Stinker #1

Ok, to be fair, this one isn't really a *stinker* stinker. Well, not to me, anyway. I'm just not that thrilled with it. But I wanted to ease you guys into this "bad card" thing. Didn't wanna put up a visual horror and send your senses into shock! I know some of you read this first thing in the morning. It's just not balanced to me. The sentiment should be mounted or bigger or better, something. I dunno. And I just really wanted to use that big Verve image that goes across the card, but wasn't sure what to do with it. I thought it deserved silver and then I used silver cardstock to mat it on. Ugh. See, I just don't even know what to say about a card I'm not crazy about. I've gotta keep this short anyway. I'm just about done with my Christmas tins (waiting on Christmas kisses to come out!) and I'm in the middle of a new project. Yeah, I'm just a little insane. I'm working on the Christmas gifts for the extended family and it all just sorta came together today. Yippee! Now, gotta get my sticker paper, stickles(!) and lots of ribbon...

Stamps: Artful Elegance & Fairy Tales (Verve), Ink: Silver pigment & Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: PTI white, Warm Steel (Paper Company), Accessories: silver embossing powder

Fade to Pink

Ok, so this isn't a reject card. I chickened out. But when I'm desperate and have absolutely nothing else to post, I'll probably cave. Yes, I was desperate this weekend and should have done that. But I didn't even have time to post. I was ready to sit down & make something on Thursday, but realized that something was wrong with one of my drawers in my faboo Ikea cabinet that I keep my stamping stuff in. So, I started to fix what I thought was a 5 minute problem. Dork. 2 hours later, it was time to get the girls from school. Then, Friday Shawn was home. That's when we get all the boring stuff done that's easier to do while the girls are in school. Ok, so eating breakfast at a restaurant without a kid's menu on our table is not boring, but getting new outlet covers at Lowe's is. (Kids!) So running errands and sneaking in a nap (ssshhh!) knocked out Friday. Saturday was definitely out. Darien had a volleyball tournament in a city about 90 minutes away. That meant leaving the house for the day by 6. Do you know how hard it was to convince Krista that she really did want to get up at 5:30 on a Saturday? Without a little bribery, impossible. And of course, because we can't have a weekend without excitement, Darien's phone (her life, her oxygen, her love) got stolen while we were there. *sigh* It really is always something. But, the girls played well, she's already replaced her phone, we all got to sleep in yesterday and then I made a card. Gee, and it's already Monday. Oh, yay.

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes (SU!), Birthday Surprise (Verve), Ink: Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose (SU!), Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: PTI white, Pink Pirouette & Basic Black (SU!), Accessories: Sweet Blush satin ribbon (PTI), paper piercer, white embossing powder, slot & circle punches (SU!)

All Polka Dotty

I just love Papertrey's Dark Chocolate swiss dot satin ribbon. Besides being really pretty, it will forever remind me of the dress Julia Roberts wore to the polo fields in Pretty Woman. I'm not sure why that image makes me smile, but it does. It's probably the thought of her in that dress doing that "whoo, whoo, whoo" thing that cracks me up. Aah, so refined. Anyway, this is one of my favorite ribbons and I just thought I'd share. The tidbit, not my ribbon. Also, I'm trying to keep with my reeeaaallly simple cards. They're actually more work than the regular cards I do, which are pretty simple, too. Ok, ok, they're all simple and yet some are just plain ol' hard to finish. Some make it to the finish line and some, sadly, don't. Hey, maybe I should take pictures of my rejects and post them. Ha. Maybe not. I think I threatened this before. But seriously, I have so many of them, it could be a series. "The Reject Files". Ooh, clever. Yes, I may do this. But am I brave enough? And do people really wanna see the crap I don't like enough to post? Eh, nevermind.

Stamps: Polka Dot Basics (Papertrey), Birthday Surprise (Verve), Priceless (SU!), Ink: Dark Chocolate (Papertrey), Paper: Papertrey white, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Accessories: Dark Chocolate swiss dots satin ribbon

Have a Magical Day

I tried to keep this one really simple. And I believe I succeeded. But try as I might, I just could not get a good shot of this card. There's either this crazy glare on the ribbon or it was too dark. Eh, whatever. Good enough. I mean, you get the general idea, right? Oh! I've been working on my tins. I'm doing the 2 sizes like I did last year {clicky to see}, and I've got the smaller ones done already. So, I just have to get the kisses for them (thought I'd wait til we were a little closer to Christmas for that) and do the ribbon & tag & I'm done. woohoo! And just today I figured out how I'm going to do the hinged tins. I'm still putting nuggets in the ones for friends & my absolute favorite people at school, but I'm trying to figure out what to put in the ones for family. I was gonna do these neat acetate ornaments, but I don't think that's gonna work. So, I'm still working on that cuz I don't think our family would be thrilled with a tin of chocolates. I would be, but that's because I believe all you need to be truly happy are stamps and chocolate. Maybe I should have higher standards. Anyway, when I get all these done & put together, you lucky ducks will be the first to know. And I've gotta get to it, cuz November is chock full of birthdays for me. Have a great weekend!

