I'm a schmuck

Did you guys know that? I didn't until yesterday. Apparently I was....well, we won't get into that.

Supplies:(Stampin' Up! Unless otherwise noted) Enchante Double Sided Designer Paper, Pale Plum CS, Perfect Plum ink, Versamark, UTEE, and a buncha ribbon that I got from TexasJodyLynn's ribbon share ( I dunno the names of all the colors....).

So I made this for my coworker because I am a schmuck. I took the little $1 notebook apart (just pried the binding apart and yoinked all the suff out), then covered in the Enchante paper and used my Crop A Dial to punch the holes. I lined the covers with Sage Shadow cardstock...and used Mod Podge to adhere it all. So once it was dry I put the whole thing back together and used the Cricut to cut out the initial in Pale Plum.

When I laid the initial on the book, it looked boring. So I sponged the edges with Perfect Plum ink....and it still looked boring. I smooshed the letter in Versamark ink and then covered in UTEE and heated. Smooshed in Versamark again and dumped more UTEE and heated. Did that three times till it was smooth and glassy. IRL....it's really shiney and pretty.

Once I got the ribbons tied on, I realised it wasn't enough, so I made a little micro beaded pen to match. No stamping on either of these projects folks....I just realised that.

Oh....but I did show my friend how unmounted stamps worked last night. She had NO idea. And she was impressed.

I've always been a Tiger....

But my friend works at Pickerington North....which are the Panthers. (Central is the Tigers) so I made these cute little paw magnets in their school colors....

I think they're cute....I hope the teachers do too!

Wedding Invites

Well here they are, the invitations that I busted my butt on for my friends wedding. I used Very Vanilla, Elegant Eggplant, and Lavender Lace cardstock. The cakes are a $1 stamp from Michaels and embossed with sterling silver embossing powder.
I really liked that Mark and Heather wanted to keep it simple for their wedding invitations...and to keep the cost of mailing down. These cards (the pattern is from Nichole Heady's blog) fit in a standard A2 envelope. The response card is just a postcard!

I embossed the back of the response card to match the invitations. They came out so cute. I only had to make 60, so it wasn't so bad. Just alot of piecing together and almost production line stuff.

When I made the sample for this invitation, I used the Textile Cuttlebug embossing folder, but they preferred the Divine Swirls embossing folder. I think it turned out beautifully. The original intention was to use a small magnet or removable double sided tape to keep the flap closed, but Mark ended up getting me a Basic Grey Notch and Die cutter to make the little notchy bit to keep the flap closed.

What do you all think?

Back from Pennsic

It was rainy, stormy and freaking hot! But so much fun, as usual.

I don't really have a picture that just conveys Pennsic as it is....but this will do. These are my people...the people of Eoforwic. What's Eoforwic? A really rocking group of Canadians that we camped with this year and last year and hopefully we will camp with next year.

Anyway. I got my ribbon share from Jody while I was gone and I am still trying to get it all organized. So my desk is COVERED in ribbon right now. I have finished the wedding invitations and will post a photo of them soon. Now I have a few 8x8 scrapbooks to do that people have ordered from me. And what am I doing? Blogging. *sigh*

Came up with some new classes to teach at Michael's so hopefully those will actually go over and my classes will pick up a bit. :)

I think that's it for now. More soon.

Away I go....

The 'pink' and olive tent on the left hand side is our humble abode for the next week and a half. Yay! Tommorrow we leave for Pennsic for the haul and for War Week....some folks know, others dont....its the biggest SCA event of the year and last year was my first year. I -loved- it.

So many good friends and parties and fun things to do. I'll be gone till the 13th. No blogging till then....not that I blog much anyway, lol!

Snapshots of a Good Life

I met Karen Russell.

Shorter than I expected. Not a problem. There is a whole lot of personality stuffed in there...good person. Great person.

Yes, she really looks like that when she teaches....and this was a nice photo. I have some hilarious ones in my folder. I'm sure she will love me for not sharing them...I'll send them to her anyway.

This was my workstation. I got a bit messy and my fingers are still covered in paint and a bit of glue here and there....the final result was worth it.

And I learned alot. I mean, so much that you just need to take a class with her to understand. I took notes.

I haven't taken notes since junior high.

She must be special.

Baby, Oh Baby

This is a photo from the last weekend in April of myself and my VERy pregnant friend, Myia. We were bellydance partners for a long while before I took a break from dancing, and she got pregnant.

Well she had her baby at 3 am this morning! His name is Devon and he was two weeks late and had to be delivered by cesarian. 8 pounds, 8 ounces. Mommy and baby are fine. Daddy is tired and was a little loopy when I talked to him, but everyone seems to be doing ok.

I'm going to see her Friday, so I will bring baby pictures then!

