A quick Christmas card before I head back to the tasks of my new stamp studio. It certainly isn't moving along fast enough for me, but I have had way too many holiday obligations to focus on the project. If I had been smart, I wouldn't have started this project until January. Oh well, I am up to my eyeballs in it and there is no going back now.

This Christmas card is all Stampin' Up. The image is from the set Christmas Lodge which is in the holiday mini catalog until January 3rd. I also used the top note die and the petals a plenty embossing folder. If you click on the picture you can see that I added some glitter to the roof top to look like snow and add that needed bling. Looking at it now, I guess this is a very patriotic Christmas card and not your typical Christmas colors. Every now and then we need to spice things up to keep it from getting boring. I try to force myself out of my comfort zone every now and then for creative growth. Talking about creativity, make sure you catch Tim Holtz's 12 tags of Christmas on his blog. His videos are awesome and very detailed. He has a new tag every day that he creates the night before. Talk about pressure.

I hope you all are having a much more calming and relaxing week than I am having. I swear next year is going to be different and I will have my Christmas cards made in November and no major projects for December other than the ritual Christmas trimmings. On second thought don't go betting money on that, I am know I am a glutten for punishment any time of year and I would hate to be responsible for your financial losses.

~Take care and enjoy!

Not a Thanksgiving card

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I know this is a day that we look back and give thanks for all that is good in our life. I am no different than the rest and I have a lot to be thankful for, but I also spend a few moments reflecting back on the things that aren't so good and I remember the lesson that was learned from them. Sometimes it wasn't anything that I had control over and it was just life playing out in front of me. Still there is something I can learn from it, may it be tolerance or just acceptance. I think it helps me to be a better person when I get reality handed to me on a platter. Although I would much rather some turkey and stuffing on that platter.

Today's card was created based on the cutout window. It isn't a Thanksgiving card I had this left over from a piece of scrap paper that I cut a tag out of. Before I tossed it out I noticed how centered the cutout was. Yes my friends, I saved it for future use. The embossing was done using a Paper Studios Flourish Journal embossing folder. These are very inexpensive from Hobby Lobby and they often are 40% off. The stamped image is from a Prima cling mounted set. I has three adorable old fashioned girls in it. If course I added some bling and a nice Prima rosette that I brushed some gold on the edges.




I am cooking the big meal today but it is going to be a challenge not to divulge too much into it. I am up to a total weight loss of 50lbs. with a few more to go. I started this journey last March and I would like to be at my goal by this March. I never felt that it was really hard especially in the beginning. I guess when you set your mind to it, it becomes a part of your life. When I started changing my diet and walking, the weight just fell off. Now it is getting tougher. I only see little changes which is ok. I will still have a little bit of everything, just is smaller portions. I know I could loose it more quickly if I really buckled down but I don't want to be craving certain foods. I want this to be a lifestyle change. So far so good!

The big move is happening this weekend. My new stamp studio is painted and we are starting to move the cabinets and counter tops up. I am exhausted just thinking about moving all the items from my current room. I get up every morning just hoping those elves have done it all for me. No such luck, I guess they must be busy with other things for Santa.

~Have fun and enjoy!

Paris has always been a dream of mine. I don't know why but maybe it has something to do with two years of French class in high school. I can remember thinking that there must be some good reason I was sitting there trying to learn a language that was darn near killing me. Oh well, if nothing else it was good for my soul.

The designer paper is from My Mind's Eye the Lost & Found collection. I love the 6x6 pads because they are a perfect size for a card without all the waste. The images are much smaller so they also fit better. The Eiffel Tower and the J'adore are already printed on the paper as it the book print and pink swirls. The font is from the SU set Fabulous Phrases and I stamped it onto one of the tags from Four Frames. I then punched it out with the Decorative Label punch. The trick for the brown layer behind it is to punch out another tag with the Decorative Label punch and then cut it right down the middle from top to bottom. Move the ends out until they make a nice looking layer along the side and glue them down. Easy Peasy! A few mini Prima flowers, some rhinestone swirls and seam binding pulled it altogether.

