I love the Game On papers from Close to My Heart - they are so classy - and paired with this fun little elephant (trying to remember something!) it's just enough to make you smile! The inside simply says "Happy Birthday"! Monday was BUSY! Oh My! But, I'd rather be busy than bored - any day! It's stormy outside (so I probably shouldn't be on the computer) and in the desert, we're usually glad for a storm - especially if it brings some rain (this one is!!!).
I have a return visit to the dentist on Wednesday and am already dreading it. They think they're just re-checking the depths of my pockets (I think they mean in my gums, not my bank accounts - but who knows!?!?). I'm worried about the last crown as I've been on a soft diet ever since (two weeks) . . . so, I'll try to post Wednesday and let you know what happened!
Whew! It was a busy but very fun afternoon! The friends that come and stamp with me are very dear! We threw a "Back-to-School" party for Keri today - she's leaving for vet school before we meet again. It was so sweet - seeing how proud everyone is of her - she sure does have a LOT of Moms!!!
This card was with some new Close-to-My-Heart stamps that will be available on Tuesday!! Yippeee! I really had fun putting the "living room" together with the new stamps. I think with some practice it will get easier and also better looking! But, I'm not unhappy with the card - it's sweet. Sweet Home.
Have a wonderful week!
Hugs.
The new Close to My Heart stamp of the month (September) is really pretty! You're going to want this one for sure! This card was duplicated from an inspiration that I can't track back . . . I'm sorry! I don't know who did it first! Please post and let me know if it was you.
I used Emporium paper - I think the original might have been on Crystal blue paper (a tad lighter than this Twilight). I couldn't tell what color the swirl saying was done with so I chose Hollyhock. It's an interesting color with the Twilight and Sweet Leaf. My card finished up at 5 3/4" square.
It's Sunday! I had a very busy day yesterday but never did get into the craft room! I got up early today to do that - and my Open Stamping group comes over this afternoon to play. Yippee! I'll have more to post later . . .
It's Thursday? Where has this week gone - it was just Monday. I'm calling this a sneak peak at the technique I'll be teaching on Sunday - the technique is stamping on vellum. We'll be making a similar page (6x6) with an embossed flower, over a rustic background, with button, ribbon, and some instructions to help remind us later of how to do it again. I like the effect . . .
I had tried something similar awhile ago embossing on transparencies and was very disappointed at how easily the embossing chipped and fell off of the sheet. Handle the card once or twice and it looked "distressed" in a bad way! LOL The vellum seems much better for this - and while it's "sheer" it's not "clear" so not exactly the same thing. The joy is that it doesn't self destruct!I met with my boss today - it was our normal once a month thing - but I was so energized by the discussion and inspired by the ideas . . . I couldn't leave until I had it organized enough to come back to tomorrow without fear of forgetting something! I didn't get home until 7:30 and I was at work at 6:30 this morning. L-o-n-g day. So, I'll stop babbling now and go to bed.
Happy Friday everyone!
This card tried really, really hard to be a Christmas card - but it came out to be a Valentine instead! LOL Some cards are like that - with a mind of their own! I used the small red-dot paper from the new Close to My Heart paper pack Jingle and the brand new stamp set Heartfelt Christmas. I made the larger dot paper using Versa Mark on glossy cardstock and sponging ink over it. The colors are Tulip, Black, and White Daisy. I had a great day today! Mondays are not usually my favorite day - but this one was good because I got a LOT done at work and enjoyed the process very much! Have I mentioned recently that I work with a bunch of wonderful people? I am SO BLESSED!
Hope your week is starting off good, too!
