The Man in Brown

is the adult Santa Claus, if you don't believe me just ask Ellen.  Not that I am demo who stalks the UPS man, but I did have some projects I wanted to work on over vacation and I needed some supplies from Oriental Trading that arrived today! My mini vacation starts Wednesday-yippeee.  Now I just have to wait for my MIL to come visit for Christmas-she is bringing me my SU order from a party she had late November.  My plan is to organize my craft room (disaster from hiding presents and paper etc) get ready for family on Thursday, celebrate Christmas with my mom & step dad who I don't think have been here for Christmas in the 10 years I have lived in this house.  Saturday and Sunday will be all for me and new SU toys I have been waiting for.  I have so many altered items I want to work on for next years craft fairs.  If I start now I may be ready by next year LOL.

Merry Christmas Everybody

Isn't It Sad When...

work isn't canceled due to snow?  I really wanted a snow day.  I have several pictures to crop and load.  I wanted to make some scarves today and clear covers for the boxes I have made.  How am I suppose to get all that done if I am at work LOL.

Check out your local dollar store for great bargains. I don't even dare to tell my hubby what I spent there the other night.  I found the spare picture frames that have the 3x3 opening with the ribbon hanger; scarves to alter; mini tote bags that I am going to turn into activity travel bags with the BAB die (Grammie is giving it to my DD for Christmas and I am counting down to  Christmas like a little kid because I want to play with my DD's toys!)

Hopefully soon I will be able to load photos quicker. My computer smart husband is going to link my laptop and the big computer together so I can get the photos from any spot in the house and not have to sit at my computer desk.  I may be blogging at night now, which may be easier once little people have gone to bed and think I have gone as well.

Happy Stamping

Fun Weekend

I had a great time this weekend. I only made $20.00 at the craft fair but my friends and I had fun for a spur of the moment decision. Our high school craft fair isnt the biggest event of the year but it is a fun social time and donations go to the Outing Club.

On Sunday I went shopping at Ocean State Job Lots and the Dollar Tree and spent a fortune! I found so many inexpensive items to alter for next year. I found scarves, gloves, candles etc. I really should be getting my craft room clean so I can start all these projects.

I am trying to rearrange my craft room as I clean to make it more user friendly since I am constantly using my big shot lately. I used to have it up on a shelf since I only used it once in awhile. Now that I have built a collection of dies I am using it more and more. I am also trying to use up old things or donate them to the school craft group. I wish weekends were a little longer so I could finish all my plans.

Happy Stamping!

Craft Fair Today

Today is our high school craft fair which I am selling a few cards. I made 60 not knowing how it will go. I have a few stamped candles and stamped memo pads. This year I am sharing a table with a lady who sells quilts. Basically she needed help and said if I helped I could put things in it too. We will see how it goes. I have seen lots of things this year on line that if I had been planning far enough ahead I could have done a few more things. I am making a list of all the things I would like to do possible for next year. I guess it all depends on how this year goes.

Happy Stamping

Snowman Soup

I found the cutest snowman Sizzix die at JoAnn's. It has the nose, eyes etc on the die but I had this stamp that fit perfectly on the face and the Snowman Soup stamp fit perfectly on his stomach. I used my Cuttlebug folder to give his scarf and the topnote die some texture. I made about 20 of these for the craft fair at the high school. I have Christmas cards that I have made, some candles and stamped post it notes. Hopefully, I will be more prepared for next year having cards for all sorts of occastions. This year I am just trying out a few things that may sell.

Happy Stamping!

Punch Ornament

I just love when stamp sets and punches make card making so much easier!

Wish I Had My Camera on Oct 23...

Not that is would have done me any good cuz I would have had to slam on my brakes which would have caused an accident LOL. I couldnt believe my eyes...I saw a coyote not far from a main road in a field!!! I turned my car around but of course it was gone. It was amazing. I have never seen one even tho my MIL has lost cats to them and you can hear them in the woods near her house.

Happy Halloween

How did the end of the month get here so quickly?? I never really got to any Halloween cards other than the BAB. I have been working on a few items for a craft fair coming up at my school. I am also becoming a Big Shot junkie. Not only playing with it, watching videos on different projects which just add to my wish list....

I will post what I have been working on later this week.

Happy Stamping

Seasons Greeting

I have been dying to make on of these cards and thought it would be much harder than it actually was. The little deer stamps up so cute. It is a really basic stamp but can be made into so many cute things I think.
Here is the view from the other side. And finally a close up on the verse. If I remember correctly it was done with Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip markers. Basically two tones of brown. I think this would be cute done in a red and green combination.


