The Paperquilter

Handmade Christmas Tree Skirt

2011-12-04T19:45:00.007-06:00

As I unpacked my boxes of "Christmas Stuff" I soon came to the realization that my beautiful burgundy velvet skirt is MIA. Over the summer, when we moved (military) from Florida to Colorado, some 20 boxes disappeared along with a mattress set. I'm certain my nativity, my tree skirt, and a beloved snow globe were some of the missing boxes. I didn't want to wait until I had a skirt to put up our tree and ornaments (thank goodness those didn't disappear). I went ahead and put up the tree without the skirt. I came across this idea to make this skirt through "Pinterest" but this is the original link to the project from HGTV.

I did make a few modifications. I used a white skirt from the Dollar Tree instead of paying $15 for a canvas painter's cloth. The skirt is already cut out in a circular shape, so half of the work was already done. Also, instead of using linen, I used about 2 1/2 yards of 45" wide cotton fabric in the pattern I liked from Joanns (on sale). Instead of a glue gun, I used fabric glue. If you do follow my method, I would advise that you work on this on top of a surface that you don't mind getting ruined. In other words, DO NOT use your beautiful dining table. I used an old card table that had a vinyl surface. If you are going to use your dining table, I would suggest protecting your surface with an vinyl tablecloth. The glue is a permanent glue, and believe me, it got tacky and hard quickly.
I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. The best thing is it's a 'no sew' project; and I completed it in 5 hours. I hope you and your family are enjoying the blessings of the season. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

A New Quilt for Lucas

2011-06-05T14:51:00.006-05:00

A year ago, I had bought Flying Geese rulers from "A Quilt in a Day" by Eleanor Burns. I love the idea of making 4 geese at the same time; and not to have to deal with ironing along the bias (we all know how distorted a quilt block can get when you stretch the bias). One weekend, I started to play with the rulers. I kept making geese until I had enough to consider making a larger quilt with all of the geese. This is the result. This quilt has 119 flying geese. It was quick and easy; and my son will get to enjoy it at our new home in Colorado Springs.

For a very long time, I could not decide on how to create the border. Since I still had a lot of leftover batik fabric, I decided to piece long strips to create a colorful border.

This is what the quilt design looks like. I picked this one because of it's 'Polynesian style.'

Lucas is pretty happy with the results!

Crystals and Coral

2011-02-19T08:14:00.005-06:00

I was inspired to make this necklace after seeing one similar to it at Michaels. I placed the toggle on the side of the necklace, rather than the back. I also love the combination of blue and silver. I'll give this necklace to a dear friend of mine.

A closeup of the pendant.

This necklace uses sterling silver wire and crystals from the Bead Gallery collection at Michaels (plus a few findings from my stash). It's about 18" long. I'll also give this to one of my girlfriends. It's a pretty piece to wear this springtime.

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!

Industrial Chic

2011-01-15T08:58:00.004-06:00

I knew I was in trouble when I went to Michael's and saw this pendant holder. All of the 'talismans' and findings are from the work of Susan Lenart Kazmer from her line titled "Industrial Chic." Her artwork has been in exhibits at the Smithsonian Museums in Washington DC and at the Art Institute in New York. She calls the pendants 'Talismans."

I chose talismans which fit my personality and wired each one to the pendant holder. I also added crystals to the end of some of the talismans just to give the piece added color and to 'soften' the piece. I have many more talismans left and plan to make a whole lot of other jewelry pieces with them.

Fa la la la la....la la la la!!

2010-08-29T19:02:00.007-05:00

Do you recognize this pattern? It's Basic Grey's Figgy Pudding, Fruitcake and 12-Days of Christmas! Moda is known for creating fabric from Basic Grey's scrapbooking paper. There are other fabrics in the store, but I only have so much money. LOL! This pattern is by Moda, and it is called "Figgy Pudding." It is from last year. I thought I'd get started on my Christmas Quilt, now, so it can be ready for the Holidays. This part is just 2/3 of Block No. 1, and already this measures 15" x 20". There are eight blocks with each measuring 15" x 36".

Scrap Happy!

2010-08-25T20:17:00.010-05:00

I fell in love with this quilt pattern the minute I saw it in the May-June, 2009 issue of Fons & Porter's "Love of Quilting" magazine. The pattern is called "Seams of Opal." It's supposed to look like the vibrant and briliiant colors of an opal. I also call this "My Happy Quilt."

1,723 pieces of fabric went into making this queen-size quilt. Thank goodness my husband likes it. LOL! He probably wouldn't sleep under this quilt if he thought it was ugly (or too feminine).

I'm not sure if you can see it clearly. I tried to show the quilt design in this picture. I love red. It's my favorite color, and so I had to use red-binding on this quilt.

One of the new things I did with this quilt is to create a label that would be sewn into the quilt backing BEFORE the 'sandwich' was quilted together. I added strips of fabric from the same fabric used on the top of the quilt. I liked how it turned out. The embroidery was done by a friend of mine. I think it's very important to add a label to a quilt. It gives the recipient or owner of the quilt an idea of when the quilt was made, and the styles of fabrics which were available during that time. It makes the quilt a part of your personal history.

Thanks for stopping by, today!

Perserverance pays off!

2010-08-14T23:33:00.010-05:00

I started this quilt on August 5, 2009. Now, one year later, it's all finished. Why did it take so long to complete? Well, it wasn't for lack of interest. See, I started this quilt to keep myself pre-occupied last summer while I was unemployed. This quilt (and my crayola quilt) was my saving grace. It made me feel productive, even though I was struggling to find a new job. We had just moved to Florida. The country was still struggling through a recession, and I was competing in a market that primarly focused on the hotel and restaurant industry. Yep. No Human Resources jobs available. I finally found a job in November, 2009 (so five months after we first arrived); and all of my quilting was put on the back-burner.
I love this quilt top. It was challenging, that is for sure. I love a good challenge, though. I also had been wanting to make a red-white-and-blue star sampler, so this was right up my alley. I love fabric, but I don't like to hoard it. Good quality quilting fabric is expensive (roughly $10 per yard), so really, I can't afford to hoard fabric. And, once I start a project, I have to finish it before I start a new one.
Now that this quilt top is complete, I will take it to my neighbor, Patty, to have it quilted on her long-arm machine. I will post the finished quilt once it's all finished! Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!

I ended up cutting an sewing some 800 squares, each was 2" x 2". What a royal pain in the booty. but if I didn't finish what I started, this quilt top could have taken two years to complete.

Old cards, new magazine

2010-04-18T08:59:00.011-05:00

I had not sent any new artwork to Somerset Publications since October, 2007. So, needless to say, it was a big surprise to get the 2010 Catch Up Issue by Stampers Sampler in yesterday's mail. I wonder what other cards they may still have that I've forgotten about?

1,723 pieces and a new card

2010-01-31T10:11:00.008-06:00

That's exactly how many pieces of fabric went into this quilt top.
1,723. LOL! What was I thinking?
This is the very first project I've made using the foundation-paper-piecing technique. I wish I had discovered it sooner. How easy peasy? OK..... it was a tad tedious.
110 blocks. Each block measuring 5" square. Then, you've got the one-inch sashing between blocks, one-inch setting blocks, and ten-inch wide borders.
But it's finished, and now, I will take it to a friend who has a long-arm machine for quilting. When it's all done I will share the finished quilted product with you. Now.... ONTO THE NEXT QUILT!!

This is the second project I worked on today. It's been a year since I've made a card. I am very rusty, I'm afraid. The vintage image came from an older Stampin Up set. I stamped with Memento and colored with copics. I stippled some Tea-Dye Distress Ink over the image and edged with chalk ink. Added some primas, punched leaves and a border (Martha Stewart Punch), and pearl embellishments. I gave away a lot of my vintage embellishments, and these are all I have left. Thanks for stopping by, today!!

My Crayola Box (Log Cabin Quilt)

2009-10-11T11:16:00.016-05:00

I started a new quilt this past week. It's going to be a super-bright quilt. The pattern came from Fons and Porter's "Love of Quilting" magazine from their April/May 2009 issue. Here are the basic tools that I use for this quilt.

I call these strips of fabric my 'crayons.' When you line them up side by side, they don't look like they have anything in common (pattern or color-wise).

The blocks after the 'crayons' have been pieced together:

Time to add the sashing:

Attached sashing between log cabin blocks and sashing.

Here is what three rows look like sewn together. Three down, seven more to go!

This baby's 90% finished!

2009-09-18T07:28:00.004-05:00

I am almost done with my Americana quilt. This evening, I will be heading over to Fort Walton Beach with my sewing machine, fabrics and quilting tools and will work on the border for this quilt. It has taken me roughly five weeks to get to this point. It's a monstrous quilt. It turned out to be larger than I imagined. I decided to take a picture of it now, because once I have the border pieced together, it will not fit on the wall for me to take a photograph. LOL! Thank you, to everyone, for your encouragement along the way. I hope it wasn't too terribly boring. I tried to make my blog entries as interesting as possible by showing you a variety of stars. I know you were looking at stars each and every day, so thanks for hanging in there with me! Now.....onto cutting and piecing 224 two-inch-squares for the border. Thank you for stopping by, today!

Section Five

2009-09-12T21:25:00.012-05:00

I finished Section Five, today. I worked on it between Friday afternoon and this afternoon. I wanted to show you a few close-up pictures of some of the blocks. It's hard to see the details of some of the fabrics on the larger, wider shots.

This is what it looks like when it's added to Sections One - Four. I haven't sewn Section Five on, just yet. I'm tired, now, and will save that part for tomorrow. You can see part of Section Five on the far right of the picture.

Section Four

2009-09-10T21:31:00.008-05:00

It rained a lot this afternoon. The sound of the rain hitting the window in my craft room was soothing. It didn't start that way. This morning, it was sunny and beautiful, and I actually brought my sewing downstairs, and worked on the kitchen table. I finished Section Four, and, as you can see, it's already covering a good portion of my bed. Keep in mind, this quilt has a total of seven sections. This does not include the borders. LOL! I am thoroughly loving how it's turning out.

Psalm 100

2009-09-02T18:02:00.002-05:00

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations."

I wanted to start this post with this Psalm, to give thanks to God for the blessing of time, resources and ability to sew. Because of this hobby, I've come to befriend other quilters; and simply enjoy sharing. I find an inner peace when I create. I know many of my friends who make cards, scrapbook or sew will agree. It is therapeautic. It is also a catalyst for conversation and fellowship. It brings people together. How wonderful it is to have the opportunity to brighten someone else's day when you wrap them in love in a quilt you've made; or, send them a handmade card; or, share family memories when you look through a scrapbook. I don't know what I'll do when the day comes when my eyes will no longer be sharp; or when my hands begin to shake so much I won't be able to sew a straight line. But, until then, I give praise to the Lord for giving me this gift.

I have joined together Parts One, Two and Three of this quilt. I still have Parts Four - Seven to finish. Then, comes the checkered border. I am taking my sweet time, it seems, with this quilt. I worked in the yard and did a lot of laundry, today. I saved my 'quilting' time until the chores were done. It was my 'reward.' So, now, I am going to relax, listen to some jazz music on the radio and enjoy a quiet evening reading. Thank you for stopping by, today!

Progress (or lack thereof)

2009-08-14T13:15:00.004-05:00

I haven't worked on my quilt since last Wednesday. My in-laws came into town, and then Sean and I both came down with virus after they left. So, I've been feeling out of sorts. I managed to finish one block this morning. So far, I'm 20% of the way from finishing...maybe less. But, I'll keep chipping away at this. Stars are not my strength. It's challenging to line up the points without clipping off the tips or not distorting the fabric because of the bias-cuts. I actually threw away the last star I worked on (it's the one on the bottom, left); and started a new star this morning. The dimensions were just way off. My husband said people will not notice the mistakes, but *I* will know they are there, and that will bother me. I think quilters can be quite neurotic, but that is part of the territory. If you're 1/16" off here and there, you'll find yourself off by one whole inch (or more) before you know it. This hobby truly teaches one a whole lot of patience!! Thanks for stopping by, today!

