A Little non-Wednesday Tea

Alright so apparently I am on a roll of being late this week. I was all set to do my post for the smARTworks Tea Party yesterday but after the awful (and I mean awful) storms we had the night before last and yesterday morning, it left me without a dial tone on my phone which meant no internet too. So, even though I wanted to be here yesterday, I had to sit back and go an entire day without surfing anything! I'm surprised I'm alive today! {grin} Anyway, here I am!

It was my turn to do the challenge this time and I chose these colors for inspiration:


Here is my final take. The colors are a little bit brighter in my card but I think it's pretty cool.

• STAMPS- Sunshine Sayings (smARTworks)
• PAPER- Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, pink, white CS
• INK- Colorbox Dark Brown
• OTHER- buttons, flowers, Souffle white pen, push pin, Cuttlebug embossing folder, pop dots

Well, I'm off to finish painting the chicken coup! Hope you guys have a wonderful day!

I scream for Ice Cream!

Good morning all! I hope everyone is enjoying their Friday morning and looking forward to the weekend! I know I am! I will be visiting my momma and sisters tomorrow! My mom is making my favorite food......macaroni in a tomato/bacon/onion sauce. It's poor people food, but I grew up with it and I will eat it until I feel sick! I am sooooo looking forward to eating that tomorrow! Then on Sunday the kids and I are going to Ruby Tuesday's (I am in love with their garlic mashed potatoes!!!!!) and his mom is going to come and take them to their camper (more like a second home!) for the night so Joe and I can have an evening at home (he works 12 hours on the weekend) together. THEN! On Monday I am hoping to get in to the salon to get a facial and a hair trim. It will be a most wonderful Mother's Day weekend! Yahoo!

Now, moving on to the card. This is one of my favorite cards using the Queen Kat Designs 'Sweets' set (which is now available in the store). I wanted to keep it really simple with the kraft paper and the ice cream, although it is hard to see, is shimmer paper. I attached a button for the cherry and viola!

• STAMPS- Sweets, Mrs. Piggie (Queen Kat Designs)
• PAPER- kraft CS, shimmer
• INK- Stazon Jet Black
• OTHER- Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, ribbon, button, pop dots
  

Because I am a big dope, I completely forgot to announce Queen Kat Designs Big News! Starting May 1st they are offering a stamp kit called "TAKE 3" Here are the details:

Each month we will have 3 large stamp sets exclusive to the club. If you don't subscribe to the club, you won't be able to get ALL of the images ever again! Sure, we MAY release 1-2 of them... But you won't EVER get these sets in their entirety ever again! Tanis, SJ and QK have been working hard to bring you the best sets possible and man, you don't want to miss out on this Take 3 club!!!! Here's the film strip for May's stamps..

There are bunch of cards in the gallery that use these stamps. Click here to go see. Retail value of the stamps will always be $27.00 or more.

Prices are as follows: (free shipping included)
1 month: $22
6 Months: $21/month
12 months: $20/month

You can add this club onto an existing club from Queen Kat Designs. Just check out in the store and let us know it's to be added to your kits club. You can send this as a gift to someone. A handmade card will be sent with the first month's subscription.

Get your subscription today!! Kits will ship on the 15th of each month.

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If I'm not back on here before Mother's Day (I hope to share some MD cards tonight that I plan on making today) then I hope all of you beautiful ladies have wonderful days/weekends! We have the best job in the world!!! God bless and thanks for stopping by!

The birds are chirping

I have noticed this past week that even though it may not be warm yet, I am hearing the birds more than ever! Jolee and I saw a caterpillar on the porch yesterday and my Tiger Lilies are starting to sprout! Come on spring!!!! We are waiting for you!

Remember when I told you guys a week or two ago that I got two 3 packs of Inkadinkado stamps at Joann's? Well, I got on their site to try and find the name of the sets so I could list them but they were nowhere to be found {side note, they are coming out with the cutest 1.99 sets that I can't wait to get my hands on!! They are the first stamps shown in the clear section of their website}. I don't know if they are just a promo for Joann's or what but I wish I could give more detail than just they they are Inkadinkado. Alas, I can't, so my appologies. One of the stamps that made me buy this set was the beautiful bird that looks similar to one of the birds in the Birds Galore set. He was just calling to be used......simply.

• STAMPS- Inkadinkado
• PAPER- The Slab (Michael's)
• INK- Brilliance black
• OTHER- Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, Copic marker (B21), pop dots

I'm finally going to get my van inspected today. The last time I had it scheduled the weather was awful and I had to cancel. I know my brakes are worse for the wear but I hope that's all they say! We have had work done with this guy before and they seem really honest so I'm not worried about getting ripped off or anything. Plus, I'm not the 'typical' female they try to talk into things they don't really need! Thanks heavens hubby knows all about that kind of stuff!

