My Paper Expressions

A Fall Wreath

2010-10-02T08:30:00.001-05:00

I absolutely love fall decoraing. Now I am not a big Halloween decorator, but that's because I'm lazy and you can't leave those decorations out as long as fall ones. But I do love fall decorating. I love all the different shades of oranges, yellows, and reds. Now Joanns Fabrics do carry some beautiful decorations but their wreaths always seem to be so expensive, even with a coupon. So for the past couple of years I have been designing my own. Here is one I did for my boss's wife who recently had surgery.

This is just a little fall wreath that she can hang frm her front door. Now similar wreaths like this are currently on sale for 50% off at Joanns ranging in price from $19.99 to $29.99 for this size. I was able to do this wreath for a whopping $5.85, give or take a few pennies.

How you may ask? Well the bare wreath was regular price $2.99. I was able to use my 40% off coupon which brought the price to $1.79. The flowers and beads were on sale for 50% off and they were $1.99 each. As you can see I used 4 which came to $3.98. Now the ribbon was from my stash. It is actually 2 different ribbons. The gold ribbon had a clearance tag of $.50 and the orange ribbon had a clearance tag of $.30. I guesstimate that I probably used about $.05 of the yellow and $.03 of the orange. Have you been doing the math? Well my husband loved this kind of math. You know the kind, the cheap kind.

Well I bought plenty of supplies. So yes, you've guessed it...I will be doing a few more of these this weekend.

Have a great weekend. I have a busy one ahead of me.

Same Ingredients...AGAIN!!!

2010-10-01T14:57:00.003-05:00

See, this is what happens when you don't finish straightening up from one project to the next. Needing a quick "get well" card last night, I took the scraps that were leftover on my table and put together this little number.

Same Ingredients...Different Layout

2010-09-30T14:42:00.000-05:00

Back-to-back posts!!! I know right (as my kids would say).

But did you see yesterday's post of the card I did for a swap on Splitcoast? Well at the time that I was doing all the cutting for this swap I couldn't remember how many I needed and my laptop was in the family room and I was upstairs in my craft room. So being the lazy person that I am, I decided to guess. Well you guessed it---I guessed wrong. I only needed 4 cards for this swap and I cut enough for 6 cards.

So as I was putting away all my materials that I used, (I am really trying to get better at that-got a LONG way to go though) I figured I would use the items that were already cut up anyway. And I came up witht hese 2 layouts. Hence the title of this post.

Now I have 2 more cards for my stash.

A Swap...

2010-09-29T11:38:00.005-05:00

I recently did a swap, wait I actually did TWO swaps this month. This is one of my cards I did for a swap on Splitcoaststampers. The swap was anyhting that had to do with "shoes". Now how could I pass up a swap about shoes? I purchased this stamp from a vendor at a craft show that passed through Chicago a couple of months ago. My new favorite thing lately has been embossing folders. I absolutely love them! They give so much character to cards. Now off to google-land to find some more, at a cheap price of course.

OMG

2010-09-16T22:19:00.003-05:00

I am so pathetic! Yes I know...I have been missing in action for months.

School has really been keeping me busy (going back to complete my Bachelors) and with baseball with my oldest son this summer, that has really soaked up a lot of my time. But with fall just around the corner I can see my wheels starting to slow down just a bit. I'm starting to want to stay in on the weekends, it is getting a little chilly out there. So now I will be able to do more crafting. I'm still cleaning and re-organizing my craft room. I have done a few cards in the past couple of months and right now I am working on a diaper cake for my nephew and his fiance's baby shower.

So sit back, relax, and be patient with me. I promise I'll be back soon.

By the way...here is a blog that I have been stalking for months. This lady is absolutely CREATIVE, but in a "sweet" way. Just go there, you'll know what I mean. This is one you will definitely put in your google reader.

http://www.bakerella.com/

I'm Ready for Spring

2010-04-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

Aren't you? Well it sure is feeling like spring here in Illinois. We had some of the most beautiful weather these past coupleof days. Yesterday and today it even reached the middle 70s. Well I just had to break out a spring-inspired card.
As you can see I used my favorite paper from the Stampin Up Sweet Pea pack and I used the new Sweet Pea felt flowers. Now check out the ribbon-can you believe it? It is STRAIGHT!!!! And I did mean for it go in that direction to. I was so proud of myself.

Another Card...

2010-03-31T13:57:00.013-05:00

Can you believe it - I am back again. Twice in one week!!! I wanted to share a card I did for a swap over on Splitcoaststampers. I came across a card like this during my blog hopping and can not find where I originally saw this. I have searched my google reader but have had no luck.

The only requirement was to use a flower image. So I choose my Manhattan Flower Embossing Folder and some "flowery" dsp. Don't you just love the layout of the card? I really like how the folds overlap each other. It was truly easy to create this card. Darn I wish I had written down where I got the idea from-I hate not being able to credit people for the wonderful creativity. If you know-let me know, and I will definitely update this post.

I really need to stop taking pictures in my cubicle at workas well. The lighting sucks, the background is ugly, oh I can go on and on...

Where the Heck Have You Been?

2010-03-30T15:11:00.008-05:00

I am pretty sure that is what most of you are saying-LOL. And believe me, that is what I have been saying to myself lately as well. It's been a crazy first quarter, but I have so missed creating and blogging. I have done a few cards lately; I did two swaps and a baby shower card. Now ask me did I remember to take a picture...nooooooo...and they were some really cute cards.

But here is a card I did last night. I was just in the mood to create something and I have been coming across so many nice and simple cards lately that I thought I would put together a quick one.

I used my favorite paper of the moment, Sweet Pea. The stamp set is Vintage Vogue, another one of my favorites at the moment. I am a big hoarder when it comes to buttons, brads, and ribbon, so I was pretty pleased with myself that I used a felt flower, a corduroy button, and a regular button. I even played around with the new SU punch. You really need your muscles for the new punches. They are really heavy to me, or am I just a weakling?

I promise to be back real soon.

TTFN,

An Etsy Challenge

2009-12-29T22:39:00.010-06:00

I did my first Etsy Inspired Challenge. Have you tried one? It is a great challenge blog that chooses a shop that sells items on Etsy. You then pick any item in that store for your inspiration. The EtsyInspired #68 Challenge is a great shop called Gypsy Rose Handbags. These bags are some of the cutest I have ever seen. Now I knew I had to try this challenge because I am a bag fanatic. I actually change my work bags with the seasons. Yes I know, sounds a little crazy. But who wants to carry a black bag in June and a yellow bag with orange and green flowers on it in January? O.k. back to the fun stuff...this is the bag I used for my inspiration:

Now here is my card:

I see this being one of those cards that will be hard to give up.

Recipe: CS: Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Very Vanilla, Rose Red, Crushed Curry DSP: Manchester Stamps: Best Yet Ink: Rose Red Embellishments: Corduroy Buttons, Rose Red Ribbon, Linen Thread, Stickles

Green Eggs?

2009-12-20T13:17:00.000-06:00

Just thought I would share a picture that my boys took of what was cooking in our household last weekend. My boys just had to try their hands at Green Eggs. Needless to say they put a few extra drops of food coloring in while I wasn't looking. After a few shakes of pepper and salt they were actually good-at least that's what I heard.

Teacher Gifts

2009-12-19T12:45:00.007-06:00

Hello Everyone,

Well it's official...my children our home for the next TWO WEEKS!!! Isn't life grand-(cough-cough)?

I thought I would share a few of the notecards I did for Alex and Nicky's teachers. I orginally thought I only had to do 4 sets; one for each teacher and one for each of the two ladies who work extended day and who are so sweet at walking my boys over to the auditorium for their basketball practices and games.

I get so excited when I get to use things that have been sitting around for months. All of these packs contain 8 notecards with matching envelopes. I used the top note die to add a little decorative touch so I didn't have to wrap them. This was the perfect project to use up those 6x6 paper packs I know all of you have laying around.

A Christmas Card

2009-12-09T08:20:00.006-06:00

I vowed to myself that I would send out Christmas cards this year. Needless to say I have been a little busy and have just gotten around to thinking about some layouts. I came across a simple but beautiful card while blog-hopping and thought it would make a great card to case. First check out my inspiration HERE from Julee Tilman. I really enjoy visiting her blog, she does such beautiful work. Now here is my take:

I hate that I waited to get to work to take this picture. Cubicle lighting is just plain horrible. I liked the fact that it didn't take long to put this card together either. So it should be pretty nice to reproduce a few of these for my favorite family and friends. Now I need to come up with about 2 or 3 more layouts.

Recipe:

CS: Real Red, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla; Stamps: Snow Swirled, Christmas Greetings; Ink: Real Red; Embellishments: Real Red 3/4 Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Real Red Button, Linen Thread

First Class of the New Year

2009-12-07T19:42:00.000-06:00

I've been putting together a list of classes for the upcoming months and thought I would post the very first one of the new year.

Desk Set Class:

Saturday, January 9, 2010

1:00pm - 3:00pm

Cost: $15

Isn't this the cutest little desk set? As you can see we will be making a pretty little desk caddy for your pens, pencils, scissors, and such; matching scratchpad holder (which will come with your own personalized sratch paper); a matching pen; and a greeting card. Now this set can be perfect for a gift to someone special or you can definitely keep it for yourself and have an extra card to use at a later date. It's up to you.

I have also planned some new "card-technique" and scrapbooking classes. So come back and visit often, you don't want to miss out on any of the fun.

Save the Date:

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Card-Technique Class

Saturday, February 9, 2010
Valentine's Class

Christmas Wreath

2009-12-07T08:45:00.007-06:00

The Martha Stewart Living Magazine is a dangerous thing, especially for crafters. I came across a beautiful wreath in last month's edition using an assortment of nuts. The only thing I thought was missing from her wreath was a little color. So here are my takes on it:

As you can see I used my Big Shot. The wreath base is from Michael's. The nuts are from Meijer's. And the little burns on my fingertips are from hotgun-LOL. But besides that, it was very easy to make. Glue the walnuts down first since they are your biggest. Then just fill-in the empty spaces with your other assorted nuts. Now decorate how you see fit. It is such a versatile decoration. You can customize the colors to go with any color scheme.

