daydreams and dandelions

Thoughts from a sunny cynic

2011-09-11T14:54:00.002-04:00

      On this anniversary of 9/11, I have been reflecting. I keep hearing "Remember" and "Never Forget". I don't think remembering is enough. That is like being thankful once a year on Thanksgiving. What are you doing? Whether the glass is half full or half empty is moot, if you never drink from it or share it with someone else who thirsts. Do you value your freedom? Do you love your neighbor? Do you pray for your President?

      In the last few days, I have vacillated between solemn remembrance and holding back my gag reflex. I try not to be so dang cynical. It has been a bit more difficult the last few days as this anniversary approached. The impetus for this came in the form of an article about broaching the subject of 9/11 with children. There was a tone that gave me the impression that the author felt a bit sorry for himself. Boofrickinhoo. This was a normal guy who watched it unfold on TV. This was a horrific tragedy for our nation. It affected us all in some way or another. It is okay to revisit those thoughts and feelings. I think it is more important to remember that urge to hug your kid and call your mom that you felt that day. Remember how suddenly your neighbor wasn't so annoying. I also think it is imperative to remember that many, many children have always known about that terrible day. Her dad went to work that day and never came home. His mom was on a plane that was overtaken. His uncle left in cammies and combat boots and returned in a flag draped pine box.

      There were many emotions that day and the days that followed. My innocence was broken on April 19, 1995 when I walked into my third hour speech class to find out that the Alfred P Murrah building had been bombed, but my heart was broken on 9/11. What I choose to remember is the solidarity I felt on 9/12/2001. It wasn't about who got your vote. It wasn't about how much money you had. It was about Americans holding each other together. People waved their flags and held each others' hands in prayer. They stood in line to give blood. People 2000 miles from ground zero thanked their local first responders. We were numb with pain yet filled with kindness for one another. I hope as a nation we never ever have to feel that pain again. I pray that the kindness, the love, and gratitude that followed is never forgotten.

   I welcome your thoughts and recollections. However, I will mercilessly delete inappropriate or offensive comments. Have a nice day!

Too much daydreaming

2011-07-25T12:35:00.004-04:00

has caused an overgrowth of dandelions. They aren't cute and cheerful. They are enormous and you may need a machete to hack them down. Mercy! Sorry aboout being MIA. I decided to stop waiting until I made the most gorgeous card ever and just post something for crying out loud. I am a slacker. I'll offer an apology without excuses.

So here is a little something I made when I got my catalog preorder from Stampin' Up!. It uses the Cherished friendship set.

It is pretty simple. I used watercolor crayons on the image. I was trying to use all brights. I did not find that at all easy! Anyway, it is nothing spectacular. I figured I best post something though before the blog police came by to condemn this place. Thanks for stopping by. I hope to post again soon. Have a good one!

Beef stroganoff, spicy shrimp and papercraft vomit

2011-03-23T08:24:00.005-04:00

Here are a few more of my Mingle creations. The first one was from my selection of Beef Stroganoff from the menu. When I received the challenge, it was to use at least 4 stripes. The designer series paper made that fairly easy. I love these colors.

My second menu selection today was Spicy Shrimp with Ginger-Garlic Long Beans. The challenge was to make a long card. That wasn't too hard. I used the Crumb Cake, black, and cherry cobbler again.

Then there is this last card. This is the Cobb salad inspired challenge. It was supposed to be a green base, red texture, choice of third color (yellow, white, black, or green), and the use of a product I shall not name. They made a very generous donation to the Mingle. I see people do fabulous things with this unnamed product. I, however, opened it and blurted out to my friend that I could not do anything with this challenge. I said and I quote, "This is going to look like papercraft vomit!" And the idea was born.

All but the unnamed product are SU! If you have specific product questions, leave a comment or shoot me an email. I'm happy to answer.

Chicken Noodle Soup with a Mojito

2011-03-22T09:10:00.006-04:00

Here are a few more cards I made over the weekend for the foodie challenges. My menu selections were Chicken Noodle Soup and a mojito. Two of my favorites! Maybe not together...

For the mojito challenge, we were instructed to make a white card with a splash of green. This is what I came up with for that one.

Up next is my Chicken Noodle Soup card. The instructions were to use a cream or off white base in the vintage style. This card also gives you a sneak peek at Stampin' Up's stamp set that will go on sale in May to raise funds for breast cancer. Sorry, the pic is a bit lopsided.

That's all I've got for today. Tomorrow I'll have a few more for you. Maybe even a look at what happens when you just cannot make it work. Have a good one!

Stop the presses!

2011-03-21T12:52:00.006-04:00

This past weekend something AMAZING happened. I got together with some local friends for the annual Michigan Mingle. The three ladies who plan this do a fantastic job, but that is not the astonishingly amazing part. Are you ready? They had these fun challenges and I actually stamped. I did more than flap my jaws and feed my face. I'll wait for the smelling salts to start working... I'll share a few of the cards over the next few days. All of the challenges were based on a menu that you picked beforehand. So creative!

This first card was a huge challenge for me. My menu item was 7 Layer dip so I had to make a card with at least 7 layers. Ack! That could have gone horribly wrong. It just seemed like SO many layers. I thought about friends who make cute bazillion layered cards and made it work. This uses the Celebration line again along with the cupcake punch.

Supplies: Celebrations DSP, Cupcake punch, Brads, real red CS, Old Olive CS, WW CS, Pacific Point CS, dimensionals, glue dots

Thing 2

2011-03-02T11:38:00.007-05:00

These are flashbacks of my little guy. He has always kept me on my toes, but he brightens every day with his joyful soul and insures no day is boring. I used Stampin' Up's Celebrations line of products on these. These fun products made these pages go together lickity split. The pages are pretty basic; but I think they are fun, and I tried to keep the focus on the pictures.

In these he is enjoying an apple. He used to swipe them off of the counter and then stash the cores throughout the house. That was motivation to regularly clean under the couch! I added a few buttons, some ribbon, and letters from the Timeless Type Alphabet.

This second layout highlights a bit more of life with Luke. Look at his face in these pictures. I was searching for him in a mild panic. I thought maybe Caleb locked him outside, except I had been playing with Caleb and Luke was supposed to be napping. Maybe we were being a bit too loud. He found a quiet spot. The dryer!

The left page and his, "You're going to make me get out." face.

This is the right side. That is Luke right before he pulled, "These are not the droids you're looking for." on me. I want to get mad at him, but I just can't do it. Darn Jedi mind tricks.

Some of the circles are stickers, some are punched. I also cut some of the arrows from the Celebrations DSP.

I enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. Thanks for coming along! Later in the week, we'll flashback with Thing 1.

