Don’t Get the Wrong Idea

The theme of my card has nothing to do with my absence from the blogosphere even though we have had a bit of a run on sympathy cards around here recently. It feels like one of those “You know you are getting old when …” type things. Not really funny … but kind of. Certainly nothing one can do anything about. 

Having made this card almost two weeks ago, I’m struggling to remember the details. One thing: I used the
“Saran Wrap” technique to add texture to the Kraft/Crumb Cake base. This technique amounts to a wadded up piece of plastic wrap used like a stamp. The result is a suede look that I love. The image was colored with Copics. One more thing: None of the cardstock colors I have coordinated very well with my image so I used a Copic to color around the edge of a piece of Colonial White cardstock and used that for my mat. One last thing: I mounted my matted image to my card using foam tape. I guess I remembered more than I thought I did. LOL.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Stampin’ Up Crumb Cake cardstock; Black, Olive, Stampin’ Up Crumb Cake, and Tim Holtz/Ranger Antique Linen Distressing Ink stamp pads; Copic markers; Stampin’ Up Elements of Style and Impression Obsession Sympathy Sentiments stamp sets; CTMH Speckled Background stamp (retired); KaiserKraft pearl accents; Ecru crochet lace from reasonableribbon.com; Sponge texture tool; 3M foam mounting tape.

A Slice of Life: And here I thought the new job with the new hours would give me more time for stamping and blogging. It’s not working out that way. For one thing, working while everyone else sleeps means I need to sleep when the rest of the world is awake for three days. That is not as easy as I thought it would be, and I am experiencing two, if not three, days of what feels like jetlag (or better said, kinda like I’ve been run over by a truck). I am not complaining but rather love the job and the hours. It’s just that I am not as perky as I thought I would be on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. As for Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays until 7 pm, I have been trying to be more domestic, getting my house in order and spending more time with my family. I’ve also expanded my horizons a bit, exploring different crafts and picking up on an old past time or two. As for time, I still don’t have as much as I would like and probably wouldn’t if I were retired. Should I live long enough to do all of the things I want to do. Sigh… LOL.

I hope this post finds you healthy, happy, and enjoying spring. In the weather department, we have had a few nice days interspersed with some lousy ones. Typical “spring” in the frozen tundra where Mother Nature is usually kind of slow to make up her mind. With a few cards in my “bank” that I haven’t shown you yet, I am hoping to be back soon. In the meanwhile, take care and have a good week. It was good to “see” you again!

Monday Musings

My most recent disappearing act was not planned but rather the result of a rather unpleasant “slice of life.” I’ll explain later. As for my card, I colored my image with Prismacolor pencils and OMS. The bird (attached with foam tape) was embossed with Chocolate embossing powder.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Olive cardstock; K&Company Remake Earth Browns Mat Pad; Black, Desert Sand, Chocolate, VersaMark, and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distressing Ink ink pads; Chocolate embossing powder; Stampin’ Up Elements of Style stamp set; CTMH Speckled Background stamp (retired); Mocha Opaques; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; Embossing heat tool; Sponge Texture tool; 3M foam mounting tape.

A Slice of Life: Sunday was family day – time with Mom and Karen in the morning, son and grandsons in the afternoon, and home-from-the-hunt husband in the evening. Yesterday, I got up and while I had the ickiest of headaches, I got dressed and was on my way out the door when my stomach started to lurch, and I made a beeline for the bathroom. Once my stomach was empty, I made another beeline for my bed where I slept for about 20 of the next 24 hours. I was hot. I was cold. When I was awake, my head pounded and my stomach continued to expel whatever was in it, which wasn’t much. Although I felt worn out from the ordeal, I was better this morning and went to work this afternoon. A bug – nasty as could be but short in duration. A waste of time nevertheless.

I certainly hope your week got off to a better start. That said, I am off to see what you’ve been up to. After that, I’m heading back to my corner to try to make up for lost time. Have a great Wednesday, friends, and thanks for stopping by.

Simple Saturday

Had I not wrestled with ribbon for 20 minutes, this would have been a 5-minute card. I need to go find some double-faced satin ribbon, which is much easier to work with than the type that is only shiny on one side. Otherwise, there isn’t much to say about my Simple Saturday offering. The stamps are from Stampin’ Up. I love the flowers and look forward to doing some colored variations, so you just might be seeing more from this set in coming days. That’s if I can stay home long enough to stamp. LOL.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Black cardstock; Black ink pad; Stampin’Up Elements of Style stamp set; Red satin ribbon from Wal-Mart.

