Because this is what I now do....

Has it really been June since I last posted? Geesh....I've been dabbling in my craft studio pretty consistently, although not in rocket speed time....I've actually gone out and about to buy new supplies....I have a bunch to share...and I have found inspiration, so...here I go!

Something I started a few years ago...that I haven't shared, thus the title of this blog....is I do what I do in my chocolate business....I start my holiday/season about a year in advance.....I have to do this in the chocolate world, if you wait until September/October to introduce new holiday items...you are about 8 months too late....

So...drum roll here....

I actually make NEXT year's holiday...during THIS YEAR...so...I had 2018 Valentines ready to mail, all finished...while I was making 2019 Valentines. Absolutely NO pressure...and enjoying the holiday. Did the same with Christmas/Halloween and other. I finished some adorable friendship cards with a summer theme, during NOVEMBER! hahaha

This way, I'm not up later than I need to be or should be, and I really am ENJOYING the process, rather than hurrying the process...then again, I have always scrapbooked that way too...it could take me a month to do one 2 page 12x12 layout...and I have unfinished "books" ... I've decided I do this for my therapy, solitude and sharpening my creative thinking, which I depend on in my chocolate biz....so, my grandkids will probably never see a finished scrapbook, but they will see pages and pages of memories put carefully together with fine detail and probably what a "less is more" style of crafter would cringe at looking at...afterall, I'm a "more is more" kind of gal...and it works for me....

So....you wanna see my 2019 Valentine? I absolutely have always wanted Crazy Birds....and I splurged and bought the whole shebang....then needed a magnetic plate and everything....yes, I still craft with my go to tools....my Big Shot, and even my old red sizzix and dies...not that I don't think my Cricut is the best thing since sliced bread, because I do....I faithfully use my "Expression"...although recently I was gifted a brand new Cricut Air...so welcome to the next century, I may have to learn a little computer technology along the way...I'm so impressed with what I see this machine can do...I wanna join the ranks of vinyl cutters and such too!

Enough jibber jabber for today....my 2019 Valentine....if any of you receive this NEXT year...I hope you don't remember it...lol...

Drop by again ... I have about 6 projects to share! :) Big big Big happy crafter smile here!



I have to admit...I'm a bit Copic challenged...for starters, I don't have nearly enough ... I may splurge and buy another dozen .... second, I'm petrified to ever add ink! I know that's what you are supposed to do when these quality markers run dry....but I'm SCARED to even attempt! I've had these now for many years, I know my day is coming. I never could figure out the little air thingy, I have one, but really never could understand how to use it, since my directions were in Chinese! Anyhow, I'm self taught. I need Copic to get to my area one day, and I'll take the class.

Toodles!

Trudi

Hey Diddle Diddle....

The cat and the fiddle...and Trudi created by the light of the moon....

That could have been the way the familiar childhood poem read last night! I've been above and beyond crazy busy in the chocolate world, and have dabbled a bit here and there in my craft room....so, I really do have a few to upload....

That being said, I needed a baby card TODAY...and didn't start until about 9 last night....go me...I found time to organzie and even clean while looking for a spool of white thread, which I never found....I found other fun stuff in my sewing stash, however.....

My look and style is loving letting the designer paper do the work for me...which doesn't mean there isn't stamping or tons of time involved. I tend to go the "more is more" route...but sure love love love what I'm finding in the craft stores.

In my chocolate world, I thought it was interesting that a customer of mine ordered baby shower favors in dark blue and turquoise...and I happened to find some fun designer paper in those colors too...so...I had that on my mind, and somehow envisioned a little bit of cream colored cardstock thrown in....

I'm not sure what the line was for the designer paper...I think it's BoBunny...I really like the quality and selection....(I'll double check)...if it isn't, I still like BoBunny...

Of course...lots of BUTTONS...and one of those rare occasions where a warm color (cream) and WHITE end up together....I followed the lead with the designer paper....the white cow with the cream colored (moon), which I converted into a planet I think...I just had to have a cut out of my own, the moon off of the Cricut Cartridge NURSERY RHYMES...(minus the cow and stars, which I cut off...)...STAMPED with music notes and glittered up....probably way more embellishments than what is necessary...but you know how us MORE IS MORE girls think! :)



Now...totally unrelated...but in my chocolate world.....the baby shower novelty shipping for a lil future baseball player....



