Sea Stuff

I was feeling jauntily nautical the other day, broke out with the navy and white and this card was born. I am quite enamored by the sea, or rather I should say the concept of the sea. I like the sand, the shore, the shells, the sighs, the sounds, the whole idea of it.... but really the sea and I aren't acquainted and I'm willing to bet that there are large fish in there who want to eat me.  I mean, I went to Elephant Butte Lake in New Mexico (the frigging desert) and there were large fish in there who wanted to eat me!

The Fine Print: Papers by A Muse Studio and stamps by Stampin' Up--a happy nautical marriage.

Spring is in the Air

Here is a happy spring like card I made awhile back when it wasn't at all spring like.  The background kind of makes me think of the measles.  I was trying one of those sprays.  They just don't do it for me...

...but that doesn't stop me from breaking them out from time to time to double check.

The Fine Print: All the stuff by A Muse Studio. Stamps--Beautiful Birthday(greeting), and Mini Blooms, Labels 1 die, Poppy colored spray (I think), blush, poppy and sugar cardstock. I forgot how to spell 'cardstock' and kept writing it as cardSTORK before I decided it must be cardSTALK which sounds like someone who keeps checking with the store for a paper sale.

Workdesk #299

Wow! It is almost the 300th edition of What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, the best blog hop in the world. Last week I shared with you the piled high version of my desk and this week it has been picked up so I can play (and it has taken me all week to get here). I still don't quite have the energy for playing yet but the desk is ready when I am.

I do have the same pile of UFOs and other assorted stuff from the past couple of weeks.  New to the pile is a fun and funky bird set by Tim Holtz and I see my little tiger doll is making an appearance.

These are my new Valentine's goodies given to me by my sweetheart. Yeah, I'm talking about the hubby, not the cat.  If the cat was going to give me presents it would probably be ribbons so we could share.

A couple of weeks ago I showed off my old table and mentioned its days were numbered.  Here is the new one, with matching chairs even.  It's almost like we're adults.

Nothing too exciting crafting wise this week. Stay tuned to see what the next week brings!

The Fine Print: Don't panic, we're not really adults--we're just masquerading as them--and actually we're not even doing that--we're pretending to have class.  Fucking classy, that's us.

Sunflowers and Sunshine

Here is a punch art card I made last month that really used punches (as opposed to dies).  This card idea was a CASE of someone else's card but that was last month so I no longer remember whose or where it was so you could compare and contrast hers to mine.

I know mine is not as CAS as the one I copied.  I have a busy designer paper on mine and an in-your-face embossing folder instead of something subtle.  Then I added microbeads to the center of my flowers for added interest (more fuss, more muss!).

I recently saw a similar card to this that featured three snowflakes in the punched out areas.  I guess that's allowed since all those people back east just can't stop with the snow already.  Personally, I've moved on to sunshine and sunflowers.

The Fine Print: Greeting stamp by Endless Creations, greeting punches by Stampin' Up, flower punch by EK Success, and embossing folder by whoever made it. Yeah, I'm chock full of info like that.  

Birdie Love

Since it is still February I figured that it was okay to still show off some Valentine and/or Love themed cards.  Heck, even if it wasn't February I'd probably be showing this card off because I have a very limited supply of cards to show off.

Being sick will do that do ya.  Except for a really wicked tuberculosis sort of cough I'm doing real good--good enough that I even made some cards.  Woo hoo!

The Fine Print: Birdie stamp by Stampin' Up, Spellbinders lable, and My Mind's Eye designer papers.  Glitter foam heart from my stash.

Left My Heart in its Usual Spot

Since I'm not a traveling man, nor am I a traveling woman, I don't actually understand this greeting.

Last I checked my heart is still doing its thing in its expected location.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.

Honey, It's Hand Did!

I made this card with some leftover kit bits, a random hunk of lace and some dimensional stickers I had on my desk.  It was quick and easy.  I'm still trying to get over feeling like I'm "cheating" when I use pre-printed card toppers and the like.  I tell myself, "It is still handmade."

The Fine Print: It still feels a little wrong though.  Kit shit from Club Scrap "Spring Chorus" and dimensional stickers from K and Company.

Workdesk Wednesday: The I'm Still Alive Version

I've been quite sick the last few days but today I'm spunky enough to show you my workdesk as part of Julia's fabulous WOYWW blog hop.  I haven't removed any of the UFOs we talked about last week (the consensus is ditch them or put them away but quit fussing over them).  Instead I just piled stuff on top of them!  Hey, it works for most of y'all.

Sorry the photo is a bit grainy, kinda matches how I've been feeling.  I've pulled out this and that over the past several days trying to settle into a project but nothing really grabbed me.  I think that recent ennui was me not feeling well.

