Busy creating, but Photoshop is being a snot!

I have to find my copy of PS and re-upload it because it's not allowing me to import pictures. I have to go the long way around getting them onto the computer, and it's really too much work :P

But I've been working on cards, swaps (ATC's), circle journals, bridal shower announcements, and shower favors. Very crafty this past week and only one photo to show for it!

This is the large announcement I made to put up at work. My BFF's sister, and one of my good friends, is getting married in September. I've been helping her with wedding stuff since the beginning of the year, and now we're getting to the real fun stuff.....the parties!!!

My BFF found the poem on the internet some where. We used it in a smaller version on the set of cards that we mailed out. I still need to take a picture of that card. Another post, another day :)

Believe it or not, that pink striped paper in the background is still left over from my niece's birth announcements. I split half the scraps with my aunt and brought back the rest. We used up some on the 35 shower announcements we made last weekend. I used 4 strips on this sign, and I still have a stack left! Talk about your money's worth! :D

Have a great weekend. I'm signed up for 3 twelve hour shifts. I've had 5 nights off and it's been heavenly. Anyone know a single, cute, kind, rich bachelor that wants a wife who makes cards for a living? ;)

Just Because

In my last SU! order I finally ordered the dog tag punch. Fits this sentiment from Verve Visual perfectly. Another punch behind the white for a shadow affect.

And my latest love is Fun Flock. I just ordered a bunch from Ellen Hutson's store. She's got a GREAT price on them!

Paper is SEI Black Orchid. I used my Zig glue pen to color in the flower and then pressed the Fun Flock on. Butterfly is colored with Copic Tender Pink (RV13) and the some sparkle added with a clear Spica glitter pen.

Feela Bella

I bought a bunch of "new" Bella's from a Shackie and decided before they got put into the vault that I would try them out.

I copied the layout of this card from a card that I received from a Shackie in a swap. Her's is MUCH cuter but I loved the way the card is situated.

Papers are Bazzill Basics Bling, and Arctic Frog. Stamps are from Stamping Bella. Colored with Copic Markers. I added a little bit of Kleenex coming out of the box for affect. Machine stitched with my Janome Sew Mini.

It's too beautiful to sleep!

I'm really supposed to be sleeping since I have to work tonight. But the sun is shining and right now it says it's 64* here in my room. Don't laugh...this is the best weather we've had in WEEKS! And the forcast says back to our 50's and rainy tomorrow :(

But instead I'm in my stamp room playing with sketches.

And of course, now that I'm settled back home, it's back to Julee's Mojo Monday :)

This is MM42. Papers are SEI Oasis. Cardstock and ribbon is SU! Ink is SU! and Ranger Van Dyke Brown. Stamps are Verve Visual (do you sense a theme here? I couldn't help it....on Julee's last release I bought them ALL!!!!)

Our Creative Corner Challenge #1

I'm a blog addict. I fully admit that. If you could only see my "blogs" folder listed under my favorites folder, you'd agree with me. Part of my daily routine when I get home from work is to log in and check email and then go straight to my blogs to see what everyone has posted for the day. If you check further down my own blog on the right, you'll see a listing of just some of them.

And this weekend I weeded through and deleted about 20 blogs that were either inactive, or I just didn't check in much. It' still leaves me with a list that I have to scroll about 3 pages to visit all. With that kind of list, you'd think I'd have creativity pouring out of me and my own blog would be going crazy. But....NOPE! I drool at the amazing talent, find a website to buy the products, wait for them to get here, play with whatever I've bought once, and then it goes into the vault with all the other things that I forget I have ;)
So I've been trying to find more sketch challenges to get me going. And I found one that is off to a great start!
Our Creative Corner is created and run by a couple of bloggers already in my list, and a few more that will soon be added!
So when I saw their very first challenge posted on Saturday, I hopped right on board. (And then got lazy and didn't photograph the cards). Until now.

Late on all accounts.....

* Late posting the card I made on Saturday
* Late taking the photograph and getting it up here on my blog.
* Late on getting my Father's Day gift in the mail to my dad! Sorry Dad!
But at least he has a great card using a neat sketch on his way to him. And truth be told....he didn't even know when Father's Day was, and really doesn't care if he gets a gift either. He's easy that way.

Papers are Basic Grey Recess. Cardstock and ink is SU! Stamps are Verve Visual. Brads are Making Memories.