My grandpa

My mom broke the news to me on Friday morning and I pushed it out of my mind all weekend and it suddenly hit me this morning.

My grandpa has cancer. It's prostate cancer, caught very early, and very treatable, but in the end it's still cancer. He was always nervous to go to the doctor because he was afraid they would tell him that he had cancer.

That's him. Goofball that he is. I took that photo with my unimpressive Fuji Fine Pix Z5 at my grandparents 50th anniversary party last spring.

Yeah, he's going to be fine. I just wanted to put this in here for posterity, and so you guys would know what's going on. Yep. He'll come out perfect. And goofy as always.

I would like to introduce you to....my toes.

That is the single best photo of me that was taken at the SCA event yesterday...and I took it myself. The photos of me doing archery and such turned out very grainy and therefore were deleted on sight....that and I looked like crap on toast, but I shot well!

I was pretty proud of this one of Michael fencing with Lorenzo (aka the dude in tights on the left hand side of the photo), in mid thrust. Despite driving two hours to get his fencing certification and not ending up getting it, we had a decent time.

What happened? Well you need two full marshalls to certify you (we totally need certification by the 25th so he can fight at Pennsic War), and one of the marshalls had his car break down on him on the way to the event. *sigh* Figures. Hopefully there will be another way. We're working on it.

Another of Michael and Lorenzo. I really wish that I had a nice, nice digital camera (SLR...I'm partial to the Canon Digital Rebels, but I know alot of folks aren't), but right now I am shooting with a 6 megapixel Fugi Fine Pix Z5...which was highly impressive to the camera dude at the Cord Camera scrapbook Center. Meh. I need lenses....adjustable....zooooooom. Options!

One day, I'll have one. We'll probably buy it in Canada because we found them about $200 cheaper there.

Karen Russell class this Friday folks....be prepared for my geekness!

Harry Potter Coma

I may be in love. Daniel Radcliffe is just turning into a little underage hawtie. Yep. I'm sad.

Don't read below if you don't want to be spoiled....it's just my little review:

While it was the one movie so far that barely stuck to the book, the storyline was the same and it was freaking AWESOME! I held my breath when the credits started to roll and everything just started to fall into place right off...the dementor attack in the underpass by the park, the crazy cat lady neighbor, the Order of the Phoenix House.

My heart melted at the first glimpse of Sirius Black. Oh how I long for Harry to have a family... Dolores Umbridge was hilarious and annoying at the same time (as Jackie O. wanna be perfectionists usually are), and Snape...well played! (Traitorous snipe that he is...Alan Rickman is still amazing).

I got teary when they formed Dumbledore's Army and Harry had a speech about how defending yourself against the Dark Arts was just luck for him. And then he kissed Cho...Oh...oh that was sweet...until she betrayed the group and told Dolores Umbridge about the room they were practicing in. Come to find out later that Umbridge had used Veritserum on her and other students.

Let's see....ah...at the ministry in the Department of Mysteries...brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant. Except for when Sirius uh....well, died...crazy Beatrix Lestrange used the Avara Kevara curse on him and Harry lost the only family he had left. *weep* Yes, I had tears. What a wuss am I?!?!

All in all I loved it and I want to see it again just to look it over one more time to see if there was any little tidbit I missed. Maybe I will go Sunday or something. I hope the DVD is released before Christmas, though I am sure it will be out a good deal before then.

Now. Next Friday is like my dream day. First, I get to take a class with Karen Russell at the Cord Camera Scrapbook Studio in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, then that evening is the Harry Potter Midnight Magic party at Barnes and Noble. Well of course I will be there...I *heart* everything Harry. And well. I will probably have a book review for you by the end of next weekend. If Harry dies, I'll be inconsoleable. Yep. Save Harry Potter.

Can't get the title bar to work! Grrrrr...

Nothing stamped today.

I made some nifty tile coasters yesterday with some tissue paper that a book came wrapped in. DBF loves them. Apparently I need to make more for him to give as gifts. I'll try and post a picture of those later tonight.

I am hoping that my paper comes today....I need to finish Mark and Heather's wedding invites and get them shipped off and I totally cannot do that without paper!

Oh. And because of Ms. Karen Russell...I bought a hermafix tab dispenser thingie for class. It's a heinous blue color. I saw once where someone had painted an ATG gun. Think that the hermafix thing can be done too???? I want to make it pink and sparkly!

Fangirl!

I mentioned a few days ago that I recently perused the new Cord Camera Scrapbook Center out in Pickerington...well....I also mentioned that Karen Russell is going to be there teaching a class on July 20th-Snapshots of a Good Life.

Do you know how psyched I am to say that I am going to that class!!?!??!?!?