I'm weekly adding to our website:

http://adamsplace.espwebsite.com/

It's a work in progress...but going on 32 years now....it seems to be working... :)

Toodles....and congrats to my cousin in law....the Hey Diddle Diddle card is for you...thrilled and excited for you!!!!

Trudi

Second post for the day....VALENTINES!

This finishing up...after the matter is fun! I plan on mailing these out Valentines 2018....I have more to make with...all the images from just one piece of designer paper! Vintagey looking ... and fun to work with. I'm glad I gave making the actual focal point of a card out of the designer paper...I resisted for so long because I love the stamping part and thought I might miss out on some fun. That being said, there is plenty of ink and stamping on these cards! I made a miniature replica of a notebook piece of paper with a background stamp, stamped a little distress look on it....BE MINE...and little hearts. The red cardstock is stamped with LINEN background stamp. I used my sizzix (now that's a dinosaur tool..yep, I still use my red sizzix) ... I used one of my favorite Cricut cartridges (Graphically Speaking) for the note paper. Now for the good part....once the design was decided, it only took a couple of hours to make.

The other 6 images I have are more Victorian Vintage...so, will do similar but with different colors...stand by for pics of those some time next week!

So for now...it definitely was a social media day, refreshing my knowledge and memory of uploading my craft items. I rely on my pictures for quotes in my chocolate design world, it was nice doing something more for pure labor of love. I sort of played hooky today, but to be honest, a few of my chocolate customers are so so so savvy in computer things, that I'm going to join forces and become savvy too.... that being said, I'm sharing that info because you are my friends...not my victims of my learning curve of social media!!!

Stay tuned for more and more....and when I do get links up for the Adams Place Country Gourmet, Inc. side of my life, I'll add....I'm having too much fun with cards today! ;)

Toodles,part 2!

Trudi

First and Last!

Sort of a scary title there....no....I'm not implying my last post/creation/yada yada yada.....

I have been bitten by the crafting bug again, but just haven't shared on my blog....I hope to get in the spirit of things again, now that I have a new Smart TV in my craft room...I can do a Netflix marathon while I stamp/stich/bow and button up!

While looking for some long lost supply (that after the matter, I found it in plain sight...go figure)...I stumbled upon the VERY FIRST CARD I ever made and sent out for Christmas....we are talking about 21-25 years ago...a long long time...and many many many $$$$$$ of dollars of supplies since then...I decided to share my very FIRST and my LAST (completed) Christmas card I designed. (I already have 2017 started, but need a little tweak here and there)

My first card....I was inspired by a class I attended at a local craft store.....

It was in my early early days....I even made hand made envelopes ....I probably don't need much explanation of the "how I did it"....

Now for my latest, and seriously one of my most favorite cards I have ever made. Favorite because I had tons of fun with each little step I made, and this, trust me...had many steps.

It is sort of "accordian" but I adhered a couple pages at the back. I know I had a good reason at the time, I really wanted this to stay shut and that seemed to do the trick.....many of the images are doubles stamped...I stamped in one color, True Thyme, a favorite color from my Stampin' UP! days...truly the BEST color ever out there...it was a special color that was introduced for a short time. I have hoarded my True Thyme card stock and it was my go to for this project! The second color stamped over the original True Thyme images is metallic gold....so, if there is a slight blurry look...you are right, there is...but up close...it adds a little mystery and subtle shimmer to the images...this is where that Stampa Majig came in handy! The rest is pretty self explanatory, yep, you see pirate gold embossing, some sparkle glitter, Platinum in this case.... And the canvas "sleeve" PURE IMPULUSE on my part. I decided to visit a craft store (who needs to when their entire craft room is a store)...(I used my Michaels coupon to buy a copic marker and came out with canvas)...

Anyhow...if I were to recreate, I'm sure it wouldn't take as long since I have the design down. But oh how fun...I find the little surface to design isn't as complex as a big scrapbook page, you do run out of room, so it's easy that way. Yet...I always manage to find ways to keep it labor intense! In the meantime, I made these with a few of my friends in mind, and wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Unfortunately, not all my friends got one, as I felt I needed to let go of a few of these to "relatives"...you know, the ones who I'm not sure are as appreciative of a hand made card as my crafting friends, but relatives that I hold near and dear just the same...(I guess what I'm saying here is I'll probably recreate to send to others next year, just I'll get a good start...plus...I may have to substitute my True Thyme...yikes)

Here are a couple more views ... the little tag is tucked under the sentiment on the last page...space for a to and from....

