April 8, 2009

Today is John's and my 20th wedding anniversary. WOW! Has it really been 20 years? It really seems like just yesterday. We've had a few hiccups, but for the most part, it's been a good run! I guess we're gonna stick it out!

He had beautiful tulips delivered yesterday. I figure he's already got the best gift of all...me...so that's what he's getting! We got cards from Kathy, Jan and mom and my friend Jenn (who couldn't resist being a smart ass!) and an e-card from Chris.

I did make John a card. Twenty reasons why I love you. I'll share a couple of them. You love me unconditionally. You spoil me shamelessly. I can pick on you about your love for John Wayne, Star Wars and Star Trek. When you hug me, it makes everything all better. I told him there were more than 20 reasons, but if he wanted to hear the rest, he'd have to stick around!

Here's to the next 20!

Easter cards

Because I was an idiut and forgot to take a picture of the Easter cards I sent out, Jill was kind enough to take a picture of hers and send so I could post.

I used a mat stack I got for less than $3.00 at Michael's, so the background on each is different. The bunnies I stamped using the CTMH Feb SOM, Easter Eggs, then cut a triangle in each.

CardPatterns challenge

Great sketch this week at CardPatterns. They just keep coming up with the cutest sketches!

I got my CTMH Summer Idea Book and Stamp of the Month Autoship earlier this week. Lots of cool new papers and stamps and some new alterable things as well!! So I'll be showing a sneak peek here and there to whet your appetite for upcoming new things starting in May!

This is the May SOM, called "Be Yourself." It has 8 images of ladies doing a variety of things. From running to dancing with different sentiments to go with them. This is a really cute set!

I flipped the sketch 90 degrees. I used the STMH Stardust paper pack since my order of new paper isn't here yet! I used Nestabilities Labels Four, then stamped the lady in Black ink. The top of her dress is paper pieced. I cut tiny pieces of Sunny Yellow and Star Spangled Blue Sassy Strands to do the layers on her dress. As soon as I saw the dress, it reminded me of the 20's era Flapper dresses and I knew I had to use Sassy Strands on it! I also used my new EK Success punch Embossed Scallop and sponged the edges in Bamboo ink for added definition. I will be duplicating this 5 more times for our Team SOM swap...I think I may lose my mind cutting and attaching all those tiny pieces of Sassy Strands!

Contrails

I love looking up at the sky. Dad and I used to lie on our backs and see what we could find in the clouds. What shape, animal, whatever. And I still look up at the clouds.

This morning, there was not a cloud in the sky. Just crystal clear blue. Except these two contrails which made two giant "X's" in the sky! It's hard to tell in the pictures, but the angle of the sun in the sky gave the contrails an almost orange glow.

Amy R's challenge

Amy's got another versatile sketch up at Prairie Paper & Ink this week.

I needed a card for my friend Evan, who had to have an emergency appendectomy earlier this week. He's doing much better, resting comfortably at home, but it was a couple of scary days while they tried to figure out what was wrong with him.

I pulled out CTMH Stardust paper pack and CTMH Bird Basics stamp set. The bird wing has some Prisma Glitter cuz even guys need some glitter in their lives! I got to use my brand new EK Success Swiss Cheese punch on this card too!

Feel better soon, Evan. Keep the heavy lifting to a minimum!

Happy Birthday Liane!

April starts where March left off! Today is my friend Liane's birthday. She's 29. Same as me! I found these paper mache` letters at JoAnn's and decided she needed one with her name on it. Cuz you know, once you hit 29, you occasionally have temporary insanity moments when you just. can't. remember. your. own. name! So in those moments, all she has to do is look over her shoulder, and there it will be. I also made some peppermint patty flowers for her, but she said the peppermint patties were gone by the time they got to her. I know I've had that same problem with candy that people send me, so I totally understand. Those poor overworked Postal workers get hungry too! Happy Birthday my friend!

Awwwwwwwwww!

I started out to get the mail a few minutes ago and there was a baby gopher tortoise hoofing it across the driveway! They are on the Threatened List because so much of their habitat has been paved over. They like to live in the sandy soil of pine forests and with the rampant growth that Florida has seen, so much of those pine forests are now shopping malls or subdivisions or both, and the tortoises haven't fared very well. This little guy, who is less than 6" long, posed for a few pictures, then continued on his merry way.