tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46417852950817907362024-02-21T00:12:16.592-06:00Notes from the Scrapbooklady....featuring FREE SVG files to cut with SCAL or MTC and your cutting machine.Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-63715633452658612832012-06-06T21:50:00.000-05:002012-06-06T21:52:45.362-05:00Alert! Blog Detour AheadHi everyone!<br />
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I know, I've not been consistent with blogging and I've finally come to a realization. I have let my health and weight issues get too far out of control and it is affecting all parts of my life. I have no energy, no motivation, just want to sit on my bottom when I am not at work.<br />
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I know, I've been out of shape for years but a couple of weeks ago, my daughter and I walked the Cotton Row 5K here in Huntsville, and I came in nearly last and it seriously felt like I was dying. Apparently, this was the brickwall I had to hit to drive home how urgent it was to make some life changes.<br />
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So, that being said, this past Saturday, I embarked on a new way of eating and am trying to add in at least 30 minutes of exercise a minimum of 3 times a week. I'm not doing any special diet - I've done weight watchers and low carb plans in the past. This time, I'm just tracking every morsel I put into my mouth and trying to make healthier choices.<br />
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Since Saturday, I am down 6.4 pounds. I have A LONG way to go - but I will take it one pound at a time. <br />
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So, going forward, this blog will have a lot of weight loss related posts - maybe some of the recipes and information will help someone else out. And, as I make progress, hopefully I will start papercrafting again and have things to share on that front.<br />
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The first thing I want to share is the website/app that I am using. I had purchased a similar software years ago but it could only be used on one computer and I just kind of let it go. Now I am using My Fitness Pal - I use the website on my computer and the app on my cell phone. I love the convenience of being able to track while on the go - and with the cell phone app, you can even scan bar codes to enter your foods! Check it out here: <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/" target="_blank">My Fitness Pal </a><br />
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That's it for tonight - will have more tomorrow! Thanks for your continued support!Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-82551394047392277512012-05-07T09:01:00.002-05:002012-05-07T09:02:16.900-05:00Have you seen these?Working in the frame shop at Michael's, I don't always see the neat new products - so I have no clue how long we've had these - they might be old news! But, I found this product a couple of weeks ago and just had to have one to display some of my scrapbook layouts. This stand holds 20 - 12x12 scrapbook pages and sells for only $19.99 - use a 40% coupon and bring it home for just $12! This also comes in an 8x8 size - not sure of price on that one.<br />
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The page showing is an old one I made in a workshop I took with Crystal Jeffrey Rieger, author of "Cut Loose" - one of the few scrapbook "how-to" books that I own. (please forgive the shadows and glare - I really need to construct a lightbox for my scraproom)<br />
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<br />Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-66186099789122737652012-05-07T08:00:00.002-05:002012-05-07T08:08:13.392-05:00YAY! I made a Card! It's been forever since I've done any type of paper crafting - had to relearn how to use my cutter!<br />
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I made a card yesterday for a friend - I used the SEI dill blossom paper collection, chestnut ink from colorbox, some ribbon, flowers and a pearl from my stash and a little "thinking of you" stamp set (from the dollar bin either at Joann's or Michael's - not sure which).<br />
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I used the <a href="http://www.svgcuts.com/affiliates/jrox.php?id=3468&jxURL=http://svgcuts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21&products_id=303" target="_blank">Iris Fold Card Kit from svgcuts.com</a> as well as a couple of their freebie files:<br />
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<li><a href="http://svgcuts.com/blog/2011/04/25/svg-lacey-oval/" target="_blank">Free SVG File – Sure Cuts A Lot – 04.25.11 – Liesl’s Lacey Oval</a></li>
<li><a href="http://svgcuts.com/blog/2011/05/05/jade-accent-svg-design-element/" target="_blank">Free SVG File – Sure Cuts A Lot – 05.05.11 – Jade Accent Design Element</a></li>
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If you've ever done Iris Folding before, you'll appreciate how easy this kit makes it to achieve the desired results! Thanks Mary!<br />
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<br />Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-2455652576689341932012-04-26T22:15:00.002-05:002012-04-26T22:15:27.275-05:00Family PortraitsI mentioned a couple of days ago that we had family portraits taken.....thought I would share the link to our photographer's blog post in case anyone would like to see them. I am so excited with the great shots Lauren was able to get - just having a hard time choosing which ones to print because there are so many.<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_29779955"><br /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.laurensandersonphotography.com/huntsville-family-lifestyle-photo-session-field/" target="_blank">Washburn/Harning Family Portrait Session</a><br />
