CASEing the Garden of Life

I simply adore Michelle Wooderson's style -- Is it because of her clean, fresh crafting style? her sharing of recipes? her fun and giving nature to make darling, often edible, homespun gifts to hand out to family, friends, neighbors, and teachers? her home's beautiful stone fireplace with the huge wooden mantle? her love for quilts and shabby vintage home decor? or maybe because she has Longaberger baskets? I'm pretty sure it's all that. ;) I don't even know Michelle, but since her tastes and mine appear to be so similar, her style and friendliness just draw me in and I love seeing what she's created.

What I especially marvel at is how she can create such darling cards for mass-production. She's what I have dubbed a Smart Stamper. I'm sure there are others out there, but she's the only one I know of. In contrast, I'm what I'd call a Slow Stamper, though one who desperately longs to be a Smart Stamper. ;) Sure, I've done swaps where I've had to mass produce, but never on a regular basis. Heck, I'm usually struggling to find the time to get a card or two knocked out each week. Now I'm not necessarily wanting to make 20 of the same card, or even to "smart stamp" more than once in a while, but making more than one card at a time so I a few extra in my stash is what I'd love to learn how to do (of course I'd actually have to have a stash in order for that to be possible -lol).

So, in my effort to graduate from s-l-o-w to SMART stamper, I thought I'd try CASEing some cards I'd seen on Michelle's blog a while back (you can see my inspiration HERE). As a rule I don't CASE others' work, and I didn't totally CASE these cards...but since I had bought this Garden of Life set when it first came out and hadn't used it yet, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to ink it up. While I was happy with the cards, they didn't just come together in a snap like I'd hoped they would. Guess I still need more practice. ;) Here's what I came up with:
Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll come back again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Economy Boosters (just doin' my part -lol!):

Many Blessings card:
Cardstock: White Daisy, Black (CTMH); Pattern Paper: "Wild Flowers" and "Bluebird" from the Urban Prairie collection (BasicGrey); Stamps: Garden of Life (Papertrey Ink), Polka Dots (SU!); Ink: Sweet Leaf, Honey, Black (CTMH); Other: button (craft store), craft seam binding (Martha Stewart), grosgrain, stipple brush (CTMH), narrow yellow trim from the Oh, Baby! collection (BasicGrey), embroidery floss (DMC), staples, foam mounting tape

Many Blessings and Happy Birthday to You cards:
Cardstock: White Daisy, Black (CTMH); Patterned Paper: "Hayfield" and "Bluebird" from the Urban Prairie collection (BasicGrey); Stamps: Pretty Pattern backgrounder (Cornish Heritage Farms), Garden of Life (Papertrey Ink); Ink: Twilight, Sweet Leaf, Desert Sand, Black (CTMH); Other: 1/2" circle punch (SU!), button (craft store), grosgrain (American Crafts), embroidery floss (DMC), stipple brush, Liquid Glass, gingham ribbon (CTMH), staples, pop dots, foam mounting tape

Much Appreciated card:
Cardstock: White Daisy, Black (CTMH); Pattern Paper: "Wild Flowers," "Harvest," and "Bluebird" from the Urban Prairie collection (BasicGrey); Stamps: Garden of Life (Papertrey Ink); Ink: Sweet Leaf, Honey, Black (CTMH); Other: button (craft store), craft seam binding (Martha Stewart), grosgrain (CTMH), embroidery floss (DMC), staples, foam mounting tape

The Appealing Cookies went Postal

I hope you all had a nice weekend! I did, but unfortunately it was too full for me to get any stamping in. I did finish up some tags for a swap I'm in, though the stamping was done previously so it was mainly assembly that was left. I'm not going to post that project just yet because I don't want to spoil it for anyone in the group (assuming any of them read my blog -lol!).

I also spent part of my weekend baking some more cookies for our troops -- this time for a very young soldier named Brandon and his troop. (I have a son his age!)
This was my second time being on Donna's team for Operation Baking Gals. Their logo just cracks me up! They are growing by leaps and bounds, but OBG is always looking for a few good {wo}men (sorry, couldn't resist ;)) to bake a batch of homemade treats for our troops. The more bakers they have, the more troops they can reach with our homebaked hugs from home. If you're interested, just click on the OBG link and you can check it out. It's really easy to get signed up, will help our soldiers feel loved and appreciated, and who doesn't like to bake cookies? Mm-mmm, good! My family has been benefitting because I've been making double batches and there's always a little bit left for us. Of course if I can't get a better handle on my self-control, I'm gonna need to start making something that I don't like to eat (or buy bigger clothes!). This time I made Snickerdoodles. Don't they look good? (They are!) ;D
In the photo directly above, you can see the packages just before I put the finishing touches on them. I think there's about four or five layers of cookies in each container. The photo directly below is just before I sealed up the box. And in case you're wondering what the little moist spots are under the top layer of paper towel, they're little pieces of apple peel to help the cookies make the long trip without going stale before they arrive (one of the tips OBG provides).
I hope they like 'em.

