I'm in Trouble!!

I am up way to late tonight and I am gonna be in trouble once tomorrow comes!!! I promised my Mom I would come help her clean, and I should probably(definitely) get some sleep before then. At this rate, I will be lucky to get 6hrs. and let me tell you, I don't function well with less than eight. I have always wished I could, but have never been able too. I can't take naps either, so that is working against me too. I don't know about you, but every time I try to take a nap, I wake up feeling worse than when I started out!! I knew I would be gone the better part of tomorrow, so I wanted to get the color challenge for Tuesday done. The challenge was to use Basic Grey, Whisper White and Soft Sky. The card base is BG and then layered with Soft Sky and Whisper white. The edges were sponged with SS ink to soften them. I added a piece of SS DSP to the bottom and wrapped a piece of SS ribbon around the two top layers to hide the seam. Since I love ribbon(and really, who doesn't)I added a piece of Basic Grey taffeta and White grosgrain ribbon to it too. The sentiment was stamped on WW with BG and punched out with the small oval punch. I sponged the edges of that piece heavily to really make it stand out. Because you all know that I LOVE brads, I added some across the bottom, don't you love how they are alternating sizes. All the hardware came from the Stylized Silver Hardware from Stampin Up. I sure hope they keep it around, it is fabulous!!! The flower was stamped three times in Versamark on SS. I then covered it in white embossing powder and cut it out in three different layers. There are pop dots between each layer to give it some depth. I layered it on WW, SS, and BG and sponged the edges of that too. Once I had all that done, I thought that the top corner was a little to bare, so I used my neglected Ornare piercing template to give it a little something more. Well, that is all for me for tonight, must get some sleep for tomorrow or I will be a very unhelpful zombie!!! Thanks for looking and have a great day(or night, whatever your case may be!!)

stamps-Fabulous Flowers and Small Script

paper- Soft Sky, Basic Grey, Whisper White, and Soft Sky DSP

ink-Versamark, Basic Grey and Soft Sky

tools- stylized silver hardware, ornare piercing template, soft sky ribbon, grey taffeta, white grosgrain, white embossing powder, small oval punch

Flap Fold Thanks

Today's technique lover's challenge was to make a flap fold card. Our guest hostess for this week is JoLynn, aka stampissues, and she chose to do this fabulous card that she found a tutorial for on the Scor Pal website. The tutorial is fabulous and very easy to follow, so if you have seen these(or you like mine), you should try it, it is so easy!! I started with a 3 1/2x8 1/2 sheet of Basic Black. I really wanted some more layers on this so I did a second layer in Rose Red(3 3/8x8 3/8). I used my circle cutter to round out the edge of both papers and I glued that together and scored it at 4 1/4 and 8 1/2. I then attached a piece of Rose Red DP to the bottom flap that measures 3 1/4x4. For the top piece of DP, I cut it at 3 1/4 and then used my circle cutter to round out the edge, I then flipped the paper to the side I didn't want showing and made a pencil line with a ruler to cut it off. There is probably an easier way to do this, but this worked for me. I used my circle nestabilities to cut out my lamb from Pun Fun(Thanks Jodi!!) and then layered it using my circle scallop nestibilities. The sentiment was cut out with my word window punch and layered it with RR and BB. I added the brads and the ribbon and it was done. I have to say that in the tutorial is tells you to use Basic Grey snaps to close the flap, but I really didn't have anything that would work for that, so the ribbon is actually tied around the bottom flap(the one with the brads) and I slid it up over the fold flap to keep it closed. That's it for now!! My dh just came home for lunch and asked if I was feeling okay, when I said yes, he just said okay and left. I think he wants me to clean or something!!!( I don't blame him)!! Since it is not going to clean itself, I had better go!! Have a great day!!
stamps-Pun Fun
ink- Basic black
paper- Basic Black, Rose Red, Whisper White and Rose Red DSP
tools- black brads and organdy, rose red marker, cool grey prismacolor maker, nestibilities, cuttlebug

