Dream, Hallucination, or Garden Variety Paranoia?

There's no real reason for me to update my blog everyday, except for some misguided belief that that is how it should be.  Realistically, however, that may not always be feasible. I mean, really, some days the only thing cooking is a headache and strong desire to wear a tin foil hat.

This would be one of those days.

Nothing particularly creative in that, huh?  Here's a card anyway.

And by the way....

They are after you.

Hate to be the one to break the news to you.

The Fine Print: papers from a magazine, border punch by Martha, foil butterfly by dufex craft products, dream stamp by I dunno, but since you are holding that brain wave reading ray gun at me and forcing me to guess I'll say a Hero Arts clear set.  And in case you're wondering I had to work with someone who "they" were after.  Oddly enough, she trusted me even though I work for "them."  Hell, I don't even trust myself. 

A Somber WOYWW Moment

Are you freaking kidding me?!?!!! !!!    

Of course, this isn't somber.  This is a party, dudes!!!

This is the third birthday for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, the most ridiculous of ideas, according to its birth mother, Julia Dunnit.  What is WOYWW you ask?  It is a chance to go forth into the world and feed your inner voyeur by peeking at craft desks and work spaces.  It is a chance to share, be inspired, and see what there is to see.

With no further adieu, here is my desk:

 

A friend once asked me if I staged my desk before taking a picture for WOYWW.  The answer is sort of. I always pick up any wadded up tissues since that's just icky-I might know it is covered in glitter glue, but you my not. I turn over any projects or cards I don't want you to see. I turn over papers with addresses and remove anything that glares like plastic or my water bottle.  That is about it.  I did clean my desk this time but not because it was WOYWW, but because I was waiting for glitter glue to dry.  Here's the glitter glue:

No, really there is glitter glue on them there ATCs.  There is also Smooch spray, which I bought and used for the first time ever.  I learned that if you glitter glue over Smooch spray it covers up the neat splatter look of the spray.  So, live and learn.  Plus! Lookie!  I finally found my lost blue handled scissors.  They have been missing a long time! 

I have a couple ATCs that I made to share with WOYWW folks, as you see above.  Plus I have a small stash of ATCs that I made for other swaps to share.  For some reason I used to always make extras for swaps and now I have a pile of them.  If you'd like one of my spare ATCs, leave me a comment and I'll send you one.

One last photo before we go.  The older than dinosaur poop cat has been following me around ever since I gave him sushi for breakfast.  He thinks I spontaneously generate raw fish and he wants to be around the next time it happens.

Fido the cat

The Fine Print: Holy WOYWW! Sorry for so many words in what is supposed to be a brief post.

 

Saint Fluffy's Day

I'm here to confess (because I heard that once you have a blog you start to share all your weird thoughts, random ideas, and deep dark secrets--in other words: you confess all!) that I don't understand this stamp at all.

I don't get the correlation between a horseshoe and kittens.  Is there some kind of offshoot story to the whole St. Patrick's Day thing that has been overlooked?  Like perhaps after imbibing in one too many "wee nips" Saint Patrick tripped and fell over his constant companion, Fluffy the Feline, which caused him to swear so mightily that all the snakes fled from Ireland because they could not tolerate such filth in their little snake ears?  Maybe St. Pat was really raised by cats, you know, like how some people are raised by wolves?  Maybe, just maybe that whole shamrock thing is really a SHAM! Maybe it was supposed to be a catnip leaf.  You know how things get distorted over time.

Perhaps this stamp is all about a new Saint!  Enter St. Fluffy-the patron saint of litter boxes.  Celebrations to commemorate St. Fluffy include copious consumption of Fancy Feast, excessive napping, wearing of the tabby, and licking one's nether regions.  Oh yeah, and something about stealing horseshoes from unsuspecting horses.  I'm a bit unclear on that last part.  I asked the cats but they said if they told me they'd have to kill me and they rather like having me around since I have thumbs.

I think my blood sugar is on the fritz.

The Fine Print: Another confession, I wrote the word "shoehorse" and had to ponder what was wrong with it for quite some time.  Yeah, I'm dangerous like that.  Stamp from Lily of the Valley, colored in Copics, not a clue on the paper but it matches and that's cool.  PS-there may be some historical inaccuracies in my stories.

Kids at Play

I have another Stampin' Up card today and this one too, is all about friendship.  I had to do a card for a swap that depicted happy memories.  Since I don't have a stamp of someone watching zombie movies, I opted to go a little further back in my life to when I was a kid.

