tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71063268619268707792024-03-13T03:56:25.845-04:00Dragonfly DreamsCreated from paper and ink by KimKim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.comBlogger267125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-21644108870540504652014-11-15T20:30:00.000-05:002014-11-15T20:30:09.145-05:00Dad- Altoids Tin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well this is all I could manage to post today. I am having a few problems with Picasa and my photo albums. I added several images but only a few are showing up. Very frustrating and I still have some thank you cards to make so I will have to do some more trouble shooting later on. <br />
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I painted the back and outside edges of this tin with a gold Krylon paint pen and covered the rest with designer paper adhering it with ATG tape. A few embellishments and there you have it. I had the best time making these little gems. I also made two Christmas ones that I hope to get uploaded for you.<br />
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I am going to try to get ready for the holidays a bit early this year so I don't feel so stressed. I plan on decorating the tree and making my Christmas cards Thanksgiving weekend. I actually bought a few gifts today for my staff so I can take that off my list. <br />
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I don't make Thanksgiving cards to don't hold your breath on seeing any posted here. This week I am going to teach our stamp club how to make a Tee-Pee card. It will be decorated for Christmas so it will look like a Christmas tree when we are done. It also makes a cute ornament.<br />
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Tomorrow we are supposed to get a bit of snow. It sounds like a good day to stay in and get cozy.<br />
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~have fun and enjoy!<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-6605248798226746862014-11-08T19:44:00.000-05:002014-11-08T19:44:12.420-05:00Graphic 45 Botanical Tea<br />
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...begin with you! I just love this sentiment. It can have so many meanings which I won't get on my psychology soap box. But for this card I see it as happiness begins with yourself.<br />
<br />I used SU <em>Lost Lagoon</em> and <em>Pool Party</em> card stock. The designer paper and rose panel are from the Graphic 45<em> Botanical Tea</em> line. The seam binding is SU <em>Pool Party</em> and the sentiment is from the SU <em>Petite Pairs</em> set. I punched out the sentiment with the SU medium <em>Oval</em> and then layered it on pieces punched out with SU <em>Curly Label</em> and <em>Modern Label.</em><br />
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I will try to get the altered Altoids tins uploaded next week. I still need to load the pictures onto my computer from the camera. We took a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona two weeks ago and I have been trying to get caught up at work which doesn't leave much energy for getting caught up on things around the house. It was part work and part vacation. We rented a house rather than a hotel so when I came back from the hospitals I could relax in the sun and pool. The weather was wonderful-sunny and in the mid to upper 90s. We drove up to the Grand Canyon and I have to say that it is a sight to be seen and pictures will never do it justice. This has certainly been a summer of crossing things off my bucket list. </div>
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~Have fun and enjoy!</div>
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Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-36400904349928442772014-10-12T20:53:00.002-04:002014-10-12T20:53:39.259-04:00Graphic 45 Botanical Tea<br />
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I hope you all had a great weekend. I have been very busy altering Altoids tins for an up coming class that I am teaching this week. I will share those with you after the class. Today's card is shabby chic. I used papers from the Graphic 45 <em>Botanical Tea</em> 8x8 pad. This line is great because it has designer paper and several pages of panels that can be cut apart for tags, which is what the pink rose is. The sentiment was created with SU's <em>Curly Label</em> punch and <em>Modern Label</em> punch. I think we sometimes forget how we can get such a different look by layering two different punches. I then used the <em>Medium Oval</em> to puch out the sentiment from SU Petite Pairs. The ribbon is also from SU which is <em>Pool Party</em> seam binding. This card took me all of 15 minutes. </div>
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The DH and I went out for diner Friday night and then to the movies to see The Judge. Is it possible for a middle aged woman to have a crush on a movie star? I have seen several Iron Man movies with Robert Downey Jr., but let me tell you, it wasn't until The Judge that I would have put a poster of him on the wall if I thought I could get away with it. That was one hot guy in this movie. I guess what is even more appealing is how he has turned his life around. You go RD! Oh and by the way, the story line was great and I highly recommend it. Five stars from me.</div>
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~have fun and enjoy!</div>
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Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-43234738565738443282014-10-02T20:11:00.001-04:002014-10-02T20:11:09.459-04:00A little bird's nest<br />
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It's Friday eve and one of my most favorite nights of the week. I thought I would get a post in before my favorite TV shows start. My weekend will be spent in my stamping studio making sample cards with some of the new Stampin' Up Christmas stamps. Later this month I will be teaching a class on altered Altoids tins at our stamp club so I need to make some samples for that as well. <br />
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This is a card that is all Stampin' Up and was very fun to make. I especially liked the nest which I used twine to make it look more realistic and to give the card more texture. I started out by embossing the <em>Crisp Cantaloupe</em> card stock with the <em>Framed Tulips</em> embossing folder. I cut the designer paper to fit just inside the embossed frame. The border was created with the <em>Dotted Scallop Ribbon</em> punch on <em>Strawberry Slush</em> card stock and the I layered pearls over the top. The stamp set for the nest and branch is from the <em>Take Care</em> set and the flowers are the <em>Petite Petals Mini</em> set punched out with the <em>Petite Petals</em> mini punch. I used twine to make the nest more realistic. The sentiment is also from the <em>Take Care</em> set and I punched that out with the <em>Ticket Duo</em> punch. The ink is <em>Melon Mambo</em>. For some reason the <em>Strawberry Slush</em> ink seems more red to me than the paper so I went with the Melon Mambo.<br />
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Well Grey's Anatomy is ready to start to I gotta run. My ultimate favorite show is Scandal and comes on right after Grey's, which I am so glad has moved up an hour. At least I stand a chance of not looking so bad on Friday mornings now that I can get that extra hour of sleep. At least that was my excuse.</div>
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~have fun and enjoy!</div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-83100037737624017572014-09-22T19:42:00.000-04:002014-09-22T19:42:18.741-04:00A few scraps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This card was created with leftover pieces from a previous card. I tied it all together with the flowers and scroll work. I am terrible for saving all my scraps but look how nicely it turned out. I have gotten better and now I only save the larger scraps. I must admit, my scrap drawers were getting pretty ridiculous. I have a rolling cart that has 6 drawers. One is filled with white scraps, one is cream, a pink & black, a yellow/orange/brown, a blue & green, and a red/purple/metallic drawer. It sits right behind me and it is within arms reach so when I need a scrap it is right there. I hate to waste paper but something had to give so now I toss out all the little scraps begrudgingly. </div>
