VINTAGE #5

Hello everybody!!

Yes, I'm still traveling around the country.  Yesterday we left Columbus, New Mexico, and headed to the Holloman Air Force Base, in New Mexico, to stay a couple of days in the Holloman Inn on base and travel to various towns and points of interest in the area.  The actual Air Force Base is a like a city; complete with schools, parks, businesses (post office, grocery stores, restaurants, etc.), golf course, and everything a normal town would have.  I have to say I am very impressed and what a glorious place to be on Veteran's Day!!!

Today I have some more pictures of pages from my heritage album I did for my brother and our trip to White Sands, New Mexico yesterday. 

These two pages show my grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather.  I used a discontinued SU Scrapbook Kit for these pages (sorry, I don't have my stuff on vacation and can't remember the name).

Close-up of left page (yes, I still have to put some journaling on that tag!!)

Close-up of page to right (and another tag that needs journaling).

 A little background on White Mountain National Monument.  These are dunes formed in the Tularosa Basin when the gypsum that forms the white sand was deposited at the bottom of a shallow sea covering the area 250 million years ago.  Eventually it turned into stone, and the gypsum-bearing marine deposits were uplifted into a giant dome 70 million years ago when the Rocky Mountains formed.  Ten million years ago the center of this dome started to collapse, creating the Tularosa Basin.  The remaining sides of the original dome from the San Andres and Sacramento mountain ranges now ring the Tularosa Basin.  Rain and snow dissolve gypsum from the rocks and carry it into the Tularosa Basin.  The eroding mountains have now filled the Tularosa Basin 2,000 feet deep with sediments, including the gypsum that forms its white sands.

San Andres Mountains -- just before we turned into the White Sands National Monument, in New Mexico.  Taken from truck window so not the best-focused picture.

Going into White Sands and parking area.  (You really need to click on these pictures to enlarge and see how this looks just like snow).

This probably would be described as transverse dunes.  We climbed up to the top of this mountain to take this picture (well maybe it would be called a dune).

Doesn't this look like it should be a Christmas Postcard -- and to think it is all sand!!

Hubby and me on top of a dune.

View of mountains in the back and parking spot from on top.

Awesome!!  Pictures do not even come close to showing you the beauty.

Well you got a lot more than you bargained for when you checked out my blog today -- but you have to admit it was all "historical."  Myself, I hated geography when I was in school but found this fascinating.  I do believe one could travel their entire lifetime and not see all of the beautiful wonders of this earth.  I hope you didn't mind the little geography lesson today (I guess those that did aren't reading this far anyway).

As always, thank you so much for stopping by.  And for those leaving a comment, I appreciate it so very much.

Sandi
"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?" -- Matthew 7:3

VACATION PICTURES

Good evening everybody!

A real quick post again tonight.  Don't know why, but I am having a really hard time keeping my eyes open.  Made it to my brother's place in New Mexico today, so thought I would share a couple of pictures.  It got up to 80 degrees today -- perfect temperature for me.  We got here about noon, and took the rest of the day bringing in our luggage, getting a tour of his house and property, and chatting.  He bought this house last year to do a "Flip."  I'm going to assume you all know what it means to "flip" a house because I'm too tired to explain.  Anyway, he has only been here for 3 weeks himself (has homes in Ohio and Texas also), but has done quite a lot already.

We really had a very nice trip down here, which is unusual for us, so hope it continues as we plan to do a lot of traveling yet.  Okay, here are some pictures -- but remember this house needs a lot of  TLC before it is finished the way he wants.

Coming into town (Columbus, New Mexico)

The next few pictures are the scenery by house.

Gate to front of house.

Driveway adobe wall and plants.

Closer picture of front walk.

Side of house and driveway.

Back entrance to house.

Guest House in back of main house.

And here are the guys doing the typical "guy" thing on Sunday:  watching football!!

Okay, I was going to through in a scrapbook page but this is way more pictures than I should have for a post,  So I will leave the page until another post.  Until then, I'm enjoying the weather and the sights!!

Sandi
"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. -- Psalm 18:2.

HERITAGE ALBUM PAGES #1

Good Evening Everybody!

