Lots Of Goodies Coming Your Way

September 30, 2009

Today is the last day of September. As we go into October, I'm not really sure where the last few months have gone. They sped by so quickly. Hopefully, October will take it's time and go a bit more slowly.

It's 3:17 in the morning, and I can't seem to get to sleep, so I figured I would come and chat with you. Maybe I can catch a little nap later today. Some nights are just not good sleeping nights and this is one of them. I did doze off earlier, but then Miss Tootsie woke me up to let me know it was potty time. Bless her little heart, but then I could not get back to sleep. Ah well, what's a few winks between best friends.

Last night I worked on another Halloween QP. This one took me hours to make, and let me tell you I had so much fun doing it. I thought it would be nice if the skeletons were to have a party, but then there was quite a bit of work getting their poses and hands in just the right directions.

Then of course, what's a party without a glass of bubbly. It took quite a while to get the glasses to fit into those bony hands just right. I finished it off with party hats and balloons and a grinning pumpkin. Here's a peek at the last two QP's in this set.

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Now for some news about the Birthday Celebration at Magickal Scraps. Starting tomorrow, there will be special freebies for you to look for in the store, and on October 3, our blog train will take off. Now if that isn't enough, there will also be a grand progressive sale going on in our store. It will start at 35% off, then 30%, then 25%, etc.

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We will also be starting a brand new Daily Download kit tomorrow. This one is called "Halloween Town." I will be putting up the new slideshow later tonight. And don't forget the "store portion" of the Daily Download kit. You can pick it up for cheap cheap. "Halloween Town" is a huge kit filled with lots of Halloween goodies. Here is a peek at some of the store part of the kit. Thre is a lot so not everything is shown in the preview.

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It is now 9:45 a.m. and Miss Tootsie and I have already been to the hospital and back. One more treatment later today, and that's it for two weeks. The nuerosurgeon will check her later today to see if there is any improvement in her eyesight. Sometimes it almost seems as if she can see something, but we're just not sure what and how much, if any. It could be that she just does well in familiar places.

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My daughter in law, Janet, said she would come by today and we could go shopping for a TV table. Now that would be nice. At the moment, I have these two big boxes sitting in my living room taking up all the room. I also want to stop and get a flu shot. I have tried twice already, but they were not available at the time. The last thing I need is to get sick with the flu.

That's all for today folks. I need to get a couple of things done before Janet gets here. Fun stuff, like put in a load of wash, make my bed, etc. Meanwhile, y'all have a fantastic day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Food For Thought

September 29, 2009

We went to chemo this morning, and on the way home we got a nice surprise at the gas pumps. The price was down quite a bit - about 20 cents a gallon. So of course we pulled in and filled our gas tank. We are also expecting a big oil truck to show up sometime soon to fill our heating fuel tank here at the house.

Did you notice the new celebration poster at the top of my blog yesterday? Our lovely Su designed that one for us, and today I have one that Snow Raven designed. We are all getting party fever!! Imagine that! Our forum has made it to the one year mark. It seems as though we were all meant to meet up with each other here to form a close friendly group. One word for it. Nice!!

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We have all been busy making kits to be given away starting October 1st. There will be store sales too, and a QP blog train for the weekend. So come one, come all, and bring your friends. It's time to kick up our heels and party, party, party.

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I have also been busy working on my Halloween QP's, and having some fun doing them. It's simply amazing what you can do with a bunch of skeletons and a few elements. I also worked on, and finished, my chat project. We had to make a layout using several things such as grunge, layers, smudge tool, blur tool, eraser tool, shading and opacity, etc.

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The end result would look rather old and grungy, and pieced together. My grunge background doesn't really look very grungy, but I did use all of these different tools, and I like my final product. I used parts from Sherry C's kit "Halloween Howls." My crone rests in her comfy old rocking chair and daydreams about her younger days.

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Last night Moo and I went shopping, and I bought us each a nice big TV. I needed to pick up two more anyway - one for my bedroom and one for the den in the house. So now I will switch things around a bit. The one I bought for Moo a few months ago will go to the Den. The one I had bought before for my living room will go into my bedroom. The two new sets will be for my living room and Moo's room. Now that's it for TV's!!!

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This week I have to see about getting a TV stand for my living room, and the fireplace heater for my bedroom. Once those things are in place, I can take a rest from the redocorating here. For the rest of the Fall and Winter it's called "Love Me, Love My Mess."

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While I'm in a chatty mood here, I want to thank Crookness for explaining to me about the bee boxes. I had never heard of them, and I think they are just a wonderful idea. I have a lot of bees around here, and I never really gave much thought to where they all went in the cold weather. Hmmmmmm. Food for thought!!

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Well I'm off now to see what kind of mischief I can cook up for today. Y'all have a marvelous day now.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Br-r-r-r! It's Getting Nippy.

September 28, 2009

Well, the sun is shining brightly, and the puddles are starting to dry up. Looks like it will be a gorgeous day. For some reason, Miss Tootsie's appointments have been changed to Tuesday and Wednesday this week. No problem, we will enjoy our day off.

The Birthday Celebration will be starting soon at Magickal Scraps. There will be lots of freebies for you and a blog train with more goodies. All this is coming in just a few more days, so stay tuned in for more information.

Last night, I had a lot of fun working on some new Halloween QP's. My sense of humor was in high gear and it shows in the work. Halloween is one of my two favorite holidays. Christmas, of course, is the other favorite. Would you like a sneak peek at a couple of my new QP's?

