Sunday, December 6, 2009

Something to warm you up a little...



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!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

You Were Always on My Mind...

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

Monday, September 28, 2009

Dress forms


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!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Hello...hello...hello




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


Friday, August 14, 2009

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



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!




Tuesday, August 11, 2009

A little inspiration


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
.






Monday, August 10, 2009

Working with limited supplies



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



Thursday, July 23, 2009

A man card


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.


Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Muddy jungle - sketch challenge




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.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Good times friend




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



Monday, July 20, 2009

A confession


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.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Flitting and fluttering




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


Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Slower than mollases




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?

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Damask Birthday



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

Monday, May 11, 2009

Raspberry Color Challenge Week 5


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!

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

Thursday, May 7, 2009

The bird is back



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

Monday, May 4, 2009

Hero page and a plug





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


Saturday, April 18, 2009

Don't box me in, People!

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.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Talk is cheep!


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

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Mingle Little Sis Gift


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!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge




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!