Easter Sunday's Featured Stamper

Easter Sunday's featured stamper was the fabulous Amy Sheffer, aka Pickletree. If you haven't been to her gallery, go now!! She also has a fabulous blog, which you can find listed in my Blogs I Stalk. I was too exhausted to stamp yesterday, and truth be told, should really be cleaning right now, but I wanted to participate in her challenge, since I am such a fan!! I chose this card to CASE. I needed to start trying to figure out what to do for the invites for my sister's baby shower, since we don't have a lot of time left!!! As per the rules, I made a few changes to the card, but I kept the same layout. I did change some of the colors, added layers, did brads instead of piercing, changed the images, etc. In short, I kept the layout and changed most of the rest. I always start out trying to only change two or three things, but something always goes wrong!!!LOL What can I say, I love layers!!! I am not sure if this is what we will end up, but someone will end up getting it!! Thanks for looking and have a great day!!

stamps-So Many Scallops, Hugs and Wishes

paper-Wild Wasabi, Bashful Blue, Barely Banana, Whisper White and East Coast Prep DSP

ink- Wild Wasabi and Barely Banana

tools-cirlce nestabilities, swiss dots folder, silver brads, scallop circle punch, word window punch

Happy Easter!!

My nieces have been here since Friday afternoon and I am exhausted. Between running them around, chasing after them, doing all the fun Easter stuff, and learning of my sister's AMAZING news, I am too tired to even stamp, and let me tell you, that takes a lot. I am so bummed too because today's featured stamper over on SCS is one of my FAVORITE stampers Amy Sheffer, or Pickletree on SCS. I can't wait for tomorrow to get to case her, but first I will have to figure out how the heck I am ever gonna get my house clean again!! Since I don't have anything new to show you, I thought I would share two of the Easter cards I got in the mail . The first is from my pal Lavon. Isn't it so cute!!! The second is from my friend Judy(Judluvstostamp). Love the scoring on this one, I sooooooooo need a scorpal!!! Thanks and I hope you had a Hoppy and Blessed Easter, pun intended!!!

BTW Thank you to all of you for the prayers and well wishes, they mean so much to me. Each comment I read made me happier and happier and more positive about my situation. God Bless you all!!!

Do You Believe in Miracles?

If you came to my blog and only saw the title, forgive me, I am an airhead!! Anyway, do you believe?? If ever there was a time of year to believe in miracles, it would be Easter time. For me, it ranks right up there with Christmas. I promised when I started this blog, I would not get religious on you, and I am not going to now, but I am going to tell you a story that may make you believe. First, the background. My older sister Mary and I both suffer from what is known as PCOS in the medical world. It is PolyCycstic Ovarian Syndrome. For those of you that don't know what that is, it is basically a condition that causes you to ovulate irregularly if at all. The only way to control it is by diet, exercise and the only prescribed medication is glucophage. Basically with this disease, the heavier you are, the worse it is. So anyway, we both wanted to have a baby at about the same time. We both started seeing a DR. to get help to do so. I was immediately started on Clomid(causes you to super ovulate) and was having 2 to 3 ultrasounds a month to check for ovulation. On top of this all, I was having to take a shot when they thought I was ready to help me ovulate too. After 6 months of this, my regular DR decided that I needed to see a specialist. After 3 rounds of insemination, they decided that we needed to test Travis and see if anything was wrong with him, which of course, there was. His problem can be corrected surgically, but for right now, due to financial reasons, we need to wait. So during this time, my sisters DR wanted to have her tested to see if everything was alright with her( now remember, all this was happening at the same time). She had a test done that checks your tubes to see if they are open(which mine are) and they told her that hers were 100% blocked, so basically, the only way for her to have a baby was to do in vitro. She started seeing a specialist and he wanted her to start on the glucophage to get her body ready to ovulate, but wanted her to lose weight before he would start the clomid. She was a real trooper and started the low carb diet and lost 50+ pounds. At some point along the way, life happened, her husband switched jobs, and they lost his insurance which had the in-vitro coverage on it. For those of you that have done this, it is hugely expensive. So after some soul searching, they decided to give up and just live with the fact that they wouldn't ever have children together( he has a son from a previous relationship). I bet you know what is coming.........my sister called me today and is pregnant!!! I don't know how, I don't know why, but she is. So for the DR that told her her tubes were 100% blocked, you were wrong!!!! Talk about a miracle!!! Wanna know the funny part, she is 6MONTHS along!!! Isn't that crazy!!! I had to laugh at her, because I always make fun of those people on TV that don't know they are pregnant until they give birth. Thankfully, she didn't get to that point, but 6months is a long time to now know. She does say that looking back now, she should have seen the signs(the biggest one being that fact that she hasn't had a period since October), but when you get told that there is no way possible, it is the furthest thing from your mind. Do you wanna know how she found out....she felt him kicking!!! Awesome!!! So this card is for Mary and Russell, congratulations on your amazing news!! (BTW it is also for the Inspiration challenge over on SCS, you know I can make anything work the way I want it too!!) The main image is from the new Anna Wight set for Whipper Snapper called Bundle of Joy. It was stamped on watercolor paper with Black Stazon and colored with SU markers and ink pads with my aquapainter. I then outlined it all with my prismacolor cool grey marker. I rounded the corners(for Sharon's stamp simply challenge) and layered it with my card colors, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky and Sage Shadow. The rest is pretty easy to figure out, and my nieces are here, so I really need to get to bed, I have another story to tell tomorrow, but this post is huge!! Thanks for looking and have a miraculous day!!