This is an artist's rendition of my happy memories, because out of the pack of kids I hung with, nary a one of us had a little red wagon.  We all coveted one though.  We did have the little red snow sled and made great use of it on the neighbor's hill, but even in those days I preferred the warmth of summer to the cold of winter.  This card represents my friends and I playing outside in Ohio, where the world was green and wasn't full of random stickers like it is in Arizona.  I like the strip of weathered wood I added because it reminds me of the old barns that dotted the neighborhood.  We never dared venture near one, so they were places of great mystery and potential.

Happy Memorial Day!

The Fine Print: Girls playing stamp by Stampin' Up, patterned papers by My Mind's Eye "Dolled Up," cardstock by Bazzill.  Patriotic kids stamp by A Muse Artstamps.

The Two Dollar Friend

I moved from Ohio to Arizona a zillion years ago in the summer.  There was more than a climate change to deal with; there was a huge cultural change as well.  Where I came from 12-year olds were still kids.  We played in the grass, we played in the mud, we rode bikes, we climbed trees, mostly we played outside but sometimes we got together inside and played with toys.  We dressed in rugged, durable clothes our mothers brought home to us.  There was a pack of us who hung together, girls and boys.  Twelve year olds in Arizona were full-on pre-teenagers, obsessed with their looks, fashion, and periods.  Girls never went outside unless it was to "lay out" by the pool.  They would squeal if a boy came near.

That fall, I started junior high school.  Not long after arriving, I was befriended by a girl in the grade ahead of mine.  I no longer remember her name, but I remember her fake name.  She was quite adamant that she wished her name was Kristna and asked that her friends call her that.  Since she was a grade ahead of me, we only had one elective class together.  Since we didn't have classes together we hung out before school and waved at each other if we passed during the day.  No one else, seemed interested in being my friend, so it was nice to have her around.  We never talked on the phone or saw each other outside of school.

One day she asked to borrow $2 from me for lunch. It was rather a big deal for me since I rarely had any money.  I was still a kid who brought the lunch my mother made me to school in a sack (I learned real quick to ditch the Scooby Doo lunch box), so I had no lunch money.  I didn't want for lip gloss and eye shadow.  I wasn't saving for a pair of Jordache jeans or desiring a flat comb to put in the side pocket of my painter's pants. In fact, I didn't have painter's pants.  I had hand-me-down clothes from the neighbor lady's daughters.  However, I was so proud that I actually had two dollars for my friend to borrow.

Several weeks had passed and I was worried about the $2.  No telling, why I had it in the first place, but I remember wondering if my mom would be mad that I didn't have it anymore.  So I asked "Kristna" if she could pay me the $2 back soon.  I remember the scene as clear as if it were yesterday.  She was rummaging around in her locker and said, "Yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you about that."  She turned to me, "I really need that two dollars you borrowed from me back."   What?!  I explained to her that I didn't borrow two dollars from her; she had borrowed it from me.  Oh no, she was quite insistent that I had borrowed it from her.  We went back on forth on this a bit. Finally, she slammed her locker shut and took off, "See ya 'round!"  I was confused but decided it must be some "practical joke" that I wasn't getting.

I let it slid for awhile, sure she would come up with the $2, a smile, and an explanation for the whole thing, but it didn't happen.  Finally, I brought up the subject again and the results were the same.  I scanned her faced for signs of merriment or that it was a joke, but it wasn't there.  She was deadly serious.  I turned away and we never were friends again.

Even though I had no other friends, I wasn't willing to sell myself for two bucks to this chick.  I was hurt and confused by it, but considered it a valuable lesson--a two dollar lesson if you will.


Lean on me, but don't ask me for two bucks.

In hindsight, I wonder why a girl in 8th grade would hang out with a 7th grader and didn't seem to have friends her own age.  There was a huge line of distinction between grades at the school and those in different grades never mingled except for in the few elective classes that were open to all grades.  Different grades even had different lunch times.

I have no idea why I put up a story of a screwed up friendship with such sweet friendships card, except for some reason I thought of it today, probably because yesterday I thought of this other useless idiot I once knew.  And one useless idiot leads to another....

The Fine Print: I had a friend, not named Kristna for real or pretend, say she likes it when I share stories on my blog.  You can tell me yay or nay and I may or may not listen. Stamps by Stampin' Up,standing girls from "The Nicest Things," papers by My Mind's Eye "Vanity Fiar" and couch girls from "Lean on Me," papers "Raspberry Road Designs" (a magazne freebie).

Nature's a Mother

I'm really tired now.  Today was my stamp club meeting, which always wears me out, but I tacked on lunch with friends, a trip to the craft store, and of course the drive half way across the state and back.  It didn't help that last night I took a trip to the zoo.  The zoo itself wasn't tiring, but waking up in the middle of the night with a faucet for nose after breathing in all that nature including lions, elephants, jaguars, and anteaters really did me in.  It was a two allergy pill night.

