Graduation cards

I made a few graduation cards for the coffee shop. Kept them in (what I consider to be) classic graduation colors - black, white, red (which incidentally happens to be the school colors of one of the local high schools....... ). All the stamps are from the SU! Great Grads set. I used the Cuttlebug embossing folder Swiss Dots, SU! ticket corner punch, and some eyelets on the first card as well as the Quickutz grad cap die on the second and third cards. I used my rectangle Nestabilities to cut and emboss the rectangles on the 2nd and 3rd cards as well.

The heat finally broke a bit here last night with a small storm. It was only about 88 here today and no humidity thank goodness. The braces are off my daughters teeth and she has a most dazzling smile - just in time for those senior pics she had taken yesterday. Tomorrow we're back to the orthodontist to get the retainer. Friday is my daughters last day of school topped off by a visit to the doctor to make sure she's up to date on her vaccinations. Where she's going this summer they require you to have all your shots.... that should keep you guessing (one hint: she's only leaving the state - not the country).

I'll be back with some father's day cards next okay?

Birthday Queen and a bunch of cards!

gives a shout out to Carolyn

on today, her birthday.

Yes I've been busy. I know I haven't posted in a while - a couple of weeks. We had the party for my f-i-l and I guess since then I've made an effort to do less online and more in life? I've actually made a few cards and am working on my Suzy ways (a post to come on there as well) among other things.

I've got a full house (meaning my son is home for the summer) at least for now. In a few weeks my daughter will be gone for a month to an exciting opportunity of her own. More on that to come. Before that, however, we've got a few things to do with her. Namely getting her braces off, taking senior pictures (why do they take them now? back in the day we took them when senior year was actually about to begin....) and finishing her junior year. It will be a busy week ahead. The school board in the county where she attends school decided to cut a few days off the end of the year as several snow days were never used so Friday is now her last day of school.

Okay - some cards to share

I made a birthday card for a friend - Let us eat Cake! (a motto I thoroughly endorse) - used another image from those that can be downloaded free on Stampington - see my previous post.

I needed to make a card for another friend. I came up with one I liked it but I wanted to try out a few more ideas I came up with during the process and ended up with 7 different versions.

I wish you could see the textured white cardstock for the main part of the card. It's pretty and really makes the whole thing. Regardless I used my Petite Circle Scalloped Nestabilities for the circle and the scallop behind it; some wide black ribbon from Walmart; SU stamps (Thinking of You is from retired All Year Cheer I and the flowery background is from a newish set called Together Forever). I decided I wanted to try making those little flowers into quasi embellishments so I stamped some and then painted them with Diamond Glaze after cutting them out.

So that's enough cards for today. I've got a bunch more to share. Some graduation and father'd day cards are up next.

Keep cool (the temps the last few days here have been in the 90's. yes, the AC is crankin)

The Birthday Queen is back

to wish Kris a Happy Birthday! We hope it's an extra special day!

Let's see what else have I been making?

Here's a card I sent to Jean whose post i just linked you up to had me so amused I needed to send her a card to thank her.

I now need to thank Barbara for her post that hooked me up with the image (from Stampington) that I used on the card.

I made another card using a different image from the set of images I'll post soon. I gotta wait til that card reaches its destination.

Okay - gotta run... its one of those days.

(edited to add: i'm getting a lot of annoying spam so you'll notice you're going to have to do a few extra steps to leave a message - sorry - that spam is just annoying!)

another baby card

okay so the other card i made for my sister's new baby? i decided I'd let my mother use it to send to my sister and I'd make another card for baby g. My niece has been baby g since before her birth and now it is the initial of her first name :-)

Supplies: DCWV and Bazzill cardstock; DCWV adhesive backed ribbon; Rubber Soul Giraffe stamp; Purple Onion Designs "welcome baby" from the mini sentiments set and "g" from Garamouche medium alpha; inner double circle stamp is Paper Salon. Cuttlebug swiss dot embossing folder and SU punches: circle and scalloped circle (phew thats a lot-o-shtuff for one card.....)

does anyone remember the original "baby g"... from ToysRUs? You know Geoffrey Giraffe and baby g... do you remember what baby g's mother was named? anyone? It's driving me crazy I cannot remember.

ah well. Memorial Day weekend here was kinda quiet. We broke out the grill. Barbecued chicken one day and steak another. Yum.

