Happy New Year!

First I would like to say that I hope that each of you has a wonderful New Year and that you can make good on whatever you resolve to do in the coming days, weeks and months!!

 

 

 

I made these little onesies and burp rags for my brother and sister-in-law who are expecting their first baby.  I got the idea (and even used one of the same fabrics because I loved it so much!!!) from Dawn McVey.  You can see hers HERE.  I liked her little star onesie so I decided to make my own using my Big Shot and the Stars #2 Originals Die.  I used some iron-on sheets on the back of the stars and then I sewed along the edges.  One is long-sleeve for when the baby is born and one is for the spring/summer when it will be a little warmer.  

The directions for making the burp rags can be found HERE.  They are three strips of fabric sewn together and then sewn to a diaper cloth.  They are fairly easy to make - but for those who are OCD like me, it takes a little time to get them done :)

I hope they like them!!!

I think the burp rags will be something I will continue to make in the future as baby gifts.  I want to get the flower die from SU! that layers the three blooms and try out some baby girl onesies.   Now I just need someone who's having a baby girl to make them for!!!  :)

Please Read....

THIS POST TO REMAIN AT THE TOP FOR A LITTLE WHILE -- SEE BELOW FOR NEWER POSTS

All I can say is that I have spent HOURS and HOURS trying to fix my blog, it's feed, and all kinds of things that might be causing the problems for Feedblitz and FeedBurner and I just can't deal with it anymore.  Not to mention that I've wasted precious hours of time!!!  I'm a little OCD like that though - in the fact that when something doesn't work, I HAVE to fix it.

If you want to see what I'm recommending so that you can still be updated on new posts on my blog rather than having to click on my blog each day to see if I've posted, keep reading....

I don't know what to do about the problem, and I must say that Feedblitz has tried to help and the folks at FeedBurner stink, to put it nicely.   :(  So - I know I'm going to lose hundreds of subscribers by doing this, but I'm removing my feed from those services.  I don't know if you can somehow add it yourself and still use one of those services to see my blog's updated posts.  If you can't I'm very sorry.  I'd rather lose readers than have weeks go by where you don't think I've posted but I've been posting my little heart out. 

So....if you don't use it already, I know for a FACT that Google Reader works GREAT and I HIGHLY recommend it.  I recommend it for getting updates to ALL of your favorite blogs.  You just add a subscription by pasting a blog's address in a little box and that's it!  You don't subscribe and give anyone your e-mail or anything.  It's the ONLY way I subscribe to blogs. 

If people are worried that they won't know you subscribe to their blogs, at least FeedBurner shows you how everyone subscribes to your blog - even if it's not with them, and I know there are other diagnostic tools out there too.  To be honest, I LOVE that I have subscribers, but I don't really need to know who they are and where they come from.  I'd much prefer your comments to some silly form of tracking each of you.  So, if you use Google Reader for my blog, that's fine with me!!! 

To get to it, simply sign up for a free Google account HERE if you don't already have one.  If you do, click HEREto go to the Google Reader section of Google to begin using GR.  It's VERY user-friendly, I promise!!  They even have this neat feature that I use called "Next" where you add "Next" to your favorites (a link in your own internet browser sidebar) and you simply click there as you do all of your other internet favorites and it will show you the most recently updated blog.  So, I usually hit that link a good 100 times a day to see everyone's updates, but it's easy and I don't even have to remember what blogs I subscribe to or anything.  Simply go to "Settings" on the top right of your screen when you're in GR and then click on "Goodies" and you'll see directions for this "Next" feature.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!  You can also view updates directly through the Google Reader website, of course, without using the "Next" feature.

Thanks for reading this far.  I'm hoping every one has since that means you'll more than likely stay with me and continue to read my blog.  I really do appreciate each and every one of you.  I was not "blessed" with a husband or any family that understand my need to craft and with my husband gone all the time anyway you all are a second family to me.  I guess not everyone has the "loves to craft and appreciates others who do and what goes into crafting" gene.  Some might call it more of an illness than a gene, but I sure love it!!! ;)  LOL  Thanks so much for being there!!!    

ETA:  While the feeds weren't fetched in the time-frames that they were supposed to, BOTH Feedblitz and FeedBurner did finally "see" my feed again.  I got e-mails from both of them while asleep last night.  Rather ironic.  What I am doing is removing the subscription links in my sidebar and I will let my subs with them be.  If they work, great, but if you want a more reliable method that ALWAYS works and has NEVER missed a feed, use Google Reader.

 

 

Let's see if you can see this one...

Here's the little ornament that I posted earlier today.  I had a lengthy explanation about it - that I gave it to my sister, and how I made it, but I will forgo that since I just want to get it posted again and hopefully you will "see" it.  I'm sure you'd rather not read my normal essay anyway! ;) he he he Let me know if you get this e-mailed to you via your preferred subscription method.  I would appreciate it!!

