Friends are Great!

I met Melissa a few months ago when she contacted Stampin' Up! to find a demonstrator in Cumming. She'd moved here from FL in February and was missing the fellowship of stamping and needing someone to enjoy it with. The website directed her to me, and we've become friends through this wonderful craft!

I had some free time today (love retail scheduling!), and so I asked Melissa if she'd like to come over and stamp. She came, and she brought an adorable set that I hadn't worked with or even remembered is in the Fall-Winter Collection: Dotted Autumn. What a cool set!

Melissa remembered that there's a cute placecard in the catalog that illustrates how to use the set (another wonderful feature of SU!'s catalog) and she wanted to make it. So we just copied it and added our own little flair by popping the leaves up on dimensionals. I'm conducting a workshop next Friday, and I asked Melissa if we could make enough so that I could have one to set at the places of each guest. Without hesitating, she agreed, and has loaned me the set for the week! What a friend, and now I have something truly autumnal for this workshop, due Melissa's kindness and generosity.

On a sad note, one of my friends had a death in the family recently, which I just found out about yesterday. Sympathy cards are challenging to me, but I wanted to make sure my friend and her husband knew that I cared about their loss. I started with Bordering Blue card stock because it was muted. I used SU!'s Color Wheel to tell me which colors would coordinate with it, and this was the result.

The sentiment is from a retired Simply Sent set that says: Some people strengthen others just by being the kind of people they are. The woman who died struggled with cancer for 6 years, yet I thought that this saying probably typified how she was--inspiring others by her courage.

One last thing: I started my Stampin' Up! business about a year ago, hoping to share my love of stamping with others, and encourage women to invest in nurturing themselves and their relationships. I have been blown away by the wonderful women God has brought into my life as a result. Women I know now that I wasn't in relationship with a year ago, both in this area and across the country via the internet. Thanks to all of you for all you've done to support me in this past year. I'm so grateful to have you in my life!

In Search of a Fall Stamp Set

Hey, ya'll! I know I said I was going to post yesterday, but I ended up getting a burst of energy to cook instead of stamp, so you had to wait one more day! Fall always puts me in the mood for soup, so I made split pea, cheesy potato, and a stew sort of dish called calico beans. Froze a bunch and had some of the potato for dinner last night. Yes--I can cook a real meal even though I'm working! Okay, on to the card for the day.

I have a workshop coming up next Friday, and I want to make 2 kinds of cards--one that celebrates the spirit of autumn, my favorite season, and one that gets my guests thinking about sleigh bells (they're beginning to ring--are you listenin'?). I already have the Christmas card, but I do not own a distinctively fall set. I'm not sure why I didn't choose to buy one, but now that many are posting adorable cards featuring pumpkins, I'm yearning for one. Look here, here, and here to see what I mean!

I want to make full use what I have, and avoid spending money I don't, so I set out tonight to make my Doodle This set work for fall. How do you think I did? I really like sunflowers, and the main flower image was just begging to be pressed into service. (Thanks to Sharon Harnist at PaperFections for the inspiration.)

I inked the image using my Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write marker and stamped it on Whisper White. Then I re-inked it, eyeballed one petal between two others and stamped again. Voila!! I applied More Mustard with an Aquapainter and cut it out. Then I popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals on Bashful Blue card stock to mimic the sky. Still, it needed something, so I added the Chocolate Chip mat. Lastly, I stamped the swirly stem-like image on Wild Wasabi, using the same ink.

Then came the dilemma: what to use as a base. I don't have any More Mustard card stock laying around, and it seemed wrong on Chocolate Chip or Bashful Blue--not autumnal enough. So I went with Whisper White. That looked too stark, so I streaked it with More Mustard by rubbing the pad surface lightly across the card stock numerous times. I'm not sure about this part of the card. What do you think? Should I streak it again with Chocolate Chip so I have a two-tone background? What else does this need? I'd love your feedback!

What I Wanted, I Think...

I'm not tired. Bob and Michael are both in bed, and I think I'm keyed up because this is the first night in over a week that I don't have something going on. I have been feeling the need to stamp just for the fun of it. So that's what I did, and you get a card to view for the first time in quite awhile. (Thanks for your understanding!)

