Sittin’ on Top of the World…

I will tell you why after I have shown you a couple of cards. This is yet another card from the Saturday event. I have seriously adored this stamp set – Stampin’ Up’s Season of Friendship – since it was introduced a couple of years ago. I have yet to purchase it, however, which means either I don’t love it quite enough or I have remarkable restraint – kind of like with that cute owl punch that I have yet to declare my own. LOL.

About this card, some of the leaves are cut out and were mounted with SU Dimensionals. The colors are very nice, although I don’t know what they are. I like the weight of SU’s cardstock. In certain circumstances, I like the solid core, too.

Oh heck, I like it all. Stamping is a good hobby. Actually, all hobbies are good. They give us something to look forward to doing. They are pleasant to think about. If life is otherwise overwhelming, they provide us with a nice diversion. According to studies, folks with hobbies are mentally and physically healthier than those do don’t have them.

 

Here is a similar version of the same card made with Close To My Heart stamps. Mom likes this one better. I’m on the fence. The CTMH stamp is a more traditional-looking tree. The SU tree is contemporary – a look I really like. If I were to wear one of the cards (and that would be quite a sight), I would opt for the top one.  LOL.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Autumn Terracotta cardstock; Chocolate, Autumn Terracotta, Goldrush, and Olive stamp pads; Grown with Love and TLC stamp sets; Autumn Terracotta Designer Ribbon Rounds (retired); Stampin’ Up Pewter Jumbo Brads; Crop-O-Dile; Piercing tool; Stampin’ Up Piercing Guide & Mat; 3M foam mounting tape.

A Slice of Life: Today was what one might call a banner day. The weather was gorgeous, and I found out early this afternoon (drum roll, please) that I got a new job. Tonight, I can’t even remember what the title is. I know the last word is photographer. It doesn’t matter. What I am over the moon happy about are my new hours – from 7 pm to 7 am Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Yes, it is a 12-hour overnight shift three days/nights a week. What it means to me is that I will come home from work on Saturday at 7 am, sleep until early afternoon sometime and then not have to think about work again until Wednesday evening.

While I have not said a lot about it, my current job has amounted to what seems like a roller coaster ride within the Twilight Zone these past few months. A management change during what was supposed to have been a job transition for me led to nothing but confusion, disappointment, and heartache for me. During the process, I’ve lost respect for people I need to respect and no longer have much enthusiasm for what I do. I was told this type of turmoil is common in big business. That is too bad and probably one of the reasons Corporate America is despised by so many. The sad thing is that it was nothing that a little honest communication would not have prevented.

Anyway, I will be elated to be removed from all of it. The job basically entails photographing electronic components and then retouching and cataloging them. They will be used on the website and in promotional materials. Because of my experience and company/product knowledge, I get to forego the usual three weeks of formal training and train on the job. Before I can start, however, they need to hire a couple of people. It cannot be soon enough for me.

To make a good day better, the little guys are staying with us tonight. For supper, we got some fast food and went to the park. Did I mention Bjorn got glasses? He wasn’t crazy about the idea, and his Daddy said his glasses were in his backpack when he picked him up at school today. We reminded him of how handsome and smart he looks. Cute is my word.

Tomorrow night, we are going out to see Dustin and Miranda’s new place. Evidently, Dustin has got things “just so” and will finally let me in. LOL. I know that he has done much of the work himself, so it will be fun to see the reason I am so proud. They are moving in this weekend. Finally, a place of their own, and it is nice that they will be there for a few months before Baby Carlson arrives.

I hope your day was wonderful, too.  Take care, and I will “see” you again soon.

Another Retreat Card

 

Here is another card from yesterday’s workshop. Stampin’ Up’s owl punch is so doggone cute I can hardly stand it. I’m also quite fond of SU’s Square Lattice embossing folder. I do not think, however, the fine design of this folder would work very well with CTMH cardstock because of its white core.

Speaking of punches, my name was the first drawn for a door prize yesterday, and I had a whole table of goodies from which to choose. Lucky me! I picked this bird punch, which I love – even more because I was fortunate enough to win it. The new flat punch design – much like that of EK Success – is cool. Flat punches are definitely easier to store than those with handles. So, what did I do with the new punch?

 

Last night, I didn’t think I would want to stamp today, but it turned out I was wrong. Using many of the same design elements that were used for the owl card, I made this card. Why the color of the Crème Brule ribbon is so washed out looking in the photograph, I don’t know. In person, it matches. I used a sponge dauber to ink the edges of the bird to give it a little added dimension. Otherwise, everything is pretty straightforward … I think.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Cocoa, Crème Brule, Juniper, and Olive cardstock; Veranda paper packet; Juniper, Cocoa, and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distressing Ink stamp pads; Happy Birthday stamp set; Crème Brule ribbon; Juniper mini brads; Stampin’ Up Bird, Ticket, and Word Window punches; Martha Stewart Doily Lace border punch; Sponge daubers; 3M foam mounting tape.

