Pssequimages' Photopossibilities

Sun, Sand, Hot Air Ballooning

2012-01-28T11:22:00.001-08:00

There's a Hot Air Balloon Festival in Mesquite this weekend. The first day of the event it was promising too much wind for safe flying, so we didn't see the ascension planned for this morning. Tonight will be a glow, and they are so beautiful to see, and tomorrow they may be able to fill the valley with these beautiful balloons (from a club in Ely, NV)

This layout is done with the kit 'Under the Pier' by Kellie Meize, found in Scrapper's Guide (nowDigital Scrapper's) Premier Member kit for January, 2012

Below- January 29, 2012. There were about 25 balloonists playing with the air currents on this glorious chilly morning in Mesquite. The ascension was just so pretty, and then chasing them up into the foothills where some of them landed was fun too. The top photo shows our brand-new just opened freeway bridge construction in the foreground. I used DBD Designs 'High Hopes' (Nov 2011) from Artisan's Guild

ATV'ing in Grand Mesa Style

2012-01-26T20:55:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest places in the Southwest to go on ATV adventures is right in our own backyard,---and today I did! I went with some friends for a great ride to Flat Top Mesa, a great geologic formation that is within two blocks out of our front door! I worked a small album with some of the photos of today using "This Way and That" --an Artisan's Guild January Notebook kit, and elements from "A New Beginning" created by Debb Cozzi.

Pretty as a Princess

2012-01-26T07:22:00.000-08:00

I used elements from Karen Schulz "Dare to Dream" and "Kitty and Tweet" kits for this lo of DGD during her last visit.

Memories ===Are Made of This

2012-01-25T12:38:00.001-08:00

DGS and B at the Beach. I designed this bragbook page with elements, papers and items from History Starts Now, available at E-Scape and Scrap. Photo by RSteelman

In every conceivable manner, these grandsons are the links to our past and the bridge to our future. I used Curious Dividers by Julie Mead at E-Scape for this page with our two grandsons.

A Card Challenge

2012-01-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

At Joan's Gardens this week has some fun criteria to play with for creating a card challenge
1) Use a door or window or something similar
2) Use an outdoor-type stamp
3) Use a flourish
4) Use either embossing folder or embossing powder

Above: The window is: Small Madison Window Die from Poppy Stamps.com, behind the heat embossed (clear powder border) is an insert of sheet acrylic for the "window pane." The squirrel is a stamp by Cornish Heritage, called Small Pleasures, and the sentiment stamp, that says: "Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures." is in the stamp Assortment. The embossing folder I used is Traffic Jam by Provo Craft burnished with walnut Distressing Ink, and the flourish is part of Madeira Corner die by Memory Box. All cards are stacked up with 1/8 inch pop up squares.

Below: The Window frame is by Karen Schulz, graphic artist, in her kit "Outside my Window", this is a double cut frame, backed with acrylic for the window pane, over a photo behind the frame of the beach taken by my DGS created in Photoshop. Flourish is a Madiera Corner from Memory Box. The embossing folder I used and inked over lightly was "Elegant Lines" by Stampin Up. Rhinestone flourish and shell stamp white-on white complete this card. Wordart includes Rage Italic and Pupcat fonts and reads "The voice of the Sea, speaks to the Soul".

Below: Releasing Inner Dragon is a the Small Madison Window by Poppy Stamps showing an adorable dragon designed by Tracy Wray of CraftyCat957. The flourish is Paper Studios Embossing Folder Intricate Swirl for the dragon's embossed breath, heat embossed ridges with clear. Rhinestone flourish following the lines of the embossing, and a white stamp of clear embossing rocks, little mulberry paper roses complete the card. The green wire stems are glued over the white stamp where the grasses are. Sentiment is die cut using Spellbinders Lacy Squares, trimmed.

Below: This card contains a "floating" scalloped circle frame created with "Nesting Scallops" by Lifestyle Crafts. The center frame is backed with acetate for a see-through "glass" forming the window. It is suspended from the sides of the cardfront with acrylic tabs. The (white ink brushed) embossing folder used is Paper Studio's Intricate Swirl flourish. The nature stamp is by North Woods Rubber Stamps, and is soft pencils worked with gamsol. The Clear acrylic buttons are by Stampin Up.

Family HOLIDAYS

2012-01-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

DGS sent a marvelous CD full of Holiday pictures and Vacation trips today. Here are a couple of layouts to share using a few of them. In the one above, the bottom Photos are DGS and his girlfriend, and the 3 grandchildren. These pages are created with elements and papers designed by Snickerdoodle Designs by Karen, in her new kit Have a Heart.

DGS and his Girlfriend at Big Bear on snowboarding get-away.

Papers and Pixels--and Never Ending Fun

2012-01-15T09:09:00.001-08:00

Today the Papers and Pixels January Magazine "hit the streets" and OH BOY is it a fun one. One of the challenges is this neat template that was created by Kathy Neill, and another project in that issue was how to create a Never-Ending Card. This picture is of DGD creating a Never Ending Card, and for it I used papers by Pam Lefors and styles and hearts by Karen Schulz

Motor Mania in Mesquite

2012-01-14T19:58:00.001-08:00

For the fourth year, the Motor Mania saw 600 hundred cars come to Mesquite. Owners shared their pride in their gorgeous cars. Easily millions of dollars in investments, and hundreds of thousands of hours of devotion to this hobby were proudly shared as everyone oohed and aahed and asked about the amazing displays. We saw original restorations, roadsters, hot rods, & custom versions of classic cars. There were Model T and Model A Fords, ‘31-’35 Ford coupes and Chevrolets, a large display of ‘55-’58 Cheverolet Bel Airs, Cameros and Corvettes. And there were Studebakers, Nashes, VW’s, GTO’s and Mustang muscle cars and a couple of dragsters and even a Victory trike. They were customized with fancy turbocharged, chromed engines, exquisite rims and wheels and unbelievable paint jobs...and MORE unbelivable paint jobs, and did I say ---incredible paint jobs?

The Fox

2012-01-13T14:17:00.000-08:00

"The world may be divided into people that read, people that write, people that think, and fox hunters." William Shakespeare

This beautiful photo of the little fox was taken by L. Buca
Papers and elements by Pam Lefors in her kits Midnight Expressions and Chocolate Mint.

Valentine for the SWEETEST VALENTINE!

2012-01-11T19:25:00.001-08:00

Papers and embellishments by Roxie Hardegree in her kit True Love. Happy Valentine's Day DGD!

Sun City Red Hatters

2012-01-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

A dozen of the Sun City Sunbreros Habeneros enjoyed taking tea at a tea party at "Tea Euphoria." The ladies tasted fancy teas, and learned about the origins and the blends, as they watched tea bloom, sampled scones, and enjoyed sharing stories of unique tea-cups each Red Hatter brought to the party.

We watched tea bloom, and we read tea leaves. We thought Betsy's tea-leaves looked like Kokopelli!

And we chatted!

Our newest members.
Background paper and frame by Pam Lefors

New Years Eve 2011

2012-01-01T19:31:00.001-08:00

We welcomed New Years this year at a quiet and lovely Sun City Dinner where we welcomed new residents Diane and Clyde who had only moved into their new home 24 hours before. AND we shared the fun with our next door neighbors Kathy and Al, and 250 other friends celebrating a New York New Year in Sun City, Mesquite.