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Once I finish my chat project, I will work on some more of these Halloween QP's. I have been procrastinating about this chat project because the technique is just not one of my favorites. I know messy and grungy is a big hit in the scrapbooking world, but I'm not really crazy about it. However, it is a learning process so I will get busy today and do it.

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Have you seen Kyra's blog yet today? Ah, well you are in for a surprise. She re-designed her whole blog background all by herself!!! Wow, Kyra! Great job! This is one thing I have not even attempted yet here on my blog. I will put this on my "Maybe Someday" list.

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I think I will call up for a fuel delivery today. The house is starting to feel a bit nippy in the morning now. Wow, that was a fast weather change! We went from sticky and steamy hot to rather nippy in just a matter of a few days. I know New England is famous for it's fast weather changes, but this is a bit ridiculous.

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Now it's time for me to get busy here. Before I leave you, I will post your freebie. Today I have a blue "Country QP" for you. Hope you like it. Y'all have a wonderful day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

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Special credits for resources used: Polarfuch's Treasure, Buzzy Bee Scraps, Grazy and Granny Art.

And here is your download link for "Country QP - 01"

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A Soggy Gray Day

September 27, 2009

It's cold and wet this morning. It rained most of the night, and all day today is supposed to be quite soggy also. I don't really mind the wet stuff so much, it's the cold I'm not crazy about. It's time to dig out the snuggies and sweat pants. I think I shall have to buy some new sweatshirts for Tootsie too. When I'm cold, she needs to put on a warm shirt.

Last night, I really didn't get into any creative stuff on my laptop. Instead I tried to do a bit of organizing some of my scrapping resources. Gosh, this is going to be a big project. It would have been much better if I had done this when I first started picking up these resources. I thought I had, but I guess this time thought fooled me.

Today I will just be lazy and maybe take a little nap. This is a good day to scoot around and visit all the blogs that I did not get to see during the week. If it wasn't so yucky outside, I would even try to fit in a bit of shopping this afternoon. But that can wait till sometime during the week when the weather is nicer.

Tomorrow starts Miss Tootsie's regular chemo week, plus we should be getting the results of her latest bloodwork. Her prednisone dose has been increased and it seems to be helping her. Sometimes she even acts as though she sees shadows. But then her little nose will bump into something, and I doubt she can even see the shadow. Meanwhile, she is still a very happy little girl.

I did pass another flock of turkeys on my way home this morning, but I did not stop to photograph them because of the rain. Seeing the wildlife co-mingle in the neighborhoods really does delight me, even though I know some other folks are not too fond of this. It's good to learn how to co-habitate with Nature.

A couple days ago I took some photos of trees that were starting to change color. I will share one of those photos with you today. Maybe tonight, I can work on another freebie for you. Till tomorrow, Y'all have a great day. For those of you in and near all the flooding, be safe.

Hugs, Edna B.

Great Weather For Rubber Duckies

September 26, 2009

Today is my grandson's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEREMY! May all your wishes and dreams come true.

It's quite nice outside right now, but we do have rain coming later, and then lots more for tomorrow. Supposedly, that's it till later in the week where it looks like a few more days of rain for us.

For my friends in and around Georgia, may God watch over you and keep you safe. A lot more rain is expected for that part of the country, and they are already devastated. Too bad we can't pipe all this extra water to California where it is badly needed. If we can build an oil pipeline as long as the Alaskan Pipeline, why can't we build a national water pipeline. We could siphon off flood waters from one place, and send it to a more needy area.

Can you explain to me why it is more important to spend huge amounts of money studying things like the sex life of a cockroach, how often do red ants mate, which color underwear is most popular in Angola, do spankings make us retarded, is one cup of coffee better than two, etc., etc.. Get the picture? Couldn't we instead spend all this money on a water pipeline?

That's it!! I'm done ranting. Today I have new goodies to play with. I went on a shopping spree last night for some new scrapping stuff. Now I just want to play, play, play. Unfortunately, things are getting in my way - like laundry, dirty dishes, and vacuuming. Hmmmmph! Life can be so unfair at times.

Yesterday I did not see many birds while I was at work. I did manage to get up close to a couple of big fat bumble bees - I mean eyeball to eyeball close. So today I will share a couple of new close-up photos. I really do have to get serious about shopping for a telephoto lens. There are so many, that it confuses me. I'm not really sure which one is best for the photos I would like to shoot. Ah well, such a problem!!

Time to make the donuts here. Have to get dressed and make friends with the mop. Y'all have a really grand day.

Hugs, Edna B.

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What A Gorgeous Friday Morning This Is!

September 25, 2009

Good morning, and it's another beautiful morning I see. We should really enjoy this while we have it because according to the weather man, we have a bit of rain coming our way. I am still at work, but the Mrs is still asleep, so I can chat here for a bit.

There are only five days left to enjoy this month of September. Isn't that amazing? Nine whole months already gone right by. I hope the Winter goes as quickly. That is my least favorite season. Granted, it is a beautiful season, but it is just too cold for my liking.

This is also the time of year that I have to buckle down and get busy finishing up some projects that I need for Holiday gifts. I just get side-tracked so easily. I know, I know, my own fault. It's just that I am a very curious person, and when I look for something, I see so much that I want to look at and learn. Next thing you know, all my time is used up and my project sits undone.

I do have a few new kits started for the upcoming season. My Christmas kit is a bit different than usual. My inspiration for it comes from a Christmas card that I received last year. I'll give a sneak peek as soon as I have a preview made up. It's actually quite interesting and fun to use a greeting card for your inspiration to create something new.

