Mini Tote's and 3x3 Cards

I finally got a chance to sit down and make some more stuff for the craft show. These 3x3 cards are so fun and easy to make. I've decided to put them in a mini tote. This set was made from new Stampin' Up! Ski Slope designer paper, Old Olive Card Stock, and the following stamp sets: Tags So Much, Say It With Scallops, and Punches Three.

Each tote holds 4 cards and envelopes pretty comfortably. I added some tissue to finish it off. I'm pretty happy with the results and they are super easy to mass produce. I've made 3 sets already!!

Brad and I headed out to a LSS out by my parents house. I was in search of some different stamps and designer paper but only ended up buying one set of stamps and a few sheets of paper. Sometimes they have super cute stamps but I only saw a few but didn't feel the "have to have" feeling with them. From there we hit up Hobby Lobby to pick up a few more frames for me to alter.

I'm making good progress on the craft show stuff finally! I felt so behind. I just haven't been up to it lately. My Grandma has been diagnosed with Stage 2 lung cancer. She starts radiation and chemotherapy on Monday. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Merry Wishes Nugget Tin

I've been trying to be productive this weekend. I think I was able to make about 20 cards, one altered letter and one nugget tin. I have 9 more nugget tins to go!!! The one I made tonight was using new Designer Series Paper from the Holiday Mini Catalog that is available in October. This project is incredibly easy to make no matter what the occasion. I have made this set for Christmas to sell in the craft show. I may have to lock them up to keep my daughter from getting into them. While I was wrapping the nuggets she discovered that I had them out and asked for one. I told her she could have just one but Mommy needed them for a project. She ate it and sure enough she came back for another one. My husband chimed in and told her "No Ashlinn, Mommy needs those".... she started saying "want one Mommy" so how could I resist. She got another one and headed over to my husband and says "Ha Ha, got one!!!" He and I both burst into laughter. For being only 2 she amazes us sometimes! She ended up getting three! That would fill one row of my nugget tin!!! Little stinker!

For the outside I decided to use my new snowflake edge punch made by Fiskars. It's not as easy to use as the SU Scalloped Edge or my Martha Stewart edge punches that's for sure. I made a 2" band of Kiwi Kiss and a 2" band of Baja Breeze. I took the snowflake edge punch to both sides of the Baja Breeze. Then I punched Tangerine Tango and Close to Cocoa circles out and glued every other color behind the snowflakes to add color. Once I was finished I glued it to the center of the Kiwi Kiss cardstock. I used 5/8" white grosgrain ribbon in the center of the band. The tag is made from a SU! set that I don't recall the name of at the moment. I attached it with silver elastic ribbon to match the tin. The tag is also layered a bit to give it some dimension and I used two different inks as well.

Friends from the big city

This day seemed like it would never get here! Two awesome girlies that I met in July are coming for a visit today. Carol and Christa are fellow stampers and CafeMom members, which is where I originally met them. They will be here shortly and I'll be showing them my side of Michigan.

Neither of them have been to Hobby Lobby!!! How exciting will this be ???....I just hope they don't leave here broke!! Their husbands may never let them com to my house again! I am surprised that there aren't any Hobby Lobby stores in their neck of the woods considering we have two within a half hour of each other!

From there, we'll head to Lansing's one and only local scrapbook store. We will probably hit Michaels and Joann's while were out and about. So that is what is in store for today :)

The other day I had the chance to make a few cards and here is another one that I made using one of my new Stampin' Up! sets. This one is from Two Cool Dudes. I can't resist a set that has adorable snowmen in it!

I'm hoping to be able to get a lot more done this weekend as my in-laws have Ashlinn. She seems to be having fun and hasn't cried to come home. YAY!!

New stuff!

I know, I know...it's been a few days since I last updated. I've been super, errr waaaay too busy at work to even think about being creative. My new Fall/Winter 2008 order came today and after spending a good hour and a half mounting 15 sets of die cut stamps I only had half an ounce of creativity in me. So what does one do when they only have an ounce of creativity you might ask?? Case a card and call it good! I'm feeling all sorts of Christmas-y at the moment. Perhaps because it's just around the corner or maybe I am sick of the heat already? Either way, I love this set! It's so whimsical.