2011-12-28T16:31:00.000-08:00

--Announcing------WINTER 2012 FUNDAMENTALS ONLINE CLASS

Are you new to Photoshop or Photoshop Elements? Or, are you RUSTY with your Photoshopping skills and need a refresher? Are you "mainly a photographer" who needs to know how to post-process your images to make every picture a more perfect picture?
OR--do you know someone who wants to learn Photoshop?
HERE'S GOOD NEWS FOR YOU!

The Winter 2012 online class in FUNdamentals of Photoshop, Photoshopping with Priss is being offered exclusively in the Forums of Papers and Pixels Website beginning January 9th, 2012.

What do you need to take this class?
1) Any version of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements installed on your computer. The class is on the BASICS, and considers only the tools and skills that are universal to all versions of Photoshop!
2) Good Computer Skills and Good Internet Skills (particularly how to work a forum so you can get all your class materials, videos, and downloadable files from the Classroom)
3) The commitment to the steep learning curve of Photoshop as you develop your smooth work-flow and skills in editing digital images. You will need to commit a minimum of 12 hours a week to study, and 1 hour or more to participating in the online forums where additional materials and discussions for each assignment occur.

Please visit the FUNdamentals Welcome at Papers and Pixels for more information and enroll today. Class size is limited, and we will not be able to accept new enrollments after Jan 16th.

(NOTE: You need to be a registered member of papers and pixels forums to see and to take the Class. To become a registered member, Go to Papers and Pixels forums and follow the prompts for the one-time site membership registration, OR contact fundamentalsclass @ gmail dot com for additional information.)

Castleing

2011-12-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

Today DGD and our friend, Clareene and I went Rock Castleing. We built some magnificent castles right near the path where we walk the dogs. This is a picture of our castles. And this is the text that DGD wrote for this layout, which we did with Pam Lefors kit called Afternoon Oasis.

Today we we went rock-castleing. Rock-casteling is what they used to do in the olden days so they would know where they had gone on their paths and let people behind them know that they were on the right path. These were the first highway markers. Today in some places, these stone piles are wishing rocks. I made mine like a little cave entrance, a place for the desert gnomes to hide from the sun. My Grandma made one that was quite small, but she found a rock that had several clusters of garnet crystals on it. Our friend Clareene’s rock castle looks like a bridge, and it has flowers on it.

FIVE--Four--Three-Two-One--Countdown

2011-12-23T06:15:00.000-08:00

Countdown to Christmas. Feet up, shopping's done, presents wrapped? Time to INDULGE.
with FIVE minute Chocolate Mug Cake

4 TBSP Flour
4 TBSP Sugar
3 TBSP oil
3 TBSP milk
3 Chocolate Chips (optional)
2 TBSP cocoa
1 Egg
splash of vanilla.

And ONE LARGE Coffee mug! Add dry ingredients to the mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the Chocolate Chips and stir again.
Put your mug in a 1000watt Microwave for three minutes. The cake WILL rise over the top of the mug. Allow it to Cool and tip it out. INDULGE!

This recipe card was designed with Snickerdoodle Designs by Karen's Ginger Magic kit, and you can get your print ready copy of the recipe card here here.

And here's another fun recipe to try. This card is designed by Courtney's Digiscrapping at the Digital Design Den. Print ready card is HERE

Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake

2 cans (15 oz. each) cut sweet potatoes, drained

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries coarsley chopped

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/2 cup orange marmalade, warmed

1 1/2 C miniature marshmallows (optional)

Mash sweet potatoes and place in a greased 11x7x2 inch baking dish.

Sprinkle with chopped cranberries and pecans and swirl through the mashed potatoes,

Scatter marshmallows over the top (optional)

Warm marmalade & spoon marmalade over top

Cover and bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Celebrating Hanukkah

2011-12-20T18:48:00.000-08:00

The Jewish families lit the first candle on the Menorah tonight in a ceremony they shared with us in Sun City. It was so much fun to learn the history and of the traditions and sample the delicious traditional foods of this minor Jewish Holiday. They served fancy cookies, Latkes, Blintzes, jelly filled doughnuts and cider and sauces. Ron Turshinsky read the first-night service to the gathering.
The pictures are of some of the fun they shared. And Ron and Jackie are caught here in the fun Menorah hats we bought when the R.V. Club went to Solvang. Ron and Jackie are the Presidents of our R.V. Club. This layout is done with Ildi Geist's Hanukkah mini kit and at the top is a card I made especially for Jackie and Ron with it.

Too Cute

2011-12-18T20:17:00.000-08:00

Buck just LOVES his candy cane! He's picked it and pulled it and teased Chester with it. Here is what "Visions of Sugarplums" looks like around this house! The frame is by Marijja.

OUR FRIENDS! Our Holiday Party

2011-12-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

We had such a great time--wonderful music and entertainment, wonderful food, --a great time with neighbors and friends at the Holiday Party at Sun City Mesquite. Frame by Marijja and stars by T. Brennan.

Christmas Ornament 2011

2011-12-14T19:25:00.000-08:00

Each year I have so much fun creating a new ornament for my blog followers. This year's ornament started with Karen Schulz paper 14 from her kit All Wrapped Up and a bow from that kit. You can download this ornament HERE Thank you for following our blog!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a VERY HAPPY 2012 to you and yours.

Waiting for Christmas

2011-12-13T19:52:00.000-08:00

Our Beagles have had a GREAT time tugging on the Christmas dog-toys that reappeared as we decorated for Christmas at our house! This is Buck with the candycane--Too cute to see him hiding it and teasing the old boy Chester with it. Journaling reads: "Buck waits for Santa, carefully guarding and protecting one of the (too) many Christmas squeakie toys the Beagles have. Today Tug-a-toy caused the demise of a Santa toy's hat (and arm!) It's in for repairs!"

The layout is done with a qp gift of Pam Lefors from her kit "Honesty"

OH Christmas Tree!

2011-12-11T19:39:00.000-08:00

This layout shares a story recounted this evening by my husband, remembering Christmas trees of his childhood. The journaling reads:

My Mother, My Aunt Esther and my Uncle John, in co-operation with David Liscomb went into the business of selling fresh-cut Christmas Trees in San Bernardino, California. The trees came from David’s forest property near Clear Lake California. Dave would truck down the beautiful hand-selected Christmas trees in his own truck to San Bernardino to a lot my parents and Aunt and Uncle rented for about $20 for the month of December. My father and his brother John, set up the sales-lot with overhead lights, and a small portable sales tent. It was on the Southwest corner of Highland Avenue and “D” Street in San Bernardino California the early 40’s. They ran this Christmas Tree Sales Lot for Two years in a row selling Silver Tips, Doug Firs and Balsam (there were no “Noble firs” then.) The second year they were besieged with heavy rain during the peak selling days of early December. They ended up with a large inventory of left-over trees, so their profits were minimal for the huge effort that they gave to Christmas Tree sales and they abandoned the sales the next year. My mother and my Aunt Esther ran the street sales during the day, and the men would come to the lot after their regular jobs to handle sales during the evening. They all took turns watching the lot during the night for the two or three weeks the trees were for sale. Across the street on the south-east corner of “D” and Highland Avenue was a locally-owned bakery, which made and sold the best Chicken Pot Pies you could ever eat. Typically this was what we had for dinner during the entire sales season, and I remember them today.

