Super Simple Christmas Card

I had scanned in this card and trimmed the black around it off and it just looked like 3 dots so I rescanned it and left the black on so you could see that it is a card! I joined the JulieHRR super simple card movement and made this my Christmas card.
There are a few details that make it more than three dots on white, but of course they are hard to see here.
First of all I used the SU shimmery white card stock just to make it a little more sturdy and give it some class.
Next, the middle snowflake (all three from the Snow Flurries set in the Holiday Mini) is heat embossed with clear over the Encore Silver ink.
Then, all three snowflakes are dry embossed. You can kind of see it on the cranberry one here. This is the first time I have really dry embossed on one of my cards. Can you believe it? I've had all the stuff for years and never used it. I've tried dry embossing before, just never did it on my cards. Tip - rubbing some wax paper on your card tock before dry embossing really does make a BIG difference. I was amazed at how much easier it was and you don't have to rub the wax paper hard.
The inside is stamped with Happy Holiday's from the Warmest Regards hostess set. I love that set. The font is great.
I tried to add some organdy ribbon along the side and it just didn't look right so I took it off.
I made 25 of these in a couple of hours. Then I got to work on a few other things. I'll try to scan one of the purse calendars in later today.
This card was inspired by many on SCS who were part of this year's simple Christmas card movement.

UHU and Starbucks

Today my samples of UHU arrived. They sent a glue stick and the Twist & Glue. I'll have to try them out maybe tomorrow and report back.

I also made my first candles. That is what I'm doing with the Starbucks altered frap packs. It was pretty easy, but I have to top them off some more. I keep getting holes in the middle. I found you need a little more than 2lbs of wax for all 4 jars. Strike that - You are probably better off with 2lbs of wax for three of the bottles. The wax came in a 2lb package and by the time you top off the bottles a couple of times you are safer just doing three rather than trying to get all four out of it. The first set I did was hazelnut coffee scented and the next will be french vanilla. I also have a pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and sugar cookie. Yum, yum! Once I get the packs decorated I'll get some pictures.

Phooey!!!

Is that how you spell it? I really was going to order from www.stampingfreak.com today. I couldn't order before today and today is still cutting it close, but I went there and when I put in the coupon code it told me it was expired. I'm so bummed! Maybe it is a sign, a sign that I'm not supposed to order these non-SU stamps, or a sign that I shouldn't spend the money. The site says they've extended the "coupon until December 8th". So I guess that means it isn't any good today. It should've said through the 7th if they wanted to make it more understandable. The blog I found the coupon code on says "through the 8th" so I guess I'm not the only one who thought it would work today. I sent them a message. Maybe they will extend it through today...

I just got an email response back that says they are fixing it! Woo-Who!!! I get to buy stamps at 20% off after all!!!!

UHU Glue

So I browse many blogs and I have noticed a lot of gals getting free samples of UHU Glue just for having a blog and writing about their experiences with the glue on their blogs. So I contacted them and my samples are on the way. If you are a crafter and have a blog of your own, you should give it a try. Here is a link to the UHU glue project blog . Just scroll down on the right you should see where it says Projects and "Review UHU on Your Blog". All the details are there. Once mine arrives I will give it a try and let you all know how it works!