Tonight is chat night at the Magickal Scraps forum. I'm wondering what the new chat project will be. Snow Raven usually comes up with some very interesting ideas for these projects. I guess I'll just have to wait till tonight.

Want an update on Moo's short vacation? Are you sure? Let's just say that this will not happen again for a while. In the future, he will leave Howie home. It's not much of a vacation when you cannot sit back and relax a bit. But I have to give him a lot of credit for trying. It was not a very easy task to do, but he did a pretty good job of it.

I can hear the Mrs stirring now, so I had best leave and make her some breakfast. I do have a freebie for you today. It's a seasonal QP that I call "Autumn QP 01." Y'all have a marvelous day now.

Hugs, Edna B.

"Autumn QP 01"

Special credits for resources used: Joannes Digital Designs, BAZ.

And here is your download link for "Autumn QP 01"

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Yeah!! The Guys Are Home!

September 24, 2009

My goodness!! I was busy doing something yesterday and happened to look up at the window, and guess what?? Erik and Howie were home from their vacation a day early. OH oh!! That tells me that something didn't exactly go fun like.

Moo came home almost two hours later. Guess he needed a short break before coming home and facing Howie's antics again. Yup!! I was right!! When Moo showed up, there was smoke coming out of his nose. (In another life, he was a large majestic dragon!!) I don't think he will be taking Howie on another vacation any time soon.

Alzheimer's is a devastating disease, and it is not a bit choosy about picking it's recipients. It takes a wonderfully active mind and destroys it, making it impossible for the unfortunate person who has it to remember things or to act normally. It reacts differently on some people. Sometimes it is mostly being very forgetful, and other times a person can become really vicious and dangerous. And this is only a part of it. With luck, none of us will be afflicted with this horrible disease.

Have you been stopping by Kyra's blog to say hello and to pick up her fantastic kits? I do hope so. I don't know how she does it, but just about every day Kyra puts a really lovely kit as a freebie. http://smiekeltje.blogspot.com/. Two days ago, she posted a gorgeous kit called "Aunties Stationary." Today I will give you (with her permission of course) a QP that I made with her kit. Make sure you stop by her blog to pick up the whole kit, and say thank you.

You should also be stopping by Snow Raven's blog and have a look at her newest works. If you like magic and witches and wizards, this is a "must stop and say hello" treat for you. If you are a football fan, then you definitely do not want to miss her blog. She has put together a fantastic kit for all you football lovers. http://silversnowyraven.blogspot.com/.

Also coming up in the very near future, is a Birthday celebration at Magickal Scraps. Our forum is one year old!!!!! There will be extra freebies for you plus a blog train. I will have more news about this in a few more days.

Tonight I start another 20 hour shift, so I have to get a few things done around here. I am enjoying my gummy vitamins while I type here. And Miss Tootsie is looking up at me as if to say "where are mine?" The vitamins taste good, and I'm certain she can smell them. I will have to see if there are any doggie vitamins that are shaped like candy.

Without further ado, here is your freebie and a picture of Erik and Howie on vacation. Howie is having a grand time collecting seashells. Y'all have a fantastic day now.

Hugs, Edna B.

"Auntie's Stationery QP" kit by Russian Dutch Heart Designs

And here is your download link for "Auntie's Stationery QP"

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A Kitty Lost In The Hurricane

September 23, 2009

It's a great new morning here, and I finally got a good night's sleep. I was so tired yesterday afternoon and last night that I took my little girl, Tootsie, and went to bed early. Except for getting up 2 or 3 times, we slept right through. Now maybe later today, I can sit at my PC and actually get some new work accomplished.

This morning, we will be heading on over to the hospital to have Tootsie's bloodwork done. I think today we will take the camera with us. Who knows, maybe we can side-tracked on the way home and find some photo opportunities.

Yesterday, my new Blog Book 2009 Volume One, was waiting for me when we got back from the beauty salon. I just cannot say enough good things about these blog books. I read them and see a whole progression of events, changes, problems, and solutions. It's like sitting back and having a look at one's self. I was never one to keep a diary, but it is probably very much like writing a blog and printing it out.

Sometimes I surprise myself. As a baby and toddler, I had a lot to say and never shut up - at least that's what my mom used to tell me. But then for some reason, as a child I grew quiet and not very talkative. I was very shy, and only told my dreams and problems to the man in the moon at night before going to sleep. However, by the time I turned 40, I had found my mouth again.

It's time for us to leave now, we'll be back in a while.

We're back. And no, we did not find any photo ops. Maybe later we can take a ride to the park and get some pictures there. I did take a couple of photos of Miss Tootsie in her car seat, For some reason, she does not like me to take her pictures anymore, and turns her face away.

While we were at the hospital, I met a lady who had brought in her cat. The poor woman was in tears. I know that feeling, so I tried to comfort her. She told me that her husband and she were down South helping out during the hurricane Katrina cleanup, and that's where they found the cat. The poor kitty had gotten an infection and lost the sight in one eye. No one came forward to claim the cat so they brought him home with them, and have loved him ever since.

A friend sent me a picture one day that tore at my heart strings, and I think I shall share it with you here. The picture says it all.

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I think that's for today. It's time for me to do a bit work here, and then maybe Miss Tootsie and I will go out for a while. Y'all have a wonderful day now.

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Hugs, Edna B.

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Wanna Meet Oogoo?

