A couple of things I am "Tank-Full" for today

Today I spent my lunch hour driving around in this

I bought my car in the fall about two years ago. It is used but it was new two me. I wanted something smaller and fun that got good gas mileage. The first year I had it I rode with the top down a lot when it was warm enough. But by the end of October it was up until spring. This year I havent taken the time to enjoy it as much (the top is manual so it takes a couple of extra minutes to put it up or down).

This week has been very warm in Denver, we even broke a record yesterday so I have been enjoying beautiful top down lunch hour drives...in mid November. I know it can't last (tomorrow is supposed to be in the 40's) but it hs been fun while it lasted.

To top it off today I filled up my tank for a mere $15.00. Now that is something

to be "tank-full" for.

Some sweet blog candy.

• Korin over at Sweet and Sassy Stamps is giving away some awesome blog candy. Check it out here.
• More on Chris's blog here

Everybody needs a good laugh now and then.

I have been way too busy and stressed out lately. Working more than I really want to. Not sleeping well or feeling great. I don't think there is anything really wrong with me other than too much stress. So in an attempt to relieve some of the stress my friend Emily and I decided to get tickets to the new Improv theatre. We looked through the list of upcoming headliners for a weekend that would work for both of us. We settled on Pauly Shore.

I know, I know, the Weazel himself. I would classify Pauly Shore as a D-List celebrity (like Kathy Griffin). He had a few stupidly funny movies years ago and hasn't done much since. I reluctantly admit that I actually liked Bio-Dome and Son-In-Law, but I still didn't know what we were getting into.

We arrived before the doors opened for the earliest show on Friday night. When we are ushered in the hostess asks Emily and I if we want to sit in the front row. We say, "sure". She takes us to a table litterally front and center. The edge of our table was actually touching the front of the stage and I could touch the microphone stand (I didn't, that would have been weird, but I could have).

We ate dinner, talked and waited. Of course there were a couple of opening acts. The first guy was short and hairy and he took off his tuxedo t-shirt mid act. At this point I am wondering why we chose to sit front and center (can I just say, eeewwww) . I don't even remember his name.

The second guy was a local guy. His name was Dick Black (yes, that is his real name) and he was VERY funny.



Finally we get to our headliner, Pauly Shore. I am not really sure what to expect. The guy may be 40 years old. He may not have had a hit movie since 1996, but he was funny! There were several times when I was laughing so hard my sides and my cheeks hurt. There were some crude comments and jokes, there might even have been a point where he had his foot on our table while doing some strange gyrations (sp?) but he delivered. He even stuck around for pics afterwords.

Thanks Pauly, I needed that. I feel better today. Maybe laughter really IS the best medicine.

An Ode to High Pockets

So in my daily blog hopping yesterday I came across this post by The Jolly Porter. I love his humor. Read his post first and then this rant will make more sense 

.Post Edit: This blog os no longer there but lets just say it was a guy who was surprised when his wife walked into the room with a sharpie pen sticking out of her cleavage...now read on.

My first reaction is that guys just don't get it. To a woman her bra/cleavage is just another pocket. I learned this from a very young age. When I was growing up we went on family road trips caravan style with cousins and grandparents. This was way before cell phone days so each car in our family caravan was equipped with a CB radio.

Everyone in the family had a "handle" or a CB nickname so we knew who we were talking to. My dad was Grumpybear, I was Littlebitz and my mom's handle was High Pockets. She earned this nickname for her uncanny ability to hide her keys, money, etc. in her bra. Whenever we would go somewhere and she didn't want to take her entire purse with her all the necessities went straigh into her high pockets.

Years later I am doing the same thing. I can't count the number of times I have been standing at the gas pump credit card in hand and I realize I am not wearing anything with pockets. Where does the card end up...you guessed it, it goes right into my high pocket.

This can be embarassing when my next stop is the drive through to pick up something quick for dinner between jobs. I place my order, drive around to the window to pay...and THEN I realize that my debit card is not in my wallet...it is in my bra and now I have to discretely dig it out and hand it to zit faced drive through boy.

Oh it gets better. Once I forgot my card was there after coming home from a late night and went straight to bed. I woke up the next morning with my credit card number imprinted on my left breast...nice! It has happened with change too. It is strange to see the heads of presidents imprinted on your skin.

Since we no longer have to use bulky CB radios on road trips I have started putting my cell phone in my high pocket. That way I can crank the music really loud and still know when my phone is ringing. Although it can cause stares when you go into a roadside truck stop and your boobs ring.

The following items have been in my high pocket at one time or another (sometimes more than one of these items are in there together).

Car keys

Cell phone

Money (Bills and change too)

Credit card

Lipstick/gloss

Papers (ie mapquest directions, coupons etc.)