Namaste
My card was inspired by Beate (here). I used different everythings - but the layout and the idea of putting the colors together poorly mimic her beautiful card. I don't think I've got the dimensions quite right yet - I may try it again with smaller nesties. Of note is that I used a scrap piece of photo paper (i.e. glossy) and cut the oval shape out of it with the nestabilities. Then I used the template (not the oval but the left-overs) to mask the card and sprayed it with a New England Ivy Glimmer Mist. You can almost see the shine in this photo (usually it's not visible at all - so I was surprised that it showed up). I'm trying to decide on a Christmas card for my own personal use that I am willing to make 50 or 100 times. I'm planning a road trip with 2 other stamping friends in a couple of weeks and I'd like to have it ready to go into production by then. We won't have much room for packing anything - so I will need to be very specific about what I take (maybe only what I can hide in my purse!). Thank you, dear friends, for your sweet supportive comments about my kitties. I am at peace. I did catch myself wandering the house looking for them, but it's only the first day. Yes, Jane, I will probably get another "furson". (I love that word!) But not right away - I need to try living without pets for once (I've always had dogs or cats or both). We'll see what God has planned for me. I'm finding that each time I go through the loss of a precious pet - I am less willing to do it again. Know what I mean?Namaste. (Yoga-speak for: "The light within me honors the light within you")
Family to me, and family for each other. This is a photo of my 3 cats. Fuzzy was the Mom - she adopted me when she was just a kitten herself (already pregnant - a wild child!) and her kittens were born behind the couch. Dozer and Darling were siblings - very close to each other although just like real siblings, they did know how to fight! I lost Fuzzy about a year ago - I lost Dozer and Darling yesterday. They were 18 years old and we had a wonderful life together!
This is a photo of how the they would love to take over the scrap room! Naturally, they're sitting in MY chair! The other two chairs placed in the room just for them were not adequate.
For a moment I couldn't remember if I'd already shared this one! Yikes - what does that say about me? That I'm tired and should go to bed!
It's like the bee-u-tiful ones that Laurel Seabrook made. I have to share a funny with you, though. I thought I'd be smart and score the paper that makes up the wrapper. Only I scored it in the wrong place! (what is that wise saying - Measure once, fold twice?). I'm happy to say that I now have a small collection of these nugget tins - they will be wonderful, easy gifts to whip out as needed. ;-)
Did I tell you (well, you probably already know this - because you're all experienced computer people) that I spent a bit of time Saturday cleaning up the computer. I backed up files to my external hard drive, and found that last spring when my internal hard drive crashed, the "geeks" must have loaded the data twice back onto the new drive. I was able to reduce my computer analysis from 3% available space to 57% available space. The most amazing thing happened - - - blogs and EVERYTHING started to load faster! YIPPEE!!! Maybe I won't wait so long next time.
Happy Hump Day!
This card was inspired by a similar one on Cibele's blog. I saw it a while ago - but I knew I had a wedding coming up (a co-worker) and Cibele's card was just perfect for this person. My friend's colors are a rich green and chocolate - I used Star Dust stickles in the embossing part of the dress (done on the Cuttlebug). The shape was free-handed.
Monday today - not a bad day, just another dentist day. A crown and a filling. I'm getting better at this dentist thing - I do trust my new dentist. He is amazingly gentle. I came home exhausted from trying to relax (now that sounds odd!) and slept until my face wasn't numb any longer. I will try to get to bed early again as tomorrow will be here before I know it - and I'm one of those unfortunate souls that needs a minimum of 8 hours of sleep.
Here's hoping your Tuesday is Terrific!
This is the weekly planner page about getting Keiko. It's 9 x 9. I think I've decided to do her album in a 12 x 12 format though. Most of what I've been doing in recent years has been 9 x 9 and some days it feels a little limiting. I love the beautiful patterns that are in the new books (Imagine, for example) and seeing what other people have done with them. My first scrapbook, back in the days when we used LOTS of stickers (LOL) was actually a spiral bound book with heavy craft paper. It was an old-fashioned scrapbook. The theme of the book was Girl Scouts as I was troop co-leader for my daughters troops as she progressed from Brownies through Senior Girl Scouts. Some of the pages are almost embarassing - but I wouldn't change them for the world - they were exactly where we were at that moment. Just part of the history. Oh, but I was going to tell you that a 12 x 12 page in that album didn't even cover the page. There was always an edge of the craft base. I LOVED Julie & Julia! Now I understand why Lori suggested I name Keiko "Julia" - it really would have been a perfect name! If you haven't seen the movie, I do highly recommend it. I'd like to see it again, and I don't say that very often. Well, off to church - I'm hoping to play in the craft room more this afternoon and then I'll have something more interesting to post for you! Have a wonderful Sunday!
