"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.

buttons......clay buttons......clay flower buttons?

Hey everybody!  I hope you all are having a super duper day. 

Pleasant Poppies, Teeny Tiny Wishes and the new Gingham Wheel.  Strawberry Slush, baked brown sugar, coastal cabana and whisper white cardstock.  Crisp Cantaloupe, whisper white and soft suede inks and daffodil delight and early espresso reinkers.  Big shot, delicate doilies die, very vintage buttons, 1 3/8" circle punch, neutral buttons, simply pressed clay, simply pressed molds, vanilla shimmer smooch spritz, crystal effects and natural twine.

I'm finally showing you the other card we made during group last time.  I hesitated because the buttons are now discontinued and I wanted to make the card again using current stuff. 

That is kind of hard to do when you don't have much current stuff........yet, (I put in an order today for all kinds of new goodies). 

This is what I came up with.  Let me know what you think. 

This was the original card we made together.  I'm really loving the Baked Brown Sugar color.  Its kind of a warmer Crumb Cake and we all know how much I love that.

I also dig on the Gingham wheel.  Now I can have gingham in any color I want!  This is using the new Crisp Cantaloupe.  Try spelling "cantaloupe" without looking it up.  Geez!  

Okay, so my sweet little brown flower button retired.  Now what?  I got some of the new Simply Pressed Clay and molds.  Grace went into overdrive making flowers and buttons. 

See the little white button?  That is clay.  I sprayed it with the smooch spritz to give it a pearlized look. 

Then I thought I'd try making a flower button.  It actually turned out okay but I don't really love it here.  I covered it in Crystal Effects to give it some shine. 

So lets try something else shall we?

This is the new Strawberry Slush paper.  Isn't it pretty? 

I asked Grace to make some buttons using Early Espresso ink.  She made some flowers too.  Only thing is, they look kind of purplely. I didn't make this one a button but I did cover it in Crystal Effects to make it shiny.  Okay, in this pic it looks gray but its purplely........really.  And I know "purplely" isn't really a word, just hang with me here.

I just wanted to show you that the gingham strip doesn't lay completely flat.  I put down some regular Mono tape on the back and used my fingers to gather it.  Make sense? 

So the first one is still my fave.  I did order new Neutral buttons today so when they come maybe I'll get another one made. 

Before you go I have 1 more thing to show you. 

  I still have several bunches of grapes on the vine and have 2 more squash ready to pull.  I cooked the pumpkins I pulled last week and froze the puree.  Things are moving along.  I'm surprised at how pokey the zucchini are being.  I will tell you about my tomato and bell pepper adventures another day.  UGH!

Okie dokie, thats it for today.  I have thank you cards to make and I have been pokey about that.  Bad Beth! 

Thanks so much for stopping by and hanging out.  You give me warm fuzzies. 

Blessings, b.

Happy Independence Day

Holy Moly Batman!  I can't hardly believe how long its been since I've posted.  I knew it had been awhile but geez. 

Happy Independence Day everyone!  I hope everyone has something fun planned for today.  Most of my crew just left to go get some fireworks.  I hope they bring me back some snakes.  Remember those?

So today I have a bag tag to show you:

Blue Ribbon, Teeny Tiny Wishes and Banner Greetings.  Whisper white cardstock.  Real red, pacific point and black Stazon inks.  Delicate Doilies die, big shot, 1 3/8" circle punch, red baker's twine and polka dot parade DSP.

 Since its the 4th of July I thought I would go with a red, white and blue color scheme. 

 One of the first things I thought of doing with the Banner Greetings set was to use it for the ribbons on the Blue ribbon set. 

I still need to take pics of the cards we made at group last week.  I'll try and get that done today so I can show you. 


We have been enjoying summer.  I've gotten the front yard planted as much as I'm going to this year.  It is so hot now that anything else will have to wait for next spring.  I did discover that my Sweet Brooms have a problem.  A problem that seems to go hand in hand for them.  Had I known this, I wouldn't have bought them. 

Remember what they looked like when I planted them?

Yeah, look at it now;

I was thinking the poor little guy wasn't getting enough water but no.  Look closely...........

These are called Genista caterpillars.  They are all over my poor bush.  This is one instance where you gotta love the internet. 
 

The internet told me to get some Bacillus thuringiensis.  So I did.

This stuff was not cheap!  Anyway, I sprayed them and I'll have to wait until Spring to see if my poor little bushes come back. 

OY!  What a pain!

I've also taken pics of the vegetable garden.  I'll get those together too because I know you've just been waiting for an update on that ;)


I also wanted to turn you on to a site that the girls and I have been fascinated with,  geoguessr.com.  I saw this on The Pioneer Woman site.  It uses Google Maps and will drop you somewhere in the world.  You have to drive around looking at signs and buildings and guess where you are.  We have been having a competition on who can get the closest.  I currently hold the title with a .002 km.  Thank you very much. 

18 was in Italy (in the game)  and saw this tree:

She says it looks like Beyonce.  Maybe Beyonce with no head.  Anyway its been really fun.  We've seen things that we will never see in person.  Very cool and dare I say it?.........educational? 

WHOA!!!!!  dont say the "e" word during summer. 


Alrighty then, I'll be back soon with more stamping stuff.  Thanks so much for checking in and hanging out. 

Blessings, b.

folded tree

Merry Christmas Eve! 

I have one more last tag to show you.  This one is so quick and easy you still have time to make one.....or two.....or....

Delicate Doilies set.  Crumb cake and whisper white cardstock.  Whisper white ink.  Brights patterned paper DSP, brights buttons, 2 way glue pen, dazzling diamonds, sticky rhinestone and sweater trim.

