Vinyl is back!

Ok, not the vinyl as in records. LOL Be honest....do any of you still own any? Some people just can't let those 45's go, even though they may not have own a record player in years. Moving on...

A new friend I met through Freecycle gave me some vinyl scraps. They have a print shop and make the large banners and signs that you can have custom made. So I ran the vinyl through my Big Shot using the Serif Essential Alphabet and created some fun stuff. First, I put "VIKINGS" across the back window of my hubby's Jeep in purple. He loved it! Next, I decorated his laptop.

I had to do mine, of course. I had already added the Home Decor crown from SU to my laptop so I add to elaborate on that.

What do you think? I'm so excited about them.

I promised you last post I would show you a birthday gift I made. Here it is...

Using my Scor-Pal, I created a box to house 16 Hershey's chocolate nuggets out of cardstock and acetate. A little stamping and some Avery address labels and viola, a handmade gift.

No peeking...

So I worked on some projects yesterday, but unfortunately can't show you yet. Not because they are not finished...they are, but because they are gifts and those people might see them and ruin the surprise. :o) I will post them next week.
I worked on some class prep. I had to postpone last Tuesday class. I'm adding to this coming Tuesday with another class, Sunflower Thanks. If you are interested in attending, please let me know.
Also, for the month of November I have decided to run a BIRTHDAY SALE. My birthday is at the end of the month and want to share the treats with you. Also I'm calling it my Give Thanks sale because I am so thankful for all my friends and customers and they deserve a reward. So for the rest of the month you will receive FREE shipping on your order, that is a 10% savings. If enough orders are collected to qualify for hostess benefits, I will draw for a mystery hostess to receive the benefits. OR if your order qualifies, YOU will receive the benefits.
Happy stampin'. I'm off to run some errands for more supplies. hehehe!

Tuesday, but felt like a Monday

My day did not go as planned, but it worked out ok for the most part. Looking forward to having a day with my kids tomorrow.
I stopped by Bath & Body Works for my FREE bottle of Signature Collection Body spray. Love when they send me coupons for FREE stuff. it was time to switch form my Sweet Pea to something more seasonal. I got Warm Vanilla. YUMMMMM!

I did make it to the post office to mail off my recipe 6x6 swaps. I completed mine for Nov and Dec swaps. Woohoooooo! I've shown you Nov's. Do you want to see Dec's? DUH! Of course you do.

I made the lil' BAB guy into a Gingerbread Bear. :o) I made another one after these were all done. I chopped off the bears head and replaced it with a large circle punch. OMGosh! Sooooo cool. Yes, I amaze myself sometimes. LOL I'll share it another time.

After the post office trip, I headed to my trusty Wally World. I had some grocery shopping to do and I needed chocolate nuggets for some nugget boxes I need to get made this week. Look what I also found.......Strawberried Peanut Butter M&M's. They are ok. I prefer regular PB, but nice to try something new. They are a Special Edition, so if you are interested, you better get them before they are gone.

While I was shopping my good friend, Dale, called. She mentioned this Limited Edition soda that was a must have and told me how she drove all over looking for it because it is her favorite. Well, I picked up a bottle for myself. I drank about 1/4 of it. My son will LOVE it. He will think it was a treat tomorrow. I enjoy a Mountain Dew from time to time. A fountain drink makes it even better, but not a fan of this one.

After M&M's and soda today. I needed something somewhat healthy for dinner. Rotisserie chicken and salad to the rescue. And lots of water. :o)

Did you know that Sesame Street turns 40 this month? I share my birthday month with Sesame Street. How awesome is that? I watch a clip from the first episode today. Oscar was orange. So glad they changed him to green. Good improvement. And the original actor is still performing. Happy birthday, Sesame Street!

