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Another "It looks nice, but what to do with it?" flower - passed on to you! I would love to see how you use this!

Me 'n Nina in "lickidly bliss"
(click to see bigger)
credits:
Everything here is from KimB's Just Because Kit
except
Olivia Dorazio (my) Junkyard Garden Swirls

If you've ever been a tourist in the Okanagan then you would have put a visit to Tickleberries as a Have To Do on your list. And so, on the last (full) day of my visit with my sister we (as the official slogan of Tickleberries has it) ... we slung our lip over an ice cream. We hadn't had many photos taken during her stay, so I was hoping to catch one of us here, but it turned out there were not any people about - a very rare thing at Tickleberries. Nina's on the shy side, so I thought I would not get a photo... that is I made a deal with her I would not get one UNLESS someone 'happened' along. Well, ha! I kinda did have to use a bit louder than my usual voice to lure a couple in close enough to have them snap this, but I am glad I did. KimB's colorful Just Because Kit was perfect to frame us!

Yes, its very quiet here now, with my sister home, probably as I'm typing this. We had an AWESOME visit. We are so much alike its amazing, and I'm already planning for next year. We packed an awful lot into the short days we spent together. Our salsa turned out, by the way, for those of you who asked how it is. We wound up making two batches.

I'm so thankful to my thoughtful husband who took a day off from his projects to 'chauffer' us about, while we 'gabbed in the back' of the van on our trip across the border.

Mostly, I thank God for this thing called 'sisterliness' - I don't think I can find the words to describe what it truly means. There's a bond that is completely special and unique. I feel like we are small mirrors of personality in both of us. I better stop here, for I'm totally overwhelmed. I love you Nina and I miss you already!

Happy Anniversary to Barry and Judy
(click to see bigger)
Credits:
Olivia Dorazio's Junkyard Garden kit
Olivia Dorazio's Jelly Pockets Template

Anniversaries are celebrations of the
heart.
Sharing a life together is sharing
steps in time.
It is the giving of songs
and of silences only the heart can see.
The music of love may be different to each
of us, but how beautiful the dance.

Our brother Barry and Sister in Law Judy celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary - unfortunately I missed putting up a card for you. We know you had a few quiet days together on your recent vacation, and I hope you two celebrated in style. What a milestone in your wedded lives and what a close and beautiful family you two have built together. We wish you many, MANY more years together. All our love to you!

Olivia Dorazio's August Grab Bag

CLEARLY, Olivia (me) is a dork. I put this ad up LAST WEEK... erm, a week too early. I totally apologize for any inconvenience for those of you who might have tried to purchase it last Monday morning. It should be there this one, unless I've messed up again. Just click HERE to be taken to the Sophia Sarducci Shop. Each of our designers always have killer grab bags - you don't want to miss this! Oh OH OH, its also Monday Madness, meaning $$$$ savings!

layout by Victoria
Credits:
Olivia Dorazio's Junkyard Garden Kit

I love how Victoria has used my Junkyard Garden Kit - don't you? Victoria is my first "official" CT member. How funny is THAT? I've had loads of friends and people make layouts using my kit, but I've never researched what an official CT does... so, when Victoria inquired if I needed one, I had to ask her what one does... so now she is one! I look forward to watching her work with my products - ummmm, Victoria, do you have a blog site I can link to?

Ok, there is SO MUCH more I could blog today - an award I've recieved *beaming* and another layout created by my dear friend Shirley... but as I've limited time (playing catch-up after my sister's visit) and blogger will only take 5 photos at a time... this is a logical time for me to end for today. These other items will be featured next entry so stay tuned!

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My gift for you today was inspired by last weekend’s yard sales. Read on!

Rival Ice-O-Matic HAPPINESS!

It was the second-to-last yard sale, the last Yard Saling Day with our folks who were enjoying the tail end of a two week visit with us. When we pulled up on the highway, we all hesitated as the house looked on the run-down side and the tables looked a huge jumble of ‘stuff’. As there had been only a half dozen sales this particular Saturday, we relented and headed in.

There turned out to be far more on the inside which had not been visible to the road, and there was the usual collections of books (the kind my brother calls ‘Bodice Rippers’ – you know the type, the mindless romance ones) and old magazines, chipped knickknacks, Corelle dinner plates, horrible old painting prints and paintings on velvet (I suspect these will come back into vogue again in the future) But, buried in amongst all this something shiny beckoned me.

It had a chrome top and a crank handle and an imagination stirring name ... ICE-O-MATIC and it was love at first sight. I HAD to have it. I scooped it and clutched it tightly to me as I made my way through the rest of the shoppers to find Miles.

When he spied my treasure, his face wrinkled up with something akin to fear, as he queried me “What IS that?”

