back to normal around here

Hey everyone!  I'm happy that everyone's vacations are over and we are all back on schedule around here. 

It would have been great if our vacations had been at the same time.  But as soon as I went back to work, the kids had off.  Bummer! 

So how was Easter?  We had a quiet one here.  The boy got his wisdom teeth out on Good Friday and he was not good company. 

Grace made some awesome Easter cards this year.  She was bored on vacation while mom was at work.  Check this kid out:

This was all her doing.  I came home from work and this was on my desk.  This kid rocks!  Look at the detail:

She loves to stamp.  When I have a class at our house, all the other family members disappear.  Not Grace.  She is right in there helping out.  So funny.  This card went to gramma and grandpa.

Look what she made us for Easter morning:

We each got our own card in our favorite colors.  Can you guess which one is mine?  I'll give you a hint:  it starts with crumb and ends with cake.

I have a little box with leftover letters from the Naturally Serif Alpha die cut and she went through there and picked out letters.  She said the words were in the shape of the cross.  Clever girl!  This was another thing she just did on her own.  I don't know where she gets these ideas.  Love that girl!


Mother's Day is coming up you know.  Are you ready?  Me neither.

The other day I had a friend ask me how to make a circle fan and rather than try to explain it to her, I decided to do a picture tutorial.  It was the perfect opportunity to make a Mother's Day card.

How to make a circle fan:

First decide how big you want your circle to be.  Then cut 2 pieces of DSP a little more than half that size.  So, if you want a 4" circle then cut your strips at 2 1/4" x 12.  I cut mine at 1 1/2" x 12".  I didn't need that big of a circle fan. 

For this fan I decided to use my scallop border punch on the edges before I scored them

For this strip I scored it between each scallop.  Can you see the score lines?  Which came out to every 3/8".  Usually when I make a circle fan, I'll score it every 1/4".  It won't be as bulky if you were mailing it. 

Then using my super duper Tombow Multi glue, glue 2 ends together.  You can use tape.  I just like the glue.

Make sure you match up the folds when you glue/tape it. 

Then glue the other ends together and you'll end up with this funky circle.  This is when you would punch out a circle of cardstock.  I punched a 1 3/8" circle but didn't get a pic of it.  Put tape over the whole surface of the punched circle.  Set it aside. 

I also forgot to take a pic of me pushing this circle flat and then gathering it up to get this:

Once you have this, carefully pick it up and put it on top of your sticky punched circle.  Press it down without squashing it. 

Here is what the backside looks like.  It doesn't matter if the circle is centered on the back.  No one will see it. 

I cut my strips 1 1/2" x 12" and it made a 2 3/4" circle fan. 

Now, I don't like this particular pattern of DSP so I made another circle fan out of cardstock. 

Lesson learned:
Making the gathered up cardstock circle stick to the sticky punched circle was next to impossible.  The cardstock is so much stronger than the DSP.  Lighter weight paper works better. 

But of course I couldn't let it go and made it work.  What did I use to strong arm it?  Tombow Multi Glue.  Love that stuff!

I {heart} hearts and Wonderful Favorites stamps.  Very vanilla, old olive and crumb cake cardstock.  Pretty in pink and rose red inks.  Vanilla seam binding, little leaves die, big shot, polka dot embossing folder, cutter kit, Springtime Vintage DSP, scallop border punch. 

I don't love this card.  Its okay.  Not sure I'll send it to her. 

Here's another example of me being a dork.  I had made the edges scalloped like on the DSP one but, when I flattened it and gathered it, I put the scallops on the inside of the circle.  DUH! 

I used the Cutter Kit to rough up the edges of the little circle.  This heart stamp actually says "friend" in the middle.  I covered it.

This one was also scored at 3/8" and you can see how much it sticks out.  Scoring at 1/4" would make it lie a little flatter. 

So there ya go.  Thats how you make a circle fan.  If you decide to try it, show me.  I would love to see your creations. 

Alrighty then, like I said, we are back on normal schedule here.  I have lots to show you and should have more regular posting going on.  Thanks so much for keeping the blog warm while I've been busy. 

Blessings, b.

copy cat

Hey there!  I hope you had a nice weekend.  We had a beautiful one!  The weather is just how I like it.  Low 60's and breezy with big puffy clouds.  Perfect. 

So I felt pretty darn good this weekend and got lots of stuff done.  Taxes? Check  Grocery shopping? Check  Clean sheets?  Check.  Plus a million other things that I was supposed to get done while on vacation but didn't feel good enough to do. 

Of course now that I feel better, I gotta go back to work tomorrow.

The children are just starting their vacation though.  In fact the boy has jury duty tomorrow.  Poor kid.  He called today and he has to go in.  I hope he gets to come home by lunch. 