A Slice of Life: My day was quiet and restful. This evening, I made a trip to Wal-Mart to pick up a couple of supplies for my table runner project and was happy to actually find them. I also stopped to visit with Mom for an hour or so.  We experienced another day without rain, and the forecast for the week is mostly sunny with temperatures in the 60s – perfect autumn days. As I write, I am wrapping my mind around the idea of another workweek. It will be busy. That much I know. On the social scene, I am lucky that I do not have to bowl on Wednesday evening, as there is a going away party after work for the young woman, who, until December, was my supervisor for five years. She is leaving the corporate world to explore new avenues, which will include at least few months at home with her preschool daughter. I am so happy for her and know that whatever she does, she will do it well.

That is enough jabber from me for tonight. I hope you had a great day and are looking forward to the week ahead. Make it a good one!

It was a Marathon

I never thought there would come a day when I would declare myself too old to stamp, but I am kind of feeling that way tonight. We arrived at the so-called stamp “retreat” in Grand Forks at 8:55 am. We finished at 5:35 pm. For each project – 12, 11 of which were cards – there was a table that seated four as well as tool (Cuttlebug, etc.), cutting, and glitter stations. All of the materials were provided and prepared. The rented facility was spacious and very nice. The food was awesome. Due to the varying levels of difficult and/or number of steps required for each project, there was some waiting time in the afternoon, which would have been OK had a few not become impatient and start removing things from the tables to work ahead in different locations. Very annoying. Anyway, the event was as organized an event of this magnitude could have been. For me and at least a couple of my friends (those in my age bracket), however, stamping began to feel more like work than leisure around 3 o’clock. In fact, it seemed a bit more like a marathon than a retreat. 

The card I am showing you was one of my favorites. The stamp set we used, Elements of Style, is one I have been admiring since it came out last spring. One other cool thing I will mention is the pre-embossed paper we sponged to create the background for this card. I love it, although the same effect could be accomplished with a stamp and clear embossing powder. I will keep a few of the other cards in reserve to show you on days when I don’t feel like stamping, which could be as soon as tomorrow. The day provided a plethora of neat ideas, and it was a lot of fun.

I guess that was my “Slice of Life” for today. How about your day? I hope it was a good one. I’ll “see” you again tomorrow, providing I’ve recovered from the marathon retreat. LOL. Take care, friends, and as always, thank you so much for stopping by.

It Seemed Like a Good Idea

A while back (long enough ago that I had forgotten where I had put them and had to hunt), I bought a package of Shake-It Pouches from Impression Obsession. Tonight, I had the bright idea to make a fall card with them using Flower Soft with a tree image. What I did not think about was the fact that Flower Soft is basically colored Styrofoam that – due to static – would stick to the plastic of the pouch. The look is OK, but it doesn’t shake all that well.

About the pouches, they are pretty slick, although next time, I will make a greater effort to get my paper placed over the pouch so that its flat rim either doesn’t show or is equal around the circumference of the circle. Live and learn – the story of my life. LOL. The next shaker card you see on this blog will probably involve snow when (and if) I can bear to think about it.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Cocoa, Desert Sand, and Autumn Terracotta cardstock; Retired CTMH patterned paper; Shake-It Pouch; Cocoa, Desert Sand, and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink stamp pads; Renaissance by Design Roots & Wings stamp set; Cocoa grosgrain ribbon; Basic Craft Buttons; Autumn Flower Soft; Fiskars Apron Lace border punch; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Classic Circles set; Sponge dauber.

A Slice of Life: I came home early today with a stomach ache. It started last night. I was fine so long as I didn’t put food in my stomach. If I did, it hurt. This evening, I am fine again, so it must have been some little bug that came and went. Now, I need to get to bed, as I am being picked up shortly after 7 in the morning, which means I need to get up an hour earlier than usual. While that is not my usual Saturday routine, I am looking forward to a day with friends.

I hope you are looking forward to the weekend, too. It finally quit raining here … for a while anyway. It was nice to see the sun again. Take care, and thanks for stopping by.