Paper Jewelry

2009-10-16T08:22:00.000-05:00

Recently I came across a wonderful crafter and blogger, Amy Celona. And while I was visiting her past posts, I saw where she made the most beautiful pins using guess what? PAPER!!! Now I knew I just had to try my hands at this. So what do you think?

Amy provides a wonderful video on exactly how to put together these cute, handmade, one-of-a-kind gifts that would be perfect for the upcoming gift-giving holiday. Now this is not something you can do in just a day. From the pictures you can see that my flower is actually three layers. I wish I would have done a smaller 4th layer for the very top, like Amy did, but I was being impatient at the time.

Now each layer you see is actually 3 layers of cardstock modge podged together. And after the modge podge dried I covered each layer in SU's crystal effects. Believe me when I say that this was not hard to do. The hardest part was waiting for it to dry in between steps. I actually started this on Sunday afternoon and let the modge podge dry overnight. On Monday night I covered it in the crystal effects and let that dry overnight. Before I went to work on Tuesday I checked on it and noticed it still was not completely dry and that's when I took a little of the dazzling diamonds from SU and sprinkled it on each layer. That's the hint of sparkly you see. I put a dew drop on the very top because it just seemed like it was missing something. That's where my regret came in at not doing that 4th little layer to top it all off.

I will definitely be doing more of these. My plans are to work on another one of these this weekend but using one of SU's newest products. I think they are going to come out pretty cute. Stay tuned.

A Christmas Card

2009-10-13T10:25:00.005-05:00

Can you believe it? I actually did a card! I can't remember the last time I was able to sit and work on a card. It was so relaxing. Plus, I really liked how the card came out. I have a Christmas class coming up and I think this will be one of the layouts we will do.

Now doing this card also made me start thinking that I have not started on any of my own personal Christmas cards that I send out. This year I do plan on sending some out since I was such a lazy bum last year and did not send out one Christmas card.

Now of course this also got me to thinking about what I needed to buy and what to purchase to make my Christmas cards and then it came to me-I AM NOT BUYING ANYTHING!!!! I have so much stuff I could use. I just refuse to keep buying more on top of more. So I was really happy when I was able to put this card together with the stuff I have on hand.

Recipe:

CS: Very Vanilla, Kraft, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Simply Scrappin' Kit: Sweet Nothings, Stamp Sets: Snow Swirled & Punches Three, Ink: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Accessories: Very Vanilla & Riding Hood Red Taffeta, Rhinestones

Wanna Deal?

2009-10-07T14:21:00.004-05:00

Stampin' Up received some great feedback when they introduced their "Deals of the Week" a couple of weeks ago. So they have decided to bring it back. Here's the first set of deals:

Trio Flower Punch - $10.99 (regularly $15.95)
5-Petal Flower Punch - $10.99 (regularly $15.95)
My Way Punch - $11.99 (regularly $15.95)

Watch for a new set of deals on Monday, October 12th.

Don't have a Stampin' Up demonstrator that you love, or loves you? Then give me a call. I would love to place an order for you and keep you updated of all that Stampin' Up has to offer.

My Digital Studio Is Here

2009-10-07T10:34:00.004-05:00

Stampin' Up has done it again. They have made my life just a little bit easier. Well let me explain: I am a lazy scrapbooker. I have yet to actually finish a scrapbook. I have all these wonderful ideas floating through my head but I have done absolutely nothing with them. Well Stampin' Up has made it easy for me and you. This month they have introduced "My Digital Studio". Or for a better name, "Scrapbooking Made Easy".

My Digital Studio is an easy-to-use, software-based design studio featuring thousands of Stampin’ Up!’s images, colors, and accessories. My Digital Studio allows crafters of all skill levels to easily navigate the program and design their own digital project or use hundreds of templates to create professionally designed cards, photo albums, scrapbooks, and more. New artwork and templates will be available on a regular basis for download via Stampin’ Up!’s Online Store. In addition, My Digital Studio will offer professional print services where customers can purchase bound photo albums, cards, individual scrapbook pages, and calendars.

Click HERE for more info. I can't wait to get my own copy so I can start playing with it and getting some pictures out of my camera.

Have a great day and stop by again soon,

A New Look

2009-10-06T20:48:00.002-05:00

I have decided to accept the fact that fall is here. ARGHHHH!!!! So this means a new look for my blog. Hope you like. I am also in the process of finalizing a new business venture. I'll share this as soon as it becomes final. It is really an exciting adventure that combines my love of paper and crafting.

TTFN,

Birthday Gift

2009-09-18T21:14:00.006-05:00

Happy Friday Night everyone. I know I should be doing laundry now but I just can't get in the mood for that. So I decided to post some picts of a little project I have been working on. This is a gift I am giving my boss' daughter for her birthday. This idea came from two great bloggers:

Nancy Reilly

and

Nichole Heady

You should check them out. They do the cutest work. I visit their blogs often.

I did have to do a few adjustments because they used full size cake mix boxes and I used little cake mix boxes. My upline found these smaller versions of Duncan Hines cake mix just for cupcakes at Big Lots. Now she can make some cupcakes and add a few sprinkles. I also added four "thank you" cards so she can send out those thank yous for those great gifts she will get.

I guess I should get to folding. Hoping to hit the outlet mall tomorrow. Mommy needs a new pair of shoes, and pants, and shirts, and purse, and, and, and...you get the picture!!!

Fall Wreath

2009-09-14T10:07:00.005-05:00

Even though my craft room still looks like hell, I felt compelled to get a little crafting done this weekend. I have seen some beautiful wreaths using the Big Shot dies and thought I would try my hand at a fall one since I love decorating my home for the fal and spring. I hung this on my front door and now I am thinking I will do a smaller one for my cubicle at work. I also loved how I used items that I have been hoarding for months; like the corduroy brads and designer buttons.

Oh, and by the way, this is a sample of what we will be doing in my class on October 10.

Recipe:
DSP: Autumn Traditions
CS: Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red, More Mustard, Soft Suede, Whisper White
Accessories: Jumbo Brads, Corduroy Buttons, Designer Buttons, Butterfly Punch, 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon
Big Shot: Flower Daisies #2, Leaves #2

Fall Classes Are Here...

2009-09-01T20:25:00.005-05:00

My fall classes have been scheduled and I am so excited. There are so many little projects and techniques that I have learned this summer that I can't wait to share them. So if you are in the south Chicagoland or northwest Indiana area, give me a call and sign up. I would love for you to participate.

Fall 2009
Paper Crafting Class
Schedule

September 26, 2009
Big Shot Class
$10.00
1:00pm – 3:00pm Registration Deadline: September 12th
Have you seen the Big Shot in action? Even if you don’t own it, doesn’t mean you can’t check out the latest in paper crafting trends. Come make 3 great projects using this fun machine.

October 10, 2009
Fall Wreath Class
$15.00
1:00pm – 3:00pm Registration Deadline: September 26th

This is one of my favorite projects. You will make a beautiful wreath to hang from your door or mantle. What a nice way to start off your fall home décor.

October 24, 2009
Christmas Stamp-A-Stack
$15.00
1:00pm – 3:00pm Registration Deadline: October 10th

Want to get a head start on your Christmas cards? Then come make 10 quick and easy holiday cards using stamp sets and accessories. This is a favorite so be sure to sign up early.

November 7, 2009
Mini-Scrapbook Class
$20.00
1:00pm – 3:00pm Registration Deadline: October 24th

Do you have a group of pictures that need a home? Well this scrapbook will be perfect to show off that vacation or special birthday. This mini-scrapbook makes a wonderful gift as well.

Email or call me for class location and if you have any questions.
Phone: 708-672-0744
Email: paperexpressions@att.net

All classes must be pre-registered and pre-paid for to ensure a kit is available for you. If you are unable to attend, payment can be transferred to a future class. The only thing you are required to bring is your favorite adhesive.

I'm trying!!!

2009-08-25T16:13:00.004-05:00

As you can see, my creativity room has run amuck. We recently separated my boys into their own rooms and now I have to figure out how to combine the materials from the old office into my craft room. And boy has it been hard, and these pictures are after I did some clearing and throwing out. But I'm still trying.

My upline did the cutest teacher gift and I would love to be able to do two for my boys. Look like I will be creating on the kitchen table for now. I'll post some picts as soon as they are done-because that is why you come here isn't it?

Baseball...Baseball...Baseball...

2009-07-30T12:44:00.001-05:00

Need to ask what I have been doing this summer? Of course not. This is the first summer my son has participated in a travelling baseball league. Has it been fun? Yes, we don't have totravel far for our games but we did travel a couple of weekends ago to Kalamazoo, MI. This was their first tournament "away" from home and they did really well, won 2 - loss 1. Here is a pic of Alex after having to slide back to 3rd base about 3 times (the pitcher thought he could catch my baby leading off) and finally coming into home.

And here is a little relaxation (and M&M's) in between games:

WHEW!!!!!!.......

2009-07-29T13:23:00.008-05:00

Imagine yourself high above everyone else on a roller coaster...it looks like you can touch the clouds...you hear the faint wind in your ears...you're shaking...you close your eyes, and WHISHHHHHH...you go full speed ahead...down...faster...down...faster...down...you can't take anymore...faster...down...faster...down...and...it seems like there is no relief in site!

