Fall Color Chipboard Necklace

Today I'm here to share with you my version of the GCD Studio's August challenge...wearable art. I was heavily inspired by the new rage in necklace design right now, bib necklaces! They are over the top pretty and come in so many different styles, shapes and sizes.  The best part about this one is it's very light and easy to wear because it's made from chipboard!

I made it so that the length is highly adjustable, depending on the top I'm wearing it with.

Now, here are a few in the process photos.  I started by laying out my chipboard shapes and layering them until they made a pleasing design and fit together nicely.

(I was glad I took this photo to refer back to later once all the pieces had been painted and decorated.)

My color inspiration came from the early fall color palette from my favorite clothing store, The Loft.

After I de-bossed the chipboard with various ChipArt Ornamental stamps, I painted each piece a different color from my chosen palette and then applied Glaze Base, Copper paint and a little Mod Podge.  Once the glaze mixture had set for a few seconds, I wiped the glaze off.

Here is one of the pieces up close.

I did go back and hand paint some of the glaze into the de-bossed image.  Once all the pieces were dry I started assembling the necklace. I used E6000 glue to adhere them to each other in layers.

 When I had all the pieces secured I flipped the necklace over and glued two copper jump rings to the back.

To finish off the look, I applied a layer of Liquid Glass (Close to My Heart) Dimensional adhesive to the front.  This takes a long time to dry, but gives it a epoxy finish I really like.

 I also decided to add a few clusters of copper colored seed beads to the middle of the flowers.

I hope you've been inspired to create wearable art with your scrapbook supplies!!

We've set a date!

A week or so ago Richard signed us up for the Go!St. Louis Marathon, April 10th, 2011.  This will be my first full marathon. I'm excited and praying for a healthy training leading up to the event.  Although after today's sluggish 4 mile run, I'm wondering how I'm going to do it, but I know I can!!

Now, for those of you who's mind thought of wedding bells when I titled this post "We've set a date!" Here's something for you to enjoy!  Maybe we need to renew our vows at the end of the marathon! Huh?!

Check out this issue of CK!

There might be a really familiar looking girl and her friend in this issue!! Wink, Wink!!

I love grilled chicken (and our faithful firedog)

I've always loved grilling, but this summer I have been honing my grilling skills declaring to my family (jokingly) that I'm working on becoming a "Grill Master".  They are definitely doing more than humoring me in my efforts.

When it comes to grilled chicken, I went through a phase where I would do only chicken breasts. They are quick and easy and can be quite juicy with proper marinades.  Once my family got really tired of different versions of Lemon Chicken, (which is one of my favorite ways) Richard asked for a more traditional BBQ chicken.   The problem I have with traditional bbq sauce is that they are too sugary and the sugar just burns if put on too early.  I also find if you wait to the end to put on the sauce, the meat lacks flavor.

Here enters my foray into dry rubs.  The recipe I've latched onto is an variation of a dry rub I make for a crock-pot whole chicken.  The rub is applied or sprinkled on the night before and then dumped into a crock-pot the next day.  In the summer, the idea of the crock-pot cooking all day didn't appeal to me. So when Richard requested this dish for dinner earlier in the summer, (I'm constantly looking for feedback on the age old question, "What do you want for dinner tomorrow night?") I considered if this basic recipe would work for grilled chicken.

I modified the rub recipe ingredients to have more of a BBQ flair and gave it a try.  I had initially thought he and the children would apply BBQ sauce onto the chicken at the table, but it turned out it was so unbelievably tasty and juicy they didn't need it.

Here's a link to the full recipe. Leslie's BBQ Chicken Rub

The longer you can have the rub on the juicier the meat will become, overnight is ideal.  (Scientifically, it's the brining process that really does the trick.)  That being said, I have applied the rub just a couple hours before cooking and it's been very tasty.

