What A Difference A Little Ribbon Makes...

I have been looking at this card for afew days now. There was something missing and I couldn't put my finger on it. Today I added a little ribbon and I really like the card a lot better. What do yo think?



By the way, I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but the card does have a square punched into the first layer and the prima flower is on the inside of the card.

Last night my electic oven died. It's only two years old. I just finished making dinner and I was taking the last dish out of the oven when there was a loud (and I mean loud) bang, add to that my scream, and everyone comes running to the kitchen to see what happened. The oven just died (and it didn't even pop a circuit). All the lights were out. I just called a repairman and left a message. I am hoping they can come today. Not sure what I will do for dinner now. I guess I'll have to make reservations.....

Tonight is book club and I really loved the book, For One More Day, by Mitch Albom. I think we will have a great discussion tonight. I will update my blog tonight after the Chicklits meet tonight. It's always a fun night at book club. If your a Chicklit...see you there!

Reminder: Tomorrow is the PRIMA FLOWER Blog Reader Contest. Check back tomorrow night!

Book Club Edit: Just got home from book club (it's about 10:00 p.m.) Pat was our hostess and we had about 14 attendees. For the most part the book was rated an average of 3 (on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being a really good book) There were a few 4's and a 2 and a 2 1/2. Discussion was good and as usual we went off topic enough to balance the emotional topic of spending one more day with someone you've lost. Suzanne also had us laughing throughout the night. All in all, I think everyone had a great night.

Next month is: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Snow Day!

We got about 3-4 inches of snow overnight. Enough to cancel school and dance classes.

Looks like the music stays....see post below this one. All the comments said to keep the music.

Busy weekend for us. On Friday, we bought Jack a car (a 2000 Plymouth Breeze). He seems very happy with his "new" car and I am happy not to have to share my car or worse, getting up at 6:00 a.m. to take him to work if I need the car for the day. We celebrated Pat's birthday on Saturday night. We went to Palma Restaurant so Pat could have his favorite Swiss Fondue appetizer.
I have not had much time to spend on cards this weekend but did manage to make two simple card that I plan to send as RAK's this week (I sent out 10 RAK's last week...did you get one?).

Here is one card....
And here is the other. This one is made from some supplies sent to me by my DSS on SCS!


Don't forget to check back on March 1st for the Blog Reader Contest. The prize is PRIMA FLOWERS!

Also, if you'r a "Chicklit" don't forget Book Club is on Wednesday. Our hostess is Pat and the book club starts a 7:00 p.m.

I've Added Music

If you scroll down to the bottom of my blog you can see I added music. If you know me well, you won't be surprised by the song I selected. I am undecided about keeping the music...help me decide.

Leave a comment on what you think about the music. I originally added it so that it would start as soon as you entered my blog but thought that might be annoying for some (or most) so I decided to leave it up to you...if you want music, press PLAY and listen to my friend Tom.

Let me know what you think...

Keep the music - OR - Lose the music.

BTW, I also added a clock (I might be going overboard here).

My First Prima Card!

I had been looking all over for Prima flowers and could never find them in the local craft store. I participated in SCSer, TexasJodyLynn's, Prima share on her blog and now have enough Prima's to last a lifetime (I think). Anyway, I made this card using the prima's, the two tag punches and my favorite punch, ...the word punch! I'm still working on it but I may use this as my March card in the monthly swap I host. I was inspired to make this card by a card by Pattyb on SCS Here is another version of the card...this one is for a birthday. I think I know someone with a birthday this weekend...hmmm.... Remember, a Prima Flower Blog Reader contest starts on March 1st!

Home From Vacation

We're back and we had a wonderful time. We spent four days going to the Disney Parks, one day at Sea World , 1 day at the pool and another day shopping at the outlets. Our JetBlue flight was great (I love the TV on the flight, it makes the time go by quickly). Staying on Disney property is wonderful and we loved the perks. We arrived in Orlando and headed directly to the Disney Magical Express and didn't have to worry about our luggage. We went directly to our hotel and our luggage "magically" appeared in our room. Once we arrived we headed out to Epcot. We visited all the countries and had dinner at the Garden Restaurant. We celebrated my birthday - - here is my cake.

