Challenges

For Christmas last year, YaYa Kimberly gave us all a paint bucket full of monthly crafting challenges. She included some rough instructions/ ideas of where to start and some embellishments/ supplies we could use each month if we wanted to. Then, once we had completed our project we were to mail it to one of the YaYas according to the mailing list she had made up. Up til last month I had done fairly well meeting my challenge goals. I can already feel that we're coming up to the time of year when the frenetic pace begins. There are always lots of events to get to, and things that must be done. Is it just me, or does it seem to start earlier each year???
Anyway, I finally did my October and November YaYa challenges and they are literally in the mail.
Here's my October card. (Janna, close your eyes if you haven't gotten yours yet). It was supposed to use a picture of a leaf/ leaves, but I used this pretty little stamp instead. The sentiment says "Happy fall Y'all".

Recipe: Fabriano Mediovalis card, PTI summer sunrise cardstock, Stamps Rubber Stampede, Just Rite alphabet, Ink PTI dark chocolate, summer sunrise, pure poppie, ripe avacado.

This next card uses the Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge

Recipe: Cardstock PTI pure poppy, SU cool carribean, DP BasicGrey Figgy Pudding, Ribbon/Ink PTI pure poppy, oval hardware/ brads SU, sentiment from SU Cute and Curly.

So my challenge for you in this holiday season, dear reader, is to only take on those projects/ events which will truly enrich the lives of you and yours, and feeds your spirit-like crafting. If you're doing something just for the sake of doing, let that be the thing you say "no" to. Speaking of "feeding the spirit", tonight is my choir's Requiem Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew. The program begins at 7pm, and is free. Come join us (if your spirit could use some feeding). It is a memorial service for our loved ones who have died, especially those who have died during the past year.

Have a great week, and happy crafting!

Road Trip!

I got a call last week from LaThonya (one of my dear college roommates from University of Dallas). She invited me to an impromptu gathering of a few old friends from college. The real occassion was to hear the Faure Requiem performed by a mixed group of UD choir alumni, and current UD choir members. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I've sung the Faure Requiem with my choir twice in the last ten years, and it's a favorite of mine. Of course, it was also a great excuse to see LaThonya, Angela, and Elisa. We were missing our other roomie, Lynnette. She had just visited Texas the previous week, and had to get back to NYC. On Saturday, LaThon and I met up and went directly to North Park Mall to do some power shopping and to have lunch at La Madeline. Yum! Their tomatoe basil soup is the best! LaThonya informed me of her wish for a picture perfect, Martha Stewart Thanks Giving at her house. This involved lots of shopping in kitchen stores to find all the accoutrement (table linens, and serving pieces). Then we had dinner at Uncle Julio's, one of our old favorites. Love those fajitas! Next we took a tour of all the old hot spots in Dallas. It's weird how so much has changed, and yet stayed the same. Late that night, we finally got to meet up with Elisa who had been rehearsing with the choir all day. It was so good to see her! Here are a few pics.

This is me and Elisa---otherwise known as Lisa2 (that's supposed to mean squared, I can't figure out how to do a super script 2).


LaThonya


Elisa


Sunday, LaThonya and I slept late, did a little more shopping, and then had brunch at the Mansion on Turtle Creek. It had been quite awhile since I'd been. They have a new chef so the menu had totally changed. The one thing that they did keep on the menu was the tortilla soup---thank goodness. That soup is the whole reason for eating at The Mansion! After gorging ourselves we did yet more shopping, and then headed to the Requiem Mass at Cistercian Monastary. At Cistercian we met up with Angela-another UD roommate, her mother Syvia, and JP-another UDer from back in the day. We were treated to a lovely service. The monastary had great accoustics! I had to hum along in my head, and restrain myself from singing along. Afterward, we all got to talk with Elisa (the star of the whole performance), and her sister Gloria. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures after the Mass. With Monday work looming we all then headed our separate ways. I made VERY good time getting home, and was blessed not to get any speeding tickets.
It was so great to see everyone. I love that we all picked up and drove/ flew from different areas to spend a bit of time together. I think I will have to make more road trips. I've missed my old roomies!

Tagged

I've just been tagged by fellow YaYa, Denise
Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself. (See below)
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them. (See further below...)
5. Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Random facts:
1. I've never had a cavity, or a broken bone (yet).
2. I'm a Jack of all trades, master of none. I speak (some) German, Italian, and Spanish, but am fluent in none. Someday, I want to be fluent in another language. I also play piano, baritone, and the bugle (none of these at a level that anyone could call "good"--think "easy big note").
3. I subscribe to over 50 blogs, most of them are crafting related.
4. My sister and I used to play "Electra Woman and Dyna Girl". This involved me riding in our pedal powered car (nick-named "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang") while my sister pushed so I could go really fast. I of course, was Electra Woman.
5. I love to sing when I'm alone in the car. It's hard to really get into it if I'm worried about other drivers seeing me so I do my best singing at night when no one can see me.
6. I have a punctuation addiction. As you may have noticed, I love elipses...(is that the proper plural form of elipse?). I have a hard time remembering all those punctuation rules, so I often throw in an extra comma, or twelve. (I'm also a big fan of parentheses).

All of my blogging friends have already been tagged so I won't pick on anyone. If anyone would like to play along, feel free to post in the comments section.

Have a great week!