Am I Brave Enough?

As you know, I have been working on my "space" - and yes, there is entirely too much stuff in there! *rolling my eyes* So I am cleaning out - and I realized that it's pretty ridiculous that I have no problem throwing away a scrap piece of paper (it could even be half of a 12x12) but I can't chunk a magazine to save my life. Not until I've looked through it, admiring all I seed and then look through it again to see if I want to save anything. And of course, there's always at least one or two that I want so I cut them out and glue them into a notebook. WHY??? I realized that I've done this for the last several years - but you know what? I NEVER go back and look at them. I can't recall one single time when I thought, "hey, let's make a card - I'll look in my notebook to see if there is anything I want to copy" And of course, wasn't that they whole point of starting the notebook anyway??? Crazy!
SO - I was looking at an old Stampers Sampler magazine and they have that column - variation on a theme - and I was like, hey - that's kinda me....I just keep using and using what I have out until it's gone, I'm bored or I run out of time. So, I had some stuff still out on my desk from yesterday's card and decided to use it up --- I mean, come on, I can't throw away Karen Russell paper!!! That's just crazy talk!! (OMG! That would make a great sentiment stamp - my sis and I say that all the time to each other!) Back on task - here's what I came up with. And I'm seriously considering sending them off --- I mean, not that I think they would ever be picked up....but just to have the guts to do it.

Here's a quick card I did last night. I am trying to use up all my stuff! I think this will be a great wedding card - or a Valentine's card, although it's pretty girly for me to give to hubby!
Have a wonderful day!!

Card Set, Part IV

Here is the final card in this series. Since I don't save scraps - of any size or shape - I like to try to use as much of a piece of paper as possible when I sit down to make a card. I may leave it on my desk for a few days, but when I clean up, in the trash they go. That's terribly wasteful I know. I used to save scraps but I never used them and they just became a big ugly eyesore (and if you read the post below - you'll see that I don't need any help in the clutter/eyesore department! *wink*). So I dumped them all in the trash one day and it was wonderful! The only bad thing is that I never have scraps for punching...but that's okay! And here's a free tip of the day for you - if you and I are ever at a class or a crop anywhere together - sit by me - you'll get all the scraps that I don't want!
Pretty basic and simple series of cards. Thanks for stopping by! I noticed my hit counter today and gee, it's much bigger than I expected!

Creative Chaos?

Or just chaos? I used to have an entire room to myself - painted this wonderful green color. Some old vintage map drawers that I stored all my stamps in. Lots of shelves to hold everything else. Then I got pregnant - and we decided that the baby should have a room and after much debate and about 2 weeks before I delivered, it was my room that would be the nursery. We got rid of the guest bed and I moved into that room - which had been my husbands with all his movies, army re-enactment and Star Wars stuff. I got half of the room. It was very hard to cram a room full into half a room. I barely managed. And it was just kinda thrown in there. Fast forward almost a year and I was ready to get back in the game so to speak. So I've been working on trying to get my little space organized and de-cluttered so that I can work. I am not a very organized person by nature but I need organization in order to get anything done. It's still not finished and I wouldn't even be sharing it, but there is a blog candy at stake HERE. I wasn't going to enter when I first saw it but I've seen lots of really cute Tilda cards out there and I've decided that the chance of winning a free stamp is worth the embarrassment. As bad as it looks, it was worse. Up until a few weeks ago, I couldn't even really get in there and was forced to gather stuff up and work in the kitchen or up at the LSS. I am working at getting rid of the really deep drawer units and have something to replace them with that I'm really excited about. Hopefully I'll be able to get that done within the next month or so. When it's all "pretty" I'll share again!

And then a view from the window:

Card Set, Part III

Here is another card in my Red card series. Pretty simple really - just some ribbon (don't you just love gingham??? Gingham and polka dots - love them and anything that features them!) And some really cool flowers - I wish I could remember what brand they were as I'd love to have some more!

I was tagged by my Blog Sister Vicki - her blog is Stamped Smiles and she does impeccable work!
This is called the middle name game. Here's the rules:

1. You must post the rules before you give your answers.

2. You must list one fact about yourself for each beginning letter of your middle name. (If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name.)

