"Corny"copia Blog Hop

 

Welcome to the 

"Corny"copia Blog Hop

Thank you for joining us for a fun weekend of "Corny" Fall themed projects. Lots of fun and puns!

If you intended to get to the Year of Card Techniques Blog Hop for November, you can check out our grub, or just click here to move on (but you're always welcome back!).

You should have arrived from Sue. If not, Connie Can Crop is the first stop in this hop. This is a one day blog hop and we appreciate your leaving a comment for all of these amazing crafters.

 

We have an awesome sponsor for this month! 

 

 

One lucky winner will win a Fall themed card kit.

 

What do you need to do to win? Easy... become  a follower of each of the fabulous blogs in this hop and leave each of them a comment letting them know what you like best about their projects.

You will have until 10 pm Sunday to finish the hop and leave your comments.

Winner will be announced on Wednesday 11/16/16

at Connie Can Crop.

Be sure to follow everyone and leave a comment along the way!

Fall Leaves Me Happy!! Hope it Leaves you in a Pile of Smiles!

Alrighty folks... apparently I "leaved" the conversation. I didn't realize it was supposed to be "punny" I thought I ready "funny"...

 

I wanted to use up some of my scraps and already had this file, so... I just cut out random leaves and things and made do.

I glued them all together, so the leaf "wings" overlapped the cut-out letters, as this wasn't a feature I was going to be using... and it totally didn't even make sense. Oh why didn't I just alter the dang file and take the letters out? Ugh.

Oh yeah... but... I'd already inked them (with a wonderful Chalk Ink from Quick Quotes!) in this fiery red! In case you couldn't figure it out... this is the "flip side" of the leaves...

Love me some big googley eyes on a bird!

And then I put my corny looking turkey together... Ain't he just the cutest????

 Up next is Miranda (AKA: Nana)!

Here's our line up in case you get lost:

Connie- http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com
Kim- http://katydidcards.com
Holli- sunflowerholli.blogspot.com...
Alicia- http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com/
Michelle- Michellekinder.blogspot.com
Angela- mermaidsnmonograms.blogspot.com
Sue- http://suek86401.blogspot.com/
Lisa- http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com
Miranda- http://www.nanasscrapspot.com/
Janet- http://janetscreativeworld.blogspot.com/
Veronica- http://vickyscrappingpassion.blogspot.com
Shannon M- http://my-o-scrappin.blogspot.com
Shannon H- http://shannonhdesigns.blogspot.com/

12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop (Day Three)

Happy Thanksgiving, and WELCOME back to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop (Day Three)! This hop will take place  November 24th through December 5th. Each of us will be posting something Christmas related each and every day at 8:00am, Eastern time (so for my Pacific Time Zone peeps... that's 5am... But don't worry, you can sleep in, and we'll all be here waiting for you, too!)... for 12 WHOLE DAYS! Let us inspire you to finish up that layout, make some special Christmas cards, or wrap that gift in a fun and festive way. If you've already started, you probably came from Barbara. She is so awesome, isn't she? Let's continue this 12-day crafting party!

As I've said in Day One, I'm starting my portion of the hop with paper things. Things that are simple and easy to do. Today, I created another thing-a-ma-jig that was probably supposed to be done in vinyl. As with Day Two, I took a cut from Design Space (covered by my subscription)... this time, it was a circle-hanging with a fleur-de-lis. Again, I had to make a backing since it was probably designed for vinyl... so I added a circle and enlarged all to 11.5", so I could just use a 12x12 piece of cardstock.

Why did I not enlarge it to 12", you ask? Um... because you can't. Well... you can, but... it won't fit in the cutting area and the program asks you continuously to resize your image because it is to large to cut. In other words... I did enlarge it to 12", then took it down by .1" each time it sent me that forsaken message, until I finally reached 11.5" and it quit doing it to me. And then I sent it to my Explore Air and cut. It cut this one perfectly. You'd o' thought it was butta!

Then onto the glue-ing. If you're like me, you have to flip it over several times BEFORE you start to glue. Because otherwise, you can't remember if you put the glue on the right way or the wrong way, and then before you know it, you glued it the wrong way and the wrong side is now facing up. Just remember to put the glue on the BOTTOM. I added the circle... and used a brayer to get all the little air-bubbles out (because vinyl isn't the only thing that gets air bubbles).

