Swedish Death Cleaning

Have you heard the latest decluttering trend called Swedish Death Cleaning? I hadn't heard of it until a friend posted it on Facebook causing a lot of interesting discussion.

Since that friend and her friends are all around my age or younger many couldn't relate Swedish Death Cleaning for themselves but talked how nice this would be (or would have been) for parents or grandparents to take part in.

Swedish Death Cleaning sounds kind of morbid, but basically it is decluttering your belongings instead of leaving the whole kit and kaboodle for those left behind by your death.  The thought is to take responsibility for your items and don't leave them as a burden to family and friend because that's not fair.

I think it is an interesting concept, but I don't see Swedish Death Cleaning happening so much in America because we don't like to talk about death.  And also, the concept behind SDC is to keep your belongings from becoming an emotional burden on others, and I know many people who love to be as burdensome as possible. In fact, those people are probably out buying more shit right now for their loved ones to deal with later.

The Fine Print: Just a random card from a Simon Says Stamp kit, it has nothing to do with death, death cleaning, or death non-cleaning for those burdensome folks.

You Can Do Anything

Recently there was a discussion crawling through my Facebook feed about which of these 4 superpowers would you pick? I don't know remember what they all were but one of them was invisibility.

As someone who drives many miles across town every work day with an apparent cloak of invisibility on, I can say with authority it ain't something you want. I'm constantly dodging and weaving other drivers who I guess cannot see me.  Remember, invisible doesn't mean invincible!

It's a real hassle. As far as superpowers go I think I'd like the one where I could eat anything I wanted and magically be physically fit (instead of physically pfft).

The Fine Print: You can do anything, except for what you can't. Parts 'n stuff from an old Simon Says Stamp kit.

Feeling Flowery

Fancy that, we've not run out of Christmas cards yet. For these two I used this old lady wallpaper looking designer paper I had. I think they came out great. I managed to use a few of my random Christmas embellishments as well.  My stash of those isn't quite as extensive as the Halloween ones, but I still have some fun stuff to play with.

The Fine Print: designer paper by Basic Gray, joy embellishment by K&Co., greeting by Simon Says Stamp, poinsettia by Making Memories, ribbon from my stash but starting next month A Muse Studio will have this in both red and bubblegum (that's pink in case you found that confusing). 

Spotty Dotty

I made a couple of Christmas card with some spotted paper that made me think of old fashioned Christmas candy.  This is back when I was fussing with that kit of stuff. I told you I made cards then, and here's the proof.

The Fine Print: Stamps by Simon Says Stamp, designer paper by Basic Grey. 

Peace Joy and Love

I made these cards recently. I'm still trying to force myself to make a Christmas card or two (or 24, which is where I am at now).

These two are okay even though not really my style. That greeting is a bear to stamp. It doesn't give a good impression but you can't press too hard or else the edges get fussy.  It pains me to say it but Simon Says Stamps stamps just aren't quality. I suppose they are good for the person who buys stamps and only uses them once or twice (or never, just has them in the stash).

Anyway, there you go: Peace, Joy and Love.  What do you want for a Sunday? Football, Beer, and Nachos?  Yeah... me too.

The Fine Print: Peace Joy Love stamp by Simon Says Stamp "Merry Everything" set, papers by Basic Grey, dove punch by Martha, and paper flower from my stash.

Merry, Merry Everything

I had Veteran's Day off work which was a pleasant break for the middle of the week. I decided that maybe, just maybe, they weren't going to cancel Christmas this year after all and that maybe, just maybe, I should make a few Christmas cards.

You know I totally have NOT wanted to make Christmas cards so what better way to get you in the mood for it then to use the fugliest paper you can find?  Yeah, I'm not following my own logic either. I pulled out a kit from years ago that I never touched because of the ugly paper and vowed I would make cards with it.

It turned out to not be too bad.  I started off by following the photos of samples they provided. Some I did exactly and others I just used as a jumping off point. I've used up about half the stuff in the kit and am hopeful I can polish off the rest of it soon.  Don't hold your breath though; I'm still not totally convinced about this whole Christmas thing.

The Fine Print: Greeting stamps by Simon Says Stamp, designer paper by Basic Grey, and embellishments either from the kit or from my stash. I really would like some more of those holly leaves. They were so much fun to use. Image using them with non-ugly paper!

