Sidekick Sayings

Whoo! Hoo! I made it! I would usually be referring to the fact that it's Friday, but this time I mean that I managed to make a new post everyday this week! I guess I should wait until this weekend to celebrate if I make two more posts, but I've at least made seven in a row now! It's just like summer...except for the big dark circles and bags under my eyes! lol!

I hope everyone is doing well and has a wonderful Friday and weekend! Thank you for all of your nice comments, you don't know how much they brighten up my day!

Recipe Stamps: Sidekick Sayings. Cardstock: Real Red, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Dashing DSP.
Ink: Real Red, Old Olive, More Mustard. Accessories: Aquapainters, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Old Olive Brads, Paper Piercer, Photo Corner Punch, Dimensionals.

Glad Tidings

Glad Tidings...with contraband! I actually made this card this summer and realized I never shared it. Don't you love this tree paper? I had been hoarding it for awhile *ahem, several years* ahem. Bashful Blue is one of my favorite colors and Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, so this paper was like a dream come true!

Wish me luck today...I've stayed home sick the last two days, but feel I must go back to school today. I have a doctor's appointment at 3:30, it was the earliest I could get in. I think it's just a sinus infection, but sitting up or standing up, I break into a sweat, get all dizzy, feel like my head is going to explode and I may pass out. (Is that dramatic enough for ya?!) I mention the good luck part because I just ripped dh's poor head off when he was asking a simple question about where to put the dry cleaning. Uh-oh. Doesn't bode well for the children today...yikes!

I did make it through Stamp Club last night, thanks for coming ladies, if you're reading! I needed some *girl time* badly! You don't know how much I enjoyed it and how much you help me!

Okay, have a terrific Thursday!

Recipe Stamps: Glad Tidings. Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Certainly Celery DSP, tree paper ?. Ink: Bashful Blue craft. Accessories: Blue Gingham Ribbon, Silver Brad, Paper Piercer & Template, Silver Circle Frame Joann's brand.

merry

I know AJ asked me not to make anymore cards with this Jumbo Outline Alphabet, but it was too late...I had already made a couple more last weekend. You know I love using alphabets on cards! So sorry, AJ, go ahead and bite the bullet and buy this set, you need it! *wink* *wink* Tell Santa!!

I used some more Dashing paper scraps on this one, love those scraps! Waste not, want not, right?! I also colored inside the letters with a Versamarker, it's very subtle, but hopefully you can see it a little.

On a side note, I just saw that Waitress was out on video now. If you didn't get a chance to see it, go out and rent it, it's really good! Okay, have a wonderful Wednesday!

Recipe Stamps: Jumbo Outline Alphabet. Cardstock: Real Red, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Dashing DSP. Ink: Real Red. Accessories: Versamarker, Always Artichoke Brads, Snow Blossom Punch.

Peace

Ahhhh, peace. I hope you're feeling some! I was on a bit of a Wild Wasabi kick last weekend, it's great for holiday cards and looks good mixed with so many other colors. Here it's mixed with some patterned paper from the DCWV from Joann's. I'm trying to make myself use some of those big stacks of paper that I can never resist at 50% off! The chipboard bird is also from a Joann's 50% off huge chipboard pack.

On a funny note, I couldn't resist taking a picture of Nick the other night during a bit of animal cruelty on his owner's part! He went in for grooming last Friday, excellently timed with a cold front hitting, and he was soooo cold and shivering when he got home. I remembered this little coat I bought him several years ago from a Christmas trip home to Missouri, but it was too large for him and I never got around to returning it. (Does anyone else have a closet full of stuff you never get around to returning?)

Isn't he the cutest? The front part is too long and seriously hampered his walking. Wish I could have got an action shot of him walking, my camera does make movies, maybe I'll have to figure out how to do that. I decided I could hem the front and it might work (given my track record of completing alterations, dh says he's not holding his breath waiting for this to happen...he has some pants with a stapled crotch seam to prove his point!) Anyway, I coined him Sherlock Nick (he just needs the little tweed hat) or Mr. Barky von Schnauzer (don't you love that Petsmart commercial?!)


