Project 365: Jan 29-Feb 4 2010

Friday, Jan 29: I don't know if I actually took a photo this day. We went to a very cool after school program to vaccinate at-risk middle schoolers and teens. I really admire their program and am thinking about volunteering there. Here is a card I made with my V-Day set and some patterned paper from AC Moore.
Saturday, Jan 30: Snowed all day. I had to get out of the house after spending most of the week in bed or on the couch. Walking to Caribou Coffee to write some letters, I came across a couple who had a unique answer to the snow. They're garbage bags, in case you couldn't tell. People here don't quite know how to handle snow. You can also see that the streets are not plowed at all.
Sunday, Jan 31: Miriam came over. We made chocolate-chip cookies and hung out on the couch. We don't hang out at eachother's houses as much now that we're grown-up (?). We decided we miss it.
Monday, February 1: We got some accumulation of snow that Saturday! It looked pretty out my office window.
Tuesday, February 2: My roommate Daniella. We had just finished watching Something's Gotta Give, which I liked quite a bit. It was about the 5th time Daniella had seen the second half of it. She has yet to see the beginning. Her hair is usually curly, but was straightened by one of the "Miss"es at her school.
Wednesday, February 3: We got a lot of snow on Tuesday night, but the roads were merely wet the next morning, so it was no trouble to get to work. Both the Montgomery and PW County schools were closed, but the Federal and State governments were not. The ride to work was beautiful with the snow just sitting on the branches.
Thursday, February 4: Asher's eyes were dry today, so Bobbi attempted to put eyedrops in his eyes. This was about as successful as it looks in this photo. I love how much we laugh in my office.

Today we also had a vaccination clinic at the Senior Center, which is like a JCC for seniors. They have all sorts of classes, crafts, computers, fitness equipment, and an area to hang out. Most of the seniors who got vaccinated knew eachother and were kibbitzing while filling out their forms. It is so encouraging to see seniors who are active and social. I really do interact with a limited age range usually. I was helping one of the men fill out his form and he was flirting with me to beat the band! We had a good time at the Senior Center.

They are predicting a big storm starting tomorrow late morning. I braved Trader Joe's to pick up a few things. They were out of most everything--basically all carbohydrates and milk. People are so funny about snow here. I was getting non-emergency food like feta cheese, salsa and soy cheese (for Daniella), so I was ok. I am stocked with at-home activities for tomorrow and Saturday--movies, a book and cards to make!

Stay warm!

What I've been up to in the last week or so

As you can see, I have taken an unplanned and unexcused blogging hiatus. I will, at some point, update with the last few months, but I wanted to update with the last week or so. Basically, I have been sick. I have something that started as a sore throat and is now a wicked sinus infection. It feels like small men under my cheeks are making snow angels wearing cleats. I'm not so sick that I have to sleep all the time, but not quite well enough to be up and about. I have watched an entire season of The L Word and made a lot of cards.

Winter Sims, a card blogger (I think her name is the coolest) is holding a card drive for Texas Children's Hospital. Valentine's Day cards only, no get-well sorts of messages. With my awesome new Papertrey Ink stamp set, I made a bunch of cards to send her.
One of my favorites of the bunch. It says in red "some bunny loves u" and the bunny's tail is a heart. I am having a blast with these stamps. Thanks Poppa!
I have also organized my craft desk. Look how much desk space I have! And now I don't have to put my paper cutter on the floor--it can always be just where I need it.
I made a birthday card for my friend Amanda. I am excited about using those polka dots! They are actually flower centers.
I have only been at work 2 days this week. A flock of geese has taken up residence at the pond across the way. Yesterday they suddenly and menacingly started to advance towards my window. Turns out there is a strip of very green grass under it.
So that's about all there is to report. I am going to see a doctor tomorrow. I hope this goes away soon. I feel like such a wussy staying home from work and being in my pj's all day.