And we did another Video on Demand. This time around it was "Gone Baby Gone" with Casey Affleck, Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman. Wow. What a great movie. Not exactly happy subject matter (child abduction) but what a story.

I need to get moving for the day. Daughter is back to school today but I have my son home for the summer and my husband has taken off this week. It's hard getting anything done with these men about!

More cards

Here are 2 more roses cards

frankly I think I have had enough of those for the time being.

So I made a couple of other cards with some paper I had hanging around

(i think all the paper is Chatterbox, the roses stamp is Hero Arts and the Happy Anniversary is Purple Onion Designs mini sentiments; I printed off the Happy Birthday using a font called Black Jack; the ribbon adhesive backed and is from DCWV.)

I've been working on some more cards this morning that I'll probably post next week sometime. I hope you enjoy your holiday weekend!

So... am I an Uncle or an Aunt?

When ever someone's going to have a baby in the family - this is the question we ask - meaning is it a boy or a girl.
In our family, there is an abundance of boys.
Until Tuesday, I had 16 nephews and 4 nieces
(For the record, I am blessed to have a son and a daughter. When I had my second - my daughter - several people said something to me I had never heard before. Maybe you have? They said "now you have the perfect family" - meaning a boy and a girl)
On Tuesday my sister was scheduled to have her 3rd child by c-section. My mom and I were anxiously awaiting a call from Arizona all day Tuesday. We are worriers I guess. My sister is not exactly a kid and I can't help but worry - its major surgery right? And she is my baby sister. Of course I told my mother "don't worry - she'll be fine" but secretly I was a little on edge all day.
My sister has 2 adorable boys who I just adore. And while another boy would be welcome of course - deep down I think we all want a little girl. Someone who is like us. Do you think? I do.
So am I an Uncle or an Aunt?
Here's the card I made for my sister and brother-in-law (dontcha love the suspense?!)













When my sister called I was surprised to hear her voice. (I was expecting my brother-in-law) I asked her how she was - she sounded tired. Then I asked her the question and when she told me I yelled SHUT UP! and then I yelled it again. Then I started to cry. A lot. I know she called herself because she wanted to hear my reaction when she told me I am an Aunt.
So there you have it. I have a brandy new niece. My oldest nephew will be 32 this year and now I have this little niece. My oldest niece is getting married in 6 weeks from Saturday.
Isn't life something?
Have a great day!

More Birthday Roses

okay here's another card - same stuff except I used my quickutz photo corners die as well (don't even ask me how many time i had to cut those out before i got them with the stripes going in the right direction on each side - geez and now i look again and one is still crooked.... not... doing... it... again.... )

It's funny how you can have boxes full of ribbon and still don't have one the right color. I improvised. I had some really skinny pink and decided to add 3 pieces instead of having one tied around the image. I kinda like it.

Let's see... its sorta rainy again. A little drizzle falling - we must pay for the gorgeous day yesterday I spose.

Last night we did the Video on Demand and watched "Enchanted". Can I tell you thoroughly was? It was so cute and I thoroughly enjoyed it ... so there!

Off to flip some laundry - have a good Sunday

Happy Birthday with roses

I stamped a page full of this roses stamp yesterday afternoon. I don't know why, but sitting there and coloring them in was just very relaxing. I think I could do it all day.
(Hey Lisa R - you enabled me to buy this stamp months ago 'cos you made that beautful tag for me with it. I'm finally getting around to using the stamp I had to have!)
I cut apart the sheet and ended up with 8 useable ones for cards. Here's the first one I made. I had some SEI striped paper and used my cuttlebug embossing folder for the swiss dots. I got the scallop by using the StampinUp! punch all across. I pop dotted the whole piece - kinda looks like an awning huh? I repeated the scallop business at the bottom (but that portion isn't embossed).And thats also a portion of a Hero Arts sentiment (it says Happy Birthday to You but no room for the 2u on this one)
I really need to make something more simple for the coffee shop but you know how it is once you get started on something. I have a few other ones in the works which I'll definitely go more simple.
Ok - off to the races!

