cards and other stuff

One of the Hero Arts owls stamped alone. Letter stamps for "Be Jolly." StampIt square outline stamp and patterned paper also used.

I have a cold. Again. I haven't felt real good for a week but last night felt crummy. I took some Tylenol cold PM and that stuff knocks me out but then I feel like a zombie the next day.

I have some things to get done today too.

I have a coupon for BOGO at Yankee Candle and it expires today. Cary and I have some favorite holiday candles we burn constantly this time of year. Mistletoe and Christmas Wreath. So I do need to head to the mall quickly for those. I like to have one day to stay home but yesterday we stayed home most of the day. But we picked up my Christmas deco's from my parent's. Put up a few last night. I love enjoying this season as long as possible. I might stop at Target too and look at their decorations too. But not too long...I don't feel good and it's back to work tomorrow. Face the news about the grades I have to figure out.

Anyhow...yesterday I got 9 cards made yesterday with some of the goodies I posted about yesterday. Now I only have about 31 to go! I had fun with them. Some years I do one design and make them all the same. But I do really have fun when I mix it up. I experiment more.

Here's the cards...

Had fun with this one. Only inked one tree from Tim Holtz's stamp. Used a large StampIt rectangle stamp in a light green (very subtle). Deckle edged scissors used to cut out the tree. And my favorite part...the "star" is made from stamping the letter "o" and "i's" around it! Used an SEI clear stamp for the "under the tree."

This is an old stamp (inkadinkadoo) I've had forever. I figure skated for over 10 years so this is a favorite. I love the detail. The "Holiday Greeting and snowflake" is SEI. I added a rhinestone in the snowflake.

Played around with Tim Holtz distress inks on a scallop punched square of white cardstock. "Inked" the edges with a black sharpie. Stamped the "Santa's Coming" from SEI and added the StampIt outline square in red ink.


Tim Holtz trees. A new favorite. Stamped the trees in brown and lightly colored over with an olive colored pencil. Added stickles. Stamped the little SEI deer and used a Cosmo Cricket rub-on "Winter Wonderland." All of this done on a subtly patterned paper and mounted on cranberry cardstock.

Love these little Hero Arts Owls! Used colored pencil to hand color the details and used an SEI stamp (only inked the words not the attached snowflake). Inked the edges with olive green and mounted on a colorful patterned paper.

Here is bunch of the cards I made with the Tim Holtz tree stamp. A few other stamps used as well. Love this stamp!

Well. Off to get dressed and venture out so I can get back home and try and feel better.

Looking forward to seeing other's creations later!

better luck

My mother's Thanksgiving table. She made a huge turkey and some delicious, tart cranberry sauce with an orange zest in them. She kept telling me the Food Network show she got the recipe from but I can't remember! Also...there is a great tradition with those dishes that I love. My dad picked them up in China when he was in the navy during Vietnam. They are gorgeous. I am afraid to wash them though! I love their simplicity and tradition. He had them at my grandmother's for years and we got them when she passed away. We use them on Christmas and Thankgiving now and they are stored in that lighted, corner china cabinet the rest of the year so we can admire them.

I am hopefully at the start of a better streak of luck!

I had a beautiful, wondeful Thanksgiving. Surrounded by my family and lots of pie!

On Black Friday I got up early and went to my LSS'sannual Day-after-Thanksgiving sale for some awesome finds. I got all this....

What happens is they have a room full of stuff marked anywhere from $.25 - $3.00. So I picked up a bunch of that. Then while waiting in the line (that does take awhile...an hour)...I picked up these (regularly priced stamps)...

...for my Christmas cards. Plus some holiday paper. The stamp with the trees was a splurge. Tim Holtz $12. And I loved the little penquins ($8.50). I had originally had an idea with Memory Box's Bare Tree stamp but I haven't been able to find one so while waiting in line I was inspired. I also picked up a $10 set of SEI clear stamps. So that is over $40 including the paper and a few little things of regularly priced stuff. More indulgent than I usually am in that store.

So I get to the front of the register...they have an early-bird special for the sale where you draw a bottle cap when they ring up your order and a % off is written on that. Whatever you pull, you get that % off your regularly priced purchases. I thought back to a few years ago when I pulled a 40%. The highest you can get and that year I picked up hardly any regularly priced stuff. So this year I didn't have high hopes. Particularly in light of my bad luck lately.

So I pull a bottle cap.

Thinking guiltily of my $62 dollars worth of stuff.

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And...
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I pulled the 40% off! Yippee! My order came to $45. I got all those awesome stamps each for 40% off...plus the new papers, etc! Plus I had earned a $20 coupon on my next order! You accrue points on your account and when you reach a certain spending amount you get the coupon.

My luck is changing!


Then last night Cary and I went out to the movies (after a Turkey Sandwich at my mom's). We saw Twilight which I was excited about since I'm (still) on book three. Haven't had as much time to read since school started back. I liked it. Then we had a Wendy's splurge and came home. It was such a nice, relaxed day. Unlike any I've had for awhile.


Hoping for more of the same today...can't wait to get started on my cards!


Hope everyone has a beautiful Saturday.

Off to start my dad with the breakfeast of champions. Apple pie!

thanksgiving

Sending Happy Thanksgiving to all! This is my 20oth post and it is part of my Gratitude list this Thanksgiving. Through the world of blogging I have felt I have made new friends, received inspiration, been lifted during frustrating days by thoughtful messages and laughed with funny posts. I'm so glad I have found this outlet.