The fireworks at Epcot were amazing. On day 2 we went to Animal Kingdom. There were no lines and we enjoyed the great rides including the Jungle Safari, It's Tough To Be A Bug, and the Rapid Ride. When we left Animal Kingdom, we headed over to Magic Kingdom. They had magical hours and were open till 11:00 p.m. Here we are at our Dinner in Magic Kingdom at the Crystal Palace with Winnie the Pooh. We went on all the rides with little or no lines. We were very tired after starting our day at Animal Kingdom at 9 a.m. and not returning to our hotel room till after 11:00 p.m. Day three was spent at MGM studios. We all loved MGM and much to my surprise, I loved Tower of Terror (we went on three times) and the Rock 'n' Roll Roller Coaster (went on twice). Day 4 we spent the entire day at Epcot and went on all the rides. Our favorite was SOARIN (we went on it three times). If you ever go, don't miss SOARIN. By far, it was my favorite ride. On Valentines Day we moved to the Hilton Grand Vacation Resort. We had a 1 bedroom suite and the hotel was really amazing. It was designed in a Tuscany style. Here are some pictures. Here you can see the walkway along the lake and all the Tuscany style Villas. They had studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms. They had 2 pools. The main pool was amazing. This is a picture of a small part of the main pool. While at the Hilton, we had one good day were it was warm enough (high 70's) to sit by the pool and swim. We enjoyed drinks by the pool, did a little reading and swimming. It was probably the most relaxing day of vacation as we were usually on the run. On Thursday, we went to Sea World. I was really looking forward to it but have to admit I was a little disappointed. Perhaps because the Disney Parks are so well run and spectacular, Sea World paled in comparison. We did have a nice day. Kerry Ann and Pat went on Krank twice. It's a wild rollercoaster with many upside down turns. It was Kerry's favorite ride of the week. We saw Shamu, fed seals, fed stingrays and saw the dolphins, sharks, alligators, turtles, pengiuns, etc. We even had dinner in a a restaurant with a Shark Tank. Here is a photo from the Shamu Show.

Friday was freezing (although not as cold as at home) so we got to know the Orlando area and took a trolley down International Drive and shopped at the outlets. Kerry Ann got an early birthday present at the Coach outlet, her first Coach Bag. She was thrilled.

Epcot Attractions We Visited:

Spaceship Earth (was o.k., was good to sit for a while after being on our feet all day)
Universe of Energy (starring Ellen De Generes - enjoyed this one)
Mission Space (I wouldn't go on, but Kerry Ann and Pat did...they liked it)
Test Track (again, I wouldn't go on but Kerry Ann and Pat did, again, they liked it)
The Seas with Nemo and Friends (fun, if you are 6)
Soarin (absolutely amazing.... I loved it. We went on it three times. The best ride ever!)
Living with the Land (again, good ride to rest our feet for a while)
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (fun)

Had dinner at the Garden Restaurant - Nice all you can eat family style dinner
Had lunch in Mexico at the Catina de San Angel
Had dinner another night at the Coral Reef (very nice dinner)
Snack (mousse) several tiimes in France at the Boulangerie Patisserie - Kerry Ann's favorite spot for a snack

Animal Kingdom Attractions we Visted:

Its Tough to be a Bug (fun)
Kilimanjaro Safaris (saw a lot of animals including giraffes, gazelles, elephants, rhinos, lions, etc)
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail (nice walking trail)
Flights of Wonder (very good show with birds)
Kali River Rapids (fun, I bought a poncho and was the only one who didn't get wet...it was cold!)

Had lunch at the Flame Tree Barbecue...we liked it.

Magic Kingdom Attractions we Visited:

Swiss Family Treehouse (boring)
Jungle Cruise (o.k.)
Pirates of the Caribbean (very good)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (rode twice, a lot of fun)
The Haunted Mansion (o.k.)
Mad Tea Party (fun)
Space Mountain (o.k.
Buzz Lightyear (fun...went on a few times)
Stitches Great Escape (yuk)

Had dinner at the Crystal Palace. The food was good (buffet) but oh so crowded and noisy. After Magic Kingdom got a little tired of crying kids and screaming parents.

MGM Studios

Tower of Terror (great...loved it! Went on it 3 times)
Rock N Roll Roller Coaster (another great ride, went on it 2 times)
Backlot Tour (fun - especially the earthquake scene)
Indiana Jones Stunt Show (fun)
Lights, Motor, Action Extreme Stunt Show (exciting)
Jim Henson's Muppet 3D (fun)

Had lunch at the Backlot Express (was good)

We missed the terrible ice storm that hit the tri-state area and despite all we read about the problems of JetBlue due to the storm, we did not have any problems. As a matter of fact we were the only plane leaving Orlando on Saturday that left on time.