November Reasons to Stamp

Like we NEED a reason, right? But here are some "important" dates in November to keep in mind when stamping. They might also work for reasons to head to Vegas. Do you know that commercial? LOL
Whatever you do, don't forget about November 27th. One of the most important days in the last 40 years! :o)
November 1 - Day of the Dead - find out more about the Day of the Dead celebrations and ideas for rubber stamping and crafts activities here - Day of the Dead Projects.
November 1 - The Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel Unveiled - in 1512. While perhaps not on the Michelangelo scale, why not use rubber stamps to decorate your home. Stamps, in particular foam stamps, can be used to stamp decorations on walls. This can be a good way to give a room a makeover quickly and easily, as a low-cost.
November 1 - National Literacy Day - mark the day by reading a story to a young one and encouraging them to make a picture or collage using rubber stamps to illustrate the story. For more information see the National Literacy website.
November - 2 First Scheduled Radio Broadcast - in 1920. Today there are plenty of ways to listen to the radio, including listening to the radio over the Internet. Try listening to some craft related podcasts while you are stamping, it's a great way to find out more about different crafts. There are some great podcasts available. Here are some of my favorites:* Craft Magazine Podcasts* CraftSanity* CraftyPod
November 3 - Sandwich Day - this day marks the birth in 1718 of John Montague, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, who gave his name to the Sandwich. Mark the day by making your own special sandwiches and packing these in handmade and hand stamped packaging. If you don't fancy making your own packaging then why not make a hand stamped note and pop this in the lunch box to let someone know that you are thinking of them on Sandwich Day!
November 3 - Culture Day in Japan - this day is a day to celebrate Japanese culture. The Yamaha Motor Group have some scenes of Japan paper craft projects available on their website, these include free printable paper Plum Blossom and Japanese bush warbler models. For more information see the Yamaha Motor Group website.
November 4 - The Anniversary of the Discovery of King Tutankhamen's Tomb - celebrate the day with your own Egyptian themed project. If you don't have any Egyptian themed rubber stamps then how about making a pyramid gift box. These can be used in many ways and make great favors or decorations. See Pyramid Gift Box and Template for more information.
November 5 - Guy Fawkes Day And Bonfire Night - this marks the day when Guy Fawkes and other conspirators planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament. The day is celebrated with bonfires and fireworks displays. If you are going to the fireworks display and want to take photographs have a look at this useful article about firework photography - Firework Photos Basics. No firework party is complete without fudge and toffee apples, make some fudge for friends and package it in bags with hand stamped bag toppers. See this list of top 10 fudge recipes from About.com Candy.
November 6 - Anniversary of the birth of James Naismith - inventor of basketball, in 1861. There are many different types of basketball themed rubber stamps available, these range from images of a basketball through to rubber stamps showing well-known players. These can make a great gift for a basketball fan. Keep a look on online auction sites such as eBay for unusual or hard to find basketball themed used stamps. See Buying Rubber Stamps on eBay for more information.
November 7 - The Marie Celeste Sets Sail From New York - it was later found deserted. Make your own Marie Celeste paper boats to use to mark place settings or as party favors. See How to Make a Paper Boat for more information.
November 8 - Anniversary Of the Discovery of X-Ray - in 1895. Mark the day by incorporating a skeleton or two into a rubber stamping project. If you don't have a skeleton rubber stamp then how about carving a stamp using this skeleton template.
November 9 - Inventor's Day - this day is celebrated in some countries as a day to recognize inventors and the role that they play. This is the birth anniversary of the actress Hedy Lamarr whose invention, frequency hopping, is still in regular use. See the Inventor's Day website for more information. What would your invention be? Mine would be a little machine that cleaned rubber stamps after use and stores them correctly. In the absence of such a machine a proper stamp storage system is necessary. See Rubber Stamp storage for more information.
November 10 - Anniversary Of The Launch Of The Direct Dial Coast-To-Coast Telephone System - in 1952. Small note pads are useful for keeping by the telephone. Make pretty note pad covers to customize note pads. These also make great gifts. Make a few now ready for Christmas.
November 11 - Veterans Day And Remembrance Day - the Write Home Organization (formerly known as Cards for Heroes) sends handmade cards for troops to send home. There is a lot of information on the Write Home website about the initiative.
November 12 - Postman's Day in Mexico - a day to show appreciation for postal staff. In Mexico people leave gifts in mailboxes. Show your appreciation for postal staff by making sure that the addresses on envelopes can be clearly read. This is particularly important with handmade envelopes that may be on a patterned paper. See How to Make an Easy Folded Envelope for instructions.
November 13 - World Kindness Day - a random act of kindness is a wonderful way to bring a smile to someone's face. As a rubber stamper there are lots of ways that you can make small gifts or cards to give people. For more information about World Kindness Day, including lots of ideas and free downloads, see the Acts of Kindness website.