Small toys (where am I supposed to put that dinosaur when the kid insists on bringing it but wont carry it anymore)

Candy

Pens

iPod

Headphones

Crumbs (strange what you find at the end of the day)

So to all the guys out there that wonder why we put things in our bras, it's out of necessity. Pockets are not always available. And if that is my list imagine what she can get into her high pockets

Honestly, you didn't think I was going to post a pciture of my cleavage now did you???

Chefabella in 'da house!

This is Chefabella, she is cuter than Rachael Ray and she is cooking up a Thanksgiving feast.

I made eight of these cards for an employee card swap at Archivers. I love using Bellas for this card swap because they make my cards unique, and everyone always wonders which Bella I will use each month. November is an easy one...Chefabella is a shoe in ( Thanks Mary for the images, they came in handy).

Recipe for this card:

Chefabella Image

DP from DCWV Archivers Calendar Stack 2008, Copic Markers, leaf confetti, ribbon from my stash. MMMMM, she is making me hungry!

Watch out world...here I come!!

So guess what was in my mailbox today??? This amazing little blue book. Yes, I am 41 years old and this is my first. I have traveled to most of the 50 states (Alaska and Hawaii and much of the East coast are still on my list), but I have never been out of the country except for a short dip into Mexico when you didn't need a passport.

I am going on a Western Carribean cruise in December so I need this little guy. Of course I forgot that I would need it until just a couple weeks ago. This sent a rush of panic to my travel companion as she had heard that it can take months to get a passport. I did a little research and made a few phone calls hoping that I would not have to pay out the nose for an "expedited" passport. I am told that they are currently taking about 4 weeks. At that time I had seven weeks until my cruise so I decide to chance it and not pay for the faster service. My luck held out and I received my little blue book today (much to the delight of Janie, my travel companion). Now that I have this wonderful thing in my hands I can't help but think of the places I would like to go. Maybe I'll go to France and spend a day with Gretchen having tea parties and bike rides through the French countryside. Or I could explore Italy with my friend Deb (she met an Itailan hottie there last summer) and I would like one of those. Or I could spend some relaxing days at Carolyn's cottage in England. Maybe I'll visit the school in China where Megan taught English to kindergarteners. Ohh I could also do some Bella stampin' with Duchiebella or Bere in their homelands. This little book opens up endless possibilities. I just wish my travel budget was endless as well.

Oh well, at least in a few weeks I'll be cruisin' and I'll have the first stamp in my passport.

I flocked a monkey...

Most of you know that I work part time at Archivers. One of my jobs is as a Mania Hostess. Mania is a 6 hour crop we do from 5-11pm on Friday and Saturday nights. I really enjoy hosting Manias because I get a chance to create a make and take project. I typically do cards.

One night one of the ladies who came to mania was wearing a T-Shirt that said, "Spooning leads to Forking". We (the employees) thought it was funny and then one of them said, "Stamping leads to Flocking". Now that little quote is written on the white board in the stockroom.

Leave it to me to take it one step further. I love the Changito the monkey line of stamps from Stampendous. The holiday set is just too stinkin' cute. So tonight as I announced my make and take project for the evening I said to the crowded room of ladies, "Tonight we're gonna flock the monkey" giggles broke out immediately.

This is the card we did. I keep the layouts and techniques simple so they can be done quickly (there are up to 32 people at mania on any given night). We stamped the skating Changito with black Stazon. Next we used Versamark to stamp the Happy Holidays and embossed it with silver. We colored Changito's accessories with Twinklette glitter markers (the photo doesn't show the sparkle). Now comes the fun part...we colored Changito's body, legs, arms and tail with a quickie glue pen and the added brown flocking. Voila! a fuzzy monkey. We inked the edges with versamagic ink in Ocean Depth and added DP by S.E.I and red velvet rick rack. Cute and easy peasy.

Have you ever flocked a monkey??? If not you should try it!

Special Delivery... it has come full circle.

I had a rotten day at work. I won't bore you with the details but it was bad. Until around 3:30 pm when a package arrived for me.

I have been waiting for this special package from across the sea (France) for a while now. I had it sent to my office because I couldn't take a chance that it would be left on my doorstep unprotected. I know what is inside and it brings a smile to my face and a tiny tear to my eyes. I carefully walk back to my desk to open my special delivery when a co-worker asks, "Is that what I think it is?" she knows I have been waiting. I walk to her desk instead and open it carefully while she watches. This is what I find inside.
For those of you that read my blog, you know. For those who are reading for the first time here is a bit of the story behind this image. This is a birthday gift for my daughter who turned 21 on Wednesday. It is a one of a kind original painting by a very talented lady, Gretchen Jakub Fabre of Chichiboulie.

