He is risen!

Howdy peeps!  How are you?  I've been a stamping fool.  Now don't laugh.......I have been stamping, and I think I'm a fool to try and enter this Artisan Award contest. 

I stamped alot yesterday, (inbetween laundry, taxes, cooking, cleaning and trying to be a good mom) and since my stamping mojo was apparently off having margaritas somewhere,  I decided to just copy a card I had seen.  You know, just to get things lubed up again.  I needed some thank you cards and thought I'd get that checked off the "to-do list". 

They took me hours but they came out really cute.  And not at all like the card I was going to copy.  I am such a slow stamper.  I popped them in the mail today and I'll show them here in a day or so after they are received.

I had planned on staying up late last night because you know how you get on a roll and you have all these great ideas starting?  That was finally starting to happen for me and then I had to stop everything and get Grace in bed.  Well, that made me realize I was tired.  So I didn't get anything posted here and I went to bed.  Sleep deprivation makes for a grumpy mom.

Of course my mojo needed a jumpstart again today.  So why not check out the Stamping 411 sketch?  I haven't played over there in weeks.  I love their sketches. 

Here is what I ended up with.  Only took me about 2 hours.  Which is kinda fast for me. 

Refuge and Strength set.  Kraft, soft suede, whisper white and old olive cardstock.  So saffron and soft sueded inks.  Paper piercer, 3/4" circle punch, 2 step bird punch, hemp, polka dot embossing folder (wart maker), aquapainter and dimensionals. 


I've been thinking Easter cards lately.  Can you believe its only 5 days away?  Can you believe I have to leave my family that day to go to Iowa?  Geez.........

I almost considered saving this for the Artisan Award contest but its not really AA contest quality.

I used the computer to make the sentiment.  Looking at it here, I wish I had moved my palm fronds (yes, those are palm fronds) down and showed the cross a little more. 

You can't really see it here, but my button was a little too small for my banner.  So I punched out a 3/4" circle of Soft Suede, distressed the edges and glued it behind the button.  Made it just the right size. 

I also took my aquapainter and with a really wet brush picked up some Soft Suede from my ink lid and then flicked it onto the cross panel.  Who needs a spritzer?

Everything kinda sticks out from the card. I think I need to figure out how to do picture editing because it looks so much nicer in person.  Kinda washed out here.  But its cloudy today, we have a storm coming.  Not that it will actually rain but you never know. 

Alrighty then, I'm going back to the grindstone and see if I can whip up some creative genius for this contest. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Blesings, b.

p.s.  I just went over to the Stamping 411 site to get their link and I see Robin has made a card using the same set as me!  Great minds think alike.

1/2 of 90

Good morning!  Sorry for the absence.  I'd like to say things are getting back to normal but, just not happening yet.

I thought I'd share a little of what I was doing last week.  I got no stamping done at all!  I sit at my desk everyday and get a little something done.  Even if its just planning something.  BUT, last week my desk was being used by the boy.  He had a project to do that included commandeering my desk.  He made a model of a recording studio.  It really turned out so cool!  Did I get any pics?  Nope.  Hopefully he'll bring it home and I can take some then. 

Anyway, my whole routine got messed up and I like routine!  Debilitatingly so.  

So I decided to start working on my taxes, (now that I think about it, taking away my desk was probably God's way of saying, "Get it together girl!")  I'm ready to get them done today.  California is so whacked out with the state budget that nobody seems to be getting state taxes back.  People that don't normally owe are owing.  Kinda scared to hear what they say today. 

I also had a birthday last week.  45 years old.  Here is the love note my hubby left me to find in the morning

Isn't he sweet?  Oh wait, it gets better, look at this one

This is from the boy. 

aren't they precious?  The men in my life think they are so funny.

This one is from Grace.  I wonder what she was thinking of when she made this.

She was obviously off her game when she made this.  Low blood sugar maybe?  Check out the inside

Whats for dinner?!   Yep, I'm feeling the love.

Then, just when I'm losing hope, 15 whips this little baby out

they sure want to make sure I know my age don't they?