Well, I am going to make up a list of things I need to get at the grocery before I head into town. I am bringing a fruit tray to my mom's for Easter and I decided I'm gonna add a bug tub of yogurt and granola too. I have been hooked on that lately and I never even really cared for yogurt. Go figure!

I hope you guys have an great day! Thanks for stopping by!

P.S. If you want to know a little more about editing and having actions for your photos then check out Nicole's article today over at Craft Critique!

Easter is creeping.....

When I was at the store with the kids last week there was Easter stuff everywhere! Jolee says, "Mom, it's almost Easter". "Not really" I say. Then I think about it. Holy crap! It really is almost Easter! It has completely snuck up on me! I haven't gotten anything for their baskets yet. They are with me all of the time, therefore I can't shop them. I'm going to have to have Joe watch them one night this week while I run in and get some things. I have been so caught up with their birthday party that I have been distracted! We finally decided we are going to get them a Go Kart. It took a lot of thinking but we decided that it would be the safest and something they could both ride in at the same time. I just can't wait to see the look on their face!!! I even bought a huge pink bow to put on it yesterday!

Anyway, I need to really catch up on my QKD stuff. I have been in a stamping slump the last 3 days. I have had no inspiration and no desire really. Bleh! I even BOUGHT the birthday party invites! How sad is that?! First time I have purchased a card of any kind in years! They are super cute though so no biggie! Alright, back to what I was saying. I actually wanted to stamp and was inspired this morning! Although this card looks a little Valentine-y, I just thought I had to make her in pink and red! She is so cute! And she will be available at the first of the month from QKD. Tanis has made a wonderful little monster family! This gals name is Mrs. Piggie!

• STAMPS- Mrs. Piggie (QKD April release)
• PAPER- Marcella (Target brand), red CS, pink CS
• INK- Brilliance black
• OTHER- Nestabilities dies, Cuttlebug embossing folder, rhinestones, glitter, pop dots

I hope all of you are more prepared for Easter than I am! Have a great Thursday! Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Monday!

Well hello everyone and happy Monday! I know Monday isn't always the most looked forward to day of the week but it's a nice day here in Ohio! It's 60 right now with a high of 64! It will be 60 again tomorrow too. Now, if it would only stay that way! At least the kids will be able to play out a bit.

So, I have a question for you guys. What die cut machine do you have and how well do you like them? I have my article running on Craft Critique today about the love for my Sizzix. It got me thinking though if everyone else is as passionate about their own machine like I am. So, leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Also, I am trying to get things lined up for specific days of the week on here. I enjoyed doing it before but things just got so hectic around here. I think that I am in a good position now to do that. I have my own laptop now so I don't have to keep running back and forth between computers. That is such a help! Anyway, I am thinking a Nestabilities day, a Super Simple Day, a smARTworks day, possibly a Starving Artistamps day, or maybe sketch day. I don't want to fill the whole week up, just 2-3 days so I can challenge myself and possibly others. So, if you have any input please share!

Both of these next cards are made with Nestabilities. I was having a hard time thinking of what I could use the tiny rectangles for but once I pulled these ornaments out they worked perfectlt. And yes, I know Christmas is over but I didn't get the dies till after Christmas so I had to try them out with whatever I had on my desk!

• STAMPS- Ornate tooled leather background, Ornaments 45.08 (Starving Artistamps)
• PAPER- Real Red, green CS
• INK- Palette Hybrid Nior, Versamagic Cloud White
• OTHER- Nestabilities rectangle and scalloped rectangle dies, Cuttlebug Swirls embossing folder, ZIG markers, Sakura Stardust pen, pop dots

This one is a set of 8 I made for my momma. As soon as I saw this stamp I thought of her. She is always joking about being a queen. But the truth is, I think she is! Size is 4 1/4 x 4 1/4.

• STAMPS- Just the Queen (American Art Stamp)
• PAPER- pink CS, black CS
• INK- Palette Hybrid Nior
• OTHER- Nestabilities rectangle and scalloped rectangle dies, Cuttlebug Circles embossing folder, Copic markers, Sakura Stardust pen

Well, thanks for stopping by and everyone enjoy their Monday!!!!

New Nestabilities

So, as I mentioned on Wednesday, I got new Nestabilities from my In-Laws. Woo-Hoo! The cards I have to share for the next few posts will most likely have scalloped edges with some embossing! Those things are so amazing though, really! I was telling hubby how I'd like to have the circle and square set too. We'll see! By the way, we are going to look at a house tomorrow. First one ever. I am nervous and excited all at the same time. We all would love a place of our own but I just get scared to death of being in debt like that. It's bad enough that we are still paying on Joe's school and will be for a long while still. But, at least when we pay monthly it would actually be going towards something if we got a house. Anyway, if it's meant to be right now then it's meant to be!

Well, onto the cards. I made this one in the Perfect Plum and liked it to much that I wanted to do it in different colors. In the end the Brocade Blue ended up being my favorite.