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The designer paper is <em>All Abloom</em> from SU. The card stock is also from SU and is <em>Lost Lagoon</em> and <em>Barely Banana</em>. The flowers were from the $2 bin at Michaels. I cut out the leaves with a Sizzix die called <em>Branch w/Leaves</em> and the scroll is <em>Elegant Scrollwork</em> from MemoryBox. The sentiment is from Just Right called <em>Seeds of Kindness</em>. The yellow panel was embossed with the <em>Cluster Set</em> embossing folder from Sizzix.</div>
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It has been a wonderful summer watching the twin fawns growing up and learning the survival methods they will need as they they continue to grow. They come to the yard daily and and they have now lost all their spots. We have also had a pair of cardinals that have raised their young in a nearby tree. I didn't realize how big of a role the male plays in raising the little ones. He feeds them and teaches them how to fend for themselves while the female starts laying her second brood of the summer. It is comical to see the young bird who is almost as large as the parents begging for food. We also have four turkeys that come almost daily. One tom and three hens - must be quite a fella cause the ladies sure seem to like him. <br />
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~have fun and enjoy!<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-50617226613810576922014-09-07T19:38:00.001-04:002014-09-07T19:38:25.712-04:00Colored pencils<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Friends- they certainly make the world a better place. For those of you who know me, you know I am not one to use my colored pencils very often, but when I got this new stamp from SU it screamed pencils. It is called <em>Corner Garden</em> and I was drawn to the shades of purple. It turned out better then I had expected. I a sentiment from Jillibean soup by Hampton Art called <em>Handwritten Sentiments</em>. There are several nice ones in this set. To fancy it up a bit I used the border punch from MS called <em>Deco Fan</em> and then added some rhinestones. After I had finally finished coloring the flowers I noticed a smudge and I was heartsick, but being a long time stamper I knew exactly what to do. I covered it up with the butterfly which is a Memory Box die cut called <em>Pippi Butterfly</em>.</div>
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The pencils I used are Prismacolor and the colors I used are below. </div>
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PC934 Lavender</div>
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PC956 Lilac</div>
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PC1008 Parma Violet</div>
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PC932 Violet</div>
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PC1096 Kelly Green</div>
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PC988 Marine Green</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iaTJZexm-cNjPzRiNAZrGC3B4bRpjbsHhexMbDjvgZRkkOd8IwvU_gKQpQujDjAubAJ7-3EHXkO5o7UzRRjtvqSyZN_Nixjg_bt3pRgN8GaZSfCQrVax6v7P1aeNFiw2UD5JMezeF44V/s1600/IMG_8808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iaTJZexm-cNjPzRiNAZrGC3B4bRpjbsHhexMbDjvgZRkkOd8IwvU_gKQpQujDjAubAJ7-3EHXkO5o7UzRRjtvqSyZN_Nixjg_bt3pRgN8GaZSfCQrVax6v7P1aeNFiw2UD5JMezeF44V/s1600/IMG_8808.JPG" height="135" width="320" /></a></div>
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Another great weekend is almost over. I got all my chores done that I had on my list for the weekend (which is always a good feeling) and I even had some time to make this card. I also managed to squeeze in some time to soak up the sun. Not too many more 80 degree days left I am afraid. The leaves are turning, the nights are cooler and the deer are starting to get their winter coats. That's not a very good sign. I also like fall but I hate the end of summer just as much. I guess I can't have both, now can I.<br />
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Hope you all have a great week.<br />
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~Have fun and enjoy!<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-32780388358786302772014-09-01T09:42:00.001-04:002014-09-01T09:42:44.234-04:00Bucket List- check<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-20q-ugp69gI/U8MqYxH7GvI/AAAAAAAACGU/qmDFRmFZa60/s1600/IMG_8689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-20q-ugp69gI/U8MqYxH7GvI/AAAAAAAACGU/qmDFRmFZa60/s1600/IMG_8689.JPG" height="320" width="253" /></a><br /><br /></div>
We headed up north to the U.P. for my sister-n-law's wedding last weekend but we took a few days off before and headed over to the west side of the state for some much needed fun. My children are still in disbelief that the DH and I went zip-lining and that it was my idea. Let me just say it was so liberating and awesome. We did the full 3 hour canopy tour and were 100 feet up in the air on some of the lines. There were 5 swinging suspended wooden bridges that we had to walk across to the 9 different zip-lines. The views were spectacular after the first 2 lines when I could stop focusing on technique and just enjoy the ride.<br /><br />We rented a condo on the beach for two nights in Boyne City and we could see the entire harbor on the south shore of Lake Charlevoix from our balcony. At night we left the bedroom windows open and we could hear the waves lapping on the shore all night. What a view to wake up to each morning. After zip-lining in the morning, we made some lunch and took it down to the beach for an afternoon of sun and floating in the water. I have to say it was one of the most relaxing short vacations we have done in a long time and I can now cross zip-lining off my bucket list.<br />
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Today's card is all SU. The card stock is <em>Pistachio Pudding</em> and <em>Mellon Mambo</em>. The designer paper is <em>All Abloom</em>. Such a nice color combo for summer. I used the <em>Deco Labels</em> die for the sentiment which is from the stamp set <em>Let Your Hair Down</em>. Of course you know me, it has to have some bling and I layered that over some lime green ruffled gingham ribbon. Check out the little yellow birds, aren't they the cutest. They are expoxy clear stickers from Heidi Grace called <em>Tweet Memories</em>.<br /><br />
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<br />Still can't believe summer is over. Here in Michigan we didn't know it even started. I think I can count on one hand the number of hot steamy days we had. Hoping for some good thunderstorms today. I plan on spending the afternoon in my studio cleaning and organizing. Hopefully I will get some time to also make a few cards once I can see my desk. I always enjoy seeing the lightening and rain through the skylights and as always I will have a scented candle burning.</div>
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~have fun and enjoy! </div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" /></div>
Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-67446443914205497222014-08-17T18:26:00.002-04:002014-08-17T18:26:38.539-04:00A nice day for a buggy ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gmtR2WFSgQs/U8MqVsAOaQI/AAAAAAAACFw/j2m70ClUVqM/s1600/IMG_8682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gmtR2WFSgQs/U8MqVsAOaQI/AAAAAAAACFw/j2m70ClUVqM/s1600/IMG_8682.JPG" height="252" width="320" /></a></div>
The camera images certainly didn't do this card justice. It looks much prettier in real life, I think because of the rhinestones that I strategically placed on the designer paper in the center of the flowers. Anyway, I used KaiserCraft <em>On This Day</em> stamped in SU <em>Island Indigo</em>. The carriage was stamped on a white panel cut out with Spellbinders <em>Gold Labels 4</em>. Just behind that you can see the Opulent Ovals cut out of SU <em>Lost Lagoon</em>. The bottom edge is SU <em>Island Indigo</em> card stock and was punched out using MS <em>Optic Dot</em> punch. You can click on the image to enlarge if you wish.<br />