It is also a tribute to another mother, a sleeping beauty, who has touched my heart. Her name is hidden in my painting. It's sweet reminder of why this was created. I won the auction Gretchen had to raise money for Nie Nie. I had this done to celebrate the bond I have with my daughter, and my hope is that my donation in some small way helps NieNie to have the chance to build a similar bond with her daughters.

Suddenly my "bad day" seems so insignifigant, who am I to complain about anything...life is good.

Birthday Invites

My daughter and her BFF/Roomate are turning 21 on Wednesday. I made these birthday invites for their party. I used an acetate transparency by Fancy Pants Designs for the cards. I layered coordinating DP so that the layers can be seen through the card. A pic of the birthday girls (my daughter Ashleigh is on the left, BFF Gabby is on the right) and some bling finish it off. I love the way they came out. I hope thay have a good time.

Treat purses

I made these treat purses for my daughter and her college roomies. I am kind of the house mom and I enjoy sending them all a box of goodies for each holiday. I usually include some sort if craft or cooking project, some holiday kitchen towels (they have quite a collection now) and I always send candy. For Halloween I included these treat purses.

I used clear envelopes for the bags. Filled them with candy corn, marshmallow pumpkins and peanut butter m&m's. For the tops I cut circles in two sizes out of Halloween DP, folded the circles in half and added ribbon handles. I love the sentiment on the "clasp". Gouls just wanna have fun.

Blog Candy Winner!

Ok, I am a bit late in posting the winner for my blog candy becuase I worked both jobs today. Long day.....

I used random.org to pick my winner. Drum roll please...

The number was 18! The Winner is KIM

Kim said...
Hi Leanne....thanks for the chance to win a wonderful prize! I had so much fun playing along with your challenge...as I don't use buttons often...so this was a real challenge to me! I hope you enjoy my creation! You can see it HERE.Hugs~ Kim
October 9, 2008 6:26 PM


Kim send me your address and I'll get your goodies shipped out. Thanks to everyine who played along. Can't wait for next month.

Tagged again...5's this time!

I was tagged again by Gretchen over at ChiChiboulie. I was also tagged in another (non blogging) group I belong to so I am answering both tags here. Since most of my blog world friends have already had the 7 things about you tag I am using the other one to change it up and get to know a bit more about my blogging friends. The rules are basically the same but this one is in fives.

Here's how it works...
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Answer the five sets of five (these are easy)
3. Tag 5 people in the last section by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are the 5 sets of five...

Things you love...
1. Sleeping in
2. Having time to create
3. The smell after it rains
4. Babies
5. Happy Mail

Things you don't love...
1. Traffic
2. Bills
3. Rude people
4. Coffee
5. Mangos

Songs on your iPod/Playlist
1. Troublemaker - Wheezer
2. Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
3. Americal Girl- Carrie Underwood
4. Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson
5. Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen

Favorite Foods
1. Chocolate
2. Chicken Enchiladas
3. Diet Coke
4. Shrimp
5. Guacamole

People you are tagging...
1.Ramsey
2. Carri D
3. Melanie
4. Jacquie
5. Danette

Have fun ladies!

Buttons and bows and blog candy...oh my!

Yesterday over on Bellaholics I announced the first Embellishment Challenge! I am so honored to be chosen as the first of the Queens to get your creative juices flowin'.

As an extra special treat I am adding something special to this one (but don't expect it every month). My blog reached 1000 hits this week so I am giving blog candy! Anyone who posts a comment with a link to what they did for my challenge will be eligible for the blog candy. Details below.

OK, now on to the challenge.

Bella Buttons and Bows Embellishment Challenge

Buttons remind me of my grandmother. She always had a jar of buttons she had carefully removed from clothing before it became a rag she used for cleaning. I knew her collection had been growing for many years becuase there were hundreds of them in that jar. I have fond memories of spending hours sorting grandma's buttons by colors, sizes and picking out my favorites. The vintage dress buttons were always my favorites. They were delicate and yet ornate and I could imagine the beautiful clothes they had once been a part of. I wonder what ever happened to grandma's button jar.

If you are like me you have a bag, jar or box of buttons that just sit there looking pretty. Once in a while you will use one or two on a card or a scrapbook page or just run your hand through the jar because you like how it feels.

My challenge this week is to make anything (doesn't have to be a card) using a stamping bella image, ribbon/bows and at least 5 buttons. Here is my sample, a great card that I used buttons to create a wreath around sockafellabella. It was hard to get a good scan with the buttons so the sockafellabella image is a bit blurry but you get the idea.