Stamps: Birthday Surprise & Fairy Tales (Verve), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Paper: white & Lavender Moon (Papertrey), Accessories: Lavender Moon ribbon

Hello Teddy

Ok, sorry. It would appear that I've misplaced my mojo again! I'm wondering if getting all those Christmas cards done has sucked all the creativity out of me. I look at my stuff & then my mind starts to drift far, far away. I really felt like coloring the other day, so I pulled out my bear stamp from forever ago and got this. Well, I tested him out 3 or 4 times before I settled on the color combination that I thought was just right. He's so adorable. I like the bear, but the rest of the card I'm not too happy with. But I haven't been able to figure out what I don't like yet. Hmmm, I may have to revisit this guy later & bring you a brand spankin' new & improved card. We'll see. I'm torn. On the one hand, I don't have the attention span to go back & do stuff I've done. On the other hand, having this card "not quite right" is just gonna bug the poo out of me. You may see him again soon. Or not. I've really gotta work on not being so indecisive. Or not. I dunno. Ack! Ok, I'm gonna give the card making thing another try. I have to make something. I miss making stuff! Wish me luck.

Stamps: Boof the Bear (Rubber Stampede), Simple Little Things (Papertrey), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Paper: Papertrey white, Creamy Caramel (SU!), Accessories: Dark Chocolate ribbon (Papertrey), Cuttlebug folder, Copics: E00, E11, E33, R29

All Together Now

Ok, I know this is kinda like cheating, posting crap you've already seen before. But I haven't sat at my desk for over a week, *gasp, i know!* and I haven't made one single new thing. So I thought I'd throw a picture of all my Christmas cards up there for you guys, just so you'd have something new to look at while I get to work. This is almost all 50 cards. I found like, 4 or 5 extras just lying around after I took the picture and put them back in their super-special, high- security containers (gallon baggies). I have no idea how they came to be all over my office, but they were, naughty little things. Anyway, here they are, real exciting, I know. Hmm, I feel like I'm forgetting to tell you guys something. It's been a busy week, but nothing outrageous. Let's see, book fair, tons of homework, constant running around, new ankle braces & giant band aids (2 different kids - ugh!), volleyball game...Ah, there was one thing at the game. Right after Darien scored the winning point in the 3rd, hard fought game (not to single her out, cuz the whole team played so very well, but that one part just made me dizzy with glee), I about lost my mind and stood up and yelled, "That's my baby!" Yeah, kinda over the top, I guess, especially when people started applauding me and my super birthing skills. Why, thank you. Thank goodness she missed that part! I think I read somewhere that it is actually possible to die of embarrassment. Maybe not. I'll have to look that one up. Anyhoo, you're now all caught up. Riveting stuff, I know. K, I'm off to create (hopefully). Enjoy your weekend.

Supplies: My lovely desk and a bunch of previously listed stuff!

Swirled Eggplant

Ok, here's the purple version of my tree card. It's been tweaked just a wee bit. First, I was mounting the tree and had a little oopsie. I mounted about 8 of them on silver cardstock before I realized it was supposed to be on purple cardstock first and then the silver. D'oh! I sounded so panicked when I discovered this that Tia came running and asked me if I was hurt. So, I explained to her that I just made a *big ol' whoops!* on my cards and that I was ok. I would just make it work. (Hey, that's just one less layer to worry about!) Then she told me not to worry, it was still pretty. Yeah, she's great. But seriously, I really need to relax more. Then, I had to find a different ribbon, and I think this silver one is better than the first one I had. I actually started obsessing about it and then I realized I'm the only one who cares. I also added a little white sponging along the edges to soften it up a little. Now it's not so perfectly clean (in a good way), but still totally me, as I could just sponge the whole world to death! And that, my friends, is the last of my Christmas cards. That's it. You've seen them all. Now off you go to do something creative. Oh, and Happy Monday!

Stamps: Snow Swirled (SU!), Ink: Elegant Eggplant (SU!), Brilliance Moonlight White (Tsukineko), Paper: Papertrey white, Elegant Eggplant (SU!), Warm Steel (Paper Company), Accessories: silver ribbon (Michael's), rhinestones

Lily & Poppy

Ok, here it is. Lily in Pure Poppy. And this is as traditional as I get. I have to say that the girls are pretty impressed with how you can actually feel Lily's fluff. I love liquid applique. And, there are some people who don't wanna hear this but *big grin* I am done with all my Christmas cards. All 50. Woohoo! See, it all started the other day when my internet went out. The end. Once I had that whole day to get started on my remaining cards, I couldn't stop. So that's how I've been spending my time. And now I'm done. Yay! And now I start on the gift part. Boo. No, it's not a bad thing, it's just knowing that I have a million tins to cover is a little daunting. But people like them (or, maybe it's just the chocolate inside of them), so that's what I'm doing. Haven't started on those yet, so no pictures will be coming anytime soon. But I did get my Snow Swirled card to work in purple and I really like it. So that's what you get to wait breathlessly on the edge of your seats for, you lucky ducks! Until then...

Stamps: Lily & Tweet (Pink Cat Studio), Best Yet (SU!), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Pure Poppy (Papertrey), Paper: White & Pure Poppy (Papertrey), Accessories: Nestabilities, Liquid Applique, Cuttlebug folder, Pure Poppy ribbon (Papertrey), Chalk (Pebbles Inc.), Copics: R29, E15, E25, E47, E49, E51, T0, YR04