Bunch of flowers birthday

quick post here - just a few more cards for the coffee shop. Hero Arts flower stamp; background stamp is Purple Onion Designs. Quickutz tag stamped with a Purple Onion Designs mini-sentiment. I tied on a little embroidery floss and colored the flowers using the magic colored pencil technique (with prismacolor pencils).

gotta run!

Happy Mother's Day

Here's the card I'm giving my mom today. And please believe me when I say that swiss dot embossed background is a much nicer color green than it looks! for some reason the scan came out looking like a minty green which it is not. It's more of a springy green. (Don't you hate when the scan color is not true?)

Anyway the circles were cut with Nestabilities, the heart is Quickutz. The stamps are StampinUp! The patterned paper is Making Memories and the brads are DCWV. I used my prisma colored pencils and the MCPT. Oh yeah - i stamped the sentiment and then aged it with Antique Linen distress ink. I think that's all. I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Love and chocolate

I was listening to Martha Stewart's show this morning. I often listen while I'm doing other things around the house. I'll run on over to the tv if she's got something interesting on I need to see. Well this morning I heard something I hadn't heard for a while -
the sound of Jacques Torres.
ahhhhhh
Jacques
I've had a serious crush on this man for years.
Not familiar with Jacques? comment triste!
Here - go see and hear Jacques
http://www.frenchculinary.com/video_jacques_torres_2.htm
not only does he speak in theeee most wonderfully french-accented english
(I could listen to him talk forever.... ahhhhhhhhh)
he is Mr. Chocolate
(he owns a chocolate factory - seriously he does)
Dean of Pastry Arts at the French Culinary Institute
He's the perfect man - he speaks that way and he knows allllllll about chocolate. And did you read the part about his having a chocolate factory????
Just looky what he made on Martha this morning
a Chocolate Clutch Bag
So lets review:
He is handsome, speaks French, (and better yet speaks English with that French accent), is all about chocolate, and makes wonderful chocolate things in his chocolate factory (sigh).
Case closed
How could you ask for more?
hope you all are having a good Friday

A few cards and more on Spencer

I mentioned previously I've been making cards to sell in a local coffee shop with my friends June and Amy. So today I made a couple more. The scans aren't the best but those of you who know me know I refuse to spend inordinate amounts of time scanning to get the uber scan. These will do - use your imagination on the ones that are crooked, k?

I promised a little more on Spencer. When the rescue place brought her here Frankie was not immediately thrilled. (okay he hissed) The friendliest fur boy ever hissed at his new buddy. However I was assured this was quite normal. The plan was to keep them separated. Spencer would spend her days in my sons room. At a few intervals during the day Spencer would come out and Frankie would go in the room giving Spencer the opportunity to explore without threat (and Frankie to smell where Spencer had been and grow accustomed to the smell and the whole idea.) They said it might take up to 2 weeks for this process to bring everyone into a happy place of co-existence. Well Frankie took it upon himself to get into the room where Spencer was (he is a rascally boy who will not be stopped when he sets his mind on things) and then stopped dead. He saw her and didn't move a muscle. We took him out and then thought why not see what happens. Well, Spencer hissed when he got bold enough to get anywhere in her vicinity. Also quite normal. Long and the short, a week later they still are keeping their distance when they're together. We aren't keeping her locked up all day. I just couldnt keep doing that to her. But they are both making efforts to get closer to one another. There is a lot less hissing. Almost non-existent hissing in fact. So we are hopeful this is going to work out. I still keep them separated at night and they're never alone together - at least for now. Here's a pic of Spencer - isn't that crazy? She lays on her back! I've seen other cats do this but never any of ours. Also if you can see she has two different colored eyes! One is brown and the other is gold. She's an original alright. And Iwish I knew how to make videos cos seeing her run is hilarious! She has these short little leggies and pretty much looks like she bounces (ala Tigger). It's just the cutest thing.