Here's a card I tossed together just to prove to myself that I remember how to stamp.  Only, there is no stamping on this card....  Epic fail.  Ah well, I can still glue paper together and that's something!

Time to go recharge my batteries.  No, I mean that literally. The camera said no more go without some recharging. I can relate.

The Fine Print: non-stamped image by Penny Black (came as a freebie image in a magazine), colored in Copics, that's all I know.  That's all she wrote.

Play Date

I had a play date today at my house.  I had asked for the day off today without realizing that it was Memorial Day weekend, which means I get an extra long, long weekend.

My friend and I had a great time playing with punches and die cuts and having a great lunch (studiously observed by a trio of cats).  However, we did discover the sandwich limits of a Cuttlebug and broke it.  Never fear, I have a Big Shot too, which is why we opted to experiment with the Cuttlebug.

I managed to finish my ATCs for a stamp club meeting tomorrow. I couldn't have done it without the aid of my friend.  The theme for the ATCs was denim, and beyond knowing I wanted to use real denim cut with a die cut, I was clueless where else to go with it.  She helped me see the light.  Here was the final product:

The Fine Print: Denim from the fabric store only because I had no jeans I was willing to sacrifice, flower die by Sizzix (one of the old green dies), greeting by A Muse Artstamps, denim paper by Leisure Arts.

Increase your Oxygen Levels Today!

Excuse me while I cram food in my mouth. How did it get to be almost 3 o'clock in the afternoon and I not have lunch yet?!  

I have been a very busy beaver today.  I did laundry, changed the linens*, took apart the bathroom sink and removed a clog, vacuumed, returned a shirt, went to the post office, bought some groceries, dusted some punches, and scrubbed the wall behind and below the toilet.  It was totally filthy.  The dust bunnies had crawled up off the floor and stuck to the wall.  I am quite pleased to have it done but got to thinking, like does anyone notice that anyway?  I am so going to look the next time I'm at someone's house! You've been warned.

These are the other two cards I made at the Stampin' Up workshop.

*Regarding changing the linens, we have a sleep by number bed which takes a special mattress pad that costs a bit.  We stopped in the store the other day to enquire about a new one.  It turns out that you have to order them. BUT.. they had a few on clearance from one of the stores that closed.  These had a special "rejuvenation layer" that claims to increase the oxygen level in your body and improve circulation. I kid you not, that is what it says on the packaging!  We bought it because hey, it was a mattress pad and hey, it was only $15.  The cats have been sleeping on it all day, but they won't comment on if they feel more oxygenated or not though.

The Fine Print: Again, it is all Stampin' Up, baby.  The bottom card has stuff from the new catalog, so consider this a sneak preview.

Wubba Wubba--It's WOYWW!

Announcer's Voice: It is Workdesk Wednesday!

And the crowd goes wild.

I'm glad someone is excited because there ain't much happening on my desk.  It looks about the same as last time with a bit more thrown on for good measure.

That's because I truly haven't crafted much lately.  I did organize my 8-foot stack of paper and turned it into two 4-foot stacks.  I have this theory that it will be easier to retrieve things from the lower bins this way.  And yeah.... they aren't really 4-foot high but I have the paper to make them 4-feet high.  That's a pile of magazines you see in the upper right hand corner.  There's another project for someday.

Here's a photo of my office, the place I spend most of my waking hours (but only because the boss gets miffed if I sleep on the job).  I'm due to get a new cabinet that locks soon so I had to empty out the old one.  Let me say, this file systems sucks.  I can't find anything, it hurts my knees to crawl around on the floor, and the metal bits on the hanging files are all tangled together.  My office is really narrow in case you are wondering why things are spread along a line.

I did do some crafting. I went to a Stampin' Up workshop last night and made some great cards. It got me in the mood to do some stamping once I free myself from servitude (the job, ya'know).  Plus I got to peek at the new SU catalog coming into play as of June 1st.  There are some fun new stamp sets coming.

The Fine Print: All the everythings on the cards most likely by Stampin' Up.  The pear set is a hostess set and it is to die for (or to eBay for). It has the square lattice embossing folder on it.  The butterfly card has one of those double mounted stamps on it (the grass), the butterflies are from one of those cut and emboss things, and the frames are the framelets. Fun stuff.

Fore!