Shaking off the dust

2011-01-30T09:10:00.008-05:00

Anyone need a Kleenex? I can't stop sneezing. This place is dusty! Thanks to a couple of lovely friends and a little bit of guilt, I am back. I have been a scrappin' and stampin' fool the last few days. I may even have something for you tomorrow. Yeah, don't bet the farm on it. :-)

So right now is my favorite part of the Stampin' Up! year. It is Sale-A-Bration! Hot deals galore! Who doesn't love FREE? There is so much to choose from this year. There are cute stamp sets, a scrappin kit, some adorable accessories; and then if that doesn't suit your tastes, there are dozens of sets from the main catalog you can choose from. Yippeeee!

This card uses one of the SAB sets. It's called Sweet summer.

This second project, I love. It makes me happy every time I look at it. I better stop before I have to buy all new hats. These pictures are special. This is my beloved grandmother and her family. I used the Nature Walk set and the matching paper along with some of my favorite embellishments. This set has so many possibilities. This project was hard to photograph, but I took a close up of the tag to give you a little feel for the texture. I finally broke out my Distressing kit and used the tea stain on this project. It was a great fit.

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit!

All products are Stampin' Up!
Sweet Summer
Stamps : Sweet Summer, Teeny tiny wishes
Paper : Poppy Parade, Pear Pizazz, So saffron, Marine Mist
Ink : Black Stazon, Poppy Parade
Accessories: Markers, oval punch, scallop oval punch, label punch, Poppy Parade stitched ribbon, square lattice die, tulip die

Grandma's Family
Stamps : Nature Walk
Ink : Early Espresso, tea stain, Old Olive
Paper: Crumb cake, So saffron, Early Espresso, cream, Botanical Gazette
Accessories : Markers, Distressing kit, crochet trim, antique brad, Crumb Cake seam binding

Just Believe

2010-07-16T21:23:00.003-04:00

Just Believe is a gorgeous set from the new catalog. I love the images and the sentiments. It's just so versatile. I used it on this card. I also used some of the new colors. I really like Marina Mist.

Mmmm Cherry Cobbler and Vintage wallpaper

2010-07-15T16:11:00.005-04:00

I recently got some new Stampin' Up! goodies. The new catalog is fantastic! The new colors are luscious. There is a great variety of new stamps; and the new accessories... Well, I want to just roll around in them. Seriously.

One of the new colors this year is Cherry Cobbler. I love, love, LOVE it. I'm a bit disappointed SU! didn't name it Sooner Sweetness, but I have slowly gotten over that. It is my favorite red ever! So my first card here uses this color. It's got some new goodies and an old favorite.

The bird is from the Always set. Nevermore! I can't see a black bird without going there. I like Poe. What can I say? Duh. Nevermore! hehe

I used that gorgeous texture folder, Chantilly crocheted ribbon, and the pearls on this card as well. I really love them both. Then I also used Morning Cup. It's a whole set dedicated to caffeine. What's not to love?!

So now that my GPS finally led me back to my blog, I hope to post more often. I think I can manage more than once every 3 months. LOL Thanks for looking. I hope you have a fantastic day!

Nevermore
Stamps - Always
Ink - Black Craft
Paper - Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake (formerly called Kraft), Basic Black
Accessories - scallop edge punch, Chantilly crochet thread, Neutrals button in Crumb cake, embossing powder, pearls, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder

Vintage tea time
Stamps - Morning Cup
Ink - Crumb Cake
Paper - Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla
Accessories - Pearls, Chantilly crocheted ribbon, circle punches, scalloped circle, edge punch, markers, sponge

Faith, Hope, Love, Life, and procrastination

2010-04-26T13:17:00.006-04:00

Every once in a great while, I make something I really love. This was one of those projects. I love everything about it. I really can't take much credit for it, however. I won this gorgeous frame at Michigan Mingle. Debra and Emma donated the most gorgeous basket of Stampin' Up! goodies. It had a frame, Decor Elements, a mat, Bella Bleu paper, ribbon, and more. To make it even better it was all beautifully packaged. I knew as soon as I saw it that I wanted to win it. Well, then I did! Woohoo! So over the weekend when I was supposed to be preparing for a vendor fair and my son's first communion, I decided to make my frame. Inspiration always comes along when I should be doing something else. Probably because I'm never doing what I'm supposed to be doing! hehehe

So here is what I did with the frame. I am really happy with how it came together. I just love everything about it. I love the picture here too. It is just one of my favorites taken in Orange County. I hope you like it too!

All Supplies SU!

Decor elements, Bella Bleu DS, jumbo brad, ribbon originals, Pretties kit, Night of Navy CS, Choc Chip CS, top note die, scallop edge punch

Card purse kit

2010-03-08T10:01:00.011-05:00

Yesterday was Stefan's aunt's birthday. Debbie is just one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Her dear husband Paul invited the family out to Olive Garden to celebrate with them. It is always good to see them and visit! I had a fabulous time with them.

Since it was Aunt Debbie's birthday, I wanted to bring her a little something. She likes birds so I thought I'd make her a card with a bird on it. Then I decided a set of note cards would be even better. Now there is a slight problem. I have OCD when it comes to nature images. They have to be accurate or cartoony. There is no in between for me. I hate blue roses, and cardinals are red! I don't like purple daffodils. Artistic expression? Whatever! (just so you know- "whatever" is code for "You're full of it!" or "Go away!") Taking realistic nature images and coloring them weird colors is just not for me.

So for this little set I freed myself and made no attempt at realism. It wasn't that hard because I know almost nothing about birds other than 101 ways to cook a chicken. I used the Extra Large Two-Step Bird, the perfect polka dots impression folder, and the scallop trim border punch. The color palette is chocolate chip, certainly celery, and soft sky. Soft sky is retired and no longer available. I'll wait while you dry your eyes. I know it is very sad. Sniff. Sniff.

Above is the inside of the card purse. Isn't this a clever idea? I didn't come up with it. These have been cropping up at several stamp gatherings over the last year, and I just thought they were adorable! I found the tutorial here on Julie's blog. Check it out. She does very nice work.

Finally this is the little card we put our birthday wishes in and tied to the handle. This set went together surprisingly quickly. I came up with the design and made ten cards and the tote in about an hour and a half. I take longer than that to choose a color palette some days! So to make something that I like that comes together quickly makes for a very good day. I hope you had a good weekend too.

I get by with a little help from my friends

2010-02-25T10:22:00.004-05:00

I love the new Vintage Vogue set and matching wheel from Stampin' Up! Love them. So I have been reaching for it a lot. Here are two of the cards I've made recently.

This one is a little busy, but I'm fairly happy with how it came together. The satin ribbon fulfills a void in my crafty soul I never knew was there. I made this for a swap I was in last month. Pink and green are my favorite colors, and I have been indulging myself by using them together more often lately.

This card is a little bit more crisp and clean. The "F" has been cut out and is popped up with some dimensionals. I had no reason for making this card. These "no pressure" cards are my favorite. It's fun to just sit down and make something without obligation. I sent it to someone special. The sentiment on this one is much nicer than yesterday's. It simply states, "Life happens. Love helps." So true. So today when life happens to you, I hope love does help. And if all else fails, whack your love upside the head and say, "Help me, dadgummit!"

