Hats, Anyone?

So, a couple weeks back, my younger brother shows up for a visit, and tells me how much he *LOVES* the dishcloth and scrubber that I stuck in with his Target giftcard at Christmas. I think he actually liked the dishcloth and scrubber MORE than the giftcard. If you knew him, you would not question this. He is a tall, muscular, macho, hard working blue collar builder, and he keeps everything in his apartment as neat as a pin! He loves to clean, and organize, and always has. Weirdo. No, really-so I ushered him back to my Craft Cave, and showed him the STACK of dishcloths I had sitting there, just waiting for a sink to call home. I gave him one, and he promptly told me that he would "save" it. Like, to use later, when his other one wore out, or something. Weirdo. He then says--can you make hats? As many of you know, I am a lover of hats. The weirder the better. Flappers, fur, strings, pom poms, camo, you name it. Well, Neil is the same way. So I decided to go in search of a hat pattern that looked easy, and that would fit the characteristics that he laid out before me. I love the challenge of making something new that I have never made before. I found a bunch of patterns at Crochet Pattern Central- and found one that I thought would work. I had to tweek it a bit, since it was for a skull cap, and he wanted it to go over his ears, but it told how to make it longer, so I was set. I made up a practice one for me-orange, pink, and yellow-and did it as a skull cap, following the directions perfectly. Then I would know how and where to add extra rows, just kind of as a baseline. I got a bunch of yarn last weekend, and decided to make a couple more hats for practice before I get to Neil's. The camo yarn I chose was not like anything I had used before. The stitches were so hard to see. So here are Cody and Peter's matching hats-and Neil's will begin today. The pom pom was a must-and it had to cover the ears without flaps or a fold....picky, picky.


Don't they look cute? I am finding that I like to work with 100% cotton much better than the acrylic! What a difference! They are happy, and that makes mama happy.
I also made a set of friendship/thank you notes for a few of my closest friends. They should have gotten them by now, so I feel fairly safe posting a pic!


Paper is Basic Grey Ambrosia SU! Black and Going Gray Cardstock, SU! Basic Grey Ink, Staz On Jet Black Ink, Stamps are Purple Onion Designs (flowers and number run) and sentiment is $1.00 from Michael's.
Punch from SU! for notebook holes.
We are home today on a snow day. The snow hasnt' really arrived yet, but I guess they are being pro active. I hope to get some treadmill done and get to the store for milk before it gets too bad!
Happy Wednesday!
**Keri**

Friendship Birthday Card

Here is a card I made, for a friend to give a friend! I had some extra time yesterday, so I made this up. It is a half fold card, using a whole piece of cardstock, so it is a biggie. But I love how it turned out, using this new set for the first time!


Here is what I used to make this card:
SU Cardstock, Pink Pirouette and Certainly Celery
GP White Cardstock
SU! Hostess Set Happiness Always
Nestabilities Circle and Scalloped Circle Dies used in the Cuttlebug
SU! Ink: Apricot Appeal, Tangerine Tango, Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Barely Banana, More Mustard, Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose
SU! Spiral Notebook Punch
Sentiment stamp? Unknown, but got it from my rockin friend LR!
I am very glad it is the weekend-it has been a strange week! But this time of year, every Friday that arrives, means one more week closer to spring!
Cody and I are headed to town after school to get groceries, and to try to find two of those stupid converter boxes that are hard to find. I have the coupons, just never any boxes to be had. It is driving me NUTS!! The coupons expire, and there are no boxes anywhere...Wish us luck!
Have a great weekend!
**Keri**

With Heartfelt Sympathy

Good Thursday morning! It is cold, and blustery, here in Northern NY State! There was a fire in town the other day, and we lost our telephone and electricity for a while. Thankfully, the power was back on within about 4 hours, but the phone was out for nearly a day. I was in internet withdrawals! I have been off all week, and been working on so many things, that I feel like nothing has been accomplished!! I did make a few more cards, including the one below:
Here is another Sympathy Card that I recently made.


Supplies:
GP White Cardstock
Mellow Moss Cardstock
Apricot Appeal Cardstock
Ink: Apricot Appeal, Mellow Moss, Black Staz On
Stamps: Terrific Tulips, Close as a Memory, Bronc Buster (flourish)

The terrific tulip set never gets old! It is one of my favorites. Perfect, and soft, for a sympathy card.
Have a great Thursday!
**Keri**

New Items in the Country Life Shop!

I added some new items to the Country Life Shop. Click on the link box in the right column to see what is new!
Have a great night!
Keri

Warm Winter Wishes

Today seems like a very fitting day, to post one of my latest creations! I made this card a few days ago, as a general greeting card. Little did I know back then, that when I woke up at 1:30 this morning to fill the stove, that it would be -30! Well, when I got back up at 6:30 this morning, it was already ONLY -20, so things are improving! So Warm Winter Wishes are indeed what we need! It is supposed to be in the teens by Sunday, and 25 by Monday! So excited!