An update on Zoe... she went to U of M -Ann Arbor on August 11 and it has been determined that the mass in her brain is NOT cancer!!! This is such great news. At the moment she continues to take siezure medicine and will continue for the next 2 years. She's not had any other episodes and seems to be doing well. They will be monitoring the mass. Thank you for all your thoughts and continued prayers.

I received my new Winter Mini Catalog in the mail and can't wait to order some stamp sets out of it! I am still "wowed" by the new catty but the mini makes it so much sweeter! Thank goodness I have a few weeks to play with my new stuff! it will hopefully make the time fly while I wait impatiently to order again!

How are things on your end?

There is nothing sweeter than stumbling across a website that sells super cute stamps at an even super cheap price. A few weeks ago I was searching for some new stamps while I impatiently wait for the new SU! catty to arrive. I did a search for "clear stamps" and the site New Clear Dollar Stamps was one of the top search results. I clicked on the link and fell in love with the Clearly Delightful stamps by Laurie Wilson. In particular, Charlie the Horse. I ended up ordering all the Charlie stamps and many others. To top it off, shipping was super fast and that is always a plus in my book!

This week in one of my favorite card groups on CafeMom we had a sketch challenge was from a previous Bella sketch challenge (BSC35). I couldn't possibly use Bella since she is ever so popular right now so I figured I'd give Charlie a whirl. Isn't he just the cutest horse you've eva seen? I tried to stick to the challenge layout without any additions.

I used my SU pencils and blender pens since I hadn't gotten a chance to get mineral spirits yet to use with my Koh-I-Noor pencils. (They ROCK!) I used SU! DSP and CS. Sponged the edges to give it a bit of a softer look.

So How's everything on your end? On my end, I've lost my mojo :( Hopefully after I return from the scrapbook convention Saturday I will have some new fresh ideas. I'm hoping to come across some acrylic books. I saw one at the Little Scrapbox store and it look soooo cool. I'd sign up for that class if it wasn't so darn far away.

And an update on Zoe .... the surgeons looked over her CAT scan and MRI in depth today and it has been determined that she has 1 inch tumor on the front left of her brain. This is what is obviously causing the seizures and they are now trying to control them with epilepsy medication. Apparently two of the surgeons are having conflicting suggestions on the next steps. One wants to wait and watch the tumor for a few months to see if it changes and the other wants to go in immediately and do a biopsy for cancer. Unfortunately, the latter option would mean they would have to shave part of her head and drill a hole. Her family is going to the University of Michigan Children's Hospital to get a second opinion. Please continue to pray for Zoe and her family.

Praying for Zoe

This morning my mom's boss was heading to Tennessee on vacation with her mom, sister, niece and nephew when Zoe (her 8 year old niece) started having a seizure. They had only been on the road for 20 minutes which is sort of a blessing. They pulled over on the expressway and pulled her out of the car as she stopped breathing. They started CPR on her and called an ambulance. The ambulance would take over 10 minutes so they put her back in the car and drover her there themselves. They admitted her immediately and did a CAT scan. The news was shocking. She had something on her brain. They decided to do an MRI as well and on the way to the MRI she had another seizure. The MRI also shows something on her brain. At the moment, she is stable but they have called in a team of brain surgeons to go over the results tomorrow.



My mom's boss is a fabulous woman. My heart aches for her and her family. I knew I just had to make a card and send it to Zoe. I got a new order of stamps from Stampingbella today and what better stamp to use than Ella and LooLoo. Please keep Zoe and her family in your thoughts and prayers while they go through this difficult time.

Chillin'

It's been rather hot in the upper 80's to low 90's with 85% humidity. Needless to say, I have been spending much of my time in the air conditioned house. This doesn't necessarly help me in the financial department because the more I'm inside the more I spend! I purchased two sets from My Favorite Things (http://www.mftstamps.com/). I love their stamps and had a hard time picking just two. I've had my eyes on the set "Baby it's Cold Outside" for a while so I grabbed that one. Even though I hate the cold Michigan weather I have an obsession with snowmen. I couldn't resist this set! No particular reason for this card other than I was dreaming of cooler weather!