Catching up!

 Well, I have been busy as you can see.  These are Christmas cards and thank you cards in the works.

 My new favorite layout.  Light on top, heavy on bottom (like me, ha!)

 Birthday card for my dad

 Fall cards

 Skateboard card for Hubby's birthday

Thank you card for neighbor

There were a few more made but, apparently I didn't get photos of them (argh.)

Anyway, there was also a ten day visit from my dad over Thanksgiving and I was out of town for six days after that.  I went to visit my darling daughter and her boyfriend in Illinois.

Time to relax for the holidays!

Merry Christmas!!

xo Kat

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

WOW!!  It's been a month!!! 
My sister from Texas was here for two weeks.  Her husband joined us for the second week.  She was kind enough to bring us a few days of sunshine and warmth.  We had trips to the beaches, driving trips along the coast highway and some tourist attractions to visit.  When her husband came we went to Napa for 3 days.  It was awesome!
It has been almost two years since we have seen each other!  I especially loved the girl talk late into the night.  Once we even stayed up until 4 am!!

These pictures were taken at Sterling Winery.  It sits atop a hill and you ride a gondola to get up there.

Sooooo...
On to the reason for this post  The Desk:

I ACTUALLY created something yesterday!!!  I feel the mojo returning.  Whew!  About time!

 Title: "The Garden In Her Hair"  (the song has been in my head for days now).  It's a bit of a jam-packed Steampunk ATC but, I like it.  Also, it was made with stash I already had.

Now I'm off to re-connect with all you lovely blog friends.  Thanks for being so patient with me and I apologize for not getting around to visit sooner.  I can't wait to see what you all have been up to!

Have a wonderful week!!!!  Join the fun here: http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

xo

kat

well then...

I have been MIA.  But, have created a couple things.
Card for my son's 35th birthday (jeepers, he's old!).  He does leather work and has been making wallets of late.  Thought I'd make one for him.

 Stamped, embossed his initials and cut them out.

 

Then for the inside, I made a pocket to put his gift.  

I outlined it in black pencil to look like stitching.  The stamps are from Stampin Up!

Then I made this ATC for Sherri.  She won't get it until next week sometime.  So, if she reads this she will know what's coming.

I have loved the image of this Very Happy Child ever since I saw it!!!  Just had to use it!
So, Sherri, if you see this post...  All I have to say is that it is better than these pics, HA!

Also to Redanne.  Thank you, Sweet Angel, for inquiring about me!  Just took a, well, I dunno... break I guess.  Hard to explain.  Don't mean to be vague just dealing with a lot of stuff and not creating like I'd so rather be doing.  I know y'all understand.

XO
kat

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

Hello All!!!
Firstly.  Thank you to all those who came by last week and left such sweet well wishes about my hand.  I truly appreciate every one of you!!!!!!!!!!  It has been two weeks now and I have healed very nicely.  I'll have some teeth marks for a while but without any muscle or tendon damage, whew!

Yippee, it's Wednesday!!  The day of the week that all us crafters get to travel around the world via the blog sphere to visit one another.  All thanks to the Julia, the WOYWW Grand Dame of Wednesday!
http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

My desk, as of today, when the first attempts of creativity happened in a week.

Two ATC's in simultaneous progress.  Beach themes.  I'll post the finished pieces soon.
Plus experimenting with alcohol ink, Ranger crackle and mica watercolor on the little canvas (left).

So.  Pupper goes back to the vet today for round two.  We are allowing more time for the sedative this time.  Fingers crossed.
XOXO y'all!!!!
kat

**Also check into my Summer Wedding ATC Swap here:http://kathryn-papermatters.blogspot.com/2012/06/hosting-my-first-ever-atc-swap.html

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

Nadda, zip, nuthin.  That's what.  No change from last week due to my hand injury.
But, do please check out my first ATC swap (two posts below or button on sidebar)  Would love for you to join!!
Sorry you came by for nothing (desk wise) so I'll leave you a couple of pics you can upload to use.  Obviously I can still type and click, Ha!

 But, Julia has a ton of more sites to snoop visit just by clicking here http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

XOXO
kat

Pupper

This is Allie as a puppy in August 2005

And as puppies do (so quickly!) she grew up

She is a border collie and scary smart!  Also, very spoiled but still as cute as ever!

So last week I took her to the vet to get her teeth cleaned.  The vet gave her a shot of sedative and said she should be out in about 10 min.   30 minutes later she's just as awake as ever.  Adrenaline was keeping her up.  They talked about putting a muzzle on her to give her a different medication.  As soon as the muzzle came out so did her full mouth of teeth.  NO WAY!  So.  We decided to reschedule for the next day with a different medication.
We went home.  As soon as she got inside the house she stumbled, stood still for a few seconds then passed out cold.  Yeah.
I called the vet.  They could give her a "wake up" shot if she was still in the car for me to bring her back.  Nope.  She waited until she got home.  She weighs 51 lb. no way I could lift her.  She was to be out for at least 3 hours.
Now here's where it gets interesting.  I'm watching her and her breathing is down to 5-8 per minute and so is her heart rate.  I'm stimulating her to breathe while I'm getting more worried by the second.  (I'm a retired nurse)  I decide that I must get her into the car and rush her back to the vet.  As I'm trying to lift her limp body she suddenly wakes up enough to bite my right hand!  She clamped down and began squeezing on the meaty part of my thumb/palm and the top almost to the point where her teeth met in the middle.  I finally pried her mouth open to free my hand and she immediately passed out again!  Now I'm the one with the adrenaline rush!  Washed and bandaged and tried to calm myself as I watch her now breathing fine.  Figures.
Next day my hand is swollen x 2, red, hot and hurting.  Off to the doctor I go.  Antibiotic shot in the bum and oral antibiotics to take for 10 days.  Fun times.
Hubby learned about it all afterward, Allie doesn't remember and I'm not sure when I'll tell the vet (we rescheduled).
So.  Not much creativity with an injured hand.  Much better today.  Took all the bandages off and am letting nature do the healing.
xo
kat

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

Hello all!  I'm posting today so it must be Wednesday!!