Taking a trip to Paris is out of the question anyway right now with the renovation of my new stamp room. If I had to make the choice between what to spend the money on, it would be a no-brainer. A new stamp room would win hands down and I can stay there forever. I can always visit Paris in my own little mind and the trip could be as fantastic as I wanted it to be.

~Have fun and enjoy!

New prospects

Sorry for being absent lately. I am in the process of creating a new stamp studio and it has all of my attention. I am taking over the loft of the three car garage which is 30' x 12'. I am one lucky girl. It was my son Elliot's room or should I say mini apartment. I had planned on moving up there after he finished college and got his own place but it is hardly ever used now. I was joking with him one day and said he didn't have to worry about coming home one weekend and find I had booted him out of his room. His answer shocked me and sent me right into overdrive. He said it was fine if I moved his things into the old stamping room since he isn't here. Last year he stayed the summer at school and worked over there. I should have been quite content with the room I had. It even had a full bathroom and walk-in closet, but there wasn't any room to put tables so my friends could come over and stamp. See, I am thinking of them and not myself (Ha Ha).

Sherman Williams has a 40% off sale this weekend so I bought the paint last night after days of trying to decide what color. Today I am going to a cabinet store to look at cabinets. I am still looking at one on Craigs list but the measurements aren't exactly what I wanted. All of a sudden things are moving along- a lot quicker than I was expecting.

But onto what this blog is supposed to be about. Today's card is rather simple and it uses all Stampin' Up products. I stamped the large Medallion and then embossed with the Framed Tulips embossing folder. The bird is from the Notably Ornate set and the Birthday sentiment is from Perfect Punches. The little friend tag is from Tiny Tags. The Pear Pizzazz seam binding was just looped and glued and of course some pearls for my bling.

I would love to hear from anyone as to how they store their supplies. I am not sure if I want larger cabinets or if more narrower ones would work better. I have some storage items from my current room that I still want to use so I was planning on only having 16 to 20 feet of running cabinets along one wall and an island in the center. I still will have some time to decide that. I have three narrow 5' tables that I want to use along the other wall that will be right behind my stamping desk. I want to be able to turn around and have easy access to things and my desk be completely clear except for a few items that will fit in a rotating tool caddy. The front of the room will still be a sitting area with a couch and love seat that I am saving for Elliot for his first apartment. He had this in his room but I wouldn't let him take it to college because it was new and I figured it would get trashed with the college life. This way he leaves he will at least have some decent furniture without having to spend any money. Who am I kidding, it would be more like my money.


~Have fun and enjoy!

Trick or Treat

No tricks, just treats. I made a dozen of these for family and friends and because they are such nice people I just filled them with candy. No worms or spiders for this bunch. The box is the Sizzix Box #3. The coaster are from the MS collection at Joanns. The spiderweb border is also from MS's. Boy she sure has grown in the craft department hasn't she. The top panel was created from the Stampin' Up Square Lattice embossing folder. Below are some individual pictures and if you double click on them you can enlarge the image.

This one I made specially for my son Elliot- hence the skull embellishement. What young guy doesn't love a nice skull. I found those at Michaels and they are from the Jolee's Boutique line. I din't think the in-laws would be too keen on having one on theirs.

I used a set of stamps that creates a belly band for the chocolate nuggets and stamped half in black and half in purple. The sentiment and crow were stamped and punched out with a 1" punch. I just used a glue dot to attach them. Six of them fit just perfectly but I did have to add some paper grass due to the depth of the box.

The DH is already home and his surgery went fine. The surgeon said the mass was starting to invade the brain and was very vascular. Because of the invasion, the surgeon could not take much of the brain tissue without risk of causing some injury. He got what he could but now DH will have to have an MRI in three months. If it looks like it is starting to grow back then he will have a few radiation treatments and that should be it. The mass was not cancerous but when they grow they cause pressure on the brain that creats unwanted side affects.

I shaved his head for him two days before the surgery. It was really weird cutting off what little hair he had left. He sort of liked it and thought maybe he would just keep the look but I reminded him that he was going to have a nasty scar. By the looks of the incision and the 45 staples that starts on the top of his head and makes a big "C" down to just infront of his ear his hair on the sides aren't going to cover it entirely. The incision will still be noticeable up on top of his head. They took the dressings off for him to come home, so now we get a good look at it all day long. You guessed it, Elliot couldn't wait to get a picture of that. He was teasing him and said he could go as a baseball for Halloween. It does resemble the stiching and curve on a baseball.
Well I better go and play nurse for awhile.

