Bad Sunday

Well we had some bathroom issues last night. I.E.: the toilet always needs plunging...for everything. Well it backed up AGAIN last night and we couldn't get it fixed this time. So we shut off the water at the emergency valve and called maintenence. They never bothered to call back or come, so we went to bed, thinking that it was ok because we turned the valve off, which it should have been.

But noooooooooo. I woke up at 6:30 this morning to hear the toilet RUNNING. I open the bathroom door and FWOOSH! Water flooded out and onto the carpet. Michael lept out of bed and started bailing the gushing water out of the toilet and dumped it into the tub. I went downstairs to get towels and noticed that there is water POURING from around the light fixtures in the kitchen and dining area...onto the counters, carpet, the oak dining table, his computer and my sewing machine. So we're both soaked and annoyed and tired, so we head out to the store, buy a new plunger and this CLR plumbers stuff. Its like this pressure in a can....its supposed to blast the clog out of the line in two seconds. Yeah. Right.

Michael called maintenence again and still no call or person showed. We just bail out the toilet every hour on the hour.

He called again an hour later and told them that we were going to call a plumber if someone did not show up in an hour and take care of this...it was an emergency, therefore someone had to come out. So the guy shows up twenty minutes later and looks at the mess not only in the bathroom, bedroom, and hall...then in the downstairs and apologized PROFUSELY for ignoring our call Saturday night because the management company said that toilet problems were not an emergency in their eyes. He, however, felt that they were, but was just following orders.

So the dude made a hella lot of noise and finally got it unstuck. Apparently the previous tenant had the same problem and there was something litterally jamed in the pipes that needed to be pushed through with an auger. The ceiling, wall and carpets should be fine, they just need to dry out. *sigh* We should have been ok with just turning off the water and waiting....turns out that after we turned it off the washer inside the shut off snapped and started letting water back through, so he fixed that too. We're ok now. Just a little damp and waiting to dry out...and we're really not happy because we have had nothing but problems with this place since we moved here a few weeks ago. I think we will be looking for somewhere new over the next couple weeks.

We went grocery shopping afterwards and bought a Swiffer Wet jet cause obviously I needed to mop and my mop died in the move (don't ask). I cleaned and Michael took out the garbage and washed the towels. I had just laid down to take a nap and he said "Honey! Come look! There are green CHICKENS out in our yard!" Yes, there is a pond behind our house.

Right.

Being Canadian you would have thought he would have known better.

Update

I got a comment on the photocubes...

No, they're not all coaster. It's actually a wood black just painted with white craft paint. ;) I should have mentioned that, but I was having a blonde day....and I was really tired. Hehe.

More Mother's Day...

Well this will be my last Mother's Day gift post...until next year at least. I had to have a clandestine stamp meeting with my FAB! demo since I was unable to make it to stamp camp Saturday morning. So we met in the grocery store parking lot and she gave me my kit and I paid her, then made this photo cube this morning!

The first photo is me and my mother at my bridal shower a few years ago. Yes I am divorced now, but I still love the photo...we both look good in it! LOL!

The second photo on the left hand side of the cub is my brother when he was...oh....9 or so, holding his new cat. She was a rescue and mom still has her. Her name is Cammy....and she's a whole hella lot tubbier now! And he is now 20!

The bottom photo on the left is me, mom, and dad when I was 10 months old. They took me on a carousel together...I was so thankful to find the photo! And the photo on the right is me and my bro a few years ago.

I gave her that cube and the candles from the previous post and she loved them both. She got all teary at the photos tho and said she was going to put it on her desk tommorrow!

And one last note for today....I started *FINALLY* getting my stamp space put together. There is still alot of work to do and I totaly need to figure out where I want everything, but it will get there! Whoohooo!

Mothers Day-part 2

I made this one for my Grandma. I think I need to make ANOTHER one for my mom's friend Kathy, who we lived next door to for 18 years. She was like a mother to me...maybe I will do that one in purples. And change it a little...

Mother's Day Gift

Well since my mother doesn't read my blog (I don't think she actually knows about it...) I figured that it would be ok to go ahead and post what I made for her!

