FEBRUARY TAG; The 12 Tags of 2015

February is usually thought of as the "Love" month, and I admit to such thinking myself. But I also see February as a c-c-c-cooooold, snowy, wind-blown month also. Living here in Indiana, I can't help but feel the pain of Old Man Winter making his last greatest, chilliest strikes of the year. I also am pretty strict about Valentine's Day being an important celebration of a chance to do something small to say "I love you" to your Sweetheart. AND....it's also the last day I give for having the snowmen, or any other winter decor or lights. I've always put those away no later than Feb. 14th. Or risk more freezing snow?? lol

Tim played his February Tag very well, and I really LOVED the idea of cutting, pasting, pasting, and pasting again. :D  Those are the very basics of crafting! And the thing about ephemera is that you can use store-bought (I absolutely LOVE Tim's choices he has out on the racks), cut some from stash paper (Tim also has already done the work for you in his paper stacks into smaller or larger cuts- which I have almost all the stacks), or even make your own (my fave choice of all). I love using my printer and usually am printing something just about every single day, and so does my ChiefHubby. For this reason, I have two setups going for us. Now that he is retired from GVFD, his actual printing is going to be cut in half; much like mine was when our kids both were graduated from high school. So I actually have much less wear/tear on both setups and they will likely last more than the 1 year each they used to do! So saving more of my own finds online, or scanned, is really nice!

Saving my own files of finds for ephemera allows me to change them into personalized items. It helps cut down on the work if you find something that closely resembles what you're looking for. For instance, I wanted to add photos to the backsides of my tag, but I also wanted to make it look older. So I googled through 'vintage cabinet cards, Indiana' and up came hundreds of images to choose from that people share for free to download. I always keep an original and work from a copy. Then change the copy as I would like it to look, and save it to my files.

 

           Then, when it comes to IdeaOlogy, I try to always have enough to use for each copy of Tag I am making, and in this case, I was wanting to make three tags total, so I would have one for each couple in our family- my ChiefHubby and I, our older son, Brian, & his girl, Ashley and younger son, Brett, & his wife, Holli. But I didn't have any of the Industrial Stickers for the intended Valentine tags. So I turned to my drawers of stashed items and found two 'photo' bottle caps in bronz, a gold laurel wreath with a heart and bow, and some Word Sticks, an 'Observations' Word Band, plus the Arrows Adornments. To make the bottle caps work, I pounded them down with my hammer, then used a few drops of Silver Mix Alcohol Ink onto the caps and also the gold laurel wreath...and presto: perfect items to use in place of the small oval Industrial Stickers!

 

 

    I had to take a little more care during sewing because I couldn't sew right through the metal objects like you can with the Industrial Stickers (made of firmer cardstock items), but it worked quite well. And I was also able to add some of the same edging from Grandma's sheet set to not only give the 'soft' look, but another vivid memory as well handed down to our kids. I chose not to sew any of it onto the front side, but I chose to sew some along the bottom of the photos onto the 'cabinet card' for the backsides of the tags.  I may not be crafty when it comes to making clothing items, (I can do doll clothes, though,) but I really LOVE getting that machine out for PAPER crafting !! ;)



Frontsides: (LtoR) Brett & Holli, Me-n-theChiefHubby, Brian & Ashley

 



Backsides of each: (LtoR) Brett & Holli, all of us for Me-n-theChiefHubby, Brian & Ashley.



         Thanks for all the sweet comments and encouragement from lots of mega-talented folks out there!
I want to wish everyone a wonderfully Happy Valentine's Day! And know that you are LOVED not only by others in this world, but by our Lord and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST ! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll take a look at the next post, made for the COC3 Challenge #21.
                                          Be safe and, as always; Happy Blogging !!

"Me & My Camera" Tag : Compendium of Curiosities Vol.3 Challenge #20

                                 Whew! That last Challenge (19) went by fast, and the 20th came right on its heels. I didn't think I'd get done since I have a few other things still waiting to be done piled up on my desk here. But, where there's a will....  ;)   It didn't take me long to figure out what I would do, because my fave set of stamps is really the set I won from my February Tag: the 12 Tags of 2013- the Camera Blueprints. Below, are a couple of close-up shots so you can see the details of the front. 