September 22, 2009

Well, the boys made it to the Cape safely. Needless to say, it most likely was not a dull trip. Howie was fidgety all the way there, and was quite full of energy once they arrived at their destination. Howie seems to be in an early stage of Alzheimer's, and his behavior does keep you on your toes and hopping. You never know what he will do next.

At some point last evening, the guys decided to watch a bit of TV and Howie chose to sit on the porch and smoke his pipe. When Moo went to check to make sure he was okay, guess what? Yup!! No Howie!!! Seems Howie took himself a walk in a neighborhood not familiar to him and got a tad bit lost. Moo found him though, so all did end well.

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While the men are gone, Miss Tootsie and I are babysitting for Moo's little guy, Oogoo. I know, I know, you don't have a clue what an Oogoo is. It's very simple, he's a goldfish. A nice fat orange goldfish. Would you like to meet him? Tada!!! Meet Oogoo! Isn't he just the cutest little goldfish you ever did see?

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How about an update on this ridiculous monstrosity I call a computer. Mr "Magic Fingers" Wayne came over last evening to check it and then take it home with him to copy my hard drive onto a new external drive that I went out and bought yesterday.

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And guess what??????? He pressed the "ON" button, and the foolish thing lit up -- up to now, it hasn't been lighting up. Not only that, but then the computer came on!!! I was so happy that I could have hugged the life out of him, but his girlfriend is bigger than me and probably would not like that. I am quite chicken about some things - like getting beat up by a jealous lady. (Only kidding - she is really very nice.)

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After Wayne left, I started copying my hard drive over to the new external drive. That was going to take a few hours, so Miss Tootsie and I got our snacks and retired early to watch some television.

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Now it's time for me to get dressed and ready to face this new day. Miss Tootsie's appointment at the beauty salon is in less than an hour. And I forgot - with all the happenings going on here, she was supposed to go for blood work today too. Well that will have to wait till tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, Y'all have a fantastic day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

The Guys Have Gone On Vacation

September 21, 2009

This morning is sunny and the air is crisp. Autumn is definitely here. Some of the leaves are beginning to change color, and a lot of others are falling every time a breeze comes by. Time to start taking out the cold weather clothes and making sure the house and car are ready for the winter weather.

It's a shame the summer was so darn hot and sticky. It would be nice to be able to enjoy the beautiful weather when it gets here. Instead we end up spending a lot of time indoors near a fan or air conditioner. Life can be weird sometimes.

Moo and two of the dwarfs are gearing up to leave for a little vacation. They will be going to spend a few days at the Cape. That's if they ever get going here. Howie has been ready since six am. and is quite anxious to leave. He's like a little kid who's been offered a magnificent treat.

This should be quite interesting. Two cranky guys and one mischievous little kid. Or so it seems. Moo has just left to take my car to garage to have the brakes fixed. I supposed it's coming on that time when I will have to be looking around for another car. The New England winters are harsh on the undersides of automobiles. Unless they are kept in enclosed garages, they tend to live shorter lives.

Tomorrow, Miss Tootsie has an appointment at the beauty salon. I wonder how this will work out, as they do not know that she cannot see. Her groomer, though, is quite good and takes very good care of Tootsie.

Now it's time for me to start my day. The garage just called me with the sad news about my car and the hefty bill I can look forward to. Almost $500!!!!!!!!! It's definitely time to start looking around for a newer car. This one is starting to cost me a fortune.

The guys have just left, and I did manage to get a couple of photos of them leaving. Have fun guys!! I'm off now to start my day. Y'all have a fantastic sunshiny day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Howie & Moo

Murphy's Law At Work Again

September 20, 2009

This morning, the weather is cool and crisp; Autumn is definitely in the air. As I started down the street on my way home, a group of turkeys were walking around on the side of the road, so I stopped to take a few photos. When these photo opportunities arise, one must stop and take advantage of them.

Then, as I proceeded to leave, I noticed my car was not quite right. Would you believe? I had no brakes. Is someone upstairs upset with me or something? Seems like when problems start, my plate always manages to get full up.

So I crept along the best I could and hoped that the traffic would be very light. Thank goodness it is Sunday morning. Tomorrow morning, there will be lots of traffic on the road. I called back work to say that I cannot come in tonight - there is no way I am going to be driving around with no brakes. Tomorrow morning when the garage opens, I will have them come and get my car so that it can be fixed.

On the bright side -- yes, there are still some bright sides here. At least I have a cell phone with me to call for help when my car breaks down. I have a laptop to use when my PC is sick. And best of all, I have my little dog and my brother to come home to no matter what else happens.

Friday I got an email telling me that my 2009 Volume One Blog Book was already in the mail. So that is something for me to look forward to this week. My first born has already put her dibs on my Blog Books for when I am gone. You can have them, Audrey. It will be interesting to read them a few years down the road.

I'm off now to make a cup of coffee and get a treat for my Tootsie. In case I haven't mentioned up to now, Miss Tootsie is still doing fairly well coping with her new situation. I should take a lesson from her. Now I will post a few of the photos from this morning for you to enjoy. Y'all have a wonderful day now.

Hugs, Edna B.

Not Very Good News For Today

September 19, 2009

Well folks, it's not a very good day so far. My bad news is devastating as far as my computer goes. It is on, and it is running, but not to anything I can use or see. It looks like the motherboard has taken a huge nose dive into no no land. Do I need to tell you how cranky and crabby I have been all morning?

