I'm back and ready for school!

I know it has been a while since I posted but things have been busy since I got back from Vegas. Of course, I didn't take any pictures in Vegas, which is why I don't scrapbook! lol Kelly and I had a great time. We learned a lot at the conference and we are excited to share it with our faculty. We have finished the powerpoint for the presentation we have to give. I have also been spending a lot of time in my classroom getting everything ready to start back to school. I go back Monday and the kids come back Thursday. So that has kept me busy. I tried to post yesterday but when I signed in blogspot said they thought my blog was spam! Imagine that, lol. So I'm back and I have a few things to post.

Off to Las Vegas

Hello Ladies! I just wanted you to know that I'm off to Las Vegas. I will be back late Wednesday night so I won't post until at least Thursday. I have been tagged by Deb- check out her blog at http://inkydaze.blogspot.com/. I guess I'll go ahead and post the 7 things about me. I'll have to go back and find the blogs when I get back from my trip.

1. I teach 5th grade and I love it! This will be my 6th year to teach. Before I moved to 5th grade I taught 1st grade for 3 years.

2. I enjoy relaxing in the tub everynight and I read while I'm in there. Chris normally knocks on the door to make sure I haven't fallen alseep in there!

3. I love Dr. Pepper and I drink it all the time. I also love coffee!

4. My favorite candy is plain M&M's and Nerds.

5. I have a problem with digestion- they can't figure it out but it could be IBS or IBD. All the doctors tell me they have no idea but my body tells me something is wrong!

6. I collect frogs. They are all over my classroom and at home too! The bathroom is decorated with frogs. Some of the kids in my class counted the frogs in my room last year and they said I had over 60!

7. I don't mind washing clothes but I HATE getting them out of the dryer and putting them up!

I'm headed off to pack and get ready for my trip! Talk to you all when I get back!

Monkey Crazy!

When I got this monkey I fell in love with him! lol So when I saw the sketch challenge on SCS last week I had to use it. I made one little change, the scalloped circle. So I pulled out the DP that I thought would look good with him. I used my papertreyink.com words and the little flower. I drew the stem myself. I added some glitter on the flower with my glitter pen and then put the rhinestone in the center. I also punched holes around the scalloped edge and went around it with the white gel pen.

Tonight I couldn't come up with anything so I just made another monkey card. I pulled some more papertreyink.com stamps for the words and the flower. I think this little guy would cheer up anyone if they got him in the mail. He makes me smile! I have also ordered the one with the banana on his head. I want the one that has the two monkeys on it but he was sold out. Oh well, I'll just have to wait for later on that one. I'm waiting for that package to come in so I can use a different monkey!

I LOVE this monkey!

I picked up this little monkey stamp at the LSS today. I just had to use him on something so I stamped him a couple of times and pulled down my SU monkey set. I used Wild Wasabi, Choc Chip, and White. Then I stamped the heart and put it on a pop up dot to make it stand up. Isn't this too cute?!?!?!?!?

Trace Don't Read This!

I borrowed Carte Postal from my friend Trace. I can't believe how much I like this set. I believe my taste is changing because when this was first in the mini catalog I didn't like it at all! But now I have borrowed this one and I also bought Baroque Motifs!

I also used my Cuttlebug on the light pink. I have got to start using that more on my cards because I love the look of it! I also used the glitter embossing powder on the burgundy swirl thing, but I don't think you can see it very well in the picture. I was going to stamp some swirls on the bottom of the main card but I forgot and stamped the other on the vanilla and all I had was white craft ink. Oh well!

Here is the part I didn't want Trace to read yet! This is the card I made for her birthday. I used the Baroque Motif set and the words are from my Little Lady papertreyink set. I really like these new colors- I used River Rock on this one. This is the first time I've used the slot punch to make scallops on the bottom. It took a little while for me to figure out how to do this so it looked right but I finally got it done. My center flower is not quite centered but it's handmade! lol That is the excuse I always use when something isn't lined up just right.