Fool Me Twice

I've had this stamp set sitting on or around my desk for awhile now.  It was one I was thinking about selling because I couldn't get it to stamp very well.  The stamps are clear acrylic, not deep cut at all and couldn't stamp a clean image to save their life.  It seemed like no matter how carefully you placed the stamp on the block they got an air bubble in them that lead to an uneven stamped image.

I wasn't quite ready to part with them because I felt I hadn't given them a fair shake.  I'd only tried them once or twice, got frustrated and gave up.  I always felt I should try different inks and different paper.  Then again I wasn't sure why I felt that as I wasn't that keen on special needs stamps, but there you have it.

I ran across several quarter sheets of glossy cardstock so I decided to finally give them their fair shake.  If you can't get solid stamps to stamp well on glossy, then pack them in.  These stamped okay on glossy but there was still a lot of unevenness and that was with me stamping very carefully and making sure all parts of the stamp got even pressure.

I used up 3 of the 5 quarter sheets of glossy I had out when I decided that I just didn't care anymore. This set was outta here.  I don't use glossy cardstock much and there wasn't anything overly special about this stamp set to make me want to make it work.

At least I can say I tried it out thoroughly now and can pass it on with a clean conscience.  I made my experiments up into three decent cards, so life is good.

The Fine Print:  Yucky stamp set by Simon Says Stamp "Flower Friend," cardstock by Club Scrap from the kit I puttered with in yesterday's post, yellow ribbons, paper flowers, shimmer brads, and bling from my stash.  BTW, this is the stamp set that made me decide to stop getting SSS's monthly kits since it appeared they were going to always be SSS brand stamps in them.  The first few weren't bad but I didn't want to risk it.

Snarky Challenge

As I mentioned yesterday, I found some 6x6 paper and decided to use the wonky patterns first to get them out of the way.  Yesterday's was kind of whimsical and weird but today's can only be described as YUCK.

Which is perfect for the latest Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers challenge: Y is for Yuck.  I'm not actually sure what all is in this pattern... it looks like a plate of pancakes with a flag in it, a bunch of petticoats stacking on top of each other, weird cup shaped flowers, and droopy petal flowers.  Plus it is all kind of an awkward color.  I paired it with a greeting, a ribbon and a die cut.

I inlay some of the die cut back in as it was too lacy looking otherwise.  I started off this this large epoxy pearl brad in the center but the more I looked at it the more that sucked.  So I swapped out for a simple bling.  Following yesterday's example I made a second card.

That left me with just a little strip of this design, so I chopped it into squares and made this card.  I was bound a determined to make this card with cheerier colors as I felt the top ones were too drab.

I think I made some decent cards out of rather yucky paper.  I wish I could say I am happy to see this paper go, but gosh-darn-it-all, I found another sheet of it.  I thought it was suspicious that I only had one of each sheet.

The Fine Print: "Absolutely Delightful" stamps and "Delightful Dahlia" die by Simon Says Stamps; "Paper Cottage" designer paper by Basic Gray; jeweled bling by My Mind's Eye; French Roast Ribbon, "Happy" and "Medium Scallop Border" dies by A Muse Studio; paper flower and brad from my stash.   

Cuppa Tea

I was poking around in my stuff stash because I was sure I had some Valentine's themed washi tape somewhere.  I not only found it, I also found my missing Stampin' Up oval dies and a small stash of 6x6 designer paper--just one sheet each pattern.

I challenged myself to use the wonky patterned ones first, because as scrumptious as Basic Grey paper is they always have to throw a difficult sheet or two into the mix.

I started with this piece because I felt it went with the tape I found.  Plus I had just the die and stamps to go with it.  Since I cut that paper almost in half I had enough to make a second copy of the same card (hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it).

Then I used the scraps from those two pieces to make this final card and use up the rest of that paper.

I had lots of fun doing it and went on to the next wonky pattern, but you'll have to stay tuned for those.  They didn't whip out as easily as these ones.

The Fine Print: Stamps by Simon Says Stamps "Absolutely Delightful," designer paper by Basic Gray "Paper Cottage," dies by Stampin' Up "Ovals" and A Muse Studio "Word Art" (tea cup) and "Medium Scallop Border," mini heart punch by Stampin' Up, pink twine by May Arts, and washi tape "With Love" by unknown.

Make Up Monday: Birdless Birds

I've managed to scrape up a few more cards for Make Up Monday.  These are some oldies but goodies from the a kit called Birds of a Feather.

And this card is from the kit I constantly called Serenade but I think it really had a bird name to it.  It certainly had a bird stamp that came with it.

