Sunday, May 22, 2011

Sculpey Dolphin Gift



Good afternoon --


One last post. I really wish this picture came out better. It doesn't show how truly elegant it is and sparkly.


The dolphin is a lovely shade of blue and it's side fins are lighter than the body. I connected the jumping dolphin with a thin wire to the island below. One blue sparkle flower is on the left, and a pink one on the right. It had some tiny pink cut glass items on the island, and a pearl resting off to the back on the left.


I was very happy with the finished product, and everyone was very enthusiastic when they saw it.


I took it over and gave it to Kristi on Friday. She is graduating from high school ... and is off to college this fall.


Congratulations, Kristi! To your continued education and success!


Cj


3 new free graphics each day

Recap of May, 2011

Good afternoon,

There are tons of things over on my website, so hurry on over and check them out.

I just did this picture for my blog. I love pinks and grays together!

I just wanted to use this post to recap some of this month.

The weather -- alas, has been mostly rainy. Usually through the week. We had about 4 or 5 beautiful days together, and it was beautiful yesterday, and so far; it's beautiful today. Other than that; we've had a real record number of days of rain ... and more rain.

My youngest granddaughter, Emma, has begun walking. I guess it was last weekend. And she's said her first sentence: "Hi, daddy."

My oldest granddaughter is growing like a weed, and is having a ball playing with neighborhood friends, and riding her bike. She is beautiful ... as always, and last weekend, we got to have a spend the night!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day this year!

And Emma is due to turn 1 at the end of this month: next weekend! Still have shopping to do.

I took a tumble on Friday while visiting with my daughter, and we went out walking with the babies. I somehow stepped on the edge of the sidewalk ... and down I went; taking off a good layer of skin on the inside of my right elbow, the outside of my right wrist, cracking my right knee on the sidewalk and twisting my left ankle. As always, it happens so fast ... and then it's over.

Blood oozed from my elbow mostly and stung like the dickens! My right knee began to throb and swell ... and at first, I was afraid to get up. Several neighbors were out, and one delightful gentleman came to my rescue. He happily got me into his luxurious car, blood and all, and drove me back to my daughter's house several streets away. He suggested I might want to head over to UrgentCare, but upon resting, decided I was okay.

I'm doing much better today. Not stiff and achy, like yesterday.

I've been busy sculpeying with my clay, and I've made a lot of items.

I have a coworker-friend, whose daughter, Kristi, is graduating from high school. Their party is today. I made her card, and sculpted her a dolphin leaping over a small little island. I will post it in another post. I dropped it off to her on Friday before going to my daughters. Congrats, Kristi! Thanks for the party invite, too!

My husband has been treating our lawn for weeds, and it is looking much better. He cut the grass yesterday, and I managed to hobble outside and pull the weeds in my garden. It is now ready for vegetables, which I plan to go buy shortly. I will get them in the ground today.

My sister had surgery on the 9th. I need to call her to see how she's doing.

I am counting down to a week's vacation ... coming up the week of the 20th of June! Yeah!

In February, I sent a letter contesting my property taxes. They were charging me about $30 thousand more than the bank had my house valued at. They rejected my letter/case. And then, about 3 weeks later, I get a certified letter from them, which took me 2 days to get from the post office (I went to pick up 2x) ... and found out I had a hearing last Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.

I managed to hire a licensed appraiser to do an external appraisal of my home and property, and found out that my property has continued to fall. It is $21 thousand lower than what my bank says, and a whopping $51 thousand below what the county was charging me in taxes!!! Can you believe that!???

I went to the hearing with my appraisal, and am again ... waiting on a another certified letter! This should really cause my house payment to go down.

Times are bad.

It seems that 800,000 people in Franklin county contested their property taxes. This is a record number. After I sent the original letter, the county dropped my taxes 2%, but that hardly is a drop in the bucket. I hope I don't have to seek legal recourse, but if I have to do that, I will.

I hope your month has been good!

Cj
http://www.easyaspiedailygraphics.com
3 new free graphics each day

Unexpected Offerings -- Easter 2011

Good morning,

I'm starting off with a picture of this delicious "sweet potato" pie that Lillie, my mother-in-law, made for Ray and me. He brought it home with him, after his son's funeral, and week's long visit with his family.

It was absolutely delicious, Lillie! And ever so beautiful!!! Thank you!


This was the card I made for Lillie for Mother's Day. It's the outside of the card. Lillie has always been an excellent mother (in-law), and I do so appreciate her! I love you, Lillie!



This is the inside, with a necklace I made to adorn her beautiful neck.



This is a closeup of the necklace. I know she dresses up, and I hope this will help the color pop in one of her elegant outfits!


I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!