Here's the left side of the desk, with several stamp sets stacked up that I'm even sure what they are anymore.  On top are some dimensional stickers from my friend's estate. There's a stack of cards, cardstock, and random papery things, a leaf punch, ant stamps from last week, my glasses case, the cat-proof tape dispenser, mini pom poms, and a sample card I'm using as a sketch.

The right side of my desk has an old Sizzix die so I can make another Etch a Sketch card, parts and pieces from one of my many kits, a plastic box of die cuts, and two envelopes received in the mail yesterday that I felt too lousy to open. Shall we open them and see what goodies have arrived?

Oooh!  My back ordered Stampin' Up butterfly dies have finally arrived plus I picked up some mini front and back dies on a whim the other day. These will be fun to play with. 

The Fine Print: This is a certified Cootie Free post. BTW, I work at a school so depending on the density of illness lurking there tells how likely I am to catch it.  This was a very dense illness, spreading far and wide. Ya gotta love working with the public.

Pure Poetry

There once was a girl from Tucson

Whose nose ran much and long

She took her sick head

And went right to her bed

If you think there's more to this post, you'd be wrong

The Fine Print: Like I said...

Vintage Romantic Butterflies

Have you ever seen Pink Paislee's London Market designer paper?  It has sort of a vintage romantic feel to it.  I found some sheets of it whilst poking around my desk and decided that since this is the season of flowers and romance I could easily use it all up.  I sat down and whipped out this card.

While making it I realized it qualified for Mrs. A's Butterfly Challenge which is to make a card with butterflies on it (natch) along with ribbon.  Now don't be saying you don't see the ribbon--it is right there masquerading as the butterfly's body.  I wanted something more dimensional than paper but not as dimensional as pearls so I used a small piece of ribbon.

Since that came so easily I started on another card.  Seven and half hours later I came up with this one.  I struggled with everything about it and I'm still not that happy with it.  I'm sticking a fork in it and calling it done though.  For this card the ribbon is much more obvious.

And now I don't ever want to see the rest of this paper again.  Pfft!

The Fine Print: Top Card--designer paper by Pink Paislee "London Market," Thank You greeting by Simon Says Stamps "Beautiful Words," butterfly die and pearls by A Muse Studio, vellum, doily and brads from my stash. Bottom Card--designer paper by Pink Paislee "London Market," washi tape by Tim Holtz, heart die by Spellbinders, butterfly dies by Stampin' Up, ribbon, flowers, and brads from my stash.

Valentine's Day

I've said it before, I'll say it again...  Yes, the day is about love but it doesn't have to be romantic love.  It can love of life, love of self, love of chocolates in a heart shaped box, the fact that love exists in our world, etc.

You don't have to have a significant other to enjoy the day.  There are people out there who have no mother on Mother's Day and no father on Father's Day so for you sadly single folks: Suck it up, Buttercup! And remember I love you.  Probably.

The Fine Print: As far as I know it is all Stampin' Up.  Sheltering Tree stamp set and Happy Heart Textured Impressions embossing folder.

Adulting

Adulting.  I hate it.  It gives me much angst.  Adulting is that stuff that requires you to make decisions, and arrangements, and almost always involves a financial output.  Adulting is not working, paying bills, purchasing and preparing food, or every day responsibilities.  That stuff is the cycle of life and every able bodied and minded person over the age of 20 should be able to do that.

No, adulting is when the check engine light comes on, adulting is finding the contents of the water heater all over the floor, adulting it walking with your child to the neighbors to discuss the throwing of stones, adulting is ensuring your teeth are with you for as long as possible, adulting is your dog with an oozing wound, adulting is finding a lump.  It is annoying and it interrupts your cycle of life.

Some people deal with it well, moving from one adulting incident to another with ease and aplomb, and could even be considered adulting experts.  You would consult these people when faced with an adulting situation you were unsure of.  Other people cannot cope at all with any adulting situation and wring their hands and fret until someone capable comes along and does the adulting for them.  Many of us fall into the middle ground; we fuddle along from one adulting episode to another figuring it out as we go.

My parents adulted very well.  They did not; however, teach adulting to their children.  While you can do some learning by watching an example adulting needs to be discussed, examined, and taught.  I think this lack of training is why adulting give me so much angst.  I never know if I'm on the right track.  Hey, but maybe no one knows.  Maybe we are all faking it.  All I know is I don't want to be like my siblings who won't even give adulting a try.

The Fine Print: It is Friday so toss that adulting stuff to the side and embrace your inner child instead.  Unless of course your check engine light is on, your kid or pet is sick, or your household appliances are on the blink.  In which case, happy adulting to you!  Stamps by Stampin' Up "From the Herd" and rectangle frame by Sizzix.

Balentine Day!