Except for one kind of vague bird butt, you'll notice that there aren't really any birds in my bird themed cards.  Life is like that sometimes.

The Fine Print: Birds of a Feather kit from Club Scrap with random things from my stash added in.  Serenade card from Simon Says Stamp.

Polkie Dots!

A piece of designer paper with large polka dots had recently taken up residence on my desk.  I moved it from one corner to the other, tucked it in various piles, and shuffled it around for a few days.  I finally decided that its time had come!

And I made these two cards with it. I kept it simple for the first card as I wanted to showcase the large brown flower I discovered in my stash.  I love that huge brad; I wouldn't mind having more of those.  For the second card I tried my hand at collage.  I think I did pretty good considering at was at a loss on what to add to make it "collagey."

The Fine Print: Polka dot paper by Pink Paislee.  Top card--flowers and brad from my stash, greeting by Simon Says Stamp "Beautiful Words," and border punch by Fiskars.  Bottom card--paper doily and metal turn piece from my stash, baker's twine, clear button and bird stamp by A Muse Studio "All for Love," music note washi tape by Tim Holtz, and script washi tape by Recollections.  Edges sponged with a Tim Holtz ink.

No Sew Quilt Card

The other day I was reading Joyce's Cards by the Sea blog and came across her no sew quilt card. I'm a big fan of quilts and an even bigger fan of not sewing so I had to check it out.  She linked to a tutorial that was easy peasy.  I decided I had to make one for myself.

I did do some modifications. Instead of having my quilted layer be the front of the card, I layered it onto a card.  I also drew some faux stitching around the outer edge.  I ran a pattern tracing wheel over it first so it made little indentations like stitching.  I used a hexagon embossing folder for the quilted look.  In hindsight, maybe I should have flipped the folder over so the quilting would be indented instead of sticking up, but I was still quite pleased with my card, and with the fact that I tried a new technique.

The Fine Print: Greeting stamp by Simon Says Stamp, papers by Stampin' Up, punched with a 1-3/8" EK Success punch, mat square (around greeting) by Spellbinders, hexagon folder by Stampin' Up. Now If I could just figure out a no sew way to hem pants...!

So Stinkin' Cute

It is Sunday again and that means it is time to take our snippets to the playground for a go at the swings and teeter totters.  Since we're closing in on Valentine's Day all my snippets are out of the Valentine's box.  Even though I've made quite a number of cards, that box doesn't seem any less full from when I first pulled it out, especially the snippet pile.

 

I made this little black, white and red sweetie with a newish Simon Says Stamp set.  I thought he would be lots of fun to play with.  He is stamped on the linen textured paper that I have a lot of.  That paper reacts interestingly to Copic markers which kept my black (really dark grey) from being too dark.

However for this card he is stamped on regular cardstock and the color came out too dark.  So for the next card I moved down a color on the grey scale, or actually two colors since I don't own ones right in a row.

That one was too light.  Then I tried to darken him up except around the face and he came out sort of awkward looking.

I tried another piece of the linen textured paper and it didn't work as well as it did on the first try.  Again, my skunk looks awkward around the face.

So I just threw the last card together and called it good.  Now that I've had a go at this stamp set I don't think I like it so much after all since I can't get good coloring on the skunk. It is too bad as it has the cutest sayings in a nifty font to go with it.

The Fine Print: Skunk and tiny hearts from Simon Says Stamps "Stinkin' Cute," plain heart punch by EK Success, hearts on a wire die by Simon Says Stamps (snippet of an entire background die), fat curvy heat die by A Muse Studio, small lace heart (last two cards) by Simon Says Stamps, huge greeting by Copper Leaf Creations and of course, all the bits of paper from my snippet pile.

Hearts of Love

We'll start off with a sad story, but never fear, it has a happy ending.  Our heroine (that'd be me) talked her long suffering hubby into taking her shopping for House Mouse stamps.  Alas! The store did not carry House Mouse stamps so there was much sadness and tears.  But luckily That Guy invented the Interwebs and soon there were House Mouse stamps! And hearts! And there was much rejoicing!

I'm entering this card into the Shopping Our Stash Love themed challenge this week. While the mice and the doily heart are new, the papers and the heart embellishment have been in my stash for an embarrassingly long time.  I'm also entering this with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where the theme is to have a heart.  I not only have a heart I have 7 of them.  That's me, the Princess of Excess.

The Fine Print: "With all My Heart" House Mouse stamp by Stampabilities, small heart doily die by Simon Says Stamp, heart embellishment by K & Co., brown designer paper by Basic Grey, pink dotted paper by Making Memories.

