Birthday

I didn't know whether to post tonight-I finally got out of the house, went to the gym and then stopped at a little gourmet shop looking for some truffle oil (gasp! the price was outrageous) and an odd spice. I am pooped. I can't find Fenugreek. I need it for my curried vegetarian sausage. So maybe I will have to make Italian instead of Indian. I also forgot the yeast for my bread making. Perhaps hubby can stop on his way home (in my dreams). We are expecting another 5 inches of snow. I don't drive if the roads are anything but clear. I can go all winter on one tank of gas!

I still have some valentines I have been working on but this was just a bunch of die cut items. The background was one I got at a local scrap store already cut. I think I can use a corner punch and make one without a die. The green vine of the flower used a swirl from Sizzix and the flower was also from them. I punched a circle for the middle of the flower and pop dotted it. Then a simple stamped phrase on a scrap of paper and I stapled it to the right side. Fast, easy and used up scraps.

Johnny Depp Is A Doll!

A slew of celebrities

Johnny

Alas, you can't make them neked. Sigh

Down For The Count

Hubby made me sick-I will be out of commission for a few days. Oh, the pain!

Confetti Flowers!

Look what I found in the bridal aisle at Micheal's! A bucket of pre-punched, embossed and "with a hole in the middle for a brad" flowers. They come in cream or white. Very shimmery and at least a couple hundred per bucket. The bucket is clear, so that will be another thing to alter, too. $4.99 before coupon. I am going back for the white ones tomorrow. Here is a link for the other color-very easy to color with Copics or chalk inks. There are also crystals and other items to match.

Only In America.

This made the local news-like there aren't enough idiots in Washington to keep up with.

ETA-Ebay took the original down. It was over 1 Million last I looked early this afternoon-I heard it reached 100 million.Here is a link to a news story-and there is video too, posted here

the original

the doppelganger

Love Song Tweeters

Hubby came home today sick-I kinda knew it would happen. He was sick last night and insisted on going to work and infecting everyone there. Why are guys like this anyways? Big babies!! Now he is gonna infect me too-as I always get everything on the rebound.

So there won't be any love songs for me for a while if ever. But I really like this card (it's a square one, my bane, but it works). It was hard to photograph to catch the stamped image on the black, so I hope you get the idea. I stamped with Versa Mark and embossed with a darker burgundy powder. Using those scissors I hardly ever use anymore, I did the sides only. I found a medium textured scrap and cut it to show only on the top and bottom behind the black stamped piece.

Using a vanilla card, I sponge stippled the front and after punching two corners of a textured piece, layered it on top of the card. A smaller piece of patterned card was edged in purple ink and inserted into the corner slots. Since this was two sided patterned paper, I took a small length of the reverse side, inked the edges and then laid it across the front. The stamped and layered piece I made before is now pop dotted in the middle.

The lighting is bad on this as I had to turn it just so to catch the embossing and because of that, it kinda washed out the front. I will be so glad when I can do this outside in the sunshine instead of by kitchen stove light. Now I need to find a bucket for hubby-just in case. It should be a fun night. At least he called into work, and told them he was sick. But I bet they are calling at 6 AM anyways.

Scrappin' Belinda

A very strange family video.

Serenity

It was not a serene day at all. I have an idiot family and I have no idea what to do about it. Then hubby's employer is making all the dependants of their employees prove they are entitled to benefits. I guess a marriage license and a couple of ulcers isn't enough proof! So I dug up every damn paper I could but we have so little jointly together other than our tax papers. But I filled the envelope full of documents and enclosed one very perturbed letter accusing them of invasion of privacy for demanding my tax papers.

To top it off, after I go to the gym to chill and maybe watch the game-a horrific accident shut down the freeway with no way out-barrier walls kept us on idle for almost 2 hours. I had to pee so bad and could not call anyone to let them know where I was-my phone fell under the seat and I could not reach it. I had Delilah to keep me company for the duration but no toilet. I fell over the dogs getting into the house trying not to wet my pants.

