7-8-9- 10:11:12

So like, wow! It's been a while eh? I know I said I would be better about this blogging thing but it's harder than I thought it would be. LOL I don't know how many times I have sat here and started to write and then never finish. I guess all I can do is try again!

So anyway, I'm sure those of you who are scrappers know who LizzyK is but if not, she was the winner of CK's scrapbooker of the year contest back in '08. (at least I think it was 2008) Ya so, she has this awesome blog that I love to read and she and her hub-de-dubs came up with a fun idea to have everyone take a picture of what they were doing at 7-8-9 @ 10:11:12. Ya know, since it's kind of a once in a lifetime thing.

Well I missed out taking my picture in the am but Liz said it could be in the pm no biggie. So I went ahead and did it. I got my coffee pot all set up and took my picture. (yes, I drink the full on caffeinated stuff that late at night. Don't judge.) I was all excited to be a part of something so fun only to look at the date/time stamp on my camera to find that it is WAY off!! It said 9:22 pm. Hello!?!? Not even close. I mean I can understand if it was set to Hawaii time or something but not even the minutes were right! What the...?!? Oh well! Guess folks will just have to take my word for it. :/

So with out further blathering...

Don't ya just love that coffee mug? Yup it's my fave!

Guess I should throw in some cute kiddo action. It's been so long since you've seen him you may not recognize him! lol

Big Shot fun!!

At the SU! Seattle regional conference they demo'd the coolest project using the Big Shot. I just knew that this would make a great kids class or even an adult class really! It's a way to make your own iron on patches using the SU! Beautiful Butterflies die. Well a friend of mine has a little girl who is having a birthday party this Saturday and my friend was trying to come up with something to do to entertain 4 little girls. So I suggested a craft day and we are going to try out this project and a few others.

So I decided to do a test run and it worked perfectly! I'm so happy with it!! The girls can pick the fabric and arrange the butterflies whatever way they want. I really hope they like it!

First tutorial!

Hey folks!! I'm sure this is already out there somewhere in the blogosphere(sp?) so I won't attempt to take credit or anything. I just discovered this the other day when I was trying to do a card sketch that required using brackets. I don't have any in my stash and while looking at my top note die a light bulb went off! So here is what I ended up doing. Using my Big Shot (that I won from LizzyK) and my SU! Top Note Die, I took two pieces of Old Olive card stock cut to 2 1/2 x 4 1/4 and ran then through like they were one sheet of paper. You can cu tit in half after but for me that was just an extra step. That's really up to you. ;) Then remove the negative pieces and slide the two sides out. (see photo #4) How far you slide it will depend on how thick you want your brackets. Then run that baby through the big shot again and VIOLA!! Isn't that so cool? They kinda look like little fancy mustaches! lol Cute! Here is a card I made using them. I also used the same technique in my last post. I really think these would be great for using in scrapbooking too. All product SU! CS: Whisper White, Old Olive, Pale Plum(?)

Ink: Craft Whisper White

Stamp: Eastern Blooms

Ribbon: 1/4" Grosgrain Whisper White

Accessories: Top Note Die, Small Oval Punch, Chit Chat Rub-Ons

Like I said, someone else has probably discovered this already but I was all proud of myself for figuring it out. So if you've seen it around, feel free to tell me. Just don't rain on my parade okay? lol Hope this wasn't too confusing for you! If you have any questions feel free to ask! Oh and sorry about the quality of the photos. It's been pretty gloomy here lately.

NSD Challenges

Just a quick post about a challenge that I did for The Pink Scrapper's National Scrapbooking Day Virtual Crop.

All product SU! except "mother" stamp.

CS: Cameo Coral, Kiwi Kiss

PP: Raspberry Tart DSP

Ribbon: 1/4" grosgrain rose red

Ink: Rose Red

Stamp: Studio G

Just a few cards I've made lately...

These are some projects that I have completed recently. The first three were made for my card class and the last one is a card I made to send Peter's Grandmother.

All Product SU! CS: Very Vanilla, Rose Red, Certainly Celery, Watercolor Paper

Ribbon: 5/8" Grosgrain Certainly Celery

Stamp: Soft Summer from the occasions mini catalog, Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Ink: Jet Black StazOn, Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive Classic pad, Stampin' Write Markers-Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Close to Cocoa

All product SU! CS: Whisper White, Old Olive, Bashful BlueRibbon: 1/4" Grosgrain Bashful BlueStamp: Wagon Full of Fun from occasions mini and Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Ink: Old Olive, Bashful Blue Not Quite Navy, Pumpkin, Chocolate Chip Classic pads, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories: Silver brads and scallop border punch

CS: Kraft, Baja Blue, Parisian Breeze textured DSP

Ribbon: 5/8" Striped Grosgrain Baja Breeze

Stamp: Matchbox Messages from the occasions mini catalog

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Matchbox Die from the occasions mini catalog

All product SU! except bling. CS: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink

Ribbon: Certainly Celery twill (retired) from SAB promo

Stamp: Thoughts and Prayers

Ink: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Big Shot small dots texture plate

This photo is from the Woodburn, OR Tulip Festival. It's a horrible photo quality wise but it makes me giggle all the same!

