Happy New Year, all!

Just a quick note to wish you all a t'riffic and safe happy new year! We're celebrating at home this year, and enjoyed a wonderful spaghetti dinner (my DH's specialty) w garlic toast, followed by some amaretto cherry cordial (w choco bits) ice cream. We've got the sparkling grape juice chilling, to pull out a bit later and enjoy with shrimp & cocktail sauce and cheese &crackers. Right now PB's commandeered the remote to switch channels between the Michigan State game (and they're not doing very well right now) and a spy thriller movie I'd not seen, so I thought I'd visit quickly and upload my new year's greetings! Here's to a t'riffic 2016!

S&CT - Winter Edition arrives!

Those who subscribe to the print edition have a couple weeks' head start on those of us who read the digital version, so I'm happy to report the winter edition was released online Friday! This mag never disappoints, and as usual I'm lovin' the essentials, three T's - tips, tricks & techniques, and three I's articles - especially the ideas, insights & inspiration's year-in-review projects! Check it out and enjoy!

Happy Veterans Day!

S&CT - Fall Edition

One of my fav scrapbooking mags and a source of t'riffic inspiration, S&CT fall edition is out. And my fav parts this month, you ask? They're The Essentials - what new products have hit the market, and the 3t's - Tips, Tricks, & Techniques - featuring mini photo albums, and the 3i's - Ideas, Insights, & Inspiration - featuring pages about pets. Check it out!

Yep, it was SO GOOD! Saw Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation today!

Yep, it was SO GOOD! The last few movies I'd seen were good, but pretty darn predictable ... and I've gotta admit I walked out of Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation wondering just how they continue to come up with these scripts! So many twists and turns! Great actors, all - with Alec Baldwin, Tom Cruise, Rebecca Gerguson, Sean harris, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames as leads. Just go see it! And please, may Tom Cruise never tire of making these!

happy new home, Z's!

It's a rainy dreary Tuesday here in Michigan, BUT ... we were treated to an unexpected day off from work as Consumers Power is working on an electrical issue and will need power out for 8-10 hours! As we have a new class arriving on campus Thursday, there just wasn't a better opportunity than just shutting down and giving us a day off upon discovery of the issue! Whoo hoo! I'm all for that!

I thought I'd share the card I made for my sister and her family, who just purchased a new home. They're downsizing, moving from two stories into a ranch located not too far south of their current home. I'm anxious to see it in person, and it's just 4 homes away from a small pond that I'm sure they'll enjoy! She'll be a few towns closer to Ann Arbor, which she'll like, too. Karen and I both love purples and I love the purple/green combos, and tho' the new house is white w gray stonework, I've taken liberties on coloring the house on my card!

stamps: SU's Holiday Home; paper: Neenah solar white, SU's Blackberry Bliss card stocks; ink: Memento's Tuxedo Black, Ranger's black soot distress inks, SU's Pear Pizzazz, Rich Razzleberry, and Sahara Sand markers; tools: Cuttlebug with SU's Homemade Holiday framelits dies

Paper Smooches Blog Hop

You have through Sunday June 28 at midnight PT to enter comments for a chance to win free product! Start the Blog Hop at Paper Smooches blog!

SCT Summer Issue is Delish!

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N time and the living is easy! OK, I've gotta admit it's just a one-day vacation, but today it's all about relaxing. I slept in, we picked up breakfast from th local McD's and ate at home, then I checked email, did my banking updates (normally a Saturday chore but I just didn't find the time this weekend), read the summer issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today, took my boys to see Jurassic World, and visited FroYo (yum!).

I always do a quick review and then head back to read more thoroughly so must head back again soon. I don't have a print subscription but you can read online or download your own copy of this mag. My fav section is probably the Top 10, where they share new items to market, but I love the new techniques, card and scrapbook sketch layouts, and trend reports as well. So, if you haven't already check out the latest issue! Enjoy!

happy Father's Day, PB!

This Sunday we celebrated Father's Day with a cookout per my DH's wishes, and bestowed upon him a few gifts. I'd located MAN CRATES online recently and ordered him the grill master set. They stuff crates with snacks, gadgets, and gear, then seal them up tight and ship them with a crowbar.  In the Grill Master crate, this included a cast-iron smoker box, four steak thermometers, a brass-knuckle meat tenderizer, and a set of BBQ sauces and spice blend rub. PB seemed impressed with the contents, and my youngest seemed impressed w the packaging. We'd also picked up the first two seasons of the recently ended HBO series, The Newsroom. LOVE that show!

Anywho, here's the card I gave PB, based on one by the lovely and talented Sandra of Made by Sandra blog roll fame and using the supplies provided in the Simon Says Stamp June 2015 card kit. The kits have been uber cool so far and I'm lovin' the bright summery colors in this month's kit!

Also here's the cards that my youngest son gave PB and earlier, me for Mother's Day. I HAD to capture them for posterity.

stamps: Penny Black's sprinkles and smiles (inside sentiment) and SSS's happy and smile stamp sets ; paper: Neenah solar white, SSS's Happy & Smile DP and card stock; ink: n/a; tools: Cuttlebug with SSS's Smile Circle die

2015-2017 SU In Colors sneak peek

The lovely and talented Patsy Waggoner of Stamps to Die For blog fame has a sneak peek on her blog of the latest In Colors, to be introduced next week to consultants and soon thereafter to the general public! I'm loving the taupe, and the dijon may be my close 2nd fav. How about you?

Here's a sneak peak at the upcoming new In-Colors 2015-2017: 

• Top: Mint Macaron
• Middle Left: Tip Toe Taupe
• Middle Right:  Watermelon Wonder
• Bottom Left: Cucumber Crush
• Bottom Right: Delight Dijon

happy Mother's Day!

