Saturday, February 28, 2009

Hubby's hobby


My hubby flies 40% of scale radio controlled airplanes for fun and competition. Notice his matching airplane and outfit! His 3D show is very popular on American holidays as he flies in synch to patriotic music. If in Northern Colorado in late August, don't miss the Big Bird Festival-lots of R/C airplanes to look at on the ground and watch in the skies.
More info:

Ah, the view!


This view never gets old! It's the Colorado Rockies from my window at work-just north of Loveland and a touch west of I-25. It's no wonder I gaze out the window a lot!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Coincidence?


I mentioned in an earlier post about working for Jennifer all week at our radio station (http://www.bigcountry979.com/) last week. On the last day of filling in, I got in my car and discovered that my trip meter was at 97.9-the very frequency of our station. How odd that I filled up my car with gas at the beginning of the week and it was exactly 97.9 miles to and from my house to the station for 5 days! I could probably never do that again.


It took me until now to blog about it because I took the picture with my cell phone and needed my 17 year old son's expertise to get it off my phone and onto my computer!

eye witness to a rare event


I know...I can't believe the picture either-my son actually cleaning out his car!

Seriously, is that a wig on the trunk?!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

It's Sue Actually...


(This is me and Jennifer)
I may change my name to Sue Actually. Why? This is what I've been saying all week on the phones while filling in for Jennifer on our country radio station. (http://www.bigcountry979.com/) This happens any time she takes a day off or vacation. Listeners will call up and say, "Hi Jennifer" not realizing she is gone and then I'll say, "Hi! it's Sue actually." Sometimes they get embarrassed or feel bad that they didn't know it was me, but they shouldn't -I don't! I've been doing this for years.

See, I'm not a full time disc jockey-I'm not all that famous nor do I have my own time slot during the week, so I'm not all that surprised if they don't know who I am. I'm a full timer in a part timer's body-able to fill in for anyone needing a day or week off, no matter the format or time slot. Over my 30 year career I have had lots of full and part time gigs-Classic Rock, Top 40, News/Talk, Country, Adult Contemporary, Traffic and News reporter....

When my kids came along, I decided to go part time and raise them. In the meantime, the radio business was changing-lots of consolidating of stations where there were less jobs and more technology so everyone had to adapt. With 5 stations in a building, someone was always sick, needing a day off or on vacation! So in addition to a couple of weekend shifts, I was nearly full time just filling in. This turned out to be the perfect choice for me-lots of variety so I didn't get bored and didn't have to deal with any office politics (everyone was always happy to see me).

In the current economic climate, it turns out that this was an even better career path. Even though I am a part timer, because of my diverse experience, I am able to dodge the lay off bullets because I am one person who can do a lot instead of a few people with less experience. Am I getting rich? Nope. Will I continue learn, evolve and adapt so I can keep myself indispensable? You bet! Do I still have a job? Yes (at least as of this writing!)

Friday, February 20, 2009

I'm singlehandedly ruining the planet


Why? Because I keep forgetting to bring my cloth bags into the grocery store! They are right in the back of my car all the time. But I don't see them , so I forget. I even say out loud, "don't forget the bags" as I'm driving in to the store parking lot...uh, I have no attention span, so no bags! I even have a note on my steering wheel that says, "Bags" Does that help me remember? NO! Not until I'm in the check out lane do I remember my lonely bags out in the car wanting to do their part but unable to because I'm a putz. I can feel their disappointment when I open my hatch and I swear I can hear the plastic bags mocking them as I unload my goods.
Does this really mean I'm singlehandedly ruining the planet? Probably not. I treat the planet pretty good other than this one aspect-I recycle cans and plastic, return my plastic bags to the store for recycling, use old newspapers for shipping material and re-use every box I've ever gotten for shipping, storage, costumes, projects...you name it.
Will I continue to try and remember my cloth bags? Yes and hopefully it will become a habit for me. Until then, will I lose any sleep while "ruining the planet"? Umm...no.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

lacquered lolly update

In a previous post I showed off my Valentine creativity with lollipops. I ended up taking a few to work to decorate our studio door and give out as gifts to my co-workers. I explained not to eat them because they had been varnished-everyone was cool with that. When I came in Monday and asked the gal in the next studio if she got my valentine, she said, "No, I saw the note but no lollipop" OH OH! Then she added, "It's weird, I saw the note and then noticed little bits of colored paper in a trail that lead to the back of the counter." Oh dear, we have a mouse-ewww! Then we started giggling thinking that the mouse got a bad surprise when he started to eat the actual lollipop. We later discovered the lollipop behind some equipment with more bits of paper. No mouse carcass tho, whew!