The streetcar ran right past the lot-- from downtown San Bernardino-- North on “D” Street, then East on Highland Avenue to Mountain View. Then it went North on Mountain View to Marshall Blvd, where it changed direction--It would go back south on the same route. I remember that people would ride the streetcar to our Christmas Tree lot, and occasionally take home their tree on the Streetcar.

After WW I I was over, we drove to Clear Lake and visited with Dave Liscomb on the property in Clear Lake where the trees had been grown. Our Christmas tree was always a beautiful “Silver Tip” and it always touched the ceiling of our Pershing Street home. Our Christmas Trees were always Table-Top Silver Tips after we left that house in the late ‘40’s. My Father would put the lights on our tree, and Mother would put on the decorations. She would hand-tear cotton to place on the boughs to look like snow, and my Father would carefully hang the tinsel on each branch. Tinsel during the war was no longer metallic, and the ways that Christmas trees were traditionally decorated changed. Christmas tree light bulbs were scarce then and very different from the led’s of today. Every OTHER year, my Mother would decorate our tree with all blue bulbs. The ornaments were all very fragile blown glass, and I would carefully hand them to my Mother for my Childhood Christmas Trees. ~By Roger Steelman~

From Buck and Chester

2011-12-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Wishes from Buck and Chester

The quickpage was designed by Mary89, in her kit JourDeNeige.

Merry Christmas, Don

2011-12-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to the greatest Volunteer cop and patrol partner!

The background paper in this layout is by Raspberry Road Designs from the Cranberry Cottage kit.

Sun City Mesquite--Papers n Pixels Club

2011-12-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

The members of the PnP Chapter in Mesquite NV had their regular meeting on Dec 8th. Members shared Holiday projects they'd made. Techniques for teabag folding, origami, hand embossing, and double-inking stamp heat-embossing were demonstrated by the members. More practice with the Big Shot and the Texture Boutique finished holiday projects for lots of us. Members worked on personal projects too, including a large scrapbook album, slider-pop up and folded dimensional cards. Everybody tried their hand at the marvelous Bow Maker and excited members created perfect bows the first time!

The next meeting for PnP Mesquite will be January 4th--that'll be a SIG (Special Interest Group) orientation to the upcoming Winter FUNdamentals of Photoshop Class. The regular meeting will be on January 12th.

Proud Congratulations! Gianna

2011-11-29T05:46:00.000-08:00

For SUCH HARD work, we commend you, Gianna, as you graduate on December 15th.

The Sentiment reads:

Nursing is an art: And if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter's or sculptor's work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God's spirit? It is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts. ~Florence Nightingale~

The digistamp I used was drawn by Mo Manning.

Solvang

2011-11-23T19:32:00.001-08:00

Turshinskys, Harbers and Steelmans enjoyed the Sun City RV getaway to
Solvang, California’s beautiful Danish community. November 12-17, 2011

Continuing the fun RV trip to Solvang, this picture shows the Solvang Farmer’s Market. The merchants shared the most beautiful produce, flowers, nuts and pastries imaginable. Tastes of jellies and jams, and beautiful floral displays, plants of all kinds and wonderful apples, mandarin oranges, strawberries and fresh baked bread and pies caught our eye at the Market on Wednesday. Here were enormous tomatoes, and Brussels sprouts were beside the flowers just waiting to be taken home. Papers and Elements by Raspberry Road designs

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T07:24:00.000-08:00

Artwork by Trina Clark.

DOGS!

2011-11-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

This is our friend Jackie, at the beautiful dog park associated with the Flying Flags RV Resort in Buellton, CA (near Solvang) where we are this week. Chester and Buck, and Buddy the GoldenDoodle and the Puggies had the greatest time playing today.

Bakersfield

2011-11-14T17:22:00.000-08:00

Our first night out on an RV excursion with the Sun City RV'ers was a stop at the beautiful Bakersfield RV Park which is south of town on Hwy 99. It is a large and beautiful park with a good restaurant. The leaves were just beginning to turn here, and it was a great stay!

It's All About Lifestyle

2011-11-14T07:52:00.000-08:00

We totally LOVE the Sun City Mesquite, NV Lifestyle! And our Del Webb Senior Community is vibrant and energetic partly because of the talent of our resourceful Lifestyle Director, Deborah Demos. This layout is for a 'Magazine Cover' challenge, and uses a paper and overlay designed by Manuella Zimmerman.

FUNNY FACE BUCK

2011-11-13T20:20:00.001-08:00

Upside down and just peeking at me from his chair, little Buck is SO funny and playful. The word art is by Prairie Woman Designs in her kit Great Plains, and the background paper is by Pam Lefors in her kit Touch of Sage. Some elements and effects used here are by One One Software.

Eleven Eleven Eleven

2011-11-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

A Day of Remembrance and a Day Mesquite Honors our Veterans.
Once again this year 1000 Flags fly over Mesquite (NV) as we celebrate and remember our Veterans this Day! The 1000 Flags display is sponsored by the Exchange Club of Mesquite, and it is always gorgeous, with every line of flags straight and every angle perfect through 1000 banners. Font is Blackoak Std, and the papers and bow are by Karen Schulz in her kit 'Until They All Come Home.'

New Retiree--Congratulations K.L.

2011-11-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

This is the Pres of the Mesquite Papers N' Pixels Club and she's JUST retired! Jan1 it's all behind her and she'll have time to play! I love this photo of her taken at her retirement party.
Paper is by Pam Lefors in 'Something Flakey' and the word art is by Paulette.

It's FUN being a Kid!

2011-11-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

Photo by D. Weishaar, word art by Paulette, paper and leaves by DDD, and framing and post-processing techniques through On One Software's Perfect Photo Suite 6.

The Road Less Traveled

2011-11-04T20:01:00.000-07:00

One of my alltime favorite poems by Robert Frost is framed in this photo of a little guy starting down life's path.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

...Robert Frost

Background, ribbon and frame by Ruth Davis in "Artistic Fall" at E-Scape and Scrap. Font is Bell MT

Parchment and Powders

2011-10-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

This month I have been very busy, not only with the FUNdamentals online students at Papers and Pixels.com, but also with a couple of online classes myself. I'm thoroughly enjoying learning how to do Pergamano, parchment and vellum embossing, and heat and dry powder embossing.

Here are a few of the cards and projects I've been learning how to create. These classes have been offered at My Creative Classroom with instructors Sandy Hulsart, and Donna Maligno. parchment and embossing powders and ink supplies came from Sweet Stamps for many of these projects.