I replied “I have NO idea, but I want it.”

He gave a wary glance at it and, shrugging his shoulders in obedience said “Allllrightttt....” as he made his way over to our Mom.

See, Mom is our ‘front’ person. Where I would be timid, or feel silly making an offer on an already priced item, Mom is Fearless and Relentless. I’m sure she must have roots way back to some race of people who have bartering and bargaining in their genetic makeup – some culture where one is EXPECTED to haggle over the prices, for she seems to THRIVE on it. I’ve watched her intimidate the most determined people, causing them to reduce their ‘FIRM’ price tags to mere pennies. I’ve snickered (in awe and embarrassment) when one woman told her that the items for sale had personal value, that they were special to her, thus the FIRM price... to which Mother replies “If it was REALLY that special to you, you wouldn’t be selling this item in a JUNK sale!” And watched as the woman caved – letting that supposedly $25 pair of hand painted wine goblets go for a mere $2... You getting the picture here?

So, Miles ferries the Ice-O-Matic over to Mom and she tracks down the money-person. I’d thought a few dollars would be a reasonable offer. Mom thought a dollar – so she offered 50 cents. The lady wanted to know what it was, so to better determine the value, but none of us had a clue. Being so, the lady let it go at 50 cents – and so here was me doing a DORK dance. Miles, on the other hand, backed away in fearfulness when Mom thrust it in his arms. He got this panicked look on his face. Mom barked “What’s the matter?” (with a laugh in her voice), to which Miles replied “Ummmmmm...” and being MOM she knew immediately that he did NOT want to be seen carrying my Treasure. Haha! Mom let him off the hook and he made an prompt beeline for the trunk of the car (where Dad, bless his heart was idling for us) Mom and I had a little laugh at our obedient Son/Husband... (he’s so CUTE when he’s shy like that!)

Later, when we arrived home, I polished my little machine up, then hunted it down on the internet to discover what it really is. Turns out its a Vintage Hand Cranked Ice Crusher. You can read more about it by clicking HERE. I’ve seen them on the net priced at Ebay all the way from 99 cents to MUCH MUCH more, if in good condition. Some place in the UK wanted $50... not a bad day’s saling. THANKS Mom!

AWWWWW.... SomeBunny Loves My Bloggie!

A special thanks to BUNNY who’s given me this award for my blog. Muah! This is SO appreciated Buns! (LOL – is that an ok nickname? ROTFL!! Perhaps I should make that Bunns...)

TSUNAMI BLUE KIT

Tsunami Blue Kit addon - Quick Page

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My Layout using my own QP to tell Miles "I Love You!"
(click any of the blog images to see them a bit larger)

This third giveaway should give you a good sense of the quality of my new Tsunami Blue Kit. It's been a tremendous amount of work and a labour of love. Everything just 'flowed' with this one. It all began with one of the big waves, which I played with in three separate programs. Once I had the big wave, I had to make the little wave border, then I had to have seashells being a nautical theme. Then, being nautical I added a watery 'splash' overlay, and of course there had to be some sparkle and shimmer. Looking at the colors I could see this might appeal for masculine layouts, so I added in some rust and grunge too. When I finally 'drew the line' I'd added over 50 peices to this kit. If you have enjoyed the three giveaways, and would like to purchase the kit, its only $5, and if you shop tomorrow its Monday Madness at the shop so you will save an additional 20%. To visit the shop just click HERE. The kit should be up first thing in the morning.

I'm going to simply enjoy the rest of this long weekend - I hope you do too, and thank you for visiting my blog!

(thanks Olivia)


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That 'ol Olivia... she's keeping me so busy that I roped her into sharing another goodie with you. We were having fun making sparkly, glittery stuff for another (she says hopefully...) Valentines/Love kit for sale at the SHOPPE. But because she is consuming so much of my valuable time I'm making her share the love – by sharing her elements with me and you. If she keeps taking up my time like this she will have to take over creating all my elements too! Don't be surprized to see our Sparkly Hearts included in her newest kit. These hearts are about 3 inches tall but could be shrunk and scattered all over the place to glitz up your layouts. Please enjoy, but notice that Olivia has included her TOU, so don't be pirating them off.

Speaking of Valentines kits, you are truly missing out if you haven't scooped Amy W.'s Love Letters kit (photo below in last day's entry) My SIL and I joined in at the DBD chat last night and had an absolute hoot. Besides that there was a sweet giveaway I'm dying to use. That clever Amy – she comes up with such inspiring ideas! I'm waiting with baited breath for her next Bingo Chat... I sort of find them a little easier because for me, trying to actually put together a layout AND chat... well does not really work. My head is swivellin back and forth at light speed just trying to keep track in the chat. So, sometimes I just come to chat and pick on people, right Amy? Don't forget to stop by her blog tomorrow for her next freebie update!