We visited w  my Mom on Saturday the 9th and brought her some fresh-cut lilac cuttings from our back yard, supposedly to match the card I'd made for her. She used to have a large lilac bush in the back yard but it is no more. We have a large lilac bush that was started from a cutting from my Mom's, so it's only appropriate that I bring her some from it, right?!

Seems like my sibs had the same idea; Jack sent her some potted tulips, and Mark brought her an orchid. It remains to be seen whether Karen stopped or stops by later this week (she usually visits mid-week) with her own flower! Great minds think alike, don't you know?!

I've misplaced the tag showing the name of this stamp set; if anybody knows, please let me know! I used a spritzer to make resemble a watercolor effect!

NOT the same color as I'd originally envisioned ... but they're in her room on her bureau so she can see them during the day. Maybe my flowers are actually razzleberry? Thanx for stopping by.

Love you, Mom!

All Occasion Card Class @ Kettering

Usually I'll return from a class and do show-and-tell w my DH, telling him which are my favs ... but it's uber hard today. Here's a quick peek at the cards we made today at a class that my stamping buddy Kim R arranged with the lovely and talented Angie Jarman! Thanx, Brit, for posting them on Facebook 'cuz I lifted your photo as I hadn't taken pics before winging the first of many off to a friend!

I LOVE that Thinking of You tree card's stamp set ... and don't think I have enough of my trees and leaves collection! Right, Kim?!

SCT spring issue is yummy as usual!

Hi folkes! Just a quick note to share that SCT's spring issue is now available! Head on over to the SCT site to peruse the magazine, and check out their 9 days of celebration in honor of their 9th anniversary! There's a subscription-based print version available but I perused the online version last night, and they've lots of my fav papercrafting bloggers contributing to the mag too!

happy Valentine's Day!

Let me make myself absolutely clear about one thing: I LOVE tim holtz! I mean, he's a rock star, is he not?! My most recent papercraft purchase was a "catch up" of sorts, as I've been meaning to grab the stacked words:Valentines since he introduced it. I happened to spot it on sale and had to snatch it up. Yeah, love my DH too ... so today's card is a CAS one with two die cuts from my new stacked words die! It's pretty much a case of a card by Julia Aston of Create With Me blog fame but here's a weird thing, 'cuz this is the first thing I'd thought I'd want to make when the strip originally came out!! I know ... and Outer Limits moment! I'm all about black and white and a shot of color, most often a nice bold red! The only thing different between mine and Julia's card is that mine's backed with a shot of red. So ... great minds think alike, eh?!

stamps: n/a; paper: Neenah solar white, HPC's Dark Red, and Creative Memories' neutral pack black card stocks; ink: n/a; tools: Cuttlebug with tim holtz alterations' Stacked Words:Valentines die

what did YOU do at work today?

I handed out minion valentine's day greetings! I found these cute wrappers on Pinterest (designed by Juliann Law, they can be found at tonyastaab.com) and at first planned on making just one for a work buddy who's into minions BIG TIME (hi, kimT!), but then decided I'd make multiples and bring them in for my work group and lunch buddies. I ended up enlisting the aid of my youngest son and DH ... I trimmed the wrappers (they print out two to a sheet) and glued them onto twinkies, my son punched out hearts from red card stock, and DH punched a mini heart hole into those card stock hearts and affixed cotton bakers twine, then punched small hearts thru the twinkie wrappers. I added the sentiment and affixed the hearts to the twinkies. In all, it took us two hours to make 40! Whew! And I still have a few more to bring in! Here's a close up:

I work at a university and our library holds get-togethers periodically - they had treats and a craft table so my minion buddy kimT and coworker Katie and I stopped over. We had punch and candy and made goofy cards. I gave my two to my boys along with some specialty candy and popcorn from Garrett's in Chi-town. Life is good, eh?! So, what did YOU do at work today?

say it ain't so, Phil!

snipped from The Washington Post comes the following update on our current wintery conditions: "Punxsutawney Phil, the world’s most beloved and furry seasonal prognosticator, has seen his shadow on Monday morning (despite overcast skies), portending six more weeks of winter.

The groundhog’s predication came around 7:25 a.m. in Punxsutawney, Pa., with overcast skies and scattered snow and rain showers moving through the region from the latest winter storm — conditions that are likely to continue if the plucky marmot gets his way."

Say it ain't so, Phil! Sigh ... 'tho I AM going to enjoy my 3-day weekend as we're snuggled in at home due to the latest winter storm! February 2nd also happens to be 40 days after Christmas and exactly midway between the winter and spring equinox. So that means that winter is half over and spring is inching its way forward. YES! It’s amazing what you can learn from reading the Farmers Almanac (or, as in my case, from reading Lynn Mercurio's Stamperosity post today)! Thanx for stopping by!

and baby makes three ...

My coworker Skye and her DH Josh are expecting their first baby and our work group treated them to lunch on Friday and gave them some baby necessities. I like to pick up a cute baby changing bag and stock it with baby goods - shampoo, lotion, powders, teething items, rubber duckies, etc., and my partner in crime, Katie, picked up some cute hats and a baby rocker seat. We both used our rocker seats lots when our babies were small. We ate at Logan's Roadhouse, where I had the yummiest onion brewski sirloin dinner w a side of broccoli!

Today's card is based on (or a shameless knock-off, depending on your point of view) of this one by the lovely and talented Sandra of Made by Sandra blog fame. If you haven't scoped out her work, run, don't walk, to her blog NOW!

I already put all the stamping supplies back in their respective homes so hardly any deets today; all I see by my PC is the stamps: SU's Baby First, Oh My Word; tools: Cuttlebug w Paper Studio's Poteeka Birds embossing folder (a little birdie told me ... right?!); other than that it's all SU supplies! Catch ya later, and thanx for stopping by!