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I'm off work on Saturday and hoping to maybe be able to do some crafting. I've got so many projects that need attention that I don't know how I'll ever get them all done - it's overwhelming and makes it hard to even get started.<br />
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Anyone have any tips on how you stay focused so that you don't get overwhelmed when you have multiple projects that need your attention? <br />
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Thanks for stopping by.<br />
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<br />Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-39650071956594068942012-04-22T08:59:00.000-05:002012-04-22T09:01:48.181-05:00Please Forgive my Extended AbsenceWOW - been gone too long - the look of Blogger has REALLY changed. Let's see if I can muddle my way through a post!<br />
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I apologize for my lengthy absence - no good reason except that life has just been hectic and I haven't time to create and therefore didn't have anything artsy/craftsy to post. I'm hoping to get back to creating in the near future....but in the meantime, I wanted to check in and let everyone know I am still kickin' - and THANK YOU for your continued support!<br />
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We just enjoyed a 9 day visit from our daughter Jennifer and her family. They came down the weekend before Easter and went back home the Monday after the holiday. We had a busy week while they were here - we had family portraits taken on Sunday (photos were taken by a wonderful local photographer, Lauren Sanderson - if you live in the Huntsville area and want a great family photo session, check out her blog <a href="http://www.laurensandersonphotography.com/" target="_blank">here.</a>) This is just one of my favorite candids from this session.<br />
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On Tuesday, we drove to Chattanooga to visit the Tennessee Aquarium; Jenn had a consult with an oral surgeon on Weds; and of course, we did lots of crafty things with the kids throughout the week. On Saturday, we all got up bright and early to drive to Lynchburg, TN. Jennifer ran the <a href="http://www.oakbarrelhalf.com/" target="_blank">Oak Barrel Half</a> - 13.1 miles of grueling up and down the hilly terrain. After her run, she and I walked up to the Jack Daniels visitor's center and had her medal signed by the master distiller and purchased a couple of bottles of Jack Daniels and had them laser engraved to commemorate the event. Next up was lunch at the BBQ Caboose Cafe. <br />
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We concluded our day in Lynchburg with a walking tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery. <br />
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Sunday was Easter - the kids received lots of goodies from the Easter Bunny and enjoyed hunting for eggs in Grandma & Grandpa's front yard. <br />
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It was a wonderful visit and I am looking forward to their return in May (Jennifer is coming down then to have her wisdom teeth removed - they do not have a local doc who participates in their dental plan so she is going to the one Melissa used a couple of years ago who does.)<br />
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If you are still with me, I'd like to share one last bit of news. Those of you who follow my blog will recall that about 18 months ago, Jennifer embarked on a weight loss journey. With dieting and exercise she has lost over 125 lbs. She ran her first 5K about 5 months into her journey and has since completed many 5Ks and next weekend will run her 5th half marathon. <br />
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This week, Jennifer made a HUGE commitment - she signed up to run her first FULL marathon - yes, you read that right - she is going to run 26.2 miles! She chose St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital as the charity to run and raise money for. She has commited to raising $2500 for this wonderful cause with a personal goal of $2620 - $100 dollars for each mile she will be running. <br />
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To help Jennifer achieve her fundraising goal, I have decided that I will be offering some giveaways on my blog over the next couple of months. The prizes may be scrapbook related, they may be handmade items, there will be a variety! Anyone who is a follower of my blog who donates during the "live dates" of the giveaways will be entered for a chance to win. I hope to have the first giveaway posted before the end of the month so be sure to check back. <br />
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Jennifer is also running a giveaway on her blog - <a href="http://www.running4mylife.net/2012/04/226-days-to-go.html" target="_blank">Running for my Life</a><br />
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<a href="http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=1998216&fr_id=3631&pg=personal" target="_blank">Here is the link to Jennifer's St. Jude fundraising page - please visit and read her story! </a></h4>
Thanks so much for stopping by - I've really missed hearing from all of you!<br />
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<br />Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-8163473332032883792012-01-12T20:32:00.000-06:002012-01-12T20:32:56.985-06:00Another food post - homemade granola bars!Today I decided to attempt to make homemade granola bars - in an effort to make something that does not contain sugar alcohols and various chemicals. <br />
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I've seen many recipes on-line for granola bars but the one that most interested me was one for chewy granola bars - (like the Quaker brand ones). Here's the link to the blog where I found the recipe: http://backtothecuttingboard.com/dessert/no-bake-chewy-granola-bars/<br />