I know you're all just dying to see the new "pants" *wink* so here ya go!
It is so pretty in real life - feels good and smells good. The leather artist did a great job with the details such as the door armrest and stitching on the seams. I could never work with leather (well, maybe if I had all the right tools!). It's one of those thoughts I toyed with in my youth (i.e. 20's) but gave up quickly. A pretty expensive hobby (like stamping isn't?).
Have a wonderful weekend! I'm going to see Julie & Julia today with friends, and have promised myself to do some computer maintenance (it's really getting s-l-o-w). I'm sure there will be craft room time as well.
One day we were tidying up the nursery cleaning up the office at work and my boss told me to throw out three of these binders because the contents were ancient and no longer helpful. What?! Throw them out!? I asked if I could take the empty binders and re-use them. :-) I like to collect ideas (well, who doesn't?!) and often I print them out and keep them in these binders. I have two volumes now - and it's not always the entire card or layout that I like - sometimes it's just the way someone did something unusual with the edge of the photo (for example) or the way they used an embellishment that I hadn't thought of before.
Keiko enjoyed her day at the SPA - she has the coolest new gray leather pants you've "eva" seen! I love, love, love them! I took photos, of course. The dealership is already getting used to me . . . (tee, hee).
I know it's not just people at my workplace - but people ALL OVER who love CHOCOLATE! As you know, I just got a new car. A co-worker and her son helped me find a great dealership that treated me well and helped me get just the car I wanted. I figured a little chocolate was owed here!!!
I hope you've been watching Laurel's nugget posts (here) and (here) and that you were as inspired as I was?! Only one problem, I didn't have any of those nifty clear front hinged tins and I didn't want to wait to give this Thank You gift for an order to come in. So - My answer to this was a Bag-O-Chocolate!
Keiko is at the SPA getting new leather pants!!!! I'm so excited for her! I pick her up tomorrow after work, I can hardly wait to see what she looks like! (for those just joining the postings of a raving lunatic - Keiko is my new car, the "pants" are new seats.)
Have a Terrific Thursday!
At the Stupendous Stampers unit meeting last Saturday Jen Coleman taught the group a new mini-album. Isn't it GORGEOUS?! Jen is a professional teacher (turned CTMH Consultant) and has a gift for explaining things. We love her to pieces!
This is explained beautifully in a Fabulously Artsy video from Tresa Black's blog. I choose Bella papers for my book. I stole an idea from one of my friends, Jone, and used Annotations for the tops of my tags (isn't that Cool!?) and added Glimmer Mists to dye and add sparkle to the white daisy flowers added to the front. The only thing else I need to tell you is that I used a chalk ink to "age" the edges of the papers and look how they turned out all chalky in the photographs! Who Knew!?!?!? (Remember - one reason for doing the blog was to improve!)
Tough day today. Yoga tonight was amazing - I do love my practice. I am reminded that I can only control myself - not others. I have peace within me, I just need to turn to it. Life is chaotic, but I am not.
Namaste.
This card was made with one of the new paper packs (Grace) from the Autumn / Winter Close to My Heart catalog - and one of the new stamp sets (Childhood Portrait). I'm very excited about the new catalog (but, I'm always excited about new stamps and paper!).
Let's see, what's new? It seemed cooler here today, but it won't last - we're expecting hotter temps and storms later in the week. Isn't it sad about the typhoon?! I was just speechless at the photos of the mountainside burying an entire village. When I was just a young miss, I lived in Northern Japan. My first year there we were hit by a typhoon and the experience has stayed with me to this day. Not the entire storm, of course, but these bizarre snatches of memory - such as the neighbor's cat standing on the top of our refrigerator and screaming. The cat (and her people) were in our kitchen because their house blew away. You would think I would be afraid of storms, huh. Not really - I guess I know in my heart that I have no control over it - so I just let it go.