stamps-Bundle of Joy by Whipper Snapper

ink- Black Stazon, Blue Bayou and Soft Sky

paper-Blue Bayou, Soft Sky CS and DSP, Sage Shadow, and Very Vanilla

tools-silver grads, silver cord, SU markers, aquapainter, cool grey marker, circle punches and soft sky ribbon

Which One??

Jen posted the Friday Limited Supplies challenge early, and I was so intrigued by it, I just had to get to work. Unfortunately, it took me forever to complete. The challenge was to make 2 to 4 cards using the same stamps and paper. You could change the embellishments, but you had to use 3 to 4 stamps, white or vanilla, and two other colors. Basically, it was to get back to the Basics, like when you first started and had a limited amount of colors and stamps. The first card(the verticle one) went rather quickly, but the second, kicked my butt!!! Not so much the layout, because I knew I wanted to use Julee's mojo Monday sketch again, but I kept screwing up the flower. I tried and I tried, and I finally decided to not cut out the flower, which is what I was trying to do in the first place. Then, I pierced the edges of it, and didn't like how it looked, so I had to start again. I finally got it to look good and realized I had screwed up the sketch, so it is SORTA Julee's sketch, we will call it inspired by Julee's sketch. Since both cards use the same things almost exactly, I am just going to list my supplies. Thanks for looking and have a great day(or night, whichever the case may be)!!! Oh yeah, which one do you like the best, I have a favorite, but I don't want to influence you, so let me know!!

stamps-Lots of Thoughts and Friendship Blooms

ink-Real Red and Black Stazon

paper-Real Red, Regal Rose, Whisper White, and Sassafrass Lass Candy Apple

tools-paper piercer and mat pack, rhinestone brads, bold brights brads, SU markers, white taffeta, pink and red gingham, oval punches, word window punch, crystal effects

Thanks Jodi!!

My good pal Jodi, aka kharmagirl, sent me a TON of images from the SU set Pun Fun and I have been hoarding them, up until today. I made this card for the Ways to Use It challenge which was to use tags on your card. You could use any kind that you wanted, you just have to have a tag on it somewhere. I automatically thought of the tags I recieved in my Elf package from Cindy(mothermark). It wasn't so much an elf package, as it was a retaliation package for the one I sent her!!! I started with a Night of Navy base and then layered Bordering Blue and Whisper White. I colored the whale with my SU markers and then highlighted the eyes with white gel pen. The check color, because I forgot to do it first, is a Sakura soufle pen. I covered the whole thing in crystal effects. The tag started out as just Navy, but it looked kinda plain, so I covered it in polka dots(Jodi will be so proud). I tied a piece of white grosgrain and a piece of navy organdy around the tag and popped it up. I love that dp that is on the strip, and have been dying to use it since I got it. It is from Sassafrass Lass. I put 3 white brads in each end, and then put the sentiment right up next to it. I thought it needed something, so I put the three navy eyelets in each corner. I still thought it needed something, so I pierced the border around the card and the tag, and VIOLA!! It was done!! This is for my husbands Aunt Bobbi, her favorite color is blue, and she just got out of the hospital, so this is for her. Thanks for looking and have a great day!!
stamps-Pun Fun
paper- Night of Navy, Bordering Blue, Whisper White, and dp by Sassafrass Lass
ink-Basic Black
tools-white gel pen, tags, navy eyelets, white brads, white grosgrain, blue organdy, crystal effects, SU markers, aquapainter, pink soufle pen, paper piercer and mat pack

WOOHOOO!!!