A Slice of Life: I spent the day with Mom and my sister, Karen, who has made a remarkable recovery from her surgery 10 days ago. There was another craft show in town this weekend – Holiday Fair, the juried show that I participated in for several consecutive years way back when. While there was a nice assortment of items, handmade jewelry appeared to be the most plentiful. After the craft show, we had lunch and then did some shopping downtown. It was a fun time.

I hope you had a good day, too. Until next time, take care, and thanks for stopping by!

Sittin’ on Top of the World…

I will tell you why after I have shown you a couple of cards. This is yet another card from the Saturday event. I have seriously adored this stamp set – Stampin’ Up’s Season of Friendship – since it was introduced a couple of years ago. I have yet to purchase it, however, which means either I don’t love it quite enough or I have remarkable restraint – kind of like with that cute owl punch that I have yet to declare my own. LOL.

About this card, some of the leaves are cut out and were mounted with SU Dimensionals. The colors are very nice, although I don’t know what they are. I like the weight of SU’s cardstock. In certain circumstances, I like the solid core, too.

Oh heck, I like it all. Stamping is a good hobby. Actually, all hobbies are good. They give us something to look forward to doing. They are pleasant to think about. If life is otherwise overwhelming, they provide us with a nice diversion. According to studies, folks with hobbies are mentally and physically healthier than those do don’t have them.

 

Here is a similar version of the same card made with Close To My Heart stamps. Mom likes this one better. I’m on the fence. The CTMH stamp is a more traditional-looking tree. The SU tree is contemporary – a look I really like. If I were to wear one of the cards (and that would be quite a sight), I would opt for the top one.  LOL.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Autumn Terracotta cardstock; Chocolate, Autumn Terracotta, Goldrush, and Olive stamp pads; Grown with Love and TLC stamp sets; Autumn Terracotta Designer Ribbon Rounds (retired); Stampin’ Up Pewter Jumbo Brads; Crop-O-Dile; Piercing tool; Stampin’ Up Piercing Guide & Mat; 3M foam mounting tape.

A Slice of Life: Today was what one might call a banner day. The weather was gorgeous, and I found out early this afternoon (drum roll, please) that I got a new job. Tonight, I can’t even remember what the title is. I know the last word is photographer. It doesn’t matter. What I am over the moon happy about are my new hours – from 7 pm to 7 am Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Yes, it is a 12-hour overnight shift three days/nights a week. What it means to me is that I will come home from work on Saturday at 7 am, sleep until early afternoon sometime and then not have to think about work again until Wednesday evening.

While I have not said a lot about it, my current job has amounted to what seems like a roller coaster ride within the Twilight Zone these past few months. A management change during what was supposed to have been a job transition for me led to nothing but confusion, disappointment, and heartache for me. During the process, I’ve lost respect for people I need to respect and no longer have much enthusiasm for what I do. I was told this type of turmoil is common in big business. That is too bad and probably one of the reasons Corporate America is despised by so many. The sad thing is that it was nothing that a little honest communication would not have prevented.

Anyway, I will be elated to be removed from all of it. The job basically entails photographing electronic components and then retouching and cataloging them. They will be used on the website and in promotional materials. Because of my experience and company/product knowledge, I get to forego the usual three weeks of formal training and train on the job. Before I can start, however, they need to hire a couple of people. It cannot be soon enough for me.

To make a good day better, the little guys are staying with us tonight. For supper, we got some fast food and went to the park. Did I mention Bjorn got glasses? He wasn’t crazy about the idea, and his Daddy said his glasses were in his backpack when he picked him up at school today. We reminded him of how handsome and smart he looks. Cute is my word.

Tomorrow night, we are going out to see Dustin and Miranda’s new place. Evidently, Dustin has got things “just so” and will finally let me in. LOL. I know that he has done much of the work himself, so it will be fun to see the reason I am so proud. They are moving in this weekend. Finally, a place of their own, and it is nice that they will be there for a few months before Baby Carlson arrives.

I hope your day was wonderful, too.  Take care, and I will “see” you again soon.

