Christmas in July?

Noel (get it? ... there's no "L" (wink!))! I couldn't let July fade into August without at least ONE Christmas card, now, could I?! This one's based on the CPS124 sketch and loosely based on the Late Night Stampers Yahoo Group Christmas in July challenges. Boy, I'm running behind, tho' - I printed that sketch out on July 11th. I'd planned on a couple Christmas cards and never quite got to the other one, so it'll have to be later, hopefully this weekend!

stamps: Hero Arts' Let IT Snow, SU's Alphabits; paper: unknown foil-covered, PTI's night sky shimmer, and SU's Shimmery White card stocks; ink: CTMH's Outdoor Denim; Accessories: CTMH's Outdoor Denim grosgrain and Offray's Galena metallic ribbons

happy b'day Dana!

I'm heading to a card club meeting tonite with my stampin' buddy Pat, but thru the miracle of modern science am using Blogger's scheduled post option. This card's hitting the mail tomorrow, which is ACTUALLY Wednesday so it'll hopefully reach my buddy Dana by Friday for her birthday, when it won't be an issue whether she sees it online on my blog.

Do you follow everyday people cartoons? Don't you think everybody should?!

stamps: n/a; paper: SU's So Saffron and Whisper White, Paper Reflections' black card stocks; ink: n/a - I used a PC-generated inside sentiment (many happy returns of the day!); accessories: dotted black/white swiss ribbon

thanx for always being on my side

I love PTI's On My Couch set from their latest release and had been putting off ordering some night sky shimmer card stock, so this was the necessary impetus to doing that ... and then I only had to order $6 more in goods to get free shipping ... so YOU'd have ordered more card stock and ribbon, RIGHT?!

I didn't use a Christmas stamp so this card isn't officially a candidate for the Sweet Stop Sketches' SSS13 Sketch with a Spin. I've been meaning to make some Christmas cards for July - a stampin' buddy of mine has actually FINISHED her cards already (sheesh!) - but that'll have to be later ...

stamps: PTI's On The Couch; paper: SU's Old Olive, Very Vanilla card stock, unknown Prism yellow card stock and unknown SU retired DP; ink: SU's So Saffron, Color Box's Creamy Brown; tools: ek success' scallop diamond and Franklin Covey multi-hole punch

fyi re Melissa's blog candy

Just a quick "heads up" to alert you to the fact that Melissa of Creating from the Heart blog fame is celebrating her blogoversary and giving away some blog booty, including a Slice! Walk, don't run, and stop by before August 5th! And thanx, Melissa!

Celebrate!

Don't you just love cupcakes?! Here's the 2nd of this past Saturday's make-'n-take projects. We used mineral spirits and pencils on the main image, a coloring technique I'd not used before. I know one person who really enjoyed the technique! Kim, one of my stampin' buds who I met at Karen's, called later from JoAnn's where she went to pick up supplies using her soon-to-expire 40% off coupons! If she hadn't been heading on vacation I'd have asked her to pick up mine at the same time, LOL - we're SUCH enablers!

I recently picked up a dozen of these cute Wilton silicone cupcake Silly Feet - no, I didn't need them for any upcoming special occasion; they're just SO STINKIN' CUTE, y'know?! I should've made some for our anniversary but didn't think of it ... oh well, school will be in session again before I know it!

No deets 'cept for the stamp, which I own - it's from Inkadinkado's Birthday Cupcake set!

uh oh ... I'm SO in trouble!

Have you seen the soon-2-be released printing plate sets from Lifestyle Crafts? They both print and deboss simultaneously and are just awesome beautiful! There are 15 plates in the initial offering - and I was making a list - yeah, 8 of 'em are on that list (hence the TROUBLE! sigh ...)!

Linda of Just A Scrappin' blog fame was my enabler in this case - and posted a sneak peek of the printing plate sets here! So which are your favs? Mine are Everyday sets 2 & 5, Baby set 1, Celebrations set 1, Wedding set 2, and Holiday sets 1, 2, & 3

edited to add: FYI, rather than downloading the huge PDF preview, you can check out the printing plates on Lifestyle Crafts' site.

did I say RAK?!

I'd meant to upload a couple cards Saturday and my time on PC was curtailed ... and it's not really Random ... Here's an uber cool anniversary card I rec'd from Pat, one of my stampin' buds. I tried taking a picture at more of an angle to capture the depth of the quilling used in the two hats she placed on front of the card. They remind me of 1920's glam high-society hats.

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?!

and the rain comes ...

check out the YouTube video on Val's blog!

make-'n-take & RAK

I'm taking a baby album class at Karen's Creative Stamping and met a few stamping buds there early to take in their every other Saturday make-'n-take. This cute paper-piercing project was one of today's projects and my DH's favorite. The original used a rusty orange matted sentiment to match the DP but I'm crazy about greens and blues and used some scrap green card stock for the mat.