 Time to put the Fleur De Lis in. I love them... It's one of my favorite symbols. I like it's real-life counterpart, too... the Iris. They are so pretty. And regal. And it's one of my favorites. And I'm rambling. Promise... Not too much wine, yet.

The glue I'm using is by Adhesive Tech. "A Fine Line... the glue you can write with!" it boasts. And yes... you can. It is REALLY great for glitter, for adhering paper, for those teeny-tiny-little-fine parts paper crafters seem to create and can't figure out how to stick them down. The guy who sold it to me at the Scrapbook Expo (in Ontario... less than a month ago...) told me right. However... he neglected to tell me the thing leaks through the screw threads of the cap and gets totally messy. Yes, tightened it. And. Yes, double-checked. When I find a way to keep that from happening, I'll get back to ya'll. No worries. It still works great and was totally worth the money especially since it didn't cost that much. I still like it. And I'd buy it again. Just keep it in a baggie...

Now... if you look really close at the edge of it... It's not perfect. The solid circle (even though the program SAID both images were the same size) extends past the main image circle.

You can see it here, much better. Inking dark on such a light-colored surface wouldn't take that away... so I snipped it with my... do you remember what they are?  trusty Cutter Bee scissors!

And it was better...

See? Doesn't it look better? but not quite done...

I misted some Art Mist in Silver to give it a little shimmer and sparkle

And all was good! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I sure hope this hop is getting you ready for what's to come in a little over 28 days or under 29 days... but who's counting? Not me!

There is more in store for you, so hop along and please comment on each and everybody. 'Cause you know we all love a little love... And BE SURE to check out the "other" Lisa, as she's the one with all the blog candy and sponsor info! Have a great time, and don't forget to come back tomorrow!

Here's the Line Up for Day 3:
  1. Lisa P. - http://honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com <==== the "other" Lisa!
 ** Connie - http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com  (Guest Designer)
  2. Madge - http://www.thescrappinlounge.com/blog
  3. Ashley - http://marinewifesscrappinlife.blogspot.com
  4. Sandy - https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/scrapbook-blessings-club-5722003
  5. Elizabeth - http://CraftsByHappyStamper.com
  6. Angela - www.crazy3monkeys.blogspot.com
  7. Alicia - www.goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com
  8. Miranda - www.nanasscrapspot.com
  9. Daphne - http://craftyscrapsofstuff.blogspot.com
10. Rhonda - craftingwithblue.blogspot.com
11. Charmagne - http://www.sanurascraps.blogspot.com
12. Barbara- http://barbarab3.blogspot.com/
13. Lisa F - http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com/ <=== You are HERE!
14. Sharondalyn - Http://www.clippingsbysharondalyn.blogspot.com <=== Next stop!
15. Jessi - http://www.mylifeinartsncrafts.co
16. Heather - Http://www.paper-junkie.blogspot.com

Give Thanks Blog Hop

Welcome to the

Today's hop is sponsored by

Today's hop is full of great projects all about Thanksgiving and being thankful.

We all have so much to be thankful for. Many seem to forget that. Before I start "hopping", I'd like to tell you what I'm thankful for... As you may know (if you read my blog), last summer we lost our son. He was an organ donor and was able to save many lives and help give quality to many more lives. Unfortunately, he was not a match for his 2nd cousin (cousin to my husband). Knowing this cousin is on recurring dialysis, I matched her. Even more unfortunately, as we went through the testing process, the antibodies in her blood attacked mine, so we could not go through with it. This past Saturday, she got a life-changing phone call. They had found a kidney for her! And with that, she had a successful surgery on Sunday.  I am so thrilled and thankful for the wonderful donor family that helped make this happen. THANK YOU!

So... please... if you have it in your heart, please! be sure you select that little pink dot. Choose to be a donor. Every little bit helps. You could give the Gift of Life.

Now... I did do something a little crafty... So let's get hopping!

I decided to go with something a little Cricut-ty. Since working on my craft room, I've been neglecting physically "making" things and needed to get back to my beloved machines. Enter the Cricut Explore Air.