Not much happened on my desk this past week.  A few Father's Day cards and an ATC to go into the mail today.

 Pretty boring.

This is a lot more exciting!

Received from Sweet May from the UK!

A beautiful ATC and some goodies!

Thank you May!!

Received from the Lovely Lorinda from Canada!

"Girlie Girl" ATC, sooo pretty!

And, some yummy goodies!

Thank you Lorinda!!

Received from the Amazing Anne from the UK!

Two wonderful ATC's and an awesome card!!

Thank you Anne!!!!

Thank you all for your beautiful and generous gifts!  This is SO MUCH FUN!!!  We should keep it going!

Hop over to Julia's house http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/   and see how all this started.  It's a blast!!!

I'm late as usual but I'm here.  Have to take the pupper to the vet so, I'll be around to see you asap.

Love and Kisses!

kat

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

Is it already Wednesday???  Seems like I just woke up from last Wednesday!  As in, I must have slept a whole week in between!  It's 11:15 pm on Tuesday here in California so it must be Wednesday already in the rest of the world.

The Desk (as of 20 min. ago)

 A lot of piddling and a lot of nothing produced.

Playing with alcohol inks and dying stick-ons, crystals and pearls.
We'll see.  Mojo on the down side this week.
Here's the link to all this world nosiness: http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by to see me!
xo
kat

WOYWW 3rd Anniversary!!

Drum roll...........

Happy Anniversary Julia

and WOYWW Bloggers !!

Join the celebrations here!  http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

I cannot hardly wait to see all the wonderful work and workdesks out there this week!!  Is it time, is it time??
I'm squirming in my chair!!!!!

Until then here is my boring old desk.  And, it is tidy, by golly!!!

 YES!  That surely is a glass of wine you see there!  We're celebrating remember!!!  (at least I am!)

The shell.  Well, I was visiting one of my fav blogs http://mysalvagedtreasures.blogspot.com/ where Betsy posted some altered abalone shells.  They are gorgeous!  I didn't have an abalone shell so I grabbed a plain ol' shell, painted it with my Mica watercolors, dried it, stuck some pearls on and five minutes later...  Still playing with it and all will have to be glued on permanently. 

I will try not to be so darn late getting around this week!  I appreciate all of you so much!!
xoxo
kat

Red Anne - finished piece

Hallo!!
Here is Red Anne.  Due to the frame it is slightly larger than an ATC.  Finished out at approx. 5.5" x 4". 
And... I accidentally dropped a big glob of glue on her chin!  Not one of my 8 types of erasers would remove it so I ended up ripping out the image and replacing it.  This picture was taken before the "surgery".  You can see the glue spot.  It all worked out fine in the end and she's good as new.  *whew*!

I used gold Smooch paint on the frame, birdcage, metal heart and large velvet flowers.
Hope you like it!  Thanks for looking!!!
Hugs!
kat

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

Hello there!!!  Wednesday has become my very favorite day of the week!  Why, you may ask... because it's WOYWW!!!!  Join the fun over at Julia's house here: http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

Now for the reveal (oh boy!)

 Lots going on but clean up isn't part of it!

Working on another ATC, "Lady in Red"  I'm thinking of calling her Red Anne (you know I'm talking about you ;)  )  Anyway, fun to gather all the elements.  The background is a piece cut from a sheet I painted with mica watercolors (USArt Quest).  Playing with different hat pins too.

This is the paper I painted.  8.5" x 11"  It's the same sheet just different light in each view.  I also use it to punch out shapes and borders.







To prep for a swap sponsored by Alpha Stamps, I had to move to the dining table.  Gee, I wonder why?  Also, DH is away so... the Kat will play (in any room she pleases).

I found the glass "baubles" on deep discount at Michael's.  Not sure how or if I'll even use them but I couldn't resist the colors.  I'll use them for inspiration if nothing else.  I've got more treasures on order from Alpha Stamps.  Click on their button on my sidebar to find out more.

One last bit...  I found this site through another blog friend Betsy http://mysalvagedtreasures.blogspot.com/
** you'll LOVE her blog!!!
 I am having too much fun with this app!!!!  And, it's FREE!!!  Check it out here:  http://www.picmonkey.com/

and here are just three pics I "altered"

Now if someone could please walk me through changing my blog background (I've wasted 5 hours on it so far with nothing to show!) I would be forever grateful!!!  Like give-you-my-right-shoe-or-my-first-born kind of grateful!  Though he may have something to say about that and you probably wouldn't want a 35 year old former Marine living with you...  but, I would gladly give you both my shoes or anything else, just name it!!!  I'm serious.

Have a great week!  I'll be by to see you too!

Hugs!

kat