As you can see from the photo, I grill corn at the same time too.  I usually rub butter, sprinkle salt and pepper on fresh corn and wrap it in foil. The corn still has the lovely grill marks (If you use a higher heat at first.) and is a hundred times tastier than boiling corn.  I especially like it a little under-done.  I like the corn to have a little crunch to it. :)

And lastly, I can not write a grilling post without bringing up Tucker.  He is a firedog in every since of the word.  If left to his on devices, he would bark at the smoke rising from the grill almost non-stop.  He is trying very hard to not bark because I fuss at him and snap the bbq tongs at him now.  I also make him move away from the pit and sit and that helps.  He was being especially good once we jokingly put on his "Pooch Patrol" bandana.  It was like he knew he was officially "on the job" so he didn't have to bark.  :)

Letting him go

On Friday afternoon, I met Miles at school to bring him lunch before he boarded a bus with his high school swim team. (I brought a pizza from Little Cesar's, tell me I didn't get some bonus points for that!!)  The meets were on Friday night and Saturday which meant he had to spend the night in a hotel 4 hours away from home.  And with Richard traveling for work, the last thing he wanted to do was drive across the state and the last thing I wanted to do was to be away from him.

I know this is just the first in a series of events over the next four years where I just have to "Let him go."  But, wow, it's hard.  I don't know how parents did it before cell phones and texting.  Miles, who is not at all the "great communicator", gave me a pretty good account of every stop and their progress down the highway, as well as, when he swam and how he did. I loved that.

In true mom fashion, I tucked in some more clothes and a jacket in the bag he had packed and loaded him up with Gatorade, water and snacks.  In true Miles fashion, he made fun of how heavy his "snack bag" was and tried to give me a hard time.  But I know he appreciated the snacks I sent.

I've been trying to find high calorie, healthy foods to keep him fueled up.  I mean, do you remember during the Olympics hearing how much food Michael Phelps ate?  Now, I know Miles is no Michael Phelps, but getting Miles to eat large quantities of food is a challenge.  My solution for snacks has been homemade trail mix and homemade Cliff Bars.

I think Cliff Bars are a perfectly acceptable snack/meal as far as being healthy.  They are organic and while very high in calories are a great supplement to an intense work out.  Miles, however, burnt out on them pretty fast.   So, I did what mother's do best in this day and age, I googled recipes for Cliff Bars.  I'm still perfecting my recipe and share it maybe after the next batch.

Letting him go is so much easier when I can send him off with a care package, a little bit of love from Mom.

Remembering...

I received this in an email today and it really hit a cord with me... Honoring those who we lost and remembering God's plan for those that survived.

The ' L I T T L E ' Things~

As you might remember, the head of a company survived 9/11 because
His son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was
His turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her
Alarm clock didn't go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike
Because of an auto accident.

One of them
Missed his bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take
Time to change.

One's
Car wouldn't start.

One couldn't
Get a taxi.

The one that struck me,was the man
Who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,
Took the various means to get to work
But before he got there, he developed
a blister on his foot. 
He stopped at a drugstore a few blocks away to buy a Band-Aid.
That is why he is alive today..


Now when I am

Stuck in traffic, Miss an elevator, 
Turn back to answer a ringing telephone,
Have to stop and repeat what I just said clearly ...

All the little things that annoy me.
I think to myself,
This is exactly where
God wants me to be
doing exactly what God wants me to do

At this very moment..

So, next time your morning seems to be
Going wrong, 
You can't seem to find the car keys,
You hit every traffic light trying to get to work,
Don't get mad or frustrated ;
It May be just that
God is already at work watching over you.

May God continue to bless you
With all those annoying little things
And may you remember their possible purpose.

runnin' and illustratin'

A week or so a go I blogged about waiting for my new running shoes to arrive.

I've put some miles on them now, actually I did over 6 miles yesterday! Whoo hoo!  And I really like them. I must admit, and I knew this going in, they require a bit of an adjustment period.  I was running mostly fore-footed already, but I found they stress my Achilles just a bit.  Even on this last run, after the first mile, I needed to do some serious stretching to work out the kinks, but the "lugs" on the bottom definitely add the additional cushion I need on my sesamoid-less foot.

There hasn't been time for scrapbooking yet this month.  I've been busy with graphic design work and lovin' being able to work in Adobe Illustrator again.  I recently invested in new software after years of being without workable versions for my Mac.  My design business is growing again, thankfully, but I had been feeling like was designing with one hand tied behind my back.  To design and draw with complete freedom has been so inspiring to me!!