 Of course, I forgot what it's called... and it Cricut Design Space doesn't seem to want to respond right now... but this is what it looked like on the screen:

It's SUPER enlarged, as the cut was so small when it came on board to my mat.

 I will be using all these negatives for some misting and masking... but in the meantime, I sure wish Cricut would put in an option to minimize paper waste, as it used the "paper saver" selection on the old Expression.

 They are in two-part. The dark brown backing shows through the cut-out letters. Then I totally inked them up: I used Tea Dye all OVER, then Walnut Stain (both are Tim Holtz/Ranger Distress Inks) on the edges. Then I Zig-glued them together.

Hold up folks... the original intention was to make a garland with jute twine... but guess what? Um... yeah. I glued the backings on BEFORE putting the jute. And so... I tacked magnets on the back of these babies and slapped on my classroom chalkboard. Now all the high school kids expect me to decorate for all the holidays.

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you have a wonderful hop and have LOTS to be thankful for!

 Don't forget to leave a comment, we love feedback.

Here's today's lineup. I know you'll see how thankful we can all be...

http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com 
http://cardadaychallenge.blogspot.com
www.sarahbiswabic.blogspot.com
http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com
www.katydidcards.com
http://created2bunique.blogspot.com
www.craftinandstampin.blogspot.com
http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com <=========== YOU ARE HERE!
http://www.clippingsbysharondalyn.blogspot.com <=============== NEXT UP
http://sunflowerholli.blogspot.com
www.sanurascraps.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/TinstarDesigns

Pumpkin (Poo) Galore!

Ok, I know this is post Halloween and Thanksgiving, but these are really going to get used THIS season... I love sweet things made with pumpkin! I promise this week, I'll post something craftily Christmas and/or holiday-themed... moving on...

Pumpkins stay good for a long time, as long as they're not carved... And so... when the Kindergarten class had the local Pumpkin Patch come to our playground (with a petting zoo!) for "Fall" (I call it HALLOWEEN!), the kids each got a sugar pumpkin. I let the 5yo decorate it, but... no cutting... (lol!)

And after Halloween, I washed, cleaned, cut up and cooked and pureed it for future use.

Marissa's scooping out the innards...

freshly cut, small and sweet

CLEAN pumpkin!

I washed the outside free of all ink and glue and other goo. (Woohoo!)  Then I slice it in half and scooped out ALL of the pulp. Ooey-gooey!

fit for a Crock Pot!

Then, the pumpkin was cut, thick tough shell and all... into smaller pieces, fit for the crock pot.  I had a total of 4 small pumpkins, so there was A LOT.

(yes, I used TWO crocks!)

I did NOT cook it in the oven. First of all... been there, done that, have the scent (BAD bad smell that permeates the house for weeks) imprinted in my brain and nostrils from well over 20 years ago. (I was 15... you do the math!) Second of all, I don't like to watch it. And you really have to watch it in the oven, or else it will burn (and smell even worse). So, I crock-potted it.  Simple, easy. It took about 6 hours, as each crock was p-a-c-k-e-d! (Just cook until fork-tender.) And well, the smell is minimal. I can live with that.

Take the pumpkin out of the crocks (there will be liquid at the bottom... just get rid of it) and allow the cooked pumpkin to cool (you don't want the pumpkin to re-absorb the liquid, it could get mushy that way...). I let it cool to room temp (only because the first batch I chilled in the fridge and it was too difficult to scoop afterwards... kinda like rock hard ice cream...). And scooped it... into the food processor.



I processed it (with a blade) at high speed until it was smooth. Occasionally, I had to take out bits of shell pieces (luckily, these don't appear to puree) and scrape down the sides of the fp bowl. It will be thick and luscious. 

I put in in freezer storage containers in 2 cup amounts, ready, willing and waiting for various sweeteners, spices and combiners to be added to make my holiday confections. (Be sure to put the date on it, so it won't be "too" old or outdated.)

We made a homemade pumpkin pie out of one of the containers. (So Stacy dumped a whole bunch of cinnamon in there... life goes on...) We DID NOT make the crust. I bought a beautiful frozen crust (WinCo had Marie Calendar's pie crusts - 2/$1.88), how could it go wrong? Um... super tough, hard and flavorless - don't buy it!