Then I couldn't stop there. My friend needed a card for her dad too, so I grabbed the same sketch, the same products and turned it into a square card that I liked just as well as the first one.

Finally, some crafty sharing

ATC love! That's all I can say.

About a year ago Thanh and I had a discussion about ATC's

and if I remember correctly, I stated "What's the point!?!"

I truly didn't see the point in spending your time and materials trading these

little things. Then she convinced me to join an ATC swap.

Where, I admit, I had fun working on something so small that I was able to get done

so quickly. And then I forgot about swaps for awhile.
Until this spring.

Now I find myself not only joining ATC swaps, but hosting them!

These are the 3 that I have due currently.

ATC #1 is for a swap that Im hosting....a girlie girl them.

Papers are Prima, girl stamps are TAC (I think), saying stamp is Verve Visual,

gems are Offray (from Walmart), ribbon is Offray.

I also used my Spica glitter pen to color her shirt,

and paper pieced her pants with the Prima Paper.

ATC #2 is going ALLLLL the way to the United Kingdom!

She's on her way there now!

She's for a Little Ladies ATC swap.

Last month while on the plane to Chicago I was looking thru

some card magazines and spotted

this ribbon weave on a card.

I knew I wanted to do it,

and as soon as I saw the cute little dress on this stamp set,

I knew that's what I needed to do.

The stamps were sent to me by my previous Secret Sister.

Aren't they adorable!

SU! cardstock. Ribbon is SU! and May Arts.

Image colored with Copic Markers (a gift from my current Secret Sister :) ).

Finally, ATC #3 was done for a swap that Thanh is hosting.

Under the Water is the theme.

I dug into my SU! sets that I haven't used in awhile and came up with

this fishy :) I made the hook,

and used the "grass" from a Verve Visual set to make the seaweed.

I colored the fishy with Spica Glitter Pens and then pop dotted him for dimension.

Next swap due is a little duckie ATC swap (waiting for supplies now) that's going to the Netherlands! :o Followed by a ribbon swap...Yummy!

Then, I'm caught up till August :-)

Grrrr...stupid computer parts!

I've finally been working on some stuff to post here...woo hoo! I've joined about 20 ATC swaps at The Shack, and have been working to try and get those done way before their due dates, as some of them need to travel over seas.
Get on the computer to upload the pics (and some engagement photos I took) and my computer wont recognize my card reader :( Last time I used it (like the 3rd time I used this brand new one, as my old one broke while in CA) it got SO hot that the underside of the reader melted and bubbled a little. It was still working when it was like that, but since I haven't used it in a week or so, now it wont work.
So today it looks like I get to go back to radio shack and see if they'll replace it. Grrrrr!
Hopefully later today I'll have a new reader and get something up here! I have the most adorable ATC to show off using some stamps sent to me from the U.K. and ribbon weaving that I tried out :)

Back home

I probably don't have any readers now that this place has gone blank for a month, but just incase there are a few of you hanging out there, I thought I'd tell you I am home. I left Modesto at around 7:30am yesterday and didn't get home until 10pm. That's the longest it has EVER taken me to drive home. I usually make it home in a little over 12 hours. I guess the 15 minute stop in Walmart (waiting for Sonic to open, since we don't have them around here) set me back a bit. Then there were the MULTIPLE potty trips I had to keep taking, which is unusual for me too. I tried not to drink much on Tuesday, but I guess it didn't help.
Anyway, the trip was WAYYYY too long and boring. I was tired of driving by the time I hit Sacramento (90 min into the trip). Usually that doesn't happen until I hit Portland (2.5 hours from home).
My cat was a TOTAL pain the butt last night from me being gone for a month. Before I came home I stopped and picked up some Orange Chicken from Panda Express. And hour after eating it, I was in the bathroom throwing it up. Don't know if it was the chicken or just the days travelling/eating catching up with me. Anyway, needless to say, I wasn't up to the task of cuddling and entertaining the cat. Which he most definately wanted to happen. He walked around meowing constantly and bringing every toy he owns and dropping it by the bed. When he'd finally get into the bed and I'd think he was going to sleep, he'd sit purring loudly and "massaging" my head with his paws. His paws with 1 month of nail growth that becomes razor sharp. So I spent all night yelling at him to either lay down or get away from my head or move his feet....lol Of course, now that I'm awake, he's sleeping soundly next to me, with his cute little face resting on his paw. Brat!
I can't wait to get back to card making! I made 10 cards while in CA, for a swap Im hosting that ends this weekend. I should have something for you on Monday or Tuesday. I'm back to work tonight for the next 4 nights. Any extra time I have this weekend will probably be spent playing with my Wii Fit that is sitting down in the rental office right now :)
Have a great weekend, if there are any readers out there. I'll try to get some pictures posted soon. My niece was born the day after my 30th bday (but made my bday by 3 min here on the west coast!). Her mommy doesnt want her pictures on the internet, but I have to sneak one on here to show off, right? She's absolutely beautiful! And pulled all the Italian blood that her daddy could give her. She's only got mommy's blue eyes and her pouty lips!