AWWW!   And my heart swells with love and pride. 

I can't/won't share the card the hubs gave me.  Gotta keep the mystery alive you know!

Anyway, it was a wonderful day.  We had Grace's Open House that night and I got my favorite Mexican food for dinner (Grace was happy) and I got a new SMOKER!   My old one is rusting and falling apart.  So it was a good day for someone who is 1/2 of 90. 

We, (okay, I) have become a little bit obsessed with this website:

http://www.sportsmansparadiseonline.com/Live_Owl_Nest_Box_Cam.html

This is Molly the Barn Owl.  She has 4 babies and 1 egg.  That egg should hatch today or tomorrow.  Its a live feed camera in San Marcos.  I've gotten to actually see the last baby hatching!  So cool! 

There are other live feed cams on the website.  The eagles on Catalina are really cool too.  They have 2 babies just hatched a few days ago. 

Be sure and check out Molly after 6:30 at night.  You're almost certain to see the daddy bring her and the babies food.  He is so considerate because he takes the heads off the rabbits. She loves rabbits!  Nature Reality T.V.!  Thanks to my friend Libby for sending me the link to this website.  It furthered my ability to get nothing done this past week.

On Saturday, Grace went to a birthday party at an ice skating rink.  I helped out the birthday girl's mom by driving some of the girls. Since I was going, 15 decided to go with me so we could both go skating too. 

I loved ice skating as a girl and was good enough to skate backwards and not fall down.  That was a big deal for me.  I'm not all that coordinated.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "um.....Beth, that was a long time and alot of pounds ago." 

Boy, do you got that right!  I did really well for awhile.  Then I had to stop so I wouldn't run over a little girl who fell, and when I tried to go again I fell right on my knee.  Yeah, not so good.  I'm surprised I didn't crack the ice.

Robin did really well.  She never fell.  She was so nice to help out some of the girls who were having a hard time of it while I sat down nursing my poor knee.  Its all good now though.  I'm getting around just fine. 

Lastly, I'm getting ready to go to

Iowa.  My father wants to go visit my grandmother for her birthday, which is the 8th.  So I'm leaving on Easter. 

I'm not too hip on leaving my family on Easter.  I'm not too hip on flying either.  I used to love to fly.  But in my old age I've become slightly claustrophobic.  I have to take 2 planes to Albuquerque, pick up my dad and then 2 more planes to Iowa. UGH!!  So if you have any ideas on how I can cope with being cooped up for several hours then please let me know.  I'm not afraid of crashing or anything.  I'm afraid we'll be stuck on the tarmac for hours or something.  I couldn't handle it!!!

Okie dokie, thats it for right now.  I've been going back and forth on whether I should enter the Artisan Award contest for Stampin' Up!  Its a pretty big deal.  I entered last year but my entries got there a day late.  So I wasn't even considered.  I really loved everything I sent in last year. If I decide to send anything this year I need to have them done before I leave for Iowa. 

I have a few ideas for what to send in and a few things are in stages of being done.  But nothing is done.  So I think I'll work on things for it and if I get everything done I'll send it in.  But I'm going to try not to stress about it.  If its meant to be, it'll be. 

I'm going to try and get a creative little something up here for you all today.  You've all been so patient and I appreciate it. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Blessings, b.

here I am....

You guys are the best!  I'm still here.  Nothing bad has happened.  I've just been bogged down with all kinds of commitments.  Taxes got checked off the "to-do list" today so I'll have a big ol' post for tomorrow, fill you all in on the shenanigans.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Blessings and big hugs!  b.

woof!! woof!!

Happy Monday!  Is that an oxymoron or what?  Well, I hope you had a good day anyway.  Normal busy stuff here.

I've been meaning to make a Thank You card for one of my friends.   Oh, about 8:30 tonight, I decided to tackle it.  You know, I got nothing better to do.......like sleep or anything. 

The problem is, I never wrote it on the "to-do list".  So I forget. 

I like making cards that are for a specific person.  Its always so much easier for me, don't know why. 