ETA:  Below the picture are step-by-step (lengthy) instructions.  I love to talk - would you expect anything else!!! :)

  

Stamps:  Merry & Bright
Ink:  Black StazOn, SU! markers
Accessories:  heat tool, Sticky Strip (to adhere ribbon), red gingham ribbon, 2-way Glue Pen (to adhere glitter), Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Krylon acrylic sealant

The ornament is fairly easy to make. Here's what I did:
 
1.  Stamp image in black StazOn on Domino.  You could use other colors of StazOn, but I have never tried stamping in any other ink other than that so I don't know how it would do - if it would bleed, be permanent, etc.

2.  Heat set the image with your heat tool.  I usually do this for about 30-60 sec. depending on how large the stamped area is.  Allow it to cool.
 
3.  Using Krylon clear acrylic sealant, spray a VERY fine layer onto the domino in a well-ventilated area.  I typically do this outside on a piece of newspaper.  I hold the spray at least 30 inches away from the domino to ensure that it is a fine spray.  I usually test spray in the air to ensure that the nozzle is spraying a fine mist and not any large droplets.  If it is, you simply need to spray it some to remove any clogs.  Also, a good rule of thumb is to turn the can completely upside-down and spray until nothing comes out when you are done using it so that it is stored with no paint in the tube. 
 
4.  Allow thin layer of Krylon to dry about 5 min and then spray one more thin layer on it.  You should be able to see a different sheen to the domino where the Krylon has "landed" so if your coverage isn't very good, you can spray one more layer.
 
5.  Using your heat tool re-heat the domino for another 30 seconds to ensure that they Krylon is dry.
 
6.  Color in any parts of your image that you want using the fine tip end of your Stampin' Up! markers.  I've never tried any others, but would assume they should work - even a Sharpie should work and might even bleed less.
 
7.  Immediately after coloring part of the image in one color, heat the colored part for 20-30 seconds with your heat tool and then take a Kleenex and very carefully lay it over the image and press your finger down without any side-to-side movement to remove any excess ink.  I do this until pressing does not remove any ink.  If I'm not satisfied with what the image looks like after doing so, I touch it up.  Do this with all remaining coloring to be done.
 
8.  After last of coloring is done, heat the domino for 20-30 seconds again for a final heat set and then you will spray it again with your Krylon acrylic sealant in the same method as listed above, for 2 coats - 3 if needed.
 
9.  Apply 2-way Glue pen to parts that you want glitter and immediately dip in your Dazzling Diamonds glitter.
 
10.  Put strips of sticky strip that are 1" long around each of the 4 corners.  I find it unnecessary to wrap the entire outer edge of the domino in Sticky Strip.  Wrap your desired ribbon around the whole domino tying the loose ends in a bow at the top.
 
11.  Slip ornament hook beneath knot of bow to hang on your tree.
 
That's it!!  Hopefully the steps make sense.  I tried to explain everything I could think of as if you had never done any stamping like this before. If you're familiar with stamping on tiles or some other such surface you may want to do what you're familiar with.  As you make these you may also find better ways of doing things, or ways that suit you better.  Do what works for you!  Happy stamping, and I would love to see what you create!!!

Test

I am having problems YET AGAIN with my blog's feed.  Considering I know nothing about code and I don't do anything other than type up posts and insert pictures and add links in my side-bars, I can't imagine what is causing the problems.  I just found that even Google Reader is not "seeing" the post I posted today (with the Domino ornament).  So...if this post doesn't go through any of the feed subscription services then I just give up.  It's so frustrating and I know that most of my readers (I don't have a lot) only see me through subscription services.  There's no use in blogging if people think they're not getting updates to my blog because I'm not posting when I really am and some stupid problem in the confusing world of feeds and code and all that mumbo-jumbo isn't working right.  So...if this post doesn't come through, my blogging will become pretty non-existent.  I'll know if it works since I myself subscribe to my blog via Feedblitz, FeedBurner and Google Reader.  All three aren't seeing today's earlier post....

I LOVE Lovely as a Tree!!

 

I do love this stamp set - I say that often, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE anything that glitters or sparkles, so I tend to cover this tree in glitter or stickles or seomthing.  I made this card for my sister to hold a gift card for my sister.  I know, what an impersonal gift, but like most people right now she and her husband who have just bought a house probably don't need another candle in their house, or even a handmade gift (she and I have VERY different taste anyway and it's hard for me to pick gifts for her) so I figured she could buy something she needs rather then get some silly gift from me that I think she would like.  I did make her an ornament (one of my "famous" domino ones and of course it's got some glitter on it!!) that I'll share with you tomorrow.  They're super fun to make, pretty easy too, and everyone always gets a kick that they're made on a domino.  Anyway - I just LOVE this stamp set.  It's perfect for so many different occasions, but one of my absolute favorites is to use it for Christmas cards (can you tell from all the other ones I've shown you? ;)  LOL)!!  If you click on either of the pictures, they should open up full-size and you can see the pretty glittery tree on the second one. 