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I'm obviously not a food blogger but thought I would share pics of the bars I made - they look almost like bars you would buy! I made 3 batches but only photographed two of them. The first batch I made used some purchased Raspberry Vanilla flavored granola. I simply used 2 cups of that, 1 cup of rice krispies, and the brown sugar, butter, honey syrup. They turned out great so I was encouraged to go one step further - I made my own granola for the next two batches. I used the recipe from the link above. Once the granola was finished, I made a batch of s'more bars - following the directions exactly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bN10KzXv3XU/Tw-WPPpk__I/AAAAAAAABjM/K-Lzl3sxzWo/s1600/DSCN9365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bN10KzXv3XU/Tw-WPPpk__I/AAAAAAAABjM/K-Lzl3sxzWo/s320/DSCN9365.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The last batch I made was a peanut butter bar with peanut butter and chocolate chips. To create this bar, I wanted to add peanut butter to the peanut butter/chocolate recipe on the blog listed above. I made the following modifications and it seemed to work out perfect: increase the brown sugar to 3/8 cup and once the syrup has cooked for the 2 minutes, stir in 1/4 cup peanut butter. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MQk_jbRRkdk/Tw-XRU8iRlI/AAAAAAAABjU/OeAGpUh_R6k/s1600/DSCN9366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MQk_jbRRkdk/Tw-XRU8iRlI/AAAAAAAABjU/OeAGpUh_R6k/s320/DSCN9366.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>All 3 flavors are YUMMY and a hit with the family. Going to check out the granola selection at Earth Fare next time I go in - see what other flavors I can create!<br />
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Let me know if you try this recipe - I was so excited at how they turned out.Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-9172735507431653002012-01-03T10:10:00.000-06:002012-01-03T10:10:37.059-06:00Happy New Year!First, an apology for being a bad blogger. It's been a typical holiday season for me - custom framing gets a bit crazy during the holiday season and entails lots of long hours and abnormal shifts. Once that kicks in, I have a hard time just getting through the days and doing the things that have to be done - so the blog suffers yet again.<br />
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On a totally unrelated note, I took the tree down this morning. And, spent a couple of hours photographing and inventorying all of the ornaments. I typed the inventory sheets into spreadsheets on google docs and will be uploading my photos to an online storage site. After the 2011 tornados that barely missed us, I have thought quite a bit about the fact that we have no detailed list of our belongings. And, a list won't do you much good if it is blown away by a tornado, burnt by a fire, etc - so online storage of the list and photo documentation seems a good way to go.<br />
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Of course, a couple of boxes of Christmas stuff is only a tiny drop in the bucket, but there's a reason I started there. This year, when we went to put up the tree, Harvey went to the attic and brought down a tree and ornaments - but not the ones I wanted. See, we have two trees and two completely different sets of ornaments. One tree is huge and the ornaments that go on it are ones we have collected in our 30+ years of married life together - we call it the MEMORY tree. The other tree is one of the slim trees and the ornaments that decorate it are color themed to coordinate with our home. To make a long story short - Harvey spent an hour going through every storage container in the attic TWICE to find the box I was looking for. I vowed then and there that I would get the stuff up there sorted and inventoried, labeled with numbers that correspond to inventory spreadsheets. Next year I can just tell him which box numbers to bring down.<br />
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So, 2 boxes of ornaments and one tree down - the rest is going to wait until we have a nice day and Harvey can bring it all down to the garage.<br />
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My questions today are - how many of you have a COMPLETE household inventory? What format have you used - written lists, computer software, online storage, photos? And, how thorough have you been - do you itemize book and movie titles, etc? Or just count 30 paperbacks, 20 dvds, etc? <br />
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And, last but not least, have you inventoried your craft room? (I don't want to know how much money sits in this room, LOL)Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-16112043727352599742011-11-12T13:22:00.001-06:002011-11-12T13:23:52.240-06:00Off Topic - Cooking is another of favorite activitiesDue to our varied schedules, I've been doing a lot of cook-ahead things for the freezer. One of our favorites so far is a recipe I found at <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/">Taste of Home</a> for <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Bacon-Cheeseburger-Buns">Bacon Cheeseburger Buns:</a><br />
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Today, I used the yeast dough portion of this recipe and made them into pizza style rolls - I just combined a can of pizza sauce, one pound of mozzarella cheese, diced ham, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, and green peppers for the filling. After baking, I brushed the rolls with butter and sprinkled with some parmesan cheese. YUM!<br />
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Since I was doing the whole waiting on the dough to rise thing, I decided I would also try out a recipe that Melissa found for <a href="http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2010/09/pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls.html">Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls</a> - these are outstanding!<br />