November 14 - Birth Anniversary Of Claude Monet - in 1840. For more information about Monet's work including a quiz, take a look at this article at About.com Painting - Claude Monet. If you fancy getting artistic results from your rubber stamping perhaps you should consider investing in artist quality materials such as watercolor pencils and watercolor paints.
November 14 - National American Teddy Bear Day.
November 15 - America Recycles Day - there are lots of ways that recycled products can be used in rubber stamping and crafts activities. Take a look at Green Crafts for more information and ideas. One great way of recycling paper is to make your own special handmade paper. A variation is to make seed paper and this makes an unusual 'green' gift. See How to Make Seed Paper for more information.
November 16 - 10 Days to Thanksgiving! - If you are looking for rubber stamping and craft activities for Thanksgiving then take a look at these articles for inspiration - Thanksgiving Craft Projects and Sentiments, Verses and Words for Thanksgiving Projects and Cards
November 17 - Patent Granted For First Computer Mouse - in 1970. While I haven't found any crafty uses for an unwanted computer mouse, mouse mats can be used in many ways. I use mouse mats to stamp on sometimes when using unmounted stamps as this gives a more consistent impression. Do you use mouse mats or other computer cast-offs in your stamping? If so, why not share your tip here - Best Rubber Stamping Tips.
November 18 - Birthday of Mickey Mouse - the Disney website has lots of activities for young and old Mickey Mouse fans alike! The 'create' pages, under the 'artist' heading have some interesting digital art features, including the opportunity to 'stamp' the page with Disney stamps. These can be saved and printed. More information can be found on the Disney website.
November 19 – Tele Monte Carlo is Launched – in 1954 by Prince Ranier III. This is Europe's oldest television station. While a private television station might be a nice idea, the Internet makes online videos on a wide range of subjects available to us in our own homes at the tough of a button. There are some great rubber stamping videos available and these are a good way to learn new techniques. Check out the videos on Stamp TV for some new ideas.November 20 – Anniversary of release of the film The Sheik - the silent film of 1921 starring Rudolph Valentino.. Silent film stars are popular subjects for many rubber stampers. Photo-quality rubber stamps are available featuring famous stars from the silent movie era. A good source of this type of rubber stamp is the Stampsmith. Velvet Ink Cafe has some video tutorials about using Stampsmith stamps.21 – Anniversary of the First Untethered Air Balloon Flight – in 1783. Air balloons make great subjects for rubber stamping projects. They can be used as a theme for both adults and children. Use this template to incorporate an air balloon in a project. Use your favorite character rubber stamps to add to the basket.
November 22 – Birth Anniversary of Thomas Cook – in 1808, the well known travel entrepreneur. Travel memorabilia can make an interesting addition to a rubber stamping project, whether it is a scrapbook marking a special holiday or a handmade card. If you don't have any travel memorabilia of your own then the Internet offers a wealth of ideas and inspiration or cut out images from magazines and newspapers.
November 23 – Birth Anniversary of Harpo Marx – what better reason could there be to include a Marx brother quote or two into a rubber stamping project. Here are some great quotes from Harpo's brother Groucho Marx - Marx Brother Quotes.
November 24- Start of the Ancient Roman festival of Brumalia - this was a feast of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. Make wine glass decorations to help you and your guests recognise your own glasses during your own feasting. See How to Make Wine Glass Charms for a step by step guide.
November 25 - England Was Hit by a Great Windstorm - in 1073, which caused chaos with gusts upto 120mph. This rubber stamped windmill may not stand up to that kind of wind, but this is a fun quick project.
November 26 - Captain James Cook becomes the first European to visit the Hawaiian Island of Maui - in 1778. These instructions for making an Hawaiian Lei on the Family Crafts site at About.com can be further enhanced by rubber stamping the flower shapes before putting it together.
November 26 - Thanksgiving! - take a moment to think about all the things that you are thankful for this Thanskgiving.
November 27 - The Nobel Prize Established - in 1875. Why not produce your own rubber stamped prize for someone you know who deserves recognition for being special.November 28 - William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway Receive their Marriage License – in 1582, in Stratford-upon-Avon. William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway pay a £40 bond for their marriage license. Great writers and poets from the past can offer great sources of text for greeting card sentiments. Why not use some words for a poem or a quotation as inspiration for a card for someone special - Poems and Verses for Greeting Cards.
November 27-Kimberly Johnson's 40th birthday!!!!
November 29 – Anniversary of Thomas Edison Demonstrating his Phonograph - in 1877. Things have moved on a long way from Edison's phonograph and now a lot of music is sold digitally without anything physical like a record or CD being purchased. If you've got some spare CD cases lying around, why not use them to make some CD case calendars. They'll be perfect presents with the new year around the corner - How to Make CD Case Calendars.
November 30 - One Month to the New Year! - If you are planning on making calendars as gifts then here are some templates that are perfect for decorating - 2010 Calendar Templates. Now is also a good time to start thinking about what New Year's Resolutions you are going to make. Here are some ideas for stamping resolutions for the new year - Stamping Resolutions.

