OCC Challenge

Jennifer at Our Creative Corner challenged us to use at least two hearts on a card this week for Valentine's Day. I covered that, and more! I ended up with 22 hearts on my card! Some you can't see because of other elements on top of them, so you'll just have to take my word for it!

I used CTMH That's Amore paper pack along with CTMH Tulip and Blush inks. I used my Fiskars Threading Water punch for the Chocolate cardstock then came back in with a mini heart punch from my stash and punched every third hole to make it a heart. The heart with flourishes has Diamond Stickles on it that don't photograph worth a darn! I also used one of CTMH's new Pretty Pins and a heart pin that I had in my stash. On the other side, I ran a piece of cardstock thru the Cuttlebug Hearts embossing folder which I had inked up with Blush before I embossed it. I then inked the edges with Tulip ink and distressed the edges. I found a heart brad in my stash, so I folded down the top corner of the paper to let some of the background paper peek thru. Then for good measure, I stamped a heart in that corner!

This is Denise's last week as a DT member at OCC. She will still be playing along with us, but has decided to step down from the DT. We'll miss you Denise!

Katie's Album

I made acrylic albums for both of my sisters for Christmas. Due to unforseen circumstances, we weren't able to get their gifts to them til this past week. They both loved them. And favorite oldest nephew Kyle thought it would make a perfect birthday gift for his girlfriend Katie next month. Her favorite colors are purple and green and Kathy had some paper laying around that she "donated" for the cause. I've got more stuff in my stash than Carter has pills, so this came together very easily. I hope she likes it!

CPS challenge week 100

Fun sketch this week on http://www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/! I pulled out the CTMH winter promo paper pack, Key To My Heart for this card. I'd not used any of the papers yet and I was determined to remedy that! I also used the stamp set that comes with the paper pack. The big hearts are T!m Holtz GrungeBoard that I painted with CTMH Create A Shade Pearl Paint for shimmer. CTMH Tulip Embroidery thread was used to outline the dotted paper and I sponged around hearts on the dotted paper as well. The Key is pop-dotted. A CTMH Spring Blossom Mini Medley Creme Brulee corner adorner is in the top right corner.

OCC challenge

Jennifer at Our Creative Corner gave us a sketch to work with this week. I pulled out CTMH Emporium paper pack and Crystal Blue and Sweet Leaf ink. I used my Pinking Circles Nestabilities. Sentiment is from CTMH Friendship Word Puzzle and is pop dotted. Chipboard is Deluxe Designs from my stash that I covered in the Sweet Leaf bubble paper from Emporium then sponged the edges in Sweet Leaf and a dot of Lime Green Stickles.

Welcome Robert!

My friend Chris and her hubby Mike became the proud parents of Robert Matthew at 9:58 AM this morning. Baby Bob weighed 7 lbs 15 oz and was 20" long. Everyone is resting comfortably and getting to know each other. Life, as they knew it, will never be the same!

Love box

Just a little something I threw together this morning. I had not sat at the scrap table since Sunday, and I was suffering withdrawls! I found the adorable mailbox at the Target Dollar Spot on Monday while I was killing 1.5 hrs waiting for the Pathologist to read the sample the Dermo had cut out. I used CTMH That's Amore paper pack and coordinating inks, Blush, Tulip, Sweet Leaf and Chocolate. I have no idea who the mfg of the stamp set I used is. I know I've had it for.ever and this is the first time I've ever used it! I'll put it on my entry table and maybe have some Valentine-y candy spilling out of it.