Ok, to participate in the blog candy you have until Sunday Oct. 12th at midnight to post a link to what you did for this challenge to the comments section of this post. The copy the link to my blog candy and you're done. I'll pick a random winner on Monday Oct. 13th.

The blog candy will include....drumroll please....

1 -Daisybella (a brand spankin new stamp)

2 - 8x8 paper packs from Deija Views

3 -packages of rhinestones in purple, pink and green

3- chalk ink cat's eyes in orchid, aloe vera, and chestnut roan

1- birds and swirls cuttlebug embossing folder

25 -various stamping bella images to play with

Have fun and good luck!

Peace on Earth

I made 10 of these cards to send to the troops. Gina K has a great idea to send blank cards to the troops that they can then send back to their friends and loved ones this holiday season. Check out her blog for more info on how you can send some too. She even has a great list of prizes she is giving away. The top prize is $250 to Gina K. Every card sent gives you a chance to win. Check it all out here.

Stamps- Stampendous

Cuttlebug embossing folder

Nestabilities scalloped oval

Silver embossing

Mark richards gemstones

Want something sweet???

Nothing is sweeter than blog candy so here are a few links to our friends who are offering candy.

1. Katie Cotton is giving away 100 pieces of blog candy for her 100th post.
2. Janet has 500 hits and is trying to get ot 1000.
3. Melanie has made it to 1000 hits.

Stop by their blogs to congratulate them on their blogging achievements and enter to win some sweet candy.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Anyone who makes their own Christmas cards knows you have to get an early start. Somehow it does seem strange to be working on Christmas when it's in the 8o's outside. I have been busy working on a few projects this weekend and have lots of cards in various stages but here is my first picture.

Meet Polly Packages


I love this stamp because there are just so many possibilities. For this one I paper pieced her coat and scarf with DP from a DCWV Christmas stack. I used liquid applique on her hat, the top of her bag and the bottom of her coat. I also love the candy cane stripe leggings. The Ho Ho Ho is done with the Stampendous Candy Cane Alphabet. This set sold out last year before I got mine so when we got them in at Archiver's again this year I snatched mine up right away. Again, so many possibilities. More Christmas cards to come!

HUGE Blog candy for a good cause.

Check out Cammie's blog for the most amazing chance to win blog candy valued at around $1000. She has gotten donations from so many amazing people and companies all in honor of National Alzheimer's Day. She asked everyone to make a card to send to someone with Alzheimers or to the people who care for Alzheimers patients. Here is my card.

This one is going to the facility down the street from my house. I don't personally know anyone there but I am sure they are doing great things and this will brighten someone's day.

Sneek Peek...

So my last few posts have been about a very special thing I am working on. Finally I have a little something to reveal (with Gretchen's permission). This drawing means so much to me I cannot even begin to put it all into words... but here goes. Gretchen wanted to help NieNie. I wanted to help too. I love Gretchen's work so it made sense for me to help her help...get it??? I won the auction and sent my donation to the Stephanie and Christain Nielson Fund and the forwarded Gretchen my receipt. She asked what I wanted and so I explained.

I want something special for my daughter. She turns 21 in October. I am so very proud of the young woman she has become. We are very close and she loves stamping and scrapbooking like I do. We both fell in love with Gretchen's fairies on Stamping Bella. I wanted something to celebrate that special bond between mother and daughter. I also wanted something that would in some small way honor Nie Nie because her view of motherhood has inspired so many and after all she is the reason for the design. I emailed Gretchen my ideas along with some pictures of Ashleigh and I and she got right to work. I knew I would love whatever she came up with becuase I so love her style...but I had no idea. Here is what she sent me originally.



I love her sketchy sketch, obviously an artist at work. I am not sure what I had in my mind. I have one of her images of Lottie and Gussie and I asked for something along those lines. When I opened the email and saw her interpretation of my ideas I cried. This was much better than anything I had ever imagined. She even hid "Nie Nie" in there...can you find it? She also included little hearts that say, "my mother", "my daughter", "my soul" in French. How perfect is that?? Now Gretchen asks for changes or additions. I only have a few, Ashleigh's hair needs to be curlier, she needs to be wearing a hoodie with her hand in the pocket (anyone who knows her will get that). Another idea, maybe hang the hearts from the branch of a tree...a family tree.


Again she went to work and here is her final draft....I am in awe.




Now she will hand paint this just for me. I cant wait to see it colored. We also talked about another idea...a way for this image to keep on giving...more details on that to come.

So Excited!!!

