Hoppy Birthday!

I made this last night for the sketch challenge on splitcoast. I was able to use some more of my Cosmo Cricket ‘Hey Sugar’ papers! Le sigh!!!! I just love Cosmo Cricket!

This card should be getting some use soon. Between Sean’s family and friends and my family and friends we have about 17 birthdays in March to celebrate! Yowzas!!! It’s good to have some cards stockpiled for next month. And there are several male birthdays too, so I’ll have to lay off the pink, ribbon and sparklies!

This set by Melanie Muenchinger is just so cute. You can find it HERE on Gina K’s site. I’m pretty sure this set will get nice and inky before March even hits, the frog is calling my name!

So let me ask you a question……

Have you ever worked out so hard you wanted to throw up? Because that’s what happened this morning at the gym. My trainer I believe is out for blood!!! She looks all cute and innocent, but I’m starting to see her true self! It was odd because I didn’t do anything I haven’t done before, but I had just not done it in the order she had me do it and that kicked my butt! Just in case your wondering what my hour was like I’ll break it down;
Elliptical for 25, the scariest freakiest hardest stair machine for 15 (honest, I’ve never seen a stair machine like this before!) Pull ups and dips, then more pull ups and dips, crunches and then leg and arm lifts.

I haven’t done pull ups for a couple months, she had been torturing me with lots of free weights and medicine ball work. I do not like pull ups. I remember in junior high and elementary I would refuse to do them. And I don’t remember any of the girls being able to do them either.

We used to have the hardest gym tests, did you? They made us climb the rope to the ceiling (I have told my trainer to not even THINK about asking me to do that!) pull ups, sit ups, and then we had a wall with holes in it and you would climb up the wall by holding big sticks in your hands and putting them in the holes, no feet just arms. And of course running.

Somehow even though homework has multiplied by a billion for kids now I’m guessing that P.E. just isn’t as tough. I know some schools don’t even have P.E. And they don’t play dodge ball anymore. How are you supposed to learn to dodge?

Anyway, enough of me rambling about my physical pain and tales of yore. I have 2 projects I’m hoping to finish tonight, and they are very different for me. But for now I’m sitting on my behind because I don’t want to move!

Thinking of you

I decided to make a card for my stash that I could use for a baby dedication. I never have back ups of these types of cards yet I need the frequently since so many people we know are having babies! The colors could easily be changed to fit a boy, and leaving out the rhinestone brads.

I just REALLY, REALLY like this set “He is risen!” from Gina K! It’s such a lovely set that can be used in so many different ways. I love having stamps that can be used for more than one occasion, who doesn’t? And the font is just perfect on this too, not too formal and not too casual.

This is a super duper quick post tonight, I’m sleepy so I am going to give in and go to bed! I have a few things to show you over the next day or 2 that I made for the MFT release but didn’t get to them. So I’ll finally get to show them now!

I hope you all had a great weekend, especially if you had a 3 day weekend!

A little something and some flowers!

It feels like I haven’t created anything in forever, when it was really just a week! I had a horrible migraine last weekend that slowed me down and then it hit me again on Friday! I have been taking some new medication and after talking to my doctor he thought it was due to the dosage, so we have lowered it and so far I haven’t had a headache for 2 days! That is REALLY big, because I have had to take aleve or advil everyday for almost 3 weeks. I’m hoping it lasts!

Anyway, since I wasn’t curled in a ball in pain I made my way down to the craft room today. I wanted to make something for Sean, just a little surprise. We have a lot of leftover Valentine candy in the house so I thought I would give him some in a cute tin!

I decided to cover only the top of the tin with some SU designer paper, I thought the stripes were a masculine choice. And then the very simple tag with “A little something” from Gina K’s ‘Tag you’re it!’ set. I used mono glue on the back of the tag and let it dry before I put it on, that way it will come off easily and not ruin the paper. I thought once he eats all the candy then he can use the tin at work for different punch cards at restaurants for lunch. His wallet is starting to look like George’s from Seinfeld. (I hope you know what I’m talking about! George’s wallet was about 6 inches thick and when he sat down he was on a slant! I love Seinfeld, soooo funny!) So I thought to get his wallet emptied of things he really only uses at work this little tin would be a great size.

I had mentioned that I got that mega kit from Cosmo Cricket on QVC the other day. And it just has the most beautiful papers in it! When I went though it the first night I saw a gorgeous piece that I knew I wanted to use with Gina’s new set “Baskets of happiness”.

I’m a sucker for flowers! I don’t think I could ever have enough flower stamps! And when I saw this set for the first time I knew it would be a favorite of mine. I really like the two papers together. The floral is the Cosmo cricket, but the other gingham is from Daisy D’s ‘be mine’ set. I got a 6×6 pad and wasn’t able to use it all before Valentines day. But there are quite a few prints in it that are great for any occasion.

I tried to make the eggs speckled, a little more rustic looking. But I have to admit I have never seen a speckled egg! I don’t live near any chicken farms and we don’t buy eggs at our house. So to me they look a little funny, but I hope they don’t look funny to you! At Gina’s release party last weekend, Kurtis had made green eggs when he used this stamp. I had NO idea that eggs were green outside of a Dr. Seuss book!

I hope you have all had a great weekend. I know many of you have tomorrow off as well, so a nice long break! My mom is bringing me her sewing machine tonight, yeah!!! But more importantly she is also showing me how to thread the needle and also leaving me written instructions. The whole needle issue is the #1 reason I don’t use sewing machines! I know the new “fancy” one’s do it for you, but this is not new or fancy so I have to know how to do it. But in order to make room for it, I have some reorganizing to do downstairs. So I better get moving!