Pretty Circles All in a Row

My card tonight is based on a tutorial that appeared recently on the Create: blog. Note I said “based on.” That means I scanned through the directions and pretty much did my own thing – mostly because I didn’t have the 1-1/2 inch circle punch for which the directions called. I have a 1-3/4 and 1-1/4 inch circle punches and opted to use the smaller of the two.

I see I could have/should have added one more row of circles. Next time it will be easier, as having done it once, my second card will be more intentional and less experimental. I have been wanting to do something like this for a long time, having seen rows of circles to form scallops used in a variety of ways on different cards. It is a good way to use scraps or, as in my case, a great way to use paper you love but find challenging to use.

Materials & Tools: Kraft cardstock (retired CTMH); Cosmo Cricket Earth Love Mini Deck; Cocoa ink pad; Hero Arts Thinking of You stamp set; Cocoa grosgrain ribbon; 1-1/4 inch circle punch.

A Slice of Life: While I had a good time, bowling was not in my area of expertise last night. Thank goodness for handicaps. We won three of four games anyway. Today (and yesterday, for that matter) was another busy day at work. I am hoping the incoming flow slows down tomorrow, enabling me to get caught up before the weekend. It has been raining off and on (on for the past several hours) for the past 24-plus hours. It would be nice if one were a duck. I could use a little sunshine to perk me up. That is about it. The mailman brought me a new Halloween Cricut cartridge today, which I am hope has some silhouette-type images suitable for a project similar to this one. As for my felt table runner, it is in progress – kind of. So many things I want to do … so little time. Do you ever feel like that, too?

I hope your week is going well. On Saturday, I am going on a road trip with friends to a Stampin’ Up workshop in Grand Forks. It will be fun. If my cards turn out (LOL), I’ll show you what I make. For tonight, I’m off to straighten up my corner and maybe stamp a little something for tomorrow. I will “see” you again then. In the meanwhile, take care, and thanks for stopping by.

What Goes Around …

…comes around. Craft supplies are like clothes. If you keep them long enough, they come back into style. I’m seeing a lot of doilies on cards these day and am glad I hung on to the ones I’ve had for what seems like ages.

Put together and pulled apart more times than I can remember, it is a wonder this card looks as good as it does. I had this one all together when I deemed the green patterned paper on the Juniper mat didn’t look all that great. Trimming patterned paper with adhesive on the back of it is no small task. However, the skinny brown mat was an improvement, so it was worth it.

Now, if someone tells me this card is “interesting,” I will probably quit stamping for the rest of the week – maybe longer. I am still laughing over a couple of comments on my last post. When I don’t know quite what to say about something, I say that is is “interesting,” too. And just to let you know, that image is not my favorite either. I will take cute or pretty over creepy any day. If you see any more Halloween from me, it will be cute. Heck, maybe I’ll just show you the cards I buy at Hallmark. LOL.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Juniper, and Cocoa cardstock; Veranda paper packet; Cocoa and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distressing Ink stamp pads; Happy Journey stamp set; Doily from my stash; KaiserKraft pearl accents; Martha Stewart Butterfly punch.

A Slice of Life: If I go to bed early, I wake up early. If I don’t get up when I wake up the first time, I don’t want to get up when it is time to get up. My internal alarm clock went off at 4 am and again at 5:30 – too early. When it was time to get up at 7, I stole an extra 15 minutes, which had me scrambling to get to work on time. It all worked out OK though, and I had a great day at work. Busy is good, and today had just enough variety to make it fun. Husband went on a road trip with his brother and won’t be home until late. I stopped to visit Mom, but she was on her way out to a catered meal that is served at her complex each month. I love it, and the fact that I’m all by my lonesome this evening doesn’t bother me one little bit. Oops, I spoke too soon. He’s home, which means I better go give him a little attention.

I hope you had a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by.

Thriller

It’s that time of the year again. Halloween is around the corner. It’s not my favorite holiday. I don’t know why. Most kids love it. One of my boys did. The other, not so much. So far, Bjorn and Mathias think it is great fun, so Grandma will be a sport.

This card was made with CTMH’s September Stamp of the Month set, “Thriller,” and is loosely based on Card Patterns Sketch #82. I embossed the image with black embossing powder and now realize I need to add black detail embossing powder to my shopping list. I wanted to emboss the sentiment, too, but the letters were too fine for the course powder I was using. The rest of my card was made with retiring cardstock colors, as I have decided “out with the old and in with the new” should include using up the old instead of filing it away somewhere. LOL.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Black, Hydrangea, Ocean, Citrus Leaf, and Orange cardstock; Black, Hydrangea, Citrus Leaf, Orange, and VersaMark ink  pads; Orange, Citrus Leaf, and Hydrangea markers; Thriller September Stamp of the Month set; Black mini brads; Round sponge; Sponge daubers; Black distressing ink; Black embossing powder; Embossing heat tool; 3M foam mounting tape.