Now that we are back, I am hoping to get some scrapbooking and cardmaking done. Look for my March contest. If you love Prima Flowers for crafting you will love this contest. Look for more info March 1st.

Happy Birthday To Me!

It's my birthday! The funny thing is, I woke up this morning and didn't feel or look any different. I don't know what I was expecting on this milestone birthday but I think 50 will be a good year. Thank you to everyone who sent me a card! Some were really funny! AND for some of you youngsters out there (that under 50 group), I will get you back (lol). The picture on the right is a "Red Hat" snowflake that my friend Patty made for me.

Patrick is enjoying these next few weeks because from today until Februrary 24th, we are the same age!

We're off to celebrate. See you all soon!

Saturday, February 9, 1957

US President Dwight D. Eisenhower
US Vice President Richard M. Nixon

Academy Award Winners

Best Picture: The Bridge On The River Kwai Directed By David Lean
Best Actor: Alec Guinness in The Bridge On The River Kwai
Best Actress: Joanne Woodward in The Three Faces Of Eve

Saturday, February 09, 1957
1957 Prices
Bread: $0.19/loaf
Milk: $1.00/gal
Eggs: $0.83/doz
Car: $2,100
Gas: $0.31/gal
House: $18,000
Stamp: $0.03/ea
Avg Income: $5,443/yr
Min Wage: $1.00/hr
DOW Avg: 436

2nd Rachael Ray Episode Airs Monday, February 12th

The second episode of the Rachael Ray Talk show (of which I am in the audience) airs on Monday, February 12th. The show features First Lady Laura Bush who discusses heart disease in women. I am not sure if I will be on air at all (like my now famous close-up on the Katharine McPhee episode) but you never know. Check it out, maybe you will see me or one of my friends.

It feels like I'm playing Where's Waldo, scanning the audience for my face and that of my friends.

Oh, and it's only 2 days till my birthday!

I Was On TV!

Did you catch the Rachael Ray Show today? My friends and I all made it on TV. Brenda, Pat and I were on several times. I even had a close-up at the end of the show. I was very busy at work today and actually forgot the show was airing today. I received an email in the afternoon from a woman I worked with many years ago, she said she was watching Rachael Ray and there was a woman who looked just like me in the audience. I suddenly remembered today was the day and ran up to watch the show (I recorded it on DVR...I love DVR!) It was funny to watch the show and notice that there were two audiences. One audience for the first half of the show and another (the one I was in) for the second half of the show. I bet you didn't notice there were two different audiences.

Oh, and just a reminder, only 3 days till my birthday.

Katharine McPhee on Rachael Ray Tomorrow!

Just wanted to let you know that the Katharine McPhee episode of Rachael Ray is on tomorrow, Tuesday, February 6th. This is one of the show's I attended. See if you can spot me in the audience! I have not seen the Laura Bush episode listed yet. Maybe next week for that show.

BTW, only 4 days till my birthday!

And the winner is.....

1craftygal - Karie Ann from www.ink-stains.com.

Her comment was:

1craftygal said...
Great site Diane! You must be very proud of your DD!

From another "karie Ann" (ink-stains)

January 31, 2007 12:38 PM

I printed all the comments and put them in a basket and pulled a name.

Thank you everyone for entering my first Blog Reader Contest. Look for another one in March!

Karie Ann - please send me your mailing address so I can get the set of cards to you.

BTW - the countdown is on...only 5 days to the big 5-0.

The Sweetheart Ball

What a great night! The Woman's Club of our small town hosts an annual Sweetheart Ball every year. It's our biggest fundraiser of the year. All the money raised stays in the community and helps the members of our community in many ways. In the past money has gone to libraries, parks and rec, breast cancer awareness, senior programs, thanksgiving baskets, the santa fund and many more. In addition to helping members of our community the Ball is also a night to dress up and have a great night on the town. The night started with a cocktail hour, followed by dinner and dancing. All through the night were door prizes, silent auctions and raffles. There were a lot of great prizes. Here's some pictures from the night.

Patrick & Diane



Cindy & Gary



Rory & Patty


Belinda & Dave

Looking forward to next year!

I Will Never Clap Again...

