When Bugs Get Smashed...

Their eyes pop out...
The Friday school was scheduled to get out I got called in for a sub job. (Woooh subbing on class party, candy, sugar day.)I hoped in my car and headed to rescue the administrator who was filling in until I could get there. I was on my way through a medical office complex and Mr. Smarty pulled out in front of me. I honked I braked...there was nothing I could do. Some of his first words to me were: "I have to go catch a plane" and "Can I run in and go to the bathroom? I really have to go." Hmmm. Think he was in a hurry? While it doesn't look too bad, the internal damage was...substantial. Whew. I was very glad his insurance called to accept fault. My sister and her boyfriend very kindly drove me to school, and picked me up, and took me to Sal's after for some yummy comfort food.

Then, on Wednesday:

Mom had her own little adventure. (More details here.)

Ugh. Let's just the week before Christmas 'twas rough.

One upside was I got to spend some of the time hanging out with my buddy Cady! She was catching up on her AR reading. During breaks we made wrapping paper for her Grandma's present...and went to get a Christmas Tree for her doll Zoey. Here are Zoey and Cady in the back of the rental car with the completely decorated tree!

Stick a FORK in them theyre done.

Yep, I'm so obsessed with Twilight I'm co-hosting a party! These are some of

what I worked on in Paper Pals over spring break!

On the inside I found a way to make a text box translucent since watermarking the book cover image didn't do what I wanted to the image. I found the Twilight book cover font online. And that red strip? Well you can see below how it shows of the special decorative trimming I did on the edge of the card front. The ribbon tying the invitation closed is representative of the cover of Eclipse (book 3). All the return addresses have character names as the sender. Because all the guests are fellow Twilight fans, I tried to pick favorites of people I knew or have some sort of connection. Tracy got Bella because she identifies with Bella, Tanya got hers from Jacob Black because she roots for him, my mom and Cindy got theirs from Esme because that's who they "are" and Jennifer O got hers from Alice because that's who "my character" is and she put that on my quilting in the Pines name card.

The icing on the cake was that I sent them all to Forks, WA to be postmarked. Most of the books take place in Forks, and the concept of special postmarks is growing on me! (I sent all my Valentines to Loveland, CO to be postmarked!) The postmaster was, thankfully, careful to put the part that says Forks right over dear Mr. Edgar A. Poe's face so we could see it. I was nervous about that part turning out!

Stay tuned for more fun event details!

Really are Pals!

So I've got this love of creating, appreciation of color and color therapy. When I go into a store (yarn, fabric, paper), I feel the vibes or I don't. Love it or leave it sort of thing. The Web*sters and Lynda's Keep Me in Stitches take the cake for yarn shops. Quilters Paradise holds the title for Fabric Store, and now, Paper Pals proves itself in paper! I went to Moscow knowing I really needed to get some invitations out, but figured I'd just have to buy sup lies there. Then I remembered a scrabooking store that hosted classes in Moscow (across the street from the quilt shop.) I drove by and much to my dismay it was closed down, abandoned. What was I to do. When purchasing ribbon at JoAnnes I thought to ask one of their employees if they knew of a place that might host scrapbooking workshops since the other one had closed and she told me they still had their original location in Pullman! Woohoo!
Here you can kind of see the work tables and all the cool tools in the work station.

Check out all the colors, in order, and on display! I think I could sit an look at them for hours! Yay color therapy!

And guess what!? They wanted to inspire ME! They were so helpful! They even amped up my enthusiasm by being energetic, throwing out fun ideas, and teaching me new tips and tricks! I kept thinking to myself (and sometimes saying) "Oh my gosh this is awesome" and "I'm having so much fun!" in that giddy can't contain myself voice!

Shawna was in the store both days I stopped by. I learned about a cool project that can be done with newspaper here, on her blog.

I thoroughly enjoyed her company, as well as the other woman who was there, I think it was Karen? (She left before I remembered to take pictures.) Anyway, both were kindred spirits, when I left, I felt richer in friends...definitely poorer in the pocketbook though. I could spend a LOT there! There's more to come on what I made while in Paper Pals!