I took the new stuff that I worked on yesterday and transferred it over to the computer last night. So bye, bye stuff!!!!! I had some great photos to share with you this morning, but they are on the sicko PC. However, the originals are still on my camera card, so I will re-crop them later and post them. That part I can do.

If it is the motherboard, then the whole computer has to be taken back to Best Buy, and they will send it back to the manufacturer to be fixed. However, there is no guarantee that all my files will be in tact when the PC gets back to me a couple of weeks later.

They have a Geek Squad (PC technicians) at Best Buy, and the one I spoke to informed me that one alternative I have is to buy a hard drive enclosure, take my hard drive out of the computer, and put the hard drive into the enclosure. Then I can still use my files on my laptop or my old computer. (I still have that) Sounds good? I sure hope it does work, because that is what I think I am going to do.

The thought of losing all my files again is enough to bring on massive migraines. As far as I know, everything is backed up onto an external drive. But I guess the only way any of it can be used is to put it into another computer and then of course, a lot of the files will still be scrambled. I can't stand anymore of this techie crap. I thought a back up was a back up of your actual files. Now I guess I don't know any more.

You want to hear another sad story? Two or three years ago, when I was backing my other computer up onto an external drive, the stupid external drive crashed with all my stuff on it. So I ask you, at what point is your stuff safe?

I told the Geek Squad about the trouble I have with Vista not getting along with Hewlett Packard and Micro Trend PC cillin, and all the money I have spent trying to keep the peace between these three nasty little kids. The technician told me that Windows 7 will be out next month, and that if I chose to end up with a brand new PC, I might want to wait till then, and get one with the new Windows 7. He said it is supposed to be much better than Vista.

Either way, my computer does have to be sent back to the manufacturer to be fixed. I will now have to decide whether or not I want to keep it, or just bite the big one and get a new one after next month. What I really want to do is have a good cry for myself. On the other hand, that isn't going to solve anything either.

So, now that I have driven Wayne, the Geek Squad guy, and everybody around me crazy, I am going to make myself a cup of coffee, and do some laundry. I will think positive thoughts (I will try, anyway), and hopefully the computer gods will be kind and smile on me and my computer. I can't make this a Sam Adams day because I have to go to work tonight. Some days, I am so damn lucky!!! (actually, I am lucky because I HAVE a job and a lot of folks don't.)

It's time to start counting my blessings, and go from there. Once I make my coffee, I will start cooking the haddock fillets for supper. I may or may not be on tomorrow. As long as my mood stays up, I will use my laptop to post. Meanwhile, I wish y'all a great day.

Hugs, Edna B.

ps. Thank goodness for email and great kids!! I had emailed two of my photos to Audrey last night, and just now, she emailed them back to me on my laptop so that I could share them here on the post. Bless you Audrey, and thank you.

These photos were taken yesterday in the back yard at work. I saw a very interesting little butterfly flitting around the butterfly bushes so I took my camera outside and tried to get some neat photos. These are two of my favorites. Look at the interesting colors and patterns on this one tiny little creature. Enjoy, hugs, Edna B.

What Is Hiddenite And Heliodore?

September 18, 2009

Good morning, and it actually is here. The sun is shining and the temperature is not too cool, which means that when it warms up later this morning it will be just lovely. This morning I am broadcasting live from work. (Just a little bit of humor there!!) There are a hundred things I would rather be doing today than work, but the bills keep showing up in my mailbox. Ah well, what can I say?

For my friend Mary Ann and everyone else, I should apologize. When I get started on something that I really like, I just assume that everybody else knows all about it too. My bad! This morning I will try to explain a few of the gemstones that I have been mentioning. In the coming days, I will do the same for the other gemstones that I will be talking about or using for my QP's.

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Heliodore is a beryl, and refers to the greenish-yellow shades. The pure yellow and golden yellow shades are referred to as Golden Beryl. Other beryls include Morganite, Aquamarine and Emerald.

Hiddenite is a pale-to-emerald green variety of spodumene. Spodumene occurs in lithium rich granites and pegmatites. Transparent material are gemstones, and colors range from white, colorless, gray, pink, violet, lilac, yellow and green.

Kunzite is a pink to lilac colored variety of spodumene, with the color coming from minor to trace amounts of manganese.

Quite a few years ago, a friend took me to a Gem & Mineral trade show, and I've been hooked on gemstones ever since. After that, I took up making jewelry for a few years. This way, I could have nice big stones in my jewelry instead of the little winky dinky ones that I could afford at a jewelry store. When it comes to gemmy jewelry, bigger is definitely better!

That's it for today's lessons. (Gosh, when I was a little girl, I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up.) Well, it's time now for me to make breakfast for the Mrs. I will be back shortly to post some pictures of the above mentioned gemstones. Pictures make it much easier to understand the words, I think.

Hmm, hmm, hmm. (That's me humming while I was making the breakfast.) I will post your pictures now and get back to work. Y'all have a fantastic day now.

Hugs, Edna B.

Tis A Gray Day This Morning

September 17, 2009

Tis a gray day outside today, and feeling a wee bit damp. The oil burner man was coming this morning at 8 am, so Miss Tootsie and I had to get up earlier than we had planned to let him in. It's feeling very cool in the house now so I guess the cold weather can't be too far off. That's the only bad part about winter - the cold temperatures and the miserable weather conditions at times.

Last night I worked a bit on the Gemstone QP's. Actually, I worked on just one of them - the Garnet QP. This one took me over two hours. Maybe I'm just too picky for my own good. The frame took me most of the time. I like to use different types of frames, but sometimes it takes quite a while to make the frame usable.