     The idea of the foil backing came to me as I was thinking what to use to help make the color of the camera to 'pop' more, and my brain started going through the purpose of the camera. Since I always have at least one camera with me, the thought of the lense acting like a "mirror" of what my eyes see. So foil is a natural type of mirror substance, and easy to craft with as well. It all kind of fell together after that- the MiniClip with Keychain holding a Monocle, Gears & Spinner connected by a Long Fastener stand for the work that I do on photos (both during the time taking them AND the work on computer afterward); the Filmstrip Ribbon with a RubOn of "collector of memories" and the Twine holding Alpha Parts "Seen & Noted" tell  why I take so many photos (photos document life, tell a story, and keep memories alive); a few Chit Chat Stickers outlined with Fired Brick Distress Marker; and lastly, the Clock Key which I cut from my TH Alterations Movers and Shapers Clock Key die. That little piece- which I colored using Silver Mixatives Alcohol Ink -gives the perfect whimsical touch to my tag! I think my ChiefHubby will probably laugh over it, and others who know me will definitely understand how I get 'wound up' once I am doing any photo work. I tend to 'overdo it'. A lot. (And??? Oh well!)

  

And, let's don't forget the BACKSIDE to the Camera Tag. This one called for a simple backside- so I chose one of my new papers I just got last week. I decided to run the paper through my BigShot using the Alterations Bookplates & Tag die (which I use for all my tag-making...let's just admit that it is very, very well used), and then wanted to continue the "Camera Theme" but this time, with places my cams go with me to. The TH Texture Fades- Travel Signs. I then sewed the front and backsides together before adding all my embellies. The white ribbon highlighted my water-coloring.

There is one item on the Challenge Page- the very top item made by Linda Ledbetter, The Hostess of the COC3 Challenges as well as Social Media Coordinator for Inspiration Emporium (here's a link to her blog on The Funkie Junkie Boutique: http://www.thefunkiejunkie.com/default.asp   )which used the World Blueprint stamp and she made her theme from "And I Think To Myself; What a Wonderful World!" which is a lovely song that plays over and over in my head. (Thanks to SOA series end- I don't care for the explicit scenes, bad language, or killing....it's the STORYLINE that I liked and followed! And I cried my eyes out several times.) I fell in love with that song after I was able to get it subtitled so I could hear the words and music. Linda's card is SO ADORABLE!!! And I couldn't let it get away without my own ! I won't be using this in any contest, and Linda is the originator of the idea. But this one's just for ME. I started with one of the new papers like I used for the back of the Camera Tag, and added a cut of frayed real burlap, then a frayed cut of TH Eclectic Elements, saving a thinner piece for the Tag's ribbon at the top. And I went so far as to do another heart and pin it to a tiny cork piece of Indiana with a Mirrored Star in mid-north (Logansport), for where I am. My coloring added 'lights' in Fired Brick Distress Marker- as if you were looking down from outerspace and saw the twinkling of lights. I added a Trinket Pin "Secrets" and a couple of seashell buttons with an IdeaOlogy Bauble Pearl....

if the world is MY oyster, then I am gonna have a PEARL out of my oyster!! ;)

The Compass Piece, Mini Gear, & Spinner (connected by a Long Fastener), ChitChat Stickers outlined with Distress Markers, and regular binder twine tying the Alpha Parts "Wonderful" brought it all together on the front side of the World Tag. Like the Camera Tag, I cut the Tag out, embossed it with the same Travel Signs, sewed a few odd places, and then sewed both sides together. 

 

    THANK YOU for the SWEET comments on my Blog !! They really make my day when I think I was able to bring a smile to another face!        Thanks, as always, for checking in and reading my Long and Wiiiiiiiiiindy posts.  ;)   Happy Blogging, everyone!

The Missed Mish-Mash Crafts of CHRISTmas 2014...