A Slice of Life: I was really busy at work today with plenty on my plate for tomorrow. I am tired and ready for bed, which is something I rarely say before 8 pm.

How was your day? A good one, I hope. That said, I am off to the tub and then, to bed. Take care, and thanks for stopping by.

A Few More Cards

Rummaging through my basketful of Basic Grey paper pads last night, I came across Archaic and hoped I would have occasion to use it again soon. When I saw the sketch for C4C55 on the Crazy for Challenges blog, I thought of the Archaic papers and “Harold,” a digi image in my file.

Is Harold a dinosaur or a dragon? I have been thinking he is a dinosaur but wonder if he isn’t a dragon. Regardless, he’s kind of cute.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Cocoa cardstock; Basic Grey Archaic 6x6-inch paper pad; Autumn Terracotta and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distressing Ink stamp pads; “Harold” digital image from DigiStamp Boutique; Happy Birthday stamp set; Autumn Terracotta Bigger Brads; Martha Stewart Embossed Zigzag Edger punch; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; Sponge dauber; 1 and 1-1/4-inch circle punches; Sanding block; 3M foam mounting tape.

Here’s another card that features me and one of my pals. Are there any frizzy-haired redheads out there who like martinis? It could be you. LOL. I used the sketch from Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #128 again.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Bamboo, Black, and Holiday Red cardstock; Silhouette Creative Basics; Black, Twilight, and Chocolate ink pads; Autumn Terracotta, Garden Green, Holiday Red, Baby Pink, Grey Flannel, Desert Sand, Sweet Leaf, and Tombow #580 Flesh markers; Emerson Quillin "The Gals" rubber stamp from American Art Stamps; Papertrey Ink Mixed Messages stamp set; Red satin ribbon and black button from my stash; Ecru crochet cotton; Dove blending pen. Martha Stewart Double Layered Arches border punch.

I didn’t know for a while if I would end up showing you this card or not. Photographing the “glass” was a challenge. Speaking of challenges, this card meets the requirements for two – first, Stamp Simply Challenge #157 – Cracked Glass on the No Time to Stamp? blog and secondly, Unscripted Sketches #73.

A tutorial for the Cracked Glass technique can be found here. While I finally managed to get a photo that isn’t all glare, it does not do the card justice. Another PIP! Oh, and the sentiment is going on the inside, as I couldn’t come up with a bright idea with regard to what to do on the outside of the card. The ribbon was red and white, which wouldn’t do, so I “unwhitened” it with Antique Linen Distressing Ink.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, New England Ivy, and Desert Sand cardstock; Graphic 45 paper from the Communiqué Collection; Black and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distressing Ink stamp pads; Holiday Red, Cranberry, Brown Bag, and Garden Green markers; Cranberry gingham ribbon; Stampin’ Up Pewter Jumbo Brads; Crop-O-Dile; Ultra-thick clear embossing powder; Embossing heat tool.

A Slice of Life: It has been a lazy restful day. Tonight, I am going to visit Mom. I’m taking my felt project with me. I discovered that after not having sewed for so many years, I don’t have a scissors fit for fabric. I hope your day was wonderful and you are looking forward to the week to come. Take care, friends, and thanks for stopping.

Simple Saturday

 

This card last night with scraps left over from the card I posted last night. I wanted to play around with the Banner Day Die-namics that were part of a recent My Favorite Things order. I think the card would have been cuter had the pennants been cut from patterned paper. It could be personalized with alphabet stamps, providing I give it to someone with either a five- or three-letter name. Bjorn, maybe? Cam?

Materials & Tools: White Daisy Textured and Holiday Red cardstock; DCWV Indian Summer Fall Matstack; Star Spangled Blue ink pad; Happy Birthday stamp set; Cranberry Waxy Flax; Cuttlebug w/My Favorite Things Banner Day Die-namics.

 

 

 

This card is a sampler of Close To My Heart’s new colors. I was inspired by one of the cards in this post on the Less is More blog. The new colors are pretty. However, I like many of the colors they replaced, too, so with the new, I am feeling a bit of loss as well. Of the new colors, I think Sky and Pear are my favorites.

The circles and sentiment were adhered to the card with foam mounting tape. I scored the detail on the right side with my Martha Steward Scoring Board.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy cardstock; Black, Sky, Cotton Candy, Smoothie, Gypsy, Pear, Lagoon, Pacifica, and Sunset ink pads; Hero Arts Antique Brocade stamp and Thinking of You Stamp set; Sparkles; Martha Stewart Scoring Board; 1-inch circle punch; Round sponges; 3M foam mounting tape.