So there you go...FIRST and LAST .... with about 25 years in between!

I just finished a few Valentines Cards....(for 2018, I missed the deadline this year! hahahaha)....so check back...I remembered my password for my blog!

Til next time!

Toodles,

Trudi

Don't be scared of Holiday Crazy!

I'm a little late posting these....sort of....I say "sort of" ... since believe it or not....in my chocolate world/business...we are already working on March/Spring orders. (Not actual production, but lining them up)...Christmas is kind of officially "over" in my world, just last minute panic orders...all the big stuff is gone. (We own a specialty food business, mainly service corporate customers, but dabble a little bit in selling to retailers, which is what we started with 30 years ago....and we occasionally get direct orders too...)

http://adamsplace.espwebsite.com/

You will find no contact info on here for a reason....(our logo is there though) ... our website is setup for our distributors to send their clients too....I love the world of marketing, and we created this site for those who sell our products to very large companies...

Anyhow, back to my very late card ... I started making these on Halloween, 2015 .... and sent them out Halloween 2016 .... I planned on mailing them to craft friends, but family members snatched them up, shipped with Halloween gifts! I suspect there will be a new Halloween card for 2017, so I'm not waiting until next year to show what I did...I've sparked my creative gene, and feel inspired lately. I'm working on a series of Christmas cards right now....

Cutesy (check)
Religious (almost check, will be finished in a day or 2)
Vintage (started something very labor intensive, dreamt another design up...and it is finished in my mind....)

These 3 will be uploaded before Christmas! I'm having a ton of fun!

Anyhow....I struggled on the sentiment inside this card, and the need to mail/ship with Halloween treats was prior to before I came up with something I liked better....was thinking "I've Got My Eyes on You" or something in that category....but never followed through...

So...Happy Belated Halloween! This was a fun Stampin' Up! set that is a mix and match sort of thing~! The little bats are strategically place, mainly where I made "rocking" ink boo boos....yes, every little flaw bugs me...and I find ways to hide and fix. Not all were goofed up...but, I had a few that I had to place the bat over a ink imperfection!

The "gifts" were really not all dressed up....those, I personally sent to a few people in my family...the other gifts, I did not get a picture of...but, we put 40 or so fancy sandwich cookies inside a pumpkin trick or treat pail...along with the card...these went to a hospital staff ... sort of an office gift thing....similar to the candy kabobs picture here....

Til next Halloween! Don't let the stress of the holidays scare you!

Toodles!

Trudi

Bwha Ha Ha

Not sure why I titled it that...it sounded good. This is not a new card, but it is one that I really enjoyed making several years ago. I'm sort of dabbling a bit more in my craft room than I have over the last few years. I think it has to do with the fact that POOF all of the sudden my kidlets turned into teenagers and understandably so, they are spending their fun time with their friends. That leaves me a little empty nested....even though I'm not...when they were little, I was crafting up a storm....then...sports got involved, and there was stress and never enough time. Sports are still involved, but I'm not being the taxi driver to practices anymore....so....I ventured into a neglected craft room (store practically) stocked FULL of supplies. I'm not ready to ebay or sell online, but if I ever do...there are some really good treasures.....

This card, as I said was one of my favorites....and I thought I'd share since tis the season of spooky....

Looking at it...I see possibilities for Thanksgiving and Christmas, casing my own design....I imagine a turkey in the middle of this...

I'm 99.9% sure the skull and crossbones is a SU set, and the text on the front and the inside (along with the bats) are a Crafty Secrets set....If you look close....you will see doodle swirlies on the black and green circles/scallop....that too, is a SU set....I distressed the skull lightly with some background stamp....looks like "Weathered"..all the green is background stamped with my favorite: LINEN background stamp ... and the scallop background is stamped with a French Script background as well....it appears the inner circle is actually designer paper, but I'm seeing LINEN on it...so, it appears I LINENED until my love of the Linen background was used as much as possible!

Oh My!!!!! Just typing out the details, and even leaving out a few (like the crytal effects on the eyes, the lace bow, rhinestones,velvet ribbon, brads and the final: glittery glue highlights....) What a lot of labor! That being said...that's 100% me....and I really don't remember anything dragging out about this card....I remember it all being fun!

I'm finishing up a non-seasonal project that I will share with you next week or so! I started it last Spring...geesh...

Toodles

Trudi

Weight Loss Journey Journal

Hello!