Wow!! Bunch of SU! promos this month and finally a decent family photo.

1. DESIGNER PAPER BUY 3 GET 1 FREE (I'm in trouble!!) When you purchase 3 packs of any of the SU! Designer paper/ Specialty Designer paper and or 12 X 12 Textured card stock you will get 1 FREE. NO limits, Mix and Match all your Favorites Designer papers Can be found on pages 158-161 in the Big Spring & Summer Idea book and catalog.

( Taste of Textiles #113991on page 156 is NOT included in the buy 3 get 1 FREE special )

Assorted packs of Textured Card stock can be found on pages 153-155 in Big Catalog ( look at the bottom of each color group in the Assorted section ) Buy 3 Get one FREE

2. BRAND NEW ALPHABET STAMP SET 20% OFF

Stampin'Up! Has a Brand new alphabet stamp set that will be in the New catalog starting July 1, 2009. Guess what?!? You can get it NOW at 20% off!! Seriously! I know too awesome right? It's only for a limited time though! (May 1st - 31st) 3. BRAND NEW SCRAPBOOKING START KIT FOR $75.00 In celebration of National Scrapbooking Month, join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator for only $75 with our limited-time Scrapbooking Starter Kit. The Scrapbooking Starter Kit contains the following: Schoolbook Serif Alphabet stamp set* Simply Scrappin' Petal Party Earth Elements Assorted textured card stock (12" x 12") Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad *Substitutable for any stamp set up to $43.95 value. Please note: Each of the products listed above may be substituted for like items. Please see the Scrapbooking Starter Kit Order Form for details.The Scrapbooking Starter Kit also contains all the business supplies contained in the standard Starter Kit: Getting Started DVD Getting Started Guide Guest Invitation Postcard (100) Idea Book & Catalog (8) Occasions Mini Catalog (8) To My Hostess Envelope (10) Recruit Folders (5) Recruit Brochures (20) Hostess Brochure (20) Hostess Benefits Form (10) Customer Order Form (50)

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding any of this months promos!! You can find me here!

For My birthday yesterday one of my gifts was to take a family photo where my hubby was not grimacing. He just doesn't care for having his photo taken. That kinda bites when you are a person who love to take photos!! lol I think these turned out pretty well and may just be in the Christmas card. (Yes, I am thinking about them now because the last couple years I never got them finished!)

Congratulations/Graduation

My monthly Stampin' up! card swap over on Split Coast Stampers is due. This months theme was either Mother's Day or Graduation. I don't have any SU! stamps for either of those occasions. Ugh!! So I sorta kinda fudged it a little. This is as close as I could get:

I used Basic Black and Kraft (my go to color) cardstock with Silver Encore ink. I think it turned out pretty great! I hope those that get one like it.

Today over at AMR we had quite the scare. If you haven't heard by now, the south is being ravaged by tornadoes. Many of our members live in the path of where these storms were hitting. Well a F4 tornado (and a few smaller ones) hit the home town of our Scrap Chat Hour hostess Abby. She had posted that the storm was moving their way and that they were taking cover. After a while many of the girls in that general area popped on the board to say they were okay but after repeated requests for an update Abby hadn't answered. We were all very worried. Finally late this evening one of the gals was able to get e phone call through. Abby and her family are fine but without power. I've never felt like hugging my computer before today. I actually started crying when we got the word. I tell you about this because I want you to know what it is really like on the AMR message board. We are a family there. We care about one another. I don't think I would be as happy anywhere else on the net. Like any family, the more the merrier. Come on over and check out AMR. :)

Just a little retail therapy.

Online that is! One of the best things about All Moments Remembered is that it's not just a message board but also a online store! Stacey stocks a ton of great stuff. My favorite thing in the store right now is this really cool Creative Imaginations Narratives Easel Album . It is actually designed by Karen Russell who is like my most favorite photographer. I want to take one of her online photog classes so bad but I am a slow typer and have yet to secure a spot. They sell out with in minutes! I am on the waiting list now though so there is hope for the future!! This is that way cute album I was talking about! Isn't it awesome?!? It even has a little "kickstand" built into the back for those of us that never know how to display mini albums. Ingenious! So if you are in the mood to do some scrappy shopping check out Stacey's store! Then when you are done shopping head on over and sign up on the message board and tell us about all the fun things you are going to do with your new schtuff! Just remember to put scrapbooking somewhere in your profile. It helps Stacey keep the spammers at bay. That's so nice of her!