• STAMPS- Blossoms Abound (SU), Paper Tray (Paper Trey Ink)
• PAPER- Perfect Plum, Brocade Blue, Positively Pink (yes, I still have this color!)
• INK- Perfect Plum, Brocade Blue, Positively Pink, Stazon Jet Black
• OTHER- Nestabilities rectangle and scalloped rectangle dies, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Pearl Ex

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope everyone has a good weekend! It's like 20 degrees out right now but I hear it's supposed to be 50 next week. Let's see how that goes!

Yet another Tea Party

I am going to ignore the fact that I haven't posted in a while and just act like I posted yesterday!!

It's the smARTworks Tea Party Wednesday again! I really enjoy doing these sketches and the sketch today was provided by the smARTworks owner, Susan Trask.

• Birthday Dreams WD-180 stamp (smARTworks)
• Cosmo Cricket 'Dutch Girl' DP
• black, white CS
• Palette Nior ink
• Cuttlebug flowers die
  
• red felt
• brads, ribbon, pop dots

Make sure you check out what the other Cookies did with this sketch! And if you'd like to play along, we'd love to see!
Donna
Susan L
Dina
Trish
Susan T

I have lots of cards to share so hopefully I will be able to share a few a day for a week or so. I'm planning on that!!

Now, I am off to clean up the rest of our computer/stamp room because it just might become our bedroom as well! Right now we have the kids in a bedroom upstairs but we might move them downstairs for the winter since fuel oil is going to be 40% higher this year than last. Just don't know if we can swing a $1,600 heating bill for the winter (electric bill not included). I think we are going to move my big metal rack out along with a few small things and put our bed in the corner. If we do that then the kids will move into our bedroom which stays warmer than any other room in the house. We are getting Clinton a race car bed for Christmas (used of course, those things are $400 new!) and hopefully everything will fit in that room okay. We're keeping our fingers crossed!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Turkey day!!! Oh, and don't get trampled shopping for those deals on Friday!! Stay safe!!!!!

*One more thing to add. My article on glitter re-inker ornaments ran on Craft Critique yesterday so check it out if you want the tutorial!*

smARTworks Tea Party!

Good afternoon everyone! Today will be a pretty fun day because it is the first 'Tea Party' of the smARTworks design team! Every other week (Wednesday) we will be taking turns posting a challenge for ourselves and hopefully you guys as well, if you'd like to join in the fun. This week it is a sketch done by the fab-u-lous Dina from Mama Dini's Stamperia. She is our DT 'momma' and she threatened to take my stamps away if I didn't participate. Just teasing! But isn't that what moms usually do? I know I do! Anyway, this sketch was really fun and as soon as I saw it I knew which smARTworks stamp I wanted to use! He is one of my favorites!! So, without further ado, here is the sketch and the my version of the sketch!



I do have to admit that I completely *heart* this card! It helps though that I also *heart* this snowman oh so much! Can snowmen really get any cuter than this!? And he even has a little birdie on his hand!

• ABC-Starstruck, Middie Messages #2 stamp sets (smARTworks)
• MME 'Front Porch' DP
• Certainly Celery, white CS
• Cuttlebug Swirls EF
• Stazon jet black ink
• aqua painter and re-inkers
• Copic gray marker
• brads, pop dots

Check out the talents of my smARTworks DT buddies! Susan T, Susan L, Dina, Trish, and Donna!

So, if you get a chance sometime this week play along and post your results here! I'd love to see them!!

See ya later alligator!!

Gotta love Doodle Factory!

How can you not love these adorable little guys!? I swear I am so addicted to them! I'm going to be getting a few more! And for those of you who love these guys too, the artist is supposed to be drawing up some holiday/winter ones!! I absolutely cannot wait!!

This one is made with Pip & Oggy. I kind of strayed from my usual colors with this one and I also had a hard time not adding a black matt to every piece. I Versamarked the harlequin pattern on the yellow but it didn't show up so I added some chalk to it to make it stand out a little bit. I paper pierced above the yellow piece also and added stickles around the edges.

• Pip & Oggy, 42.02 The best thing, P25.01 Harlequin BG (Starving Artistamps)
• DCWV CS
• Stazon Jet Black, Versamark inks
• Copic markers
• chalk
• decorative edge scissors
• push pin

For the next one I thought I'd use my DF stamp that I had yet to ink up. This guy is Zot and apparently he is in need of his daily caffeine!

• Zot, 41.02 Alpha (Starving Artistamps)
• Chocolate Chip, Cool Caribbean, kraft, watercolor paper
• Stazon Jet Black, Chocolate Chip inks
• Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Cool Caribbean, Pretty in Pink re-inkers
• Cuttlebug circle embossing folder
• Slit punch
• hole punch

Tracey over at Starving Artistamps will be announcing the rest of her new Design Team soon! And boy did she pick a perfect group of gals!!

