I'm here having a quick breakfast before my day gets crazy. Didn't sleep well and woke up with a headache. Not a good start to the day.

PuNk~ Thanks for starting us off this week. Have a lovely lunch with DD & DB. I am having lunch with DH today. With his new job he gets a 3 hour lunch so thought since I needed to go over there to shop anyway we'd spend some time with him. I'm going to try to get my "have to" shopping out of the way in time to be able to stop in Hobby Lobby on my way home. =)

Luvs~ thank you for the tips on cutting out the patterns. I had never used the tracing paper until this year and I LOVE it! Love being able to see thru it to line things up in the right spot. It would be nice to be able to copy onto it thought. We sold our copy machine so don't have one anymore. =( I thought I'd get to work with my saw today, but tomorrow is looking less hectic and I be able to get to Lowes for some more wood. Have a special project I want to do, but need some really thin wood. Hope I can find what I need. Getting Spring fever and ready to start on some home improvment projects too. Thinking of adding some wainscoting to my house and I'm getting in the mood to paint walls!
Need to try to get to Michaels tomorrow too. Wed I have a very packed day. I have to squeeze in Kindergarten registration. Is your GD registered for this year? Oldest DD has her practices at 6am all this week too. Joy.

Well, ladies, it was nice having breakfast with you, but I really have to get up from here and get a few things done before I leave for the day. You all have an awesome day doing just what pleases you! ~Anj

Good Morning!

Like Punk, the sun is shinning and all is right in my world.

Our GS spent the weekend again, what a fun time! He sez he can act like a "kid" while he is here....and doesn't have to be within eye sight. He lives in a very small community, we live in an area with houses, but lots of "wild" space. He has a "fort" along side the creek and sits by his campfire and dreams of who know what. He also helps me cook, my that is just fun....actually it is and every guy should know the basics.

I go back to my Dr., tomorrow for a check up and to talk about my carpel tunnel, yuck! But as long as the pain and burning goes away I can suffer the rest.

Anj....I haven't even though about starting the birdhouse yet, and I know I will have problems with the sky and the house, I mess with my paint far to much. My old kitchen was decorated with birdhouses, the wall borders, the pictures, paintings, nests and even dishes with birdhouses. The border was the only one I like and came close to matching my paint colors and I love my birds so....I painted the upper 2/3 of the walls very white and the bottom in wide stripes of different shades of denim blue. I dry brushed and sponged different shades of blue in each stripe to make it look like old worn denim. I really loved it but it took hours and hours and hours to paint. And my kitchen was small I went kind of bold with my colors. Anyway, still haven't finished the new kitchen or living room or bedrooms...maybe this summer!

Well, I need to catch up on some of the housework so....ya'all take care!

Belle

Hi All, Happy Monday to you! Anj, I think I just missed you on here, we almost posted at the same time again! LOL

I got my little sign sanded off and repainted so now I'm happier. Just says St. Pat's Day. Got a banner and a few decorations on the two tables and on my hutch. Little GD enjoyed playing with the button pins yesterday, and she drew a picture and when I asked what it was, she told me it was a leprechaun. So I guess she got in the holiday spirit too. ;o)

She's already talking about how she will soon be going to school everyday. She has learned so much this year in preschool. DH and I both just shake our heads at the things she does and says. They are just like little sponges soaking it all up, aren't they?

Didn't get any painting done this weekend, but did help to paint and decorate "fairy" houses! Bought some little birdhouses and GD helped collect sticks, stones, etc. so Gma could glue them on the houses for the fairies. We have three and located the perfect place for them in the corner of the yard under a viney bush so they will be slightly hidden but yet we can "peek" at them to watch for the fairies. She was just soooo into it all--kind of threw me when she was wanting to make a bigger door so we could put little furniture inside! LOL

Need to do a bit of housework this morning, then hope to go shop a bit mainly for the fun of it. Anj, I envy you having your Hobby Lobby, but I'm thankful I at least have a Michaels.

