Summer Coming and Going . . .

I must say that the days are rolling along at a rapid pace around here. Summer solstice came and went and now it's close to the BIG summer holiday for us in the US of A! The weather is appropriately HOT, the best time to do stuff outside being early morning (like before 8 when the sun peeks over the Oquirrh Mtns to the east) and evening (after 8 when the sky starts changing to oranges and pinks as the sun sets over the Great Salt Lake to the west)! Last night I went out about 8:30 to do the chores, since my poor overworked husband was still out working. As I drove the four wheeler across the pasture after turning on the rainbirds I had to stop and watch the sky change - so amazing - and within five minutes it was just a memory (and the water was overflowing in the steer's trough . . .). Wished at the time, that I had had my camera, or my IPhone with me to capture it!
Speaking of capturing - mid-June I bought the Collect app for IPhone and am having fun with it, snapping ordinary sort of stuff during the day. Here is a screenshot of June:

You can see that up until the 14th, there is nada and a few days in between. Some of the days there are up to three pictures (the app allows for adding multiple snaps per day). For instance, on the 26th, Sally texted a couple photos she took; here's how they look in Collect:

I love that she caught these and forwarded them on for our viewing pleasure! So typical of everyday life in Tooele. . . who said it couldn't be a "ride up" window?!

So, I've joined in with Sian Fair and her Pile of Postcards Exchange. What a great idea . . . it seems as though our new world has very much gotten away from sending postcards, much less letters and I totally agree with Sian that getting something besides junk mail in the post box is a real joy! Because we aren't traveling very far from home this month, I went downtown to buy up some Tooele-unique postcards for the six folks that I'll be sending to. Interestingly enough (or maybe not!), the only place I could find postcards was at the Best Western Inn Tooele which I guess makes sense but the local Walgreen's didn't have any! Back in the day, pretty much every little store had a twirly rack of postcards near the check-out but obviously, times have a-changed! Here's what I have, along with global and domestic stamps, ready to post:

I actually bought 12 and so may post the extras to friends and family who don't hear from me very often (yes, I'm as guilty as the next guy for not even emailing!). Funny that the postage came to more than the cards! No worries, though as the thought of getting something in the mail is so worth every penny (or dollar, as the case may be in global postage)!

I should be doing a wrap-up of my month in numbers for Julie at Notes on Paper; however, my note taking was not good for May or June and (as seen by the Collect calendar) neither was my picture taking! I am going to comment on her June MinN because it makes me smile and laugh and she needs to know that I love to catch up. I also like to peek in on the other MinN participants and add my comments occasionally.

Back in April and the first of May my friend and I did the Utah Paper Crafting Shop Hop 2014 (see this post). We had purchased 12-slot shadow boxes at Hobby Lobby with the intention of filling it with the photos we took on the Hop; well, on Wednesday, June 27th, we had a play date and did just that!

We used papers from the Simple Stories DIY Boutique 6X6 paper pad (which we picked up at one of the shops on the hop) and then embellished with wood veneer, punches, enamel dots, etc. Fun, fun! I still need to journal on the last card about the miles we drove, the $$ we spent, etc., etc. The cool thing is that each little card has a magnetic strip on the back so they can be changed out if we are so inclined to make other little cards!

While I'm on the subject of crafting little doodads, the Pink Daisy, one of our local scrapbook stores (in Holladay actually) has designed these fun little interchangeable shadow box kits/classes (this is the September one). I had purchased the Bright Birthday one for myself and the July one for my friend Heather (whose birthday is July 4!) and was so inspired while doing it that I took the Simple Stories Cat Insta Squares and Pieces Snap pack, backed it with a 12X12 black and white polkadot paper and made up this for Heather and her black cat, Coal:

I really love how it turned out! Love playing with paper and stuff and am not sure why I don't do more . . .

One last note before I wrap it up here for today and get some ironing done (see, that's a reason I don't do more crafting! haha!). Yesterday afternoon I let Chester, the cat, out after his nap and when I was stirring up some banana bread, I looked out the window and saw this:

At least eight little birds (probably more down below) in the Colorado blue spruce tree chirping their little hearts out at this:

Chester, right below the branches casually surveying all he owns (and occasionally gazing up, how cats do, to ensure that the birds were in their rightful places). Cracked me up! He's looking a bit skinny these days as he's shed great globs of hair for the summer. He'll puff out again in a couple months!

Laters!