Until next time, have a fantastic day!

New rubbah to cheer me up!

So, I got a major disapointment the day before yesterday. I called the fair office to ask one more small question before I went into town and printed out and purchased mats for all of my pictures. As I am asking the question she said
"Well, that should have been on your pre-entry form"
"Pre-entry form? Don't we do that tomorrow?"
"Oh, no, you had to have a pre-entry form turned in by July 28th to be able to participate in the fair."
"Wow, I'm glad the 3 different times I called that someone told me about that!"
"Yes, sorry."
Click
So, if you haven't already guess I can no longer enter my photographs in the fair that I have been working on for almost a month because more than one person can't do their job. Man, am I irritated! However, I am taking the girls to the fair tonight to check out the animals and eat some fatty foods (we don't let them ride the rides, the safety aspect freaks me out!) and see just who would have been my competition had I been able to enter. Everything happens for a reason so maybe this year I just wasn't ready! Thank goodness I got my new rubbah from smARTworks to cheer me up!!

My first two cards today are using my new smARTworks stamps that I am on the DT for. I LOVE these stamps! They are deepy etched and the rubber is nice and thick! I am just giddy! I used Fabriano watercolor paper folded with this one and re-inkers and my aqua painter.

• Spring #1, WD-27 for sentiment (smARTworks) stamp sets
  
• Stazon jet black ink
• Old Olive, Rose Romance, Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa re-inkers
• ribbon

This next one I used my Cuttlebug EF for the background. I used Prismacolors and Gamsol to color the Birdie and Balloon and my gray Copic marker for the outline. If you get no other Copics, make sure you get the gray! There is nothing better for shading and outline than that marker! I stamped on the word window punch and popped it up beside the image.

• ABC-Birdie Bitties, Middie Messages #2 (smARTworks) stamp sets
• Tempting Turquoise, black, white CS
• Prismacolor pencils, gamsol
• Cuttlebug Happy Birthday EF
• Word Window punch
• Copic gray marker
• eyelets
• ribbon

This next one I made for my sister who was having 'one of those days' Not a favorite card but I wanted to try and use some paper from my stacks that hasn't gotten any use so far.

• PMS (Rivercityrubberworks), Grumpabella (StampingBella) stamps
• MME Magnolia DP
• black, Chocolate Chip ink
• Prismacolors and Gamsol
• Copic gray marker
• eyelets

Alright, so my mom is adorable! She is about 5-10 years 'behind the times'! She tells us all that 'we're the bomb', so when I saw this stamp in the unmounted rubber round robin swap I was in, I had to take it to make her some cards! These are really simple because she is all the time sending out the nieces and nephews cards with $1 for each of them in it! I swear she is the sweetest person ever! Anyway, I plan on making lots more for her so she can have a quick card to pull out. I used Stickles black glitter on the bomb but it's hard to see in the picture.

• Bomb (unknown), Karen Foster 1/8th inch snap stamps
• black ink
• Black Diamond Stickles

This last one didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to. I was going for more of a digi scrap looks with the swirly background and the black flowers. Oh well, it will just be one for my stockpile! All of these stamps are also from smARTworks!

• Shorties, WD-27 for sentiment (smARTworks) stamp sets
• Versamagic Sea Breeze chalk ink
• black ink
• push pin

Can you believe that I didn't use a single Marvy punch in any of these!?! I think this is a record for me! Usually those are the first things I pull out!

Well, I am off to change clothes and brush my hair so I can take the girls to the fair. I will be making another post though before I do that on how I use my unmounted stamps, just in case you are interested! Have a fabulous weekend everyone!!!

Dirty girl!

Okay! Yay for me! So far I have done 7 of the Dirty Dare challenges over at Splitcoast. Granted there are 20 and I'm not quite 'caught up' but I'm proud of myself! I am seriously loving these challenges!!! For the first one I did Texasjodylynn's brad challenge. Just cover the card with lots 'o' brads. Here is my try.

• DCWV Pocket full of Posies glitter stack and white CS
• Hampton Arts clear stamp
• The Paper Studio flower brads (12 of them to be exact)
• stickles
• rhinestone
  

Onto my next feat, I did the Toile Inspiration from StamperSharon. I used the long time loney Toile Blossoms set that I can't ever part with (it was my dad's) but never pull out (although I really do love it!) on this one. I outlined all of the flowers as well as the four sisters stamp with the gray Copic marker; it really makes it pop!

• Four Sisters (smARTworks), Toile Blossoms (SU), Karen Foster 1/8 inch snap stamp sets
• black and white CS
• black ink
• Copic gray marker
• Heidi Swapp edge distresser
• black sheer ribbon
  

The next challenge I took on was the Clear Stamps Only one from genie1314. For this one I CASEd a card from the bottom of page 13 in the new SU catty. I changed all of the colors and stamps and such but kept the same layout. I also am counting this card for Beate's Cheerful Color Combos card challenge.