Goosenecks

2011-10-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

We had such a fabulous time at Medicine Hat and at the Goosenecks when we made a swing through the National Parks in So. Utah during May, 2010. The San Juan River makes a series of tight turns - goosenecks - below this viewpoint. The river has carved a deep canyon here, dropping about 1,000 feet below the viewpoint where Roger is standing. Geologists say this erosion has uncovered a rock record exposing some 300 million years of time. The state park offers spectacular views of the goosenecks, officially known as an entrenched meander. Over a distance of one and a half miles, the San Juan River flows for more than six miles through the twists of the entrenched meander. All papers and elements are by Karen Schulz in her kit Until They All Come Home.

At Laguna

2011-10-21T20:03:00.000-07:00

Three generations go to Laguna! Friends for more than 40 years enjoyed summer fun in Laguna this summer. Page elements by Pam Lefors from her kit "Rust Whispers."

CAUGHT?

2011-10-18T07:59:00.001-07:00

The Swing

Cutest Lil' Punkin!

2011-10-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

Elements in this layout are by the designers at Digital Design Den in their October kit, "Think Fall." Here the little entrepreneur waits with his pumpkins displayed, and his wagon ready to deliver them.

This cute little punkin just has SO many choices! For the lower image, I used On One Software, Perfect Frame, and Prairie Woman Designs Word art, little scarecrow is by Trina Clark. Photos by D. Weishaar.

Operation Write Home

2011-10-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

The Sun City Papers and Pixels Crafters completed a 2 day workshop this week where members and guests created ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY SEVEN of the most beautiful, most creative, and most special greeting cards for Operation Write Home

About a dozen residents gathered to learn equipment like the Big Shot and the Cuttlebug, and wowed and delighted in all embossing, watercolor painting, embellishing, and paper piecing that they did.

Thank you Troops, and thank you organizers of Operation Write Home.

Diamond Fold Cards

2011-10-08T11:27:00.001-07:00

This cute diamond card is crafted from a tutorial written by Sandi McIver. The little witch is by Tracy Wray and is part of her wonderful Halloween CD of paper piecing Halloween cuties.

Desert Twilight

2011-10-02T13:48:00.001-07:00

Such a gorgeous time of year in the desert southwest. These photos are from nearby vistas in Mesquite, NV. The kit is Raspberry Road's new Thunders in the Cedars.

The Carousel Horse

2011-10-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

I adore carousel horses, and I loved this particular one in a Seaside, Oregon mall. The photo was taken at the Pacific Northwest Digiscrappers Crop in 2006. I used elements from 'Think Fall' by Digital Design Den artists.
The poem 'Carousel Horses' (Callies Hand font) by Rajaz reads:

When the kids have left and said goodnight,
And the fairground closes down.
Do carousel horses ever sleep?
Or do they still go round and round.

Does the man in charge always cover them up,
With blankets of golden dreams.
Do they gallop off into the sky,
Dancing between moonbeams.

I sometimes imagine I can see them up there,
Jumping the silver stars.
Waltzing around the man in moon,
Racing their way up to mars.

Carousel horses with sweet porcelain smiles,
Ghost riders in the sky.
Cantering over cotton wool clouds,
With galloping wings they fly.

Then as my dreams start to fizzle and fade,
The horses return and land.
The fair opens up and the music begins,
As they take their place on the stand.

Papers and Pixels Club

2011-09-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

Several members of the Sun City Mesquite Papers and Pixels Crafters Club met for an outing and excursion to St. George. Lunch at the delightful Painted Pony was followed by a make-it-and-take it workshop at Dandylion Wishes, a new scrapbooking and paper craft store there. A tour and orientation to the features and products at Dandylion Wishes, and some cute Halloween cards, and treat-boxes made for a very fun afternoon.

Background papers by Pam Lefors

One Beautiful Day

2011-09-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

It was an absolutely spectacular day, and as the sun cast shadows across our valley--an absolutely spectacular evening

Buck

2011-09-11T17:56:00.000-07:00

Little Buckie Beagle celebrates ONE YEAR in our family this week. It doesn't seem possible that a year has passed since this little Shelter Rescue pup joined Chester Beagle in our home and in our world. He's so cute, so playful, and just so much fun!

Naughty now and then, and mischievous to the max! Buck especially loves his walks on the dual lead with his best buddy Chester every day. He delights in playing tug-o-war with his favorite toy, a hedgehog....and teasing Chester until he gets barked at and chased, running away as fast as his four legs will carry him!

But his favorite playmate is DGD--Here they both are begging ICE!

We figure Buck's about 18-20 months old now, and Chester turned 5 on the 5th of July.

It's a WONDERFUL PHOTOSHOP WORLD

2011-09-09T05:34:00.000-07:00

The Photoshop World Conference in Las Vegas, Sept 7-9 has been such a terrific one! I'm enlightened, energized, exercised, and enveloped in the world of Photography and Photoshop, and am coming away with brain stuffed, circuits overloaded and a year of Projects Photoshop ahead of me. So much fun! So glad I've come! This photo was straight out my window, looking due west from the 20th floor of the Mandalay Bay. Last year I had a fantastic room on the front of the hotel overlooking LV Blvd. But this year, the view was I-15 and Summerlin and West Las Vegas. Background papers and qp by Pam Lefors.

The Kid's Colt

2011-09-06T19:52:00.001-07:00

Delivered to the Southwest by a hardware company in NY in the late 1800’s, this Colt revolver is one of several known to have been carried by Billy the Kid. It is on loan and on display at the Hubbard Museum of the American West in Ruidoso Downs, NM, together with other historic pieces dating to the Lincoln County Wars and before. It’s shown with a Bowie knife he is believed to have carried and a leather holster. Recently the only known tintype (reproduction shown in the display below the gun) was sold at auction for 2.3 million dollars. DH took this picture when he visited the Museum over the Labor Day Weekend, 2011.

First Day of SEVENTH Grade

2011-08-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

DGD heads out for her first day of 7th grade. This page is done with elements and papers designed by graphic artists at E-Scape and Scrap in their 'Lucky 7' kit. She is indeed one LUCKY 7th grader, with wonderful teachers, a phenomenal schedule and a GREAT school to attend.

Pondering Gardens

2011-08-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

This is a shot of a garden in downtown Anchorage, AK. The quotation by Abram L. Urban reads:

"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful."

The flower accents and papers are by Traci Brennan in her kit "Victoriana," and the photograph is by L. Collette.

Now Accepting Enrollment--Fall 2011 FUNdamentals of Photoshop

2011-08-25T15:47:00.000-07:00

ANNOUNCING ~ ANNOUNCING ~ ANNOUNCING

Once again I'll be teaching the basic course in the FUNdamentals of Photoshop in the forums of Papers and Pixels.com. The 12 week class starts on September 19th, and enrollment is limited.
If you've been wanting to learn Photoshop (any version you have installed on your computer) and have the time for a college-level class this fall, this one is guaranteed to bring you a streamlined workflow as you fix up your pictures, and efficient use of the powerful Adobe Photoshop tools. Join the Papers and Pixels community and then take a look at the syllabus for the course, What's Expected, and pick up the handy Forum Handbook in the FUNdamentals WELCOME area before the class starts. This class is designed for the NEW or less-experienced Photoshopper, and all versions of Photoshop and Photoshop Elements are supported.