It was a Marathon

I never thought there would come a day when I would declare myself too old to stamp, but I am kind of feeling that way tonight. We arrived at the so-called stamp “retreat” in Grand Forks at 8:55 am. We finished at 5:35 pm. For each project – 12, 11 of which were cards – there was a table that seated four as well as tool (Cuttlebug, etc.), cutting, and glitter stations. All of the materials were provided and prepared. The rented facility was spacious and very nice. The food was awesome. Due to the varying levels of difficult and/or number of steps required for each project, there was some waiting time in the afternoon, which would have been OK had a few not become impatient and start removing things from the tables to work ahead in different locations. Very annoying. Anyway, the event was as organized an event of this magnitude could have been. For me and at least a couple of my friends (those in my age bracket), however, stamping began to feel more like work than leisure around 3 o’clock. In fact, it seemed a bit more like a marathon than a retreat. 

The card I am showing you was one of my favorites. The stamp set we used, Elements of Style, is one I have been admiring since it came out last spring. One other cool thing I will mention is the pre-embossed paper we sponged to create the background for this card. I love it, although the same effect could be accomplished with a stamp and clear embossing powder. I will keep a few of the other cards in reserve to show you on days when I don’t feel like stamping, which could be as soon as tomorrow. The day provided a plethora of neat ideas, and it was a lot of fun.

I guess that was my “Slice of Life” for today. How about your day? I hope it was a good one. I’ll “see” you again tomorrow, providing I’ve recovered from the marathon retreat. LOL. Take care, friends, and as always, thank you so much for stopping by.

Pink or Blue …

 

 

I sent my son an email on Wednesday. It read, “Pink or blue, I love you and Miranda and Baby Carlson.” The message was sent in anticipation of the ultrasound that was conducted that afternoon.

My cards were inspired by a couple of cards posted on July 30 on the lovely Paper Delightz blog.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Heavenly Blue, and Black cardstock; Black ink pad; Close To My Heart Treasure Life stamp set; KaiserKraft pearl accents; Fiskars Apron Lace border punch.

 

 

 

 

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Baby Pink cardstock; Black ink pad; Stampin’ Up Essence of Love and Close To My Heart Say it in Style stamp sets; Black/white mini check ribbon from Wal-Mart.

A Slice of Life: I am not going to keep you in suspense. In December, the Queen of the male-dominated Carlson family will be sharing her throne after Lady Miranda gives birth to a precious little Princess. Yes, the baby is a girl. Yesterday, sweet Dusty sent Miranda a dozen pink roses along with a note telling her what a good mommy she is going to be. There is no doubt. As for me, I cannot wait to meet her, and as the days are getting shorter and the evenings cooler, all of a sudden, December does not seem like it is so far away.

Now, to answer the question that might be on some of your minds. Where the heck have I been? Well, I haven’t been on vacation, although it might have helped my cause. No. I’ve been at work, at home, here and there but not much of anywhere except perhaps in the deepest creative rut I have ever fallen into. It hasn’t mattered what I’ve tried to do in my corner whether it be trying to come up with something original or copying someone else’s creation, nothing has worked.

In truth, the rut might extend beyond my corner – at least a little bit – because I haven’t been making any big strides in any other areas of my life either. While it doesn’t happen very often, there are times when even though nothing is wrong, things just don’t seem quite right. I’ll come around one of these days.

How are you? I hope life is treating you well and apologize for being absent for so long. With that, I am going to plant myself in my corner and see if I can’t come up with something for Simple Saturday. I’ll talk to you again then.

Fun on the 4th of July

My idea of fun anyway! Last night, I went through the challenge blogs, made a list and between then and now, have made a few cards. I thought about posting them one-by-one, maybe saving a couple for the inevitable day when I either can’t get here or have no mojo, but then I thought, what the heck… And so, here you are!

This first card is the byproduct of a personal challenge – to use up some of the squares I cut for the quilt card I made the other day.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Crystal Blue cardstock; Sweet Harmony paper packet (retired); Crystal Blue and Blush ink pads; Papertrey Ink Mixed Messages stamp set; Martha Stewart Doily Lace edger punch; Cuttlebug w/Swiss Dots embossing folder; Sponge daubers.

 

This next card is my take on FTL97 featured this week on the Clean & Simple Stamping blog. After waiting for a backorder, I finally got my hot little hands on Tim Holtz’s Tattered Florals die.