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What a beautiful summer day we had today and I couldn't help but think it would have been a perfect day to be out on a buggy like the stamped image on today's card. After I made a wedding card and a few birthday cards, I spent some time sitting outside on the deck and you can certainly tell fall will be here soon by the position of the sun. I had to move my chair around a few times to stay in the sun. It makes me sad that summer is almost over but I love fall so it ends up being bitter sweet. I was out shopping yesterday and my heart went out to all the moms I saw with their kids starting their back to school shopping. Those are days that I certainly don't miss. The laundry is calling so I will have to stop here.<br />
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~have fun and enjoy!<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-68661196412530625522014-08-11T07:43:00.000-04:002014-08-11T07:43:27.810-04:00Love the new color<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvA4B12s_uw7e4Rj64elBibfvcUyyAGcAFnye1hIPi9e_ZT24QSirceMqg3OLqOVrxBu9JV96TZuBV4mcQ_vYU6F7N0dW3gpHQxogZAgiAUts95Bye8rwVhBIjC1lNcfh5lWPEEGvVDccX/s1600/IMG_8678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvA4B12s_uw7e4Rj64elBibfvcUyyAGcAFnye1hIPi9e_ZT24QSirceMqg3OLqOVrxBu9JV96TZuBV4mcQ_vYU6F7N0dW3gpHQxogZAgiAUts95Bye8rwVhBIjC1lNcfh5lWPEEGvVDccX/s1600/IMG_8678.JPG" height="320" width="258" /></a></div>
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I couldn't wait to use the new SU color <em>Lost Lagoon</em>. I paired it up with this KaiserCraft <em>Storyteller History </em>designer paper. The Lost Lagoon pulled the teal colors out of the paper so nicely. The labels were cut out using Spellbinders <em>Decorative Labels 28</em>. I tucked the MemoryBox die <em>Honey Blossom Sprig</em> behind the Labels 28 a bit and added a few very small buttons for added texture. I stamped the bird in SU <em>Baked Brown Sugar</em> which is another one of my favorite colors. It is a Hampton Art stamp from the clear set <em>Vintologie</em>. The twig was stamped in SU <em>Sahara Sand</em> and it is a Stampendous stamp called <em>Silhouette Sprig</em>. Some old olive seam binding and a few round embellishments for bling and there you have it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsm8u3O2CAK3fejdMPGqjk96twrltzlRo1TrRfEOi0wh4tWatOCCX9co6o9TRTn0QkQzBk-4zz0sko_bDeW-mLq6Vhho-6DWB_to6rsH9p7rEKjP1R9g1DemRNCI0iYQWsa5_Em_Mi7-tH/s1600/IMG_8680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsm8u3O2CAK3fejdMPGqjk96twrltzlRo1TrRfEOi0wh4tWatOCCX9co6o9TRTn0QkQzBk-4zz0sko_bDeW-mLq6Vhho-6DWB_to6rsH9p7rEKjP1R9g1DemRNCI0iYQWsa5_Em_Mi7-tH/s1600/IMG_8680.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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While I was away we had gone up to the family cottage in the Michigan's Upper Peninsula. For those of you who didn't know, this is where I was raised. My husband is also from up there and we met in college. My daughter came home from North Carolina with her dog and we all drove the 11 hours up to God's country. We stopped in at my in-laws and spent a night to check in on them- both have been sick the last few months. It sure helps to break the trip up. We drove 8 hours and then got up the next morning and did the last 3. We had some great weather again this year which as anyone in Michigan knows can change on a dime. I was worried that my DH was going to have a hard time going to the cottage without Jake and the fact that my daughter was bringing her dog might make it even worse but I think it was therapeutic for him. He said he felt a bit guilty at how nice and relaxing it was not having any of our own dog issues to deal with while traveling. I still find myself getting melancholy every now and then when I look around the house at places Jake used to lay down or when we get home and no one comes to great us at the door, but time will heal. I have been trying to arrange trips that we normally wouldn't take because of having a dog. We are heading back up to the UP in a few weeks for a family wedding so I think we will head over to the west side of the state and spend a night or two as tourists just for fun. We also planned a vacation around a work trip out to Scottsdale Arizona in October since we won't have the added expense of boarding a dog in a kennel. It's almost like going through empty nesting again once the last one leaves for college. No strings to hold us back. <br />
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~have fun and enjoy!<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-2668766368162880432014-07-21T20:17:00.000-04:002014-07-21T20:17:36.669-04:00It was time.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxL87lkDJEtNFTDuc0-JABIKRUC5wJW0G7ReEMDZOFOWX_yRwxS_wbPZG8Gh1iF-lxlQkXDP856bjr2FOPv8288wAVWAB17vEa3ZU6wG4WY-6zAn53aMQBW4Qves6KLPUn5rJ7TYirjG_/s1600/IMG_8671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxL87lkDJEtNFTDuc0-JABIKRUC5wJW0G7ReEMDZOFOWX_yRwxS_wbPZG8Gh1iF-lxlQkXDP856bjr2FOPv8288wAVWAB17vEa3ZU6wG4WY-6zAn53aMQBW4Qves6KLPUn5rJ7TYirjG_/s1600/IMG_8671.JPG" height="232" width="320" /></a></div>
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We had to make the hard decision to finally put Jake down last Thursday. The pathology came back and it wasn't liver cancer but a badly infected liver. My son had come home to say his goodbyes and we had ourselves emotionally ready until the vet called with the change in diagnosis from the pathology report. We tried antibiotics with no guarantees that they would work and life in our home became a roller coaster for a few days. As it ended up Jake was just too week since he barely had eaten anything in a few weeks and after being on the strongest meds they could give him he didn't even have the strength anymore to stand. That isn't a car ride I ever want to experience again. The vet was so gentle and he himself even carried Jake's body out to the truck when it was over. He laid his hands on Jake and said nothing for a few seconds. He told us there was no charge and I could see Jake's death also affected him. He has taken care of him his whole 13 years of life. They had wrapped Jake in his favorite blanket and he was nicely curled up in a ball just like he used to on the living room carpet. They had also taped the blanket and the vet pointed out which end was his head. I really don't know why he felt the need to tell us that but it was very thoughtful. The picture above was taken last week on one of his better days but still not being able to stand. He had a wonderful life.<br />
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Today we received a single rose in a vase with a card from the Vet's office. If you click on the picture below you can read the card. I have heard of offices sending sympathy cards to the owners who have lost their pet but I had not heard of this. It was a thoughtful gesture that we greatly appreciated but it shouldn't have surprised us as the staff at this clinic are so compassionate. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eXwZv8fUmloRzyT1CpSXLTp_7dFUS8eUjZJ2mSLO59HcA2JOmJMH1DKvyTPtdArHbB6HxF9FrMV32CsgE8MBTrQO_Iq4wBcKRp4XomRCGUA4ZbNYGgGcsw-44NSHJ9PsX52bO1Zl47sB/s1600/IMG_8700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eXwZv8fUmloRzyT1CpSXLTp_7dFUS8eUjZJ2mSLO59HcA2JOmJMH1DKvyTPtdArHbB6HxF9FrMV32CsgE8MBTrQO_Iq4wBcKRp4XomRCGUA4ZbNYGgGcsw-44NSHJ9PsX52bO1Zl47sB/s1600/IMG_8700.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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Not much else to say. Just trying to adjust to the empty house. <br />
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~have fun and enjoy!<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-20047127701941371742014-07-13T21:22:00.000-04:002014-07-13T21:22:17.415-04:00Clean and Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Something clean and sweet today. I saw a version of this card in a stamp store and I changed it up slightly. What I liked the most about the card is the use of Liquid Pearls for the frosting. It looks like marshmallow cream- yum!</div>