I'm torn

I think I am about to make my first major non-SU stamp purchase. I keep going back and forth about it... Just over 4 years ago when I was introduced to Stampin' Up! I had 1 stamp. It was a guinnea pig that I bought in high school. Ever since then the only stamps I bought were SU! I just recently bought some of the $1 stamps at Michaels. I haven't used them yet, but they were cute and cheap so I thought I would give them a try.
A couple of months ago my mom was going to be opening a store. She was going to make gift baskets and stuff and wanted to sell my cards there. Well, if you are familiar with the SU angel policy you know it is ok to make cards with SU images and sell them at craft fairs and such if you use one of the appropriate stamps on the back, but it is not ok to sell them in a permanent retail location (this includes websites, incase you were wondering). So I started checking out some other stamp companies to purchase stamps that I could make cards with to sell in my mom's store.
Fast forward to now... A couple of the gals blogs that I browse (Pink Lemonade, Prairie Paper & Ink, Stampin' Mama) are on the Senior Design Team for GinaK Designs and here is the new site where these stamps and others are sold http://www.stampingfreak.com/. So I checked them out and they have some really cool stuff and I checked on their angel policy and it is safe to sell in a store, just can't be mechanically reproduced...and I find out this weekend that my mom isn't going to open her store (long story). So they have a coupon that is good until Friday and they have free shipping on orders over $100 and I just read on Amy's blog that they are giving free gifts on all orders between now and the 8th. So do I still buy the stamps if I'm not going to be selling cards in my mom's store, or no?

Many Merry Ornaments

I made 18 of these ornaments the other night and it wasn't too hard. It was harder trying to get a decent picture of it. I took my crappy digital camera (and I mean 1 megapixel crappy)outside in the cold to try and get a picture because it seems to get better pics outside, but not today. It would focus on anything but the ornament. I tried to get some pics inside and that didn't work so I ended up scanning it and here it is. Santa, if you are reading this I want a Canon PowerShot A540 for Christmas!

So this is the huge tin (75mm) from Creative Xpress and it fits the large poinsettia from the SU designer series paper that was just in the Holiday Mini perfectly. I was able to use my CM cutting system to cut a perfect sized circle for this tin and that is why I was able to get so many done. I made some glitter glue with crystal effects and dazzling diamonds and painted it on the inside of the lid. Finished it off with the Thyme stitched grosgrain. I tried to make some more ornaments of the other sizes, but wasn't able to find an easy match for the inside circle so I will have to work on those another time.

Is there anybody out there?

I always wonder if Crystal and I are the only ones that come to my blog so I added a counter and I registered with the stamping top 50... I'm already in the top 145 or something. Probably because I keep coming here to see if the number is moving! ha ha!!!

Pictures

Last night we went for pictures. That was not fun. Morgan hated it and Carter kept sticking out his tongue. Here are a couple of the shots...

New addition!!!

Another you say? Well, this is one of the furry nature. She doesn't have a name yet. We go pick her up on Saturday. I can't wait!!!!

You think I am crazy, right? We already have dogs. Here is how I am justifying this one.... Ever since I had kids I became an obsessive compulsive freak about dog hair and other stuff on my floors. This one is a minature schnauzer and they don't shed.

Corey has a couple of hunting dogs that I keep telling him he needs to get rid of because he never has time to spend with them. And we have our Lab Sable that we have had since we first started dating. She will be with us forever, but she lives in the outdoor heated condo because of all her shedding. Plus, she isn't exactly thrilled about the kids. She tolerates them when they are outside playing with her, but I can tell she would much rather they leave her alone. I don't think she would ever hurt them, but she is a big dog too so I don't want to take any chances either. Accidents happen. I've been wanting a family dog for a long time. My Grandma had a schnauzer when I was growing up and she was my best buddy. She would go with me every where. I miss Sarina. So I am finally going to get my house dog!

Here is a picture from the breeder. Isn't she sassy?!

Finally!

I finally got to play a little with my stamps and such. I need to do a lot more to get ready for Christmas, but here is what I did for a tin exchange.















I made a covered notebook and matching pen and some simple cards and envelopes to go inside. It was fun and pretty quick too!

How bad is this?

The SU! demo site is down for a couple hours today for maintenance and I can't stop checking to see if it is back up so I can order some stuff!!! I just ran out of the vintage violet stitched ribbon, not because I used it, but because I gave it all away. So now I need to order more. Do I really need to order more, if I haven't used it and it is about to retire? We know it won't be around because it is one of the InColors that is only available through June 2007 and it isn't in the next mini catalog, but I feel like I should order it. And I need to order cranberry because I actually used that one, and I may as well order the thyme too so I have it. Crazy, isn't it?