                                                  This is my chance to catch up on missed items I wanted to get posted before we left for Florida this last trip in December. I still have summer items yet to blog and hope to get those posted next.

     I had taken quite a few photos of Older Son Brian and his girl, Ashley, when they took one of our Florida trips with us in April 2014. Since I hadn't done much else with the photos, and I really wanted to try making something nice out of Tim Holtz's Clockworks (and empty clock with a glass front and removable back that allows you to fill with your own items)... I not only made one for my kids, but I was able to get one just like it done for the ChiefHubby and I, too! I shared some of the same photos inside on a die cut from the TH Alterations Stripdie Filmstrip (I have both the smaller Filmstrip/Mini Ticket die and the larger original, but the larger cut fit perfectly in this case) and used Glossy Accents to attach it to the inside all around foremost to the glass front. Then set seashells I found from that trip (and EVERY trip, of course, I am gathering more along the shoreline during our walks) also using GA. If you look closely at the following 2 photos, you can see how I allowed the tiny pics inside to go around clockwise in direction- that's why some look 'upside down'. I thought it was fitting to the theme of it. I added some rope with an anchor charm at the end of it. Ashley is in school through the NAVY, and she is Brian's anchor.   ;)   I tied that rope around both of them and onto an IdeaOlogy Hitch Post. The photo was printed out in triplicate and each was trimmed and edged with Pumice Stone Distress Ink with a Blending Tool. I then pieced each photo in layers, along with a die cut of  TH Alterations Weathered Clock from black with white cored scoreboard to give it a 3-dimensional look. Some lace ribbon, Word Key and boatswheel charm on an IdeaOlogy KeyChain completed the look.  I think they were surprised to open this for CHRISTmas. 

          

                                             

       I did the second Clockworks using the same technique, but added a few different items, and personalized the photos to match the ChiefHubby and myself.

As time got nearer for gift-making for each of my Besties, I actually had half-way finished these earlier in the summer when I was busy picking wild Black Raspberries for about 4 weeks in June. We kept leaving on several trips out of state and out of the US, so my picking times were shorter than usual. Nevertheless, I managed to get 10 gallon bags into the freezer and when December got here, the Chief went out and got 5 bags of sugar, and enough Sure Jell to get 36 pints of jelly and jam put up for everyone. The reason I call it "Indiana2Florida" is because one of my long-time Besties (the one living on the Panhandle) spent time during our April visit to teach me how to can jams and jellies. I'd lugged a couple of bags down to her that were frozen from 2013 picking season, and we had a fun time making jelly...and eating it!

N ext up; the ornaments I made. I used my TH Alterations Movers & Shapers Carved Ornaments die and the coordinating M&S Mini Hearts to cut colors from scoreboard layered using Glossy Accents to give these ornies a heavier feel for tree-hanging.  I made two Auburn University for my Bestie and MawMaw Dixon; PURDUE University for the Younger Nuke Engineer Son and Honors Edu Daughter, as well as the same PURDUE for the ChiefHubby (who attended his Frosh Yr there) and myself. I used blue and gold for the Older FF Capt Son (who loves NotreDame) and NAVY Daughter (those are also same NAVY colors)...and I personalized each with photos from FaceBook pages.



Shown above are the BACK sides of the ornaments.




Shown above are the FRONT SIDES of the ornaments.



Lastly, are a couple of things for the FFCaptSon's girl, Ashley. This was her first CHRISTmas with Brian and our family as they met at the first of 2014. So she needed a stocking and she was the only one I had not crocheted a blanket for. Since she is a NAVY Gurl (and I always have Americana colors on hand since I really LOVE those colors and use them throughout our home), The Red White and Blue was chosen for her stocking, which took my sewing machine just a little time to stitch up and then handsew her name.

Each blanket I crochet, I want to make as unique as possible for that person. I think I picked a dilly of a hard way to make this blanket as I usually draw out my own patterns from left to right and from bottom to top. This blanket was planned to match up with the NAVY's Official Flag both in color and in shape. The gold yarn I chose was alot thicker than the blue yarn, so I ended up going from left to right completely on up-and-down. That made the counting harder, but the overall LOOK was REALLY COOL...