Monday, Monday...

Monday is my laundry day. And my day to usually get caught up on things at home. I was gone all weekend working at the stamp show in Mesa. Whew! I love it, but it does exhaust me. Laundry is sorted and started. Dishes are loaded and running. Oldest daughter got some chores done over the weekend and I have a few more things to do before tomorrow night's stamp class. We're making the Fall banners from an earlier post.

Today, I wanted to share a birthday bag and card I made yesterday morning for my neighbor's son. His 1st birthday party was yesterday and I had to miss it due to work. Hubby and the kids rode their bikes to the park to attend and deliver the gift. I had literally 15 minutes to get this done before I left out that door yesterday morning. I apologize for the pictures. In my haste, the quality is not the best.

Here is a close up of the card. I used a clear envelope baggies and taped it to the front of the giftbag making the card part of the bag.

The characters are all made with SU punches.

Awards...

So I worked all day setting up a stamp show for this weekend. Let's hope it is the most awesome show ever. I had put chicken in the crockpot before I left this morning. (Yeah, me!!!)

Came home tonight and had dinner with my family. Made hubby's fav..Italian Chicken. Have I posted this recipe? I don't think so. But even if I have, it is worth repeating for anyone that might have missed it.

Italian Chicken

1 lb chicken, cut up

1/2 stick butter (I use unsalted)

1 pkg Italian Dressing mix

Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Add:

1 pkg cream cheese

1 can of Cream of Chicken soup

Cook for additional 30-45 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles.

Sooooooo simple and soooooo yummy!

I captured this recipe from a blog I follow. I think it was Nancy Riley's.

After dinner, kid's went to bed and I helped hubby with his project for work. He is having a meeting for his employees in the morning and wanted to recognize a few of them for their efforts. We picked up the black bags on clearance for 6 cents. I love a sale!!! We filled the bags with chocolates bars--KitKats, 3 Muskateers, Reese's, and Snickers. Again, on clearance sale. Just because Halloween is over doesn't mean they've gone bad or anything, but hey if the stores wants me to just pay less for chocolate who am I to argue...hehehe! On the front of each bag is a gift card for the local movie theater and the actual award. He wanted some way to present it all and I think I came up with a pretty cute and inexpensive way to do just that. And I came in WAY under budget. Does that mean I get to keep the difference, hunny? Oh, I'll take that as a no. The leftover chocolate will suffice. :o)

Ok, good night all. I have to be at the Convention Center EARLY tomorrow morning and will be there all day into the night. Whew! But I love it. I'll be there wearing my favorite accessory.....my tiara. HEHEHEHE!

6x6 Recipe Swap

Awhile back I joined a group of ladies that swap recipes. Each month we set a theme and send in our swaps. November's theme is Thanksgiving Traditions. No Thanksgiving would be complete at my house without Pecan Pie. Here is the recipe card I created for the swap. Lots of sponging, like last month. Guess I should post some of the others I've done and share what the ladies have created as well. Watch my blog, I will get some up in the coming days (after the weekend).

If you would like to see more, let me know. If you are interested in joining us, let me know. It is fun and I have a nice little album started. Great recipes and beautiful pages. :o)

FALL banner

Where I live in AZ there are not too many trees that change colors like pictures I've seen from New England and such. So I have to create my own "fall"....lol.

Seriously, it is 90+ degrees outside. LOL

Here is the banner I made awhile back. I'm hosting a class to make this banner next week.

My Halloween Card

I realized last night, I never posted my Halloween card. So here it is....an original by me!

I used the soot technique on glossy cardstock behind the skull image stamped in Stazon and then sponged the edges with Pumpkin Pie. The Elegant Eggplant is dry embossed with the Big Shot texture plates. To get a deeper impression I used a mist bottle with alcohol on the cardstock. "Happy Halloween" is stamped on Whisper White and sponged with Pumpkin Pie.

The inside was created using the Big Shot letters and acetate strips on an accordian'ed piece of cardstock to creat a pop-up look.

Thanks for checking out my card. :o)

And the winner is.....

I am a day late in posting this......SO SORRY! Sundays are always busy. I should now not to plan anything to be done that day. Plus the Vikings played an afternoon game so from 1pm on I was gone from the house. They won. But you don't care. You want to know who won the bear. Well, I'm going to draw that out just a bit longer. hehe!

First I want to tell you the stats. 18 people bought tickets. Thank you to those 18 people for their support in the war against breast cancer. I know some of you didn't care where the money went, you just wanted a chance to win. 157 tickets were purchased. AWESOME!!!!

I wrote out everyone's names on tickets,

put them in a covered bowl,

shook like crazy. I then had my neighbor---no relation to me and totally unbiased, not even an SU customer (yet!) gasp, I know!---draw the winning ticket.

And the winner is......................................................

Monica Rathburn!!!

Please email me so I can get your bear out to you.

Deals of the Week from Stampin Up! to YOU!

Here is the latest special from Stampin' Up -- which runs through Sunday.
These embellishments are soooooo incredibly fun!!!!! I love using them on scrapbooking pages and CARDS.
#112581 1/2" Library Clips $3.99 SALE (reg $6.95)
#112571 Circle Designer Brads $3.99 SALE (reg $5.95)
#109857 Mini Library Clips $8.99 SALE (reg $12.95)
#114348 Basic Jumbo Grommets $4.49 SALE (reg $6.95)

Build a Bear Raffle

Hey, ya know those AWESOME Build a Bears that were allowed to purchase if we attended Convention? Well, I bought a couple of them. I am raffling one away for the month of October. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. Proceeds go to Susan G Komen Foundation. The lucky winner will be drawn on November 1st.