I made this card awhile ago, inspired by a card I'd seen on a website somewhere. I absolutely had to have the golf-themed stamps when I saw them, even though I'm not a golfer, nor do I know anyone who is.  I was tickled to see that when A Muse went the home party route, they made a golfing set.  However, I think they missed the boat (the golf cart?) by leaving out the putting green stamp.  That's the best one out of all their golf stamps.  It makes me think of miniature golf, which I don't mind doing from time to time as long as no one takes it seriously.  In fact, after some deep reflection, most things in life are more fun if you don't take them too seriously.

The Fine Print: golf stamps by A Muse Artstamps, circle punch by Marvy, embossing folder by Cuttlebug.

Magic Mushroom Omelets

Remember how yesterday I said the cat was smarter than me?  I don't mean on all counts.  Like, for instance, I have never opted to try to eat a paper napkin because it smelled like hot dogs.

And, while I think it is important to start every day off with a smile, I think you may need to rethink your lifestyle if it is your breakfast tray is smiling at you.

You know, maybe cut down on the magic mushrooms in the omelets or something. 

Seriously, though, I really like this Lawn Fawn breakfast set and it totally makes me smile that all the food on it is smiling. I think if both my toast and my toaster were smiling at me first thing in the morning, I'd take that as a cue to go back to bed.  It's a sign, like seeing the Virgin Mary in a tortilla, Jesus in a French fry, or Elvis in an frilly apron dusting your shelves.  Go back to bed.  Cut down on the Robitussin.

The Fine Print: It is perfectly acceptable if you hair talks to you, as long as it is not menacing you or any of your acquaintances.  Stamps by Lawn Fawn "Love 'n Breakfast" set, papers by My Mind's Eye, words of wisdom by me.

And on the Seventh Day...

...God rested.  Not that I'm God, but I thought I'd try on his shoes for a day.  Guess what? I don't know how to break it to you all, but His feet stink.

Here is a card I made in a previous life.  I mean, before I decided to pretend I was god and give myself the day off.

Actually I didn't rest, instead, I sorted papers all day. I finally decided to sort all my papers by how I look for them.  I used to sort papers by the stack they came in. I found that more often than not I would look in the boxes that held the spring, summer or fall stacks, and that is because I knew exactly what kinds of colors, patterns, and designs I would find in them.  I guess that makes me a seasonal person.  There is a difference between a nice pale spring yellow, a bright summer yellow, and a more orangey fall yellow.  If I wanted something subdued but in a bright tone I'd look in the spring box. If I wanted a more natural, earth tone I'd look in the fall box.  If I wanted something perky I'd look in the summer box.  Now my endless pile of papers is divided up by season. 

The more observant of you will note that I didn't mention winter.  It's there along with Christmas, in a big box on the shelf in the closet.  Somehow that was already all sorted out with the exception of a few sheets I found this afternoon.

And, I have to tell that my cat, the one who is older than dinosaur poop, is smarter that I am.  I sat on the couch along with the cat to sort paper.  As the day wore on, I noticed it was getting hotting and hotter.  The cat took off for the cool spot under the chair.  I suffered through, even checking the air conditioning at one point (set where it should be).  It wasn't until much later when that I got a clue as to what went wrong.  I picked up a pile of paper off the couch, put it on my lap and thought, "This paper is hot, almost like it is heated.  Oh my gawd!"  Lying on the couch is the older-than-dinosaur-poop-cat's electric blanket.  We haven't had to use it in several weeks but it is still there and still plugged in.  At some point I must have sat on the button and turned it on.  No wonder I was hot.

The Fine Print: Ice cream truck by A Muse Artstamps, drippy punch by Martha, paper by DCWV (from the summer box!).  Fast Lane stamp copyrighted by STU (who the heck is that?), papers and round dealie bob by unknown. Anyone notice how my 8-foot stack of paper became an endless stack today?  And for anyone who worries that the cat would burn the house down with his electric blanket, we explained to him about homelessness and how it sucks and taught him to dial 911.  Also, the blanket turns off automatically after 10 hours.



Die Cut Card

Sorry, no potty jokes today. I know you are quite disappointed. I am a lady of little words today.  I did make this fabulous (if I do say so myself) card the other day to share.  It was for a die cut swap.  I used my new Memory Box die along with an old Cuttlebug die.  I dragged out an even older Club Scrap set for this one.  I think I've ogled this kit long enough (several years) so I guess I can finally use it.  Stay tuned! There may be more of this in my blog's future.

The Fine Print: Look ma, no stamps!  Card stock and brad by Club Scrap "Pure and Simple" kit (April 2009), Hello Friend die from Cuttlebug "Forever Friends" set, Dancing Tulip die from Memory Box.

Oompha!

I figured that after the last two cards I've shared with you I should continue the theme...