I got a few messages wondering where I have been for the last couple of days, so I wanted to show you what I have been up to. I got a new car. Now, by now, most of you are seeing the pictures of my old vehicle, a beautiful black Chevy Silverado. I loved my truck, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't very functional for what I needed it for. It was terrible to grocery shop in, hard for people to get in and out of, and a gas HOG!! I used to have a Grand Prix(which my MIL now has), so when Travis said I could get something else, I wanted one really bad!! Isn't she pretty!! I just wish I had picked a better time to get it. It is so rainy and windy here I had to spend the night at my sister's house last night so that I wouldn't wreck it on the way home!!

Go Laura!!

Today's sketch challenge was based on one of my FAVORITE stampers and friends, Laura Fredrickson aka scrapnextras. She has the most fabulous blog and gallery, and is super sweet to boot!! I decided to use up some of my many scraps of DSP that I have left over from Easter. I needed a birthday card for a stamping friend, but this is a little too masculine, so I think I need to find someone to send it to!! Do you think it would work for a girl?? Anyway, I started with Wild Wasabi and stamped the sentiment from the set Birthday Banter. I then pierced the lines on the bottom, I just love effect that gives. If I had known I was going to use the Birthday Whimsey set before I stamped the sentiment, I would have used the happy birthday from it, but I hadn't picked out the main image set when I started. The other colors on here are Apricot Appeal and Bashful Blue. All the dsp came from the scraps from my Prints Pack. I stamped the balloons in the three colors on my card and cut them out. Then I put crystal effects on them and let them dry. I glued the two down, and popped the third one up. I hand drew the strings with a black marker and then went over it with my silver pen. I used three different ribbons, and six white brads, and it was done. What do you think? Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!

stamps-Birthday Whimsey and Banter

Paper- Apricot Appeal, Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White, and Prints Pack DSP

ink-Apricot Appeal, Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi, and Stazon Black
tools-crystal effects, blue striped ribbon, wasabi stitched ribbon, apricot ribbon, white brads, paper piercer

What A Combo!!

What a color challenge they had on SCS this week!! It was guest hosted by non other than the fabulously talented and hilarious, Carole Burrage(trucarma). She wanted to make us all have indigestion or something along those lines, so she was going to pick a truly awful color combo. After realizing she would have to make a sample with those horrible colors, she decided to pick three of her favorite colors and put them together. Her samples were wonderful, mine, ugggghhhlllyyyy!! I despise this card on so many levels, but it is just awful enough that my MIL should love it. I don't know if that says something terrible about my MIL, but I know, she would never tell me she thought it was ugly, so she is the only person I can give it too. The rest of the people I know are just to honest!!LOL. Okay really, it isn't that bad, but it is totally not me. I used Julee Tilman's mojo Monday sketch for the layout. The swirls are from Priceless(SU) and I outlined them with glitter pen. I punched out the holes with my paper piercer too, and then decided to do a frame around the card, which I actually like. The sentiment is from Warmest Regards and is also stamped in Sage Shadow. The flowers are from Petaloo(the orchid one) and Heidi Swapp(white and ghost). The Sage flower started out white, but I colored it with my SU Sage Shadow marker and then squeezed it between two paper towels to take out some of the color. Well, I hope you like it better than I do!! Have a great day, and try to stay dry(it has rained almost 8in here in the last 24hrs!!).

stamps-Priceless and Warmest Regards

paper-Kraft, Sage Shadow, Orchid Opulence, and Whisper White

ink-Sage Shadow

tools-white brads, ghost flowers and white flower from Heidi Swapp, Petaloo flowers, Sakura glitter pen, paper piercer and mat pack