New 'Shoes' on the Ole Girl Make a Difference

Didn't plan on getting new tires today. Was actually going to take a drive up to Jacksonville. We stopped at 7-Eleven for a cup of my favorite coffee and some cash from the ATM. Got a couple of blocks on up the road and remembered we had left the Garmin behind. I turned around. As soon as I pulled out of the driveway I got an indicator light that something was wrong with a tire. On inspection I could see the front passenger tire was low - too low but with enough air to reach BJ's I was sure. I had a screw in that tire. Because the tread was so low it was best to replace rather than patch, besides, all  of the tires were getting pretty sorry in the tread department. So, bring on all four.

Driving down the road with 4 new tires an hour and a half later, plus some necessities too,  I noticed how major smooth the ride felt. DD commented that "new shoes on the old girl made a difference." How true. The were the factory tires from when I bought the car and probably weren't the best anyway.
Uniroyal Tiger Paw - good enough for me! She's looking sharp now. I'm so easily delighted with the simple necessities of life.
Speaking of life, I wondered if this was Divine Intervention. I could have been on I-95 and gotten stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire - or worse. Tomorrow I am driving friends to a stamp party that is 40'ish minutes away and a flat would have not been good then either. Then, in early June we are driving up to Virginia. So, looking ahead, this was a good time to discover a potential problem - much easier to take care of. If anyone would like to share your thoughts on Divine Intervention I would love to read them!

Texture Boutique is mine now

More fun! I have been enjoying my new find - the Sizzix Texture Boutique. It looks like a pretty blue purse and is too adorable. I hadn't been ready for the Big Shot, even though I thought I really wanted one. But when I came across this deal I decided to go for it. For cutting I still have my Cricut anyway.

My friend brought over her collection of folders and DD and I had a fun time playing. I made one card so far using a leaf folder on a patterned green. I used the embossed piece as background for the new doe and fawn stamp I found at the same shop.
I'm playing around with adding ink to the embossed pieces. I have come up with a nice idea for an old house but haven't turned it into a card yet. I love the big rose one and want to work with it more. So far I haven't decided on a spot in my scrapbooking layouts yet, but I'm sure I will find a way. I'm open for suggestions, btw! lol

So here is a pic my DD took of me with my new toy.

Beautiful new rose bush

Is there a more difficult rose to paint or one more difficult to forget?
We popped into a nursery and spotted this unusual rose. I had never seen such variegation so beautifully displayed especially in a rose. Had to have one.  I don't have it in the ground yet but think I have a place picked out. Here are two photos of the beauty - one earlier in the day and the other is after this blossom had fully opened the next evening.

Wanted to share this quote with you -
"There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted." ~Henri Matisse

Lot's going on these past few days.
Saw the trail in the sky from the space shuttle going up from the Space Center on its way to the International Space station. Reading the NASA log is so cool, right up my alley since I love anything to do with space travel and Star Wars, only this is for real - not sci fi.

I was fortunate to capture with my camera a small alligator (4 ft.). We think the large one has moved on since DS and friends haven't see her in a couple weeks now. Just this little one is left.

I've been making cards lately too, and since one from my Etsy store sold yesterday I uploaded two more today.

 What's with all the 'love bugs'?! We have been overrun with them today.

I spent a fun afternoon with friends stamping cards and getting to make our own ice cream sundae yesterday at Ree's Stamping Oasis. It's always good with the combination of friends, crafting and ice cream!

I made a bunch of these adorable punch art owls from the instructions found on Kay's blog.

 Hoping to mail them to Charity Preschool for this year's graduates.
When I worked in the office at the church I was always delighted to see the kids pass by my office window and I miss that. I really loved when the teachers brought them in to sing me a few songs.

Nine Pages Done This Weekend

I had a blast doing the challenges at ScrapAttackScrapbooking this weekend. Fun and games to keep me up late and tethered to my scrap room. I managed to complete 9 of the 10 layout challenges before the deadline.

Please check out my gallery to see all my scrapbook pages and learn why I did what I did. Doing the challenges really stretches me and I love that.