Here is what I used for this card:

SU! Cardstock Cool Caribbean, and Basic Black

GP White Cardstock

SU! Stamp set Country Pleasures

POD Sentiment

Versafine Ink in Black Onyx

SU! Dazzling Diamonds

MCP technique on the snow banks

Thanks for looking, and have a great weekend!

**Keri**

It's HOW COLD??

You be the judge. This is our only working thermometer, but it looks like -26 to me. And if someone tells you that once it gets to a certain temperature, it doesn't feel any colder anymore, that cold is just cold, THEY ARE LYING! My coldest temp record for here, that I have a photo for, was 1/27/05 and it was about -31. This is one record I hope we don't break!
Brodie will pull her whole "I think I am dying" thing when she gets let out this morning, for sure. On really cold mornings, she goes outside to pee, all the while keeping at least one paw in the air, then she looks at me-who is waiting at the door for her, mind you, lays on the ground with her paws up of the snow, and curls into a ball like those sad dogs on the abused animal commercials. And just prepares herself to die...Instead of just running the 10 feet back to the house!! She is so goofy sometimes! So, I guess I am in for another day of staying busy, just to stay warm! Let me know what your temps are, and note my weatherbug only says -13 so we are WAY lower!


Have a Great Day, and STAY WARM!!
**Keri**

Sympathy Card

I had the unfortunate task of having to make and send a sympathy card this week. I had acquired a new set, Close As A Memory, from SU!, back in the fall. I loved the verse "Earth Has No Sorrow That Heaven Cannot Heal" and thought at the time, as much as it will pain me every time I have to use it, it is a beautiful set. I saw a singer/evangelist named Ann Downing at a ladies' retreat a few years ago, and she sang a song with the same title. It always stuck with me, so you can imagine my surprise when I spotted it in the SU! catalog!
I find that I really pour my whole heart and soul into sympathy cards. I do for all my cards, but more for sympathy cards. That doesn't mean they are necessarily more fabulous or creative, but rest assured, it was created with all my love, prayers, and meditation.

Here is what I used to make this card:
SU! Very Vanilla Cardstock
Marcella by K patterned paper (blue and cream metallic paper pad)
SU! Close as a Memory Stamp set
Ivory and Blue sheer ribbon-Offray
SU! Mellow Moss and Bashful Blue Ink
Nestabilities Scalloped and Regular Circles-Large

What I did, was stamp the sentiment on the cardstock first, and then I masked it and stamped the flowers over it. THEN I put it through the cuttlebug, to make sure it was centered in the circle.
Very simple, yet hopefully, at least a little bit comforting.
The inside says:
"Your loved one will always be as close as a memory,and the God of all comfort as close as a prayer"
"With Heartfelt Sympathy"

On a lighter note, we are COLD!! I hope you will check out my Weatherbug in the right column. We had -10 this morning, before wind chill, and it will only get worse. The Weatherbug is actually 30 miles south of us, and the temperatures vary from there, but that is the closest one I could find. If it was already -10 this morning, and it is only supposed to get worse, I am dreading what is to come these next two days!

Also, I finally got my new 2009 watermark made! I have made a couple now, and think I am finally getting down how to do it!

Have a great day, and stay warm, everyone!!

**Keri**

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

The little boy you see here, on the horse with his big sister, is a birthday boy today! Yup, that's my Daddy, and today, he is 68! 68 years ago today, my tiny Grandma Brooks delivered a 12 pound baby AT HOME, in the middle of winter. 3 -12 pound babies out of 7 children is unbelievable! He still works like a 25 year old, but maybe has a bit more gray than back then. I Love You, Daddy, and Happy Birthday from all of us!

Thank You Cards

Something look different?? Yup, I changed my scheme again! Let's just say it reflects the stark nature of my surroundings and my attitude until Spring arrives! Temperatures are dipping lower and lower and my feet and hands keep getting colder and colder!
After another week of potty training 2 toddlers, I am ready for the weekend again!

You may have noticed the new item in my sidebar. After pondering the idea, I did go ahead and open an Etsy Shop! If you click on the box to the left, it will bring you to the shop. There are only 2 items right now, but I have more ready to go up. I just need to take the time to do it. The variety of what will be in my shop will vary, honestly, depending on my creative mood. The cost of posting the items is so little, that it isn't going to hurt if items sit there. As is says on the store's page, if there is something specific that you want, or even if you have seen something that I have done on here that you would be interested in, feel free to contact me. I will be adding more paper crafts, and some painted items in the future!
This is the thank you note I made right after Christmas, for Cody to send to everyone who gave him gifts over the Holidays. I try to always make a point to have him write them out and thank each person. Good thing to learn while they are young!
For this card, I used pre-made, textured, pre-folded cards from Joann's SE line. I cut them shorter to make them square. They come in packs of 10, with the envelopes. They match the Lavender Lace color from SU! perfectly!
I stamped the base of the card with SU! Print Pattern BG stamp, and Lavender Lace Ink.
I used my new Nesties and cut out some scalloped and regular circles using K&Co cream colored metallic paper for the large scalloped one, then Mellow Moss, then Very Vanilla for the smallest circle.
For the stamps, I used Blossoms Abound, a retired set from SU!.
I stamped the blossoms with Lavender Lace Ink, Mellow Moss Ink, and Always Artichoke Ink. (I stamped off with the LL Ink)
The sentiment is from a SU! hostess set, Best Yet.
Very simple, easy to make several of (I made 10!) and lovely. Especially when you are stuck in the dead of winter, and flowers seem SO FAR AWAY!!
Thanks for visiting!
Let me know what you think of the new scheme!
Have a great weekend,
**Keri**