This is another Stacey idea and it's been getting raves. I used a folded card made from what looks to be mica card stock. I have some in every color but no idea who makes it. It's pretty rigid for card stock. So that black piece I stamped on was from the same company. I stamped the image using Versa Mark and covered with clear detail powder, then heat set it. Taking a sponge, I used Ice Blue Brilliance and rubbed the ink over the image to make it pop. You don't need a lot of ink, just smoosh it around. Then I took a Fantastix and White ink and rubbed at the bottom to simulate moon-lit misty snow. I wish you could see this up close as it looks so much better-too much light was bouncing off the colors. Deckle the edges.

This stamped and inked piece was then layered on mirror card stock-and only the bottom was deckled. I hope you cut better than me too. Layer this on the top of the folded card. Using a Trio tape runner, apply a piece of ribbon under the stamped piece after tying a knot in the middle.

Stamp the word serenity on the left using White detail ink and then punch a snowflake for the right using a scrap of the metal card stock. Or you could use a brad here instead. Use what you find in the scrap bin.

Crunchy Snow

Jackson is in and out so many times a day-to terrorize the squirrels who live in the 40 foot pines-that we are wearing out a path to the door. Here he is eyeballing the squirrel who had just jumped from the maple to the pine. The snow is so crusty, I can walk on it.

He drags his bowling ball all over the yard. I usually have large pots on the deck but he barreled over them so I had to move them for now to keep them intact. This is one crazy dog.Marley just hides inside beside me.

BTW-I won my first challenge! I was so surprised. You can see my entry here. I wanted to enter Allison's tree idea but I went thru all my recently finished cards, and no trees! I need to dig out some buckets and see what I can use that is eternal instead of seasonal.

Going to bed-the Fibro is making me not so happy these past weeks. I need heat and sun. Got any to spare?

Heart Flutter

I had fun at my bread making class yesterday. I forgot to take photos (I always take a camera but stash it away). We made three breads but I can't share the recipes (copyrighted) but if you want to know more about the chef/teacher, here is her website . She has photos up with all the major foodie stars that we all know, so she is not a lightweight. Maybe if you are near or visiting mid Michigan, you might like to make a day of it. One of the ladies in the class came from Cleveland. I saved the cheese bread for hubby (I think he is part rat) but the stuffed bread was to die for! I will make it again and have a photo then-I promise.

This was a fairly easy card to make. Using Bling for the base card, I edged in a chalky purple ink. Die cut a large heart from medium cream card stock and stamp with a heart border image until covered nicely. I used Great Impressions for this. Then I took a sponge and daubed the edges of the heart, smooshing a bit. I wanted a fuzzy look I guess (most would have just edged and left it-I did and hated it as it didn't fade enough). Punch a circle with scallops and a smaller one to layer.Stamp a birdie image and edge as above. Layer the two and then using a white gel pen, dot the scallop insides. Glue the heart on and then pop dot the circles to the lower right. Tie a ribbon remnant and snot dot it on the heart.

I stamped a message on the inside by using a scrap and also edging the piece with matching ink to the outside color. Taped it at an angle.This card has a very soft, 40's style to it. Pretty fast to make and an idea for assembly line card making.

Enjoy the winter break or work holiday if you got it. My hubby is back to the grind even tho I asked he take a day off (he gets 5 weeks-and never uses them all). I may stay home with the bad weather (ice and wind). And no mail! I get my fix (newspapers) delivered via the postal service. I will be scrounging the internet for my sports and political reads today.

Tale of An Ex-Consultant

Will You Marry Me?

What an unusual proposal!

This guy is a keeper, Loretta!

My First Time! (Get Your Mind Out Of The Smut)

I have never entered an online challenge from a blog before but I saw this one and knew I had just the right card to enter. I am always working backwards for some odd reason. But this past week, I was playing with punches and rub-ons and came up with this sample. I can't decide if it's a really odd Valentine card (because I found the rub-on in a package of heart/valentine ones) or if it's springy enough. So I decided spring-since I am so fed up with winter.