No deets today - all supplies provided by store

a gals day out

We don't do this often enough but yesterday my sister and Mom visited and we took in a matinee movie. I'd flex'd my time at work and went in early so we could catch the 4:45 p.m. show; they met me at my house so I didn't have to take any vacation time and the movie time gave them the opportunity to head homeward in daylight driving conditions. They missed mac 'n cheese supper at my house but we stopped at McDonald's for their sundaes on the way home and had dessert first. We're only 45 minutes apart from each other but my sis works weekends and I work weekdays so it severely restricts our "gals day out" outings. So Sis, what's next on your chick-flick list that we should check out? This was fun!

We all liked this one, and knew in advance it was described as a tear-jerker. Tho' it was a bit predictable I think everyone in it was really good. I don't think I'd ever seen anything with Jason Patric or Sofia Vassilieva and liked them both; they were both really good without over-acting their parts. You don't want to read imdb's movie synopsis before heading to see this one unless you take their "spoiler alert" warning seriously. Suffice to say that the family's youngest daughter hires an attorney to obtain medical emancipation from her parents who've had her in order to help their leukemia-stricken first-born daughter remain alive.

if it's Tuesday

than this is my suggestion for a lunch location today. The weather's looking promising, the Flint Farmers Market is calling to me, and they're open Tues - Thurs - Sat. Yum, to pick up some fresh fruit for the weekend's breakfasts - I haven't had cantaloupe in a month! You can vote for your favorite farmer's market and they MAY be the lucky recipients of a $5K prize (or weekly random winner of $250), sponsored by Care2 and Local Harvest.

for all you do ...

this card's for my stampin' buddy Pat - my partner in crime in all things stamping ... and NOT! Pat goes above and beyond on a regular basis and has transported me about to stamping get-togethers when I've not had wheels, so every once in a blue moon I like to surprise her with a card and today was one of those days. She happened to NOT accompany me to a new catty open house at Crystal's last weekend so I thought I'd give her the card we made while there. I also picked up some gently used stamp sets (thanx again Crystal!). We used SU's texturz plates for the So Saffron base - me likey!

deets - all Stampin' Up! - stamps: Razzle Dazzle, paper: So Saffron, Soft Suede, (Very Vanilla?); ink: So Saffron, Soft Suede; accessories: Soft Suede 1/2" polka-dot grosgrain ribbon; tools: Backgrounds I texturz plates

one of my first stamps

... and one that I couldn't live without, this is the stamp that I generally put on the back of my cards. It reads "{heart}{heart} Hand stamped for you from my {heart}{heart}" and is Stampendous' J072 Hand-Stamped Arc, circa '98. I generally stamp it on the back of my cards and then sign my name under the arc. Jan (aka Witchy Woman) of Paper Tango blog fame wants to know what ONE stamp (not a set, mind you, and not SU) you would own if you were limited to one. I keep it in this purple-ish pink Easter egg and keep it with my everyday stamping tools.

It was EASY for me, Jan! But I'm curious ... how do YOU sign your cards?

so, have you seen it yet?!

My buddy Lynn was heading to see HP6 yesterday after work. I couldn't wait that long - I took a vacation day on Wednesday and took my eldest, another die-hard fan, to it! We tried for the 10 a.m. show but it was sold out before we arrived, so we took in the 11 a.m. show! So, what'd you think?! Didn't disappoint, eh?! I'm ready to head back, and so is my son, when my DH decides to go see it (he's a firm believer of crowd-avoidance-at-any-cost so didn't join us)!

SC237 - It all started with a mouse

I'm a trivia junkie and like to see what the day brings us in terms of anniversaries, birthdays, and historical facts, so I HAD to make a card to commemorate the anniversary of the opening of Disneyland today! I ALMOST had this done before heading to work but had to tear myself away before gluing it together. Sometimes work SO gets in the way of my play time, y'know?! So here's my card for today, based on SCS' SC237 sketch challenge. I love Disney flicks, don't you?!

Oh ... and the cool Mickey mold behind my card? It's from my boss' daughter Katie, from her stint with one of the pre-college programs for young women at my workplace (insert shameless plug here for my workplace, Kettering University).


stamps: American Art Stamps' Too Old; paper: unknown mouse bk and filmstrip, Paper Reflections' black, SU's Crushed Curry and Whisper White card stocks; ink: SU's Crushed Curry, Tri-C watercolor markers

do you feel lucky?

Tina of Mommy Scraps Alot is offering some blog candy simply 'cuz she feels happy ... now thru July 24th you can enter ... and the more who enter, the larger the pot grows! That's just before my wedding anniversary. Now wouldn't THAT be a nice present?!

sigh ... if it's Wednesday ...

Wanna guess what time my golf league tees off? sigh ...

a card ready EARLY?!

