Running With Scissors...

There’s Nothing Like a Good Swim

Nope, there’s nothing like a good swim on a beautiful day.

Churning up the water with your best friend.

Here’s a LuLu-size stick…

And a Wally-sized stick.

LuLu drags one in that’s big enough for both of them.

Poised and ready to go again.

Can’t we stay here forever?

Our little LuLu, at seven months, has just now decided to start swimming, other than the times she accidentally found her feet could no longer touch bottom.  She has loved playing in the water, but swimming was always an “oops” thing for her.  Last Saturday she plunged right in without hesitation.  Wally’s development was way ahead of her, athletic kind of guy that he is.  He lives life large, while LuLu is more laid back and loose and floppy.  Of course, she has her crazy puppy ways at times, and Wally has his incredibly sweet and mellow side.   Constant through all of it is their kind, happy, loving natures.  I want them to have the best lives a pair of Goldens could ever hope for.

Have a beautiful day!

Can We Talk?

It’s high time I wrote this message.

I’m in the process of moving Wally and LuLu to their own blog.

It will be called Goldens and Garden, with the theme being, of course, Wally, LuLu and the garden.  I’ll sprinkle it with cards, but no lengthy commentaries on the cards – perhaps just a few words and the recipe.

I’ve been working at it for a while, isolating the posts I wish to include, then copying and pasting them one at a time.  They date back to early 2007, and I’m just now beginning 2011.

Once the move has been completed, I’ll no longer be posting to this blog.  Essentially I’ll be dropping out of the stamping blog circuit.  This decision has been a long time in the making.

I have to go with my heart, and my heart tells me I need to make myself more available for the things that are most important to me.  You’re looking at two of them in the photo I’ve included.  I’ll still be stamping – more, I imagine, since I won’t be spending as much time on the blog posts – and I will be sharing my favorite cards, most of which will fit the theme of the new blog.

For now, I’ll continue with the Wally and LuLu Saturday posts on this blog, and I’ll let you know when the other blog is ready.  Thank you for putting up with me.  Love you all.

Coming and Going

This first picture has a rather Pied Piper- ish look to it, I think.

This one looks like they’re trudging through a storm.

We’re hoping for a nice day today.  Got a picnic at the lake planned.  I know two furry critters who won’t care what the weather is.  We’re going, anyway.  Hope it’s gorgeous where you are.  Have a great day!

Nuthin’ but a Hound Dog

This is the card I made for my son’s birthday.  It’s not a birthday image, but inside it says “Kick back and relax”, and this guy is about as relaxed as relaxed gets.  Also, aside from the tattered furniture and the dog breed, it looks a little bit like home.  I love the image.  It’s one of my new digitals from Just Inklined called Best Seat in the House.

I’m trying to use up some designer paper scraps before I cut into new, and it’s surprising how many cards you can get from two coordinating 12 x 12 sheets.  They go on forever, which is about how long I’ve had this paper.  In this case the square frame and circle were already cut so I designed the card around those pieces.  The chocolate scalloped circle was sitting in a scrap basket, as was the circle tag, already stamped, pierced, and ready to go.

The coloring was done with Copic markers.  I had originally intended to use this image for my husband’s Father’s Day card, but I’ll come up with something different now.  I think it would also be great for a “get well” card, or even for retirement.

Thanks for your time today.  I’ll see you again soon!

Stamps:  Best Seat in the House (Just Inklined digital), sentiment from Flourishes Sweet Violets  Paper:  Mustard and Wasabi textured, Flourishes Classic White (for printing image), Flourishes Classic Ivory (circle tag), Chocolate Chip, BasicGrey Oh, Baby Boy designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Chocolate Chip, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, brads, circle punch, Spellbinders Standard Circle, Scalloped Circle, Grand Classic Squares, and Flourish Accent dies, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Sometimes I Just Want to Color Something Pretty

Actually, I began coloring this a while back, but put it aside when I thought my pinks were too bright. Finally, I Googled pink Magnolias and found them in shades varying from very soft to rather bright. So, here are my rather bright pink magnolias:

The stamp set I used is Magnolias, from Flourishes. I colored with Copic markers and cut out the flowers so I could avoid using the extra ink required to shade around the image. I really do need to stock up on the Various Inks, but I shudder at the cost. These are the colors I used:

Since I made this card just for fun I left the sentiment off for the time being. It may become a birthday card, get well, thinking of you, possibly even a sympathy card. I hope you enjoy it. Have a lovely day!

Stamps: Magnolias (Flourishes) Paper: Soft Sky, Flourishes Classic Ivory, retired Stampin’ Up! designer paper Ink: Memento London Fog, Copic markers for coloring Accessories: Ribbons, pearls, Spellbinders Classic Ovals Large S4-110, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Fun is Where You Find it

Hello!  Are you ready for the weekend to begin?  We’re supposed to have sun, so I’m looking forward to spending some time sprucing up the garden.  We haven’t had much of a spring yet and any time spent outside is a pretty wet proposition.  Wally and LuLu care not one bit, though.  In fact, if there’s water to be found, they’ll find it.

I was out throwing the ball for the puppies the other day and when it got a little too slobbery and dirty I stepped over to this old wheelbarrow full of rainwater to wash it off.  Well, LuLu couldn’t believe she’d never noticed this water wonderland before and she climbed right up in there and started splashing around like a baby in a bathtub.  Wally then thought it was great fun to retrieve the ball and drop it in the wheelbarrow each time and watch Mom push up her sleeve to fish it out.  I tell you, I can’t do anything with these guys without getting wet.