The flowers were made with Baby Pink cardstock that I sponged with Blush ink and ran through the paper corrugator multiple times to both soften up the paper and give my flowers some texture. The card base is textured white cardstock.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy Textured and Black cardstock; Black and Blush ink pads; CTMH Gracious Greetings stamp set; Buttons from my stash; Black/White mini check ribbon from Wal-Mart; White embroidery tread; Cuttlebug w/Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Florals BigZ Sizzix die; Sponge dauber; Fiskars paper corrugator.

 

This card is my adaptation of Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #119. I inked my stamp with markers with the intentions of spritzing it with water to create a watercolor look. The problem was, when the time came, no water bottle was to be found. Thus, I huffed … and huffed … and huffed until I was darned near lightheaded. Lucky me. The image came out OK. To add a little texture, I stamped the background of my image with my Speckled Background stamp and used a sponge dauber to add some Bamboo ink around the edges.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Olive cardstock; Basic Grey Origins 6x6-inch paper pad; Olive and Bamboo ink pads; Sunflower, Olive, and Cocoa markers; Stampin’ Up Inspired by Nature and CTMH Happy Birthday stamp sets; CTMH Speckled Background stamp (retired); Antiqued Copper mini brads; 1 and 1-1/4 inch circle punches; Sponge dauber.

 

 

 

I was intrigued by CPS #174 on the Card Positioning Systems blog and thought the sketch would be a bigger challenge than it turned out to be.

I stamped some images on my script patterned paper with Bamboo ink – kind of collage style. Deciding how to embellish a rather plain, monochromatic card proved to be the greatest challenge. I ended up piercing around the perimeter of the stamped background piece and adding three mini brads before calling it “good enough.” Best of all, I actually like the way it turned out.

Materials & Tools: Colonial white and Cocoa cardstock; Passages paper packet; Bamboo and Cocoa ink pads; CTMH Live Inspired stamp set; Antiqued copper mini brads; Piercing Tool; Stampin’ Up Piercing Guide & Mat; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Classic Circles set; Sponge dauber.

 

 

 

 

When I saw C4C44 – a challenge to use two or more ribbons – on the Crazy 4 Challenges blog, I remembered a favorite sentiment stamp and knew immediately what I wanted to do.

It cannot be a surprise that the card base is White Daisy textured cardstock – my favorite for CAS. And, I’m sure you know, too, I love this card – the colors, the message, the clean and simple style.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy Textured cardstock; Ocean ink pad; Verve Stamps Asian Flair stamp set; Striped ribbon from reasonableribbon.com; Grosgrain ribbons from Wal-Mart; Gemstones from Wal-Mart; Liquid Glass.

 

So, if you are wondering what else I’ve done so far today, the answer would be, “Not much.” LOL. I have managed to make a bit of a mess in my corner, and I am struggling to stay cool. After several days of temperatures in the high 80s and lower 90s, it’s dropped to 79 degrees today – cool enough that husband doesn’t think the air conditioner is necessary. As I type, I have two loud, annoying fans blowing hot air at me. Men get the dumbest notions in their heads sometimes, don’t they?

Tonight, we are going to a small town about 30 miles from here for a concert. It’s Oklee’s centennial celebration, and our friend, Jack Sundrud, has returned to his hometown from Nashville and will be performing. I guess that means I will have to comb my hair. LOL.

What are you up to? If you are out and about, I hope you are safe and enjoying yourself. If you’re relishing time at home like me, I hope you are having as much fun as I am. Take care, friends, and as always, thank you for stopping by.

Simple Saturday X 2

Hello! How are you today? I’m doing fine. Much better, in fact, after starting the day out with a haircut. Sick on Tuesday, my original appointment, which was way overdue, had to be postponed. I am so glad to be rid of what had become an overgrown, shaggy mop. The rest of the day can be nothing but good.

A card doesn’t get much simpler than my first Simple Saturday offering. Regardless, I love it as much (or maybe more) as I would a “five-pounder.”

Materials & Tools: Colonial White cardstock; Caboodle paper packet; Garden Green ink pad; Stampin’ Up Inspired by Nature and Close To My Heart For Every Occasion stamp sets; Bitty Sparkles; Martha Stewart Butterfly punch; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Labels Eight set.

