Saturday, July 12, 2014

Makin' Hay...

...while the sun shines. Being the daughter of a farmer, I know what that means. As a very small child, I can remember living with mom and sister Sue on my grandmother's and uncle's farm while dad was overseas in Greenland with the Air Force. I remember when Uncle Norman and the hands would 'make hay' a couple times a year. It was a big deal, with all the men working from sunup to sundown, and grandma and mom cooking huge amounts of food all day long. I wanted to go out to the fields and help, but as a two-year old, that just wasn't going to happen. They barely let me in the barn, when all I wanted to do was find the kittens...The farmhouse was small by today's standards. A decent sized kitchen, a living room, three bedrooms, and an enclosed front porch. Notice I didn't "bathroom...." Nope, the only indoor plumbing was a pump at the kitchen sink. And there was an wood cook stove. Wood burning furnace too. Mom split wood for both cooking and heating, among her other jobs; Uncle Norman had cows and fields to take care of, so splitting wood was mom's responsibility so long as we lived there. In 1960, when Uncle Norman married (my beloved Aunt Eve), they added indoor plumbing to the kitchen and created a bathroom. What a treat! By then we were gone, living together as a military family in another state. You'll be interested to know that one of my babysitters on the farm was the cow-dog, Corky. If I got to close to the road or barn, he'd 'herd' me back to where I was supposed to be. I imagine that I wore that poor dog down...But for me, in this day and age, "making hay" means doing things that I either need to get done, or want to get done in-between migraines. So that's what I did this morning!

Sorry for the ramble, but it was nice to chat without pain or medications getting in the way of my thinking.. I've been wanting to create a tag for Jackie Rockwell's new Tag You're It! Challenge since she announced its inception. And I've made several tags, or tag-cards. None what-so-ever to my liking. Until today! Our inspiration is from the ever-fantastic Virginia Lu. Check out her tags:



Aren't they just the sweetest???!!! So much to be inspired by on the bitty beauties. I saw dots and colors.


Starting with a green Bazzill base, I added a tag cut with my Silhouette. It actually has a topper, but chose to use the template left by the cut-out, and stamped in the little dots with MME Hazel ink using a tri-dot from WPlus9. The birds and the sentiment are TT, and some Twinery Twine. The black ink is SU. It looks much sweeter irl.

And one more card to share today. I'm fully and totally in love with the color combination over at The Card Concept Challenge. They just look happy! Got a ping right away, and off I went!




Yum-alicious! Not sure which of the AMAZING DT chose these colors, but kudos to you, and kudos to the DT for their amazing cards. Go play! Seriously, jump in on this! You know you want to....


This makes me happy! POLKA DOTS!! I think they were invented just to make me smile, or am I wrong about that???....Anyway....Neenah white base, a black scrap as a mat, and another Neenah white panel. Stamped some polka dots with TT stamps using red VersaColor ink, Studio G blue, and SU black. Michaels ribbon tied up in a perfect bow (I love it when bows look good), and a PTI sentiment in SU black ink. EZPZ.  And now, since I need to make some other kind of hay, I will wish you all a wonderful Saturday. Happy Dances everyone!

ETA: Sorry...I'd call this "Clean and Layered"...not sure, but I think the bow makes it more than "Clean and Graphic."

22 comments:

Geri said...

GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY...that bow is gorgeous!!! You are really going to have to show me how to do this when we meet IRL (wink,wink)!

Yep - polka dots = smiles! Is it because when you dance a polka you are likely smiling (and trying desperately not to miss a beat) so perhaps that is where the word comes from! As if I know!!!

Beyond fabulous card! Thanks for sharing at CCC!

Loved your story - wasn't even remotely close to a ramble!

Geri said...

Dang it all! Hit the send button too quick!

I got so be-cited with your bow, that I forgot to tell you how sweet your trio of birds are as well! Great colors and awesome polka dots! Love the baker's twine at the top of the tag!

Karen M said...

Love your gorgeous card Bev -all your polka dots are so pretty:) Your tag with the sweet birds really made me smile - it's soooooo cute:) Hugs xx

Lee-Anne said...

Bev, those long legged birds just make me smile! And love the luscious bow on your polka dot card...gorgeous way to use the colors! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a little love :)

Kylie said...