When I was a wee little child my mother took me to the circus and I was utterly fascinated by the elephants.  Then one of the elephants went potty and I was even more fascinated by that.  Indeed, that steaming pile of dung was probably bigger than I was.  Apparently all I could talk about for the rest of the circus was how I saw the elephant go oompha.

However, least you think we are an uncivilized lot, this pink and gray circus elephant is potty trained and will only go oompha with the bathroom door firmly shut and will also light a match afterward.

The Fine Print: My mother nixed the name "Bartholomew" for my little brother because that would have made his initials be BM, and as she said, "Everyone knows what 'BM' is."  I suspect it is more a nurse thing, but for the rest of y'all it means 'bowel movement.' The moral of that story is, apparently I come by this oompha fascination genetically. Stamp credits-A Muse Studio "Under the Big Top," dotty paper by DCWV, gingham paper by A Muse Studio, large dot paper by Echo Park, dies by Spellbinders. Tomorrow maybe we can find a new subject to be fascinated with... circumcision maybe?

Craptacular!

I made this card for a friend who was having one of those days. You know what I mean, one of those days.  Yep, we've all had them.  There is always an upside to days like that though.  For instance, days like that make you appreciate the days that are all flowers, sunshine, and unicorns better.  Well, then again, that might be the drugs talking.  Unicorns?  Really?!

The Fine Print: Isn't that incredibly polite of my friend to have a lousy day so I can use my new birthday stamps?! Darn nice of her, I say.  Stamps by Unity "Crappy Day," papers by My Mind's Eye "Vanity Fair" and heart punch by EK Success.

Holy Cow! It's Wednesday!

I went out the door this morning secure in my belief that today was Tuesday (although I thought yesterday was Thursday, so who knows what world I'm living in).  Anyway, the result is, NO picture of my workdesk for Workdesk Wednesday.  Yet.  Stay tuned.  I'll put one up when I get home.  I'll include a picture of the Holy Cow mentioned in the title of this post too.  That's cuz I like you.

There's my desk. I started playing with my birthday presents, which are heaped all around.  I also need to work on a project for a pink and gray swap, so that's why there are pink (and gray) papers around.

And here's the (not so) Holy Cow.  Doing what cows do.  This card may or may not be a repeat on this blog, but life's like that sometimes, full of reruns and deja vu and random BS.

The Fine Print: Um, yeah, today's Wednesday.  Who knew?!  Well, apparently everyone but me.  Cow stamp by Hawaiian Baby and greeting by A Muse Artstamps.



Mouse! In my... Yarn?

Today is an all around good day. One of the many things that made it a good day is I got a chance to play with my new birthday toys!

Lookie, lookie at that!  Not only did I use some new goodies, but I made a square card and put lots of different patterns on it.  Plus, I got to try out the technique where you use a circular die but keep a piece of your design hanging out over the circle. 

You wanna know what makes a good day even gooder?!  Finding out that the rumors that Hobby Lobby are coming to your town are true!  That is just so excellent.  My husband is going to need a raise in order to keep me in the style I wished to be kept. :-)

The Fine Print: House Mouse stamp by Stampabilities "Close Knit Friendship," patterned papers by Lily Bee Designs, solid cardstock by Bazzill, gemstones by Hero Arts.  Rumor confirmation via the hubby via Inside Tucson Business (.com). Woot!

Color Me Crazy

Oh. My. Gawd!

Not that I'm an expert or anything, but I have never had so much trouble trying to color as I did with this card!  This week's A Muse Studio Challenge is called Color My World and it is all about using color on your images.  There are lots of mediums to color with: chalks, Copic markers, other markers, pencils, watercolors, watercolor pencils, inks, paints, crayons, shimmer mediums like H2Os, etc. 

I opted for using my Copic markers because I am totally in love with them.  I admit that I don't really "get" shading and blending and imaging the light source. Sometimes I nail it and other times I'm in left field. I really wanted to put my all into this card.  I picked out three shades to work with and pondered light to dark or dark to light. I then jumped in with both feet and started coloring. 

Those of you who have worked with Copics know that you can't color a piece of your image and come back to it later and expect it to blend. You have to do all your shades at the same time and not dilly dally.  So there I am coloring and suddenly..... CORAL RUNS OUT OF INK! Darn it all. I knew it was running low so I had a refill on hand. I did the best I could with the dying, dying, dead marker. Then I refilled coral and went on to flower number two.  There I'm coloring and BLUSH RUNS OUT OF INK!  That one I'm out of luck on as I don't have a refill.  I quickly pull out my Copic chart and box of markers and find the next nearest colored marker I have.  