Prayer box and a challenge!

I made this box to go with my challenge on SCS, it is to make anything but a card! You can alter, cover in paper, paint……anything that isnt a card. The challenge is open until Tuesday 2/12 in the morning so if you would like to join along then please visit HERE.

For the challenge I made a simple folded box, the top and bottom are both made from 12×12 pieces of DP. The top piece is from the “Outlaw” line from SU and the other is a retired set from last years Valentines day. I used these colors because they coordinate with my bedroom and I want to keep the box in there.

I also wanted to keep the design simple and let the focus be on the image and words. So I stamped the cross on white cardstock and then the verse on vellum. I really like the look of it; soft, simple and meaningful. To cover the glue dots that I used to adhere the vellum to the cardstock, I used some clear dew drops. I didnt want to use anything sparkly or heavy looking on this.

My plan is to use this to house my worries. I just want to write them on a piece of paper and throw it in the box. I know I am not supposed to worry and just give my troubles to God, but I really struggle with that. I’m also a really visual person so I think it might be easier to let it go if I can physically write it down and put it in the box.

I had thought about using this as a box to hold all of my blessings. Pretty much the same idea, write down my blessings each day and put them inside. But I need a REALLY big box for that!!

I hope you enjoy my simple box and can play along with my challenge! There are several other challenges in Gina’s forum, so take a peek at the all when you visit.

Sneak peek Sunday

Tonight is the release party for Gina K on her SCS forum! And if you’ve been following her blog then you’ve been able to see some sneak peeks of her new sets. And here is another one to tide you over until tonight!

When I saw this stamp it reminded me of African Violets. My mom and sister have both had African Violets for years and they are always in these green glazed ceramic pots. And whenever I see them at a nursery then I see them in ceramic pots as well. I have no idea if that is what they need but it influenced my pot not being the “normal” looking pot, so I thought I would explain!

I have no idea who I channeled when I made this card because a tilted center with no DP is not my usual style. But I was in a very simple mood when I made this and you’ll see more of that a bit later when I show you my next project.

I used my scor-pal to emboss around the image because now that I have one I am using it on almost everything! For the sentiment I extended to word window punch. This tip may help you when you want to extend your punch, or you probably already know it! But I stamp the sentiment on the CS first and then use the punch over it so I can make sure it will be long enough, but not too long.

And did you notice those pretty purple flowers on my card? There a FANTASTIC new Gina K embellishment and I colored them with my copics! They are so much fun!

Please join us tonight at the Gina K forum on SCS for her release party. There is sure to be lot’s of fun and a few challenges with prizes!

The previews have begun!

Today is not only Gina’s birthday but she has started to preview the new releases! You can find out about the first sneak peek HERE! And not only is there a new stamp set, but some new products too! Go check it out and wish her a “Hoppy Birthday!”

Happy Morning Everyone!

I guess it’s officially official now, LOL! Gina K has her design team page updated on the website and she has made an announcement on her blog, here!

And I’ll let you in on a silly secret………it took me 4 days to write my little bio! I could NOT for the life of me think of anything to say about myself in such a short space. I kept getting out about my family and then it was blank, and just sat that way for 3 days. Then somehow on the fourth day I was able to come up with something that said a little about me. It’s not the best bio in the world, but it will do! I don’t know if it’s hard for you to write within a limit but it sure is for me! I obviously have no problem just blabbering on and on, but tell me to keep it short and I freeze!

Go check out Gina’s blog and see all the fabulous people that make up her senior design team and the guest designers. It’s a really good looking bunch!

And tomorrow I will finally have some cute new stuff to show you!

Have you been to Gina K’s blog today???

Hmmmm? Well have you?

Heeeheehee!

How sweet it is….

To play with new toys! I got my new Gina K order yesterday and had to play with it and Beate’s weekend sketch! I was going to add some faux stitching with my piercer and pen, but decided to pull out ‘all in a row’ at the last minute. Grrrrrrrrrrrr! I am not as skilled at it as Beate is……surprise! I think I will take my Mom up on her offer to give me her sewing machine and sew on my cards for real.

Gina’s new set is super cute, and sweet. I would have purchased it just for this ice cream sundae.

And in other SWEET news, as many of you know……..

I AM THE GUEST DESIGNER FOR MY FAVORITE THINGS FOR FEBRUARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!

My animal house paid off and I held my own against 2 dirty dozen members…..wowzers. I am soooooooooooo excited to be with MFT, even if it’s just for a month! I looove their stamps and cant wait to have time to play with new one’s in secret!

I’m off to play some video games. Sean brought home Mario Galaxy for the Wii and then we have Rock Band for the 360. Too many fun toys!

Have a fun Sunday!

Happy New Year!

I want to wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I dont have any New Year’s type stamps, so I decided to make a card using the Gina K’s “Make a wish” set.  I stamped the dandelion in real red then again in versamark and added irridescent ice EP to it, then cut it out and popped it on 2 dimensionals.  I also straightened out the “stem” to make a stick and VOILA! It has become a New Years SPARKLER!

I stamped the star burst around it for extra SPARKS and took my quickie glue pen and traced along the lines and dots and then added some dazzling diamonds.

My new years resolution list is long this year, because I want to break it up into personal life and professional. And then subcategories, like parenting, relationships, my business etc. But I will tell you that the top of my list is to gain more PATIENCE…..in all areas.

Sean and I are staying in and after the girls are tucked in tight we will probably watch a movie, nothing exciting.

I hope if you go out then be safe!

So long 2007……………