I was incredibly exhausted yesterday when I was surprised with this lovely award from Laurel - I made a conscious decision to wait until I was more coherent to share it with you! Thank you, Laurel for this award, and to all of you for your support, encouragement, and for listening to me whine occasionally! My responsibility now is to reveal 5 things I enjoy doing and to share the joy.
- I enjoy doing things for others. I am active in my church's outreach program and we help those less fortunate than us.
- I love my work. Every day is something new and interesting - I feel valued and appreciated. It is another way that I give to others.
- I love stamping and scrapbooking! And THAT is an understatement. I think I would die without it. This "hobby" has brought me so many dear, sweet friends. They nourish my soul.
- I enjoy yard-work. I know that sounds crazy - but it's so much more satisfying than doing housework - where the house really doesn't look any different when you're finished. Now with yard work - the hedge is "GONE" the grass is tidy at the edges, the pine needles are all raked up, etc. etc. You can SEE an improvement! LOL
- I need my Yoga practice. I spend that time in movement, breath, and meditation and it keeps me grounded. When I practice regularly I am calmer, more alert and focused, and in less pain. I sleep better and am more accepting of my own faults and the faults of others. I'm not sure why it works, but it does.
This card uses scraps of discontinued papers . . . so I'm sorry that it will be hard to reproduce exactly. It was the cool idea of stitching the pieces together, cutting off a slice to flip around and put on the bottom that I thought you might enjoy. Such an interesting pattern! I'm really happy with the card, and the Twilight paper (base card is the textured cardstock from CTMH) is really prettier in person. Oh, yeah, and the ribbon is really chocolate (not black) and aqua.
To be completely honest with you, I'm having SO much fun reading your ideas about car names that I really hate to tell you that I found her name today. You are so creative - Sheri's suggestion that I name the car after her goats (because they have that "yelling thing" in common) made me nearly spit my coffee all over the monitor! I decided that my Japanese car should have a Japanese name. I lived in Japan as a young child - and some of my most precious memories are of the live-in nanny that I thought was my sister. Her name was Eiko and I adored her! I didn't want to name a car after someone so dear to my heart, but as I was searching Japanese girls names and their meanings, I found the name - Keiko and it means "blessed". Well, that seems just perfect!
So now you know. ;-)
I love my cyber-friends! You are awesome! I got a Honda Civic Coupe, EXL. It really is a nice car - I'm getting used to it and adjusting to the little individual quirks. I haven't settled on a name yet - - - any ideas? It needs to be a name that isn't the same as any of my friends or family - and isn't too silly. When I named Chloe, I didn't know a soul with that name - although now I know of two people. Chloe is such a pretty name. Oh, sorry. I'm better now.Ok. Short story. I'm trying to think of this as a funny memory for his/her baby book and not an "oh dear, off to a bad start" type of moment. This morning after I took this photo - I got back into the car (which was running) and apparently I upset the security system (not sure why!). It started beeping the horn at me. It stopped after about 5 beeps - so I put the car in reverse and backed out of the drive way - the horn went off again. I stopped and turned the car off, walked away and came back to see if it would "reset" (like re-booting the computer) and it was still mis-behaving. I called the Honda dealer (6:30 AM mind you!) and the service manager took my frantic call. "just bring it in - we'll fix it in 1 minute". So, I drove 21 miles to the dealer with the horn going off intermittently and you would not have believed the looks I got from people - - - I also had the freeway to myself - I think they were afraid of me! The last 5 miles I even had police escort! It was truly repaired in 1 minute (a ground wire had been attached to the horn rather than to ground). The service manager was appropriately apologetic and I started my day completely "frazzled"!Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
This was inspired by someone, but I forget where I found it! I changed it quite a bit - new papers, new ribbon, new stamps. The cherries were clear buttons backed by pink pattern paper and then stickles (the clear, sparkly one) was applied over the top. Not a difficult card, but so "sweet"! The stamped images were: script writing from AirMail, circles from Connections, and "sweet" from the Solo S stamp set.
