From My Window: Our Cold, Rainy Spring

My husband bought me (well, us, but we all know its really mine) a new camera!  A beautiful new red  Nikon CoolPiX S8100.  Truth be told, it wasn't the camera I was pining for, but I've really enjoyed getting to know the features of this powerful point-n-shoot.  He is good to me... I really am a lucky woman!

I've not had any time for crafting, and what with a move imminent, probably won't for a while.  But I thought I'd post some pictures from the window of my craft room just for old time's sake.  Soon I'll be bidding goodbye to the familiar scenery of this HUGE craft room and office that everyone knows is my domain.

Here are a few facts about the supposed "spring" we've had here in the northwest.  April (4/20/11) facts from local weather guy Bruce Sussman's blog:

• We had 29 of 31 days of measurable rain in March.  That includes 23 straight days of rain.
• We didn't hit 60* until March 27, 2011.
•  April 14-17 was the third wettest two-day period in April since the Portland Airport began keeping records in 1940: 1.68 inches.
•  Portland’s average high is just 54.5 degrees this April. That’s the coldest on record. 
•  Portland’s had just three days hit 60 this year. That’s the fewest on record for this late in April. In fact, in an average year, we’ve already had 19 days at or above 60 degrees!
•  Portland’s overall average temperature this April (so this combines the high and low each day) is just 47 degrees. That’s the fourth coldest on record.

 Raindrops on our pond.  Too cold for much fish activity during the day.

 Rain flowing down the recently cleaned gutter.

 Drip, drop... shortly before this picture it was actually hailing.

 Playing with the zoom feature, our neighbor's chimney and rooftop about 100' away.

Typical sky this year.  4.26.11.  17:33.

Those Californians who are buying our house and relocated their business here instead of Nevada are going to be in for a real treat!

How's the weather from where you are?  What do you see when you look out your window on any given day?  Please share!

OLC Sentiment Focus: "Less Is More" Challenge Blog

For this week's One Layer Card challenge, the focus was on the text.  As normally I LOVE letter arts I thought this would be a piece of cake!  But alas, maybe missing a week on the LIM blogspot left me with little mojo.

This is a new word stamp for me, and the dock scene is old, old old!  I was trying for a waterside vacation effect with the resist embossing and chalk, but the whole effect left me a little flat.  Hmm, some bling maybe?  Not sure, but wanted to get into the swing of things and post for the challenge.  What do you think?

Versamark ink. Decorator chalk.  Dock scene from Stamp Cabana.  Fiskar's Cloud 9 Design sentiment, Simple Thoughts-Travel.