3. After you're tagged, you need to update your blog with your middle name and answers.

4. At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged & need to read your blog for the details.)

My middle name is ANN (so is Vicki's by the way - made this tag so easy as I just had to copy, paste and edit a few details!!) *wink*

A ~ An eye-roller - a trait that is apparently hereditary as my son started rolling his at 10 months. Yea, it's cute now - but I don't think I'll be laughing when he's sixteen. And yes, my mom thinks it's fitting!

N ~ Never been to Europe

N ~ Naked feet are my preference. I hate to wear shoes and kick them off as soon as I come in the door!

I tag my blog sisters Maren, and Denise. I'm also going to tag Kimmie because I love her blog!

Card Set, Part II

This is the second card in my series. I think I'll refer to this time as my "one-layer phase" - kinda like when artists talk about their blue phase or whatever. Here is a close-up of the card. The first card I just used stickles on the dots, but on this one I used some embellies from Queen & Co - little rhinestones and brads.

I love, loVE, LOVE this paper! It comes in several colors and several different patterns. My VSN card with the froofy shoe in pink and brown - same paper! I really should go buy up the rest that my LSS has in stock.
Thanks for stopping by - ya'll are a bright spot in my day!
Make it a beautiful week ladies! I am off to get some stamping time in (right after I go check out the Featured Stamper challenge!)

Card Set, Part I

This is part of a card series that I created a few months ago. One of my good friends owns the local scrapbook store in town and even though I'm not really into scrapping, she always asks me to come to the Midnight Crops. I love to go because I get to hang out with her and some other friends. They all work on pages and I make cards. So I created this series one night at a crop, determined to use what I brought and not buy anything else! I loved it when I created it, but I look at it now and see how it could definitely be "kicked up a notch"! So that's my question - what would you do to make this card WOW!?
I did get some stamping done tonight but it's too dark to photography anything so I decided to see what I could find in my files. Even though the time is *technically* Sunday, I haven't been to sleep yet so it's still Saturday to me! ;)
I got to spend the afternoon and evening at my parents house after Dane woke up from his nap. I love just hanging out with my family when it's a normal day and not a "special occasion". It's something that I intend to make more time for this year. I hope you get to spend some quality time with your loved ones this weekend! {HUGS}

You Grow Girl!

My sister-in-law just announced that they are expecting their first baby! I made this card as a congrats to her. (I only took 2 pics before I gave it away and this was the best of them - it's not a great picture - I probably took it when it was getting dark outside) The dress is paper pieced and the rest is colored with my Prismascolor pencils. I don't care if this set is retired. I still love it and I hope to get lots more use out of it! I better make some younger friends as all my pals are well past the baby bearing stage! Plus, Dane will need playmates! Sadly, his cousin doesn't live close to us; but hopefully, they will be close and just play like crazy when they are around each other.
I finally got my Bella stamps in on Wednesday. I went in to stamp last night and found my desk a mess so I spent a good hour working on getting things put away and then just colored on some images. I tend to be a tool junkie so when I saw all these images on my favorite blogs colored with Copics I said: "OOOOHHHH better get some of those!!" And actually got a spot in one of Gina K's copic buys. I came out of my fog about 30 mins later and called back and gave my spot away. I am determined to learn how to really use my prismacolors. I have a very nice set thanks to hubby (they were a requirement for some graphic design class he had back in college) who sweetly let me confiscate them for myself. So that's what I did last night - practiced! It was much more fun than when my mom made me practice the violin when I was younger!
Hope ya'll have a fantastic weekend!

Better Late Than Not At All

...right?
I made these cards last week for SC159 but never got them edited and posted. I was going to - and then decided I was too tired...but Photoshop opened all the way despite my effort to close it....so I went ahead and did it real quick. I created the yellow version first and then the next day I found these ME stickers on my desk so decided to make some quick cards with them (you might have noticed another sticker from this pack on my composition book). The yellow card is still my favorite.
I like this sketch - it's quick and to the point. Next time I use it I think I'll try to pop the layers even more with matting and pop dots! Why did I resist using those for so long?
Have a Terrific Thursday girls!!