Hey You!!

Ya you! The one looking at the computer! (Michelle W.) Have you checked out All Moments Remembered yet? You know you want to. Just give it a try! It's not like it's addicting or anything. ;)

Ya, I know I'm a pusher... ;)

Hope to see you over there soon!

Here's a little cute kidness!

Sometimes having challenges is a good thing!

Really!! All Moments Remembered has some of the best challenges around. In fact there is a whole forum with a team of gals dedicated to coming up with new challenges for us. So far I have only had the time to do three but out of those three I won 2! Pretty sweet eh? They were both color challenges.

This one we had to use Red White and Blue but not with a 4th of July theme. (I've shared this one before)

This was this weeks. We had to use Teal, Brown, White and either Moss or Celery.

I really love all the layouts I have done for these challenges. If not for the challenge though I probably would have never gotten off my duff and got them done! It's great that these two won the challenge but all in all I just feel great that I have a couple more layouts to add to my ever growing scrapbook. Yet another one of the things I love about AMR. We encourage each other to get our stories told. No matter what your scrappy style you always feel welcome at AMR! I really think ya'll should come on over and have some fun!

Easter Sneek Peek

Okay so if you know me at all, you know that the place you can always find me hanging out on the web is All Moments Remembered. It really is the nicest and most encouraging message board around. One of the the thing I live the most is the swapping. Cards, ATCs, stamped images... the list goes on! We have such fun doing it to. There is actually a whole forum dedicated just to swapping! Talk about awesome. The best thing is that AMR is still small enough that you 'know' everyone you are swapping with. This month Melonscraps hosted a Easter card swap. All over the net I have been seeing different ways that people have been using paint chip samples in there scrapbooks. Well I thought why not on a card?!? (Don't look if you want to be surprised girls!!) I did these in a few different colors (some are not pictured) and since I know the gals I sent them to I was able to make sure a few of them got certain colors. Whaddaya think? I love these babies! Yes, I know I shouldn't steal the chip samples! The whole time I was in Home Depot the theme to Mission Impossible was running through my head. I kept thinking that at any moment security was going to bum rush me. It was kinda stressful and I'm sure the extra grey hairs is enough punishment for my crime! We AMR gals are always looking for new people to swap with! Come on over and get registered on the message board. Just be sure to put "scrapbooking" in the profile area. Stacey works really hard to keep us safe from spammers and yucky people so it's the least we can do to help her know the good folks! Tomorrow I will tell you about the challenge area on the message board and show you a couple of winning layouts I have done!! Here's a cute kid lovin' his Not So Hot Chocolate from Dutch Bros Coffee. He calls it coffee and as soon as we pull up to the window he starts yelling, "I need ice cream on my straw... please!!". I think it's so funny that he calls the whip cream ice cream. lol I think the second photo really says it all. lol

Back in the scrappin' saddle!

WooHooooo!!! I finally scrapped again! Over at All Moments Remembered they have started doing daily layout challenges Monday-Friday. Then on Saturday it's a card challenge. So far I have only done the card challenge a few times but in the last 24 hours I completed TWO layouts for challenges! I'm so excited to finally get back on the scrappin' wagon! I hope I can keep it up and at least do 3-4 challenges a week.

This first one is for the Monday color challenge. We had to use Red, White and Blue but not with a 4th of July theme.

CS: SU!

Ribbon: SU!

Pens: White: Ultimate Gel Pen by American Express & Souffle by Sakura, Red: SU!

Stickers: Foam letter stickers from the Dollar store.This one is for the Tuesday font challenge. We had to use a quote from a movie (or movie title) for the title. PP: October Afternoon

CS: SU!

Stickers: Vinyl Thickers from American Crafts

All other product is misc from my stash.

These are all cards I have done recently for the Saturday card challenge.

This card uses all SU! items from the Sale A Bration promotion.

For Kelli's shaped card challenge @ AMR. Top Note die from sizzix and SU!

Thank You Kindly stamp set from SU!

CS: Old Olive and Very Vanilla from SU!

Ribbon: Pretty In Pink from SU!

Ink: Chocolate Chip from SU!

PP: Sugared from Basic Grey

For the Bonus Card Challenge @ AMR CS: SU! Old Olive and Pretty In Pink

PP: Basic Grey

Ribbon: misc.