Now you have a slight picture of my summer. It has been one long roller coaster ride with no breaks. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, but boy would I love just a few days of sitting around doing absolutely nothing. I started doing classes this summer, which have been totally fun. I love thinking of the projects and I especially love that they really enjoy what they are making and learning. I have finished a few monthly swaps this summer, I went back to school to get my degree, and even though I am not going to the Stampin' Up convention I did sign up for a scrapbook swap so I have been working on that. My SU upline hosted a "Conventional" that I attended. Oh my gosh, what a wonderful event! It was so informative and the projects we did were amazing. I will posting these pictures int he next couple of days. Actually I will doing a lot of postings since I have so much to share...finally!!!

Bare with me...I'll be blogging on a regular basis real soon.

Now let's get to some fun stuff:

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to do some kind of container that would hold a baby shower gift and they also wanted a matching card. When I came across this cute template from Papertrey Ink I knew I had to try it. Here is my creation:

I was so happy with the results. My customer only had one requirement, she wanted me to use the picture of the little girl somewhere because this was going to be a mural in the new baby's nursery. I was able to capture the mural on the picnic basket and the card. I don't know if you can tell but I left the bottom part of the picture loose so she could lift it up and write her message inside the card. She was so grateful and mentioned how her gift was talk of the baby shower.

Supplies:

Cardstock: SU Kraft, Certainly Celery, & Very Vanilla

Accessories: Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon, Clear Rhinestone Brads, Flower(unknown)

Want a chance to win this....

2009-07-23T09:56:00.007-05:00

Then make your way over to Stampin Addicts!

What's Stampin Addicts you ask? Well it is a great site for all your paper crafting needs. And right now they are having a contest that will knock your socks off. Have you seen all the new and wonderful Big Shot dies, texture plates and embossing folders in the new SU catty? Well with this contest you have the opportunity of winning this wonderful combination pack.

So have I peeked your interest? Want to know how you can enter to win this great Big Shot Pack? All you need to do is write a short post on your blog about the contest and send an email back to SA linking your post. It's that easy. And if you don't have a blog, you can even make the notice on your Twitter or Facebook page. How easy is that? Click HERE for all the contest details.

A BIG Reveal!!!

2009-07-13T21:54:00.007-05:00

A BIG HELLO to Michelle Krupa!!!!

This post is for my SCS July Secret Sister Michelle.

Have you guys ever participated in a secret sister swap? Well I am currently participating in a month long ss swap. Now this consisted of purchasing 31 items for your secret sis so that she will have something to open everyday of the month. Now I know it sounds a little crazy but it was really fun. So I sent my ss card kits, skittles (one of her favorite candies), ribbon, I can't mention everything, she still has to open some things. Now being the complete airhead that I can be sometimes, I forgot to include a little card to let my ss know who I was. So I thought linking her to my blog would be a good way to "reveal" myself.

First I was super excited to get a ss that lived in Illinois, same as me. Then I was extra shocked when I learned she lived in Chicago, not that far from me. We are still probably a good 45 minutes away from each other but the way I drive I'm sure I could knock off about 10 or 15 minutes. So what a neat thing to be able to meet someone on SCS and have the opportunity to actually be able to meet them in person as well. I did some cyber stalking and found out she is getting married soon and taking a wonderful honeymoon oversees. I do wish her and her soon-to-be hubby the best of luck. And once the craziness of the wedding passes and she is all rested from a great honeymoon, maybe we can get together on a Saturday and meet in person and swap some great craft secrets. I'll defintely have to try to change what "sox" she wears. She likes wearing red. And now that she lives in Chicago we have to get her to start wearing white, even if she does live on the north side. She'll know what I mean-LOL.

Hope to meet you soon Michelle. And hope you are having fun opening your gifts.

The End of Monthly Swaps

2009-07-03T10:56:00.007-05:00

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to share my last 3 cards I did for the monthly swap groups I have been participating in for the past 6 months. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed conversating with the ladies on Splitcoast who participated. Most of us have decided to take a break, but we may do this again once the summer fun has ended. But I have to say that I probably won't do 3 groups again. Even though it was a lot of fun, it was very time consuming. Plus, I would like to put a little more time into my part-time SU business. Coming up with great projects and actually doing samples does take a lot time and planning. So if you don't have an SU demo at your hands let me help you out. Even if you live out of the Illinois area, I'll be happy to bring the benefits and the fun of SU to your doorstep.

New Favorite Combo

2009-06-19T12:38:00.001-05:00

Each month the SU demos in the group that I am in get together for a little info, swaps, and chatty conversation. And this past Monday was no exception. We buzzed about the new catty, convention, and our goals for the upcoming SU year. And the best part, of course, is our swap time. Well this months swap had to use colors from the SU color wheel. Now me, I don't own one, so I had to borrow one. And boy did I come across a color combo I have never done and which I believe is now my favorite combo for the time being: Almost Amethyst & Rose Red. Have you used these two together before? They really do compliment each other. And it also gave me a chance to use the rose red ribbon that I have had for months and never used. Have I ever mentioned I am a SU accessories/embellishment hoarder! I am really bad at this. I hate using my goodies. I know I need to but I am afraid I am going to run out, they won't be available anymore, and then I am just stuck without them. I also purchased a couple of months ago the new SU latte buttons. Well I have just used 1 on a frame I did. I can't seem to use them. They are so cute. Yes, it's crazy, but I know I am not alone. I know 2 other SU demos like this. Oh, and speakingo f the frame. I'll have to take some picts so I can show you guys.

Talk to you soon.

1st Techniques Class

2009-06-18T16:28:00.004-05:00

Well good afternoon,

Did I mention I was preparing last week for my first techniques class? I believe I did but I can't keep up. Well it was held this past Friday and it turned out really great. The ladies loved the 3 cards we did using the "kissing" technique. We used the Petal Pizazz and Only Oval stamp sets by SU. Petal Pizazz is a great stamp to use for the kissing technique. Nice flower stamps with a solid background. The cards also featured the Washington Apple dsp, some retiring In Colors and my favorite go to cardstock, So Saffron. By the way, did you notice the upside down leaf? I was on the phone and watching t.v while I was doing that sample-LOL.

I have a card class next Saturday on the 27 which I think I might change up a bit. There's a stamp set out there that they really liked and I might surprise them with a card and tote set using that stamp set. We'll see... Don't want to give away too many hints in case they are peeking at my blog.

This Is Going 2 B A LOOOONG FRIDAY!!!!

2009-06-12T07:53:00.005-05:00

Well I definitely have time to post today. Why? - you may ask. Because my crazy self got to work today an HOUR early!!! I didn't even realize it until I got to my desk. Don't ask me how I did it, I just think I am working on overdrive and auto-pilot.

Well I am all set for my first techniques class tonight. I'm all cut and organized. I took a note from my upline who has all her items cut and ready to assemble for her clients for each one of her classes. She says the class goes much smoothly and it cuts down on mistakes and waste. The only thing I have no clue to what I am doing - is what to serve. I always hate thinking of little snacks to serve people. I guess I'll be doing some googling this morning as well. I'll be sure to post the projects we due this evening some time this weekend. Don't want to give the guests a sneek peek too early in case they check my blog before coming out tonight. We will be doing the "kissing" technique and using up some of my favorite dsp that will be retiring soon, Washington Apple.

I did have someone ask about the template for the notecard set that I gave out as teacher gifts. So this weekend I'll have to find my cheat sheet and then I'll link you to the blog where I first saw it.

Well, I'll be back with some posts this weekend. I have a few more projects that I am finishing up.

Craft Fair Item

2009-06-11T14:47:00.000-05:00

I have been busy getting some items together to sell at an arts and crafts fair later this month. Here is one of the items I have come up with. As you can see, I am getting rid of a lot of retired dsp in anticipation of the new SU catty. And I did not purchase one item for this set. Actually the lady who is setting up this booth is all about "going green". So I am re-using and re-cycling all the items I put together for this fair. These cards were all used using my scraps. Can you believe it? Even the ribbon was scraps. I'll post more later, I have been working on some very cute ready fill scrapbooks.

Decor Elements

2009-06-10T14:21:00.000-05:00

I have been eyeing the "Thoughts & Prayers" tree in SU's Decor Elements line for several months now. Well I finally broke down and purchased my first set of Decor Elements in my last order. I purchased the tree, the Eastern Blooms flowers, and the Inspiration set which has the words, faith, hope, love, life. I put up the tree yesterday and immediately fell in love with it.

Believe me when I say, "It was a lot of work." I found out when I pulled everything out that you actually put the tree together in 6 different parts. And make sure you have your muscles ready, because you have to use a lot of pressure to transfer the image from one side to the other.

As I was standing back admiring my work, Alex came around and started touching my tree. Being the boy that he is, he had to demonstrate how his super ball would look stuck in my tree.

End-of-the-Year Teacher Gifts

2009-06-09T13:29:00.000-05:00

Well I'm lucky that my boys have only 1 teacher each so I only had to do 2 gifts. I decided to do notecards in their own little holders. I even added postal stamps and envelopes so they wouldn't have to search for anything when they go to the post office. I used SU's Washington Apple DSP, which is one of my favorites. Can't wait for the new DSP to make their grand appearance in just a couple of weeks.

Let's Get Some Posting Done!!!

2009-06-08T12:52:00.007-05:00

I have really been secluded in my craft room this past week or so. I am in the process of getting ready for my first set of classes. I have my very first techniques class this Friday and in 2 weeks I'll be doing another card class. I am pretty excited about this too. Don't know exactly how many people to expect yet, but it should be fun, even if only 1 person shows up-and that's because I'm just a fun person to be around-LOL.

Well before I post some creations I have been working on, I wanted to give a big cyber hug and congratulations to my youngest niece Kennedy...

She graduated from Kindergarten and she is super excited about starting 1st grade. I just hope she can go and they won't send her back to Kindergarten. Since her birthday is September 23rd, Illinois has the dumb September 1st deadline rule. You must be 5 by 9/1 to start Kindergarten and 6 by 9/1 to start 1st grade. Well Kennedy went to a private school for Kindergarten (they are not so strict) because my sister knew she was ready. We're hoping she can convince the public school to take her for 1st grade. She is just to smart and intelligent to be held back.