Day Four

2009-08-07T06:00:00.001-05:00

Something a little different this time. I'm not sure what this block is called, but there is a pinwheel block in the center. It measures 16" x 16". I saved the blue fabric for this specific block because I like the detail of the 'branch and leaf' print on the fabric. Here is a closer look of the fabric:

Family is visiting today and tomorrow, so I won't have time to work on another block before the weekend. I'll start again on Monday, and will post more next week. Ciao!! Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

I attended my first machine quilting class, yesterday!

2009-08-06T07:32:00.010-05:00

LOL! Let's just say I need more practice with free-motion quilting. It's really a good thing that I have a sense of humor, and this class was not about getting a great (much less, a good) grade. My straight-line quilting was pretty good. I was able to figure out the path the needle had to take to create a continous stitch line. I learned so much. I learned about the relationship between fabric choice, thread density, needle choices, batting choices, quilt pattern choices, stitch length and tension in relationship to fabric and batting choices...... how all of these factor into the finished product. I also learned how to clean and oil my machine (I could've failed the class simply from how dirty my machine was when I came to class that morning.) A good rule of thumb for ALL seamstresses (and quilters)... CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN your machine after every eight hours of sewing. Who knew that I had giant dust bunnies living in and around my bobbin case? I met three fellow quilters: Gordon (a beginner quilter but an accomplished tailor); Mary (who was the most studious out of the four of us); and Judy, the class clown. I sat next to Judy, not knowing she was the class clown. She had me in stitches (excuse the pun) and the class instructor was threatening to separate us. Needless to say, the class was fabulous. It was the best $45 I've spent on an art class. Now, off to practice, practice, practice!!!

My first attempt at free-motion quilting:

The front of the straight-line 'quilt.' When you look at a quilt, with all of the various patterns and fabrics, most people don't really see the 'quilt pattern' on the front (sorry about the glare from my window):

The back of the straight-line 'quilt.' When you flip a quilt and look at the back, the quilt lines are more evident:

Thanks for stopping by! Despite the tornado and lightning warnings, it was a fun, fun day; and I hope to be able to take more quilting classes down the road.

Day Three

2009-08-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Another day....Another block!! The first day, I worked on a 16" block; and yesterday, I worked on some 8" blocks. This one is 12". All of the blocks on the quilt vary in size; and it is a really neat sampler quilt that will fit together beautifully in the end. The handsome 'model' posing with this block is my darling Casper. He's lost some weight since the last few times I've taken pictures of him. We have Casper on a strict diet because eventually he'll need knee surgery. Without the surgery, he may tear his left ACL (he tore his right ACL early last month).
Well, I'm off to my machine quilting class, this morning. It'll be an all-day class and you bet your behind I am planning to listen to every last word the teacher speaks. This class is my birthday present to myself. I am so excited. I know what I'll sew in class will look 'crappy' but that's OK. I hope to get better as I practice.

Day Two

2009-08-04T13:03:00.003-05:00

Four eight-inch squares. I hope these don't get boring for you as the days go on, and as I post a few blocks at a time. When I first see a large quilt with a ton of blocks, it looks overwhelming. Just like the Around the Block quilt that I made this past Spring. When you see all of the houses, it looks daunting. But, when you break it down, it's a really simple quilt to create. This is how this 'star' quilt is shaping up. Breaking it down, block-by-block makes it easier to take on. After all, that's how ALL quilts are created...... just block-by-block, piece-by-piece. I can't wait to show you the finished quilt.

Day One: Americana

2009-08-03T13:09:00.003-05:00

I am starting a new quilt. I have a smaller, batik quilt that I'm working on, but I've decided to switch gears on that one. This is a quilt that I'm trying to piece together before the end of October. If my progress continues at the current pace, I can actually see myself finishing this quilt before mid-September. But, factor in the start of school (and whether or not I'll be employed soon), I thought I should probably get started on this now, rather than later. Why the end of October, you ask? I have an appointment with Katydids Quilting to drop of the 'top.' The gal, there, is going to quilt this for me on her longarm. For this quilt, I am using a pattern that I found in McAll's Quilting "America Loves Scrappy Quilts" Spring, 2009 issue. I probably would've started (and finished) this quilt before 4th of July, but there was this 'little thing' called a military move that kinda got in the way. Anyway, each day that I work on this and finish a block or two, I'll post my progress on my blog. Hopefully, this will keep me on my toes about updating this blog more often. Thank you for stopping by! As always, have a terrific day!

Pictures of my new studio!

2009-07-27T18:52:00.007-05:00

I'm almost there! The boxes have been unpacked. Most of the 'stuff' has been put away. The furniture is set up. I just have a few things to organize, but I'm almost ready to start creating, again!!!! Whew! It's been nearly two months since I've sewn or done 'anything' creative!! I'm just itching to start sewing again! So, here are the pictures. The first one is what it looks like as you come to my studio (which is the first room on the left when you reach the top of the stairs):

The next picture shows you this beautiful window and my closet. I really should make curtains for this window, but I hestitate since it may block out some very valuable natural light.

I bought this 'side table' from WalMart, today. This is where I'll place my June Taylor cutting / pressing mat. I read in a book that your 'utility' table should be at a 90-degree angle to your sewing table, if you are going to have one next to your table.

Girl's gotta have a TV!! LOL! I also have a radio in the room. I need some 'noise' when I create.

I can still do some cardmaking and scrapbooking, in here. This is my stash of cardstock, papers, tools, etc. The baskets hold some fabric.
The owners of the house placed these neat shelves just below the ceiling. She also used this as her sewing room, and this is where she placed her antique spools, nick-nacks, etc. I've started to place some of my Longaberger baskets up there, most of which I plan to eventually sell at a garage sale in October.
This is my 'design wall.' It is intentionally 'empty.' This is where I will place blocks as I complete them. I don't know how to create a design-board, just yet, but I'm doing research on it.
Thanks for looking! Have a wonderful day!

Quilt Expo

2009-06-06T19:36:00.018-05:00

I attended the 2009 Omaha Quilt Guild Expo, today. It's the first time I had ever been to a quilt expo. This one just knocked my socks off! I didn't bring my camera with me. I had forgotten it in my hotel room. It was a good thing that I had my camera phone to save the day. LOL! I was able to take a few pictures, even though the quality is not as good as my camera. I walked around, leisurely, and picked up some batik fat quarters. It was a really nice show. I'm only sad that I'm leaving the Omaha area. The guild has more than 400 members. Isn't that awesome? I could've learned so much from these talented ladies had we stayed. Someday, I will be back in this area, and I will join the guild. When we arrive in Florida, I plan to join the guild there so I can learn and get better at piecing and quilting. This first quilt is by Linda Gale. It won a blue ribbon, and deservedly so!

This gorgeous hand appliqued beauty was created by Patty Kennedy.

My husband agreed with me that this Dear Jane quilt by Pat Stava is just AMAZING!!

I would love to be able to create a beautiful quilt like this foundation-pieced beauty by Dorothy Muse.

This is the blue-ribbon winner of the "Wallhanging" category. It is 20 x 20 (approximately), hand appliqued and hand quilted by Merrilee Hensen. It is so much more beautiful, in person.

This is a quilt I call "Cosmic Wizard." It was created by Leslie Halbleib. I thought it was so amazing! She added beads and sequins to further highlight the stars in the background fabric. It was one of the ribbon-winners of the "Oh Wow!" award.

Someday, I hope to be as creative and as good at sewing as these talented quilters! There's hope for me, yet!

Cotton Candy

2009-05-31T08:20:00.008-05:00

Doesn't this fabric remind you of cotton candy? I found a quilt in the Summer 2009 issue of Fonts and Porter quilting magazine; and it inspired me to go out and grab fabric for it. I will make two quilts out of this fabric. The six coordinating fabrics are all found at Joann's (yes, believe it or not!) The stripe / ticking fabric, however, was found at a local quilt shop. The blue in the fabric from J's is more on the 'teal' side, so it was a little bit of a challenge finding the striped fabric. I plan to give one quilt away for Christmas, and keep the second for myself. Since the fabric was on sale for less than $5 per yard, I couldn't resist buying extra fabric to make two identical quilts. This is one of my summer projects, this year. While I wait to be called for job interviews, I'll need to keep myself busy until I find work again.

Underground Railroad Sampler

2009-05-25T15:21:00.007-05:00

This is a special day for my family and my fellow Americans. Memorial Day is meant for pause to remember our servicemen and women; including those who have gone before us. We pause to remember our POW's and MIA's; and we reflect on the sacrifices they have made to ensure that the United States and its citizens continue to enjoy their freedom and liberties.
Since there is no school and no work, today, my son and I went to Barnes and Noble to relax and grab a smoothie. As some of my friends know, I am not earning an income at the moment, since I've had to resign my job due to the Air Force moving us to Florida in two weeks. I am itching to start on a new quilt project, nontheless. While at B & N, I picked up a book on Underground Railroad quilts written by Eleanor Burns and Susan Bouchard called Undeground Railroad Sampler . A few days ago, my friend Mary Rogers had shared an underground railroad quilt she had made, so when I found this book, I was so delighted and inspired to make one, also.
Did you know that there is much controversy over whether or not the quilts' purpose was to guide slaves through the Underground Railroad? Some scholars will tell you that the blocks are meaningless, while others will say that they played a fundemental role in assisting slaves in their plight to escape and move northward.
I bought the book, and in true "Civil War-era" fashion, I am going to use up my scraps for the Underground Railroad quilt I am going to make. I have tons of browns, reds, greens and tans from the "Around the Block" quilt that I just finished this week. I thought it was fitting to use up scraps just as fabric was scarce during the Civil War.
From another book about Underground Railroad quilts, I found a picture of General George Armstrong Custer, his wife, and a female slave. Yes, a slave. General Custer, a Union soldier, had slaves. The photograph was taken around the time the Confederacy surrendered and just two days before President Abraham Lincoln was assasinated. I found the photograph quite ironic. While General Custer was fighting a war to liberate slaves, he, himself, was a contradiction of the Union's ideals. You have to wonder how many Union soldiers owned slaves? Confederate General Robert E. Lee, himself, freed the slaves placed in his charge BEFORE the Emancipation Proclamation was made. It is quite ironic, isn't it?
On this Memorial Day, let's never forget where we came from, our history, and how we have arrived where we are today. Let us remember the courage of the soliders of the American Revolution, our Union Soldiers, those who served in World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, and those who continue to protect our freedom in all four corners of our world, today. Let's never take our liberties for granted. May you and yours have a blessed and safe Memorial Day!

Presenting the finished quilt top!

2009-05-22T20:03:00.006-05:00

It's done!! Finally!! Just in the nick of time, too. This pattern is by The Rabbit Factory (a Canadian quilt pattern company). It measures a little more than 2 yards wide and 2 1/4 yards long. I have to sew the backing and the strips together for the binding, but the top is done! I'll probably bring it to the quilt shop on Sunday. I'm on their schedule to have it quilted, so I will be able to pick this baby up before we leave for Florida. Woo-hoo! I am tired, but happy.

More Progress

2009-05-19T21:35:00.008-05:00

More sewing. More accomplished. Over the last two days, I worked on 96 rail fence blocks for my quilt-in-progress. My eyes were so blood-shot by the end of each evening, but it's all worth it. I'm making progress. All of the blocks are ready. Soon, I will piece the center together. I will add sashing, borders, the houses and churches, and then it'll be ready for quilting. I'm down to the last four days of work on this quilt top. I am so excited.

After a few hours of working on my blocks, I needed to take a much needed chocolate break.