The rest of VSN

Here is the mini composition book I did for VSN. This took like 10 minutes maybe to make. I love doing these for little gifts. We always need a place to jot down a quick note and if they are pretty - then - who can resist. This will be going to a gal in my BUNKO group that loves Mary Engelbreit.


For the Love of CHOCOLATE! I wasn't going to do this challenge for VSN until I noticed a small Whatchamacalit bar peeking out from behind some stamps on my desk. This is my hubby's favorite candy bar. The only place I can find them is Dollar Tree so I always buy him some whenever I swing in there. This was also super easy and quick. I would've made it a little more "fancy" by double matting the base and the sentiment, but then I remembered it was for hubby and he will just tear into it and not even notice. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and then embossed with red.....so I guess I can count this for the Ways To Use it Challenge over at SCS last week.


I just realized that I didn't do any stamping on this card. I adore this Karen Russell paper by Creative Imaginations. A sheet of this and some crystal letters were out on my desk so that's what I grabbed to make this card.


This card is not for everyone - but it was awfully fun. I think I'd make more of them but I only know one gal for sure that would think it was funny - and honestly, how many panty cards can I send her? But this card is going to find it's way to her inbox. I encourage you to go check out the gallery for this challenge (HERE). In no particular order, these are my favorites from this challenge and I hope to see one of them get honored: stampintam_inks, snowmanqueen, nitestamper, LuvLee

Cheers to You!

First, I want to say thanks for such sweet wishes on my back. It's much better - I think it would be perfect were it not for the 25 lb baby that wants to be picked up and cuddled throughout the day! I don't mind - before too long he'll be sixteen and I'll have plenty of time to rest and do other things then!

Another VSN challenge I did was to create a "thinking of you" card for a friend who couldn't participate in the fun. One of my best friends had surgery on Monday and so I made this card for her. It is probably my most favorite that I did all weekend. The stamp is Postmodern Design and the ink and cardstock are Brocade Blue from SU! I had originally intended to use Beate's Weekend Sketch for this card, but just couldn't really make it work.

WARNING!!

Stamping can be Hazardous to your Health!
This was the last challenge I was going to work on Friday night. As I was bent over a drawer looking through stamps, I felt my back go -eeecckkk! I don't even think I really moved, but something moved in my back. It was so bad I didn't think I was going to be able to stand up. I yelled for my hubby who came in, sighing and saying "where's the spider? when are you going to learn to kill them on your own?" Yea! Do you feel the love??? After he realized I was hurting I don't think he felt any more sorry for me! But he did kindly help me to the bed. After a very full day on Saturday, I was able to come back to the challenges after I got the baby to bed. I picked up here again. Pretty basic card. I had wanted to add stickles to my stars and some of the fireworks but I still couldn't find them. Masking is such a great technique and fairly easy to incorporate on a simple design like this. One of my stamping goals is to start thinking out my projects a bit more so that I can create really elaborate scenes with masking.
See the chat thread for this challenge HERE and view the other creations!!

I have other cards to post but I think I'm going to go find my stickles and restore some more order to my stamp space!

Hugs & Kisses

I skipped the criss cross card challenge because I've never made one and I didn't feel confident enough to finish it in the 45 minutes. This challenge was titled "She's Got a Ticket to Stamp" and you could make tickets, use tickets, ticket events, or just a ticket corner punch. I had pulled out this Magenta image earlier in the week and I really wanted to use it. My original intention was to make tickets to put inside my card for hugs and kisses. I colored my image with my Prismas and the blender pencil. I'm fairly happy with it. It's not perfect but it's pretty good I guess (tooting my own horn) *wink*. I highlighted the wings and the flower petals with some Twinkling H2O's but you can't really see them - stickles would be much better and I've got to find mine! As I was making this card, I thought that this shade of blue was an odd combination with red...but went with it anyway. The more I look at it, the more I like it. I don't own the ticket corner punch (did you hear the collective GASP of surprise?) but you can rest assured that it is on my club order this month. By the time I got done coloring, I didn't have much time left so I just threw the base and the sentiment piece together. No time to make tickets for the inside. Since no tickets....I had to have ticket corners....no punch....I fudged with my handheld oval punch which was within arms reach and called it good enough.
You can see the chat thread for this challenge and find the gallery HERE.