The set I used for this card is called Wanted, and is part of the Boho West line from SU! this fall. I bought the coordinating designer paper, but it's so cool that I'm going to have to ponder just what kind of project would do it justice before cutting into it. For now, I'm content breaking in the stamp set. One of my customers was kind enough to mount it for me (thanks, Kelly and her roommate!), so here's what I came up with after an hour or more of coloring and putzing.

I have to say, this wasn't the easiest set for me to experiment with. I'm not sure why--perhaps it's because I'm a midwestern city girl who never really had a yearning for country life or a love for horses...but this and all that are growing on me. There's a small farm with horses on the property adjacent to my son's new school, and I like seeing that each day.
The color combination isn't one I would ever have come up with, but I really like it. (If someone could tell me how to develop an eye for color, I'd appreciate it!) It's Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Creamy Caramel, Very Vanilla, and, the one that really sets it off, Sage Shadow. I like how many pieces there are in this set, compared to Bronc Buster, the other western themed set I was contemplating. I have this thing about varying sizes of shapes, circles in particular. That's what attracted me to this set. I could see a variety of shapes placed together, just like I like.

The other reason this set appealed to me is that the mascot at my son's school is the mustang, and the horse image will certainly spark abundant teacher gift ideas. Nancy, do you think you could sell me some of your myriad altoid tins? I'm thinkin' those would make cute business card holders. Can we make a deal?

I've been asked if I'm a converted coffee drinker, now that I've been at Starbucks for 2 weeks. I've tried, but nope, I'm still not lovin' the stuff. I've tried several drinks, but I'm not smitten. One drink I do really like may surprise you. The green tea creme frappuccino has matcha powder, which essentially is finely ground green tea leaves (high in antioxidants), the creme frappuccino base, and--surprise--melon syrup. I'm not sure why the melon syrup, but it's the thing that sets the drink apart. You can also get it as an iced latte, which is the other way I like it. Some of you have shared your favorite drinks with me! I'm enjoying learning about your tastes.

I don't have to work tomorrow (at Starbucks--there's laundry and grocery shopping, of course), so check back tomorrow afternoon. I hope there will be another card using this set for you to enjoy. Okay, now I'm tired enough to go to bed...good night!

Reminiscing...Michael-style

After my workshop yesterday I had put away the green card table that had served as a project station when Michael asked where it was. I didn't understand what he wanted it for and told him that it was in my craft room, where I was using it to store some things that were left from the class. After I walked away, it dawned on me why he had been asking about it--he wanted to make a blanket fort like he had when he was younger. His writing assignment for language arts was prompting this, I'm sure, because he hasn't made a fort in years.

So, I cleared off the table and returned it to the living room, and this is what has been set up between the sofa and the wingback chairs. While we were out last night on a date, I think he spent the entire evening hunched over and hunkered down in there, playing a computer game on my husband's laptop. And you know what? I think he was completely content. The first thing he asked me this morning was if I had taken the fort down after he went to bed. I hadn't, but we're having a group of friends over for dinner tonight,and I told him we may have to move it. He didn't want me to, and I may just indulge him and let it remain.

We all feel the need to journey to the past from time to time and get in touch with our old selves and the good things we remember from days gone by. Why should he not allowed the same luxury, just because doing so creates a little different scenery? He's going to be leaving this house in 5 years, and the world is shoving him toward adulthood, trying to rush what nature affords a long period for. So if he wants to take a few steps back as he walks forward toward that marker, I'm fine with that.

May you have a restful day...that's what it was made for.

Cutie Pie DVD Tin

This will be a quick post, because I'm supposed to meet my husband for dinner in about 35 min. I wanted you to see what I designed for the DVD Notebook Tins that the gals made at today's workshop! I'm a pretty simple girl, but this was done with minimal froof on the outside so that it could go in and out of a bag without getting snagged by stuff. I intend to put the person's name on the outside when I decide who it's going to. The inside turned out cute, don'tcha think? The Cutie Pie designer paper--shoot, all the designer paper Stampin' Up! puts together--so makes me look good!