I "made" the white brads by heating some silver brads and touching the "head" of them to the white embossing powder (ep).  Next, I would re-heat it and dip it again and do this at least one more time - until I had even coverage on the brad.  Of course, make sure to use some metal tweezers to hold the brad in the heat from the heat tool.  You can do this to make your own brads in any color that you have in embossing powder!! 

Inside the bottom of the card is folded up (the completed size of the card is a standard A-2 size (4-1/4" x 5-1/2") and a brad is on either edge so that it formed a pocket for the gift card.  I used a piece of 12" x 12" textured Real Red CS to make the card so that I could fold the bottom up and keep the card "standard" sized. 

PS - FeedBlitz users - you may want to click on the title of my blog and go to it to see the posts you've missed.  I subscribe via the various feed services to my blog to monitor them, and FeedBlitz has been acting up again.  It's missed several post updates.  Thanks!

Stamps:  Lovely as a Tree
Paper:  Real Red textured and Whisper White CS, Summer Picnic DSP, Real Red Prints DSP (retired hostess reward item)
Ink:  Real Red classic ink
Accessories:  Chit Chat rub-ons, 2-way glue pen (SU!), Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Fire rhinestone brads (SU!), silver brads, White ep, heat tool, SU! tweezers from the SU! tool kit, stamping dimensionals

Merry Christmas!

 

This is a picture of our tree that we bought when my husband finally got home from his latest "trip" for his job as a pilot in the US Air Force.  We also waited until our middle daughter got home from visiting with my parents to do any decorating, so that we could all do it together as a family.

This little tree is very much a Charlie Brown tree.  We picked it from the two dozen or so that were left on Monday.  It was only FIVE dollars!!!  It makes us all happy, smells good, and I like to think that we helped this little tree fulfill it's only purpose - the one for which it was grown and cut down.  I didn't want it to be mulched without having spent its time in our house for Christmas. I know it is silly, but I always feel sad for the leftover trees.

I hope that each of you has a very wonderful end of your year and a merry Christmas!!  If you celebrate something else like Kwanzaaor Hanukkah - whatever you celebrate, I hope it's an enjoyable time for you!!!  Not sure when the next post will be - we're enjoying time with the DH at home and of course doing the things that most folks do on Christmas day (this was a pre-scheduled post).  Take care!!

ETA - FeedBlitz users - you may want to click on the title of my blog and go to it to see the posts you've missed.  I subscribe via the various feed services to my blog to monitor them, and FeedBlitz has been acting up again.  It's missed several post updates.  Thanks!

Simple Green and White Card

 

This card is another of the ones I mass-produced.  I'm not like some out there that really get extravagant with their handmade Christmas cards.  I'm not like that normally, much less when I have to make more than 80 cards!!! :)  Hope you like it!

Stamps:  Punches Three, Season of Joy
Paper:  Garden Green and Whisper White CS
Ink:  Garden Green classic ink, White StazOn
Accessories:  Scallop Square punch, stampin' dimensionals

Tile Coasters

I made these for my mom as part of her Christmas gift.  She had asked for them, and really wanted something simple and without color, and with a dragonfly because she loves them.  I had already given her someand she likes them, but these are probably more her style.  I tried to look through my archives to find the post with the ones I gave her, and I discovered that I never posted them!!!  I made some for my sister too, so I think the pics are on my old computer that hasn't been used since 2007.  So...maybe someday I'll be able to post a picture of the other coasters - they're pretty!!

When we met my parents to get my middle DD back from a visit with them, we opened some of our presents so we could all be there when the recipient got to see what they got - mostly for my parents to see the kids faces as they opened some of them.  We saved some for Christmas too, so no worries there!!

As for making the coasters, I washed them with just water to remove the dust from them.  Oh, they're 4x4 and from Home Depot and come in boxes of nine.  I go through all the boxes and pick 9 that I want that have the least surface flaws that interrupt your stamped image.  I then let them totally dry and follow that with stamping the image in StazOn.  For these I didn't add any color.  Before, I used my Stampin' Pastels and a blender pen to add some color.  Next, even with just StazOn, I use my heat tool totally "cook" the tiles.  I go over and over and over them.  I let them cool and then I spray a VERY thin layer of Krylon sealant on them.  I let that layer dry and then I again heat the tile with my heat tool just for added drying measures and then I add another very thin layer and let it dry followed by heating with my heat tool and repeat this thin layer spray, dry and heat process for about 6-7 layers.  Finally the very last layer I apply I make it a tiny bit heavier.  I don't think with JUST StazOn that you have to worry about bleeding of the color with the Krylon, or even that you really "need" the Krylon, but I do it anyway, just as if I had added color with my Stampin' Pastels.  I've also used SU! markers before and after coloring I lay a paper towel over the tile and press to remove any excess ink, and then you have to heat it with a heat tool for a while and THEN add your Krylon and then heat it again with the heat tool after it has dried before repeating the spray, dry, heat process.  Hope that info helps if you want to make them!