A while back I posted something about an auction that was being done by one of my fav artists on behalf on Nie Nie. Click here for more info on NieNie. Well I won that auction and now I am working with Gretchen from ChichiBoulie on something really special. She is making a drawing of mother and daugher fairies. I asked for this because my DD will be 21 years old in October. We are very close and I thought it would be something special to give her. She loves the ChichiBoulie fairies too and she is going to college in Utah not far from where Nie Nie grew up. One of her roomates knows Nie Nie. You can donate too by clicking here.



Anyway, I was happy to be donating to the NieNie Recovery fund anyway and getting an original piece of ChichiBoulie art is icing on the cake. I just received a first draft of the sketch from Gretchen. Her talent amazes me. I am hoping to post it here, but I want to ask her permission first since it is her orignal work. Anyway I can't wait to share it with all of my sistahs, and if my dream comes true I may have something else special in store too.

I've been tagged

So.... My new Bella Sistah Ramsey tagged me, so I'm it!
Here are the rules:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Ok so you want to know a little bit about me:
1: I am a Stampaholic
2: I run a Harry Potter themed summer camp where we recreate Hogwarts for kids from3rd to 8th grades. Some people know me as Madam Hooch
3:I once won $1000 on a radio station by singing the theme from Armageddon "Opera Man" style...it's amazing the stupid things I will do for cash!
4: I am an only child and I have an only child.
5: I drive a convertible.
6: I just cut 5 inches off of my hair, and even though I was scared at first, I love it.
7: I am a sucker for chick flick, my all time fav is Pretty Woman

Here are my 7 picks:
1. YOU!!!- If you are reading this then you are tagged :)
2. Becca
3. Katie
4: Gretchen
5: Laura
6: Patsy
7: Katie S.

Win some original ChichiBoulie Artwork

Wanna win some ChichiBoulie original art hand watercolored just for you???? Check out her blog for a chance to win and help out an amazing family at the same time. Click here to find out more. Right now I have the highest bid but I really want someone to beat me and give more to this family.

To find out more about the family and their tragic accident click here. To donate directly click on the Nie Recovery button to your right. To send a card to decorate their recovery room .

c/o c jane
2250 N. University Parkway #4876
Provo, Utah 84604-1590

Angel of Blog Candy

..



Chcck out Suzanne's Angel of Blog Candy giveaway. Her card is darling and the blog candy is quite a haul.

Spooky....

Jeepers, Creepers...





I love Halloween and all of the fun and spooky stuff that is out there. Working at Archivers I get a chance to see all of the new products and great Halloween lines that are coming in. I couldn't wait to play so here are a few of my first Halloween creations for this year.

The other thing I love is mixing and matching all of my stuff to create my own designs. This first card is a perfect example of that. This is going to be my October Homepage contest card for the bellaholics group.
I used the Three Trees set from SU for the trees and the leaves.The bat is from a Stampendous Halloween set. The fence and the cat are Martha Stewart punches. I added Witchybella from http://www.stampingbella.com/. Her dress is covered in black flock from doodlebug and copper stickles.I even used glossy accents on the pumpkin for tha 3D effect. This really was a conglomeration (sp?) of materials but I love how she came out.

This one I did using my new haunted house cuttlebug embossing folder. I love all of the new holiday designs. I used a navy cardstock the added color to the windows, trim and moon with souffle pens. Witchybella was the final touch on this spooky scene.

Next on to another Halloween card I made as a Make and Take for mania last night at Archivers. I love hosting mania because I get to create my own make and take projects.

The pic isn't the best but I love this card anyway. The BG paper is Bo Bunny and the stamp is from Inkadinkado. The bat is flocked and then I added black and orange stickles to the flourishes.

Finally I did a Halloween page using the K& Company Halloween Whimsy line and round stickers from Archiver's Yours Truly stationary line to make 3D pumpkins. The large picture is one of my favorites of my daughter growing up. She is just turning three in the pic and she will turn 21 this October. Am I that far behind? Not really, but this was made for a sample at the store so it was a great way to reuse and old favorite pic. Thanks for looking.

Blog candy...How Suh-Weet!

Ok so it's not my blog candy but It's still pretty sweet. If you would like to win...

My beloved Pull-Ez Ribbon Storage holder (well not my one but a brand spanking new one!!LOL ,Cuttlebug Baby No 2 Die, Chipboard Flowers, Rhonna Farrer clear stamps (they are brilliant!) ,Cuddly Buddly Xmas Sentiment Stamps, Die cut Flowers and tags, 2 sheets of Die Cut letters, 5 little Tickets, Various papers from Laura Ashley, DCWV and DovecraftRibbons, plus gorgeous brown lace, Selections of stickersPrima Flowers not in the photo because they haven't arrived yet (Grrr!!)and perhaps some other little additions!!! The go to Dawn's blog and enter to win.

