Ray on Float

Well.......I think I'm a little disappointed in the floats this year in the parade. In years past, the floats were quite large and very impressive. This year......not so much. I think money has played a lot into that factor. As you can see from the concept photo below in a different post, the people on the float are way bigger than they are in the concept photo. There were lots of roses on the it but it just didn't have the wow factor. None of the floats had a wow factor except the one from Resers with a Beauty and the Beast theme. Ray did have fun on the float. At least both of the photos I took you could at least see his face! The other people were waving too much in front of their faces.....I don't think they had the parade wave down very well! We had a great breakfast in the green room of the hotel with the other riders. The room was nice in the hotel last night but since I live in the country, the night noises of the city and the Max light rail didn't let me sleep much last night. Had all the family at the bank's party for the parade. That was fun. My Daughter, Angie and her, Travis, were in route to Cabo and missed the fun. My granddaughter, Audrey, was thrilled with the horses. Boy, she is really going to like the present we got her for her third bday. All the aunts, uncles, and Ray & I went together and got her an animated horse by FurReal. I can hardly wait until November!!

Artful Sentiments Copic Challenge #11

Today the automated post feature of my blog is at work! As the computer posts the blog entry all on its own, I'll be in downtown Portland watching my husband ride by on the Portland General Electric Grand Floral Parade float. So, while I'm enjoying my view, you can enjoy viewing my design team card for Artful Sentiments Copic Challenge. AND if you happen to be watching the Grand Floral Prade on your TV, you can wave at my Hubby. See the picture of him in the Wednesday post.

This week the challenge was to use some dark colors........ B97, Y35, R89 and one other color of your choice. I didn't happen to have any of those colors so I went as close as I could with B37, R39, Y26, and my choice of YG97. When I stared at those colors I gathered a few stamps that spoke to me and started on the image you see. I used the blender pen to lighten the red and colored in the background. The pinkish background that resulted was really awful looking......I threw the whole thing in the trash. Then, when my granddaughter, Breauna, was helping me refile some paper scraps, I saw that image in the trash. Later that day I dug it back out and grabbed my red pen to color in the background with the full strength of the pen. Ahhhhh....... now I liked it. Sometimes you just have to put the image down, walk away, and let your brain work on a solution. It has worked for me more than once! The butterfly color was accomplished by touching the blender pen to the dark blue pen then coloring with the blender pen only. It is a sweet technique that I learned in my copic class. The words of the stamp were also highlighted with the blender pen. The butterfly was cut out and mounted separately to give a little bit of dimension. I see that I really could use some photographic lessons too! My lighting could really use some help to let 3-D portions show up!! Create your own card for this challenge and go to Kimm's blog to upload your creation for the challenge. You'll also want to bookmark Artful Sentiments by Kimm's blog as there will be some blog candy coming up in the near future! The link to her blog is on my side bar.

CRAZY week!

This will be the last sane day of my week! Lots of running and lots of fun. My husband logged in his volunteer hours at work and was selected from the pool of people who completed their logged in hours to ride on the Portland General Electric float in the Portland Rose Parade. Cool! I will be sitting with my family on some bleachers outside a bank where my daughters work to cheer at him when he rolls by. Along with the 'prize' came a Friday night stay at the deLuxe Hotel in Portland for both of us and a nice breakfast Sat morning. Then we get to go Thursday morning and help decorate the float. Here is a picture of what the float will look like this year. Ray has done this before and it is quite fun. All the floats are decorated with organic materials....nothing plastic allowed.....all flowers, grass and seeds. Ray will be on a local TV program Friday morning (I begged out since I watch the grandson that day AND he had to be there at 5am!). Throw in a meeting Thursday night with our car club and a meeting tonight PLUS getting the house ready for guests (possible) this weekend and you have a CRAZY week! I pray that your week is NOT as crazy as mine!! I'm hoping to fit a few cards in the mix but that is a MAYBE!

Edit: I just got to thinking!! The Grand Floral Parade is broadcast nationally, I think.....so.......here is a picture of my DH! Maybe you'll see him!! This picture was taken when a shoe box swap gave Ray a present for providing us with a PGE free place to meet and then having to 'babysit' the room all day as a PGE employee.