Creativity, Crafts, Books, Movies, Greyhounds & Favorite Things

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The inspiration for these flowers comes from two felt Christmas ornaments.

Cut 8 strips. These strips are 3″ x 1/2″. I also cut a small felt circle to glue my petals on to.

Glue the ends of the strips together to form petals.

Glue the petal strips onto the felt circle. You choose…glue them flat or on their sides.

Add a button center and you have a cute felt strip flower.

The variations are endless. You can snip the petals, make the strips thinner, thicker, longer, shorter and just think of all the color and flower center variations.

Daily Inspiration

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

Edith Wharton

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A Christmas message from Freedom, Casper & Nikki:

Merry Christmas! We had a wonderful day celebrating Christmas and, as promised, are here to do the official Christmas card count. This is our second year participating in the Blogville Christmas Card Exchange. It is one of our favorite things to do! So how did it end up? The score…

Daddy and Mommy – 30

Freedom, Casper & Nikki – 51

Thank you to all our Blogville friends who helped make sure…WE WIN!

Love and kisses…Freedom, Casper & Nikki

A message from Mommy:

Our friend, Sue (Polly’s mommy), of Graceful Greyhounds, collects used stamps for the Retired Greyhounds Trust in the United Kingdom. They are able to get money for them. If you find yourself with used stamps from your Christmas card piles (or anytime during the year), I would love to have them to send to Sue. You can mail them to me at:

Lori Lohmeyer, Granger Commons, 630 East University Drive, Granger, IN 46530

I’ll correspond with Sue several times this coming year because I belong to Sue’s Random Acts of Kindness eBay Group. Sue started this group to spread a little kindness.  Once a month, you send a card and, if you wish, a small gift to another member of the group.  Ideally, the gift and card should be homemade, but no problem if they aren’t.  The gift shouldn’t cost much…just a couple dollars (or pounds). You can do this anonymously or put your details in the card.  If you’d like to join, email Sue at songsongblue@live.co.uk and she’ll get you set-up.

Daily Inspiration

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:8-14 (KJV)

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Here’s what been happening in my studio…

For last Wednesday’s “Try This” post, I did a guest post over at So You Think You’re Crafty. I made powder puff ornaments.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Daily Inspiration

Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance – each beautiful, unique and too soon gone.

Deborah Whipp

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I’ve seen a lot of beautifully wrapped gifts recently. This is what I wrapped up today…

Not beautifully wrapped, but there’s a reason. These gifts are for one of my favorite Christmas day activities…the Dollar Gift Game. Here’s how it works:

Everyone brings 10 gifts that cost $1 each.

Each gift is wrapped in newspaper.

All the gifts are gathered together and we write a number on each one. (Administrative Note…I usually prepare a list of numbers that we use to keep track of what gifts have been “picked” and make little number labels so we can get the labeling done quickly. Usually my daughter takes care of sticking the numbers on all the individual gifts).

We gather in a circle and for the first go-around everyone must pick a number, then receive and open that gift.

On the second go-around, you have the option of picking a number and getting that gift or stealing a gift that someone already has. If you steal a gift for your turn, then the person you stole from must pick a number and then that gift replaces the gift they had stolen from them.

The “turn” then returns to the next person in the circle.

I don’t know if this sounds fun to anyone, but we have the best time with this game. There are always “favorites” that get stolen back and forth, and funny things happen like when the dudes get girly things.

I’ll let you know what I end up with.

Daily Inspiration

Christmas gift suggestions:  To your enemy, forgiveness.  To an opponent, tolerance.  To a friend, your heart.  To a customer, service.  To all, charity.  To every child, a good example.  To yourself, respect.

Oren Arnold

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I tore this article out of a Good Housekeeping magazine and thought it might be appropriate for this time of year…5 Ways to Look Great in Photos:

Tip 1 – Hide Tired Eyes

If you only have time to do one thing pre-picture, reach for concealer because dark circles only look darker in photos.

Tip 2 – Consider Camera Flash

Shimmery cosmetics can catch the camera flash and create splotches in pictures. Opt for matte products instead.

