"those" people

Let me just warn you that you may need a snack to get through this post.  It came out long.  

Apparently I've become one of "those" people. 

You know, the people who buy things and then forget they bought them? 

aaarrrggggg.......

I'm really very stingy with my money and think pretty hard about my purchases before I make them.  My problem here is that I just haven't been a very ambitious stamper this year. 

Here is the beginning of my story:

I needed a thank you card.  I wanted it to have a fall theme since...... it is fall.

Here is what I ended up with;

 Another Thank You photopolymer set, dictionary background and gorgeous grunge sets.  Crumb cake, cajun craze, old olive and very vanilla cardstock.  Early espresso and old olive inks.  Big shot, delicate doilies die, designer naturals buttons, leaves #2 die (retired), sweater weather DSP,  paper tea doilies, modern medley DSP, linen thread.  

I really like how it turned out even though its really not my usual style.  I love love love this particular pattern in the Sweater Weather DSP.  I love plaid.  And I love yellow......and orange.....and brown.

I also love love love the photopolymer sets.  They are awesome!

Don't look too closely (well, I know you're going to now) but can you tell that the dictionary stamp is upside down?  No?  Then forget I said anything.  Not like you can read it anyway.

On the cajun craze leaf I wrinkled the cardstock so much that it started to separate and so I split it in half.  It feels nice and soft like suede now.  If that doesn't make sense to you just give me a holler and I'll explain it better.

Okay so here is the rest of the story.

Today, after I've mailed off my card.  I happen to open an email and this person was submitting a card for a color challenge.  The very same colors I just used!  So I thought I would submit my card also.

Fab Friday Challenge Blog






I happen to admire all the people on their design team.  So I'm looking at their samples and see that the leaf die cuts on Amy O'Neill's card are different than mine.  Hmmmmmm........

So I look in the catalog and see that indeed.........I have the old Leaves #2 die that I think retired last year.  Oh well, it will be fine.  My friend can substitute the leaves if she would like to recreate it.  The Autumn Accents leaf die is current (and happens to be on sale this week).  Which I happen to like better than the Leaves #2 die........ but whatever.

Later I'm trying to design cards for my card class this Friday (because I procrastinate) and I go to get my Fun Flowers die and guess what I pull out instead?

The Autumn Accents die.  Seriously?  For real?

Well the card is gone and there's not a darn thing I can do about it.  So Charmaine, if you're reading this, those leaves are now considered vintage.

Moral of the story?  If you want to make sure you use current things.......put the retired ones elsewhere.  Or put a sticky on them.  Or better yet sell them.  Anybody want to buy a Leaves #2 die?

Alrighty then, thanks for listening to what a dork I am.  You guys rock!

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings, b.

back in the saddle again..........

Hey there!  I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Day!  Ours was a sign of times to come.  Both big kids went to parties where they slept over.  So it was just me and the Mr. and Grace.  Talk about quiet! 

I've been thinking about resolutions and what I'd really like to focus on this year.   

Most importantly I want to quit procrastinating so much.  I don't even realize I'm doing it half the time.  Simple things like, paying the bills on the day we get paid, cleaning the toilet before I see its getting a little...........you know, sweeping and mopping the kitchen at least weekly, etc.  

Can anyone relate? 

Hello?.........hello?.......moving on.....

Alrighty then, I know its already January but I still want to show you the completed Dec. Daily.  I'll just do 8 pages at a time so I don't bore you to death. 

The cover:

  Grace said she wanted to do the cover.  I like it.


Inside the front cover:

Do you see that groovy die cut shape?  Thats the new Label Framelits.  Super neato dies in the Occasions Catalog.  Love them!


Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

I didn't get permission from my friends to post their pics.  Really, they have beautiful faces.

Day 4

Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 7:

Day 8:

All pages use a variety of the same supplies: 

Classic Numbers (retired) and Fabulous Phrases.  Crumb cake, naturals white, garden green, riding hood red cardstock.  Riding hood red and garden green inks.  Round tab punch, 3/4" and 1" circle punches, bakers twine, hemp, black journaler, Forest Lodge DSP, scallop border punch, leaves #2 die, big shot, and dimensionals.

The pages are 8.5 x 5.5, just 1/2 a piece of cardstock.  No waste that way.  I'm all about making things simple. 

Alrighty then, its back to work tomorrow.   

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking in. 

Blessings, b.

Are you there?

Once again I'm sorry about disappearing on you.  Things got super hectic again and I got caught up in too many things. 

So I slowed down....................well, as much as the kids would let me.

