Any Time of Life, It's Good To Be Alive!

These Things I Know To Be True (Random Stuff On My Mind Today)!

{1}  I woke up this morning with a giant zit on my chin.  I am going in for my regular skin cancer check at the dermatologist tomorrow.  The irony of this is not lost on me.

 

{2}  I have not lived up to my potential.  That was hard to type. 

 

I have not submitted anything for publication in over a year, I have not tried out for a design team in 15 months, and I have been remiss in sending handmade greetings to countless friends, relatives and online friends over the past year.  I feel like I used to be successful at all of those things.  

 

I signed up for an online class in hopes of feeling refreshed, but it just didn't work quite as well as I thought it would.  I have done only a third of the lessons.  The sad thing is that I think I have lost the confidence, nerve, and self-esteem that were always the center of when I created things in the past.  Where the heck did those go?  If found, please return to me.

 

I am not saying all of this to elicit sympathy.  It is really the result of trying to figure out why I go into my work room, stare at things and walk out.

 

{3}  The lure of collecting new stamps, however, has not been lost on me.  I have placed orders this week with some stamp companies that are new to me, and eagerly await the boxes that will arrive shortly!  Whether I use these stamps right away or just covet them is another thing.

 

{4}  I am having a hard time trying to figure out how to store my Nestabilities dies.  If anyone has any coolio ideas, please share them with the class.  I saw someone had made a little book with magnetic pages made from larger magnet sheets (like from Walmart or Michael's) and I may try doing that.  The plastic clamshell packaging they come in is driving me nuts, so I will need to do something sometime soon.

 

{5}  A skunk got into my husband's office building this week and they had to call Animal Control to remove it.  Apparently it got in by way of a loading dock.  Probably just looking for a warm place and some food.  I don't have to tell you how bad my husband would have smelled if the skunk had shared its essence with everyone.  I don't want to think about that.

All I Need Is The Air I Breathe And A Place To Rest My Head!

Those are lyrics from the song "Say (All I Need)" by OneRepublic.  The theme for today is "need".   Anywhere I can work song lyrics into my life, I will!!

Two of my SBS9 sistahs, Suzann and Manna, both of whom have a great sense of humor, posted lists on their blogs that were obtained by going to Google and entering "(Your name here) needs".  You ditch the parenthesis, type your name where indicated, and leave the quotation marks.  So, for example, I typed "Wendy needs".  Then you post the first 10 things that are listed.  Both of them have some pretty funny things on their lists and I have to tell you that more than one thing on my list made me chuckle!  Here's what Google came up with for me:

1.  Wendy needs a patient, loving and committed family who can provide structure.

2.  Wendy needs a little time.

3.  Wendy needs to warm up to animal welfare.

4.  Wendy needs every measuring cup and teaspoon she can find.

5.  Wendy needs to know that doing whippets can cause frostbite of the nose.

6.  Wendy needs a new sewing machine.

7.  Wendy needs to wake up!

8.  Wendy needs some props.

9.  Wendy needs Mac help fast.

10.Wendy needs a roommate.

If you are inclined to waste time on your computer today, go for it!  Also, if anyone can explain to me what "doing whippets" is, I would love to know.  I know that a whippet is a dog breed, but that nowhere near makes sense in this case.

Back soon with a new card.....I am just waiting for something to dry so I can take a photo of it!!  :)

 

Oooooh....Friday The 13th!!

If I was superstitious, this would really bug me....but I'm not.  Just another day as far as I am concerned.  Just the day before Valentine's Day.  Why am I talking about this?  HA

Another felt heart Valentine's card, this one using a large scalloped heart with buttons sewn on it.  I don't really sew, so this was a bit of a stretch for me.  Not to mention I went a little crazy with the buttons.  I also used Shimmerz again (wooooooo!) on the handmade flower punched from a page in an old book.  Some of the other supplies are from the awesome February Studio Calico kit that I finally dug into.