So what kind of job gives you a three hour lunch? Does that mean he has to stay later in the evening? Did he convince them to let him change positions the other day? Sure hope it is all working out for him, hard to have to switch from what you are comfortable with to something new.

Punk, hope your visitors arrived safely and that you are having a good time with them. Are you able to take some time off work? Hope so.

I need to pick a couple more projects and get started on them. And I'm trying to come up with some things I can make to take back as little gifts for family members in June. It's fun to be able to give them a little gift when we visit. Just can't think of what they would like, so will probably just make some little signs they can put in a flower bed outside. I've still got lots of old boards I could use for that. Just need to do some cutting and get started. LOL

Hope you all have new projects planned and ready to work on too. Love seeing everyone's creations.

Luvs

Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday to youuuuuuu!!!!!
(Everyone join in now!)
Happy Birthday dear Lu-uvs!!
Happy Birthady to you!!

Just wanted to wish you a wonderful day! What are your plans? Is there cake involved?? Hope it's awesome!

Oh my! What a nice surprise! ;o) Makes feeling like an old lady now much more bearable! LOL Sweet of you to remember--you must have been up at the crack of dawn!

No big plans for the day, meeting up with DS family for dinner out tonight. I'm sure it will envolve singing and I'll be embarrassed! LOL

Was so glad to find posts from all three of you yesterday. Glad everyone is feeling better and having a little fun.

I went window shopping a bit yesterday, then went and did my little friends statement and wrote out her bills. It was sort of rainy, so took a long time to get her to the grocery store and back--she had to put her purse in a plastic bag, get a bag to put the wet umbrella in, change to her old shoes in case they got wet, etc. etc. I just have to take a deep breath and chuckle so I don't get impatient with her sometimes. Know I'll probably soon be there myself!

I've chosen a couple projects to get started on, so might do that today unless DH has other plans for us. I love to just sit and paint, so that would be a good birthday day to me!

You gals have a good one, I'll talk to you again soon.

Luvs

Luvs,
I also want to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Hope you had a great day. What did you end up doing? Sad that we are so content to do nothing for such a special day but I agree that I am perfectly content to stay home and paint any day. I got yesterday off so had to work today and it was a looooong one.

Hope your day is what you want and I'm glad I stopped by and Anj had posted so I couldn't miss it. Thanks Anj. Punk

Ha good, I surprised you. I almost put it on late last night, but decided to wait until this morning. I hope they don't embarrass you too bad tonight, but have fun.

Your little friend sounds funny. Good of you to smile instead of getting impatient with her.

Your fairy houses sound fun. Did you post them on GJ?

Stopped in Hobby Lobby for only a second yesterday, but picked up a few little things I needed for a project I'm doing for a friend. Got a package of thin wood that I needed so didn't have to go try to figure out what to use at Lowe's.

DH did change positions and since it's a little more stressful they get a 3 hour lunch in the middle of the day. He used to do this job before so he's used to it. He does have to work longer hours and some Saturdays too.

Belle~ sounds like your GS has a good place to hang out at your house. Your kitchen sounds like it was pretty cute. My DM just has birdhouse curtains and kitchen towels and a few little birdhouse things sitting sround.
Hope your carpel tunnel checks out ok.

I've been busy putting together some online photo collages tonight from our church youth group activities. I have to put up a bulletin board display for the group so thought I'd just do it once a month instead of each week. Got some fun scrapbook papers to do it up cute. Trying to get it all put together to do tomorrow night.

Ya'll have a good night. It's time for me to go get these kids in bed. I don't know if I'll get here tomorrow, but ya'll have a good one if I don't! =) ~Anj

Happy Birthday Luvs!! I always forget about this side of the forum. I kept thinking "why hasn't anyone posted lately", then I looked over here and on the Gallery side and found yall.