Happy Stamping

Trick or Treat or Should I Say " Drat that Demonstrator!!"

Isn't he just the cutest? I'm not sure if my demonstrator was giving me a treat or a trick! My mantra was I don't need the bears for my DD, I dont need the bears for my DD, I dont need the bears for my DD. Guess what is now on my wish list.

My demo also had a metal sheet framed with magnetic BABs in different outfits. Basically--- paperdolls. Drat that demo! I talked to the Grammie that is a stamper as well and we may go in on it together for Christmas. I will have to ask the other Grammie is she will buy some paper and the magnetic sheets. I guess it has been a good thing that the company I work for doing banquets has been busy-of course I havent saved a dime LOL!

Today is Columbus Day and DD is at daycare & I have the day off. I figure if I have to pay for it if she goes or not; she can go. Not only have I caught up on laundry but I installed my keyboard shelf to the bottom of my desk giving me a few more inches of work space. Then I worked on making my "punch book" which I have been wanting to do since this summer when Shelly Hopps
taught me her one of her many ideas. I also want to have an inventory since there are so many punch projects out there. Heather and Ellen are great sources for punch ideas along with so many others. A girl has to get the most from her punches!

Happy Stamping

Congratulations!!!

My oldest son did it! He got his drivers license!!! We are so proud of him. Of course now he is completely independent. My little baby is a man-when did that happen?!?! (Dear Lord give me strength he brother is only a year behind)

Now I can just chillout for a little while. It had been a busy week. I worked until 10:00pm Friday, got up Saturday got three of my girlfriends-we went shopping etc then we went to our stamp club that I got to be the hostess. It was an awesome party!!! (lots of goodies coming my way and I will post photos of what we did later) Worked Sunday & Monday, picked ds up at the train station. Wednesday afternoon was his test-he was the last person taken out, the DMV actually closed before he was back from his road test. So we had to go back the next day to take his photo license. I was suppose to work this weekend as well at the college but dd woke up with a fever so we have both slept on and off today. I knew working two jobs & running the kids around was making me tired but I didnt realize how much until I got to sleep....

Ok so enough rambling and going on...
I will try to get the photos loaded this weekend.

Autumn Leaves

Again this photo was taken in my dining room which must have terrible lighting...the colors in person are so pretty. The leaf is stamped on velum in several colors at once. The colors were put on the stamp with sponge daubers, a breath of life was put on it (cant call it huffing any more since that is something done with drugs now) and stamped onto the velum. Velum was then placed on white paper and layered from there.

This year our trees are just turning brown; only a few have bright colors. A summer loaded with rain and cold temps then a quick heat flash in August really damaged the leaves this year. Now that it is "leaf peeping" season there isnt anything pretty to "peep." I need to clean my disaster that I call a craft room and stamp some pretty leaves I guess....

Happy Stamping

Medallion

Here is a cute little card using the large medallion background stamp. Once again it was a stamp I wasn't going to get....well guess what? You got it; that baby was on my Sept order! It was cute on this card and check out what Gretchen Barron did with it!!

I just love the looks of that tree and here is a great post with an awesome tutorial. I thought it wouldnt be overly hard just some thinking and going slow. Well Melanie makes it look easy peasy. I am in hopes to earn the tree in Oct when I am hostessing a workshop along with some other great goodies....

Halloween Treat

Here is a card we made at our monthly stamp club. My best friend (since we were 5) was the hostess-she was actually very out of sorts-and didn't feel well at club so I actually made two of everything while she laid on the demos couch. The colors are much better in real life-I took the photos down stairs and apparently the lighting isn't all that great. But you get the idea. It was still a great get together for everybody else.

I'm A Winner!!!

Oh my goodness I cant believe it. After being in the car for almost 6 hours straight bringing my son back to his apartment I started checking blogs since I am physically & mentally tired. And I had to stop by my friend Karen's Blog and I was chosen as a winner of Sizzix texture plates! I cant believe it! It really made my day. Karen is a online friend from VC Rocks and she shares great Weight Watchers recipes too

Anniversary 9-11

Today is my 10th anniversary with DH. Happy Anniversary Honey, I love you!

Last year at this time I went away with my best friend (her anniversary is later this month). Our dear hubbies didnt want to go anyplace with us and we were dying to see Daniel Radcliffe in Equus (great performances by everyone by the way). So my girlfriend and I left hubbies at home and we went to NY for the weekend.

My best friend and walked all over NY and had a blast. I took so many pictures my memory card in the camera was full.

We also went to Ground Zero. It was heart breaking and it was still a mess at the time. Hopefully there has been more progress since then. Here are photos that I took last year and never posted.