And of my 3 nieces I can always count on her to give me some love. Her 2 older sisters are "divas-in-training" and I can't get them to do anything.

Now back to some crafting...I did a few thank-you cards for some teacher aides who were leaving this year because of budget cuts. They were great ladies and the kids loved them. This is the only one where the picture came out half way decent. Boy do I need a better system of taking pictures.

I used this template located on SCS to create the card. And as you can see I used it as a gift card holder. I used SU's so saffron, chocolate chip, and whisper white cardstock. I participated in a card candy swap a few months ago so that is the flower that I used in the center.

I'm putting together more posts...so stay tuned.

Whew....

2009-06-01T16:16:00.004-05:00

Well I am taking a little breather. The last day of school is not until this Friday and I still have a few more teacher gifts to do. Hope I can do some posting of those before the week is out. I have finished off some monthly swaps I am in (boy am I glad June is the last month for these). Don't get me wrong, I loved doing them, but 3 was way too much for me.

I also wanted to do some posting of some upcoming classes I will be doing. I have been enjoying my SU "hobby" but it is time to start getting this part-time business in gear. And with the new SU catalog just a month away, what better time to jump in feet first. I have had my sneak peak and boy am I excited about the new In Colors. I even saw some new DSP that I just have to have. So you will definitely start to see some more postings because I can't wait to start creating.

Well I didn't want to leave without posting a card. I mean this is why I have the blog-LOL.

Here is one of my monthly swap cards. Sorry I can't give you details about the stamp and dsp used since it came from the May swap hostess. But I thought it was a cute little card. And guess what? I used my SU markers to do the coloring. Some of you may know that the SU markers are not my biggest fans. I think they dislike me very much and come to life when they get in my hands and color however they want. But I wasn't to upset about this coloring.

M-I-A

2009-05-22T08:34:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know I have been missing in action. The end of the shool year always bring about the end of the year countdown or should I say meltdown. I feel like my second home has been at my boy's school. And since I am the President of the Parent's Club I get to oversee a lot of the end of the year activities. Everyone who needs a reimbursement from the Parent's Club has miraculously found their receipts, band concerts, D.A.R.E. graduations, and getting the 8th graders off for their class trip, and their dinner dance. I have only had a few minutes out of the past 2 weeks to come up with 3 cards and they were all for swaps. Hopefully by the end of next week it will start to calm down. My craft room looks like hell, I can't find anything, and I have all these ideas floating in my head for an arts and crafts show that I need to get ready for in June. I hope to get some pictures of these cards soon so I can post.

And on top of all that I am in the process of scheduling some upcoming card and technique classes. So that means samples, samples, samples. Whew!!!! Can you tell I need a break?

Hope to be back very soon. Have a wonderful holiday weekend.

I WON! I WON!

2009-05-11T10:03:00.003-05:00

I still can't believe it. I won the "blog hop" that Shirley's2Girls hosted last week. If you have not visited their site or their blog you have to go take a peek. They have some really great challenges and the cutest new stamps that were released last week.

I have a great package of blog candy coming my way and I'll be sure to share it with all of you.

And by the way, I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-04-30T09:51:00.003-05:00

Good Morning Everyone,

Well today's tip is not an actual tip but more of a "Hey did you now?" As most of you know I spend waaay too much time blurfing, surfing, and googling. Well in my web travels I came across a site called "Postcrossing". This site allows anyone to send and receive actual postcards from random places all over the world. Now don't think it is all about postcards. You can send cards, letters and there is even a "Bookcrossing" site. Seems like a neat idea, especially since I am sure we all have tons of cards we can send to someone in Finland, Romania, or China. Go check them out.

Bad Wife!!!

2009-04-29T15:48:00.005-05:00

Well my last post talked about being a very bad mommy. Now I am a very bad wife. Yesterday was my hubby's birthday. And we did absolutely nothing for him. And what makes it even worse is that he made the big 4-0! Now don't get me wrong, I attempted but my hubby is a home-body. He pretty much likes to stay home. I think it might have to do with the fact that it seems like every time we do go somewhere we run into someone he has either arrested, interrogated, or surveillanced. I guess it's one of the downfalls of being a county cop and not just a city cop-he works all over. Well any who, I offered him a big party at a club, at home, I offered a dinner party, or a cocktail party. Just something to bring people together to celebrate this milestone. He declined. So humf-I guess I'm not a bad wife after all, at least I tried.

Well even though he's not in his 30's anymore, he did pretty well yesterday. Unlike me who will start kicking and screaming at least a month before my 40th b-day. I, myself, will absolutely dread the day.

Well here is his card...

I sent a request through Wish-RAK for motorcycle images last year and received some great ones. My hubby is actually a Harley man. He snuck one in on me last year. As I was enjoying a nice quiet Sunday morning, "Baby" was delivered to our front door. "Baby" is the official name he has given her. I just call it "the thing in the garage".

I really need to do better at paying attention to the supplies I use so I can list them properly.

Bad Mommy!!!

2009-04-23T16:36:00.008-05:00

I goofed. I had every intention to post this yesterday but the evening got away from me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICK!!!

I wanted to do a quick post to my littlest little one: Nick. He is going to be so flabbergasted to see his big mug on the screen-LOL.

Nick turned 9 years old yesterday. I'm sure you don't remember, but 9 years ago on April 23rd it was actually Easter Sunday. Which is how he got the name Nickolas Christian. And this little munchkin has come a long way-he was born at 26 weeks weighing 1 pound and 1 ounce. Can't tell-can you? The picture on the left, with dad, was when he was about 4 weeks old and the picture on the right he was about 2 months old. He spent a totl of 10 weeks in the hospital which isn't bad for a kid born 14 weeks early.

He had a wonderful birthday. He took treat bags to school. They really didn't do any work in school yesterday since it was the school's annual Tech Trek Walk-a-Thon where the students get to walk the neighborhood to raise money for their computer lab. His present from mom and dad was the new Nintendo DS i he was asking for. Have you seen this thing. I tell you, the technology they think of. This is an upgrade to the original DS. With this newer version you can connect to the internet and download games, it has a camera, you can record and listen to music. I think I might want one-LOL. He also received a guitar from grandma, and spoke to other family members who will be gifting him over the weekend. So I have decided to have cake and ice cream Saturday evening to celebrate the little Prince. I even let him eat dinner in his room last night so he can continue watching SpongeBob. Believe me when I say he is still all grins.

Again---Happy Birthday Munchkin!!!

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-04-23T08:04:00.002-05:00

Do you love using Dew Drops? Well here is a great coloring tip I received from soemone who RAK'd me some Dew Drops. It was the first time I had heard you can do this.

Place a spoonful of clear dew drops in a small baggie. Add 6-7 drops of an alcohol based re-inker. Shake, shake, shake. Now pour your pretty colored dew drops onto a paper towel to dry. Now you can have dew drops in all your favorite colors that actually match your cardstock, ribbon, brads, etc.

I'm Here....

2009-04-17T15:13:00.007-05:00

Good Friday everyone,

This has been a pretty good Spring Break week. I was off Monday and Thursday with my kids and we had a lot of fun. Our trip to Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells was wonderful. The kids had a great swimming, playing, and eating of course. Thursday was another water adventure. The boys were invited to a birthday party at another indoor waterpark which is about 45 minutes from us and again they had a great time. Here a few picts of the kids... Here's Nick...

And here's Alex...

O.k., on to some card stuff. I did get an opportunity to do a quick card for my hubby. His Chief is retiring and he wanted me to do a card. Now he is always complaining about me spending money on stamps and such. But guess what he asked me when I handed him the card last night? "Don't you have any police stamps?" Now that sounds like a question that gives me permission to spend some money! What do you think? Any suggestions on where I can find some police stamps? I'm thinking I should have some since both my hubby and brother are policemen. Also some firefighter ones would be nice too-gotta make cards for the brother-in-law.

Have a great weekend. I probably be back sometime this weekend. I made a couple of purchases and have been trying to clean/organize my stamp room.

More Baby Shower Gifts

2009-04-15T13:22:00.000-05:00

Hello,

I wanted to share 2 brag books that I did for baby shower gifts this past week. One was for the grandmother who is really into butterflies and the other was for the expecting mom. These books are made from cd covers and are really not hard to do at all. It took me longer to find the paper and embellishments than to do the actual books. My suggestion is to use some kind of kit. My favorite ones are the SU Simply Scrappin' Kits. Those things are so versatile and you can get 2 books done from 1 kit. How economical is that?

At the last minute, literally as I was about 20 minutes from walking out the door to deliver these books, I thought of little bags to put them in. So I grabbed some scraps and my adhesive and went to work. Another tip, whenever you are in a dollar store grab a few solid color gift bags. They will definitely come in handy and really add a "wow" factor to your gift. Plus, who doesn't love a matching bag with gift?

Swaps! Swaps! Swaps!

2009-04-13T11:07:00.000-05:00

Well here I go again. I just can't stop signing up for swaps on SCS. I tell you, it's an addiction.

First, I signed up for a "kids" card kit swap. I thought it would be a great idea since my neices are always looking to make cards when they come over. A couple of weeks ago I made a nice little bin full of "clearance" items I have been buying just for this purpose. This way they are not using all my good stuff. Well this swap requires you to put together kid-friendly card kits that have everything for them to make a card with; a card base, 2 6x6 sheets of dsp, a foot of ribbon, and some embellishments. I took two spots in this swap so I can get plenty of kits back for my neices.

Now the other swap I joined if for card kits as well, but with a coffee/tea theme. I pretty much signed up for this one to give me an excuse to buy a new stamp set.-LOL Any suggestions-what is your favorite coffe/tea set? I'll be making my purchase sometime next week.