Totally Hectic

It's been a hectic week. I have worked some very long days, and the work has been mentally and emotionally tiring. I'm so far over my hours for this week that I came home today after only 3 hours and am now in bed. I am debating forcing myself to take a nap. I don't nap very readily, so it is a struggle to just lay down and close my eyes and still my mind. Even more of a struggle to actually fall asleep.

The main thing notable/sharable since Sarah left has been Daniella's and my discovery of Veggie Tales. Her piano student's mom recommended the song "oh where is my hairbrush" to her, and we proceeded to watch it on YouTube two or three times in a row. And then sing it non-stop for the next day and a half. "The Pirates who don't do anything" was also a hit, especially once we figured out through google that Mr. Lunt is a decorative gourd. If you don't know what I'm talking about, google "cucumber hairbrush," and you are in for a very silly treat.

I thought I'd also post some non-Thanksgiving related pictures from Sarah's visit. In addition to cooking, Sarah and I:

Went out for coffee (twice)

Laughed and giggled

Made cards

Stayed out late in Adams Morgan over falafel and dessert (the cookie sandwich at The Diner)

And saw more of those green balls, both in living sculpture

and store window plastic

I will now start a label for those green balls, as they seem to come up with inordinate frequency.

Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge 77 and Quickie Quiche

This card is for TESC77, and is another one of my Rosh Hashannah cards. Can you believe there are such cool Jewish stamps? The lighting is poor because I took it at 4:30am this morning, when I was up and filling out Rosh Hashana cards. I had a really restless night with little sleep, and finally decided I'd had enough a little after 4. Pretty much the only thing keeping me awake now is the large cup of Earl Grey tea I had at 1. I know, I don't like tea, but I was desperate. And heck, it wasn't too bad. Anyways, I thought you might be interested in what these layouts look like when I find them on the internet. Here is the sketch for this card: And here is my interpretation of the sketch:
I also made a fritatta/crustless quiche with spinach, sauteed onions, and feta cheese. It turned out delicious, and was surprisingly easy. Now I have breakfast for the rest of the week. Want to hear a joke? Two women were at a restaurant. The waiter came over to take their order. The first woman said, "I'd like a quickie." The second woman said, "I think it's pronounced quiche."Today at work I talked to a whole bunch of doctors' offices, and also to a school nurse at a parochial school. I was calling to see if she had all the info she needed about flu and she excitedly told me about the handwashing classes she had just completed for every class in the school. That's my kind of woman! So far the school nurses have been really enthusiastic. I just emailed them all a big list of hand washing resources and songs. They include the following, to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle little star"
Twinkle Twinkle little star
see how clean my two hands are
soap and water
wash and scrub
get those germs out rub-a-dub
Twinkle Twinkle little star
see how clean my two hands are

The best part? It's about 20 seconds long--the exact time recommended for hand washing.

Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge 79

Here is a card for another sketch challenge. I am having fun making Rosh Hashannah cards this year.

Materials:
Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Fish in the Sea," Nichole cardstock
Stamps: Mazel Tov by Papertrey Ink
Ink: Fresh Snow by Papertrey

A Card for a Sketch Challenge

So, as you probably know, I like to make cards. On the internet, there are bunches of people who do this and blog about it. Some of them post layouts of cards: where each piece should go, what shape it should be, and people post cards they've made following that sketch. I've been getting ideas from Taylored Expressions for a while now, but am just posting my own card for the first time. It's customary when posting a card to list what you used to make it. These cards are for Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #75. They're for Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year. To my Jewish friends reading this blog: don't get your hopes up; they don't all look as good as this. :)

Materials:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Mazel Tov
Ink: The $1 kind from AC Moore in black
Cardstock: Papertrey Kraft, Nicole Arts white, red, orange
Patterned Paper: KI Fun Colorful Pack (I think it's actually called that)
Other: corrugated cardboard (in lieu of pop-dots, Fiskers circle cutter, Fiskers boarder punch that is scallops with holes)