The Chicken Coop

I am a paper crafter. I've been playing with paper, and cutting and pasting for many years now and I still just love it. I teach classes each month and would love to have you.
You can find me at MyRedHen.blogspot.com and on Pinterest
or email me at MyRedHen4@yahoo.com
I'd love to hear from you.
Every now and then I have some cards or little treats available for sale that may be seen here.
My blog also contains my personal posts. Ignore them if you like, but you may get a kick out of them. Maybe my girls will read them one day and get insights into the inner workings of an old woman's brain....Scary Thought!
There is a list of labels on the right side of the blog, so you can click there to go to only the posts that you are interested in. That will allow you to skip the personal posts and any items for sale if you wish. No matter which way you choose, I hope will enjoy my little blog and visit often.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Paper Pumpkin Club tonight.
Boy, have I been having a good time with this kit.
And I haven't even nearly used it all!

Monday, February 23, 2015

More Sale A Bration!



For the first time Stampin Up has decided to give us even more products to chose from during Sale A Bration.
Beginning March 1st you can choose from these new products free with a $50 purchase as well as the items previously shown in the Sale A Bration catalog. More free choices? AWESOME!!!Bonus March items added for Sale-a-Bration 2015…Stampin’ Up!® #stampyourartout #stampinup - Stamp Your Art Out! www.stampyourartout.com




March and Spring are nearly here!

Well, my goodness! February sure has raced by quickly! Only one more class remaining!
This Thursday we will be meeting for our February Paper Pumpkin Club meeting at Linda Wainscoat's house at 6 pm. I'm hoping to see all of my wonderful club members there.

That means it's time to announce the class dates for March.

The Stampin Up Workshop will be held on March 5th at my house. This workshop is $10 and this month you will get a chance to play with the beautiful Lotus Blossom stamp set that is available for free during SaleABration with any $50 order. I can't believe how easy it is to get a beautiful shaded effect with this set.

Name tag ideas - using the Stampin Up SAB Lotus Blossom set and the Bow Builder punch

Next, on March 19th I will hold my monthly $20 Card Class. It will be time to get those Easter/Springtime cards and treats ready for our giving.

And finally, on March 26th we will again be holding our monthly meeting of the Paper Pumpkin Club. I can't wait to see what we get next! I don't know about all of you, but I'm really enjoying receiving a little surprise in my mail box each month.

Hope to see some of you for these March classes. Be sure and contact me to sign up so that I will have a kit all prepped and ready for you.

Spring is on its way!  Tonna

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Digging for Treasure




Dig through your couch cushions, your purse, or the floor of your car and look at the year printed on the first coin you find. What were you doing that year?

Okay....If you know me, you know that it would be extremely rare to find a single coin in my couch cushions. I NEED THOSE COINS! So I checked just in case and, as I suspected, No coins. 
Since I usually eat and snack on my couch....(Don't judge me), all I found was a multitude of crumbs.
Great! Now how I have to clean up this mess!

Friday, February 20, 2015

Beem Me Back Scottie

Today I am to tell you about a sensation -- a taste, a smell, a piece of music -- that transports me back to childhood.

 Every once in a while when I'm near an older woman (Actually, I guess I fall into that category now), I catch a whiff of a certain scent that takes me back to my great grandmother's dressing table. She sat at this table when getting ready and powdered her face with loose powder and a big powder puff. 
 

What I really think of when asked this question though, is an experience I had when Michael and I bought our home in Bakersfield. The former owner had wallpapered EVERYTHING. When we began removing wallpaper in the kitchen, we discovered that there were three or four layers. A couple of layers down I discovered a layer of green paper that gave me the best feeling. I couldn't explain it but if I had been able to do it cleanly, I would have left the paper up. Even though it was super outdated and not really attractive. It just gave me the best feeling. Some time later while looking through old pictures, I discovered why. The exact Early American wallpaper was hanging in the dining room of the first home I lived in with my family growing up. I call this place my Happy Home because I have such good memories of being happy there as a child. 

So there you have it. Sensations that take me back to childhood.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

On Your Walls

What do you display on the walls of your home -- photos, posters, artwork, nothing? 

If you've visited my home you know that there is a bit of everything on my walls. A look at my walls will give you a view of a lot of things, just not wall. I have stuff. Enough to drive some people bonkers, but I love my stuff and I love to have it around me. 
So there!!
By the way. Some people find it homey and welcoming.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Food Faves


          


The writing challenge gods today tell me that I am stranded on a desert island and asks me what five food item I want to have there with me.

The first two are easy.....pizza, 
Pizza Clipart: Italian Cheese, Tomato Slices, Olives and Mexican food. 

The next two would have to be my current obsessions.I get totally hooked on things sometimes. For a long time it was Hot Tamales. The next was Peanut Butter filled Pretzels, also for a long time. Once I get hooked on something it lasts for a long time, and then suddenly it becomes something new. I have two right now, Peanut M&M's and Fritos Scoops, so I guess I'll have to have both of those as well. After all, I'll be needing chocolate and something salty. 

 Alright, I'm only allowed one more. I guess I will take iced tea as my final choice because I'll definitely be needed something besides water to drink. I'm horrible about drinking water. I know that's awful, but it's the truth. I'm not big on vegetables either while I'm fessing up.

So there are my current choices. What are yours?