And the other swap I signed up for is a Secret Sister swap. And this one is for the month of July. I have never participated in one like this before, but you send your SS a package of 31 small gifts and they open one package a day for the month. It sounds like a lot but you are only required to spend $30. I have so many ideas and plenty of items already in my craft room that I can give as gifts. I even have an extra SU stamp that I have never used. And that has 5 stamps in it so that can cover 5 days of the month-I'll wrap each stamp separately. Get it?

Go check out SCS and join a swap. I have met some really nice ladies joining swaps and we seem to keep following each other from one swap to the next.

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-04-09T10:45:00.005-05:00

Well we are only a few days away from Easter and I am sure many of you will be getting ready to dye tons of eggs with your kiddies. I haven't decided yet if I will be dying eggs with my boys because we are leaving Saturday for Kalahari. It's an indoor waterpark in Wisconsin. We do have a full kitchen in our suite so there really isn't any reason we couldn't dye eggs. But I might not be able to get them out of the water long enough to do that. So how about some Easter egg dying tips? Here are a few I ran across googling, of course.

If using food coloring or tablets to dye your eggs make sure your eggs are completely cooled off before dying. Cold eggs adhere the color better. But if you are coloring or using wax, warm eggs work best for this method.
Wrap rubber bands around your hard-boiled eggs, then drop them in food-coloring dye. Remove eggs, pat dry with paper towel and remove rubber bands. The parts of the egg covered with rubber bands will not be colored. Once the rubber bands are removed, you can drop the egg into a different color dye.
Make a design on an egg with a clear or white crayon, and then dye it in a light color. Once it’s dry, draw more of the design with the crayon, and dye it a slightly darker color. You can keep doing this from lighter to darker colors until you have a brilliant multi-layered display of loveliness. This method is called Psyanky, and it’s a Ukrainian folk tradition. Doesn't that sound neat?

Now go buy those eggs and have lots of fun spending quality time with your kids, neices, nephews, or even some neighborhood kids. I'm sure someone's mom or dad wouldn't mind getting rid of them for awhile-LOL.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend everyone!!!

The Diaper Cake

2009-04-06T12:53:00.008-05:00

A lot of work? Yes

Fun to decorate? Yes

A hit at the baby shower? Yes

I really did have a lot of fun decorating this. I had so many ideas running through my head that I know I will have to do more of these. And since I don't know of anyone in my circle of friends or family who are expecting anytime soon I just might have to do them and put them on the market! I first saw this done on someone's blog a couple of months ago and when the opportunity arose for me to do it I jumped at the chance. I like the fact that you can customize them by color scheme, boy or girl, characters, it's up to you.

Here are some pictures of what it looked like in the early stages...

As you can see, I made some changes along the way. Oh, and guess what's in the middle-a nice bottle of red wine. Something for the mommy to look forward to-LOL. I also folded and stuffed the bibs around the bottle, which is why you don't see them in the final picture. Now I have also heard you can do a version of this for a bridal shower or wedding gift using towels, so I'll be looking into that also. This baby shower really kept me busy this past week so I'll have more to post tonight or tomorrow.

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-04-03T08:56:00.003-05:00

A day late again...I tell you, the weeks have been flying by me. Everytime I think I'm a step ahead I realize I am actually 2 steps behind. I think it's the whole beginning of baseball season. My 11 y/o, Alex, is on 2 baseball teams this season. One is the regular in-house little league team and the other is a travel time. So usually 4 days out of the week we are transporting him to batting practice, pitching practice, and regular old practice. I guess I should get use to it since it doesn't seem like he is going to stop playing anytime soon.

O.K. enough of my whining, let get to some tips:

Keep a Swiffer cloth or lent brush roller near your crafting area. Now you can easily clean up pearl ex, embossing powder and pastels.

I came across this tip on SCS. I don't have many wheels but this is a nice cheep alternative to purchasing the clear storage boxes.

Use empty Pringles cans to store your wheels. Take some computer paper (CS is too thick) and then wheel each image on the paper so you know what's inside each can. Adhere the paper to the outside of the can so at a glance you know what's in each can. You can store 7 small wheels and 3 jumbo ones per can. And it was also noted the Crystal Lite containers can be used also.

Now don't forget, if you have a great tip you would like to share for the "TIPS" Thursday post? Then email me at paperexpressions@att.net with your tip and blog address. I'll include you in a "TIPS" for Thursday post with a link to your blog.

Doggone Cute...

2009-03-31T21:52:00.000-05:00

Two posts in one day...wow!!!

Isn't he the cutest? Here is another monthly swap kit that I received. Sorry, can't tell you who the doggie stamp is by, but he was so fun to color. And the "friends" stamp was one I picked up months ago on someone's clearance rack.

Can you see his juicy nose? I put a little crystal effects on his nose to give it a nice wet look. How about some smooches :)

Now I have to get back to my brag books I have been working on. I need to finish one and do another one before Saturday. Will definitely post some pictures once I'm done. They are absolutely adorable!!! If I may say so myself?

Fluffles Card

2009-03-31T12:25:00.005-05:00

Good Tuesday to you,

Here is my first attempt at a Fluffles card. I'll admit, I had never heard of Fluffles until I received these images in one of my monthly swap kits. It's probably because I am not a cat person and if I had seen them I'm sure I would have looked right passed them. But I actually think she or he (not quite sure if Fluffles is a girl or a boy?) turned out kinda cute. I guess my Fluffles is a girl since I gave her pink whiskers-LOL.

And I just remembered...I have an old co-worker who's birthday is coming up and she absolutely loves cats. This card will be just perfect for her.

Happy Spring!

2009-03-26T12:58:00.007-05:00

Good Afternoon,

Instead of "Tips" today I thought I would share a banner that I will display on my little table at work. If you are one of the "lucky" (insert-roll of eyes) moms who work outside of the home, you may find yourself trying to spice up your workstation with a little of your creativity. Well I know I do, and I like to keep it seasonal and festive. So I created a little "SPRING" for my cubicle.

Isn't this the cutest. I used the Cricut for my letters and everything else is from the Simply Scrappin' Kit "Sweet Nothings". How sweet is that? When I originally went to my girlfriends to use her Cricut I brought with me both Rose Red and Pink Pirouette CS because I wasn't sure which color I would use to spell out spring. But once I started actually putting this together I thought, "Hey-I'll alternate colors!" I am really pleased at how nice this came out, especially since this was my first crack at it.

Oh, I almost forgot. I first came across this cute little project on Patty's Stamping Spot. If you have not visited her site yet you will not be disappointed. It's like visual overload with all her great talent. And the best thing about this project is that you can personalize the banner however you want. You can use a name, a season, a holiday, you name it. It's up to you.

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-03-19T09:10:00.003-05:00

Happy Thursday Everyone,

I'm so glad it's Thursday, and tomorrow is Friday. Why is it we look forward to the weekend when we know that it is going to be over with so quickly? Well hopefully this will be a very productive crafting weekend for me. I have a couple of projects I would love to start and finish this weekend. Wish me luck...

Now on to some tips. I came across both these great tips on SCS.

When stamping on window/acetate/vellum sheets, put grid paper underneath the sheet to help line up flowers/animals/shapes, etc.). And then use your stampa-ma-jig to help you with the placement of the images. Your images should come out just the way you want them every time!
If you have an image with sticky on the back or stickers that you think would be great "poppep-up" on your card, just blot the sticky side with your embossing buddy to get rid of the sticky. It's a lot easier and cleaner than using a bottle of baby powder.

Enjoy these tips and oh...Happy St. Joseph's Day!

Scrappin' Brag Book

2009-03-17T08:48:00.006-05:00

Good Morning Everyone. I want to share a project that we worked on in my Stampin' Up meeting last night. It was more like a class than a meeting because we got a chance to make this cute brag book made from cd holders and a Simply Scrappin Kit from SU.

Isn't this the cutest? And this one book only uses 1/2 of a simply scrappin' kit. The only other supplies required was the ribbon to tie it closed and the cardboard cd holders. You can add any embellishments to it that you wish. As you can see I did not finish mine, but I will. Can't you imagine the great ideas?...baby showers, weddings, anniversarys, birthdays, there are so many opportunities to use this little book. There are a total of 14 pages (not including the front and back covers) that can be embellished and used for pictures.

I have a baby shower gift that someone has asked me to do for them and this is the idea I am going to use. Maybe I'll use this project to put together my first tutorial. That means I will have to be SUPER organized. I'm up for the challenge...I think!

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-03-13T08:57:00.004-05:00

Ooops, guess what? It's Friday!!! This week has flown by. I woke up this morning and remembered-I didn't post any tips yesterday. Shame on me. Well here a few that I came across in my blog, internet, and magazine hopping.

You can transform a boring fishing tackle box into a great storage box for all your small embellishments like buttons, eyelets, brads, rhinestones, etc. And now you can even find tackle boxes in cute colors like pink and purple.

And last week I gave tips on how to tie ribbon. Now that you have mastered the art of tying ribbon now do you notice the edges fraying and coming undone? Well pull out your handy embossing (heat) tool. Go back and forth for just a few seconds to singe the edges. Be careful not to start a fire. :)

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-03-06T22:27:00.003-06:00

Yeh, I know it's actually Friday. But I had another sick kid at home yesterday.

Well today's tips came about when I started pulling my hair out over a darn ribbon that would just not cooperate with me on one of my cards. So I thought I would steer you to a couple of helpful ribbon links:

Ribbon Tying-Check out Roxy's blog. I came across her tutorial just by googling. And with such a great ribbon tutorial, I couldn't help myself, I had to click on some other tutorials. You won't be disappointed.

Ribbon Knots

Ribbon Bow

Enjoy these links and happy ribbon tying!

Another Great Challenge...