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The designer paper is BoBunny's Primrose and the card stock is SU Pink Pirouette. I used the stamp set Create a Cupcake also from SU. The sentiment is from a company called Morning Star that is usually at a local stamping convention every August. I just love the little fonts like this because then I can punch them out with SU's Word Window punch.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WDMQO7WdCfU/U8MqThr6owI/AAAAAAAACFY/UgPOYd_3IbI/s1600/IMG_8676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WDMQO7WdCfU/U8MqThr6owI/AAAAAAAACFY/UgPOYd_3IbI/s1600/IMG_8676.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ok I don't know about you but now I have the craving for a cupcake. Luckily there aren't any in the house because I would probably eat two. <br />
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It is a sad day in our house. We had to take our dog Jake into see the vet on Friday. They did some lab work, x-rays and a liver aspiration. We were told that his kidneys are failing and they think he has liver cancer. He has had an awful time trying to get up and walk with his arthritis the past two weeks. This all came on rather sudden so we weren't ready for this news even though we know he is old. He hasn't been eating and I thought it was because he missed the DH. We will get the pathology report back tomorrow but we are are going to have to make a decision about his mobility. The DH is carrying him down the steps to go outside and then carrying him back in. It makes me very nervous because I worry about him falling with the dog. We have had Jake for 13 years since he was a puppy so this is going to be very hard, even more so on the DH. I have been praying that the good Lord will just take him and not leave this decision up to us. It will be a difficult week for sure.<br />
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~Have fun and enjoy!<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-49421835582395315272014-07-06T19:56:00.000-04:002014-07-06T19:56:05.244-04:00It's been too long<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wouldn't blame you one bit if you had given up on me. I would have said the "H... with you" and would have never come back. But if you are here then thank you for having faith in me. It has been quite a summer so far. My mother-n-law has been sick for about 8 weeks now and in the last week has had two surgeries. Not good for someone who is 88. She has been having a lot of stomach and bowel issues. Last week they took out her gallbladder and today she had bowel surgery. Keeping our fingers crossed that she will now be on the mend. My DH made a trip up to the UP when it all first started to help his 88 year old father take care of her. He came home for 2 weeks and then went on his annual camping trip in the UP, to no man's land that is lacking of running water and electricity. Bad ass camping is what I call it. While up there his mother ended up with her first surgery. He is supposed to come home tomorrow but it will depend on how his mom is doing.<br />
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Since I've had almost three weeks here to myself I thought I would spend a good portion in my studio making some new creations. I got a bit sidetracked with home improvement projects and the stamping had taken a back seat. I guess I was getting a little burnt out with the stamping as was shown by my lack of posting. I never, never, ever thought I would say that but it happened. I just couldn't get too excited about it. I even brought back some lovely things from my favorite stamping store in Florida but they just sat there on my desk. Oh well, I am back now.<br /><br />I used the new Blackberry Bliss paper from Stampin'Up and embossed it with a Cuttle bug folder that was in a set and I have no idea what the name is- sorry. The designer paper is Marie Antoinette from FabScraps. Just love this new line of papers. The Memory Box die is Lovely Tendril and Fresh Foliage. The flowers are from Prima's Stationer's Desk line. The seam binding is SU Wisteria Wonder and the tag is SU's Tiny Tags punched out with the Petite Curly Label. You can get a better look as the embossing in the picture below.<br /><br />
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I spent a lot of time outside in the sun this past week as I had the 3rd and the 4th off. Made for a very nice long weekend. While sitting on the deck, look who stopped by for a visit. Aren't they just adorable. They were very playful and pranced around the yard but still very skittish and always kept mom in view. They must be about 4 weeks old now. They sure grow fast.<br />
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The DH left the dog home with me while he went up camping. Jake is a Border Collie and is 13 years old. His arthritis has been getting progressively worse and since Gerry left he can't even get up off the hardwood floors or up the steps. It has been quite a chore trying to lift him up on all fours and then up the steps on the deck. Luckily there are only 4 steps or I would be needing a chiropractor. He has also not been eating which is typical when Gerry is gone but he had not eaten hardly anything. I hope nothing else is wrong with him. I cooked him some brown rice and scrambled eggs which he ate just a little bit of. Hopefully when his buddy comes home he will perk up.</div>
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I have another house makeover project that I hope to have finished next weekend and then I will share some pictures of the before and after. I have been wanting to do this for sometime now and I am really excited about it. <br /><br />~have fun and enjoy!</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-42114646169076973242014-05-03T08:30:00.004-04:002014-05-03T08:30:43.106-04:00Serene Silhouettes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The post is waaaaay over due! This last week I feel like I have been on auto pilot. Our hospital switched over to a new computer system hospital wide. That means it affected every area of the hospital. I put in 60 hours this week and this morning I am feeling it. The good side is that everything went well for the departments I am in charge of and I will have fun spending the extra money from my paycheck at my favorite stamping store in Florida. <br />
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For today's card I used one of the newer Spellbinders called <em>Valiant Honor</em>. The stamped image is from the <em>Serene Silhouettes</em> Stampin'Up set. I used my markers to color the stamp and used the "huffed" technique to moisten the image with my breath before I stamped it. For those of you who aren't aware of this technique it has nothing to do with drugs, although I could sure use some this morning. <br />
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We had a really nice Easter here. The kids were home and we colored Easter eggs with our grandson Chatham. The DH had over 40 plastic eggs filled with candy, hidden outside for him when he arrived. I think he likes the challenge of the hunt but not into the Easter Egg thing. He is at that turning point of just wanting to eat the candy. Today we are going down to celebrate his 11th birthday. Looks like another long day which includes a 75 minutes drive each way if traffic is good. I hope I can find some energy to stop at Michael's while I am down there. The closest one to me is 35 minutes away. <br />
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The DH will be holding down the fort while I head to the sunny beaches of Florida next week. My girlfriend has a new place and I am anxious to see it. She said we have some decorating to do which involves shopping. Most of all I am looking forward to the Sun and some warmer temperatures. It has been rainy here all week. Not that I had much time to notice. I was either sleeping or working. I think I really deserve this vacation this year. Carol- get the blender ready.<br />
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Hope all my Michigan friends have fun at the annual stamping convention. Say hi to Tim H. for me and I will try to find room in my suitcase to bring back some sunshine. <br />