This is how some of the rail fence and nine-patch blocks will go together. I have some plain squares that will go above this row. It's a little too confusing to explain. You'll just have to wait to see the finished quilt in a few weeks.

Sneak Peak!

2009-05-10T16:32:00.003-05:00

I'm working on a new quilt. All in all, it involves a total of 24 houses, barns, churches, and school-houses. It took me two weeks to piece together the buildings. Now, I'm working on the fences and trees. I think it'll take me three more weeks to piece the top before it will be ready for quilting. I thought I'd give you a sneak peak on what I've been working on since the bird quilt.

Happy Mother's Day to my 'mommy' friends!! I hope you're enjoying your day!!

Signs of Spring

2009-04-19T21:26:00.008-05:00

The robins, finches and jays are back! They actually returned before the last snow storm blanketed our ground. I think they must've felt they came back too early. During one of my last visits to a local quilt store, I fell in love with this fabric by Moda. It's so 'retro!" The fabrics are part of the "Tranquility" line. I couldn't pass up these large bird panels because they reminded me of patterned paper. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with it, but knew I had to put something together. This lap quilt is 53" x 66". I made a pattern of sorts on some graph paper, and just started cutting away. It took approximately eight hours to complete this quilt top, from cutting to piecing together. I plan to have the LQS take care of the quilting and binding on their long-arm machine. I already have another quilt top I want to get started; and I know that one will take me most, if not the rest, of the summer to finish.

Another quilt finished!

2009-04-10T16:52:00.007-05:00

Whew! Finally finished! This is a Thimbleberries Block-of-the-Month quilt that's been sitting in my linen closet since 2002. I finally got the quilting done (it was quilted by the Country Sampler in Papillion). I think I had finished piecing it just before we did our military move to Vandenberg AFB, and I was just so exhausted that I didn't have any energy to pick it up again. I had all of the blocks finished. I just needed to add the border, get it quilted and bind it. So....Voila!! Here it is!!
If you follow it from the top left, going across, you'll see each block represents a month on the calendar:
January: Snowflake
February: Hearts
March: Four leaf clover
April: Tulips
May: Flower basket
June: Pinwheels
July: Fourth of July Americana block
August: Sunflower
September: Schoolhouse (back to school)
October: Pumpkins
November: Pine cone
December: Christmas Tree

Thank you for stopping by!

Inchies card

2009-03-14T12:08:00.004-05:00

I made this card for my Inchies Card swap on the Stamp Shack. I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the birds and the Swiss Dots folder for the background, and heat embossed using a stamp by All Night Media. Sentiment is by Hero Arts.

Happy 2nd Blogversary to me!

2009-02-17T00:01:00.004-06:00

Cupcake Nirvana! Cupcake Island in Omaha is where I decided to go to pick up a treat to celebrate my second blogversary!! I can't believe it's been two years since I first started posting on my blog. I know there are periods of time when it's been hard to post something new. Life gets in the way. But what is nice to know is that I have something I can always go back to to share what I've created with folks who appreciate the same things I do.

You can't go to Cupcake Island and just pick out one cupcake. If it were up to me, I would've bought sixteen cupcakes. We decided to pick out these six. Two for each of us. YUM! It's a mix of marble cake, devil's food cake, red velvet cake, white cake...and just tons of chocolate. I love their cupcakes because they're so flavorful and moist; and the frosting isn't too dense. Just delicious!!

Look at this delicious chocolate covered strawberry on top of this Devil's Food cupcake. It's ALL for me! LOL!

And now, it's time to announce the winners of my Blogversary "Twist and Shout" giveaway. A HUGE thank you to everyone who left me a kind and happy comment:

#9

Kim H. said...
Happy Blog anniversary! Your blog has been a true inspiration to me- thank you!

Ok these bags are gorgeous! I am screaming and shouting- PICK ME! LOL!

#2

Sue McGettigan said...
Oh my goodness Ethel, these bags are so gorgeous!! I'd be thrilled to win either one, and if I don't win, I hope you'll share the pattern?

I keep reusable bags in my car all year long so I try not to use disposable grocery bags. It works, except when I forget to take my bags in with me ... duh :)

Ladies, I will send you your bags asap! Thank you, again, for joining in the fun!

Tonight's Project: Cosmetic Bag

2009-02-09T22:20:00.005-06:00

I made this cute little cosmetic bag, this evening. It turned out to be much bigger than I thought. It's a fun quilted project that uses up scraps. I think I might give this one to my mom. I would've photographed this in natural light, but since it's always dark by the time I get home, it's sorta too late to catch that "good light." Don't forget to enter my Blogversary Giveaway!! Thanks for stopping by!

Twist and Shout!!! Blogversary Giveaway!

2009-02-08T09:49:00.016-06:00

In less than ten days, I will be celebrating my second Blog-versary! Woo-hoo! As some of my friends know, I love to do a wide variety of crafts, not just papercrafts. To celebrate, I made these cute "Twist bags" perfect for taking to the store, or for throwing your beach towel into, when the weather gets warmer. Quick and easy patchwork sewing went into creating these bags. I made one that is in fun, spring/summer colors, lined with pink gingham; and the other is in orange and green tones, but with a funky, retro look lined with a beautiful leaf print. They are both very large, very spacious bags. If you have it hanging on your shoulder, the bottom of the bag will hit well past your hip. How cool will you look strolling around town with one of these funky fresh bags? The straps are handmade, with lines of stitching to give them a "quilted look." I got the idea from my local quilt shop who created the pattern for these bags. If you make a "twist bag" with their pattern, and bring it in when you shop at the quilt shop, they will place your name in a monthly drawing for fun prizes at the shop. They are encouraging their customers to "go green" rather then using the store plastic bags.
If you would like a chance to win one of these "environmentally friendly" bags, please leave me a comment on this thread; and you will be entered for two drawings. Yes! I am giving away BOTH bags!! Deadline to enter is Monday, February 16th, 11:59 PM (US Central Standard Time). I will use the Random Integer Generator to give us our winner. You do not need a blog to enter. I *do* however will need your name (no "anonymous posts") and email address if you win one of these. I would LOVE to send your bag to you so you can start using it long before "Earth Day." Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to announcing our two winners on February 17th, on my blogversary!!

Not much time left....

2009-01-31T07:48:00.003-06:00

We received word, very recently, that we are moving within the next five months to Eglin Air Force Base, in the Florida panhandle. This means I don't have too much time left to go through EVERYTHING in the house and purge what I don't want to move with. I will likely do very little crafting between now and our big move, so I'll be on a hiatus of sorts until we're settled down in Florida. Of course, once in a while, I may need to do some crafting just to ease the stress; but since I have limited time between working, taking care of the family and purging, I will update my blog only once in a blue moon. Once we are settled in and unpacked, in Florida, I hope to keep up with my blogging far more than I have been.

This is how I spent the evening on Inauguration Day

2009-01-21T19:13:00.003-06:00

As many Americans probably did, I watched the coverage of the Inaugural parade and the Neighborhood Ball, yesterday. I half-watched and half-listened. I was working on a quilt block that I'm going to swap with my friend, Lori; and the colors I ended up choosing seemed to have a "red, white and blue" theme about it. I don't think it was intentional. It just ended up that way. I hope Lori likes her quilt block. We're exchanging blocks, and this is just the first one. I don't know how often we'll exchange blocks, but if we do continue to do this over the course of the year, I may end up with enough blocks to make another large quilt.

Glittery birthday card

2009-01-18T10:48:00.004-06:00

When I first looked at this stamp, I immediately thought "Valentine's" or "Love" would be the appropriate theme that it would fall under. But, then, I saw the cute little birthday hat on the little mouse. That's when I was inspired to create this Birthday card. Rather than use pink or red for the glitter hearts, I thought it was more festive to use primary colors, instead. Stickles, as a final touch, makes the "Glitter Hearts" come to life. Thanks for stopping by, today!

Stamp: House Mouse by Stampa Rosa, Riveting by Stampin Up
Ink: Memento Black, COPIC markers
Papers / Cardstock: White, Red, Green, Yellow, Blue
Accessories: Large and Small star punches by Stampin Up, Stickles

Sweet and lovely vintage

2009-01-10T16:23:00.006-06:00

A lovely way to begin a weekend. I joined a swap on the Stamp Shack with "vintage" as the theme. Here, I used an image by Tuscan Rose; a stamp (the word "sweet") by Heidi Swapp; papers by Foofala; lace and prima flowers. For the swap, we have to create only the card front. This saves on postage costs.
We received an inch or two of snow last night, with a layer of sleet/ice beneath it. It made driving quite interesting today. We went out to a local restaurant for breakfast, ran a few other errands, and came home. It is certainly chilly, this weekend. My husband found some wonderful "chilli powder" that you add to your hot chocolate. I believe this is how many Mexican people enjoy hot chocolate. Neither my husband and I are Mexican, however, we have seen many shows on television where this spice is shown as a favorite addition to hot chocolate in Mexico. Well, we tried the chilli powder, and it is absolutely delicious!
I hope you are enjoying beautiful weather where you are! Thanks for stopping by!

Edited to add: Some folks have written to me about the "chili powder" I mentioned above. It's not regular chili powder (the red kind). It's a special chili powder called "Cocoa Chili Powder" made by McCormick's. So, please don't use regular chili powder. You have to find the kind that is designed specifically to be added to hot chocolate.

I'm back in the gym, religiously

2009-01-09T13:42:00.004-06:00

Yes sirree! Monday through Friday (today), this week. I've been going to the gym each day, after work. Then, I come home, shower, cook supper, eat.....then if I'm lucky, I'll still be awake come 8:30 to watch TV. LOL! Then, day starts all over again when the alarm clock sounds at 0430 (it sounds more like an actual scheduled activity when I post it as military time). I have been receiving the nicest compliments from coworkers. One coworker, who hasn't seen me in three weeks, said she has seen a very noticeable difference, and she can really tell I've lost weight.

I'm down almost 20-lbs (or 9 kilos) since I started working out religiously and watching my calories. This journey began on 11-11-08, and I am proud to say, I continue to do pretty well. I didn't gain any weight over the Christmas Holidays. As a matter of fact, I dropped three pounds. I feel stronger, more energetic, and don't feel like it's so impossible to do, any more.

If you made a New Year resolution to get fit, I wish you all the best. If I can do it, you can do it!! Feel free to share what is working for you; and feel free to drop me an email and ask questions, whenever you like!

My vacation is drawing to a close

2009-01-03T08:34:00.006-06:00

I thoroughly enjoyed my little break from work. I can't believe how quickly the days have flown by. As opposed to vacations of the past, we didn't leave our home. We stayed put. What a difference that makes! I enjoy visiting family, seeing other cities, exploring new places; but sometimes, it gets stressful and exhausting, and you don't feel rested. During this vacation, I got to sleep in my own bed, went to see a movie (Valkyrie with Tom Cruise), ate out on weeknights, and stamped, stamped, stamped. This is the most stamping that I've done in months! My husband would like to take me out to see "Australia" with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. We may catch the matinee later on, today. I hope to get one more card completed before going back to work on Monday. (Ooohh....I dread Monday....LOL!)
Stamps: Stampin Up "Fairies"
Cardstock: Brown, White, Red
Ink: Memento Black Ink, COPIC markers, Bayou blue ink (for the sky)
Embellishments: Lace, ribbon, gemstone stickers, Stickles (on her wings)
Tools: Nestabilities, Martha Stewart border punch, Stampin Up scalloped circle punch (to help with creating the puffy clouds), stipple brush

Another birthday card!

2009-01-02T07:15:00.005-06:00

One of the best things about cardmaking is the ability to make unique, handmade expressions of your love and fondness for family and friends; especially when their birthdays come along. This card is for a dear friend of mine celebrating a birthday this month. The cupcakes are by Hero Arts (I love this set! I should use it more often). I colored the cupcakes with Stampin Up pens, and blended the colors with my waterbrush. The "sprinkles" are created with Stickles. If you are a January baby, I wish you a very Happy Birthday! Have a heaping slice of cake and an extra scoop of ice cream for me!