Seeing "Spots"

Ever since this post http://sue-thislife.blogspot.com/2008/08/todays-psa.html, I've been very proactive in checking my body. The "thang" in my ear that I'd had for years that ended up being basal cell scared the crap outta me. So in the last 6 weeks, I've had three different bumps come up. One on my left temple and one on each of my upper arms, in almost the exact spot on each arm! I had a Dermo appt scheduled for last week to have some skin tags around my neck frozen, but instead she took biopsies of the bump on my face and three additional spots on my back that she said looked "suspicious." I also had a growth on my left foot that I'd had about a year. She said it was most likely a cyst, as are the ones on my arms, but because the one on my foot was so large and was becoming painful, she would take it off as well and we scheduled that for Tue 20th. She said I'd have the biopsy results back in 4-6 weeks. This was on Wed 14th. They called me on Fri 16th. If I've learned nothing else, when the Dermo office tells you results in 4-6 weeks and they call you two days later, it's not gonna be good news. The spot on my temple was basal cell. Could I come in on Monday 19th while the Pathologist was there so they could do essentially the same thing to my temple as they did to my ear back in August. Cut off part of my face, have the Path freeze and cross-section it to make sure they got everything. If they did, sew me up and go home. If they didn't cut some more. Sure! I'd love to come and let you cut on me two days in a row!! I was at the office from 10:45 til almost 5 on Monday. Not fun. Sitting in a waiting room full of old farts bitching about how cold the waiting room is (it wasn't!) and clicky-clacking their dentures almost drove me to the nut house. I did get to leave for a while after they did the initial cutting, but it was not a fun afternoon. My Dermo is very good and she did get it all the first time, so they stitched me up and sent me home. Then I was back at the office bright and early at 8:30 AM on Tue to have the foot taken care of. Since this was a cyst, there was no need for a Psth report. She did find a "growth" that had attached itself to the muscle in my foot, so she has sent that to an outlab to have it tested. So now I've got a sore face and a sore foot, each with 6 stitches in them! I go back in two weeks to take the stitches out and she will then dig into the three spots on my back that showed "abnormal cells."

Once again I will say. Check yourself. Often. We women know how important our Breast Self Exams are. You do that once a month. When you do it, get into the habit of checking the rest of your body. Have your hubby check your back. We all know how much they love seeing us nekkid!! Make him work for the pleasure! Don't be like the lady they were telling me about the other day. She had a spot come up on her cheek. She ignored it. Monday, they had to take over half of her cheek off because of basal cell. When all she should have had was a small scar that would have been easily covered up with makeup. It's your body. You only get one. Take care of it.

SheetLoad Jan challenge

So I couldn't get the Jan issue of SheetLoad of Cards - Free Monthly eZine to download. I tried everything but standing on my head while trying to download it! So I finally emailed Alicia and she fired me off a direct link to the download. Worked perfectly!

Such a pretty sketch to work with this month. I pulled out another oldie but goodie with CTMH Sonata paper pack and Floral Delights stamp set. CTMH inks are Buttercup, Lilac Mist, Chocolate and Hollyhock. I used Glossy Accents and Prisma Glitter on the flower, which I then pop-dotted for some added interest. CTMH Hollyhock twill ribbon and Nestibilities Labels 2 dies were also used on this card.

CPS challenge 100

Fun challenge for this week! Since it's the 100th challenge, we were asked to go back into the archives and pick any layout for our card. And since last week was my first week, I had 98 weeks to choose from!! We were also asked to do a blue theme so all cards could be sent to Tami in honor of her new baby boy.

I chose week 27 for my card. I decided on CTMH Aspen paper pack along with coordinating inks, Bamboo, Creme Brulee, Outdoor Denim and Twilight. I used CTMH Flower Child stamp set for the "baby flower" and sentiment. For the baby flower, I used my water brush to add color and it is pop-dotted on the petals. Used my Fiskars Threading Water punch on the plaid dp, then sponged the edges for a bit of dimension. A piece of CTMH Outdoor Denim and Creme Brulee ribbon finish off this card.

OCC Challenge

Jennifer at Our Creative Corner challenged us this week with Emboss Resist. Basically, you use your embossing pad and stamp. Then cover your design in Clear Embossing powder and heat. Then you take ink or chalk or some other color medium and cover the entire area. Once you do that, you then take a paper towel and wipe it down and where you embossed will "resist" the color medium. It's a really cool look!

