Sunday, November 18, 2012

Baby Cakes - Card

Card for Troy (click to enlarge) (Paper Smooches stamps, Basic Grey papers)

I got asked to make a baby card for a 'coworker' at the place that I spend the majority of my life at, aka, work!

So - I finally just got it done.  Not like I had time anyway.. I had a busy weekend! With lots of fun tossed in!
 Below is a chronical of the events.. don't feel obligated to read it.  This is for me, for those days when I say 'I don't do a darn thing'.

Friday night, after working all day, I didn't get home until 9pm. Jake had two basketball games (started at 5pm - they won both!) , and Sami had practice after the boys were done.  She was done at 8:30 pm. Then, I had to take her to feed her baby goat at the ranch.  We finally got home at 9pm. Another mom had texted me earlier in the day and invited me to go out!  So I did!  I was dead tired at 9pm, but did not want to be a party-pooper like the kids always call me, so I asked the kids if I could go out for a couple hours.  Their opinion matters to me.  They were tired from their day/night and watching shows and they sent me on my merry way.  I am so happy I went!  I always decline the 'lets go out scene' and just find myself being the working and driving kids everywhere mom with no life.  I did not get home until 11:45 pm.. Karaoke was involved.  I sang at the table while others got up.  It was a GREAT group of people!  Ten of us! A very nice group!

Saturday:  Two more basketball games, that started at 10am, but I had to get Jake to the school by 9:15am. He was late - because of all of us wanting to sleep in!  After the games, I took Sami to the ranch, again, to feed her baby goat.  One of her girlfriends came along because Sami decided they were going to go see that new vampire movie.. and it's not like they can walk to the theater, which is 10 miles from my house. I was the driver.

Jake and I saw Skyfall (LOVE!) while the girls saw that darn vampire movie. 

After the movies I took the kids out for pizza.

Then, 'dropped off' the girlfriend (near North Powder - 25 miles from the movie theater) which was a 25 minute drive and took the kids to the ranch.  Their dad was on his way home.

Saturday night I got home at 8:30 pm.  I crawled into bed and read 2 pages from The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

So, today, was my lazy Sunday.  I took my sweet a** time getting things done around the house.  But when I look back on the day, it seems pretty darn busy!!!  This is how the day went: 
  • Picked up all the branches that were littering the yard from last night's windstorm.  An older cowboy walked by the house - he was feeding horses.  Said our hellos.  What a great way to start the day!  But I was dressed silly - in my running tights.  Ha Ha.  Nothing like having tight tights on to scare away the men folk.
  • I reset the Christmas lights timer so the lights aren't on as long in the am
  • washed bedding, rotated my top mattress
  • got more sticky stuff off the floors from when the cat got stuck in the spider traps - I keep finding sticky stuff
  • did my recycling - took 3 big plastic trash bags full and get this.. I still wearing my running tights, a funky hat, and absolutely no makeup - and wouldn't you know it - another handsome older cowboy decided to pull up - horse trailer and all, he was actually wearing spurs when he got out of the truck, and  he did his recycling too!  I was mortified. I caught him checking me out (probably laughing to himself)  but, he made my day.  I love handsome cowboys. 
  •  After that, I went to explore the area for a run.. I drove up a hill by the dump and hiked/ran up coyote peak.  It was about 30 degrees.  Darn cold! After all, there was ice on the car.  Later I got to thinking, that if for some reason I were to fall off that damn hill, the only thing people would have found in my car would have been a Western Horseman magazine that the cowboy gave me.  With his name and address on it!  Tee hee.  No purse, no id, no phone.  I wasn't very smart, now was I?
  • Came home, made a big fat breakfast of potatoes and eggs and re-fried beans
  • took a nap after my big fat breakfast
  • woke, cleaned the refrigerator out of food I have not eaten, did dishes, put some honey on the stove to de-crystallize
  • Then, made the card
Ta da!  That was my lazy Sunday!  Seriously.  I did take my time doing all those things.  