So...with the tags and the cookies off my plate (literally speaking with regard to the cookies -lol), I had some time for reading. Just kidding! If I'd had free time I'd have been stamping!! ;) However, I do read in the morning while I'm doing my workout on the stair climber (keeps my mind off what I'm doing! lol). Other than reading the Bible with my daily cup of hot tea, I find it's the only time I have during my day to read. I have a fairly big stack of Charles Martin books waiting for me, so I'm trying to burn through my current read: John Grisham's The Appeal. Since my background is in the legal field, I suppose it's natural that I'm a big Grisham fan, and with the exception of Skipping Christmas (and I really liked the movie), I've read all his books. Which brings me to why I even mentioned this in the first place....

My friend Jeanne tagged me with "A Different Kind of Tag" the other day. It goes like this:

1. Get the book on your nightstand (or whatever book you are currently reading).
2. Open it to page 56 and find the 5th sentence.
3. Post the next couple of sentences on your blog, along with these instructions.
4. Do not go and find your favorite book, it has to be the one you are reading now!
5. Tag 5 other people to do the same.

So, here's what I can tease you with from The Appeal:

"But he was a professional. He served his client as well as his client would allow, and he never failed to do what Kurtin instructed him to do. And he would gladly do it all over again because Krane Chemical had paid his little firm over a million dollars to date.

He and Kurtin shook hands at the front door. Both knew they would speak by phone before the day was over. Both were quietly thrilled by the departure. Two leased vans hauled Kurtin and ten others to the airport, where a handsome little jet was waiting for the seventy-minute flight, though they were in no hurry. They missed their homes and families, but what could be more humiliating than limping back from Podunk with their tails between their legs?"

It's an interesting read (for me anyway) with a plot that is probably a lot more fact than fiction. If you haven't read it already and you're looking for something new, give it a try. I think you'll like it. ;)

Here's a shot of the cover:
Since Jeanne's already been tagged and has tagged some of my other favorite "victims," I'm going to choose:

Courtney
Mary Ellen
Stacy
Sue
Tanis (Does this count as a payback? ;P)

So...what are YOU reading? ;) If you feel like sharing, please leave it in a comment here.

I'm about to be late for my son's orthodontic appointment, so I gotta git!

Thanks so much for the visit, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. I'll have a card or two to share with you next time. Until then, many blessings to you!

Sharin' the Love and a Card

I used to say I didn't like surprises, but now that I'm older, I'm changing my mind about that. ;) Since I don't have a lot of blogging time these days (or time to comment on all the beautiful artwork I see when I do have time to blurf), I have to make the rounds sporadically and often times I miss out on things...like when people need prayer, have an exciting announcement, or when they're offering up some tasty blog candy. Well, today as I was catching up on Stacy's blog, I stumbled upon a post from well over a week ago where she had received an award and I was among those she wanted to share it with. So here it is: What a sweet surprise that was (thank you, Stacy!)! BTW, she's also offering up some calorie-free blog candy right now, so you will want to go check it out here {NOW}!

I have no idea what the official 'rules' for this particular award are, but in the spirit of sharing the love I'd like to send this award out to a small handful of other sweet ladies whose blogs (and personalities) never fail to inspire and encourage me (and right back atcha, Stacy!). I love how, through stamping and blogging, I've met some of the most wonderful (and talented) ladies. My list could go on for days (have you seen my sidebar?!...and that's not all of them! lol), so if you happen to stop by and don't see your name listed, please don't be offended, just consider yourself on my very long honorable mention list. ;)

Barb
Cammie
Courtney
Jeanette
Jeanne
Maria
Mary Ellen
Patti (I miss you)
Priscilla
Stacy (the "other" Stacy -lol)
Susan

(Just curious...is it just me or has anyone else noticed that this award that is circulating the blog world lately is missing a letter in its title? It's something I can't help -- in my court reporting school and legal secretary/paralegal days, I used to edit a lot of court documents, etc., and my eye is just trained to pick up things like that --just don't ask me about the time I *almost* sent out a letter on behalf of one of our clients containing "fowl language" -lol! It's automatic for me and can come in handy at times; other times, it just makes me feel really anal. UGH! Hopefully, I'm not alone in this. lol)

Anyway...here's another masculine birthday card to share with you (the last one for a while, I'm pretty sure). This one I made a little while ago for my wonderful hubby using the Checklist stamp set and Good Times pattern paper by Close To My Heart: Pretty basic (cuz guys just don't really care, ya know?), and fairly plain (again, cuz guys just don't really care). He liked it -- and that's all that really counts, right? ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Economy boosters (just doin' my part - lol!):

Cardstock: Colonial White, Chocolate, Sweet Leaf (CTMH); Pattern Paper: Good Times (CTMH); Stamps: Checklist, Say It in Style (CTMH); Ink: Timber Brown Staz-On (Tsukineko), Chocolate, Sweet Leaf (CTMH); Other: word window punch (SU!), embroidery floss (DMC), paper piercing needles (Making Memories), ribbon, sponges (CTMH), foam mounting tape

Dad, You Take the Cake!

Just a quick post here...I've got a swap I need to get working on. I hope you're all enjoying your weekend. Oh! Aside from it being the first day of November (can you believe it's November already?!), today is my most favorite day of the year (well, okay, that is an exaggeration, but only a slight one -lol)...Daylight Savings Time ends so we get an extra hour of sleep tonight!!!! Gotta love that! ;D So don't forget to set your clocks back an hour before you go to bed tonight or you'll miss out on that wonderful and rare gift of a little extra sleep without a penalty (and you'll be an hour early for church in the morning)!