Ashleigh's Calendar Pages

I've created a monster! When I first started scrapbooking Ashleigh was 5. She liked looking at the books but wasn't really interested. After a class trip to England in 8th grade she decided she wanted to make a scrapbook of her own. That was the first of many. Now when she comes home for the summer she says, "Mom, it's like I live at Archiver's" because her room is my scrap room when she is not home. She looks through all my fun stuff and begs me for things (or just steals mine). We spent a lot of time scrapping together and it is fun to share this hobby with her. She is getting really good. Here are her pages.

This is her May page. She used I-wish-I-looked-so good-on-a-bike-abella. Don't you just love that name! I love the sentiment she used too.

Bookwormabella was perfect for September. A few cricut apples finish it off . This last one is her December page using Daisyboardabella. I love the cuttlebugged background and the snowflake brads with rhinestones in the centers.

Her talents have even landed her a job teaching classes at Roberts in Utah. Go Ashleigh!

Bella calendar

I participated in last year's Bella calendar swap hosted by Tangii. I couldn't wait to do this year's calendar. Since my daughter's old bedroom has become my scrap room when she is away at school she saw my Bella calendar hanging in there and wanted one of her own so she decided to join this year's swap too.

After our busy summer we treated ourselves to another retreat weekend at Mountains and Memories where we both worked on our calendar pages among other things.

Here are mine...

This is my April page. I used Lottie and Gussie Gabalot. I love these fairy friends. It is hard to see in the scan but their wings are covered in waterfall stickles. I love the extra sparkle. The pattern papers are from a pack I had in my stash for a while so I don't remember exactly who the vendor isbut I love the color combo of mocha, lime green, turquoise and orange.

This one is my July page. I couldn't resist a Bella in an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini. I love the bright colors of the papers. I used rub on letters from american crafts for the sentiment and a matching ribbon slide.

Last this is my October page. I love Witchybella. For the background I used my cuttlebug embossing folder and then rubbed black ink over the embossed image.

These are so fun to do and I love they way they came out.

Ashleigh's pages will be in the next post.

Been MIA...now I am back.

Wow, my last post was way back in April. Summer is always super busy for me but this year was a whirlwind. My daughter came home for the summer. I put on three weeks of Harry Potter themed summer camp (I'll post pics in a later post), my day job company was acquired and I still taught classes at Archivers on nights and weekends. It's a wonder I had time to breathe. I did do some creating and I'll try to post some of the things I did so there may be a few posts today while I try to catch up a bit. Anyway I am back and am making it my new goal to post weekly but twice a month at the very least.

Mile High Stamp and Scrap

Birthday package from my sistah

It has been a rough week for me. Two days (one of which was my birthday) on pain killers and antiobiotics for a severe sinus infection and it was so bad that it even infected a tooth and caused me to need an emergency root canal...yuck!!!





Anyway, it all my feeling sorry for myself in a Viucodin induced haze i recieved a ray of sunshine in my mailbox from my Bella Siatah Liane. She sent me the bestest birthday present evah!

The box included a darling butterfly album, two fantastic books, an awesome card, the SU ticket punch (yeah), some destination stickers (makes ma want to travel) and a cute little monogramed basket of goodies. I lovey it all and it was definately the highlight of my week.

Feeling much better now, but I think my birthday needs a re-do!

Some Bella Cards

I have not had a lot of time to post lately but I did want to post these Bella cards I have been working on lately.

This first one is using one of my new favorite paper lines... Fancy Pants. The BG paper is so pretty and the dotted paper behind the bella image is on the back side! I also used a transparency with bright colored swirls, flowers and glitter that is from the same line on this card. I am lovin the new transparencies and they come lots of designs in 12 x 12 too for scrapbook pages!

For this one I just love this sentiment with Imeladbella. If any of you were in Katie's color your own bella swap then you may have already seen me use this combo. What girl would not want to be spoiled like this!

Anyway, I used my cuttlebug on the red BG paper and the brown is a scrap of Basic Grey. I colored this one with watercolor pencils and blender pens.

The last one for I did for the Bella Babe Challenge a while back where you were supposed to use pink, yellow and orange. I finished it in time but never got a chance to take a pic and upload it in time for the contest. Oh well, I still like the card. The DP is from the DCWV new Spring Glitter Stack. I used me new cuttlebug paisley embossing folder (yeah I found one!) on the yellow strip and then added some little flowers with rinestone centers. She too is colored with watercolor pencils and blender pens. Finally I finished her off with the SU word window and "enjoy life".