And then... there were lots of extra pumpkins after Thanksgiving from the Kindergarten classes... and who do you think they gave them to? You guessed it! Me! And so... I will be crock-potting them next week, after the kids are on break, so I can use and/or freeze more pumpkin. Gotta love F-R-E-E... free!

November was a "Challenging" Month

I've been a bad, bad blogger.

I haven't written in over a month. This, in and of itself, is B-A-D... BAD. Hopefully tomorrow will begin something new. I am challenging myself to post each and every day. (Please don't let me fail!) Whether it's a quickie Christmas/holiday/winter-y quip or a run-down of shopping or crafty to-do's... I hope to make it better in the month of December!

This month (and last month, too!) have just been a whirlwind of things. Too many things to go over. Basically, I/we've been busy with the kids, putting on different school-related things (remember Kindergarten?), dealing with everybody's drama on a day-to-day basis, birthdays, school projects/essays, living life, and when I can... being lazy.  But... this past month, I accepted a challenge that was really hard for me. I had to think of a different thing each and every day to be thankful for.  Yes... it was on Facebook, but heh... it's a great way to relate to people (and a wonderful outlet if you are an addict - Family Feud ROCKS!). So, here, just to sum it up, I'll give you the day-by-day summarization of my month:

The challenge (should you choose to accept it) is to post something you are thankful for each day until Thanksgiving. For some of us, this may be harder than for others. SOME of us complain. a. lot. But... in the spirit of being thankful to everyone and everything, I am ...willing to accept this challenge.

(And so it began with...)

Day 1 - I am thankful for healthy, happy kids. Kids, who no matter what trials they put me through, are still here and pretty much only provide me with mental anguish (on a daily basis). I love my girls!

Day 2 - I am thankful for the freedom to vote for my beliefs/non-beliefs and opinions and the freedom to choose whether to vote or not. Basically, no matter what, the decision is mine. So... I'm thankful to still be able to make that decision!

Day 3 - I am thankful that friends, who I once thought lost, can now be found.

Day 4 - I am thankful that although my kids may not be "happy" all of the time, I know I'm doing my best, and that in the end, they will be better for the decisions I have made.

Day 5 - I am thankful that every morning I wake up, I'm still alive. It's as simple as that today. What a wonderful day!

Day 6 - I am thankful that I can do (almost) everything I want, with the little time I have, and when I'm almost OUT of time, I can STILL take a power "nap" and have LOTS of energy. (even at this old age!). See you at the pool! Enjoy the beautiful day!

Day 7 - I am thankful I work with so many awesome people who can accept my mistakes and let me know they do the same thing; then we all laugh about it. (Thanks, guys!)

Day 8 - I am thankful that I live in a country where Justice is served (for the most part). Thank goodness that the wonderful judge saw the fitting need for a restraining order against a psychotic neighbor. Now maybe I'll be able to sleep better! (Court was today... and THIS is why the delay in my posting of thanks...)

Day 9 - I am thankful for fresh starts. Everyday is a new one. Getting up and starting fresh is always a good thing. Open your eyes, rise and shine. Take a brisk walk and let it clear (and soothe) your head, your heart, your body...

Day 10 - I am thankful that although my kids (or kid) may upset me and tempt me to blow my top, I have enough patience to deal with it calmly... (today is one of those days...)

Day 11 - I am thankful for people that can change. Something may be needed in one's life, and it is okay and acceptable for people you love to change to fulfill those needs. (Thank you to my wonderful husband for finally letting us have a dog. We love Xanadu!)

Day 12 - I am thankful that no matter how much our world and surroundings change, there are STILL 24 hours in the day... a constant that I can count on. And with this constant, it gives me just a couple more hours, in my busy day, so that NO MATTER what, I am still able to post this... and not be late into another day. Whew! (did ya catch all that?)