Okay, I made this card for my dad's birthday earlier this week, using the design from a card I stumbled upon while blurfing as my inspiration. While I'm not sure this card really "looks" like my dad (the dp does remind me of him a lot, but the brads might be just a little on the flashy side for his style...WAIT! -- Mom, does Dad actually have a style? lol), and I wish I'd added a little bit more red in the way of layering (don'tcha love hindsight? ugh), I called it good and mailed it to my pops. I *always* have a hard time with 'guy cards,' but I think this one turned out okay. Oh, and the headless lady is supposed to be me...even though I definitely do not have her figure (darn!)...and the cake is chocolate, my dad's favorite (well, one of his favorites anyway -lol). ;) Also, just a quick reminder to make sure you do your homework and then get out and exercise your right, responsibility, and privilege to vote on Tuesday (if you haven't already)! Here's a little video to help put things in perspective (IMHO):


Thanks so much for coming to visit, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Economy boosters (just doin' my part -lol!):

Cardstock: White Daisy, Outdoor Denim, Grey Wool (CTMH); Pattern Paper: "Buckle" from the Boxer collection (BasicGrey); Stamps: You Take the Cake (My Favorite Things); Ink: Jet Black Staz-On (Tsukineko), White Daisy Pigment (CTMH); Other: classic rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug (Provo Craft), Silver Pearl embossing powder, heat tool, Liquid Glass (CTMH), Prismacolor pencils (Sanford), odorless mineral spirits (Mona Lisa), blending stumps (Loew Cornell), brads (Making Memories), embroidery floss (DMC), foam mounting tape

This New Old House

Some friends of ours recently moved into a new (to them) house. It sits on a large parcel of land with grass and trees galore -- every kid's dream...until they have to rake the leaves and mow the lawns. lol

This is the first time I've used my Boards & Beams stamp set, and I found it more of a challenge than I'd anticipated (although I think it's just me). I love the house images in this set, but since my coloring skills aren't where I'd like them to be (and it never occurs to me to practice...until something like this comes up -lol), so by the time I got done with it, it didn't much look like what I'd envisioned. One thing I realized after the fact is that I colored in what I assumed was the front door's kickplate (and most of the time they're a shiny gold tone, KWIM?), when I think it's actually supposed to be part of the front porch. Oh, well. It didn't come with instructions! lol I'd have given the coloring another shot, but I was running short on time (the story of my life).

Coloring aside, this house actually reminds me of a house I lived in back in the mid-80s...charming house built in 1917 (I think), but, boy, was it a lot of work (remember that, Mom?)! Seems like a lifetime ago. Anyway, I used Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge 61 as the starting point:
Because the house image is rather large, I had a little bit of trouble getting everything to fit, but I think it worked out okay (heaven forbid I actually make a 5x7 card! lol). I used the Tiny Bubbles embossing folder on the larger circle on the lower right, and I sponged some ink onto the smaller circle behind the house image (with that deep purple cardstock as the background, it kinda resembles a big moon, don't ya think?). For me, I think the Picket Fence border punch really pulled this card together. I was still in the thought-process stage of making this card when I found this punch on sale at Michael's, and I knew I wanted to incorporate it into the card's design somehow. I'm really glad I was able to use it here. ;)

BTW, the sentiment reads "Congratulations...," not "ongratulations..." as it appears in the photo. lol

Hope you enjoy your weekend! I plan to. ;D

Thanks so much for visiting my blog, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Economy Boosters (just doin' my part -lol!):

Cardstock: White Daisy, Pansy Purple, Garden Green (CTMH); Stamps: Boards & Beams (PTI); Ink: Jet Black Staz-On (Tsukineko), Chocolate, Goldrush, Olive, White Daisy pigment (CTMH); Other: classic circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, Tiny Bubbles embossing folder (Provo Craft), picket fence border punch (Martha Stewart), Prismacolored pencils (Sanford), odorless mineral spirits (Mona Lisa), blending stumps (Loew Cornell), sponge (CTMH), ribbon (from my stash), foam mounting tape, sewing machine, thread

It's Friday, and I've got Some Card Shares for Ya!

Happy Friday!! I hope you're all looking forward to a fun and relaxing weekend (or are those mutually exclusive adjectives? lol)! I know I am, and for me that means I hope to do some stamping! ;D

The first card I want to show you is the birthday card my awesome mama made for my husband (he loved it, BTW!) -- it's so masculine and rich looking, and I love all the metallic touches on it! The strings, frets, and other details on the guitars look kinda white in the photo, but they're actually silver in real life. The picture just doesn't do this fabulous card justice!
And these next two are RAKs that I recently received and they're too cute not to share with you. ;)

This first one is from my good friend Mary Ellen -- who, I'm proud to say is one of the ultra-talented designers for the Patstamps Technique Junkie Newsletter, which, if you're not familiar with it, is a wonderful newsletter put out by Pat Huntoon loaded with new and fun techniques for the avid stamper (Pat has CDs with detailed tutorials too, which are amazing!). Can you see all the sparkle in this one? I LOVE it!! (Thanks again, ME!)