I added in this little stitch-charm that has a USA Flag attached to it. When she needs to wash the blanket, she can detach the Flag charm so it won't get lost or damaged in the washer or dryer.  ;)

   
       Once again; I want to shoutout "THANK YOU!" for all the WONDERFUL comments you have left me on various projects I've posted. It really gives a person that much more inspiration and I am SO HUMBLED AND HONORED to be included as a fellow crafter among so many TALENTED, KIND, and CARING people in this world!
          Thanks -as always- for checking back in for this late, latest post. ;) Happy Blogging!

JANUARY TAG- The 12 Tags of 2015

   Believe it, folks; not only am I headed into my 4th yr doing Tim Holtz's "12 Tags" challenges, but I am getting this first set done and out before the end of the month... while also having done my first of another challenge (COC3 #19 by Linda Ledbetter)!  I guess I am on some kind of a...roll....??? Speaking of which: a roll of TH tissue was one of the only things I didn't have on hand for this Tag. So I got out my plain roll of tissue (you can purchase it in bulk online at most sewing stores), and stamped out my own 'yearly' fashion.

  I made three tags this time, and other than the few odds and ends on each, I stayed with Tim's technique for the front sides, the backgrounds, numbers, chitchat stickers, and the arrow adornments. The backsides were basically done With the same background technique also, except for the Fire Tag. You'll see more detail in the following photos...

   

This 1st tag is basically just for myself- the collection I am making out of all the 12 Tags of each year as I go along. I kept to just about every same thing Tim did- for my front side. For the backside, the background is the same technique, but I added my own touches for my love of my ChiefHubby and the job he's done for 26 years as a Firefighter.

        This tag was made for one of my Besties. She and her Husband were one of the couples who joined us on a cruise in July 2014. She not only shares her horses with me, but she shares her LIFE with me. I love her so dearly! Sandy & Phil will celebrate their 10th Wedding Anniversary on Jan. 29th, so I even include some 'diamonds' on her tag. I also chose to use a couple of the toss-away edges from the Alpha Parts to ofset the numbers & balance the look. I topped it all off with a Cash Key photo of us all on our "Anniversary" Cruise. On the back, I embossed some fireworks, and added another photo of just Phil&Sandy on the ship & an "I Love You" sticker.

 

     That leaves the last tag that will be the entry for my first tag of the new year of Tim Holtz's January Tag: 12 Tags of 2015. While I love the other two tags, this one is for a very special person; My ChiefHubby, David Larimore. It's made to honor him for his 26 years of service on Georgetown Volunteer Fire Dept. Here's the link to my blogpost on that: http://larimore2.blogspot.com/2015/01/all-good-thingsyes-its-time.html    

This tag took the longest time, as you can imagine. I wanted to make sure the details on the firetruck matched 'real life' as much as my TH Old Jalopy Alterations die would allow. I love how I chose to include real canvas, not just for a couple of the numbers, but also for the trim (which was the edge that most people usually toss into the trash), and the hose as well. The 'metal' is actually foil glue-sticked onto reg white cardstock, left to dry overnight, and then die-cut and embossed through the BigShot. Some of the numbers were Alpha Parts done by Tim's January technique, and some were other IdeaOlogy items or from the mish-mash of my stash. On the frontside, I added a small pocketwatch charm that I filled with smaller jewelry Items

in the shape of: firetruck, firehelmet, turnout coat, and the word "HERO", all topped with a Maltese Cross on the outside lid. My ChiefHubby first went out for the GVFD in 1988, but began as a "Boot" (the common name for a rookie FF) in January 1989. He just retired as of Jan. 6th, 2015. After I gave him this tag, he gave it a pretty thorough viewing, then put it up on his bookshelf with all his fave items collected over the years in his walk-thru office. I think he really liked it. :) 

 

  