Can you tell I love this cat already?

Getting back and I want you to meet someone

I finally switched my top photo back to the original one. Now its off center but i can't be bothered to figure out why!

This morning I've been catching up on blogs - still have few to go but it's been fun. I've missed you all.

I've been keeping busy: making cards some of the time. Also going through 23+ years of photos. Why? We're having a surprise 80th birthday party for the f-i-l and we're doing a little photo trip down memory lane with music. Sifting through all those pictures was fun in some respects. You forget a lot. Thank goodness for pictures! I have a good number of digital photos and ones on CD's (when the photos were developed I'm so glad I got those CD's). But there were so many good old-fashioned photos with negatives. And those were the ones that needed scanning. Total time eater! Anyway that project is done - CD of the selected pics are off to the nephew (who is putting this together for his grandad) today. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product at the party at the end of the month.

What else have I been up to -

well we have a new member of the family -

meet Spencer!

She (yes, she) is a mix - Maine Coon cat and domestic medium hair. Isn't she the cutest?

We didn't name her - she came with her name although she doesn't always answer to it. She was a stray that was brought to a shelter and named. Then she was taken by a Maine Coon cat rescue organization. I was shopping for food for Frankie in the Petsmart and the rescue was there with a number of maine coon cats. And little miss Spencer here was just miss personality plus. She made sure I knew she liked me a bunch. I went to the Petsmart with no intentions of falling in love with any cat. But I just couldn't get her out of my head. Frankie needed a friend. Although we still miss Holly, and always will, we thought why not get a friend for Frankie. He deserves a buddy. I'll tell you all about our getting acquainted period soon - with pictures of course!

thanks so much

for all the kind words, cards and emails everybody. I cannot tell you how much I've appreciated your support and friendship. It's meant so much.

I apologize for the birthday queen as well as I know she has missed celebrating some birthdays.....

I know I've been away a while.

We've been busy.

College tours with the daughter (we've visited 5 schools); my mom's back in town so that keeps me hopping. Job hunting. Making cards (to sell in the local coffee shop)with my friend June ~ hi june! :-)

Also my daughter turned 17 along the way...

And we needed to get some thank you's out. I didn't want to get into anything elaborate. (More important they get made.) I remembered I picked up some cards in the $ section at Target (isn't that just the best place?) a while ago. I took those cards, used a StampinUp! "thanks so much" stamp and that cute scallop punch; attached the stamped scallop element with a pop dot and voila - cute card. (well 7 cute cards! made in record time I might add) At least I think so :-) (the colors are a little off in the scan - looks much better IRL). Anyway, the cards are made!

Hopefully I'll be a better blogger again soon. I just have had so little time and truly not much inclination when there was a free moment. Hang in there with me!

no more sunbeams

some of you have noticed my absence. i appreciate the emails - its good to know one has friends who wonder what is going on when i'm not my usual blog-posting self.
i haven't felt much like posting.
truth to tell i don't feel much like it now.
the last two weeks have, frankly, stank out loud.
last i mentioned my cats i said i needed to keep an eye on Holly as she'd been losing weight. well unfortunately she didn't improve and it turned out she was a very sick little girl. very sick with only the worst outcome you can imagine. i took this photo of her last weekend. She was sitting in a sunbeam (that's what i like to call it)- and outside of being by my side - it was probably her favorite place to be - sunning her sweet little self.
We had to say goodbye to her yesterday.
Not a sunbeam in sight I'm afraid.
It was a rainy day here - outside and in my heart. I'm totally broken hearted.
She was the sweetest, smartest cat there ever was and she was the best friend I've ever had. Total unconditional love.
i emailed my sister to tell her the sad news. She had been so supportive the last two weeks as was the vet we had here. (unsung heroes these vets, i tell you). And she told me that i should remember I was her best friend too - right through to the end. And I guess that's true. But i still am crying over it all even though it was the right thing to do. Little Holly was my heart.
Anyway, there you have it. I'll be back making my blog rounds soon k? thanks everybody.