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~have fun and enjoy!<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-10019811030657649172014-04-06T18:51:00.000-04:002014-04-06T18:51:04.469-04:00A perfect day!<br />
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What a perfect day. The weather is finally starting to show signs of spring. It was nice enough outside today that my DH and I were able to clean up the gardens- without coats I might add. I couldn't believe the leaves that we raked out of the beds after what we had done in the fall. Where do they all come from over the winter. He cooked T-bone steaks and corn on the cob on the grill for dinner and I found a cheddar bay biscuit mix that Red Lobster makes and it's the real deal. A perfect end to a perfect day. <br />
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I picked up a new set of Spellbinders on Friday. This one is <em>Valiant Honor</em>. I cut the frame of the card using the largest die. The white panel is Spellbinders <em>Gold Label Four</em> and the Pear Pizazz green panel is from the <em>Opulent Ovals</em> die set. The sentiment is from the <em>Petite Pairs</em> SU set and I used another die from the <em>Valiant Honor</em> Spellbinders set. The flowers are <em>Prima</em> and the the leaves are from the MS <em>Frond</em> punch and McGill <em>Fern</em> punch. <br />
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I need some graduation cards in a few months and I figured there was no time like the present. Yesterday I finished all of them and now I just have to remember where I will put them until then. The next few months will be busy with getting the flower beds planted and mulch spread. Every other year we get a truck load of mulch delivered and then I just fill in as needed in the off year with a few bags. And that is another one of life's mysteries- where does all that mulch go?</div>
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I am looking forward to my annual Florida trip in a few weeks. Can't wait to lay in the sun and spend some time with my stamping buddy. She is still doing some decorating of their new place so more than likely we will be having some fun shopping. One of my other favorite hobbies is home interior decorating and I can only keep changing things in my own home every so often. It will be fun to help Carol's with hers. I think I will end this perfect day with a good book.</div>
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~have fun and enjoy!</div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-56845885056542333322014-03-30T16:01:00.004-04:002014-03-30T16:01:42.250-04:00Pretty and Pink<br />
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Had a great stamping party last weekend. It is always so much fun to get together with these girls and a good excuse to eat some chocolate in any form. Since it was Sale-a-Bration everyone went home with some freebies including this card they made for a make-n-take. They had their choice of <em>Wisteria Wonder</em> polka-dot designer paper or this fan pattern which is in the Subtles Color Collection Designer Paper Stack from Stampin' Up. The pink tag was made with the new <em>Scalloped Tag Topper</em> punch and then embossed with the <em>Stripes</em> embossing folder. I rounded off the corners and added a different twist on the ribbon. Rather than knotting it, I tied it with a piece of twine for added texture. The flowers were made with the<em> Petite Petals</em> stamp set and punched out with the coordinating <em>Petite Petals </em>punch in <em>Melon Mambo</em> and <em>Smoky Slate</em> ink. This can be purchased as a bundled set out of the current mini catalog. Love it when you get what you can get both and save a few dollars to buy something else. The Scallop Tag punch can also be found in the same mini catalog. The bird is from the<em> Polka-Dot Pieces</em> stamp set and punched out with the <em>Bird Builder</em> punch and stamped in <em>Melon Mambo</em>. The sentiment is from the Label Something stamp set and also stamped in <em>Melon Mambo</em>. I used the coordinating Artisan Label punch to punch it out. For the faux ribbon I used <em>Smokey Slate</em> card stock and punched it out with the<em> Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border</em> punch.</div>
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I have been working on my youngest son's room with mixed emotions. Even though he hasn't lived at home the last few years of college, I still felt he hadn't completely left since he still had quite a bit of stuff in his room. Now that he has finished college and has a great job, it has set it that he is never coming back home to live. My baby has really left the nest and I am feeling kind of sad about that- proud but sad. I am very proud of all three of my children because they are doing what they love but there is something about the last one that just tugs at your heart. I didn't clean out his dressers but there were some totes and other items stored in the corner waiting for him to take back to school. Obviously they are filled with items he feels he can live without so I moved them to the basement. I want to get the room is shape because my brother, his wife and the twins are coming over for a long weekend. The girls will just have turned two and we are excited to have them. Getting the room ready for a happy occasion helped.</div>
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I can actually see grass outside the window as I am typing. The sun is shinning and I if don't look too far to the right and see the patch of snow that is still on the ground, I might be able to fool myself into thinking summer is almost here. If only it were so!</div>
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~ have fun and enjoy!</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-52273890064102347262014-03-16T19:51:00.000-04:002014-03-16T19:51:00.842-04:00Soft and Subtle<br />
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I made this card awhile ago for a Stampin' Up party and I realized it was one I hadn't shared with you. I am getting ready for another party next weekend and I came across this one when I was looking for samples to display. The stamp set is <em>Apothecary Art.</em> The card stock is <em>Pistachio Pudding</em> as the base and <em>Costal Cabana</em> on top of that which I used the <em>Petals-a-Plenty</em> embossing folder. The ink is <em>Costal Cabana</em> and <em>Wisteria Wonder</em>. I used Stampin Up framelits <em>Labels Collection</em> to cut out the Apothecary Art stamped images. The seam binding is <em>Pool Party</em>. This turned out to be a very soft and subtle card that I can use for someone who is going through a rough patch. <br />
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I hope you all had a great week. We were busy digging out of 6 inches of snow but some of the drifts from the strong winds were 3 feet. The really bad weather started after I had gone to work so the ride home was a real treat. At least I only live 15 minutes from the hospital on a good day. I had called home to see if my DH had cleaned out the driveway and he said he was just going out to do it. I left work 45 minutes later thinking that would give him enough time. When I pulled up he was at the top of the driveway and the snow was a couple of feet down at the bottom, so I continued on down our road looking for a place to turn around. I finally found a driveway that had been cleared out. When I pulled up in front of the house my DH came to the road and suggested I go to the grocery store to get tomatoes for the salads we were having for dinner while he finished snow blowing. TOMATOES really? The roads in our subdivision were just one lane so I couldn't park in front of the house. I headed to the nearest parking lot and thought I would just play on my iPad for a bit to waste some time. I ended up shopping at Cracker Barrel and then I sat in the car until he called to let me know the driveway was clear. Needless to say we did not have tomatoes on our salads that night. <br />