This next one is from my sweet friend Laura (who doesn't currently have a blog or I'd link you up). Laura is always so thoughtful and is forever creating wonderful cards and handmade gifts for the special people in her life. This is a double pocket card, and I love how she used all those punches to play off the background pattern and create the whimsical feel of the card. And if you look closely, you'll see that she actually used what appears to be a recycled Archiver's ad as her card base -- very creative (and ecology-minded too)! Isn't it cute?! Thanks, Laura! ;D
Thanks so much for visiting my blog today, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Some Bunny's Going to Pennsylvania

Can you guess who? (I gave you a pretty good hint there!) Nope, it's not me -- even though it's been over seven years since we were last there for a visit and I wish we could go back. (I have a brother who lives there with his family.) It's...Some Bunny!...and she'll be making two appearances there this week, hopefully bringing smiles to two very special little ladies. ;)

You see, I've got a niece who'll be turning seven on Friday (and if you do the math, you'll figure out that neither she nor her younger sister were even born when we were there last, but we have seen them a few times since then thanks to my brother's ability to travel). Time sure does fly! This is the card I made for her (she loves pink -- and I really hope she likes polka dots - lol!):
And this next, very similar, card is for Janessa: If you want to know more about little Janessa, and especially if you'd like to pray for her and her family, please click on the link above. Her aunt, Korin (whom I got to know through one of my online stamping groups before she started Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps), posts updates fairly regularly on her blog. It just breaks my heart when I hear of situations like this, but I know that prayer does help and they could use all the prayers we can offer up on their behalf.

There is another family I'd love to send a card to as well (maybe you read about them on Cammie's blog a little bit ago), but I just haven't found the time to get to it yet. It seems there's never a shortage of those needing encouragement, so one of these days I'll figure out a way to get a stash made up so I don't always have to be so late with everything. I know, good intentions and all that.... But one day....

Boy, that kinda seemed like a downer post...such trying times for these two families. Sorry about that. Hearing of things like this really cause me to be thankful for how very blessed my family has been. I think I'll go give my two youngest kiddos a hug -- I'd hug them all, but the oldest ones are too far away. If you can reach 'em, I'm sure it would do your heart good to give your kids a hug too!

I used Jen del Muro's current Sketch For You To Try on these cards (Did I ever mention how much I love her sketches?): It was a fun sketch, but you can see I didn't challenge myself to vary my two cards too much. ;)

And before I go, I also wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you who left me such sweet comments regarding my daughter's coaster album. I always appreciate your comments, but this was such a special project for me and I was really touched by your kind and complimentary words. You ladies are just so sweet. (Oh, and did you see that my daughter actually left me a comment there today -- her only comment on my blog?! Yes, the tears were flowing as I read that one.)

Thanks so much for the visit, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Economy Boosters (just doin' my part -lol!):

Some Bunny Polka Dots
Cardstock: White Daisy, Desert Sand, Blush (CTMH); Stamps: Some Bunny, Birthday Surprise (Verve), Polka Dot Basics (Papertrey Ink); Ink: Timber Brown Staz-On (Tsukineko), Blush, Desert Sand (CTMH); Other: classic and scalloped circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft), Prismacolor pencils (Sanford), odorless mineral spirits (Mona Lisa), blending stumps (Loew Cornell), stipple brush, organdy ribbon (CTMH), sandpaper, foam mounting tape

Some Bunny Gingham
Cardstock: White Daisy, Baby Pink (CTMH); Patterned Paper: (ret.) Baby Pink Gingham (CTMH); Stamps: Some Bunny, Birthday Surprise (Verve), Classic Numbers (CTMH); Ink: Timber Brown Staz-On (Tsukineko), Chocolate (CTMH); Other: classic and scalloped circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug (Provo Craft), checkerboard border punch (Martha Stewart), Prismacolor pencils (Sanford), odorless mineral spirits (Mona Lisa), blending stumps (Loew Cornell), stipple brush, glue dot, grosgrain ribbon (CTMH), foam mounting tape

'21 Reminders' Coaster Book

Okay, as promised, here's the coaster book I made for my daughter's 21st birthday. At first I thought it would be just from me, but then I changed my mind. Wanting to make this really special for her, I thought about this long and hard and decided to rise above myself and include ALL of her immediate family members...meaning, not only would this include sentiments from myself, my hubby, our two kids, my two older sons (my daughter's flesh-and-blood siblings), my stepdaughter, and my parents; I went even further and also asked my ex, his wife, her son, their daughter, and his parents to contribute to this as well (and if you know me, you know this was not easy for me to do because the relationship I have with my ex and his wife is less than pleasant, to put it nicely).