I know that I am overprotective and shelter my kids.  But I just don't think at 18 you're ready to handle something like jury duty.  I mean, thats kind of a heavy responsibility.  A friend of mine just had to serve and the subject matter of that case was not something that I would want to deal with, much less wanting my kid to be exposed to. 

Get over it, right?  Yeah, I know. 

So anyway, I was stamping on Thursday.  I was hanging out in bloggie land and saw this card on Connie Collins' blog and copied it. 

Well, mostly copied it. 

I don't copy really.  In fact, since January, I don't even check out many blogs or websites anymore.  Lately I've been finding it harder to come up with my own ideas if I'm contstantly looking at other people's stuff.

BUT, with that being said, if you are really struggling with an idea or just aren't the type of person to design yourself, then copying is the best way to go.  Especially since that can become a jumping off point for your own ideas. 

A Word for You.  Rose red, basic black and very vanilla cardstock.  Black Stazon ink.  Polka dot embossing folder, big shot, pear pizzaz seam binding, dotted scallop punch and vintage dsp. 


Connie's was much cuter.  This was a super quick and easy card though.  Now that I look at it here in front of me, its much cuter in real life.  You'll just have to come over and see.  Maybe I'll cut down the vanilla square.  I think I'll like that better. 

But I'm not going to do it right now though because The Amazing Race just started.  I hope my cowboys are doing good tonight.  So, gotta go.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Blessings, b.

free set!

Hola mi amigas!  Como esta? 

Thats about the extent of my Spanish.  Although I've never forgotten this one:  Adonde los banos? 

I can't figure out how to get the little marks over the letters.  Why am I speaking Spanish anyway?

So my vacation is almost over.  I finished my meds yesterday and I'm afraid I still haven't completely kicked this infection.  I feel better.  Lots better.  So maybe the infection is gone and this is just the remains.  But I still have lots of green snot. 

Sorry, I just lost a few of there didn't I? 

moving on...............................

I talked to my dad the other day and he reminded me that my grandmother's birthday is coming up.  Remember the Iowa trip from last year? 

So I made her a card. 

A Flower for all Seasons.  Crumb cake, cherry cobbler, early espresso and watercolor paper.  Daffodil delight, soft suede, cherry cobbler, old olive and crumb cake inks.  Scallop square duo die, big shot, square lattice embossing folder, aquapainter, vanilla seam binding and dimensionals. 


Since I'm making 1 card I might as well make 2. 

See this stamp set?  I've always loved this set and its kinda cheap but I've never bought it.  Well, I got it for FREE during SAB.  Cool eh? 

When I was in Iowa last year, the daffodils were just blooming and the cardinals were everywhere.  We don't have cardinals here.  I was quite fascinated. 

Its hard to see here but I took a bite out of the scallop square to make room for the bow.  I just used the 1/2" circle punch. 

Then I needed a Thank you for some orders.  So I made some tags:

A Flower for all Seasons.  Tangerine tango, early espresso, crumb cake and watercolor paper.  Tangerine tango, old olive, sahara sand, early espresso and going gray (retired) inks.  Scallop square duo die, big shot, square lattice embossing folder, aquapainter, vanilla seam binding and dimensionals.

He is such a cute little froggie!  I have to say though that coloring this stamp is a tough job.  So many tiny areas.  Not a good stamp for mass production. 

So, I haven't stamped anything else for the Artisan Award.  I've been stamping but just not for that.  The few ideas I have in my head, I'll still make.  We'll just have to see if they get made in time and are worthy anyway.  Thanks for all your good thoughts my way. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and keeping me company. 

Blessings, b.

overdue update

Hello everyone!  So sorry for the absence here.  I've been sick .....................again.  This time was a doozy though.  I would say this is the worst sinus infection/bronchitis thing I've had in years.  And of course it would happen now........I'm on vacation. 

My Spring Break started last week.  The kiddos don't go on break until after I go back.  So I'm actually home, alone, without kids.  You're not supposed to get sick on vacation.  I feel a little jipped. 

Anyhow, the green snot is slowly going away and I'm starting to feel better.  I had many plans for these 2 weeks alone.  One of those things was stamping for the Artisan Award.  I stamp better when I'm all alone and this was the perfect opportunity.  I guess God had other plans for me.  Maybe I'm not supposed to enter this year.

I have occasionally sat at my desk looking at things and thinking its not very strenuous to stamp but nothing crafty comes to mind.  So I schlep back over to the couch and nap.  Napping is good.  I set the timer on the stove though so I don't sleep too long.  Being late to pick up Grace at school would not be good. 

So I don't have anything new to show you.  Well, maybe I do.  I haven't shown you bunches of stuff because I was thinking it might be a contender for the Artisan Award entry, (you have to send in 5 cards, 3 scrap pages and 2 3D items).  But if I'm not going to enter then I can show you everything.  Hmmmm...................give me a day to figure it out. 