She likes dogs.  Big dogs.

D is for Dog set.  Kraft, choc. chip, whisper white cardstock.  Basic black, choc. chip, sahara sand, going gray, creamy caramel and whisper white inks.  Paper piercer, top note die cut, black grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals.

I got D is for Dog for a SAB freebie.  This is the first time I've inked it up.  I'm mailing her the invoice for an order so I wanted it to fit in a business size envelope.  So this measures 4 x 8 1/2.   

I used the paper piercer along the bottom to help ground the puppies. 

I wanted some kind of tag to stamp the sentiment on and couldn't think of anything.  So I cut out the Top Note Die and stamped the words on the short end.  Worked out great! 

I think she'll like it.  I hope so anyway. 

Alrighty, I'm pooped out and now I'm going to bed. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings, b.

sweet 16

We have had a busy few days around here.  Yesterday 15 went on a fieldtrip to UCLA and Pepperdine.  She really liked Pepperdine.  The sun the surf.  The campus is really beautiful too. They went to the pier afterward and ate dinner.  Check out this pic she took. 

She took an even better one with her phone but we can't figure out how to download pics off her phone yet.  We're technologically challenged around here. 

Then today the boy went paintballing with the band.  Now all the boys are crazy for it.  He had a really good time but he is so sore right now.  AND he has welts!  Sounds like fun to me........


Now tonight, 15 is at a Sweet 16 birthday party sleepover.  Of course I had to make something super cute.  We went to Target and got her a cute necklace.  Check out the packaging:

Letterpress numbers (retired).  Kraft, whisper white, pretty in pink, melon mambo, rose red, and old olive cardstock.  Melon Mambo ink.  Ticket corner punch, large oval punch, 1 3/8"circle punch, coluzzle, pink Chunky glitter, Tombow multi glue, scallop trim border punch and polka dot embossing folder (wart maker).

This is just like the valentine boxes I made.  Its smaller though.  Its 3" x 3" x 1 1/2".  It turned out so cute! 

I made the card 2 3/4" square so it would fit inside the box.  I was running short on time and couldn't get quite as fancy as I thought a Sweet 16 card should be, but my girl was breathing down my neck making me hurry!

I stamped the numbers in Melon mambo and then went over them with the Tombow multi glue.  Then I squished the chunky glitter into it.  I ended up just drawing squiggly lines around the edges.  Probably a little squigglier than I would have liked but, I was hurrying!

Anyway, I hope she likes it. 

I also found something else at Target. 

Jacob Black in da house! 

Here is a funny story.  Well, I thought it was funny. 

The girls and I are in Target and of course the first thing in the cart is New Moon.  The Three Disc Version!  So we're getting our shopping done and we stop to look at something and a lady looks at me, points to my shirt, and says, "Is that what I think it is?"

"What?"  Then I look at my shirt and then look back at her and see she has the movie and the Forks documentary in her hands.  I had on my Team Jacob shirt. 

So laughing I say, " Yeah, it is."

She starts laughing and points out her pants.  They say Quilette on them.  We both laugh.  15 is looking at us both like we're crazy.  I look at the lady and pointing at 15 say, "She doesn't understand the whole Twilight Mom thing."

"Oh, have you been to TwilightMoms.com yet?"

"There is a website?", I say.

"Oh yeah.", says she.   Hmmm...

So of course I've checked it out.   You know, I really like the books and plan on taking them with me when I have to leave on a jet plane in a few weeks.  And I'm looking forward to reading them again.  But really people, there is more to life.  So there ya go.

Okay, I've talked too much and its time to kick the boy off the big tv so I can watch my movie.  Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great weekend!

Blessings, b.

what happened?

I'm sorry!  It would be just my luck.

I am so excited that I've finally gotten some of my friends to subscribe to the blog.  Hi guys!