Tip 3 – Smooth Strands

Don’t let frizz and flyaways ruin your otherwise picture-perfect “do.” Spray a brush with hairspray and quickly run it through your hair.

Tip 4 – Pump Up The Volume

Hair always looks flatter in photos, so flip your head upside down and tousle hair at the roots.

Tip 5 – Smile Genuinely

To keep your grin natural, not forced, pretend you are looking at someone you love instead of the camera lens. Aiming your gaze just above the lens, rather than straight at it will also make the end result look less staged.

I also have 5 tips for looking great in photos. Here are my tips…

Tip 1 – If given the choice between checking my appearance in a mirror or asking my husband, “Do I look alright?” I opt for the mirror.

I’ve spent years training my husband to lie to me about my appearance. Why would I trust him at a time like this?

Tip 2 – If I really look horrible, I encourage a group shot.

I make sure I’m in the second row, stand slightly behind someone, and right when the photographer presses the shutter, I conveniently “disappear” behind the person in front of me.

Tip 3 -I encourage the photographer to shoot the picture from my waist up.

I’ve never had a picture taken of me that’s been improved by having my gut in it.

Tip 4 – Add something cute to take eyes off me.

Grab a kid or a pet and no one notices me in the picture.

Tip 5 – Smile, smile, smile

Whether I think it looks good or not, everyone loves a smiling face.

Daily Inspiration

There are always two people in every picture:  the photographer and the viewer.

Ansel Adams

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It looks like Doomsday isn’t going to happen today, so I’ll just have to  keep getting older. 51 years ago today, this teeny-tiny little woman gave birth to me. I am her baby, and I’m really not as big as I seem in this picture. It’s the comparison that playing against me.

Daily Inspiration

Middle age is having a choice between two temptations and choosing the one that’ll get you home earlier.

Dan Bennett

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For the remaining Thursdays in 2012 (only two left), I’m working on my School Memories albums.

I wanted to be finished with it by the end of the year, but that may not happen. “Slow and steady finishes the race” will be my theme with this and future photo projects. If I work on it a little every week, it will get done.

Daily Inspiration

Ambition is the path to success, persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.

William Eardley IV

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Today, I’m guest posting over at So You Think You’re Crafty. I’m making cute ornaments from powder puffs. Please, check it out.

 

So You Think You’re Crafty is a head-to-head crafting competition, hosted by Missy. Every 10 weeks a new group of crafters is selected.  Each week the crafters are given a theme and YOU vote for your favorite.  The winner makes a free tutorial and the loser gets ‘sent home.’ Season 14 starts on January 7. You can check out past seasons by clicking on the Past Crafts link.

Thank you, Missy, for inviting me to do a guest tutorial.

Daily Inspiration

All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action.

James Russell Lowell

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I’ve said it before and, sadly, I know I’ll say it many more times…along with the joy of making friends with the pups & kitties of Blogville comes the broken-heartedness when they leave us. Today is one of those days, as our sweet friend, Winnie, has gone to the Bridge.

Winnie and her mom, the LOTH (Lady of the House) co-authored Winnie’s Dog Blog.

I could speak volumes about Winnie’s gentle spirit, her sense of humor, her love for her family, but I for one will always remember Winnie as the best hole digger in the entire world. Period.

You just have to appreciate a master at work, and when she was done…Winnie would often do a victory lap.

I know Winnie is romping, running and excavating heaven. Run free and dig deep, my friend.

If you would like to offer words of condolence to Winnie’s family, please visit Winnie’s blog.

Daily Inspiration

Winnie Pritchard

Left us too soon – December 18, 2012

Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, filling an emptiness we don’t even know we have.

Thom Jones

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Here’s what’s been happening in my studio…

For last Wednesday’s “Try This” post, I made a these felt pinecones. I think they turned out nice.

I had my last card club of 2012. We made this cute Santa card…

…and a reindeer card. I think I’m going to redo his eyes. I made the pupils a little too large, giving him a rather intense look.

Daily Inspiration

 

Life is 10 percent what you make it, and 90 percent how you take it.

Irving Berlin

I am sharing this post on Inspire Me Monday and Creative Every Day.