My second card was inspired by this very pretty card on Deb Neerman’s  Paper, Ink, Scissors, & Stamps blog. Now called the “Letterpress Technique,” inking up an embossing folder was something I tried way back in November 2007 after seeing embossed cardstock that had been chalked. With a hankering to use black ink, I figured there was potential to create quite a mess. It wasn’t too bad, however, and my embossing folder cleaned up beautifully by just running it under warm water. The card is just what I had hoped it would be.

 Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Black, and Cranberry cardstock; Black ink pad; Hero Arts Anytime Messages stamp set; Red satin ribbon from Wal-Mart; Cuttlebug w/Stylized Flowers embossing folder.

I have about a hundred things I want/need to do today before getting ready to go to the wedding this afternoon, including getting ready for my stamp club, which meets tomorrow evening. It would be nice to get a lot done today and then be able to reward myself with a quiet, relaxing day tomorrow. Maybe …

Although it is something I say everyday, I hope your day/weekend is wonderful. And, a sincere thank you for stopping by. Your visits, your sweet comments are what keep me coming back. Again, thank you. Later…

A Box for a Buck ...

... or maybe it was $2. Anyway, it was a little box that caught my eye and landed in my cart a while back at Wal-Mart and has since been sitting on a shelf occasionally whispering, "Do something with me." Well, I did, and once again, I'm going to start my spiel by telling you it looks better in person. For whatever reason, the paint I used for the lid comes out a sick color when photographed. Up close and personal, it's a very neutral "Linen" color like the paint bottle says.

As for the rest of my box, I used paper scraps, a little ribbon, and a stamped image accented with a little Liquid Applique. I would have covered the lid with paper, too, had it not been for those scalloped edges and a lazy streak. LOL.

Materials & Tools: Box from Wal-Mart; Stampin' Up Porcelain paper (retired); Olive Green ink pad; Garden green marker; Flourishes Birds and Vines stamp set; Ribbon from my stash; White Liquid Applique; Yes! paste; Folk Art Linen acrylic paint; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Classic Circles set.

How is everyone this evening? The parade last night was fun. I parked my butt on the curb with the little guys and relished in their wonder of it all. Afterwards, Bjorn said the parade was "phenomenal." Seemed like a big word for someone so small. Tonight, Grandma is tired and needs to get to bed in order to be in fine form for the fair tomorrow night. The weekend is going to be busy. With that, I'll sign off with a wish that your Friday is a good one. Thanks for stopping by!

Different

This is one of those cards that evolved. My idea was to emboss on patterned paper and then figure it out from there. White, Olive, and Bamboo is a color combination I don't think I've seen before, and I'm not exactly sure what to make of it.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Bamboo cardstock; CTMH Promise of Spring (retired) paper; Hot Off the Press vellum; Olive and VersaMark ink pads; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and Papertrey Ink Mixed Messages stamp sets; Stampin' Up Whisper White taffeta ribbon; Kaiser Kraft pearl accents; White embossing powder; Embossing heat tool; Martha Stewart Butterfly punch; McGill Multi-tag punch.

How's your weekend? I spent yesterday cleaning here and there. I did some sorting in my corner, separating solid-color cardstock from CTMH paper packets. I have a couple of reasons for doing that. One, the patterned paper takes up less room. Two, and more important, it gives me a better idea of what I have on hand with regard to cardstock. Prior to separating it, I thought I was running low on a couple of colors. Not so I found.

Today, Cameron and the boys are coming over. Grandpa is making pancakes for breakfast, and Grandma is making spaghetti for supper. Other than that, I haven't got a whole lot planned. As always, thanks for stopping by! I hope your day is a good one. Later ...

Simple Saturday

I hope you can "see" this card. My photo is looking a little washed out and the pink a bit bluer than it is in "real life." Anyway, this is my Simple Saturday offering.

I used a single stamp for both my background and focal point image. All of the images were stamped with Baby Pink ink with the exception of the center image. Wanting that one to stand out just a little bit more, I used Blush ink. The rest is self-explanatory - narrow black mats, scallops on the bottom, a snippet of ribbon, and a simple sentiment.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Baby Pink, and Black cardstock; Baby Pink, Blush, and Black ink pads; Stampin' Up Oh, So Lovely and Verve Stamps Heartfelt Phrases stamp sets; Ribbon from Wal-Mart; EK Success corner rounder (scallops).