It's All About Me, Baby!

I truly believe that dreams have meaning. However, I think what meaning they have is highly personalized and can't be told by a generic dream analysis book.

For instance the dream I had last night involved my friend Mia and I wandering around the University of Arizona campus.  My dream campus was nothing like it really is, yet it was accepted as the UA.  At one point we stopped and she asked someone directions to the library.  The person told us to walk straight ahead and cut through the parking garage, go up some stairs, past the fountain and around some red brick building.  That last part is a trick because red brick is the UA standard, but I digress.  We start walking, following these directions, and right away Mia starts pulling away from me.  It isn't that she is walking faster and faster, but that I'm going slower.  She doesn't notice that I've fallen behind.  I'm getting very frustrated that I can't keep up.  I just can't seem to move.

Now a dream analysis book would probably say I feel alienated from my friend Mia and I feel she doesn't care about me; that she is leaving our friendship behind.  And you know what?  The book would be partially right.  She did move away and we aren't the friends we once were.

However, that is not what that dream was about.  I think the key is the feelings I had.  I wasn't upset or frustrated at Mia.  I was upset and frustrated at myself.  I just couldn't seem to move.  In fact, a dream of that nature is often what I have when my hip acts up and hurts so much that I can't move in my sleep.  I frustrate myself enough in my dream that I wake up so I can roll over and change positions, move and stretch my hip out.

Sorry, Mr. Dream Analysis, but that dream was all about me!

The Fine Print:  And speaking of being all about me, I'm always myself in those kinds of dreams, but often I'm not a player in my dreams.  Instead it's like I'm watching a bunch of other people do stuff.  I wonder what a dream analysis book would say about that?  I wonder what a shrink would say about that?!  Cards made months ago from that Simon Says Stamp kit with a few things from my stash added in.

Please, Kind Sir, May I Have One?

When I first worked at the college as a mere underling to the department head honcho, one of the sub-department heads would wander in from time to time and ask about office supplies.  Every sub-department head was given a budget and the authority to spend it as they saw fit.  Larger items required my boss' signature but your basic office supplies did not require such approval.

Julia wouldn't just come over and tell me she needed paper and pens, oh no.  She'd have to discuss the philosophy behind paper and pens.  She'd ponder the mysterious cosmos and how could it be that her department had run out of paper and pens.  She'd outline the pros of ordering more paper and pens and carefully explain the cons of not ordering more paper and pens.  After this long eyeball-rolling one-sided conversation with her she'd ask me to ask my boss for his permission to order more paper and pens.

Being the good underling that I was I questioned her budget (still intact), I questioned the office supply ordering procedure (nothing changed), I questioned if these were special paper and pens (no), and I questioned if this were an abnormal amount of paper and pens (no).

I fell for it only the one time, dutifully catching my boss later and making the inquiry.  I answered all his questions, which were the same as mine.  He was as puzzled as I was, telling me to tell her, "Of course order the supplies you need to run your department, that's why you have a budget. Don't waste my time on this." 

I passed that information on but that didn't stop Julia from coming by the next time and the next time and the next time she needed paper and pens.  I'd repeat the boss' previous answer to her she couldn't accept that she had the authority to help herself.  So to placate her I'd wait a few hours or perhaps a few days before getting back to her and telling her that it was okay to order her supplies.  I never again asked the boss for her permission.

I may have been a mere underling with little experience in the work world, but I did wonder how anyone afraid to order paper for their department become a department head.  I think of Julia often as I encounter her type of person over and over again--you know, the people who can't wipe their own ass without help or someone's blessing..

The Fine Print: Julia had children and I amused myself by envisioning her asking her husband for permission to buy food to feed them.  "No, honey, not today.  That's completely out of line."  Top card oldie but goodie stamp by Stampin' Up; bottom card newbie stamp by Simon Says Stamp; designer paper by DCWV; cardstock and ribbon from my stash; die cuts by Spellbinders and Stampin' Up.

Where's the Bloodbath?

I've been watching Dexter with hubby.  We don't pay for premium channels so we're watching it via movie rentals.  I knew we were a season behind but I didn't know there was yet one more season to go. 

I have been paying attention to how many episodes are left knowing the final one of the season (and I thought series) was coming us.  I've been waiting patiently for major characters to start dying off, ppossibly in gruesome ways with much bloodshed (hey, it is Dexter after all).  Yet episode after episode goes by without that happening.