Inspiration in the Sugar Bowl

2009-01-01T17:03:00.005-06:00

Happy New Year to you and yours!! The Sugar Bowl has kicked off the New Year with it's first Sketch Challenge. I decided to use my very first Leanne Ellis stamp from Sugar Nellie.I stamped the image with StazOn and colored it in with Stampin Up markers and my waterbrush. I hope you'll try your hand at this Sketch Challenge. The prize is awesome! Again, I wish you a very Happy New Year. May it be prosperous, fulfilling, and abundant with creativity, love and special memories.

Birthdays are sweeter when shared with friends

2008-12-30T21:10:00.007-06:00

No, it is not my birthday. But, I was in the mood to color this cute Sugar Nellie stamp today. Have you had a chance to visit their website, yet? There are so many cute stamps, perfect for coloring.
Today was a sunny day, albeit cold and windy. We went out for breakfast at a new restaurant that we had not tried before. It's called Bailey's. They're only open for breakfast and lunch. They had the best menu, which included scrumptious seafood (very, very fresh seafood). They get their seafood from a reputable market in town. That's how we knew we were getting quality ingredients.
I hope you're staying nice and warm (or nice and cool, if you live in Australia. LOL!) Are you ready for the New Year? It's just around the corner!
Stamp: Sugar Nellie
Paper: The Paper Studio
Cardstock: white, dark blue, orange, green, red, yellow
Ink: Memento Black Ink, COPIC markers
Tools: Nestabilities scalloped square, labels trio; Cuttlebug flower dies and Swiss Dots embossing folder, circle punches
Embellishments: ribbon, brads, Stickles

Enjoying my mornings

2008-12-29T13:34:00.013-06:00

Oh, it's so wonderful to have the freedom to sleep-in in the mornings....to be able to leisurely enjoy a cup of tea and watch the Today Show; sit at my craft table and not be disturbed until I am finished. Yes. This is how my mini vacation is shaping up to be. It's Monday, and I'm not at my desk at work. I got up early, today, and worked on this card. I enjoyed some toast, yogurt and tea for breakfast. Then, when I was finished with making my card, I went to the gym. No rushing about. No schedule. Just taking my time, and doing what I feel like doing, when I feel like doing it. The only thing on my calendar today is to take my son to his orthodontist appointment at 3:30. Otherwise, I'm just going to watch TV, and perhaps, make some more cards this evening.
Don't you love Cuttlebug embossing folders? I chose this particular one because it reminds me of a knit sweater. Thanks for stopping by, today!
Stamps: Boyds Bears
Ink: Memento Black Ink, COPIC markers
Paper: Red, cream, white cardstock, My Minds Eye
Embellishments: Crystal gemstones, Making Memories rub-on
Tools: Sewing Machine, Nestabilities, Colluzle, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Stampin Up Scalloped Circle punch and Photo Corner punch, EK Success 1 1/2" cicle punch, Sizzix flourish die, foam tape.

Glittery Goodness

2008-12-28T07:32:00.003-06:00

You gotta love a great clearance sale! This past week, Wally world put their Martha Stewart Christmas items on clearance. I was fortunate enough to grab six bottles of snowflake glitter. If it's anything like purchasing wrapping paper after Christmas, this glitter should last me for the next 12 years (and I'm not kidding!) LOL! It was absolutely the most perfect embellishment for this card. The snow-covered ground is a combination of Stickles (half-a-bottle) and Martha Stewart mica snowflakes.

The snow that fell in our town has just about melted away. When you look outside, you never would've guessed that we got snow and ice the week before Christmas. Our temperatures hit almost 60F the day after Christmas, and the roads were slushy. This week, we're expecting mild temperatures well above freezing. Thank goodness!!! I have an entire week off work, and I didn't want to stay couped up inside during the entire time. I hope you are keeping warm. Thanks for stopping by!
Stamps: Sugar Nellie
Paper and Cardstock: Soft Sky and Bayou Blue by Stampin Up; Heidi Grace "snowflake" paper
Ink: Memento black ink, COPIC markers, Ranger Inkssentials white pen
Tools: Martha Stewart border punches, snowflake punch
Embellishments: Crystal gems, silver jump rings (on center of snowflakes), Stickles glitter glue, Martha Stewart mica snowflakes

Sending you a Hug in a Mug

2008-12-27T07:59:00.006-06:00

My set of stamps arrived safely from The House of Sugar, and of course, I couldn't wait to mount them and start playing. I am serving as a guest Design Team member for Sugar Nellie for a few months. I created this card last evening, just before supper. I love a good mug of cocoa, tea, or coffee. Or, warmed cider, during this time of year. I colored this pretty lass with COPIC markers. You can purchase her directly from Funkykits in the UK. She was designed by talented Australian artist Elisabeth Bell. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Sugar Nellie
Coloring Medium: COPIC markers
Papers: The Paper Studio, red cardstock
Embellishments: Chipboard alpha by Heidi Swapp, gemstones by The Paper Studio, flourish die-cuts (Quickutz), Stickles, Prima flowers

Merry Christmas everyone!!

2008-12-25T12:29:00.004-06:00

What a wonderful day it is! We have had a leisurely day, opening presents, eating a delicious breakfast.....and crafting time! Oh bliss! It's barely 12:30, and I feel so relaxed and so happy. DS and DH are downstairs playing Guitar Hero. I'm upstairs listening to them jam, while I create away in the studio. This card is for this week's Roses on Paper Sketch Challenge. I used a Magnolia stamp (colored with COPIC markers), DCWV paper, silk flowers, primas and ribbon. The round sentiment stamp is by Stampin Up. I hope you are enjoying your Christmas Day!!

A Christmas card for my coworker

2008-12-21T19:13:00.006-06:00

I am participating in a Secret Santa gift exchange at work. I was fortunate to pick the name of a wonderful gal who is kind to everyone; and deserves to have the best Christmas ever. This is the card which will accompany her gift. I used Anna Griffin paper, Whiff of Joy stamp, and the sentiment is by Stampin Up. I colored her with prismacolor pencils. The snowflakes and zig-zag border were created with Martha Stewart Punches.

Yup! This pretty much sums me up to a "T"

2008-12-21T04:24:00.004-06:00

I took this online quiz What color green are you?
This is the result:

You Are Teal Green

You are a one of a kind, original person. There's no one even close to being like you.

Expressive and creative, you have a knack for making the impossible possible.

While you are a bit offbeat, you don't scare people away with your quirks.

Your warm personality nicely counteracts any strange habits you may have.

What Color Green Are You?

Yup! That's me....to a "T"

Peace on Earth

2008-12-20T16:15:00.005-06:00

My husband has ordered that I stay home and get better. It gave him a great opportunity to go Christmas shopping. LOL! I have been sick over the past week. I am fighting a nasty cold; and I'm afraid it has crept down into my chest. The air is so cold outside, and I don't want to risk catching pneumonia. I believe it's probably 25-below-zero with the windchill. Tomorrow, the ambient air will only reach six degrees. With windchill, it'll probably be closer to 30-below. I took the opportunity to work on a card. It's been a while since I've made a card. I took an old stamp; stamped it twice on watercolor paper; and colored it with Twinkling H2O's and watercolor pens. I layered it using pop-dots, and finished it off with some Stickles. Merry Christmas and Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all Mankind!

Some of my favorite dessert recipes at Christmas time

2008-12-20T16:12:00.002-06:00

I took part in a cookie exchange at work. I love cookie exchanges. It gives all of us a chance to fellowship, share traditions, and most of all, exchange some of the best treats from our kitchens. These are four treats I shared with my co-workers. I had extras, so I packaged up the rest and sent them with my husband to take to his office, also. I hope you and your family are enjoying your traditions, and you are as excited as I am that Christmas is upon us. From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Honey Sand Balls

2008-12-20T16:04:00.002-06:00

(pictured above)

*1 cup butter (not margarine), softened
*1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
*2 Tbs honey
*2 cups all-purpose flour
*3/4 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
*1 tsp vanilla
*1/4 tsp salt
additional sifted powdered sugar

1) Preheat oven to 325-degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, the 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and honey with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat or stir in flour, walnuts, vanilla, and salt. Mix thoroughly, using your hands, if necessary.
2) Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 1 1/2 inches apart ontro greased cookie sheets. Bake for 14 - 16 minutes or until the cookies are very lightly browned. While cookies are still warm, roll them in powdered sugar. Cool cookies on wire racks. Roll cookies in powdered sugar again.

Yields: approximately 4-dozen cookies.

Oreo Cookie Truffles

2008-12-20T15:56:00.003-06:00

(picture above)
*1 pkg of Oreo cookies
*1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
*1 tsp vanilla
*1 lb almond bark

1) In a food processor, crush all of the Oreo cookies until you can't see any more of the creme filling. You can do this in batches, if you like.
2) Add the cream cheese and vanilla extract to the crushed Oreo cookies and process together until you can't see any more of the cream cheese. The mixture will be very sticky.
3) Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Form the cookie mixture into 1/2-inch balls. Place on cookie sheet. Refrigerate for at least 45-minutes.
4) Using a double-boiler, or a pyrex bowl suspended over the edge of a pot (with one inch of water in the bottom of the pot), melt the almond bark. Let the water simmer on low, after it has come to a boil. Stir the almond bark until it is completely melted and smooth.
5) Prepare a second cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Using a teaspoon, lift the Oreo truffles one at a time, and roll them in the almond bark. Set the truffles on the prepared cookie sheet. After all of the truffles have been rolled in the melted chocolate, set the truffles in the refrigerator until they are set. Store truffles refrigerated.

Chocolate and more chocolate bread

2008-12-20T15:48:00.003-06:00

(picture above)
*2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
*2/3 cups packed light brown sugar
*1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
*2 eggs
*2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
*1 1/2 cups applesauce
*1 1/2 tsp vanilla
*1 tsp baking soda
*1 tsp baking powder
*1/2 tsp salt
*1 Tbs shortening (DO NOT use butter, margarine, spread or oil)

1) Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease 5 mini ( 5 1/2 x 3 1/2-inch) loaf pans. Place 1 cup chocolate chips in small microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute; stir. Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until chocolate is melted and smooth; set aside.
2) Beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add melted chocolate and eggs; beat until well blended. Add flour, applesauce, vanila, baking soda, baking powder and salt; beat until well-blended. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans.
3) Bake 35-40 minutes or until centers crack and are dry to the touch. Cool pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.
4) Place remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and shortening in small microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute; stir. Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Drizzle glaze over loaves. Let stand until glaze is set before packaging.

Toffee Cheesecake Squares

2008-12-20T15:40:00.004-06:00

* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/4 tsp baking soda
* 3/4 cup ( 1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
* 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 (14 oz) can Sweetened Condensed Mil (NOT evaoporated milk)
* 2 eggs
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups (8 oz) package English or Heath Toffee bits

1) Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and baking soda; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Press firmly on bottom of ungreased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
2) In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add condensed milk, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of toffee bits. Pour mixture over hot crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until set and edges just begin to brown.
3. Cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup toffee bits evenly over top. Cool completely. Refrigerate several hours or until cold. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Yields 40 1" x 1" squares.

I'm pausing...but only momentarily.........

2008-12-13T17:47:00.006-06:00

Hello blog friends!!! A lot of you have kindly dropped me an email to ask if I am OK. I appreciate it deeply. I'm very fortunate to have wonderful cyber friends; and I'm very touched that you have been concerned.

