Stickles 1 Beth 0

Okay, the Stickles are still drying! They win. I'm getting tired - still trying to recover from being ill the last couple of days- so this card will have to wait until tomorrow to be completed. Don't forget to read my entry following this one for a chance at blog candy! By the way, I was right there when Papertrey Ink released the scalloped punches for pre-sell. I did end up with the Mega rectangle, the Super Jumbo square and the Extra Jumbo heart. Oh, my! Take care!

Scalloped Punches

Okay, while I'm allowing the big ole wad of Stickles to dry in the center of my flowers so I can finish up today's Ways to Use It challenge on SCS, I'm trying to decide which of the scallop punches I just GOTTA have. Tonight at midnight (11 pm here in central time land), Papertrey Ink will begin taking pre-orders for ALL the Marvy Uchida Clever Lever scalloped punches. That includes our old favs such as the Giga and Mega circle, oval and square and some really neat new additions which include 2 new smaller sizes in the traditional shapes and 2 brand new shapes (a rectangle and a heart) in all 4 sizes. Decisions, decisions! I know what y'all are thinking- if we'd just been born rich instead of so darn pretty! Well, you can't have it all, and at least for me, that includes scalloped punches. I already own the Giga Square (albeit the old "you gotta stand up and put some backbone behind style), Giga Oval and Giga and Mega Circle. They have the Mega Square at my lss and I will get a 30% coupon starting tomorrow so as long at it's still there, that one is as good as sold. I have really enjoyed Nicole Heady's countdown to the punches on her blog {capture the moment} and all the great ideas for using them (the old adage that I use for my SU business- "if you show it, they will buy it" certainly rings true for me.) So as of right now, I am planning on pre-ordering the Mega Scalloped Rectangle and the Super Jumbo Square (the little postage stamp idea is to die for.) Since that comes to 30.00 and shipping is 5.50, how can I not throw in the Extra Jumbo Heart for 10.00 and make my total 40.00 thus FREE shipping! A Extra Jumbo Scalloped Heart for essentially 4.50! Just look at the money I saved! *wink!* So, which scalloped punches do you have and which ones would you like to own? Let's make this interesting and throw in a little blog candy- how about a random drawing for some ribbon and some primas for anyone that leaves a comment between now and 10 am (central time) on Saturday. If you'd like to add a neat use for one of the punches that would be fun, too. Better go check those flower centers. Take care!

Balance.....

I stay busy. In fact, I thrive on staying busy. You can ask my husband and my friends, and they will tell you I stay too busy. Like most women, I don't get enough sleep or take time for myself. But in the whirlwind of my life, I need my own sense of balance. It may not be what someone else considers balance, but as long as I feel it, I'm okay. Today, things were off balance! First, of all, I have physically not felt well. That started my day off in a bit of a funk. Secondly, Rachel was extra energetic and kept me more on my toes than usual. The clincher for the day was while I was in the bathroom, she unlocked the door leading in to the garage and her "sissy" had left the garage door open when she got her bike. I found my 3-year-old daughter across the street from our home. My heart fell to my stomach! Hubby is adding high locks to the doors tomorrow. While she was taking her nap, I decided to give the Sketch Challenge from SCS a try. Well, I couldn't get that to balance, either. I worked on this one card for the entirety of the nap and then once my husband got home- way too long to spend on 1 card! This is what I finally came up with. The PP in the bottom right corner was overpowering the upper left corner, so I made the little organdy ribbon rosette to place in that area. I could just imagine little rosettes lined-up across the little empire waistline. I'm not overly thrilled with the results but I do feel that there is balance. I think I'll go eat a piece of chocolate cake and just chill! Take care!

Little Dress Card Recipe

Stamps: jaylen's dress- Stamping Bella, Girls We Love- Technique Tuesday

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Taken w/ Teal, Cranberry Crisp, Natural White, PP Blush- BG

Supplies: organdy ribbon, MM brads, Stampin' Pastels, blender pens, Sakura clear Stardust pen, Marvy Uchida- Paper Trimming Buddy w/ scalloped blade, oval punch, corner rounder

And the winner is....

Okay, ladies! When I said that I would announce the winner of my blog candy at 9 am CT on May 28th, I forgot that I would be working until 3 am that morning. I plan to be sound asleep when good ole 9 am roles around. So, as soon as I got home and changed from my scrubs into my pj's, I decided to tally up the results and draw for the winner. I hope this does not upset anyone. Usually, I am quite the stickler for details but I didn't think it would be fair to make everyone wait until I awoke- hubby is home due to the Memorial Day holiday and I plan on taking full advantage and catch some zzzzzz. Anyway, the blog candy goes to

Julee Tillman aka Shadowcatcher. Julee's answer to the time capsule question was:
"In my stamping time capsule would be Stardust gel pens. I just love the shimmer they give and they seem to add something to my cards that wasn't there before." I agree, Julee, I so love mine! You can see Julee's beautiful creations at Poetic Artistry . Julee, if you would please e-mail me your address so I can forward this yummy ribbon and bling to you. Thanks to each of you who have been kind enough to stop by my blog this month. I treasure each and every comment.