Anyway, not everyone followed my 'instruction' to list what they love about her, but the general idea was there and so I went with with the wording exactly as it was given to me. I'm not sure you'll be able to read it all, nor is that my concern here. I just thought I'd give you a heads up so you might be able to make sense of all this in case you were looking beyond the artwork. ;) Every person's sentiments are in a different font, and I tried to create each page with that person and their personality in mind...kinda tough when you're not overly fond of some of them. lol

BTW, she just received it today, and she said it was the BEST gift she's ever received, so I'm glad that all my thought and effort was worth it. I felt like I was living this thing for weeks, and it took almost a week for UPS to deliver it, so I'm really glad it's finally in her hands and also relieved she loves it. ;)

I'm going to list the "pages" in the order they were assembled, even though I don't have them in groupings of two. Make sense? And I took most of these pics before I assembled it...I was so afraid of ruining it when punching the holes with my Crop-a-dile! lol Oh, and you may want to go get a little snack and your favorite beverage...this could take a while. ;) There are so many pics, I'm wondering if Blogger will need me to break this up and put it into two or three different posts.... Guess we'll find out soon enough. lol

Okay, this is the front cover:
Page 1:
Page 2:
Page 3:
Page 4:
Page 5:
Page 6:
Page 7:
Page 8:
Page 9:
Page 10:
And Page 11 (this was one of my favorites):
The book opens to reveal my parents' sentiments (hope you don't mind that I'm sharing this, Mom):
Page 12:
And here's the inside of that one:
Page 13:
Page 14 (the inside of the back cover -- I tucked an extra little note inside this envie):
And no, I'm not going to let you read the inside of the note -lol:
The very back cover is just plain cardstock with my little signature stamp on it. Nothing fancy and not worth showing. ;)

I thought I was making each page relatively flat, but I had to use 2" binder rings to assemble this. I think it might have looked better only using a top ring, but I really wanted it to be more like a book, so I went ahead and used a ring at the bottom as well (but the ribbons are only at the top). My supply list was so ridiculously long, and most of the supplies used were from Close To My Heart (I think some ribbon and chipboard were the exceptions). I somehow misplaced it when I was cleaning the house to have friends over for dinner last weekend, but if I ever find it, I'll edit this post to include it all. Until then, please feel free to ask if you have any questions.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Got Cookies?

Yep, it's me again. Twice in one day -- Wow! No, make that twice in one week! ;) I'm on a roll! lol


I just thought I'd tell you about something I did the other day, because maybe some of you would like to participate in it as well. I baked cookies for our soldiers. ;) I don't personally know anyone who is currently serving overseas, but there are some others who do (see photo, above), and they've organized a {growing} operation in order to enable people to send some lovin' from our ovens to our soldiers, called Operation Baking Gals.

Here's a picture of some of the cookies while they were cooling, and the other photo is of everything all boxed up and ready to ship out (mine were mailed yesterday).


It may not sound like much to send a few dozen cookies and some other miscellaneous taste treats, but I've been told that the men and women who receive them are absolutely thrilled to have a tangible reminder of home and that there are people who care about them, grateful for the sacrifice they're making, and appreciative of what they're doing in the name of freedom so far away from their country and their loved ones. It was the least I could do, and I'm glad I took the time to participate. (And if I were half the stamper I wish I were with a huge stockpile of cards on hand or the ability to just whip out a dozen or so in no time flat, I'd have sent several handmade cards along with this care package as well, as I know the soldiers would love to have cards to be able to send back home to their families.) My kids enjoyed having some extra cookies around, and it was rewarding for me to know that my doing this would bless others; I will definitely be doing this again.

Each month, different baking 'teams' of at about 25 members are assembled, and one person is selected to be the recipient of all this homemade goodness (of course they share with those they serve with, so the love is definitely spread around). I learned about this from reading Donna's blog, and though this 'operation' is still in its infancy, I have a feeling it's going to be huge as word of mouth travels.

If you're interested in participating or just want to learn more about this, please go check out this post on Donna's blog. She's done this a couple times now and, as a team leader, knows a lot more about this than I do. ;) I'm sure she'd be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.

Okay, NEXT time I'll be back to share my daughter's coaster book. And be forewarned, I'll have LOTS of pics for ya!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

How Sweet

Seems I've missed quite a bit in the last few weeks. I'm finally feeling good again and have been trying to get caught up on everything I would've been doing had I not been sick. I still haven't made my hubby's birthday card, but I think (I hope) he's okay with that and knows I'll get to it soon. ;) The house is really clean, I'm burning my favorite Mulled Cider candles, and I even have the house decorated for fall -- and I'm especially loving that because I hadn't pulled out many seasonal decorations at all since we left CA two years ago! Not having our 'home' yet, with so many of our things still in boxes, it just seemed like too much trouble. However, I'm thinking that little things like that not only make the house feel more like 'home' to me, but after seeing how excited my little girl got as she helped me with it, I think it's important for the kids too. ;)

In the blogging world, two of my sweet blogging friends recently thought of me and so I think I'll take a moment to share them with you. First, Barb, gave me a 'sweet' award AND she also tagged me...and then Jeanette tagged me as well! Fortunately, I think I can get away with only playing the tag game once (no need to thank me, I'm already thinking of you! lol). Both of these ladies are very sweet and super talented, and I love to visit their blogs to see their latest creations. I hope you'll take a few minutes to check them out too.

