birthday hairballs

So today I'm supposed to be designing cards for my last card class of the year happening this Friday.  What am I doing instead? 

Watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel.  

I am stamping during the commercials.  But instead of Christmas cards, I stamped a thank you card that I needed 2 weeks ago.  Can you say procrastination?

Yes, it did take me all day.  I'm a slow stamper anyway but show a movie I haven't seen before and I'm a whole lot slower.

So you might think that I'd show you the card I just made......... but no.   I want her to see it before I put it up here.  Not that she reads my blog but you never know. 

So I'm going to show you a birthday card I made a few weeks ago. 

Giggle Greetings and Dictionary background.  Crumb cake, pool party, pear pizzazz, whisper white and watercolor paper.  Soft suede, black Stazon, crumb cake and crisp cantaloupe inks.  Big shot, argyle embossing folder, chalk talk dies, aquapainter. 

See the groovy frame around this cute little kitty?  I was on Wendy Weixler's blog and she had done this.  I thought it was so neat!  Just lay both your framelit dies on the cardstock and run it through the Big Shot one time. 

It did leave a line from the inner framelit but I just turned it over and ran my bone folder over the line and it disappeared.  Magic!

My friend has cats which is why I choose this stamp.  I tried to color the kitty similar to hers but I had a heck of a time.  He is still kinda cute. 

I inked up just the image first with the Stazon.  Then cleaned the stamp and inked up just the words for the banner. 

Then cleaned the stamp and inked up the other words. 

Okay, one more thing before I go.

Grace laid out and separated her candy from Halloween so we could check it and she left this note for us to see in the morning.  Yes, Dad has a bit of a sweet tooth.  He is like a Hoover. 

Alrighty then, thats it for today.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  I love when you do that.

Blessings, b. 

coming around

I'm trying to find a new rhythm.  Ever since school/work started again I haven't been able to get a new routine down.  Something is always coming up. 

But things are settling down and so I hope I'm coming around. 

I have lots of pics to show you.  August was an incredibly busy month, and not just for stamping.   So lets catch up a little shall we?


I had my regular club meeting.  This is one of the cards we did.

Giggle Greetings and Dictionary sets.  Crumb cake, choc. chip and watercolor paper.  Crushed curry, crisp cantaloupe, sahara sand and black Stazon inks.  Dotted scallop ribbon punch, summer starfruit ribbon, neutrals buttons, aquapainter and Sweater Weather DSP. 


I just love this card!  I copied the design from a card on page 82 in the main catalog.  My base measures 5 1/2" x 3 3/4".  The banner extends to 4 1/4" so it still fits in a regular envelope.

I used the lids of my inkpads and my aquapainter to color in the kitty.  I know Summer Starfruit isn't one of the colors in the Sweater Weather DSP but I didn't have Crushed Curry ribbon and well heck, I really didn't think anyone would notice.  Did you? 


Lets see, what else happened......

We had an archeological expedition in my backyard. 


Just kidding.  We finally trenched for sprinklers.  I'm surprised you didn't hear me whooping it up in the next few states.  I've wanted grass so llllooooonnnnnnggggggg.

(The tent was mine and Grace's reading cave this summer.  I got her to read the first 3 Harry Potter books.  Yes, I hooked her!)

Then this happened.  Again, I'm surprised you didn't hear me jumping for joy. 

Then this one went back to school. 

Then we had to take this one back to school.  I miss her already. 

Then this one became a TEENAGER!  Holy Moly!

Headline numbers (retired), Dictionary and This and That rotary stamp.  Bermuda bay, versamark, smokey slate and whisper white cardstock.  Bermuda bay, basic gray and whisper white inks.  This and That washi tape, clear embossing powder, big shot, Alphabet press embossing folder, rhinestones, bermuda bay ribbon, chalk talk die and white gel pen. 

This is Grace's birthday card.  She really liked it.

I embossed the numbers with clear embossing powder.  I first stamped the number in versamark, then in bermuda bay and stamped.  Then sprinkled the embossing powder and heat.  Simple!

The white spots are me squishing the lid of my white ink pad and taking a really wet aquapainter, picking up some ink and then flicking it onto the cardstock. 

To get the smokey slate mat, I just freehand cut around the tag. 

This is my last harvest.  I ended up with 8 pumpkins this year.  The garden just didn't do so well this year.  My tomatoes have been limping along.  Those yellow pear ones are from a volunteer plant from last year.  I think I only got 6 zuccs all summer and no bell peppers.  The aphids tried to kill the watermelon but it is now coming back.  A little late though.  I think I'll empty the dirt in my boxes and start fresh.  I'll be planting onions and carrots in November. 

Alrighty then, I still have lots more stampy projects to show you.  I'll be getting right on that. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and hanging out.

Blessings, b.