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Be My Valentine

Today on Valentines Day my writing challenges was to write an ode to someone or something I love. 
I have chosen to write an ode to a wonderful sweet man. He was the very first boyfriend I ever had and has remained a treasured friend ever since. I was very young at the time or I probably would have appreciated him more. We do not live near each other so I seem him very seldom. This past year though, he made it possible for me to attend a reunion of our church youth group in Southern California. It was wonderful to see him, as well as many others from my teenage years. Recently however, he has been hospitalized. He's having severe memory problems and they are doing extensive tests trying to find out what is wrong, but we don't know yet. I texted him and asked him to be my valentine today, and he accepted. So...That is my ode to someone I love. I love Maynard (Yes, that's his name. Not his real one, but it's his name) He is constantly in my thoughts and my prayers right now, and I would love it if you all would pray for him as well. I'm hoping that he will be better soon and out of that hospital and when that happens, I hope I will see him as soon as possible.





That's us, so many years ago at church summer camp. I wish we realized what a treasure these carefree days were when we had them. I wish we made smarter decisions and hung on to the Lord tighter. Right now though, I just wish I could see my valentine and help him through this time 


Thursday, February 12, 2015

Paper Pumpkin Sale....and right during Sale A Bration!

Hello All

Stampin Up is offering a discount on a three month subscription to Paper Pumpkin. Right now during Sale A Bration it is being offered at $5 off. PLUS...Because it is going on during Sale A Bration that purchase automatically earns you a free product from the Sale A Bration catalog. That means you would get a discount off the regular monthly price of your kits for that three months which adds up to a savings of just over $1.66 each month. PLUS earning a free product just for taking advantage of the sale. What a great deal!
Those of you buying one month at a time might want to consider this option.
And Just a hint....I'm going to pause my ongoing subscription and buy a three month one to take advantage of the sale. Then I'll start my other subscription back up when the three months is up.
Anything to save a few bucks. That's me!

Contact me if you'd like to save with me!

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Pride

Today the Daily Post which sends me my writing challenges asks me when was the last time someone told me they were proud of me.
I don't like this question. It brings up sadness in me. It's not something I hear from those closest to me.
I think that my upline in Stampin Up told me she was proud of what I have accomplished and I know that my upline in my new adventure in Jamberry has been super encouraging, but that's just not the same.
While I admit that self pride is something that the Lord frowns upon, just a little pat on the back is something that we all long for I think.

I remember a couple of years ago or so I was watching a movie and the daughter in the movie told her mom that she was proud of her and I burst out crying. What a sap! It just hit me how much it would mean to my heart if I heard that from my girls. I think if my mom were alive today she would be proud of me, but it's not something I heard from my folks when they were here.

Why don't we tell people that more often. Especially to our children. It's such a simple thing that would mean so much. Just to know someone notices, someone cares.

In the end, I know that my Heavenly Father is proud of the steps I have made in my walk with Him as He encourages me and guides me along the way, and He's the most important one after all......
Still, can you imagine your child telling you they are proud of you?





Thursday, February 5, 2015

Go Directly To Jail

Think about the last time you broke a rule (a big one, not just ripping the tags off your pillows). Were you burned, or did things turn out for the best?

Break the law? Me? I'm really not much of a rule breaker. There have been a few incidents many years ago while in the company of either my mother, or my friend Carol who is a terrible influence on me (But she sure is fun!) Anyway, even then I've never done anything that would really get me into any serious trouble. Can you just see my halo?

Okay...I'll tell one. A few of us, including me and Carol, were in the car heading home from a church function. We were angry at our friend Marlene. She was always stealing away boyfriends, so we were angry with her a lot. Anyway, I made the mistake of saying "I wish she'd just move away." Well, don't say things like that in Carol's ear shot....Something will happen. And something did. We ended up driving all over town and taking for sale signs from people's yards. A LOT of for sale signs. We had the trunk full and the rest of them were in the backseat with Carol and I. Well wouldn't you know, we get pulled over. Here I sat in the back seat with Carol and the for sales signs. I think I was about to pee my pants as the cop came to the windows with his flashlight. We had our coats and our feet on top of them and thank heaven we didn't get caught. How would we explain an enormous amount of for sale signs? We promised the policeman that we were on our way home and would go straight there, but we did make a stop first. Under cover of darkness, we planted every one of those signs in the front yard of Marlene's house. It was classic. I wish I had a picture. Her family did not get the hint however, and Marlene remained to torture us.


These days the only thing I can say I do that breaks the law is speed while driving, and even then I only go 5 miles over the speed limit. Hey! This old woman CAN NOT afford a speeding ticket! So nowadays I'm a boring old grandma....but you never know what may happen when Carol comes to visit. You are warned!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Burnin Down the House

Here is a writing challenge I recently received....
Your home is on fire. Grab five items (assume all people and animals are safe). What did you grab?

Are you kidding me?1\
1/My pictures
2/My photo albums
3/My craft supplies
4/The family clock that was passed down to me
5/My purse

Not a very inspiring list. Oh well.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

The Right Foot

What are the things you need to do within 30 minutes of waking up to ensure your day gets off on the right foot? What happened the last time you didn't do one of these things?

I need to take my pills. If I forget, my back and my poor feet soon remind me.
For the very best day, I need to do my Bible study first before anything else. What a difference it makes in my day.
And last of all, I try to actually remember to put some clothes on. If I get to my desk and start working, I may look up and realize that it's late afternoon and I'm still in my jammies.....Uh Oh

What do all of you need to get done when you get up in the morning?