Today I will look around for some Hiddenite information and pictures. If that doesn't work out so well, maybe I will look for something on Heliodor. These are both very pretty gemstones. I'm not too sure about what to use the finished QP's for - maybe as birthday pages? It doesn't matter, I'm enjoying doing them and that's what counts. Later on, you will be able to have them as freebies.

Have you visited my friend Kyra's blog lately? The poor dear is having a run of Murphy's Law. Seems nothing wants to go right for her. First, MSN gave her all sorts of problems by insisting that she update to a newer version, and then it still would not work. Makes me not want to update my MSN. Then, sadly, her eye glasses broke, and she won't have new ones for a few days. Not being able to see clearly makes life very difficult to say the least. Kyra, I hope things start looking up for you real soon.

This afternoon I have a much needed appointment at the nail salon. I have really neglected my nails and they look it. Whenever I think I might take some time to go and have my nails done, life just seems to have different ideas for me. Then I get side-tracked and end up with bandaids on my chipped fingernails. Wouldn't it be nice if this were all we had to worry about?

On a more serious note, I have already started my Holiday shopping. So far, I have gifts put away for four people. Pretty good, huh? Next, I really must get started on my calendar for next year. I need to go through all my photos from this year to see which ones will be good enough to use. Once the months are done, there is still the printing and packaging.

Well, I'm off now to get dressed and started on whatever today will bring my way. I will leave you with a little mini kit that I made, using the colors from a book cover. It is called "Thinking Of You." Hope you like it. Y'all have a great day now.

Hugs, Edna B.

"Thinking Of You"

And here are your download links for "Thinking Of You."

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I Do Love These Gemstones

September 16, 2009

Good morning! Tootsie and I have already been to the hospital and back. The new chemo treatment is in capsule form, and there was no way I was going to be able to get Miss Tootsie to swallow it. So we let the technician at the hospital do it for us. It only took her five minutes - she thought she would just pop it into a pill pocket and Tootsie would happily chew it all up. Wrong!!!

It took several tries and no pill pocket to actually get the capsule swallowed. My little doggie is no fool. Pill pockets just don't do it. Next time, maybe we will just wrap the capsule in roast beef. I should have thought of that this morning. Duh!!

Let me tell you about my new vitamins from "Vitafusion." They are gummy vitamins for adults, and I get them at Cosco. I got one bottle of each: Multi Vites, Power C, Calcium, Vitamin D and Energy B12. I have problems swallowing pills, so these are perfect for me. And yummy too!! If you want to read up about them, go to: http://www.nwnaturalproducts.com/.

Last night I finished the QP for "Fire Opal." This is a really gorgeous stone. I bought some loose stones a few years ago, and made myself a beautiful ring. It was marquis shaped and I set it in 14k gold. For colors, the Fire Opal runs from a deep red to a bright yellow to a fiery orange. My kind of colors. Want a peek?

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I am really enjoying making this set of QP's. Not because they are easier, because sometimes I spend hours on just one QP. I play with different elements, styles, brushes, etc, until I find what makes me happy. I think I like them better than kits because they are already finished. Just insert your photos, add some words and maybe a couple of doodads, and you're done.

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Next one I am working on is for "Garnets." Now Garnets come in many beautiful colors, so I have to decide which ones to feature on the QP. Did you know that they not only come in a deep beautiful red, they come in pink, rose, yellow, orange, green, and even a color change stone?

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If you love gemstones, you should try to attend a Gem & Mineral tradeshow. They usually have several days when they are open to the general public. Once inside, you just walk up and down aisles that have all sorts of beautiful gems and jewelry on display and for sale. For a gem lover, it's like being a child let loose in a candy store. No matter how many times I went to a gem and mineral tradeshow, I was always in awe of the beauty of the gemstones.

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Now that I have you drooling, it's time for me to get busy and do a little bit of house work stuff. Ugh!!! After that, I can play some more. Y'all have a fantastic day now.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Working On The New Gemstone Project

September 15, 2009

I have been sitting here at my computer for several hours now, working on my Gemstone and Mineral QP set for the new forum project. All the while, I am thinking that I have finished all my chores and posted on my blog, and guess what? I'm dreaming! Not only did I not post here yet, but I have dishes to wash, and a bed to make. Well, seeing as how no one is breaking down my door to get to my dirty dishes and my messy bed, I guess they can just wait a little bit longer.

The new QP set is coming out quite nice. We are doing them in sets of 5 letters each month. This month I chose Amethyst, Blue Sapphire, Citrine, Diaspore and Emerald. I think maybe next month I may do Fire Opal, Garnet, Hiddenite, Iolite and Jade. Here's a peek at this month's set.

Remember my brainstorm from yesterday about scanning torn paper and using that for a template? Well last night I did just that. I don't have it up to perfection yet, but it is definitely usable. Here's a peek at that too.

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Enough already for the peeks. It's time for me to do some house stuff here, and then it will be time for supper. Gosh!! Now where did this day go?? I'm in the mood to play on my PC. Oh well, first the other work, then playtime again.

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I have to have a look at Tootsie's new chemo medicine too. It came this afternoon, and I need to see if it is something I can give to her or if we have to make a trip to the hospital and let the doctor do it. That's all for now. Y'all have a marvelous evening.

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Hugs, Edna B.