BIG TIP - I have used tracing paper for 25 years. But I also use transparencies. Someone left several boxes of transparencies at my work about 20 years ago and it was going to be discarded. I thought, I am a painter and I can use these for something so I first used it for my palette paper. For those who are not familiar with it, it is the clear sheet that you can run through a copier and put on an overhead projector, you can purchase it at office supply stores. Then I brought in my painting books and would make a copy of all the patterns in the book (with approval from the boss). I could then trace my pattern using graphite paper - and when you remove the graphite you can see your pattern underneath. As I paint, I can put the transparency over my painting to see if I have left anything out or if my painting has grown, etc. I also have used it to paint/practice on then when I place it on my surface I can move it around and see where I want to place my flower or birdhouse or whatever I am painting. It is a great tool for painters. I think Donna Dewberry uses it too and we used them at the Ros Stalcup seminar. I think a lot of the teachers have found out how versatile it is because I see more and more of them using it.

Am off to have lunch with my GD. Then back to cleaning the house. I have a sister coming in for three weeks and the week after she leaves, Jill MacFarland will be staying with me. Gotta at least make my little painting studio look organized.
Later, B

Wow! That is a good idea, PF. And I never would have thought of it. Since the transparencies are a bit thicker, I bet they would feed through the copy machine easier too. When I was copying onto my thin transfer paper, I always had to feed it through the side with a regular sheet of paper under it so it wouldn't get jammed up. I've really missed being able to do that since that copier quit working. Using regular paper sure makes it difficult to put the pattern back on for the details too. I'm so glad you mentioned this, I'm going to go by a box of them. One question, does the pattern stay on them okay, seems like it would rub off easily.

You are going to be really busy these next few weeks, but know you will enjoy spending time with both your sister and Jill MacFarland.

Hi Punk, thank you for the birthday wishes. Do you still have company? Hope you're having a good time. Nice to take a day off, but then you have to work extra hard to catch up, huh? Take care.

Anj, I bet everyone will love your bulletin boards, you are so creative! And you obviously love coming up with the ideas for things too. I can't even get little projects done in a timely manner! I had picked up a cute little frame with three small openings at the TS. Had seen a BOO sign on a blog, and thought it would be cute to do something like that with it. I got it spray painted black, but then couldn't decide on what papers I wanted to use when I was at Michaels. Why do I make every decision so difficult????? LOL

That reminds me of something. Oddie on the craft forum posted a site with free graphics. Some of them are like background papers. Was just wondering if that is practical to use our printer ink to print them or better to just buy the already printed papers at the craft stores? Any opinions on that? Some of them are really cute.

Luvs

Morning....I'm just eating a quick breakfast here and then we are off to go register my last baby for school. UGH! and WAH! It's been so hard to send each of them off to kindergarten for me. None of mine have gone to preschool so I've had them with me every day. It's gonna be hard to let my baby go though. She's my little mini me and I love having her with me. It's only for 1/2 days though so maybe it won't be too hard on me. =)

I've got to go to the store after the registration and pick up some things to make 2 appetizers for our youth group activity tonight. All the girls are supposed to be bringing one so we can do a taster. Should be fun and yummy, don'tcha think? ha The TS is right across the street from the grocery so may run in there for a quickie. ha Then need to get back home and figure out something easy for supper tonight. Sloppy Joes sound good right now with some salty chips on the side. Ok, I didn't say it was gonna be healthy! ha But I can keep it warm in the crockpot and then people can eat it as we are coming and going. Wednesdays are our crazy days here.

Bebe...I was wondering how they work on transferring too since they are thicker. I'm trying to remember but I think they have different thicknesses though and you are probably talking about the really thin ones. When you run your stylus over it (or in my case a roller ball pen that's out of ink) doesn't it scrape the design off? I'm gonna look for some too. Do you think they can run thru a printer as well?? That way I could scan and print them since I don't have a copier any more. Thanks for the tip!

Hey Ms Luvs...how was dinner last night? Did you get a song and dance? ha
I don't know if I'd print the background papers just because of how expensive my printer cartridges are, but I'd probably do some of the graphics. Most of the paper at Michaels is like $.49 to $1.00 and I don't know about you, but the projects I do....I can get a lot done with one sheet. I was just there again last night and they had a lot of cute Halloween papers. I think just pick the ones you like and your project will come out looking great. I finally got DD's little initial done to hang on her wall. Now just have to get the other 3 done. I'll take a pic and show ya'll soon.