All products are Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Vintage Vogue, Very Vintage wheel
Ink - Choc chip, very vanilla, pretty in Pink, Mellow moss
paper - Same as ink
accessories - pretties kit, dimensionals, pink satin ribbon, scallop edge punch, clear EP

Yin and yang

2010-02-24T09:27:00.007-05:00

I have a confession to make. There are two very distinct sides to my personality. The evidence is here in these two cards.

On the one hand, I recognize that every human being struggles with something. Sometimes people are going through very difficult times. I feel for them. I pray the good Lord will give them strength and courage to carry them through. So in these times, I may send them a nice, little card like this one.

I actually made this one for my Grandma. She broke her tibia and is struggling in rehab. And since I can never get her on the phone, I went the archaic route of snail mail. Crazy! I know.

Then there is the other half of my personality. It isn't as nice. It says, "What the heck are you belly aching about?" and "Would you like some cheese with all that whine?" I know. It's not pretty. It was this little devil inside of me who encouraged me to make this next card.

It looks pretty, right? Did you see the sentiment? Oh yes. It does say, "Suck it up, Buttercup!" This is for all the times I read FB and tire of my friends constantly complaining. Quite frankly, I don't care that you have the sniffles, it's cold outside, or that your dog farted and is stinking up your house. Okay, I probably do care unless 99% of your statuses are complaints. This is for the people who never say "fine" when you enquire about how they are doing. Instead, they give you a diatribe about ingrown toe nails and unfair bosses and global warming and their large hineys. AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! You're a grown up. Sometimes life sucks. Deal. I told you it was not pretty.

So this is where I come back to my senses. I remind myself that God did not equip everyone with the same set of coping mechanisms. Some people can't just suck it up and roll with the punches. I cannot control how other people behave, but I can control my reaction to it. So I make a mean card that I will pull out and laugh at, but never send. I make 2 more like the one for my Grandma and I pray that the good Lord grants me restraint the next time someone annoys me. I will try to offer encouragement and not just a big old cup of "Suck it up!"

All products used are Stampin' Up!
Nice card
Stamps-Thoughts and Prayers
Ink - Whisper White, choc chip
Paper - Choc chip, Kraft
Accessories - Scallop edge punch, scallop corner punch, pretty in pink satin ribbon

Naughty card
Paper - So saffron, Choc chip, Very Vanilla
ink - So saffron sponged on flower's edges
Accessories - XL flower punch, big brad, double stitch ribbon, mover/shaker die, oval punch

Something to warm you up a little...

2009-12-06T22:19:00.008-05:00

Here is this cute, little polar bear offering you a nice, warm beverage. Isn't he cute? This is the Cold and cuddly set from the Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini. I stamped him on Bordering Blue cardstock with Whisper White ink and then embossed him. I ended up sponging the edges after I took this first picture. He is also popped up on some dimensionals.

This second card is also made with a set from the Holiday mini. I love this set. The snowflakes are just exquisite and so elegant. I made my own shimmer mist with the Shimmer Paint and sprayed it on this one. Presto - my own sparkly navy cardstock. I'm really happy with the result and let me tell you, it isn't even difficult or time consuming. You may want to give it a try.

So now I must get back to making Christmas cards and finishing gifts. And I will not let the joy and anticipation of advent be overshadowed with stress. I have been blessed in a thousand ways, and that is where I'll put my focus. Things will not be perfect at our house, but our home will be filled with joy. I may not get the cookies made, but that's okay. The kids won't be scarred because we ran out of green sprinkles and used the ones left from Easter. We work ourselves into a tizzy this time of year. So I try to take a deep breath and refocus when I see the frantic shoppers and folks fighting over parking spots. No one was prepared when Christ arrived. The guest room wasn't even available. The food wasn't fancy. The Wise Men were late with the gifts, the shepherds were stinky, and the Holy Family was probably up to their ankles in manure. So as I feel like I can't take anymore crap this holiday, I think back to that teenage mother who delivered the son of God in a stable. I hope your season is filled with joy and wonder. God keep you and Merry Christmas!

You Were Always on My Mind...

2009-12-02T15:08:00.009-05:00

Maybe I didn't love you quite as often as I could have. And maybe I didn't treat you quite as good as I should have. If I made you feel second best, well you are. But you were always on my mind! Okay maybe not always. My dear sweet blog, I'm sorry you've been cheated, been mistreated. Now, I'll show you some love.

Anybody still with me? It's been a crazy few months. I've been stamping, just not much. The PC issues continued. DH got a brand new laptop though thanks to Dell's super warranty! The kids were sick and then sick some more. Thing 1 made himself an indoor pool in our basement. My inlaws had some health issues. My dog has been trying to single handedly wipeout Detroit's squirrel population. God is great. Beer is good, and people are crazy. No more tears in my beer. I apologize for being away for so long. My life really is not a country song. I will try not to take you for granted, my blog. I will not neglect you and I will remember to hit publish when I write a post.

I made this card for my friend Emma to thank her for being such a kind and generous soul. You can be sure she'll make you laugh right out loud whenever you're together. I just love her. I used Season of Friendship and embossed the trunk and flowers. I then cut out the flowers. These colors make me happy! So before the new year, I resolve to be a better blogger. Heck, I can't get much worse! And with that, I hope you have an awesome day!

All products are Stampin' Up!
stamps - Season of Friendship
ink - Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip
paper - Shimmer White, Pretty in Pink
Accessories - flat back pearls, embossing powder, Choc chip taffeta ribbon, scallop edge punch

Dress forms

2009-09-28T08:53:00.006-04:00

I have been using Chic Boutique like crazy. This is one I made as a little thank you for a friend. The Night and Day paper from the Stampin Up! holiday mini is amazingly versatile. I just love it. If you are on the fence about it, get off the darn fence and buy it! This card uses the houndstooth print. I also embossed the dress forms on this one. I used black craft ink and clear EP.

This is a really simple card. It went together in a snap. Like the other two cards the middle dress form is paper pieced and popped up with dimensionals.

This one is almost the same as the first card. I just tweaked it a bit. I love the houndstooth and pink. It's such a fun combination. I hope you enjoy!

Hello...hello...hello

2009-09-23T08:49:00.004-04:00

Did you hear the echo? Helllloooo. We've been having PC issues. Dh's cousin is helping us out and we should be back to full running speed soon. You thought I was never going to post again didn't you. I wasn't kidnapped by pirates or affflicted with some horrible disease, and I didn't die of fatigue watching politicians go back and forth fighting like 2 year olds. I'm still here. And I've made a few cards even.

This one was one I made for a tiny, little get together with a few girlfriends. They are the best group of girls ever. I just love them. I love that little bird in the cage. This wasn't a set I thought I wanted at first, but the more I flipped through my catalog, the more I knew I wanted it. Badly! It came to live at our house a few weeks ago. My other stamp sets resent it because they are now being neglected. This is a color combo I saw on some fabric I think. I though it was fun and different. It may be a new favorite. I hope you like it. I'll post more cards I've made with this set later in the week, if the pirates don't come and get me.