Supplies: Ink: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Pretty In Pink, and Always Artichoke by Stampin' Up!, Stamps: Roses in Winter by Stampin' Up!, Trendy Greetings by TAC, Others: white tissue paper, candles from Dollar Tree, small glass tray from Dollar Tree, Pink flat marbles from Dollar Tree.

I burnt my fingers alot doing these little candles, but I think they turned out adorable. I plan on making one for my Grandma tommorrow using yellows because yellow roses are her favorite.

I made this 5 In 1 Template box to put the candles in. The tray was too big so I plan on dragging out some ribbon tommorrow and tying it all together with a nice card.

Good? Yes? No?

'Nother bracelet

This one for the Pickerington Panthers. The purple and white one in the previous post was for the Pickerington Tigers. Yep. Alma Mater. Well....there was only one school then, now there is two....yep. Big stuff.

I stamped the tiger....er, panther paw in white Stazon and let it dry, then stamped over it in Vibrant Violet stazon. I think it works well!

I've been tagged!

Wow....never honestly thought it would happen to me. I remember reading a post by someone a while back about not being one of the 'popular kids' or whatnot, so I took alot of that to heart..and never had a second thought about being Tagged until I got a comment from Created By U.

Seven things about me....

1.) I am a re-enactor. I do viking re-enactment and now am branching into pirateera re-enacting. I go to a two week re-enactment in the middle of summer and love every second of the blissfulness...well, except for when certain individuals try to create drama.

2.) I hate closed mindedness. Add snap judgements to that. Don't judge someone untill you know them, you will be eating your words later, I guarantee. This has happened all too recently in my life.

3.) I am a hopeless Chipotle addict. I love chicken burrito bol with rice and pinto beans and extra cheese. Skip the fork, scoop the goods out with Chipotle chips!

4.) I don't own one pair of plain socks. They all have pictures or fun things on them. Right now I am wearing light blue socks with poodles on them. Yep. Poodles.

5.) I am a Star Wars geek. I'm too young to have seen the originals in the theater, but apparently my father took me to see Return of the Jedi when I was two. And I was hooked from then on. Really, I think that if Qui Gon Jin had not died, the Empire would have had a serious dent in it's plans....

6.) I work for a chiropractor. I have worked for him for ten years on May 23rd. I doubt he will remember. (long story) My mother works for him too....she's worked for him for 26 years in October. My job started out as a high school mentorship project and they realised that I was good at the job and I have been at it ever since.

7.) I have an entire closet full of garb. Yep, you read that right. I have an ENTIRE closet full of renaissance/re-enactment clothes and shoes. I see something I like, I make it....or DBF makes it for me. Want a picture? Here is the dress he HANDSEWED for me for pirate era stuff.

That is my beautiful friend Nurianna with me. Seems there was a bit of a rainstorm Saturday night and her table coverings got soaked through. Bummer! She's the BEST gypsy facepainter ever. :)

So now I have to tag seven people? Yeah uhm...I am sure they have already been tagged, but I am going to just showcase some of my favorite blogs to go to each day....

1.) Dawn Mercedes

2.) Busy Bee

3.) Prairie Paper and Ink

4.) Paper Trufflez

5.) Mama Dini

6.) InkyPaws

7.) SherLyn Design

Bracelets

Cool, huh? I was demoing the new Martha Stewart line at Michael's on Saturday and happened upon some Shrinky Dink plastic. Woot?! So I snatched it up ($4.99 for 10 sheets) as well as some white Stazon opaque ink and headed home. After carefully selectng Carte Postale, I stamped each image on black Shrinky Dink plastic, punched the images out with round and oval punches, punched holes with my Crop A Dial and then shrank in the toaster oven!

Once shrunk, I attached them to jump rings and attached to the bracelet. Honestly, they needed something so I went BACK to Michael's and purchased some crystals and added the little drops. This thing got such a good reaction that I made a Pickerington Tigers one and am sending it to school with my friend tommorrow to see if these little bad boys can sell!

I like em. Alot. Must make more with butterfly stamps!

Stamp Club Thursday and Moving.

I made it to stamp club this week. After busting my tush the way I have been the past few days, I deserved it! I ordered 4 inks and the round tab punch from the Spring Mini. I swear, I have been having DREAMS about that thing....I don't know why. But for some reason I think that deep in my unconsious, I neeeeeeed it. :)

All Supplies by Stampin' Up!: Au chocolate double sided designer paper, Chocolate Chip CS, Perfect Plum CS, Chocolate chip ink, Vintage Violet ink, Doodle This, Warm Words, Everyday Flexible Phrases, Chocolate grosgrain ribbon, Vintage Violet stitched ribbon.