Good morning! While I haven't checked the temperature yet, it's stuffy in my den and feeling like it just might be a warm day in Thief River Falls. The sun is shining - a very good sign! I'm up to the "usual" today - housekeeping chores and the like. After a good night's sleep, my mood is improved over last night. While I didn't grumble in yesterday's post, I was kind of out of sorts last night - for no one reason ... just a bunch of little stuff that was bugging me. I'm sure you know the "mood." As my outlook on life is usually relatively positive, my husband doesn't quite know what to do with a grumpy wife. LOL.

With nothing profound to say, I'm off to have some breakfast, hop in the shower, and then pick a project from my long-enough "to do" list. If I make some progress, I'll reward myself in my corner so I have something to show you later in the day. Until then, enjoy your Saturday! Later ...

Finally ...

I got around to making a round card! I've got to be one of the last person who hangs around the blogosphere to have made one. Why? I dunno. It was kind of fun.

It was this great card on my friend Sharli's Sharli's Place blog that inspired me to try my hand at a round card. Isn't her red, white, and blue card fun? My color scheme was determined by the right-size piece of Blush cardstock laying on my desk last night.

With regard to my design, there isn't a lot to say. I inked my stamp with markers. The sentiment stamp is from a set aptly named "Flexible Friendship Wishes." The dotted vellum I used for the butterflies is from a book of Paper Pizazz patterned vellum that I received as a gift and have been hoarding for years. I did learn something with this one. Had I lined up the scallops right, the card would have stood up straight so I could photographed it that way. As it was, I had to lay it flat. Next time ...

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Blush cardstock; Garden Green ink pad; Garden Green and Blush markers; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and Stampendous Flexible Friendship Wishes stamp sets; May Arts ribbon; Kaiser Krafts pearl accents; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Classic Circles set.

Happy Hump Day! This week is flying right by. While I got some stuff done last night, I didn't knock off everything on my list, so I'm back at it tonight. Tomorrow night, we're going to have overnight guests ... our two favorite little people! Hurray!! With that, I'm going to go see what I can get done. I hope you're having a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by. Later ...

Appreciate What Is

Anyone who knows me or has followed this blog will understand why I love the sentiment on this card. They are three simple little words that speak volumes. My card is simple, too, and while I suppose I could have squeezed some hardware in somewhere, I didn't want to.

As for the stamped design, I find myself unable once again to reveal where and from whom I received my inspiration. At some point during the past couple weeks, I saw something similar somewhere out in the blogosphere. It reminded me of a sunset. If I come across it again, I will edit my post.

For this card, I embossed the flowers on glossy white cardstock and sponged in the background with Sunkiss Yellow, Topiary, and Hollyhock ink (in that order). It would have been a 10 minute card had I not learned - the hard way - that an Embossing Bud is a necessity if you're embossing on glossy cardstock. Had I used my original piece, the stamped design would have looked like a sunset in a dirt storm.

Materials & Tools: White glossy cardstock; Black cardstock; Topiary textured cardstock; Black, Topiary, Sunkiss Yellow, and Hollyhock ink pads; VersaMark ink pad; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and Hero Arts Anytime Messages stamp sets; Black embossing powder; Embossing Buddy.

Back to those words, I read somewhere not long ago that we spend 98 percent of our time thinking about either the past or the future. I thought long and hard about that statement and realized that it's probably accurate. If we're thinking about yesterday or even what happened five minutes ago, we're thinking about the past. More often, we're thinking about what we need to do, and when we are, we're thinking about the future. We spend very little time thinking about what is happening at the moment. To "appreciate what is" is to think about and be grateful for the moment. Staying in the moment, I'm going to sign off without any talk of what was or will be. If you know me, you've got it figured out anyway. . .

Alive and Kicking . . . Er, Stamping

First, thank you to all who have commented on my last two posts. I went to bed right after posting last night and slept straight through until 6 a.m. Evidently, the fever broke during the night, and when I woke this morning, I knew I was on the mend and feeling good enough to go to work. While I still have a cold, am very sore from coughing, and don't feel like mountain climbing, I believe I'm on the road to recovery. This card is for Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge. It's a composition of some of my favorites - color, words, stamps, paper, tools. This challenge is a favorite, too, which is why I'm a little sad that Beate is suspending it until August 15th, while she takes a much deserved break from the blogosphere.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White cardstock; Twilight textured cardstock; Stampin' Up Porcelain Prints Designer Series Paper; Twilight ink pad; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and Verve Visual Serenity stamp sets; Silver mini brads; 1 and 1-1/4 inch circle punches; Piercing tool; Stampin' Up Piercing Guide and Mat.

