It was a good Memorial Day

We went to the parade here in town for Memorial Day, and it was SO nice!! Here are some shots from the day... and
yes.
I laid down in the road for this one. The Marine Corps Orchestra comes here every year, and stay for the whole week playing here and there. They were at the elementary school today... The kids were ROCKIN'!! lol

The pooper scoopers following the horses...
CRACKS
me
up.
Every time.

The reactions of some of the Vets in the parade, seeing the great turn out in their honor...
It's pretty emotional when someone who was willing to die for your freedom starts clapping for YOU.

The clowns. They were pretty cool!!

Skipper... You're a super star now, baby!! I know Margarette will show you this. Loved seeing you in that fire truck. I know your Dad was smiling on you.

After the parade, there was a ceremony, and city BBQ. It was a GREAT ceremony. They laid wreaths at the town's memorial, and at the end, one of the members of the Marine Band played the Taps.

Then, an old plane flew over head, SO LOW!! It was really cool.

As if THAT isn't a great finish, there were parachuter's who came down FLYING THE FLAG... it was AMAZING.

And what city event is complete without a few furry friends? This one caught my eye...

The yard.... it's been taking up my days...
On the bright side, I got my load of sod out of the truck today, and I have all my seeds ready to plant.
It's supposed to rain today, and I think I'm running out of time... but I hope to get some seeds into the ground by the weekend.
SO
Here's the NEW yard!! Just seeds to go!!

From against the house.

In other news, TallyScrapper is hosting a Cyber Crop this weekend!! Hope you stop in a try out some of the challenges!!

ETA:
OH MY GOSH!!! I just found out that my photo made it onto EXPLORE on Flickr!! EXPLORE is a feature that highlights photos for the attention of others!!! HOLY SHIT!!! There are some AMAZING photos up there!! I also discovered ANOTHER one of my photos has been there before!! GO LOOK!!! I'm down the page a little ways.

ETA... Since posting this, my photo has moved up in the ranks... lol You can see it HERE.

© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Have You Seen my Arms?

I actually think they might still be attached... but we are taking out the front lawn with a roto tiller... and by we, I totally mean
I
I am taking out the lawn.
Because my husband only has ONE arm he can use to till...
AND
RotoTilling??
It's kind of a two arm job.
I'll be back with photos once I'm all done...
In the mean time,
In case you're wondering,
I'm putting my garden where my grass is.

© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Summer Banner Swap

My friend Shirley made THIS banner last year, and I've wanted to make something like it ever since.
So I'm hosting a SWAP again!!! This time, you need to create a triangle banner like the one that Shirley made. Ours will say SUMMER. For a little twist, I'm adding FLIP FLOPS to our banners!! SO Here's what you would need to do if you decide to join us!

1. Create a banner using 6 triangles, one letter on each triangle, that spell out SUMMER.
2. Each Triangle should measure 7 inches ACROSS the top, and be 8 inches long from the bottom point to the center of the top.
3. Include the following on the back of EACH triangle NAME. EMAIL. BLOG URL
   
4. Purchase a pair of women's SMALL or Children's LARGE flip flops to alter as well.
5. Send your flip flops AND your UN assembled banner to me.
6. Include 10.00 for shipping with your banners. I will also purchase the ribbon to assemble the banners.
   

THEN when I have all the banners at my house,

1. I will mix them all up, assemble the banners and incorporate the flip flops into the banners.
2. I will send them BACK to you!! You will get a banner with pieces from at least 6 other people on it!
   

Here are some more examples for you to have an idea of what I'd like to do!

banner and photo by SadieLouWho

photo and banner by MyTangerineDreams
Sign up by the 31 of this month, and you need to have them in the mail to me by the 9th of June. I will have them ready to go back out within a week of receiving the last of the banners!!
If you'd like to join me, please sign up here, and include your blog's URL if you have one!! Also be sure to email me with your mailing address!



© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Mom's Here!!

I made this last fairy house for Christine today. It should be in the mail today too!! I added the others to my etsy shop today, and FINALLY got the shop's button into my side bar!! Wish me luck on selling them! I have a few things that I want to make for my shop still.
My mom's here for a couple days. I love it when she's here. I'm especially excited that she's going to be here for more than one night!!

In other news, I'm getting the Design Team ready for the next CYBER crop on TallyScrapper.com!! It's the 31st through the 2nd of June. It's going to be a nice, relaxed one! Keep your calendar's marked! Come over, check out the challenges, and try one or two out!!

© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Auntie

She calls me Auntie...

Really, I'm only her 2nd cousin, but I'm so much older than her, that her mom and dad have always called me Auntie Rachel. This weekend, they came for a night, and while they were here, her sweet little voice called, "Auntie Rachel?" more times than I can count. I loved every one.

Got some goodies done for a few challenges at TallyScrapper.com!! These three were part of a challenge to make a page, a card and an ATC... Using the same elements on all of them.

This one was for a challenge to use ribbon.
ALOT.
I made the flowers out of ribbon and painted some prima paintable paper.

This one was to use crayons on a layout... I used crayons to trace my hand.

© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Made My Day

Travis went to the Dr. to have his cast taken off yesterday, and of course, I went with him...
If you have ever had a cast, or taken care of a kiddo who had one... (or had a hubby who had one) you know that the rules clearly state that you are NOT under ANY circumstances, supposed to stick ANYTHING down into your cast to scratch your arm. So when we went to the Dr to have the cast off for good, we HAD to do something...
With the help of the nurse, who made excuses to the Dr about why she didn't totally finish taking off Travis' cast, and would he mind doing that for her? The trap was set.
Here's the Dr's face before he realizes that the jig is up!

Travis had all SORTS of pieces and parts in that thing!!! He even put a bottle cap in it!!

The Dr said that we pulled the best prank EVER.


© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Spring? Are you There?

It's been HOT. Unbelievably HOT. It was overcast, and raining just the other day.
I
Swear.
Today, we are breaking out the sprinklers.
The fans are blowing their guts out.
I need NEED to get covers for the windows...
No idea how these REALLY look. They are straight out of the camera, and this computer does NOT show graphics well.
They looked like GEMS on the camera viewer.

Last night, I used a bit more of the KIT from TallyScrapper.com on a layout, and used some of the AWESOME lyrics from a song on Juno's Soundtrack.

AND
I
can't
believe
he
let
me...

It's my favorite
FAVORITE.
because it's
HIM...
100%

© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Bloggy Fun

I made a blog banner for someone today!! My first one for PAY!!! I hope she likes it!! It's for Leah, a gal I met on Tally...
In other technical news... I have had a computer CRASH on me, and I hope that the thing will be fixable. STINKY to have to use the boy's computer for things. It's just not the SAME, you know!? lol
Here are some things I've been making lately...

With the KIT going on sale at noon, CST on TallyScrapper!!!

© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Mom

Isn't she just about the cutest thing you have EVER seen? She is also just about the coolest mom EVER... She gave me SUCH a childhood. I love her for that. When I was about 12? She and my little sister, and I put a little travel trailer out on the pond at my gramma's house... JUST so we could go and spend the days there, drawing in our nature journals, and observing the wildlife there... I remember cleaning the trailer, and getting it ready for watching. I remember the air freshener that we put in it. I remember mucking around in the pond and catching the goldfish that gramma and grampa had put in it. Love you, Mom. Thanks for being the rockstar in my childhood!! You and Dad were GREAT imagination nurturers.


It's just about time for the KIT to be released on Tally!!! At noon, CST, the kit goes on sale, and I have to say!! Basic Grey, Pink Paislee, Sassafraslass, Hambly, American Crafts THICKERS, ribbon!! More than you can IMAGINE!!! Just an all around delish kit. Just DELICIOUS. GET YOURS!!

Nancy, this little sweetheart is on it's way to YOU!! Thanks for the ATC swap!!

© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Hope you have a GREAT mother's day!! I've been sleeping in, lazing around, and buying McDonald's for lunch!! lol Off to play some more...

© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

Her NAME...

Is Nikki!! I used to have a dog named Nikki... she was a GOOD dog. That, and I like the way Nikki Nikon sounds... because you know, that's her last name.
YES
I am kissing her...
She is amazing, and I love her. I hope to get some new self portraits with her SOON... I think I need to get myself a remote for her.
THAT
WOULD
ROCK.
Ian is thrilled with her, because my getting her meant that he inherited a BRAND new used camera...
I had only just bought a new one this year...
He's been a picture taking fool too! lol



and
YES
That THING on my nose is new...
:)

© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!

My NEW baby...

Isn't she lovely!?!? She came in the mail yesterday, and I can't WAIT to get to know her better!! I think she needs a name... any suggestions? Here are a few photos I got with her...

I REALLY like the Macro setting!! Can't wait for my other lens to get here!!


© Rachel Whetzel Please do not use content or images without written permissions. CLICK HERE to send an email request!