Who knew coloring was so difficult?!  Maybe it is just me.  Maybe you are the ultimate coloring machine.  If so, think about joining the A Muse Studio challenge Color My World Challenge.  There are fabulous cash and prizes to be had.  Well, okay, prizes, no cash.

The Fine Print: all the everythings by A Muse Studio-patterned paper Venetian Burano, stamps "Charming Gardeners" set, onyx ribbon and pearls, colored with Copics which may possibly drive you to drink. Of course, maybe my problem is I colored with my feet.  You read that, right?

Happy Mufver's Day



Hewwo Everybodies!  I am going to write anofver post this week becuz it is Mufver's Day so I will do this for my Mom.  I can tells you about her too.  I don't remembers my Kitty Mom much except she was fluffy and I'd wiked to sleep next to her.  My peoples Mom is bery good and haz lots of niceness.  She gives me pets and skritches. And treets!  And she lets me sniffs her peoples food all the time and she used to let me eat tortillas ebery monring until I finded out they were peoples food.  And she gibes me crunchies even sometimes when Popa feeds us and doesn't give us the right crunchies she gibes us the right crunchies laters.  I hab lots of toys.  My Mom is a good Mom.  Like she was sicks for weeks 'n weeks and the house got bery dirties.  Now she better and she cleans and cleans it for days.  Dere were books eberywhere and couldn't even fit on the shelf and she fix them all up and so now it is all cleans just so we haz a place to sit and we won't get sneezes.  See, that's a good Mom.  Sometimes my Mom is kind of dumbs though.  Like wen she gets up in the morning.  I have to tell her "this way"  "this way"  "this way"  "this way"  "this way"  "this way"  "this way"  "this way"  "this way"  "this way" all the way to the kitchens to get the spoon and then to the catfoods eating place.  If I dent tell her, she would forgets and get lost.  She tells Papa not to do so much teasing on me.  My Mom gets presents in the mail all the times and she always shares wif me.  If there is tissues paper or bubbles or crinkly papers or ribbons I gets them!  It is so exciting. Sometimes the presents have catnip in them! They say 1-800.  I think that much mean 1-800 pieces of catnip all for Poppy and her brofvers!  Happy Mufver's Day!

My Mom made this cuz she found the pieces in a baggie in a big dusty piles of stuff. It made her do 42 sneezes. At least.  It's just like SNIPPETS cuz it was all just peeces.

The Fine Print: This is not to belittles my Kitty Mom anyway. She is a good Mom too  she gave me very nice colors all over, even in my moufs!  Them stamps are by Hero Arts.  That's a raccoon.  There was one in our backyard one time.  A raccoon not a stamps.  My Mom wouldn't put her stamps out there, Silly!

Happy Snippety Spring

Yes, I know I have lots and lots of new things to play with.  However, I was just trying to kill a small spot of time, so I thought I'd break out my stash of leftover bits (AKA Snippets) and make a card so I could come and play on the Snippet Playground. The yellow background I had pulled out for something else and it didn't work out.  The blue bit you may recognize from my A Muse Studio design team card.  I made it for that card and promptly lost it so I made another.  Of course, as soon as I did that, the first one reappeared.  The flower and the circle were in my snippets drawer. They were the result of my trying out my new (at the time) Stampin' Up punches to make sure all was right with the world.  The border strip is something I've had lying about forever and the greeting piece I whipped together for this card.  I would have liked some other greeting better I think but I was using what was on hand (AKA being too lazy to get up).  I did get to use something new on this card--Rusty Hinge distress ink.  How lovely is that stuff?!

I was killing time before an Heavenly Feet massage.  I love those oreintal massages! If you are looking for a nice relaxing muscle rub, this is NOT the massage for you.  If you want your muscles punched, poked, prodded, and pummeled into submision, this is the place you always dreamed about.  They do a combo back/foot massage that is most excellent.

The Fine Print: Label, flower and circle punches by Stampin' Up, flourishes die by Sizzix, large scallop border and embossed circles by A Muse Studio , greeting by A Muse Artstamps, distress ink by Mr. Tim.

Purple Girly Card

Here is a nice pretty in purple girly card I made.  I have a couple sheets of these fancy layered felt flowers and thought it was high time to put them to use.  I also went out on a limb and actually used some of my Basic Grey paper instead of just hoarding and drooling over it.  I am better about using it these days but some of the older, hoarded stuff just stays hoarded (unless I dig it out of its hiding place like I did here).

The Fine Print: stamp by Hero Arts, fancy felt flowers by unknown, paper by Basic Grey, punches by Marvy.

Look!

A bird!

The Fine Print: Yeah, really, that's all. I don't know who makes the image. If I did I'd tell you. Part of me says it is Stampin' Up and came with a greeting that I cut of and mounted on the end of the stamp.  Part of me says I'm lying.