I may have some time and creative juices back so I'll post again soon!

Sketch Challenge & Petal Rut

When I saw this sketch challenge I knew what I was going to do. I have had this Penny Black stamp, the sensations, for a while. But I have never made anything with it. So I pulled it out! I colored the image with reinkers and a blender pen. Then I used the ticket punch on the corners and added some heart brads. I also used my papertreyink words. This stamp reminds me of my friends and I just had to make this card. It is perfect! I'll be sending several of these out to my close friends.

I have been trying to come up with something to make with my Pick a Petal set from SU. I'm not sure I'm crazy about any of the cards I have come up with yet. The first one is the brown and pink one. I think maybe there are too many polka dots. It needs something to break up all the dots, but for the life of me I can't come up with anything to do with it. I also punched two word windows and wrapped around the outside edge. I colored in some of the dots with a blender pen dipped in a reinker.

The second card was inspired by some DP I have. It looks a little drab but it is all I could come up with. I used chipboard to cut out the petals for the flower. I didn't even stamp them! I used some of the new colors on this one. I'm not sure why I'm having such a hard time coming up with something to make with this set. It is so cute and there are so many cute cards on SCS. Maybe I should just CASE something so I can make something I'm proud of.

BTW- I'm still waiting for my catty to get here. This wait is killing me!!!

South Park Characters Chris and Michelle

OK, I saw Sarah's blog and I just had to see what my husband and I would look like if we were SouthPark characters. I'm not a big South Park fan but my husband watches it a lot. This just cracked me up! Want to see what you would look like? Check this out!

I know, I need to stop playing and stamp. I did make a few cards last night with Pick a Petal and nothing was turning out right. I just got frustrated so I quit. Maybe my mood will be better and I'll try again today!

New Colors and Stamps

My SU box came today. I was super excited because I got all the new colors and two new stamps sets. I unpacked the box and then I was very sad! I know, it is crazy to be so sad about this but I didn't order Purely Pomegranate paper. I ordered all the new paper, stamp pads, and reinkers and I didn't get that paper for some reason. It was my favorite new color too so I'm bummed. I'll have to wait until the middle of July now before I get it because I'm not paying $5 shipping for one pack of paper.

Well, I sucked it up and cut out the new stamp sets, Pick a Petal and Baroque Motifs. Baroque Motifs isn't something I would normally go for but I fell in love with what everyone had done with it on SCS. I used Soft Sky and Groovy Guava. I am really liking the new colors. And I just love this set! I haven't inked up Pick a Petal yet because I had to post this card first. Plus it is super hot in the stamp room so I can only stand it for short periods of time. Maybe it will cool off in there tonight and I'll make more.

Flashback Inspired by Nancy

I was looking at all the blogs I visit on a regular basis and I saw Flashback Friday on Nancy's blog. So I thought would find one of my old cards to post. My friends who stamp always tell me they can't make cards that look like mine. I just tell them I have been stamping for 3 years and I've had lots of practice. To prove it I thought I would share some cards from my first year of stamping! I wasn't much into embellishments then!

I kept it sweet and simple, not much stamping! I have new goodies coming Monday so be looking for a preview of the new stamps and colors after that. Who knows, maybe I'll make something else this weekend.

In the Spotlight

Wow, I have 2 posts in one day! I wanted to show you this new card I made with the new hostess set I got yesterday. This is In The Spotlight- it will be in the Fall/Winter 2007 catalog. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to cut all these pieces out! I'm not sure if you can tell but I cut out the flowers and the brown center. I used dimentionals to pop them up. This brown ribbon is some that I got a Michael's on one of those little spools. And I used chocolate chip and cameo coral.

My Stampin' Space

OK, I finally decided to break down and take some pictues of my stamping space.