Other things on my Gratitude List on this day...

• A funny, warm, quirky family to spend Thanksgiving with.
• Mom's cooking.
• Cary being here with me and safe.
• Apple Pie!
• Warm, lit, heated apartment that I can afford.
• Enough food in the cabinets and fridge.
• Enough money in my account to pay the basics.
• A little extra for some scapbook supplies tomorrow at my LSS's annual sale.
• A long weekend and some much needed downtime.
• The happiness I feel during this time of year.
• Nostalgia
• My parent's health

I could go on and on today....that is lucky...

Happy Thanksgiving.

ornament

An ornament idea I pulled out of an old magazine...lots of beads, glitter, tiny marbles attached with regular-old Elmer's near the ornament's hanger. Inside the clear, glass ball is a single white feather. This was my trial ornament. I plan on making a bunch for co-workers and family.

Here's a layout from my friend's Close to My Heart party on Saturday. I added some more details tonight at home...all stamp images are CTMH but I added a journaling card and sticker border. The blank space will eventually hold a photo(s). I'm not used to making a layout before I have the picture...I'm also not entirely thrilled with the layout but I think it will be easier to see it as finished with a photo or two.

Well off to relax a bit and watch 90210...

Happy Tuesday!

december daily album and other stuff

gathering of supplies for my "december daily" album inspired by Ali Edwards.

Gearing up for a better span of luck. My car is in the shop. They determined the other guy was liable after some fighting on his part. I got my hair colored last week. Closer to my natural brown but with a shinier, redder kick. A needed change. It has been an adjustment getting used to it for me... and Cary! He has only ever known me as a blonde! It is growing on him though. I stayed home sick Thursday. Run down, cold-like. Just not good. Watched my student's class presentations on Friday and then did the school's Admissions Open House on saturday. That night went to a Close to my Heart party and Girl's Night Out. Bought a distressing tool and a journaling stamp. I don't usually buy stuff at those parties but I had had such a bad week I wanted a treat. Sunday I visited with my old high school art teacher/mentor. She is an unbelievable artist and inspires me greatly. Made me want to do some art. I stopped at the LSS on the way home for a few papers and album covers for my December Daily. Here it is so far...(the pictures are terrible with no natural light!)

The cover...a set of Maya Road clear album covers and tabs.. assortment of sticker letters and a Heidi Swapp scalloped journaling circle...

Example of the layers inside. Used lots of transparencies, various number stickers form my stash and some Christmas inspired papers...

Also included some "pages" that are envelopes and tags. Each day of December 1st - 25th has a two-sided page...then I added a final page for New Year's. Hence the title "The Holidays." I wanted to include the New Year as a final page...

Another view of the layers...I love how Ali plays with textures and layers and interest.


And here is one finished dishcloth and a yummy new taupe yarn color I got to add contrasting stripes to a few of the next dishclothes. I'm making a set for my mom. Thinking of getting her some nice soap from Williams & Sonoma or something. She loves cooking and her kitchen is red with shades of light/bright green. These are so fun to make and quick...I found out about them here.

Hopefully this (short) work week will be un-eventful. Grades lots of papers today...few wierd things to check in with my supervisor about...tomorrow at work we are having a Thanksgiving meal for the clients. Have some paperwork to catch up because I was out sick from that job one day last week...

Then...

my mom's cooking...

baking pies...

and FOUR DAYS OFF! Yeah!

better luck?

I'm ready to start a better streak of luck. Car stuff is (almost) resolved. My car is going to the auto body today. The insurance co. found the other driver liable (after he argued it). My apartment was exterminated for a problem we don't have. But it is done. And my stuff is (almost) all put away again. I stayed home sick with a cold yesterday. Back to work today. But it's an easy day. My students are presenting assessments and I just have to stay awake with my medicine head! Wednesday night I got my hair colored. A lot. It's back to brown but with a reddish tone. My hair hasn't been this close to it's natural color in years....it's shocking and a little hard to get used to. With all this up-in-the-air abnormality in my life maybe it wasn't such a good idea?? The only creative thing I've done this week is buy some supplies to make a few ornaments and started knitting dishcloth #2 for my mom. I'm begining a marathon few days of work and extras before Thanksgiving. Have to get up early to be at the college's open house tomorrow...sell...sell...sell! Then I am supposed to go to a Girl's Night Dinner and scrap party (Creative Memories I think) but we'll see how I'm feeling. Then sunday I get to see my high school art teacher/mentor. We had to cancel last weekend when I was car-less!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend! Hopefully I'll have some art/scrap/knitting/cards to post...anything creative will be welcomed this weekend!

art

While I'm waiting for my car insurance co. to call me back and figure out how I'm getting to work tomorrow....trying to not be completely aggrivated (ggrrr...) I will post a few pieces I did last week. I used this general technique with my Art Therapy group and they loved it. Each chose a theme for their "mosaic" based on what they need.

Here are mine. I got the idea from this issue of Somerset .
I appologize for the poor quality of the 2nd image...




Now...back to insurance companies. The other guy (whose fault it was we had an accident) hasn't filed a claim...so...I have to pay for a rental to get myself to work. Grrrr....I'm so annoyed. Plus had to do all the footwork with my own company to get his companies phone number. And don't even get me started on the police dept...grr...