Hi Belle and Punk!!

Ok, gotta get running. Y'all have a great day! ~Anj

Good Morning All!

Luvs........I missed you Birthday....so Belated Happy Birthday! Sure hope it was a good one!

Paintingfool......is that like Velum (sp) that I have seen in some catalogs? I love using tracing paper but really hate the new graphite paper, it doesn't come off as easy as it used to! It sound like you can really see what you are painting using the transparency's and that would be great! Will have to stop by Staples and check it out - thank you!

Haven't held a brush in almost a week, well except that I am painting some wood that we are making grandstands for my Pez collection and they are all black. Think I will pull out one of my St. Patty's projects and "get her done" Then I do have some Easter crafts to put together. Found some really nice eggs I want to paint and do something with. Isn't as much fun around here without all of the kids running about! Our new neighbor's have 4 smaller kids but they really keep to themselves....maybe this summer? Who knows! One of my really fun things is to make "kid" gifts for the neighbor kids during the different holidays. We rarely get kids for Trick or Treat so I do bigger things for those in our area - like for all 3 (they moved) and now it 4. But it is also a challenge to come up with new idea's each year.

With our travels back to Michigan several times a year - those ended in 2000 thank goodness, I noticed that the farther East you travel the more people decorate their yards for the different holidays. Christmas is always a big event everywhere, but Easter or St. Patty's Day or even Halloween is much more visible as you travel East.

Sorry, I have been rambling! Gotta get something done...don't quite know what yet, but something!

Belle

Luvs, transparencies are a little thicker and they are made to run through a copier - if you have a dry ink copier. I often go to Office Depot and have it done. The image will not come off but if you use a tiny stylus it may scratch it off. I haven't had a problem with mine and when I teach a class, I always give them a copy of the pattern on a transparency. I use an old ball point pen or my larger end of the stylus to transfer. Of course, like any type of tracing, it will wear off the more you use it. But, if nothing else, it helps to place your pattern so you can see if you are out of line.

Anj, if you want to print from your printer you will have to use Ink Jet transparencies. They have a very smooth side and a rougher side. You would print on the rough side. Any time I print in color on my printer, I use this type of transparency.

Another tip - when I paint on fabric, I go to the Office Depot and have them copy my pattern reversed image onto regular copy paper. I then iron the image onto my fabric - ta-da - I don't have to trace. Again, it has to be the dry ink type of copier.

Belle, vellum will work also but it is not transparent and more expensive. I just wanted to find a way to use the transparencies because they were free and so far, it has worked.

I have learned so many tips over the years, I will have to jot them down and post them.

Have any of you seen the images inside a clear glass ornament? When I make mine I use the ink jet transparency. I have done so many of these and they are so easy!! One year I put the pictures of my grandchildren on a transparency, cut it into a circle and put it in the ornament - this year I did about 40 memorial ornaments for my daughter's friend's family. It was a pic of their father who passed away last year, needless to say, the family was thrilled and very emotional about the ornament. If yall want to know how it is done, let me know. Later,
B

PF, I've actually just printed something from my printer onto regular copier paper and then ironed it onto fabric. It worked great, but mine didn't have any lettering on it. That would have to be reversed of course.

Belle, thanks for the birthday wishes. I had a nice day and dinner with my family was fun. I just love any time I get to spend with little GD, she is such a crack up! Always has me laughing with her antics.

Anj, there's some really wet dark clouds heading northeast from here so watch out! Usually when I get rain, it heads your way with more snow.

Would love to see your ornaments PF, curious how you get them inside the ornaments. LOL

Luvs

Bebe~ My friend gave us something like that. It was put into liquid soap in a clear dispenser. It had things about hands printed on it. Loving hands, gentle hands, working hands, etc.....but after a while all the letters started falling off one by one and were floating around in the soap like alphabet soup. ha
I'd like to see a pic of your ornament.