• KI Memories DP
• Pink Passion CS
• Studio G clear stamps
• orange Souffle pen
• rhinestones, push pin, pop dots, ribbon
  

I do have to say the acetate one was my favorite to do. CWilliams was the one who came up with this challenge and I knew I could go 'simple' on this one! The acetate I used was just the back of one of those Studio G sets from JoAnns. I stampted the bathing suit on the front with Stazon and colored on the back with the orange Souffle pen. Before I put it on the card though I cut a window with my Coluzzle circle template, then punched a Mega scalloped circle in my patterned paper, and used my circle template to cut the center out of my scallop so I could just mount it on the front. After that I glued rhinestones in every scallop (there are 25 total, just in case you wanted to know) and added my acetate to the back. I stamped off 'girl' with Only Orange (I NEVER use that ink pad) and then 'friend' in black on top of that, adding yet another rhinestone to the 'i' on girl. I was really in a rhinestone mood today!

• DCWV Pocket full of Posies glitter stack
• Scraptrends 'Summer Party', girl (StudioG), and Karen Foster snap stamp sets
• Marvy Mega scallop circle punch
• Only Orange (stamped off) classic, Stazon jet black inks
• orange Souffle pen
• rhinestones
• acetate
  

This one doesn't look so much like it probably should, which is dry embossed vellum. Labullard is the one who thought this challenge up. I started with a sheet of vellum that I put inside my Cuttlebug folder and punched out with the mega scalloped oval punch. But, I didn't know how to attach it to my card, so I out a white scalloped oval behind it. Then I decided it needed some color so I took my Versamagic dew drops and added a bit. Now it looks like I ran a piece of white through my Sizzix. Oh well! I know it's vellum!

• Sandylion Floral Crochet-Cream DP
• In my thoughts (Studio G) stamp set
• Cuttlebug Stylized Flowers embossing folder
• Marvy Mega scalloped oval punch
• Versamagic Aloe Vera and Pixie Dust chalk ink
• sheer ribbon
• pop dots

Last but not least is something I really hope I get to use once the holidays roll around! AtomicButterfly challenged us to do Boxes, Bags, or Containers. I guess you would call mine a......hmmm........let's see.........an Arby's popcorn chicken box. {grin} Yes, the first time I got their small order of popcorn chicken it came in this cute little fry looking box that I has to take apart so I could use it as a template! So, if any of you need this template, please don't hesitate to go to your nearest Arby's and get one yourself! {wink} I used my Stardust glaze pen to go over the letters, a few stars, and highlight a few parts on the ornaments. Man I love that pen!

• BasicGrey Fruitcake (Vintage Ornaments/Pine) DP
• Arby's 5 piece popcorn chicken box (for template)
• stylus
• Stardust glaze pen
• BasicGrey letter stickers
• ribbon

*****

On another note, Joe and I have been watching the first season of Veronica Mars. I love that show and I am pretty peeved that they canceled it. I only started to watch it season 3 because I am a dedicated House watcher and they are on at the same time. When House started running repeats though I watched VM and they also have the most recent 5 episodes on the WB website. Anyway, we just got done watching season 1 and it was awesome! When I first started to watch Joe said, why do you waste your time watching that? By the second episode he was sitting beside me! Men! So, I am anxiously awaiting season 2 via Blockbuster online (love that I can get ANYTHING from there, even stuff I've never heard of!). That's what I have been doing with my free time.

Oh, by the way Drew Carrey will be the new host of Price is Right just in case some of you haven't heard. I think he will be a really good replacement. However, I could see beer becoming a runner-up prize! {wink}

Well, I am off to spend some time with hubby and son. MIL is going to take the girls out to a movie today. I wish someone would take me to a movie! Ah, guess I'll just have to wait till later in life for that luxury! Have a great Sunday!

True Talent Tuesday-delayed

Good morning all! Unfortunately there will be no True Talent Tuesday today. The person I contacted about this did not get back to me and being the goof I am, I didn't have a back up!! So, next week expect a FANTASTIC paper crafter!!!

I completely forgot to share yesterday that I got a new lens for my camera!!! I absolutely love it!!!!! It's a Canon 50mm f/1.8. Pretty much it's a portrait lens. The f stop is low so you can get more of a blurry background so the focus goes more to your subject. Here are a pic taken with it.

This was a toad that Jolee caught and carried around for a while. I swear she is such a tomboy, and I love it! She has caught a toad 3 days in a row now.

This card is one I made Kraftin' Kimmie's Korner but I completely forgot to upload it yesterday. They were 'due' last night at midnight. The challenge was to use pastels and black. I like how this turned out and it's nice to have a card with no sentiment on the front so I can use it for whatever I need at the moment.