Spread the word and tell all your friends.

Miss me???

I miss you! I've been gone so much lately that I haven't been around to post. And when I am home, I'm so busy playing catch up that I don't get online to post. I'm sorry for neglecting you. I see you have been checking in to see what's been going on. Blog counter is either out of whack or I'm loved. I would like to believe the later. haha! Went from 200+ to 11,000+...yikes!

Tucson was pretty dead of a show. So was Phoenix this past weekend. It was fun. But fun doesn't buy the groceries or fill the gas tank.

I did get a couple pages done at CropaRoo this past weekend. Yea, it was so dead in the vendor fair I sat in the crop room on Sunday and played with product. :o) My friend, Surina, joined me and we had fun laughing and creating. I am so not a single photo a page kind of person, but I had fun playing around with these two pages.

I'm off to Vegas in the morning. I hope to see some LNS friends while I'm there.

Next weekend, it Glendale CKC. (waves to Lisa, Tabatha, and Rochelle) Looking forward to it, girls!

I'm outta here!

Only for a couple of days. I'm off to Tucson for a stamp show for a couple of days. Should be fun. I love meeting new people and chatting with them about stampin' among other things.
Class last night was fun. Met a new stampin' friend. (Hi, Sheila!) Surina shared some insider thoughts about schools and loans and grants and such with us for our teenage daughters prepping for college. UGH! I just feel old when I think about that. And Lisa and her "oompa-loompa" window/mirror dancing. lmao! I guess you had to be there. Hey, there's a thought! Join us next time and then you'll see first hand. :o)
I promised you pictures of my completed book. I added pictures of my beautiful kids. Ok, i am a little biased, but they are! hehehe!
*Oh, and in case you wanted one and missed the class....I still have a couple of kits left. Contact me and I will get you one.


***Blogger is not letting me load pictures due to internal error code. I will try again later. Sorry!

Christmas is coming!!!

Yep, it will be here before you know it. I've been busy working on cards, classes, and projects. Gotta get my Christmas gifts in the works. Good news is, my list got shorter. Don't ask why.

Anyways, today I wanted to share with you a banner my friend and downline, Mandi, worked on yesterday. She did one with R Read, N of Navy and W White. It is gorgeous. My Christmas theme in the front room is silver and blues. I made this one to hang in there. Oh and it will be a project for a class so if you are interested in it, let me know. :o)

Here is a close of the "J" so you can see the details. I embossed the silver scallop circle.

I do have to say it looks better IRL. It is simply stunning if I do say so myself. Thanks, Mandi, for letting me CASE yours.

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

It has been a relaxing weekend for the most part.

Friday night I stamped with some great friends.

We brainstormed some awesome ideas for few upcoming classes. I can't wait to share. In fact, they are coming over today to work a little bit more. IF you can call it work....lol.

Saturday was pretty typical for me. I had the pleasure of running the taxi service. A mom's work is never done. But in between, I did design the card we are making for Stamp Club this month. Wooohoooo! I am so excited about it. I did not CASE it from anyone. I made it all by myself! We'll use the Big Shot and a couple of techniques to create it. I know you will love it. I can't show it yet as I want it to be a surprise.

Yesterday was family day. Chris has been working so much that yesterday was his only day off. He had a couple of errands to run in the morning. We were on our own at the house. Then he and Brady headed off for a movie while the girls and I went to the mall. Back home about 6 for burgers on the grill. It was a nice day.

So back to today....Chris has to work. Brady used some birthday money to purchase a new DS game yesterday so he is pretty much invisible today. LOL The girls are off doing their thing and I'm prepping for some stamp time with my friends.

Happy Labor Day! Here is a picture to share. My friend Shari made this card. She is a pirate fanatic. Love that soot technique.

I'm back with a share....

I've been cleaning and organizing my office. I had some kits made up from a while back that I found in the reorganization process. I'm offering this as a mini class to my local group. Thought I'd share here, too. This particular on is being used a Grandparent's Day (Sept 13th) gift. I personalized it with my kid's names and likenesses. You could easily do one for whatever theme...us, my kids, weekend getaway, summer fun, grandkids, brag book, my pets, ... you get the idea.

I'll share the pictures of the inside once I add the pictures of my kids. There is a place for 7 photos/journaling inside.

Good morning...

Thursday morning and I'm doing my usually morning things. I read my emails. I've had my coffee. I combed the kid's hair before sending them off to school. I cleaned up the kitchen a little bit. Someone didn't do the dishes last night so they will be waiting for her when she gets home today. And I started dinner. I'm going to share this recipe with you. I got it off another blog about a year ago or so. It has become a family favorite and it is so simple. I'm all about the quick, simple, few ingredient recipes.