Have a great day!

Stamps: Organic Grace, Inspired by Nature
Ink: Timber Brown StazOn
Accessories: Heat Tool, Krylon Clear Matte Spray Sealant, adhesive felt circles to prevent the tiles from scratching surfaces

Shameless CASE

I will always "CASE and tell" as you might say.  My card was totally inspired by THIS one by Babsnelson over at SCS.  I just loved the simple layout (I am a HUGE fan of single-layer cards!!!) and I even omitted the ribbon.  I obviously changed the colors and the sentiment too.  What do you think?  Yes...it's another of my Christmas cards.... :)

Stamps:  Snow Swirled
Paper:  Whisper White
Ink:  Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze classic inks

Red and White Christmas

This card came together rather quickly.  I really like cards with a lot of white space, so I tried to incorporate that here along with some texture and a tiny bit of bling.  This is the most complex "looking" card I've made so far for those I'm sending Christmas cards to this year, but it was NOT the most time consuming.  That would have to go to either the Top Note cards or either of the reverse-masked cards at this point.

The inspiration for this card yet again came from SCS.  I love that site!!!  I got my layout idea from kimcrafts and you can see her card HERE.

I will not be posting until next week due to having to get ready to make a drive (possibly in bad conditions - hopefully not!!) to get my middle DD back from a visit she made to my parents' house.  We drive tomorrow to get her and come back Sun.  I've got cards to finish, holiday preparations, wrapping, mailing, cleaning, etc. to do all before we leave TOMORROW.  Aaack!!!  So...until we blog again, take care!!

Stamps: Snow Swirled, Holidays & Wishes
Paper:  Whisper White and Real Red CS
Ink:  Real Red classic ink, White StazOn
Accessories:  Whisper White Taffeta ribbon, Snowflakes CB embossing folder, Big Shot, adhesive-backed rhinestone from Michael's, dimensionals

A Not-So-Quick CASE

 

So, I saw THIS card by Amy over on SCS and LOVED it - as I do all of her cards - and I thought "oohh...that would make a great card to CASE for a few of the TONS of cards I have to make in 5 days....."

Well....even after leaving off some of her details (sponging, buttons) I found it difficult to mass-produce.  Cutting the top notes into thirds and then getting the patterned paper to match up with the colors I WANT, in the order I WANT, didn't exactly happen.  So, after just 6 cards, I had to stop.  The OCD in me couldn't take that I couldn't get the strips in the exact order I wanted.  It is only possible to cut about 3 layers of DSP at once, so you have at most 3 Top Note die cuts that have the exact same cuts, BUT THEN to get the strips in the order you want it's just messed up.  If this doesn't make sense, just take 3 pieces of paper/CS, whatever, and cut it into a irregular shape (so that there is a definite left, right, up and down) and then try to piece three new shapes with the strips of paper in the exact same order from left to right.  Doesn't work....

So, enough of that.  I loved her card, mine are pretty, but I will not try to mass-produce a cut-up Top Note anymore.  They are super fun to make though and Amy has some others that I'm dying to CASE and play around with.  Have a great day!

Stamps:  To You & Yours
Paper: Holiday Treasures DSP, Chocolate Chip and Ruby Red CS
Ink:  Chocolate Chip classic ink
Accessories:  Little Felt Flurries in Baja Breeze, silver brad, dimensionals, Top Note Bigz Die, Big Shot 

Another Reverse-Masked Christmas Card

 

So, I decided to keep right on going with the rectangle template I had made out of a piece of CS to create another Christmas card.  Of course - it's no different than any of the others will be - simple, yet (hopefully) still beautiful.  I hope you like it, and to the left you'll see a close-up (click on either pic to enlarge) of the glittered bird.  I couldn't get a good shot of yesterday's tree to show you a close-up of the glitter on that card.  I tried not to go overboard, but I do love my glitter!!!!  I think that glitter has to be my favorite embellishment.  I was definitely a magpie in another life!! ;)

If you need ideas for color combos, or sketches. I would again encourage you to check out SplitcoastStampers.com  This week's Limited Supply Challenge was to make a "blue" holiday card - so mine hopefully fits that bill.  To see this week's SCS LSC challenge, click HERE.  To see the other SCS challenges, check out my left-hand sidebar where they are always listed with links to find them.

