PaperFections

Tagged!

OMGoodness, I've seen this going around blogs and then Beate tagged me to play along. Some of these are quite hilarious (at least to me)! 1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) - Tollie Expedition 2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) - Butter Pecan Sandie 3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) SHAR 4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) - Chocolate Dog 5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)- Renea Abilene 6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) - Harsh 7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put “The”) - The Red Vanilla Coke 8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) - Walter Jasper 9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) - Tiffany Peanutbutter Cup 10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names) - Mae Ray If you'd like to play along, consider yourself tagged and let me know by posting below and I'll come check it out! Read more →

Sunflower Inspiration

Here's that photo I promised of the sunflower field by my house that inspired my September Sunflower calendar page. Aren't they pretty -- especially against that beautiful blue cloudless-sky this morning. A few of the blooms are already spent and this field is on the downhill side of its lifespan -- it was much prettier last week. I love getting inspiration from nature, especially all the seasonal color palettes. I hope this photo might inspire something you do today -- have a good one! Read more →

Project & Source Questions Answered

I've had several requests lately for the source of the shimmer ivory cardstock I use (that my friend, Lori, got me hooked on!). I usually try to list all my project details and sources (and links to those sources) either within that project post or in the "recipe" section at the end of each post. I've now added the link to CutCardstock.com (where you can get that shimmer ivory cardstock) to my right sidebar under the "Places I Highly Recommend" section. It's called Poison Ivory Curious Iridescent by Arjo Wiggins in the 89 lb. cover weight. The 6" x 6" scrapbook page protectors I used for my Vertical Album Desk Calendar pages are by Stampin' Up! I guess I did a pretty good job of covering up the SU! logo with all that ribbon (that was my goal!). The ones I used for that project that have the extra space at the top (where I put the name of the month) between the ring holes and page pocket are made for post-bound albums. If you don't want that extra space at the top, you can use the ring-bound album page protectors that are shorter and only have the ring holes... Read more →

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sue

About a month ago a sweet friend of mine, Sue, announced she wanted to do something different for her upcoming birthday and that was to give someone ELSE a gift -- a free Stampin' Up! stamp set of their choice AND a roll of beautiful ribbon. There was just one catch . . . you had to make and send her a card for the troops, expressing your appreciate for their hard work. How sweet is that? So she thought she'd make it fun and have a little contest and award the winner with gifts (you can read all about the details HERE). Not only is she (and those card makers) helping to lift the spirits of some of our soldiers but also being so kind as to give away some free gifts. Well, TODAY is her birthday and I'd love it if all of YOU would do something kind for Sweet Sue . . . go visit her blog and wish her a happy birthday and thank her for all the hard work she did, okay? You can also view all the cards that were entered into the contest. If you missed out on Sue's contest and would like... Read more →

Back to School

It's been a busy first two weeks of school -- so much so, that I forgot to share a picture of my girls we took that first morning! Here they are with their new backpacks on and ready to go! That new backpack is a bit big on my little Kindergartener on the right but she insisted on the bigger one like her sister's! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Read more →

Happy Labor Day & New Look!

Hello everyone, I hope all my U.S. friends are having a nice holiday weekend! Looks like I probably won't finish any stamping I wanted to get done this weekend, so check back for that tomorrow. Instead, the family is spending time together and enjoying the weekend with friends. Meanwhile, check out the new blog look for fall -- I love these colors! Read more →

Disarray!

The thing I dislike most about moving is the disarray. I'm an "everything has its own place" kinda gal and having everything turned topsy-turvy for a while just really unbalances my whole world! So here's a first view of my new crafting space -- with boxes & furniture piled everywhere! You'll notice a few wood pieces in the bottom of that photo because here's what the other side of the room looks like: It's my unassembled desk! Sweet, dear hubby of mine found this great deal on a desk for me and I loved it. Only catch -- it comes unassembled! So after painstakingly painting the room for me (that story will follow!), he starts assembling the desk. He gets to page 11 of the 44-page instruction manual and what does he find? A piece that had been drilled incorrectly -- ugh! So the instruction manual has a phone number listed in a HUGE font that you can't miss, to call for missing or incorrect parts. "No problem" they say, "we can have that piece out to you in about 7 days" -- ugh! So hopefully that will arrive by week's end and we'll be back in business! He couldn't... Read more →

I'm still not really here!

Just checking in from a friend's house (thanks Sharon!) -- still no Internet at mine! I hope to get back to you sometime tomorrow with my Gina K Stamps for a Cause sample cards. In the meantime, be sure to watch Gina's blog (you'll find her link on my sidebar). Read more →

A Few Notes . . .

Today's the day! You can now get all of the new My Favorite Things releases that the design team has been showing you samples of over the last several days. Click below to purchase: Let's Hear it for the Boys It's Elemental Home for the Holidays Back to School I can't wait to play with these sets once I get all unpacked again! Kim is offering free shipping until 6am August 3rd, so hurry on over. Gina K is at it again, with another giveaway. This time it's for a Marvy Giga Scalloped Punch! She also revealed her Design Team for 2007's Stamp For A Cause campaign -- check it all out here. I was very honored to be asked to participate as a designer for this year's fundraiser. Gina will tell you a little more about it over the next few days, so be sure to keep an eye on her blog. There will also be teaser ads running on SplitcoastStampers.com starting at midnight tonight, so check those and see if you can guess the wonderful cause a portion of these stamp sales will benefit. I'll be posting the samples I created on August 8, when the set is... Read more →

A Homeowner Again!