I started with a mossy green Bazzill card. I then used a scrap of purple texture from DCWV (I hate this cardstock as it's a white core) which I distressed on the long edges. I covered this with a scrap of shimmery white. Taking a piece of glitter green wired Christmas ribbon (yeah, I am using up scraps still) I taped this to the back of the two layers. Using two more ribbon pieces, I laid them side by side and taped the ends to the back . Two tiny scraps of purple ribbon were then tied around each end in a small bow. I have no idea how I will ever do that again! It was hard!!!

I used a circle punch from Fiskars and punched out a yellow scrap. Then I attached the rub-on (I have had previous bad luck using textured cardstock for rub-ons but this worked great!). Those 99 cents rub-ons from Micheal's are a-ok. I then layer on the ribbon/paper combo using a Trio or other tape runner to the base card and added pop dots to the punched circle and centered it in the front middle. Ta da. Done.

I Heart You

Senior Citizen Bad Ass!

May 22

Pocketful of Love

I am sending this card via cyberspace to several people who are in particular need of a hug today and to let you know that someone out here cares about you. Valentine's Day is hard for a lot of us and I am no exception. I think you know who you are-far to the north and laid off by the lake, across an tropical ocean and near on life support. I wish I could hug you all-and I will be thinking of you today and I send my love.

Plain white card (ink edges) , layered with red textured Bazzill and distressed on the edges. Patterned piece inked and distressed.Die cut envelope folded and tied up with jute and an added love charm. Pop dot on front at an angle. Add several hearts in matching colors and pop dot inside the envelope

I Am So Gonna Be In Trouble!!!!

Gruffies

ETA-preorders only as far as I can tell. Sign up for notification.

Amazon Gift Certificate Giveaway

Did you know that at that super new fun Bitch blog they are giving away a Gift Certificate to Amazon.com if you send them a photo of your scrap/stamp area? It's great to read the rants (about anything you want to rant about-so not just stamps or scrap rants). You can leave an anonymous comment or your real name-whatever you feel comfortable with. And if you really have a big rant and rave to get off your chest, you can become a writer and remain totally incognito!

Go take a look and enter the contest here!

BTW-I was awarded the bitch logo to display as I left several comments. If you like to bitch (about anything) grab the logo above, post it to your blog and send to others and then go leave a comment or a bunch of them at Bitchinescape!

Shimmery Hello

I am going to take a class this weekend (if the weather permits my one and a half hour drive) and learn the artisan way of bread making. My daughter and I are taking it together-like either of us need more carbs. Whenever I order in a restaurant and they ask what kind of toast or bread I want, I just say surprise me. I really want to say-give me one of each! I love bread.

Using scraps as usual, I covered a plain white card with a shimmery piece of flower paper (KI I think). Then edge a piece of stripe or other patterned paper with ink and layer it thru the middle. Use a tape runner to add a scrap of ribbon. Die cut a flower and roll the petals over a pencil for dimension. Add a button center that is tied with floss. Use a pop dot for it. Stamp a small message on a tiny tag and add to card under button.

I burned out my heating pad-this is my third one since summer. Good thing I buy them in bulk and they have long warranties. I tried a heated blanket and screwed that up too. Must be my body chemistry is whack.

Sizzix/Ellison Die Store

Did you know Sizzix has an official Ebay store?

Go here .

Postal Update-Updated

The U.S. Postal Service announced Monday that the price of a first-class stamp will rise to 42 cents starting May 12.

So much for those rolls of stamps I bought last fall. I figured they were good for cards for a while. Maybe I messed them up by paying all my bills electronically? Interesting as the price goes up the service gets worse.

ETA--here is the link for the new rates announced.

Magnetic Love Posts

I decided to stay warm tonight by trying to make something I had never made before-tortillas. I had all the ingredients (masa and water), a cast iron pan, a flipper and a bunch of time. I think based on how they look, I should have just gone to the store. The other day I bought flour ones and tonight I needed corn, so that is why I thought I could make them. They cooked okay once I got them in the pan, but they aren't round. I will be covering them with sauce for enchiladas tomorrow, so I guess no one will notice. I will be buying a press next time I am at a kitchen store. The rolling pin method sucked.