I played LOTS of Christmas music (love my Johnny Mathis) and cooked and shopped and visited and ate way too many goodies.  Way too many.

I hope you were able to enjoy the holiday with your loved ones.

Now a new year is going to start and I'm thinking of what I want to do differently this year.  There is so much room for improvement.  Leave a comment here or shoot me an email and let me know what your 2012 goals are and I'll share mine as soon as I narrow the list down. 

So for today I want to show you a few things I worked on for Christmas.  The Dec. Daily is really behind but I will be showing you that also in the next few days. 

Delicate Doilies.  Garden green, crumb cake and poppy parade cardstock.  Versamark ink.  Whisper white embossing powder, simple letters die, big shot. 


Remember 17 had that Secret Santa thing in yearbook?  Well this was another little gifty for the girl. 

Quick, simple and cute.  I used the Coluzzle to cut out the circle. 

Loads of Love stamps.  Crumb cake, whisper white, old olive and riding hood red cardstock.  Black Stazon ink.  Leaves #2 die, big shot, 1/2" circle punch, cropodile, Brights Patterned DSP, old olive striped ribbon, cherry cobbler bakers twine. 

Teacher gifts.  I had some really old kraft boxes that SU! used to sell and are selling again in the Holiday Mini, to box up some crackers and cookies. 

The tags have a Starbucks gift card in them.  We had the idea to make the leaves look like holly but I kept thinking they look like antlers.  I didn't tell Grace that though :). 

Loads of Love and Woodgrain.  Crumb cake, riding hood red and whisper white cardstock.  Garden green and choc. chip markers, crumb cake ink.  White taffeta, Frostwood lodge DSP, Designer frames embossing folders, big shot, wide oval punch and dimensionals.

Here is THE Christmas card.  I really like them.  They seriously only took me a half hour to design.  That is super fast for me.  I don't send that many out so I got about 18 of them done in a few hours.  WooHoo!

My desk was too messy to take a pic on. 

This was the first time using the Designer Frames embossing folders.  I kinda dig them!  I don't have any Christmas stamps so I searched around for what would work.  The tree from Loads of Love fit perfectly!

I used markers to ink up the tree.  I sponged everything, which I don't normally do.  Too much work.  I've become a lazy stamper. 

Loads of Love and Delicate Doilies.  Crumb cake, riding hood red and garden green cardstock.  Garden green and choc. chip markers, whisper white craft ink.  Frostwood Lodge DSP, wide oval punch, Designer Frames embossing folders, corner rounder and dimensionals.


This is a gift card holder.  Super easy to do!

I made a belly band to go around it to hold it closed. 

And here I am working hard to get things done.  Just keeping it real................

Thanks so much for keeping the blog cozy while I was gone.  I have plans to be much more consistent. 

Blessings, b.

birthday boy

Hey there!  We had a nice weekend here.  Although its still too hot.  I'm ready for some fall weather.  I hope you had a nice weekend. 

Yesterday, my firstborn, my baby boy, my only son, The Boy, had a birthday.  19.  WOW!  How did this happen? 

I'm at that season in my life when time is literally flying by.  I really need to make a better effort to slow down and soak things in.  You know, don't sweat the small stuff, stop and smell the roses and all that jazz...............I'm trying.

I want to show you the card I made him. 

Do the Hula (retired) and really really really old sentiment.  Whisper white, old olive, crumb cake and watercolor paper.  Poppy parade, black Stazon, soft suede and pacific point inks.  Big shot, leaves #2 die, wood sheets and aquapainter. 

This summer he bought himself a surfboard.  He hasn't really learned how to surf but he now has surf racks on the car.  If nothing else, he looks really cool. 

I thought I was so clever because I used the wood sheets SU! sells for the surfboard.  It actually looks like his board.  They are so thin that they cut really easily with scissors.  I even bent the excess I had and it didn't break.  Tough stuff man!  Well, it is backed with paper. 

I have to explain the tree.  Now picture this, the trunk is off the card.  What you see is just the palm fronds hanging into view.  The Boy understood that but I had to explain it to the hubs.  Just want to cover my bases here. 

Alrighty then.  I have another sympathy card to make.  The husband of one of the ladies I work with died on Friday.  Another cancer victim.  Thats 5 people in the last 7 weeks.  I feel like God is trying to tell me something.  I'm not sure what but, I did make an appointment for a physical. 

Why don't you make an appointment too. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I love when you do that. 

Blessings, b.

thankful

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I really try to give thanks every day of the year and find the blessings I receive each day.  But on Thanksgiving day, everybody is on the same page. 

I have so much to be thankful for. 