I'm going to offer kits of these for anyone who would like to purchase them. You may choose from several designer paper coordinating packages, which I will post later, and the cost will be $8 for me to make them for you. If you'd just like to purchase the DVD tins, I will sell those at $2.50 each. If I have to ship them to you, then they'll cost you the additional shipping and we'll work out what method you want me to use.

These are going to make wonderful, practical Christmas teacher gifts and gifts for friends, because who doesn't need something to take notes on? I can make masculine versions of these too, if you'd like. Supplies are limited, so start mulling this over and I'll post paper combos soon!

Telling on myself...

My son is writing the story of his life thus far, and it has been a very interesting process watching him recount his memories. There are things I was sure he'd recall that he didn't, and things that he chose to highlight that I wouldn't have expected. I'm loving his language arts teacher for this assignment.

All this has prompted me to reflect a bit, and I thought you might enjoy getting to know me a bit better. I was born Sept. 21, 1966, and grew up in Fort Wayne, IN. (Don't start to worry; this isn't going to be a blow-by-blow, but everyone starts from somewhere.) I am the oldest daughter of 2 firstborns, so you might assume that I'm a perfectionist. While there are some things that I want done "just so," I'm much less particular than either of my parents. My only sibling Joan is 2.5 years my junior, and she took on all the firstborn characteristics I didn't want. She graduated valedictorian of our high school, and maintained a 4.0 through college. She's an amazing technical pianist and organist, but I'm the better vocalist.

Music played a big role in my childhood. My parents sang in the church choir weekly for over 35 years, and I was also in choir through elementary, middle school, and high school. I survived 7 years of piano lessons, started playing flute in 5th grade, and in high school was in the swing choir, marching and concert band. I was a great student, but didn't have to study. As you can imagine, this drove my sister crazy.

I walked away from everything musical in college. Why? I was somewhat intimidated, but I was also ready for something else. The "something else" I discovered was writing, and a love for shaping words into sentences blossomed through my coursework in communications. I love expressing myself with just the right words, and reading a well-crafted article or story is like indulging in fine dark chocolate. I also like knowing and using unique words in my everyday vocabulary. I don't do it to be snobbish, and sometimes I don't even realize I'm using a word that others may not be familiar with. So please don't be offended. It's just who I am.

I have been married for 17 years to the most wonderful, caring, insightful, sensitive, handsome man. I met him at a pay phone, and after I clarified for him that I was not married we dated for 3 months before he proposed. Not many thought we'd make it, but he understands me like no one else, and lavishes me consistently with unconditional love. I'd follow him to the ends of the earth.

My husband will tell me when he sees this that this post was too long, so I'll quit with this last observation. I never had animals growing up, and never knew what I was missing until we got a dog shortly after we got married. I wouldn't live without a dog now, and we currently have 2 Australian shepherds.

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this. I'd love to know more about you too, so why don't you tell me something about yourself by leaving me a comment. Share something that is unique about you that you'd like others to know. If you're still reading, then you're someone I know enjoys relating. Thanks...

I hope this was worth the wait! Anything BUT A Card Project #4

This afternoon I finally had everything aligning--I was done with work by 2, had the supplies I needed, the planets cooperated--and I was able to make the sample of the 4th project in the Anything BUT A Card class.This is the first picture of 2 of the sides of a chipboard coaster box! It's really quite simple to put together. I used the new Cerise designer paper--so chic!--and chose 4 patterns, two with a Very Vanilla background and two with a Real Red background. Here's the other picture so that you can see the entire box (sort of):
This box has a bottom on it, so it's a great for holiday food items, like homemade cookies, because it's 4" square. Hot cocoa mix would also fit nicely, neatly tied in a clear cellophane bag and nestled in some cute packing straw. Individually wrapped candies would work as well, and I could even see this with a wine bottle in it. FUN options abound!
Now that I've finished this, I have to scoot and figure out what to make for dinner. My dear husband just walked in the door and I got nada!!