Today's the day!

Sorry to have been so quiet lately. All my spare time has been spent wrapping up loose ends, packing and cleaning.
I have a meeting at work tonight, then back home for a quick nap (yeah right, that'll never happen!) and I'm on the road headed for CA! WOO HOO!
A wonderful, beautiful surprise out of our weather today too! Predicted forcast.....mid 50's and rain. I delightfully sit infront of my open sliding glass doors with a beautiful warm breeze and full sunshine. That cat's outside getting his last lounge in the sun on the deck before he's bottled up for a looooong time :( Good thing he can't tell time....he might die of lonliness before I get back!
Today's weather in Modesto, CA.....85*! Tomorrows.....73*.....but I'll take it :D
Next time I update it'll either because my brother's baby was born (pray for labor vibes tomorrow, so she's born on Wednesday! I'll be 30 on April 30 and I want Miss Hannah Katherine for my birthday!!!) or because we've done something fun in CA. I'm wanting to go to Monterey (maybe do the Aquarium) and/or Yellowstone National Park.
Have a great week everyone!

Cute new stamps from See D's!

While at my LSS a week or so ago, I was checking out and glance down at a bucket of things on the counter (they are notorious for putting these little things at the counter that add on to your total...lol). The little bird stamp was on top and called my name. Isn't she cute!?!?!?!?!
So I flipped thru the rest of the sets and ended up with these other 2 also.
They are foam mounted rubber stamps. They are pre-cut but the neat thing is that it's a block of foam/rubber in the package so you can store them right back in the square you punch them out of.
They are very light which I'm thinking might make them good travel stamps :)

Busy busy busy!

That's been me the last couple of days.

Countdown to vacation is less than a week away! WOO HOOO!

The last couple of days I've spent cleaning, packing, shopping, and working on baby announcements and a blanket that I've been knitting for 3 months. And none of it is done!

The kitchen, the stamp room, and the living room/dining room still need a good cleaning, I've still got some toiletries and gifts to pack into my suitcase (that needs to be rearranged once I get it all together), shopping is done except for a few snacks for the road, baby announcements are *almost* done- just a couple of more stamped items and a bow to go!, and the blanket has about a dozen more rows and it should be finished.

Friday and Saturday are going to be spent finishing up...eek! Not enough time! Plus the March of Dimes walk is on Saturday morning so there's a few more hours gone.

But, I took some time out this morning to make a card for the Secret Sister Reveal over at the Shack. I combined it with Julee's Mojo Monday Sketch # 34.

MY SS sent me all these papers and the ribbon. The circle stamp was the perfect fit for the sketch, dontcha think!? It's hard to tell, but the strips of white are embossed with an embossing template that has a checkerboard pattern on it (I forget the maker).

I'll be slipping this card in the mail in the next couple of days, so if my SS reads my blog, you should be receiving it soon :)

9 days and counting!

My vacation can't come fast enough!
I've developed a case of "vacationitis" and the only cure is for April 28 to get here very quickly!
The weather is really bumming me out lately. I'm ready for summer! And the fact that I get to go to "summer" in a few days is making it worse. Couple that with the fact that we have a snow storm blowing through and I'm ready to pack my bags and move!
Yesterday afternoon, about 4pm, I woke up to what sounded like someone throwing little stones at my bedroom window. When I looked out it was hailing. The snow (yes, there was a light dusting on the ground) had turned to pea-sized hail. It hailed for a good 20 minutes and then turned to full out snow. By the time I left the house 50 minutes later we were in blizzard conditions. White out stage. In that time we had about an inch drop. I stopped at the grocery store for dinner and by the time I came out we had about another half an inch. We're talking 20 minutes in the store TOPS, people!
Around 8pm I heard that we were supposed to get up to 7 inches by 5am. Shortly after that it stopped snowing here at work. I also heard that my neighborhood had 5 inches by 7pm, so I can pretty much bet that I'm going home to at least that in a couple of hours.
BLECH!
To top it off, on my way to work I was talking to my dad (in IL) and he was out on his deck. It was 72* there!!! I've had no desire to move back to IL until last night....lol

Need your opinions please!

