DId you enjoy the weekend?

I did. We got done with the Prairie Sale around 1 and were able to come home then. Scroll down to see those pictures. We all napped...it was nice. I had really wanted to sleep in more yesterday. No luck.

Then last night a group of my friends and I went out to dinner and then to our juinior miss program. It was a very fun night...to gab and gab and then go to something together like that. While we were having refreshments, we noticed all the Reh Hat Ladies there. I had seen awhile back there was a new group that calls themselves the Blue Thong Ladies, so we were joking that would be more our style. LOL...

Then today we were able to sleep in...not too long, because McKinley likes to wake up with the birds!! So I finally got up at 8...not very lazy.

We putted around here and then went over to see my niece who was in town. Hi Kristin!! And then Greg has headed to Glasgow to visit some friends. It's trying to rain and overcast out. I might head down stairs to play later, but first I think I am going to watch a movie and veg. It's been a long time since I have done that!

Here are some more pictures from the weekend.

The kids in the Gator...they love that. We can strap McKinley in and she loves to ride along!!

McKinley hanging out while we did the sale. She loved to pick the grass up!

Prairie Sale

OK, here are the pictures I promised from the Prairie Sale. This is stuff from our house and my parents. We've both moved and had to part with things. Some of the things my mom still had tho were wild!! She kept the Sea Monkey houses that my brother and I had way back! It was crazy.

The Sale started Friday night at 5 however we had sales before that...they swarmed out there! LOL. It was supposed to go Satruday and we only had a handful of customers so we loaded it all up and headed to the dump with some things and the Food Bank with others. We profited over $115.00 - so I had some mad money...that I split with Greg. LOL.. This is my dad, me, RC, Greg and David.
Here are the customers flocking in! LOL...

All I can say is I am glad it's over. My mom did most of the work, but it's such a pain to set up and then still have to haul it away. So from now on, I'm just hauling it away.

{More new SU! Stuff!!! EGAD!!}

Oh this blogging is going to be the death of me....or the pocketbook. So much enabling!

Kerry at EHmazing Stampers just returned from some SU! conventions where they told her about new stuff in the summers catalog...and she's posted an awesome new set on her blog. I love it and the chipboard to boot.

Is it July yet?

{A Card for the Weekend} &blog candy winners

Since I am going to be busy now until Sunday, I'm posting a card to tide you over for the weekend.

This is using some of Khristi's CTMH stamps...I guess I should have paid attention to the names. Oh well. 2step-stamped the flowers on WW, mounted them on Rose Red. Tag punched the corners. Then stamped the sentiment and mounted on More Mustard, I believe...I was using up scraps! Then mounted it all on Old Olive. Yum! Then added the brads for looks!

Super Simple!! That's what I like! BLOG CANDY WINNERS - Ladies I didn't forget you yesterday I was just wondering what to do. Since Dawn and Allison were the only ones to post, I am going to send you both some goodies! Start stalking next week girls!!

Have a good weekend everyone...check back Sunday for pictures!!

I made it up alive

I must repeat that we have too much crap! My mom hauled our stuff away this afternoon...reminding me that we already took one horse trailer load out there. And then commented once she got home that we haven't even got to what is in the barn and we already have a lot. I can't wait to share the pictures with you.


So while I was relaxing and waiting for her to come I was browsing blogs. One I read was Julie's Paper Pleasing Ideas.

Today she posted the cooliest idea...using the Tag Punch, turning it upside down and making it a cup!! Oh man...she is so creative!! So I had to try it. I ran down and made these two cards. Instead of the oval punch, which I don't have, I used the heart punch from CM and made the handle...it's perfect!!

Also, our local coffee shop is moving this weekend. The owners used to be my Youth Group leaders in HS, so I am going to send this first card to Sue to wish the well in their new place!



Each card measures 4.25 x 4.25"
Everything is SU! unless noted.
Stamps: heart and swirl from I Like it a Latte
Brown Cardstock from Bazzill
Then I decided this was going to be my card for Stamp Club. So that means I scrounge for what papers I have enough of! All I can say is that I am so excited to have a new trick!! Thanks Julie!!!