I have a new car!!! I will need to take it back for a day next week to upgrade the seats but other than that - it's mine. You would be very proud of me - I did not cry at the dealer when I had to say goodbye to Chloe. That came later, when I was alone.
Happy Friday!
This was a very simple card, really. I used watercolor paper - it's a little off-white and does interesting things with the water / inks. I used the water brush and picked up ink right off the ink pads. The stamp was Close to My Heart set called You Are Beautiful. The patterned paper was from Bella (with a little Vineyard Berry ink sponged into it to brighten up the color a bit). The rest is self explanatory!
Wonderful Wednesday! I think I've found my car - I'll know tomorrow if it's really mine and then announce to the world! I don't want to jinx it tonight . . . know what I mean?
I've decided that the one color of ribbon that I simply don't have enough of is blue. This ribbon really is blue - but it's so dark, it doesn't really match the card. I'll have to try to fix that . . . (uh oh. a mission)
CTMH Products: The flowers were shapes from Serendipity, the colors were Creme Brulee (yes, still out on the table) Orange, Sunflower, and Dutch Blue. Isn't it amazing how much more orange the Creme Brulee looks on this card versus when it's paired with white, bamboo and chocolate? Hmmm. Maybe this is what color matching is all about?
So, work was great today - I actually saw the top of my desk! It's beige. Yoga was good, too. I'm driving another car tomorrow after work . . . still searching. It was such a luxury to come home to a nice, cool house this afternoon (i.e. A/C is working!!!). Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!
While playing around trying to replicate Lynn's card (my last post) - I wound up with some experimental pieces and I hate to throw anything away. LOL Since I had all the right colors on the table, it was quick to put this card together!
Today was "round two" in the dental hygienists chair for the scaling and planing. At one point I got what she called an "electro-metallic shock". I'd never heard of it - hope I never hear of it again! Basically, it was like she touched a nerve with her tools. I literally jumped 6 inches - and I had been doing so GOOD with my meditation and Yoga breathing techniques. Before you start feeling sorry for me, I'm ok and the event is over. I'm feeling great and full of energy - not sore at all. I just hope it's like childbirth pain and I forget about it before I have to go back! ;-)
No word on the car yet. Who knew that they would sell-out of all of the cars with this cash for clunker deal?! Hope your day was good and your week just gets better and better.
You, my dear friends, are so incredibly sweet! I am so lucky to have so many cyber-hugs and phone calls and invites to sleep over! I can't believe, well, yes, I DO believe I am very blessed!
The a/c is repaired. It was expensive (isn't everything?) but the nice repair man left at about 2:30 and the house was already beginning to cool down. Ahhhhhhhhh!
I had all the curtains, lights - anything that made heat turned off (except my computer - you can't expect me to be completely cut off from the world!) - so I threw on the lights and ran into my craft room. I have a card for YOU!
I must confess, it was inspired by Lynn Put. Her card uses different stamps, but I like how mine turned out anyway. CTMH stamps, inks, and cardstock. I random stamped with little doo-dads from Serendipity, and the bird is from Free Spirit. The itsy-bitsy saying "you're so thoughtful" is from the Solo T set. The gingham check background is one of the retired basic backgrounds that I bought from Kim Burmeister when she was cleaning a few months ago. Creme Brulee and Chocolate (oh gosh! Now I'm getting hungry!)
What a difficult weekend. I think I've decided on a car - but there aren't any in the State of Arizona. I missed an important commitment last night simply because we planned it over a month ago - put it on the calendar and forgot to turn the calendar over Saturday morning (I'm feeling really terrible about that one!) and woke up today because my A/C was making strange noises. No cooling.
I won't ask, because I do know it COULD be worse. I'm just trying to keep breathing. It will all work out - the sun rises again tomorrow. Needless to say - nothing creative going on here.
I love the Game On papers from Close to My Heart - they are so classy - and paired with this fun little elephant (trying to remember something!) it's just enough to make you smile! The inside simply says "Happy Birthday"! 