Stamps: To You & Yours
Paper:  Whisper White and Baja Breeze CS
Ink:  Baja Breeze classic ink
Accessories:  2-way glue pen (SU!), Dazzling Diamonds glitter, stampin' sponges

I Promised....

Here is one of the Christmas cards I have made recently.  Since I've got so many to make, I'm not making any that are very complex.  Plus, unfortunately about 90-95% of the people I send them to will trash them because they're not obsessed with stamping like me ;)

I've done cards like this a couple of times - always with ovals as the reverse-masked area.  This time I decided to go with a rectangle.  I like the straight lines, maybe even more than my shaded ovals from before.  If you check out my "Lovely as a Tree" category in the category cloud in my left-hand sidebar you will see all the ones I've done before because I've always used this stamp set.

Hope you (and the people who get this card) like it!  I'm making anywhere from 6-8 of each card I'm creating because I find that I get too bored with mass-producing.  Hopefully I'll be able to knock out the other 80 or so that I have to make - all while the husband is off in another country on a mission and I have to pack to go on a short trip this weekend with my 2 kids to pick up my middle daughter so that we can all be a family again.  Of course, my middle DD was with my parents so it was all fun for her, but boy did we miss her!!

Have a great night!

Stamps:  All Holidays, Lovely as a Tree
Paper:  Confetti Cream CS
Ink: Always Artichoke
Accessories:  Sponges, rectangle mask cut into CS, 2-way Glue Pen (SU!), Dazzling Diamonds glitter

Let me know....

I have some Christmas cards to stamp tonight and WILL show you them tomorrow.  For now I have two questions for you.

1.  If you are a subscriber to my blog via Feedblitz and you get this update via e-mail, could you let me know?  A REALLY helpful guy (Phil) over at Feedblitz has helped me sort through the problem and we think it's fixed.

2.  This question has two parts.  Part A:If you link to my blog via the widget that Blogger provides you where it says when I last updated my blog underneath my blog title, can you let me know if it still says my last update was a week ago?  It shouldn't say that.  Part B:  If you delete me from your blogroll and re-add me can you let me know if it STILL says 1 week ago?  It shouldn't... :)

Thanks so much and stay tuned for my Christmas cards tomorrow!! I will be making them in sets of 8 and I have at least 10 sets to make and each set will be different.  Fun stuff!!!

Have a great night!

Last One....

and this time I PROMISE!! :) I discovered that whatever is causing/caused the problems for Feedburner and Feedblitz also seems to have created problems for those of you linking to my blog via those widgets that Blogger offers you on their blogs. You know, the ones where it shows when people last posted and sometimes a snippet, in your blogrolls? Well, they're all saying my last post was 5 days ago, as of today. So...obviously that's the same time the other services stopped working. All I can tell you is to delete my blog from your blogroll and re-add it and we'll see if that works. I do appreciate your links!!! :)

PS - I'm working with a a really nice guy from Feedblitz who's trying to help me figure out how to re-establish my Feedblitz subscribers without the hundred-or-so of you having to re-subscribe.  I'll let you know if I can't get it to work.

Star Cards

Have you seen these?!?!?  Well, Shelli, the co-founder and owner of Stampin' Up! posted one that was given to her on her blog, HERE.  Then, Miss Jackie Topa created a lovely tutorial that you can see HERE.  Jackie has an amazing blog, so after you check out Shelli's, check out hers and you'll see what I mean!!!  Enjoy!!! It's such a FUN little project!

Final Subscription Update....

I HOPE!!!! Cross your fingers and your toes that my "fixes" will really work.  I took the address from FeedBurner that was "working" (I am my only subscriber at the moment, but I got the update from the "test" post) and pasted it into Feedblitz.  I don't know if that means that really Feedblitz is getting my feed from FeedBurner or not, but I'm hoping it will work.  I tested it via  Feedblitz analytical tool and was able to see my blog's feed.  So....EVERYONE who currently uses one of these subscription methods on my blog will have to re-subscribe.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  I'm sure I will lose subscribers over this since many of them are like me and rely on these update services to browse the ummmm....hundred or so (did I just admit that?!!?) blogs that they like so noticing that one isn't updating will be difficult.  If anything, they'll just think that I'm not posting anymore.  So...pass the word on for me...I'd appreciate it!!  Hopefully you'll re-subscribe...I've got some cards coming your way!!! :)

test

trying again....

Woo Hoo!!!!

Well, I canceled and re-created my Feedburner account with this blog and I am my only subscriber, but IT WORKED this morning!!!!!  So, if you don't use Google Reader or don't like it for some reason, I KNOW that Feedburner works.  Now you will have to be patient as I try to figure out how to get Feedblitz to work again.....  In the meantime - if you want to subscribe via Feedburner (I think you have to re-subscribe if you already do because I cancled the old feed that wasn't working) the link is in the left-hand sidebar.  Have a great day!!!  I've got Christmas cards to make!!!  I'll share them when I can.