Workdesks Wednesday No. 153

Hello, My Name is Poppy and I'll be hosting this week's workdesks Wednesday, which you can reads about right here. I'm writing this post because it is my mom's birfday today and now that she is A Advanced Age (like elebendy-five years old or so) she needs to take it easy more often. I can gives her lessons on that.  My mom did get her birfday wish though and has no more snots today so she must be getting gooder from her cold now.

Here's a pickture of her desk:

She was working on using us her Club Scrap Tahiti card blanks here.  She was mostly killing time because she knowed with today being her birfdays she would get new presents to play wif.  Sees!

She got wots of books to read, and punks rock, and inks, and papers, and brads, and stamps, and die cuts, and Copic refill, and chipboards, and sticky things, and a funnies purple shirt, and a Max & Whiskers card maken thingy.  So probably we'll do playing today. And maybe a nap too.

Happy works desks to all of you! 

Fine Paw Prints: Did I do gooder, momma?  Can I haz crunchies now?

May Tomorrow Bring Better Things

Just a little Penny Black to make you smile, giggle, and laugh.

And may tomorrow bring better things!

And less snot!

'Cuz it'snot funny.

The Fine Print: Image by Penny Black, greeting by Hero Arts, flower punch by EK Success, scrollwork by Memory Box.

You Quackin' to Me?

Last night I had some long, complicated, and on-going dream about how I was pulling an egg carton apart into little tiny pieces for a Tim Holtz project.  Now I don't actually know of any Tim Holtz projects that call for tearing an egg carton into tiny pieces, but there you have it.  I did check my eggs in the morning and their carton was still intact.

Anyway, here's an old card. I've been too busy blowing my nose to play.  I told the hubby after this, no more passing this darn cold back and forth.  It is time to find someone else to give it to!

The Fine Print: stamp by Kidstamps.

Better Living Through Chemistry

I must really be sick.  How can I tell? I'm actually taking cold capsules and Tylenol.  I'm not a good drug taker so I usually forgo medications. I'm a big believer of the rule: do nothing for a cold and it hangs on for seven days; take medications and it will only last a week.

The cat was pestering me a lot this morning, so I finally grabbed up a stamping magazine and sat down on the couch to be next to the cat (yes, today the wild and free jaguar wants her mom).  While leafing through the magazine I saw this card that I wanted to use as a sketch to create something similar.  I got up to putter around at my desk and then went back to retrieve the magazine.  The cat was sprawled across it sleeping soundly.

I opted not to wake the cat, least it pester me again, so here is an entirely different card, made with inspiration from an entirely different magazine. I put red glitter on the flower centers but in the scan it sort of looks like Flower Soft or flocking.

The Fine Print: card, papers and ribbon by unknown, image from Penny Black, included as a freebie in the February 2012 issue of Cardmaking &Papercraft, punch by McGill, greeting by A Muse Artstamps.

Sharing is Caring

So my husband gave me his cold.  Sharing is caring. Whoever said that should be shot.  Oh, wait. Never mind. My boss says that all the time (as he unloads a pile of steaming garbage on someone else's desk). I've been through too many bosses lately to shoot this one.  They are so hard to break in.

Anyway, the old man (AKA The Carrier) says he is just giving back the cold I gave him a couple weeks ago.  Not true! My cold did not involve snot.  This is obviously not the same cold.  Pffft!

That said, here's a card I made last night before I became too disease ridden for crafting:

I pretended I was an artsy person when I made this card. It is heat embossed (without swear words). I used a bag of anti-static powder puff stuff too, just like I knew what I was doing!  I know "lumpy things" are big on cards these days, so I added a strip of lace.  The dress is sprayed with a shimmer mist for that added oomph.

The Fine Print: Dress stamp by Paper Garden, lace by Martha Steward, background striped paper by DCWV, all other papers by Making Memories.  Now pass me a tissue, please.

Insight to a Silly Mind

Here is another card I made last night when I need to make "a whole smash of cards in the next... oh... um...  three minutes."  I decided that since I already had the Wild Rose set front and center I might as well make another card with it.  I used the retired polka-dot paper that A Muse Studio had. I'm sad it went away because I really liked it.  I like their new petite polka dots too, but this paper was different from other stuff out there. I'm also pleased that I am getting good with wider ribbon and my bow maker.