Awhile ago, I promised an update...and never followed through. I wanted to overthink the completion of my journal book...and was hoping to share a book full of bling bling! I'm satisfied with the front of the book, but only lined the inside of the book with matching designer paper....one little pocket in the back to put my weight watchers membership thingy....and my tracking of weight loss.

I made this for Jan 1 start date...and since then, I've stopped and started my "journey" over and over and over again....

Today I hope to have started for the last time....I very much entered something in my journal for 6 weeks or so...I see my last entry was February 19....so, here on June 20...I start again...

My book looks a little "loved"...the prima flowers sort of curled, next time, I will only use c/s for that kind of embellishment...

That being said...this book is supposed to be "loved"....and "used"....

I had fun making the embellishments.....of course I scoured my cricut cartridges for my hot air balloon and bicycle. My gypsy battery needs recharging and I haven't synced it forever...I don't do the online stuff...I'm intimidated with all that, but sure love going through my little books that come with the cartridges. I have about 75 cartridges or more, so....it's a process!

The designer paper was on clearance from our local craft store...an entire wall of TONS of dp for $ .25 each....I'm not sure whose / in the trend or what...but I knew I liked this. You need 4 sheets of dp to make a journal book....for front and back cover and then for the insides to line....I really don't remember if I bought 4 of the same or not, I do know these were reversable, so I might have....

The WHO/WHAT/WHEN/WHERE/WHY pocket came from one of those kinds of dp, the inside back cover has one too...tracking my weekly weight....I'm too shy to take a picture of that to share with the world my weight...so, that's up to the readers imagination! :) One of the papers I purchase had rulers...I had fun making "pounds lost meters..." Originally, I did lost about 12 pounds...thus the "line"...it's all gained back, to what I started at....so, I'll take a dark sharpie on my my next round of measurements! It was sort of fun...

So...write ... doodle ... mark up and journal ... this was so fun to make...when it's all filled up, I'll make another! (I bought designer paper for that too!) I was finding a quote a day, and started again today.....

Thanks for stopping by! Somewhere I have all the cutting dimensions of the designer paper written down that works best for the journal...I'll find it and share if anyone is interested! Leave me a note ... and I'll find it somewhere in my craft studio!

Thanks for stopping by!

Trudi

I promise, I have things to share!

Long time no post...that being said...I HAVE dabbled in my craft studio...so much that I finished my Halloween cards over Christmas and am starting my Valentines card NOW....fully knowing I won't be home over the Valentine weekend. I love this no pressure crafting thing, and like the industry I work in on a day to day basis...I'm going to craft that way too....I'm at LEAST 6 months out prior to the holiday. Believe it or not...the previous post of the BC Awareness gifts?!....I'm securing October orders for right now....

That being said....I have something very personal and near and dear to share....

I have decided to get back into the size 9(ish) that I was in once upon a time.....I'm 5'10(ish), so I can sway on that goal, but...mainly, somewhere in my hectic life...and hard stuff...I managed to once again, get at an unhealthy size....


so.....


I am approaching my weight loss like a game...and sometimes there is a side of me who is going to TRY to beat me...but....I have plans to not let that happen....I may stumble and fall...but...I will win in the end...

I made myself a MY JOURNEY journal book....

and...although it is 60% finished (designer paper on / most embellishments on / binder painted and stamped and set ...

I do have a bit more to go, crafting wise....(I know this will be a 2 journal process, I have plans on my 2nd journal already)

I planned on posting it here .... 60% finished....BUT....I'm on a jet plane to Vegas (tomorrow), so it will have to wait until I get back ...

and for the record...

I weigh in tomorrow....3 weeks down, 7 pounds down...I feel optimistic, I just MAY hit that 10 pound mark tomorrow.

Come back to see what fun stuff I have stored in my lil book....I take it with me (for the most part) where ever I go~!)

In the meantime, I'm posting a pic from the past. My daughter has been dealing with some stuff, where a girlfriend and coffee is a must...in my day...it was coffee at maybe a trendy yuppie place, Starbucks wasn't yet "invented", although it was coming...now days...it's all Dutch Brothers....if you are on the West Coast...you probably know what I'm talking about....if not....well, it's on it's way to you...it's a phenom right now, especially with the high school crowd! :)

Toodles and ChaChing for Vegas!!!!

Trudi

Think Pink!