Information on enrolling for this Fall Class is on the website, and you may also purchase the course by using the paypal button to the right side of this blog. You must be a registered site member at Papers and Pixels to join the forums and the class. Still have a question? Please write Priss at fundamentalsclass AT gmail DOT com.

The Wise old owl

2011-08-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

The wise old owl
Sat in an oak.
The more he saw,
The less he spoke.
The less he spoke,
The more he heard.
Why can't we be like
That wise old bird?

Design elements by Pam Lefors in Evening Paradise

The Hoe Down

2011-08-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

We had SUCH a fun time at our Sun City Country Western Hoe Down. Golden Corral restaurant of St. George catered wonderful bar-b-qued ribs for dinner, and we enjoyed some great entertainment from Las Vegas --Willie Nelson and friends came to our party! Page elements from Raspberry Road Designs from Cedar Creek and Frontier Days kits.

Light A Star

2011-08-18T15:01:00.000-07:00

I love this beautiful Peaches and Bling Kit designed by Traci Brennan, and love this photo of our DD. Was practicing some Photoshop techniques and working with some OnOne software to do what I wanted with this layout.

Wilderness Beach, Kodiak Alaska Adventure

2011-08-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

Just home--and blissfully exhausted, Rog returned from a wonderful Last Great Fishing Adventure in the Last Frontier! He caught Ling Cod, Yellow Eye, Black Bass, Salmon and Halibut during the week-long fishing extravaganza at the Wilderness Beach Lodge. Here are a few of the photos of this very successful and fun trip scrapped with Rina Kroes Creekside Lodge kit.

The Foursome!

2011-08-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

My Sister and her DGD

My DGD and Me

Love these photos of the 12-12-12 travelers. Layouts are done with a qp designed by Susanne Designs from her kuit Romantic Sunset.

Loving Lake Powell

2011-08-11T12:31:00.001-07:00

One of our favorite places to visit (but not in the heat of the summer!!) is Lake Powell at Glen Helen Dam. This is one of my favorite pictures of Rog there taken May 21, 2008.

On down the Road

2011-08-01T13:58:00.001-07:00

This was a stop at Rika's Roadhouse on our way to Tok, and after we left North Pole Alaska. This was just such a fun stop. A GORGEOUS state park is adjacent to the Roadhouse, which is located on the banks of the Tanana River. A tour of the house itself would show a beautiful restored roadhouse built originally in the 1900s, complete with kerosene box wooden floors. We enjoyed the beautiful gift shop there, and some homemade ice cream. It was sunny and warm and beautiful as we walked in the gardens, famous for over a century here.

A title--or a final--page is in the works with both the land and the sea and the girls on it!

Here's part of the text in the journaling describing this amazing trip (somewhat modified).
My DH was visiting my sister at her home in NM, in early January, 2011, when he suggested to her that a trip to Alaska sure would be a fun thing for us to consider. The idea for our 12-12-12 Trip--a land and sea tour of Alaska--would be the most perfect trip anybody could imagine, he envisioned! And he was right--it was perfect!!
We started this trip on the 12th of July, 2011, with our then 12 year old granddaughters. We met in Anchorage, toured the city together for a day during which we headed out to the Anchorage Zoo, a marvelous city tour, and a downtown walk. When we met Megan the next day, who was to be our tour director on the luxurious train and bus portion of the trip Holland America Cruise Lines had planned for us, we were on our way. We were the second of 2 buses on the 12 day tour, that would end up on the Zuiderdam in Skagway. Megan and another HAL director, David, guided nearly 100 of us through the points of interest and expertly managed all our accommodations (which were always adjoining rooms) throughout the first eight days of our trip. (There were actually 350 or so people bound for various cruise ships in Skagway that we met--and caravaned with. ) Shown here is “Mr. Moosealot” who helped with easy and comfortable bus disembarkations at every stop by swinging from various places on the bus marking who could go first! We made quite a game of stealing Mr. Moosealot and having him show up unexpectedly in plain sight, but always doing something he shouldn't be doing!
In addition to fantastic bus-stops, and a trip over the top of the world highway to Chicken, there were 12 major destinations over 12 days awaiting our exploration and included Denali National Park, Alaska; Fairbanks, Alaska; Tok, Alaska; Dawson, Yukon; Whitehorse, Yukon; Skagway, Alaska, US; Glacier Bay; Ketchikan, Alaska, US; Inside Passage; and Vancouver, B.C. In addition to the 12 nights we would spend on land and sea, there were many excursions that added so much to our trip. We saw a Husky Homestead program and learned how 4 x winner of the Iditarod, Jeff King, trains his dogs, went gold panning (and found gold) in Fairbanks. We saw old gold dredges in two gold mining historical sites, went to North Pole and had a sit down with Santa, We saw historic buildings of the Klondike Gold rush, and Robert Service and Jack London’s homes in Dawson City. We sped up the Yukon River on a highspeed catamaran, and down river at Whitehorse, we attended both an artisan’s faire and a Follies production before we boarded the legendary White Pass Railroad and rode the wonderful narrow gauge railway through Carcross and Fraser to Skagway. We boarded the Zuiderdam in Skagway and occupied two adjoining luxury verandah suites where we were pampered and wined and dined like four elegant queens. The most perfect day imaginable showed us wonders of Glacier Bay, and a sunny sky greeted us in marvelous Ketchikan, our last port of call.

Working on Day 3--Eldorado Mine--Fairbanks

2011-07-31T16:31:00.001-07:00

This is just one of the several pages I made of one of our most memorable days on our Alaska trip just concluded. This is at the Eldorado Gold Mine tour near Fairbanks Alaska, where we FOUND GOLD! We grabbed our pokes and panned like crazy...and several grams later we had enough make some beautiful necklaces with our gold. We got to touch and hold the 24th largest nugget ever found in the interior gold fields of Alaska, a whopper that was 19 ounces, and valued at just over $60,000. It was found in 1995 at the Silverado Mine. Gold was trading at over $1600 an ounce when we were there--way more than a 1890s miner ever dreamed of! And our combined strike was valued at about $100. My DGD beat everybody in our tour capturing 11 grams, and I got 7. We had this pretty placer gold flake find made into beautiful filled locket necklaces, and this layout shows the helper who placed the gold into the locket with us--AND DGD holding the nugget! It was pretty amazing to see the demonstration of placer gold mining, and then panning ourselves and recovering some beautiful flakes. 350 people panned at once, following a GREAT presentation and orientation to this and EVERY ONE found some gold! The pokes are filled with "paydirt" from nearby tailings, and panning guarantees that you shake out some! MUCH fun!--outside Fairbanks--Eldorado Gold Mine

Shutterbug!

2011-07-30T18:42:00.001-07:00

A good photographer waits for just the right shot. DGD waited for thousands on our recent trip.
Love this page created with 'Lucky 7" from E-Scape and Scrap's 7th birthday celebration.

The title page for our book was done with the same 'Lucky 7' papers and embellishments, and qp's from E-scape and Scrap, and the Path to the Future is from one of the Lucky 7 Bragbook pages.
You can see all the pages of this bragbook on my Shutterfly Share site.