Well, I'm just working around the house today. The kids get out early and then are off tomorrow. If I get done with my chores I have some things to paint today and tomorrow. Want something good for supper. May do a pork loin or a roast. I may check in again at lunch.

Oh, Luvs....we got a bunch of snow last night, but the sun is shining so brightly this morning it has everything sparkling. You are right....weatherman says we have a few days of heavy snow coming our way. Bleck! Good thing I can huddle up inside for the next few days. ha Good time to paint to take my mind off of it. =) ~Anj

Hi All!

We are heading out to the "big" city today, DH has another stress test today. He is having a lot more chest pain than is normal for someone with Angina. I am going to get a little cloths shopping in....nothing fits and we have a banquet this weekend, hope I can find something nice.

Started to "clean" my paint table yesterday, ended up cleaning the entire pantry. Now I hope I can find things.

Found an old pattern book online and ordered it because of one little foot stool. The family talked me into changing the furniture in the living room and I ended up without an end table....the foot stool will be perfect if we extend the legs slightly. It is Americana and will fit right into my decor. I've always had a very formal living room...not any more! It's now "down home" and totally me! Life is to short to do what other people think is correct! I'm other people and I think this is correct...!!!

Anyway, going to do a little TS shopping if I ever get a move on...ya'all have a great day!

Belle

Belle, you are so right. Life's too short to worry about doing what makes other people happy--do your home your way! I've never decorated Americana, but I do like it. The red, white and blue are just so colorfull.

My decor has always been mostly a case of using whatever I already had or picked up cheaply, but we have bought new pieces from time to time. I really enjoyed doing country "clutter" and had lots of my painted wood cutouts displayed all over, including on shelving near the ceiling running the whole length of the room! Now I guess my decor is sort of country/victorian since I still have lots of oak furniture that's too good to get rid of, and I love lots of lace and flowers. I say do what you can afford and what you like.

My little craft area really needs cleaned up. I just keep piling things in there. I saved some bottles that I might want to paint, and an old egg carton because it's almost time to color easter eggs--you get the picture. Need to straighten up and get busy on more projects. I did decorate some little birdhouses with flowers, sticks, rocks, and moss for little GD to have a "fairy village". They are all ready for her to put out in the yard next time she comes over.

Anj, glad you can stay in a bit and work on projects. Everything seems better when the sun shines, doesn't it? Keep warm and cozy, Spring will soon be here.

Luvs

It must be that time of the year. ha I have been cleaning in my office/painting room today too. Found a box lid of mail shoved underneath the dresser I have in here.....from when DH was in the hospital in Nov!! Thankfully there were no bills in there but the usual credit card requests and junk mail to go thru....and the note from the school nurse to get DS's eyes checked that I totally forgot about. Sigh. Things get cluttered so quickly.

Belle~ I have mostly Americana too. I just love it. Red is my favorite color anyway, so it really works for me. Plus I love anything old so have a few things that were handed down to me from g-parents. My house is pretty small so I have a lot of stuff on my shelves and sitting around, but everyone always compliments it so I guess it's ok. I've always decorated how DH and I like things and cause we are the ones who live here. I figure if it's clean then it should be good enough for everybody else. ha You should definitely decorate how you like it. We aren't trying to get our pictures in a designer house magazine. ha Right now mine definitely has to be kid proof so buying things at the TS and revamping them the way I like them works out real good. I just wish I had more room.

Well, I've got things pretty much straightened up enough that I can use my time painting tonight after supper and tomorrow all day! Yay! Wish me luck that nothing sneaks in to take my time away. ~Anj

Good Morning to All of You,

Company's gone and we had a great time. The weather is back to winter but hopefully it won't last.

This is so interesting reading about using transparencies but I don't have time to try to comprehend all of this right now. I'll come back later and reread. I can remember having some of these but not sure I still do.

The mall is having their annual baby fair tomorrow so we will be taking GD and friend to enjoy the festivities. If we get home Sat. evening, then I have Sunday to catch up on everything.