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I've made a lot of soups and meals for the freezer - if anyone is interested, check out the blog: <a href="http://onceamonthmom.com/">Once A Month Mom</a>. There are some awesome recipes and they all include instructions for make ahead cooking. As we try some of them, I'll share results if anyone is interested.<br />
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That's it for today - closing tonight so have to head to work now.<br />
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Thanks so much for stopping by!Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-22801516752334502522011-11-12T07:33:00.000-06:002011-11-12T07:33:46.315-06:00My favorite crafty things!I am working on cleaning my disaster of a scrapbook area this morning and as I was putting things back in their proper places - I noticed that I keep my FAVORITE crafty items right next to me. I'm sure you can guess what they are:<br />
<ol><li> Black Cat Lynx! (if you are wondering about the tape on the Lynx - that is the mark to align my Cricut mat against for perfect positioning.)</li>
<li> SVGCUTS Binder containing .pdf printouts of all the kits and collections I own - for easy reference!</li>
<li> Scotch Spray Mount .- the absolute best solution I've found for keeping my mats sticky!</li>
<li> Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive - the best glue I've ever used for paper crafting!</li>
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Here's a picture of the inside of my svgcuts binder - I printed all of the .pdf sheets 2 to a page and then used the half size sheet protectors. The binder is my old stamp binder that I outgrew. I now store my stamps in a file box.<br />
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These 4 items are ones that I use every single time I sit down at my scrapping desk. What about you - what are your favorite crafty items?<br />
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Thanks for stopping by!Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-84346703884167576522011-11-10T23:44:00.003-06:002011-11-11T00:11:40.555-06:00Epilepsy Awareness Blog HopThank you for joining for our Epilepsy Awareness Blog Hop. You will see great projects and read about some of our personal experiences. There will also be blog candy along the way, so be sure to visit all the stops.<br />
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Epilepsy is a medical condition that produces different types of seizures. It affects 50 million people worldwide. If you would like to read more information about Epilepsy you can go to the Epilepsy foundation online at : http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Neither I or any of my immediate family members suffer from epilepsy. When my oldest daughter was younger she was evaluated for some seizures she experienced but they did not turn out to be epilepsy. My husband's step-mother has a nephew who has epilepsy and as a result, I've tried to become more active in promoting awareness. I have spent quite a bit of time reading on-line about the disease and I made that the focus of my layout for this blog hop - sites to visit and tidbits of info about events to raise awareness. <br />
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I apologize in advance for the quality of this layout - my paper trimmer desperately needs a new blade and I could not get a straight cut no matter how I tried. (On a side note - anyone have a recommendation for a new trimmer? Can't find blades for mine anymore - it's an OLD model.) If you want to read the captions and such - you should be able to click and enlarge the image.<br />
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Please begin this hop at Holley's blog: http://www.holleybarnhartsblog.com/<br />
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Holley- <a href="http://holleybarnhartsblog.blogspot.com/">http://holleybarnhartsblog.blogspot.com/</a>(start hop here)<br />
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Ashley - <a href="http://www.especiallymade.blogspot.com/">http://www.especiallymade.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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Jessica- <a href="http://www.canyoupixelthis.com/">http://www.canyoupixelthis.com/</a><br />
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Lora - http://scrpbooklady.blogspot.com/ YOU ARE HERE<br />
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Michelle- <a href="http://www.craftychelle.blogspot.com/">http://www.craftychelle.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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Rexann- <a href="http://ibecircled.blogspot.com/">http://ibecircled.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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Lisa - <a href="http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/">http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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Zenita- <a href="http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com/">http://www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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Sher- <a href="http://www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com/">http://www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com/</a> (end of hop)<br />