Okay, I hope you have a terrific and peaceful Tuesday!

Recipe Stamps: All in a Row. Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Cranberry Crisp, DCWV Winter Stack patterned paper. Ink: Chocolate Chip, Versamark. Accessories: Hodgepodge Hardware Kit, Cranberry Crisp Stitched Ribbon, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Dimensionals, 1 1/4' Circle Punch, Chipboard Bird from Joann's.

SCS Color Challenge 141

More stamping, can you believe it?! I loved this Splitcoast Color Challenge 141 using Wild Wasabi, Pretty in Pink, and Whisper White, so I gave it a go last night while watching The Amazing Race. (Anyone else watch it? Sad to see that couple go...our favorite moment so far this season is that girl having a meltdown last week while milking a camel..."THERE'S NO MORE MILK!" Drinking that warm camel milk? -->insert shudder here)

Okay, back to the card. If you have time, go check out the gallery for this challenge. There are some fabulous cards with this color combo, I love it! I think my card needs a little something else, but I was wearing down and gave up. Hope the photo doesn't look too dark, had to take it at night...I knew I wouldn't be home again during daylight until Saturday. (Have I mentioned I HATE Daylight Savings Time?!)

Well, must finish getting ready for school now. I've accepted it. I have to go. I'm putting on my big girl pants and trying to deal with it. Actually, running through my head is that song Big Girls Don't Cry...by that girl who sings it...you know...it's on the radio every 5 minutes...she's got to get a move on...she's going to miss him like a child misses its blanket......which really has nothing to do with going back to work after a wonderful 5 day break, except neither of us are going to cry.

Have a marvelous Monday! Don't cry!

Recipe Stamps: Jumbo Outline Alphabet, Typeset Alphabet Lower. Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White. Ink: Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasabi. Accessories: Wild Wasabi Double Stitched Ribbon, Spiral Punch, Dimensionals, Cuttlebug & Snowflakes Embossing Template, Pink Clip from Rob & Bob Studio.

SCS Featured Stamper TexasGrammy

I don't have as much time as I'd like to participate in the Splitcoast Challenges, but when I saw the Featured Stamper Challenge today was featuring TexasGrammy, I had to join in! I've been lucky enough to get to know TexasGrammy, aka Bev Gerard, and spend time with her, and she is the BEST! She is one of the most sincerely nice, caring, thoughtful, and "real" people I have ever met. She's the kind of person you just know you could call in an emergency, and she would be there and do anything for you. I love ya, Bev!

Okay, enough gushing, on to the card! I copied this wonderful card where Bev used Simply Circles. I kept the same layout, just changed the colors and stamp set. I also used taffeta ribbon where she used cord, as I don't have any cord left right now. Do we still sell that? I don't think so, maybe just the new elastic cord in the Holiday Mini, which I never ordered.

Go check out TexasGrammy's gallery and give the Featured Stamper Challenge a try! Hope your Sunday is super!

Recipe Stamps: The Snowflake Spot. Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, and Whisper White. Ink: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, and Craft White. Accessories: Blue Taffeta Ribbon, Jumbo Eyelet, Circle Punches: 1 3/8", 1 1/4", 1", and 3/4".

Peek-A-Boo Box

As usual, I'm one of the last ones to catch on to a trend (believe me, if you met me in person, you'd never believe I was a fashion major in college...I better not even say my college to save the department and professors embarrassment!), but I recently spotted these cute, little peek-a-boo boxes and decided it would be a great project for Stamp Club this month. I kept intending to go to the store and get little treats to put inside the box, but let's face it...the little treats never stay inside the box. They end up inside me. (If there's any doubt, I could show you the way this Halloween candy bar wrapper and basket look now!)

I've been enjoying my Thanksgiving break way tooo much. So much that the realization that tomorrow is Sunday and I must return to work Monday has just hit me HARD. Nooooooo! I miss my life, please don't make me go back! Once I'm back (fully immersed and drowning) I'll forget that I had a life and all will be fine...it's just the transition time that's difficult to face! Am I the only one going through this right now?!

