Home for a while!

After our trip to Santa Fe, I turned around and went to Lafayette for a workshop at the home of my good friend, Jen Lowe. We were playing with Opals embossing enamels, so it was great fun and she is such a wonderful hostess. She talked me into teaching a class at the retreat this coming October, so...... I will be getting certified in Opals in August when Linda Hanson of After Midnight Art Stamps comes back to Colorado. Can hardly wait!

In the meantime, have done a little bit of creating in the card department. Of course, Father's Day is coming up and and since I wanted to try some of the techniques in the last Technique Junkie's Newletter, decided I'd get ahead of things so I don't have to do a Father's Day card at the last minute for DH! The car is colored turquoise with colored pencils because my grandfather used to have an old turquoise Chevy. It was in our family until about 10 years ago, but I do know where it is and would love to get it and restore it. Had lots of good times in it! All supplies are Stampin' Up

Stamps: Thoughts of Father

Inks: Creamy Caramel and Close to Cocoa

Paper: Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip

An e-mail friend from Stampin' Up, Ruthann Suttles, sent us a very sweet anniversary card, even though she's been running ragged with her DH in the hospital, so the least I could do was to RAK her back. I tried the color pop technique from TJ for a thank-you card. Again, all supplies are from Stampin' Up.

Stamps: Soft Summer

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss, Almost Amethyst, Lavender Lace, Old Olive and Yo-Yo Yellow

Paper: Almost Amethyst, Whisper White

Last, but not least was the monthly DTP swap for Technique Junkies. I was a little delayed, thanks to being gone, plus having several medical procedures done the last couple of weeks, but I finally got my card off to Linda Aschenbach, who had sent me such a lovely card. Even though I wanted to do something out of the last TJ newsletter, I ended up falling back on one of my favorite techniques - faux batik. It is such a fun technique and so easy, plus when you're done, you're ready to use the background right away since you don't have to let it dry or anything! And I so dearly love butterflies, so........... The shimmer and shine doesn't show up

Stamps: Winged Things (big butterfly) and Great Friend (small butterflies), Sweet and Sassy (word stamp)

Paper: Watercolor, Elegant Eggplant and Pacific Blue

Sprays: Pearl Glimmer Mist, Tsukineko Lilac Walnut Ink and Blue Lagoon Memories Mists

One More Day

Well, we have just one more day left in Santa Fe before we head back to Colorado tomorrow. Thursday, we were going to go to the hot springs at Jemez Springs, but by the time we got there, plus a few other factors - such as cost plus the water is 154-180° and it was fairly warm outside, we decided to pass. Considering we would have drive another 1½ hours to get back to the condo, we would have been totally wiped from the heat of the water. We are going to have to rent the movie, but Jemez Springs was featured in The Wild Hogs with Tim Allen and John Travolta. We saw it in the theater, but would like to see it again now since we've been in Jemez Springs.

Went to the flea market yesterday and really shouldn't have - LOL. Found a gorgeous butterfly pendant with a turquoise center, as well as a couple of vests. Need to get mine done at home, too! At least with Good News Club over, I'll have a little more time, altho Bible Study will take some time, but well worth it. Have been studying it while we're here - called Heart Like His and is the study of David.

Have been invited to Basement Babes at Jen's next week - DH says okay and would love to go since they will be working with Opals but have mixed emotions, especially after just getting home. Have so much I need to do at home, but since I'll be doing a workshop on it the end of the month........ Vivian also contacted me about leading TOPS next week since she needs to be gone, too, but she won't be leaving town. I'm afraid she's going to have to because I really need to learn more about the Opals.

It's been interesting here in Santa Fe, but it is quite expensive. We had talked about going back out to the flea market today, but it was so hard on Roy and we really don't need to spend any more money, other than maybe for dinner tonight. Maybe we'll go back up to Buffalo Thunder Casino tonight - had good luck the other night!

A Few Quiet Minutes

After running for 2-3 weeks steady, DH and I are taking a break and spending a week in Santa Fe, NM. We left home Sun. a.m. - finally - DH was in a great deal of pain and had a very hard time getting things to work. He was so worn out, he slept most of yesterday a.m., so it was afternoon before we got out of the condo. Decided to go to the Loretto Chapel after we ate lunch and there was supposed to be a stop by the "Gumball Rally" - a coast-to-coast run by several varieties of cars. They were supposed to have been in town by 5:00 p.m., but apparently had several hang-ups. Someone said that one of the participants had been picked up for doing 180 mph., then they took a wrong turn somewhere! We finally gave up a little after 7:30 and came back to the condo.

Don't know specifically what we will do today, but think we will "walk" rather than take the car - by that I mean I will walk and DH will use his 3-wheeled cart to get around. The streets are very narrow, plus all the traffic, both local and tourist. Santa Fe is, of course, a big tourist attraction.

And DH was, as usual, very generous, buying me a beautiful honker of an opal ring - opal being my birthstone - as well as a beautiful opal bracelet. I will get pictures of them later to post.

I did get some stamping done - for one thing, I had a workshop a week ago Sat. and we made very pretty aperature cards similar to the ones we made at Jen Lowe's workshop in Denver the week before. I have used my card for my daughter and SIL's 1st anniversary. We also did the star book in Denver, so will be doing a workshop on that later because they are fun! Unfortunately, I was unable to scan it in, so had to take pictures and they didn't turn out very well. My apologies - I hope you can tell basically what they are.

Our trip to Denver was a ball, regardless of the fender-bender and all the snow. My friend, Michelyn Kirkman, who went with me, is new to stamping and she thoroughly enjoyed it! I don't know when I have laughed as hard as I did while we were there - seeing Jen, Kathy Watson, Kathleen Matelasky, Linda Hansen of After Midnight Stamps, and those we met, just really capped a great weekend. Thanks, ladies!

Another project we did while we were there was faux carnival glass pendants and using Opals to make gorgeous pendants. Michelyn did hers with the Opals and I tried making the faux carnival. Michelyn's is gorgeous in shades of blue. Mine is okay, but I'm not real happy with it. Hopefully, I will be able to take a certification class in Opals with Linda in August. I have been having fun since we got back making some more pendants and will see what I can do about selling some jewelry!

Well, we're off to see more of the city as soon as I get my shower.