Stamps - Chic Boutique
Ink- Choc CHip(craft and classic), Bermuda Bay, markers
Paper- Old Olive, Certainly celery, choc chip, Whisper White, Bermuda bay
Accessories - ribbon, felt flower, edge punch, sponges, embossing powder

A challenge, Elmo, and a big cup of suck it up

2009-08-14T09:01:00.004-04:00

So these were the color's for Dawn's color challenge this week. Purple - eek! As I have previously admitted, purple and I often butt heads. I usually win and end up trashing anything I make with it. I occassionally make something I like with purple though, and I do like it with pink. This has scarlet red too though. Yikes! I love red, but never use it with purple. Okay so now, I've used once. I think I may have used the two together in another challenge four or five years ago. This will probably be the last time. LOL.

I was almost defeated by this color challenge. I thought about it several times this week. I stared at my stamps and paper and did nothing. Now today is a very busy day at our house. Lots of fun stuff planned since the kids don't have summer session. That means no stamping until they're in bed - usually. I try not to let them watch much more than an hour of TV a day. And that time is usually spent with me sitting next to them or cooking or cleaning. So this morning they wanted to watch Sesame Street. We're sitting in the living room, talking about 6, and singing the alphabet. Then my mind wonders to this challenge. I think there is no way I'll get it done at this late date. Then I decide to drink a big cup of "suck it up" and see what I can come up with. So I literally ran to the girl cave and slapped this together - all during Elmo's World. I don't hate it and I feel a huge sense of accomplishment in not totally getting my butt kicked by these colors. Thanks, Dawn! This was really a challenge. So here's the card. I hope you like it.

My smarty pants son just came over and saw I was blogging, and promptly ran to the television and put in a VeggieTales video. The little stinker. He thinks he can sneak in a few more minutes of TV time. So with that, I'll end my loquacious diatribe and wish you a happy day. Have a good one!

A little inspiration

2009-08-11T13:06:00.005-04:00

I decided to give Lauren's Inspiration challenge a whirl. What fun colors these were! And I had this Bo Bunny paper that was just perfect. I decided to use Pink Cat Studio's Lily for this one. I colored her with my copic markers. I want everyone to know that the no turtles were harmed in the making of this card. This stamp reminds me of the turtle (or is it a tortoise) statue at the Detroit zoo. Kids are always climbing on that thing. Any way, here she is.

I'll have to try these more often. Challenges are such a great way to get the creativity flowing.

Stamps - Pink Cat Studios Lily at the Beach

Ink- Pallette Noir, PTI vintage cream, copics

paper - Bo Bunny printed paper, basic black, SU! - Certainly Celery, Regal Rose, Melon Mambo

accessories - crystal brad, ribbon, primas, scallop edge punch
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Working with limited supplies

2009-08-10T10:13:00.008-04:00

This past weekend I got to spend some time with my fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators at a mini-convention in Portage. It was such fun. I love hanging out with these girls. I eventually remembered to use my best behavior after getting slugged once and the threat of soap to the mouth. Thank you, Debra, for having us and putting so much work into this. Thank you, Emma and Lorien for helping her. And thank you to all the ladies who attended. It was so nice getting to know you better.

Usually when I travel somewhere to stamp or scrapbook, I bring WAY to much stuff. You know... I might need that color I've only used once in the last five years or the 3 year old package of eyelets that is still unopened. Not this time. I had nothing other than my make and take and my swap planned. So I decided to just pick a color scheme and a couple of sets to go with it. I stepped way out of my box and went with pinks and black instead of pink and brown. I'm getting bolder by the second. These are what came of it. All I brought was three stamp sets (one of which was only sentiments), paper and ink from my color scheme, a few punches, and a few matching embellishments. I'm pretty happy with the results.

All products are Stampin' Up!
3 squares friend to friend

Stamps - Teeny Tiny Wishes, For All You Do

Paper - Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo

Accessories - Scallop edge punch, Word window punch, modern label punch, crystal brads, black ribbon

3 butterflies

Stamps - Flight of the Butterfly, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink - Black Stazon

Paper - Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Whisper White

Accessories - Curly Label Punch, Butterfly Punch, Scallop edge punch, black grosgrain ribbon, crystal brad

A man card

2009-07-23T08:53:00.006-04:00

This is a card I made for a new catty swap recently. One of my dear MI Mingle friends hosted it. These girls did a top notch job. It was a pleasure getting their cards. I love getting swap cards from my friends. I'm sad I didn't sign up for the latest PSF/Dork swap, but next time I will. Although, as I'm finishing my twentieth card I usually say, "Never again!". Never rarely lasts more than a month or two.

It's a man card or an attempt at one anyway. It doesn't have any pink. That's something, right? The pheasant is embossed with clear EP. It got Stefan's seal of approval. Then again he liked that purple one from the other day too... His mom is an interior decorator so it isn't a huge stretch for him to show a little attention to detail. I appreciate that. In fact, I appreciate a lot about my beloved husband. I probably don't tell him that enough. Bossing everyone around really takes it out of me, and I just forget sometimes. Don't get me wrong; I'm not a nag. I am way too bossy though. So if you need someone to tell you what to do, give me a ring. I'm happy to help.

Muddy jungle - sketch challenge

2009-07-22T13:39:00.002-04:00

This is my creation for today's Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge. These stamps are by Autumn Leaves. I colored them with my copic markers. I dirtied up the paper to hide a little flaw, but I like the way it turned out. This was a great sketch.

Good times friend

2009-07-21T08:55:00.003-04:00

I've spent a lot of time in the girl cave (a.k.a. craft room) recently. It looks like a paper factory exploded in there about now. Fear not. I threw myself upon the paper grenade to save you, my friends, from paper cuts. Someone should probably call FEMA to come clean up the mess.

Here is another card for you. I think it works okay, but is a bit busy for my tastes. It will go to a friend whose birthday has come and gone. Extend the celebration with a little procrastination. I hope she likes it. She is just one of my favorite people.

Stamps - Great Friend

Paper - SU! retired DS, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Baja Breeze

Ink - Baja Breeze, Basic Gray, White craft

Accessories - ribbon, Martha Stewart edge punch, MS butterfly punch, bling, flower eyelet, matchbox die

A confession

2009-07-20T07:00:00.001-04:00

Brace yourself. I have to make a confession. It is something that has weighed on my mind for years. Are you ready? I don't like working with purple, not at all. I find it a tedious chore. I like somethings other people make using it, but I hate almost everything I make with purple. It is a deeply rooted neurosis of some sort I'm sure. Just confessing makes me feel much better.

In an effort to improve myself, I'm attempting to use purple more. This is a set from Stampin' Up's new catalog. It went together very quickly and I didn't feed it to the trash can. Double bonus.

