Blue Skies

Today....

If this sight doesn't delight your heart, I don't know what does. I so needed the sun and blue skies today. I don't know if it's because the skies have been so gray and dreary or what, but the blue was so vivid and electric today. Even with the bitterly cold, crazy winds blowing, my heart was warm just feeling the sun and seeing the blue skies and puffy white clouds.

Blue skies and American Idol all in the same day! What a treat!

Thanks God for the beautiful Blue Skies today and sunshine today!

Queenpin

That is my new name for myself after I bowled a 156 tonight! {"yessssss," in my best Napoleon voice.}

Here is the hubs setting up for a frame. Did I mention I beat the hubs with my 156?

My aunt has perfect form and follow through. Her little kick at the end just cracks me up.My Dad (not a born bowler) and my lil bro Hadley whose birthday we were celebrating. These two would much rather be on back of a horse, or at a rodeo, or watching basketball I'm sure.

Yes, Uncle Tommy, we know your thumb hurts...suck it up and bowl! =) {Sorry about the blur on this one... }

Had to include this one in the recap. First it's just a darn cute picture of my two handsome brothers. Second, if you look in the backgroud you see my sweet Granny. Granny, what are you doing? Picking your teeth? This just cracks me up!How's that pizza Jerry? Also pictured is my stepmom Velisa and my sweet Granny again.Here is Haley and her friend. Haley is my cousin and is on a bowling team. I'm pretty sure my 156 beat her though. Did I mention I bowled two strikes in the 10th frame?
And last but not least, my cousin, Cindy (Haley's mom) who is having a Coke and A Smile...

Shoot, how could I forget Addison!!!??? This is Velisa's niece-Rachel's 3 month old baby girl. Is she not the sweetest thing?

Funny story...these people bowling next to us with some kids and had a baby - older than Addison - they had the baby in a cardboard box. That doesn't sound very good after I typed it! But it wasn't like in a bad way or anything. It was a big box and they had a quilt in there and it was more like a little playpen. It was the cutest thing and the baby was so good and just sat in there and played and smiled and had a grand old time while his family bowled!

I want to encourage other families to go bowling together. We had so much fun and laughed and actually got some exercise. And did I mention that I scored a 156? I'm pretty much like a pro-bowler I think. All that AND I'm going to be the next American Idol!

Card for Lois

If you read a post or two below, you will know about the handmade cards for Lois, a lady in Canada (I think) who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Her friend, Wilna has challenged scrapbookers and others to create a card for Lois and send it to her. Her goal is for Lois to get 100 cards by March 20th.

I believe she will!!!!!

Here is the card I made:

The scripture inside reads "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24.
I used some scrap yellow cardstock and other pp (patterned paper) for the design on front. Scenic Route black letter stickers (these are my favorites). Inside, a piece of notepad paper, attached with the best stuff ever! Gaffer's tape I received from my Kitschy kitschy koo kit from SIStv Boutique yesterday. Perfect USPS timing, don't you think? I wrote everything else and used colored pencils for a little splash of color!.

8/52 Elsie's 52 Week Challenge

Week #8 Group four photos: I love creating one-photo layouts, but sometimes I have more than one photograph to feature on a page. I like to take four (or more) photographs and cluster them together in a group. This makes them appear almost as one large focal-point photo but allows me to display more images at one time. Try it!

Okay, this one was a real challenge since I'm working with 3x5 index cards! I actually like the way it turned out though. This is my hub's horse, "Dog." My hubs is not crazy...well, maybe a little, but that's beside the point! *i digress...anyway.... He named him Dog because he said he followed him around like a dog. I know it's kind of lame, but he IS a male. Male=Simple minded! *dang, I did it again...sorry...anyway, Dog is full of "piss and vinegar" {as the saying goes} and he just has that hateful look in his eye all the time. It's really nothing personal, really! He just has major attitude - he cannot help it. His name is Dog for goodness sake! Would you not have a little bit of attitude if your name was Ape or Llama? I think he has somewhat of a complex personally.

He is a really gorgeous horse and does have some mad skills.

He is just a horse name Dog!

I took these pictures back when it snowed -in fact I posted one of these pictures that day here. The paper is American Crafts. I love the colors.

A day for craftiness

Today is that day! After icky, icy weather sent us home from work at 10AM, what is there left to do? DUH, scrapbook and catch up on some of my blog perusing for lovely inspiration and seeing some eye candy.