BTW, Julie was the Featured Stamper this Sunday and I hadn't been able to CASE one of her cards until now!! LOL...

I wouldn't mind a Cosmo(bella)

I have unearthed myself from the basement today. No, not the stamping room, the storage room. I mentioned we were doing our garage sale this weekend...or Prairie Sale. Yeah, you'll see later on.

So I have been decluttering the storage room. Why we have so much crap is beyond me. LOL...but I have hauled it out into the playroom and eventually get it loaded upstairs. Get we get an Amen for the elevator?!?!?

So I needed a break and thought about Cosmos....Cosmobellas that is. {I really don't think I would like a real Cosmo}
More IRAKS from Linzi. I love this Bella...I should prolly order it really.
This one is all SU!, except the PP which is from The Angel Company. I think it would be cuter if I had some ribbon. {I am just dying waiting for my ribbon to get here!!} All SU! on this card too, except the chipboard. I got that in a Blog Candy I won a while back. I thought it went well with this card. The background stamp is from Elceltic Backgrounds. The ribbon is Sweet Shoppe. I stuck this card in the mail to Megan...altough she'll prolly be home this weekend before she gets it. Ugh.
OK, back to the dungeon to get it hauled upstairs. Then, maybe, if I am lucky I will create something. **wink**

Yippeee Skippy

I love when the new Stampin' Up! catalog comes out. Always in July and we usually have a picnic with our Stampers Ten Club. Then I need the next few days to just mull it over. It's like when I was a kid and we go the JCPenney catalog right around Christmas....I would sit for hours and drool. Now it's Stamping Catalogs.

And this last year they released what they call the In Color colors for cardstocks and ink. I loved them!! And I plan to stock pile on them before they discontinue. But I just saw that Michelle Laycock has the new In Color colors posted on her blog. Oh Happy Day...it's almost time for a new catalog and new stuff.


***Happy Day Dancing*****

{CosmoBellas}

I got a some CosmoBellas in an IRAK from Linzi - llclsu on SCS. I love them!! They were so fun to play around with this weekend. Have I told you lately that I love coloring?!?!? LOL I've been seeing this tabbed look with the Word Window punch but then I realized I do not have a fun saying for her. But I like the look regardless. All SU! supplies.
This one was just simple. I thought since she was so trendy, I'd just make the card look trendy. All plain paper with a little doodling on the sides. All SU! too.

I haven't gotten down to create anything lately. I've been Spring Cleaning and prepping for a monster garage sale!! I'll post more on that on Friday.

Since I missed Family Friday

I thought that I would post some of what we did on Sunday. Greg was going through his golf clubs and stuff....*his stash is almost as bad as my craftin stash*....and the boys found their clubs. Or ones they could use. So they went over to the pool lawn and hit balls across the street. David was really the only one to make them across the street.
And McKinley and I just enjoyed the sun. It was a beautiful day out too. She loves this lil car. So whenever we go out she gets in there. Otherwise she'll be eating grass. She kind of looks sassy huh?
Then this is what happened later. I got her bottle and set her down while I got my stuff ready to sit down and she was crashed. What a sweetie!

{Coffee Anyone?}

Mondays are well, Mondays. And we all need some coffee huh? I know I do...or at least some sort of caffeine. Greg took me out for drinks today, but I always get a Blended Drink...Cookies and Cream. YUM!!

Anyway, I was playing around with this set last night and these are the three cards I created. I don't think they are great, but I will send them off or have them on hand to share. I emboseed the mug with my smelly EB powder. Then went from their on designs. On the one with steam I used Crystal Effects. It didn't get the *effect* I wanted tho...lol!
Then on the purplish one, I stamped on the ribbon. I do like that. I also used Versamark on the 2 background papers.
The front one is my favorite tho. I like those colors together. It's chillier today -and being Monday I should be cleaning up after the weekend. But I think I'll head downstairs and get crafty.

{New Baby} 2 more cards

I got this idea from Barb last night - Mrs. Swingen, as she's more better known! LOL... Anyway, she had the little birds from this set and stamped them in a line like they were on a wire. So I thought I would try that with the baby carriages today!