Here's the award:
Isn't it sweet? ;) With the current cupcake craze, how could you not be excited to see this darling little treat come your way? I didn't see any 'rules' on sharing this with other 'sweet' bloggers, so I'm going to take the chicken way out today and tell everyone who reads this post to consider themselves tagged...I haven't really had a lot of response in tagging others in the past, so I figure this will work...for now. ;)

As for my 7 "interesting" facts about me, that's a tough one but I'll give it a shot and hope I don't put anyone to sleep (I wouldn't want you drooling on your keyboard...I hear that's not good for it). Okay, here we go:

1. When I was young, I wanted to be a marine biologist and study sharks when I grew up...until I learned that you'd have to actually get into the water with them to do it!

2. About the time I first got married, I was sure I didn't want to have any children...now I have five and a stepdaughter!

3. In order to ease the symptoms of hot flashes and whacky hormones, I daily drink a somewhat nasty herbal concoction (that I have to brew myself from things like roots, bark, berries, and herbs that are 'prescribed' for me). It's been over two years now and, even though I don't like the taste of my, um, special tea and it's really expensive, I can't imagine life without it. (I'm not a big fan of conventional medicine.)

4. My second husband and I went to the same elementary, junior high, and high school (and we even shared a 5th/6th combination class together), but we never knew each other.

5. My second husband and I married within six months of our first date...and we're going to be celebrating our 13th anniversary in a couple months! (I'm sure it's because we didn't know each other growing up! lol)

6. I've never been to Hawaii or on a cruise. Yes, I live a sheltered life. ;)

7. I broke one of my upper front teeth in half and had to wear a SILVER (as in shiny!) cap on it from fourth grade through eighth grade until they finally replaced it with a porcelain cap (all I can figure is it was the dentist's way of making sure I'd be teased mercilessly by the guys because I didn't have to wear braces).

Okay...you can wake up now! So who's up for playing along with me (see above as to why I'm not going to name names right now)? Please feel free to share some random facts about yourself and be sure to comment here so I can go check it out. It's always fun to get to learn a bit more about the people behind the talent shared on the blogs we frequent. ;)

Thanks so much for the visit, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Not all better, but at least I'm back! ;D

Well, after having the world pass me by for five long days while I was relentlessly tormented by the fever from h*ll, I finally got out of bed Sunday afternoon! I'm slowly getting my strength back and am living with a nagging headache (yeah, those are fun -lol), BUT today I managed to make a birthday card for my oldest daughter (whose 21st birthday was yesterday {UGH} if you recall from my last post). I made it using the same basic supplies I've been using for her coaster book (that I'm hoping to finish tomorrow), and here the only non-Close To My Heart product is the pink velvet ribbon by May Arts. This card was inspired by this one that Kristine Werner made recently.

So here's my version (and my first circle card!): Thanks for your kind comments regarding my mom's card and also for me. ;) My mom didn't win the mouth-watering blog candy Cammie was offering up (just in case you were wondering), but I know it made her feel good to send off a card to a caregiver of Alzheimer's patients, as our family has been affected by that devastating disease as well. I think Cammie did a wonderful job in making more people aware of it and how they can help make a difference in the lives of those special people who devote their lives to caring for Alzheimer's patients. Not only that, in case you're not already familiar, Cammie also designed a darling autumn stamp set in honor of her grandmother who recently passed away from Alzheimer's, and is/will be donating 100% of the profits she would ordinarily receive herself on the set to the Alzheimer's Association. Seems like a wonderful reason to purchase that cute little set, don't ya think? ;) It's amazing what one person can do, and Cammie's proof that you just never know how big a ripple one action can become.

It felt soooo good to stamp again, and I hope to be sharing with you a lot more often! ;D Thanks so much for the visit and for hanging in there with me, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Economy Boosters (just doin' my part -lol!):
Cardstock: Colonial White (CTMH); Patterned Paper: Floral Tapestry collection (CTMH); Stamps: Say It in Style (CTMH); Ink: Jet Black Staz-On (Tsukineko), Twilight, White Daisy pigment ink (CTMH); Other: scallop and classic circle Nestabilities, tags trio Shapeabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft), 1/2- and 3/4-inch punches (SU!), ribbon (May Arts), Liquid Glass, sponge, Just Blooms, button (CTMH), embroidery floss (DMC)

Card for a Caregiver

I know...I know. I've been gone quite awhile. Again. And I'm sorry. Again. But I also wanted to thank you for all your kind comments regarding my neglecting my blog lately. You're all so kind and understanding (could it be that you have kids and other things that take up your time too? lol).

I did get a couple birthday cards made late last week, though I (obviously) haven't had a chance to post them. And since last Friday, I've spent countless hours working on a coaster book of sorts for my oldest daughter's 21st birthday on the 29th. Sounds good, right?