The Seagull

2011-07-30T18:38:00.001-07:00

"When you have come to the edge of all the light you have
And step into the darkness of the unknown
Believe that one of the two will happen to you
Either you'll find something solid to stand on
Or you'll be taught how to fly!"
— Richard Bach

This crazy seagull (and a later a friend) welcomed our cruiseship into the harbor at Vancouver. Back he came over and over to be handfed honeydew melon from our gorgeous #6055 verandah, rejecting the watermelon and other fruits we had. Fun time waiting for our disembarkation from our trip.

Begging for Ice

2011-07-30T15:38:00.001-07:00

The dogs just LOVE to beg ice-cubes and here they are teasing DGD and just wishing she'd give them some. This morning Chester was squishing Buck in the big chair.....absolutely splayed out on top of him! Not sure who got there first, nor which one was the "winner" this time!

Denali National Park

2011-07-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

Toklat River Overview

I couldn’t believe it when I saw how the two rivers mirrored each other as they braided through the tundra at the Toklat (mile 53) tour-bus stop along the Denali National Park road. The Toklat River forks here and heads across the glacier carved valleys draining two major mountain groups in the foothill mountain chains that lie in the vast miles of tundra inDenali National Park and Preserve. The park comprises a massive area of six million acres, slightly more than the entire state of Massachusetts. The park is best known for the 20,320 foot Denali/Mt. McKinley (named after then-senator and future President William McKinley). Named the “High One” by the Athabascans, the tremendous 18,000 foot difference from the mountain's lowlands near Wonder Lake up to its peak is a greater vertical relief than that of Mount Everest. The park is bisected from east to west by the Alaska Range and the Park Road is the only vehicle access into the park. 30 yellow tour busses and 30 green shuttle busses are the only vehicular traffic permitted inside the park each day. The park was established in 1917 as a wildlife refuge. It was originally named Mount McKinley National Park, but in 1980 the park was renamed and expanded in size by four million acres as part of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Today the park is managed as three separate units: Denali Wilderness is made up of the original Mount McKinley National Park and is managed to retain the undeveloped wilderness with no hunting allowed. The Denali National Park management area includes some of the 1980 additions and allows subsistence hunting. Denali National Preserve includes two areas of the park within which sport and subsistence hunting are allowed on a permit basis. The terrain of Denali NP contains the “tundra” and the “tiaga”. The tiaga zones are made up of scrubby evergreens spruce and aspen and other trees of the Arctic regions. The tiaga zone extends to about 2700 feet above sea level above that there are few trees. Within the tundra zone which comprises much of the park, plants seem miniaturized and mosses and tiny flowers abound. Congress created the park to preserve the wildlfe there, and the visitor is always on the lookout for the big five: the grizzly, the wolf, the Dall sheep, the moose, and fox. We also saw many squirrels (bfc’s --bottom of the food chain) and willow ptarmigan, the state bird of Alaska with their coveys of little ones following the parents much as quail do. We traveled on the eight hour round trip to just beyond the Eielsen Visitor Center at mile 66. There is a magnificent view of the mountain from that vantage point, but it was (as it almost is,) shrouded the day we visited, and by the time we reached the overlook it was pouring rain. (I was lucky to see the mountain the last time I visited the park almost 20 years ago--a rare treat, for it is only really visible a few days a month during the summer.) Mt. McKinley is so huge that it creates its own weather and almost always has a cloud cover. During our visit we stayed at “The Chalet” a charming seasonal hotel just outside the gates of the Park . We arrived by train (beautiful observation cars on the “McKinley Explorer”) and continued the next day on the train to Fairbanks. The community of hotels that has sprung up right outside the gates of the park shut down entirely in late September, and the only area with year-round residents is the community of Healy, where we stayed on our last trip to this area.

Very Pretty Fare

2011-07-28T18:25:00.001-07:00

The pretty beverages, the pretty food, and the pretties on formal night and last night on the very pretty Holland America Zuiderdam.

12-12-12 Cont'd

2011-07-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

In Whitehorse, Yukon Territory

B and A on the train

A tale of the Yukon Gold Rush and the White Pass miners.

On Stage, and having fun. I was chosen to participate in a fun barbershop number the cast of the Frantic Follies performed in Whitehorse, the last night before we boarded the ship in Skagway, AK for the sea-cruise part of our land and sea tour of Alaska on the 12-12-12- trip of 2011

Layouts are surely coming along slowly--and in no particular order, but oh the memories and the fun we had.

Rounding it all Out

2011-07-23T05:34:00.000-07:00

We'll disembark in about an hour bringing the 12-12-12 cruise to its beautiful and all-too-soon end.
We'll now log the hours from Vancouver, BC to home, and the others all the way across the country today. We'll have traveled thousands of miles by all sorts of conveyance, from dogsled to boat, from trolley to shanks-mare, from train to ship! It's all been fantastic, and it'll take quite a few weeks to complete the portfolio of an amazing 3,000 photo collection of Alaska at its very very best!

2011-07-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

A quick one of Glacier Bay and our goodbyes to our phenomenal land-tour guide Megan

Dawson and before

2011-07-18T06:51:00.001-07:00

North Pole, Alaska

At the Border at the Top of the World

Our tour bus and driver over the Top of the World Highway

We had beautiful motor coaches throughout the land-part of the tour. This is our vig Holland America Tours Explorer that we had from Fairbanks to Dawson City. The fun stops along this long route included the Eldorado Gold Mine, North Pole, Alaska, the Trans-Alaska pipeline visitor center, Rika's Road House, Tok, Chicken, the Top of the World Highway--and Dawson City.

Our fantastic driver was Jen, and we were the second of two buses to travel (about a half-mile apart) up and over the top of the world, tracing the path of the Klondike Gold Rush country. The road is very narrow, and there is very little traffic on it. It is beautiful, and one can only imagine how gorgeous it is in the wintertime when this road is part of the Yukon Quest Dog Sled Race from Dawson City to Fairbanks.

The George Black Ferry across the Yukon River to Dawson City

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline Visitor Center

Delta Junction---Alaska Pipeline This tourist spot is not too far out of Fairbanks

The Trans Alaska Pipeline System was designed and constructed to move oil from the North Slope of Alaska to the northern most ice-free port in Valdez, Alaska.

Length: 800 miles.
Diameter: 48 inches.
Crosses three mountain ranges and more than 30 major rivers and streams.
Cost to build: $8 billion in 1977, largest privately funded construction project at that time.
Construction began March 27, 1975 and was completed May 31, 1977.
First oil moved through the pipeline on June 20, 1977.
More than 16 billion barrels have moved through TAPS.
First tanker to carry crude oil from Valdez: ARCO Juneau, August 1, 1977.