Flitting and fluttering

2009-07-19T08:52:00.005-04:00

Greetings from the slacker blogger. I hope you are having a great Sunday.

This is a little card I made for my friend's birthday. It will be late, but hopefully she'll like it just the same. This uses Stampin' Up! 's new butterfly punch to make the butterflies' wings pop. I stamped the wings on vellum CS, colored the backside of the vellum with my SU! markers, and then adhered them to the stamped images. You can see the detail best in the first picture. Don't ask how to adhere those little suckers. It involved a little swearing and a small jab in my finger with paper snips. I used glue dots just on the body. I would love to hear how you adhere vellum.

Stamps -Flight of the Butterfly, sentiment

Paper - vellum CS, Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Regal Rose

Ink - Melon Mambo, Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie

Accessories - SU! Markers, corner punch, Butterfly punch, Melon Mambo polka dot ribbon, Scallop punch, circle punch

Slower than mollases

2009-06-09T10:43:00.004-04:00

Slower than mollasses. That's how making this card was. I initially was making it for Dawn's

color challenge. I started like 3 days ago and nothing was working for me. I'd put it down and go do something else. Make another card. At any rate, I finally finished it - only a couple days past the submission deadline. LOL. Oh well. I have to stop expecting every card to sing and just make one sometimes. They aren't all going to sing. Lots of non-singing cards are nice. I've never opened a card and thought, "It doesn't sing." So don't be too hard on yourself, okay? And you can always send the ugly cards you make to your super nice friends. That's what I do. You know who you are. Or do you?

Damask Birthday

2009-06-03T14:45:00.003-04:00

Just a little card I made for a friend. She's a fellow pink lover. I had to use flocking on the Damask Designs set again. I couldn't resist. It's fairly simple, but I like it. To get the flock to stick to the detailed images I use craft ink, heat and stick powder, and then flocking. It's kind of a pain, but I love these furry little images.

Now I'm off to stalk my UPS man. I should have a package coming soon with Stampin' Up! preorder goodies and the new catalog. Not soon enough, but I will survive. And in the meantime, I'll take 80 facebook quizzes, run 30 miles, and clean every surface of my house - not all at once though. Now I'm just rambling. Just go look at the picture again. Have a hoot!

Stamps - Damask Designs

Paper - Pink Pirouette, white, Basic Gray

Ink - All SU! Pink Pirouette (RIP), Basic Gray

Accessories - Bride's flowers, copics, half back pearls, American Crafts ribbon, dimensionals

Raspberry Color Challenge Week 5

2009-05-11T12:01:00.004-04:00

Here is my attempt at Dawn's color challenge for this week. I actually made it and posted it before the deadline. Go me! These colors were a lot of fun, but I seriously wish I had ordered Hibiscus Burst. How on earth did I think I could live without that gorgeous pink? I guess I'm not dead yet. I used regal rose instead. And it too is a lovely pink. This isn't what I had originally envisioned for this card, but it works. Each little butterfly is different. I hope you like it.

Stamps - Good Friend

Paper - PTI Raspberry fizz, SU regal rose, basic gray, white

Ink - White craft, Raspberry Fizz, Regal Rose

Accessories - Swiss dots CB folder, MS edge punch, bling, PTI ribbon

Happy Monday!

2009-05-11T09:16:00.004-04:00

I have two cards for you today. One is one of the few things I produced at the MI Mingle. The other is a sympathy card. I like the first card because I'm in love with this paper. It's so fun and it's a quickie card. Gotta love Thickers.

The second card is a duty card. My dear friend lost her MIL recently. I always struggle with sympathy cards. I wish I never had to send them. That being said; receiving a card is always a bright spot in my day so hopefully when she receives this, she'll know I love her and I'm thinking about her family.

Supplies

Thanks DS strioes

Paper - Baja Breeze, Bo bunny, Regal rose

Accessories - Black twill ribbon, Thickers, SU! scallop edge punch

Thoughts of Sympathy

Paper - Baja Breeze, Choc chip, SU! DS paper, white

Ink - Choc craft, white

Accessories - PTI button, Su linen thread, MS edge punch, SU! ribbon, clear EP

The bird is back

2009-05-07T07:47:00.004-04:00

Today I will make a card without using a fat bird. I have skinny bird images, right? I like birds. What can I say? All their friends are full of it (exhibit 1 - my windshield) and yet they keep right on singing. So today - be a bird. Ignore the crap and sing a nice little song. Even if the best you can hope for for dinner is a fat worm. LOL. This is what happens when I post before I have coffee.

And you may notice I've got a new look. Bright and cheery. I just love it. Thank you Veronica!

Supplies

Stamps - Cheep talk

Ink - Pacific Point, choc chip, summer sun

Paper - Good Morning Sunshine DSP, Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss

Accessories - Top Note Die cut, Scallop punch, circle punch, ribbon, Latte button, embroidery thread

Hero page and a plug

2009-05-04T09:44:00.005-04:00

This picture isn't the best. And the star ribbon isn't so crooked in real life. It just needed another glue dot. LOL. At any rate, this is a page I made for my boys. These pictures were taken just a day or two before DH left for Iraq the first time. They were so happy and content then Dad said, "I'm going to miss you." Thing 1 started crying and Thing 2 followed suit.

Now here is the plug. I used my own handwriting on this page. I don't love my handwriting, but it is important to use it occasionally. My own mother died many years ago and every once in awhile I'll open a cookbook or find a list she wrote, and it makes me feel like she's here. It is a piece of her. Her handwriting was not all that pretty. It wasn't perfect, but it was hers. I can look at those cookbooks and see her notes about how I loved a recipe or how my dad thought it needed more garlic. It is something I treasure. Be brave. Get over the "I hate my handwriting" issue and jot down a little note in the kids' scrapbooks. It doesn't have to be every page, but don't let self -consciousness stop you from leaving this precious piece of yourself with your kids.

Chipboard - Basic Grey

Ink - Night of Navy

Ribbon - Making Memories

CS - white, real red, night of navy

other - dazzling diamonds, corner punch, buttons

Don't box me in, People!

2009-04-18T08:35:00.005-04:00

I promised serious opinions when I started my blog. I've mostly just given you cards with a bit of political humor thrown in the mix. This post won't be like that. So stop reading now if you don't want to know what I really think. I'm going to speak up as someone who is unabashedly conservative and tired of getting the bird and dirty looks because I have a McCain/Palin sticker on my car. Your guy won. Good for you. We live where we can vote for whomever we choose. Don't think you know everything about me or where I stand.