• Happy Harmony stamp set
• Cuttlebug Swirls EF
• Bashful Blue, Black CS
• Marvy mega scalloped circle punch
• Marvy Super Jumbo circle punch
• eyelets (and Cropadile)
• ribbon, ZIG markers, pop dots

Well, I need to get busy on some SCS challenges and Amy's Sunday Sketch! I'm fallin' behind!!! Be back later!

Lots to share!

Wow! What a busy weekend! It seems like I have been here there and everywhere (including JoAnn's) {wink}! Thursday afternoon I went to visit Joe's aunt (my other mom!) because she and hubby got a new house. She used to live right next door to me but now she lives next door to her daughter Amy (my other sister!) about 40 minutes away from me. The move was bittersweet because I loved having her next door but I am so happy she can be right next to her daughter and grandkids!!!! And don't worry, she's one of those moms that you wouldn't mind living next door to!
After I visited a little Joe's cousin Tiffany and I went off to JoAnn's to shop a little. She had never been in a Super JoAnn's before! Well, poor girl I cured her of that! I'm sure I'll be getting a letter of complaint for her husband!!!! Uh Oh! We then took the kids to McDonald's and they had a great time! If I could only bottle all of those giggles!!!

Saturday morning was the community yard sales where my MIL lives. Bought not one thing for myself but I ended up getting Jolee about 39 pieces of clothes (mostly GAP and Children's Place) for $25! After that I had $5 left and ended up getting them each a little folding camp chair for when we go fishing. Man I love yard sales!!!! I also had a birthday party to go to and ended up staying there for about 2 1/2 hours. After that I was super tired! I came home and slept a little till Joe got home.

Sunday totally threw me off. Joe worked this weekend (the first in a while) so I kept feeling like it was Monday. It was a really good card day though! Got 5 done! And they are all in their envelopes with stamps ready to go to my mailbox! Now that is an accomplishment! To actually get them sent out on time! One of them really a week late though but we won't count that one! {wink}

So here they are!! All 5! I have to say I really like this batch!

The first one is for my sister. She swears she will never find another man (she's divorced) so I had to make her a card to remind her why doesn't doesn't need one! {giggle} The color of the paper is off a bit in this pic. It's really more of a light sage-y green.

• Colorbok patterned paper
• Close to Cocoa CS
• Marvy Giga and Mega scalloped circle punches
• Cosmobella stamp (Stamping Bella), Men's faults stamp (RiverCityRubberWorks)
• sewing machine
• aquapainter
• Copic gray marker (for shadows)
• eyelets, pop dots, ribbon

This next one is for a blogging friend who shall remain nameless so they don't know this card is coming to them. I think kraft is my new obsession. I just love how clean it looks!

• BasicGrey Lilly Kate paper
• kraft CS
• Cuttlebug flowers die
• Paper Studio big brad (LOVE these!)
• For my Friend stamp (Studio G)

This card is the one that is a week late! Shame on me too! It's for my niece. I picked up this paper at JoAnn's when I was there the other day. I LOVE it! Especially these two together. I glued a piece of the polka dot paper onto a coaster I snuck from Outback, ran it through my Sizzix and viola! Super easy accent!

• Flower paper (Sandyloin), polka dot paper (Hot off the Press)
• Paper Tray stamp set (PaperTreyInk)
• Cuttlebug flowers die
• Chipboard frame (painted with black acrylic paint)
• eyelets
• ribbon, stickles

This is for a relative of a blogger friend who is ill. Just wanted to send well wishes to her. I did Lisa's card challenge on this one again. I just love this layout. So quick and easy to put together! And just for the record this card looks better IRL!

• Happy Harmony (SU), Thoughts of You (Michael's $1 bin)
• Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip CS
• Mega scalloped circle punch
• ZIG markers
• sheer ribbon
• corner rounder
• pop dots

This is my favorite of them all. I found this cool paper at JoAnn's too. It's by Colorbok and it's called "Little People". It has a bunch of different little cute scenes all over it. I decided to punch out the people with the umbrellas. My sis's hubby just got laid off and she is stressing right now. Been there! Done that! Just wanted her to know I was thinking of her. I used my sewing machine to make the holes. And I swear I could not live without my snap stamps!
*outside reads "sometimes when it rains"
*inside reads "it pours"

• BasicGrey Lilly Kate paper, Colorbok "Little People" paper
• kraft, red CS
• Karen Foster 1/8 inch snap stamps
• Mega scalloped circle punch
• Super Jumbo circle punch (finally invested, Wow! Love it!)
• Sewing machine
• pop dots

Whew! I think I'm done now! I am going to make blog candy post today! So check for it!!!! Thanks for stopping by!

Product Talk Thursday

Hey guys! So sorry I didn't post yesterday! I ended up having to clean up my work space (OMGosh it was awful!) which was part of my Product Talk Wednesday (er, Thursday now). But before we start talking about all of that I want to share the card I made on Tuesday for the SCS color challenge. Colors were Real Red, Creamy Caramel, and Barely Banana. I'll have to say at first I was weary on those colors but once I got the card going I really liked it! This card was also one of Lisa Johnson's challenges. I absolutely LOVE this layout and have a feeling I will be using it much more! The butterfly is chipboard painted red with white dots courtesy of my Soufflee pen.