One project I have just come across on the SIStv boards is from fashionista Wilna who is offering some goodies for anyone who will be willing to make a card for her friend, Lois who has cancer. It warms my heart completely to know there are people all over the world who have such great friends. I know I do, but sometimes when we hear all the horrific news stories and bad stuff that happens everywhere we feel isolated. It is nice to be reminded that there are good people with big, kind, loving hearts who care about each other everywhere!!!

Anyway, I want to invite anyone who might read my little part of blog world to check out Wilna's blog for more info and to join in on helping to bring some happiness to this lady during such a sad time in her life. I mean, how much would it mean to you if you were diagnosed with such a horrible disease and your friend rallied people from all over the world to send you handmade cards filled with cheer! It gives me chills to think about it. Okay, I could go on & on...(I know, I already did!) but I'm gonna get to scrappin'.

Hope to be back on later with some new creations!

sidebar: oddly, I had never visited Wilna's blog and when I did I realized she has he{art} as her mantra similar to what I've done with my banner. Here is what she has stated: he{ART}: I am all in this one word. my heart is my art. my art is about my heart, my heart is my faith, and my love...and my life; my art is my process. like breathing. and rain. and tears. How cool is that??? I knew I liked her from SIS, but now this really seals it that I think Wilna ROCKS!!

Overlooked #2 Collection

I am still doing my Overlooked project. Brainchild of the utterly talented Ashley Wren! The subject this time was collections. I have several things that would qualify but I wanted to focus on a collection that I am still working on...my yellow pottery from Good Earth Pottery.

I started this collection around six or seven years ago {I think}. It started after attending the Christmas open house at Good Earth Pottery and falling in love with the yellow pottery that Rodney Lemonier had created. My family and former employers/friends purchased the soup tureen, ladle and soup bowls for my birthday and that began my collection.

Here is a detail listing of my collection:

• Soup tureen and ladle: received as a gift from family.- probably the most expensive piece in my collection.
• Six soup bowls: received as a gift from my former employer (and friends) got this at the same time as the tureen. These started my collection.
• Two mugs: I bought one and my mom bought one for my hubs to use. (although I'm pretty much the only one who uses them-I think he's afraid he'll break them.)
• Goblet: a random purchase that I use to hold junk by my sink.
• Sugar Bowl: A gift from my mom a couple of years ago. I use it, well, for sugar! Actually my hubs does use this piece daily because he uses massive amounts of sugar in his coffee.
• Little teapot: I bought on the half price shelf because it was so cute and I felt sorry for it because it had the little crack. It is just for display.
• Salt & Pepper shakers: My most recent addition that my mom got me in December of 2007. We all use these daily, they sit on my counter by the stove. I love these because Mr. Lemonier made a couple of sets as a special order and he doesn't keep them in his regular inventory. I love having special things!

My fav is a toss up between the sugar bowl and my mugs. I love the glaze and design of the sugar bowl, but I love using my mugs each and every morning.
My least fav is probably the soup bowls...although I've never used them...I think they are too small for a bowl of soup.

The most interesting is probably the little teapot because of its unique shape.

The ugliest (if that is possible) is probably the goblet, because it sits by my sink and holds paintbrushes, scrapers, and old toothbrushes. It's not ugly, just its function.

I've pretty much acquired the collection through birthday and Christmas gifts...mainly mom - of course! :)

My collection is housed in thh kitchen and on a display shelf in the kitchen. I don't know if everyone else in my house in necessarily annoyed by my collection. They probably get annoyed at times when I remind them be careful with certain pieces!

If anyone inspired me to begin the collection , it would have to be the creator of the pieces themselves: Rodney Lemonier the potter and artist. I would never get rid of this collection unless a tornado, or other unforeseen tragedy happened.

The coffee mugs, sugar bowl and S&P shakers all get used every day. The other pieces are mainly for display. I don't see me getting "over" my collection anytiem soon, I'll continue to collect it as long as Mr. Lemonier continues creating it.

If you want to see other collections check out the flickr group for overlooked 2

6/52 and 7/52 Elsies challenge

Thought I would post my week 6 & 7 of Elsie's 52 week challenge. I'm just glad I've made it to 7 weeks! Can I hear a whoop-whoop?

Week 6 challenge is to CREATE A RIBBON CLUSTER

Ribbons are beautiful accents on a page - no matter what! But why not take the next step? Challenge yourself to create an accent with a cluster of ribbons. Just tie two, three, four or more ribbons and cluster them together in the same area on your page. To finish the look, tie them onto cardstock, weave them through an embroidered border, or hook a tiny safety pin through them.