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~ Have fun and enjoy!<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-19627247310762060272014-03-08T19:07:00.001-05:002014-03-08T19:07:58.138-05:00Glitter- a lot of glitter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHOzd9ZWHHWJje4SW8AXpUMpd1gmLNqEcCoSFOmFSaxW-utXxf96Ecf3L5LuBj_cAJgm64L6UzbP31Art3OwQoY10iQrtknx6VxqZZIo038E3laVKZxn3peOuL-pCpTGQROYy7oNJTqzF/s1600/IMG_8477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHOzd9ZWHHWJje4SW8AXpUMpd1gmLNqEcCoSFOmFSaxW-utXxf96Ecf3L5LuBj_cAJgm64L6UzbP31Art3OwQoY10iQrtknx6VxqZZIo038E3laVKZxn3peOuL-pCpTGQROYy7oNJTqzF/s1600/IMG_8477.JPG" height="320" width="242" /></a></div>
I first want to apologize for my absence. I have had major problems with my computer and was unable to get on the internet. I didn't have any of my newest cards on a thumb drive so I thought I was just plain stuck. The Photoshop I use is also on that computer and I was really going to need it after trying to take pictures with my phone and iPad. It then occurred to me that I had also downloaded them to Picasa and voila here they are. Well at least one of them. I started to do this because when I upload my images they post in the correct orientation much better than if I select them from one of my folders. I guess you could say Picasa and Blogger were a marriage meant to be. Some applications just work better with others.<br />
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Anyway until I get a new computer I will be using DH's laptop. That's OK because I don't think he ever uses it. He is either on his iPad or PC. This card was one I made at our stamping club and the technique is called "glitter painting". It is made with glitter (a bunch of glitter) and stencils. This stencil I used was a Dreamweaver- Hydrangea. You can find the technique here on Splitcoaststampers. Lots of fun and very pretty, just be ready to wear glitter for the next few days. <a href="http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/glitterpainting/">http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/glitterpainting/</a> The images don't do this card justice. In real life it is just stunning the way it glistens.<br />
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Like the rest of you the winter is starting to get to me. Growing up in the UP it just took me a little longer, but I must say I am waiting for Florida. How could we possibly be 70 degrees apart. I bought my ticket a couple of weeks ago and am now counting the days. It's not until the first part of May but at least I know when I 'll be seeing some nice warm weather. Quite a few people from work have bolted out of this nasty cold weather to somewhere nice only to come back to the same frigid weather they left and are now more depressed than before they left. That is why I like to go in May. At least I have somewhat of a chance to come back to decent temperatures, plus I can keep up my tan the natural way when I get home. Call me a gambler since it is Michigan after all. <br />
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My brother and his wife and the twins are coming over for Memorial Day weekend and I am so excited. I haven't seen them since last year but they send me pictures regularly. I must say I see a lot of my baby pictures in them. My daughter said the same thing so I know it's not just me being a bias auntie. It's a nine hour drive so we will see how that goes with two year olds. Neither of them are drinkers (the parents that is) but I have a feeling I better have a pitcher or bottle of something when they arrive. <br />
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Well I better run, I have about a dozen clocks to turn back tonight.<br />
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~have fun and enjoy!<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-74595385424036249002014-02-03T21:13:00.001-05:002014-02-03T21:13:55.739-05:00Some much needed color<br />
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The weather around here in Michigan is really getting old. It is getting pretty difficult to deal with the never ending cold and snow. I thought I would make a card with a punch of color to brighten things up. I think the raspberry ribbon and flowers did the trick. Take that Mother Nature!<br />
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The designer paper for today's card is from Paper Studio called Kirby Teesdale Studio. It is a 12x12 pack and I used the lower right hand corner of the paper. Don't be afraid to use an off centered pattern for your background. I balanced it by adding a piece of Martha Stewart vellum ribbon to the left side of the card. I found this on clearance at Jo Ann's and I just love it because it is already sticky. The hard part of using vellum is what you use to mount it so that is doesn't show through the vellum. I haven't had much luck with glue unless I cover it up with an embellishment. The layers were created with Spellbinders Decorative Label 8 and Resplendent Rectangles. The key stamp is from Paper Studio. The sentiment on the inside is "You are the key to my heart". <br />
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I have been sidetracked from my stamping lately with knitting. I am addicted to the Sashay scarves and after someone told me how easy they were to make, I grabbed my iPad and searched You Tube. I watched a couple of the videos and I now have seven new scarves. My ulterior motive was that if I keep my hands busy I am less apt to snack. Guess what- it works.</div>
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I wonder if I can find some of the yarn to make these scarves in hot pink or lime green because they are predicting another storm for Wednesday. I'm going to need something to get me through this next one. Wish me luck!</div>
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~ have fun and enjoy!</div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-16770332215630388312014-01-19T12:30:00.002-05:002014-01-19T12:32:13.918-05:00A bit of fancy<br />
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A bit of fancy for today's card with pearlized platinum and black. I put the Fancy Lattice from Spellbinders behind the 5x7 Elegant Labels 4. You have to trim the lattice at the corners so it doesn't show. I then cut out two panels from Decorative Labels 28 and layered the platinum one on top of the black. The white doily is an adhesive doily that is pre-cut from Martha Stewart. There are a variety of sizes and designs in the package. I stamped a Just Rite stamp for the sentiment and circle around it. I added black pearls around the sentiment and a few other places. You can see it a bit better in the photo below.</div>
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Now that the house is back in shape after the holidays, I was able to spend the entire day yesterday in my studio. Believe it or not I have all my Valentine's Day cards made. No one is more surprised than me. I only had to make fifteen but I made a few different styles so it took me a little longer. I have a stamping party coming up the end of February and I still have to make some samples so I wanted to make sure the Valentines got done first. I had no plans on leaving the house this weekend due to the frigid cold we are experiencing again. The DH made a fantastic batch of chili last night and we ate while watching the deer outside in the backyard. I was glad I wasn't the one outside foraging for my dinner. I think this is the perfect weekend to book my tickets to Florida. May can't come soon enough for me.</div>
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~have fun and enjoy!</div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-25208108399361785582014-01-12T20:43:00.000-05:002014-01-12T20:43:09.598-05:00Kindness...<br />
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Last weekend snow and sub-zero temperatures; this weekend rain. It was a good time (for DH) to get the outside decorations down. No one was attempting that last week with the cold weather. The Christmas tree came down today along with all the other little trees throughout the house. Our decorations typically doesn't get taken down until the second week of January because of DH's birthday.<br />
