Christmas Party for Green Valley Amateur Radio Operators

My hubby's amateur radio club had their Christmas party last week...complete with White Elephant gift exchange.  Can you guess what we brought?  Yup, something (aprons) personalized with a radio theme - even for the ladies.   Woohoo!

Be in the Pink - Be Well

Happy Monday, Everyone!  Nearly a year ago I joined the pre-diabetic program at the Extension Office.  While I'm not pre-diabetic, I qualified just because I am old!  My personal goal was to keep my blood pressure down (something you have worry about when you get old) and get back into my fat clothes.  Yes, that sounds funny - but I was even outgrowing my fat clothes!!!!  The goal of the class was to exercise more....which was great before the pandemic because i had my gym and most importantly - my water aerobics.  So while I hit my first weight goal of losing 12 lbs. - which happened quickly!  Then my next weight goal was another 12 lbs.  Not so easy!!!!!!  First, I think it was our third class when it hit me that the more successful I was....the harder I had to work at it!  That just ain't happening!  I didn't retire to spend my days exercising and counting calories.  I've been pretty devoted to counting the calories - but haven't exercised in weeks (shhhh!  Don't tell my leader - i keep lying to her to get her off my back!)  Now I think God was just having fun with me....making me sweat 'til the end of the programs comes near....and I hit my second target and hit 26 lbs. lost.  As the program comes to the end, I made a little something for our leader's office.

Welcome to our new Nephew

This week we welcomed a new nephew - I had some fun making him some quarantine shirts.

So there ya go.  It's been a while since I've made any shirts.  These were fun - quick and easy.

Anything Goes - Eclips Challenge

Friends from Traverse City spent last week with us. One night Becky gave my hubby a break and prepared dinner. So I made this towel for her. The towel already had the cactus image - I just added the wording. Pretty simple - I was able to make after she went to sleep one night...fortunate I had the right colors in my stash. :D

Let's Sail with the New Ferry Captain

These days one of Neebish's Ferry Captains has more on his mind than transporting Islanders - he's about to be a new dad! Woo Hoo! Here's a onesie for the new baby my sister asked me to make.

My machine sure didn't like the Ferry Captain - so small and detailed.  I didn't need all that red foil I wasted any ways, right?  LOL!

Friends - Soldiers - Superheroes

Welcome Home to our neighbor who has been deployed for the past year. We are looking forward to seeing him again. Here I am making a welcome sign late the night before. Full Disclosure: The top portion of my sign was purchased - I added my personal touch with the hanging "addendum."

Pencil Box Thank You

I personalized some pencil boxes for the dear and fabulously patient nursing staff who took care of my hubby in the hospital last week. Six Ghirardelli chocolate squares fit perfectly, with a little room for a thank you note. After the candy is gone, the pencil box will make a great little storage box for a desk or drawer, as well as be a reminder that patients appreciate their hard work and sense of humor.

And the Best Christmas Gift is....

Okay, I was anxious for my hubby to open the one gift I made him...I didn't think Christmas would ever arrive!

And the winning gift is . . .

But - bummer - it was worth every little cent I paid - it leaks. LOL! But looks like Gene is determined to end that leak!

Just a Quick Project

OMGosh!  I have been looking for a purse/backpack for a long time!  I finally broke down and bought one...wasn't sure, more than I wanted to pay - but the thought of always being in pain on my vacation from a purse or bag on one shoulder brought out a bit of desperation.  So, of course, I wanted to doll it up.  Monogram?  I don't know - it's a bit rustic.  I needed something more fun!  I love my quail - but nice quail SVGs are hard to find - and not much available in clip art either. But my google search included a mailbox topper - the fact that the picture was poor quality for a topper was a vinyl cutting dream.  The poor quality was more like a silhouette - perfect!

Here is my backpack.  For those of you who know me, I think you would agree that this couldn't have been a better image for me - I love quail!  Now that I have this svg available - could be that nothing in my house is safe!

Now I only hope I don't run into any "No Backpack" rules as we vacation.

Chicken Sign

Here's a sign I designed for brother-in-law and sister-in-law.  This is the first "rustic" sign I've made - and still have to work on my patience.  Nothing like finishing before you remember your machine's calibration is off - resulting in the sign not being centered.  But it was sooo fun, and I learned a lot for the next attempt.

Speedy Recovery

Hello, Everyone!  Hope you are having a good day!  Last week, one of my grandsons broke his arm.  I thought he needed some fun shirts to explain the cast.  I only hope he isn't taking after his clumsy Baba!  Yes, I've been know to have a broken bone - or two - or three - or four - okay, five!

I Hope You Dance

Hello, Everyone!  Happy Tuesday!  I've had an awesome time taking dancing lesson with my hubby over the past several months.  I now have to admit there is no hope.  I have this dancing thing out of my system!  We did have so much fun, though.  I made a quick thank-you gift for our instructors that I am sharing with you today.

Nothing is Safe!

Here again I bring you a vinyl "project." Nothing in my house is safe anymore!!!! I have so become my mother with this need to "tag" everything. We don't like our hummingbirds to go hungry, so my hubby always has a bottle of nectar ready to go when he finds the feeder empty. He kept it a recycled pop bottle, and with his lovely handwriting labeled it.  I really got tired of having to look at this bottle - but I do love my hummingbirds.  So a trip to the dollar store solved my problem - and now we have a fun bottle of nectar always ready for our hungry hummingbirds.

Cool Cups - Warm Cups

I am so excited to share today's make with you!  We have friends from Toronto that bring us Tim Horton coffee cups whenever they visit.  This visit they brought cups with a sweater pattern for Christmas - they just scream Brrrrrr!  So for Christmas, I made them a Sahuarita version of a seasonal coffee cup to take back to Tim Horton country.

Another Vinyl Project - Monogrammed Purses

So, this week there is nothing planned for a change, and I hope to catch up on posting Christmas gifts I made and get back to papercrafting and blogging and resting. Here are my first attempts at monogramming purses.  My tester (black purse) did not come out as I expected - though some of my friends like this style.  Personally, I was not impressed.

I do like my second attempt (burgundy) - pleased with how this monogram fro my sister-in-law came out.

Wishing You a Merry Christmas!

Well, today's share was a little tough!  Long story short - my machine just wasn't exactly cooperative for this project.  But I persevered and pretty happy with my Santa Plate and Cup for Lucas and Olivia.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday.

Pot Holders, Vinyl, and Creative Fabrica

There are a lot of fun ideas for personalizing pot holders and oven mitts. Here's my take - a birthday gift for my sister.

You can't tell by the photograph - but I have a lot to learn yet when it comes to vinyl projects!  LOL!  Like remembering to peel off the scrap before using the iron!  Yikes!  

Christmas Countdown

'Tis the Season!  Today I'm sharing a Christmas Countdown dry-erase board I made for my grands.  My project features Creative Fabrica's Christmas Countdown.  I am loving working with vinyl - just gotta get brave and start working with more colors and layering.

For Those Cold Days

Fell in love with a free file from Love SVG - here is what I created.

It's Time to Be Good!

I just love the current fad of a Santa Cam watching our kiddies to make sure they are good...Very unique idea.  Check out my take on the Santa Cam.  I love the accompanying box I made for the Santa Cam ornaments - embellished with paper pine cones and pine needles.