Tonight I am writing from Clinton, Oklahoma (about 45 miles west of Oklahoma City on Route 40).  We had a wonderful day driving, beautiful sunshine all day.  Got up at 7 a.m. (yes, I got to sleep in) had breakfast and was on the road by 8 a.m., from St. Clair, Missouri.  This is the first time we have taken this route going southwest, and I really like it.  I was surprised at the hills and beautiful scenery in Oklahoma.  I actually only took about 2 short catnaps today.  Usually as soon as the engine starts, I drift off to sleep like a baby.  I did have my pillow and blanket in the seat with me, but mostly used it as a soft table for my laptop.  Oh yah, that's another reason I didn't sleep -- I was on my laptop for hours checking out blogs which is so much fun.  So we are having a great time doing NOTHING!!!  And I don't have to do any cooking or cleaning -- what more can you ask for!!

For my posts this month I will be showing you my finished 12" x 12" album pages that I completed for my brother's heritage album.  I had previously completed 30 pages for his album when he was visiting me in September.  He helped me insert his pictures and journal the pages.  He loved it, and I bet if we lived closer he would be one of my best customers for scrapbooking classes! 

 After he went back home, I ended up finding his original postcards of our ancestors taken in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  It was so much fun reading them -- I really felt like I got to know all of my ancestors in a personal way.  Anyway, that required I make additional pages for his album; and hence, the pages I will be posting this month.  I hope you like vintage (like I do) because all of the pages were designed for this.   Thank goodness my mom loved keeping photo albums and collecting/preserving our ancestors' photos or we wouldn't have these precious pictures and information.  Thank you mother!!



I decided to do a "mini" family tree for this section, but still need to get information on my paternal grandmother and her ancestors, who was a Native-American (Indian).  This will be fun to research and plan on getting started when I get back from vacation.

 

These are picture postcards of my grandmother and her sister taken about 1915 (95 years ago!!)



A close-up of right page (click to enlarge).

Closeup of paper flower made with Newspaper Designer Series Paper with large brad in center.

Right page:  uses SU's Build-A-Brads and another flower using SU's Paper Flowers and smaller brad (used marker to color the white paper flower). 

Well, I just found out something that I forgot to pack -- my SU Idea Book and Catalog!!!  I cannot believe I didn't bring one with me -- how am I going to post and tell you what I used to create?????  Maybe somebody can overnight one to me???  How am I going to survive -- I know, I'm suppose to be on vacation but this is a "vacation" kind of book to me.  Oh well, I am just going to punt and try my best.

Until the next update, Sandi
"Search for what is good, and not what is bad . . ."  -- Amos 5:14

RETREAT CLASSES #2

Good Morning America!!
Actually it is kinda late now, but I have been up for a couple of hours.  No chatting today from this lady -- places to go, things to do.  We will get right to the point -- PICTURES!!!

Here are a few more pictures from Ronda Wade's weekend retreat.

These are our pillow treats made by Ronda and Melissa (and my name tag).  You can't see what is in the one Top Note pocket, but it had SU's beautiful paper flowers, which I used on one of my album pages.  I absolutely loved the cloth Top Note, made by Melissa Roberts, with SU's new material -- looks plain, but beautiful texture IRL.

I took the tag class on Sunday morning just before the event was over.  I'm so glad I did, as we made 40 Christmas tags and a holder to hold all of them!!  These were my two favorites.

Click on the pictures to see the detail in each of these.

We each got a bolt of the new Tinsel to use on our tags -- don't you just love Santa!!

Here is the inside of the holder for the tags.  I couldn't believe I got all 40 in there.

And here is the tag holder closed -- isn't it beautiful (if I do say so myself).

As I sit here typing this post, I'm looking out my window and cannot believe the beautiful sunrise this morning.  Frost and leaves on the ground; the woods are silhouetted in the multi-colored sky; and the pinks, gray, and blue of the sunrise have me mesmerized.  Life is good, God is good, and he has blessed me mightily.  So on that thought, I leave you today (of course there will be another thought for you to ponder in my signature line). 

Sandi
"I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck."  -- Emma Goldman

VINTAGE #4

Good Morning America!!
Yes, I have been up since 4:30 a.m. this morning -- so good to be back to normal!!!  I am so excited because today I get to add my pictures to my heritage pages completed at Ronda's weekend retreat (last weekend).  I spent the day yesterday scanning each picture postcard (these are from the 1800's when pictures were taken for postcards and mailed).  Boy those were the days -- I wish we still did that today.  Imagine, you could decorate the back of the postcard with your stamping and then write over the top.  What a treasure to receive in the mail.  Maybe if people started sending letters and cards again, our postage rates would stop going up -- think about it, wouldn't you rather receive a hand-written note in the mail every day?  I remember the thrill when I was younger of getting "love letters" in the mail.  And then there were a couple of "Dear John" letters that I had to send -- people today probably don't even know what that means.