Oh I am such a fangirl. I just got online and freaking emailed her to tell her how psyched I am to meet her and to take her class.

I'm a dork.

And a fangirl.

The new catty is heeeeerrrrreeeeeee

Nice cover, eh? The samples in the new catty are wonderful and very attractive...I have been so inspired by them and have even taken the time to draw up some layouts based on the cards and pages I saw!

Not sure what is on my wishlist yet. I'm trying to be very well behaved and not go insane with the spending. But here is what I do really, -really- like:

Sleigh Bells Ring, pg. 41- It's a beautiful Christmas set, I really like the way it looks and the samples done with it, but I know there is NO way I can make it look that pretty. I am not good at colouring in the slightest....I just can't seem to get pretty stamps like that too look right. (And yet another reason I didn't order any Thomas Kincaid stamps from CHF).

Sealed with a Kiss, pg. 48- Cute.....cute....still unsure about it.

Polka Dots & Paisley, pg. 68- It's -really- growing on me. I used this at stamp club a couple months ago, and didn't like it at first, but the more I look the more I like it....:D

Doodle This, pg. 99- I want it. yes. I do.

Winds of Grace, pg. 109- Like it....on the fence about buying tho. I think it would be good to make cards for my dad.

Priceless, pg. 117- Love it.

Baroque Motifs, pg. 126- Yeah, when I saw this set in the preview catty, I absolutely HAD to have it. HAD TO HAVE IT. Now that I look at it more, I am not sure. Will I use those chunkier images? I have tons of Rhona swirls....do I need more?

Wing It, pg. 126- Hilarious! Those wings could go on SO MANY THINGS! I keep picturing the heart with wings tattooed on the arm of a biker....hehe.

Illuminations, pg. 127- Love it. Dunno if I would use it.

Pick a Petal, pg. 133- I like it....it's adorable!

Elegant Notes, pg. 134- Love this set....I wish I still sang or played guitar.

Define Your Life, pg. 159- I love this set.....love it....want it. I will have it.

All the DP is awesome. I am having a hard time deciding which I like the most and which I want to get. The ribbon rocks and the new In Colors are so freaking cool! I do know that I want to order those first so that I can get to playing with them.

I really think that the Stampin' Stack and Store is awesome and I would love to have one. That would help with my clutter issues for sure!

And the Paper Pretties....wow. SU! Was totally in my brain on that one.

OMG....

I was at the new Cord Camera Scrapbook Center in Reynoldsburg/Pickerington area yesteray. Thank goodness my Grandma told me that she had seen it out there the other day or I would have NEVER KNOWN that it was there. I was highly, highly impressed with their expansive selection and LARGE classroom space.

I was looking around while Michael harrassed the girl at the coffee stand (YES! It has a Joe's right inside the store!) to make him a coffee. Then I saw it.....Karen Russell is coming to teach at that store on July 20th! I was geeked! Completely! I am so going to that....

AND....for the comment I got on my last post....

The music on my blog is by James Carrington and the song is called Ache. I heard it on an episode of Smallville last season and have been hooked ever since. But the scene also had hottie Lex in it, so who wouldn't be hooked?!

WT119 -and- CC120

I got the inspiration from this card partially from Amy R. and the rest is all about the challenges. Yes, I have been stamping more lately. Yay!

Supplies: Little Lady stamp set by PaperTrey Ink, Palette Noir ink by Stewart Superior, Pretty In Pink, Marigold Morning, and Cool Carribean CS by Stampin' Up!, black mini brad by Spare Parts, Platinum Vellum, Sakura Clear Stardust pen.

It's hard to see, but the spots on the wings and the trail are all shimmered with the Sakura Clear Glaze pen. I stamped the wings with Noir on Cool Carribean then cut them out and then cut out some platinum vellum just a titch bigger than the CC wings. I stamped a black body out and then attached the wings to the body and popped it up on a dimensional. I just did the scallops with a corner rounder and glued them down before stamping the bug trail.

Like?

I put a thingie on the side...

On the sidebar thing. I am SOOOO not good at this blogging thing and am actually considering switching to Typepad because I heard it is easier, but we'll see....

Stampin' Space

I -finally- got my stamping space finished and put together!!!


This is the shelf for all of my stamps, all of which are unmounted (aside from Carte Postale). Above that I keep my multipacks of paper from Michaels and my two pathetic little bottles of Primas, Snap Stamps, box of glitter and beads as well as my mounted stamp sets, and my Pearl-Ex. I keep a small Stampin' Up! box with most of my acrylic blocks in it on this shelf as well so that they are handy.