Let me show you a few things that have been going on before I became a puddle of snot.

A week and a half ago, I had a birthday.  Now I'm more than half of 90.  Hmph.

We had friends over for dinner and they made me a cake.  Aren't they nice? 

Then I had lunch with a friend and she not only made me a killer tuna sandwich and soup for lunch, she made this:

OMG!  This was the last piece before I snarfed it down.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE lemon cream cheese pie.  LOVE IT!  She looked online and found this recipe lemon supreme pie and I'm not lying when I say this was the BEST lemon cream chees pie I've ever eaten.  And you can just tell by looking at me, I've eaten alot.  You seriously need to make this pie. 

16 had her ASL Variety Show weekend before last.  I've been waiting all year for this performance.  She did 2 skits.  This one here is set to the music from Mulan, I'll Make a Man Out of You.  She is the one in the middle with the fighting stick.

Fierce warrior signing her part.  She is the one in the middle.

Again her part.  She looked really mad the whole time.  I asked her about it, "Well Mom, I'm a fierce warrrior!"  Okay, okay..................

I just thought I'd see if someone had uploaded it to YouTube and of course someone has.  I've never tried to upload a You Tube video so I'm not sure this works, but this is the performance.  I'm so proud of her.  It makes me tear up just watching it again. 

This was another one.  The name of this song was I Refuse.  Great song.   She was a bum.  Great bum. 

Then I also had the March card class at my house.  I so love it when the ladies come to stamp.  I have such a good time with them. 

The hubs had gone to visit his parents and Pop sent this home for me. 

Here is the Wikipedia definition:  valerian root

Medicinal useValerian is used for insomnia and other disorders as an alternative to benzodiazepine drugs, and as a sedative for nervous tension, hysteria, excitability, stress and intestinal colic or cramps.

Holy cow Pop!  What the heck are you drinking! 
 
I just found this so funny.  Pop is so straightlaced.  When we all go out to dinner and the waitress asks if we'd like anything to drink, he'll tell her, "We don't drink any alcohol."  HA!  Okay Pop, but can I have a Diet Coke? 
 
I do have insomnia and migraine headaches so I will be trying this the next time one hits.  Its really stinky though. 
 
Alrighty then, I'm going go lay down again.  Being upright kinda kicks my butt.  Hopefully we'll be back to our normal programming tomorrow. 
 
Thanks so much for stopping by. 
 
Blessings, b.
 

I hate when I forget to put a title here

Hey!  I hope everyone is doing well. 

Tonight I'm posting during Survivor comercials.  So I may seem a little disjointed. 

Anyway, I got something in the mail the other day.  Lookee:

March is my birthday month and Stampin' Up! sent me a birthday card!  Cool eh?  I never get happy mail! 

This was made using MDS.  My Digital Studio, its the digital program that SU! has.  You don't hear me talking about it really because,
 a) I'm so computer challenged it would take me forever to figure it out and
 b) it just doesn't interest me that much.  I much prefer real paper and ink and stamps. 
BUT, people have done some really cool stuff with it. 

You can see they put a little rhinestone on there.  When I opened the envelope I noticed that where the rhinestone was, it almost went through the envelope. 

So, I'm going to do an experiment.  I'm wondering just how much wear the envelope gets with a card I would send.  I'm going to send myself a card and we'll see what condition the envelope is in when it gets here.  I'll let you know what happens. 

I was also outside today and noticed several things.  The weather has been pretty warm around here.  I'm talking 80+.  Not consistently enough to plant anything new but, the ones in the ground are loving it.

My Thompson grapes are getting happy!  So are my red ones but I didn't take their pic.

My Walla Wallas are blooming.  Does that mean I've waited too long to harvest them?  I'm going to pull them this weekend and we'll see. 

See this?  I believe this is a sunflower.  This is a seam in my patio that is full of dog hair and dirt.

  Gross I know...............just keeping it real here.

  Even though the dogs stepped on it twice while I was trying to get a pic, it stayed upright.  That my friends, is determination.  I'll have to see if I can save it. 

Alrighty then, Survivor is over.  Anytime you feel like you're a little depressed or the weird one in your group, just watch reality t.v.  You'll feel better right away.  People are whacked out.  I guarantee there are people in this world that are way more "out there" than you are. 

Thanks for stopping by tonight.  You warm my cockels.  If I have cockels.  I'm really not sure.  But if I do, they are warmed. 

Blessings, b.

catching up.....