Whazzup w THAT?! You can just ask my family - I've been known to go scramblin' to wrap friends' presents when I spotted them pulling up in the driveway ... but no, this is to let you know that I've changed my ways, folkes! I made my sister's anniversary card this past weekend and last night made one for my own and it's more than a week away! This one's for my DH and is based on Clean & Simple's Sketchy Friday FTL50 sketch challenge. I love green and purple color combos and think SU's latest In Color Rich Razzleberry goes t'riffic with one of my fav greens, Kiwi Kiss!

stamps: A Muse Artstamps' My heart flips, SU's Basket Full of Fun, Hugs & Wishes (inside sentiments); paper: SU's Cottage Wall, Kiwi Kiss designer series paper patterns DPs, SU's Kiwi Kiss, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla card stocks; ink: SU's Kiwi Kiss, Rich Razzleberry; accessories: SU's Kiwi Kiss / Very Vanilla satin ribbon; tools: ek success' scallop diamond edger and Marvy Uchida extra jumbo heart punches, Cuttlebug with birds and swirls embossing folder

win $1K at The Cuttlebut Spot!

While blog trolling this afternoon I learned from Jan at Paper Tango (and seriously ... go check out her July 11th E-Trade Roller Babies post - it's a crack up!) that The Cuttlebug Spot is having a contest - "The Journey to 1,000"!

They're trying to reach 1,000 followers by the end of July (... and methinks I was number 974 so it won't take them much longer!). To enter all you have to do is go to their site, sign up as follower, complete a few easy steps, and you could be the lucky winner of a $1K gift certificate to Custom Crops! Check it out at The Cuttlebug Spot!

just a note

My buddy Mary broke her wrist back in late May and I'm sending her this card to catch up on how her recovery's going - hopefully speedy! We used to work together at Generous Motors - pretty much started there about the same time, in Pontiac MI, but didn't know each other 'til we transferred to a new plant they were to open later that year in Belleville MI ... now THIS'll date me 'cuz it was back in 1971! I hired in late July and remember telling my Dad it was his birthday present - that I'd actually been hired in a "real" job, LOL! Up 'til then I'd worked part-time while going to high school and college, but the jobs were pretty much babysitting, selling popcorn and candy at a movie theater, and "part-time" at a local drug store (I say "part-time" 'cuz it sometimes was more than 40 hrs a week tho' I was attending college full-time by then ... call me crazy as I dunno how I did it back then?! Sometimes it felt as tho' all I did was eat, sleep, work, homework ... 'cuz sometimes that WAS all you did, Sue!). Enough reminiscing ... I've been picking up used stamp sets like a crazy woman and some have GOTTA get inked today! later, ' gators!

this card was from a card class last month at a LSS - CAM - with the lovely and talented Maria! I love playing with their dies and should do that more often!

6x6" scrapbook progress

I've started getting together with 3 other friends every other Saturday to go to a LSS make-'n-take where we're completing a 6x6" scrapbook page and 2 cards, then heading for eats afterwards. Our 2nd outing was today and this is my fav project! It'll make for a sweet mini scrapbook real soon!

no deets - all supplies provided

the friendliest flowers

"Daisies are the friendliest flowers!" Remember that line from You've Got Mail!? don't you agree? I LOVE them, so that's the first of last night's cards from our meeting with the lovely and talented Angie that I'm sharing w ya'll!

I messed up on the sentiment but liked the way it turned out so didn't re-do! And what do I spy? Is that some of the latest In Color, Melon Mambo? Yep - yesterday's class was all about playing with the latest In Colors!

no deets today - I've gotta get ready for work and they were all supplied in the class

edited to add: the inside's a digi from a cartoonist's couple that I like - Cathy Thorne of everyday people cartoons - and the card's now winging its way to my sis & her DH for their anniversary! The sentiment's from SU's Hugs & Wishes, one of my new gently-used sets.

hmmnn ... a paper share, you say?!

Do you suffer from Extreme Paper Fixation? Well, the lovely and talented geekgirl of geekgirl's random ramblings is offering a paper share - I'd discovered her site and digi365 photos only recently and if you don't visit regularly you really SHOULD! So, if you're interested in a good deal on a share, where you get 60 sheets of 6x6" of the newest DPs for $15 plus s&h, go visit! Her first group for the share sold out quickly and she's started a waiting list so another group will fill quickly!

cute as a bug

Here's another project from last month's SU club meeting led by the lovely and talented Mary - a cutie patootie lady bug card! We used a pencil eraser to make the dots, punches to make its body, and a border punch for the touch of green. Cute, eh?!

All SU supplies provided at class - want directions to create one of your own? Check out Dawn Griffith's post (and a thank-you shout out to Dawn - she's simply amazin'!)

happy b'day Kimmi!