Have a great rest of the weekend!
I'm going to be dreaming about older cowboys.. I tell ya.  I love living where I do!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

25 in 25:Day 2 and Journaling Cards Challenge

Can you spot the journaling card?  It's the inner most layer, with the mini white dotted border



It's Day 2 of 25 in 25 of  Teri's Challenge.  I made a Thanksgiving Card, using a Pink Paisley journaling card from the Amber Road collection.  Can you say hoarder?  I had two complete sheets until I cut into them in the wee hours this morning!

This card is also for the Journaling Cards Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.

Card Recipe:
Cardstock, ribbon, button, stamp (acorn from Country Blessings Set), ink:  Stampin' Up
Patterned paper: Crate Paper, Pink Paisley
Journaling Card: Pink Paisley
Rafia.

That's it sweet peeps. It's past my bedtime and it's been a very long day.  I made this card between the hours of 5 and 6 am, then went and worked at my day job all day long (after a commute over the mountain with icy roads), and just got back from Sami's Soccer Banquet Dinner.  

To say it's been a full day would be an understatement!
And, I am ready to crawl into bed with a very good book.  Now that's how I like to end a day!  Bliss.

Thank you for visiting!





Monday, November 12, 2012

25 in 25: Day 1

OK.. Call me crazy, but I saw the COOLEST thing on Teri Anderson's Blog.

She and Ashley, another crafty gal, are doing a challenge called 25 in 25.  Make 25 holiday/winter cards in 25 days.  I've decided to give it a try, so I can get my holiday cards banged out!

So, the following card is for a couple of challenges:  The Moxie Fab Square Punch Challenge, and, the Hero Arts Bring on the Bling and Dry Embossing Challenge.

Flat View: So you can see the shine and sparkle: Silver ink and ranger distress stickles. 

Front View (click on photo to see details)


 Supplies:
HA stamps: LL227 Icicle Snowflakes, and CL497 Find Joy (sentiment)
Chipboard Star: Pink Paisley - colored with Colorbox Silver ink and Ranger Distress Stickles, Picket Fence
Bling: HA Gemstone
Yellow polaroid frame: Daniel Flanders - November kit (also had pink paisley star and patterned paper)
Border: Pink Paisley patterned paper, cut with 1/4" square punch, lined up, and also added stickles
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug - sanded to bring out white core
Card stock: American crafts
Sanding block

OK!  So Day 1 is DONE!!!  Only 24 to go!!!

Thoughts: Life Around Here. November 12, 2012

Today I have the day off for Veteran's Day.  I truly am appreciative of those that gave their lives for our freedom.  We are very lucky and blessed to be in America. 

It's Mid November, and we have a winter storm advisory.  Which means snow.  It would be a GREAT day to stay home and craft all day (yes, I have the day off!), but I have to take Jake to the dentist due to an 'accident' that he had on Friday while playing with three other rambunctious ranch kids his age.  The accident involved air soft guns, and basically an 'OK Corral' type of shootout.  Two kids were up on top of a hay stack, while Jake was running around on the ground to hide, and, I'm not sure where the 4th was. This is the story I have weaseled out of them so far (they are all on the basketball team and we had a nice little 'wth' chit chat Saturday before the game - I hadn't seen Jake since Thurs. morning (and I know I dropped him off at school well fed, warm and in once piece - this all happened on his Dad's watch).  Why these kids would aim at each other is beyond me. Jake said Gus wasn't aiming at him.  Sure he wasn't.  Dorks.  A future 'this is how I lost my front permanent tooth story' will be told, no doubt.

Sami has a baby goat named Oliver.  He came to spend the night Friday night (being bottle fed) and did very well!  I live in town, so this was quite the episode to get the goat from the ranch, along with a box setup, and drive it here in my Ford Explorer.  Reverse trip the next day.  No drama with Sami.  Her main goal right now is getting braces on her teeth.  Truly.

I now have a cat.  Rosie.  She came from the ranch, too.  One of our oldest kitties.  She's now in retirement from chasing mice and living in fear from coyotes/dogs/skunks/foxes/mean younger cats and unruly puppies (aka Sami's puppy Carly).  She is now an inside cat. And, doing quite well - except for the 'sticky trap' she got into and the $165 vet bill to clean her up - yeah, sticky yucky mess. 