The words are running together and I'm making major typos so that means time for sleep. Have blessed Memorial Day! Take care!

Ode to a Stamper's Man

Working this weekend, so I'll keep this short and sweet. The ER is CRAZY being a holiday weekend. Please, please be safe this weekend. I hate to see a good time turn in to a tragedy. Ya know, if you stay home and stamp, chances are good that nothing is going to happen to you (possibly a bad case of stamper's finger-lol, but we're made of tough stuff and that wouldn't slow any of us down) so in my professional opinion that is what everyone should do-chuckle, chuckle! My dear friend, Chris, pointed me in the direction to the blog of a gal she met at Archivers. Please take a visit on over at LMac's Catered Crops to see the cutest poem about the men in the stamper's life. Again, please be safe this weekend. Take care!

Just a quick Hi!

I didn't have time to "play" today. The girls and I really needed some Mom and Me time, so we just hung around the house together and did whatever tickled our fancy (usually Mom following their lead.) I'd been feeling guilty lately about spending too much time with my scrapbooking and stamping, so slowing down today was a good thing. Balance- such a simple word but, oh so, difficult to achieve. When I get some sort of creative outlet, I'm really so much better as a mother. It's just making sure I'm not going overboard with it- ya know what I mean. One nice thing-my 9 year-old-daughter, Mary Elizabeth, loves to "play" and be creative along side of me and those times are so very special. Hopefully, Rachel, age 3, will develop a love for such things, too (she already loves to rummage through my supplies and is curiously very careful with them, otherwise "bull in a china shop," describes her.) Once the kiddies and my husband went to bed, I had to cut CS for the SU Retirement Party that my upline, Yazmin, and I are having tomorrow evening. We are offering a total of 4 make-n-takes (developed 1 card and 1 other item each.) Since several folks that read my blog will be there tomorrow evening, I don't want to show those projects and spoil their surprise. I will upload those pics tomorrow evening. Not wanting to leave you folks empty handed, I wanted to share an awesome tutorial that I found on Trudee's blog "Follow your Bliss" for tying a perfect knot each time. Although Trudee didn't record this tutorial herself, she is an extremely talented gal and if you have not before, please treat yourself to a visit on her blog. Well, so much for a quick Hi! Better run to bed. Tomorrow poses a full and exhausting day. Take care!

And the Stampin' goes on...

As I said last night (err, this morning) I needed several thank-you cards. These will be going to my wonderful friends who helped me to celebrate a milestone birthday last month, my 29th one, of course. You know 29 has been the best 11 years of my life- lol! Anyway, I didn't want to make all the cards in the same design so I decided I would make 4 of the below little bird cards and 4 of another one. Well, of course, I had to play with "little lady" from Papertrey Ink. These are truly the most excellent polymer stamps that I have ever used (and I've used several very reputable brands.) They pick up and stamp off color like no other clear stamp can do, a joyful part of the creative process! Anyway, here is the card that I made with this fun "little lady." I don't know if I've seen this layout before or not (it's hard to say what inspirational tidbits stay in the back of the old noodle) but I wanted to use my new scalloped oval punch and I thought it needed to be framed up a bit. I took a piece of 5 1/4 x 4" Brocade Blue CS and ran it through the Cuttlebug with a brass template. I wanted it to have a light Swiss dotted look. Next, I cut an oval out of the center using my Coluzzle. I know a lot of folks that think the Coluzzle is difficult to use but I love this tool for cutting out all kinds of shapes. It was the first shape cutter I ever had and I keep returning to it regardless of the new releases. It's very easy to transport, shapes can be cut from anywhere on the page, and the shape selection is huge. Once you get the hang of it (it's key to make sure the blade is straight up and down while cutting,) it's actually pretty easy to use. Anyway, after cutting the oval out of the center of this Brocade Blue panel, I cut the piece down the middle and trimmed off 1/4" from each inner side. Again, I'm no Beate when it comes to explaining things but I think the finished product will, hopefully, display what I'm talking about. So here is what I accomplished last night. Just gotta hand write a personal note in each and off they go. Hope the recipients like them! Well, I have a 9-year-old who needs help with math, so I'd better run. Take care!

Lady Bug Oval card recipe

Stamps: little lady- Papertrey Ink.

Ink: Really Red, Basic Black, Versamark

Paper: Brocade Blue, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, PP- Carolee's

Supplies: Celery narrow organdy ribbon, Button- SEI, black embossing powder, embosing heat tool, scalloped oval punch, Coluzzle, Cuttlebug, Brass Template- Dreamcatcher designs