It gets worse...I was on splitcoast trying to decide what I am going to make for Christmas gifts this year and someone points me to these Altered Starbucks Frappuccino packs, ya know the 4 pack of the bottles of cold Starbucks? Well, people are taking them and decorating the bottles and holder and putting other stuff in them. Now I want to make coffee scented candles in the bottles and of course I need to order Like it a Latte so I can decorate the packaging with it. And while I am at it...what are these pocket notes? Maybe I should check them out. So I look in the gallery and see all the cute stuff people have made with those and now I need them and a couple more stamp sets. It just goes on and on.

What a beautiful day!!!

The weather was absolutely georgeous today. Sunny and mid 60's. I took the kids to the nature center for a "hike". I say "hike" because what we did was nothing like a real hike -- the kind I took with my dad and husband (before he was my husband) a few years ago in Colorado. Through this canyon to get to some secluded river so they could fly fish. I thought I was going to die! Today's "hike" was nothing like that, but it was pretty adventerous with a stroller. I had a few people ask me how I made it with a stroller. There were some muddy spots and a suspension bridge that was a little hairy, but we survived. Morgan pretty much slept through all the bumps too. It was good to get out of the house and a break from the running and screaming and fighting that goes on everyday here.

I'm a Collector

I'm one of those people that when they decide they need something they need the whole darn set. Our stamp sets for example...I had to have Little Layers, Little Layers Plus, and Little Layers II and I think I only used the pacifier and the graduation hat and maybe the fish. But because they all coordinated I had to have them. I used to collect CM albums. Never put anything in them, just had to have them. I bought a bunch of the hostess ones off of ebay. This summer when money was tight I ended up selling them all probably for 1/2 of what I paid for them. I never used them, but I had to have them. For awhile I was obsessed with the BST board on SCS. It just felt good when I was able to trade a stamp set I wasn't using for one on my wishlist. I finally realized I wasn't using the ones I got much more and I was spending too much in postage for all this mailing stuff around. Well, it is happening again. Right now I am obsessed with getting The keychains that were sold at convention. They are so cute. Well I think I have one, but now that isn't enough. I want one of each and an extra one for my friend Crystal!

Here they are. Aren't they so cute? These aren't mine. I found the pics on SCS.

Stamp Camp Cards

Better late than never... Here are a couple of the cards we are doing at the current stamp camp. We did 2 sessions of this camp already and the 3rd session isn't until December. My upline and I had a hard time getting our schedules to synch!


This card is my favorite. It is a big buckle card and uses the faux shaving cream technique for the flower.


















The inside of this one says "Will you pick up my mail while I am gone?" I wanted to do something funny and I hadn't used this set since I bought it so figured I better put it to use. We did some watercoloring with the watercolor wonder crayons and aquapainters on this and they loved them! I love them too! They are so much fun.










That is all I have to share right now. I haven't had too much time to be creative lately. Hopefully soon!

Winter Mini Pre-order

Today us demos could start ordering stuff from the winter mini. My order is in already! I got Big Pieces, Fancy Flexible Phrases and the Small Tag Punch. Of course I got some other stuff too from the big catty. I can't put in an order unless it qualifies for hostess benefits. That's not a real rule, just mine! I needed some stuff for our next stamp camp, a gift for our group's Christmas exchange and a few things I have been wanting for awhile. Next week sometime it will be here!
I'm cleaning the house now, can't you tell? I'm waiting for the floor to dry. I need to feed the kids and if I have time later I will post some cards I made. I haven't posted any good stamping stuff for awhile.

I'm seriously addicted

Every time I get a spare second I run over to the computer to check my emails and splitcoaststampers to see if I am missing anything. SCS hasn't been moving fast enough for me lately so I started cruising stamping blogs. I linked to one off of another and saw this card that looks a lot like a card I got from my secret sister so I am wondering if I accidentally figured out who she is. Oops! I need to be spending my spare time stamping but my set up just isn't good for that.

