More Project Photos

I'm still having fun with my Cricut.
Thought I would share a few more photos of my projects.
Pictures are: etched glass vase, turtle stamped with stamp I made, fabric flowers on t-shirt and misc.cut outs.You can click on the photo to enlarge and see details better.

THE TOY

My new toy is ....... drum roll please ...... a Cricut!

No silly, not a small insect. That is spelled cricket.
This is pronounced the same, but is much more fun.

A Cricut is a computerized die cut machine. Does that still not make any sense?
I will explain. It cuts shapes that can be used for scrapbooks, cards etc. I know that doesn't sound very exciting, but it does much more too. Some of the things that I have made so far are Valentine cards and gift bags. I cut a stencil and etched a glass vase. I cut fabric flowers and put them on a t shirt. I made a vinyl decal for hubby's truck. (An orange Tiger paw, of course) I made a rubber stamp of a cute turtle in the exact size I wanted. Have you heard of "Wall Words". It is a quote or saying made of vinyl placed on the wall. Very popular and pretty expensive. I can make these in any size, color and style that I want. If you want to know more go to cricut.com or look for the infomercial on late night TV. Yes, I sometimes watch infomercials, but I saw the Cricut first on a craft show, then on QVC. Yes. I watch that too. You can google Cricut and utube has videos of Cricut projects. I know, this is my new obsession, but it is so much fun. Brandon and Lisa gave me a program that lets me take any font or wing ding on the internet and use it to cut. So many possibilities! If this STILL doesn't make much sense maybe some pictures will help. And yes lil sis I can and will make something for you. I already have something in mind that I think you will like. Anyway here are some pictures.

My Newest Toy

Everyone knows I LOVE crafts, gadgets and technology. Anytime I can combine ALL three, well let's just say I am a happy crafter. That is exactly what my new toy does. I have wanted this for a very long time, but couldn't justify the price of $400 or more that it was advertised for. Now don't misunderstand. I have no problem going to Michaels every week with my 40% off coupon and buying something/anything. I mean it is wasting money not to use a 40% off coupon. After all I will eventually use all the craft supplies that threaten to take over my house. I mean I just have to live till I'm 103. I'm in Michael's so often that the people greet me by name as I enter and ask me about my latest project. I really think our local Michael's would close without my business. So I am doing my small part for the economy. OK, back to my newest toy.It is tradition in our house to check out the Thanksgiving sale ads after we have consumed enough feast food to satisfy an army of starving hyenas. This year as I was checking out the Walmart ad I saw IT! There It was for an unbelievable price of $200 at the early bird sale on the day after Thanksgiving. Now I was suffering from the most awful cold in the history of womankind, besides I already had my shopping battle plan set to the second. So unashamed child that I am, I begged my wonderful, indulgent hubby to brave the crowd of crazies to get it for me before they sold what was probably the only one they had at that price. I insisted that it was absolutely the only thing I wanted for Christmas and I had resisted the temptation to buy it at full price for a LONG time. I assured him that I could make wonderful, marvelous things for everyone we knew. So bright and early on black Friday my one and only trudged into the crowds and came home with IT. He placed it behind the couch, covered it with a blanket, and made me promise that if I dared to even peek under the blanket that it would disappear back to where it had come. I know this is hard to believe but I didn't peek, really I didn't. But I did go on line and read every thing on every web site I could find about all it's wonderful, magical possibilities. Now by now I'm sure you are imagining that I now have in my possession a machine that will end world hunger, do away with war and at the least take me back to my younger and much more slender days. I would settle for the last one. Oh dear readers, I am afraid I have built you up for a terrible disappointment, but drama queen that I am I was having just to much fun getting carried away with my writing. Alas, I have wasted too much time at the computer this lovely morning. I must get back to my dreary life and do some laundry. I promise that my next post will include pictures of my toy and what it has created. Don't you just LOVE a "cliffhanger" ending.

Sunbeams

Ok, contrary to some tabloid accounts, I was not abducted by aliens nor was I conferring with Stephanie Meyers on my top secret roll in the next Twilight movie.
I have been alternating between playing with my Christmas toy (More on that later) and teaching three year olds on Sundays. I have spent many years teaching Primary kids on Sundays, but for a few years now I have been leading women's groups. (just bigger kids really) Anyway it is taking me a while to get used to teaching little ones again, but I love it. Three year olds are like Mexican jumping beans they can't be still for a second. Their attention span is shorter than a gnat's. I use lots of visual aids, games, and roll playing to try to keep them somewhat under control for an hour. After which I send them back to mommy and daddy with a handout explaining what the lesson was "supposed" to be about in the hopes that their parents can get them to listen for a few minutes. I have 7 little darlings in my class; four boys and three girls. some have just barely turned three and some are almost four but will stay in my class until next January. At this age there is a wide range of development which keeps things interesting. Really though they are so sweet and I do love teaching. I come home exhausted, but by next week I'm ready to see my little Sunbeams.

