Here is the photo mask for this week. I made two masks, one with the word “Bloom” and one without. Personal use only – Enjoy!
Triton Day!
April 8, 2013 1 Comment
Yay!!! DD finally chose her school. We spent a day this weekend at UCSD. The morning started early with Breakfast with the Dean, followed by several seminars, and a tour around campus. She loves it, and we are very happy for her. The campus is vast and hilly – I was exhausted by the end of the day. I don’t think she will have a problem with the Freshman 15 :). This is her home for the next four years (hopefully… we can’t afford a super-senior on our hands). Of course I forgot my camera, so I had to make due with my iphone:
I don’t get the house on top of the building… I guess engineers do these things, just because they can?
April 2013 Garden
April 4, 2013 1 Comment
Everything is in bloom! We are surrounded by the wonderful fragrance of orange blossoms. The bees are buzzing, and dear younger son home for spring break is on claritin. The weather is just perfect – sunny and fresh!
Oh, wonderful orange blossoms!
I forgot the name of this tree, but the flowers are just beautiful:
Front garden, so sunny and nice!
Forgot the name of this plant too – pretty!
Ditto…
Ditto again…
Road Trip!
April 3, 2013 Leave a Comment
We finally managed to visit dear older son this last weekend. The drive to Arizona was uneventful – DH drove all the way, very relaxed, and nice. Here are some photos of the terrain – and I thought we lived in the desert:
Here I am! with my two adorable boys – so happy to be together 🙂
And I had to add this photo: 20 years ago – so happy to be together then too…
Ok, back to the trip… Gravel seems to be a big landscape feature around here:
Finally, some color… Downtown Tucson. We had a wonderful brunch at a French cafe. Oh, and I had to take this photo of the street – I found it very interesting that we were required to park backwards. I think it was for the safety of the bikers or something. I’m thinking around where we live, you can get a ticket for parking backwards?
Here is DD, at a stop on the way back – she is giving me the “look” for trying to take her photo:
We stopped at Quartzite on the way home to refuel. Since we were making good time, we decided to check out this bookstore… Word of warning, the proprietor works in the buff! I was a bit thrown off, but pretended like it was all normal :). Funny thing, he is in the buff, but all the books are wrapped in plastic so you can’t peruse them – must be to protect them from the desert dust. 
And here is a funny road sign – I had to borrow this photo from the web. DH seemed to think he was back on a German Autobahn or something. Before I could get my camera ready, we had already passed the sign:
Photo Mask #6 Freebie
April 2, 2013 2 Comments
Here is a photo mask freebie for this week. It’s a simple mask, but that’s what I like about it. I can add embellishments of my choice to complement any project I’m working on. Personal use only. Enjoy!
Blythe Physical Challenge #77 – Happy Joke Day!
April 1, 2013 4 Comments
This challenge was a bit, yes, challenging. So, what to do when you can’t think of a good harmless April Fools joke? Google it! And this is what I came up with for this Blythe Physical Challenge:
Blue spent a good part of the morning sitting off the side of the road with her “Free Cookies!” stand… Alas, no takers. Maybe when dear younger son wakes up from his spring break stupor… 🙂
Happy Easter!
March 31, 2013 2 Comments
Have a wonderful Easter Everyone!
I love this little peep pushing an egg barrel full of grass and flowers. DH brought it home to me a few years back when he went on a business trip to Europe. Funny how global our markets are – I have the exact same yellow flowers in my craft supplies. I got mine at the dollar bin at Target :).
Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal!
March 30, 2013 38 Comments
I am participating again in Lori Anderson’s Bead Soup Blog Party. My partner is Judy Riggs of Rigglettes. She sent me the most wonderful “soup” a few weeks ago. The soup sat on my work table for a while, during which time, I thought of the many things I could make. And finally, I decided to make what I would like to wear. And here are the things I came up with:
First off, I love the lampwork beads she sent me. And I wanted the unique glass focal to be seen, so I made a lariat style necklace which clasps in the front. I clustered all the beads together to make one big drop:
I like to wear earrings, and I like them simple, so I hung the lampwork beads from Bali sterling earwires:
As bracelets go, I like them chunky. So, I strung the beads up, and doubled them:
At first, I didn’t know what to do with the nice handmade headpins. Then I thought, make a chain necklace! I think it came out nice:
And finally, the “quirky components” Judy sent, were made into a “groovy” belt for my Blythe girl, Pinkie – wish I had one life size 🙂
To visit all the other participants, click on the link below:
Last Prom Dress Shopping…
March 27, 2013 Leave a Comment
DD and I have had a “tradition” for the last three years. Before any significant dances, Homecoming, Prom, Winter Formal, or a Ball, DD and I have gone shopping with her friend and her mom for dresses. We would drive into Los Angeles, have a nice Dim Sum lunch in China Town, and after we were really full and satisfied, hit the streets of the Garment District. The girls would try on dress after dress, while us moms oooh’d and ahhh’d. Then, they would finally find the perfect dress. After that, we’d grab a Starbucks, before hitting the freeway home. This last shopping expedition was fun, but bittersweet since this will be her last HS dance…
On the plus side, now I can start to explore the rest of downtown. They not only have a garment district, there are flower districts, fabric districts, jewelry districts, and even toy districts. I will just have to find a friend to take along. Oh, DD did not buy that cute little peach dress. She opted for a floor length silver sequined gown – Oh, to be young and slender again…
Photo Mask #5 Freebie
March 26, 2013 3 Comments
I had some positive responses to my photo masks, so I decided that I will try and have one for you every week. Since Easter is coming, I thought I’d make one egg shaped, but I ended up with an oval one with floral spray around it. Personal use only. And if you’d like to be notified of other freebies, you can sign up to follow my blog. Enjoy!
Bunny Swap & Other Stuff
March 25, 2013 Leave a Comment
What a wonderful thing it is to get something in the mail – especially when DD and I had been laid flat by food poisoning! Debby’s Bunny Swap banner arrived at the perfect time – Thank you Debby! I managed to take a couple of photos before dragging myself back to bed:
I have to add that I have the best DH! He was just wonderful, taking care of us, accompanying us to urgent care, managing on his own, all the while going to work and doing his usual things. If I have done anything right in this life of mine, it is that I picked a great partner in life. And there was an added benefit in all of this, an affirmation of my efforts as a mother of sorts… DD said to me that she is going to marry a guy just like her dad. Someone who is kind, caring, funny, intelligent, supportive, and respectful – it made me happy. Then I thought, hmm… the boys never say “I’m going to marry a girl just like you mom”, and I thought to myself, and I hope you never do! Don’t get me wrong, I am not self -deprecating here, I just know myself enough to say that – enough said :).
And, If you would like to visit the talented ladies who made the cute ornaments for the banner, please visit them here:
Debby: Cozy Blanket
Nan: Retired In Alaska
Michelle & Ashley: The Tattered Quilt Cottage
White Bunny: If you should see this post, please let me know who you are.
Digital Scrapbook Kit “Vintage Easter 2013” Freebie
March 22, 2013 8 Comments
Time for another kit! I bought this cute vintage Easter card at a local antique shop some time ago. I extracted the girl and bunny, added CU elements, and here you are. Remember, personal use only please. Enjoy!
lutkaandco.com 