Check out the ROCKIN' new watermark too! *squee* I decided that I suck at photoshop too much and spend $4 (well freaking spent) dollars on thise little beauty from Dina Kowal. My demo (fabulous chick that she is) found the pattern for this box on SplitCoastStampers, here. Cute, isn't it?

All Supplies by Stampin' Up!: Certainly Celery CS, Whisper White CS, Stazon Jet Black ink, gold eyelets, Cool Carribean Re-inker (w/Aquapainter), Certainly Celery Marker, Doodle This, All Year Cheer eight billion and a half (joking!), and some color of yellow marker that I forget. ;)

This is one of those great standing up window card things! They are a TON smaller than I thought, but honestly in most gallery pictures and things, everything looks so big that it throws me off! We used the Crop A Dial to set the eyelets...love that thing. And Cool Carribean ink with an aquapainter to paint the flower! I am so thinking that I need this 'Doodle This set. :)

That's about all I have for now. I would post the other card from Stamp Club, but I can't remember any of the colors or anything that we used in it....aww heck, here it is anyway, just for looks.

Now, we just moved last weekend and are still in the midst of unpacking. I am kinda pirating wireless internet from a neighbor (duh....you use a security code!) so it is a little touch and go around here with my blogging and SCS time. Hopefully the phone company will get my DSL sorted out by Tuesday like they promised...ugh. :(

Alive

I'm not dead, I promise. We're moving house on Friday and I have been a busy bee packing up the apartment. I hate moving. It stresses me out...and I cry....and then make myself ill over it all with worry. I think it is because of the stress from the last time I moved. The circumstances were not good. They got worse....and I dunno. I....I am going to stop rambling about it now.

Once my new stamping room is all set up, I will post more. I'll try and update on the progress....:)

Rose Butterflies

Well, I saw a card similar to this on SCS yesterday by emmiestamps and loved it so much that I decided to CASE it....sorta. I changed things! I always intend to CASE and always end up changing something to suit my tastes a little more. Nothing wrong with that.


Supplies: All supplies by Stampin' Up! (unless noted) Stamp set: Butterflies of Happiness, Paper: Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla; Ink: regal Rose, versamark; Ivory organdy ribbon. Pink EP by Stampendous, Coluzzle cutting system nested oval, Platinum vellum from Hobby Lobby.

Cuttlebug Textile A2 embossing folder, Glue Dots, Tombow Mono Multi.

It's cute, eh? Pretty self explanatory really....the butterflies were stamped on platinum vellum (it's a very shimmery vellum that I found at Hobby Lobby) with Versamark and then embossed with a pastel pink embossing powder. It's very shimmery in real life. The thought crossed my mind to add glitter or stickles, but sometimes you just know what will kill a nice looking card.

ATC Swap

I had sworn off swaps after I did my first. I don't know why, other than the fact that I felt pressured and like I was on a deadline (which technically I was). I was in a slump a few weeks ago so I started looking on the swap forum and joined a black and white ATC swap. My reasoning? ATC's are small....and black and white intrigues me.

Supplies: Basic Black cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, black and white chiffon ribbon from Michael's, Terrifically Tacky Tape, clear microbeads, silver brads by Spare Parts. Gerbera Daisy stamp by TAC. Pallete Hybrid Noir ink. Iridescent Prisma glitter.

It's kinda cute, isn't it? I am really pleased with the way they turned out. This is the third attempt at these cards...the first two did not turn out so hot. I just used .44 cent ribbon from Michael's and plain silver brads to add a little zip. I stamped the Gerbera Daisy with Pallete Hybrid Noir ink by Stewart Superior and then covered the paper with sticky strip. Then I mushed it in the clear microbeads, then mushed it into prisma glitter to fill in the gaps and add sparkle. It's hard to see in the photo though.

I am considering putting some stamping things for sale on my blog in the next few days. Yes, we are moving to a larger place and I get my own stamping room, but I have several sets that have never seen ink and I want them to go to a home where they will be used and loved. I also have a great deal of individual stamps that I want to put up for sale as well. They are all unmounted and have no blocks, so they will be cheap. I just never use them and think they could be better loved elsewhere! Stay tuned!