Tomorrow I will share my new toy with you. Hint: Think awesome scrapbooks, cards and sooo much more.

GO TIGERS !!!

PAW POWER FOREVER !!!

Clemson is bowl game bound!

We hung the big Clemson flag outside, the little flag inside, the Clemson quilt on Bryan's recliner, and a Clemson fleece on each couch.
Bryan was wearing his lucky shirt, hat, and his Clemson watch.
We had recorded the game so we could skip the commercials.
Are we fanatics?
YES WE ARE.
We bleed orange blood.
I think Bryan may be getting to old for this kind of stress. I had to remind him several time about the house rule "NO kicking or hitting furniture" after a bad play or a bad call by the referee.
Tomorrow he will wear his orange tie to church. He does that when Clemson wins. When they loose, well we just pretend they didn't play that week.
This was a super important game.
First it was against our rivals, the University of South Carolina gamecocks.
Second if Clemson won they went to a bowl game, if they lost the season was over.
We have an interim coach, Dabo Sweeney, who is hoping to nail the job permanently. He may have after today.
In case anyone was out shopping today Clemson won 31-14.
GO TIGERS !!!

Ready, Set, Cook

OK, so I usually overdo it with making a holiday meal and this year is no exception. I take a few short cuts, but most things are "made from scratch".

Sunday was clean out the fridge day. I threw out all the packets of fast food sauces etc. Why do i save those things. Next to go were the "mystery" leftovers and then anything past its expiration date. My fridge was now ready to be filled with yummy things.

Monday was shop, shop, shop. Ingredients were bought and loaded into the "Blue Goose" (For anyone who doesn't know that is the name of my mini van.) The guy who loaded my van was so careful about not squishing anything and keeping cold things together. I was feeling thankful for so many things that I tipped him. He was grateful and I felt good. Bryan unloaded the van and piled everything on the dining room table. I started to wonder why I hadn't just ordered a complete meal from K&W Cafeteria.

This is my menu:

Turkey - This is one of my cheats. We are buying a fried turkey from Bojangles which is better than worrying about the guys playing with a pot of hot boiling oil in the yard

Cornbread dressing - One of my recipes that everyone insists be made from scratch with no shortcuts.

Maccaroni and Cheese - Again my from scratch recipe

Mashed potatoes with LOTS of butter

Greenbean casserole

Sweet potatoes

Corn

Cranberry sauce

Watergate salad - I think Bryan may be the only one who likes this

Deviled eggs

Yeast rolls from scratch

Gravy

Desserts: Apple pie, Pecan pie (bought from the bakery)


Today is cook, cook, cook. Anything that can be made ahead of time.

Tomorrow is a bit more coking, but mainly clean the house.

Thursday is finish cooking and watch the Macy's parade on TV.
Then most important EAT EAT EAT.
Next we check the sale ads and plan our attack strategy for Friday's shopping frenzy. Then we finish the day with a movie. This year we are going to see the new James Bond movie.

Friday is shopping.

Saturday is clean the kitchen from all the cooking etc.

Sunday is church.

Monday is collapse and recover.

OK, I have to get back to my kitchen.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone

SNOW

OK everyone knows I like Fall best and second best is winter. I also love snow. If I had to deal with it on a regular basis it might be different, but since we rarely see much of the fluffy white stuff here in the south it seems almost magical. Today we had flurries for the second time this week!! When the snow started on Tuesday morning, my neighbor called and said "Sherrie, quick look out the window before it stops" She loves snow almost as much as I do. The flurry on Tuesday only lasted about ten minutes. This morning the snow was a little heavier and lasted for over an hour. It was too warm for any to stick, but it was fun to watch. Now the sun is shinning. Oh well it was fun while it lasted.

My theory is that since we had flurries twice an it isn't even Thanksgiving (we don't usually have even a chance of snow until January) that we will have lots of snow this winter. At least that is what I am hoping for.
THINK SNOW !!!