 The 2 Fire Tags are probably going to be among my very fave of all the ones I've done so far. Not just because I am "Firefighting crazy" (which I wholeheartedly admit to being), but because of who they are about: someone I deeply love and respect! And while he will no longer be an active Firefighter, there are two things that will remain true: 1)that saying is spot on- "The funny thing about Firemen is; they're ALWAYS Firemen," and 2) "You can take the man out of the fire, but you'll NEVER be able to take the FIRE out of the MAN." In this last week, I've watched how hard it has been for him to still hear calls come over his scanner, and NOT jump up and run out the door. Being a FF was not 'a habit'...and it's actually more than just a lifestyle for the Firefighter alone, because it takes his entire family to live it. And, we DID!

I'm gonna miss it, too. :')

Thanks for checking in, and Happy Blogging!!!



All Good Things...Yes, It's "Time".

     I've often heard that saying when something 'big' is about to change. And, frankly, I've never been one to embrace any kind of change in my life. I find more comfort in total monotony. But, life is not made up of monotony...if you're wanting to be BLESSED, that is. And from past bottom-of-the-pit, tough, rough, push-through-it experience; it boils down to the fact that if you are going to LIVE, you will have CHANGE. There's no getting around it, because the opposite of "life" is DEATH. Fact is that each of us has a choice: to LIVE, or NOT. And if you're not living your life with all it's welcome, and not-so-welcome, changes, then you're just as good as dead.

        That said, life brings AGE with it. It's one of the setbacks of life. I've decided that if I am gonna age, then fine- I'll age and have no choice over it. But, I CAN choose HOW I age: I choose NOT to GROW CRABBY! ;)

        The latest of all the changes is that the ChiefHubby passed his 25th year at SIA (Subaru of Indiana Automotive) in Lafayette, IN. Back when the plant was built and first opened in 1988, he'd gotten hired that fall. Brian, our older Son, was just turning 6 months old, and we were all of 26 and 23 yrs  enjoying finally hitting 'the big time' employment and celebrating our first full year in our new home. All that seems -so cliche'- like yesterday.

       Then, one evening after David came home, while I was still trying to work at that time also, he brought up the fact that in our local newspaper there was an article about the Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department. It was slated to close permanently from lack of volunteers. Of course, with his own Dad's Fire Dept carreer at Logansport FD since 1970, it didn't take a dummy to figure out that I'd married a man who just had "the FIRE running through his blood". His Dad, Larry E. "Buck" Larimore, would later retire from a 30 yr stint of firefighting with LFD and be named "Fireman of the Year" in 2000 in a City-wide celebrational dinner for him just before his last shifts. 

    So, in the fall of '88 when David brought up the subject of joining the GVFD (of which, the only station was right down the road south of us at the time), was I supposed to say "No,"?? Yeah, right. Like telling the guy not to breathe. Ever.

    I guess I was not really prepared for all the TRAINING he would have to do, and the fact that TRAINING NEVER ENDS: real sit-down classes (hey, I thought you dropped out of PURDUE after the first year because you "hated classes"??), as well as hard physical training with 100 lbs of turnouts, tanks, and people tossed on. NOT my idea of "fun", but it was a huge hit with my man! I kept plenty busy as time progressed...another son was born in 1992, and from there, it was 'life passing before your eyes'. I lost track of just about everything in life except keeping up with my Husband, our kids, and the lives they each led. I always said that each person in my life has a special talent or gift...execpt ME. But then one certain person came into my life unexpectedly- through counseling during a very rough time in my life- and she said "I know what YOU are: YOU are a Professional Wife and MOMMY!", and it hit me that she was entirely correct. That was my life. And I was not only happy in it, but very PROUD of it! So, while all my favorite things passed me by. (Esp. fave TV shows like my "EMERGENCY" because once you are a Mom...forget that kinda stuff, babe, life like that is OVER!)