What's your stamping secret that makes others gasp in surprise? Trust me, not owning the ticket punch is only one of mine!!

Little Black....

....Dress? The 3rd challenge was to stamp your main image on black. I used an old Stampin Up set that I got off ebay awhile back just because I love this chair stamp. I used StazOn in white to stamp. Pretty happy with it but my sentiment is a little smudgy. I think when I unmount this set I will separate the sentiment so that I can put it anywhere.
I don't normally like to make just one card --- so I made two.

This first card is the one I uploaded to SCS.

Here's my second card - which was actually the first card I made. I wanted to pull in that leopard paper somehow so I paper pieced parts of the chair.

Which one do you prefer? I like the paper piecing on the second one but I like the extra red strip on the first one.
You thread for this challenge is HERE at SCS and you can view all the other creations from there.

Shoes? Chocolate?

Both please!! Second challenge for VSN was to create something inspired by these pink and brown shoes made out of chocolate. Yummy!
I used the Sketch Challenge 159 for this card and a cute Maribou shoe I picked up a few months back in Norman, OK.
You can check out all the other creations (and see the inspiration) HERE on SCS.

Circle of Friendship

The first challenge of VSN was to create a circle card. I had ordered some MFT sets weeks ago and decided that TONIGHT (Friday night) was the night I was going to use them. I am also going to Dallas in a few weeks for a jewelry team meeting and 2 of my gals are going with me early - we are hitting the malls so I wanted to send them a card before we go to let them know how excited I am to be getting away with them! The challenge only allows you 45 minutes to make your card - and I made 2! Now that they are done, I wish I had matted pop dotted the main image. I use to blow off pop dots - but boy, what a difference they make! I haven't decided yet if I will send these or remake them. Thanks for stopping by!

Virtual Stamp Night

This is the first time I am participating in VSN over at SCS. I got started after I got the baby down and have completed 2 cards (technically 4 since I made each card twice) so far. It's a good thing they have breaks built in - I'm dashing in to refill my Dr Pepper and thought I'd make a quick post. I am waiting until tomorrow to take pictures becuase I seem to get poor lighting in the evening. See ya'll tomorrow!

Look what I won!! My SBS sister Denise gave this to me! What a treat to actually be referenced on another blog! And right back at ya girl! It's been fun getting to know each other! But oh, who to nominate??? This is pretty tough b/c there are many gals that I would love to give this too!! I'll just go with the first ones that popped into my head!

1. Susan - she always brings a smile to my face - she seems so genuine and easy-going!
2. Helen at All Things Stampy - her brown cards today took my breath away and I haven't been able to get them out of my head!
3. Charmaine for being such an inspiration to me as a stamper and a mom!
3. Ema - another SBS sister who I feel connected to since I live in Amarillo and she used to live in Lubbock just up the road. She's got some blog candy to give away too so that's fun!!
4. Zany Maren - her work is marvelous and meticulous!
5. Joanne - her yellow card today is so elegant! I don't use yellow much and after seeing this, I don't know why? It's such a great color - can be happy or can be mellow - either way it's a feel good color!
6. Last, but not least, Sherrie, at Card Creme - always love to see what she creates and she has such a distinctive style!


And now, a card: this was a card I made for FS48 over at SCS. The featured stamper was Nancy Riley and I chose her Cherish card. I changed the color scheme, the ribbon and used a 3D flower instead of a stamped flower. I'm really happy with the way these turned out. The one on the left is going out to a lady I met this week who is with the direct sales company I rep for (not stamping related) and the one on the right is a thank you for birthday presents my son received.