This again is a Stacey idea. We used some scraps of chipboard and covered it with 2 different pieces of patterned paper. Then each corner was rounded and the edges were sponged with chalky red ink. While that was drying, we punched some hearts and covered them with the same ink. I used a Trio tape runner to attach my ribbon across where the two papers met. Then I fake tied a bow and attached it with a snot dot. Glued on the hearts and taped on the post it pad.
Here is the back with a magnet and now it's on my fridge (even with no kids at home, I still have way too much crap on my fridge front and even the side). Old habits never die.

They Walk Among Us

I walked into a Blimpie's with a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for a sandwich. I handed it to the girl and she looked over at a little chalkboard that said "buy one-get one free". "They're already buy-one-get-one-free", she said, "so I guess they're both free". She handed me my free sandwiches and I walked out the door.

They walk among us and many work retail

One day I was walking down the beach with some friends when one of them shouted, "Look at that dead bird!" Someone looked up at the sky and said, "Where?"

They Walk among us!

While looking at a house, my brother asked the real estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning.

She asked, "Does the sun rise in the north?"

When my brother explained that the sun rises in the east, and has for some time, she shook her head and said, "Oh, I don't keep up with that stuff."

They Walk Among Us!!

I used to work in technical support for a 24/7 call center. One day I got a call from an individual who asked what hours the call center was open. I told him, "The number you dialed is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

He responded, "Is that Eastern or Pacific time?"

Wanting to end the call quickly, I said, "Uh, Pacific."

They Walk Among Us!

My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped. She keeps it in the trunk.

They Walk Among Us!

I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area, so I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands

"Now," she asked me, "has your plane arrived yet?"

They Walk Among Us!

While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding.

"Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces."

Yep, They Walk Among Us!

AND........ they reproduce!

Worse yet .... they vote!!!

Penguin Dance

They better dance! Just to stay warm. It is so cold. How cold is it? My runny nose froze on my lip. Good thing as I didn't have a Kleenex. My shirt sleeve wasn't all the nice either as I had been tramping around the pet store sizing up dog houses. Only problem is, Jackson would probably eat the one I have been eyeballing. I got him a nice pillow for his cubicle (he has to go inside it whenever I am not in the room) and he ate it. There is pillow fuzz all over the family room.

So here we have a plain white card that I stippled with a sponge in blue ink. I had notes to tell you the exact color but my desk is buried (I did try to clean it off but too many jobs, not enough hands) Besides, you will use your own oddly named blue,right? So just wing it, okay? Take another scrap-this time some blue card stock (again, you chose)-- mine has a shimmer to it, and tear the bottom. Versamark some snowflakes on this piece. Take a scrap of white, and stamp your penguins or polar bears or snowman-use what ya got ladies. Stipple around your image (unless you want your image to have some serious skin condition, then stipple the whole thing). Tear the bottom. Take a piece of sponge and ink up the bottom edge (you can also run the ink along the edge of this piece if you want). Layer on the blue. Run a piece of ribbon across the bottom using Trio or some other thin runner tape and Scotch tape the ends in the back. Add a snowflake sequin to the middle and pop this all on the card front.

Color the image using Spica or other glittery pens. Add a little puff paint to the hats. Then crawl back under the quilts until it gets warmer. Brrr. I am off to the hot water bottle. Night.

Commercials As Art?

For all of you who love commercials, you can see the entire line up of Super Bowl ads at this link. I really only liked one. Can you guess which one it was? At least I didn't have to sit thru the whole game to see them. I was at Stamp Camp!