We have some friends that are expecting and I got the shower invite, so I wanted to make a Baby Card. I just stamped the image three times in a line and colored with my watercolor pencils. Then I found these Primas in a drawer that matched perfectly!

I don't really know if I like the *1+1=3* saying, but it's cute on this card.















Other than the Primas, it's all SU!

Here is another Baby Card. I thought I would have one on hand, just in case. You know how quickly these things happen! LOL...

I used the Close to my Heart set from Khristi last night and Cool Carribean and Black and White. I love those together. Then just colored some more! Isn't that the fun part!

{A friend}

Here is the first of the cards I did last night. I got this Friend stamp from a Blog candy from Simone at Daily Dose of Spazz, among some other goodies. But I couldn't wait to ink it up!!


I was trying to use up my scrap pile last night and these papers were in there. I really like them.

Gonna add that to my stash of note cards.


I really wanted to get some Mothers Day and Fathers Day cards done. That was what I requested of you in my Blog Candy too. I'll post the ones I've made on Wednesday when I draw a name. So show me your Mothers and Fathers Day ideas!!

I am in the mood to stamp today and plan to before it gets too warm out.

{Come back tomorrow}

I'll have creations posted!! Yippeee!!


We just finished up our stamp night. I didn't need to be so worried....there was only 5 of us and we sat aorund the poker table and had a {wonderful} time.

I think I got about 7 or 8 cards done and so much inspirtions from my friends!! Khristi brought all....I'm talkin' all....her CTMH stamps! Oh WOW!! I had a blast. Sets I never would've thought twice about.. So you'll see some of those.

Greg was on kid duty....then he remembered he was going to supper with his brother...ok, I remembered too. So he left and left the kids with me. They were OK....just wanted attention from the new people here! The ladies thought it was great that I got some many cards done and I was taking care of McKinley, running up to get the boys something...etc. That is my life...and I get cards done. I have to. LOL..


So come back tomorrow and I'll have some pictures... Oh yes, I asked mom to bring her camera so that I could take pictures of us stamping. Guess where the camera is? Still on the counter! Ugh. Oh well, they'll just have to come back! LOL....

G'Night

{My Blog Candy}

OK, I have thought about what I want the challenge to be...

I want some inspiration on Mother's Day or Father's Day cards. That is what I hope to work on this weekend.

So if you create a card for each post a link to it in the comments section. As for the prize...well, let me mull that over this weekend. I think I am going to find some things that may not be stamp related but are things that represent my hometown area. I'll gather them up and post them Monday.

But you post your cards here until Wednesday and I'll randomly pick someone Wednesday afternoon.

How does that sound?

{Blog Candy}

Nope, I am not giving any away. But Ashley is. And it's great. You have to leave a joke to be entered. So at least go over and read the jokes people are posting.

And I won some!! Yeah Me!! I won a cute lil wooden purse from Barb at No Ink Time! Thanks Barb...I am going to do what I posted on there!! Can't wait!

As for Blog Candy of my own, I am trying to think of something creative. It's so hard for me to find things that I can give away b/c I don't have much of a source that's local. And I can't just go browse and find deals. So I'll be thinking on that. What do you want? Maybe that's the question I should ask.

I also know I haven't been a goo blogger this week. I've subbed 3 of the 5 days and they were long. Some peoples children. 'Nuf said. And Wednesday's helping with the Awana store was an all day thing...I was so tired! I know I couldn't handle a real job! I am weak!! LOL...

I am hosting a stamping party tomorrow, so hopefully I'll get some great things done. And I might post some pictures of us playing.

So go find some other blog candy and let me know what you want as a prize. Then I think I'll post a challenge to win it!

Just popping in...

I have no new creations today. I cleaned up my stamp room to prepare for my big stamp party this Saturday night. I actually am worried about where everyone is going to sit!! Ahh! Oh well, it'll be fun this way!