Bad Blogger! BAD!

Yes. I am a bad blogger. Tto be honest, my heart has not been into papercrafting the past few weeks. I have just had alot on my mind...the stalkers probably think I am dead! ;)

Anyway, my friend Sparky asked me if I would make up some sample invitations for him and his girl to choose from so that I can make their wedding invitations. Here is the first:

Supplies: Purple CS from Hobby Lobby (no brand noted), Very Vanilla CS by Stampin' Up!,Versamark Ink, Clear EP, Silver Pearl-Ex, Textile Cuttlebug Embossing Folder by ProvoCraft, and Tombow MonoMulti liquid glue.

I used Dawn Mercedes brilliant pocket card pattern for this card, but made it larger. Finished size is 6.25x6.25. The wedding colors are purple, ivory and silver and Heather wanted something simple and elegant, with NO flowers and NO butterflies. What kind of girl doesn't want flowers or butterflies?!!? Teasing, Heather, teasing....;)

I bought a Cuttlebug embossing folder today and used it in my pasta machine...harder than I thought it was going to be unfortunately (so Michael is going to buy me a BUG when we get our tax return!!!), but I think it turned out nice, none the less. I didn't take a photo of the inside, but I mounted a piece of VV CS on the inside flap (the part that opens) the same size as the front so that the invitation can be printed on it. Then in the pocket I tucked an ivory card and envelope for the reply card, et all.

Oh right, and for my stupid moment....I realised that I have uhm "misplaced" my silver EP, and have forgotten to replace it. So I stamped the initials in Versamark, sprinkled silver Pearl-Ex over it and then clear EP over that and embossed. I kinda like how it turned out all splotchy looking, but I will pick up more silver EP in the not too distant future so that I can do this properly. I think it needs a ribbon around it to hold the card closed....what do you think?

I also don't like the cardstock weight of the dark purple. I need to find some dark purple solid colored paper that is just paper weight....this card is sooooo heavy!

In other news, the watermark that I made broke. I can't figure out what the hell is wrong with it, so I'm just typing over the card and dropping the opacity down on the lettering. Works for me, does the same job, and takes ten seconds.

Neato Pocket Card

I got the most gorgeous RAK from DawnL in my mail on Friday. I kept staring and kept staring and couldn't figure out how to make it! Finally I looked in her gallery on SCS and found the card she had sent me and followed a link to another gallery and voila! There were the directions for this nifty little pocket card.

Supplies: DCWV Old World 8x8 paper stack, TAC CS in dark green, SU! Very Vanilla. All inks by Stewart superior pallete hybrid inks (Sorry, I don't know the colors because they arent on the spots!!!! My durn labels faded. :( ), SU! Definately Decorative Grapes set.

Wow....I got this set from eBay and it had never seen ink before! Apparently it has been retired for a while....I dunno. I just felt like making something that had to do with grapes to inspire me to finish the bottle labels for my boyfriends wine that he makes!

I love how this has a little pocket inside. Dawn put a little bit of CS with a note on it in mine, but I bet it could be a great gift card holder or something too!

Birthday Invitation

Yep. That's my mom. She was 17 when this picture was taken and she is still this beautiful, just 33 years older. Well, she will be on April 3.

I used 5x5 Fabriano notecards and envelopes for this invitation. Stampin' Up! Creamy Caramel ink, Art of Life stamp set, Very Vanilla and Creamy Caramel cardstock, and Ivory organdy ribbon.

I used a Coluzzle to cut the hole in the card and printed the photo on vellum paper. My best friend and I stamped the flower and leaves from Art of Life onto the cut paper with Creamy Caramel ink then attached the photo with a vellum tape runner.

The inside of the invitation is printed on Very Vanilla cardstock using a creamy caramel color from the list of RGB to SU! colors. I layered the VV on a piece of Creamy caramel and then adhered them inside. I didn't take a photo cause I totally didn't feel like photoshopping all of that out....please forgive.

It needed something, so I whipped a little bow with ivory organdy ribbon onto it and voila! Nice, eh?

