Calvinball- "birthday bourbon"

A two-page layout based on a sketch from a Scrapbook Generations sketchbook (really cool sketch books that give photo sizes, background paper dimensions, and suggestions for how to personalize and adapt the sketches to your needs.)

This layout is Tom's birthday a couple years ago, when we went to a Phoenix restaurant that served a brand of bourbon he had wanted to try for years that we first heard about in a television show we watch that's set in Kentucky. It's quite a highly-sought-after and very limited release bourbon (called Pappy Van Winkle), and I found out quite by accident that this particular restaurant / bar actually had all three vintages of it (aged for 15-yrs, 20-yrs, and 23-yrs). So, this was his birthday celebration, trying all three varieties. And eating some wonderful food, too...

I actually saved the napkin from the winning variety, and included it on the left-hand scrapbook page.  This layout also includes two banners made from patterned paper and crafting floss. 

Memories of a good time, even if the food photos aren't the greatest. I guess that just means we'll have to go back sometime to get some better shots, lol!

the week (well, some of it, anyway) in photos

Wednesday afternoon, a storm moved through the valley- storms (and really, clouds in general) are unusual things here, so they're pretty exciting when they do actually happen.

 Yay, it actually rained! Enough to use the windshield wipers, even!! (although not right here; this is just after it started.)

Then, there was a duststorm... so, my nice clean car isn't nice and clean any more. :( But, there was rain!! so I won't complain too much.

another photo of the praying mantis from Friday. I love that you can even see his tiny antennae here!

Saturday morning, we ran some errands. 1) drop the dogs off at the groomers. 2) check out chest freezers and computers at Best Buy-- need to do more research before we buy, though. 3) stop off at Arriba's Mexican Grill for lunch-- they have some amazingly hot (and tasty) Hatch chile entrees. 4) Pick up framed artwork from JoAnn's. 5) back home, with leftovers for Sunday.

Arriba's interior is kind of 'kitchy' Mexican, but it's fun- an entire wall of plastic flowers, and these larger-than-life parrots everywhere. I thought this one was kinda funny, holding his can of beer. (when I took the photo, a sweet little old lady who had also been taking pictures asked me, "oh, are you a tourist too?" haha!! No, just a scrapbooker!

The first piece of framed artwork. My mom is an amazing sewer!! I started this piece of counted cross-stitch, oh, maybe about 2 years ago?? not sure... Anyway, I work really slow, and have a tendency to not finish things, even though I have the best of intentions. She worked on me for at least 6 months to give it to her so she could finish it for me. Finally, I conceded defeat (I was probably only about a quarter of the way done) and true to her word, she did finish it. 

But, that's not all- she also did this one, too!! These were designed by the same designer, and are about 18x22 framed. Gorgeous, right?? 

I know-- it is amazing, isn't it?!? I have no idea how many individual stitches there are in these, but they're so detailed, there have to be thousands... a huge thank-you to Mom, for spending untold hours on these with your needle and thread.

I'll post another photo or two of them, once we get them hung. I think they're going to go above our bed, and will finish off the bedroom perfectly! 

The dogs, after spending 4 hours at the groomers. They are so clean, the white fur is almost blinding! And, there's so much less hair on them, I can't even begin to imagine what the floor at the groomer's looked like after they were done!! L-R: Krista, Prescott, Bisbee. (Krista still doesn't know how to 'sit' yet; I need to work on that with her some more.)

Bisbee's hair is so silky smooth after they come back from the groomer's; too bad it won't last! (we haven't let them 'cut loose' and play outside quite yet; don't want them to get dirty too quick.) She poses so pretty! (when there's no outside distractions, that is.)

random wrapup

the camera had so many pictures on it that the memory card was almost full, so I had to do some photo editing and organizing. So, here are a few random photos to start off the weekend... Butters and Tom relaxing on the couch in the evening. Now that it's chillier outside, the cats are a bit friendlier and enjoy snuggling, something they wouldn't do during the summer.

The perfect cigar ash... you know it's a good cigar when the ashes hold together this well! The late afternoons are cool enough now to relax on the patio, finally. We don't often have time to do it, unfortunately.

Playing puppies-- they look so vicious, don't they?? Every once in a while someone yips like they're actually hurt, but I think all that fur is a good insulator to avoid injury. I'm so glad that Sedona and Bisbee can keep each other entertained! (although we still do plenty of playing with their toys, too...)

A beautiful pink and peach sunset reflected in my side mirror a few weeks ago... the skies here turn such amazing colors sometimes, it's almost unbelievable.

A photo from over the summer at Tom's family reunion-- one of the traditions is enjoying (I say that loosely!) limburger cheese. In this picture, Tom's grandma and his dad's cousin Ron are offering us some. I did try it last year, and it was better than I thought it would be (this year, not so much... this time, I couldn't get past the smell). Have a good weekend, and stay tuned for more randomness coming soon!

the gift of friendship...

The importance of friendship and relationships are things I’ve been thinking about more lately, and these comic strips struck a chord when I saw them in my e-mail recently (click photo to enlarge):

I know they’re related to Thanksgiving, but I thought they were particularly fitting now, since we’re in the midst of the Christmas holiday season and friendship is totally in keeping with the holiday spirit… It’s difficult sometimes, when the hustle and bustle of “the daily grind” gets in the way, to focus on the good things instead of the guy who just cut me off in traffic, but I do try to be positive most of the time. Someone suggested recently to fit “gratitude” into my daily life: every day, think of three things you’re grateful for- no matter how small they are, or how bad of a day you’re having, they’re there, if you think about it.

So, lately, I’ve been thinking about how grateful I am for the gift of friendship…

I’m grateful to have found an extended network of artists and creative people (both on the internet through the wonderful world of blogging, and in the "real" world by attending Art Unraveled the past two years) and to continue expanding those relationships. Over the course of the summer, I’ve become part of a group of artists who meet once a month to work on projects, teach and learn new techniques, and socialize. Early on there were times that I couldn’t attend, but I now make every effort to fit it into my schedule because I’ve realized how important this creative community camaraderie and companionship (how's that for alliteration?!?) is to my “inner artist”.

Plus, it’s just plain fun to hang around with a group of like-minded people! People who get just as excited as I do about vintage photos of strangers, a beat-up old textbook, or a “new-to-you” back issue of an art magazine, because we have a different mindset about the “untapped possibility” inherent in these things that other people sometimes can’t quite grasp.

I’m also fortunate that Tom understands how much this aspect of my personality means to me, and that he does what he can to accommodate it. He's even gone so far as to arrange his out-of-town business travel to be home when these meetings are scheduled (if at all possible) so I can be away from home and the dogs in the evening. (Having dogs is just like having kids, you know, when it comes to scheduling things- the only difference with dogs is they never ask to borrow the car keys!)

Tom and I have been through a lot in the (almost) five years we’ve known each other (including moving across the country, and the passing on of my two beloved kitties) but that’s a post for another time, because there’s way too much to say about the last five years for this post- for now, I’ll just say that I’m continually grateful that I share my life with my best and closest friend.

So, if you’ve read this far, thanks for sticking with me!! And think about what you’re grateful for today, or maybe call up an old (or new) friend and let them know how important their friendship is to you.