I decided to use Kraft cardstock. And as usual, I had no idea other than that. My card just kinda evoloved, as they generally do! I pulled out an oldie but goodie stamp set, CTMH Friendship Blessings. I just love the flowers in that set! I random stamped the large and medium open flowers on my cardstock, then came back in with the solid leaf stamp. I used three different colors of CTMH inks, Sweet Leaf, Honey and Tulip. Found some paper flowers in my stash and added them to the sentiment along with a piece of ribbon.

SheetLoad Shoutout

OK, I've said it before. I'll say it again. I LOVE SheetLoad of Cards - Free Monthly eZine AND SheetLoad ShortCuts I love the E-Zine because every month the designers give you a great card sketch to work with AND a prize. I love the clear and frosted card blanks that are offered at ShortCuts. They are great quality and so easy to work with. If you haven't tried their products, I highly urge you to. Shipping is great. They always have your stuff out if not the day, the day after your order arrives.

Here's a direct link to the current January E-Zine.
http://sheetload.blogspot.com/2009/01/click-on-thumbnail-above-to-download.html

C'mon. Click it! You know you want to!!

The pretty before the cold...

And yes, I know, cold is a relative term! But we are expecting some cold for Florida temps for the rest of this week. They are saying that by Sat morning, we could see lows in the mid to low 20's. And for us, that's cold! Now by Chris, Deb and Jenn's terms in IL, that's warm! They are not supposed to see temps out of the single digits for highs the rest of the week. But by Fairbanks, AK terms, that's warm! Our weather guy was saying they were having high's in the -40 range last week. Since when is -40 a HIGH temperature?!

Anyway, I thought I'd best get a picture of my blooming cherry tree before the cold comes and kills all of the bloom. It will probably bloom again, but it will not have as much bloom or be as pretty as it is now. The bees and wasps have been loving it for about the past week! It is always one of the first things to bloom and I think the flying pollen collectors set their watches by it!

Belated Birthday gifts

I celebrated my 50th birthday all last year and it looks like I may well be celebrating 51 all this year too!

I recieved the most awesome belated birthday gifts yesterday from my friend Jenn! She had me in tears. I got a box FULL of great stuff. I discovered Trader Joe's Island Soyaki marinade when John and I stopped at TJ's in Atlanta last April. It is wonderful on veggies, pork, beef, seafood, whatever you want to put it on! Jenn sent me a bottle of it! And a box of Brandy Beans from TJ's also! Chocolate coffee bean shapes filled with Brandy. And they are not good! At all! The box is half gone. If they were any good, the box should be completely gone, right?! She made the cutest chickens "talking" card and enclosed a stamped image so I can make one too! And last, but certainly not least. She made a cook-book for me using lots of her favorite tried and true recipes, some with pictures of the actual completed dish. That is what did me in. As Oprah calls it, I was "ugly crying" when I saw it. So glad there wasn't an audience here to witness that! I can't wait to try the recipes and I will treasure it always!

CPS Challenge 99

I was doing some blog surfing and came upon a new (to me) challenge site. This one looks like it will be lots of fun.Every week there will be a new sketch. http://www.cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/

Here's what I came up with for this week's sketch. I used black for my card base, then a piece of CTMH Silhouette B&T along with a flower that I cut out of a piece of Urban Gypsy dp that I had in my stash. I used Black Stickles on the outside and highlight lines of the flower and Yellow Stickles for the pistils. I then attached it using various pop dots for height and dimension. The ribbon is from CTMH Black Ribbon Rounds. The smaller flowers are CTMH My Accents Paper Flowers that I painted using CTMH Create A Shade Pearl Paint and CTMH Sunflower reinker. White brads for the flower centers.

More baby thank you cards

This is (I think!) the last of the Thank You cards for Chris to send for baby gifts. If she needs more, I will certainly be more than happy to make them.