<br />Yesterday four of us girls hit the road for a day of fun and shopping. We were celebrating a belated birthday that started out with lunch and then a trip to the winery for a bit of wine tasting. A couple of tastings later we were back on the road hunting for bargains and boy did we find some wonderful after Christmas buys. There is nothing better than spending the day with such fun wonderful people. I had fixed up little goodie bags for everyone that included what every girl loves- chocolates and coupons. We finally reached home 8 hours later and my legs sure felt it, but in a good way!<br /><br />Today's card is using all Stampin'Up products. The stamp sets are <em>Flowering Flourishes</em> and <em>From My Heart</em>. The card stock and ink are <em>Crumb Cake</em> and <em>Black.</em> I used the <em>Square Lattice</em> and <em>Petals-a-Plenty</em> embossing folders. The dies are the Framelits<em> Window Frame</em> and <em>Apothecary Accents</em>. The scallop was cut out using the Edglits <em>Adorning Accents</em> and of course it wouldn't be complete without the bling. There is something sophisticated about this color combo.<br />
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I have a different New Year's resolution which is to use some of the stamp sets that get pushed to the back of the shelf. I wanted to do this for a couple of reasons. One is because it is a shame to have them and not use them. Second is to remember what I already have so I don't buy it again or something similar to it. And third- so I'm not making the same kinds of cards over and over. We'll see what the year brings.</div>
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~have fun and enjoy!</div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-15464474900972805692014-01-05T19:50:00.004-05:002014-01-05T19:50:29.744-05:00a winter snowman...<br />
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My Christmas thank you notes couldn't be more appropriate. We are under a winter advisory for another 9 hours and the snow is still coming down pretty good. They have already closed the schools in our area. When all is said and done, we should have 10- 12 inches. Reminds me of back home up in the Upper Peninsula. Well maybe not quite that bad.<br />
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It's the DH's birthday today and with anticipating the bad weather we went to the show and dinner yesterday. I made him a chocolate cake this morning and cooked a nice pork loin in the pressure cooker with potatoes and carrots while we watched the snow fall. I have no idea how I am going to get to work tomorrow. Unfortunately when you work in health care, you are needed 24/7. I'm sure not many (if any) of the outpatients will show, but there are always emergencies and inpatients. I think I had better dig out a pair of snowshoes.<br />
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These cards were actually made with a pre-made card base. I get them in packages in the dollar section at Michael's. I like them because they are blank on the back and then I can add my own "handmade by" stamp. They are very handy when you have to make several cards in a hurry. I used the <em>Spellbinders "Mr and Mrs. Snowman"</em> die that is in three pieces (four if you count Mrs.). The hat and scarf are separate. For the face I punched out a circle and colored the center orange and around that I colored black. When I placed it behind the snowman's face, the colors were in the perfect spot for his face. If you aren't familiar with this die, his nose, mouth and eyes are punched out. You can enlarge the card by clicking on it for more detail. The black and white polka dot is washi tape and then I used <em>Stampin'Up's Word Window</em> punch for the sentiment and a <em>Marvy Snowflake</em> punch for the two snowflakes.<br />
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Looks like it will be time to take down the decorations this week and put them away until next year. I'm not sure when the outside ones will get taken down. We are expecting temperatures into the negative numbers this week. Maybe we could try to get away with keeping them up as 4th of July decorations. I'm sure the subdivision association would just love that. Wish me luck getting to work tomorrow.</div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" /><br /><br /><br />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-72220781551339675292013-12-28T15:18:00.000-05:002013-12-28T15:18:12.483-05:00Merry Christmas<br />
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Ok I am surprised no one has called the blogger police on me yet and if they did, I well deserved it. I had every intention of posting just before Christmas but I ran into some technical difficulties. Well at least I didn't. My son Elliot is the photographer in the family and while I was busy in the kitchen for 3 whole days making Christmas cookies, I asked him if he would go into my stamping studio and take some pictures of my Christmas cards so I could post them on my blog. I use a small photo tent and had added a different type of lighting over the top a few months back. He was horrified at the lighting and decided to take pictures of my cards with our Christmas tree in the background. He didn't like the daylight so he wanted to wait until the evening to get the right picture of the tree lights. The evening came and went as did he, four days later and I still didn't have any pictures of my cards. <br />
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My father left on Friday and my daughter left this morning so I headed up to my studio and took the photos myself using my photo tent. Now I know why some of the colors in my photos didn't look like the real color. I may have to look into some larger photo lights on eBay.<br />
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I made several different designs this year, but these are the only two that I got pictures of before they all got sent out. I was actually pretty proud of myself because I had my cards made and mailed 2 weeks before Christmas. The tree has been up since Thanksgiving and I had the cookies finished 3 days earlier this year. It was nice that we had some treats to eat a few days before Christmas. I sent everyone home with their favorites and a plate over to two of my best pals. <br />
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The navy card is a 5x7 and the red is 4x51/2. I used Spellbinders Opulent Ovals and the other dies are from Memorybox. The corners are stickers as is the Seasons Greetings on the red card. <br />
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No new stamping items for Christmas this year. I think I have all I need for quite some time. Now that the holidays are over I can waste away the winter weekends in my studio. I did have a really relaxing time the day I made the Christmas cards. It was snowing pretty heavy here and the snow was really piling up on the skylights in my studio. I lit a Woodwick candle and put on some Christmas music while I created like an elf for an entire day. It was like a little piece of heaven- listening to the crackle of the candle, the music and watching the snow fall. I love that I can create such wonderful experiences in my own home and it hardly costs me anything. Maybe it's just the fact of getting older and we learn to appreciate the simple things in life.</div>