This cross was part of a building and it was actually found just like this. The white part is some type of plastic that was melted to the iron. Here is a close up of the plaque that was put at the bottom.


Across the way from Ground Zero a building has a wall length memorial made from broze (I think). It is a mural of the site, fire fighters, volunteers, etc. There were flowers and many items that were left in honor of all the victims of that terrible day. One in particular just made me cry. A beer sitting all by itself with a note. God bless those who left us and the survivors...

One Sheet Wonders

Can you believe I have been stamping since 1999 and have never made cards with a one sheet wonder?!?! Neither can I; but one day I was bummin' out because I am getting low on basic card stock and then I realized I had two packages of In Colors (from 07 I think) that I had been hoarding. I made these cards as a gift for DH's grandmother. A few years ago I altered a metal tin and gave her cards. So I figured I better restock it for her. I used odds and ends that I had: I had ribbon that matched the carribean blue perfectly and they were not purchased at the same time or even to be used together. I finally used a gromet that came with my big cropadile. What was I waiting for? And clear rhinestone brads that I had. My goas is to start using more embellishments on my cards.

Haircut

Here are before and after photos of my daughter. You can see why mommy cried. The hairdresser was great doing the best she could with what was left of my daughters hair. Instead of a "comb over" my daughter has a "comb forward" LOL. It will still be a few months before the shortest part of her bangs grow out and the photo doesnt show the shortest part. It is only hair and it will grow back....eventually.

The cats hair is growing in as well. There are only a few spots that really show that she had a haircut too. I still havent figured out why the cat just laid there. I would understand if it was the old cat that only moves to eat and go to the bathroom but it was the one year old cat. However DD gets to drag that young cat around and it never scratches, bites or anything. If anyone else tried any of that stuff our hands would be shredded!

Firsts....

I didnt really know what to title this entry; so I picked firsts. Many firsts this week.

My first vacation ever with my husband in the 10 years we have been married (we didnt even go away when we married-just eloped and went to work after two days) DH had a business meeting in the middle of his vacation, so his boss was nice enough to to get DH a separate room and I got to go too. Not that I haven't been to Massachusetts before...but it was nice having someone else pay the bill!

The first day of school was today. Not that is a big deal...but a major first happened lastnight. DD decided to give herself and the cat a haircut. The cat wasn't hurt at all (you can breath now Wanda!) why the cat didn't run away I don't know. But I found cat hair and long blond hair under the cats chair!!! DD cut a chunk right out of the middle of her bangs and big chunks off around her ears, and she left most of the length in the back. Until lastnight it has been all one length down to her shoulder blades. I was heart broken since she had taken after my side of the family-we all have peach fuzz until we are two. So unfortunately we had to wait until after the first day of school to get to the hair dressers-who did a great job blending my DD hair in as much as she could. And it is now a short bob hairdo (ear length). Hopefully by next summer it will be long enough for ponytails and braids again.

Someone I work with told me to take photos before and after to scrapbook. I didn't think I had the heart (it was all I could do not to cry every time I looked at her). I forgot until we were at the hairdressers so the "befores" are only on my cell phone. Now that her haircut is cute (for the most part) I can see the funny in it....Boys were easier in that aspect-nobody says anything when a boy has a crew cut. But that is a different story all together.

The only stamping I have done lately is a set of cards that made from a one sheet wonder. I will try to post later this week. I need to get into the routine of work and exercise again.

Until then Happy Stamping!

Box of Peanut Butter Cups

A simple box made by scoring & folding. It holds 3 mini peanut butter cups or something small but who doesnt love chocolate?

Spring Up Card

I think that is what this type of card is called...Its with the new in-colors, the lattice die and circle punches that needed to trimmed down a little bit to fit behind the die. The brad was sponged with pumpkin craft ink.

Post Its & Ghirardelli Chocolate

Ok here is another post it note holder made with 4 of the scallop envelopes; and a Ghirardelli chocolate holder made with 2 scallop envies....

School is Almost Here

Where did my summer go? I cant believe I only have a week until school starts again . During VC Rocks I received the cutest little post it note holder from my roomie Sheryl Brown. It was made with 4 envelopes made with the scallop envie and the big shot. God I love those dies & stuff from SU! So anyways, I had to make my "classroom roommates"a gift. Of course the kids will pull out all the post its....

What's That Noise?

There isnt any. Hubby and son are both working, daughter is off with Grammie, and animals are sleeping!!!! I can be on the computer & do what I want and watch something besides Scooby Doo. What is a mom to do with all this?