The bummer there is that after working diligently on it for five days, and planning to finally complete it on Day 6 so I could mail it on Day 7 (and having it arrive on time!), I found myself sick in bed with a high fever, alternating between shivering uncontrollably and feeling like I'm roasting, and unable to do anything but sleep. Now, normally you'd be hearing me complain about never getting enough sleep, but after three days of lying in bed, I'm done sleeping. lol I did crawl out of bed to take a much-needed bath (couldn't stand long enough to take a shower)...and I'm sure the doctor was thankful even if he didn't know it -lol, and drive to the doctor's office earlier this afternoon. The doctor seems to think I have a kidney infection and that I'll need to be hospitalized if the meds don't do the trick by tomorrow. So...I'm praying they will work. I don't have time for this. Not only did I not get the coaster book done, I still need to make her a birthday card to go with it, wrap her gifts, AND today is my hubby's birthday (yep, I was planning to make his card AFTER I got her things in the mail yesterday). So much for good intentions.... I'm a failure. I hate being so last-minute. My mom was/is NEVER like this. How did this happen to me? ;(

Anyway, speaking of my mom, she doesn't blog (although she should!) and she's asked me to post her card here for Cammie's AWESOME blog candy contest. If you haven't checked it out yet, you just may want to do so. But I think the deadline is today, so you'd better hurry. I'm not sure what all supplies she used, but her stamps are by Inkadinkado. Isn't it beautiful?! *Wishing you lotsa luck at the winnings, Mom!*



I hope you'll enjoy my mom's card, and I hope to be back among the land of the living soon. I definitely will have some things to show you. ;) For now, though, I think it's time I shove the computer off my lap and get some more sleep (guess I'm not done sleeping -lol).

Thanks so much for the visit, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Vintage for You

Wow -- where does the time go?!? I've not been trying to be neglectful here, but.... We've been knee-deep in school books and filling our "spare" time with various appointments and other commitments, and, because of that, my stamping time has been a big zippo these last two weeks. ;( I've even been dreaming about it --Do any of you ever dream of stamping? lol-- and trying to plan what I'm going to do next because I've got several special birthdays coming up in the next week or so...but since it's not yet being translated from mind to paper, I'm starting to panic over my being so behind with the cards and gifts I want to make (if you'll recall, no one would ever mistake me for a fast stamper). I'm trying my best not to whine, but it is really frustrating to have all sorts of supplies staring at me night and day and I. just. can't. quite. reach. them. UGH!!

I noticed, too, that I've lost a couple subscribers recently...I can only assume it's due to my lack of posting. ;( I'm truly sorry about that --and I wish it were different-- but I'm finding that sometimes life just has to take a front seat to the fun stuff, ya know? (At least that's what we're trying to teach the kids...chores and school before play...and if we don't model it ourselves, what good is the lesson?) I am so in awe of those gals who can stamp {and post} daily! I would LOVE to learn how to do that (short of getting a lot less sleep -lol)!

Okay...back to why you dropped by (if anyone is still dropping by, that is -lol). I made this card to thank some of our relatives for being so kind as to share their beach house with us while we were visiting in California last month. (Thankfully, I had actually made it for them before we ever left on our trip and it went postal weeks ago, so I'm not quite the ingrate that it might seem. lol)

I used a sketch by Kazan Clark (of 2Sketches4You fame) when it was used as inspiration for a Caard{varks} Sensational Sketches challenge several weeks back (it was actually current when I made the card). Lockhart's Adirondack Chair would've been the perfect image to use for this particular card, but since I don't yet own it, I went with Vintage Garden Chair instead and colored it in using my waterbrush and ink pads on watercolor paper.

Well, I should be back before the weekend with another card to post, as I need to have one ready to give by Friday. Hopefully I'll have time to get it posted. ;)

So, as always, thanks so much for the visit, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. (I hope I beat you back here...and if I don't, I appreciate your being understanding and hang in there with me.) Until then, many blessings to you!

Economy Boosters (just doin' my part -lol!):

Cardstock: Colonial White, Cranberry (CTMH), watercolor paper (Strathmore); Patterned Paper: Check Him Out and Dotty Dude, "Star Bright" collection (My Mind's Eye); Stamps: Vintage Garden Chair (Lockhart), Say It in Style (CTMH); Ink: Jet Black Staz-On (Tsukineko), Cranberry, Grey Wool, Grey Flannel, Sweet Leaf, Olive, Chocolate, Brown Bag, Buttercup, Heavenly Blue, White Daisy pigment ink (CTMH); Other: edge punch (Martha Stewart), photo corner punch (SU!), flower, brads (Making Memories), Liquid Glass, waterbrush (CTMH), pop dots, foam mounting tape, sewing machine, thread

Hey, You! Happy Birthday!

Yeah, it's another lame title. lol I think I'm just too wiped out from my schedule these past few weeks to come up with anything original lately. We did finish up our first week of school today (Yay!), though, so I think I'm going to collapse on the couch and watch a movie with my sweet hubby tonight.
This card is my second go with Jen's Sketch for You to Try from last Saturday. I needed a birthday card for a friend of mine, and I know she LOVES the color red (and sweets, like cupcakes and ice cream), so this is for her. Unfortunately we now live hundreds of miles away from each other and I can't take her out to go shopping or enjoy a special treat. So, since finishing up this card, I've decided -- because it's no doubt going to get her sweet tooth craving something decadent -- I'm going to add a pocket to the inside and tuck in a Cold Stone Creamery gift card so she can go and indulge herself. {Yummy!!} And she so deserves it. Just wish I could join her. ;)

The delicious-looking patterned paper is making my mouth water from BasicGrey's Cupcake 6x6 pack. The cupcake and sentiment are from the Hey There Cupcake set by Stampendous, and the main image panel was embossed using the You folder (hence this post's title's name -- told you I'm not so original today) and then sanded. That folder probably wasn't the most festive of choices for the occasion, but I liked the words that would be peeking out in that small area and I hope they make her smile. ;) (((Love ya, Tammy!)))

