you get the idea. 40 hours of labor, yada, yada, yada- doctor on the golf course, blah, blah, blah- making father leave the room, whine, whine, whine. I really felt sorry for you Mom... up until I had 3 of my own. Two natural, and one c-section. I count those up and am proud! Mom says after my 9lb 10oz butt, that she was done- hence, I am an only child.

Thirty-Nine seemed like a good year for a party and a nice way to start off the New Year. So Ray and I sent our children to the neighbors house and invited the adults over to celebrate. We had such a good time. Ray made Bananas Foster, and we played Apples to Apples, which is so much more fun with adults who know who Andy Warhol is. My dear friend Melissa made her famous Chocolate Cake, which she will never outlive, because we all want her to bring it wherever she goes. It is that GOOD!

Yep- That is me there in the middle in light purple. I really need to take more photos, so I have more to choose from. This was the only one taken.

Today, the official day, was spent with hubby shopping, and dinner at a Chinese restaurant.
The one thing I wanted for my birthday was an apron. You know, like the ones your grammy had? Well, we couldn't find one... well not any that were cute. So I will be off to Etsy tomorrow to purchase one.

Happy Birthday to me..... Happy Birthday to me.... ( I am singing, hee hee)
Angela

Helen Georgia

I guess I need to get into the habit of writing everyday. I want my children to be able to do this, so I must model the behavior. I will add this to all the other habits I would like them to have, that I do not possess, but somehow must endeavor to fake.


We had an enjoyable weekend. Saturday, on the spur of the moment, the kids and I went to a quaint little town in the northeast mountains of Georgia. Helen is a cute little town that was re-made in the late 60's into a Bavarian Village. I have attached the link to the Alpine tourist information. Here you will find Helens' story.


http://www.helengeorgia.com/aboutus.asp?id06=100&par06=0

And can you believe it..... it snows in Georgia! Isn't pretty?

I forgot the camera, again. That's what happens when you do things spontaneously. We will be going back in the summer again, because there is so much to do.... tubing, camping, horseback riding, shopping, and my favorite "eating". We watched a glass blower, making butterflies, and listened as he spoke of the history of his trade. Add that one up for schooling hours. I have read that they have a pottery shop where you can watch them throw and create, along with a train exhibit that shows Germany.

I have been working hard on my New Year's Resolutions, which include:

Being more God centered, and making sure our family is leading ourselves on a better path. To me this means spending more time reading the Bible together. Continued education for myself and the kids, and making the commitment to serve and learn through Christ.

Being more of a friend- so many people supported me this last year, and I have come to understand friendship in a deeper way. I want to reconnect and forge lasting friendships.

Live my life joyously NOW- I am always thinking about the future and how happy I will be, but live today with worry and dissatisfaction. I need to change this.... for myself, my children and for our well being.
I know there are more resolutions, but they are upstairs and the laptop and I are downstairs. So more on those later.

Thank you for coming by- and if you are ever in Northeast Georgia, go and checkout Helen.

Angela

Well I am back- Day 2

I was hoping to post earlier, but alas, it did not happen. The tale of this homeschooling mom is that we were out today running erands and taking lessons all day. So not much time to post, but I am going to fit in this card that I finished yesterday.

I just love to watercolor, because everything blends and makes my artwork look like I have spent hours on it when I really have not. One of the reasons I adore stamping is that the images give me the outline and I have the option to use my own color choices. Coloring pictures was my favorite activity as a little girl, (that and playing with my Baby Alive) and I guess it still is my passion.

Recipe- SU Going Gray and Not Quite Navy Cardstock, Watercolor Paper, Momento Gray Ink, Through The Storm Stamp by Stamps Happen, Brown Ribbon

Well that is it for today. Thanks for stopping by!

Angela

Well here it is- My first post!

I am very excited to be writing a blog. A place to post my favorite stamp creations, and update family and friends with news from Georgia.

I never thought that I would be doing this. I have a strong aversion to writing, and usually have my husband edit everything that I write. So I will be working on my grammar and spelling issues. Note to self- add that to the never ending list of New Year's Resolutions.

I have been working on a card with
High Hopes Stamps http://www.highhopesstamps.com/
Seymore the Dragon. I just love this cutey-

The pictures never come out the way they look in real life. I normally take my pictures, but thought that I would scan this one to see if it made the picture more true to color.

Recipe- SU Mint Melody & Only Orange Cardstock, Momento Tuxedo Black Ink, Copic Markers, Spica Clear Pen

I always love it when other's put in their recipe what color markers they use. I will try and do this in the future, but I have already forgotten what I used. Ooops!

I will have another card tomorrow that I watercolored.

See you and thank you for looking!