Oh Wow! JUST WOW! You're cards are just gorgeous. The "Hello Tweet Friend" is so sweet. Love the green background which allows the tag to take centre stage. The stamps as so cute (another one for the wish list. uh oh lol). And I don't see why they couldn't have made polka dots just to make you smile. :) Your card is just so clean and simple but so lovely. Very clever, sweet Bev!

Leigh Penner said...

Great cards! I especially like take on Virginia's tags -- it's so sweet!

Lynn Put said...

Fantastic cards! Love the colorful birds on your tag card, so cute! Thanks for playing along with us over at the Tag You're it! Challenge.

Marybeth said...

Bev I loved reading your post today...I always wished I lived on a farm ! Something about country life, and family. Sounds like a wonderful babysitter. TFS
Love ,love love your sweet tag with the dots and adorable birds......i need that one! Your polka dot cards is HAPPY and sure to make anyone smile. Hugs!
Thanks for joining us at Tag You're It!

Angie said...

Super cute cards. I love those three little birds!

Chriss Blagrave said...

Loved reading your reminiscing story...
I love your polka dots, they make me smile too! Your bird tag is fun, fun, fun!

Kim Heggins said...

Miss Bev, as always, I love love reading your stories and never look at them as if you are rambling. So happy and over joyed that you are pain and med free...so fun for you my sweet friend!
Now on to your fabulous pair of cards...both are just fabulous and I love those sweet little birdies (I just ordered this set and can't wait to get my hot little hands on it and now I can case you), I love the sweet bright colors, so fun. Your polka dot card is off the hook amazing. I have to agree with Geri, your bow is simply perfection. I love everything about your cards.

Tracey McNeely said...

Actually your tag is sweet not even in real life Bev! I need those birds....Love your card for Card Concept too! Thank you so much for joining us at both Tag You're It and The Card Concept!

Patti said...

Such a happy post from the wonderful story you shared to your delightful tag/cards : )but I am especially glad to hear you are headache free!!

(((Hugs)))
Patti

Anita in France said...

Bev ... don't you just know I'm going to love these adorable birds ... perfectly perched below the sweet cloud of pretty polka dots ... I'm smiling ... all over my face! Then there are more lovely polka dots ... with the most delicious ribbon ... happy, fun, fabulous! Loved your story, dear friend ... I was transported! Hugs, Anita :)

donna mikasa said...

Cuteness! I love how you picked up the colors from Virginia's tag for each of those birds. Thanks so much for joining us at Tag You're It! Hope to see you again!

Bobby said...

You know I LOVE those sweet little TT birds. I'm still struggling with The Card Concept card, although I too love the colors. Yours is quite wonderful.

Virginia L. said...

Bev, I spotted your lovely tag card in the gallery and had to stop by to admire it a bit! You did a FABULOUS job!! Those birdies are simply adorable and i love the little dots that you added! so creative!I am so honored that you are able to be inspired from my little tags! HUGS!

Deepti said...

Oh I love these creations of urs, the polka dots look amazing. I love the post, it is so hard for me to imagine living in those times, but that time period tell one thing for sure, we were more social in real terms than in terms of internet :)

cm said...

Oh goodness: your trip down memory lane mirrors almost exactly our experiences on my grandparents' farm, right down to being 'herded' by the dogs when we came too close to the cows and the same 'indoor' plumbing. We did manage some 'major' barn time, 'helping' with milking cows (which translated as watching, then feeding the calves with some of the milk), heading to the loft in search of kittens, playing with puppies...Yes, indeed, the good old days most certainly were! How I wish those family farms were more plentiful! Anyway...your tag is ultra adorable. LOVE those long legged birds; eye-catching and sweet. Your card: polka-dot happy making! Fabulous happening alllll over this post! I'm a-smiling...
Hugs~c

Jacquie Southas said...

You are on a roll Bev! Great cards - adore the color balance on Card Concept card and those birds are too cute for words :)

Cathy said...

Such a striking card, love the polka dots and the gorgeous bow. Your tag is gorgeous too, love the cute images, Cathy x

Narelle Farrugia said...

Such a beautiful card! I just love the way you've used the challenge colours and of course I love that big red bow! Thanks for joining us at The Card Concept!