Italian Chicken

1 lb chicken, cut up

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 pkg Italian Dressing dry mix

1 can Cream of Chicken, undiluted

1 pkg cream cheese softened

Add cut up chicken, melted butter, and dry Italian dressing mix to crockpot. Cook 4-6 hours on low. About an hour or so before serving, add softened cream cheese and cream of chicken. I boil up a bag of wide egg noodles to serve Italian Chicken over and a add side salad or veggie side dish.

Yep, it is that easy. And it tastes delicious!

I'm off to my office to play some more. Before I go I want to show you this. It is a 8.5" x 8.5" scrapbook layout I did last night. I've just got to get my pictures printed to add to the pages.

I'll be back later today to show you some more. Laterz!

Busy creating....

I've been in my office most of the day playing with paper, inks, and stamps. I love my "job".

I was motivated to do more after last night stamp class. :o)

Here are some things I worked on today. The sunflower projects are for an upcoming Fall Stamp Camp and the game box is for a Game Night Stamp Camp. Inside the box is a deck of cards, dice, a decorated pen, and a score pad.

The only bad thing of today is now I need to place another order. LOL I "need" more SU stuff. Ever go to make something and you don't have what you need. UGH!

I think I'm going to bed early tonight. I haven't been sleeping well. Good night and sweet stampin' dreams!

New Hostess Promotion started YESTERDAY

Now is the time to book your workshop, ladies.

Hostess Promotion
Dates: September 1-November 30, 2009
Promotion Details:
We’re excited to bring you this sweet deal for hostesses September through November:
Host a workshop totaling $250 or more and choose any one item* from the 2009 Holiday Mini Catalog for only $10! *Offer excludes hostess sets and My Digital Studio.
After My Digital Studio is released, this offer will become even sweeter: starts Oct. 1st
Host a workshop of at least $400 and get My Digital Studio for 50 percent off the retail price (retail price: $79.95; promotional price: $39.97)!

Things to Remember:
Only workshop orders qualify for this promotion.
Hostesses who hold a workshop of $250 may choose any one item from the Holiday Mini catalog for just $10.
Items include stamp sets, accessories, Sizzix dies, etc.
Items exclude Holiday Mini hostess sets and My Digital Studio.
This promotion is not incremental. For example, a $500 workshop is not eligible for two $10 items, and an $800 workshop is not eligible for two copies of My Digital Studio at 50 percent off.
After My Digital Studio is released, customers who hold a $400 workshop will be eligible for BOTH a $10 Holiday Mini item and 50 percent off My Digital Studio.

Is today MONDAY?

It started just fine. Today, that is. Got up. Had my coffee. Read my emails. Took my shower. And then while blow drying my hair....my blow dryer blew up! Yep. It sparked and popped. And then caught fire in my hand. I dropped it into the empty sink, unpluged it, and ran water over to put it out. It was kinds comical...almost. Just means it is time for a new one.

The game last night was pretty good. Vikings won. YEA! As I said to some friends last night...Monday night football, Vikings winning, beer battered dipped onion rings, garlic fries, cold beer....life is good! Oh and then the storm came. Of course it did. I called it, too. I washed my van yesterday afternoon and then send out a text to friends to let them know it would rain and it did. TOLD YA SO! And your welcome. lol!

I promised you some highlights of the weekend. I now have carpet in my living room. Woooohooo! This is a big deal. I've been without flooring in there for awhile. The old carpet had to be torn up and we weren't ready to put down something right away. Still don't know what I want, but this is a temporary fix. For now, I love it. Looks so much better than it did. They are carpet tiles. And it only cost me $10!!! Love treasure hunting.

Sami got a new ceiling fan in her room. She loves Tinkerbell and Disney princesses and Littliest Pet Shoppe, and.......I could go on and on. LOL It was one of the treasure I came across on Saturday while running around town. She's happy with it.

And poor hubby. His knee is still really hurting him, but he got the living room floor done, Sami's fan up, and even installed the floating shelves.

As a reward, I cooked dinner. That doesn't happen all that often around here these days. Busy household.

Are you ready for some football?

Monday night football! :o) So tonight is a night out with hubby at the Tilted Kilt watching some Vikings football and having some of the best onion rings I have ever had. I love beer batter dipped onion rings and they have killer garlic fries, too. Add a cold beer and viola----a great night!
Go Vikings!!! It is only preseason, but still fun.
Birthday card class is tomorrow night. Have you reserved your spot?
I'll share the highliights of the past weekend later. :o)

One more for today...

My plan for today was simple. I had no plan.

I did get some laundry done and I sold a bedroom set that had been taking up room in my living space. Woohooo! Glad that is gone.