Yes...I am perfectly fine. As a matter of fact, I am stupendously terrific!!! I have started working out six days each week, since November 11th. At this morning's weigh-in, I have dropped 14 pounds (almost 6.5 kg) since I started working out on 11-11-08! Can you believe it? I have been averaging a weight loss of three pounds per week. I am not taking any diet pills. I am not doing a 'diet.' This is a complete change in the way I live. I love to exercise, now. I love to eat healthy meals (I eat five - six small meals each day). I keep my calories between 1,200 - 1,500 calories each day, limiting the amount of saturated fat; and increasing water, fiber, and other nutritious food into my meals.

I've joined a website called Sparkpeople. It's an incredible community of folks dedicated to health, nutrition, well-being, fitness. I even belong to a group within Sparkpeople called "Splitcoast Sparkles." It's a group of ladies who love to rubber-stamp, but also love to stay fit and get healthy. Sparkpeople is free to everyone. I use it to track what I eat on a daily basis; and how much I exercise each day. It's easy to use. You just plug in your current weight, what you would like to lose by a certain date, and it will show you how many calories you should eat each day, and how often you should exercise. Moreover, it shows you videos (YouTube) on how to use resistance bands, exercise balls, and other helpful exercises to keep you on the right track.

Because it takes about a month to develop a habit, I've decided to dedicate at least an hour each day, for six days a week, to exercise. And, because it is the Holiday Season, we have been busy attending band/jazz concerts where my son plays percussion. So, I do apologize that I have not kept up with my blog over the past month. My energy has shifted, momentarily, to a brand new healthy lifestyle. I am very happy with my progress so far. Little by little, I will begin to stamp and create again. But, right now, the most important thing I should do for myself is to take care of my health. I am a candidate for diabetes because I had gestational diabetes during my pregnancy. Also, high blood pressure runs in my family. With these health factors, I can't keep pretending that I've been watching what I've been eating; or that I've been good about exercising. I know I haven't. It's time for BIG changes in my life.

I hope you'll keep stopping by, when you have a chance. I am taking some time off, later this month. I am looking forward, with so much eagerness, to create a ton of cards during that time. I hope, also, that you will check out Sparkpeople. If you have any questions about it, or would like my help with getting you started on that website, feel free to drop me an email at lucabeanba@aol.com. I would be more than happy to help!

Happy Holidays! I hope you and your family are enjoying the blessings of the Season!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Happy Holidays!

2008-11-16T14:30:00.005-06:00

Isn't this polar bear adorable? Ho! Ho! Ho! I added stickles to his cute nose, his hat and to the ribbon. The image is by Whipper Snapper Designs. "Happy Holidays" is from the Stampin Up Happy Everything set. I colored him with COPIC markers. You can't see it on this photograph, but I did hit parts of the bear with a shade of ice-blue (just to give his fur a little dimension.)

I've had a FABULOUS week!

2008-11-16T14:24:00.006-06:00

So, it may look like I've neglected my blog. Well, I have, Sort of. I've neglected my blog and made some valuable time for myself. In this past week, I've hit the gym FOUR times! Yes, Sirree!! I've had a great cardio workout, between 60 - 70 minutes each time I went to the gym. Today, I decided not to go the gym, because the weather outside is just gorgeous. Instead, I walked around my neighborhood. They don't call my neighborhood Hickory Hills for nothing. LOL! I walked a mile-and-a-half, and 75% of it was uphill. No snow. I'm lucky. hehehhehe. When I got home, I got in the bathtub and soaked my sore legs until the water turned cold. Are you wondering whey I say this has been a fabulous week? Because, all-in-all, I've lost SIX POUNDS in this past week, ALONE! Can you believe it?????? No diet pills. No diet, really. I've reduced my fat and caloric intake, is all. No deprivation, either. I've had some chocolate this week. I can't believe how well my body has responded to the exercise. So, my goal is to do two consecutive days of vigorous cardio; rest on the third day; and then start again (two days of exercise, one day of rest). After I've built up some stamina, I'm going to incorporate strength training into my weekly routine. I'm hoping that I'll hit my goal weight by next summer. I'm being generous. I don't want to lose the weight too quickly, have all flab and no muscle. Slow and steady is how I want to do this. Wish me luck!

Rodney the Reindeer

2008-11-10T05:41:00.003-06:00

This is one of my most favorite Christmas stamps. I believe it's called Rodney Reindeer, and it's made by Whipper Snapper Designs. Coloring the image can take up some time because of all of the different colored light bulbs; but I love to play with this image, just the same. I colored Rodney with COPIC markers and added Diamond Glaze to play up the light bulbs and his nose. I found this awesome tree-lights paper by American Crafts. It goes perfectly with the stamped image.

Puppy Chow

2008-11-08T20:05:00.008-06:00

I craved Puppy Chow this afternoon. No, not the kind you feed your dog. The kind that's made with chex cereal, chocolate, butter, powdered sugar..... I'll share the recipe in just one second. This recipe yields 9 cups. It can fill four treat bags. I made the reindeer tag using my oval nestabilities, Martha Stewart branch punch, googly eyes, and a few circle punches. I also added some stars (Stampin Up punch) and a star eyelet.

Recipe for Puppy Chow

* 9 cups of Chex Cereal (I used most of one regular size box of Rice Chex)
* 6 oz (1 cup) of semisweet chocolate chips
* 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
* 1/4 cup of margarine or butter (DO NOT USE SPREAD)
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

(Other: You'll need a cookie sheet, lined with wax paper; and a one-gallon size plastic bag.)

1) Measure cereal into a very large bowl; set aside.
2) Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and margarine or butter in a medium-size bowl, uncovered, on High for one minute. You may need to microwave for an additional 30 seconds until it is easy to stir the butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips.
3) Stir in vanilla.
4) Pour chocolate mixture over the cereal in the large bowl. Gently stir until all of the cereal is completedly coated.
5) Pour chex into the gallon-size bag. Pour powdered sugar over.
6) Seal and shake gently until the chex is coated completely.
7) Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

ENJOY!

Non-labor-intensive Christmas Card

2008-11-08T13:56:00.005-06:00

I've been playing around with a few ideas for Christmas cards to give to family and my male co-workers. I don't know about you, but I save the really labor-intensive cards for people who I know will appreciate the work that went into it. My immediate family members, including my brothers, mom and dad, and my in-laws know that I put a lot of hard work into creating some of my cards. But, for other relatives, and even my male co-workers (well, you know men) who don't really understand that making cards is a labor of love..... well..... I'd rather not make some of my Christmas cards that labor intensive (you know what I mean?)
So, when I went to Archiver's today, and saw this really cute Quickutz die, I had an "Aha!" moment. This is the answer for my oh-so-sophisticated relatives in the San Francisco Bay Area. (Doesn't a set of martini glasses seem like the appropriate gift with this card? Hmmm......maybe I'll get that for my sister-in-law who loves a good martini.) I've always wanted to make them a handmade card, but I know they just won't appreciate liquid applique on snow, or bling, or stickles or brads. To make the assembly go even faster, I went ahead and created the "Merry Christmas" on my computer. "Easy-peasy!" as Jamie Oliver would say. Now, I just have to make 50 of these, and I'll be good to go! A crafter's job is never finished!

One down.....49 more to go!

2008-11-02T10:41:00.005-06:00

I was inclined to get started on making Christmas cards, today. My husband received a phone call at eleven o'clock last night, telling him he had to be at work at 7 AM, this Sunday morning. So, I am taking advantage of this by working on Christmas cards, doing chores around the house, and aftewards, reading a good book (Deception Point by Dan Brown). In a sense, this is a "me" day. My son is in his room, reading a book. If my husband comes home at lunch-time, we'll probably step out for dim-sum. But, for now, I want to make Christmas cards and enjoy this beautiful Sunday morning.
The image and sentiment are by Whipper Snapper Designs. I bought these stamps in 2004, and to this day, I have so much fun creating with these Jolly Snowmen! What I loved most about making this card is the ability to use tools which were not available to me in 2004. Diamond Glaze, for example, was something I had discovered a year later. I used it on the snowmen's tongues and noses. I was introduced to Liquid Applique also just three years ago; and the bling, brads and Sizzix die just last year. I colored these cuties with COPIC markers, which is something that I had just discovered this year. It's terrific that an older image can be renewed year after year, as new ideas and new products come out in the market.
Are you planning on making a lot of Holiday cards this year? I hope that you enjoy the time creating them as much as I do!

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T00:01:00.001-05:00

What is your costume for today? I'm not going to get dressed up for tonight, but I will wear a "space alien" headband to work, today. That's about how dressed up I'm going to be. What are your kids going to dress up as? My son no longer goes trick or treating, but I did make him a little treat to enjoy. It's a clear pail filled with M & M's, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Kit Kat bars. He wears braces, so we have to be careful about what he can have on Halloween. I love these Martha Stewart plastic test tubes. Aren't they perfect for the "mad scientists" in our homes? LOL! Enjoy your Halloween, everyone!

Thought for the day (and I'd love your honest opinion)

2008-10-30T07:08:00.003-05:00

If you could step away from the internet and cardmaking magazines, re-evaluate your personal style, find your mojo, re-examine your art without being influenced by current trends, how long do you think you would last without looking at someone else's work? Could you do it? Or, are you (no judgement, just wondering) someone who regularly examines what other artists are doing and attempt to give your interpretation of another artist's work?

Personally, I am guilty of using other artists' work for inspiration. Whether it's Tim Holtz's artwork or the cards in the latest stamping catalog....I'm guilty of looking for inspiration elsewhere. Not always. But, sometimes I will do this. I think it's because I'm too afraid (sometimes) that nobody will like what I create if I step out of the box and do something really, really off-the-wall. Sometimes, it's just laziness on my part. On the other hand, I'm equally afraid of my artwork being viewed as "just like the others." Nothing really original about it.

OK....your turn to share. Again, no judgment. I'm just wondering if I'm alone with this point-of-view, or if others share it also.

PSA: If not for you.....do it for them

2008-10-29T07:04:00.005-05:00

I've heard some cynics say that they don't vote because they feel that their votes don't count. I wholeheartedly disagree with this, and I'd like to put another thought out there for everyone to ponder.

If you don't feel that your vote matters, well, it matters to the hundreds of thousands of Active duty military men and women, our National Guard and Reservists. Because while some folks may ponder whether it's worth voting or not, our soldiers are serving our nation to protect YOUR right to vote.

If you don't think your vote counts as far as the politicians are concerned.... well, it does count to someone. It counts to that young man or woman standing watch in Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and even in rural Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. They are continuing to stand watch so you will have your chance to cast your vote on November 4th. They're the ones who are making sacrifices for you. Their families are making sacrifices for you.

So, if anything.... do it for them. Please make an effort to vote on November 4th.

You'd be hard pressed to find these colors in the San Francisco Bay Area

2008-10-23T18:05:00.009-05:00

My family is from San Jose, California. As many of you may know, we are an Air Force Family, and we move around quite often. Living in the midwest gives us an opportunity to experience four very distinct seasons. When we lived in the Bay Area, the temperature varied season to season by, perhaps, only ten degrees. The trees stayed green, for the most part, and just got greener as you approached Winter. Here are some pictures that I took of some of the trees around Omaha. I hope you are enjoying the colors of this season, no matter where you are. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, lucky you! I also love Springtime, so I'd bet you're probably loving the season where you are, also.

Happy Wednesday!

2008-10-22T05:19:00.006-05:00

I made card candy for Mary's swap on the Stamp Shack and decided I didn't like it. So, I started all over again. When you think of "Asian" themes you may automatically think of the colors "red, black and white." Well, those were the colors I had started with. I decided it just needed a punch of color; so instead, I decided to go with fun, happy colors....pink, blue, yellow, green, black, white..... I like how these candy packets turned out, in the end.
Here's the apple pie I baked with the Jonathan apples we picked on Sunday. I guess I must not have crimped the crust very well on one side of the pie, since a little bit of the ooey gooey goodness came out. I don't care if it came out to be a somewhat ugly pie. LOL! It is DELICIOUS! I just baked it the other night, and last night, we only had one slice left.