Losing Sleep Over Torn Paper

September 14, 2009

It's only 4:55 am here, but I can't get any winks tonight, so I thought I would come chat for a bit. It's quite warm for night time, around 60 degrees (Fahrenheit). I did get to finish reading the book I had started a couple of days ago.

Plus I spent a couple of hours earlier trying to make a piece of torn paper on my laptop. It's probably not the most beautiful piece of torn paper, but it's all mine!!!! At the rate I'm going, I'll be 90 before I learn how to make all the different kinds of scrapbooking elements from scratch.

I had high hopes of learning a new program too. I installed it in my laptop, put in a whole batch of tutorials, then proceeded to start to read them. Is it me or is it Murphy's Law at work again? In order to open the tutorials, I have to install another program which, of course, requires registration numbers from the disk. What disk? I have been using this other program for a few years now, and all of a sudden it is not installed in my laptop anymore.

This is about the time that I switched over to my Photoshop tutorials, and decided to learn how to make the torn paper. Very exciting, I must say! It doesn't even look like it's torn, instead it looks like paper with a jagged edge.

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See what I mean? Do you suppose it will get better if I keep doing it over and over? This is not the first time I tried to learn how to do this. The last time turned out to be quite a fiasco. I finally went out and bought me a torn paper template. Unfortunately, even that didn't look all that great when I tried it. Maybe tomorrow things will turn out better.

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Alert! Alert!! I just had a brainstorm. Maybe I can take a piece of paper, tear it up the middle, and scan it into my computer. Then I can use that for a template for torn paper. Why didn't I think of that earlier? Duh!!

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Yesterday morning, on my way home, I went by the lake to take some photos while the mist was still rising. It's quite pretty there so early in the morning. So peaceful and still. I thought I would share this one with you. Looking out over the lake is such a lovely way to start a day.

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Well, that's it for today. I'm going to relax now and do a jigsaw puzzle. That should keep me busy till it's time to go home. Y'all have a fantastic day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

No Retiring For The Weary

September 13, 2009

Well, we made it through one night. One more night and we're off till Friday. It's a shame we have to work. I really do enjoy staying at home. After working all my life, it's seems so nice to have leisurely days and nights. Well, they really aren't too leisurely. Something is always happening to liven up our days and nights. Bottom line though, it's nice to be home.

I really must share some delightful news from this weekend's newspaper. The article was about the huge number of people still working in their 70's, 80's and 90's. They wrote about this one particular lady who has finally quit working at the age of 92. She started out as a secretary 67 years ago, and just kept on working. Another lady is 85 and works at a senior center. She has no plans to quit working in the near future.

But the one that really makes me smile the most is the 101 year old woman who still works at her job at a newspaper. She works half days, and is said to be America's oldest worker. God bless these lovely ladies. I take my hat off to them.

I'd like to share something that a friend sent to me a few days ago. It is the second such article I have received lately about animals helping each other. It always amazes me how children and animals just hop right in and help each other without ever thinking of how it may affect them. They see a friend in need, and they just do what they can to help.

This one is about Cashew, a 14 year old Lab who is blind and deaf, and her friend Libby, a 7 year old cat. Libby stays right next to Cashew and acts as her eyes and ears. Now tell me honestly, how many people do you know that will do this, and for no other reason than just because they were needed?

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Moving right along, I think it's time for another freebie. Today, I have for you a mini kit that I made for a color challenge. This one is called "Travel Along." I hope you can use it. That's it for today. I want to play a bit with Tootsie before I have my nap. Y'all have a wonderful day.

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Hugs, Edna B.

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"Travel Along"

And here are your download links for "Travel Along"

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Get Well, My Friend

September 12, 2009

The rains came tumbling down here all through the late night and early morning. I did not hear them though, I was busy trying to fall asleep. I had a couple of naps earlier, and they were just enough to make it difficult to fall asleep. So Miss Tootsie and I slept late this morning.

I want to send get well wishes to my good friend Santa. He has had a bit of surgery this past week, and is still a bit uncomfortable. You heard me right, Santa!! He's been my good friend for many years. Every year on Christmas eve, he would show up at our house with an enormous bag of goodies for everyone. Except, of course, on Fridays, he went to Temple that night. But in that case, he would send one of his helpers in his place.

Strange, but I was just thinking how funny - my friend rides around the world in a magic sleigh with eight magickal reindeer, and my little dog and I fly around the world on a magic broom. If you're quick, you can catch a glimpse of my friend on Christmas Eve, and if you're really quick, you might even catch a glimpse of Tootsie and me in the moonlight on Halloween night.

I do believe I may need another cup of coffee right about now. Moo just brought us out some pancakes. Mmmmmmmmmm. Oops, spoke a bit too soon. Miss Tootsie has turned her nose up at the pancakes. Hmpf!! I guess she was expecting roast beef. Not today, Sweetie.

Yesterday, I put in my order for my next Blog Book. This year will be too big for a hard bound cover - there is a limit of 300 pages for a hard bound cover. So, I decided to split the year into two volumes, January through June and July through December. I am so happy with my first book, that I will continue to do this as long as I can blog. If anyone is interested in doing this, here is the e-address: http://blogger.sharedbook.com/.

I am really enjoying being home all week, but tonight it is back to work for Bonzo here. All good things must come to an end I guess. I need to get things in order here - you know, lay out my clothes, wash the dishes, put out the trash, that sort of stuff.

Before I go, let me share a photo layout of my son's new dog. Her name is Bella, and she is an American Bulldog. Doesn't she look happy with her new Daddy? Awwwwwwww. Have you figured out yet that I am just a tad bit on the nutty side? I am also a big old softee when it comes to animals. Y'all have a really grand day now.