Valentine Rakarama 2008 (5th Edition)

Yes kids, it's that time of year again.

Time for my annual Valentine Rakarama.

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about - I belong to an online group of wonderful women for what - the past 6 years? is that possible girls? Anyway each year I send them all a valentine. You can check out past years here

I thought this was the 4th year but I forgot to scan that first year's cards - darn!
Usually I make one design and make one for everyone. One year it was the same basic design and I changed certain elements (monogram). This year I couldn't make up my mind. I had basic cardstock, patterned paper, stamps, and punch I wanted to use. So I said what the heck - I'll just use those items and make a different one for each person. (yes, I was feeling a little crazy!)

I know a few of them have received theirs and the rest should get theirs by today - i hope. If you don't want to see - stop looking girls! The scans aren't great but it was more important to me to quickly scan then get them in the mail. Without further ado....

Some details: i teastained cardstock and stamped on the Stampington main hearts. That eyelet-y looking type lace is cardstock punched using a Martha Stewart punch (I love Martha). The patterned paper is last year's Basic Grey (still looks good this year I think). All the other stamps (the ribbon label, postage, LOVE, music and script backgrounds, small hearts and the faboo Damask) are Purple Onion Designs (only thing not POD is a flourish I used on a few of them - that's Rhonna Farrar). I used a versamark ink as well as StampinUp! inks, some buttons, some ribbon and of course, my sewing machine.

Okay - I gotta get moving for the day. I'm going to do some scrapbooking tonite! Have a good one

Leave it to your kids (kitties) to make a liar outta you

well it's true
kids - kitties - all furry and non-furry children
they like to make a liar outta you
i said on my previous post that the kitties don't like car travel nor do they like the doctor's office
and indeed this was the case
the last time holly and frankie were in the car was a disaster. they frothed at the mouth and, in general, were flipping out. and when we got to the vet's office, the vet had to shake them out of their carriers - by turning it completely over! they held on for dear life until gravity took over - are you getting the picture?
So yesterday I decided on a plan of attack.
First of all I went to unearth their cat carriers.
I searched high and low and was only able to locate one. The darling husband told me later he'd given one of them away and said don't you remember? I said no.
Regardless that immediately set me to worrying - if you have cats who are flipping out in their carrier what will happen when you put two of them in one carrier? I was concerned they'd hurt each other because they'd be in a panic.
I crossed my fingers (and said a Hail Mary for good measure)
I replenished their "little pink sock" with fresh catnip (yes... I was hoping to dope them up naturally. hey... whatever works right?)
and got a bag of their favorite treats.
Then when it was time to leave, I brought them both to the carrier.
I dangled the little pink sock in front of Frankie's kisser and he walked right into the carrier.
Then I set out a line of treats and miss Holly walked right in and I shut the door.
I thought - hey... that was too easy.
I grabbed the carrier and put it into the car on the passenger front seat.
We left and I couldn't believe it (the beginning of them making a liar outta me) - they seemed quite content. They both sat in the carrier and just sniffed the air (it was kind of a nice day here).
No flipping out.
No frothing at the mouth.
I'm thinking okay but surely things will go south once we arrive and get into the exam room.
I set the carrier down and opened the door - out walks Holly (like she owned the joint) and she proceeds to look all around. Frankie wasn't his usual overly friendly self. I did have to pull him out of the carrier but he did just fine.
Whodathunkit?
Now the reason I brought them there in the first place - Frankie had a small lump on his side. Obviously it didn't belong there and I was concerned.
Holly - she has been losing weight. Also not a good sign. This girl likes her food. One of my nicknames for her is "chubs". She had weighed 12 pounds. She has a small frame. At the doctor's office we weighed her and she came in at 8.9 lbs. See what I mean?
So anyway the doctor and I talked for a bit - they did some tests on both cats.
I got a call from the doctor late this afternoon.
My kids are fine. Everything is looking good for them both and I cannot tell you how relieved I was to hear it. Even the doctor said it was nice to make such a happy phone call. I have to keep an eye on Holly's weight but aside from that ....
all is good.
I finished a book "Running with Scissors" - now that was a bizarre book
I'm working on some cards.
We're going to meet up with our nephew and his wife tomorrow nite in DC for dinner. We haven't been into DC for a bit so that should be fun. (I'm secretly hoping to sidetrack into Georgetown to maybe check out Paper Source but that may not work out. We'll see)

a banner birthday

a few days after the fact the birthday queen would like to acknowlege the birthday of a special friend - miss Tina!