Let me start by saying, I'm not a racist. The accusation makes me mad as hell. That is what Janeane Garofalo and Keith Olbermann implied of those people who attended The Great American Tea Party on the 15th. The outrage has nothing to do with a black man being in office. And in case no one noticed, the head of the GOP is also a black man. I don't like Pres Obama's policies. I think he's more concerned about appearances and appeasing the world than protecting American sovereignty. I think his economic policies encourage laziness and bad decision making and punish hard work and success with higher taxes. The Freedom of Choice Act makes me want to puke. And I have no doubt that what has happened in Iraq over the last six years is in fact a war and not a contingency plan. I think socialized medicine is inefficient and a bad idea. I think Pres. Obama is more affable with Hugo Chavez and Castro than he is with House Republicans or even Vice President Biden. Let me clear up a few other things for you or at least give you my take on them.

Republicans are all rich people who don't give a crap about the poor. Another lie. I believe with every part of my being that it is my Christian duty to help the poor in any way I can. I believe, however, that that is a personal responsibility. The government should look after the whole taking each group into consideration. I should look after my neighbor. I don't think the best way to help the poor is through legislation. I think it is more about looking around at friends and family and lending a hand when you can and less about screaming about injustice and demanding DC do something. Communism and Socialism sound great in theory, but people aren't risking their lives to be smuggled into Cuba or China.

Republicans think taxes are bad. Nope, that one isn't true either. I think the IRS is a mess and the tax code is as well. Taxes are necessary though. What I do mind is the gross inefficiency in spending. Our government is serving up pork chops and ham for every meal and calling it stimulus. It's ridiculous. Our economy needs to be stimulated, but we are just finding more ways to spend money without addressing the way we spend what we already have. This would be like me applying for twenty new credit cards so I could finance all my family's wants without ever looking at what we actually need and what we already have.

Republicans hate gay people. This one isn't true either. I do believe marriage is between one woman and one man. Our Democratic president has gone on record saying he believes the same. Marriage at its inception was a religious institution, and I think a redefinition would infringe on religious civil liberties. Catholic charities has already shut it's doors in MA because, the law conflicts with the religion. This alone for me is reason to maintain the definition of marriage as it stands. I do however support civil unions and think domestic partnerships should receive the same tax benefits and insurance benefits as married couples. One is a government and monetary issue, the other is a religious issue. Separation of church and state isn't a one way street.

Republicans are all about killing the environment. Hi Pot! I'm the kettle. You're black. Our nation is disgustingly dependent on foreign oil. For me the jury is still out on global warming. I've heard from brilliant people on both sides make excellent arguments. What it boils down to for me is stewardship. We should take care of what we are given. We should recycle. We should walk more and drive less. Use the cloth grocery bags, it won't kill you. Buy local, organic produce. It tastes much better and supports the farmers in your own area. On the flip side of this coin, is the drilling issue. I do support offshore drilling. Why? Because it will make our country less dependent on countries that hate us. Why is it okay to destroy the resources in foreign countries far away so we can drive 50 miles one way by ourselves to work each morning in our Chevy Tahoe? It's not. If we care so much about our world, we should really care and not act like drilling is all fine and dandy as long as it's somewhere far away and it doesn't clutter up our shorelines or wreck our landscapes. We should take a little personal responsibilty and wear a sweater in the winter instead of cranking the heater to 73 degrees. We have to stop yelling about what everyone else is doing wrong while we continue to do the same thing.

I could go on and on, but I'm feeling like I've said my peace for today. Am I angry? Sometimes, yeah. I do support Pres Obama in his role as leader of our nation, but I don't have to like his policies, and you don't have to agree with me. Thanks to our first amendment, we are given the liberty to freely express our thoughts and views and opinions. So when we disagree, let's debate without assumptions and name calling. I can think you're a clueless idiot who has your head up your hiney, but I certainly won't be on the news saying that. Human beings don't fit into neat little boxes unless they're contortion artists, and even they don't stay long.

Talk is cheep!

2009-04-15T15:19:00.002-04:00

So here is a card for you. I love this set. That fat little bird is just too cute. The idea for this came from a Target add. This was supposed to be my Mingle swap. In fact all the pieces are stamped and cut, they just haven't been assembled. A case of hives halted the process. But the MI Mingle was a blast without anything to swap. Now I have a couple dozen of these cards though so look for one in your mailbox. Might not be today. Might not be tomorrow. Might be the day after never. Okay, shutting up now.

- Real Red, Bashful Blue, Yoyo yellow, Green galore, Tangerine Tango, Night of Navy

Paper - Navy, Green

Stamps - Good friend, Petal Pizazz, cheep talk

Ink Galore, White, Yoyo yellow

accesories - real red grosgrain, orange rickrack, corner punch, dimensionals

Mingle Little Sis Gift

2009-03-25T07:40:00.009-04:00

This is the little desk set I made for my MI Mingle secret sis. Although, it's not a secret at all. She asked me point blank to my face if it was me, and I fessed up right then and there. She received this yesterday. I hope she likes it. She didn't get the pic of Luke in it, but the pictures looked weird without something in the frame so I slipped that in there. I think I took it out before I mailed it. Didn't, I? Oh well. Who wouldn't want that sweet face on their desk? LOL. I made some of these desk calendar thingies last year for secret friend gifts, and I still had a bunch of the canvases left. It's something a little different anyway.

It's just an acrylic frame I doctored. The butterflies and bow are on the outside. I used BAsic Greay paper and various embellies.

These were fun to make. I really hope Lorie likes them. Now back to the grindstone. I may never do another swap. Mass productrion sucks. Have a hoot!

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge

2009-03-24T14:54:00.008-04:00

So my friend Dawn
is hosting her first ever color challenge. This should be a lot of fun. She always comes up with uniquely cool combos. You should play along! Here is what I came up with. I should have been working on Mingle stuff, but I needed a card for a friend anyway so this will work nicely. I used a combo of PTI and Su products. The stamp set is Petal Pizzaz. So Happy Everything to you!

Mingle Madness

2009-03-23T10:39:00.005-04:00

So I know I've been MIA. I have been tot he girl cave, but I'm going on a fun getaway this weekend with some girls to stamp. And I have had a lot to do for this - shoebox swap, secret sis gifts, roomate gifts, regular swaps, etc. etc. Somebody hand me a beer. No it's fun. I just can't share a lot of it. Next week though. I shouldn't even probably share this, but oh well. I am! I'm consumed by guilt that my three readers are bored with nothing to look at for over a week. It's my nametag for the mingle. I'm fairly happy with how it turned out. I used Lily and Billy. I chopped her head off and stuck her on Billy and then gave her a new hair do. I colored her with my copics. The fence and grass are hand cut. And I think that's about it, folks.

What I might look like as a cartoon?

I actually had an outfit like this as a kid except I wore a skirt with my boots. I wore it to pioneer day at school in kindergarten. My grandma said something along the lines to my mom that only call girls dressed like that then. You know in an above the knee skirt. I was sure to pass that information onto my classmates and teacher. Hehehe.

Okay, I hope you are having a great day. Have a hoot!

A day late and a dollar short - but it's pink!