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~have fun and enjoy!</div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-71388503279141297272013-11-24T13:46:00.001-05:002013-11-24T13:46:21.929-05:00Deco Labels<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUt5XIUwtDCxK5IKdDQMKwHaHdBvo2znk35H0ebsPvcbYH1_bWMyx-NKML-6Lf89VfyPONGVref3vD-mr1G3nqH4b0-yoAsUcDSnlgZKTcR5XsynPTGsxmlUeeeMjf4B6wXKfJU1BF9Vc/s1600/IMG_8255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUt5XIUwtDCxK5IKdDQMKwHaHdBvo2znk35H0ebsPvcbYH1_bWMyx-NKML-6Lf89VfyPONGVref3vD-mr1G3nqH4b0-yoAsUcDSnlgZKTcR5XsynPTGsxmlUeeeMjf4B6wXKfJU1BF9Vc/s320/IMG_8255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I really need some education in working with colors in Photo Shop. The two colors I used for this card are Stampin' Up's <em>Coastal Cabana</em> and <em>Strawberry Slush</em>, but the pink looks more coral in these images. My son is great with manipulating the color levels to get the true colors. Little does he know I will be bartering Christmas cookies for Photo Shop lessons when he is home for the holidays. <br /><br />I used Stampin' Up's <em>From My Heart</em> stamp set in <em>Coastal Cabana</em> ink for the sentiment and then cut it out using their <em>Framelits Deco Labels</em>. For the pink layer I embossed each end with the <em>Framed Tulips </em>embossing folder. The white layer was done with the <em>Perfect Polka Dots</em> folder and the background was done with the <em>Stripes</em> embossing folder. Several different textures on this card work well with plain card stock. I think it would have been too busy had I used any designer paper. The edges of the card I used the <em>Scallop Trim Border</em> punch and then a line of pearls. Very easy and quick. <br /><br />
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It sure is going to be a busy December here at our house. As I said in my previous post, my father will be coming to stay the month with us. Our youngest is graduating from college and my in laws decided they wanted to come down for the graduation also. I am really looking forward to having them all here especially my dad. He hasn't been to our house in quite awhile. We always see him when we go to the cottage in the summer. I have the spare room all tidy and waiting for him.</div>
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It is bitter cold out today and there have been a few snow flurries here and there. What a perfect day to make a pot of homemade turkey soup with homemade noodles. The house smells absolutely rummy and I have been hungry all day from the aroma. </div>
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I have a few thank you cards to make from my birthday last week. I had better get started or they will end up doubling as Christmas thank you cards and that just wouldn't be right.</div>
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~Have fun and enjoy!</div>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-80496850533191721482013-11-10T18:36:00.004-05:002013-11-10T18:36:34.271-05:00Creating with a trio<br />
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<br /><br />Wow, my blogging is sure being neglected. I don't know if I am just getting burnt out or just so busy with other things. Maybe it's a little bit of both. I don't see getting any less busy with the holidays approaching but I will certainly try. I haven't even visited the other sites that I used to go to all the time. Maybe with winter coming I will settle back into it. </div>
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Our baby will be graduating from college next month. I guess this will be another phase of our life. Not sure I am going to like it but at least it should be less devastating on the finances. My father is coming down for the graduation and will stay with us for a month until after the holidays. It will be nice to have him here and be able to spend good quality time with him. The kids will all be home for Christmas so it should create some wonderful memories. Phone conversations with him just aren't the same and I plan on enjoying the stories of his childhood and life in Scotland. I want to journal his stories so they get carried down to my grandchildren. I can't think of any better legacy for them.</div>
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Today's card is all Stampin'Up products. The stamp set is <em>Papaya Collage</em> and the sentiment is from <em>Sweet Essentials</em>. The card stock is always <em>Artichoke, Tangerine Tango</em> and <em>Baked Brown Sugar</em>. I used one of my favorite punches <em>Artisian Label</em> for the butterflies and <em>Modern Label</em> for the sentiment. The embossing folder I used on the <em>Baked Brown Sugar</em> is <em>Square Lattice</em>. I colored the pearls with Copic Markers that were close to the <em>Always Artichoke</em> and <em>Tangerine Tango</em> ink I stamped the butterflies in. There is something about repeating the image that I like and to give it a pop, I stamped one of them in a different color. It would have also looked nice with all of them in the <em>Always Artichoke</em>. <br />
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Looks like winter is just around the corner for us. Won't be long before we see the snowflakes I'm sure. The darkness early in the evening is hard to get used to. We just changed the clocks last week and I am ready for bed at 8:00 every night. That's the one thing I don't like about winter but it's the one thing that makes Spring so wonderful. Can't have one without the other!</div>
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~Have fun and enjoy!</div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106326861926870779.post-10472936713365122512013-10-22T10:29:00.001-04:002013-10-22T10:29:12.022-04:00A bit of copper<br />
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OK can someone officially stop the clock! I don't know where the days and months are going. I know I had been MIA but I was shocked and ashamed of myself that the last time I posted was a month ago. The DH was on vacation last week in Hawaii with his parents. He asked me if I wanted to go and I told him I never dreamed I would go in my lifetime let alone twice in one year. I figured having the house to myself was a vacation in it's self. Every night I was coming home from work to let the dog out and then leaving for the evening. I ended up with a nasty cough that has kept me home from work yesterday and today. I don't think the couch has seen this much of my behind or my head.<br /><br />Today's card is rather a different color combo. I myself would have never thought of copper and royal blue. I used the <em>Framed Labels Eighteen</em> 3D M-Bossabilites on copper card stock. I then had to figure out what color to use with it. Several colors I laid next to it just weren't cutting it until I saw this blue. I used the Memorybox die<em> Riviera Corner</em> and matched the seam binding ribbon to pull that corner together. The main image was cut using the Spellbinders Labels Eighteen and the matching stamps from Our Daily Bread called <em>Bird & Butterfly Labels</em>. The sentiment is from Northwoods using the same Labels Eighteen to cut it out. I didn't go with the dark ink only because I didn't have a dark blue to tint the flowers. I sprayed the cream flowers with Perfect Pearls- <em>Blue Smoke</em>. I decided to keep the ink and flowers all in the same color pallet so it would pull together. I find when there are too many color variations of the same hue it can look like it was just thrown together. It just depends on the style of the card. Elegance usually requires some uniformity.<br /><br /><br />
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<br /><br />No much to talk about even though it has been some time since I last posted. We made a trip over to Grand Rapids to see my son at school. He has an internship with a company called Bar Fly which is a design company the owner of four local bars has formed for all of his print work. Including the Grand Rapids Brewery. They do the menus and all promotional items. I was dumb founded when we visited Elliot's work (that is right above the brewery) and the receptionist asked him if he had offered us a beer. The area is very industrial. It has an open concept with exposed brick and heating ducts. Off to the side is a full kitchen with stainless steal appliances. They have a kitchen bar with several stools but in it is two beer taps so there is always two different kinds of beer on tap. What else would you expect from the owner who owns the brewery right underneath. I guess it must have something to do with creativity and I think this is Elliot's dream job. I just hope he has one when he graduates in December- beer or not!</div>
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5YGIPjm2GpFFkJboS7SeVOHlZJDuJDbeCGHGbCEGQ-AXvGf9oqSlVZ8saTvReHVpfwrVAPW6tr5h3UEkkryNlGVgcdCoOYfWG-vSU0KNmFHCTDBkXOFguy2TAbBzLtjvhZyeBqjZqVhr/s400/chaltrysiggy.png" />Kim C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00529853372861384362noreply@blogger.com0