 

 

 

This next card was inspired by a card in this post on the Inky Doodles blog. If you look at the link and do not see a card that looks anything like mine, it is OK. Now you know what kind of memory I have. I remembered the verse. My butterfly should have been a leaf. Or, maybe not. The verse – a favorite – is certainly appropriate for a butterfly.

The butterfly was stamped on smooth white cardstock and sponged with Gypsy and Sky inks. Actually, the butterfly was stamped and sponged several times. I don’t know if the new inks are different somehow or what the deal is, but they don’t seem to “sponge” well. I will have to play around some more before passing judgment, however. The sentiment was computer generated. The butterfly’s antennae are wire.

Materials and Tools: White Daisy Textured and smooth cardstock; Black, Sky, and Gypsy ink pads; Grey Wool marker; Hero Arts Butterflies stamp set; Computer generated sentiment; Black Wire; Glitter Stack; Quickie glue pen; Round sponges; 3M foam mounting tape.

 

 

This card was inspired by Jeanne (of Creative Bliss fame) on this post. Again, I was playing around with a new Close To My Heart color – Lagoon. Other than the fact the paper was embossed by Mathias, who still loves the Cuttlebug and Grandma’s punches, there isn’t much to explain.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Black,and Lagoon cardstock; Black and Lagoon ink pads; Hero Arts Antique Brocade stamp and CTMH Say it in Style stamp set; Sparkles; 1 and 1-1/4 inch circle punches; Cuttlebug w/Swiss Dots embossing folder; 3M foam mounting tape.

A Slice of Life: The boys were here until after lunch. We had a fun morning. This afternoon, I am gloriously home alone. Husband is at a family wedding in Grand Forks – his cousin’s son’s daughter. He isn’t without a date, however, as he had to pick his mother up at the bus terminal in GF about 45 minutes before the ceremony was to begin. I mentioned earlier in the week, that I might stay home, and while he wasn’t crazy about the idea, he didn’t even ask today. Woo hoo. He must have instinctively know I was in need of some peace and quiet. I guess I probably don’t need to tell you what I have been doing. LOL. The fun needs to end for a bit though while I do some housework. The cleaning fairy didn’t show up again this week.

I hope you are having a great Saturday. Thank you so much for stopping by.

You Make Me Smile

Happy Friday! Tonight’s card is my take on Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #128.  I don’t know that there is a single thing to say about it that will not be revealed in the Materials & Tools list, so I will spare you. LOL.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Holiday Red cardstock; DCWV Indian Summer Fall Matstack; Black and Star Spangled Blue ink pads; Whipper Snapper Designs Pete stamp; Hero Arts Thinking of You stamp set; Red/white mini check ribbon from Wal-Mart; Red mini brads; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; Soft Chalks; Fiskars Apron Lace border punch.

A Slice of Life: In need of some R&R, I am really glad it is Friday. I am hoping the mailman brings me the supplies for a non-stamping craft project I want to do this weekend – a very simple wool felt appliquéd table runner that I will show you when it’s complete … if it turns out. I’ve been feeling the urge to do something different lately and thought this easy project I found in Create & Decorate magazine might be a good place to start. Hanging out with the little guys was fun this evening. School must wear them out, however, because it certainly does not take them long to fall asleep at bedtime these days – a good thing. Asked what the best thing about school is, they both responded quickly and gave the same answer. It’s recess! Their answers did not surprise me. In a few years, it will be girls. Some things do not change.

While the house is quiet, I am going to sneak back to my corner for a little more stamp therapy before bedtime. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping by! Your visits and kind comments are appreciated.

A Mismatched Medley

I love Basic Grey’s 6x6-inch paper pads. The variety of papers is great – even though I use up my favorites first and always wish I had more. The reduced size of the prints as well as the smaller sheet size are perfect for card-making. In almost every collection, however, is a pattern that seems to me to be too bold or busy to use as background paper. If it’s a pretty print that can stand on its own, I like to use it with this simple layout.

The challenge for this card came in finding elements that matched the colors of the floral print. After pulling a sample of every green in my collection of cardstock, I chose Clover Meadow with thoughts that if I kept the border narrow, it might be OK. Papertrey Ink’s Berry Sorbet grosgrain was the best I could do in the ribbon department with the darker pink button from my stash making a big difference in helping it coordinate with the colors in the patterned paper. No, nothing matches per se, but it works. I’m happy.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy Textured and Clover Meadow cardstock; Basic Grey Olivia 6x6-inch paper pad; Papertrey Ink Berry Sorbet ink pad; CTMH For Every Occasion stamp set; PTI Berry Sorbet grosgrain ribbon; Button from my stash; White embroidery floss; Needle; Corner rounder.