Everything went relatively smooth today at our new home closing and we have keys -- yay! Now starts the lovely task of physically moving (ugh)! But on a nice thought, we picked up the paint color my new crafting space will be and will probably paint it on Sunday -- yay, again! Don't forget about the 3rd Anniversary Dare To Get Dirty challenges for Fan Club Members at SplitcoastStampers.com the next few days. I have another challenge that will be posted on Sunday and I'd love to see you join in. Just bring your favorite stamps because it's a sketch challenge! Also, My Favorite Things has some new stamp releases coming August 1 that you won't want to miss. While I've been too busy packing to make any samples, check out the design team members' blogs and galleries for sneak peeks they will be posting over the next few days! Enjoy your weekend and more of my SU convention display samples yet to come! Read more →

Tagged Again & Get Dirty!

Another tag . . . Cyndi B at The Scrappy Chick tagged me and so did someone else (sorry, I can't find my email of who right now). So here are 7 things about me that you may not know: 1. While a country girl at heart (ahh, George Straight & Tim McGraw!), I also love listening to classic (70's-80's) Rod Stewart! 2. I must have my coffee every morning (a large travel mug, sometimes two) of either flavored coffee (southern pecan, butter toffee, swiss chocolate almond) or Kona with hazelnut creamer . . . I LOVE my Keurig! It also makes wonderful iced teas! 3. My favorite dessert is classic cheesecake with raspberry sauce. A close 2nd favorite is anything chocolate! 4. When asked what my favorite color is, I usually say blue. But I rarely wear it (except for jeans), decorate with it, or stamp with it! I guess that's why I made my blog mostly blue! 5. I met my husband on my first and only blind date in 1990, but it took us another 2 years to finally get together again! 6. We spent our honeymoon in Hawaii (Maui & Oahu) 13 years ago and we'd... Read more →

CHA

The Craft & Hobby Association show is underway in Chicago, where all the craft manufacturers will be be unveiling their new products for the upcoming season. I did have plans to go but the new house/moving plans took precedence! So if you are like me, awaiting all the juicy tidbits, be sure to keep an eye out on a few blogs that will be sharing details & photos as they get them: Craft Critique (daily reports with photos & links to the manufacturers' website sneak peeks), Eclectic Paperie, Julie Brooks (Doodliedoo). Enjoy! Read more →

Celebrations Contest Finalist!

Wow -- Craft Critique had a Celebrations Contest and I'm a finalist with this PaperTrey Ink ladybug little girl gift ensemble! So if you wouldn't mind, head on over to Craft Critique and vote for your favorite . Click on the email link right after my project's photo, to enter your vote. And while you're there, take a look around their collective blog -- you'll find tons of great info on just about any crafting topic you can think of, along with unbiased product reviews. I promise to stop packing long enough to post a card on Friday, so check back in! Read more →

Rockin' Girl Blogger!

I usually don't participate in these blog games of tag because inevitably, someone's feelings get hurt. But this one looks like fun and it might help you to find a few more blogs you may not be aware of, so I'm going to pass it along . . . sweet Sherrie over at Card Creme nominated me for this fun little game (many thanks, rockin' girl blogger!). Check out her artwork -- it's beautiful! I'm supposed to nominate 5 other blogger girls that I think are rockin' and because I spend a lot of time on their blogs, I thought I'd pass along the links to you, too. So here they are, in no particular order. And if you don't see your name on this list, it's not because I don't think you rock! Jeanne at Inky Paws -- I think most of you know this girl's coloring rocks, but just in case . . . Beate at Fresh & Fun -- Most everyone knows Beate and this girl can crank out the cards with definitely a fresh & fun approach! Lori at Make a Difference -- This girl DOES make a difference with her gorgeous cards & scrapbook pages... Read more →

Do you like a challenge?

Do you dare to get dirty?!! If so, then hold on to your computer chair because in less than 2 weeks Splitcoaststampers is hosting a week-long celebration of the 3rd anniversary of the Fan Club, beginning Wed, July 25 and running thru Tue, July 31! You can read all about it here. You don't have to be a Fan Club member to read that post, but you'll need to be one to upload your challenge cards to the special challenge gallery and participate that week. There will be at least 4 challenges a day (more on the weekend)! How do I become a Fan Club Member and is it worth it? Find out all about it here. While you do get certain member-only privileges when you join the Fan Club, you are also supporting the number one stamping community on the web. If you've ever looked around in the galleries for inspiration or participated in any of the weekly challenges or chat threads, you already know how much information the site contains. That alone, in my book, is worth the cost of the membership. Heck, you probably already pay more than that for the cost of magazine subscriptions in a... Read more →