I'm thankful for my family.  Thankful that we are together.  We are in good health and those of us that aren't, well, we're dealing with it through the Lord's good graces.  Thankful for the time we do have together. 

I'm thankful that the Lord provides for me every day.  I try hard not to worry about every little thing.  So hard for me not to. 

I'm thankful for my friends.  Friends that lift me up and understand my whacked out brain.  We can lean on each other when things get rough without criticism. 


And I'm thankful everyday for you, dear reader.  When I happen to check the stats and see that somebody came by to check things out, it makes me feel so good.  When you leave me a comment or send me an email, I can't tell you how awesome it is to feel connected to you.  I've made some friends from this blog.  And I'm thankful for each one of you. 

So now, I thought I'd show you some Thanksgiving things we made a few years ago.

Fall Harvest wheel.  Great little tag for a bottle of sparkling cider for your hostess.

just a closer pic.

Little punch turkey.  Scallop, ovals, circles.  Easy enough for the kids to do.

Another one using the wheel and the Leaves #2 die.  Easy tip for you:  use a very thin layer of the Tombow Multi glue to glue on your DSP before you die cut your leaf.  Way easier!  

This would make a cute little thank you card. 

These could be a crafty activity for the kiddos to do while the grown ups are cooking and chatting. 

I'm also thankful that I'm not cooking tomorrow.  HA!  I'm only supposed to help "serve".  Okay! 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I hope you're spending it with people you love........and that they help clean your kitchen! 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Blessings, b.

Fall card......even though its 82 degrees

Howdy,  did everyone have a wonderful weekend?  Ours was crazy crazy.  I feel like I was never home.  I like home.  Alot.  This week will continue to be crazy.  I'm already looking forward to next weekend. 

So I thought I'd pop on here tonight.  I don't know if I'll get back on this week. 

Here is a fall card we did last week. 

Woodgrain and A Word for You sets.  Crumb cake, cajun craze and confetti white cardstock.  Crumb cake and early espresso inks.  Big shot, scallop square duo (Holiday Mini), early espresso satin ribbon, leaves #2 die, square lattice embossing folder, sponges and dimensionals.

This is the same layout as this card, I just changed the stamps and die to make it more of a Fall card.  Its such an easy layout that by just changing the stamps and die you could make anything work.

I should have sponged the leaf.  At least the edges I think.  Anyhow, this makes a great Thank You card.  I love that satin ribbon!  Makes such awesome knots and bows. 

Okie dokie, thats it for tonight.  I'm heading to bed to make up for lost sleep time this weekend.  I'm pooped!

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Blessings, b.

Time Out for mom

Happy 3 day weekend everyone!  I'm so glad for the extra day.  I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off this week. 

Sorry for the visual there..............my Grandma used to say that all the time.  

Anyhow, I did lots of running around today so I can stay home the rest of the weekend.  I want to stamp.  I need to stamp.  I miss my stamps. 

So after dinner tonight I said, "Mom is taking a Time Out."  They all looked at me like I was nuts.  I rinsed off my plate, sat at my desk, plugged in my earbud thingys and stamped.  Made the hubs clean the kitchen.  Su-weeeeet!  

So I sit down and no stamping ideas come to me.  I'm all dried up!  You know that saying, "Use it or lose it!"  So I looked through my inspiration stack of pics and found a card by Dawn McVey (you can google her) and decided to copy it.  Well, mostly copy it.  You know, once you get going, your own ideas take over. 

See?

A Word for You, Medallion and Elements of Style stamps.  Crumb cake, soft suede, cajun craze and early espresso cardstock.  Soft Suede and Versamark inks.  Kraft taffeta ribbon (retired), Newsprint DSP, Leaves #2 die, Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder and dimensionals. 

I like how it turned out.  You can hardly see it but I stamped the Elements of Style roses on the Early Espresso piece in Versamark.  My Early Espresso ink isn't here yet.  When is it coming?  I'm trying to be patient. 

I also stamped the Medallion on the Cajun Craze in Versamark because my ink isn't here yet either.


Patience is a virtue.  I wish I was more virtuous.

I've been wanting to use the Leaves #2 die lately.  I'm ready for fall.  The leaf was actually a last minute addition.  I like the dimension the embossing folder gives to it. 

I sponged some soft suede on there so the design would pop. 

Apparently my time is up on my Time Out because I have everyone right here, reading along, giving their comments (which aren't very nice), bugging me, wanting to know when I'll be done.........geez, I love my family. 

Thanks for stopping by.  I plan on having another Time Out tomorrow. 

Blessings, b.