The first picture shows the top of my desk. This is where I stack all my stamp pads. I have them in color stacks;, red/pink, black/brown, blue/purple, green, yellow/orange. I don't have anything to put my stamp pads in and I find that stacking them up works best for me. I can just glance up and find the colors I need pretty quick. Plus, I don't know if a ink pad catty would fit in the space I have. As you can see it is only about 2 stamp pads wide!

The second pictures is of the back part of my desk that I can see when I'm sitting in my chair. I got a sheer rod to put ribbon on but I don't have near enough space on the rod so I have a lot of ribbon stuck here and there. Plus my hubby got a piece of blue foamy stuff and I tabbed it on the back of the desk to give myself a place to stick things up. You can also see lots of glitter, pens, and cups to hold my different tools.

Here is the shot that shocks my friends! I bought a 4 foot shelf like you find in the laundry room. My wonderful husband put it up over my desk. We don't have any storage in our apartment so I don't have any closets to hid things in. I started off with my stamps in a clear tub but then I ended up with too many. So here are my stamps. I just stand in the chair and grab what I need. The funny thing is that this is not all my SU sets. I have several of them in the hall closet and my friend Trace still has several of my sets!

The next few pictues are the drawers I use to store all my little goodies in. That little pink tote on top is where I put all my finished cards. As you can see it is overflowing! Then in the top set of drawers I have little punches, clips, rhinestones, paper bags, twill tape, etc.

The tall black drawers is a unit I picked up at Staples when they had them on sale. I have adhesives, reinkers, water color crayons, large punches, non SU stamps, cuttlebug stuff, prima flowers, and things to alter. This thing is a life saver!

I have this large tote in the floor next to my stamping desk. I have all my SU paper in folders according to the SU color and then I divided them out by color (all blues together, green together, etc.).
This final set of drawers is full of glitter, embossing powder, eyelets, brads, clips, beads, pastels, and so on. This is stuck in the left hand corner of my desk.

So that is it, my stamping space. It's not my dream set up but I'm making do with the space I have! I'm just glad to have a place that I can go and sit down to work there. I can't imagine having to drag all this stuff to another room to stamp.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!!!

I have been stamping today and I made this card to match the ribbon I picked up at Michael's a while back. I loved it when I saw it but I haven't used any of it. These colors are not my typical color choices. I used the papertreyink.com Little Lady stamp set. I stamped the ladybug on the scallop. Then I used the flower and the dotted trail on the card base.

Then I had to make some cards with this great paper I picked up at Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago. I loved the colors and this is so me! After I stamped the ladybug I went back over the black part and colored it with my black glitter pen. I also used the ticket punch on the grey layer only. I like the look it gives it. Then I put on the black clip with a little burgundy ribbon tied around it. I took an up close picture of the ladybug so you can see the glitter on her.

The last card I made with with my Gina K piggy. I just love this little pig! It is so versital. I stamped the pig on the white. Then I stamped it again on the pink paper. I cut out the circle part of the pig and glued it on. I used my reinker and blender pen to color the snout and ears. I pulled out my AMuse oval stamp to stamp the grass under the pig. I even pulled out my Prima flowers and silver clip. The background paper is self adhesive, which I love!

I know I promised new cards but...

you will never believe the kind of day I had yesterday! I got up early (for me) and took a shower. Then I decided to put some clothes in the washer because I knew Chris would need some clean jeans for work. So I started the laundry and ran around the house a little while. Then I went to dry my hair in the bathroom. I had the flat iron heating up and I was in the process of drying my hair. As I'm doing this the bathroom sink begins to erupt- no joke- it looked like a volcano going off. It was this nasty black sludge in the water and the sink keeps getting fuller and fuller. All I could think is that I'm about to be electrocuted as I dry my hair in the bathroom.