Stamp: SU! Say It With Scallops

Scallop circle punch

Ink: SU! Rose Red & Pretty In Pink

This last card is the one that I am making to take with me for swaps at SU! regionals. I really hope folks like it! All product is SU! Stamp Set: Say It With Scallops

CS: Old Olive, Pacific Point, Chocolate Chip, Summer Sun

PP: Good Morning Sunshine DSP

Ribbon: Old Olive 1/4 grosgrain

Ink: Chocolate Chip

And here's that cute kiddo again! Not the best photo quality wise but I just giggle every time I see it.

Friday Fill-in

I hoping doing these things will help jump start my blogging. You can find the Friday fill-in here. I found this though Angie's blogs and I thought it sounded fun! Turns out it's harder than I thought. lol And...here we go! 1. Why do we have to deal with yucky stuff? 2. Wii and water are now habits. 3. I have way too much to do. 4. I had never heard the phrase "Pokey Dokey!" and it cracks me up! 5. Procrastinating the way I always do. 6. How was I to know that everything would fall apart at the last minute preventing me from getting all the things done that I needed to do. 7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the online crop at All Moments Remembered, tomorrow my plans include Wii with the girls and Sunday, I want to go to church. It's been way too long! I should have lots to share with you soon craft wise. There is a cpor tonight over at AMR and that always gets me going. Here a couple of recent card though: This one was for a white space challenge over at AMR. I used all SU! product. This one was also a challenge over at AMR. It was to use two pattern papers with different colors but the same pattern. I used my Raspberry Tart DSP. I saw this design over on Di's blog and just had to try it. Hers is way better though! lol Normally at this point in the show I would say lo long and show a cute kid pic but this time I'm going to show a few pics of my very handsome nephew. He is actually making this guitar himself. I cherish these photos since it will be a really long time before I get to see him again. I miss him terribly.

Gettin' on the ball!

So I really am trying to get on top of things over here. It's amazing that I used to be so organized. That time in my life seems so long ago now. I am doing a bit better though! lol

I haven't done a whole lot in the last few weeks because I was down in Sacramento dealing with some family issues. While down there I did get to go to a meeting with my SU! upline! That was very exciting. I ended up getting an award for being the top seller in the group! I was so shocked! My mom was so excited she almost cried. lol It was so fun to get to meet all of my demo sistas. I also helped my mom design a couple of cards for her class. It was tons of fun working with her. I didn't take any photos of them though! Ugh!

I did take a photo of a card I made last night. It was for the card challenge of at AMR. The challenge was to use green in your card. Here's mine:

Just a simple 4x4 note card. I used all SU! product on this one including my new Top Note die and Sizzix Texture Plates. I think I'm really gonna like those babies! This card was so stinkin' easy to put together. I thinking about making it a "no stamp" class.

Paper: Whisper White cardstock base, Old Olive textured

cardstock, Old Olive 12x12Design Series Paper. Accessories: Old Olive 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon and brads, Top Note die,

Sizzix Texture Plates and Spiral punch.

Oh and here's some cute kidness...

Button Butterfly

Little something I whipped up lastnight for a challenge over on AMR. We have a ton of fun challenges. A new one everyday even! I really think you should join us over there if you are not already. Like I said in my last post this Friday is the online crop and I know Anne Marie has a bunch of fun stuff planned. You really don't want to miss out!

So anyway here is the promised project!

Oh and some cute kid lovin'!

I'm not dead, just lazy!

Howdy Ya'll!! So far my new years resolutions are in the toilet! So today I have decided that it's never too late to start over. Right? So I am going to try and post more often. :) It seems like I have had a ton of things going on. In reality I just need to stop being so lazy nd get my rear in gear. I'm sure many of you know what I'm talking about! lol So here's a little something to catch you up to speed.

I tried the project 365 thing. It was just too much for me to try and get a great photo, process and post it on flicker each day. It wasn't going to happen and I'm not a fan of trying to force things. Here are a few of the photos I did take. (none are all that fabulous. ugh!)

I've also done a few creative things. My AMR buddy Angie had a challenge to alter or make a notebook to keep track of all the projects we complete this year. I kinda cheated and altered a MM spiral notebook. So for I'm doing pretty good at keeping track of things in this.

Back in January AMR had a huge 1 year anniversary crop. It spanned 3 days and I actually stayed up for the whole thing! lol That's right folks I was up for 3 days straight! Crazy I know! LOL It was the best time though. This Friday AMR is having another crop. It's a great time and so go sign up to be a message board member and join in the fun! These are a few of the layouts I got done for the January crop challenges.

So that's it for now! I also wanted to mention that right now Sale-A-Bration is going on at Stampin' Up! For every $50 you spend (before tax and shipping) you get a FREE item from the Sale-A-Bration catalog! Can you say yowza?!? Not only that!! If you order online they SU! will send you a free catalog to boot! Let me know if you have any questions! :)

You can see more info about it here on my SU! website.