Guess what we did today?

2008-10-19T20:09:00.023-05:00

After waking up this morning, we discovered that we had a gorgeous day ahead of us. So, we decided to take a day trip to Nebraska City home of Arbor Day. It's located some 45 miles southeast of our city. Not at all too far to drive. It was a beautiful drive going there. The sun was incredibly warm for this Autumn Day (it warmed up to 72 degrees today) and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. Just picture perfect.

The first thing that we did was go on the "Tree Adventure." It's a self-guided nature hike through a forest. Along the trail, you would see animal footprints in the concrete. You're invited to guess which animal created the footprints. A few feet down the path, you would discover the answer. Then, some 30 feet later, you'd see another set of footprints. We saw a ton of trees, from birch, maple, oak, hazelnut, ash.....it was so beautiful and peaceful to be in the forest.

Yes, I've decided to grow some funky ears. LOL! No....these "cones" are supposed to magnify the sounds of the forest. (Just like the tin cans and rope that you played with as a child). It was so cool hearing the rustling of the leaves.

We climbed the canopy tree which was 1,044 feet above the ground. I hate heights, so I couldn't stay up there for very long. Do you notice me looking away from the camera? That's because I was getting nervous as we were climbing up to the top.

Hands down....this was the best part of our day:

It was time to pick apples!!! This area of Nebraska is known for its apple orchards, and Arbor Farm had one of the best orchards in the area. We decided to pick Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Jonathan apples, which are cooking or baking apples.
Sean and Lucas decided to start with the Red Delicious apples first. Here they are, picking apples for the first time. Actually, this was a 'first' for all three of us. We've never been apple picking before. The lady who gave us our bag told us that just about all of the apples near the bottom of the trees had already been picked over, but there were some gorgeous ones near the top. I figured that was quite alright since those apples at the top were probably getting the most sunshine and they looked a lot bigger than the apples on the bottom branches.

Here are two of the Golden Delicious apples that Sean and Lucas picked from the tree.

I had to give it a shot, also. I have to admit, it's not as easy as it looks. I think I was too afraid of bruising the apple, so I wasn't tugging as hard as I probably should have. It was lots of fun trying, though.

We filled our bag with at least ten pounds of apples... a total of 15 apples. I plan to bake a pie tomorrow night with the Jonathan apples that we picked. The farm also gives you the chance to take a tree home with you. It's a pine tree. Because they encourge ecologic awareness, the Farm would like to see each visitor or family plant a tree when they returned home. Since we already have two pine trees, one giant oak, maple, birch and locus tree, we weren't too sure whether bringing another tree home was a good idea.

What's a farm without a scarecrow? This one was a 'friendly' scarecrow inviting visitors to come in late October dressed in Halloween costume.

You could pick your own pumpkins, but they harvest them for you. They don't actually let you pick your own from the vine. It was lots of fun seeing little children rummage through the pumpkins.

We finished out the day with some hot dogs, cheeseburgers, apple pie a la mode, and wine tasting. Sean and I sampled some red and white wines that the farm produces. We also shopped for Christmas presents in the store.

All in all, it was a spectacular day; and we are all very tired. Thank goodness we had leftovers in the refrigerator. I was too tired to cook. LOL! I could do this kind of thing each weekend. We are so fortunate that we have a farm like this near our city.

Magnolia card and a silly night at my house

2008-10-15T19:15:00.013-05:00

I made this card for a dear friend who recently underwent surgery. I hope she likes the bright colors and flowers. I stamped the Tilda image on the blue cardstock, and heat embossed white powder over the entire image. I wanted to capture the raindrops and make them stand out. Then, I stamped the image twice on white cardstock, using Adirondack Espresso Ink and colored it with COPIC markers and Inkessentials white pen. The paper I used is by My Mind's Eye. The stamped sentiment is by The Angel Company. The puppy dog is by High Hopes.
I popped up Tilda and the puppy dog over the card. I think it's super important to color the image beneath the card, also. The recipient will see what's beneath the pop-dots; and I just feel that if that isn't colored in also, it doesn't seem like the card is completely finished.

On another subject......My darling husband, each afternoon, calls me as he's leaving work, and asks me if there's anything that I needed from the store. Usually, my reply is, "No." But, last night, I was craving a cupcake with buttercream frosting. Now, I know the grocery store closest to my house will sell half-a-dozen cupcakes with buttercream frosting. But, my husband came home claiming that none of those cupcakes were "cute enough." So, instead, he bought ONE DOZEN cupcakes because he thought the "Madagascar" movie theme was cute. Isn't he a hoot? Also, he said he got a quite number of funny looks as he strolled through the grocery store in his Air Force uniform, carrying his "green grocery bag," and then picking up a dozen cupcakes.

This is what happens when a silly cat thnks he just absolutely had to follow his nose all the way into an empty bag of Cheetos. Yes, kitty...your head IS too big for the bag. So, my darling cat, Sable, discovered this sad reality just a little too late. I couldn't resist taking a picture before releasing his head from the bag.

Yay! Yay! Yay!!!!!!

2008-10-14T17:11:00.006-05:00

Yippee! I made something. LOL! I squeezed in 30-minutes this afternoon to make a card before I started fixing supper. I love to photograph outdoors, so I was trying to get this done while I still had some light. It's been gloomy/raining for the past three days; so I had just a small window of time to shoot this card outdoors and take advantage of the little light I had left. I was inspired by Jennifer's card Alterations, Sew and Go. Jennifer cleverly covered the headpins on the House Mouse image with Stickles. Pretty cool, huh?

While I was looking at this vintage image, I saw the little stars and remembered that I had some "star" bling in my stash of embellishments. See what happens when I surf blogs? I bet you do this too. You see little things here and there and you file these ideas in your memory. Thank you, Jennifer, for the inspiration! I'm sending this to a new friend that I've made through 2 peas in a bucket. Are you ready for Halloween? Are you planning to give out a lot of candy? We usually get a lot of kids ringing our doorbell, so I will be shopping for two LARGE bags of candy in the near future.

Pausing momentarily for a break.....

2008-10-14T07:07:00.008-05:00

Arrrgh! I've been wanting to knock out a card or two or three for the past week. Unfortunately, my paying job and life, in general, has been hectic. I'm not neglecting my blog on purpose. Trust me....I'm so anxious to create something fun!! LOL! Hopefully, this afternoon, I'll be able to make something before the sun goes down.....

Oh....and on a side, but very important note....if you're a US citizen and haven't registered to vote.....time is running out!! Just a friendly reminder to register and show up and be heard on November 4th!!!

I've learned something new today

2008-10-12T17:21:00.005-05:00

I'm always looking for ways to enhance my blog a little. I'm not techno-savvy, by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like to "change things up" a little bit, from time to time. Today, I learned how to center or move the justification of my paragraph to the center. I stumbled upon this website: HTML code tutorial. It's pretty easy to follow, but you still need to understand some of the jargon. I scrolled down to the section on "paragraph," clicked on "align" and that's how I learned how to move the alignment of my paragraph (look at my previous post before this one to see my new knowledge in action. LOL!) I'm going to see what else I can learn from this website. Who knows? Before too long, I may end up writing a brand new blog template!

Winner of the Snowflakes stamp set and I have a BIG announcement!!!

2008-10-11T13:12:00.005-05:00

After placing one through 27 into the random.org integer generator, the number that came up first was 19. That post belongs to Lauren, who created this fun card. Lauren, please email me with your mailing address, please, and I will get this cute stamp set to you this week!

My big announcement (drum roll.......)

I have been a HUGE fan of Sugar Nellies for quite some time, now; and so last week, I answered their call for a Guest Design Team member. Today, I found out that I had been chosen to be one of their Guest DT's!!!! I am now a SUGAR BABE!! Woo-hoo! I am so excited because it so much more fun to design cards when you're IN LOVE with a stamp line. So, I am now eagerly awaiting to see which stamps they'll assign to me, and I'm excited to promote such a fun stamp line.

SOF Wonderful Women and Make It Sparkle Challenges

2008-10-05T16:59:00.008-05:00

This is for Deborah's Wonderful Women challenge for Stamptoberfest 2008, as well as Becky's Make it Sparkle challenge. Have bling? Must make card! LOL! The stamped image is by Buzz N Bloom (an Australian stamp company). I used an EK Success punch on the corners and finished off the card with a litte bow in her hat.

This is how I store my "bling." Since I have a ton of them, I just keep them together on a large binder ring.

And don't forget to join in on my Happy World Cardmaking Day blog candy giveaway!

Stamptoberfest Cut It Out and Happy Holidays Challenges

2008-10-05T09:55:00.004-05:00

Stamptoberfest fun continues on 2peas in a bucket.com. This card was created to fit the Cut it Out! challenge as well as the Happy Holidays card challenges. Are you having as much fun as I am? Let me tell ya...if someone could pay me as much as I earn now, to do this 24-hours a day (give or take a few hours for family time, showering, sleeping and eating), I would stamp and make cards all the live-long day!!! Anyhoo.... back to the card....I used a Hero Arts stamp set from last year. I colored the images with COPIC markers before cutting them out. Then, I used pop-dots (gotta love those pop-dots) to add dimension to the card. Finished it off with ribbon, and voila! I'm rockin'-and-rollin'! I hope you're joining in the week-long fun at 2peas. The challenges are super-fun and really get your creative juices flowing!

Woo-hoo! I've been tagged!

2008-10-05T09:39:00.004-05:00

I've been tagged by Anne of Gaal Creative. I'm supposed to post 6 random things about myself, list the "rules", and tag 6 new people. It's kind of a fun "getting to know you" kind of game!

6 random things about me:
1) I grew up in Papua New Guinea, a country that sits on the equator between the Philippines and Australia. I lived there between first and ninth grades.
2) I was a broadcast journalist in a previous life (I gave it up shortly after my son was born).
3) I am passionate about dancing. I danced ballet between 8 and 20 years of age; and now I love to dance ballroom.
4) I LOVE Jane Austen's novels and I'm a sucker for period-films.
5) I believe in the paranormal, but not in the sense that it's all spooky and scary.
6) I was female athelete of the year in 8th grade. LOL!

The "Rules":

link to the person who tagged you
list 6 random things about yourself
tag 6 new people
let each tagged person know by posting a comment on their blog
link to the 6 people you've tagged
and let the person who tagged you know that you posted

So, here are the six people I'm going to tag:

1) Renu of Midnitecreations.
2) Charity of Say it with stamps.
3) Christie of I Must Stamp.
4) Thanh of Yummy Creations.
5) Jennifer of Ink and Scrap Habits.
and..........
6) Stacy of Stacy's Memory Triggers.

Stamptoberfest Flourishes Challenge

2008-10-04T17:55:00.004-05:00

I am having such a great time making cards today. Actually, I've only made one card, today. LOL! Time just got away from me. With "time" in mind, I used that as my theme for this Flourishes challenge by my friend Anne. Basically, we have to use two types of flourishes on the card. One of the flourishes has to be stamped. We can use the same flourish stamp if we want to, but one color has to be a different color. I decided to stamp one of my flourishes (Stampin Up) and then take some die-cuts (Quickutz) out of gold cardstock for my second set of flourishes. The large "face" image is by A Stamp In the Hand. The time pieces and gears are by Stampin Up. I colored most of my cardstock with alcohol inks. Finished off the card with bronze letters and decorative brads.
Don't forget to enter my Happy World Cardmaking Day blog candy challenge.

Happy World Cardmaking Day!!!

