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

Reverse Cuttlebug

As some of you may know, I am not a loyal fan of the technique lovers challenge. I prefer to do simple stamping stuff, otherwise I run out of room on my table!! I usually don't participate, but I loved the samples for this weeks challenge, and it sounded pretty easy. The challenge was to take your cuttlebug embossing folder and put ink on the negative side(back of the top side). Then when you run it through, it puts the ink around everything but the embossing. It is an awesome effect, if you ask me!! I used my brayer and inked the inside of my script folder with Always Artichoke. Then I placed a piece of Mellow Moss cardstock inside it and ran it through my machine. I immediately went and washed off my embossing folder and my brayer. Let's face it, there is no saving the brayer, but the folder washed off perfectly!! I layered it with Mellow Moss and my card base is Always Artichoke. I stamped the pail from the Whipper Snapper set Posies for You, designed SweetMissDaisy herself, Anna Wight. If you haven't bought any of her sets, go shopping right now, they are fabulous. She has four cling sets released right now, and I love all of them(I am still waiting for my new one to arrive, but check out her blog,in my blogs I stalk, for samples it is so super cute!!)!! Anyway, I stamped it with Black stazon on Whisper White and colored it in with my Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke marker. I used my aquapainter to blend the colors and then colored the handle with my silver pen. I cut it out and glued it on top of the flower I had stamped from the same set. It was colored with my Pale Plum marker and highlighted with my Perfect Plum marker. I blended it the same way and then outlined the whole thing with my Cool Grey prismacolor marker. I have been on a roll with my bows here lately(what I am not telling you is that it takes me 45minutes to get them right), so I tied a lavender organdy bow around it and tied a bow. That's it for me now, may be back later with some more stuff, if I can get my butt in gear!!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

stamps-Posies for You

paper-Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Whisper White

ink-Black Stazon and Always Artichoke

tools- word window punch, silver brads, script embossing folder, brayer, aquapainter, silver pen, lavender organdy, SU markers

I'm Late, I'm Late, For a Very Important Date!!

I have to be at my MIL's in one hour for lunch, and I haven't taken a shower yet, do you think I am going to make it!! I cased two of this week's featured stamper's fabulous cards this week. Congrats to you BeckyTE!!! They are pretty self explanatory, so I am not going to go into a lot of detail. The first one is based on her card here, and the second on this one here. Thanks for looking, and I will be back later to add more details!!

EDIT!! Hi all, I am back from my MIL's with a killer headache. Note to self: When celebrating St. Patricks Day, drink the green margaritas in moderation!!! I am not a drinker, at all, and we had a few, ahemmm, glasses of margaritas with lunch, complete with colorful salt!! SOOO yummy, but wowee, who knew such a big girl could get tipsy over a few glasses of margaritas!! I need to practice more or something!!

Tag You're It!

I got tagged by my SCS and blogging buddy Chat aka nitestamper, to list 7 random or unknown facts about myself, so I definitely wanted to play!!

1. I am scared to death to climb ladders. I don't know what it is, but I am terrified of them!!

2. I started working when I was 14yrs(almost 15), and worked up until the summer before my 29th birthday. For that entire time, I held at least one job, sometimes two, and at one point three. So when people ask me why I don't work now I tell them, besides the obvious reason(I don't have to), I need a break!!

3. I was an honor roll student all throughout high school and college, but dropped out to be a Nanny for a Dr. and her husband. I worked and lived with them for 5 yrs. Sometimes I wish I had finished school, since I can't really get a good job without a college degree, but I wouldn't give up one day with the girls I used to take care of. I haven't been their nanny for almost 4yrs now, and not a day goes by that I don't miss them!!

4. My husband and I have been trying to have a baby since we got married 31/2 years ago. We both have infertility issues that are working against each other, so we have to have a lot of help. I refuse to give up though,!! Being a mom is the only thing I ever really wanted to be.

5. I cry A LOT!! I cry at movies, commercials, TV shows,(my #4 made me cry)comments people leave me, songs, you name it. I can cry on demand and it drives my husband bananas!

6. I hate to wear jewelry. In fact, I have to force myself to wear my wedding rings.

7. Last but not least(and by far the most embarrassing), up until about 3yrs(rough estimate)I couldn't tell my right from my left without thinking about it. I would have to hold up both hands in front of my face to be able to see which one was which. Can we say LOSER!!! Now isn't that the saddest thing!!! I was on the math team in high school and only had 1 B my entire high school career!! I was in the honor society for both hs and college, and still had to think about right and left. My family and friends finally gave up on me and started pointing instead of saying right from left. You know what they say though, sometimes people who are book smart have no street smarts!!

Well thanks for reading this!! I want to tag people, but I don't want to force anyone, so I am going to put your names here, but I am not gonna make you do it, OK!!
Linsey-Outside the Lines
Lee-My Reality, it's all good!!
Lesa- Punkydoodle Papers
Laura-scrapnextras
Carolina-Carolina's Creative Pad
and anyone else who wants to play!! If you choose to, send me a link to your post, so I can get to know you all better too!! Now, I really need to go to bed!!

I Finally Did It!!

No, I'm not done with Easter, yet!! Sorry for the false alarm!! What I was referring to is the fact that I finally made my chick from my Just So Hoppy set, hop!! I don't know why, but I just LOVE this Chickie, don't you!! I am exhausted from helping my Mom move today, so I am not going to ramble one, but I wanted to participate in the inspiration challenge for today. It was this SUPER CUTE clothing line called Candy Toss. It is so sweet!! The colors on the clothing are much brighter, but I did start with brighter colors, I just couldn't get it to work out the way I wanted. I thought this paper would work though, cause I think it is a fun pattern. It is from my DCWV Glitter Stack. I paired it with Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery and Lavender Lace. This card also works for Beates weekend sketch challenge. The main image is stamped on Whisper White with Black Stazon and is colored in with SU markers and my aqua painter. The sky was painted on with my AP and Bashful Blue ink pad. I hand drew the dots on the layered sentiment and put some colorful brads in it for some added embellishment(you know how I LUV my brads)!! That's all for me now!! Thanks for looking and have a great day!!

stamps-Just So Hoppy by Gina K.
paper- Pretty in Pink, Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery, Whisper White and DCWV Glitter Stack
ink- Black stazon and Bashful Blue
tools-SU markers, aqua painter, soft subtle brads, pink organdy, key tag-scallop-and circle punches, white gel pen, prismacolor grey marker