A Slice of Life: Bowling was fun last night. I’ve been busy at work all week. My funny little car quit running again last night and is currently sitting in the parking lot of a nearby grocery store. I wonder how many days it will need to sit this time before it decides to go again. LOL. I am more than happy that tomorrow is Friday. A break is in order. How about you?

For now, I’m off to bed. Enjoy Friday! The little ones are staying with Grandpa and Grandma tomorrow night. Once they’re in bed, I hope to spend a little time in my corner again. If it all works out, I’ll talk to you then. Take care.

Simple Tuesday

LOL. Simple Tuesday versus Simple Saturday. The former just doesn’t sound right, does it? Two-Minute Tuesday has a certain ring to it and would have been appropriate for this card had I not had to spend 10 minutes looking for the Die-namics I used to cut out the flowers. Obviously, the corner I’ve tried so hard to keep neat is not neat enough.

Actually, I made two cards tonight, but unless I fall in love with the first one after letting it sit for a day or so, I am not going to show it to you. Currently, I think it is ugly. No biggie. Inspired my these cute cards posted recently on the Jennifer McGuire Ink blog, I went with a simpler design. Love the textured cardstock. The colors. The simplicity.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy Textured cardstock; Cranberry, Sunflower, and Dutch Blue cardstock; Black ink pad; Happy Birthday stamp set; Kaiser Kraft pearl accents; Cuttlebug w/My Favorite Things Flower Trio and Leaf Trio Die-namics;  Corner rounder.

Enabler Alert: As I have yet to see it mentioned in the blogosphere, I will ask the question. Have you heard about the new Cricut Imagine? I received an email from Cricut last Friday, watched the video, and responded with a big “Wow!” Suggested retail on this gem is $599.99 although I saw it listed at $499.99 somewhere. I am guessing it will not be long before one can pick one up on eBay in the $350 to $375 range. That is if one wants to to pick one up. LOL. I need to know more – like what the printer cartridge(s) is going to cost. I like the fact, however, that in addition to the new Imagine cartridges, it is compatible with regular cartridges as well as the blades, etc. While the Imagine is not on my wish list yet, I am impressed. What do you think?

A Slice of Life: I came home early this afternoon, feeling kind of punk. I was fine after resting for a while. Overtired, I think. Other than that, it was a pretty ordinary day.  How about you? Did you have a good day? I hope so. Tomorrow’s Hump Day. Make it a good one!

Almost Tuesday

I was in the mood for a Pure Innocence image tonight and realized I had a digital image in my file that had yet to see ink.  As for my card, it started with a sketch, but then I had to drop a layer because of the way I sized by image. That’s OK. I like it anyway. I paper-pierced the dress and colored the rest of the image with Prismacolor pencils and OMS. I added two silver Bitty Brads as  buttons on her shoes and mounted the image to the card using foam tape.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy and Black cardstock; Basic Grey Olivia 6x6-inch paper pad; Black and Twilight ink pads; Pure Innocence digital image; Verve Stamps Asian Flair; Silver Bitty Brads; Button from my stash; Ribbon from Wal-Mart; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Blending stumps; Dove blending pen; 3M foam mounting tape.

A Slice of Life: Another Monday is out of the way. I was busy at work, doing priority projects as they came my way and in between, trying to chip away at the other stuff. Tonight, I went to visit Mom and ran a couple of errands. And now, I am off to bed in anticipation of another busy day. Have a great Tuesday, friends! Later …

A Sheltering Tree

This is my altered rendition of FTL#107 as featured on the Clean & Simple Stamping blog. With sleeping children in the house, I didn’t want to go to the kitchen for plastic wrap, so the “Saran Wrap” technique was done this evening with the wadded up paper towel I had at hand. The end result was the same.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Chocolate, Autumn Terracotta, Goldrush, and Barn Red cardstock; Chocolate, Autumn Terracotta, Goldrush, Cranberry, and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink stamp pads; Renaissance by Design Roots & Wings stamp set; Gold Bitty Brads; Martha Stewart Layered Arches border punch; Black My Legacy Writer; Sponge dauber; Dove blending pen.