Custom Embellishments

This month, the design team's task was to showcase the GCD Studios ChipArt Tool.  I love creating my own custom embellishments, so using the ChipArt Tool is right up my alley.

I started with the design of the background of my layout and then figured out where I wanted my embellishments and decided on shapes and sizes.  GCD Studios has such a HUGE selection of chipboard it was easy to find a pieces perfect for my layout.

I de-bossed a butterfly on a smaller chipboard shape that had been sprayed with a little bit of water. After it dried, I simply selected a pink acrylic paint to match my layout.  I used a mixture of glossy Mod Podge and white paint to highlight the de-bossed image, creating a fun, custom embellishment.

I also wanted my title to have a "home", so I then de-bossed a lager frame shape with flourishes and painted it green and then repeated the white paint and Mod Podge finish.  I love how this element creates balance for the green color around the page.

Here's the layout in it's entirety.

You Rock    Patterned papers : GCD Studios  •  Paper tape/Ribbon: ME and my big ideas, Basic Grey  •  Rub ons: Basic Grey  •  Stamp: Studio Calico  •  Punch: Ek Success  •  Tags: GCD Studios and Pink Paisley  •  Rhinestones: Recollections  •  Acrylic Paint: Fushia, Delta; Green Apple, Anita’s Acrylic

I hope you are inspired to see how the ChipArt Tools and many chipboard designs can "rock" your pages. :)

a little happiness

My sunflowers are fading and looking quite droopy, but I brought these little darlings inside and sit on my window sill.  I can't bring myself to pull out the sunflowers yet, as the birds are enjoying the seeds very much.

Here's a little bit of happiness for one lucky lady.  I've sent a message to Lil, the winner of the blog hop necklace!!  Not to worry, I'm thinking of having some more giveaways soon.  So if you've become a follower you'll be the first to know!

Got my yoga in this morning since it was too rainy to go for a run.  Now have some design work to do before my client gets upset with me. :)

GCD Studios Blog Hop!!

Happy Labor Day!

Are you having fun yet?  I know I had fun creating this!

One of my favorite quotes inspired this necklace. So much so, I decided to include the entire quote on the back of the necklace.

I think we all could use a little reminder to "love the moment" everyday.  I know I do. 

Be sure to visit and leave a comment at all the stops along the way to be entered into the 10 giveaways!!

Also, become a follower of my blog, I'll select a lucky person from my followers to win this necklace! (You can become a follower by clicking on "Become a Follower" in the side bar.)

Love the moment! Next on the hop is the fabulous, Melissa Mann.

Tomorrow!!

Be sure to check the GCD Studios Blog tomorrow.  I know I can't wait to share my creation with you and be inspired by the work of our design team!!

My IRONMAN!!

For the last year, my husband has been training countless hours for the Ironman in Louisville, Ky which was held this past weekend. It was a day he knew would test his strength, endurance, mental tenacity and determination. A day he would hope to be worthy of the title, Ironman.  A day I never once doubted he would indeed succeed in his ultimate goal.

Joining us for the weekend was his sister, her children and his mother.  We comprised "Team Richard" and surprised him with our gear Saturday night. He was amazed by our enthusiasm and was assured we were behind him all the way to the finish!

Sunday morning came very early. Richard woke up at 3 am to fuel up with Cliff Bars and protein shakes.  He left the hotel by 4:15 to drop off the rest of his gear and line up for the start.

Team Richard met downstairs in the hotel lobby at 6:15 and made our trek to the starting line.  I don't think we had any clue how hard it would be to find Richard.  He had asked Miles to bring him a Gatorade the night before.  In Miles' efforts to find Richard and not let him down, he lost us.  Imagine my anxiety of not being able to find my husband and losing our son in the first 30 minutes of the day!

I found them at almost exactly the same moment. Richard in line, much further back than I had anticipated and Miles coming up the line, still looking for Richard.  We snapped a few quick photos as the line started to move, hence the blurriness.

The kids and I shimmied our way down to the dock and the camera found him just as he was about to jump in. If you look at the photo on the left, see that Elmo, that's where we were. lol Elmo was important part of our team.  He was easily seen by Richard and helped keep us together.

The swim, of 2.4 miles started here, went around this island and then out into the Ohio River.

As the swimmers started, the sun rose along with the hot air balloons. It was a beautiful morning.