I am also busy working at school this week. Three days of subbing. It's making for long days but the paycheck will be nice at the end of the month! Esp. since I am fleeing the country!! :o)


Also, I wanted to post I only have 3 spots left on the ribbon share on SCS. If you can't get onto the thread, just email me. I can get you a spot if you just let me know.

The ribbon was ordered and I have some great friends lined up to help me cut it and get it mailed out!! How cool huh?

OK, I am off to bed. Wednesday's are always long for us, but tomorrow is the Awana store that I am helping with. I am tired already..it's gonna be an all day thing. *Zzzzzzzz

{Finding Time}

Well, Hello and I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Our trip to see Larry the Cable Guy was great. He was hilarious...just like I thought he would be. We laughed for 2 hours...that was great!!

The rest of our weekend was uneventful. It was beautiful so we played outside. Took the dog for a walk and just enjoyed the sunshine.

So no stamping. But I had made this Birthday Bella a while back. I wanted to get a stash of bday cards up. Now I need to work on getting some Mothers Day and Fathers Day cards ready as well. And Sympathy...my mom called for some of those too.

One thing that I often get asked about it finding time to be creative and play around on here. As far as computer time goes...it's sparatic. I try to pop on in the morning right after everyone goes to school and check emails and read some message boards and blogs. Then it's various times during the day. When everyone else is content doing something else, or when I run in to change laundry. Whatever. I just make time to sit a minute and relax.

Same goes for stamping or creating. I have had alot going on this last year. Life is crazy. And I could probably use a good therapist. But I have a creative outlet instead. And really that's my therapy. Frankly, this may be cheaper in the long run and I have more to show.

But, I get to go into my own room, where it's either quiet or I have my iPod on. I can make things, play, organize, just sit. It's very calming. And I don't have to think about anything else....no laundry, dirty dishes, bills, life, etc. I can just play around. It's nice to have that time. And it's something that I need as well as enjoy, so I make time. I make sure that there is an hour a day I can go down there. It's just something I do.

It's also fun to schedule time to be crafty with friends. That's theraputic as well. I've heard of Stitch and Bitch...so why can't you do that when you are stamping! I've got to find a name for it...anyone? It's just always a good time with friends.

I don't think that most poeple are negatively asking me that. Sometime I feel like they are thinking I am not doing my mother/wife job if I have time to play around online or in my room. So I just tell them that I make the time to do it. And I don't feel I have to justify it, I just wanted to share. This is my passion, it's what I love. I don't smoke, or drink, or gamble. I stay home almost all the time. Greg will say different...but I am only gone 2 or 3 nights a month whether with stamping or Pampered Chef or church stuff.

I've learned a lot in the last year and my outlook has changed a lot too. You can't worry about life...it's gonna happen anyway. I want to be happy in life. And I need some down time....and this is what I do. I could do many other things, I'm sure. But this makes me happy, it's make others happy when they get a handmade card or when the boy look back on their albums. That's what I want to leave behind. Happiness. So I find time to create it.

Stippling and Ribbon

OK first off - the Ribbon Share -it's now on SCS...HERE. You can sign up there for the Ribbon and I broke it down into Color Families. It's a steal...15 cents a yard!! I am so excited.





Now to the Stippling that I mentioned the other day.

This is what we got from Bonny our demo here.



Stippling uses small dots to create an image or background with varying degrees of solidity or shading. The closer together the dots, the darker or more solid the color appears. Historically, printers have used stippling to shade line art illistrations because they can acheive rich shading and texture using only black ink. Lucky us -we have over 50 colors to choose from!



The best way to duplicate this look is with a Stippling Brush. Tap the brush on your Classic or Craft ink pad and then tap it straight up and down on your cardstock. Keep tapping until you have the desired shading. You may need to re-ink the end of the stipple brush as you go.
Create a soft, felted texture by stippling the matching ink and cardstock. An easy way to add warmth to a project.
After you use your On Board accents you can use the leftover as a template and stipple inside it, like a stencil.
For this image we stamped the image in versamark(or embossing ink) and then embossed it. Then stippled around the image. Then use a napkin to wipe off the image.

You can also stipple right onto your image and then stamp it on the cardstock. It looks really soft.