Can you let me know?

I don't think anyone who subscribes to my blog via Feedblitz OR Feedburner are getting updates. I myself subscribe so I can make sure the updates go out and I thought it was just me, but Ashley said she hasn't been getting them.  Anyone else?  I think I'm going to cancel my "account" with each of them and re-start them.  Hopefully then they'll work.  I like Google Reader so much more after all of these problems lately with Feedburner and now Feedblitz too!!!  Something weird is going on!!!

Awards and Tagged....

So, I usually play by the rules and tag the number of people I'm supposed to when I'm given an award or get tagged myself.  I'm a little short on time and saving the pic to each award and creating this post is going to eat it up.  SO...I know people say this all the time, and I'm sure they really mean it like I REALLY mean it, but if you are one of my readers, consider yourself tagged.  I am inspired by and appreciate each of you so much - my list would be way too long if I tried to tag each of you!!!  :)  Pretty much with each award you're just supposed to post a pic of it, a link to who tagged you, and then tag some other people.  I guess I'll ruin it by not telling you the number of people for each individual award.  Just choose however many you want, or go to the person's blog who tagged me and you can find the info there.  Sorry - being a time-saving, party pooper!!  ;)

So, here's what you can consider yourself tagged with and who tagged ME with it:

Kreativ Blogger award from Carmen and Carol.

Butterfly Award from Cori.

Inspiration Award from the lovely Brooke.

Last, but not least, I was tagged by Cori to list 4 answers to questions about me - and I stole some of her answers :)

4 things I like/love about my husband/boyfriend:
1. He is VERY patient & understanding.
2. He is a great dad!
3. He enjoys doing the same things I do.
4. He loves me for me.

4 jobs I've had - you'll be able to tell that prior to being a SAHM I was only employed by the US Air Force:
1. Lodging Manager (Air Force)
2. Mortuary Affairs (Air Force) - loved this one!!!
3. Flight Commander of military/civilians in our squadron (Air Force)
4. Stampin' Up! demonstrator

4 Movies I have watched more than once:
1. Goonies
2. Princess Bride
3. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
4. Elf

4 TV Shows I watch:
1. Gray's Anatomy
2. The Biggest Loser
3. NCIS
4. Desperate Housewives

4 People who email me regularly:
1. This is really sad, but I just realized that other than because of my blog, SU!, or my volunteer work on the base, about the only person who e-mails me regularly is my mom, and that's not even regular!!

4 favorite foods:
1. Anything with chocolate and peanut butter
2. Persian Food
3. Italian food in general
4. Korean Food - not anything crazy like octopus or squid, but I LOVE Kimchi, Bulgogi, Kim Bap, etc...

4 places I want to visit:
1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. Belize
4. Hawaii

4 things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Losing weight
2. Maybe starting some classes
3. Spring Break with the hubby before he deploys
4. Working hard at being a better mommy and wife

Change in Direction

I just wanted to let you know there will be no more challenges.  I was excited to try them - they failed - and I have other things I can and should be devoting my time to than the hours spent finding/posting/creating/photographing/consolidating/posting again for the Combat Boot Challenges that no one is able to take part in.  Thanks to those of you who did participate!

Also, you will soon see that I am posting less frequently on here.  I am trying to prioritize, and blogging - while very rewarding when I actually am told that something is appreciated or enjoyed - is not as important as my family is.  So...I'm going to post things I make - probably entirely SU! creations since my DT time is coming to an end and I'm not applying to anymore - when I can.  I'm returning to my beloved SU! roots (lets just hope that I can stay a SU! demo - I've always said the first time I have to buy my own stuff to meet my minimum sales requirement as a demo, I will drop, and finally having moved here to DE has caught up - no new customers and the old ones are "moving on" without me).  I will be super sad because I LOVE SU! and I absolutely decided to be a demo for only two reasons - to share that love by teaching others about stamping, and to enjoy the 20% discount.  I did not sign up to "have" to buy product every three months - just as needed.  Anyway, due to the less frequent posting, another plug here for subscribing via Feedblitz/Feedburner/Google Reader, etc.

Thank you to those of you who check in on me - I greatly appreciate it, especially when the hubby is gone for weeks at a time.  Sometimes your comments and my replies to them are the only adult "conversation" and/or interaction I have in my day!  I appreciate each of you so much.

I hope everyone has a very happy holiday - whatever it is that you celebrate - and I myself will definitely enjoy this Christmas season and the special Spirit that is brought into my home and to those around me.  I just love that part of this holiday!!!

Take care!!!

Getting ready for a game of golf....