Day 13 - I am thankful for wonderful internet friends and family. With all of our technological advances, we are able to connect and "see" more people than ever. Whether we use them as a sounding board for things gone good or bad or even just to lend an ear, our more-extended and available friends and families make everything better and allow us to be part of a true "global perspective" with everyone working together. Thank you to all of you. And it truly is wonderful to meet up in "real" life sometime. (Thanks for yesterday, Jenn and girls, Barbara, Kim and Zach! We had a great time!)

Day 14 - I am thankful for the brilliance of the stars at night. They allow me to look up in awe and wonder that things of nature can be so beautiful and peaceful at the same time the world is at war, in one way or another. There is still a light up in the sky... a brilliance, shining down upon us.

Day 15 - I am thankful for a little friend that came into my life. She walks with me every morning, doesn't talk back, and is an awesome listener. Thank you for my itty bitty puppy! I love my Xanny!

Day 16 - I am thankful for the peace and quiet I have (momentarily) that allows me to think and feel serenity each morning. It's a time when I (you) can believe the world is calm, even if it is only for a moment.

Day 17 - I am thankful for a husband that "allows" me to "stay at home" (if you can truly call it that) and that his job has a decent enough income that I can supplement it just a little and we're ok, barely making it, but ok. This way, our kids are taken care of daily and get to and from school safely AND are able to participate in sports and enjoy life. Sometimes... I even enjoy doing it. (lol!)

Day 18 - I am thankful for all of my Family Feud peeps that keep my glued to the computer, helping to complete my Fast Money rounds and sending me Fast Money requests. Thank you to all of you! Keep 'em coming! (lol!)

Day 19 - I am thankful for my coffee in the mornings (my hubs usually brings it for me... he works nights, so it's still warm...). Without it, I don't think I could get a great start in my day. (and so you know... on weekends, I'm on my own for the coffee thing. It sucks!) Thanks, Juan!

Day 20 - I am thankful that my puppy is still alive. She was diagnosed with parvo last night. While we can't afford to do the hospital stay, we got up round-the-clock last night to give her medication and treatment. She is still hydrated and her gums appear to be back to a healthy color. Please post happy sick puppy stories for me. I'll be reading them and hoping she recovers from this, although I know... the chance is slim. Thank you to all of my wonderful friends that help me through this time. We love our puppy!

Day 21 - I am thankful for the support of all of my friends. They (you all!) shared encouraging thoughts and stories with me yesterday. They have given me hope and courage to look at my poor puppy with a new perspective and dream of the day (very soon) when she will be all better. Thank you everyone! And keep those happy thoughts coming!

Day 22 - I am thankful my kids don't have school this week, so we all get to "sleep in" (if that's what you call waking up by yourself AND early... YAY!) and not rush around in the morning. (and YES, our puppy is doing MUCH better!)

Day 23 - I am thankful that there were still turkeys to purchase when I went in "last minute" shopping earlier today... Gotta have time to get that sucker to thaw!

Day 24 - I am thankful that even if I go to bed tired, grumpy and full of blahs, I wake up to my wonderful facebook friends, who usually post fun, happy, positive and sometimes HILARIOUS comments to start my day off a little better.

Day 25 - Today, I am thankful for... a whole bunch of things. As this challenge comes to a close, first of all, I am thankful that so many of you jumped in to this challenge and shared it with me. There are so many things out there for us t...o all be thankful for. I am thankful for all of my friends and family, for being okay (even when I think it's "really bad"), and most of all, that I have SO many things to be thankful for... that each day, I was able to post a different one. I am so grateful and humbled. Life IS good. Happy Thanksgiving to all, even to my friends in Canada, Australia, Brazil, and every where else in the world. Enjoy the holiday season, no matter how you celebrate or not. We're all here and sharing the world together. And for that... I am truly thankful. Good night!

(And it ended on Thanksgiving night)

I was able to complete the challenge above, a little later some days than others, but still... it was completed. YAY! Now... here's hoping a great beginning (and ending) to my own challenge of December! Woohoo! See ya'll tomorrow! 

 

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Whelp... I know it has come and gone, but I wanted to make sure you all (including my sole two followers - Hi, April and Moira!!!) knew that I was thinking of you yesterday. Not all of you have Turkey Day (Thanksgiving), because you're not all here in the States, but I wish you well and leave you with holiday blessings, nonetheless.