2009-03-02T12:12:00.001-06:00

...and another post for today. My good friend and upline Jackie is part of the Etsy Design Team. And this past Saturday she threw out her first Etsy Blog Hop Challenge. This was her challenge...

And here is mine...

I was so proud of this card. Especially after going through a bit of a slump for the past two weeks. And after a busy weekend, it was nice to sit down and color, cut, fold, and all the other great therapy you get from making cards. I have a girlfriend who has a birthday next week. I think this might be the card that I send to her.

SIDE NOTE:

Hi everyone, I had someone ask in the comments area what was an "upline". I can remember just over a year ago asking the same question. Your upline is the person(s) that you signed under when you become an SU demo. I'm sure other companies use the same term. Your upline are the ones who are responsible for "sucking" you in-LOL. Hope I explained well.

Blogger Group 7 Challenge

2009-03-02T10:27:00.009-06:00

O.K. I know I am a little late, but I actually did complete both of these challenges last Thursday. It has just been a busy last couple of days. And I didn't want my blogging friends to think that I didn't take some time out of my schedule to complete their great challenges.

We had two challenges this month for our SCS Blogger group. The first challenge came from Nancy and we were to use the colors of green and blue while using this sketch...now it was also suppose to be for Valentine's Day but I was a little late for that holiday and just made a birthday card, a perfect "masculine" birthday card.

The second challenge came from Karolyn and this time she challenged us to make a card using inspiration from the Academy Awards. We were able to choose from the posters of the movies that were nominated for best picture. Now I chose the poster from the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button...

And here is my creation...

Thanks ladies for these great challenges.

I Completed A CHALLENGE

2009-02-27T09:42:00.012-06:00

Better yet, I completed 2 challenges. I first wanted to sink my fingers into Stacey's Jewelry Color Inspiration #25. Here's the inspriation...

Now the colors for this inspiration uses SU's:

brilliant blue
lovely lilac
kiwi kiss
whisper white

Now I also found inspiration with the Mojo Monday Week 75 sketch challenge...

And here is my creation... Remember, never throw away anything. I have had this flower stuck to the side of my table for over 6 months. I pulled off of a card I wasnot happy with and figured I would use it one day. Well the perfect color combo came around and I was able to use it.

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-02-26T12:01:00.000-06:00

O.K. the past couple of weeks I have given you crafting tips, but crafting is not our whole life. Even though we wish it was. So here are a few household tips that might make your home run a little smoother, or at least keep a few more strands connected to your scalp.

Wrap celery in aluminum foil before putting it in the refrigerator - it will keep fresher longer.

Hate foggy car windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than your hand or a rag.

A Monthly Swap Card

2009-02-25T13:43:00.000-06:00

Here is a card I did for one of my monthly swap groups. The kits are mailed each month and we get come up with our own creation. I know I used a sketch for this, I just can't remember from which one. It's amazing to get these cards in the mail. I just love how everyone gets the same paper, ribbons, brads, etc. and each card you get back is so totally different.

Late Valentine Post

2009-02-24T11:54:00.000-06:00

I just realized I never shared the quick Valentine treats that my boys worked to take to school. It was real simple and extremely quick. Just cardstock folded like little matchbooks and inside were packages of fruit snacks. I used an assortment of scraps and the stamp from Pun Fun. And of course, since I have boys, I didn't have to worry about a bunch of detail. Easy, peasy!!!

Birthday Card

2009-02-23T11:25:00.006-06:00

Whew...these past 2 weeks have been really busy. When I got a chance to really sit in my craft room this past weekend I couldn't believe how much I missed it. This past Friday was my oldest son's birthday. Alex turned 11 years old and by Saturday afternoon I was ready to kill him. Believe me when I say "I am not ready to have a pre-teen in my household". But here is the card he received along with his PSP games. I knew I could be real simple and he wouldn't really care about a lot of layers or wording. One of the advantages of having boys.

Stamp Set: Just Basketball

CS: Rose Red, Brilliant Blue, Whisper White

Embellishments: Antique Brass Brads

Other: CB Embossing Folder-Dots

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-02-19T09:00:00.001-06:00

Here are a few more healthful tips for you...

Are you just a tad bit cheap like me? I found out you can put your Stampin' Scrub pads on the top rack of your dishwasher. TURN OFF THE HEATED DRY, and run it through a wash cycle. It can even be washed with your dishes. I popped mine in the other night and they are nice, clean, and fluffy.

Have you ever mounted a stamp and realized after you have stamped with it that it is crooked? Yep-I've done it many times. But 10 seconds in the micowave lets you 'unmount' and 'remount' any sets that may need to be re-positioned or trimmed a little more.

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-02-12T14:29:00.005-06:00

Well it's Thursday, and that means it's time for 2 more tips that will keep you happy when you are crafting.

Use photo corners to secure a "temporary page" inside your cards. This way the receiver can make another temporary page and give it to someone else. Now your beautiful card can be reused for someone else's enjoyment.

Do you hate getting ink on your fingers each time you have to take off the plastic protective covers on ink pads like the ones that are in Staz-on pads? Then stick a foam pop dot or a pop-up glue dot on top of the plastic cover and adhere it to the inside of the ink pad cover. The plastic cover will now stick to the lid from now on when you take the lid off.

Hope these help. Have a good evening and a Happy FRIDAY!!!!

A Tribute to Brandy

2009-02-09T09:40:00.000-06:00

I know this has nothing to do with card-making, stamping, or anything else related to crafting, but I just had to do a little salute to our dog Brandy.
***
We had a slight scare in our household last week. Our precious little doggie, Brandy, woke up one morning not feeling well and looking quite horrible. Now of course me and my husband thought the worse because she is a 12 y/o olde english bulldog which usually has a lifespan between 11 and 13 years. So we were a little prepared to accept the fact that we might have to put her down. So we took her to the vet for a full work-up. She spent the night at the vet and we got the call the next morning that there was no cancer or life-threatening illnesses. But she did have a herniated slipped disc in her neck and an underactive thyroid. Can you believe it? A dog with human ailements. Well she was "discharged" after a 32 hours stay in the "hospital" and we were told the herniated disc will heal in time, she will need to take medication for the rest of her life for the thyroid, and nonetheless she is old and showing every sign of it.

So we were spared, for now. But I can't imagine when that day comes what it will be like. My youngest son, Nicky cried most of the evening that Brandy was away and Alex just kept asking a bunch of questions. We got Brandy a couple of months before Alex was born, so there hasn't been a time they have lived without her.

So here's to you Brandy...

"TIPS" Thursday

2009-02-05T10:45:00.010-06:00

Or should I say "Wow-that's a great idea!" Thursday! Every so often I hear or read about a great tip-hence the name "TIPS" Thursday. So I have decided to bring you 2 great tips every Thursday. Now I will try my best to include where I got this tip from, but that may not always be possible since I am forever blog hopping and reading several different sites on stamping, card-making, crafting, etc. Now I hope some of these "TIPS" will be a "Wow-that's a great idea!" moment for you.

Do you have a great tip you would like to share for the "TIPS" Thursday post? Then email me at paperexpressions@att.net with your tip and blog address. I'll include you in a "TIPS" for Thursday post with a link to your blog.

So here's the first 2 tips for "TIPS" Thursday:

Do you have some used dryer sheets? Love the look of mulberry paper? Well take your used dryer sheet, which can be dyed with a little water mixed with re-inker. Let dry and you're ready to create.
Have you ever noticed when your paper trimmer blade is getting old it leaves your CS with a ragged edge? Well use a sanding block along the edge of your CS and that will give you a nice, crisp, clean edge.

Have fun with these new tips and check back next week for more "TIPS" Thursday.

Some More Blog Love

2009-02-04T15:38:00.002-06:00

This fabulous award came from another fabulous blogger, Felicia. Make sure you click on over to her blog. Now I'm required to list 5 other fabulous bloggers and list 5 addictions of mine. Wow-o.k.-here it goes.

5 Fabulous Bloggers:

* Chrissy
* Melissa
* Dawn
* Catherine
* Leigh

5 Fabulous Addictions:

* Pepsi(non of that diet crap either)
* Breyer's French Vanilla Ice Cream
* Internet Shopping
* DSP
* Ribbon
Or is it Ribbon then DSP? Hmmmm....

Some Blog Love

2009-02-03T11:19:00.002-06:00

O.K., it has taken me some time to gather a list together to pass on this lovely award. But I wanted to spread some love to others who have not been recognized yet. I chose blogs that I have visited regularly or have received a great idea from. So here is my list. Stop by and visit them. I also will be sending each one of these ladies a link back to my blog so they can see how special they are. Now remember ladies...you have to pass this award along to some of your inspiring bloggers.

Toni Sacrison

Katrina Gaidanowicz

Makeesha Byl

Karolyn Loncon

Note Card Set-Part 2

2009-01-30T09:09:00.003-06:00

This is the first set I did the other night. It took longer than I thought, but maybe that's because I was gossiping on the phone and watching Criminal Minds at the same time.

But first I want to say thanks to everyone who gave me advice on how I should market these note cards for my Walk. Great advice! I have decided to do 8 cards with white envelopes packaged in a clear envelope for $10. My first set, as you can see, also included some dsp on it. I have decided not to use dsp, just a colored stamp somewhere in the corner and in the bottom corner of the envelope. It moved much quicker and I was able to make the sets faster. I did 2 more sets last night using Real Red and Briliant Blue as the cardstock base. I'll post those later on tonight.

Note Card Set

2009-01-28T09:31:00.010-06:00

Hello out there,

I wanted to share with you a very cute idea. In my SU group we received a beautiful notecard set for Christmas. As you can see this beautiful set consists of 20 notecards, which are just SU Very Vanilla CS cut in fours and stamp at the bottom corner. The notecards are wrapped together with a vellum band and embellished using the punches. Now what I think really sets this gift apart is how they decorated the holder. Which I am told was just an acrylic photo frame without the cardboard back. How stinkin' clever is that? And then it was decorated with double-sided DSP. Now I've been looking for these frames or something comparable and have had no luck. The one place I have not checked yet is Hobby Lobby.