As much as I am trying to stay focused on the things I am thankful for (I decorated in and out for Thanksgiving), I can't help myself from jumping forward to Winter and Christmas!  I love Christmas! 

Here's the list:
  • Yesterday, while the weather was still nice (34 degrees instead of 18) I got the outdoor Christmas Lights setup on the timer, and replaced two strands.  Right now, at 7:30 am the lights are on.  I appear to have some timing issues. I wanted to get this done when the wind wasn't blowing or snow up to my knees!  My neighbors probably think I am nuts.  (Oh!  the lights went off at 7:35 am!  Cool!)
  • Not related to Christmas but to winter: I also winterized the outdoor faucet and the stupid vents that go under the house.  I say stupid because whomever installed them just used a cheap flat metal plate that doesn't close and is not recessed to install insulation or a cover.  There are a total of 5 of these heat suckers and three are around my bedroom, which is the coldest freakin' room in the house (frigid, and not because of me).  I don't let my bare feet hit the ground - they would be icicles.  So I covered the vents with plastic and taped them down - onto the concrete that surrounds them.  Gorilla duct tape and concrete does not look very sturdy - regardless of what the label says! Probably won't last.  Need a plan B. A way to block them.  Looks like I'll be going to the hardware store today.
  • I picked my 'Christmas in a Box' theme for this year!  Yippee!!!!  This means I can start collecting goodies that match the theme.  (Box that get's sent to close relatives)
  • I need to get my calendar made for 2013 - another gift for close relatives. Snapfish is my friend!
  • I need to get our Christmas Card photo done.  And then order them and send them off, with a short '2012' letter.  My secret goal is to address cards Thanksgiving Weekend and get them in the mail on Nov. 26th.  
  • I really want about 4 craft days to get it all done.  Alone. 
  • I keep 'fake' shopping on line - filling carts and never actually purchasing items.
  • Tree?  A real one.  Ususally the day after Thanksgiving.  But, if the weather and my 'head' cooperate, I will be traveling over the river and through the ice/snow/yucky weather to California for my Grandma's 100th birthday party.
Thanks for reading my epic thoughts!
Time to call the Dentist.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

PS Sparks Challenge - Typography

Click Here to Go to the Sparks Site

The Challenge: Trend Watch: Typography

My Entry - Uses four Paper Smooches Stamps

In the morning light - which I love!
Here is my entry for this week's Paper Smooches challenge.  This time Typography.  I love love love subway art!  For this card I white embossed three different PS sentiment stamps to create one longer sentiment. 

Card Recipe:
Paper Smooches Stamps:   Word Up('for you' and 'just because'); Sentiment Sampler ('you're special); Falling for You (heart).
Card Stock: American Crafts
Patterned Paper - My Minds Eye
Chipboard Star - Pink Paisley
Versamark embossing ink
Ranger Sea Foam embossing Powder

Once again, thank-you for looking and visiting!!!



Sunday, November 4, 2012

PS Sparks Picture Perfect Challenge

Guess who made a card today?

Yep!  After visiting the Paper Smooches Challenge site, I got inspired!




I was inspired by this lovely image, which can be found along with the challenge over at the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Site:


The colors, the graphic, the simplicity.  Who could resist?

Here is my entry:
Peace, Love and Happiness (click on to enlarge)


Supplies:
Stamps:  Paper Smooches 'Pretty Phrases' (sentiment); CHF Kim Hughes Collection 'Winter Trees' (small star)
Inks: SU & Versamark
Embossing Powder: Ranger - Seafoam White
Cardstock:  SU & American Crafts
Chipboard Star:  Pink Paisley - from the Portfolio Line (altered with yellow ink - brings out the polka dots!)
Felt flag pins:  From a kit I purchased from Danielle Flanders, her Portfolio Kit.

 Well, there you have it!  Thank you for visiting!!!!


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