Monday, February 16, 2009

All my favorite things


I finally finished a shadow box I have been working on for a while. Writer's have writer's block, I have "afraid to finish it since I might ruin it" block!! See, I like so many techniques that I have a tendency to go a bit overboard trying to incorporate it all and sometimes end up with a mess. Hopefully I stopped this one just in time-I like it and feel like I stepped away at the right moment (not always my strong suit!). It's a combination of all the things I like to do-stamping, paper collage, distress/altered art, collage pins, scrap booking-I use a lot of Stampin' Up! stamps, punches and inks because I've been in a SU! club for the last two years, I'm also a big fan of T!m Holtz, so I distress everything! And don't get me started on all the great collaging/altered techniques...


I ventured into the shadow box realm because I was looking for a way to re-purpose some collage pins that didn't sell as pins because they were just too ugly/strange/weird for anyone to wear. (it's ok, I knew they were off center when I built them) I also used some of them on my Christmas thank you cards (see that post) and I really liked the response I got. I may end up making less pins and more small wall art, cards, magnets or ? Let me know what you think and I'll post more pics as I get projects done.
Thanks for stopping by!
Sue

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Fun with sidewalk chalk


I work for a radio station that is new in our market-we're about 15 months old in a country music format. Country music is huge in Northern Colorado with at least 4 FM's in country, only a few dial positions away from each other! The top two stations have been around for 20 and 13 years so we have our work cut out for us trying to get noticed. Since we are the newest and have literally no budget, I took our advertising to the streets, er... sidewalks in this case.


Cost of sidewalk chalk: $1

Time spent writing: 5 minutes

Converting a listener: priceless


Check us out at www.bigcountry979.com

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Stamped Valentine goodies
















SUCKER! Do Not lick the lollipop inside-it's been sprayed with shellack to keep it from getting sticky (which didn't work by the way). Why take the wrapper off to begin with? It was too big for my purposes and I had no idea grownups would really want to lick the lollipop until I gave them out at my investment club meeting last night! Such disappointment on their faces when I told them they couldn't eat it. Anyway, it's made with Stampin' Up! punches, stamps, misc paper and ribbon. If you decide to make these, leave the wrappers on so folks can enjoy the lollipop inside!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Out of the rubble comes a card


I managed to clear enough space and time to get a card created for my neice's birthday-made with Stampin' Up! stamps and papers. It won't get there on time because my craft room should be declared a disaster area! It's not a good mess in the way I know where everything is and can use it efficiently (like a messy system that one one else understands but me) I get it cleaned up, organized then make a thing or two and it's back to chaos. This has been my routine for YEARS and I think I figured out why I keep doing it this way-my need for order keeps getting trumped by my need to create! I do really well getting things ALMOST in order and then it's like I can't take it anymore and need to make something. I'm tired of trying to organize...I just want to CREATE! I guess instead of wasting time analyzing it, I'll just push the mess aside and keep creating! That's my new goal-less thinking, more creating and the mess can figure itself out! I'll let you know how that goes)

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Lindsey is Sweet 16 today!


Happy birthday to my one and only (and beautiful!) neice-hope you have a fantastic day!

My grandma...


My grandma turned 96 on Feb 1st...Happy Birthday Tiger Lil!!

Been a while...

Considering how much I like to talk and write, I find it hard to believe that I haven't posted anything for nearly a month! What the heck have I been doing?! Upon reflection I realize I've been keeping busy with:
  • Selling on eBay and Craig's List
  • Setting up an Etsy shop for my handmade items (www.allofasutton.etsy.com)
  • Joining a gym and working out 6 days a week (not that anyone can tell yet, dang it)
  • Trying to keep from getting laid off at 'Giganto Corp' (so far so good!)
  • Co-chairing After Prom committee
  • End of/beginning of year work for our pool's Board of Directors
  • Tax paperwork for our investment club
  • Organizing my craft room and actually getting some stuff made (will post pics soon)
  • Hosting a Steelers Superbowl party

hmmm, good to see it all on 'paper' since I didn't feel like I got that much accomplished!