Actually I will clap again someday, but I really do need to recover from 4 hours of clapping. I think if I ever go again, I will go without rings...that might help. Read on to see what the heck I am talking about.

What a great day! Did you ever have one of those days where everything just worked out the way you planned? Yesterday, I attended the Rachael Ray Show in NYC with friends. The day started out great and continued all day. Pat, Brenda and I met at 9:00 in the morning for the 1/2 hour ride to the train station. Traffic was light and we made it to the station AND found parking with plenty of time to get the 10:07 train into Grand Central Station. Arriving in NYC around 11:30 a.m. we took the short walk to the Rachael Ray Studio on 44th street between 2nd and 3rd. No one was in line for the show so we walked to a small coffee shop up the street and had lunch. After lunch we got in line and happily, there was only one group of four in front of us. It didn't take long for the line to be all the way up the street. The group of four ladies from Rockland behind us were a lot of fun and made the time pass quickly. We had a lot of laughs in line. Here is a picture of us waiting in line.
Antoniette, thanks for taking and sending me the picture! In the photo is Brenda on the left, me in the middle and Pat on the right.They finally let us in the door at 2:30 and things moved pretty quickly and efficiently through security and into the studio.

Once seated we were entertained by the audience warm-up guy, RC Smith. We were there practicing clapping (we literally clapped for 4 hours) and playing games for over an hour before the first segment even began. I was selected to do a little dance in the aisle and won a season DVD of the old late 80's / early 90's TV show ANYTHING BUT LOVE starring Jamie Leigh Curtis. Other prizes they gave away were cookie jars, boxes of Stacy Pita chips and bags of Redkin products.

We were there for segments from two shows. First of all there are really no bad seats. The audience seats are also on a "lazy susan" of sort that turns to a different section of the studio depending of what Rachel is doing. There is a kitchen section, a performing section, an interview area, etc. During the first show our seats were in the second to last row and the seats elevated as you went back. We had a good view. During the second show we had third row seats which were lower. We actually preferred being further back where the seats were elevated.

It is amazing how the show works. You don't actually see a whole show, you are in the audience for "segments" of the show. They must do a lot of editing and without audience taping to put the whole show together. I am really looking forward to seeing the whole show. Also, there were cameras and people EVERYWHERE! One boom camera came nose to nose to me, I was afraid to move.

We soon found out why we had to wait so long before the first segment started. Our first guest was First Lady Laura Bush. Apparently, due to security, getting her in and out of the building caused delays. She looked beautiful and was very elegant. She talked about heart disease in women.

The next guest was Lara Spencer from the INSIDER. She talked about skin care. She was very pretty and personable.

We were then moved back to the BLUE room (the audience room) while they set up for the next show. The room was packed (120 guests) and they served us sandwiches, chips and waters while we waited.

Brought back into the studio for the second show, we were seated in the third row. Our guest for the second show was American Idol Katharine McPhee. She was adorable and had a wonderful voice. She sang two songs and made a quick meal with Rachel.

Our Snack of the day was almonds. Each guest got 3 tins of almonds. Every member of the audience also received Rachael's latest cookbook, 2-4-6-8!

We didn't get out of the studio until 7:30. We headed back to Grand Central Station and had a great dinner at restaurant outside the station called Naples 45. We took the 9:54 back to Brewster and I walked in my door a little after midnight.

We were all exhausted and we think it was from clapping. We clapped and smiled for 4 hours. One woman sitting in front of us, said next time she was going to wear oven mitts. I called Meghan from the train and she told me she was on her way home from snowboarding and was exhausted and sore. She hadn't snowboarded in a while and fell a lot. I didn't tell her I was sore and exhausted from smiling and clapping for four hours...didn't seem to compare.

Go to www.rachaelrayshow.com for programming info. Hopefully, the shows we attended will air next week. Check the schedule for days when Laura Bush and Katharine McPhee are the guests.

On my way to Rachael Ray.....

Yes, you heard right. I am only a few hours away from attending the Rachael Ray Show in NYC. We'll be taking a 10:07 train into the city, have some lunch and get on line to be a guest. Hopefully, we won't be so far back in line that we won't get into the show. While we have tickets, it's still first come first in. I'm sure they overbook because of no-shows. Since I am taking the day off from work, we're going to make a long day of it in NYC: Lunch, show and dinner. I am really looking forward to it.

BTW, Happy February! On no, did I say February? That means it is only 9 days to the BIG 5-0. Maybe I should start a count down.