My hope today is all of you stay healthy and life slows down for me so I can be here more. Punk

Morning...thought I'd come eat my breakfast with you. The kids are in there devouring a pan of monkey bread. ha I'm settled in with a bagel and honey nut cream cheese with a glass of mango orange juice. mmm The kids have no school today so I think we'll just all sit around in our jammies today. ha As soon as I'm done eating I'm gonna start painting. Got a little project for a friend I'm working on and hope to get it finished up today.

Belle~ how did DH's test go? Hope everything is ok with him. Did you find anything good at the TS or anything fun to wear for tonight? Hope you have a good time.

Punk~ we'll look forward to hearing more from you on Sun. Have a good time today.

Luvs~did you get your crafting area all cleaned up? I did and I'm ready to go. What are you going to work on next? I am still determined to do my big leprechaun, but never have made it over to Lowes for wood. I found one piece out in the garage so need to put my pattern up to it and see if it will fit.

Ok, one more bite of bagel and I'm off to paint. Ya'll have a good one. ~Anj

Hi Gals, Hope you all had a great day--I sure did! My two neighbor gals and I headed off Thrift shopping and to have lunch for my birthday celebration with them. We hit two local stores, then had lunch at a new place that recently opened, then headed over to a nearby town to a big TS there. I only spent about $25 but gots lots of goodies. Too tired for pics tonight. Some is stuff for little GD. Two bags of Barbie clothes, some cute little dolls, a fairy dress up outfit, etc. I got a couple of new bunnies (love bunnies)a wooden wastebasket to paint, a craft book (only found one)a little metal holder thing for some fake ice cream cones I bought at Dollar Tree, a little card design plate for a friend--I think that's about it. Also received neat gifts from my two friends too. Lots of talking and hunting for treasures each of us liked. We left at 10 and didn't get back home until 6 tonight! LOL

I did pick up and put away a few things in the craft room. I need to get my next projects going now. Several times I've wanted to walk in and paint a bit, but haven't gotten the prep work done for anything yet.

Tomorrow, DH and I are picking up little GD to go with us to a pancake breakfast at the park. We bought tickets from our little 5 year old triplets down the street. It's a fund raiser for their baseball team. There are two girls and one boy and just so darn cute we couldn't say no. LOL

Okay,gals, I'll chat more tomorrow. Kinda tired tonight and so the brain isn't working too well.

Luvs

Hello,

Luvs, sounds like you had a blast with your two friends today. It's great that you are still be celebrating your birthday. Hope you post pictures of your goodies.

Let us know how the breakfast in the park goes with GD. That sounds like fun and I bet those triplets are adorable.

Anj did you get some painting done? I'm looking forward to your big leprechaun so hope you get one cut out soon. If not you will just be early for next year. LOL

Michaels has a few cute clover painting projects on their site that all of you may want to take a look at. The 3 hearts put together to make a clover is pretty and luvs may want to check out the napkin rings. Luvs do you decorate your table for St Patty's Day?

Belle let us know how DH is doing. The chest pains sound pretty scary so hope you know more by now. Did you find a new outfit for the banquet and did you enjoy it?

My sis just brought me a gold plate or platter. It says it has gold leafing on it so I'll have fun trying to figure out what to paint on it.

I found out today that DS wants us to come up tomorrow and help paint on his new home so I may not have time to post tomorrow. He bought a new razoo power sprayer so it should go pretty fast. They are suppose to be out of the apartment by the 15th so if they don't get the house finished I'll have a house full and won't be painting for awhile.

We took GD to the kids fair at the mall today and she had a blast and loved all the freebies they were handing out. I found quite a few good buys also. I got a new pair of UGG's, 3 new Coplumbia vests & 2 turtlenecks for under $100 so I walked out a happy shopper.

I also bought a new book A Festive Collection by various artists that has Christmas ornaments in it. I wanted JMP Between The Vines 9 but they didn't have any. The clerk told me to go on line and request that they carry all of her books and any others I want so that's why I was on their site.

Need to get things put away and start a load of laundry. All of you take care and keep in touch. Punk