A Slice of Life: Yesterday’s wedding was lovely. The reception was fun. Today, I hustled to get my cleaning and laundry done by the time our miniature guests arrived. We only had a couple of hours before it was time for them to go to bed, but we made the best of it, reading all of the library books in their backpacks, playing games, and catching up on some hugs. All tuckered out, I’m going to check out what I’ve missed on the blogosphere and then hit the sheets myself.

I hope your weekend was a good one and that you’re looking forward to the coming week. Take care, and as always, my friends, thanks for stopping by.

Self Portrait

Yup. This would be me. Multicolor hair. Kind of boney, especially through the shoulders. Absolutely no cleavage. A rather blank look on my face. Coffee cup in hand, wondering how in the hell-o so many years have gone by so fast. It seems as though I was young, and then, I was old with nothing in between. I think raising adolescents had something to do with missing those in between years.

Being serious, the card is my take on Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #127. It also meets the criteria for Crazy for Challenges C4C54 – a black, red, and kraft color challenge. I love the stamp. It makes me laugh.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Black, Cranberry, and Stampin’ Up Kraft cardstock; Silhouette paper packet; Black, Brown Bag, Twilight, and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink stamp pads; Grey Flannel, Holiday Red, Bamboo, and Tombow Flesh #580 markers; Dove blending pen; Silver gel pen; American Art Stamps Young Voice stamp; Cranberry grosgrain ribbon; Cuttleblug w/Nestabilities Classic Circles set; Sponge dauber.

A Slice of Life: Have I mentioned that fall seems to have arrived in Minnesota? The days are cool. It is downright cold at night. We’re hoping it warms up a bit one of these days … for a little while, at least. This morning held the promise of a nice day until it clouded up, and the wind started to blow. If the sun comes out again, it will be a nice afternoon.

Mom and I went out for lunch and did a little shopping downtown before I came home to get ready for the wedding we’re attending at 4 pm.

The memory of the 9-11 tragedy has not escaped me today. I remember. We all need to remember.

I’ll leave you with a wish that you are safe and as Abe Lincoln once said, as happy as you’ve made up your mind to be. Take care, friends.

A Wedding Card

Such efficiency… actually making a wedding card two days before I need it.  Now, if  only my photo had done it justice. Instead, it’s another one of those PIP (purtier in person) cards. LOL.

Using the big embossing folder Jeanne sent me to its full advantage, the card is a 5x7. I love it. While A2-size cards are well suited for most occasions, I like to make larger cards for weddings.  As you can see, the design is simple. The sentiment was embossed with gold detail powder, and I was lucky enough to find the perfect button to add a special finishing touch.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Chocolate cardstock; VersaMark ink pad; Gold detail embossing powder; Gracious Greetings stamp set; Brown satin ribbon from Wal-Mart; Gold button from my stash; Cuttlebug w/Kassie’s Brocade 5x7-inch embossing folder; Embossing heat tool.

A Slice of Life: Bowling was fun last night, and I am happy to report I did not exactly bowl like a rock star. As averages are established on the first night, bowling better than you usually do is not a good thing. Been there. Done that. This year, however, I start new the season with a respectable average that isn’t so high I have worry about achieving it each week. I can simply relax and have fun, which, for me, is the idea behind the activity.

Work today was not particularly fun. Working through my lunch hour, I spent seven hours editing a micro site, which is set to go live tomorrow. The PIP acronym above was the result of a day of acronyms. Electronic engineers, I believe, must speak in acronyms.  They make up words, too – words that are not in the dictionary, but if they are “Googled” show up on a datasheet or press release from some electronics firm. I spend a lot of time looking up words and acronyms to determine if they are real or simply someone’s attempt to mutilate the English language. Had fate been a little kinder, I would have worked for the distributor of stamps and craft products instead of the electronic components about which I admittedly know nothing more than I want to after seven years. LOL.

Ah, relief is in sight. Tomorrow is Friday! We have a wedding and reception to attend on Saturday and young guests (guess who) staying with us on Sunday night.

Are you having a nice week? I hope so. I’ll sign off with a wish that your Friday is a good one. Take care.

Happy Stamping

This my interpretation of Mojo Monday 155. As soon as I saw the sketch, I knew what I wanted to do. While, as you know, my visions do not always work out so well, I am pleased with this card. There were moments when I did not think I would be, however. My first leaf (shown at the base of the card) was stamped with the same colors I used for the panels in the background – Gold Rush, Autumn Terracotta, and Barn Red. While it was pretty enough, it didn’t stand out. I tried again, replacing the Barn Red ink with Cranberry. What a difference it made! And, instead the brown grosgrain ribbon I had originally thought to use, I chose the brown dotted organdy with a tad more personality.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White, Autumn Terracotta, Barn Red, Goldrush, and Chocolate cardstock; CTMH patterned paper (retired); Goldrush, Autumn Terracotta, Cranberry, Chocolate, and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink stamp pads; Nature’s Vein and Thank You stamp sets; Ribbon from Wal-Mart; Gold mini brads; McGill Multi-tag punch; Cuttlebug w/Nestabilities Classic Circles set; Sanding block; Sponge dauber.