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Thanks so much for stopping by!Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-9703334624738631902011-10-28T22:23:00.000-05:002011-10-28T22:23:37.196-05:00Costume . . . CheckI was motivated to make myself a costume this year in order to participate in the dress-up activities at work. If you aren't aware, I work at Michaels Arts & Crafts......so here is my costume:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XN_CzYf1v9E/TqtxjQouVaI/AAAAAAAABhY/6EUnyfi-BFs/s1600/paint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XN_CzYf1v9E/TqtxjQouVaI/AAAAAAAABhY/6EUnyfi-BFs/s1600/paint.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I may feel silly wearing it - but I think it turned out kinda cool! Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-41023230602428246672011-10-28T07:37:00.000-05:002011-10-28T07:37:09.345-05:00Can anyone help?????<h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">Okay my crafty friends - I'm wondering if someone might be able to help me out? To complete my costume, I need some information off of a bottle of BURGUNDY Craft Smart acrylic from Michaels. We are out at work so I can't get the info I need.</span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}">What I am looking for is the paint names at the top - it's in English/French/Spanish. I tried a translator but it didn't work for the orange that I have on hand so don't want to trust it for Burgundy. If anyone has this color of craft smart, could you post the french and spanish names for me? <br />
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Thanks!!!!!</span></span></h6>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-62129856055066249492011-10-27T23:05:00.000-05:002011-10-27T23:05:50.058-05:00Halloween Treats were a Hit!Just wanted to share this picture with everyone - this is Natalie dressed for her preschool Halloween party, showing off the treats Grandma made for her class. Jennifer said she had a lot of fun passing them out!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1k-R0gqYmYU/Tqop-B53GVI/AAAAAAAABhI/ISmPEqKqXXY/s1600/Natalie+with+treats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1k-R0gqYmYU/Tqop-B53GVI/AAAAAAAABhI/ISmPEqKqXXY/s1600/Natalie+with+treats.jpg" /></a></div>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-18076919141634272712011-10-22T11:15:00.000-05:002011-10-22T11:15:49.580-05:00A couple of Halloween CardsGetting ready to ship the grandkids their Halloween box so I finished up their cards this morning - these are from the <a href="http://www.svgcuts.com/affiliates/jrox.php?id-3468&jxURL=http://svgcuts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=220">Haunted Hemlock Cards set at svgcuts.com!</a><br />
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For Daniel, the Moody Maple Avenue Card - I used glitter glue from the Michaels dollar bin on the moon, inked edges and used a ball point pen on the reverse side of the tree to give it a little texture. Tree and ghost are mounted with foam dots. Paper for the envelope is from K&Co. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ud7MkG2S8o/TqLqad1WDkI/AAAAAAAABg0/3JxLUq5zjx4/s1600/DSCN9951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ud7MkG2S8o/TqLqad1WDkI/AAAAAAAABg0/3JxLUq5zjx4/s320/DSCN9951.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Natalie's card is the Elegant Witches Hat - I used some glitter cardstock for the hat band, embossed the brim and flowers with the cuttlebug, added a couple of buttons and some rhinestone stars. Patterned paper for the envelope is K&Co.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D7KktPnrkz4/TqLq2RD0s6I/AAAAAAAABg8/tzqcb4jlOBc/s1600/DSCN9953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D7KktPnrkz4/TqLq2RD0s6I/AAAAAAAABg8/tzqcb4jlOBc/s320/DSCN9953.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Time to get ready for work. Thanks for stopping by - hope you have a great weekend!Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-26889879737768190812011-10-20T13:12:00.000-05:002011-10-20T13:12:32.555-05:00Preschool Halloween GoodiesLiving so far from my grandkids is especially hard when it comes to certain times of the year - Easter, Halloween, Christmas, their birthdays, etc. This year, I was sad to miss Natalie's first day of school - so to be part of it, I made her a "first day of school" card and sent it to her.<br />
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Her first school party is coming up - Halloween! I asked if it was okay for Grandma to send something for the party and they told Jennifer that anything was welcome. I played around with some different ideas, but I decided that since they had to be shipped that some of the cuter, shaped type of containers wouldn't ship as well as the basic "cracker" style tube.<br />
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Remembering that I had the free svg from <a href="http://www.svgcuts.com/affiliates/jrox.php?id=3468_1">svgcuts</a> (12.01.09), I cut a bunch of them with various Halloween papers form K&Co., filled them and tied them with some ribbons. I cut a few different shapes to embellish the tubes - embossed, inked and embellished them .....and voila.....20 treats ready to mail.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8NPl7J4GP0A/TqBfy4qPNDI/AAAAAAAABgc/iuwDDtvQjD8/s1600/DSCN9947.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8NPl7J4GP0A/TqBfy4qPNDI/AAAAAAAABgc/iuwDDtvQjD8/s640/DSCN9947.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNiMg-QGc-w/TqBfdFpHC0I/AAAAAAAABgU/nv2XZgDLzEM/s1600/DSCN9950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNiMg-QGc-w/TqBfdFpHC0I/AAAAAAAABgU/nv2XZgDLzEM/s320/DSCN9950.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8NPl7J4GP0A/TqBfy4qPNDI/AAAAAAAABgc/iuwDDtvQjD8/s1600/DSCN9947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CmsWieLOIBM/TqBgHCYv7-I/AAAAAAAABgk/ox-NEs_R0QI/s1600/DSCN9948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CmsWieLOIBM/TqBgHCYv7-I/AAAAAAAABgk/ox-NEs_R0QI/s320/DSCN9948.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Co8x2ZkyZ34/TqBgcvfFxlI/AAAAAAAABgs/WcOGAVkwv-I/s1600/DSCN9949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Co8x2ZkyZ34/TqBgcvfFxlI/AAAAAAAABgs/WcOGAVkwv-I/s320/DSCN9949.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-10243288739592288362011-10-09T22:06:00.000-05:002011-10-09T22:06:55.037-05:00Been waiting all summer to take this pic!This ramshackle barn sits a couple of miles down the road from where I live. Ever since I've lived here in the middle of cotton country, I've envisioned a photo of this barn surrounded by the white fields of cotton. This is the first year since we've lived here that they actually planted cotton near the barn so I have been waiting all year for the perfect moment.<br />