What do ya do on a snow day, you say??

Well, we had snow day #2 for the 08-09 winter! I figured it was gonna be a day off, but I was off today, so it wasn't a huge deal. Slept off and on half the morning, and didn't really do too much productive work! I did however, catch up on everyone's blog, who has updated! That is a nice way to spend a morning!
So, if you ever wondered what happens at our house on a snow day, LOOK NO FURTHER!
First, you try your hardest to drag yourself out of bed and look ambitious so Mom doesn't bug you too much: (Oh yeah, and always lay ON the blanket so Dad doesn't get mad about the hair! & a pillow is always the way to go!)

Next: When trying to get BACK on Mom's good side for sleeping away the day, it is always a good idea to tickle her funny bone. Today, I opted for my Gene Simmons impersonation. Either that, or one of the heifers in the field I like to "check out" down the road during the summer!
I hope you liked my Brodie pics. She has recently been given a lot more freedom in the house, and is doing well with it! We still don't leave her unattended for any amount of time-She would eat the whole house if we did! But she usually doesn't leave our side anyway. I did manage to create something today, while sitting in front of Dr. Phil tonight, being the ever diligent wife while Peter was out cleaning the driveway for 2+hours-I made a lip balm holder!!

A friend of my Mom's gave me some crochet books, and this was in one of them. I thought it was cool, and definitely do-able for the novice (yeah, that's me). After looking and trying to figure out the pattern 3 different times in the last 3 weeks, I finally tried it, and it worked! I am sure it is not perfect, but cool nonetheless! It fits a regular sized stick of lip balm, and it will also hold one of those tubie lip gloss thingers (seen below). They are super easy to make, and would be great to hook on a key ring! Whatdya think??

Well, here's hoping for SCHOOL tomorrow! We do not need another day off. Cody's back side is going to be permanently fused to the recliner soon!

Have a great night!

**Keri**

A Holiday Scrapbook Page...

Finally, things are getting back to normal! I am back to work today, Cody is back at school, Peter back to work after a long weekend. I THRIVE on a schedule. I was getting pretty irritated by Saturday night. Not enough to do-bored, grumpy, and SO GLAD it is Monday!! I was ready to get back to work LAST Monday!
I have been tossing around the idea of starting and Etsy shop. If any of you have one, and would share your experiences with me, please do! I need a second job, and would love to make some extra $$ doing what I love, but have been burned so many times in the past that I am quite apprehensive.
So, now that the Holidays are done, here I am, facing three months of winter. It is not so much the snow as the cold that I detest--So I decided I need to get to work on some scrapbook pages, and use up some of these supplies I have accumulated.
I actually started this page before Christmas, but got stuck and didn't quite know where to go, so I left it for a while. Well, with my new QK Squeeze, Nesties, and Moxie Alpha, that I got from my Secret Sister, I knew what I wanted to do, to finish the page! It seems so weird to be doing a page, just to do it, and not as a requirement for someone else! I picked up this pad of paper back in the fall at Michael's-K&Co. and really liked the patterns. This is what I came up with, using a 5 year old Christmas photo! For some reason, Christmas layouts are the hardest for me to do. You can click on the photo and make it larger, FYI.

Here is what I used:
K&Co. Peppermint Twist Patterned Paper
SU! Cardstock, Very Vanilla, Real Red
Chipboard: Basic Grey Letters (I covered in Patterned Paper) Shapes were made using K&Co. Punchouts that I put on chipboard and cut out, Blue letters are Heidi Swapp (I am 98% sure), Square frame is SU!
Snowflake Rub ons- SU!
Going Gray Inkpad
Dazzling Diamonds (on chipboard letters) SU!
Nestabilities Large circle and scalloped circle (used in Cuttlebug)
American Crafts Ribbon
QK Squeeze and Moxie Alpha for journaling letters
SU! Circle and Scalloped Circle punches for Title block
So, there you have it! I am excited to get back to work and do more pages! I got a few photos printed at www.scrapbookpictures.com to use in layouts, so I can't wait to see how they look!
Have a Blessed Monday!!
**Keri**