I have been wanting to use this cutie patootie picture of Amy with her many colors on.

Week#7 TAKE AN ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPH:
It's easy to capture photographs of family and events. But for this challenge, I want you to look through the lens of your camera as a photo enthusiast. Take a closer glance at things in your life that you might otherwise walk on by. Look for beauty in unexpected places, inside and outside of your home!

It was hard to choose one, I love taking off-the- wall pics, but I decided to go with this round hay picture from last Spring. I love the perspective against the blue sky.

Gotta update and get back on track

I know there have been friends and family and friends and family of friends and family checking out the storm pictures, so I have not been posting new art stuff on here for the past week and a half.

I think it's time to update now.

Neighbors, friends and others in my community are cleaning, piling, and rebuilding. Spirits are good and this whole tragedy has once again validated to me why I do love living where I live. People are just willing to lend a hand, pitch in, give money and time to help their community. It is so awesome and makes me so proud and feel so fortunate and blessed to live in the rural South.

A couple of positive updates on the storm...Highland's KFC/Taco Bell has windows! Wooo-hooo. The Highland Hills Baptist Chuch (the one that lost the steeple and still had the crystal chandelier hanging) already has a new front. I suppose their church members are working like mad to rebuild. Thumbs up and kudos for that! One family I know already has started to rebuild. Seriously, it is amazing how quickly most people are getting back to rebuilding their lives. Keep praying people!

I'll be putting my daily blessing up this weekend, but for now, I wanted to post a layout i did last weekend from a SIStv challenge to use this Target ad for inspo. I actually like the way it turned out! Note the sweet Hambly overlay...I seriously love this stuff and hope to get my hands on some of the new stuff just released. If anyone has a Hambly connection...hook a sister up, would ya!?

To all of those who have checked out my blog for storm pics, I say thanks and feel free to keep checking out my other stuff from time-to-time.

Storm Damage in Highland

The business district in Highland was completely devastated on Tuesday. I took these on Wednesday evening. Miraculously nobody was killed in this area. AMAZING! Also the Highland School was spared which is also a miracle.

These first three photos are of the Midway Plaza Shopping Center.

This is the Chinese Restaurant

Timberline Restaurant

This is looking toward the Conley Ford Dealership (which was actually empty)

Needs no explanation!
Oddly the KFC-Taco Bell Building is next to this:
The old Crispy Cone now known as The Wing Shack.
People were in here....along with three vehicles!
Here is the old Pap Beardsley dealership:
And the fairly new Highland Hills Baptist Church. The steeple ended up in the road, but miraculously the chandelier in the open foyer area was still hanging and in tact.

Mountain View Damage

Honestly, I'm not familiar enough with the buildings in Mountain View to know exactly what I'm looking at in some of these, but I know there are pictures of the Stone County Medical Center in Mountain View in some of these. We (Ozarka College- where I work) have a facility across from the hospital there in MV that miraculously was not damaged by the storm Tuesday, except for some minor debris. However, our nursing students in MV have their clinicals in the hospital and that part of was destroyed. These pictures were taken by the nursing instructor there and I appreciate her letting me post them for others who might be interested in seeing how horrific the damage was to that area - which by the way, is still without electricity- and probably will be for several more days.

more storm damage from Izard County

These are pictures from the Sage/Zion/Melbourne area in Izard County. Sadly, tornadoes have no regard for livestock.

{Did not want to post the up close pictures...too sad.}

These are my friend Suellen's mother-in-law's home. She was inside!

Her living room (notice her pictures are still sitting on the shelf.

Her kitchen, which had just been remodeled.

Here is the hallway where she was when the tornado hit! Amazing!

Next we have Suellen's former home...now home to a local pharmacist.

This basement was their saving grace.
They walked out of that door that's open after the storm passed.
Now that, my friend's is what I call a miracle!

devastation near the homefront

I don't know what I can possibly say except that I am truly blessed that the devastation missed my home by about a quarter of a mile. These pictures are south of Ash Flat in Sharp County, Arkansas in and around Highway 167. We heard the "train" sound that everyone describes but we were fortunate that God did not allow the ugly storm to fall on us. I feel so horrible for those around me who did lose homes, livestock, and other things, but the sparing of lives is most important during these times.