Some other tips -
Keep you image beautiful by cleaning your stipple brush with baby wipes between colors.
Using your inkpad works best for this technique. Ink refillers tend to over ink the brush, leaving gloubles of ink on your cardstock.

So enjoy and have fun!!

{Family Friday}

It's Friday the 13th - does that scare you? My parents were married on the 13th...and I am the 13th grandchild on my mom's side. Now does it? Not me...just another day.


And we are leaving town!! Woo Hoo! A while back I told you we were going to see Larry the Cable Guy...and we still are. It's funny, b/c we sometimes see things like this and we say we want to go, but for some reason(Maybe finacially) we never do. So I am excited to go. He makes me laugh so hard. I can't believe one time a friend and I listened to his CD driving home from Billings at night. I don't know how we saw anything through the laughing. So I am ready for that now!!

Hope you have a good weekend...I'll be back tomorrow.

Are ya Bella'd out?

Hope not!! I got a couple more to show you!! :) This Bella is for the Bella Swap on the Yahoo Group for Bellahollics. Yes, there's a group! :P
To make her special, I love deocrating her apron. So I stamped her on some cool Disney vellum that I had and then cut out her apron. Then I cut a slit under the cake and slide the apron on. So it kind of flaps there. And has a shimmery starburst. It's fun. Stamps: Cakeabella, sentiment SU!
Paper: Bazzill, purples; SU!, rose red; TAC, patterened paper; Disney, vellum
Embellishments: brads, Bazzill; watercolor pencils and blender pens, SU!

{Bella Birthday}

Happy Birthday to ....hm, don't have anyone now, but I might soon. I just love this Bella.

Stamp: Cakeabella from StampingBella, colored with my watercolor pencils and blender pen. Paper is SU!, Mellow Moss, Marigold Morning and Cool Carribean and the DP is from the Spring Mini.

Last night was Stamp Club and we did stippling. I'll post more on that tomorrow. I wanted to get Miss Bella up. Emily has also introduced the Fella and his Bella on the site! How exciting. Like she said he is a tad promish looking, so I am gonna wait for his brothers to show up. Then Mr Fella will join my Bellas!

Gonna work on some more cards this week...realized I hardly have any Birthday or Sympthay ones. Also need to get some swaps postal this week. Friday we leave for GF to see Larry the Cable Guy! I am so looking forward to the laughin'. (Oh and a couple drinks...we will be kidless for the night!!...Margarita - I am coming!!!!)

Now back to our Regular Schedule!

And Thank Goodness for that. David goes back to school tomorrow. And it can feel normal again! It was hard to keep that busy for 5 days when it was cold and icky out.

We did get the garage back in shape but I still have a few things to get back in off the patio and some to haul out. I just wish it would warm up.
Anyway, I hope you have a great Easter. We were able to spend the day at my mom and dads with family and that was nice. Nice to visit and just relax. Today was clean house day..oh it was driving me buggy!! It was also the boys' last dental visit for awhile. Woo Hoo!!

And I was able to create. Not this card, but some others. This card was just a trial of sorts. I wanted to see what it would be like if I punched the hole and then showed what was underneath. I like it. It lacks ribbon, but I like it. It's all Stampin' Up! If you came back to check on the ribbon, I am working on getting it on SCS...so i'll post that later. It's a great deal on the ribbon so I hope to load up on it. Until then, I am gonna be working on my Ribbon Holder. Ah Ha!!

Nite ya'll

{Family Friday and a Card}

It's Friday, although it really seems like it's the Weekend. Just having David home from school it really throwing me off.
We decided to clean out the garage....finally. Greg's been wanting to get a bench put together in there but it's been overloaded with our Shhhhtuff since we moved. So we thought we should get to it since it's getting nice. And yesterday was lovely so we decided to be like on TLC's Clean Sweep. And we hauled most of the stuff out to the patio (which was clean...*wink*) and then it snowed last night. Why didn't I think that might not happen.
Most of the stuff that I set out there was garbage and the rest wasn't going to matter. NOw it's more cleaning and getting stuff ready for the bench then putting it all back.