here's what i made for her day -

A birthday banner! Here it is hung across my fireplace - so i could show the whole thing at once. But here are some closeups :

I used some Heidi Swapp chipboard letters and Making Memories chipboard hearts and gave them a coating of Martha Stewart fine glitter. I cut out circles for the front and back as well as a scalloped circle (that got sandwiched in between with the ribbon) using my Nestabilities - i really love those Nestabilities!

Glad you had a nice birthday Tina!

Otherwise around here - I stayed up too late watching Super Tuesday results last night. I'm still recovering from the lack of sleep.

I spent several hours yesterday addressing Save The Date card envelopes for my niece who is getting married in July of this year. Addressing, stuffing, sealing, affixing postage. We never did stuff like Save The Date's back in my day. Boy i'm showing my age huh? We just called people. Go fig.....

Did you ever notice the abbreviation for Save The Date is STD? kinda yucky huh?

I have to take the kitties to the vet tomorrow - not sure if both of them have something going on so I'm taking them in just to be safe. Wish me luck - they absolutely detest any travel in the car and are also not fond of the vet office (they love my sister but her office is on the other side of the country! waaaah!)

Valentine - Admit One

It's that time of year :-)

As some of you know, I love valentines.

I've been known to send a few.

But this one - I think I'll keep for the husband

I used Romance Heart Cube from Stampington for the heart. I tea dyed some cardstock and stamped with Stampin Up Purely Pomegranate (just a great color!). The Admit One stamp is from Purple Onion Designs. The background was created using the wonderful Damask stamp also from Purple Onion Designs. I stamped it in versamark and used the Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress embossing powder. The background paper was a scrap from the little secret compartment Nancy Drew book I made my niece for Christmas. I also added a little bit of black rick rack to finish things off.

Yesterday, I forgot to mention a movie we'd seen recently. If you have a chance, go see Michael Clayton with George Clooney. He's enough reason to go see it ;-) but the movie was excellent.

well hi there!

i was planning on posting another birthday queen creation - she's been a busy girl that birthday queen- however i don't wanna post til i'm sure the fille courante d'anniversaire (gosh i hope thats right lol) has seen it!

on to other things - made this card for a college friend of mine. i love this anna griffin stamp! and i love hydrangea.

I made this next card for my brother-in-law whose birthday was yesterday - him and Punxsutawney Phil

I hadn't bought anything new paper-wise in a while. I went to a small local scrapbook store (on my way home from chauffering the daughter somewhere) I haven't been to in probably over a year and this creative imaginations paper was screaming out to me 'hey... take me home - and whilst you're at it grab some of those buttons!' I did make a few cards with the CI buttons but this particular card has some buttons from my own stash. Oh and the stamp is from Stampin Up!

Let's see what else have I been up to - reading. I read a book called Escape by Carolyn Jessop (about her escape from her life in the Fundamentalist LDS church. It was a little repetitive - coulda used some more editing in my opinion but) it was a pretty compelling story.

An absolutely brilliant book I recently finished is Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Suggested by my friend Donna. I thought why would I want to read a book about a guy who joins the circus? But knowing Donna wouldn't steer me wrong I got it from the library. Wow. What an amazing book - if you're looking for something to read - run - do not walk - to your library and get it. You will not be sorry.

Lost was on the other night - do you love Lost? I do! Now if you've never watched Lost you can catch up on all the seasons by watching on ABC.com They have all the episodes online! However that's a big time investment now isn't it? Okay. Well you can also catch up by watching this video - Everything you need to know about Lost in 8 minutes

Even if you are all caught up this video is hilarious!

Okay - its Super Bowl Day - gotta get moving - Go Giants!