   

 

Details:

* Lace Love Notes patterned paper and Die Cut Tags

     from Love Notes Collection by Making Memories

* Bliss Bingo Card by Jenni Bowlin

* Red Pearls by Kaiser Scrapbook

Pink Cadillac Bling Cardstock by Bazzill

Hotty Pink Shimmerz

Apron Lace Border Punch by Fiskars

Flower punch by Carl

Vintage Photo Distress Ink pad by Ranger

Other - Handmade felt heart; old book page

 

* Items from February Studio Calico kit

Relapse, Comic Relief & Valentines.....3 of The Most Unrelated Things!

We went to see the comedian Frank Caliendo on Saturday night.....you may know him from either his TV show "Frank TV" or from his John Madden impersonation on the NFL pregame shows on CBS.  The tickets were one of the Christmas gifts I gave to Mike, and we had super seats in the 3rd row!  My stomach and face muscles will never be the same from laughing so much!

I paid a price, though.  I was in bed early Monday night, all day Tuesday and part of today because I felt so lousy again.  Things are okay again, but this getting old crap is for the birds!  I just don't bounce back from stuff like I did even 5 years ago.  {sigh}

These are some of the Valentines I made with the felt hearts that I sewed for the Embellishment class I am taking (speaking of which, I am now so far behind that I will never catch up.....but I keep plugging along!).  I am posting a close-up of the hearts that were stamped with Shimmerz.  Shimmerz (iridescent water-based paints) are way cool!!!  It is my new favorite medium and I plan to Shimmerz all over the place!

   

 

Details:

From The Heart stamp by The Stamping Studio

Cranberry Cat's Eye pigment ink pad by ColorBox

Pink Shimmerz

Blush Red Dark and Frost Pink Prismatics cardstock by Prism Papers

Shell Pink Twill Tape by Martha Stewart Crafts

Sugar Stripe patterned paper from Kiss And Tell collection by My Mind's Eye

Pure Red Zig marker

Heart Blocks embossing folder from Cuttlebug by Provo Craft

Classic Scalloped Squares die from Nestabilities by Spellbinders

Other:  Lace; smooth white cardstock; handmade felt heart

Saving The Environment, One Step At A Time!

I helped to save a tree's life today!  I used paper made from bananas! 

But then, in my excitement, I realized that I used a living, breathing banana and that I used other paper on this card......so now I have to live with the guilt of killing not only a tree, but a banana as well.

The banana notebook paper is cool stuff, though.  You probably can't see it from the photo, but it has bits of banana in it.  I came across a bunch of "food" notebooks at the Cornell University bookstore when we were visiting our daughter.  Off the top of my head, I have coffee paper, too. 

This card is made with an embellished button that I made for the Embellishements:  Beautifully Handmade class I am taking (see felt hearts and discussion about class in the post below).

 

Details:

Swirly Scrolls and Framed Sentiments stamp sets by

     The Stamping Studio

Coffee Bean dye ink pad by Paper Salon

Sondra Drive patterned paper and Label Sticker from

     Sonoma Collection by Scenic Route

Blush Red Dark Prismatics cardstock by Prism Papers

Banana Paper by EcoPapers

Clouds Paper Edgers by Fiskars

Other:  Red gems, big brown button, jute

 

 

I {heart} This!

The class I have eluded to taking in previous posts is through an online site called Get It Scrapped! and is called Embellishments:  Beautifully Handmade.  Our teacher is Tania Willis, which is a name you probably recognize.  I wanted to take a class to learn how to make some different things to use on cards, and the class has been really informative!  It is exciting to be doing something other than what I usually do!  Anyway, look around on the site and you'll see all the cool things they offer besides this embellishment class...they also have a gallery and message board.

Here is a small part of what I have been working on this week, trying to catch up from being sick.  These are some embellished hearts, 20 in all, that I have been sewing to use on Valentine's Day cards.  

These are made from materials I had stashed away.  Interestingly enough, all the sequins are leftovers from when my daughters used to make sequin calendars for their great-grandmother at Christmastime.  She has been gone for 11 years, so that will tell you how long I've had them!!  It makes me happy to finally put them to use and makes me smile with all the remembrances.

I'll be back soon with some Valentines cards!