Love you,

Cj



3 new free graphics each day

















One Last Tribute: Ramon Jackson

Good morning,

It has been a long month, and it's almost over. I've been super busy ... and while my website is going up, and has been ahead of schedule, I haven't gotten over to my blog to post. I apologize.

Today's offering is the tribute cover to my husband's son, Ramon, upon his passing. As you can see, he is young. He suffered most of his life -- in and out of hospitals.

I didn't know Ramon very well. I met in back in about 2000, and we spent the afternoon with him. We took him to dinner.

My husband didn't know about him until he was about 15 or 16 years old. He did get to know his father some over the last decade, and also got to know his father's family pretty well. Everyone was blessed to have him in their lives for the short time they did.

Whoever designed the cover of his eulogy did a great job. He was a handsome lad.

You may be gone, Ramon; but you'll live on ... in the hearts that knew and loved you!

Rest well.

Cj
http://www.easyaspiedailygraphics.com
3 new free graphics each day

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Bye-Bye April -- the last day to grab the free April Graphics

Good morning,

And so ends April, 2011. Today is the last day, and all graphics are UP ... so grab 'em now!

The creation above is made of 2 graphics offered today. There are 3 graphics, and actually a few more than 3. There are several gradients, the face border, and a flower frame.

We've had rain most of this month. It was pretty yesterday, so I was able to get out a walk with a co-worker during lunch and a break. It is her birthday today -- so Happy Birthday, Tiff! (Sorry, but this is your LAST year to celebrate your thirties!!! :) ) No need to worry. From personal experience, I can tell your the forties are wonderful still.

Hope everyone enjoyed April! And I hope you've picked up the graphics you want this month.

Tomorrow starts a brand new month!

Toodles ...
Cj
http://www.easyaspiedailygraphics.com
3 new free graphics each day

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Easter Celebration and Free Graphics For Scrapping Your Memories

Good morning to you all!

Today's creation is one featuring myself ... and my adorable granddaughter, in a joint art project on Easter Sunday. Her mother took this picture (thanks, sweetheart), and I took it and put it in a scrap (or could be a card front) using a few of the items that are featured on my website. Head on over to Easy As Pie Daily Graphics to pick up any of the free graphics you'd like to use to embellish your own creations!

As you can see, we went together on an art project. My granddaughter loves using water colors on canvas, and one of her favorite things is to sprinkle it with salt. As it dissolves, it adds texture and design, and really makes it pop. It is so pretty.

I'd never done this, so she was teaching me! It was so much fun ... and she is an excellent teacher.

My half of the creation is along the border that I am holding, and hers is along the right.

I spent Easter with my daughter's family. My husband was in his hometown, as his son's funeral was on Monday. It gave him a chance to see his wonderful family, and really hunker down for a long week's visit. He stayed with his mom, and I'm sure she thoroughly enjoyed it.

As I needed to be at work, and couldn't take a full week off (plus 2 airline tickets are quite expensive), I stayed behind. My husband was cool with this.

My daughter made a wonderful Weight Watcher's dish. I loved it so much, she gave me the recipe, and I came home and cooked up a batch to take to work all week. Ahhh! It is so delicious.

I hope your Easter was as grand and enjoyable as mine was. (Thank you -- to my family!)

Take care.

Cj
http://www.easyaspiedailygraphics.com
3 new free graphics each day

Friday, April 22, 2011

Friday Morning FREE graphics

Good morning,

Today's graphics, pictured above is a gift tag, has all the elements above for you to create with. They are in jpgs.


These graphics were offered on Thursday. I made it into a card for Ramon, my husband's son, who passed away on Tuesday at 2:30 pm. My husband so wanted to get there to see Ramon before he died. The doctor thought he had a week, and had he had the full week, they would have been reunited.

But God has His own ways ... and it was NOT meant to be. The funeral is on Monday. I wish the survivors peace. Ramon's struggles are over, and he can rest in peace now.

While my husband is visiting with his family outside our state, I was visiting with my girls yesterday. My little 10 1/2 month old, almost 11 months now, is practicing standing and clapping. She is so adorable, and loves to see me when I visit.

My older granddaughter is still a delight to me. The four of us went for a long, long walk yesterday because the sun was shining, and it was a fairly beautiful day. There was a cool breeze, but we had a wonderful time walking, as my granddaughters rode. One on her bike, and one in her stroller.

One beautiful day is all we're supposed to get this week: yesterday. Before it was rain, and following it is rain. We have had MORE THAN ENOUGH rain this spring!

If you're heading off to church today ... have a great time. I know my daughter's family is going.

And I will spend Easter with my daughter and her wonderful family this year! And my husband will be spending time with his family! (Have fun, sweetie!)

Hope you have a beautiful day, everyone!

Cj
http://www.easyaspiedailygraphics.com
3 new free graphics each day