I mailed out 3 cards today, but only made two last night, one was made a couple of months ago. I make cards all the time for my blog. Usually they serve double duty--stick 'em on my blog and sent them out in a swap. Sometimes I make cards just to make cards and then I have them.  Then I stick them in a box. I always feel it is wrong to pull out a card I made for no reason and send to someone for a reason (like their birthday, thinking of you, or even a swap).  Is that not completely silly?  So I will continue to make cards just to make cards, because that is the whole point of making cards (that, and owning every crafting item ever made) but I am going to try to use up some of my "made for no reason" cards.  That's a good goal. It is a better goal than using up the adhesives out of the bag of adhesives, which has kind of fallen to the wayside.

Anyway, that long story was to tell you that the 3rd card I sent was one I made previously. So yes, it is a rerun here. And no, I won't rerun them all. I just wanted to show you that it is silly that I felt I couldn't use this card again.  Perfectly decent card and works for perfect for what I used it for.

The Fine Print: Rose card, all the everythings from A Muse Studio-onyx polka dot paper; sugar, onyx, and bubblegum cardstocks; bubblegum satin ribbon; bubblegum and grass inks; scallop border; stamps from the "Wild Rose" set.  Bear card-image from Lily of the Valley, colored with Copics, papers by DCWV.

Oh! Hey!

You know what I just noticed?  It is a whole new month!  Also, it is a whole different day from yesterday.  That means time to update the blog and more importantly, make a whole smash of cards in the next... oh... um...  three minutes.

How was that for fast?!  I decided to use my new Wild Rose set from A Muse Studio.  It is on sale this month. I decided to use a technique I heard about somewhere along the way where you color over your stamped image with colored pencils to give it some highlights.  I had hoped it would look artsy and nice and not like I was trying to color in a bad stamping job.  I really liked how the leaves came out doing that.  It didn't really do anything for the roses.  I can't say that I really understand highlights and lowlights.  All I know about highlights and lowlights is the one time I got them both done in my hair it cost a zillion dollars and was a witch to maintain.

And on that note....

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio (yes, just 3 days after I said I had the hardest time coming up with all one product designs). Cardstock-grass, shell, sugar; inks-cherry, grass, latte, and Momento black; polka dot ribbom in onyx.

What's On Your Workdesk?

You show me yours and I'll show you mine?!  *waggles eyebrows*  Mine is very tidy and well-groomed right now.

That is because I cleaned off my desk in a desperate search for my 3x3 acrylic block and my small blue handled scissors.  Neither has been found yet and I may have to take this tidying thing further afield (like to inside drawers, tote bags, random containers, and the piles next to and on the table).  I am very proud of the fact that I cleared out the pile of papers that were taking over the right side of the desk.  I plan to tackle that pile on the left one of these days. It is quite exciting to have access to more desk space. 

Bird's eye view

Here are some projects I have been doing.  One is my May A Muse Studio calendar and the other is another card I want to make with some K & Company toppers that I have lying around (in the plastic bag in the white basket on my desk).  I made a card with a butterfly topper previously. I like to purchase the K & Company toppers and tend to use only a few from each package, so I'm trying to rectify that.  It's good to have goals.  Or anyway, people are always saying that.

May Calendar

Project in Progress

The Fine Print: If you know the whereabouts of my 3x3 acrylic block or my small blue handled scissors, please drop me a line since I'm on the verge of just throwing myself to the floor and pouting.  Flower shop, flower stand and row of flower stamps by A Muse Artstamps, cross stitch border by A Muse Studio. Bird topper by K & Company, papers by DCWV "Chateau Lavender."

Busy Patterns

I made this butterfly card after I saw one very similar on the A Muse Studio website.  I thought it was so striking that I had to try it out.  I really like the strip of patterned paper.  The color (Bellini) and pattern (Venetian) can be a bit overwhelming in large doses, so I have to learn to use small bits of it..  I liked this card so much that I put together a kit of it so my stamping pals can make one too when we meet tomorrow night.

This is another card with very busy background paper. I just love it though, but I haven't been overly pleased with what I've made with it so far. Originally the patterned piece covered the whole front of the card but that was way too much.  Sometimes less is more.

That's what I have to share today.  Maybe I'll play with some more busy patterned paper next.  Or finish my March Club Scrap kit, or start my April kit, or use my new Simon Says Stamp kit, or maybe I'll make an Iris fold card! The possibilities are endless.  But maybe I'll be lazy instead.  You never can tell.

The Fine Print: 1st card-all products by A Muse Studio; cardstock-sugar, French Roast, Bellini solid, Bellini Venetian patterned; Bellini silk ribbon, stamps from "Papillion" set, colored with Copics. 2nd card-case base and yellow scrap by unknown; green, orange CS and patterned paper by DCWV; large scallop die by A Muse Studio; miscellaneous buttons, stamps by DeNami Designs.