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), includes the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, 11 pump stations, several hundred miles of feeder pipelines, and the Valdez Marine Terminal. TAPS is one of the world's largest pipeline systems. It is commonly called the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, or Alyeska Pipeline, but those terms technically apply only to the 800 miles of the pipeline. With the diameter of 48 inched, piped convey oil from Prudhoe Bay, to Valdez, Alaska. The pipline is owned by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
It was built between 1974 and 1977 after the 1973 oil crisis caused a sharp rise in oil prices in the United States. This rise made exploration of the Prudhoe Bay oil field economically feasible. Environmental, legal, and political debates followed the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay in 1968, and the pipeline was built only after the oil crisis provoked the passage of legislation designed to remove legal challenges to the project.
The task of building the pipeline had to address a wide range of difficulties, stemming mainly from the extreme cold and the difficult, isolated terrain. The construction of the pipeline was one of the first large-scale projects to deal with problems caused by permafrost, and special construction techniques had to be developed to cope with the frozen ground. The project attracted tens of thousands of workers to Alaska, causing a boomtown atmosphere in Valdez, Fairbanks, and Anchorage.

Rikas Roadhouse--wonderful stop and authentic and fun place on the way to Tok

I'm behind on doing layouts, because we are on the bus for so many hours; so this post is kind of a hodgepodge. We are seeing wonderful and beautiful places, and having a WORLD of fun!

Just a start

2011-07-14T23:24:00.000-07:00

Anchorage visitor center area

Out at Denali having sprouted caribou antlers.

I'm having VERY little time to work on pictures and even less with internet connections. But we are having a fantastic--fantastic time, and have some fun things to share!
So far--Anchorage to Denali and a clouded in Mt. McKinley, but tons of wildlife to enjoy
Back on the beautiful observation dome train cars after an 8 hour tour of the Park, and on to Fairbanks. Overnight in Fairbanks, and tomorrow Gold Panning and Gold Dredge study. Then immediately on to Tok. (I had misread that and thought we had two nights in Fairbanks, and sorry we don't!---there's so much to see. )

North To Alaska

2011-07-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

We're in Anchorage!
Arrived today about 1:00 PM.

Sisters!

2011-07-09T18:35:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of my Sister and me taken by my friend NP at my 50th anniversary celebration. The papers and elements are from E-Scape and Scrap's seventh anniversary mega-collab kit called Lucky 7. She and I are headed for a 12-12-12 Trip of a lifetime Alaska Adventure! Watch this blog to find out all about our trip.

Peaches and Bling

2011-07-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

Oh my--the fun we have! DGD and I've been scrapping and crafting for two days! This layout is done with papers and embellies from Prairie Woman Design's Peaches and Bling kit, found at Digital Design Den.

My Joy

2011-07-03T08:40:00.001-07:00

I did this layout with Rina Kroes papers and elements, and her Scripture word art for July, 2011, "Make my Joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." Phillipianns 2:2

Spring Into Summer

2011-06-29T12:52:00.001-07:00

The flowers of the Red Yucca are among the longest lasting in the desert. From delicate little
trumpets along a slender stalk to the interesting nut-shaped celled seed pods, these pretty flowers call the hummingbirds to their sweet nectar.

Buck

2011-06-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

We were wondering where Buckie was this afternoon when we were making cupcake cards. He wasn’t three feet away, snuggled onto his little pad, sound asleep! But this was to be a very temporary AWWWWWW---how cute is he! Because after we searched everywhere for the dimension squares for our cards, ---we found them all separated from their sticky card, and strewn around the carpet! So funny, Our little shelter puppy has been with us nine months now, and we think that he is probably about 15 or 16 months old.

When it came time to share the Papers and Pixels website, though, Buck was right there in his "usual and accustomed" post in the small of my back by the computer!

Papers and Pixels Fun

2011-06-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

Today several members of Mesquite's Chapter for Papers and Pixels got together and made cupcakes! Cupcakes inspired by Tracy Wray (page 16) in the June edition of Papers and Pixels Magazine. Here we are just having more fun with our cupcakes!

If We Could Talk to the Animals

2011-06-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

If we could talk to the animals, just imagine it
Chatting to a chimp in chimpanzee
Imagine talking to a tiger, chatting to a cheetah
What a neat achievement that would be.

If we could talk to the animals, learn their languages
Maybe take an animal degree.
We'd study elephant and eagle, buffalo and beagle,
Alligator, guinea pig, and flea.

We would converse in polar bear and python,
And we could curse in fluent kangaroo.
If people asked us, can you speak in rhinoceros,
We'd say, "Of courserous, can't you?"

If we could talk to the animals, learn their languages
Think of all the things we could discuss
If we could walk with the animals, talk with the animals,
Grunt and squeak and squawk with the animals,
And they could squeak and squawk and speak and talk to us.

This layout is done with Karen Schulz Second Chances.

Oh! Happy Day

2011-06-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

This bragbook page is about last years' 4th of July celebration.
It is one of the pages in Just So Scrappy's Happy Days Bragbook, a blog gift.

Father's Day--2011

2011-06-20T18:15:00.001-07:00

We had just such a fantastic few days at the newly-renovated and reconstructed Willow Beach Marina, Campground and Resort area just a few miles south of Hoover Dam. Here are some of our shots from our Father's Day R.V. Trip over Father's Day. 2011
Journaling on the first image reads:

"For Father’s Day 2011 we decided to take the dogs and the boat to the Colorado River to the brand-new R. V. park and facility that Forever Resorts just took over from the National Park Service. Willow Beach has been around for more than the fifty years’ we’ve been coming here, and always has been part of the Lake Mead Recreational facilities, (National Park Service) on Lake Mohave. The new 20 million dollar reconstruction project makes it better than it has ever been. There’s a huge store, boat rentals, a restaurant, wonderful launch ramp facility, fuel, and a large spacious (and not planted yet) 29 space R. V. Park."

We were treated to a close-up-and-personal look at a very young Bighorn Ram who was grabbing a drink of water as we quietly moved up-river past him. He made a VERY fast get-away right straight up the rocky face of the nearest cliff as we watched, amazed at his agility and the vertical leaps he made that took him straight up easily three feet higher than his head with no apparent ledge on which to land. His camouflage was so perfect for his surroundings that it was very easy to miss him, and we didn't see any of the others in his group.

Many of these layouts are done with Karen Schulz 'Until They All Come Home' kit.

Caesar's Palace

2011-06-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

It was a gorgeous night--it was an even MORE gorgeous show to see Celine Dion's fabulous new production at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. This is a shot of Caesars and the Colosseum Theater's "backside." Kit is Alluring Moon by Pam Lefors that I used for this layout.

Congratulations to DGD

2011-06-14T20:13:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to you DGD on being an honor student all through your first year in Junior High!
You ROCK! You're GREAT! Let's CELEBRATE!

Layout is done with elements from Pam Lefor's 'Alluring Moon' kit and word art by Paulette.

Tiny Toys

2011-06-14T14:53:00.001-07:00

The photo of these brightly painted little unicorn wooden toys was taken April 29, 2009 on the Panama Canal Cruise in Guatemala. They were just laid out on the street with the vendor crouched nearby hoping that you would like one of them and pick them up.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

Wishing the BEST Father's Day Ever to my RW

A husband is
that special man
That you yourself picked out
As being nice to be around
And nice to think about.
He’s the one
Who has that special way
Of being dear and sweet,
The one who makes
Your life worthwhile,
Your happiness complete.
A husband
Makes you feel so proud
And glad to be his wife
That he and his love
Will always be
Your greatest joy in life.