2009-03-09T13:22:00.002-04:00

So last week I thought I'd actually participate in Kristina Werner's color challenge. I mean pink and brown... How could I not? Well, I'll tell you how. I did make this lovely card with days to spare, took a picture, and all I had to do was add the little watermark and upload. Well, then the tsunami virus hit. You know that kinda cold/flu thing that you get and you think maybe 32 years isn't such a short life. I wanted to just evaporate. Good thing my kids are so cute and so needy, or I might just have done it. My will power is amazing. I'm pretty sure I could evaporate if I really wanted to. The force is strong in this one, I tell ya. I'm still not 100%, but I am feeling much better. So here is the "I'm challenged, but not participating in a darn thing" card. I'll try again this week maybe. I used PTI's Friends 'Til the End set. I really like this one. Alright, enough from me. Have a hoot!

Happy Mail - Warning! I'm biased to the right, but I'm giving out free cups of suck it up to those in need.

2009-03-02T13:21:00.011-05:00

Today I received something interesting in the mail. The return address said "George W. Bush". "What is this?"I wondered. Then I remembered I had sent the former POTUS a card back in October to thank him for his service to our country. So he and Mrs. Bush sent me some lovely headshots. Totally made my day. Now we'll see if I can control the urge to make copies and give them to my ultra-liberal friends and familiy members as gifts. DH and I both laughed at the thought. We did decide to put them in frames and be sure to put them out for special guests like the family member who think indicting the former POTUS is a good idea. So thanks again, President Bush. You served us well for 8 years, and now I can use this kind gesture to tease people. Why does that make me so happy? I'm sick and twisted and a Republican with very liberal relatives who take themselves WAY too seriously. And NO the sick and twisted has nothing to do with being a Republican. I'm pretty sure I inherited the demented sense of humor from my Democratic side of the family. That's what they get for encouraging me to be a free thinker! Here's the card. I made a different one for Pres Obama to welcome him to the White House a few weeks later. We'll see if he sends me a headshot. I'll let you know. I have his next card all planned out in my head. It'll have a big ole hunk of pork on the front. I may even add some bling.

Want to hear another cool factoid? Under the Bush administration -If you sent them a birth annnouncement, they sent your child a sweet little official looking letter welcoming them to the world. I'm not sure if that's something every president does or not, but I thought it was cool and Caleb still has his presidential welcome.

I'll leave it at that for now. Unless you really want to know what I think... I have a few more opinions for another day. Have a hoot!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Mary Jo and Uncle Scott!

2009-02-28T08:38:00.010-05:00

So today is my Uncle Scott's birthday, and his wife my beloved Aunt Mary Jo's was last week. I just love them so much! They are the best family a girl could ask for. So here are the cards I made them, some lovely pictures, and a little back story.

It had to beerafella for Uncle Scott. That's Mexican beer he's drinking, by the way. I colored him with my copics. The star is Heidi Swapp and I used my SU! star punch to stick some color behind it. I punched some holes with my CAD and tied that twill through it. That was all probably obvious. Oh well.

This is my aunt's card. The picture is not the best. Sorry about that. I used Damask Designs. You need it. Dawn's a master designer, I tell ya. I'm not sure about the colors. They're the ones from the Friend 'til the end kit. I'm not sure they're me. I "think" I like them; and if every card is going to be pink and brown, I have to try new pinks. Besides, this just happens to coordinate very nicely with our outfits in the pictures below. Doesn't that work out nicely?

Here she is - my mom's little sister Mary Jo. I just love her so much! Did I already say that? Oh well. Can we really say that enough? She is just so special to me and I know that she is always there. She really is like another mother to me. I don't know how I ever would have survived without her. I won't tell you how old she is, but let's just say I have good genes. This was taken at her DS's wedding in June. It was a very humid and misty day, if my hair didn't give that away.

And this is my DH aka "THE Major" and "Uncle Scott" and you better not forget the "uncle" part. I did once in my twenties - NEVER again. The look of rejection as he said, "What I'm not your uncle anymore?" or something along those lines. I'll never forget. He is my uncle. Someone who has shown me so much love and kindness.

This was also taken at my cousin's wedding. The tailor did a rotten job with Uncle Scott's tux and it was all he could do to keep his pants up so between the ceremony and the reception he went home and put on something more comfortable -his jeans and cowboy gear. He used to rodeo man, but gave it up when he and my aunt got together. She wanted him around for more than 8 seconds.

So anyway - these are my people. Two of the ones who helped make me who I am. They have meant so much to me over the years and blessed me in too many ways to count. I'm totally gushing. Not something I normally do, but I mean every single word. Happy birthday, Aunt Mary Jo and Uncle Scott! I love you!

Grandma's dining room

2009-02-19T15:13:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is - my first card with THE Dawn's Damask Designs. I was just thinking about all the places I've seen damask, and I thought way back to my childhood. My Grandma Irma had Damask wallpaper in her dining room. It was goldish green and soft. Kinda furry. Remember the seventies? It was classy 70s. LOL. So thinking about that - I made this card. I just don't have that perfectly ugly gold green so I used PTI's lovely Avocado instead. I stamped the design with vanilla and added flocking so it's kinda furry just like Grandma's old dining room. Normally these are not my kinda colors unless I'm making a Marine card, but this trip down memory lane was kinda fun.

All products are PTI unless otherwise noted
Stamps : Damask Designs
Ink : Dark Chocolate, Vanilla
Paper : Ripe Avocado, Vanilla, Dark Chocolate
Accessories : vanilla vintage button, Dark chocolate satin ribbon, white flocking, heat and stick powder, Stampin' Up! scalloped edge punch

THE Dawn McVey Challenge

2009-02-14T14:03:00.000-05:00

So here is the card I made for my friend THE Dawn McVey's PTI challenge. I love this girl, and I'm so stinkin proud of her and excited for her. It was like five minutes ago that THE PSFs and I were teasing her after a class of Nichole Heady's that she attended and how they'd always be BFFs. And look at our girl now! She's a stampin superstar. Congratulations, Girlie!

So back to the card, I had to substitute Cool Carribean for Aqua Mist, but it's pretty close. Fun challenge. Dawn always has fun color combos. You should give one of them a try sometime. Hurry, the contest is open until midnight EST.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T13:08:00.000-05:00

Well, hidey ho, folks! Neither on of these card is a V-Day card, but oh well. After all the glitter globs from making cards with the boys, I am so done with Valentine's Day cards! So go back a post or two if that's what you need to see today.

I made these last night while watching Fiddler on the Roof . Tradition! Tradition! Sorry, I couldn't help it. I had a to do list, and these knocked two of the cards off my list.

The first card uses Embrace Life which I think I've only used to make one other card I actually liked. So I forced myself. I like this set and I knew I could surely make something I could tolerate with it. I've seen others make lots of cute things with it; just not me. So here it is. Go me. I finally made something I don't hate with this set. So what set is it that you really like, but can't get work for you once the ink hits the paper? I've got a list. One is enough for today though.