So first I unplug the things I had plugged in and ran them to the hall. Then I ran to the kitchen to stop the washer. By the time I get back to the bathroom water has run over the edge of the sink and started flooding the floor in the bathroom. In he meantime the water has also backed up in the kitchen sink and overflowed in there too! Can you believe that??? So I just piled many towels on the mess until I had a chance to get my head back on straight and cool off. So all afternoon I spent cleaning the bathroom. It took forever because I had to get that black sludge off everything!

To top it all off I started feeling dizzy late yesterday afternoon. The dizzy spell has lasted all night and all morning today. My regular doc is out of the office this week so I spent a good bit of time today in the walk in clinic. That doc said he thought I have an inner ear infection. So he gave me some meds. As long as I don't have to turn my head or move too fast for a while I'll be alright. But right now I am sitting in my chair with my head propped on the pillow so I don't have to move and feel dizzy. As soon as I'm feeling better I promise to get some more cards made and posted!

Ever seen a card that takes 3 days to make?

Well, here it is. I made my normal six cards and once I started coloring my neck would get sore. I guess it is because I colored it with Prismacolor and then I went back and used odorless mineral spirits. It takes longer to do it that way but once you do it then you can't not do it! So I would make one or two and then I would have to quit for a while to give my neck time to recover. Do you guys do that? I get so involved in coloring that I think I have to get right down on it to see it. I can see just fine because I had my contacts in but I still have to get right on top of it. Maybe tomorrow I'll get to work on another card! Chris is taking my car tomorrow so I'll be stuck at the house. So I will have to stamp to keep from going stir crazy! I'll post my new cards as soon as I get them made.

Gina K stamps are here!

I have been stuck in a rut since the first of the week. I was thinking that these stamps should be here. I have dreamed up some different cards to make with these and they just weren't here yet. Finally, they came. I was so excited when I saw that little package in the mailman's hands! I rushed out to the mailbox before he even put it in there! It didn't hurt that I was already outside with Bandit.

So in I came and I just had to make a few cards so my stamps didn't feel neglected! lol I was planning to use real red for these cards but when I got in there to stamp I realized I need to order some more of that color, so I used ruby red. I'm getting better at this picture taking thing huh? I even put the supplies in the picture to make it look more professional. As you can see, I even used my A Muse oval stamp to shadow the crab in the pail. I did have some trouble though because when I masked it I guess my paper was too thick because it left a white line around the bottom of the bucket. So I went back with the reinker an my blender pen and got rid of it. I also colored in a little bit to make a shadow. I'm not sure if you can see it in this pic or not.

On the second card I used Shore Thing, which was in last year's summer mini (I think). I love to use the sun, waves, and sand to add to my beachy cards. I used the last little bit of this blue ribbon that I bought in the $1 bin at Michael's last year. I was kind of sad to see it go. I also stamped "Happy Summer" on the bottom right corner. I just love these little guys! Look for more cards with these stamps soon! Hopefully I'm out of my rut for now.

Father's Day Cards

This morning I was up at 7:30, which is super early for me when we are not in school. Since I was up so early I decided to get some stamping done before I left for the doctor. When I saw the challenge on SCS I knew it would be perfect for a Father's Day card. It took me a few tried to get that shirt folded right. I practiced with copy paper. So, when I finally got it I folded up a few of them before I forgot how to do it. I used the word window punch to make the tie. I also trimed another word window punch and put it in to make it look like the tie is actually coming out from under the collar. I like the way it looked with this SU DP. I actually had some manly looking paper to do this with.

When I was going through marking my retired stamps I was so sad to see this one! I just love this stamp set and when I first got it I used it all the time! So I had to pull it out and make a card. I'm not thrilled with the outcome but it works. My friend and I are going to have a "retirement" party for all the SU stamps we are saying so long to. We are trying to pull together some samples using all the soon to be retired stamps we have. So I knew I would have to have a Best of Cluck card to contribute.

Well, for those of you who want to know the doctor's visit was very disappointing. He is stumped just like the other 5 doctors I have been to before him. After a 2 hour drive there and an hour and a half wait I just couldn't listen to another doctor tell me what he had to say. I could have quoted to him what he was going to say because I have heard it so many times.