New goodies

I quit my job at Michaels today, and she asked me to stay on a bit longer for a few things, and so I agreed to do so. Mainly for the discount, honestly...but I love my boss there and I love working with her! It was a hard decision to make, but I think I made the right choice since re-enactment season is coming up and I am getting promoted at my regular job! Yeah!

Anyway. I had to go back to Michaels tonight because I realised I was completely out of MonoAdhesive roller and I needed it to finish the invitations to my mom's 50th birthday party next month. I will post those when they are completely done and up tommorrow!

So I was one of those rude idiots on the phone the whole time while I was shopping for adhesive, wandered a bit and ended up with this handful of pretties. I love the ribbon, but I was restraining myself because I am taking a trip to Toronto this weekend and so want to hit the bead shops on Queen Street...save money, more beads. Yeah!

I made a decision about these little clear stamps and the blocks. I am going to buy up a bunch of the stamps and the blocks, a black ink pad, stamp scrubber and cleaner, and a box of plain, pre-made cards and put them all in a nice basket for my BFF. I'm getting her hooked, slowly and surely....that might just put her over the edge. Maybe....*evil grin*

Stamp Club

CS: Confetti White CS, Green Galore (I think....), Glossy White. Ink: Versamark, spectrum pad. Accessories: Clear EP, white organdy ribbon. Stamps: butterfly of Happiness, SU!

So this was my first brayering experience and my first time trying the Joseph's Coat technique. I am a little brayer illiterate! And spectrum pad illiterate.....ah well. Despite the fact that we did not have an embossing buddy, I think this turned out well!

First we inked up the brayer with the spectrum pad and rolled it over the glossy cardstock. Let it dry, it didnt take long, then stamped the butterflies with versamark and powdered them with clear EP and heated it up. Then I brayered a dark blue (I can't remember the color, I'm sorry!) over that and buffed the ink off of the flutterbyes. Then embellish! I think that was how it went....I hope.....:D

Best Fishes

All schtuff by Stampin' Up! Paper/Ink: Certainly Celery, Tempting Turquois, Cool Carribean, Whisper White. Stamps: Very Punny, Art is Life, Linen BG. Mini Brads by Spare Parts.

Right, so I needed to make a card for my granparents anniversary this Friday (51 years and still strong) and this is what I came up with. I used Laura's Color Combo Site to come up with this combo, but I am not sure how I feel about it yet. I found the layout on SCS a while back, but honestly, I can't remember which sketch challenge it was!

Stamped Linen BG with Certainly Celery on the CC CS and sponged the edges with the same ink. Tied the Celery organdy ribbon around the Tempting Turquoise CS and glued it down. I felt that the Cool Carribean panels needed some oompf so I stamped CC on the CS with the rough stamp from Art of Life...insta oompf!

Stamped the fishes from Very Punny with Basic Black on Whisper White then watercolored with a Niji Aquabrush and pad ink. Punched out with a one inch circle punch and glued the whole shebang down! Nifty, eh?

Sketch Challenge 111

I know it is a little late, but I have not had alot of time to blog, let alone stamp anything interesting. I did, however, just finish up teaching a session (9 weeks) of card making and stamping to 6 MRDD adults, so I should be able to start having some more free time. Yay!

Sketch Challenge 111. Supplies: All SU!, except the ribbon is from the wedding aisle at Michael's. Paper: Ballet Blue, Bashful Blue, Whisper White. Ink: Ballet Blue, Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue. Accessories: Ribbon, Sakura Clear Stardust pen.

I like it...simple and clean, and probably the last card this season that I will make with my 'borrowed' (ie: stolen from the stamping box that my friend has left at my apartment for over a YEAR! That should be termed wreckless abandonment and means the stamps are mine, right? *grin*)....unless of course it snows again....

By the way, I found the COOLEST ribbon at Michael's this week. It's all spooled on wooden spools....velvet, stitched, and stripes. Oh it's yummy! I plan on buying some up this week and will post it as soon as I do!

Also....I saw a new line of papers and scrapbooks called "Once Upon A Time" Wow....glitter and bling and soft fairytale prettiness....*sighs contently* I so need some of this....and an idea to scrapbook with it!

I agree....

http://paper-and-ink.blogspot.com/2007/02/stampers-neurosis.html

Sums up how I feel nicely. Don't think I could have put it so elquetly though.