To Thine Own Self

2011-06-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

On this layout (with a new picture of me)--is one of my favorite quotations--and something my father said to me often from the time I was a VERY little girl (especially if I was involved in telling him some very tall tale that I expected him to believe.)

It is from Shakespeare (from Hamlet). "To thine own self be true" is Polonius's last piece of advice to his son Laertes, who is in a hurry to get on the next boat to Paris, where he'll be safe from his father's long-winded speeches. Polonius has in mind something much more Elizabethan than the phrase now suggests. Polonius sees borrowing money, lending money, carousing with women of dubious character, and other intemperate pursuits are "false" to the self. By "false" Polonius seems to mean "disadvantageous" or "detrimental to your image"; by "true" he means "loyal to your own best interests."

Take care of yourself first, he says, and that way you'll be in a position to take care of others. These words, are now generally regarded as Shakespeare's own wise pronouncements on living a "proper life."

The layout is on a quick page designed by Pam Lefors.

Have Fun--Stay Safe

2011-06-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

DD is off to Orlando for a conference. Here's a send-off with Mom and Dad's best wishes and good luck to you! I've used the kit elements from 'Jubilee' at Scrapper's Guide, June Premier by Peppermint Granberg.

Happy Birthday, Betsy!

2011-06-04T18:56:00.000-07:00

Wishing my little sister --a VERY VERY Happy Birthday! The elements on this layout are by Pam Lefors in her kit Rustic Romance, and the word art is by Paulette.

Congratulations!

2011-06-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

I made this layout especially for your Mom.
Congratulations as you graduate from College. May your future be bright and wonderful and all your dreams and hopes for it come true. This layout is inspired by the song made famous by Barbra Streisand ("If I Could"). I did this layout with design elements created by Karen Schulz.

Chuckers

2011-05-31T12:43:00.001-07:00

A Chucker (a Partridge) looks like a large pigeon, though a member of the Pheasant family, it has mostly gray feathers. However, unlike pigeons, a Chucker has a red beak (and red feet) and a white area on the front of the neck. They are also bigger than pigeons. This pair has been wandering unafraid in our yard and the neighbor's yard now for several days. This morning I caught several shots of the pair eating the seeds (or yellow blossoms) that had fallen to the ground below the Palo Verde tree. The Chucker rarely flies. The male will flutter up to a rooftop and keep a lookout as a sentinel, calling and noisily chuck-chucking to warn his covey of danger. They are good runners and can also hop across the rocky terrain. Except for during breeding season (which is now), Chuckers live in coveys of up to 40 birds. The female lays 8-15 eggs in a scrape lined with grass, leaves and feathers within the shelter of rocks or brush. The male will often leave the female after she has laid her eggs. The chicks hatch after about 3 weeks, and will leave the nest and start feeding on insects shortly after hatching.

The top layout was made with Karen Schulz (SnickerdoodleDesignsbyKaren) kit 'Empty Nest.'

Vacation---40 days away!

2011-05-29T20:24:00.001-07:00

The vacation of a lifetime is just 40 days away. 12 days Vacation with two 12 olds, 12 ports of call that starts on the 12th of July--What fun we will have, my sister and I,-- with our granddaughters! This, of course is MY DGD and me!
This lo is done with Karen Schulz kit "Empty Nest"--exclusive at SBE. Word art says: 'trips are measured by moments not miles'

The TPR--Friendship Album

2011-05-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is my final project for my Bind-it-All Class with Nan Paturzo. It is a little Tag Album made with Starbucks Coffee holders/pockets, but the main pages are made from smashed toilet paper roll centers! Each little tag in each pocket holds a friendship quotation. I think my favorite of them is Henry David Thoreau's:

"Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and the longitudes."

Bienvenido

2011-05-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

Bienvenido means Welcome, and today the entry to our neighbor's home is particularly wonderful. The Palo Verde is in full bloom and the tree in front of their house is HUGE. The brilliant yellows against the adobes of the Desert Southwest is truly stunning at their house tonight. Paper and edge borders by Pam Lefors.

The James House

2011-05-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of the beautiful Victorian Homes in Port Townsend WA. My photo was taken March 2006 at Victorian Festival there. The James House was built in 1889 by Francis W. James as a present for his wife. Today it is an elegant and wonderful Bed and Breakfast.
I used "Hopes and Dreams" designed by Debb Cozzi at Artisan's Guild, for the May 2011 Guild Members Kit.
The word art is a quotation of Emily Dickinson, "Where Thou Art--that is Home."

The Beagle Boys

2011-05-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

These are our two Beagles, Chester and Buck. Chester is almost six years old, and Buck, a rescue puppy is about a year and a half. These are clips from a little movie taken with my P7000 Nikon camera on May 22, 2011. They romp and play and have SO much fun together. They’re just SO CUTE! We are constantly laughing as we watch their antics.

My Best Friend

2011-05-22T19:15:00.001-07:00

All artwork in this layout is by Pam Lefors. The word art is by Paulette.

The Trike!

2011-05-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

This is THE trike for VERY GROWN UPS! Some Sun City Friends, PH & TH, just bought this amazing trike--and rode it across country just ahead of the devastating tornadoes last month. This is an incredible bike with a huge Chevrolet engine in it and they love it! As big as a car, she says it's like sitting in a convertible! The page is done with Snickerdoodle Designs Granny Finch's Garden kit

Armed Forces Day--May 21, 2011

2011-05-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

We had everything from bands galore, to bocce ball and putting contests. Golf Tourneys and entertainment was the order of the day! The local Elks Club made a terrific barbeque, while line dancers celebrated Armed Forces Day as the whole community came to Sun City to raise money for the new Veteran's Center here. The word art is by Rina Kroes.

Happy Day

2011-05-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

This is my niece, and her kids. The fun graphics in this layout are by Karen Schulz (Snickerdoodle Designs by Karen) in her brand-new kit "Granny Finch Garden" for sale in her STORE. The word art " Wishing you a happy day" is by Paulette of TLC creations.

Feel Better FAST

2011-05-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

This card is for my friend Joyce "up north." Hope you feel better fast! I used Laura Boetto's Quick Card Template found in the May Issue of Papers and Pixels E-zine The papers, ribbons, embellishments are all designed by Karen Schulz in her kit Sheer Elegance a recent blog gift of Snickerdoodle Designs.
The adorable little mouse and the "Shower of warm wishes" word art is created by Paulette. This card is digitally colored using techniques from my Photoshop tutorial in the May Papers and Pixels newsletter on how to graduated color and texturing for special effects.

Stamp Out Breast Cancer

2011-05-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

Today three of my friends and I got together to support a fund-raiser for Breast Cancer Research. Stampin Up Demonstrator, Sandi MacIver had prepared an international event with hundreds of women in four countries following her superb tutorials. We had SUCH a good time learning new skills and trying to do what we were told as we participated in the Special Event!--Laughing and having fun was the Order Of the Day!
We got together at my house for stamping, inking, cutting, pasting, embossing, sponging--just the tools and all the stuff it took to make this extradornary event so much fun. Thank you for the fun, Sandi MacIver and your team who created the kits and the experiences we shared. The papers and embellishments I used in these pages were designed by Pam Lefors in her kit "Dream in Color"; the word art is by Paulette at TLC.