2008-10-04T10:56:00.006-05:00

Hello cardmakers around the world! Happy World Cardmaking Day! To honor this day, I would like to offer up blog candy. I know many of you are just so excited about this day, that your creative juices are probably overflowing. Many of you (myself, included) are probably pondering your handmade Christmas cards. What stamps will I use? How many cards should I make? Well, to help you in your decision, I would like to offer you this beautiful Snowflakes clear stamp set by Inkadinkado. All you have to do is post a card (this has to be verifiable) that you've made this week, starting today. So, it has to be a card you've made between October 4 - October 10th. Deadline to enter will be 11:59 PM Central Time, Friday, October 10th, 2008. The card can be of any theme and can be of any size or dimension. This is open to everyone around the world. Please link the image of your card on the comments section of this post. Again, it has to be verifiable. If you post your design on a webpage that I need to sign up and be a member of, I cannot verify your card. One great source of posting images for free is 2 peas in a bucket.com Of course, if you have a blog, just give me the link to be able to verify it. I will use random.org to pick the winner from all of the qualifying entries. Again, Happy World Cardmaking Day! Have fun! I cannot wait to see all of your lovely creations!

Sugar Nellie Hugs and Kisses

2008-10-03T14:59:00.009-05:00

Stamptoberfest on 2 peas in a bucket.com has begun! This is a week long celebration of cardmaking; and to mark Saturday, October 4th, World Cardmaking Day! I hope you join in and celebrate with "the Stamping Peas." Check out the Master Thread for challenges. Lots of folks are offering up wonderful prizes in addition to challenges.
I created this card for Dawn's "Use These Three Things" Challenge. She asked that we use a stamped image, patterned paper and ribbon on our card. This also fits Thanh's Think Pink challenge in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Thanh challenges us to create a card or any project using pink as the primary color.
I always had this Sugar Nellie "Sweet n Sassy" image in mind when I discovered this patterned paper by My Mind's Eye. The "Hugs and Kisses" ribbon completes the challenge. I colored the image with COPIC markers; and added bead spacers and crocheted flowers to bring more dimension to the card. Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Stamptoberfest, everyone!

A few vintage Halloween cards

2008-10-02T15:03:00.006-05:00

I had a couple of hours to decompress this afternoon, so I took advantage of the time and worked on a couple of vintage Halloween cards. I had bought some CD's, a few years ago on eBay, with vintage clip-art and images. This CD is one of my favorites. It has about 250 Halloween images. I don't have too much time to stamp, so I thought I'd play with clip-art, instead. I fell in love with these two images immediately.
I've started a few loads of laundry this afternoon, and in about a 1/2 hour, after my son gets home from school, I will be taking him to his work orientation. We've been running on adrenaline for the past four days. Last night, I was so out of energy, my eyes were close to shutting down as I was driving down the Interstate. My husband's promotion ceremony was really, really nice. A lot of friends and coworkers came out to congratulate him. Brigadier General Mark Owen presented my husband with his new rank. My husband had worked for General Owen earlier this year as his Executive Officer. General Owen is such a nice man and we were very privileged and appreciate that he carved out a few hours of his time to spend with our family. We've had a great time with my husband's family. My nephew is so funny and he's growing up so quickly. It was so much fun going to Hobby Lobby with my sisters-in-law. I've never been able to shop at a craft store with them before. But, with all of this activity (eating out each night and not coming home until 9 PM), Sean, Lucas and I are exhausted. I've asked Sean that we all stay home tonight and just have dinner at home because Lucas is almost running on empty. I think I've caught a cold, but I'm fighting it with medicine. Tomorrow, Sean and I will have lunch with my mother and father in-law before they fly home in the afternoon. It's been a wonderful week. Exhausting, but it's been a lot of fun.

Shameless request for humor

2008-09-29T07:22:00.003-05:00

Since last Sunday, my life has been nothing short of chaotic. My husband left on a business trip. When he returned, we had to buckle down and make plans for his promotion party, which is this Wednesday. But, we also had to plan my son's birthday party. On top of all of this, I still had to do the usual "stuff" that moms do (laundry, cooking, working). Now, my mother and father in-law are arriving this afternoon. Tomorrow, my father-in-law will need to go into the hospital at 6 AM for his kidney dialysis. Tuesday night, my sisters-in-law and nephew get in around midnight. Today and tomorrow, I still have to keep things "calm" around the house so my son can still get a good night's rest and go to school, focused. Wednesday morning, I've got to be up early, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, pick up the food platters from one place, and the promotion cake from another place. Set-up for the promotion ceremony is at 9 AM. The ceremony begins at 11 AM. Then, the reception is following that. Wednesday night, the family is going out for a big celebratory dinner. Thursday, father-in-law goes in again for dialysis. Later that morning, I've got to take my son to a doctor's appointment; and later that day, take sisters-in-law and nephew to the airport. Friday, take my mother and father-in-law to the airport; then on Friday evening, go to a brewery with my husband's coworkers for more promotion celebration.

Please, please, please post anything you can think of to make me laugh. I need humor to get through this week. I am trying to tackle some cards, just so I can keep some sense of sanity, but, please (if you can), please leave me a funny post about anything. I know that laughter is the best medicine. Sending love to everyone who reads my blog!

Winner of my Happy Birthday blog candy giveaway

2008-09-28T06:50:00.002-05:00

Drum roll.........

The winner of my Blog Candy Giveway for this past week is Suzanne of Suzzstampingspot. I chose Suzanne after plugging in the number of folks who entered into Random.org. Thank you, to everyone, for participating. Suzanne, if you could please email me with your mailing address, I'll be sure to get your prize sent out to you, this week.

How would you like to win more than $1,000 worth of prizes?

2008-09-26T07:13:00.004-05:00

Just visit: Cammie's Blog and be ready to catch your jaw! As some of you probably already know, Gina K stamps regularly donates proceeds from some of their stamps sets to benefit worthwhile causes which affect millions of people. From Autism to Diabetes awareness, Gina K stamps is one of those companies who truly gives back. Cammie has designed a new set for Gina K called Whimsical Autumn . She received a nice commission from Gina K, and Cammie turned around and donated 100% of it to the Alzheimer's Association. This kind gesture really has me choked up. I invite you to visit Cammie's blog and leave her a kind comment. While you're at it, go ahead and join in and participate in her blog candy giveaway. I promise.....you will not be disappointed. Some of the companies who are contributing to this Blog Candy are Papertrey Ink, Cats Pajamas Stamps and Starving Artistamps. Like I said....be ready to catch your jaw when it drops. You will be AMAZED!

Spooooky Mice!

2008-09-24T18:57:00.006-05:00

This week, Hobby Lobby is having an awesome sale on rubber, acrylic and foam stamps by Stampabilities. I could NOT pass up this stamp set with cute little House Mouse mice dressed in a variety of Halloween costumes. My favorite is the mouse dressed up as a lobster. LOL! There are four other mouse stamps that I want to play with, but I thought I'd start with these four cuties, today. I did some "masking" and I colored the images with COPIC markers. The "Happy Halloween" sentiment is by Inkadinkado.
How are you doing with your Halloween cards? Are you making any this year? If you're not from the United States, what celebrations are you going to mark in September - November? Please share with me. I did not celebrate Halloween until I moved to the United States in 1984. It was very strange to see children show up at my house dressed in costume. As a matter of fact, the first time I'd ever seen "Halloween costumes" was in the movie ET. LOL! Thanks for stopping by, today, and don't forget to post a comment for my Blog Candy Giveaway for this week.

I think it's time to go out for dessert!!!

2008-09-23T16:54:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, I posted that my son interviewed for a job. Well, today, he got a phone call from the place where he interviewed, and they offered him a job!! YIPPEEE! We are so excited for him! His first, honest-to-goodness job! I call it his first 'real' job because he actually gets to fill out a W-4 form and has to give them a copy of his social security card, and all of that. LOLOLOL! I'm only disappointed that my husband is away on a business trip, and can't share in this excitement with us, at this very moment. I want to take my son out for dessert, after supper, this evening. That's if he wants to. What an exciting day it is for him!

We're celebrating birthdays galore!

2008-09-21T16:13:00.004-05:00

Artygirlz has been celebrating it's one year birthday this past week. With a lot of my friends and family celebrating birthdays, I thought I'd share this altered Starbucks Frapuccino carrier and bottles that I made to fit the Artygirlz Challenge this week, as well as for celebrating my friend, Becky's, birthday. She is a "closet" goth. She and I both like Batz Maru (a Hello Kitty! character) and she and I like tatoos. Now, I don't have a tatoo on my body, but I do want to get one someday. I just haven't figured out what the design I want to get. Last month, when Becky, Deb, Lori and I went out for Deb's birthday. the girls decided they all wanted to get body piercings. I already have my nose pierced, and my ears are pierced in three places, so I declined to get any more piercings. Becky got her nose pierced in the same spot where mine is pierced. Deb got her ear cartillage pierced; and Lori had her belly button pierced. LOL! It made for an interesting night, to say the least. Before we went to the tatoo / piercing place, we ate dinner at a really nice restaurant and had martinis. Then, we went to get the piercings done. Afterwards, we continued to celebrate at the Cheesecake Factory. Well, Becky's birthday is coming up, and she wants to get tatoos. LOL! I have told her that I will go with her, but I don't plan on getting inked that night. For now, I hope she'll enjoy the dark chocolates that I've placed in each bottle. The skull image is a "dollar" stamp by Imaginisce. The Happy Birthday 'banner' is by Purple Onion Designs; and the goth girl is by Zettiology. Papers are by Rusty Pickle. Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to post a comment for my Blog Candy Giveaway for this week.

Blog Candy Giveaway: Happy Birthday!

2008-09-21T08:43:00.007-05:00

In honor of my husband's and son's birthdays this week, I am giving everybody a chance to win this funny Inkadinkado "Happy Birthday" clear stamp set! All you need to do is post a comment on this thread. That's it! Very simple! This giveaway is open to everyone, anywhere in the world. Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for more blog candy giveaways. This is so much fun! Deadline to post a comment will be Saturday, 27th September, 2008 at 11:59 PM (Central Standard Time, USA).

Winner of my EK Success Punch Blog Candy

2008-09-21T08:33:00.002-05:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in my EK Success Punch giveaway. Your names went into the basket these number of times:

Mary (twice)
Jennifer (five times)
Kim (five times)
Bunny B (twice)
Sena (twice)
Charity (twice)
Lazy Kay (twice)
Cazzy (twice)

The winner of the drawing is..........Jennifer of Thimbles, Bobbins, Paper and Ink. Congratulations, Jennifer! I will send you your wonderful new paper punch tomorrow!

Thank you, once again, to everybody who took part in this blog candy!

My son's growing up

2008-09-20T17:10:00.003-05:00

This is my son. He's turning 14 next Saturday. He went to his first job interview today, with a local grocery store chain. That's why he's so dressed up. No, we are not asking him to get a job. He actually came up to us, and asked us if he could work. LOL! My husband and I said "Sure!" It's a great learning experience for him. He'll work as a courtesy clerk at the grocery store (bagging groceries, taking them out to cars, gathering carts, stocking shelves, etc.) We told him we would allow him to work a maximum of eight hours a week because we want him to keep school as his number one priority. I can't believe he's already old enough to work. My baby's growing up way too fast for me. As a mom (and I'm sure, if you're a mom, you can probably relate), I always have images running through my head of my child sitting in his high chair, or sitting in the car seat. I remember when the doctor first handed him to me, and I cradled him in my arms. Now, he's ready to work. The person who interviewed him said that she'll call him before the end of this coming week. Cross your fingers, everyone!

Inchies Accordion Book

2008-09-18T00:01:00.001-05:00

My friend, Sherri, shared with me a link to a collection of inchies and inchies books, I would share the link with you, but I don't know who the artist is, and I wouldn't want to just share it without giving credit. Regardless, I was inspired by the accordion books on that website to go ahead and make one myself. I started stamping and coloring while watching the movie "To Gillian on her 37th birthday." I was just half-watching, half-listening to the movie, so I can't even say whether or not I thought it was good. So, here's my "quickie inchie" accordion book. All stamped images are by Queen's Dresser Drawers. Inchies are quick and fun to create. I should try to play with them more often.