Embrace Life

Stamps : Embrace LIfe

Paper : Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery

Ink : Whisper White, Celery Craft

Accessories : Pretties kit (half back pearl), dimansional, ribbon, white EP, clear EP, Top Note Die cut

Praying for you

Stamps : Thoughts and Prayers

Paper : Bronze, Baja Breeze

Ink : Whisper White, Choc Chip Craft

Accessories : Ribbon, Liquid pearls, pretties kit, Clear EP, white EP, Top Note Die cut

For Leslie

2009-02-09T22:54:00.000-05:00

Well, this one is for my friend Leslie. These flowers and colors are so her. This is the Fifth Avenue Floral from Stampin' Up!©. The ribbon is from the SAB ribbon bundle. I stamped the flowers on vellum with black and then colored on the back of the vellum with markers. I hope she likes it!

Owl be yours!

2009-02-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

Another card for the PTI Challenge. This is for the sketch. I want that ribbon! I love this set. Thanks, Tracey! I think I may give this to DH for Valentine's Day. The branch is free hand. I colored the birds with my copics. I need more practice, but that's okay. It's late. I'm posting. Tomorrow I'm sure I'll be appalled at my grammatical errors. Oh well. HAve a hoot!

Nothin fancy PTI challenge

2009-02-06T23:26:00.000-05:00

I like this except the font of the sentiment doesn't match the rest of the feel of the card IMO. Oh well, I'm tired but I at least have to try to win.

I'm not feeling verbose at the moment so I'll keep it short. Have a hoot! Sometime over the weekend I'll try and post the bag's dimensions. Thanks!

A headless chicken creates

2009-02-05T09:46:00.000-05:00

Okay, this is what I came up with for the PTI challenge after my...ahem...episode. Thankfullly, my brainfart link was deleted, but I realized that after I had already run around like a chicken with my head off trying to come up with something. This could have been a very fun challenge if I had meant to be doing it. LOL. At any rate, this is what I came up with. I needed a birthday gift for MIL anyway. Randi, I hope you don't google me and find this today. I didn't have a template so I made one with 12x12 paper to fit these 4x6 photos so that I didn't have to crop them. I just mounted the photos on some cardstock and stuck them together with a ring and they'll go in this little purse. I hope she likes it. I was winging it, but I can come up with measurements for you if you want or need them. A little begging wouldn't hurt. Now go give this challenge a try. http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/ Who knows? You might win something cool. I think I may just do another one.

Stamps - PTI Beautiful Blooms

Ink - SU! Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, and Basic Grey PTI Lemon Tart, Summer Sunrise

Paper - Baja Breeze, Vanilla, Basic Grey, Certainly Celery, Kraft

Accessories - Scallop edge punch, Marvy Scallop circle, jumbo eyelets, ribbon

I'm a dork!

2009-02-05T07:53:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm such a dork. I just liked my blog to Nichole Heady's for a challenge thinking I was leaving a comment to the thread. And I have no idea how to make it go away. LOL! So now my secret is out. I'm a dork! Oh well... Some of the nicest people I know are dorks as well. So now I'm off to go do this challenge. OH the pressure. Oh well I do know THE Dawn McVey. Maybe I can do this. ACK! I'm neurotic as well as dorky. Okay, I have to go make something lest I should disappoint. So come back later. I promise to have something well something other than lovely neurotic ramblings. Have a hoot!

Sage old bird

2009-02-02T14:26:00.000-05:00

This is a Challenge from the Michigan Minglers. If you're a stamper in MI, you should check it out. We'd love to have you. http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=346010 Oh shoot, I didn't put that in a cool hyperlink. Oh well, please forgive me.

So here is this bird. I have a thing for birds. I also have a few bird neurosis, but that is a subject for another day. The challenge was in honor of Chocolate Mint day, which I believe is Feb 19. Yummy day, huh? Anyway, we were supposed to use Choc chip, Sage Shadow, Vanilla, and Close to Cocoa. Mine got very shabby. I was in a bit of a hurry and got a few little smudges here and there and had to camoflauge, but I love how it turned out.

Stamps : Always, Always in Bloom wheel

Ink : Choc Chip, Close to Cocoa - both craft ink

Paper : Vanilla, Close to Cocoa, Sage Shadow, Choc Chip

Accessories : half back pearl from pretties kit, scallop edge punch, Choc chip 1" double stitched ribbon, sponges, clear EP

Tracey's challenge

2009-01-28T07:58:00.000-05:00

My friend Tracey sent me a little challenge. So here goes. This is the sixth picture in the sixth folder of my pics file. It's my Thing 2 in Dec of 2006. That boy loved ribbon. He loved to unroll it and then roll in it. I think he thought he was a cat! He still loves ribbon, but thankfully has learned a little self control and now understands how a happy mommy just makes life easier. But seriously, look at that face. How could I ever stay mad him?

So here's the thing, I'm supposed to pass this challenge along. However, I think all the bloggers I know have already done it. So if you're reading this and you haven't gone down this little stroll down memory lane, do it and send me a link in my comments. You just go to the sixth folder of your pic files and choose the sixth photo. Don't send me anything that involves nudity or rodents though because as I tell my kids,"That's not okay."

SCS Color Challenge 203

2009-01-27T09:36:00.001-05:00

I just love these little flowers. They make me feel cheerful, and this color challenge is such a serene pallette. I really like it. I may have to use it again.

I feel like I need to say something entertaining at this point... Hmm... I've got nothing. I promise to try again later though. Have a hoot!

Stamps - Good Friend

Ink - white craft, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point

Paper - Shimmer white, Baja Breeze, Garden Green

Accessories - Corduroy buttons, White EP, clear EP, Top Note Die, Latte Button, Pacific point striped ribbon

To Boldly Go Where Everyone Else Has Already Been..

2009-01-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

Well, here I go. That split infinitive makes me nuts, but is just too appropriate not to use. I'm entering the blog world. We'll see how it goes. I'm random, opinionated, and irreverent. Can you take it?

Sing, Bluebird, Sing!

2009-01-26T09:51:00.000-05:00

This card makes me happy. I'm thinking about spring and not the fact that my basement is so cold I could use gloves.

I just got my new Stampin Up!© order. I'm having a lot of fun playing. I've made some things I love, some things I like, and a couple of things that are amazingly fabulous additions to the recycling bin. I can't decide if this is in the like or love category. I will tell you what though. I LOVE those corduroy buttons. Love 'em. This corduroy button is actually a brad, which made me happy as sewing is not my thing. I would do it though for these cute buttons. Oh yes I would.

All the products on are Stampin Up!©
Sing, Bluebird, Sing!
Stamps - Good friend
Ink - Pacific Point, Summer Sun, Chocolate Chip
Paper - Kiwi Kiss, White, Pacific Point, Summer Sun, Good Morning Sunshine DSP
Accessories - Kiwi Kiss striped grosgrain, pacific point corduroy button, clear EP (on flower), scallop edge punch, dimensionals