~Have fun and enjoy!

So tiny, yet so big

I just love these little paper roses that have been popping up everywhere. I got these from Michael's and I think they are Recollections brand. I also found some white, pink and blue in the dollar bin and a few weeks later they were half off. They aren't very big, in fact they are about the size of a dime but they can make a big impact. I like them because they are small enough to incorporate into any project without covering up the main images. If you purchased the cream or white ones you could very easily color them any color you need. Copic markers would do a very nice job on these as would some of the glimmer mists.

Don't you just love the little bunny. She is my favorite little figurine and I think she gives off a sassy image like "I'm here and what are you going to do about it". Anyway she just makes me smile every time I look at her.

Unfortunately I needed another sympathy card. I love this SU embossing folder Framed Tulips- not too overstated but again just enough. I really wanted the sentiment from River City Rubber Works to be the main focus of this card. The tag is a pre-made that was in a package with several other designs. I can't find the package right now to tell you who makes them-sorry. The border on the inside of the card was created with the MS Monarch Butterflies punch.

I just purchased a nice supply of the new Tim Holtz Distress Stains. I hope to get into them soon so I can post some different projects.

~Have fun and enjoy!

How about some purple today

I only have one set of dies for my Grand Calibur but it is my most favorite- Label Four. I don't know if it is the shape as much as the unique type of card it creates. I am not a big fan of purple because I find it hard to get the right hues that go together. I always thought as long as it was some shade of purple it would match but I have found that isn't so. Maybe it just happened to be the hue of purples that I have. Anyway here is a card with the grand label four and it is folded in half. It is one down from the largest in the set. I don't use a full design for the second layer because I am frugal with my paper and I don't see the need to have the designer or textured paper on the back, but that's just me. If you find that you have an unlimited amount of paper then by all means have at it. I guess that's the hoarder in me because I do actually have more paper than anyone has the right to, and I have always said that if our house ever did catch fire it would burn for hours for the amount of paper and rubber that is in this room.

I used a Sizzix embossing folder and a Tattered Angels tag as the main images. There is a bit of pearl Glimmer Mist on the tag but it doesn't show up in this photo. The purple rose below was originally cream but I sprayed it with deep plum Glimmer Mist and you can see a bit of the iridescence there. A few other embellishments and there you have it. I have a few other cards created with this die and I will be showing you them over the next few weeks. Hopefully Santa will bring me another die for Christmas so you all won't get board seeing the same design.

It has been a gorgeous weekend so far. I took yesterday off to bask in the sun and get a head start on the outdoor winter duties. My DH is having brain surgery on the 18th and he won't feel up to the outdoor tasks before it starts to get too cold, so we started this weekend while we are having 78 degree weather. I am one of those people who gets a bit crazy when things don't get done. His parents are coming for the surgery and to help out. I will take a week off work while he is in the hospital and then they will still be here to help him out after I go back. As far as In-laws go they are the best. They are always there when you need them and they have never interfered. They stay involved in all the grand kid's festivities which is quite amazing since the kids are spread out across the country. They are really wonderful people and I don't tell them how lucky I am to have them and how much I appreciate them as much as I should. I will make sure I do that next week while they are here.

Say an extra prayer for us. I am very optimistic that everything will go fine but with my DH's history of having a stroke it is still worrisome.

~Have fun and enjoy!

Friends

Friends, what would we do without them. Friends are the ones we know we can be ourselves when we are with them. They enrich our lives when they make us laugh and they share their shoulders when we need to cry. They give us an honest answer even if it isn't what we want to hear and they are someone who would share their last piece of card stock with you. But most of all a friend is someone who makes us a better person just for knowing them.

I made this card for one of my best friends from high school. We don't keep in touch as much as we should, but when we get together it seems as though we were never apart. She is so easy to be around and she really knows where I'm coming from and understands me. Not that my other friends don't do the same. It's just that this friend has known me for 35 years and we went through the milestones of growing up together. Happy Birthday Foster.