***Also, don' forget to check out my blog candy for a chance to win a terrific EK Succes Decorative Corner punch.***

What's a girl to do?

2008-09-16T00:01:00.005-05:00

Do you ever have one of those days, or even weeks, when you feel like you're moving 100 miles per hour not because you choose to, but because you have to? Well, this week seems to be turning out that way for me. At work we are, all of a sudden, super-busy. I like it when it's busy, but boy, when I get home I am so exhausted! I try to carve out time to create; and I hate being rushed when I'm creating. I need to take my time and think through what I am doing. I'm neurotic about things being "just right" when I create. Call me Type-A personality. That's me..... things have to be "just right" or else, I won't be happy with the piece.
I did rush through this card. I like this card and how it turned out, but I have to admit to myself, it's not one of the nicest ones I think I've ever made. I know I could've done some things a little more differently. If I wasn't rushed to get supper cooked this evening I would have added some stitches around the stamped image. I'm sure I could've done a few more things to complete this card. Again, it's not a "bad" card...... I just know I could've done better. Do you sometimes feel that way about your work (or am I just being waaaay to neuoritic?) LOL!
I stamped this image (Stamp Francisco) with Archival Ink on regular cardstock. Then, I used colored pencils on her hat, overalls, skin and lips. I like that "punch" of color.

***Also, don' forget to check out my blog candy for a chance to win a terrific EK Succes Decorative Corner punch.***

Gothic Arch challenge for this week

2008-09-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

Dawn, the Chatty Stamper, is this week's host for the Gothic Arches challenge. What a terrific challenge this was! I couldn't wait to start working on it. I knew I wanted to use this "clock lady" as the focal image of my arch, but I didn't anticipate that one thing would lead to another, and I would end up with a Halloween Theme, also. LOL! I colored her with bright colors (COPICs) and since I had this awesome glittery lime green paper, I knew it would be a perfect back-drop for her. The bottom looked plain, and that's when the idea of adding the pumpkins popped in my head. And why would she be standing amongs pumpkins, you ask? Well, she's trick-or-treating, of course! This is when I had to improvise and create a jack-o-lantern bucket for her. I tell ya....my brain is wired in such a weird way. I don't know why or how I come up with the strange things that I do. Thanks for stopping by!

Bohemian Rhapsody

2008-09-14T00:01:00.002-05:00

No matter how much I try to avoid the temptation, I will inevitably bring home one paper pack each year. This year, it was K & Co's Wild Saffron collection. I have tons and tons and tons of paper left. I also have this butterfly sticker pack that I want to use up. This is a moment of redemption for me. LOLOLOL! If I can use up my paper and stickers, then I can go out and buy another pack of paper, right? Ha! Ha! Honestly, though, I'm swimming in paper and I need to use them up before I should even be tempted to buy any more. I hope you're able to get out and enjoy the outdoors, this week. I hope it's not raining in your neck of the woods. We have a few more weeks of pleasant weather before the cooler air descend upon us.

***Also, don' forget to check out my blog candy for a chance to win a terrific EK Succes Decorative Corner punch.***

TGIF!!!

2008-09-12T00:05:00.004-05:00

Yippee! It's Friday!

Yay! We made it to the end of the week. Although this week has been relatively uneventful at work, I simply look forward to Fridays. Why? Because the following day is Saturday, and Saturday morning is when I have the luxury of choice: choice to either stay in bed until my stomach says get up and feed it; or the choice to get up at the "crack of dark" and begin creating. I love working on cards and such during the wee hours of the morning. The house is quiet, and I can really focus on my project uninterrupted (I know the boys won't get up before eight o'clock). But, it is Friday...and I do have to go to work, at least for eight hours. I hope there is a lot for me to do, today. It helps to make the day go by faster. I always feel so good after a very productive day, whether it's at my paying job or at home. I colored this image with COPIC markers. I confess, this is one of my most favorite House Mouse images. I feel like I'm the jumping mouse on the right. LOL!

***Also, don' forget to check out my blog candy for a chance to win a terrific EK Succes Decorative Corner punch.***

Woo-hoo! Hero Arts gave me a big honor!

2008-09-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

I received an honorable mention for my card . I joined the Hero Arts Flickr Group after my friend, Andi suggested to submit this card into their current contest. I didn't expect anything. No recognition. No prizes. Much to my pleasant surprise, my card got an honorable mention! Isn't that exciting? I have been on Cloud 9 ever since! Thank you, my blog friends, for your continued support and encouragement. It means the world to me. Thanks to Andi for pushing me towards this! I really owe her a lot for showing me this opportunity!

Singing to be stamped

2008-09-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

I know of many rubber stampers who will not buy another rubber stamp until they've used what they already have at least three times. Do I do this? Not really. If I see a stamp I like, I'll go ahead and buy it. LOL! I do think, however, that I'm pretty good about using what I *do* have. It just might not be at least three times before I go ahead and add to my collection. This pretty bird stamp (by The Angel Company) has been sitting on my shelf, un-inked, for quite some time. It was singing (forgive the pun) for attention. I stamped it with dye ink, colored it with COPIC markers and Stampin Up markers. Such a pretty focal image for any card, don't you think? The paper has been in my stash for some two years or so. I'm chipping away at it, but little by little, I am getting around to using my supplies wisely. Thank you for stopping by, today!

*** Also, don' forget to check out my blog candy for a chance to win a terrific EK Succes Decorative Corner punch.***

Dust off your old stamp challenge

2008-09-08T00:01:00.001-05:00

Over at the Stamp Shack, Charity posted a challenge to take an old stamp....one that hasn't been inked in a while, and to use it in some fashion. I chose this old stamp (one of the first stamps I've ever owned) of a fashion diva designed by The Angel Company. Also, I used an old "Barn Star" stamp by Purple Onion Designs. These are definitely two stamps that haven't seen ink in a very long time. I think the last time I used the fashion diva stamp was in 2005. Perhaps earlier than that. I combined these two stamps with a new stamp "Your Rock" by Inkadinkado. Have you been to Michael's, lately? They have some 50 new clear stamp sets! This was part of a "Rock 'n' Roll" stamp set that I just had to have. My son is a percussionist, so I bought it to make cards for him.
Anyhoo....back to the card.....I took my scalloped circle Nestabilities die (the largest one from the Large Set) and cut out a base card. After cutting out a circle in the center, I added some vellum to fill in the window Now, when you attach vellum to your card stock, use a glue stick (borrow your child's glue stick.) The glue dries clear. So, when you open the card up, you don't see the glue marks like from regular adhesive tape or some other type of glue. Glue sticks are cheap (you can get them for 10-cents at the moment). It's good to have one or two handy.
I stamped the diva's gown on some awesome "skull and crossbones" paper that I picked up recently at Hobby Lobby. Trimmed her gown, gloves and the little dress-straps, and glued them onto the base image (which was stamped on white cardstock). A little flourish die-cut (Sizzix) and voila! She's done!

***Also, don' forget to check out my blog candy for a chance to win a terrific EK Succes Decorative Corner punch.***

Blog Candy Time: EK Success Punch

2008-09-07T04:30:00.008-05:00

Sable, my cat, would like to give you some blog candy. I know I'm not the only papercrafter who has renewed interest in these fabulous corner paper punches. Here is the card I created using this punch; and here is a tutorial by Becca Feeken for how to create an eight-point star with this punch. So, here's your chance to win the EK Success Graceful Heart punch. Deadline to post your comment and/or project is Saturday, 20th September, 2008 at 11;59 PM, Central Standard Time (United States). Here are several ways to get your name into this drawing:
1) Link my blog to yours mentioning this blog candy post. This gets your name in the drawing once. You need to come back to this post and leave me a comment to the link to your blog. If you don't have a blog, don't despair. If you link this post on a message board, come back and inform me of that direct link to the message board post. This will get your name in the drawing once. ** You don't have to INITITATE the message board post. All you have to do is tell me that you replied to a message board post, and that's how you found out about this blog candy. This will get your name in the drawing.
2) If you link this blog candy post on your blog AND on a message board, AND you link your blog and the message board post back to this post's comment section, your name gets into the drawingTWICE.
3) Create a card, tag, moo, inchie, ATC......whatever your heart desires....with a Fall/Autumn theme (if you're in the Northern Hemisphere); a Spring theme if you're in the Southern Hemisphere. Mention this blog candy on your blog post. This gets your name in the drawing three times. Again, you must come back to this post and show me the link to your creation.
When you reply to this post, please make sure that you check the box that will allow me to contact you by email. I can't give your blog candy if I can't contact you, so please make sure you *check* the box.
This contest is open to anywhere in the world. I can't wait to see your creations!

Punch Love

2008-09-06T04:30:00.004-05:00

I pulled out another EK Success decorative corner punch and played with it yesterday. This was a little more time-consuming than I had expected. Lots of measuring, and punching, and cutting; and then measuring, and punching and cutting again. I think I went through three sheets of cardstock before I was finally happy with the dimensions of my frame. Yet, through it all (and through the sore forefinger), I enjoyed the process of experimenting. The Gibson Girl stamp is by Non Sequitur. A pretty face to frame, I thought.
I used pop-dots beneath the frame. What, you say? Ethel using pop-dots? Never! LOL! If you're ever at a loss for what to buy me for my birthday or Christmas, I can give you a hint...... All Night Media pop-dots and 3M ATG refill tape. There you go. I'm easy to shop for. LOL!

Here are the basic supplies I used to make this card. The only things missing from the photograph are pop-dots and a metal edge ruler.

If you decide to go out and purchase some of EK Success' decorative paper punches, take a look at the back of the package for ideas. I know that I've missed the back of the package, and I stare at the front of punch, trying to envision how to use it. I didn't realize the versatility of the punch until I looked at the back of the package.

Thank you for stopping by! To my friends and readers along the Carolina coast, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Stay safe and I hope your neighborhoods will come through Tropical Storm Hanna, unscathed.

One word game

2008-09-06T04:28:00.000-05:00

I got this from my friend, Sandy on her blog It's a Colourful World. If you play along, please let me know by linking to this post.

You can only answer with one word. Not as easy as you might think . . . leave me a link if you play along!
1) Where is your cell phone? Purse
2) Your significant other? Sean
3) Your hair? Short
4) Your mother? Sleeping
5) Your father? Reading
6) Your favorite thing? Family
7) Your dream last night? Fuzzy
8) Your favorite drink? Tea
9) Your dream/goal? Photojournalist
10) The room you're in? Bedroom
11) Your ex? Who?
12 Your fear? Tornadoes
13) What do you want to be in 6 years? Content
14) Where were you last night? Home
15) What you're not? Tired
16) Muffins? No
17) One of your wish list items? Coach
18) Where you grew up? Overseas
19) The last thing you did? Blurf
20) What are you wearing? Sleepshirt
21) Your TV? Noisy
22) Your pets? Cats
23) Your computer? Mac
24) Your life? Fulfilling
25) Your mood? Content
26) Missing someone? Yes
27) Something you're not wearing? Pants
28) Favorite store? Coach
29) Your summer? Busy
30) Like someone? Absolutely
31) Your favorite color? Red
32) When is the last time you laughed? 9:50
33) Last time you cried? Yesterday

Birthday Card for a dear friend

2008-09-05T04:30:00.001-05:00

I made this card for a friend celebrating a birthday very soon. It seems that September is a very popular birthday month within my own family and amongst many of my friends. Hmmmm.........I wonder why that is? I used Avian Toile by Stampin Up for my focal image. I used (sort-of) the Spotlight Technique. I used my Marvy punches around the sentiment (Inkadinkado). There's something about the combination of red, cream and chocolate that is really pleasing to me.
I love having an Archiver's store nearby so I can stock up on these delicious chocolate square envelopes. I heat embossed the toile flowers on the envelope using Ranger's Seafoam White. I hope my friend likes it!