Hi Doods! My name iz Dio and I be da guest columnist today.  My mommy dozn't want to make cardz wately so I gotted up on her desk and maded a Balentine card to send to my gurlfriend. She iz bery nice and priddy. I maded a priddy card for her.  It haz a bunnie rabbet on it becuz gurlz wike bunnie rabbets. It also haz glitterz on it cuz gurls wike sparkuls!!!  I maded my mom rite the wordz on the incide though cuz I dun't alwez spell them gud.

My mommy wiked my card soo much dat she maded one jist wike it. Mine iz bedder though becuz it haz love in it. And embawssing! and a bedder ribbon.

My mom sed sents we used partz and weft obers we can come play in the playground with Di and all da friendz! It woz all partz, eben the cards were wittle biddy ones mom founded on her desk.

The Fine Print: Stamps by Stampin' Up, tag die by A Muse Studio, heart embossing folder by Cuttlebug, twine, ribbon, paper and eyelet from my stash.

Workdesk Wednesday for What It's Worth

Here we have arrived at Workdesk Wednesday again and I was on the fence about if I should share my desk or not.  Not much has happened or changed since last week.  I haven't felt like crafting so I've pretty much stayed away from my desk.  I suspect the desk avoidance is because a couple of weeks ago I said I'd finish up the UFOs on my desk before going on to other projects. I don't feel like the finishing up the UFOs any more than I have already.  So it all just sits.

Here are some new items sent to me by a friend.  My, but those are some large stamps!  She also sent me some shimmery gold spray that looks quite interesting.  I spy some items I don't usually leave out on my desk because of cat chaos--a baggie of pink and red ribbons and an open container of heart shaped brads.

This side of the desk is the same stuff from last week with more piled on top.  The cool ant stamps are from the same friend who sent the art dolls.  My Merry Monday card is there, some new dies to match an existing stamp set I have, and a box of baggies so I can sort things for a stamp club project.

Here is something I don't usually show: the table behind me. It is home to the Big Shot and paper cutter but as you can see many other things are camping out there too.  There seems to be a lot of Christmas stamps lurking out and about for it being February.  That's my embarrassing pile of kit boxes you see stacked up there. 

That's it for this week.  I'll try to at least shuffle things around for next week to have something different to show you.  If nothing else I may have a new table to show you. That one there days are numbered.

The Fine Print: I don't really have anything to write here except for does it count as finishing them if you just throw them away?  That may be the next step in dealing with UFOs (UnFinished Objects).

Hi Friend

I haven't feel like crafting recently so I haven't.  However, at one point I felt like maybe I should try to make something so I pulled out one of my many boxes of kits and found a whole pile of already completed cards.  I took that as I sign that I should send a letter to my friend, so I did that instead.

It is always a happy day when you find something in your mailbox that isn't a bill so I thought I'd brighten my friend's day with the above card.  I got my work day brightened by this postcard.

It came from a student of our who has had his/her fair share of troubles that apparently are still continuing as this postcard did indeed come from a  penal institution. If you don't know who Sheriff Joe is, he is worth a Google. He doesn't believe life should be cushy if you've been convicted of a crime (thus eliminating my old age retirement plan).

The Fine Print: Card from Club Scrap "Hopes" kit with a Stampin' Up embossing folder tossed into the mix. I was sad to see the name on the postcard as I thought that person was on the right track, yet the photo on the postcard made me smile because Sheriff Joe is such a character.  It doesn't surprise me that this is the postcard available for inmate use.

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty

One of my friends plucked this stamp out of a stamp estate pile and said that it was perfect for me since it has just as many cats on it and I own (or I owned by depending on how you look at cats).

I'm pretty sure I don't really have six cats in my house unless of course the very same friend who gave me this stamp smuggled another cat in, which I suppose is possible, but you think I would have noticed.  I guess tonight I'll have to offer up some birthday cake and cat treats and see who all shows up.

The Fine Print: Stamp by Art Impressions, other stuff from my stash. I like to tell people that I have 19 cats because after they are done freaking out over 19, five sounds so much more reasonable.

Merry Monday: Put a Bow on it

This week Nina over at the Merry Monday Challenge Blog asked us to put a bow on our cards. I can certainly do that because I do that a lot.  I can't tie my shoes for beans, but I can tie a bow to put on my cards!

There are actually two bows on this card--the one I tied and the one the polar bear tied on his present.  He definitely is a better present wrapper/bow tier than me!

I want to tout my horn a little bit now.  Remember my card from last week's Merry Monday challenge?  I got honorable mention for it!  That's not too shabby a'tall.

The Fine Print: Stamps by Stampin' Up "Polar Party," papers by Hot Off the Press, dies by Spellbinders and ribbon from my stash.  

Well. Nuts!

