The weather outside is frightful...

The Hampton Roads/Tidewater area of Virginia (where I live) doesn't usually get that much snow BUT on occasion, if the circumstances are right, (like today) we can get a wallop of snow. Yesterday afternoon we saw some flurries and by 6a.m. this morning when I did my early morning walk we'd had about 3" on the ground. It's been snowing all day and the winter storm watch goes until 7p.m. tonight. When all is said and done we'll likely have about a foot of snow. VDOT has redirected some snow removal equipment from areas unaffected to those that are but they will likely focus on the interstate highways and other major roads. The local communities simply don't have that much snow removal equipment. My little joke is that the guy that drives the snowplow can only work so many hours a day that's why it takes day to get your street plowed...if you do. We generally work on the solar method of snow removal...wait a day or so and the sun will come out an melt it.

I must have the only bird feeders in the area:

I'm not looking forward to shoveling tomorrow, this stuff is going to be heavy not the fluffy snow of the west. Look how is just piles up on anything. Here's my mailboxes at the end of the street and the entry with the snow piled on the faux pine bough garland.



Until my next post,

Diane



Merry Christmas

Here's my second group of Christmas cards for this year. As I mentioned in my previous post I only made a few. I'll look into getting some stamps that are a bit more generic so I can use them for winter cards too. Like the cards in the previous post these were made in a class using paper from The Paper Cut and most of the stamps (maybe all) were by Impression Obsession.

Until my next post,
Diane

A Sad State Of Affairs

It certainly wasn't my intent upon creating this blog to use it as a soapbox to voice my comments or political views but I just can't resist the temptation to express my disgust at what is happening to the youth of this country.

A recent report shows 23% of recent high school graduates don't get the minimum score needed to enlist in the armed services. Now these are kids that WANT to join the military...there isn't a draft so there's no need to try to look stupid. In addition, the Pentagon has recently reported that "75 percent of those aged 17 to 24 don't qualify for the military because they are physically unfit, have a criminal record or didn't graduate high school."

Whether or not you believe in a strong defense for this country or think serving this country is honorable you should be disgusted that our nation's youth is in this deplorable condition.

Merry Christmas preview

This year I made a few Christmas cards, just for immediate family and very close friends. I made them all in classes or make and takes. The thing about Christmas card stamps is that they are difficult to use for anything else. I guess if they aren't too "Christmassy" you can use them for a generic winter card but I hate buying something that I can only use for one thing. Anyway here's the first batch. Most were made using paper from The Paper Cut and stamps from Impression Obsession.

Until my next post,
Diane

Christmas ATCOTM

Here's the ATC I made for the Stampers Corner Yahoo group for the ATCOTM club. Someone (sorry I can't give you credit since I don't remember who) sent me this snowflake background paper with a swap. I layered that on top of to pieces of blue cardstock. On top I stamped the busy shopper and embossed the image. I colored in portions of the image with Sakura glaze pens.Three blingy snow flakes complete the piece.

Until my next post,
Diane

Just Because Card

This past summer I attended a CK (Creating Keepsakes) Convention. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was pretty good. I took a bunch of classes and here's a card I made in my 7 Minute Cards class with Boxer Scrapbooks. I sent this recently with an ATC swap. All the elements of the cards come in prepunched cardstock and chipboard and you just assemble. It is a but cutesy but I can do cutesy...and vintage, and grunge and satire and......

Until my next post,
Diane

Create card

Here's a card I made using the Pinwheel Techniue from the Technique Junkies Aug/Sep 2010 newsletter. I used Hero Arts stamps for the background and the sentiment. I also used a Cuttlebug Embossing forlder.

Until my next post,
Diane

Friends and cookies

Here's another card I made using the template from Boxer Designs. I used corrdinating cardstock and patterned paper and a stamp by Inkadkinkado. I also used a Fiskars border punch and some peal offs filled in with a Sakura Gel pen.

Until my next post,
Diane

Leaves ATC

This was last months ATCOTM for the Stampers Corner Yahoo Group. I stamped a background of...well leaves of course using a set by Inque. Next I used a technique I saw on Roni's blog. I added a few smaller leaves I had purchased in a bag and then finished it off with a phrase from Repeat Impressions.

Until my next post,
Diane

Live in the moment card

I made this as an anniversary card for some good friends. The background is the Glimmer Lace technique  from the Aug/Sep issue of the Technique Junkies newsletter. I substituted Ranger Distress Ink refills and Perfect Pearls. The stamps are Tim Holtz designed by Stampers Anonymous. I layered the sentiment by cutting a shape with a Spellbinders die.

Until my next post,
Diane