This second card was actually my first card of the day. Yes, I was up at 6 a.m. in the mood not only to stamp but to do something different and scanning Splitcoast Stampers' site to come up with a new (to me) technique. I decided on the Grid Technique. With no Scor-Pal (Tell me, do I need one of these things?), I used my Empressor tool and guide, which worked just fine. It was kind of fun and a good way to start the day.


Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Garden Green, and Olive cardstock; Olive, Garden Green, and Bamboo stamp pads; Verve Visual Serenity and Memory Box Bugs & Blooms stamp sets; Olive chiffon ribbon; Empressor tool and Guide.

OK. Despite the sore diaphragm, life is good again. In fact, a phone call I received while creating this post made it even better and provided me with a little secret, which hopefully, I'll be able to share in a few days. In the meanwhile, I've got plenty to do, including getting ready for my stamp club meeting on Sunday night.

For tonight, thanks for stopping and cyber hugs to those who extended get well wishes. Have a good weekend, and if you're so inclined, stop back to see what I'm doin'. Later!

Inkspired to Try Something Different

The brayer is not my most-used tool. In fact, I didn't remember which drawer it was in. Other people do amazing things with their brayers, and it's not like I've never tried. Nonetheless, I don't believe, in 10-plus years of stamping, that my previous attempts have ever resulted in a finished card. When I saw this card on Jessica's There She Goes blog, I was inspired to give my brayer another try. It was fun, and I'm pleased as punch with my card. Bjorn thinks it's "beautiful" as well and thinks he should give this card to his daddy, too! With regard to the brayer "technique," I simply played around with colors until I achieved a look I deemed acceptable.

Materials & Tools: Black cardstock; Glossy white cardstock; Black, Breeze, Sunkiss Yellow, Clover Meadow, and Ocean ink pads; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and CTMH Make It Count stamp sets; Black grosgrain ribbon; Silver mini brads; Diamond Stickles; Brayer.

As I listen to news commentators eulogize Tim Russert this morning, I can't help but about think about how lucky we are that Marv's heart problems were caught when they were and the twist of fate that made the discovery come about. Marv played in a memorial golf tournament yesterday, raising money for SIDS. As I enter this post, he's playing with his grandsons in the next room. To those little boys, he's so "big," and I'm not talking about his size. Life is good, and yes, we are so blessed. It's a beautiful morning in northern Minnesota, which is almost surprising, taking into account the not-so-nice weather we've had all week. With thoughts that it may not last, I think I'll get the little guys dressed and outdoors for a little exploration. I know we can find mud . . . Have a good day. I'll most likely be back later.

Weekend Sketch Challenge

Here's my card for Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge. It doesn't include much that requires explanation. I watercolored my stamped image with a Dove blender and ink from my ink pads. I used Prismacolor pencils for my first try, and while they worked just fine, the colors didn't provide the "match" for this bold paper that the coordinating ink did. As far as embellishments beyond the rickrack go, I couldn't see that more would really add anything to the design.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Olive, and Buttercup cardstock; Creative Basics Boom-Di-Ada Collection; Black, Olive, Garden Green, Sweet Leaf, Hollyhock, Brown Bag, Grey Wool, and Twilight ink pads; Stampin' Up Blooming with Love and Papertrey Ink Mixed Messages stamp sets; Dove blending pen; Piercing tool; Stampin' Up Piercing Guide & Mat.

I hope you're enjoying your weekend. Catch you later!

Silhouette Designs

This top card was inspired by the bottom one which was totally inspired by this card on the M.A.D. Stamper blog. In fact, I don't know if "inspired" is the right word. With the exception of the ribbon and sentiment, I downright copied Monika's card 'cuz I loved it so much!

Back to the top card, I think I might even get by with sending this card to a man. The flowers in the patterned paper are small; the ribbon isn't tied in a bow, and the colors are masculine enough. It's pretty, but not girly pretty. I really like stamping these silhouette stamps on patterned paper. It adds depth to a design that otherwise would have been kinda bland.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Desert Sand cardstock; 7 Gypsies Sushi Journey 6x6 Variety Pack; Desert Sand ink pad; Cornish Heritage Farms Silhouettes I and Say it in Style May SOTM stamp sets; Stampin' Up Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon.