Now I was thinking, wouldn't this be a great way to raise money for my walk? I would offer the notecards and the money raised would go directly to the March for Babies. I have decided to include a small note explaining the walk and why we are doing it. Now here is where I need your help...

...should I package them in just the clear envelopes?(cost would be cheaper)
...how many should I offer in a package?
...how much should I charge?

Help me out ladies, I need all your great ideas!!!

A Little Love

2009-01-26T10:37:00.004-06:00

I wanted to share a card I did for one of the monthly swaps I participate in on SCS. Well, I finally got some inspiration back. Weekend before last I was a really lazy stamper. I just wasn't in the mood to step foot into my craft room. Everytime I would go in there I couldn't even begin to think of what I wanted to do. But this weekend was a lot better. I completed 2 cards for my monthly swaps, I did 2 sets of card kits for swaps I'm in, and I even stamped out some images for another swap. Wow-that's a lot for me. Unfortunately, I can only tell you that I used SU's Pink Pirouette for the card base. All the other material was sent to me from the hostess.

March for Babies

2009-01-21T09:56:00.002-06:00

Just a quick side-note. I have decided to walk in the March for Babies Walk for Premature Awareness sponsored by the March of Dimes. The walk will take place on Sunday April 26, 2009. I have thought about doing this for about 3 years and have never gone beyond "thinking". Well this is the year for me to do it. I plan to get my boys involved as well because they are the reason I am doing this. Why? Because Alexander was born 10 weeks early weighing 2 pounds and 10 ounces and Nickolas was born 14 weeks early weighing 1 pound and 1 ounce. So what better way to help out an organization who had a big "behind the scenes" effect on the survival of my two boys.

Wish me luck-it's a 3 mile walk!!!

A Blogger Award!!!

2009-01-18T20:36:00.005-06:00

Wow...I can't believe it, I have been awarded

by two talented Teresas. First by Teresa Kline and then by Teresa Payne-Neal. These two Teresas are super talented and you won't be dissapointed when you visit their blogs. Thanks so much ladies for thinking of me. HUGS!!!

Now I must pass this award along to some more talented ladies. Check back later for the list.

Family Portrait

2009-01-17T09:00:00.001-06:00

Hello Everyone,

I thought my kids would get a kick out of seeing themselves online, so here is a picture of me and my family. We took this picture back in December of 2006, I guess it's time for an update.

Of course you can guess who I am. And the big guy is my hubby Andrew. The guy to the left is Alexander and the little guy to the right is Nickolas. We also have an 11-year old old english bulldog named Brandy. And that completes my family.

Have a wonderful weekend.

A Girly Girl Card...

2009-01-15T10:51:00.013-06:00

Hi Everyone,

I hope most of you are in warmer conditions. It is currently -9 degrees in my part of Illinois. No school for the kiddies and a "I'm going in late today" for me. Who can be on time for work in this type of weather?

Well on to my card for today. I have to say that I absolutely loooovvvved coloring this image last night. First I have to give a big thank you to "craftycrunchymama" (Susan) over on SCS for sending me these Sugar Nellie images of "Daisy". She is so adorably cute. I am going to have to purchase this stamp. That is, when it comes off of backorder. Well here she goes... Isn't she the cutest? I think I fell in love with this image because I don't have any girls of my own, and she just looks like what a little girl of mine would look like. Well enough of the mushy stuff, because this image is as close to a little girl I will get. Not counting my 3 neices.

And I am so proud to say that I used my SU markers to color her in. Get to know me and you will know that I-should I say it?-o.k. here it goes..."I hate SU markers!" I know, I know, how dare an SU demo say such a horrible thing. Shame on me. But I always get an ugly picture using them. Maybe the old saying practice makes perfect holds true for SU markers also. Because I do like the way she turned out. However, I did use a black prismacolor pencil to color her hair in.

Well I guess I should get to work, I did just get here only about 30 minutes ago. Have a warm day!!!

Oh, here is the inside of the card. I don't always decorate the inside but since I used such a simple sentiment on the front I thought I would make room for someone to write a personal message.

Stamp Set: It's All Good
CS: SU Real Red, SU Whisper White, DSP-Summer Picnic

Blogger Group 7 Challenge

2009-01-14T10:14:00.010-06:00

Well this is my first Valentine's Day card for 2009

The blogger group that I belong to over on SCS has decided to do monthly challenges. So I opened my big mouth and threw out the first challenge. It was to make a Valentine's Day card, but you could not use red, pink, or white in the card. Believe me it was a little challenging. Only because I am so use to grabbing my whisper white cs. And I couldn't believe how much dsp I have with red, pink, or white in it. But I made it and was pretty happy with the results.

And I also want to send a thank you credit to "chandapie" on SCS. I cased her card fold from our monthly card swap group. "Thanks Chanda"!!!

CS: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze(textured)

DSP: Manchester

Stamp Set: So Much(flower) and For A Friend(sentiment)

Embellies: Flower Fusion Too, Vintage Brads

A Quick Side-Track Project

2009-01-08T09:22:00.003-06:00

Or should I say "A Very Quick Side-Track Project". O.K. I am one who gets side-tracked very easily. I can be in the middle of doing something and come across something totally different and I will drop what I am doing and completely start off in another direction. Never-mind I got a pile of the first project I was working on in the middle of the floor. Well that is what happened to me on Wednesday. As I was cleaning my craft room (which by way I should take some pictures of and post them-see told you I go off in different directions-I was just about to leave my computer and get my camera-LOL) O.K. back to the post, as I was cleaning my craft room I was putting some paper away in one of my magazine holders and a rub-on sheet was partially stuck to it. So instead of throwing out the whole image, I carefully cut around it and then did a quick scan of my craft room to see what I could do with this small piece of rub-on. Well on the floor in the "things that need to be put away" I found this picture frame and began rubbing. So for the next 2 minutes I designed...VOILA!!! ...a cute little frame to put a picture of me and my DH in. That is if I can find one. It's probably in the "things that need to be put away" file. Talk to you later...

Another Swap Card

2009-01-07T10:00:00.000-06:00

Here is another card I did for a swap. I made the choice to stay simple. And since I was using SU-Pink Pirouette classic ink, you may not be able to see a lot of the stamping. This card was made using a DSP that I had bought months ago and SU-Bravo Burgundy & Very Vanilla CS and SU-Very Vanilla Ribbon. I also used the square scallop & corner rounder punches by SU.

Monthly Swap Card

2009-01-06T16:44:00.001-06:00

I finally took a break from the "driving me crazy" blog and finished both January cards for the SCS monthly swap groups I am in. I believe I mentioned before that I am participating in three 6-month swaps where there are 6 participants and each person is the hostess for one of the months. The hostess sends out a card kit to each participant with enough materials to make 6 cards. You then send out a card to the other 5 participants. It's nice to see how different everyone uses the same materials. Sorry I am unable to give you specific info on the DSP because it comes from someone else.

This card was made using SU- Rose Red CS, SU-Vintage Brads, SU-Silver Chunky Glitter, SU-So Swirly Jumbo Wheel used with Versamark

Now I really liked the DSP that was sent for this card. This is one of my favorite color combos. I attempted to do a funky fold/opening with this one. Plus it is not a standard size card. I used SU- Pink Pirouette CS and some brown eyelets. The ribbon was supplied by the hostess also.

I'm so glad to be off the blog designing frenzy. I feel so freeeeeee!!!! Hope you enjoyed these two cards. Talk to you soon...

I'm Almost There

2009-01-04T11:10:00.003-06:00

Whew...I have been working on this crazy blog most of Saturday night and a good part of this Sunday morning. At least I can see some progress, because I went to bed last night completely frustrated. I have to say that this screw-up has actually made me a little-and I do mean a LITTLE-more blog savvy. At least I know what I am doing, and now I just have to build upon it.

As you can see I have also added a little more color and spice. I purchased a blog kit from Shabby Miss Jenn . I found out about this website through reading many posts on SCS. And it didn't cost much at all. It was about $5.50 and there were several templates to choose from. You just download the files and start working. There is also a video tutorial on the website that I used while putting my blog back together again. The one thing that I hate about all this is that I lost soome valuable stamping time this weekend. Especially when I had a swap that was all designed, cut, and ready to be assembled. Well I still have the rest of the day. Talk to you guys later, and hopefully the next post will be card related!!!

YEP-I MESSED UP

2009-01-03T19:52:00.005-06:00

As you can probably see, I have royally screwed up my blog. BIG TIME!!! Was trying my hand at adjusting my template some and lost all of my sidebars. I feel like I just came from getting my hair done and now I have green hair.

Be patient with me, I'm still reading "Blogging for Dummies"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2009-01-01T19:32:00.003-06:00

It's 2009...
...and I wish all of you a GREAT New Year.

My resolutions have been made, and I am not one to make those. But I resolve this year to get more organized. And boy do I need it. I'm on track now because I spent most of Wednesday evening cleaning and organizing my craft room. But it doesn't stop there. I need organization throughout my whole life; my bedroom, bathroom, car, kitchen, basement, work cubicle. I can go on and on. But I know all resolutions start out well. You're so good in the beginning, but by March it's all down hill.

My second resolution is to lose weight. Now I know that is probably what 90% of women in the world are looking to do. Well I hope this is definitely something I can keep up. I refuse to have a big butt on my husband's new Harley. I just refuse. Never mind that you should lose weight to get healthy, I am losing weight to look cute for the Harley!!! Now that's an incentive. LOL Maybe it will work this time.

Christmas Present

2008-12-31T08:00:00.003-06:00

Well I have to admit, on this blog only, that my husband actually does listen to me. Now that's are little secret. Don't you dare tell him I said that or I'll deny it. But I was pleasantly shocked when I opened one of my presents and found this...