Howdy,

I can't believe a week has gone by already since I've been on here!  Children  have been hogging the computer with homework again.  Darn kids!  And I've been so pooped at night that I'm just too tired.  Last week was so crazy busy that I've been doing a bunch of catching up on everything.  Laundry, grocery shopping, bills, cleaning, and TAXES.  UGH!!  I can honestly say that I hate doing taxes.  Not that our taxes are super hard or anything, its just........taxes.....ugh.

But, I do have some stamping goodness to show you.  About a month ago I had actually stamped quite a bit.  I just never showed you all of them. 

I think this was the January issue.  Everything was white on white with splashes of color.  So I thought I'd give it a try. 

No stamps!  Whisper white cardstock.  No ink!  Vintage wallpaper embossing folder, Fun Flowers die, big shot, neutrals buttons, pear pizzaz seam binding, embroidery floss and dimensionals. 

This was so easy to make!  I wasn't sure I would like it, the white on white deal, but I do.  I think it would make a nice wedding card.

You can see that it sticks out from the base but not enough that it would need extra postage.  At least I don't think so.  I didn't mail it to anyone. 

I thought the green ribbon would kinda look like leaves.  I love this pear pizzaz color, its so juicy looking. 

So, I'm all ready for someone to get married.  Anyone?



Alrighty then, let me show you a little of what has been sucking all my time and energy the last few weeks. 

Odyssey of the Mind. 

We started it in October and it has been alot of fun.  Well, until crunch time came.  Then me and the only other mom that helped out were dog tired.  Trying to get 7 little girls on the same page with you is like trying to wrangle kittens. 

Last weekend we had our competition in Palm Springs.  It was the regional competition and there were several schools there.  Several teams from several schools. 

Our theme was Full Circle and we had to put on a play.  It was a great play except.............the key part of it........got forgotten in the hallway and so we didn't solve our problem.  Oh well.  

We learned alot and I told her if she wanted to do it next year that I would know better how to help out.  The other mom and I were like the blind leading the deaf. 

All in all, the girls had a super fun time.  I so enjoyed being a part of something she'll remember for a long time.  I have lots of great pics to scrapbook.  We still have an ice cream party next week with a slide show.  She is so excited. 

Okie dokie.  Thats it for tonight.  They keep looking at me and asking what I'm making for dessert.  Do I look like Betty Crocker? 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Blessings, b.

no farting allowed

Hi there!  I hope you all had a wonderful day.   We are crazy busy here but, things will be calming down after this weekend.  Thank goodness! 

Today I wanted to show you a card made with my current favorite set, Nature Walk out of the Occasions Mini Catalog. 

Nature Walk  121925 wood mount   $25.95     121997  clear mount $18.95

I really like all the stamps in this set except, the cage.  Tell me, what does a cage have to do with walking through nature?  And its not in porportion to anything.  I know, I know, I'm just being picky. 

I do love this set............except the cage.

Here is one of the cards I've made with it so far:

Nature Walk set (Occasions mini) and itty bitty backgrounds.  Crumb cake and very vanilla cardstock.  Whisper white craft, Versamark, black Stazon, bashful blue and early espresso inks.  Early espresso satin ribbon, and clear embossing powder. 

The first thing I thought of doing with this set is the cracked glass technique.  Do you remember how to do that? 

Stamp your image, cover it with Versamark ink then, pour on the clear embossing powder and heat.  Then do that 4 or 5 more times.  When you have a thick layer of embossing  on there, throw it in the freezer for about 5 minutes. 

You don't have to actually throw it.  You know what I mean.

Then take it out and immediately bend and crack it.  If you don't like the way it cracked, you can just reheat it with the heat gun until its glassy again.  Then refreeze, recrack. 

When you have the crackling like you want, take a sponge with some ink and rub it into the cracks.  Instant aging! 

See the ribbon there?  That is 3 pieces of ribbon.  The first piece is laying flat.  Then I layered 2 loops of ribbon.  Looks pretty and kinda old fashioned. 

You can barely see the bashful blue spots on the oval.  I thought it looked a little like an egg.  So of course it needed speckles. 


Okay, I'm going to share a little homelife with you.  I have 3 kids.  If you have kids, you know how they like to make signs for their doors.  Do Not Enter......Keep Out...........No One Allowed.........etc. 

Well, my youngest decided to make a sign for her door the other day and I couldn't help but laugh. 

I find this funny for a few reasons.  Apparently there is a burping and farting problem in our house.  Or maybe its just in her room and I haven't been aware.  Either way, you better keep it in check buddy!

She is also a gracious hostess in that she wants you to have fun and is willing to share her stuffed animals and games.  She will provide refreshments on request, I'm sure. 

Then there is the "Don't Come In" part.  Maybe you need an appointment. 

So you've been warned.  If you come to my house and want to go in her room, you know the rules.  Make sure to lay off the beer and broccoli. 

Alrighty then, thanks so much for stopping by. 

Blessings, b.