Isn't that what EVERYONE does when they retire???  Play golf?  Ha ha ha.  Well, dozens of stamp sets from the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog are retiring. Now's the last chance for you to get them--these sets are only available through January 18, 2009. And they're 10 percent off from December 9-23, so don't wait to order!

Here are the lists for you to print off and use to highlight the stamps in your catalogs, or to simply mark on the printed pages.  Print the one that's easiest for you to follow.  The third list shows the prices with the 10% discount on each stamp set!!!

Alphabetical listing
Listing by page number
10% OFF price listing

So, as you may have noticed, SU! is (for the first time that I know of) offering the retiring stamp sets at a discounted price!!!  Isn't that great?!?!?  They're ONLY on sale from December 9-23 though, so don't miss out!!

 

Also, ANOTHER great special being offere is if your order totals $70 or more, you get FREE SHIPPING!!!!  You can buy all retiring sets and get the 10% off of them AND free shipping or you can mix and match retiring sets and non-retiring sets and other items - whatever you buy - and when you spend $70 in merchandise you will get FREE shipping!

Lastly, this is a great time to place an order of $150 to not only get FREE shipping, and 10% off of any retiring stamp sets, but ALSO to get the HOSTESS BENEFITS and get FREE STAMPS and other merchandise!!!

Contact me via e-mail (mariemc01@gmail.com) to place your order today!!!!

Did you read????

I posted something fun about December's Combat Boot Challenges recently...did you see it??? :)

Don't forget to play in Combat Boot Challenge 06!!!!

If You Subscribe to my Blog using FEEDBURNER....

For some reason Feedburner is not sending my blog updates via e-mail.  I've posted to the Feedburner help site, but rarely does a Feedburner "employee" bother to answer questions/help anyone out on there, so I don't know if this will get resolved.  I really like Feedburner too!!  So....I've never seen any problems with Feedblitz so for now, if you don't want to use Google Reader (which is my personal fave) then I recommend changing to Feedblitz.  It works the EXACT same as Feedburner but I've never missed an update with it and it catches bloggers new posts MUCH MORE QUICKLY/OFTEN than Feedburner does.  Feedblitz can check for new posts as often as ever hour, Feedburner checks once a day.  If you want to keep tyring Feedburner, then you need to re-subscribe using the Subscribe link on the left.  Just food for thought...

PLUS...I haven't heard a PEEP out of you guys about my Combat Boot Challenge and I REALLY hope you'll play along.  For the challenges in December I have PRIZES for the random.org chosen spotlight participant - so if you bothered to read this far you're the only ones that know that ;)  Check out this week's challenge HERE.

Combat Boot Challenge 06

I was looking around on Etsy and found Heatherann's shop called "Handmade by Heather".  The photo above is the picture she has at the top of her page.  It IS NOT the inspiration photo.  Rather, I thought this week I would give you your choice of any of the necklaces you find HERE is your inspiration (there are 17 pages of necklaces!!!).  When you choose your favorite and create your card, make sure to put a link to the necklace you chose so that we can see your inspiration piece.  You have two options for doing this depending on if you blog or not.  If you blog, simply save the picture of the piece you choose and put it in your post with whatever you created.  I'm sure your own readers would like to see what your inspiration was.  If you don't blog, in your comment on this post where you will leave the link to your creation in your online gallery, leave the link to the specific piece you chose.  You can do this by clicking on the necklace in her Etsy shop and then copying the link that is displayed once you do.  Just paste it in your comment here.  As a courtesy to Heatherann, please include a link to her shop in your blog post.  Thanks!  Below are the rules, and I am off to narrow it down to which one I want to use since I love so many of them!!!

Here are the rules:
You will have through Monday evening (Dec 8) to comment with a link to your creation.  Please post your link in a comment to THIS post, along with a link to the piece of jewelry that you used for inspiration (if you don't have a blog where you can just include the photo/link there in the post you are linking to).  Additionally, please ensure that you leave a direct link to the actual post or specific picture in your gallery.

On Tuesday morning, December 9th, I will post my own creation along with a list of links to all of yours.  I will use Random.org to select one of your entries as the "featured artist" in my own post.  This means for your link to appear in the initial post or to be considered as the featured artist, I would need to have it by 8:00 pm on Monday evening. 

If you upload your card to SCS, please use the keyword CBC06 with no spaces, so that we can find them easily.

Another Eastern Blooms CASE

So, I saw a card in THIS post over on Andrea Walford's blog, and just HAD to CASE it.  I saved it in my favorites and finally got around to making it.  I changed the colors up, used a different sentiment, added a Build-a-Brad center to the large flower from the Eastern Blooms stamp set, and tah-dah!!!  If you haven't checked out Andrea's blog, you should!!!