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This morning, on my way to work, I noticed the fields were perfect - but I didn't have my DSLR. I snapped this photo sitting in my car right smack in the middle of the road - I promise, I was watching both ways for traffic but on Sunday morning, it was pretty deserted. <br />
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I took the photo in color, cropped it and converted it to black and white - and only then did I notice the hawk on the peak of the barn!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-63PhAb2VYGY/TpJhNwBHbnI/AAAAAAAABgQ/39PkBXzSoW4/s1600/cotton+fields.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-63PhAb2VYGY/TpJhNwBHbnI/AAAAAAAABgQ/39PkBXzSoW4/s640/cotton+fields.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-28634720899445222372011-10-09T20:18:00.000-05:002011-10-09T20:18:37.575-05:00Check out this Breast Cancer Awareness activity!My daughter lives in Fort Wayne, IN and she shared this on facebook - since I've been involved in the LUFP blog hop I thought it would be a neat thing to share here:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bras Across the Bridge</b></span></div><br />
<a href="http://s824.photobucket.com/albums/zz165/WMEE973/Bras%20Across%20the%20Bridge%202011/?action=view&current=P1160490.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz165/WMEE973/Bras%20Across%20the%20Bridge%202011/P1160490.jpg" width="640" /> </a><br />
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Here's the link to the website with the story: <a href="http://www.wmee.com/EventsConcerts/BrasAcrosstheBridge.aspx">WMEE</a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-79539104592151599922011-10-08T22:42:00.001-05:002011-10-08T22:43:09.383-05:00Epilepsy Awareness Blog Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd9xsxFlWnlqyWjaGa-Y3kI04sRZzGNFDcGh5fVddDrOL7QOSbzNOY63MfVVoyYMy0lsyKflqRI3z2q3GhJRRbqZUU2DXSMZe9YAc1hqJVAYm1W68lMufMPSe0aSxfGRQ4_52bvh4T86c/s170/epilepsy.svg-path2427-4294966935.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd9xsxFlWnlqyWjaGa-Y3kI04sRZzGNFDcGh5fVddDrOL7QOSbzNOY63MfVVoyYMy0lsyKflqRI3z2q3GhJRRbqZUU2DXSMZe9YAc1hqJVAYm1W68lMufMPSe0aSxfGRQ4_52bvh4T86c/s170/epilepsy.svg-path2427-4294966935.png" /></a></div><br />
Sherry Brown, from <a href="http://www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com/">Patterns by Sher</a>, is hosting an Epilepsy Awareness Blog Hop on November 11 and I am excited to be able to participate.<br />
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I've posted before about the Think Purple Store run by nieces of my step-mom-in-law - a shop they've set up to sell hand made purple items with proceeds going to cureepilepsy.org.<br />
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This blog hop is another chance for me to help champion epilepsy awareness - and maybe even send a few more customers to <a href="http://thinkpurplestore.org/" style="background-color: #674ea7;">ThinkPurplE</a> Becky and Sammy even have a "stories" page where you can share your epilepsy story - diagnosis, treatment, etc.<br />
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I've got a couple of projects in mind for this hop - of course, you'll have to stop back November 11 to see what I come up with! See you then!!!<br />
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LoraLorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-25509001864590268402011-10-05T09:43:00.000-05:002011-10-05T09:43:15.064-05:00Race for the Cure .... another LUFP entry<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="www.touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-i_y6ptxUnYo/TofSOu7mYoI/AAAAAAAADqI/WGDRXvWvA3w/s144/bcabutton.png" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Many areas sponsor a Race for the Cure as part of October's Breast Cancer Awareness activities. I decided to adapt one of my earlier runner's cards into a "race for the cure" card. This would be a great card for someone who is participating in one of these events.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l1sNzQ5tftc/ToxrBUscf5I/AAAAAAAABgM/BxT6o2aIpJU/s1600/race+card.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l1sNzQ5tftc/ToxrBUscf5I/AAAAAAAABgM/BxT6o2aIpJU/s400/race+card.JPG" width="340" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Background and border cut are some shimmery specialty papers I bought at HL a few years ago. The runner is one of my own files cut from a scrap of pink cardstock. The ribbon, race, and cure are files traced from the official race for the cure logo. I mounted those items on a piece of clear vinyl packaging, added a couple of rhinestones for accent and mounted the whole piece using scrap pieces from my foam dots. This card didn't photograph very well - I think due to the shimmer of the paper and the monochromatic color scheme - it's really much prettier in person. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm off to go look at some of the other great projects from LUFP - thanks for stopping by to see my entry!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-14581106525999189132011-10-04T22:40:00.001-05:002011-10-04T22:42:21.368-05:00Link Up For Pink Entry<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="www.touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-i_y6ptxUnYo/TofSOu7mYoI/AAAAAAAADqI/WGDRXvWvA3w/s144/bcabutton.png" /></a></div><br />