Hello friends! The good thing about taking a crafting break, is that when you start back up....projects left undone don't seem as impossible to finish as they did from the beginning....

I started these treat bags about 4 years ago, and during that time, I collected crafting ideas on how to finish these up...I just never found the time. Well, this year, I really wanted to tackle these to the end and get several sent full of treats to my dearest customers and friends. In my chocolate world, we manufacture everything you see in the contents picture, except the cocoa. I didn't design and send these out in mind as a promotional item, as many of our customers order for that very purpose....

I sent these out because I wanted to remind some of my nearest and dearest customers and friends...that no matter how busy we are in our business lives (and yes we are smack dab in the middle of 4th quarter my friends....)...it's important to take care of ourselves too....





October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month....remember to schedule your yearly checkups!

Take care!

Trudi

The Skies The Limit ....

Hello!

It has been a LOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG time since I have felt the crafting energy ... I've *tried* *sigh* for a couple of years to get back in the groove...and then I really don't know WHAT sparked it ... but I finally found what I lost. Unfortunately, I refused to start one more project without finishing a few ... and boy oh boy ... I am REALLY enjoying finishing my projects. I really wish I hadn't lost my interest back when I started these projects ...

So, this is the result of one of the projects ....

I think I secretly know what made me want to finish ... First, the intended recipient of this card has now been long graduated from high school...going on 3? years...so, it's been awhile since I started these! This year, we were invited to a graduation picnic for the brother of my daughter's bff. And...I decided it was time to finish...What a remarkable young man this graduate has become. Very politely, he opened each gift and spent personal time with each one, thanking the person who gave him the gift. Since this was mostly family, I truly didn't expect such kind words when it came our turn. When he read the card ... he commented how true/how "deep" the sentiment was, and held tightly to the card....

I KNEW once I saw this stamp set, that it would be perfect for graduations, and how special it meant to hear this coming from an 18 year old graduate.

Thus... I got my spark back....

What I really liked about this card is that I used some very old supplies...some that many either don't have anymore, or you can find at a yard sale....

My SIZZIX!!! and Star Die
VERSAMARK PEN (I bought this about 16 years ago, and it still worked!)
STICKERS!!!

I plan on not buying much in the future...but truly enjoying what I have...I can create for the next umpteen years...I may need to buy some adhesive every now and then...lol..oh...and add to my never ending supply of designer paper! (Which these cards did not use!) LOL!

Stand By....Project Number 2: is almost finished :) Just needing to add the final touch! It may be a few weeks before I post the final outcome though. I'm sending these out as gifts, it's for an October promo that I'm doing sending to a few of my special customers in my chocolate biz. Not that anyone will ever see them here on this blog...but, I'm funny about that!

Toodles!

Trudi

I REMEMBERED!!!

I didn't think I remembered my password to my blog....I have been on a crafting vacation for probably 2 years now, and I have a notion to finish a ton of craft projects on my desk! I have graduation cards sitting there that were intended for a graduate who will be a junior in college next year! I also have my breast cancer awareness projects, maybe a Christmas card project or 2....geesh...

Well, I do have a graduation party (or 2) to go to in the next week....I think I'll head down to the dungeon, clean off the cobwebs and finish...I may have to "accept" and not overthink...that is what caused me to quit in the first place!

STAND BY FOR A PICTURE ... I'M ON A MISSION NOW

Will go assess the project before I head off to the chocolate mines, my day job! :)

Toodles,

Trudi

I'm back????!!??

Just for grins, I wondered if I even remembered my password and id name...which I surprisingly did! Is this a sign? A signal that I should start up posting designs again? Hmmmmm....

I won't go that far as I've been totally consumed by my kids, their sports, their lives, etc....and seeing it go by too fast. I decided not to be behind the camera for "that day" when I finally get caught up on scrapping it all...but actually enjoying and living each moment, scrapbooking it in my mind...

I will, one day, document what I remember, and I do keep things to keep me on target....but that's for future generations to enjoy, I'm in the moment....

I guess, life, taught me that...

That being said...that project I started 1-1/2 years ago, is getting finished right now...and I really do want to do some cards for Christmas!!! So, now that I remember my password/id name...I'll come back...you never know, I might really enjoy getting back at creating.....

Toodles!

Check back soon!

Trudi

Very Ancient Old Supplies

I will probably miss the event with this card...but that's okay...next year there will be another person(s) who can receive one of my new creations....