Ketchup

Yep, I know, I'm waaaay behind! I've got lots to catch up on...about two weeks worth, I'll get going! (Starting with the oldest at the beginning and working my way up to the present!

Just after Luke visited for his spring break, and we celebrated his 21st birthday, Val's boyfriend Matt came into town for his spring break...and we celebrated his 21st birthday. Just after Matt's 21st birthday (one day after, to be exact) was my dad's birthday so we were busy busy busy! While Matt was here, my mom and I were doing some serious sewing. Val and Matt must have been inspired because they busted out the (my) card making and bear costuming supplies!

Leonard was a Lion! Rawr!

Gunther was a bunny! She even gave him a little "cotton" tail! Haha

I also learned how to use the camera's color filter. Can you tell I was having fun playing with it?

Then I headed up to visit Luke, and my friends up in Idaho for spring break!

We had a golf/tennis pro party in honor of The Masters. (A prestigious golf tournament that takes place at Augusta) Check out Luke's knickers! He went without the socks since they are for some reason missing. Have you seen them? He claims he was making a fashion statement!

Lindsay was a little behind in arriving so the one above is me with all my roommates minus Lindsay (L-R Me, Kelsi, Heather, Celine) and below is the "roomies" plus Lindsay's friend Becca. (L-R) Me, Heather, Celine, Kelsi, Heather, Becca)

Luke's friend Fred (pictured below) isn't a PGM major, so he didn't really have a whole lot of golf attire. Luke and I...well probably mostly I, insisted he at least wear one of Luke's hats.

This is Melanie, Molly, and Amanda. Melanie and Amanda are Luke's group members for his business classes, and Molly is Amanda's sister! I've gotten to know them really well this year. Total kindred spirits!

Melanie came as "Tiger," can you see her name tag? Its the only way you'd know!

This guy came as a tennis pro, and to see him with Luke just made me laugh. Quite the pair. Had to take and share this one! There were lots of polos...and just as much argyle!

We also had a more mellow gathering with some friends as a sort of group 21st birthday celebration. Taco and margarita night!

The boys were there too...but not as interested in taking photos!

Now this may be more related to Cindy's post but I have to share because it's too attractive! When visiting various college student's apartments in the town of Moscow there is a tendency of the inhabitants to display various alcohol beverage bottles...sort of like a show case. Normally they didnt really impress me, and are often a sign of dirtiness...this one, however, offered a great dose of color therapy and entertainment.

Its almost as good as buying an Old Navy socks, or even t-shirts in every color...right?

You'll be glad to know that we didn't have a party every night, and that things were, in fact, quite a bit more productive. Luke, and the other U of I students were not on Spring Break, they had theirs back in March, so they were all still having to deal with life. Luke even had to do some working. So I did a very sufficient job keeping myself moderately busy. (Super busy wouldn't have been relaxing!) The weather swayed in my favor starting with snow the day I arrived and turning to nice 74 degree days! It got a little chilly toward the end of the week but considering it was raining hard in Fresno, I took it! I walked to the golf course, which was finally able to open!

On the way I saw this funny sign. One you would never see in Fresno. At least not that I know of.
It reads: "Your wife says its okay to buy a new gun." Chuckle...
I also arranged for Mark and Luke to get haircuts while I was there. Mark was sick so he wasn't too up to pictures but here are the before and afters of the haircut.
Before, and on his way to a business class presentation.
After, and just before work at the golf course. (He hadn't changed yet though.)

I went to one yarn store, and two fabric stores (one of which had Amy Buttler fabric. I bought some.) I also came across this fabulous store:

BUT it deserves its own post. Coming soon! With lots of detail.
I was there until the day after Easter, so we got to celebrate the joyous day together! The Easter bunny even left Luke a special basket. (All my mom...I wasn't going to be that motivated! haha) Apparently the Bunny didn't get the memo that I was going to be in Idaho, because my basket was still waiting at home! Before the masters were over (much to Luke's dismay) we headed north to visit some of my family, eat a delicious Easter dinner, and relax before Luke had to drop me off at the Spokane airport at 5:45 in the morning. Uck! I had a great time! I'm anxious to go back, but am spending some much needed time here getting things in order.