Well, it's taken me a few days - had to wait for a day off - but I've finally completed my LUFP project.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lbpeFaDQm4/TovPJdrsjuI/AAAAAAAABgE/VwqSbT8y2Kg/s1600/lufp+top+closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lbpeFaDQm4/TovPJdrsjuI/AAAAAAAABgE/VwqSbT8y2Kg/s320/lufp+top+closeup.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixOwUxePEh8/TovPL1AV4UI/AAAAAAAABgI/fs98owm_6Hs/s1600/IMG_8594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixOwUxePEh8/TovPL1AV4UI/AAAAAAAABgI/fs98owm_6Hs/s320/IMG_8594.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I created a paper lantern using the following:<br />
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<a href="http://www.svgcuts.com/affiliates/jrox.php?id-3468&jxURL=http://svgcuts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=275">SVGCUTS.com - Crisp Days of Fall</a> - I used the extra lantern that did not have the leaf pattern.<br />
SVGCUTS.com - Supporter Ribbon - free file from 4/5/2010<br />
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and the digital papers - the pink diamond pattern and the pink butterfly (sorry you can only see a corner of this paper in the closeup) are freebies from Yolie's blog -<a href="http://www.justyolie.com/"> Just Yolie</a>.<br />
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I cut the lantern and supporter ribbons in pink cardstock, cut the vellum panes from a rose patterned vellum I've had in my stash for close to 10 years and then just added some ric-rac trim, a couple of large pink rhinestones, a sheer bow and a purchased butterfly accent.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by to take a look at my LUFP project - be sure to check out some of the fabulous entries linked on Yolie, Gaby and Celeste's blogs - you will be inspired!Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-63273258688543854542011-09-30T10:31:00.000-05:002011-09-30T10:31:00.054-05:00<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="www.touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com" border="0" src="http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.com/button/bcabutton.png" /></a></div><br />
A little late - but going to try to put together a project for the Link Up For Pink event sponsored by Celeste, Yolie & Gaby. <br />
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This is a great cause - check out the details and the great giveaways at <a href="http://touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com/2011/09/link-up-for-pink-rules-and-prize-list.html">Touched By A Butterfly.</a><br />
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Then, check back in a day or two to see what I come up with!Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-15314720240789241472011-09-11T09:03:00.000-05:002011-09-11T09:03:11.900-05:00We Will Never Forget<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Reuters_Photo/2007/06/27/1182966271_6286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>In announcing my challenge a couple of weeks ago, I planned to share a few of the entries here this morning - but I did not receive a single completed project to share.<br />
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I did receive one email from Jeanette - she shared the following: <br />
<blockquote><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><div>A couple of years ago we took our granddaughter to NYC to visit relatives. While there we took the subway down to the ground zero sight. Olivia was just a very little girl on 9/11/01 but we were able to tell her the story and show her the site as a teenager. It was a very moving prayerful experience.</div><div></div><div>I found an image on a woodworking yard art site and created an scut file to use on the scrapbook page of our visit, unfortunately I still don't have the page done. But I have retired now so I hope it will be soon.</div></span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The file that Jeanette shared with me was created from this picture that she found on a woodworking craft site:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F93WX3XW790/Tmyk8C545uI/AAAAAAAABgA/auotVM7VKCE/s1600/memorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F93WX3XW790/Tmyk8C545uI/AAAAAAAABgA/auotVM7VKCE/s1600/memorial.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The only other completed project that I can share with you this morning, is the t-shirt that my daughter made by creating an iron-on transfer of the file that I created. She made and wore this shirt for the 5K Defender's Dash that she ran yesterday (she set a personal record and came in first in her age category - you can see more on her blog, <a href="http://www.running4mylife.net/2011/09/new-5k-pr.html">Running For My Life</a>).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHTSmSjt17qt5ectTPUGB69GonBA97jD1nIGZPSbm-iNkkpGwVhd-D9_4zlJFkSEBToVF3DFfNWP_gIbWExsahTB_Szv2W5zn1t5elHhsW2onzZl8NVEg43fabAYeAaRLe-7UDYbNv2Dk/s1600/IMG_0265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHTSmSjt17qt5ectTPUGB69GonBA97jD1nIGZPSbm-iNkkpGwVhd-D9_4zlJFkSEBToVF3DFfNWP_gIbWExsahTB_Szv2W5zn1t5elHhsW2onzZl8NVEg43fabAYeAaRLe-7UDYbNv2Dk/s320/IMG_0265.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My personal thoughts on this day of remembrance:<br />
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<blockquote>I will always remember exactly when I first heard of the attack - before anyone realized that it was an attack. I was sitting in my doctor's waiting room when the receptionist stood up and announced that a small plane had just flown into the side of the World Trade Center. By the time I came out of the doctor's appointment, the second plane had struck and our world had changed. I still had not seen any images but as I drove towards work, I was listening to the news on the radio. I stopped at home to turn on the television and like most Americans, sat there staring at the horrific destruction. I called my oldest daughter and woke her to announce that "America is under attack". Then, because of the uncertainty of the day, I called my youngest daughter who was away at college in Michigan. She was at class so I just told her room-mate to tell Jenn that we were safe. I watched as the attack on the Pentagon was reported and then as reports of the crash of Flight 93 came in. I watched in disbelief as the first tower fell.<br />