Well, dh is calling me because I'm missing the Mizzou Tigers football game on national television (oops, let my alma mater slip there!). Guess I better go show some school spirit, plus his second cousin is on the team or something...no worries, I can stamp and watch at the same time!

Recipe Stamps: Sparkling Sayings. Cardstock: Dashing DSP, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke. Ink: Real Red and Always Artichoke. Accessories: Star Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" and 1/2" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Square Punch, 5/8" Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals.

Big on Christmas!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving! I'm sure that no one laid around and ate too much...like I did! I did spend a little time in the stamp room getting projects ready for Stamp Club, which is this Sunday and next Wednesday night. This is one of the projects using Big on Christmas. I've had this set for some time, which is perfect for the "snow" across the top. I've been dying to try this since Shelli showed it at Convention, super easy!

Happy Black Friday! Good luck if you decide to venture out of the house and hit the retail scene!

Card Recipe Stamps: Big on Christmas. Cardstock: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Watercolor paper, Close to Cocoa Prints Designer Series Paper. Ink: Staz-On Jet Black, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Groovy Guava, Always Artichoke, Ruby Red. Accessories: Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds, Blue Bayou Double-Stitched Ribbon, Silver Brads, Dimensionals, and Horizontal Slot Punch.

Wrapping up the Holidays Promotion!

In case you haven't heard, Stampin' Up! announced an exciting special, Wrapping up the Holidays, that runs now through December 15, while supplies last.

Item Number	Description	Price
112409	Holiday Tag Bundle	$4.95
110380	Tags for All Stamp Set* (20% off)	$24.76
110264	Designer Gift cards* (30% off)	$4.55
109862	Chocolate Chip satin ribbon*	Buy 1, get 1 free!
109863	Purely Pomegranate satin ribbon*	Buy 1, get 1 free!
108333	Tin 3-Pack	$9.95
110147	Celebration wrapping paper*	$17.95
110228	Hand Selected Accents & Elements (25% off)	$8.21

Some of the details:

• There is no limit to the number of items a customer may purchase, but Holiday Mini items are available only while supplies last.
• The Holiday Tag Bundle includes 15 of each of the following pieces:

-Whisper White card stock
-Real Red textured card stock
-Soft Sky Prints Designer Series Paper (Dotted Diamond pattern)
-Real Red twill tape

• The satin ribbon offer (buy one, get one free) is good on both the Purely Pomegranate and Chocolate Chip ribbon. Customers may select any combination of ribbon for their free ribbon. For example, a customer can buy one Chocolate Chip and choose a second Chocolate Chip or a Purely Pomegranate ribbon for the free ribbon.
• The Tin 3-Pack contains three empty Accents & Elements tins. These tins have never been available for purchase separately.

You can get more details, get more ideas, and download the official flier here. Let me know if you have any questions or find a Stampin' Up! demonstrator in your area here.

Time Well Spent!

Who loves free stamps?! I do!! Stampin' Up! sent all demonstrators this brand new set, Time Well Spent, that will be a new Level 3 Hostess set in the new catalog coming out January 1. Isn't that amazing? It has a great "doodley" look, and I know it will challenge me to watercolor more.

I made this card last night (after I had a short nap of course) to celebrate the kick-off of my Thanksgiving break!! I had some scraps of patterned paper laying on my desk, so I used them together...not a combo I would have put together on my own, but I ended up really liking it. The velvet ribbon was also a tiny scrap I had laying around. I've said it before, but I do love the scraps!

The card layout, I got from this sketch 33 from the Sketch This Cards blog. I always love their sketches and the artwork of their designers. Below here is a picture of the stamp set, so you can see all the wonderful stamps close-up. I'm starting to get really excited about the new SU catalog, even though I know it's gonna cost me and I can't afford it!


My holiday is off to a great start..nap last night...slept in until 10:00 this morning...it's bringing back some wonderful flashbacks to last summer! Looking forward to spending a peaceful, relaxing holiday here at home with dh. And stamping, of course! I hope you do the same!

