Back from vacation...

Oh, it's so not good to be home!  Yes, you read that correctly.  I stayed with some friends in upstate New York for a few days in a town named Chittenango (translation:  where the river runs North).  It's the birthplace of Frank L. Baum, the author of the Wizard of Oz.  The town is quaint with yellow bricks lining the insides of the sidewalks.  There used to be stores there named The Wizard of Oz Cream and Toto's, but they have gone the way of progress.  Tsk, tsk.

Immediately upon arrival, we plunked the lobsters in the pot to boil -- a rarity for our New York friends -- fresh lobsters!  Here are a few pics before and after and then those who consumed these critters.

Here are the little fellows on the patio.  That's a 3 pounder on the left and the two in the front row are 2 pounders and followed up by 1-1/4 pounders in the rear.

Now THIS is what they should look like!

And THIS is how to enjoy them - with wonderful friends around the kitchen table.

On the far left is my friend, Joyce, who was our hostess for the long weekend.  She lives in a lovely refurbished farmhouse.  Here's a pic of the outside portion of the house.

The Gator is always gassed and ready to run us up thru the properties when we visit a neighbor or just to visit the peaceful countryside.  Here are some shots of the wonderful flowers Joyce grows.  She's a wonderful gardener!  

This is just a small sampling of how beautiful it is around her house.  She also has a vegetable garden that we raid before we leave.  The tomatoes were to die for!

And here we all are.  That's Agnes on the left next to her sister, Martha, then me and Joyce.  The Gator always plays a big part in our pictures!

So, I'm back and ready to get back into the saddle of the rat race again.  Thanks for stopping by.  Ciao for now!

Ciao Bella!

Washi tape...

Washi is one of the names of this wonderful tape.  Other companies use different names for it, but it's basically the same, a thin, printed, lightly tacky tape that you can use in your card making endeavors.  I've posted other samples previously, but I wanted to show you a card using Freckled Fawn's Washi tape in gold.  This is gorgeous tape!  It has such high sparkle and itty bitty stars and dots embedded in the tape.  You can just make out the holographic effects these little "speckles" add to this card.  The dotted Washi tape is also by Freckled Fawn and has little gold dots that compliment the glitter tape.

I used an MFT die to create the rose using the same Washi tape in gold and the green leaves were simply punched from a pre-glittered paper that I had on hand.  Note the absence of a "BOW"!  How unlike me!  I just felt it needed something simpler, so a knot it is!  (Sinful thing to do since I created the Craft-Dee BowZ - LOL!)  Oh, and the background embossing  border folder is from Sizzix.

Enjoy and Ciao for now!

Ciao Bella!

Let's try that Steampunk thing again...

I'm laughing about this post because a few of you told me that I did "miss" the look of Steampunk by a mini mile the last time.  Never a one to give up, here's my latest attempt.  I used the 7 Gypsies 6-compartment format this time as I was not up to the task of designing 12 compartments right now.  This one was actually more fun for some ridiculous reason.  So, once again, you be the judge!

Here are a few closeups of some of the compartments...

I gotta tell you I had a blast doing the Amelia Earhart block!  No rhyme or reason -- I just had fun doing it.

I will be teaching a class on this at The Crop Shop in Rockland, MA  on Friday, September 14th from 7-9pm.  So give them a call and reserve your seat!

I am FINALLY taking a few well needed days of R&R and going to see a special friend in Syracuse, NY.  I'll be baaack!

Ciao for now!

Ciao Bella!