• Barely Banana, Creamy Caramel, Real Red CS
• Stazon Jet Black ink
• Studio G stamp ($1 acrylic set)
• Marvy Giga scalloped square
• heart eyelets
• Cropodile (my first time using it!)
• red acrylic paints, Soufflee pen, pop dots, ribbon

***
Okay, up next is a sheet I did of the comparison of the die's or punches I have that work well with eachother. I use the Cuttlebug flower dies so much more often not as flowers! They work great as little borders for 1 inch circle punches! Here is the chart. Check it out!
*None of these punches are SU by the way*


***
Now on to the Product Talk Tuesday!! This week I want to feature a shelf system that I got at Target. It is from the Organize It line and I can't say enough good things about it. But you want to know the best part!?! It was on sale for $29.99!!! Worth every penny! Hubby has one in his fishing/hunting/golfing/trapping/reloading/bowling room. Hmm, think he has too many hobbies!? {wink} Anyway! These 5 shelf units are normally $39.99 but you can catch them one sale for $10 less! They also have smaller sizes with 3 shelves if this one is too big.

-6 ft. tall
-3 ft. wide
-1 1/2 ft. deep



*Pros*
-Pretty easy to put together (about 30 minutes from opening the box, to figuring out where you want your shelves, to standing it up where you want it)
-Adjustable shelves
-Can be taken apart if you need to move or anything else
-CHEAP!
-Very sturdy heavy metal shelves
-Get a cute guy at Target to help you take it to your car! {wink}

*Cons*
-The plastic pieces you snap onto the poles to place your shelves will pop off if you try to slide the shelf in place too fast.
-Well, that first one is pretty much it!



*I wanted to show how even though the middle of the rack is full of heavy mags and such, it doesn't bow. These shelves are super strong!


Well, I hope I have given you a little insight on what you should check out if you are looking for durable and roomy storage!!

See ya tomorrow!

My new favorite card!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! We did! Saturday we went and swam in my MIL's pool. It's just one of the bigger ones that you take down every year. Now, if Joe has 'that look' on his face when he gets into it, you know, the 'this is colder than a well diggers butt' look, I don't get in. I personally don't like swimming in cold water, but that's just me. Ava and Jolee got in and were having a great time but when I put Clinton in with Joe he started screaming. Wha? Screaming? Could he possibly be like mommy and not want to stand in ice water??? So, he and I ended up playing around on the patio instead. I'll share a few pics later on but for now I want to show you THIS.....


I think this is my new favorite card. I just love the crispness of it! But wouldn't ya know the pirate ship paper piecing is not my idea. I got the idea from debils on SCS. Here is the link to her card. Mine is a little different but credit needs to be given where credit is due! The sunshine is all me though. I punch a 1" hole into Barely Banana and lined up the Cuttlebug flower die over it and ran it through my Sizzix. Then I punched a hole in the paper, glued the outer rim of the sun to the CS and the adhered the inner circle on the the inside of the paper. Stamped Ahoy, Matey and voila! Then I just paper pieced the ship. I will definitely be making more of these!

• Ahoy Matey stamp set
  
• Bashful Blue, Bliss Blue, Barely Banana, Creamy Caramel, white CS
• Stazon Jet Black ink
• Cuttlebug flowers die (are they really JUST flowers? I think not!)
• 1 inch circle punch
• red marker, stickles, pop dots

***
Okay, so now let the torture begin! Pictures of my kids! {wink} I know these need to be photoshop'd but all I had time to do was crop and add my watermark.


I think we have the top of the cheer pyramid girl here! Joe has been doing this with her since she was a baby.


Ava did it too but she gets a little more scared. She hasn't had as much experience as Jolee.

*And by the way, I let my hubby do this because I think his arms are one of the sexiest things on his body!!!! Gotta keep 'em in shape!!

Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for True Talent Tuesday!!!! It's gonna be a good one!!!

Happy Summer!

I am so glad it's summer! I am lovin' that the kids can go out and play in their pool all afternoon while I scour things to photograph! BTW I am still so amazed at how much there is still left to learn about my camera. I am really enjoying figuring everything out though! I just downloaded a free 30 day trial of Photoshop CS3. The real software is around $600-$700 so I'm sure I won't be getting that sucker (although with Joe's school discount I could get it for $400, and Yes! I checked). It will be nice to know what program I really want to get though by comparing what one has versus the other. I really hope to be making some money off of this sometime in the near future. But, first things first, still gettin' comfy with my settings and whatnot first. I would love to do Senior pics. Just set a flat fee for the shoot, make a CD of the pictures, hand it over to the parents and let them decide what they want to print out and where. Plus, I have lots of nieces and nephews to practice on! One of my nieces will be a senior this coming year so maybe she could get some word out. Oh, don't I think big! Let's move on shall we?