I used Magic Moments paper pack for this one since I used up all of my Silhouette paper for the first ones. The flower is stamped in Black StazOn. Then I used my blending brush and Sunflower ink and colored in the petals, then came back with my Sunflower marker and added highlights. I used my ScorIt to make the lines on the bottom piece of cardstock, then drug it thru my Indian Corn Blue ink pad for some added interest.

OCC Challenge

Jennifer at Our Creative Corner challenged us to use any two shades of blue for this week. Blue is my favorite color, so this was an easy challenge for me. Not to mention the fact that I already had an old CTMH campaign paper pack, Serendipity, on my scrap table for a completely different project! So I didn't even have to find a paper pack to play with!!

The two blues in this pp are CTMH Dutch Blue and CTMH Outdoor Denim. The flower is from CTMH Friendship's Garden. I stamped it in Outdoor Denim then used my blending brush to pick up color from my Dutch Blue ink pad to color the petals. A bit of CTMH Sunny Yellow in the pistils for a pop of color. The flower is pop dotted for some dimensional interest.

Finally!

There was an unexpected but "It's about time" surprise for me when I went to do chicken duty yesterday afternoon. The girls had started moulting back in late Oct. When they moult, the do not lay as all of the calcium that they would normally be putting into the egg shells are going into making new feathers to sustain them through the winter. It's something that all chickens do, even the ones who live in Florida! Now the moult is long over, but I think they got used to not laying and I had not gotten a single egg in over 2 months. I kept threatening to put them in the stew pot every time I would go out! I don't think any of them believed me though! I think they know that I'm an old softie and I could never eat something that I have given a name to! So they continued to eat the food I give and drink the water and poop so I can clean that up but leave me no eggs. Then yesterday I walk out to find that two of the girls have suddenly remembered that they are chickens and oh yeah, we're supposed to lay eggs here! I had not been to the coop since Sunday, so two girls each laid two eggs sometime between Sunday and Tuesday. Now they just need to have a talk with their chicken sisters!

Baby Shower Thank You's

I know I've mentioned I'm gonna be a cyber-Auntie to my friend Chris's new bundle of joy who is due in a couple of weeks.( I still think they should name it Sue, no matter the sex. Look what Johnny Cash did with A Boy Named Sue!) Her family and friends up yonder in the cold frozen tundra of northern IL threw her a baby shower and I offered to make her thank you's for her gifts. I made them generic, since we don't know the babys sex. She got them yesterday and loved them. So now that she has them, I can share! Ad now I'm gonna get started on some that she can send once the baby does arrive. Cuz there are some people...like me...who want to send gender specific things! Old school here!

OCC challenge

A new year, a new month and a new hostess for the Our Creative Corner challenge! Jennifer Meyer is the hostess for January. She gave us a cute sketch for our first challenge.

I decided to flip the sketch on it's side. I used a new CTMH paper pack, Emporium along with Intrinsic Backgrounds stamp set. CTMH inks in Cocoa and Crystal Blue. Fiskars Threading Water punch with a few pieces of jute tied through the holes for some added interest. Chipboard letters are from We R Memory Keepers.

Susan's swap

January 1 means a new catalog with CTMH and thus, a new swap with my 3rd upline Susan. I really love Asian inspired papers and stamps and I have my fill of them with this catalog! The Unforgettable paper pack is just beautiful in color and simplicity. And the new Kanji Phrases stamp set has images I can use throughout the year to make mil cards to send to family and friends.

Happy New Year

Starting off 2009 much the same as 2008 ended! John was in bed by 6 again last night. The holidays are no fun when you work in the retail industry. Today his New Years Day will be spent building Super Bowl displays. The Super Bowl is in Tampa this year, so everyone is pulling out all the stops to bring some much needed cash flow into the area. Then new year managed to come in just fine with no help from me, although I did manage to stay awake til 10!

Today we will have our traditional Southern meal of mustard greens, black eye peas, rice and cornbread. According to folklore, we eat the greens for greenbacks (dollars), peas for peace, rice for riches, cornbread for gold and the hog jowls or in my case, bacon to season the greens and peas, for joy.