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I went to work after the first tower fell - I worked as an admin at a large call center where we provided customer service for AT&T. The management team had brought out the large screen television and set it up in our command center so that everyone could remain aware of what was going on. Many of the reps were fielding calls from family members frantic to reach their loved ones in NY. </blockquote>America UNITED and there were great displays of patriotism throughout our country following the events of 9/11/01 - not unexpected but absolutely amazing to witness.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Reuters_Photo/2007/06/27/1182966271_6286.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Reuters_Photo/2007/06/27/1182966271_6286.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The American Flag pulled from the rubble of the World Trade Center - proudly carried and displayed at the opening ceremony.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><i>I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, </i><br />
<i>and to the republic for which it stands, </i><br />
<i>one nation under God,</i><br />
<i> indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.</i></blockquote><br />
</div><blockquote>While I was searching for pictures of the American flag, I came across a blog post that sums up exactly how i feel today: <b></b></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><b>In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn’t take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.</b></blockquote></blockquote>This blog post was a call to action for the 8th anniversary of 9/11 - trying to get all Americans to fly the flag on that day. You can read the full blog post here: <a href="http://juliannahaz.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/military-monday-great-idea-for-911/">Life is Like a Box of Chocolates</a>.<br />
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If you read through this entire post (sorry I rambled and got wordy) - thank you for stopping by today.<br />
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LoraLorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-64577731876653823942011-09-07T10:26:00.000-05:002011-09-07T10:26:24.187-05:00First Experience with Heat Transfer Vinyl<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tS9su3UDuxY/TmeMgakld1I/AAAAAAAABf4/zobtC2U7kFc/s1600/t-shirt.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tS9su3UDuxY/TmeMgakld1I/AAAAAAAABf4/zobtC2U7kFc/s400/t-shirt.JPG" width="266" /></a><br />
I admit it, I'm a little behind on trying heat transfer vinyl. I've been meaning to buy some for a while now to make shirts for work but I kept putting it off. <br />
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If you follow my blog, you know my youngest daughter, Jennifer has been on a weight loss journey and as a part of her exercise routine, she took up running. On September 24, she will run her first half-marathon and the family will be there to show our support. She always makes herself some sort of motivational shirt for her races so I decided to design a "Team Jennifer" shirt for all of us to wear that day.<br />
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I designed and printed the round badge type logo onto a dark t-shirt transfer and ironed it on. Then cut the letters using Siser Easy Weed Stretch vinyl. We chose that type because it is recommended for use on athletic apparel so Jenn can also use it to make her shirts. It cuts beautifully and is truly "easy weed".<br />
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What do you think? <br />
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<a name='more'></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-39488038823593246512011-09-03T07:58:00.001-05:002011-09-03T08:01:42.866-05:00Do you need to make Grandparents Day Cards?Grandparents day falls on 9/11/11 so it's not too late to make a card or two. If you are making cards, perhaps this greeting will be helpful. <br />
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Simply click on the image to download this FREE .svg file.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?a7exob7z8q544mi"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9DHax9CuFfQ/TmIj4YgO5II/AAAAAAAABfw/vdPhhIcYqvs/s320/lbw-happy+grandparents+day.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Thanks for stopping by to visit my blog. Comments are greatly appreciated - and remember, if you use my files, I'd love pictures of your projects to share on my blog!<br />
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LoraLorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4641785295081790736.post-19078856374092886452011-08-31T16:57:00.000-05:002011-08-31T16:57:27.723-05:00Don't Miss Out on this Deal!It's no secret - I'm a HUGE fan of SVGCUTS.com! I just have to share with all of you - their last 25% off sale for this year started today. That's right - you can buy as many files as you want, and save 25% off. You can even shop multiple times and reuse the coupon code. The coupon code is good until Monday, Sept. 5, 2011.<br />
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I have to grab my notebook and go through the store to see what I want to get this time around. <br />
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If you want to join me in saving 25% off of your purchase, just click on the coupon image below and it will take you to the store!<br />
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<a href="http://www.svgcuts.com/affiliates/jrox.php?id=3468_1"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/312046_10150419735177067_109879932066_10681837_6088581_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977615436837531324noreply@blogger.com0