As for this pretty pink and green card, the watercolor look was created with markers and a fine mist spray bottle. Like I said, I loved everything about Monika's lovely card, and I'm glad I came across it.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Key Lime, and Carnation Pink cardstock; Carnation Pink ink pad; Carnation Pink and Key Lime Markers; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and Say it in Style May SOTM stamp sets; Stampin' Up Whisper White taffeta ribbon; Cuttlebug w/Swiss Dots embossing folder; Piercing tool; Stampin' Up Piercing Guide and Mat; Scalloped scissors.

I haven't gone anywhere yet today. In fact, I haven't changed out of my pajamas or looked in the mirror as of yet. I haven't had that breakfast I mentioned earlier either, which all means I'm a scaring looking, starving old lady who would rather stamp than anything else. My mother-in-law called a couple of hours ago and invited me out to lunch, but before I could get "OK" out of my mouth, she said, "That's OK." Evidently, there was the slightest hesitation on my part as I was trying to digest what she was saying . . . Nothing like being invited and then uninvited in less than 15 seconds. Sigh . . . I really do need to go get dressed before Marv gets home from the golf course and asks why I wouldn't go out for lunch with his mother. With all that confusion, I'll sign off for now and stop back again later . . .

Heartfelt

These cards were inspired by two sympathy cards I saw in the latest edition of Papercraft's Stamp It! Cards magazine. I tend to keep both the design and message simple when it comes to sympathy cards, so this pair of cards suits my tastes perfectly.

Materials & Tools (silhouette card): White Daisy, Black, and Petal cardstock; Black ink pad; Cornish Heritage Farms Silhouette Blooms I stamp set; Black grosgrain ribbon; Bitty Brads.

Materials & Tools (heartfelt card): White Daisy, Olive, and Garden Green cardstock; Olive and VersaMark ink pads; Stampin' Up Oh, So Lovely and CTMH Say it in Style May SOTM stamp sets; White embossing powder; White gel pen; Ribbon from reasonableribbon.com; Embossing tool.

Little Mathias was up with the birds this morning, while his brother slept in until a few minutes ago. Convincing little brother that he should leave big brother alone to sleep is quite a task. If the sun is up, Mathias thinks everyone should be out of bed. It's time to go see what the munchkins want to eat for breakfast. Looking at the latest weather forecast, it looks agreeable enough to think that we may get to venture outdoors. Good deal. Have a good day. I'll catch you later.

A Quick Card

If you've got five minutes, you can make this card. It's so simple, I can't think of a single thing to say with the exception that I love anything and everything that is red and white.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Cranberry Cardstock; Cranberry ink pad; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and Papertrey Ink Birthday Basics stamp sets; Cranberry gingham ribbon.

Whoa, I'm tired tonight. I went to bed early last night, got up early, went to work early, and got done early. As it always is on a Friday before a holiday, it was quiet at work today, which made for a long day. Bjorn and Mathias are with us tonight. We took them out to dinner. It was fun. The rest of the evening was spent playing Memory and reading books. Bedtime was a breeze with Mathias falling asleep in less than five minutes. It probably won't take Grandma that long! Enjoy the long weekend, and if you get a chance, stop back to see what I'm up to. While I don't have anything specific on the agenda, I'm sure I'll come up with something. Later!!

A Quick Post

Breathe a sigh of relief tonight. I have no time to chat. I do have a half dozen cards to make to fill a graduation card order, and then, I'm off to bed.

Having discovered marker success with this stamp last night, I decided to give it another whirl, this time doing things a little more intentionally. I'm pleased with the results and love the autumn color palette for watercolor-look wildflower cards.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Pansy Purple, Outdoor Denim, and Indian Corn Blue cardstock; Indian Corn Blue and Bamboo ink pads; Garden Green, New England Ivy, Indian Corn Blue, Pansy Purple, Sunflower, Hollyhock, and Goldrush markers; Stampin' Up Essence of Love and CTMH Say it in Style May SOTM stamp sets; Antiqued Copper mini brads; Extra fine mist spritzer; Cuttlebug w/Swiss Dots embossing folder; 1 and 1-1/4 inch circle punches; Sanding block; 3M foam mounting tape.

Tomorrow is Friday. Hurray!!! I'll be back then with my Friday Favorites post, and hopefully, a card or two to show you. Thanks for stopping!