While I was in my office today straightening up I saw this wooden letter "K" sneaking out at me. I decided to finally do something with it. It has been sitting in my office for probably going on 2 years. I bought at the M store with a coupon and just didn't feel the need to ever get it done. But when the new color Rich Razzleberry was released from SU! I couldn't be happier. That is the color of my office walls and has been for several years. 'Bout time they caught on...lol. The Razzleberry Lemonade DSP is my most favorite DSP in a long time. So I started punching 1 1/4" squares out and pieced them together on the "K". Then sanded the edges and added some ribbon. I still may add a swing tag, but this is how it looks for now.

Well, I'm out for the night. I have a hot date. :o) Laters!

Present for Daddy

I made a present for my Daddy yesterday. He probably won't see this, but just in case....."Dad, don't look!" :o)




























He stated to me awhile back he just can't remember everyone's birthdays. I told him then, "No worries. I can fix that for you." So here is my solution for him. A card organizer. He can put cards in the pockets for each month and put the person's name on the coordinating date



We made these as a class last year or so. I will be holding another class for these probably in October or November. You'll pick your own Designer Series Paper to make you book more personalized. They make GREAT gifts. When the holidays fast approaching, I'll be having lots of gift related classes.







Thanks for stopping by. I hope Daddy likes his present.

FRIDAY, already?

Whew! What a kinda poopy week.

Monday, after I posted I got a email alert to let me know know my account was over drawn. WHAT!?! In a panic, I checked my bank account and sure enough it was. But not by my doing. Someone got into my Ebay/Paypal and made a "purchase" using my account. So nice of me to "let" them do that, huh? So I immediately started making phone calls to get this resolved. I called Paypal, my bank, Ebay, etc. Paypal had already flagged my account. The bank said the funds were already in the process of being returned but could take up to 5-10 business days. Int he meantime, I'm without funds. "So sorry....sucks to be you!" That's sorta how I felt about it. Let me add here, this is the THIRD, yes 3rd time, this has happened to me in the past year. Unfortunately, I can tell you any advice on how to keep this from happening to you. I have Spyware protection. I'm ultra careful about what sites I log onto. I have other programs that "protect" me and my computer. And yet, it still happens. Thieves will take any means neccessary to get what they want. Period!

So......That is how my week started. From there, I tried to get back into the swing of things. I've been promoting my meetup.com group. Working on some projects for upcoming classes and such. Here is a photo for the His & Hers Birthday Card Class I'm hosting this coming Tuesday night.

Tonight, is a date night. Hubby and I are planning to go see the new 3d horror film tonight. So cheesy! But it will be fun.....popcorn and gummy bears for dinner....LOL!

Can you help?

A friend of mine is very committed to some wonderful organizations out there. She has asked us, as her friends, to help spread the word. Here are some links for you to check out.


http://www.sugardoo dle.net/mambo/ index.php? option=com_ content&task=view&id=4995

http://rmhc. org/how-you- can-help/ volunteer/ 30-ways-in- 30-days/spread- the-word- by-sharing- your-story/

http://latenightsta mper-stampandscr ap.blogspot. com/

Monday....playing catch up!

I missed blogging over the weekend. Quite frankly, I was so busy that I just didn't take the time to sit with the computer. My email backed up and everything.
Friday, I was busy with last minute details for my Open House. I had to set up the place which meant I had to clean and such before hand. No biggie. I hung out with a few ladies after the event which was really nice. A shout out to Laurie, Surina, and my new friend Afton.
Saturday, I THOUGHT I was finally going to get a day to sleep in if only for an hour. BUZZZ! Survey says, NO! Brady had Lego Club and Chris had to work so that meant I was acting chauffeur for the day. I did have some other errands to do as well. I spent some of the afternoon with my good friend and downline, Mandi. She came over and worked on her swap cards while I piddled with my recipe swaps. I was trying to do them, but just didn't have the mojo in me at the moment. But visiting with her and catching up was really nice. Here is a picture of the card she made. So pretty!

The kids and I met Chris out for dinner. It was a nice family night.
Sunday, I drove to Surprise. It is a little over an hour drive, but seeing my friend, Debbie, makes it totally worth it. Me and the younger kids attending church with her and her kids. The message was one meant for me that day. Exactly, what was on my mind this past week. After church, we headed back to Debbie's house. We had lunch and then Debbie and I worked on our Convention Albums while the kids played. Here is a picture of us with the album itself almost done.

I put together her Big Shot and we used it for the first time. Dare I tell how long she has had it? hehehe Shout out to Debbie---thanks again for an awesome day of laughs.
So today, I'm playing catch up. I feverishly worked on finishing those recipe 6x6's for a swap I joined. I just have to add the recipe itself and they are done. :o) YEA! I read through 550+ emails. I still need to do updates for the swap I am hosting. There is laundry waiting to be done. And I'm sure my family would like to be fed tonight when they come home. They can be so demanding....clean clothes and food....GEEEZ! lol
I want to share the make & take card I did at my Open House this past Friday night. If you were unable to attend.....we missed you and hope you will join us next time. Be sure to check out my new group at meetup.com.