I swear I must be reincarnated from the 1800's because I just totally love seeing, reading, and experiencing everything from those days.  Okay, I admit it:  I'm a heritage freak!!!  My one grand-daughter is also a heritage freak and we both love anything to do with our ancestors.  Okay, I won't bore you with all this glorious history -- you all should know by now how much this is a passion of mine.

Today is a mixture of samples.  I have my last two projects I did from my Vintage presentation at Ronda's RubberQueen event on October 3 and a couple of pictures from retreat last weekend.  So you get some new with the old.

My vintage "Love Album" using the "Lap of Luxury" Designer Series Paper, Jumbo Brads that were embossed black, Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim, Daisies #2 Bigz Die, Distressing inks and files, and Antique Jumbo Brass Eyelets.  The designer paper was glued onto SU's chipboard, cut at 5 1/4" x 8 1/2" for the album cover.

The accordion pages inside use the same product, with the addition of chipboard frames/flowers and the "LOVE" letters cut from chipboard using the Serif Essentials Bigz Dies.  The tags measure 3 3/4" x 7 1/2"; cut from the cardboard backing from the designer paper package.  I used the new Antique Brads to attach the Crochet Trim.

Well, what can I say about this?!?  Let's just say it was a "vision" in my mind.  I wanted to do a collage of different media, so I guess you can say I achieved that goal -- LOL.  This is my "Art Journal" I made for the "Artest in Me" class I won from Andrea Walford and Sophia Landry (andrea@sunnystampin.com).  It was an awesome class, giving me lots of things to think about when creating.  Some of the product I used for my cover included:  "Newsprint"  and "Autumn Spice" Designer Series Paper, Jumbo Brass Eyelets, Always Artichoke 1/2" Seam Binding, Distressing Kit, White Satin ribbon dyed with Cajun Craze ink to make the ribbon rose with Antique Brad in center, "Fifth Avenue Floral" stamp set, and  "Manhattan Flower" and "Square Lattice"  Embossing Folders on a metal sheet.

Sorry about the quality of this picture, but my camera just didn't like these bright colors I guess because it kept giving me blurry pictures.  This is a 6" x 6" album page we did at Retreat as a Make'n Take.

Another Make'N Take card we did last weekend at Ronda's retreat.  I think I will add some "bling" to this before mailing.  Super simple card, but so cute.

Well that is all I have for you today.  Hopefully I will get a chance to post one more time before leaving for vacation -- Yippee!!!  We might be late leaving now because my dear husband caught my cold and sounds terrible -- yes, I feel guilty for giving it to him.  As always, thank you for your comments.  I can't wait to see what you have to say about my "artwork" this time -- LOL.

Sandi
"Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles." -- Matthew 5:41

Retreat Classes

Wow, what a fast weekend at Retreat!!  It seems like I was walking in the door one minute and the next I was carting a heavy load back out.  Reminded me of Thanksgiving dinner.  You know:  start baking pies and cleaning house 2 days before Thanksgiving; the day before get those molded salads done, breads, casseroles, bread cubed for stuffing; and then get up in the wee hours of Thanksgiving day to make stuffing and get the turkey in oven, peel potatoes, and make gravy a couple of hours before guests arrive (if it doesn't turn out, quickly run to store to buy canned gravy).  And then you sit down to eat and everybody is done in 15 minutes!!!  This year I did something different:  I didn't start packing 2 days before and worrying if I was taking the right stuff (or what I was going to forget).  Nope, I started the night before and finished the next morning.  I thought to myself, "Sandi this is great, gotta do this more often (now I know why Ronda waits until the last minute)."  Well guess what?  I'm not going to do that again -- don't even ask how many "important" things I forgot to bring!  So the moral of the story is:  I should have remembered all the times Ronda has forgotten her adhesive, scissors, etc., at her RubberQueen meetings -- if you wait until the last minute you WILL forget to pack important items!!!

However, I made the best of it and worked around the forgotten items.  Even tho I felt miserable from my cold, I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish and attend all the classes.  Another awesome retreat and awesome classes.  I take my hat off to Ronda and Melissa -- they continue to surprise us and WOW us.  And this time, Tamie Ackerson joined them to help out (and to also pick on me continuously even tho I was on my death bed with a cold).