I don't have any Christmas tree stamps.  So I just made my own tree.  Here is how:  (a video might be better for this but maybe next year)

I used my Coluzzle to cut a circle.  Then cut that in half.  Then crumple it up.  You don't have to crumple it, that is just my spin.

Decide how wide you want the bottom to be and fold.

Then fold it over back the other way.  Lining up the edges.  See?

Then line up the edge and fold over again.  This one came out even, which hardly ever happens.  If when you line up the edge and fold over and it hangs over the other side a little, just cut that part off. 

Does that make any sense?  See, a video might have been better.

Now you just stick a little glue inbetween and there ya go.

Look, I even took a picture of the back this time!

Alrighty then, thats all for today and the next few days probably.  Have a wonderful Christmas and give the ones you love an extra hug. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and hanging out. 

Blessings, b.

ziggy and zaggy

Hey there!  How was your day?  I saw on the news this morning the horrible storms back East.  You people are in my prayers. 

For me though, today was the first day that I got to do some stuff I wanted to do.  Well okay, the second day.  I did get to put in an order of goodies just for me yesterday.  Just wait till you see what I got!

Today, I worked in the garden.....I hope to be finished getting everything planted tomorrow.  I know its kinda late but I think it will be okay.

I sent out some thank yous.

I showered.  Now before you go thinking I only do a Saturday night bath, I'm talking about the kind of shower that takes more than 5 minutes.  One where you shave everything you want, you use the pumice stone to try and get your feet to not look like the dog's, you trim all your nails, you moisturize from head to toe.........Yeah, that kind of shower. 

It was great. 

But now that I've been doing stuff and getting all sweaty again, you'd never know. 

But it was great while it lasted. 

So anyway, I wanted to show you the Thank You's I made. 

Delicate Doilies and Fabulous Phrases.  Crumb cake, and pool party cardstock.  Whisper white craft and Black Stazon inks.  White taffeta ribbon, white bakers twine, big shot and the new Chevron embossing folder.


Nifty huh?  17 is going to use these too, for her graduation thank yous. 

Now you can say that zig zags and doilies don't really go together but I don't care. 

I really wanted to use the new Chevron embossing folder.  And with only 9 current stamp sets, my choices are limited.  So I threw them together and I'm going to say they look FABULOUS! 

I very carefully cut along one of the zaggy lines to give it more of a finished edge. 

Close up for no real reason.


Alrighty then.  I did place an order yesterday for some new goodies.  I usually wait a month or so before I do a big order from the new catalog.  I like to see what everyone else is creating.  This year SU! was so nice as to send us the Holiday catalog early so we could do a little pre-order from that as well.  I love the Holiday catalog.  You will love it too.  It was really hard to stick to my budget so I may have to think up some ideas to make more money so I can order more things.  Hmmmmm........

Oh!  Speaking of making some money, I added 3 more stamp sets to the "for sale" list.  Go check it out here. 

Alrighty, thanks so much for stopping by and keeping the blog warm. 

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.

here I am

I just wanted to start this post with a happy picture.  My sunflowers are blooming!

Hey there!  I hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day.  Labor Day is an American holiday celebrating, "the social and economical achievements of the American worker." 

That means we get to take a day off work.  WooHoo!

I am very thankful for an extra day off.  The last few weeks have been pretty cruddy.  I won't bore you with details but I'm emotionally and physically wiped out.  I needed a time out.

So I'm going to be kind of quick tonight. 

Last week Grace had a birthday:

Delicate Doilies stamps and classic numbers (retired).  Crumb cake, whisper white and marina mist cardstock.  Marina mist and whisper white inks.  Lace border punch, scallop circle punch, 1 3/8", 1 1/4", and 3/4" circle punches, tissue paper, 2 way glue pen, dazzling diamonds glitter and dimensionals. 

Can you guess how old she is?  Yeah, I have a problem putting ages on birthday cards. 

This is the first time I've gotten to play with anything new.  I really haven't sat at my desk at all. 

I'm starting to love the lace border punch.  Its kind of a tricky little bugger.  Make sure you remove the little pieces after each punch. 

I wanted it to stand out so I punched some marina mist with the 1" circle punch and added that behind.  Groovy huh?

Lets look at this medallion thingy here: 

I used my scallop circle punch twice.  That means I punched a blue scallop then, took some 2 way glue, (blow on it a little to dry some) and stuck it onto a piece of scratch paper and punched again on the scallops.  You get this cute little flower petal , sun, starburst thing. 

Then I punched a 1 3/8" crumb cake circle and with the 2 way glue, drew a line around the edge and dunked it in the glitter.

I stamped the doily with the marina mist ink and punched it out with a 1 1/4" circle.

I stamped the 11 and then punched out with the 3/4" circle punch.  I ran the glue around the edge again and dunked again. 

I had some tissue paper on my desk and decided that would make a perfect little ruffle.  I thought of making the medallion detachable from the card so she could wear it to school but I knew she wouldn't.

So there ya go.  Here is a picture of my sky tonight:

tonight's sunset

Its been rainy and thunderstormy all day.  Which has been a wonderful break from the 100+ temps we've been having.  Even though it was 94 today with 94% humidity, it was a nice break.  Especially since I stayed inside the air conditioning all day :)  The veggies didn't get all wilty today either.  It was like they got a day off too. 

Alrighty, I hope things are going to be getting to a more normal speed around here.  I miss chatting with you. 

Thanks for stopping by and checking in. 

Blessings, b.