Do you like snail mail? I do and have been a fan of it since I was little.  I have a couple of pen pals and friends I exchange cards and letters with.  There is nothing like opening the mailbox and finding myself loved.

Of course to get mail you have to send mail.  I'm terribly inconsistent about it no matter what my good intentions are.  But when I do get on a tear I'll send out mail to several people at once.  Then I sit back and think to myself how over the next few weeks I'll find good things in my mailbox.

But it never works that way! Nope, everyone will answer me on the same day.  I mean it is great to find several envelopes in the box all at once for me, but it does mean it is either feast or famine.

Nuts. It didn't work out like I planned.

It isn't just personal correspondence either.  If I order stuff on-line from different vendors and on different dates somehow it all arrives in one fell swoop all together.

The Fine Print: Sometimes I suspect a postal employee conspiracy--the delivery person holds it all until there is a big pile and then brings it to my house!  It could happen.  Stamp by Copper Leaf Creations, the rest of the stuff from my stash.

Sweetie Kitty

This little kitty wants to know if you'll be his sweetie.  How can you say no to a cute little teacup (coffee mug) kitty? He promises just to shed on you a little bit and never leave hairballs on the floor where you'll step on them in the middle of the night with bare feet.  Now that's true love.

The Fine Print: Stamp by Penny Black, stitched die by MFT, greeting sticker by K&Company, and the rest of the stuff from my stash.

Workdesk Wednesday-Sorry to Disappoint

Julia is hosting the 296th Workdesk Wednesday today as she does every week.  I've been trying to make it a point to come and play. I find it very inspiring to see what others are up to with their crafting projects and to see how others have their desks and craft rooms organized.  I will say that WOYWW does tend to be a bit harsh on your budget though.

The desk is tidy and dull, most of the same stuff from last week is still there, just neatened out some.  I did work on a few of my UFOs but I had to take time out to make a few swap cards, birthday cards, and the like. Since I haven't finished the stuff on my desk I don't have any new projects in the works.

I did open a kit box that had leftover scraps in it and whip up these four cards the other evening instead of working on the stuff on my desk. That was my little act of rebellion against myself.

One of the UnFinished Objects on my desk was this card.  I kept putting off gluing the front to the card base because I felt it needed something more.  I finally decided it was really a CAS card and I should accept that, glued it together and called it done.  That's it for me this week!

The Fine Print: Kit card stuff mostly from Club Scrap, some from my stash; hello card parts by A Muse Studio. I swear Charles has moved off my desk since last week but he does like to lounge up there in the mornings.

Snippets, Shards, 'n Shreds

Just to prove to y'all that I can indeed make a snippet card that doesn't involve Christmas, which really is my least favorite holiday rather y'all believe me or not, here's my offering for the Snippet Playground this time around.

Spring! Leaves! Greenery! Flowers!  Ain't it lovely? I want to call the whole thing snippets, but I guess technically it isn't.  The card base is from one of stashes of excess card bases (meaning more than fit in the card base bin), the patterned paper is from my drawer of green paper scraps as are the grass and leaves pieces, and even the white layer is the extra from some other project I cut up.

The Fine Print: Tree with Swing stamp by Stampabilities, cloud stamp by Mostly Animals, grass die by A Muse Studio, every thing else from my stash.

Some Bunny Loves You

Did you guys notice that it is now February? I'm glad for it because those last 16 weeks of January were really brutal.  For those of you who pay attention to what A Muse Studio is doing that means time for a new monthly collection.

The February collection is all about Spring and Easter.  It has ornate eggs, cute bunnies, and a floral bouquet, all with matching dies.  There are mini see-thru paint cans, spring washi tape, a berry box die, a fun paper pack and more.

I went "squee!" as soon as I saw the bunny set and snapped it up before you could say "carrot cake." That's one of the bunnies above, complete with mini pom-pom bunny bum.  That's some of the paper from this month's paper pack too.  They put some interesting color combinations together that I wouldn't have thought about.  That's is what is so great about crafting we all can feed off each others creativity.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio except for that funky fiber which just happened to be sitting on my desk and just happened to match really well.  Stamps--Some Bunny Loves You; dies--Bunny Loves You matching dies, grass and Mini Blooms; cardstock from the jelly bean collection--Bermuda petite polka dot, wasabi, shell, and sugar; other products--sugar crepe paper, onyx brads, and 5 mm bunny bums.

Go Team!

I guess there is some sporting event thing today or something...  All I know is it makes for great snacking.

Here's my message to the winning team.

The Fine Print: Stamps by Paper Smooches "Green Acres" and "Sentiment Sampler."  And yes I know it is the High Holy Day known as Superbowl Sunday.  I just can't muster up the ability to care much.  But there will be cake at halftime. And tits too according to the guys watching the game who are hoping for a Halftime Wardrobe Malfunction.