Today I am going to show you the cards I did at Ronda's Friday night card class and the bulletin board I made at Melissa's Saturday night class.  I love taking their classes and it is the highlight of every Retreat I have attended (which is all of them!!).  Everything they do is beautiful.  But see for yourself, as I will be posting all the projects in the coming weeks.

We did 4 each of the four cards shown here -- so a total of 16 cards and envelopes.

My favorite of the cards -- I just love this snowman, and the chunky glass glitter really made this sparkle.

I thought this card looked so elegant in the Basic Gray -- my favorite SU cardstock.



This is so beautiful in person -- love the Décor Elements!!  I added a few more decorated pins to the board because they are so much fun to make.



Close up of my added metal butterfly tack that I embossed.

Close-up of added button and metal embossed flower tacks.

Close-up of Melissa's paper flower with button.

Another metal flower tack that I embossed.



Close-up of Melissa's tag -- so cute!!

 Okay, that is all I have for you today.  I hope you enjoyed.  Let me know which one you liked the most (I know, it is hard), and please stop back as there are lots more pictures from retreat.

Sandi
"The character of your children tomorrow depends on what you put into their hearts today." -- unknown.

A LITTLE BREAK FROM VINTAGE!!

Good Morning America!

Well to me it is still morning -- but afternoon for some.  Yes, I am giving you a "little" break from vintage today -- but not completely.  I decided to go ahead and post my cards today from card class instead of waiting.  But don't worry for all of those awesome followers who have sent me an e-mail saying "they loved vintage," one of my class cards is vintage!!  My stamping group is always telling me they wish they could do vintage, so I decided to give them a little taste of vintage without going hog-wild (like I usually do). 

So I threw in a new technique with the vintage (I don't know what it is called - LOL), let them experiment with Stampin' Up's new Distressing Kit, and told them to give it their best shot.  I couldn't believe how well they did (especially Tricia because she usually doesn't like anything new thrown at her -- and both her cards turned out better than my sample).  The beauty of this class, as I told them at the beginning, there would not be any 2 cards that looked the same (you will see why when you look at the cards).  So this was really a lot of fun for me because I got to actually look at all different "takes" based on how they decided to CASE the samples.  Let me tell you, these girls made me proud!! 

You will also notice that 2 of these card designs (punch cards) are totally "out of my comfort zone."  Thank goodness I had seen some done a while back that gave me the ideas (no I didn't save a copy of those cards -- but the idea was still in my head that I wanted to do a similar card(s) some day).

So here they are:

I cannot believe this is the first time I have used this set -- especially when I got it months ago "I just HAD TO have it!"  My inspiration for the card came from one of our make'n takes we did at Convention this summer.  I really enjoyed seeing all the different finished cards made during class.  They were all different, and all beautiful.

Ah yes, the "Love Birds" -- I just thought this was so cute.  And it was great because I had a request for an anniversary card.  And wouldn't you know, I did not have one current sentiment stamp that I wanted to use (yeah, yeah I had a couple, but they were too small of a font). 

Everybody loved this one.  The inside of mine was the "Live, Laugh, and Love Happy Birthday" sentiment.  However, one of the ladies (yes, I'm talking about you Cheryl) needed a retirement card so I found a couple of cute retired sentiment stamps that were perfect for retirement and still fit in with the front sentiment.



And here is my vintage!!  Sorry for the bad picture, the colors are a lot more vibrant IRL and you can see the sentiment which was stamped in Whisper White.  I had seen a card a while back (don't know who created and it looked different than this) that used acrylic paint for a background layer.  Being as I had a whole tube of white acrylic paint left over from painting my Halloween pumpkins white (previous post), I decided I wanted to try it for myself.  It was really fun, and I will be using this medium again in future projects for sure.  It makes me mad that I couldn't get a good picture as this doesn't even look like Cajun Craze on Confetti White, but after 10 pictures I said, "forget it, it's not happening."

Well, I'm off to get a couple of projects completed so I can take them with me to retreat this weekend.  One thing I have to do is design at least six 2-page album spreads (12" x 12") so they are done before retreat.  Then I can just pop the pictures in when I get there and feel like I did "something."  Most people would take the materials with them and do it then.  Well, I can't do that, for two reasons:  (1) I am taking all of the five classes Ronda and Melissa have offered and (2) I will be socializing in between classes!!  Isn't that why we go?

Sandi
"It is a sad day when you find out that it's not accident or time or fortune but just yourself that kept things from you."  -- Lillian Hellman