Q&A

Denise asked a question about my cards posted on Jan 14:
"Pretty cards, love the flowers and beads. Did you dye the flowers or did they come in those colors? I just got the pretties kit from SU! and I tried dying some, but not sure I like them. Thanks for sharing your cards. :)"

The flowers actually came in that color. I got them from either HSN or QVC a long time ago. I've never dyed flowers so I have no advice to give.

I have a question - actually 2 questions for ya'll.

1. I just discovered Google Reader - very nice but some of the blogs do not show the pictures in reader (which kinda defeats the purpose of using reader). Anybody know why that happens?

2. In Google Reader - how do you comment on a post. So far, I've been opening the blog in another window, but that seems to add time and again - seems to defeat the purpose of the reader in my mind.

Have a great day! It is really, really cold here today. I've got to go finish getting ready and meet my upline for coffee to plan our big rally next month. Oh - I don't want to go out in the cold!!! It's a good thing I don't live up north - I don't know how you gals do it!!

My first RAK

Last week I got a card in the mail from one of my SBS3 sisters, Denise. It came on a day when I was dashing in and out and to and fro getting things set up for my sister's wedding. What a treat for my eye and my tummy since it also included a piece of chocolate - those yummy little square ones! What was really neat was it was raspberry chocolate so it coordinated with the card. Denise is super talented! Check out her blog post here to see when she featured this card and how to make a card really WOW!!! (and don't miss her kickstand card from January 12, 2008 - it is one of my all time favorite cards!! Oh - maybe I shouldn't share that since she's giving away a stamp set I really, really want! Nah - sharing is too much fun!!!)

Mix It Up!!

I found this really neat blog today - be sure to stop by and see how you could win this!


A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible!

The Prize:



The winner will receive a brand new
Hamilton Beach 4.5-qt. Eclectrics Stand Mixer, Pineapple Yellow!!

About the mixer:

From Hamilton Beach’s “Eclectrics” line, this all-metal stand mixer comes with a host of accessories - a Flat Beater for cakes and cookies, a Dough Hook for bread and a Wire Whisk for whipped cream or pudding. The 4.5-qt. stainless steel bowl comes with a Pouring Shield that helps prevent splattering while in operation. The pouring shield has a built-in chute for adding ingredients. Powered by 400 watts, the stand mixer has a two-way mixing action to ensure all ingredients are incorporated into the mix. The quick-release, tilt-up head assists when removing the bowl. 9 x 14 x 14-in. When you’re ready for a kitchen re-do, don’t call in the carpenters! Instead, “counterscape” your kitchen with Hamilton Beach’s retro-designed, affordably priced electrics in happy, sun-saturated colors. Their “Eclectrics” line includes updates to those classic appliances from the 1950s. All of their “Eclectrics” are available in six colors: Apple Green, Moroccan Red, Pineapple Yellow, Intrigue Blue, Sugar White and Licorice Black.

Here is a thank you card I made using a sketch challenge last week. For the life of me, I can't remember which one it was. I made another card using this same sketch - but gave it to my sister before I took a photo of it. (ETA: It was Di Hickman's sketch) Hope you like it! And some more: I was running on adrenaline and just decided to mass produce them. ETA: (I finally remembered details on this card too! I needed something quick and sharp looking and remembered a card Kristina did for MACM (here) and came up with my version....I still remember the music she had playing in her video and have been humming it for weeks in my head!

MOJO Lilacs

Here is a card I made for Mojo Monday #19 - my first Mojo sketch to participate in. I love her sketches so I am going to go back and do them all over the course of the year!

Sparkle

Been crazy busy around here. My stamping space has been a wreck for months now. I have a very hard time being creative when it's out of control so I've been spending time trying to get it under control! It's not finished but has come pretty far - far enough that I cleaned off my desk (well - pretty much anyway) and was able to get some stamping done earlier this week. I have more to share - sketches and challenges that will probably be outdated - but I am going to share them anyway so be sure to stop back!

Here is a card I created for CPS #46. I am not sure how I feel about this card. I love the papers together; love the sparkle sentiment and the bling on the card. Not sure about the placement of the jacket in relation to the skirt. I tried having it overlap like it would in real life......but that looked even worse to me.