I used all SU for this card except for the bling and the ribbon. The stamp set is Vintage Vouge and I stamped the images in Early Espresso. The card stock is actually Baja Breeze although it looks a bit darker in the photo. I embossed the background with Elegant Bouquet.

I am all bundled up tonight due to the cold damp temperatures we are having here in Michigan. Just to let you know how cold it is- I am still bundled after 30 minutes. Even with my own internal thermostat set on high I can still manage the extra layers. Oh wait a minute. I think I spoke too soon... Ok that feels better- one less layer and no socks. Gee I can't wait for this to be over! I bought a new blanket for our bed and I just dreaded putting it on. I almost thought about buying a twin and putting it on only half of the bed- his side. I guess I'll call it part of my exercise kick boxing routine when I continue to kick the covers off. I ought to have the thinnest legs around pretty soon.

~Have fun and enjoy!

A paper bag book

Today I wanted to share with you a paper bag book that I recently taught at our stamp club. I thought the sentiment on the front was very fitting for the theme of the book. It was my imagination that filled the pages inside. The paper bags are sandwiched between two pieces of ruler with bolts.

For this book you need a yardstick or ruler, 5 small paper bags, 1/2" long bolts and nuts. If you purchase a ruler, try to get the ones without the metal edge. I had a difficult time finding yard sticks that didn't have the store's logo printed on it. This is a book that I made awhile back and I had an old yardstick laying around the house that was logo free. The paper bags that I used are 5 1/2" x 3"-the tiny size that would hold penny candy (remember those days of penny candy). You can probably find these on line. I purchased mine from a local supply store that has all kinds of products for businesses.

I cut the yard stick to 4" and drilled the holes about 6/8" from each end- you will need two of them. I then punched holes in my bags 1/2 inch from each side. Notice the yard stick is slightly longer than the bags. You might want to lay one of the rulers that has already been cut and drilled on to one of the bags and then mark where the holes should be punched. Just make sure you are an even distance from the top and bottom of the bag. I stamped and embellished the pages prior to putting the book together.

I sponged ink onto some of the pages and on others I used some acrylic metallic paint. I didn't cover the pages with any printed paper because I wanted the paper bag color to be clearly visible and the main visual of the book. After all it is a paper bag book. Take a look below and make your book your own creation. You can click on any of the images below to get a closer look at the pages.

I hope you enjoyed today's idea. I've got some straitening up to do in my studio (some new goodies need a place to call home) and I still want to get the living room carpet cleaned. Just where does the day go?

~Have fun and enjoy!

Plastic wrap and a dab of paint...

Just plain plastic wrap and a bit of metallic paint is what I used to create a background for this card. Glossy card stock works the best for this technique. If you click on the image below you can get a better view. I crinkled up a wad of plastic wrap and then lightly tapped it into a small amount of pearl and light gold metallic ink that I put on a paper plate. I then tapped it "off" onto the plate before I stamped it lightly onto the card. I sort of bounced it here and there around on the card stock.

The black medallion is from Stampin' Up and is one of my favorite background stamps. I put some dabs of gold Liquid Pearls on the medallion. I used two of Martha's border punches at the bottom. Some ribbon, a flower and a few rhinestones gave this card a finishing touch.

I have been in an organization mode since my mind has been toying with moving into the bonus room up over the 3 car garage. Right now it is my son Elliot's room, but he is hardly ever there. He is away at college but stayed this past summer to work. I have a feeling there was more having fun than working, but that is the life of a 22 year old. The rent was cheaper during the school months if he signed a 12 month lease. So as he says "it is like the rent was free". I don't think he has heard the old adage- nothing is free. This boy has a lot to learn. Anyway I don't want to move my studio up there until he finishes college and gets his own apartment- just in case! We'll see how things go.