LuLu is officially back to unrestricted play as of today.  As far as she’s concerned it’s none too soon.  I’m afraid she hasn’t been very good about following doctor’s orders and she goes on a tear every now and then.  Today she has my blessing.  She’s all healed up and looking fine.  I think a good run in the sand dunes is in order.

Till then she’ll have her fun wherever she can find it.  You know how it is… you buy your kids all these expensive toys and what do they do?  Splash around in an old wheelbarrow full of rainwater.

Have a great day!

Boy Fishing

I’m getting ahead of things a little with a Father’s Day card but, frankly, I wanted to color this image and then I didn’t know what else to do with it, considering the sentiments I had available.  If I’d been thinking ahead I might have printed my own sentiment for it… but, then what would it be?  “Better luck next time”? or “Heard you were having some trouble”?

This is another one of those free digital images from Digital Two for Tuesday.  If you like images of children, she has lots of those, including some very sweet little girl images.  It’s very generous of her to share these with everyone and it sounds like great fun how she goes on the hunt for potential images – all vintage, copyright expired.

I watecolored this after printing on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper and heat setting the ink with my heat gun.  It was doable, but not perfect.  My printer does not use waterproof ink, which would be ideal, and I’m not sure if I want to invest in a new printer just so I can watercolor digi images.  It may come to that, but not just yet.

I kept it plain and simple for a guy.  You know how they are – no frilly stuff.  Cute image, though!

I have to run, now.  I’m trying to squeeze a lot into a little time.  Story of our lives, isn’t it?  I’ll be back soon.  Enjoy your day!

Stamps:  Boy Fishing (digital), sentiment from Flourishes’ What a Catch  Paper:  Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow, 90 lb hot press watercolor, October Afternoon Fly a Kite designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Chocolate Chip for sentiment, various Stampin’ Up! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, linen thread, copper nailheads, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Doggie Saturday

Hello, and happy Saturday!

A few days before LuLu’s stitches were due to come out she developed a bulge near her incision site.  I took her to the vet who aspirated some bloody fluid, stating it was nothing to be alarmed about, her incision looked good, and she wasn’t concerned at all.  The bandage is meant to apply pressure and lessen the drainage accumulating in her abdominal cavity.  It gives her quite the hourglass figure, doesn’t it?  Maybe I should try one of those.

Her stitches are coming out today, though I’m not convinced her incision looks quite healed enough.  I’ve already removed the bandage and LuLu still has a bulge.  I’m trying not to worry.  There was no infection in the fluid, so that’s a good thing, and LuLu is 100% happy and perky.

Hopefully, she’ll be released to full rough and tumble puppy play soon.  Pictured below are Wally and LuLu with Tori, the girl next door – prior to surgery.  They sure know how to have a good time!

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for good news from the vet.  I hope you’ll have a beautiful Easter weekend!

One More Easter Card

I couldn’t let the occasion pass without using this beautiful set from Flourishes called He is Risen.

I’ve gone a little muted in the colors, and not a lot of embellishment.  I almost left the ribbon off, but added it at the last minute.  My sewing machine has been giving me fits lately, and the decorative stitching down the side looks more like a tangled fishing net than anything decorative.  I’ll have to take some time to figure out what’s wrong.  It may be something as simple as a dull needle, but the thread seems to be catching somewhere.  Darn.

I watercolored the image on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper, then cut it out and mounted on Scotch brand foam mounting tape.  The design is so simple there’s not much more to say about it, and I seem to be plum out of words at any rate.

Thanks so much for dropping in for a visit.  I’ll see you again soon!

Stamps:  He is Risen (Flourishes)  Paper:  Beige textured cardstock, 90 lb hot press watercolor, My Mind’s Eye Rosy designer paper  Ink:  Palette Umber, various SU! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, gold cord, Spellbinders Standard Circles Small, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Bunny Basket

It’s almost Easter and I’ve been seeing Easter cards everywhere.  I guess I haven’t been very good about getting Easter cards done.  Someday I’ll be better about the seasonal cards…  I have no shortage of Easter stamps, but when I saw this beautiful digital image at Squigglefly I just had to pop it into my virtual basket.  You can find this particular image as well as similarly illustrated images here.

I colored this with Copic markers.  Even though I tried to limit the colors, there were too many to mention or photograph.  This is one of those easy to color images which shows you exactly where to add your shading.  I just love how soft and realistic it is.

I added a floral flourish in the corner with an old Hero Arts greeting.  The stamp reads “Easter Greetings”, but I isolated the one word by coloring it with a plum marker.  I think the rest  of the details are apparent in the photograph.  Everything is listed in the recipe.

I won’t keep you long today.  Just know I wish you all things wonderful, and a very happy day!

Stamps:  Bunny Basket (Squigglefly digital)  Paper:  Pale plum and pale yellow textured cardstock, Flourishes Classic White, Prima Fairy Flora designer paper  Ink:  Printer, plum marker, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Prima flower, decorative brad, pearls, Spellbinders dies as follows -- Floral Flourishes, Nested Lacey Pennants, Grand Scalloped Squares, Grand Squares