Click image for larger view

I'm almost done with Baby Girl's birth announcements!

However, I can't decide on this final thing.

So I'm asking for your help in deciding how to set up the rest of the card.

Option #1: Uses a smaller Nestabilities rectangle with a couple of stamps. If this

option is chosen, a wallet sized picture (probably black and white) will be placed inside the card.

*Regardless of where the picture is placed, Baby Girl's birth stats will be on the photo itself.*

Option #2: The wallet sized photo on the front of the card. I'm partial to this option myself,

but then I'm unsure of what to do inside since the birth stats will already be on the photo.

(Something my brother wants, as he doesn't want to hand write all the stats.

There are 80 announcements!)

I *think* I may have a stamp still that says something about "Babies are cuddles, and

tickles on toes....."

You can leave a comment here, or I'm going to (try to) put a poll in the bar to the right.

Thanks for your help!!!! :)

Itching for a camping trip

Last summer my friend and I packed up our Fords (my Escape, her Expedition) with lots coolers, tents, chairs, firewood, and kids and headed about 20 miles north of where we live to Wenberg State Park for 5 nights of camping. I hadn't been camping in a VERRRRY long time and she hadn't been in awhile also, so it was going to be an experience. I am happy to report we had a BLAST! Although I spent most of my down time studying for a Anatomy and Physiology mid-term during that trip, it was still quite relaxing.
Mega girls only trip here too! Me and my friend and 3 of her 4 girls went along. My best friend lives near the park also so she showed up a couple of the days with one or both of her girls in tow. And my friend's daughters had friends arrive too for a day of swimming in the lake.
Summers in the PNW are pretty mild compared to other areas of the country. We are generally happy to make it into the mid 70's. The entire time we were camping it was soooo warm. Into the upper 80's most days and full sunshine. We had one day of cooler 70* temps, but it was at the end of time there.
The unpacking and setting up was a blast! The packing away was depressing as we would have loved to stay for another week :(
And now that the weather is attempting to get nicer, and I've been reorganizing my storage closet on my deck with my Christmas/camping stuff....I'm itching to get out there and do it again!
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner made on a campfire.....does it really get better than that!?!
This view here is heading down the path towards the lake. The great thing about camping in Western Washington is the tons of trees that create beautiful scenery, protection from direct sun rays, and a feeling of security by being tucked in tight between each big trunk.
This summer will probably bring us travelling a bit farther to central Washington for warmer weather and new scenery.

Baby girl gets new clothes

Not the best of picture at all. Neither outfits had hangers, so I was left

to try and figure a way to "hang" them.

Ignore all the junk in the background on those wire racks. Hopefully those will

be gone soon :)

Anyway, while returning some clothes I bought for myself at Lane Bryant on

Saturday at the mall, I decided to duck into The Disney Store real quick.

It's been a looooong time since I've been in there!

Not so much anymore, but several years ago I had this fascination and extreme love

for dalmatians. I collected anything that I could find with those cute little spotted dogs.

Some of it (like collector plates and cute figurines) are still displayed around

my apartment. Most of it is packed away in a big box in one of my closets.

So when I ran into this cute little T-shirt, I picked it up. It was on clearance!

I decided instantly that it shall become "baby girls' ". Then....

I saw the little skirt. And again decided that she must have that too. No matter the price!!

And luckily for me, it too was on clearance!

The skirt has this cute little pair of red underwear/diaper cover that go with it too.

LOVE IT!

Then I walked down a little further and came across Gap Kids.

I went in to see how small their sizes go and was greated by a woman who would later

continue to follow me around the store "making sure I was ok".

Ummm...I have clothes in my hand, nice lady, I think I've got this figured out!

Anyway, back in the baby section I found a rack of clearance stuff and found this second

little outfit.