Not a whole lot to talk about today. Summer is coming to a close and the nights are getting much cooler. The DH is having brain surgery next month to remove a meningioma that is getting quite large. It was an incidental finding on the Cat Scans and MRI he had 6 years ago when he had his stroke. It has really started to grow this year and the neurosurgeon said it is time to take it out. I was getting concerned about his increasing deficit on the left side and this meningioma seems to be causing it. I'm not looking forward to this and I am sure he feels the same way. The good news is that we bought an iPad2 so I will have something to entertain myself while he is in the hospital. That thing is truly awesome. I am blown away by what this thin tablet can do. I love the face to face video chat (as long as I look half way decent and my hair is combed). We just got it today so we have a few things to learn.

~Have fun and enjoy!

All because of an extra coupon...

It all started with a 40% coupon. I mentioned to the DH that I had an extra coupon to Hobby Lobby if he wanted it. We were out shopping that night and he said alright that he would be my "coupon mule". That is his term for being used to get an extra item with a coupon. Any way, I had to return some candles and while I was in line waiting, he asked me if I wanted him to use his coupon on a Spellbinders Grand Callibur. I about fell over. He said he might as well buy it now for my birthday (which is in November) while he had the coupon and then his shopping for a gift would be done. I ran as fast as I could to the Spellbinders isle and there at the end of the isle that beautiful pink machine was saying "I'm all yours". Not much courting or yearning with this one. I had only recently mentioned how much I liked my friend's and said I wouldn't mind getting one for my birthday. I think DH has forgotten that I have already received my birthday gifts well into 2025 at least. Oh well who am I to remind him of his absentmindedness. The dies just happened to be 40% off that night so he also had me pick out one. Silly me said he is going to have to put it away since my birthday isn't until November. He said he would hide it in my stamping room. He isn't good at hiding because you can see I already made a card with it.

Next Friday is my daughter's wedding anniversary and since I am sending a box I thought I would make a card that doesn't have to fit the parameters of being sent through the mail. I used the largest Grand Label 4 and then the next size down for the DS paper. The burgundy rosettes were made with the Bigz Sizzix Flower 3-D die. I just love that die and I can see me getting a lot of use out of this one. The cream flower is Prima and the butterfly was punched with a MS punch on vellum. I then added some stickles to the edges of the wings. The ribbon is actually a closer match to burgundy than what shows in the picture. It isn't really that red. The sentiment is from SU as are the punches.

I will be teaching our stamping club members how to make a book with small paper bags. They are the really small ones that would be used to hold penny candy. The spine is two pieces of a ruler and 2 bolts go through to hold it altogether. I better get cutting. I have sixty 4" pieces to cut and then drill two holes through each piece- yikes!


~Have fun and enjoy!

Tags

I hope you all had a relaxing Labor Day. Now that I type that it seems rather conflicting doesn't it? Anyway I hope you enjoyed it. I did a little stamping, made some banana bread and then went out to lunch and shopping with some stamping buddies. Best day ever because we had 50% & 40% coupons.

Today's card was very simple. The only stamping was the sentiment. That's right and the sentiment is a dollar stamp. Everything else was embellishments. The tag was from the $1 bin at JoAnns by Studio 112. There are 24 tags with 12 different designs. Such an easy way to dress up a card. The designer paper is from the DCWV Mariposa stack. The cream flowers are bridal confetti from Michaels and they come in a few different colors. It is amazing the embellishments you can find in the bridal isle. You will need to share them because there are over 100 in a package.

I have been busy changing the color in our bedroom. I went from gold/burnt orange and dark olive to robins egg blue and chocolate. I am surprised the DH went for it. He couldn't quite figure out the Euro pillows and then sham pillows over our sleeping pillows. Along with the two small decorative pillows there are 8 pillows on the bed. Plan on going to bed 15 minutes earlier than planned by the time you are able to find the sheets. Oh well I told him it is a good workout and the bedroom looks fabulous. Just remember to fold the comforter back before you crawl in. How he lives with my craziness I will never know.

~Have fun and enjoy!

A different shape

I am so in love with the Grand Calibur from Spellbinders. I don't own one, but one of my friends in our stamping group brought hers to share with us. I didn't think I would ever really want one, but it only took one cut and I was hooked. This card was made with the Grand Label Four. The green is the second to the largest die and the cream is the next size down. The second die makes a card that can fit in an A2 envelope. I didn't have any patterned paper with me so I cut what I could with card stock. When I got home I ran the cream card stock through my Cuttle Bug with the Victoria folder and then rubbed distress Antique Linen ink over the top. I used the Lacey Oval Spellbinder for the sentiment. The sentiment itself is SU Wings of Friendship. The butterfly is from K&Company.