Hybrid Bella / SU baby shower card

I made this card for my boss at Archiver's and I love the way it came out. Going to a baby shower with a bunch of Archivers employees there is a lot of pressure to come uo with something good, I wouldt think of walking in with a store bought card (although admittedly life got in the way and some did...we'll see if they get raises..jk)

I used Teddybella on the outside and paper pieced her clothes. All of the DP is from a Stemma baby boy paper pack on found on clearance for $4 at Target..I love a good bargain! I colored her with my zig markers (bc I am still saving for copics) and flocked the teddy bear with brown flocking. I also added a blie paperclip swirl and just a touch of baby blue dotted swiss ribbon in the corner. I used a chocolate A2 card from the Archiver's Yours truly line. I love these cards, they are pre-scored and come in lots of great colors and have matching envelopes. They make card making so easy (and score extra points with the boss). For the inside I used the SU Baby talk set. I love the cradle with the baseball flying out...tooc cute. I paper pieced the cradle and added a square brad. To finish it off I combined lines from two of the sentiment stamps in the set to create "congratulations on your bundle of boy". I love how this came out and think it is the perfect combo of stamps for a shower card.

Rejuvination

I am home again from a fantastic weekend feeling refreshed and rejuvinated and ready to tackle life again. Last week was a very rough and stressful week at work but I saw the end in sight knowing I had a wonderful weekend planned.

I spent my weekend at a scrapbook retereat in Estes Park called Mountains and Memories (see link on sidebar). This was my second time and I have already planned to go back again in August. From the moment you arrive at M and M you are pampered and spoiled by Sara, Jan and Gary (the owners). They carry your bags inside and set you up in your croppin' space (and you don't have to move anything all weekend)! The crop space has everything you need, the beds are comfy and the food is delicious. They have thought of everything (right down to earplugs and tiny flashlights).

I spent time scrapping many of the old heritage photos I got when we went through my grandmother's things (my cousins got the antiques and knick knacks, I got ALL the photos) after she died in December. It was very theraputic for me to work on these photos, and they brought back lots of memories. She lived a wonderful life (nearly 103 years) but I do miss her still.

I also worked on some Bella cards, some we've moved cards for my parents who just bought a new house and some Hogwarts summer camp pictures. I'll add photos in later posts.

I stayed up until 3:30 am on Friday and Saturday nights laughing with friends and being creative. I got a massage on Saturday afternoon and it all went by much too quickly but it was just what I needed. Too bad I can't do this every weekend.

Goodies in a Bottle

I signed up to participate in the Bella Sistahs again becuase I had so much fun with Patsy (even though we were both crazy busy). This time my Bella Sistah is Liane Donovan. (Yes, we have the same name just spelled differently). We also have the same initals and we both have April Birthdays. I think Tangii did a good job of matching us up.

Anyway, first I received a darlong card packed full of flowers from Liane (sorry no pic). Then just a few days later I received the most amazing mail. I pulled this bottle right out of my mailbox. Imagine my surprise. I didn't even know you could mail a two liter bottle. I looked at the Baloonabella stamped on the address label and knew it was from my sistah. Then I started looking inside. It was stuffed full of goodies. It was amazing how much ribbon, brads, paper clips, buttons, etc. she was able to stuff inside that bottle. There was also a darling card with winobella and an ATC using her too. I couldn't believe it. I wanted to take pics and I had left my camera at work so I just looked at it all in amazement for a couple of days. Here is what I found when I finally opened it up. AMAZING!!! Liane is the bestest Sistah!!

Hello Again

Wow I can't believe that it has been more than a month since I have posted anything here. Life has been a bit crazy. Anyway, I have a bunch of I have been wanting to post so I'll start with a couple of bella cards.

This one is my original for Tangii's shoebox swap. I lovey the sweetybellas and the friends paper seemed like a perfect fit.

This one is the Saint Patrick's Day card I did using a goodluckabella image I got from an image swap. The DP is from the DCVW spring glitter pack and I embossed the glitter green paper with my cuttlebug. I think she turned out so cute.
This last one is one I did for one of the Bella Release Party challenges. This is Ella and Loo Loo and I just love how sweet they are. It was a bling challenge so there is lots of sparkle for this little princess. The BG paper is glittered. I used the hot fx crystals from stamping bella on her crown and lots and lots of tiny prima flowers with rinestone centers finish it off. I love the soft spring colors and I think she came out so sweet. I think this one will be a birthday card for my niece's daughter who is turning seven and it quite the little princess herself.

Thanks for looking. It feels good to post again.

PJ Party Challenges

It was a busy weekend so I only had time to get two of the three challenges done for the Bella PJ Party on SCS.

The first one was an inspiration challenge where they posted a pic of a darling retro looking nightie with a great diamond print pattern. Here is my entry.