 

Knowing it would be impossible to see Richard swim, we made our way to the finish line/transition area.  Only to discover that we were stuck on the wrong side of the barricades to walk over to the swim finish.  So we positioned ourselves, as best we could, to see him as he moved onto the bike portion.  He finished the swim in great time. 1 hour and 25 minutes!

Richard then started his long trek out to La Grange, Ky, rode loops around the town then returned to Louisville to equal a 112 mile bike ride.

We were lucky that Richard signed up for a GPS system called "My Athlete Tracker".  It was a relief to know where he was and have a better chance of meeting up with him on the route.  

 

We missed him on his first lap around La Grange because we decided to drive ourselves instead of take the shuttle. (Which ended up being a good decision because the "shuttle" was actually school buses and it was soo hot.)

While we waited for his return to La Grange we enjoyed the little festival, cheered on other athletes and made signs for Richard.  Cow bells were a great way to show support for the athletes too!!

When Richard finally made the corner back into La Grange, I'm not sure who was happier to see one another!!

He was making really good time and while it was extremely hot and humid he was doing good and he looked excited and up for the challenge.

We returned to Louisville to meet him at the transition.  There were times during the wait we thought something must have happened, because the tracker showed several stops and some really slow mph.

So this photo tells nothing of the completely remarkable, pivotal moment in the race that occured on that ride back to Louisville.  

Little did we know he had a flat back tire and strained his achilles. While there are bike stations along the route to help with minor repairs, the station he was able to ride on the flat tire to was a medical station. The volunteers at the medical station said they didn't have a way to contact the bike people and offered no hope for his continued ride.  Not until a man, laying flat out on the ground, waiting for medical help and not wanting to continue, offered to give Richard, someone he'd never seen before, his back wheel.  This is totally remarkable and speaks to the spirit  and generosity of triathletes. Richard gave him is phone number, changed the tire and continued on his way.  I must imagine, and can tell from his time splits that this exchange and momentary devastation of not being able to continue, took a toll on him as well as his injury.

I also did not know this would be the last time I would see Richard until a mile out from the finish late into the evening.

He went on his way and Team Richard reunited and decided to take a break from the route and eat dinner. (And boy did we feel guilty eating while he toiled away running the marathon.)

After dinner, we walked back to the run portion and did our best to find him.  I then decided, rather mistakenly, that this would be a good time to go get his bike and his belongings he left at transition. (I was going down to the river by myself and figured it be better to do it then, instead of after dark.)

Team Richard saw him one more time while I was gone.

After this, we basically missed our opportunity to see him again as he was further out of town and it turned out that when we could have seen him again, we were on the wrong street. 

By about 10pm, I finally figured out that he was on his way in, but was still a distance out.  I couldn't stand it any longer and walked out to meet him.  Emily came with me and I left Miles and my niece with my cameras so that when he crossed the finish line they would be able catch a photograph and video of him.  

We walked out from the finish line about a mile.  Emily refused to go any further and I couldn't blame her. It was dark and pretty desserted where we were.  (We did end up on a corner with two police officers, so we were safe.) While waiting for him, Emily and I cheered on the athletes doing their best to finish the marathon. It was truly inspirational to watch athletes of all shapes, sizes and ages struggle through the many aches, pains and pure exhaustion,  yet kept moving forward to that inevitable finish line.  We were the only people out where we waited and I could tell that our cheers were very much appreciated.  Half the time, once the athlete past and I gave them my upbeat encouragement I would begin to cry, almost uncontrollably.  I can't really explain it.  There was a connection there, that you knew how much they were struggling and how much finishing this race meant to them.  I also knew that soon, my husband would be coming down that road in very likely that same exhausted, painful pace.

He did indeed come down that road and was encouraged by our walk him in to the finish. We left him at the shoot to run into the roaring crowd, matching his run down the sidewalk.  And while I wasn't the one to take these photos, I was right there with him, almost step by step, cheering him on and taking in his moment!!

Words can't begin to express how proud we are of Richard.  This is a huge accomplishment and undoubtedly an inspiration to our children... Any goal you set you mind and body to, can be achieved through hard work, dedication and the will to succeed.

I love you my Ironman, and you are forever my sweetheart.