I'm sooooo in love with the little pink eyelet lace pants. I can't wait to see her (in pictures) in them! They are a 6-9 months so unless I head back to IL for Christmas, I'll only see them in pictures. The little sweater is so soft and pretty too.

Auntie Kelly is going to keep this girl ALWAYS looking her cutest if she has her way! LOL

What's this? A Mojo Monday card posted ON Monday!?!?

Don't fall over from the shock you are suffering...lol

I needed a card for something and while checking my blogs early this morning I saw that Julee had posted this weeks Mojo Monday :) AWESOME sketch! I'm sure this won't be my only card done using it.


Papers are Basic Grey Cardstock is Stampin' Up! (that's actually Very Vanilla, not Whisper White. I don't know if you can tell.) *Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
Flowers are Bazzill and Prima *Stamps are Autumn Leaves and Stampin' Up! *Ribbon is Stampin' Up!
Small grommet is from my Big Bite *Rhinestones from Walmart
Dew Drops from The Robin's Nest Clear *Spica Glitter pen used to accent flower stems

If you look closely in the second picture you should be able to see a tiny little bit of sparkle. This is done with the Spica Glitter pen. I absolutely LOVE these pens! My second favorite purchase in the last few months. (My first is still the Verve Visual Anniversary Birds. I just pull them out and look at them and smile. Yup, I'm a dork!)

Shrinking Me

I started a new diet last Monday. :)

I didn't want to say anything incase I quit before I got into it....lol But I've done pretty well! As of yesterday morning I was already down 5 pounds!!

As a heart patient, my Grandpa once had to do the Cabbage Soup Diet. I remember him losing a lot of weight fast and started looking to the recipe for the diet.

They've changed the diet a little, so I thought I'd give it a try as a jump start. I'm happy to say that I've hardly had any trouble following it! :) The first night I felt hungry (I worked 7 days straight this last week, so I was doing this on my night shift schedule) but I got thru it. The second night was worse. I really wanted to quit! But I got distracted from the hunger pangs and made it thru to the next morning. Every day since, I've been doing fine. I haven't really had any cravings, and the only time I "cheated" was on the second morning when I added some Equal to my strawberries :)

My coworkers even ate Sweet Maui Onion chips(these things are soooo yummy!) and cookies infront of me last night and I didn't even wince or reach for either, even though they sat right next to me on my desk!

I've got two more days to go on this diet and then I plan on switching over to The South Beach Diet to continue. Compared to the Cabbage Soup, South Beach will be even tastier and I figure I'll be able to follow that one more religiously since their recipes are a step up from the restrictions of the Cabbage Soup Diet.

5 pounds down....wayyyyyyyy more than I care to admit, to go! ;)

A new ink to love

I posted this last week on a thread at the Shack, but thought I'd share it here also.

In my packge from Hanna Stamps from a couple of weeks ago, was this

Black Noir Palette ink pad. I've heard of it, but never seen it anywhere.

Then while checking out the Riley stamps and accesories, I saw that they sold it.

I have to say, it is AWESOME ink!

I'm totally sold and looking to see when I can get some other colors.

It has 100% coverage, even in solid parts of stamps, as you can see be the photo above.

Plus it's waterproof so watercoloring is easy and alcohol inks don't affect it.

My poor Stampin' Up pad will probably never see the light of day, or night, again!

Riley in Paradise

As I sit here at 4am, in flannel pajamas, wrapped in a blanket, snuggled into my flannel sheets, while it's 43* outside (expected high of 48* today...ewww), I'm envious of Mr. Riley about now. I'm not sure what beach he's enjoying himself on, but he looks to be pretty relaxed and enjoying himself. And I don't see a blanket (or clothes...he he) anywhere in sight, so it MUST be warm!

My time is coming though. Next month at this time, I'll be spending some days in near 80* weather and enjoying every moment without cold feet and hands!

Happy Birthday, Cupcake

Trying to use up some scraps on my desk. You may recognize the paper from my earlier post about the penguin ATCs.

Super simple, just grabbed some scraps and stitched them together. Then used the smaller pieces to cut out the cupcake (a Sizzix die) in my Cuttlebug. I then paper pieced that together and added some shine with a pink Spica glitter pen.

The birthday stamp is from a SU! set that I just bought from a fellow Shackie.