Thoughts of a Grasshopper

My father-in-law is here visiting and asked me to make a card that says "you annoy me" so I crossed off the word don't and voila! I like this card and find it to be kind of fun. I used red microbeads for the gauge thinking that might be a fun way to add color to it. The DP I used on this card will be available from SU on Jan. 5th. I love it. Usually I don't like the DP or just one side of it but this pack is awesome. I need to order more. Stamps: Like-o-meter CS: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip, VV, Riding Hood Red, Sending Love DP Ink: Chocolate Chip Misc.: Ribbons, microbeads, CE

I think this is kind of funny option on the like-o-meter. I went with a simple pocket card, which I don't typically do. Pretty simple card. Stamps: Like-o-meter, I {Heart} Hearts CS: WW, Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa Ink: Close to Cocoa Misc.: Felt Flowers, glue dots, brads, hardware, piercing tool

I really like the idea of this stamp. My FIL is here visiting and has asked me to make several cards that say 'you annoy me'. We'll have to cross out the 'don't'. I offered to make him an "I'm over you' card for a friend of his I don't care for. He ignored that suggestion. Stamps: Like-o-meter, Tiny Tags, I {Heart} Hearts CS: USW, Real Red, Basic Black Ink: Tuxedo Black, Real Red Misc.: Heart Border Punch, Pearl Stickers, Dimensionals, Brad, Ribbon

This was an interesting book for me. It held my attention within the first couple of pages of reading and I read through it rather quickly. I enjoyed the story but I can't say I would recommend reading it. What do you make of that? Ren is a boy that is adopted from an orphanage and is missing a hand. Of course, he would like to know how his hand came to be missing and by the end of the book that mystery is solved. The man that adopted him earns a living a dubious ways. The characters in the book are typical of others, you know them well. The book is good to pass time with but falls short in other ways. Perhaps my expectations were too high from the reviews that I read but I believe they set you up for disappointment. I can't say you will walk away with anything from the book other than an enjoyable read

We had our story telling party last night and had a lot of fun. We had so much food because of the possibility of up to 70 people showing up. We ended up having just under 50. The smoked Chicken Salad and the lemon-spice swirl cookies were new recipes that I tried and they were a hit. Smoked Chicken Salad 1 (3.5-4 lb.) rotisserie chicken 2 (15 oz.) cans black eyed peas, rinsed and drained 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered 3/4C chopped chives 1/2C mayonnaise 1/2C sour cream 1/2t salt 1/2t pepper 1/2t liquid smoke 1 (7 oz.) pkg. miniature pita bread, cut in half 2C spring salad mix Pull meat off of rotisserie chicken and put in work bowl of food processor. Pulse until meat is coarsely chopped, about 10 sec. In a large bowl, combine chicken, peas, tomatoes, and chives. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, pepper and liquid smoke, stirring until well-combined. Line each pita half with a few leaves of salad mix and stuff with chicken salad. Yield: 40 pita halves.

I finally made time to visit a very dear friend of mine here. We had planned to get together for some time but I was busy unpacking, organizing, working on a cross-stitch, etc. We had a wonderful visit. Ten years ago when we lived here, she began crocheting snowflakes for her tree and to give to others in their Christmas card. When I visited, I noted her tree was full of snowflakes and these ornaments. I commented on them and one came off immediately and she showed me how it was done and gave me some scrap ribbon to make one myself. Last night I sat and made my ornament from her scraps and it turned out pretty well for my first try. I don't know if I want to make more or not but they are pretty. Her ornament is so elegant looking. Mine uses some fabric since there wasn't enough ribbon but I think it turned out pretty well.

There is something about red and this color of blue that no matter what, I'm drawn to it. Usually when I see it, it has something to do with a retro look and usually in the kitchen. When I saw this card I fell in love with it. I didn't plan on making more than a couple because it seemed like it would be rather tedious to cut the snowflakes. Once I got the set out and realized the name of the set, I knew I would be doing any cutting, just punching. I'm not sure what took me so long to make the connection but imagine if I didn't. Since it was so easy, I ended up making a dozen. Stamps: Christmas Punch, Best Yet