So here is where I keep my inks and background stamps. I don't have a storage unit for them yet, but my dad is building me a spinning caddy for them that will hold up to 60 inkpads, not just Stampin' Up!. I also just have my re-inkers sitting up there for now, alongside all my Stickles and my embossing powders. I have some smaller ink spots in one of the small boxes and then my fluid chalk inks stacked next to that.

And this is the whole kit and kaboodle. I have had this desk forever....my dad built it for me when I was about 7 years old and it has moved everywhere with me since then. I keep my paper there in that storage bin on the right and below it is a cabinet full of things that I don't use much but cant bear to part with. I also keep my Cropper Hopper ribbon keeper next to it so that the ribbon is handy. The caddy on my desk did have a ton of fancy edged scissors, but I put them away and store my most used tools in it.

Of course my laptop sits there and under that are drawers that are filled with tools, accessories, markers, pencils, etc. And just to the left of that is my paper cutter, my second cutter with a scoring blade and my Coluzzle kit.

That's about it. Nothing fancy or exciting, but it's a REAL space, as opposed to the floor and the toolbox I used to work out of. The table I had at the old apartment was nice, but this is much, much better in my mind.

Finally....a card

As I posted earlier, I have been having a bit of a rough way to go in regards to my family. Well....here's a card....

Supplies: Stampin' Up CS (Blush Blossom, Sage Shadow), Patterned paper by K&Co, Staedler cold press watercolor paper, Javabellas by Stampin Bella, White organdy ribbon, aquapainter and markers by Stampin' Up!, Green stickles, Sakura Clear stardust pen, small corner rounder punch.

Pretty, eh? I was kinda a b**ch to my mom the other day (we work together...my brother is her favorite and I've recently felt more self consious about it and hurt....) and I felt bad about it. I shouldn't have said what I did, but she took it waaaaayyyyy out of proportion and I felt like pond scum. So I came home and made this card for her and wrote a note to apologize.

I posted on SCS the other day about my severe lack of watercolouring skills. Of course Jeanne S. and JulieHRR offered up some awesome advice, so that afternoon I went out and bout a 5x7 pad of cold pressed water color paper. Oh my gosh....I am so not going back to any kind of white after watercolouring on that dreamy stuff....wow. So thanks to them!

I feel better, and we talked it out...but I still shouldn't have said it. Bad daughter. Bad!

In other news, I have been stamping more....I don't photograph everything like I should, but I do stamp more. I got a cute little light to mount on the underside of my shelf on my desk....flourescent, I know, bad....but it works so well for what I want. And slowly I am starting to get all my stamping stuff unpacked....finally!

Not posted in a while....sorry.

I thought I had a card for you that I stamped last night, but apparently not....as my cd that I burned is saying that there is nothing on it! Grrr!

So....I haven't posted in a while....there is a reason for it. My grandparents moved into the state from West Virginia and I have been helping my Grandmother and spending time with them. My Grandfather is very sick....two strokes and Alzheimers unfortunately...and we just had to put him into a nursing home.

Awful places, nursing homes. I had never been in one untill I went to see him there. It hurts....alot. I am lucky I wasn't driving that day because I sobbed all the way home. I hate to see him like that.

I was trying to remember him before the stroke the other day, and I couldn't come up with any memories...how much does that suck?

I am really just not in a good place right now....so maybe I'll get to post a card later.

Something about Me

Saw this on Splitcoast....

Yourself: I love me, most of the time
Your Partner: I love him more than I thought I could love
Your Hair: blonde-ish
Your Mother: My confidante, my rock
Your Father: A little nuts....
Your Favorite Item: My promise ring
Your Dream Last Night: That my OBGYN called and told me I was pregnant
Your Favorite Drink: Sprite
Your Dream Car: Corvette
Dream Home: In the country with my own stamping room
The Room You Are In: My office at work (it's Sage Shadow!)
Your Fear: oddly....aliens. Not Star Wars aliens, but like 'Signs' aliens. ET freaks me out!
Where You Want to be in Ten Years: Just...happy
Who You Hung Out With Last Night: My boyfriend
You’re Not: confident
One of Your Wish List Items: a digital SLR
The Last Thing You Did: Print out insurance forms before switching to SCS for a bit
You Are Wearing: Scrubs- ceil blue pants and a floral top and white sketchers with pink
Your Favorite Weather: sunny and 75!
Your Favorite Book: Any Harry Potter
Last Thing You Ate: Oreos
Your Life: It's getting there...
Your Mood: tired
Your Best Friend: Jen T.
What Are You Thinking About Right Now: going home
Your Car: Honda Civic
What Are You Doing At The Moment: sitting in my office chair
Relationship Status: In a relationship
What Is On Your TV: don't have one here
What Is The Weather Like: Sunny with a chance of thunderstorms
When Is The Last Time You Laughed: Yesterday evening- MTV movie awards

Yep. I'm boring.