The cupcake wrapper was paper pieced with another of the Cupcake papers (appropriate, no?), and then I used the paper tole technique for the (three) layers of frosting. The top layer of ever-so light and fluffy frosting was made by putting down a thick layer of white dimensional fabric paint (yes, my Liquid Applique is still hiding from me! -lol), adding a generous sprinkling of Prisma Glitter, and then finishing with a cherry on top, all while it was still wet. The cherry was stamped in Cranberry ink (stem was inked with Chocolate), and then Xmas Red Stickles was applied to add some more sparkle. I also used the Stickles for some extra lovin' on the three itty bitty hearts on the sentiment tag (cut with the one of the dies from Ribbon Tag Trio -- I got mine from Ellen Hutson, but it appears they're out of stock at the moment).

Well, that's about enough from me. I hope you enjoy your weekend! I know that's my intention! ;D

As always, thanks so much for taking the time to visit, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!

Economy Boosters (just doin' my part! -lol):
Cardstock: White Daisy, Cranberry, Crystal Blue (CTMH); Patterned Paper: "Cake & Ice Cream" and "Confetti" from the Cupcake collection (BasicGrey); Stamps: Hey There Cupcake (Stampendous); Ink: Timber Brown Staz-On (Tsukineko), Cranberry, Heavenly Blue, Chocolate (CTMH); Other: classic and scalloped Nestabilities, Ribbon Tag Trio (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, You embossing folder (Provo Craft), photo corner punch, ticket corner punch, mat pack (SU!), Xmas Red Stickles (Ranger), ribbon (Michael's), Prisma Glitter, paper piercer, sponge (CTMH), white pigment gel pen (Signo), Bright White Dimensional Fabric Paint (Duncan Crafts), stapler, staples, foam mounting tape, sewing machine, white thread

Be True

I was tempted to finish that off with "to your school...," but I refrained. ;) It's actually the name of one of the stamp sets I used here, but it's pretty sound advice no matter what you've got goin' on; don't ya think?

Well, we're finally all set to start school on Tuesday (just needing the ol' check up from the neck up -lol), so I actually got to do a little stamping (after FIVE long WEEKS of withdrawal symptoms!). To be honest, though, I was having such a great time on our trip that I didn't start feeling the pain until I got back. ;) Unfortunately, I'm still suffering a little.... My mojo was apparently still on vacation and definitely MIA when I tried to make this card last night, so I had to finish it today. No one would ever call me a speedy stamper, but this one just seemed to take an extraordinarily long time. I've been back from our trip for two weeks now and I'm long overdue in sending out some cards (and the list keeps growing!), so I hope to find myself in a more creative mode again soon. Here's what I ended up with:



First, instead of going with a color challenge, I chose the colors for this card specifically for some very special people in my life (Hi, Mom! Oh, and remember to be sure and act surprised when it arrives in your mailbox. lol). Okay, so my dad probably doesn't give the colors a second thought, but I know my mom does and these are some of her favorites.

Back to the card.... I really *heart* the sketch from Jen del Muro's Sketch For You To Try yesterday (pun intended -sorry, couldn't help myself- but in case you don't get it, maybe I should explain: Jen's blog is www.iheart2stamp.com -lol). Okay...moving right along.... Here's the sketch:


I also really like both image stamp sets I selected, but I'm thinking that putting them together with all those swirls might be making me dizzy. Oh, well. I spent too much time on it and am too short on time to re-do it, so it is what it is. However --and so you (Mom) don't get the impression I'm that unhappy with it-- after adding the Star Dust Stickles to all the flower centers and dots on the two focal pieces, it really turned the corner for me. And I think the Swiss Dots embossing folder helped out too. So even though it is a bit busy and not my typical 'style,' I actually kinda like it now. ;) (Note: I'm not sure if you can tell, but the Adorable Backgrounds stamp...used on the background panels ;)...is clear embossed. I don't think the camera picked it up. But if you click on the photo, I think you can see the Stickles do their wondrous, sparkly thing.)

Well, thanks for hanging in there with me during my unintentional stamping hiatus. Hopefully the kids will be good students for me this year and I'll have a lot more time to stamp than I'm expecting. Wish us/me luck, and, for those of you who pray, I'd be very appreciative if you'd say a prayer for us (not so that I'll have more stamping time, but rather that the kids' attitude would be good and they'd get their work done in a reasonable amount of time, which of course would ultimately result in my having more stamping time -lol). Thanks, and sorry for all the rambling! ;)

As always, thanks so much for visiting my blog, and I hope you'll stop by again soon. Until then, many blessings to you!


Economy Boosters (just doin' my part! -lol):

Cardstock: White Daisy, Twilight, Baby Pink, (ret.) Summer Cloud Blue (CTMH); Stamps: Be True, Adorable Backgrounds, Say It in Style (CTMH); Ink: Twilight, Baby Pink (CTMH), VersaMark (Tsukineko); Other: classic and scalloped Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder (Provo Craft), Star Dust Stickles (Ranger), clear embossing powder, heat tool, White Daisy organdy, sponge, piercing tool (CTMH), mat pack (SU!), foam mounting tape, glue dot