It's not close to being finished and unless I rally myself tonight, which I am not going to...it will probably not be finished by Saturday since I have obligations for the next couple of nights...

That being said...

I pulled out some very old supplies!

First....

A little tip that was told to me YEARS ago...was to hit up a frame shop and ask to buy old frame scraps (chipboard). For a couple of dollars, I scored on a boatload of CHIPBOARD...perfect to use with my...DRUM ROLL...SIZZIX DIES! Yes, we are talking about my red sizzix....although, I have to admit, I did run the chipboard through my Big Shot, mainly because it was closest to me....

I used....what was color coded in the past...A YELLOW, medium-sized, die. I realize sizzix is still very big at large, but I don't see the color code system as much...or maybe it does still exist, although I have to say...this was probably one of the very first dies I ever purchased, about 11 years ago!

It also is one of my most used.....(sadly, some I have NEVER used....)

Next ancient supply: ACRYLIC PAINT....who knows WHY I felt I needed to load up on acrylics...but, for some odd reason, I did....about 7 years ago..maybe? Hard to say...I've been out of action for a couple, and I don't recall any projects I worked on before that...this had to be 6-7 years ago....anyhow...I have some fun old gold paint....and a little sponge paintbrush.....

FYI...my card...it probably isn't going to be bling bling and out of this world (that was a little hint, the world part)...it's more simple and sweet...I don't know where I'm going with it quite yet, so it will be a surprise for me too!~

Check back in a couple of days...and it may be uploaded by then!

Trudi

A Child's Year

Before I go and buy any more cricut cartridges with silhouettes on them...I thought I better finally get around to using the one(s) that I already have. (I have a couple of others...the 60's one and a really fun one ... I can't recall the name of it...) I have had ideas with "A Child's Year" for quite some time, I even have oodles of specifically purchased designer paper for one of the images...

I JUST HAVE NEVER FOUND THE TIME TO USE IT!

I'm more of a bling bling kind of person, so to be a little less bling ... that was hard. I never imagined that I would use THIS particular cut. In fact, it was the shell stamp set that I wanted to use...I sort of decided to scour over a couple of my cartridge handbooks...when I stumbled upon this cut....and then I pulled some very old Stampin' Up! sets of mine...like the first ones I think I ever bought and somehow put all the pieces together.



Yes, there are things I would do differently next time. I'd stamp the "girls" a little darker than what I did. I did NOT want to distract from the beautiful saying:

Memory is a child
walking along a seashore.
You never can tell what
small pebble it will pick
up and store away among
its treasured things.

-Pierce Harris


I suspect I will be playing with the cartridge a bit more now that I have used it once and liked the simplicity of a solid image. Although it is a tad bit different than my regular style...I felt good about the outcome. It may only be me who feels good about it, but from the saying to the sweet stamped images of the children, somehow some memories of my own unlocked...that are special and dear to me.


I am glad to find my way back into my craft room...just wish I hadn't waited so long!

Til next time!

Trudi

Finished! Window or Door Card?

Well, I finally finished. It's called losing my inspiration and then finally finding it! I started these about 6 months ago, the BBTB2 team had a window card challenge...and I *thought* I could manage that in a week! Ha! I think that was last SEPTEMBER OR AUGUST! So, lookie here, it's all done...and my sister says...."THAT'S NOT A WINDOW!!! IT'S A DOOR!" Then...my sweet daughter reaffirmed that (gosh, she is so like her auntie, it's scary!)

In my mind, it's a WINDOW....and in my mind the lanterns were going to be hung on the front...more tedious labor for me...I just couldn't make that happen! After 6 months of deliberation, I let that idea go...and ran with whatever popped into my head first! I have to admit, the fan, never was an idea...but I thought it was a little fun thing in the end.

Next creation....is going to be EASY! If that is even possible for me. I tend to take my sweet time!

I think I'll grab some beachy type thing and run with it...I am so looking forward to this summer! My daughter started playing beach volleyball last summer, and I don't know who is more smitten by it...me or her! :)

Toodles!

Trudi

My Work In Progress

This is almost finished, but this is not the finished product. I will post that when I'm completely done. There is more bling added to it! I'm sitting at a volleyball tournament right now and thought I'd fiddle with my blogger app! I do have a picture of the final result but it isn't a good pic! In a couple of days I will post the real deal!!