Also, I've got Kim B's newest Forgotten Not Kit downloaded and it is BEAUTIFUL and touching. As usual, Kim is giving you all a small taste of it – her generosity is amazing. You truly must buy this kit – it's also a tribute for a Mom in memory of her son, Andrew. What a sweet way to keep his memory alive. So 'Gwan over there and you may even find some more awesome giveaways there too. Leave LOVE when you visit these talented ladies - it makes their day, trust me!

turnovers made with my homemade Ruff Puff Pastry

I had SUCH fun making these turnovers on Monday. My dear friend Rose came for a very rare visit - and we ended up visiting from lunch till supper! I can't sit still - just ask anyone, so while we gabbed I tried out a recipe for Ruff Puff Pastry that I found on the net. It turned out awesomely - I highly recommend you take the plunge and try it for yourself. Its not near as scary as the tv chefs make it seem. You can find the recipe by clicking HERE. I did not have a pastry scraper, so I fashioned a crude one out of a plastic cutting matt I had, just sliced it to size.

all by myself - king of the tree!

As you can see, I had some visitors outside my window yesterday. Firstly, it was the young eagle who came to perch on this Ponderosa, a grand viewpoint to overlook the lake. He wasn't there long before another, mature eagle came and intimidated him into leaving. Not five minutes later, this eagle was joined by another, and the two stayed there for at least ½ hour. They're very majestic looking, aren't they?

along comes the big fella

I said "scram kid!!"

We'll just hang here and wait for something to pique our appetite...

I've been watching them down on the ice – too far away to get any sort of a photo. There is a small opening in the ice, way out toward the middle. There are some smaller birds (not sure what kind) – and quite a few of them, who are hanging around for the open water. Well, those two eagles fly over there, then land about 50 feet away... and just sit there... waiting. One wonders why they don't just dive in and get one of those silly birds.

*****

In my daily bible study, I've just been reading in Genesis and I have come away sort of chuckling. Whats set me off is this passage (Gen. 45:24 NIV) “Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don't quarrel on the way!”

Now if you're not a reader then I will give you a brief recap of Joseph's trials with his brothers. Joseph was a favored child in his family. As a favored child he once recieved a coat of many colors as a gift and he had dreams that he would rule over his brothers and his brothers were pretty jealous about that. They were so jealous that when Joseph was sent out by their father, to meet them one day as they were out grazing the flocks, they decided this would be the perfect chance to 'ditch' him' – make him disappear. (Gen. 37:20 "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams.") Well, they throw him in a pit but rather than leave him there, they sell him to some transient merchants heading for Egypt and they figure thats the last they will hear of him.

'Course they took that nice coat before they were finished. They have to think up an alabi between them so they kill a goat and mess the coat up a bit. And they go home and show Dad and let him make his own conclusion. Dad is pretty broken up about all this.

Time goes on. Meanwhile, to make a long story short, Joseph gets tossed in prison, somehow gets an opportunity to use his gift of deciphering dreams – for the king, no less. The king is so impressed he not only frees Joseph but elevates him to star status. Joseph eventually has amassed power and riches and the support of the king – but he misses his Dad and family and longs to meet his youngest brother he has heard about. So he gets an opportunity to make the brothers come to him without them knowing 'him' is their brother they sold.

See, there's been a famine in the land, and the brothers are starving and come begging. So, Joseph uses this opportunity and (even tho the story is even more involved and interesting, but you'll just have to read that yourself) he gets the brothers to tell him his father is still alive and then extracts a promise they will get 'stuff' when they bring the youngest brother back to see him. They get back with the brother and then Joseph sets it up they are all alone together then does a '”Surprise, its really ME! Me, who you threw in a pit and then sold. But I'm not mad anymore.”

And he wept. He VERY loud. Everyone heard him. He wept on his brothers shoulders – how must that have felt, hey? And he tells them not to stress – he's not like them, he's got good intentions for them. So, he tells them to go home and get Dad – tell Dad how well I've done, and bring him back and we'll all live happily ever after.

And right before the end of the chapter, when he sends them back, he says “ Don't quarrel on the way!”

How well he knows these guys – what a perfectly funny thing to slip in before sending them on their way. Good one, Joseph.

*****

STRESS

I am not sure exactly how it works, but this is amazingly accurate. Read the full description before looking at the picture.

The picture below has 2 identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress levels at Mayo Clinic .

Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins are identical. A closely monitored, scientific study revealed that , in spite of the fact that the dolphins are identical , a person under stress would find differences in the two dolphins . The more differences a person finds between the dolphins, the more stress that person is experiencing.

Look at the photograph and if you find more than one or two differences you may want to take a vacation.