Happy Monday, everyone!

2 posts in 1 day! WOW!

Ok, I've a pretty productive day. I designed my card and cut all the card stock for my Make & Take for tomorrow night's Open House/Opportunity Night. It's pretty cute if I do say myself. hehe! I'll post a picture of it later with pics of the event.
I knew I would be busy today getting things together and so forth so I prepped dinner early. I love my crockpot! I haven't been to the store in ages so I had to use what I had on hand which ain't much. I had some porkchops in the freezer so I did a recipe search online and found one I could use. I am all about the simple, very few ingredients, quick and easy meals. This one called for 5 ingredients! And it was yummy!

CHOPS IN A CROCK POT

6 pork chops, browned
1 onion
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Place all into crock pot and simmer about 4-5 hours. Serve with rice, noodles or potatoes.

I didn't have any ketchup. I know a house full of kids and no ketchup. Read back to the part I haven't been to the store in ages. lol Anyways, I used Chili Sauce. The meat was tender and flavorful. We will definitely be having this again sometime.

Have a great night!

Thursday's dilema...

Hello, everyone!

So yesterday, I caved. I called my husband and said bring me my vehicle. It was just too hot to be bicycling around. UGH! First thing I did when I got my van back was head to the salon. I went to schedule an appointment, but since she was free, I went for it. My hair is short again and I have bangs! Wooohooo! And I think she did a good job. I haven't locked myself in the bedroom crying, so this is good. LOL

Got my display boards done for my Open House. Such pretty cards this year at convention for swaps. Wait until you see them displayed.

Today.....I'm at a loss. Truly, I have so much I should be doing, but all I want to do it PLAY with my stuff. I want to clean and organize, but just don't know where to begin. I think I'll work on some recipe swaps. They are due next week.

Before I run off, I'll leave you with a couple more pictures. I made these are recipe cards I made for a Stampin' Addicts swap at convention. The card I posted yesterday was one I did for a shoebox swap. Let me know what you think. :o) Picture quality is not the best...sorry.

Good morning.....

I am so not a morning person. And waking up at 5am with heartburn is never fun. Waking up at 5am is never fun all by itself...LOL. But I did it at convention. It was just "worth it" there. LOL

So....today...I've got some errands to do. Pretty much whatever I can do close to home. Hubby has my vehicle again so I'm on my bike.....that would be bicycle for anyone wondering. I still have not taken the motorcycle course. My "bike" is still sitting in the garage. Hubby can't ride his motorcycle right now because he hurt his knee somehow and the dr put him in a full leg brace yesterday. Joy! And he has late meeting tonight. I have the evening to do whatever I want....I don't have to cook dinner. Woohooo! More cleaning and organizing in my stamp area. Maybe one day, I'll get in there to actually stamp again. But for now, I must prepare for this Friday night's event, followed by my Saturday event. I want to stamp!

I'd like to attach some photos, but honestly...I don't know how!!! I told you I'm new to this and learning as I go. It will get better, I promise. I can't take this blah looking blog much longer. LOL

I figured out how to attach a photo...wooohoooo! Kudos for me. Hey, baby steps people.

Ok.....be good and be good to each other. Until later.......

Starting over

At least, that is how I feel these days with this business...Stampin' Up!
I returned from convention this past week with so much information and new ideas that I felt as if my brain was going into overload. My body and mind were thoroughly exhausted from everything I tried to compile in one short week.
So, now I'm back and I just don't even know where to begin. I compiled a list of contacts of the people I have met locally at events in the past year or so. I have set up a meeting place and working on organizing my event.
I would love for you to join me on Friday night, Aug 21st 6-9 pm for an Open House/Opportunity night. I will have display samples up and the new catalog. There will be a FREE make and take and door prizes. I want to share all the new specials that are going on right now with you.
Please join me at 1140 S Country Club in Mesa. (NEC Country Club and Southern). Please call me at 602-315-5091 or email me at txtornadoinaz@yahoo.com. I hope to see you there!

How sad....

I started this blog over 2 years ago. Yea, TWO! I started it and then never did anything with it. I wish a knew a class to take to teach me all the wonderful things I see on other people's blogs. I could teach myself, but that would take away from my true love......creating. Oh yea, my hubby and my family...my real true loves. You all know what I mean. Geeez!
I vow to myself now in front of all of you....lol....what the TWO people that may actually read my blog...that I will be more consistent with posting. I am not going to set myself up for failure and say every day, but.....I will do my best to post.
I would like to use this blog to share my creations, my class ideas, and get feedback from my colleagues, friends and customers. I also want to give away things. Yep, blog candy. Just by reading my site and leaving your comments you could be eligible to win goodies.
To those that have asked about my blog, thank you! I need the push and the ego boost to make it happen.
So.....anyone know about blogs want to help me create a beautiful place that people would like to visit?