No card tonight. I finally got out of the house and did some grocery shopping. I still can't find Nutritional Yeast Flakes or Agave Syrup. But I got wheat gluten (for my veggie sausage) and Masa (I am gonna make vegetarian tamales - spicy yum). I am also gonna try my hand at fresh ravioli dough. I was using pot sticker dough (from the Chinese food section) but it seems too thin. Pumpkin ravioli with walnut and agave sauce-sound good? See ya later!

Frosty White

The snow event we had ranks as one of the top 10 in a 24 hour period in my area of all time. And more is on the way this weekend and especially early next week. I basically went out tonite, and came back in. No yoga class. The roads are horrible and the county pulled the plows back because of the wind. They clear a road and half an hour later, it's trashed again. No school for the kiddies tomorrow either. But they will have to make up the days come June.

White card. Blue glimmer paper with punched corners. Threaded with two strands of silver floss and taped in the back. Silver square topped with white smaller square (corners punched) and stamped with a large snowflake. This is topped with two punched flakes and pop dotted. Stamped words cut out and edged in blue Brilliance ink. Attach. At least this snow isn't yucky.

Snow Blows

The snow seems to have finally stopped. I measured 12 inches in front of the house at about 9PM. It took hubby three hours to navigate home from Pontiac on I75. Thankfully, he wasn't in downtown Detroit or I would still be waiting. He has a big old honking truck (I call it a semi) with 4 wheel drive and those little puddle jumpers were whipping right past him at 70 mph. So he blows our drive, we go get a sammy (I hate eating so late) and the plow has come thru while we are away. He can get in the drive but my Aveo will only sit on top of the snowbank if I try to emerge from the garage. I need to go to yoga class or I will go nuts. (Oh wait, I am already nuts-I need to go for my remaining sanity)

Something is missing on this card. Ribbon? Sparkle? I may take it apart and redo it if I come up with another idea. I used this same stamp here. Stamp the image on glossy with Versa Fine black. The gloves were colored with Copics . The nose and some of the stripes on the hate used Spica (also from Copic)and I used puffy paint for the dots on the glove. I also gently colored around the snowman in light blue which made him seem to have more substance and stand out. I layered the image in blue. The bigger piece of blue was stamped using Brilliance and a swirly stamp from Great Impressions. All this was layered on a plain white card edged with blue ink.

I need to finish my soup stock-I cleaned out the fridge and anything that was wrinkly but not moldy, went into the stock pot and I will have better broth than anything in the can. And it freezes well too. The doggies will be happy with the leftover veggies that are all boiled out-I may sneak a few bites myself. Stay warm people. It's gonna be bitter later this weekend.

Bee Mine

I had the living beejeebers scared out of me tonight. I was on my way from the gym and going to the grocery store and its sleeting and flaking (the size of my fist, honest) and rounding a curve on I75, I see headlights coming at me! Luckily hubby was driving as I would have panicked bit time. There had been an accident with a semi, an SUV and a Cavalier up a bit and the smaller car was knocked backwards and turned around. No one hurt but I imagine that was just the first of many for the night. Glad I am inside.

So I said the other day I was gonna enter a card in a contest. Well, I lied. I decided on this one instead. It's an A2 size and I just like it better. I used the same papers and same ribbon and even the same sheet of rub ons.

A white base card was edged in lipstick distress ink and layered with print paper that was also edged. I used a slab of red textured Bazzill and added my rub on of the bee. I then roughed up the edge of it with my handy dandy razor thingie. Before pop dotting it at an angle, I ran a piece of ribbon near the top and fake tied a bow on the right side. Then the bee was added. Die cutting a few hearts and inking the edges of them, they were popped in layers on the right over lapping a bit of the red. A small piece of white was layered with a piece of red and also inked the edges then added the rub on "Bee Mine" and popped it over the bottom of the heart trio.

I mailed it in and now find out I may have violated the rules. I didn't know that everything I used had to be purchased at the store where the contest is taking place. I got the rules after the fact. I bought the ribbon and card stock there but not the rub on (dollar store) and the print paper was a scrap. So I may be getting my card back. Guess I should have asked for the rules before I made the card up and sent it. Sa la vie!