So yesterday I was cleaning up and changing a few things on the ol' blog here, you know, making it all pretty-like, and the subscriber feed sends out a post from January this morning!  What the heck!!  Did I do something wrong?  I'm not sure if you people who are on the reader feeds got the same thing or not.  I hope not.  How embarrassing! I'm really sorry it did that.  Hopefully it got whatever it was out of its system and will get back to normal tomorrow.  Otherwise I guess Blogger and I will be having a little chit chat.  :(

Okay, on to some stamping.  Sunday is the first day of Spring. So I thought I would share a springtime flowery card. 

Inspired by Nature set.  Old olive, basic black and whisper white cardstock.  Old olive, more mustard, close to cocoa and basic black markers.  Dimensionals.

I pulled out the grass.

Sidenote:  I got this set 2 years ago at convention.  Love convention!  My buddy that went with me didn't like the set so much, so of course I kept teasing her, "Hey man! You got any grass?"  Hahaha, I just crack myself up. 

Anyhow, I think this is such a springy set.  I used my markers to ink up the stamp and then "huffed" on it, to remoisten it, and stamped.  I actually copied this from a card I saw a long time ago.  I never knew who the artist was. 

I really like this saying too.  That Mother Teresa was one smart cookie.  I think this would make a great Thank You card. 

Can you belive Easter is in a few weeks?  Geez, its almost April already! I'm still trying to get used to the time change.  Seems as soon as dinner is over, its time for bed.  Or is that just because I'm getting older?  I have a birthday coming up and its weighing on me a little.  Maybe we'll talk more about that later.  Pyschoanalysis is too heavy right before bedtime. 

Alrighty, cross your fingers and say a little prayer that the subscriber thingy fixes itself.  Otherwise who knows what will be in our inboxes tomorrow. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings, b.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Tomorrow is St. Patty's Day!  I am half Irish.  I had a great-great-grandma Katy O'Grady straight from Ireland.  My grandma used to tell me great stories about her.  Apparently she was kinda feisty.  Chase a chicken and strangle it with her bare hands.  You go Katy! 

Anyhow, we do celebrate the day here.  We wear green things, eat green things, and talk with accents.  Erin Go Braugh!  (Which means Ireland Forever and has nothing really to do with St. Patty's Day.)  Yep, we're dorks.

Anyhow, I did get the cute little box done for the cute little cards to go into.  Lookee:

 

Vintage Lables set (SAB).  Old olive, kraft, and whisper white cardstock.  Soft suede and old olive inks. Welcome Neighbor DSP (SAB), old olive wide grosgrain ribbon, hemp, dimensionals, scallop trim border punch (SAB) and curly lable punch. 

I had all these little strips of DSP left over from the cards so I thought I'd use them up.  Kind of like a little sneaky peek as to what is inside. 

I really dig on this Vintage Lables set.  This is the first time I've used the lable part.  I like it!

Don't they look all nice and snug in there?  This will make such a great gift. 

Here is how I made the box:

You can click on the pic to see it larger.  First, I measured an envelope.  That is how I came up with the bottom dimensions.  I wanted 2 inch sides.  Can you understand the math? 

I used my Tombow Multi glue again.  I actually have a little too much here.  But this was last night and I was so tired.  Things got a little gushy. 

Or maybe I was distracted by Edward and Bella.  I finished watching it today.  I'm getting geared up for New Moon coming out on Friday.  Just in time for my birthday.  I can't wait!  Go Team Jacob!  (sorry Edward fans)

I know the lid dimensions always confuse people.  Just add 1/8" to the bottom measurement and then add your sides.  I had originally made 1 1/2" sides and realized they were way too big.  So I changed it to 1" sides.  Looks much better. 

Personally, I love to stamp the envelopes to match the card.  Gives the mailman a thrill.  There is a matching stamp set that goes with the Welcome Neighbor DSP, but I don't own it.  So, since I still had a bunch of DSP left over I thought I would use that.  I used the Tombow multi again so there is no way that DSP is coming off. 


Alrighty, I'm going to try and get to bed earlier tonight.  The Nyquil worked great and its calling me again.  Let me know if you need help with any of these directions to make your own box. 

Thanks for stopping by.  I love it when you do that. 

Blessings. b.