I already have the Calibur on my wish list. I almost purchased one last night when I saw a 55% off coupon from AC Moore but you can't use them on-line and they don't have any stores in Michigan- bummer. I guess I will just have to keep waiting and dreaming.

Summer is coming to a close and I am relishing every bit of the warm weather we have left. I have to say I love fall but the caveat is knowing winter is right behind it. Oh well, we have to take the good with the bad right! If we didn't have winter- there would be no spring.

~ Have fun and enjoy!

A Patriotic Thank You

No, I know the 4th of July has come and gone but today's cards were made for a different occasion. Our local stamp store is trying to help out a little boy who wants to send a thank you card to every military soldier on active duty. Wow, now that is quite an undertaking. I could only wish to be half as ambitious. I don't remember the details of his name and how many cards he needs but if you are interested, just send me an email and I will send you the details. I am fortunate because there is a decorated box at the store and anyone can just drop their cards in. The store will take card of getting them to the little guy.

I had picked up a package of these Americana borders (clearanced of course) by K&Company and went to work on my contribution. They aren't anything too fancy or ornate due to the overseas shipping but they were made with a lot of gratitude.

I myself was an Air Force brat growing up all over the United States. I didn't like it at the time but I am sure it helped to make me more resilient in where ever or what ever situation I am in. My mother was a saint for putting up with all the moving. It is amazing how much these soldiers sacrifice for such little pay. The justification in pay is certainly out of whack when we compare them to professional sports players. I never could and never will understand that one.

These cards really only took me minutes to make. The border on this card had metallic red stripes for a bit of bling since I had to refrain myself on embellishments.

Well I hope these cards will inspire you to do the same. Our department at the hospital has taken care of sending items of need to several troops over the years. Socks, candy, reading material and essentials to name a few. Things you would think the gov't would provide, like sunscreen, chap stick and deodorant. Another one of those things that is mind boggling. We always get some type of communication back as to how these little things mean the world to them and help to make a miserable situation bearable. Isn't it true how we put off doing something because we can't come up with something "grand" that we think will make an impact when it really is just the little things that mean the most. So the lesson here is "don't think to hard and don't send a card because you don't think it is nice enough. Whomever is going to receive it will think the world of it just because you thought of them.


~Have fun and enjoy!

Hello

Hello, I'm back. I was on vacation last week and I forgot to schedule a post to my blog while I was gone. That's one of the great features of blogger. Just write up the post ahead of time and tell it when you want it posted for viewing. Of course you have to initiate the whole process for it to happen. Just another one of those times where I have to sit and laugh at myself.

I don't like to mention when I will be going away because you never know who is out there reading your blog. I was up visiting my father at our family cottage in the Upper Peninsula. It's way up North almost as far as Copper Harbor. I posted pictures last September here on my blog. Take a look back through my old posts and you can see why I think this is one of the most relaxing and beautiful place.

I took a whole suitcase (that I could hardly carry) of stamping things with me to keep me entertained if we had a rainy day. As it was I never opened it up. That means my supply of cards is low but it also means we had the most beautiful weather.

Today's card is an a "just thinking of you" kinda card. I used one of the new SU hostess sets for the flowers and the coordinating punch. The embossing folder is Square Lattice from SU. I used Spellbinders dies, a MS butterfly punch and EK Success border punch. I am in love with the new SU colors, two of which I used on this card- Wisteria Wonder and Pool Party. The darker teal is Not Quite Navy. Did you notice the stick pin in the knot of the ribbon. It was from the ones I made awhile back while I was in Florida.





Not much else to report. My daughter and son-n-law will be here tomorrow from North Carolina and I have a few things to take care of before they get here. I swear there aren't enough hours in a day. Either I am getting older and moving a bit slower or I am just busier than I have ever been. This whole crazy thing of working full time really cuts into my hobbies. I should be knocking on wood because I am very fortunate to have such a good job and I don't know where we would be if I didn't have it. I guess I just want the best of both worlds- who doesn't.