Recipe Stamps: Time Well Spent. Cardstock: BlueBayou, Purely Pomegranate, Whisper White, Brocade Background DSP, Apple Cider DSP. Ink: Blue Bayou, Purely Pomegranate, Old Olive, and Staz-On Jet Black. Accessories: Purely Pomegranate Double-Stitched Ribbon, Sherbert Ribbon, Aqua Painters, Stapler, Dimensionals, 2-Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Paper Piercer & Template, and Ice Circle Rhinestone Brad.

Cuttlebug Challenge

I finally stamped, can you believe it?! I signed up recently for a Cuttlebug Challenge in one of my Yahoo groups. You make a card and send it to someone and someone else makes you a card. They kind of move around in a circle. This challenge was to use your Cuttlebug, or any other type of die cutter/embosser you have, so I decided that would be a good challenge for me (as mine does tend to collect dust!).

This card is 5x7 (card stock cut 7x10 and scored at 5" on the 10" side), and it had a matching envelope that I embossed as well. I used the Cuttlebug Snowflakes embosser. All of the patterned paper pieces are embossed, but it's a little hard to see in the photo. The next photo shows the little tags when you pull them out of the pockets. I used mostly Certainly Celery, Sage Shadow, Always Artichoke, Confetti White, Wintergreen Designer Series Paper and Season of Joy stamp set. Feel free to email me or post any particular questions.


Okay, I'm off to school, running late! It's the last day before Thanksgiving break, give me strength!! I don't know who's more excited...the kids or me! Who am I kidding...it's me!

Let's All Go to the Movies...

Okay, I still haven't been stamping, so I thought I would recommend some movies. After going to the school last Sunday afternoon to work, I decided to stop on the way home and see a movie. I needed a break, a total get-away. I saw Dan in Real Life, and it was great! Who knew Steve Carell could be normal and look SO cute?!





And since seeing this movie, I can't get this song out of my head! It's moved into my top 10 favorites of all time now!






Lastly, I just recently saw Happy Feet when it premiered on Starz one Saturday night. I think I have watched it like ten times now, while grading papers, writing lesson plans, cleaning house, etc...everytime it's on again, I have it playing in the background somewhere in the house. It's just the happiest movie with the best message. I've never thought much about penguins, one way or another, but after watching that little penguin dance, you can't help but love penguins and feel sooooo happy!






Okay, hope you enjoyed that little bit of entertainment! I *plan* to stamp tomorrow, if all goes well. Worst case scenario...only two days of school this week to get through, then I"ll be off Wednesday - Sunday! Yahoooo! Lots of stamping and relaxing planned for then! I hope you'll be able to join me! *wink*

Stamper's Showcase!

I have a card on Stamper's Showcase today! I'm having a "Beate" moment! She's always on there! (For non-SU demonstrators, Stamper's Showcase is a gallery where SU features several SU demonstrator cards everyday on their demonstrator-only portion of the website.) I've been on there a few time over my five years as a demonstrator, but not very often. When I go to Stampin' Up! events, I'll easily see a dozen cards of mine on the display boards, but I just rarely make the Showcase, so it feels nice.

Anyway, I thought I posted this card before, but I quickly went through the previous months and couldn't find it. DH just looked at it and said "It's cute. I like the North Pole thing and the whimsical way the star is too big for the tree." Hmmmm....is that a compliment? I'm not so sure!

Here's the recipe, copied from the SU website as I'm officially running late now! Have a great day!

Stamps: PERFECT PRESENTATION HOSTESS STAMP SET ALL IN A ROW STAMP SET	Paper: CARD STOCK REAL RED 8 1/2X11 CARD STOCK SO SAFFRON 8 1/2X11
Inks: CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD REAL RED CLASSIC STAMPIN PAD SO SAFFRON	Accessories: RIBBON GINGHAM RED CRAFTERS' TOOL KIT PUNCH HANDHELD 1/16 INCH CIRCLE BRADS SOFT SUBTLES STAMPIN DIMENSIONALS

Stamp Club Challenge

Well, I'm a little late in posting these, but wanted to share the fantastic cards some of my Stamp Club members made last month. Pictured above are the supplies they received: Old Olive Prints Pattern Designer Series Paper, Confetti Card Stock, Old Olive button and 5/8" Wide Chocolate Grosgrain Ribbon. Their only instructions were to make a "fall" card, although I didn't write that down, so that was bad on the "teacher's" part!