Stamps:  Eastern Blooms, Thank You Kindly
Paper:  Mellow Moss, So Saffron and Whisper White CS, Parisian Summer DSP
Ink:  Pink Pirouette, Bravo Burgundy and So Saffron classic ink
Accessories:  Scallop Edge punch, 1/2" circle punch, Build-a-Brad (pewter), 5/8" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (Pirouette Pink), stampin' dimensionals

Free Shipping!!!!

Just in time for the holidays, I am offering FREE SHIPPING on any SU! order placed in the month of December.  That's right, ANY order - so you get to take advantage of any current specials offered by SU! AND get free shipping.  BUT - you can't place the order on my website since the free shipping is from me, and not SU!.  It is for the 10% shipping rate.  So, if your order is smaller than $69.50 it will only be 10% of your merchandise total off of your shipping.  Sorry - I can't pay for part of your order for you, which is what would happen if the order is less than $69.50.  If you would like to place an order, just shoot me an e-mail at mariemc01@gmail.com and I will get your order placed!!! 

I accept checks and credit or debit cards.

GBC December Kit 3-D Item

Aren't these blocks cute?!?!  I had so much fun making them!

  

 

Last Month With Go. Be Creative.

December marks my last month on the GBC Design Team.  I have so enjoyed getting the lovely kits from Lainey each month, and getting to create so many different things with them.  Today's post is one of the 12 x 12 LO's I made with the December kit.  It is ready and waiting for our family picture in front of the Christmas tree this year.  The CS that was used was not in the kit, but it WAS something that I purchased back in July from the GBC store.  Check it out to see what Lainey has in there now.  Thanks for looking!!  Tomorrow I'll show you some really pretty word blocks that I made with the December GBC kit.

MTSC19 CASE

So, who out there HASN'T been to Mercy Kerin's blog? I LOVE it, and I've been wanting to play in one of her sketch challenges for a while now.  Well, I finally got around to it, and couldn't help myself from CASE'ingone of her cards that she made for her own sketch.  I changed the colors, the LO a tiny bit (but kept it in line with the sketch) and some of the sizes of the layers, but basically you will be able to obviously see where I got my inspiration ;)  I loved her use of brads on the card, but scaled them down a bit - I left off the piercing, and changed some other minor details, but used the same Eastern Blooms stamp set image (I LOVE this set!!) and this is what I came up with.  Check out her card HERE, and be sure to browse around her lovely blog - she even has a new sketch challenge up for today!!!

Stamps:  Eastern Blooms, Thank You Kindly
Paper:  Bravo Burgundy, Pink Pirouette and Very Vanilla CS, Parisian Summer Designer Series Paper
Ink:  Bravo Burgundy, So Saffron and Pink Pirouette classic ink
Accessories:  Bravo Burgundy 5/8" wide grosgrain ribbon, silver brads

I'm Baaaack!!!!

So, you've been waiting patiently for the reveal to CBC05, so here it is!!!  My posting will be a little sporadic this week as we adjust to moving my daughter into a different kindergarten class today.  She will no longer be going for a full-day.  The only full-day kindergarten in our district is for kids who have tested below what is desired to enter kindergarten in one area or another.  Five of the kids in the full-day program are asked to be in the class as "role-models" and my DD tested high enough to be asked to be in the class.  Well, after this many months of being in the full-day class as a role-model, we finally decided to pull her out and put her in the "regular" half-day program at her school because she just wasn't thriving in the classroom.  She was also upset with the teasing/exclusion at school each day when she came home and we saw no need to subject her to that, so, I will have all three kids at home every day from lunch on instead of having only the two until about 3:00 pm.  My mornings are taken up with going to the gym - I lost over 6 pounds this last week, and Thanksgiving was even in there!!!  So...hopefully you'll understand.  I need to get myself back on track - my weight included - so stamping/blogging will be taking a back seat until I can re-adjust my schedule.  Here's my almost monthly plug for using one of the links on the left-hand side of the screen to subscribe to my blog.  That way you get updates when I post them and can use your time to surf sites that are posting instead of checking to see if I've got anything new or not.

ETA:  Many of you have asked how to make the medallion flowers.  Well, it is certainly not an original design of mine, and I found a tutorial on a scrapbook sketch challenge site I frequent that is on Kristen's blog HERE.  She gives very good instructions.  I used my Scallop Edge punch where she uses "edgers" as you will see in her tutorial.  Enjoy!!!

Now that I've bored you to tears, Random.org picked post #3 to be the spotlight for this weeks Combat Boot Challenge and that was Lynda K!!!!  If you click on her name you can see her fabulous SCS gallery and her lovely card is there for this challenge.  Isn't it neat how she made that vase?!?!?

 

Thanks to all who played - your cards are fabulous!!  The players this week were:

Carmen

Joanie

Cori S

Hope to see you for the next Combat Boot Challenge!!!