Wonderful Day

So it's snowing and there is an advisory up. It will turn to sleet and rain and get really ugly by mid morning. Tuesday is 48F with heavy rain and the roller coaster will continue thru the week. I am worried about flooding as we have has an unusually flaky winter (not counting the rain days). Maybe I will find a Paczki this Tuesday without having to drive to Hamtramck where the BEST bakeries are and you have to order them weeks in advance. I love lemon and there is no way I will ever eat a prune. I got my car back Saturday and my wallet hurts. Mousie best keep his distance-he is very lucky I am a no-kill-the-vermin person.

So this wonderful card was a Stacey idea. I used an Imaginisce cardstock remnant and punched the corners, inked the edges and placed on an oblong card. Used some tiny green crystals in the four corners. I also gently inked the white card in the same dark brown color from Versafine called Sepia . Then I stamped a pine cone with a branch ( Inkadinkado ) on the left using the same brown. I colored the pine needles in green. Using a clear drying glue, I filled in the pine cone and covered it with Honey Oak Elements from Art Institute Glitter and sprinkled some micro glitter over the top and shook off the extra. This gives it a snowy look.

On a scrap of cream I stamped a phrase from Sweet Impressions and backed it with a scrap of Bazzill. Pop dotted this on the right side and enjoyed the aroma of the Elements (they stay aromatic for quite a while).

I Love Football!!

Not really.... I actually hate football. But I put in my bet just for fun and to practice my hex spells and guess what? I was the ONLY one to take the Giants! I get free food at one of my favorite restaurants-The Red Cedar Grill in Williamston which is so conveniently locate near my favorite stamp store in Fowlerville!

My appy will be the Roasted Garlic Platter-just right for the witch in me (casting my spells, Gloria). Yum--o.

And they have TVs so I can watch the Wings and Pistons-my favorite teams.

A Man With A Whip

Winter

In case you haven't figure it out, I hate winter. It snowed all day, the schools were all closed in the county (except Flint, oddly) and I am stuck here with no car and a barfy cat. Fun.

So here is one of the winter stamp camp pretties for you. This starts with a basic white card punched with a circle and a piece of blue card stock punched after lining it up for placement. Also punch two smaller circles from white shimmer paper and set aside. Using a snow flake stamp and Brilliance Ice Blue Ink, randomly stamp the images on the blue piece (this sparkles a lot in the light, so use a shimmery ink). Use a piece of dry wall tape-yup, that is what I used and wrap around the left side. Okay, you can use Magic Mesh if you want but my way is WAY cheaper!

The two circles you punched--on one of them stamp the snowflake in the same blue ink as above. On the other, stamp a winter sentiment. Take a piece of dental floss or fish line and lay it across one circle and glue the other so the stamped images are facing out-wards. Tape the long tales of line or floss centered in the punched out area on the back of the blue sheet. Layer this whole deal to the base card. Punch out some star like or flaky pieces and use Stickles or a Spica to add some shimmer to each of them. Snot dot to the mesh.

Lastly, use a shimmer paper and stamp a sentiment and use detail white powder and heat set. Tear one end and position on the lower left with pop dots.

Mini Valentine

I made this for a local contest. The only requirement is that it has to have ribbon on it (the theme is Valentine's Day). I made a couple others which I will post later this week. I used the same red card stock and the same print paper on all of them. All scraps. But the pile is not going down any.

When this is folded flat, a tiny bit of the base card shows under the torn red edge. The base card is about 3 x 2 1/2 (folded) and then I cut a bit off the front for the red torn piece. I used a die cut for the envelop and flipped it backwards so the flap is on the back. Tied a bit of pink ribbon around the base and used a rub on from the dollar bin at Micheal's on the flap. All the edges of the off-white card stock are inked in Tim Holtz Worn Lipstick Distress Ink as the print paper is too. Layered the print paper on, the torn piece below the edge and then I attached the envelope with pop dots. In the lower right corner I used a piece of matching card stock and another rub on from the same sheet and then backed it with torn red and used pop dots here too.