So no stamping this weekend...

But I made this last weekend and wanted to share with you. It's again, simple...that's my motto. Stamps are from Polka Dots and Paisleys and Papers are Bashful Blue & Certainly Celery with some More Mustard sponging and ink.

Here is also my Easter Wishes for you too. We aren't doing anything major, just going to my parents after church. Tomorrow is the Easter Egg hunt too!

WINNER!!!!

That's right I had to draw a winner today...and I did but then didn't make it back here.

Anyway, the winner is........HEATHER LEECH
who posted:
I would have to vote for the triangle tri-fold card. I've seen the beautiful samples and have been thinking that I need to try it out. Although any of your suggestions would be great!Heather L.

So Heather - email me your address and I'll get the images out to you. (It may be Monday before I do tho with Easter and all...)

And the concesus seemed to be that I should do the TriFold Card and some said with the faux Shaving Cream. So I am going to do two cards...one of each. This card is my TriFold card. It was something I whipped up but isn't the best. I am running out of ribbon so I need to find some that matches this paper.
Anyway, I am going to work on these this weekend.



WE just finished dyeing easter eggs....a couple dozen of them. And the boys have even eaten some of the hard boiled eggs...I didn't think they would like them. RC does. David soso.

Now I am off to whip up lunch, throw supper in the crock pot and then maybe rest. LOL...

{Faux Shaving Cream 2}

Here is my card with the Faux Shaving Cream. Here is the link to the tutorial. I tried to smudge the paisley with More Musturd ink but you can't tell. I'll have to experiment with other colors. I am sending this card to my neices family for Easter.

And don't forget I'll draw the winner tomorrow morning....did I say 8 am on a day I can sleep in? Ugh!! Oh well. See you in the morning.

{Faux Shaving Cream}

Here is a tutorial on how to do the Faux Shaving Cream

She used the exact same stamps that I did yesterday...so I thought I would just post a link to her's!! Her pictures are probably better!

I have also heard that you can ink up the stamp you are using to *smugde* with another color to blend. So I am going to try that today!

Enjoy!

{Why am I still awake??}

Ugh - it's after 11 and I am still awake. I went to bed and my mind was racing so I thought I would post another card real fast. This is my Happy Card! Using the New Polka Dots and Paisleys set...and a great color combo or Blue and Brown!! YUM!! All from Stampin' Up! except the brads are Chatterbox and the ribbon is American Crafts. Super Simple and I love this layout!!

Remember to go down and vote on my Blog Candy down below! I'll be drawing around 8 Thrusday morning.

I played around with the Faux Shaving Cream technique and I LOVE it!! Only problem is I only have one real bold stamp! LOL...wouldn't you know. But it's Bold Blossom so I think it's gonna be coolio! The first lady who posted on that entry - Barb - is in the group and she votes I do them all!! I know she could handle it!! She's so awesome!! She is the kindergarten teacher...one of my favs at the school really!! And she's an awesome stamper too!!

Anyway, off to bed. I'll post my Faux Shaving Cream creations on Wednesday!

{Spring Showers}

Spring Showers bring May Flowers...does that hold true if they are Spring Snow Showers? Hmm... LOL It's snowing here...tried to all day yesterday and finally did overnight. RC was mad that it was winter again! But we definatly need it!

Today I have a Layout for you. Nothing fancy...my scrapbooking has been slacking lately as I am addicted to making cards and Bellas! LOL. But I got some new Crate paper from ScrapHappy KT and wanted to use it. So I got a cute lil pic of McKinley and this is the outcome.

This is her 7 months page. Does she have a 1 - 6 month page? NO. LOL...Man it's true what they say about the third child!! How awful am I? David has a complete book of his first year with every single picture scrapped!! And this is like McKinley's third or fourth layout!!I better kick it in gear! I hope you looked at the Bella Post below this one. I am giving something away!! So far the concensus is the TriFold Card...and the Shaving Cream...so can I work them in there together?

I've also been hit with the cold bug. I don't really feel bad but it's working on it. So gonna take it easy today and maybe play!! Have a great Tuesday!