"IBS? IBD? We can't find anything wrong. Even with a diagnosis this will never go away."

Obviously, I had a mini-meltdown after we left the office. My friend who went with me, Kelly, was so sweet. I know there wasn't much she could do while I was standing there crying, but she did let me know that she was there for me. I really appreciate her for that! I really am looking up information on the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL. I am so upset right now that I could just wallow in self pity, but what would that acomplish? Nothing! Tomorrow is a new day and maybe I'll get to start the day by stamping some like today!

We have a winner!

It is another beachabella card! I couldn't believe it when I found this ribbon that perfectly matched the paper. The paper I put on the bottom has flowers on it in some places but I guess I didn't pick one to take a picture of with flowers!

As for the blog candy, I had my husband to pick a number and the winner is...

Melissa Roth. Here is her comment:

melissa roth said...
I enjoy your glittery blog. This card and your butterflies are so gorgeous. I make one at a time and am ready to move on to something else.

Melissa, just send me your snail mail address and I'll get your package mailed to you! My e-mail is shaddybaby@bellsouth.net. What did you win? Well here it is...

vellum, alphabet chipboard, green stones, metal hinges, 3 stamps, 1 roll of light pink ribbon, and 3 packs of ribbon. I hope you like it!!!

I was so overwhelmed with the number of responsed to my questions. Normally I get 1-2 comments but I couldn't believe when I had so many this time. I guess I bribed you to come out of hiding! lol

Some of you may or may not know but I've been sick for the last 5-6 years. The docs can't figure out what is wrong with me and they continue to say they can't find anything. I have been having a real hard time for the last 3 weeks or so. I tell you this to say that I'll be going to the doc tomorrow and I hope he is able to work a miracle, but I doubt it. I told my husband the other day that I am ready to check into the Mayo clinic and not leave until they figure me out! I have had all my "optional" organs removed and still no relief. I'll let you all know what he says. I don't have much faith in doctors anymore and I told my doc this the first time I saw him. He is doctor #6. I'll keep you guys posted! Thanks for all your comments on my cards! I love feedback from everyone!

More Papertreyink cards

I made several cards last night when I had a chance to play with my new stamps. I just love the new stamps!!! I really like how the lady bug body and wing color is a seperate stamp. I had to make a red and black card because I love the colors and I normally see red and black ladybugs. Although I have seen green ones, hmmm, maybe I could do some like that later!

Now this butterfly kisses card is soooooo not something I would normally make. I got some pattern paper that I wouldn't normally use to try to challenge myself to step outside my comfort zone. I'm normally into making "cute" stuff but this looks more, hmmmm, I'm not sure- maybe elegant? Who knows? But it is not the typical card I would make.

Now I think this one is a little more like my typical style. I used the Cuttlebug to dry emboss the cool carribean paper. I just love that little thing and I just don't use it enough! Then after I stamped everything I just had to add some glitter, which is typical for me. So I pulled out my glitter pen and traced all the swirls of the butterfly. If I had been thinking I would have just stamped it with Versamark and use my glitter embossing powder. But I don't tend to think that much ahead when I'm stamping!

I'll come back later today to post the blog candy winner! And I'll post a pic of the goodies!

Pink Ladybug

I whipped up this card in no time! I bought this set to make baby announcements for my friend Cher. She is having her first baby in August and she said something about wanting pink ladybugs, but she couldn't find any. So I just had to order this set. I have had this card in my head for a while so I hope she likes it! She just moved to Florida so I e-mailed her a picture. We shall see!

BTW: I haven't forgotten about the blog candy. I'll pick a name tomorrow!

They are here!!!!!

I just had to post real quick to say that my papertreyink stamps are here!!!!!! I got Little Lady, Butterfly Kisses, and the word set. I'm off to play! I just had to tell someone that they were here!!!!!