My buddy Kim's b'day is Tuesday, and by the miracles of modern science - ok, well, that and timed entries - here's her card. She doesn't use Google's Reader (or other "reader" services) so my secret's safe for tonight!

She's a pink kinda gal so I went in search of pinks I had on hand and this is a DP I've not used ... so here you go, Kim! Happy Day! I happen to know that her DH bought her a Cricut for her b'day this past weekend, and asked whether she used her present yet when I saw her today. Nope - she's just perused the manual so far! Most of the gals I know who've picked up a die cut machine have gone w the Cricut. So many toys ... so little time, y'know?! Today's card is based on Clean & Simple Stamping's FTL49 sketch.


stamps: Stampendous' Everything Happy, SU's Heard from the Heart, Pocket Silhouette; paper: SU's DP from a paper share, SU's Old Olive, Ruby Red, and Whisper White card stock; ink: SU's Old Olive, Ruby Red and Cameo Coral; accessories: SU's Ruby Red grosgrain ribbon

WOWzer blog candy alert

Karen, of Charmed Cards & Crafts, has teamed up with Graphics Direct Ltd to offer a WOWzer blog candy opp! How would you like to WIN a 72-ct set of Copic Ciao markers? Picqued your interest, have I? Run ... don't walk ... to check out this post by August 4th! How am I possibly going to keep my fingers crossed that long?!

happy anniversary Robin & Chad

My cousin's wedding anniversary is tomorrow and this weekend I made this card for them utilizing two retired stamp sets I just bought gently used. (I LOVE this time of year, don't you? ... whenever a new catty's released I quickly scramble to see who's unloading retired stamps that I like but never got around to purchasing!) I've not seen my cousin Robin in ages ... MAYBE not since she got married, come to think of it - BAD cousins! My folkes took an extended vacation and I think drove to their wedding, but my sis' & I flew together - a quick in and out by ourselves - sans husbands & kids - and stayed at the same hotel as my folkes. How time flies, y'know?!

No sketch used for this one (I know, shocker, eh?!) - just a simple & elegant card to mark the occasion. I toyed with the idea of adding some small pearls, but to quote my DH, "less is less!" Here's the inside sentiment:

stamps: SU's Beautiful Borders, Congrats, Warm Words; paper: A1's Natural White, SU's Kiwi Kiss card stocks; ink: SU's Kiwi Kiss, StazOn's Jet Black; accessories: SU's kiwi / ivory 2-sided satin ribbon; tools: ek success' scallop diamond edger punch

a different kind of drug problem

Spotted this jewel on Linda's July 1st blog post - of Just a Scrappin' fame - and HAD to share it, LOL! Click on the image to see larger version!

happy Independence Day!

We just returned from watching our neighborhood's fireworks and I wanted to wish everyone a happy Independence Day before hitting the hay! This'll be a short post as my youngest wants to use the PC ... catch ya tomorrow! Today's card is based on last Monday's Little Paper Shop LPSC22 sketch challenge (I'm SO behind, LOL!).

stamps: studio g's series 30; paper: Rusty Pickle's American Dots file folder 4DP, A1's Natural White, Prism unknown tomato-red and SU's Night of Navy card stocks; ink: CTMH's Outdoor Denim, Sakura's gold and sparkle gel pens; tools: I got to play with my latest border punch, an ek success scallop diamond edger punch

FYI re Ann's Blogoversary Blowout

Just a quick note this evening to share that ya'll should run ... don't walk ... to Ann's blog at Creative Antics to scope out her Blogoversary Blowout! Her blog candy pkg is worth over $100 and you have 'til midnight CDT on Tuesday, July 7th to enter, folkes!

If I don't win, hopefully one of my readers does, eh?!

2009-10 catty wish list

I've been perusing the latest SU catty and have started a wish list of some older, some new stamps ... and not all stamps! pray tell me, what can't YOU live without?! here's my short list:

• p25 - Eat, Drink & Be Scary
• p27 - Falling Leaves, Bright Blessings
• p59 - Loads of Fun (I've wanted that camper forever!)
• p82 - Lots of Bots
• p98 - Fifth Avenue Floral
• p128 - Four Square
• p147 - Full of Life
• p155 - ALL the latest In Colors
  ink, markers (yay!), card stock, ribbon - love 'em all!
  
• p181 - Designer Buttons

celebrate freedom

My last Independence Day card, this one's based on Splitcoast Stampers' SC235 sketch challenge!

I take 1/2 day vacations on Wednesdays, and golf on a work place league about 4 p.m., so I had time to whip out this quick card - and now they're heading into the mail on my way to the course! In Rox's post she said we could use circles, squares, whatever ...

stamps: studio g's series 30; paper: Rusty Pickle's Cupid's Undies DP, A1's Natural White, CTMH's Outdoor Denim, and SU's Real Red card stocks; ink: CTMH's Outdoor Denim