I used Archivers cardstock in Agean Sea for the base card. The DP is Dot candy and Soda Pop from the Pop Culture line by K I Memories. I had some library cards that I got from teacher supply store and I thought it would make the perfect background for bookwormabella. I decided to paper piece bellas clothes to match using some of the DP and the fuschia shimmer paper I used as matting. I finished it off with three square brads I found on sale at JoAnn's and a flower jewel.

The second one I attempted was the sketch challenge. The sketch used 1/4 circles in in two opposite corners with the main image in the center and a sentiment in the bottom corner. Here is my take on it.

The background paper is called Dress Rose and is by Chatterbox. For the the 1/4 circles I used a chocolate circle and a blossom scalloped circle from Archiver's Your's Truly line. I punched holes in each of the scallops. The image is cuppacakeabella from http://stampingbella.com/. I colored her with prisma watercolor pencils and paper pieced her dress and the cupcake wrapper with more of the dot candy paper by KI Memories. I used chestnut roan chalk ink on the edges. The sentiment is from the Hero Arts "Cupcakes" acrylic stamp set. I love the "Seize the Cupcake" and I bought this set especially to use with cuppacakeabella, but it has lots of other great images too. My final touch was a sugar coated brad on the top of the cupcake.

These were both fun ones, but I never got a chance to do the Favorites Challenge. Oh well it would have been too hard to choose my favorite Bella anyway, maybe next time.

Spoiled by my Sistah

Today is the last day of January (thank goodness) and that means the crazy stress at work should be done. It's been a busy, hard month. Today when I came home after working a 13 hour day I found a wonderful surprise in my mailbox from my Bella Sistah Patsy.

When I first got Patsy's sistah questions I noticed she was a CTMH consultant so in one of my first emails I sent her a "wish list" of things I liked so she would have so she would have some ideas. I asked her to do the same since I work at Archivers and she doesn't have a scrapbook store nearby.

Well today when I opened the box from my sistah I realzed that my wish list had been fulfilled and then some. She had sent me EVERYTHING I had mentioned plus a few extra things!! She sent me three stamp sets, a tube of flowers, a tube of leaves, 6 colors of brads, a stack of ribbons, 2 acrylic blocks, a paper pack, an edge distresser, a bag tag and an adorable card. I never expected to get ALL of it so it was such an amazing surprize and the perfect ending to my tough month. Hopefully February will bring me some more time to play with my new goodies.

I have really enjoyed being a Bella Sistah and Patsy has been the best. We have another month to go so I am gonna have to find something special for her now. I highly recommend participating in the Bella Sistah match ups..I can't wait to get to know and spoil another new Sistah in the next round.

Maria's Color Challenge

Maria posted this color challenge on her blog. The challenge was to create a card using colors from a yummy drink she had recently tried. The drink contained oranges, limes, evaporated milk and vanilla so her challenge was to create a card using orange, lime green, brown and white. This was tough at first and I had to play around with it a while to get something I was happy with but in the end I like this card. The scan does not do the colors or the DP justice but it's the best I could get at this hour (I should be in bed).

Thanks Maria for the inspiration.

Happy Happy Mail Day

Today was a particularly hard day at work for me. I run the tech support department of a software company. This is our busiest time of year because the software we support processes 1099s and W2's. This causes the volume of calls to triple during January. Because I am the manager all of the unhappy clients get esacalated to me. Today I spent 3 hours on the phone with 5 different clients screaming at me. To make it worse all but one of them were totally unfounded in their attitudes because they had made dumb mistakes (wouldn't you think you would make sure the correct year was showing before printing W2's for 650 employees...I guess that is too much to ask). Anyway I came home feeling exausted and like I had been hit by a truck. My plan was to spend the evening on the couch trying to unwind. I decided to check the mail on my way in...and what wonderful surprises were waiting for me.

My Bellas have arrived!!!!! I just got the email that said they had shipped on the 18th so I was expecting to have to wait at least another week! Balloonabella, Bookwormabella, Sistahoodabellas, Cosmobella, Ipodabella, Cardbackabella, Curly Ewe and Bella's Dream House and a couple of sentiments have joined my Bella family!!!

As if that wasn't enough my Bella calendar from Tangii arrived today too!!! Wow girl, you did an amazing job putting these together and everyone's pages are amazing too! I can't wait to hang it in my craft room. And the icing on the cake is that I also got the cutest card full of "yummy" chocolate themed images from my Bella Sistah Patsy.

What an amazing way to turn around a rotten day! No couch for me tonight. I am off to play with my new Bellas!

Rock On!!!!!

Another Bella card using papers from my stash and a swapped image. Thanks to all the sistahs wo participated in the All Image swap, I have had so much fun making cards with the bellas I do not own. I do think it is adding to my wish list though. Thanks for stopping by to take a peek.