Just wanted to make a quickie with my adorable Scraptrends stamps. Love this swim suit! I just inked it up this morning. I also don't know what I would do without my snap stamps!!! They are such a fantastic item to have in your stash! I heard they aren't selling them any more. I hope that's not true because for those of you who might not have gotten them (what, were you having mental problems!? {wink}) I would hate for you to have to miss out!

• White CS
• Scraptrends flexible stamps (found them on clearance at JoAnn's)
• Karen Foster 1/8" snap stamps
• True Blue Prismacolor pencil (one of my fave colors)
• Gamsol and blending stump
• Copic gray marker
• stickles
• ribbon
  

This is one that looked so much better in my head!!! I think by the time I got everything on it might have been just a tad too much. I dunno. I hope you like it Tiffany! Cause it's in the mail and comin' to you! I used chipboard again. Painted it white and distressed it with sand paper. Punched holes in the scallops and added stickles to the holes. Also added stickles to the Cuttlebug flower.

• Cosmo Cricket Dutch Girl paper
• Riveting stamp set
• Cuttlebug flower and slides dies
• Mellow Moss classic ink
• Stazon Jet black ink
• Chipboard frame
• ribbon, pop dots, stickles, sand paper, brad

I hope all of you have a good weekend! Make the men in your life have an excellent father's day!!!

Challenge cards with good 'ole Dutchy

Okay, so once I got my stuff yesterday I was torn on what to use first but my longing for the CC paper was too much to bear, so I had to tear it open. This is what I came up with the first time around. It was the SC127 on Splitcoast. I really like this layout and I think I might try it again. I still that it is lacking something but I think if I add anything else I would be overdoing it. However, I did have to add some stickles to make it shine! I also made everything popped up. I think there are like 3 different levels to this bad boy.

• Cosmo Cricket Dutch Girl paper
• Wonderful Words stamp set
• Real Red classic ink, Tim Holtz Walnut distress ink
• scallop edge scissors
• spronge, stickles

This is my #2 card with DG paper. I made this for the Ways to Use It challenge #116 on Splitcoast. The challenge was chipboard. Well, whaddaya know!?! I have a new pack of bare naked chipboard sitting on my desk! Yay! I painted a few coats of white onto the chipboard frame and let it dry. Then I took regular sand paper (not the fine grit) and sanded the edges so it would match the distressed look of the paper. The flower is just two of the Cuttlebug flowers stacked on top of eachother (the bottom one in the pic). I really enjoyed doing this card and I just love how it turned out!

• Cosmo Cricket Dutch Girl paper
• Noteworthy stamp set (SU)
• Cuttlebug flower dies
• Cosmo Cricket bake named chipboard buttons
• white acrylic paint, brad, velvet ribbon

I hope to be making even more tonight! Oh, and I am getting ready to go update my photography blog! Check it out!

Still tinkering

Hey guys! It has been a busy beginning of the week for me. I have been tinkering with my new photography blog (almost done) and coming up with a new banner for this one (I like to change things up a bit every so often) which has left me little time to do much else on the computer. Also, we had a nasty storm the night before last and our power was out for 13 hours. I had planned on posting this card that night, but obviously couldn't. So real quickly here is the card I did earlier this week. Final size is 5x5.

• MME paper
• Chocolate Chip CS
• Chipboard flowers (JoAnn's)
• Cuttlebug flowers die (thank you piece)
• Karen Foster rub-on
• velvet ribbon, sheer polka dot ribbon, felt, buttons, stickles, pop dots, push pin, brown marker

Now back to the storm we had. That morning Joe and I decided to move Jolee and Ava into an upstairs bedroom. We rent a pretty big farm house and except for the bathroom we don't use any of the rooms upstairs except for storage. I have been sorting and cleaning and cleaning and sorting and had cleaned out a lot of the stuff upstairs so we decided it might be nice for them to move up there. It was a pretty quick move (except for the bed that I had to take apart, move upstairs, and put back together by myself) and they were so excited that they got a 'new room'! However, I didn't realize just how bad that storm was supposed to be later that night. They had already fallen asleep by the time it started. It was nasty, let me tell ya. And once our power went out I was up there carrying them down to lay in my bed. They were mad at me for waking them up! The thunder shook the whole house and they were mad at me! I thought that was amusing! I ended up taking them back up once the storm was over but since then they have been just great up there.

***
Since I haven't gotten my blog completely up yet I just wanted to share a picture quickly with you. I took this one last week and I think it will be a favorite of mine forever. Joe doesn't see why I love it so much but there is just something about it, I dunno.

P.S. Hmmm, can you get what the title to my photography blog is gonna be?! (check the watermark)