A Slice of Life: Back at work today, I picked up where I left off Friday. It was a good day. It felt really good to stamp tonight, too. Fun. Either that means moderate neatness is conducive to enjoyment and creativity, or I was simply in the mood. As I left my corner as neat as I found it, we’ll see what neatness means tomorrow night, providing I’m not all stiff and sore from bowling on the first night of the season. We will see how it goes. LOL.

School started here today, and I was tickled to hear that Bjorn and Mathias’ first days of Kindergarten and first grade were good ones.

How was your day? Only three days to go, and it will be the weekend again! Have a great Wednesday, friends, and thanks for stopping by.

Labor … Day

Happy Labor Day! It’s supposed to be a day off, isn’t it? LOL.

This isn’t a great card. I am convinced my lack of mojo in the card-making arena is related to the mess a lack of organization in my corner. So far today, I have been doing something about that fact. Yes, laboring on Labor Day, and it feels pretty darned good even though I have a very long way to go.

The card. In addition to paper-piecing the clothing on my “Who’s That Harvest Girl?” I used Prismacolor pencils, markers, and a blending pen with ink from a stamp pad. Liquid Glass on the apples makes them shine. That’s faux stitching on the paper strips behind the image.

Materials & Tools: White Daisy, Outdoor Denim, and Cranberry cardstock; Outdoor Denim Gingham B &T paper (retired); Black and Heavenly Blue stamp pads; Cranberry, Topiary, Outdoor Denim, and Brown Bag markers; White gel pen; My Favorite Things Who’s That Harvest Girl? and CTMH Say it in Style stamp sets; White, Outdoor Denim, and Cranberry mini brads; Liquid Glass; Dove blending pen; Piercing Tool; Stampin’ Up Piercing Guide and Mat; Sanding block.

A Slice of Life: Yesterday, we enjoyed a family picnic at my sister and brother-in-law’s house in Beltrami. It was awesome with good food and great company. The have a five acre lot on the edge of town and one of the most beautiful, expansive yards I have ever seen with trees so old and big, they create a giant canopy. It’s like a huge park. The work they have done on their older, Craftsman-style house is amazing, too, particularly in light of the fact, they have done nearly all of it themselves.

While I was talking about organizing in my last post, it might have been the visit to my sister’s house that actually spurred me into action. Her scrap room looks like something you would see in a magazine with a place for everything, and everything in its place. When I got home last night, I started labeling the CD cases that hold my non-CTMH stamps. I continued this morning until I ran out of tape for my label maker. I ordered more – lots more. Between now and the time it gets here, there are plenty of other things to do. I started by doing a little purging. A garbage bag and a half later, I am taking a break.

All good things, however, must come to an end. As long as I am in the mood, there is no sense in stopping now.

What are you up to today? Whatever it is, I hope you are enjoying the long weekend. Take care, friends, and thanks for stopping by.

Simple Saturday

It’s awesome that Clean & Simple Stamping features its FTL sketch on Fridays. It’s always something to go to if I’m stuck for my Simple Saturday post. This is my take on FTL #106.

Materials & Tools: Colonial White and Autumn Terracotta cardstock; Cocoa and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Inks stamp pads; Hero Arts Dots and Flowers background stamp; Flourishes Falling Leaves and Impression Obsession Count Your Blessings stamp sets; Prismacolor colored pencils; Gamsol odorless mineral spirits; Piercing tool; Stampin’ Up Piercing Guide & Mat; Sponge dauber.

A Slice of Life: It was busy week at work right up until noon yesterday when I left. I decided a half-day of vacation was in order to extend the long weekend by a few hours. I came home and cleaned. Bjorn and Mathias stayed with us last night and are still here this morning. Grandma let them stay up late – one last indulgence before school starts next week. Tomorrow, we have a family picnic at my sister and brother-in-law’s house in Beltrami. Other than that, there are no plans. I am hoping to spend some time in my corner – both stamping and doing some much-needed organizing. I bumped my box of Prismacolor pencils again this morning, sending the whole works crashing to the floor. Between being at the point where I don’t even know what I own anymore and the space issue, something has got to give.

I hope your weekend is wonderful – whatever you’re doing. Take care, and thanks for stopping by.