So... after dinner, I rounded up a kid or two and flew to Michael's. I could not resist the sale of Cricut cartridges for $29.99! And so I got a couple... Joys of the Season (for me!), Alphalicious, Animal Kingdom, and Tinkerbell and Friends (all for my kids, as they have been asking for these for a while). Sigh... they didn't have Hello Kitty and Hello Kitty Font there, but oh well. It was still a small fortune spent, and my kids are excited. I'm excited about the pricing! FYI... the sale is through Saturday. It's a great price, that you pretty much can't beat! The Jukebox is also on sale for $49.99! Woohoo!

Another FYI... if you are interested in a Cricut, WALMART has a bundle on sale! You get the machine and 2 cartridges (unknown as to which carts they are giving) for $199!!! Can't beat that... so if you are wanting... do some serious hinting and/or asking!

I'm still full from yesterday. I ran to my mom's Wednesday night to begin prepping, got some awesome pics with my nephew and my 3-year-old (will post them later), got some rolls baked for my bro's celebration and got some cards created prior to leaving my house. Whew! That was a lot to do! I forgot to take pics of the Thanksgiving cards, but maybe some of those receivers can post a pic, or send them to me to post myself.

I am thankful for each and every one of you. I appreciate you all and hope for the best for you in all you do. That said... it is time to start the holiday season, so no matter what religion (or not) you come from, festivities are sure to come! Enjoy the holiday season (no matter where you are) and happy shopping! (Personally, I think I'm skipping it this year, as the "good deals" appear to be mostly on big-ticket items... of that I am not purchasing.) So, if you are going out and hitting the Black Friday/Weekend sales (don't forget Cyber Monday also!), I wish you luck and safety.

I just took down the Thanksgiving decorations and am working on laundry (missed it yesterday due to the holiday) and decluttering (gotta make room for it all!). So check out Flylady and see how to go about the holiday clutter cleanup with me... and hopefully will be putting up Christmas by the close of the day... Wish me luck and I'll do the same for you! Toodles for now! lisa

It's the Middle of the Week...

Ok, I give... Time either totally drags or goes WAY too fast! This week, it seems to be doing a little of both!

Thanksgiving (like you don't already know...) is next week. I am SO not ready. I used to have it at my house with everyone here, but times have changed. Last year, we had it at my mom's (sans bro, as he is now the designated turkey maker for his in-law fams). This year... I have no clue what I am going to do. I haven't even talked to both sides of the families on this issue... kinda scared!

But for now... here is another "swap" installment...

For the Thanksgiving Swap, this is my contributing for a paper-piecing.

The cornucopia and fruits are from Paper Doll Dress Up. Honestly... all these people that say, "I don't make dolls." and seriously have a problem with this Cricut cart obviously have not explored the possibilities.

Of course, I had to use my chalks and Stickles. Don't you just love them! I also put some of the fruit pieces through the Cuttlebug to add some dimension.

For another "Fall Activity" swap, I did the paper piecing for "Pumpkin Patch". Here is my take on it.

The Pumpkin trio is from Pooh and Friends. I walnut-stained (distressed) the bottom leaf layer, then put the other pieces on top, and added a sepia chalk. I didn't want to go glitz on this one to give it a "timeless" and shabby feel.

Featured blog of the day is... Mousekemom's Mouseworks! April does a lot with all things Disney. She is a little like me though, she goes through spurts of creation and publication. But her stuff is truly great to browse and get ideas...

I'm so looking forward to this weekend. Not only does Twilight come out on Friday (check your local listings), but I actually get to have my "adult" time on both Saturday and Sunday. I will be helping to official a swim meet in Palm Springs. Since the weather here is so odd for this time of year, we are expecting the weekend to hold around 80 degree weather... Next week, the kids are out of school! YES! You saw it right... they get the whole week of Thanksgiving off. Maybe we'll get some scrap time in then...

Another little added item... Stacy (15yo) finally used the Cricut last night for a school project. She is now in love with it. She was amazed at how easy it was and now wants to do it tonight, too. (Hold up, little girl... school work comes first!)

Whelp... that's all for now. Gotta eat something to try to get rid of this migraine... Toodles for now! lisa