Just Because

So I'm now inspired to try to keep the blog alive....and stumbled upon this card that I made PRE-COPIC days! I fell in love with this stamp line, Stamping Bella, years ago!



http://www.stampingbella.com/index.php?cPath=85

I see Blogger has gone through some changes since my last blogging a few months ago...I'm struggling uploading my new look, (it took forever this morning and I didn't have forever...) so, bear with me....Once I figure out how to upload a link, I'll be a happy girl.

In the meantime, my simple Just Because card will have to do! (If I recall, this was really fun to make, maybe simple is better!?)

Trudi

Been WAAAAAAAAAY LONG!

I have a sneaky hunch I uploaded this card years ago. I was feeling guilty not posting anything here for awhile! While searching through my gallery of pictures I spotted this card....I am trying to maintain my business facebook page by daily or at least every other day uploading a picture of something chocolate. I am finding facebook is a wonderful way to stay in front of my customers. I've gotten business off of it, and have become re-aquainted with retailers that I may have lost touch with over the course of 27 years of business! Wow...hard to believe it was almost 27 years ago when we started our specialty food business. We have weathered much!

Here's a link, if interested in taking a glimpse of what I "do" in my daily life! If you "like" us, you may be in for some fun pictures since I never quite know what I'm going to put on it from day to day!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Adams-Place-Country-Gourmet-Inc/203972589712383


It is: Adams Place Country Gourmet, Inc.



As far as crafting.....hmmmmmmm....I've spent a LOT of time watching my kidlets in their sports. My daughter is now taller than I am (back in the day, I was almost 5'11"), and she is only 13 years old! She's in volleyball heaven as her goal is over 6'! (I have shrunk, so I'm guessing she is probably 5'10ish) And my son is doing GREAT...thriving in basketball and now baseball season is starting! It's been almost 2 years since his tumor scare, so far it has not grown back, we go back to Children's in the next few weeks.

I promise to try to get this blog alive again. I let my SU demo status drop....placed my required order on the last day of pending and slipped through the cracks. I have proof that it came in on time and that it was at the $ it needed to be....but, got dropped. This was right in the middle of my Christmas rush, didn't have time to make the calls...so, decided to let it go....

We will see...maybe I'll look into it again...in the meantime, I'm loving being a MOM taking in every moment of my children while they are still children...yep, it does go by fast.....

I have some fun cards 3/4 of the way finished. I am HOME for the next 2 weekends...no volleyball travel, thank goodness! I want to finish these and clear the table...if and when I do...I'll post a picture! It's a fun one...just once again...LABOR OF LOVE!

Trudi

Volleyball News

I realized I never shared our exciting volleyball news....with lots of white knuckles (had a very interesting experience with club tryouts this year...) and a bit of heavy heart, we chose to leave our former club team...mostly because there was a shortage of coaches and although there was a spot on a team for her, it wasn't the best fit.

And so we have begun a new phase of the game of volleyball....on an elite traveling team!!!! This will be new and exciting for our family as we will be traveling to very large tournaments and circuit play!!!

Practices start this week! My girl is one court closer to reaching her goals!!!

Trudi

Quince

Probably the most talked about fruit we grow in our orchards are Quince. "What is a Quince?" is almost a daily question once the tree planted next to the driveway starts bearing fruit. Forget about the thousands of other trees...it's that one tree that draws attention the most. It looks like a fuzzy cross between an apple and a pear...many a customer is awfully surprised when they sneak one off the tree...bite into it and look out! It's not that apple pear taste they expected!

I googled the definition...not so sure the Wikipedia version is as accurate as mine, I'm sure there are several hybrid varieties since the pilgrims. (I learned that quince was a staple item on the ships to help prevent scurvy...sounds good to me, don't quote me on that though)

Quince also appeared in a favorite children's poem, "The Owl And The Pussycat", ... "they dined on mince and slices of quince" ...

Personally, I don't see how they could dine on quince...straight off the tree, it's very very bitter....that being said, it is a favorite with certain cultures. Quince are used in soups and stews in the Russian community, and the Mexican culture likes to sprinkle cayenne pepper on raw slice as a snack. So what are they used for?

Jelly. Hands down, this is MY favorite jelly! It's honey colored juice produces a rich golden jelly that is not only sweet on your morning toast, but makes a unique flavored condiment on sandwiches and meats as well. The taste is indescribable. It's one of those flavors you just have to try to understand!

My suggestion would be...if ever given the opportunity to try the jelly...you should! It's well worth it!

Trudi