July Swap Cards

Well it's been a hot minute since I last posted and its been crazy hot this summer. Not terribly conducive to sitting still (at least for me). Pathetically our guest participant had her card done and exchanged 26 days prior to mine. Whoops!

Anyway, it's always such a fun surprise to see what we are getting each month. I chose a Penny Black stamp that I was going to put in a garage sale because I had never used it. I only worked on it here and there a few minutes a day and it came together not too badly. I never do CAS cards so this was a good change of pace...

Keri used a new set from Stampin Up. Who doesn't love goats?

Nice to have a card that's a little more masculine. Isn't' it clever how she knotted the twine instead of tying a bow?

Nicole used a set from Simon Says Card kits from way back when. I think I gave away this bikini die and stamp set and know I'm regretting it..

I've got a few more blog posts ideas so maybe I'll step up my game. Stay tuned.

Pandemic by the numbers

Wow! I've been MIA for awhile now. Life seems to have amped up again. Not going into stores very much, still only getting groceries once a week and planning for the shortest possible outings if I need to pick anything up. Meeting up with family and friends in the out of doors as much as possible.

At the beginning of the lockdown, I panicked that there might be a shortage of tape runner for my card and Planner making. So I did a curbside pick-up at my LSS of 5 packages of 3 refill tapes. If you're not familiar with tape runners, that's a lot of tape.

So I kept track of how many I used and from mid-March until mid-June, I used 9 refills after using up the 2 partials that I had started. That's a LOT of Tape Runner.

 From mid-March up until the end of May, I made 174 cards and during that time I sent 11. Sadly my production has slowed to a trickle, in fact, I don't have the July Swap card ready and it's practically half way through the month! Oh well, need to enjoy this weather when we have it even if there aren't many places to go.

Next up The 2020 Zucchini stats... the season has just begun!

Peanut Brittle Cookies

I've been avoiding the blog so I don't have to update my May goals and really I have no goals for June. How bad is that? Seem to be busy with all the yard work, trimming, putting in the garden, aftermath of big tree removal (mulch spreading etc). But not too busy to make these cookies. I've made them before but never posted the recipe. I made a few changes also so I wanted to try it one more time. And AM I glad I did. Such a delicious combination.

 

Peanut Brittle Cookies
1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda and salt
1/2 cup Skor bits
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup peanuts ( I used salted and left them whole but you could roughly chop)

Mix first 4 ingredients. Add dry ingredients and then mix in add ins.
Back at 350F for 10 min. You could melt and drizzle peanut butter chips over the baked cookies for extra decadence.

May Card Swap

It's been a hot minute since I posted. Lots of yardwork happening over here.
I added a card to my Covid Collection using this Lawn Fawn Set...

I loved the sentiment for this season of chaos and uncertainty...

Keri used a Stampin Up set and alcohol markers to create this stunning sunflower card...

And she always adds an extra touch to the inside..

Nicole used a Jennifer McGuire technique to create this beauty. Love the gold embossing...

The little dots in the background is just Copic marker. It matches so perfectly.
And there you have it. Another month in the books.

My Garden Favourites

I realized while I was re-reading my Garden Pet Peeves that I only had 4 not 5 so Keri reminded me of another...

5. Leaving the hanger on an urn arrangement.

Now on to the positives ( and there are so many )

1.  Walking in the spring and smelling all the delightful shrubs especially the lilacs...

2. Neatly edged sidewalks ( I need this tool )

3.  Seeds sprouting up, I put a few things in the only sunny corner of my yard: radish, spinach and lettuce...

4. Crimson King Maples, the photo doesn't do them justice...

5. Colourful flowers of any kind...

6. Boulevard trees - the existing trees were removed due to Ash Borer THREE years ago. Many calls to the City later, they have finally been replaced with a variety of new trees. I was out of the Country when they went in so I never saw them with leaves. It's been exiting watching the very slow unfurling of leaves this Spring...

7. And my personal Favourite - A Snowball bush, every house should have at least one. Unfortunately Maya likes to dig and then lay down in the corner where mine is located so once I get my maple cut down and the backyard opened up to more SUN, I will plant one (or more)....

I really appreciate the signs of Spring now more then ever on my many very slow strolls around the neighbourhood with Maya.

MFT Sketch Challenge: I'm Itching to see you!

I really liked the Sketch this week on the MFT blog so I sat down this morning to come up with a new Pet Sympathy card.
This is the sketch...

Well I made my card and went to enter it and the linkup is closed! What, it's only Tuesday, I think? and the challenge comes out on Wednesdays. Note to self: Apparently, it closes early. So I decided to change the sentiment to create something for my "Covid Collection" and I pulled out the heat embosser and that's what I came up with. Better luck next time.

Gardening Pet Peeves

You know you're reaching low for Blog content when this is your title...

1. Old shrubs, they have a lifespan people!

Fun fact: I put two of these at the curb and someone actually TOOK them.

2. Watering directions and other plant info on tag left on the plant or basket...

The information is there to guide you to MAKE the purchase!

3.  Stumps!

Especially when people try to beautify them...

Finish the job!

5. And lastly, the little product code sticker left on hanging baskets...

There you have it. My top 5!