Butterfly Stairs

Here is a staircase card made with Flight of the Butterfly which I earned free last Oct. but have never used until now. It goes great with the embossing folder, and the butterfly punch! The little half pearls had just little bit of bling. I will be making lots of these I think.

Note: the stairs start off as 4 1/4x11. Scored at 1 1/4, 2 1/2, 4 1/2, 6 1/2, 8 3/4. The two front white pieces are all 4 1/4 x 1, 4 1/4 x1 1/2, then the last panel is 1/4 sheet of pink with the white layered like a normal card.

Recipe Swap

Here is a recipe I made for a 4x6 diet recipe swap. If you are doing WW it is 10pts for he entire bowl! I think the basic recipe makes 5 cups-just 2 points a piece!

It is a big hit at family functions. I chop the fruit on the larger side; but cut it smaller & it can be more of a salsa and it is great on cinnamon tortilla chips (Target sells them around here but living in the country) Also this is the basic recipe. Add any fruits you have on hand.

Once Upon a Time 25 Years Ago

Here is an anniversary card I made for a coworker who begged me to make a card for her to give with a gift that several people were giving together. Until the night I made this, I didn't know I didn't own a "Happy Anniversary" stamp. How can I have stamped for 10 years and not own an anniversary stamp? On the inside it says "and they lived happily ever after".

Happy Birthday M&Ms

My son is gone this year for his birthday; but here is a card that will be waiting for him with a bag of M&Ms that actually has a picture of all the different colored M&Ms with party hats. I didnt notice at first when I bought the bag.

With the exception of the flowery poof on the top of the hats the M&Ms are all SU punches (current & retired)

Today I spent the day working on the side bars of my blog and I finished this card & went for a ride with my daughter to Wendy's to try to collect another audio book but we just got a repeat. Bummer. We are going to give it to my nephew at some point so not a total waste (and my daughter took a well needed nap in the car). It was nice. Hopefully the nice weather will keep up. We actually turned pink today after being in the sun!

Happy Stamping

Counter

Well I have had this blog for a long time. I finally added a counter at the bottom of the page. I am so behind the times.....

Awesome blog Candy alert

Check out this awesome blog candy somebody is giving away. Thank You Bethany for helping get the photo (it was just too easy an answer). Visit Priscilla-she was waiting for 30,000 hits. When I found her she was already over 41,000.

Thank yous for Moms

This past weekend my oldest DS moved from a small apartment to a larger apartment with several of his friends. One of the moms were nice enough to offer her van to move large items. Next week DS and one of his roommate are going on a trip together. That mom was nice enough to books the flight & hotel together so they could sit near each other etc. So I made thank you cards for my son to give to the moms who have helped him so much this week.

Anytime is Stampin' Time

Here are some items I stamped for my VC ROCKS! hotel roomie. The card is made with some of her favorite colors: So Saffron, Old Olive & Cameo Coral. The 3x3 peice is the same on both items.

Loving Son

Teens love to stamp just as much as adults and it isn't just the girls. My sons both stamped with me when they were little. They had their own stamps and markers. They would make home-made gifts etc. One year my youngest DS made his entire class personalized bookmarks with stamps and the designs matched the students personality. Both my boys are very artistic. Well I was hostessing a Teen 3D swap and hardly any teens were joining-so I begged my son to join telling him I saw a really cute idea for necklaces on line and he coudl do something like that and give one to his girlfriend etc...So the bribery worked. Eventually I did get enough teen stampers and unfortunately my son and his girlfiend broke up before he gave her the necklace. Oh well he has a gift made for the next one. And he ws the only boy to join the swap so hopfully all the girls that receive one of these will like it. Isn't just as cute as can be!

Sweetest Day Ever

Here is a cute little gift made with a Sizzixpilow box dies, 7mm transparencies and the Crazy for Cupcakes set. Really, anything small could go in here but who doesn't like M&Ms. I don't know how many pictures I took in NY at the M&M store for heaven's sake!

Swaps

I joined several swaps this year on VC ROCKS! a yahoo group I belong to. The key chain was a budget swap that the items had to be less than a dollar. The butterfly is a 2x2 tile on a magnetic clip (from Walmart) then I coated it with chrystal effects and put glitter over it. This could be stuck on something metal or it can actually stand on a table as a photo/note holder.

My Son's 3D Animation Practicum

My son who went away to CDIA at Boston University finished his practicum with the "team" he was paired up with. Their client was the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence and this is the video they made and I believe it will be used as the opening video when Atask has conferences etc. Now he just needs a job to pay for his education. Leave a post if anyone needs something animated :)

Stamping Spree