It's Halloween! I some how volunteered to make mummy hot dogs for Maddie's kindergarten. That was fun. I ended up making them last night and then just heating them up this morning before I took them to school. Morgan had her one month check up today. The chunky monkey is 10lbs. 7oz. already! Maddie is a Cheerleader and Carter is Elmo. I found a cheerleader outfit that Morgan will fit into so I may dress her up tonight when we go trick-or-treating. Maddie will be thrilled. Well, Morgan is calling and I need to go pick up the kids and get them fed before we go out tonight.

Silent House

No, not mine...It is a song by the Dixie Chicks on their latest CD "Taking the Long Way". It is a really good CD. It is really crazy how they have been banned from certain radio stations because of their political beliefs. We have a newer country station in the Detroit area and they had people call in and vote whether or not they wanted the Dixie Chicks music played on this station and I think they lost. I was amazed at the ignorance of people calling in to complain. The music is great regardless. It is really sad. Their first single "Not Ready to Make Nice" is even about this situation. It mentions how they got death threats because the lead singer made a comment about being ashamed to be from the same state as George W. Bush. If I was from Texas I would be ashamed too, but that is another story.

Back to the point of this post. Silent House is a song about someone with Alzheimers. I heard it for the first time the other day and it made me think of my Grandma. "I will try to connect all the pieces you left. I will carry it on and let you forget. I'll remember the years when your mind was clear. How the laughter and life filled up this silent house." I was very close with my Grandma growing up. My mom and I lived with her for awhile and we spent a lot of time together. Now she is in a home and I don't see her too often. I saw her a couple of weeks ago. She really enjoyed seeing the kids. I got pictures of her holding little Morgan. Two days ago my mom called and told me they were taking my Grandma to the hospital. She's not doing good. Her blood counts were down and she was dizzy and her memory had gotten drastically worse. I went and saw her last night. They aren't sure what is wrong yet. And once they figure it out, not sure they will be able to do anything about it. She is 84 and probably couldn't take a surgery. My visit with her was actually kind of humorous. She was telling me that Meerkats live under my aunt's deck and it is all because the neighbor lady used to feed them. I really don't think we have Meerkats in Michigan, but I didn't go there. She asked if my husband knew how to get rid of them. I just said that I didn't think he had experience with Meerkats.

2 year old boys sure are trouble....

Well, at least mine is. He won't let this baby, or me, sleep. This kid is always up at 6:00 in the morning, comes in to my room and makes a bunch of noise. Or he climbs in bed and pulls my hair or sticks his finger in my ear and his cold feet on my legs. This morning I just about strangled him. He was kissing Morgan while she was sleeping in her cradle, that didn't wake her up but the yelling he was doing later did. Why does he always have to talk so loud? None of this bothered me until the baby came along. Some of it was even cute. He was and still is my mamma's boy. But things are different now. I still love him to death, he just gets on my nerves! He is good for getting tissue, diapers, etc and putting stuff in the fridge or getting it out...He's screaming at me now. Time for a nap. "I'm mean at you" That is what he says when he's mad at me, which seems to happen a few times throughout the day.
I think I am just in this honeymoon stage with Morgan. She screams at me too, but it is because she is hungry, or wet, not because she is "mean at me". She wakes me up every night and morning, but I don't get mad at her when she does.

These children are going to drive me to drinking!!!

I don't know if I can do this. We've been talking about me staying home with the 3 kids instead of going back to work and I don't know if I can do that. Today has not been a good day. Last night was a rough night. I already sat down with the ice cream container to try and drown my sorrows. I don't think that worked. I may go open that bottle of wine that has been sitting in the laundry room since our wedding! It is an aweful big bottle and I don't think it will taste that good though. I'm not big on wine, other than Boone's Farm!!!

Twisted Swap - Holiday Edition

Here is my card for the twisted swap. I am in the adult group. My daughter asked why the boy and girl were on top of each other. You can't tell that much from the scan, but the slutty girl is bending over.