I'm thinking the final episode is going to be one heck of a bloodbath since everyone made it through the second to last episode just fine.  Well, everyone who usually makes it to the end of an episode of Dexter that is.  That's when I learned I have one more season to go.  Well, now.... no bloodbath yet then?  It's such a let down.

The Fine Print: I'll trade you a snot shower for a blood bath?  Stuff from a Simon Says Stamp kit, the one I kept calling Serenade.  Perhaps this card is a rerun. 

Post Death Popcorn

Hubby and I went to the movies last night.  Being a weeknight, the concession stand on the left side of the theater was closed with a sign posted:

Service available on the other side. Thank you.  --Cinemark Theaters

Joe commented that it was nice that Cinemark would provide for you once you've passed.  I too, had to admit that is a perk I'm looking forward to.  I'm quite sure once I'm dead I'll have a hankerin' for some popcorn and overpriced Milk Duds.

The Fine Print: And now you know why we put coins on the eyelids of the dead--so they can buy popcorn.  I wonder if there are free refills in the afterlife?  Card made with some random Simon Says Stamp kit.

The Job Requirement They Forgot to Mention

When I first started working in the dean's office, some twenty something years ago, no one actually told me what my duties were.  I don't actually think that has changed much over the years.  You are expected to just figure it out which works okay since it changes from one location to the next and from one boss to the next.  I worked with a very paranoid secretary who wouldn't tell me anything and rarely showed up to work.  You know, just to add to the mix.

During one of her many lengthy absences a gentleman started calling the office and asking to speak to my boss about advising opportunities.  During peak times we would hire part-time advisors to assist the huge influx of students.  My boss was in charge of hiring these folks.  What neither the gentleman caller nor I knew was my boss believed in cronyism.  He wasn't about to hire anyone he didn't already know or who didn't come highly recommended from a close personal friend (how I got hired, apparently).

The other thing I didn't know is my boss lacked cojones, that means balls for you non-Spanish speakers.  Instead of calling the guy back and telling him he had no vacancies or even telling me to call him back with that message, he dodged the guy's phone calls.  The guy had an uncanny knack for calling when my boss was out until one fateful day when he called when the boss was in.

In true secretary fashion, I chatted the guy up a bit, hit transfer and sent the call in to my boss.  I even did the polite thing and announced who the caller on the other line was.  The boss went ballistic, "I have no use for that man!  I don't know him!  I don't want to talk to him!  Don't you know that by now?!!!"

Why no, boss, I had nary a clue that you were dodging him on purpose. I  know you suck at calling people back so I thought that was the issue.  No one told me that reading your wussy brain was a job requirement!

Hey, and do any of you remember the part where I said I transferred the call and that so-and-so was on the other line?  Yeah.... that made it a 3-way call so the guy heard every word my boss said.

The Fine Print: That boss was "acting" meaning he was filling in that position while it was vacant.  He so desperately wanted to be dean and applied over and over for different dean jobs at different campuses.  He never got the clue that he was what they called a failed administrator and would never ever be hired as one.  Hey, I guess he doesn't read minds either!!!!  Penguin card stamps by Stampin' Up.  Fabulous card die by Simon Says Stamps.

Simon Says Spring

I pulled out the March Simon Says Stamp kit the other day to play with it.  I didn't get to play long as I had other non-crafting things to do (so sad, isn't it?).  I did make a couple of cards though.

This first card is not made with the flower stamp that Simon Says included.  I could not get the flower in the set they sent to work.  It is a clear stamp and no matter how I put it down on the block it got an air bubble in it so it wouldn't stamp evenly.  Also, you've heard the saying 'deeply etched rubber.'  Well, these stamps are the exact opposite of whatever deeply etched is.  I don't usually start out making cards with strips of paper.  I usually leave that for the end when strips of paper are all I have left.  I didn't really like this card once I finished it.  However, it looked quite fine in the morning.

The next card is more like how I start out making cards from a kit--with full sheets of patterned paper to play with.  This stamp had some die cut stickers with it so I opted to use one of those on this card.  I just realized that there is no stamping on this card.  I guess those not-deeply-etched stamps got the best of me.  The paper flowers are from my stash.  I try to use them from time to time since my friend likes to laugh at how many of them I own.

The Fine Print: Papers, stamps and supplies from Simon Says Stamp unless otherwise noted.  Flower head from Autumn Leaves, paper flowers by Prima, and green jewels, sparkly pink brad, and white ribbon from stash.