It's a Singer Craft Sewing Machine. So now I can do those neat stitches that you see on all the cards now. It allows you to do 8 or 9 different types of stitching. I've tried it out a cuple of times on scrap paper and it looks so cute. Except for the crookedness. I have to get use to it. Of course I will post my first project.

Oh...and another one of my great gifts was a Kodak Easyshare digital camera. I have a lot to learn, I'm sure my pictures should be coming out a little clearer.

Jazzy Inspirations Challenge

2008-12-30T09:55:00.005-06:00

Well I finished my card for the Jazzy Inspirations Challenge. Or should I say I finished 2 cards. When I first received the picture, by email, of the album cover I saw orange and black. So I went for it. Well can you imagine my confusion when I realized that everyone else's card was red and black? Am I color-blind or do I need to re-adjust some settng on my laptop? Probably both. So I did do another card for the challenge using black and red, of course. Here is a picture of both side-by-side.

Jazzy Inspirations

2008-12-24T14:00:00.012-06:00

I thought my earlier post would have been the last one for the week but...

Guess what? I received an email telling me that I am the "Jazzy Cat of the Week". You'll remember from an earlier post that the Jazzy Inspirations Challenge was started by Tenia Nelson. Each challenge is inspired by a jazz album cover. How neat is that.

So check out the Jazzy Inspirations this Saturday for my first featured challenge. Doesn't that sound cool?

Happy Christmas Eve Everyone...

2008-12-23T10:37:00.007-06:00

...Or better yet,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me! Yes it's my birthday. And yes I'm at work. This is the first time in about 8 years that I have worked on my birthday. I guess I shouldn't complain, it's not busy, my bosses are not here, and I'm surfing the web. LOL

I'll be heading over to my girlfriend's house later on this evening. She has a tradition where she invites her family over for lasagna and pre-Christmas fun. So since my family is not geting together this year on Christmas Eve like we normally do, I'll visit with her family. I'm sure my kids will love it, especially since our kids are the best of buddies. And our husbands are real good friends also so they'll have plenty to talk about.

Well a MERY CHRISTMAS to you all!!!

Christmas Countdown

2008-12-23T10:15:00.010-06:00

Well it's December 23rd and the countdown to my last minute shopping has begun. I only have 2 gifts left; one for Kaira, my 10 year old neice and the other for Kennedy, my 5 year old neice. So I'll probably be with the rest of the nuts out on my lunch hour tomorrow fighting the crowds.

But I wanted to share 2 cards I did over the weekend:

This card is for a monthly card kit swap that I do over on SCS. If you have never participated in a card kit swap it really is a lot of fun. This particular swap is monthyl with 4 participants. Each month ine person gets to be the hostess. As hostess you send the other 3 participants enough materials(minus card base) to create 4 cards (one to keep for themselves). Then you mail your cards to each participant. It's really neat to see how different people come up with different cards using the same materials.

And this card was just a fun card to do. I had a scrap piece of SU's Ski Slope DSP and went from there. I actually used two different stamp sets to do the sentiment. The pretty curly design is from SU's "Friendship Blooms" and the sentiment is from "Best Yet". The cardstock is Old Olive and Real Red.

I hope to have one more post for you tomorrow, because of course I am a last-minute type of person and I have a few gift certificate holders to do tonight and maybe even a wine-bottle topper. I guess you have to tune in tomorrow to see what I come up with.

SCS Blogger Group

2008-12-20T16:43:00.003-06:00

This is a quick post to introduce you to some ladies who have made the plunge into the blog-waters. I have listed these ladies and their blogs in the right column. Stop by, check them out, get some ideas, and send them a comment. I'm sure they would appreciate it.

I'm Pulling My Hair Out!!!

2008-12-18T08:44:00.010-06:00

Have you ever had everything planned out in your head of exactly what you were going to do? Well I had all my Christmas crafting planned for this week; I knew which day I was doing teacher gifts, treats for class parties, and gifts and goodies for my bosses. Needless to say it all went up in smoke when I picked my boys up from school yesterday. They happily told me that school was cancelled for Friday! I couldn't believe it, the school had already made the decision to close on Friday because of a suspected snow and ice storm that is due to hit the Chicago area today. So there went all my plans. I was up all night finishing the boy's teacher gifts. So here is what I came up with:

This is for Mrs. Schreiber, my 5th grader's teacher

And this set is for Mrs. Relilly, my 3rd grader's teacher

Both sets I used retired DSP which I still love. I hate that I am running out. And I decorated a plain white gift bag that I bought from the dollar store. I was also able to do an altered paperclip for both teachers but was unable to get a picture last night because I didn't want to disturb them while they were drying and I didn't have time this morning before school to take a picture.

I guess this is a lesson learned about not waiting until the last minute. We'll see if I have actually learned this lesson for next year. LOL Oh, I won't have to wait that long, there is Valentine's Day and End-Of-The-Year gifts that I need to plan way ahead of time.

Jazzy Inspirations Challenge

2008-12-14T16:53:00.005-06:00

O.K. I am back. The earlier post gave you the background behind this card I am posting. It didn't take long to put this card together either. And I know someone who has a birthday this week so I might just be putting this card in the mail tomorrow. Well here is my take on the first Jazzy Inspirations Challenge:

Picture Challenge:

My Take:

Stamp Set: SU Party Hearty
Cardstock: SU So Saffron & Basic Black
DSP: SU Junior Varsity
Ink: SU So Saffron Craft
Embellishments: SU So Saffron Brads
Other: SU Scallop Circle & Tag Punch, Nestabilities Oval Scallop Die

Card Challenge

2008-12-14T15:53:00.005-06:00

Happy Sunday Everyone,

By doing some blog stalking this afternoon, I found out that two of my best "card inspirationers" (my own made-up term) are a part of a new design team called "Jazzy Inspirations". Teresa Payne-Neal, check out her blog here and Jackie Bowman, check out her blog here are excellent at what they do. These are two blogs I would definitely suggest you check out on a regular basis. Now since I was directed to Jazzy Inspirations I had to come up with my own take of their first challenge. So I'm off to do my first challenge. I'll post my creation a little later.

Work Grab Bag

2008-12-11T21:07:00.010-06:00

Today was our Christmas Luncheon at work. We had a great lunch catered in from a local restaurant and it was great to be able to sit and talk with ladies you see on a daily basis, but are unable to enjoy their company because we are all going in our different directions. We also participated in a small $15 grab bag. Well I thought in these times a fuel gift card would be much appreciated. And being the paper crafter I am, I couldn't just give a gift card in the holder it came in. So here is a quick gift card I did last night. Check out this link to Gina K's blog for the directions, it's where I got my inspiration from.

This is the front view:

Here is an inside view"

Here is a peek with the Speedway gas card inside:

Countdown to Blogger Frequency...

2008-12-04T21:05:00.004-06:00

O.K. I admit, there is no reason why I am not on this site more often. As much time as I spend in my craft room and participating in swaps, I have no excuse. So I have vowed to add on at least one element or post to improve this blog every other day.

I guess I'm off to the library...I heard there was a book called "Blogging for Dummies"

I'm among the living again...

2008-10-17T11:42:00.014-05:00

Well today is the first day in about 4 days that I am starting to feel myself. I have been fighting a horrible cold and have actually been off work since Tuesday afternoon. But today I feel fine. I am itching to go outside. I'm restless and want to do some shoppin, of course. LOL

But being stuck in the house and not being able to sleep, I have completed cards for 2 swaps and I have finished a card to go to my Secret Sis on Splitcoaststampers (SCS). Confused? O.K. let me give you some background:

First, you can read a little about what exactly is Splitcoastampers on right column of my blog. There I have category for Splitcoaststampers.

Second, I am signed for a couple of different fun swaps on SCS. I am in a 4-month (Sep.-Dec.) swap that consist of 4 groups of 4. Each person takes a turn being the hostess for a month. Since I signed up for 2 groups I am the hostess for October and December. Well, as hostess you send the other 3 ladies a kit of the same stuff to make enough cards for 4 people. Each person uses their creativity and comes up with 4 of the same cards and send it out to the other 3 people in their group. It's really nice to see how different the cards are using the same materials. And I am in a Christmas Swap. I made 6 cards and send them to the hostess and she randomly sends back 5 different cards that other people did. The extra card is always for the hostess.

Now my Lil Sis is someone you receive randomly to send cards and little gifts to. It usually last 3 or 4 months and then you reveal yourself to them at the end. It's fun receiving cards in the mail throughout the month. You get really nice ideas.

Now for some pictures:

Here is a picture of the card I did for my Christmas Swap:

And here is the card I sent to my Lil Sis. I think I had some bad lighting on that one. I'll try to take another picture and reload.

And since I'm the Big Sis of a Lil Sis, it only is fair that I'm a Lil Sis for a Big Sis. So here is picture of a pretty card that I received from Big Sis.

Well it's Friday, so have a great weekend!

My First Blogger Advancement

2008-10-09T21:28:00.004-05:00

Hey check out my signature. And I did it all by myself. It was pretty easy. Just go to http://www.mylivesignature.com/ and follow the directions. If I can do it - so can you. If you have a question on how to do it, just leave a comment and I will try to help you out.

Splitcoaststampers

2008-10-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

For those of you who may not have heard of Splitcoaststampers (SCS), it is a gathering place where stampers meet and talk with other members of the stamping and scrapping community. Check them out here, where you'll find tons of samples, share your own stamping creations, catch up on the latest news, tips & techniques, or find out about upcoming events and happenings.

NOT Under Construction ANYMORE

2008-09-08T22:40:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone in blogland, I am up and running. Today marks the 1st of many posts introducing you to the world of stamping, card-making, and scrapbooking. Check back regularly for exciting ideas, classes, workshops, and techniques.

Hope to see you around.