Hugs, Edna B.

A New Sofa To Show Off

September 11, 2009

Good morning. It's a bit gray outside right now. I guess the weather hasn't decided yet what sort of day we will be having. But that's okay. We can shop in the rain too. Yesterday the new sofa arrived, and it is just lovely. Naturally, I took some photos to share with you.

Seems like Tootsie likes it too. We got all comfy on it last night, grabbed a snack, and watched our favorite TV program "Project Runway." For a while, when I was a young girl, I had wanted to be a fashion designer. So this program is rather special for me. I am always fascinated at the beautiful fashions the designers can produce in such a short time.

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Tootsie's neurosurgeon called us with test results. There seems to be quite a bit more disease activity going on in her brain, and they want to start another, more aggressive chemo treatment to go along with the treatments she already has regularly. These will start this coming week. So we will see what happens then, and hopefully the new activity will stop. The doctor is hoping that this will restore her sight, but I am not counting on that.

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Today, maybe Moo and I can go shopping for some building supplies to re-do one of the rooms and a hallway in the main part of the house. There is always work to do in an old house. Next week, the heating man will come and clean out the burner, and maybe we can find us a new contractor to finish up some of the other house projects.

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Well, it's time for me to get busy here and start this day. Y'all have a fantastic day now.

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Hugs, Edna B.

It's A Good Day - Tootsie's Home

September 10, 2009
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I want to thank everyone for their kind wishes and prayers. What is it about us humans, that we become so teary and helpless over our pets? I guess it just means that we love a lot, and that is a good thing.

Well, today is so much brighter!! My Tootsie came home around 2:30 yesterday afternoon, and oh dear, what a sad but beautiful sight!! She was groggy, and quite scared, and could not stand or sit. However, by mid morning - around 3:30 am - she was able to stand and go potty. My my, what a flood! Sometime today we hope to have the results of yesterday's tests. My toes and fingers are crossed as best as I can, so please oh please, let them be a bit hopeful.

Right now, Miss Tootsie and I are waiting for our new sofa to be delivered. They called me yesterday to say when they were coming, but there was so much background noise, I could not hear all of the message. But we have waited this long, so a few more hours is okay.

I think later today I will try to get started on the new gems and minerals project. Snow Raven and Kyra have already got their first five pages posted, and goodness!!! they really are beautiful. I will probably stick to making QP's for my part of the project. So, once the new sofa is settled in place, methinks I will buckle down and get serious with this.

A couple of days ago, I was looking over a friend's web site, and came across a lovely poem that she had written. I thought it would be lovely to scrap it with one of my September photos, so I asked for, and got, permission to scrap it and share it with you. Her poem is called "Leaves," and I think you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Well, that's it for today. Time to make the donuts!! Y'all have a fantastic day now.

Hugs, Edna B.

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Here are the words to her poem in case you cannot read the words to clearly.

More Tests For Miss Tootsie

September 9, 2009

This morning, my heart is heavy. In just a little while, Miss Tootsie and I will be leaving to go to the hospital where she will have an MRI and a spinal tap. That little trusting face has been looking at me for over an hour now asking "Where is my morning treat?" I can't explain to her why she cannot have one this morning. To make her so unhappy makes my heart hurt.

I am a mess! You know, with my children, I was fine all the way through any crisis. Breakdown time came only after they were okay. But at least they could yell, cry, etc. All my little girl does is look at me with questioning sad eyes. She does not understand. I don't think we can do this many more times, if any.

We will have to see the results of today's tests, and then decide what we will do in the future. Maybe I am being selfish or foolish, but she is just too little to have to be carrying all she has to carry. I think I had better shut up now. It's getting teary in here, and we are not even in the car yet.

That's about it for this morning. I want the next few minutes to cuddle with my little girl. I will share a photo I took of her riding in the car before we had her car seat. Y'all have a good day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Gorgeous September Morning

September 8, 2009

Well, Good Morning, and I hope you slept as well as I did last night. Methinks I'm getting a bit too old for these long shifts. I was not having a good day yesterday at all. The Mrs. was on the warpath, and I just happened to be the only person available to take it out on. That of course, gave me a headache, but I could not find anyone who would come in and relieve me. So yes, I was a little bit cranky when I got home later in the afternoon.

Today, it is quite lovely outside. It is sunny and warm. Not sticky hot, just right. Miss Tootsie and I will go out in a little while and enjoy some of it. I think I have to start looking around for another building contractor so I can get the rest of my windows finished. We also need to put a solar unit and maybe another window in the shed. The last contractor just sort of disappeared into thin air.

It's also time to call and make an appointment to have the furnace cleaned out, and all the radiators checked. We don't ever turn on the heat in the Fall unless the whole heating system has been checked out. It's also time to dig out clothes for the cooler weather. Can't hurt to be prepared.

I also want to start on my second Blog Book. This year will be divided into two parts, six months each. And who knows? Maybe I will even get a burst of energy and try to put together a book of just nature photos. Now this would be a very interesting project. Hmmmmm!!

Well, now it's tme to stop my gib gab, and get started on this lovely new day. First, I will post you a new freebie. This one is the matching QP to the layout that I posted on Sunday. Enjoy, and Y'all have a superpurbulous day! (Yeah, I made that one up!)

Hugs, Edna B.

"Double Frame-Purple Bow QP"

And here is your download link for "Double Frame/Purple Bow QP"

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