       

       The payoff was well worth it! Our Sons are truly two kids we can be proud of and are off living their own lives. While our older Son went on to join GVFD and became a Captain, his moving out of this area made him drop off the Dept. He finished out 7 1/2 yrs with GVFD and just a few classes short of a degree in Fire Science from Ivy Tech. While the Older Son is not a FF at this time, the Younger PURDUE Nuke Engineering Son IS...or at least his job description says so, at Prairie Island Nuclear Facility where he was hired just a few months ago out of his May 2014 graduation from Purdue. He is to undergo training for being in their Fire Brigade. For a kid who always said "I DON'T wanna be a FIREFIGHTER!"...it kinda kills this Momma, lol !!

       

        In the 26 yrs the ChiefHubby spent on GVFD, the community saw not only new trucks - including the Big Red, a $300K pumper that was desperately needed and replaced the old '64 (??) Boyer pumper that was purchased from LFD back in 2000 that replaced an even older, worn out, torn up pumper that bit the dust in 1999. David's DAD had his start driving for LFD with that same Boyer and it was David who ended up driving it under the title of Assistant Chief for GVFD. The remaining hardware of that pumper is now mounted on David's walk-thru office as I type here.

      Then, there was a new building put up in Lake Cicott, north of the old station building in Georgetown (along the Wabash River, if you GoogleEarth it). The old pumpers just could not make it up that hill, which is set along the highest elevation point in Cass County, and adding a second station for storing the GrassFire Truck helped cut down the response times. Later, they built onto that small outbuilding and what is now standing is a huge, fully updated, fully functional building that houses all the trucks, inlcuding a newer, huge Tanker that was added several years ago. New radios, computer tech, and needed wi-fi for updates to the E-911 system are all there for saving lives and getting people the help they need. He had a handful of guys over the years who helped with all of this. They were each other's RightHandMan and had one another's backs over the years, too. Dave Armick was one of those, and he just stopped in December- a few weeks ago- after a good 24 yr career on GVFD. 

   

       So, what's up?? Well, The ChiefHubby has finally RETIRED. Not from work actually, but just from firefighting. It was time. Alot of things COULD be better; true. Volunteers are ALWAYS IN NEED OF EVERY VOL DEPT!!! And GVFD was no lesser in need through the years. It's always been that way, but in my own opinion: the Volunteer Fireman is a dying breed. They are very special men. They put their community first, and if you are REALLY BLESSED, they are also GODly men like mine is. And putting others before self is a MUST in GOD's way. Over the years, my ChiefHubby managed to be a Fire Fighter, Captain, Assistant Chief, Chief, Treasurer (and sometimes combined two of those at the same time out of need for the Dept to have the position filled), completed a 2 yr program from Seminary (out of Peru, In.) that ended up taking 4 years for him to get through because he had so many other things going on at the same time. One of those was being an Elder, a Deacon, and he also was the caretaker of church property keeping it all mowed and trimmed with help from others now and then. He made time to coach his Sons as they took up baseball, basketball, 11 yrs each of Band (Marching, Concert, Drum Line, and Jazz Band), as well as 8 yrs of each in Cub and Boy Scouts- being their Den Leader, CubMaster, Assistant ScoutMaster, and since both boys were in Honors Classes, they each had contests outside of regular school, and Awards Programs. He didn't make it to everything because through all this, he worked at least 40 hrs at SIA on a normal week with an hour drive and another hour back home. Add overtime to that, and alot of OT was mandatory... Who was I to say "No" to doing something that was just "in his blood"??

      

          And that's it. It just stops here. His last day was the "Annual Election Meeting" of January 6th. No big dinner. No celebration. Just a huge "THANKS!" sent up to our LORD JESUS CHRIST for helpin us get through these years and for giving BOTH of us strength to keep up with all that came with the JOB. Not the TITLES. I think the best 'title' we'll ever hold, besides that of "Mom & Dad" or someday "Grandma & Grandpa" will be that of "Child of GOD"...forever.

          I am VERY VERY PROUD of David! And even though he is no longer on a Fire Department, he will always be MY Chief. :)

Thanks for checking in and sharing in this CELEBRATION with me!

                          Happy Blogging!