What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Outcast by Sadie Jones

Set in England after WWII ends.  Lewis is ten years old when his mother drowns.  His father is distant.  His friends turn away.  Villains bully him as others stand by, until in an act of frustration he lashes out.  

Saturday snail mail...

This is just a little 'busy'.  Ah, well.  I needed to make something really quick while Caitlyn was here for her to write a note to her great-grandmother.  I think I would be happier with it if I had just used a solid-color ribbon for the bow, but this gingham bow was lying on my work desk already tied, so I popped it on.

I stamped this background floral stamp (from Simon Says Stamp) in black Memento ink.  I used Stampin' Up! Blends to color in the one flower at the bottom.  I used an Exacto knife to cut around the petals so that I could slide the pink center layer behind it.  

Same basic stamping and coloring on this one, but I used an embossing folder with a similar all-over floral pattern to emboss a rectangle, then trimmed out the center to make a frame.  Popped up the pink embossed frame on the card front, added a few of the palest pink sequins, et voilá!  I love this one.

A 21st birthday card for Bobby.  He loves black & white clean graphics.  I also used some gray design papers, punched different-sized circles, and glued them on randomly.  I 'splattered' it w/ Wink of Stella before layering on a gray card base, then added a red heart with 'happy birthday' stamped on it.

I stuck with circles for making a stamped background design.  To start I punched different-sized circles from cardstock squares leaving as much border as possible.  I used these as stencils, and with a blending brush added random circles all over a 8.5" x 11" piece of cream card stock in gray, green, and brown.  Then I stamped on smaller brown circles with a little rougher 'texture' and stamped the swirly circles in dark brown.  When I was happy with the all-over design, I cut strips, wrapped with cord secured with a knot, added some copper metallic edges, and used adhesive foam to pop it up onto a layer of cream-colored watercolor paper on a cream card base.

On this one I stamped over a few of the small light brown circles with Delicata Celestial Copper (a metallic ink) and used a hemp cord to wrap and knot.  These will be all-purpose cards for work that I can add a stamped greeting to inside as needed or leave blank for a handwritten note.  I love the way they turned out.

Sorry if seeing my card posts gets old for readers, but they help me to remember card ideas I've used and who I may have sent them to.

The Frugal Friday File, week 28...

Successes:
1.  A check for $27.44 arrived in the mail from the electric cooperative that served our former residence TEN years ago.  Apparently they are years behind in paying their member dividends.

And this was the week for unexpected $$$ in the mail, I guess...

2.  Carey opened the mail one day this week and found one envelope contained a survey and a $5 bill.  This wasn't something we signed up for; just a mass mailing I guess.  He actually completed the survey so he could keep the $5 with no feelings of having ripped off the survey company.  :)

3.  I gave Rudy an at-home pedicure.  He had a vet visit this week.  They used to trim his nails on every vet visit, but haven't the last couple of times, so I guess they discontinued that service.  Since going back to work full-time, I've really slacked off on his home grooming, and he has one claw that curls way under which makes it difficult to trim.  According to the vet we need to trim his nails often and as close to the quick as we can without cutting the quick.  That eventually will make the quick recede, and if we keep them  short, the nail will stop curling.  Luckily he only has one black nail, and it's not that one, so I can see the quick to avoid cutting too short.  He is really pretty good about letting me cut them, so it's not an unpleasant experience for either of us.

4.  Two books were reserved and checked out of the public library utilizing their new drive-up window.  

5.  Truth be told, I spend a lot of money on stamping supplies.  But the summer months alone help me recoup some of that expenditure.  We have so many June/July/August birthdays, that being able to make cards instead of buying is a nice talent to have and share.  And let's not discount the therapy aspect of being creative.  It makes me a much happier person overall.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Things You Would Know If You Grew Up Around Here

by Nancy Wayson Dinan

I asked my library to purchase this book after hearing the author interviewed on NPR.  I will pay them whatever it cost them.  I asked them to buy it because it is about the area of Texas I live in, and it fits several categories of the libraries summer reading program, so thought it could be useful for them.

Frugal Friday File, week 27...

Successes:
1.  Enjoying a paid holiday!  One of the nice things about full-time job rather than part time.

2.  For a month or so, I went a little nuts with online shopping.  (It was actually why I brought back The Frugal Friday File.) I guess it was because I hadn't been out to shop for non-grocery items for months, and there were just some things we needed, but still.  This week I only received two deliveries...meal delivery, and one I had ordered awhile back and the shipping was delayed.  It's a good feeling getting some control back.

3.  I did make quite a large curbside order for produce at Sprouts this week.  (They have a lot of organics, etc.)  It's the first time I've done curbside with them, so there was no fee added.  I'm hoping to do a large batch of roasted vegetables to use for meals and to make lunches for my work next week.

4.  Caitlyn is here doing the floors and whatever else I think of for her to do.  She is saving for the expenses that come with being a licensed driver (she's not licensed yet, but in training).  Her cleaner rate is a bargain, I'm happy for the help, and glad that she is planning ahead for the costs.  It's good experience too learning to please an employer...I make her go back and redo the spots she doesn't notice or misses, and I insist she learns to do satisfactory hospital corners.  :)
     And she's wearing a mask while she is here.

5.  I'm working on a gift for my mother-in-law.  All from supplies on hand.  I'll show it later.

So have you been saving money or exceeding spending expectations with the pandemic?