Here is Beverly Mohler's card...great watercoloring and paper piercing...and loved the addition of the tab punch!

Here is Lori Franklin's card...ingenious use of the ribbon by fraying it to make the giraffe's hair! And she has a brand new baby niece in the family, so can't blame her for making a baby card!

This is Beth Houser's card...I forgot to add the Old Olive button in her supply packet, so she added her own! I love the way she did the ribbon with the fold-over and button on top. Also, just realized I should have photographed the inside, because the little tracks on the front of the card lead to a precious turkey stamped on the inside! So cute and clever!

Here is Michelva Evan's card...love the addition of the Ruby Red card stock and lovely leaf punches!

Okay, back to work for me. Graded papers all day yesterday (when I wasn't sleeping!)...next week is the end of the 2nd six week period so grade cards will be sent out again. I'm determined to not be behind this time, and since I'm attending an all-day TAKS reading seminar next Saturday, I'm planning ahead (a rare occurrence for me!).

By the way, the school fall festival was a smashing success. As I mentioned, this was really our first school event, and the kids and parents really seemed to enjoy it. There was a large turn-out, and we raised a lot of money for the school. The kids really loved decorating the cupcakes...although not as much as throwing wet sponges at the PE Coach!

Hope you're having a great weekend and getting some stamping done! I've set aside 7-10pm tonight to squeeze some in, during my Sunday night shows, yeaaaa!

540 Reasons

Isn't this romantic? Not really, I just had some Cuttlebug numbers (4 to be exact) laying on my desk from an old project, so I threw this card together. It was the same night as the last card I posted, while watching the Amazing Race and using my new Joann's winter mat stack. I guess I'll have a card ready for next year's anniversary, though, right? (That should give me enough time to start thinking of these 540 reasons...)

Speaking of numbers, last night I baked something like 78 cupcakes for our school Fall Festival tomorrow night. (Not to self: do NOT sign up for the cupcake decorating booth next year!) I still have like 3 more boxes to bake tonight. I may never make cupcakes again after this. I really should have stopped after work and bought more muffin pans...it goes very slowly with only two. I'm actually very excited about the Festival, it's the first event like this our school has ever had. Wish us luck...I'll let you know how it turns out!

Hope your Thursday is super!

Big Deal abc

Whoo! Hoo! After working all day Saturday and spending the majority of Sunday in bed with a migraine, I managed to stamp for one hour Sunday night while watching The Amazing Race with hubby. (You know, you have to have some "quality" time together!)

It felt so good to stamp again! Usually I'm "rusty" after not stamping much, but I cranked out two cards pretty quickly. I bought a new winter mat stack at Joann's two weeks ago with a 50% off coupon (I was buying supplies for school next door at Staple's...it just happened to be next door to Joann's...how can a girl resist that?!). When I saw the blue stripe and green polka dot in the stack, I immediately thought of school (or maybe it's just because that's ALL I think about and it's sucking the life blood out of me), so I made this "abc" card. I'm sure there will be an occasion where I can use it for someone at school.

Thanks for all your kind comments about the "throwing up" incident. It made me feel much better reading them! We haven't had anymore incidents like that at school, thank goodness!

Some other exciting news...dh set up wireless service in our house now, and I am addicted!! How did I ever live without a laptop and wireless service?!! I know it's not a Mac, but it is blazing fast, especially compared to my five year old desktop model. DH named our network LLN...Local Laziness Network. It does make it very hard to get off the couch now...if I could just reach the printer...

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Recipe Stamps: Big Deal Alphabet. Card Stock: Brocade Blue, Whisper White, Winter Mat Stack. Ink: Real Red, Brocade Blue, More Mustard. Accessories: Real Red 5/8' Grosgrain Ribbon, Button, Sanding Block, thread, Glue Dot, stapler.